KutMasta Kurt: Redneck Games
Waxploitation, 2004
KutMasta Kurt is probably best known for his mind-bending Kool Keith productions, but this collection of recent remixes shows he’s helped a wide range of artists, from Blackalicious to The Beastie Boys. From beginning to end, Redneck Games (formerly Redneck Olympics) is a tight group of tracks, so it’s hard to pick out favorites. There’s crazy scratching at the beginning of Dilated Peoples’ “Work the Angels.” Later a well-placed Tribe sample implores, “Act like you know, not now but right now.” Kurt’s creative mix of “Wylin Out” off Urban Renewal Program Supplement 1.5 is here as well. Titan’s “1,2,3,4 Remix” featuring Motion Man is a wild, slightly Latin-sounding mix with inspired raps, a shouted Spanish count, and a Speak & Spell. “Straight from the Heart” by PMD is deep and funky, reminiscent of Premier’s early ’90s productions. Finally, Kool Keith’s amusing “I Don’t Believe U Remix” gets a bass and bleep backing and a simple beat. The tracks are interspersed with answering machine messages praising Kurt, and for once these self-congratulations are deserved.
