"Fu-Gee-La (remix)" Fugees

It's been a while since we looked at any hip-hop here at ThaBombShelter, I think the last time was Deltron 3030 back in February. The GF and I took an interesting trip in order to reach the unique sounds the Fugees the other day. We heard a new track from Amy Winehouse on CD101 and she didn't know who it was. Her first thought was perhaps a new track from Lauryn Hill, which I can totally see. I let her know that it was actually a new white singer from England with an old voice. She had a soul and richness to her voice that neither of us had heard since Ms. Hill graced our ears through the nineties. When "The Score" was released back in 1996, Lauryn was only 21 years old, but just listening to her vocals you'd never guess she was much younger than about 40 or so. Her voice, like the equally young Winehouse, has an ageless, yet aged quality, hinting at an experience that is betrayed by her youth. And so, rather than delving into Winehouse just yet, I thought I would explore this release, about ten years senior to Amy's latest, "Back to Black", but both artists are nonetheless in the same vein.

This track, a multilingual take on the single, "Fu-Gee-La", more thoroughly embarces that sense of worldliness that the Fugees seem to ooze with every note. The reggae beats, the spanish, french, portuguese (maybe?), the sunset bonfire acoustic guitar, all combine to create a hip, sleek tune that melts in your headphones. All three members share vocal duties, and all three seem to be rapping in a foreign language at some point. A large portion of the song is changed in the process of internationalization, but the basic structue and vibe are both intact in the final product. Put this track on your first summer mix of the year, put down the windows when it's finally warm in your neck of the woods, and let that left arm hang down - a warm breeze caressing the fine hairs - and just let the music flow, let it gently caress the beat out of your neck and head and feet, let it take over as you cruise and just live.

Fugees Official Site
Fugees on Wikipedia
Lauryn Hill on Wikipedia
Buy "The Score" at Amazon.com

"Fu-Gee-La" Fugees