For years Blue Scholars ran hip hop in Seattle, period. Now it seems the duo of emcee Geologic and producer Sabzi are reconnecting with their Pacific Islander roots, spending time out in Geologic's birth state of Hawaii.
The result of the stint is the OOF! EP. Five songs and five instrumentals inspired by the Hawaii that you don't see on TV: fish-fry BBQs in Waianae, native Hawaiians struggling for sovereignty, house parties on the Leeward side, uncles playing mahjong on a lanai in Waipahu, a thriving independent hip-hop and fashion scene, on-air ciphers at KTUH, a room full of folks vibing to a mean reggae song, young poets spitting fire into mics, grubbing on poke in the Foodland parking lot, whole neighborhoods leveled by the ice epidemic.
OOF! EP is out August 25.
Blue Scholars, OOF! EP track list
01 Bananas
02 HI-808
03 New People
04 Hello
05 Cruz
06 Ahi Riddim (Bananas Instrumental)
07 HI Riddim (HI-808 Instrumental)
08 Tako Riddim (New People Instrumental)
09 Postal Riddim (Hello Instrumental)
10 Havva Riddim (Cruz Instrumental)
