Let’s Call It A Movement is a weekly expose on a crew, group, or collective, from around the country, that are beginning to make some noise in the underground. While it only takes one emcee to make a significant change in a specific regions musical direction, oftentimes we see that rappers can amplify their reach by coming together as a unit. Think the Native Tongues, a collective of influential New York hip hop groups—A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers, and De La Soul, as well as many other affiliates. Thanks to crews’ significant positions in the game, we feel that it is important to highlight some of the up-and-coming groups, who are beginning to shape the music coming from their respective hometowns.
This week, we travel to the land of A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Organized Konfusion, and 50 Cent: Queens, New York, where a small crew is making some very large waves. World’s Fair is a name that probably brings back memories of watching Men In Black. This posse is tasked with one of the most daunting challenges plaguing rappers. In this Brooklyn and Southern dominated market, how do they get people excited to listen to Queens’s hip hop?
They recently inked a deal with Fool’s Gold Records, which is a sign that they are on the right path. Blending the boom bap style of their forefathers, with a tad of influences as varied as Metal to Reggae, they have created a sound that is all their own. Staying away from sounding too old school is a task for every New York rapper; luckily World’s Fair manages to do that without compromising any of the lyrical talents. Each mixtape they release sounds different from the one before.
World’s Fair plans on releasing a compilation album on September 3rd, entitled Bastards At The Party. Although this association only runs about six deep, good things sometime comes in small packages—they are definitely one of those times.
Jimi (@Nativejimi)
