Dave Chappelle's Block Party

YOURZ

When the incomparable Mr Dave Chappelle decides to throw a party, he doesn't just invite a few friends, he throws down one of the best events ever staged on the streets of New York. 

Of course, the music is going to be the cream of hip hop and soul but not the normal shit you might hear on the radio.  This is the real, full flavoured, heavy bodied cream, which includes The Roots, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Jill Scott and Common.  And then of course, there's the comedic talents of Dave himself, who acts largely as narrator, announcer, master of ceremonies and roving crazyman-on-the-ground.

If you've not seen this documentary, I can't recommend it highly enough, not just because of the music but also for the general bonhomie of both the performers and the crowd, who turned out in droves to go to an event they knew little about.  And what an event it turned out to be. 

As a soundtrack, it features highlights from the show but not all the highlights, which means if you want to hear The Fugees (who reunited for this show) or a number of other great tracks, watch the movie.  On the soundtrack, the standouts for me are Dead Prez's Hip Hop, every time Jill Scott opens her mouth, Boom by The Roots, Back In The Day by Erykah Badu and Umi Says by Mos Def.

But there are so many good tracks, really it's worth listening to the album as a whole.  And for those of you who don't like hip hop, all I have to say is you really don't know what you're missing out on.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

We live in Brooklyn, baby.  The soundtrack to the documentary to the Block Party is flavoured with summer.

From the incidental conversation between the tracks, we learn there's going to be two barbecues set up, one for the vegans,and they'll be frying up some tofu for the girls.  That's the lovely Erykah Badu and the incomparable Jill Scott, who I've also enjoyed in her role as Precious Ramotswe in the TV series of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

But I digress.  This is a terriffic soundtrack to a fantastic idea Dave Chapelle had, and it really should be played on a summer's afternoon after a day at the beach, with the doors to the balcony wide open and something grilling on the barbecue, with a cold glass of something giving me a nice buzz and the salt crusting on my shoulders.  Roll on summer.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.chappellesblockparty.com/home.html