Pete Miser Loves Hip-Hop and You should too
By Dave Terpeny, KyndMusic Editor
Underground Hip-Hop has always been an interesting enigma for me. I’ve looked in the door and brushed up against it on the street but never went in or asked if it had a minute to chat. And I wish I had.
It is a musical and cultural phenomenon with undiscovered talent, back-breaking feats of lyrical intelligence and vibrant, experimental rhythms and beats. There are collective groups of MC’s, stunning graffiti art, joint-popping break dancing (and old-school b-boying) along with acrobatic DJs and more.
It has a rich history and recently KyndMusic had the chance to sit down with one of its proponents and greatest talents, the New York b-boy genius Pete Miser.
Pete started out alienated as a white/Chinese suburbanite who found salvation in the Portland, OR b-boy scene and its counter-culture elements. In the late 80’s he released several solo albums, grew up in the scene, was introduced to Reggae and then, in the early 90’s formed the nine-piece live band Five Fingers of Funk.
Through the decade, Fingers toured internationally, released two albums and shared stages with the likes of Maceo Parker, The Roots and Run D.M.C. In 1998, however, they were finished and Pete continued on his unwavering road to hip hop greatness, moving to New York.
There he played with several members of alternative queen Dido’s band. Those encounters led to Pete being invited to join Dido as the DJ in her band. He spent the next four years traveling the world and appearing on numerous television shows. He also recorded and released Radio Free Brooklyn, his critically acclaimed 2002 solo album. But he wasn’t even close to his potential yet.
More and more he felt the pull of the being his own MC and he left Dido’s fold in early 2000 and entered Duotone Studio in New York City.
When he emerged, he had created a classic.
Camouflage is Relative is overflowing with 14 innovative tracks. His sample-heavy beats twist and turn through the back-alleys of Brooklyn, whipping your ears to and fro on a wild ride. His turntable must have been built by the lumberjacks in his home state of Oregon. It is strong to the point of being indestructible.
And as the rhythms grab hold of you, Pete’s verbal gymnastics, keen intelligence, wit and honesty wrap up the deal.
His voice is husky, purposeful and clean so as to better lace into you and himself. He decries his failings as a thuggish playa in “So Sensitive,” crying out in the chorus “I need a hug!” And in “Scent of a Robot” he tells a sharply satirical tale of the programming we all undergo in the modern work place.
But his sense of humor isn’t his only weapon. There are plenty of instances on Camouflage where he aims his sights on bigger targets.
“Old News” is one of those instances. A searing commentary, complaint and call for change; it is a masterful political grievance. Just listen to lines like “It’s not freedom or democracy, it’s capitalist. Same system had me locked up on a slavery ship” sung by guest MC Dionysos and try to not feel it. Then add to that the brief but epic-sounding sampling of the anti-war protests in New York City in 2003 in “Politics Schmolitics” and the exposure of hypocrisy in “I See You.” Damn.
Throughout our conversation, the one thing that struck me the most about Pete was his take-no-prisoners honesty. He would have nothing to do with my ignorant attempts to stereotype hip-hop attitudes and throughout the course of our 45 minute long conservation, he set me and the record straight countless times on issues large and small. It was refreshing if not sometimes slightly embarrassing. And he did it disarmingly.
As the artist goes, so does his album and hopefully his career. Pete Miser is the real deal in a world filled with MTV wanna-be's. He lives and breathes hip-hop and b-boy culture and this passion comes through in one of the top albums of the year, no matter the genre.
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