Chap-Hop Recital

Obviously on hearing that Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer was performing a "recital" at Colchester Arts Centre on Thursday night we pulled out all the bargaining chips to get a babysitter that night... and we are going.  As a dapper 1930s style chap (as approved by The Chap Magazine) he fits right in with our vintage themed blog, so I plan on doing a post on our night out on Friday.  For those of you who are not yet enlightened into the world of Chap-Hop a little pre- post is in order.

Mr B has been included as verified "chap" in Gustav Temple's book "Am I a Chap?" ; picture source: Mr B's Facebook page

American urban hip hop meets English cricket, tea and tweeds- that is the essence of Chap-Hop.   Mr B, who is one such performer, "lays down his rhymes" armed with his banjolele and stiff upper lip.  He is currently in a chap-hop feud with Professor Elemental,  a fellow rhymer, with whom he entered a chap-off in early 2011.  Unlike the rivalry in mainstream hip-hop these chap-hop feuds are far less violent and more likely I suspect to end in a cup of earl grey when all is said and done.

Although many assume he is purely a comic act, Mr B has a genuine love of Hip-Hop and his tracks are not just amusing but catchy too, he displays a rappers skills and timing, capturing the essence of urban hip-hop (often re-working some of the original tracks) but in the Queens English with a G&T, a pipe and a banjolele.  Obviously.  His  latest album "The Tweed Album" is out on 18th June.  Enjoy one of his tracks below.

Pip pip.

Sources: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703716904576133674200088328.html ; http://www.gentlemanrhymer.com/ ; http://www.myspace.com/mrbthegentlemanrhymer ; http://gentlemanrhymer.tumblr.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/gentlemanrhymer

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