FUCK DARREN CHAMBERS!!!!…this phrase while entirely meaningless to the vast majority of you, it has remained a raucous inside joke in my fluctuating circle going on 3 years. As I’m told the two MCs behind the 27 September release “Float Trip” were on…well…a float trip when a one of them in a state of vicious hangover noticed a sign advertising a local political hopeful by that name. When one read the sign out loud, the other drunkenly exclaimed through sun-burned lips “Man, FUCK DARREN CHAMBERS”

CornBread217 has been a fixture in the Springfield music scene for over 20 years not only as an artist and beat-maker, but resident hip hop guru and mentor to the fledgling. A1Muzik has been on the scene less time, but not for lack of trying. Both artist have distinctive voices that break the monotony of modern rap and deliver vocal magic carpet to float over while they move through bars flawlessly.

The juxtaposition of the artists two very different deliveries is not a random occurrence. The two voices serve to compliment each other with great aplomb. The majority of the tracks see Bread starting the lyrical acrobatics with a smooth baritone the will flood your girls basement. His voice and style bring each of the tracks he begins to a place of near climax while A1 comes in releasing an angry, yet somehow smooth lyrical clit rub that gets the sonic G spot squirting.

It is worth noting that as an artist I have EPs with both artists, both released in 2020. WeirdMarc300 and CornBread217 released “Welcome to the Zu” 11 Nov 2020 on Records L’Estrange.

Later that year, despite delays A1Muzik and WeirdMarc300 released “A Very Pandemic Christmas” Dec 4, 2020.

“AVPC” went on to stream an astonishing 167,000 times on its first day before being pulled by Spotify for suspicious activity.

“Float Trip” is a simple concept. Two rappers embark on a float trip. For those unaware of the concept, a float trip is an orchestrated traversing of a river via flotation device. The participants historically imbibe alcohol , marijuana and often LSD in a typically successful attempt to heighten the merriment.

Bread’s production is obvious from the first few seconds of the opening track, “On Tha Way”. Bread taught himself to play piano while locked away during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. His dreamy keyboard and synth is sexily complimented by steady bass drum and rapid-fire hi hat. The track throughly references Midwest favorite vacation spot Merrimac Caverns and the eponymous river. A1 starts the track as the two step-by-step the trip to the trip. Which typically involves the “roll up”.

At 5 minutes and 4 seconds “Shenanigans” the tapes second track follows the dreaminess of the first and gives us out much awaited sample of Bread’s distinctive crooning. “We havin’ a night/ the drinks, and the dab, and the white” raps A1 in the first verse utilizing his zero-chill delivery he has become known for. The sung hook is an earworm that you won’t soon forget.

By now the tempo of the EP expectedly picks up as we find ourselves in the midzees of the album. A groovy ass guitar sings in the background lovingly to well-programmed snares and bass. Bread flexes his lyrical muscle with the expected ease, at one point purposely slaughtering Cardi Bs iconic phrase “Okurt” for both ill punctuation and comedic effect.

Bellowing bass drum accompanies quick snare and some tightly controlled bells for “Just Got Service”. The track is an homage of sort to the fact that finding cell service in the rural areas typically associated with rivers can be tough. The synthesizers bells greatly mimic a cell phone alert. It’s genius and this track is my favorite. Just short of the 1:30 mark A1 jumps in with a stellar verse referencing both international anti-terror operative Jack Bauer and “The guilty conscience of a cheating whore” in less than 15 seconds. The abrupt ending leaves the listener wanting to replay it and in the streaming world of modern music, that’s where the money is made.

The final track samples a chorus of children and mixes in some violin and properly dispersed 808 bass in order to bring the record full circle with the all to catchy phrase we talked about earlier. “FUCK DARREN CHAMBERS”. The track gives us the EPs only feature a verse from Springfield Rap mainstay Deezy The Paperboy. Entitled “The Ballad of Billy Bubble”, it punctuates the album perfectly showing Bread’s uncanny ability to to pick track position to perfection. Known as much for his singing as his rapping DTPB assimilates into the CornBread/A1 fold perfectly. His voice is vaguely reminiscent of 2000s era NYC rappers…think A-Mafia of Dipset. He delivers bar after bar changing the tempo twice effortlessly.

At just over 18 minutes the “Float Trip EP” does not desire to take up your time. It gets to the point yet somehow makes a clear and undeniable concept without smacking one over the face with a concept like WeirdMarc300s first EP, “Halloween on Latte Street” a 4 track dedication to Pumpkin Pie Spice and Serial Murder, heavy on the former. Bread and A1 really did it. After 2 years of hilarity and purposely bad-edited memes starring the 2 as, among other characters, Doc Brown and Marty McFly, we have a project. Available only on Bandcamp as of this publication “Float Trip” , gets my seal of approval. That is not 1, not 2, but all 3 (100 emojis) 💯💯💯. The brevity of the tape only contributes to its listenability. The CornBread217 production rivals one of my faves Earl Sweatshirt as Random Black Guy. I hope people spin this diamond of record around the world. It has the potential to tickle the fancy of all hip hop and many lovers of other music. The tape is stellar. Great attention was paid to never abandoning the concept making Bread, in my humble opinion a major force in the development of concept albums. Them niggas snapped. PERIOD. Go cop it.

Deezy Da Paperboy in January 2023

https://cornbread217.bandcamp.com/album/float-trip-e-p