Double H (Hard Hitters) is a hip hop crew that consists of two rappers – Hectic and Fierce. The crew has been rapping for more than four years, and is currently working on numerous underground mixtapes, one of which is called “Jacking For Beats Vol.1” with their in-house producer ‘Uneek‘.
So to introduce this UK underground Hip Hop group they have an upcoming mixtape which they hope will get them featured in the media and public spotlight. The CD is some 17 tracks deep and gets going with a heavy piano beat that bobs along and allows Hectic and Fierce to demonstrate their able flows. Riding the beats is well within their abilities and long breathless verses just fall from their mouths. This cross London duo work well together and sound well accomplished. Bad Situation is one of those heart string tugging tales of a tussle over a girl and the emotional feelings people feel when they are in love with someone who perhaps is already in another relationship.
For the Ilmatic track a well off key backing kinda works as the MCs do the best they can to pay homage to Nas as they manage to fit in as many references to the great MC as they can. Freak With Me brings a touch of the G-Funk sound with a Snoopesque bassline and easy West Coast influenced laxadasical flows about girls. Proving they can cover a variety of styles the next track Take Me Home is an up tempo freestyle about picking up a pissed girl in a club and getting bounced out and other humourous tales.
Blaze Da Weed is obviously a rap about their favourite drug. Harder drugs are to be allowed in favour of Hennessey and trees. Dangerous S**t is proper New York dark Mobb Deep type grimy shit. Flipping up the more female obsessed lyrics for gun clapping bragadacio and tales of derring do. Continuing to vary the vibe with every track we get another minimal track Its Like That which would be suitable for club play. Old skool beats, guess which one, are flipped for another chirpsing track.
There are more braggadocios tracks like In Your Eyes and Warning Shots and more lover man tracks like Hitters Rollout which suffers from some bad singing, but does see some double paced flows. There are struggle and hardship tracks as well like Humdrum. Its On is biographical and the final track Hold It Down which features the guest vocals of Zeus is more philosophical and manages to leave the listener on a bit of an uplifted vibe as the MCs tell what they can draw on for strength.
Overall this is quite an impressive demo which shows how the Double H crew can get down and blaze you with their lyrics. Calling themselves ‘soldiers on a mission’ they have undeniable skills, but can tend to be on an adolescent tip and I would be interested to hear some different subject matter, although having said that they do manage to cover the usual topics with some aplomb.
Performed at:
1. BARUMBA (Leicester Square)
2. ABC Building (Covent Garden Hip Hop Museum) and various street battles
Musical Influence:
B.I.G., 2PAC, NAS, BOB MARLEY, MARVIN GAYE.
HECTIC
Name: JOHN BALOGUN
Age: 21
Home: SOUTH-EAST LONDON
Gender: MALE
FIERCE
Name: TIAGO DEFRANCA
Age: 21
Home: NORTH-WEST LONDON
Gender: MALE