So we all get old and then we can’t hack it anymore. Is that it?

Via Nialler9 comes a link to this site on which you can listen to the new Go! Team song “Flashlight Fight” which features the vocal stylings of none other than Mr. Chuck D. Its a pretty darn amazing song in my opinion, the Go! Team’s mentalistic drums and horns and general noise not being a million miles away from Public Enemy’s old Bomb Squad sound. But of course with alot more melody, since the classic Public Enemy sound seemed to be actually offended by anything approaching a tune. Which was a good thing, by the way. Chuck gives it his all on this track, and the Go! Team fulfill their side of the bargain as usual. Good stuff. I haven’t heard much of Chuck’s recent stuff, I don’t think he’s lost it as an MC though, just his choice of backing tracks sometimes leaves alot to be desired. Its Nas “Illmatic” syndrome, when you’ve come out with such an amazing catalogue of early material its hard to best yourself.

I guess its like what Sickboy said in Trainspotting, “Well, at one time, you’ve got it… and then you lose it… and it’s gone forever.” Its definitely true in the hip-hop game, its hard to think of many rappers that have stayed on top of their game for their whole careers. Ghostface Killah maybe? Some fade away into obscurity, some keeping making quality material but its forever in the shadow of former glories (Re: Nas) others recognise that the jig is up and completely change their whole game. Re: Mr. Ice Cube. When Cube first came out he was like Eminem multiplied by Darth Vader. He was the most controversial rapper out there, threatening to burn down Korean shops, calling white women “cave bitches” and generally scaring the piss out of people. I remember as a wee speccy 13 year old collecting together enough money to buy “Death Certificate” on cassette tape, opening the cover and being moderately terrified of the picture of Cube and an army of gang members and militant Muslims staring back at me. I was convinced they were going to march across the Atlantic and enslave us. Its was brilliant. Of course they didn’t, as when Cube’s career starting waining in the face of more palatable pop-rappers such as Jay-Z or Ja Rule he did a 180 and reinvented himself as a kids movie star. So, whilst he once threatened to kill the president now he makes delightful romps about cross country trips with mischievous pre-teens. I suppose its for the best, nothings worse than hasbeen gangsta’s trying to keep up with the young bucks. Cube wouldn’t fit in amongst the current crop anyway. He was articulate, clever and witty, whilst todays super-thug’s are slurring idiots who can barely form logical sentences.

This phenomenon Sickboy reminds us, is found in “all walks of life“. This weekend I saw the Simpsons Movie. The Simpsons at its mighty heights was the best television show ever created. Ever. Then it lost it. Its still good, its still funny but its a shadow of its former self. The Movie does go someway to restoring its reputation, its pretty funny in parts, but in reality it could have been alot funnier. This year Ive seen films like Borat or Hot Fuzz where ive felt like I was going to projectile vomit I was laughing so much. I expected a similar reaction from the Simpsons, but did not get it. Its a very well made film, with some classic moments but its Laughs-Per-Minute ratio was sadly too low. Still, even in its worst, worst moments it pisses on Family Guy from a great height. So the Simpsons, joins Ice Cube, the Prodigy, Eddie Murphy, Michael Jackson, and Feast ice-creams as things that had it, and then lost it.

And, want to know the only person who has ever bucked this near-universal trend? Bill motherfuckin’ Murray. He’s like a fine wine, he’s only getting better.