Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

So where to start with Flo Rida? If you're a regular on this site rather than an adventurous-Googling-wander (a digital, less brave but warmer Captain Scott of some sort) then I think that I can get away with assuming that you're not such a big fan of Flo's. Me neither really, but it's sometimes fun to listen to music like this. Also, being a sideburns-sporting chap myself, I can only have the upmost respect for the man's facial endeavours. Bravo Mr. Rida. One thing I briefly wanted to mention though even though there's no place for it here - Our mate Flo appeared on Comic Relief a few weeks ago and rather than urging viewers to donate to the charity, he opted to fill the brief post-song void with a plug for this very release. NOT COOL.

'Right Round' is yet another reworking on an old classic showing that this trend that has lasted almost a decade now is showing no signs of slowing down. Who can complain though. We are after all, the generation that has been brought up to believe that recycling is not only good, but essential. Al Gore must be proud. 'Right Round' heavily relies on 'Dead Or Alive''s solo hit of the dame title, though this modern face lifted anthem is probably less likely to conjure up associations with dead gorillas, kidney stones, blow job lips and transsexuals or whatever the hell Pete Burns claims to be these days.

Flo Rida's take on this 80's record is the type of song that sounds at home being played on a mobile phone at clipping-level by 14 year old girls strutting through town on a Saturday afternoon wearing jogging bottoms. Not surprisingly considering the industry might that is behind the man with the burns, this is a fantastic modern pop song in that it has a definite and simple groove, catchy chorus and a reference to Katy Perry. An essential ingredient for success in 2009. I won't bore you too much with describing the song because there just doesn't seem to be much point - if you like Flo Rida then buy it (and then question yourself with a long hard stare into the mirror prior to crying for 3 hours solid) but if not, then don't expect to be swayed into becoming a fan because there's nothing new here for you; perhaps even go as far as to protest by donating to Flo Rida's arch enemy - Comic Relief and starving, AIDS riddled African children with no real hope in life.

But why does there need to be anything new here? Flo Rida is a master of his art and doesn't really care what you or I think.

Re: Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

These kinds of songs are killing hip hop. Ironically, I prefer the original.

Re: Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

probably because it annoyed them so much at the time that it inspired people to make hip-hop therefore encouraging it somehow haha.

Re: Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

When I called for the return of sampling in hip hop, I didn't mean this. That's the last time I give Flo Rida any advice.

Re: Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

Hip Hop is Dead.

Only Rap remains...

Re: Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

Hip Hop is far from dead my friend.

Re: Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

Help me out: name some contemporary Hip-Hop that is as exciting and as relevant as Boogie Down Prod., Eric B and Rakim, etc, were back in the day?

I mean, there's a lot of good Rap - Ghostface, DOOM, Ghostface and DOOM together, etc. (lol) - but Hip-Hop pretty much died with the live Hip-Hop DJ (so much so that it's more accurate to call them 'turntablists' now).

I'm not complaining, though. Late-80s sampling ('It takes a nation...', 'Paul's Boutique', etc.) was amazing and the beats The Neptunes did on the last Clipse album were also pretty out there.

Styles die and are reborn as something new (Blues to Rock 'n' Roll to Psychedelia to Metal to Punk to No-Wave...).

C'est la vie dans la musique...

Re: Flo Rida - Right Round [Single]
 

Like Tommy Lee Jones said in Men In Black, Elvis is not dead, he just went home, and I strongly believe "alternative" hip hop is very much in the same state. I can name you quite a few hip hop musicians that fits your "exciting" and "relevant" criteria. They may not be in the same category as Public Enemy and the like in terms of genre classification, but they're all born from the same tree. Here are just a few:

Flying Lotus
Jay Electronica
Janel Jneiro
Luke Spicer
Blu (& Exile)
J Dilla (even though he's dead, but then so are Biggie and 2Pac)
Black Milk
Common
Murs
9th Wonder
Madlib
Q-Tip
Shad

To name but a few that I know. Unfortunately, their sounds aren't mainstream enough and you'd probably never hear them without the internet.