Freedom $old

Houston’s got a rap scene a mile deep, but you might not know it from the major media (outside of the Houston Press, who these days do a ridiculously good job of covering it) or the indie-rockin’ bars inside the loop. And hey, I’m no more knowledgeable about it than most — on the rare occasions when I do happen to hear a local hip-hop act, it’s usually something pretty bizarre, something that might be be accepted by your average beathead.

Freedom Sold is that kind of band — they’re hip-hop in style, but they’re fiercely political and big into the indie-rock world, and their sound probably isn’t going to get them on the pages of hip-hop magazines anytime soon. I haven’t caught ’em lately, but the basic setup the last time was that Kwamé would be out front making lots of feedback-y noise with his guitar and kicking the rhymes while his partner Art scratches and DJs behind him. It seems to be pretty improvisational, but it works really well — the description I’ve heard a few times is “Sonic Youth meets Public Enemy,” and that might not be far off…

They’ve got two albums out already, the vinyl-only Whores EP (which I’ve never been able to find, mostly because I, uh, didn’t realize it was vinyl-only ’til recently…they’re planning to rerelease it on CD soon) and the more recent Ten Years – Four Walls, which the duo released both on CD and as a double-LP. phew. Freedom Sold are working on a new album right now, to be released this year, so keep an eye out for it, ’cause it’s bound to be good.