Listen Up - Rizzle Kicks

I have been putting off writing about UK duo Rizzle Kicks for a little while now. They have absolutely blown up over there in no time at all, and that almost made them worthy of writing about. I don’t want to only write about what is popular though – I want to write about what is good (or really bad, either way).

<center><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/LetsAllKissHugh/PBB%20-%20Other/RizzleKicks.jpg" height=350 width=400></center>

Up until now, I haven’t been in love with anything they (‘they’ being Jordan “Rizzle” Stephens and Harley “Sylvester” Alexander-Sule. Get it!?! One of them is “Rizzle”, and the other one is…wait…that doesn’t work…) have released. Well, that has all changed, now that the fourth single from their debut ‘Stereo Typical’ (which is an extremely good name for a debut album, if anyone is taking notes) has shot all the way up to #2 on the UK singles chart.

The song is called “Mama Do The Hump”, and while it sounds silly (and it is), it is infectious. Light while still incorporating rap, it is completely radio friendly and still awesome.

Super fun.

While listening, I couldn’t help thinking I had heard that beat somewhere before. I was 99% sure it was this song from Michael Franti & Spearhead’s 2009 smash hit.

“Say Hey (I Love You)”

You can hear it, right? It is SO CLOSE, but not quite. Turns out that it is actually from this song, which is in some language I can’t even discern (something eastern European?) and from a person (group?) that I A. don’t know, and B. it is a song name that I can’t even pronounce.

Here, why don’t you try to say it, cuz I sure as hell can’t.

Tarkan – “Şıkıdım”

Anyways, that is the song that made me want to finally introduce them to you guys. They have a number of other hits also, which are all below (in chronological order of release, by the way). Each single has made it into the top ten, including the song with Olly Murs, which gave him his third #1 and Rizzle Kicks’ first. Their album made it into the top ten as well, peaking at number nine. One might expect it to do a bit better, considering all the hit singles, but let’s remember, this isn’t the time for albums.

And, let’s not call them under-performing. They have only been releasing music for <b>ONE YEAR</b>, and they have managed four top ten hits and a top ten album. A lot to be proud of there, boys.

The music here is really awesome here, I have to give them that. A normal dance beat mixed with what sounds like the beginning/chorus of Lady Gaga’s “Americano”.

They have other music, too:

<a href="http://www.rizzlekicks.com/">Website</a>

<a href="http://www.myspace.com/rizzlekicks">Myspace</a>

<a href="http://www.facebook.com/RizzleKicks">Facebook</a>

<b>BY THE WAY</b> – we (I) have a Twitter now. I say crazy stuff and silly things and sometimes I talk to popstars and they talk back. You should follow me:

<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/PopBangHugh">@PopBangHugh</a>