Amen Brother: Harry Mack Freestyles Over Classic Drum Breaks

And now for something completely different… 🥁🥁🥁 I’ve been wanting to do a video like this for the longest time, and I’m so happy we finally made it happen. I often mention how important my drumming has been to my development as a freestyler, and to my understanding of music in general. Back at the old home studio I didn’t have enough space to keep my drums set up all the time, and as a result I spent a lot less time playing them. One of the best parts about moving into my new studio space has been always having my kit set up and ready to play. Over the course of the past few months I’ve been really reconnecting with the instrument, and in the last couple weeks especially I’ve been playing almost daily. It’s been enriching for my soul, and I’m excited to share a little piece of that with y’all. The beats I’m playing are lifted from some of the most sampled records of all time. These breaks (the original ones) are foundational to the DNA of hip-hop. My verses were freestyled completely off-top and I attempted to weave in a bunch of references- some to artists and groups who have sampled the breaks themselves, as well as other musical (and some non-musical) influences and inspirations. 20,000 Mack points to the first person who successfully identifies every allusion made!! Combining rhythm and language is what I’m all about, and this video is intended to show that connection. The first instruments utilized by human beings were drums (or probably sticks on cave walls) and the voice. There’s something visceral and deep about the stripped down sound of those two instruments alone. I had a lot of fun making this video and I hope y’all dig it! As always, don’t forget to share 🙏🏻❤️🚀