http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPEf-DFKHRQ&feature=related

If you don't know, I'm here to let you know. The album Dj Muggs vs GZA: Grandmasters, is the by far the coolest tribute to chess I've ever come across. The link is to the one song on the album with a music video. The whole album is chess themed. They just rock it! If you look around in the related videos and look up the tracklist on wikipedia you can listen to just about the whole album on youtube. Post a comment to keep this thread fresh. I just discovered this and really want to let people in on it. 

Sweet cheers! Lovin it and listened to a few more, bootyful!

Yes, this has been out for some time now.  It's a pretty good effort.  All throughout his career the GZA has kept chess an influence in his work.  His sophomore album Liquid Swords is probably my 3rd favorite of all time after Nas's 'Illmatic' and Main Source's 'Breaking Atoms.'  Chess is actually referenced quite frequently in hip hop, so much that I was recently able to make a mix of about 15 or so tracks from assorted artists that all had something to do with chess.  There's also a hip hop chess foundation that hosts tournaments.

 

"He got swung on, his lungs was torn, the kingpin just castled with his rook and lost a pawn..." 

 

In a GZA interview I also remember reading something where he said that he plays online chess on a daily basis.  I wonder what site he uses? 

i think its yahoo. I remember him saying he played at a 1500 rating on a good day. That was a while ago though, I'll bet hes better now. I also bet he doesn't reveal who he is. One'd probably get tired of all the attention some times.

I wonder why all the references to chess. It doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the image.

Damn depthshaman you're right, that was pretty cool. I thought the Kasparov sample at the beginning was pretty deadly.

depthshaman wrote: i think its yahoo. I remember him saying he played at a 1500 rating on a good day. That was a while ago though, I'll bet hes better now. I also bet he doesn't reveal who he is. One'd probably get tired of all the attention some times.

---

 Oh yeah I think I do remember reading Yahoo.  He also related a story about a night where himself and Masta Killa played a series of games that lasted for a very long time because they were both so passionate about the game. 

I was just listening to Showbiz and AG's track Next Level, here's another reference:  "I'm not the best but I'll give ya stress, to flatter me your strategy's gotta be more complex than chess."

...and then from one of my favorite emcees... Pharoahe Monch's verse on Extinction Agenda

 

I'm the poetical poltergeist, I heist tracks from the past 
And return them to the present time in rhyme form 
What was once dead is now resurrected on the record 
And the physical words are mere residuals for my bidding 
For my disposal to dispose of... who are you kidding 
Nightfall, I stop the rook, then I'm looking for 
the original book which contains the words of God 
Six hours until dawn, my quest to capture the queen 
without being seen by the pawns 
Call me Bishop, bishop takes rook, rook takes pawn 
pawn takes knight, knight takes queen 
Queen takes the original King James version 
I'm surging up when I'm emerging

 

I dont know Pharoahe Monch very well. I think I saw em in concert at rock the bells. Thats a pretty sick verse though. I'll look up the song.

 Tonight only, I think the song is really highlighting the similarities between REAL HIPHOP (not wack club music or 50cent rap kinda stuff) and chess. The images in the music video that dont have to do with chess have to do with hiphop culture: breakdancing, graffiti, djing, and emceeing. In both cultures, practice pays off. Both are quests for excellence in a way. There are also some pretty striking similarities between mc battles and chess deuls. Both cultures face a lot stereotypes too. I don't understand it all that well, but maybe I'll post about it after I hit up a hiphop chess federation tournament hopefully this summer. I already loved both cultures  before I learned of any attempt at their unification.

I'm not one for hip hop (and especially RAP) but this wasn't bad.  The samples were catchy...mellow and intelligent, much like my fav DJ Shadow.  The chess was a nice touch of class.  Not bad.  A-

  In the movie "Coffee and cigarettes" by Jarmusch, GZA and RZA end the scene saying they would go in the studio play a few games of chess. In last Hiphop Chess event, Rza won.

tbierig wrote:

Chess is actually referenced quite frequently in hip hop, so much that I was recently able to make a mix of about 15 or so tracks from assorted artists that all had something to do with chess.

I'd be interested to trade playlists with you. I listen to a lot of the darker RZA style hip hop when I play and I'm always down for new music. Liquid Swords is great and even some of Ghostface's Supreme Clientele works for chess.

While they don't always reference chess directly there are a lot of Wu Tang songs that put me in the right frame of mind to play. Conflict, strategy, risk, and loss. All the right themes are there.

An interesting wee essay about the culture

http://www.thechessdrum.net/65thSquare/65_marapr02.html

The Kings Invitational last year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEa8aOZYcTY

I like this dj mixup using some clips from the above event, called "Chess Without Sobriety (Wu-Tang & Eminem vs. Tanita Tikaram)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W41K8M3utk

 

heh...""Chess Crew" a rap about yahoochess... lol..perhaps we need a chess.com entry.. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5fmXmuAWxo

 

Best intro ever though i reckon has to go to...  "Frozen State Video Chess Redlight"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAWDn-VaYmw

 

Master: "very good... you have checkmate in 5 moves."

Student: "looks that way Sir.."

*Master makes a move*

Student: " why are you moving if i have checkmate in 5 moves?"

Master: "because i have checkmate in 3"

 

great links pistoleer! I really like the chess without sobriety mix. I really want to go to the next hhcf. Playing GZA would blow my mind. Here's a song that's not chess related, but listening to this while playing blitz is like a temporary +50 rating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY6JPQktjeQ " target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY6JPQktjeQ

Quality tune cheers :) Im goin to try a blitz game with it now ;)

ps ye need to remove a blank space at the end o yer link.

edit: well that worked.. i won just in time fer the tune to end heh.

depthshaman wrote:

I dont know Pharoahe Monch very well. I think I saw em in concert at rock the bells. Thats a pretty sick verse though. I'll look up the song.

 Tonight only, I think the song is really highlighting the similarities between REAL HIPHOP (not wack club music or 50cent rap kinda stuff) and chess. The images in the music video that dont have to do with chess have to do with hiphop culture: breakdancing, graffiti, djing, and emceeing. In both cultures, practice pays off. Both are quests for excellence in a way. There are also some pretty striking similarities between mc battles and chess deuls. Both cultures face a lot stereotypes too. I don't understand it all that well, but maybe I'll post about it after I hit up a hiphop chess federation tournament hopefully this summer. I already loved both cultures  before I learned of any attempt at their unification.

---

 If you've been sleeping on Pharoahe Monch I'd suggest checking out the self-titled album by Organized Konfusion.  If you'd like me to upload it for you send me a message.  It'll win you over as a Monch fan if you previously weren't, and the other emcee Prince Poetry would be the headliner in almost any other group.  It's one of my favorite albums, probably also one of the most underrated classics of the early 90's.  The other two Organized Konfusion albums are also pretty good but they're better if listened to once you've fully absorbed the debut.  His two solo albums on the other hand aren't remarkable.

 I agree about the 2nd part.  Chess is prevalent in hip hop because of its use to give youths a focus and teach valuable life strategies for one.

 

Another reference in a great song, One Be Lo's 'Rocketship':

I'm never slippin even if you peeled a fresh banana
The moves I make are checks and balance like a chess fanatic
You less advantage, manic depressin, impress the panic
Lyrics hot enough to melt your plastic, burn your flesh to ashes 

 The lyrics go something like that anyway.   Can't quite make it out

tbierig wrote:

Yes, this has been out for some time now.  It's a pretty good effort.  All throughout his career the GZA has kept chess an influence in his work.  His sophomore album Liquid Swords is probably my 3rd favorite of all time after Nas's 'Illmatic' and Main Source's 'Breaking Atoms.'  Chess is actually referenced quite frequently in hip hop, so much that I was recently able to make a mix of about 15 or so tracks from assorted artists that all had something to do with chess.  There's also a hip hop chess foundation that hosts tournaments.

 

"He got swung on, his lungs was torn, the kingpin just castled with his rook and lost a pawn..." 

 

In a GZA interview I also remember reading something where he said that he plays online chess on a daily basis.  I wonder what site he uses? 

---

 You mind sharing those songs? 

Pharoahe is nice. I think his last solo was actually pretty good.  

" I wonder why all the references to chess. It doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the image.
"

i guess it depends on the image you have created for yourself. u don't live in a major city and see people playing chess 24/7 in the park i guess.

 maybe if you understand they they mostly play for money it makes more sense to your stereotype?  

TonightOnly wrote: I wonder why all the references to chess. It doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the image.

---

I'm a brand-new chess player - my boss got me into the game (and this great website) a little over a month ago.  So far, I've lost every game I've played (except one on time, and that doesn't count) but it's great fun and I can totally see being into this for the rest of my life!  I'll win eventually...Anyway, my point is that despite my limited experience with the game, I am already  of the conviction that chess is completely relevant to everything about human nature and the human condition.It pretty much covers everything from eking out survival to seeking and achieving power and domination, while dealing with the scarcity of resources that ultimately, inexorably defines us.  We're all just hurtling to the grave.  Meanwhile, we get to play chess!I think the hip-hop/rap culture and the themes of the lyricis typical to the genre are in general parallel to chess already.  Mentioning the game overtly seems perfectly appropriate and fun.

 Just a newbie's 2 cents.

 PS - great topic, great links - y'all are so cool!

AMW wrote...Anyway, my point is that despite my limited experience with the game, I am already  of the conviction that chess is completely relevant to everything about human nature and the human condition.It pretty much covers everything from eking out survival to seeking and achieving power and domination, while dealing with the scarcity of resources that ultimately, inexorably defines us...

When I first heard about this post my first response is that chess and hip hop have nothing in common. AMW made me rethink things. I think I prefer it from his point of view. Meaning chess encompasses or represents life. So I would rather look through chess at hip hop than the other way around. I do believe that other forms or genre of music represent chess better. Chess is complex and so should the music that represents it. (e.g. classical music w/ its mathematical scores and multiple parts, instruments, etc.)