Wiley ft. Daniel Merriweather - 'Ca$h In My Pocket'
Let's get the public service problem out of the way first. Wiley's record company are running a web competition to do with the video to this song, in which a bunch of bankers mime along to the song in a funny way. You're invited to make similar videos (and a bunch of people already have) and the winning video gets a big wedge of, yes, you guessed it, cash in their pocket, as a prize.
I'm fairly sure the Daily Mail won't explode if I mention this, but just in case anyone is about to go all OffCom on my ass, can I just say I'd have been reviewing this song anyway, and that I heartily advise anyone who doesn't really want to enter the competition to stay the heck away from the video camera. Showing off is only to be attempted by people who are compelled to do it, which is presumably why Wiley has failed to appear in his second promotional video in a row.
But DO listen to the song, because it is SMASHING.
I've a real soft spot for '60s soul-inspired hip hop like this, to the extent that I'm probably the only person (who isn't actually a member of the band) that still loves Public Enemy's much-hated fifth album 'Muse Sick 'N' Hour Mess Age' - although the title's not brilliant.
There's just sometheing about the joyful bounce which spurs rappers on to real feats of lyrical twiddle, the kind of lyrical twiddle which blushing white-boy journos like me try (and fail) to describe as 'flow'. Wiley has a lot of this kind of thing, he's good at the rapping.
And it's no wonder with a track like this to work to. Hell, even I could rap well to a peach like this, all hard-sprung bass guitar and real drums, cascading Hammond organ and gospel-inspired Motown chorus. Why, if it wasn't actually a Mark Ronson production, I'd be making some crack about how Mark Ronsonny it all is.
As things stand, it's just nice to hear something which is a world away from the more common flinty dourness of UK hip hop, and a million miles more optimistic, even though it's essentially just a song about wanting lots and lots of money.
Has no-one told him there's a Credit Crunch going on? EVERYONE wants lots of money!
Download: Out now
CD Released: December 1st
(Fraser McAlpine)
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