Tom Waits-esque Hip Hop

September 14, 2015 7:05 AM

I'm looking for recommendations for hip-hop tracks that have backing instrumentals that sound like Tom Waits tracks or that are straight-up mashups with hip hop tracks. (This doesn’t just mean sampling. “Oodles of O’s” by De La Soul samples Waits, but it doesn’t sound like Waits track.) Thanks!
posted by Going To Maine to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

Best answer: For straight-up mashup: Tom Shall Pass
posted by neroli at 7:38 AM on September 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Mark Reitman is the DJ whose work was featured on Waits' "Mule Variations" album. You might want to listen to some of his other work.
posted by rongorongo at 7:48 AM on September 14, 2015

Best answer: Ambulance by D-Sisive is hip hop over Underground by Tom Waits (and also includes the chorus of that song).
posted by bjrn at 12:07 PM on September 14, 2015

Best answer: N.A.S.A.'s Spacious Thoughts features Tom.

Is there a specific era of Waits' works that you want it to sound like? Though I'm hesitant to mention them here, some of the Insane Clown Posse's stuff might sound reminiscent of his carny barker era work to you.
posted by Candleman at 1:42 PM on September 14, 2015

Response by poster: Is there a specific era of Waits’ works that you want it to sound like? Though I’m hesitant to mention them here, some of the Insane Clown Posse's stuff might sound reminiscent of his carny barker era work to you.

Well, that’s distressing. I primarily like Wait’s for his vaguely tribal sounding, Brechty stuff. Some good tracks for me would be “Hell Broke Luce”, “God’s Away on Business”, “Singapore”, “Way Down in the Hole”, and “The Earth Died Screaming”. Really, all of Rain Dogs and Swordfishtrombones except for the ballady stuff is just fine.

ICP? Maaaaaaan, drag. But okay.
posted by Going To Maine at 2:19 PM on September 14, 2015

Best answer: How about some Gil Scott-Heron? I can definitely draw a line between some of the tracks you mentioned and the I'm New Here album.

Maybe the Last Poets?
posted by Candleman at 2:56 PM on September 14, 2015

Best answer: One tactic you could use in your search, would be to extend it to a list of non hip hop artists who have been influenced by - or who have influenced - Tom Waits - and then look from there. This list here is a possible starting point.
posted by rongorongo at 11:58 PM on September 14, 2015