One of the group’s trademarks was the experimentation with Dutch lyrics, which resulted the (back then) four piece in being the first ever crew in The Netherlands to release a complete demo in their native language. This turned out to be the start of a new genre they still call ‘Nederhop’ to this day, a term consisting of the words “Nederlandse” (Dutch) and “Hip-Hop”.
The start of Osdorp Posse can be tracked back as far as 1986, when Def P (real name Pascal Griffioen) made his debut on the Dutch hip-hop scene with the group Funky Fresh Force, consisting of him and DJ Dov, who would later become a famous House DJ under the pseudonym DJ The Prophet.
In 1988 Griffioen started experimenting with Dutch lyrics as a joke (translating American rap lyrics from groups such as N.W.A.), and a creative exercise (writing a couple of ‘real’ songs). His nephew Marco (later on taking on the nickname IJsblock – a literal translation of N.W.A.’s infamous Ice Cube) joined in the musical tomfoolery, as they recorded raps on instrumental tracks from their record collection, using nothing but a tape deck and a microphone.
It wasn’t until Marco and Pascal met Robin (now known as Seda) and Arthur (King) that they got down to writing real material that they found suitable for recording. Even though their musical playground that they had by then labelled Osdorp Posse (named after the Amsterdam neighbourhood Osdorp, where they all lived) consisted of a large group of friends with a continuously changing line-up, the core of the Posse was the four guys, and would remain so until twelve years later. With a lot of the co-rappers leaving the group with no interest in taking Osdorp Posse to a next level, the group recorded an infamous demo as a fourpiece. The nameless cassette – which quickly became known as ‘De Rode Demo’ (The Red Demo) – was handed out to friends, and travelled the country, taking the underground alternative music scene by storm through the tape trading circuit.
One of the many people who got hands on De Rode Demo was Saskia Sleger, the owner of the underground dancelabel DJAX. Recognizing the originality as well as the obvious talent, Sleger decided to contact the group and offer them a contract. Hardly believing what just happened to them, the young rappers immediately signed with DJAX, without reading the fine print. Def P later described this move in the band’s biography ‘Tien Jaar OP’ as impulsive and a bit naïve, but it turned out to be a good thing: the start of legendary career.
Now having to actually release cds instead of fooling around with a tapedeck, Pascal, Marco, Robin and Arthur franticly started writing out the material that they had come with before heading to a local studio in 1992, recording the first ever ‘Nederhop’ cd: the poorly produced yet explosive, hardcore and edgy twenty three song classic ‘Osdorp Stijl’ (Osdorp Style).
With an official release in stores, the group started on a journey that moved their live-shows away from the squat- and fret houses, onto the ‘ real’ alternative music scene. The album was an instant underground classic, which not only spawned an entire generation of Dutch Hip-hop acts at the time, but also quickly finding a following within a diverse group of alternative music fans such as punkers, metalheads, rockers and many alike.
The following two releases were plagued by the same production problems as their infamous debut, but through their sheer determination, explosive live shows and hardcore, relentless lyrical attitude became underground hits nevertheless. It wasn’t until they were asked to play the warm-up show at the biggest festival in the Netherlands, Pinkpop, that they got recognition from a larger audience. Their fourth cd entitled ‘Afslag Osdorp’ (Osdorp Exit), was released soon after the legendary festival appearance, and was the groups largest commercial success to that date. Riding the wave of word-to-mouth advertising following Pinkpop and their years on end of touring and self promoting (being ignored by mainstream media and critics), Afslag Osdorp sold thousands of copies; an achievement that was until then unthinkable for a Dutch rap act.
Later that year, with their popularity growing to a new height, Osdorp Posse played one of the most legendary and afterwards most talked about performances on the Dutch alternative music scene at the Lowlands Festival. Something that was euphemistically called a programming mistake, the group was set to play the smallest tent (Charlie) in the afternoon. Even though the Amsterdam crew warned the festival organisation about the possible consequences, the foursome’s advice to move their show to a bigger tent fell was ignored, resulting in half the festival attendees trying to fit in the small, claustrophobic space in anticipation of what was then one of the biggest things in Dutch music: Osdorp Posse. After the first couple of notes were played, the frantic crowd started to mosh, pogo and crowdsurf with such an enthusiasm that they nearly destroyed the entire tent. Def P later explained he had no idea how dangerous the situation was, that eventually led to an early ending of the gig when the crowd rushed to the stage, crushing the structure. No one got seriously hurt, yet everyone had witnessed and taken part in a legendary festival moment, talked about to this day.
In 1996 the group received the prestigious ‘ Pop Prijs’ (Pop Prize), as a recognition of their pioneering role in the Dutch hip-hop scene. That year also marked another legendary festival performance; the Dynamo Open Air festival – at that time the most important Heavy Metal event in the world – playing as the first and only hip-hop crew ever in front of more then a 100.000 longhaired metalheads, a large portion of whom were stoned Germans (enjoying the music all the same). The following year, ‘ Osdorp’ returned to Pinkpop, this time playing not once but twice: first on the small stage, returning on the final day at the main stage in front of 60.000 people.
After the commercial and artistic successes of albums such as ‘Briljant, Hard en Geslepen’ (Brilliant, Hard and Polished) – recorded with death metal band Nembrionic, and the chart success ‘Geendagsvlieg’ (literally: No day fly, as a play on words to the term ‘one day fly’, emphasizing their timelessness) the Posse left their long time label Djax to start up their own label called RAMP Records (consisting of the first letters in their names: Robin, Arthur, Marco, Pascal). In 2000, the group’s first release on their own turf called ‘ Kernramp’ (Nuclear Disaster) became their biggest commercial success, and remains so to this day. For the first time in their 12 year long career, Osdorp Posse even landed on the Dutch TOP 40 charts with their single ‘ Origineel Amsterdams’, which eventually ploughed into the top 10.
The release of their eighth album also marked the first change in line-up the group had seen since the early demo days: DJ ‘Deegmeester’ Daan – who already joined the band on stage for quite a while – became the fifth member of Osdorp Posse. That year they returned to Lowlands Festival as a five-piece, this time on a bigger stage. Once again controversy was part of the group’s performance, with Def P openly protesting against the nationwide crowd surf ban (as a result to the Roskilde tragedy earlier that year).
Around that time the music industry started crashing down. With programmes such as Napster and Kazaa providing fans with free – yet illegal – music, Osdorp Posse’s new label had a hard time lifting off. Every release after ‘ Kernramp’, such as ‘ Tegenstrijd” (meaning both Counter Battle, and Contradiction in Dutch) and Hollandse Hardcore Hip-Hop Helden all saw decreasing sales figures. At the same time, the genre the group created – Nederhop – had become a mainstream phenomena with acts such as Extince, Def Rhymz, and new school artists and groups like Raymster and Opgezwolle taking over the Dutch hiphop scene. Osdorp Posse, never being a favourite of the mainstream media – could only witness their own decline.
Around 2004, the group had plummeted back into the underground scene, once again playing the smaller venues. The groups hardcore following had eye for their later releases with bands such as Laberinto and Blind Justice, but stayed true to their heroes all the same.
Near the end of 2008, the group has announced to call it quits. After a release party of their final effort entitled ‘2 Decennia’ (Two Decades), Osdorp Posse embarked on a farewell tour, taking them to all the places they played, rocked the mike at, and witnessed their fanatic following go crazy to their hardcore style of performing.
The group’s swansong took place on their own turf, in the Amsterdam club De Melkweg in September of 2009, leaving a legacy that can not be ignored or forgotten: the invention and perfection of Nederhop.
Hyped
Osdorp Posse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
met Seda op Amiga die de (beat) op pept.
Ijsblok ondersteunt ons zoals je weet
en King Arthur maakt het haardkoor compleet.
We zijn terug maar niet lang weggeweest,
want we zeggen steeds het is maar effe feest
voor de concurrentie want als ik een band zie
die me wil neppen, dan ken die trendy vent die
Anders zal die even wat naars beleven.
Want ik word hyper dan hyper dan hyped,
opgefokter als je dat niet begrijpt.
Want ik ben de orginele beter dan velen soms criminele,
niet om mee te spelen, niet te evenaren, jaren ervaren
superdope rapper met super lange haren.
Ik ben degene die de bitchen afkraakt.
Seda is degene die de bitchen gek maakt.
Ijsblok is degene die de bitchen hard neukt.
King Arthur is degene die de bitchen hard beukt.
Nee we maken geen grappen en zeker geen slappe
en fokken met ons is vragen om klappen.
Osdorp is best en geen (dorp) met mest,
maar het grauwe stadsgedeelte van Amsterdam-West.
Waar criminaliteit heerst uit verveling,
we kunnen er veel in, maar we nemen er geen deel in
Die tijd is geweest dat wij het meest werden gevreesd
op elke feest waar we waren geweest.
Nu geen gefok aan ons blok, maar hiphop
en noem me niet soft want ik pomp je lip op.
De realiteit van onze nijd
tegen commercialiteit is nu een feit.
Wij blijven zweren bij zelf produceren,
platenbazen fusilleren die ons willen weren.
Knoop dit goed in je oren,
door commercieel te worden gaat de rap verloren.
Dus nog een keer bestrijd ik weer,
hiphouse, poprap, swingbeat en meer.
En als die sukkels zeggen dat ze ons zullen krijgen,
dan maken we hun af maar zonder eerst te dreigen.
Ik ren niet voor sukkels, ik fok ze.
Ijsblok, wat doe jij? KICKBOXEN!
En jij King Arthur? PENCAK SILAT !!!!
Dus zeg me sukkels, wie slaat wie plat?
Want wij zijn hyper dan hyper dan hyped,
opgefokter als je dat niet begrijpt.
Hyped, word ik als ik bezopen ben
en sukkels denken dat ik dan te slopen ben.
Hyped, word ik van gelovige mensen
die de andere mensen hun graf in wensen.
Hyped, word ik van platenbazen
die talent misplaatsen maar we lachen het laatste.
Hyped, word ik van tering snollen,
die alleen met je dollen om je zakken te rollen.
Hyped, word ik als ze over ons kleppen,
dat wij soft zijn omdat we Nederlands rappen.
Hyped, word ik van journalisten,
die hiphop dissen en er niets van wisten.
Hyped, word ik van drugsverslaafden,
die liegen en stelen van de beschaafden.
Hyped, word ik van Seda zijn beats
die de concurrentie doet verlagen tot niets.
Hyped, word ik van kutracisten,
ik zie ze het liefst in houten kisten.
Hyped, ik ben
Hyped, wij zijn
Hyped, de Osdorp Posse is
Hyper dan hyped.
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The Osdorp Posse's song "Hyped" is an aggressive declaration of their dominance over the Dutch rap scene. The song begins with the assertion that the Osdorp Posse is the master of Dutch rap and does not fake it. The group credits their success to their Amiga-produced beats, courtesy of Seda, and the support of their label, Ijsblok. King Arthur completes the quartet, providing hard-hitting hooks.
The gang's return from a brief hiatus is celebrated and they warn any band that dares to mimic their style that they will face the consequences. The song then takes a darker turn, acknowledging the prevalence of crime in their neighborhood, Amsterdam-West. The group has no part in this criminality and have left that part of their past behind them, even though they were once feared at every party. They have now turned to making hip hop and fight against the commercialization of the genre. The group promotes self-production and opposes record companies trying to marginalize their work.
The song shifts focus, listing several things that make the Osdorp Posse "hyped." The lyrics address subjects like being drunk, religious zealots, incompetent record executives, and racists. The group displays their fighting skills with Seda making beats that crush competition, Ijsblok hard-n*cks those who insult them, and King Arthur uses Pencak Silat to take down their enemies. Throughout the song, it is clear that the Osdorp Posse takes no crap from anyone and is always ready to fight for their principles.
Line by Line Meaning
Ik ben de meester van de Nederlandse rap, die niet meer nept, met Seda op Amiga die de (beat) op pept.
I am the true master of Dutch rap who doesn't fake it, with Seda producing the beats on the Amiga.
Ijsblok ondersteunt ons zoals je weet en King Arthur maakt het haardkoor compleet.
Ijsblok supports us like you know, and King Arthur completes the choir.
We zijn terug maar niet lang weggeweest, want we zeggen steeds het is maar effe feest voor de concurrentie want als ik een band zie die me wil neppen, dan ken die trendy vent die stijl beter terug gaan geven.
We are back, but it hasn't been long since we were gone because we always say that it's only a short-lived celebration for our competition since if I see a band trying to fake it, that stylish guy should return its style better.
Anders zal die even wat naars beleven.
Otherwise, that person will experience something bad.
Want ik word hyper dan hyper dan hyped, opgefokter als je dat niet begrijpt.
Because I become very hyped up and agitated, even more so if you don't understand that.
Want ik ben de orginele beter dan velen soms criminele, niet om mee te spelen, niet te evenaren, jaren ervaren superdope rapper met super lange haren.
Because I am the original and better than some, who are sometimes criminals. I'm not someone to mess with, I can't be matched, and I'm a super dope rapper with very long hair who has been doing this for years.
Ik ben degene die de bitchen afkraakt.
I am the one who tears apart the fake rappers.
Seda is degene die de bitchen gek maakt.
Seda is the one who drives the fake rappers crazy with his beats.
Ijsblok is degene die de bitchen hard neukt.
Ijsblok is the one who fucks over the fake rappers harshly.
King Arthur is degene die de bitchen hard beukt.
King Arthur is the one who beats up the fake rappers severely.
Nee we maken geen grappen en zeker geen slappe en fokken met ons is vragen om klappen.
No, we don't make jokes or weak stuff, and messing with us is asking for a beatdown.
Osdorp is best en geen (dorp) met mest, maar het grauwe stadsgedeelte van Amsterdam-West.
Osdorp is the best and not a village with manure, but the grim, urban part of Amsterdam-West.
Waar criminaliteit heerst uit verveling, we kunnen er veel in, maar we nemen er geen deel in. Die tijd is geweest dat wij het meest werden gevreesd op elke feest waar we waren geweest.
Where criminality reigns out of boredom, we may know it well, but we don't participate in it. That time has passed, when we used to be the most feared at every party we attended.
Nu geen gefok aan ons blok, maar hiphop en noem me niet soft want ik pomp je lip op.
Now, no more messing around in our neighborhood, only hip hop. And don't call me soft because I'll punch you in the mouth.
De realiteit van onze nijd tegen commercialiteit is nu een feit.
The truth of our resentment towards commerciality is now a fact.
Wij blijven zweren bij zelf produceren, platenbazen fusilleren die ons willen weren.
We remain committed to self-producing and shooting down any record executives who try to hold us back.
Knoop dit goed in je oren, door commercieel te worden gaat de rap verloren.
Listen carefully, through commercialization, rap music is lost.
Dus nog een keer bestrijd ik weer, hiphop, poprap, swingbeat en meer.
So once again, I will fight against hip hop, pop-rap, swingbeat, and more.
En als die sukkels zeggen dat ze ons zullen krijgen, dan maken we hun af maar zonder eerst te dreigen.
And if those fools say they'll get us, we'll take them down without any warning.
Ik ren niet voor sukkels, ik fok ze. Ijsblok, wat doe jij? KICKBOXEN! En jij King Arthur? PENCAK SILAT !!!! Dus zeg me sukkels, wie slaat wie plat?
I don't run from fools, I'll fight them. Ijsblok, what do you do? KICKBOXING! And you King Arthur? PENCAK SILAT!!!! So tell me, fools, who's going to beat who down?
Want wij zijn hyper dan hyper dan hyped, opgefokter als je dat niet begrijpt.
Because we are very hyped up and agitated, even more so if you don't understand that.
Hyped, word ik als ik bezopen ben en sukkels denken dat ik dan te slopen ben.
I become hyped up when I'm drunk, and fools think they can take advantage of me then.
Hyped, word ik van gelovige mensen die de andere mensen hun graf in wensen.
I get hyped up by religious people who wish death upon others.
Hyped, word ik van platenbazen die talent misplaatsen maar we lachen het laatste.
I get hyped up by record executives who misuse talent, but we have the last laugh.
Hyped, word ik van tering snollen, die alleen met je dollen om je zakken te rollen.
I get hyped up by dirty whores who only mess with you to rob you.
Hyped, word ik als ze over ons kleppen, dat wij soft zijn omdat we Nederlands rappen.
I get hyped up when they talk about us behind our backs, saying we are soft because we rap in Dutch.
Hyped, word ik van journalisten, die hiphop dissen en er niets van wisten.
I get hyped up by journalists who criticize hip hop without understanding it.
Hyped, word ik van drugsverslaafden, die liegen en stelen van de beschaafden.
I get hyped up by drug addicts who lie and steal from decent people.
Hyped, word ik van Seda zijn beats die de concurrentie doet verlagen tot niets.
I get hyped up by Seda's beats that completely outclass the competition.
Hyped, word ik van kutracisten, ik zie ze het liefst in houten kisten.
I get hyped up by racist assholes, and I'd rather see them in wooden coffins.
Hyped, ik ben Hyped, wij zijn Hyped, de Osdorp Posse is Hyper dan hyped.
I am hyped up, we are hyped up, the Osdorp Posse is more hyped up than anyone.
Contributed by Penelope B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thijmen
Yoo! kan je deze naar mij toe sturen? leipp!