http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.66625&variant=artist-playlists&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rssRappers are supposed to play their positions. If they're mainstream, they rap about money, girls and rims over club productions, while the so-called underground gets away with the occasional political diatribe over a lo-fi beat. But Lifesavas' members, Vursatyl and Jumbo, aim for something different. Their lyrics are sharp, witty and €”positive without being sappy, and their concepts are fully fleshed out. On "Hellohihey," the leadoff single from their 2003 debut, Vurs is approached by a series of fictional emcees whose egos are bigger than their talent. He initially shrugs them off, but soon the critique turns inward as the rapper explores his own slippery path to self-absorption. This intertwining of Vurs' honest self-reflection with Jumbo's stuttering, chunky funk production drew critical praise and helped the group secure a cult following. Their 2007 sophomore album, <i>Gutterfly</i>, found the group going in a far different direction. For that record, Lifesavas paid homage to Blacksploitation of the '70s with a set of characters in a fictional Portland full of murderers, pimps and pushers. Surprisingly, the album was more playfully respectful than it was morally heavy-handed. - Sam ChennaultWest Coast Indieen720Fri, 8 Jan 2010 10:34:31 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.66625&variant=artist-playlists&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rappers are supposed to play their positions. If they're mainstream, they rap about money, girls and rims over club productions, while the so-called underground gets away with the occasional political diatribe over a lo-fi beat. But Lifesavas' members, Vursatyl and Jumbo, aim for something different. Their lyrics are sharp, witty and €”positive without being sappy, and their concepts are fully fleshed out. On "Hellohihey," the leadoff single from their 2003 debut, Vurs is approached by a series of fictional emcees whose egos are bigger than their talent. He initially shrugs them off, but soon the critique turns inward as the rapper explores his own slippery path to self-absorption. This intertwining of Vurs' honest self-reflection with Jumbo's stuttering, chunky funk production drew critical praise and helped the group secure a cult following. Their 2007 sophomore album, <i>Gutterfly</i>, found the group going in a far different direction. For that record, Lifesavas paid homage to Blacksploitation of the '70s with a set of characters in a fictional Portland full of murderers, pimps and pushers. Surprisingly, the album was more playfully respectful than it was morally heavy-handed. - Sam Chennault http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.30944879&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:42:02 -0800 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 30944879 ply.30944879 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.30944879&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.30944877&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:08:24 -0800 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 30944877 ply.30944877 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.30944877&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.22850219&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:44:36 -0700 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 22850219 ply.22850219 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.22850219&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.22728149&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Fri, 4 Sep 2009 10:44:42 -0700 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 22728149 ply.22728149 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.22728149&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.22662004&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:06:53 -0800 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 22662004 ply.22662004 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.22662004&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.15901554&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss World/Reggae Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:03:26 -0800 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 15901554 ply.15901554 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.15901554&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.14979389&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:59:40 -0700 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 14979389 ply.14979389 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.14979389&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.14007999&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:47:06 -0800 Playlists Featuring Lifesavas on Rhapsody Online 14007999 ply.14007999 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.14007999&variant=play&rws=%2Flifesavas%2Fplaylists.rss