http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.10226227&rws=%2Frod-lee%2Fmusic-videos.rssDon't let his nondescript name put you off: when it comes to Baltimore club music, Rod Lee is something close to royalty. Even the <I>Washington Post</I> called him "the original don of Baltimore club," suggesting how far he's risen from club's sub-basement-level underground. Like Miami bass, Detroit ghetto-tech or Brazilian funk carioca, B-more club is a steadfastly regional sound that keeps a leery eye on the national mainstream, and under Lee's watch, the long view has come sharply into focus. His 2005 mix <I>Vol. 5: The Official</I> was the first B-more mix to be distributed nationally, paving the way for colleagues like Blaqstarr and Scottie B. Lee's productions and DJ sets are the opposite of fussy, pumping out rough-and-ready breakbeat jams overlaid with pop-culture samples from Lil' Jon to Bernie Mac. Sampled gunshots pay tribute to the harsh realities of "Charm City" street life, while X-rated chants keep waistlines winding well into the wee hours. - Philip SherburneBreaksen720Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:23:07 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.10226227&rws=%2Frod-lee%2Fmusic-videos.rss Don't let his nondescript name put you off: when it comes to Baltimore club music, Rod Lee is something close to royalty. Even the <I>Washington Post</I> called him "the original don of Baltimore club," suggesting how far he's risen from club's sub-basement-level underground. Like Miami bass, Detroit ghetto-tech or Brazilian funk carioca, B-more club is a steadfastly regional sound that keeps a leery eye on the national mainstream, and under Lee's watch, the long view has come sharply into focus. His 2005 mix <I>Vol. 5: The Official</I> was the first B-more mix to be distributed nationally, paving the way for colleagues like Blaqstarr and Scottie B. Lee's productions and DJ sets are the opposite of fussy, pumping out rough-and-ready breakbeat jams overlaid with pop-culture samples from Lil' Jon to Bernie Mac. Sampled gunshots pay tribute to the harsh realities of "Charm City" street life, while X-rated chants keep waistlines winding well into the wee hours. - Philip Sherburne