You know the feeling when you get to zone out and you realize certain songs make you vibe out no matter where you are. I just had a moment like that on the train. I’m sure most if not all of you folks are familiar with the late great J Dilla. Ever since the new year one of my goals was to collect all of my favorite albums of all time on vinyl. So far “Midnight Marauders by Tribe, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (I got very lucky with that one), AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted by Ice Cube and The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.” Today I stumble upon Fantastic Vol.1 by Slum Village today. It was hidden I’m assuming someone placed it behind a rack but, it was still in my vision and now it’s in my collection. Here is the cover and a few of my favorite cuts off the album. Check this album out if you haven’t!
The host and executive producer of Soul Train has died. The Los Angeles police department is reporting that Don Cornelius was found dead at his home in Los Angeles this morning from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“The hippest trip in America,” as Cornelius called it, aired every Saturday morning. Soul Train brought a weekly update of music, style and dance moves from some of the top black artists of the 1970s and ’80s. The show, which invited R&B and soul musicians, like Al Green, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Aretha Franklin, to perform their hits in front of a live — dancing — audience, began as local program in Chicago in 1970. By the end of its second season, it was picked up across the country.
Cornelius owned Soul Train, making him the first black owner of a nationally syndicated TV show. Though its audience was primarily African-American, the show had a tremendous cross cultural impact. Cornelius relinquished hosting duties in 1993 andSoul Train went off the air in 2006
Since discovering “illadelph halflife” in 11th grade of high school I’ve been a Roots fan. They stay relevant for so many years not changing a thing but growing at the same time. This album brought me to a camp fire where a story was told, understood and retold to a whole new group.
The Roots pose a very serious question at the beginning of their new album, Undun. The question, or dilemma rather, arrives on the chorus for “Make My”, and goes something like, “They told me that the ends won’t justify the means, they told me that the end won’t justify the dreams that I’ve had since a child.” Throughout Undun, The Roots recount the history of Redford Stevens, a vehicle for Black Thought and ?uestlove to weave that same old story about the rise and fall of a young black male who sells drugs. Redford is brought up in the hood amongst despair and idleness until he takes the initiative to sell drugs, which brings him new money and fame, at least enough of it to make his friends jealous. Redford then turns cold as he finds himself alone at the top, before withering away into the icy cold placidness of wealth. He dies an untimely death. Hell, doesn’t that sound like the life and times of some of your favorite rappers? Or maybe someone in your family, a neighbor, a boss? Redford Stevens’ story sounds familiar because it is universal. His story is that of life, expressed masterfully through ?uestlove’s neo-soul instrumentals and Black Thought’s testimonial rhymes.
Although Undun may channel that “same old story”, The Roots have still managed to craft one of the simplest, most accessible, most knowledgeable, and most understanding accounts of street life, rap life, or any life the music biz has encountered in a long while. Charles Bukowski used to have a saying, “Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way.”
I attended the Carmelo M8 Sneaker release event at Pier 54 in NYC where Nas performed ”One Mic” and a few cuts off of illmatic. Spur of the moment event that was worth it. Cold weather couldn’t keep me from missing this one. I got to see one of the illest to ever spit bless the crowd and leave all future mcees with this quote. “To all those cats out there in the crowd that rap, you may not know but he’s the same dude in a notebook on a late night scribbling. I’m trying to see you on this stage one day.”
My homie Paul and I were kicking verbal vibes the other day. He brought up how the J Beez changed the sound of Hip Hop in the late 80′s. Creating House hop afrocentric words intertwining with up beat beats. No later than 10 years afterwards Lil Jon and The East Sideboyz transitioned the dirty south sound we all know and fused it a more upbeat and heavy bass feel. We are anxiety to see your views on how these genres effected music?
The Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop group that pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house-music producer. The group began performing in the mid-1980s and released its first album, Straight Out the Jungle, in July 1988.With Afrocentric lyrics and innovative beats, the Jungle Brothers were critically acclaimed and soon joined the influential Native Tongues collective. The original trio comprised Michael Small (Mike Gee), Nathaniel Hall (Afrika Baby Bam, a homage to Afrika Bambaataa) and Sammy Burwell (DJ Sammy B).
Their first album, Straight Out the Jungle, was released on an independent record label(Warlock). The single “I’ll House You,” added to the album in 1989, is known for being the first hip-house record recorded outside of the Chicago scene, which was a club hit that drastically changed the way the hip-hop and dance-music industries worked.In spite of the commercial failure of Straight Out the Jungle, Warner Bros. Records soon signed the group and released. Done By the Forces of Nature in January 1990. The album was a critical smash at the time, though it has since been largely ignored by hip-hop critics in favor of the similarly acclaimed alternative hip-hop album 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul, released the same year.
Lil’ Jon & the East Side Boyz debuted with Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album. It included singles “Who U Wit?” and “Shawty Freak a Lil’ Sumthin’”, the latter of which came out in 1998. Both singles charted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #70 and #62 respectively. In 2000 Jon took part in starting up his own label BME Recordings and signed a distribution agreement with Norcross, Georgia based Southern Music Distribution. There he released his break through album titled We Still Crunk. Among the tracks on that project was the hit single “I Like Dem Girlz”, which reached #55 on the R&B chart and #3 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.
After hearing feedback that Lil’ Jon was “the new guy” from street team people in the markets where he was attracting his biggest audiences – namely Atlanta, St. Louis, Memphis and Dallas – A&R at TVT, Bryan Leach, went to one of his Atlanta shows and was blown away by the immense energy of the experience. Leach toldHitQuarters: “It was like early Beastie Boys, when they had the energy of a rock group but they were rapping, and … that energy is what crunk music is all about.” Lil’ Jon & The East Side Boyz signed to TVT Records in 2001 and debuted there with Put Yo Hood Up, which combined previously released tracks with new ones. The group’s first nationally played single was “Bia’ Bia’”, which featured rappersLudacris, Too Short, Big Kapp, and Chyna Whyte. ”Bia’ Bia’” peaked at #97 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #47 on the Billboard R&B chart.[
How often do you get the opportunity to see one of the greatest hip hop groups of all-time make a movie? (Watches the tumbleweed roll by) “Idlewild”relives 1930′s African American culture with a twist of funk. Musicals usually have this tendency to either put me to sleep or barely catches my interest.
The ATLiens captured a lifestyle which showcased in any other movies may have seemed depressing. Around the time of the Great Depression the nightlife prevails. Life lesson enjoy it by any means no matter what struggle you’re in. Swing dancing, gambling and money what more could you ask for. Idlewild brings you 80′s year back into time with no Delorean. Struggling households scraping by each day but music is always the healer.
Settings in the back roads of Georgia where few probably travel these days. Nightlife in any era can resolute in gun wars and drug usage. Through it all love leads to the lost and found at the same time. Losing love leads to showbiz success in the end. Follow your heart folks!
So about two hours ago I was waiting for “Entourage” to come on while updating my tumblr and listening to Nicolay instrumentals. I ended up coming across a picture of the Howard’s women swim team from 1946 so I decided to look into it just a tad more. Life magazine did a spread back in the day which are a few of the pictures you see above. Looking back into history is always time well spent. Just the style, scenery and the interaction gave you a great view on the unity of life. I did however miss “Entourage” but it’s not going anywhere especially with all these internet sites we have these days!
I always found it extra cool when musicians go beyond the studio and on to the movie screen/partake in short films. Showing they are all around talented. This short film which has been in trailer mode since 2008 finally dropped. Of course production by ”The Neptunes” makes this short film come to life. Pharrell experiences heartbreak, lust and a little bit of a stalkers edge in this one. Which equals to pure dopeness in my opinion. Peep it for yourself!
The song is Sade – By Your Side(the Neptunes Remix) just incase you folks wanted to know.
