A Proper Doodle of The Late Etta James

This sketch was made by Katie Frasier, a friend of mine from college and the mind behind the new clothing line Feebee.

In my current freelancing days, I cover just about everything that has to do with the arts - from dance to paintings to music to film to theatre - but I usually keep this blog exclusive to music. However, when I spot something that connects to great ear candy - like this great eye candy - I feel it's my duty to post.

I looked at this and saw far more than a neatly drawn picture of the late, great Etta James. I saw just about everything that embodied that singer, from her extremely youthful personality to her from-the-ground-up vocals.

While this could be an ode to "At Last" (or a rant on how every other blog or media outlet dedicates her dedication to other artists who have been inspired by Etta James), she was so much more than that, musically. In certain aspects, mainly speaking when I listen to "Something's Got A Hold On Me" or "Hoochie Coochie Gal" or "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" her classy voice would clash with her raw and youthful personality. Here it is this singer you know from something as dramatic as "At Last" getting down with the rebellious-to-gospel swing sound, or blues rock, or sensual satisfaction (respectively speaking). It was like she rebelled against conserving her swag to big band tunes and dramatic songwriting. She didn't need big red curtains to do her thing. Etta James was that vibrant and bold how she spoke to me loudly like she was that homegirl from around the way.

Not that this picture is "hood" in any sense, but in most artwork that included Ms. James there was a glossy, spotlight-ish, 50s glow surrounding her - even when any true follower of her knew that's not really her. The thing about this photo is it speaks to her vibrant nature, from her booming voice to her various outrage in her portrayal by current R&B artists. The colors used, the fill-in's patterns, the background, her hair, they're all telling a tale that features the entire spectrum of Etta James.

Everyone will miss that. Trust!

Rest in Power Etta James.

Rooting for the Home Team/2011 Springfield Cypher

These guys have came a long way!

Usually, I don't post just YouTube videos trying to bulk up my blog with short posts, but what on Earth do I look like not putting my hometown on blast?!?!

The best hiphop artists from Springfield (Ohio, yall. No Simpsons slant around here) get together and kicks it heavy. The spectrum of emceeing is in full force in this video - from poetic flows to the drug rap to straight punchlines - and the cypher has old heads from around the way to the new cats that's on the rise in the scene.

RANDOM: I love how Young D (the last one) throws in that Camron reference, who shouts out Springfield every time he speaks on Ohio. (Does it in "Down and Out" too)

I remember going to high school with half those guys in the cypher, who rapped back then - and honestly, it was close to trash - but they've completely stepped their game up!

Here's the list of the cypher and where to find them:

Shawn Diggy (of the group A-9)
Sauce The Great (of the group A-9)
A Johns The Poet
Sneak Pree (of the group A-9)
Smiddy (of the group A-9)
D Walt (of the group A-9)
Young D (of the group A-9)

Props.

Obama's Walk: His Exit Music

If you have been asleep since around 10 p.m. last night, good morning, and boy, did you miss out! Our President Barack Obama announced last night that his secret operation from months ago to kill Osama bin Laden has reached success and Osama is now dead (and buried apparently??). This playlist has little to do with us killing Osama bin Laden, sorry Americans!

This mix has EVERYTHING to do with Obama's gangsterific exit away from his podium and out of the hallway. Here's a clip if you need it:

Now, with that said and shown, here is a playlist of his exit music because I feel he totally needed that to match his composure as he walked down that hallway, his calmness in his stroll, and, hell, his SWAG! There are tunes from nearly all genres that accentuate Obama's badassedness, from being the first Black President to being the President to take down Osama, as well as his ability to be so smooth! Sit tight, this is a surefire doozie...

Cheers, Obama. This mix is for you!

Dear Spotify, Bring Your Arse To The States!!!

Since Imeem, among other music streaming sites, are no longer running, I've been on the hunt for the new place to extend my taste in music. I'm not a big iPerson, so suggesting iTunes, an iPad/Phone, or any other iNut-riding software or Internet tool won't work.

There are a couple dope sites and such to check out with that Imeem feel.

8tracks is one I use frequently because it has a creative gimmick to its purpose: come up with at least eight songs for a playlist. The playlist has to have some sort of title or theme to it (even if it is Brian Lehrer's Cooking Mix or Randy Moss' Post Pattern), and I have the freedom of uploading songs from my music collection or adding music other people uploaded to 8tracks. If I stick to just eight songs, it's like having an 8-track on your computer, minus the protruding cartridge.

Another site I like for music sharing and streaming is [INSERT DRUM ROLL]

*adds extra line for dramatic effect*

MySpace! Believe it or not, and amidst the crappy press it got for being Creepsterland, this site is great for sharing music for artists and listeners. It's easy to create playlists, add music, and with the new layout (which Facebook is trying to mimic btw) is easy for folks to share. Although Bandcamp and SoundCloud are good sites for artists to use to socialize with their fans as well as add music, MySpace is just as good. Plus, almost every band uses it, so to the folks I know that snub MySpace on the regular need to fall back, as journalist and bloggers quickly search "[insert artist or band] MySpace music" before anything else.

But back to the topic at-hand.

Spotify is another music sharing and streaming site that has the online and offline option. It's like iTunes, minus Apple's "i" and tunes, Pandora, LastFM, and Imeem, wrapped in one green bow. You can upload your own music, listen to others, make playlists, buy music, play the artist radio, go mobile, tweet it, Facebook it, among other things. Oh, and IT'S FREE! Sounds too good to be true, right?

Well, for those in the US of A, it does. Clicking on the "Get Spotify" icon will lead you to this. That's right, a shrugging heifer and information about how they want to have ALL music available on the site for ALL countries or nothing at all.

The researcher and journalist in me went digging for more info on Spotify, finding out that it's a wrangling with Warner's music label. According to TechCrunch back in the summer, despite the app availability on Symbian, Droid and iPhone (and now Windows 7 Phone) Warner does not want Spotify to air out their artists' music for free.

Sounds familiar? It should. Warner and YouTube had the same issue because Warner didn't want YouTube posting their artists videos for free. The difference between the two scenarios is that YouTube had balls, and pulled all of Warner's artists off their site and moved on! And of course, because no label wants to be excluded from press, Warner came running back to make a deal with YouTube.

Now why Spotify won't grow some is beyond me. There is no reason (other than money, and if that's the case then forget coming here) Spotify is not able to do the same for their site as YouTube and generate States users. This software has already won tech awards for their services and has 30,000 of America's musical elite using their site (including Pitchfork, which brought me to Spotify in the first place), so why is it not available for the PEOPLE???

So Spotify, bring your arse to the States! We've suffered without you for long enough. We want the same luxuries as France, Spain and Sweden too! We have even shown you love for the 30,000 people you serve already, why not multiply that by a milli or two?

I hope these questions don't go unanswered, and you find your way out of other people's iPhones and into my laptop soon.

Signed,

Me.

Fighting The Power: A Throwback Thought on P.E.

After the verdict from the Oscar Grant trial, and having to hear about Soulja Boy's neck tattoo on V-103 - one of the biggest hiphop and R&B radio stations in the country - after the horrifying news, I'm posting this hoping it'll enter through thick skulls what hiphop REALLY means! I wrote this a while back, but put it up because I didn't want sound too preachy on this blog, but now I feel like being preachy is necessary!

Yet our best trained, best educated, best equipped, best prepared, troops refuse to fight! Matter of fact it's safe to say that they would rather switchhh than fight! 

- Thomas "TNT" Todd

Hearing this song, after enveloping the atmosphere of its accompanying movie "Do The Right Thing" (at the mere age of six years old), I learned right then and there exactly what hip-hop was. This song was the premiere song for Public Enemy in what they really contributed to hiphop - the idea that hip-hop was revolutionary through its ability to be urgent, street smart, knowledgeable and fun simultaneously.

They set the standard for hiphop records, because other than that, there were songs with an extreme Pan-African message or a lackluster consciousness. Along with Flavor Flav, he was the first to say fuck Elvis and John Wayne, two of the most influential men in entertainment history, yet still say everyone deserves equal rights.

Another memorable thing was the heavy sampling used to convey its message. The DJ, Terminator X, laced in insane drops from Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff" and Guy's "Teddy's Jam" to blend in with the lyrics and the beat. Not to mention the powerful speech in the beginning by Thomas "TNT" Todd, one of the best orators and Civil Rights attorney ever.

Other songs released by Public Enemy were great, but unmatched by "Fight The Power." This song, compared to the rest of their collection, was like the entrée of a three course meal. In this case, the meal was the knowledge dropped by this powerful hip-hop group.

The most memorable thing about this song was its video. It felt good to see Brooklyn covered in "fight the power" rally signs. People from everywhere were representing their home country plus signs with famous Black political figures like Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X. This song was the precedent for ALL politically-driven songs, far beyond the hip-hop genre. Any metalhead, punk rocker, or backpacker will refer to "Fight the Power" as inspiration to their personalities.

Bilal is the Biggest Beast of Our Generation, And Here's Why!

I have been meaning to post this Q&A session I had with Bilal for a long time (since we did it back in August), and being that I saw this marvelous video of him spazzing out on the B3 hammond to his rendition of "Tainted Love," it only felt right. The highlights from this interview can be seen at Xposure magazine, so feel free to check out that site because the print edition should be coming out really soon! So enjoy the video, then scroll down to see the entire interview unfold before your eyes!

The Sounds of VTech / Bilal: Tainted Love

I’m gonna give you the floor and let you explain your sound and craft to me. Well, I do genre-bending music. I’ve approached jazz, which is what I have come out of, and soul is in me because I started singing in the church at about 3 years old. But it’s just whatever I feel like doing – a mash-up of a lot of things, a mash-up of different sounds and a lot of different genres of music.

You’ve worked with almost every artist, underground and mainstream, from Common and Erykah Badu to Robert Glasper and even Zap Mama. What other artists do you want to collaborate with before you’re done? I want to do some stuff with Thom Yorke from Radiohead actually though. I like their stuff. They’re dope! Their style seems really organic. A lot of the collaborations I’ve done are with people that just kind of happen that way. Cats would just hit me up, and we would work something out. I’m really in a space right now where I’m developing my own type of sound and creation.

Is that what happened with your last label that made you wanna work with Plug Research? Well, what made you want to leave the label you were with and go work with Plug? Plug is an independent label and it really just kind of happened. I wouldn’t know if I could really be able to do an album on a large scale until I know I can recreate this whole business aspect in a different way. I think the best way to do things now, if you want to be original, not to be too general, but you get a lot more leverage these days when you’re independent first. That’s the meal ticket, not to mention that I like Plug Research. The people that they choose to bring out like Flying Lotus, Exile, and they give people the freedom to create however it is that they want to create.

So how did you meet them? I had met them not too long ago. The way I had met them was they were doing a record with Shafiq Husayn, the dude who’s a part of Sa-Ra. I was doing a thing on his album, and then one of the guys from Plug Research came to the studio and heard what I was doing. Me and Shifiq was trading off, like if I did a song for him then he’d do a song for me. The guy from Plug got to hear the song that I was doing for Shafiq, and he was like “oh my God, what the hell are you doing this for?” And I’m like “I’m doing this because I love it. I’m doing music man!” He just kept calling me up afterwards wanting to do an album with them like “come on, you gotta do an album! You wanna do an album right?” And I really didn’t know what I was going to do because I been in a lot of contractual things and hang-ups. After I had got everything right and together, I don’t know, things just started to go in the way that they should do. Being divine and organic, just flowing correctly.

So, your new album Airtight’s Revenge, for starters, why that title? Revenge is a way of turning that word on your side of what I have encountered in this business. I haven’t officially put an album out in 9 years. I had an album 6 years ago that I was doing, but that got bootlegged… It really had me down, and I almost, I really wasn’t thinking about music at that point, but then in being bootlegged a lot of cats started loving my sound even more. Then I started doing gigs, and getting calls from Jay-Z wanting to do music, and going on tour like I had an album out. What all that did was make me want to do it even more from the soul and from the heart, and not let myself be dumbed-down, and just do music! And that’s what Airtight’s Revenge is. Airtight is my own frame of mind, and Revenge is the fact that I have more love and more drive and more energy and more inspiration now more than ever to do music.

The cover of the album, similar to Malcolm X holding the piece and KRS-One and BDP’s album cover as well, so can you explain the significance of the album cover and their similarities? Malcolm X was willing to do things by any means necessary, and that photo really represented that. In that photo he was doing his thing, and he was willing to break down and fight what it is in his calling. With BDP, they took it and did the same thing because they came in with that reckless sound that was all their own. Both KRS-One and Malcolm X were throwing it down, they were on the frontlines, and the photos really represent that. So when I’m doing Airtight’s Revenge I took the rifle out and put in the mic because that’s my sound. I’m representing my sound and I’m in a place right now where I’m doing it regardless. I’m doing it for the love, and in all my way and my style. That’s what I’m about – being new, fresh and different, by any means necessary, of course!

What is the story within this album? What content should the audience expect to hear? There’s a lot of short stories on the album. Got some blues songs. Some were made to really spark conversation afterwards. It’s not all A and B type of songs about love or crooning about it. A lot of it is just things that I deal with in my mind and questions that I talk to myself. A lot of these songs really help me understand a lot of these things going on. That goes along with my children, who I talk about. I talk about the economy. I talk about religion and spirituality. I talk about a lot of different things. I look at what I do as a standpoint to really do those type of things, like how Bob Marley did or Curtis Mayfield.

I wanna ask this out of shear curiosity because I’ve seen a shift from you as an artist in what you want to sing. What is your ultimate goal as a musician, beyond just developing your own sound? Or do you just see that being enough? My ultimate goal, well, that’s a good place to start. But definitely to doing it to where the whole world understands and knows about it, and loves it. I want to make music that’s gonna last like all the greats have done. >>>> I want to get to the point where my son can put this on for his children and be like “this is Granddad,” and they’ll be like “oh my God! Granddad was good, he was on some shit Dad!” Then he’ll be like “yeah, I know. And now you know why you play like that son.” <<<< MY FAVORITE QUOTE!!!

Would you care to share some advice to the young folks trying to get their feet wet in the music business at all? Yeah man, come up with a sound yourself, and really, really, really work that thing and work it out. Don’t be afraid to do things people don’t normally do and have your own sound first. Do it that way, and you know, come from the heart for the art. Don’t do it for the money, do something that’s new.

A Based Blog Post: A Rant on Lil' B

It's no denying that if you are intune with the hiphop scene on the Web (i.e. Twitter, blogs, YouTube, etc), that you've run into a guy by the name of Lil' B. If not, relive my first experience with this guy through this video right here:



Now, initially this didn't last past a minute on my laptop as, one I thought Lil' B was a terrible rapper, and my hiphop tendencies will quickly dismiss a dude that'll call himself a bitch, but these thought marinated in my head for the rest of the day:

What's wrong with a guy calling himself a bitch? Is that his real opinion about himself? Where are all the guys at that can sit their and call themselves something that is degradable to women and still rap about getting girls? And, ultimately, IS THIS GUY SERIOUS????

As time went on hundreds of responses from my colleagues, friends and internet buddies were following this unusual trend created by Lil' B - being Based. I noticed it in this above video that it was a "Based freestyle," so I had to find out what Based meant. According to his interview in Complex, Lil' B considers Based as a positive and highly confident mindset. And of course, when you put two and two together, it's the kind of confidence where a person like Lil' B, who also calls himself "the Based god," is ok with getting called or call himself a bitch, a fag and a lesbian, or even say he looks like Jesus (click the links if you think I'm joking). I understand and can agree with a movement like that because it definitely beats lyrics like "Kill that faggot," etc, etc. Additionally, for anyone to attempt to redefine the word bitch, fag, or whatever stays on my good side.

However, this is not the sole reason I am writing this piece!

Although most will say Lil' B lacks lyrical skills, continuing to read the same Complex interview, he explains that his raps are inspired by drugs. Listening to his lyrical abilities now, anybody - even a four year old - would say he's wack. I feel the same way, if you do not account for his high self-confidence.

I personally would believe dude would be a lyrical force if he was 100% sober. But, I feel that 100% sobriety will lead to a loss in his edgy stream of consciousness. One thing that no one should disregard is a person's stream of consciousness. Without getting too deep, a stream of consciousness is the quickest way into one's psychological ocean we call the mind. Even if this dude has moments where he sounds like an idiot hollering he's Paris Hilton, knowing he don't look like a lily white cokehead, he still has moments where his creativity to express himself is phenomenal.

Take this video where he freestyles to How to Dress Well's "Ready For The World":



Now can you disregard his stream of consciousness? He's probably the first that I have heard in these times to relay a message that isn't coded, raw, uncut, unstructured, and has the ability to speak positivity to the streets, and NO I'm not only talking about the hood. Let's break that down:

1) A non-coded message - instead of sticking with the usual word cues that most rappers use, Lil' B's only code is Based, which isn't really that coded in the first place, plus he takes uncommon or looked-down-upon words and spin them into his own codes which are taken from his untapped, Based mind.

2) Raw, uncut, and unstructured - here's where a lot of people misunderstand Lil' B. Whereas rappers play it safe and conform to the ways of hiphop (although hiphop is the rebel society), Lil' B breaks all the rules in order to be straightforward with his thoughts. There's little to no rhyme structure, not to say if it's intentional on his part or not, there's no regard for other people's comfort, and it's quite clear that his only focus is relaying his thoughts to the world, as is.

3) Has the ability to speak positivity to the streets, and not just the hood dudes on the corners - given his background and upbringing, Lil' B isn't much of a street dude. However, from rappers who have spoke prophetically about a rough life (i.e. Tupac, Common, etc), their upbringing doesn't necessarily shout "I used to be a drug dealer." Same goes for Lil' B, although he claims running with the wrong crowd, committing crimes and a big drug problem in Berkeley (which I have seen myself). Although cats like Tupac tell the best thug life tales, Lil' B (though he's by far no 'Pac) manages to speak to those kind of people, as well as the folks who may not sell drugs but abuse them, or may not commit crimes but have been victims, or may not have been involved in any of that mess but are still in that environment. Take the above video, or this one:



Overall, I would say Lil' B is hiphop's hippie. You know how in the era of "Flower Power", though popular amongst the minority in the 60s, your people in charge and running the world never heard them out? Or, taking it to this day and age, the "crazies" that live in the old house that sits on the corner that every kid (and some adults) constantly speculates over? That's Lil' B, in a nutshell. Beyond pushing the boundaries of the hiphop community, his creative process (if one would say he has one) makes hiphop highly uncomfortable - to the point where no one's even listening to him.

Personally, Lil' B has won me over as a fan because of his ability to step outside of the box hiphop has been put in, while still managing to keep things real... or should I say "Based." And I would most certainly call his music hiphop! Actually, it's beyond hiphop, Lil' B is in his own lane.

Ultimate Youtube Fails

DISCLAIMER: What you may see and hear is not intended for the weak-hearted. I do not wish to claim this as mine, or wish to claim this as good quality music in any way. There will moments, in fact, where you will find yourself trying to squint your ears. Trust me, because I tried, you can't do it. It is humanly impossible. So you must suffer just as I did!

I caught whiff of a few videos of different singers and entertainers putting on a stellar performance for FailBlog all this year and last year. Some of them have managed to make it onto my blog and Tumblr. Like this one:



And no one can forget this one:

Pure enjoyment on lack of entertainment!

Speaking of lack of entertainment, there have been recent and SERIOUS videos of different bands and artists putting on an atrocious performance for the Web, so atrocious that it's definitely comedic. Though I understand some people may have serious mental issues (and even ego issues), so to make fun of someone's "talent" can be a little insensitive. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people who try to be sensitive when someone isn't doing their job right. So when I see people claiming to be a band or a rapper sound like garbage, I will most definitely point that out in the most visible way possible - blogging.

Which leads me to my first newfound Ultimate fail video of the year, a Guns N' Roses cover. Meet Marcelo, Bruno, and Douglas. This Brazilian trio attempted to cover one of the greatest songs to play on Rock Band only to fall short from the beginning solo. Enjoy below:

That was six minutes of pure hell. There is no wonder that Axl doesn't like other people covering his work. Thanks to these guys, they'll probably be no more Guns N' Roses on any Rock Band or Guitar Hero - EVER.

And I'm happy to say there's another ultimate fail in the midst. Meet 50 Tyson. This young'n out of Minnesota thinks he can spit hot fire, but he just spits a hot mess! He feels that because Soulja Boy made fame off of Youtube, so can he. But he can not! Enjoy =)

Yes, I posted the nine minute video! Everyone must get the entire effect of 50 Cent meets Mike Tyson! For some reason he reminds me of the "Three Best Friends Song" Zach Galifianakis sung on Hangover. Fail, Fail FAIL! The sad thing is that he is extremely popular, as he has an "exclusive" video of people loving this dude.

Has the world become that dumbed down, where we let people like 50 Tyson become famous for his famine of talent? I feel like the world needs a refresher course on what does and does NOT deserves fame and fortune.

Last Week on Tumblr...

For those that may not know, this blog has a sidekick!

When I'm not posting reviews, commentaries, and such, I am posting small music tidbits on Tumblr, titled Bubble Gum Pop Rap Lite. Almost anything has been posted on this site, from neat music articles to singles from great artists. Every week I'll give you a taste of what I've come across on the radio, in the news, and online. Enjoy!

Posted July 17th: A link to a new site on how to be a good party-goer called Stuff DJs Hate, and ALL EIGHT album covers for Arcade Fire's Suburbs.


Posted July 16th: the new scoop on 80s group Devo, and for all the Lil' Wayne heads, a list of what he's been up to in prison.

Posted July 15th: Sleigh Bells joint "Straight A's" (BEWARE, IT'S LOUD! REALLY REALLY LOUD!) Like M.I.A-loud, but it actually works.

Posted July 14th: the list of all the artists dropping an album on September 14th. Why? It includes labelmates Kanye West, Consequence, Kid Cudi, plus the '10 comeback kids The Walkmen, among many more!

Posted July 13th: an Invincible and Waajeed collabo "Detroit Summer", exclusively premiered on Hot 97 a couple days after my blog on her! Also a picture of the greatest prank of the year!

Posted July 12th: the original sample to Q-Tip's "Let's Ride" and one of the greatest songs from my personal favorite guitarists "Giant Steps" by Joe Pass. Also posted is the link to Pitchfork's new search for writers!

The Ursula Rucker Experience at the B.E.A.T.S. Hiphop Expo (A Video)

Being a part of organizing the 2nd annual hiphop expo for B.E.A.T.S (Building Education through the Arts and Transforming Society) this past weekend was a complete and total honor. Last year's expo on hiphop and sustainability was great, especially hearing Majora Carter speak and seeing Invincible perform. This year's expo surrounded women in hiphop. The theme was called When and Where I Enter: Women Beyond Gender Talk, and it featured an amazing keynote from Michaela Angela Davis along with a beautiful performance from Ursula Rucker. Although the expo was streamed live, which I hope will be archived somewhere, I taped Ursula doing her thing with my own little equipment. Not that I'm trying to start up my own little video production for this blog (like it's that serious), but I really wanted you all to get some footage of the experience I had at this year's expo. This video is her performing "The Awakening" off of 4Hero's Play with the Changes, one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite production groups, at OU's Grover Center.



When I talked to her during her poetry workshop, she was so chill with everything. One thing that stuck out to me during that session, something I should have always recognized when differentiating spoken word from music, was what she said about why whenever she speak she purposely separates poetry and music. She said although there are poetic origins in the lyricism of songs, poetry and music is like painting and photography.

So I thought about it for the rest of that day, and what she says is true. Poetry and music, as similar as they may be, are two different art forms. Poetry is aligned with painting in this sense: with painting, an artist gets the canvas AND the drawing tools in grasp for expression. The thought essentially is organic, just like in poetry. In photography, an artist may get a canvas, but it is a canvas with ideas and thoughts on them with little to no room for any outside or other thoughts. An artist's thought is primarily laid out in the presentation of that pre-made canvas. Does that mean it isn't an organic art form? I think so. Because with painting an artist is limitless with the way an artist wants to present the idea - from what colors used to the style of the stroke to where the finished piece will be on display. Although photography has many different techniques people can use, photography is not organic because an artist is limited by what is already there, i.e. the landscape or portrait being shot.

This was just one of the many things I got out of the hiphop expo last weekend. It is important to know that lyrics do not always need a beat to live. In fact, lyrics can sometime stand on its own.

Tribe of the Mountain - The Weirdest Group yet Great Music

(Pulled from ACRN.com... yet again)

This episode of Guestlist I worked on with ACRN had to be with one of the strangest group of musicians I've met around here in Athens - and that says a lot when you live in a place where musicians will scratch metal on metal and call it "noise music". This time I did more than just hold the boom microphone, I was the production assistant as well as a camerawoman. My name shows up in the credits a lot more often, so please believe this is another clip added to my portfolio!

Anyway, the name of this group is Tribe of the Mountain. Yes, these guys took the name from Lord of the Rings. They play folky and funky kind of music, but best put by the lead singer "It all comes down to jazz!!!"

Enjoy the video below (p.s. they have the best energy, you'll see at the end of this video):

Guest List Episode 7: Tribe of the Mountain from ACRN.com on Vimeo.

2009: The Last Year

Best 2009 Song To Hear At Your Job: "I Hate My Job" by Cam'Ron. This just may apply to the people who darn near slave over a kitchen sink, a cubicle with papers towered overhead, or a laptop while taking notes during a lecture. Killa Cam provides some humor on our journey to success (or for some our journey out of debt) with stories of working with jerks, making money for child support, and even failing to get a job. It ended up making my job not seem so bad.

Watch the hilarious video here.


Best 2009 Song That Always Made Me Feel Better: "Roses (Pt. I & II)" by Georgia Anne Muldrow (ft. Mos Def on Pt. I). It had to be her powerful voice, along with the grand piano, along with the most inspirational rhymes by Mos, that always cheered me up whenever I was pissed (and that was very often this year). All I wanted to do after hearing either songs was smile :-)

Watch Part I here. Watch Part II here.

Best 2009 Song That Highlighted The Average Woman: "Baby Phat '09" by Skillz ft. Colin Munroe. I love the fact that this song was remade because the original "Baby Phat" cut by De La Soul was awesome! Skillz came through with his skilled rhyme, and Colin Munroe swooned me with his lyrics, making me appreciate my figure! I wish it got the same love I gave it because this remake was an instant gem this past fall.

Listen and/or download here.

Best 2009 Song I Only Like When I'm Drunk: "On to the Next One" by Jay-Z ft. Swizz Beatz. This is for all my folks who like to party on Thirsty Thursdays!!! This song has the perfect sample/hook to hear when you try to celebrate the end of the week... unless you have class or work the next day, but when will that ever stop people?

Listen here (but only when drunk; otherwise it sucks).

Best 2009 Comeback Song: "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" by Whitney Houston. Well, really any of her songs released this year counts, but this particular song deeply stated she was back and here to stay. The emotional performance at the American Music Awards wasn't the best Whitney Houston performance, but what should we expect from someone who was a former drug abuser?

Learn to how to make a real comeback here.

Best 2009 Song I've Never Skipped: "Electric Love" by Vikter Duplaix. This is an R&B song that I consider a "universal song". I can enjoy it with every mood I'm in, and the song is good enough to whisk me away from the real world and just bask in the music.

Listen here over and over again!

Best 2009 Song With The Dopest Flow: "Exhibit C" by Jay Electronica. The entire hiphop song was fire, but this flow mashing himself with the highest spiritual figures and events was mind-blowing! The flow's below:

"They call me Jay Electronica,
Fuck that, call me Jay Elec-Hanukkah, Jay Elec-Yarmulke,
Jay Elec-Ramadaan, Muhammad Asalaamica,
RasoulAllah Supana Watallah through your monitor,
My uzi still weigh a ton, check your barometer,
I'm hotter than the motherfuckin' sun, check the thermometer,
I'm bringing ancient Mathematics back to modern Man,
My momma told me never throw a stone and hide your hand"

Listen AND check the flow here.

Best 2009 Song That Was Socially Relevant: "Bulletproof" by Raheem Devaughn ft. Ludacris. I'm not that big of a fan of this song, but this soulful ballad by Radio Raheem and Luda was the closest song that had anything to do with the current state of society, along with some good moral substance with it made the cut as the best of this year.

Watch the video here and relate.

Best 2009 Song That Was Totally Raw: "Stapleton Sex" by Ghostface Killah. I still listen to it and think of ways to make it a bad song - you know, say it's misogynistic, sexist, objectifies women, etc - but it's totally consensual and includes no cues of objectifying women or even calling them out of their names. But it took me forever to get past the raunchy lyrics, let alone the video!

Watch this nasty @$$ video here.

Best 2009 Song Dedicated To An Icon: "Empire State of Mind Pt. II" by Alicia Keys. The first one with Jay-Z was nice, but the second with Alicia Keys on the solo-tip is much, much better. It actually gives greater and better-written detail to the city's highlights and makes you appreciate this iconic city so much more. After hearing this song, I feel like packing my things up and going to NYC in 2010, broke and all!

Watch a live performance of it here.

Thanks to YouTube, iHeartRadio, NahRight, FMWJ, Daily Stab, Daily Motion, and 2DopeBoyz for the audio/video links.

Just Thought I Add More Fun for the Holidays...

See, this is why I love Failblog:

Lesson of the day: If you can't sing, put the mic down - not upside down!

What Do A Panther, A Football, and A Block All Have in Common?

So, I'm a huge fan of cartoons (old ones, 90s and older), and since I'm a 21 year old college student, it is actually no surprise whatsoever. One thing I think no one appreciates about these cartoons are its musical scores! The thing I loved more than the social commentary in a cartoon (and yes, I loved it as a child too) was the music that played as the protagonist and antagonist battled each other. There are many cartoon productions that created great scores, but I decided to show you three of my favorite scores from the cartoon field:

1. Pink Panther: Duh! Need I say more? Henry Mancini provided the best theme song of all time with the Pink Panther Theme Song. Although the theme song is based on a Latin classic "Pantera Mambo" by La 33, Mancini did his thing and made millions off this song. He had to know this jazz rendition of "Pantera Mambo" would suit the Pink Panther very well. But besides that, what people didn't really peep was how his sound effects for the Pink Panther were just as jazzy as the musical score; it was at some points a part of it too!

So watch here and reminisce how innovative this score was for cartoon productions (and of course, this includes the song):

2. Hey Arnold: My boy Arnold, the football head, had the swagger of all swagger amongst the 90s cartoon characters. Even though he had the room of everyone's dreams, the producers and Jim Lang put together some great music to match his persona. Hey Arnold's theme song was dope, but I always looked forward to the end because it was just as enjoyable as the entire episode. And although their were different episodes, the same ol' theme song sounded just as good as the last time!

Featuring a slideshow of the coolest cartoon crew of our time, the best ending credit song "Stompin'" by a great guitarist, and overall musician, Jim Lang! Watch below:

3. The Peanuts: Vince Guaraldi knew what he was doing when he did the score for the Peanuts. Let alone the presence-knowing theme song, the music was so fitting for the time period of the Peanuts cartoon and comic strip. Although Charlie Brown was a major Blockhead, the music was definitely something outside the box for cartoons. If only the characters could dance...

This video has the infamous repetitive dance motions of Charlie Brown's crew and the song "Linus and Lucy" from Guaraldi's musical score of Charlie Brown here:

De La Soul - 20 Years Later and Still Great

There's nothing like listening to old music and no matter how many times you played that album when it first came out, it's still a great album.

De La Soul has managed to put out, in my opinion, two classic albums for the hiphop community to enjoy even to this day - Stakes is High and, of course, 3 Feet High and Rising. These two albums, released back to back, were the indications in my life that hiphop isn't only political or gangsta, but

hiphop can also be spiritual. These two albums, yeah they had content that tapped into your political conscious, but they made you think of your life as an individual. This group, these artists (who I consider Posdnuos, Plug Two, and Maseo), made you think of how to be in tune with your mind first and then your surroundings. Ultimately, the group focused on peace and harmony amongst the community.

Usually there are labels associated with hiphop artists - the gangsta rapper, the conscious rapper, the fun guy, the gimmicky guy, and so on. But these brothers managed to step outside the box made for the hiphop community, with their natural, hippie-like image and uniq

ue rap content. Of course people gave them crap for that. They never worn the gold chains, luxurious cars, and outlandish houses. In fact, they criticized others who used their talent as a way to make money instead of tools for empowerment.

My most favorite album was their debut album 3 Feet High and Rising. With numerous classics on this album, it's no wonder that De La gets major respect from the hiphop community. The thing about this album was that it wasn't about being one with the hiphop community, but about being in tune with yourself. This had to be the first album that would spit the basics to the people; the messages throughout this album were plain and simple. One song that first comes to mind is "A Little Bit of Soap" that (obviously) goes into how effective proper hygiene can have on a person. Plus the timeless classic "Me Myself and I" was one the first songs by any hiphop artist that had a humorous commentary to social issues. They addressed their often misunderstood image of being hippies and told the world that they could care less of what they think of De La Soul. But the main thing that established their image and purpose in hiphop was their dry humor and clean, positive hiphop music.

Another one of my favorite De La Soul albums is Stakes is High, although they didn't get as

much credit for this album as they deserved (but when did I care about the American consensus?), because they were the first to give an even newer light to hiphop than their positive rap music. I appreciated their efforts in standing against the rise in gangsta rap, Tupac in particular, which is expected with their image, but that very criticism is what made them fall short of commercial success with this album. Their leading single "Stakes is High" addressed the issues with rap music at the time head-on, stating they were sick of brand name clothes, drug music, scantly-clad women, and so on (most of these are issues we face today in rap music). Another single that addressed the state of rap being a money maker instead of a tool of expression was "Itzsoweezee (HOT)", produced by the late J-Dilla, which had a video full of cameos that would drive a hiphop head crazy (it did for me anyway)! One thing they did that set them aside from other people who rap about rap is their usual spin on their music, spitting about peace and being one spiritually. Plug Two said in the beginning of the third verse said "I think smiling in public is against the law / Because love don't get you through life no more", claiming positive rap no longer exist because it's been pushed out by violent and sexually explicit lyrics. Another couple of contributions from the album, at least what they gave to me, was the first single I heard Common after "I Used to Love H.E.R." was on "The Bizness" and the first single I heard Mos Def spit, which was "Big Brother".

Overall, De La Soul is a group to remember. Not only because they were the first group outside of the commercial mold for rap music, but because they decided to be themselves - which was a group who though love and peace conquered all - although most people thought they weird. Even though they tried to dissociate themselves from the Native Tongues and the image of being hippies, their dry humor, music of peace, and social commentary kept them to the left of what hiphop was at the time and what it was said to be later in their career. It is because of them hiphop expanded beyond political, social, and party music, defining what conscious music really was. So in honor of 20 years of De La Soul, I leave you all with the classic hiphop video "Itzsoweezee (HOT)"

Cell Therapy 023

Its funny how one song can change your entire outlook on the day and whatever you gotta do. That will never get old!

Deflowering Virgin Ears with Marvin Gaye

THIS IS AN EXPLORATION OF SEXUALITY BY WAY OF A FAMOUS ARTIST WHOSE MUSIC COULD BE INTERPRETED ON ONE OF THE LONGEST ANALYTICAL SPECTRUM POSSIBLE. SO AS I TYPE, ENJOY!

Marvin Gaye was the most romantic R&B artist of his time, and even now! Not only that, he was the master at making things sound one way when they really mean something else. So, the key word for this blog is

Innuendos.

From "Let's Get It On" to "Sexual Healing", he knew just how to keep "loving" alive. Not only that, but he was very political and revolutionary, quickly becoming the voice of the streets with hits like "What's Going On". His voice couldn't have be anymore subtle in "Til Tomorrow" than any other song he ever recorded. Yet, he'll make you cry as he sings "Mercy Mercy Me". And who won't get down to "Got To Give It Up"? Let me break it down for you:

Let's Get It On

Ok, I know he's talking about sex, I'm past that, he's going beyond that. He's also talking about falling in love with his lady, making love to her, giving his all for her. Yeah, he may come off as too strong, but that's his intention. His style has always been strong and straightforward. As one would say on the street: he's tryin' to hit that! Not in the sense of hittin' it and splittin', but he's no longer satisfied with the small talk.

Lets Get It On - Marvin Gaye

Sexual Healing

This song can be broken down like this: whereas Let's Get It On was 70% Sex and 30% Love, Sexual Healing is 100% Sex. The gloves are off (READ BETWEEN THE LINES FOLKS); there is no loving asked this song. All he talks about is having sex, and not just having sex, but it's sex whenever he wants to! He definitely made this song for the sex-crazed 80s, so it instantly became an anthem at that time for romance. If one thought Let's Get It On was strong, then they shouldn't listen to Sexual Healing. He doesn't want to make love, he just wants (and keep in mind he never asks for it; he practically demands) pleasure.

Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye

What's Going On

No one can really say they don't know what this song about, but there are some who don't fully listen to the message. Although he does speak on things like unity within the Black community, being against the war overseas AND at home, people tend to miss the first verse - the Black family. Clearly, I'm on Marvin Gaye and there's no room for a full length blog on the Black Family. But people need to pay attention to what he was getting at in this verse: divorce, black on black violence, dysfunction in the family and poverty. All in four lines. He truly mastered the art of writing, particularly innuendos, in this song.

Whats Going On - Marvin Gaye

Til Tomorrow

If you thought he took love to another level with his main mainstream hits (i.e. Let's Get It On), he brought a whole new dimension of a love thirst with this song. This song is not a "baby-don't-go, I-still-love-you" song, nowhere near that. It is a "baby-don't-go, I'm-still horny" song. He may say stay because the "love is deep" and "have stole his mind completely", but in actuality he only wants you there because "you were incredible", or as he said in French (the sexiest language on Earth), vous étiez incroyables. But overall, he "still cares". And cue the sexy saxophone!

Til Tomorrow - Marvin Gaye

Mercy Mercy Me

Marvin Gaye paints the best picture for the mood of this song that he has ever done. The whole verse is color, as well as absence of color, which ultimately leads to the overall mood of the song. He also paints this dark picture with creatures, from fish "lying wasted on the sea, full of mercury", to birds flying in the "poisonous winds that blow". Then he brings us to reality by speaking on issues of living in the projects and how overcrowding it is. This was never meant to be a song about triumph, for that was never his style. His style was, however, blues at heart, but with funk influence. Hence the dark use of the piano and echo-like drums.

Mercy Mercy Me - Marvin Gaye

Got To Give It Up

Speaking of funk influence, no one can forget this timeless dance record. A lot of people push the lyrics aside and get down, and there's nothing wrong with that. But wouldn't you want to know what he's really talking about, because he's not just talking about dancing... He's talking about his sex game; well, the development of his sex game. He keeps throwing in little hints throughout the song like "my body yearned to be free" and "someone chooses me"... and "if you see me, spread out and let me in" and "let me step into your erotic zone". Justin Timberlake got nothing on this guy!

Got To Give It Up, Part 1 - Marvin Gaye

Just as a lot of new artists keep their music sexy and down right dirty, like Marvin Gaye did, you learn something new (sexually or not) about his music and his lifestyle. There's no need to go into details about his relationships and his personal life because quite frankly, the music speaks for itself. Another thing you can take from his music is the magnitude of the deflowering of virgin ears.