NEW IN BLOGZ: Yesterday, the Washington Post published a report on G.O.P. presidential candidate (and Baha Men enthusiast) Mitt Romney’s high school years. “Bullying supreme” is how one of his former classmates described a particularly grisly moment when A$AP Romney and crew ganged up on a non-conformist longhair they suspected of being gay and chopped off his golden locks. A pretty awful tale — albeit one based on someone’s fifty-year-old memory. But a detail of the report caught my eye: Romney went to Cranbrook, which means he stalked the same hallways as Papa Doc, villain of 8 Mile (“But I know something about you/You went to Cranbrook, that’s a private school…”). (Continued…)
NEW IN BLOGZ: While subbing for a college professor a few months back, a question popped up in a class discussion: Is Odd Future’s “Rella” video offensive or funny? Apparently people on campus were protesting the group being booked at an upcoming festival at the school. Rap deemed as offensive has always ground gears, but if we go back 20 years this stuff was also political ammo. Tipper Gore, C. Delores Tucker, Rev. Calvin Butts, etc. – every utterance of “nigga,” “bitch,” “ho,” “bust a cap in his ass,” “don’t get caught up in a 187,” and “bend over for the God damn cracker” meant mo’ opportunities for folks like those to make statements and bolster some type of agenda in what was also an election year. No surprise then that some of rap’s most offensive and inflammatory albums dropped in 1992… (Continued…)
We’re getting ready for the opening of Lisa Leone’s exhibition ‘Then‘ at the HVW8 on May 11th, and I asked Lisa for a few photos to post – along with a couple words about each…. classics!
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NEW IN BLOGZ: I originally compiled this list as a companion piece to a James Brown memorial for Scratch magazine not long after the Godfather of Soul’s passing on Christmas Day, 2006. On this, what would have been his 79th birthday, I’ve resurrected the piece. (Continued…)
NEW IN BLOGZ: We all saw it. We all knew all about it. But seeing it again made it much more nauseating for some reason. Of course, I’m referring to Rodney King’s heartfelt scripted plea for peace and call for blacks, whites, little children, old folks, Asian gun shop owners, Mexicans, cops, Yorkshire Terriers, daffodils, dinosaurs, stingrays, alligators, and all the rest of God’s creations to get along and stop hurting each other. (Continued…)
For those not up on their Ultimate Breaks & Beats (and BTW shame on a nuh if you ain’t), Melvin Bliss was the artist responsible for 1973′s “Synthetic Substitution” – one of the essential sonic building blocks of hip-hop. The opening drums have been sampled a gazillion times, on countless classics from Ultramagnetic MC’s “Ego Trippin’” to Gang Starr’s “DWYCK” to Ghostface’s “Mighty Healthy” and on and on. And the song itself is haunting and prescient cautionary tale of technology usurping human interaction in days to come. Bliss passed away in July of 2010, but not before a documentary film on his life featuring testimonials from Ced Gee, Kid Capri, DJ Scratch, Chuck D, Easy Mo Bee and others had commenced filming. The final film, Synthetic Substitution: The Life Story of Melvin Bliss, was completed last year, and will be screened for free this evening in NYC. Peep event details, watch the film’s trailers, and hear a classic mix of “Substitution” sampled bangers by Matthew Africa, after the jump…
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NYC people: This coming weekend marks an important benefit/fundraising event for the Maysles Documentary Center, a/k/a the Maysles Cinema, the non-profit cinema in Harlem which has played host to two acclaimed ego trip film series programs – “Under the Influence of ego trip Pt. 1 & 2″ – and many other great events over the past few years. Since the Maysles operates strictly via donations we highly recommend you swing through Chelsea ping pong emporium Spin this Sunday evening and support the cause. A quartet of renowned DJs will be serving up the sounds, including our own Chairman Mao. Check advanced ticket purchase information and other vital stats, after the jump…
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NEW IN BLOGZ: Two years ago today, we suffered the tragic loss of one of hip-hop’s greats, Guru, famously known as one half of the legendary Gang Starr. Guru’s chemistry with DJ Premier goes down on our score card as one of the best MC/Producer combo’s in the game, and their body of work speaks for itself. However, we think it’s important to acknowledge how Guru is often overlooked for the work he has put in on his own, specifically while popping up on other artists records. From Heavy D and House of Pain to Dilated Peoples and Digable Planets, Guru’s knack for murdering guest appearances is criminally slept-on. (Continued…)
NEW IN BLOGZ: Bonus footage from the fine vino drinker web series starring everybody’s favorite rap baldhead Sadat X who is joined by Wild Cowboys rapper Shawn Black as they try out the Frog’s Leap brand. (Continued…)
NEW IN BLOGZ: Leave Drake alone. Looking soft (or in some way excessively dapper to the point of alluding to softness) has been a stamped ticket to $ucce$$ in all rap calendar years except 1993 and ‘94. Yes, even for hard core and “keep it real” rappers. The hunt for fame, fortune, mo’ sales and a modicum of female support indirectly prevented many a hardcore rap fan from enjoying some of the finest in barbaric beats, superior garden variety tough talk, beef, controversial subject matter, death threats, and other alpha male entertainment that made rap so endearing to those approaching puberty in search of “the real.” Why? Thanks to a random jamoke on the art direction staff or a mountain-climbing, Les Paul-playing A&R, some hard and extremely funky rap LPs remain unheralded and unappreciated today because of a pillow soft or thoroughly deceptive album cover. (CONTINUED…)
