Since I’m on my YouTube grizzly today I’m hittin you off with all the latest and greatest that I’m feeling, including this sneek peak for Skyzoo’s new video, The Beautiful Decay [produced by 9th Wonder]. Ever since my homie Pump put me up on Skyzoo’s Cloud 9 album, I’ve been a fan and even had the pleasure of interviewing him. I’m glad to see someone from the new gneration is getting it right.
Years back when I heard the name Shad K I was like, meh. But over the years I have to admit he’s really come into his own. This is the video for his newest single, “Compromise”.
It’s not hard to tell the real from the fake, especially in today’s music industry. Such is the case folks like The Foreign Exchange (Phonte, Nicolay and Zo) who recently collaborated with Carlitta Durrand and Questlove, who also stays busy on his own projects plus others like the anti-mixtape project with Melanie Fiona, on this very dope flip of Prince’s “Take Me With You”.
Doin it strictly for the love, this is the first of a few giveaways we can expect from the FE crew. Make sure to sign up for their mailing list to stay up on new exclusies.
Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson- Drums, Samples
Nicolay- Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano
Zo!- Korg synth, additional rhodes
Phonte and Carlitta Durand- Vocals
Purple Flip [right click and save to download MP3 file]
Easily one of the most brilliant things I’ve ever come across in my entire existence, Kenzo Digital brings us, City of God’s Son, a true crime story unlike any other. Narrarated by Joe Bataan, this beat cinematic uses sound clips from Nas, Jay-Z, Ghostface and Biggie interspersed with clips from classic urban movies like Crooklyn and Boyz N Da Hood to tell a coming of age story for these young men growing up in the streets of New York.
Almost an hour in length, this composition is required listening. Just know that you’ll get wrapped up in the intricacies of this narrative tale so unless you work security, you may want to listen somewhere where you can dedicate your full attention.
D-Influence: Rock With You
This track brings back fond memories of my late night DJ stint at a local radio station spinning soul, hiphop, funk, etc. I used to play this song as often as I could because I felt it was a great cover that was grossly overlooked by the masses. Recently I discovered that there was a video for it and of course with the Michael’s untimely departure I thought it would only be appropo to dedicate this to MJ and all his adoring fans.
I came across this EPK for Illmatic today and let me just say it’s golden. It features Large Professor, DJ Premeir, Peter Rock and Q-Tip all talking about working on the classic album. Funny this should come into my cipher the same day Q-Tip mentions he’s working on the new Nas album. Can we only hope that his divorce from Kelis was the wake up call he needed to actually get some decent beats and producers this time around?
[footage courtesy of ATM]
So I made it down to Montreal for the 30th annual Jazz Festival this week to catch the legendary Stevie Wonder perform to a packed crowd. It was a free outdoor show in the heart of downtown Place-Des-Arts and the weather that day was beautiful. It did end up raining a little before the show started but stopped just in time for the show. Stevie opened by addressing the passing of Micheal Jackson with his beautiful daughter, Iesha by his side then got the show started with “I Can’t Help It”.
The video above is from the soundcheck Stevie did around 3 pm and as you can see the crowd at that time was already hefty so you can imagine how many more bodies were in the place by the time the show started at 10 pm. Thankfully there were 2 large screens on either side of the stage, one further back by the soundboard and a fourth all the way around the corner where they set up bleachers for folks who wanted to see the show but didn’t want to be in the mix too heavy.
All in all it was a great moment for everyone in attendance, even the couple who were grinding to Man in the Mirror at the end of the night (wrong on so many levels). I met some great new friends and got the experience of a lifetime. I would post my own videos but I couldn’t offer footage better than this so enjoy!
(Art by HVW8)
In the word’s of O’Shea, today was a good one, spent hanging out with friends and family and taking in the MTL scenery, despite the occasional drizzle and gray skies. The vacation’s also rendered a surprise record buying trip to my man Static’s house. I only picked up a few pieces but you’ll have to wait until I get back to get the rundown on that.
For now, just know the city of Montreal is only about 20hrs away from being blessed to a performance from the great Stevie Wonder at a free outdoor show that kicks off the 30th annual Montreal Jazz Festival. And now that Micheal’s name has been added to a long list of musical greats that have left us too soon, I think we can agree we need to be extra DILLAgent in giving heartbeat props to those still with us. I even picked up a copy of La Presse where they talk about a jazz album Stevie is working on with Tony Bennett and Quincy Jones.
It’s going to be mad busy so I’ll be lucky if I can see anything besides the big screens but truss, if I do, yall will be the first to know.
This isn’t anything most of the interweb hasn’t already seen. It was only about a day before folks started uploading the entire Foreign Exchange show that took place earlier this month in Toronto. So what took me so long? I was trying to make my presentation a touch above the rest and was waiting on board audio that never came my way. Eventually I decided there’s no point in holding off any longer.
Using snapshots of the video promo for the event, I edited my own footage of D-Brock killin it at The Revival. At one point a dude behind me commented “Okay, now he’s just showin off” lol. I hope it was worth the wait.
Few things motivate me to post on the blog these days, so when I saw Marco Brambilla’s video collage: Civilization I was truly inspired. Click here to watch the video installation currently playing in the elevators of The Standard Hotel in New York.
Utilizing hundreds of stock footage, movie footage and original clips and combining them to create a moving landscape depicting the ascension from hell to heaven. Nothing short of amazing!
L’oqenz and Son of Soul will be turnin it up at Harlem this Friday. For all my peoples who know these two deejays, I ain’t gotta tell you this is gonna be a jam. But for my peoples not in the know, download the Party Warm Up Mix here.
L’OQENZ MIX
Carlos Nino & Miguel Attwood Ferguson – Find A Way
Oddisee ‐ Viva Brasil Hypnotic Brass Band – Flip Side Brittney Bosco ‐ City Of Nowhere Random ‐ Spread The Love Exit Records & Steve Spacek – Field
Slum Village ft. Q Tip – Hold Tight
Teedra Moses – Caught Up
Frank Nitty – Love
Flying Lotus – Melt!
Nicolay – Nautilus (Remake)
James Brown – Hot Pants, Pt. 1
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?
Hot 8 Brass Band – We Are One (Natural Self Mix)
Roy Ayers – Life Is Just A Moment
SON OF SOUL MIX
Mass Production ‐ People Get Up (Intro)
T.S. Monk ‐ Can’t Keep My Hands To Myself
The Rebirth ‐ This Journey In
D‐Influence, feat. Romina Johnson ‐ Taste Of Bitter Love
The Jones Girls ‐ Nights Over Egypt
L.T.D ‐ (Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again
CHIC ‐ Chic Cheer
The Fatback Band ‐ (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop
Gazillian Rhyme (Remix)
Earth,Wind, And Fire ‐ All In The Way
4 Hero ‐ Sophia
The twittersphere is real heavy with news of Michal Jackson’s untimely passing and with everyone from Q-Tip to Honeysoul throwing up classic Micheal vids, this one definitely takes the cake. In it, Micheal appears on a special edition of the Dating Game at the age of 14 and gets offers that no 14 yr old should be getting, especially back in 1972. lol
