Audio Visuals

I'm always gonna bring back the good 'ol days. 1991 - 1996 is what I, and many others, consider to be Hip-Hop's Age of Enlightenment. This period produced some of the greatest Hip-Hop albums ever recorded and I don't foresee anything happening in the music industry in the future to match the amount of quality output of this amazing era - sigh...

The following videos lack in overall quality but these videos were once on regular rotation on BET's Rap City (before the dumbing down).

O.G.C.: "Hurricane Starang"



The D&D Allstars: "1,2 Pass It (DJ Premier Remix)"



Channel Live feat. KRS-One: "Mad Izm"



Black Moon: "How Many MC's"



Nas: "The World Is Yours (Q-Tip Remix)"



Wu-Tang Clan: "Can It Be All So Simple"

AudioVisuals

Despite my general disdain for Will.I.Am productions I'm diggin' this contribution to Talib Kweli's Ear Drum. It helps that the video is more original than any I've seen in a while. I know it plays on the HP ads, but still.

Movies 'N' Me

I was just giving this some thought on my way home from work this evening. These are the most memorable musical moments in cinema. Well, the kind of cinema I enjoy anyway...
I'm a huge fan of Wes Anderson films and Rushmore is the most endearing of his work. Faces' "Ooh La La" comes at the films conclusion and all I can say is that it fits perfectly in every way imaginable.

Faces: "Ooh La La"

I've seen every Quentin Tarrantino flick. He knows how to use music in his films and he chose the perfect artist to score Kill Bill Vol. 1. The RZA plucks an angelic Nancy Sinatra tune for the film's intro and it simply draws you in and doesn't let go.

Nancy Sinatra: "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"

You're sitting in movie theatre and someone cues up "Shimmy Shimmy Ya". Right as the introductory piano dabs started to fill the theatre it just occurred to me how perfect the song was for this movie. An ODB track about unprotected sex as the backdrop to the opening credits for this particular movie? Genius.

Ol' Dirty Bastard: "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (I'm not wasting time in providing a download - I know you already own this. And if you don't, "shame on a NUH!")

The "Proceed" Drumma

?uestlove is an oasis of musical knowledge. Apart from his musicianship and overall contribution to The Roots ongoing catalog, ?uesto also pens some insightful observations on a variety of subjects. He's a busy guy but has time to document his groups progress via his Myspace page. From their relentless road schedule to whatever he or The Roots are running with at the moment, he somehow gets it up there. His posts are amusing reads. His sense of humor is sharp and he's got some fantastic stories about the business he's engulfed in. If he's feeling really generous, he'll even post some never-heard-before gems. He's got four tracks that didn't make Common's Electric Circus up right now!

This is a cool list I extracted from his page. Only a geeked out music nerd would take interest in idle information like this but it's what I do.

Songs In The Key Of Life (Childhood-Adulthood)

Song You Believe Your Parents Conceived You To: Stay In My Corner by The Dells

Song That Best Makes The Soundtrack of Your Childhood Neighborhood Theme: Lovely Day by Bill Withers

Theme Song To Your Closest Sibling: Reminiscing by Little River Band

The First Album You Ever Purchased: Looking Through The Windows by The Jackson 5ive

The First Single You Ever Purchased: "Dance Wit Me" Rufus And Chaka Khan 45

Album Cover That Scared You In Your Childhood: Why Can't We Be Friends by War/Shame On The World by The Main Ingredient

Song That Scared You In Your Childhood: "If There's Hell Below....We're All Gonna Go (Don't Worry)" by Curtis Mayfield

The TV Theme of Your Childhood: Soul Train 74

Favorite Song From Sesame Street: "Take A Bweath.....Take A Bweath....Smell A Smell Sniff A Sniff Take A Bweath"

Favorite Song From Mister Rodgers Neighborhood: "You Are My Friend You Are Special"

Favorite Song From The Electric Company: "My Name Is Fred....They Call Me Fred...."

What Were You Banned From Listening To In Your Childhood: Anything by Prince

Rock Song That Rocked Ghetto/Ghetto Song That Rocked The Suburbs (as a kid): "Let Em In" Paul McCartney and Wings

Song You First Slow Dragged To: "Good Morning Sunshine" by Brick

First Cassette You Got For Your First Walkman: The Fat Boys

Best Cosby Show Theme: Bobby Mcferrin Theme

Favorite Soundtrack Of Youth: Purple Rain was more a reveloution than "soundtrack"---so imma go with Saturday Night Fever

Song That Played When You Got In Trouble And Grounded At Home: Worst ass beating as a kid ironic for me had Michael W. Smith's "More Power To You" on christian radio

Song That Played When You Thought You Was About To Get Some: "Let's Wait Awhile" video was playing when i thought i was gonna seal the deal. DOH!

Song That Played When You Got Some: "Is It A Crime" Sade

The Theme To Your First Break Up In High School: "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker (last and ONLY time a chick will EVER dump me)---this song was playing and i will forever remember this as the theme from HELL

The First Compact Disc You Ever Brought (not Album/Cassette): Vivid by Living Color/Anthology by Sly And The Family Stone

Album That You Stole From A Friend: The World Is A Ghetto by War (every hip hop producer has a story of a girl's father's record collection they pillaged. you MUST hear Chuck D's story of how he got "The Grunt"

Your Favorite Album You Think Your Friend Stole: Fantastic Vol 1--tariq won't admit it but i KNOW he stole that shit.

If Ever In Car Accident....What Song Was Playing?: "Ironic" Alanis Morrisette (SHUTUP MICHELLE!)

5 Songs You'd Put On A Mixtape For A Potential Love One: 1) "Fall" Miles Davis, 2) "Circle Of Amour" Prince, 3)"Before The Dawn" Patrice Rushen, 4)"We Work The Black Seam" Sting, 5)"Easy Goin Evening (My Mama's Call) Stevie Wonder

Song To Best Describe Your Best Relationship: "6.4=Makeout" by Gary Wilson

Song To Best Describe Your Worst Breakup: "Just To Keep You Satisfied" Marvin Gaye

First Concert You Ever Went To: Besides My Dad? The Jacksons

Magical Concert You Ever Went To: Prince Calling Me From The Audience To Play Drums.

Worst Concert You Ever Went To: Masta Ace at the Troc in 92. His shit was dope. it was the fights that sucked.

Coolest Celeb Ever Met: 3 way tie: Annabella Sciorra is more Bgirl than anyone i know, Flea is the coolest ever, Cyndi Lauper is incredible

Assholish Celeb You Ever Met: Chuck Berry. "I Ain't Signing No Gotdamn Autograph

Godlike Celeb You Ever Met: Prince

The US Weekly "Oh They Just Like Me!" Celeb You Ever Met: Samual L Jackson

Song So Hype You'd Run Your Moms Over With A Trash Truck Going 100 mph: "Welcome To The Terrordome" by Public Enemy

Song That Has The Ability To Make You Cry: "Trying People" by De La Soul

The One Song That Has The Ability To Make You A Kid Again: "Sentimental Lady" by Bob Welch

Song You Are Ashamed To Admit You Love: "I Wish" by Skee Lo

Song/Album That You Have To Gunpoint Others To: Anything by Mars Volta

If You Were To Marry Now What Song Would Be Your Wedding Song?: "Cleo's Apartment" by Marvin Gaye

What Song Best Describes Your Children/Future Children?: "Dat Dere" by Oscar Brown Jr.

Who Killed Music?: Clive Davis

Who Keeps Music Alive For You?: James "J Dilla" Yancey

Song Playing Right Now: "Cool" by The Time

Gotta Work

Amerie's Because I Love It has already been released overseas. Official U.S. release date is scheduled for August 21. Meanwhile, her second single is fantastic.

Tumbling Down Ms. Hill

Seeing this really pains me. Don't get me wrong, the interview is very informative and I've wondered off and on what kind of progress she's been making, musically. At one point I was convinced that she was going to be the Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald or Billy Holiday of my generation. She's got that much talent and potential, not that I even know what "talent" and "potential" is. What I do know is that she's got something very unique. But during these past few years of self-imposed reclusivity and sporadic re-emergences, Lauryn Hill has been slowly disintegrating and becoming marginalized and irrelevant, all through her own doing (or undoing).

I don't care about a Fugees reunion. She doesn't need a reunion. No one even gives a fuck whether or not Wyclef or Pras are even on an album with her. Everyone wants to hear Lauryn. The Fugees didn't sell millions because of Wyclef & Pras. They were really just oversized, ornamental hype-men for the group. The success of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was not a fluke. Wyclef's Carnival was good but wasn't nearly as successful, and that was not fluke either. Ask anyone why they bought The Score and I doubt you'll get any response other than Lauryn Hill.

My advice: Just ease your clamp on the Bible and simply start to "make meaningful music".

The video interview should have never been allowed. Homey The Clown, not a good look.

Listen to these and tell me she's not the whole package (Erase the visual from the above interview from your consciousness).

"All My Time feat. Paid & Live"

"Ex-Factor/Manifest"

"The Sweetest Thing" (It's my favorite of anything she's ever done. The sweetest thing, indeed.)

Hidden Roots

The thing I missed about The Roots' last album Game Theory was that hidden or bonus track. Phrenology and The Tipping Point, if you let the CD ride, had one superb track nestled in a few minutes past the albums conclusions. I liked Game Theory a lot but out of all The Roots albums it's my least favorite. The band is constantly evolving and ?uesto is not one to rehash the same musical ideas and sounds with each new album, and I respect that. But I wish they would record more bangers like these:

"Rhymes & Ammo" feat. Talib Kweli - from Phrenology
"The Mic" feat. Dave Chappelle, Skills & Truck North - from The Tipping Point

Blood On The Tracks Sessions (1974)

(A McCrank's Juke collabo.)

Many people think Bob Dylan's "Blood On The Tracks" album is one of his best, right up there with Freewheelin' and Blonde On Blonde. Well this could be true, but after listening to the recording sessions for the album (recorded in NYC in 1974) on a very rare bootleg I have to agree that it may be his best to date. The original test pressing for the songs on "Blood" were never relased and eventually re-cut after some feedback by Dylan's brother. The originals are featured here in their original form. This is simply an amazing recording featuring some of Dylan's classics re-worked and raw. Learn more about it here.

Voltron's Coming Thru

I'm trying not to get my hopes up but it sounds like the album might actually be good.

...And it looks like ODB's presence is sorely missed.
...And Ghostface came through and laid down three tracks.

Credit: Nahright

Finding Forever In Black Hollywood

First off, the album cover is ridiculous. The sad thing is that someone in his camp let this slide and thought it'd be a good idea. Why?

Finding Forever is better than Be but not his strongest work by any stretch. Pretty much all three tracks I heard prior to the album's release ("The People", "The Game" and "Drivin' Me Wild") were fantastic. I put this in today and couldn't get past "Start The Show". I had it on repeat and couldn't get enough. It's the best track on the album because it's got the whole package. Common slinging verbal fire over the best track Kanye has put together in a while. It's that good. My favorite track hands down.

The rest of the album is fine although I probably won't listen to the Will.I.Am produced "I Want You" again. It's the only song on Finding Forever I don't like. All in all, good work Com (& Kanye).

I would give you a track or two but just go buy the album.

As for Camp Lo's Black Hollywood, a little disappointing. I was expecting more, production-wise, from Ski. "Sweet Claudine" and "Black Hollywood" are effective even in complacency. They're pretty much the standout tracks on this album. I really picked up the album to see what Ski had to offer. Nothing mind blowing here, just serviceable beats that kind of meander along. Now if only I was a fan of Geechi Suede and Sonny Cheeba, maybe it could've been a more of a pleasant listening experience. I don't know, not many quotables worth noting. Maybe you can get something more informative from him.

"Sweet Claudine"
"Black Hollywood"

Cosmic Slop

Say it isn't so. Well, S&TR always welcomes your great posts and looks forward to more dusky jewels like this.

I was never really a Niners fan but Bill Walsh was a class act. R.I.P. (BTW, whoever coined the term "west coast offense" should be shot in the knee caps. What does it even mean anyway? Walsh himself didn't even like the term and refused to utter it.)

I don't know how or where Just Blaze finds time to blog but he's my blogroll hero right now. The Megatron Don is priceless.

Speaking of Just Blaze, the new Saigon? Most anticipated. Not sure if this is going to be the lead single from The Greatest Story Never Told but it's crazy raucous and should be. I don't know. I have a feeling the lead single's gonna have an R&B hook with bells and whistles. Don't rain on my parade like that.

Saigon: "Don't You Baby"

The King Of Running Things...

I've been wondering what he's been up to. Perfect timing for The 45 King interiew. All I want to know is when is the new shit with Chill Rob G going to drop? "Let Me Show You"? One of my all time favorites. "Chill is a prefix/Rob is a proper noun/G is for greatness/ I don't wanna debate this/The way that I'm rising I appear to be weightless."

"Lay You Out, Show You What Steel Do..."

Galt MacDermot: "Ripped Open By Metal Explosions"

Godfather Don: "Properties Of Steel"

Talking heads do just that. It's obvious that public opinion is not something he's much concerned about as his administration plods along.

Jay-Ski

I'm sure Jay-Z has some fine tracks floating around out there. You have to figure that with the incredible talent that he has coupled with the efficiency of an assembly line, he must have recorded an astronomical amount of material during his long career - some terrible, some good. I found something good, really good.

Ski, who was instrumental in ushering in J-Hova's flow to the masses through the bulk of the tracks he produced for Jay-Z's debut Reasonable Doubt, has been relatively quiet throughout the years. Other than his work and affiliation with Harlem's Camp Lo, he's mostly known for lending his production savvy to the early, slim Roc-A-Fella roster.

Well he hasn't been docile by any means.

Ski just happens to have a mixtape for free download on his Myspace page in case you slept. It's got some nice treats on it too. The Jean Grae track is addictive with that melancholy piano loop Ski cooked up. The absolute ringer on this though is a lost Jay-Z track. It's perfect. From what I can tell from Jay's outtro it was probably meant to be a primer for his underwhelming Blueprint 2.0. I can't believe this is the first time I've heard it. It's short but the effect is undeniable. He basically lays out his naysayers over Ski's groovy 2+ minute conconction- "I hear the people talk/ Whistlin' when you walk..."

Jay-Z: "People Talking"

LCD Soundsystem

There are some songs that just take you there. LCD Soundsystem's current single is one of those songs. It's almost like a throwback to the 80's modern rock summer anthems. You know, the kinds of songs that transport you to a particular time and place and stirs that dormant sentimentality of yours.

"All My Friends"

The Swarm

The Wu-Tang Clan's 8 Diagrams might, just might be coming this year. Can we count on these guys to form like Voltron and shakedown the industry once again for old times sake? The outcome is critical. URB Magazine ponders the math.

"It's gonna happen. It's gonna happen because it's inevitable - it has to happen," RZA says. "[But] if it's not coming this year, it ain't comin' at all. That's my opinion. If it doesn't come this year, it don't mean nothin' no more."

The GZA & Inspectah Deck: "Yes Yes Y'all/Let Me At 'Em"
Method Man: "Mr. Mef"

Vibes 'n Stuff

Grant Green: "Down Here On The Ground"

Mr. Field's Cookies

Lee Field's Problems (Soul Fire- 2002) has got pretty much all the elements of a solid 70's funk/soul album. It's got the heavy rhythms, rattling drum kicks, bubbling basslines and a James Brown-like undercurrent that works to perfection. From the uptempo funk blast of the title track to the slow burning groove of "Honey Dove", this albums got some sure fire hotness for your summer listening enjoyment.

Lee Fields: "Problems"

Lee Fields: "Honey Dove"

Check out this Deep Funk interview. AND if you're interested, he's got releases scattered through Daptone Records, Truth & Soul and Soul Fire Records.

Mental Fitness

"It's too perverted, you heard it, so now you get murdered
Test the sound system, it throws off your equilibrium
Deep concentration can't fracture the meditation
Competition is flipped on at random
Deviant monks attack the mic is mental pandemonium
And then some, you go for your hand gun
Psychokinetic forces proceed to smash in your cerebellum
Phonetian with more stamina than a Christian
My mind, C3 H5 N3 O9 like Nitroglycerine
I bust as Afu Ra crush
Clash with us and meet Cerebus"

Jeru The Damaja: "Mental Stamina"

Take Me Back

Summer's fast approaching and folks are putting together their seasonal songs of summer posts. I'll spare you and refrain from posting a mix of my own. I will throw one classic out there though on principle.

The J. Geils Band's Freeze Frame (1981) will always hold a special place on my imaginary favorite rock albums list. It's not one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded but it had some memorable songs on it. Although the title track was probably a bigger hit, "Centerfold" will forever be an all time summer classic. I was only 10 when this song dropped and I remember it fondly only because I wasn't suppose be listening to it. I don't even remember how I got my hands on the cassette tape. Seriously, what kind of soulless robot can deny this fuckin' song? Good times, good times...

The J. Geils Band: "Centerfold"