Wake Up, Mr. West!

I swear, that Kanye blog provides so much Kanye news its, Kanye-tastic! But, still I feel, its never enough (just like with my sarcasm, there is just never enough). So, to soothe the baited Kan-atics, Mr. West is hittin us with tomes of pontification. Well, maybe not tomes, but he is releasing a book. Giz-gasp you say? Verily.

Thank You And You're Welcome, co-authored by J. Sakiya Sandifer will be gracing shelves just in time for Christmas( I'm asking for two copies!), and provides us "an entertaining volume of 'Kanye-isms'—the creative, humorous and insightful philosophies and anecdotes used in creating my path to success." (LOLZ)


As emotive as his music is, we can only expect grandiloquence with a liberal dash of megalomania (zam!), but in text form. Hopefully, there will be descriptions of his time in college, then his historic dropout, then rise to critical acclaim. Although, if its a drawn out transcription of his song "Last Call", I'll be hella pissed, fo realla.

The Solution

Beanie Sigel has held me down since grade school. He is probably one of my favourite things about Philly, and today I learned he's to release a new album on December 11th on State Property/ Roc-a-Fella Records called The Solution. I have been pitching a story around about Philly (sorry, but I'm not giving away details), so this only adds fuel to my desire. Too add on to the awesomeness of Beanie, he has auditioned for the role of the Notorious one in his upcoming biopic. So gully!

Word from pitchspork is that he brings the same feeling and energy to B.I.G., that Jamie Foxx brought to Ray, so I'm keeping my fingers locked in "eastside" position in hopes that Beans does his duty and kills that movie!

Oink- Whats The Beef?

If you are in the very smallest capacity aware of the existence of the internets, you should then be mildly aware of downloading music, however pesky it may be. On Tuesday, news broke from every blogger, writer, and tech geek, that Oink, the international files sharing p2p site, was shutdown by interpol and a whole slew of gangbusting international...pigs( please just enjoy the subtle irony). Some argue that it was completely legal, mostly those who are pooping themselves over jail time, while those on the other side of the interrogation table suggest this was the biggest international bust in the history of the interwebs downloading fiasco.

Regardless of which team you're on, certain concessions should be made. Yes, this was a sharing site, between a large network of friends, with one of the largest musical libraries know to man (no offence library of congress), but with it's leaking of 60 albums just in this year, and with potential donations being made, money was changing hands and record companies we're getting got. Then, stereogum, with all of the nerd power of at least 4 MIT students, dropped a post today, that I feel warrants circulation. They have provided an interesting blueprint for a musical library that gives a breakdown of music format by bit (FLAC toward mp3), which could be an excellent compromise.

Hows I sees it, we can't let these international bodies bully us around, but we can't expect to just get music for free. Sorry. But while those who download and steal tons of music would like to suggest that the people on the production side of music are ripping us off, they also rip off the engineers and the singers, so not paying for music, wont directly affect those already rich, but it will cripple the people actually creating our beloved medium. So take a look at that breakdown on stereogum. Talk about it at work, in the car, online, and at your local music emporium. Meanwhile, I'm going to try and find somewhere to download the new Jay-z album. Later!

Robots Look Sick In The Turning Lane

While the homework dedicated robo is still in the works, the "Drivin Ms. Daisy" robot just dropped into 3rd gear and blew past you, while you sat in your VW contemplating yr navel. Wired just posted the funky fresh- mad science on the Pentagon sponsored Urban Challenge race. I kind of feel like this is a front, because when was the last time the Pentagon cared about the hood? Essentially, this is the next step in a ghetto invasion, and the only fools they could get to go into dilapidated housing projects were those with artificial intelligence (AI). Those poor robo-bastards.

The Urban Challenge on November 3, offers a $3.5 million purse, and goes toward the development of robotic cars for driving in urban situations. Robots that prevent jack-moves. Darp, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is the acronym-ed geek squad responsible, and clearly they have be swirllied enough to fight back, with the power of Voltron!

Robot jokes aside, tho I do love them, this is an interesting development in AI, but I can't help but feel a tad cautious of this scheme. Did we not learn anything from that Will Smith movie (not the one about being poor- the other one)?

If you'd fancy to keep updated on this, wired news will be live blogging the event from October 26 until its end on November 3rd. The future is now!

Urban Boogie

It's not quite Dr. O'Boogie, but it might as well be, because this Kanye West mixtape I came across makes me giddy with glossy beat joy. And to think, Kanye would actually use his blog to give me free music. Golly, he's generous! Check it out for awesome stuff-fo free. And while in the Roc-a Fella music vibe, and just transferring info from Stereogum, check out the Blue Magic* video. Its...er.. magical.




*Note- Blue Magic is not a Roc affiliated cereal.

Happy Feet

After posting those last viddies on dances from the south, I feel like continuing to introduce you all to new dancing is my duty to help yalls shake your collective booties. So this next clip is from Houston, I think. I doubt I'll ever be able to dance like this, but in hopes that you will, I bring you da feets:

Sufjan Stevens Is The New Nas

Mid-day post & topic for yalls to consider:

Sufjan Stevens, in a recent interview with Stereogum, says that Rock ' n' roll done straight up, kicked off. I'm not going to support this nor tramp this comment till I let it simmer, but sense you lovely readers out there are music aware, what do you think? I realize that I'm kind of "borrowing" this conversation from Stereogum, but I doubt Scott will mind. Plus- we don;t talk as much as we used to, yous and I, so lets have at it. Here's an excerpt from Stevens rock diss:

"Rock and roll is dead,” he says, voluble again. “Rock and roll is a museum piece. It has no viability anymore. There are great rock bands today—I love the White Stripes, I love the Raconteurs. But it’s a museum piece. You’re watching the History Channel when you go to these clubs. They’re just reenacting an old sentiment. They’re channeling the ghosts of that era—the Who, punk rock, the Sex Pistols, whatever. It’s been done. The rebellion’s over.

Discuss!

Friday- CMJ!

The end is in sight! This has been a tough week for me, but hopefully, I'll make it out alive. This is just a quick post before I jump into the Friday fray. Things to go to today are:
Planetary Group Showcase @ Piano's 1-6 (Badge or guestlist needed)
Def Jux Showcase @ The Williamsburg Music Hall (same deal)- starts at 8ish
Hollywood Holt and Chicago Night @ Arlene's Grocery (ditto) Starts at 7ish
*Mystery Bonus....


Have a good day!

No Man Is The Islands, But Natalie Portman Is Forever

Last night has added to the awesomeness of this week. I was invited to the Rotter and Friends Clothing line party, where I told some Natalie Portman looking woman how much she looked like Natalie Portman. Come to find out, it was Natalie (we're so on a first name basis now), and that I'm just horrid with noticing what "real" (hyper-real) celebrities look like. Zoinks!

After that embarrassment- I fled to the Highline Ballroom to see Islands play. The band is always evolving, and it's really becoming more musically intricate as they mature. They played mostly new songs with a few old hits peppered into the lineup. Two more picks of Nick T., Island's frontman, for you guys, then I'm off to get this train wreck started again!

The Teeth @ White Rabbit

Yay verily for leaving work to go see bands! Instead lunch today, I stepped out to go see one of my favorite Philly bands, the Teeth at the White Rabbit bar located at 145 Houston, which was sponsored by the Gothamist. Drinks were drank, songs were sang and lamps ...were broken.

Brian Ashby, played one of the best shows I've ever seen him play, and peter is growing a pretty wicked mustache. To check this out for yourself, if you're in the NYC area, you can see them on Saturday at Piano's at the Park The Van Showcase. 9 o'clock fools!

I would have taken my own pics, but in my haste to peace from work, I left it in my bag. Oh Wellz. More photo CMJ update fun to come! Whoooooo

I'll See You At The Show

Last summer I saw Lifetime at the Bowery, and it was awesome. Last night, I saw Lifetime, AND the Bouncing Souls at Webster Hall. That was even mo better. Lifetime's set was not as good as it was last year, although the pit was better, but I'm really glad I got a chance to see them. With Lifetime, there are always rumours that each newly announced tour will be their last, so each time I go to see them (or these past two times) I feel like the experience is quantified by sentimentality. More still, the Bouncing Souls first tour was with Lifetime, in '93, I believe, and if Lifetime's last tour is with the Bouncing Souls, that seems to make this Jersey love thing that much sweeter. Also- I am getting so much better at taking show pictures (The one to the right is Ari Katz, Lifetime lead)!

I have no clue what shows I have in queue for today, but Last night definitely started this week off on the best foot. Check out Buzzed Recollection for other show postings and CMJ info.

Brooklyn Bodega

Before we go any further into this semana de CMJ I wanted to introduce you all to another musical outlet of the hip-hop persuasion. "But Eavvon, all you do is talk about hip-hop" Meh, get over it. I do enough work in other genres to give me a point of reference, but we all know where the love be at. So, I bring you the Brooklyn Bodgea. I promise I'll try to get some non-hip-hop content up here soon, I mean- it is CMJ week. So Check out this video from BET on the Bodega, and I'm going to go try and attack with week with full force. Posts tonight, I'm sure.

Cosby Is The New Cosby

Bill Cosby is passionately telling anyone willing to listen about how Hip-Hop is destroying America. He is undoubtedly supported by a portion of academia, the church, and several political leaders, and my parents. While I respect Cosby for his attempts towards correcting the ills of our society, I feel that his target of my beloved hip-hop is unfair, and poorly researched.

Bill talks about how the lyrics of "urban music" propagates violence and self hate to the masses. And yes, to an extent, this is true. However, those artists who are at the root of hip-hop (Jay-z, Nas, Lupe, Rakim, Tupac) are not trying to sell a story, but tell a reality they have experienced. Cosby says that record execs are trying to sell this violent lifestyle, and that, I completely agree with. There is not a large assortment of truly prolific emcees, and in order to make a profit on such a relatable art form, phonies have to materialize to appease the demand. So, Dr. Huxtable, re-target your rage toward a bigger beast- consumerism. I'm sure its a huge feat, but that's really what keeps ghetto youths impoverished and angry. And that anger sometimes can be expressed non-violently, and needs a creative outlet, and that outlet is what hip-hop is rooted in.

Check out these clips from Meet The Press:







Listen to some Hip-hop Bill, then get back to us.

CMJ

Is it CMJ time already?!

Yes-obviously, or I wouldn't be posting this. There are tons-o-showcases and events happing in any and every available space in NYC. I, in classic procrastination fashion, have yet to figure out which I'm going to, and have only now started to compile my guest spots. I'll try my darndest to post re-caps of everything I attend, and we'll just have to leave it at that. I'll link up the CMJ show list so you can try to get to your favorite chuck wearing heartthrob, and I guess I'll sees ya when I sees ya!

And My Weekends Are So Blue Without You

Ah the weekend. I can honestly say that I don't really that it will exist for me this go around. All this pre-CMJ hubbub has got me teetering on the clogged artery side of a conniption. But that's no reason for you kids not to have a good time!

On Saturday, there is a pretty jumpin jamboree going on at Royal Oak. RSVP through going.com for free admission. And on Sunday, for those looking to breathe in those oh so familar fall-tastic sentiments, there is some knitting factory festivities that will be sure to get you in the holiday spirit. The CMJ holiday, of course. See you on the other side of the weekend!

Crank Dat "___________" Hoe!

As I grow older, I realize that I'm probably no longer a part of "youth culture" like I once was. Le Sigh. When I was younger, my sister and I used to practice the latest two-step till we got yelled at for blasting "Bam-a-lam" music, instead of learndin them books. We were north east kids, so the steps were a lot different than those that my cousins in the south were learning. Now that my sister goes to school in North Carolina, she is reporting back on how crazy some of those steps are. Since I fear that you readers may at some point find yourselves in a situation where two-stepping may be done, I don't want yall to look like fools (even though, if you pull off these dance, it will be inevitable). That's why I'm bringing you the "Crank Dat Tutorial".

All of these dances are pretty simple, and get more outlandish as you add your own personal flair to them. Thanks to the power of youtube, and the "hip-hops" evolving marketability, MC's now only need to package a dance, to a simple, straight to ringtone beat, and you're a star. Ask Soulja Boy.

So first, The Lion King:




The Superman:





The Spiderman:





And Finally, The Batman:




I hope this was informative, if not just hilarious. I'm so practicing as we speak.

It's A God Awful, Small Affair

Well, the date is set, and I'm currently in the early stages of trying to lock down a TV set for me to watch David Bowie's appearance on Spongebob Square Pants! November 11th is the date, and I will be eagerly awaiting it. I don't care how lame this post is, its the little things that keep you going. Bowie is so awesome.

His awesomeness was only upped by the fact that he just recently gave $10,000 to the Jena 6 legal defense fund. He just keeps giving, yay verily.


I don't know how I feel about this Bowie animation though. Its name is Lord Royal Highness, from the episode "SpongeBob’s Atlantis SquarePantis." Bowie would never wear that shade of lipstick, honestly.

Just Another Reason For You To Become Famous

I'm a pretty big fan of Taco Bell. Their cheap-0 taco menu is partially the reason I haven't kicked off, yet. Apparently, if your a famous musician, Taco Bell may approach you, ask you why you love Taco Bell, and if your response is good enough, you get $500 dollars worth of Taco Bell food. I could live for years off of that! So, to my budding starlet friends, get famous fast, so we can celebrate your rocketing album sales over seven layer burritos. [Source]


To help with this, please check out Jenell & the Yets & Hello Tokyo

Album Teaser:

A Fear Of CBS Robots

I used to be a huge fan of last.fm. It made me feel closer to my already close friends, because it reaffirmed our musical similarities, while also showing the minor difference in tastes that help relationships grown. Last.fm not only showed us what we listened to, but what other artists we may be interested in. Then, oddly enough, we all slowly started flaking from the page, and while some are still consistent users, we're not fawning over it like we once were. My pal, who knows his products, has never participated, because of this suggestive capability.

"I'm scared of robots, Sir. I'm afraid they will take over the world, but also I harbor a secret longing for a robot of my very own. I would name him Roy and let him do my homework. I would teach him to play catch with me.
Likewise, I'm very skeptical of sites like Pandora and Last.fm. Its one thing to try and say guess what people might like, but to make a science out of it, it goes against what i believe my connection to music is. I want hearing a great song to be magical not mathematical. I'm not very good at math though. Maybe if I was, this would be less frightening."

Well, this fear just became legitimized, and maths a lot more intimidating. In May of this year ('07), CBS purchased Last.fm for 280 Million bucks, yet let it exist as its own entity whist the educated round table of chair-people tried to figure out what exactly to do with it. I assume the conversation went something like :
"Hey, err Moonves.....what's a scrobbler?" "Da...no clue, Redstone, a badly drawn internets picture?" It was either that or some trite joke about no one knowing what a Mana-mana is.

In either case, now CBS Broadcasting, Inc. can pump your itunes full of CBS friendly music (Will Dailey), which means if you value your sanity, you should probably just bow out now. Sorry kids.

Wes' Hip Hop Posts Save My Life (And Possibly Yours)

I won't try to hide my love for the urban genres. Rap grew me, so to speak, so It's only right that I love it back. Apparently. Wes- the dude from Brooklyn Vegan, who I've ganked content from before, is sitting on the same beat brazened stoop. On that day I drank fancy, $ 40 water with Masta Killa, Wes was there. When I was wedged between 50 billion hot, sweaty Wu-Tang fans at Rock the Bells...Wes was back stage. He clearly has the upper hand on me, but I'm not mad, cuz I just downloaded a new Styles P mix tape thanks to that dude, and I couldn't be happier. So yes- I'm essentially telling you to check out Wes, if you don't already- because he may have more street cred than any other person from the Netherlands that know.