Binyavanga Wainaina is one of the strongest voices among a new generation African writers.  Here he is (on American Public Media’s Speaking of Faith) offering some personal and critical views on the efforts, approach and nature of Western aid, the push to end poverty, and the damaging consequences it is having on the Kontinent.
Blog (2008-2018)
GHANAIAN ELECTION COLORS
The first sub-Saharan African country to get independence in the 1950s head to the polls today to vote for a new president and parliament. Well, if you’re sick of the Obama-Memorabilia overkill, readjust your binoculars and take a look at this; Two young men with bodies painted in striking campaigning colors were spotted in the streets of Accra entertaining commuters and raising personal funds. Pictures of men with their bodies painted with party colors, it seems, is a top visual choice for many internet news sites.
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PRICE OF LIVING
Big props to Noz, not simply because I am flagrantly swiping this song from Cocaine Blunts, but also for being an insightful and reliable blogger.
Willie Isz is Khujo Goodie and Jneiro Jarel, the most appealing (genuine and soulful) group to come out of the Dungeon Family collective in recent years. Khujo Goodie was/is a member of one of the rawrest Southern hiphop groups, Goodie Mob- a group which also possessed (perhaps even fundamentally, I must stress) a positive and uplifting spirit. Jneiro Jarel is also/partly responsible for a very open and progressive hiphop album, one of the best underground hiphop albums in recent memory.
Starvation, American politics, fear, unfairness, home foreclosures, a life of crime, being a son, and remaining optimistic and thankful in a world that is bleeding —are just a few of the things that this song is touching on. Jneiro Jarel’s production here harkens back to a time when DF and Organize Noized was at their most excellent, prompting Noz to note “Dude is on some serious Dungeonize shit,” and I cannot agree more.
TRANSFORMATIONS
Back then the early 90’s/
Where they at, where they at, get the gat, get the gat was a popular phrase/
Bally animals and rugbys was a popular craze/
This the vivid memoirs of a obnoxious slave/
I pave ways like Nat and Harriet/
I blast on Judas’ Scariot/
and peel off in a chariot…
*
Lames get they plane shot down like John McCain
[audio:https://duttyartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/jay-electronica-exhibit-a-transformations.mp3]
Jay Electronica – Exhibit A (Transformations) (Prod. by Just Blaze)
~PS – Happy Turkey Day! Get stuffed!
I FOUND A UNIVERSE
I don’t know why I felt compelled to post this track here. It feels completely irrational. Anyway, above (beneath?) the graceful, cool atmospheric surface, there’s something peculiar and brutal. It’s convulsive, dark, beautiful,…
[audio:https://duttyartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/my-brightest-diamond-of-fear-and-wonder-i-found-a-universe.mp3]
My Brightest Diamond – Of Fear and Wonder (I Found a Universe)
& here’s some raw, grimy, defiant, and self-reliant rap music from Brownsville-Brooklyn’s Mash Out Posse to dutty things up a bit. Download the mp3 for clarity. The content delivery platform/audio preview thing is contaminated with some persistent, annoying static.
[audio:https://duttyartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/mop-sharks.mp3]
M.O.P. – Sharks
SOMEONE PLEASE GET GOD ON THE PHONE
[audio:https://duttyartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/lilwayne-canitalktoyou.mp3]
Lil Wayne – Can I Talk To You (Feat. Nutt Da Kidd & Mack Maine)
I’m not going to talk about this track (from The Leak V) It’s great, you already know… but what can we say about this new picture/image? Emotional, laughter, astonishment, what do you feel?
Lil Wayne threw away the pen and the pad, completely erasing the distance between himself and his art.
pictures courtesy of The Smoking Section.
WINE TOO DUTTY
[audio:https://duttyartz.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/nickiminaj-beammeupscotty.mp3]
Nicki Minaj – Beam Me Up Scotty
UPDATE: Correction; it’s Nicki and not Nikki.
…AND THE CYNICS SHAKE THEIR HEADS
“You already know what time it is.”
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/deadprez-PolitriKKKs.mp3]
dead prez – PolitricKKKs
SWAGGER IS DOWN
NEW YORK—According to an alarming new study published Monday in The Journal Of Applied Behavioral Science, the time-honored American activity of swaggering, an extremely arrogant manner of walking, has dropped by nearly 90 percent since 2007.
From The Onion article
For extra laughs –
Cindy McCain Claims She’s “Just Like Any Other Female Human”
Portrayal Of Obama As Elitist Hailed As Step Forward For African Americans
PRE-ELECTION MANIA CONTINUES
Did you notice how cool Barack was in the last debate? Have you notice how much gray hair has popped out of Barack’s head over the course of his campaign? Is Barack able to be himself? Can you really even get angry while in fear of being angry?
In that same/last debate, did you also notice how John McCain was blinking about a hundred thousand times a minute? Did you see the bulge in his neck? He was visibly upset, and you can tell by the way he was interrupting Barack and by his jagged responses. Did you also notice in the second debate when McCain referred to Obama as “that oneâ€? All Barack could do was just smile (and you know that somewhere in his bones, he would like to say that “this is some BSâ€.)
Anger is a natural emotion, but if you are black, Latino, a person of color, there’s no space in these United States for you to be angry. It has taken me years to understand that as a black person, it is not acceptable to be angry in America. People will be terrified of you, but this is not about me, (I am still angry and trying to realize the difference between proactive anger and reaction anger) this is about Brother Barack.
I pray that Our Beloved Brother Barack has some outlet. I pray that he and Sister Michelle have some private conversations about black stress and internalized racism. Black stress and internalized racism can lead to heart attacks and high blood pressure. I hear that he’s smoking again, that can only accelerate the process.
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J. Edgar Hoover (FBI Director for a very long time) constantly referred to black people, specifically civil rights leaders (including MLK) as communists or socialists. In the last few days, McCain’s criticisms of Obama’s economic/tax policies of “spreading the wealth†as socialism echo those old attacks and accusations of black leaders. That is racist and hypocritical, after McCain voted for the use of government funds to bail out Wall St.
*
Here’s what inspired this post… Brand new DB!
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/DavidBanner-WhenYouHearWhatIGotToSay.mp3]
David Banner – When You Hear What I Got To Say
David Banner talks Election ’08 with DJ Hyphen from DJ Hyphen on Vimeo.
*
Tim Wise should not be one of the few white people in America who talk consistently about white privilege, but he is.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UJlNRODZHA[/youtube]
HIGH GRADIENT
Here are some excerpts, clips from Jahdan Blakkamoore’s We Are Raiders EP, upped on YouTube by Matt Shadetek. Listen, feast your eyes on Matt’s visual delights, get the real thing here.
BUSS IT PON DEM (prod. Chancha Via Circuito) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9MRqdX-_Ys[/youtube]
PON TIME (prod. Stereotyp) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc3S5dTn6eQ[/youtube]
NICE GREEN (prod. Matt Shadetek)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isZTtUnAibk[/youtube]
GO ROUND PAYOLA (prod. Matt Shadetek) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn0fpnW9l1E[/youtube]
ARABIFIED SWAMP MUSIC
blood unable to be washed out with high-tech detergents
Here’s the latest from “stronghold, tenacity“… Check for her album whenever it drops. It’s titled That Which Death Cannot Destroy. “Shebang,” the last track I posted here by her was just wonderful and this one is no exception. In fact, this track is even more relentless and hard!
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/Mutamassik-SWAMPUM.mp3]
Mutamassik -Â SWAMPUM
Cheerio,
Mr L
‘TIL THEY KICK US OUT
Rupture has a music video! – spatial city type ting. Look at it, listen to the tune by Baby Kites and Nokea, get lost in the maze, broke down city style. Uproot & Ingredients soon coming. Buy MP3 release now!
&&&
Let’s go to Harlem and meet Charles Hamilton… exciting new talent, producer/emcee, obsessive Sonic fan, wears a lot of pink. This song/beat is a great commercial for Windows and for Charles Hamilton, and his various web addresses. Word to Microsoft, forget Seinfeld and cut the check for Hamilton.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/CharlesHamilton-WindowsMediaPlayer.mp3]
Charles Hamilton – Windows Media Player
The Hamiltonization Process
TAR BEACH MIX
new mix from our considerate Dutty Artz brethren and low end theorist Taliesin. Prepare to get soaked. Tally goes in/hard!! Tracklist and info will appear in the near future.
[audio:http://theagriculture.com/taliesintarbeach.mp3]
Taliesin – Tar Beach Mix
UPROOT, and bounce!
New Rupture Mix – tracklist, release date, info!
yes, we’re excited. this was becoming Rupture’s Detox.
Here’s something you can buy now – @ turntable lab, listen/download an excerpt from mudd up! ask about it, when you see him at upcoming shows.
some presents from the bearded man in the colorful sweater.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/AMilliPintman-GhislainPoirierMash.mp3]
Lil Wayne – A Milli/Various Production – Pintman (Ghislain Poirier Mash)
I didn’t like the original “A Milli” beat, but I like this one… and according to Mr eel, the beat is from Various Diver 12″.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/GhislainPoirierfeatMCZulu-GoBallisticToddlaTandDuckbeatsRemix.mp3]
Ghislain Poirier feat. MC Zulu – Go Ballistic (Toddla T & Duckbeats Remix)
Cheerio,
L