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from a recent essay by M.A.N (about Coltrane, Lil Wayne, black masculinity, and the post-trauma blues)

Unlike historical figures like Doug E. Fresh and Biz Markie who used their voices to create new sounds, Lil Wayne, like Coltrane is really using his voice to find alternative registers for what has clearly been a life lived in absurdity and pain–even if some of it might have been self inflicted. And perhaps it is as it should be, as Lil Wayne’s urges us to come to terms with the first edge of the Post-Katrina Blues.

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/LilWayne-RealRap.mp3]
Lil Wayne – Real Rap

-$-$-$

A Blender magazine cover story offers a glimpse into the world of Wayne –

Like any rock star, Lil Wayne isn’t immune to self-mythologizing. To hear him tell it, he’s a superman: He describes surviving two bullets—one a self-inflicted accident at age 12 and one fired into his bus by an angry groupie—with chuckling élan; he’s an indefatigable hustler: “I’m always in the lab”; and he’s an artist beholden to no one but his own codeine-addled muse: “The word pressure is not in my vocabulary.”

But the man desperately needs a vacation. The first day we meet, he’s running 10 hours behind—handlers try to rouse him from bed throughout the day, but word keeps coming back that “he’s in a coma.” The next day, at his condo, he snaps at T for failing to pack enough cough syrup for the trip to Atlanta. “I thought you said you were doing it,” T protests.

“Me? Why would I say that?” Wayne snarls. “Since when is that my job?”

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Texans are buying more guns, fearing what will happen “if the wrong people get elected.”

Any excuse to reuse this image.

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/TheKnux-BangBang.mp3]
The Knux – Bang Bang

The Knux (formerly known as The Knuckleheads) had a song about Cappuccino I didn’t like. Their new one is somewhat compatible with the news article above, not to mention the humidity. Bun and Wayne are cold and II Trill is > Trill, Mo– if you’re reading this.

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/BunB-DamnImCold.mp3]
Bun B f/ Lil Wayne – Damn I’m Cold

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I was down in Virginia over the weekend, southwest Virginia, Blacksburg — a seemingly/peculiarly tranquil place, for this weekend at least.  A friend put me on to the new Ry Cooder album I, Flathead:The Songs of Kash Buk and the Klowns. I had heard the song “Can I Smoke In Here?” on the radio several weeks back, so I was curious and wanted to hear the rest of the record.  Apparently, this is the final installment in Ry Cooder’s “California trilogy” which began in 2005 with Chávez Ravine, an album about a Mexican-American community in Los Angeles that was demolished in the 1950s to build a stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The second album, 2007’s My Name Is Buddy is also a “social-political concept album” which explores farm failures, the plight of laborers, strikes, hobos–and for all this, the stories are told from the perspective of a cat!
I, Flathead is about drag-racing in 1960s southern California. The narratives here are told from the perspective of the unfortunate Kash Buk, a former drag racer turn Country music singer. Buk plays beat-up roadhouses with his band the Klowns.
At this moment, I can only listen to the album in segments, certain songs are just too Country.  I like the bluesy fragments like the one below (and also the chicano and cumbia sounding pieces and some of the easy Western Swing joints)

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/RyCooder-CanISmokeInHere.mp3]
Ry Cooder – Can I Smoke In Here?


Here’s a track from the excellent album by Mike Ladd, Negrophilia – inspired by a great book with the same title.  Ladd sez “If you have not read this book yet read it today! After reading it, bizarre phenomena like Elvis, Eminem, Condoleeza Rice and Modernism make sense..”

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/MikeLadd-SleepPatternsOfBlackExpatriotsCirca1960.mp3]
Mike Ladd – Sleep Patterns Of Black Expatriots Circa 1960

Click here for pictures of Mike Ladd and Ursula Rucker.

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Alright, it’s been a good minute, but I’m still digging through, cleaning and learning how to rip these vinyls proper. I switched from Audacity to Adobe Audition (formerly Cool Edit) and the sound of the rips are notably better–sound quality still needs improvement though. Next step up is ProTools or Ableton Live, I guess.

Here’s a sweet little pleasurable song from a rather obscure American funk/R&B group. Members of this band used to be songwriters and musicians for Motown, as part of the in-house production team in the 1960s. This song appears on the B-side to their most popular hit “I Can Understand It” from 1972. It’s funny, but this tune is strange and familiar at the same time. It reminds me of a Maxi Priest song, and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/TheNewBirth-OhBabyILoveTheWay.mp3]
The New Birth – Oh, Baby, I Love The Way

We are still in 1972, but let’s get away from Detroit and visit the Makossa Man, Manu Dibango in Yaounde. His album “O Boso” is recommended for warm, beautiful Summer nights, with smoke, steam and sweat –several counties in the tri-state area are under severe thunderstorm watch.  Anyway, among all my parents 7 and 12″‘s I was able to get my grubby hands on (and actually listened to), this is one of the most surprising, varied, and unique 12 inches.

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/ManuDibango-Hibiscus.mp3]
Manu Dibango – Hibiscus

“…we are playing a music whose unity has it’s roots deep in African earth, but whose harmony and construction reflect the influence of all the branches which have grown in the common three century old tree of music.” – M. Dibango, 1972

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Yes, Dutty Artz is a recording label with actual (and digital) records in stores, tremendously talented musicians, one extremely dedicated operative, and supporters.

Here’s a tune from DUTTY REMIX ZERO which is still fresh in the stores. This remix is great, but you should really hear SHADETEk’s “Can’t Breathe” remix.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/Cauto-BonaVida.mp3]
Cauto – Bona Vida

Rupture and JahDan are in the middle of their UK trek. If you are in the area, go and see them! Something wonderful happens when these two are together. Check DATV001 for proof.


(pic by Sr Atlantico)

We also got teh mixes –

[audio:https://duttyartz.com/mp3/GekoJones_live_on_WFMU.mp3]
Geko Jones New York Tropical; live on WFMU is still up + popping.

[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/Taliesin-BassBinShit.mp3]
Taliesin got some dark dark dark for ya… Well, it ain’t so dark, but it is.

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Strike the iron while it’s still hot. David Banner understands this, and he’s very quick too. Here, a track from his new album in which he samples “Lollipop” by Lil’ Wayne, a song which is currently, at this very moment topping charts the world over. Elsewhere on the album, Big Face samples Yung Joc, Young Dro, The Boondocks, and others. [audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/DavidBanner-ShawtySay.mp3]
David Banner – Shawty Say

But here’s why I love David Banner also, because of songs like “Faith.” This song is meaningful and real. It is a spiritual, you know… the source from which gospel, blues, jazz, and hiphop came. Here, David Banner, an emcee from the American South expresses his deep, enduring faith during some extreme days, or troubling times. And although the Negro Spiritual is steeped in Christian doctrine, (“de-Africanizing” African people) the core of it, or rather the foundation and structure is on African rhythm.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/DavidBanner-Faith.mp3]
David Banner – Faith

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Adding a little zest and balance to that sublime track/post over at mudd up! There’s never enough Balla to go round. I’m not sure what this song is really about. It is a praise song for someone named Moussa Konate (who was a driver? an apprentice? I’ll have to consult my aunt or one of my cousins) but this doesn’t sound like a traditional praise song. This music was designed to blaze dance floors. What was Conakry nightlife like in 1968 or ’71? What about Lagos? or Freetown? I have a bunch of 7 and 12 inches serving as windows, looking into the past and discovering a part of your parents that they’ve abandon a long time ago. Maybe abandon is a strong word. Either way, expect more of these in the future.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/BallaEtSesBalladins-Samba.mp3]
Balla Et Ses Balladins – Samba

The Chief Commander of Juju Music Ebenezer Obey is also a praise-singer, combining the rich cultural and spiritual musical traditions of Yoruba people from the Ogun State in South-Western Nigeria with the excitement of Lagos highlife and Christian themes to create melodious, dance floor music and praise songs for the wealthy, famous and the powerful. Listen for the talking drums, which you can also hear these days in NYC underground/subway drummers.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/EbenezerObey-OroNipaLace.mp3]
Ebenezer Obey – Oro Nipa Lace

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Last week I checked out Big Brother Ruptcha and Mr Two Sevens Klash (with his two-man dance group) at the New Museum. Needless to say, both men did their thing. While Rupture’s set was sort of weird (fitting for the name of the event was/is Get Weird) with nearly everyone (including yours truly) sitting down, listening, and watching on the big screen as Rupture’s magnified hands trash needles, thumps, and twists vinyls. There was applause and cheers, and a woman sitting in front of me gasped and shook her head in protest, expressing disagreement when Rupture threw an explicit SpankRock track in the mix. 77Klash has bangers, and beats like coconuts, but his set was too short. The title track to his new release you must hear (heavy, unrelenting bass pressure with equally weighty lyrics.)

If you never heard the song below, I don’t know what to say you… R.I.P. Joseph Hill. I think this is my favorite song ever.
[audio:http://nyc.duttyartz.com/mp3s/Culture-TwoSevensClash.mp3]
Culture – Two Sevens Clash

(reggae pictures)

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Tonight in Brooklyn, Salif Keita will be performing at the Prospect Park Bandshell (along with an enchanting “Persian rock goddess”) for free!

Salif Keita – Mandjou

Growing up in a Mandinka (Malinke or Mandingo whichever you prefer) household in Sierra Leone and later in Guinea, Salif Keita’s music-one of the finest voices of Africa-was always on heavy rotation. Salifu Keita is royalty, not only as a direct descendant of Sundiata Keita, founder of the Malian Empire, but he’s a musical treasure to Mandinka people and to Africa and the whirled. His exquisite voice is a mountain. “Mandjou” is from his very successful 1995 album Folon recorded in Paris. Download the older, Bamako version here -recorded sometime between 1969 and 1980. I grew up listening to both, the Bamako version on cassette and the Parisian version on CD.

Salif Keita – Folon

“Folon” is the title track from the mega-popular album. Tremendously sad, haunting, and beautiful.

Stay up.

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Jay Electronica is one of the most talked about, hyped, and anticipated rappers of the moment -to emerge from the underground, and rightly so. He possesses extraordinarily sharp lyrical skills, a remarkable and mystical vision, and new theories about y/our collapsing world you might want to hear. Jay is a native of New Orleans’ Magnolia Projects, home of Juvenile and bounce music, not that you’d be able to tell that by listening to his music, at least not immediately – he “spent the past dozen years roaming nomadically between nearly as many cities.”

Jay Electronica – Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)

Jay Electronica – Departure / Are You Watching Closely?

Jay Electronica – Dimethyltryptamine

Nas cosigns and confirms Jay Electronica will appear on his untitled album as a producer and as an emcee.

Nas – Hero

“Hero” produced by Polow da Don is the official single for that album.

Below is a picture of DJ Toomp, Nas, and Jay Elect in a studio somewhere.

Pic snagged from Jay’s MySpace

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First, here’s an all Steve Gurley mix I’ve been listening to quite a lot lately. I am flagrantly ripping this from the dubstepforum, where it was ripped from Uptown Music Forum, where it was posted about a year ago. The mix was done by someone named AverageJoe, an ordinary DJ with a funny Homer Simpson gif as his MySpace default.

Steve Gurley Mix

***

And now some pictures from last Friday.

The first is of Mr Eliel Lucero skankin’ (to some really good Roots music Matt was playing earlier in the night) in his brand new Dutty Artz tee! Get yours!

And here I am, standing around (yeah, i’m mad bcuz i’m only) in my plain old regular tee— waiting for that lite tropical pink.

And here’s Yellowman, AKA Geko Jones. This man spins and dances behind the decks like a mutha, (but then again, he falls into a state of deep concentration at times.) I’m not sure who’s the better dancer behind the decks, Matt or Gex? I don’t think Rupture dances behind his decks. Maga Bo doesn’t either. Well, I’ve never seen them dance behind their turntables anyway. Have you? If you have, I need photo-or videographic evidence of these two men getting down.

Maga Bo, author of Archipelagoes —a monster I can’t find the words to describe—, here manning the controls at the bottom of a bluest ocean with weird fishes and creatures swimming over his head and around him, while at the same time modeling tee shirts by designer Ghislain Poirier. Oh, Big Poppa Ghis (© Rupture), thanx 4 D Gros Beats. One beer wasn’t enough.

(I don’t have a single picture of Matthew Shadetek for some reason, and the man wasn’t scarce either. I apologize for that.)

And the people, the people, the party people…

Yes, lady on the left can shake it like a salt shaker.

My, my.. dazzling, beautiful brown eyes…

Go ladies.. all you stereotype ladies

Getting hazy and sweaty right about here.

Goodnight.

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I heard Alice Russell‘s “Hurry On Now” at a party at Howard University earlier this year. The Boub instrumental sounds modest, generic even, but it’s also captivating and flawless under Ms. Russell’s voice which is really engrossing and powerful. This song was stuck in my head for several months. A friend who was at the same Howard party identified it for me.

Alice Russell – Hurry On Now (Boub Remix)

Alice Russell – Hurry On Now

Click here for more pictures of Ms. Russell holding a bunch of bananas.

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Yep, that sounds like a good enough description. DJ Chief Boima and Sogui So Good’s latest mixtape/release, Baobab Connection Vol. 2 was dropped in my inbox a while ago by Sir Boima himself (and I criminally slept hard on this one!) This is an African Union party mix set in Abidjan by my Sierra Leonean brother who’s based out in the left coast. I’m down by law to give props, yes… I’m a little biased, but really this is a very strong and elegant mix. I know this might sound like a love letter, but seriously, (I almost caught myself dancing on the subway platform the other day) the music is that good!

Chief Boima’s mix starts with our entertaining host, DJ Elembe kicking good vibes over a mellow, unspecified Congolese groove which quickly builds up and gave way to the Magic System hit “Premier Gaou”. By the time we get to Boima’s Coup Decale remixes of Kid Cudi “Day ‘N’ Nite” or D4L “Like Me Baby”, it’s a wrap! Boima continue with his versions and refixes, and Sogui So Good picks up right where Boima left and proceeding to drop straight dance floor pleasing jams that will make the staunchest African two-stepper actually shake his bones, rather than just sway from side to side. Alright, enough talk, check out some cuts from Boima’s set below & peep this Ghetto Bassquake conversation.

[display_podcast]

Magic System – Premier Gaou

D4L – Like Me Baby (Chief Boima Decale Remix)

Enur feat. Natasja – Calabria 2007 (Chief Boima African Version)

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The upcoming Nas album which was to be titled Nigger has been stripped of a name. The project will now be simply untitled, and this came after Wal-Mart and other retailers voiced their concerns about carrying a project with such a provocative title, and we’re all a little poorer for it.

The first track below is one of the best sounding leaked songs from the album. Nas is a lyricist writing a verbal book with a lot of truth in it (unadulterated, wisecracking truths—but there’s also history, struggle, conflict, duality and so much more!) DJ Toomp’s production, which we are now all too familiar with (after Kanye’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”, T.I.’s “What You Know”, Jeezy’s “I Luv It” et c) adds a certain sparkle with some lush, uplifting strings, and the message floats on top perfectly.

Nas – N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and The Master)

This second track is also a raw portrayal of truth, but this is rougher and may be a little too much to take (I know someone who hates this song with a passion.) Nas is in one of the most defiant moments of his career, and embracing the fire? (remember Hate Me Now?)

Nas – Be A Nigger Too

They like to strangle niggers, blame a nigger, shootin’ niggers, hang a nigger still you wanna be a nigger too!

Nasir and wife Kelis at the 2008 Grammys:

Yes, he’s one of the most articulate emcees on the mic, but his failure to communicate these grand ideas that, at least on the surface, appear to be profound is also part of the problem. I’m not saying that it was going to be easy to put such ideas/substance into concrete form or to sell that particular title to his record label (especially after people from his community dismissed the idea from the onset and threatened his employer’s bottom line) but still Nas should have stuck to his guns on this one.