Blog (2008-2018)

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Originally posted at Mudd Up!

[photo by Alex Walsh for The Fader]

If I start writing (again) about my time in Jamaica it could take up the better part of this morning. So let’s keep it simple: in late December I journeyed to Jamaica to report on the collaboration between iconic roots reggae group The Congos, and L.A.experimentalists Sun Araw and M Geddes Gengras for The Fader. It was an intense time down there in the lion’s den, adjusting my internal clock from NYC-breathless to Rasta time-management systems, entirely immersed in perhaps the strongest musical culture I’ve ever experienced, plus Ashanti Roy’s crazed grandchildren as sunrise alarm clocks, fish tea, George Michael with lasers, a minor yet disturbing horse-trampling, lots of Symbolic Murals, the melodious span and flexibility of patois, and so much more.

[photo by Alex Walsh for The Fader]

The article is now online, accompanied by several photos from Alex Walsh. Writing for The Fader spoils you — it makes me want to travel everywhere with top-notch photographers ready to dig deep and go after the spirit of the thing.

[photo by Alex Walsh for The Fader]

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Brother Lamin Fofana is down in the former Mexican territory of Texas, which means that we here in Brooklyn can play some unusual games in his absence…

This Wednesday, Mudd Up! was a two-hour special. It’s always nice to stretch out on WFMU’s airwaves. Streaming below. Podcastable (iTunes | XML). FM realtime every week. And be sure to check out next week’s special show with guest: Oneohtrix Point Never!

ungroomed tracklist after the jump: (more…)

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Flyer says “Abril” but they mean “Marzo” aka this Friday — when Sonido Martines returns to La Paz, Bolivia, after having gone deep with Mexico City sonideros and thrown down some records in Lima. Me, I’m trying to bend my schedule into submission so I can join El Martines for the next big party waaaay up there, 12,000 ft. above sea level. A fan who was at my first La Paz show writes: “cuando el vino la musica era excelente pero la gente estaba fria. Ahora dos años despues todos y todas estan bailandola.” Story of my life; I’m sure she’s right. So I gotta go back… Until such time, find Sonido:

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THEESatisfaction
Cameo Gallery 8.30 PM $10
93 North 6th Street

The first time I heard about THEESatisfaction was from a friend in Seattle who said their live show was the best thing she had seen in years. That was a few years back now, which I can only assume means the girls have tightened their shit after touring solo and with Shabazz and releasing a seemingly endless stream of dope tracks on bandcamp. They were in town this week to shoot a video with Dream Hampton and luckily for the rest of us Popgun grabbed them for a show tonight.

Realizing that they will perform tonight at Cameo, just down the street from Sweatlodge was one of those little reminders why living in the density of New York can be dope. Their show ends at 11:30 so get out early tonight and hit both.

Sweatlodge Flyer
DJ Ripley, Geko Jones, Matt Shadetek and Lamin Fofana.
10PM – 4AM, FREE
The Cove NYC, 108 N. 6th St. Brooklyn NY

 

 

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 This Saturday (3.10.12), the Cumba Mela Collective, the crew I started running with a couple years ago is finally shaping up our act and putting together a really fun all night dance party in this old and really cool vacant bar in Long Island City. For those of you who are wondering what ever happen to Cumba Mela and that project they did in Colombia, just know things are slowly coming together, and material will be surfacing hopefully by fall of 2012.  Sometimes we need to take a step back to understand whats the next step to take when working collectively and creatively.

So if you are looking to escape the over priced NYC drinks, and really let loose, this is the spot to hit this Saturday. Take the N or Q to 39th ave QUEENSBOUND, walk east on 39th ave from 31st to 29th street. Trust me you won’t miss it.

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

$10 Cover

DJs: Atropolis, Thornato, 2melo

MCs: Brooklyn Shanti, POLO

ALSO don’t forget, SWEAT LODGE TOMORROW NIGHT at THE COVE. SPECIAL GUEST DJ RIPLEY w/ of course: Matt Shadetek, Geko Jones, and Lamin. Scroll down for more details

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[Simone Leigh video still – Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts as Stark Trek’s Uhura]

Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts’ book, Harlem Is Nowhere, has been nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award. Which is all kinds of awesome. She will be speaking at the New York Public Library in conversation with artist Simone Leigh *tonight*. (Simone Leigh’s solo show at the Kitchen involves a 10ft- tall video of Sharifa as Star Trek’s Lieutenant Uhura, and Old Money just released a new riddim called Uhura in honor of the first black woman in (representational) space — 2012 makes a lot of sense for an afro-astral revival; and remember – the original Uhura, Nichelle Nichols, is on twitter!)

Tickets for tonight’s conversation aren’t cheap but if you’d like to go, use the Secret Discout Code “FUTURE” when ordering tickets online, that’ll knock the price down quite a bit. I don’t call my monthly newsletter LOW INCOME TOMORROWLAND for nothing.

The Harlem Is Nowhere mixtape that Sharifa & I put together for Domus Magazine still bumps – COP THAT ISH NOW IF YOU HAVENT YET
[audio:http://put.edidomus.it/domus/documenticorrelati/DJ_Rupture-HarlemIsNowhere-FINAL.mp3]
and thanks to always on-point Venus X for pointing out this great PBS clip with Sharifa and Tavis Smiley.

Watch Author Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts on PBS. See more from Tavis Smiley.

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New York City is an embarrassment of riches. World class/Weird class DJs at a free party on Sunday night? Sure. Why not? Nobody has real jobs anyway. Come join us to celebrate the birthday of Stylez Waer. IT’S GOOD BREAD OVER HERE:

CULTURE SYSTEM PRESENTS:
#32

This Sunday, Mar 4th.
10pm – 2am
Tandem, 236 Troutman in Bushwick, in the backroom
FREE

http://culturesystem.org/
FB info

Featuring:

DJ /rupture
(Sub Rosa / Dutty Artz)

Lamin Fofana
(Sticks N Stones / Dutty Artz)

Boody
(Palms Out Sounds)

Dutch
(Alone In Deep Space)

+ + +

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This month we’ve got an awesome guest who just re-landed in NYC after stints in Jamaica, San Francisco and many many places in between.  DJ Ripley is a longtime friend of Dutty Artz and we’re super psyched to have her with us again.  She’ll be joined by myself Matt Shadetek, Geko Jones and Lamin Fofana. Come sweat with us!

Dutty Artz Sweat Lodge March

>>RSVP ON FACEBOOK<<

INFO:

DUTTY ARTZ SWEAT LODGE

DJ Ripley

w/ your hosts

Matt Shadetek

Geko Jones

Lamin Fofana

The Cove, 108 N. 6th St.  Brooklyn NY (Take L Train to Bedford)

Friday March 9th 10PM-4AM $FREE ADMISSION

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Last week’s radio show with USC professor Josh Kun was a real treat – and it’s now streaming. An hour of real talk on the current state of narcocorridos – Mexican drug ballads – prefaced by two new heaters from Tijuana’s blooming indie scene. Listen close:

WFMU is in the middle of its yearly fundraising marathon! Our independent, advertising-free FM radio station is almost entirely listener supported (which is incredible, in today’s rapidly consolidating and corporatizing mediascape), all on-air DJs are 100% volunteer (aka I don’t get paid), and now’s the time when we asking for your help… For more reasons on what this fundraiser is all about, you can listen back to my show this week with co-host Therese, or simply tune in to WFMU 91.1FM NYC.

Or go straight into altruism mode by donating and telling your peoples what’s what:

As always, thanks for listening. FILE UNDER: Generosity.

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Xango Shola is a dear friend of mine, she is the creator of the album art for my self-titled  LP with Dutty Artz.  Among other creations, Shola is a fashion designer, event organizer, as well as an artistic leader responsible for uniting various creative communities throughout the vast and chaotic landscape of New York City.

 

This Saturday, February 25th Xango will present her Spring collection at 94 Jewel Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  Doors are at 7:30pm,  show at 8:30pm. $20 entry fee.  Come early for delicious food, Kombucha by Beyond Kombucha. Beat boxing Cellist, Cello Joe will start the evening with music before the fashion show. The night will be topped off with a live Colombian folkloric group featuring live gaitas and tambor players.

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0VvWtKc_7o[/youtube]

 

For more info visit

 

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DA is proud as fuck to release another killer installation of refixs and bootlegs from the West Africa by way of Wisconsin, Turfing with his Cello King, Chief Boima. If you don’t follow his every move, from curating up to the time compilations in Monrovia, to providing incredible commentary at Africa is a Country and burning down sessions on both sides of the Atlantic YOU ARE SIMPLY DOING SOMETHING WRONG. Grab it at itunes if you have to,  or cop it direct from us. Special street editions of the EP will be flooding your local African bootleg DVD stall soon, so hold tight because you know a few will end up on the DA webstore.
boima cover
Missed Boima’s XLR8R podcast last week, grab over an hour of heat you have never heard HERE.
BOima Xlr8r
Catch Boima on Tour RIGHT NOW
2/22: Berlin: Ngoma Sound @Soju Bar w/DJ Zhao
2/24: Leipzig: @Staubsauger w/DJ Sencha
2/25: Krefeld: Global Lokal w/Daniel Wahl
3/9: Chicago: Sonic Diaspora @Coup d’etat w/The People’s DJ Collective
3/14-18 Austin: SXSW
3/27 Boston: Beat Research w/Wayneandwax and DJ Flack