Sampling Source Dictionary

I heard these existed but I never actually saw one 'til today. Blasphemy or progress? Link

McHip-Hop

The mutually beneficial relationship is still strong, but I've been thinking, do the consumers benefit, at all? Link

"Though it's not offering money upfront, the fast-food giant is willing to pay rappers $1 to $5 each time songs with the plug hit the radio....McDonald's isn't the only company now paying to break through to the hard-to-reach youth market. The marketing firm Maven Strategies, which McDonald's hired for the Big Mac project, got Seagram's gin mentioned - for a fee - in five raps last year, Ad Age says."

Interesting white paper published by Keio Universtity Economics professor Tatsuo Tanaka. It discusses the effect of P2P on music sales, and without much surprise, the results do not support the RIAA's campaign that file sharing has a negative impact on sales. link to pdf, Alex Wexelblat, via boingboing

Kool Herc, Busy Bee, Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz on 105.9fm. Interview took place on January 8th, 2005. About 8 minutes into the interview Melle Mel starts rippin' it over James Brown's funky drummer! stinkzone, audio

RZA on WNYC Brian Lehrer Show

Rza was on 93.9fm yesterday morning. show, listen

"....The RZA (born Robert Diggs) talks about how his interests in music, martial arts and mysticism have taken him from Staten Island to a Shaolin temple to composing movie scores for Quentin Tarantino. After a decade of albums, the group has a manual to go with their hip-hop infused philosophy."

Good Edan interview. Read the entire thing here: Link

-------------------- Excerpts -------------------- SoundSlam: What is the direction of mankind? In your music you make a lot of references with the past and then blending that into the future, so I know it’s something you’re thinking about. What do you see happening? Edan: You know how every time you xerox something it loses a generation of clarity? I sort of see that happening to each of us as individuals and more and more of us come into existence. You know what I mean? I just feel like we’re getting a little arrogant and acting as if the big do’s and don’ts that have been sort of establish through countless thousands of years of generations, and lives, and humans, some of those lessons are being ignored as if we know better when we really don’t. I don’t think human beings right now are doing too much to assess their relationship with nature, and just the natural ways of this world. Ultimately it’s about saving ourselves because once we cross that line the world will shit us out and revitalize and bloom once again as if we never even existed. It’s not really about save the earth as, respect the earth and save ourselves. And respect each other and love each other. And know that love is all we got here, and make most of our actions stem from that. It’s just positivity. I’m just trying to put some good feelings into this shit. ----------- SoundSlam: Also keeping in that theme. How long did it take you to put together ‘Fumbling Over Words That Rhyme’? You present a lot of information and content as well as good technique in that track. I was just wondering how you put that together. Edan: I’m sure that the information that is presented in that shit took me as long as it’s taken me….Since the first hip hop I ever heard. That timeline has been forming in my mind, even though that ain’t no official, authoritarian, end-all-be-all shit, just that sort of timeline and the ideas that you could take from that sort of timeline have been brewing since about 86 in my mind since I heard ‘You Be Illin’ when I was eight years old. Whatever man, that’s taken as long as it took to absorb all of that, but to actually write the jam it took me about a week. ----------------- SoundSlam: Getting back to what you were saying about blending sounds, that’s clearly evident in your music. What are some sounds that you constantly see yourselves digging and going back to when you craft your songs? without giving away your secrets. Edan: The records I really adore tend to go from the 1966 era to the ’74 era. Then, whenever I try to kick some hip hop essence into the shit, like maybe sample a verse or get down with a drum beat, a lot of late 70s rap records and the early ‘80s rap records got fly beats on them and drums. You gotta think disco just with a much harder edge to it. You know the drums on Cold Crush’s ‘Weekend’? You know the joint ‘Weekend’ by the Cold Crush? Shit like that. The drums on ‘Love Rap’- Treacherous Three. It’s really whatever man. It’s also fly when I notice, this isn’t really a current event, but when people like Brand Nubian sampled Edie Burkell. I’m just kind of like embellishing on when I gave you a ‘66-‘74 thing that’s sort of like a sweet spot. What I’m really trying to say is everything is fair game, anything’s possible. That’s just sampling. You can put varying degrees of water in glasses and slap them with a spoon. Anything to elicit sound, that’s the name of the game. And just get that sound that you’re visualizing. As far as the shit that I just jones for, a lot of the time I go to that era of late ‘60s-early 70’s rock and funk. --------------------------- SoundSlam: Talking about anti-categorization, I’ve heard your style referred to as nerd rap. What do you think that label really means? And how do you feel about it? Edan: I think that label just means white person doing rap. I’m trying to think how it makes me feel…I don’t agree with it. Because I don’t think I’m a nerd, I think I’m a fly motherfucker. I definitely nerd out and pay much attention to the history of this music and to the history of art in general. I’m like a sponge. I take in as much as I can whether it be hip hop, whether it be visual arts, whether it be literature, film. I try to take it all in to better myself and hopefully it has a purpose. The nerd rap shit, I just think a lot of people at this point can still not fully accept the fact there’s white kids that can throw down. And it’s mainly white people that can’t accept it. They have grown up experiencing rap as their gateway to black culture. When that gateway is removed and it’s just another white boy getting down, some of that fascination is killed for them. So they tend to maybe think that a white boy can’t really get down from the heart. We just got to take away all of that shit, all the racial and ethnic shit and see what that artist is crafting, and keep an open-mind, and keep everything on equal terms. I just think that nerd-rap shit comes from white on white hate. SoundSlam: You fully incorporate the history of hip hop into a lot of tracks. Why is that such a big part of your music? Is part of that reason part of what you were just talking about with that label and showing that you can get down? Edan: Well, I also think that the more depth that I can illustrate for the listener, the more the listener can realize there’s great depth to the music we’re doing, the more that he can appreciate my record. Or contextualize it, and that’s really it. These guys did beautiful fucking shit. I just think a lot people, because of the stereotypes associated with rap have never really been able to view this artform as majestic thing. They haven’t been able to romanticize it the same way you romanticize an Eric Dolphie or Charlie Parker, or Jimi Hendrix. They haven’t been able to see rap in that light because it’s been over shadowed by sensationalists. My thing is like, fuck all that. I discovered these beautiful things and it’s from sheer excitement that I mention them in my records. It’s being excited about it. A lot of people may say you can’t really be a fan and an artist at the same times these days. You gotta play it cooler than that. But my whole thing is fuck that. I love these people, these brothers that came before me that paved the way for this wonderful shit. I will just show them the proper respect forever. It’s a positive thing. Some people try to criticize and say that I’m resting on the accomplishments of those that came before me, but I can confidently say that’s not what I’m doing. I’m basically on some retrieving the Dead Sea scrolls shit. Just seeking out any information I can to just show me where the excellence of this music has been defined. And use that knowledge as a spring board to make something brand new that has a lot of depth and is more powerful ultimately than something that is fly by night or trendy, with not a lot of foundation or substance behind it. My whole thing is, the more depth that I can convey the better. By studying my lessons, so to speak, I’m hoping to ensure that my music has long term value

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Dead By Wednesday at CBGB's

Dead by Wednesday will be playing at CBGB's this Friday, March 25th. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it but hopefully someone will send in a description of how the show goes. Dead by Wednesday is a band comprised of sometimes hardcore stars Ceschi and David Ramos, two brothers that annihilate the boundaries between genres of music, plus OPUS and Mike Modeste. Ceschi and David are the good people primarily responsible for Anonymous Inc. and the Toca project. Here's a track from another album coming out in 2005. track - you could have died, cbgb, dead by wednesday source: google alerts

Possibly ODB's last interview. Which actually seems more like a short essay than an interview. The author's insights are worthwhile. Link

Back then, it almost seemed like he wished his problem was drugs. But clearly there were other factors. It was reported in the New York Daily News that ODB was diagnosed schizophrenic at the Manhattan Psychiatric Center (MPC) when he was released from prison. For a while, according to RZA, he took court-mandated medications. "He's a true expresser," said RZA. "He don't give a fuck, and to our society that might be dysfunctional. It's like that movie A Beautiful Mind. In a way that guy had an alternate reality, like most hip-hop artists, like ODB. You get this idea about life that is different from the average person. We create these worlds, and we get stuck in them."

Source: googe alerts

50cent, HipPop & Marketing: Trying to make sense of it all

In an effort to carry on the recent tide of anti-marketing sentiments I've been observing on the net, which seems to be a good way to assert one's anti-corporately-influenced individualism (yes, I'm making up words), I would like to let the world know that I am a sensitive person who prefers not to be bombarded with advertisements that manipulate my senses and/or my sense of identity. That being said, I kind of dig this new 50cent commercial. More so because of the unapologetic undertone I perceive in the slogan but also because I know it afforded some hiphop-related individuals to get paid off of Reebok's dispicable attempt to get themselves out of a whole, or should I say an abyss, that would have encapsulated their sneaker business had it not been for the sudden rise of an "identifiable" market that could, supposedly, be easily reached. Thank goodness Rbk is now here to remind us "it's all about the ballers, beats and hangin' in the streets." We should be grateful. HipPop and marketing are currently in a mutually beneficial relationship and, although I might poke fun and point out some inconsistencies or contradictions, I am in no way knocking it. Mickey Pant, ex-chief marketing officer of Reebok, and Jay-z made a great team:

Jay-z - According to his rap sheet, when he was 12 he shot his brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry.

Muktesh "Micky" Pant - According to a company press release, he stepped down from Reebok to start a yoga business and "pursue his life-long dream of establishing a business that connects him to his roots in India, a country where wellness of the mind, body and spirit is held in high regard and serves as the very essence of the Indian culture"

Anyway, HipPop and big business are here to make our world a better place, so to speak. And I happen to think it's great that both sides are currently benefiting. Big money is coming off of its pedestal and embracing (or should I say piggy-backing?) what it can't control, much like it did with past cultural revolutions. As a result Reebok, Pepsi, KFC and countless others get to sell some more of their products and the underclass, for lack of a softer word, normally associated with HipPop gets to cake-off. Not only that, they get to cake-off, live in mansions, travel, get laid, have kids and send their kids to the best schools. Tadow! Bladow! That's the real-deal Holyfield. That's the true benefit if you ask me. Yes, a retractable roof for your in-door, in-ground infinity-pool is dope, but I know (hope?) most people, including Ice-T (see MTV cribs), will agree that it does not outweigh the education your child will receive from going to the best private schools or the character your first-born will develop by being able to work to gain experience, instead of mopping floors solely to be able to afford $100 Nikes. Man oh man (is that the expression I always hear on TV?), what a day we live in. United Paramount Network is on the rise, Mark Echo's Yakira LLC is opening Ecko Unltd stores all over the country and the Board of Directors of Vivendi Universal seem to have no problem with the fact that ex-thug Jay-Z is running a big chunk of their music business. I guess they might be more concerned about the fact they had to reduce the amortization period for Universal Music Group's recorded music catalog and music publishing copyrights from 20 to 15 years:

"This change in estimate resulted from the company's annual impairment review of intangible assets at the end of 2003, which determined that estimated useful lives were shorter than originally anticipated, primarily as a result of the weakness of the global music market. As a result, the prospective amortization expense in 2004 was increased by €63 million."

Sorry for the tangent. To me, right now anyway, a company like Ecko is a reflection of the upbringing of a class of society. Girlfriends is a great example of an oppressed people finally shining on TV. And 50cent appearing in millions of people's homes, virtually laughing at the world is very gratifying. Although philosophically one can wonder about the loss the world will suffer when a sub-culture joins and becomes one with the popular culture, I think I need to get over that (yes, I'm trying to convince myself). Things do not last forever, or more than an instant. Rap/breakin'/free-basin'/robbin'/spray-paintin' will never exist again as they did two decades ago. I'm still trying to make sense of things in my mind but I can't help but feel optimistic (let's hope I don't crash). That's not to say misrepresentations of this or any other subculture do not disturb me, but could this be progress? On a similar note, Pepsi is going to get pimped by Rene McLean and his powersummit spin-off known as McLean Entertainment Group (or is it RPM Group?). According to Adrants, McLean & Co. will "recruit top urban DJs to serve as "soda Ambassadors" promoting Pepsi products with on air mentions, club mentions, block parties, photo shoots, specialty mix tapes and other intertwined co-branded cross promotions." Sources: prohiphop, adrants 1, adrants 2, find articles, powersummit, rbk streets, 50cent commercial, rapdirt, imediaconnection, smartmoney, eckounltd, vivendi universal, upn

Great trailer for upcoming documentary by Benjamin Franzen and Kembrew McLeod on sampling. Commentary by various artists and defenders of creativity including Saul Williams, Pete Rock, Dj Abilities, Lawrence Lessig, Bobbito Garcia and more. Source: boingboing.net, archive.org, copyrightcriminals.com, kembrew.com

Temple of Hip Hop Tour is making it's way through Michigan this Saturday, March 19th. Featured performers include KRS-1, Kool Herc, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, Busy Bee, Grand Master Caz, and DJ Ruckus. Tickets, Venue

Info Line:517.316.0400 Doors Open at: 8:00 PM Doors Close at: 2:00 AM Ages: 18 and up Remember to bring: dancing shoes, massive thirst Items not allowed: bags, guns, gorillas, flame throwers, shanks Event Capacity: 600 Temple Club 500 East Grand RiverLansing, MI 48906 United States

M-Audio is about to make transitional digi-producers drool all over their keyboards while helping to ease the regret when they decided to pack up the old drum machine. Sometime in the near future they are going to release the Trigger Finger. It's USB-powered, pc/mac-compatible and 16 pads deep. We know, it's hard to let go... Link

The Rise And Fall Of The Dix (pun intended)

Prince Paul never fails to impress me. After pushing the limits for clever and outgoing skits, his creativity seems to be naturally evolving into film. It is pretty well known that not too long ago Paul was very sought after for his skit-sculpting craft (say that three times fast). You can bare witness to his work as early as the De La days, all the way to his contributions to the Gravediggaz album (which if I remember correctly was supposed to be a very sarcastic and comedic portrayal of horror-core rap which ended up being something a lot more serious, or it was at least interpreted that way). This seems like a natural progression for the man behind the other concept album Prince Amongst Thieves. The Rise and Fall of the Dix (pun intended) is his newest indie-film project. It will be his second mockumentary, after The Diary of Prince Paul. Can't wait to pick it up, the album too. trailer, audio, info

Video for avantcore. real video windows media "The LA native Busdriver flew to Toronto to shoot this live-action / animation hybrid with director Jason McFarlane, whose previous credits includes work for Badly Drawn Boy. The result is a funny, self-deprecating and quirky take on life as an "indie rapper" with Bus' showing his Jimmy Stewart-style star potential."

Info; Post; via 15min

Aloe Blacc radio interview courtesy of el keter.

Konscious tv [video]

Happened upon the site for a public tv show broadcasting in Manhattan called Konscious tv. The latest episode celebrates black history month and features some interesting content including an interview with the director of Scratch, footage of poet Amiri Baraka reciting his work and a cypher in the village:

"Konscious.com is an alternative media network and online community center where visionaries, community leaders, and youth meet. Konscious TV, airing on Manhattan Neighborhood Network, is a bi-weekly half-hour program designed to expose the TV audience to Konscious.com's online programming."

"KONSCIOUS TV EPISODE #46: The show begins with an intro from Konscious Producer Hugh Gran. Then listen to an interview with the director of the Movie "Scratch" all mixed together with some fresh excerpts from the movie. Next is the epic poem "Somebody Blew Up America" read by the author Amiri Baraka. The show concludes with a Rapper throwdown in Washington Square Park."

Link (File: 70.5MB; snapshot 1 - director of Scratch Doug Pray; snapshot 2 - Amiri Baraka; snapshot 3 - cypher)