Lee Scratch Perry "Blackboard Jungle: From Dub to Dubstep" documentary

Untold - DC Feb 12!!

The 'wot you call it' new sound busting right now (Funkstep / Future Garage / etc etc etc) is coming our way! Expansion Broadcast announced the arrival of Untold to LODA at the Fridge in SE DC this February 12! If you all have been following me and my sound for a bit, this dude is KNOCKING it out. Bringing so many different vibes, beat patterns, and sounds into the whole Dubstep UK urban dance music thing. Adding brightness, sass, and funk that was not there before... yet still respecting the Dubstep elements.

PLEASE find his FactMix.... it is absolutely bonkers! In the meantime, check some tunes.

Shaping my musical aesthetic. Or, “How I popped my musical cherry”

I think one of the most interesting/spritual/human/unhuman moments in life is when a few sounds come together and create a spiritual-carnal reaction that puts you inna space of bliss; where time stands still, where all burdens seem to dissolve and wait for you in the air, until you return. And it’s during that moment, which can last from one song to 10 hours, nothing matters- you feel the most of yourself, of others, of atmosphere, of instinct, of joy.

This happens across time, generations, and peoples. It’s the moment when the sprit comes into your church service – folks speaking in tongues, old ladies doing dances that defy their health conditions, where grown-ass men sweat up their $500 dollar suit. It happens in the cipher – where b-boys and b-girls get in the groove and everyone from the DJ to the MC comes in sync and true Hip Hop manifests. You see it in Salsa where everyone is dancing so rough/sexual/smooth that you stand back and keep away to not ruin it for anyone else. It happens in the Rave – where the DJ took a good half hour to take you, and everyone else, in a space where everyone has nothing but smiles. Chemicals, lights, synths, and bass, come to a rising crescendo… everyone is your lover, your friend. It’s that trance you see from tribal ceremonies in Africa… It’s the pocket, getting open, riding the vibe, catching the spirit…
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This has happened to me several times. One of my earliest experiences was in 1986, when two kids brought my father Run-DMC’s “Raising Hell” and Ice-T’s “Rhyme Pays”. I took those records to my room after my dad put it on the turntable, played, and removed, in two minutes. What blew my mind were the snares… those distorted, loud-ass snares… boom-CLACK, boom-boom—CLACK!1 over and over again… These guys were talking WAY too fast, and way too loud… trying to out-yell the snares… it was beautiful noise.





My next experience came in 1995, when I bought a CD of “John Coltrane’s Greatest Hits” (I knew nothing of the importance of LPs in Jazz, or the influence of labels). I was introduced to Jazz by this kid in high school who did a presentation for class. I was in my room when I heard “Naima”. I never had such a melancholy reaction, a sadness, associated with sound in my life. It hurt, it made me sad. It complemented the bullshit I was feeling at the time as a young man… it was Coltrane’s lament, his tribute to someone he loved. And that emotion and tenderness transmitted through his sax playing, which I felt at my core.



Along the way, I acquired other influences and tastes obviously. I got into Rock quite heavily. I bootlegged a James Brown’s greatest hits boxed set from the public library and listened to that thing at least 100 times. I loved me some Spanish Reggae, Jamaican Dancehall, and some Spanish Trance music. But the next time I was spiritually moved by music was listening to the Jungle tune “Original Nuttah” by Shy FX and UK Apachi. It was in the 90’s when Cypress Hill, Wu-Tang and the dirty-hardcore was in full effect. As an angry sonavabitch, this shit suited me quite well. Yet, but yet, I remember buying a Jungle compilation CD from a bargain bin in some CD store… and popping it in my player on our way back to the house. First came the sirens, those sirens of PE the sirens of Cypress Hill… going on and on and on… Then came the warning, from some reggae toaster… then the bass where UK Apachi starting toasting… but the payoff came at 1:18… when the most scattered, swung, destructive breakbeat I’ve EVER heard just boooommed through my ears… such energy, such anger was manifested in the rhythm, on the beat, and it was over after that.




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I had the opportunity to think about this in depth… how this connects to my “American Pupusa” aesthetic, and what this means now. If you were to think of the common ingredients of these musics and these moments… they would comprise of

1. Significant relationship between bass and drum 2. Rhythm 3. Emotion through atmosphere 4. Swing or sway. 6. Grounding in social commentary or context. 5. Production/Technology 6. A harkening to ancestry, or heritage. 7. Hybridity

Hip Hop was a soundsystem culture acculturated to U.S. tastes. Toasting, sound clashes, and all in between were reappropriated from JA to US. Instead of Mento being the forefather to the newer styles of Reggae, it was Funk and Soul that served as Father and Mother. As the culture moved forward and created its own aesthetic, there was the Funk of James Brown and the synths of Cameo that connected the future to the past. Jungle used the same breaks and added elements of the future, Reggae, and other old-school, to anchor it down as it moved forward. We may look at today’s music and see the same thing from Kanye, Madlib, Joker, or Zomby, each taking it forward by taking it from the back to the front.




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And, it’s these influences, and the unique makeups among these genres that guide my work and shape my music culture. This framework leaves room for SOO much source material, where electronic, tribal, melodic, and all can come together under these measures and be formed into something exciting, eternal, and moving. For a good overview of what I’m talking about, see my “Worldwide Liberation Sound” post for additional explanation, alongside examples from across the way.

Jean Michel Basquiat - A model for the American Pupusa aesthetic

Last year, I had this brief fascination with Fab Five Freddy as a catalyst for Hip Hop culture, art, music, and media... I think he is kinda slept on for his impact as an ambassador of these genres to the mainstream audience. And I owe a debt to him, cause otherwise I wouldn't know of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

I mean, dude was a graffiti artist as well as an artist in the high-brow art world. He is the most successful Black artist in this vein. He is from Haitian and Puerto Rican descent (Dad and Mom respectively). He dated Madonna (eh, that's not really high on my list really). But most importantly, I believe he reinvented the way his contexts and identity is used/presented through his work. If this was his intention or not... I'm not too familiar. But in true 'American Pupusa" fashion (when you are done reading this see my previous post on What is the American Pupusa) I think he broke from the chains of played-out, romanticized tributes to 'heritage' through meanderings and laments to the past, and smearing any sense of "...ness" on top, through, over, and below whatever topic is at play.

Here is a small interview where he addresses culture/identity in his work


Here he is from Downtown 81, doing some writing


I found an online article from Emory University that talks about this here.


Finally, art, graf, rhyming, and DJing all together... Lee Quinones alongside Fab Five meeting up with Jean-Michel...

LatiNegr@s Project - Celebrating the Afro-Latino experience for Black History Month

A great project to recognize the wide scope and range of the Afro-Latino diaspora. I am grateful to have been asked to contribute, and so I wanted to share and make the opportunity a communal experience for all of us. Bianca Laureano is organizing this and you can also follow along on her blog Latino Sexuality

"We are seeking to compliment curriculum/celebrations/rituals/etc. surrounding Black History Month to include the histories, experiences, and contributions of LatiNegr@s/Afro-Latinos/Afro-Caribeños."

Here is the goal of the project:

"As the formal US focus on Black History Month (February 1-28/9) is upon us we seek to celebrate all of the peoples who have influence and history via the African Diasporas. Expanding the inclusively of Black History Month is a goal for several of us, self-identified LatiNeg@s, Afro-Latinos and Afro-Caribeños. As people who recognize and claim the African heritage and history, we have often been excluded from US History, whether it be Black history or Latino history (Septermber 15-October 15). Join us in honoring and recognizing LatiNegr@s this year during Black and Latino History Month. We are Black, Latino and from the Caribbean. We REPRESENT!"

Please share any images, videos, quotes, websites, links etc. you'd like to include on this page. Go to http://lati-negros.tumblr.com/submit to submit what you'd like to contribute."

We have created a tumblr page where people can submit whatever they like in the format of video, quotes, links, fotos, text of their perspective/ideas of LatiNegr@s. The main page is: http://lati-negros.tumblr.com/ The submission page is: http://lati-negros.tumblr.com/submit

Cooly G - XLR8R Podcast

Oh my oh my oh my... I'm bobbin my head as I type this! There is this new thing gwan' in the UK dance music scene. Its this place where Dubstep, Funky, House, and Garage are all meeting in the middle somewhere. And its sound absolutely gorgeous. I'll post a list of who is who and what is what on this "wot you call it?" Funkstep loveliness... In the end, its polyrythmic, dubby, skippy, syncopated, and innovative... pushing and pushing with interesting ideas.

Amongst the gorgeousness is Cooly G and she drops a mix for XLR8R podcast... so here you go, enjoy and happy head bobbing!

XLR8R Link with info and additional links here
Direct MP3 download here

01 Cooly G "Intro"
02 Cooly G/DVA "Ol' Dirty"
03 DJ Gregory "Traffic"
04 T Williams "Hardcash"
05 Zander Hardy (exclusive)
06 Ben Westbeech & T. Williams (exclusive)
07 Martyn "Megadrive"
08 Artist Unknown "Glow"
09 O.B "ER"
10 Artist Unknown "Get Slapped Up"
11 Artist Unknown "Gain"
12 Artist Unknown "Dougsanna"
13 DJ Gregory "Work Me"
14 Sami Sanchez "Air Raid"
15 MA1 "Samurai Remix"
16 Wbeeza "Deep Underground"
17 Bowly (exclusive)
18 Major Notes "Friend of Mine Dub"

Elijah & Skilliam 2010 mix

From Blackdown... This mix here is friggin sik... True aggressive, angry, and absolutely bouncy-danceable Grime! If you haven't copped this DL... please do. Its perfect for your workouts, angry rages, and screwfacing in your morning commute. Mostly instrumentals with vocals laced along the way... badboy!!!

Swindle - Open Your Mind (Butterz)
Royal T - Hot Ones Remix (Unreleased)
Terror Danjah - Acid (Hyperdub)
Swindle - 'Trending Topic' (Butterz)
DVA feat P Money - Wind It Up (No Right Turn)
Rude Kid - Absolut Vokda (No Hats No Hoods)
DOK & Terror Danjah - Hysteria (Butterz)
Swindle - Air Miles (Planet Mu)
Silencer - Miss Asia (Wow Bass Level 3)
Joker - Output One Two (Tectonic)
Rude Kid & Terror Danjah - The Best Crawler (No Hats No Hoods)
Tempa T - Boy Off The Ting (No Hats No Hoods)
Terror Danjah - Bipolar (Butterz)
OGZ - Hot Ones (Deeco Remix)
Maniac - Lengman Tune (Unreleased)
Terror Danjah - Sidechain (Swindle Remix) (Planet Mu)
SRC - Powerman 9 (Unreleased)
DOK - Keep Making Grime (Unreleased)
Rude Kid - Electric (Earth 616)
J Beatz - Life & Death (SCUK)
Terror Danjah - Air Bubble (Butterz)
Starkey - Ok Love (Planet Mu)
????? - ?????? (Teaser)