Friday, July 10, 2009
Who Is Matthew Johnson- "This Woman's Work" Shot by Hannibal Matthews
I first saw this video maybe a month ago over at Hannibal Matthew's studio. The guy featured, Matthew Johnson, was practicing the song to sing it in a wedding. They did a couple takes of him rehearsing (I actually dug the other version where he semi-sings to his girl and she's totally not paying attention) better. But this dude is incredible. Be on the look out.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Bobby Ray (B.o.B)- "Put Me On" for Reebok Classic
Had a chance to check Bobby Ray doing this live at South Dekalb Mall's Footlocker in conjunction w/ his new advertising campaign for Reebok classics. Reeboks are honestly pretty ugly, although I did get a pretty dope pair in the mail the other day-- some hightops that are pretty hip and fresh. Perhaps I will take a picture?
Anywhoo, I thought this was super-hella dope then (my new word) and still do. I dig the whole Raphael Saadiq-inspired boombox for a head thing too...The story is that Reebok gave the artists involved w/ the campaign an old-school rap song to remix. Bob's was obviously Tribe's "Bonita Applebum." Bobby told me they were so impressed w/ the way the song came out that they were going to do a real push behind it. So I guess this is the start of it?
We all know this kid is so outta here. I just hope he's able to maintain his sanity in the midst of what is surely about to be a media storm in the next year or so. He already seems almost too self-aware and perceptive (dunno if you can be too much of those things, but hopefully you get what I'm trying to say).
Anyways, Bobby Ray is jelly jammin.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Michael Jackson's Unfair Treatment in the Media (We Miss You)
It's been a minute since I lasted blogged. For one, I'm going to be revamping the site totally, and have been uninspired to use this one period. But, too much has gone on for me to remain quiet-- namely, the death of Michael Jackson.
My heart still hurts even typing this, to be honest. I've done a lot of writing about his death for Rolling Out-- and was kind of detached and numb while I was getting my work done. But whenever I hear his music, my heart continues to ache. He died too soon. Whenever I see the people who were working closely with him as he prepared for his tour saying that he was back to form, and looking better than ever, my heart aches. He died too soon.
But mostly, my heart aches because he was never able to revitalize his image the way he should have been able to. Even now, for every two minutes the mainstream media spends waxing poetic about the greatest entertainer ever, they spend another 10 questioning his "strange lifestyle" bringing up old, unfounded allegations about his molestation cases-- cases that I've never believed and the courts didn't either.
When they're not harping on those two things, they're discrediting his finances-- wildly throwing around the $400 million debt he had. What they fail to say, is what I read in the LA Times on my way back from LA--- he was worth well over $1 billion (Beatles catalog anyone?). We all know that in this materialistic country, the best way to defile someone's legacy is to suggest that they are financially irresponsible and broke. In MJ's case that simply wasn't true.
At any rate, I was in LA for BET Weekend (which I will discuss later), and stopped by a few record stores, as well as UCLA Medical Center. People were still out there, snapping pictures, and I guess just soaking up the reality that Mike is gone.
I was planning on writing a more in-depth piece about the treatment of MJ by the media, but Phonte beat me to the punch, and wrote it so eloquently, I've decided to post his blog in its entirety instead. He didn't touch on the financial aspect of MJ's life (said it's a whole other piece). But he did talk about his blackness, his humanitarian spirit and the bitch ass kids (or parents) who basically took away his life with their molestation lies. Check it out:I haven't been compelled to blog in a long time.
In an era where everybody is twittering and text-messaging their lives away, a well-thought out essay that extends past 140 characters is quickly becoming a thing of the past.
But when our universe lost its brightest star on June 25, 2009, I felt a deep, overwhelming sadness that I haven't experienced in many years and I felt moved to say....something.
My hero, Michael Joseph Jackson, is dead.
Honestly I'm still trying to process it, almost like the loss of a much-loved family member. I mean, hell, to many of us Michael WAS family. Much like Nike, or Coca-Cola, or McDonalds, Michael Jackson wasn't so much a person as he was a living, breathing, American institution; a ubiquitous force that has seemingly existed forever and one that we couldn't imagine a world without. Seeing Michael onstage was less like watching a musician perform and more akin to witnessing a magician at work.
But contrary to his otherworldly stage presence and magical aura, the man we called The King of Pop proved to be a mere mortal. And now my hero, Michael Joseph Jackson, is dead.
What isn't dead, unfortunately, is the cloud of false accusations, unsubstantiated rumors, myths, slander, and outright lies that surround his life and his legacy. The greatest myth regarding Michael Jackson is that he was a pedophile who preyed on young children.
It is my belief now, just as it was 16 years ago, that the charges brought against Michael during his 1993 sexual abuse case were false. The allegations made by Jordan Chandler (the accuser) and his father Evan Chandler always seemed suspect to me for a few reasons:
1. Ask the average parent whether they'd want justice or money for their abused child and more than likely they'd say justice, if for no other reason than to protect their child (and other children) from a future attack. The fact that Evan Chandler was willing to essentially let Michael off the hook for a few million (reportedly 2-3), made their case seem like a well-orchestrated extortion attempt. In regards to the case, Evan was later caught on tape saying, "If I go through with this, I win big time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever...Michael's career will be over." Notice that homeboy ain't mention jack shit about his son. So much for being a concerned father...
2. Generally when victims of abuse come out with allegations against someone, other victims come forward to corroborate their story (i.e. the Catholic Church scandal, where a few parties came forward and it later led to thousands).
Very rarely do child molesters stop at just one kid, or even two for that matter. An alleged pedophile with only two accusers is kinda like an alleged serial killer with only one body. Or an alleged sneaker addict with only two pairs of Jordans in his closet. It just doesn't make any logical sense, nor does it coincide with the recurring psychological characteristics of most people who fall into those categories.
In the case of Michael Jackson vs. the Chandler family, not a single corroborating witness could be found to help prosecute the case and after raids were conducted on several of Jackson's homes, no hard evidence of sexual abuse was gathered.
Michael later settled the Chandler case out of court, not as an admission of guilt, but at the behest of his lawyers and financial advisors who warned him that a criminal trial could cost him millions of dollars in legal fees, as well as the loss of hundreds of millions in touring and endorsement revenue. With the Chandler case finally over, Michael continued to tour and released his greatest hits package “HIStory” in 1995. Ten years later though, he would face another trial that, in my opinion, would be the one to literally and figuratively, kill him.
Martin Bashir’s heinous, Machiavellian documentary “Living With Michael Jackson” aired in 2003. It was in this documentary that Mike (albeit foolishly) talked about his fondness for sharing his bed with children, and was seen holding hands with a young boy. Shortly afterwards the young boy from the documentary, 13 year-old Gavin Arvizo (a cancer survivor who had all his medical bills paid for by Michael), accused him of sexual abuse.
When Mike’s case against Arvizo hit airwaves in 2005, I must admit that I had my doubts. Much like the Chris Rock joke, I too shook my head in disbelief and said “ANOTHER kid!?! Mike, what the fuck?!! How could you be THAT stupid?!?!” As the case unraveled though, the financial motivations of the accuser’s family became much more apparent.
Similar to the Chandler case from ‘93, the prosecution couldn’t produce any credible witnesses to corroborate Arvizo’s testimony against Michael. Many of the prosecution’s witnesses were either former employees of Michael who had financial disputes with him, or had criminal convictions themselves. Arvizo’s testimony contradicted previous statements he’d made to officials saying that nothing ever took place between him and Michael, and Arvizo’s mother Janet Arvizo, an eccentric woman with a prior conviction for welfare fraud, single-handedly killed the case with her flippant remarks on the witness stand and overall bizarre courtroom behavior.
Actor Macaulay Culkin came forward in Michael’s defense and testified that no inappropriate behavior ever took place during their many times together, as did many other associates who had spent time at Neverland. Ultimately, Michael emerged from the Arvizo case with a Not Guilty verdict on all counts, but it proved to be a pyrrhic victory. The damage was already done. In the court of popular opinion, The King of Pop was an unrepentant child molestor.
When defending Michael Jackson against his detractors, I am often asked if I would let one of my sons sleep over at his house. The answer is no. Shit, I wouldn't let my sons sleep over at YOUR house. But that doesn't make you a pedophile, it just makes me a concerned and protective dad who doesn’t leave his kids around people I personally don’t know well enough to trust.
When it came to children, the only thing Michael was guilty of in my opinion, was naivete. While cuddling in the bed with children isn't technically illegal, it does violate several social norms; norms that a man who dresses funny, lives at an amusement park and refers to himself as “Peter Pan” would certainly pay a higher price for breaking. When I hear the tales of Michael laying in bed with those children, watching movies, tickling, and engaging in general horseplay, it sounds less like the work of a pedophile and more like the actions of a man trying to experience a childhood he never had.
During his investigation for the Arvizo trial, Michael was examined by Dr. Stan Katz, a clinical psychologist who concluded that Michael didn’t fit the profile of a pedophile but instead that of a regressed 10 year old, an analysis which I agree with wholeheartedly. I mean after all, only a person with the simple, unsuspecting mind of a child could truly believe they could sleep in the same bed as their pre-pubescent buddies and not pay a price for it.
Still, the most saddening myth surrounding Michael’s life is that he was ashamed to be Black. During the mid 80’s, in the midst of his ever-changing skin complexion and facial features, popular opinion in the Black community was that Mike was a sellout. This was an opinion that would unfortunately haunt him for the rest of his life, but a closer look reveals quite the opposite.
As echoed by my man Scorpeze of the house music duo Windimoto in his excellent blog, Michael Jackson never tried to disown or separate himself from his Blackness at any point in his career. In fact, he was probably the most openly pro-Black pop entertainer of his time. Michael Jackson ashamed to be Black? I mean, this was the same guy who:
-portrayed Black people as kings and queens in ancient Egypt ("Remember the Time" video)
-called Tommy Mottola (his then label boss) a devil and a racist
-sang "white man's gotta make a change" live on the Grammies in '88
-sang about a beautiful African woman in "Liberian Girl"
-featured an African chant at the end of "Wanna Be Startin Somethin"
-donated over $25 million to the United Negro College Fund
-sang "I ain't scared of no sheets" in "Black or White" and upped the ante by morphing into a BLACK PANTHER at the video's end
-wrote a song called "They Don't Really Care About Us," with a Spike Lee-directed video that featured prisoners raising the Black power fist
-uhhh “We Are The World” and USA for Africa, anyone?
What about this man wasn’t Black enough? Was it his battle with vitiligo and how it caused skin discoloration? Was it his excessive facial surgeries, due I’m sure in no small part to the teasing and ridicule he faced about his looks as a teenager?
Why did we turn our collective backs on a man who always reminded us that he never forgot who he was, or more importantly, whose he was?
This essay is my plea to all people who consider themselves a fan of Michael Jackson, but especially to Black people: Don't let them talk about our Brother. Don’t let his naysayers convict him of crimes that were never proven. Don't let people reduce the memory of one of our greatest heroes to that of a weird guy who wore a shiny glove and molested little boys.
When Elvis Presley died, did the media remember him as an overweight, drug-abusing racist who dated a 14 year-old, or was he eulogized as The King of Rock and Roll?
When Woody Allen dies, do you think the media will focus on the controversy behind him marrying his own stepdaughter, or on the films "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan" and how great they were? (Ditto for Jerry Lee Lewis, the rock and roll pioneer who married his 13-year old cousin.)
When people accuse Michael of being a pedophile or a child molester, ask them to provide hard evidence. Ask them to provide an opinion rooted in fact, rather than one based on gossip, hearsay, and conjecture. Chances are, they won't be able to. The Black community has done a great disservice in not reciprocating the love that Michael Jackson showed us when he was alive. The least we can do in honoring his death is ensure that his legacy is remembered properly for future generations.
Was Michael Jackson a weirdo? Of course he was a weirdo.
But maybe if you had been in the public eye since you were 7, had grown ass women throwing themselves at you since you were 13, suffered physical abuse at the hands of your father, watched your father and older brothers engage in sex with groupies on tour as a child, were called "Big Nose" and "ugly" by both family members AND fans, developed a skin disease that took away the one thing you repeatedly expressed your pride for, and spent the last half of your life as the most famous person on Earth, you'd probably be a bit of a weirdo too.
I am not attempting to paint Michael Jackson as a saint, as no man ever lives up to such a lofty title. But to me, the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” seems to sum up Michael Jackson’s life more than ever.
Why would people try to tear down a man who constantly used his power, money, and influence to help others?
Why would people express such disgust and contempt for a man who constantly sang of love and peace, and used his talent to entertain, uplift, and inspire millions?
Tell em that its human nature, I suppose...
Rest in Peace, Brother Michael. I love and miss you dearly.
In an era where everybody is twittering and text-messaging their lives away, a well-thought out essay that extends past 140 characters is quickly becoming a thing of the past.
But when our universe lost its brightest star on June 25, 2009, I felt a deep, overwhelming sadness that I haven't experienced in many years and I felt moved to say....something.
My hero, Michael Joseph Jackson, is dead.
Honestly I'm still trying to process it, almost like the loss of a much-loved family member. I mean, hell, to many of us Michael WAS family. Much like Nike, or Coca-Cola, or McDonalds, Michael Jackson wasn't so much a person as he was a living, breathing, American institution; a ubiquitous force that has seemingly existed forever and one that we couldn't imagine a world without. Seeing Michael onstage was less like watching a musician perform and more akin to witnessing a magician at work.
But contrary to his otherworldly stage presence and magical aura, the man we called The King of Pop proved to be a mere mortal. And now my hero, Michael Joseph Jackson, is dead.
What isn't dead, unfortunately, is the cloud of false accusations, unsubstantiated rumors, myths, slander, and outright lies that surround his life and his legacy. The greatest myth regarding Michael Jackson is that he was a pedophile who preyed on young children.
It is my belief now, just as it was 16 years ago, that the charges brought against Michael during his 1993 sexual abuse case were false. The allegations made by Jordan Chandler (the accuser) and his father Evan Chandler always seemed suspect to me for a few reasons:
1. Ask the average parent whether they'd want justice or money for their abused child and more than likely they'd say justice, if for no other reason than to protect their child (and other children) from a future attack. The fact that Evan Chandler was willing to essentially let Michael off the hook for a few million (reportedly 2-3), made their case seem like a well-orchestrated extortion attempt. In regards to the case, Evan was later caught on tape saying, "If I go through with this, I win big time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever...Michael's career will be over." Notice that homeboy ain't mention jack shit about his son. So much for being a concerned father...
2. Generally when victims of abuse come out with allegations against someone, other victims come forward to corroborate their story (i.e. the Catholic Church scandal, where a few parties came forward and it later led to thousands).
Very rarely do child molesters stop at just one kid, or even two for that matter. An alleged pedophile with only two accusers is kinda like an alleged serial killer with only one body. Or an alleged sneaker addict with only two pairs of Jordans in his closet. It just doesn't make any logical sense, nor does it coincide with the recurring psychological characteristics of most people who fall into those categories.
In the case of Michael Jackson vs. the Chandler family, not a single corroborating witness could be found to help prosecute the case and after raids were conducted on several of Jackson's homes, no hard evidence of sexual abuse was gathered.
Michael later settled the Chandler case out of court, not as an admission of guilt, but at the behest of his lawyers and financial advisors who warned him that a criminal trial could cost him millions of dollars in legal fees, as well as the loss of hundreds of millions in touring and endorsement revenue. With the Chandler case finally over, Michael continued to tour and released his greatest hits package “HIStory” in 1995. Ten years later though, he would face another trial that, in my opinion, would be the one to literally and figuratively, kill him.
Martin Bashir’s heinous, Machiavellian documentary “Living With Michael Jackson” aired in 2003. It was in this documentary that Mike (albeit foolishly) talked about his fondness for sharing his bed with children, and was seen holding hands with a young boy. Shortly afterwards the young boy from the documentary, 13 year-old Gavin Arvizo (a cancer survivor who had all his medical bills paid for by Michael), accused him of sexual abuse.
When Mike’s case against Arvizo hit airwaves in 2005, I must admit that I had my doubts. Much like the Chris Rock joke, I too shook my head in disbelief and said “ANOTHER kid!?! Mike, what the fuck?!! How could you be THAT stupid?!?!” As the case unraveled though, the financial motivations of the accuser’s family became much more apparent.
Similar to the Chandler case from ‘93, the prosecution couldn’t produce any credible witnesses to corroborate Arvizo’s testimony against Michael. Many of the prosecution’s witnesses were either former employees of Michael who had financial disputes with him, or had criminal convictions themselves. Arvizo’s testimony contradicted previous statements he’d made to officials saying that nothing ever took place between him and Michael, and Arvizo’s mother Janet Arvizo, an eccentric woman with a prior conviction for welfare fraud, single-handedly killed the case with her flippant remarks on the witness stand and overall bizarre courtroom behavior.
Actor Macaulay Culkin came forward in Michael’s defense and testified that no inappropriate behavior ever took place during their many times together, as did many other associates who had spent time at Neverland. Ultimately, Michael emerged from the Arvizo case with a Not Guilty verdict on all counts, but it proved to be a pyrrhic victory. The damage was already done. In the court of popular opinion, The King of Pop was an unrepentant child molestor.
When defending Michael Jackson against his detractors, I am often asked if I would let one of my sons sleep over at his house. The answer is no. Shit, I wouldn't let my sons sleep over at YOUR house. But that doesn't make you a pedophile, it just makes me a concerned and protective dad who doesn’t leave his kids around people I personally don’t know well enough to trust.
When it came to children, the only thing Michael was guilty of in my opinion, was naivete. While cuddling in the bed with children isn't technically illegal, it does violate several social norms; norms that a man who dresses funny, lives at an amusement park and refers to himself as “Peter Pan” would certainly pay a higher price for breaking. When I hear the tales of Michael laying in bed with those children, watching movies, tickling, and engaging in general horseplay, it sounds less like the work of a pedophile and more like the actions of a man trying to experience a childhood he never had.
During his investigation for the Arvizo trial, Michael was examined by Dr. Stan Katz, a clinical psychologist who concluded that Michael didn’t fit the profile of a pedophile but instead that of a regressed 10 year old, an analysis which I agree with wholeheartedly. I mean after all, only a person with the simple, unsuspecting mind of a child could truly believe they could sleep in the same bed as their pre-pubescent buddies and not pay a price for it.
Still, the most saddening myth surrounding Michael’s life is that he was ashamed to be Black. During the mid 80’s, in the midst of his ever-changing skin complexion and facial features, popular opinion in the Black community was that Mike was a sellout. This was an opinion that would unfortunately haunt him for the rest of his life, but a closer look reveals quite the opposite.
As echoed by my man Scorpeze of the house music duo Windimoto in his excellent blog, Michael Jackson never tried to disown or separate himself from his Blackness at any point in his career. In fact, he was probably the most openly pro-Black pop entertainer of his time. Michael Jackson ashamed to be Black? I mean, this was the same guy who:
-portrayed Black people as kings and queens in ancient Egypt ("Remember the Time" video)
-called Tommy Mottola (his then label boss) a devil and a racist
-sang "white man's gotta make a change" live on the Grammies in '88
-sang about a beautiful African woman in "Liberian Girl"
-featured an African chant at the end of "Wanna Be Startin Somethin"
-donated over $25 million to the United Negro College Fund
-sang "I ain't scared of no sheets" in "Black or White" and upped the ante by morphing into a BLACK PANTHER at the video's end
-wrote a song called "They Don't Really Care About Us," with a Spike Lee-directed video that featured prisoners raising the Black power fist
-uhhh “We Are The World” and USA for Africa, anyone?
What about this man wasn’t Black enough? Was it his battle with vitiligo and how it caused skin discoloration? Was it his excessive facial surgeries, due I’m sure in no small part to the teasing and ridicule he faced about his looks as a teenager?
Why did we turn our collective backs on a man who always reminded us that he never forgot who he was, or more importantly, whose he was?
This essay is my plea to all people who consider themselves a fan of Michael Jackson, but especially to Black people: Don't let them talk about our Brother. Don’t let his naysayers convict him of crimes that were never proven. Don't let people reduce the memory of one of our greatest heroes to that of a weird guy who wore a shiny glove and molested little boys.
When Elvis Presley died, did the media remember him as an overweight, drug-abusing racist who dated a 14 year-old, or was he eulogized as The King of Rock and Roll?
When Woody Allen dies, do you think the media will focus on the controversy behind him marrying his own stepdaughter, or on the films "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan" and how great they were? (Ditto for Jerry Lee Lewis, the rock and roll pioneer who married his 13-year old cousin.)
When people accuse Michael of being a pedophile or a child molester, ask them to provide hard evidence. Ask them to provide an opinion rooted in fact, rather than one based on gossip, hearsay, and conjecture. Chances are, they won't be able to. The Black community has done a great disservice in not reciprocating the love that Michael Jackson showed us when he was alive. The least we can do in honoring his death is ensure that his legacy is remembered properly for future generations.
Was Michael Jackson a weirdo? Of course he was a weirdo.
But maybe if you had been in the public eye since you were 7, had grown ass women throwing themselves at you since you were 13, suffered physical abuse at the hands of your father, watched your father and older brothers engage in sex with groupies on tour as a child, were called "Big Nose" and "ugly" by both family members AND fans, developed a skin disease that took away the one thing you repeatedly expressed your pride for, and spent the last half of your life as the most famous person on Earth, you'd probably be a bit of a weirdo too.
I am not attempting to paint Michael Jackson as a saint, as no man ever lives up to such a lofty title. But to me, the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” seems to sum up Michael Jackson’s life more than ever.
Why would people try to tear down a man who constantly used his power, money, and influence to help others?
Why would people express such disgust and contempt for a man who constantly sang of love and peace, and used his talent to entertain, uplift, and inspire millions?
Tell em that its human nature, I suppose...
Rest in Peace, Brother Michael. I love and miss you dearly.
Phonte
Friday, May 22, 2009
RoddyRod featuring Carlitta Durand & Phonte- "This Time Around"
Here is a new jamming ditty---producer RoddyRod featuring Carlitta Durand and Phonte. This beat is delightful-- love the way it moves. And of course, I really dig any time Tay & Carlitta collab. Carlitta is probably one of my favorite voices in music right now. I've had the pleasure of "interviewing" her once upon a time back in the day. We did it via AIM and she told me some interesting stuff over the course of our convo. I'll have to dig it up and post it someday. In the meantime...she told me:
1- Her daddy played basketball w/ Prince in high school. Yes, the Dave Chappelle skits are based on reality. Hilarity.
2- The old industry "beauty" standards are still prevalent. Which is, well...retarded.
3- She hates school. I think she graduated this year though, so congrats. Hopefully this means we'll be getting a lot more music.
Tay relationship quotable: "Just cuz you exercise don't mean that we gonna work out..."
Word.
RoddyRod feat Carlitta Durand and Phonte - "This Time Around" from Humble Monarch on Vimeo.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Sugar Hill's Last Jam
Sugar Hill had it's Last Jam (in it's current location anyway) last night. Some of the people who really define Atlanta's music scene hit the stage-- from Phillipia, Anthony David and Malachi to members of Jaspects and Avery Sunshine. And of course, the ever-fly, Joi.
JoiI didn't get there until late-- I think around 12 or so. But the energy there was electric. Really fun times. I'll miss Sugar Hill at Underground. But I sure as hell won't miss that $2 entry fee to enter the complex or trekking for 5 miles because there's no legit parking. I think that's part of the reason why they're moving. Anyhow, much future success to J. Carter, Freddy Luster and Richard Dunn-- three of the coolest dudes in the business, seriously.
Anyhoo. I'll be posting more pictures very soon. In the meantime....
Phillipia
Phillipia and Joi
Scar and J. Carter
Keisha Jackson
Malachi
Anthony David
Freddy Luster*****MORE PICTURES*******
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Drake's Show at the Loft in Atlanta
Ok, so this is a little late, but... yeah. Much love to the Shameless Plug team (Bem, Jabari, Fadia).
The day after the much-hyped Drake show, I got a lot of phone calls from folks wondering what I thought about it. While dude has a lot of excitement surround him, many of my "industry" friends are still skeptical about him. They wonder if:
1-he has staying power
2- the hype is deserved
3-the excitement surrounding dude will actually transfer into album sales.
My answer to all three questions? Yes.
Now, I admittedly only got hip to Drake a few months ago and have listened only to the So Far Gone mixtape-- even though I know he has a bit of a back catalogue that spans about three years. Is he the best lyricist this side of Phonte or Bun or Blu (who he kinda reminds me of)? Nah. Is he nevertheless a very good rapper? Yes. But mostly he has the ability to make good songs-- and for me, that makes him a winner.
But on to the show... I'm going to tell you a few things that I learned and some of the folks in attendance should've learned:
1- You can't get on stage and get mad at the crowd for not knowing who the hell you are.
This is a lesson that I'm sure Danny Swain learned well. I interviewed dude for Creative Loafing recently-- actually in conjunction w/ this performance and he seems like a nice enough, well put together guy. His music is good (he produces and is an emcee). But yikes. His performance at this huge show was-- well, sadly wack. For one thing, the band wasn't really in sync with him, which made the music sound like it wasn't cohesive. But that's not the thing that really hurt him. I've seen many, many shows where the music sounds much, much, much worse. The problem was his attitude. He kept stopping mid-song to rant about how folks didn't know who he was, so they were somehow uncool. I'm pretty sure most of the audience had never heard of him before. So, it was silly to expect them to sing-a-long, or really even bob their heads in enthusiasm. Instead of taking it in stride, Danny seemed a little peeved. "They don't know I'm the truth!" he said increduosly to his hype-man, O (who incidentally produced "Smoke 1" for Anthony David I learned via Twitter).
At one point, dude even mentioned how much (or how little) he was being paid, and insulted Drake, the headliner, saying that he had charted higher on the Billboard charts than the former Degrassi star. Bad move, dude. The crowd boo'd and promptly started chanting "We want Drake!" In all of my many, many years of attending shows in Atlanta, I have never, EVER heard anyone get boo'd. Ever. Call it a perfect storm. You can't insult a crowd of early 20-somethings and 19 year-olds who have waited outside in line for over 3 hours to see a sold-out show that is not headlined by you. And you especially can't insult them by questioning their hipness. Hell, they are the very definition of hip, in theory.
It's sad. As I said before, Danny's music is actually good. Hopefully next time out he can show that to everyone else.
Danny Swain and O.2- If you have a great show, it doesn't matter if no one has ever heard of you. I guarantee most of the people in the audience were not familiar with Jaspects. But because their show is so precise, they won them over any way-- and they came on after Danny.
Jaspects
Drake and his BFF, Trey Songz. 4- Universal Motown is becoming the new Interscope. Remember when Interscope was snatching up all of the Cyber-spawned rappers? (the Knux, Wale, Charles Hamilton)... Now it must be Universal Motown's turn with the signings of Asher Roth and now Drake.
The point is, yes, I think his hype will translate into legimate sales, worldwide fans and Dasani commericals. While right now, he's being compared to the Asher Roth's, Cool Kids, Wale's, Charles Hamiltons and Kid Cudi's of the world, for me, Drake's genuine charisma and connection to people is undeniable (unlike Asher or Charles Hamilton who have both made questionable comments while making "okay" music). And no matter how much you hate the hype-machine that already surrounds him, I haven't heard anyone say that his music is not good. I've heard folk say that it wasn't anything to go ape shit over, or that they need to hear more, but I've yet to hear anyone just plain out say that his music is wack (unlike Mickey Factz).
While Wale should enjoy long-term success, unless he goes all world-music with it like say, K'nan or Will.I.Am (which is something he maybe should consider) I don't expect him to be a mega-star (this is not to suggest that Wale even cares about such things).
Drake makes good music, but mostly-- he's an entertainer.
That alone will allow him to win.
Drake serenades the ladies w/ his slightly nasally vocals. Oh well, they loved it... one lip-gloss, bright-pink wearing, mega-hoop sporting girl behind me screeched out, "F-ck me, Drake!" with all of her might. Enough said.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Run DMC Honored at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Interesting video on Run DMC's induction:
Here's another cool piece about how Jay-Z and Eminem essentially dissed the rap acts that have been inducted. Bottom line: Hip Hop can be too cool for it's own good.
Sample: "Run-D.M.C. became the second hip-hop act ever inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. World-renowned Detroit MC, Eminem, took the stage to induct them (despite the protests of many fans who felt there were a host of other notables more suited for the occasion). The erstwhile Slim Shady gave a fitting tribute to the Kings from Queens, decked out in vintage Run-D.M.C. black fedora and lace-less adidas. But Eminem didn’t take the time to speak to the media about the legendary trio — not beforehand, during the show’s red carpet, or afterwards in the pressroom...."
Here's another cool piece about how Jay-Z and Eminem essentially dissed the rap acts that have been inducted. Bottom line: Hip Hop can be too cool for it's own good.
Sample: "Run-D.M.C. became the second hip-hop act ever inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. World-renowned Detroit MC, Eminem, took the stage to induct them (despite the protests of many fans who felt there were a host of other notables more suited for the occasion). The erstwhile Slim Shady gave a fitting tribute to the Kings from Queens, decked out in vintage Run-D.M.C. black fedora and lace-less adidas. But Eminem didn’t take the time to speak to the media about the legendary trio — not beforehand, during the show’s red carpet, or afterwards in the pressroom...."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
