Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Monday, 28 March 2011
JEM LIVE REVIEW: RAEKWON at HMV FORUM
As any Raekwon follower on Twitter will know, the past week his tweets have been dominated by one thing, the release of his new album ‘SHAOLIN vs. WU TANG’. The reviews have ranged from the less than receptive NME rating, which when I first arrived at a virtually empty Forum for his show on 18 March, I wondered if the word had got round, to the more hip hop and Wu Tang informed offerings, which by the time Rae arrived on stage to a semi full house some two hours later, clearly represented the true fans view.
The show much like the album, fused the old Wu Tang inspired flavours with tracks featuring Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, GZA, Method Man, Raheem DeVaughn and Black Thought from The Roots to the new which include singles such as 'Chop Chop Ninja’ featuring the likes of Estelle.
Raekwon and DJ Symphony kicked off the show by taking the audience back to ’93 with Wu Tang Classic C.R.E.A.M, further wetted the crowds appetite with joints from his much celebrated 1995 solo project ‘Only built 4 Cuban Linx’ and ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Linx part II’ (2009). The night would not have been complete without tributes to both his fellow Wu member ODB and of course Nate Dogg who the hip hop fraternity were mourning after the shocking news of his death earlier that week.
Raekwon was certainly happy to be back in
Photography (images 2 and 3): Joseph Wright - For One- Life Media.
Friday, 25 March 2011
Monday, 14 March 2011
GETTING STRAIGHT DOWN TO BUSINESS
I have been to live venues such as the Forum on many an occasion, but rarely have I been amongst the only people in the building or privy to seeing the technicians whizzing around preparing for the nights main event.
I had not simply come to sneak a peak at the sound check, there was indeed the small matter of an interview with one Erick Sermon and one Parrish Smith aka EPMD. As I climbed the endless staircase to what would have been the equivalent of the Forum’s penthouse, I entered the dressing room. It is not unusual for me to be the only lady amongst a room full of men. I preceded towards the leather sofa where a figure I recognised from iconic album covers and magazine interviews sat, as I shook Parrish Smith’s hand the figure sat on my right turned his head, whilst still negotiating a bottle of cold and flu syrup, flicking up the most amazing, piercing hazel eyes and said “hey mummy”, it was of course Erik Sermon.
There was so much I wanted to ask, and too much I wanted to know. With just fifteen minutes it seemed hardly enough to even get started, let alone cover a career spanning over two decades, starting out with them hitting the scene in ’88 and catching the attention of the likes of Run of Run DMC who invited the then youngsters on tour, to becoming legends and architects of the hip hop landscape in their own right. The only way to proceed was to get straight down to business by asking how they feel they game has changed.
Parrish: This generation need to be more educated on what the pervious generations did before them. Like we knew who RUN DMC was and what they did, we knew what KRS One did, Rakim and so forth. I was talking to someone earlier and the bottom line is that they don’t know, so they are already showing up with the whole kit, chain, crew, the money and no skills - rap skills.
JEM: You mentioned fellow legends of the scene such as KRS One, who I also caught up with when he was last in the UK
Parrish: First of all it looks like it went in a big circle, because before you had all the independents, you had Cool Chillin’ Record, Sleeping Bag Records, B-Boy Records and so on. Then it got super big with million dollar videos, now it is coming back to the independents where the music is speaking for itself, not all the big effects. Basically through the years me and E were working with people and it ended up OK, then we just did it ourselves, which was a lot easier because there was no middle man.
Erick: I don’t know so many crews, but as far as somebody new, everybody that is trying to make a statement underground is solo and I feel that at this particular time hip hop is at a good place touring wise and hopefully music wise we will have a balance soon.
We used to count on Europe for being underground, then Europe got young and now Europe is on the commercial mainstream too now. Before you couldn’t go to Europe without having Hip Hop music, now its switched too, so if we lose this then we are really kind of in trouble because Europe gets quote on quote not just us, but people that never got a chance to work, people who only have one single or one album out, Europe would give them a chance to work, because they enjoy the music. To an extent you have to be like really careful and hopefully, Europe looks at that and saves the sound and culture of the music because.
Luckily we come from live shows, and that’s what the new kids can’t touch us on is live performance because they all lip sync and they don’t have a DJ. I don’t know what you call what they have though, but it be more flash, I have to put on the jewellery too – there’s nothing wrong with that, but they need that as the whole ambience to make their thing look right on stage and we don’t need all that. KRS don’t need it, Rakim, don’t need it, [big daddy] Kane don’t need it, P doesn’t need it, those people from the era don’t need none of that, they just need the music and that’s it.
JEM: So is that the secret then, it that why you guys remain where you are in the business after all this time?
Erick: Entertainment, the Show, and those young folks they can’t touch it. I think that it was Busta Rhymes who said one time at the Hip Hop awards too, that he would run circles around anyone out there on that awards show, meaning that, which is true, what it really boils down to is, I don’t want to watch a video, I don’t want to hear that record in a club, and you rhyming over that record, at the end of the day, I am paying money, coming to see a show.
Parrish: They be saying I thought that it was going to sound like the album, mean while they are screaming over their main vocals, and when you are singing a song, over a vocal, you can’t put no emotion in it, or no rhythm because you are then competing with yourself.
JEM: Taking it way back in the day, tell me about your earliest memory of hip hop. What made you think, this is me, this is what I am going to do and this is what I am about?
Parrish: My first memory of hip hop I would say was King Tim III, probably around Planet Rock and Rappers Delight. Then it was just a movement around the popping and the breaking, and the DJs and we come from a neighbourhood with a whole bunch of DJs, and when you go to the parties, you were either watching or you was getting busy.
Erick: Probably in my neighbourhood, and probably watching like Soul train, and the ‘Pop Along’ kid popping. But the neighbourhood where I came from had hip hop in it, so from my neighbourhood, Brentwood Long Island, that is where I probably first saw it popping off at.
JEM: So tell me what you guys have got coming up for 2011? Is there any new material due for release?
Parrish: We have got a new single called “Don’t get clapped”, which is dope, and right now we are on a thirteen show run, we have been to like thirteen countries.
Erick: Yeah it is a lot of work.
Parrish: And we set it up, that is what is so funny. We did this, we put ourselves right here so then it started getting a little crazy, we thought we better chill [laughs], so then we chilled, [laughs].
JEM: So quickly before I get chucked out of here, what in your opinion is the future for hip hop?
Parrish: Hip hop is always going to keep on recreating itself and the artists, and the groups that put in that extra go hard effort, are always going to come out on top.
HOW TO HANDLE BUSINESS
EPMD Live Review (HMV Forum, Kentish Town, 19 February)
“…we come from live shows, and what the new kids can’t touch us on is live performance” – Erick Sermon, EPMD (2011).
For a group that not only saw the golden era, but indeed were amongst its architects, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith aka EPMD, alongside DJ Scratch, proved to a sold out crowd at the Forum just why they continue to remain at the very top of the hip hop game.
They promised that there would be “no rapper tacky, just real hip hop” and they certainly delivered. Journeying from ’88 with scratch dropping EPMD classics such as ‘You Gots to Chill’ and ‘You're a Customer’ from their seminal debut album ‘Strictly Business’ to ‘Gold digger’ (1990, Business as Usual) and ‘Crossover’ (1992, Business Never Personal) said to be the pairs response to Hammer and Vanilla Ice hitting the scene in ’91. Much like the groups career, there was even a brief detour via hits such as ‘Rugged N’ Raw’ (1996) and ‘React’ (2002) from Smith’s and Sermon’s respective solo projects, before coming back together to end the show with ‘The Head Banger’ (1992), with a mosh pit literally ensuing by the front of the stage.
“Hip hop is all about the DJ, if there is no DJ it's not real hip hop” and Scratch’s skills certainly proved to be a multi-sensory experience. In the words of the great DJ himself to the ladies in the audience, his command of the wheels of steel were likened to “… just having gone down on you” – now that’s mad skills.
Preceding the main event, other Djs on the night included Mo Fingaz and Bobafatt followed by Spin Doctor (The Doctors Orders) proving yet again that when Spin goes to work it is like a surgeon is on the operating table - with absolute mastery. The night was supported by the UK’s very own hip hop pioneers in the form of Rodney “riddim Killa” P and Daddy Skitz definitely got the crowd whipped up and rode the vibes emanating from the ground level to the balcony, with Big Ted holding the hosting fort in between.
EPMD have often been dubbed as your favourite rapper's favourite rap group…” with the spectators on the night including some of Brit hip hop’s own celebrated emcees, spotting the likes of TY and Blak Twang. This was the not to be missed show in the UK hip hop calendar, it was a night that was all about celebrating the true essence of hip hop in its rawest form - no bling or Pyrotechnics required.
As Erick Sermon so eloquently put it, “I don't f*** with the fast food rap, get the f*** out of here with that!” and EPMD without a doubt more than handled business.
Sunday, 13 March 2011
JEM'S ONE TO WATCH – ASA
Our team here at JEM are about celebrating our passion for all things music and our infinite backgrounds and influences. Having been born against the vibrant backdrop of Soweto, in South Africa, music and particularly African music and artists are always on my radar.
An artist that has certainly caught my attention is Nigerian singer-songwriter ASA, described by BBC music as possibly being “a twenty-first century Bob Marley”. Having seen Asa live during her recent visit to the UK, ahead of her headlining alongside Tiken Jah Fakoly at the Barbican in April, the petite powerhouse is definitely one to watch.
Born in Paris, but brought up in Lagos, Nigeria the starlet’s music incorporates an eclectic array of influences with tracks on her new album ‘Beautiful Imperfection’ released 4 April in UK on Dramatico Records, fusing the West with her African roots. That transition to a wider mainstream audience is eloquently wrapped up in her up-tempo first single of the album ‘Be My MMan’, released today, 14 March 2011.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
BBC Radio 1's Benji B live Sampha sesh spesh.
SBTRKT and Sampha talk with Benji and perform live in the studio. Also fresh new music from Zomby and Actress, Addison Groove and Ossie.
Catch it on the Iplayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v4tv3
or download here:
http://www.filesonic.com/file/188514771/Benji%20B%20live%20on%20BBC%20Radio%201%202011-03-10.mp3
The Notorious B.I.G. — Warning - Bad Boy The Notorious B.I.G. — Hypnotise (instrumental) - Bad Boy Raekwon & Nas — Rich & Black - IceH2o Records Lil Wayne — We Back Soon - Unreleased Zomby & Actress — Nothing - Unreleased Teeth — Shawty - Forthcoming 502 Recordings Mizz Beats & Jay retro — Level 0 - Unreleased Objekt — Tinderbox - Objekt MJ Cole — Manta - Forthcoming Prolific Kode 9 & Space Ape — Otherman - Forthcoming Hyperdub Radiohead — Feral - Radiohead Addison Groove — Sexual - Forthcoming Swamp 81 Ramadanman — Working With - Unreleased Ossie — Tarantula - Lightworks Omar-S — Here’s Your Trance, Now Dance - FXHE Records Virgo — Boing - Rush Hour SBTRKT & Sampha — Evening Glow - Young Turks SBTRKT & Jessie Ware — Nervous VIP - Numbers SBTRKT & SAMPHA LIVE IN SESSION SBTRKT & Sampha — Heatwave - Live SBTRKT & Sampha — Living Like I Do - Live SBTRKT — Loving you (Deviation Groove) - Unreleased SBTRKT — 20:20 - Ramp SBTRKT — Ready, Set, Loop - Young Turks Koreless — 4 D - Pictures Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx — I Take Care Of You - XL
JEM Live at the Fortune of War, Brighton
For further details peep@:
Friday, 4 March 2011
BBC Radio 1 Benji B's Photek Special:
BBC Radio 1 Benji B 03-03-2011with Photek
A two hour Photekarama this week on Benji's show.
Hour one is filled with tunes of Photek past, while hour two hurtles us into the world of Photek present and future.
Catch it on the Iplayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v4tv3
or download here:
BBC Radio 1 Benji B Exploring future 2011-03-03 with Photek [Filesonic]
Tracklisting:
Hour one is filled with tunes of Photek past, while hour two hurtles us into the world of Photek present and future.
Catch it on the Iplayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v4tv3
or download here:
BBC Radio 1 Benji B Exploring future 2011-03-03 with Photek [Filesonic]
Tracklisting:
Photek — Consciousness - Metalheadz Photek — First Sequence - Photek 1 Photek — The Book Of Changes - Photek 2 Photek — The Physical - Photek 3 Photek — The Water Margin - Photek 4 Photek — Seven Samurai - Photek 5 Photek — Rings Around Saturn - Photek 6 Photek — Kjz - Science 001 / Virgin Photek — Ni Ten Ichi Ryu - Science / Virgin Photek — The Rain - Metalheadz Photek — Mine to Give ft Robert Owens - Science / Virgin PHOTEK INTERVIEW Photek — 101 - White Photek — Into The 90s - Metalheadz Photek — This City - White Photek — 124 - Virgin Photek — 001 Resolution Photek — Yendi - Science / Virgin Photek — UFO (Adisson Groove Remix) - Unreleased Photek — Closer - Techtonic Dubplate Photek — Avalanche - White Photek — Modus Operandi - Science / Virgin Distance — Falling (Photek Remix) - Unreleased Photek — Complex - Photek 5 Photek — Can’t Come Down - Science / Virgin
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
JEM's Delectable Documentaries:
As Dilla Month draws to a close, spring’s soothing song can finally be heard resonating in the empty halls of winter as its doors slam shut.
Not wanting to leave February without further facilitating one's craving for yet more James Yancey, I’ve decided to stick up his and a few other worth-while documentaries.
Obviously kicking things off with J Dilla Still Shining, in full. Those that have previously ignored the genius of Jay Dee should take heed from me, an obsessive fan, and dedicate just 40 minutes of their busy lives to this documentary. The man produced The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, Slum Village
He’s been dead five years and yet tracks are still being uncovered. Practically on his death-bed his most well-known beat/mixtape was created; Donuts. This musical mastermind worked with a plethora of talents and artists, kicking down genre specific walls and completely re-invented and restructured sampled music. Anyone that respects good music shouldn’t just dip their feet in Dilla’s art, they need to float, swim and dive deep. For every musical artiste you may consider to have a commendable back catalogue, check this dude’s back-library out. You won’t be disappointed!
From one musical genius to another. Steveland Hardaway Judkins, or, Stevie Wonder as he’s known to everyone except his mum, needs little introduction or aggrandising. His talent and music sings for itself. For decades now, Stevie has continued to impress, reinvent and entertain. My favourite Stevie period was definitely the 70s.
Just look at this section of his discography:Music of my Mind – 1972
Talking Book -1972
Innervisions -1973
Fullfillingness’ First Finale – 1974
Songs in the Key of Life – 1976
Two great albums in the same year, the next two a year apart and then two years to make a double album. How many artists can you name these days that can accrue the same level of creative, artistic, ingenious output?
I think I’ve banged on enough now. Stevie really needs little introduction. Be schooled fools and watch Hotter Than July (or Innervisions as some claim it to be so named): An engaging documentary that follows Stevie on his build-up and preparation to his 1979-1980 tour of the USA set to celebrate Martin Luther King JNR’s birthday.
Lastly, in JEM’s delectable documentary delivery is a lesser known, less commercially pliable musical talent. Wild ‘n You is the story of Stones Throw Record’s Jack Brown, AKA, the Lootpack’s Wildchild.
If you claim to like Madlib but have never heard the Lootpack’s Soundpieces: Da Antidote, then you need to re-educate yourself and check this documentary. It includes insights from Declaime and Peanut Butter Wolf, Madlib in a creative frenzied flow and tons of live footage.
So, without further ado, may I present to you Wild ‘n You:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)