Gnotes - "Still Glowing" (Produced by Cyrus Cassidy)
Gnotes - "Throw Your Nickels Up" (Remix ft. Mighty Om)
May 10, 2008
Concert Videos from Granada, Spain
Gnotes - "Still Glowing" (Produced by Cyrus Cassidy)
April 28, 2008
Elemental Zazen - Electronic Press Kit
The Glass Should Be Full
Release Date: May 20th, 2008
Buy the CD: CDBaby or Amazon
Download Press Kit (.pdf) / (.jpg)
Photo Gallery / Lyrics
Reviews / MySpace
Contact: Canyon Cody
canyon@gnawledge.com
"Fast, furious, raw, and reflective... Verbally nimble and righteously indignant, Zazen rhymes with a purpose"
-- The Boston Globe (January 18, 2008)
-- The Boston Globe (January 18, 2008)
In 2005, when Elemental Zazen started working on his sophomore release The Glass Should Be Full, he envisioned the album as a political manifesto for radical social change - revolutionary hip-hop in the tradition of Public Enemy. Over the next two years, a series of tragedies in his personal life interrupted his plans and forced Elemental Zazen to shift his focus to survival.
"Fuck it. If I die tonight, I hope my last rhyme was tight"
In 2006, Elemental Zazen lost a close family member in a tragic accident, and then lost most of his worldly possessions when his house burned to the ground in a five-alarm fire. The following year, Elemental Zazen (real name Jason Trefts, age 25) was diagnosed with a life-threatening tumor in his occipital lobe, which required immediate brain surgery. His new album narrates the fear, hope and anger of a disillusioned revolutionary struggling against both political injustice and personal tribulations.
Recently profiled in The Boston Globe's "5 Locals on the Verge in 2008," Elemental Zazen raps with an aggressive flow, attacking the mic with honest grit and athletic lyricism. With an urgent need to tell his story, Zazen limits his guest appearances to an elite group of veteran and emerging underground hip-hop producers: Kno (Cunninlynguists), Maker (Glue), Joe Beats (Non-Prophets), Gnotes, Scroll, J.Ferra and Confidence.
Musically diverse, the album ranges from riotous fist-pumping anthems ("Handcuffs" and "No Survivors"), to subtle, reflective rhythms layered with lush instrumentation ("Silence of the Now" and "Machine" feature live trumpet, guitar, bass and violin).
With intricate rhyme-schemes penned by an angry scholar, The Glass Should Be Full is explosive hip-hop with a revolutionary purpose: "I'm a socialist vocalist focused on roping the hopeless in."
The son of international school teachers, Elemental Zazen was born in the US and raised in Al Taif (Saudi Arabia) and Beijing (China). Despite growing up in vastly different countries, Zazen saw a similar pattern of exploitation and injustice everywhere he called home.
Unwilling to accept a system that produces inhumane poverty and opulent wealth side-by-side, Elemental Zazen focused his fury into his 2004 debut The Adolescence Weapon - which The Weekly Dig praised as "one of Boston's most enlightened hip-hop discs in recent memory."
On The Glass Should Be Full, Elemental Zazen continues the fight against global inequity, but this time his rhymes are laced with an urgent appreciation of life: "All of the events that have happened to me in some ways have opened my eyes to the brilliance of life, so without them the album wouldn't have more upbeat songs like 'Machine'."
***Elemental Zazen - "Machine"
Prod. by Elemental Zazen
Featuring Gnotes on guitar/bass
(free mp3 downlaod )
***Elemental Zazen - "Handcuffs"
Prod. by J.Ferra and Confidence
Featuring cuts by DJ Slipwax
After The Weekly Dig featured Elemental Zazen in "10 to watch in 2007," Jason Trefts went into the hospital for brain surgery on July 24 2007. During his recovery period, Zazen started writing about his too-soon confrontation with death: "It's strange needing a will at this age / feeling caged, betrayed, jotting it down on the page." Later that year, Elemental Zazen appeared on Gnotes' album Rhymes and Beats and soon got back to touring New England with his five-piece band.
Since 2005, Elemental Zazen has shared the live stage with Immortal Technique, Kool Keith,
Mr. Lif, Cunninlynguists, Ill Bill, Murs, Cage, Boot Camp Clik, Masta Ace, Camu Tao, Akrobatik, Glue, Louis Logic, Slaine, Ed OG and Animal Collective.
The release show for The Glass Should Be Full will be on May 24 2008, at the famed Middle East (Downstairs) in Cambridge, Mass. Elemental Zazen will be touring Spain, England and France in July and August, then starting a PhD program in Sociology at the University of Washington this fall. For the past six years Zazen's has worked as as a Residential Counselor at a home for mentally ill young adults in Arlington, Mass.
"Dao. Wind. Water. Trees mostly. Hand out the car window. Running away from things and towards other things. Life on other planets. Time travel. Insecurity. Girls. Being poor. No more alcohol and drugs. Finally getting some sleep."
What about favorite bands?
"Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, The National, Joy Division, TV On The Radio, Sufjan Stevens, Caribou, Sigur Ros, The Black Keys, Interpol, Death From Above 1979, Broken Social Scene, The Cure..."
Favorite books?
The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac
Post Office by Charles Bukowski
Man's Fate by André Malraux
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
March 27, 2008
Gnotes @ WERS 88.9 FM
Gnotes, Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, Jake the Snake, and Big Shug were selected to represent Boston hip-hip as part of WERS 88.9 FM's Live Local Music Week. Listen to Gnotes perform "Tower of Babylon" and "Sun Don't Chill" live on-the-air, with appearances from Afro DZ ak and Kabir.
Gnotes - "Live @ WERS" (mp3 download)
In The Studio : Gnotes
By Jessica O’Byrne
Sean Dwyer, a.k.a gNotes, has come a long way since his adolescence spent playing sports and grunge music. Since then the Seattle native has taken on the East coast in a big way, being recruited to play Division I football at Boston College and—even more impressively—establishing himself one of the most promising up-and-coming emcees in Boston. Dwyer, whose demeanor is simultaneously confident and unassuming, arrived at WERS accompanied by fellow Gnawledge Records musicians Afro DZ ack and Kabir, respectively contributing trumpet and vocals to the mix. In between performances, Dwyer discussed his hands-on approach to music (he contributes instrumentals to nearly every track on his recently-released Rhyme and Beats), an upcoming trip to Granada, Spain (where he will spend the next few months creating a global hip-hop record along with Gnawledge Records co-owner Canyon Cody—to the tune of a $20,000 Fulbright musicology scholarship), and records that Gnawledge intends to put out in the near future.
When asked about the occupational hazards inherent in switching coasts, Dwyer responded, “In a lot of ways Boston is where I’ve really cut my teeth, because it’s been the more developmental years…but Seattle’s just a much more accepting environment to art and music in general. I feel like more heads come out to support shows—not that they don’t in Boston—but I feel like it’s just a more open environment.” Nonetheless, for better or for worse, Boston has become Dwyers’ home as he develops his unique sound while simultaneously working alongside Canyon Cody at establishing Gnawledge.
From the first measure of “Tower of Babylon”, which opened the live mix set and can be found on Rhymes and Beats, two things were immediately clear: first, that these tracks are light years away from the ‘bitches-n-hos’ anthems that clog so much of contemporary radio rap; second, that the three men in the studio are talented musicians with a very serious—but not somber—message. Instead of the negativity that has so unfortunately characterized much rap music, gNotes’ songs are of the more hopeful variety. This message is translated into the obvious passion with which Dwyer performs his music.
This passion was even more evident in the raw, heartfelt manner in which he sang the opening of his second track, “Sun Don’t Chill.” Although the music is positive, it is far from heavy-handed—“Sun Don’t Chill” is kept interesting by the unexpected shifts in the beat and clever jabs at popular culture: at one point in the song, Dwyer sings “Dollas dollas kill, y’all,” obviously referencing—and perhaps criticizing—a similar line that appears in a Wu-Tang Clan song.
Dwyer will be out of the country recording and touring Europe for the next few months, which is all the more reason to check out Rhymes and Beats, along with other upcoming Gnawledge releases (for those who are interested, all of said releases—and some sweet preview tracks—can be found at gnawledge.com ).
February 11, 2008
Powderhouse Birthday Jam
Here´s a peak into the Gnawledge kitchen: a mini-jam at Afro DZ ak's recent 27th birthday party in Somerville, MA. Backed by Gnotes on the MPC and Frank on the guitar, Afro DZ freestyles with his trumpet inside a cypher of multi-instrumentalist MC´s.
Enjoy the hors d'œuvres, a little something we whipped up to whet your appetite for Afro DZ ak´s upcoming solo debut Elevation. Now get out the kitchen, because we got a trumpet feast to cook.
Peace to Afro´s brother Mooks behind the camara, Benny Blanco, Jimi P, and the other partygoers who stopped by Powderhouse Studios to hear some Gnawledge music.
January 29, 2008
January 27, 2008
Elemental Zazen concert videos
With a punk´s energy and a poet´s focus, Elemental Zazen rocked a packed house last night at the Middle East downstairs.
Recorded from the vantage point of a side stage monitor, the videos feature Zazen´s rambunciotnus live band, with Gnotes on the guitar closest to the camara and Todd Thurheimer playing bass on the other side of Zazen. Onstage, but outside the frame, are KEH Drums bangin out beats and DJ Slipwax on the wheels of steel.
With rowdy crowd in the house, Zazen offered a live preview of his upcoming album The Glass Should Be Full, to be released by Gnawledge Records in May 2008.
The show also boasted live painting by Writous, a Boston graf artist who was recently featured in The Herald in an article written by Chris Faraone.
The post-game recap from concert promoter Leedz: ¨I usually dont post bulletins AFTER a show but this time i feel its necessary. Last Nights show, Meleodesiac CD release party, was insane. We didnt have one national act and did close to 400 people in the venue. Big up to all the acts, 3sp, Left Over Wine, Slipwax, Zazen and his band, Melodesiac, Ricky Mortis, Writous, and Elephant House. Each act played their role perfectly and last night was a perfect example of what can happen when every act hussles. But more importantly each set was tight and the fans were great. I was completely in shock on how well it went. For a night with all local acts, we proved again that we have our own scene here in Mass and dont always need big national acts to pack up a venue. I cant wait to work with all of these artists again and next time i guarrantee it will be even bigger.¨
For more melancholy mayhem, catch Elemental Zazen performing live at the Paradise Lounge on February 19, 2008 at Gnotes´ final show in Boston before heading to Spain to collaborate on El Canyonazo´s arab/flamenco hip-hop record.
Recorded from the vantage point of a side stage monitor, the videos feature Zazen´s rambunciotnus live band, with Gnotes on the guitar closest to the camara and Todd Thurheimer playing bass on the other side of Zazen. Onstage, but outside the frame, are KEH Drums bangin out beats and DJ Slipwax on the wheels of steel.
With rowdy crowd in the house, Zazen offered a live preview of his upcoming album The Glass Should Be Full, to be released by Gnawledge Records in May 2008.
The show also boasted live painting by Writous, a Boston graf artist who was recently featured in The Herald in an article written by Chris Faraone.
The post-game recap from concert promoter Leedz: ¨I usually dont post bulletins AFTER a show but this time i feel its necessary. Last Nights show, Meleodesiac CD release party, was insane. We didnt have one national act and did close to 400 people in the venue. Big up to all the acts, 3sp, Left Over Wine, Slipwax, Zazen and his band, Melodesiac, Ricky Mortis, Writous, and Elephant House. Each act played their role perfectly and last night was a perfect example of what can happen when every act hussles. But more importantly each set was tight and the fans were great. I was completely in shock on how well it went. For a night with all local acts, we proved again that we have our own scene here in Mass and dont always need big national acts to pack up a venue. I cant wait to work with all of these artists again and next time i guarrantee it will be even bigger.¨
For more melancholy mayhem, catch Elemental Zazen performing live at the Paradise Lounge on February 19, 2008 at Gnotes´ final show in Boston before heading to Spain to collaborate on El Canyonazo´s arab/flamenco hip-hop record.
November 20, 2007
Luz Aire y La Calle
As part of the XXVIII Festival de Jazz, there's been live music in the streets of Granada every Saturday. The festival's organizers gave Gnawledge permission to record this week's performance, but while we set up in Plaza Nueva, the capricious ensemble rerouted themselves to Plaza Bib-Rambla instead.
Disappointed about a missed opportunity, me and my pair of Rode NT2-A mics caught the attention of a trio of musicians (below) who asked us if we'd be interested in recording their performance.
But Granada overprovides. Not 5 minutes later we met another group of musicians who were also performing in the street that afternoon. Stuck between a sofa and soft place, we decided to leave the didgeridoo and violin behind and record instead with Luzaire, who played a fusion of flamenco, arab, brasilian and afrocuban music.
The mp3s below were recorded live on the street on November 17, 2007.
Luzaire - "Guajirilla Ruborosa" (mp3)
Luzaire - "Mano Franca" (mp3)
The video has no sound, so play it with the audio clip below.
Luzaire - "Breve y Sincero" (mp3)
Luzaire - "Muy Triste El Mar" (mp3)
Luzaire - "Conventos Vacios" (mp3)
Again, the video has no sound, but check my brief appearance at the very end.
Luzaire - "La Palmera Airosa" (mp3)
Luzaire - "Mírame Madre" (mp3)
que bien rollo!: A sunny Saturday afternoon in the public domain, listening to borderfree music by the Rio Darro.
rightclik + download all 11 mp3s (zip = 53mb)
Also, check out Una Vuelta en Granada for more pictures.
October 8, 2007
Gnotes - "Throw Your Nickels Up" from Rhymes and Beats.
Buy the album at Amazon, CDBaby or iTunes
Check Gnotes on MySpace for additional info.
March 15, 2007
Video of gNotes and Afro DZ ak freestyling at Tufts University, moving from the mic to the trumpet, from live drums and to organic rhymes
Check out more at Gnawledge.com
Check out more at Gnawledge.com
January 28, 2007
January 5, 2007
Edutainment from Afro DZ ak, dropping gnawledge on the mic and through his trumpet.
"Action is what gives words traction
And true service to others is its own satisfaction" Afro DZ ak
"The youth need a little inspiration
Beyond the mass media infiltration" Afro DZ ak
Much repect to Speakerheart for producing these films.
Check Speakerheart.com for more.
"Action is what gives words traction
And true service to others is its own satisfaction" Afro DZ ak
"The youth need a little inspiration
Beyond the mass media infiltration" Afro DZ ak
Much repect to Speakerheart for producing these films.
Check Speakerheart.com for more.
January 1, 2007
Blog entries previous to this date were posted retroactively to the original publication date of the articles.
May 4, 2006
Ryan Wade: plays well with others
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
When Gnotes, aka Sean Dwyer finished the music for his new album Inthrumental, he asked Ryan Wade, BC '05, to design a cover that matched the album's unique sound of joyous instrumental hip-hop. "Before I even saw [Wade's] design, I knew I would love it. I sent him the album and just a few days later he sent it back with the music converted to paint," explained Gnotes.
Any artist with a major in studio arts can paint a pretty picture, but Wade has the unique ability to interpolate music and visually adapt the sound for the cover art. Since graduating he has designed the artwork for two albums and a DVD cover, and hopes to continue working with musicians and filmmakers in the future.
Like most young boys, Wade enjoyed drawing dinosaurs, trucks, and comic book superheroes, but didn't seriously consider art as a career until college. "Instead of watching TV in my dorm room, I'd just go mess around in the art studio," he said. He cites Art Nouveau, Rick Griffin, and Paul "Diddy" Hughes as his biggest art influences and currently works primarily in watercolor and graffiti stenciling.
Earlier this year, director Francisco Saco asked Wade to design the cover for his new skate film, Distant. Wade's colorful cover reflects the fluid, dynamic cinematography of the film, which features stunning shots of amateur skaters in different countries around the world.
"There's no better way to get to know a city or town, and all its local flavors, than on a skateboard. Just rolling down the streets and looking all around you. Seeing what there is all around you. It's the best way to travel, best way to meet people," said Saco.
The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission, featuring Blockhead, Talking Head, Warren Zevon, and more. The music and cinematography are first-rate, but I don't know a thing about skateboarding, so I sent the film to my little brother, who is a connoisseur of fine skate cinema.
Here is my brother's review of the film:
"My name is Sunny White, age 10 in fifth grade and I am reviewing the skate video, A Journey through the Lens. Some of the things that I thought were cool were that the producer went around skating with friends and videotaping local skaters from Boston, Costa Rica, Spain, Japan, France, and Holland.
"Another thing I liked was how creative they got with the cover of the DVD. I thought the skating in the video was really good. I thought it was cool how they showed how all the skaters fell. I liked how they had skaters from different levels, some good and some not so good. I liked how they used the negative image in some of the video.
"I think this is one of my favorite skate videos that I have seen."
Like my brother, Saco has been skateboarding since he was a kid and one day decided to bring his video camera along to film his friends' tricks. "At first, I wasn't doing anything coherent, just filming," he admits. Then he brought his camera and his skateboard to Europe and filmed sessions in Madrid, Cannes, and Amersterdam. "That's where I got the idea to make an 'around the world' skate video," explains Saco.
Saco is currently finishing his second film, Tortilla Flats, based on a Mexican immigrant who faces racial tension and classism while working at a burrito restaurant.
Last year, a group of BC students recorded an album of spoken-word poetry and asked Wade to design the artwork. Myran Hunter, Martine Russell, Noah Dixon, and Sean Dwyer called themselves the Dorm Room Griots because the album was recorded entirely on campus. Keeping with the spirit of independent, locally produced music, the album's art was designed by Wade and fellow senior studio art major Ian Greenwalt. Hunter, now a high school English teacher in Washington DC, reflected on his experience with the album and the importance of Wade's art:
"Working on the Flow From Above was a huge accomplishment for many individuals. It was truly amazing to see a group of college students come together in the most humble and meager of means inside a small, cluttered bedroom of a dorm and construct a piece of work that resonated so many ideas, styles, thoughts, and passions. Seeing the artwork done for the album really solidified the whole experience. No longer was it something that was talked about, it evolved from an abstract concept into a concrete piece of artwork filled with an abundance of expression and life. It was an excellent project that allowed the artists involved, including myself, to truly set themselves free."
Wade recently started a silk-screening company in order to sell his art on T-shirts and hoodies. Anyone interested in custom orders can reach Wade at BornToBeRad@gmail.com or see of his artwork at Gnawledge.com
March 30, 2006
Broadcasting directly to you iPods
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
When I was a freshman, I used to wander around campus on Friday afternoons handing out my underground hip-hop mix-tapes to friends and random passersby. When I was a sophomore, I started DJing at WZBC 90.3 FM so that I could reach more listeners, but you still had to live in Boston and be awake at 1 a.m. in order to hear my show.
Senior year, I made the jump to global distribution by starting my own podcast. There's a good reason why "podcast" beat out "reggaeton" and "sudoku" to be selected as 2005's Word of the Year. Everyone from Barack Obama to the Boston University hockey team has a podcast - why shouldn't you have one too?
What is a podcast?
Podcasts are like mp3 radio programs that broadcast directly to your iTunes, which you can then transfer to your iPod or burn to a CD. Once you subscribe to a podcast, new episodes will automatically arrive in your iTunes like stocking stuffers delivered while you sleep. Since podcasts are MP3 files that save directly to your computer, you can listen to them anytime, like TiVo for the radio.
Some of the most popular podcasts include the BBC's daily five-minute news synopsis and MTV's weekly new music mix. There are also plenty of amateur podcasters who produce shows from their bedrooms about the stock market, international hip-hop, Buddhism, and every other imaginable topic.
The best part is that all podcasts are free, free, free. You don't need to sign up for an account or enter your credit card information in order to subscribe, just one click of the mouse.
How do I subscribe to a podcast?
iTunes makes downloading podcasts as easy as buying songs from the iTunes Music Store, but a lot cheaper. Browse through thousands of free podcasts organized by genre in the iTunes podcast directory and then click "Subscribe" to immediately get the newest episode and eventually receive subsequent releases.
If you don't have iTunes you will need another RSS feed aggregator (or "podcatcher") such as Odeo or Juice, both free. Google Reader is another great free tool for subscribing to podcasts and other RSS feeds such as blogs.
You can find more podcasts at http://www.podcastdirectory.com. If you find a podcast that is not available in the iTunes podcast directory, you can still manually subscribe in iTunes by clicking "Advanced" in the iTunes menu and selecting "Subscribe to podcast." You then paste the podcast's unique RSS feed, such as http://www.gnawledge.com/podcast.xml, which will direct iTunes to your desired podcast.
Most podcasts are hosted on Web sites that offer a direct link that will open iTunes and automatically subscribe you. For example, you can subscribe to my international hip-hop podcast at http://www.gnawledge.com. On some computer configurations, you might have to subscribe manually as shown above.
How do I start my own podcast?
Anyone with a microphone and an Internet connection can start their very own podcast and spread their voice around the world. First you will need some music software such as GarageBand or Adobe Audition, which will allow you to record and edit your mp3 radio program.
In order to turn this mp3 into a podcast, you will need to create your unique RSS feed. This can be a bit complicated, but there are numerous programs available at www.podcastingnews.com that automate this process and require you only to fill in the blanks. If you don't have a Web site, you will need someone to host your podcasts for you. Odeo offers a simple, all-in-one podcasting package that includes Web hosting and RSS feed support.
What's the future of podcasting?
Most podcasters today are unpaid amateurs who do it for nothing more than the simple joy of connecting with listeners of similar interests, but with 10 million people currently listening to podcasts, big businesses are starting to take notice. Advertisers are projected to spend $80 million on podcast advertisements in 2006 and record companies are looking toward podcasting as an effective means of new media marketing. Radio Disney even plans to offer free, ad-supported podcasts that target 6- to 14-year-old children.
As video iPods become more popular, video podcasts are going to become a means for distributing music videos, Internet TV shows, and shorts films. And when that iPod cell phone eventually comes out �
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
When I was a freshman, I used to wander around campus on Friday afternoons handing out my underground hip-hop mix-tapes to friends and random passersby. When I was a sophomore, I started DJing at WZBC 90.3 FM so that I could reach more listeners, but you still had to live in Boston and be awake at 1 a.m. in order to hear my show.
Senior year, I made the jump to global distribution by starting my own podcast. There's a good reason why "podcast" beat out "reggaeton" and "sudoku" to be selected as 2005's Word of the Year. Everyone from Barack Obama to the Boston University hockey team has a podcast - why shouldn't you have one too?
What is a podcast?
Podcasts are like mp3 radio programs that broadcast directly to your iTunes, which you can then transfer to your iPod or burn to a CD. Once you subscribe to a podcast, new episodes will automatically arrive in your iTunes like stocking stuffers delivered while you sleep. Since podcasts are MP3 files that save directly to your computer, you can listen to them anytime, like TiVo for the radio.
Some of the most popular podcasts include the BBC's daily five-minute news synopsis and MTV's weekly new music mix. There are also plenty of amateur podcasters who produce shows from their bedrooms about the stock market, international hip-hop, Buddhism, and every other imaginable topic.
The best part is that all podcasts are free, free, free. You don't need to sign up for an account or enter your credit card information in order to subscribe, just one click of the mouse.
How do I subscribe to a podcast?
iTunes makes downloading podcasts as easy as buying songs from the iTunes Music Store, but a lot cheaper. Browse through thousands of free podcasts organized by genre in the iTunes podcast directory and then click "Subscribe" to immediately get the newest episode and eventually receive subsequent releases.
If you don't have iTunes you will need another RSS feed aggregator (or "podcatcher") such as Odeo or Juice, both free. Google Reader is another great free tool for subscribing to podcasts and other RSS feeds such as blogs.
You can find more podcasts at http://www.podcastdirectory.com. If you find a podcast that is not available in the iTunes podcast directory, you can still manually subscribe in iTunes by clicking "Advanced" in the iTunes menu and selecting "Subscribe to podcast." You then paste the podcast's unique RSS feed, such as http://www.gnawledge.com/podcast.xml, which will direct iTunes to your desired podcast.
Most podcasts are hosted on Web sites that offer a direct link that will open iTunes and automatically subscribe you. For example, you can subscribe to my international hip-hop podcast at http://www.gnawledge.com. On some computer configurations, you might have to subscribe manually as shown above.
How do I start my own podcast?
Anyone with a microphone and an Internet connection can start their very own podcast and spread their voice around the world. First you will need some music software such as GarageBand or Adobe Audition, which will allow you to record and edit your mp3 radio program.
In order to turn this mp3 into a podcast, you will need to create your unique RSS feed. This can be a bit complicated, but there are numerous programs available at www.podcastingnews.com that automate this process and require you only to fill in the blanks. If you don't have a Web site, you will need someone to host your podcasts for you. Odeo offers a simple, all-in-one podcasting package that includes Web hosting and RSS feed support.
What's the future of podcasting?
Most podcasters today are unpaid amateurs who do it for nothing more than the simple joy of connecting with listeners of similar interests, but with 10 million people currently listening to podcasts, big businesses are starting to take notice. Advertisers are projected to spend $80 million on podcast advertisements in 2006 and record companies are looking toward podcasting as an effective means of new media marketing. Radio Disney even plans to offer free, ad-supported podcasts that target 6- to 14-year-old children.
As video iPods become more popular, video podcasts are going to become a means for distributing music videos, Internet TV shows, and shorts films. And when that iPod cell phone eventually comes out �
November 17, 2005
Hell hath no fury like a rapper scorned
By Canyon Cody
Originally published in The Heights
After Immortal Technique released Revolutionary Warfare, Vol.1 in August 2001, the United States government responded by passing The Patriot Act just two months later. If you thought The Patriot Act and the war in Iraq was about fighting terrorism, then let Immortal Technique drop some gnawledge for you:
"A fake church called the prophet Muhammad a terrorist / Forgetting God is not a religion, but a spiritual bond / And Jesus is the most quoted prophet in the Qu'ran / They bombed innocent people, tryin' to murder Saddam / When you gave him those chemical weapons to go to war with Iran," he raps on "The 4th Branch."
Tech isn't your typical "socially-conscious" rapper with polite rhymes about peace and love. His style is belligerent, his verses are vulgar, and his gnawledge is raw, the sort of stuff you need to chew on a minute. For fans of intelligent, revolutionary, hardcore hip-hop, there hasn't been a better rapper since 2Pac went to Cuba.
Immortal Technique will be performing at the Middle East on Sunday and granted a rare interview with The Heights to talk about his history, his upcoming album, and his controversial political views.
They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but Tech raps with the fury of five centuries of women, men, and children scorned by colonialism and capitalism.
Born in a military hospital in Peru, raised in Harlem, and imprisoned in Pennsylvania before emerging as the most feared battle rapper in New York, Immortal Technique has some serious grievances with the American government.
Kanye recently caused a media frenzy by saying, "Bush doesn't care about black people." Tech's been screaming that for years, with a much more articulate voice and a lot more supporting evidence.
Though he's often compared to rappers like Chuck D, dead prez, and KRS-One, Tech said his real influences are W.E.B. Du Bois, Jose Carlos Mariategui, Malcolm X, Che Guevara, Augusto Sandino, Harriet Tubman, and Marcus Garvey.
Like Ras Kass before him, Immortal Technique doesn't just rap about living in the hood - he understands the larger historic and economic forces that perpetuate poverty and racism. As a result, Tech doesn't peddle petty beefs with other rappers. Eminem raps about having "so much anger aimed in no particular direction," while Immortal Technique points the crosshairs of his scope directly at the heart of the beast: the U.S. government and the corporations that he says control it.
"You might have some house n- fooled, but I understand / Colonialism is sponsored by corporations / That's why Halliburton gets paid to rebuild nations," he raps on "Cause of Death."
But Tech's anger wasn't always focused in the right direction. "In high school I was always doing stupid shit snatchin' nigga's chains, gettin' into fights. I look back and I wonder how I could even live like that, but I brought that attitude with me from the streets to Penn State," he said.
While still in college, he was involved in an altercation sparked by a racist comment that led to a broken jaw for a white student and a year in prison for Immortal Technique.
"When I came home from prison, I was living with my parents. I was on parole and I couldn't get a job. It's a very humbling experience getting out of jail," he said.
Tech started going to battles to earn some money, but ended up also earning a reputation for being a ruthless MC. "I wanted to make sure that people knew that I wasn't just one of these little backpacking fucks who rhymed in a circle," he said in a previous interview. "I never got destroyed or roasted by anyone, period. Anyone who says different is getting their father slapped up and their mother thrown down a flight of fucking stairs just for lying."
"Finally I decided to take all the songs I wrote in prison, with that young angry pissed off voice and release an album. Because even if I sold five a day, that's $50, I could buy groceries with that, you know, I could eat," he said.
The result was Revolutionary Warfare, Vol. 1, which eventually earned him a place in The Source's "Unsigned Hype" column in November 2003. He started getting offers from major labels, but decided to remain independent after reading up on the exploitation of artists in the music business. As a result, he released Vol. 2 independently, which means he owns all of his own masters and pocketed all the profits from the 75,000 copies sold.
Tech's career has been the ideal model for the do-it-yourself underground hip-hop MC. Tech decided against signing to a label because they wanted him to change his style, to downplay his politics, and ignore his black and hispanic heritage.
"That's the difference between the Civil Rights movement and the Black Panther / Hip-hop Generation. In the beginning we wanted to be down with America, not as second class citizens, but really to become full American citizens. We wanted to be down with America so bad that we were willing to fight and die in America's wars. And when we got back, we still weren't allowed to be full American citizens.
"America told us that we were basically here to work and die, kinda like how America treats Mexicans today. We tried that. So now then the hip-hop generation is sayin, 'Fuck waiting for America to accept us. We'll build our own America inside of you.'"
Two years ago, he bragged that, "My grind right now is unsurpassed. I have no booking agent. I have no manager, so it all relies on me. My manager is my voicemail, cell phone, and my e-mail."
He's now vice president of his own label, Viper Records, with plans to release his next album The Middle Passage, in mid-2006. By now I figured he would have hired a publicist who would reply to my interview request, but to my surprise an unknown number from a 212-area code popped up on my cell phone:
"What up nigga? This is Immortal Technique!"
By Canyon Cody
Originally published in The Heights
After Immortal Technique released Revolutionary Warfare, Vol.1 in August 2001, the United States government responded by passing The Patriot Act just two months later. If you thought The Patriot Act and the war in Iraq was about fighting terrorism, then let Immortal Technique drop some gnawledge for you:
"A fake church called the prophet Muhammad a terrorist / Forgetting God is not a religion, but a spiritual bond / And Jesus is the most quoted prophet in the Qu'ran / They bombed innocent people, tryin' to murder Saddam / When you gave him those chemical weapons to go to war with Iran," he raps on "The 4th Branch."
Tech isn't your typical "socially-conscious" rapper with polite rhymes about peace and love. His style is belligerent, his verses are vulgar, and his gnawledge is raw, the sort of stuff you need to chew on a minute. For fans of intelligent, revolutionary, hardcore hip-hop, there hasn't been a better rapper since 2Pac went to Cuba.
Immortal Technique will be performing at the Middle East on Sunday and granted a rare interview with The Heights to talk about his history, his upcoming album, and his controversial political views.
They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but Tech raps with the fury of five centuries of women, men, and children scorned by colonialism and capitalism.
Born in a military hospital in Peru, raised in Harlem, and imprisoned in Pennsylvania before emerging as the most feared battle rapper in New York, Immortal Technique has some serious grievances with the American government.
Kanye recently caused a media frenzy by saying, "Bush doesn't care about black people." Tech's been screaming that for years, with a much more articulate voice and a lot more supporting evidence.
Though he's often compared to rappers like Chuck D, dead prez, and KRS-One, Tech said his real influences are W.E.B. Du Bois, Jose Carlos Mariategui, Malcolm X, Che Guevara, Augusto Sandino, Harriet Tubman, and Marcus Garvey.
Like Ras Kass before him, Immortal Technique doesn't just rap about living in the hood - he understands the larger historic and economic forces that perpetuate poverty and racism. As a result, Tech doesn't peddle petty beefs with other rappers. Eminem raps about having "so much anger aimed in no particular direction," while Immortal Technique points the crosshairs of his scope directly at the heart of the beast: the U.S. government and the corporations that he says control it.
"You might have some house n- fooled, but I understand / Colonialism is sponsored by corporations / That's why Halliburton gets paid to rebuild nations," he raps on "Cause of Death."
But Tech's anger wasn't always focused in the right direction. "In high school I was always doing stupid shit snatchin' nigga's chains, gettin' into fights. I look back and I wonder how I could even live like that, but I brought that attitude with me from the streets to Penn State," he said.
While still in college, he was involved in an altercation sparked by a racist comment that led to a broken jaw for a white student and a year in prison for Immortal Technique.
"When I came home from prison, I was living with my parents. I was on parole and I couldn't get a job. It's a very humbling experience getting out of jail," he said.
Tech started going to battles to earn some money, but ended up also earning a reputation for being a ruthless MC. "I wanted to make sure that people knew that I wasn't just one of these little backpacking fucks who rhymed in a circle," he said in a previous interview. "I never got destroyed or roasted by anyone, period. Anyone who says different is getting their father slapped up and their mother thrown down a flight of fucking stairs just for lying."
"Finally I decided to take all the songs I wrote in prison, with that young angry pissed off voice and release an album. Because even if I sold five a day, that's $50, I could buy groceries with that, you know, I could eat," he said.
The result was Revolutionary Warfare, Vol. 1, which eventually earned him a place in The Source's "Unsigned Hype" column in November 2003. He started getting offers from major labels, but decided to remain independent after reading up on the exploitation of artists in the music business. As a result, he released Vol. 2 independently, which means he owns all of his own masters and pocketed all the profits from the 75,000 copies sold.
Tech's career has been the ideal model for the do-it-yourself underground hip-hop MC. Tech decided against signing to a label because they wanted him to change his style, to downplay his politics, and ignore his black and hispanic heritage.
"That's the difference between the Civil Rights movement and the Black Panther / Hip-hop Generation. In the beginning we wanted to be down with America, not as second class citizens, but really to become full American citizens. We wanted to be down with America so bad that we were willing to fight and die in America's wars. And when we got back, we still weren't allowed to be full American citizens.
"America told us that we were basically here to work and die, kinda like how America treats Mexicans today. We tried that. So now then the hip-hop generation is sayin, 'Fuck waiting for America to accept us. We'll build our own America inside of you.'"
Two years ago, he bragged that, "My grind right now is unsurpassed. I have no booking agent. I have no manager, so it all relies on me. My manager is my voicemail, cell phone, and my e-mail."
He's now vice president of his own label, Viper Records, with plans to release his next album The Middle Passage, in mid-2006. By now I figured he would have hired a publicist who would reply to my interview request, but to my surprise an unknown number from a 212-area code popped up on my cell phone:
"What up nigga? This is Immortal Technique!"
November 10, 2005
Interview with Gift of Gab
By Canyon Cody
Originally published in The Heights
Never take advice from a rapper. If you don't see me back on campus next semester, blame Gift of Gab from Blackalicious.
While interviewing him over the phone, Gab's advice to me was, "Take the cash from your student loans and start a record company. That's what we did." I explained to him that Boston College doesn't have much of a hip-hop scene and he laughed.
"Neither did UC Davis," he said, "but that's where we all met. Me, DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born, Lateef, Xcel - we all met at the college radio station."
With misappropriated tuition money, the crew started SoleSides Records in 1992, later to become Quannum Projects. The independent label released Blackalicious' first two EPs, Melodica and A2G, and its full-length debut Nia. The duo finally signed to a major label in 2000 and unleashed Blazing Arrow, one of the most sublime hip-hop albums ever released.
A-Side
Blackalicious - "Powers"
The new Blackalicious album, The Craft, sounds surprisingly little like its predecessor. Instead of chopping up samples, Blackalicious producer Chief Xcel put together an all-star band featuring Spearhead bassist Carl Young and Beastie Boys percussionist Alfredo Ortiz to create the lush instrumental sound heard on tracks like the lead single "Powers," "Supreme People," and "Lotus Flower," featuring George Clinton.
"What I love about this album is that you can't tell what's a sample and what's a live performance," said Gab. "Xcel originally made the beats on the MPC, but then stripped them down.
"Then we went into the studio with the band and they just jammed on top of his beats for like eight hours a day, three days in a row. It was like a Miles Davis session. Then we took the best parts of the jam session and Xcel's original beats and put them together."
B-Side
Blackalicious - "Rhythm Sticks"
While Xcel drives the beat, Gab rides the groove with his signature lyrical gymnastics. Keep your finger near the rewind button because Gab's got the sort of ridiculous flow that demands a double take. Gab is probably too hooked on phonetics, rehashing his infamous exercise in extended alliteration reminiscent of "Alphabet Aerobics."
Blackalicious - "The Fall & Rise Elliot Brown"
"I've been rapping since I was 12, just battling kids in the neighborhood, so for this album I wanted to do something more. I wanted to tell stories that created visuals for the listener," he said. The album is a cinematic experience that reinforces Gab's reputation as a socially conscious emcee who manages to avoid the temptation of hippie-dippy proselytizing.
"I don't consider myself a political person. I just use common sense. I'm an observer. If I see something happening over and over again in my community, then I make the connection and I comment on it."
By Canyon Cody
Originally published in The Heights
Never take advice from a rapper. If you don't see me back on campus next semester, blame Gift of Gab from Blackalicious.
While interviewing him over the phone, Gab's advice to me was, "Take the cash from your student loans and start a record company. That's what we did." I explained to him that Boston College doesn't have much of a hip-hop scene and he laughed.
"Neither did UC Davis," he said, "but that's where we all met. Me, DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born, Lateef, Xcel - we all met at the college radio station."
With misappropriated tuition money, the crew started SoleSides Records in 1992, later to become Quannum Projects. The independent label released Blackalicious' first two EPs, Melodica and A2G, and its full-length debut Nia. The duo finally signed to a major label in 2000 and unleashed Blazing Arrow, one of the most sublime hip-hop albums ever released.
A-Side
Blackalicious - "Powers"
The new Blackalicious album, The Craft, sounds surprisingly little like its predecessor. Instead of chopping up samples, Blackalicious producer Chief Xcel put together an all-star band featuring Spearhead bassist Carl Young and Beastie Boys percussionist Alfredo Ortiz to create the lush instrumental sound heard on tracks like the lead single "Powers," "Supreme People," and "Lotus Flower," featuring George Clinton.
"What I love about this album is that you can't tell what's a sample and what's a live performance," said Gab. "Xcel originally made the beats on the MPC, but then stripped them down.
"Then we went into the studio with the band and they just jammed on top of his beats for like eight hours a day, three days in a row. It was like a Miles Davis session. Then we took the best parts of the jam session and Xcel's original beats and put them together."
B-Side
Blackalicious - "Rhythm Sticks"
While Xcel drives the beat, Gab rides the groove with his signature lyrical gymnastics. Keep your finger near the rewind button because Gab's got the sort of ridiculous flow that demands a double take. Gab is probably too hooked on phonetics, rehashing his infamous exercise in extended alliteration reminiscent of "Alphabet Aerobics."
Blackalicious - "The Fall & Rise Elliot Brown"
"I've been rapping since I was 12, just battling kids in the neighborhood, so for this album I wanted to do something more. I wanted to tell stories that created visuals for the listener," he said. The album is a cinematic experience that reinforces Gab's reputation as a socially conscious emcee who manages to avoid the temptation of hippie-dippy proselytizing.
"I don't consider myself a political person. I just use common sense. I'm an observer. If I see something happening over and over again in my community, then I make the connection and I comment on it."
May 2, 2005
A good time had around the Galaxy
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
What is the meaning of life? The nebulous answer is 42, according to A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but like an interstellar game of Jeopardy, the tricky part is finding the right question.
The film adaptation of Douglas Adams's classic sci-fi novel begins with a bang, but loses momentum as its superb cast aimlessly bounces around the galaxy.
The initial bang is the Earth's destruction, vaporized by the alien Vogons in order to build an intergalactic freeway. Fortunately for Arthur Dent, played by Martin Freeman from the BBC's The Office, he is saved by Ford Prefect, an alien disguised as a human in order to do research on Earth for additional entries in the interplanetary best seller A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Mos Def proves himself a phenomenal actor starring as Prefect, with subtle wit, quirky facial expressions, and impeccable timing. The first 20 minutes of the film, in which Dent and Prefect escape impending doom by hitching a ride with one of the spaceships that just destroyed Earth, are exciting, engaging, and hilarious. From here the film falls a bit flat, wandering around the galaxy in pursuit of plot lines.
The story is saved by an eclectic cast of quirky characters from around the universe. John Malkovich makes a quick appearance as preacher Humma Kavula. Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind) gives a hilarious performance as galaxy president Zaphod Beeblebrox, with two heads and half a brain.
Beeblebrox's smug smirk, country drawl, and dim wits might remind viewers of a certain real-life president, but Beeblebrox doesn't wield any real power. He's just a political diversion for the expansionist, bureaucratic Vogons, who actually run the universe.
The film's humorous banter is enough to keep the movie fun as the hitchhikers jump from ship to ship in pursuit of a supercomputer (voiced by Helen Mirren) built by the ancient Magratheans that has spent the last 7.5 million years coming up with the answer that explains "life, the universe, and everything." To everyone's frustration, it finally offers "42" as the answer, leaving the hitchhikers back on the road again in pursuit of the question.
It's hard to say who will enjoy Hitchhiker more, the die-hard fan or the first-time hitchhiker. Those who read Adams's 1979 novel and its four sequels, listened to the late '70s radio series, watched the 1981 BBC miniseries, played the 1984 videogame, or read the early-'90s DC comics, will inevitably appreciate subtle references but complain about various inaccuracies.
The film is probably easier to enjoy for those outside the cult, because the film's real charm isn't the quasi-philosophy of the books, but the eccentric acting and wonderful visual effects.
Director Garth Jennings and screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick, who revised the script that Adams nearly completed before his death in 2001, deserve praise for resisting the temptation to turn the film into an orgy of special effects.
Instead, Jennings hired Jim Henson to do the pupeteering for the Vogons, and Marvin the Paranoid Android actually has Warwick Davis inside the robot costume. The simple visual effects complement the quirky humor of the cast.
The most important thing for any hitchhiker to remember, according to the cover of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, is "Don't Panic!"
There are parts of the film that will tempt viewers to wish they had left the book as it was, but don't panic, because the superb acting and visual fun make for a great ride.
April 28, 2005
Mixtape Friday: Dorm Room Griots' Flow From Above
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
For my little brother's 10th birthday, I sent him The Giver by Lois Lowry. The story follows Jonas through his apprenticeship under the Giver, an old man who serves as his community's Receiver of Memories.
Like the Giver, West African griots have served for centuries as keepers of memories. Griots are oral storytellers who use poetry and music to teach their village about its history. In America, griots became rappers, but somewhere between Senegal and the South Bronx, these rappers forgot the history they were entrusted to protect.
Today, the village of hip-hop suffers from a serious ignorance of its own past, which extends past New York in the 1970s. Modern-day spoken word poets like Saul Williams are hip-hop's true storytellers, but griots are not supposed to be celebrities; they're supposed to be functioning members of every village.
A-Side
Myran Hunter "We Have Forgotten"
At Boston College, a group of poets called the Dorm Room Griots have recorded Flow From Above, an album of spoken word poetry. They will be performing with musicians and DJs at the record release party on Friday at 9 p.m. at The Perch in McElroy.
On "We Have Forgotten," Myran Hunter, BC '07, speaks about the African musical and social history that hip-hop has sold out. "You can purchase an alternate ego, a lavish lifestyle, worldwide recognition, or even a whole new identity. All of this can be yours for three easy payments of your past, your present, and your future," Hunter says.
Noah "The Conflict"
"We are the BC '06, on this track from his upcoming rap album. Noah brings variety to the poetry album, rapping about the inherent conflicts involved in struggling to succeed in a country that was built on slavery.
B-Side
Martine Russell "Moonbeams"
Griots are both men and women, but hip-hop refuses to pass the mic to females. On "Moonbeams," Martine Russell, BC '06, sings her ode to the urban village, the "birth-mother to b-boys and b-girls." Her poem celebrates the persistence of a battered, but not beaten, metropolis, "survivor of Nixon and drug wars / all the while she continues to smile."
Sean Dwyer "Woodrow Wilson"
Time for some American history. "It's no wonder to which demographic democracy reaches / it's been since Woodrow Wilson when a president wrote his own speeches," raps Sean Dwyer BC '04.
More than guns or drugs, hip-hop promotes consumerism. Rappers are like commercials, encouraging listeners to buy, buy, buy. On his track, Dwyer explores how blind consumerism leads to global injustice: "I need to purchase more dead weight, my clothes have more pockets / Am I purchasing death? Wait, how'd they pay for those rockets?"
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
For my little brother's 10th birthday, I sent him The Giver by Lois Lowry. The story follows Jonas through his apprenticeship under the Giver, an old man who serves as his community's Receiver of Memories.
Like the Giver, West African griots have served for centuries as keepers of memories. Griots are oral storytellers who use poetry and music to teach their village about its history. In America, griots became rappers, but somewhere between Senegal and the South Bronx, these rappers forgot the history they were entrusted to protect.
Today, the village of hip-hop suffers from a serious ignorance of its own past, which extends past New York in the 1970s. Modern-day spoken word poets like Saul Williams are hip-hop's true storytellers, but griots are not supposed to be celebrities; they're supposed to be functioning members of every village.
A-Side
Myran Hunter "We Have Forgotten"
At Boston College, a group of poets called the Dorm Room Griots have recorded Flow From Above, an album of spoken word poetry. They will be performing with musicians and DJs at the record release party on Friday at 9 p.m. at The Perch in McElroy.
On "We Have Forgotten," Myran Hunter, BC '07, speaks about the African musical and social history that hip-hop has sold out. "You can purchase an alternate ego, a lavish lifestyle, worldwide recognition, or even a whole new identity. All of this can be yours for three easy payments of your past, your present, and your future," Hunter says.
Noah "The Conflict"
"We are the BC '06, on this track from his upcoming rap album. Noah brings variety to the poetry album, rapping about the inherent conflicts involved in struggling to succeed in a country that was built on slavery.
B-Side
Martine Russell "Moonbeams"
Griots are both men and women, but hip-hop refuses to pass the mic to females. On "Moonbeams," Martine Russell, BC '06, sings her ode to the urban village, the "birth-mother to b-boys and b-girls." Her poem celebrates the persistence of a battered, but not beaten, metropolis, "survivor of Nixon and drug wars / all the while she continues to smile."
Sean Dwyer "Woodrow Wilson"
Time for some American history. "It's no wonder to which demographic democracy reaches / it's been since Woodrow Wilson when a president wrote his own speeches," raps Sean Dwyer BC '04.
More than guns or drugs, hip-hop promotes consumerism. Rappers are like commercials, encouraging listeners to buy, buy, buy. On his track, Dwyer explores how blind consumerism leads to global injustice: "I need to purchase more dead weight, my clothes have more pockets / Am I purchasing death? Wait, how'd they pay for those rockets?"
April 21, 2005
k-os interview
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
With a traditional drummer, a hand percussionist, and a DJ tapping beats on his MPC, rhythm filled the Paradise on Tuesday, with Canadian rapper k-os leading the crowd through a powerful, but disappointingly brief set while opening for Handsome Boy Modeling School (HBMS).
It was no easy task recreating the diverse instrumentation on k-os' two phenomenal albums, 2002's Exit and 2004's Joyful Rebellion. Instead of bringing a brass section on the tour bus, k-os delegated the responsibility to his guitarist, who proved his Spanish flamenco skills with blurred hands.
K-os' music has a natural energy to it that makes it sound more alive than the majority of over-produced commercial rap. During our interview, k-os talked about his musical roots in Trinidad, where he lived before moving to Canada when he was 12.
"Watching my uncle in Trindad making steel drums at home from scraps of metal that he found, that really gave me a grass roots understanding about music and how you should make it," he said.
K-os enjoys considerably better success in Canada, where any of his five music videos are regularly played on Canadian television. His first single, "Crabbuckit," won him Single of the Year at the Canadian Juno awards.
When he performed his hit single, the electric standup bass player strummed the song's infectious baseline, which it borrows from The Cure's "Love Cats." Instead of referencing The Cure, the more obvious earlier owner, k-os led the crowd into its original owner, "Hit The Road Jack."
For k-os, touring in America is always a strange experience, one that he admits he doesn't especially enjoy. He has toured Europe with The Roots, but looks forward more than anything to performing back home in Trinidad. K-os said he's not surprised that he doesn't get as much exposure in America.
"America blasts its music all over the world, and it makes it seem like the only way to be black is to be American black.
"Especially with hip-hop, Americans totally ignore black people in Canada, or in the Caribbean, or in Africa. That's why I was so into Bob Marley, because he was this black guy who was totally not American and America couldn't ignore him," he said.
HBMS headlined the concert, but disappointed with an inevitably unsatisfying perormance. The recent HBMS album, White People, is a beautiful collaboration between two producers, Dan the Automator from Gorillaz and Prince Paul from De La Soul, featuring guest appearances from Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Barrington Levy, Cat Power, and Jack Johnson.
Of course, none of these people were on tour with HBMS, just waiting backstage all night to perform their one contribution. Instead, HBMS decided to simply play their beats with cartoons of the guests projected on a screen behind them.
HBMS tried to compensate for the absent performers by incorporating skit comedy in its show. After k-os, the crowd seemed amused, but mostly disappointed.
Photo by Anna Schindelar
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
With a traditional drummer, a hand percussionist, and a DJ tapping beats on his MPC, rhythm filled the Paradise on Tuesday, with Canadian rapper k-os leading the crowd through a powerful, but disappointingly brief set while opening for Handsome Boy Modeling School (HBMS).
It was no easy task recreating the diverse instrumentation on k-os' two phenomenal albums, 2002's Exit and 2004's Joyful Rebellion. Instead of bringing a brass section on the tour bus, k-os delegated the responsibility to his guitarist, who proved his Spanish flamenco skills with blurred hands.
K-os' music has a natural energy to it that makes it sound more alive than the majority of over-produced commercial rap. During our interview, k-os talked about his musical roots in Trinidad, where he lived before moving to Canada when he was 12.
"Watching my uncle in Trindad making steel drums at home from scraps of metal that he found, that really gave me a grass roots understanding about music and how you should make it," he said.
K-os enjoys considerably better success in Canada, where any of his five music videos are regularly played on Canadian television. His first single, "Crabbuckit," won him Single of the Year at the Canadian Juno awards.
When he performed his hit single, the electric standup bass player strummed the song's infectious baseline, which it borrows from The Cure's "Love Cats." Instead of referencing The Cure, the more obvious earlier owner, k-os led the crowd into its original owner, "Hit The Road Jack."
For k-os, touring in America is always a strange experience, one that he admits he doesn't especially enjoy. He has toured Europe with The Roots, but looks forward more than anything to performing back home in Trinidad. K-os said he's not surprised that he doesn't get as much exposure in America.
"America blasts its music all over the world, and it makes it seem like the only way to be black is to be American black.
"Especially with hip-hop, Americans totally ignore black people in Canada, or in the Caribbean, or in Africa. That's why I was so into Bob Marley, because he was this black guy who was totally not American and America couldn't ignore him," he said.
HBMS headlined the concert, but disappointed with an inevitably unsatisfying perormance. The recent HBMS album, White People, is a beautiful collaboration between two producers, Dan the Automator from Gorillaz and Prince Paul from De La Soul, featuring guest appearances from Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Barrington Levy, Cat Power, and Jack Johnson.
Of course, none of these people were on tour with HBMS, just waiting backstage all night to perform their one contribution. Instead, HBMS decided to simply play their beats with cartoons of the guests projected on a screen behind them.
HBMS tried to compensate for the absent performers by incorporating skit comedy in its show. After k-os, the crowd seemed amused, but mostly disappointed.
Photo by Anna Schindelar
Mixtape Friday: Is there hip-hop in heaven?
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
"Pope," an old Prince song, features The Artist singing, "You can be the president, I'd rather be the pope."
He was prioritizing his post-game perks, because St. Peter definitely made sure Pope John Paul II skipped to the head of the line to the pearly gates. Because of the foreign policies of our recent presidents, Clinton, Reagan, and Bush will "have some 'splaining to do," as Ricky Ricardo used to say, on their judgment day. Hip-hop will probably not pay much attention to John Paul II's death. Hip-hop's interest in religion, embodied by Kanye West, is more concerned with diamond-encrusted Jesus pendants.
On his first posthumous album, released two months after his death in 1997, 2Pac sings, "Should we cry when the pope die? My request/ we should cry if they cried when we buried Malcolm X."
A-Side
Richie Rich - "Do Gs Get To Go To Heaven?"
Though hip-hop tends to focus on Earthly pleasures and rewards, every once in a while rappers consider the thereafter.
Dedicated to 2Pac, this track features Richie Rich praying that his friend made it to heaven, which then leads him to consider his own sins. He asks God, "And if I took a life or perhaps sold some dope/ would you discriminate upon my entry to the gate?" It's not quite repentance, but it is confession.
Ice Cube - "When I Get To Heaven"
On a smooth beat with a chorus of Marvin Gaye singing, "This ain't living" from "Inner City Blues," Ice Cube attacks racist Christians who held the Bible with one hand and whipped slaves with the other. He raps, "400 years of gettin' our ass kicked/ by so-called Christians and Catholics, but I'ma watch 'em burn in the fire." Ice Cube looks forward to an eternal life in heaven better than mortal life on Earth: "They won't call me a nigga, when I get to heaven."
B-Side
2Pac - "I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto"
More than any other rapper, 2Pac reflected and obsessed over his own inevitable death, which naturally led him to consider if there was a place in heaven for him.
"Let the lord judge the criminals," he raps, expecting God to understand that his sins were the products of the sinful, racist world he grew up in. 2Pac wondered if his prayers were heard, worrying that he's probably already dead in hell, wasting his prayers with the other condemned.
Common "Geto-Heaven, Pt. 2" [ft. D'Angelo]
Common reflects on earthly temptation and eternal redemption: "Young girls is thick, righteousness is narrow." This track isn't really about the afterlife, but about finding heaven wherever you are right now. D'Angelo provides cherub-sweet vocals for Common's search for heaven on Earth. He raps, "Can't imagine goin' through it, without soul music"
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights
"Pope," an old Prince song, features The Artist singing, "You can be the president, I'd rather be the pope."
He was prioritizing his post-game perks, because St. Peter definitely made sure Pope John Paul II skipped to the head of the line to the pearly gates. Because of the foreign policies of our recent presidents, Clinton, Reagan, and Bush will "have some 'splaining to do," as Ricky Ricardo used to say, on their judgment day. Hip-hop will probably not pay much attention to John Paul II's death. Hip-hop's interest in religion, embodied by Kanye West, is more concerned with diamond-encrusted Jesus pendants.
On his first posthumous album, released two months after his death in 1997, 2Pac sings, "Should we cry when the pope die? My request/ we should cry if they cried when we buried Malcolm X."
A-Side
Richie Rich - "Do Gs Get To Go To Heaven?"
Though hip-hop tends to focus on Earthly pleasures and rewards, every once in a while rappers consider the thereafter.
Dedicated to 2Pac, this track features Richie Rich praying that his friend made it to heaven, which then leads him to consider his own sins. He asks God, "And if I took a life or perhaps sold some dope/ would you discriminate upon my entry to the gate?" It's not quite repentance, but it is confession.
Ice Cube - "When I Get To Heaven"
On a smooth beat with a chorus of Marvin Gaye singing, "This ain't living" from "Inner City Blues," Ice Cube attacks racist Christians who held the Bible with one hand and whipped slaves with the other. He raps, "400 years of gettin' our ass kicked/ by so-called Christians and Catholics, but I'ma watch 'em burn in the fire." Ice Cube looks forward to an eternal life in heaven better than mortal life on Earth: "They won't call me a nigga, when I get to heaven."
B-Side
2Pac - "I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto"
More than any other rapper, 2Pac reflected and obsessed over his own inevitable death, which naturally led him to consider if there was a place in heaven for him.
"Let the lord judge the criminals," he raps, expecting God to understand that his sins were the products of the sinful, racist world he grew up in. 2Pac wondered if his prayers were heard, worrying that he's probably already dead in hell, wasting his prayers with the other condemned.
Common "Geto-Heaven, Pt. 2" [ft. D'Angelo]
Common reflects on earthly temptation and eternal redemption: "Young girls is thick, righteousness is narrow." This track isn't really about the afterlife, but about finding heaven wherever you are right now. D'Angelo provides cherub-sweet vocals for Common's search for heaven on Earth. He raps, "Can't imagine goin' through it, without soul music"
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