LISTEN: Yesterdays New Quintet - Julani

This has been my theme song for the past few days. It's something of a departure to hear a hip-hop producer try his hand at jazz, but this is the King of the Wigflip, the Bad kid, Mr. Beat Konducta himself, Madlib. Try this on for size, hot dog.

Listen.

LISTEN: Shaun Boothe feat. Kim Davis - Do It for You

Toronto-based artists Nineteen85 and Kim Davis deserve something for the beat alone. 
A bottle of beer on the patio at summertime maybe. Or possibly a good solid 3 minutes of your time to listen to one of the better examples of female singing with a hip-hop track. I gave 'em my ears, and it was while driving at night, listening to Flow 93.5 (our quote-unquote "urban" radio station in Toronto [it sucks]). I never listen to the radio, but, like, you know that feeling when a song comes on, and you simply have to find it?
Davis gets all 80's-diva (think-NY-jean-jacket-voice-type shit) with her voice, and I think is the real reason this song is tied together so finely. The flow of vocals between her and Toronto MC Shaun Boothe flipping about his ventures into a rap career; standard coming-of-age subject within raps outer edges, gets culled in a throwback beat boasting to hum-worthy melodies. The opening verse alone piques interest and is both a humbling self-reflexive and a playful poke at rap's rougher edges.
In short, this is one of those songs you come across, show to people, and is instantly recognized as the "other" side of hip-hop, where you forget all aspects of bullshit (or, even worse, auto-tune), in exchange for honesty of expression and stream-of-consciousness rapping. Boothe definitely deserves credit for that. The powerful vocals of Davis and the high-quality background of Ninteteen85, though, are reason enough for this one worth throwing on "shuffle", y'all. 
Listen.

On Blogging

The blog I kept prior to this one had me constantly talking out of my ass. It was, among other things, an exploration into self-reflection of the things that were going on in my life, which was, at the time, a semester spent back at high school. Knowing very few people in the grades below me, being the stigmatized child left behind in the education system like a lost boy roaming the mouldy halls of my stupid high school, and having loads of time on my hands had me exploring my own thoughts in a format that by definition, was meant for people to read.

Personal blogging, in the form of actually stringing enough sentences together to actually constitute a "post" about "something" is quite the process; unlike the recently-coined form of "microblogging", it requires a bit more focus than a text-message-sized thought, and a bit more direction than an arty picture reblogged from "that photographer from Singapore that shoots naked chicks in Supreme gear." I suppose that's what draws me to it the most, because it causes me to stop watching the clock, churn something out worth reading, and get people to start thinking about what I'm thinking. Most blogs don't make posts past 500 words, and I think the competition that Tumblr and Twitter presents in its satisfying, bite-sized discoveries of new content is the catalyst. Hell, I didn't start Tumblr for the simple reason that I saw the community as little more than a bunch of people posting random pictures, with little context, that somehow paint a portrait of the blogger, even though there really is something tangible behind that facet. I follow some genuinely interesting blogs, written by people I think would make great conversationists, or at the very least, wonderful people to cross paths with on the subway, but I'm not sure if I'm the kind of person that would be able to ferment in such a self-reflexive world of things that relate to my interests, and have them so plainly and routinely reiterated on my blog like a collage.

I'm a controller. I like manning the wheel and steering people in the direction I want to take them. That's why I write, that's why I blog, and that's why I try as much as possible to stick to 100% original content. I've noticed that, because of my busy work schedule, I've dropped off on posting so much on here, and I want to change that. So I hope you don't mind if the posts are a bit less killer, and a bit more about the day-to-day. We'll see how long it lasts; I was never one to follow a strict schedule. Here's hoping it'll at least be a minor distraction.

OFWGKTA @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, May 15th 2011

"Swag! Swag! Swag! Swag!"

The excitement that rumbled the walls of Phoenix Concert Theatre in anticipation of one of hip-hop's most hyped new acts was like a force of hunger. 

Given the size of the crowd, the sold out copies of everything (unless you count the remaining XXL-sized tees), the associative united chants, and the pre-show mosh-pitting, the setting seemed more fitting for a punk band with legions of hardcore fans than a rap group that released the first record you have to pay for last week.

Such is the mantra of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, the teenage hip-hop collective of post-gangsta rap skate punks, who really don’t give a fuck about anything; and if they do, they’re putting a fantastic act on, and leaving some big-name media outlets satisfied to be in their gunpowder dust. 

LISTEN: Soul Clap - Sex in the Kitchen

Sometimes on our travels through the vast, engulfing world of internet music, we come across little gems of songs from artists we've heard nothing about, and are instantly enthralled. I love when that happens; it's a very dumbed-down version of crate digging, thumbing through LPs without more than the graphic on the cover and hearsay from friends to go by the quality of the music within. Shamefully, this is an experience that is becoming more and more extinct, transferred away from some music asshole's record shop and over to torrent lists and iTunes. Thankfully, that magic that we feel when we discover a song that turns you on to the artist's entire musical discography still occurs, and boy is it great when it happens.

I loved house music a lot when I was a kid. Daft Punk's Discovery was one of the first albums I ever downloaded on Napster, at the ripe young age of 10 no less, and it was a major catalyst for a huge jump into techno music and EDM in general. While it didn't have the major musical staying power hip-hop did on my tastes, I can definitely appreciate a groovy song like this. 

Soul Clap is a fantastic DJ-duo from Boston that has a really awesome website consisting of some podcast mixes, mixtapes, and full releases available to stream. I spent an entire afternoon taking in some of the more interesting-sounding tracks on there, and if you like what you hear, it's definitely worth checking out. 

"Sex in the Kitchen" manages to be all at once something you would hear at the club at 2:00 a.m., and something you could flip on at 2:00 p.m. while driving through a rainy afternoon before work. It's a tightrope few of the noisier dance conductors ever manage to balance on, and it's pretty much nonexistent on the dance-mix radio stations, but does it ever work here. The smooth R&B vocals fit perfectly in the second movement of the song without sounding intrusive, or even sampled for that matter. It's a great, mellow, full, chilled out banger, and Soul Clap is one of those artists worth having on your iPod, even if it's just for that kinda mood. Awwwwh yeahh.

Listen.

NEW PHOTOS

You may have noticed a new link on the sidebar for my Tumblr site. When making this blog, I debated using Tumblr to host it because of its newness (at the time). I settled on Blogger ultimately, as I enjoyed their control of themes a bit better, and it does have some good Google integration. However, I came across some really excellent photo blogs on Tumblr, and some even better layouts I could never figure out how to code myself.

After a night of customizing, here is the result. I won't be posting any pictures on this site anymore unless they're accompanied with some words, but the phototumblr will be all photos, no words. Ideally it'll become motivation to bring my camera out everywhere more. Please check it out.

It's all a ride

I love comedians. The way they can talk to almost a thousand people in a room and make it seem like they're just having a personal conversation is really admirable. It's been something of a dream for me to one day perform stand-up comedy. Fortunately for you, that isn't today.

Here's a great clip from the late Bill Hicks, who just celebrated the 17th anniversary of his death in February. The way he exploits inherent constructs of society into what they really are and flips them on their head in a simple rejection of their ethos is just profound, especially when you consider his untimely death, attributed to pancreatic cancer. He never publicly revealed his illness.

I struggle with the seriousness of life sometimes, and often forget that what I get wrapped up in is, ultimately, very trivial. I think we all do that, to some degree. It's hard to put what really is important in this life into perspective until something throws us a major curve ball and causes us to see our condition from 'the other side', which might be on a lower or higher pane. Regardless, this video really helped me to remember not to take life too seriously. Check it out.

Hey Rosetta! at Lee's Palace, February 24th 2011

Hey Rosetta! is a band from St. Johns, Newfoundland that just released a fantastic new album, Seeds, under Sonic Records. They employ cello, violin, and piano into a very rock-and-roll kind of sound, blending familiar energy into instruments not traditionally known for what is essentially pop music. And do they ever bring a house down. Their sold-out, two-night stop in Toronto was met with huge anticipation by the crowd, and did they ever deliver. Their encore performance, which consisted of a rendition of a great 80's song was especially awesome. It's always a please to hear an entire crowd sing along, even if it may not be to your own song.

Tyler the Creator - Yonkers

A few different musical styles owe themselves to a track this clean sounding, with Tyler the Creator's song "Yonkers" blending a harsh bassline over a beat more fitting for a genre like house.  This MC from Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA. [Yep.])  shows some real uniqueness with the beat alone, but his cypher and style of music video help to really set the pace for a thematic, executed kind of "conceptual" funk; not pop-like at all. That's pretty exceptional, giving the rap collective's personalities, as seen on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon a couple nights ago. Something like that hardly happens (seriously, watch the clip).

This track polishes off a dark take on vibes reminiscent of more recent musical likings hip-hop is used to, with clear influence from underground rap's simplistic style of beat, and a real taste of freshness and relatable to radio even. However, given the song's dark tone, I'd be surprised to hear it when I'm driving.   Tyler the Creator's gaining significant attention, with XL Recordings, of acts like Radiohead and The White Stripes, signing a one-album release with him for his debut, Goblin. Getting that kind of attention is well deserved; this is good music, and I'm hoping to hear more.

At Yonge-Dundas Square, celebration, peace and solidarity with the people of Egypt

With the recent events in Egypt dominating the headlines of the world, it was no surprise that optimism would fill the air yesterday as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak finally stepped down, effectively ending two weeks of protest. How fortunate I was, then, to walk by Yonge-Dundas Square on Friday evening and see hundreds of people cheering, chanting "power to the people", and talking to local media in solidaridy with the people of Egypt. I immediately got out my camera, made my way into the crowd and took in the scene.

Here are some pictures of the people who came out to support the people of Egypt, the ideals of democracy, and the hope for a better future.

LISTEN: Binary Star - Glen Close

What can be said about Binary Star, the short lived duo of One Be Lo (formerly OneManArmy) and Senim Silla that hasn't already been said? A huge staple of the underground hip-hop scene in the early 2000's, these guys had the foresight to see the teetering balance of mainstream ("see now there's hip-hop, then there's hip-pop, hip POP, youknowhatimsayin?") in rap long before anyone even noticed 50 Cent holding an iPod in a music video.

With "Glen Close" off the excellent Masters of the Universe album, we are literally served flowing storytelling rap over one of the smoothest double bass licks grooves ever sampled. The high calibre of One Be Lo's inter-verse rhyming is incredibly evident when the beat jangles into a longing fervour of piano whirlwinds, as he states: "After we parted that's when trouble started/ Patty was actin' all retarded/ I tried to disregard it, but she keep playin' on my phone, and blowin' up my pager/ I wonder, hoe she keep gettin my number?/ But I find out later Patty was a good friend of Brenda, the operator". 


This song could be an a capella slam poem, delivered in the late weeknight of an underground speakeasy and still resonate it's message clearly, but the instantly classic beat not only pulls it into the realm of "d-dat' ol' real", it renders this song a defining staple among the underground rap of yesterdecade. Give this song your ears, recognize, and discover the most complimentary tag-team rap duo since Black Star.

Listen.

At Nuit Blanche, 2010.

United in Flow Monthly Hip-hop Showcase @ Sneaky Dee's, January 25, 2010

This past Tuesday Sneaky Dee's played host to United in Flow, a "socially conscious hip-hop movement" making waves for around half a year, all of which began with a mixtape. Producer James Pew of Toronto-based Euphonic Sound Recording Studio rounded up some hip-hop and slam acts from around the city last October to write on the theme of unity and community. The record, United in Flow: Volume 1 can be purchased for charity to help local neighbourhoods.

Their first monthly showcase, hosted by trip-hop T.O. general Mindbender Supreme, went off with a bang and delivered a vibe seldom seen in grassroots indie shows like this. Any uneasiness about the night was immediately ushered out in exchange for a unanimous love for the social music of hip-hop, which brought closer a community of like-minded people revelling in a weeknight of beats and rhymes.

Mindbender Supreme

"It's about the collaboration and community of the scene in Toronto," Pew told me, as the crowd slowly builded. "We want to build something that people can be part of." Mindbender Supreme debuted his new music video, "Reset Button", that night, and you can go watch it here. If you're a fan of clever, heavily delivered lyrics, and want to support Toronto hip-hop (or if you like old-school videogames), definitely check it.

All the artists delivered a uniqueness in their respective music, playing off influences and themes to a nicely varied crowd throughout a night of great music.

More pictures after the jump.

LISTEN: MF Grimm - The Original

My musical tastes from '90-'99 are a bit hazy, what with the whole "I was born then became a kid" thing, but I still remember going over to a friend's house to listen to Eminem's Slim Shady LP, and being consumed by the punch-lines, funny lyrical imagery, and surreal swear words. "I Just Don't Give a Fuck" was my favourite song for a couple years back then, and I could rap the entire thing to kids in the playground, without even knowing of half the things the song was saying. I bleached my hair a year later, and no I'm not showing you a picture.

I first heard MF Grimm (born Percy Carey) on the track "Tick, Tick..." off MF Doom's Operation: Doomsday album, a fine example of New York rap from the late 90's. That track exemplifies the pure rawness of Grimm's style; though it's there, it isn't about the quantity of rhymes (ironically, considering he released the fantastic triple album American Hunger, a first for hip-hop), but rather their quality.

With "The Original", off the hugely slept on MF EP, Grimm delivers; "rhymes so crazy, Son of Sam did half my tracks." There are volleys of completely outrageous claims thrown from every direction in this innercity block-spitting example of underground battle-rhyming, as Grimm reveals "the world is too little, Grimm reaper run the f'kin solar system." This is imaginative swordplay in the purest form. The beat's an effective, simple drum loop from the depths of the underground, acting as a canvas for Grimm to paint you right into his trap, engulfing your ears with a little glimmer into the heart of Percy Carey. 

Surviving a murder attempt that left him paralyzed from the waist down, putting up a one-day bail before a life sentence to record an entire album, countering the sentence to be commutated down to four years, all while delivering this calibre of hip-hop demands recognition. He even wrote a frickin' comic book. Please, take a moment and recognize.

Listen.

LISTEN: The Slackers - Yes It's True

Following in the footsteps of a friend's tumblr, I've decided to post more music that you should know all about and love. If you don't, that's okay (you've probably never heard of them, it's mostly obscue pseudo post-underground electronica doo wop rock), because I'll offer you a brief background!

New York City slickers The Slackers have been a staple in my natural progression as a teenager with a love for all things reggae. I mentioned before that I absolutely adore ska and reggae music, and these guys were a consistent addition to every burn I did on my Sony MiniDisc, all the way back in 2001. 

With "Yes It's True" off their 1998 album The Question, the maturity these guys show with such a fun-loving, happy genre of music is especially striking. This is, at heart, a sad song, but feel the mood of it. Swinging melodys and upbeat horn toots go on as Vic Ruggiero and Glen Pine harmonize perfectly, with a dense progression. The bridge with the flange echoes memories of being a teenager, fondly discovering the opposite sex, while being completely terrified of them. All at once this song made the 12-year-old me feel like a longing ex-lover and a man with a master plan, cruising the morning pavement to grade school.

Listen.

PHOTO: Roommate

A portrait of my roommate.

Mayer Hawthorne and the County @ Opera House, October 15th 2010

So this is one of a few concerts that I went to in 2010 that slipped under the "post these" radar, and I accidentally left the photos on my hard drive, which have since been waiting patiently to be unleashed onto the world. Mayer Hawthorne's 2009 LP A Strange Arrangement instantly got my attention before it was released, as he is on my favourite record label of all time, and I trust any new artist they sign to bring something interesting and exciting to the table.

Combining a throwback to Motown-soul with low-fi, do-it-yourself recordings, Mayer establishes a fantastic niche that should please both longtime listeners of their folk's old records, hip-hop heads, and general likers of good music the world over. His is a great introduction to music from a simpler time, where classic themes dominated, singing in falsetto wasn't ruined forever, and tucking in your shirt was actually hip. 

If you haven't already, please, recognize:

Happy Holidays!

Took this at the Distillery District in downtown Toronto last Friday. Finally snowed in Toronto, so you can definitely expect some pictures of my favourite season.

The semester is over, and my last exam is in a couple of days so I'll be able to post pictures from recent concerts I've been to, like Mayer Hawthorne, Aloe Blacc, and Wolf Parade. I'm contemplating putting my final assignment up here too, but I'm not sure if it's something I want people reading. We'll see.

Skateboarding

 I remember when my cousins first introduced me to the art of skateboarding with this video, fondly encapsulating my mind with dreams of being Rodney Mullen. I got my first board, a Birdhouse deck with Canadian Grind King trucks and my little brother followed suit, skating at the various skateparks in the GTA for years. The waxed curb outside my old house is still there, according to an old neighbour. Though I haven't skated seriously since 2006, my good friend Gabe, pictured here, is definitely a formidable skater, and still skateboards these days. Here's a picture I took of him in the summertime. I would love to shoot more skaters doing their thing. It really is a beautiful pastime, one I hope isn't on its way out.

Here's a phenomenal skateboarding vid of Kilian Martin, perfectly exemplifying the focused proficiency this sport demands, and the ability to make these near-impossible movements seem effortless.

---

P.S. For those who care, I've been recently signed on to contribute to POUND magazine, so be on the lookout for some of my writing there! There's a bunch of good stuff on their site, and I'm really proud to lend my name and efforts to a publication that keeps it as real as these guys do.

PHOTOS: Inside Allan Gardens

Walking around the botanical garden in Allan Gardens is one of the few secret treasures in downtown Toronto. Most people pass by it without second thought, but thankfully, I had it brought to my attention by a good friend who lives right across the street from it. It's almost like stepping into a different, nature-filled world. It feels like the Garden of Eden at times, not only because of the sheer diversity of the plantlife in there, but also because it's just peaceful. Definitely a good place to go to calm down after a stressful week.