| The B-Sides: Pacific Division Interview | September 30, 2008 |
In conjunction with my article in the last issue of LA Weekly, here’s the full text of my interview with Pacific Division. Over the next few days, check for Q&A’s from Bishop Lamont, Knux and Blu. Q: First off, I suppose the most obvious question is about your back-story. So at the risk of being […]
| Otis Redding-“A Change Is Gonna Come” | September 30, 2008 |
It’s been an Otis Redding kind of night. This cover of the Sam Cooke classic is just breathtaking. Buy Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul Download: MP3: Otis Redding-“A Change is Gonna’ Come”
| LA Weekly: Has the LA Hip-Hop Plague Finally Passed | September 25, 2008 |
No time to delve into the logistics. I’m pressed for time, already tardy for a train tunneling into the West Village. In brief, I have a fairly massive article in today’s LA Weekly–the longest one I’ve ever written. 3,000 words, 47 commas, four hyphens and one mention of Domino’s “Getto Jam.” The piece focuses on […]
| LA Weekly: Like Fresh Cream-Al Green Teams With The Roots and Hip-Hop’s Greatest Al Green Samples | September 19, 2008 |
In advance of his show Saturday night at the Greek Theater, I interviewed Al Green for LA Weekly. Needless to say, I’ve experienced few things more surreal than talking to Al Green on the phone and hearing him spontaneously break into song. It was rather awesome. In addition, I wrote a shorter Wu-centric piece […]
| 90’s Nostalgia Week Becomes 90’s Nostalgia Month: Funkdoobiest | September 17, 2008 |
Sure, I could trace all this maudlin 90s nostalgia to my forthcoming LA Weekly article that addresses the history and future of Los Angeles hip-hop, but that’s just making excuses. The truth is this year’s been woefully short of really good new rap records and accordingly, I’ve spent a significant chunk of time revisiting material […]
| Royce Da’ 5’9″-The Bar Exam 2 | September 16, 2008 |
Boom. Via Eskay ZIP: Royce Da’ 5’9″-The Bar Exam 2 (left-click)
| Brightblack Morning Light-Motion To Rejoin | September 16, 2008 |
The less I know about Brightblack Morning Light the better. I once read an Arthur Magazine profile that painted them as the 21st Century equivalent of those zonked out, commune hippies in Easy Rider, who planted crops in the middle of a desert and entertained themselves with acid and horrific mime programming. After all, Brightblack […]
| Nate Dogg Suffers a Second Stroke | September 15, 2008 |
This is not good at all. Here’s hoping to a swift recovery, but any way you parse it, two strokes by the age of 40 usually means you aren’t long for this world. I’ve never really articulated how great I think Nate Dogg is, but for my money’s worth (all $6.54), he’s my favorite […]
| Solillaquists of Sound, J-Live and Chali 2Na Release a Tribute Song to J Dilla, Inspired By My LA Weekly Article/Follow-Up Interview With Dilla’s Mom, Ms. Maureen Yancey | September 15, 2008 |
Still a little stunned by this one. I suppose we can chalk this up as some minor triumph to the power of the media, at a time when the Fourth Estate isn’t exactly going through its finest moment. I’m not in the habit of running press releases in full, but I’ll make the exception after […]
| I Think I Have a New Hero | September 13, 2008 |
$5 says this guy’s either the lead singer of the Teddybears or the ghost of Paul Bryant. Download: MP3: My Morning Jacket-“The Bear”
