Song of The Week

Public Enemy – one of the most talented and under-appreciated groups in hip-hop history. They managed to find a mix of great music, constructive social commentary, and a fun presentation that made you want to keep listening. That’s why they’re still performing and being true to themselves two decades later. I had the pleasure of seeing them live last year and they’re still full of energy and willing to put on a great stage show, even to a less-than-sellout crowd.

“Fight The Power”… I rag on modern rap a lot, but I don’t think it all has to have a message or be insightful. But I don’t want a simple beat and simple lyrics. Wipe Me Down by Boosie is one of my favorites from the last couple of years. It’s all about dressing fly in the club, but the music makes you want to move and that’s what counts.

“Fight The Power” seemed to be an attempt to modernize the civil rights movement, which, even with a black president soon taking office, still has a lot left to accomplish.

Happy Thanksgiving

Sarah Palin. Oh, poor, simple-minded Sarah. I think it would be great for her to disappear into obscurity, but I know that will never happen. It’s a shock to me that there was a chance that she could have been the Vice President of this country. There are still people that support her and chances are, she’ll be competing on the national scene in 2010 or 2012.

This video was shot by a news crew. She knew where she was and which direction the camera was facing and for some reason, she didn’t think it was odd to do an interview while turkeys are being slaughtered in the background. We need these places to exist in order to supply meat and poultry to consumers. I know that it’s a necessary thing, but to talk about politics and Thanksgiving cheer with that going on in the background seems a little classless.

I want to stop talking about her, but I can’t. It’s so fascinating because she keeps proving how much of a train wreck she is, but her followers still love her.

Song of The Week

Okay, class, here’s another song for you. This one is by The Incredible Bong Band, using the song “Apache,” written by Jerry Lordan and originally recorded by The Shadows. The guitar was repeated by other groups, but the Bongo Band overlaid a drum/bongo beat that made it a classic and became the wellspring of hip-hop. the-breaks.com offers this list of songs that have sampled the beats from this masterpiece.

The Sugarhill Gang created a more well-known classic by adding Western-themed lyrics and the unforgettable, “Jump On It!” in the chorus to create an instant dance hit. The Sugarhill Gang version still works pretty well on the dance floor when mixed in with newer music.

And then The Fresh Prince himself gave us this:

Booster Rocket Separation

This has nothing to do with music or politics, but I think it’s amazing.

Maybe it should have “Magic Carpet Ride” or “Rocketman” playing in the background. Or any acid-trip song, really.

How Long Has He Been President? Oh, He Isn’t Yet?

The Secret Service says that the threats are not necessarily linked to racism. Yeah, okay.

Obama Has More Threats Than Any President-Elect

Song of The Week

Although the bassline of this song is best known for inspiring one of the most well-remembered pop-rap songs of all time, it’s a masterpiece in its own right.
Listening to the lyrics should inspire us to take a moment and think about our fellow man, and, possibly, do something to help. The other choice is to be someone who has:

“Turned away from it all like a blind man…
Sat on a fence but it don’t work”

1000 Words

Ice and Tattoos?

There are a lot of ways to interpret Soulja Boy’s comments as reported in this article. I don’t see the intelligence behind it. I don’t see it as a “deep” comment. I think it’s pure stupidity and, added to the shallow lyricism and simplistic beats in his music, makes me have zero respect for him as an artist. As a businessman, I think it’s impressive that he was successful with an inferior product, kinda like Starbucks. But I hope he retires with his “Crank That” profits and returns to obscurity.

Song of the Week

Hooverphonic is a band out of Belgium that frequently is labeled as Trip-Hop or within that vein. I think most of their music is indescribable. Their first lead vocalist left the group, so they found a new one before the second album and she has continued with them for more than 10 years, but is now seeking a solo career.

Eden is a song that I play on occasion that makes people stop in their tracks. Someone always comes to the DJ booth to ask me what the name of the band is and sometimes they write it down and insist that I spell it out so they can find out more about them.

The melody and bass sounds are hypnotic on their own, but combined with Geike Arnaert’s vocals, the song becomes something powerful in its subtlety.

The President-Elect

It’s the end of campaign commercials and flyers being stuck in your door.
It’s the beginning of a barrage of negativity spewing forth from the minds of Americans via the internet, which has already started.
It’s only 0940 and I’ve already read a couple of dozen posts on news sites insulting the President-Elect, based on the color or his skin, perceptions of his ideology, etc.
What people don’t seem to understand is that, like all opinions, each American has an opinion and a perception of what this country is and should be. Some believe that America is different and should not be like the rest of the world while others see benefits in globalization.
An examination of elections during the last couple of decades shows a 50/50 split in the votes. Does that mean that as individuals, we don’t agree with half of this country?
Get online. Read posts and comments. Decide for yourself what leads us to see the country and the world so differently. If each of us could come to understand our differences, we could communicate on an entirely different level and truly become a united nation.