HOT VIDEO :: HO HO HO YO XMAS RAPS CRIB EDITION - with Noble and Sally

I'm Robin Leach

Today on our show, we take you on a tour of the poshest places in Tennessee. Right dab in the middle, of that great state ... we start with a house Santa would be ill to ignore, because it could be seen from space ...

CANADA'S BEST KEPT SECRET :: Nirvanna The Band The Show (series review)

Nirvanna The Band The Show

Matt and Jay are members of a band - Nirvanna The Band, actually. Their only aspiration is to perform at the Rivoli - a venue in Toronto, where they reside. They are also the most loveable, relatable bunch of incompetent, self-centered characters on the screen. Every episode premise is the same, yet as the season goes on, the antics get more extreme. There's nothing quite like it.

Nirvanna The Band The Show (formerly Nirvana The Band The Show) started as a web series by Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol from 2007-2009. The series was done on their own dime, hosted on their own website and using their real names and own personal stories. Because of all these things, the guys were able to freely use what would be considered copyrighted and gray area material and it makes it much more relatable and personable. Matt and Jay also did it on a shoestring budget utilizing only themselves and two cameramen. Their guerilla-style street shooting is refreshing to watch and captures some great moments.

In 2017, Viceland picked up the series and a new series one "remake" was created. Though the budget is bigger now and there is a legal team at their disposal - the spirit of the show remains.

It is a highly addictive, cult classic which is easy to watch again and again. Unfortunately, the original web series is no longer on the site and the new seasons are only available in Canada on Viceland/Rogers television. There are ways to watch it - I'd suggest looking into /r/Nirvannathebandtheshow on Reddit. Please, support them in any way you can.

http://nirvannathebandtheshow.com/

peace - I'm out,
Noble

UPDATE 1/30/18: The last few episodes of Season 2 have been on hold for over a month now. I suspect it has something to do with the business relationship between Viceland and Rogers TV coming to an end. We are also trying to convince the guys to do a Reddit AMA so stay tuned for that.

UPDATE 1/14/19: The last 2 episodes of season 2 were finally released at the beginning of last year. Work on Season 3 has started but the guys still don't have a network to air it on. Seasons 1 and 2 can now be streamed from Youtube, Vudu, Google and Amazon Prime.

PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME :: PATTI CAKE$ (movie review)

PATTI CAKE$

This film is what 8 Mile would be if Eminem was a thick, female New Jerseyite. Patricia Dombrowski, aka Killer P aka Patti Cake$ has got the passion and the talent. She also has the poverty and misogyny that come from small-town New Jersey life. Her one dream - to get across that bridge to Manhattan. Patti's mom - a singer herself, who once had aspirations of making it big, doesn't quite understand the music ... but Patti's grandmother has always believed in her dream.

Patti's story is really a coming of age tale. She battles the local bully and earns his respect. She and her entourage record and distribute their music and work hard to get heard. What I did not expect from this movie was a love story, a mother-daughter connection and a statement about seeing through your idols. It's really got it all.

THE MOST INTENSE :: Good Time (movie review)

Good Time

So, I recently watched the movie Good Time by the Saftie Brothers (Ben and Josh). I have to say it is one of the best intense and also crazy depressing movies I've seen.

The premise is that Connie (Robert Pattinson) and his brother Nick (Ben Saftie) were raised by their grandmother after dad died and mom left. Nick is mentally handicapped, while Connie grew up as a product of his enviroment. He had done jail time. The movie starts with Nick in a therapists office, recommended by grandmother. He is being asked several questions about his history to which he clams up and gets offended when the therapist is taking notes. Connies bursts into the room, saying that Nick shouldn't be there and the notes are ripped up to which Connie flees with Nick.

The next thing you see is Connie and Nick trying a bank heist, which all goes wrong. Nick is arrested and sent to jail and Connie, who feels he is the only hope - attempts to help Nick - as he doesn't see his brother lasting long behind bars.

The rest of the story - which is done in true timeline fashion is Connie's attempt to save Nick

What remains is a timeline of Connie seaking and manipulating others to free his brother, and it gets incredibly intense. Connie is not a good person, even to his brother.

This movie affectedly me deeply - it almost will make you sick, but you can't stop the ride. The Saftie brothers have done and excellent job of capturing disparity in New York City.

If you like real representations of real world practices in a movie, then this is for you. But, be warned - it's not pleasant or redeeming.

I would say that this is my favorite movie of 2017 because of the raw portrayals in it. The title Good Time is the exact opposite of what is seen on screen. This night is not a Good Time, but the worst time imaginable.

The story and characters are incredible, the shots and soundtrack are perfect. Robert Pattison's performance is stellar. This movie cranks it up to 20.



Noble

SLINGING AMETHYST ROCKS :: Slam (movie review)

Slam

This should've been covered long ago. One of my favorite films - Slam ... which, I recently re-purchased. I had bought it before, but it was stolen. Needless to say, it is a great film. Slam is poetry - literally. Ray Joshua (Saul Williams) gets incarcerated in a D.C. jail for selling weed, at the same time his dealer got shot. Ray gets locked up and quickly discovers that he is rumored to be involved and/or implicated for his friends shooting. Faced with joining a gang, Ray comes out into the jailhouse yard with style - slinging poetry like an automatic machine gun. His dialog doesn't go unnoticed. Lauren (Sonja Sohn), who is teaching at the prison immediately takes notice.

Long story short - His words affect fellow inmates, he makes bail, he falls for Lauren who tells him that he has to go through his punishment to change. Then he goes to a poetry slam as the final act still contemplating his situation.





Noble

WE ARE THE SAVIORS :: Raury - God's Whisper

Raury - God's Whisper

When people speak for God, fundamentalists usually call them prophets. Doesn't God talk to us all? I'm an agnostic but I can appreciate that sentiment.
Raury, as raw as he is - really strips to the core for this one. He accompanies this with Devil's Whisper on this album. I highly recommend checking the lot!



Noble

COME FLOAT WITH ME :: FLO2S Review

Float therapy

These past several months might be the toughest I've seen in a long time. My health has progressively gotten worse. You see, I turned 44 this year and all these years of eating what I wanted, not exercising and partying too much, have caught up to me. High blood pressure, psoriasis and gout are the biggest culprits. Then about a month ago, I lost my job. Depression set in, and along with the physical pain - I had almost given up. Fortunately, my pain gave way to hope again and I decided I needed to really treat myself. So, I booked a 90 minute session for float tank therapy at FLO2S (pronounced Floatus) in the Little 5 Points neighborhood of Atlanta.

Now, if you aren't familiar with what this is - maybe you saw Stranger Things, where Eleven floats in a tube with a helmet and then also at the high school gym in a pool filled with saltwater. Simply put, you float in saltwater bouyant enough to keep you from sinking. The water is body temperature and if you float in the dark you start to have sensory deprivation.



I arrived at FLO2S about 15 minutes before my appointment. Since it was my first time there, I had to sign a waiver and watch a short video. After that, the receptionist led me to the tank chamber. FLO2S has 3 tanks in all - a smaller tank constructed of plastic with no lights inside, and two tank chambers that are larger and also have L.E.D. Lighting inside, should you choose to use it. The latter is what I chose. Inside is a room with a shower and changing area and the door into the tank chamber.

Once I put in the provided wax earplugs and showered - I immediately went into the tank. The water temperature was perfect as I lay on my back and adjusted to the space. It was about 7.5 feet by 5.5 feet with plenty of space to move around and get adjusted. Saltwater initially will burn places you have cuts or abrasions on your skin - but eventually, it subsides. I lay there with what must have been 10 minutes getting adjusted before turning off the lights.

Once you adjust to the darkness - things become different. I could only hear my heartbeat It's an absolute shortcut to meditation as there are no external stimuli - no Facebook, or TV or any other person to disrupt you. You can't help but reflect on your life. It was at that point I vowed to change my habits and attitude for the better.

The tank is big enough to stretch out every muscle in your body and just relax. There's no pressure on your body anywhere. You can literally sleep in there as it is almost impossible to roll over without trying. I know that tonight ... I'm going to sleep like a baby.

It seemed like 90 minutes might be too long but before I knew it music piped into the tank to tell me my time was up.

I showered and got dressed to return to the lobby. It was there, that I met Alex - one of the co-owners. He told me that the business had been there about 4 1/2 years and they were doing very well. He showed me the other 2 tanks and then we started talking about time in the tank. He assured me that if you can push it to about 3 hours in the tank - you can go much deeper into a meditative state.

I plan to go again soon and would love to go with someone else who has never experienced it. If that sounds good to you - let me know and we can schedule a time when they have 2 tanks available.

They also have massage, infrared therapy, and aromatherapy available.

https://flo2s.com/

Noble

LIKE MOTHS TO THE FLAME :: The Mothman Prophecies - RETROSPECTIVE

The Mothman Prophecies - RETROSPECTIVE

You might have heard about all the Mothman type sightings in Chicago lately, something like 30 in the last 3 years all over the city.

If you don't know what the Mothman is - to try to sum it up is hard, but witnesses describe a dark bat or moth type figure, with red eyes. The folklore started in West Virginia originally. There have been books and movies made on the subject.

I'm as skeptical as they get on some things, but this mystery is close to my heart, I guess. Is this a shared psychosis? Do we really know that there aren't entities just beyond what we perceive? I thought I might go back to the movie again today, and I was really astonished at how good it was. It stars Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Deborah Messing, and Will Patton. Gere has that acting style that only Richard Gere can do, but his portrayal as an obsessed person was better than usual for him. Laura Linney was great at playing the voice of reason - even when there was none to be made. Messing had a small roll as Gere's wife - who dies right in the beginning after seeing a Mothman.

I've got to say the best acting in the movie was Patton as Gordon - who was being constantly visited and tormented. Talk about a character of neurosis - he pulled that one off big time.

The story stayed pretty close to the original reportings though 40 years later ... which kept it interesting and the musical score was bordering on very tense yet experimental. Mark Pellington directed it. He also did Arlington Road - top notch movie, Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous - along with a Pearl Jam movie and U23D. It seems he likes to mix it up a little bit. Maybe I'll even watch Jerry Maguire next - I never saw that stinker of a movie.

Definitely check out the movie - the myth, the legend. Positivity and love to all my peeps in Chicago - Rahm is one disaster too many!

KAMA SPEWTRA :: SEX THE RAPPER + MISS CHIFF (Interview)

SEX THE RAPPER

So, I'm here tonight with Sex the Rapper aka J-X aka my friend Julian Lozano and Miss Chiff aka Marilyn Reles. Julian, I first met a few years ago. I was co-managing a collective in Chicago - Solarium Deluna and Julian was always a spotlight on the regular events.

Julian, do you remember those nights, hot summer nights with no air conditioning? I held a fan a lot of times to cool the place down.

Julian - Yeah, I Remember that.

I remember you were always slaying it. I loved picking tracks for you to freestyle over.

Julian - Your invite randomly introduced me to the Chicago conscious community.

No shit?
We were trying to definitely keep it conscious and comfortable there. So, I have to say - it's my honor to see you've progressed and like a butterfly, transform since then, many times in fact. Can we take it back for a bit? Tell me a little about your childhood and where you grew up.


Julian - I grew up in the Chicago suburb of Roselle.
I was a writer as a child and used to write science fiction stories.
Then, I just started writing rap lyrics in about 6th grade, and haven't stopped since then

So, always a wordsmith?

Julian - Always. Vocabulary words were easy to learn for me.

Were your parents musicians?

Julian - My parents weren't musicians. They liked to listen to Bob Marley and 90's mainstream rap. Also, a lot of Mexican music and Latin music in general.

Are there any 90's hip hop artists that really affected you?

Julian - Ironically, the first rapper I actually liked as a child was Juvenile who sang "back that ass up". Then I got into Eminem.

Ha-ha yasss! So you were writing lyrics from early on, what age did you start performing?

Julian - I started performing when I was about 18. At that time I was way into Tech N9ne and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

So did you always know this would be your path or when did it hit you?

Julian - I've been rapping since 9 years old, but I knew I was gonna be this since I was 11, and I sucked ass when I started. I couldn't even ride the beat.

That's intuition!

Julian -Yes!

Well, if I can be so honest - you've come along way - you can rap as fast as Twista or Eminem, but you talk about real shit.

Julian -Yeah I remember being blown away by Tech N9ne like I could never do that
Now look at me!

OK, so you were coming up, you've gone through some changes and you started producing as J-X, am I right?

Julian -I started rapping as J-X. I changed it to JXL in 2015, then changed it to Sex The Rapper in 2016.

You put out some really good stuff, including "You are not a slave" with our good friend Carla Starla and Rico Sisney.



Julian -Yeah, those songs were dope.

So this is probably the question that you get asked the most - Why Sex the Rapper?

Julian - It's about channeling sexual energy to create, and with the addition of Marilyn it even makes more sense.

I totally get it. Sex has also been a negative connotation for years, due to puritanism mainly.

Julian - Yeah, so it's been a challenge, but more people are cool with it than I expected.

But, it might be the most explosive power ever, right?

Julian - Exactly.

As, Sex the Rapper, you've been on the road, yes?

Julian -Yeah, a bit.

Tell me what festivals and cities you've played.

Julian - We played boredom fest in Michigan. The hangar in Miami, so far in San Francisco and I personally did Huffington Post in New York City. Shit is lit!

And you have another project yeah? More EDM?

Julian - Yeah, we are going to move more EDM into the next album.

Cool. I want to talk about one of your latest tracks - Never Going Back. First of all, the song and video are phenomenal.

Julian -Thank you man



Can you explain a little bit about what that song means to you?

Julian - Well I used to be on a lot of drugs and hang out with toxic people. This song is a celebration of being past all that on a new path

"never going back to all the bullshit"

Julian - Exactly!

I've always appreciated and saw you as an example to reaching for enlightenment.

Julian - I'm not even really trying to be enlightened. I used to be obsessed with that concept, but I don't strive for that anymore. I just live as balanced as possible.

On your latest album, you have a few songs with Miss Chiff. Are you two a couple?

Julian - Yes. We are a couple

You've done a few songs together on your new album ... tell me how is it to share what you love with someone you love?



Julian - It's amazing. We have been together for well over a year now and we performed separately for a while. One day, she backed me up at a LIVE show and people really loved it. It made sense to us to combine our acts and so, we decided to do it.

That sounds amazing!

Marilyn - Yeah it's been awesome working together because we complement each other well.

Yes, you do.

Marilyn - Thank you! I managed him for a long time and now I manage us! Lol

So, here's an open speed round ... 10 seconds or less for you both.

Julian - Lit

Why do you love hip hop?

Marilyn - How can you not love it?

Julian - Because it's sexy lol.

Marilyn - Because it moves me more than any other genre.

Nice! What's your favorite pie?

Marilyn - Chocolate Eclair

Julian - Cutie pie

Lol

Marilyn -Lol

Where will music be in 10 years?

Marilyn - It'll be void of genres

Julian - I agree. But I believe the future genres will just be hybrids of current genres.

Marilyn - Yeah, blends of each other.

So the same but in a different way.

Julian - Yes

What do you expect listeners to get out of your music?

Marilyn - I hope they can take something positive and inspirational out of the music and implement it into their own lives.

Julian - I want my music to be a fire under people's asses to make them love themselves.

Well the spark is definitely lit. I see nothing but forward movement for you both.

Anything either you want to close with?

Marilyn - Thanks! I'm just really excited about the music to come. We are beginning our work on a joint album. Being in LA has given us the breathe of fresh air we needed in order to grow as artists.

Julian - Yeah thank you so much man. Marilyn and I are looking forward to our fans reaction to the music we have in store.

Nice ... thanks for sharing tonight, both of you!

Check out more of Sex the Rapper and Miss Chiff:
















BONUS: Lava Labs production -

Stay in gear and channel your sex energy!

Noble

EFFING FANTASTIC :: Ef - Sons of Ghosts

Ef - Sons of Ghosts

Ef is an amazing band from Sweden. Sons of Ghost pretty much proves my point. While mostly instrumental, this song has the perfect lyrics at the perfect time ... then the driving horns. Oh the horns, how they blow. Music is life my friends, stay thirsty.

CLASSICAL MUSIC :: Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles: Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers

Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles: Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers

The bad thing about insomnia is ... well, sleep is necessary - the good thing is finding gems like this at 4 am. There's no words I can use to write about this. Two of the greatest groups ever ... together. I am ODB, I am the Walrus!



1. Wu Vs Beatles (Intro) - 00:00
2. C.R.E.A.M. - 01:30
3. Got Your Money - 04:50
4. Forget Me Not - 08:33
5. Back in the Game - 12:42
6. Uh Huh - 17:30
7. Criminology - 21:02
8. Da Mystery Of Chessboxin' - 24:13
9. Daytona 500 - 26:15
10. Labels - 29:35
11. Smith Bros - 32:25
12. R.E.C. Room - 34:03
13. Wu Vs Beatles (Skit) - 37:32
14. Mighty Heathy - 38:45
15. Clientele Kidd - 41:57
16. Cutting It Up - 44:47
17. Release Yo Delf - 47:58
18. City High - 50:55
19. Run - 53:07
20. Cross My Heart - 55:44
21. Uzi (Pinky Ring) - 57:51
22. Bizarre - 1:02:28
23. Slang Editorial - 1:04:00
24. Save Me Dear - 1:06:05
25. The Movement - 1:09:08
26. Wu Tang Cream Team Line Up - 1:11:44
27. Wu Vs Beatles (Outro) - 1:15:12

CINEMA LOVE: Why Michael Mann is one of my favorite directors

Michael Mann

Michael Mann just might be my favorite director right now, not because of anything new but by revisiting his older flicks. Last of the Mohicans, Heat,
The Insider, Manhunter .... I could go on and on. For my money, Mann is the master of modern noir. Heat and The Insider are two perfect examples. I recently watched both and let me explain why I think they might be his finest works.

Heat is the quintessential obsessed cop (Al Pacino) vs. criminal mastermind (Robert Deniro). As the movie builds and the tension mounts, the two opposites (although very similar) are thrown into a situation where they agree to meet. They lay it all on the table - there is no more ambiguity. Deniro makes two rookie mistakes. First is falling in love, which goes against his mantra - "do not get into anything you can't walk out on in 30 seconds" and revenge. The movie plays from there - but I won't give anymore away. This is an excellent movie - one of the best.

Even better was The Insider. This movie is very similar and yet very different. The tension is racked up tremendously through out. The basic story - Russell Crowe plays a tobacco executive with insider information who is fired, pissed off and the runs across Al Pacino who plays a 60 minutes reporter looking for the important stories. Crowe ultimately goes along to get the story out but not without consequence. The foe in this one is largely unseen. It's the corporations and the lawyers who hide behind nonchalant threats. Eventually, the whole process takes Crowe along for the ride. This is a must see movie - the score, shooting, casting ... everything is incredible!

There are many more great Mann movies out there, but having recently watched these, I felt compelled to share. Most newer movie directors out there lack the patience and the discipline to make great art. You could almost write a piece of software to do a better job.

I'M NOT YOUR :: Minor Threat - Steppin' Stone

Minor Threat - Steppin' Stone

In high school, my good friends Todd Burdette, Paul Burdette and Billy Davis performed in the annual talent show. They did a cover of a cover of a cover - Steppin' Stone which has been covered from everyone such as Paul Revere and The Raiders, The Monkees and Minor Threat to the Sex Pistols and Tom Petty. They didn't win but I believe that they did place high. Coincidentally - Todd, Paul and Billy went on to play in many famous hard and crust core bands including Copout and Tragedy.

WITH PULP :: Orange Juice - Rip it Up

Orange Juice - Rip it Up

Post-punk Glaswegian band Orange Juice broke the mold with their 1982 single "Rip It Up". The song reached number 8 on the UK charts and was not only a major departure from their guitar driven sound but also  the first hit to use the Roland TB-303 synthesizer.