I wanted to, first off, apologize in not attending to this site as often lately. I've been busy with a lot of other things and I sometimes wonder if there's even a point, as it seems people don't even seem to wander away from social media sites. One of the things that I've been doing lately is making actual mixes on a regular basis and wanted to share them here. I'm trying to do something a little different. I am trying to spin every genre that I love and even make some mixes with different genres. Check out my most recent mixes and follow me on Mixcloud. All have download links as well.
I hear it all the time ... Hip Hop is dead. Trap killed it. Without digging it's easy to accept - with artists like Lil Xan, and all those face tattoo mumble rappers who aren't worth mentioning. Post Malone at least tries to pay homage to the past. But if you just dig beneath the surface, you will find artists like Skyblew. This guy is positive like Raury, walking tall like Camp Lo and doesn't need autotune to sound good. His production is on point.
Skyblew is a bit of a mystery. He grew up in Alabama but currently resides in Chapel Hill, NC. Not much else is known about him other than his influences are Common, A Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco, Nujabes, 2Pac, De La Soul, Scapegoat Wax, Blue Scholars, New Radicals, Common Market, Michael Jackson, Arrested Development, Sade, and Amy Winehouse. He's the kind of artist that get's me excited to hear everything he's put out.
OMG, yes Public Enemy ... keeping it real. For those who don't know, there was a group that sprang up in the late 80's - they were everything controversial, had the best samples, and bridled the passion of the black struggle. Public Enemy had it all, a leader in Chuck D who was the messenger and delivered a message from the heart that people could believe in, a hype man - Flavor Flav who kept it fun and knew what his role was and a production crew - who knew how to sample and create the freshest jams time and time again.
Public Enemy as a group wore many hats but always stayed true to their cause. They were one of the first who collaborated with Heavy Metal bands like Anthrax to remake their songs. They had internal strife, with Flavor Flav and Professor Griff, about Flavor's drug use and antics. Professor Griff went on to say anti-Semitic things in accordance with his Nation of Islam stance and was distanced from the group.
Nevertheless, Public Enemy prevailed. They were inducted into Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. They still continue to produce music to this day.
Public Enemy never had to shy away from controversy, they embraced it, but at their core they wanted to make hype music to hype people up.
Today's find comes from my buddy Weston. Guts is Paris DJ who got his start in 1990 with the creation of a band, the Alliance Ethnik. Guts music has always had hip hop and electronic sensiblities. He can skirt the line when it comes to the irreverent too. Dirty Otter is a straightforward throwback jam, synth heavy and nostalgiac.
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.
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!
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:
Battles have been bringing their experimental sound to the masses since 2002. The current line-up is guitarist/ keyboardist Ian Williams (formerly of Don Caballero and Storm & Stress), guitarist/ bassist Dave Konopka (formerly of Lynx), and drummer John Stanier (formerly of Helmet). They recently played at Bonaroo.
I came across "The Yabba" a few days ago and I was blow away by the whole thing. The layering is intense and the audio and video really mesh well together. I could easily see myself playing this in a DJ set. -No Boats
In anticipation of the newest Netflix documentary - "The Art of Organized Noize", I want to share one of my favorite songs from the original Organized Noize / Dungeon Family crew - Goodie Mob's "Cell Therapy". The focus with this one is on the lyrics as the melody is simple and not overpowering. The results are perfection.
Hailing from Vegas, I don't know much about Blair Norf. I know that he's produced tracks for some pretty prolific producers but feels comfortable in the underground scene. God bless' em. These tracks are tops.
Hurt Everybody - Slept All Day (ft. Saba) [prod. Mulatto Beats]
For those who don't know, I recently transplanted to Atlanta aka A-Town aka the ATL aka HOTlanta (possibly due to the summers or Freak-nik, or both). I love it here, all the conveniences and activities of a big city and yet in the bosom of the polite south. What Atlanta is mostly know for, other than great southern cooking is music ... hip-hop to be true and I've experienced it's influence so much since I moved in. It was after a week of working, that I decided to hit the Korean spa in the near suburbs and turned the dial to what is the NPR / Georgia Tech radio. Now late night is always chock full of great hip-hop and even instrumentals for your freestyle parties. On this night, they happened to play this tune, which for me set itself apart because of a) the melody and b) the honesty of the singer, who I found out later was Supa Bwe. A little more research, and I discovered that these guys were not from Brooklyn or Atlanta's little 5 points but from Chicago's Westside - Hurt Everybody. So there ya go, it always comes back full circle and for me it was clear that from my days in Chicago to now my future in Atlanta - there was a connection.
Rebel, Enlightened, Master MC, Vegan, Passionate, Activist ... just a few words to describe my bro, Julian Xavier Lozano aka JXL, a Chicago rapper whose skill is right on point. He is already releasing singles from his new album, which is out soon - Document 35, and is poised to hit the big time with his style of "in your face", positive, conscious Hip Hop.
Check out the lyrics to "Live In The Moment"
"My past I forgave it and then advanced
pulling lyrics out of my ass like a center snap
want me to keep it short and sweet like an epitaph?
Never man! I gotta pully my weight like a petty cab with this pen and pad
child at heart reppin' neverland
I was on my last leg like Lieutenant Dan
now I F'in stand on the stage you can't reprimand
peace in my DNA it is in every strand"
JXL-Live In The Moment (Produced by Downtown Music)(Lava Lab)
JXL- "You Are Not A Slave" (ft. Rico Sisney & Carla Starla) (Produced By Tone Jones)
If you don't know Dilla, then move on this isn't for you ... in fact, I'm not sure we can be friends. No wait, come back - I was harsh. For James Dewitt Yancey aka Jay Dee aka Jay Dilla was a humble man. He himself didn't want recognition for most of the stuff he did. He only wanted to create ... and create he did.
So even if you aren't a Hip Hop fan, watch this to discover the passion one man had for his art and why his name will reign in the hall of legends long after his passing.
My brother from another mother, J-X aka Julian Lozano has just dropped his first album Document 33. The album is pure inspirational, genius, passion and perspition. julian's is hip-hop's answer to the question ... can positive lyricism have the same power as other forms of hip-hop? The answer is a strong ...YES ... Check out Disillusioned -
and Live in the Moment shot and edited by Lava Lab Media -
and finally the art of freestyle at Chicago's Emerald PALACE -
freestyle at emerald palace
DJ Form - Live @ Resonate v.5, Chicago, IL. 4/24/2010
Boy, do I miss my Chicago friends ... especially this guy - DJ Form a.k.a. Oren Form Kopperl - incredible turntablist and DJ/MC for Pseudo Slang. Oren's been rockin the ones and twos for a great many years and you can hear it. I present DJ Form's set at Resonate v.5 from April 2010 - when I first met this guy. Let the music speak for itself.
Longtime brosef and rapper Julian Lozano a.k.a. J-X has been busy since his recent transplant to Louisiana. My Own Lane, which has recently dropped, is Julian's anthem to doing it his way - manifesting his own reality. This is a hype tune with nice a "dirty south" trap melody providing backup.
I wish ... oh I wish I could make a remix as tight as this. Meaux Green's I Wish remix takes up back to the nolstalgic 90's when Skee-Lo had a dream. Play this one out and you'll be sure to fill the dance floor.
So today, I'm talking to a coworker about music and he tells me that he likes old school West Coast hip hop. I had to ask of course, if he liked Souls of Mischief, and he said that he had heard of them, but never heard them. So I told him to definitely check them out. Now, I don't believe in coincidences - but 2 hours later, as I'm checking my email, I get a promo for this tune ... which may be one of the best remixes I've heard of this classic tune. I really love not-coincidences!
One day before 4/20/1994, a new album and hip hop artist hit the scene. His name was Nas, and with the help of Q-Tip, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Large Professor and L.E.S. he dropped his debut album Illmatic to the masses. It was not immediately hitting sales expectations, but after some time and rave reviews on January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, and in 2001, it earned platinum certification after shipments of one million copies in the United States.
01. Nas - The Genesis - 0:00
02. Nas - N.Y. State Of Mind - 01:47
03. Nas - Life's A Bitch - 06:42
04. Nas - The World Is Yours - 10:13
05. Nas - Halftime - 15:05
06. Nas - Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park) - 19:27
07. Nas - One Love - 23:36
08. Nas - One Time For Your Mind - 29:03
09. Nas - Represent - 32:22
![Barrel~dEM Hurt Everybody - Slept All Day (ft. Saba) [prod. Mulatto Beats]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEC7rM1RGH-RzT-XK49DmuechpChJ9oqxSCtR8cvbdREj7rHYHIAWfMgSNoFMwJQReSCWDkaNBkweUtuJda0G6IoyWEY1edQ7FWQx3OZlM7gYl3NWA-NLpsK6Er-5cPriJJPTWZYdzXJY/s1600/Supa-Sushi.png "Hurt Everybody - Slept All Day (ft. Saba) [prod. Mulatto Beats]")
