Oct
09

Culture-Two Sevens Clash

Tired. Overworked. Deadlines. Traffic-tormented. Sick. Poor. Congested. Aching. Again. Complaining. As usual. Coping. Just fine. Download: MP3: Culture-”Black Starliner May Come” MP3: Culture-”Natty Dread Taking”

Oct
08

The B-Sides: Bishop Lamont Interview

Q: What was it like for you growing up in Los Angeles during the 80s? A: It was the LA of the Reagan administration. Drugs were really heavy in the streets at that time…more crack addicts…crack babies. It was a good time simultaneously because there was more creativity within the music and it showed. You… Continue reading »

Oct
07

Nina Simone-To Be Free: The Nina Simone Story

There’s little left to say about Nina Simone that hasn’t already been recited ad infinitum, in an inevitably more eloquent manner than I have time for at this moment. Yet on a broiling Indian summer afternoon, To Be Free, the recently released Simone anthology sounds magnificent; particularly, the sun-drenched horns of “Poppies,” and the wobbly… Continue reading »

Oct
07

Song To Woody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6iAaxOAHCM I was supposed to type up my interview with Bishop Lamont but instead decided to watch the last half of the Red Sox-Angels Game. As Goodie Mobb once eloquently put it: “Decisions, Decisions.” After watching the Angels blow the game, I have decided to salve my wounds by watching old Woody Allen clips from… Continue reading »

Oct
06

The B-Sides: The Knux Interview

Q: What were your lives like growing up in New Orleans? Rah Al Milio: We grew up in the real New Orleans. Every day was hell, that bitch is a jungle, it’s a third world country inside of America. It’s hard. We were just trying to survive. I’m totally from the hood and I never… Continue reading »

Oct
04

The Weekend Song: Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker-”No One Knows (What Goes On When the Door is Closed)”

Jimmy McGriff knew how to get down. Download: MP3: Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker-”No One Knows (What Goes On When the Door is Closed)”

Oct
03

Won’t Get Fooled Again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpB2jM9k6gY So I’ve finally figured out exactly who Asher Roth reminds me of. The Eminem comparisons being a bit too facile and undermined by the fact that, y’know, the young Marshall Mathers was actually a great rapper. Behold…the long-forgotten Delicious Vinyl white rapper Jesse Jaymes who briefly owned the Box for a shining moment in… Continue reading »

Oct
03

Blind Willie McTell-”Bell Street Lightnin’”

Yesterday was my birthday. Accordingly, I suspect today will be about “Bell Street Lightnin’.” Also, I’m about ready to make it a rule that if a musician has the word “Blind” in his name, I will probably like them. Unless they’re like near-sighted or something. That’s just milking it for sympathy points (not to mention… Continue reading »

Oct
02

The B-Sides: Blu Interview

Contrary to popular belief, Blu did not take his name from the Eiffel 65 song popular in the late 90s. Q: So where exactly in LA did you grow up? A: I was born at St. Andrews and 54th, at my grandparent’s crib, that’s where I was living last year and it’s the first place… Continue reading »

Oct
01

Zilla Rocca-Bring Me The Head of Zilla Rocca Mixtape

Any sort of objectivity I may have had regarding Zilla Rocca’s music has long since passed. It’s near impossible to be objective when evaluating a friend’s music, particularly when said friend praises you on the great Wake Your Daughter Up for the “massive amounts of weed [you] smoke and the hot women [you] get.” So… Continue reading »

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