Despite the sickening suspicion of similarities between myself and the extroverted pseudo-Bohemian asshole up above, I spent the majority of my Memorial Day weekend camped out at the UCLA Jazz and Reggae festival. I previewed it for the Times last Friday, so if you’re interested in the logistics head there. As for the event itself, it’s redundant to reiterate why if you book Erykah Badu, People Under the Stairs, and De La Soul, good times will be had by all.
After all, mere months after the first twittered pregnancy, Ms. Medulla Oblongata stays crushing it like pink cookies in plastic bags, rocking black leather pants, Public Enemy hoodie, and Abe Lincoln hat. Judging from Sunday’s set and her Greek Theater godliness of last summer, I’m convinced that the source of her talents is as extraterrestrial as the U.F.O. theories she harbors.
Equally impressive as the ever-green vets was the strong smoke of day two–with a lineup stacked with the finest Kingston exports since Jamaican Gold first hit the docks. In particular, headliner Mavado, a.k.a. The Gully God, rose above the ragamuffins. A disciple of Bounty Killer, Mavado has collaborated with everyone from Jay-Z, to G-Unit, to Wyclef Jean–who he resembles both stylistically and visually.
Equally fluent in hip-hop, roots reggae, and dancehall, think of Movado as the logical extension of the Bounty Killer and Fugees collabo, “Hip Hopera,” with the erstwhile Real McKoy capable of handling all parts. Unfortunately, he has yet to acknowledge the visual flair of wearing a Viking Helmet in videos. Fortunately, he has yet to work with Shakira.
Download:
MP3: Mavado-“Real Mckoy with a Full Clip”
MP3: Mavado-“So Special”
MP3: Mavado ft. Jay-Z-“The Rock”
MP3: Mavado-“Brown Bottle”
MP3: G-Unit ft. Mavado-“Let It Go”
