The Rise of D-Funk
During Dam-Funk’s takeover of Benji B’s BBC 1Xtra program this week, the latter told the Leimert Park -based funk pharaoh how much sense his music makes in Los Angeles, describing it as the ideal driving music–a simple but accurate observation. Dam’s slinky, swaying sunshine funk combines his 80s inspirations (Slave, Aurra, early Prince) with the 40’s and Four-Four grooves of West Coast gangsta rap. After all, this is a man who spent a sizable chunk of the 90s playing key boards on Westside Connection and MC Eiht records (on a tangentially related note, there is never a bad time to watch the “Straight Up Menace” video.)
In the midst of promoting the 2-CD release of the excellent Toeachizown, which finally dropped last Tuesday (the full 5-LP boxed set won’t hit stores until late December/Early January), Dam’s been busy, with his Benji B appearance essential for anyone interested in learning more about the man behind the funk (he was also apparently on the I Got the Hook-Up Soundtrack), plus the chance to hear some jams from his new record, some largely unheard CD-R cuts, and esoteric cuts from artists that no one other than Dam and Peanut Butter Wolf are probably familiar with. To add to the haul, Dam also just dropped a new free mixtape featuring tracks from Nite Jewel, Mono/Poly, and another array of obscure old-school funk and R&B jams. You want the funk, you need the funk, you gotta have the funk.
Download:
ZIP: Dam-Funk on Deviation/Soulful Beats with Benji B (10/25/09) (Left-Click)
MP3: Dam-Funk-Beautiful Music 4 Beautiful People Mixtape
MP3: Dam-Funk-”Hood Pass Intact”
MP3: Dam-Funk-”The Sky is Ours”
MP3: Dam-Funk-”Love is Here 2Nite”
Stumble It!
October 28th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
If this man had an asymetrical haircut and wasn’t (I assume?) over 35 he’d be lauded as the King of Glo-Fi.
October 28th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
There are definitely some similarities between his work and dudes like Washed Out, Neon Indian, Memory Tapes, Delorean, et. al, but I think his work is a lot more polished. The glo-fi guys revel in the chintzy homemade feel, but this is very clearly stuff being made by a guy who knows how to record. It’s shiny without being glossy, full of bright colors–more roller-skate funk than the comedown after the party.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Sach, Dam-funk with an asymmetrical haircut is just James Pants. I agree with Weiss’ take. Dam-funk has a much more confident approach and his sound is far more polished.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Don’t miss the live show. The man knows how to move a dance floor, and closes his sets with flamboyant keytar solos and robo vocoder crooning. Excellent fun.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Gonna nitpick like a dick. You spelled MC Eiht wrong. Just remember to drop the G because the G ain’t in him.
October 30th, 2009 at 4:17 am
Hey dude,
Just thanking you for this d0pe post! Just threw on the CLAE mix and it is a hit
Keep on keepin’ us Sydney folks entertained!
October 30th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Ha. Good call. Bad form on my part. Spelling since corrected.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:05 am
Drizzle: ouch.
Jeff: True the recording is a lot more crisp, but to my ears they share the same spaced out weed-cookie haziness. That Funk can hit that through composition instead of just tape his is to his credit though.
November 7th, 2009 at 2:44 am
this is some great music
oh boy!
i’ve seen dam-funk’s name around a lot, probably dating back to when i would regularly peruse urb mag, but i had somehow never heard his music till now. thanks! i am now on the hunt for more!
November 9th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Is there a track list available for the CLAE mix?
Looked on the CLAE site and found nothing.
Cheers for the mixes.
November 12th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
[…] talents to drop insane mixes studded with exclusive never-before-heard cuts. Two weeks ago, it was Dam-Funk and now it’s Detroit-born, LA-based producer/percussionist Karriem Riggins, lacing Benji […]