If you’ve read my blog long enough, you know it’s not a secret that I am a very big fan of The Lessondary-a crew of NY-based MCs that are simply dope as hell. Von Pea, Donwill (also known as Tanya Morgan), Che Grand, Spec Boogie, and Elucid just always come with a level of artistry and lyricism we should expect out of all MCs. They also manage to make songs to get folks on the dance floor (trust me, I know).

Late last year Von Pea dropped the album Pea’s Gotta Have It which was largely about life in Brooklyn during his high school years without sounding like a total throwback or dated (i.e. it doesn’t want to make you do those dances we used to do w/ the “hip-hop” hands). “Thanks for Your Children” is a cut off the album that isn’t really so much a story than it is about 3 dope MCs just spittin. How can you hate that? Add the beautiful rawness of a simple black & white video (shot by photographer Richard Louissaint) and you’ve got a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. Enjoy.

You can also check Von Pea along with J-Live and Oddisee August 23rd at Mercury Lounge in NYC.

I really thought this blog would be dead in the water, though I really didn’t want to stop writing. Life pretty much went to shit in a short amount of time  and I found myself in a very sad, but transformative period of “starting over” with nothing but the love and support of some amazing friends and family. I’m still working my way back to myself.

I’m fortunate. Not everyone can be. We all have our demons and our addictions (as benign as they may seem) and if we make it through our time on this plane without letting them destroy us, we have to consider ourselves lucky. I wish there was a clear cure-all-excerise, therapy, sobriety, chocolate, laughter, hugs-but there isn’t. The most we can do is just try and fight and hope that at least if in the end we don’t ‘make it’, we did what we could to reverse our fortune. If we falter, we must forgive ourselves and keep trying as long as we have breath in our lungs and beats in our heart.

The constant throughout my (near) year long trial has been music, as always. My refuge and conduit by which I can express my emotions, make sense of what I’m feeling, and understand that others too have experienced the same sadness, heartbreak, and tragedy. Putting words and sound to one’s pain is no simple act; it can take away pieces of you that you can never replace, it can bring on emotions you feel you can’t bear, it can lead to destructive behavior.

I can’t begin to say I know what Amy Winehouse’s life was like, but I do know that life isn’t easy or fair for any of us. Sometimes things are just too much to bear and trying to separate yourself from those pains and problems, even just for a short period of time, can take their toll in ways you never expect, even when you know all the consequences.

All I know is that this woman was a powerhouse of talent whose words and sound brought me heights of happiness at her cheeky verses and great beats, and came down to my depths to commisserate when I was feeling my most heartbroken. For me, The past several months have been mostly Sade, MeShell N’degeocello, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, and Amy Winehouse  playing while I just went through the motions of mourning and loss, strengthening and redemption.

I’m saddened that Amy Winehouse wasn’t as fortunate: to get past past the pain and the demons and addictions that seem to pass through other’s lives so innocuously. She truly was a unique voice and contributed a lot to pop and modern soul music in a short period of time. To hear Frank for the first time was a joy and it only amazed me that she was only 20 years old at the time. She talked grown woman shit that pop stars years her senior and with longer career-spans couldn’t (and still can’t!) express.

When word of her new album and US release/tour came out, I remember dropping everything to rush to the phone and score a table reservation for Joe’s Pub, one of her performance stops. I was still playing Frank like it had just dropped and “In My Bed” often had a spot in my DJ sets. I was really excited to see her live and hear her new stuff. I think everyone was surprised by her ‘look’-a definite shift from the slim, long haired woman from the “Fuck Me Pumps” video. The bouffant up to the heavens, the jailhouse tats (which I loved!), and the winged eyeliner definitely turned a few heads but when she started singing, it was truly a sight to behold. Afterward, I recall many people saying they felt she was ‘out of it’ and ‘on something’ during the performance. I just remember her having a drink nearby her and what I thought was just a case of nerves. She had little side chats with Mark Ronson (who produced Back to Black) between songs as he sat near her in the crowd and she begged off the cheers and compliments folks were giving her. Soon, word of her seemingly irrational behavior would become more commonplace even though she’d achieve great triumph in her many award nominations and wins.

The last few years seemed to be full of a lot of unfavorable news stories of her issues with drugs and alcohol and some people were just hoping she’d be able to kick and restore her mental and physical health and reclaim her spot as a top performing artist while others enjoyed the shenanigans of her downward spiral. The ride is over now and we have one less talent in our midst, hopefully now free from all things that tortured her during her short time with us on earth. I’m sure her third album, which had been submitted and reportedly rejected by her label, will be released posthumously, stories and rumors and details about her final hour will be written about while everyone who loved her and loved her music are left with questions that will forever remain unanswered. All we can do is remember and appreciate what is left, which is more than most of us leave behind when we pass on: a contribution to music that transformed a lot of minds, and helped a lot of people understand and channel their emotions and helped them feel everything but alone.

Thank you Amy. May you be at peace.

I think the only bigger Native Tongues Fans than yours truly* are Von Pea and Michael Rappaport. Rappaport wins since he named one of his kids Maseo. That, and he just made a documentary of A Tribe Called Quest as they toured this past summer with the Rock the Bells tour. We as fans get a nice glimpse into all the “behind the music”-esque and all the history and drama.

This trailer is bonkers! The video is a bit out of sync with the audio but whatever. I cannot wait to see this movie.

*The only reason I don’t win is because I’m unmarried. If I ever get married, I’m walking down the aisle to “Bonita Applebum” (Instrumental).

The title of Adele’s new single, from her new album, 21, come out early next year!

If you are asking “Who is Adele?”,  it’s ok. 2008 and 2009 were big years for her. Her debut album 19 made quite a stir in the UK (where she is from), and the US as well. She won a couple of Grammys. You might have heard Chasing Pavements a lot in passing.

She’s definitely part of that crop of soulful British female singers that have been making waves stateside the past few years and to be 100% honest: SHE IS THE BEST ONE. Duffy’s voice is annoying.  Joss is trying way too hard with little impact vocally. Leona Lewis: no comment, and I really do love Amy Winehouse but I miss the sound she had on Frank. I wish she brought some of the jazz to Back in Black. Plus, Adele’s eyeliner game is better.

I mean Adele can be a little easy listening at times but her voice is so honest and her songwriting is mature. This new song is great. It’s bluesy, soulful and it’s a little gospel-like on my ears. If the new album is going to have this tone, it will be great!

If you need a little boom-bap with your pop/contemporary music, check Mick Boogie’s reworking of 19 with some beats reminiscent of the year Adele was born: 1988.

Talent runs in packs. Not long after learning about Chris Turner, I was tipped off to an associate of his, Dani Elliot. She’s a NYC based singer and songwriter that is fresh and soulful.  I like her effortless blend of soul, jazz and pop. Her sound and voice are really warm and smooth but not weak-she definitely stands up to the comparisons to Corinne Bailey Rae and other contemporary songstresses. This is great listening for any time. She has an EP available for download on bandcamp. Check out the title track, “Take it Back” below!

Fam is a weekly Thursday night party in NYC with a rotating line up of  some great DJs. Every time I go, 2 things happen: I end up staying way later than expected because the music is so good, I drink a good amount of bourbon because Von has a nice little selection.

Fam is just a perfect mix of everything. The crowd is varied and the binding force is the music, since everyone eventually ends up doing some sort of movement to the beat while ponying up to the bar.  The music goes from old to new, across genres, and it all sounds great. Each DJ has a distinct groove and they play off each other well. I always have a good time. One of the few parties in NYC I try to visit as often as I can.

It’s good to now be able to take some of the vibe from Fam to my iPod with a mix! DJ Eleven, DJ Lindsey, DJ Myles, and DJ Sureshot compiled a mix of some Fam favorites. It’s just a little sample, but enough to make you want to head to Von next Thursday.

Download the mix here

Fam @ Von-3 Bleecker Street NYC. 9pm-3am Every Thursday

Speaking of NYC Parties, another favorite, The Good Spot, ended its 3 year run at CV (formerly known as 105 Rivington). DJ mOma and DJ Stimulus got a lot of people out late on a Monday night to dance and introduced a lot of songs folks didn’t think wouldn’t bang in the club but would bring The Good Spot crowd to its knees. They also brought out a lot of great guest DJs to add to the fun. Unfortunately, nothing is forever but we’ve got Two Volumes of The Good Spot mixes to rock  and both mOma and Stimulus can be heard regularly around NYC and abroad. I’m sure they’re already cooking up something new for the masses and I can’t wait.

All my Bed Stuy residents know what I speak of. Liquid Love, one of the many classic watering holes in the area.

Bed Stuy production duo The Stuyvesants recently immortalized this institution on a song off their recent compilation/paean to our beloved neighborhood you can download FOR FREE .

MC/DJ/Producer Melo-X has teamed up with a newcomer, Chris Turner and flipped this instrumental into a sexy jazzy tune that will now play repeatedly on my speakers for quite a while.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Liquid Love

If you love it as much as I do, you’ll download, spread the word, and keep an eye out for all of these talented guys. You can catch The Stuyvesants at a CMJ showcase tomorrow night, and Melo-X is doing a few shows this week as well.

Just when I was mentioning the impact underground hip hop radio shows has had on my entire life (not just DJ-wise), I hear the disturbing news that WKCR, Columbia University’s radio station, is trying to end Squeeze Radio.

This cannot happen.  This show is an hip hop institution and consistently presents talented emerging artists in hip hop where other radio stations have failed. It is fun, fresh, entertaining, and informative and has remained consistent for 20 years. I owe nothing but gobs of gratitude to Stretch, Bob, and Sucio Smash(who couldn’t have been a better successor for the show) for shaping me into the music lover I am.  This show has lasted for GENERATIONS now and should continue.

If you feel as strongly as I do, please sign this petition and encourage others to do the same.

I know I beat you all over the head repeatedly about SFNY 2 with good reason, but some of you still did not go! People were calling it the party of the summer…AND IT WASN’T EVEN SUMMER!

The third installment is this coming Sunday with DJ’s Moni*, Kon, and Ge-ology representing NY and DJs Mamabear, King Most, Freddy & Marky coming from the West.

The mixes in anticipation for SFNY 3 have been straight fire. My personal favorite is Kon’s, who drops some crazy unreleased song I am currently obsessed with by a Detroit cat named Chow Daddy. Also, if you know me personally, you know I love Robert Palmer with all my heart so it is great to see a lesser-known track getting some shine. It’s just great listening to this and a great way to hype yourself up to what will definitely be another great afternoon/evening/night of tunes, people, and good times. I hope to see you there! Don’t forget to RSVP!

*In addition to being a dope DJ, Moni is also an accomplished film maker. She’s leaving NY to take over LA and she’ll be missed. Catch her Friends We Love web series at the next First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum of Art!

A lot of things have happened this summer! Unfortunately, not all has been good, but let’s not focus on that!  If you were in NYC this summer, you know how it went: hot, humid, blech. However the summer was just chock full of great events and music and I’m just glad I caught just a little slice.  I’ll give you all a recap in a few days.

In the meanwhile, I may as well start at the end: I was a guest of Jon Oliver on his weekly show The Main Ingredient, which is on East Village Radio every Monday night/Tuesday morning from 12am-2am. It was such an honor and a pleasure to just kick it and spin some of my favorite tracks to a sidewalk audience!

My brother also came through to chill which was really great. The whole experience took me back to when he and I would stay up late trying to catch The Underground Railroad on a Tuesday night or Stretch and Bobbitto on Thursdays. Staying up just late enough to press “record” on the tape player and hope we wouldn’t be in REM sleep by the time the side ended so we could quickly switch to record the rest of the show.  Those were our mixtapes growing up. I still have quite a few of those tapes stashed away. Sometimes I’ll even hear a song and remember that the first time I heard it was on one of these tapes. I actually was going to try and pay homage to that by throwing in some of these tracks in my set last night (E-Rule’s “Listen Up”, The Pharcyde’s “4 Better Or 4 Worse”) but alas, I took a more chill approach. You can listen to the show here if you were already in dreamland by the time we started. (Click “Listen” next to Sept 7th Show)

Also, if you didn’t know, Jon is also a part of an elite organization whose mission is to rock the sh!t out of parties, while spinning nothing but vinyl. This organization is comprised of some of the most knowledgeable and skilled DJs the WORLD has to offer. No hype. This is all fact.  Do they fulfull their mission? Each and everytime. Packed houses with lines snaking around corners, they are getting booties shaking and leaving dance floors dusty (ok not really but the visual made me giggle).

Ladies and Gentlemen: I Love Vinyl.

They’re crossing the bridge this coming Friday for their monthly Brooklyn aka B-Side version at Brooklyn Bowl. Definitely check it out. If you can’t make it this Friday, you can check their regular Manhattan party the last Saturday of each month at LPR.