FROM DA BRICKS

Peep some of the highlights on YouTube.

I don’t know how much of the furore surrounding Jay-Z’s placement as Saturday headliner at Glastonbury Festival has made it across the pond, but over in the UK it’s been impossible to get away from the controversy of an American rap artist occupying a spot that has been traditionally reserved for guitar-led anthemic rock. For whatever reason, people seem to have ignored the fact that despite two years of mudbaths and a growing proliferation of cheaper festivals avaliable to British punters, the struggle to sell all avaliable tickets for Britain’s most high profile festival has fallen firmly on Sean Carter’s shoulders. Jigga’s response? One of the most electrifying and original performances in the history of the festival.

Sadly, I wasn’t in attendance (if I had been, this post would be almost completely incomprehensible), but even from the comfort of my own living room in front of a 20″ screen it was clear that Jay-Z’s set was nothing short of extraordinary. Opening with a cover of Oasis’s ‘Wonderwall’ was a stroke of genius, sending a veritable eff you to Noel Gallagher who in the run up to the festival has been particularly outspoken about his opposition to Jigga as headline act, a diss served up with a knowing smile and a sense of inimitable grace.

From this sarcastic and intelligent opening it was a non-stop rollercoaster through the more commercial hits, with beautifully delivered acapellas and numerous other elements thrown into the mix to keep the crowd hyped. The backing band’s renditions of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’ and the Jackson 5’s ‘ABC’ sample flip provided exciting platforms for Jay to rip through a couple of sixteens, and these weren’t the only references to music outside of the hip hop realm, with Prodigy’s ‘Smack My Bitch Up’, U2’s ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ and Rhianna’s ‘Umbrella’ also cropping up during the set. It was really the pace of the performance that was most striking, with swift transitions and these multiple musical references maintaining an almost unstoppable momentum that had even the crustiest hippies waving their hands in the air and hollering like they were at a dingy basement somewhere in Brooklyn circa 1994. White people with dreadlocks can bounce and grind with the best of them, don’t ya know…

Top all this off with dazzling visuals and perfectly judged interactions with the crowd and it’s fair to say that this was a defining moment in the festival’s history. What really landed the sucker punch was that apart from Memphis Bleek acting as hypeman, this was Jay-Z and Jay-Z alone: the temptation to throw in a duet with Beyonce to ensure the crowd stayed happy was categorically eschewed and allowed Jigga to shine firmly on his own merit.

Thought that a group of muddy, largely white Brits wouldn’t appreciate the work of arguably the greatest rapper alive? You couldn’t have been more wrong: hip hop music has officially just been taken to another level. Glastonbury Festival in the house, y’all!

I’m relatively pushed for time this evening, so I’m falling back on the classic blogger’s quick fix by throwing up a couple of choice treats that landed in my inbox this week. I gotta say that for the most part I’m not really on top of things that people send me by e-mail, all too often feeling liking I’m being used for easy promotion by whoever is apparently ‘hot’ at the moment coupled with a general acceptance on my part that FDB is never going to be that go-to spot for up to date news and releases. However, the following is more than worthy of your attention and it means I feel like I’ve fulfilled one of my weekly posts without too much effort. Bonus!

Smeko – Arsenal For The Streets Vol. II

Hailing from France, DJ Smeko’s Arsenal For The Streets Vol. II is proof positive that when it comes to turntablism the boys from the continent continue to be on top of their game. A tightly constructed 50 minute mix, this is worthy of your attention for two key reasons: tight skills and juicy blends. Featuring beats and acapellas from some of the ’90s most respected underground players, it’s the transitions that work particularly well here, with various beats and verses melting into each other as the mix progresses. Don’t sleep, this is what a decent hip hop mix should be all about.

Tracklist:

1- Intro
2- Evil Twinz – ‘Evil Twinz Glocks’
3- XPerado feat OC – ‘Watch Ya Step’ (Blend)
4- J Zone – ‘No Consequences’
5- Attack – ‘Stikken Mov’
6- Ruthless B*stards – ‘Murder We Wrote’
7- Bahamadia – ‘Uknowhowedo’ (Blend)
8- Busta Rythmes – ‘Woo Haa’ (Blend)
9- Big L – ‘Put It On’ (Blend)
10- C Rayz Walz – ‘Whodaf*Kareyou’
11- Big Shug – ‘The Way It Iz’ (’96 Blend)
12- One Be Lo – ‘Rocketship’ (Blend)
13- Mike Zoot – ‘Chess Bumpin’
14- Krs One Feat Channel Live – ‘Free Mumia’ (Blend)
15- Masta Ace -’Always’

East Flatbush Project- ‘A Day In The Life’ (10/30 Uproar, 2008)

It was good to hear from Spencer Bellamy recently via MySpace who had some new material to share from his upcoming EP entitled First Born. ‘A Day In The Life’ features rhymes from Stress and guitar work by Peter Pallis of Brooklyn-based metal band Anaka. On first listen I wasn’t particularly taken, but after a few rotations the beat started to grow on me and it definitely represents a progression from a producer who still lives in the shadow of the undisputed classic ‘Tried By 12′. See what you think and don’t forget to peep my interview with Spencer in the archives.

Nujabes – ‘Sky Is Falling’ ft. C.L. Smooth 
taken from Hyde Out Productions Second Collection (Hyde Out, 2007)

Shin-Ski of Martiangang – ‘I Can’t Help It (Can’t Stop Me Remix)’ ft. C.L.Smooth
taken from Re-Shinstruction (Soul Believer/Media Factory Japan, 2008)

DJ Krush – ‘Only The Strong Survive’ ft. C.L. Smooth 
taken from Meiso (Mo Wax/ffrr, 1995)

Although I like the vast majority of hip hop material that comes out of Japan, I can’t say that I’m particularly up on it. Beyond the obvious big hitters like Krush and DJ Honda I know that there are sure to be a hell of a lot more artists out there that are more than worthy of my attention, but as yet I just haven’t explored this particular branch of the genre in much depth. However, things may be about to change having stumbled upon Nujabes’ exceptional ‘Sky Is Falling’ via the Pete Rock forum a couple of days ago, and thanks to Jaz I got my hands on another Japanese-produced cut with the Mecca Don tearing it up. It also reminded me of a third Japanese producer/C.L. Smooth joint from Krush’s excellent Meiso, so it made sense to throw ‘em up together and see where people’s preferences lie; I am yet to determine my personal favourite.

The Nujabes’ cut is taken from Hyde Out Recordings second compilation of songs released by the label, run by the man himself. The beat here is really something quite special, with chunky drums underpinning a beautifully spacious horn loop and plenty of subtle transitions thrown into the mix to keep things interesting. It was my manChris Read who suggested that perhaps the vocals are a little lost in the mix, but this is a small gripe for an otherwise brilliantly executed jam. Shin-Ski’s ‘I Can’t Help It’ is just as dope and is taken from his second LP, a compilation of remixes of his own work. C.L.’s flow sits a little better over this beat, mellow and restrained enough to let the vocals shine a little more. Finally, Krush’s ‘Only The Strong Survive’ goes down as classic material in my book, with oriental nuances working cohesively with hard-hitting boom bap aesthetics to create a banger that sounds as good now as it did all the way back in 1995.

Recommendations for other Japanese material gratefully received. Which cut would you plump for?

Despite rarely writing about anything other than that good old hippity hop, after a week in Florida and whilst suffering from jet lag I’m not really able to focus my thoughts back towards music just yet. Here are a few things that struck me during my time in the sunshine state:

1. Florida is unbelievably flat, which would be perfect for cycling if everything wasn’t so amazingly spread out. No wonder there are more than a few people kicking about with excess flab. Don’t imagine those $5 all you can eat buffets do much to help either.

2. No matter how old I get, I don’t think I will ever be able to stop myself from being absorbed by the wonderful corporate magic that is Disney and Universal Studios. Consume and enjoy!

3. Having time off from both music and the internet is no bad thing, and realistically what did I miss? As I usually spend two or three hours a day on the net I was surprised that after three whole days all that had happened was a few comments (thank you) and a couple of interesting e-mails. Other than that, it made me realise that I need to seriously trim my time in front of a screen. Amazingly, there are actually other things to do.

4. American mainstream sneaker outlets suck. Hard. In my local Foot Locker in Bristol there are at least four or five desirable pairs knocking about, not least the reissued Air Max Bursts, and JD Sports continues to kill ‘em with tons of exclusive Air Maxes. The best thing I came across was some cheap Lights in an outlet store, but other than that it seems you’ve gotta be close to some bonafide boutiques or in a major city to shell out for anything truly worth copping.

5. Beautiful beach + warm weather = guaranteed good time.

6. Americans are spolit for choice when it comes to excellent coverage of sporting events. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the two NBA Conference finals and the spelling bee wasn’t bad either. Bring me ESPN!

7. The chances of getting a decent quality lager on tap in the States are slim to none. What’s up with all that light/lite beer?

8. The food, however, is exceptional. Grilled lobster, shrimp, steak and scallops? I could murder that goodness all day, everyday. Again, no surprises hidden underneath those larger than life waistlines.

9. ‘Luchini’ sounds best whilst coming in to land on a 747.

10. When it comes down to it, there’s nothing quite like good quality family time. Watching my Dad eat food designed to be eaten by hand will never cease to amuse me, and neither will hitting him with a cheeky wet willy(that last one was the best Tim). One for the family annals Mum: thanks again.

Normal service will resume when my body starts to believe I’m in the right timezone. Given that I’m back at work, I’m hoping that won’t be too far away as teaching children whilst bleary-eyed doesn’t quite work out. Deconstructions and a couple of interviews to follow shortly: nice to be back.

DJ Krush – ‘Meiso’
taken from Meiso (Mo Wax, 1995)

DJ Krush – ‘Meiso (DJ Shadow Remix)’
taken from Meiso CDS (Mo Wax, 1996)

DJ Krush – ‘Meiso (Da Beatminerz Remix)’ 
taken from Meiso Another Maze (Sony, 1996)

Jaz’s recent Beatminerz compilation reminded me not only of how great their version of DJ Krush’s ‘Meiso’ is but also of the astounding quality of two other bangin’ versions by the man himself and DJ Shadow. All three have bounced around the cavities located on each side of my head for years now, but I’ll be damned if I’ve ever managed to decide on a definite favourite. Whereas the dark, brooding aesthetic of the original always instigates a relatively violent nodding of the head, the drop into the chorus on Shadow’s version is absolutelydevastating… but what about the filtered groove on Da Beatminerz’s cut? Goddammit!

There are several other remixes of this track in existence, so if you think I’m missing a trick then tell me, otherwise state your preference and help cease the whirring in my head. Please.

Edreys – ‘D.U.I.’ & ‘No Joke’

Edreys, born and raised in Buffalo, New York, created quite a buzz with his video on You Tube, with 300,000 views ‘I Like It’ in a month. Apparently he’s caught the attention of some label heads, so the future seems bright for this young MC who’s currently working on an album to be released in 2008. You should look out and buy a copy of his ‘D.U.I.’/’I Like It’ limited 45 now before they’re gone. Edreys will be on tour with Camp Lo and Prince Po in April and May, so if you’re a promoter or if you know someone who’s capable of putting up a show, get in touch and support real music.

The first track featured here is a nice breakbeat driven track with a sample you should be familiar with. The second is a remake of the classic Eric B and Rakim track, with new lyrics that take the track to a new level.

6th Sense – ‘It’s Time’

6th Sense, also from New York, is one of the artists that are part of the Rawkus 50, a project where they signed 50 artists and released digital albums on the label. The result is an album called It’s Coming Soon which was produced by 6th Sense and Frequency. Together they also produced ‘Think About It’ for Snoop Dogg’s The Blue Carpet Treatment album. The MC/Producer from New York also released a mixtape with Mick Boogie, available as a free download, called Go For It. The track featured is taken from the Go For It mixtape and was produced by Frequency.

You know we only feature quality music on this blog, so you really need to check out this pair of talented contemporary MCs.

Lords Of The Underground – ‘From Da Bricks’
taken from Here Come The Lords (Pendulum, 1993)

I’m not sure how I managed to miss the exact date of FDB’s inception, but I guess in some ways it’s indicative of the fact that time is a strange beast in internet terms. It seems even stranger to me that just over a year ago I had never committed any of my thoughts on hip hop to paper (you get what I mean), especially given that this little blog is now one of the primary passions in my life. Of course, that’s not to say that I don’t have other things going on, but if you’d asked me last December where I thought this was going, I never would have anticipated that FDB would have brought me so much joy on such a consistent basis.

Looking back, the defining moment for me has to have been the switch away from whole album downloads back in May. The upshot of this decision was that I was forced to expand my scope and look for new things to cover, and the result has been a vastly increased understanding of a genre that has dominated my life for almost as long as I can remember. Since that point I’ve delved into sample sources, interviewed heroes and been privy to exclusive music that I would have never otherwise got my hands on: it’s been fantastic. It’s also made me aware of how much more there is to learn about the culture, and I’m proud to say that although I know more now than ever before I also realise there’s a wealth of knowledge still waiting to be untapped, and that makes me extremely happy. Hip hop is alive and well around these parts people.

There are loads of places that have helped me get my musical fix over the last 12 months, and props go out to everyone in my blogroll for showing such a commitment to sharing music and ideas: it’s always appreciated. However, the following are the people who deserve a special mention as key players in my virtual life, constant sources of inspiration and ultimately, as friends.

Alley Al @ Biff Hop
Biff Hop was one of the first blogs that really grabbed me, and the amount of music that Alley has posted over the last year is unbelievable. What with travel tips for NYC and constant words of encouragement, huge shouts have gotta go out to one of the hardest working men in blogland.

Dart Adams @ Poisonous Paragraphs
Despite only being able to read Dart’s musings through my Google Reader account due to the phenomenal time it takes me to load up his page (get rid of some of those pictures Dart!), his coverage of music, film and whatever else he chooses to write about is always sensational.

Depleted @ Analog 313
Through his various internet phases (BLAR, Carbon III, Funk Theory) Depleted has always been someone who I touch base with around the way. Although his current empire covers Detroit techno, a genre which I know next to nothing about, I’m always sure to check out his work and see what he’s up to. What’s it going to be next D?!

Eric @ When They Reminsice…
When Eric arrived on the scene in March I was convinced that no new blog was ever really going to grab me again, such was the saturation of the scene. I was wrong. WTR rapidly became a member of what I consider to be my immediate blog fam, and a large part of that is because Eric is one of the most genuine, honest and passionate people I have met on the internet.

Floodwatch @ floodwatchmusic.com
Floodwatch is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most knowledgable and entertaining people on the blog scene today. It doesn’t matter if it’s hip hop, death metal or electronica, I never fail to digest every word posted over at his site due to its amazingly consistent quality. Flood – are we ever going to get around to the next PR collaboration?!

Jaz @ Cold Rock Da Spot!
And I thought I knew a lot about hip hop… Jaz has opened my ears to more slept on gems than I care to imagine over the last year: the man never fails to amaze me. New Zealand in the house!

Jeff @ Passion Of The Weiss
Like Flood, Jeff’s knowledge of music from a myriad of different genres is mind-boggling. Funny, insightful and creative, Passion Of The Weiss is categorically one of my favourite places to be on the net. Oh, and Jeff’s pretty cool too.

Rafi @ Oh Word
I feel truly honoured to be a part of the team over at Oh Word, and thanks and respect go out to Rafi and the rest of the crew for holding down one of, if not the, best hip hop blog on the internet. Just wait ’til I get those bowling shoes on Rafi…

Scholar @ Souled On Music
Not only is Souled On a staple of my digital diet, I am also forever indebted to Scholar for initiating my journey into sample sources. If it hadn’t been for his site, FDB would not be what it is today: the word props doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Travis @ WYDU
I’ve mentioned it before, but WYDU was pretty much the catalyst for me starting my own blog. Travis’s honesty and complete lack of bullshit means that his site endures as one of my favourite blogs, and I’m proud to be affiliated with a site that is unquestionably of the highest calibre. You’re the man Trav.

Finally, I want to thank everybody who has visited the site and takes the time out to read my various rants. Without you, FDB would be nothing: here’s to many more years to come!

I was going to post up my latest interview over the weekend, but unfortunately I managed to leave the hard drive with the audio on it at work on Friday, so you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. That’s the breaks…

I do however want to extend an invitation out to anyone who might be interested in contributing to FDB, as it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while now. There’s no doubt that the blogging game can be time consuming, and with the site steadily growing over the last 11 months or so (birthday celebrations this week), I’m interested in offering a wider scope in terms of content and boosting the frequency of posting. Here’s a few guidelines suggesting what I’m after:

1. I’m really not that interested in being at the forefront of the scene in terms of up to date news: there are plenty of places on the net that already handle that side of things very well.

2. I need to feel that we’re going to be on the same page musically, so if I dislike the music that you propose to cover, I’m not going to ask you on board. The content should be roughly in line with what already goes on around these parts, so the latest Lil Wayne mixtape is out I’m afraid. Having said this, I really don’t want to be too restrictive, so if you have ideas that you think could work then I’m all ears.

3. The quality of writing has always been paramount for me here at FDB, so bear in mind that I’m looking for someone who is similarly obsessed with the written word and who actively enjoys the writing process.

Beyond that I want to leave it pretty open. If you’re up for getting involved then hit me up at my e-mail (daniel m love [at] yahoo dot com) telling me a little about yourself and proposing a few ideas for posts. Although you won’t be getting paid, I’d like to think that this humble little corner of the internet has built a decent rep for itself over the last year or so, and you will have the opportunity to converse with labels and artists with the added bonus of occasionally getting your hands on some exclusive music. Oh, and the opportunity to deal with me on a more personal level: if that’s not a great selling point, I don’t know what is. Let’s build people!

Compass Film Festival – 3rd/4th November @ The Watershed Cinema, Bristol

Rhymes Of Resistance – 31st October @ The Kuumba Centre, Bristol

A little off the regular hip hop tip I know, but I wanted to hip people to something else I’ve been involved with of late. My girlfriend Samantha works her arse off year round to organise a film festival which is now in its second year, and this time around I’ve pitched in by helping put together a night entitled ‘Rhymes Of Resistance’. The evening will feature performances from three local spoken word artists as well as an open mic session, so if you’re in the Bristol area tomorrow night come and check it out. The evening takes place at The Kuumba Centrein St. Paul’s, starts at 6pm and ends at 9pm. This will be followed by an after party at Mackies bar around the corner on Cheltenham Road. Beats and rhymes aplenty: it’s ‘Hip Hop Halloween’ people. I’ll be the guy looking stressed/nervous/euphoric depending on how the night goes down, come and say hello if you’re about.

The rest of the festival is taking place at the Watershed Cinema this coming weekend, have a look at the website and see if something tickles your fancy. Hope to see you there.