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Saturday, December 14, 2002

Common's 'Electric Circus'

Posted by El Keter ben Tzadik

You would've thought that my vehement hatred of the first single "I Got A Right Ta" would've led to my despising Common's new album 'Electric Circus' in like manner wouldn't you? Yeah, so would I. However, after being treated to a veritable listening party for the record yesterday while riding up to Amherst with The Original M.I.C. I have to admit that it's one of the strongest releases of the year.

The first thing that struck me about 'Electric Circus' was that the title is incredibly appropriate as it finds Com incorporating a new, more electronic sound and features the input of multiple producers & guests, thus creating a veritable circus for your auditory senses. The next thing that struck me was how the record functions as a whole. Rather than just being a collection of random song the album is woven together in a mix-tape like style that in the end lends it an air not unlike the rock'n'roll epics of old. In that aspect it reminded me a lot of another hip-hop concept album released this year that went places the artists fans didn't neccessarily expect, El-P's 'Fantastic Damage.' Like that joint, this is an underground hip-hop record. But rather than the futuristic b-boy wonderings of a backpack toting white-boy from New York we're getting the socio-spiritual awakening of an aging bohemian African-American hip-hopper from the midwest. How big is the difference? Well, to some it might feel like the distance from Earth to Nibiru, while to others it might be more akin to the space between the faces of two kissing lovers. To me it's all and none of the above. No, this isn't 'Resurrection.' No the album isn't a lyrical masterpiece. No it's not perfect either. But despite what it isn't, it is dope. It is big. It is funky. It is soulful and the beats fuckin' knock. It's also a hell of a lot better than the hated 'Like Water For Chocolate.' Hell, it works on so many levels that even "I Got A Right Ta" makes perfect sense in the grand scheme of things.

Common's 'Electric Circus' isn't a lot of things that his fans might have hoped or expected it to be. But it is one of the best records of the year, and it just might end up being a classic.

Posted at 10:08 PM
Filed under — Music Notes

Saturday, December 07, 2002

Boys have a penis, girls have a vagina...

Posted by El Keter ben Tzadik

I guess it turns out that one of the records M.I.C. copped today at the record warehouse is the joint Company Flow sampled for the intro to the song "Bad Touch Example" from their 'Funcrusherplus' album. You know, the one that goes "Since you're my special friend, come closer for a special treat, I'm going to let you touch me in a special place" in that creepy child molestor type of voice? The record is some read along education joint for kids called 'My Body Is My Own Vol. 2' about private parts and how to protect 'em. That's the find of the century if you ask me.

And I guess we're going to mount some type of joint Imageyenation/Urban Alternative Show expedition down to Hartford to check out 'Equilibrium' later tonight. We're just trying to figure out whose whip we're all going to pile into. I'll let you know if the flick lived up to the hype or not.

Posted at 05:36 PM
Filed under — Music Notes

Hell yeah, you got me opin...

Posted by El Keter ben Tzadik

So me and The Original M.I.C. headed to this record warehouse out in Chicopee this morning. I came up on fresh sealed copies of Black Moon's "I Got Cha Opin" backed with "Reality ( Killin' Every ... )" as well as Nas's "It Ain't Hard To Tell", "The World Is Yours" and "One Love" on vinyl. Shit is lovely. M.I.C. on the other hand came out with a fat stack of shit far too numerous to name. We're definitely going to have to make a return trip out there some time though 'cause they had a ill selection of stuff I'd like to cop.

Who would've thought quiet ass Chicopee would be the home of such utter dopeness?

Posted at 01:25 PM
Filed under — Music Notes

This Ninja ain't quiet

Posted by El Keter ben Tzadik

Over the course of the last week or so I've become somewhat of a Ninja Tune devotee. I've been familiar with the label for a long time but had never really checked out their releases with any seriousness. That is until boredom and fed-up-ed-ness with hip-hop struck me this week and I decided I needed some new chilled out electronic music to help calm me down.

Earlier this month I had checked out Amon Tobin's new record 'Out From Out Where' -- which came out on Ninja Tune -- and thought it was pretty crappy to be completely honest. But I didn't let that deter me as I figured that the label had to have some other decidedly doper shit to offer. So, I visited their website and listened to some snippets of their newer releases and found a bunch of stuff that impressed the shit out of me. So much so in fact that I now have copies of five of their albums for my own private mistening enjoyment.

Mr. Scruff's 'Trouser Jazz' was the first to catch my ear with a nice blend of uptempo house, disco and funk type shit with some groovey downtempo jazz and hip-hop tracks. Then I gave Jagga Jazzist and their 'A Living Room Hush,' an excurision into instrumental jazz and soul with an electronic lean, a chance. After that it was the downtempo spiced with hip-hop and rock flavor of 'Flying Wonder' from the experimental Homelife collective. Finally I went back a ways and peeped the heavy traditional hip-hop styled downtempo beats of 'Animal Magic' the 2001 release from producer Bonobo.

Why am I telling you? Because, not a single track on any of these records is wack, they're packed to the brim with chunky beats, dope samples, ill instrumentation and innovative grooves. Anybody looking for a nice change of pace couldn't possbily go wrong by dropping the needle ( or laser eye as it were ) on these discs.

Posted at 05:44 AM
Filed under — Music Notes

Friday, December 06, 2002

It was the moment he feared

Posted by El Keter ben Tzadik

On Wednesday the INS ruled in favor of deporting hip-hop legend Slick Rick to England. Congressman John Conyers, Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus & the Hip-Hop Summit Action network have issued an appeal to the stop the deportation. "He has been held unjustly for over 6 months" said Minister Ben Muhammad President of HHSN, "we in the hip-hop community will not allow his deportation to go unchallenged."

Slick Rick's wife Mandy Aragones is urging fans to call the White House and petition President Bush to reconsider the deportation ruling of her husband. "We are continuing to fight this case and appeal to the INS" Aragones said in a statement. "They have targeted someone who is a credit, not a threat, to American culture." Fans can call the White House at 202.456.1111 between 9 and 5 p.m. EST.

Thanks to AllHipHop for the scoop.

Posted at 06:08 PM
Filed under — Music Notes

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