So I know its weird. I went from 2 posts a year to 3 posts a week but when beauty and history crash into each other I gotta say something!
Okay so I effing love Beyonce! I'm not one of those crazy fans that can't admit when she plays herself but I will be the first one to jump up and tell anyone why she is doper than they are. But I feel like I've been waiting over a decade to feel something inside of her. Being so glamorous and playful and flirtatious, its been hard to sense her sincerity in the past. But as she always does, she has finally confronted the issue of her authenticity and proven, she's everything you ever seen, and more.
This video turned everything about Beyonce WAY UP. Classic and well fashioned pin up imaging, grainy vintage 50's video taping and a shot of "B.B. Homemaker" dusting off her countless Grammy's was all it took to make this video a winner. The song, while not the greatest banger of them all is perfect for this theme. She plays on the problem of an unsatisfied husband, but in great B vernacular, you know its also a punch at everyone that questions, critiques and disregards her successful career.
why don't you love me when i make myself so easy to love? i got beauty, i got heart, keep my head in the books I'm sharp. but you don't care to know that I'm smart..
Those vulnerable lyrics are met with Bey fixing cars in stilettos, burning up food and being dangerously beautiful while affirming she deserves more love than she receives. She displays all the ways she caters to her man/public without being regarded for all it takes to be a wonder woman. Makeup rolling down her face, with a cocktail in one hand and a cigarette in another, for the first time you see and hear real torment in her voice. I appreciate that she put it all out there and I believe this is finally the end of the surface Bey. Grown, sexy and secure and in depth, she is surely just as dynamic inside as she is out.
MY SWAGGA IS ANCIENT, A FINE WINE THAT YOU NEVER TASTED...
Sitting down to write about this song has been difficult. Mostly because before i reach the 3rd minute i am up dancing. Faro Z has the magic within to invoke ancient values in a totally contemporary context. In the Fela era New York is currently enjoying, Only Built for Afro Cuban Linx is a gem for on and off broadway audiences. The album is a perfect fusion of Afro Beat, Wu Tang influences and Faro's classic New York mc-ing. To be such an intellectually stimulating body of music the most dynamic part of this single and the entire album is it makes you dance.
This was confirmed at the NRO Speakeasy in the Bronx a few weeks back. Cool vybes, great convos, everyone was chillin. Then Congi Swagga came on. Immediately the cocktail party vybe turned into a full on bashment. Followed by 3 other amazing tracks off the album the event began to BUMP. Bodies were shaking and bouncing from all directions and all I can remember is that I never experienced anything like that moment prior. A room full of people that had never heard Faro's music had become a room full of dedicated fans. We were all shocked. And motivated.
What I appreciate most about Faro, Congi Swagga and the whole Only Built for Afro Cuban Linx is that he doesn't sacrifice any of his skills, he accelerates them and in doing so creates a space for himself within Hip Hop and Diaspora music cultures. Multi-lingual lyrics, familiar and ferocious beats, authenticity and swagga, Faro Z is "the real".
download Congi Swagga at http://newraporder.bandcamp.com/track/congi-swagga
Documenting a beautiful moment in history is always right on time. This is a lesson I learned recently while lost in the woods with the sensual, playful, wild world that Tecla Esposito created on her new album, Strangers In Masks.
I was of the lucky elite class that got an early preview of Strangers before its actual release date. I immediately began taking notes and BBM'd Tec about reviewing her music. But i was way too overwhelmed to share most of my words. I never experienced anything like her before. Tecla and her album are such a flavor filled box of candy and beer, girls and boys, masks and bare truths.
This album is packed with dope from every direction. The ambient, psycho-analytical introduction of Chi Ali's sample, scary laughter and carnival harpsichords open the door to her vortex "Vintage Circus". Lyrically, Tecla is coy and creative and concerned from the gate. Throughout the album she is confronting social bullshit we often walk around in the name of fun and fashion. "Let's Play Dress Up", "Skinny Skinny" and "Good Hair" are all about the world's dumb expectations of her and women all around. Playful lyrics like "Scenester, scenester on my way/ out the door who am I today?" are sexy lines that blatantly call out the external focus of our current pop culture. What I enjoy most is that she is laughing at all of these issues; bringing them to the forefront while vocally proving she doesn't abide by such standards. She calmly questions the issues of beauty and brilliance and how our current culture values each. This discussion is powerful and compelling coming from such an undeniable beauty like Tecla, who conveys well that beauty alone won't win anyone their throne.
Regarding love and romance and creating her own space, Tecla's lyrics are visual and vulnerable. "dancing mimes" and "leprechauns in underwear" and other colorful childhood images are are all over "See The Rainbows", a synth bass driven song about her ideal utopia. One of favorite tracks, "Rollercoaster in Woods" has perfectly visual lyrics and it is easy to find yourself lost in her bouncing images of romance and flashlights. The distant sonic environment in her mid tempo, booty shaking offer a great example of her constantly fusing musical influences.
Confessions of insecurities and inconsistencies in her world are well expressed in tracks like "When I was a Sinner" where she sings doo-wop about how the world may regard her choices in music, friends and lovers. My personal favorite booty shaker, "So Have I" takes that discussion and flips the groove from apologetic to empathetic. The body rock and booty bounce of this songs production exudes confidence that will make listeners question their judgement less and roll with the punches.
In conclusion,this album isn't about a scene,a type, a brand. Tecla, her synth performance, dope lyrics and unique voice are all her own. Considering her already strong catalog of music, I imagine the future for Tecla will be bountiful, and I wont be surprised to find her fusing more styles and sounds into her collection. Much like Little Dragon and Bjork, I am sure that Tecla Esposito's career will be ever fresh, ever elevating and simply DOPE FOREVER.
BECAUSE I AM SO PROUD OF THIS REVIEW AND LOVE IT UP AND DOWN I ASK THAT YOU TAKE A MOMENT TO READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY.
Southpaw was completely saturated with eccentric looking artsy types for “The Aquarian Inauguration Celebration”. In celebration of the new presidency, the Aquarian birthday month, and the mark of a new era, the Inauguration party was set in the aim of welcoming in progressive ideals, politics, and art. Hosted by Homeboy Sandman, and featuring acts from what can be haphazardly categorized as Afro-Punk, Afro-beat, or hip-hop, the various segments of the night were truly “out”—as the jazz cats like to say—or simply unconventional. Similarly, the makeup of the crowd embodied the subcultural communities that take ownership of those genres.
Though the men-folk dominated the majority of the performers, the women were the ones who truly inspired and awed.
Sweetie, the female led punk/pop/hardcore/electronica band had the venue pulsating with rough electric guitar riffs, and multidimensional synthesizers, carrying the force of the lead singers melodic yet fierce vocals. In the tradition of Led Zeppelin, yet with a feminine edge, Sweetie laid down tightly arranged vocals, enormous distortions, in a well-manicured manner, all the while looking hot and intimidating as hell. The polarized crowd gave diverse reactions to the act. There were clearly some avid fans, and then those who were not of the rock mindset, who stood equally awed, but swayed awkwardly, unsure of how to really get down to the music.
Another noteworthy act of the evening was TreZure The Empress. Her band exudes the sounds of Chaka Khan, Fela Kuti, Lauryn Hill, with a little bit of ska flavor. With an onstage personality of Sharon Jones, and a nightingale voice, TreZure’s voice was soft enough to lull you to sleep, but brilliant enough to move crowds. Scampering around the stage, in her Motown-diva little black dress, and owning the stage as her band members stayed stationary in their places, TreZure electrified the audience with her dramatic effect, and whole body performance.
Also including performances by Cavalier, Junk Science, M.C. K~Swift, Miz Metro and The Make Believes, The Antidote, Sankofa, and special guests, “The Aquarian Inauguration Celebration” was a fantastic effort to expose progressive music lovers to severely talented local new musical acts, as well as visual art. Stationed downstairs was an art exhibition displaying works from Leola Bee, Craig Sanders, Dave Chino, Sarah Kolker and others. The entire venue space was transformed into an art mecca, with good vibes, good music, and the exchange of good dialogues; a critical statement of affirming the emerging art community.
-Boyuan Gao
NOW I CAN BLACK OUT!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!! DO YOU HEAR HOW THEM LADIES RUN THIS MUTHAF%*&@!!
Now with the greatest humility I proudly say yes, SWEETIE and TreZure the Empress went so hard for the AIC.Immediately I must thank Jah C and Hassan and Josh for believing in themselves and believing in us because that show was magic yet to be matched. I really appreciated how all of our efforts that night were recognized in the review and that we represented to the fullest (YAH!). The night before the show Tecla called me and we spoke about how excited we were to finally be playing on the same bill and even better back to back! We have always been great supporters of each others music and have come a long way fast. Actually all of us that were in that show have been together grinding and believing in our work together, so that night was remarkable even before the review. I'm just glad our audience felt the blessings that we felt.
Now how is it that Led Zepplin and Chaka Khan get discussed in the same review? Or nightingale's and synthesizers? This is what will happen when these hard core, innovations from SWEETIE and TreZure the Empress are both in the building. It is because the mission of these women is cohesion, they don't come to clash, but to bring everyone together. To have such variant genres , the energy, independence and veracity with which Ife and TreZure both sing and that both bands command, show and prove how close these music cousins are. Much of the electricity that is maintained from each band is provoked from a strong sense of leadership from all of the women. Tecla, playing dark and indulgent chords while singing so calmly exudes great ownership and responsibility for her instruments. Ife, with her deep red nails and lips and jet black hair roams the stage with a warrior call...and then you see how come TreZure's heavy bass lines and guttural drums and deep ancestral wails aren't that far removed. In short, we never clash because we make music that shows you how to LEAD YOURSELF. We aren't doing what is expected and thankfully as I develop as a musician and listen to SWEETIE blossom, i can hear that we won't be predictable or typecast anytime soon. You should expect anything and everything from each of these bands. And what you will surely gain every time you hear us is BLACK GIRLS RULING. No matter how we offer it out, we come from the same spirit, listen to much of the same music and hope to inspire the same way. I told Ife that night that no one should ever question how hood she is EVER because in the end of the day, no matter what people think they like, they can't help but love GOOD ROCK SOUL MUSIC. It's like Leontyne Price singing opera, or Brandee Younger playing classical harp music; when you know who you are you don't have to leave any parts of yourself out to stay true or BLACK. That is the power of the diaspora, the fusion and coming together. Fierce Punk Rock women and a dominant female Afrobeat band leader in the room with a bunch of MCs, business suits and painters makes all the sense in the world to me. Cuz Ife sings punk rock music like a rapper. And I sing afrobeat soul with operatic undertones. WE CAN DO WHAT WE WANT AND WE DO. This is why we will thrive in this industry and we will offer a new perspective in our days. We won't be labeled any longer. Punk Rock, Hip Hop, Alternative Soul, Rock Hop and whatever else is what we play and what we will support if our peoples are making it. BLACK MUSIC WILL NO LONGER BE TYPECAST NOR EXCLUSIONARY. AND SOUL MUSIC WILL NEVER BE CONTROLLED. BIG UPS TO MY WHOLE FAMILY AND EVERYONE FROM THE AIC! WE MAJOR WE MAJOR!!!!
A house drum and harp arpeggios introduce you to a baritone rapper who enters his rap on the one, like a bass line. A calm fusion of body rockin' and slow grinding will occur in the shoulders upon impact. Like a connoisseur, he invites all to a dreamy setting of beautiful bodies unifying through the Soul Banger, a masterpiece composed and produced by the ever soaring Jah C. The looping drum line is constantly enlivened throughout the track by sonic and scenic chords bursting from the hip. In perfect Jah C aesthetic, the saxophone, application by Jesse W. takes the fusion from house to hip hop to afrobeat, an only natural progression from this Ghanian descendant.
As magical and seductive as the rhythm is, the lyrical discussion of Soul Banger is also appealing and productive. Both MC's, Jah C and later, his feature Cavalier of The Dugout express their physical attraction and motivation to connect to another 'soul banger', a confident lady creator and innovator memorized by the music. There are no overt comments about taking the feeling beyond the dance, which welcomes all to participate. Cavalier goes so far as to express how savage and open all can feel in the very moment because the soul is what is supposed to be- exposed, not just the flesh. That is not to say these are self conscious, natural black righteous lyrics; Jah C early on makes clear "I sight boo's sky blue sun dress, that's what I wanna get her out of". But the choice to explain his desire and not his actions in bed offered a more mature and attractive point of view that makes a dancer like me want to dance harder to respond to such a call. Cav reiterates the carnal feeling within the hand claps with his lines like, " hands all in her mane and he got the tangles combed out". Through vocal dynamics and syncopation he brings the image of a ferocious dance and intensive blast between souls.
Throughout the song, Jah C's deep authoritative voice repeats the incantation "just let your soul be free". The control and clarity of his voice create colors and movement that allow the fun-filled song to also find appreciation as a spiritual and functional music, beyond its entertainment value. The music video further supports this. Beautiful women and girls, casually and elegantly dressed, smile and dance hard, not to impress but to share their self image with the world, rather than to turn everyone on. Grown hard core rappers, educators and businessmen are also seen dancing just as hard if not harder. So easily any man or woman could close their eyes and just allow the body to take the advice of the lyrics to release themselves from any pretension. There isn't a right or wrong way to feel a Soul Banger. A call on spirits is a call on everyone. And in this new day we need less music for markets and more music for spirits. The video again prepares you for the new philosophy and communities within today's Diaspora music genres.
Everyone featured in the video was there because they too are Soul Bangers and world changers, no extras for the camera to enjoy, just a real beautiful family of friends. A quotable from Jah C that truly represents the intent of the song was, " You and I unify through a vibe that grew as the music thrived". This is the responsibility and commonality we mustn't forget in this divine 2009. The days of being the glorified aristocrat rapper with money and naked bodies as power tools are tired and done for. Gentlemen with an endurance to provide more than gold for themselves will create wealth in this new day. As a man and an artist, Jah C strives to cultivate and facilitate a society of many leaders, something that is made apparent in the music and the music video. Being so developed musically after 7 years of production progress and a lifetime of rhyming, Jah C's music is and has been ahead of most people, most of the time, but humbly he hasn't had to leave any aspects of himself, his hood or his heart behind.
So why is it necessary to discuss Jah C and his rock-hop as historical diaspora music? To start, the instrumentation clearly reflects jazz, afro beat, break beat, ambient instrumental, and Caribbean influences. Plus in true Diaspora nature, his years of dedicated production and rhyming have led him to his own evolved music. Jah C and his avant-garde sound, demonstrates graceful synchronization of world influences, a necessary value for diaspora culture continuity. The ability to fuse and make a new force out of so many powerful ideas and points of view; not only satisfies me as a listener, but prepares me for the many beautifully melodic, hip shaking, cool skool songs Jah will have to share.
I should start by saying although I am a trained ethno-musicologist and singer, this blog is a place for me to real talk you and offer references and format for proper dialogue on the topics of Diaspora Music Connections. Im not here all the time on my perfect grammar ish, rather i choose to focus on perfect vernacular and retelling of history.
I am a firm believer in Diaspora exposure and community building. Black people are constantly segregating from other Black people (yeah I said it). Dominicans don't want to be affiliated with Puerto Ricans or Haitians, Black Americans and West Indians don't want to be related..mad stupid shit. I grew up in a diverse community of Diaspora members, Puerto Rican family members, extended Panamanian, Jamaica, Peruvian, Trinidadian, Malian, Ghanaian family friends, and obviously my share of South and North American Black and Latino. There was never a time when I was asked to deny my affliation with any of these people or their traditions. I was raised to see that all of these traditions belong to me and my people.
I've spent the last 4 years with students throughout Harlem teaching Diaspora Music History. I created a curricula on Black Music History that expanded to a full Diaspora Music History curriculum introducing Celia Cruz, Sam Cooke, work songs, ring shouts and Fela Kuti etc.. in a literacy and performance after school program. My students were mostly girls, 8-13 years old that didnt care about there grades or being noticed for being smart. However, they wanted to get on stage, and they wanted to prove to me, their teacher ("that is a real singer" as they would say) that they could do what they had to to get what they wanted. So they watched documentaries, listened to countless recordings and wrote listening reports and took semester exams. Several times throughout the year the girls presented full vocal productions and got their celebrity 15 on. All in all I watched them become very proud of themselves and each of them developed a beautiful sense of responsibility and capability. My little homies are already a big deal, you'll see.
So I do a lot of what I do for them. So they can understand the value in documenting our history and creating bridges in the present instead of depending on the values of the past. We unfortunately aren't living like those people always being torn apart, that had to put family first. Because of the loss of some of those old school traditions, we have also forgotten the importance of maintaining the stories of our life so that the world will learn from us as we have learned from our elders.
So basically this blog is just a place for me to tell the world the history of how my kin of vigorous griots and I changed time and revived magic in these days.
i'm just trying to make the most of my life. i'm from the bronx, my mom always worked mad hard to have me well educated so from an early age i developed a confidence of the mind. i knew since i was 8 when i first heard mary sing "you remind me" that i was going to be a singer. and that's how i've lived. all my life i've enjoyed studying the history and culture of black music throughout the diaspora and now i express that information by writing and performing and by teaching music history and performance to young children. i approach music like a griot and a punk. i do what i want. i sing songs that matter to me. i try not to sing sad songs. life is too sad, i need music to pick me up. nothing is glamourous in my life, but EXTRAVAGANT IS A MUST. we play big music, sing with big emotions and dance so God will get involved. i love life when i am singing. i hate it without it. singing is the difference between flesh and soul for me. the flesh has to endure but the soul has to believe. singing is faith. singing is God. singing is my dirt road to freedom.
