Before:
Patrick Doyle - Kissing the Rain from the score of the film Great Expectations
Tears for Fears - Memories Fade
and After:
“Robocop“, “Bad News“, & “Coldest Winter” (Respectively)
-Ninoy Brown
A clean version of 808s & Heartbreaks leaked yesterday. Clean meaning it was not unintentionally distorted and sounding like it was recorded during a listening party, not Wal-Mart retail clean.
Low expectations may have played a role, but having had time to listen to the album thoroughly, it is not that horrible. One can sense the artistic-masturbation that Kanye engages. Some had expectations that this album would be to Kanye what Electric Circus was to Common, but unlike Com, the pretentious experimentation worked for Kanye.
There will be those that will cry out that this album is another sign of the forthcoming apocolypse of Hip-Hop, and others will proclaim this as further evolution of the musical landscape. Which side is right? Probably both. But let’s not think of this as a Hip-Hop album in the purists’ sense, so it shouldn’t be judged in that matter.
As for it being too emo, I’ll give that to you, Bam.
In regards to putting an end to pitch control devices, I disagree. And so would Stevie:
Mr. Wonder uses a talkbox/vocoder in the above clip and not Auto-Tune, but the purpose of each is still the same: vocal distortions. Unless you already held a distaste for artists like Zapp & Roger, please step off the unnecessary hate.
-Ninoy Brown
Two dates on the calendar could not come any sooner. The first is January 20th. The second is December 6th.
Fight fans understand the magnitude of the match between de la Hoya and Pacquiao; a match, that on paper, favors the Golden Boy. For the Philippines and the people who have been dispersed across the globe due to a shared diasporic experience, there is no shadow of a doubt that the victor will be the Pacman. Pacquiao’s presence has allowed for a redefined Filipino representation, whereby masculinity lost by centuries of colonization has been reclaimed. In watching the E:60 feature, “Thrilla”, one leaves certain of the fact that Pacquiao is a badass who will demolish his much larger and older opponent.
To add to the hype experienced from watching the ESPN video, HBO has recently aired the first in it’s de la Hoya/Pacquiao edition of 24/7. For those unfamiliar with the award winning series, 24/7, documents the story of two fighters for weeks up to the fight, making for a suspense building experience. Fans are able to see the fighters in their natural setting, in training and in candid moments with family. Fighters are humanized or in the case of “Money Mayweather: demonized.
My boy, Norm Roc, recently hipped me to Deep Foundation, a Filipino American crew reppin’ NY and Jersey.
“A Place Called Home” is over two years old, but new to me. When I heard the sample, I was brought back to my pop’s music collection of Pilipino folk songs and the legendary Freddie Aguilar:
The group just released their album The First Draft, which you can cop online or in the store from the good folks at Access Hip Hop in SD.
-Ninoy Brown
After a couple of disappointing performances by Brandon Vera, Filipino representation in the world of mixed martial arts began to look glim. Fans, such as myself, have been slightly deceived by the fighting skills of the “Truth”, which is disheartening since he seems to hold a consciousness about the Philippines which the GMA-approved Pacman can’t grasp.
Enter Philippe Nover, the half Pilipino/half Polish contestant on Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter.
Image by way of Poplicks
By guest contributor Noesis
Barack Obama’s Presidential Victory, is a victory above many small victories for the history of people of color in the US. ”Yes, We Can!” is not only one of many Obama’s campaign rally slogan, but echoes the many sentiments of people of color and non-people of color alike in search for change.
I want to comment on the possible change or challenges Obamania road to the White House has on the level of strictly discursivity and provide critical inquiry on the “Obama Effect” on Racial Discourse. Media and people now can see that “if an African American can be President, anything is possible in the US!”
If Obama was a DJ, a mix of his top ten favorite songs (Blender Magazine) would look like this:
1. Ready or Not - Fugees
2. What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye
3. I’m On Fire - Bruce Springsteen
4. Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones
5. Sinnerman - Nina Simone
6. Touch the Sky - Kanye West
7. You’d Be So Easy to Love - Frank Sinatra
8. Think - Aretha Franklin
9. City of Blinding Lights - U2
10. Yes We Can - will.i.am
Except for maybe the narcissistic choice of pick number 10, I can totally feel this list. Our president is a hip-hop head.
Here is a collection of DJ mixes inspired by Obama released during the campaign:
My personal favorite is King Most’s for being the least literal. Rather, its more illustrative in capturing a feeling for this moment in history. DJ Z-trip’s has come really creative moments, too.
-Mark
