Roots Japan Pics, The Roots Get Busy w/ Peedi, Mary J Luvs Amy, MLK X Dilla, Kweli Matters, Cons #s, NYC Events.
Big up to our boy Handpoint in Japan for the funky fresh designs!
This JUST in… Erykah Badu’s brand new album artwork for New Amerykah. Clearly album art is not dead! This isht is amazing!
After recovering from a heavy dose of birthday madness (presents c/o Handpoint), jetlag, and some long hours in the studio mixing the final tracks for Rising Down, ?uesto is still promising to find time to check in with us about his tour in Japan. For now, <a href=”http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=3&topic_id=165134&mesg_id=165134&page=
“>peep all the photos from Osaka and Tokyo, and read Skillz final tour journal entry.
Yesterday we linked to this <a href=”http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=1544452
“>long interview with Peedi Crakk where every question was pretty much somehow reverted to Jay-Z. One useful piece of information you can come away with is that Peedi has once again collaborated with The Roots on their upcoming album Rising Down. Peedi states he recorded two tracks with the Legendary and ?uesto confirms one of them is called “Get Busy,” which will appear here soon.
Speaking of crack… Like many of us, I too saw the future of R&B in Amy Winehouse. After devouring Back to Black my friend hit me off with her earlier album, previously only released in Europe (but now available stateside thanks to Universal Motown), Frank. Watching her personal struggle has felt not only utterly tragic, but painfully voyeuristic, and not in the least “entertaining.” As Amy Linden notes in this insightful Village Voice article “But when Amy shows us that “Rehab” is no party song, people get mad that her pain is messing with their night out.” Girl’s got the gift, no question. Even Mary J Blige sees Winehouse as a great hope for the future of music. Let’s hope she can get it together, and we can leave her alone (on the personal tip).
In the spirit of remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this week, Davey D put us on to an <a href=”http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=15116190&blogID=349632991
” target=”_blank”>MLK/J Dilla mash-up unlike anything you’ve heard. As a way to encourage folks to really LISTEN to Dr. Kings words, this remix puts together King’s “I’ve Been To The Mountain Top” speech and sets it to the music genius of Jay Dee. A truly beautiful way to hear Dr. King. Meanwhile, we just received the flyer for the second annual “Donuts Are Forever” party coming up in NYC on Friday February 8th in BK.
Popmatters took some time to sit with Talib Kweli for <a href=”http://www.popmatters.com/pm/news/article/53388/rapping-with-hip-hop-artist-and-producer-talib-kweli/
” target=”_blank”>a brand spankin’ new interview. Read on as Kwe talks J Dilla, Black Star, Ear Drum, and Obama.
The numbers are in. Since we premiered Consequence’s “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly” on okayplayer’s imeem page last Thursday, the video has enjoyed over 60,000 views across the internet.
NYC, tonight 205 Club showcases the listening party for Taylor McFerrin’s new EP Broken Vibes (yes, Bobby’s son!). In addition, hear Hezekiah take the stage after our girl Musinah, and featuring DJ OP! Only 5 bones with rsvp.
- gingerlynn
ps. David Beckham is a rapper now??