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May 2008 Archives
By now, most of you are aware that material from the shelved MCA Records album from J. Dilla has leaked on the Internet. Personally, I’m extremely angry and disappointed by the leak, and more disappointed by the actions of people and other web sites with their perpetuation of this unfortunate act. Everyone is so blinded by the hype, that no one sees the reality of the situation. It isn’t time for this material to be out here like this. This is it. This is the final chapter in the story of James Yancey. After this material is released, there is nothing else. These are the final pieces of music fully overseen by J. Dilla. Anything else – beats people purchase from now on and I believe there is a whole album or so worth of material that was suppose to drop on Operation Unknown – will have to be finished, mix, and touched by someone else. The MCA material is it, period!
The leaking of this album is not like any other album. Its not like there is a ton of material for this project recorded. There are probably additional tracks recorded that haven’t leaked yet, but the ones that did constitute a great deal of it. If 50 Cent or Snoop Dogg material leaks, they have avenues to combat it. The Dilla/MCA situation is completely different. This is unreleased material from a specific period in J. Dilla’s career, and the release of it takes time to get through on the legal and ownership issues. There is no going back in the studio. There is not remixing these tracks. There is nothing. Once this material leaked, the damage was done.
I’m greatly disappointed in the lack of responsibility of web sites and DJs regarding this situation. If a DJ plays or web sites leaks material of an up and coming artist that is creating a huge buzz, that does nothing but help the artist build that buzz. This is a totally different situation folks! We don’t need to build anticipation or buzz for J. Dilla. The linking of these joints on your sites or playing on your show is only self-serving, trying to earn your J. Dilla brownie points. I couldn’t get away with ANY of the things all these sites and blogs have been getting away with and the site I’m most disappointed with is Okayplayer. They should know better but they have openly linked in their daily new updates to other blogs that have CD quality tracks to download. You would think people that are fans of J. Dilla would understand the situation, but I guess they don’t. Not just them but everyone. Do we have to lay out all the facts again? Do we have to lay out the medical bills figures again? What do we have to do, really?
I have faith that when this material is properly released that most of your will purchase it, but that is not the only point. Its just not time for this material to be out here like this. This is the final chapter and it was all suppose to come when the time was right. Whoever the person who leaked this material, are you a Dilla fan at all? Would you like to look Mr. and Mrs Yancey in the face and tell them what you did? They would probably be disappointed in you and even more, KILL YOU WITH KINDNESS.
Isn’t it ironic that this material has been labeled Pay Jay? In no way are you paying James Yancey anything. You are not paying him any money. You are not paying him homage. You are not paying him respect.
Fat Ray & Black Milk dropped their collaborative album back in March titled The Set Up and now Rensoul.com is throwing a contest in honor of its release. The prizes are as followed:
Grand Prize Winner:
(1) One autographed copy of The Set Up
(1) One vinyl LP of The Set Up
a personalized outgoing voicemail message that Black Milk sets up on the winner's cell phone
Runner-Up Winner:
(1) One autographed copy of The Set Up
To enter the contest: just e-mail djkfresh@rensoul.com with your name and e-mail address with the subject reading "RenSoul The Set Up Contest". Winners will be chosen on Friday, May 16th.
AUDIO: Fat Ray & Black Milk "Take Control"
LINKS: OFFICIAL BLACK MILK MYSPACE | OFFICIAL FAT RAY MYSPACE
It's about three weeks until Movement '08: Detroit Electronic Music Festival during Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26) at Hart Plaza and I thought I'd take a journey back in time to my favorite moment ever at a DEMF. The night Stones Throw invaded Detroit with Peanut Butter Wolf, J-Rocc, then JAYLIB!!! Unfortunately this would be the last time I would see J. Dilla perform live and this night means so much to me. I'm still a little misty-eyed about it. As a treat, I have Jaylib's entire performance below for download. I recorded it on my mini-disc through a cheap mic that came with my PC's soundcard but the sound ain't that bad. I've had this all this time but through sheer laziness and the absence of a working cord to grab the audio from my mini-disc, you are not getting this until now. I have the Platinum Pied Pipers performance from the next night too, but I can't find it yet.
DOWNLOAD: Jaylib LIVE @ DEMF 2004
(source: Press Release) - Soul singer, songwriter and producer Dwele, will release his highly anticipated 3rd studio album "Sketches of a Man" on June 24th through RT Music Group/KOCH Records. "Sketches of a Man," a long time in the making, will be lead by the soulful single "I'm Cheatin'," produced by G-1, the man behind Dwele's breakthrough hit "Find a Way" (from "Subject"). "I'm Cheatin'" is a mind bender which tells of a man who loves his girlfriend's conservative side as well as her care-free side and dreams of cheating on one with the other as if they were two different people. "It's based on a true story that I put a spin on. Unless you really pay attention, you might get the wrong idea," Dwele admits.
This year, Dwele was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Urban/Alternative Performance" category for his interpretation of "That's The Way of the World," from the Stax Records compilation, "Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire." He also appeared on long-time friend Kanye West's Grammy-winning mega hit "Flashing Lights" and on rapper Common's Grammy-nominated single "The People," which made Rolling Stone's list of "100 Best Songs of 2007."
"'Sketches of a Man' is ultimately what I am and where I am in 2008," Dwele explains. "It is inspired by life and love, and it is about finding out how I fit into these different musical genres, or how I would fit into these new cultures. Like, if I spoke French, how would it sound?... I think that's what inspiration is."
"Sketches of a Man" finds Dwele writing, producing, arranging and playing all instruments on nearly all of the tracks on the project. One of the few exceptions is "A Few Reasons," a bouncy groove with a hip hop feel written and performed by Dwele with production from Nottz (Snoop and R. Kelly's "That's That"). Dwele shows us his hip hop side on "Sketches... " with tracks like "Body Rock," and funky ballads like "Open Your Eyes," (a Bobby Caldwell cover), and "Love Ultra," but doesn't stray too far from the soulful roots that we love on tracks like "Vain." On "Vain" Dwele speaks of how difficult it is to hold on to a relationship. "With my music I try to touch on things that everyone can relate to. Things like, being a musician and trying to find the balance between work and love," Dwele says of "Vain."
Dwele is also a fine artist and has created a series of color and black & white mural-size works in acrylic. He is also an accomplished photographer who works in digital as well as the old-fashioned way -- using manual cameras.
One of the most refined and stylish singers to emerge in recent years, Dwele infuses the musical traditions of Motown visionaries Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, who he listened to growing up on Detroit's west side, into his own contemporary sound. He taught himself to play several instruments including piano, trumpet, guitar and bass before embarking on his journey as a soul singer. His demo tape, 1998's "The Rize," got significant buzz around the Motor City and collaborations with fellow Detroit hip-hop group Slum Village also helped Dwele gain visibility.
He released his critically acclaimed full-length debut "Subject" in 2003, and cemented his appeal to European audiences with an extensive tour that summer. His second album, "Some Kinda," followed in 2005, and featured production from the late J Dilla, as well as Mike City and G1.
LINK: OFFICIAL DWELE MYSPACE
A new track from Pharoahe Monch has surfaced titled "Broken Heart" produced by Denaun Porter.
DOWNLOAD: Pharoahe Monch "Broken Heart" (mp3)
Elzhi posted some new tracks up on his MySpace page recently - "The Transitional Joint" & "Audio Cinematic". Enjoy.
PHOTO CREDIT: kyLA
LINK: OFFICIAL ELZHI MYSPACE
Paxahau, producers of Movement 08 – Detroit’s Electronic Music Festival introduces recycling program initiative creating a green festival experience.
“Music festivals, in general, can amass a significant amount of waste, and we felt it was the right time and necessary to create an efficient recycling model, not only for our festival, but for other Detroit events,” stated Jason Huvaere, Movement 08 director. “Everyone needs to do this.”
Paxahau Promotions Group has teamed up with Recycle Detroit, a non-profit organization founded by Detroiter Sarah Kubik; Omar S. George of Waste One Management in Clinton Township; and Great Lakes Recycling of Roseville to collect recyclable materials during the three-day Movement 08 festival, May 24-26, Memorial Day Weekend, at Detroit’s Hart Plaza.
The festival will have approximately 10 recycling tents, staffed with volunteers that will collect cans, bottles, and paper. Great Lakes Recycling, offering single stream capabilities, will store and process all the recyclable materials, and once separated, the recyclables will be transferred to a single location for further processing.
“What we are doing with the partnership of Paxahau with Recycle Detroit, Waste One Management, and Great Lakes Recycling is creating a greening template that can be duplicated by other events held in the City of Detroit,” added Sotiris (Sam) Fotias, Paxahau Promotions Group. “To add this recycling component the cost to Paxahau is surprisingly nominal. There is no reason why other event promoters and producers would not follow our lead.”
To create a Green program for Movement 08, Paxahau drew inspiration from the Detroit City Council Green Task Force that is chaired by City Council President Ken Cockrel, Jr., the Detroit City Council Environmental Justice Task Force, chaired by Councilmember JoAnn Watson; and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s Motor City Makeover program.
Paxahau continually upgrades the festival experience, from the artist line-up to the drastically enhanced sound systems as well as weatherproofed staging. Paxahau is also committed to improving the environmental impact of Movement 08 as well as future events held in Detroit’s Hart Plaza. Paxahau is planning to have a larger green push for 2009, and is considering the use of solar panels to power festival stages.
Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 4, 2008 dubbed STOP THE VIOLENCE WITH HIP HOP WEEKEND in Detroit:
A local coalition between the Better Detroit Youth Movement, True Infinity Solutions, the City of Detroit, Fusicology, and many other grassroots community-based organizations has come together to name this weekend, May 1 - 4, 2008, the 1st Annual "Students Taking On Prevention" Weekend, which will celebrate, inspire, and endorse positive cultural actions on behalf of the city's youth and prominent city figures that provide alternatives to violence as a method of expressing anger, angst, frustration, or oppression... such as through TRUE Hip Hop - through creative and constructive MC battles, DJ battles, music production, break-dancing, and graphic art.
In an effort to revitalize the original culture of Hip Hop, these organizations are coming together to create opportunities and situations which allow Detroit youth to practice and develop their skills in Hip Hop-related arenas, rather than fall prey to violent situations, such as street fights and gunplay. This movement also disspells the mantra surrounding today's popular Rap music, further boycotting the violent and materialistic stigma now attached to Hip Hop.
The weekend happens to also surround the much-anticipated "Pioneers of Hip Hop" concert @ The Fox Theatre on May 3rd, which features legends KRS-One, Kurtis Blow, Doug E. Fresh, Whodini, MC Lyte, and more, which represents popular Hip Hop icons that have not had to resort to violence or bling in order to attain or maintain their respect in music. Originally scheduled to appear at several community forums around the city this weekend, as well as give talks at local schools, KRS-One unfortunately had to cancel his visits due to an injury incurred from a thrown bottle at a recent concert in New Haven, CT. However, pioneers Kurtis Blow and Grand Master Jay of NYC will still be giving talks to students at 3 public schools on Friday, May 2nd, as well as appearing at several in-studio, riverfront, and church functions over the course of the weekend.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Thursday, May 1: Silence the Violence Rally @ Coleman A. Young Municipal Center | 6pm - 7pm
Friday, May 2: Kurtis Blow, Grand Master Jay, local Hip Hop artists give student talks @ Farwell Middle School, Martin Luther King Jr. High, Highland Park High School | 8:45am - 2:15pm /// Live local radio & television interviews | 3pm - 6pm
Saturday, May 3: ALR Lupus Walk w/The Dilla Project & STV Students @ Detroit Riverfront | 8am - Noon | RSVP to Walk for Dilla & STV here!
*All events are FREE & Open to the Public*
{with exception of the Fox Theatre concert}
And get some rest after all that action to prepare for the Erykah Badu concert wsg The Roots, also @ The Fox Theatre on Sunday night, May 4th... only to be followed by the Official Roots "Rising Down" Album Release / Listening Afterparty featuring a 4-hour set from DJ ?UESTLOVE and hosted by Roots front man, MC BLACK THOUGHT @ Confidential Lounge Hosted by PublicMediaGroup, this afterparty is a sure-shot, if their last Devil's Night party with ?uestlove is any guage...
