Audio: A Conversation with Boots Riley

This weekend we got a bonus Daylight Savings hour and took full advantage with 2 supersize sets from Monkone and 3D. We also had the honor of welcoming Boots Riley of The Coup, who sat down for one of the best interviews we've had in a minute.

Boots was joined by Miles Solay from Outernational, who joined Boots in rocking Southpaw last night (pictures coming soon), and is helping promote tomorrow's World Can't Wait protests.

You can check out the whole show here, the interview starts about an hour in:

• Underground Raiload 10/29/05 - streaming MP3, 3 hours

Behold the Doom-O-Lantern

courtesy of this guy.

Jay-Z Unites With Nas On Stage, Declares "Beef is Wack"

EEEEEXCELLENT, Smithers. Another master stroke from Sean Carter. Declare war? Nah son, we're here to declare Wargames: The only way to win is not to play. How about a nice game of chess, 50?

Gotta echo the OKP sentiment:

jayz won.
nas won.
we won.
hiphop won.
woo. it feels great to say that

P.S. The best part: Now finally, maybe, we can get Nas over some Just Blaze tracks?

Jay-Z's "I Declare War" Concert Tonight

i don't know why your advisors ain't forewarn you..

So what's the consensus for tonight? Is Jay bringing out Nas to double team G-Unit? Or is he hurriedly revising his rhymes to work in a reference to "blue lamborghinis" or "shots in the arm"? Or will he finally be taking care of Sage Francis once and for all?

Personally I'm finding it hard to care about a beef that seems more like a bun with no meat in it. A prepackaged feud that comes with fine print reading "enemy sold separately", and a slot that can fit whichever interchangeable action figure you choose. Reminds me too much of our foreign policy for the last 4 years.. like they're gonna have the crowd on some "wave your hands if you've always been at war with Eurasia!"

Speaking of which, all I'm really hyped about right now is seeing who gets put on the Summer Jam Screen at tomorrow's "I Declare Indictments" extravaganza.

EDIT: Turns out Jay thought the beef thing was corny too. Amen, brother.

AUDIO: Rosa Parks Memorial Mashup

Sly's "Thank You.." mixed with Outkast's "Rosa Parks" mixed with The Neville Brothers "Sister Rosa" mixed with 1956 Rosa Parks interview from the Pacifica Radio Archives.

Aziz Ansari

puffy is good, but aziz ansari is for the kids

Aziz Ansari is a very funny comedian type guy. He has a blog on which he exhibits a fondness for the word "dominate." He is also the most patient interviewee of all time. He proved this yesterday when WBAI used him as a guinea pig for their eager new batch of interns, and he gently guided them through their first stab at an interview. (and then stayed around to let me put in a new tape and ask him all the same questions over again)

I'll post some audio when I get a chance, but for now you should check Aziz at tonight's Standup for Peace benefit.

Sheryl Swoopes Comes Out

Even worse than the NBA's hip-hop phobia is how the WNBA's gay players and fans are so often treated like some dirty little secret. The league will never have a truer MVP:

Three-time MVP 'tired of having to hide my feelings'

Calling life in the closet "miserable," three-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes announced she is gay in an exclusive interview in the current issue of ESPN The Magazine.

"My reason for coming out isn't to be some sort of hero," Swoopes, a forward with the Houston Comets, says in the article. "I'm just at a point in my life where I'm tired of having to pretend to be somebody I'm not. I'm tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about. About the person I love...

...The news could be particularly perplexing for the WNBA, which has struggled to both recognize the homosexual element connected to its league and grow its fan base. Ironically, in its infancy, the WNBA marketed a pregnant, married Swoopes to put a heterosexual face on its promotional campaign. Now the league, which will play its 10th season next summer, has to decide what to do now that one of its best and most recognizable players has announced she's gay...

The Source Mag and the Colin Powell Principle

While the church thing makes for good blog fodder, what I find more damaging to Dasun Allah's credibility is his defense of the Source's (flimsy excuse for a) smear job on the G Unit crew:

The Source’s newly crowned editor-in-chief, Dasun Allah refuted claims that personal matters had anything to do with the publication of the article. He said in an interview with one outlet, "We are functioning as what a journalistic structure and organization is supposed to do... We are supposed to be the watchdogs of the industries in our culture that exploit and live from our culture—as has been the traditional role of the press."

It's always a shame when reputable figures align themselves with such a disreputable crew. Because if you hang with that crew too long, you eventually find yourself parroting cheap lies and mouthing words the world knows you're too smart for, in a vain attempt to prove your loyalty to a team that never deserved it. Call it the Colin Powell Principle.

Especially frustrating in this case because The Source still has lots of good people working for it, and even in this issue had solid reportage on Katrina and other topics. But as long as Benzino and Mays are carrying on their shenanigans, and staff continue to co-sign it all, the whole enterprise is tainted. I hope that circle is broken one day, and not by the mag going out of business.

Source Editor in Chief Vandalizes Jehovah's Witness Church?

I guess this blows any shot they had at a Prince interview...

Source Editor Dasun Allah Vandalizes Church

The editor of The Source magazine admitted to vandalizing a Jehovah's Witness assembly hall in New York's Harlem neighborhood.

Dasun Allah, editor of the hip-hop magazine, told the New York Post he "tagged" the building to expose the religion's "hypocrisy."

Police were called to the scene where Allah had painted a number of cryptic symbols, but the graffiti had been painted over by then, the Post said Friday.

Allah, 32, said he was kicked out of his Jehovah's Witnesses church more than 13 years ago and now belongs to the Islam-based Nation of Gods and Earths.

"They said I didn't fit the criteria, because, to put it lightly, I wasn't a choirboy," Allah said.

via Hashim

Not sure what to make of this, especially with such little detail provided.. I'd like to know more about the nature of his beef with the church, and exactly what "cryptic symbols" he put up. Also how this event came to light since he was apparently not arrested..

Rosa Parks

Funkmaster Flex Clowning The Source

I need to hear this. Does anyone have audio? I'm told it was Grade A comedy.

Funk Master Flex Versus The Source

Fans that have tuned into Hot 97, heard a lotta banter towards The Source from Funk Master Flex. Now, in addition to a piece on G-Unit, there is a not-so-flattering story on Hot 97 in the new issue of the magazine. Frankly, I don’t know what the story is about. I just heard Flex on the air last night clowning Zino and Dave Mays. He said he could buy The Source magazine and put his dog on each page (I don’t know if that was dog as in “homey” or dog as in canine)! Then he repeatedly dropped “bombs” on Zino’s new Scott Storch-produced record as a sign of fairness. Now, normally dropping bombs is a positive thing in the World of Funk Flex, but this was just clownery! Apparently, Zino or his associate feel that Flex hasn’t been playing the rapper’s records and just went berserk with the jokes. They even said that Dave Mays rocks a toupee! Now, I don’t think he really does, but what’s so bad about a toupee? I haven’t heard of a response from Dave or Zino, but you know its coming soon!

EDIT: That "african tribes warring" comment further down is a little weird.

Nas on Jay and 50

Nas keeps repeating the Bentleys and diamonds thing, like Karl Rove just gave him his talking points..

MTV Nas Interview

MTV: You got a record on the streets right now called "Don't Body Yourself." We all know the last verse is for 50 and everyone knows it's only a matter of time before you drop an "Ether"-like record for him.

Nas: Yeah. You know what's the crazy thing about it? I've had times of missing 50. I brought him with me on tour before. He used to open up for me. I showed him his first Bentley. I showed him his first big diamonds in person — he ain't know nobody who had real diamonds the size I had. I showed him all that. So I kind of miss the cat from time to time. I would like to know what it is to sit down and talk to him, see what's on his mind. Because all he's showing is that when you get rich, you get angry at the world. And that's not what's it's supposed to be about. I would love to really sit down with him. But on the rap side, we got things to finish. We got business — we got unfinished business.

MTV: He's made a cartoon character of you and dissed you on the DVD for The Massacre. On his latest record, "Window Shopper," he calls you a window shopper.

Nas: How am I window shopping? I showed him his first Bentley, his first real diamond ring — because you know he couldn't afford no real stuff back then. I was showing him the way to go. The G-Unit spinning chain is a replica of the QB chain. I was showing him that. If anybody is window shopping, it ain't me. All these dudes just started buying Bentleys...

Umm.... So... Prince Needs... A Hip Replacement?

Never thought I'd come to prince.org and find that the top story is their "OFFICIAL PRINCE HIP REPLACEMENT THREAD". The only sources I can find are the Enquirer and the British tabloids... but then again the Enquirer's track record is about as good as most major newspapers these days..

Chronicles of Narnia: Good Old (Racist) Christian Values?

This admission is sure to lower my standing in the geek community, but I somehow made it through my childhood without touching a single Narnia book. For the rest of you who are more culturally literate, does this critique ring true?

Chronicles of Narnia Stirs Controversy

...To millions of readers of the original C. S. Lewis books, the story is a childhood tale of wonder and triumph, but a celebrated fantasy author, Philip Pullman, has warned they are stories of racism and thinly veiled religious propaganda that will corrupt children rather than inspire them.

He complained at the weekend that Lewis's books portrayed a version of Christianity that relied on martial combat, outdated fears of sexuality and women, and also portrayed a religion that looked a lot like Islam in unashamedly racist terms.

"It's not the presence of Christian doctrine I object to so much as the absence of Christian virtue," Pullman told the Observer. "The highest virtue, we have on the authority of the New Testament itself, is love, and yet you find not a trace of that in the books," he said...

Mack 10: Keeping it Stagnant

This interview makes my head hurt.

Mack 10: Still Hoo Bangin?

..."If you want to hear about hustlin’ and the streets, then this is the record to buy. It’s a handbook of stuff that people love to hear from me. A Mack 10 fan is not interested in anything other than what he’s been hearing for a decade from me..." Mack says about the new album.

...Indeed Mack is destined to keep giving his fans that real gangster s**t but does he in any way feel obligated to the youth who listen to his gritty stories? Does he offer them a way out? “Well if you want chocolate cake and you go to the store to buy some cake you don’t buy pound cake, that’s why I keep giving the streets what they ask for. I’m gonna always give the streets what they ask for but I’m gonna also give the streets what they need.” Mack laments… "As far as giving back through an organization, I haven’t had the time to set up a foundation but I’m always gonna give back to the hood." 10 years is a long time not to set up an organization for the hood but I guess Mack knows his roots and feels he’s doing the best he can...

Beatboxing at the Blue Note

I've been hearing about these guys for a while, Taylor McFerrin in particular:

Check the Latenight Groove Series next Friday October 14th at the Blue Note for Beatbox Jazz

The Art of Beatbox combined with a Nu Jazz swing makes for the hottest and hippest ticket in town. Led by human beat boxers Baba Israel and Kid Lucky take the lead in this exciting and fresh sound of "jazz fusion" at the legendary Blue Note!

Human beatboxer s in this amazing show consist of Kid Lucky Baba Israel, Yako, Taylor Mcferrin, D-Cross and Chesney Snow. Previous Beatboxer Ent. Events have been called "The real beat generation!" by the Daily News and Timeout NY called the beatboxers in the series "masters in the art of noise."

The raw genius of beatbox on this night will hook up with New York’s own Jason Lindner- "Jason Lindner is a musical universe!" - Chick Corea. "Lindner ranks among the finest all-around pianist-composers of his generation." - Time Out New York. The band will be backed by Tony Escapa on drums and Avishai Cohen on horn whose last record was recently chosen by Ben Ratliff of the New York Times as one of the records of the Sunday Times Playlist..

Expect a blend of live Jazz, funk, Hip Hop with vocal beats and scratches! Beatbox solos and duets, Beatbox and drum duets, a trio made of two beatboxers and trumpet, and all out sessions between four beatboxers and the whole band! If you can imagine it, it will happen on this night!

Friday October 14th at 12:30AM
Blue Note
131 W. 3rd St
New York, NY 10012
212-475-8592

Oh Sailor

Last night I was searching for rare Fiona Apple tracks, and I hit the jackpot with one guy who had a huge folder named "fiona apple miscellaneous," about 200 files in it..

So I'm looking through the files like "Wow she has a song named 'Exploited Black Teens'? that sounds deep.. 'Brandy on the Rooftop'? hmm wonder what that's about... damn Fiona, you did a song called 'Black Cheerleader Gangbang Sample'!? Oh uhhhh, wait a minute.."

Then of course I realized this guy is using the "Fiona Apple" folder to hide his vast Black porno collection. Is this a ploy to throw his girlfriend off the scent? Poor girl, thinking her guy has found his sensitive side..

Extra Pro

At the Toubab Krewe show last night I had my vintage Jive Records promo EXTRA PROLIFIC shirt with the Heiro logo on the back, and a woman next to me kept glancing over with a furrowed brow.. then after a few more looks she cracked up and came over to explain "You really had us scared for a minute! We were thinking your shirt said EXTRA PRO-LIFE"

The show was great fun, that is except for whoever was DJing before the show started.. nothing warms up a crowd for some West African Funk Rock better than a set of club bangers like Cher's "I Got You Babe" and Rod Stewart "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You," I always say. I'm thinking this was the same DJ behind the World's Sh*ttiest Mixtape Boombox Blast.

(Not to be confused with DJ Equal, whose midshow set was impeccable.)

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I never paid much attention to Fiona apple until recently, but I'm discovering I like her, a lot. I prefer the Elizondo versions, for the record.

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Yacht Rock is also superb (via Matos)

Power 105's PD Ousted After Payola Revelations?

Word has it Power 105's Program Director Michael Saunders got the boot, can anyone confirm?

2 Are Fired at Clear Channel After a Misconduct Inquiry

The nation's biggest radio company, Clear Channel Communications, said yesterday that it had fired two programming executives and had disciplined several others for misconduct after an internal review of "pay for play" allegations...

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Spitzer Documents Point To Specific CC Programmers

While Clear Channel isn’t revealing the names of the two programmers axed as a result of its internal payola probe, documents released July 25 by New York state attorney general Eliot Spitzer as part of a $10 million settlement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment provide some clues. The settlement sparked Clear Channel’s internal investigation.

According to the documents, Michael Saunders, PD of Clear Channel R&B/hip-hop WWPR New York, was to be given a plasma TV and entertainment system valued at several thousand dollars, with the understanding that he would add Sony R&B artists to his playlist. However, Sony’s in-house counsel squelched the deal and Saunders did not receive the goods.

Likewise, Clear Channel top 40 KHTS San Diego PD Diana Laird allegedly accepted a flat screen TV in November 2002, under the guise that Epic was providing it as a contest prize for a station listener. Laird is said to have provided the name and Social Security Number of a friend to mask the scam for the label’s internal accounting department...

Police Beating in New Orleans

When I worked at the group home upstate I watched our security staff handle situations like this pretty much on a daily basis, except they were dealing with (physically) full grown 18-year-old men.

So I know there is NO WAY all of that was necessary to restrain this senior citizen. No way.

(just to be clear, I'm saying our staff never had to resort to anything remotely like this while restraining our students)

Toubab Krewe on WBAI

Had a great time sitting in with Toubab Krewe tonight in the studio, a crew from Asheville N.C. devoted to exploring the sounds of West Africa, and doing so quite funkily.. I posted a bunch of pictures here, and hopefully I'll be able to post the audio soon.

You can also check them out tonight at SOB's, which I highly recommend.

Damn Blasted Liyah

Does anyone still actually celebrate this holiday? Might as well have a Ted Bundy day.. But if you need a better reason to party, you can tune into WBAI tonite at 11PM to hear Toubab Krewe performing live in studio..

Also check out our DJs Avee and 3D at APT tonight if you're in the area.

VIDEO: Lauryn Hill in Central Park

Here are the two songs she did, as posted on fugees-online.de:

Lauryn Hill, Central Park, 10/6/05

Simply beautiful.

Only in New York can you saunter 3 hours late into a free concert in the park, go right to the front of the stage, and see Slum village followed by Scarlett Johansson and Al Gore warming up the crowd for Fishbone (who killed it), followed by De La Soul, followed by an impromptu set from Lauryn Hill ("I wasn't planning to anything musical tonight, but just now I changed my mind"), all in the span of an hour or so.

And Lauryn. I've probably cracked more than my share of jokes about her descent into weirdness. But even carrying all that baggage (plus another questionably tuned guitar), when she walks out onto an empty stage, sits down in front of you and starts to sing, it is nothing less than heart-stopping.

In fact I think it's all that baggage that helps make it so intense now.. because no matter how much any of us makes fun of her misadventures, how could we not be rooting for Lauryn? Watching an artist so beautiful in every sense go through all these trials and tribulations until I wonder whether she'll ever regain her stride, if I'll ever even see her perform again at all.. at this point anytime I see her walk out there I'm on th edge of my seat rooting with all my heart for her to do well..

for her to show us that she's happy and healthy again, that she's at peace with herself and ready to shine.. and then she here she comes with that voice, and it's so powerful and plaintive and yearning, yearning for all those same things we're rooting so hard for her to find.. all the same things, in the end, that we're each yearning to find in ourselves.. It adds up to quite a powerful moment.

And then she puts down the guitar, cues the DJ and spits motherf**king LOST ONES!! WHAT!?!???

Only two songs, but probably the most memorable performance I've seen this year.

Allhiphop Just Ruined My Life

Gotdamit.

Why did dumbass Allhiphop.com tell me that tonight's 5PM Central Park show was at 9PM!?!?

Gotdam hip-hop journalism.

Somebody please report back. And please report back that the show was a gut-wrenching disappointment.

Bad enough I didn't catch up with Mr. Charnas at last night's DAM show.

EDIT: Okay, luckily they were running on CPT*, and I made it in time for the good stuff.

*Central Park Time

Palestinian Hip-Hop Comes to NY

Should be a cool show if you're in the area:

DAM - Straight Outta Palestine 48 For Their First Ever US Performance

Additional Performances by:
-CHOSAN
-INVINCIBLE
-AKIL DASAN
-LA BRUJA
-ANTHONY MORALES
plus special guests!!!

DJ KUTTIN KANDI on the 1s and 2s

Additional Screening of the trailer for the film
"SLINGSHOT HIPHOP: THE PALESTINIAN LYRICAL FRONT"

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5th
@ CLIMAX 14 Avenue B (btwn 1st and 2nd)
$5-10 sliding scale

PRESENTED BY: WORLD UP, NOMADIC WAX, THE HIPHOP
ASSOCIATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL HIPHOP EXCHANGE

AUDIO: A Conversation With the Skullsnaps

Two weeks ago on the Underground Railroad DJ Monkone Monkone and I had the mindblowing honor of speaking to the Skullsnaps themselves, live in the studio. You can stream the entire two hour show right here:

Brasilintime Live in NY

Caught a nice little show last night put together by Brian Cross aka B+, maker of Keepintime and Brasilintime. More photos here.

Along with a preview of the Brasilintime film we got an extended jam session pairing J-Rocc, Cut Chemist, Madlib and Brazilian all-star DJ Nuts on the wheels and Paul Humphrey, Derf Reklaw on drums, along with someone who's name I didn't catch but he totally stole the show, playing everything from a gong to an old fire extinguisher.. can anyone ID this guy for me?

EDIT: His name is Cyro Baptista. Thanks to Incognegro for putting me on the right track..