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No One is to Blame
I can trace my entire life as a music lover back to one group that I first heard in 8th grade: A Tribe Called Quest.
Keeping it Fresh
Hip-hop and fashion have always been linked. Back when hip-hop was just developing, before it had a name even, the earliest practitioners of the emerging culture were already marking themselves as part of the movement by appropriating clothing styles and making them their own. What DJs did with their parents' turntables was the same thing that hip-hoppers did with Kangols and lace-less Adidas Superstars: create something unique out of what was already around.
‘The Black Codes'
I know, I know. It was just a few months ago that I wrote about Herbert Brown. So why am I doing it again? If you remember, Herbert Brown, 32, goes by many names and wears many hats. Previously, I focused on his life as a poet and the revival of the Jackson spoken-word/live poetry scene. This time around, the focus is on Brown's life as rapper James Crow.
‘The Beat in Herbert Brown's Head'
Before we get started, I have to open up with a bit of disclosure. The topic of this week's column, Herbert Brown, aka James Crow, aka The Ugly Poet, aka Satchel Page, aka Stogey Woods, depending on the situation, is a good friend of mine.
Kerry-ed Away
I'll never forget the first time I saw Kerry Thomas, known as KT on stage, perform live at Dreamz JXN for Forever Friday. It was Sept. 10, 2010. Alone on stage with only an acoustic guitar and a microphone, he captivated a very vocal contingent of female audience members with his soulful renditions of Musiq Soulchild songs.
Have the Grammys Really Changed?
This year's Grammy awards on Feb. 13 marked the 20-year anniversary of Public Enemy's boycott of the 1991 ceremony. It was the third year in a row that the group had been nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Group or Duo; the previous two years, the group lost to Young MC with "Bust a Move" and "Back on the Block," a song from a Quincy Jones album.
On the Record
In this new world of instant, digital and more-often-than-should-be free music, there's a group of music lovers who continue to cling to their vinyl records. These types spend hours getting their fingers dusty in thrift stores, used record shops, garage sales and wherever else their search leads them.
"For the People"
One of my main concerns has always been being cool. It is certainly debatable if I achieve that, but I do put a good amount of thought into presenting myself in a certain way and surrounding myself with people I think are cool. It sounds shallow, but sneakers, hats, records, cool friends—these things matter.
‘A Natural Thing'
Let's start with a little history lesson. Back in the mid-1990s, hip-hop was at a crossroads. Groups like Company Flow and Anticon were pushing the boundaries of the genre into avant-garde directions that challenged the foundations of what could even be comfortably considered hip-hop.
‘Get Lost While You Can Still Be Found'
On Circus of the Seed's somber, fan-favorite track, "Rain," vocalist and trumpeter Stephen Phillips sings, "I hope that you can swim so that you don't drown/My broken heart is going to flood this town/You better get lost while you can still be found."
PyInfamous' ‘Final Discussion'
Jackson hip-hop artist Jason "PyInfamous" Thompson, who last year won the Coors Light Search for the Coldest MC award through a nationwide vote, just released a new record March 30. "Final Discussion" is the last part of a trilogy of albums PyInfamous has recorded with Rochester, N.Y., producer Sam.I.Am.
Lots of Shows, Lots of Memories
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, my wife, Catherine, and I recently bought and moved into a new home in Fondren. While unpacking, we stumbled upon our collection of ticket stubs from our years of going to concerts.
‘The Other Side of Jackson'
On April 3, DJ Young Venom and I were standing in the parking lot outside the North Midtown Arts Center watching Bob "Scrap Diggy" Nichols spin soulful house music on a pleasant Sunday evening to a sizeable gathering of many of Jackson's coolest folks.
Off Kilter Love
The best part about the Valentine's Day season is the music. Popular culture has provided us with an endless number of songs that deal with love, given the fact that love is excruciatingly indefinable, yet always tantalizingly within our reach.
Rip the Cypher: Phase One
Before stepping foot inside the North Midtown Arts Center on Millsaps Avenue, it was obvious that something was going on. More than the cars parked along the sides of the street gave it away. The energy was palpable; the music was loud; and the building's usually dim lights were bright this Jan. 15 night.
Garrad's Holiday Music Shopping Guide
It's Christmas shopping season, so I have compiled my own music gift wish list. These are all things that I want (hint, hint), but you should be able to find something here for all the music lovers on your shopping list.
Give Bass a Chance
On the first Friday night of every month, strange sounds emanate from Club Volume at the Joint at 206 Capitol St. To the uninitiated passer-by, the fast-paced break beats and deep bass shaking the club's windows probably seem off-putting and he or she simply ignores them altogether. But to the wide array of music fans waiting to go inside, this music, known simply as drum and bass, is the main draw.
(Barber) Shop Talk
Until recently, I had not been in a barbershop in nearly 10 years. I have always been a bit lackadaisical when it comes to my hair. For starters, I have one of those "woke up underneath a van at a Phish show" kind of beards that seems to have a life of its own, with no hope of containment.
Local Love
My favorite love song is Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life." The song is a constant reminder of how lucky I am to have a wife who loves and needs me as much as I love and need her. But the great thing about love songs is that there are so many, and each can mean different things to different folks.
‘Grey Skies' Clearing
Brad "Kamikaze" Franklin, aka Kaz, is many things to many people: husband, father, advocate for Jackson, columnist for this paper, rapper, business owner, activist and a member of the Kiss Army. Wait, what?