Angela: "Do you love me?" Andre: "Since the first day... From the first second." Angela: "Say It." Andre: "It's hard to say." Angela: "Do you know why? Because no one ever told you so. Its difficult to love yourself when you can't see your reflection."
In some cases, how can the desire to GIVE develop when one has never felt the joy of RECEIVING?
Not too much I need to say about this.
People always have opinions and comments.
When it comes to J*Davey, NONE of it matters to me.
Just the LISTENER and the MUSIC.
People tend to over analyze when they don't understand.
Keep cutting the Steak into small, digestible pieces.
Missing the point that the whole thing IS the "point".
I'ma just say it. This song is just the starting point. I'm REALLY feeling the work we've done around this. I've earned a rep for a lot of the remixes I've done- the release of this takes it just another step further.
The whole point of remixing something in my eyes is to create something new. Whether paying homage to the old, or introducing fans of one genre to another they may be unfamiliar with- the music is the bridge.
Before even doing this project, I asked myself, "Is it sacrilege to cover songs from some of the greatest artists of our time? Who am I to touch (and possibly destroy) such beautiful compositions that mean so much to so many people."
The Blow Monkeys- "It Doesn't Have To Be That Way"
So the other day, I happened to be watching the fourth installment of one the most terrifically horrible movie franchises ever. Police Academy. Somehow it just didn't age well. Surprising, I know.
Fortunately, it wasn't a complete waste of my time. As soon as the movie progressed to a montage of Zed frolicking with his love interest in a field (3:25 min into this video right here), I remembered one reason I like this movie. The awesome Uber-80's Blow Monkeys song in the soundtrack.
As far as the Blow Monkeys go, there are a couple other tracks I'm feeling as well on their album, She Was Only a Grocer's Daughter... namely "Out With Her" and "The Day After You".
I've been in such tunnel vision lately. I didn't even think to peep the Grammy Nominations that just came out. So when my homegirl told me that Foreign Exchange had been nominated for "Daykeeper", I FLIPPED.
I damn near feel like I've been nominated! This whole album has been pretty significant to me this year, both as an artist and personally...
Congrats to my homie Phonte and the whole Foreign Exchange family. For real.
Honor Roll invites you to...
ROLL CALL
Friday, December 11th @ Som Bar SF
every 2nd Friday
Resident Selector
DJ Tap.10
(Honor Roll)
Hosted By
Mike Baker The Bike Maker
Come party with The Honor Roll this month as we celebrate the release of the homies League510's new project "Invasion Vol. 1" and website launch. See why these dudes took home the mtvU freshman prize their "I'm On" video! We got some CD and clothing giveaways courtesy of Stash Magazine, Upper Playground & Clear Label Records too. It's gonna be a major rager!!!
This is the lead single from Amp Live's upcoming album on Om Records. I've been hearing a lot of great feedback about the video since it dropped. Glad folks are enjoying it.
Today is the day! The Honor Roll's own Frisco Giant, Spank Pops, drops his long awaited project Beautiful Noise. The whole project is produced by Doctor J, out NOW on Hella Records. I must honestly say that this is one of my favorite offerings of this year. Make sure you support Spanks and our whole HNRL crew but purchasing the project.
HNRL @ the video shoot for Spank Pops "Make It"... Dropping soon...
Tracklisting:
1. New Day (ft. 1-O.A.K. & Josie Stingray)
2. Why I Do This
3. Beautiful Noise
4. Make It
5. Orchestrate (ft. 1-O.A.K., Trackademicks, Mike Baker the Bike Maker)
6. Ever Since
7. Wonderful Music
8. Fam & Fans
I had a chance to sit down with the homie Dave the Dopeman from touchthemagicnow.com , a fresh new site highlighting the efforts of all the dopest producers.
I love the concept of the site because it highlights the efforts of the dopest producers.
Specifically, it shows their process and approach to music making.
Glad I got a chance to do this... I totally forgot about this beat. I just might use it...
I wasn't up on Prefab Sprout until a couple months ago. I got interested after hearing about Thomas Dolby's involvement in this project. After hearing the album, Steve McQueen, I was thoroughly satisfied. There's a very contemporary feel to the music. It almost sounds as if it could have been made today. Real Breezy. Real Clean. Real Sophisticated.
There are a few gems on the album... I'll let you find them if you're so inclined. It's okay to work for it.
Work hard. Play hard...
Oh Yeah. Tell if I'm trippin', but isn't that Luther Vandross at the 3:28 mark?!?!? Hmmm...
I've come to learn that it's extremely funny how things work out. The universe tends to foreshadow happenings in ways that you may just miss them if you're not paying attention.
Back in '05, Tap and went to London and got a chance to kick it out there for a brief stint. During that time, we got a chance to connect with Eska . At the time she was really making a lot of noise in London. Just in case you're unfamilar, her voice is the $h!t. Since that time, she's gone on to work with one of my favorites, Matthew Herbert . Wow.
When I got commissioned to remix Zero 7's upcoming single, I was speechless. I've been a fan for a minute. I remember hearing Bugz in the Attic flip "Distractions"... Sia's voice was amazing. I had the pleasure of catching them at the Hollywood Bowl along with Matthew Herbert and Gotan Project. That show was off the hook.
So when I got the parts for "Medicine Man", I heard a familiar voice on the track. It turned out that Eska was the featured vocalist. It also turns out that she is on more that a few songs on the album. After meeting her, we never got the chance to do any music, so this remix kind of brings everything full circle.
Enjoy!
Available NOW in the UK Exclusively!!! Zero 7 "Medicine Man" (Remixes) - EP iTunes UK
For those who have been under a rock for the last few years, let me get you up to date.
Josie Stingray is a MC of the highest degree.
Josie Stingray is also in the Honor Roll.
And this Saturday,
Josie Stingray has a show with the ladies of B.A.S.S. (Bay Area Sistah Sound) at Poleng in SF.
No really, It is. I love this song. Everything about it. They're talking about Reaganomics. Maybe I should make a recession-proof recession song like this one. Or Maybe I already have...
I remember running around back in '98 as a teen, chasing down anything that had to do with hip-hop; Telegraph Ave in Berkeley, Hip-Hop, in the Park, KPFA and even La Pena Cultural Center. Wherever I could get a fix of the four elements, I was there, hahaha... During that time, Zion I was on the come up, doing HELLA local shows in promotion for their project Mind Over Matter.
There were two gigs that stand out in memory. One was at one of the pier's in SF for some nonprofit youth event. I remember being there with my Youth Radio family, watching Zion I perform when somehow, I ended up with a mic in my hand rapping along side Whiz with Amp Live manning the decks on some open mic steez. Back then, Amp Live used to rock live with an Ensoniq EPS. I was always intrigued by that. Its funny that just yesterday I was performing with him at Outside Lands.
The second time was at La Pena in Berkeley. I'll never forget how crackin' it was with high school students. When they dropped "Inner Light" I went crazy... Back then it was some crazy shit; A group in the Bay rappin' over Drum n' Bass influenced beats. That stuck with me. And I still have the cassette single...
The homies Jokers of the Scene have finally dropped the video for their dancefloor smash "Baggy Bottom Boys"... Prepare your eyes for some Craziness. Don't go into a seizure.
Also, peep this unofficial edit of the video done by DJ Ayres and Harry awhile back, cutting in footage from "Big"... I love how this works out, especially at 3:37.
Last year I had the "chance" to go to the opening night of San Francisco's Outside Land's Festival.
I got to will call and to my surprise, there were TWO tickets... no just the one I was counting on. As I walked away from will call, a sudden impulse of greed struck me. I ran into my homie who couldn't get in... I sold him the extra ticket. I then thought about the amount I could make on my remaining ticket. The Dark Side overwhelmed me and *poof*... the other ticket had been sold. As I walked away, unsure of my decision to take money over music, I suddenly became sure.
I WAS AN IDIOT.
The whole reason I came was to see a group I had never seen before.
A group I had been a fan of for over 10 years at that point.
A group that doesn't get out this way much.
A group that had purple lights flooding the night sky over Golden Gate Park as they performed my favorites off of OK Computer... Yes. I sold out on RADIOHEAD.
I still feel bad about it because I have yet to catch them live. Still.
So here it is again. Outside Lands has come back around, and although its Radiohead-less, I'm going to make sure I'm there. Mainly because I'm performing with Amp LIve for a couple shows.
The current issue of XLR8R Magazine, Issue # 128, is out now! And guess what... They did a spread on yours truly for the In the Studio feature . If you were ever interested my gear and approach, this sheds some light on all that.
You can download a pdf of the issue HERE or read the article HERE .
We got the DJ Tap .10 (Honor Roll/Trackademicks) LIVE with the bay area flavor at the HVW8 Gallery podcast now posted.
It’s the perfect ‘Summertime Mix’
1. J Sands & Flying Lotus - Mages Sages (Light A Dub) (Instrumental)
2. Muhsinah x Jake One - You (Jetboat)/Boozina Remix
3. The Nonce - Mixtapes
4. Too $hort - In The Trunk
5. Keak Da Sneak - Oakland
6. J Stalin - Millionaire Status
7. Trackademicks feat. Teedra Moses - Face The Music
8. Sa-Ra - Bone Song
9. Bjork - I Miss You (Dobie’s Sunshine Rub)
10. Spank Pops - Beautiful Noise
11. She’s Always In My Hair
12. Andre 3000 - She Lives In My Lap
13. Discovery - Orange Shirt
14. J*Davey - Hi Sun
15. ?uestlove/Foreign Exchange/Zo!/Carlitta Durand - Purple Flip
16. Teedra Moses - Say Lil Mama
17. Dam Funk - Nyghtryder
18. Tell Me I’m Not Dreamin’
19. P.Y.T. (Demo Version)
20. 1-O.A.K. - Me & You
21. Give It Up (Trackademicks Edit)
22. Aurra - Baby Love
23. Stacy Lattisaw - Dynamite!
24. Surface - Falling In Love
Check out this brand new mixtape from FWMJ’s Rappers I Know and Funkadelic Freestyles, Mixtape Volume I: The Off Season.
They are definitely showing the Honor Roll some love, with Tracks from Spank Pops, 1 O.A.K., and yours truly!
Tracklist
1. Soulful! “Intro”
2. Danny Brown “That’s Just The Way It Goes”
3. jben.ok x Dela “Introductions”
4. Senor Kaos x DJ Spinna “Summer Madness (ATL Remix)”
5. Che Grand “Life’s Grand” featuring Nicky
6. Spank Pops “Beautiful Noise”
7. K-Beta “Summershine” featuring Shydi
8. Akrobatik & Mr. Lif ”Beast Mode”
9. Nicole Hurst “When You’re Gone”
10. the OTHERSIDE “Ms. Cloud 9″
11. Finale “Agony” produced by nick tha 1da
12. Truthlive “80’s Baby”
13. 1.O.A.K. “The Lovecats” 14. Oddisee “We On To Something”
15. jben.ok x Knowledge “The Newest Addition”
16. Trackademicks “Nothin’ On Me”
17. Lyriciss & Pro’Verb ”What You Mad For” produced by Soulful!
18. Houston Rock Its “The Beast”
19. X.O. “All Around The World” produced by Team Demolition
20. Kay “Sloboogie” featuring Franchelle
21. Scanz “Vibrations”
22. Kokayi “Prayer”
23. jben.ok x Chris “Daddy” Dave “Outro”
Hi, name is Trackademicks. You might know me from such songs as "Tanyademicks" and "Everybody Rock!". When I'm not producing and/or rapping on hit records, I'm probably producing and singing on them.
And this is just that!
Tanya Morgan- "What We Do" feat. Trackademicks (prod. by Trackademicks)
No really. Thugs DO need love. No matter how aggressive they come off.
Oh, and I bet you didn't know how thugged out the Honor Roll was either! Count the HR shirts in the goon squad. Now double that and add one. That's how many Honor Roll students are in the video... So don't get us upset!
Oh yeah, shout out to Tanya Morgan for coming to Oakland to shoot this gutter masterpiece!
Friday, July 31st 2009
Hacksaw Entertainment, Versus Magazine SF, & Fernet Branca present:
AMPLIFY
Summer Music Showcase:
Pase Rock LIVE (Dim Mak / NYC)
Dam Funk (Stones Throw / LA)
Trackademicks (Fools Gold / Oakland)
DJ DRM (Bastard Jazz / NYC)
J Billion (Huff / SF)
B Bravo (Frite Nite / SF)
DJ Morsy (Nana Chill / NYC)
Special live performance from the Loco Bloco Drummers
Hosted by Kings of 8Bit (Rush One & Mezmetic)
Summer Photography Showcase:
Chris Brennan
Leo Docuyanan
Beryl Fine
Scott La Rockwell
Amanda Lopez
Trevor Traynor
Live Screen Printing by San Franpsycho & What It Is... SFC
So just about an hour ago I was walking down the street with the folks in Korea Town in LA when I decided to check my twitter. I had a reply from the homie Ant sayin' "congrats". I asked him to clarify and... BAM !!!
SFBG Best of the Bay 2009 Readers Poll Winners: Best Hip Hop Act Trackademicks
Thanks for all the readers who voted for your boy!!!
For those who know me know that Teedra has been a one of my FAVORITES for a loooooong @$$ time. So much that I've remixed her a few times...
Its no secret to anyone that her debut record Complex Simplicity was my favorite record of 2004. It was the soundtrack to more than a couple complex "situations" I had.
Fast Forward. It's 2009. A second official release from Teedra is way overdue. And somehow, I'm directly involved with the process.
Coincidence? I don't believe in coincidence. I believe that everything happens for a reason, whatever that reason may be.
So far, we have a few songs in the making, including one for my upcoming project, State of the Arts.
There isn't too much to say about "Everybody Rock!" that isn't already said.
Spin Earth Got a chance to catch up with me on A-Trak's 10,000 lb Hamburger Tour in San Francisco... They caught me on a good day, pretty informative, hahahaha. Check it out!
I used to slap this in high school. That night time, warm weather, breezy slap... Voodoo, Mean Green, Mykill Myers, Ras Kass, the whole Western Hemisfear crew... I one of the members of Hollyweerd has ties to this lineage...
I'll be sharing the stage with the homies A-Trak and Treasure Fingers, and Theophilus London. Like D and Ray said (not to be confused with him)... You should be here.
The Independent
628 Divisadero (at Hayes)
San Francisco, CA
415-771-1421
Before you head over to Turntable Lab at 6pm, Come kick it with us at The Standard in Downtown LA as we rock Beestings & Nosebleeds with Dub Frequency!
Then...
Just in case you forgot...
Then...
We're hitting the Plush Lounge @ the Key club for Mike Baker's get down later tonight...
Tracklist:
1. Season Pho Intro ft. Joey Guila
2. The Divide Is Widening* – Lyrics Born
3. Revolution – J-Boogie ft. Lyrics Born & The Mamaz
4. Stay Professional* – Lyrics Born
5. Funky Hit Records / FHR DJ Erb Remix – Lyrics Born
6. Pop Campaign* – Lyrics Born
7. Block Bots* – Lyrics Born ft. Clyde Carson & Trackademicks
8. Mama’s Got A Brand New Swag – Joyo Velarde ft. Lyrics Born
9. The Utmost Versatyle* – Lyrics Born ft. Joyo Velarde
10. The World Is Calling (Remix)* – Lyrics Born ft. Lateef the Truthspeaker & Joyo Velarde
11. Beautiful Bowlegged Lady* – Lyrics Born
12. Turn It Up – The Bamboos ft. Lyrics Born
13. Trippin’ – Eric Legnini Trio ft. Lyrics Born
14. Take Aim (Automator Remix) – Kasabian ft. Lyrics Born, Dan The Automator, The Gift of Gab & Lateef The Truthspeaker
15. Alien – Dosmoccos ft. Lyrics Born
16. Put ‘Em Up – Soulico ft. Lyrics Born
17. Differences (Mash Up)* – Lyrics Born
18. I’m A Phreak (Mash Up)* – Lyrics Born
19. Make It Good – Lyrics Born
20. Ill Vacation – The Mighty Underdogs ft. Lyrics Born
21. Pushed Aside Pulled Apart – Lyrics Born ft. Lateef The Truthspeaker
22. Season Pho Outro ft. Joey Guila
Not the "urntable Lab LA"... The Turntable Lab LA.
Yes, yes yall... This Saturday July 11th, I will be doing an in-store at Turntable Lab LA for my debut release out on Fool's Gold, "Enjoy What You Do" b/w "Topsidin''
If you are in SoCal, you have to MAKE SURE you slide through the event...
We even thought about all you lushes out there, as there is going to be FREE alcohol... Yes, FREE ALCOHOL.
I'm just sayin... I'd go if I wasn't me.
Oh yeah, And I'll be doing a beat demonstration with my trusty Ensoniq ASR-88... You dont wanna miss that.
Trackademicks In-Store
Saturday July 11th, 6-8pm
Turntable Lab LA
424 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 782-0173
There will be much more with the Honor Roll in LA this upcoming weekend... Stay tuned for details!
I'm ending this week(starting this weekend) with a few videos from Souls of Mischief/ Hieroglyphics... No, not just because, but for their underlying themes...
Hieroglyphics- "You Never Knew"
That's right- the blue sky, fresh air... that outdoor lifestyle that many of us in Northern California are accustomed to. I'm doing this, because I'm about to go backpacking this weekend. Yes, contrary to popular belief, I grew up fishing, scaling cliffs, and swimming in mountain lakes during the summer months.
Souls of Mischief- "Medication"
If I'm not too busy CHILLIN', I just might have some video to put up from this weekend...
Everything But the Girl "Each and Everyone" and "Rollercoaster" (Live)
Okay, I won't lie... I got up on this song not too long ago. I've always been a fan of Everything But the Girl, Ben Watt remixes and al that, just never went in hella deep on past albums. When I was crate diggin' a few months back, I came up on this record. This is my $h!t... The video above is the live version of this ...
Oh yeah, and its officially of Summer here in the States. Yessss.
This week I'm in Quik mode! Haven't had a chance to hear the album yet. For any of yall that didn't know or FORGOT how dope he was... Peep this mix compiled by the homie DJ Matthew Africa.
Anyone that truly knows my musical inclinations knows that DJ Quik is in my Top 5 of artists of all time. So the fact that I am on the same bill with him has me JUICED.
The one thing that I can say about him is that he has always been ahead of the curve, able to do what others in his genre could never think of doing. Back in middle school I remember watching PBS right before Reading Rainbow was about to come on, when all of a sudden "Quik's Groove III" came on as the soundbed for the station ID!
Working with musicians like El Debarge and Raphael Saadiq, as well as a high level of live instrumentation, have only helped solidify him as a pioneer of sophisticated grown-folks gangsta rap music. Did I mention Suga Free?
If you're in NORTHERN CALIFORNIA and you ain't at Ruby Skye in SF this Thursday, that's when you're lost... In Life.
It's rare that the sun moon and stars align in favor of Oakland's nightlife, BUT it happens this FRIDAY! If you haven't been to Downtown Oakland, you might not know that there has been a whole new crop of bars popping up, as well as the historic Fox Theater , making the blocks around the corner from Oaksterdam the new East Bay destination.
As if that wasn't enough, its going to be First Friday, which means Oakland's monthly Art Murmur is going down, like a pre-party for the show...
I have to thank my mom for the lovefest about to take place...
As a kid in the 80s, I really only listened to what my mom listened to- Wham!, Sade, Tears For Fears, Basia, and of course Swing Out Sister. These were groups I loved way before I could name a hip-hop group. About as close as it got to hip-hop in my house was Bob James' "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" or the KING OF R&B's best album "Don't Be Cruel"...
Swing Out Sister's brand of Sophisti-Pop is probably my biggest personal influences. Lush string arrangements, solid topic matter, fresh chords, and intelligent pop sensibility- a lot of the ideals I use to guide my own brand of SOPHISTI-SLAP (yes, term invented by me).
"Twilight World" is my favorite song from them, followed by HELLA others...
I only bring all this up now because I get to see them for the FIRST TIME EVER at Bimbo's in San Francisco- Tonight!
It's going down tonight at the legendary Fillmore in SF!
I'm excited because I get the opportunity to rock with the Pharcyde- all four of them!
Its crazy because this group has achieved what many groups only aspire to... crafting a hip-hop "standard". For real though, this song is on "Happy Birthday" status (and I'm not talking about the Birfday Song...).
Last week I got a chance to sit down with Christina Li of SF Station and talk about, well, myself (not in the akward, "annoying date" way though, hahaha...)
