Tag: rap

Sunday Music: The (Perfect) Un-Originality In Sublime’s “Caress Me Down”

I was in a conversation last week with someone who brought up how original and fresh 90s music was. I said it was refreshing, in the sense of how it was such an original act of musical collage, but it wasn’t in and of itself anything new.  They disagreed.  I got sublime.  Or more literally, … Continue reading Sunday Music: The (Perfect) Un-Originality In Sublime’s “Caress Me Down” →

Podcast Of The Week: Super Cat And Don Dada’s Lasting Influence

Sometime in middle school, whenever Ini Kamoze’s “Here Comes The Hotstepper” took over the radio, I ended up getting a cassette dancehall compilation - possibly from a Philly gas station - that blew my mind.  Ninjaman, Buju, Super Cat… I kind of got obsessed.  Which is a weird flag for a suburban middle school kid … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Super Cat And Don Dada’s Lasting Influence →

Sunday Music: Paper Planes (M.I.A. And The Wreckx And Effect Flippening)

I think I’m delirious. I stood up from working last Friday singing this song to myself. Still a great song.  Does it get any better than that gun sample? Here’s M.I.A. and her classic “Paper Planes” https://youtu.be/ewRjZoRtu0Y?si=WIgnSyxMFcralU80 And lest we forget, you can’t start there without ending up here (with complete admiration and respect for … Continue reading Sunday Music: Paper Planes (M.I.A. And The Wreckx And Effect Flippening) →

Podcast Of The Week: Revisiting The Judgement Night Soundtrack

The Ringer’s Bandsplain with Yasi Salek podcast… how have I been missing these? Yasi, Sean Fennessy, and Rob Harvilla get together for a deep discussion on one of the most defining soundtracks (and worst movies) of 1993, Judgement Night.  This was one of those CDs somebody always had. It wasn’t exactly good, but it was … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Revisiting The Judgement Night Soundtrack →

July ‘23 Fireworks: No #1 Rap Songs For The First Time Since ‘93

It’s the 4th of July. We’re celebrating America’s Independence. Fireworks. Because that’s how fire works - it changes things. So what’s changing in America in 2023?  There’s a weird stat that’s worked its way into my head and (I think) has a much broader cultural point: As of June 2023, this is the first year … Continue reading July ‘23 Fireworks: No #1 Rap Songs For The First Time Since ‘93 →

Podcast Of The Week: Dapper Dan with Jesse Thorn

In 2017, a Gucci fashion show featured a model wearing a jacket that (I, non-fashion-boy, to be very clear) would describe as a sorta fur coat jacket, with these exaggeratedly puffed out, Louis Vuitton meets Disney princess shoulder puffs and sleeves.  Again, I - who am not fashionable in any way - would have seen … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: Dapper Dan with Jesse Thorn →

Sunday Music: Don’t Sell Yourself To Fall In Love With The Things You Do

I’m having a spiritual awakening over this lyric ever since my flight home from Nashville. Dan Charnas spends a minute on it towards the end of Dilla Time and it caught me off guard.  My early 2000s thing with Slum Village was… the music floored me. My buddy Mike put me onto them (he was … Continue reading Sunday Music: Don’t Sell Yourself To Fall In Love With The Things You Do →

KRS – Styles Upon Styles

Ice Cube told Kevin Smith that KRS was the first rapper anyone heard do so many voices and styles and approaches.  A multidimensional performer.  In an era when everyone was focused on not biting (ex. sounding like someone else), KRS gave 1,2,3,4,5 (?!) styles he dared others to even try to mimic.  Which was empowering. … Continue reading KRS – Styles Upon Styles →