Tag: J. Dilla

hip-hop by William Ruben Helms

It’s been a decade since  J. Dilla‘s tragic and untimely death due to complications from Lupus and over that period of time, the prolific, Detroit-born producer and beatmaker’s reputation has grown — to the point that he is arguably one of hip-hop’s most beloved and influential artists and producers; in fact, much of his work possesses a timelessness and vitality that few contemporary producers of any genre can manage. The past year has seen the posthumous release of Dilla’s emcee debut The Diary, an effort that has engendered quite a bit of controversy between Dilla’s surviving family, the executors of his creative estate and fans. Sadly, Dilla had died before he could finish the album and much of the album’s material was largely unfinished, leaving producers the difficult task of piecing and stitching together incomplete song ideas and filling in musical gaps all while trying their best to hew as closely to its creators intentions as they could. And naturally as you can imagine that leaves a ton of questions about the very nature of art, its creation, and whether it’s ethical to mine a deceased creator’s incomplete works to make money among countless others.

Interestingly enough, 2016 is also the tenth anniversary of the posthumous relate of J. Dilla’s The Shining through BBE Records, and to celebrate the occasion the label is about to release the project on 7 inch vinyl for the first time ever. Along with that, the folks at Boiler Room stumbled upon an unreleased and largely unheard mixtape that the renowned and beloved producer made sometime between mid 1999 and early 2000 — and the mixtape reveals that Dilla had a diverse and eclectic array of musical influences, and was restlessly digging in the crates and looking for that perfect groove, that perfect breakbeat, that perfect bassline that he could use for a song. Throughout the mixtape you’ll hear Dilla exploring jazz, funk, disco, R&B, soul, pop, New Wave, blue eyed soul, Afrobeat and others — and in some way you can hear every one of those genres influencing his aesthetic vision.

TRACKLIST

Chick Corea “Bliss”

Roy Porter Sound Machine “Jessica”

A Taste of Honey “Boogie Oogie Oogie”

The Doobie Brothers “What A Fool Believes”

Heatwave “The Groove Line”

Funkineven & Greg Beato “F’s Diss”

B’52’s “Mesopotamia”

Total Experience “Contradiction”

Bobby Caldwell “Open Your Eyes”

Roberta Flack “Feel Like Makin’ Love”

Stevie Wonder “As”

Love Unlimited “Under The Influence of Love”

Azymuth “Un Amigo (A Friend)”

Shuggie Otis “Undisclosed”

Ohio Players “Ecstasy ”

Grandmaster Flash “Undisclosed”

Michael Jackson “I Can’t Help It”

Myra Barnes “The Message From The Soul Sisters”

Donald Byrd “Think Twice”

Fred Wesley “Watergate”

Crusaders “Streetlife”

Loose Ends “Stay A Little While, Child”

The Temptations “Runaway Child, Running Wild”

Chaka Khan “Ain’t Nobody”

Rene & Angela “I Love You More”

Stevie Wonder “Reggae Woman”

Rene & Angela “I’ll Be Good”

Steve Arrington “U Meet My Approval”

Alicia Myers “I Want to Thank You”

The System “You Are In My System”

Sly Stone “Family Affair”

Cameo “Back N Forth”

Hall & Oates “I Can’t Go For That”

Slave “Watching You”

Tom Browne “Jamaica Funkin'”

Bobby Caldwell “I Don’t Want To Lose Your Love”

UNKNOWN

The Gap Band “Yearning For Your Love”

Fela Kuti “Water No Get Enemy”

Marvin Gaye “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again”

Rick James “Mary Jane”

Sade “Sweetest Taboo”

24 Karat “Black Ghetto”

Heatwave “Mind What You Find”

MFSB “Love Is The Message”

Evelyn King “I’m In Love”

George Benson “Love X Love”

Change “Glow of Love”

Positive Force “We Got The Funk”

 

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

Rwandan-born, Brussels, Belgium-based producer Wantumeni is a self-taught producer and artist, who has started to receive attention in Brussels for production techniques and a sound that’s reminiscent of The Beatnuts, Madlib, J.Dilla and others. His full-length debut, Prima Nocta is slated for release later this year through N.M.L.O.P. Records; and to build up buzz for himself and for the full-length effort, the Rwandan-born, Brussels-based producer and artist will be releasing a beat every Sunday in a series he’s dubbed Meni Given Sundays.  

The fifth installment of the series “Baby Blue Panties” has the producer pairing skittering and industrial-sounding drum programming with a chopped up, warm and subtly soulful sample that features guitar, synths and drums in an instrumental track that to my ears reminds me quite a bit of singles I’ve heard off Oddisee’s latest album, as well as Madlib and J. Dilla. Of course, this track will clearly remind listeners not just of J. Dilla’s massive influence over hip-hop but that hip-hop is truly the lingua franca of the modern world.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Psychedelic Sounds and Visuals of Samiyam’s Collaboration with Earl Sweatshirt

Animals Have Feelings’ third and latest single is a shuffling and kaleidoscopic collaboration with Earl Sweatshirt “Mirror” that also features a surreal array of obscure 60s psych rock and 70s soul samples paired with boom-bap beats paired with Earl Sweatshirt dexterous inner and out rhymes — some dealing with issues of identity vs. how others perceive you and more.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Check Out the Gorgeous and Thoughtful Tribute to the Human Soul in Oddisee’s Video for “Brea”

Washington, DC-born and Brooklyn-based emcee and producer Amir Mohamed el Khalifa, best known to hip-hop heads as Oddisee has developed a reputation for being a former member of The Low Budget Crew, as a current member of Diamond […]

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Dream Collaboration: J. Dilla, Nas and Madlib Team Up On a Long-Lost Single and Video

Much ink — both real and virtual — has been spilled on the work of the legendary J. Dilla, so delving deeply into his backstory will seem highly unnecessary — but what I will say […]

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

As I’ve frequently mentioned on this site, I’m often multitasking while listening to singles on Soundcloud and as a result I’ve often (and serendipitously) discovered new artists that have caught my attention — including this Phife Dawg/A Tribe Called Quest/Earth, Wind and Fire tribute track “Earth Wind and Phifer” by New York-based producer and remixer Jewbei that features Phife rhyming over a chopped up Earth Wind and Fire sample with boom bap beats — and it’s done in a such a warm, organic fashion that it channels J. Dilla‘s legendary and beloved production.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Washington, DC-born and Brooklyn-based emcee and producer Amir Mohamed el Khalifa, best known to hip-hop heads as Oddisee has developed a reputation for being extremely prolific as a solo artist, as a former member of The Low Budget Crew and as a member of Diamond District, for bouncing back and forth between full-length hip-hop albums and instrumental efforts and for being uncompromisingly difficult to pigeonhole as his sound effortlessly meshes jazz, soul and hip-hop.

The Brooklyn-based producer and emcee’s forthcoming instrumental album, The Odd Tape is slated for a May 13 release through Mello Music Group, and the album’s first single “No Sugar No Cream” much like the rest of the album is informed and influenced by the rhythms and patterns of every day life — in particular, the artist’s own life while subtly drawing from Roy Ayers, Bob James, Shuggie Otis, Fela and others. Sonically, Oddisee pairs squiggling and soulful keyboard chords, boom bap beats, tons of hi-hat, staccato chopped up beats with brief bursts of congo before morphing into a jazz-lenaing coda comprised of gorgeously intricate piano chords and shimmering organ chords paired with boom bap beats to craft a song that sounds equally indebted to J. Dilla, bop-era jazz and old school soul in a way that feels warmly familiar while revealing a unique artistic vision. Personally, listening to the track evoked eating breakfast, drinking loads of coffee and bullshitting with friends while trying to preparing to tackle the day’s plans.

2016 looks to be a rather busy year for the Washington, DC-born and Brooklyn-based producer and emcee as he’ll be embarking on a lengthy summer tour of the US and UK backed by Good Company — and he’ll be releasing a new solo effort slated for release in the fall. As for the tour, it includes an NYC area date at Northside Festival in June. Check out tour dates below.

Oddisee & Good Company (Full Band) Live Tour Dates
5/3/2016  Middle East Downstairs – Boston, MA
5/6/16 Mainstage – Morgantown, WV
5/7/16 Strange Matter – Richmond, VA
5/8/16 Kings Barcade – Raleigh, NC
5/11/16 Jack Rabbits – Jacksonville, FL
5/13/16 Orpheum – Tampa, FL
5/14/16  Backbooth – Orlando, FL
5/15/16 Side Bar – Tallahassee, FL
5/16/16 Parish @ HOB – New Orleans, LA
5/20/16  Foundry at SLS – Las Vegas, NV
5/21/16 El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
5/22/16 Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA
5/24/16 Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
5/26/16 The Independent – San Francisco, CA
5/30/16 Sasquatch Festival – Seattle, WA
6/4/16  Bunbury Festival – Cincinnatti, OH
6/12/16 Northside Festival – Brooklyn, NY
6/25/16 Glastonbury Festival – Pilton, UK
6/27/16 O2 Academy – Oxford, UK
7/7/16 Les Ardentes Festival – Leige, Belgium
7/8/16 North Sea Jazz Festival – Rotterdam, Netherlands
7/9/16 Open Source Festival – Dusseldorf, Germany
7/10/16 Cactus Festival – Bruges, Belgium
7/16/16 Melt! Festival – Gräfenhainichen, Germany
7/19/16 Valkhof Festival – Nijmegen, Netherlands
7/23/16 Hip Hop Open Festival – Vienna, Austria
7/27/16 Blue Balls Festival – Lucerne, Switzerland
7/29/16 Appletree Gardens Festival – Diepholz, DE
7/30/16 Stuttgart Festival – Stuttgart, DE

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

With the release of “If We” and “What You Want,” the first two singles off his forthcoming full-length debut From Out of the Shadows, up-and-coming Brooklyn-based emcee Saga has begun to win the attention of the blogosphere for a thoughtful and sincerely emotional brand of hip-hop rooted in his belief that there’s no real division between commercial and underground hip-hop, only what’s real, and that his music and the ideas that he conveys through his music resonate with the listener, a complex human being; in other words, there’s the implicit recognition that although you might be out there grinding and hustling that you can simultaneously be a conscious, responsible and thoughtful person.

Just a few days before the Brooklyn-based emcee will be embarking on a European tour opening for Asher Roth, Saga released “Up,” the third and latest single off From Out of the Shadows and the single, which was produced by renowned French producer and turntablist 20syl, a four-time DMC World DJ Champion as a member of C2C. 20syl’s production is a warm, jazzy and soulful J. Dilla/Midnight Marauders-era A Tribe Called Quest channeling song that pairs shimming Rhodes keys, wobbling bass, electronic bleeps and bloops and enormous boom bap beats in a collaboration that features the Brooklyn-based emcee teaming up with Los Angeles-based emcee Blu. Lyrically, the song’s narrators are toasting the hard work and dedication that have put them on the path to enjoy the good life. And of course that means leaving lives of desperation and struggle behind, and leaving haters and others to jealously eat your dust.

It’s a breezily upbeat, feel-good anthem that I would expect to hear at someone’s barbecue  or rooftop party — but it has a profound and universal message that will resonate deeply with anyone, who’s out there hustling hard and trying to achieve their dreams.

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

Live Footage: Samiyam at Stones Throw’s Dungeon Sessions

Detroit-born, Los Angeles-based producer Sam Baker, best known under the moniker Samiyam can trace the moment his musical career truly started in earnest to when he was at a Detroit strip club Platinum, where he encountered a self-described […]

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Ixra Divide Returns with a Madlib and J. Dilla-Inspired Instrumental Beat Track and Surreal Visuals

Towards the end of last year, I wrote about Virginia-based producer and emcee Ixra Divide, who has collaborated with JOVM mainstay artist, Toronto, ON-born, Brooklyn-based Joanie Wolkoff, who has recorded with Her Habits, Gemology and as […]

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Monikker is an Austin, TX-based producer, music blogger and emcee, who pairs thoughtful and socially conscious lyrics, a wicked wit and complex rhyme scheme and word play with golden era hip-hop production  comprised of tweeter and woofer rocking, boom bap beats, lush, soul and neo soul and old-school hip-hop samples that will remind some listeners of acts like Atmosphere and other indie hip-hop acts. The up-and-coming Austin, TX-based artist has been pretty busy over the past few years — her music blog and podcast focuses on the best indie and unsigned hip-hop artists locally, nationally and internationally; and as an artist she has performed at Dallas, TX‘s Grenada Theater and spent a stint with Austin, TX-based act Savannah Red and the Blueberries, before signing with Royal Lifestyle in 2014.

2016 may arguably be Monikker’s biggest year to date as June 6, 2016 will mark the release of the Free Speech EP with her Free Speech, Vol. 1 mixtape slated for a release at the end of this year. “Heaven on Earth (Gotta Go)” a collaboration with fellow Austin emcee Kwamizzle is the first single off the Free Speech, Vol. 1 mixtape and as Monikker explains in press notes the track is “a nod to the boom bap style and East Coast lyrics, complete with samples and authentic turntable scratches. Lyrically ‘Heaven on Earth (Gotta Go)’ imagines a utopia where people are at peace with one another to achieve Nirvana here on Earth. At the same time, it’s a song that acknowledges one thing we all have in common — our similar fate as finite beings.”  Sonically, speaking the song’s lush and soulful production sounds indebted to the legendary J. Dilla — in particular, I think of The Pharcyde‘s “Drop” and Q. Tip‘s “Vivrant Thing” — while lyrically her flow is reminiscent of MC Lyte, Eternia, Rah Digga and others, complete with a wisdom beyond her youth. And Kwamizzle joins in with an equally hard-hitting and gritty and swaggering bars that fit the lush production perfectly. Certainly, this single will remind listeners that hip-hop’s golden era is still powerfully influential, and although finding conscious and thoughtful hip-hop can be difficult when mainstream super conglomerate radio stations inundate listens with empty, soulless and prepackaged nonsense, it’s out there waiting to be found if you make the effort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

Detroit-born, Los Angeles-based producer Sam Baker, best known under the moniker Samiyam can trace the moment his musical career truly started in earnest to when he was at a Detroit strip club Platinum, where he encountered a self-described fan of his, who told him that he needed to take his music more seriously. At the time, Baker was among a group of post-J. Dilla Donuts producers, who focused on instrumental work, rather than the traditional emcee/producer collaborations — and he was circulating beat tapes among local crew in Michigan and through zip files to friends on the web. Eventually, many of those Donuts-inspired producers, including Baker began relocating to Los Angeles and were created a scene around the Low End Theory in East Los Angeles.

As a part of East Los Angeles’ burgeoning producer and artist scene, Baker wound up meeting Flying Lotus, who quickly signed Baker to his Brainfeeder Records and then released the Detroit-born producer’s first two albums, 2008’s Rap Beats Vol. 1 (which was coincidentally, Brainfeeder’s first release) and 2011’s Sam Baker’s Album. 2013 was a big year for Baker as he released his third album Wish You Were Here and did production work for Earl Sweatshirt, Captain Murphy (the alter-ego of the aforementioned Flying Lotus) and Pharoahe Monch.

Animals Have Feelings is his Stone Throw Records debut, and as Baker explains in press notes, he considers the effort a creative sequel to Rap Beats Vol. 1. “Animals has roots in beats made around the time of Vol. 1, and the new stuff on the record has some of the same sound.” And as a result the material on the album is mostly instrumental, beat-driven hip-hop mixed with a few rap tracks he did with a few emcees, who are his few yet frequent collaborators — Earl Sweatshirt, Action Bronson, Jeremiah Jae and Oliver the 2nd.

Two singles from the album were recently released –“Mr. Wonderful” a collaboration with Action Bronson, that has Bronson rhyming and crooning over boom-bap beats and flashes of synth in a song that channels Raekwon‘s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx; and “Dartgun,” an instrumental track consisting of layers of buzzing synths, boom bap drum programming which channels the legendary and beloved work of J. Dill and of Dam-Funk — while evoking a singular, funky vision.

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Karriem Riggins and J. Rocc Play Tribute to the Legendary J. Dilla

Hip-hop producer J. Dilla would have turned 42 yesterday — and two Stones Throw Records artists Karriem Riggins (on drums) and J. Rocc (on turntables) recently paid tribute to the legendary and influential producer with […]

New Audio by William Ruben Helms

Nigerian-born, Montreal-based producer Teck-Zilla emerged as an up-and-coming producer with the release of Son of Sade: An Ode, an 18 minute instrumental mixtape that was intended as a tribute to both the renowned British-Nigerian vocalist Sade and the producer’s mother, who coincidentally is also named Sade. Now, if you’ve been frequenting JOVM over the past two years or so, you might remember that I wrote about the Nigerian-Canadian producer’s Afro Bootleg EP, an EP that had the producer revisiting his birthplace, as he remixed some of Nigeria’s biggest hits with a populist, globe-spanning, crowd-rocking sound that would get asses moving in clubs across New York, Montreal, Lagos, London, Ibiza an others.

Although it’s been a little while since we’ve heard from Teck-Zilla, the Nigerian-born and Montreal, QC-based producer has been prolific, as he’s released a number of mixtapes, including the aforementioned Son of Sade and Afro Bootleg EP, as well as Souled Off: A Dedication to Molly Molls. His third and latest instrumental mixtape Joe Jackson Kids has the producer paying homage to Michael Jackson — mostly Jackson 5-era Michael Jackson as the mixtape features snippets of interviews with Michael Jackson and his family, as he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable and uncertain about his fame, and a variety of chopped up samples of Jackson 5 songs and Michael’s solo work. While reminding the listener that Michael Jackson’s ghost looms large in contemporary pop — hell, contemporary music in general — the mixtape also manages to create nuanced and empathetic portrait and interpretation of the young Michael Jackson. But ironically, the EP’s title comes from a playful, inside joke that the Nigerian-born, Montreal-based producer had with his brother. As Teck-Zilla explains in press notes “I got the title from one of my favourite Jeru the Damaja records, ‘Whatever,’ off his Wrath of the Math LP. That line always cracked me and my brother up every time, so it was kinda like an inside joke for both of us. Just remember to say ‘check it out’ after the title.”

Probably the biggest highlight on the mixtape is “Human Nature (Jackson Jones Flip)” which not only turns the original song on its head, but also reminds the listener of how influential the song has been to hip-hop and to R&B as Teck-Zilla weaves bits of Nas‘ classic Illmatic including “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” “The World Is Yours” and others songs while subtly nodding at Off the Wall.  “Letter to Michael” is a headbanging take on Michael’s work that sounds as though it were indebted to J. Dilla while “Goodbye (Last Call)” is a sensual closer that features twinkling percussion, handclaps and chopped up bits of Michael singing in a way that creates an entirely different song. “JJ Kids” features the sample that inspired the title before quickly turning into the warm, twinkling soul instrumental that’s nods to J. Dilla and Pete Rock. But perhaps most important, the entire mixtape reveals Teck-Zilla to be a remarkably playful yet thoughtful producer, whose sound has become increasingly warm and soulful.