#Rap and #Yale University Press - The Anthology of Rap

A new book charting the rise of rap music has been released by Yale University Press. "The Anthology of Rap" was written by Andrew Bradley and Andrew DuBois two Professors of English at the University of Colorado and the University of Toronto.

Type bookstore, Canada

Why is rap so interesting to these academics of the English language? NPR recently interviewed Professor Andrew Bradley, one of the co-authors, and we learn how our favorite raps tunes can be broken down to the intricate lyrics, social commentary and syncopation. These Professors are telling us why we love these tunes!

"Now, even with my poor MCing skills, you can hear within that something pretty tremendous. And what that is, is this is what I've discovered by actually transcribing it [Rapper's Delight]. It's written in ballad stanza. This is the form of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner.' But it's also the form of the 'Gilligan's Island' theme, you know, the ballad stanza of storytelling form that's been with us in our culture and finds its way, whether intentionally or not, into these lyrics." Adam Bradley (Co-editor, "The Anthology of Rap") discussing The Sugarhill Gang's 1979 classic, "Rapper's Delight."

"The Anthology of Rap" explains how the original M.C.s were actually party D.J.s. And if you watch Doug Pray's 2002 "Scratch" documentary you'll also hear various hip hop legends explaining how the hip hop D.J. (or in the 70s more likely a break D.J.) ceded the spotlight to the M.C.

"What developed out of DJing was the very concept of MCing, of putting words in rhyme to the music. So some of the early innovators in the art of rapping are actually DJs: Eddie Cheeba, DJ Hollywood. Even Grandmaster Caz of the Cold Crush Brothers, these are people who started often as DJs and then made the transition into the lyrical art." Adam Bradley

Legends vs. The Hits This isn't a book about the best-selling rap records. There's no Vanilla Ice, M.C. Hammer or even Young M.C. The Anthology is about the lyrical prowess of rap and the artists that wrote those rhymes. In particular, Rakim is held in high regard. No doubt! God M.C.

"People had to go back and really start over with their lyrics once they heard Rakim. He's that kind of artist. Take one of his most famous lyrics, 'Microphone Fiend': 'I was a fiend before I became a teen. I melted microphones instead of cones of ice cream.' Just that little play of language." Adam Bradley

The Last Word

"What do I want people to take out of the book? I think I want people to take away a sense of rap in full. I think rap at its best is a keyhole into American culture over the last 30 plus years. It's a way in to think about all of the things that matter to us about this past four decades. And it's also something you can dance to. So how good is that?" Adam Bradley

Happy Thanksgiving...a old Hip Hop Kidz Macy's Parade video

Delicious Vinyl and Digital Gravel bring us some legendary t-shirts

Just in time for the holiday season two Los Angeles' finest, hip hop record label, Delicious Vinyl, and online clothing retailer, Digital Gravel, have come together to bring us some old skool hip hop classics.

Delicious Vinyl hits all get love: Young M.C.'s "Bust a Move," The Pharcyde's "Passin Me By" and Tone Loc's "Wild Thang." A limited run of 50 shirts of each design have been made available in this first run.

It's a shame these shirt designs don't do justice to these legendary Delicious Vinyl rap artists. Nope, lyrics printed on a shirt are barely recognizable except for the most addicted rap head! If you disagree...don't sleep because they may sell out...but I doubt it!

The best thing about hearing about these garms was they made me go out and discover this unreleased Young M.C. electro remix on SoundCloud and The Pharcyde video that I'd never seen before!Check them below.

  Young MC - Bust A Move [Tommie Sunshine 'Class Of '89' Remix] by tommiesunshine 

 

#EXCLUSIVE: Inteview with Florian Gaag, writer/director of #graffiti film, "Wholetrain" [ #hiphop #wholetrain]

The award-winning graffiti film, "Wholetrain," is being released on DVD this Tuesday, so I managed to track down Florian Gaag, the writer/director, to get under the skin of the film, the film-making process and his next project.

Backstory "Wholetrain" is a German film production that took several years to complete because Gaag wanted to capture some of the essence and drive of illegal graffiti writers and what they do. That meant developing believable characters and filming bombing scenes. Unlike Wild Style, Florian Gaag choose to cast actors who had an appreciation of hip hop, rather than choose graff writers to play the roles. The conversation continues below....

Stevio: You were a graffiti writer (Aero One) and have now written and directed an award-winning film and traveled the world. If we fast forward 5-10 years where do you think the KSB crew members will end up?

FLORIAN: "Well, the story in the film leaves that open. All is possible, I´ve seen graffiti writers turn into sophisiticated fine artists, drug pushers, teachers, highly successful business men, drug addicts etc., so the whole spectrum of the human condition is reflected within this culture.
 
"Wholetrain" really focuses on that moment in the protagonists' lives where they´re just doing what they´re doing, totally devoted, without overly reflecting or intellectualizing it from a distanced point of view – a moment every writer who has been seriously involved with the (graffiti) culture can relate to. Of course people´s viewpoints change when they get older, they see the multi-dimensionality of this movement, things like promoting your name and getting up is probably less important. But to me..."Wholetrain" is about the essence, that´s where it all started. That´s the beauty."

ATL piece from the film "Wholetrain"

Stevio: We have both gone back to school and have moved from Europe to live in the U.S. Do you think you could've made "Wholetrain" without film school? What did (film school in) New York give you that Germany/Europe could not?

FLORIAN: "Could I have made "Wholetrain" without film school? Probably, yes. But I´m sure it would´ve been a lot harder – harder than it already was.

I went to New York because so many things that have influenced me have their roots there. So being in New York, in the graffiti-mecca, and meeting people who have been central in the evolution of writing culture, certainly pushed me towards turning the idea of "Wholetrain" first into a screenplay and then the finished film."


Stevio: What storylines did you want to develop, but had to drop for whatever reason and why?

FLORIAN: "I basically wrote the screenplay and shot the film just the way i wanted to. I didn´t have to make adjustments for the producers or anybody else. I made that very clear in the first production meetings that i wouldn´t compromise in terms of making the movie more accessible by over-explaining the protagonists' wants and needs or adding certain elements to give it an appeal for a mainstream audience. I really wanted to focus on the crew and on the characters lives, without moralizing or judging what they´re doing.

I had to drop one part of a scene, though, for budgetary reasons. In that scene the protagonists – all boozed up and smoked out – would´ve ran into Dr. Funkenstein himself and helped him to get the Mothership back into the air...And I have no idea if I could have pulled it off, but my funk-infested brain couldn´t help but coming up with the idea."




Stevio: People compare your film to "Wild Style" and "Style Wars" for obvious reasons. How conscious were you about following in their footsteps? What other films were most influential to you during the film making process?

FLORIAN: "These two iconic films were of course highly influential for me – as for all European first generation writers. They really made us understand the scope of this culture with all its elements. I was scribbling on public walls before, but when i first saw "Wild Style" and "Style Wars" it all made sense.

When doing "Wholetrain" it wasn´t really about following in the footsteps of these films, "Style Wars" is a documentary, "Wild Style" a docudrama. "Wholetrain," however, is a fictional feature film with actors (or self-taught actors), so the whole approach was very different.

There weren´t a lot of films that i could use as a reference. "Kids" by Larry Clark was definitely an important one. "La Haine" by Mathieu Kassovitz, although the cinematic style is very different. And there´s a French director by the name of Siegfried whose work i really like. But in general my film taste is very eclectic and i appreciate the work of many different directors from all over the world."




Stevio: You wrote and directed "Wholetrain," but what partnerships were vital to enabling you to make it happen?

FLORIAN: "Actually, I was also the co-producer and in many instances the main producer, especially in putting all the different parts together and making them work.

I had production partners who I worked with to secure the funding and shooting permission – an odyssey of about two or three years, since no one wanted to invest in a movie with such a controversial subject. And the German transportation company refused to collaborate and threatened to inform all other transportation companies in Europe so the project would be blocked.

I already had access to the graffiti community. I started writing in 1984 and was actively doing it up until the early nineties, so I already knew most of the guys I worked with from back in the days.

The artists who I collaborated with on the soundtrack I didn´t know personally, so I just linked up with them, met them after a show, contacted them online or through people who were close to them and then sent them my beats, clips from the film and rough ideas what I wanted them to express in the lyrics.

The most important partnership however was the comissioning editor at the German TV station ZDF who was the first guy to believe in the project and, thus, paved the way for others to follow. (Nice coincidence: this is the same editorial department that funded "Wild Style.")"

Stevio: To all those folks who are tempted to watch pirated versions of "Wholetrain" instead of buying a copy can you give an outline of how much time you invested in this project?

FLORIAN: "I started working on "Wholetrain" 2002, so about 10 years ago and I´m still working on it! The process of financing, getting shooting permission, pre-production, the shoot, post-production and dealing with the promotion, distribution, finding foreign partners etc. took about six or seven years. Not very lucrative if you look at it from a commercial point of view. But it was never about the money for me. It was all about making the movie I wanted to make and giving something back to the culture that has given me so much. I hope I succeeded."


Stevio: How did you manage to make the film and also produce the sound track album?

FLORIAN: "That was pretty difficult at times. At the last minute, the production company refused to support the production of the soundtrack, in contradiction to their earlier statements, so I was forced to finance it myself. Coming up with the money during post-production and at the same time mixing the film, finishing the beats, hooking up with the artists, organizing the sessions and recording the tracks put me under a lot of pressure. But I´m really glad it all worked out and we could finish the film on time for the premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.  I then released the album on my own label Stayin´ Up."


Stevio: I asked Charlie Ahearn once why he created the "Wild Style" white label records for most of the party scenes instead of using the classic break beats and rap tunes. He said that the licensing fees were too high for his budget, but also for control and continuity since the hottest rap tunes favored by the rappers changed on a weekly basis. What were you reasons for creating a soundtrack to the film?

FLORIAN: "Licensing fees were definitely a reason. But, more than that I wanted to create a unique soundtrack with exclusive graffiti-themed tracks. And I wanted to work with people whose music I dig and who have either been active as writers themselves or have love for the culture, guys like Tame One and El Da Sensei (Artifact), KRS-One, Planet Asia, Afu-Ra. It was a great moment for me when KRS-One presented "Wholetrain" at S.O.B.´s in New York. I bought "Criminal Minded" right when it came out in 1987 (when they had tiny crates with hip hop-vinyls in stores, direct import records) and was spinning it forever. So seeing him embracing the film was really cool."



Stevio: What advice do you have to other (hip hop) storytellers who want to get into film making? Do you have a Top 5?

FLORIAN: "I have a Top 3: Be persistent, be patient, and most importantly: Don´t fake the funk!"


Stevio: What is your next project? Have you received any interesting offers since "Wholetrain" hit the screens?

FLORIAN: "You know how it is sometimes when you make a film in a certain genre or about a certain scene or culture. They want you to reproduce that same film over and over. So i got many offers doing films about other so called youth cultures or urban, subcultural movements. But I hate to repeat myself so I wrote a new screenplay and will be doing a very different film next year. More like a thriller / horror-drama."

Planet Rock tribute t-shirts [#planetrock #hiphop #oldskool #koolherc]

Hip hop fashion comes and goes, but some things are eternal. And when a company calls itself Sedgwick and Cedar, named as a tribute to D.J. Kool Herc and the foundations of hip hop, we expect great things.



This season it has launched a range of t-shirts (for New York Fall?! ;) ) to celebrate the Soul Sonic Force hip hop anthem, "Planet Rock." Not only are there four fresh t-shirt designs from different corners of the world, but also mixtapes to accompany each shirt. You can just download the tunes, but you'd be foolish to miss out on the garms (shirts!)

  SC73 presents a mix from DJ Wonder inspired by Planet Rock NY by sedgwick&cedar

Shopping cart I got the Japan and UK shirts. That Japan shirt is complete with silhouttes of Zoro from Wild Style! And the UK shirt had to be bagged...do you remember UK Fresh '86 at Wembley Stadium? Oh mate, a weekend of hip hop: Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Lovebug Starski, DJ Cheese and Word of Mouth, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Just Ice...The list goes on! My man Jason (Hit the Ground Running) got a press pass for that show and got pics galore. The Street Sounds record label design on this shirt is the program for the weekend!

The history of the #boombox [#hiphop #oldschool]

From one iconic retired hip hop product (see my earlier post about the Technics SL-1200) to another. This time I'm writing about the battery-hungry boombox.

You already know that I have a love of old skool, but somehow November feels like hip hop history month. This NPR video someone sent me celebrates the launch of a book by award-winning photographer, Lyle Owerko, which features the history of boomboxes and fond memories from the likes of Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Don Letts (film maker and ex-Big Audio Dynamite), Fab 5 Freddy and Krs One. Read the NPR article here.



The book's lengthy title is "The Boombox Project: The Machines, the Music, and the Urban Underground" and it contains stark pictures of these hulking blocks of metal and plastic, better known as ghetto blasters if you want to be politically incorrect! 

The book is like a time machine back to the 70s and 80s when Crown, JVC, Aiwa, Magnavox and Sharp, Sharp, Sharp were the names in the boombox game. See the photos at New York's Clic Gallery until December 5th.

L.L. Cool J.'s homage to boomboxes!



Led Zepplin, a huge hip hop influence


More history Visit this website for a wealth of info on the boombox.

Creative In researching this posting I stumbled upon the talented designers and illustrators who helped give Owerko's book its vintage and retro comic book feel. One Horse Town did the posters and Modern Identity did the illustrations.

R.I.P. Technics?

Like many, I saw the news that Panasonic, the maker of the legendary Technics SL-1200 range of turntables, was ceasing production. To be clear - the analog turntable is dead, but the brand is very much alive! A conversation last night with DJ/producer Burt Blackarach sparked this post.

Panasonic has seen a 95% drop in sales over the past decade. That's shocking. But, why do you think that is? Let's take a closer look.

Is it because of just about every professional DJ uses vinyl's arch-rival CDs? Nope! In fact, I don't a DJ who is exclusively CD-based.  Well, then is it because most DJs now use MP3s (via Serato or Final Scratch?) Yes, but think about it...you still need a "real" turntable because the whole point is that your MP3s are manipulated like vinyl.

Here's a video of A-Trak showing us how Serato Scratch works - real vinyl manipulating MP3s.



Here's my conclusion. The reason behind Technics' sales falling is that competition has gnawed away at its initial monopoly position. Ever since the legendary Grandmaster Flash was filmed scratching on a pair of Technics "decks" (the 1800 is a predecessor of the SL-1200) in his kitchen in the film "Wild Style" every man and his dog has released a turntable: Vestex, Stanton, Numark...Some have even tried to replicate the iconic S-tone arm that made the Technics so special.



But, the main reason for Technics SL-1200's demise is an ironic one. The obsolescence expected in today's products (as explained in this "Story of Stuff" video) wasn't built into the SL-1200! This turntable was built like a tank. It was heavyweight - 24lbs - it was reliable, and since there were very little moving parts (no belts to replace) there was very little to wear out. It was like the engineers got their way, rather than the business men ruining the design for commercial reasons.

So, sad to say, but the Japanese reputation for design and reliability was really the death-nail to the Technics SL-1200. R.I.P!

"So what happened? In a way it's surprising that the analogue deck has survived this long.

The writing was probably just about visible on the wall when the compact disc became mainstream back in the mid-1980s. It took a while for the hardware to catch up, but in the last few years so-called "CDJs", which allow DJs to manipulate audio on CDs using physical control surfaces (which often bear a strong resemblance to vinyl turntables), have become sophisticated enough for widespread use. The advantages are clear; smaller and lighter than a record, a CD can also hold many times the number of tracks.

Another factor is the rise of the MP3. Now, rather than haul a crate of records (or CDs) around, a DJ can store an entire musical library on a laptop. In a similar fashion to CDJs, clever software applications such as Serato's Scratch Live allow DJs to manipulate digital music files by physical means. In today's clubs you are as likely to see a DJ hunched over the ubiquitous MacBook as manning the wheels of steel." The Economist blog

10.Deep opens pop-up store tomorrow @ Hall of Fame, Los Angeles

The 10.DEEP crew have traveled from their Washington D.C. base to open a pop-up store in Los Angeles tomorrow at Hall of Fame (449 North Fairfax Avenue.)

If you're in the area, the store will open at 7pm on Friday, November 12th and showcase "the global premiere" of its Holiday 2010 collection as well as some exclusive garms only Hall of Fame will carry.

10.Deep says it has some other rolling events and exclusive product releases through the end of the year. The one I'm looking forward to is the new mixtape release. Can't wait! Best be free ;)

If you don't know, 10.Deep has released four mixtapes from the likes of Wale, Kid Cudi, DJ Benzi and Donnis.

Drake = Commercial #Sellout [#wack #rap #kodak]

When a rapper goes out of his way to sell you something other than his music, you have to wonder what's going on?!

So Kodak?! So waaaack!

"This week, I’ve had the privilege of sharing some of the “behind-the-scenes” images, observations and general commentary from the filming of the various commercials that comprise the new “So Kodak” campaign.

Launching in the Fall of 2010, the “So Kodak” campaign is a celebration of how many young, socially-connected consumers often use the phrase “So Kodak” to refer to the state of mind that one has when he or she feels that they are looking their hottest or when they are socializing in a place or with people that are considered hip or popular. This exciting new advertising and public relations campaign will be anchored by many of today’s hottest recording artists – Drake, Trey Songz, Pitbull and others!" Vincent Young, Director of Marketing Communications, Kodak

"Wholetrain"...arriving on platform DVD! Catch it Nov. 23rd [#wholetrain #graffiti]

The graffiti film "Wholetrain" has been described by Charlie Ahern (director of "Wild Style") as "...an impressive piece of work. It´s the only Graffiti-Movie that can follow in the footsteps of 'Wild Style'."

If you didn't catch it during its international film festival run, wait no more! It's finally being released on DVD in the U.S. later this month. You can pre-order before it ships worldwide on November 23rd by going to Amazon.



And, you can cop the soundtrack now on CD or vinyl here on Amazon! Yep, vinyl...Old skool! Check out a streaming sampler below. Produced by Florian Gaag, aka Aero One, it features KRS-One, El the Sensei, Planet Asia, and one of my favorite rappers, O.C.



Break it down If you don't know the story, "Wholetrain" is a compelling tale about KSB, a crew of graffiti writers in Germany,  but this is happening in every country with an urban sprawl. The story centers around a crew's rising infamy for painting pieces across the city. That is, until they are humiliated by a new rival crew, ATL (Above The Law.)

The film develops into a tale about the crew's internal friction as they try to overcome their nemesis and how it eventually frays the unity between the friends. This does take many hip hop cues from the New York of the 1980s, but "Wholetrain" is a uniquely European tale which highlights how multicultural and ethnically diverse cities have become: David (Mike Adler) could have African blood,  Elyas (Elyas M'Barek) is of Tunisian decent, whilst Tino (Florian Renner) and Achim (Jacob Matschenz) seem of German heritage. Hip hop is the unifying factor that brings these young men and their friends together.

Writer and director, Florian Gaag, captures the limited opportunities these young men have and the sense of freedom and achievement they get through their graffiti. You get a glimpse into the mundanity of life in these cities and why graffiti offers a meaningful creative outlet for a generation. Tino works part-time in a cinema and argues with his estranged girlfriend about childcare for their son, Kenny. We see Elyas' family kebab business and his job as a panel painter, whilst Achim is flunking school to break free from his regular middle-class family.

Getting Up "Wholetrain" captures some of the essence and drive of why illegal graffiti writers do what they do. Gaag shows us the preparation and planning, the blackbook of designs and the bravado of the writers' bench. What is unique in this film is tension and anxiety that goes into an illegal "bombing" mission. We see KSB hit a train interior during the day and several raids on a trainyard at night to paint their burner pieces.

Collaboration Gaag got the (rare) cooperation of a Polish train company to make "Wholetrain." Without it and the support of established graffiti writers (Cemnoz, Neon, Won, Ciel, Pure) the film wouldn't be as powerful and realistic as it is. Support "Wholetrain"by ordering it on Amazon and spread the word!

UK's DJ Switch (DMC World Supremacy 2010) on BBC's Blue Peter

The UK's DJ Switch won the DMC World Supremacy 2010 last month, beating DJ Getback from France. I've sat on this news for a few weeks, but I had to dust it off! UK has to be celebrated!

There are two solo DMC DJ championship titles which is confusing...here's what I learnt the DMC World Supremacy champion wins via a head-to-head, multi-round battle! Whilst the DMC World DJ champion wins in a single showcase. Capisce?! France is a force to be reckoned with...LigOne won the World DJ title!

I grew up with BBC's Blue Peter show so I had to share this 2007 video clip with DJ Switch. This is what the kids in the U.K. get every week. Nice! (If you're confused by the accent, the blonde lady is from Northern Ireland.)



Scratch video Previous World Champ, DJ Shiftee, has released a very clever video tribute that spans years of DJ battles. It features Shiftee as protagonist stepping in the shoes of many of his DJ heroes.

"This video is a tribute to all the incredible DJ Champions from DMC's glorious history.  I've spent countless hours over the years studying masters like Roc Raida, Q-bert, Craze, and A-Trak. My goal: to one day stand in their shoes.  Literally." DJ Shiftee

 

"Congratulations to all of the 2010 DMC National and World Champions who battled last weekend in London. We saw so many great DJs! The dvds should be out soon so please keep an eye out, please buy a dvd and support!" Peace and thanks as always for your support!!" Christie Z-Pabon, DMC USA / Tools of War 

1980's New York graffiti re-lived: Subway Art history project

Flashback! Ed Koch was Mayor of New York City for nearly a decade during the height of graffiti in the city, 1978-1989. His battle against graffiti on the subway was immortalized in the film "Style Wars," produced by L.A.'s Tony Silver (R.I.P.) and Henry Chalfont.



Stuck in time Two decades later, I read in the New York Times a retro graffiti movement has been spotted near the Prospect Park area of Brooklyn. Whilst Seen (United Artists) has been spending time in Paris, France over the past couple of years it seem fans have taken his infamous "Hand of Doom" whole train (1980) and recreated it at Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.

"The original work — among those canonized in Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper’s 1984 landmark photographic history, “Subway Art” — was a token of its troubled urban times, a reference to the Black Sabbath song of the same title with the words flanked by a hooded executioner and a time bomb. The 21st-century version, on closer inspection, turns out to be a bit gentler and a lot more oblique. It reads “Joan of Arc,” and the hatchet man has been replaced by an armored representation of the martyred French saint." New York Times

Graffiti "Slavery" The artists behind these classic tributes are part of a collective called "Slavery" and made up of, predominately, graffiti writers who grew up studying "Subway Art" like many others born too late to see the real deal rolling gallery.

Inspired by another New York artist, Steve Powers, aka ESPO, (whose project brightened up a rundown West Philadelphia commercial district as part of the city’s Mural Arts Program,) the Slavery collective has chosen 50 seminal old-school graffiti murals to recreate and customize as part of a project imaginably called "Subway Art History."

R-E-S-P-E-C-T As Subway Art co-author, Henry Chalfant, says, the "Subway Art History" project is a rare  form of tribute in the world of (New York) graffiti: “I think it’s a wonderful reverse of what usually happens, which is that these people whose shoulders everyone has stood on don’t get any credit,” he said.

Blade (taken from Miss Rosen)

“It’s nice the attention guys my age are finally starting to get for our work,” he said. “It kind of amazes me actually. People in their teens and 20s come up to me, and they know every detail of my life story. I’m like, ‘Wow, I don’t even remember dating that girl back in ’72, but this kid here knows all about it.’ ” Blade, graffiti legend

Support and collect The "Joan of Arc" piece will be available as a print from Edition One Hundred, a new online art gallery that sells only 100 limited-edition prints, all signed by the artists. 10% of the profits go to charity.