London killed it at One Step Beyond in New York City this past Friday, and debuted a new track!
Last Friday, Brooklyn based electronica/hip-hop artist, Theophilus Londonperformed at One Step Beyond, a monthly event held at the American Museum of Natural History. London kicked off his first U.S. performance of 2010 with a new tune titled, “Life Of A Lover”, from his upcoming mixtape, “I Want You”. With influences ranging from Michael Jackson to The Smiths, London’s newest offering boasts lyrics recounting recent life experiences as a fledgling artist on the brink of fame (”Hollywood has taken my heart”… “I’m going overseas, come fly with me”). London’s performance also included favorites from his previous project, “This Charming Mixtape” (”Humdrum Town”, “I Will Always Love You”, and “Crazy Cousins”) and ended with the title track from “I Want You”, a melodic throwback to the days of Marvin Gaye. London has posted a preview of “Life Of A Lover” (featuring Jesse Boykins) on his blog for Hypebeast, where the artist also shares his adventures from life on the road.
J*Davey drops a sexy teaser for their new single "Get Together".
Eclectic electro hip-hoppers J*Davey are just about giving me musical blue balls… the duo just dropped a sneak peak of their latest video for the track “Get Together”, off their Boudoir Synema mixtape. The sexy peak is shot candid camera style, featuring a very lithe Jack Davey frolicking in a hallway. Prelude to a “very special” tape? I hope no Ray J’s are involved!
Enjoy the teaser for J*Davey’s “Get Together” below!
Manila-born, Bay Area transplant Joyo Velarde is a female soul singer on the rise! Back in October of 2008, M.I.S.S. featured a mixtape by this talented singer entitled, “Hey Love!” and that was only the beginning! Pulling inspiration from artists like Chaka Khan, Minnie Riperton, and Teena Marie, Joyo Velarde has crafted a solo debut full of soul and delight. Joyo Velarde’s solo debut album, “Love and Understanding” was recently released on Quannum Projects and Mobile Home Recordings. The album was executive produced and A&R’d by Cali emcee Lyrics Born, who also happens to be Joyo’s hubby. If you’re familiar with Joyo Velarde’s sound, you know that this soulful songstress is not an all a newcomer to the music game. She is known as Quannum Projects’ first lady and her sultry vocals have been featured on tons of projects, including Blackalicious’ 2002 best-seller “Blazing Arrow” and Lyrics Born’s 2003 album “Later That Day.” Back in May 2009, she released a self-titled digital EP of five tracks that showcased her unique vocal style and vast range as seen in the video for the single, “Take You Home”.
Joyo Velarde’s new album offers a fresh perspective on traditional soul and hip-hop music. “Love and Understanding” consists of twelve tracks that showcase Joyo’s versatility and ability to hold her own as an artist. The album finds Joyo giving pieces of herself on every track stylishly and flawlessly. It features production from Jake One, Asa Taccone, RJD2, and Tommy Guerrero among many others. Due to the demands of touring all around the world, her debut album has been a long time in the making but definitely worth the wait! Be sure to pick up your copy of “Love and Understanding” at Itunes.
For a limited time, a free download of Joyo Velarde’s single “Certain Special Way” is available on her facebook page or on Mark’s R & B / Soul Blog on About.com!
If you want more information on Joyo Velarde and her music, be sure to check out the following links!
As many people around the world continue to celebrate the life and music of J Dilla, clothing brand Stussy has partnered with Stones Throw Records to create a limited-edition J Dilla Stussy Tee. The tee features Raphael “Raph” Rashid’s classic pic of J Dilla in his L.A. dining room-turned-studio, summer 2005. This picture comes from Rashid’s book entitled, “Behind The Beat: Hip-Hop Home Studios“, which features a look into the creative spaces of producers and DJ’s from the US and UK. The tee is now available in white and black and has J Dilla’s name printed on the back. You can purchase the tee at Stones Throw online store. It is licensed with J Dilla’s heirs who have recently announced a reorganization of the J Dilla Estate. Just a week ago, M.I.S.S. reminisced about the life and legacy of J Dilla. This limited edition tee is so cool because it displays J Dilla completely in his element.
Stussy x J Dilla in black.
In addition to the limited-edition tee, Stussy has partnered with Stones Throw on a 3-part documentary on J Dilla’s life during his later years in Los Angeles. The documentary features interviews with people such as J. Rocc, Garth Trinidad, DJ Rhettmatic, DJ Houseshoes, photographer B+, and Stones Throw Records founder Peanut Butter Wolf. Many of them speak about their first time hearing Dilla’s music and the impact that it had on them. Part 1 – Introductions and Part 2 – Detroit to Los Angeles – were just recently released. Part 3 (Donuts) will be released later this month. Be sure to visit the Stussy or Stones Throw website to check out all parts of the documentary as they become available over the next few weeks. Check out Parts 1 & 2 below!
Krish aka EyeASage is not only the music editor here at M.I.S.S., but also a heavy-hitting female emcee on a mission to change the face of hip-hop. Now known as Rocky Rivera, this Bay Area artist dropped her debut self-titled album at the beginning of February after 2 years in the making. This 13-track album with production by 6Fingers, DexBeats, Nick James, Keelay & Zaire, CZA, and Fatgums is full of Cali flavor and West Coast vibes. The album is unforgettable with flawless transitions and songs that could fit into almost any genre of Hip-Hop. The world can never have enough female emcees and Rocky Rivera reminds us of how much we really miss them.
In the first single “MRSHMLO” produced by the Bay Area’s own 6Fingers, Rocky Rivera pretty much sets the tone for the entire album by combining confident, intelligent, and playful lyrics with hard hitting beats. The song is full of Bay Area bravado, as producer 6Fingers flips an E-40 sample using the lyrics, “Never been a marshmallow.” There’s nothing soft about this introductory track from Rocky Rivera. With lyrics like, “You can keep your soft ass beats for the rest of ‘em”, this pinay femcee is never letting you forget that she’s a young woman who is worthy of respect and won’t settle for anything less than the best.” She remains true to this statement throughout the entire album; as you never find her rhyming over mediocre beats.
The third track on the album, “Girl Like Me” (also produced by 6Fingers) features Dun Dun of the Hip- Hop, Reggae, and Dancehall duo Los Rakas. In this song, Rocky Rivera uses auto-tune and a Caribbean-styled flow over a seductive reggae rhythm. This potential club banger is packed with intensity and definitely makes you want to get your dutty wine on. 6Fingers flips April March’s “Chick Habit” on track 4, as Rocky puts her own clever spin on this classic naming it “Trick Habit.” With exaggerated drawls and ad-libs, this track stands out because it displays Rocky Rivera’s ability to switch up her vocal style. The song feels heavily inspired by the drum and bass sound often found in house music and southern rap. In other words, it must be played loudly!
The fourth track on the album, “The Rundown” (produced by Fatgums) shows a harder side of Rocky Rivera as she reps Guerilla and gives the listener a glimpse into what life was like for her growing up. She gives the message that whatever you want to do or be in life, you should always give it your all. In the CZA produced songs “Go There” and “Ride Out”, Rocky’s feminine voice and perspective hit hard against the banging beats and tight production.
Although the entire album is really good, the stand out tracks to me are “Heart” and the Nick James produced joint “I Am Gone”. In “Heart”, Rocky’s raw lyrics and powerful delivery tell the stories of strong women enduring and conquering struggles throughout history. ”I Am Gone” finds Rocky switching up her lyrical style once again with a mid-west type of flow similar to Twista. These songs are completely different from one another but both speak to a certain originality, style, and dignity that only a female emcee can bring to the game.
Rocky Rivera’s debut album is lyrically heavy and melodically driven. As a young San Francisco-raised woman of color, her story is unique and her devotion to “the truth” is something that’s been missing in Hip-Hop for awhile. Her messages of female empowerment, respect, and dignity are reminiscent of female emcees Lauryn Hill, Bahamadia, and Sister Souljah. This album is a testament to all the skeptics that true talent is blind to gender. Her debut album proves what most of us knew all along: Hip-Hop can only get stronger with the presence of female emcees.
You can purchase Rocky Rivera’s album on Itunes or at CD Baby.
Ninja, Yo-landi Vi$$er, and DJ Hi-Tek are Die Antwoord.
Imagine you fell into some sort of South African rabbit hole, and found yourself at a rave or whatevs that was lead by a trailer-trash-inspired, slow-crotch-shaking, totally incomprehensible rapper, and his hillbilly-hairdo-having bleached blonde sidekick?
Obviously, this is some “next-level” shit.
We can't understand a word they say, but we know they "represent South African culture".
Welcome to the world of Die Antwoord. A rap-rave group rising from the supposed slums of South Africa, this crew of wild-and-crazy (and possibly mushroom tripping) dreamers is comprised of MC Ninja, fem-cee Yo-landi Vi$$er, and the DJ Hi-Tek. They “represent South African culture”, their “zef is so fresh”, and DJ Hi-Tek PROBABLY has Progeria syndrome. This is either one of the most inspired musical groups 2010 will ever see, or a joke so bad it’s worse than all the #Natalieschin jokes on Twitter. For the purposes of making this a really awesome article, we are going to go with the option of Die Antwoord being one of the most inspired musical groups of 2010, k?
Die Antwoord's Zef-Rave-Rap is so inspired, it probably makes Lady Gaga jealous.
In the last couple of months, Die Antwoord has been taking the interwebs by storm with their sound, which is quite unlike anything out there at the moment. Riding on the rave resurgence, the group’s beats are rooted in traditional electronic sounds, and include elements of drum-and-bass, and first-generation hip hop. They also utilize samples even your mom would be proud of, like this popular Dance Dance Revolution tune about Butterflies and Samurais. Ninja and Yo-landi Vi$$er both rap at practically unchartable speeds in both English and Afrikaans about how great their skills are, and how the haters who never thought they’d amount to anything can go eff-off. It’s like their music is the insane South African version of Biggie’s “Juicy”, and quite frankly, it’s brilliant! Their wardrobe is even better. Die Antwoord appears to be inspired by white-trash classics like tube socks, Pink Floyd boxers, and cut off shirts and shorts (for both the guys and the ladies). However, they do have a more sophisticated side, as evidenced by Yo-landi Vi$$er’s smashing gold spandex leggings, and some Keith Haring look-alike pants and jumpsuit combos the crew rocks in their “Enter the Ninja” official video. With his tattoos, close cropped hair, and scowl Ninja looks like he could potentially be a long-lost White Supremacist, and with her Chelsea-punk do and pre-Berlin Wall type school uniforms, Yo-landi Vi$$er could easily be his Skinhead girlfriend. But, haters of other races they are not! Die Antwoord claims to represent the common man and the many racial communities of South African slums. It sounds confusing, and it is. But there’s not much describing can do in the case of Die Antwoord, you really have to see, and hear, it yourself to believe it.
Are you confused/in love yet?
After a telling interview with Vice and some Videogum-blasted backlash, Die Antwoord has recently been under suspicion of being “frauds”. Videogum even went so far as to call them the “Ali G of South Africa”. Totes harsh, guys! But, could these next-level meth rappers be too good to be true? That, rather unfortunately, appears to be the truth. Ninja is not a Ninja rapper, but rather a guy known as Max Normal who spearheads a creative arts project focusing on motivating the masses through the inspiring nature of rap music, drawing, and moving things with your mind. If you don’t believe me, watch their video and it proves I’m telling the truth! This whole Max Normal thing is just as confusing as Die Antwoord, but who cares if it’s fake or real, besides music elitists with too much time on their hands! The primary goal of the members of both groups is dropping next-level beats while juxtaposing ideas and raising world-wide controversy about societal norms. They also poke mad fun at those norms– I mean they have a DJ with Progeria syndrome for god sakes! How many of you had to Google that before figuring out he actually was a real person and not CGI-ed?! I think what Die Antwoord is trying to tell us is that, generally, we are idiots. But I’ll be damned if, idiot I am, I can’t enjoy next level beats!
Keep a look out for these rap-ravers before their all too bright star fades from our interweb sky in the near future. Check out their videos below, don’t say we never gave you nothin’!
The M.C. on the mic shouted out, “We got the Get Fresh Crew stars in the house!” And as the crowd started breaking, I didn’t reply ’cause the only stars I know are in the sky.
-Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
The bass line in Keni Burke’s 1981 single “Rising to the Top” has been sampled by L.L. Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Doug E. Fresh, and Mary J. Blige along with a few other artists. I’ve never been big on picking favorites, but I think my man Doug E. Fresh is taking this one home! I don’t know if it’s because this song always makes me feel good, or because I LIVE to see Doug E. Fresh do his signature dance move! Mary J. Blige’s single “Love No Limit” from the What’s the 411? Remix album is also another song that I think Keni Burke would be proud to be apart of. What do you think? Have a listen!
Whenever I see donuts, I immediately think of J. Dilla. Some things are just strangely synonymous with one another. In my mind; Dilla and donuts should always go together. In fact, eating donuts while spinning J. Dilla’s Donuts album is something that I think everyone should do! The tracks on that album or any other Dilla album are always guaranteed to put me in good mood. J. Dilla’s music always made me feel all warm and tingly inside. He was one of the most respected, loved, and influential hip-hop artists and producers of all time. Many of the artists and producers that we listen to today including Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, and JustBlaze consider him to be their personal favorite producer. In my humble opinion, J. Dilla was nothing short of a musical genius. His use of sampling and hard-hitting beats made him stand out amongst his peers. I grew up listening to artists that he worked with so his sound always remains familiar to me. It brings on a feeling of nostalgia that is bittersweet. I’ve always heard the saying, “The good die young.” In J. Dilla’s case, this happens to be true. However, a talent and star as bright as J. Dilla certainly knows how to say goodbye leaving behind a legacy full of inspiration and plain good ole’ music. Reminisce with M.I.S.S. as we indulge in all of J. Dilla’s glory.
J. Dilla emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan.
J. Dilla or “Jay Dee” was born James Dewitt Yancey in Detroit, Michigan on February 7, 1974. Music would inevitably run through veins as it did through his family. His mother was formally an opera singer and his father was a jazz bassist. It was through his parents that he was able to acquire a vast musical knowledge and began collecting vinyl records at the tender age of two. Although he had a love and respect for all musical genres, Hip-Hop was Dilla’s passion. He formed the rap group Slum Village in high school with classmates T3 and Baatin, while also taking up beatmaking after being inspired by a number of people, most notably Pete Rock of the hip-hop group Pete Rock and C.L. smooth.
J. Dilla had a deep love and appreciation for vinyl records.
He would spend hours alone in his basement, surrounded by records, using only a simple tapedeck to create beats. When he met Detroit musician Amp Fiddler in 1992, he was first introduced to the Akai MPC (Midi/Music Production Center) Sampler. This electronic music instrument is used as a drum machine and has the ability to sample one’s own sounds. With this machine in hand, Dilla made magic! He mastered the MPC drum machine, serving up one of a kind beats that would be become classics among his generation. By the mid 1990s, Dilla had made his way through the Detroit music scene and was well on his way to becoming the producer that everyone wanted to work with. He still made beats in his basement, but also ventured into the studio, producing sounds for the likes of artists such as Erykah Badu, Common, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Janet Jackson among many others. The majority of J. Dilla’s productions were released without his name recognition. He produced a number of tracks under the alias of “The Ummah”. The first time I heard Janet Jackson’s single “Got Till It’s Gone”, I was in awe. Even though he never officially took credit for producing that track, it reeked of J. Dilla’s presence. The “Got Till It’s Gone” EP also featured a remix appropriately entitled “Ummah Jay Dee’s Revenge Mix”. You see with J. Dilla, it was never about the money or the fame. It was always about the music. He didn’t just strive to be the best producer he possibly could be. He strived to make “music” as a whole the best that it could possibly be.
Donuts hit stores on February 7, 2006, which was also Dilla's 32nd birthday.
At the beginning of the millennium, J. Dilla worked on a number of solo and collaborative projects. Although a great portion of his material was never released by a major record label company, he was able to gain notoriety and build a fan base through word of mouth and the internet. Welcome 2 Detroit, Ruff Draft, Champion Sound, Jay Love Japan, and The Shining are a few of the albums that J. Dilla worked on during this time. J. Dilla also started to work on what was probably his most successful and well-known record to date, Donuts. Donuts was raw, edgy, and filled with instrumental tracks so beautiful that lyrics weren’t even needed. The Donuts album was the first time I was introduced to Dionne Warwick’s “You’re Gonna Need Me” that was later sampled for one of my favorite Usher tracks entitled “Throwback”. Other tracks such as “Two can Win and “”Gobstopper” are always guaranateed to bring a big smile on my face
J. Dilla formed the hip-hop group Slum Village with schoolmates T3 and Baatin at Pershing High School.
In 2002, J. Dilla started to get really sick. He was diagnosed with lupus and TTP, a rare blood disease that causes a low platelet count. Doctors told him there was no cure or direct treatment. Despite his health problems, he continued to make music with his mother by his side to take care of him. In 2006, his health took a turn for the worse and he was once again hospitalized. He would work on the Donuts album from his hospital bed while letting doctors hear some of the music that he created. He finished all but two songs on the album. Donuts was released on February 7th of that year. J. Dilla died from complications of his disease just three days after that on February 10, 2006. Since his death, fans have come together to mourn his passing and celebrate the life and legacy of one of music’s finest. In May 2006, J Dilla’s mother announced the creation of “The J Dilla Foundation”, which will work to cure lupus and help kids who were musically gifted but had little hope due to poverty. J. Dilla’s music experienced a rebirth after he was gone and there have been countless tribute tracks and concerts by many artists dedicated to this bright star. Just recently, Mochilla announced the release of a limited edition DVD box set of Timeless, the 3 part event honoring producer J. Dilla featuring The Suite For Ma Dukes Orchestra. It’s evident that the force that was J. Dilla touched so many around the world .
J. Dilla's music touched the lives of people all over the world.
At times, I get emotional when I think about J. Dilla and his legacy. He taught me a lot about music and life in general. His passion, love, and dedication to his craft were not only admirable, but inspiring as well. He lived out his dream to make music until it was physically impossible for him to do so anymore. He made others in his field, even those whom he had personally looked up to, want to be better or just as good he was. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we were all as dedicated to something as J. Dilla was dedicated to music?
J. Dilla's legacy continues to live on through his music.
I grew up in a household that constantly played music. I was always surrounded by so much music and my parents’ vinyl records in particular that I kind of took it for granted. Taking trips to my local record shop had become routine to the point that it was beginning to get just a tad bit boring. After listening to a lot of J. Dilla, I felt the urge to dig for records and create a collection of my own. I would carefully read the credits on his albums and search vigorously for the songs that he sampled. I gained a new appreciation for my parents’ albums and the collection that I was starting to build for myself. J. Dilla really did change my life and the lives of so many others as well. I thank him for helping my discover my passion and re-introducing me to my first love which is and will always be music. Happy Birthday J. Dilla!- from everyone here on the M.I.S.S. Crew.
Here’s a quote from one of our M.I.S.S. staff:
“Although there are so many classics – the Dilla track that can always turn my frown upside down is “Won’t Do” from his album The Shining. That beat is so tuff!”
-Randi Hernandez
In loving memory of James Yancey aka J. Dilla. February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006
For more information on J. Dilla, please visit his website at: http://j-dilla.com/
Sophie Spithard is shooting a video this SUNDAY for a song called “Knock” off of Raw Gems. She is sending out an open call for all SKATEBOARDERS | BIKE RIDERS | BREAKERS | LURKERS to be extras.
This video will be shot super guerrilla-style, no permits, no huge crew.
WHO:
You AND YOUR FRIENDS who skate, bike, bboy, bgirl, dance, have dope tattoos, have unique whips, do anything, look cool, have nothing else to do on SUNDAY. They will be shooting you guys showing off for about an hour. You can show off tricks, your gear, yourselves, your crew, etc.
WHEN:
SUNDAY, January 31st, 2010 at 12PM.
WHERE:
Crocker-Amazon Skate Park (McLaren Park)
Geneva Ave & Moscow St
San Francisco, CA 94112
WHAT TO WEAR:
Wear whatever you want. NO VIDEO HOES- MALE OR FEMALE!
WHAT TO BRING:
Bring yourself and whatever your ride/do.
If you have a ghettoblast, please bring it. Does NOT have to work.
If you have a fresh whip (plus points for beat), bring that.
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