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photo & text by nacrowe
the BEASTIE BOYS' fourth record ILL COMMUNICATION (CAPITOL, 1994) was a bit of an ARTISTIC and personal WATERSHED moment for the group as it showcased a newfound capacity for individual EXPRESSION unheard of on previous releases. when the group released LICENSED TO ILL (review linked HERE) some eight years before in 1986, HIP HOP was in its infancy and the three members were still in their early twenties. most of that record was created as an inside joke with SNARKY asides meant to lampoon types of people they grew up with and saw around them in NYC. even the tour with its SOPHOMORIC stage props and inflatable phalluses was meant as a joke rather than some huge political statement. but over time they came to understand that their crowd wasnt in on that joke and perception was becoming reality. if you act like a dumbass with CHAUVINIST lyrics ("BRASS MONKEY" especially), then people are going to assume you are a dumb MISOGYNIST.
what is so revolutionary about ILL COMMUNICATION is how the band owns their past mistakes and moves forward with GRACE and CONTRITION, something that is utterly unheard of before or since in the often crudely anti-female world of HIP HOP. right from the get-go on opening track "SURE SHOT," ADAM YAUCH memorably quips that "i want to say a little something that's long overdue / the disrespect to women has got to be through / to all the mothers and the sisters and the wives and friends / i want to offer my love and respect to the end," which is a completely TRANSFORMATIVE statement that altered their public persona for the rest of their career. this new understanding of the weight of their actions and the influence it had on their audience defined what causes (MILAREPA FUND, ASPCA, TIBET HOUSE US, FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, LUNCHBOX FUND, RATIONAL ANIMAL) and events (TIBETAN FREEDOM CONCERTS) they promoted and associated themselves with from here on out. in essence they transitioned to the role of engaged PROGRESSIVE activists. this legacy continues to this day as TRUMP supporters during the height of MAGA-dom in 2016 decided to use swastikas to desecrate a BROOKLYN park named in YAUCH's honor in his old neighborhood. previous to the recording of ILL COMMUNICATION, YAUCH became a practicing BUDDHIST chose to make this new found perspective explicit on the upcoming album. famously all three members of the BEASTIE BOYS were raised JEWISH and it really says something about AD ROCK and MIKE D to embrace their friend and colleague at this moment. from what ive read and heard in interviews, their response was that of course their friend had found this new thing he felt passionately about and wanted to share and for them that was enough. they loved and supported their friend and in the end became ENRICHED with an education about BUDDHIST precepts, history and culture. this transformation can be best heard explicitly on the track (my favorite) "BODHISATTVA VOW." for the uninitiated, in the MAHAYANA BUDDHIST tradition one who attains enlightenment has the opportunity to avoid the cycle of rebirth as they have already attained a state of karmic purity. the bodhisattva vow is that they will voluntarily jump back into rebirth to assist all other sentient being in reaching that state first before they themselves depart. its a vow of complete SELFLESSNESS and service to all others before the self in the most profound manner possible. given this perspective, the ALEX GREY artwork GAIA prominently displayed in the middle of the liner notes furthers this profound sentiment of the INTERDEPENDENCE of humanity with the natural order. it really is quite the TRANSITIONAL record. in addition to "SURE SHOT" and "BODHISATTVA VOW" other NOTABLE tracks include "ROOT DOWN," "SABOTAGE" and "GET IT TOGETHER." it would be criminal negligence to no mention that this is the second of three records co-produced by MARIO CALDATO JR, the other two being CHECK YOUR HEAD (CAPITOL, 1992) and HELLO NASTY (CAPITOL, 1992). as a TALENTED multi-instrumentalist and composer, his production duties were INVALUABLE to not just the SEAMLESS nature of these recordings (as such were often SAMPLE-HEAVY of varying quality source material), but to EMPOWERMENT of the group itself. often each member would record at home to their own devices that would be compiled and worked over by CALDATO, essentially streamlining the workflow process. i think that this one key reason that the album is such an ECLECTIC affair. speaking for myself, ILL COMMUNICATION is the definitive BEASTIE BOYS record as it showcased a VARIED sonic aesthetic and MATURE, INCLUSIVE worldview that informed the second half of their career and ultimately their legacy as a group. one of my favorite HIP HOP records ever and most definitely required listening for anyone interested in anything from EAST COAST HIP HOP to ALTERNATIVE ROCK and beyond. RIP ADAM YAUCH. 
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photo & text by nacrowe
i sadly have to admit that i became aware of MOBB DEEP and their landmark release THE INFAMOUS (LOUD, 1995) embarrassingly late, which is odd because I was more or less familiar with the discographies of their EAST COAST contemporaries in the WU-TANG CLAN, THE NOTORIOUS B.IG. and NAS since high school in the late 1990s. its a shame because THE INFAMOUS is a STANDOUT statement even amongst its NYC peer cohort and is produced mostly by HAVOC and Q-TIP (A TRIBE CALLED QUEST) with contributions by the likes of LARGE PROFESSOR (MAIN SOURCE), KERWIN YOUNG (PUBLIC ENEMY) and DJ PREMIER (GANG STARR).
my cousin is a recording engineer and i learned of MOBB DEEP through him well after college since he would utilize "SHOOK ONES (PART II)" as a comparison sample to A/B against when mixing HIP HOP records at his old recording studio in GREENPOINT. and i dont believe he was the only one that did that, much like many modern rock producers look to analyzing BRENDAN O'BRIEN's mix on SOUNDGARDEN's SUPERUNKNOWN (review linked HERE) as the unofficial industry standard. there is just something about how hard that opening sample hits on "SHOOK ONES (PART II)" that makes it the epitome of 1990s BOOM BAP production and an enduring sonic presence unabated well into the modern era. HAVOC created a beat that seamlessly evokes the HORROR, TRAGEDY and pedestrian nature of the MENTALITY of a seasoned criminal. as such, lyrically "SHOOK ONES (PART II)" gets into the internal motivations and WARPED PSYCHOLOGY OF A CRIMINAL. its an interesting tact because MOBB DEEP is generally uninterested in meaningless showboating or crowd-pleasing proud boasting about MYTHOLOGICAL past criminal endeavors. their lyrics not only on "SHOOK ONES (PART II)" but also on other standout tracks like "SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST," "GIVE UP THE GOODS (JUST STEP)" and "TEMPERATURE'S RISING" are concerned with the STREET-LEVEL experience and the risks and self-inflicted mental carnage therein. when i first dove into their discography, including the likewise SUPERB follow-up record HELL ON EARTH (LOUD, 1996), it became apparent that their peer's were operating on the level of OCEAN'S ELEVEN (WARNER BROS, 1960) and they were very much more akin to THE GODFATHER (PARAMOUNT, 1972). easily the most quotable lyric on this LEGENDARY album is the concept that there "ain't no such things as halfway crooks" as espoused on "SHOOK ONES (PART II)." its an ALL-IN OR ALL-OUT, entirely binary proposition according to PRODIGY and HAVOC. in that CRIMINAL MINDSET there is an inherent code of ethics that everything essentially boils down to HONOR, LOYALTY and TRUST. its less an occupation and more an IDENTITY, and one that results from a lack of occupational and educational opportunities and SYSTEMATIC RACISM with regards to everything from access to basic essentials like housing, quality healthcare and nutritional food. given whats happened to urban black neighborhoods over the past thirty years since the release of THE INFAMOUS with all the GENTRIFICATION and DISPLACEMENT of long-term tenants who are out-priced from their own homes, it makes you wonder who the REAL GANGSTERS and CRIMINAL MASTERMINDS actually are. in my mind they are developers, commissioners, landlords, real estate lawyers and accounting firms, but thats just my opinion. when i listen to THE INFAMOUS, i am just reminded of the lengths people with limited opportunities have to go through just to survive. in many ways we are all CULPABLE for perpetuating the system ad infinitum me included. RIP PRODIGY. 
photo & text by nacrowe
from my perspective, when considering the transformative HIP HOP albums from a lyrical and production standpoint, the ones that tend to immediately come to mind include:
1) PUBLIC ENEMY's FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET (DEF JAM, 1990) with its strident political firepower matched by THE BOMB SQUAD's unapologetic bombastic production. 2) BEASTIE BOYS' PAUL's BOUTIQUE (CAPITOL, 1989) and it's postmodern pastiche of film soundtracks, found sound and esoteric 70s vinyl courtesy of the DUST BROTHERS that matched the carefree, idiosyncratic, stream-of-consciousness lyrical content of the group. 3) DE LA SOUL's 3 FEET HIGH AND RISING (TOMMY BOY, 1989) and PRINCE PAUL's kinetic, playful bouncy production likewise constructed utilizing countless samples that synchronized perfectly with the group's intellectually curious, almost SURREALIST mindset. in my opinion 3 FEET HIGH AND RISING is the last of a breed records that came out around that time, not only from PUBLIC ENEMY and the BEASTIE BOYS, but like-minded groups like A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, WU-TANG CLAN and MOBB DEEP. there is a sense with these artists that samples utilized are an extension of a perspective shared by the group itself. it is like an extension almost of their collective ego. these artists also had identifiable producers/production teams that tailored their sonic identity, whether such be J DILLA, THE BOMB SQUAD, THE DUST BROTHERS, RICK RUBIN, MARIO CALDATO JR, Q-TIP, THE RZA or HAVOC. i dont believe that is the case anymore with modern producers instead marketing their signatures sonic compositions for in-house stables of artists or at a premium for outside artists, think TIMBALAND or PHARRELL WILLIAMS. shit evolves. that is now the model more or less. in PRINCE PAUL compositions off 3 FEET HIGH AND RISING like the iconic "ME MYSELF AND I," "POTHOLES IN MY LAWN," "EYE KNOW," "BUDDY" and "SAY NO GO" there is a kaleidoscopic, playful blending of JAZZ with 1970s R&B/FUNK/CLASSIC ROCK samples that serves as a perfect sound-bed for a group equally concerned with SOCIAL JUSTICE, POST-COLONIAL BLACK IDENTITY and SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS. what i love about this era in HIP HOP and this specific record in particular is how the interplay between the sample and the MC and how they transform and contextualize one another. it is an absolute palimpsest of complex meaning that is only deepened over time. it is a special alchemy that i go back and enjoy all the time. but it probably wont happen again. due to copyright laws and usage rights, a record like 3 FEET HIGH AND RISING is not evil possible without a mammoth budget due to permissions needed and copyright holders paid. the nearest thing to this record to come out in recent memory was DANGER MOUSE's notorious yet savant level JAY-Z/BEATLES mashup THE GREY ALBUM (SELF-RELEASED, 2004) which likewise entirely skirted copyright regulations. its unfortunate because these artists and producers transformed said content. and it is that contextualization, that transformation, that ALCHEMY which is the basic active ingredient in the magic of HIP HOP. thats my opinion at least. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i first became aware of the FUGEES in the summer of 1996 when i saw an advertisement for their second album THE SCORE (COLUMBIA, 1996) on a billboard in KING'S CROSS STATION in the LONDON, which was the connecting hub we used to connect to a northern line that took us to HATFIELD where my relative lived at the time. my family spent a month with this relative in ENGLAND two years in a row and it is a period i look back on with much fondness. this was also the summer i discovered BRITPOP as OASIS and BLUR were at their commercial peak in ENGLAND during this period. just a great time to be a kid.
of course ironically the FUGEES are not from ENGLAND, they are from NEW JERSEY where my family spent the rest of the summer and his been based out of for the past few decades. famously FUGEES members LAURYN HILL, WYCLEF JEAN and PRAS are the children of HAITIAN immigrants and their sound is a mix of SOUL/R&B/HIP HOP with an empathetic lyrical bent towards the underprivileged and economically dispossessed. it makes total sense that they cover BOB MARLEY's "NO WOMAN, NO CRY" on THE SCORE given its similarly concern with the hardships of the underclass. my recollection of THE SCORE was how massive tracks like "READY OR NOT," and "FU-GEE-LA" were during my middle school years in NIGERIA. i remember seeing those videos all the time on M-NET, which was a major television station out of SOUTH AFRICA. it is safe to say that THE SCORE was a big deal well across the AFRICAN DIASPORA, which is not the case with lots of popular AFRICAN-AMERICAN artists, interestingly. their iconic cover of "KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG," a NORMAN GIMBEL-penned tracked made famous by in 1972 by ROBERTA FLACK, was essentially a middle-school dance staple. which is really odd in retrospect given its obsessive lyrical bent. look back at THE SCORE, it was the obvious starting point for the massively successful solo careers of LAURYN HILL and WYCLEF JEAN, but in terms of quality only THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL (RUFFHOUSE, 1998) approaches its cultural impact. for me the standout tracks are undeniably "READY OR NOT" and "FU-GEE-LA" which standup to anything else from that era. still great songs. THE SCORE is definitely worth checking out, especially if you are interested in socially conscious HIP HOP. they werent associated with the movement, but if you are a fan NATIVE TONGUES artists like A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, BLACK SHEEP, THE JUNGLE BROTHERS, SOULS OF MISCHIEF, THE PHARCYDE or DE LA SOUL, then the FUGEES are most certainly worthy of further investigation. 
photo & text by nacrowe
PUBLIC ENEMY is the ultimate HIP HOP group in my opinion. the only group that comes close is probably the WU-TANG CLAN. what makes them so innovative and revolutionary is the extent to which they are a self-drive, self-determining, self-contained unit.
at the core is the towering figure of CHUCK D, arguably the most polemical figure in HIP HOP history. i almost see him outside of the context of music and in the vein of great political writers like THOMAS PAINE, JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU, FREDERICK DOUGLASS, THOMAS JEFFERSON, HENRY DAVID THOREAU, BERTRAND RUSSELL, JOHN LOCKE, or ABRAHAM LINCOLN. he is the very blueprint for all conscious HIP HOP that followed including Q-TIP, TALIB KWELI, ICE CUBE, BLACK THOUGHT, COMMON and so forth. his gift is his ability to both methodically and viscerally convey an effective unadulterated viewpoint concerning the BLACK EXPERIENCE in AMERICA. the dude holds no punches on tracks like "911 IS A JOKE," "ANTI-NIGGER MACHINE," "WELCOME TO THE TERRORDOME" and most famously "FIGHT THE POWER" off their epochal release FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET (DEF JAM, 1990). the man is righteous and has done immeasurable good in galvanizing his fans to think for themselves and question the authority of AMERICAN political, cultural, economic and policing systems that are innately corrupt. he also has helped educate WHITE, suburban kids like myself without watering down the message. in my eyes he is a leader and a prophet, as the vision of AMERICA painted here feels more alive now than ever before 30 years after the release of FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET. part of the reason CHUCK D is so effective is the in-house production team THE BOMB SQUAD, which created a sonic palette of jaggedly juxtaposed samples, synths and beats that dont careen and soothe, but rather rip and slash their way through your senses. its an abrasive and infectious sonic aesthetic that synchronized with the political intent of the lyrical content perfectly. years later RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE would appear and take this sense of dynamics and translate it into a ROCK context to similarly great affect to antagonize and uplift listeners with a matching SOCIAL JUSTICE lyrical bent. the importance of THE BOMB SQUAD cannot be understated in the effectiveness of PUBLIC ENEMY's cultural standing. they effective laid the aural groundwork for CHUCK D to push his audience to new levels of consciousness. which brings me to FLAVOR FLAV. since PUBLIC ENEMY is so intense and so politcally charged, it would be very easy for them to come off as joyless nad stubbornly monotonous in tone. what FLAV brought to the table was a sense of comic relief without diluting the intent and message itself. it is a fine line he walks as some have even singled him out as an example of modern-day minstrelsy. i disagree categorically. his gift to the group is a sense of emotional levity, allowing for their to be a moment of contrast before the listener dives right back into the thick of causticly righteous rhymes about society's ills and the corporate structures that serve to undermine us as individuals. without him, the message would not be as effective. he is not a distraction in this sense, he is the glue that keeps the music engaging and effective in its ability to jolt us from our waking sleep. FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET is an iconic record by an iconic group that hasnt aged or become irrelevant in the least. in fact it is a testament and a siren to today's ascending technocratic hellscape run by corporate structures that aid and abet WHITE NATIONALIST agendas. dont believe me? watch the news. welcome to the terrordome, indeed. 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 10PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the eclectic BROOKLYN independent label FOOL'S GOLD RECORDS!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
to be honest i was not a fan of this JAY-Z record when it came out.
when VOL. 2... HARD KNOCK LIFE (ROC-A-FELLA, 1998) was released i was attending middle school while living abroad in NIGERIA and was surrounded by peers that were into CYPRESS HILL and the recently deceased TUPAC SHAKUR and THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G., as well as NYC HIP HOP groups like A TRIBE CALLED QUEST and WU-TANG CLAN. i distinctly remember returning to NEW JERSEY and having trend-chasing, FUBU-wearing cousins that were into more mainstream stuff like P DIDDY, MA$E and later JA RULE. so that was my initial bias against JAY-Z and this record. i've come around since then. sort of. i think HIP HOP was in an interesting phase at the end of the 1990s, with SOUTHERN HIP HOP acts like OUTKAST not emerging as a cultural force quite yet and the mantle of top MC was still up for grabs after the untimely murders of the aforementioned TUPAC and BIGGIE. if this record comes off commercial and anthemic with lots of R&B-affected beats and song structures (a la "HARD KNOCK LIFE"), that was absolutely intentional and by design. with production credits by the likes of TIMBALAND, SWIZZ BEATZ, DJ PREMIER, THE 45 KING, IRV GOTTI, JERMAINE DUPRI and KID CAPRI and guest appearances by DMX, TOO $HORT, JADAKISS, JA RULE, MEMPHIS BLEEK, FOXY BROWN and BEANIE SIGEL this record definitely stood out from its predecessors for its sonic variety, (which basically discarding the more minimal beats utilized previously) and its abundant use of upcoming and established MCs. for me its a mix-bag record, a definite downgrade from his debut in REASONABLE DOUBT (ROC-A-FELLA, 1996) and not in the same league as later career highlights like THE BLUEPRINT (ROC-A-FELLA, 2001) and THE BLACK ALBUM (ROC-A-FELLA, 2003). there are two absolutely killer tracks in "NIGGA WHAT, NIGGA WHO" and "CAN I GET A..." that stand up there with anything in his discography, but too often trite, reductive faire like "MONEY, CASH, HOES" and "RIDE OR DIE" is what this record relies on. too me it almost feels like a warped feedback loop that is very common in modern country music whereby an artist writes about his/her life in a manner that is meant to chase a desired audience and then that audience takes that message to heart, only perpetuating it further and providing more of an incentive for similarly themed future tracks. it just comes off inauthentic because it appears to come from a place of clout-chasing. but you have to remember that back in the late 1990s there were no internet music blogs or social media, so the only way to gain marketshare was through being commercial. so i get the dilemma he was facing in attempting to claim the mantle of top MC. it makes sense. at the same time its difficult listening back to corny JAY-Z songs dealing with DRUGS, SEX and VIOLENCE during this period. later he will become more personal and i would argue, more compelling as an artist and a cultural figure. he does get better. obviously this is not that peak period in his career quite yet so its an interesting moment in time to revisit. for my money during this period it is better to check out the work of NAS or OUTKAST maybe even slightly later records by DEAD PREZ. 
photo & text by nacrowe
my introduction to the BEASTIE BOYS was at the main baseball field at FULLERTON COLLEGE in the mid-1990s where i remember walking with my parents to meet my new pitching coach when "BRASS MONKEY" began blaring out on the P.A. while the varsity players did laps. its a pretty well-lodged memory at this point. just seemed upbeat and off-kilter and left my teenage mind questioning, "what the hell was that?!?"
LICENSED TO ILL (DEF JAM, 1986), the debut BEASTIE BOYS record is a widely-celebrated landmark release with a complicated legacy. and i dont even believe that is a controversial statement, since id contend that the surviving members (rest in peace MCA) would likely agree with that assessment. to my ears when i listen to LICENSED TO ILL i am confronted with the whole arc of their evolution as musicians and men. this was the starting point and famously a lot of the more prurient, juvenile material was an in-joke with producer RICK RUBIN. in their minds they were making fun of the frat mentality and when they went on tour learned that they in fact started living up to their parody. when i think of this record it brings to mind the interplay between a MESSAGE and its AUDIENCE and how as an artist you need to be careful what you throw out in the ether. there is a lot to love about this record, from classic songs like "NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN," "PAUL REVERE," "HOLD IT NOW, HIT IT," "(YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT (TO PARTY!)," "RHYMIN & STEALIN," "SLOW AND LOW," and the aforementioned "BRASS MONKEY." unfortunately there is a bit of a strain of MISOGYNY throughout with lines about vague sexual acts with wiffle ball bats ("PAUL REVERE") and basically that whole song "GIRLS," which is pretty sexist and cringe-inducing. i really think this is the kind of record you have to go into mindful of the fact that the group that made it learned from their actions and spent the rest of their career being an active participant in the message they sent to the world: becoming a model for being an engaged artistic force that tirelessly promoted POLITICAL, SOCIAL and ENVIRONMENTAL activist progressive causes. you also have to realize they were really young when they made LICENSED TO ILL. it is an artifact of its time from which they moved on and became a major cultural force in both EAST COAST HIP HOP and the ALTERNATIVE ROCK explosion of the 1990s and beyond. i should also mention that the film director, and lifelong BROOKLYNITE, DARREN ARONOFSKY once spoke about how he discovered the HUBERT SELBY JR novel LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN (GROVE PRESS, 1964) in college, saying basically that when you are from BROOKLYN anything about the borough immediately catches your attention. that definitely came into play with my father and the BEASTIE BOYS, especially with "NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN" (with guitars supplied by non-BROOKLYNITE KERRY KING of SLAYER). so im just letting my family's bias be known. if this record was a bit childish and immature, at least those were our idiots on the stage. but just as GEORGE CARLIN's character states at the conclusion of BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE (ORION, 1989), "they do get better." 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO with a playlist focused on the legendary NYC HIP HOP outfit A TRIBE CALLED QUEST.
​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
i found VIBRATE HIGHER (MCD, 2021) to be a highly unusual memoir since TALIB KWELI, the celebrated NYC MC chose to utilize the form as a means of celebrating and voicing the struggles and passions of his community. it is a distant cry from an ego-driven boasting of past glories and a tired, myopic, self-serving rise-to-greatness against-all-odds narrative which is sadly par for the course of most autobiographies concerning famous musicians. in a sense this wider perspective of this seen in his memoir dovetails quite nicely with the authenticity and integrity associated with his music career. large sections of this book highlight his past major collaborative relationships with the likes of producers such as HI-TEK, J DILLA and 9TH WONDER as well as the extraordinarily gifted YASIIN BEY (formerly MOS DEF). hey pays homage to both those that provided the path (CHUCK D, NINA SIMONE, KRS-ONE, HARRY BELAFONTE, A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, FUNKMASTER FLEX, RAKIM, PRINCE and DE LA SOUL) as well as fellow travelers (DAVE CHAPPELLE, THE ROOTS, COMMON, ERYKAH BADU) along the way.
the scope of this book is quite large and comprehensive and seemingly covers everything from PARENTHOOD, FAMILY, COMMERCIAL VS UNDERGROUND HIP HOP and ARTISTIC INDEPENDENCE to PAN-AFRICANISM, BLACK POWER, the CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT and BLACK NATIONALISM to modern SOCIAL JUSTICE movements like BLACK LIVES MATTER. just on his ability to meaningfully cover that sort of ground with a sense of cohesion is quite the achievement. but admirers of his CREATIVE WORK and POLITICAL/SOCIAL ACTIVISM would expect nothing less. what i appreciated most about this book was KWELI's ability to articulate the seeming disparities and gaps between his PERSONAL LIFE and his PUBLIC PERSONA. specifically i am referring to how his career affected his relationship with his first wife and his time availability for his children early on. i thought that was particularly courageous to voice how he made mistakes in terms of INFIDELITY and paper-chasing early on and how that balance took a moment to suss out and recalibrate. especially since KWELI is often given the "CONSCIOUS RAPPER" tag in media profiles, for me as a fan it was particularly meaningful that he was able to fess up to when he didnt meet his own standards. that he was confident enough to admit his weaknesses and past mistakes just makes him that much more compelling as an artist in my opinion. makes him HUMAN. another thread throughout this memoir is the importance of FAMILY and EDUCATION. being the son of educators, KWELI despite his uneven academic career always seemed inclined to maintain a sense of curiosity about the world and his place in it. even well past his days at NYU, his first impulse when presented with a difficult situation is to educate himself or surround himself with knowledgable people. this happens with regards to business as well as political matters. he seems to be the very definition of what they called in EDUCATION circles a "LIFE-LONG LEARNER." what makes that instinct all the more noble in my opinion is his inclination to use his pulpit and PUBLIC PERSONA as a means of furthering that message. there is a risk and an opportunity cost to being so outspoken in your lyrics, perhaps you are limiting your commercial appeal to some demographic, but seemingly this is what makes him him. his AUTHENTICITY and CURIOSITY is the commodity he trades in and this memoir does his REPUTATION justice. i want to admit my bias as well, because given that i did my student teaching in graduate school at BROOKLYN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, KWELI's alma mater, i cannot help but root for the guy. he just seems like a conscientious kid that did well and never forgot his roots. his city. his people. VIBRATE HIGHER is a compelling memoir that educates just as much, if not more, about the struggle for political suffrage and economic/social justice of a community then the artist himself. i dont think he'd have a problem with that description of his book, which is probably why this is easily one of the better memoirs by a musician (of any genre) i have come across. highly recommended. 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 10PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the legendary HIP HOP collective A TRIBE CALLED QUEST.
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO focused on the influential NATIVE TONGUES movement in HIP HOP from the late 80s, early 90s.
​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo by nacrowe
MO' META BLUES: THE WORLD ACCORDING TO QUESTLOVE (GRAND CENTRAL, 2013) is a cleverly structured memoir by AMIR "QUESTLOVE" THOMPSON about his experiences and opinions surrounding the music industry and his extended association with PHILADELPHIA, both as a founding member of THE ROOTS and the NEO SOUL scene that originated from their extended family of collabotors. the book gets meta in that QUESTLOVE chooses to allow his co-writer BEN GREENMAN as well as his long-time manager RICH NICHOLAS (who died of LEUKEMIA within a year of publication) to provide extensive commentary throughout the narrative; in essence his memoir is partly an extended argument about what content makes for a compelling memoir.
this dialogue also seems to parallel, in part, his ambivalence towards HIP HOP and its relationship to commerce. there is much discussion about the merits of the two poles of the genre, one being the down to earth tradition that almost serves as an empowering, consciousness-building, almost educational vibe rooted in the work of the NATIVE TONGUES movement. the other being the aspirational, glamorized world of money and power instituted by the likes of BAD BOY RECORDS and their premier artist, THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. this fission is exemplified in QUESTLOVE's memories regarding the 1995 SOURCE AWARDS that saw the WEST COAST / EAST COAST feud boil over in public. QUESTLOVE recounts that NAS was up that year for his debut ILLMATIC, which was the epitome and high-watermark of a classic concept of HIP HOP, the idea of a skilled lyricist repping his community over beats that were engineered and labored over to perfection by skilled producers. he was up against THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. for record of the year for READY TO DIE, which showcased him in music videos with yachts, cars, jewelry and women over beats that were lazily and obviously sampled by PUFF DADDY. BIGGIE won and an era of BLING took over that largely disconnected the music from the audience. THE ROOTS constantly felt the tug and pull of each and that struggle specific to that era (late 90s and the early 00s) perpetuated itself among them and many others until KANYE showed up and basically (somehow) combined the two. it can be argued we are still living in the KANYE era. one aspect of this book that annoyed me was the lengths to which QUESTLOVE was preoccupied with reviews by music critics. that caught me off guard, since i always picture THE ROOTS as being the spearhead of a certain conscious subset of HIP HOP artists that occupy a creative space outside of the explicit struggles commerce. other groups like THE FUGEES, DEAD PREZ, PHARCYDE, DE LA SOUL, OUTKAST and A TRIBE CALLED QUEST come to mind that seemed more concern with message and artistry than what a middle-aged white guy a world away from the scene thinks about your album. struck me as very peculiar as it went against what i believed about their brand as fiercely independent artists. this memoir dulled that edge a bit, made me realize that they were not immune from the pressures of the industry attempting to homogenize them, as INTERSCOPE RECORDS executive JIMMY IOVINE seemingly did with their lackluster effort THE TIPPING POINT. i saw them play years ago at teh ROSELAND BALLROOM and they seemed indestructibly powerful and absolutely immutable. interesting to learn that behind the scenes they felt outside pressure to conform to be more like conventional artists like JAY-Z who don't have their cache and drive towards social justice. i also think this book came out three years to early, as the election of DONALD TRUMP altered incalculably not only the political and cultural landscape, but also the trajectory of JIMMY FALLON's late night gig. at the time of publication FALLON did not have the reputation for being a comedic and political lightweight that he now does. THAT would have been interesting to hear QUESTLOVE speak his opinion on, given his front row seat to the proceedings. also the celebrated figure of PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA is forever transformed by the election of his successor. i would also would have loved to hear QUESTLOVE speak on that topic as well, but alas this book came out in 2013. interesting book that very effectively communicates the powerful crosscurrents jst beneath the surface in HIP HOP and how such influence artists. highly informative, expertly constructed and very readable. definitely worth reading if you have the interest or inclination. 
parodies by nacrowe
tonight's new episode of DEER GOD RADIO at 8PM EST on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC is dedicated to the music of EL-P and KILLER MIKE, a.k.a. RUN THE JEWELS! easily one of my favorite HIP HOP groups of the last decade. Gonna be a fun show.
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
i should state first off that A TRIBE CALLED QUEST is in all likelihood my favorite HIP HOP group of all time. just wanted to inform you of where my biases lie.
as ive stated before i first really became acquainted with HIP HOP during my formative middle school years living abroad in NIGERIA in the mid 90s. though my classmates i was aware of TUPAC, CYPRESS HILL, SNOOP DOGG, THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G., N.W.A. and WU-TANG CLAN among others. it wasn't until a few years later in high school when i was attending a boarding school in MASSACHUSETTS that i was introduced to A TRIBE CALLED QUEST. for me there was a humor, an intelligence and a sense of sonic and lyrical craftsmanship that sold me not only on the group, but the genre as a whole. Q-TIP and PHIFE DOG were my gateway drug of sorts. through them i became doubly interested with new ears to the aforementioned groups as well as others like MOBB DEEP, PUBLIC ENEMY, DE LA SOUL, OUTKAST, SOULS OF MISCHIEF, NAS, BLACK SHEEP, RAKIM, GANG STARR, JAY-Z, UGK and future MCs like J COLE, EMINEM, A$AP ROCKY and EL-P. for this reason i find HANIF ABDURRAQIB's examination of the musical and cultural legacy of 90s HIP HOP in his book GO AHEAD IN THE RAIN: NOTES TO A TRIBE CALLED QUEST (UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS, 2019) through the vehicle of this seminal group particularly compelling, as they were emblematic of the higher aspirations of the greater scene. by that i mean they were sponges that celebrated their peers and black culture in general irrespective of geography. author ABDURRAQIB makes no bones about his personal connection to the TRIBE narrative, often intertwining his lived experience as a midwestern black muslim with their music as a soundtrack. it is not a biography by any means, but more an extended appreciation for one fan's perspective of their contributions HIP HOP culture, warts and all. he definitely covers lots of aspects of their worldview and discography, but perhaps my favorite part of this books was his letter to the mother PHIFE DAWG, a fellow poet. he makes the connection that her experience as a TRINIDADIAN immigrant and the cadences of her native patois had an influence on both her use of rhythm in her poetry as well as that of her son's lyrics. seemed touching and poignant. i can't really do this book justice as it is incredibly well-written and touches on topics like music production, pan-africanism, friendship, brotherhood, pride and family. well worth reading if you get the opportunity or share a love for this seminal NATIVE TONGUES / EAST COAST HIP HOP group as i do. 
photo & text by nacrowe
it must be a special breed of curse to be celebrated for something that you felt little ownership of in creating. such was the case with DARRYL "DMC" MCDANIELS of the legendary NYC HIP HOP group RUN-DMC as detailed in his memoir TEN WAYS NOT TO COMMIT SUICIDE (AMISTAD, 2016) where he details how allowed a situation to foster where his voice was not respected or given attention, which led to drowning out his frustration in alcohol and long fugues of intense depression. his story is one of coming to terms with himself and establishing parameters in his life through the support of family.
speaking of family, one interesting aspect of this memoir is his coming to terms with learning that he was adopted as an adult. at first this was a cutting revelation that cut to the core of his identity, but over time he learned that he only gained a new family. with his voice in tatters due to an unusual congenital defect in his larynx and his relation with REVEREND RUN nonexistent, this new information freed him to learn about himself through advocacy and charitable work associated with orphans, adoptees and foster children. for me what was interesting about this book was his self-expressed nerddom as a child being interested in reading and comic books and school. the RUN-DMC thing happened as a lark that turned into a career wavering to the expectations of record companies and yes-men that didn't have his interests at heart. the fact that HIP HOP stardom was something that got in the way of his original pursuits in college is beyond interesting. ultimately he concludes that being of use to people and helping others is what he values in his life, not chasing fame or record sales or reality television. one other thing, REVEREND RUN comes off horrible in this memoir. he seems very much like someone focused on chasing money and uses those around him to that end. even his spirituality is called into question due to his association with a prosperity ministry which basically is made of televangelists using him for his clout with the urban community. makes sense but seems sad nonetheless that RUN would be so susceptible to being involved in such a cult. be apparently he is. if you are a fan of DMC and appreciate brutally honest memoirs, the healing power of music, and the redeeming power of family, this book is certainly for you. if you like your nostalgic vision of classic RUN-DMC unscathed and untarnished, definitely look elsewhere. 
parodies by nacrowe
tonight starting at 8PM on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC there will be a double-bill of two separate DEER GOD RADIO episodes showcasing both the virtuosic, psychedelic bliss that is 1970s PROG ROCK and the lyricism, grit and legacy of SHAOLIN NYC HIP HOP legends WU-TANG CLAN. past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! PROG ROCK
WU-TANG CLAN
parody by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO dedicated to NYC HIP HOP legends the BEASTIE BOYS with a special appearance by DOLLTITS member THERINA BELLA.
​ ​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
parody by nacrowe
tonight's episode of DEER GOD RADIO at 6PM on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC is dedicated to the BEASTIE BOYS, from their NYHC roots to their early involvement with DEF JAM and subsequent world domination. we will be paying our respects to a true NYC HIP HOP institution.
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
art by nacrowe
click HERE for our most recent episode of DEER GOD RADIO dedicated to NYC HIP HOP.
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, and THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW are available here at the DEER GOD website. |
January 2023
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