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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. 
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for me one of the great aspects of HIP HOP PRODUCTION is the cutup tecnhique whereby a song is made of an assemblage of parts derived from one's vinyl collection. the more eclectic arguably the bette. in my mind it gets into concepts of postmodernism and poststructuralism, which is why i've used songs like "BEWARE" by PANJABI MC feat. JAY-Z when explaining such ideas to high school students. that song incorporates a traditional BHANGRA drumming pattern, JAY-Z and the NIGHT RIDER THEME SONG. shouldn't work well but it does.
anyway, the discontinued YOUTUBE series RYTHM ROULETTE produced by MASS APPEAL featured numerous top-flight HIP HOP producers walking into a local record store to buy three records while blind-folded. they then went to their respective studio setups and went about creating a beat based solely on those records. what i love is the randomness and chaos of it and the fact that when it works, it really works as some of these concoctions are downright seriously slammin'. you really get the sense that music hast the capacity to transcend all and seemingly disparate musical styles really do have the potential to speak on the same level. if you have any inclination to appreciate HIP HOP production, or perhaps even appreciate writers like WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS and his cut-up technique, this series is definitely for you. entertaining as all hell. 
SPECIAL THANKS TO 9TH WONDER FOR RESHARING OUR IG STORY! 
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in the right circumstances i think its all good when a corporate entity that has a relationship with a SUBCULTURE attempts to get some good marketing going by using its platform and advertising muscle to promote it.
such is the case with VANS which obviously has a long-standing relationship with the SKATE, SURF and BMX communities that has only flourished since the 1960s. makes perfect sense for them to develop a series of performance videos to showcase talent associated with those scenes. kudos for creativity to whomever decided to have the bands play in a shoebox. its a great idea. i look forward to watching these whenever they come out irrespective of the band. the following embedded below are what i consider the highlights of the ongoing SIDESTRIPE SESSIONS series. enjoy! 
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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! 
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i havent attempted to hide my contempt on this platform for all things SACRAMENTO. having lived in that area for my senior year of high school i was convinced that nothing relevant ever came out of there with one exception: DEFTONES. that changed over the years to include both CHELSEA WOLFE and DEATH GRIPS.
DEATH GRIPS when they came out roughly 10 years ago had that whole HARDCORE, DIY ethic and a sound that split the difference between grating INDUSTRIAL production with dissonant layered distorted guitars and an almost post-modern, unpredictably kinetic HIP HOP sense of production. to my ears it seemed like they took the most abrasive sounds out of all those traditions and cooked them up into an uncomfortable, unfolding concoction that was absolutely abrasive yet, strangely, entirely listenable. probably the most revolutionary rock(?) band in terms of sonics of the last ten years. like next level RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. definitely check them out. but stay please stay away from SACRAMENTO. redneck country. 
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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 EAST COAST HIP HOP group as i do. 
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compiled and edited in the wake of the death of ascendent HIP HOP artist LIL PEEP, the documentary LIL PEEP: EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING (FIRST ACCESS, 2019) appears to be the result of a copious amount of footage (tour, behind the scenes, music videos, family home recordings) and interviews (family, friends, peers, management). what emerges is a portrait of a charismatic creative that was much beloved by all who knew him well, despite his efforts to mark himself as a societal outcast with his outrageous appearance.
having passed on from a fentanyl overdose at 21, his young life found him creating highly affective music that blurred the lines between SOUTHERN HIP HOP-influenced TRAP PRODUCTION and POP PUNK melodies, which sounds contrived but in his hands was entirely unique. this was probably due to his tuneful yet emotionally resonating vocals which belied an alternate universe of endured pain and sullen isolation. its hard not to watch this and see a troubled LONG ISLAND high school loner that was rejected by his father and wanted nothing but to connect with others. through the power of the internet he found his footing and community of artists and ultimately exploded on the underground HIP HOP scene, creating an ever-growing posse of hangers-on and enablers that no doubt, contributed to his demise. this point is hammered home with the revelation that he was dead in the front lounge of the bus for 4 hours before anyone noticed. the life of the party, yet seemingly everyone saw his gentle nature as a welcome gesture to be exploited. he seemingly could not say no. could not distance himself from those that didnt have his best interests at heart. he was so young. you get the feeling that he was on the verge of something. his final tour was a gesture to his crew before he planned to leave them. no conspiracy is hinted at here. he passed away from the same drug that took PRINCE, TOM PETTY and MAC MILLER. the OPIOID CRISIS is real. but this documentary does not come off as a cautionary tale, it is more of a love letter from those whom he left behind. a celebration of his life and music. 
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a few years back, right after my return stateside after teaching abroad for almost a decade, i found myself interviewing a rapper from the BRONX that my cousin was producing and recording. i was gathering information for a future press release. one of the questions i had for him were his lyrical influences and what he drew from them. right away he said GUCCI MANE and THREE 6 MAFIA since they both kept it absolutely authentic and only rapped about their communities (ATLANTA and MEMPHIS, respectively) and their struggle in the drug game and music industry.
given this cosign, i was excited to read the recent memoir THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF GUCCI MANE (SIMON & SCHUSTER, 2017) hoping to get some insight into how this GUCCI MANE perceives his relationship to his community and artistic legacy. it was a little disappointing that for such an electric, effervescent personality, his memoir largely doesn't deliver on its promise, instead resorting to a paint-by-numbers literal walkthrough of his childhood, court dates and petty beefs with other rappers (YOUNG JEEZY) and various empty purchases. to an extent i understand and expect that memoirs are partly an exercise in self mythology except for that rare occurrence when an artist really feels the need for a MEA CULPA or to set the record straight on some aspect of their career/persona that has been misinterpreted by the public. neither seems to be the case here as again, the book focuses on the timeline of his life from the poor backwoods of rural ALABAMA to his move to ATLANTA as a young adolescent and his introduction to both HIP HOP and selling dope, which led to his rise to fame and battle with the authorities, rival gangs and rappers, drug addiction, mental illness, etc. again, things here just seem to happen to him. its a pretty somnambulistic way of perceiving your existence, but its his book not mine. seemed a shame because his lyricism is incredibly inventive and humorous at that. as my friend from the BRONX properly surmised, he also has a distinct voice and persona that exudes authenticity. which is again why this book was a bit of a disappointment. i wasn't looking for details into the inner-workings of the drug game or readouts of his numerous court appearances. most of that i can find elsewhere. i was looking to learn more about what makes the guy tick. if you are a fan of GUCCI MANE and SOUTHERN HIP HOP than this might interest you, otherwise i'd steer clear and maybe consider other recent autobiographies by the likes of DARRYL "DMC" MCDANIELS of RUN-DMC (review linked HERE) or SCARFACE or THE GETO BOYS (review linked HERE). 
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originally i was tipped off to second generation NIGERIAN/BRITISH rapper LIL SIMZ by none other than our house engineer LJ BEATS. recently i went back and revisited her stuff and was taken aback by how great her stuff is. great delivery, deft tempo shifts and a wicked sense of humor.
its always sick when you discovery a new voice and unique lyricist in HIP HOP, a genre where rappers are constantly aping one another. LIL SIMZ is the shit. check her music out. 
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when i encountered SOUTHERN HIP HOP icons THE GETO BOYS in high school my first impression was their earnestness. they weren't attempting to showcase how clever they were with their wordplay, flow or prowess with the medium. they were not attempting to impress with anything other than the direct power of the narrative of their music which focused on issues related to street life and being black in a corrupt system (legal or illegal) out to get you. along with WILLIE D and BUSHWICK BILL (R.I.P.), rapper SCARFACE showcased unadulterated authenticity that was never in question and was so overly earnest and direct (almost ERNEST HEMINGWAY-esque) that it could be mistaken for humor at times, something that was exploited to full comedic effect in numerous classic scenes from OFFICE SPACE (TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX, 1999).
along with CALIFORNIA-based acts like ICE-T, N.W.A. and TUPAC, HOUSTON's THE GETO BOYS were part of a generation of HIP HOP acts that took the cue from NYC's PUBLIC ENEMY and publicized injustice and corruption in their local communities for all to hear across the country, reigniting the social consciousness of the genre. no wonder his message was too much for the suits and white media to handle, even before RODNEY KING and the L.A. RIOTS. in his autobiography DIARY OF A MADMAN (DEY STREET, 2015), BRAD "SCARFACE" JORDAN likewise maintains his direct voice and authenticity as he unsparingly evaluates his upbringing and life decisions in and out of the rap game. what i found most interesting in his memoir was his outspoken appreciation for writers, producers and engineers not associated with rap that included but not limited to LOU REED, ELTON JOHN & BERNIE TAUPIN, PINK FLOYD & ALAN PARSONS, KISS, BLACK SABBATH, CHAKA KHAN, and PARLIAMENT among numerous others mentioned throughout. SCARFACE has this reputation for his almost journalistic, unflinching eye for details and it makes sense that growing up he had a curious ear that didn't limit itself to specific genres. of course he grew up in the era before HIP HOP, but this sensibility of looking for peers outside his comfort zone stuck with him throughout his creative process. whether producing beats or about to commence a writing session, he speaks at one point about his process of chilling out and listening to a series of songs by different artists to get him in the proper space to create and be original. thats another thing, he really makes the repeated point that biting on another's style gets you clowned on where he is from. that resonated with me as i have seen the pressure by people around me to make certain types of beats, not because they are good, but because that is what's fashionable at the moment. i get that pressure. ive seen it firsthand. all autobiographies are about the subject presenting themselves in the light they wish to be contextualize themselves and for SCARFACE this means providing a window through his music to the oppressed. by that he explicitly state the black community that is being suppressed by institutional racism and a legal system designed to limit their agency. he knows full well that these truths are hard for WHITE AMERICA to swallow, but he sees his job as an artist to reporter his truth and the truth of his community. whether such gets labeled as glamorizing sex, violence and drug usage by a WHITE MEDIA is a matter beyond his control. i thought he eloquently made his point regarding WHITE AMERICA throughout the whole book and his case was compelling, but what really got my attention was how he detailed the exploitation of his former label RAP-A-LOT RECORDS and its founding CEO JAMES PRINCE. that a homegrown black enterprise exploited his creativity for years is quite a story and the fact that the more corporate DEF JAM RECORDS set him straight financially and recognized his value and paid him for his worth is one of the big ironies of this narrative. one of many. if you are fan of SOUTHERN HIP HOP, THE GETO BOYS or are interested in the history of HIP HOP or the inner-workings of the business, this book is a great choice narrated in a direct, matter-of-fact style. served straight up. 
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since returning stateside roughly three years ago after teaching and living overseas for over eight years i was unceremoniously introduced to the new generation of HIP HOP which left me largely underwhelmed. gone where the clever lyricism and focus on the community that seemed emblematic of the 80S & 90s artists i grew up on (A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, TUPAC, PUBLIC ENEMY, DE LA SOUL, N.W.A.). in its place was a new class more driven by the politics of hype, branding, self-aggrandizement and the goal of personal financial security.
one bright spot was discovering idiosyncratic videographer COLE BENNETT and his LYRICAL LEMONADE channel on YOUTUBE that showcased (mostly) upcoming talent of note with his inspired, conked-out visuals. i invite you to check out his channel and dive into his clever visual aesthetic. 
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roughly a year ago DEER GOD produced four live performances videos for MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC in celebration of their STATEN ISLAND ARTS-funded OPEN AIRWAVES initiative which saw the radio station seek to increase participation from diverse populations in the immediate community.
each video showcased a different upcoming MC from NYC including STATEN ISLAND's HOLY MOE, THE BRONX's TOKY DIAMONDZ and BROOKLYN's ELI BROOKYLN. the fourth installment showcased QUEENS' rapper MERC. check it out around the 1:37 minute mark when when the green screen shenanigans commence. 
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years ago when my time as a PEACE CORPS volunteer in ALBANIA was coming to a close, i learned that i was able to secure a teaching position at an international school in VENEZUELA. its funny because i have former peers on the international teaching circuit who will only take positions in first-world situations like EUROPE, AUSTRALIA or select countries in the MIDDLE EAST and ASIA. i've actively sought out places that weren't necessarily in line with what i was familiar with (which explains my teaching career of being in MYANMAR, ALBANIA and of course VENEZUELA).
anyway, once learning i was gonna be in SOUTH AMERICA in 6 months i went about reading as much as i could about VENEZUELA and the region. i highly recommend EDUARDO GALEANO's epic ant-colonialist OPEN VEINS OF SOUTH AMERICA (MONTHLY REVIEW PRESS, 1971) as well as COMANDANTE (PENGUIN, 2013) by RORY CARROLL of THE GUARDIAN newspaper. i also investigated for months as much SOUTH AMERICAN music as i could locate online. so glad i did because i discovered the music of ANA TIJOUX. she is a CHILEAN MC by way of FRANCE and her work is entirely an extension of her unique political, socio-economic and inclusive worldview. i very much view her in the tradition of other politically conscious artists of years past like PUBLIC ENEMY, WOODY GUTHRIE, M.I.A. and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. her parents emigrated from CHILE to FRANCE in the 1970s after the overthrow and murder of the democratically-elected SALVADOR ALLENDE by the UNITED STATES-backed military dictator AUGOSTO PINOCHET. what followed in CHILE was a brutal military dictatorship that basically fell in line with the insatiable capitalist needs of the AMERICAN economy for copper (which we use for electrical wiring and consumer electronics). when i listen to the music of TIJOUX i am reminded of the perspectives of the inhabitants of countries who resources are essentially exploited for western capitalism. its a narrative often ignored and wholesale discounted. discovering her work and the pride she showed in being SOUTH AMERICAN was something i greatly admired even before i got to the continent. the music itself often makes use of elements of indigenous music and re-contextualizes them in a HIP HOP context, much like M.I.A. before with the indian subcontinent or SEPULTURA with the XANANTE tribe of eastern BRASIL on their album ROOTS. i highly recommend her music to anyone interested in HIP HOP or LATIN AMERICAN culture. totally worth it. 
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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. 
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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
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