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parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the lyrically provocative and thoughtful music of rapper CHILDISH GAMBINO!
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! 
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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 was a senior in high school in KUWAIT when the 9/11 attacks happened and shortly thereafter i quickly departed the MIDDLE EAST to live with a relative in SACRAMENTO of all places. it was a jarring and disorientating time in my life, irrespective of geopolitics of the time. i was basically dropped overnight into a cultural backwater full of naive, privileged white kids and their parents. i got through it.
part of getting through it was developing a ravenous reading and listening schedule where i basically investigated everything that caught my interest. musically this included discovering and investigating POST PUNK, SHOEGAZE and TRIP HOP. it was an interesting time because not that long after i dove headfirst into groups like PORTISHEAD and MASSIVE ATTACK i saw TRICKY (with MARTINA TOPLEY-BIRD!) open for TOOL at the local stadium. the synergy of that moment was so cool, although some dick behind me was constantly asking his uninterested companion "who is this n----r?!", which is yet another reason why i will always continue to hate SACRAMENTO with a passion even over two decades later. i bought TRICKY's iconic debut MAXINQUAYE (4th & B'WAY, 1995) at the former TOWER RECORDS on columbus and bay near FISHERMAN'S WHARF in SAN FRANSCISCO right before flying home to NEW JERSEY after graduation in 2002. it was literally my last day in CALIFORNIA. along with several APHEX TWIN releases, NOTHING'S SHOCKING (WARNER BROS, 1988) by JANE'S ADDICTION or TROUT MASK REPLICA (STRAIGHT, 1969) by CAPTAIN BEEFHEART, MAXINQUAYE is definitely one of the most transformational records i have ever heard. it is a deeply personal yet highly idiosyncratic record that seemingly splits the difference between HIP HOP, REGGAE and ALTERNATIVE ROCK. named in reference to his mother who passed when he was four, the record is very much thematically tied to his mixed-race experience growing up in a BRISTOL council estate with immigrant parents. being one of the architects of the TRIP HOP sound through his collaborations with MASSIVE ATTACK, of which he is an extended member, there is a sense of the music being the creative embodiment of a new, diverse and multi-cultural GREAT BRITAIN. with his debut MAXINQUAYE, the music is much less optimistic and seemingly the perfect sound-bed to his lyrics on "PONDEROSA," "OVERCOME," "AFTERMATH," "HELL IS AROUND THE CORNER" and "SUFFOCATED LOVE" that deal with personal themes of PARANOIA, OPPRESSION and SELF-DECEPTION. one of the defining traits of TRICKY as a songwriter is how he utilizes the female voice. the contributions of TOPLEY-BIRD cannot be understated, especially on haunted tracks such as the "PUMPKIN," "FEED ME," "ABBAON FAT TRACKS" and the PUBLIC ENEMY cover of "BLACK STEEL." its really interesting hearing a female singer voice the words of a male narrator, which is a juxtaposition that TRICKY has employed ever since with other collaborators. but never more affecting than with TOPLEY-BIRD on this record who holds her own and is arguably the star of the record. when i got into TRICKY in the early 2000s it was an aural journey of self-discovery that really made me rethink the inherent value of musical concepts like genre or audience expectation. his records were experiences into a headspace of someone who was lost but always searching, always on the hunt for the truth. he is one of my favorite artists and arguably MAXINQUAYE is his finest moment. i cannot recommend this record more empathically. it is most definitely worth revisiting and checking out. 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
ive come around recently to the AUCKLAND DJ and former long-time BBC RADIO 1 RADIO PERSONALITY ZANE LOWE, especially with regards to his current THE ZANE LOWE INTERVIEW SERIES on APPLE MUSIC. ive watched and listened to his interviews for years and while he always came across as INFORMED and an ardent fan of his subject, there were times his PASSION seemed to stray into straight-up adulation. or so i thought. i believe the dude is fully aware of his role in the wider ecosystem of modern culture as a bridge of sorts for the global public to access emerging and established musicians, and i feel his ENTHUSIASM is a reflection of such. his queries are often the types a hardcore fan would want answered by a favored artist if given the opportunity and the nerve.
and that perspective of LOWE from that as a stand-in for the public was how i judged him until recently. i began to realize that, like HOWARD STERN, he is a great listener. and i think such may be an outgrowth of the long-form format of THE ZANE LOWE INTERVIEW SERIES of podcasts as it gives him time to weave and contextualize competing narratives and informed takes on his subject's career. in essence he isn't necessarily flattering his guests, instead he's creating a SAFE ENVIRONMENT for them to open up. and post-pandemic he is doing such physically as well, often meeting his subjects on their home-court. at their favorite spots. in their cities. sometimes even at their home or recording studio. i've also noticed that he is shrewd in his interviewing style as he allows his subject to TAKE THE LEAD, with him interjecting only to clarify or contextualize a point he found interesting or needing of clarification for the average viewer. LOWE is the type of interlocutor that is comfortable not being "in the know" at all times and lets it known when he finds something genuinely UNEXPECTED or COMPELLING. i've also noticed he is not afraid of silence. it reminds me of my teaching days where there were sometimes pregnant silences were students or myself were conjuring a response to a BOLD question hanging in the air. the silences in his interviews are ones where people are fully contemplating and thus fully ENGAGED. it took me a while to come around to the fact that the guy is just a fan of music and art and the processes/ALCHEMY from which such rise from the ether. in that sense it is almost inconsequential who the subject is, from DAVID BYRNE to MILEY CYRUS. i look forward to seeing where his long-form interview series leads him. hopefully he can interview some of my heroes like Q-TIP, JOHNNY MARR, SHANE MCGOWAN, JUSTINE FRISCHMANN, HUGH CORNWELL, MARK MOTHERSBAUGH, MIKE PATTON or even transcendent emerging artists like DRAB MAJESTY and CHELSEA WOLFE. one can dream. 
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
the follow-up to what is probably considered by many his masterwork of staggeringly and ingenious layered HIP HOP production and self-referencing narratives in MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY (DEF JAM, 2010), YEEZUS (DEF JAM, 2013) seemingly does away with continuity and song structure entirely and dives into the deep end of experimental soundscapes. to my ears this is KANYE WEST at his most UNFILTERED and UNADORNED, a painter of sound minimally utilizing his palette for maximum sonic impact. its no surprise that no less an authority on noise than LOU REED (think METAL MACHINE MUSIC) before his death reviewed this record and saw it as a masterstroke of experimental juxtapositions and hitherto unexplored sonic textures.
so that is how i choose to interpret WEST at what is probably the tail end of his creative peak (which the following THE LIFE OF PABLO concludes before his MENTAL HEALTH, PARANOIA and AUTHORITARIAN associations eviscerated his reputation). some interpret most of his discography as the work of a supremely gifted artist who has battled internal forces that range from searing insecurity to outright megalomania. like REED, DAVID BOWIE or even MORRISSEY, i see WEST as a contrarian. for most of his career this worked to his advantage as HIP HOP was in a corner sonically as well as stylistically in the early 2000s when WEST rapped about JESUS wearing pink polos. he somehow merged the experimental and lyrical essence of NATIVE TONGUES-era bands while maintaining the harder edge of label-mates like JAY-Z. arguably the only rapper/producer of equal notoriety and influence from his era is PHARRELL WILLIAMS. both fashion entrepreneurs and musical innovators. with WEST unfortunately at some point the EGOMANIA started to cannibalize his sense of identity and he has become a bit of an antagonistic troll in popular culture. he sees himself as in some quixotic role fighting for the freedom of speech in his warped worldview. sadly pursuing themes of outright MISOGYNY have made his music lyrically one-dimensional and incoherent, if not boring. sadly YEEZUS falls prey to such on songs like "BLKKK SKKKN HEAD", "ON SIGHT" and "NEW SLAVES" among many others. so sonically this work is a singular achievement with lyrics and subject matter that doesn't match. YEEZUS is a complicated work by a complicated artist and for that it is definitely worth checking out again. 
parodies by nacrowe
yes i went there.
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the music of controversial HIP HOP rapper / producer / entrepreneur / contrarian KANYE WEST! ​​ ​​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
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. 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
rapper M.I.A. is a revolutionary figure. i should just get that out of the way from the get-go.
she's revolutionary because of her background as a first-generation immigrant daughter of a founder of the TAMIL TIGERS (an ethnic SRI LANKAN separatist group in open conflict with the corrupt national government). she's revolutionary because she is outspoken about her experience as an immigrant, a status that is universally derided, discarded and intentionally misunderstood by first-world inhabitants. she's revolutionary because she is unafraid to speak her truth. and i wont lie, her flipping off the camera at the SUPER BOWL was probably the greatest thing ever on such a telecast (right up there with PRINCE's rainy performance). what made her documentary MANTANGI MAYA M.I.A. (CINEREACH, 2018) so compelling is how you see this cultural behemoth finding her identity through 22 years of archival footage shot by MATHANGI ARULPRASAM herself. most interesting is her initial trek to SRI LANKA as an adult, seeking to learn about a struggle she was separated from and the disconnection she felt. as a THIRD CULTURE KID myself growing up in NIGERIA and KUWAIT, i can relate to being stuck between cultures and continents. my whole life i felt disconnected from AMERICAN life which has only been exacerbated during the TRUMP era. i can relate to the experience of being tied to an identity of which you have little control, as an AMERICAN who lived abroad for years in NIGERIA, ALBANIA, KUWAIT, VENEZUELA and MYANMAR. that dilemma definitely hits home. and i believe part of my reason for having so much respect for M.I.A. is her fearlessness in speaking her truth in spite of intellectual charlatans like LYNN HIRSCHBERG and BILL MAHER and the tired conservative media and corrupt political interests they facilitate in effectively silencing and putting down BLACK and BROWN people. its that idea of speaking up for a forgotten population and not shutting up when the WHITE adults in the room tell you to shut up. honestly fuck them. i dont know how one doesnt respect her fearlessness and moral clarity. this documentary is also the type of film that makes me uncomfortable in that it showcases the triviality and shallowness with which of our national discussion regarding war and human suffering. i was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to teach secondary english at an international school in MYANMAR a few years back and was taken aback by the dismissive tone by western journalists when discussing the suffering of the ROHINGYA population. apparently AMERICAN blood is more precious. the pain and suffering of BLACK and BROWN people was less newsworthy. same here with regards to SRI LANKA. again, i am glad for her voice and look forward to her new album. cant wait to see what she chooses to address this go around given the state of the world. i think deep down she knows she has the respect and admiration of her people, so being deliberately smeared by western media conglomerates isnt her worry. it comes with the territory. it proves that she is dangerous. that she is a revolutionary. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the HIP HOP music production career of cultural icon PHARRELL WILLIAMS!
​ ​​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! 
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 singular career of controversial rapper/producer KANYE WEST!
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
what i always loved about ICE-T is his AUTHENTICITY. he doesnt hide behind metaphors or character studies to get his point across. he is the very definition of unadorned directness. on an ICE-T (or even BODY COUNT) record, undoubtedly the main character is ICE-T and his street-level worldview. he has made a career on serving up hard truths. i remember reading that CHUCK D of PUBLIC ENEMY once said that "rap is CNN for black people" and i'd put ICE-T on a shortlist of similar acts from that period including MOBB DEEP, ICE CUBE and (of course) PUBLIC ENEMY who repeatedly detailed an unflinching account of the reality on the ground in urban BLACK AMERICA of POLICE BRUTALITY, the DRUG WAR and generational repercussions that come from a lack of access to economic and educational resources.
arguably this sober, no-punches-pulled sensibility found its early peak on his legendary OG: ORIGINAL GANGSTER (SIRE, 1991) album with seminal tracks "NEW JACK HUSTLER (NINO'S THEME)," "THE TOWER," "HOME OF THE BODYBAG," "ESCAPE FROM THE KILLING FIELDS" and, expectedly, "O.G. ORIGINAL GANGSTER." listening to an ICE-T record is an unrelenting experience as he attempt to lyrically to take you through a lived experience, one in which you definitely would not want to experience firsthand. there is a sense that this is the dark underbelly of the AMERICAN DREAM, one that our exploitive capitalist system doesnt want to acknowledge or give air time to. it is the the experience of the forgotten minorities that these systems seek to politically and economically muzzle or culturally disparage when convenient. while his rhyme-style is a bit staid and repetitive next to the expert flows of peers like RAKIM or KRS-ONE and hasnt aged particularly well, in my estimation this is beside the point. it gets the job done. and unlike most of his contemporaries, ICE-T is still out there and still vital. his longtime BODY COUNT project, which mad its initial appearance on the "BODY COUNT" track off of O.G. ORIGINAL GANGSTER, is very much admired to date tackling current social ills like the seemingly endless senseless murders of BLACK males by racist white people filled with a deeply warped sense of IDENTITY, PRIVILEGE and AMERICAN HISTORY. thank god this dude is still out there killing it. much respect to ICE-T and O.G. ORIGINAL GANGSTER is the perfect place to look into his catalogue. i'd also suggest the BODY COUNT BLOODLUST (CENTURY MEDIA, 2017) record as a bookend to such. love this dude. seriously. 
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. 
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 stellar MUSIC PRODUCTION career of PHARRELL WILLIAMS!
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 manipulation by nacrowe
sometimes you come across a musician that is hard to pin down on first listen and seem wholly original yet strangely an extension of what you are familiar with beforehand. im thinking of songwriters and performers like BJORK and TRICKY who had antecedents in experimental ELECTRONIC MUSIC and HIP HOP, but took such influences to another new terrain.
thats kind of how i feel about KING KRULE, the creative project of ARCHY IVAN MARSHALL, that incorporates everything from TRIP HOP and INDIE ROCK to JAZZ FUSION and POST PUNK. its a heady eclectic mix but is cohesive through his unique persona and reflective yet opaque lyrics. KING KRULE is definitely worth check out. 
photo & text by nacrowe
CYPRESS HILL was the first HIP HOP group i ever got into. i discovered them through a LEBANESE classmate when i was attending middle school in NIGERIA. looking back i find it hilarious that i learned about the seminal WEST COAST HIP HOP group after i permanently left the greater LOS ANGELES area. but thats how it went. my friend was really into DRUG CULTURE, which sadly was the case with many classmates i had while living in LAGOS, one of the biggest drug ports in the world.
oddly enough for a band so closely identified with WEED CULTURE, their self-titled debut album CYPRESS HILL (COLUMBIA, 1991) is not really all that concerned with marijuana. yes there are songs like "STONED IS THE WAY OF THE WALK," "LIGHT ANOTHER" and "SOMETHING FOR THE BLUNTED," but with songs like "PIGS," "HAND ON THE PUMP," "HOLE IN THE HEAD," and "HOW I COULD JUST KILL A MAN," the lyrical focus is more memorably attuned to the routine hardships of being a minority living in URBAN AMERICAN and the need for survival and community in a oppressive system that limits your ability to prosper within LAW ENFORCEMENT, HEATHCARE and EDUCATION frameworks. i dont believe CYPRESS HILL glorifies gang membership or activities, more just provide a window into the reasoning and mentality of those who join. and make no mistake, they join out of limited access to better opportunities and models of past success. i always found it interesting when conservatives or white people i know who outright dismiss acts like CYPRESS HILL and then turn around and patronize them and their community about how the choices they make. maybe it comes with having lived overseas, but i am not so quick to judge those with lived experiences i didnt share. such was the case when i was in MYANMAR, VENEZUELA, ALBANIA and NIGERIA over the years. i didnt grow up as a minority surrounded by racist LAPD cops attending failed overcrowded and underfunded schools. so all i can do is listen and attempt to empathize or at the very least, see the situation from their vantage point. and that perspective is the gift that CYPRESS HILL and other similar WEST COAST HIP HOP artists like ICE CUBE, TUPAC SHAKUR, KENDRICK LAMAR, SOULS OF MISCHIEF, SNOOP DOGG, THE PHARCYDE and TOO $HORT have given the world of music enthusiasts. it is why i keep going back and revisiting their early run of albums, especially their debut, which is well worth further investigation and essential for anyone interested HIP HOP or AMERICAN CULTURE write large. 
thank you CYPRESS HILL for retweeting this! so amazing!
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! 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the independent record label FAT POSSUM 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 get 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 eclectic independent record label STONES THROW RECORDS owned, operated and curated by the inimitable PEANUT BUTTER WOLF.
​ ​​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. 
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June 2022
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