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"DEER GOD RADIO 152: KANYE WEST" NOW AVAILABLE

1/20/2022

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!

RECORD REVIEW | "FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET" BY PUBLIC ENEMY

1/12/2022

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.

FILM REVIEW | MATANGI MAYA M.I.A.

1/11/2022

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.

"DEER GOD RADIO 141: PHARRELL WILLIAMS PRODUCTION" NOW AVAILABLE

1/6/2022

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!

"DEER GOD RADIO 152: KANYE WEST" LIVE TONIGHT AT 10PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC

12/19/2021

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!

RECORD REVIEW | "O.G. ORIGINAL GANGSTER" BY ICE-T

11/10/2021

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.

RECORD REVIEW | "VOL. 2... HARD KNOCK LIFE" BY JAY-Z

10/2/2021

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.

"DEER GOD RADIO 141: PHARRELL PRODUCTION" LIVE TONIGHT AT 10PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC

9/26/2021

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!

CHECK OUT THIS ARTIST | KING KRULE

9/17/2021

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.

RECORD REVIEW | "CYPRESS HILL" BY CYPRESS HILL

9/15/2021

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!

"DEER GOD RADIO 126: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST" NOW AVAILABLE

7/29/2021

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!

"DEER GOD RADIO 123: FAT POSSUM RECORDS" NOW AVAILABLE

7/15/2021

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!

"DEER GOD RADIO 120: STONES THROW RECORDS" NOW AVAILABLE

7/1/2021

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!

BOOK REVIEW | "VIBRATE HIGHER" BY TALIB KWELI

6/7/2021

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.

"DEER GOD RADIO 128: WARP RECORDS" LIVE TONIGHT AT 10PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC

6/6/2021

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 BRITISH experimental ELECTRONIC MUSIC label WARP 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!

"DEER GOD RADIO 126: A TRIBE CALLED QUEST" LIVE TONIGHT AT 10PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC

5/23/2021

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!

FILM REVIEW | OUR VINYL WEIGHS A TON: THIS IS STONES THROW RECORDS

5/18/2021

photo manipulation by nacrowe

after i graduated from undergrad i took a job at a bookstore and one of the other clerks was really into underground music. stuff id never been exposed to previously. bands like STEREOLAB, PAVEMENT and GALAXIE 500. that was cool and interesting and all, but the real revelation was what he was into in terms of HIP HOP, having clued me into the likes of MADLIB, MF DOOM and J DILLA. i believe those three are what many consider the preeminent artists from STONES THROW RECORDS. just the energy, creativity and dynamism of those three artists was the closest i ever got to the qualities that previously led me to my all-time favorite HIP HOP acts: the WU-TANG CLAN and A TRIBE CALLED QUEST. as with anything, you get jaded by what you know, and then new artists get the wheel going all over again. STONES THROW is a label in my opinion in constant search of new sounds and new experiences.

OUR VINYL WEIGHS A TON: THIS IS STONE'S THROW RECORDS (GATLIN PICTURES, 2013) is documentary that looks into the artists supported and curated by the innovative label and its founder, CHRIS MANAK, a.k.a PEANUT BUTTER WOLF. peers such as a A-TRACK (FOOL'S GOLD RECORDS) TALIB KWELI, KANYE WEST, COMMON, MIKE D of BEASTIE BOYS, EARL SWEATSHIRT, QUESTLOVE, FLYING LOTUS, TYLER THE CREATOR, J-ROCC and SNOOP DOGG are interviewed in this film along with past and current and roster-mates such as MADLIB, MF DOOM, J DILLA, DAM-FUNK, MILD HIGH CLUB, JAMES PANTS, MAYER HAWTHORNE, ALOE BLACC, GUILTY SIMPSON, J-ROCC and BARON ZEN among many others.

in essence this film is bout WOLF and his eclectic musical tastes and how he fearlessly throughout the history of his label sought to put out music he believed in. even when considering the threadbare profit margins of independent labels, before and after the digital file-sharing revolution of the early 00s, there has always been a base marketing template followed a desired demographic chased. yes the iconic records both solo and collaborative by the likes of MADLIB, J DILLA and MF DOOM will largely define the label to many an indie music appreciator and vinyl junkie alike, but there been just as many records with, as FRANK ZAPPA used to say, "no commercial potential." STONES THROW is responsible just as much for FUNK, R&B, experimental NOISE ROCK and SHOEGAZE INDIE ROCK records. the through-line essential is WOLF and his musical taste, for good or ill.

i feel that during a time when labels are attempting to optimize their profits by seeking music that will stimulate the most widespread of demographics, it is refreshing that there is someone out there whose basic requirement for inclusion is the quality of the work itself. WOLF doesnt appear to be chasing a market, if anything he is cultivating a consumer base that will grow to appreciate his offerings and give an unbiased listen, irrespective of genre or other considerations. i think for artists that is all you can really hope for: exposure to an engaged audience and a community of supportive peers.

if only that was the norm in the music industry.

"DEER GOD RADIO 106: TIMBALAND PRODUCTION" NOW AVAILABLE

5/2/2021

parodies by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO focused on the addictively kinetic HIP HOP and R&B production work of TIMBALAND.

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!

"DEER GOD RADIO 120: STONES THROW RECORDS" LIVE TONIGHT AT 10PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC

4/11/2021

parodies by nacrowe

join us TONIGHT at 10PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist that explores the influential HIP HOP / R&B / INDIE ROCK / FUNK music that has come out via the iconic indie label STONE THROW RECORDS over the years.

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

BOOK REVIEW | "SWEAT THE TECHNIQUE: REVELATIONS ON CREATIVITY FROM THE LYRICAL GENIUS" BY RAKIM

3/29/2021

photo & text by nacrowe

RAKIM is a wordsmith of the first order, a rapper's rapper.

its definitely not a coincidence that EMINEM makes a direct reference to being a "product of RAKIM" in a verse in his ode to lyrical dexterity, "RAP GOD." being a fan of his work with ERIC B, i was game to explore his memoir SWEAT THE TECHNIQUE (AMISTAD, 2019) which finds him explaining his writing process. obviously as a former ENGLISH teacher this is a subject i am doubly always interested in.

essentially he describes some pretty boilerplate techniques in expanding your options as a lyricist. such as: BE OBSERVANT, READ EVERYTHING, WRITE ALL THE TIME, etc. what was more impactful was how he came to appreciate these ideas in a cultural landscape where such was not immediately encouraged, the exception being his parents and especially his father. when he put in the work he saw results, whether that be in football or on the mic at informal parties in his neighborhood in LONG ISLAND. its my argument that his work ethic and ability to appreciate and take advantage of opportunities around him, as well as a fair amount of bravado and natural charm, that led him to where he is today, considered by fans and peers alike as one of the preeminent lyricists of his generation, if not the top MC outright.

where he loses me is in the second half of the book where he begins to go on about his involvement with the FIVE PERCENT NATION and the NATION OF ISLAM. on one hand i get it. these groups espouse an ideology of self-empowerment and community in what is essentially a vacuum created by AMERICA's inability to address the needs of minority communities for generations. the need to take care of your own is understandable and arguably inevitable. its just that when he goes on about his beliefs it just comes off like pseudo-intellectual gibberish. i dont need to go over LOUIS FARRAKAN's anti-semitism, but i'll link to what the SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER says about him.

its just disappointing to see that such a supremely gifted wordsmith who has honed his craft over decades at heart is involved with figures that espouse anti-white ideologies. my hope is that he would be more empathetic and use his gifs to uplift, but maybe i misjudged him. i also found it hard to comprehend his argument that in order to be humble, one needs to accept the idea of a higher power. that seems bogus to me, and not just because i dont share his belief system. i just thought it showed a lack of understanding of religions outside the judeo-christian and islamic constructs he appears trapped in. you can be atheist and agnostic and be empathetic and a good servant to your neighbors, just like you can be a devoutly religious person and be a horrible human being. its not a prerequisite.

so in summation i found this book deeply fascinating, but not how i expected. i found myself deeply troubled by the implications of his worldview. the anti-WHITE stuff i still dont get, even in retrospect. my hope would be that the values of HARD WORK and EMPATHY that he attributes to his father's influence would have carried over into his belief system, but that appears to not be the case. its disappointing, especially with someone so profoundly gifted.