Santi White is just straight amazing. It was an honor to cook it up with her when she had her very first performance as Santigold at a DFC after party. I witnessed the birth of a sensation. She had major industry accomplishments before Santigold was even a thought, so I will spare you the lengthy description of what I love about this artist. Just know this: we are all blessed to have artists who are able to do their craft at their own will, regardless of corporate/social constraints. Like Bjork whom I fuckin’ love, but unlike Bjork I like almost every single track I have heard from Santi. And another thing. Stop fucking comparing her to Gwen Stefani and MIA. They all are different in their own ways. Don’t be afraid of the unknown because this is only the beginning.
www.myspace.com/santogold
www.santogold.net
So if Sylvester the club performer from the 70’s were to channel his soul from the other side, through a young, shy but articulate, electric, punked thug, club hit maker, performance art, Vouge’n-ass rapper prodigy… that would be DOPE! But as fresh as that is, LEIF he has the potential to be one of the coolest conceptual club-rock stars of our time. Yes, I’m jockin’. Sowhaut!
www.myspace.com/leif
OH JACKIE! When me and this girl get together we serious about changing the world. Of course we might sound crazy. Enough about our dream, see video below and now imagine her doing that to the world at large! Bananas right? Throw any producer at this Stockholm/Bushwick girl and she will kill it with a purpose on her shoulder. She is a brilliant monster and Downtown Records definitely realizes this. Oh let’s not overlook the fact she’s actually a real performer on stage. We all know the game, hot rapper chick backed by some electro/club/hip hop with mediocre raps and a horrible live show… But with Mapei what you hear is what you get, served with some substance that makes you shake dat ass while defecating on capitalism. She is the leader of the pack she gone do her own dance.
www.myspace.com/mapei
Ok I have gotten into debates, sometimes heated (not on my side of course) about this artist. That is a fucking good sign he is changing an old game in a way that is similar to… I dare say, Michael jackson. But I’m not comparing them – but they both have a secret code in their steez that is as unique as a finger print. Just listen to him smash on a vast array of sonic, bass, treble, tempos, frequencies, beats, mainly provided by the magnificent Machinedrum. Then watch him live. FUCK FUCK FUCK. Now watch him mature into what’s to come. Headz up whole world.
www.myspace.com/londonwave
DWN LOAD MIX TAPE HERE
Wow, it has been an honor to know her as a fan and a friend! This my homie, you already know she is the most sharp minded, club bangin, keep it real tho, dance her ass off, talented Bmore teenager rapper, who just happens to blast most girlz in the game! She isn’t just another R&B pop hit. She has MIA as a mentor. While traveling with her on a recent EU DFC mini-tour, I witnessed her make Swedish crowds revert back to Barbaric Vikings. They went CRAZY! To see this connection made your hair stand up. RYE broke the lip gloss then popped it… nowhaimean. To all the haters, imitators, and duplicators, WATCH your 360 cuz she is all up in your universe. THE ONE AND ONLY HARDCORE GIRL
www.myspace.com/tharealryerye
It can be so saturated with dick and pussy lyrics and booty grinding beats, the scatology of it all becomes comparable to eating 3 boxes of Twinkies. Back in the 80’s I remember there was so much room for all types of artists to flourish. Whether they were selling pop, sex, dance or real life. It wasn’t just based on artist’s looks or taking advantage of your (“the consumers”) human conditioning. Muhsinah is as refreshing as my cooking after 3 days of Mc’ D’z. She has a voice like butter (with a sick range) she makes her own beats, lyrics and production. You can’t put your finger on the sound and calling it electronic soul does no justice… Muhsinah is noting short of a prodigy. After being drugged up in the club all night, going through the break up of a lifetime, or you just want to listen to some music that touches your heart in a very real way, then you must listen to her. She is a guiding light for true organic talent which is ever so needed to this bullshit they call the music industry.
www.myspace.com/muhsinah
www.muhsinah.com
This was an emotional experience beyond words cooking with the Roxanne Shante (for those of you who don’t know shoot your self in the foot or google & act like you know). I grew up in the hood listening to this woman in the circle of war, race/sexism, drug and gang terror plaguing the streets/hood from which we both came from. at the tender age of 14 she was a voice that was hardcore and clever, but with a message! she held her own with all the hip hop machismo back ‘n’ the day. Cooking in the kitchen with her and getting to know her on a personal level is already as extraordinary as the conceived notion of it. Just watch and you will see.
www.myspace.com/roxanneshante
So they refer themselves as the new DIRTY BASTARD (R.I.P.). At first I heard that before I heard their music, so I was like, hell 2 the fuck no! Then I listened and ate my motherfuckin’ words. Although it’s music you either love or hate, these dudes straight up rock it! “Tight Pants Nicca” is one of those game changing tracks like “Teen Spirit” from Nirvana. I never like bands like this that blend crunk, rock, rap, and club genres but if I were to be in a band like this, I would want to be in Ninja Sonic. I mean, jams like “HIV GONNA BE THE DEATH OF ME” killed it for me. They make you think, implanting social concepts in your brain as well as clubn’ you the fuck out!
www.myspace.com/ninjasonik
I first received a mixtape of this dude, shit back in 2002. I was like, is this from the UK? Nope. It was just ahead of the game. Now it’s 2009. Whut! MachineDrum is our answer to a lot of what we don’t have in the UK music scene. This dude’s style is so freakin’ ill, and yes it kinda has this nerdy element to it (Theophilis London refers to him as Harry Potter on the beats) but in the same manner it’s sexy, intelligent, grimy… but nothing that you would expect. I mean, I have a fuck playlist (yes that’s right) and MD tracks have dominated this playlist along side R&B legends like R.Kelly. His beats are so fuckin’ freaky electric fresh. I can’t wait for that EP he is doing with Jesse Boykins III. You gots to peeps that on your fuck playlist. Basically if all the Beyonces, Britneys, Mariahs, Power 92 blah blah of the music industry ain’t jockin’ this dude’s magic in the next few years, then they will seriously be left behind. This dude can save you. Trust.
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MACHINEDRUM
Man, the Dragons Of Zynth are so fucking cool, you automatically just wanna be their best friends. They are becoming one of my all time favorite bands, striking a deep cord for me with rock because you can definitely hear the 70′z rock steez in their sound (Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Zappa) and that’s what I was exposed to as a child by my uncle Stanley who was a guitarist for Janet Jackson in the 80′z. I digress, the Dragons’ implement it without even trying to sound like the great rock masters. Effortlessly blending soul, punk, hardcore, R&B melodies, all this between two slices of fat, monstrous 70′z rock- psychedelia. I don’t know how they get away with this and conceptually not fit into a mold that you would otherwise expect. To see them live is fucking upside down retarded. The energy is like the old school Fugazi shows, with love though, not in the cheesy way. So it all boils down to this when you see them live: fuck what you heard, you never tasted gravy like this.
www.myspace.com/dragonsofzynth
Blaqstarr is a G.O.D. to me as far as a producer is concerned. Whether it’s for club, rap, crunk, R&B, rock, techno… this man has the most unique style so crazy distinct, like my coconut banana grits. I believe he has the “potential” to be just as influential and important as the big boys Pharrell, Kanye, Swizz Beatz… but unlike them he has created a whole new concept in what is rarely referred to as black music. He sings and spits too, sicknin! He is not hip hop, just pure expressionism of modern Transatlantic African music. Oh yeah and he is also THE KING OF ROCK. Act like you know.
www.myspace.com/blaqstarrmusic
This was a legendary cooking experience for me (I believe it will be for you too). They took complete control of the kitchen with their antics and chaos. Musically and conceptually they have managed to break all culture barriers in their sound. How did these “from the hood” Florida lesbians come together slammin’ on a multi-mind fuck of genres and beats from underground, global producers? The energy is a blend of punk, sex, Christianity, hope, club and rap. (Chaos Theory) To make something so conflicting, unique and crazy dope, does it have its price? At the time of this writing what we know as Yo Majesty might be a different experience tomorrow, cos the band is assumably breaking up (don’t get it twisted, Shunda K and Jwl B can definitely hold it down on their own). That sucks for all of us… but this has happened plenty of times with bands that kicked ass but broke up because of inter-turmoil. I guess that was the essence of YM? Conclusion? It may have been just too good to be true… but you can’t hate me for keeping my fingers crossed.
www.myspace.com/yomajesty4life
