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To Each His Throne: A Conversation with Mr.Muthafuckin' eXquire

To Each His Throne: A Conversation with Mr.Muthafuckin’ eXquire

Posted by: Necci – Feb 19, 2012

We tend to study our musical tastes like we study our friends. We study the clothes they wear. We listen to the things they say they do. We even assume the social groups we think they most likely associate with. But most importantly, we study the words they use, and how they use them. Words tell us about their intelligence, where they’re from, how they spend their time, what subcultural groups they associate with, etc. They make conversation a nice reminder of how we go about our day to day. A conversation with Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire only slightly enters the realm of his persona. Sitting in the chair across from me, he seems relaxed; slouching slightly, but attentive. His SHHO sweatshirt represents those who dedicated their time to sharing his story. He holds his poise, while articulating the comprehensive thoughts of an individual in his responses. And although his mass of assorted necklaces draped across his chest might imply that his taste in jewelry is for show, he assures me it’s truly his daily style. Quite simply, eX is eX.

On its most practical level, eX’s music reflects himself as much as it does his fans. He enjoys Mario Party Vol. 1-3, Streets of Rage, Three's Company, John Ritter, and superheroes, and seems to look to it all for inspiration as well. His lyrics range from stories of trips to his corner chicken spot to classic literary themes cleverly tucked into humorous, pornographic lyrics (“Still lost as Holden Caufield in Catcher in the Rye/Until I skull fuck a smut bitch and try to catch her in the eye”).

His performance at Strange Matter on January 23rd made clear that his music is shared with his fans, rather than preached to them. Perhaps it was the right time, place or energy, but he managed to put on one of the most energetic Hip-Hop shows I’ve ever seen. The crowd moved like a cohesive amoeba, constantly pushing and changing direction based on his reaction. He truly made himself one with the audience, and the result was a true love affair.

Part of being a good character on stage comes with a good stage presence and audience involvement, how do you like to capture that?

Well, I’ve got to correct you, because I’m not a character. Before y’all ever saw me on the internet, I dressed the way I dress. So it ain’t like I get into character mode. I always was weird, I always was on some other shit. So even when nobody knew me, I was like this.

What was the moment when you decided to start focusing yourself more as an individual in doing what you please?

It was kind of a gradual process for me. You have to get over people’s opinion. You’ve got to learn to not give a fuck about what people think about you or what they perceive you to be. You’ve got to have that bravery, that courage to say “You know what? I’m going to go against the grain and deal with the consequences.”

Your YouTube hit came with "Huzzah," a song about your enjoyment of alcohol. If you could drink any historical figure under the table, who would it be and why?

I don’t know if I could drink anybody under the table. I drink in moderation, not in abundance. But if I could drink with anyone from history? I would probably drink with Jimi Hendrix, or Eddie Hazel, someone like that. It would probably be one of them 70’s rockers… Eldridge Cleaver, some wild black militant nigga, tell me some crazy shit. Or Iceberg Slim, I’d probably drink with Iceberg Slim.

Are you big into a lot of 70’s rock?

Yeah, actually I am.

A lot of the culture back then was big on what you were discussing earlier, focusing more on being an individual and doing whatever you feel. Do you think Hip-Hop will reintroduce a culture like that?

I think Hip-Hop may be there now. Its starting. You have Lil B having an album calledI’m Gay. Five years ago we couldn’t have had that. Ten years ago that wouldn’t have happened. Now we have an album called Nigger [aka Untitled, by Nas]. So the progression is definitely happening.

When discussing individuality in Hip-Hop though, there seems to be a lot of carbon copies of each other amongst the fans…

Well, you know what? Also, you’ve got to realize that that’s the capitalization of Hip-Hop. That’s when it turns into a mass product, so you’re going to have a mass group of people thinking and doing the same thing. That’s the effect of marketing. That’s what that shit does to culture. That’s the whole purpose of mass capitalization on rap. Rap is still living in the Bronx right now, technically speaking. It’s just a culture. But then someone decides to commodify it. And once you have commodification of something within a culture, you’re going to have 50,000 people who dress the same.

Do you think the commodification and marketing of Hip-Hop is corrupting a relatively new genre?

I mean, I think [the genre] is kind of old now. It’s about time for a new genre. Because, think about it like this: I almost think Hip-Hop is branching out into subgenres. Like you have classic rock, grunge rock, folk-rock... Rap is getting to that point. You’ve got crunk, you’ve got trap music, electronic... Dubstep is poppin’ right now. I think Hip-Hop is old. What, it started in ’79? It’s old. Older than me. Disco ain’t last ten [years].

What do you think the subgenres will become?

I think they’re already here, I just don’t think we [identify them]. Like, Classic Rap…if Kool G. Rap puts out an album right now, it’s not really relevant to today’s youth, but it’s a classic album in the sense that he was one of the pioneers. It’s classic rap. It’s just all how you think about it.

How did you start working with El-P?

This is what happened. He sees “Huzzah” and hit me to say, “Yo, I liked that song you did. I loved that record.” And I’m like, “Yo, El-P just talked to me, that’s wild.” But the remix for "Huzzah" was not originally what it came out to be. It was [originally] supposed to be me and Das Racist. That was the song. But then Heems hit me and was like, “Yo, could we get Despot on it?” I’m like, "Fuck it, I fuck with Despot," because I know him from just some regular shit. But then I’m like “Damn, Despot's on it, why don’t I call Danny [Brown]?” I call Danny, and Danny got [on] it. So then it was me, Danny, Despot and Das Racist. I was mad nervous to ask [El-P] because El don’t really do shit like that, he just do his shit. He doesn’t feature on tracks. He don’t do videos. I was like, “Would you be down to rhyme on my remix.” And he was like, “Hell yeah.” And that’s how the song came together. I remember writing that verse in front of him. I always hate that verse, because I feel like I could’ve rapped so much better. I just remember my hand shaking while I was writing the verse. The whole time I wrote the verse, I was so nervous, because I was in front of El-P. I’m a big fan of him too.

If Def Jux was still around, would you…

I would be on Def Jux. Just bad timing.

How did you know Danny Brown?

Danny saw the original “Huzzah” video and tweeted me, “Yo, I like your video, hit me up,” and DMed me his number. And that’s how we started doing songs together.

XXX was a great concept album.

Definitely. And now we’re all doing an album together.

And how do you approach writing an album?

I go through the shit, and then I write about it. I can’t rap about nothing I never went through. I can’t rap about nothing I don’t do. And I don’t rap about shit I’m going to do. So, I only rap about shit I’ve been through. I write based on inspiration, whatever is going on at the time, or whatever I’m feeling at the time, is what I make music about. I really don’t worry about how people are going to feel about the record, I just do it. I get it out of my system.

If you could work with anyone right now, who would it be?

I’ve worked with pretty much everyone I’ve wanted to work with, except for Nas. I really want to work with Nas. Producer-wise, Black Milk I like, I’m probably going to have him on my next album. I’ve never met Black Milk. I was supposed to do a show with him but I got double booked. But I want to meet him. I want to work with him really bad.

He’s a great composer. Really brings live instrumentation back to Hip-Hop.

Yeah, he does, but you know what? Hip-hop only exists because we didn’t have instruments. So, the oxymoron of having instruments in Hip-Hop is kind of weird, because they made it because they didn’t have shit to play. They were just like, “We're poor, we’re going to put two turntables together and start rapping.” That’s why I think rap shunned instruments, because we were made out of the fact that we didn’t have them, period. That’s why I really don’t rap with a live band. It's like, "Damn, I’m a rapper, my whole craft is built on the fact that I don’t have that shit.”

Have you ever considered having a live band with you?

I want to have one just because I think that shit would sound ill. Sound-wise, I think it sounds crazy to rap over instruments. I want to work with musicians, real musicians.

[anicklebagofthought-blog-blog]

It's All In the Family: An Interview with Fam-Lay

Interview I did over the summer with VA's very own, Fam-Lay.

It's All In The Family: An Interview With Fam-Lay

Posted by: Necci – Dec 09, 2011

Some artists aren’t necessarily recognized by A&R hype or platinum selling albums, but rather by the fans that validate their musical explorations. With efforts to shoot through the cosmos, Fam-Lay has gained a following much like Heaven’s Gate, ready to evacuate Hip-Hop’s typical existence (in Nike Airs, of course). Fam has fans that include the likes of Tyler, The Creator and Clipse, and even consistently works closely with N.E.R.D. The veteran Star Trak recording artist intends his new album,T.Y.B.O. (Turn Your Brain Off), to be a visionary space odyssey, driven by passion. Fam-Lay is working with an arsenal of weapons, which includes the oversight ofIllusive Media owner Shomi Rahman Patwary, who hopes to create a groundbreaking experience combining music and visuals into an all-inclusive package. The visionary mission is complimented by Fam’s childhood friends, The Neptunes, who provide extraordinary production, adding to the creative blend behind the Norfolk native’s upcoming album.

So, any projects going on with Star Trak?

Fam-Lay: I got a project coming out, that shit is really top secret, with Chad [Hugo]. You’ll hear about it in the next few months. Totally man, it’s some real shit. You’re gonna love it, but right now I’m doing Fam-Lay.

So a lot of Neptunes production?

Fam-Lay: Of course! They’re my brothers. And for real, I’m going to step out there and let you know that this is some year 4000 shit. Like, some real 4000, and it’s hard for me to even say that because I grew up with these guys and I always felt they was way beyond the curve. So for me to say something that’s totally far for them is like… That new planet they found beyond Plutos and Neptunes, that shit is Planet X, this shit is past Planet X, this shit is Planet Y.

How long have y’all been working on it?

Fam-Lay: Not too long. But it’s just been crazy, with all the chemistry with it. It’s always fun working with them guys, man. We're spoiled, all of us have been spoiled to work with them. The name of the project is T.Y.B.O., Turn Your Brain Off. All the shit that [The Neptunes] like to do, the positive shit they do, this is the guy on the other shoulder. "Soldier" [N.E.R.D. song Fam-Lay was featured on, from the 90210Soundtrack] was in the middle. The angel's over here [points to right shoulder], "Solider" was in the middle, Turn Your Brain Off is over here [points to left shoulder]. It's more of that with rhyming--just all rhyming, no singing.

So the content is going to be a little darker?

Fam-Lay: Sonically, definitely darker, yes. But the content is all concept, you're turning your fucking brain off. All the rules of making music and the shit that we're used to doing, like you gotta do a hook, verse, hook, verse--we're not even going in thinking [that way]. We're just aiming, and turning our brain off. Let this shit take us to planet Y. I’m sounding like Pharrell right now, he always sounds crazy to me. We stumbled on this--I can’t even say that we thought it up on some brilliant shit, we just turned our brains and came up with this baby. Shomi: There’s some shit that’s in the works, a whole new way of doing distribution. I mean, we're thinking outside of how record labels are used to doing it. The way we’re going to do it, either way, regardless, is going to be the unorthodox way of doing something.

That sounds really cool. The way you package something can be pivotal.

Fam-Lay: The packaging, all that, we're going to Planet Y, man. Fam-Lay shit is gangster. Illusive Media, my twins. They my partners. We got so much good shit coming out now. Shiam: There’s going to be visuals for everything. Fam-Lay: Visuals for everything. I’m spoiled now. I’ve got somebody that I trust and [is a] good person. You’re going to see a lot of shit coming out. I’ve been on the road with them for like three years, so at the time you could pretty much say I was interning, I was soaking in shit. But now I’m just home and ready… Shiam: We’ve got everything we need, to be honest. We got Pharrell on our side, musically. My company has been establishing a relationship with them for a while, so we’ve got everything visually that we need, we don’t need to depend on anyone. Fam-Lay: So you know what that means? We’re pushing the gas. Or we’re pulling the lever, because we're in the ship.

So what type of production style are you into for this album?

Fam-Lay: I’ve always been the type of person that if I like it, I like it. I don’t like aiming, like, “Yo, we need club bangers, so I need a club DJ. I need one for the girls. I need crunk.” If I hear it and it can be some R&B chorus behind it, if I like it I’m going to try to make something out of it and see where it goes. That’s how it’s always been with me.

Are you working with any VA artist on it? Like Lee Major or anyone like that?

Fam-Lay: Not yet, but I fuck with those guys. Shiam: You’ve got Lex Luger. Fam-Lay: Oh yeah, of course Lex. He’s on his way to Y. Incredible. I got a couple joints from him. Me and his homies, we grew up together, so I’ve been over there a few times. My homie, her name is Jenae, shes a female rapper. She’s one of the people that I look for inspiration.

What type of female MC is she? Nicki Minaj? Digable Planets?

Fam-Lay: She’s all that rolled in one. She’s Lauryn [Hill], She’s Nicki. She’s whatever. She’s incredible. She impresses me every time I hear her, so I don’t want to put her in a lane.

Sounds like a lot of the music you're into, you don’t like classifying. "I can’t really describe it but..."

Fam-Lay: See? You’re on your way to Planet Y. That’s good for me. I like to hear that, because I don’t like when artists are in one lane. But the industry wants that lane artist. Like, this is my hip-hop dude, this is my sexy dude for the girls, this is my smoker, this is my crunk dude. I don’t know anybody who’s [one way] all the time. There are days that I feel like I’m a smoker. There are days that I feel like I’m the sexiest nigga in the world--"this is for the ladies." There are days where I feel like doing a drive-by. That’s real. And [those days are] my Achilles’ heel, because a CEO of a company told me, “Yo, I fuck with your music, but what are y’all?” And that’s just what we do, but I own up to it. I like it like that.

---

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How to Get People to Come to Your Shows

Interview I did over the Summer with Rebelution's Bassist, Marley Williams

Growing up in the technology age, the principle that "the medium is the message" still applies greatly. It seems as though almost anyone can record a song, put it online, and build some promotion, with the hopes that their message gets across to as many listeners as possible. However, Rebelution has gone with a more traditional approach. Their success has come through a grass roots campaign that has led their shows to be some of the most popular amongst reggae fans today. Bassist Marley Williams took the time to speak with me over the phone about their rise to popularity, which he explains comes mainly from word of mouth advertising. This form of advertising, he explains, could not be possible without one common similarity between the listener and the music: an honest feeling behind the message.

It seems like you guys have a really big grass roots fan base coming up through college, which is a really hard accomplishment nowadays. How did you come up with such a large local following, especially with people not coming out and spending money on local acts like they used to?

I think we developed a sound a lot of people can relate to, especially the youth, us being two to four years removed from college. I think a lot of people can relate to what we’re trying to say and put out there, and it’s really cool to see their reaction. We even have a lot of high schoolers who come out to our shows. I think it’s mostly about the sound, and then I think a certain thing is how consistently we tour and how much work we put in, and how great of a job our management, our booking agency, and publishing [does]. Everybody plays their roles really well, and everybody has to stay up and keep up. That’s the name of the game with a lot of things, but especially with music. There’s constantly windows opening and closing if you don’t take advantage of those windows, your chances of reaching all these people diminishes. You’ve got to catch people while you can, and I think that we’ve done a good job of putting it all together and providing a show where people can go and get a consistent style with a few surprises. And people like them, who will put their worries aside and have a good time… That’s actually the strongest way to develop that grassroots following, is word of mouth. That’s more powerful than any flyer, any Facebook message, commercial, whatever.

Yeah, that reminds me of a conversation I was having yesterday about how live music is coming to a point where you have to truly create an experience in order to captivate people.

Yeah, you said it right, it’s about creating an environment open to anyone. We’re going to come to a certain city once a year, we're going to bring something to the table. Acts are doing that more and more these days--it’s less about the studio albums. It’s about always keeping it fresh, always keeping it creative, trying to come up with some sort of mechanism that creates excitement that hasn’t been beaten to death. In the live shows it’s something that you can only be in one place at one time, so that’s what it’s about.

What’s something you do to try to give every show its own eclectic feel?

We always work hard on our set list. It’s not like were not the newest band, but we only have two albums out and we’ve only been nationally touring for about four years. And then on top of that, [we] go to all these festivals with [fans who have] expectations. So, we're always trying to implement things in our set that keep it fresh or fun, or sometimes you’ve got to keep some traditions too, when people like things.

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Its in The Trees!

Review I did awhile back of Radiohead's The King of Limbs

I wonder if there is a correlation between a band's ability to produce consistently good work and their ability to break musical conventions. After establishing a “pay what you will” system for their previous release, In Rainbows, Radiohead delivers fans The King of Limbs, announcing the album one week before its release date. Although it is uncommon for a band to release an album a week after announcing it, Radiohead cleverly utilized their musical clout to disregard any big marketing ploy or elongated, dramatic hype for the album. Instead, multiple media and social outlets did the publicizing for them. However, this methodology was only ultimately successful due to the British natives delivering another masterwork consistent with the rest of their timeless catalog. The band has cited their main influence and inspiration for this album as a 1,000 year old oak tree near Wiltshire’s Savernake Forest in England, a spot they frequently visited during their recording sessions for In Rainbows in 2005. Like with many Radiohead albums, The King of Limbs can be interpreted in numerous ways, yet a tone distinctive to the voice of nature Radiohead are attempting to convey can be heard throughout. The album begins with the offbeat “Bloom," a track that builds in sections to a harmonious plateau, which creates an optimistic-sounding ambient introduction. The next three tracks cohesively fit in an array of influences, from Eastern tones to offbeat jazz tempos similar to those used on In Rainbows.

Over their vast recording career, Radiohead’s ability to draw from so many different influences and blend them to a coherent, consistent tone has solidified their work as a vital cornerstone to contemporary music. Throughout the album, they synthesize electronic tones similar to those on Kid A while remaining committed to live instrumentation. This is especially exemplified in the album’s hit single, “Lotus Flower." The final three tracks fade into a mellower, calmer soundscape with simpler instrumentation. Although The King Of Limbs is the shortest Radiohead album to date, the sculpted feel of these final few tracks expresses a relaxed vibe that results in a calming, purposeful end.

The more I listen to The King of Limbs, the more I enjoy it. Although it does not have the same groundbreaking sound and message of other albums in the band’s catalog, The King of Limbs is a solid example of Radiohead’s consistent blend of an array of instrumentation. The album is true to its pretense of creating a musical painting of nature. Considering the work as a portrayal of a topic every listener is in tune with and interacts with every day, it becomes clear that there is no single correct interpretation of the album (in fact, every review I’ve read up to this point explains the album in a very different light). Perhaps this is the true genius of Radiohead’s prolific career--music that is as reflective as the water we see our own face in.

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Daily Record: Return of 4Eva- Big K.R.I.T.

Review I did awhile back of Return of 4Eva.

There are certain mix tapes that will always remain classics to me. In high school, I use to cruise with a cup of coffee and listen to my favorite new tapes before my morning Psychology class. Somehow, despite my morning daze and sporadic attendance, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs resonated as an important topic to remember from that class. At the top of Maslow's Triangle came the point of Self-Actualization, or realizing the purpose of one's life. The theory of self-actualization can clearly be applied to Hip-Hop, and Big K.R.I.T.'s Return of 4Eva is a prime example. The Gulf Coast native provides thoughtful lyricism through the technique of traditional southern drawl. He creates a perfect balance between introspective, intelligent lyrics and trunk-knocking bangers to make one of the more complete tapes I’ve heard this year. K.R.I.T.’s lyricism covers an array of self-reflective topics. A main topic is his dreams of making it in hip-hop, with criticisms of the industry’s money-first, artist’s-happiness-later system. Although this topic is depicted by almost every up and coming artist, on "Dreamin," K.R.I.T gives an honest description of having his dreams shot down by anyone not brave enough to follow their own. Even tracks like “American Rapstar” depict the industry as nearly equivalent to modern day slavery, with the artist constantly under pressure to churn out a hit, or hit the curb. Metaphorical pieces like “Highs and Lows” and “Made Alot,” although reflecting the ups and down of a modern day rap star, are also able to resonate with my typical college life. Interesting.

The tape also delivers some subwoofer specials. Of course, “My Sub” makes my 97 Subaru Outback speakers knock like Jehovah's Witnesses on a Sunday. I still have no idea what the word “Sookie” means [Urban dictionary is here to help! -ed.], but teaming up with fellow southern all-star David Banner on “Sookie Now” makes it my new favorite slang. The Mississippi MC is not shy of word play either. Featuring legendary heavyweights Bun-B and Ludacris, “Country Shit” is probably my favorite track on the album, and K.R.I.T. delivers a verse that competes with the best of the South. His wordplay exhibits traditional Southern ad lib and flows, but sheds an original light on the style. Consistency is key to creating a classic, and this tape delivers in all facets.

Return of 4Eva might be the mixtape of the summer, if not the year. The XXL Freshman might be swinging for valedictorian of the class with this piece, but don’t be surprised if he rises to the top of the new school. 4Eva is, like any other fine work of art, reflective to everyone. Fun yet intelligent, energetic yet relaxed, the Mississippian’s seventh tape could very easily have been a suitable major label debut. Return of 4Eva breathes life into traditional hip-hop. Self-actualization is difficult to obtain, but it basically means the acceptance of the all-encompassing traits that make us human. K.R.I.T. doesn’t say he’s fun or smart, he shows you. Some MC’s strictly label themselves as “conscious” or “crunk” or whatever, but as one of my good friends from my Psychology class pointed out, they’re all one and the same. Return of 4Eva represents this opinion well, and the consistency of relatable content makes it the definition of classic, based quite simply on how much you can listen to it, and how much it can relate to your day to day. Big K.R.I.T.’s big tape sets a bar that, if kept at a consistent level, will truly make Return of 4Eva (and K.R.I.T.) forever relevant.

[anicklebagofthought-blog-blog]

Odd Future Gets Signed - I don't care what you say, these kids are still fuckin' awesome. 

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Chip Tha Ripper- Gift Raps

Chip drops (as promised) Gift Raps today! I posted a video a little while ago off his single "Light One Up". The EP features knockout production by The Cool Kids' Chuck English and artwork to follow suite from his last tape, The Cleveland Show. Look out for more collabs with Chip and The Cool Kids in their new super group, Pulled Over By The Cops featuring Freddie Gibbs and production by The Blended Babies.

Download Link: http://www.usershare.net/getrightmusic/0976vavi9y7g/Gift%20Raps%20-%20GetRightMusic.zip

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-Odd Future Invades MTV!

oddfuture:

So, Tomarrow ( thursday) Watch MTV At 4pm. OFWGKTA Will Be On There. Tell Everyone.

If you think its wack that these kids are on MTV now and a bunch of sellouts, then you should just quit. These BastardCore (as I call them) kids are truly crusades in breathing fresh, creative life into the world of Hip-Hop. It's a happy day when Hip-Hop Heads and MTV can bang "Yonkers" next to each other in 5 o' clock traffic.

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Fire The Bass Cannon!: Excision Blasts the Canal Club

- First show review.

The urinal in front of me is clamorously shaking. Everyone in the rest room has started screaming. Their elongated wait is over: Downlink has begun. “Perfect timing,” I find myself thinking, after waiting all day for the thunderous opening bass drop to inject into my eardrum. The crowd dances in waves of radical movement, with arms flailing, cigarette smoke dissipating into the air, and gyrating bodies in a sea of composite rhythm.

Making my way into the crowd, I find an eclectic mix of fans. Combinations of glow sticks and glitter, body paint and bandanas, and everything in between adorn all those around me (honestly, dubstep might be responsible for the sale of more Lacrosse Pinnies and vintage NBA jerseys than their respective sports). No matter what show you go to, dubstep has its own unique atmosphere I’ve never experienced anywhere else. It reminds me of old photos I’ve seen of punk shows, full of a raw, intense energy shared amongst everyone there. This is not to be mistaken for a frat-party dance floor or ordinary night at the club; shows like this are special.

After missing Antiserum due to a late night class, I arrived in time for Downlink, the distinctive DJ who works heavily with Excision (including a feature on the opening portion of Excision’s Shambhala mix), and is currently touring with him. The Canadian native delivered heavy hitting tracks combined with dance floor anthems and powerful synth lines. His original flow left the crowd in constant motion. Layered perfectly with some acapella lines exemplifying hip-hop’s hard knock attitude, the result produced a massive music, understood and synthesized by the audience, that left everyone captivated.

Although dubstep usually involves constant movement, each DJ has their own unique characteristics with which they get the crowd moving. With the synthesis of drum and bass lines in harsh rhythms, plus energetic metal leads, and finished off with some hip-hop swag, Excision delivered an all night dance party. The first time I heard Excision was when a friend sent me his Shambhala 2010 mix. I was intrigued by his ability to create this hour and a half compilation of the year’s most popular dubstep remixes, and wondered how a live show would be, given the amount of material. I don’t casually listen to dubstep, but when I heard Excision was coming to Richmond, I knew I’d have to be there.

Excision impressed by delivering fan favorites such as “Swagga” and “Boom,” plus some portions of the Shambhala mix, as well as fresh mixes for the hour and a half set. Even after he was finished, fans waited patiently, covered in sweat and glitter, for nearly twenty minutes with the lights on, on the small chance of an encore. Now that is dedication. Overall, Excision delivered an engaging and enthralling musical venture to a completely compact ocean of rhythmically harmonious dancers.

The power-punching dance party delivered by these Canadian dubstep DJs brought one of the most original energies to a show I’ve seen this year. It is truly one of the only experiences that connects the audience’s movement to the music, with everyone in anticipation for a rhythm or lead change to exercise a different swing. Dub Nation delivered a knock out combo with Excision and Downlink (and judging from what I’ve heard online, I probably should’ve left class a little earlier to hear AntiSerum’s mixes as well).

If you haven’t made it out to a Dub Nation production around town yet, peep their Spring Massive, coming up March 11th at the Canal Club. It will be a full feature dance party with music ranging from house to dubstep to Baltimore Club, including artists Datsik, Z-Trip, and Smash Gordon. I promise it will live up to the same riveting performance of Excision and Downlink, full of music true to the audience--with every move defined, of course, by incredibly massive bass.

[anicklebagofthought-blog-blog]

This is off Chip's new project Gift Raps with The Cool Kids' Chuck Inglish, drops March 1st. Enjoy.

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Throwback of the Day:Eminem- My Name Is.

If you don't laugh at this song then you need to take Not Giving a Fuck 101.

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New Lupe Single!

http://www.complex.com/music/2011/02/listen-lupe-fiasco-all-black-everything

New Lupe single off Lasers "All Black Everything".

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New Kanye Video. And to you Illuminati conspiracy theorist that are going to pester the YouTube comment section, I'll save you the trouble: "Lights"=Enlightened Path= Latin translation= Lucifer= Self Empowerment= Illuminati= Photo shopped image of George W. Bush, Kanye West, Lady GaGa, and Tom Cruise all having a jerk circle over a dead goat with tiki torches lit in the basement of a Chuck E Cheeses.

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I will post a Joe Budden song everyday until every American admits that he's one of the most underrated MC's ever.

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Throwback of the Day: Self explanatory.

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It's Friday, so that means shit from the Fucking Awesome crew is inevitable. New Tyler, the Creator video "Yonkers" off his upcoming album Goblin. Possibly interviewing these guys in D.C. at the U Street Music Hall so go to their  show if you're in the area, you won't regret it. Enjoy.

"Slowly, very slowly, like two unhurried compass needles, the feet turned towards the right; north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-south-west; then paused, and, after a few seconds, turned as unhurriedly back towards the left. South-south-west, south, south-east, east......"- Brave New World

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Throwback of the Day: Because really, who hasn't finished blasting their pecs to this song?