jakejamesjournalism

[jakejamesjournalism]

a quick thought of the day...

For the record, I’ve always been a liberal voter who disagreed with moving forward on impeachment.  I thought it wasn’t politically astute, giving President Trump the chance to complain and moan about an ongoing investigation would inadvertently turn into his most auspicious talking point.  The President doesn’t want to talk about policy-when the conversation is about nothing Trump is at his best.  So I always thought an impeachment inquiry would give him permission to talk about it rather acquiescently.  My opinion changed this week after the recent transcripts of conversation between the President of Ukraine and Mr. Trump

There are plenty of underlying crimes to allude in this bombshell of a transcript.  Trump buttering up Zelensky, undermining our allies before asking for a favor.  A favor that included a foreign government conducting opposition research on behalf of one of the President’s most vocal disputants.  Did I mention he predicted a Ukrainian economy boost? It sure sounded like a bribe to me.  But aside from all those alarming aspects of this crucial piece of correspondence, none of them are the missing the winning message. 

“Aside from all the other crimes, the President of the United States is using his own personal lawyer, who doesnt represent the united states in any capacity,  to handle important matters of foreign policy. the presidents crooked laywer has more of a say in what goes on than the officials you good citizens have elected, and the officials you trusted them to appoint. That is literally- and i mean literally- the highest form of corruption.”- Hopefully Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Candidates in the near future 2019-2020.

That is the winning message.  The president’s mob lawyer has more power than the Secretary of State.  It clearly undermines democracy, it’s unconstitutional-but it’s also in black and white, easy to understand.  It’s being dangled in front of us like it’s no big deal.  Public opinion for recognizing that as extremely disturbing will be extremely high.  It is in fact the winning message. 

Getting caught up in the logistics of Hunter Biden’s business practices will only give Fox and Trump time to spin this into something it’s not.  I’m not advising Democratic politicians to barely acknowledge anything about the transcript related to Biden-but Biden nor his son are the President.  I hope they focus in on something the public can really grasp on an apolitical level.  For the last time, The President of the United States is using his personal lawyer to conduct vital matters of foreign affairs.  That my friends is an impeachable offense.

[jakejamesjournalism]

dear david berman, us kids were just getting to know you...

When David Berman released his 2019 self-titled album Purple Mountains, I went into the first listen unbeknownst to his late 1990s cult status.  To my surprise, Purple Mountains was a one listen record for me.  I’m a sucker for artists notorious for hiding dark and nihilistic imagery in a whirl of synthesizers like David Byrne-and in the case of David Berman, playful folksy guitar jingles.  Using infectious twang and square dance blues, Mr. Berman hides one of the saddest albums I’ve ever heard in plain sight.  At times, it reminds me of the innocuous mundane nature of the best Courtney Barnett lyrics, making you feel comfortable as a listener that David is in a good place and had found an outlet for creativity again after years of stagnation.  Throughout all the albums blunt, cathartic negativity, I didn’t feel uncomfortable thinking about his headspace.  It was his first album in ten years.  And since has become an instant favorite of mine, I quickly hearkened back to the music he was writing when I was six years old.  His music with Pavement and Co. defines that acclaimed 90s slacker rock, but ‘Purple Mountains’ is the strongest poetic effort of his career. He did start years ago, but from the sound of the new record he seemed to be coming into focus as someone who could captivate a younger generation for years to come. 

While the record initially came off as a playful meditation on some ethereal and yes, dark and macabre things took a sinister turn just a month after the album’s release when David took his own life. The album took on new meaning instantly. No longer was this a jaunty alt-country opus about a man who knew where he stood.  ‘Purple Mountains’ proved to be the autobiography of a of man on the brink. On repeat listens to this now Shakespearean-eques tragedy, some of those previously thought of “innocuous” moments maybe weren’t so.  A perfect example of this is ‘Margaritas at the Mall.’  Berman goes on a crusade against the ‘subtly of God’ like a man who is truly on his way to meet her.  “How can the world go on with no new word from God” he ponders with great intensity, so concentrated you felt his desire to ask the question personally. Right now.  He also spent parts of the album writing twisted love songs like the late album gem ‘Story Line Fever,’ a House of Cards style guitar anthem that runs smoothly and effortlessly for over four minutes before a marvelous breakdown at the tracks end in which the noises eventually twist into a psych rock black hole before breaking into more uplifting guitar pop.  It’s one of the most complete songs he’s ever written, and retrospectively acts as a bittersweet reminder than maybe with a few things done differently, solace in songs like this could in fact be found and harbored-creating something to live for.

After years of an unimaginable amount of inner turmoil and musical setbacks, in 2019’s Purple Mountains, David Berman found his way into the airwaves of the indie rock world.  With the help of Drag City, a small independent label based out of Chicago with a good reputation for getting their artists heard and paid appropriately, David Berman had the best release of his life.  Tour dates were imminent…I would’ve bought a ticket.  The opportunity to hear your own witty and one-of-a-kind lyrics sung back at you.  The shit that can cure depression.

Maybe David poured so much of himself into his last album that he truly felt he had nothing left to give in this world.  “I was once hospitalized for approaching perfection” he jeered on the Silver Jews fan favorite ‘Random Rules…’ but sadly those were simpler times.  The last 44 minutes of music he put on record will stick with me, a record that carries so much emotional weight now you could confuse it with the timeless Arcade Fire classic ‘Funeral.’  The scale might not be as epic, but Purple Mountains is every bit as affective as any album this decade. 

I do not presume to know David, or a liken his mental struggles with my own, I’m simply speaking from the perspective of a young millennial who also struggles with depression.  Someone who really cherished and took to heart David’s message-thrilled to have found a new songwriter who captures my bleak outlook of the world with a cynical personality.  Something that was once an album that helped me feel anything but alone, now has a very isolating effect on me.  I’m not in the dark, I’m actually quite happy, especially when I listen to his music, which makes all of this even harder to explain.  Rest in Peace David Berman, your legacy will continue to live through my headphones every once in a while- I just wish you stuck around.

[jakejamesjournalism]

hash tag no filter on that Bon Iver post...

Pre-Trilogy, Pre stadium, Pre label, 2,500 kids in a small club. Legendary show.

[jakejamesjournalism]

I actually went to Big Gigantic raves back in the day. Literally.

[jakejamesjournalism]

Americana had a better time than most people think.  Old favorites like Conor Oberst excelled in late career maturity that was never featured in his raw and emotional early work.  Jason Isbell packed stadiums all over the country with a unifying take on heartland rock-Father John Misty had a hell of a time, while the War on Drugs entered the best band in the world discussion.  Good stuff from Kurt Vile, Yo La Tengo, The National, New Springsteen and others round out the playlist.

(via https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7rWiCHKMPXEbwH88JhLWH7?si=_VnURIhuSfOxIwYfHUlYSA)

[jakejamesjournalism]

Headphone Music. Yaeji, Board of Canada, Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, The Smiths, Brittney Howard, and the world famous piano balladeer Richard. D James.  Much more as well, listen! But get some sleep 

(via https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Z483scHnLc5OPpkbA93lu?si=nZr_rE0uSkiadq12GPSuPg)

[jakejamesjournalism]

A couple playlists I made today reminiscing on the decades best in their respected areas of expertise.  Above is a collection of my favorite underground/independently released hip-hop this decade.  Some really good stuff here...Enjoy

(via https://open.spotify.com/playlist/16SK1Sx6yPY66bGxkKeIOa?si=KUA_KkadR4O7jnfjAvwPtA)

[jakejamesjournalism]

spinning this week...

“OOOOO Diamonds Peek-a-boo.”

Historically I’ve never really been a fan of optimistic music.  Sure, here and there an undeniably genius pop record will captive even the nihilists like myself, but all in all the scales are tipped more forwards the tortured souls of the songwriting game.  Something about that has eerily changed this week and it’s giving me the creeps.  But resisting it would be willingly making myself devoid of happiness and even I’m not that crazy.  I recently went back to school and the weathers been splendid so I haven’t much to complain about.  

That’s why there is absolutely no shame in me dedicating most of my spins this week to classic Oasis records, Young Thug’s new opus So Much Fun, and that bubblegum single by the Regrettes ‘I Dare You,’ a band that recently inked a deal with a major.  The class oasis records come from a certain yearning to hear the new Liam Gallagher album which I have been anticipating for months now.  I think the singles responsible for getting this hype train going cemented him as a better solo artist than his equally arrogant brother Noel.  Oh would you look at that! I just checked Spotify and the album is out today.  (I knew 9/20 was important when I woke up but I just put it together writing this.)  I’ll grab my headphones momentarily…

But grabbing headphones this week really got me immersed into the world of Young Thug.  So Much Fun is so fluid.  It’s a wonderful listen filled with real songwriting, real rapping, real cameos, and real beats.  Just because Young Thug paints pictures of bright imagery with pitch shifting phrases rather than wordy verses filled with predictable punchlines makes him one of the more idiosyncratic voices in hip-hop.  He’s the Jackson Pollack of the rap game-and So Much Fun cements his legacy as one of the greatest American songwriters regardless of the haters that will always criticize his single-minded subject matter.  To me, what he says doesn’t mean nearly as much as how he says it. His restrained temperament on the albums opener ‘Just How it is’ shows the patience of an experienced songwriter.  The song with Lil Uzi Vert is so acrobatic between the two of them the vocals intertwine with the well placed bird chirps to create a beautiful sounding motif of sound. Drake is often credited with advancing the rap/sing/rap/sing flow, and deservedly so-although when Drake does it you can usually divide it into sections where as young thugs take on the technique is so free formed and slimy you can’t put it in any sort of box.

Definitely Maybe and So Much Fun are both feel good records.  Giving me the middle-finger saying that sentimentality and optimistic can be just as artistic as the more cynical approached to rock-especially in the 1990s where Radiohead and Nirvana reigned supreme with cynicism and depression unrivaled in music at the time.  Oasis was a breath of fresh air, and the new Liam Gallagher stuff if opening my eyes to an important band that had a lot of strength and vision to deviate so hard from the mainstream while executing pop rock music at an extremely high level.  

I’m going to turn up the new Liam when I get home from the Gym, till then, it’s So Much Fun.  Listen to him at BBC Acoustic playing the new singles... Young Thug links in article.

[jakejamesjournalism]

the enduring legacy of dj rashad

There’s no way around it, Hip Hop had an unhealthy share of premature death this decade.  Guns and Drugs.  Kendrick brings the Compton gun crisis straight through your stereo over trunk rattling production.  Future brings you the euphoria of deadly drugs over trunk rattling production. The same topics that often times fuel the best art and impassioned hip hop serve as a double-edged sword, especially when the message is so often misunderstood.  Clapton swears Cocaine is “cleverly anti-drug” while Kendrick’s lyrics on Swimming Pools paint an obviously bleak picture of alcoholism, it doesn’t make either of those songs anything less than incredible party anthems. Rappers often do the same with gun violence, often times they’re pro-gun violence as a means of conflict resolution. Nipsey and X were murdered in their own streets.  Mac overdosed at 27.  Lil Peep was 21.

DJ Rashad was 34.  He didn’t reach massive audiences like the artists above but their vices contributed to his tragic death as well.  As a Chicago native, he also had an immeasurable influence on the rich sub culture of footwork that remains one of the most defining underground legacies of the last ten years. Infatuated by music at a young age, Rashad Harden and his high school friend and later co-producer Morris Harper (DJ Spinn) instantly bonded over their shared interest in the thriving Chicago acid house scene and the fast-footed juke style dance crazes that came along with the music.  Harden got his foot in the door as a disc jockey at WKKC- a nonprofit urban contemporary still operating today.  Programming didn’t seem to be enough of a creative challenge for him at the station so Harden and Harper started to produce their own music to juke to and tried to perform at local parties as frequently as possible.  His knack for increasing the sonic potential of the footwork genre was instantaneously evident.

The Teklife crew, founded by DJ Rashad and now notorious in the local area had enough traction to gain the attention of some of the independent labels responsible for bringing footwork to the masses.  His track ‘Iz Not Rite’ was Rashad’s first taste of global attention, the song was released on Planet Mu, the same label that repped Burial. The tracks uncanny ability to blend vocal harmonies with the high BPMs necessary for the genre to function was still away from my ears personally, but Hyperdub heard it first and the UK indie label gave him a platform to release his breakthrough single ‘Let it Go.’ After the success of two Eps, the road was paved for his game changing debut album ‘Double Cup.’ 

Double Cup most definitely caught my attention and it did so without me having any idea about Chi-Town dance craze it was associated with.  I wasn’t listening as a fan of footwork-to me the album is just an incredible piece of instrumental hip-hop.  His ability to use the human voice as a production tool-the hypnotizing rhythmic repetition on ‘She a Go’ breaks down beautifully into something that can almost be constituted as the albums only official rap verse-the elegant horns on the intro track- the masterful use chipmunk soul on ‘Show You How.’  All these are trademarks of my favorite hip hop.  An album with such high BPMs shouldn’t come off this airy and spacious. DJ Rashad gives both the listener and the dancer a second to breathe and improvise.  These tracks would kill on a dancefloor, but the diverse sonic palette makes for a killer headphone experience as well.

Aside from his savant like production skills, the record bears the soul and the psyche of a man like no other instrumental record before it.  The outro to ‘I Don’t Give a Fuck’ is abrasive and intentionally noisy enough to be confused with Death Grips-it’s the sound of a man truly paranoid and numb.  On the very next track, the title track, he indulges as a means to escape.  His mind goes to happier pastures as well, ‘Only One’ is a twisted footwork love song of sorts-and I’m Too Hi gives the footwork crowd something to really juke to with an exhilarating piece of avant-jazz techno fusion.  Acid Bit is another gem-a thrilling blend of clashing drums and pulsating synths that is definitely more fitting for a red bull and vodka than an acid trip, but maybe that’s just DJ Rashad fucking with you. 

DJ Rashad’s final opus is a benchmark in modern day instrumental hip-hop. Wildly ahead of its time now that I’m looking back on it knowing the directions the genre went in.  With Double Cup the mood was so authentic and so all-encompassing that it had to be tragically proven to us only a year later. This wasn’t just an ambiance created by heavy drums and drug references, this was the heart and soul of Rashad Harden. Knowing that, Double Cup remains the closet you can get to absorbing a drug life without consumption-the elation, the euphoria, the escape, the comedown…the tragedy.

Rashad Harper’s swan song remains a classic to the city of Chicago, to the global footwork movement, to me.  I’ve tried to get into other footwork artists since his tragic overdose in 2014, and it just doesn’t feel right.  To me, it was never about the athletically challenging dance, but the music.  His posthumous single with Danny Brown was a gratifying affirmation of the man I always knew to be a catalyst in forward thinking hip hop. It’s almost cruel we got to hear one incredible example of what his music would sound like with the help of an accomplished lyricist.  Teklife also released a beautiful compilation comprised of several DJ Rashad collaborations under an album appropriately named ‘Afterlife.’  While the intentions of this release come from the best place and while this album features some trademark DJ Rashad idiosyncrasies, the cohesive nature of Double Cup was sorely missed.  20 years plus in the making, DJ Rashad took footwork to exciting new heights.  Double Cup is the defining statement.

 Rest in Peace Rashad Harden (October 9, 1979 – April 26, 2014)

[jakejamesjournalism]

To Jake:

I was cleaning out my room when I found this promo copy of Christina’s debut album signed to me. 😂

[jakejamesjournalism]

things are looking up for a$ap, but just because he’s home doesn’t mean its over...

In what has since made international headlines, the saga surrounding A$AP Rocky’s early June altercation involving a potential stalker and sharp objects is about to come to an end.  After weeks of imprisonment that included a Tweet from the president on his behalf via Kim and Kanye, charges of assault were officially wagered on A$AP on his squad on July 25th.  Sweden has a no bail system, and Presidents influence proved fruitless in the matter.

At the conclusion of a four-day trial A$AP was allowed to travel home with an initial ruling on the matter coming August 14th.  I expect it highly unlikely for any outcome to not favor Rocky.  Even if the ruling stands and a prison sentence is implemented, his time served should more than make up for the required length of the incarceration.  The chance of him seeing a Swiss jail cell again are extremely unlikely. 

Although he only spent a month in the can, it’s always interesting to see how a rapper responds to doing time.  Meek Mill turned into a lane to revitalize his career. Weezy has never been the same.  The last time we heard from him on record I believe was on ‘Potato Salad’ a track built on a resurface Ye beat that features Tyler.  The playful nature of the track had A$AP in a great place giving a great verse.  His psyche and music have both veered down some dark chopped and screwed Harlem streets.  Here he sounds at ease, in the zone, dare I say happy. It suits him, and I wish him well next Wednesday.  I need that same energy from him in order to get some of that same potato salad.  It looks like they’re cooking some up now. 

😋

[jakejamesjournalism]

the new angel olsen single/video is so artsy it hurts

Talented songwriter Angel Olsen has been on my radar as an artist to always watch for quite sometime now.  Her last album ‘My Woman’ features a devastating cut ‘Sister,’ a track I often revisit.  Her show with Father John in Central Park was excellent.  So is her cabaret inspired shot last call whiskey pop on the new Mark Ronson record.  From her honest bedroom songwriting in the early part of the decade to the ethereal pop she’s singing at the end of it, Angel has adapted well. “It's not just me for you/I have to look out too/ I have to save my life/ I need some piece of mind.” Angel on ‘unfucktheworld‘, a highlight of her 2014 album Burn Your Fire for No Witness.  I think shes found the piece of mind she was looking for.

The kind where you can take your art to new places without any discretion. That’s exactly what Angel does on “All Mirrors” the first single from her upcoming album.  The new single thinks its far more ornate than it really is.  Fans of Kate Bush ‘art pop’ will go nuts over this but its far from Running Up the Hill.  The video is so ostentatious in it’s 18th century dresses and black and white delivery that it makes focusing on her songwriting nearly impossible.  They drift and seem unimportant for a songwriter usually so keen on getting her narrative point across.

[jakejamesjournalism]

The last record wasn’t very good. This is.

[jakejamesjournalism]

in a maze of electronica, floating points stands out

“Intelligent Dance Music” or IDM has to be the most pretentious sub-genre in music.  “Lounge Pop” doesn’t have a thing on IDM.  Although the name is unbearably smug, it is not without reason. Essentially, the broad term was coined to describe electronic music that didn’t equate itself with the bass-dropping mainstream Electronic Dance Music (EDM) scene. Whether that scene is comprised of unintelligent people is irrelevant, IDM enthusiasts thought so and wanted to move far away from the molly tweaking acid heads that were representing electronic music on a national scale.  This is nothing new.  This underground has had a usually innocuous one-sided feud with mainstream EDM starting in the late 80s and still existing to some extent today.

Genre labels aside, I’ve been exploring more and more into the depths of instrumental music in recent years, from electronic albums to film scores.  One of the great things about having eclectic favorite artists that are constantly reinventing themselves is that they are perpetually introducing you to new and diverse groups of musicians you would have otherwise remained unfamiliar with.  This happened a lot in 2015. Kendrick released ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ a landmark rap album that exposed me to a wonderful free jazz landscape.  After a few listens I started to explore other forms of jazz, ultimately leading me to spend a ton of time listening to great modern-day players like Kamasi Washington, Vijay Iyer, and Shabaka Hutchings.

The same can be said about the influence of Jamie xx.  The release of ‘In Colour’ was significant in the evolution of my curiosity to further explore the possibilities of electronic music. ‘In Colour’ was an album with just enough human voices to keep your uninterrupted attention while remaining so self-aware in its own sonic solidity.  This textural sleep sound electronica was also better at constructing feel good anthems than most mainstream pop songwriters, the records control of so many areas of synthesized music will reign supreme as a music marvel for years to come.

Eleania, the debut record from neuroscientist Sam Shepherd may not deserve similar praise, but exploring the possibilities of electronic music is something he most definitely does.  In fact, the brainchild behind Floating Points does a good job defying genre categorization in a culture quick to do so.  A unique mix of groovy electronics and sputtering jazz that always surprises has caught the ears of a dedicated national fan base.  When it comes to surprises, new singles LesAlpx/Coorabell are no different.  For someone who usually revels in ambiance, low-key grooves and sputtering jazz the excellent new singles are pulsating house songs.  Floating Points has never been afraid to up the BPMs ‘Argente’ and even get shoegaze-y and abrasive on ‘Peroration Six’ but these new tracks are way faster than anything in his catalogue I’m familiar with. 

Both pieces sound awesome.  For a genre so famous for how disposable their tracks become, house music this refined can come off as extremely refreshing. Floating Points proves house music can yield new adventures on repeat listens. In every piece of music he tries his hand in, he seems to do it with a nuance and grace in a space that finds artists struggling to separate themselves... Mr. Shephard makes it obvious and does so with ease.

LesAlpx

Coorabell

Peroration Six 

[jakejamesjournalism]

the case for a cardi b presidency

9/1

This weeks political landscape has been a busy one, with the testimony of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the Democratic debates being held within just seven days of each other. The Mueller testimony generally failed in its hope to be the democratic parties last hope to really sway public opinion on the special counsels report to favor impeachment inquiries.  While he pointed to several issues that were “beyond problematic” and other concrete examples of obstruction of justice, public opinion remained unchanged.  The same could be said about the lackluster debates among twenty presidential hopefuls.  The field was still too wide to create a tension worth sitting on the edge of your seat over but the parties ability to shoot themselves in the foot remains an unfortunate burden that will never not frustrate.  Thankfully, an insightful Elizabeth Warren pointed out this self-inflicted wound.  “We are the democrats” she said proudly “We are not trying to take away health care from anyone, that’s the republicans.”

Senator Warren had a great point, but the meticulous details of a Medicare system overhaul deserves a fleshed out debate.  “Medicare-For-All-Who-Want-It” Mayor Pete cleverly puts it while other members hash out fine line details about the relationship between the public and private sectors role in the health care of the American people.  It’s a topic well-worth discussing, but it creates one of these disassociating black mirror-esque moments that are often symptomatic in the Trump presidency.  We are debating scrupulous health care points with vigor and precise detail in a country ran by a leader who doesn’t even read legislation, never mind construct it.  Even so the 2020 race will be close.  Sometimes it hurts your head.  

Donald J. Trump, despite all his incompetence, is undeniably a ruthless man.  A true alpha male who frequently resorts to race baiting bully tactics to take as much attention away from the fact he is not up to the task of the job intellectually.  Making the race as apolitical as possible gives him the playing field he’s most familiar with. When the conversation is about nothing Trump is at his best.  He wants to talk about the size of his penis, not child care.  Mastering the political tactics of hyperbole and branding have helped him keep the shtick going.  Remember we are talking about a man who lost more money for 11 straight years than anyone in America and got elected president on his business acumen.  If he’s anything, he’s in the running for the greatest con artist in human history.

For the record I essentially disagree with every political stance the president has taken.  But I am far from the politically correct liberal who tries to pretend like he’s not even there to better their morning meditation class.  I myself have become fascinated with Trump and his brazen unhinged Twitter behavior that makes me simultaneously laugh and cry. He talks so directly to his base on Twitter they are brainwashed into thinking that Donald is just another friend with similar nationalist ideas.  His hilariously ignorant affability is often times the perk of my day.  It’s a coping mechanism of mine.  However, this week the tweets took a sinister turn. Racially motivated attacks were made against four minority women of congress.  These unconstitutional attacks were widely condemned by everyone but Republican lawmakers.  His devoted fan base threw fuel on the fire by chanting “Send them back!” loud and cohesively at the President’s very next rally.  Trump stood there with his head held high basking in the bigotry.  He ended the week with an attack on the city of Baltimore alluding that the 7th district is a place in which no human being would want to live.  A city in his America.

I’m from a city in his America.  The same one he is from actually.  The same one Cardi B and AOC are from.  (Which would make sending AOC back to where she came from hard to explain.)  I try to stay informed- AOC clearly does her part- but some of the most poignant public support for democratic policies has been from rap superstar Cardi B, who once again released a statement of public support in regards to the four congresswomen just weeks after doing the same from Rep. Omar.  It’s no secret Cardi B demands to be heard-but it’s not just her provocative bars and charismatic social media presence that’s doing the most good-it’s her actions.  

Recently the Bronx native had a chance to interview liberal icon and presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. The wide-ranging interview discussed topics of student loan debt cancellation, climate change, and social justice reform.  Definitely not the most status quo duo in politics but the two of them together make for a good blend of entertainment and information that reaches a broad coalition of Americans.  Their partnership is part of an outreach program to invigorate young voters.  In a statement about the initiative Cardi said “Together, let’s build a movement of young people to transform this country.”

When it comes to that rhetoric, Cardi B more than backs it up.  As early as 2016 Cardi openly endorsed Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary via Instagram, in 2017 she went on cogent stream of conscious asking the government poignant questions about where the hell our tax dollars go “I WANT RECEIPTS! I WANT RECEIPTS!” I Believe was the quote.  Cardi also referred to FDR as the real MAGA president for his role in implementing social security, a post endorsed by Bernie himself.  She criticized Trump on his government shutdown in January 2019 and has remained loyal to her support for Bernie.

Politics isn’t new to her and it sure isn’t a hobby, this is a passion of hers and her affinity with Senator Sanders is far from a novelty.  Cardi B has known what’s been going on for quite some time now and telling you how she feels is not something she shies away from, its precisely why we love her. Her power lies in her shameless ability to tell the unsolicited truth and nothing but the truth in the bluntest way possible.  In comparison this ranks just about evenly with the lack of veracity behind so many of the Presidents statements.  The honesty of Cardi B may just be his kryptonite.

Cardi B has always been a musical outlet for the oppressed... hell an outlet for everybody- to let go of their current troubles put up their middle fingers and say fuck you to all their problems. Her music has acted as a subtle but poignant antithesis for the current political landscape.  Her debut album Invasion of Privacy, especially the track Bodak Yellow, united people in various communities all across this country.  ‘I Like It’ had a massive international impact.  In modern day rap culture, you need something other than rapping ability to make it to ‘mogul status.’  Staying relevant in rap music is hard and public relations ingenuity is now required.  It has that in common with politics-I think Cardi has discovered a lane outside the club in which she can and will do great things.  Her story is one of self-belief and perseverance.  One that advertises the need to do what we can to advocate for the disenfranchised so they can receive a platform.  As democrats, we can work and will continue to fight for that platform, but for now…Listen to Cardi B- go get it yourself. 

Cardi B Goes Off on Trump Over the Border Wall Government Shutdown...

[jakejamesjournalism]

chance the rappers debut ‘album’ The Big Day isn’t really one at all

6/27

From 10 Day to Acid Rap to Coloring Book, hip hops most prolific mixtape run since 05-07 Lil Wayne came to an end this week.  Chance released his debut album appropriately titled The Big Day, a 77 minute freewheeling concept album about marriage and the joy that comes along with it.  The lighthearted  odyssey of an album is like most Christian weddings, a festive celebration in the presence of God.

Chancellor Bennett is now a married man.  When we first met him he was a troubled youth suspended from school and airing out his dirty laundry. 10 Day (literally recorded in during the length of the suspension) showed a boy oozing talent everywhere with an untamed ear for melody.  That keen ear for melody expanded his sonic palette on his breakout mixtape, 2013’s Acid Rap.  Chance became every college students favorite rapper.  A psychedelic rap mixtape, Acid Rap tells the story of a black boy in America and his relationship with the world, music, substance abuse, women, himself… The honesty and relationship my generation has with this mixtape has it constantly ranked as the best Chance the Rapper project by his ardent fan base.  Acid Rap is indeed a generational mixtape that will always run deep in the young hearts of those who loved it on first listen and used its emotional weight to help them through the angsty high school years the album was tailor made for.  The sheer raw talent that takes over the sound of the mix acts as its biggest strength, offering gut-wrenching pieces of vulnerable songwriting most “rappers” cannot achieve.  Harnessing this sound into one complete singular vision was something I could get behind.  I thought the young boy from Chicago’s best days were ahead of him.

On 2016’s Coloring Book, Chance the rapper sounds like a man.  We grew up with Chancellor, and even though it’s not my favorite, the nostalgia of Acid Rap will always bring back memories of simpler times when life was all about getting by in class and talking to the pretty girls at parties. It’s a beautiful nostalgia, and there isn’t an artist on the planet that does nostalgia better than Chance.  But Coloring Book was a triumphant transition into the inevitability of adulthood. More inspiring than its predecessor, the gospel fusion comes off as something even an agnostic can get lifted to.  Similar to ‘Acid Rap’, ‘Coloring Book’ is a concise and cohesive 57 minutes of music. The so-called mixtape went onto become the first streaming only project to debut on the Billboard 200.  More impressively, it became the first self-released hip-hop mixtape to win a Grammy.  Chance can call them mixtapes all he wants, but his natural gift for capturing his entire sonic expression so completely in his individual projects shows how meticulous of a curator he really is. 

This type of knack doesn’t come by often which is why the excitement for his first album was something I couldn’t contain.  His diligence displayed in his mixtapes had me expecting a lot from his first self-proclaimed album.  Rumors were spurred about him working on a joint album with Kanye titled ‘Good Ass Job’ somewhere in the middle of the records recording process and a single  titled Groceries were the only previews we got. One of the many perks of not having a label, leaks are far easier to prevent.  Kanye may have been invited to his actual wedding, but he doesn’t get the invite to this party. 

What would have to be referred to as wedding rap, The Big Day uses it’s extraordinary 77-minute run time to share the elation he and his wife experienced on their wedding day with everyone.  With God.  Several unexpected guests stop by to celebrate including a totally game Nick Minaj and the perfect amount of Gucci Mane over a great beat by Timbaland.  Shawn Mendes gets invited to party on the bounce cut ‘Ballin Flossin.’ Although the 22 tracks don’t feel as indulgent as they do convivial, the runtime does work against the album formula he so wholeheartedly nailed on his mixtapes.  It’s ironic that his first album is more carefree in its structure than its mixtape predecessors.

Chance offers a little bit of everything on an album that features him simultaneously at his best and most disposable.  The first 2 tracks, both featuring surprising guest vocals, Ben Gibbard being by far the most surprising, are incredible.  The first song doubled down on the Coloring Book opener by doing something even more grandiose.  It doesn’t feel forced at all, and neither does its transition into obvious highlight ‘Do You Remember’.  The Ben Gibbard assisted track nails the Chance brand nostalgia as well as ever. “Do you remember how when you were younger the summers that lasted forever? Hold That Feeling Forever” sings the Death Cab front man.  Chance throws it back to real time youth with lines like “trust in my dogs like Balto” and “My daughter on the swing like the 2017 Cubs/ My daughter mother double-ringed up.”  It’s a beautiful hip-hop indie collaboration that for once doesn’t feel the least bit insincere.

The rest of the marathon often features a few highlights and more than a few let downs.  Most of which are linked directly to the performance of its curator.  It features music all over the spectrum, by far his most diverse release thus far. Maybe there’s a disconnect here because it’s the first Chance project that hasn’t mirrored the events of my personal journey at the time.  I myself have not experienced the joy of walking down the aisle marrying the women you love in the presence of your daughter.  With Acid Rap we were both learning the ways of the world, experimenting with different perspectives. Coloring Book was when we didn’t do the “same drugs” and comfortably moved into the role of adulthood with our hearts on our sleeve.  Chance is celebrating his Big Day while I am single spending time in New York City still working on that adulthood thing.  The debut album here feels less like an album than anything he’s done before.  It sounds like a good mixtape from an up and coming talent trying to find a singular sound to hone in on.  Chance has already accomplished this, which makes the albums lack of cohesion problematic.  He found that vision in his mixtapes which come off as great albums.  Regardless of the duplicity, it’s all good.  The album exudes bliss at the seams.  When you piece together the message of The Big Day, through all it’s flaws it’s tough to be a cynic (even if you are currently at this very moment trolling him for loving his Wife so much.)

All Day Long

Do You Remember

Zanies and Fools

Big Fish

[jakejamesjournalism]

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