#markpeaced

[jxck-y]

[silverlovesmadi]

https://instagram.com/vanjess

VanJess

[christopher-true]

I never felt that warmth...

Unconditional love

Sometimes I remember that damaged child years ago

And I wish you protected me better

How come my silence wasn’t loud enough?

— Christopher True

Photo by markpeaced

Model: Brent Faiyaz

[markpeaced]

portrait of @brentfaiyaz

[seanshakur]

brent faiyaz for @markpeaced

[playitbyear-laz]

011

After taking a break for a few weeks to spend time reflecting, learning, conversing, and trying to figure out my own place in relation to everything going on in the world right now, we’re back again with the next installment of the PLAY IT BY EAR bi-weekly playlist/reflection series.

It’s hard to know when the right time is to try to get back into the groove of things, when it seems like chaos is abundant & people are juggling a million different emotions at once. The biggest question on everyone’s minds is “when will things get back to normal?”

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the past couple of weeks, it’s that the era of ‘normal’ was never real. The issues we see so apparently in front of us today have been around way before most of us were even born, they just do a good job at hiding behind a variety of distractions i.e., social media, our favorite brands, artists, music, movies, etc.,.

These things have an effect on us that is habitual and it's easy to lose sight of where you’re going if you’re running on autopilot. The nature of life is change. Nothing has ever been ‘normal,’ but it can be really easy to convince yourself otherwise when distractions are abundant. The only things keeping you ‘normal’ are the values & habits that you choose to maintain in a world that’s constantly changing -- so choose wisely. There is no magic moment where everything will be fixed. There is no finish line. Life is constant, it’s flowing, and the best thing we can do is build awareness of ourselves & use that awareness to become better in whatever ways we can.

Whatever you need to do during this time to figure out what it means to be ‘better’, please take the time to do so. We all want to see the world in a better place than it is now, but that can’t happen until you understand who you are first and understand your role in relation to the world around you.

Lastly, I hope the music & insight from PLAY IT BY EAR can act as a form of healing for you during this time. Creating this platform has been cathartic for me & I hope you as the listener/reader will find it to be as well. If anyone needs an ear to vent to during this time, my email/DM is open -- please feel free to reach out to me as needed. Wishing you peace today and always.

                                 Much love, laz.

                              PLAY IT BY EAR 011

                                   curated by laz

                          Link to all platforms HERE.

Hard Life - SAULT

WHERE: Decided to check out SAULT after hearing Questlove rave about their latest album Untitled (Black Is), but the homie Larry (@predakon) also featured them when he did the guest takeover for PLAY IT BY EAR 008. I highly recommend checking out Cleo Sol as well, who’s one of the lead singers for the band.

WHY: SAULT is one of the most unique groups out right now, blending the genres of funk, neo-soul, and alternative rock with ease. The lyrics in almost all of their tracks reflect on current issues going on in the country. What I like most about ‘Hard Life’ is that the track comes in two parts -- the first half almost feeling like a type of chant, illustrating the prolonged nature of life’s constant tests, while the second half resolves this feeling with triumphant lyrics and a bright instrumental.

Imagine - Snoop Dogg feat. Dr. Dre & D’Angelo

WHERE: IG story - @markpeaced

WHY: Growing up in LA, pretty much anything that Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have worked on together is gonna be saved in your library, but having D’Angelo sing the hook makes for one of the most pleasantly unexpected Snoop/Dre tracks ever. All three of these artists have songs in their discographies that delve into social issues, but to hear them all come together over a simple boom bap beat, speaking about a vision for a more peaceful world is something that feels very rare.  

Wishes - Juls feat. Jah Cure

WHERE: Juls has produced some of the biggest afrobeat tracks to come out in recent years (U Say - Goldlink feat. Tyler, The Creator &. Jay Prince,  Skin Tight - Mr. Eazi, So Mi So - Wande Coal, and more).

WHY: At this point, it feels wrong for me not to include an afrobeat, dancehall, or reggae track on these playlists - there’s just so much to love about this sound palette and there’s no denying its growth, momentum, and impact in mainstream music today. What I like most about 'Wishes,’ however, is the lyrics sung by Jah Cure about building an appreciation for both the good and bad things life has to offer.

7-21-17_substitute_hifi_v3 - Toro y Moi

WHERE: Went through a bit of a Toro y Moi binge recently and this track off Soul Trash stood out to me most from that album.

WHY: Since Mk.gee dropped his album, chillwave & synth pop music has been my go-to genre. This track however, has major Jai Paul vibes, and is a production style that I would like to see used more in electronic & pop music today. The wavy synths paired with the super tight drum patterns have the ability to instantly put me in a contemplative mood.

Nobody - Akil

WHERE: Soulection Radio #450

WHY: Admittedly, I have a pretty bad habit of not paying as much attention to lyrics in rap these days. With trap being at the forefront of hip hop, I got so used to focusing on the overall vibe of a track that the lyrics often got pushed to the back, which is exactly is why I love Nobody. From the jump, Akil’s delivery demanded my attention, with a commanding flow that most rappers these days seem to lack.

The Climb - Flying Lotus feat. Thundercat

WHERE: In April, Ta-Ku asked his followers on Twitter for a thread of songs that give them hope. This was one of the tracks posted and has been in constant rotation since.

WHY: All of the things you would love from a Flying Lotus and Thundercat track can be found here -- but the overwhelmingly uplifting and positive lyrics is something I rarely get to hear from Thundercat and for that, I appreciate it immensely.

Riot Van - Arctic Monkeys

WHERE: I believe @_kikovalle posted this one on his IG story, but I could be wrong. Either way, shout out Kiko I guess lol.

WHY: Riot Van is a solemn reflection on the experience of being harassed by a police officer, but told through the lens of an English teenager in the early 2000s. What I like about this track is the overall feeling of defeat and hopelessness that is so commonly felt these days with much of the youth and their view on police.

Ain’t Got Time - Roy Ayers Ubiquity

WHERE: n/a

WHY: As I mentioned above, while the smoke of recent events has seemed to die out a little bit, our work towards social justice, racial equality, and bettering the ‘self’ isn’t over and probably won’t ever be in our lifetime. That being said, we can’t give in to the feelings of comfort and complacency or getting “tired” while we’re still here and able to fight.

“We aint’ got time to be tired, we got a long, long way to go.”

Also, in case you missed it -- PLAY IT BY EAR now has its own social accounts. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @playit_byear and please share with a friend if you’re enjoying our brand. More music, thoughts, and content on the way and I can’t wait to exchange that energy with you. See you there.

[tokissgold]

Last look back of 2017 ✨ Photo by @markpeaced (at Puerto Plata DR)

[mrdturner]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mr. Turner -❤️- The World (@mrdturner)

LA was 🌊🌊🌊 congrats to my bro @jesseboykins3rd and his signing to DEF JAM! Long time coming but the work was definitely put in! Bartholomew is out now on all music outlets!!! Go get that shout out to the bros @itrakwavs @ldtheproducer @rongilmorejr and iakov too! And @markpeaced for the shots!!!! And last but not least to the @thepeppermintclub and the fans that came and rocked with us! 2018 is coming for real!!! • • • • #bass #bassplayer #bassist #musician #bartholomew #producer #MD #music #acreativeDC #jesseboykinsiii #jesseboykinsiiiandthebeautycreated #mrdturner #basstheworld #weplaybass (at The Peppermint Club)

[thereaintnostoppingniall]

In a world of noise @brentfaiyazs music vibrates on a frequency of its own. Meet the Maryland native valuing artistry over industry validation now. schonmagazine.com/interview-brent-faiyaz/ photography. @markpeaced words. @shamathegreat #Schonmagazine #NewMusicFriday #music #interview #onlineexclusive #photooftheday #inspiration #art #menswear #fashion #beauty

[schonmagazine]

In a world of noise, @brentfaiyaz’s music vibrates on a frequency of its own. Meet the Maryland native valuing artistry over industry validation now. schonmagazine.com/interview-brent-faiyaz/ photography. @markpeaced words. @shamathegreat #Schonmagazine #NewMusicFriday #music #interview #onlineexclusive #photooftheday #inspiration #art #menswear #fashion #beauty / on Instagram https://ift.tt/2LIibKS

[beezysmg-blog]

@MARKPEACED Episode 1 - Studio Session w/ French MystiQ & $cream http://youtu.be/jztBJHjv0cA

[markpeaced]

portrait of @brentfaiyaz

[theafricandj]

Much love to everyone that came out for Summer Camp last night @lockandkeyla Major shout out to @goodsportcreative @_imdrewski @djnitrane @spicolidctobc @kriskrishna @garyclarkjr @markpeaced 📸 @micmeraki 🔥🔥 #SupportYourAfricanDj #SummerCamp #TheJuice (at Lock & Key)

[thereaintnostoppingniall]

In a world of noise @brentfaiyazs music vibrates on a frequency of its own. Meet the Maryland native valuing artistry over industry validation now. schonmagazine.com/interview-brent-faiyaz/ photography. @markpeaced words. @shamathegreat #Schonmagazine #NewMusicFriday #music #interview #onlineexclusive #photooftheday #inspiration #art #menswear #fashion #beauty

[markpeaced]

Paris,France 

[cncboyz]

markpeaced