GRUNGECAKE

Author: Grungecake

  • Interview: Glennisha Morgan

    Glennisha Morgan

    Glennisha Morgan, the owner of The Fembassy, a blog site that is solely dedicated to female emcees and women in Hip-Hop, is putting the finishing touches on her debut documentary “Turn Me Up”. The documentary chronicles the triumphs, struggles, and adversities of talented women in Hip-Hop and the challenges they face in a male dominated game. Watch the official trailer via this link.

    “If I could describe this film in one word, I would describe it as ‘raw’. There has been many conversations in regards to women in Hip-Hop, but until now I have yet to hear the women in the trenches be so unapologetic and brutally honest about their sentiments,” says director Glennisha Morgan.

  • Blunted: A Night At The Circus

    Blunted: A Night At The Circus
    Image: Plump Med

    Members of 40 Acres (FAMM) Address City Council Members at Berkeley City Hall

    On Wednesday, November 13, I drove on over to the lovely village-like City of Berkeley, to attend a rally in support of 40 Acres Medical Marijuana Collective (FAMM) and to cover the City Council meeting, which this particular evening was open to the public. It was a highly-charged evening with everything you could imagine at a Berkeley town meeting and more. From live drumming on the lawn of City Hall (like you only hear in Berkeley) while inside the hall there were shouts, cries and emotional outpourings.

    I heard well-spoken folks with lots of good points, opposition from folks that seem afraid, confused and ill-informed. I reacted with boo’s and applause. It was, in short, a total emotional roller coaster. Then, of course, I witnessed politicians shmoozing, soapboxing, shaking hands and kissing babies. At times, it seemed to drag on forever. I was warm and got really thirsty. It was kind of ridiculous and fascinating at the same time. It was like a night at the circus. I even slipped out and grabbed a hot dog during “intermission”, in the spirit of the occasion.

    There were two matters on the agenda that evening: Items no. 20 and 22. To read the entire agenda for that evening, click here for the details of the items. Item 20: Supporting Oakland’s Lawsuit to Stop Seizure of Property of Oakland Medical Marijuana Dispensary & 22: Perfect Plants Patient Group – 2840-B Sacramento Street – Public Hearing and Determination Regarding a Public Nuisance under BMC Chapter 23B.64).

    These items were of particular interest to Medical Marijuana (MM) patients who live in Berkeley, as well as folks who commute from quite far (Concord, Vallejo for example) to Berkeley for safer access to purchase their medicine, as well as to have a safe smoking space in which to take their medicine. Item 22 addressed 3PG – one of four dispensaries / collectives remaining in operation in Berkeley, and it was being decided if it should remain shut down by the City Council due to being a “nuisance”.

    The other item (#20) was suggesting we ‘lend out’ our city attorney, to Oakland to assist Oakland with their illegal seizures and closures of Oakland dispensaries. There were raids performed upon legal places of business in Oakland and Berkeley earlier this year by Federal agents. These raids crippled the very heart of the medical marijuana community, by shutting down Oaksterdam University, threatening Harborside Medical and other credible dispensaries and collectives with eviction and closures.

    I actually spoke on this item. I said that, “Although, I want to support our neighbors in their efforts to fight the Feds and I want everyone protected from these threats.” I said that, “I felt it ridiculous that while we here in Berkeley are experiencing such hardships in gaining safe access to our medicine, that we should resolve our problems in our homefront first (Berkeley) before lending our our attorney to fix problems in our backyard (Oakland).”

    Before these items were formally addressed, there was an opportunity for five people who won a lottery-type drawing, to speak for a timed one minute – on whatever non-agenda subject they chose. If you were chosen, you could also waive your time to others, to allow them to continue speak and make their point. It was a very interesting process – and although time-consuming, it is helpful to hear everyone’s opinions so that we can build together in finding solutions that work for everyone. Also it’s a great exercise in working to get your point across concisely and with conviction in a really short period of time.

    During the open agenda period, Chris Smith and Toya Groves in favor of clarifying zoning laws, accepting FAMM’s offer to pay sales taxes to the city on their revenue, and asked city council to stop harassing collectives and dispensaries who are doing their best to work within the confines of the laws, no matter how restrictive, cryptic and ever-morphing the laws may be. They each spoke with their own distinct style and both made excellent points regarding these and other issues.

    Others asked: How is it that California can now be so behind other states in their recognition of medical AND recreational marijuana as a revenue stream that could have every state getting out of deficit budgets and bankruptcies into an excellent positive revenue flow? Now, other states are making California look antiquated instead of being the forerunner in MM laws and regulation.

    In terms of Item No. 22, honestly, I was so surprised and discouraged at the vivid divide I witnessed amongst the residents of Berkeley. The divide is old residents v. new residents. The divide is perhaps income based and therefore standard of living based? The divide seemed to be – black and white. That’s what really upset me. The newer residents of South Berkeley, where the 3PG was doing business, have no idea what this neighborhood was like twenty years ago – even ten years ago. This historically has always been one of the busiest areas in Berkeley for drug dealings, prostitution and other street activity.

    To hear the newer residents of this neighborhood complain about litter from 3PG, and people ‘hanging out’ on the corner, the ‘increased’ activity on the block was disturbing to them and their families. NEWSFLASH – things are getting better in that neighborhood. The Medical Marijuana dispensary has very little to nothing to do with the increase of crime in the area. One of the speakers went so far as to try to connect a deadly shooting to the operation of 3PG, when the particular block where 3PG operated, is notorious for gang activity and shootings. Further, according to this report, the scuffle happened with two customers leaving Bob’s Liquor store on the corner. It’s been proven time and again that alcohol is much more an instigator of violent crimes than Marijuana.

    I wish there was a place we could come to as a community on these issues. I feel we must first stop living in fear. And I ask that newer community who has moved into Berkeley – are you open to co-existing? Co-exist with the residents of longer tenure, co-exist with the marijuana collectives and dispensary that have every legal right to exist and do business wherever they are allowed to by ever-changing zoning laws and other regulating factors? Berkeley has always been about co-existing – and communicating – and coming together through our diversity.

    Another side of the issue is safe access. Did you know, that because a Section 8 or government assisted dwelling is considered ‘federal’ property and therefore, smoking a joint – even legally purchased and a registered patient, within subsidized housing it is considered a federal offense? Few places remain in Berkeley – like 40 Acres (FAMM) as well as 3PG provide ‘safe smoking access’.

    I’ve seen it first hand. 40 Acres provides a safe place where everyone from every neighborhood can come together in a relaxed environment to take their medicine in peace and comfort. I needn’t repeat the incredible benefits and pain relief medical marijuana can provide. It literally levels the playing field and brings all people from all walks of life together to share in taking their medicine. Why would anyone want to stop people from being able to safely access and take their medicine?

    I also wish that the City Council and the community at large would see the benefits and incredible revenue boost available to the City of Berkeley, by simply allowing the dispensaries and collectives that are already in existence to continue to do business without harassment or further molestation, and have them pay a sales tax on their profits. The zoning laws have changed often and many dispensaries have had to shut down or have been raided and shut down. Only three collectives are currently in operation in Berkeley – and Mayor Bates wonders why 40 Acres has six thousand members in its collective? Supply and demand, Mayor, supply and demand!

    Collectives propose that a percentage of the tax revenues they wish to pay to the City be used in educational and after-school programs, as this seemed a sector of people who need more attention and facilities. Also collectives propose using some of that revenue to provide safe places for teens after school, as well as homeless teens and families. The amount of money the City could collect from the sales tax revenue stream on collectives and dispensaries, especially if they allowed more to come back into existence within city limits – could really help fund so many needed programs in Berkeley that would re-catalyze the community and give Berkeley the boost it needs to view itself once again as a progressive and forward-moving city.

    Words by Carmen Guttierez

  • Interview: Adani & Wolf

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    On the 27th of September, lounge producers Adani & Wolf presented their fifth album Electric Dandy during a fantastic night in the Supperclub in Amsterdam. Electric Dandy is a ‘retro futuro trip with orchestral psychedelics, space-age exotica and intergalactic down tempo beats’. Saxophone player Benjamin Herman and Andalusian / New York singer Suzette Moncrief join Adani & Wolf on their musical journey.

    Adani & Wolf

    GrungeCake visited Rob Gaasterland (Adani) and Daniël Testas (Wolf) in their studio in Amsterdam and picked their brains about music, books, travel and of course their latest album.

    GrungeCake: How did you guys meet?

    Rob: We met each other at a football game about 15 years ago. We were both working in music.

    Daniël: I was making techno music.

    Rob: And I was more into live music with the jazz-dance band “Hit The Boom!“. “Hit The Boom!” was quite successful, but they wanted to keep going down the same road and I wanted to try new things.

    Daniël: I was also looking for a new direction, so we decided to cross over to each other’s musical styles; a fusion between live music and techno. We started out with Project 2000 and did jam sessions that combined Drum and Bass with live musicians. From that Adani & Wolf evolved.

    GrungeCake: So what’s with the name “Adani & Wolf“?

    Rob: We made up the name during a flight. We had to come up with a couple of pseudonyms for a compilation album that contained several tracks written by us. We read the name “Adani” in a newspaper on the plane, it was in an article about a baseball player, something like: Adani hits again.

    Daniël: “Wolf” is actually my father’s last name, but in the Second World War, he was adopted by the family “Testas” and he took their last name. The track from the compilation album with the alias Adani & Wolf turned out to be a new start for us.

    GrungeCake: And now there’s your 5th album: Electric Dandy.

    Rob: Whatever we do, it’s always a challenge and a new adventure. Sometimes we reach a dead end, and we have to retrace our steps and try something different. We do move with the times, but we keep it broad. Our music can withstand the ravages of time, it will never be outdated. But, people do say that what we’re doing now is the best yet.

    Daniël: And there’s still more to come.

    Rob: This is “Adani & Wolf 2.0”. Not only do we produce our own music, we also have our own label now. This means it’s not just a creative process, but we also need to run a business, which is fun and challenging. This label gives us the opportunity to release music that otherwise wouldn’t be released.

    Daniël: Your own label gives you the opportunity to work faster. When we are working on a track that is not suitable for the album we’re composing, we just put it in the waiting room for another project. And these times are perfect for it, since its release on the 27th of September “Electric Dandy” has been available on 105 download sites worldwide, including iTunes, Amazon, Beatport and of course our own site: http://www.adani-wolf.com

    GrungeCake: On your website, you mention several elements that are part of the Adani & Wolf lifestyle like fashion, jewelry, interior design, vintage gear and movies, but I’m missing books here, yet I can’t imagine versatile men like you not being readers. What books inspired you?

    Daniël: We do read a lot. I love Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road“; I even made that trip myself. I also like Jerzy Kosinski and John Steinbeck. Books create a state of mind we can produce music to. The text of our song “Strange Light” [Electric Dandy] is based on a book about a concentration camp by Primo Levi. It’s very inspiring; even in the worst of times and the toughest situations there are sparks of light, blue skies even.

    Rob: Our song “Valentino” [Electric Dandy] is based on the main character in “What is the What” by Dave Eggers, about one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. The tone of voice of the book is very airy, even awful things are told in a matter of fact way. Despite everything, Valentino sees the good in people, like when he has managed to escape the Sudanese war and lives in America and he’s robbed in his own house. Even then, he tries to put things in perspective by thinking the burglars need his things more than he does.

    GrungeCake: Travel is also a part of your lifestyle, in what way have you been influenced by the countries you’ve visited?

    Daniël: Places have a certain dynamic; you listen to it, open up to it and use it in your music.

    Rob: For one and a half year, we’ve had a studio in Andalucía in Spain. Andalucía definitely has a certain influence on us: different music comes out of our hands there.

    Daniël: We also love Brazil; the warmth of the people and the spirit of the country. There is music everywhere, and everybody is singing. Brazil is like a warm bath.

    Rob: We can really relate to the Brazilian word ‘Saudade‘. It’s hard to describe, it’s a kind of nostalgia and melancholy, like a deep suffering. Saudade is everywhere.

    Daniël: Also in our music, such a dose of melancholy is not unusual.

    Rob: Spirituality also plays an important role in Brazil.

    GrungeCake: Is spirituality important for you guys?

    Rob: Yes, we wonder how far we can go, and to what extent we are still open to everything. We want to take our music further, we want to go deeper.

    Daniël: Only when you have listened to our tracks several times, a new level emerges, we pay attention to that.

    GrungeCake: Back to inspiring places.

    Daniël: The other day I was in New York, the energy over there is so different: big, fast, high. I really want to do something with that.

    Rob: In New York, everything comes together; the hustle and the bustle.

    Daniël: London has yet another atmosphere; they work really hard there, they go on until it’s right, whatever it takes.

    Rob: In the Netherlands, they tend to watch the clock too much.

    Daniel: One day a week, I teach songwriting and producing at the conservatory and I really try to convey that London work ethic.

    With another journalist waiting to interview the dynamic lounge producers, the conversation reaches its end. As a farewell present we get to share Day In Day Out, the second track from Electric Dandy, with the GrungeCake readers.

    In their studio, Adani & Wolf have an interesting selection of vinyl, including the likes of Bach, Bruford, Mick Jagger, James Brown, Joni Mitchell, John Lennon and Patti Austin. Whenever they feel a track needs something extra, Rob stands next to the record cabinet, closes his eyes and starts swinging his arm. When Daniël says ‘stop!’, Rob picks the record closest to him. He then puts the record on the record player and moves the needle over it. Again, he waits for Daniël to say ‘stop!’ and drops the needle when Daniël does. The sample that is chosen that way is chopped up and mixed in the song.

    Last week, on our Editor’s birthday, Adani & Wolf posted this blog on their website and this interview is mentioned. We thank you! For more about the group, kindly visit this link.

     

  • Meet The Locals: Nathalie Kraynina

    Nathalie Kraynina
    Images: Richardine Bartee

    Every now and then, you come across a talent that is downright undeniable and you cannot push it to the side, even if you tried. Adding fashion to that idea for me, it is even more of an infrequency.

    Days after the Williamsburg Fashion Weekend, which I did not attend, I received a promotional email that included a look book. Before reading any of what was written, I wanted to know if her designs were worth my time based upon image alone. Some might digest it is as shallowness or crude behaviour, but I am in no illusion about what this business is about. Namely, fashion.

    Recently, I visited her studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and I fell in love with her presentation and craftsmanship. Seeing her collection up close is a treat. Her collection shows me that though she might be a “new” designer, with tenacity, she is here to stay.

    Reciting seeing her mother dress extravagantly as a little girl growing up in the late 80s early 90s, Kraynina remembers perfect strangers double-taking and complimenting her mother on the street all the time.

    [quote]She was so beautiful.[/quote]

    Luckily, her parents supported and believed in her career from the beginning. Later, Nathalie Kraynina attended Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC where she majored in fashion design and specialized in ready-to-wear and tailoring.

    When asked about life after school and the importance of school, Kraynina replied, [quote]School gave me the foundations. I learned how to sew and make patterns the right way and it gave a true understanding of what it really entails to make a garment. I was really lucky to study under people who were in the industry for a very long time. I also had 2 internships with Badgley Mishka and Michael Kors, which really helped me to get the full understanding of a designer fashion house. I worked with the design teams and I was backstage at fashion shows as well in sales and marketing meeting. It was hard at times because I worked full-time and went to class at night but that experience really made who I am today. I love being in New York! I am grateful I had the opportunity to be in New York — everything is here![/quote]

    As mentioned atop about her signature design style and swatch, it was her use of black and strong contours that pulled me in instantly:

    Hand-dyed chiffon button down cropped top with cut-out back *Color may vary due to hand dye process. Fabric Contents: 100% Polyester & 100% silk crepe-de-chine. Care Instructions: Dry clean only . Click to order.

    Whilst Kraynina would disagree and remain humble about her style being a signature one, we’ll do the honours.

    Black is essential to her new collection and she loves to wear it. Factoring in that it is slimming and can be worn at any time of day, for any occassion and it is very New York. In fact, her S/S 2013 collection is all about reinventing black. It consists of interchangeable separates that can be worn together or can be added to any of your existing pieces. Kraynina wants you to think of your “little black dress” taken to a whole collection.

    [quote]I wanted to make an effortless Summer line that plays with textures and silhouettes. I used easy fabrics like stretch denim and cotton and dress them up with leather, silk brocades, and embroidered some pieces with stones and jewels. Even though the whole collection is all black, it has touches of silver, blues and greens.[/quote]

    Interview Highlights

    On being a new designer and what makes her continue

    Well, yes it is very hard. But once you start, you can’t look back and you can’t stop. Making clothes is truly what I love to do and I really can’t imagine myself doing anything else with my life. I learn and get better with every mistake and ultimately grow. It takes a really “thick skin” to make it in this industry. I know people always say that and I heard it so many times, but is actually so true. You just have to keep going and move forward. That’s how I look at life.

    On her ultimate goal

    I love creating wearable clothes. Fashion is art form that doesn’t really start to exist until someone puts it on and wears it out. It is kind of commercial, in that way, but that’s also the best part of it. You see people enjoying your creation. My ultimate goal is to be able to make clothes in a socially and eco responsible way and have women from all around the world be able to wear them.

    On the importance of buying fabrics and garments locally instead outsourcing

    Yes, this is one of the messages I am an advocate for and I like to talk about as a designer. It is not only that when you buy locally made garments you support local business and growth, but also you actually take a stand against the current standard. The more we all (as a collective body) buy garments that are produced in a socially responsible and eco-friendly way, the more the standards and regulations are going to change. The industry will change only if the consumers change their taste.

    A friend of mine says this and I like to repeat it: “You vote with your money” every time you time you buy a $10.99 T-shirt there is someone on the other end that is paying for it with their blood.

    I know it sounds dramatic, but it is actually true. And we are all guilty of doing it. After all, it is a great “deal” to find a super cute top for only $10.99, I know I have in the past; it is almost impossible to live in our present time and not have done that. But, if consumers get more educated on where things are made and how they are made and they ask more questions they will see that it is not such a great deal after all. Most things that are on sale are not left over stock or extra inventory that all of sudden you are getting a super exciting discount on, they are made to be sold at that discounted rate and in most cases they are made in very poor countries in horrific circumstances. I am not asking people to stop shopping, but just to start making small changes and make educated decisions. The companies will respond. Fashion is business and if want to change the way people make clothes we have to first change the way people shop.

    On how people should feel when wearing her collection

    I hope they feel beautiful and confident. I like to make pieces that are truly inspired by women themselves and that are very wearable. I strive to create pieces that are feminine and elegant and stay in women’s closets for decades to come. I want my clothes to say: Timeless elegance.

    On I Can Too, Bulgarian foundation in support of children in need

    Last year, I joined forces with them and created a line of t-shirts to be sold entirely on charity basis in support their mission. All profits from the sale of these t-shirts will go to the creation of the first Center for Autistic Children in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The whole idea is that everyone does what he or she can to support. The motto is “Everyone CAN… create a better world… by doing whatever they CAN best.”

    In our case, I designed the t-shirts, a factory in Bulgaria produced them and now, they are sold in a store front — all without anyone charging. We all donated our time, effort and resources to make this happen and I am proud to say people are now able to purchase these t-shirts spreading the message in support of the foundation. You can visit www.icantoo.eu to learn more how you can be involved. (You might need a translator)

    On her involvement with two great Brooklyn based companies in support of local aspiring fashion designers: Williamsburg Fashion Weekend and Manufacture New York

    I have showed in WFW for the past 2 years (4 seasons). It has been great for me. It really gave me my start. As a new designer, fresh out of school, one faces many challenges. You not only have to design your collection, figure out how to create it and then produce it, but (and this is a “big” but) but spread the word out about it. WFW does just that.

    Manufacture New York is a Kickstarter campaign that I just joined and I think we should all support and spread the word about. It is a fashion incubator dedicated to providing independent designers with the resources and skills to streamline their production process and transform local manufacturing into the most affordable, innovative option for all. Their headquarters will include a fully-equipped sampling room, manufacturing facilities, classroom space (open to the public), private studios for rent and a state-of-the art computer lab complete with the industry’s latest software for design + production. They will also offer a dedicated area for experimentation with environmentally-friendly fabric washes, dyeing, finishes and special textile applications. This campaign is big step in the right direction being that designers, like myself will be able to produce locally.

    See more images from this feature by clicking here.

  • Interview: Keeping The Stitches In Place with Frontwoman of SLS, Alexis Brown

    Straight Line Stitch

    In June of 2008, while watching the band Lamb of God’s episode of “Headbangers Ball” on MTV, I was introduced to a band that would soon become one of my favorites, Straight Line Stitch. SLS is a metal / hardcore band that hails from Tennessee with a unique sound and a flair of their own. When listening to Straight Line Stitch genre goes out the window. Listen to one track and get heavy, chest rattling, head banging metal and the next could be a melodic ballad, this band touches on a bit of everything. Alexis Brown, the beautiful vocalist of the band, sat down and had a chat with GrungeCake about what’s been going on with SLS.

    This time around I wanted to do my interview a little differently, so I took to the readers of GrungeCake and asked “What would they want to ask Straight Line Stitch, if given the chance? “ One lucky reader was picked. Continue reading to find out what the fans really want to know:

    Who is Straight Line Stitch?

    Myself, Alexis Brown (vocals), Jason White (bass), Ian Shuirr (drums), Andrew Mikhail (guitar) and Jackie Bergjans (guitar).

    What would you categorize your style / sound / genre(s)?

    Actually, we have no idea! We would rather not classify our sound. As a band and as a unit we don’t sit around and talk about what type of music we’re going to make. It’s really about getting together and feeding off one another. Producing whatever sounds good to us regardless how the tune comes out… soft, hard, or whatever. Our sound is very eclectic because we all have different backgrounds / influences, so we like to bring that to the table while writing. I like that because it keeps us from being pigeonholed as just one type of band that can’t do anything else. If it sounds good to all of us, then that’s what it is pretty much.

    At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to make a career out of making music? Was there an event, person or thing, etc.?

    Speaking for myself, I knew very early as a child that I wanted to be a performer, which is very odd considering that I’m the shyest person on the planet. I guess even back then I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and do something bigger than myself.

    What do you enjoy more: Being on tour or recording in the studio?

    I like them both about the same. I get excited and frustrated when recording because (on one hand) I get stoked to introduce new music to the world, but then again tracking and recording the final product can be extremely taxing because everything has to sound great and be perfect. With touring, it’s the same thing. I absolutely love being on the road; visiting and revisiting places and living the life of the road but again like anything else it definitely takes it toll on you. Mind, your health, and your stress level. Things happen when you’re on the road: family members get sick, your pet dies, you break up with your loved one. I mean all types of things happen when you’re away and it can be difficult to deal with. But that’s life, you have to take the good with the bad.

    What has been the most memorable moment for you so far?

    I’ve had many memorable moments in my life because of this band… definitely doing Rockstar Mayhem Festival, going over to the UK to play Download, going back over to the UK again to do a full run with Lucuna Coil and getting to take in all the sights over there. Those are just some of the many memorable moments that I’ve had.

    Being in a band can have its uncertainties and given the lineup changes that you’ve endured over the years, how do you maintain a will to persist and keep going?

    It’s all I ever wanted to do and all I know how to do! So, that keeps me pretty focused on this path. I’ve put so much into this life that I just couldn’t walk away. It’s who I am and I don’t know how to be anyone else. We’ve all worked super hard, but I’m not gonna stop until I get to where I ultimately want to be. But that’s just me. I’m not a quitter.

    *Reader Question from Shantanee White:

    As an African American as well as being a woman fronting a metal band, how do you feel you’ve been received in the metal community amongst your fans as well as your peers?

    I think I’ve been received rather well especially by our fans and that’s because I’m not trying to be anybody other than me. I’m not up on stage or making records trying to emulate someone else’s career and I believe people can see that I’m genuine and that our band is genuine. To me, it’s not about the color of my skin or my genitalia. It might be about that to some people but not to me and our band. It’s about music and saying what I need to say. We’re not a super huge band or anything and maybe that could be attributed to my race or sex from our peers or by our peers but whatever, it’s their loss because I think we have a lot to offer as a band and as people in general regardless of me being a Black chick in metal band.

    For more Straight Line Stitch, just click here.

  • Watch: Nitty Scott, MC’s “Bullsh*t Rap”

    In the beginning of the year, we were invited on set for this music video for Nitty Scott, MC. See our cameo toward the end of the video. This is the third set of visuals from her mix tape “Doobies x Popsicle Sticks” produced by Super E., directed By Donald Robinson Cole and Robert Adam Mayer.

    Nitty Scott, MC

    For more Nitty Scott, MC, just click here.

  • Interview: uhlife, Side Chatter Doesn’t Matter

    Profoundly influenced by many styles of music and its eras, the huge hybrid sound that uhlife mentions in this interview stands present in the debut free mixtape “(barely)uhlive”. Hovering over beats produced by our [underground] industry’s favourites, the baleful ghoul tells a dark story of torment and irretrievability that surprisingly lightens up at the end of the project with lines like “trying to leave a dark past in my hindsight” on “(barely)uhlive” and “My eyes to the new dawn / If you ain’t making moves with me, let me move on / I’m on my grind like I should be.” on “dear whoever,”.

    After being briefed on the correct pronunciation of this buoyant soul’s name, “a life” like “get a life of luxury”, the child of darkness shares a first memory of recording and how important music it is.

    When a juvenile rascal, the rogue rap spitter moved around alot and recalls the dark and grim sound being a reflection of life.

    “I was going through some really dark grimy times… just really fucked up. A lot of emotional rollercoasters, a lot detachment, a lot of pain, a lot of betrayal, a lot of loss… Just crazy stuff. All the content you hear on the record, how dark it is, is pretty much the story… It’s very much about my life.”

    Music is one of the first things that touched this vital force and it hasn’t left yet. Sitting on a floor with a recorder and being taught which buttons to press on the boombox is the rapper’s first memory. Swiftly, the 6-year-old recorded first rap lyrics. Arguably, an undiscovered child prodigy of sorts. For uhlife, music is not a new idea or guidance.

    Other than style and choice of delivery, the disobedient figure is truly admirable. Because of loves ones who would not be able to identify with the music, the use of derogatory words like “fag” or “nigger” is nixed.

    Uncommonly detailed when replying to inquisition and seemingly victorious over recurring adversaries, somehow, it does not leave unattractive dimples. In fact, the faceless is very attractive. As proudly stated in my favourite song “Side chatter doesn’t matter / I’m moving straight.”

    Listen to my favourite song on the free mixtape “bowser” produced by Jonwayne.

    uhlife

    Interview Highlights

    On his style

    “I never made it a point to try and sound ‘up-to-date’. The only thing I tried to do — which took me years to get to — is fuse all the music that most heavily inspired me into my raps, into what I do. And I guess that’s what creates this huge hybrid sound that I guess everyone is saying that’s ‘up-to-date’. I think moreso, we’re in this new globalized era where everything is connected and music isn’t so specific anymore. I am definitely apart of that era. I came up in this era.

    On why he covers or hides his face

    “Let me get this out the way now. I have no intention of being DOOM. I have no intention of being too blatant about the whole face thing. A lot of people give the argument ‘Well, if it doesn’t matter what your face looks like, why are you wearing a mask?’ It’s not about that for me.”

    On RAJA (producer)

    “RAJA, other than Absent Avery, is the only producer I know personally on that project. The rest is all free mixtape fashion, but RAJA I know personally. It’s a funny story with RAJA, how we linked up. It was this one Summer I was out beat digging. There was this one blog that I followed that only promoted producers. Being a rapper who wanted to rap on beats, I am very very into production. I follow producers like I follow any other type of musician and I just love listening to instrumental music period…

    But RAJA used to go under this moniker named “InfinitiRock” and I had come across one of InfinitiRock’s tapes. It was called “17 Years” and it had this really ill artwork with the sky on it, this really dope border. The way I react to music online is the way I react to it in a record store or a thrift shop or whatever.

    It’s like, “Oh, this shit looks dope. Let me check it.”

    I loved the tape. I just fell in love with it from the get go.

    I had no clue who this person was and then, I ended up meeting him that Fall. I believe in fate. I don’t believe in it 100%, but I believe in fate in this universe. I remember I was in this place getting some food and I bumped into somebody I knew and I was wearing a Dilla shirt.

    And they were like, “Aye, what’s up? How you been?” and I just started catching up with them.

    Just being polite, I said what up to everyone at the table and then, this one person at the end of the table was like, “Hey, I like your shirt, man!”

    I was like, “Oh yeah, for real? Dilla, the god.”

    That’s one of my biggest inspirations.

    And he was like, “Word! You produce?”

    And I was like, “Nah, I don’t produce. I rap, but I’m obsessed with production. I love production.” and at that point, I had just started getting into producing. Trying to teach myself.

    And he was like, “Oh, word. Word. Yeah, that’s what’s up. I produce.”

    And I was like, “Oh, for real? What do you go under?” and he looked at me and said “InfinitiRock” and I just looked at him real real hard for a second.”

    Listen to the full interview now.

    uhlife Interview (Duration 1:09:38)

    About the name: Keep it lowercase, it’s just a belief system. It isn’t that important. Do not put so much emphasis on it or the ego. However, people can spell it however they want.

    Listen to the full project below.

    For more uhlife, just click here.

  • Beer and a Shot: Good Kid

    These god damned dogs will not stop wrestling next to me. Laika’s got 20 lbs. on Luther, but he keeps finding a way to roll her onto her back despite the imbalance. They almost knocked my beer over with their last pass. I’m gonna skin their hides and make myself a pair of house shoes if they spill a sip of my booze. Put that on my grandma.

    I hadn’t noticed how wide Laika’s face had gotten until Luther came along. That she is broad of chest and muscled, powerful in stature, standing next to this tiny fellow whose skin hangs loose on him much like my jeans did when I was a scrawny kid boxing outside my weight class. It’s been too long since I’ve been reminded of those days. I had had forgotten just how old I actually am.

    I wonder if my age has affected my hearing. Well, not my ability to hear. Rather, my ability to relate to what I am listening to. I have always tried to let my ears be my guide with regards to music. I don’t want to have to work too hard to like something (I reserve that effort for family members and co-workers). When I press play, I know whether or not I like something or not pretty much instantaneously. There is, I admit, the occasional instance when a song will slowly grow on me, much like kudzu, until it carpets the interior of my head. But, more often that not, if I ain’t fucking with it, its getting the window treatment.

    The first time I heard of Kendrick was when I was working on Fairfax; I came across the Overly Dedicated mixtape sitting on the counter of the Diamond Store across the street. I brought it back to the shop I had been given keys to and gave it a listen. It was after a few tracks that I realized that I had actually heard this kid once before when an acquaintance had sent me a link to the Compton State Of Mind video. I remember being struck by his introspective nature and need to separate himself from the stereotypes that come from being born and raised in… without ever denying that it was the city itself that have provided the experiences that helped craft his particular perspective. Was I impressed? I don’t think I listened to Overly Dedicated more than a handful of times. With only loose impressions of one or two tracks and no quotables repeating themselves over and over in my head, I quickly forgot about Kendrick Lamar. Was it Kendrick, or the ears listening to his songs?

    Chris is ten years plus my junior and used to give me rides from Fairfax to downtown when I was between automobiles. A beer and a shot too many had rendered me carless for the second time in as many years, and Chris was kind enough to roll me around so that I could take care of business on those unrelentingly hot and smoggy Los Angeles summer days. An avid Hip-Hop head, Chris always had an iPod full of that new new balanced out with a healthy dose of the classics. He prided himself on not just jumping on the next swinging dick that passed through the now over saturated hip hop interweb blogosphere, but rather really listening to the music and supporting talent.

    “You heard that Section 80?” he asked me one trip down Beverly Blvd.

    “Nah” I replied.

    “This dude Kendrick is killing it right now! Yo, check this HiiiPower!”

    HiiiPower was my third time meeting Kendrick Lamar. This was like being introduced to the same chick over and over by a mutual friend only to finally take notice of what they were trying to show you all along — Shorty got potential! Yeah, she ain’t necessarily the baddest chick you ever met, but there’s definitely something worth following up on. Why hadn’t I seen it before? Was it a time and place kind of thing? Where had my head been at? It didn’t hurt that Kanye had recently released “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” and, in an act of sheer brazenness, he had not only swiped, but improved upon one of the catchiest hooks on the album. But, it was also the beat and his delivery on the song. This was a dope track.

    I listened to Section 80 with eager anticipation for more of what I had heard on HiiiPower, but was left unimpressed when I started the record from its beginning. ADHD was good, but the rest of the songs struck me as uneven. Again, I found myself uninterested in a lot of the content and chalked it up to a generation gap. That was until I heard “Keisha’s Song“.

    Holy Shit! Rewind. Play again. Rewind. Play again.

    This was good. It was more than good, it was impressive. One of the hardest feats in rap music is to create empathy without coming across as weak or needy. Pac was the heavyweight champ of this. Ghostface is a close second. In no way am I lumping Kendrick in a class with these two proven Hall Of Famers, but he achieved something that many never will and recorded a truly great rap song. That being said, Section 80 as a project did little to make me think that Mr. Lamar was the new “Prince of The West Coast”. At best, it was another decent tape that showed flashes of greatness while failing to deliver any true staying power. Welcome to the rap game in 2011.

    When I heard that Dre was looking to sign Kendrick I was apathetic at best. Here we had a legend, now well past his prime, with no real relevance in the contemporary landscape and a follow up album that Axle Rose could say had taken too long to finish, attempting to maintain some semblance of purpose by combining forces with LA’s hottest new up and comer.

    Surprise, surprise.

    This in no way changed my general opinion of the artist or increased my anticipation of any future releases. If anything, it signaled a death knell. A bullet in the back of the head of a career year realized as he was about to be used to try and relaunch a now flagging enterprise. There would be no more “Keisha’s Songs”. There would be no more “HiiiPowers” and if there were they would be overproduced, filtered replications of their predecessors.

    I didn’t think Kendrick had the presence or the charisma to carry the burden of expectation that comes with a major label record deal and interweb suckfest that precedes it. I didn’t think that he would be able to dictate his own creative terms and write a record that would be both personable and enjoyable to listen to. I didn’t think that he would be allowed to write a narrative that would crystalize the story that he had to try to tell those years previous ago with “Compton State of Mind”. If you go back and listen he was referring to himself as a “good kid” even then. If you do the due diligence (which I haven’t), he may have been saying it all along. But, somehow that’s exactly what happened. I’m happy to write that I was completely wrong.

    I made the unfortunate mistake to finally listen to Good Kid, M.A.A.D City on laptop speakers. Twitter was awash in Kendrick stanning and the requisite “fuck you, dickriders” posting that comes with any anticipated release. I waited a few days and when I had a free morning, hit play. I missed “Sherane” completely. “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” made me perk up my ears, but I was still only half listening, distracted by a couple dogs and emails that “had” to be answered. “Backseat Freestyle” came on and I hit skip in the middle of the song and was like “Really? This is what everyone has been waiting for?”

    Kendrick’s voice has always been borderline grating when he gets agitated and this was nails on a chalkboard. Whatever. I loaded it onto my iPhone and got ready for my day as the other songs came and went. I hadn’t heard anything noteworthy. Actually, I hadn’t listened.

    I put my earbuds in and hit the door, restarting Good Kid as I left. I heard a prayer. I heard a well crafted verse about lust and infatuation that lead to downfall. I heard a personal mantra come anthem. I heard a still annoying vocal change that will get no replays, and then I heard The Art Of Peer Pressure and was put on notice. When I’m with the Homies channels the best of classic ‘Kast a la Benz or a Beamer and yet it is has its own original, personal voice that is completely relatable to. Kendrick is at his best when he is calm, almost zen like and his focus is on the story being told and not the need to prove himself as an MC. Such is the case here. He leaves the exaggerated vocals to a “homie” and spends the song riding shotgun, cooly describing an evening of juvenile delinquency as events unfold around him. This is precisely when my own teen years started to come back to me and I had that profound moment when you hear another tell your story in song.

    Is Good Kid, M.A.A.D City a classic? I think youth dictates those terms. Classic records always seem to be the ones that impact you the most when you are still malleable. They are records that change the way you think about the possibility of music and the expectations you have for other artists and their endeavors. I’ll leave that decision to kids that have never heard Illmatic (an album which as great as it is still has One Time, a song skipped by me to this day) and people paid for their opinions on what makes for good music. What I heard, and if you’re still reading this piece is my opinion, is this an excellent debut (if you can call it that anymore). It is an important record that, in this current climate of Trap-mania and hyper consumerism, is a carefully crafted reflection on one man’s struggle to maintain his humanity in the face of sex, drugs and gang banging. It is an exercise in thought out, precisely executed verse over beats that aren’t bangers but complement the feeling of the song. It’s some of the best rap music to be recorded by a new generation, and it needs to be listened to.

  • 5 Important Movies For Every Adult Who Grew Up On Disney

    5 Important Movies For Every Adult Who Grew Up On Disney

    Like many twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings (and the rest) I grew up in a household full of fanciful cinematic creations from The Walt Disney Company. Disney’s magic stayed with me all throughout my childhood and teenage years. Dreaming at night like Cinderella, waking up and daydreaming like Belle and as soon as I felt I was old enough I begged my mother to dye my hair red like Ariel’s (no really). It’s no surprise that I grew up assuming, underneath it all, that one day I’d meet my match as they did, it’d be perfect, obviously, and we’d live “happily ever after”.

    As I got older and I started questioning everything in life: religion, education, societal norms, etc… searching for truth and wisdom, I sporadically started calling bullsh*t on every Disney movie I’d ever seen.

    “Ariel was 16, why was she even thinking about marriage?”

    “Cinderella danced with him one time and decided he’s the love of her life!?”

    “How could an intelligent woman like Belle fall in love with a then non-human, that imprisoned her and her father like that?”

    What seemed to make so much sense back then no longer did but my romantic expectations were still as fanciful as the movies were. My perspective on love had been molded by my environment, my environment being Disney movies, and my Disney collection being… Well, the lot of them.

    We learn by our mistakes, trial and error, and it’s been told that our hearts only truly learn from first hand experience. While this is true, I have had moments of clarity and realization from watching other (non-Disney!) movies that have been just as profound as any bitch-slap reality has given me. Here are my top 5 movies I think every Disney molded human being should watch to help re-mold their way of thinking.

    1. 500 Days of Summer

    500 Days of Summer is a movie of boy (Tom) meets girl (Summer), boy dates girl, falls in love with girl and she ends up breaking his heart. Their investment and hopes for their unspecified level of relationship are completely different. While he’s daydreaming about how perfect she is, the one and only he’s been waiting for, she’s –assumedly unintentionally– biding her time and giving him a chance until the situation gets too serious for her conscience and/or irritation level. What is a fling to her is a situation he’s desperate to put a label on, overanalyzing and stressing over where it’s going and how she’s feeling while she carelessly frolics along with her cute outfits, enjoying his company, but pleading that it’s platonic despite their flirtations and physical expressions.

    The reason why so many people relate to this film is because it’s the most common scenario in romantic history: one person falls in love while the other isn’t quite there, at all. Tom believes that when he finds “the one” his life will be complete and Summer believes in no such thing. Her heartbreaking line to him upon meeting months after they went their separate ways, and asking about her recent engagement, is as simple as this:

    Summer: I just… I just woke up one day and I knew.
    Tom: Knew what?
    Summer: …What I was never sure of with you.

    That last line was single-handedly responsible for both curing my cardiovascular anguish and my understanding of unrequited love in its clearest terms. It is what it is, in-complex, and a poignant moment in the film. What we learn in this movie is to confirm, to clarify, to not get caught up in a fantasy version of your situation and instead deal with the task at hand and though sometimes awkward, stating your feelings and having them reciprocated… or moving on.

    Sometimes it’s as basic as they’re just not that into you, and that’s some solid solace-inducing realism to go by. Which leads me to my next movie title…

    2. He’s Just Not That Into You

    A movie about the complexity behind all types of relationships: first dates, casual dating, couples with conflicting marital views, cheating spouses, online dating and wanting what you can’t have.

    What really got my attention was Justin Long’s character Alex and his pep talks to the sweetheart of the film, the somewhat desperate but adorably naïve, Gigi. On her quest for a relationship she goes out of her way to track down her dates post hanging-out to enquire about their interest in her. This prompts Alex to point her in the right direction to save her any unnecessary embarrassment:

    “Trust me when I say if a guy is treating you like he doesn’t give a shit, he genuinely doesn’t give a sh*t. No exceptions.”

    Not the most profound set of words but sometimes I think we just need to hear it, plain and simple, and from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Another conversation that made me pause and ponder was when Alex and Gigi were people watching at a bar:

    Alex: This guy’s going to be buying her drinks all night and she’s going to insist that there’s no “spark”.
    Gigi: Maybe there’s not. You need a spark.
    Alex: No, the “spark” thing is shit.
    Gigi: Really?
    Alex: Bull shit.
    Gigi: Enlighten me.
    Alex: Guys invented the “spark” so that they could not call, and treat you kind of bad, and keep you guessing, and they convince you that that anxiety and that fear that they’re throwing at you is actually, just a “spark”. And you guys all buy it. You eat it up. And you love it. You love it because you feed off that drama. You all love that drama.
    Gigi: I don’t.
    Alex: Oh really? So you never wait until the last minute on a deadline or phone bill because secretly you kind of love the drama of not knowing whether or not you’re going to make it?
    Gigi: May…be?

    His candid words were an instant deep conditioning treatment for my perspective on dating rituals and my interpretation of the habits mentioned. Games are being played and we interpret them as we will, and often in delusion or denial. So again, the same type of message but broken down in reference to the beginnings of a situation. Don’t make any assumptions, you really don’t know until you know, so find out.

    3. Eat, Pray, Love

    A movie about a woman unhappy in her state of mind taking a timeout from her busy New York life to pursue peace and self-healing through traveling. She sets off to Italy, blissfully enjoying the luxuries of the romantic city, spends time in India learning about meditation and the value of selfless work and ends up in Indonesia seeking guidance from a medicine man and meeting a new love.

    On her journey she reflects on her past and her heartbreaks revealing pearls of wisdom that take years of introspection to unfold in the average scattered mind. Her confrontation with herself unmasks some uncomfortable character tendencies and evokes a battle within herself in search of courage and renewal. Here are some of her words I found most insightful:

    “I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism.”

    “A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave. “

    And some advice from her friend Richard, a wise Texan she meets while on her path to enlightenment in India:

    Richard: Problem is, you can’t accept that his relationship had a real short shelf life. You’re like a dog at the dump, baby – you’re just lickin’ at the empty tin can, trying to get more nutrition out of it. And if you’re not careful, that can’s gonna get stuck on your snout forever and make your life miserable. So drop it.
    Liz: But I love him.
    Richard: So love him.
    Liz: But I miss him.
    Richard: So miss him. Send him some love and light every time you think about him, then drop it.

    4. Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind

    A movie about a man and a woman who enter a relationship that eventually winds up being toxic and dysfunctional. In an attempt to move on with their lives they resort to erasing each other from their memory through a non-surgical procedure. This process takes us on a journey of the flaws in their relationship as well as their strong points.

    What I like about this movie is that it gives a true representation of the ups and downs, of the seesaw of emotions that couples go through. The feeling of completeness that a partner brings to your life as well as the burden of their closeness. How the same person responsible for your joy is the same person responsible for your pain. It’s the predicament a lot of lovers result in and the habit of many people that jump from relationship to relationship.

    It’s a perfect example of a relationship gone wrong, turned sour, that wasn’t rooted in two emotionally healthy individuals in the first place. Of two people that traded in their loneliness for each other and in return became dependant and in a constant state of need. The giving and receiving of their love temporarily putting a band aid on their mutual lack of fulfilment but eventually losing its stick. Like any other addiction the high only lasts so long before it becomes destructive and they start blaming the cause of the pain that was already inside them, on each other.

    It’s a cycle that isn’t new to us, we’re so used to seeing it that it looks normal. The inevitable demise of the insecure relationship. Insecurity type subject to the individual but all projected destructive behavior comes from a lack of something in ourselves. It’s thought-provoking seeing our society’s mass romantic dysfunction all laid out so bare and relatable and accessible. And although that isn’t the point of the movie, the main draw or what makes the movie so smart and interesting, it can make a person think twice about the characteristics of their relationships… guideposts and red flags, etc.

    5. Hitch

    Hitch, a modern day portrayal of a (perhaps overconfident) distinguished Prince Charming and his career-driven high strung (but not quite) damsel in distress. This movie, quite unlike the rest, is a realistic ideal of how to pursue love properly, that it’s not perfect, and that there’s likely to be some miscommunication and speed bumps along the way. It’s light-hearted, funny and romantic but I think it successfully avoids cheesiness and definitely provides some ‘what tos’, ‘what not to dos’ and what do you know… you get your happy ending too. No harsh life lesson, just a clean and good-hearted story of optimism without the ridiculousness of running around in glass slippers that fit your feet so well, that one manages to fall off.

  • Sound Searching: Brooke Candy

    Love her or hate her, she really doesn’t care

    If you try to use one word to describe Ms. Candy that word would be. Let me think about it. Okay, I got it. The word that sums her up is Supercalifrgalisticespialidoshous. Brooke Candy is a vivacious 23-year-old that hails from the City of Angels with an "I-don’t-take-shit-attitude" and over-the-top "I’m-sexy-and-I-know-it" style. This young lady is filled with ammo and she’s ready to shoot whoever gets in her way. Most of you may have seen Brooke featured in the wildly popular video for Genesis by Grimes:

    [youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FH-q0I1fJY&h=315]

    In the video, Brooke Candy and her funky style are front and center as she is captured [on video] bikini-clad wielding a sword along the beach and shaking her money-maker in the desert while rocking her signature platform sneakers. Brooke Candy is ready to show the rest of the world what she is made of and with her latest release Das Me she is doing just that. From freak dancing on top of a pink limo in the middle of a residential neighborhood, taking a leisurely stroll in her full get-up on what appears to be the prestigious Rodeo Drive to smoking weed and popping pills in a hotel room. Brooke’s style may not be for every taste. Most people won’t be able to get past her wild looks and drug use, but I see much more than that. I see woman empowerment, taking back the double standards and telling the world to fuck off! [She’s] Literally doing whatever she wants because — hey, at the end of the day — People are going have something negative to say. [You] might as well have fun, right?!

      Let those motherfuckers call you a slut, you know Brooke Candy gotchu.

    For more Brooke Candy, just click here.