hip hop
Red Bull Music Academy: a caffeine boost for the music industry?Tuesday, 06 December 2011
I almost feel duty bound to make a declaration of interest here. I have done several pieces of paid writing for the Red Bull Music Academy, including a piece of course material for this year's Academy, and a few days ago I went to Madrid to see the... Read more... |
CD: Baloji - Kinshasa SuccursaleFriday, 02 December 2011
Some critics have lazily compared Baloji to Somali rapper K’nann: both are African rappers who had lucky childhood escapes from countries about to descend into war and chaos, but beyond that they seem to have quite different approaches to what they... Read more... |
Robert Glasper, London Jazz Festival, Kings PlaceFriday, 18 November 2011
There aren't too many pianists who excite jazz aficionados and hip-hop fans in equal measure. But then no other artist has been inspired equally by hip-hop beats on the one hand and Thelonious Monk on the other. And while it appears increasingly... Read more... |
CD: Joker - The VisionThursday, 27 October 2011
Joker, aka 22 year old Bristolian Liam McLean, is one of the most individual talents of the dubstep/grime generation. His long run of dancefloor-directed single releases, some originally recorded when he was in his early teens, showed natural gifts... Read more... |
Some Like It Hip Hop, ZooNation, Peacock TheatreThursday, 27 October 2011
The title is a warning, as is the cheesy grinning poster - this is going to be Fun with a capital F, and Feel-good too, and Family Friendly. And it is going to clean up hip hop’s badass image. I was already prejudiced against it before I sat down.... Read more... |
WHY?, Duke of York's Picture House, BrightonWednesday, 26 October 2011
Ah, the Duke of York’s Picture House, the oldest consistently operating purpose-built cinema in the country. It’s a beautiful venue, just over a century old, and almost too comfortable. It’s been jazzed up a few times over the decades and, tonight,... Read more... |
Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975Friday, 21 October 2011
This is a strangely kaleidoscopic approach to documentary. A selection of recently unearthed footage and interviews which shows the Black Power movement in the USA through the eyes of idealistic Swedish film-makers, now re-edited and framed with the... Read more... |
CD: Spank Rock - Everything is Boring and Everyone is a Fucking LiarThursday, 22 September 2011
First off Spank Rock, has nailed the second best album title of the year. It’s sweary, bleeds punk attitude and nails a point - rather than the usual focus-grouped opaquely resonant crap bands come up with (best album title of 2011, by the way:... Read more... |
CD: The Soul Rebels Brass Band - Unlock Your MindWednesday, 07 September 2011
Rooted in the New Orleans brass band tradition, but updating it for the 21st century with elements of funk, R&B, hip hop, reggae and half-sung, half-rapped lyrics, this disc will blow clean out of the water any preconceptions you might have of... Read more... |
CD: Example - Playing in the ShadowsSaturday, 03 September 2011
Better him than Black Eyed Peas, eh? Will.I.Am never came up with a line like, "Just sittin' here chillin' in the Batcave/ Whilst listening to Nick Cave/ Last night was a sick rave". In fact, that lively sliver of channel-hopping doggerel pretty... Read more... |
Outlook: four days in the sunshine and two fingers to the bigotsTuesday, 16 August 2011
At the start of September, the fourth Outlook Festival takes place in a 19th-century fort on the Croatian coast. Already this festival has become a vital point in the calendar for those involved with dubstep, grime and other UK underground scenes –... Read more... |
Riot music: we should have listened harderTuesday, 09 August 2011
I'm not claiming some major prescience or insight here. I am as guilty as anyone of dipping into the music of the sink estates for a small dose of frisson then returning to art and music that confirm my own worldview. But maybe, just maybe, if we... Read more... |
