Heavy Rotation: L.A.'s Top 13 of 2013

So alot of people Ive talked to over the last couple of weeks have intimated to me how much of a sucky year they think 2013 has been for music. Their argument? That most if not all of the most anticipated releases of the year (Yeezy, Jay, Katy & Gaga- I'm looking at you) came no where near to expectations. This is more than true although that being said, it was also the year of the Return Of Timberlake (Although I wont even talk about that second disc) & Mr. Aubrey Graham released yet another Drake album that has cemented his dominance as the leader of the newschool even further.

I'll be honest though, a lot of the music that I enjoyed this year, released this year, came as a result of proverbial crate digging but couple that with some of the more mainstream releases and I found 2013 to be quite a good year indeed.

Here's what I listened to:

1. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
Genre: Hip-Hop/ R&B

Essential Track: "Too Much" Ft. Sampha


2. Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience
Genre: Pop/ Soul

Essential Track: "Don't Hold The Wall"


3. Dom Kennedy - Get Home Safely
Genre: Hip-Hop

Essential Track: "Black Bentleys"


4. Party Next Door - PARTYNEXTDOOR
Genre: R&B

Essential Track: "Relax With Me"


5. Kelela - Cut 4 Me
Genre: R&B/ Post Dubstep

Essential Track: "Keep It Cool"


6. Maya Jane Coles - Comfort
Genre: Deep House

Essential Track: "Burning Bright" Ft. Kim Ann Foxman


7. MS MR - Second Hand Rapture
Genre: Electro-Pop

Essential Track: "Dark Doo Wop"


8. James Blake - Overgrown
Genre: Electronic/ Soul

Essential Track: "Retrograde"


9. True Apothecary - I'm Low On Gas And You Need a Jacket
Genre: Alternative Rock

Essential Track: "Chuck Taylor's All-star Dance Factory"


10. Arctic Monkeys - AM
Genre: Alternative Rock

Essential Track: "R U Mine?"


11. Queens of The Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
Genre: Alternative Rock

Essential Track: "I Appear Missing"


12. Norma Jean - Wrong Doers
Genre: Metal

Essential Track: "Sun dies, Blood Moon"


13. Deaf Heaven - Sunbather
Genre: Metal

Essential Track: "The Pecan Tree"


You can listen to a sampler mix of the essential tracks from each release that I mentioned above HERE. Enjoy!

Ibarah's Favourite Music Of 2013

2013 was the year of the underdog, if the music I listened to is to go by. I was blown away by these new and slept on sounds. From Chance The Rapper, Jacob Banks to Kelela, I had these EPs and albums on heavy rotation for months.I listened to the top dogs as well and I found myself falling in love with Drake again  plus I had terribly missed John Legend. I loved this music so much and I just had to share it! 

1. Acid Rap – Chance The Rapper

Genre: Hip Hop / Rap

Favs: Good Ass Intro, Coco Butter Kisses,  Lost, Everybodys Something, Favorite Song.

2. Esquises – CaramelBrown

 Genre: Soul/Nu Soul

Favs: Taboo, Dearest Me, Whispers, Untitled, So Many Things

 

3. Avalanche – Quadron

Genre: Alternative Soul

Favs. Hey Love, Favourite Star, Better Off, LFT, Neverland

4. Paramore – Paramore

Genre: Alternative Rock

Favs: Grow Up, Ain’t It Fun. Daydreaming, Crazy Girls, Still Into You, I’m Not Angry Anymore

5.  Nothing Was The Same – Drake

Genre: R&B/Hip Hop

Favs:  Hold On We’re Going Home, From Time, Too Much, Connect, The Motion, Worst Behaviour

6. Electric Lady – Janelle Monae

Genre: R&B/Soul

Favs: Q.U.E.E.N, Electric Lady, Primetime, We Were Rock & Roll, Victory

7. The Monologue EP – Jacob Banks

Genre: Soul

Favs: Worthy, YOLO, Dear Simone, Something Beautiful, Home Coming

 

8. Love In The Future – John Legend

Genre: R&B/Soul

Favs: Love In The Future, Made To Love, All Of Me, Open Your Eyes, We Loved It

9. Days Are Gone – Haim

Genre: Alternative Soul

Favs: Falling, Forever, Running  If You Call My Name, The Wire, Days Are Gone

10. The 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake

Genre: R&B/Pop

Favs: Pusher Love Girl, Suit & Tie, Mirrors, Tunnel Vision, Strawberry Bubblegum

11.  Echo Boom  - Cris Cab

Genre: R&B/Reggae

Favs: Echo Boom, Rihanna’s Gun, Turn You On, Gypsys On The Boulevard, Going Home

12. Sail Out – Jhene Aiko

Genre:R&B/Hip Hop

Favs: The Vapors, Bed Peace, Stay Ready,WTH, The Worst, Comfort Inn Ending

13. Cut 4 Me – Kelela

Genre: R&B/Nu Soul

Favs: Guns and Synths, Go All Night, Enemy, Do It Again, Keep It Cool, Bank Head

James Franco & Seth Rogen Star in Kanye Parody 'Bound 3'

So there's been a lot of talk about that Kanye video where he has sex on a bike in front of a green screen with a  naked Kim Kardashian. Personally I thought it was ridiculously self indulgent to the point of being just plain ridiculous. Which is  shame too, considering that the video is for a song that many people consider the most accessible off of his extremely inaccessible album Yeezus.

Apparently, I am not alone in my assumptions because yesterday a hilarious parody video starring James Franco as Kanye West and a hairy backed Seth Rogen as the baby mama popped up on the internet.

Check it out below:

Let's Keep Daisy & Kojjo in the game; Let's Vote!

Uganda's own Daisy Ejang, who has been dubbed in this year's Tusker Project Fame competition as 'the voice to beat' is on the chopping block this week along with Kojjo, Uganda's other contestant as well as with the rest of the academy. The infamous judge Ian was unhappy with last night's performances overall saying that at this point none of them deserved to be there. Let's keep our peeps in the game people so that one of them can bring home that money! Let's VOTE!

To save DAISY send TUSKER 7 to 8338

To save KOJJO send TUSKER 5  to 8338

You can also vote online at: http://tuskerprojectfame.tv/ . The voting prompt is in the bottom right corner.

and also at http://tusker.mobi if you are on your phone.

Like the Tusker Project Fame Uganda page at: https://www.facebook.com/tuskerprojectfameuganda

Numbers on The Boards (Track by Pusha T)

I heard this shit on Channel O last week. I'm so bossy--bitch get off me is a line from Jay-Z's American Gangster album. Not that I know that album, or the song 'Ignorant Shit', but this kid is in school. Properly. He's been studying Jay-Z. I do not have the term for Jay-Z scholars, Yale doesn't have a program dedicated to Sean Carter. This kid makes me proud. Because not only does he quote Jay-Z, he adds an actual vocal sample from Jay-Z's In My Lifetime ... Vol 1.



Critical bias:

- Hip Hop does have children and grandchildren.

5 Albums I've Had on Heavy Rotation This Week

1. The 1975 - The 1975 (2013)

This British outfit may call themselves The 1975 but they sound like something straight out of the 1980's. Their self titled debut is a party ready record that serves as an apt soundtrack for the young, hot, hip and happening.

Essential Track (s): "Settle Down" , "She Way Out"


2. Cut 4 Me - Kelela (2013)

The L.A. based singer of Ethiopian descent serves up a mixtape which is equal measure post-dubstep synths and warbles and mid to late 90's R&B. The result of a collaboration with UK based producers Nguzunguzu & Kingdom is stunning.

Essential Track (s): "Keep it Cool" , "Send Me Out"


3. Nothing Was The Same - Drake (2013)

With his third major label release, Toronto's very own cements his title as a hip-hop superstar which is quite interesting considering that Mr. Graham is, in all honesty, more R&B than he is hip-hop. When he does rap though, he sounds restless and invigorated. The look works for him.

Essential Track (s): "Furthest Thing" , "The Language"


4. Saint Heron - Various Artists (2013)

Mrs. Carter's little sister, Solange, has carved out quite the career for herself. She continually proves that she is worth more than the shrug than people often used to give her. To commemorate the next stage of her career, the launching of her own label Saint Records, Solange Knowles has released a compilation of music she deems notable in the rise of nu-r&b. If this collection is anything to go by, there is a lot to look forward to.

Essential Track (s): "Faded " Jade J , "Relax" Starchild


5. Sunbather - Deafheaven (2013)

I used to wonder how people could sit through 10 minute + songs...and then I met Deafheaven. They are all thrashing guitars, rolling drums and throaty screams...and I love it. They often offset these loud moments however with more quiet and tender ones which only adds power to the songs. At first I couldn't understand a single thing the front man was saying (screaming), and the truth is sometimes I still cant but when I listened to the album while reading the lyrics I realized that the angst, pain, frustration and wistfulness of the lyrics are mirrored perfectly in the soundscapes the band creates. And it is beautiful.

Essential Track (s): "Dream House" , "Vertigo" 

New Music: Know Bout Me - Timbaland Ft. Jay Z, Drake & James Fauntleroy

After a big year working on three of the biggest albums of the year (Jay Z's MCHG, both of Justin Timberlake's Experiences) that dude they call Timbo has decided that you really don't know jack 'bout him after all and thought it was time that he reminded you...and hence the new single that boasts features from Jay-Z (a 10 second intro), Drizzy (an aight verse) and James Fauntleroy (on crooning outro duty). What you do know bout Big Tim by the end of the song is that homie needs to stick to what he does best- producing.

The song is the lead of single off of his 2014 LP Textbook Timbo.

Listen to the song below:

Thoughts?

Bringing Jaba Back?

There's just something about having your own dance. Where whenever your song is played wherever it may be people just spontaneously burst out into a dance that you created. I guess you could say that it's like its own form of mind control. It can even make a person feel somewhat God like. Ask Soulja Boy, Cupid or PSY. It can often be a career maker. It can also be a career killer. Ask Soulja Boy, Cupid or PSY.

Earlier this year Ugandan rapper Big Tril tried to take his own shot at this with his release "Jaba Shake" where he tried to cash in on the craze that was the Harlem Shake but at the same time still maintain a local flavor by incorporating the early 2000's dance Jaba. How successful this was I can only guess at but what I can say is that the tendency with trying to copy a fad is that what you've made will probably end up just like the fad that you're copying, gone as fast as it appeared.

Now, I'm pretty sure that anyone who went to boarding school in Uganda in the early 2000's remembers the dance, Jaba. It was everywhere and then, just like all fads, it was nowhere.

More than 10 years later singer Jaamie Woods is on a mission to bring it back with his song simply called 'Jaba'. The song, which is backed by an instrumental that recalls the song 'Murder She Wrote' by Chaka Demus & Pliers calls you to "Do di Jaba, do di Jaba" with a video showing you just how.

Will Jaamie woods manage to do a better job than Big Tril did? That's entirely to be seen. In the meantime though, check this out.

Daisy Ejang: A Voice to be Heard

So I don't watch a lot of TV. Especially reality shows. And even more especially local ones. And talent searches...? Ne-gro-preez. And no Bee, my secret obsession with The Voice certainly doesn't count...

Now, although I may come off as slightly cynical I will be the first one to admit, there's a lot of talent out there (I've seen it) but I will also not scrimp on words but will say that there are a lot more people out there who only believe that they have talent. And although this is something that happens world over, (the very reason why all those so-painful-to-watch-it's-funny American Idol open auditions were such a hit) I've noticed that as Ugandans, instead of laughing at them and sending them home like we should do, we actually encourage them. Which often means that we have a lot of people walking around getting the spot light that really shouldn't be.

And so I guess you could call this is an attempt at making at least a small contribution to helping someone who I do think should have the spotlight and the opportunities that come along with it. And After you watch the video below I'm pretty sure that you will too.

Tusker Project Fame is about to embark on it's 6th season and this time round is doing something a little different. This year they have incorporated Online/ Digital auditions so that an individual can LIKE & SHARE the voice that they feel is the best. Ultimately that voice stands a chance of getting into the house.



Now with that preamble out of the way, the voice that I personally believe deserves to be in the house belongs to Daisy Ejang. I truly believe that God gave her a voice. An amazing one and I'm pretty sure that If you watch the video below you will be as convinced as I am. And if you are; please Like it, Share it and tell your friends about it and let's help get that voice heard.

A Lil' Something For You to Listen To

I love music. I love listening to it, I love talking about it and above all: I love sharing it. It's the number one reason why I started this blog. I know I haven't posted in a while but that's mainly because I've been on the prowl for new music to listen to- to share with you.

Now although I've never considered myself a DJ (and unless something drastic happens I probably never will) I've always wanted to make playlists of the music I'm currently listening to to share with people. I've finally decided to get off my black ass and do just that. Here's the first of what I hope to be very, very money and although it's not completely definitive of what I've been listening to, it is a pretty good cross section of it. I hope you enjoy it.

LISTEN to it, DOWNLOAD it HERE.

An African [at] New York Fashion Week

Cab Driver: You sure you guys want to go to Queens?! A couple of rich fellas like you should be in Manhattan.
Akeem: No, I want Queens; we're not rich, we're ordinary African students. 

Despite the insane number of times I watched Coming to America, I still haven't really figured out who those two guys were. I always thought the crown prince was Eddie Murphy acting as himself. He was not African like me; Hell No! He had a girl bark like an angry little terrier. 

The story was really a comedy sketch by Eddie Murphy about Africans in New York, which brought to life grossed a hundred million at the box office. Hooray for Eddie! I digress. What I do remember liking is style that made Coming to America worth watching. The elaborate leopard fur hats of President Mobutu brought the thing home for us, helping us relate with the plot.  

I have a feeling Blitz the Ambassador was more taken up by the fact that Africans were wearing fur coats, gold chains and robes. Not for me. 

These two guys are immortalized on the cover of the new single by Blitz the Ambassador. While Eddie Murphy is probably still secretly chuckling at obscenely rich Africans lost in New York, we know all too well that even Mobutu's children (Kabila,current D.R.C President) were ordinary looking kids at Makerere University. 

So ... it's a bit of a fantasy, really. Rapping about Louis Vuitton is not unusual in Hip Hop either, therefore I tend to think what truly inspired the track, "African in New York" is a reductive view of Africans at Fashion Week. 

but when it comes to style, we fly as can be africans at new york fashion week

That being said, the music is fly as can be. As in when it comes to music, we fly as can be kind of fly. Coming from Ghana, this rapper is forever bonded to Ghana's signature highlife ... the likes of "Sweet Mother, I'll never forget you" by Prince Nico Mbarga from 1977. This homie is taking it back in time and giving props where due. 

You can tell that he's listened to much highlife and Afro pop (Fela Kuti, King Sunny Adé, Prince Nico Mbarga, Manu Dibango) when you hear the serious mixture of conga drums, jazz horn sections, rhythmic bass and that spiny up-and-down electric guitar you don't know if you should Decalé, Ndombolo, Kwasa Kwasa, Bakisimba or Kitagururo. 

Critical bias: 

The shout out to Africans by Jay-Z is a plus, as well as is the rapper's interpolation of Shinehead's 'Jamaican in New York'. 

Misgivings: 

- Ndombolo is not a dance I can return to in my free time; Coming to America is about exactly that; and the horns sound too generic and nothing like the original 1970s Afro pop arrangements. 

The Best Music I've Listened to in 2013 So Far (Part 3)

I know I'm a day late but here are another six musicians that I have had on Heavy Rotation since the year began.

13. Chance The Rapper - "Acid Rap"



I was talking to a friend the other day and we both agreed that contrary to what he himself may believe, Kanye West is not Hip-Hop's savior. Where we were differed however, is that she believes that Kendrick Lamar is. I disagreed. I think Hip-Hop is just at a place where it is time to pass on the torch to the next generation of rapper. Just as it went from Heavy D, to Biggy, to Jay-Z; it's time for the next gen to take over. And although there is a lot of crap out there, I do believe that Hip-Hop is in safe hands. One set of those hands belongs to Chance the Rapper. Ever since I was introduced to him view of new school hip hop has been completely different. Listen to him.



You can download his mixtape Acid Rap free HERE


14. Nirvana - "In Utero"




I looked for this album after I heard the song "Heart Shaped Box" in an episode of Californication. And while public opinion states that Nevermind defined 90's grunge, to me, In Utero defined Nirvana as a band. Aggressive guitars, heartfelt song lyrics and the fact that its a statement against the tower that is capitalism and mainstream music has propelled this album not only onto this list but also onto my list of favorite albums of all time.





15. Childish Gambino - "CAMP"




I like Donald Glover. I think he's an insanely talented writer and actor and his stand up is friggin' hilarious. But I think that just like everyone else, I wasn't quite sure whether he would ever be good at rapping. His self released free album CAMP though is his hungry reply proclaiming: Yes. I Can. It is a well thought out, hunger driven project that has been on Heavy Rotation ever since I've gotten it.





16. Jeff Buckley - "Grace"




Most people know Jeff Buckley from his definitive cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and even though that song is a good entry point to his music, it is only an entry point. Tired of the stuff that passes off as music these days I found myself going through Rollingstone's Best Albums of the 90's in search of good music. I found this album on the list. I was completely blown away by Buckley's musicality, poignant lyricism and the sound of his voice. I was in love, still am and not afraid to say so.





17.  Asap Rocky - "LiveLoveA$ap"



Asap Rocky has swag. He also has an amazing gift for selecting beats. For his 2011 mixtape LiveLoveA$ap he teamed up with the a small known producer named Clams Casino who contributed to the overall aesthetic of the mixtape. And even though Rocky has made flow reminiscent of UGK and Bone Thugs, it is Clams' production that keeps me coming back.



You Can download the full mixtape HERE.


18. The Notorious B.I.G. - 'Ready to Die"



I've always been Biggy over Pac and this album is the reason why. His subversive story telling style shows a man who not only observed the life in the streets (much like Pac did) but also lived it. And then there's the musicality of his flow and that undeniable presence of his every time he spat into the mic. This is the original Good Kid, M.a.a.D. City.



And with those I will see you next time,

Peace & much love to ya.

'V' For Victory? More Like 'V' for Very, Very Disappointed: My Reluctant Thoughts On Ruyonga's Latest Single "Victory Music" Featuring MoRoots

So when I got online this past Monday morning I was welcomed by what I thought was going to turn out to be a pleasant surprise of the 'Christmas in July' variety. Uganda's 'It' rapper Ruyonga had just dropped his latest single featuring the talented songstress on the up and up, MoRoots. And if that wasn't enough, the song was called "Victory Music". How much more epic could it get?


         When I logged onto Facebook I was welcomed by this

And so without hesitating I went to Ruuu's Reverbnation and downloaded that thing pronto. I could feel the excitement bubbling up inside of me as the 'seconds left' eroded away to nothing.

And then I had it.

I'm pretty sure many of you have been to 3D Cinema Magic by now. You know that little flutter you get as you sit there with the blue shades on and that first 3D trailer begins to play? Yeah, it was something like that.

Taking a deep breath, I pressed play.

I've never been able to hold my breath for a particularly long time but right then, right there, I found myself holding it, hoping against hope that I would find something spectacular to hold onto. A punchline, a metaphor, an ad-lib, a note hit, anything...but then...nothing.

The song ended and I sat there in a sort of stunned silence. That was it? No, wait, there must be some sort of mistake. Maybe if I just played the song again...

And so I did. Twice more. No dice.


              "uuuummm...okay."

Kneading my forehead with the fingertips of my left hand I let out a long and disheartened sigh. I had such high hopes too...

The truth is, I really, really didn't want to write this, for lack of a better word, review. I would have much rather preferred to have kept my thoughts to myself and sat on my frustration for as long as I needed to get over it. But when Ugandan raps' latest flag bearer goes and puts out something that is more akin to a white flag than one promising glory I get a little worried and rather hot under the collar.

But enough about me, let's talk about the music.

The song starts with Ruyonga pretty much pleading with us, the listeners, to follow him on Twitter and to remember that the hashtags his management team have decided on are #VictoryMusic and #AllWinEverything. When I heard that I was like, what? Huh? Really? Don't you have said management team to pass on that information for you? Does that really have to be the first thing that we hear? 

This unfortunate hashtag business makes yet another unwelcome appearance in the hook that MoRoots sings.

Teacher! Teacher! Teacher! Question though: What happens when five years from now Twitter is no more, what then?


                               Yeah...what she said.

Now, MoRoots, who has performed with Qwela and plays regularly at Jazzville in Bugolobi (#SoulDeepTuesday anyone?) is, I believe, one to watch but I also feel like she was totally misused on this song. The hook does nothing to compliment her voice with its negligible melody, hackneyed lyrics and a falsetto that she doesn't seem quite comfortable with. Which makes me wonder, just who was making all of those important decisions when they were back in the studio?

Which, in turn, brings me to the production.


         MoRoots (L) singing with Qwela

Aethan, who is one of Kampala's premiere hip-hop producers, and who previously worked with Ruyonga on the exciting "Blood, Smoke, Fire", is the hands behind these four minutes right here . Now, I get what he was going for (Something epic with a little soul, a little funk and a little bounce to it) I really do. Something like 'All of the Lights' by Kanye West for example. That kind of ish that when it plays it makes you want to get your King on. That kind of ish that when it plays it makes you want to put one finger in the air, throw your head back and get your rock n' roll on. Unfortunately for everyone involved, I just don't think he quite got there. Points for knowing what you want dude, it just kinda sucks that you didn't quite know how to get it.

Which is pretty much how I feel when it comes to Ruyonga's lyrics. Again, I get what he's going for but when homie continues to perpetuate metaphors and images that have been used and reused so many times that when you hear them again here they produce painful, birth giving groans and the desire to face palm yourself into a hospital bed, no matter the flow, it gets quite off-putting. And so when he says "My home country is only small in size" I'm not sure quite whether I want to believe him or not.

There's no denying the cat's talent and there's a reason why a homie has got everyone's attention but in the end I feel that this particular cut was more miss than hit.

Next time Ruuu, make me want to believe you.

And with that, I end this with a shooter.




                        BANG!