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! 

The Best Music I've listened to in 2013 So Far (Part 2)

Ok, so how about that. There's only one hip-hop artist in this part of this list. Anyway, Here are the next six.

7. Jars of Clay - "Much Afraid"



I fell in love with this album around the same time I truly fell in love with music. I must have been either 11 or 12. Their self titled debut was one of the first three albums that I ever owned and which is up to now one of my favorite albums of all time. Much Afraid, their follow-up, is  a little heavier, a little more electro and when I first heard it, a little disappointing. Given the luxury of perspective, however, I have actually come to think of it as the superior of the two. It has been another one of my 2013 throwback albums. Oh, the 90's.





8. James Blake - "Overgrown"



Overgrown is a perfectly ground cup of melancholy. A sound-scape for the nocturnal, the heavy-hearted and the heavy-lidded. The 24 year old British producer/ singer/ Song-writer weaves a tapestry of such subversive and opulent beauty that it's almost impossible not to get lost in it. I got lost in it for months.





9. Game - "Jesus Piece"



I tend to gravitate towards music that (like assume most people do) somehow captures my state of mind and/ or emotional atmosphere at any given time. The volatility captured by this album, of a man grappling with the question, "How do I serve God and remain a man of faith while still staying true to these streets, this music and this life that I've built for myself?" gripped me from the get go. A question that (in its own variation) I've been grappling with myself. The hook on the cut  "Can't Get Right" cuts especially deep.




10.  Justin Timberlake - "20/20 Experience"



7 years since his last album and just like his previous smash Futuresex/ Lovesounds, The 20/20 Experience sounds like nothing that is on the radio right now. It's a pop album that's not really a pop album and that's something that I can definitely rock with. JT has never been the best lyricist (listen to Strawberry Bubblegum and Spaceship Coupe to hear what I mean) but there's just something about the man's music. Ice that with the fact that the album it's basically a 70 minute long love letter to his significant other (which I can totally relate with for like the first time in my life) and I've had this baby on copious rote since the day of its release.




11. Paramore - "Paramore"



It's been a long road for Haley Williams and her band Paramore. The last couple of years has seen the band rent with internal conflicts, culminating in two of its founding members walking out. Their self titled return is Haley saying , "Hey guys, we're still here and we're still gonna rock out". Add on that it's an album about growing up and by golly-gosh! was that, is something I could/ can relate with.  And so when Haley sings "If there's a future- we want it! Now-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow! " I find myself pumping my fist and singing along.





12. Limp Bizkit - "The Chocolate Starfish and the Hot dog Flavored Water"



Fred Durst was one angry individual. Need the proof? He and his band have a song called "Break stuff" where the first lines are "It's just one of those days/ where you don't wanna wake up/ everything is fucked/ everybody sucks!!!/ you don't really know why/ but you wanna justify/ ripping someone's head off!". Needless to say their music helped fuel an entire generation of angry and violent teenagers. I just happened to be one of them. The Chocolate Starfish... was one of my teen defining albums and during my nostalgia fueled search for old music I  decided to dust off Durst & Crew and give them another listen.



And with those, I will see you next time.

Peace.

Welcome to "Heavy Rotation": The Best Music I've listened to in 2013 So Far (Part 1)

I love music. So much so that if I had a single musical bone in my body I would probably try to make some. Iv'e come to terms with my weaknesses though and so since I don't, Iv'e settled for listening to it. But not just listening to it, because merely listening to her would be sacrilege to the goddess that she is. I bathe in her, drink and swallow her, take walks in the rain that is her, do everything with her.

And the one thing that I enjoy more than that is sharing her with people, which when it comes right down to it, is the whole purpose of this blog, Heavy Rotation. To share the music I listen to with other people who love music and for them to hopefully share their music with me, I'm always looking for new music to listen to.

That being said, 2013 has been an interesting year for music and I. I've discovered music (both old and new) and even though the year is more or less only half over I would like to share some of this music with you. My intention is for it to be a crash course of the last 7 months and since we're 30 weeks in I want to share the 30 projects (Albums, Ep's and mixtapes) that have been on Heavy Rotation for me so far.

Here are the first 6 (In no particular order):


1. Party Next Door - "PARTYNEXTDOOR"

I have to admit, on first listen I thought that Party Next door, who is signed to Drake's imprint OVO sounded like a a cheap imitation of The Weeknd and Drake himself. And although a few more rotations of his debut mixtape did little to change my opinion, I did find myself going back to its lush and sensual sounds again and again.



You can download his mixtape HERE.


2. MS MR - "Second Hand Rapture" 

"What are MS MR exactly?" I asked myself the first time I listened to them. "An indie electro pop rock duo maybe?" Well their name, which is pronounced 'miss mister', would seem to suggest so. "But just wait a damn minute," I said to myself, "I got over those like two years ago" - sorry Beach House & The XX. But for some reason these guys got me. Maybe it was lines like "These are hard, these are hard times for dreamers" on the creepy "Bones" or the poignancy of the equally spooky Twenty Seven Where vocalist Lizzy Plapinge proclaims "[I] don't need the promise of Heaven/ just faith I'll pass twenty seven". Whatever it was, I was/ am hooked.





3. Jay-Z - "The Black Album" 

I didn't like Magna Carta. It had nice beats and all but it didn't really do anything for me. Jay has famously said that "[If] Niggas want my old shit/ buy my old albums" and so I did. Sort of. Torrents are my friends. Anyway, I went back and listened to my favorite Jay album which is hands down "The Black Album". What more can I say?




4. Maya Jane Coles - "Comfort" 

But this British born DJ of Japanese descent is one bad ass chick. She makes the kind of dance music that I don't only want to get up and move to but that I can also actually sit back and listen to. Please don't ask me how, it just is. I tried Major Lazor's early 2013 release "Free the Universe" and although it had its moments, we just didn't connect and so "Comfort" has taken the top spot for my go-to dance album of the year so far. Sorry Diplo.




5. True Apothecary - "I'm Low On Gas and You Need a Jacket" 

So this hella good indie outfit from Yonkers, New York through some cosmic force I have since ceased trying to figure out, somehow found me on Twitter. Followed me right out of the blue. I subsequently found their music. It was love at first spin. Listen to them. They are awesome.

You can download their debut EP HERE.

6. Kanye West - "Yeezus" 

I don't care what Big Ghost says, I mess with this album. Granted, the first couple of spins were kinda torture (I ditched it in favor of J. Cole's Born Sinner like just about the rest of the world) but when I listened to it again with fresh ears a few weeks later I realized something. I effing liked it I really effing liked it.

You can check out the fresh off the press interactive video for "Black Skin Head" HERE.

And those are the first 6. I will be listing 6 a day for the next 4 so I hope you will be coming back.

Peace.