Politricks, funk, brews & Samba Boys

It's always unfortunate that people will resort to self destruction when they fail to gain attention by any other means. It is even sadder that when there are bigger troubles looming large, like the current drought and the dismal rain forecast for 2009 long rains, there is the Moi-era style of dabbling in student politics by the Kenyatta University administration, which certainly doesn't help keep things peaceful. But the destruction of KU, which is one of the more peaceful Nairobi pubilc higher education campuses is highly lamentable.

I had relatives who did battle in those early 90's Karl Marx era rampages as part of rowdy University of Nairobi students who have regaled me with great war stories, and some even recall that the mob at times even had a stategy of defending the hostels especially the womens' residences from the fury of of the regular and administration police and the GSU riot squads. Sadly, there are reports of rape by law enforcement elements and the bloodshed never ends well for some. Say a prayer dear friends.

Say a prayer for these too, perishing chasing a good thing in high seas with rickety vessels off the coast of Libya. 300 feared dead including children.


Google Maps Kenya is up and looking for your participation. Google Kenya is making good strides, ahead of the fibre-optic cables that will soon bring broadband to that part of the world.

Last year there was an interesting National Geographic piece about the existence of a dynasty of Black Pharoahs in Egypt circa 8th Century BC. Now, recent research uncovers a hidden face under the bust of Nefertiti. It always gets me how a lot of this priceless treasure is now in the hands of Westeners who won't hear nada about giving it back to it's rightful owners. How would they like it if Kenya, for example, owned a good portion of Rembrandts or Van Goghs? I won't even lie, this piece in The Daily Nation had me going for a little bit.

Africans doing it bigly: I just recently got hip to Norway based hip hop duo Madcon and their international hit single Beggin which was also incorporated into an Adidas tv ad thats been running stateside for many months now. They have a new album So Dark The Con Of Man hitting all shores in 2009. I don't know their heritage, but at one of them has an Ethiopian sounding name (Tshawe Baqwa and Yosef Wolde-Mariam), but I might be mistaken. They've been around since 1992 but Beggin is definitely the first I heard of them. It's a nice funky track. And the raps are reminiscent of a Black Thought.

Also worth checking out is Sierra Leone-born and New York based Chosan. He's currently promoting his debut collection The Beautiful Side Of Misery Vol. 1. It's hard to hate on his showmaship especially with the laytees fron-an-cenna as exposed below.

MsaniiXL's most recent podcast is definitely bumpin' and ready for your listening pleasure. Also in the vein of Afrocentric hiphop podcasts, check out Hiphocalypse's latest compilation featuring a slice from sincerely yours.

I was snooping around on the KBW aggregator and ran into this foodie's review of a microbrewery and lounge in Nairobi. The weather just broke where I'm at, and I can't look at the suddenly bearable, sunny outdoors without thinking about irrigating throats, a la the late great Whispers, and then I stumble on Nairobi microbrews in the german tradition. They might as well be the Holy Grail to me right now.

The recurring nightmare for Kenyan football in it's quest to qualify for any international tournament seems to be that the draw always puts a good North African team or West African team in our path. It is especially harrowing this go-around with Tunisia and Nigeria in Kenya's qualifying group. Mozambique aren't pushovers neither. At the end of the day, we don't invest in the game what these nations put in, so it eventually shows up on the score line. However it goes down in June 3rd when Nigeria comes a-calling (by which I mean them KE boys better win), the visit by Brazil's national team in July is sure to be a bigger sensation, and yet another personal Holy Grail, which I will only be able to savor in my imaginations and through the vicariousness of you lucky bastards that get to breathe the same air as the Samba Boys.

Three words: You are hated.

This better not be some more April foolery. I'm already emotionally invested.

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54 Kingdoms, Blu & Kiss

Already up online but coming soon to brick-and-motar stores across the US this summer is a brand new afrocentric line, 54 Kingdoms. Not necessarily just a collection involving t-shirts and denim apparel, and the prints are defintely muthaland repping. Check out a recent write up on a pretty tight afro-centric portal Jamati Online. I know the economy got most of us hemmed, but you can definitely cop off their current teaser selection.

Check out the new project by fast rising West Coast wonderkid, Blu called Her Favorite Colo(u)r available here. Initial reviews are saying he sounds a little bit jaded a la Kanye West after coming correct for a good stretch. I haven't listened to it but you can't go bad with a Blu joint even as weepy as this joint is supposed to be.

You also can't go wrong with a little street heat from Jadakiss whose long awaited collaboration with DJ Green Lantern Kiss My Ass is available now as a hard hitting appetizer for the soon coming Def Jam album.

Even with new trillion dollar government spending and mortgage salvage plans, the stock market continues to slide. No one is really saying how badly the big US Banks doing and I can't help but feeling a little Republican. Some of them are so badly leveraged, they are going to die a horrible death or will cost the US Government heavy cake. Meanwhile as it is Oscar Awards season, best actor accolades should go to Bernard Madoff. He never bought a security in the last 10 years as he ran an investment enterprise. Bravo!

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Dube, Lucas, Fire, Water & Records

They're weeping in Azania, We weep along with them.

Before the nation went rock, before the Sync Sound Revolution, before we took on the raging Bull of Life by the uncanny horns, fed on VoK drivel, as we ducked Saba Saba missiles and choked on Kamkunji gas, we heard visions in riddim.

• Prisoner (1989)
• Captured Live (1990)
• House of Exile (1991)
• Victims (1993)
• Trinity (1995)

Without any irreverence to the other diadems in the 22 album Soundtrack to Love and Freedom, these I mention for I can testify with sincerity for them as being masterful expressions for a generation. We thank you.

Philip Lucky Dube. 1964-2007.


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It had to happen. The Roc Boys have it on repeat in the studio, there've been pre-screenings for a good while now everywhere...the hood had to get it. Good quality too.

Initial response: Denzel and Russell do not disappoint. They did good to keep most aspects of the amazing Frank Lucas story in the film without slowing it down. How they connected Russell's character into the story was nicely done. Watched it twice in a row, had to trash a night recording session earlier in the week. The fam was bugging in the lab, we couldn't work after. This is definitely going to be the Black Gangster Flick that crosses over. Take somebody nice to see it.


First World Disaster Shelter style: the recent billion dollar Cali wildfires had started to create a Katrina type situation at Qualcomm stadium, but CNN reported acupuncture, yoga and child art modules at the shelters. From the frying pan into a prone position huh. While air quality is an issue, the scheduled NFL game at Qual is still on. Scuba gear on the Running Back?


30,000 strong at those recent Celtel Gospel events. Let them bang. Another weekend event is coming up in early November featuring Byron Cage, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Chevelle Franklin, Donald Lawrence, J Xavier, Junior Tucker, Dunamis among others. Interesting to see Reggae performers like Franklin and Tucker included. It's all very timely. This December we definitely need some Godly Shine through the polls.


Jigga's album's leaking in fits and sounding very promising. Let that b*tch breathe! Freeway and Beans round out the Roc Assault and Memph is also doing the rounds again. Beyond Reasonable Doubt, the scrapped tribute album is circulating.

Playaz Circle, DTPs latest vehicle of longtime DTPers Tity Boy and Dolla boy are also dumping. Luda, Rick Ross and Bub B air out a Clinton Sparks bouncy. Ransom and Buddens are switching heated bars. I loved the A-team. Nas has once again created buzz around his new album with some well placed controversy. Don't forget Facemob on the loaded December 4th and Weezy twice: in December and early 2008.

Some recent US Record sales if you care.

Stakes is high? Check how much water is in your glass.

Morale.

Oh, to my man Kallous, Gun 'em Up.

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Bye Ciks, Radio & Records

Some sensations are best left unlearned, but you know the feeling. The one where the day starts off drab enough but as it wears on you quietly feel this looming dread, like something's off with the world. Without any explanation, you feel as if your emotions should be different from what they currently are. But it's impossible to put a finger on why. But you can't really dwell on the unknown so you try to play things cool and try to get your mind on another track...

The 27th of August was like that for me. My daily compadres could even sniff it off me or it was painted in my posture. I knew the feeling...something wild was up. Eventually early in September I got word that another magnificent person had dipped out of this existence.

Ciks, warm, loving, adventuresome, face like cool water in a Sahara noon. Wish I could've known you better. To Sweet and Crew, my sincere sympathies. We shall look out for The Gift.



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It's been kitambos since I dipped through. Don't kill me I've started writing this particular entry so many times in the past few weeks, but keep getting pulled away. It's still hot outside. The grind continues. There's been some bossy things going on. We put together a brand for our region to make it distinct from anything else in the world. CTGC is the name of the movement at the forefront of a new eastern assault. It's basically a way to bring all the top talent out here to the masses. Initial buzz has been good, radio has embraced us and a small tour is in the works.

Speaking of radio, Friday Sept 14th at 10:41 pm things finally came full circle. For the first time ever I heard a song that I produced, recorded and mixed get spun on radio. It's a little reggae thing we did late in the summer. Special shout out to DJ Wrexx and DJ Phenom. Y'all go in!

While everyone has been excited about the return of the Greatest Waste of Sunday ever created, sorry, I mean the NFL, I've been more keen on the Rugby World Cup. Although I've only really watched a handful of games, it's a needed restoration of my sanity.

Caught 50 Cent at an impromptu performance the day before his album dropped. Onstage he's tight and very polished. Although the venue wasn't packed to the rafters, the crowd was jumping for the duration of the 90 minute set. A lot of people are making a fuss about the first week album sales but the more telling statistic: the second week numbers that fell by at least 75% for both Kanye and Fif. Who knew Talib Kweli (68k) would debut on top of Swizz Beatz, (28k) who seemed to have all the major media outlets on smash. The biggest loser though must be T.I. who has to deal with seeing former long time collaborator DJ Toomp throw his synth game with beautiful effect all over Kanye's album.

In the meantime you can all lament the burial of music videos as a mainstream tv format in the US. Viacom's BET, the last network standing as far as playing videos instead of alternative non music related programming, has ditched all pretentions of playing videos even for 3 hours a day. The once hallowed Rap City is now a late night afterthought.

Pray for the babies, and Free Jena 6!

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Pieces of August

Three Mondays ago, the good folks at rapmullet.com finally caught up with Opium's early spring mixtape for one of their never-ending mixtape reviews. An early Monday blessing for me, with the honorable mention. I was able to sneak 5 beats this go-around and at least one stuck on the reviewer. Good fuel for the grind. New Opium music arrives in a few weeks.

August has bottomed out weatherwise. It's usually unbearably balmy for some, but not for me. So seeing the hoodies and longsleeved outerwear come out this early is not cool. Maybe it's fitting. I'm still black inside after I lost someone I loved to cancer earlier this year. Plus it isn't always glory in the summer: two block wheelies on the Hayabusas, mamis in impossible shorts, performances, cookouts and slow sliding down streets blasting Gyptian in the city. Stand up people get sent up no bail, ones who don't know how to man up suffer man-downs and the determined will forcibly yank your cake.Then again, there're moments when you see up-and-up situations and through the grind and the pitfalls you still feel the blessings.

Common debuted on top with 155K. A good number in these shrunk market days. Talib Kweli, who's enjoying a good look with his album, is feeding the streets along with Clinton Sparks. Check out the brand new mixtape.

I don't know about your hood, but around here Max B is riding that Dipset crest well. His second show in as many weeks at the same venue goes down this weekend. It's a spectacle how these more hardcore street-oriented rappers get celebrity status in these grimy northeastern cities with or without an album. Mobb Deep, D-Block, Red Cafe, Cassidy and others receive a lot of adulation. Being in a position to be behind the scenes and seeing the digi-cam flashbulbs going off at paparazzi rates when Max B pulled up to the venue by a mob of mostly women caught me off guard. And some of these ladies can be of an exquisite rare breed... can quote Styles P better than me!

Speaking of behind the scenes, reggae's premier recording band Morgan Heritage were in town recently, which is sort of a homecoming for them, and I got the opportunity to kick with them on the tour bus as well as take in an hour-long set from an offstage vantage point. World class professionals, easy going, deeply Rasta and the cali bud smouldering in the back of the bus was making the window panes gooey. And their music: it really does sound much better than the record. Outstanding musicianship.

Morale.

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Hot outside, ebooks, 10,000 Watts & Drumming

A goody goody salute to you.

When it gets hot outside, it really gets hot outside. The young boys here go berserk with the deading. But there's nothing like a little perspective for that ass. Recent Mungiki vs. Police killings make Northeast Gutter City pop-off Shenanigans seem like an episode of Fraggle Rock. Who was down with Fraggle Rock? Yeah you know me! Leo Faya had a Buru Reminisce Piece that you may want to feel out. I might just be down for a back-in-the-day version of my own, like Faya said, before the dementia sets in. Some people never need worry.

Speaking of which, American Football has a case to answer as far as depression, dementia and general brain damage is concerned. I always knew there was trouble with those blunt hits.

Big up to my brother Sultan on the alert. The EA Standard had a piece this weekend about the cut-throat turf wars on the K.E. entertainment scene. On all levels, from Event Hosts to Bouncers. Pretty soon, even the bartenders are going to get in on it. The very interesting thing to me is that D.S. Njoroge is the go-to guy for all the big international shows, which I suspect is because of his well known 10,000 watt sound system. (I'm ashamed he ok'd Ja Rule... Richie Spice....more like it. Most definitely worth it to see that Dread live at least once in your life). Still, no new pretenders in the Biggest Sound in K.E. race?


It's a beautiful thing...when Namibia comes to Nairobi and falls. Now, they can nail up a new scalp at the RFUEA grounds with Morocco doing that now-dead Motorbike dance move formerly dearly beloved by my bredren Msanii....Going Dooowwn.

With ODM not finding a suitable Flag Bearer at this point in the game is telling. Raila is already looking to 2012! But that doesn't mean ODM is done with. Peep Alexcia's reasons. All the same, a stalemate now only means someone will end up being frustrated late in the game, and not entirely willing to yum up on the humble pie, and bail.


Nuff Respect to Akiey, who is grinding heavy in the Midwest, currently pitching a Barack Obama ebook, Best Speeches of Barack Obama, available for free download for a limited time. With New York City Mayor and I-don't-need-your-guap-rich billionaire Michael Bloomberg almost throwing his hat in the ring, the leading candidates on the both the Democrat and Republican sides must make their cases known before this turns into another year 2000 type fiasco, where the Dems were left baying for spoiler Ralph Nader's blood, as Ross Perot is back in a flashy NYC format.


Who didn't see this coming: he's portrayed God already, so what's a little Nelson Mandela going to do for him? Morgan Freeman is Nelson Mandela in a recollection of SA's 1995 Rugby World Cup triumph. Coming soon, White and Blacks united under one banner... White America will shed a tear. Wait...wasn't there only one black player on the 1995 Springboks? Chester Williams, I believe? Jonah Lomu. What a beast he was in that tournament. The memorable mismatch I recall was the one with those tiny Japanese team peeps trying to hold on to their dignity as Lomu trod them underfoot.

So what do I does on a fly Sato night like this one? The truth, I'm heavy in the lab, cooking up some new heat. No bashdowns tonight. The time hasn't arrived for me to speak on what's on the horizon. Still, the dirty work must get done, Monday to Sunday. Break time is over. Must go find my 808 kit and get busy. Thankfully the team is present and it's riot in here. I wouldn't prefer it otherwise.

Morale.


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Money, Gaza & Death.

Oh yeah that Time has come again....

The Time when I look at my tv and wonder what is going to happen to it now that the NBA is over....No more basketball on tv till it's cold again......

San Antonio are the testament to the Tortoise Way to Run Things. Phoenix and Dallas, the high flying (aka sunguch) teams in the West ran out of steam before the post season, while the Spurs had been easily choo-chooing at a steady clip only seeming to up the ante in the playoffs. The scary thing? The Big Three (Duncan, Ginobili and brand new Finals MVP, Parker) remain unchanged in the line-up until 2011. I wish that was exciting news. By the way, who's keeping count of how many rings Robert Horry has amassed? Look for trades to happen quickly in Cleveland.


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On Madaraka Dizzay, Tony Thompson passed. Not to be confused with the late drummer from funk outfit Chic, this Thompson was the lead vocalist in the young boy group Hi Five.

The Gems: 1990, I Like the Way (Kissing Game) had smooch rookies in boarding school seeking out cute, willing guinea pigs for lip lock behind the girls bathroom at supper time on Sundays, while the rest of us hungry bastards were trying to miraculously acquire an extra piece of meat (incidentally, the resulting blackmail would guarantee some of us extra nyaks for weeks). FFWD>> 1992 She's Playing Hard To Get and Quality Time, the former being a quality New Jack Swing effort that lit up many a venue with masses united in the execution of the that dance they called the Pyrate, while I assume the lyrics from Quality Time found perfect use on a high school love letter or two. Or for simply yumming up the baby making....

Then came Sexsational, the solo LP in 1995 with a first single I Wanna Love Like That that stayed booming in matts for months, as well as in Bubbles and Visions; John Karani and crew hyped it up on the English Service drive time show (before the wide wonderful world of FM babies), and it definitely had my vote for one of the better R&B jams of that year, as if we were starving for good crack then.

Tony Thompson, dead at 31. Initial reports speculate it may have been a drug related death but the official word hasn't been released yet. In any case, for all the good flavas, my simple tribute. R.I.P. Thanks for the tunes and memories.

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This is also blowing under the radar, but the East Cost Rap Fraternity is mourning Monday's shooting death of Stack Bundles. Most recently affiliated with Dipset's Byrd Gang Crew, he initially stormed on the scene with other Desert Storm alums Joe Budden and Ransom under that banner. Bundles had a unique slick, thugged out oh-so-New York flow. Gutter and outspoken, his fodder was the streets and all the non-fluffy things in them unless, of course, it was a spanking new Lexus LS 460h or similar artifacts of couture and grace. His immersion into Dipset along with Jim Jones brethren Max B is directly related to Jim Jones stylistic upgrade, which led to Jones making some mainstream noise in 2006. Bundles' debut Dipset mixtape appearance was in 2006, on the same mixtape Jones' banger We Fly High debuted on. Outside of Dipset, he was involved with his own crew Riot Squad (Bynoe, thanks for everything, we're with y'all). Stack Bundles has been a mixtape favorite since 2004, it's a suprise Papoose, Saigon, Joell Ortiz, Tru Life, Maino, Uncle Murder and Red Cafe were all toting major label deals before him.

Never heard spitting some sappy mess for the ladies, always spitting crack tales, gunfights or styling on them retardedly, this is definitely one rapper I was checking for in NY...he never took a day off in his rhymes. He will be missed. No street mixtape of mine was complete without a Stack Bundles contribution. Definitely, his passing is an alert for all rappers with one foot in the game, other foot in the streets.

Rayquon Elliott, dead at 24. Before his time in the sun.

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It's not a movie, not 28 Days or Weeks Later. 5 Days later, Gaza Strip is owned by Hamas. In the same week, an anti Syrian Lebanese MP is assassinated and a suspected terrorist bomb goes off in the Green City in the Sun. A freaking cowinkidink?


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The US Immigration Bill dead and buried? Coming soon....The Remix...like next week soon.


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Holla at Half n Half. Good thing you kicked them cigarette thangs to the curb, as the Jamhuri Budget attacks smokes and beer for the umpteenth time (Brand new entry at number 3... Free High School!!). Better roads, more teachers and coffee farmers get debt relief.

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Morale.

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Planes, Hoops & Kisha

RIP to the KQ 507 Flight Victims.

But unfortunately, the Blame Game begins. Apparently even KQ isn't sure which pilot was in charge of the plane, a 20 year veteran or a 24 year old young blood. Reminds me of a recent trip where I saw two pilots in NY's JFK Airport looking at the departure screens trying to find the flight number for the plane they were supposed to be flying. You'd think they had been briefed before they even got to the airport. I was glad not to be on their plane.


The NBA Playoffs? More like a soap opera.

If you are missing the drama in the Western Conference NBA Playoffs, jump on the bandwagon. The first round Golden State Warriors - Dallas Mavericks series may have been the most entertaining hoops since the end of the Jordan era, and I mean when he retired the first time. Beat Em Down Jackson, Matt Barnes, BD, and Jason Richardson...stealing that first game in Dallas was magnificent. I was rooting for Denver too but they're going to need a third threat, or a deeper bench. I feel bad for the talented but young Chicago...Detroit is going to embarrass them. Lebron could finally put a respectable notch on his belt if the Cavaliers take New Jersey's scalp. The only hum drum thing about this year's playoffs: The play of the San Antonio Spurs. Their clinical not so exciting style may win them another championship at the expense of the high flying up-tempo Phoenix team. And the Utah Jazz may kill Golden State's Cinderella Story in it's second act.

And condolences also go out to the Chelsea folks. Big bad Man U happened.

American Idol's most recent reject, LaKisha Jones is the next Jennifer Hudson. She's not Melinda Doolittle, but she still has a powerful built-for-soul voice, sounding like wholesome Sunday cooking. Warm, righteous and filling. The way she killed that Whitney Houston song I Have Nothing early in the game was ridiculous. Then how she blessed God Bless the Child? She better be signed already.


I'm going to apologize... I had intentions of posting up some brand new music for y'all but I'm time barred right now. I'mma have to keep this Badu to myself.

Morale.


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