In October of last year, DJ and producer Marlon Williams, better known as Marley Marl, was here in Tokyo spinning at Speakeasy, a locally known mobile dance party that’s featured numerous pioneering DJ’s. Partygoers had him signing their vinyl copies of his classic singles like “Biz Is Goin’ Off” (1987). He was kicking it with loving fans, taking flicks, and the party’s promoter, Brooklyn Terry, brought him a sparkling cake to which the crowd sung him happy birthday. Marl was …
Author: Tracy Jones
This week, golden lives stay live. Royce da 5′ 9″ just dropped a video for “Cocaine” off of his last effort, Book of Ryan (2018). Black Thought gives an intensive clinic about cutting through the murk. Ruby Ibarra’s “Taking Names” featuring Bambu and Nump is hype as fuck. Ka’s video for “Just” off of Honor Killed The Samurai (2016) is a short film. Reason’s “Colored Dreams” is about a convicted killer’s redemption. He’s running with TDE and raising his flag this …
Swamburger has been independently releasing music for the past 15 years. With a hustler’s spirit, Swam is a world onto himself. He’s many things; painter, skateboarder, band leader, entrepreneur, producer, rapper is just near the top of the list. As one forth of the group Solillaquists Of Sound, Swam has garnered a global cult following. Most fans know him as the guy who’s always walking amongst the crowd talking out of the box and hugging fans turned friends. Newcomers at his …
Peep Hakuna Kulala crew and Nyege Nyege Tapes. Them dudes is wild for the night. There’s a lot of colossal experimental electronic textures weaving out of East Africa. Rapper Ill Camille is spitting like the industry owe her money. Producer Blockhead’s single, “Slippery Slope” off of his latest album “Free Sweatpants” features Billy Woods, Open Mike Eagle, and Breezly Brewin of The Juggaknots. Brewin is an insanely underrated rapper that has yet to get his much deserved flowers. His younger …
A tar-painted female figure shines forks for a halo. Her arms have eyes. She’s holding a pair of old brown work boots as an offering. A second figure holds a banjo. She’s skating on top of an alligator that’s lying flat on a skateboard. A third wears electrical outlets for a dress. She’s about to explode. Her chicken legs and tiny feet are seemingly too fragile to support her swollen body. The lips of their cowrie shell mouths curl inward, …
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