Part of the 90’s nostalgia that’s been trending lately is that every rapper from Lil Wayne to Jay-Z is referencing Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Rightly so, Nirvana was one of the spearheads of a movement that was new and edgy in 90’s rock. But what about The Smashing Pumpkins? After Nirvana’s success, every major record label was snatching up Seattle/Pacific Northwest bands with the “Grunge” sound. The Smashing Pumpkins, coming out of Chicago had a different sound that made them …
Tag: Rap
Shabazz Palaces Black Up Sub Pop: 2011 “I ain’t show off/I just showed up,” Palaceer Lazaro spits on “Free Press and Curl,” the first jam off Shabazz Palaces’ debut album, Black Up (Sub Pop). Palaceer aka Ishmael Butler, better known as Butterfly, was a member of the early 90’s trioDigable Planets, a group that helped solidify the fusion of jazz and hip-hop. The Planets broke up after two slept-on releases. Butterfly traded in his bohemian pop appeal and retro grooves to form Cherrywine. Their …
Jay-Z and Kanye West Watch The Throne 2011 Watch The Throne? Really? It’s been called “a new form of opulence” in music. Kanye West and Jay-Z are on a higher plane with no one to compete with except U2’s Bono according to Pusha T (one half of The Clips and new member of G.O.O.D Music Records). The album is laced with ridiculously expensive samples, over produced dizzying production, a shout out to O (as in President Obama), references to hip-hop’s …
Root For The Villain J-Zone Old Maid Books J-Zone first made his musical debut in 1999 with Music for Tu Madre (Old Maid Entertainment). While he was pushing his music in the underground, his classmate Ma$e (aka Murda Ma$e, aka “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems” Biggie Smalls Puff Daddy Bad Boy affiliate) was casting a shadow on the pop culture world. Ma$e dropped out of SUNY Purchase a year before I transferred there. Zone continued his education and graduated. After Biggie was killed, …
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