Non-Local Local Happenings for that Ass

The Midwest is the place I rest. I got family in Detroit, Chicago, TC, Madison, Milwaukwee and even St Louis, dig. Taking a page from Bun B (cuz the Fat Money is toooo tril), "we all different but we all rep the same thangs," namely making good music and hustling like raindrops to get it out there. If yer in any of these areas, show some love:

TONIGHT: Turf Club Announces a Hip-Hop, Jazz and R&B Oriented Night

RELOADED WEDNESDAYS

Wednesday December 10

w/ Great Lion White Snake, Kredentials, Quilombas AND HOUSE DJ – DJ Anton

9:00PM - $4 – 21+

The Turf Club is proud to announce a series of hip-hop, jazz and r&b oriented nights booked by Sean 'Twinkie Jiggles' McPherson of Heiruspecs. The series is called Reloaded Wednesdays, in homage to the Groove Garden series, Freeloaded Wednesdays, that took place in the late 90s at the Front in Minneapolis. The series will bring together new and established acts who don't play fucking rock music.

Wednesday December 10 will be the twelfth Reloaded Wednesday event. The Great Lion White Snake will be taking the Reloaded stage for the first time under this name. The group is a bit of a vehicle for brothers Casey and Graham O'Brien to flex their funk muscles. The brothers O'Brien with Marcus Schmid (Wookiefoot) on organ and Scott Devlin (Test Type 67 and Reverse Cowboy) on guitar and voice. The group flexes their feels over Meters classics and beautiful originals. The flyer says the band is called the Jerry Louis Farrakhan Klezmer Ensemble but they were asked to change their name by the estates of Jerry Louis, Louis Farrahkan and the little known writer Farrakhan Klezmer. The rising hip-hop stars Kredentials are also gracing the Reloaded stage with their presence. This live hip-hop band has been rocking stages across the Twin Cities and making a name for themselves as an air-tight live show. These guys bring an unmistakable energy to their music and their career. Reloaded is honored to have them on the stage.Quilombolas are one of the most well-known bands to be joining the Reloaded scene and their reputation precedes them. This Minneapolis based world-fusion band has been playing together for many years and their style has cemented them as one of the most sought after acts in the Twin Cities. DJ Anton will be manning the wheels of steel and killing it as he is wont to do when on those tables. DRINKING JENGA continues, no crazy drinking games, just jenga with a beer in your secondary hand.

(good stuff...)

or, a little further East:

My man D. Allie is a hungry cat who is deep in this rap shit. He'll be playing a big show in Detroit at the Magic Bag with a handful of other big acts, including always-tight Street Justice. Here's a song download from dude to wet yer appetites: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Q71DK64N.

Also, check my man youtubing it to see what the hustle is about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQW75p1dyMc

D. Allie has some good thoughts on rap and what it means to be an artist, which are including in his "Musician's Manifesto," which I'll be sharing with you all in due time. For now, head over to Michigan and check out this show. While yer there give the dilsnik to them auto execs, bailout these nuts old man. FTW (Forever Two Wheels)!

Give 'em Room: Background Noise Crew doing it BIG

For all my uninformed trawlers out there not from Minnesnowta, the Twin Cities is so thick with rap royalty that I have no reservations calling it the center of Midwest Hip Hop (Fugg Kanye). You cain't throw a medium-sized stone on the southside of Minneapolis without hitting a dope MC. In that vein, the Background Noise Crew is just a group of six young men that just wants to make dope rrrap. Putting it work for a minute, their simmering (on the low-low) activities have recently boiled over into plenty of creative product for a listening public eager for something hype.




First check out their site for the really real and concert updates: http://www.backgroundnoisecrew.com/

_________________________

The latest heater is "Room to Operate," another raw yet refined platter of illness. (unfortunately this techno dinosaur still hasn't figured out how to post audio to the ole blog, so go to the Web site and listen for yerself herbs)

________________________

If that weren't enough, the multi-venomous unit is releasing a series of six "webisodes" (more like clever visual commercials definitely worth checking out), the first two of which are already up on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/backgroundnoisecrew. Floss at least once a day kiddos.

_________________________

All this is centered around Background Noise Crew's newest series of releases, a "Sad Clown Bad Dub-like series" called "Everybody Does This." Self-awareness is sorely lacking in the game.

The Fat Money gives love to all who are out there working hard to give the world good new Hip Hop. Extra propers due to those who do it in creative ways. That's what's up!!

The great mystery mixtape experiment...

Holla scholars.

For grizzled old heads like you and yours truly, stumbling onto a new artist that truly hits you is an ever elusive event. Shit, I still remember getting my copies of 36 Chambers, ATLiens, and Ready to Die for pennies in the mail offa that Columbia House catalog and having my wig blown back way back forever...when's the last time a total mind-fugg of rrrap awesomeness happened to you??

There is no chance for new favorite artists without random stabs into the heart of the indie Internet hip hop clusterfuck. That's why I'm posting a series of mixtapes sent to me by a cat named Sweeny Kovar (www.sweeneykovar.wordpress.com). According to son these are more like playlists full of dope ish rather than mixtapes, as the mixing is poor to non-existent. Whatever's clever. Haven't listened to 'em, maybe never will, but hidden gems look to abound here...I see some Royce the 5'9'', some J Dills, some Elzhi...right up the Fat Money's ole alley, dig? So peep and support. Son posted even more (older) mixes up on the aforementioned blog if ya'll still ain't satiated by these platters of fatter matter:

CDRadioFour: http://www.divshare.com/download/5792947-92f (featuring Jaylib's "Bonus Beat")

CDRadioFive: http://www.divshare.com/download/5852153-b37 (featuring Kev Brown, Black Milk, etc)

FreshSelect's very first mixtape: http://www.freshselects.net/freshselectsloosejoints

CDRadioSix: http://www.sendspace.com/file/bzzdzy (featuring spoken word by late, great Nuyorican poet, Miguel Pinero)

CDRadioSeven: http://www.sendspace.com/file/gna6fp

Cashusking & Blu- Angelic: http://www.sendspace.com/file/kcnooa

If anyone actually peeps the formulas, let me know if they're any good-- The Fat Money knows time is money, which makes my time fat. It moves slow and doesn't get far, I need more ears than I presently have. Spread some love...

Dub MD presents new mixtape: "Hip Hop Renatus"

http://www.mediafire.com/?m1ntu2mnydm

Don't sleep on this one. It features a slew of lesser known lyrical talent over "New, Rare, Classic & Unreleased" instrumentals from production l-l-l-legends like J Dilla, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, ?uestlove, Large Professor, Oddisee, Illmind, Marley Marl, Madlib, 9th Wonder and others, so at the very least there's gon be some choice beats to head nod to.

"Renatus" is a Latin term meaning Re-birth: exactly what the game needs right now. Exactly what the earth needs right now. Exactly what my fuggin whole like need right now. Dig it!

Mixtape ov the Day: DJ Rondevu's "The Depression"

(Why does the recession feels so depressing? Probably because even us lucky ducks with gainful employment hate our jobs. But fear not, music as escapism is still a valid pursuit...)

So for all you pod-heads eager to fill up that massive empty space in your life (oops I mean hard drives), here's another collection of solid mainstream rrrrrap mixed up nicely by my man DJ Rondevu.

Z-Share: http://www.zshare.net/download/522010618dd515d0/

or
yousendit: https://www.yousendit.com/download/TTZtWmd1UzdlcEtGa1E9PQ

*check out track 16, "Interview with that Palin Bitch" if nothing else, or the reprise of Bun B's "That's Gangsta" with Styles P. Now that's gangsta and gentleman, man.

Combating cultural amnesia 1 mixtape at a time: Throwback rap from the Arsonists

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=F00NUG9K&utm_source=Creative+Juices+Newsletter&utm_campaign=c8ab9561fb-November+2008+Creative+Juices+Newsletter&utm_medium=email

Free download of a mix made in 1998, featuring a slew of classic and rare tracks from that group the Arsonists. If you don't know, ya better... (and shit, if you don't know how to finish that phrase up, you really better...). For those with short attention spans, the Arsonists were (are) a tight and multi-faceted group out of Bushwick (Brooklyn!) who promoted all the elements of Hip Hop culture with passion and action. Wikipedia says they originally had 13 members, damn. Anyway, no blingin out here, jus real real good music.

1998: the year of puffy and cash money, the year we all thought the music couldn't possibly get any worse....ha!

thinking bout end of year top tens

folk, fam, flim, flam,

As is inevitable every year, holiday season for me means not presents and cheer (the Fat Money is notoriously broke and cantankerous) but end-of-year best and worst of lists. Only this year, after a few nights spent tossing and (as they say) turning, I am really at a loss as to clear album favorites from 2008. A variety of factors may be at fault: I've basically given up buying CDs (a far cry from my hey-day of $100/week on music conspicous consumption, big up Cheapos); the artists that are usually money have come with weaker-than-usual efforts (the Dude, Weezy, etc); my memory is shot from one (or 500) tooo many spliffies; the music industry sucks. Basically, it seems like this was a(nother) down year for our beloved hip hop (remember 95? Me neither).

I'm wondering if I'm alone in this feeling. Also, I'm sure there are at least ten amazing indie/inderground/local joints that I've either forgotten about or haven't gotten my greasy hands on. What I'm asking for from you, my loyal readers (no doubt all of you discerning experts on rrrrap), are suggestions on some ov your favorite discs from the last year. Whereas others might call this sort of blanket pandering lazy journalism, I like to think of it as an effective form of populist collectivization (sans pleas for the free coinage of silver, read your history kiddies).

My preliminary list includes Bun B, Z Ro, The Roots, Steinski, Q-Tip, Prof EP, Muja Messiah...But what am I overlooking?

Leave a comment with anything you can think ov. Peace peace!

New track from my man Braille: "Frankenstein"

Been sitting on this one for a while (its like Halloween themed, dig?), but it sho nuff deserves some shine. Heading up the trump-tight label Hip Hop IS Music (yea tell us somefin we don't know, kid), Braille has been putting in work for a minute (4 full length albums deep, van damme). Check out this year's The IV Edition, then peep my review of the solid comp "Heavy Rotation" from 2006, and cop that joint too: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2006_09_heavyrotation.html

The new track is a collaboe between Braille and S1, the first in (we can only hope) a series of tracks that will comprise the future album "Cloud Nineteen" from the two like-minded artists.

The Fat Money is a techno dinosaur, so the best I can do is list a link to all the press materials for this one...worth the effort dun dun: http://www.hiphopismusic.com/uploads/Frankenstein.zip

So illy.

i gets visual

Ever since the Fat Money discovered that here in Mad-town the hip hop can be thicker than coughee smoke in Devin's hotel room one minute, then suddenly it's winter and ain't even no mo doobies in the 'tray (metaphor, kiddies), I been scrambling to expand the H.E.A.D.S. enterprise. I swear, next time a name-brand rrrrapper sets foot in Wisco I'll be too old to enjoy it. But my cash flow is never weak, so what I'm gonna do but play da Vinci on 'em and enlarge the repertoire...

Even though my spurious creditials for film criticism include sleeping through an intro to film studies class in college and boasting having seen the movie Rockers at least 50 times, The Decider actually believed I could review a film fest screening, and I tricked them into publishing my piece, which even comes with neat youtube clips to enjoy:
http://madison.decider.com/articles/recap-wiskinos-fall-kabaret,1093/

Tomorrow I'ma see if I can check out some ballet...playing! Ain't slippin, expect more funky shit from H.E.A.D.S. sooner than later...

NEW FREE EP from Illogic: "One Bar Left"

Holy recession batman, seems like all my favorite indie artists be putting out all their carefully crafted music for free these days, while the major label players still fight for the table scraps offa propa CD sales (big up Luda). How, you ask? Fueled purely by a love for the music and a tacit understanding that Ramen isn't so bad with a little hot sauce; also, health insurance can wait. In today's game, building a loyal fan base is numero uno for sustaining a long-term career, and do to that you got to work them internet connections, and that's just what my man Illogic is fin to do with the moves he's been making over the last year.

Today marks the official release of Illogic's FREE new EP "One More Bar." This is obstensibly a preview to wet the whistles of Ill's more rabid fans before the release of his proper full-length "Diabolical Fun," which will come next spring and feature production from fellow Ohioian Ill Poetic (no relation):

http://www.divshare.com/download/5906891-722


For all you flat-pocketed MCs out there, it's also available for a 5 ducket digital purchase if you want the instrumentals thrown in: http://www.weightless.net/site/

As a special bonus for all you Lucky Charms-eating kiddies who cain't get enough: On a related note (grindin'), Ill Poetic released a series of ill mash mixtapes, including "Joe Budden meets Portishead" (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KT8SVJ12) and "NIN meets OutKast" (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CL6ETK0G), a record that "sounds like something Otis Redding would mosh to in Phil Spector’s living room." Peep those joints in time and see where we can go with this music...

So gobble up these free scooby snacks, but when Ill comes to your town, show some love and buy the t-shirt. Even rappers cain't survive on pure dopeness. Support good music!!!

Track of tha Day: Joe Budden w/ The Game, "The Future"

link up:
http://www.yoraps.com/audios1.php?subaction=showfull&id=1227512874&archive=&start_from=&ucat=13&

This shit will get bump in the club, so use it to wake ya face up after a long weekend. Monday morning get right joint. Although I find voco-dore bullshit annoying since 1996, the track is redeemed by my man Joe Budden, always on point and a real good dude. Cop the mixtape Mood Muzik vol.3 if you don't have it already, and peep his new shit when it drops!

Another Lil Wayne track, another polarizing performance

Peep the link:
http://www.yoraps.com/audios1.php?subaction=showfull&id=1227264230&archive=&start_from=&ucat=13&

Disclosure: I was a fan of Weezy briefly circa "Dedication 2," but the novelty of his swaggering sing song and Dr. Suess wordplay has long ago worn thin in the Fat Money's book. This song is a textbook example of how Wayne displays hints of talent and then squanders it with lines that are clever but nonsensicle and songs with no impact. Some heads hear surpreme articulation and a mastery of flow; I see a high egghead fuggin around in the booth cause his daddy owns the studio. If I hear another sleepy verse rhyming "bitch" with "shit" with "stupid" again, I'ma murder rap music. Also: Wayne, experimentation is welcome, but put down the guitar and hire a vocal coach. If this the greatest rapper alive, then build me a time machine and dial it up to '88 cuz I'd rather not live in such a world.

But that's just me, feel free to bump this track to your heart's delight. We all gonna die anyway so let's bling out!

New single produced by DILLA to peep

Here's a new single by a cat from NYC named Oveous Maximus, courtesy of Word Up! e-zine.

"Spoken word artist turned emcee, Oveous Maximus, is currently putting the finishing touches on his upcoming concept album, Ovilla, which is Ove going in over beats produced by the one and only J Dilla.

The first single from the album is "Feel The Beeeat"-- not Jay's best work, but any new Dilla Dawg is paramount in Fat Money's world. This one's getting multiple spins at the Selbo ranch for Ove's fresh flows ("never saw Disney/ fuck that Mickey!") and Dilla's seductive synths. Whoa.

Peep the track: http://beyondrace.com/Media/downloads/category/1-music-mp3-downloads.

A final thought: how the hell did dude get a whole disc of Dilla beats to spit over? not even Jesus should be that blessed, lord gawwwwd! i'd give my right arm to get a half-dozen ov his unused tracks, sheeeeesh. or my soul if dem devils is listening. just saying, dilla dawg for life

2008...time to set it straight

Like Cube when he finally shaved them curls off his head, this is gonna be the best year I ever had, despite the contradictions. We got a Black president, but the cancer of capitalism is still deep. Z-Ro is out of jail, but Kanye is still being wack. My jump shot gets nicer every season but the Bucks still suck.

Here's my first few weeks of output for the recently launched www.decider.com. Be sure to keep checking the Web site as we get deeper and deeper into the cultural abyss that is "Madison."

1. Pidgeon John concert recap: http://austin.decider.com/articles/pigeon-john-the-crest-and-kanser-at-high-noon-salo,751/ (the show where Unicus of Kanser tried to make me feel bad for not writing the praises of his group last year...ha)

2. Homegrown Hip Hop Fest at the Union: http://madison.decider.com/articles/homegrown-hip-hop-fest-at-memorial-union-naomi-kle,813/ (my originial draft was something like 1500 words, but my editor somehow managed to cut it down to 500...apologies to all the TC acts that deserved a lot more love)

3. Devin the Dude and Subtle concert recaps: http://madison.decider.com/articles/loudon-wainwright-iii-at-majestic-theatre-heartles,951/ (Devin is one of my favorites and Subtle I had never heard of...a good contrast)

*keep it movin, yea yea to the K.I.M. Look out fo' mo' in the coming weeks, including recaps of Clyde Stubb, Country Tribute acts, and a filmmaker's kabaret. Oh you didn't know? The Fat Money is diversifying-- fugg this rap shit! Hip Hop is dead stupid.

City Pages oeuvre

Although I'm still technically employed there, my output for alternative-news weekly TC staple City Pages has dropped to a trickle recently, on account ov my geography being all messed up now and all. Here, then, is a good time to gather up my cumulative work for them over the past 18 months:

http://www.citypages.com/content/result/author:190279;exactPhrase:on;page:1

The above link is only for material appearing in the print edition, so most of my best stuff (Web-based concert reviews) is not included. Here are some links to my favorite Blog entries, along with a few old rapreviews.com favorites as well (collect and read them all!):

1. Chris Rock concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/07/chris_rock_at_t.php

2. Feature music article on Kanye West and 50 Cent: http://www.citypages.com/2007-09-26/music/robber-barons/

3. "Back to the Lab" CD review of De La Soul's third album: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_buhloone.html

4. KRS-ONE concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/04/krs_one_april_1.php

5. El-P advanced CD review: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2007_02F_sleepwhendead.html

6. Concert review of TC producer's gathering: http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/06/last_of_the_rec.php

7. "Bizarre Ride" BTTL review: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_bizarreride.html

8. "Release the Dance" concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/03/release_the_dan.php

9. El Guante and Tru Roots CD/concert review (big up yaself!): http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/03/edutainment_jor_1.php

10. Necro concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/03/edutainment_jor_1.php

11. Bootsy Collins James Brown tribute recap: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/07/funky_zoo_jorda.php

12. All the Way Live tour with Rakim, Ghost, B. Ali: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2007/11/all_the_way_liv.php

13. Stones Throw concert at The Foundation: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2007/11/madlib_pb_wolf.php

14. Del/Devin concert slideshow: http://www.citypages.com/slideshow/view/22904

15. WU TANG at Rock the Bells (my first ever concert review!!): http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2007/08/rock_the_bells.php

16. Mos Def "True Magic" feature review for rapreviews.com: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2007_01F_truemagic.html

17. Hilarious hate-mail after I dissed Atmosphere (see 3rd letter down; thanks Bobby!): http://www.citypages.com/2008-01-30/news/letters-to-the-editor/

Mega props to my editors at CP-- Jeff Shaw, Sarah Askari and Andrea Myers! Props to photog Tony Nelson for driving out to Apple Valley that one time to see Bootsy. Props to the bouncers at First Ave for letting me sleep in the corner. Props to Rob for the ear plugs. Props to Ernie, last word, Jimmy II Times, Rahzwell, Prof, Brandon Allday, Big Cats! and every other TC rapper/producer/DJ who gave the kid the time of day...come to Madison fellas!!

A small fish in a big ass pond becomes...the same fish in a bowl.

People people: like that great man said, we got to get over before we go under. So the Fat Money is back on his hustle. Tryna save skrilly on a working class income is like Favre donning the Green 'n Gold again--just ain't gon happen, but I'm tryna win still! Fugg a stock market, I wanna have me a fat yacht, and enough land to...well, you know the rest. I'm taking notes from my man Z-Ro-- "I'm Still Livin," so I'ma continue to "Let the Truth Be Told" so that you'll "Remember Me"-- and I still "Hate U Bitch"!

Enough jive: I recently departed the mighty TC music scene for a quiet life of solitude among the cows in Madison, Wisconsin, ready to let my illustrious writing career in music slip away like so many blunted afternoons on the Grand Ole porch. But van damme, somehow the Fat Money stumbled into the waiting arms of the Onion's new Madison-focused online culture site, www.decider.com. Since their cultural musings have always been highly esteemed in my book (right up there with Klostermann and them Ego Trip heads), I jumped at the opportunity.

Let's just hope there's at least a few rap acts brave enough to travel to this sleepy hamlet in the dark days of winter... we are still needing to import our supply of rrrap talent unfortunately.

So any artists/promoters/managers/owners who want to get more funky shit in Mad-son, get at me!!!

Getting money like a caucasian!!!

A blunted Sunday comp review rundown (part II)

12:32pm: My head is foggy, and I think I bought a whole bag of books this morning. Three bucks, Damn. Here’s part two, and god bless the day of rest—more hip hop, smoke breaks and crosswords, plus the playoffs are on broadcast for once. Today I’m starting with another lost gem, Joe Budden’s “Mood Muzik 3,” which I checked out a few times when I got it last February, and yes I did dug it, but didn’t have an avenue for write about it at the time (times is tough for a lowly freelancer). Budden’s cursed history with industry bullshit is compelling and well-known; yet it’s not the story itself that’s ultimately satisfying, rather it’s the artist that has evolved as an end result of those struggles. (As opposed to a 50 cent, whose allure rests almost exclusively on his back story, and not what it made him.) On “Mood Muzik” he shows off an alarming level of candor and pathos, along with plenty of masterful flows and wordplays. The mixtape format leaves cohesion at the door, but the collection still wins on the strength of its emotional weight, where Joe’s laments are backed up nobly by dark east coast soundscapes. Intoxication results from an artist so haywire personally but on-point technically. Call it tortured genius syndrome. Some tired moments pop up when Joe’s guests showcase typical nihilistic gunplay instead of genuine soul searching, but it’s still a guilty pleasure to swagger in murder kicks, I ain’t mad. They still tuck in some wicked bars amongst the hard rock hullabaloo, such as “Money is the root of all evil, I thought/ but when I’m broke is when I usually have the evilest thoughts.” Kinda deep, no? Did he just jack a Metallica ballad? Oh, but Joe’s not just a cry baby, he’s also a man of knowledge, as evidenced by casual references to topics diverse and esoteric, from Richard Reid the shoe bomber to Brand Nubian to Sam Bowie (“I ain’t been to Summer Jam/I learned from Lupe/when you ‘Dumb it Down’ it’s just harder to understand”) And he’s got a big bag full of more instant quotables. “The nerve of the young folk/Yosemite Sam is getting gung-ho/nigga bank account only got one O/he could snort lines of coke with his dick and not come(cum) dope.” On the really real, Joe’s my man, so look out for his proper release dropping any week now.

Verdict: Burn it, then Cop the next release

2:02: After re-sampling yesterday’s “Training Day,” I’m popping in this “Hero” joint, a collaboration between E-Dot and Darp Malone. The use of acoustic guitar on the opener “Magadishu” (as well as the title itself) suggests accurately that this project will be in the vein of that feel good boho “conscious” underground indie backpack coffee shop shit. Well then the question is: do they come with anything original? Breathe easy, these cats got something to say and a good idea of how they wanna say it. Darp Malone’s production is subdued, melodic, and jazzy, but not afraid of dropping bass heavy bottoms. If that’s your bag, he does it ably, with plenty of dynamic arrangements; if you can’t get with that smoove shit, then this probably ain’t gonna change your mind. Here’s a good test: when someone says “R&B,” do you think a.)rhythm & blues, or b.)rap and bullsh**? If it’s the latter, I understand, but that’s kind of a shame; in a true hip hop Eden, diversity is king and “Hero” definitely has a small spot to fill. Autobiographical story raps mix with sober looks at relationships and society, like grown man ish. Some of the seemingly endless love swoons crowding the second half are corny and meandering, and the last track is all preachy, but overall “Hero” is pretty good on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Verdict: At least check the Web site

3: 04: Much like “Hero,” Truth Universal’s “Self Determination” has all the mannerisms of a proper indie rap album, from the political platitudes liberally interspersed with standard sloganeering and earnest but unoriginal wisdom and music for the headphones. What is real revolution, really? Mentioning political prisoners and freedom fighters and “The Beast” and the Congo in one verse, but not really saying anything of substance in the process? It doesn’t help that my man’s dropping lots of big words but has no funk nor swing nor swagger in his flow, which stays rigid and predictable throughout. I’d say this was cutting edge rhyme style in about 1985. The beats are functionally varied but stilted as well, like the same album-long mid-tempo beat with small variations. All the elements are there, but it’s all recycled, a second rate amalgamation of the raptivism D.A.I.S.Y. age of X-Clan and the JB’s, mid-90s NYC underground realism and Preemo aping, and the recent resurgence of “activist” rappers nostalgic for their non-existent days at Berkeley bumping Blackstarr with Jeff Chang. Can’t hate Truth Universal for his sincerity or his efforts to educate, but criticizing the same old shit the underground has been criticizing for the last ten years is playyyyed out, and naming yourself Truth Universal is a tad overbearing. Almost every sound bite line is unintentionally cringe-worthy (“revolutionary love in the spirit of Che”…uggghh) Where’s the fun? In order to swallow a pill this bitter, you’d need at least three tall cans, but “Self Determination” is far too sober for you then. I guess you can’t win for losing after all.

Verdict: Respect due, but not play. It gets no play.

That’s it again for now, kiddies. The Fat Money tires easily, as you know. Maybe I can sneak a few winks before The Simpsons, dozing off to Nicky2States or something. Keep it fresh posse.

Bump this: 9^th Wonder & Buckshot, “The Formula” (out soon)

A blunted Saturday comp review rundown

Well, this stack of advanced promo CDs ain't getting any shorter, and it's actually snowing here in St. Pizz, so I guess I might as well kill two birds with one stone: waste my day bumping this here rap music and letting the people know what's what. (Below is my account in real time.)

___________________________________________

We'll either humbly suggest you either:
*Cop it.
*Burn it.
*At least check out their myspace page.
*Walk on by.
*Send hate mail to this artist's record label.

___________________________________________

3:16pm: I've already seen this episode of "Star Trek" (the one where that mustachioed alien and his harem of seemingly beautiful women pill poppers fuck shit up old school on the Enterprise), so I might as well start this off right with supergroup The Camp's "The Campaign" (Commonwealth Records, http://www.myspace.com/itsthecamp). This was an April 1st release, so if yer still sleeping, wake the eff up. This crew is associated with Apathy and his ilk, and it shows here. Straight up uncomprimising dope hip hop. Nothing too sweet or innovative, just fresh and crispy hardcore mannerisms done well. Blunts, beats, brain, and get money, but all expressed with a certain respect and class, staying true to the game word to '95. From the title track opener, the exuberance and dedication these cats show to being the cockiest and cleverest bastards in the game is readily apparent. The beats are thick and bottom-heavy, with warm soul leanings and a mid-90s swing that soothes the hardcore head. Like the similarly gifted Celph-titled, this is that shit for intelligent thugs, or white kids who still wanna feel gangsta but can no longer stomach major label artists' penchant for lyrics targeted at drunk teenagers. The flow and content are classical, as is the chemistry and the vibe. Serious lyrical beatdowns are cut with refreshing humor and pathos. They even manage to throw in some good old fashioned messages between all the shenanigan story raps and extraordinary boasts. Anyone else remember loving getting lost in the hip hop universe in all its ugliness and swagger, shamelessly and without guilt?
Verdict: Cop it.

4:32: Justus League affiliated duo The Away Team released a little album called "Training Day" back in November of last year. I just discovered the disc again after losing it for months, so I guess I'll give it some play, finally. It's not too late to move them units! This here's a revival of sorts, serious as cancer. This is an event. Or I guess it was back in November. Man I picked 'em good today. "That classic/liquor in a flask shit." Kadeem Hardisoon reference? Check. Khrysis boardwork doesn't skimp on soul drenching arrangements and ominous beats, leaving the mic work to partner Sean Boog, who digs his baritone deep into the warm layers with an assured flow and a steady gaze. Equally adept at exhileration and introspection, the duo damn near speaks to each other through beats and rhymes. Hip hop can get spiritual, like when you see how awesome a duo can be when they combine powers, Organized Konfusion EPMD and on and on. A beautiful thang, fuck soup, this could be gumbo for the soul. Things stay fresh because many styles are mastered, with scary ease switching from pensive boasts to social commentary to party rockers. The versitility is almost exhausting. Warning: not for the faint of hip hop heart. May cause heartburn. But if ya can't stand the heat... you know. Classic breakbeats galore! That's a throwback move I'll endorse, James Brown is still funky. Track six dude even takes on Kweli's stilted machine gun flow admirably. This is crystal shit: well-crafted, multi-dimensional, complex and classy.
Verdict: Cop it already!

Well folks, the fat money is a little winded from all this typing, maybe I should cut back on the spliffs after all. Im'a go make some tea, have some coughee, and prepare for tonight's RPS tournie. Hater's beware, part 2 of the review rundown tomorrow...

Ffffrrrrresh, for oh-8, you suckkkkaaaaaasss.

KRS at Trocadero concert review

The guy really is a nut, but also a genius. Completely nonsensical, yet persuasive as hell. Sorta like Jim Jones was I imagine; D Nice should be around with the punch of esoteric knowledge any minute now, so drink up kiddies!

http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/04/krs_one_april_1.php

Chuuuuch.

Lightning and Thunder CD release show

Originally featured on the City Pages online blog but now virtually buried forever under the detritus of another day's/week's/month's news, here now is my review of the Lightning & Thunder Varsity show, preserved for the ages and the masses:

http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/03/release_the_dan.php

Fucking brilliant.

blogs are stupid

This blog reminds me of my first semester as a radio DJ at college. I was given the 2-4AM slot on Sunday mornings. Instead of partying hard until I had to go on, I was such a dork back then that I'd retire at about 10 and then get a good 3-4 hours of sleep before the show, then slog across campus with my 4 mega-books of discs and play old school hip hop for no one at all. I imagined the signal wafting gently into the atmosphere and far into the unknowns of space, where it is still floating today, perfectly untouched by any sensory organs able to hear it. All that wonderfully and sleepy-eyed effort lost forever. No one reads this blog because it exists in a sort of cyber vaccuum, just like Macalester's incredibely weak 2-mile signal ensured my early efforts to edutain and ill-inform went largely unheeded. I am a voice alone crying out in the wilderness or something to that effect. I am a man with a few things to say, so listen up. Or not, whatever.

El Guante showcase

Big up the whole Tru Roots Cru and especially my man El Guante for looking me up and exposing me to their far-out sounds. I got the opportunity to both peep El's newest platter (a real gem) as well as check out his CD release show in Minneapolis a few weeks back. Here is the CP blog posting for a review of both:

http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/03/edutainment_jor_1.php

I'm happy to be a part of spreading the word on their movement, and you should too. Tell a friend, honkie.

City Pages update: March 18th-25th

Two a-listers this week. I tend to think my Flo Rida preview is hilariously flippant, but I probably wouldn't want to run into dude in a dark alley (he's a big dude i think!):

http://articles.citypages.com/2008-03-19/calendar/plies-and-flo-rida/

Also, local act Muja Messiah brought fire to his recent show:

http://articles.citypages.com/2008-03-19/calendar/muja-messiah-cd-release-show/

As a bonus, check out this "Crescent Moon is in Big Trouble" EP review, hot off the press. And then go and get the damn thing already:

http://articles.citypages.com/2008-03-26/music/big-trouble-featuring-crescent-moon/

Holla!

Prof, "Project Gampo" on rapreviews.com

Here's a piece I hooked up for local Southside representer Prof, of the group Prof and Rahzwell. I've been sitting on this album for about a month, cuz although I like it a lot, I'm a lazy asshole sometimes. But, it's done now and hopefully cats from outside of the Minnie will read it and check the kid out. Yep, move and grind pauw.

http://www.rapreviews.com/ (better link coming next week...)

Classic rapreviews.com platters, Vol.3: raptivisms and edutainment

Today's nostalgia trip features two jewelz (i see you O.C.!) from my early rapreviews.com output, when the kid was still pretty idealistic and wet behind these now sullied ears. Injecting plenty of my own brand of largely uninformed socioeconomic and political thought into my pieces was (and still is) a risky move, but I think I pulled it off alright (ya'll can b the judge an' jury on that count).

Dead Prez has been a shining light in the darkness since I caught that gorilla of a song "Hip Hop" back in 2000, but I was surprised at the Outlawz political awareness at the time (shouldn't have been though, considering their slain leaders nuanced stances):

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2006_07_dopeforever.html

This second disc flew right under the radar (I never saw a copy in stores or heard anything about it before or since my review), but its a great little sampler nonetheless. I do hope my review made a few heads look at some of these artists and their cause though:

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2006_07_restlessnatives.html

Respect due!!!

City Pages weekly update: March 5th

This week's edition finds me with two submitted A-lists featured prominently in the back of the music section. According to my editor (It would be easy to channel my anger at the decreased opportunities for publication at her if she wasn't in the same frustrating boat as me), the corporate takeover of the "alternative" weekly by wolf-in-sheep's-clothing conglomerate Village Voice Media Holdings has led to decreasing content space and increased ad space. Cutting corners to save a few bucks for the major shareholders has never been more fun, and the neat and tidy $60 CD review that was once my bread-and-butter is now largely a thing of the past. I guess no one buys CDs anymore anyway, but the whole thing's depressing nonetheless. Now I have a backlog of great indy hip hop I've been sent that will never get the exposure it merits. And my pockets continue to get flatter. But without further ado, here are two shows that will be worth checking out, especially the Big Trouble gig tomorrow:

Big Trouble
Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater
To celebrate the release of their cleverly titled EP, Crescent Moon Is in Big Trouble, the local all-star group of Twin Cities musical staples Big Trouble bowls through Bryant-Lake on Thursday, giving anyone who likes music a chance to satisfy her craving for it. Too broad for you? Sorry, but it's hard not to recommend Big Trouble to anyone at all, what with members deriving from TC staples such as Heiruspecs, Martin Devaney, and Joanna James, with enticing guests always a possibility, and with a musical vocabulary that runs the gamut of shit you're likely to hear on the Current (and that's mostly a compliment). As an extra tasty icing on this four-layer cake, MC Crescent Moon lends his formidable vocal presence to the release and show. Let's review then: a group of maestros with an eclectic and far-reaching repertoire? Check. A killer on the mic? Check. Smiles on the faces of everyone from hippie-dippies and hipsters to backpackers and knapsackers, all uniting in harmony under the banner of good music? Check please, I'm there. $9. 9:30 p.m. 810 W. Lake St.; Minneapolis; 612.825.3737. —Jordan Selbo

___________________________
Ying Yang Twins
Trocaderos
Don't front—if you really went to a rap show to hear intricate lyrics full of subtle metaphor and internal rhyme structures, you'd bring your headphones and crash in the corner. For the rest of us, dropping 25 duckets for the live version is a chance to reenact some sweaty bedroom gyrations and get funky in public (although it's usually dark in da club, mercifully); if you're real lucky, you might just get sardined against a dime piece with some class, or at least a decent bump. Swinging over to us from a stop in Wisconsin's frigid wasteland (devoid of all things hip-hoppy), the Ying Yang's "Spring Break Concert" is the ideal venue to work off all that cabin-fever dead-skin build-up. I suspect that in this classy venue, the Twins will be even more raucous than usual, leaving me to do the easy part—chant along to their stupid choruses, twerk to the booty beats, and ice grill every sucker who dares step on my 10-dollar sneakers. With J Kwon, Meech, and Mike Page. 18+. $25. 8 p.m. 107 Third Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612.465.0440. —Jordan Selbo

Goin' way way back: Mac Weekly archives

Peoples! Take that pillow from your head and put a book in it! In my exhaustive quest to archive every last shred of music writing I've gathered under my belt thus far, today inevitably takes me back to the start. Senior year of college, last semester. After 3.5 years of inactivity and non-participation (save for a semi-regular rap radio show that burned up the airwaves every weekend, at least within the 2 mile radius our signal reached), I inexplicably expressed a desire to wax poetic in our school's newspaper The Mac Weekly. Due to irresponsible arts editors I was given a free hand to review and comment on some of my favorite rappers-- De La, the Liks, OutKast and Ghostface, among others. And they even reimbursed me for CD purchases! And that brief stint as a spring freelancer launched the prolific career I presently enjoy. That summer, while idly wasting my days at the Mac library, I saw rapreviews.com had an opening...the rest is history, a history full of White Mikes, puny $50 monthly stipends, on to Rock the Bells and pimp status. So kiddies, peep game and learn how to respect the name:

http://www.themacweekly.com/home/index.cfm?q=Selbo&event=displaySearchResults&buttonPushed=1

(I apologize for the navigation and readability of these links, as Mac Weekly seems to have problems archiving...typical)

Classic rapreviews.com platters, Vol.2: "get ridda that devil real simple..."

The second installment of my superfun blast-from-da-past nostaliga trip (cuz tripping is the only thing i seem to be capable of these days, crumb crumblers) focuses on my loving and high-minded ode to, and equally passionate lamentation for, Ice Cube's brilliant early career and its subsequent demise. It's a little heavy-handed, a little pretentious, and a lot kick-ass. Read it and weep, despite the typos, how was I ever this articulate? Must've been before spliff number 1000 put me over the edge...

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_deathcertificate.html

Classic rapreviews.com platters, Vol.1: "we might blow up, but we won't go pop"

In the spirit of blogging for archival purposes (as everyone knows blogs are the most permanent and well-respected medium in the media market...sarcasm), I'm gonna set about digging through my old back-catalogue of rapreviews.com submissions, pulling up one or two of note when the mood strikes me. "Well how is the mood striking you now?" you may ask in a stiff Carrell-esque manner. It strikes me de la. So here is a link to my BTTL (back to tha lab, dummies) review/ode to one of my favorite group's criminally slept-on third LP Buhloone Mindstate. People just ain't making art this hard anymore...

http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_buhloone.html

...only 24 and I already sound nostalgic

The travails of hating: Atmosphere backlash, or how to piss off angsty teens

My only CD review for City Pages thus far in the new year gained a considerable amount of hate mail following the week of its printing, garnering the top 3 spots in the "Letter's to the editor" section (http://articles.citypages.com/2008-01-30/news/letters-to-the-editor/). The first two are reasoned and tempered pleas to be fair to such a poor, defenseless thing as a free download from the golden cow of TC rap (I mean really, it was FREE, to be fair), and by and large I agree with 'em. The third letter (printed in its entirety below for your pleasure) is the real gem: ungrammatical, offensively-worded, and emotional. Sweet. I haven't felt this much of the critic's pure-hate adrenaline rush since my early and ugly run-in with a certain White Mike so many summers ago (but that's another story altogether, of course). Here, as promised, is said "letter":

Your reviewer rides the short bus
The new Strictly Leakage album from Atmosphere is fucking dope, and Jordan Selbo is obviously a retard. I wouldn't let that dude review any more music unless it's country or something he knows about. Don't judge Atmosphere for growing and doing something different, don't put them in a box. Jordan Selbo is a fucking loser. Thanks.
-Robert Zimmerman Minneapolis

Note the signer's lazy pseudonym and the instantly quotable sentence "Jordan Selbo is a fucking loser." You can't pay for that kind of name publicity! To be honest, the free download "record" wasn't actually all that bad, just more of the same from a group I only begrudgingly accepted as important and gradually came to see as minor and one-note. My original tirade (all 800+ words of it, posted below in its entirety) was actually much more venomous than the version that got into print. Lord only knows what kind of response this would've garnered:


Atmosphere, “Strictly Leakage”

(free download)

Sweet post-holiday stocking stuffer or hard drive space waster? On the surface, that would seem to be the only relevant question when discussing a free 13-song “album” from T.C.’s established rap statesmen; even if it sucks, it’s only costing you the time it takes to skip through each track in frustration. But look deeper: does the latest offering reveal anything about our beloved duo and their future growth? Now even deeper: can something as trifling as a one-off collection of seemingly unsellable throwaways really lead to severe psychological trauma?

Jay-Z once audaciously claimed that his master plan was always to retire after his first album Reasonable Doubt, having expressed everything he wanted to in one magnum opus of originality. Not that anyone is complaining, but we all know how that romantic notion worked out. Similarly, oversaturating the market for years with their once radical and unmistakably ironic funkiness, Atmosphere has finally pushed me over the edge. Lacking innovation by giving us more (and more and more and more) of the same, “Strictly Leakage” (from its familiar soundscapes, to its clichéd subject matter, even down to its cheesy verbal puns (“Little Math You”… really?) succeeds only in beating a dead horse deader.

Peaking about the time of Ali’s Champion Sounds or even their last full-length, the combination of Slug’s easy-target tirades and idiosyncratic slice-of-life verbiage with Ant’s feel-good soul breaks once felt revelatory; now, its just stale. The formula might as well be etched in stone: behind the boards, construct beats based off layers of soulful and/or jazzy horns and vocals, dub-influenced fat basslines and boom-bappy but uninspired drums, with flourishes of classic breakbeats lurking around every corner to give the appearance of dynamism; on the mic, mix hipster mockery and an everyman’s wit with criticisms of, ironically, the very people that are most adamant about you, your core listeners (who happen to be the easiest targets out there- suburban poseurs, living-with-moms playboys, wannabe MCs and skank groupies). Variations, such as Ant’s flirtation with (or wholesale jacking of) 80s electro grooves or Slug’s take on fresh song topics (such as on the satisfying “Domestic Dog” or the fascinating early history of “Road to Riches”) prove to be the exception rather than the rule, and perhaps even more damning, illusionary in their innovation. (After all, Slug’s best vocal performance on the afore-mentioned “Riches” is essentially due to his aping of G. Rap’s signature machine gun flow, over the classic Polo beat that Ant adds little to nothing to.)

The illusion of complexity gives way to reality: whether its Ant’s simple one or two bar dusty soul loops repeated ad nauseam, or Slug’s harshly-enunciated ABAB rhyme structures, the group’s lack of flavor kills the vibe. This is most apparent on the “Symphony”-esque posse cut “Crewed Up,” where Ant’s laidback groove allows virtually every one of the seven local rhyme cats to steal the show from resident in charge Slug, even relative unknowns like St. Paul Slim and YZ. Although a good number of tracks contain, at the very least, an infectious swagger and the same wry humor we’ve all come to love (such as requesting to find a gym where Slug can “smoke up in there” while working out), the tired messages of songs like “That’s Not Beef, That’s Pork” (explicit message: wack MC’s suck; implicit message: Slug should avoid singing his own choruses) reveal what is quickly becoming reality: the once truly fresh style Atmosphere became famous for is so established and well-tread that it has now become the status quo they once rebelled so infectiously against.

I suppose we shouldn’t sound the death knell just yet; after all, if these songs are merely table scraps from the last few years, it’s unfair to expect any real advancement. That final judgment will have to wait for the next official LP scheduled for April. And maybe demanding constant innovation in today’s industrial age of rap is unfair; after all, truly revolutionary acts like OutKast and Organized Konfusion are both largely the exception, and the past. But Hip Hop is nothing if it’s not fresh, so while most “the-only-rap-I-listen-to-is-Atmosphere-and-Kanye” party people may forever crave the peculiar but comforting brand of pissed-off soul rap that these two provide, no matter how polished the formula, offerings like Strictly Leakage are only truly good as cautionary tales: this is what happens when a couple of magnetic kids with something to say get too comfortable in their own rebellious signifiers and care too much about not caring. If in the end, as that deliciously not-so-profound Hip Hop adage goes, it “is what it is,” then love it or hate it, but don’t mind me if I’m suddenly totally indifferent. And that, friends, is the only reaction that T.C.’s darling duo cannot stand to stomach.*

*death threats can be sent to selbo.jordan@gmail.com

The lesson here: don't be afraid to throw shit at the crown, but only if you can back up that shit with a sound argument. I of course am incapable of using logic or reasoning, relying mainly on pure conjecture and visceral impressions, but I'm the Fat Money and that's what I do do! Yea kids don't try this at home!

City Pages 2008 work (in pro-gress)

With winter hibernation (and enough smoke to choke a bear) in full effect for the Fat Money of prose fame, the steady output flowing from my pen that 2007 enjoyed has hit a major snag thus far. Put it like this: the industry sucks to begin with, being dead since about 1998 creatively and 2005 financially, so the new year slow-down that hits us annually has been even more severe than usual. E.G.: If you can name one quality major-label release that's come out in the last two months, major props. No one's pushing product like they used to, now it's just toys and decoys making all sorts of hollow noize.

I can't work if they ain't give me product to chew on, and if the Fat Money don't work, he don't eat. Then you get j.azzy involved and things really get ugly. But that's another story entirely. For now, enjoy this meager slice of journalistic funk and rest assured that the cache will be full as a tick in due time. Ooohhhh child, thing's are gonna get easier. But you know Fat Money let's the paper chase him, not vice versa, and believe me it'll come a knockin soon enough. With the March thaw, maybe I'll even get my ass out the door once or twice to catch a live show and grace ya'll with my supreme opinion. For now, keep bumpin Big Doe and maintain fam!

http://staff.citypages.com/authors/190279/

City Pages portfolio from 2007

The following link takes you, sucka duck, to a listing of the totality of my work for local Twin Cities' alternative weekly standard City Pages in the year ov our lord, 2007. Since being brought on as a freelancer in March, I have steadily progressed from the fresh-as-a-babe's-bottom but unpolished swagger of early reviews of two of my favorites (Tha Dude and Dilla) to a more sophisticated stance of cynicism and superiority. After writing more than my share of bullshit A-Lists and uninspired concert reviews, I feel justified in my snobbery. Enjoy!

http://staff.citypages.com/authors/190279/2007/