From Pot to Pots, and Back to Blunts

The Mighty Diamonds - Pass the Kouchie (from Pass the Kouchie 1982)

On paper, Musical Youth's infamous cover of the Mighty Diamonds' pipe passing song was actually about passing a dutch oven, a common cooking pot used by poor Jamaicans. Realistically dutchie, the word the 10 year olds swapped from the original can easily refer to weed filled cigars, namely those of the Dutch Masters brand. Pre-teens making stoner songs isn't so PC, even in Jamaica.

This isn't the cover to match the track, I threw it up due to its brazenness.

Also, expect tons of random reggae this summer.

Nguzuduro

Buraka Som Sistema - IC19 (Nguzunguzu Remix) 2009

Not 8-bit, but a super weird Nintendo in the bathtub remix of everyone's favorite Portuguese from my favorite Los Angelese. Their production has that vocal murmuring thing that makes me think their MPCs double as Ghostbuster traps. Hamsterdance-Ghetto House riddim.

Thanks to Mad Decent for the freebie, the EP with other remixes of the same Sistema track is out now on itunes.

Ghost Town USA's Finest

Freddie Gibbs - GI Pride (from The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs 2009)

Good to have something else to look to when thinking about Gary, Indiana. This image of the 30 year old Jackson Five ad was getting old, and basically became a postcard for the poor city after 1000 people took the same picture. Don't be fooled though, this Freddie Gibbs mixtape is an equally depressing story of the Midwest ghost town. However, there are some good raps and even a guest appearance from Devin the Dude! I think his homie/Gary expat Finger Roll might be someone to look forward to in the future.

Download the whole thing over at The Smoking Section.

The Accordian Diaspora

Some folks out there have brought Funana, the accordion driven Soca-like sound of Cape Verde to my attention lately. Schlachthofbronx dig it, and the Ghetto Bassquake dudes were kind enough to throw up a short but great mix by DJ Velo the other day. Been looking at all the music videos on youtube, this one by Duda is pretty hot. Hopefully more of this stuff can be made available abroad.

Before They Were Trapstars Part 3

Tung Twista (Twista) - No Peace Sign (from Runnin' Off at da Mouth 1991)

I remember the first time I heard "Adrenaline Rush" back in probably 7th grade. I was visiting my cousins in Milwaukee, the same cousins who got me into things like Nirvana when I was a wee 7 years old. Car rides usually consisted of all of us with headphones on, and this particular car ride I think I forgot mine at home. I heard that bizarre flat line bass blaring from one pair of headphones with this dude rapping way faster than any coastal Hip-Hop I had been exposed to while in middle school. They had a CD burner before I did too, and when we got home I stole all the Twista and Do or Die they had on their computer. "Adrenaline Rush" is still one of the scariest Rap songs I know, and remains the Chicago west side Traxster anthem to me some 12 years later.

Tung Twista dropped the Tung after this first album from 91 and before Kayne came around was pretty far and above the biggest rapper from Chicago. Even so, dudes got a world record under his belt if that means anything. Twista comes from the same side of town as Do or Die, Crucial Conflict, and the Legendary Traxter, the group of artists responsible for the grimey west side sound. This neighborhood, know as North Lawndale or "K-Town" was also home to the founding of the imfamous Vice Lords gang. Most of the north-south streets (Karlov Ave., Kedvale Ave., Keeler Ave., Kenneth Ave., Keystone Ave., Kilbourn Ave., Kildare Ave., Knox Ave., Kolin Ave., Kolmar Ave., Komensky Ave. Kostner Ave., Kilpatrick Ave.) start with the letter "K", part of an early failed city plan to organize the streets by their distance in miles from the Illinois-Indiana border (K being the 11th letter). A grimey neighborhood that birthed the heart stopping bass in opposition to the No I.D. and Kayne side of Chicago Hip-Hop.

Here is Twista at age 18 speaking on "fake blackness", riding his Guiness Book of World Records speed that in later years proved to be more than just a novelty.

Radiated Mushrooms

My favorite so far from the much anticipated Blaqkout. Socal slap gone totally wrong, broken Rap that is precisely the kind of music this website is all about.

Duppies 101

So I think it's about time for me to elaborate on the mysterious Duppy, something I've been rambling about on this here blog. This is only the start of your education, a continuing guide to Duppy awareness so you too can warn off the restless spirits, or if needed hone them to do your own evil bidding.

Dennis Alcapone - Duppy Serenade 1971

"According to Lee "Scratch" Perry, Bob Marley wrote the song "My Cup," Marley was complaining to Lee that he was too "successful" and was being plagued by hangers-on and leeches, referring to them as duppies in the context of 'human vampires' (as in scroungers). Lee apparently consoled him by saying, "Look, we'll sort this out- we are duppy conquerors."
-from the Wikipedia entry for Duppy

From drinking the alcohol used to clean the tape machines, to both burning down and flooding the remains of the studio, tales of a young Lee Perry at the Black Art are always full of strange bouts of eclecticism. Not so out of the ordinary were the times when Perry would blow weed smoke on the reels to expel the demons from the recordings. Duppies are of great importance to Jamaican folklore, the original source steaming from the West African Bantu language. Duppies are thought to the the restless spirits of the dead, who remain unhappy and unnamed in the afterlife. These aren't the ghosts of relatives coming back to visit their living loved ones, just restless spirits capable of doing harm. An Obeah man or woman may summon a Duppy with bribes of food or drink, specifically rum, and some claim methods of expelling these spirits from peoples lives.



Ernie Smith - Duppy or Gunman 1974

Joseph (pictured above), an Obeah man of Manchester is one of those that claim to possess powers strong enough to expel a Duppy. "Well you know I will take out duppy and demon out anybody because I am also an exorcist. Well, one day dem tell me that a duppy was in a young boy up the road so I take up my crystal ball and go up there. Well, when I reach I see about 70 people gather around and tell them to move. I look at the boy with the demon and realise that is the duppy of a Indian stillborn baby was in him. Anyway, I chant it out of him and when the people who gather around see what I do dem nearly faint! Dem know dat anybody who conquer a coolie duppy must powerful!"



Yellowman - Duppy or a Gunman 1982

There are several kinds of Duppies, including the Ol' Higue (a witch of sorts) and the Rollin Calf, a demon in animal form...


Me deh pon has’e me kean tap now,

For Tahta John a-dead,

De oda nite one rolllin’-calf

Lick him eena him head.


It is a long story me chile,

Me really kean tap now.

Yuh musa hear sey Tahta los’

Him black an wite bull cow?


T’ree nite an day him sarch fe it,

Couldn’ fine it noan tall,

Soh tell nite-afore-las’ him sey

Him hear one cow a-bawl.


Him meck fe Figgins’ open-lan;

Doah him an dem noh gree,

An see de bull dah-lie dung under-

Neat’ one gwangu tree.


Him teck a rope an tie de bull,

An dem him bruck a stick

An him layba de po’ cow back, me


Tan a-yard an hear de lick.

Him start fe lead i home, but wen

Him tun roun fe goh call,

Him see de sinting two y’eye dem

A roll like tunda-ball


Him goh fe halla, but same time

Him feel a funny pain,

An wen him look eena him han,

De rope tun eena chain


Massa, him fling i wey an run,

Him hear de sinting laugh,

It wasn’ fe him cow at all,

It was a rollin’ calf!

Him jump Bra Caleb wire fence,

Him faint as him ketch home,

An since him come back to himself

Him dis a-twis an foam.


Mek kean tap, is a obeah man

Dem sen’ me fe goh ketch,

Me feel me y’eye a-jump him mighta

Dead long before me ketch.

-Louise Bennett "Rollin Calf"



Demarco - Duppy Know Who Fi Frighten 2008

There are warning signs to be aware of the presence of a Duppy. If your dog howls at night for no apparent reason, a spirit could be lurking. Getting a spiderweb across the face while walking though a forest is a general sign of Duppies, so be careful wandering around at night. Nailing a horseshoe to ones house is one way to warn them off, as is cursing "Jesus Christ!" when these signs occur.

Do not go wandering around the graveyard with a bottle of Captain Morgans looking for Duppies, leave that up to the professionals. It is very easy to be injured by a Duppy.


Go here for more info on Duppies and Jamaican folklore

Big as a Green Bay Packer

Killer Mike - Man Up (from Greg Street Presents Grand Hustle 2009)

More grown man raps from the westside favorite. Mike pulls his pants all the way up, but his jeans are not skinny.

Pussy Weed and Adderall

I've shown love to the mysterious footworkin' beast DJ Nate, but I've left out his partner in crime. DJ Elmoe is a bit more Juke in a K-Hole, less flaming crosses than Nate, but ether way your still gonna have a bad fucking time. This video has some pretty great moves from Elmoe and friends, but they cut out the part when mom came home and said "THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS". There will be more talk on the Footworking crowd to follow, that is if I can ever find these cats.

Titi

Titi - Music (from Facon 2008)

Matt over at Benn Loxo du Taccu started blogging again, which means good things will come to us all. The first good thing is the chunk of amazing Senegalese music he threw up, including Dakaroise superstar Titi. What a strange, disorienting rhythm going on here. Why do I think of Juke and its wiggiling pitch when I listen to this? Hard for me to talk about this one, so better to read the source than what I have to say about it.

The Rap Game's Trader of Exotic Goods

Gucci Mane, Busta Rhymes, and Shawty Lo - Hood Up (from ? 2009)

...Gucci Mane cool but his jewelry game arrogant

black stones African
red stones Indian
my pinky rings Jewish and it cost a lot of Benjamins

Probably my new favorite Guccetry as of late. I first though he said his "jewelry isn't Aryan" which might be better. The beat for this one reminds me of the Jeezy track I put up the other day, on some grave robbing in the hood thermin creep. Nevermind Busta though.

And man this picture weirds me out.

Where All Good People Go to Pray

The Orioles - Crying in the Chapel (from From Where I Stand recorded 1953)

Some dudes from Baltimore who are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a silo singing a country gospel song. Really, I'm pretty sure they just brought a shitty guitar and some mics into a church and used some bells they found. About 90% just vocals with the reverb turned up to 11. Sometimes I think I hear a frog in the background, it's great.

This is probably one of my favorite songs ever.

Grape Tapes

Big Moe, Bird, Demo, Key-C, Yungstar, Pokey, Haircut Joe, and K-Luv - Da Streets Ain't Right Freestyle (from DJ Screw - June 27th 1996)

The infamous 37 minute screw track that made the world turn slow to go along with one of the best Rap ads I've ever seen. Many thank yous go out to Kid Slizzard over at the great Twankle and Glisten for these scans for those of us who are too cheap to risk the janky subscription to Murder Dog.

Contemporary Masters of Mixtape Art

Young Jeezy - Trap Flies (from Trappin' Ain't Dead 2009)

OK, so Gucci the Glacier has a rather grim contender for best mixtape cover of 2009. There is definitely some scary shit going on on this track, like Jeezy seeing ghosts in the pyrex smoke. Re-up on the 1st and again on 15th, and again on the 31st when it's October.

The Pack Samples Frank Ski

Sorta late to the table on this one but still kind of exciting that the Hyphy crowd has a retro Ghetto House appreciation

Life, Love, and the Pursuit

Parliament - My Automobile (from Osmium 1970)

The Cadillac car company gets it's name from Le Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the French explorer responsible for giving Motor City it's name of Detroit. The Rolex is the Cadillac of wristwatches. This Parliament song is the Cadillac of Country Western Funk tunes.

What Do You Consider Screw?

Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love Screwed and Chopped (from DJ Screw - Dead End Representative 1998)

Of course I love my slowed down music, and I've explained before I'm interested in all aspects of pitch retardation. Cumbia Rebajada is the recent favorite, but I stay banging my screw on a pretty regular basis. I love Ron C's Fuck Action series like any other romantic, but not many of the post-Robert Davis DJs really do it for me. You could think of DJ Screw as the Lee Perry of Southern Hip Hop, and the mud of those old Screw tapes is an essential element not unlike the dirt on the reel to reels from the old Black Ark Studio. Those recordings of the Upsetters might have sounded better if Perry wasn't busy drinking the cleaning alcohol, but luckily atleast half his time was spent expelling duppies from them. I'm no lo-fi purist and I don't even own that many cassettes, but I'm a sucker for the sizzurp-caked goodness. When I find some weird not-so-Houston joint Screwed and Chopped, it's usually just some kind of Youtube Novelty (not to talk down on the Screwed Up Oldies mixtape, among others). When I find something as eyecatching as this Talking Heads spin-off classic on an actual Screw tape, I'm reminded of how much DJ Screw actually enjoyed music. He gives such a fucked up life to the non-rap tracks thoughout his discography, from the Reggae joints to the R&B so slow rendered nearly impossible to fuck to. Tom Tom Club's flirtations with Hip-Hop make it's context in this case very believeable, and proof of the south's alliance to the same roots of its northern neighbors.

Screwed Odditties mix vol 2 is on it's way, gimme about a week.

Gun Shot Music Part 1

Dan Bau Vietnam - Rider in the Sky (From Hó! - Roady Music from Vietnam 1998)

We all like gun shots, and my recent reach for this great collection of Hanoi street cowboys reminded me of that. These ones out-ghetto the stock rap glock noises and sound like firecrackers hitting sheet metal. For fans of easterners playing it like westerners a la Sublime Frequencies releases. We over here at It's After the End of the World don't support violence, but we do support the subtleties of Music Concret planting its seeds in pop music.

Oh My!

Combo Sampuesano - La Soberana (from VA - Cumbias Para Bailar ?)

In my new neighborhood of West Pilsen/Almost Little Village/mini Little Italy/Whatthefucksville, they play Cumbia inside the Dunkin Doughnuts all day everyday. It's open 24 hours too. It's always Mexican Sonidero stuff, though I have heard lots of Damas Gratis blasting out of cars. No complaints here. Don't even wear headphones when I'm walking anymore. I pulled this track from a big messy folder of mp3s and was reminded of the lack of Colombian stuff in the soundtrack to my daily wanderings. Mas acordeóns, menos teclados.

Can't claim to know much about this one, but I've seen Combo Sampuesano come up in some mixes by Rupture and Sonido Martines. The Disco Fuentes site turned up this awesome cover too, though I'm not sure it has anything to do with this band. It works I guess, the girl on the cover is rocking a Pollera dress at least. There is some weird little murmering going on in the background that seeps through the accordion takeover. Did the German ships filled with these funny looking boxes crash on the Colombian coast because of Duppies?! I'm looking into it right away.

Yellowmans

Major Lazer - Hold the Line (From Hold the Line 12" 2009)

Just a few quick words on the song that you have already heard and probably blogged about...

Been thinking and listening to Diplo and Switch's Jamaican project for a few weeks now and so far I'm pretty impressed, at least with this track. Everything else I've heard including the remixes have been dodgy, but they don't keep me from returning to the original. Hold the Line touches so much territory, and the other versions take that essential factor away (the Soca one is good though). It's a surf rock band lead by La Monte Young and some asshole in the audience forgot to turn off his cell phone. Forget the wubbly bass of dubstep for some Nokia vibrations, hey I think I just heard a horse say Nehhh. Oh hey Santigold, you can actually rap? Cool, I didn't forget about you, just forgot about your album. I saw Diplo, Mad Decent main man and label drunkard in Portland about 6 years ago when the Hollertronix mix came out, so I'd be wrong to claim his influence hasn't impacted me. I'd be so happy if dude spent more time doing this, less time listening to stupid bands (really dude?). Seriously, if I hear another Devandra Banhart or Animal Collective Cumbia remix I'm going to stop listening to music. That is really NOT COOL. I'm looking for weird Cumbia, not "New Weird Cumbia". Anyways, I'm excited to hear the rest of the Major Lazer album that I hope turns out like this heater, and not all silly like Zumbi (though "I'd rather eat your brains than your pussy" was pretty funny).

I'm on a Megabus heading from Milwaukee to Chicago right now, these things have wireless!

Someone is Friendless

New York Community Choir - I'll Keep a Light in My Window (from Soul Gospel vol 2 rec 1978)

A gospel group from Harlem probably not down with doing blow off silver spoons and riding white horses through Studio 54, but their music back in the 70s definitely had some cocaine sheen to it. I mean I'm not wanting to break out the dollar bill in the pews but damn, talk about Sunday morning fever. This is the Soul Glo of Christ, shed for you.

City of Chocolate

Backyard Band - Lemme See It (from 2-11-02 Bootleg 2002)

Funky-ass UGK Go Go cover. I told you I wasn't done talking about my favorite Washington D.C. band. This one is actually recorded pretty well too, which isn't usually stressed much with the ghetto jam band bootlegs. It's also really not something that I imagine translates well to record (though Creeping Through Da Hoodz sounds pretty correct). Still, I try to pretend like I love Go Go.

Check out Download Go Go for a bunch of 99 cent mp3s and whole albums for sale. So far I have only grabbed After Hours Band's cover of Thriller, which had all these zombies knocking on my door asking directions to Ben's Chili Bowl. It was crazy.

Carolyn Dezurik Interview

The Dezurik Sisters - The Arizona Yodeler (from The Cackle Sisters compilation 2002)

I wish.

I had been trying to get a hold of one of the remaining Cackle Sisters to try and get a few words for interview number 2 but I was unfortunately informed of her recent passing yesterday. Carolyn had lived with her husband Rusty in the Chicago suburbs since I'm guessing the 1960s and passed away this March at the age of 90. For those of you who don't know the music of the Dezurik sisters, they were yodelers who preformed on Chicago's National Barn Dance as well as the Grand Ole Opry and lots of TV shows. Their favorite music was the sounds of animals, which they would imitate (especially chickens) in their songs. Together they recorded some of my very favorite music, and probably some of the weirdest. I only wish I could have reached out sooner for meeting Carolyn would have been an honor. RIP, you surely will be missed.

Just discovered this motherload of radio show recordings thanks to WFMU that I was not aware of too, the more Cackle the better!

If you haven't don't forget to check out the DJ Slugo interview from a few weeks ago too!

Living the Life that We Sing in Our Song

Unesco Baka Pygmies Recordings 1990

The music of the Baka Pygmies is almost exclusively footed in vocal polyphonics with a technique called Jodel, strangely enough quite similar to European yodeling. The sounds themselves don't come out like Germans at all, but the overall method is very parrallel. The sounds are rapidly shot from the chest to the head based on sylables and sounds without meaning. Much of the use of instruments is due to influence and exchanges the Baka people had with the Bantu, a neighboring tribe in Cameroon. These recordings are from the French label Unesco, which I'm having trouble finding much information on. The music is absolutely gorgeous, Hut Song being one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. Lots of children on here, which is a plus (no chimo). This is some powerful shit.

Pygmies really isn't so PC anymore so blame the French for my use of the word.

More info on the Bakas here.

Drug Abuse Loot

E 40 - On Oil Turned Up 2009

Droop E brings everyone up to speed with another rap meets rave on planet Pluto spaceship slap beat. Father E 40 seems busy ("Man I ain't had time to eat a sunflower seed") but came through with some pretty seasoned raps too. He also name drops my hometown Portland at the end, I guess Cool Nutz is in the new issue of the Source afterall. That subtle electric cello sounding thing is all out of tune and off key like it's from Droop's middle school band days prior to taking up the MPC and collecting Star Trek toys. Left field Hyphy at it's finest.

Thanks to the great Nation of Thizzlam for putting me up on this one. That is totally one of the best blog names in existence.

I Fear no Pestilence

Buju Banton - Murderer (from Wake Up Show Freestyles vol 1 2001)

Man, before the other day I hadn't heard this great Buju joint since like 8th grade. It wasn't till a few years later that I really got into Jamaican music but I heard this track in some skate video back then and loved it. I never actually had it in any form except on that VHS tape, and was reminded of it now almost 9 years later by a great mix by El Canyonazo of Gnawledge fame in which he dropped this sucker. Thanks a lot, I just finished college today and needed some middle school nostalgia or something. Really though, this version of the Banton classic is great and the lyrics are a favorite. The duppies have really been leaving me alone lately, that's good I think.

Damn look at Buju's shady ass in the Ferrari!

"Your Grandparents Suck"

DJ Assault - I Say Uuuah (from Everybody Fuck 12" 2003)

Craig Diamonds at his finest in my opinion. Probably my favorite use of a sample in the ghetto club world, though I might go with something from Chicago depending on the day of the week. This one came on out Assault's own Jefferson Ave records. The flash videos on the website have to be seen, especially the one for Yo Relatives.

I'm long overdue for a trip up to Detroit, but nobody in Chicago ever wants to go there with me.

Tink Tinks

Bowly - Mamiña 2009

Great little Funky House banger by Montreal's Bowly, complete with Chilean Carnivel band. I'm really into the hi-ends on this one, and that metallic Soca jingle had been ringing in my head all day. This kind of dying marching band sample makes me think of Big Tuck's Playing No Games and the batteries low trumpet sound. Much love to the man behind this track for sending me this my way. Canada, I always got your back.

Follow suit and send tracks my way people!

Wu-Note

Old Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers Instrumentals 1995

Other People have already thrown these up but fuck it, I love them. A lot more productive than me in 7th grade with a stolen copy of Photoshop changing logos to make my friends giggle. More Wu-Tang meets Blue Note covers over at creator Logan Walters' own site. In celebration of these wonderful things I am throwing up all the instrumentals from my favorite clan record that I recently found a zip file of. The instrumental to Snakes is in there, a song so dear to my heart and the first track I ever threw up on this page. Already been working on a remix, if only more Freeloadin' Rusty a capellas existed.

Before They Were Trapstars Part 2

Lil Flip ft C Note - Diamonds in Yo Face (from DJ Screw - Southside Most Wanted 1999)

18 year old Flip pre-debut in his first Screw tape appearance that I know of. Possibly his first single? Your boy was eating Lucky Charms rather than wearing them back then. I recently watched Leprechaun 6: Back 2 the Hood so I found it totally appropriate to throw this up. It's FILLED WITH CLOVERS NINJA.

Amazigh Grace

Lounes Matoub - Tavrats I L'hekam (from Lettre Ouverte Aux... 1998)

Jace reminded me again of how important this man was to the Berber world and free speech within music. Not afraid to speak his mind unlike most in North Africa, Lounes sang of secularism in his music and cut his Arabic classes in school as protest. A brazenly irreligious, pro-Berber rights activist was about as unpopular as you could get during the civil war of 91-02, and as a result Matoub was assassinated in 1998, just a few days before this CD was released. This was a decade after he had been shot five times during a riot by a police man, resulting in him being hospitalized for two years. Both sides of the struggle blame someone different for his death, but he remains a hero to the Kabyle with the music he left behind. This is the longer 20 minute track on the album, a sort of collage of instrumentation and speeches that I wish I could understand.

RIP 1956-1998


P.S., hard to fuck with that cover.


P.P.S., I finally realized my lack of Northern African posts and will remedy that with some Rai soon I promise.

Killing Yourself to Cumbia

There is room for everyone in the Cumbia game, including metalheads and lesbians.

One, Two, Cumbitwee

Los Wendys - Amor Internacional (from Cumbia Vaquera 2009?)

An adorable bit of Distrito Federal pop that dude over at King of the Surf was kind enough to put up amoung tons of other super Cumbia futurista bands. What a silly cover. The girlies with love this stuff more than they will you. Nintey-five percent of the time I'm way more into the gutter stuff, but this is just too damn cute. Hard dudes beware, this shit is twee as fuck!

Robbin Hood, Robbin in Another Hood

Gucci Mane ft Project Pat - Time to Eat (from Gucci the Glacier 2009)

Finishing up my last week of my useless BFA degree and I have to see this. What have I been doing with my time at school? This definitely raised the bar as far as mixtape cover art goes. Watch out Antarctica, Wilt Chamberlain is about to stash white girl in some igloo traphouses.

Man those polar bears RULE.

Thanks to somanyshrimp, your everyday source for Gucci Mane for pointing this out.

Commie Trot and How I Got Blacklisted While on My Way to School

Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble - Reunification Rainbow (from No Motherland Without You 1993)

Ever wonder what the hell everyone walking by you with ipods lodged in their ears is listening to? Sometimes if I'm in the Chicago loop where every other person is paying no attention to anything other than the song on their playlist, I try and guess just what might be playing in those tiny white headphones. Is the suit jamming some Animal Collective? Why the hell is this woman jogging downtown, and is she getting her sweat on to some Ayler? My guess is boy with girl pants is onto something I've never heard of. Anyways, today I got a bit paranoid that others were playing the same game as me while I was blasting this new found bit of Communist Pop from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Really, a strange kid walking around digging some North Korean's praise their Eternal President of the Republic seems almost flag worthy. Maybe even more so that the next song on the CD was Gucci Mane, followed by the Knight Rider theme. The Pochonbo Ensemble is one of the few state-sactioned musical groups in the north side, and one of the most popular. This is only due to the fact that un-sactioned MUSIC IS ILLEGAL. Somehow, these guys even toured Japan a few years back, which is about as ridiculous as a Dancehall festival in Boystown. Definitely Got to hand it to them for one of the best track titles I've ever heard. I really don't mean to shed light on one of the most terrible situations on the planet, but it really did kind of make me paranoid when I thought the fed on the sidewalk could hear what I was enjoying today. One of the scariest pieces of music I've ever heard.

Also, the above is a picture of an Arirang performance, the celebration of Kim Il Sung's birthday which must be seen. Not really so down with the tone of Vice Magazine, but still, watch it.

Also also, Eric Lafforgue's photos of the DPRK have to be seen. Thanks to fellow photography buff Antoine for these!

DJ Slugo Interview

They say a picture is worth 1000 words, but the above is worth about 20 dollars in singles. Thomas "DJ Slugo" Kendricks' music has kept Chicago moving for over 20 years now, and the self-proclaimed Ghetto Don has shown no slowing down. Touching the tenants of housing projects, ravers, and European superstars, the rhythm of the streets that Slugo helped pioneer is a favorite around these parts. From the flat ass anthem Cardboard Booty to the low end madness of Where Yo Werks At?, the high roller of Ghetto House has provided his listeners with Juke music with a soul. This is fuckin' and shit talking music, but by no means primitive. The depth of the music is thickened by Slugo's deep, raspy voice and the entanglement of sounds being pitched both up and down. What we have here is on some grown man shit, with room for the ladies too (see Wouldn't You Like to Be a Hoe). Music for those living that vulture life, or for those in need of a direction to the nearest whore in the house.

Slugo was kind enough to invite me out to the Bloc Club's west side studio to hang out and get a few words about the state of Chicago Ghetto House in the days of old and new. Dice were rolled, money was lost, and I think I sorta interrupted a recording session. Much love to the entire crew and of course Slugo himself who put up with my broke-ass-no-having-a-drivers-license ways.


Me: Lets start things off with an intro, who you are, where your from...
Slugo: DJ Slugo south side...(talking in background) hey be quiet! DJ...(laughter) Shut up! Come on yall! DJ Slugo south side of Chicago man, 49th and State, vulture city.

Describe a typical day
Typyical day? Um, basically getting up um, getting my daily activities together, and um mostly coming over to the studio over here with my Bloc Club partners. Other then that, spending time with my kids and stuff of that nature.

So music is a full time job for you?
yeah, that's how I eat all the way around the board, music. That's how I've been living for the last 20 some years.

What got you started in making house music?
Really my cousins, my cousins used to be DJs. I watched them DJ for years and then um, it was a hobby that turned into a job, so basically my cousins, watching my cousins do their thing and then you know, wanting to do what they were doing.

What records got you started in house music?
My favorite record was umm...Beat that Bitch with Bat. When I heard that one that changed the game for me and a few of my other partners you know, Deeon, Milton. When we heard that record that record was like wait, we can curse? You know what I'm saying, we was used to hearing It's a Cold World and Gotta Have House, and things like that. When we heard Beat that Bitch with a Bat, and then we heard Hoes in this House , you know it was like man we could start doing it, you know we were already doing the beats and you know using the different slangs in the neighborhood for the songs but we didn't think anybody would you know, that it would go as far as it would go today.

How has house music changed since you started?
Uh...drastically, it went from 135 BPMs to now 170. It's like Juke music, uh footwork music is almost like techno you know what I'm saying so its like, out of control. It went from Farley and Steve Hurley and them to me and DJ Deeon and them, then to some of them footwork guys. I don't really know which one of them is the top guy making the footwork music but it's A LOT of em. So it's everyone of em that have Fruity Loops, now everyone of them got Fruity Loops.

What do you have to say about other music like Baltimore Club and Detroit Techno that grew up at the same time as Chicago's Ghetto House?
Yeah, its basically all the same. Everybody tries to say who started it first but, to me its no big deal. It's like we could care less who started it, where is it at now? You know, I'm all for Baltimore Club, all for Detroit Techno, all for Detroit Ghetto Tech, anything that furthers what we all created back in the days I'm all for it. So I don't care who started it or what started it, it's just where its going or who's gonna make the money when it gets there.

So what are the Bloc Club DJs?
My cousin and a couple of his buddies had a crew called the Bloc Club Music Group and we all ended up hooking up together and it had a...at this time I was with the Violator DJs, we had Violator Juke Squad DJs. A few things didn't work out for us so we decided to go our separate ways and started the Bloc Club DJs and that's how we ended up with that.

You recently got handed over Dance Mania records right?
Yeah.

What are the plans for that?
Actually, there's so much drama behind it, the Dance Mania thing is like Ray Barney has given permission to anybody that was on the label to use it in whatever way they please. It's like me and Deeon we went and did the paperwork on it and all that but after we did the paperwork we got like maybe 30 complaints like a month later you know "he said I could use it" and all that so we decided to go back to our original subsidiary labels that were on Dance Mania, Freakmode and Subterranean Playhouse. So, Dance Mania is cool and it's always good to live off the name that is what gave us our start but, you know we could care less it's not a name it's the music , its always been the music you know. So if you keep making good music whatever the name behind the good music is the name people are going to be listening to anyways.

Whats the venue system like these days with clubs and Juke music?
Well Chicago is, Chicagos terrible. Like, Chicago, I can't believe we made this music here and it's one of the cities that it's the least played in. You know, I go to other cities you know, play in these other cities and its like bananas. Come back home and you can't even get 6 Juke records played in the club you know what I'm saying so, it's like ridiculous here. Chicago is like, I mean it's my city and I love my city and don't want to say too much bad about the city but it's bad that when a genre of music starts in a city and they don't have the love for it anymore. That's crazy.

So you like playing house parties more than clubs?
Yeah, I love...actually I love raves more than anything. The raves are like off the chain because people are into the music you know. It's not about what you got on or who got on what, or who's who in the party you know. Raves are just, everybody comes, they come and see their favorite DJ and listen to their favorite music and go home in peace you know. The worst thing that can happen is maybe somebody ODs you know. No shooting, no nothing. I would rather DJ a rave in other cities on any given day.

What do you think about the European attention that Chicago House has gotten?
Well actually a lot of people don't know just how big dance music and especially the Juke music and the Ghetto House music is in places like Germany and France and the UK and places of that nature. I really didn't know how big it was until the guys from Daft Punk actually came to Chicago and then they did that record Teachers and put me and Deeon and all that on it. People kept telling us "ya'll on this record teachers" I was like we some neighborhood cats we don't know what no damn teachers is. When I did the Cardboard Booty record and it became #1 in the UK and I began to see the little royalty things and I was like OK, I'm fuckin' with Euros you know what I'm saying. I'm real happy that it reached that level you know what I'm saying, I could really care less about how it does in the states because it's real big overseas you know. Me and Deeon can't travel right now so as soon as they give us our passports!...It's gonna be trouble over there.

What can we expect in 2009?
Well right now my goal is to have one of the biggest dance labels in the Midwest, not just Chicago you know. Me and (DJ)Godfather from Detroit have been sitting down and making a few plays because you know he has Electro Bounce and Electro Bounce is getting extremely big now and I think I'm gonna A&R everything that comes out of Chicago for him. That's one of the big things we doing right now. I also got the Subterranean label which is a subsidiary of dance mania and I got a few guys on there but I think I'm just gonna use that strictly for me and whatever name that me and Godfather come up with for the label for Chicago to do the A&R thing. I'll use that to be the backbone of what I wanna do as far as this dance thing coming out the Midwest.

Who do you think is doing the best music today as far as Juke goes?
Well they kind of like killed...a lot of people have walked away from Juke because its too fast now. People can't dance and girls can't bounce to it like they used to. They not making it like the days of old. The days of old was like 135-40 BPMs and the guys now are so into foot working that you know, they want it to be so fast that they are all "speed it up speed it up!" that it's so fast that they keep forgetting about the people that just wanna bounce in the corner, the girls that just wanna hit the floor and bounce their ass to the floor. So, if they don't slow it back down or take it back down to that level, because you know because me and Deeon never changed our patterns, never changed our tempo ether you know. As long as we're able to get a few records in here and there you know I see Juke like...I'm trying to get it on the level of rap and overseas it is, but it's just like in the states were still fighting that battle. So that's my hope for 09-10 to get it on the level of rap in the states.

Any last thoughts or shout outs?
No shout outs none of that, just be prepared. Oh, www.djslugomusic.com that's it. If they want to get the music I got a whole line of em, my whole catalog is up there and there's more to come.

Thanks
Appreciate it.



Pick up Respect My Grine vol 2 in stores now

Tape Loops and Coke Spoons

Pierre Henry - Exorcisme (from Machine Danse 1973)

When a Music Concret monster failed to get past the bouncers at Studio 54 for looking like a square, feelings were hurt. "Do you know who the fuck I am?!!!" didn't work on the crowd who most likely never heard Le Voyage or any of his recordings of brain waves. I have a suspicion that after being called uncool by the New York elite, Pierre Henry retreated back to France and created his wacked out disco record Machine Danse in spite. Sore asshole or not, the record and especially the track I'm highlighting sound almost like early Dance Mania records, take note of the strange whimpering similar to DJ Milton. Really can't give any advice on what to do with this other than maybe having a massive whip-its party, preferably in a dark closet by yourself.

Backward-Assed Germans

Dizzee Rascal - Pussy Hole (Schlachthofbronx remix) (from the internet 2009?)

The cigarettes and air horns camp brings a beer tidal wave over Dizzee's head, followed by a marching band and a fleet of cop cars. Not sure where I got this and chances are you already have it but these Bavarian goofs deserve as many dankes as possible.

Chicago Hip Life Spot #1

Candy Man - Bowotiri Nko (from Yate Akye unknown year)

Made a trip to Uptown yesterday to check out Afrikiko Hair & Fashion Boutique, a Ghanaian barber shop which got attention in the Chicago Reader music section a few weeks ago due to it's wall of Hip Life CDs and African film DVDs. I showed up and was immediately greeted by the employees, interrupting a few of them in the middle of their hair cuts. I brought up the article, which hilariously they had not seen themselves. "Some guy came in here...did you write that article?" A bit lame of the Reader on their part, but the computer/internet stalls adjacent to the barber chairs worked everything out. I was recommended some great CDs from the wall and even got a price break. Real nice people that run the place who even let me preview before I purchased, and left me on my way with a warm goodbye. I will be returning soon, and I recommend any fans of Ghanian Hip Hop to make the trip. Their stock of CDs is about to grow, and more customers will certainly help. So go get a haircut and grab a Hip Life CD on your way out.

Afrikiko Hair and Fashion Boutique
4635 N Broadway (red line Montrose EL stop)

PS, didn't have a camera so I had to steal the Readers picture of the shop after hours (?).

Scary Movie Juke

DJ Funk - Holloween House (from House the Groove 12" unknown year)

Running through the forest from Michael Myers, ending up at a rave. Pretty weird one from the Grey Goose chugging westsider also know as Mr. "who's suckin my dick tonight?!" Sorry I don't know the year, but it's an early one with the underwater mouth sounds similar to that equally weird DJ Milton track I threw up a few weeks ago.

I am now using Drop Box, so all links from now on will be direct.

Let the Riddim Hit 'Em

Haven't read it yet but I'd like to congratulate Raquel, Wayne, and Deborah on their brand new Reggaeton book out now on Duke University Press. A great team to put this one together and I am loving that cover!

Now Playing

Apologize for the slowness lately, have been in the process of moving. I am now located on the same side of town as Bad Bad Leroy Brown. Expect lots of Cumbia CD digging this summer. I got a special treat for you all next week, but for now these are some tracks that have been doing me good lately...


DJ Duck and MC Shorty - Where My Old Lady At? (from Where My Old Lady at 12" ?)

I never could find much info on DJ Duck, but the recent plays of this track (that unfortunately cuts off before the end) remind me that it's still one of my favorite Bounce tracks. Also, this definitely should have been on my cheatin' songs mix.


Royal Flush - I Never Made 20 (from 976 Dope 1991)

Pimp C's favorite rap song brought to attention by Bun B. Brilliantly written early Screwston tale of the horrors of the dope game. Hugely influential yet somehow slipped through the cracks, no pun intended.


Schlachthofbronx - Good to Go (from the internets 2009)

My German homies sent me another slow moving Bavarian Bounce track to add to my Beerhall collection. Duppies taking charge at Oktoberfest demanding Rum but all we got is Kolsch.


DJ Mujava - Township Funk (Radioclit Remix) (from Township Funk Remixes 2008)

Never posted about how much I love this motherfucker of a Kwaito track from last year so I guess it's time. The recent Scottie B Baltimore version made me count the number of remixes I had acquired in the last 6 months, which reached an amount more than my fingers could handle. The Rob 3 mix is cool, the TRG is alright, and Scottie holds it down, but those French dudes get my vote for best that's not the original.


Gucci Mane - I'm a Star (from Gangsta Grillz: The Movie 2008)

Sounding desperately out of breath but flawlessly executing a mumble rap track, Gucci Mane rides the thin line between blunted rant and brilliance. Strange pick of the rap music industry to flaunt, just hope he stays out of that rock band shit.


DJ N.K. - MSN Kuduro (from ? 2005)

The fellas over at Ghetto Bassquake hooked it up with this track by Portugal's DJ N.K. that on paper seems like such a bad idea. Really though, it's kind of amazing how PC sounds actually fall together to make a pretty banging Kuduro joint. Nothing more to add really.


Banda Lapada - Danca Da Pirikita (from ? 2007)

Still not sure how I feel about this northern Brazil Techno Brega thing, but this track is pretty interesting. Some tweaker shit right here. I am looking for the Pink Floyd remixes, anyone want to hook me up?

Favorite Underage DJ

Taliesin - Samizdat (Direct Download) 2009

It's shit like this that makes me feel old and question my productivity. I don't even think this kid can legally drink in America yet but I imagine the laws are different in Hungary. Taliesin keeps the heat coming strong with this brand new turntableless mess of tunes that somehow puts drone metal up against Cumbia. Age ain't nothing but a number and this is proof that it's not an indicator of balls ether.

Africa Jacking

Some old school Farley in Johannesburg type shit. The girl in the striped shirt getting crazy slow is my favorite part aside from the random clip of the guy pushing a cart.