Somewhere in the Atlantic…

…the Akwarian Sea Rebel was born, and she made it on to the land and rocked our motha effin socks off. If you don’t know, get familiar. This incredibly hardworking artist first captured my ears when I bought her EP The Birth of a Wave, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Her beats, which she produces, are amazing. She also sings, raps, plays the guitar, draws, makes costumes, dances…and is an accomplished alchemist and sorceress (ok, I’m kidding with this one…or am I?). But seriously, she is a talent to behold. Aside from the pure quality of her music, her progressive messages against plagues such as sexism and corporate greed are just what the youth needs to hear.

I had the pleasure of attending ASR‘s album release party of Urban Tropical Rebel Pop on October 27th at Public Assembly. ASR decorated the place itself beautifully, donning it an Underwater Masquerade, which Poseidon himself couldn’t stay away from:

Me being inappropriate with the god of the sea, who, incidentally, plays the bass.

An awesome line up included Silent Knight and The Band Called Fuse, Death by Plastic, K.O.N, and DJ Dyllemma, to name a few…oh yeah even a motha effin Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle showed up yo!

The 5th TMNT...wait he looks familiar...

Other shenanigans ensued as the crowd clamored for ASR…

People started taking off their clothes in desperation!!!!

But, finally, all was well as the lady of the night made her appearance

 

with her lovely dancers

 

Keep your eye on it! They want you to look away!

fan girl pic….OH EM GEE YOU GUYS!!!!

Mazzi of Death by Plastic, me!, and ASR with the awesome head piece she made!

So yeah, download the album if you know what’s good for you:

http://akwariansearebel.bandcamp.com/album/urban-tropical-rebel-pop

DO ITTTTTTTTTTTT

 

—end transmission

 

Occupy Everywhere!

Today I finally made my way down to Occupy Wall Street and it was pretty fucking incredible. As I walked around with my mouth open like an idiot, I took in my surreal surroundings. This is for realz. People have been camped out here for almost 3 weeks. There are tents and air mattresses and sleeping bags. There is a food station and a media station. They even have a flippin’ band for entertainment and morale. It’s also kind of awesome and hilarious to see a bunch of poor and working class people against the back drop of fancy buildings and stores. This is what they are afraid of, the “unwashed masses”, and with good reason too. I don’t know. My heart was bursting. I’ve been pretty cynical and hopeless for a while, and this has boosted me greatly, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

The bottom line is: there is something FUNDAMENTALLY wrong with a system that let’s people die or go without food, shelter, health care, and education because they are poor, not because there isn’t enough to go around. That’s the starting point.

This is spreading quickly to other states, and I bet Europe, Africa the Arab world is like FINALLY took you guys long enough!

For some great coverage on what’s going down in NYC and the world check out socialistworker.org, which unlike the NY Times, does not practice in shady and unethical journalism:

 

And here’s some pics from today:

 

The food station. If you got food to donate, please do so!

 

Dude playing the sax!

 

The media station

 

System change not climate change!

 

 

So come down if you can, especially Wed Oct. 5th for the community/labor march from City Hall starting at 4:30 PM and TESTIFY:

Busy, Busy, Busy.

So many goodies today. First of all, Silent Knight‘s Busy Is My Best Friend album release party in BK was off the hizzle. This dude man. Do you know how it is to feel respected by one of your favorite artists? When you know they are giving you everything on stage? No sloppy shit…just sharp, clean, and intense goodness. Makes you feel appreciated. That’s what you get with SK and his fam. Everybody did their damn thing. DJ Dyllemma spun lovely, The Band Called Fuse rocked the fuck out, Cymarshall Law‘s energy blew us out the water, Soul Khan‘s intelligent lyricism shone, K.O.N‘s style brought the flavor, and Mr. SK tied it all together with a super polished, heartfelt performance.  Enough gushing. Here’s some photographic proof. Be jealous… and come next time for crying out loud.

 

 

 

 

 

The Band Called Fuse

 

Goodies!

 

SK with Cymarshall Law

 

SK & K.O.N

 

Soul Khan

 

The very satisfied audience

Remember kids, the album is on iTunes!!!

And if you want to hear more details about the show, plus a stimulating discussion on Rabbit stew, Robo Kon, the hardships of being a doorman, and baggy condoms, among many other delightful topics, watch the first episode of Altered Native Radio here http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17504314 hosted by Carla Keyz, K.O.N, and Mantis…this week’s guest…Silent Knight. Duh.

Tune in every Sunday 12-2PM

 

On a related note, The Line Up is back at The Grisly Pear and this week they are celebrating their one year anniversary!!! For those who don’t know, this is a weekly artist showcase hosted by Silent Knight and The Band Called Fuse. There’s a featured artist every week plus a super fun open mic/cypher to cap off the night. Come check out local talent or show off your skills! Dance, sing, spit, play an instrument, juggle knives…whatever!

Every Thursday night

The Grisly Pear

107 MacDougal Street 

21+

 

Altered Native Radio

At a time when giant media conglomerates have taken over everything we watch, listen to, and read, the internet has become a platform for real people to portray the real world, something most TV and Radio fails miserably at doing. I’ve linked places like http://rebelfrequencies.blogspot.com/  and socialistworker.org  because I like my news and entertainment unaltered and unphotoshopped. So now I’d like to plug Altered Native Radio…part of Urban Media TV (UrbanMediaTV.com)

Starts this Sunday from 12-2PM…Watch the promo below and tune in!

Busy Is My Best Friend Album Release Party

I am so very late on this. Hey, don’t judge me. I got into grad school. Shit is crazy. Anyway, I think things have calmed down enough for me to post on the reg now. So Silent Knight‘s first solo album in a long while is finally here. It is available on iTunes, but if you’re in New York later tonight, you should definitely check out the album release party (and buy the CD! what, are you too cool for CDs now? pshhh). Another  two very talented artists I’ve written about…K.O.N and Soul Khan will be performing as well as a bunch of other super cool peeps, and I will be there supporting and taking mad pics.

Here’s what I wrote on iTunes about the album:

“Silent Knight gives us yet another truthful piece from the heart. He is not afraid to take us to the darkest, ugliest corners of our world, but what’s special is that he doesn’t leave us stuck in the shadows. Sh*t ain’t sweet, but “I don’t wish I was anywhere but here.” Beginnings, encouragement, fight. This is what BIMBF means to me”

Whoa. That was serious. Now you have to buy it.

Deets:

Southpaw

125 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY.

9PM

$10 at the door…magic inside.

We’ve got to get down after dark!

Oh em gee. The Love and War in the City video by The Band Called Fuse is here, and it is bananas.

Amy

I think there’s been enough discussion on this, so I just wanted to post some of my favorite videos because for me, it comes down to the fact that she was extremely talented, and now she is gone. That’s sad. I did not know her personally. I cannot judge anything further than the music, and the music was effing great.

Update: Fellow socialist activist and music journalist Alexander Billet writes a great piece on Ms. Winehouse:

http://rebelfrequencies.blogspot.com/2011/07/losing-game.html

You Got Soul Like Khan?

Here’s one of my recent discoveries: Soul Khan– another superb hip hop artist from Brooklyn with a unique voice, exact delivery, and beautifully crafted, smart, hilarious, and heartfelt rhymes. And he also sings, thank you very much.

I recently copped his Acknowledgement EP, and let’s just say that 6 songs are not enough! I had to get the Soul Like Khan album shortly thereafter. Part of the underground hip hop group Brown Bag Allstars, he has been seriously pursuing a music career since 2008. “Speeding Bullets”, one of my favorites off Acknowledgement, is currently in rotation on MTV U.

Check out the track:

“we all have been told that power corrupts

so what you gonna be when your hour is up?”

and get the EP here: http://soulkhan.bandcamp.com/album/acknowledgement

Also, listen to this crazy awesome track, Soulstice III that was just released, and be amazed:

“ soul, why you talk about death so much?
i don’t know, why are good folks dead so much?”

http://soulkhan.com/ for all things Khan

Stayin’ Busy Video and Remix!

Hey y’all! Been away for a while, but I’m back with goodies! Here’s Silent Knight‘s new video for his single Stayin’ Busy off his upcoming album.

Listen, discuss, comment!

And the remix, featuring Soul Khan, YC the Cynic, and K.O.N

http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/audible-doctor-stayin-busy-remix/

Love and War (and BBQ and Awesome hip hop) in the City

A great kick off to Summer 2011, The Band Called Fuse album release party was a blast. The fellas treated us to an amazing rooftop BBQ pre-party, where a warm up acoustic cypher got us in the mood, and then organized cars to shuttle people to Southpaw! These guys know how to treat the fans!

The opening acts, Rasheed Chappell, Kyle Rapps, K.O.N and Grind City kicked off the show with crazy energy, hyping the crowd to a boiling point, just the right amount for Fuse to jump in and blow us outta the water. Below is the single “Love and War in the City” :

The video, which I’ve seen a rough cut of, is dopeassness personified, so stay tuned. All I can say is don’t sleep on these guys, and COP THAT ALBUM, like ASAP. Come check out a show, or their weekly Line Up at the Grisly Pear every Thursday night.

Photographic Evidence:

That is all.