Common is one of my personal heros and role models. He’s spiritual when it comes to religion and the way he goes about living life. He looks fcuk’in amazing and he’s gotta be somewhere in his late 30s. He used to be a vegan and he still eats really healthy (my friend has seen him at the Brooklyn Food Coop picking up organic food). He’s recently gotten into the acting game and he’s kicking butt (recently in Wanted with Angelina Jolie, alongside Denzel Washington in American Gangster, and bodyguard to Ari Gold in Smokin’ Aces). He’s a father to a beautiful daughter who he talks about in his songs, “My daughter found Nemo, I found the new Primo” and expresses his love and admiration on a daily basis. He’s been recently linked to being in a relationship with Alicia Keys and Serena Williams in the past year alone (btw. I am infatuated with Alicia Keys). And to top all of that, he’s one of the best emcees in the hip hop game signed to a fantastic record label and linked to one of the best producers. Even though that could have been a post in itself, I’m only just getting started!

Linked to Kanye West apart of his record label G.O.O.D., Common is due out to release his 8th solo album entitled Invincible Summer (2008) on September 23rd. And like a music crack fiend, I’m itching and scratching to get my hands on a copy of it.

Before signing with G.O.O.D., Common was still considered an underground emcee. Though he had a few tracks that got him noticed in the mainstream, he was still relatively unknown to the masses. His first critically acclaimed album dropper early in his career entitled Resurrection (1994) and it created stirs in the underground hip hop community. It was completely produced by No I.D. (former mentor of Kanye West) and you could easily rock out to it. I have included my most favorite track from this album (and I think overall from his entire career) entitled I Used to Love Her. The entire song is a personification of the genre/culture/music known as hip hop. It’s done with such eloquence and lyricism, it will blow your mind if this is your first listen to it.

His next album entitled One Day It’ll All Make Sense (1997) got his first big label record contract with MCA Records. It has collaborations with some of the best during that time like Q-Tip, Lauryn Hill, Black thought, etc. After obtaining the contract, he did well on his first release Like Water For Chocolate (2000) and pretty much flopped his second release Electric Circus (2002). These are known as his Soulquarian days and I like to think of it as him dating Erykah Badu days. Some call these his best days, I call them his exploration/growth days. He did alot of unconventional things during this time and took spouts of time for himself where we didn’t see much of him. But I think it was needed for an artist of his caliber. It’s growth that all human beings go through and many artists/famous people actually don’t.

Two years after his breakup with Erykah Badu and three years after his last release, Common grabbed hold of his life and signed with Kanye West. And everything went up from there. His album sales, his skillz, his ability to hit the masses, his credibility, his mojo, and his career. To me, this was the single biggest step and decision that he could have made in his life (after dropping out of college of course :->).

His entire life journey and the decisions he made makes for a E! True Hollywood Story. Not really, but you get my drift. Ontop of everything I’ve stated thus far, what I truly admire above all else is the sincerity, modesty, and consciousness that he’s done all the actions around his life. And I felt that personally when 1) seeing him perform live, 2) reading his interviews in magazines and online, and 3) the way he explores life in terms of spirituality, health, music, career, etc without any bounds or without any fear of rejection. I love that and to me, that not only makes for a great person but also a great artist.

If you like him already or are starting to, check out this 3-part interview:

• Tim Westwood: Part 1
• Tim Westwood: Part 2
• Tim Westwood: Part 3

Common Music | MySpace | Facebook | Wikipedia

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have an unhealthy obsession with a little place I like to call NYC. That obsession just went through the roof. Today, I fell in love with the NYC jazz scene. How could I have been missing out on this for so long? The band that triggered this notion was The Avishai Cohen Trio… absolutely incredible. I’ve already decided to go see them live at the end of August in NYC when they return from Europe, and then again when they come to Boston in September.

I just purchased Gently Disturbed (2008), which was just released June 20th. All it took was a 30-second clip of the track Chutzpan and I knew I had to make the purchase. You don’t have to be a big jazz fan to appreciate this album. But if you happen to like jazz, I know you’ll love it. I’m usually more of a jazz guitar guy or even big band stuff, so there really aren’t many piano/bass/drum trios that have really seized my full attention. That’s right, my full attention. I had to stop playing the CD while writing this post because it refused to let me do anything other than be engulfed by some of the most energetic, intricate, and articulate modern jazz out there. This is modern jazz at its best my friends.

Avishai Cohen has been cranking out albums since 1998, so I’m a little embarrassed that it took me 10 years to come across his music… and that’s just when he started releasing his own albums. But I assure you, Gently Disturbed will not be my last purchase. I couldn’t say this better myself… “Bassist/Composer/Band Leader Avishai Cohen, born April 20, 1970 in Israel, is a musician who has been called a jazz visionary of global proportions by DownBeat, and was declared one of the 100 Most Influential Bass Players of the 20th Century by Bass Player Magazine. Cohen is not only renowned around the world as an influential double bassist and profound composer, but also as a visionary bandleader that is following in the footsteps of Mingus, Dave Holland, Jaco Pastorius, Ray Brown, Charlie Haden, Stanley Clarke, and even Sting. In fact, every move Avishai Cohen makes routinely causes waves of critical praise.” - [Biography]  Just to throw it out there, Avishai has recorded with nearly 50 albums!

I certainly agree that Avishai is an incredible bassist, but the other two members, Shai Maestro - Piano and Mark Guilliana - Drums, are definitely nothing to sneeze at either. Shai Maestro is only 21 and is already playing with a world renowned bassist touring the world. He’s soon to be a world renowned musician himself.   Mark has had his share of other projects as well. His release with the band HEERNT even grabbed the attention of King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford, who called their Locked In a Basement (2006), “the most exuberant, dramatic, beautiful, sassy, genre-busting little outing that I’ve heard since I don’t know when.”

Avishai Cohen Music | mySpace | Wikipedia

That’s what J Medeiros has been able to do with his song entitled ‘Constance’. It’s about a girl from the Philippines who gets caught into human trafficking. According to the Largest Minory:

The Philippines has a high rate of child prostitution. Many sex establishments in the Philippines are backed by Japanese capital, and are the favored destinations of pedophiles from America, Australia, and Europe. Children may work up to 20 hours a day, and be forced to service up to 100 customers a week. A 2005 estimate reveals that 150,000 young girls, some as young as six years old, work as prostitutes in the Philippines due to poverty.

Medeiros’s song entitled Constance talks about this trafficking and how people are ignorant to it. Since it doesn’t happen to too many American’s, its kinda kept in the dark. And its easy not to recognize something that doesn’t directly affect you life. But when a well known and conscious artist brings up a topic like this and does it with simplicity, it really hits the heart and the mind.

This song is only one track on a full album by Mr. J Medeiros named Of Gods and Girls (2006). Def a worthwhile album to check out. Has a full set of conscious lyrics, simple and easy flow, and purposeful themes. My favorites are Silent Earth which talks about how people stay unresponsive to world needs even though they see what’s happening, and Call You which is an ode to his mother and father love for him.

A little bit of background info: Mr. J Medeiros co-founded hip hop’s underground group, The Procussions. They were around for over 10 years becoming a pretty big indie success. They toured the globe with the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Talib Kweli, and many more. They ended up releasing two LP’s: As Iron Sharpens Iron (2003) and 5 Sparrows For 2 Cents (2006) on Rawkus Records.

Here’s a music video of his hit single entitled Constance:

Granted, Kanye West might be one of the cockiest emcess and producers in the game. He might hog the spotlight at times and throw a fit occasionally if something doesn’t go his way. He also may brag about things that yet have not happened. I’m here to tell you - don’t disregard that. He is who he is and he has done what he has done because of his character.

• Made less known or underground emcees, popular. Emcees like Common, Lupe Fiasco, Consequence, Rhymefest, etc. Before their collaboration and work with Kanye through either production and/or collaboration, these artists were grinding, but never popular or wealthy. This changed significantly after Kanye’s influence.
• Made unknown stars, stars. Take all the R&B signers and musicians that he’s teamed up and/or helped raise awareness to: John Legend, Jamie Foxx, Dwele, Lily Allen, Estelle, Syleena Johnson, etc. These were signers that very little people knew about and very few artists were collaborating with. After their role in Kanye’s music + life, they are going on sold out tours and making a well known career for themselves.
• Made consciousness cool. There has not been one single conscious/obnoxious emcee who has sold as many albums or sold out more seats in a single venue as Kanye did with Graduation (2007) and his Glow In The Dark Tour. Kanye didn’t start the consciousness movement, nor will I say his contributions to conscious music are greater than others. But he did make it ok and cool to have music that was well produced and have great lyrics, a combination that wasn’t found in hip hop for decades.
• Began the roots for a racial revolution. Who can forget Kanye’s appearance on the news with Mike Myers talking about the relief efforts in Katrina? And when he blurted out, “George Bush hates black people.” That single statement sparked conversation between hip hop radio stations and tv channels to bring the Katrina tragedy to light in a perspective that simply was not being talked about. After that, there have been numerous public conversations about race and its implication in today’s politics. Just check out Bil
• Began the roots for a cultural revolution. Kanye made it “ok” and actually cool to question the acts of government and society on a public level. Though it was already being done by hundreds of artists, politicians, and teachers - Kanye did it in front of a bigger audience. Whether it was through his lyrics (Black Panthers being stopped by President Ronald Reagan, Magic Johnson curing AIDS), his public announcements (outburst on MTV and its favor towards skin color), orhis performances (Grammy’s & VMA’s), Kanye promote conversations and challenges that had to be addressed. That’s something big time and pop artists don’t do because they know they could lose thousands of fans at a time (look at Dixie Chicks!).

Kanye’s drive and motivation have taken him from a small studio producer to one of the most well respected and popular emcees in hip hop. When everyone told him that it couldn’t be done or that his skills were not that good, he took the challenge and excelled. When you have that many people in your life (whether family, friends, acquaintances) that keep telling you the impossibility of something, it manifests in the mind. So when Kanye boasts and he screams from the rooftop that he’s the best, its a self expression of his mind. It wouldn’t matter to him if he screamed to 10 people or 10 million people. He does it for himself, not others. And I believe a person needs that to release the thoughts of imperfection in your mind. Only then can someone (Kanye in this case) feel at ease and feel at peace. That’s how I view his so called “bad” attributes.

In summary, Kanye’s contributions are vast and his impact to hip hop music even larger. What really opened my eyes and really got me to understand this even more was a dead honest and open testimonial by Sean “P Diddy” Combs. He put it the best and I can’t find a better way to end this post. Thanks Diddy!

If you don’t know, DJ Krush is one of the pioneers of Japanese hip hop. And if you also don’t know, hip hop is huge in Japan. They got amazing break dancers, incredibly artistic graff artists, lyrical emcees (from what I’m told, can’t understand anything besides the flow), and some amazing Deejays.  They’ve been playing hip hop music close to near its conception and its been banging ever since. They caught on to the scene when in 1983 the film Wild Style dropped. Much props to DJ Krush and his contributions to hip hop overall - he’s a beast!

Seeing how DJ Krush’s own involvement in hip hop originated from the same movie, you will understand why he includes artists like Mos Def, Black Thought & ?uestlove, Aesop Rock, Company Flow, Mr. Lif, and C.L. Smooth in his compilation. Old school screams consciousness and purpose. Krush has a few solo tracks on this compilation, but most of the tracks are collaborations with various hip hop artists. I do two things with compilations/albums like these: zone out to it and work or drop it as part of my house/soul dj sets. If I had a nice car, I would add “rolling out” to my list! Would love to hear what you would do …

I’m attaching two tracks below to give you a glimpse of what this album contains. It’s hard for me to describe the tracks or the quality since its so different from the hip hop I listen to daily. But I will say that though this is different, the music and lyrics are still quality and conscious. And to me, that can bring my attention to music more than simply the “beat” (my down south fans!).

Zen Approach (Cradle Mix) ft. Black Thought

Shinjiro (Harsh Mix) ft. Mos Def

Rhythm.  That’s the best word to describe Isis.  They are one of the heaviest bands I listen to and definitely the most rhythmically inclined.  Every aspect of their music is used to drive the rhythm is various directions such that there’s rarely much of a melody or even a need for one, well at least that was their initial theme.  They’ve since evolved into an even more incredible band, but the strong sense of rhythm is what sold me on Isis initially… but it was not an easy sale.  Unfortunately, most listeners will quickly dismiss Isis for their unusually harsh and raw vocals.  I was going down that road at first, but I didn’t give up quite so easily since I had a really solid recommendation from my friend Dave (a long time band mate of mine).  This was a couple years before Opeth had really broken me in to harsh vocals, but after I got into Thursday.  Isis takes vocals to another level though.  You need an open mind to really grasp it, but the vocals are used more to emphasize the rhythm than giving all that much of a melody or something for you to sing.  If can’t accept vocals have that ability, then you’ll likely never fully appreciate Isis.  At this point, I wouldn’t have Isis any other way… you’ve just got to embrace the vocals.  Oddly enough, Isis is a lot like a hot tub.  You can’t just jump in.  You have to slowly and comfortably ease yourself in.  But once you’re fully submersed, it’s quite possibly the most relaxed you’ve ever been and was well worth the initial discomfort.

I’m a little sympathetic to anyone who might want to immediately blow these guys off, only because that was me at one point.  But if you’re looking for some strong driving rhythms, to chill hard jam rock, to some of the heaviest shit you’ve ever heard… look no further.  Anyone who knows anything about sludge rock, post-metal, or is serious about really heavy rock already knows Isis I’m sure.  But, it really wasn’t all that long ago that they were just a local band and even practiced in the same giant space rental building as I have down in Allston, MA (just outside of Boston).  That’s no longer the case.  I think they’ve moved out to LA, and last year they even toured with Tool.  Personally, I thought they sounded even better and were easily my favorite opening for Tool I’ve yet seen.  My point is that they’re no longer one of those underground bands few people know, and as I said before, anyone who is serious about really heavy rock already knows Isis.  So, my purpose for this post is to hopefully give a glimpse of what I saw that made Isis one of my gateway bands into a whole new genre of rock.

My first experience with Isis was Oceanic (2002), which is pretty heavy for initiation.  If you’re ready to dive right in, that might a good one for you.  If you’re already a big metal head like me and somehow have never heard of Isis, you could even go so far as to get Mosquito Control (1998).  That’s pretty close to the rawest, heaviest rock I’ve heard.  For everyone else, I think their most recent album, In the Absence of Truth (2006), is the most accessible.  The vocals aren’t nearly as harsh and are little more sparse, the drums are more intricate, and there is more use of overlaying melodies.  It also happens to be my favorite Isis album.  I pretty much cycled through just this album, 10,000 days, and Ghost Reveries in my car for nearly six months.  Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to be that obsessed with any album again.  Since Nirav and I launched this website, I’ve been finding way too much new music to have time to listen to only three albums over and over within a given month.  I guess that’s not really a bad thing though.  Anyways, In the Absence of Truth is a great album for new-comers.  There is one requirement though.  You have to crank it.  Isis is meant to be loud… you have to feel the music, quite literally.

As with Opeth, I had a pretty hard time selecting a couple audio clips.  i don’t want to portray them as something they’re not, but I feel Isis is well known enough among the metal-heads that I don’t really need to cater to their needs… so I’ll just leave a hint of what I mean by harsh vocals in case I’ve actually convinced you to purchase some Isis and aren’t surprised that I may have understated what I mean by harsh vocals.  It’s a tough task to select clips that really exemplify an artist.  Isis is easily one of my favorite bands and I feel every serious musician can at least appreciate what it is they have to offer.  So, I have actually selected three clips as opposed to my usual two.  The clips will get progressively heavier in hopes to ease you in.  The first clip is from Wills Dissolve off of Panopticon as its one of their more mello tracks, but flows rather smoothly into some raw heavy guitars.  The second clip is from In the Absence of Truth, Not in Rivers, But in Drops.  This track has some more intricate drums and a pretty slick rhythm change in the middle; which isn’t in the clip.  The third and final clip is from False Light from Oceanic.  This is a little more typical of some of their older stuff and was the very first Isis track I ever heard.  It’s raw, it’s heavy, and some how rocks out with a combination of alternating odd metered time signatures.

For those of you who actually hear what I’m saying about Isis, but really just can’t get past the vocals, check out their collaboration EP with Aereogramme, In the Fishtank 14 (2006).  Low Tide is among the 25 most played tracks in my iTunes library.  It’s a very chill track that keeps the rhythmic focus that Isis is all about, but with some very soothing vocals.  It’s a very relaxing song.  Also keep in mind that their last two albums really toned down the harsh vocals compared to their first few releases.  I believe Isis is among the most influential artists in rock (you just might not realize it), and they’re certainly one the most influential groups among my personal musical influences.  It took a few albums for Isis to really develop, but their last two have done rather well for such a niche audience.  Panopticon (2004) ranked #47 on Billboard’s Top Independent albums and In the Absence of Truth ranked #20 in the same category for its respective year.  You could arguably say Neurosis or Tool is more influential, but I feel Isis as grown beyond their apparent Neurosis influence.  Isis has turned me onto more bands than I can count, and they were my gateway into this so-called post-metal genre.

I believe they are the most influential artists to the world of conscious (aka real) hip hop. They’ve managed to inspire and make popular the sound of hip hop artists like Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco, Jazz musician like Ronny Jordan, production artists like Hi-Tek and Minnesota, and soul singers like Floetry, Goapele, and Faith Evans. That is to only name a few. Their music and art form, as a group and as individuals, has also changed the way we listen to hip hop music today. We regained our love for lyrics again(like back in the NWA + BDP days) and allowed the beat/production to take a back seat. We realized the importance and impact of group dynamics which had been lost in the solo emcee world for several years. And last, we learned to honor and praise artists with a mind and K.O.S. (Knowledge of Self, Determination).

It is hard to pick out tracks that single out Blackstar’s greatness. Every track on the album has a purpose and each track fits into the theme of self worth and intelligence. From the conscious hip hop anthem, Definition and RE: DEFinition to the NYC-based anthem Respiration, this album is filled with metaphors and similes about life, wisdom, and hip hop. My personal favorite is Brown Skin Lady which walks through the ideals of a perfect woman:

Fresher than tony rebels vestibules at african street festivals
My incredible women is, plentiful
Over the years I met a few, none of them compare to you
Preparin you to make food bearable, somethin terrible, lets see:
You fruitful, beautiful, smart, lovable, huggable
Doable like art, suitable to be part
Of my life, coppertone, oh you copyright infringement

What I find really unique about Blackstar is that you don’t have to be a hip hop fan or even like rap music to appreciate their music. The first time I heard this album, I was in high school listening to Metallica and Nine Inch Nails. I had zero interest in hip hop music. Then I saw a friend by the name of Zach that was jamming out to it. I was a big fan of his taste in music, so I asked him what he was listening to. He told me Blackstar and passed his headphones over to me. I went out and bought the album the same day (on a driver’s permit, don’t tell on me!).

Blackstar, as a group and their music album, were a huge contribution to the genre of hip hop which I can’t have stressed more. But more importantly, its what the indviduals of Blackstar have and are doing to really make a change in the world. That’s what I feel is and will be their true legacy. Whether its Mos Def playing critically acclaimed black roles which no other black actors have been able to audition or get a role for, or Talib Kweli starting a label like Blacksmith Records that is totally dedicated to producing and promoting conscious music and art - these guys are living their message. How many other artists can you name that live what they preach and speak?

Over the last several years, Tool has grown to become that band that other bands tend to look up to. That band that other bands strive to be. And also, the band that sits on the top of my list as best rock band ever.

Tool hasn’t been able to capture the popular vote yet though. Perhaps its because of their kinda creepy and/or haunting music videos or its their political/honest lyrics? Or it could be simply that the music sounds dark? But if you surpass the typical bias and just give an honest listen, its impossible to not get hooked. Once you hear the intricacies and the meaning behind the lyrics, you can’t help but to appreciate the quality. I would have to say they have the composition of an orchestra, the talent of jazz musicians, and the lyrics of pure consciousness.

The band is comprised of some highly educated and uniquely trained musicians:

• Guitarist: Adam Jones, who was formally a sculptor and special effects designer, founded the band in 1990. In 2007 he received the Grammy award for ‘Best Recording Package’ for his work on their latest album 10,000 Days.
• Drummer: Danny Carey, who was formally trained as a jazz drummer in his former years, plays a large 26-piece drum set. Seen live, you’ll find using a set of diesel arms that move faster than the ears can distinguish a change in beat.
• Vocalist: Maynard James Keenan, also lead vocalist for A Perfect Circle, is well known for his vocal range and depth. Maynard was trained at West Point Prep School before enlisting in art school in Michigan. During live performances, you’ll find him out of the spotlight to allow focus to be on the music than any one person.
• Bassist: Justin Chancellor, formally of the band Peach, plays a Wal 4-String guitar that helps him create his famous mid range cut and punch. Fun fact is Justin performs a highly specialized form of tensor yoga.

One of the things that makes Tool really special is that their albums seem to get better and better as the band ages and puts out new albums. You find many times that an artists’ first album was the best or that some albums just didn’t hit the mark. But with Tool albums, its always pristine and every song has some meaning to the whole of the album. They seem to put in extreme focus and expertise into every song they compose. They also put in the time needed as generally its a 5 year wait in between albums.

Two months ago, Dan and I went to see the premiere of Vicarious music video in New York City. It was presented by Alex Grey, world-renowned artist and painter who created much of the latest cover art for Tool. The making process, money, and personal investment that went into the video was astounding. They took over 1 full year to make the video with Alex Grey and Adam Jones being co-directors and creative directors. Not only did it take a whole year, but they worked on each 5 second clip as if it was a 30 minute t.v. show. They dissected every piece to ensure it matched the purpose and theme of what they were trying to present to the viewer. After seeing how pop music videos are made on MTV in 1 month and 2-3 million dollars, you are blown away to see how quality music videos are made with more personal investment, less money, and hiring the best artists for the job.

No matter what Tool seems to do, whether it be their music or their music videos, they do it with personal investment and passion. Two components that are ideal for producing anything quality. They truly set the bar for other bands and truly, other musicians and artists.