//A Method to Dmadness//

//Sade IV/LA/DP

2011-08-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

//See you in the Southland this Wednesday! I'll be rocking a 4th Sade Tribute with the Devil's Pie familia. (Un)official pre-party for the Soldier Of Love Tour which arrives in LA two days later!

With Resident DJs:
PHATRICK & RAICHOUS

Vinyl Sale By:
WAX ADDICT (Beat Swap Meet)
::hiphop/soul/funk/boogie/raregrooves::

Jewelry Sale By:
PEACE IMAGES

FREE PASTRIES by FLOUR FOR THE PEOPLE!

Sade f/ Mos Def - "War of the Hearts (D's Bang Bang Relick)"

//MÄJOR TOWN LOVE..

2011-07-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

//Big shout to my brother, my Knowmadic DJ partner and my friend in the highest sense of the word~ DJ Mpenzi. If you don't know by now he is the resident selector for the flyest Sunday night in the Bay, MÄJOR at the Somar Bar in Oakland. And he is our guest this Friday at We Love The Town. Listen to some of his mixes below and come through to experience live in stere-ere-o!!

Unwind Vol.1 - The Afrosoul Journey by Dj Mpenzi
Beres Hammond QuickMix by Dj Mpenzi

//D's Midsummer DJ Chart 2011

2011-07-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

//Haven't done this in a while but bringing it back! Recommended records and heavy rotators. With the music blog machine, releases come out and are forgotten by the next week. The best records will always be those that stand the test of time:

LPs/EPs
Gil Scott-Heron / Brian Jackson - Winter In America
Prometheus Brown & Bambu Walk Into A Bar
Big K.R.I.T - ReturnOf4Eva
Noñameko - Goddess, Vol. 1
Stephen Marley - Revelation Pt. 1: The Root Of Life
The Dime - Brickyard Cove
XV - Zero Heroes
DJ Quik - The Book of David
Casual - The Hierophant
Kelly Portis Productions - Hors D'oeuvres: Beats Vol. 2

Singles
Nas - Nasty
Frank Ocean - Acura Integurl (Emynd Remix) f/ Juicy J and Koopsta Knicca
Curumin - Ela (Ticklah Remix)
Jean Grae - I Rock On
Sade - Love Is Found
J.Rocc - Party
CanarySing - H206
Blue Scholars - Yuri Kochiyama
Los Rakas - Ta Lista

Reggae Riddims
Jah Army Riddim
Monte Carlo Riddim
Summer Scheme Riddim
O.M.G. Riddim
Pepper Riddim

DJ Mixes
Mick Boogie + DJ Jazzy Jeff - Summertime 2
DJ Paul Nice - Brazil 2
DJ Jaycee - Royalty: A King and a Prince
DJ Eleven - Summer Madness
Shred One - The Bird and the Beat
DJ Cecil - Mood

//ESCAPE 5/27 special guest dj un.d.fine

2011-05-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

//It's been a long time, I shoudn'ta left you..

But been busy with new life!
On that note, cue the video:

//Oh yeah, and this Friday, May 27 #ESCAPE goes down in the Town, myself guesting in for DJ Zita, who makes her full dj return from maternity leave in June (hint hint #GOLDEN 5-Year Anniversary)!!
//Alongside yours truly this month at The Layover we got our fam, real humble cat and forward-thinking selector un.d.fine. As west coast legend Aceyalone once said, "me i'd rather be un.d.fine-d / not underestimated or undermined / i'm underlined as the underdog / under the influence of time." Come thru catch the vibes and listen good!

un.d.fine - "driftin thru space"
(live mix on neitherworld radio)

Aceyalone - "Arythamaticulas" (Capitol, 1995)

//GOLDEN with guest TAP.10 (HNRL)

2011-03-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

//This month at GOLDEN we welcome back one of our favorite Bay djs, the fam Tap.10. A slick mixer, selector and music connoseiur, Tap.10 is a founding member and resident DJ for the mighty Honor Roll crew. Expect him to bring tons of exclusive tracks, sophistifunk, and even a tribute to the late, great Nate Dogg!

//While we're on the topic, go ahead and support Honor Roll valedictorian Trackademicks, who recently dropped his debut long-player State of the Arts, heavy with fly tracks like these:
Trackademicks - Check feat. Josie Stingray

//Tune in to Tap.10's weekly radio show, The Late Night Crate on Alldayplay.fm:
//One more time for West Coast pioneer and legend in the game, Nate Dogg. Bless.
NATE IN '08 (MIXED BY DJ STEVE1DER)

//daddy's crate..

2011-02-21T22:39:00.000-08:00

//words aren't really going to do justice here.. i'll simply say that i am certainly not the first nor the last to contemplate this young world soon come.. this lil mix goes out to all the dads who have been holding it down, all the recent papas and especially the soon-to-be-fathers. 1st take, no post-production cause daddy ain't perfect. bless..

photography: nina parks

daddy's crate.. dj dmadness.. feb 2011

show me the good life - blu & exile
invetro - organized konfusion
the foundation - xzibit
fetus (belly button window) - nas
seven months - bambu
be a father to your child - ed og & da bulldogs
searching - roy ayers
isn't she lovely - yami bolo
babyfather - sade
little one - bilal
ur daddy loves u (gil-scott heron) - dj asparagus

//Paisley Mixes..

2011-02-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

//A while back one of the homies asked me if I knew of any good Prince mixes, or if I had done one for that matter. Live sets yes, but much as I love Prince, I never went in the lab to do something. Intimidating, to say the least. Fortunately for all of us, three seriously dope djs have attempted and succeeded. These mixes explore the deep catalog of a musical genius and living legend, and like a great dj should do, introduce you to lesser-known tracks and versions.

DJ Jaycee - The Lake Minnetonka Suite, Vol.1 (2008)
Joints from '78-'86 era Prince, The Time, The Family, et.al. The interview snippets are incredible as well...and if you don't follow The Afternoon Delight, Jaycee's drivetime mixshow on Atlanta's V-103 you might not know what radio should really sound like..

DJ Dredd - Prince "Genius" Mixtape (2010)
Can't say enough good things about this dude Dredd, but I will say he has held down the successful "Prince vs." party in D.C. for 10 years. This mix visits Prince sounds from '78-'90. Check his Soundcloud also for "Prince vs. Neptunes," "Prince vs. Andre 3000," and "Prince vs. Madonna vs. MJ" mixes...he's got one of the deepest Prince collections I've heard.

dj MOma - SEXLOVELY (2011)
I know, I just posted this last week for Valentine's Day, but any mix that starts with "When 2 R N Love" deserves another spin!

//Prince plays tonight and Wednesday in Oakland!!! Bless..

//GOLDEN welcomes Dion Decibels..

2011-02-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

//There's a GOLDEN lining to everything...even in this wet weather. Tonite we welcome the homie Dion Decibels. Been doing his thing for a while in the Bay, he is a selector, mixer and scratcher par excellence.
//Dion has a catalog of mixtapes that are diverse and creative...his mix Fazed: A Tribute to Riding High actually inspired me to do my own sample-based mix Folks get brown in the sunshine!
//In addition to spinning around the Bay, he also has been the deejay for ThinkBeat Radio since 2003, which you can catch every Friday night/Saturday morn 2-4am on 94.1 KPFA and Tuesday 6-7pm on All Day Play.

//Last but not least, Dion also rocks as the turntablist for The GetBack, an artistic collective and band from The Town that has held down many a vocalist at Monday Soul and other great venues, and is blowing it up with their series Get:LiveSessions. Check their latest session with DoD.A.T. on the mic:

//See yall tonite in the Mission for free good music and vibes at GOLDEN. Bless..

//Valentine's Crate..

2011-02-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

//Here are my favorite mixes that are appropriate for Valentine's Day, whether it's the love theme or the vibe of the music itself.. We try to help yall out but if the DJ's doing all the work though, something's wrong lol!

The mixes most definitely speak for themselves:

Neil Armstrong - Warmfuzzy (2005)

ThatGirl - Summer Love (2005)

Sake One - Hardcore Cupcakin' Vol. 1 (2008)
& Vol. 3 (2010)

dj mOma - SEXLOVELY (2011)

Cosmo Baker - Love Break (2005)

Steve 1der - The Book of Love Vol.1 (2007)

DJ Styles - Ms. Jackson If You're Nasty (2011)

Dion Decibels - Hurts So Good Pt. 2 (2009)

Ross Hogg - Love Letters (200?)

//And of course some of my own past mixes, shout to Mixcrate.Com..Enjoy and Bless..

ExtraLoving (2009)

loveisloveisloveislove... (2007)

Devil's Pie Sade Tribute (2008)

//RELEASE! New Oakland Thursday Debuts..

2011-01-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

//This Thursday, January 6 marks the beginning of a new weekly which promises to bring "a free and freeing experience in Oakland, every Thursday." The People's DJ Cecil and selector fflood will be spinning house, classic & future soul vibes upstairs, while yours truly will be flinging dancehall and world riddims downstairs. There will also be Jamaican cuisine!!//In the meantime in between time, a couple release-full tracks for your listening pleasure:

Blackalicious f/ Lyrics Born, Saul Williams, Zach de la Rocha - "Release - Part 1, 2 & 3" (Quannum, 2002)

J*DaVeY - "Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana Cover)" (2011)

//Family Time: A Golden Skillet Weekend

2010-12-14T15:15:00.000-08:00

//What's the holiday season without family? This weekend, at the start of Winter Break, your Golden Soundscapes DJs MamaZita and Dmadness get to spend some quality time on both sides of the Bay Bridge with the following fam://Friday we parlay with DJ Crimson, a homie from waaay back, a skilled mixer and scratcher, and a producer in his own right. He does this red hot night in the Town with The Dime, the Richmond (CA) duo K.Nightshift and Chioke, who are the dopest crew from the Bay to hit since the Honor Roll. Their forthcoming album Brickyard Cove is solid from top to bottom, grown and soulful with equal parts Pete Rock and Richie Rich. A taste from The Skillet:
Tears by The Dime
Rollin' Up 2 by The Dime
//Saturday we round out our year at home, at GOLDEN with good friend DJ VNA, Esq. who has been mentioned on this blog numerous times before. Always a good night! Happy holidays yall. 1neLuv..

//New Mix: Mornin' Yawnin..

2010-12-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

//Good Morning! Golden Soundscapes and Doorknockers present to you...a new mix of songs to signal a new day and all the possibilities it holds:

Mornin' Yawnin'
awakened by DJ Dmadness

01 Quiet Storm by Smokey Robinson
02 I Think I'll Call It Morning by Gil Scott-Heron
03 Wake Up Everybody by John Legend & The Roots f/ Common & Melanie Fiona
04 Yesterday & Today by Murs & 9th Wonder
05 Tomorrow by Murs
06 Get Up (Bei-Ru Remix) by Amel Larrieux
07 Soon The New Day by Talib Kweli f/ Norah Jones
08 Good Morning by Kanye West
09 Breakfast by Curren$y
10 Accept The New by Theophilus London
11 Beautiful Morning by Little Brother
12 A New Day by Sizzla Kalonji & Diana Rutherford
13 Ethiopia Awakes by Turbulence
14 Good Morning by Nas
15 New Day by Noble Society
16 Trodding On by Midnite
17 January Morning by Jah Cure
18 As I Rise by Tony Curtis
19 California Sunday Morning by Cocoa Tea
20 Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am by Fela Anikulapo Kuti
21 Africa Must Wake Up by Nas & Damian Jr. Gong Marley f/ K'naan
22 Good Morning by John Legend
23 Gotta Get Up (Another Day) by 4Hero f/ Jill Scott
24 Sunday Morning by K-Os
25 Good Morning by Sizzla
26 Wake Up In Another Life by Nicolay f/ Carlitta Durand

//Listen/download at the Doorknockers website, whose manifesto reads, "A blog run for and by women and the larger hip hop nation. We are women raised on hip hop, make-practice hip hop, and critically love hip hop."
//While you're there listening, check the in-depth conversation with our badass sistren Kristia (who asks really good questions). Enjoy and have a beautiful day. 1neLuv..

//Town & Country..

2010-12-01T09:47:00.000-08:00

//..And off one of my favorite Telegraph-era dusty tapes:

The Whoridas f/ Saafir - "Town S#!t" (Hobo Junction, 1996)

//Overjoyed..

2010-11-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

//and a reggae version from my vinyl crates:
Richie Stephens - "Overjoyed" (7")

//Cool Ruler (July 15, 1950 - Oct 25, 2010)

2010-10-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

//Safe travels to the Cool Ruler, the legendary Mr. Isaacs. You made it through the storm, Gregory. Thanks for the music.

Gregory Isaacs - "Storm" (DEB, 1977) (from the vinyl 7")

//GOLDEN welcomes DJ BEATNICK..

2010-10-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

//Birthday mama Zita and yours truly welcome our fam from San Diego-- DJ Beatnick holds it down in the southern reaches of the Golden State and we are elated to have him join us this Saturday. If you've been sleeping, definitely tune in to his Culture Podcast for an espresso shot to get you awoke.

//and for the queen, freshly ripped from vinyl:
Steel Pulse - "Throne of Gold" (Elektra, 1984)

//GOLDEN Return..

2010-09-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Mike Baker the Bike Maker f/ Trackademicks & 1-O.A.K. "Golden Girl"

//Born Day Bizness..

2010-08-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

//Whatup familia!

//Usually I stay pretty low-key for my birthday..it's right around the corner and wifey & I will be in Hawai'i, but there happens to be the perfect Sunday afternoon affair for an early celebration in the Town: the homie DJ Tim Diesel and the good people at my favorite Oakland spot The Layover have opened the doors for a 2-6pm happy hour every Sunday, and Tim has been gracias enough as to invite me & Z to spin this weekend. Drop by to say hello, grab some cheap drinks, a hoagie, throw down some bones, and vibe to some supreme sounds laid down by Zita and yours truly.

//Later on we'll take it up a notch at what is one of the best weekly dj events in the Bay: MÄJOR Sundays @ SOMÄR with DJ Mpenzi on the wheels, j.sight on the lens and special guest DJ mOma (NYC/the Good Spot). Last April we had the chance to swing through The Good Spot in the Lower East Side NYC and it was one of the most fun nights I have experienced in a long time. The Good Spot's got a good thing going and MÄJOR is its west coast sister, so you know it's going down!

THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 15:

LAY IT DOWN
Sundays @ The Layover
Tim Diesel
special guests Zita x Dmadness
2pm-6pm no cover
1517 Franklin
Downtown Oakland

MÄJOR
Sundays @ SOMÄR
DJ Mpenzi & j.sight
special guest DJ mOma
10pm-2am no cover
1727 Telegraph Ave
Uptown Oakland

The Good Spot Vol II by DJ mOma & Stimulus

//The Cee-Lo Green Mix: Download + Outtakes..

2010-07-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

//And now for your listening pleasure..
The Cee-Lo Green Mix by DJ Dmadness:
80mins/44 tracks of Green magic from the catalogs of Goodie Mob, OutKast, Dungeon Family, Gnarls Barkley and Cee-Lo's extensive revelatory solo and collaborative work.

download on soundcloud
stream/download on mixcrate
download track-separated mix

1 Blackberry Molasses
2 Gettin' Grown
3 In Due Time
4 Thought Process
5 Reset
6 Insp Her Ation
7 Right Now
8 Soul Food (Live Remix)
9 Let's Stay Together
10 All Day Love Affair
11 Blood
12 Die Trying
13 G.O.D. (Gaining One's Definition)
14 Backyard Mississippi
15 Whoa Now
16 Free
17 Git Up, Git Out
18 Beautiful Skin/The Experience
19 Crooked Therapy/Cell Therapy
20 Liberation
21 Slum Beautiful
22 Fly Away
23 Soul Machine
24 Who Cares?
25 Watch for the Hook
26 Southern Man by Merry Clayton
27 Rebuilding
28 I'll Be Around
29 The One
30 Get Rich to This
31 Trans DF Express
32 Black Ice (Goodie Version)
33 Dirty South Remix
34 I Want You
35 Follow the Light
36 Crazy (D's Blend)
37 Living Again
38 Pretty Please (Love Me)
39 Lil Star
40 You Don't Shock Me Anymore
41 Closet Freak
42 Ophidiophobia
43 Bass Head Jazz
44 Georgia

*CD available at The Giant Peach

//Here are some additional notes about selected tracks, along with some loose vinyl rips for the DJs..

Mista "Blackberry Molasses (Organized Noize Remix)"

One of my favorite 12"s I ever found in a 50 cent bin at Amoeba. Bobby Valentino was part of this pubescent mid-90s R&B quartet whose self-titled LP was produced by ONP. I always liked the smoove original but with the harder beat and Cee-Lo's verse this is golden.

OutKast with Cee-Lo "In Due Time (Acapella)"
A great track from the Soul Food soundtrack. Remix anyone?

OutKast "Reset" - Now that Big Boi has dropped a classic solo album (I don't use that term lightly) maybe folks will go back and see what a good disc Speakerboxxx was.

Goodie MOB "Soul Food (Live Remix with Little John and The Chronicle)"

Love the loose feel of this version. This 12" was pulled off the shelves because I guess Tabasco didn't want to be associated with one of the most classic albums from the South. I have one of my favorite promo items around here, a Soul Food "menu" promoting the album.

Goodie MOb "Blood" - While the classic 1st LP Soul Food ran just the hook as a pensive interlude, the full-length version with incredible verses showed up on America is Dying Slowly, a pretty good compilation that was part of the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series.

Goodie MOb "Rebuilding" - While most of their 1999 LP World Party was forgettable compared to their first 2 albums, tucked into the second half was this production by an up-and-coming young cat named Kanye West.

Cee-Lo "You Don't Shock Me Anymore" - My favorite track from the eclectic Stray Bullets mixtape that dropped last month.

Gnarls Barkley "Crazy (D's Blend)"

Of course everybody knows this vocal, but not everyone might know that the track I blended it with, "Don't Cha" by Tori Alamaze (later re-done by The Pussycat Dolls) was written and produced by Cee-Lo.

//+more
These are songs I had in the crate that I had to cut or for whatever reason didn't fit. They are all worth tracking down..

-Esthero & Goodie MOb "World I Know (Country Livin')" - From the Slam soundtrack, they remixed the song from her album and it is awesome.
-Goodie MOb "Goodie Bag" - Cee-Lo freestyles his verse!
-Witchdoctor "7th Floor/The Serengetti f/ Cee-Lo" - Incredible way to open an album
-Musiq Soulchild "Momentinlife f/ Kindred the Family Soul & Cee-Lo" - A great soul collab
-Goodie MOb "Inshallah" - with one of my favorite Big Gipp verses
-Scar "What is This? f/ Cee-Lo" & Goodie MOb "Hold On" - From Big Boi's Purple Ribbon comp
-Trick Daddy "In Da Wind f/ Cee-Lo & Big Boi" + "Sugar (Gimme Some) f/ Ludacris & Cee-Lo" - Those hooks!
-Cee-Lo Green "What Part of Forever" & "Language of Love" - I guess these still need to grow on me. From Twilight:Eclipse and Sex In The City 2 soundtracks respectively.
-Seeed "Aufstehn f/ Cee-Lo" - singing with some German reggae cats

//The Cee-Lo Green Mix release 7/18/10

2010-07-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

//I am excited and honored to release my latest composition, The Cee-Lo Green Mix. Cee-Lo is one of the greatest, most soulful artists of my generation. He is sonically and vocally fearless, his sound is vast, and his writing is revelatory.

//More than a tribute, my goal was to create a definitive Cee-Lo mix, drawing from the catalogs of Goodie MOb, OutKast, Gnarls Barkley, his solo albums, his collaborative work, and of course rare remixes, b-sides, soundtrack joints, 12"s and more. Aside from the entire Organized Noize/Dungeon Family there are records with Pharrell, Common, Estelle, Kelis, Jack Splash, Da Ranjahs, Eightball & MJG as well as productions from Kanye West, Timbaland, Menahan Street Band, DJ Premier and more.

//I again enlisted Oakland artist Jidan Koon to create the visuals, and again she came through extra large, painting a vibrant, psychedelic watercolor worthy of the music.

This Sunday, July 18 I'll be spinning a guest set (not all Cee-Lo) with my brothers DJ Mpenzi and j s i g h t at their excellent weekly MÄJOR at Somar Bar in Oakland. The first 50 good people get a free copy of the mix, which is also available from the good folks at The Giant Peach.//The Green magic of Cee-Lo can be summarized in this commentary about his verse on OutKast's "Liberation" (from the excellent 12th-anniversary article on the making of Aquemini in Atlanta's alternative weekly Creative Loafing).

"What inspired those words, I can't say. I was out of my mind during that time. I was just very, very obedient to what was moving and motivating me. And, of course, to be liberal and to be liberated was an artistic aspiration and a personal aspiration of mine, too, so it was just all relative."

//Living My Life Like It's GOLDEN..

2010-07-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

+ some audio treats ripped from vinyl:

José Feliciano - "Golden Lady" (RCA, 1975)

Collén & Webb - "Golden (Tighten Jill Up)" (G.A.M.M., 2004)

//'05 Rewind..

2010-07-03T23:05:00.000-07:00

//Let's talk about 2005 for a minute. Not that it was a particularly amazing year in music, but I just happen to have it documented. From '04-'06 myself and DJ VNA held down a weekly called GOOD LIFE (pre-Kanye & T-Pain) at Luka's in Oakland. Pretty frequently we would send out an email blast with our top 5s of the moment on there. Here's a few months of those top 5s just for the heck of it. It's funny to see where we were at the time, what songs I would later eat my words about (Bilal's "High and Dry"? Classic! What was I thinking? -- Tank? Garbage, what was I thinking!), and how much we were feeling Late Registration and G.A.M.M. (and rightfully so).
/////Good Life Top 5 5.9.05
1. "My Chrome" - Killer Mike f/Big Boi
Just to hear they way Big Boi annunciates "creme de la creme" is worth it. We need more of these summer uptempo jams.
2. "Go" - Common & Kanye
Lyrics are aight, but those dreamy keys just have that feeling of childhood carefree days. And that's love for putting the scratch solo at the end. His remix of "The Corner" with Scarface & Mos Def is cool too.
3. "Hate It or Love It" - Mary J Blige
You can hate or love G-Unit but you can't front on Mary's third verse where she sings a medley of her last 12 years in the game.
4. You Made Me So Very Happy - Lou Rawls
Switching up the top 5 a little bit is one of my favorite "you're the one" love songs. Rawls comes tender and sincere (just like the Good Life DJs). Production by David Axelrod makes it even more unique.
5. Stevie - 7 Samurai RMX
GAMM blesses us with another unique interpretation with this remix of a Stevie gem from the Jungle Fever soundtrack.

////Good Life Top 5 5.16.05
1."I Want You Back (Z-Trip remix)" - Jackson 5
V: Classic Motown gets the remix treatment a la the Verve Remix projects. A hip hop breakbeat compliments a younger (and more sane) MJ.
2."Died in Your Arms" - Jay-Z
V: Taken from the "It Was All a Dream" Mixtape, Jigga goes 80s with support from Resource.
D: Next to the Purple (Rain) remix of "My First Song" this Cutting Crew cutup of "PSA" is my fave Black Album rerun.
Related side note: glad to see Just Blaze get some shine on the Taylib Kweylie video.
3."I Want You Back" - Raphael Saadiq w/ Teedra Moses
V: Heat from Saadiq's slept-on Ray Ray album.
D: Damn, 2 songs with the same title this week? I think the flip side "I Love Her" is dope.
4."He Looks Good/What You Gon' Do?" - Stiffed
D: Santi White is an originator who wrote RES' How I Do LP. This is her punk-ish band and their Sex Sells EP is 3 years old now but guess what I got that on blue vinyl! She left neo-soul in the dust.
5." I Got You" Platinum Pied Pipers feat. Tiombe Lockhart
V: This song has been around on 12" for some time now but the PPP's full album is finally out and this slow burner is one of the best songs on it. Lockhart's voice is as sweet as Amerie's but way stronger. This is Detroit futoro soul at its finest.

/////Good Life Top 5 5.23.05
1. Kenny Lattimore & Chante Moore "Tonight (2 Step)"
D: Alright, I can finally play a stepper's song that's not by a trapped in the closet child molester. Kenny & Chante are forever about making babymaking music.
2. Destiny's Child feat Clipse "Lose My Breath(Neptunes RMX)"
V: The Neptunes pull inspiration from Nina Skye for this clappa remix.
3. The Coup "Fat Cats, Bigga Fish"
V: My Favorite Coup record. After PE petered out and before Dead Prez was pushing vegetables, the Coup was holding up political rap and helped me freak out my Berkeley floor mates.
4. The Coup " Pimps"
V: My second favorite Coup track. WASP rappers who love "Reggie" music. Brilliant!
5. Hans Koller "The Twister (Moonstar RMX)"
V: From the MPS-Rework series that remixes jazz tracks from Universal's MPS catalog. If you're disappointed by the Verve Remix #3 compilation (which I am) than this is for you.

/////Good Life Top 5 06/01/05
1. Goapele "If We Knew"
V: With a new album out in August Goapele is set to put some life back into soul music.
D: I like the title track "Change it All" The first lyric goes " they're closing all the schools down/ some teachers work for free now/ and libraries won't be found..." I love seeing artists grow and get better, rep the Bay, and write about real stuff.
2. Common "They Say"
D: I'm talkin bout the OG version with the guest verse by MC Consequence. Dude got shafted when Kanye replaced Con's verse with one of his own. The original is hungrier, healthier, and better tasting.
V: Thankyou Limewire for letting us hear this track.
3. Tank "I Love them Girls"
D: Buried after the cheesy Part I (sounds like a washed-up Usher in the strip club) is a monster Timbaland remix. Side note: the best part of the snoozeville Fade to Black DVD is seeing Timbaland in the studio declaring "I'm the best that ever did this."
4. Lina "My Fix"
D: Was feeling her last single, now I'm feeling the big band with scratching sound of this cut.
5. Grocery Store Wars
Cuke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Cannoli, Chewbroccoli, Princess Lettuce, C3Peanuts and the Organic Rebels battle Darth Tader and the Dark Side of the Farm. In the vein of "The Meatrix" webmovie that popped up last year. George Lucas should be taking notes. Peep it.

/////Good Life Top 5 06/06/05
1. Stevie Wonder "From the Bottom of My Heart"
D: Stevie, you knew how much we've missed that harmonica (10+ years?) so you gave us 16 bars of it right from the jump. Stevie in 05 is like Prince in 04.
2. Nuffwish " Healing In Vain"
V: A Marvin and Marley mashup that actually works.
3. Amerie " 1 Thing" (Phoreyez RMX)
V: With all the different versions out there, this is probably the best. Barrington Levy makes a cameo apperance midway through.
4. Cemara "How Many Times"
D: Yep, we've got this year's SHINE 2005 cd almost done: songs by my middle school students. Cemara wrote this song, verses, hook, bridge and all, did overdubs, and recorded a remix version with her classmate on the rap verse. Better than songs on the radio right now. What!
5. Havana "Shine/Tangled"
D: Producer Nicolay from Foreign Exchange with a Southern (CA, not Dirty) soul singer Havana. Nuff said.

/////Good Life Top 5 06/14/05
1. Yam Who? " The Star of the Story"
V: London remix masters, Yam Who?, redo this drippingly soulful Heatwave classic.
2. Faith Evans " I Don't Need It"
V: Another strong R&B groove from FE.
3. Pharcyde " Knew U"
V: If you watch VH1 Soul everyday, you'll know about this track from the ignored Humboldt Beginnings.
4. Kanye West w/ Jay-Z " Diamonds"
V: Jay proves again that he's hardly retired. A welcomed addition to a great song.
5. MIA & T imbaland "Dream Collabo"
V: Though they haven't met yet,Tim is hyped to worked with MIA so let's hope it happens.

/////Good Life Top 5 06/14/05
1. Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles "Gold Digger"
V: With Jamie Foxx doing his Ray Charles thing, KW continues to drop more fire. Can he do no wrong?
2. Ladybug Mecca "Ladybug Come Outside"
V: Ladybug of the Digable Planets returns with a playful track that bounces with a dirty bass line that would make the Neptunes proud.
3. Dwele "Lost Track of Time" EP
V: Can't listen to the John Legend album anymore? Check out Dwele's newly released white label tracks to hear another leading voice in contemporary soul.
4. Yam Who "Genius of Love"
V: I know I talk about Yam Who too much but these brothers are sick. Check out their redo of the Tom Tom Club's classic joint..
5. Foxy Brown f/Sizzla "Come Fly With Me"
D: Notable cause it's Sizzla's only 2nd appearance on a stateside track (the first was uh, Ja Rule). Also notable cause Fox is now on Roc-a-fella (if you care). Her lyrics are real gutter, Kalongi's only on the hook. Just wish I could turn on commercial radio and hear Sizzla's "Just One of Those Days" or "Be Strong", I mean if they can play Damien Marley and Wayne Wonder and all that reggaeton...

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 7/4/05
1. Kim Hill "The Real Hip Hop"
D: LA soul singer acoustically serves the monkey crew that she was once the vocalist for: "Shuck for them shuck for them / Jive for them jive for them" Dayam.
2. GURU & Isaac Hayes " Night Vision "
D: Gifted Unlimited & Chef get deep dark over some lullaby music to driveby.
3. Latoya London f/Black Thought " Appreciate "
D: Uh-huh, Oakland's Idol with Philly's Riq Geez getting all Hallmark.
4. Missy Elliot w/ Slick Rick "Irresistable"
V: Missy goes back a few years and returns with another old-school flavored track.
5. Notorious Big " Can I Get Witcha"
V: Old Biggie verse over new version of the "Hate it or Love It" beat. It's like he's still alive...

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 7/13/05
1. Avila Brothers "I Want You"
V: After handling production for Gwen Stefani, Jant Jackson and Earth Wind & Fire, the AB's finally come out with their own album. Props to Mike at B-Sides for giving me this record.
2. Esthero w/ Andre 3000 "Junglebook"
V: It's Esthero with Dre. Nuff said.
3. Natasha Bedingfield "These Words (Plantlife remix)"
D: She's like a UK, uh Esthero (another Esthero reference! -V) , um Kelly Clarkson, hmm, Macy Gray? Anyway, the scratchy-voiced Londoner gets Giant Step promo and Plantlife & Dwele remix treatment here.
4. Van Hunt "Down Here In Hell with You"
D: His self-titled album came out a few months ago and kinda got eclipsed by the John Legend hype. But this fellow midwesterner's got chops, songwriting skill, and somuchsoul. He's at that level with Eric Roberson, Peven Everett, and (frequent collaborator) Rashaan Patterson. Who? Hey, don't doubt that there's no great male soul singers out now just cause D's in absentia.
5. Rize
V: Watch it, then come to Good Life and get your krump-on.

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 7/27/05
1. Wayna " Luvin' U "
Nice feel good song from this former Clinton staffer turned singer. Has a Amel Larrieux vibe and Stevie Wonder calls her "amazing".
2. Consequence w/K. West " Turn Yaself In "
This singles been out for over a year but I never heard it until recently. Consequence (aka Q-Tip's cuz) is an underrated but probably had a heavy hand in influencing Kanye's style.
3. Common " Testify"
My current favorite song off the new album
4. Biggie & Frank Sinatra " Juicy/New York"
A great and well executed high-concept mashup.
5. Hustle and Flow
Terrance Howard does a 180 from his role in Crash as a non-threatening " Cliff Huxtable" to play a Memphis pimp trying to achieve his dream of blowing up as a rapper.

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 8/1/05
1. Jennifer Johns & Mystic "Ghetto Stories"
D: Two favorite Oakland vocalist/rhymers hijack the classic "Tried By 12" beat and give us a redemption song: "I feel like hell so I'ma sing tonite "
2. Goapele "Go Find a Way"
D: Not to be outdone, MsChangeItAll transforms Common & Kanye's locker room tale into a 3rd Bush era lament.
V: Goapele's lyrics, full of soul and gravitas, fits the music far better than Common's version.
3. P.E.A.C.E "Twisted Tongue b/w Mimosa"
D: There's a scene in The Exorcist when a linguist is explaining that in an audio recording of the possessed there are several distinct overlapping voices...to which the priest responds "There is only one voice." Which might be this Freestyle Fellowship legend's vocal philosophy (D'Angelo's too)...his overdubs alone are, according to Doc Max, "songs of their own." Produced by The Knocks (of CA), the beat duo of Doc Max and Shing02, this is PEACE's best single in...ever.
4. Mark Ronson vs. QSO " Pushin' Ronson" (Bonobo Edit)
V. Quantic Soul Orchestra takes a stab at reworking MR's "Ooh Wee" by using their "Pushin' On" vocals. Definately better than the OG.
5. Stevie Wonder " Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" DJ Smash RMX
V: This joint from the Motown Remixed Comp should tide some of you Stevie fans over until the new album.

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 8/1/05
1. Kanye West f/Adam Levine of Maroon 5 " Heard 'Em Say"
D: You did it again Kanyeezie! You're a genius! A ha ha ha haaw.
2 . NORE & Pharrell " I'm a G"
D: In 20 years The Neptunes' catalog will be viewed like Quincy Jones'.
3. John Legend & Lauryn Hill " So High remix "
D: You-know-who's on it so you gotta hear it. But the best version of this song is still the live one with J.Ivy from the Live at the Knitting Factory recording. Just John & the piano crushes any of the overproduced tracks he's been on since.
V: Looks like I'm not the only one that visits Honey Soul to get up on the new shit. Hell yeah, it's good to hear L-Boogie's voice again.
4. Damien Jr Gong Marley & NAS " Road to Zion"
D. Not as powerful as that biggest of the big reggae tunes of the last 3 years, but a worthy followup and wow, a listenable reggae collab with a rapper. In related news, Sizzla signed to Dame Dash's label?
5. Nonameko " I Wanna Make It With You"
D: I cannot get this out of my head.

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 9/13/05
1. Nas & Lauryn Hill "It Wasn't You"
D: L-Boogie & Nas equals '05 Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye? Maybe not. But they cut a version of the classic Ross & Gaye "You are Everything" with L singing the chorus and Nas painting the picture. Not quite "If I Ruled the World" but it's good to hear them both returning to '94 era form.
V: Not the heat we've all been waiting for from L, but this track along with the "So High" RMX gives us a taste of bigger things to come.
2. Little Brother "Cheatin'"
D: I've never been a huge Little Brother or 9th Wonder fan, but they got me with this one. This is genius. In one fell swoop they smash on R.Kelly, Usher, Lil Jon, and that great grandpa Ron Isley by beating them at their own game: the cheesy theatrical confessional syrupy R&B song. Comedy. "Can't think of nothing that rhyme with 15"
3. Mos Def "Katrina Klap"
D: "This is dedicated to the streets...affected by the storm called America" announces Mighty Mos before tearing into Nawlins originator Juvenile's "Nolia Clap" bounce.
4. Marvin Gaye " Let's Get It On" (Step RMX)
V: Since we have a Marvin Gaye cover on the list, why not include an original? Marvin Gaye's classic gets a remix that updates it for all the steppers.
5. Prince " SST"
V: While giving a nod to Sade (Sade's Sweetest Taboo), Prince pays tribute to the Katrina Hurricane victims with this charity track.

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 9/20/05
1. Jazzyfatnastees - "Little Black Dress"
D: What group of soul singers since aforementioned En Vogue actually harmonize ? This is the only one. As 1/2 of the Jazzys who laced the Pharcyde and The Roots back on their respective 2nd albums, Mercedes Martinez says, "Our voices and styles are so different they're actually complementary, think opposite sides of the color wheel." And since their sound goes much further (out to 80s pop, rock and jazz) than the typical "neo-soul" group, record labels don't know what the hell to do with them. So record labels be damned, they have their entire new album The World is Coming up for free legal download from their website because they're proud of what they've done, they're tired of waiting, and they want yall to hear it.
2. Joi - "Another Rocket"
D: From the fearless "I'm so famous 15 minutes will never hold me in" vocalist/flamethrower Joi is four tracks from the unreleased Tennessee Slim Is The Bomb album. She's literally the present and future of the funk and the embodiment of Betty Davis as she is touring as vocalist for Parlaiment/Funkadelic as we speak. And these tracks, oh my lord, oh my LAWD....if this is her second album to never see the light of day ('97s shelved Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome was the best album of the decade)...it's gotta be 'cause the industry's afraid. I mean I'm sure she eats 4 Rihannas before even waking up in the morning for breakfast.
3. Platinum Pied Pipers - " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (feat Rogiers)"
V: I know this doesn't fall into the "hot new s***" category but I just recently discovered this track (yeah, I slept) and it's fire! Wajeed and Saadiq cover Paul Simon's ode to getting dumped with some drums that sounds like they came from the Doors.
4. Black Harmony - " Don't Let It Go To Your Head"
V: This little gem proves that covers can, in rare cases, surpass the original.
5. John Legend - "Johnny's Gotta Go"
V: Alas, another Ipod discovery ! Released as a b-side on the UK version of the "Number One" single, this track joins Raphael Saadiq's "Uptown" in the category of great songs about leaving your hometown for bigger and better things.

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 9/27/05
1. Piano Overlord " Stay Home "
V: Prefuse 73's more low key musical persona doesn't miss with this track. Strictly budda.
2. Fugees " Take It Easy"
V: Alright, so this may not be the best single to mark the Fugees' return but f**** it, it's damn good to hear again. Now with Common, Kanye and the Fugees on the radio there is a reason to listen to the radio. Also, get ready for the upcoming Alicia Keys Unplugged album. Check out the Love It track with Keys, Common and Mos Def.
3. Fiona Apple "Tymps (The Sick In the Head Song)"
D: In this interview, Kanye admits that he worked with Tidal and When the Pawn producer Jon Brion on Late Registration (to stunning effect) because he wanted to be like the rap version of Fiona Apple. So that means that Fiona getting Dr.Dre's bass player/boardsman Mike Elizondo to beef up her finally-seeing-the-light-of-day 3rd album Extraordinary Machine means that she wanted to be like the oddball baroque mental institution cabaret version of...Rakim? NWA? Whatever that means. But nah she's not really like anyone but herself, the extraordinary and astounding thing about her music. And that's love for putting the album out on vinyl before CDs and ITunes. Whoever does that anymore?
4. Clipse f/ Pharrell "New World"
D: Now that Skateboard P is exclusively rapping (check the "Maybe remix" ), will there ever be any more silly classic off-key hooks like this? Will Clipse's 2nd album ever come out?
5. Alice Smith "Dream"
D: I don't even know what to say about this. Whoa.

/////GOOD LIFE Top 5 10/03/05
1. Alicia Keys feat. Common & Mos Def - " Love It or Leave It Alone"
V: Alicia Keys goes unplugged with Brooklyn and Chi-town's finest MCs.
D: It's alright, it could've been better. It's dope that it's a Brand Nubian remake though, I don't know if another has ever been done (Groove Theory's "Tell Me" remix doesn't really count).
2. Fort Knox Five - " Blowing Up the Barrio"
V: For those of you who used to come by Kingman's for Soul Trip , you might remember me playing a lot of Latin flavored mid-temp breaks. FK5 was the source for almost of those records and this is another good track off the new cd, Raid.
3. Si*Sé - "Amiga"
D: Subtle electronic lush keyboard instrumentation with bilingual singer Carol C (also a DJ!). They're from NYC. Reminds me a lot of Gaelle (who?).
4. Stiffed - "Your Voice"
D: This punk band is fronted by homegirl Santi White, who wrote most of songs on Res' debut album How I Do. She's like a rawer Gwen.
5. Fiona Apple "Please Please Please"
D: I ain't even gonna front, there's certain artists that when they come back out make you wonder why you even bother listening to all the bullshh in between.

/////Good Life Top 5 10/20/05
1. Gnarls Barkley (Cee-Lo & Danger Mouse) - "Crazy"
D: This is Danger Mouse's best production yet, and Cee-Lo Green is channeling. I heard they covered a Violent Femmes track for the album.
2. Pharrell - "She's An Angel"
D: Stylistically this falls somewhere between "Frontin" and "Run to the Sun" and quality-wise head and shoulders above "Can I Get It Like That." Pharrell singing is much better than Pharrell rapping.
3. Marco Polo f/ J*Davey - "You Are"
D: J*Davey is an astonishing soul/funk duo from LA...check for "No More" which everybody who's heard it likes. This track is more goodness. Vocalist Jack Davey has a light touch but a lingering effect.
4. GLC "Chi State of Mind"
D: Chi-town theme songs always make me think of my lil nephews out there. This is GLC who stands out on Kanye's "Drive Slow" and "Spaceship"(which is sampled here). Produced and cut deftly by turntablist DJ A-Trak, Kanye's tour dj and flowed mellow by G, which all adds up to a promising single.
5. Kirb and Chris "Closer"
D: More on this later. 80s kids, you know what this is...

/////Good Life Top 5 (80s Edition) 11/02/05
1. Snoop v. The Cure "Drop It Like It's Hot RMX"
V: This track really deserves the "best of both worlds" tag.
2. When in Rome "The Promise "
V: For some reason Asian people are into new wave like how Kirb and Chris are to white girls (j/k). If it's not Bizarre Love Triangle or Blue Monday middle class Asians are go bonkers for songs like "The Promise". Steph: Aren't you glad this one made the list?
3. Dexy's Midnight Runners " Come On Eileen"
V: Before songs by Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse became the unofficial anthem for drunk white people, there was "Come on Eileen" which actually sounds better when you slur the lyrics. On a personal note, my brother had this song on a 45 way back in the 80s when I was still fat and dreaming of becoming an astronaut.
4. OMD "If You Leave"
D: Remember Pretty in Pink? This song is a headspin into an '86 timewarp for me...
5. Alphaville "Forever Young (Unplugged Live)"
D: Another 80s defining cut. I pick this one especially because of the way reggae artists like Wayne Wonder (on "Forever") and Born Jamericans (on "Boom Shak-a-Tack") flipped it. Plus you gotta love when it comes in at the school dance in Napoleon Dynamite.

/////Good Life Top 5 11/09/05
1. Tekitha "Ridin"
D: The Wu chanteuse who scared the bejeezus out of me on Wu-Tang Forever is one talented singer and Oakland resident. She's definitely vastly overlooked and underrated and if I wasn't working this Wednesday nite I'd be at her show at Mighty. I think she's playing with her band and an appearance by The RZA. This song "Ridin" is just...perfect. But what happened to her debut album Wisdom Body that was supposed to be entirely produced by RZA? Or Sahara , her full-length collabo with housecat Armand Van Helden?
2. Kirb and Chris "Doorstep, Girl"
D: They're rapping over The Smiths. It's working hard.
3. Bust Rhymes "Touch It"
V: Some new hard club ish from Busta Bus. Expect to hear this a million times at the clubs for the next three weeks.
4. MIA "Galang (Dave Kelly RMX)"
V: Our favorite Sri Lankan temptation gets the remix treatment from dancehall uber producer DK.
5. Fiona Apple " Extraordinary Machine"
V: When I first heard this song, she was performing it on the MTV Katrina relief benefit I thought it was a cover and didn't know it was a new track from her album. It was just so well put together. The lyrics and the way she structures the melodies. No wonder Kanye wants to be the rap version of Fiona Apple.

/////Good Life Top 5 11/21/05
1. Ray Charles "Golddigger" (diplo rmx)
V: If only he were still alive to hear people make Baltimore bass music out his songs.
2. Small World "I Believe"
V: Sweet downtempo track with the Kanyesque sped up soul vocals.
3. Talib Kweli "Ms. Hill"
V: I can't stand Talib but this ode to L-Boogie has a nice hook and it's about my future wife so it's all good. And I like to choose songs that D hates, see below.
D: When I saw the title I thought Kwa was gonna be addressing Anita Hill about the sickening interplay of race, gender and sex that fueled the tabloidesque Clarence Thomas hearings, her public humiliation and perspective on the whole drama and the ramifications of having Tom on this current Supreme Court that has seesawed heavily to the right and how this country is closer to unfolding into an Octavia Butler premonition... But nah, instead we get "Ms Hill you've got skills!" and "Parable of the Sower the main character was Lauren " and uh, it's just...really lame. ("If I ain't like it I ain't like it / It don't mean that I'm hatin" - Common Sense)
4. The Roots "Break You Off (Dub/Soundcheck)"
D: I liked this Roots single when it first came out, wasn't mad at it at all, I don't know why people were tryna hate. So it's dope to hear a dubbed-out, um, roots version of it. Plus the 6-page story of the song that ?uestlove tells in the liner note is unbelievable. Who was the old guy, Jaheim? That would've been dope.
5. Peven Everett "Ghetto"
D: File this right next to Sleepy Brown's "Me My Baby & My Cadillac" and Tekitha's "Ridin'" that we spoke of last time for that smooth cruise that floats you over all potholes and speedbumps and haters (see #3 and #4). From his most recent CD (I think, dude got hella albums, jazz stuff, brazilian, house, soul) Latest Craze, check for it.

/////Good Life Top 5 11/29/05
1. Kelis "Bossy f/ Too $hort"
D: They're really not playing fair on this one, what with the nasty 808 keyboard funk, Kelis' old school rap girl style, and Short Dog himself coming in at the end like Harvey Keitel to clean it all up. Kelis comes futuristic as always, I wonder if it's Neptunes on the beat, sounds kinda like that Beyonce joint from Austin Powers with more slap.
2. Prince "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Neptunes remix f/ Q-Tip)"
D: I don't know how I missed this remix before (well, it's not like it's Prince's best song ever) but I sure got it now.
3. Lil Wayne " Shooters f/ Robin Thicke"
D: This is an interesting track, it's got the Freaks of the Industry bassline, salooney piano keys, big drums, Speakerboxxx horns, scratches (wow, who puts those on songs anymore?), and that dude from Growing Pain's son trying to sound like D'Angelo. I'm feeling it though, how did Lil Wayne become one of the best radio rappers of the mid-2000s? Oh yeah, he actually has style.
4. Dennis DJ & MC Cabo: tire a camisa
V: I have no idea what they're saying but this is an essential baile funk that you may recognize from the MIA's Piracy mixtape.
5. Green Day "Bullet in a Bible DVD"
V: Going from making an album called "Dookie" to releasing one of the best albums of 05, Greed Day comes through with an incredibly well directed concert film from their two-day, 65,000 person performance in the UK.

/////Good Life Top 5 12/5/05
1. Donald Byrd " Think Twice (MIZELL 2005)"
V: Nice uptempo remix of the Byrd classic. Note: This version was not released on Blue Note's recent compilation album.
2. Jay Z feat. Beyonce " Bonnie and Clyde 03 DJ Crooked RMX "
V: No Spanish guitars on this remix, just Arrested Development's "Everyday People" which gives the song the kick that the original lacked.
D: Big up to The Rub, this helps extend that Everyday People bump that everyone loves.
3. Mos Def " Kalifornia"
D: From 04's forgettable Biker Boyz movie and the surprisingly eclectic (Papa Roach w/ N*E*R*D?) yet overall mediocre soundtrack is this buried gem. Mos croons a moody downtempo slice of Ronnie Hudson's "West Coast Poplock" aka the song Dre&Pac's "California Luv" is based on. "Californiaaa knows how to partaay"... but it's the manic depressive drinking away a hangover version.
4. Bilal " High and Dry"
D: So I guess BBC records is putting out an album of Radiohead covers, which could be an interesting project. This is Bilal's loungy version of a song from their now decade-old 2nd album The Bends . I think the original's better, dude needs another "Sometimes", that was the joint.
5. Santana f/ Big Boi & Mary J Blige "My Man"
D: It's ok, not as good as it looks on paper. I just like how they revisit the "Booooom boom boom" intro from "The Way You Move"

//There are definitely some moments of prescience on the list tho, and I would still recommend looking up most of the tracks that aren't already familiar. I think the best thing about finding these is that it prompted me to look for Tekitha's "Ridin", which I discovered was finally released earlier this year on iTunes on The Prelude EP.//For good measure, one of the funniest, best-executed mixtapes of all time came out in '05 and we hosted the release party at GOOD LIFE: Kirb & Chris' Ni***z and White Girlz with DJ Icewater://For even more good measure, the world famous DJs of NYC's The Rub have been continuing their History of Hip Hop Series of mixes and one DJ Eleven just dropped the 2005 Mix for all of us. 1neLuv..

//Looking for the Perfect Beat in the Stars..

2010-06-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

//Call it celestial convergence: the rise of summer, the end of a school year, an important memorial anniversary...sometimes it's great to dj on a date such as this Saturday, where the songs I select will carry a meaning (at least for me) beyond just a party and beyond the now-pedestrian term "tribute." The universe keeps on turning and revealing. I hear you in the music and I see you in the stars, mom.
//As a treat and cause it's good timing, I have unearthed a mix I made back in '04 in which I put a great deal of thought into the concept and the selection. This is the first time I have made it available online. Enjoy.

{so many stars} captured by dmadness

blastofftro
{sun}
1 be your girl - teedra moses
2 sunshine - mos def
3 summertime - mos & esthero
4 follow me - red astaire & d'angelo
{venus}
5 remember the love - adriana evans
6 som co voce - thievery corporation & bebel gilberto
7 don't let me lose this dream - aretha franklin
8 blind alley - the emotions
9 do what you want - aya
{mars}
10 frontin' on debra - pharrell vs. beck
11 drop it like it's hot - snoop vs. le pamplemousse
12 jazzy belle - outkast vs. babyface
{neptune}
13 think twice - e.badu
14 bandy bandy - zap mama & erykah
15 sweet lady - tony curtis
16 punkie - sean paul
{pluto}
17 coming in from the cold - bob marley
{jupiter}
18 millioinaire - kelis & andre3000
19 waiting room - no doubt & prince
20 the way she dances - n*e*r*d
{saturn}
21 all i do - stevie wonder
22 ngiculela-es una historia-i am singing - more stevie
23 missing you - joi
{earth}
24 anythang - devin the dude
25 take it from here - j.t.
26 it's whatever - aaliyah
{moon}
27 reflection - prince
28 across the universe - fiona apple

//Join DJ Zita and I this Saturday at Bliss SF as we carry on our search for the perfect beat among the unexpected. 1neLuv..

//Looking for the Perfect Beat: The Dereliks..

2010-05-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

//Of course Bambaataa began the quest for the Perfect Beat back in 1983, but the greatest song ever made about the topic came from the "Telegraph Era" of the East Bay 90s hip hop renaissance...from a crew called The Dereliks. DJ Hen Boogie and MC Izadoe Byrd were from San Jose and had a jazzy, lyrical sound that was one of the best of those times. My first encounter with them was around '95 - I had no idea who they were but it was at one of the Mystik Journeymen's "Unsigned and Hella Broke" warehouse shows (where you could get in for $2 and a pack of Top Ramen). The intro as they made their way to the stage was looped from A Tribe Called Quest's "After Hours," Q-Tip chanting "A derelict makes a real long speech/We listen to the words he reads." They had a short but sweet set that was the highlight of that show. Maybe a couple weeks later I was on Telegraph and I saw Iz outside Rasputin's Records. I told him I really enjoyed their set and he says, "You want some vinyl?" We walk to his car and he breaks open a box, hot off the press of this record:
//It's their EP A Turn on the Wheel...Is Worth More Than a Record Deal. Turns out that off their demo the crew had been courted by some major labels in NYC, were flown out there and had been on the verge of signing a deal when the label got cold feet. Oh well, they came back and put this out themselves and it is truly an underground classic. The best track "Iz on Some Other.." is partly inspired by their trip to NY but as the title says, Izadoe takes it to another place, looking for that elusive Perfect Beat. The piano loop was used by De La Soul on their 3-sided 12" single for "Me, Myself and I," and Iz gets griot all over the track.

The Dereliks - "Iz On Some Other..." (Low Self Discipline, 1995)

+ the instrumental "Hen On Some Other..."

//The Dereliks ended up folding a couple years later, but Hen Boogie is still producing great downtempo, soulful tracks like this version of jazz standard "Summertime." Dunno where Iz is at now, but I would still rank him up there with the best MCs from the Bay. I rememberShing02 telling me he had bumped into him several years back and got a tape of some more party-type tracks he had done that have yet to see the light of day.

//DJ Zita and I continue that quixotic quest for the Perfect Beat this Saturday, with outernational rhythms, superfuture solsonics, and timeless vibrations. 1neLuv..

//Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal, Rest in Power..

2010-04-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

thanks to Aebl Dee for capturing this

even though that other "producer guy" was there with him that day,

notice that he still signed the records "GURU - GANGSTARR"

//True to his name, Keith Elam was more than just a rapper or a hip hop artist. He was a true teacher and hero. I've told this story before, but when I met him at Moses Music in East Oakland back in '05, he spoke to the gathering of deejays and hip hop heads about his career. He explained that every single rhyme he ever put to tape contained some bit of knowledge or something positive for the youth in it. He described how he had been building with E-40 the night before. He talked about how he was clean, no smoking or drinking for the past year. He was down-to-earth and cordial, a true king.

//Thank you GURU for sharing your knowledge and life through hip hop. Many in my generation were raised by your rhymes not to just come up and make money and do for ourselves, but to be concerned and active about unity, learning, justice and something larger. Peace to you and your family. We will take the weight, Guru, we will take the weight..

So won't you dig the scenario
And just imagine if each one is teachin' one
We'll come together so that we become
A strong force, then we can stay on course
Find your direction through introspection
And for my people out there I got a question
Can we be the sole controllers of our fate?
Now who's gonna take the weight?

//GOLDEN 4 MORE..

2010-04-12T21:40:00.001-07:00

//Ah yes, we are back from NYC. All I gotta say is, if you're ever out there you'd better go to DJ mOma's The Good Spot, watch Fela! on Broadway, and see DJ Eleven wherever he at, you will never be disappointed. You ain't heard Biggie til you've heard "10 Crack Commandments" drop at 3 in the am and felt a packed house move like a ship on the open sea. I could go on and on but this is not a food blog, museum blog, shopping blog nor is it a public parks blog so you're on your own with that..

//That said, on to the next: this Saturday is the 4-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of a little night that DJ Zita and I started in the Mission in April 2006. It goes kinda like this: Z and I had been dating for a coupla months, she was starting to get heavy on her SF hustle and was dropping mixtapes and business cards all over town. Laszlo Bar wants to get her in for a night, but the thing is, it's a 5 hour gig. Guess what? Your boy gets an offer to spin alongside and the rest, as they say, well...4 years, 2 mix cds, 2 wedding rings later...you get the picture.

//This Saturday we celebrate! And we've got our lifelong friend/guy who djed our wedding/special guest fam DJ MPENZI on the wheels with us... and if that wasn't enough we are throwing down for our sistah/promotah/all-around wonderful peeps FiyahLilly's birthday!

//Golden was always a Z&D thing so guests were a rare occasion, but special thanks to everyone we've invited to rock with us in the past: Bency, DJ Gravy, Mr.Mention, Tap.10, Lady Sha, Leydis, Beat Nok, Mr.Lucky, OwlBoogie & un.D.fine. GOLDEN SOUNDSCAPES: audio panoramas/brilliant memories on wax/4 and many more...

Midnight Mixes live at GOLDEN Archive
Dmadness opening hour live at GOLDEN
Golden Mixes Vol.1:Soul Sisters & Brothers - Zita / Dmadness
Golden Mixes Vol.2:Hip Hop Heroes - Dmadness / Zita

De La Soul - "4 More (Juno Remix) f/ Zhane" (Tommy Boy, 1996)

Riddim Right Mix #3: Coolie Dance vs. Diwali

2010-04-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

Two monster riddims from the 2000s, it's hard to believe these are 8 years old now. I recorded this 15 tunes-in-15 minutes work-it-out mix back in '03 when they were still new, using all vinyl 45s. I especially loved the instrumental versions on the back. Of course these riddims were appropriated to no end, but on here you will not find Pitbull, Nina Sky, Twista or Lumidee.

Riddim Right Mix #3: Coolie Dance vs. Diwali

Unknown Language - T.O.K
Good Ohh - Beenie Man
Pull Up - Mr. Vegas
Feel Alright - Sean Paul
Genie Dance - Elephant Man
Coolie Dance Riddim - Cordell 'Scatta' Burrell
Diwali Riddim - Steven 'Lenky' Marsden
Get Busy - Sean Paul
Tra La La - Buju Banton
Galang Gal - T.O.K
Sufferer - Bounty Killer
Elephant Message - Elephant Man
Can't Touch Me No More - Tanya Stephens
Overcome - Wayne Marshall
No Letting Go - Wayne Wonder

//FAM NYC..

2010-04-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

//Every Thursday the Tall Homie DJ Eleven holds down a weekly called FAM along with DJs Morsy, Jr-Flo, Lindsey & Myles, Sureshot, Sammy Bananas, and special guests. This week yours truly Golden Soundscapes get to be the special guests, yeaah!

Von Kellar - 3 Bleecker Street at Bowery, NYC
9PM-3AM, no cover

//March Goes Out Like a Lion..

2010-03-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

//In the home stretch of what some of us educators call The Long March, I'm blessed to be throwing down at some incredible events. This time around I think I'll just let the images speak for themselves.

//Much love to Devil's Pie fam un.D.fine, WonWay, Paloma and DoDat -- Soul Sessions peoples The ReMitch and LA fam Phatrick and Roza, and the homies Beatnick, Mr. Mention and Bency down in San Diego. Southern Cal we'll see you this weekend! 1neLuv..

//Riddim Right Mix #2: TAXI

2010-03-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

//Inspired by OG producer Ski's comeback record "Taxi" with Mighty Mos, I ran it alongside one of my favorite riddims of all time, the immortal "Unmetered Taxi" Riddim of course by the legendary Sly & Robbie & the Taxi Gang. Then I was reminded of how elusive the Souls of Mischief "Taxi Song" demo was in the '90s (so named because it sampled the theme song from the late-'70s/early '80s Emmy-award winning TV series Taxi) -- and how excited I was to find the sample record in a dollar bin of a now-defunct South Side Chicago record store.

I'm having hella fun with these Riddim Right mixes, I don't know about you. Free Buju!

Riddim Right Mix #2 - TAXI

Ski Beatz f/ Mos Def "Taxi"
Ambelique "Taxi"
Buju Banton "Driver A"
Lone Ranger "Learn to Drive"
Wayne Wonder "Fast Car"
Souls of Mischief "Cab Fare"
Bob James "Angela (Theme from "Taxi")"

//Riddim Right Mix #1: Mansions

2010-03-05T19:17:00.000-08:00

Any time is a perfect time to conjure the spirit of Tupac Shakur, and Esco of the dancehall duo Leftside & Esco just released a full riddim based on the sublime acoustic version of "Thugz Mansion" which was released posthumously on the 2002 album Better Dayz.

Nas also used the song on his God's Son album, and I always loved the descriptive detail of his first verse ("missionaries pass out papers that read 'Love God'"). Now in 2010 Elephant Man straight murders the updated riddim with conscious lyrics and tune after tune follow with good vibes from some of my favorite reggae singers.

I can already count the number of Jamaican riddims I am feeling in 2010 on two hands, which has inspired me to start a new series of "Riddim Right" mini-mixes wherein I can juggle my favorite new ones and dig up my favorite old ones on 7" vinyl. Enjoy.

Riddim Right Mix #1 - Mansions

Nas "Thugz Mansion (NY)"
Elephant Man "Mansions"
Esco the Shocker "Blessings"
Rollin X f/ Stratdon "To Mi Father"
Jah Cure "Love You Anyway"
Etana "True Love"
Alaine "Bring It Back"
Wayne Marshall "Everywhere I Go"
2PAC f/ Nas & J.Phoenix "Thugz Mansion (Acoustic Version)"

//MoAD Think Tank Slideshow..

2010-02-09T23:13:00.000-08:00

//Last Thursday I had the honor of presenting at the Museum of the African Diaspora's quarterly Thursday Think Tank. Also invited to present were incredible community organizers, youth advocates, visual artists, food justice workers, and other good people steady doing the work of social change. Poet/Superwoman Chinaka Hodge, Hood Games founder K-Dub Williams, Community Justice Network for Youth's Krea Gomez, a whole posse from the Pin@y Educational Partership at Balboa HS, and a handful of others put it down with 20 PowerPoint slides (showing at 20 seconds each) and a microphone... 6 minutes and 40 seconds to wreck it.

//Like any good DJ, I spoke with my hands instead and recorded a short mix to go with the slides. The first few slides and audio are snippets of some of my own mixes and live sets to establish who I am as a DJ (there being 20,000 DJs in the Bay it was necessary to let folks know). All the rest however, is really the heart and magic of what I wanted to convey: my work the past 11 years as an English and History teacher/artist guiding my students to find their voices and providing some technical skills with recording and production. The beats, rhymes, rhythms and sounds are all done by my middle school youth. It is a daily inspiration to watch and learn from the kids as they speak what's on their mind and create music without a presumption of how "hip hop" is supposed to sound. Like one cat told me afterwards, "It's raw, like how hip hop used to be."

//It was an amazing event and I am grateful for the new connections. Below is an extended 12" version of the slideshow with the audio included:

//If you are able to contribute to the program, here is the link for our project proposal on DonorsChoose.org. All my people fighting the good fight, let's keep it moving! 1neLuv..

//Oakland Weekend: WE LOVE THE TOWN x SAMPLEd..

2010-01-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

Two serious Oakland get-downs this weekend:

WE LOVE THE TOWN / FRIDAY JAN.29 / LUKA'S:
This Friday night is my personal favorite party to spin at, period. One, I have always loved the vibe in Oakland, and two, Zita and I always put in brisk work on the turntables here. It's a more fierce, energetic look than our GOLDEN night, which is more laissez-faire clubhouse style (which is still big fun). WE LOVE THE TOWN at Luka's, come early and join the multitude on the parquet floor at the first needle drop, and stay late cause hey, East Bay folks you ain't gotta cross a bridge!

SAMPLEd / SAT JAN.30 / PARADISO:
This Saturday I have the good fortune of not only spinning a second night in a row in The homeTown, but I also get to join one of my DJ Heroes (the real thing, not a video game) World Famous DJ SHORTKUT, plus one of the most genuine homies and skilled-on-the-fader Oakland Fader DJ PLATURN, plus my brother my ace DJ MPENZI inna di place, all under one roof the new ParaDiso in the already-bubbled Oakland Uptown. Now this new 5th Saturdays jumpoff, aptly named SAMPLEd, is set to be a musical history lesson /slash/ name-that-sample game /slash/ these.. are.. the.. breaks /slash/ all-out shake your body down to the ground now Get Down. It is a place where beat-heads, record nerds, music lovers and beautiful people will all converge for some top notch Edutainment. Lemme tell you, I witnessed Shortkut slay an all-45s set last week and to catch him in Oakland is NOT TO BE MISSED. Thank me later!

Also, I would like to announce the February return of a concept I really love, me & Zita's Looking for the PERFECT BEAT at a new SF venue!

Lastly, as thanks for making it to the bottom of this note, if I get TWENTY guestlist email replies for Friday and/or Saturday night to goodlifeoakland@gmail.com not only will you get in for cheap but I will donate my Saturday DJ earnings to Haiti relief via HERF. And as additional thanks, here are a bunch of free downloads of my mixes and live sets via the excellent Mixcrate, including my 2009Rewind mix, a live at Golden opening set from the vaults, and Stop the Fussing & Fighting! Enjoy:

//The Funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr..

2010-01-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

The Funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr.

His headstone said
FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST
But death is a slave's freedom
We seek the freedom of free men
And the construction of a world
Where Martin Luther King could have lived and
preached non-violence

-Nikki Giovanni

//GOLDEN 2010

2010-01-14T17:25:00.000-08:00

//Here's to a GOLDEN 2010. Recent unfathomable events, while reminding us of the tremendous inequalities that exist yes in the western hemisphere, should also remind us to heed Jill Scott's mantra to live ya life like it's golden and not take anything in life for granted. And to help in any way you feel able (like this).
//This Saturday DJ Zita and I kick off our GOLDEN year with a couple of the homies in tow. Not only are they nice djs but they are also a couple genuinely nice peoples:

//OwlBoogie (Action Figures) - This dapper dude has been around for a while now, he ain't no new jack. In fact I remember seeing him catch wreck on the wikka-wikka a good 8 or so years ago as the backing deejay for Kiwi. Know his steeze by checking out this 15min-to-the-head 4-track mix from 1993 (!!what were these young serato whippersnappers doing back in '93? huh?) and more flava here, like Low End Theory vs. Midnight Marauders for your ATCQ fix.

//DJ un.D.fine (Devil's Pie) - This cat Virak is another dj for the people. Hella soulful. Check him out on some ol' robotic futuristic George Jetson crazy joint--live a coupla weeks ago on Neitherworld Radio with his Come Ride My Spaceship mix, and of course, you can't front on his Devil's Pie Maxwell Tribute.

//Lastly, I went into the archives and pulled one of my live sets from Golden in March '09. This one in particular is an opening set (we drop the needle at 9pm)...one of the great things about spinning in the early hours of a party is being able to focus more on laying a vibe and setting a mood versus trying to keep pushing the energy higher and higher during the peak of the night. You get to express your inner music nerd and throw on some cutty album tracks and lesser-known gems that you love. Vibe with me..

DJ Dmadness Live at Golden (March 21, 2009)

//2009REWIND..

2009-12-30T16:40:00.000-08:00

//As we bid adieu to 2009 and the first decade of the millenium, take a minute (or 78) to reflect with me on the year in music. It's always easier to focus on what sucked out there, but as I began compiling tracks it became apparent that it was still an excellent year for new works. The returns of Maxwell, Sade, Goapele & Souls of Mischief, dope Bay productions from Trackademicks, lots of extracurricular woodshedding from ?uestlove and Mighty Mos, next gen cats like Kid Sister, Wale and Jay Electronica (that's Jay ElectRamadaan Muhammad Asalaamica Rasoul Allah Supana Watallah through your monitor to you!), African voices via Nneka & K'naan.. and don't even get me started on the riddims! This year I went to Jamaica for the first time and tunes like "Call on Me," "One More Night" and "Life" were ruling alongside riddims like Go-Go Club, Style & Swagga and many more reggae and dancehall joints I couldn't fit.

//So there you have it, my humble take on music I was feeling in '09. I recorded it live, one-take with no editing or mastering so excuse any roughness around the edges. Interestingly, after spinning vinyl since '94, it's been exactly one year since converting to Serato and for better or for worse this mix would not have been possible without it..

//Come thru tomorrow night for the GOOD LIFE New Year's Eve with myself, ZITA and DJ VNA and I'll have a few free cd copies available to take with you into the next decade. Happy New Year and 1ne Luv..

2009REWIND - DJ Dmadness - 12.30.09

1 Roses - Georgia Ann Muldrow & Mos Def
2 I Wanna Be Where You Are - The Roots with Erykah Badu
3 Love You - Maxwell
4 How I Got Over - The Roots
5 My Sweetie - Wale
6 Neva Believe U - Mavado
7 Come From Yard f/ Juakali - Kush Arora
8 Making Money f/ Warrior Queen - Kush Arora
9 Bill - Gaza Kim & Lisa Hype
10 A Nuh Whore - Demarco
11 Stronger - Einstein
12 Good Inna - Beenie Man
13 Wanna Be Ballaz - Assassin
14 Alive (Nightmare) (feat. RATATAT) - KiD CuDi
15 Cheeba (Nottz Remix) f/ Bilal - Shafiq Husayn
16 Chasing Pirates (Santigold and Snotty Remix) - Norah Jones
17 Purple Flip - ?uestlove, Foreign Exchange, Zo! & Carlitta Durand
18 Ay Yo (Soulquarians Mix) - Melanie Fiona
19 History - Mos Def f/ Talib Kweli
20 Down Azz Jawn - Kid Sister
21 Off the Pacific f/ Casual & San Quinn - TD Camp
22 New Wu f/ Ghostface Method Man - Raekwon
23 Walking (J.Period Remix) f/ Jay Electronica - Nneka
24 Soldier Of Love (Platurn Edit) - Sade
25 The Lovecats - 1-O.A.K.
26 Exhibit C (Sake1 DJ Edit) - Jay Electronica
27 Poets - Souls of Mischief
28 Just Begun f/ Jay Electronica, J. Cole & Mos Def - Reflection Eternal
29 Brooklyn (Go Hard) - Mos Def
30 2009 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher - Mos Def, Black Thought, Eminem & DJ Premier
31 Empire State Of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) - Jay-Z
32 Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down - Alicia Keys
33 Milk & Honey - Goapele
34 Milk & Honey (Sake1 Refix) - Goapele
35 Heaven In Your Eyes - Gappy Ranks
36 Soul Rebel - Gappy Ranks & Nerious Joseph
37 Call On Me - Jah Cure
38 All About You - Wayne Wonder
39 Can't Stop Now f/ Mr. Vegas & Jovi Rockwell - Major Lazer
40 One More Night - Busy Signal
41 Life - G Whizz
42 T.I.A. - K'naan
43 Fly Away - Wale
44 Flight School f/ T-Pain & Kanye West - GLC
45 For Your Sorrows f/ Too $hort - Big Boi
46 Bedroom Lights - Idle Warship
47 iFEEL f/ Blu - J*Davey
48 This Time Around f/ Phonte & Carlitta Durand - Roddy Rod

//We've Only Just Begun..

2009-12-24T12:08:00.000-08:00

//I rarely post the newest-new tracks because usually it's just some overblown innernut hype. But when I woke up to this track off Reflection Eternal's forthcoming comeback record I was incredulous. The star is really Hi-Tek's beat, from the sick intro to the horns..with everyone still jocking Jay Dee (respect) can't another brother who's been doing it just as great for just as long get some shine? And of course you've got the Funky Four Horsemen: Jay Electramadan coming off "Exhibit C", J.Cole who I was never trippin on but who holds his own well, and the brothers BlackStar dropping references to Othello, the Dalai Lama, Coming to America, New Orleans' fleur-de-lis, and hip hop quotables like "the devil at the dancehall, thirsty for a partner" and "Pure power don't power trip." Could the paradigm finally be shifting in hip hop? I mean it's been horrible for so long, maybe we just need to get out of this decade. Tracks like these are taking us there.. 1ne Luv.

Reflection Eternal f/ Jay Electronica, J.Cole & Mos Def - "Just Begun" (Warner Bros, 2010)

..and for the heck of it, here's the dope B-Side off Kweli & Hi-Tek's first 12" single pictured above, the title and intro passage of which are quoted from Ghanaian author's Ayi Kwei Armah's 1973 novel (which incidentally James Cameron should have read before making Avatar).
Reflection Eternal - "2000 Seasons" (Rawkus, 1997)

//GOLDEN Winter Breakdown..

2009-12-18T19:03:00.000-08:00

//Ah yeah, it's GOLDEN Time! We were on hiatus last month thanks to support from the homies Willie Maze and DJ VNA... and we're back to close out the year the OG way, just me & the Mrs.

//Look for newness from Golden Soundscapes in 2010, including the 4-year Anniversary of GOLDEN, a January WE LOVE THE TOWN, a rebirth of one of our other beloved musical ideas on a 2nd Saturdays night, new mixes ...and the whole nine.

In the meantime here's a little retrospective of the GOLDEN Midnight Mixes, which we retired earlier in 2009. All are mixed live by yours truly Dmadness & DJ Zita at GOLDEN 3rd Saturdays at Laszlo SF:

MIGHTY MOS DEF - Feb 09

HAPPY 30th B-DAY AALIYAH! - Jan 09

3 THE HARD WAY (the RZA/DJ Premier/Dr.Dre) Apr 09
- GOLDEN 3 Year Anniversary

DEEP IN THE 90s - Mar 08

IT'S A LOVE THANG - June 08

//Good Life Reunited..

2009-11-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

//This Saturday marks the one-night-only return of GOOD LIFE!! At Bliss Bar in Noe Valley after the Pacquiao fight..

//GOOD LIFE was a weekly Wednesday night event at Luka's in Oakland that DJ VNA and I started in 2004. We moved our night SOUL TRIP (Wednesdays '02-'04) over from the Lucky Lounge after Luka's opened. We held down that night, carry heavy crates of vinyl up the stairs to the booth every week for two years. During that time we had all our dj fam come through and rock with us, keeping it as Oakland as possible: Mpenzi, Proof, PantyROBber, Toure, Fuze, D-Sharp, Willie Maze, Tim D, Sake1, DJ Eleven, Pam the Funkstress, G-Smoove, Backside, Icewater, Crimson, G-Smoove, Oliver Orzal, Kaution, Lovelee, Treat-U-Nice, Phatrick, Lenior... and it has the distinction of being the night through which I met my wife! I had booked Zita to spin before actually meeting her in person.

//For the one-year anniversary of GOOD LIFE (which Zita spun at) we gave away these cds, which we recorded live with vinyl at VNA's crib. Listen to the needle dropping and the pops & crackles on the first record..
Good Life Vol.1 (2005) / DJ VNA & Dmadness //We decided to end the night while sitting down to dinner before spinning one indian summer night in 2006. VNA was starting law school and I was just getting burnt from 4 years of Wednesdays. Now VNA's done with his JD and passed the NY bar, so it's time to celebrate.

//By the way, GOOD LIFE was christened long before Kanye graduated. The night got its name from records by Anthony B, Cocoa Tea and Nancy Wilson. Also wanna send a big shout to our folks Tommy Wong, who created the original visual for GOOD LIFE, which has definitely stood the test of time in its simple elegance.

**As a bonus, here's another live mix VNA & I recorded and pressed up back in 2003 when we were doing the night at Lucky Lounge:
Soul Trippin' - Live at the Lucky Lounge (2003) / DJ VNA & Dmadness

//Oaktown State of Mind..

2009-10-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

//In Oaktown,
East Bay jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in Oakland
These streets will make you feel brand new
Lake lights will inspire you
Lets here it for Oakland! Oakland! Oakland!

//Maybe, maybe not..but no matter what WE LOVE THE TOWN! Come show your love tonite, we've got prodigal son DJ Phatrick on deck, gift bags from Made Jewelry for the ladies, free cds from DJ Zita, and good music all night long. Costumes optional. Big dreams mandatory.

//Here's a bonus Town track from Oakland legends 3X Krazy, which I am sad to say that I neglected to include on my Folks get Brown in the sunshine mix:

3X Krazy - "Sunshine in the 'O'" (Str8 Game, 1995)

//Marvin in Jamaica..

2009-10-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

//Mini-Mix #4: Marvin in Jamaica

Last winter I came down with some pretty bad cold viruses so I ended up staying home from work and..making mixes! What came out of that were the following:
Mini-Mix #1: Home Sick
Mini-Mix #2: Epilogue
Mini-Mix #3: Dmadness' Breathing Apparatus
Now I'm back with another sick day today and the latest my series, which I view as kind of a sketchbook of ideas that could be developed further or just be what they be.
Without further ado.. Marvin Gaye takes a trip to Jamaica and this is the soundtrack:

1. Morgan Heritage intro
2. Sexual Healing (Fiesta Riddim) - Marvin Gaye
3. Vitamin S (Sexual Healing Rmx) - Baby Cham
4. Sexual Healing - Maxamillion
5. Sexual Healing (Dusty Smith Reggae Mix) - Marvin Gaye
6. Inner City Blues - Sly & Robbie
7. What's Going On (Truth & Rights Remix) - Marvin Gaye
8. Let's Get It On (Waiting In Vain Remix) - Marvin Gaye
9. I Heard It Through the Grapevine (J-Star Reggae Refix) - Marvin Gaye
10. I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Henry Tipper Reggae Remix) - Marvin Gaye

//By the way, the drawing above is taken from the dope deck that Western Edition put out back in April to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Marvin's passing--I just added a little rasta flavor to the image. 1neLuv.

//New Mixes from the Family..

2009-10-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

//Wow, my crew has been busy lately! It's nice to be around people who work hard and refuse to rest on their laurels. The result is a slew of diverse new mixes for you, FREE!

//DJ Zita - MadeMix Vol.3: LoveHate Collection

A hot mix of 80s heavy hitters for the sisters at Made Jewelry. CD release parties at WE LOVE THE TOWN tomorrow and ALLURE next week. More DJ Zita here.

//DJ Mpenzi - UNWIND Vol.2: The AfroSoul Journey...Gets Funky

Cutting edge Afrobeat/House/Latin/Soul to unwind to from my bro Mpenzi hosted by Oakland's FEMI. Design by me! UNWIND Vol.1 still available here.

//Willie Maze - G-G-Golden "Taste"

I messaged him to send me a mix for his guest spot at GOLDEN next month, then went to sleep for a couple hours. Woke up, the homie had already gone into the lab, recorded and sent this!

Enjoy! 1neLuv..

//GOLDEN: Zita's B-Day x SoCal Guests

2009-10-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

//Yes yes, it's the GOLDEN time of the month again! We will be celebrating the earth day of the one MamaZita with guest shots from the following fam:

//BENCY (SD) - This dude Bency is one of the nicest, most genuine and generous cats I know. He works hard, takes care of his, and is the only cat who has a standing invitation to spin with us at GOLDEN. It's become sort of a tradition for him to come up in October and throw down for his born day, so consider this the third mo'gin. He's also nice on the tables so expect sounds across the spectrum of breakbeats, latin jazz, reggae, and below-the-surface good hip hop, and look him up when you're in San Diego.

//LADY SHA (Lioness LA) - Shaden is another righteous hustla on the turntables, and we all know the sisters have to hustle extra hard to get their due. She is a staple in LA and is recently returned from touring Europe. Come thru early to catch her sureshot selection of stuff you wish you knew about.

//..and along with the bright theme of the night, here's a new track from one half of the greatest hip hop group of all time. I rarely post new stuff cause everyone and their mom does that on blogs, but I've really been feeling Daddy Fat Sacks' new tracks, he's rapping his ass off and the beats are top notch--this one in particular by longtime OutKast DJ Cutmaster Swift. I love how Big punctuates his 1st verse with a Bay "yadadamean!"and then gives a shout to Volume 10 in his 2nd. I've thrown in the original sample as well, a classic Gamble & Huff production with Teddy Pendergrass on the lead:

Big Boi f/Gucci Mane "Shine Blockas" (Def Jam, 2009)

Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes "I Miss You" (Sony, 1972)

//GOLDEN Bay Lights

2009-09-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

//It's dope to be a part of the Bay Area dj family, especially when you get to spin together. This month we welcome two movers and shakers you need to know about, if you ain't already heard:

//TAP.10 - Back in the deezy Tapan Munshi and I were in the same record pool in Oakland. Yup, we're REALly djs! We vibed because we both worked with kids, he with the mighty Youth Radio. I clearly remembering him passing me a certain remixtape that had me scratching my head to dope versions of Raphael Saadiq and Keyshia Cole. Fast forward to two thousand and now and the producer of those remixes is a national artist, their Honor Roll crew has a buzz that reminds me of Hiero in the 90s, and Tap continues to push the envelope with deep creative sets. Cop his recent Summertime Mix right here and come check him this Saturday.

//LEYDIS - I first peeped DJ Leydis (pronounced "laydee" suckas) in the homie Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi's documentary INVENTOS: Hip Hop Cubano, a film which reminded me why I was drawn to and originally fell in love with hip hop. Leydis came up in the scene as one of the first female hip hop djs in her native Cuba in the late 90s and early part of the milennium, competing in DJ battles, and lacing tracks for major Cuban MCs. The Bay's been graced with her presence for the past couple years and aside from spinning hip hop and latin flavors she also womans the decks for the East Bay group Los Rakas. Check this interview where she breaks down her history and experience as a sister in the game, and bring a notepad this Saturday at GOLDEN. 1neLuv..

//RIP to "Steely" of the great reggae rhythm section Steely and Clevie. He passed September 1st, and his legacy lives on in some of the baddest riddims in dancehall, and best known for their version of Dawn Penn's "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" In his memory here is one of the dynamic duo's big tunes:

Beenie Man - "Battery Dolly" (Street Sweeper Riddim)
(Steely & Clevie, 1999)

//Sade Tribute Pt. 2 Download

2009-09-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

//If you were lucky enough to get your hands on a copy of this mad limited CD it means I really love you or you were in the right place at the right time! For the rest of the world, my Sade Tribute Part 2 mix (recorded live back in July) is now available for FREE DOWNLOAD here, courtesy of Devil's Pie. There a still a handful of CDs available exclusively from the good peoples at The Giant Peach and isso boutique in SF if you so desire.
(click the tracklist below for download)

//If you are in the LA area be sure to hit up Verdugo Bar tonite as Professor O-Dub will be throwing down a special Aretha Tribute, and if anyone knows her catalog deeply it is the one O.W. 1neLuv..

//GOLDEN East Meets West..

2009-08-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

//For this month's GOLDEN we welcome two guest djs to the tables:

//DJ GRAVY - A wicked dancehall selecta, o.g. hip hop head, and all-around cool NYC cat. I highly recommend downloading his B.I.G. Tings a Gwan! mix right now, in which he flips Biggie vocals over dancehall riddims, juggling the Jamaican artists right alongside. And if you're ever in NYC check his Rice and Peas first Mondays monthly with Federation Sound's Max Glazer.

//MR.MENTION - Resident DJ at Overtime Fridays and Fiyah! Thursdays in San Diego, know about this homie. Also catch his mix with DJ Beatnick for Made Jewelry right here: MadeMix Vol.2.

//And don't forget, you can cop a free cd of my Devil's Pie Sade Tribute Pt.2 mix at GOLDEN this Saturday.. email to reserve a copy at goodlifeoakland@gmail.com ..1neLuv..

//Sade Tribute Pt.2 Mix ..

2009-08-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

//Mixed by me, DJ Dmadness and recorded live at Devil's Pie Los Angeles on July 15, 2009. This is the sequel to the first Sade Tribute mix I did at Devil's Pie SF in February 2008 (online download here and cd copies here). Whereas the first mix was composed of all-vinyl selections including Sade favorites from all 4 of her classic LPs, 12" and 7" remixes... this second mix contains other album cuts, b-sides, songs interpolating and sampling Sade classics, hip-hop blends, house remixes and live blends. Much love and thanks to the fam who laced me with some of those songs, yall know who you are! I feel this is a worthy followup and companion to the first mix. Respect to Sade and look out for her new album which is supposedly coming November 2009!

Special thanks to Devil's Pie resident djs Phatrick and Roza for letting me do my thing and all the L.A. fam for coming out. If you're in Southern California I highly recommend checking out Devil's Pie next Wednesday night, August 19, at Verdugo Bar as they welcome guest dj and soul sista herself Kim Hill who will be throwing down a special Slum Village Tribute (RIP Baatin, RIP Dilla, long live T3).

Limited CD copies of this Devil's Pie Sade Tribute Pt.2 will be available Free at Devil's Pie L.A. Aug.19 and me & Zita's 3rd Saturday GOLDEN on Aug.15

1 Why Can't We Live Together
2 Give It Up
3 Frankie's First Affair
4 Nothing Can Come Between Us
5 The Sweetest Taboo (D's Highway Intro)
6 Tabou (Extended Roots Remix) by Les Nubians
7 Doomsday by MF Doom
8 Kiss of Life (Golden Soundscapes ReKiss)
9 Clean Heart (Mr. Fives Remix)
10 War of the Hearts (Paul Nice Blend)
11 Siempre Hay Esperanza
12 When Am I Going to Make a Living
13 Maureen
14 I Couldn't Love You More
15 Turn My Back on You (Heffs Mix)
16 Paradise (Ronin Remix)
17 Paradise by Dubsensemania
18 By Your Side (Yard Mix 1)
19 Bullet Proof Soul
20 Lovers Rock
21 Cherish the Day
22 King of Sorrow
23 Somebody Already Broke My Heart
24 Feel No Pain (Nellie Hooper Remix)
25 All About Our Love
26 Love Is Stronger Than Pride
27 Your Love Is King (Live in San Diego, 1993)
28 Smooth Operator (Live in San Diego,1993)
29 Like A Tattoo (House Mix)
30 Give It Up (House Mix)
http://devilspiesoul.com/

//Last but not least, here's the lil reflip on the intro I did for the mix, sampling Mos Def and Black Thought waxing poetic about Ms. Helen Folasade Adu. 1neLuv..

Sade - "The Sweetest Taboo (D's Highway Intro)"

//The Oakland Stroke x The Perfect Beat..

2009-07-29T22:19:00.001-07:00

//It's that time that comes around only a handful of times of year.. that magical 5TH Friday when the stars align and Z&D spin for the hometown at Luka's. Quite possibly my favorite party of all to spin at, you can expect all kinds of jams mixed with lots of town love. WE LOVE THE TOWN, just like the Parkway Theater (RIP). Here's a lil joint to get you fired up for Friday:

Tony Toni Toné - "Oakland Stroke (Upso Mix)" (EX UK Polydor, 1990)

//This Saturday ain't no slouch either, as Zita and I follow up with another installment of THE PERFECT BEAT, in which we take the turntables on a soul trip from continent to continent drawing Sharpie lines between Fela and Bebel and Beres and Amel. Expect the unexpected and that means Good Music. And for the road, a tune penned by the one Stevie Wonder..1neLuv

Minnie Riperton - "Take a Little Trip" (Capitol, 1974)

//Sonido x Sade x L.A..

2009-07-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

//It's a trip, to this day I have yet to spin in Los Angeles. That's why I'm particularly excited about this upcoming run to the sun this coming week. As a Bay Area cat, Tony Toni Tone's "It Never Rains In Southern California" always comes to mind when contemplating a ride south. Thanks to the homies Phatrick and Roza I'm coming down to bless Devil's Pie L.A. with a new Sade tribute! The first Sade tribute I did was back in February 2008 at Namu Bar in SF, and the recording is still available as a free download here and a mixCD here. For next Wednesday's set I've dug up some more joints I didn't play before as well as some other surprises, plus we've got exclusive Sade shirts and red velvet cupcakes!

//I also have the opportunity to spin at Sonido Sundays, a reggae/latin party at the Little Temple in Silverlake, former home of the infamous Root Down Thursday nite party with Sonido Soundsystem selectors Higher, Sloe Poke, and DJ Expo alongside The Rhythm Section. I'll be packing a toolbox of reggae 45s to throw down. L.A. fam, see you when I get there. 1neLuv..

WED 7.15.09

DEVIL'S PIE | LOS ANGELES
SADE TRIBUTE!

Featuring:
DJ DMADNESS

With Residents:
DJ PHATRICK

DJ ROZA

Exclusive Limited Edition T-Shirt Available by BEATROCK CLOTHING

free pastries provided by:
BUTTER TART CAFE

10pm-2am
FREE!
21+

VERDUGO BAR
3408 Verdugo Rd
Glassell Park, Los Angeles
90065

RSVP ON FACEBOOK!

click cover to download the first Sade Tribute
at Devil's Pie SF, February 28, 2008:

//Folks get Brown in the sunshine..

2009-06-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

//First, I just gotta pay respects to that man who moonwalks in the sky. A true genius and legend. As Chuck D said, "He's been the soundtrack to my life." Many others have written eloquent eulogies (especially Jeff Chang and Danyel Smith) and a legion of djs have put MJ tributes to tape (especially J.Rocc's live mix on Beatjunkie Radio), so I will not attempt to add to either. Instead, I am putting some unmixed MJ cds together to give to my nephews to play freeze dance to! Your legacy lives on Michael..

//For yall I have put together a new mix for the sunshine and beautiful summer weather we are having here in the Bay. No song defines that family bbq summer vibe like Roy Ayers' timeless cut "Everybody Loves the Sunshine," so in a documentarian effort I have compiled and mixed all the songs I knew of and could dig up that sampled, interpolated, or revisited those indelible vibraphones and simply perfect lyrics. I also took some liberties with a couple sun-themed blends. Much respect to Roy Ayers, and enjoy. 1neLuv..

"Folks get Brown in the sunshine" by DJ Dmadness

1. Everybody Loves The Sunshine - Roy Ayers f/ Erykah Badu
2. Turn It Up - Masta Ace Inc.
3. Dedicated - Funkdoobiest
4. Valley Of The Skinz - Trends Of Culture
5. Wake Up (Reprise In the Sunshine) - Brand Nubian
6. Proceed II - The Roots f/ Roy Ayers
7. In The Sun (D's Listenmix) - Common, Black Thought & Joi
8. Listen Up - Erule
9. Lost Souls - 2Pac f/ Outlawz
10. Sunshine - Naughty by Nature
11. My Life - Dr. Dre
12. Shines - Royal Flush
13. With or Without You (rmx) - Opio
14. Book of Life - Common Sense
15. The Sun (D's G-Unit Rmx) - Ghostface Killah f/ Raekwon, Slick Rick & the RZA
16. Everybody Loves The Sunshine (9th Wonder Remix) - Roy Ayers
17. My Life - Mary J. Blige
18. Everybody Loves The Sunshine (D's medley) - Incognito/Roy Ayers Ubiquity/D'Angelo
19. Everybody Loves the Sunshine - RAMP

//This Way 2 Our Neck Uv Da Woods..

2009-06-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

//Reeemix! A good Kanye beat (that had a meh Kanye verse in the original) freshly laced with verses from Big Boi and Andre 3000 from a forgotten 12" single with Mystikal. Follow me..

In the state of confused
City of forgotten faith, county of the blues
Street address: generation x avenue

OutKast - "This Way 2 Our Neck Uv Da Woods (D's Blend)"

//3 The Hard Way..

2009-06-08T23:25:00.000-07:00

//Alright, this was a coupla months ago but we still wanted to put it up: for the 3 Year Anniversary of GOLDEN, Zita and I paid homage to 3 of the dopest producers in hip hop: the RZA, DJ Premier, and Dr.Dre. It's not meant to be a "best of" mix, just a throwdown with some of our favorite records which barely samples the surface of their catalogs. I gotta say though, for all my West Coast bias I was reminded of so many classic beats by Premier! We could've gone on & on with Primo but it really wouldn't have been fair. This mix also made me think about how nowadays with so much access to music and fools circulating their rough drafts online instantly, it's easy to get caught up in the innernut hype. Yeah, the newest track on everybody's blog is cool but somebody's gotta step back and say...does it snap your neck as hard as "Mass Appeal"? Will that track still be studied and quoted 15 years later like "NY State of Mind"? Is it really a dope song? Much respect to all the artists, then and now, who focus on releasing enduring, quality music over flooding the web with instant (short-lived) gratification and disposable art.

Z&D Tag-Team Midnight Mix: 3 THE HARD WAY
DJ Zita & Dmadness
Live at GOLDEN Apr 18 2009

THE RZA
Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit
Wu-Tang Clan - Shame On A Ni**a
Wu-Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck
The Charmels - As Long As I've Got You
Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.
Wu-Tang Clan - Can It Be All So Simple
Method Man f/ Mary J Blige - All I Need
Raekwon f/Method Man & Cappadonna - Ice Cream
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Brooklyn Zoo
GZA/Genius - Liquid Swords
Raekwon - Incarcerated Scarfaces
Wu-Tang Clan - For Heaven's Sake

DJ PREMIER
KRS-ONE - MCs Act Like They Don't Know
Gang Starr - You Know My Steez
Nas - NY State Of Mind
Jay-Z - D'Evils
Show & A.G. - Next Level (Nyte Time Remix)
Common f/Bilal - 6th Sense
Nas - Nas Is Like
Gang Starr - The Place Where We Dwell
Crooklyn Dodgers '95 - Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers
Gang Starr - Full Clip
Gang Starr - Mass Appeal
Gang Starr - Take It Personal
Gang Starr f/ Nice & Smooth - Dwyck
Gang Starr - Skillz
Jeru the Damaja - Come Clean
Nas - Memory Lane

DR.DRE
N.W.A. - Express Yourself (Remix)
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Gin & Juice
Dr.Dre f/ 2PAC - California Love
Dr.Dre f/Kurupt & Nate Dogg - Xxplosive
Erykah Badu - Bag Lady
Bilal - Fast Lane
Sam Sneed f/Dr.Dre - U Better Recognize
Dr.Dre - Keep Their Heads Ringin'
Dr.Dre - F*** With Dre Day
Dr. Dre - Still DRE

//And yes, I know that Dre didn't do the Sam Sneed beat, Sam did. My bad. By the way, we retired the Midnight Mix suckas! Archives here...look for more newness coming to GOLDEN because the only constant in life is change. 1neLuv..

//Thoughts at a Thousand Miles per Hour..

2009-06-06T12:52:00.001-07:00

I always wanted to do a half-time blend of one of the greatest songs ever, the Kast's "Bombs Over Baghdad," since it's so fast. So I made two: a reggae version over the superior Dave Kelly "Gangster's Anthem" riddim which I plan to use for my OutKast-meets-reggae mix, and a crunk slowjam mix over Lil Jon/Luda/Ursh's "Lovers & Friends." Like a million elephants and silverback orangutans:

OutKast - "B.O.B. (Dmadness Gangsteriddimix)"

OutKast - "B.O.B. (D's crunk slowjam mix)"

Can't wait to play some "different ish" like this at me & Z's upcoming new monthly, Looking for the Perfect Beat, departing July 4... 1neLuv

//Dmadness' Breathing Apparatus..

2009-05-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

//A lil something for all those coming off a tough week
Everyone working nights and weekends
All my peoples tightening up in the recession
To folks dragged down by drama
People with car problems
Had stuff stolen
Can't find their keys
Or caught a chest cold
All fam on their way to see someone in the hospital
All djs making do with busted gear
And most especially
All my educators almost done with the school year
BREATHE!

Dmadness' Breathing Apparatus (Mini-Mix #3)
1. Blackalicious f/ Saul Williams - "Release pt.2"
2. Black Star - "Respiration (Dr.Luke Remix)"
3. Mystic f/ Donell Jones - "Breathe (Better Days)" <- prod by Kanye
4. Common "Inhale"
5. J.Rawls f/ Venus Malone & Wordsworth "Inhale,Exhale"
6. Q-Tip - "Breathe & Stop"

..1neLuv

//Hey Mama..

2009-05-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

{the lighthouse at Point Reyes}

Miss you mom. Love you!

Goodie MOb - "Guess Who" (Arista, 1995)

//Let's Take It Back to the Old School!!

2009-04-23T22:44:00.001-07:00

presents...

REVERSE

Friday, April 24th
With Your Faithful Residents

DJ MPENZI

& DMADNESS

$5 Cover B4 12
RSVP@ Knowmadicdjs@gmail.com
General Cover $10

Always Old School Hip Hop and R&B

Friday, April 24th
Levende Lounge SF
1710 Mission St. @ Duboce

//And since you made it to the bottom of the post, here's a treat! Allergies, drastic weather, restless kids... let the Biz tell it. 1neLuv..

Biz Markie - "Spring Again" (Warner Bros, 1990)

//Extra Extra Loving..

2009-03-30T23:55:00.000-07:00

//Here are several of the 20+ songs I had to cut from my lovers rock mix Extra Loving to get it to fit on a cd. The first couple drafts I made were 90+ minutes so the choppers had to come out. The chunes I left on the studio floor either didn't fit sonically or were just not the toppa di top. I also left some out cause I didn't want to get too cover-happy. The mix is not about r&b versions and reggae covers (future Knowmadic DJs mix) but about...Love. Nevertheless, these songs were in the original stack of 45s for a reason and they make for good listening on their own. By the way, most of these are pretty rare 7s. Bless up!

Little Kirk - "No Ordinary Love" (Roof International, ?)

Sade cover. Aiight but notable because it's...a Sade cover!

Dubsensemania - "Paradise" (Sony, 2004)

Dubsensemania - "Jah Love Everyone" (Sony, 2004)

Sade cover #2 plus a great original tune. The homie King S02 brought me the 10" double LP Appearance from Japan a while back. It's a Japanese dub reggae band that includes the talented melodica player Ras Takashi (his LP Forward to the East gets regular burn around here) as well as other thorough musicians and vocalists that are part of the legendary Bullwackie's "Far East Chapter." I was also blessed with the the 10" double LP Disappearance of dub versions that goes with it which is extra fresh.

Wayne Wonder - "Groove My Mind" (Shang Muzik, 1992)

Version over the riddim for Mad Cobra's "Flex" (covers a Color Me Badd song, ha!). Love it, really wished it made the cut but it was this or Sizzla so you know..

Richie Stephens - "Overjoyed" (Grand Gallery, 2007)

Japanese press Stevie cover niceness.

Rita Marley f/ Tony Rebel - "Is This Love" (Tuff Gong, 1998)

Inna combination stylee for one of Bob's classics. Novelty factor but in the end just wasn't feeling it enough.

John McLean - "Lovin You" (Peckings, 2007)

Lady Lex - "What A Difference A Day Makes" (Peckings, 2007)

Nice throwback vibe that this label (home of Bitty) is known for. Just couldn't finesse this one, all the segues I did with these sounded terrible. Plus the name of the riddim "Since We Broke Up" kinda killed it.

Marcia Griffiths - "Love Is Automatic" (Penthouse, 2008)

Da'ville - "Tonight Is Yours" (Penthouse, 2008)

Label royal pedigree? Check. Female reggae legend? Check. This really is one of the best riddims of '08 but I copped it the day before I recorded the final draft and it was too late in the game -- I was supposed to be cutting songs, not adding more! There's a nice Marcia-Busy Signal combination on the b-side but I really like the og. This tune was also written by Alaine, who I put on the mix like a dozen times! The Da'ville goes nice with it.

Robin Thicke - "Lost Without U (Reggae Mix)" (Rosies EU, 2007)
UK press niceness. I had put the original on my last V-Day mix so that nixed it. Boring Tyrese reggae version on the flip.

Extra Loving selected by DJ Dmadness available here at the Giant Peach. 1ne Luv..

//SFIAAFF 2009 For Your Mind..

2009-03-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

//Me & Z got a chance to rock the Asian Art Museum for the Opening Gala of the 2009 SF Intl Asian American Film Festival. Here's some flicks from the event, plus photos from the Directions In Sound event at 111 Minna the following night. Big up to Marky//DJ Proof and all the folks that came thru. More coverage here, there and everywhere.

According to this article we played "Junior High Prom" music?!

Mpenzi keepin it knowmadic & Proof looking very marketing directorly

B-Boy Roger fell through

Mama Z at Directions in Sound

GOLDEN A&R Department

Honor Roll!!

The homie Tap had to spin under that disturbing ObamaLincoln//Big Brother portrait

Kush Arora is family, plus he makes these crazy lasers come outta the laptop when he wrecks shop, you gotta see it in real life..

//Universal Magnetic Z&D Scientific..

2009-03-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

//Last GOLDEN me & Zita went all in on the Midnight Mix, digging in to the catalogue of one of the foremost hip hop artists of this generation (sorry Young Jeezy) ...Black Dante aka Pretty Flaco aka Boogie Man aka Dante Beze aka The Mighty Mos Def! Dude has so many tight tracks that there was even a tense moment regarding who was gonna get to play what ;) But you know the dj family that plays together stays together so we put it down for the people that Saturday and I gotta say it came out pretty nice.

Another reason I like spinning these Midnight Mixes: heads will be coming up to booth talking bout "You gonna throw on some Universal Magnetic?" and "I can't leave til I hear Umi Says!" -- I'd rather hear that any day than some Britneyonce featuring T-Wayne request. And big up to my man for putting me up on the A.D.L.I.B. track "All Praises Due," I was not even knowing about that one! Oh and big up to DJ VNA for the Ms. Fatbooty Rmx, that's from his vinyl collection and I've never heard anyone else rock that.

So here it is: 74 minutes of straight universal magnetic b-boy science, knock yourself out. (definitely gotta catch Z's tipsy-on-the-mic "Mighty. Mos. Def. Muthaf****as!!!") 1neLuv..

Z&D Tag-Team Midnight Mix: MIGHTY MOS DEF
DJ Zita & Dmadness
Live at GOLDEN Feb 21 2009

Ghetto Rock
Respiration w/Talib Kweli
Rising Down w/ The Roots
Mathematics
Ms. Fatbooty (White Label Rmx)
7 Days (DJ Premier Rmx) w/ Craig David
Sex, Love & Money
Rock and Roll
There Is A Way
Double Trouble w/The Roots
I Against I w/Massive Attack
Oh No w/Nate Dogg & Pharoahe Monch
Quiet Dog (Sake1 Edit)
Supercat - Nuff Man A Dead
Good Night (Plain Pat Rmx) w/Kanye West
Brooklyn
Brown Skin Lady w/Talib Kweli
Love Rain (Head Nod Rmx) w/Jill Scott
A Brighter Day Rmx w/Ronny Jordan
Definition w/Talib Kweli
Get By Rmx w/Talib Kweli, Jay-Z & Kanye West
Hip Hop
Universal Magnetic
Astronomy (8th Light) w/Talib Kweli
Reminisce w/Bilal
Do It Now w/Busta Rhymes
Hurricane (D's Time You Looked Blend)
The Jackson 5 - If I Don't Love You
U R The One
Bullshittin' w/ N'Dea Davenport
Beautiful w/Mary J Blige
Respiration (Flying High Mix)
Travellin' Man w/DJ Honda
Tinseltown to the Boogiedown (Ali Shaheed Muhammad Variation) w/Scritti Politti
Life Is Good w/DJ Deckstream
Umi Says

//Home Sick Mini-Mix 2: Epilogue

2009-02-26T13:10:00.000-08:00

Epilogue

Last call. The leaves have turned their last fall. The atomic clock in the kitchen has stopped. I empty the medicine cabinet and padlock it forever. Pick up the receiver and leave it off the hook, the dialtone echoing its flatline into the dim archives. The television now shows only live aerial footage from Beirut on every channel. I unplug it from the wall socket which sparks in my hand and shocks me. With a watergun I spray the remaining light bulbs. Glass ruptures and sprinkles onto my childhood. I hit the street as purple hailstones fall from the sky. I catch one in my left hand. It is lukewarm. Four sleek black stretch hovercrafts rove the landscape festooned with rims that keep spinning when they touch down on street corners bursting with moldy desires. I notice that some people have grown fins, some tails. The moon is so close I can see pimples on his scowling cheeks. He has a green glare. California is drowning, flailing and grasping for the last time onto the Hayward Fault, bucking and buckling. I ride the land wave that roars toward me. The San Andreas is three feet untied and widening, the tide three feet high and rising. I fold my skin inside my wallet and traverse the terrain unsheathed. In my jacket pocket I feel the weight of organs that were not there before. Their heaviness comforts me. At the corner of Lakeshore and Nevermore, I step east where the sky is sizzling. I materialize in a grove of redwoods that jut from a rocky outcrop spaced equidistantly. At the northwestern giant I gouge a crescent with my hand and remove three oblong seeds that resemble shark’s teeth. I place one in each kidney and one inside my liver for safekeeping. Discarding my contact lenses I peer from the ancient treetop at the tumbling mountains, beatbox along with the Max Roach on my eardrums and await the next world...

-D.M.
(from my book Cloudbank Robbers, Charms Dealers, and Things of that Nature
to be published when the time comes)

Home Sick Mini-Mix 2: Epilogue by DJ Dmadness

1. "Hour 23" - Eclipse427 f/ Karma Chi (unreleased, 1995?)
This post and mini-mix: simply an exercise in imagining what the the end of the world would look and feel like. Heads that were around in the Telegraph Era (circa '93-'96) will remember Eclipse...he goes by Walt Liquor now. I actually saw him & Karma perform that track at a house party in West Berkeley that True Justice was djing in like '95. By the way, I ripped that from cassette yall (see above-thus the sound quality), and the feedback at the beginning is meant to be part of the song.
2. "Dandelion Dust" - Joi (EMI, 1997..but LP was shelved)
Couple years later when Kirb put me on to Joi's 2nd album masterpiece Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome, I recognized the same loop but this time it was blazed up with Fishbone guitars. I'ma put "Joi Mix" on my to-do list right now.
3. "Da Art of Storytellin', Part 2" - OutKast (LaFace, 1998)
Then comes this Aquemini monster...there's few OutKast cuts where Big Boi outshines Andre but this is one of them..and Dre killed it too! Too many quotables.
4. "Last Day" - Teedra Moses (TvT, 2004)
Last but not least, another LP masterpiece is Teedra's Complex Simplicity. One of the most slept-on R&B/Soul vocalists ever, but more and more I find out how many people have been bumping that album and waiting for her to come back out. Gotta end with the female perspective on the end of the world...beautiful. 1neLuv.

//One (Live Mix) In A Million..

2009-02-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

//Last month at GOLDEN me & Zita put down a special Midnite Mix in honor of Aaliyah, who would have celebrated her 30th B-Day the day before. Help yourself to the live audio recording of the set, and do remember it's live so please excuse any bumps! Also I was sick and just barely made it thru the nite with like 4 tall glasses of OJ and a whole bag of Ricolas, so that's why my voice sounds like that! ..And much love always to FiyahLilly aka Golden A&R Dept for the idea. We do what she says!!

We do it again this Saturday, Feb. 21 when we dig thru the catalog of the one Mighty Mos Def and unearth slept-on joints as well as all of your favorites in anticipation of his forthcoming album The Ecstatic. You know everybody loves Mos Def! Plus films featuring that guy projected on the wall in a GOLDEN stylee! 1neLuv.

Z&D Tag-Team Midnight Mix: HAPPY 30th B-DAY AALIYAH!
DJ Zita & Dmadness - Jan 17 2009 Live at GOLDEN

Throw Your Hands Up
If Your Girl Only Knew
Down With The Clique
Come Back In One Piece f/ DMX
More Than A Woman
I Need You Tonight w/ Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Rock The Boat
No One Knows How to Love Me Quite Like You Do
Back & Forth
Try Again
Are You That Somebody? (Supafriendz Rmx w/ Danja Mowf)
Are You That Somebody?
At Your Best (You Are Love) (Gangster Child Rmx)
It's Whatever
One In A Million
Hot Like Fire
A Girl Like You w/ Treach
4 Page Letter

//Anatomy of ExtraLoving

2009-02-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

//REWIND
This is the third in my series of Valentine's mixes. Now, I'm not a huge fan of V-Day, I'm not all into it... it happened because I wanted to make love-themed mixes dedicated to my incomparable wife DJ Zita. The first one I made when we first started dating! There had been some great love mixes already done, some of my favorites included Neil Armstrong's Warmfuzzy and Cosmo Baker's Love Break. Back in '06 to my knowledge no one had done a mix of Lovers Rock reggae for V-Day, so I did a short selection and made a hand-drawn cover (only 1 in existence!). I liked it a lot so it was the first mix I uploaded and shared online. There are a couple tunes on it that I had to include on the new mix, they just fit so well. It's still up here: LoversRockTunes.

The next year I wanted to take it up a notch, so I did a more eclectic mix with jazz, hip hop, soul, r&b and reggae, got drops from the homie Kirby Dominant, and had my mellow Shing02 create artwork for it, the "Mixtapes in Love" illustration which is brilliant. I called it loveisloveisloveislove... Download here or purchase the CD here.

Later that year, in December '07 I was scheming on my next V-Day mix. I decided I wanted to expand on the first lovers rock mix, make it full-length. Me & Z had gotten booked for "The First Annual Cupcaking Invitational" at Sake1's PST. I did a draft of the mix, but the time constraints were not going to allow me to put it out properly and I didn't wanna halfass it. Plus Sake dropped his Hardcore Cupcaking mix that night which is off the chain.

//FORWARD

So for this year I got started early. I was happy with the draft I had done in Dec.'07 but I knew it was not complete. I am even happier now that I didn't put it out. The year that followed is history: Zita & I got married, and while honeymooning I got to build with selector Red-I in Manila and dig for 45s in Tokyo (big UP Rocker's Island!). Also, I had the Guardian Angel riddim already on my mix, but the acoustic version came out which was dope. Don Corleone dropped his Secrets riddim which was a sureshot for the selection, and Jazmine Sullivan introduced a reggae burner over the Queen of the Minstrel riddim to R&B radio. Then, in a twist of fate our crib was burglarized in October. In the process of rebuilding we finally started converting to Serato. So then I was able to use the built-in effects on the mix and also include 2 tracks that are not on vinyl: Hawai'i reggae band Ooklah the Moc's "You Light" and the super brand new "Forever More" by Alaine & Tarrus Riley. The rest of the selection is almost all Jamaican 45s with like 3 LP cuts thrown in. All in all, you will find a mix deep with classics, some more obscure, and some newer tunes, all top-notch lovers.

I really gotta give it up to Jidan Koon, my folks from way back, who contributed an original canvas to our fundraiser back in November. After I peeped her style I would have to hit her up to create the visuals for ExtraLoving. She came through for real, with a vibrant collage that captures the feeling and the sound of the mix. I just told her to do what she do, whatever comes out naturally, and she did.

Lastly, can't forget my brother MC Zulu. We collaborated on my mix STOP THE FUSSING AND FIGHTING! back in '07 and his voice MUST be included on any reggae mix I do! I used some vocals from our past sessions. MC Zulu is really at the forefront of a future international dancehall sound so get familiar! Lookout for some Riddim Killah mixes from us and SFF part 2 in the future.

//SELECTOR!
Thanks to Green B for having me rock 1LOVE last night for my CD release party and much love to everyone who came thru.
Cop the cd at Giant Peach or holler at me.

Next on the blog: Extra Extra Loving! I'ma post some of the tracks that I had to cut from the mix. Dammit it's hard to keep it under 80mins sometimes!

//1neLuv.

//From a Rebel It's Final/On Black Vinyl..

2009-01-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

//One of my own heroes, Chuck D writes his thoughts on the inauguration, "sleep rapnea", and of Barack Obama entering the terrordome...

Chuck D - "I Got A Letter for the Government" (hiphop.com)

Pharoahe Monch - "Welcome to the Terrordome" (SRC,2007)

//Happy 30th Aaliyah!

2009-01-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

//Staying home sick was a blessing in disguise. Much needed rest and a chance to go through some records for this Saturday's Z&D Midnight Mix in honor of AALIYAH, whose 30th birthday would be tomorrow! From Berkeley to Chicago to Tokyo, whenever I see an Aaliyah record I buy it everytime. Looking at the R&B singers of today, not a single one of 'em has filled the void Aaliyah left when she perished suddenly 7 years ago. My middle school students, 5 years old when she passed, know her music well. She is kinda to R&B what 2Pac is to hip hop.

At the same time, I believe that through and with Aaliyah, producer Timbaland created his best, genre/radio-defying work (Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake? Sike). Their concoctions were far ahead of their time, off-kilter and spacey and beautiful at the same time. She didn't have the greatest vocal range or voice like Alicia Keys, and wasn't as strong a dancer as Beyonce, but she still surpasses them all somehow.

Thank you for your music, Aaliyah. We dedicate this Saturday's Midnite Mix to all those we lost in the past year: Alton Ellis, Bo Diddly, Miriam Makeba, Eartha Kitt, Isaac Hayes, Freddie Hubbard, Oscar Grant, the 1000+ in Gaza, my moms, Romeo's Uncle Mangi and any others you wanna light a candle for. Your love is a one in a million/it goes on and on and on...1neLuv.

Digital Black f/Aaliyah - "Don't Think They Know"

Aaliyah - "If Your Girl Only Knew (Siik Remix)"

//Home Sick Mini-Mix..

2009-01-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

//Day 2 home sick with the flu...but can't help jumping on the turntables! Mos Def's new single dropping sparked me to put these songs together. When you hear the percussion it'll make sense. First, a slept-on DJ Spinna production, second a slept-on J.Dilla production. Third, a good sign for Mos' album The Ecstatic, which is titled after a really dope novel by Victor Lavalle, who also has a awesome collection of short stories called Slapboxing With Jesus. I'll never be mad when an mc or rap group references literature.

Jigmastas f/Sadat X "Don't Get It Twisted"
J.Dilla f/Black Thought "Love Moving"
Mos Def "Quiet Dog"

Now back to bed..1neluv

//January Morning..

2009-01-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

Jah Cure - "January Morning" (Free Willy,2006)

//Fruitvale BART Station, 3PM-7PM TODAY...

2009-01-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

BART officer has yet to give account in shooting 01.05.09 SF Chronicle

Obama 'deeply concerned' over Gaza 01.05.09 Al-Jazeera

Israeli envoy to Caracas expelled 01.07.09 BBC

//Dear President-Elect Obama..

2009-01-05T16:35:00.000-08:00

January 5, 2009

Dear President-Elect Obama:

I am a public middle school teacher, dj and writer based in Oakland, California. I proudly and passionately voted for you on November 4, 2008 and actively campaigned for others to do the same. I was strongly drawn to your message of Hope and Change, as clearly were millions of other Americans. I was especially impressed with your condemnations of “politics as usual” and “politics of division” and in my heart hoped and believed that your rhetoric would have meaning and action behind it. On Election Day I read about and witnessed the reaction of the entire world, as people not only in the United States, but in all continents seemed emboldened by a new hope, including immigrants, Muslims and Arabs here in the U.S., in the Middle East and worldwide. I felt that the world could be a safer place.

Mr. President-Elect, as I write this Israeli F-16s and Apaches continue to light up the Gaza Strip for the 10th consecutive day of “softening” the ground, as Israeli tanks and infantry march into the territory adding to the toll of 548 known Palestinian deaths, many of them women and children. But you know this already. Your astute observations of world politics, race, religion and conflict are well-documented, from the experiences in your memoir Dreams of My Father to your acceptance speech on Election Night when you made the striking announcement, “I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.” You are a student of the world and surely are knowledgeable of such weighty times as these. At the same time, as shown in your rejection of “politics of fear,” you know that Israel’s campaign is not a “war against terrorism” but an extreme injustice.

Mr. President-Elect, it is far overdue for you to offer your voice concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and your vision for U.S. foreign policy. Tell us, will it be “politics as usual” for the U.S. to support Israel’s campaign under your leadership? Will the U.S. under your administration continue Bush's policy of blaming Hamas or will there be Change? The world knows that the U.S. has considerable weight with the Israeli leaders, and considerable capacity to provide humanitarian aid to the people of the Gaza Strip. We cannot wait for your inauguration to hear what your administration plans to do. If anything, your election began the process of restoring our country’s stature as the “beacon of light” that it was for your father and my Filipino grandfathers and grandmothers. Will your administration show this with your decisions and actions regarding the continuing assault on the Gaza Strip?

The Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak is determined to keep pushing to “reach all the goals that we have set for ourselves.” Mr. President-Elect, the slaughter must be stopped now! Your hands are not tied, your eloquent words--startlingly absent this past week--can make an enormous difference. Your weight as soon-to-be President of the United States must be used. The U.S. must apply resources and political capital to press Israel to immediately cease its campaign and allow humanitarian aid to be provided in the strip. In the long term, your administration must adopt a policy that provides safety and justice for the Palestinian people.

I know that you must be saddened and angered by the events unfolding before us as I am. People across the globe are in the streets. Even French president Sarkozy is in the Middle East as Israel has rejected the European Union’s call for ceasefire. Speak now. The people of the Gaza Strip cannot wait. The world cannot wait.

Sincerely,

David S. Maduli
Oakland, CA

sent to the Office of the President-Elect via http://change.gov/page/s/yourstory

//In Rainbows..

2008-12-22T17:44:00.000-08:00

16th & Mission, SFC
December 22, 2008

Vulcan Concepcion, Ometepe, Nicaragua

August 2005

Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
gatefold vinyl artwork by the legendary KAWS
(Can you guys do this for Graduation? Thanks)

"Feel my finger paint as the world spins
Let my finger paint cleanse your sins
My finger's paintin' all colors on your skin
See my reflection in my brother, my twin
I'm sparkin' a light to your soul deep within
You can hear the echo when I drop my pen
The children hold hands under the rainbow
Everywhere we go we bring the same flow"
-D.U.S.T.

Zion I f/D.U.S.T & Susie Suh - "Finger Paint"
(Raptivism,2003)

//Dear Winter..

2008-12-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

//Dear Winter-

//You've got us huddled up inside the house trying to stay warm (hearts go out to those without a home). Got me busting out clothes I used to wear in Boston and Chicago winters. Times is hard, my middle school kids are not even saying anything about the holidays or Christmas, but they are talking about family that got laid off or how they are going to spend their two-week break bored and broke. This year you have coordinated the arrival of your cold with an Economic Winter as well.

Winter, you've got us shivering but we are not shook. In times like these, it is even more important for us to use every opportunity to spread warmth. We know that music, family and friendship (and hey, some liquor too) can keep out the frostbite. You can freeze and blow and (try to) snow outside the double-paned glass, but if you look inside these spots you will see us cozy and smiling:

THIS Saturday, December 20
GOLDEN - Free before 10:30
Golden Soundscapes DJs ZITA & DMADNESS
Midnight Mix - The B Side Wins Again!

Next Friday, December 26
REVERSE - Free Home for the Holidays Edition!
Old School Hip Hop & R&B with Knowmadic DJs MPENZI & DMADNESS
**We will also be collecting warm gear (coats, blankets, sleeping bags, etc.)
to donate to Alameda Point Collaborative which provides transitional housing
for families formerly homeless or otherwise in need of a safe place to live.
Bring your extra presents or unload your closets!

Monday, December 29
SKYLARKING - Free!
Reggae throwdown in the Mission with I&I Vibration Sound's
BEATNOK & MR.LUCKY and special guest DMADNESS

..And they're all either dirt cheap or free, take that! So Winter, stay cold and don't forget to check the bottom for some songs dedicated to you.

Sincerely,

David//DJ Dmadness
Golden Soundscapes//Knowmadic DJs

//D's Frosty Five for the Winter:

1. Kirby Dominant - "Snow" (Rapitalism,1998)
What needs to happen to some of these ringtone rappers out these days: Kirby takes you out to the tundra and buries you in the snow. The beat even sounds like snow, especially that key solo at the end. And the Prince sample is just ridiculous. From Kirb's debut album Rapitalism:The Philosophies of Dominant Pimpin.

2. GZA/Genius f/ D'Angelo - "Cold World (rmx)" (Geffen,1995)
Features one of the illest verses by the Wu's most underrated lyricist: Inspecktah Deck. This one sounds like straight icicles. D'Angelo you better put out that album on '09.

3. Goodie MoB f/ OutKast- "Black Ice" (LaFace,1998)
The way Andre syncopates with the drums on the last verse is a thing to behold.

4. T.O.K. - "So Cold" (Secrets Riddim) (Don Corleon,2008)
I love the intro, they come in sounding like ghosts. T.O.K. are the true masters of Autotune, sorry T-Pain, they've been doing it for over a decade and this is how it should be done.

5. Kanye West - "Coldest Winter" (Roc-A-Fella,2008)
You already know about this. Whatever whatever about the album. It's got good songs and bad, it's Kanye being Kanye: breaking the mold but acting like he's the greatest thing ever for breaking the mold. But I feel you on this one 'Ye cause I lost my mom in the past year too.

//School of Hard Knocks, My IQ is MENSA..

2008-12-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

//I don't mind Kanye's new medium, but for those moments when I just need to hear emcees go in and hospitalize a pretty beat, this is my duo of choice.. at least until Big Boi and Andre3000 make another rap album, the Brothers Thornton play give-and-go with the mic better than any. Double entendres all over the place, Pusha Ton sounding like a wicked hungry jackal, and Malice slanging biblical references better than a Comparative Lit professor. These guys are smart, witty, passionate, and ain't trippin about being p.c.

Excellent mixtape to promote their clothing line, which who cares if it's not that tight, the music is:

Clipse - Road to Till The Casket Drops Mixtape

//Spread Love and Give Thanks..

2008-11-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

//Thank you thank you thank you to all the incredible individuals who have selflessly given of their talent, time and energy to present this benefit event to help Zita & I raise funds to help replace all the stuff that got burglarized from our home last month. Like Biggie said, Spread Love, so I'ma take this space to publicly thank and tell you about some of these folks:

MPENZI
Mwapagha Mkonu is my bredren til the ending. We have djed together since 1999 since before we even had a crew called Knowmadic DJs. When I called him about the burglary, his first response was "We're doing a fundraiser." That's what family is for...and DJ Mpenzi ("my love" in Swahili) is an awesome dad, a brother who loves the people, youth and the community...and is one of the hardest-working, cleanest djs in the Bay. All of us who know him have seen and felt his integrity and selflessness. Don't trip when we let the dollar circulate and throw a benefit raising funds so he can take a trip back to his native Kenya and visit his family! His most recent project is his mix UNWIND Vol.1: The AfroSoul Journey, an fresh exploration of the sounds of the African diaspora and its impact on house, soul, and latin rhythms.

MR.E
Mr. Miguel Escobedo championed true school hip hop, funk and soul as a promoter in the City when that jiggy stuff was takin over... and he won! I remember seeing J.Rocc for the first time at his party, Da Joint, back around '03 and it was off the wall, all these people dancing and singing along and going buckwild..and not a single song by 50 Cent or Will Smith! Mr.E is one of the sickest party-rockers in the Bay who can swing reggae dubplates, hip hop classics, 80s, and salsa & merengue effortlessly. And it don't end there, he is also propretier of Papalote Mexican Grill with its legendary roasted salsa and marinated tofu & soyrizo in addition to your standard taqueria fare. A Bay original, a SFC representative, and a rare man with a huge heart and without ego. At the 3-year anniversary of the Knowmadic DJ party SHELTER (Oct'04), Mr.E slayed the Oasis patio with this classic reggae selection:

PLATURN
Back in the Telegraph Era (circa '93-'97) I knew tall-ass Luke as the DJ for the Richmond/Albany underground hip hop crew Kaotic Order (I think I got a tape here somewhere). Later Platurn established the DJ crew Oakland Faders and is now an internationally recognized selector and turntablist. On the all-around tip he's wicked on the cut, the blend, and the mix, and to say his musical knowledge is vast is an understatement. He's created some of the illest mixtapes ever (So This is De La Heaven, Best of A Tribe Called Quest) and is featured in a documentary about his journey as a dj to his native Iceland called From Oakland to Iceland: A Hip Hop Homecoming.

VINROC
A true hip hop hero, VinRoc is one of the founding members of NY/NJ crew 5th Platoon (Neil Armstrong, Kuttin Kandi), won back-to-back International Turntablist Federation (ITF) belts in '97 and '98, migrated to the Bay and established the elite crew Triple Threat DJs with #1 stunnas Apollo and ShortKut. He also has some of the smoovest mixtapes ever done (the classic Recon_Struction, and his So Much Soul series with ShortKut is now up to 5 volumes!). As his crew name alludes, he combines the best in turntablism, party-rocking and producing music.

SHRED ONE
Coming up as a DJ in the Bay's crowded scene, especially as a woman, is a serious hustle as Zita can testify. Filipina sista Shred One has been hustling and then some since she transplanted from 2 years ago from LA after doing time in NYC, holding down various gigs virtually every night of the week in every corner of Frisco and the East Bay. She currently throws down Thursdays at Le Cirque, Brooklyn Circus' weekly at the Fillimore Yoshi's. Catch her uptempo blend of hip hop, electro, soul and house vibes..and don't be surprised when you bump into a homie on the street buzzing her name, like I did twice in the past month!

JEFF CHANG
This guy was one of my hip hop mentors, he definitely has been a Yoda to many. I actually got my dj moniker from him one late night at KALX 90.7 radio statio when O-Dub used to have his show. Back when I was an intern for Solesides Records (DJ Shadow, Blackalicious, Latyrx) cold-calling record stores and stuffing envelopes with promo tapes at the office(aka his apartment) he talked about how he was gonna write a book about Ice Cube's Death Certificate. Guess what, that book turned into Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation...a book that has garnered more accolades and awards (including beef with KRS-ONE!) than I can remember. He also edited the anthology Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop...all of which have led to his recent naming as a 2008 USA Ford Fellow in Literature. And go back and check the VIBE cover story interview he did with Barack Obama back in May 07 (part 1) and (part 2). Yuh dun know he is also known as crispy clean DJ Zen and will drop decades of knowledge about reggae dancehall any day. Big up to master and thanks for donating an autographed book!

MIXERFRIENDLY
The name comes from a term that SF creator/designer/DJ Justin Marine would use to describe two records that mixed well together. "Positive Apparel" is the tagline, which says a lot in a crowded streetwear game where companies will silkscreen everything from porn stars to handless child diamond miners to sell shirts. Leave it to Mixerfriendly to flip the AK-47 in Malcolm's hand as he peers out the blinds into a trumpet; the iconic lettering of De La Soul's 4th album into "Gas is High"...and that's only the t-shirts! He is also the designer of dope flyers and DJ Zita's logo...and be on the lookout for exclusive collabos with dope musicians like Mark Farina and J-Boogie. True to his generous nature (thanks again for giving my lil cousin a shirt!) Justin has donated 3 canvasses with original designs for the silent auction, which was also his idea. Big up!

MAMA CLOTHING
Gabriella Davi-Khorasanee is the founder and designer of Mama, an SF-based, internationally recognized line for and by the ladies. Zita likes it cause it's "sexy and feminine but not girly", you know for the ladies with streets smarts and class like them badass around the way girls LL was talkin bout. Z should know since Mama has sponsored her from the jump and done a series of mixes together. Gabriella has taken her line around the world and is taking her Winter 08 joints straight to East LA with chola-inspired designs. Check out M.I.S.S. Crew, her collab with stylist Liz Baca, and for the fellas peep her husband/co-owner's design and photography work here at One Hit Wonder SF. And of course, can't forget Mama's velvet and lace-wrapped New Eras and exclusive Adidas (she laced us with a pair so you can get laced at the silent auction) ...plus she makes some bomb-ass mac 'n cheese!

JIDAN KOON
An East Bay native and renaissance woman cut from the same cloth as Mao and Angela Davis, Jidan has held it down in the East Bay as a community organizer for the past 15-some years. Like our President-Elect, she knows the ins and outs of public schools and street corner politics, did church-based organizing in Baltimore, and has formal training in public policy from the Ivy League. Back when we went to Cal, I watched her inspire and politicize generations of up-and-coming youth and young college students (including me) in rallies, community actions and high school events. Based in Oakland, Jidan paints, writes and works as an associate with the Movement Strategy Center continuing her passion for racial justice and the upliftment of communities of color. Much love to Jidan for donating a canvas for the silent auction.

BRYANT TERRY
When I first met eco-chef extraordinaire Bryant through Jidan (they are now engaged) I could feel that he was a genuine, warm dude...plus he was serving up this off-the-hook grilled peaches w/creme fraice dessert! He and I share the same passions of the people, youth, music and food. For him this manifested in creating a nonprofit in NYC called "b-healthy" based on the principles of the Black Panther Party's breakfast programs, for educating youth in sustainable agriculture, food justice, nutrition and preparing healthy delicious food. He went on to author a book about all of these issues called GRUB, the only book I know with recipes that come with playlists (shrimp & veggie kabobs with Mutabaruka, black & blueberry crisp with D'Angelo!). His forthcoming book is called Vegan Soul Kitchen and is the first recipe book I ever saw with cover art referencing Blue Note Records! He is a Kellog Foundation Food and Society Fellow and you can catch him here on NPR, here in 7X7SF Magazine where he is featured as a "Hot 20 under 40," and coming soon in a feature on the Food Network! And if that ain't enough, for those of you getting your menu together, he's got eco-soul Thanksgiving recipes for you right hurr. Thank you sir, for donating an autographed copy of GRUB.

//And of course much love always to our families, neighbors, and friends who were right there for us when it went down, and to all our dj fam who lent/gave us equipment to use. Happy Holidays and see yall Friday for a gathering that's about celebrating community! 1neLuv.

//SlimKidTre, FatLip & Shing02

2008-11-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

//Pharcyde lovers, here is an excellent interview the homie Shing02 did this summer in Japan with Tre and Lip. In it, they discuss how the producer of Dazz Band was an instrumental mentor, their musical foundations in the church(!) & grandparents' house parties...and the finiteness of seedless fruit. Great stuff.

And for the heck of it, here's one of my favorite Pharcyde joints - originally off a compilation called State of Emergency it was later redone on the Labcabincalifornia album as "Devil Music"...but like many things in life, the original is better!
The Pharcyde - "My Soul" (Mad Sounds, 1994)

and also the equally dope:
Shing02 - "Love You Like Water" (unreleased, 2007)
...along with the sweet animated video. 1neLuv.

//Freestylin' on Yall...

2008-11-10T21:31:00.001-08:00

Beyond The Limit DJ'ing at St Rose High School. Circa '87

//It is not widely known that the roots of Filipino American Bay Area DJ scene goes as far back as 1978 with the formation of the mobile crew Sound Explosion at Balboa H.S. in the Excelsior/Outer Mission ...and is a lineage that gave birth to our great Pinoy turntablists Q-Bert, Apollo, Mixmaster Mike, et.al. We really gotta ask the homie Oliver Wang/DJ O-Dub about all this cause he wrote his doctoral dissertation on "A History of the Filipino American mobile DJ scene in the Bay Area, 1978-1995."

There was actually an exhibit a few years back called "Tales of the Turntable: Filipino American DJs of the Bay Area" at San Mateo County History Museum. In addition, here is a photo gallery of old school flyers, business cards, and photos (including the above images) compiled by DJ Slammin Sam and posted by Patrick De La Cruz. The heyday of the mobile scene in the 80s with more than 100 active crews in existence...and guess what, most of the records in the crates were not hip hop, but freestyle!! I mean it was the 80s, and they were all about rockin the house...and it was hella Filipinos at the parties that were all about blowin up the dancefloor like it should be!

According to Wikipedia, "In Miami, the freestyle name evolved after confusion between Tony Butler's track "Freestyle Express" by Freestyle and Debbie Deb's "When I Hear Music", a slightly older but more popular track that was produced by Butler. The sound became synonymous with Butler's production, and the name of the group he was in, Freestyle, became the genre's name." Here is a longer essay about the history of freestyle music if you feel like reading it (it was interesting to me), it gives a lot of credit to some guy Lil Louie Vega. Whatever the case may be, Freestyle is the missing link between Afrika Bambaataa and the Triple Threat DJs, the connection between Filipinos and the two turntables.

So it is with profound gratitude and great humility that Zita and I dedicate a special GOLDEN Midnight Mix to the sounds of '80s Freestyle. Much respect always to the pioneers. 1neLuv.

Here's a couple freestyle flavors:

Corina - "Out of Control" (Cutting Records, 1987)

Trinere - "I Know You Love Me" (Jampacked, 1989)

//Black Man at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave...

2008-11-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

Hahaha yeah! I knew Sizzla Kalonji would come with it!

Sizzla - "Black Man in the White House"

These reggae guys too...

Steel Pulse - "Vote Obama"

Pressure - "Black Man Rise"

Cocoa Tea - "Yes We Can"

//Hope Is That Thing...

2008-11-06T23:00:00.000-08:00

Another Obama post, why not? Especially when the final version of this track off The Abstract's new LP does not have the sample of the 44th prez speaking on hope:

Q-Tip - "Shaka f/Barack Obama" (Universal/Motown, 2008)

//You Cannot Deny..

2008-11-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

The People's Choice. It's been 24 hours and I still can't believe it. But what does it really mean? We have these days to reflect and four years to find out. 1neLuv.

Ray Darwin - "People's Choice" (Tad's, 2007)

//Obama for Best DJ Tribute Mixes

2008-11-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

I'ma keep it simple on this one: I've attempted to do a Round-Up of the DJ mixes that are out there. If anyone has more, hit me up with the link or leave it in the comments. Not many words to say about tomorrow, just keeping my fingers crossed. 1neLuv..

First off though, my man Pete, another teacher-by-day, ____-by-night fam laid this song and video down way before Obama even won the Dem primary:

Damn Pete - "Vote Obama"

DJ Premier - Time 4 Change Mixtape

DJ Green Lantern+Russell Simmons - Barack Obama:Yes We Can Mixtape

DJ Z-Trip - Party for Change Mix (Live at Manifest Hope Gallery, Denver during the DNC)

DJ King Most - The Obamix

DJ Basta - Vote For Hope Mix

DJ Ant-1 - Obama Election Day Mix / Krazy Kids Radio

DJ Noodles - Barack Obama PSA (The Closing Argument) Mixtape