Shafiq feat. Bilal - Cheeba (Extended Web Version) from WHAT MATTERS MOST on Vimeo.
Extended web version music video for "Cheeba" by Shafiq(Sa-Ra) feat. Bilal that incorporates several pieces of music off of Shafiq's debut solo album En A-Free-Ka.
Director: Kahlil Joseph // Photography: Matthew J. Lloyd
Here it comes Theophilus London's third full-length mixtape, I Want You. " hosted by Wa$htie. "Inspired by Marvin Gaye's self-imposed European exile and controversial performance of the national anthem at the 1983 NBA All Star game, I WANT YOU is a collection of dark jams that restlessly examines the promise of love beyond lifestyle. Touching on LA electrofunk, UK indie, tropical escapade and obscure afropop you never knew existed, these are stories from the way we live now: missed connections and misunderstandings, video chats and retweets, returns and deliverables. We know today is all black everything but more to the point: this is now noir as we know it. And this is Theophilus London."
My artist buddy, the famed painter and magic spinner of tales LIVINGROOM JOHNSTON is having a special book-signing event this Monday in celebration of the re-release of his limited edition novel I Don't Want To Think About It Right Now. Livingroom has been spending most of his time lately on his new series of paintings featuring surreal morphing elephants, so this is one of the rare occasions of his public appearance as a writer. Guaranteed good times, don't miss it! (Check my previous feature on him here.)
I first heard ONRA last year through one of my favorite online radio sites, TRUEradio865. ONRA had a smoking 80's boogie mix up (link below) on the site, so I kept him on my radar afterwards. Hailing from Paris, ONRA is a true music nomad whose mixed background and eclectic taste in music made him stand out the first time I came upon his work, such as the 2007 release Chinoiseries, on which he used only Chinese and Vietnamese samples or Tribute, his collabo album with Quetzal from the same year, which showcased his skills as a hip-hop producer. His new album LONG DISTANCE set to drop this month, is a journey through more Dilla and 90s hip-hop -inspired beats, but it has a heavy 80s boogie-funk feel, more in the vein of Dâm-Funk's sweeping modern funk movement. The album will be featuring guest appearances from Reggie B, Buddy Sativa, T3 from Slum Village, Olivier Daysoul, Walter Mecca and promises to be one of the hottest albums coming out of the France this year. Support real music by buying the release! As promised, here is my interview with him (Check his album teaser here). When I sent him the questions, I put on my wishlist an ONRA x Waajeed collabo, only to find out that there is already one in the making! Keep your eyes out for the upcoming single featuring the song he produced with T3 of Slum Village and remixes by Waajeed, among others.
L: Your new album 'Long Distance' gives me a sense of 'freedom & smell of summer & feeling really good under the sun'-kind of vibes. A lot of music that about to come out that I've been hearing from friends have a solar vibration (mostly unreleased yet). Is that something you identify with? Do you see that in the music scene you are connected with? 
L: Artists tend to get sometimes lost in birthing too many project ideas but not finishing them...How do you keep your focus?
Kon & Amir is back with the third installment of their OFF TRACK series “Off Track Vol. III: Brooklyn” on the London-based BBE Records. As expected, the album is packed with a new set of rare ghetto disco, funk & African boogie gems...and as always keeping the tone sexy & sweet. I just got the link for it, so I'm still getting acquainted with it, but I'm really feeling the vibes invoking dark & stormy summer-nights that carries throughout the mix. I think my favorites are SFB's Burning Up and Gerard Pj Brown's Sexy Lady (which is the one new thing I was ever able to put Kon onto). The album will be out later this month and can be bought HERE. The duo is having a release party this Saturday, April 24th at Le Poisson Rouge.
Tri-coastal trio of Stoney Rock (a.k.a. Black Spade), Ced No and Proh Mic, HAWTHORNE HEADHUNTERS is one of the groups on my radar. My homie, Kenny of Freshselects put me on their mixtape last year. I just revisited it again, and it just got stuck in my player for weeks...the dark & stormy beat on 'Shining Star' is one of the illest I've heard in a while. I realized that I never put this up, so here you go, I added their Heaven & Hell podcast (Live at the HVW8 BBQ) & their collabo track with Dâm-Funk to the mix... it's a 3 for 1!
In Kenny Fresh of Freshselects' words :: I know its been a minute but here it is – the highly anticipated mixtape from the new hybrid supergroup, Hawthorne Headhunters. For those of you who still don’t know, HH is a three-headed production/vocal beast consisting of Stoney Rock (better known as Black Spade), Ced No (or I, CED when he’s solo) and Proh Mic. To go along with the EP, we’ve put together this mixtape, mixed by STL cohort DJ Needles, featuring the best of the group’s unreleased works over the years – both solo and as a unit. Also highlighted in the mix are their solo productions for some of their up-and-coming collaborators, including Coultrain, Jada Avenue, JimiJames, Stopha Vasquez, and TeLuv – most of which appear on the EP." The group’s debut project, a five-track EP is out on vinyl and iTunes as the first release on HVW8 Records.
My homie, Amir of KON & AMIR (BBE, Waxppoetics) is celebrating his 40th Birthday at the monthly all-vinyl oasis, I Love Vinyl, which has gotten a bigger venue at the incredible Brooklyn Bowl. They'll be joined by special guest dj Moni on the wheels and Lifenotes recording artist Erik Rico on the mic. Plus visuals provided by friends we love and music docs. I Love Vinyl t-shirts for sale at the party!
My baby toy kitten is coming to Brooklyn this Friday! BODDHI is the cat oracle from PLANET CITRAKA, felinoid by birth, trickster by nature. Here is his magic profile.
