November 2009

When Anti-Pop Consortium announced that it was breaking up way back in 2002 (or ’03 dependent upon whether or not you count the Matthew Ship helmed disc as a proper Anti-Pop release) it seemed like the end of an era. It kinda was. There wouldn’t any longer be a central figure in the weirdo, off kilter rap game. Surely, Anticon and Def Jux were still around, but no one on either of those rosters sat in the same territory of Beans, M. Sayyid and Priest. How could they? The confluence of electronics, BK styled rap stuff and plain artistic invention was so succinctly reveled in over the Anti-Pop discography that it simply couldn’t have been approached again.

But for some reason, the trio’s gotten back together. Read more

The various sagas that make up lifetimes of session musicians – and no, not the session players that the Kinks lampoon in its song – make for some sad footnotes to recorded music in the States. Of course the Funk Brothers come to mind. Having a documentary made about you probably should result in your latter day success. And members of that band have certainly benefited from the raised level of visibility that the group’s received in years since that film, but not everyone gets that shot. McKinley Jackson, Melvin Griffin, Roderick Chandler, Clay Robinson, and Zachary Slater – the folks responsible for trucking out the funk and soul Hof olland-Dozier-Holland – who comprise the Politicians haven’t had that break as of yet. And they probably won’t get it. Read more

Haven't heard from this Boston based emcee in a while. I woulda preferred a new track as opposed to an interview, but that's how it goes.

Ladies and gentleman, the inimitable Jay Electronica.