Category: Profiles

Wu Tang Wednesday: The Clan Brings Da Ruckus

“Bring da Ruckus,” from the Wu Tang Clan‘s debut 36 Chambers LP stands as one of the rawest songs in rap history. As the lead single, and intro track on the album, “Ruckus” set the tone and established the Wu as a crew to be reckoned with. Not a particular long record (4:12, with plenty of filler), each member of the Clan was tasked with establishing themselves as individuals in short yet, impactful verses. With that, came the birth of an organic (gutter) sound that has yet to be replicated.

cousin’ terror, quick damage ya whole era

The record was formatted to sound like a hip-hop cypher but, with a hook from RZA. Four verses and a bridge and everyone on the record went off with aggressive verses and flows. The song has three major samples, interpolating the drums from Melvin Bliss’s 1973 track “Synthetic Submission” and “CB#2” by Ralph Vargas and Carlos Bess. The song begins with a sample of the English version to the film, Shaolin Shadow Boxing.

In a 2015 interview with London-based music technology company Roli, RZA explains how he came up with the sound for Wu-Tang and how he came up with the beat for “Bring Da Ruckus.” He explained that he wanted to use sounds that represented New York City in his beats and sound effects to bring more color to their songs. “When we were making a song called ‘Bring Da Ruckus,’ we took the snare and put it in an elevator sound and recorded it.” He went on to reveal that the reason he used martial arts soundbites was to edit out curse words, thus making songs playable for radio, which he believes is what had kids gravitating to them. RZA loved manipulating sounds to make beats, to him, any kind of sound effect had a musical connotation to them that could be used for any beat.

Beginning with the skit from Shaolin Shadow Boxing, you get a raw and dingy sounding intro, RZA’s hook is then heard but, in a supporting role to the beat, as he shouts “bring da mother f**king ruckus” about four or five times before we get the first verse from Ghostface Killah.

“Ghostface catch the blast of a hype verse
My Glock burst, leave in a hearse, I did worse
I come rough, tough like an elephant tusk
Your head rush, fly like Egyptian musk
Aww sh*t, Wu-Tang Clan spark the wicks, an’
However, I master the trick just like Nixon
Causin’ terror, quick damage your whole era”

Ghostface is aggressive, setting the tone and stage for the others to follow. His verse embodied what RZA envisioned for the record, as he hoped for a pull no punches attitude from whoever rapped on the beat. The verse was quick but to the point, as Ghostface established himself as a someone to be reckoned with, bringing an attitude full of terror and dominance. Raekwon followed up, without a break from the chorus.

Given’ bystanders heart attacks

“No doubt, and you watch a corny n***a fold
Yeah, they fake and all that, carryin’ gats
But yo, my Clan rollin’ like forty macks
Now you act convinced, I guess it makes sense
Wu-Tang, yo, soooo represent!
I wait for one to act up, now I got him backed up
Gun to his neck now, react what?
And that’s one in the chamber, Wu-Tang banger
36 styles of danger”

Rae followed Ghost with a great verse painting a picture like he loves to do in his rhymes and directly putting you in the scenario that he paints. His tone and his delivery made you imagine him actually putting a gun to some one’s neck waiting on him to “act up.” Finishing up with a reminder that the clan was made up of different members, who each brought something to the table, or as he said, “36 styles of danger.”

36 Styles of Danger

Rapping third, Inspectah Deck might have had the best verse of the entire song, using wild terms, metaphors and rhyme schemes that kept the listener captivated. Like he said in his verse he verbally assaulted this track leaving listeners stunned like literal stun guns.

“I rip it, hardcore like porno-flick b***hes
I roll with groups of ghetto bastards with biscuits
Check it, my method on the microphone’s bangin’
Wu-Tang slang’ll leave your headpiece hangin’
Bust this, I’m kickin’ like Seagal: Out for Justice
The roughness, yes, the rudeness, ruckus
Redrum, I verbally assault with the tongue
Murder One, my style shocks your knot like a stun gun”

GZA (aka da Genius) was tasked with finishing off the record and he didn’t disappoint.

“Givin’ bystanders heart attacks
N***as try to flip, tell me, who is him?
I blow up his f***in’ prism, make it a vicious act of terrorism
You wanna bring it, so fuck it, come on and bring the ruckus!
And I provoke n***as to kick buckets
I’m wettin’ cream, I ain’t wettin’ fame
Who sellin’ ‘caine? I’m givin’ out a deadly game
It’s not the Russian, it’s the Wu-Tang crushin’ roulette
Slip up and get fucked like Suzette”

He ends the songs perfectly, adding to the theme of the record and showcasing his now famous lyricism.

“Bring Da Ruckus” is one of the more impactful intro songs in hip hop history. It highlighted four of the major members of the group, establishing their style and unique sound and slang, while also previewing a new era of hip hop, one that celebrated being from the streets not only in lyrics but in how the records were produced and mixed.

September 2, 2020
Before Live Music Resumes, Stage Crews Need a Hand

I jumped on an opportunity last year: I worked around New York City on stage crew as a stagehand and production assistant. On show nights, I wore all black. I set up electronics, speakers, lights, and stages for artists big and small. I hustled as one of thousands of production assistants who make live shows possible as part of stage crews.

An empty stage waits in Midtown, Manhattan. Photo by Zach Hitt.

In March of 2020, a confirmed COVID-19 case infected Westchester. That changed everything. Now in August, many more cases and many businesses remain closed. Those that have reopened endure significant operating restrictions. Most industries have a lot less money in their cash register. Some businesses have gone belly up.

No live music for a while, either. Fans know this. Eliot Byron knows this. Byron began rigging live shows 25 years ago. serving on the stage crews of the IATSC Local One in NYC and as the Crew Chief of Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

The Capital Theatre. Photo by Chad Anderson.

Just a few train stops north of Westchester, Port Chester shows came to a halt in March — as well as the rest of New York, under the orders of Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“We had a live event [in March]…but they started getting calls and decided not to do it. That was the first indication that we weren’t gonna see live shows for a while” says Byron.

A Stagehand assembles and tests lights. Photo by Zach Hitt

Lights, Camera, Action…

The quarantine disappointed fans and live stage crews alike. But a stagehand’s job is comparable to a goalie. A majority of the time, it’s thankless, difficult work that goes unnoticed if executed correctly. But stagehands are the first to take the blame when things go wrong. “The artist [needs a crew]…that safely unloads trucks in a timely manner. You can’t just grab random guys off the street to do this, either. We are the manpower that gets these shows in and out in a safe, efficient process,” Byron explains.

Byron tells me that stage hands often take part in setting up the stage, lights, and sound, connecting the artist’s equipment with the venue’s electronic set up. It’s neither simple nor easy. And if the government or the industry doesn’t provide financial help soon, crew chiefs like Byron will be tasked with hiring and training all new crews who have less familiarity with the equipment, and less experience. “If this goes on for a long time without some kind of incentive to keep people in the industry, then we’ll be tasked with training a whole new set of people to perform a very, very specialized task,” says Byron. The lasting effect could have extreme ramifications for not only the live music industry, but surrounding businesses like bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and attractions, all of whose sales increase during live shows.

Give the people what they want?

Fans of The Neighbourhood gather at Terminal 5 in Manhattan for a concert.
Photo by Zach Hitt.

Frequent attendees of live music have voiced their concern on social media and in public. Some people want economies to reopen immediately, while others have shared concerns of spreading the COVID-19 virus. But while these fans have the safety of their homes and many have other jobs to return to, stage crews will likely be the last group of people to restart their employment. “We were the first to be shut down and we’ll be the last to go back to work,” says Byron.

Who are those guys backstage?

While many people understand that putting on a live show is a team effort, many do not understand the role of a stage crew. And to add confusion, major touring bands have their own road crew, or “roadies,” that differ from stage crew. A road crew is a team of technicians that travels with the performer to assist the artist with the equipment they bring, such as guitars or drums. Stage crews function as a bridge between the artist’s equipment, and the venue’s, such as the speaker system, lights, and sound mixers. In order for a show’s success, the two teams have to work together.

In most venues, especially larger ones, an event employs a team of specialists to lay tracks for a performance. This includes building a heavy stage, lifting bulky speakers, and hoisting enormous light shows to extreme heights. Falls, injuries, and series harm all sit and wait for the first sight of a shaky team or wavering leadership.

Different Vans, Different Plans

Some stage hands moonlight as roadies for touring artists. I met Luis “Lou” Rodriguez working on stage and A/V gigs around NYC. Rodriguez’ professionalism cannot be overstated. Along with local A/V gigs, he started working as the monitor engineer for Big Sean in 2015. Rodriguez takes responsibility for the sound heard by the artists in the stage monitors. He’s carved several big name notches on his stage belt, including The Bronx’s Cardi B, Chicago’s Common, and Yo Gotti from Memphis.

A roadie fixes the sustain pedal on a grand piano prior to a Jojo and Jordan XL show in Queens, NY. Photo by Zach Hitt

Help Wanted

Nowadays, stage techs and roadies struggle in the same predicament: finding work. Since it is not easy to switch careers, many of those who used to lift heavy speakers and lights now depend on the kindness of tax dollars and crowdfunding to make ends meet. “There are crew members who have not gotten ahead of this. There are no shows, so that means no income for us. But we still have lives to lead,” says Rodriguez. “Everything around the house has gotten tighter.”

While the American government sent out a $1,200 check to adult citizens two months ago, a statistically low number of people live in areas where this covers more than one month of rent. An additional $600 sporadically made its way to certain qualifying individuals, but this has not alleviated the struggle, especially considering that most stage hands live in major cities where rent and medical bills can swiftly pile, Rodriguez tells me.

Will we see live shows again soon?

Different experts have shared opinions on when major US industries such as shows and sports will reopen to the public. While Dr. Anthony Fauci, a reputable infectious disease specialist, has repeatedly warned that the US should stay seated until we have a vaccine. Others propose middle ground: a plan to reopen. Either way, the day that hundreds of people can stand close together in the same room is undetermined.

“There’s no set day,” Rodriguez says. “In Europe, they’re trying a few things out. They’re holding some festivals while social distancing, so the audio set up [and my job] pretty much stays the same.”

Ending one song and starting another

Even if the US reopens, many people and venues fell behind on bills long ago. For this reason, several groups have proposed petitions for government intervention and assistance. A UK protest, themed “Red Alert,” saw many venues shine red lights outside as stage techs walked through the streets with equipment cases, according to a report by The BBC. The uproar has walked hand in hand with organizations like NIVA, or National Independent Venue Association to lobby for bills like The Save Our Stages Act, a bill which proposes $10 Billion Dollars in funding venues and stage crews during the financial burden of the COVID-19 outbreak. New York Senator Charles Schumer co-sponsored the bill.

Either way, the stage hand and roadie are both important parts of the live music industry, and the economy at large. Without them, we don’t have live shows. And without live shows, our economy sees less stimulation as live shows directly impact their surrounding environments negatively. This means a noticeable decline in sales for bars, nightclubs, and more. “I don’t know if it’s financially viable to put on the shows without an audience. They still have the paperwork, the utility, the taxes. There’s all the employees, stage crew, bartenders, security. How long can they last?” Byron considers.

People selling merchandise outside The Capital Theatre. Photo by Chad Anderson.

For The Capital Theatre, owned by Peter Shapiro, efforts to keep the venue open included an outdoor merchandise sale featuring hats, masks, and posters. Additionally, the sign outside the building directs those who love live music to call Congress and support SaveOurStages.

The sign outside The Capital Theatre. Photo by Chad Anderson.

What Can We Do for the Stage Crew?

The public must call upon political leaders to pass new legislation in order to help stage hands, roadies, and concert venues. You can read more about Save Our Stages by visiting their website, SaveOurStages.com.

But even with some solutions proposed, unanswered questions about live shows still linger pending a major change, like a vaccine, Byron notes. “Planning a tour is tenuous. Who is gonna ensure the tour? Who is responsible if the artist gets sick and misses a couple days?”

The same could be said about a stage crew: what will they do when they still aren’t allowed to work and the government’s assistance dries up?

August 31, 2020
Wu Tang Wednesday: ODB joins Mariah Carey on “Fantasy”

They say you never know how good something is until you try it, who knew that peanut butter and jelly would set the world ablaze? Sometimes, pairing opposites makes for a grand result. This was the case when pop star –Mariah Carey — remixed her hit record “Fantasy,” featuring the most erratic member of the Wu Tang Clan, ODB.

Also known as Ol’ Dirty Bastard — “because there ain’t no father to his style” — is recognized as one of the most raw, unorthodox, unpredictable and authentic personalities to ever grace hip hop. As such, he was an unusual pick to feature on Mariah Carey’s chart-topping single. Known for his free nature and wild behavior, the mixture of his tainted public image alongside Mariah Carey’s pristine image made for a head scratcher to many.

The late Ol’ Dirty Bastard has had his fair share of discrepancies

The original record was the lead single off her Mariah’s fifth studio album, 1995’s Daydream, written by Carey and Dave Hall and produced by Bad Boy Records.

Known primarily as a pop star, Mariah Carey wanted to make a splash in the hip-hop scene and personally requested to have ODB on the remix. In an interview with Genius, hip hop journalist, Rob Markman, praised her for making collaborations with hip hop artists popular, as she went on to explain why she was so intent on having Wu Tang’s bad boy on the record. Divulging that since she grew up in New York, she listened to the same music as everybody else, and since hip hop was major in New York, she loved it and wanted to incorporate some of their production in her music. Her fandom of the late rapper was the reason behind her request, despite the disapproval of label executives.

Sweet, sweet fantasy baby

In a 2016 Billboard feature, the backstory on how the record came together was revealed. Corey Rooney (A&R for the track), said he reached out to ODB, who wanted $15,000 to rap on the record and since it wouldn’t have put a dent in Mariah Carey’s budget, it was fine with him.

On the day of the recording, ODB showed up three hours late, drunk, and on the phone, arguing with his girlfriend. After the commotion, he asked for some Moet and a box of Newports before recording, to which Rooney responded that they were already behind schedule, which resulted in him accusing the assistants of being “white devils who don’t want to let black people have anything.” He ended up throwing a bottle of Heineken in disgust when it was all the crew could find.

The “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” rapper proved to live up to his reputation of being difficult to work with by only rapping one line at a time and napping in between lyrics. Eventually they were able to complete the verse but, had to pay him another $15,000 to appear in the video.

Gone but never forgotten

The remix differs slightly from the original, as it sampled Tom Tom Club’s 1981 record “Genius of Love” (per Mariah Carey’s request, as it was one of her favorite songs growing up), as well as, Dirty’s “Baby C’mon” and “Goin’ Down.”

The record made Mariah Carey he first female artist in history to have a record debut at the top of the Billboard 100, spending eight consecutive weeks at number 1. The cover for the single was done by photographer Steven Meisel and Mariah Carey made her directorial debut as she created the video concept and picked the location.

Carey and Dave Hall wrote the song about a woman who was in love with a man and every time she saw that man, she started having fantasies about him and a potential relationship that was impossible. ODB’s verse was nothing to write home about, as it was a drunken freestyle.

Oh, when you walk by every night
Talkin’ sweet and lookin’ fine
I get kinda hectic inside
Mmm, baby, I’m so into you
Darlin’, if you only knew
All the things that flow through my mind

Mariah set the mood with her opening verse singing about how the man walks through her mind and how she perceives him talking sweet to her. ODB’s verse was all over the place but his melodic flow carried him throughout the record.

Me and Mariah
Go back like babies with pacifiers (That’s right)
Old Dirt Dog’s no liar
Keep your fantasy hot like fire
Jump, jump, let me see you do the stump
Girls, let me see you shake your rump
Brothers, hit it from the back and front
And let’s do it, do it, do it, uh-huh
I’m a little bit of Country
I’m a little bit of Rock and Roll
And I’m soul to soul
Big letters, all big and bold
Old Dirty Bastard across the globe

While not that long, the verse was still impactful, as his raw and unorthodox rap style gave it the extra credibility it needed to appeal to hard-core hip-hop fans.

The influence of “Fantasy” has had a long-lasting effect. It introduced R&B to hip-hop — and with Mariah Carey’s status as a pop superstar — helped grow the genre. Yet, for many, the song will always be remembered for Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s iconic feature. Not because of the quality of his verse, but because his mere presence and his unapologetic way of living was a representation of everything hip hop was about and he didn’t change for anyone.

August 26, 2020
Speaking Truth to Power through Music: A conversation with Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II

Throughout the summer, protests surrounding the shootings of unarmed Black Americans led to calls for police reform, with success that can already be seen across the country and world. Black Lives Matter has changed the national dialogue on race and brought it out of the shadows. There is one musician who has been using his improvisation skills to bring to light those who have been killed or injured at the hands of the police – Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II.

McKenzie is a prolific improvisational drummer with a fierce discipline and connections to the late ’80s hip hop scene in Brooklyn. Learning from Everett Collins (Isley Brothers) and world-renowned drumming teacher, Dom Famularo, McKenzie has developed a firm basis in theory and has evolved thanks to his discipline behind the kit. Having traveled the world performing, McKenzie has toured and recorded with instrumentalist Elliott Sharp, guitarist Marc Ribot, and Grammy nominated jazz composer Roswell Rudd, among others, and backed hip hop and R&B artists including Pharoahe Monch, P.Diddy, Grave Diggaz, New Kingdom, to name a few. McKenzie also serves as musical director for Kat DeLuna, and teaches master classes at the Brooklyn Music School.

photo via 577 Records

Best known for Silenced and Silenced II, two extremely powerful albums with tracks named after a POC who lost their lives due to police brutality, McKenzie is wrapping up Silenced III, a double album to be released in late 2020.

McKenzie spoke with NYS Music about Black Lives Matter and his Silenced albums, playing with Nels Cline, how Vernon Reid has helped him along in his career, and the next chapter for the compelling improvisational drummer.

Upon first glance at Silenced, the track names stand out, each being a Black American who were victims of police violence, many lesser known names. The tracks themselves are entirely (99.5% as estimated by McKenzie) first takes and unedited version. While smaller parts may need to be cleaned up, the goal was to have it completely unedited and completely improvisational. McKenzie shared his insight into these two unique factors:

If one person can be drawn to my music, my art, for music’s sake, the musicality of my work, and they see a song title – if one person goes to Google and researches their name, I think I’ve done a service to the world. A lot of people are not as aware of the injustices and the every day trauma of living in America in Black skin.
It’s a way to move a person closer to acknowledgement of certain people’s humanity. Not 100% of name titles are people that have been killed by police, some are people who were killed in tragic circumstances.

McKenzie wants people to research these individuals – he does not seek to tell people to do this, or to be shamed or browbeaten into researching someone. Giving these names to song titles allows, in this words, for “the art to travel while he sleeps.”

If it leads to someone saying “Who is Malissa Williams?,” then it is a service to the world and the people as well. Let’s say my album is being played in Ukraine – everybody has their own strife and troubles and drama – they could be listening to this and wondering, ‘Who are these people?’ I wanted people’s names to resonate on a global scale, as far as my art can take it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCeAOg2iyYI

Linking up with Wilco’s Nels Cline would lead to the high-powered “Sandra Bland,” the first track off Silenced. The pair did not discuss what they would play, nor did they run down or plan it out – the track is fully improvised, purely organic and in the moment. You can hear the first to the last note they played together on “Sandra Bland.” And they’ve played together since, with Sean Lennon and Captain Kirk (The Roots), but the first notes from McKenzie and Cline are on Silenced.

The first time I met Nels Cline I was on a trio gig with Elliot Sharp and Melvin Gibbs, and Nels was on the same bill and I just loved his sound and his playing. While I was recording these albums, I wondered if I could get him on this. I was walking by the music store Main Drag, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and just by chance he just happened to be walking out and I was like, ‘Nels, what’s up?’ and we made arrangements to play and he was the first one that recorded on this album.”

Once he cut “Sandra Bland” with Cline, McKenzie sent an unmixed version to Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid, who, according to McKenzie, “went crazy,” and expressed interest in being on a track, which would later be titled “Eric Garner.” It turns out McKenzie and Reid have a long history going back to Living Colour’s rise to prominence in 1988 with the release of “Cult of Personality,” and the two would link up to perform in Reid’s Masque.

I think that improvisation (with Cline) set a high bar, and while some musicians might have been scared off from the studio concept, and some are competitive (especially guitar players) Reid loved the challenge and having played together since 1995, we have a great musical relationship. It was superb.
I met Vernon around 1988-90 when I was 17. Living Colour had a special place in young Black musicians’ hearts, esp those who were playing instruments. Most people were pure hip-hop heads, into the drum machine, and that’s great too, but as a drummer and those who were guitar players (Eddie Reyes – Taking Back Sunday) – we’d all go in the house and play Living Colour covers, Slayer and Metallica covers, all in my parents garage. Vernon was an idol of mine. The video for “Cult of Personality” changed a lot of people’s trajectory in life; that was a big deal for me.
I was playing (drums) in the rap group New Kingdom and I was at the record label, on top of Tower Records at 4th and Broadway. In that building was Island Records and I used to hang out the label, drink the water, absorb the whole thing of being in the music business. There was a release party for a Gravediggaz album that I was on and Vernon came to pick up his invite. He gave me a copy of his first solo CD with Masque. I was so impressed I went home and practiced it; I was just so impressed that he would semi-remember me from stalking him as a teenager.
Long story short, something happened with his (Masque) drummer, a friend of mine, Curtis Watts, and Vernon asked me to step in and I showed up at rehearsal, I was over-rehearsed – I knew every song, every inflection.

From connecting in 1995, to recording with Masque, Reid would use McKenzie in many of his projects, with the Yohimbe Brothers and DJ Logic, the third Masque album, live performances, improv, and soundtrack work. McKenzie notes the depth of the connection: “Vernon is just my guy, Vernon is like a musical father to me.”

McKenzie’s collaborations started when he was 16 and recorded a demo for TBT records with the band Three Feet Deep. And while the band was not signed, listening back recently, McKenzie notes, “It’s still happening.” The next group he performed with, Gravediggaz, would lead to broader connections.

I used to be at the recording studio hanging out with Wu Tang Clan – this was Firehouse Recording Studios – and I went to the same high school as De La Soul in Amityville – they knew I was eager and into my music, so they always wanted me around, so that was a big deal.

This connection at age 16 would allow McKenzie to hang out with rising artist A Tribe Called Quest, who he has memories of going to a Hampton’s homecoming game with on the bus, alongside De La Soul, Tribe, Hieroglyphics, and road manager Chris Lighty (Violator).

I started out playing more straight material – less improvisational music – but as I’ve developed and gone on in my career and life, I’ve realized that more of a Cecil Taylor improvisational path is better for me, as opposed to recording in sections. I love playing in the moment, and in an improvisational setting. That’s where I’ve seen my individuality and creativity coming to life. That’s where my head is right now and I want to just move forward and push forward with that.

Two years since Silenced II, a new project is in the works – a double album – inspired in part by the Black Lives Matter movement and protests this summer.

I’m working on a double album right now. I don’t want to be the guy to milk this cow. I made a statement, and the statement is relevant today. I think that capitalism under this American imperialism and colonialism, it will still say relevant. We seem to try to disconnect ourselves from the violence and oppression overseas and the violence of the military and violence of the police; it’s just different GPS points. I made a statement and it’s relevant, but it would be suppressive and anti-creative to keep doing the same thing.
When I made that statement with Silenced and Silenced II, I had no idea that the situation in America would come closer and bring people closer to what I was saying years ago. But that’s what’s happened. It’s been three years since I got in the studio and played these tunes. I have more work than play but I don’t want to tip my hat, a good way to maybe give you an inkling, yes it will be a majority improvisational, which is I think a really strong way to express myself at this point in my life, and it will be a double album and really like an audio Jackson Pollak.

With two young children, McKenzie has been focusing on parenting during the pandemic, doing his best to mitigate the damage of sudden isolation from school and peers.

I’ve been able to use the studio and just be here for days on end and just practice and practice and listen to music and a lot of great drummers. I get inspiration from visual things so I look at different artists and get different sounds from different art. Someone said they hadn’t ever heard birds chirping in Brooklyn, because there were no cars, and no one was out, and that has been a source of inspiration.

Overall, McKenzie has been spending time with his children who have been the focus of his attention as he moves forward in a positive way for everyone’s benefit.

He’s also been in the studio, using French band Gojira‘s studio space since they are out of town and admire what he does. “Stuff like that would never happen if the lock down didnt happen, the studio would be full up,” said McKenzie. They love what McKenzie is doing and offered up the studio for him. His next studio offering drops this fall.

August 26, 2020
This Day in Hip Hop: Lauryn Hill’s ‘Miseducation’ inspires a generation

Lauryn Hill has not released an album in nearly two decades (2002’s live album, MTV Unplugged No. 2.0). Yet, her presence within pop culture remains. Much of it can be accredited to her work as a member of the Fugees — whose sophomore album, The Score, has been certified 6X platinum in the United States by the RIAA, with 22 million copies sold worldwide — as she garnered her first top 10 hit with her rendition of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly,” earning her and group-mates Wyclef and Pras the top spot on the Billboard 100.

ooh la la la

Piggybacking off of the success of The Score, the artist now known as Ms. Lauryn Hill, reached folklore status when on August 25, 1998, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill hit record stores. Distributed by Columbia records, the album was primarily recorded at the late Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong studios in Kingston, Jamaica. Hill had developed a romantic relationship with Rohan Marley, son of the legendary Reggaeton artist, and the family-oriented nature of the Marley’s was her respite, as she recorded what is now considered her magnum opus.

Classified primarily as a neo-soul and R&B album, The Miseducation also includes elements of hip hop and reggae, while implementing plenty of live instrumentation — some notable names include: a young pianist by the name of John Legend, R&B superstar D’Angelo, along with famed guitarist Carlos Santana. Accompanying the excellent musical composition was Hill’s heartwarmingly soulful voice, as the album’s contents served as inspiration for a generation of men and women. She didn’t pretend to be perfect, as the scathing Wyclef Jean aimed diss track –“Lost Ones” — showed, she was capable of animosity. She shared stories of desperate attempts to save her relationship on “Ex Factor,” while the Billboard charting single “Doo Wop (That Thing)” shared messages of self-worth (“how you gon’ win if you ain’t right within” has become one of the more transcendent lyrics in music).

From tales of newfound love on “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” to the fulfillment one finds in their child on “To Zion,” Lauryn Hill’s wide range of emotions on The Miseducation captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Add in the many biblical idioms she drops on records like “Final Hour” and “Forgive Them Father” and you have the makings of a God-fearing woman whose romantic struggles have left her scorned for the better, finding love within her religion, her children and newfound romance. What’s not to like about that? Apparently nothing, as The Miseducation went on to sell over 8 million copies in the United States, as she cleaned up at the 1999 Grammy awards, winning 5 and being nominated for 10.

She wrote her opus to reverse the hypnosis, the awards just came along

So, today, we celebrate Lauryn Hill for her contributions to music, and if she never drops another album, we can be happy with the fact that she was open enough to share all of herself on The Miseducation.

August 25, 2020
Utica Indie-Rocker Cait Devin Gains Attention

Cait Devin is an 18 year old indie/alt pop/rock singer-songwriter from Utica. Although young, this self-described “strummer and shredder” is musically and creatively talented. Cait currently is an independent artist, but recently released her first album and has collaborated with several other artists.

Cait tells NYS Music, “I’ve been singing my whole life, but picked up an acoustic guitar in my mid teens. I began playing lead guitar two and a half years ago and ever since, I’ve spent a lot of my time diving into it more.” Her album, Cait Devin (Unplugged), is entirely acoustic; however, she still spends a lot of time with her electric guitar.

Cait says that “just keep playing” has been her motivational mantra since the start of her career, and she has not disappointed herself. Despite her young age, she “has written hundreds of songs.” When she was just 16, she was a SAMMY’s People’s Choice Award finalist before even having a record out. She won “Extrodinary Talent of the Week” in Syracuse, and, later that year, released her first EP, “Gemini Rising.” Soon after, she booked a tour in Nashville.

Cait frequently uploads original songs and covers of various artists online and proves to have a wide range of talent. She’s covered The Cranberries, MGMT, The Beatles, Slipknot, and more. She’s covered so many artists that she “wouldn’t be able to pick” her favorite. She even remixes famous songs and themes, making them entirely her own. She has entire playlists of covers and originals on YouTube available for free.

Cait writes about her own experiences, saying she draws inspiration from life. “I take random inspiration here and there and just write about it,” she comments. “Some of my influences for my songwriting include Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Grimes, and the Weeknd. As far as my lead playing goes, I would say players like Nita Strauss and Steve Vai.” The great variation in her top influential artists perfectly shows how Cait’s music style and skill are so adaptable. She can blow audiences away with soft acoustic pieces but still shred like a pro. Her powerful and emotional vocals shine brightly in every piece she writes or covers.

Although a young independent artist, Cait’s talent is attracting attention. She’s performed at different venues, and recently went live on the News 12 Facebook page and played two songs from her album, and has previously been featured on top NY radio stations. She has over 2k subscribers on YouTube, and more than 8k followers on Facebook. She’s collabed with Jared Dines, Hiram Hernandez, and more, and recently appeared on the single “Unbroken” by Michael Angelo Batio, along with Vinnie Moore and Andy James. She also has a new, big “shred collab” project in the works, but can’t say much about it. Be sure to follow her for updates!

Cait Devin (Unplugged) is available for purchase or streaming, and she has more singles and EPs available on Spotify. Follow her on (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to stay up to date on all of her content.

August 18, 2020
Wu-Tang Clan’s Masta Killa Celebrates 51st Birthday

It has been well established that Wu-Tang Clan remain to be one of Staten Island’s proudest musical groups. However, the groups most recognizable members such as Ghostface Killah, RZA, and GZA stand in the way of the groups lesser known but equally important members. Today, we focus on Masta Killa, one of the more obscure members of the famed Wu-Tang.

Born Elgin Turner in Brooklyn, 1969, Masta Killa, though one of Wu Tang’s lesser known members, proved himself to be a mainstay throughout the group’s evolution throughout the 90’s.

Masta Killa was the last to join the Wu Tang Clan and, subsequently, was not featured on the group’s debut single, “Protect Ya Neck.” The only Masta Killa feature on Wu-Tang’s debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (38 Chambers) can be found towards the end of “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’.” Killa was one of the only members of Wu Tang that had not had a technical background in rap with almost zero experience as an MC. While the rest of Wu-Tang was recording verse after verse on 38 Chambers, Masta Killa was concentrating his efforts on perfecting his flow.

Masta Killa’s absence of rudimentary hip hop techniques led to him being taken under the wing of Wu-Tang founder, GZA. While the majority of Wu-Tang Clan’s members were known for their hyper and energetic flows, Killa and GZA in contrast had a much more relaxed and slow-paced, almost effortless flow. The similarities between the two are evident on the group’s sophomore album, Wu-Tang Forever, which saw improvements in Masta Killa’s technical ability. The two would continue to influence each other’s flow and delivery throughout the remainder of their both careers.

Masta Killa’s solo career began in 2004 when he released No Said Date which was met with high praise from Wu-Tang fans. Songs such as “Old Man” helped to cement Killa’s solo career which would continue throughout the early 2000s with his latest album, Loyalty is Royalty, in 2017.

August 18, 2020
Wavy Cunningham and DJ Mercy Continue the Fight on Two New Projects

If one thing is clear, it’s that Wavy Cunningham always makes music. I’ve seen him write a song in a notebook, and then release it days later. He never waits. He gave his fan base a week between the releases of his new EP, Fight Back, and album, Club Wavy. They set sails on July 31st and August 7th, 2020, respectively.

Photo by Zach Hitt

Always Be Closing

Wavy might not yet be a household name, but his charisma and performance style converts first time listeners into fans with little effort. That’s how he got me to listen. I’ve seen this happen during live sets, both at shows where he’s the featured headliner, and guest spots on stage too. But his ease around people doesn’t negate his work ethic.

Unique Style

In fact, Wavy, along with his frequent collaborator and producer DJ Mercy, enjoy writing, recording, and releasing music in extremely quick succession, unlike certain artists who wait for “outside influences and people around them” to lead to an album’s refinement, Wavy says.

Every year, major league record labels dispose of a tremendous amount of resources for their artists to drop a project only once every few years, on average. However, Wavy releases multiple projects per year without a label, so I talked with Wavy about his process, his plan, and his methods. We also dug into his newest work, Club Wavy and previous efforts such as Catch Me If You Can (2016).

More Music on Deck

At this point in time, Wavy Cunningham and DJ Mercy have over five projects on Spotify with dozens of smaller EPs, demos, singles, and mixtapes collecting listens on SoundCloud. “We also have a bunch of unreleased projects,” says Wavy. It allows the duo to pull from a vast repertoire of well-written rhymes and vintage samples when it comes to live shows. And Wavy is not concerned about what others are doing. He mentions wanting to go his own way, instead of “running on the hamster wheel,” or following the same pattern that other artists do.

The New Normal

Speaking of shows, performance is Wavy’s bread and butter, in my opinion. So with a lot of the world shut down due to the dangers of the COVID-19 health crisis, we might not get to see his live vibe for songs like “Doin’ My Thing,” (one of my favorites) and “1B” for quite awhile. Wavy told me that platforms like Twitch and live streaming methods have allowed him and other artists to put on virtual shows. “We’ve done…a concert on Instagram Live and we pulled out unreleased tracks. It’s cool to [be able to] do that.” Wavy also said that he and DJ Mercy have tentative plans for another Internet set, in which they’ll perform an album from beginning to end.

Most Improved Goes To…

Although the concept of recording and turning over material so quickly may seem chaotic, Wavy has a plan for the future, and music waiting to be released. “Each project is a learning experience,” he says, in which he and Mercy have been able to learn from each studio session and improve the listening experience little by little. They’ve made little changes along the way that lead to a steady climb in quality.

Notably, Entreband’s MostlyEverything took care of the mix and master to balance out the technical sonics of both projects, and producers Frank Finesse, Phil Dreisin, Hyuka, and N-Pro all lent instrumentals to pair with Wavy’s flow. “We went for more original sounds…this time. There’s less samples and more elements of [live instruments],” Wavy says. These instruments perfectly balance tracks such as “Get Away” (Fight Back) and “Whattup?” (Club Wavy) both of which feature a glassy guitar intro.

To close the latter of the projects, Club Wavy, Cunningham wrote “All We Need is Love.” This track contains a beautiful tribute to Breonna Taylor and other people who have been killed due to systemic racism and police violence. The swan song perfectly closes both projects and carries a message that will be heard the loudest.

Verdict

Overall, Fight Back and Club Wavy are strong entries into Wavy’s catalogue and will stay as his most cohesive work until he comes up with something, which probably won’t be long from now.

Club Wavy and Fight Back are both available on all major streaming services, with the music video for “Whattup?” being available for views on YouTube and Facebook.

Key tracks: Whattup?, Get Away, Never Ends, All We Need is Love

August 14, 2020
Wu Tang Wednesday: The art of Shadowboxin’

Shadowboxing is defined as: “boxing with an imaginary opponent especially as a form of training.” One usually shadowboxes when preparing for a combat sport. Hence the metaphorical brilliance of the GZA — aka the Genius — on his classic album, Liquid Swords. On the LP’s eight track “Shadowboxin’,” GZA and Method Man come together to topple their metaphorical challengers, with Method Man’s verse in particular being considered one of the best of his career.

Released as the fourth and final single off of 1995’s Liquid Swords (as the B-side to the “4^th Chamber” track featuring Ghostface Killah and Killah Priest.) “Shadowboxin’” was produced by cohort RZA, the record samples Ann Peebles “Trouble, Heartaches & Sadness” off of her 1972 album, Straight from The Heart, 1993 hit-record “Slam” from Queens hip hop group, Onyx. As well as, the popular fight scene “Shaolin Monk vs Shadow Boxing Kung Fu” from martial arts film, Shaolin vs Lama.

Along with the looping drum kit, RZA uses turntables and distorts the chopped-up sample for a more grimy and raw sound, a common theme within the Wu Tang Clan catalog.

By 1995, Method man had become one of the more popular and in-demand rappers of the time, and while his crossover-appeal would bring an additional audience, it was his performance on said records that would make him a talking point. He set the tone, spewing out “F**k that” within the first couple of seconds of the song, almost like an impatient fighter, who no longer wishes to wait for his turn:

“I breaks it down to bone gristle
Ill speaking scud missile heat seeking
Johnny Blazing, nightmares like Wes Craven
N*** gunning, my third eye seen it coming before it happened”

He begins his verse aggressively, with an urgency of a man who has no time to spare and came out firing, with his flow, wittiness and clever word play on full display.

“Rap insomniac, fiend to catch a n**** snoozing
Slip the cardiac arrest me, exorcist Hip-Hop possess me
Crunch a n**** like a Nestle, you know my STEEZ
Burning to the third degree, sneaky a** alley cat top pedigree
The head toucher, industry party bum rusher
You don’t like it? D*** up in ya, f*** ya!”

He calls himself a “Rap insomniac,” conveying that he doesn’t tire of hip hop, while also paraphrasing that he is not to be slept on. The next few words further demonstrate this, as he is so addicted to hip hop culture that he is now a “fiend” and his only fix is to prey on those who aren’t as good or as dedicated to rap as he is, or in his words are “snoozing.” Hip hop is a competitive art form and Method Man makes it clear that he is out to outperform the competition.

Rap Insomniac

While always razor sharp, GZA’s style varies from Method Man’s aggressive approach. Always one to drop knowledge, his delivery resembles that of a slam poet, although he is just as lethal with his pen and confident in his abilities.

“I slay MCs back in the rec room era
My style broke motherfucking backs like Ken Patera
Most rap n****s came loud but unheard
Once I pulled out, round ’em off to the nearest third
Check these non-visual n****s, with tapes and a portrait
Flood the seminar trying to orbit this corporate
Industry, but what them n****s can’t see
Must break through like the Wu, unexpectedly
Protect Ya Neck, my sword still remains imperial
Before I blast the mic, RZA scratch off the serial
We reign all year round from June to June
While n****s bite immediately if not soon
Set the lynching and form the execution date
As this two thousand beyond slang suffocate”

Da Genius

He begins his verse with a jab, as he claims to “slay emcees.” While we don’t know who he is referring to, the ambiguity of his and Method Man’s verses are part of the song’s theme. He rhymes as if his lyrical vigor is directed at one or multiple people, though neither he nor Method Man mention anyone in particular. Or just maybe, their only competition is themselves, and they are simply shadowboxing.

The Genius and the late ODB in action

Method Man gets the final word, with the last verse something of an exclamation point to their lyrical exercise.

“When my mind start to clicking and the strategy
Is mastered the plot thicken, this be that Wu shit
I don’t give a cotton-pickin’ f**k
Flying guillotines here they come, bloody bastards
Hard times and killer tactics, spitting words plus
Semi-automatic slurs, peep the graphic
Novel from the genie bottle,”

The people’s choice: Method Man

“Shadowboxin” is one of hip hop’s truly flawless records and helped further the legacies of two of the Clan’s most lyrically potent rappers. This song along with is B-side, “4^thChamber,” are part of the reasons why Liquid Swords is so highly regarded within hip hop circles.

It has been sampled by Gang Starr in their 1998 record, “You Know my STEEZ” (a play on one of the records iconic lines). It was also sampled by rapper/producer Tony Touch and fellow Clan member Inspectah Deck and clan affiliate, Killa Sin, on their collaborative “Killa Armee Freestyle.”

With Contributions from Maxwell Amankwah

August 12, 2020
A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad Celebrates 50th Birthday

Give your favorite A Tribe Called Quest album a spin today. The man behind the turntables, Bedford-Stuyvesant’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad, who mixed up the beats that Q-Tip and Phife Dawg rhymed on celebrates his birthday today.

Born August 11, 1970, Ali Shaheed Muhammad became one of New York City’s underground rap legends. As a hip hop producer, Ali Muhammad is responsible for the early jazz rap sounds that A Tribe Called Quest is known and loved for.

Growing up in Bed-Stuy, Muhammad’s uncle, Michael Jones, who was a bassist and DJ himself, began teaching him at the age of eight. Ali would DJ parties in his Bed-Stuy neighborhood and recorded demos before joining Tribe in 1985.

Coming together in the early 1980’s in Queens, A Tribe Called Quest consists of Ali Muhammad (the only member not from Queens), who held the role of co- producer, assisted by the groups main composer, Q-Tip, along with Tribe’s MC, Phife Dawg. Together, the trio would be looked back on as pioneers of the alternative hip hop sounds which are still popular today. Muhammad was just 19 when the group released its first album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, in 1990

Ali Muhammad and A Tribe Called Quest rose in popularity through their second album, the 1991 jazz-influenced album Low End Theory. The album was stripped back compared to their previous, with instrumentals consisting mostly of bass, drums, and the regular use of Jazz sampling, all sounds that find themselves synonymous with the underground alternative hip hop scene.

Later on in 1995, Muhammad co-wrote and co-produced the Top 40 pop hit that launched the neo-soul movement, D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar,” and earned another Grammy nomination via Lucy Pearl’s “Dance Tonight” in 2000. Muhammad has remixed songs for Janet Jackson, Maxwell, Maroon 5 and KRS-One, and has writer, producer or co-producer credits on more than 20 albums. He would also go on to found The Ummah, a production company with Jay Dee and Q-Tip.

Throughout the early to mid 90’s A Tribe Called Quest maintained their commercial success through the release of their 1993 album, Midnight Marauders, which saw technical improvements in the groups dynamic. A Tribe Called Quest seemed to be on an unstoppable rise to success however, the group went on an eight year hiatus. Despite not working together during those years, individual members had the chance to pursue moderately successful solo careers until their reunion in 2006.

Have a great birthday Ali Shaheed Muhammad!

August 11, 2020

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