Archive for the ‘Das Racist’ tag
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s Monday. The one after Thanksgiving. All that turkey is still in your system making you pass out at work, but you’re pushing through it. Nice job, champ!
On the well-timed tip, the second episode of Das Racist/Dapwell‘s “web tv show” Chillin Island just dropped, which means you’ve now got something to do with your morning. No, it’s not music, but it’s close enough. Plus, this episode is almost twenty minutes long, so if you watch it twice, it’s practically lunch time already. Did somebody say leftovers??
Ah, Thanksgiving. Sure, it’s a celebration of colonialism and illegal invasion, but it’s also a day for that most important thing around you: friends, family, and the good people who make up the constellation of your life. In a convenient piece of synchronicity, NYC’s Tecla just released The THANK$GIVING Mixtape, an hour long dip into future sounds that is absolutely, crucially, a family affair.
The mixtape features guest appearances and production from the current crop of New York’s rising moguls, including those wacky Das Racist fellows, Kassa and Carlos Overall both, Lakutis, Gordon Voidwell, and Fat Tony. It’s not unreasonable to imagine some of this album coming together before, during or after a long dinner among friends.
The mix is an evolution for Tecla, building off her last release Strangers in Masks, and moving from that release’s future r&b sound into a happy combination of outre boom bap and late night bump. It’s an album that gets its priorities straight, and puts the focus on good times and good people. If only there were some gravy to pout on top…
When it comes to dropping lyrics in songs that could easily be comedic punchlines, perhaps nobody is better at it right now than Danny Brown and the duders in Das Racist. Both entities love to make jaws drop and don’t mind making panties drop either. Both will be at Neumos tonight making folks laugh, pay attention, and of course dance.
If you’re not hip to Danny yet, frankly you’re just slow. He’s performing in Seattle for the first time tonight and that’s reason enough to come and support the show. Peruse this cover story. Hell yes I wrote it. You can also check out these videos below. Dude is nasty when it comes to the craft of rapping if you like hip-hop for what it, was, and will be in the future, come check out Danny do his thing.
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Summer just got a little brighter thanks to LxNxM fam Das Racist, who released the first single off their upcoming “debut” album, Relax, today. It’s an official necksnappin, partyrockin, monster of a rap song.
As per usual, the DR dudes go bananas. Heems switched the style up a lil bit, though, and went extra tough on this one. Victor, aka Kool A.D., continues to bring some of the (s)ill(i)est free-word association raps since early Ghostface. Dap is somewhere in the background wilding out… or just chilling, drinking tea.
Keep your eyeballs peeled for the official video coming soon. Get the single on itunes or amazon. Pre-order the entire album at insound. Buy it everywhere on 9/13.
Sometime ago, lost in the mists of time, LxNxM buddo’s Das Racist came through Seattle to play some shows, have some fun, and get into some trouble. Somehow, they also found time to do a live set on KEXP, which was recorded both audio-styles and video-styles.
And who’s that in the back of the videos? It’s your own LxNxM folks, Toast and Tang. Apparently when you’re djing in a non-performance situation (empty room, sound through headphones, etc), you just sort of stand there. Aw dip. Regardless of our non-theatrics, the boys acquit themselves admirably. Check the videos here and below the jump.
Couple more after l’jump.
Turns out hot days are perfect for sitting in the sun with a cold beverage. The French Legation Museum – the former French embassy grounds – hosted a lawn party with two stages and many places to lay your weary head to rest. It turned out to be the perfect environment to hear James Blake perform, as his low-tempo melodics translate into even more of a relaxed vibe when performed live (as a certain Hollis Wong-Wear said, he is the Mayer Hawthorne of dubstep). Also caught San Francisco two-piece the Tune Yards, who I’m definitely going to be looking into more.
No mention of the day would be complete without Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. OFWGKTA is the single most buzzed-about group going right now, and the line at the Fader Fort reflected it (side note: even Fader cover boy James Blake was having to work his talking magic to get through the lines).
Odd Future is hip hop that is about as punk rock as it gets. The music is heavy and energetic, driven by bass hits and sharp snares, and the lyrics are about what you would expect from an eight-person deep crew of 17 to 21 year olds. Despite the intense water bottle throwing (chill, guys), they owned the crowd for every single minute of their set.
After swinging by Shabazz Palaces (and THEE Satisfaction) at the Sub Pop showcase, the night wrapped up at Emo’s with a showcase that could very easily make one’s head spin: Pharoah Monch opened up, with Mela Machinko on vocals, and a surprise appearance from Jean Grae; Asher Roth continued to be terrible; Freddie Gibbs brought some serious midwest lean – and a seven-deep crew – to the stage; the Cool Kids played their hits and have apparently grown up into being the Cool Men; and Das Racist finished out a six-show day by bringing down the house.
Vegetables are for the weak, and barbecue is always a good decision. Iron Works BBQ is right around the corner from the Austin convention center, aka the center of the lanyard universe. The result is a line out the door, bands at every table, and a client list that includes every candidate or elected official to every come through Austin.
Most of the day was spent at Club 1808, which is in relatively deep East Austin, meaning well off the beaten SXSW path. The occasion was the showcase put on by Pianos, the Ludlow Street purveyor of fine sounds. A couple of highlights included New Moods (a precise and raucous four-piece fronted by Billy Jones of Other Passengers and Gang Gang Dance engineer Sean Maffucci), a short but sweet set from Chicago beatsmen The Hood Internet, and your boys Das Racist.
New Moods getting loooow.
The highlight of the day, however, was Tormenta Tropical, an ongoing San Francisco-based party that for the purposes of SXSW took a sojourn to Austin and pulled double duty as a full on showcase. Leading off the night was the Ghetto Bassquake soundsystem, featuring some of the most ruthless DJs of the bubbling cumbia, tropicalia, and otherwise limitless bass movements. GBQ chief Vamanos and Dutty Artz affiliates Uproot Andy and Chief Boima led things off, and as the dancefloor packed up and out, they were followed by bass-heavy sets from NYC’s Matt Shadetek, Austin’s DJ Orion, and the party-wreckers themselves, Germany’s Schlacthofbronx. From front to back, non-stop bass and quality selections.
Chief Boima and Old Money Massive
Shadetek gets it in.
Schlacthofbronx officially wrecks the floor.
And finally, the night wrapped up with a one-two combination of the Hybrid himself, Detroit’s Danny Brown, and new Shady Aftermath Records signees Slaughterhouse, the coast to coast supergroup featuring Crooked I, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Royce da 5’9″. Quite the contrast between one of hip hop’s fastest rising and hard-to-define stars, and a group that carries the torch for a hip hop that is nearly one generation removed.
Danny Brown, rocking the Bowie shirt.
Slaughterhouse do it to it.
Day one at South By Southwest is in the rearview mirror, and for this first-time attendee, I think it’s safe to say that it was a trial by fire. The sheer scale of the festival is astounding – I did the math late last night and can now proudly say I cracked the five mile mark of walking. Classy!
It was a crazy day of lines, but here are my highlights, as well as a selection of pictures from my absolutely high-quality camera. Enjoy!
The Fader Fort is its own center of gravity in the SXSW universe. The multi-hour line to get in, and the total production of the space is unmatched. To get a good sense of it, imagine a boiled down Sasquatch with more edge. That is to say, free beer, Statik Selektah and DJ Eleven providing between-band music, and a razor-edge selection of music. Twin Shadow won the day musically, combining delicate melodies with synth-driven quiet/loud rock. The only downer was a cancellation from certified Grown Ass Man Raphael Saadiq. Next time, Ray Ray.
Seattle’s Members Only crew put together an excellent funk and soul night with Austin staple DJ Chorizo Funk. Seattle’s DJ 100 Proof and Mr. Supreme, aka Supreme La Rock, flexed their significant crates, with the event serving as a de facto reunion for Seattle expats.
Yup. Heems and James Blake.
New York’s certified party-rockers and LxNxM homies Das Racist put a memorable capstone on the night by playing a show with Impose Magazine that featured the worst sound system, the nicest bar staff, and the most beer bottles per capita thrown thus far (note to showgoers: not cool).
And finally, the requisite afterparty, featuring Moby and Trouble and Bass boss Drop The Lime. Another note: when you walk into a warehouse and see a bald house DJ, there is an approximately 95% chance that it is Moby. There is no reason to question this.
Today’s all about checking out some specific folks, including the Vancouver/Brooklyn crew Old Money Massive, and San Antonio’s own Sonora and Mexicans With Guns. Where will we end the night? Nobody knows…
Hella more pictures right here after the jump.
