I know in Blog time, SXSW is a distant memory, but I wanted to posts these pictures I took at the Fader Fort (one of the dopest spots to be in Austin that week.) Oh, and can I say, the hipster game was strong with this one.

Bun-B

Rick Ross was supposed to start off a lineup of hip-hop at the last night of the Fort, but he mysteriously disappeared. Officer Ricky’s van and promo team were there, but the Boss was nowhere to be found. Luckily Texas native Bun-B was in town and killed it, rolling through UGK’s impressive list of hits.

Dead Prez

Dead Prez made a surprise appearence as well in support of their new album Information Age.

Miz Metro

A very dope shot of recording artist Miz Metro. Check her out at her MySpace.

East Village Radio

Why is it that everybody I know ended up in the East Village Radio booth? I was like one degree away from getting on air live. Check them at eastvillageradio.com.

FULL FLICKR PHOTOSET HERE

Beyonce Knowles is a superstar. She plays sold out arenas all over the world. Her husband is mega millionaire Jay-Z. She gets hounded paparazzi wherever she turns and she is quite possibly the most recognizable Black woman this side of Michelle Obama and Oprah.

And her sister Solange? She’s playing a Buffalo Billiards off of the rowdy 6th street corridor in Austin. 

But dont’ front. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

I have no doubt that Solange wants to be a punk rocker. She arrived on stage in a banana/polka dot getup, while her band (who looked liked they were pulled from the latest Abercrombie catalog) is dressed in banana print suits–not your average R&B show in the least.

Solange – I Decided

Music wise, the songstress tore through  the key songs of her latest album, Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams like ”T.O.N.Y.,” “I Decided,” and the original version of “Cosmic Journey.” Peppered with homages to Motown throughout, the set was high energy from start to finish. The set ended with Solange singing “Sandcastle Disco,” and dancing through the audience.

The concert wasn’t without its flaws though. The combination of Solange getting stuck in traffic coming from the Perez Hilton party, and the lack of soundcheck pushed the show back and hour, while Solange sat furiously twittering backstage that the delays were not her fault.

All in all, Solange is the perfect combination of classic R&B with a punk rock attitude. Whatever diva-like aspirations that she had were left at the door. Just like Little Boots and Janelle Monae, Solange is setting the bar for female performances in 2009.

I got to chop it up briefly with Blu at the Carrea Lounge in Austin during SXSW and wanted to drop this pic. Blu and Exile were in the building as well as Little Boots, John Forte, Thunderheist, and The Black Lips. It was like the Blog came to life.

Earlier that day, I had to opportunity to attend a panel discussion at SXSW about Black Rock music. For the most part, the panel was very insightful, opening up a very interesting discussion about Black Rock in mainstream America. As someone who put on two Black Rock shows back in the day, I felt a bond amount my brothers and sisters on the panel (including fellow sonic afficianado Rob Fields btw). However, the panel was not very forward thinking, and talk about the future was very pessimistic at best.

That’s sad. There is a new generation of Black Rock that’s emerging. Rappers are dropping their love for rock acts like Radiohead and Coldplay. Every Black person I know owns Guitar Hero. And even though his tracks sound like hot dung, Lil’Wayne is bringing Black Rock into the mainstream and encouraging kids like my 17 year old brother to contemplate picking up a guitar.

Black Rock is changing. Slowly but surely. The door is cracking open, and an act called Whole Wheat Bread might be the act to kick that door in.

I remember profiling Whole Wheat back in the day, when The Couch Sessions started in 2005. The combination of scrappy Black kids from Jacksonville, Florida and punk rock definately raised some eyebrows. Fast forward to 2009. The trio has toured the world several times, and secured production credits from one Lil’ John and opening for punk legends Rancid, as well as a couple slots on the Afropunk showcase at SXSW ahead of Janelle Monae and Big Boi of Outkast.

Whole Wheat’s sound has changed since their earlier release Minority Rules, tilting heavily towards modern rock and ATL rhythms. But don’t get it twisted, their crunk sounds integrate seamlessly with punk music, and lets face it, , punk music and crunk are cousins. The lyrics are decidedly raw: the lines “beat crackas” and “I need an old woman to fix my credit” make appearances, and just to appease the hip-hop fans in the audience, lead singer Aaron Abraham busted freestyles between songs. The stage show is sick–the band was flawless and developed a tightness that can only come from years of touring. The tracks on the newest album, Hearts of Hoodlums range from pure punk “Lower Class Man,” to downright danceable “Throw Yo Sets Up,” to overtly aware of race and class “New Age Southern Baptist Nigga From the Hood,” and are more hip-hop than most so-called “rappers” these days.

So can Black Rock sit comfortably in the mainstream? Yes. There are forces that are happening behind the scenes that will make that happen, rest assured.

Bombs Away by Whole Wheat Bread from Fly South on Vimeo.

myspace.com/wholewheatbread

Gabriella Cilmi - Sit In The Blues

Gabriella Cilmi – Einstein

Like my brother Quincy Jones, it takes me only 15-20 seconds to like an artst. When myself, Marcus, and the elustrious Fiona Bloom were eating at the Austrialian BBQ in Austin I almost dropped my hot dog when I heard a 17 year old Australian singer by the name of Gabriella Cilmi. Her rendition of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River,” instantly made me a fan. 

Sure, the bio reads like any aspiring singer-songwriter. She was inspired by Janis Joplin, Rolling Stones and the like but the resulting combination of soul, pop and country rhythms that has won her 6 Australian Grammys and a Brit Awards Nomination Best International Female. Her beautiful, yet fractured voice, flows over anything you throw at her, and her down to earth demeanor (she was ragging on me for mispronoucing her name at one point), is a direct retalition against papparzi-crazed pop stars.

After her performance, I ran to the Internet terminal at the Austin Convention Center across the street and found this video for ”Sweet About Me” and the track “Einstein,” and I became an even bigger fan.

Gabriella is set to release her album Lessons to Be Learned in the US this year, and will be featured on VH1 for their “You Oughta Know” segment soon. Remember where you heard her first y’all.

Find more about Asa at MySpace.

I first caught wind of Asa (pronounced Asha) by listening to her powerful first single, Jailer. Since then, I’ve been fascinated by the Paris-based Nigerian ex-pat, and her combination of modern American soul music and her native Nigerian rhythms inspired by text messages sent on a bus through her native Lagos. Asa turned her love for music into a budding music career, with a top 10 album in France and emerging stardom in her native Nigeria, where she has opened for the likes of Akon, Beyonce, and John Legend among others. I had the chance to catch up with Asa in the NPR Room at South by Southwest, where she was in the middle of a 2 night stand at the festival as a part of her just completed American tour.

What is your background?

I was born in Paris. I moved to Nigeria when I was 2. I went back to Paris when I was around 21 or 22.

What was the situation like in Nigeria when you were growing up?

I grew up in Fastop Town (Lagos). I grew up in a part of Fastop Town that I usually like to refer to as the projects. In Nigera we have over 200 tribes who speak different languages. But Lagos kind of brings everybody together because its a cosmopolitan city. So In this area we had all kinds of people. It was like a budding house.

We all know that Nigeria, like many parts of Africa, has had a treacherous past. Did you witness any violence growing up?

Those are the things that you can’t escape. That is the news. That is what you see on a daily basis. That’s just the story. Growing up for me was a learning process. Growing up in Lagos you see a lot of hard realities. There are loads of stories. You don’t trust people.

You list some of your influences as American soul music, with artists like Erykah Badu, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin. What age did you start listening to American soul music?

As far as I remember, I think I was about 6 or 7. That’s when my parents told me that I started singing. But you know, there is a time as a child when you begin to understand your environment, but now it’s pretty fast for kids today, so I’m surprised that it took me that long!

I knew that one thing that was constant with me was music. I love singing. I loved the feeling that I would get when I listened to music, especially from those people I just mentioned.

So how accessible was American music growing up?

It was pretty much everywhere. Unfortunately Americans have succeeded in putting out their culture (laughs), but I really commend them [for that]. My father I just hope that [Americans] can open up to other cultures and accept them.

My father and my mother grew up in an era that was funk and soul music, with the Afros and the platform shoes. Even in Africa, they were very aware of that. You also have to understand that Fela Kuti also came from that era of funk and James Brown. But there was also a local flavor.

So, the way I found out about you was through your first single, Jailer. I thought it was a very powerful song, and it has a lot of parallels to classic hip-hop. What inspired you to write that single? Were you incarcerated?

Just Pain. If you’ve ever felt held down..at that moment, at that period [of my life] I felt like it was the end of the world. Also, when I sit with my peer groups , our conversation was always around politics. We were always arguing about past leaders, and especially those leaders who have brought Africa to what it is, and we usually wonder what happens to them. I hope that song would send out a message to upcoming oppressors and even people in the neighborhood or the next man [as well].

So you’re based in Paris now? What is that experience like? What motivated you to move to Paris?

Strictly music. Every now and then I go back home when I’m free.

We all know that the French have had an uneasy history with people of African origin. Have you experienced any racism while living in Paris?

I haven’t seen that, or I choose not to look at that part. What you have to understand is that the French have been very open to African music. If you compare it with the English, the French are much more open, and I’m grateful for that opportunity. There are other artists back at home [in Nigeria] that have hope. So I’m very grateful with what [the French] have done, and I’m cool with that.

I see myself as a messenger, I see myself as a preacherman, and you always gotta move, you know?

So how long have you been in the US for this trip?

Two days.

Just two days? Wow.

Yeah, just two days (laughs}.

How are you being received in the US?

They’re open. The SXSW festival is very rock and roll, very loud music in every bar that we’ve passed. But in the mist of this, we still find people to listen and that’s the first mark. So yes, I think we have been received openly, they’re listening to the songs, and I feel like they are discovering it, and lets see what happens from there.

How do you feel about being classified as “world music” here in the United States?

All music is world music. It sounds like were categorizing and I do understand that because they need to know what to put in the [music] shops but wherever I am, I feel honored to be a part of this festival. These are people that I read about and I see on TV like Angelique Kidjo.

So we have a question that has been a tradition on this site, and people either love this question or hate it. What are your top 5 songs/tracks/artists that you’re listening to on your iPod right now?

Santigold – Santigold
Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple
will.i.am. – Songs About Girls
Fela Kuti
Angelique Kidjo

So what’s next on the Horizon for Asa?

To go on. Music is what I love doing and I’m always hopeful and prayerful that there is a positive effect on the people.

Asa’s self titled album is in stores now. Purchase from iTunes or Amazon.

Most of y’all know that I am a very discriminiating music connisseur. So when I say that someone “killed it,” during a performance you know that said performer has brought their A-level game.

And Janelle Monae did just that. 

Let’s get one thing straight. Ms. Monae only performed three songs. I think it took longer for her band to set up than for her performance. Yes, it felt like a tease, like the girl you gettin’ it on with suddenly got up and left the room. Even after leaving the stage so abruptly, no one in the audience was mad. Why? Because Ms. Monae’s three song set was better than most artists’ full performance career.

Ms. Monae brought 110% of everything she had to the floor at the Austin Music hall. With her black and white motif and custom 50′s era hair, she carried out the futuristc approach to her sound with Motown precision. Every move was coriegraphed percicely to her music, so perfect that I question that maybe she is the android that she claims on her EPs.

But it’s not just showmanship. Monae can actually sing too. Her powerful voice jumps over the uptempto tracks like Many Moons, but she takes care of the ballads as well. And her band (who we actually got to meet since they were staying in our hotel), supported Monae in harmony through every note.

Monae has become the breakout start of SXSW, getting acclaim from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Entertainment Weekly. Like the Globe says, “she so defiantly challenges our notion of what a black female pop singer is supposed to be. She herself has talked about her conviction to quash stereotypes of how she should sound and dress.” 

Monae is well on her way to challenge those perceptions. Is America ready to buy in?

Photo attributed to Rob Fields, boldaslove.us

“Kick in the door, wavin the four-four” - Notorious B.I.G., Kick In the Door

I am a firm believer in the concept that in introducing any new, paradigm shifting manuever to any pre-existing artifice, it’s easier to open a door to walk through than bang one’s head against the door and hope that it opens up. Even if you open the door a crack, somebody else can do, as the great Biggie Smalls, the Frank White of hip hop would say, “kick in the door.” At SXSW, I saw some truly amazing things, including the man who opened so many doors in music, the Quintessential Quincy Jones, and the man who now is rudely assaulting, berating, and violently “kicking in the door, wavin the four-four,” the one, the only, the Mercurial Mr. Kanye West.

Their methods couldn’t be any different. Quincy Jones, in his nearly three hour closed door keynote address for the conference, with great wisdom and depth, outlined and thoroughly discussed how a street hoodlum from Chicago evolved then de-evolved the standing myths of music at any and all times during his career. By contiuously shifting, and sinuously evolving as a musical tactician, the man can shift from the session musician and arranger for Frank Sinatra to the jazzy pioneer responsible for Soul Bossa Nova, to the funk pioneer of the smooth sounds of Rufus, the Brothers Johnson and masterfully with George Benson on the seminal “Give Me the Night,” to the man who redefined pop music with Michael Jackson, to a man whom, with “We are the World” proved that he, and only he, is the man responsible for the soundtrack of the entire universe. Q opened so many doors, forged so many relationships, and created music so accessible, that his sound, his vision arguably colors much of what we hear today.

The most amazing part of his keynote was that it was, to borrow from Stevie, delivered in “sounds in the key of we.” He never mentioned himself as the sole orchestrator of much of anything. In his humility, the brother opened up the answers to the historical universe of sound and life. Sound does not exist in itself, nor does anything else for that matter. We exist in union. Sounds comingle to create beautiful tracks. There’s something endemic in the makeup of this man that gives him, as we all found, ALL the right answers. He knows ALL of the people of the world because he is a citizen within in, and not without it. There’s a beauty there, that speaks to the history of black people, that speaks to the history of music, that speaks to the history of the universe. Quincy showed himself as an open door to the universe, a man who is quintessential because he recieves everything, forgets nothing, and is willing to share of himself, divesting himself in the music fully, sound without image.

However, the paradigm has shifted in full. The closest thing we have now to Q’s musical omnipresence is fellow Chicago native Kanye West. There’s something about Chicago in it’s perpetual history that makes it so elemental to music and ablie to shoulder these musical giants. Ever since the era of Robert Johnson’s devil blues, to Frankie Knuckles’ electrified and funky house, Chicago has always been a musical port of call, always open to fresh, new and vital sounding music. Furthermore, Mr. West, with his city of birth’s musical pedigree, also adds being a child of the media generation, a son of the “me” generation, the progeny of MTV, and the brother of Obama, a symbol that blacks don’t have to go along to get along, that we don’t have to be quiet, that we don’t have to fit into boxes, that we are free to just be, a scary power not available in the era of Q, where he opened doors through his excellence and quiet unpretentiousness.

When Kanye and his G.O.O.D. Music friends showed up in Austin, what had otherwise been a raucous gathering of musical outsiders and weird people at the forefront of popular culture became a party for those who were the moved and not the movers, an odd melange of real recognizing “real.” The man was here. Not so much his sound, or his songs, or his ability, but it was him. It. What. That. The. Those of us who feel ourselves to be setting trends were unmoved. He’s a fellow musician, and dammit, if Little Boots, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head or hell, Bun B can play the Fader Fort on time, no questions, then, well, so can Mr. West. To many, he wasn’t BIGGER than this, if he deigned to play where those without his multimillions of albums and international acclaim played, then, well, he should follow the same rules. But, he didn’t. He can’t. He’s important, he IS music. For better, for worse, richer, definitely poorer, whatever, he is at the height of the craft. And he knows this, revels in it, enjoys the comfort of the spotlight. No sharing, no caring.

Quincy came on time. Sure, he went long, but he invited us into the world of music. Sure, it was his view, but, you shared it as a fellow. He consistently cared that we cared, wanted us to appreciate what he had done for us. Kanye invites you in, but almost like he’s some sort of hellbent Emperor Zod, causing we mere peons who buy the music, and all other musical Supermen and women in his universe to kneel before his mastery. He challenges you to deny the greatness of himself and his music, constantly. I am enamored with this behavior because of it’s sheer audacity. Kanye, perplexed and perturbed it seems if he doesn’t acquire new sounds upon which to place his “magical” voice, HAD to be at SXSW. HIS artist had to hear Little Boots cover him. HE had to see what he was missing, and what could accentuate HIM. Not what could accentuate music beautifully, but what could make HIM bigger than IT.

And that’s ultimately the difference. Life, as we know it, the shared togetherness and beauty, what a man like Quincy Jones represented is gone. It’s all about the doors Q opened being kicked open rudely and widely, the individual as full celebrity, morphing “that” which you do into being “that” which you are into totally becoming “that.” In a megalomaniacal attempt to become the entire definition of the musical industry, he has polarized, yet, in the same attempt, become unquestioned greatness, 100% hubris, to quote Diddy, who tried as well, with not nearly the same angered hustle, Kanye “cant stop, won’t stop.”

I sit back now and remember that jam packed room, and Q, like the utter and definable genius auteur he has become, making us stand, hold hands, and pledge to do better, to live better, to achieve more, in tandem. It was beautiful because at that very moment, in that very room, we forged a together forever partnership based on a remembrance of things lost. We left that room, and entered a universe, mere days later, fighting a future that we cannot win against. Mr. West is a bemusing figure if you really think about it. Classic only child syndrome, now desperately in need of love and affection. And if we don’t give it to him, he’ll record music and canvass every corner of the world, until WE. ALL. LOVE. HIM. Imagine if he spread that love to everyone, and we all loved all music again. Not one, not some, but all. Like Quincy quintessentially did.

In music, war is effectively over. I hope HE at the forefront can attempt to bring peace. SXSW, Mr. West, by nature of who and what you attempt to be, it was not a good look. There’s a world of music that, by attempting to co-opt and corrupt, you are not allowing to shine. I find that highly problematic. Let others open doors, or help them ALL to do the same. I love Quincy. I like Kanye. There’s a lot at play in that difference, and a question that needs to be answered for the burgeoning future of music.

ed. note: The author, Marcus Dowling’s other work can be found at his site, TGRIOnline.com, True Genius Requires Insanity. He can also be followed on Twitter at twitter(dot)com/marcuskdowling.

Wayna – Billy Club

I woke up yesterday morning to some startling news. DC R&B artist Wayna was arrested at the Houston airport for carrying a stage prop that she uses in her song “Billy Club,” off of her album Higher Ground in her carry-on baggage. She was in Texas for a host of shows at SXSW and was on her way to the Winter Music Conference in Miami. Ironically, the song which the prop is for deals with police brutality (in which the Houston police said “Karma is a bitch.”). Wayna was held for 12 hours in jail and released on $5,000 bond.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Wayna and her family.

Full press release from her manager Fiona Bloom after the jump.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Contact: Fiona Bloom fiona@thebloomeffect.com 646-764-0004

March 26th, 2009

Response to Grammy Nominated DC-Based Artist Wayna’s
Recent Arrest at Houston Airport

This statement clarifies recent reports that police arrested Ethiopian-born /D.C-based artist Wayna at the Houston Airport on Wednesday, March 25th. Wayna had just completed a mini-tour of Texas including a stop at one of the biggest music festivals in the world, South by South West (SXSW), and was en route to Miami to perform and attend the Winter Music Conference on the morning of Wednesday, March 25th. As she attempted to go through security, she was questioned by airport security about the prop that she uses on stage to perform a song about police brutality called “Billy Club” off of her critically-acclaimed sophomore album Higher Ground. The item had been inadvertently packed in her carry on bag. Despite explaining to security that she was a performer and that she had traveled throughout the country without incident with the prop usually packed in checked luggage; and that she had no intention to use it as a weapon, she was nonetheless arrested and charged on a 3rd degree felony weapons charge. She was released early Thursday morning on $5,000 bail.

Wayna, a singer-songwriter who hailed from the DC urban soul underground scene and who regularly infuses socially conscious, political and empowering lyrics in her music, was recently nominated for a 2009 Grammy in Best Urban/Alternative category for a remake of Minnie Riperton’s Loving You. The University of Maryland alumnus has tackled other controversial topics such as domestic violence. Her song My Love, debuted at # 2 and #18 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles and Hot Singles Sales chart respectively. The video for the song received nearly a quarter million plays on YouTube and MySpace video combined and very timely given the elevated interest in domestic violence awareness. Wayna worked as a writer in the White House Office of Presidential Letters and Messages during Clinton’s tenure before launching her music career full time. She has performed on national stages around the globe and has received critical acclaim from Essence, Billboard.com, OkayPlayer.com and Stevie Wonder and other outlets .

Wayna wishes to thank her friends, fans, family and everyone who have supported her throughout her career. Spending over 12 hours in jail has been exhausting and challenging for her especially given the irony of the situation. She has never been arrested nor has any criminal history. She relays that the experience has given her new and personal perspective to some of themes and messages she relays and portrays in her music.

DJ Class – I’m The Shit Remix (feat Kanye West)
 

Hip-hop wise, there was no song that I heard more than DJ Class’ “I’m The Shit.” Seriously, the song was everywhere I turn, including the Red Bull Moon Tower at 4 in the morning. The song is positioned to be a summer hit, and now Kanye has lent his name to the track in the hopes making that happen.

When this track blows up nationwide–and I’m almost assured it will–it will finally put B-More club on the map on a mainstream scale, and from the looks of The Baltimore Love thing party at SXSW, middle America is ready to get crunk in the club.

DJ Class performs I’m The Shit at SXSW

So yeah, I was ready for the Kanye/Badu/Common lovefest at the Red Bull Moon Tower to begin. I had prime real estate AND my SLR. It was about to go down. Then Red Bull got shut down by the cops. 

No worries. Me and Marcus were kidnapped by a girl from the “Austin hood” who goes by redyellow and transported to what they were calling the Texas Niteclub, an abandoned Salvaiton Army in a nondescrept shopping center somewhere in Austin, for the IHeartComix/Mad Decent Party, with Diplo, Kid Cudi, Farnsworth Bentley and a host of others on stage.

The ish was crazy. Cudi was so damn hype. I went to give a dude some dap and he was so excited he almost pulled me across the stage and embraced me as a brother. Granted, he could’ve been hype off that duet with Little Boots 3 hours earlier but I think having Diplo behind you and hundreds of screaming hipsters had something to do with it. The pictures only convey 1/4th of the crazyness of this night.

FULL FLICKR PHOTOSET HERE

One of the more fascinating parts of the True Genius on the Couch SXSW experience occurred when I had the opportunity to sit with DJ Blaqstarr, or rather, the evolved Blaqstarr, who unleashed upon SXSW new solo R & B material, with a voice that emotes mood and depth. He is taking his foray into his newest dimension most seriously it seems, and has designs on providing the voice, as well as the tracks, to define the Charm City. On tracks like the Switch and Diplo produced Get Off, his most popular solo vocal piece to date, the man that Diplo refers to as “Issac Hayes” has started along this new sonic path, and seems to have the drive to make this a winning, mainstreamed proposition.

Blaqstarr returns to his native Baltimore on Easter Sunday, April 12th for an enormous party at Sonar, where he, along with DJ Akademics and a “Celebrity Guest Host” obviously plan on going in, and murking the city as it stands. (click this link for the most entertaining old school radio promo ever)

The interview itself runs about 13 minutes, and touches so many topics of note and interest, including some wild stories from Sweden, and advice for aspiring artists as well.

This is only the beginning of the interview project portion of the True Genius on the Couch partnership, which we plan to expand to fantastic dimensions.