We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.

Originally Posted: November 2008

From the chart topping debut single Lil Walter (with Tony, Toni, Tone’) in 1988, through the party vibe of Lucy Pearl’s “Dance Tonight”, to the immediately classic “Instant Vintage” album, one voice has been a gleaming jewel in the tapestry of R&B music. Raphael Saadiq has done it again! The Way I See It is an album that renders the best modern R&B has to offer…a clear view of the past.  In an age of designer vintage clothing, this authentic reminder of the very soul and sound of classic Motown without covering the original records is the new fitted, double-vented, narrow lapel blazer music that has been waiting to make a comeback.  It’s too stylish to be dated, too raw to be fake, and too timeless to go another second without checking out.  I caught up with Raphael to talk about the motivation and execution of this album.

One of the general themes of your career has been that you’re the guy who clearly sees what could come next, and as such knows how to invite the past to the party today is throwing. Have you always seen this as a project that you would eventually do? Or did something recently happen that made you want to strip away some of the elements of modern music and keep it super clean?

I didn’t really give it that much thought, I just got up one morning and kinda thought…I just want to go for it. I saw what I wanted to do and after that I didn’t look back, ya know? It was a new way of doing things for me and my career. I couldn’t do that by just planning on it, and this is one of the ways I wanted to elevate myself so I just do it. And I’m always looking for ways to recreate myself without damaging my career, and this was the right way to do it. I always do that. I don’t even think about it you know? It’s something I just like to do.

It’s interesting that this is the quality of material you can come up with without having planned it …dude, that’s scary man!

Yep, you just change direction and keep running, ya know?

Absolutely.

Everyone always says that the Motown sound is the most elusive. It’s a popular belief by myself and many other musicians that it is impossible without recording in the room in Detroit, with those original musicians…  So I think I speak for most when I ask… How did you do this and what steps did you and the sound engineers go through to guarantee the sound that you were looking for?

Well, first of all I found the drum set that I wanted to use for the complete record. There’s a place where I eat every day and right across the street is a store called Drum City. They sell new drum sets, but they have this one old Ludwig drum kit, and I jumped on it and started playing it and I thought, “This is it!” From that point on, we just started messing with the drums, the sounds, and from there it took off. You gotta have the chops too, to make it work, but that was the beginning of it, you know?

Which sacrifices or embellishments in arrangements did you have to make in contrast to your normal way of working?

Well, the first thing we had to do was to make all the songs very short, and by making them short–you can’t play around, you gotta make an impact by the 2:30 mark [in the song]. The first few bars have gotta be catchy, ya know? The first few notes have to get you right into it.

I remember that you pulled out the tuba for “Still Ray” so you’re definitely comfortable using any instrument for any occasion as long as its necessary. Did you get a chance to use anything out of the ordinary this time?

Yeah, Stevie Wonder. (laughs)

Everybody knows you as this signature vocalist, I know you as this monstrous bassist and guitarist… What were the jam sessions like for this record? Is there anything floating around out there, that you wished made the record?

I started doing one type of record, then started doing a different type of record, then I ended up doing this record. Some of the other things almost went in, but it would have never fit the style of record that I was doing. There are a couple songs that could’ve  gone on this record that I didn’t complete. I just didn’t feel like they should be on the record, but I’ll probably end up putting them out for my next record. I’m gonna stay along these lines for my next record but it will just be a little different. I kinda like this Stax/Motown thing, it’s a global thing, and I want to live this out how they lived it out. They lived it out for a couple years, so I just want to definitely want to fuck with this for a minute.

Given a lot of stuff that’s going on socially and culturally in this country; and considering how timely this album is, dropping on the eve of Barack Obama getting elected…then of course, there’s this understanding of what those 60’s records meant to Black America at the time, then to throw in what it means to have a soundtrack tying together those emotions from the past with today’s awareness …..did any of that cross your mind when you were making this record?

No, not at all, man, not all it all. I can feel things without looking into it so politically. I’ve always been a fan of those type of songs though, like a Stevie song or a Curtis Mayfield song. Sometimes I drive through my neighborhood now and put on a Curtis Mayfield song and watch little kids walk around…little teenage kids, and be like, “Wow, this is so relevant to what’s going on in their lives but they don’t know it,” because they’re not looking at Curtis. I play it like a soundtrack when I’m driving in the car, and you’re listening to a song like “Keep on Pushin,” and it looks like it was it was recorded that very second when you see people walking down the street. So, I’ve always felt like his music was relevant, but I didn’t think that nobody was old enough to do it, you know? And the people who are old enough to do it probably won’t have a record deal (laugh). I’m not thinking I’m the only person who can do what I’m doing. There are a lot of people who can do it but they don’t have record deals. So I feel like, as a person with a deal, I should step up.

When it’s all said and done, what would you want said about you and your contribution to this art called music and how do you want this album to add to that narrative?

I probably want people to say that he was very consistent, and very true to the art, that he was a triple threat: from producing, to writing, to performing. I just want to be a true testament to others who want to do what I’m doing, you know? I have a lot of people that I look on and say, “This is what I need to be doing,” and I want other kids to have that person they can look up to and say “I want to do it better than he did.” We have those people in sports, but we don’t have them that much in music.

The sad thing is, we have them but we’re all looking at the same people we’ve had for almost 30 years.

I gotta a side question that I want to ask you…how did that Prince thing come up when you played bass [with him] back in the day?

There was a guy with a neighborhood studio and someone called over there looking for players and I just happened to be at the house. Everybody knows that I sing and dance so, they were having an audition in mind [for me]. From there I went to the audition in San Francisco the next day and I got the gig. Next thing you know I’m opening up for Prince. It wasn’t a lot of gigs, just a lot of side gigs at the clubs, but I got to watch the whole management of Purple Rain, and I was able to watch him. It was great for my career because it was one of the biggest rock and roll tours ever. Then I was able to come back home and start the Tony’s [Tony! Toni! Toné!] and kind of build from there, and its still building from there.

I feel like this record is a pinnacle time for me where it’s a record that seems like its a soul record, but it’s also an urban rock record. It’s bluesy but it lets the whole world enjoy. And that’s probably from being around people like Carlos Santana, watching all the Grateful Dead people left over the day after a show and they’ve been there for a week–I grew up by the Colosseum so you would see hippies hanging out there for a week, and you didn’t know what was going on, and then you find out that its the Grateful Dead, and realizing that their fans hang around and follow them for weeks. Knowing all of that, and touring like that, you get a mass of so many different experiences. So when you get a record like where I’ve been you kinda know where it can go. You can go to Europe, you can go anywhere. You know, ’cause a lot of Europeans are coming over here to see how Muddy Waters recorded his records. And knowing that history–Howlin’ Wolf and all those cats–I wanted to be a part of that sound.

Sample Tracks (Windows Media Streaming)

Raphael Saadiq -100 Yard Dash
Raphael Saadiq – Staying In Love
Raphael Saadiq – Big Easy

Raphael Saadiq is currently on tour supporting his album The Way I See It, which is in stores now.

Ed. Note – Marcus Dowlings’ posts do not reflect the thoughts of Winston (aka Stone) or The Couch Sessions

Pithy auteurs of blue eyed soul with a desire to create guitar driven 60s- flavored rock and roll? This is the future of urban music? Harvard educated intellectuals that routinely bump DJ Quik in their rides and inspired one of the most heated and lucrative independent artist signing battles in recent major label history, even in a declining and struggling recording market? Calling fans VIPs and infusing their upcoming debut record release with a faux veneer of Ivy League aristocratic flair is hot in the streets?

With their release of their heavily rap inspired “Jacques Jams Vol. 1: Endurance” mixtape last week, DA Wallach and Maxwell Drumney, collectively known as the rock duo Chester French, sounded the final (and what will ultimately be the loudest) clarion call that rap music is more accessible than ever, and is no longer JUST an avenue of expression for white artists, but ultimately a shared and raceless expression that is REAL for both races. By the end of 2009, what will be the biggest story and industry trend? Nerdy and unassuming white folks are the future! You may think I’m crazy, but keep reading…

Outside of Drake’s masterful “So Far Gone” mixtape, which is easily hip hop’s best album, and the most significant addition to hip hop in the first four months of the year, hip hop’s freshest looks have come from young Caucasian men who at one time would’ve been stereotypically limited to Abercrombie backgrounds and Dockers modeling. These kids are now at the forefront of the bubbling to the surface, soon to be VERY visible underground of hip hop genre. Be it the SNL comic triumvirate represented in The Lonely Island jabbing fun in the hottest way possible, with guest looks by T-Pain and E-40 and surprisingly blowaway hooks done by The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas or Norah Jones, or Asher Roth breathing life by simply having fun, and now Chester French’s Hah-vuhd Yahd Swah-guh, white kids have the need, desire and ability to keep it real.

The most telling truism of the rise to fame of this Caucasian collection is the sheer willingness of African-American artists to co-sign their brilliance. Jim Jones ambles in a cloud of purple haze through verses of Asher’s “I Love College,” mirthfully switching it to “I Love Harlem.” Chester French has a veritable who’s who of hip hop and African Americans who record music on the mixtape, from Common to Talib to Janelle to Wale, as if rappers and singers would seem to be tripping over themselves to align themselves with the duo. Hell, if you follow Twitter with any regularity, you’ll know that @iamdiddy, “Locked In” as ever, has spent probably 140,000 characters verbally fellating them, likely still bitter that they’re on The Neptunes’ Star Trak imprint, instead of Bad Boy. Did the forgettable Fuzzbubble get that kind of love after doing the Benjamins remix? Exactly.

How did we get here and will this last? Well, first Billboard started using Soundscan, which immediately showed rap to be a big seller, so rap became pop accessible and hot on Main Street in Des Moines. Then, Eminem had an overabundance of talent and a a very real tale of urban blight and personal decay that belied race, and couldn’t be denied for nearly a decade. Then, suburban punk kids met suburban rap kids, and chilled with the rock and rollers next door, got swagger and infiltrated the universe, and everybody became some sort of hipster. From there, we ALL elected Barack. If you still think there’s no reason for this, and that it’s all terrible, well, you’re either misinformed or secretly harboring racism. I’m hoping for the former. If you suffer with the latter, music really isn’t your forte these days.

Chester French and Asher Roth drop debut albums next week. Hip hop, meet your future. At a rapidly expanding table, some new friends have arrived. Scrubbed and clean white guys with a filthy and funny interior. Just like the movie, let’s call them angels with dirty souls. Gil Scott, in 2009, the revolution will not just be televised, it will be gentrified. Wow.

Dubbed by BBC Radio as one of the top artists to watch in 2006, Corinne Bailey Rae’s quiet EP made anything but a quiet debut. Her album was released in the UK on the 27th of February, and is on its way across the pond. Right now, Rae is on her way to Texas for SXSW. Being hailed as “the next Billie Holiday” by some, this 26-year old chanteuse has more music experience under her belt than many musical acts out there right now.

Born in Leeds, UK to a West Indian father and Yorkshire mother, Rae got her start where many soul singers get their starts – the church:

“I started off singing in church, I suppose, but people think it must have been a gospel church because of the whole, you know, black assumption,” she says in reference to her mixed-race background. “But it wasn’t gospel at all, it was just your regular brethren church, very middle-class, where we would sing these harmonies every Sunday. It was always my favourite part of the service, the singing.”

At the age of 15, Rae and some friends started an all-girl punk band called Helen, which gained some attention among the London indie punk scene, but was ill-fated and did not last very long. While attending Leeds University, she worked at a jazz nightclub as a hatcheck girl. On occasion, she was allowed to sing with the band. This would lead to her being signed by EMI Records last year. She has come a long way.

Because of this eclectic background in music, Corinne Bailey Rae’s talent goes beyond her singing voice. She has successfully managed to create a sound that appeals to a wide audience. She has more than enough soul to appeal to the Billie Holiday crowd while at the same time being cute and quirky enough to make Massive Attack listeners take pause. Surely the neo-soul movement of Erykah Badu and Jill Scott will want to claim her as their own as well. Her sound is definitely reminiscent of classic songstresses like Holiday or Scott or Beth Orton or even Mary J. Blige.

She combines soul and pop, adds a dash of church music and creates a style uniquely her own. With Britain’s “urban” R&B and soul scene on the rise, artists like Lemar are getting more notice. While Rae can fit into this genre, she is separating herself into her own category.

Tracks like “Enchantment,” “Trouble Sleeping,” or “Put Your Records On” have that R&B/pop quality that will make you nod your head and move your hips, while the song “Like A Star” is more soft, more girl-and-her-guitar-meets-sultry-jazz-vixen.

If her EP is any indication as to how her soon to be released album will sound, then Corinne Bailey Rae is certainly on the right track. This rising star really is someone to watch in 2006.

NOTE: Also, get an MP3 from Stone’s previous post on Corinne Bailey Rae.

We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.

This Remy Shand post is still one of the most popular posts we’ve ever did, and gets comments even to this day. Remy, where are you??

Originally Posted: February 2006

Remember Remy Shand?

In 2001, Shand dropped The Way I Feel on Motown, which he recorded in his Winnepeg, Canada bedroom. The first single, “Take A Message,” got a considerable amount of airplay on MTV2 and Much Music (back when I got Much on my cable box).

Most of the songs on “Take A Message” were written when the dude was still in high school, and they draw the new comparisons to Stevie Wonder, Al Green, and Marvin Gaye. This album was a rare gem with tracks such as “Take A Message” and “Rocksteady” that embraced the soul masters without trying to copy them.

Shand got some cred from the likes of Esthero, Badu, D’Angelo, and others. Although the album went platinum in his native Canada, lack of radio airplay and label promotion sent Take A Message to the discount bin in the US.

His website lists that his last appearance was in 2003. Let’s pray to God that he’s producing music somewhere and not working at a McDonald’s. Can y’all Canadians clue us in on what’s goin’ on with this dude? Someone needs to ressurect this dude’s career like Robin Thicke.

We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.

Originally Written: May 2008

Update: I’m updating the post slightly to remove quotes which were taken out of context. Also, I understand how hip-hop heads may feel about this (I’ll address it later) so I’m not really trying to go at y’all like that.

So Santigold came out in some interview that said that labeling her hip-hop is racist, (Update: read the entire thing in context) and of course, the hip-hop heads went into overdrive:

Wow. See, this is why hipster bullshit needs to go away.

My, my, my what is with some of these artists nowadays? Do they just lack intelligent quotients or have no common sense whatsoever? Like who does PR for these ppl? See why such artists should never be blogged about on a hip hop blog Riz?

So yeah, if these er…hip-hop heads would get said heads out of their asses they would realize that they are contributing to the very same racism that non hip-hop Black artists have to deal with every day.

First off, it doesn’t seem like she’s dissing hip-hop, so calm the f$%k down. She’s dissing the music industry (labels, press, retail, etc…) that automatically places Black people into boxes and assumes that they automatically are hip-hop artists. Santigold doesn’t rap on her album at all. In fact, most of the tracks are rock. So how in the hell is she a hip-hop artist when she doesn’t even rap??? That’s her whole point. For the most part, she does nothing remotely close to hip-hop, yet she is automatically placed in that box.

And that’s the problem. White artists don’t have this issue at all. If Santigold were white, should be hailed as the next Gwen Stefani (old skool Gwen, not Hollaback Gwen), but as a Black artist she’s stuck in the situation of being too “white” for black radio and too “black” to be fully accepted by rock fans.

As far as hip-hop goes, I’ve always taken offense at black people that criticize others for not being “black enough,” with the expectation that to be considered “black” you must do hip-hop. Some of the message board comments and blog hate regarding Santigold were very discouraging to see.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with hip-hop. I love hip-hop, and it’s the defining music of our generation, but it’s upsetting when I hear black people criticize someone for say, doing techno or rock, especially when they are completely oblivious to the fact that black people invented both genres. Shit, Black people did country too dammit!

Black people: you can be whatever you want to be. If you want to rock a skateboard, go for it. Pick up a guitar? Jimi did. Wear some skinny jeans? I can’t get down with that, but you just do you.

Meanwhile, I’m going to go and blast the album Burned Again from Stiffed, Santogold’s old band, and probably round it out with some Bad Brains, and Living Colour. And while I’m at it, maybe some drum and bass, some afrobeat, and some house music as well. And honestly, before you criticize, I suggest you do the same.

Black America is a really complex being sometimes. Just a short year ago we were all criticizing Barack Obama for not being black enough.

We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.

Originally Posted: September 2005

Don’t call it a comeback?

Although he hasn’t been in the limelight until recently, Reverend Run needs no introduction. As one third of the group RUN DMC, Run, Darryl McDaniels and the late Jam Master Jay have spread the culture of hip-hop from their native Hollis, Queens to the world.

Reverend Run’s solo project, entitled Distortion, is the first release off of the new Russell Simmons Music Group (RSMG/Def Jam) label. With its pounding rock-inspired rhythms and bombastic lyrics, the first single, “Mind on the Road,” grabs your attention immediately.

Not only does the album remind us of how hip hop used to be, but it also takes the genre in a new direction, drawing influences from such rock acts as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Sabbath.

Distortion may be one of the most innovative rock albums to drop in 2005. Run is also premiering a new reality show on MTV entitled Run’s House.

Run, you’ve been in the game for a long time. What made you want to pursue a solo project?

I’m a poet. I enjoy it. I love a challenge. This album let me get back into the world and show people what I’ve got.

What are the influences for this new album?

Man, where do I begin? Myself. Run DMC stuff. A little bit of Larry Smith and Russell Simmons and the Beastie Boys. Nothing new. Basically it’s all the stuff that made us so great. And it’s a very RUN album. It reflects my personality.

Why did you choose to go with a virtual unknown producer (Whiteboy) instead of the hottest producers in the game?

I wanted to have full control over the album and yet I wanted some help. I instructed him on what I wanted and that’s that. He was just lettin’ Run be Run. I didn’t want to sound like anyone else, ya know?

Run, many of these new hip-hop artists coming out today weren’t even born when you first started in the game. How do you think the younger generation will react to your album?

I’m not sure how the younger generation will react. You can’t impress the youth by chasing them, you have to impress the youth by being yourself. This is me being me and I can’t change that. I’m not chasing the 50 Cent crowd with this album. They will find me.

Is it difficult to be a man of faith and a hip hop artist today?

No, it’s not. It’s like asking George Foreman if it’s difficult to be a man of faith and knock people out everyday. I think you can be both.

What do you think about the state of hip-hop right now?

I love it. Kanye West is getting all these Grammy nods. You got Common. And look at 50 Cent doing well in the business world. Look at Queen Latifah and Will Smith. Ice Cube has Cubevision productions and is in Hollywood makin’ movies. It’s wonderful that God has given all of these young black men an outlet to be creative. Hip hop culture has given us an outlet to be expressive.

You have a new reality show on MTV entitled Run’s House, can you tell me a little about that?

It premieres on October 14 and I’m extremely excited about it. This is my church and it’s mind blowing. I can be REVEREND Run on MTV. I’m in a good place for hip-hop, and the channel it’s on makes it so powerful. This is a very spiritual show and the fact that its on MTV will make it even more exciting. I’m very thankful for the opportunity.

What is the premise of the show?

I wake up in the morning and they show me composing a word of wisdom in my bathroom. I compose a word of wisdom and sent it out to a bunch of people at the beginning of the day. People like my brother Russell Simmons, Kid Rock and Serena Williams. After that, I get out the tub and my show starts. The show will somehow intertwine with those words, and at the end of the day I will end the show with a word of wisdom as well.

This show focuses on not only you, but your family as well. Was it difficult to have your lives taped for a TV show?

Not when you know what you’re here for. When you know your purpose in life, it’s easy to show others.

These are some of the first major moves you’ve taken since Jam Master Jay’s passing a few years ago? Is it difficult to get back into the limelight after his death?

When I have a show that’s usable and helpful, nothing is difficult. It’s only difficult when you don’t have love in your heart.

Distortion is in stores on October 18th. Run’s House premieres on MTV on October 14h. You can find more information on Run at his website and on Myspace.

We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.

Originally Posted: December 2006

Cool Breeze feat Outkast and Goodie Mob – Watch for the Hook

With all of the praise and appreciation that’s given to the Dungeon Family, I consider the collective a sad case. Why? Well, for every platinum success (Outkast, Goodie Mob), there were platinum misses (Joi, Sleepy Brown, Killer Mike). And unfortunately, the “second generation” artists of DC, Scar and Janelle Monae, seem to be going down the same path.

Now, I don’t blame DF for this. They are the best ensemble of black musicians since the 70s. But unfortunately, major labels just don’t see this type of artistry in terms they can understand.

Which takes is to Cool Breeze, the man who invented the term “Dirty South”. The First Generation DF member and Atlanta MC came out strong with “Watch for the Hook,” with a video that played off of Reservoir Dogs perfectly, with assistance from Andre 3000 and Big Gipp. The vid made a splash on MTV2 and BET, but “Hook,” never took off on radio, and his first album East Point’s Greatest Hits was a dud commercially.

It’s sad. Like most great rap albums, the public never caught on to the brilliance that was East Point’s Greatest Hits. You would be surprised that Outkast fans didn’t take notice of this album since it essentially packaged Outkast’s eccentricity for a “street audience.” I hate to use the term “clever wordplay” in an album review because it’s a cliche, but Cool Breeze used words and rhymes just as efficiently as…lets say Luda. Please take a look at this album before you diss the South again.

As for Breeze, the rapper went silent after EPGH, but he’s making moves to resurrect his career. He provided a verse on the awful Bubba Sparxxx single, “Clairmont Lounge,” as well as some shitty Southern mixtapes. I see Cool Breeze dumbing down his rap career to compete with the Southern rap that’s already on the airwaves. And we all know that’s a bad look.

We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.

Originally Posted: April 2006

Saul Williams is the voice of rebellion. He’s been the star of the stage, the movie Slam, and the creator of two critically acclaimed albums. He has no fear, taking on hip-hop, the Black community, the White community, and America itself. Recently, Saul toured with the heavy metal group and he released his 4th book entitled The Dead Emcee Scrolls.

When I caught up with Saul, he was chillin’ in his New York apartment watching the movie Syrianna.

What’s up?

Hey man, what’s going on…hold on for a sec, I’m watching Syrianna
and I’m trying to pause this movie

Got it?

Ok, got it.

So I was reading your bio and it was saying that your mom was rushed from a James Brown concert to give birth to you….what is that all about?

I don’t know, I was in the belly (laughs).

Well on the 27th of Febuary, 1972, when the concert was getting good, my mom had to get rushed from the hospital. I started kicking her like crazy.

So you were are revolutionary in the beginning?

First of all, I don’t think of myself as a revolutionary. I think of myself as ME. My parents were activists. My dad was active on several fronts and at rallies. He was beside Dr. King and Jessee Jackson. My mom brought the Black History Month celebration to our school district as well. We had guests at the house like Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan. I grew up interacting with these cats. They were my heroes growing up.

Were they also the inspiration for your poetry?

Not at all. All that shit was cool to me but I didn’t give a fuck. I started out as an MC, not a poet. I was inspired by Run DMC, but when KRS One dropped I was inspired.

When I was 13, I was rappin’ about cars, girls, sneakers, and even fuckin’ grills. I got jumped in 8th grade and they took my Gucci pouch, my jewelry, my nameplate, my fake Gucci watch. That’s one of the reasons I don’t bling today. I don’t bling, I blame. My dad would ask me to write rhymes for these community events he would be putting on. And I was like “Hell yeah!” I would say some rhymes about “Say No To Drugs” or something like that, and then I realized that I could be political and rock the house at the same time.

Is that how you got started as a musician?

I was a breakdancer. I was always a dancer and that’s how the music side of me got known. But most of the stuff you dance to was mindless. But if you throw some Public Enemy on there, we would start dancing harder. I would dance harder when it had a message to it.

You talk about the state of hip-hop in Telegram. There has been so many discussions on the state of the genre lately, especially North vs. South. But what do YOU think about where hip-hop is right now?

There are some groups like Outkast that never let me down. The is tons of shit that’s out right now that shouldn’t be popular. Like the Puffy/Mase shit. I was like…. What the fuck? When I was in NYC I heard that all the time. And the backpackers didn’t help me either. I need progressive beats AND progressive themes. If some MC would spit progressive lyrics over progressive beats, I would be like…DAMN! But it’s just not there.

Is that why did you decide to give your albums Amethyst Rock Star, and the self-titled Saul Williams, a rock edge rather than a traditional hip-hop sound?

Fuck tradition. My music is actually more traditional hip-hop than most stuff out there. What established hip-hop in the mainstream was RUN-DMC and the Beastie Boys and it was defined with guitars. So it was in my blood.

Plus…I said, why not? Why would I place unnecessary boundaries on myself?

Many of your lyrics seemed geared for a mostly Black audience, but many of your supporting tours are with rock acts like Nine Inch Nails and The Mars Volta. Do those fans get your message at these concerts? Did you have any doubts playing with NIN?

People aren’t stupid. My stuff isn’t limited to Black People. White people listen to my music. They get that, and I hope that Black people get it too. The concerts have been great. Trent [Reznor] said that we got the best crowd response from any opening act that’s ever toured with Nine Inch Nails. That’s merchandise sales too. In fact, he’s producing my next album.

I was just gonna ask about that. When is the new album coming out?

We don’t know. We have to brainstorm and knock some things around. So I don’t know yet.

So let’s talk a little about the Dead Emcee Scrolls. It’s your third book and it was published by MTV Books. We all know that MTV is the bastion of pop culture, for better or for worse, so how do you feel about that?

Its something I’m very proud of. I’ve been a part of that family so to speak. MTV is the only place where I could concept a project from start to finish and they would be like, “Okay, great.” No questions asked or anything. That’s the ONLY place in corporate America where that has happened to me. I can’t say that for my first album. That didn’t come out the way that I wanted it to. I can’t even say that for Slam. Slam didn’t come out the way I wanted it to either.

So why do you think that Corporate America doesn’t get what you’re trying to do?

Not everyone who sits behind a desk is a visionary. I look at pop culture and find out ways to infiltrate it. They think that the stuff that sells is to imitate what is already out there. They don’t understand their audience. Look at Outkast and “Hey Ya!” If you told anyone outside that they would like this song, they would say “Hell NO!” I love that song. Everybody loved that song, but corporate America couldn’t get it at first.

Basically, people have been given a lot of shit that fills them up, but never nourishes them.

So you’ve been doing the music thing, as well as poetry and film. Which one do you like best?

I really love to perform, but writing for me is healing. It strengthens my resolve. Overall though, performance is my forte. In all of these methods the goal is is to reach a part where you lose yourself. Where you’re so in the moment that you don’t even remember your name. The moment when you’re having passionate sex with your girl, where it’s more than you just “throwin’ it down”….it’s that sex where you have a connection, ya know? When you get lost in the moment. That’s what performance is for me.

What do you think about the term Afropunk? I know that’s the term that people use for when they see a black dude in rock music, but is that the term that you use to describe yourself?

People with an open mind is always a positive thing. Always. Labels help us identify things. I’m not mad at the Afropunk thing. I consider myself a part of it. I heard the term Afropunk at a party in Paris years before I saw the movie and I thought it was a joke at first. Someone was wearing that on a t-shirt and I’m like, “Okay, that’s cool.” I’m all for it.

So we have a standard question that we ask everyone. What are the top 10 songs that you’re rockin’ on your iPod, CD Player, 8 Track player, etc?

I’m diggin that She Wants Revenge album. I got that TV on the Radio joint. King by T.I. I got Tennessee Slim is Da Bomb.

The Joi album….how is that?

It’s cool. I bought the new Cat Power, The Greatest but I haven’t listened to it yet.

Oh, and I got the new Van Hunt.

Well thank you for taking the time out to interview with us today.

It’s been a pleasure man, peace.

The Dead Emcee Scrolls is in bookstores now.

We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.

MP3 Download: The Couch Sessions Podcast – Camp Lo

Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede, better known as Camp Lo, have been pushing the limits of hip-hop since their formation in the Bronx circa 1995. Since then, the duo has dropped classics such as “Coolie High,” “Park Joint,” and of course, “Luchini.”

Since then, the duo has been laying low, splitting their time between their NY homebase and the more Southernly locations of Richmond, Virginia and North Carolina. Rome (from Better Than Yours) caught up with Cheeba and Suede as they were in the studio with 9th Wonder, cutting a new track for their comeback CD.

Gavin Holland. If you’re in “the know” in DC then that name is synonymous with some of the best groundbreaking music parties in the DMV. I first stumbled upon Gavin at his trademark Nouveau Riche party, which he promotes with fellow forward thinking DJ’s Starks and Nacey (who will be down in SXSW on the Senari Showcase here). That night reminded me of my days in London, as the crew combined hip-hop, electro, house, R&B, and anything in between, ending it with a raucous dubstep set where MC’s waxed poetic over the powerful beats. Was I in DC or Brixton?

I’ve been a fan of Gavin Holland ever since. He’s been on the pulse of music, and it seems like the dude almost reads my mind at certain points during his set. B-More club mix of UK superstar Calvin Harris? Check. Mitchel Brothers “I Wish I Was Michel Jackson” tune at an MJ tribute? Check. It seems that this dude’s knowledge of music knows no bounds.

Getting his start in the DC punk scene, Gavin brings that nonchalant attitude to the dance floor. It’s pretty much anything goes for the DJ. As he tells AOL’s Spinner.com, “The whole Dischord scene is a huge influence to me. We were once in punk bands, and I’m finding a lot of this energy in dance music, so that’s kind of where I went.” In addition to spinning on his own, last year he teamed up with house and disco music DJ Chris Burns for the Party Bros project, spawning several dance floor ready tracks such as “OhhBayBay,” and “The Grind.”

What to expect from a Gavin Holland set? Well, if you’re in DC you already know. Expect the unexpected. We could see anything from old-school hip-hop to classic house on Wednesday as Gavin closes out the SenarixCouch Sessions showcase at Speakeasy in Austin. If you haven’t already, RSVP here.

I’m not going to front, I’m a hardcore nail biter.  I’ve been one since Jesus was a baby (slang for a real long time). But I’m going to try my damnest to not bite so I can hop on some ill ass nail art courtesy of Japan because it is now all about Japanese nail art.

Japanese nail art goes way beyond rhinestones and your BF’s initials, it’s a huge part of Japanese culture and fashion that spans back to ancient times.  Once a year the Nail Expo in Tokyo attracts nearly 50,000 visitors and the  Japan industry grosses about 200 million yen annually and includes  tons of Japanese publications, websites and online videos dedicated solely to the craft of nail art.  The creative possibilities with Japanese nail art are endless:  The designs are very intricate and come in 3-D, real lace, jewels, fruit, and miniature figurines.

If you haven’t  noticed, the trend has gotten hold of a lot of celebs.  Lady Gaga, Jordan Sparks, Amanda Lepore, Keri Hilson, Kid Sister have been rocking nail designs that aren’t your ordinary French manicures.

Solange with Minx nails

A set already designed and ready to be glued on will be around $60 and a custom pair done in a salon will put you back $100+.  That’s rather expensive, so if you’re a BBB (Bitch on a Baller Budget) like me, I would try out Minx Nails (minxnails.com).  Minx nails are extreme nail art on a thin film that adheres to nails with heat.  They come in a variety of patterns and metallic designs and would work perfect for a base if you wanted to go all the way and get your 3-D design.  I personally don’t know of  any nails shops that are doing Japanese nail art or even minx nails, but  two artists that I want to shout out are Melinda Mann Rivera in LA and Naomi Yasuda in NY.

Melinda Mann and Erykah Badu

Melinda Mann has her own nail shop in LA called HER nails and this nail extraordinaire even cut up a Louie bag to bring her vision to life.  Now I don’t know if I would have gone to that extreme, but she’s my hero for even doing it!  Her client list includes Cassie, Erykah Badu, and J Davey.  Her up and coming projects for 2010 are re-launching the HER nails website and designing pre-made event nails to be sold in boutiques.

Pre-made event nails by Melinda Mann

See the Louie Bag!-by Melinda Mann

Naomi Yasuda

Naomi Yasuda is actually from Japan and moved to New York City in 2007.   In such a short time, she has grabbed the attention of Lady Gaga, Amber Rose, and Kim Cattrall.  Naomi works out of the Hello Beautiful Salon in Brooklyn and can create any look you want! Her  up and coming projects include working on the new Sex and City movie.  Can’t wait to see  which S&C girls will be donning some dope nail art.

Before they hit our SXSW Showcase on Wednesday, our headliners Cubic Zirconia are on the road, playing dates in Cleveland, Chicago, and St. Louis. They’re documenting their adventures on URB Magazine this week. Check it out, This should give you guys some indication of the craziness that is going to do down this Wednesday:

The show starts with Tiombe taking charge of the apprehensive dancefloor in 2 minutes. Half way through the brand new set, it went tribal. Drums, drums, drums and more drums. The kids jumped right in to the band screaming with lyrics they’ve never heard. Next thing I see is Nick hanging upside down in the rafters on top of Tiombe’s head as she howled to the moon.

We hung around with fans after the show, until the realization that the six of us… had no real place to stay. D’oh.

Luckily, Nick fell into a potential housing situation. After an hour of hanging with the fans and actually having to order lemon drop shots, we were in the door of a huge apartment a block away. We had a crew of 12 or so in tow who hung out drinking, smoking and listening to Classixx and Sonnymoon.

Then, two random girls had sex with each other.

Yeah, after reading that I’m more than ready for Wednesday!