Monday, March 27th, 2006

Rapid Fire :: Random Droppings On The Road

TUESDAY

The Seattle Public Library turns ya boy into SFJ.

+ Thank you to everyone who came out last night to the UW Bookstore. Toure and I say: we love you Seattle!

+ Spring has barely sprung. But the streets are talking. Millions! Here’s Juan Gonzalez on the national walkouts. (And BTW, did anyone peep HBO’s Walkout? Some sort of pop-cultural prophecy, loop-of-history thing. Lalo, I know you hate Eddie, but hey, you gotta admit this is kinda cool.)

And while we’re at it, Paris is still burning , and it looks more and more like 1968 everyday. No doubt this will intensify the anti-hip-hop campaigns.

MONDAY

Buy this book, or steal it!

Random thoughts in between massive amounts of work while road-tripping (an expanding thread):

+ Prince’s new record “3121” isn’t great, but it’s not bad. The lyrics are trite, certainly less interesting than “Musicology”. On the other hand, the songwriting is incredible, but something’s wrong with the mix. The textures are there, especially the percussion and his guitar, but they’re mixed very airlessly, antiseptically, with not nearly the amount of ecentricity and experimentation the sounds deserve. How good could “Black Sweat” be with Jazze Pha working the knobs? How good could “Love” be with, say, Timbaland behind the boards? Doesn’t he need the work right about now anyway?

+ George Mason is what sports is all about. Speaking of which, just began reading Dave Zirin. You must check out What’s My Name, Fool? Brilliant. My new favorite sportswriter, next to Scoop Jackson and William Rhoden, and sometimes-sportswriter Will Blythe.

posted by Jeff Chang @ 2:58 pm | 7 Comments

7 Responses to “Rapid Fire :: Random Droppings On The Road”

Joe says:

March 28, 2006 at 8:48 am

I thought the Prince record was good not great too. Great point with the producers. I love Black Sweat as it is, but if you put Jazze Pha or Timbaland, because it almost sounds like a Missy Elliot beat to me. I think 3121 it the more consistent Musicology.
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU says:

March 28, 2006 at 9:20 am

You may be interested in coming to some of the events at the Skirball Center (566 LaGuardia Place/Washington Square South) April 3-15 during our Fest Forward Hip Hop Unbound festival. The festival is comprised of various events including performances, workshops, retrospectives, turntablism, beatboxing, rapping and rhyming, music, dance, theater, video, fashion, and community. We are bringing in professionals in all these feilds for workshops, performances, and retrospectives. General admission for most events is $15. For more information check out:
http://www.hiphopunbound.com or
http://www.myspace.com/skirballcenter
Lori says:

March 28, 2006 at 11:07 am

I’m really looking forward to reading the Zirin book. Glad to see it getting some notice!
M says:

March 29, 2006 at 2:42 pm

I should’ve picked that Zirin book up at the reading, d’oh! Damn, I miss the Seattle library.
Anonymous says:

March 30, 2006 at 9:52 pm

peace jeff. thanks to you and toure for comin’ through to the 206. i’ll get you that mixtape when it’s done =)

–ian (daps)
Anonymous says:

March 30, 2006 at 10:55 pm

We think your book is great, Jeff, and enjoyed your talk in Seattle. It was great to hear someone speak articulately and with nuance about difficult issues. We think it’s Crazy Legs on the cover. Thanks!
Aurock says:

March 30, 2006 at 11:06 pm

Crazy…I used to be comrades with Dave Z before I caught major activist burnout–by the way, he’s up on b-boy shit–but I never would have guessed he would get this type of national pub. Dude deserves it.

Feed Me!

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