Moleskine Limited Edition Star Wars Pocket Diaries
Moleskines plus Star Wars. [Passes out.]
My favorite remnant of the analog writing days links up with the greatest sci-fi series, ever. Jar Jar Binks be damned. You can pre-order the two notebooks seen above, more to come, at Amazon. [Disturbance in the Force felt at High Snobiety]
DOWNLOAD: “Excursions: Rarities and Remixes of A Tribe Called Quest” Mixtape
The good folks at UNDRCRWN drop a mixtape of Tribe rarites mixed by Mick Boogie. I have all of these already, but so should you. This also gives me reason enough to post the video to “On the Road Again (My Jimmy Weighs a Ton)” by the Jungle Brothers. It’s one my fav Q-Tip productions and on the vinyl is the version that features a verse from the Abstract. Tracklist after the break. [H/T Kari Cruz]
DOWNLOAD: “Excursions: Rarities and Remixes of A Tribe Called Quest” | Mediafire
Native Tongue x A Tribe Called Quest x New Birth
Despite the tit for tat that Q-Tip and Michael Rapaport are currently engaging in, the documentary they are riffing about, Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest is phenomenal. I said as much, though I’d like to think more eloquently, on ParlourMagazine.com. A moment that stood out for me in the flick is when Q-Tip described how Tribe’s extended crew of family (starting with Jungle Brothers and De La Soul) came up with the name Native Tongue.*
The story goes that the Abstract was at Baby Afrika’s crib cutting up a New Birth record that says “took away our native tongue.” After some digging—through the wonderful world of Google—I figured out the specific song in question is called “African Cry” [pay attention at the 0:32 mark below] from the Funk/Soul band’s 1972 album Coming Together. The record itself is deep; its soulful lyrics recount African’s getting stolen from their lands and being shipped across the sea and into slavery, over a funky bass line and wailing horns.
I found the MP3 of “African Cry,” which I feel obliged to share since Coming Together seems to be out print (I couldn’t even find it on YouTube). Get it while the gettings are good, to paraphrase ATCQ’s “Ham N’ Eggs.” If you’re so inclined, seek out the entire album because it’s a winner.
Download: The New Birth “African Cry” [Mediafire]
*Note, I’m of the school of thought that when used correctly—though even some members jack it up—the “tongue” is singular. The homie Keith Murphy wrote a great story on the influential crew for Vibe Magazine about four years back.
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Helped on on this too. -> Top 30 Greatest A Tribe Called Quest Songs [XXLMag.com]
VIDEO: Raekwon f/ Nas “Rich & Black”
You see the title of this blog, right? Raekwon with Nas riding shotgun; “Rich & Black” (beat by Sean C & LV) off that Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang. The clip was directed by WOODWORKS and shot while the two old buddies were in Oslo, Norway.
Word is that when recording Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…—see: “Verbal Intercourse”—Esco and Lex Diamond recorded a few songs together. RZA needs to liberate those, one day. [Hat tip to MissInfo.tv via LRG]
Redman Covers the Sunday New York Times
Redman made the cover (ok, front page) of the Sunday New York Times (July 3). Not because of his talents as a rapper (that would have been epic). Not because he was latest rapper to commit some asinine crime (see: too many asinine rappers to name).
The criminally underrated Reggie Noble made the cover of the Grey Lady because has to go to PA to get fireworks for him and his kids, since NJ is one state where they are still banned, and thus loses out on tax revenue. [Spotted at my fron’t door and Rap Radar]
Said Mr. Noble:
“My father took me to buy fireworks, and now I’m doing it for my kids,” said Reggie Noble, who was filling his cart with fireworks at the Phantom Fireworks in Easton one day this week. Mr. Noble, 41, who is better known as the rap artist Redman, said it did not make much sense that he cannot buy fireworks in New Jersey, where he lives.
“I can see the dangers they are trying to prevent, but it’s still happening,” he said. “I vote that they should lift it up.”
Yes, I subscribe to the Sunday Times; it means I don’t have to be troubled by their online firewall. Get this, I still subscribe to magazines, too.
All this also means that I have a reason to post the video for Redman’s “Can’t Wait.”
DOWNLOAD: Mick Boogie + DJ Jazzy Jeff “Summertime The Mixtape Part 2”
Now this is how to kick off your July 4th weekend, and the rest of the summer, properly. Mick Boogie and Jazzy Jeff’s first mixtape got heavy burn, so expect no less from the re-up. Tracklisting after the break. Propers to the good Kari Cruz.
DOWNLOAD: Summertime The Mixtape Part 2 | Mediafire
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