I’m sharing this song today in honor of founding A Tribe Called Quest member Phife Dawg, aka Malik Taylor, who died this morning, March 23, 2016. He was only 45 years old. Electric Relaxation is hip-hop at its smoothest and coolest, the absolute height of groove.
This week’s real world brought a deadly terrorist attack in Belgium, while the music world brought the premature death of a hip-hop hero. It was downers all around, and I struggled personally with some dark moments too. At least in my own case, I try to meditate, focus, and seek the healing power of art. … Continue reading What I’m Into This Week (3/20 – 3/26)
Inspired by a friend’s reminder, I cued up one of my favorite albums of all time: Blowout Comb, the underrated second and final release from Digable Planets. For those who aren’t familiar, they are jazz-inspired contemporaries of monumental groups A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul… but they go way deeper. This album is the … Continue reading Digable Planets – Blowout Comb: Best hip-hop album of the 90s?
In this first post of 2012 I proudly present my unabashedly belated yet wholeheartedly enthusiastic response to a slice of sound that has not only dominated my listening time for months but brightened my outlook for an important piece of the future of music. Black Up is one of the best hiphop albums I’ve heard … Continue reading Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Optimistic Underground 