We're in!

Got this in the mail recently.

Record Store Day 2010

Happy Record Store Day! My favorite holiday right now. We got to spin at Uprok Records for the special occassion. It was just an all around good day. We got up to Salt Lake and parked by the shop, right infront of a huge graffiti mural that was being worked on live by a local graff artist. Chase was watching too so we met up with him and made our way to the store. Uprok had moved since we were last up there, and I have to say, I like the new digs. Much smaller, but somehow that makes it more exciting, it feels more like a record store. We caught the last set of a local jazz trio that was playing some hip-hop covers. They were pretty cool, just drums, bass, and a guitar. Nice vibe.

Photo: Me on the wheels.

We got playing around 7 or so and I played a set of jazzy hip-hop. Actually, this gig was probably my last gig in Utah, so I wanted to do something to bring it all home for me. Doing gigs in Utah, I never seemed to really get to play the kinda music I'm really into, usually we have to play to the crowd, and it can turn into a top-40 gig pretty fast if we're not careful. But even doing more underground gigs, we have to keep it pretty in your face to keep people's attention. Anyway, I just wanted to play some soulful jazzy hip-hop. Just chill beats to nod your head to. Somehow it felt just right as the sun was setting in the shop's large front windows, making the store glow golden. It just felt like chillin at the crib playing records for the homies. Anyway, the peeps liked the beats I played and the drummer from the band came up and gave his respects.

Photo: Skratchmo now play'n.

Skratchmo played next. His set went from golden era hip-hop to glitch-hop to left-field experimental electronica back to hip-hop then on to breaks. As he played, I flipped though the records, found lots of good stuff, and some stuff I never seen before. I think that's one thing that makes going to a record store different than buying music online, you always find more than what you're looking for.

Photo: Me & Skratchmo.

We ended with a short scratch session. And I bought some CDs and the homies hooked me up with a huge discount. Thanks guys! I only wish I could come back and do it again. All in all though, it was a great last gig in Utah, and somehow just felt right and so satisfying. When people ask about the scene in Utah, I always tell them the same thing, "It's small, but very dedicated." And also some of the nicest peeps you'll ever meet.

Photo: Chase (Uprok), Chase One Two (4th Street Music/Uprok) & Abstrak.

Grown Folk - Liner Notes

The idea for Grown Folk, came to me after doing a gig for a bunch of college kids. I realized that all the music I played that night was targeted to youngsters - teens and tweens. They knew all the songs and the new line dances, they knew which songs to like and not like. It was weird. After that I decided that I didn't need to spend any more time finding out what teens listen to. Who cares what they think?

These days I don't listen to pop music, or watch MTV or listen to the radio, etc. I am no longer the target audience, I sit outside their demographic. But I came to terms with that. There is still good music out there, old and new. One of my friends asked how I can survive without staying on top of the new music that just came out an hour ago. I told him, I don't need new music, I got records! Back in the day, I wouldn't buy a record unless I thought I'd still like it 10 years later. Guess what, I still listen to those records, 20 years later! I wish I could say that about the music I played at that gig. I ended up trashing them all maybe a week later. Life is too short to listen to crappy music.

With Grown Folk, I wanted to make a mix that had joints that would appeal to the people that have listened to hip-hop for over 20 years. I wanted to remind them of some classics, but most importantly show them that there are new artists making new music that still has that familiar vibe. The mix has songs as old as 1988 and as new as 2010. At the same time I wanted to show that while it has a familiar vibe, it has also evolved and matured over the years. One of my long time friends told me this mix was exactly what he was looking for. Hopefully others feel the same.

As far as the artwork goes, I wanted to show what it's like to be chillin at home after a long days work, and putting on some records to relax. I used dark colors with warm tungsten lighting. Obviously I'm not a photographer, but I think the picture captures the vibe I was going for. The nice thing about the composition is that the records form a V shape that connects the two lines of text. Also the leaning records create a diagonal which makes the composition a bit more dynamic. For the type I used Futura for the title, and Garamond Italic for the subtitle. I did this to show a combination of classic and contemporary, a subtle nod to the music selection. There is nothing super flashy about the typography, but it has a quiet sense of self. No showing off, just solid typography.

Mike Relm

Me & Mike Relm (San Fransisco)

Mike Relm is one of the first to bring a turntablism mind set to video DJing. He was a big influence on Montage Collage.

Bukue One

Me and Bukue One (Oakland)

This dude can kick rhymes while doing a kick flip. No joke he brought his skateboard on stage. He's also a dope graff artist and designed the Uprok shirts you see us sportin from time to time.

Abstrak on the Morning News

Photo: Me spinning live on the morning news.

Boom Boom... pow?

I opened for a hip-hop show in Provo this past week. The following act was a MC from Arizona apearantly new to Utah. He asks the small audience "how many of yall know that boom-bap hip-hop like KRS-One!?" The audinece is stymied and silenced, then a shy young girl with a confused look on her face timidly asks, "boom boom... pow?" The MC puts his head down and says defeatedly, "that is so wrong. I'm so disappointed."