Opening Reception Tomorrow! THE BOX THAT ROCKS: 30 Years of Video Music Box and the Rise of Hip Hop Music & Culture

THE BOX THAT ROCKS
30 Years of Video Music Box and the Rise of Hip Hop Music & Culture
Guest Curated by Dexter Wimberly
March 10 – May 28, 2012
Museum of ContemporaryAfrican Diasporan Art
80 Hanson Place Brooklyn, New York 11217
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 10 | 6pm – 9pm
 
Amy Andrieux * Malik Y. Cumbo * LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs * Delphine Fawundu * Bobbito Garcia * Tahir Hemphill * Jonathan Mannion * Tim Okamura * M. Tony Peralta * Fab 5 Freddy * Ali Santana * Jamel Shabazz * Daniel Amazu Wasser

THE BOX THAT ROCKS: 30 Years of Video Music Box and the Rise of Hip Hop Music & Culture is an exhibition of contemporary art that celebrates the global influence of Video Music Box, and the show’s historic contribution to urban music and culture. In 1983, Ralph McDaniels launched Video Music Box, a groundbreaking television program that ushered in the popularity and innovation of music videos. As the show’s creator and host, and the producer and/or director of over 400 music videos, Ralph McDaniels is a pioneer whose influence is still felt throughout the music industry. It is safe to say that hundreds of Hip Hop, R&B and Dancehall artists owe their street credibility, record sales, and a great deal of their commercial success to Video Music Box.

More Info HERE

Exclusive interview with Ralph McDaniels HERE

VIDEO: What The F*Ck are The "Brown Study Remixes?!""

In this special episode of "Who the F*ck is Boog Brown?!" Boog talks about "The Brown Study Remixes". I have been dropping several joints from this release over that past few weeks on THEZROHOUR. Now you get to hear a little insight straight from one of the most promising female emcees on the rise. Check out more in this series of videos on Boog Brown HERE

VIDEO: THE THRONE- "Otis"

Get More: JAY Z and Kanye West, Music, More Music Videos

Hov and Yeezy's new group THE THRONE drops the first video, "Otis", from the new album "Watch The Throne". Love this track and these dudes look like they're having hella fun!

ALBUM REVIEW: LEFTY aka THE L.E.F.T.- "Kill The Messenger"

Bash Bros (Piseas and Lefty aka The L.E.F.T.) have long been a fixture in the Bay Area hip hop scene and put in work as one of the most consistent and persistent artists around. These guys drop a staggering amount of work and this newest solo project by The L.E.F.T. maybe one of the strongest releases yet.

"Kill The Messenger" has become one of my favorite releases from the last several months. This 10 track album caught me off guard due to the original production sound which fits Lefty's flow and lyrics perfectly. Lefty spits with a mischievous, yet dark flow. Imagine your subconscious sitting on your shoulder digging in your ear prodding you to act out- that's the effect of The L.E.F.T. "Kill The Messenger" combines life lessons with anarchist and revolutionary themes that illustrate the often deceptive and conflicting nature of the messages we receive.

Enough cannot be said about the production. Produced solely by Lorn, with "Never Knew Me" produced by Dextah, the album takes you through these soundscapes of ethereal synths, cinematic strings and percussive attacks. Standout tracks include "Left Field" ft. DJ Icewater, "Eye Wide Open", "Fix It For You" ft. Roch, "Turn On The Wheels", "Never Knew Me" and "Devil's Diary".

DOWNLOAD HERE

Check out more of The L.E.F.T.'s music on his bandcamp page.

Below are the videos for "Turn On The Wheels" and "American Zombie Voodoo Child":

New! THE ZRO HOUR S07E01 with CHESNEY SNOW

THEZROHOUR is back with the premiere episode of the 7th season! I took the summer off to work on some personal projects and to get my beat game up. This season promises to be one of the best as 7 is the number of completion.

I set the show off with a classic from DE LA SOUL and roll right into incredible new music from JOELL ORTIZ, SKI BEATZ, SKYZOO, KRS ONE, NORE, JUGANOT, SHEEK LOUCH, AMANDA DIVA, WIZ KHALIFA and SIX ZRO artists AUDIO KNOX and SAFARI.

My first guest for the 7th season,human beatboxer CHESNEY SNOW, is no stranger to THEZROHOUR. He has appeared on the 5th anniversary show rocking with Eternia and the Misnomer(s) and in multiple videos posted on THEZROHOUR.COM. Chesney calls in to speak about his work including the 1st American Beatboxing Championships and his starring role in the new off broadway play IN TRANSIT. Chesney Snow is one of the fastest rising talents in hip hop today. Enjoy the show!



DOWNLOAD HERE

PLAYLIST

VERBAL CLAP- De La Soul
A ONE TWO- Joell Ortiz
CLIP UP- Sheek Louch feat. Jadakiss
DOLLAR (RMX)- Juganot feat. Joell Ortiz, Red Cafe, Maino, Cassidy & Papoose
BACK UPTOWN- Ski Beatz feat. Camp Lo
THE WORLD (& Coffee)- Dayo
LOVE ME- Audio Knox
SPEAKERS ON BLAST- Skyzoo & Illmind
TEK-NOLOGY- KRS One
I LIKE COLLEGE (RMX)- Asher Roth feat. Chesney Snow
INTERVIEW WITH CHESNEY SNOW
NUTCRACKER- NORE
WHAT THE BLOOD CLOT- Method Man
MANCHILD- Amanda Diva
NOW SLEEP- Lady Daisey
RUNAWAY- Kanye West feat. Pusha T
BLACK AND YELLOW- Wiz Khalifa
ONE DAY- Safari

MUSIC TECH: MaschineMusic.com the New Native Instruments Maschine User Community

SaintJoe, a frequent contributor to the Music Tech section and creator of soundsandgear.com, has created a new user forum/website for users and enthusiasts of Native Instruments Maschine. Maschine is the newest hardware/software drum sampling machine that offers a great deal of powerful sounds and efficient workflow. It is designed as a bridge between MPC/groovebox users and those who work with midi software, combining the best of both worlds. Take it away SaintJoe:

People with similar interests love to get together and hang out, share tips, ideas, or just chill. Sorta like all the crazy folks like me that love to make music…..yeah that’s you :)

I saw there was really no place for various Maschine users to connect and network. We mostly visit the official NI forums, but most look to that as simply a place to go when you want support. There was no place to just go and hang out, talk about Maschine, post videos, etc…all in one spot.

So you know I had to do something about that right?

Now we have MaschineMusic.com, it’s an online community dedicated to users, possible users, or anyone interested in Native Instruments Maschine. I think it’s always good to have an “unofficial” place to discuss and build around a product, just so you’re not at the “mercy” of the company who’s product it is you’re discussing. And no matter what folks will say, Maschine is here to stay, it seems it can only get better.

KALAE ALL DAY Needs Your HELP with Her Next Project

We all know that this business of music is a STRUGGLE. It takes talent, connections, persistence and DOLLARS to maintain. KALAE ALL DAY is one of the brightest new artists to emerge with a depth of talent and attitude to match. Kalae set up a page on KICKSTARTER.COM to request donations to help fund her next two music videos. Her debut album "AFROMATIKNEOHIPPIEROCK*SOLEMUZIK" is very dope. Kalae is working with Noisemaker Media to film and produce her next two videos. Since she is an independent, a helping hand of support for this very visual and creative performer is needed.

Check out the link for details at KICKSTARTER to see what your donation provides.

Here is Kalae's first video "O.G.LYRiKALBOOKBAGGER" ft. Homeboy Sandman



Here is the interview that she did for THEZROHOUR:

VIDEO: KANYE WEST Performs New Material at Facebook Headquarters

??? Yeah I said the same thing when I saw this trio of videos originally posted at WILLIAMYAN.COM Kanye straight kills it accapella while standing on a table in a small room. He performs an unknown track, "Mama's Boyfriend", and "Chain Heavy". A great preview of what is sure to be a killer fourth album- "Good A** Job".

VIDEO: JASIRI X- "What If The Tea Party Was BLACK?"

JASIRI X never pulls punches and always comes correct. In the above videos and song Jasiri poses the mot obvious question-"What IF the Tea Party was Black?". We ALL know that when it comes to the outspoken and often racist views attributed to the Tea Party movement, it is a double standard. If there was a Black organization that spoke with the same venom and tactics, it would be shut down and discredited. Can anyone say COINTELPRO?

VIDEO: The True School Park Jam Series 2010

Afrika Bambaataa, Kool DJ Red Alert, and The Original Jazzy Jay reunite on the wheels of steel for the first time in over 25 years. Many have neglected the fact these individuals are primarily responsible for the genesis of hip hop culture.

Noisemaker Media's Mark Carranceja was at the right place and at the right time to capture this historic moment in hip hop history. Carranceja is quietly becoming one of the most sought after filmmaker/music video directors in the industry and through this short edit, he shows us why his unique vision embodies the essence of hip hop culture.

The True School Park Jam Series is made possible by Christie Z Pabon [Tools of War, DMC USA] and Fabel Pabon [UZN, RSC, Tools of War]. Their hard work and dedication to the preservation of DJ and hip hop culture allows for once in a lifetime moments like this.

For more info on Noisemaker Media, including new music videos, live shows and production inquiries, please visit noisemakermedia.com

For more info on Tools of War, please visit myspace.com/toolsofwar

VIDEO: ERYKAH BADU- "Window Seat"

WOW. I knew Erykah had a fattie but DAAAMN! In one of her bravest videos, Erykah Badu publicly strips down fully nude to the soundtrack of her current single.

EDIT**

I found an article on HUFFINGTONPOST.COM detailing Erykah's video shoot. The article also points to an interview posted in The Dallas Morning News. Here is an excerpt:

Q: To start, what can you tell me about the thought process behind the video for "Window Seat"?

EB: The song "Window Seat" is about liberating yourself from layers and layers of skin or demons that are a hindrance to your growth or freedom, or evolution. I wanted to do something that said just that, so I started to think about shedding, nudity, taking things off in a very artful way. I am from the theater, and this is just a part of expression to us, a part of art. And I saw a video by a group called Matt and Kim, and it was filmed in Times Square. And I thought it was the bravest, most liberating thing I've ever seen two people do. And I wanted to dedicate this contagious act of liberation and freedom to them. I hoped it would become something contagious that people would want to do in some way or another.

Q: And what was the thinking on the location and the Kennedy element to it?

A: Times Square is the most monumental place in New York, and when I was thinking of monumental places, the grassy knoll was the most monumental place in Dallas I could think of. I tied it in a way that compared that assassination to the character assassination one would go through after showing his or her self completely. That's exactly the action that I wanted to display.

EDIT***

Due to all the controversy and backlash as a result of her daring video, copies online have been removed from most sites. Erykah recently appeared on "Chelsea Lately" on the E! network. Check out the interview below. Thanks to mrworldpremiere.net.

VIDEO: REFLECTION ETERNAL- "In This World"

Reflection Eternal - In This World (Official Video)

Reflection Eternal | MySpace Music Videos

Dope video! This song made the playlist on the current episode of THE ZRO HOUR (S06E15).

VIDEO: ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT- "Greener"

Wow, its been a minute since I have heard from rapper/producer SPEECH and his groundbreaking group ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Above is the single from Arrested Development's upcoming album "STRONG".

Here are a couple of their classic videos:







www.arresteddevelopmentmusic.com

CYMARSHALL LAW's "Creator's Kid" EP Released Today

PRESS RELEASE:

Sweden native D-Slaps produced the seven-track EP, along with one track by Remot. The team delivers thirty minutes of raw hip-hop grit. The first single, “Harder than Thou,” sets the tone with its soulful boom-bap sound, forceful lyrics and cuts by DJ JS-1. Additional features include Skit Slam, Silent Knight and Mary Lou. Creator’s Kid EP is a worthy follow-up to his widely touted most recent album Hip Hop in the Soul (2008, Freedom Entertainment) which included single “Control” (Featuring KRS-One).

"I called the record Creator's Kid because when I set out to write the record I knew the game was lacking creativity, and with this album I could do my part to fill the void,” Cymarshall Law said. “I finally completely set myself apart from the rest, showing my music has its own identity.“

"Cymarshall Law represents the best hip-hop has to offer; his energy and passion are refreshing in today’s climate,” said Talib Kweli.



The music video for single “Harder Than Thou” is directed by Jimmy Giamborne, who has also directed videos for Sean Price and Reef the Lost Cauze to name a few.

Cymarshall Law’s newest project Creator’s Kid EP is now available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Zune, Rhapsody, Napster and other digital retailers.

VIDEO: Fourth Grader Asks President Obama "Why Do People Hate You So Much?"

Watch CBS News Videos Online

In response to a question from fourth grader, Terrence Scott, about facing harsh criticism during a town hall event in New Orleans, President Obama said, "it is just politics" and that "you have to take it with a grain of salt."

Out of the mouth of babes..

VIDEO: Neurosonics Audiomedical Labs Inc.

Beth the Superfan put me on to one of the ILLEST concept videos EVER! I don't know if this is from a commercial or independent production. If you can imagine human heads being utilized as drums and others being placed on turntables and scratched, you are one sick puppy or you have seen this clip!

VIDEO: THE ZRO HOUR: Interview with THE BEAT KANGZ and Preview of THE BEAT THANG Sampling Drum Machine

THE ZRO HOUR: Interview with THE BEAT KANGZ and Preview of THE BEAT THANG Sampling Drum Machine from EDAYE on Vimeo.

When beatboxer Chesney Snow told me about a drum machine he was working on (Chesney provided human beat box sounds for the drum machine) with Tennessee production crew THE BEAT KANGZ, I combed the net for more info as I picked their brain. I had posted a couple of articles on THE BEAT THANG- synthesizer, sampler, sequencer- and connected with their publicist for the interview above. It was suggested that we do it through Skype, which was a great idea. It was my first time using Skype and though I had a bit of technical difficulties during set up, I was able to record our great conversation about THE BEAT THANG, the desktop version THE BEAT THANG VIRTUAL and the iphone app THE PLAYA THANG! Below are demo videos of THE BEAT THANG and THE BEAT THANG VIRTUAL.





For more info: http://www.beatkangz.com/

VIDEO: ETERNIA & MoSS: AT LAST- Road To Release Episodes #1-2

One of the hip hop's most skillful female emcees (or male for that matter), ETERNIA, drops a new series of videos documenting the road to release of her upcoming project with producer MoSS entitled "AT LAST". My jowls are salivating....



You can catch Eternia live onstage in NYC, June 26th, at the LYRICIST LOUNGE hosted by Jeru The Damaja. Eternia will be appearing beatboxer CHESNEY SNOW, DJ BOO and COLIN DEAN on bass.

LYRICIST LOUNGE
Hosted by Jeru The Damaja

Performances by:
Duo Live
A-Alikes
Eternia
A.D.M (Architects & Demolition Men)
Soul Purpose
Nemiss

@ 92YTRIBECA
200 Hudson (off Canal St. / near the Holland Tunnel)
212.601.1000

Doors 9pm / Show 10:30pm

VIDEO: THE ZRO HOUR: RETURN TO ZERO- Interview w/ The MISNOMER(S)

THE ZRO HOUR: RETURN TO ZERO- Interview w/ The MISNOMER(S) from EDAYE on Vimeo.

NYC hip-hop group, The MISNOMER(S) (Knewdles, Sos & beat boxer, Chesney Snow) drop in for an interview and performance of their song "Woo Hoo!". Recorded for the 5th anniversary release of THE ZRO HOUR. See more videos from the 5th anniversary mixshow, THE ZRO HOUR: RETURN TO ZERO, HERE.

VIDEO: Possibly The Best Human Beatbox I Have Ever Heard

What the F@**!! My mouth dropped after watching this. This may be the best human beat box I have ever heard. Daichi, 18 year old Japanese human beat boxer, emulates keyboard sounds, turntable scratching and drum sounds with incredible clarity and tonal chracter. Daichi rocks original beats that are ready for production. The video was his submission to the Beatbox Battle Online World Championship on YouTube to determine a wildcard competitor for the official Beatbox Battle World Championship in May 2009 in Berlin, Germany.



CONTEST INFO:

All you need is to record an new beatboxing clip and response to this clip here. Be creative and produce a Beatbox-clip with a funky idea and a simple concept. Represent your own music style and show your entertainer skills here on YouTube.

We exspect all Beatboxer world wide to enter this competition to win the wildcard or just for fun anyway.
Remember, only one of you can win the golden microphone and earn the titel: World Champion.

### COMPETITION GUIDELINES ###
- Record your video in a good sound quality.
- The maximum clip lengh is 150 seconds.
- A clip must show you (only 1 person) doing beatbox.
- Start with the sentence: My Name is „XXX" and I want to win the Beatbox Battle wildcard.
- You must be 16 years or older to enter the contest.
- Do NOT upload fake stuff or bitting other Beatboxers routines.
- This contest isn't country restricted so you can take part from all parts of the world.
- The deadline of sending videos for the competition is: 29. April 2009.

Deadline is soon so if there are any challengers to Daichi and the other contestants' skill, film a clip and you may earn a spot in the battle.


Thanks to ILLSEED @ ALLHIPHOP for the original posting.