And we're back with another blog series [ no not your hum drum shoot me in the eye type of blog ] but something truly out of this world. Dank Radio and I are proud to present to you "Racking up Rock The Bells." A blog series that gives you the opportunity to know these artisits and their crafts, what they represent and ofcourse what you can expect at this mammoth of a hip hop festival. First up in our series is the acclaimed wordsmith Gwatsky.
I'm not even going to lie. I'm guilty of judging this book by it's cover, in my head i was thinking, "What in the blue blazes is this guy all about, and how the hell did he get on the set list for the biggest Rock The Bells yet?" After a couple of hours of research i ended up putting my foot in my mouth. Gwatsky, more formally known as George Watsky is astounding for many reasons, and although his music is well on its way to perfection, Gwatsky doesn't necessarily take it to the next level. BUT, he does take it back. Understand that Hip Hop wasn't born as this musical entity that heavily perpetuated partying, money, hoes, and clothes. Hip Hop, as i've understood it to be as simply spoken word laced over a beat. I really do believe that a lot of artist have forgotten the roots of their craft, what's ironic is that Gwatsky who would, at a glance, be considered "out of place" in the hip hop community, has successfully emulated Hip Hop at it's origins - at it's earliest stages. Now if you watch his debut on Russel Simmon's sixth season of "Def Poetry" you just might get goosebumps. This young man has been able to enroll the audience into each and every word, to make them feel, and believe his poetic prose. it's just Amazing. ( In Fact i've fallen back in love with Spoken Word. )
Now this summer at Rock The Bells 2012 he may not be performing his spoken word poetry but what you can expect from him is witty lyricism and impressive- eye brow raising cadence. Admittedly his sound as a musician/ artist is a little more difficult to quickly appreciate, but if you listen to his carefully formatted rhymes, flows, his cadence, delivery, and ofcourse his creative illustration depicted by words, you really have no choice but to let his rhymes expand your mind. It's not very hard to see how Gwatsky has become so acclimated and respected by all walks of life within the industry. If your curious to see what this wordsmith can do, his mixtapes are available on bandcamp and his album "Watsky" is available on iTunes for official purchase. Gwatsky's going to bless this year's Rock The Bells with some knowledge and real OG hip hop - spoken word laced over a beat - the way only George Watsky can do it.
Without Metallica I would not be the person I am today. They helped me become the ram I was meant to be and influenced me as a musician greatly with heavy riffs, ridiculous solos, monstrous bass lines and odd timed beats. As a child in grade school they showed me a whole new world of music and inspired me to pick up the guitar, the bass, and the drums. With dynamics like no other band, Metallica inspired me to broaden my horizons and appreciate all sounds and styles of the world's music. They continue to inspire me to become the best I can be and I am proud to say to say that the best band in the world is what started it all for me. Congratulations Metallica on 30 years. I still have yet to see them live in action so I anticipate many many more years from the heaviest band on earth. Check out the video for a recap of the multiple 30th Anniversary shows last december at the Fillmore in San Francisco, California.
Would love to head up to the Bay for the Saturday installment of the festival. Chromeo always puts on a great show while Flylo always hits the spot in more ways then one can imagine. We had the misfortune of missing Death From Above 1979 at Coachella this year. It would be nice to see them before they disband once again[or will they continue their string of spontaneous festival dates throughout this year?]. Sets by Battles and Aloe Blacc would service all those with a varying hunger which spans the scope of intricate musical work all the way down to that simple soulful music that shakes your bones. Tickets go on sale this Weds @ 10am.
Alright. It's time to take a small break from all the International EDM artists we've been talking about and turn the focus back to the underground Hip Hop artists doing good things in our local community. You may recall, we sat down with Fatgums of Beatrock Music to talk about the 1 Year Anniversary of the artist collective that includes: Bambu, Power Struggle, Otayo Dubb, The CounterParts, BWAN, and the DJ crew Mass Movement. I was fortunate enough to attend the Long Beach Anniversary Celebration but wasn't able to make the trip up to the Bay area to party at the San Francisco Celebration. Luckily, the awesome folks at Just Bombin Films put together some of the highlights of the event into the video you see below. In addition to the highlights and behind the scenes interviews comes news that Kiwi and Rocky Rivera have joined the Beatrock Music family. So press play and see what Bambu has to say about a new Native Guns EP...
I mean for me, it's my way to express how I feel about what's going on in the world through my eyes. Speaking for my folks and family...that can't speak for themselves and talk about what's really going on in our lives. ...It's blue collar Hip Hop - Otayo Dubb
The music is a counter balance to the struggles and stresses of front line organizing. When the people are out there fighting for their rights and you're blessed with [the] opportunity to be able to make cultural work, make music, make art on behalf of people that are struggling...that's a blessing. That's the rest and relaxation. - Nomi of Power Struggle
In celebration of the upcoming anniversary of Los Angeles based independent record label Beatrock Music I had a chance to talk to founder Eric "Fatgums" Strand about the origins of the label and it's associated with local clothing company Beatrock. For those of you who may not be familiar, Beatrock Music is home to artists such as: Bambu, Power Struggle, Otayo Dubb, The CounterParts, BWAN, and the DJ crew Mass Movement. In addition to speaking with Fatgums we had a chance to hear some words from Beatrock supporter Manila Ryce and Mass Movement DJ ReVision on what Beatrock means to them.
Nativity: First off how did Beatrock Music Start? How is it associated with Beatrock Long Beach? Fatgums: After the release of the Beatrock Presents: FATGUMS X BAMBU A Peaceful Riot EP, I was at a crossroads. At that time I was on a leave of absence from medical school and was trying to figure out where my heart and mind were truly at in life. Other than my family, my friends, and a commitment to social change, I knew that music was something that would be a part of me forever. It wasn’t only making beats and scratching that I was in love with, it was the entire process of creating physical things that could become timeless pieces of art. I asked David Araquel, the owner of Beatrock, what he thought of expanding upon what we started with A Peaceful Riot. He told me that his vision for Beatrock had always included a musical component. I love Beatrock. I love what they represent as a company and I love the image and style that they have created. It was clear to me that by becoming a part of the Beatrock family through establishing a music wing of the brand, I would be able to realize my own personal vision for a record label – to create and spread music that is rooted in social change. I am forever grateful that the Araquel family entrusted in me the Beatrock name. It is and will always be my priority to represent it well through the music we make.
Nativity: Have there been any struggles over the past year to get everything going? Fatgums: It was my objective from the beginning to create a label that is for the artists and in many ways run by the artists. Given this approach, getting Beatrock Music started has been a very team-like effort. As with anything in life, working as a team or collective has made the whole process much easier. It has been a blessing to work with artists who have more than their own self interest in mind. We all are striving for something bigger than our music and our own self recognition. There have been struggles, but together we have been able to rise above any obstacles that have faced the label thus far
Nativity: Why Long Beach and San Francisco for your celebrations? Fatgums: Long Beach is the city where Beatrock started. The Beatrock Clothing Store/Art Space was a cultural magnet for many activists, musicians and artists. From the grand opening celebration to the final show, artistic creativity, political discourse, and live music oozed from its doors. Beatrock became more than a safe space for artists to show their work, it became a community that we all became a part of. Now that the physical space is no longer there, it became very important for me to bring the anniversary celebration back to Long Beach and to the community that Beatrock inspired.
We chose San Francisco because many of our artists, like Power Struggle and Otayo Dubb, are based out of the Bay Area. I wanted to be sure their fans and supporters could join in on the celebration.
Nativity: What is your favorite Beatrock moment so far? Fatgums: My favorite moments have to be back at the Beatrock store when we’d take shots of Lori’s crazy drinks with like 30 folks at a time.
Nativity: What's in the future for Beatrock? What are your hopes? Where do you see Beatrock in 5 years? 10 years? Fatgums: I want Bambu to become the next Jay-Z, Bwan to become the next Nas, Otayo Dubb to become the next Biggie (but alive), and Nomi to become the next Chuck D.
Nativity: How can an artist get in touch with you if they feel their music fits with Beatrock? Fatgums: The best way is to visit the contact page on our website. There is a Soundcloud dropbox and an email form that sends emails directly to me.
Nativity: Do you have any special thank you messages for your supporters? Fatgums: I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us. From the young kid who told his or her friend to check out one of our videos to the family and friends that have helped us realize our dreams of making music, we thank you all.
Bambu - Who's That?!
Nativity: What does Beatrock mean to you? Manila Ryce: To me, Beatrock means community. It is truly communal in the sense that there is no one person leading the charge and calling the shots. Every artist; be they musician, painter, or designer; helps to advance the Beatrock brand and philosophy in their own way and on their own terms. Beatrock is a collective of friends, old and new, whose primary motive is to bring a certain level of consciousness to the neighborhoods they live in. Without that social bond, Beatrock would just be another failed establishment in a collapsing economy, but since it is so much more than a business it continues to flourish.
ReVision[Mass Movement]: For me, Beatrock Music is synonymous with Community. Not only is it a close knit community of artists, but the artists themselves are people who are FOR the Community as a whole. When you listen to any of the MCs on the roster, it's clear that each one has a genuine love for the People in the positive messages that they convey. It's not just art for art's sake...it's art with a purpose. It's art with a progressive message.
At the same time, the Beatrock label is passionate about the Music itself and won't settle for mediocrity. Whether it's beats, lyrics or videos, everything is always top notch quality. There are tons of conscious artists out there, but they're so focused on their message and not the quality of the music that it ends up falling on deaf ears. Since its inception, every single record that Beatrock puts out is just damn good music, so the listener gets the best of both worlds.
Beatrock Music is a true representation of Hip Hop culture. This label isn't going to sacrifice quality in exchange for commercial success. It'll stay true to its vision while carrying on the tradition of its predecessors. Beatrock Music pays homage to the Golden Age of Hip Hop while maintaining its own fresh style instead of simply trying to emulate the sounds of the past.
12/10: LONG BEACH – The Cellar (201 East Broadway) | More Info Live Performances by: · Bambu and DJ Phatrick · Power Struggle · Otayo Dubb · The CounterParts · Bwan · L.U.V · K-nine Host: Mass Movement DJs: DJ ET and Krissfader
12/11: SAN FRANCISCO – Pier 23 (Pier 23 on the Embarcadero) | More Info Live Performances by: · Otayo Dubb · Power Struggle · Dirty Boots · Kiwi · Rocky Rivera and more Host: Bambu DJs: DJ Roza, DJ Fonz and Fatgums
The events will also celebrate the birthdays of Nomi of Power Struggle, Rachel and James of Dirty Boots, and DJ Phatrick!
