Caught up with Groovement the other week at a Marva Whitney gig and got discussing the amorphous music and various guises of Jnerio Jarel. Agent J has secreted away a rather out-there interview Jarel that he’s planning on putting up shortly. We agreed that the Lex mans output, so far, has been a curve ahead of the game but wasn’t always that easy to get into – my ears clearly need to speed up to year 2050 frequencies.
Our chat reminded me of this excellent mix, sounds that the kids call wonky and dubstep. For our reviews of the Shape of Broad Minds and the Willie Isz visit here and here or for an exclusive interview with Ehquestionmark, the design dons behind the regulation dope as artwork, check this excerpt and cop one of the remaining copies of issue 01.
10 years in the game is nothing to be sniffed at, especially when ‘the game’ involves making a living in the Titanic-esc UK hip-hop ‘industry’, but YNR have (I think) so props to them and they’ll be celebrating with a jam at the Jazz Cafe this Friday. Main man and general MCs MC, Jehst will be headlining, so get your tickets here whilst you can or risk the wrath of one of the moody Russian bouncers at the door.
We also have some YNR goodies up for grabs including; Young N Restless Vo 1, New Years Revolutions (Tommy Evans) and Jyager’s Encrypted Sculptures released earlier this year. To stand a chance of winning just answer this easy-peasy question; what was the first record YNR released? Send ‘em into mailbox@bonafide.com with ‘YNR comp’ in the heading, competition closes December 12th.
Ever impressive live performers, The Bays, return to Koko this coming Friday, for an early festive treat of funk-fuelled electronica. Their improv live shows are the stuff of legend, with no two sets ever the same. Add to the fact that this is a double-header with the mighty Red Snapper also performing live and this gig promises to be pretty special.
We have two tickets up for grabs, all you have to do is leave a comment below answering the following simple question: where would you find a Red Snapper? The entry closes on Thursday 3rd December, with the victor being notified on the same day.
Will the Weathermen’s eagerly awaited The New Left LP, see the light of day in 2010? This years free download Reports of a Possible Kidnapping follows teasers such Left It To Us off Cage’s Hell’s Winter album, 5 Left in the Clip and The Conspiracy mix, that have left fans in a Pavlov dog states of saliva and excitement. N.B. The Conspiracy has aged like a highly sought aged wine and stands firm as a pure example of NYC self myth-making. Highly recommended and surprisingly available on i-Tunes.
Named after the 60s and 70s American political left-wing group that railed against the incumbent political power structures, the Weathermen have a similar militant and un-comprimising outlook. Consisting of Def Jux affiliated talent – El-P, Aesop Rock, Cage, Tame One, Yak Ballz and Breeze Brewin – this, quite simply, is a hip-hop supergroup prepared to blow a cold wind over what passes for hip-hop. The passing of member Camu Tao has re-focused the crew’s efforts and we can only hope that the release lives up to expectations; the gestation period for The New Left has been (too) long and the growing cult is hungry.
That’s right folks, Bonafide is putting on an evening of underground hip-hop entertainment at the 23rd Leeds International Film Festival. Inspired by a conversation with multi-media/events organiser guru Liz Ainge, earlier this year we approached the organisers to see if we could put on a night and for their sins they accepted.
After much dithering we plumped to show the excellent Upper Playground/Walrus TV documentary The Run Up that pokes a lens into the face of leading street artists such as Jose Parla, Doze Green, Futura, Cody Hudson/Struggle Inc. and Swoon and gives them an intimate platform to talk about their work and motivations. Estevan Oriol comes across as one mean mutha of a photographer and the film is all the better for it. This is a rare chance to see The Run Up – we’re not sure if it’s ever been shown in a cinema setting before in the UK - at the Carriageworks 2 on 9th November with a showtime of 6.30pm. Oh yeah, did we mention the kick-ass soundtrack too?
Part two of the evening is arts based free-for-all at A Nation of Shopkeepers. Kicking off at 8.30pm the face off will feature uber turntablist DJ Mike-L who is a five times DMC finalist (what happened in the finals Mike?!) and has produced a mind-blowing spraycan/street-art themed mix. Mike-L is part of the First Word camp. Squaring up to him in the blue corner is nimble handed illustrator The Pern of the Best Joined Up crew. Serious props.
Two events not to be missed even if we do say so ourselves. For further details click here.
On the hip-hop documentary tip, anyone across the other side of Pennines this Friday should, when they are looking for somewhere to shelter from the rain, make a bee-line for the Cornerhouse. The super nice cinema venue are teaming up with the HomeGrown exhibition that is being held at Urbis and showing two Dirk Fontaine cinematic classics.
Beat This! A Hip-Hop History was originally commissioned by the BBC in 1984 as part of the Arena series and features the likes of Afrika Bambaataa and DJ Kool Herc. Bombin’ is a 1988 documentary that brings Bronx graf writer Brim Fuentes to the UK to meet the likes of a young 3-D (the Wild Bunch/Massive Attack) and Goldie. Both are in-depth explorations of originators from the old-school and, like a gold-chain from back in the day, are certified hip-hop gold.
As an added bonus there will be a Q and A with Fontaine too, you don’t get that at the Vue!
Rock and roll print house Pictures on Walls have announced the dates for their annual Christmas event. Wittingly entitled The Fiesta Resistance two things are for sure; a) that it will be a killer art extravaganza (or bun fight depending on how you approach it) with some familiar and un-familiar names contributing; b) true to form details of the event will be vague until the last possible moment.
For anyone wanting to go the first stumbling block is where the hell is it going to be held? The flyer says Mexico City (or does it?) but then there is this link knocking around. The only thing to do at the minute is to sit tight, keep looking for updates and start looking for a spare credit card.
Bonafide towers has been a bit barren of news tidbits on the digital side of things lately, this is mainly due to the fact that we are still editing, kerning and pulling hair out over the final pieces for issue 03. Think a room full of chimpanzees trying to write the works of Shakespeare and you are getting there. One thing we are indeed struggling with is sleep, however us and fellow insomniacs may be in luck as the new material Speech Debelle and Maxi Jazz throw up may well offer a cure for those who ‘can’t get no sleep’.
Joking aside, although the mantra goes all publicity is good publicity, this week has been a bit of a mare for the Mercury Prize winner. Getting booed by Take That fans must be pretty soul-destroying but seeing her spit her dummy out, throw her toys out of the pram and split from Big Dada in public, has been like rubbernecking on the motorway. Her LP is a tense and restless affair and, thinking about it, obviously a representation of her character. Can’t help thinking she’s made a wrong call on this one.
This weekend has seen us slaving over the artwork for our Mr. Lif feature for issue 03. Tasters to the article can be found here but the best bits are being kept for the hardcopy. Inevitably the artwork session saw us bumpin to some of Lif’s classic material and reminded us of a couple of free (and legal) downloads floating around on the web.
The I Heard It Todaymixtape is on the promotional tip, while the Definitive Swim compilation (Def Jux hooks up Adult Swim) is worth checking purely for the kinetic Brothaz Remix with Cannibal Ox joining Lif on mic duties. Sure to wake you up on a Monday morning on the way to work!
Another oversized post, another promotional flyer. Not our usual style but this image for the forthcoming DJ IQ party took my fancy. I can’t really put my finger on why but the abstract geometric 80s influenced design really appeals. On the art tip we also came across this interesting site. Their forthcoming book StereoTyped: Hip-Hop’s Unsung Graphic Design Heroes, Heroines & the Oral & Visual Histories of the Rap Record (1979-1989) sounds like a mouthful and will hopefully deliver an eyeful.
Just to add, Skandal on the promotion drive for his and MK’s Hunger Pains release will be performing live in-store style at the King Pop Up Store (38 Earlham Street, Covent Garden) this Thursday between 6-8pm. If you are about you should pop over and watch with (free!) drinks in hand.
