Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Rock n Roll Ninja

A cool chick from Chicago wrote a blog post that really spoke to me:

every since i was a little girl ive gravitated to the unconventionally beautiful.
i've always wanted to be a rockstar ( despite my brief stint as earth mother for 3 years of high school ....trying to prove how "black" i can be we'll tackle that another day)
ive loved "fucked up" looking things since i can remember
messy hair
tight pants
black liner
fuck you attitude
its just always made sense to me...dont think i've never gotten opposition
comb your hair girl
wtf you got on???
why can''t you be more.....girly??
lol...oh i did try at one point , but the shit just
does
not
work
for me. i think its dumb to label yourself something so im not gonna be ridiculous and title myself something , but this shit is old guys.
maybe im just in the wrong city
maybe i just know the wrong people....
ive only been in the industry for a little bit
and its fucked up man
there are only two things black female artist can be....
ridiculous air-brushed divas or
shoe-less spoken word earth mothers
thats how you get noticed.
where are the rockstars ? why is there no room?
blah blah blah.....i digress
im ranting again but the whole thing just makes me itchy and dizzy...
enjoy the pics
stay open minded people
xx
drea
This is from her blog, That One Girl Drea
Check it out to see AMAZING pictures of female rockstars

Check out Drea's band, He Say, She Say to hear a black female rockstar in action.

She is part of an "all female collective that focuses on the areas of art, music, fashion, graphic design, photography and philanthropic work" called CHIPPED RED POLISH


Her blogpost inspired me to leave a comment saying this:

If you consider your post a rant, please continue to speak your mind. Because your saying things I have NEVER heard ANYONE vocalize. It is very hard to be a black girl who is driven to rock/electro/WHATEVER music, because there seems to be no one that creates or listens to that type of music.
In my own personal life, I feel like the black community forces you to stay in certain boundaries. When you don't act like everyone else, you are quickly considered something extreme (goth) or considered an outsider of your own culture. Due to this, I have independently explored my musical tastes alone without the influence (or accompaniment usually) of others. I also grew closer to hip-hop music, because initially it was a subconscious attempt to "relate" to my culture. But through this, I have gained an appreciation for oldschool hip-hop and the current underground hip-hop that expresses the same individuality as alternative music. This has affected my personal style, which can be currently considered a mesh of something that looks like a hardcore kid meets indie person meets hip-hop streetwear. For some reason I have never been able to successfully create the girly black girl look, but people see me as the black girl who has a personal style and does whatever she wants. I have always considered myself an individual, but not a 'free spirit'. I see myself as a person who follow trends like everyone else, but ones that are not seen by most black people, but trends seen on party pic and street fashion sites or myspace pictures. This also relates to fact that I can't "dance", juke or whatever, but I have found ways to move to music without caring about the way I look, but only focusing on the lyrics, beat and intensity.
I'm not sure how this relates to YOUR dilemma, but I think you should stay in Chicago. WHY? Because to my understanding there are loads of people who are living and creating music that's completely different than everyone else in the country and people are slowly but surely accepting them and are inspired by them. You don't need to label yourself just so other people can "get you". There is plenty of room for MANY black female rockstars in Chicago. Basically make everyone forget about your race, make people ignore or empathize with your gender, and make people disregard the genre your music falls into and JUST HEAR IT. I mean yeah, places like Brooklyn and LA are known for their accepting spirit and individuality, but I think you have built a lot of relationships that shouldn't be broken in Chicago and your in the perfect location at the perfect time to do whatever you want in life.


-Melknee the RnR Ninja


The title RnR Ninja comes from the Patti Smith song, 'Rock n Roll Nigger'. It is about her comparison of her role of a feminist in a male dominated rock scene to African Americans struggle for equality. I choose to use 'ninja', because I am personally against the use of ''the N word' for several reasons and I prefer to use 'ninja' as an alternative. I felt personally connected by this song. It is basically a song about individuality and many musicians have performed this song to express their individuality. I was aware of this song, because lines of the song was shown in the beginning of the film Afropunk. James Spooner's film, Afropunk is about African Americans in the white dominated punk rock scene. It explains their struggles with their friends, family and the inspiration of their music. The film was dedicated to any black kid who was called a nigger and to every white person who claimed to know that meaning behind the word.



Baby was a black sheep
Baby was a whore
Baby got big
And baby get bigger
Baby get something
Baby get more
Baby, baby, baby
Was a rock-and-roll nigger
Oh, look around you,
All around you,
Riding on a copper wave
Do you like
The world around you?
Are you ready to behave?

Outside of society,
they're waitin' for me
Outside of society,
that's where I want to be

Baby was a black sheep
Baby was a whore
You know she got big
Well, she's gonna get bigger
Baby got a hand;
Got a finger on the trigger
Baby, baby, baby
Is a rock-and-roll nigger

Outside of society,
That's where I want to be
Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me

Those who have suffered,
Understand suffering,
And thereby extend their hand
The storm that brings harm
Also makes fertile
Blessed is the grass
And herb
And the true thorn
And light

I was lost
In a valley of pleasure
I was lost
In the infinite sea
I was lost,
And measure for measure,
Love spewed
From the heart of me
I was lost, and the cost,
And the cost
Didn't matter to me
I was lost, and the cost
Was to be outside society

Jimi Hendrix was a nigger
Jesus Christ and Grandma, too
Jackson Pollock was a nigger
Nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger,
Nigger, nigger, nigger

Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society,
If you're looking,
That's where you'll find me
Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society

Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society,
If you're looking,
That's where you'll find me
Outside of society,
They're waitin' for me
Outside of society


Twitter Me Baby

Are you on Twitter?
Do you 'get it'?


It seems like everyone is on twitter nowadays. Musicians, celebrities, entire bands, clothing lines, blogs, and everything inbetween. There appears to be a lot of people who are "obsessed" with social networking and some have been driven to write songs.
follow me @Melknee if you want to see my tweets



Mistah FAB - Hit Me On Twitter (mp3)
follow @MistahFAB
via 38th Note



Original Version of Andy Milonakis' song, 'Let Me Twitter Dat'
buy the song on itunes HERE
follow @andymilonakis
follow @ruskoofficial


When dubstep dj, Rusko heard 'Let Me Twitter Dat', he made his own remix Let Me Twitter Dat (Rusko REMIX)



Mac Lethal - At Least There's Twitter (mp3)
Mac Lethal makes a political song about how people are unaware of the economic problems in the America and how they are too concerned with themselves (i.e. updating twitter).
Therefore the song title is sarcastic.
via The Pitch


Icadon - Turn My Twitter On (mp3)
Clearly rapped over Soulja Boy's new song, 'Turn My Swag On'.
I wonder what the twitter version of swag surfing is?
Also, didn't everyone vow to kill/bury/strangle the word 'swagger' in 2008?
via Pigeons and Planes


Prezzure-
Twitter (We Go Hard) (mp3)
follow @
PreZZure
via And If You Don't Know


Hopefully Ninjasonik will do a remix of their song 'Internet Bitch', because they are definitely twitter whores.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Diva Diva Y'all

Amanda Diva is definitely one those names thats in everyone's mouth

Amanda Diva's interview with Q-tip


Amanda Diva's interview of Asher Roth for Karmaloop TV



via 2dopeboyz

Amanda Diva interviews Tabi Bonney and looks at the brand Mighty Healthy



Wale Covering a Drake Song

The Attention Deficit Tour : WALE with UCB - Best I Ever Had from rkwehtoe on Vimeo.
via 2dopeboyz




MP3s
Drake - Right to Left f. Tanya Morgan (mp3)
via FWMJ's Rappers I Know

KiD CuDi - Respect My Conglomerate Freestyle (mp3)
via The Young Kingz Daily

Sunday, April 26, 2009

lark on my go-cart

Asher Roth dropped his first cd, Asleep In The Bread Aisle last week and it went to number one on itunes for hip-hop/rap. Now most of fans he made with his hit 'I Love College', are thinking about final exams right now. So as a student of an HBCU, I was very impressed to find a really good remix from a HBCU student's perspective.
The 151 Feva Gang's version includes : midnight breakfasts, march madness, battle of the bands, irep, computer lab, facebook, pop quizzes, financial aid, EOF, probate, Everclear, Thursday night partying, good boots, cup of noodles, summer session, deans list, academic probation, and super seniors

via Drizzy Drake's blog

how many rappers do you know that can get on a uptempo 120 and still gas it

Alife's Everybody Mono Low Speckles
Alife is one of the biggest shoe brands out and all true sneakerheads know about their iconic designs.via Kicks On Fire


Winter Line for Cassette Playa
College students are studying for finals and getting ready for summer, while Cassette is putting out their wardrobe for the winter.


via Highsnobiety


Lil Wayne on The View?!
Continuing school, depending on God, maturing sound, take to schools.
Wow Lil Wayne is projecting a very different sound when he went on The View this past week.
I always liked the sober version of Lil Wayne, but I will never buy the cd ReLinkbirth.

via Get Right TV


NEW MP3s:
In the hip-hop scene, Drake is undoubtedly one of the biggest artists coming up. One of the hit songs on his newest mixtape is 'Successful'. Rapper Naledge (one half Kidz in the Hall) teams up with 15 year old...yes FIFTEEN, Vic Mensah, who is the newest member of the Brainiac Society. This song makes me proud to say, "I'm from Chicago, bitch!"

Naledge feat. Vic Mensah & Smoke-A-Lot -
Successful (mp3)
via Fake Shore Drive

Naledge ft. Vic Mensah - Mile High Club (mp3)
via Fake Shore Drive


MSTRKRFT hooks up with another rapper, this time it's The Bay Area's E-40. Also check out more hip-hop fused tracks featuring Ghostface Killah and Freeway on MSTRKRFT's new album Fist of God. This song is amazing and a certified banger.


MSTRKRFT fest. E-40 - Click Click (mp3)
via My Old Kentucky Blog


Kid Cudi is on the remix of Black Eyed Peas' song 'Boom Boom Pow'. Hopefully they'll perform the remix together at the B96 Summer Bash in Chicago.


Black Eyed Peas feat. Kid Cudi - Boom Boom Pow Remix (mp3)
via Dat New Cudi


Kid Cudi's song 'Daps & Pounds' is on his newly released mixtape,
Dat Kid From Cleveland

Kid Cudi - Daps & Pounds (mp3)

Kid Cudi- Dat Kid From Cleaveland MIXTAPE (zip)
via Dat New Cudi


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Friday, April 17, 2009

your a jerk

If Chicago leads the trends on music (my personal opinion)
then California is known for creating movements that relate to fashion and dancing

If you live in California you have heard about the new dance 'the jerk'. Which looks like a hip-hop version of hardcore dancing or skanking.

1990s
Thizz



2006
Skateboarding/Vans


2006
Hyphy


2007
Scraper bike


2008
Jerkin/Jerk crews/Colored skinny jeans on guys
The jerk is new dance that has taken over southern california. Kids
independently call themselves 'jerks'. High school jerk crews dance to jerk or
hyphy songs and they usually wear colored skinny jeans, plaid shirts, fitted caps and
hoodies. Instead of wearing casual shoes like chuck taylors, they wear brands that are popular in urban clothing like Alife and Nike SB.
The most popular jerk song is 'Your A Jerk' by The New Boyz.
The lyrics of jerk songs is usually about the dance, clothing and sex. Popular groups are Go-Go Power Ranger$, Cold Flames, Freshboyz. This movement even has popular female jerk artists like Pink Dollaz and Vixens. Several jerk videos have popped up on Youtube, which means people around the nation will soon hear about the new dance that's taking over southern California.





Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Hold up born in 88, how old is that. Old enough.

After spending almost a week in Chicago, I was reminded that there is way more late night opportunities for people who are 21 and over. Everyone knows they are legally considered an adult at the age of 18. They are allowed to vote, buy cigarettes, and buy things from tv. But sometimes, you wonder why does all of that matter if you cannot go out with your fellow voters, smoke cloves, and talk about the snuggie you bought online. Unlike New Orleans, where most events are 18+, Chicago limits most of their clubs, parties, and small venue concerts for only the 21 and over crowd. 

So how do the  youngest of adults spend their weekends?
House parties?
Teen clubs?
On facebook?
Buying a fake ID?


THIS IS HOW I SPEND MY WEEKEND IN CHICAGO
house parties, raves, thrift shopping, dj concerts, mexican bakeries, streetwear shopping, graffiti sightings


























THIS IS HOW I SPEND MY WEEKENDS IN NEW ORLEANS
retro dance parties, album release parties, chillin in VIP, watching dance crews, graffiti showcase, seeing local talent



Kanye West is posting Air Yeezy sightings
Do you have a pair of
Air Yeezys?
Have you seen someone with a pair yet?
Do you think they're worth the hype?
What shoes do think influenced the Yeezys?
Why do you think so many people posted pics of them smelling or licking their new shoes?



Lady Mishka
Miskha has started to sell cut and sew clothing for
women in their new spring 2009 line. YAY!!!!!!!
And it's not ONLY the same clothing in womens sizes, but also original designs that are influenced by previous lines. Its hard to find a quality streetwear brand that makes clothing for women, its even harder to find a brand that makes womens clothing thats as fashionable as the mens. Mishka does it all. It even has cool legging based on the Keep Watch design.




IF I WASN'T IN NEW ORLEANS
WHERE WOULD I GO?
California for Coachella 
M.I.A., Beirut, Conor Oberst, Crystal Castles, Felix da Housecat, Franz Ferdinand, Girl Talk, Los Campesions!, Morrissey, N.A.S.A., Penut Butter Wolf, Steve Aoki, The Ting Tings, Atmosphere, Crookers, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, P.O.S., The Blooy Beetroots, The Killers, TV On The Radio, Antony and the Johnsons, Busy P, Clipse, K'naan, Late of the Pier, Lupe Fiasco, Lykke Li, No Age, Okkervil River, Peter Bjorn and John, Sebastien Teller, The Cure, The Horrors, The Knux, Yeah Yeah Yeah's
AT&T is even doing a LIVE BROADCAST of some of the shows
Melknee the RnR Ninja

Saturday, April 11, 2009

i'm from a city in the midwest, the best city in the whole wide world

Many college students are on Spring Break this weekend and I'm glad to be one of them
So where to I retreat to Chicaaaaaaaago. Which is the home of:

The Cool Kids
Kanye West
Lupe Fiasco
Hollywood Holt
Kid Sister
Million $ Mano
Common
Kidz In The Hall
Kill Hannah
Rise Against
just to say a few

 Chicago is in the midwest which is the home of other great artists who have their own distinct sound like

Kid Cudi
P.O.S. 
Atmosphere

So in great city with great musical artists and fans, there's plenty to do in an weekend.

Friday:
Crystal Castles @ The Bottom Lounge
Crystal Castles are an electro group that have one the most unique sounds that I have ever heard. The sound is fueled by altered vocals which is backed by 8-bit beats that sounds like it came straight out of a videogame. Crystal Castles is clearly one of those groups that you classify as 'experimental'. Alice Glass has a stage presence thats out of this world and physically spreads her energy to fans in the crowd. I already know this all ages show will be full of teenagers clad in ultra tight pants singing along to every word, while sweating and dancing and loving every moment of the experience.
Sadly this show was SOLD OUT and I couldn't go
Crystal Castles--Air War (mp3)

Crystal Castles @ Sonotheque
After Crystal Castles all ages show at The Bottom Lounge, they head to Sonotheque for a dj set. Besides for being good performing, the duo also makes amazing remixes of other artists.
Sadly this show as 21+ (as most thing in Chicago) and I couldn't go
Klaxons--Atlantis To Interzone (Crystal Castles Remix) (mp3)





Saturday:
Leaders 1354 opens the hat vault @ North Side Location
Leaders is clearly Chicago's most famous streetwear store in Chicago and the only thing cooler than their clothes is their hats, which has been worn by many locals and celebrities. The northside location will release several popular hats that were saved.



Deadmau5, Crookers, Late of the Pier, The Whip @ Congress Theatre
So many artists in so little time. This back to back dj and electro party will include djs that wear mouse masks, the djs who remixed Kid Cudi's 'Day n Nite', and two bands that are considered leaders of the new wave movement. Get ready for the 17+ ravers to come up from the underground.









Sunday
Mates of States, Black Kids, and Sun Bears @ The Metro
Black Kids --Hurricane Jane (mp3)


Melknee the RnR Ninja