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SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

~ Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

Tag Archives: 9th wonder

My Bells Were ROCKED!

29 Tuesday Jul 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones, Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

9th wonder, a tribe called quest, hip hop tour, immortal technique, method man, mos def, murs, nas, pharcyde, rakim, rapper supernatural, real hip hop, redman, rock the bells baltimore, rock the bells concert review, rock the bells festival, rock the bells maryland, what did people think about rock the bells

by vivrant thang on rock the bells concert review

I already told you about the night I fell back in love with hip hop. Well the love affair got that much stronger this past Sunday at the all-day Rock The Bells Festival aka the “Hip Hop Woodstock.” Hands down, this was the best show hip hop concert I’ve been to and that’s saying a lot.

I’m not the only one that felt that way. I belong to a hip-hop meetup group and a lot of members who have been been to way more hip hop shows than I have felt the same way. It wasn’t just the line-up, which I will get to in a minute, but the overall good feelings that abound from being in the presence of real emcees who know how to move the crowd.

I was very impressed with how well the show was run. I have no idea how chaotic is was backstage but you couldn’t tell from where we sat. They kept to the posted schedule and we were never waiting very long between acts.

The crowd, which was extremely diverse (read: I see white people), was quite the feel-good bunch. They just wanted to spark up their L’s (subjecting me to a hell of a contact high but whatever…) and party on down to some real hip-hop. I didn’t see or hear of any situations – although I almost started one when these chicks spilled their margarita on my stuff. However, my murderous angry black woman glare was punishment enough. You know I got a history of almost having to throw dem bows with white folks.

As you’ll see in the videos, I had lawn seats which is what I prefer for a show of this length – over 10 hours. I was out there with my feet up feasting on fried chicken, tomato and mozarella salad, fruit and assorted snacks. When I saw the $3 price tag on a bottle of water, I knew I had made the right decision! They were flirting with a gallon of gas with those prices!

Some people had standing room only tickets right in front of the stage and stood for the whole time. While it would have been cool to be right in front of the stage, I am still exhausted from sitting/standing for the whole day so I would have never made it. Besides the humidity was overwhelming. There were times when all I could do was sit back with my spritzing fan and pray for a breeze.

By the time I arrived, I had missed Jay Electronica’s first set but MURS was rocking the mic. I’ve heard of him because I’m a 9th Wonder fan and they have done a couple of albums together. He was nice – from the few bars I caught.

Wale is hot right now here in DC. Unlike Anita, I felt that he wasn’t “giving us the best that he got.” Frankly, I was underwhelmed. He kept telling us that he would be back later as if that was an excuse for his lazy performance. I think he mentioned that they had him going on early. Doesn’t matter. You’re hot in the game. You got to be ready to get it in at any given moment. However, I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt since some people swear by him. I was less than thrilled with Raheem Devaughn the first time I saw him and now he gets nothing but love over here. So we’ll see.

Dead Prez and Immortal Technique were up next. I can’t really comment on them because I’m not a huge fan. I had actually never heard of Immortal Technique before that day. He is nice with his – yelling talking about some real shit once you got past the harsh delivery. I’ve never been a Dead Prez fan and honestly, I don’t really remember their performance.  From what I could tell, folks may have been underwhelmed. The energy seemed kind of low up there close to the stage. Anyone know different, please feel free to comment.

Before I go any further, I have to mention the host, Supernatural. Evidentially, once again I am late to the party because he is well-known for his legendary freestyle battles. He ripped the mic to shreds. His flow was reminiscent of KRS-One and that’s saying a lot.  Don’t sleep on this dude. Hell, I’m probably the only one that wasn’t in the know. But he asked us to spread the word and I had to comply! Video evidence is coming soon. Meantime, check him out performing “3 MC’s.” 

A number of DJs were on the 1s and 2s throughout the day but I was most excited to see DJ Beverly Bond representing for the ladies. Some feminine energy was most needed up there. DJ Scratch, formerly of The Roots, was ridiculous with the beatboxing. Had me reminiscing for real.

Once Rakim took the stage about 3pm, there was no more rest for the weary. I don’t think I sat down for more than 15 minutes at a time for the rest of the day. The rain came down and I ignored it. A black woman voluntarily standing out in the rain?! I must have been high. But how can you sit down when one of the greatest to ever do it is on the mic? Not to mention Raekwon & Ghostface Killah, De La Soul, Meth & Redman (with his fly ass ‘hawk), Pharcyde, Mos Def, Nas, and A Tribe Called Quest are in the building?! I can rest when I die!

Here are some random thoughts I had through the rest of the day:

Rakim is still the lyrical assassin. Few can touch him. That’s over 20 years in the game right there.

The most beautifullest thing in this world was seeing thousands of people throwing up the WU sign.

Tribute to ODB got me a little misty.

Meth and Red stage diving was the coolest. When they hugged at the end of the set, I got misty again.

Redman joining Tribe on stage was hot.

Nas telling the “old niggas” to step aside for the “new niggas” is probably disrespectful but still humorous.

Wondering why the hell Afrika Bamabaataa was on the B stage. That was a crime. Apparently there were some great artists on that stage – like Spank Rock- but a sista was not moving!

Me losing my everloving mind when Q-Tip performed “Bonita Applebaum” and “Vivrant Thing.”

Thinking that I need to get Nas’ album ASAP. And I don’t buy hip hop albums like that. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it and I was feeling the cuts he performed.

What is Bilal’s music director doing up there performing with Q-Tip?!

I liked Mos Def’s set although he was definitely on some other stuff.  “Miss Fat Booty” was not in the building. I didn’t mind because I was feeling a lot of his reggae-flavored joints. I was winding my body like I was in Jamaica mon.

I’m still downloading videos and probably will be for quite a while. I did get a few up for your viewing pleasure. They are far from my best work (i.e. you may be subject to sea sickness and random singing/rapping and commentary). If you want to see better videos closer to the stage, just search You Tube or check out the view from “Life In The Chocolate City.”

Nas, “One Mic”

Nas, “Sly Fox”

Tribe Called Quest, “Scenario” and “Award Tour”

Tribe Called Quest, “Relax Yourself” and “Check The Rhime”

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Music Makes Me Highhh!

23 Sunday Mar 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Feeding The Music Jones, Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

9th wonder, 9th wonder dj sets, amp fiddler, deejays, female dj's, male dj's, tortured soul, tortured soul concerts

by vivrant thang on let’s rock

beverlybond.jpg

Just a quick post to talk about my musically delicious weekend. Will be very brief because I’m recovering from the strip aerobics class I took on Saturday that had me using muscles I forgot I had. I literally feel like I’ve been thrown down a flight of stairs. Ahhh, feels good.

Friday night, I went to a party held at the Meat Market Gallery. I know. Got the side-eye from me too. More important than the promise of free food and open bar (sponsored by Hennessey), 9th Wonder was going to be on the wheels of steel. You should already know I was in there. He’s not local so when he’s in the area, I try not to miss him!

As usual, he didn’t disappoint. I was pop locking, doing the snake and whopping it out like I didn’t have a care in the world. It was the perfect way to end the week. However, as is typical in DC, I felt like I was one of the museum displays because the fake-bourgeois folk must have forgotten this was the music they grew up on. The most they could manage was the cool head nod. Yes, it was one of “those” parties.

Whateva.

I couldn’t stay still and I was glad I brought along a girlfriend who also knew what time it was. She says she hadn’t danced like that in a minute. I proudly handed her a membership card for the 9th Wonder Stan Association.

I spent a good part of the evening just looking up at him do his thing. He was up in this space above the party so I had a good view. The artistry of DJ’ing has always fascinated me…when he or she is in the zone and really feeling it. Totally different type of head nod.

Don’t know what I’m talking ’bout? Check out DJ YZO of Industry Soul’s ode to the ones who keep your body rocking…and make you forget that you’ve been waiting over an hour for the next act to take the stage (looking at you, Bilal)

  • Grandmaster Flash (the architect)
  • DJ Cash Money
  • DJ Kid Capri
  • DJ Jazzy Jay

I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out some of my favorite female DJs.

  • DJ Jazzy Joyce
  • DJ Beverly Bond
  • Spinderella
  • DJ Coco Chanelle
  • DJ Rehka
  • DJ Diva
  • DJ Miss Kai

I’m crazy for you, Mr DJ. Keep Playin.

Saturday night was the Amp Fiddler, Fertile Ground and Tortured Soul show. I was anticipating this show because while I grew up on house music, being from North Jersey and all, I tend to get all caught up in soul music and forget my roots.

I’ll have a full review and videos coming up in the coming days weeks. This wasn’t a concert. It was an all-out party. I felt like I was back home. I still haven’t come down from the high.  While I thoroughly enjoyed Amp’s set,  Tortured Soul has a sista clearing space on her stan list…as if it isn’t jam packed already. I must see them whenever possible.

Here’s a preview. I couldn’t even get this posted without getting up for a dance break…sore and all.

Play that funky music white boys!

This kind of flava will have Vivrant Thang considering putting a little creme in her coffee.

JKriv, call me! Something about those bass players.

 *photo credit: forever12

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My First Fifty Posts: A Retrospective

22 Tuesday Jan 2008

Posted by Vivrant Thang in Weekly Round Up

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

9th wonder, banita jacks case, bilal concert, chrisette michele concert, da'niyah jackson case, death of donda west, eric roberson, facebook concerts, i am not my hair, keite young concert, little brother concert, michael vick case, rapper ti case, songs in the key of life blog, van hunt concert

by vivrant thang on retrospective

woman-on-computer.jpg

I’m really excited by how far this blog has come in the three months I’ve been posting regularly. At first since I didn’t share the URL with a lot of people, I was a bit surprised when I got my first comment so soon after I started writing. I thought I’d be talking to myself for quite a while…and I was okay with that. I wanted to find my way a bit and decide just what I was here to do. Knowing that people were reading made me move a little quicker!

I don’t post daily or several times a day like other folks so this is just my 50th post. Since I’m moving right along with one of my blog resolutions, which is to increase readership and comments, I thought I’d do sort of a retrospective for new readers. I don’t know about you, but I appreciate when a blogger does that because as a person that subscribes to over 150 feeds, which I obviously don’t always keep up with, I need a round-up on occasion. So I intend to do this every 50 posts.

Over these past couple of weeks, some great things have happened as a result of a few posts in particular.

  • Just today, I discovered that CNN has linked to my rant post about the Banita Jacks case under their From The Blogs section. Lawd, take me now. It appears to be powered by some news aggregator but I’m thrilled that it found my post out of all the blogs that I hope are talking about this. I don’t know if it will change soon so check it out!
  • If that wasn’t enough, last week I wrote a post about a HOT party I had the pleasure to attend. Super Producer 9th Wonder and DJ Cuzzin B actually took the time to comment and then 9th Wonder linked to my post from his Myspace blog. If that wasn’t enough, they also added a link to my blog from the True School website, which is also linked from 9th Wonder’s main website. All of this because I simply wrote about what I love: rocking to REAL music. I didn’t expect anyone to find it, much less comment on it. I just had to share it.
  • Shortly after all that, I discovered that my post about “Getting Back” with Little Brother was used on the Facebook page for their upcoming concert in London at The Jazz Cafe. (aside: I wish I lived in London. They have some HOT shows coming up there *gasp and swoon*). There were several excellent posts which I referenced in my own, but they used mine.

Here are some other posts I’ve written that I’d like to spotlight:

The Daily News

  • She’s In a Better Place (rape and murder of 10-month-old Da’Niyah Jackson)
  • Unpretty (death of Dr. Donda West)
  • Why? My Thoughts on the Michael Vick Case
  • Self-Destruction (thoughts on TI and Michael Vick)
  • I Am Not My Hair

Concert Reviews

  • From Erro to Prince: I Gets Around!
  • The ERRO Concert Experience
  • Let’s Rock with Chrisette Michele
  • There’s Something About Keite Young
  • Love It: Bilal Concert Reviews and Videos
  • Let’s Rock: Highlights from the Van Hunt Concert

Here are the posts that have been among your favorites, according to the stats:

  • My Favorite Things: Top 50 R&B/Soul Songs
  • Other Woman
  • My Favorite Things: Top 10 Songs of 2007
  • No More Drama
  • Young, Gifted, and Black!

I’m also really proud of the blog campaign I participated in last month for World AIDS day. You can see all of the posts here.

For the newbies wanting to know more about Vivrant Thing, check the “Who’s That Girl?” page and the All About Me section.

So there you have it…the highlights thus far. I’d love to hear your comments on some of these past posts if you missed them the first time around.

I have a lot in store for the next 50 posts. So hang tight and enjoy the ride!

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