Ty & Taylor McFerrin @ The Knitting factory 4.13.08 April 12, 2008

If you do not know about Ty, then you need to slap yourself three times and get with the program. And very under-rated UK artist that has lyrical skills for days. My homegirl, AriTaurus420 Photography.

She also put me on to Taylor McFerrin, who is Bobby McFerrin’s son. You remember the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”? Well, Taylor has taken up his father’s musical talents and is one of the sickest Beat-boxer’s I’ve ever heard. Funny thing is I check out his Myspace Pg and was listening to his music, was introduced to him, and didn’t realize he beatboxed until he was on stage beatboxing. I laugh at myself every time I think of that nite. You can find his album on iTunes, or check out his music, listen closely to the music, because he is the one making the noises that sounds like instruments.

But back to Ty, I will hopefully have the honor to sit down quickly and interview him for a project I was invited to do. With permission, hopefully I’ll be able to post that interview.

The thing about Ty is that he is very, very under rated. He has a smooth voice, laden with the British accent that most of us Americans love. He doesn’t sound like the heavily marketed Dizzee Rascal - who’s show I attend when he was in BK @ Southpaw, I’ll post those pics and review shortly. and we all know how M-I-A is marketed and promoted as this dope chick, but I don’t like her or her music, and she is always doped up!

But Ty, is one of those fun lyricist, like I would put him in the same category as Mos Def, Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, but for the UK. Like you can tell he comes from the 90’s era where The Jungle Brothers was the shit, De La Soul was heavily rotated, and Hip Hop was well seasoned with a vast variety of lyrical skills.

He has this comedic air to him on some of his tracks, and on the ones where you can tell he is speaking about an experience he had, he expresses his views and opinion in the most melodic way. Like “Music 2 Fly 2″ off of his last album, Closer. Just listening to that track gives me goosebumps. And if you are listening to it in your iPod the way the music plays makes the NYC streets look like a musical. Or the song that is playing in my head now as I write this blog, “The Tale” off of his first album, Akward, where he talks about a girl he meet and what happens when she comes over to the crib. The story is funny in an way that you would not expect, because he over steps his boundaries and she checks him, lol.

The sad thing about Ty’s music is it is somewhat hard to find, but you can Google his albums, Akward, Upward, or Closer. Check out his Myspace too, you can always hit him up and see where he has some of his albums.

Or you can do one better, and come check these fellas out tomorrow @ The Knitting Factory. The tixx are only $15 @ the Door, $12 in advanced, which is a good deal considering these guys are both equally talented.

Come on out and Support!!!

~ f@ke

New Music Alert ~ Janelle Monae April 5, 2008

If you love music the way I do, then you should completely understand the feeling that goes through you when you hear that artist, who’s music is so soul rocking, you can’t help but get goosebumps or chills down your back, when you hear them for the first time. From that point on, you go on a somewhat rampage to find more of their music, more of their amazing gift.

Well, that is how I felt when I first discovered this wonderful lady, Janelle Monae. Miss Monae is from Kansas City, Kansas. She was first featured on the The Purple Ribbon All- Stars “Got Purp” album by Big Boi, of Outkast. She later was featured again on the Idlewild Soundtrack, on the songs “Call The Law” and “In Your Dreams”.

Her sound to me is like a new-aged Kelis, but better. There is definitely a nagging comparsion to Andre 3000’s eclectic musical talents and style. In a way where when you hear her sci-fi storyline for ‘Violet Stars Happy Hunting’, she opens up saying “I’m an alien from outter space. I’m a cyber-girl without a face. I’m a product of metal”. You can only imagine where she’s going to go with her lyrical content.

But she also has a beautiful singing voice and can definitely take you there with her pitch and range. Sweet and sultry, she gives you chill bumps when you hear her sing a ballad.

Her band is amazing, the beats are catchy, but yet you’ve never heard of a sound quite like hers.

Personally, I read a piece on her last year over on the Clutch Magazine website. That was the moment when I craved more from Miss Monae, but there was none for me at that time.

I can’t say what made me look for her again. Oh, it was the second piece Clutch did on her in Jan ‘08, and I’ve been ok ever since. But, there is no actual album dropping from Janelle until this Summer. I must correct myself in calling it an “album” as she and her Label, The Wondaland Arts Society, have remastered the theory of how music is perceived, and called her debut a ’suite’.

To define the term ’suite’ I will have to quote what Janelle and The Wondaland Society say themselves:

The concept of the suite release was inspired by the observation that the youth of the iPod generation no longer buy or listen to entire albums. They listen to playlists. They grab their favorite three to four songs from a particular album, add those to a playlist, and then discard the rest of the album like yesterday’s news.

In order to re-excite the public, the label is forced to do guest spots and remixes, additional videos and deluxe CD releases….all in a vain attempt to intrigue the record buyer again.

With this in mind, the Wondaland Arts Society has decided to release its content in a quarterly “suite” fashion. Like successful serial programs such as Lost or Heroes, this release schedule allows dynamic artists such as Janelle Monáe to always stay fresh: she always has a new chapter or musical world to visit, a new song raiding blogs and earbuds.

As one can imagine, this suite model continually excites the consumer and music lover, while creating countless opportunities for Ms. Monáe to experiment artistically and grow creatively with her audience.

Pretty neat idea. She was recently signed to Bad Boy and did a showcase show for the Industry folks, this past Thursday @ The Blender Theater. I’ll post pics from that next.

Check out some of her tunes. My Favorite songs, actually. So I’d consider yourself lucky

I made this music player at MyFlashFetish.com.

~ f@ke