A Rap And Roll Weekend
So Saturday was a very full day for me.
I decided to mix it up a bit and blend musical worlds. I dragged my unsuspecting girlfriend with me, not telling her at all what the day entailed.
I started off with a film, Dave Chappelle's Block Party. I had read a bit about it, known what the background was. Dave decided to throw a block party in Brooklyn, 2004. He gave away tickets, invited friends, and managed to get some of the most talented people in the music business to show up, minus ego. The film was thoroughly entertaining on many levels. For those expecting Chappelle to do Rick James/Lil' Jon/Prince or any other various characters, they were misinformed. This wasn't Chappelle Show. As Dave states, it's the concert that he always wanted to see. The documentary is a mix of comedy, music, thought, and militant expression.
I won't go into every single detail of the film. I'm not the biggest fan of reviews. I will state my opinion on how I felt. For me, as a fan of hip-hop music, real hip-hop, you cannot beat this film. Every performance is inspiring, uplifting, and a true treat for fans of the culture. Highlights include The Roots, with a special guest appearance by Big Daddy Kane, Kanye West's "Jesus Walks", Dead Prez's "Hip-Hop", and Mos Def and Talib Kweli, two of the greatest MC's in hip-hop. When Kweli takes the stage for "Get By", you cannot help but feel something is going right for the current state of hip-hop. For any true fans, it's like the first time you bought that record, took it home, and put it on the turntable. Erykah Badu and Jill Scott also do not disappoint, particularly with a beautiful rendition of "You Got Me". Of course when you think things cannot get any better, Dave informs us that Lauryn Hill could not get permission from Columbia Records to perform certain songs, so instead she called up her old band mates and the Fugees took the stage. For the first time in almost 10 years. Hill still has a beautiful voice, and you cannot help but get choked up a bit, listening to her sing "Killing Me Softly".
The film is peppered with Chappelle's sharp wit. Particularly his views on the state of music, race relations, and Brooklyn as a whole. The benefit is that Chappelle is presented as a fan. He's like the rest of us. He takes us along on this ride and he's just as excited as we are. It was a treat to see this film with a NY audience. It felt like you were at the concert. People were clapping, cheering and having a good time. It felt great knowing that I could get on a train and go to where this happened- that Brooklyn, was only a train ride away. As a youth, listening to hip-hop, NY was this place that I couldn't imagine. It was almost fairytale like. Now, it's my home.
If your not a fan of Chappelle or hip-hop, then this won't appeal to you, at all. If your like me, and you love the culture of hip-hop music, then this is a very needed break from the current bullshit that permeates the airwaves. Thanks to Block Party, the genre is very much alive. Thank you Dave.
After coming out of the film, I was ready for part two of my evening. I had purchased tickets to see one of my favorite bands, The Strokes. They were playing the 3rd of three sold out NY shows. Sometimes I'm starting to feel a bit my age. I think my girlfriend and I were two of the oldest people in the line. Listening to youth, I cannot fathom I ever sounded like that as a kid. Then as my Mother always told me, I was born old. The Strokes have always been a very personal band to me. I moved to NY when they first broke big, fresh off their debut album, Is This It? I was broke, had no job, no prospect of a job, and listened to their CD almost everyday. A gift of a ticket to their first NY concert at Radio City Music Hall back in 2002, was my feeling that I had arrived. Especially after I landed a job about two months before the show.
I have seen them various times over the years. It's always a reminder of why I'm here, to create. We had tickets on the floor, which is a great concept, but with so many annoying kids, it can grate on the nerves. I think next time, I'll opt for the mezzanine with the rest of the senior citizens. A band called the Eagles of Death Metal opened. My girlfriend, a hip-hop/R&B fanatic, was in for a real treat. She's open-minded, so she went along with it. The Eagles of Death Metal were very good, their female drummer was amazing, but I have a feeling most of the youth were there to see the boys from NY.
After about an hour of setting up and waiting, the energy at an all time high, the lights dimmed, the stage lights came up and the Strokes took the stage. Last to come on was the lead singer, Julian Casablancas, who newly married and semi-sobered, fell down and pointed to the crowd and could not believe how loud we were. The Strokes ripped through 20 songs, a new all time high for them, some off of their new album, First Impressions on Earth, other tunes from Room on Fire and their debut, Is This It? They also played a cover of the Ramones song, Life Is A Gas. Julian dedicating it to the late Joey, Dede, and Johnny Ramone. Julian was also joined on stage by the lead singer of Har Mar Superstar for a duet of Under Control.
Their set was tight, instruments and guitar riffs crisper, and the overall cohesion of the band never sounded better. As they left the stage, the lights started to come up and we made much noise, which caused the band to retake the stage, clapping and pointing to us, and proceeding to play three more songs. For me, it was the greatest concert they have ever given. They seemed to enjoy themselves. They were gracious and appreciative. My girlfriend really enjoyed it as well. She was surprised at how much she liked it.
It was a necessary reminder and reflection, that somehow, I'm going to make it.
I decided to mix it up a bit and blend musical worlds. I dragged my unsuspecting girlfriend with me, not telling her at all what the day entailed.
I started off with a film, Dave Chappelle's Block Party. I had read a bit about it, known what the background was. Dave decided to throw a block party in Brooklyn, 2004. He gave away tickets, invited friends, and managed to get some of the most talented people in the music business to show up, minus ego. The film was thoroughly entertaining on many levels. For those expecting Chappelle to do Rick James/Lil' Jon/Prince or any other various characters, they were misinformed. This wasn't Chappelle Show. As Dave states, it's the concert that he always wanted to see. The documentary is a mix of comedy, music, thought, and militant expression.
I won't go into every single detail of the film. I'm not the biggest fan of reviews. I will state my opinion on how I felt. For me, as a fan of hip-hop music, real hip-hop, you cannot beat this film. Every performance is inspiring, uplifting, and a true treat for fans of the culture. Highlights include The Roots, with a special guest appearance by Big Daddy Kane, Kanye West's "Jesus Walks", Dead Prez's "Hip-Hop", and Mos Def and Talib Kweli, two of the greatest MC's in hip-hop. When Kweli takes the stage for "Get By", you cannot help but feel something is going right for the current state of hip-hop. For any true fans, it's like the first time you bought that record, took it home, and put it on the turntable. Erykah Badu and Jill Scott also do not disappoint, particularly with a beautiful rendition of "You Got Me". Of course when you think things cannot get any better, Dave informs us that Lauryn Hill could not get permission from Columbia Records to perform certain songs, so instead she called up her old band mates and the Fugees took the stage. For the first time in almost 10 years. Hill still has a beautiful voice, and you cannot help but get choked up a bit, listening to her sing "Killing Me Softly".
The film is peppered with Chappelle's sharp wit. Particularly his views on the state of music, race relations, and Brooklyn as a whole. The benefit is that Chappelle is presented as a fan. He's like the rest of us. He takes us along on this ride and he's just as excited as we are. It was a treat to see this film with a NY audience. It felt like you were at the concert. People were clapping, cheering and having a good time. It felt great knowing that I could get on a train and go to where this happened- that Brooklyn, was only a train ride away. As a youth, listening to hip-hop, NY was this place that I couldn't imagine. It was almost fairytale like. Now, it's my home.
If your not a fan of Chappelle or hip-hop, then this won't appeal to you, at all. If your like me, and you love the culture of hip-hop music, then this is a very needed break from the current bullshit that permeates the airwaves. Thanks to Block Party, the genre is very much alive. Thank you Dave.
After coming out of the film, I was ready for part two of my evening. I had purchased tickets to see one of my favorite bands, The Strokes. They were playing the 3rd of three sold out NY shows. Sometimes I'm starting to feel a bit my age. I think my girlfriend and I were two of the oldest people in the line. Listening to youth, I cannot fathom I ever sounded like that as a kid. Then as my Mother always told me, I was born old. The Strokes have always been a very personal band to me. I moved to NY when they first broke big, fresh off their debut album, Is This It? I was broke, had no job, no prospect of a job, and listened to their CD almost everyday. A gift of a ticket to their first NY concert at Radio City Music Hall back in 2002, was my feeling that I had arrived. Especially after I landed a job about two months before the show.
I have seen them various times over the years. It's always a reminder of why I'm here, to create. We had tickets on the floor, which is a great concept, but with so many annoying kids, it can grate on the nerves. I think next time, I'll opt for the mezzanine with the rest of the senior citizens. A band called the Eagles of Death Metal opened. My girlfriend, a hip-hop/R&B fanatic, was in for a real treat. She's open-minded, so she went along with it. The Eagles of Death Metal were very good, their female drummer was amazing, but I have a feeling most of the youth were there to see the boys from NY.
After about an hour of setting up and waiting, the energy at an all time high, the lights dimmed, the stage lights came up and the Strokes took the stage. Last to come on was the lead singer, Julian Casablancas, who newly married and semi-sobered, fell down and pointed to the crowd and could not believe how loud we were. The Strokes ripped through 20 songs, a new all time high for them, some off of their new album, First Impressions on Earth, other tunes from Room on Fire and their debut, Is This It? They also played a cover of the Ramones song, Life Is A Gas. Julian dedicating it to the late Joey, Dede, and Johnny Ramone. Julian was also joined on stage by the lead singer of Har Mar Superstar for a duet of Under Control.
Their set was tight, instruments and guitar riffs crisper, and the overall cohesion of the band never sounded better. As they left the stage, the lights started to come up and we made much noise, which caused the band to retake the stage, clapping and pointing to us, and proceeding to play three more songs. For me, it was the greatest concert they have ever given. They seemed to enjoy themselves. They were gracious and appreciative. My girlfriend really enjoyed it as well. She was surprised at how much she liked it.
It was a necessary reminder and reflection, that somehow, I'm going to make it.
posted by Batman at 11:26 AM
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