DJ Free

Yawn... Wipe Eyes

2010-12-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

Sleeping?? Maybe. Awake?? I believe so...

With access to uploading capabilities and a new project (which I will discuss in the future) at hand. I'M FINALLY BACK!! Best of all... I'm currently talking to myself so there's no one to criticize me as I get my feet back under me!!! If you want to be one of those criticizers... Stay Tuned!

Am I Alive!?!

2010-08-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

Simple answer... yes, yes I am. The world is a very busy place for me these days, planning a wedding, traveling, and welcoming visitors. But alas, I still live. So what do we have to look forward to this week?? My review of "Teflon Don", the latest album from Rick Ross which is making waves through the hip hop community. Also, Sunday (Old) School still has some great songs lined up for enjoyment and enlightenment so definitely stay tuned there. I'm hoping to get some time in the next couple weeks to pump out a couple new mixes, as my queue of new hot music is filling up and waiting to burst into your ears. Good things are happening my friends!

Trains and Planes

2010-07-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

So apparently my employer thought it necessary to restrict access to certain file sharing/storing sites which makes it extremely difficult (impossible) to stream music at the moment. No hard feelings though, in fact I'm currently more disturbed by the cafeteria food... yeah, I'm talking to you "corn on the cob." At any rate, it is time to unveil the answer to the Sunday (Old) School quiz:

Q: Which bay area (Oakland, CA) producer/group sampled The O'Jays' song "Cry Together" on a late fall 2006 album?

A: Producer Amp Live sampled it on the album "Heroes in the City of Dope" by Zion I and the Grouch.

Some great guesses out there, but I had to try my hardest to fly under the Google radar. Not to mention this is one of my favorite uses of the sample by a producer I respect very much.

Due to some weekend travel expect to catch the second session of Sunday (Old) School early next week. Have a great weekend!

Cry Together

2010-07-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

Still no correct guesses on the O'Jays trivia. Maybe one of the most well known songs which sampled "Cry Together" (depending on your generation and music taste) is...

Ja Rule's song "I Cry" featuring Lil Mo.

That would be too easy if that was the answer. Below is a short list of others that have sampled the popular O'Jays song:

Tupac - "Pour Out A Little Liquor"
Nas and AZ - "Mo Money Mo Murder (Mo Homicide)"
Allure - "Anything You Want"
Slick Rick - "Kill Ni**"

The answer to the trivia is still out there! In the meantime, check out another sampled track from the Hall of Fame group. Their original "Who Am I" was used by Rhymesayers group Atmosphere (Slug and Ant) in their song "Little Man." Who would've thought that fresh new music could be so Old School!?!

Atmosphere - "Little Man"

Keep the guesses coming!

Sunday (Old) School Session I - Quiz

2010-07-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

This week features popular rhythm and blues group "The O'Jays", who are responsible for providing much material to modern day producers for song sampling. It's important that we realize where the music we listen to originated, so I ask this question for the week.

Which bay area (Oakland, CA) producer/group sampled The O'Jays' song "Cry Together" on a late fall 2006 album?

If you know the answer or just want to give it the old college try, drop it in the Shoutbox!

Sunday (Old) School Session I - Message in the Music

2010-07-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

(For this week, Monday is the new Sunday)

Music greatly reflects cultural progression and evolution in a way that is both linear and cyclical. I believe understanding this is crucial to the enjoyment and application of the art. The linearity of music resembles the familiar evolution picture where a monkey is pictured straightening into common man. Speaking of the hip hop music we behold today, it "grew up" from African decent, through Jamaican progression, into soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and finally to the popular music of our current era. Music evolution is also cyclical as music of any era borrows sounds and styles from previous generations to build upon in creating their own sound. This cyclical evolution has been growing heavily with music producers in the form of sampling. Sampling music is the method of taking parts of an original song, whether it be vocals or rhythms, and manipulating them to create a totally new song.

One original group that has been heavily sampled throughout recent history, and who will be the feature of this Sunday (Old) School session, are The O'Jays. The O'Jays, who released their first album in 1972, are a rhythm and blues group from Canton, Ohio and are responsible for creating many many hit records. Their knack for creating classic music has landed them in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, as well as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The O'Jays not only made popular music, but they made it with a clear goal in mind and realized music is more than just entertainment and a reason to dance. This is evidenced not only in their lyrics, but explicitly on their liner notes. This note from group member Kenneth Gamble can be found on their notes from the album "Message in the Music."

"In this day of confusion, we must find the root of the problem in order to solve it. The problem is a lack of truth and communication among man and woman.Therefore, the wrong interpretation of life and life's purpose has been exposed. The word with music is one of the strongest, if not the strongest means of communication on the planet Earth.Music is the first means of communication known to man. It is the only natural science known to man. We choose to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord" only to help vindicate His name. So His will can be done. The word with music can do its part to calm the savage beast that lives in every man.
The message is PEACE
The message is LOVE
The message is WISDOM
The message is UNDERSTANDING
The message is UNITY
The message is dedicated to truth and justice for all mankind.
Man Understanding Spiritual Information Clearly
'Understand while you dance'"

While the song, "Message in the Music" is very simple and non-assuming. It speaks volumes to the true understanding of the responsibility entertainers and musicians have to those that hear their works. All too often do we fill the airwaves and ultimately people's brains with lies and fantasies simply to obtain money without realizing the true impact it has on individuals and our society as a whole. When listening to the O'Jays one can only appreciate the fact that they are cognizant of their role as creators and use their medium to convey true and positive sentiments rather than follow the norm in the pursuit of success. Using their music as a light post in the community, they not only achieved great fame but also great influence on those they speak to.
I've eluded to this before, but it is a great truth from hip-hop pioneer Doug E. Fresh that can never be overstated... "Hip-hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change." This is true for all forms of music and communication and the O'Jays for one have embraced that challenge and reminds us all of our responsibility in word.

Check out the simple yet profound lyrics while listening!

It's FRIDAY!!

2010-07-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Happy End of The Week to everyone! This week flew by for me, which is good and bad I suppose. Here's a list of albums that came out this week, in case you need some fresh new songs to jam to this weekend. Don't forget to check back Sunday for the 1st session of Sunday (Old) School!!

Crowded House - Intriguer
Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul
Korn - Korn III: Remember Who You Are
Juvenile - Beast Mode
Tony Lucca - Rendezvous With The Angels
The Maine - Black & White
M.I.A. - /\/\/\Y/\ (What kinda name is that!?!)
School Of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
Sting - Symphonicities
Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises

Big Boi: Sir Lucious Left Foot, The Son of Chico Dusty

2010-07-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Quick, I say "Outkast" you say...? Based on your response, it is quite easy to see where you stand with arguably the most decorated hip hop group ever.

For instance (time to stereotype)...

If you said "Bombs Over Baghdad" or "I'm sorry Ms Jackson, OOooOO", you most likely were introduced to the group in the early 2000's via 10x.x fm or "We used to play Music, now we're teen reality capital of the world" TV.

If you said... "Me and You, Yo Mamma and Yo Cousin too", I'm sure you have memories of listening to Andre and Big Boi at family cookouts while swatting flies away from your watermelon and telling your uncle to stop bending the spades cards.

If you said... "I like the way you move" or started counting "1, 2, 3!" and jumping around as a prelude to "Hey Ya!" you've undoubtedly danced in the club to a few of their bigger mainstream hits and are probably wondering why they spell it with a "K" as opposed to the grammatically correct way.

Whatever your response, I can almost guarantee that the first thing that came to mind was NOT "Oh Outkast, Big Boi and... geeze, I can never remember that other guy." Because for the last 15+ years, Big Boi (real name Antwan Patton) has been that other guy. Andre Benjamin has always taken center stage and left Big Boi as the Robin to Batman, Odie to Garfield, weird little monkey to Captain Planet, and possibly rightfully so. His exotic appearance mixed with his lyrical prowess has set him far and above those artists whose names don't end in "ay-z", so it is no wonder he was the creative driving force behind the Atliens we know as Outkast...

... or was he?

This year Mr. Patton eagerly attempts to dispel assumptions that he was riding on Andre 3000's coat tail and after 65 minutes of listening to his first official solo LP "Sir Lucious Left Foot, The Son of Chico Dusty", I for one am more than convinced. It must be noted that this album suffered from industry politics which kept it at bay for more than a few years (the first single, "Royal Flush, was released 4 years ago and didn't make the final cut) but we will skip all the remaining rigamarole and get into this well crafted piece.

The first thing that jumps out of the speakers and grabs you by the ear lobe is the tight, crisp production throughout the album. The LP reads like a book from start to finish, with Big Boi seizing an early opportunity to remind everyone who he is on "Daddy Fat Sax..."

"My daddy told me it was mine for the taking
A true gift from God, the stars aligned when they made me
Him and Rena's baby, their 1st born son
I'm Antwan Andre Patton, the only one.
Bloodline of a champion with heart of the lion
I'm defying all the laws like a caterpillar flying"

Big Boi's flow lays down so smooth on the hard hitting southern beat, it's almost possible to miss what I think is his often overlooked lyrical talent. Which can be very very costly when listening to the remainder of this short story of Antwan Patton. The thing that stuck out to me the most about this album is probably a gift and a curse at the same time... Big Boi sticks very true to his roots in the south and in the Dungeon Family sound. To me, that's a very refreshing gift, growing up with songs like "Players Ball" and "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" (deep breath), I appreciate songs like "Fo Yo Sorrows" and "Night Night" and even "Shine Blockas" though Gucci Mane totally killed that song for me. To some, who joined Outkast in the "Stankonia" days these southern drawl sounding tracks may be a monotonous deterent.

In any event, my favorite track on the album features an appearance from Neil Garrard who I have honestly never heard of before this so feel free to let me know how famous he is and how out of touch I am to not know him.

"With one stroke of the pen I tune in to your satellite radio or FM station
I've been patiently waiting to weigh in
Been under construction for two years
But now it's about that time that I double dutch my way in..."

From there Big Boi continues to remind everyone what it is to be a true MC, discrediting those who "fake the funk" and encouraging people to keep it real.

"But nobody wants to keep it pimpin'
Or 110 so with this pen I begin to illustrate from within"

If there's one thing that Antwan does very well, it's keep it real. Nowhere on the album does he hide is love for women, cars, and the dirty dirty south. But in doing so you can only sense his passion for the music he uses to convey his messages. And while I wouldn't play the ouvertly sexual "Tangerine" lounging around the house with my mother, I can easily listen to this album start to finish with no hesitation.

As Big Boi puts his best foot, presumably his left foot, forward it is easy to see that labeling him "the other guy" can only be a testament to how talented the highly accepted duo are. Give the album and listen and see if your response doesn't change the next time you hear someone say "Outkast!"

"Follow Us - Feat. Neil Garrard"

Sunday (Old) School

2010-07-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

Before I get too deep into this discussion I must apologize. I don't know the exact moment it happened, but somewhere between trying to count the bpm's to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" and dancing to a long forgotten Lyn Collins track I realized one thing... There is NO POSSIBLE WAY I am going to be able to record an all vinyl mix by the weekend. At least not one of the quality I expect to be producing. So those of you who were actually looking forward to that... my bad. However, there is a point of redemption in this situation! In listening to an old record with exceptional quality I thought, "I just have to write about this." I even said it out loud to myself. And it has inspired a new weekly "segment" I will affectionately call "Sunday (Old) School." In these pieces I will touch on a song from earlier generations and present them in a new light or at least attempt to reintroduce them to eager ears. I hope it will be as fun for you as it already has been for me, so stay tuned!

By the way... if you have any ideas for posts, series', songs, etc. feel free to comment. Maybe you heard a dope song that you think should be played on the fine iPod to the right... or maybe you saw me live and would like to tell everyone that I'm actually a horrible DJ, your comments are appreciated. Currently there is a teeny tiny thingy at the bottom of each post that says "comments." Click that and you can leave whatever message you want. In fact, if you have an idea of how to make leaving comments easier to find... leave a comment on how to leave a comment.

Wowza! Sunday (Old) School session 1 coming soOoOon!

In The Lab

2010-07-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

Recovering from a holiday weekend is never easy! Fortunately I made it through the week and am ready to continue perfecting my craft of practicing perfection. While I was relaxing at home over Independence Day weekend I was able to grab a few records from local thrift shops as well as (shhh!) my mom's stash. This weekend I'll be preparing these, along with previously acquired records, for a nice smooth vinyl only mix.

Stay tuned for a download of the mix this week, along with my review of the new Big Boi album "Sir Lucious Left Foot." Have a great weekend!

Zion I - Antenna

2010-07-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Life is a crazy concept when you think about it. Sometimes I feel that it's even crazier that I'm able to think about how crazy life is. It's easy to see how contemplating about contemplation can end in an infinite loop of confusion. What's even more confusing is how to figure out what is actually going on with our human existence and purpose. Where are the answers? What are the proper questions to even ask? WHO DO WE ASK??

Well Zion I, a hip hop group out of Oakland, California, share their wrestling with such questions in their song "Antenna." Amp Live (The DJ of the duo) crafts a beautiful melody which Zumbi uses as the backdrop for his conversation with The One whom he believes can talk to about his current earthly situation.

"Every breath is a prayer..." Begins this conversation in which Zumbi addresses interactions with friends and enemies, the state of sin and pain we are in, and ultimately his plea for loving direction throughout his every day living.

Check out the lyrics as you listen, as much I want to insert my personal commentary... they speak for themselves.

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July everyone! Hopefully we are all enjoying time with friends and family and delicious food. While you're relaxing, check out this list of albums to be released this week:

Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Fol Chen - Part II: The New December
How to Destroy Angels - How to Destroy Angels (EP)
Enrique Iglesias - Euphoria
Juvenile - Beast Mode
Kelis - Flesh Tone
Ed Kowalczyk (Live) - Alive
Bret Michaels - Custom Built
Kylle Minogues - Aphrodite
Picture Me Broken - Wide Awake
Robert Pollard - Moses On A Snail
Texas Hippie Coalition - Rollin'
Thieves Like Us - Again & Again
Krondon - Let Him Live
The Game - The R.E.D. Album

Get out and support your favorite artists!

Album Review - Brother Ali "Us"

2010-07-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

Brother Ali - Us

Let me first start by saying my fiancee loved Brother Ali waaay more than I did, waaay before I respected him at all. Years ago listening to his fourth studio album, "The Undisputed Truth" she'd be bobbing her head and humming along the way she does, and I'd just be sitting there like "who's this guy??" Since I like to credit myself a bit for attempting to refine her listening palate I kind of laughed to myself, like of every group and individual I tried to expose her to this is the guy she latched onto?? Well now I look back and laugh at myself, thinking I should've been refining my palate to her taste because somehow Ali has crept into the top 10 of my (proverbial) favorite MC list and even higher on my respected human being list. I should apologize to Rhymesayers, Ali, and the whole of the hip hop community (and possibly even my woman) for ever doubting this man.

Assuming all apologies are accepted I must break down his newest album "Us" since it has crept in as my favorite album of 2010 thus far (the album was actually released in fall of 2009). "Us", which was originally going to be released under the name of a title track "The Preacher" does not diverge from Ali's formula of discussing what he knows with a strong confidence in his crafted talent. More importantly he continues to emphasize what I deem to be most the most important element in lyrics and messages today... TRUTH.

"The Preacher", which is the first song on the album, is a track that begins with Ali saying, "hit me hard now!" and from that point on the album doesn't soften until the final bell. Right away Ali directs us to the truth of his lyrics and life reminding us,

"If you know me you know I love my family, love my God, before I knew either I loved my art. So I'm married to the pen 'til death do us part..."

And I personally hope death is a far cry away for Ali, who throughout the song has a mic presence that has a confident arrogance surrounded by a neighborly hospitality that makes you cling to his every word so much you can't even notice your head nodding uncontrollably to the Ant (Atmosphere) produced track.

"Street preacher,
say you don't what these people teach? well me neither,
He who follows his dream is deemed leader."

Yes indeed, everything he speaks on is really true.

"Fresh Air"
If there was ever a song that conveyed true contentment and joy in life, it would no doubt be "Fresh Air."

"I'm the luckiest son of a b* that ever lived,
I spend life doing s* I love,
Got the world's most beautiful kids,
And don't nobody do it like us"

Not only does he celebrate where he is, he reflects on where he came from.

"Not two years ago I was homeless,
I mean crashing on the couch of my homies,
Now I'm crashing on the couch with Conan,
Signed a mortgage and bought my own s*"

Even if you're well off or in a better situation than Ali, somehow he makes you feel jealous, depressed, and excited all at the same time. All the while you just want to pat him on the back and say, good job man, you're really doing it. Again, all he manages to do on a bouncy track is glorify his wife and children while showing his gratitude for where he's at in life. Nothing flashy, just truth and true feeling on wax.

Whether a sobering song like "Tight Rope" or a storytelling track like "House Keys" where Ali discusses living in an apartment complex with a drug dealer and eventually stealing his stash, the man who is a preacher in the studio does not hold back. My favorite song on the album "Best@It" has two other very well respected veterans in the hip hop game, Joell Ortiz and fellow Rhymesayer Freeway lacing the mic. A very high energy track in which Ali flexes his supreme versatility and delivers my favorite line in the whole album:

"I'm sorry there can only be one champ around here...
I am not a peer, I'm up here, you're down there."

Aye! Bold statement by someone who is prepared to back it up, and who I believe does so with each track on "Us". Not only does Ali continue to build a solid body of work, he does so in a way that sends a message to everyone who hears. A positive, truthful message which gives a window to his life and heart while including everyone in his journey... reminding the public that, "There is no me and you, it's just us."

If you want to hear all of the album and support real music... you know what to do!

DJ Free Promo1 Download!

2010-07-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Quick 10 min snippet, download and share!

DJ Free Promo1

Tracklist:

Favorite DJ - Clinton Sparks ft Jermanie Dupri
Freak (Remix) - Estelle
I Gotta Feeling (Remix) - Black Eyed Peas
Hot In Herre (Remix) - Nelly
Shots - LMFAO ft Lil Jon
Clear - Kardinal Offishall
Shoe Game (Dance Remix Acapella) - Ailee
Blame It (B'more Remix) - Jamie Foxx
Closer (Stonebridge Radio Edit) - Ne-Yo

Top 10 Tracks June 2010

2010-06-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

Another month has come to an end and so another chance to reflect. Below are a list of MY favorite songs from June 2010. Whether they are new in the month, or a re-discovered treasure, these tracks were (in as best order as I can) most pleasing to my ears for the last 30 days.

1. Pretty Girls - Wale
2. Gangsta Luv - Snoop Dogg
3. Tightrope Remix - Janelle Monae feat. B.O.B and Lupe Fiasco
4. Lights Please - J. Cole
5. Best@It - Brother Ali feat. Freeway and Joelle Ortiz
6. Count Your Blessings - Nas and Damian Marley
7. One Foot In - Freeway and Jake One
8. Exhibit C - Jay Electronica
9. Beamer, Benz, or Bentley - Lloyd Banks
10. Power - Kanye West

Bonus - Favorite album of the month:

My favorite album of the month is a toss up! Crazy they're both from Rhymesayers artists, a label out of the Twin Cities. The first album is "The Stimulus Package" from Freeway and Jake One. The second is "Us" from Brother Ali. Since I'm all about definitive winners, I'll have to say my favorite album of the month is..........

Us - Brother Ali

Album review coming soon... Here's to July!

Interview With DJ Free!

2010-06-29T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Free, it's good to be able to sit down and talk with you for a moment, how have you been?

"Busy, very busy, but good!"

I guess first I should ask, how did you get into DJ'ing?

"First and foremost I have an extreme love for music and a large affinity toward the hip hop community, so I have been listening to and analyzing music as long as I can remember. When I was a sophomore in high school, I remember listening to a mixtape without really knowing what it was. I kept thinking to myself, 'how do they keep changing songs without me knowing it?' Once I figured out how they did it and that I could do it myself, I was hooked."

So you've been DJ'ing since high school?

"Well not quite. Figuring out you can do something and being able to afford to do something are different things in this situation. I bought my first set of CD turntables Junior year of college and bought my first vinyl set shortly after that. About a year or so after I graduated I bought my first pair of Technics and have been spinning on those ever since. So I guess I've technically been doing it about 7 years."

You must consider yourself somewhat experienced then?

"I would like to think so, but I realize the better I get the more I need to learn. I spent many, many years and hours practicing the basics and am still doing that to this day. I want to be the most well rounded DJ as possible so I try to learn and incorporate different mixing techniques, as well as more complicated turntablist tricks."

Turntablist tricks referring to...?

"Scratching, looping, beat juggling, etc. I am still very much an infant in this, but I can do well enough to not totally embarrass myself, especially if no one is paying attention."

And if they are?

"Well I never really take myself too seriously anyway so if they are, I'm sure we'll both get some entertainment out of it. I consider myself a purist, some may even call it a snob, when it comes to music. So I like to stick as close to the roots of DJ'ing as possible. That's why I try to practice looping, echoing, phasing, and such without using any built in effects."

So you must not have much equipment to set up if you're such a minimalist

"I said I PRACTICE doing these things without built in effects. Once I convinced myself I could do it, my conscience rested easy in me using the effects and other bright buttons and knobs on my mixer. It's kind of like math, once you know how to add and subtract on paper you don't feel as bad using a TI-83."

You mentioned your affinity for hip hop music, does this limit the venues and events you can tailor to?

"Absolutely not. I have all different genres of music for various occasions so I am definitely not one dimensional. I should also add that there are opportunities to share my love of hip hop with other like minded individuals, even in Iowa."

Such as...?

"Well I'm currently DJ'ing for a local MC and we've been able to do shows with various artists where hip hop music is much appreciated, even expected. So in that way we've been able to gain exposure and express our love for the music."

Are there other types of events you are currently involved in?

"That has been a good percentage of it lately. I am also the house DJ for a poetry slam called Voicebox, which runs every Thursday from 9-11pm so I am there most Thursdays. I have played at a couple of bar/clubs recently and continue to push toward that scene. I've also done a few block parties for my church and of course the traditional weddings."

Before we let you go, tell us a little bit about the ministry you are involved in at your church

"Ah yes, The 4 Elements of Truth. This is an idea that combines all my passions in one big melting pot. My love for God, my love for music, and my love for developing the minds of our future. The name says it all, the 4 elements are the elements of hip hop: DJ'ing, MC'ing, Break dancing, and Graffiti. The element of truth is The Bible. My goal is to show people the truth as it is shown in scripture, through music. It is geared toward youth because these are the people who are inundated with music of the hip hop genre that does anything but point them to truth. It is also a good exercise to show people of earlier generations that there is a lot of value in the hip hop culture."

Sounds interesting, is this a monthly thing?

"Currently it is scheduled bi-weekly, but I am taking a break from it to restructure. I want it to be as effective as possible and I also need to be as efficient as possible. I'll make sure to keep all of the updates on the blog for those interested in joining the discussion, so stay tuned."

Well, that's about all the time we have for now. Thanks for letting us get to know a little bit more about you and your musical endeavors. We'll definitely have to do this again soon!

"Thank you, I look forward to it! And I'd also like to let anyone reading this know, if there are any questions you have for me, don't hesitate to get in touch with me. All of my contact info can be found here. And as always I'll remind you to consider me for any of your DJ'ing needs!"

What To Expect

2010-06-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

Check back often for event wrap-ups, mix downloads, and more!