Kamaiyah is the shit, and I’m not just saying that because she’s from the same place I was born. Read Complex’s excellent digital cover story on her HERE.
Articles
The Oral History of Baseball on Seinfeld
Articles, Comedy, Interviews, Sports, Television, The Good Old Days
Twelve Jewelz (Volume 8)
Articles, Lists, Music, Published Material
Check out my latest edition of Twelve Jewelz, featuring throwback rap gems from the ’90s and early 2000s…
“Gotta Use Two Hands”
Articles, Events, Fatherhood, Sports
Here’s a story I wrote about coaching little league baseball and catching a shirt for my son at last night’s Knicks game…
Related: Ex-Knick Amar’e Stoudemire reveals his ‘holy life’ in Jerusalem
The Low End Theory Turns 25
Articles, Events, Mixes, Music, The Good Old Days
Wishing a happy 25th anniversary to my favorite album ever. This shit literally changed my life. #RIPPhife
The Low End Theory: 10 Things You Didn’t Know (Rolling Stone)
The Low End Theory 25th Anniversary Mixtape (Chris Read & Wax Poetics)
A Baseball Card Contest Pays Off, 6 Decades After The Fact
Articles, Sports, The Good Old Days
Here’s a sweet baseball story involving brothers, baseball cards, Bazooka Joe, Topps, Life Savers, Port Chester and a brand new baseball glove…
A Baseball Card Contest Pays Off, 6 Decades After the Fact (NY Times)
Shouts to my brother-in-law for sending this over, and to my 6-year-old son Luca who is currently crushing it in his fall baseball league…
Acid Test
Articles, Music, Podcasts, The Good Old Days
“’Rubber Soul’ was the pot album and ‘Revolver’ was the acid.” – John Lennon
The new issue of Rolling Stone has a great story in it about the first time The Beatles dropped acid, and how it led to a major shift in their musical output, particularly on Revolver (which celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this month). Read below.
Beatles’ Acid Test: How LSD Opened the Door to ‘Revolver’
*Bonus*
Check out Rolling Stone‘s new podcast episode “Temple of the Dog Return” featuring Chris Cornell, Jeff Ament and Mike McCready telling the story behind the great grunge supergroup as they prepare for their first-ever tour together this fall.
Nothing More To Say
Articles, MusicI fell in love with the Frightnrs’ music last year when they released their EP Inna Lovers Quarrel. I couldn’t believe a modern-day reggae band was making such classic-sounding roots music. I listened to the EP nonstop, and told everyone I knew about them.
Earlier this year, I reached out to the Frightnrs to see if they were available to perform on a bill with myself and Matisyahu at The Capitol Theatre for his Youth 10th anniversary show in March. They responded via email and let me know they had stopped performing indefinitely due to health issues. Turns out their frontman Dan Klein was diagnosed with ALS and had become very sick.
He died a month ago.
Last week, The New York Times published an article about the Frightnrs and the tragedy surrounding the band. Not only did Dan pass away, two other members of the band (who are brothers) recently lost their father in a crazy auto accident. But through it all, the Frightnrs’ debut is still set to be released later this year on Daptone Records, and the Times story broke down the sad but inspiring details of how they rallied together to get the album done and make sure Klein left behind a beautiful legacy. The write-up also featured the band’s new single which shares the same title as their upcoming debut, Nothing More To Say.
Listen above (song is gorgeous), and read below.
With Wounded Spirits, the Frightnrs Rally Around Their Frontman
RIP Dan Klein. Thank you for everything you gave to us. Your spirit will always live on.
The Making of It Was Written
Articles, Interviews, Music, The Good Old Days
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nas’ sophomore classic It Was Written, COMPLEX recently re-published their in-depth oral history of the album. Check it out.
The Making of Nas’ It Was Written
Shout to my boys Insanul and Rob for the great work!
He Gets Props Too
Articles, Interviews, Music, The Good Old Days
Here’s a dope interview Genius did with Skeff Anselm, who A Tribe Called Quest fans should know from this shoutout. And yes, that’s him on the Midnight Marauders cover. Click below to read.
How Skeff Anselm Helped Tribe, Mos Def, and Brand Nubian Make Classics
Westcheddar 