Jay-Z has been on an NYC promo tour for the past few days in support of his new book, Decoded, where he breaks down the meaning of his song lyrics and also tells the stories behind them. He definitely made the rounds, man, and the book sounds like it’s really dope. He was everywhere from the New York Public Library, where he sat and talked with Cornel West, to NPR, to Late Night with David Letterman (all different and worth checking out, just click on them). But my favorite two post-worthy interviews he did that I want to highlight are linked below. First, he went to visit Howard Stern, who is known for being silly and fun with his guests but actually did a really in-depth interview about Jay-Z’s relationship with his father, and even talked about Hov’s taste in art and how it relates to his new book (the cover is an Andy Warhol). Then, Jay made a stop up at Hot 97 for a classic interview with Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg for their Juan Epstein podcast, touching on lots of old hip hop memories, including his close friendship with Biggie, his appearance on the Stretch and Bobbito radio show in the mid-90’s with Big L, and his battle with Nas. Check them both out below the pic from Hot 97…
Got a couple related things to share also. Jay-Z just signed one of my favorite new rappers on the scene, Jay Electronica, which is a great look, and did a song with him called “Shiny Suit Theory”. Listen to it HERE. And Jay Electronica also did a solo song called “The Announcement”, cementing his spot with the Roc. Listen to that one HERE. They’re both CRACK. Links courtesy of NahRight. Also, as a throwback, listen to Howard Stern interview Jay-Z back in 2003 before The Black Album dropped. It’s very, very fun. Here’s PART ONE, PART TWO, and PART THREE of the interview. And don’t forget to cop that book, and also the Jay-Z Hits Collection. It’s the Roc!!!!!!
*BONUS*
Speaking of new books, My Uncle Steve, the eldest of the Isenberg men in my family, recently had one of his articles included in the 2010 Best American Essays publication (see cover above). This may not be the type of content Westcheddar readers are used to seeing posted here, but I gotta give my Uncle some shine for having his work printed alongside such famous writers as John Edgar Wideman and David Sedaris. Click the link to read, it’s excellent…
Back in June, I posted about how my dude Timmy P’s older brother Matt, a fellow White Plains High School graduate and longtime family friend, recently won $40,000 on Wheel Of Fortune. In the post, I highlighted a video of Matt on stage in Portland (where he now lives) telling the story of his road to victory, which is filled with many heartwarming, laugh out loud moments. Well, I finally got my hands on the footage of the Wheel Of Fortune game show that he won! I gotta say, listening to Matt tell the story is awesome, but watching him actually win, and solve that IMPOSSIBLE final puzzle, is truly incredible. I am proud to debut this footage, almost exactly a year after his November 2009 appearance on the show, for all to enjoy, here on Westcheddar. Congratulations again to Matt P for a remarkable performance, and thanks to his father Dan P for blessing me with the DVD of the show. White Plains stand up!!!! Part One is above, and Part Two and Three are below (Part Three is the Bonus Round where he solves the final puzzle). Enjoy!
WOW. This is definitely one of my favorite posts in the history of Westcheddar. By the way, if you missed Matt telling the story of his big win, click HERE. Cheah!
The 2010-2011 NBA season is officially underway, and the new Knicks are off to a decent start at 2-2. Tommy Dee of The Knicks Blog, our official Westcheddar NBA analyst, took some time out of his busy schedule to preview what we should expect this season from our hometown boys, and also from the rest of the league. Will Amar’e and the gang finally put the Knicks back in the playoffs? Can Miami’s “Big Three” take out Boston? Is a Lakers 3-peat in the future? Tommy Dee gives us the good word…
IP: So Tommy, I think it’s safe to say that Knicks fans are fired up about this 2010-2011 NBA season. Lots of big moves were made over the summer, we got a new leader in Amar’e Stoudemire, and some other additions to the roster like Raymond Felton that have all our hopes high. Should we still be nervous about making the playoffs?
TD: Initially, it may take time for the offense to blend together. I’ve actually been very impressed with what they’ve done defensively against some pretty good teams. They have to continue to learn how to win and how to close games out. They are young, despite Amar’e and Felton, so they are going to have to lean on them in order to win the tight games that good teams win and great teams rarely lose.
IP: You interact with Knicks fans on a daily basis through your site, The Knicks Blog, Twitter, and Facebook. What was their reaction to Lebron’s “decision”? It obviously was a letdown that he didn’t come to New York, but do they even care anymore that he’s not here?
TD: People may not know this but I canceled TV appearances because I felt like being away from the fans would be disingenuous. Knicks fans were on a journey for 2 years and I owed it to myself not to be talking about it, but to be interacting with fans. The Knicks were very much in it because New York is such a huge draw, but ultimately Lebron wanted to have fun and play with his Olympic teammates in a beautiful city. New Yorkers are very strong-minded people as you know, so it was no surprise that most were ready to move on after the initial and official announcement was made.
IP: What do you think is going to happen to Carmelo Anthony? The rumor mill says he wants to come to the Knicks. Is there any chance that will happen? What will we have to give up to get him.
TD: And I have to accept being a part of that mill. We’ve been saying he’s the Knicks plan B, plan A being Lebron, since last Spring. Melo loves NY. It’s a complicated situation but it’s also an easy one. If Melo wants to come to NY that badly he can do so next year. Now, the Nuggets don’t want to get stuck getting little in return, but because Carmelo has the contract option he can walk or force the Nuggets to sign and trade him. From everything I’m hearing the Knicks are far and away the front runners, but you never know for sure until Melo is at the press conference holding up that #30 jersey in honor of his favorite Knick, Bernard King.
IP: How do you think the Knicks looked in pre-season and in this first couple weeks of play? Are the guys starting to get to know each other a little better? Who’s been playing well so far?
TD: Again, I’ve been impressed with their defensive rotations and hope those continue. Landry Fields, the rookie from Stanford, has been a standout, and Amar’e has embraced the city and taken the role of a true leader.
IP: What’s Mike Di’Antoni been doing to cater to the new players on the team? I mean, more than half the roster is made up of fresh faces. Has he made adjustments to his offense and defense, or are these new guys just trying to “fit in” to his style of coaching? What’s his strategy?
TD: To his credit, he’s extended his rotation and has tried a lot of different combinations. They are not knocking down jump shots which is the backbone, along with the pick and roll, of the system. There are a ton of new faces, but he’s happy to have Amar’e whom he’s had great success with in Phoenix.
IP: Boston and Miami are the powerhouses in the east. Boston’s certainly deep and has lots of experience, but Miami has the “Big Three”. Boston took them out in the first game of the season, but will they make it back to the NBA Finals?
TD: I still believe Boston is better because of what they did up front. Miami’s only weakness is probably on the interior. Chris Bosh is a talented player but he’s not Charles Oakley. He’s more Charles Smith. If Boston can stay healthy, they just know how to win, that’s a tremendous advantage as it relates to competing against pure talent.
IP: What other teams in the east should the Knicks be worried about? Any sleepers? Can anyone take out Miami or Boston? Atlanta Hawks maybe?
TD: Yeah the Hawks are another team that did the right thing about spending money to keep a player like Joe Johnson and now Al Horford who I love. They may take the next step but they are still a step behind the top three (Orlando included) in terms of getting out of the conference. Chicago will be tough when Boozer comes back. As far as sleepers the Knicks can really get out to a good November and if they gain confidence they could be tough.
IP: How about out west? Can the Lakers repeat? Are Kevin Durant and the Thunder championship caliber? Is there anyone else we should be watching for out there? Jazz? Mavs? Bueller?
TD: Love the Ferris reference and the Suns have a Frye, but they may struggle to make the playoffs. Hopefully the Thunder can maintain a top 4 seed so they don’t have to face the Lakers in the 1st or even 2nd round because they match up so well. Artest has another year to try and learn the system and that’s always good, and they win with or without Bynum being healthy. Very scary. Also, never discount Deron WIlliams or Chris Paul, two incredible competitors.
IP: You’re an owner in the NBA fantasy Westcheddar Hoops League. From a statistics perspective, who should the fans be watching for to put up big numbers this season? Any surprises early on in the season so far? Most improved player predictions?
TD: Rondo is ridiculous and is continuing what he did last spring in the playoffs. Blake Griffin is the truth, man. A very efficient big man. Early most improved? Arron Afflalo of Denver.
IP: What about this rookie class? Any future all-stars in the mix? John Wall looks good, huh?
TD: Wall will cut down on the turnovers but he’s a showman. A performer. And he’s the scariest player the league has seen with the ball in terms of strength and speed in some time. Again, Griffin is a can’t miss. Derrick Favors has been impressive. I love Wes Johnson in Minnesota, a pure shooter. And again, Landry Fields is the best rookie you’ve never heard of, even in NY.
IP: Back to the Knicks. Amar’e seems to have really embraced this leadership role. Are the other players reacting well to him stepping up like that? Was that a void that needed to be desperately filled for the Knicks to succeed?
TD: No question. Too many guys had no idea what they future’s were over the past 2 years. Lee wanted to lead but it wasn’t his nature. Al Harrington is a great guy with a good resume but wasn’t a star. There is no doubt who the leader is on this team. That’s a big thing in terms of the locker room. He leads by example too.
IP: Can we expect a big season out of Gallinari? Chandler? Or do they fade into the background with these new guys around? Chandler actually had a couple big games so far.
TD: Will has been very solid amongst contract discussions. He’ll be restricted at the end of the year like the Knicks did with Lee and Nate, which is smart. Gallinari has been very disappointed, but you have to expect him to gather himself and do what he does best, which is make shots. He can do other things but if his shot isn’t falling he loses his swag.
IP: The bench has potential to be strong. Douglas looked good in pre-season, and shot well against the Bulls last night. Turiaf seems like he could be solid, as does Mozgov. Can the Knicks bench really make an impact this season on how many games they win?
TD: The bench has been the best part of the team thus far because they all embrace their roles. Douglas is a ball hound who gets rewarded offensively thanks to great defense. The crowd loves Turiaf and rightfully so. He plays hard every night. Mozgov hasn’t had the same success as the preseason where he really busted out, and needs to earn the trust of the coach. The bench as a whole has competed and given the starters a chance to close out victories, which is all you can ask.
IP: Assuming we don’t get Melo, where do the Knicks finish this season? What if we get Melo? Do things drastically change?
TD: The bet case scenario is that the Knicks get Melo without giving up too much. Do they get a 3rd team involved or do they work out a sign and trade over the summer? Too many variables for me to believe that Melo will get traded anywhere but New York, but I don’t think it happens any time soon. The Knicks are a borderline 8th seed with the potential to be better. But it’s very difficult to predict.
IP: Finally, The Knicks Blog. It’s super popular nowadays, with a large readership. You get tons of comments on big posts, and I know your daily hits have steadily increased since you started it a couple years ago. What have you done right that has made it so successful? And what can you do to make it even bigger?
TD: Thanks and I appreciate that. Not sure what we can do. Probably need the Knicks to get better, bring in Melo and battle Boston and Miami! Honestly, we try to provide sound information on a daily basis all the time in a different manner. I love fans. If people want to yell at me I think it’s great. That’s NY sports passion, which I get and I want them to know I get it. Like any good restaurant or radio station, I want people to feel like we’re there for them and they get consistency. Whether it’s to support the team or to complain about rotations or an owner, GM, player or coach, this is your place. Pull up a seat at the bar or grab a table. Or pick up the phone and call in. We do like getting scoop on stories to give bloggers some much needed credibility. But that’s always subjective and an impossible task. We want it to be the one-stop shop for all Knicks information.
IP: Thanks Tommy! Appreciate you taking the time to build with me. GO NY GO NY GO!!!!!
Shem’s Disciples, led by my dudes the Sobol Brothers (Moshe and Aaron) are gearing up to drop their second album. Here’s the video for their first single, “Nachum Ish Gam Zu”, who was known for the phrase which translates into “this, too, is for the good”. Read more about the man and story behind the phrase HERE. Great lyrics, nice roots reggae beat too. Video below…
Yo Moshe, you did your thing in that video!!! Download the MP3 HERE. And in a related release of sorts, check out the trailer for Holy Rollers, the story (based on true events) of some young Hasidic men from New York who smuggle ecstasy into the USA from Europe. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, and featuring Q-Tip! Looks interesting…
Shalom.
*BONUS*
Check out the new Michael In The Middle EP from Westcheddar representative JSWISS (who you might remember from my Dobbs Dudes post), which features production from Shem’s Disciples. Get it HERE.
Season Two of FX’s television comedy The League is underway, but that’s only one of the balls Nick Kroll has in the air. It seems as if Westcheddar’s favorite comedian is on his way to serious stardom. Want to get to know him a little better? Watch this two and a half hour interview with him on fellow comedian Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show. It’s long as hell, a few months old, but entertaining and relevant to this site nonetheless…
Make sure you watch The League on FX every Thursday night at 10:30pm. Congrats on all the success Nick! And, oh yeah, watch Kevin Pollak’s interview with Paul Rudd!!!!!!
Want to watch more ridiculously long interviews with Kevin Pollak? Check out his archive HERE.
*UPDATE*
Nick Kroll’s character Bobby Bottleservice goes to Africa. Watch HERE.
The first ever fantasy NBA season of the Westcheddar Hoops League is officially underway. Our league is made up of 16 teams, with owners from Massachusetts to Maryland. It’s going to be tough competition, with cash and prizes for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. We set the season off today with “The Lottery” to determine who will pick when in our upcoming draft. A few of the owners were down at Madison Square Garden with the BGC middle/high school basketball team to watch the Knicks Open Practice, so we filmed “The Lottery” there and had the kids pull the team names out of a hat. Check it out above. And below, watch a great clip of my young boy Nappi aka Napstar spit a sick rap at our recent BGC Jam Session (alongside our special guest and up and coming rap star Chris Webby) over a beat made in our lab by a fellow 8th grader we call Dr. Dres. This is what we do…
You see me cheesin’ in the background?!?!? I love watching my little dudes kill it. More action from the Westcheddar Hoops League coming soon, along with our official NBA preview. Stay tuned!!!
I met Dirty JAX creator and designer Josh Kimerling (above, 1st on left) at University of Maryland in 1997. He was one year older than me, and from the Bronx, and I’m not sure how we initially crossed paths but we became friends pretty instantly. We shared a common love of hip hop and art and sports and girls and partying, and we were both from New York, so our circles began to overlap alot. From the moment he first heard me rap, he was always supportive, and even took the photos for my first album cover. And when he started up Dirty JAX sometime in the mid-2000’s, I had his back too. We’ve done events together promoting his line and my music a bunch of times, and of course, I rocked Dirty JAX in the “My Ferris Buellers” video hard body. I’ve watched Dirty JAX go from a small clothing line running out of the basement of his father’s store in White Plains, to a full blown business, with party animals all over the country rocking his shirts, from local up and comers like rapper Chris Webby (above, second from right) to A-list hip hopper Diddy. And it’s only getting bigger and better. Watch the new Dirty JAX promo video (what up Marko!), and below it, read my exclusive interview with the man behind the dirtiness, who is now a full blown Westcheddar resident living in New Rochelle…
ip: So, bring me back to how Dirty Jax started. Can you remember coming up with the name and concept for the line?
jk: I started designing tees when I realized I hated my job. I was always a creative dude and working in the corporate world really stifled that for me. I was an art director in advertising – PHARMACEUTICAL advertising which fuckin sucked. There was no art and certainly no creativity. Just ass kissing and taking orders from people I couldn’t stand. Living in this world made me long for my old life back. The one when I was growing up in the Bronx in the 80’s and 90’s, with hip hop mixtapes, Puerto Rican girls, drug dealers with guns, street fights, malt liquor, crazy slang, and on and on. Living, and surviving, in this environment gave me an edge, a uniqueness that stayed oppressed in the name of professionalism and responsibility. Dirty JAX was my way of saying, “fuck that shit”.
ip: What was the first shirt you designed for Dirty Jax that you actually got made? You still got it?
jk: The first line I designed was in ’04 and there were some cool shirts in there. They were more of a vintage style, with simple logos. I guess I recently threw a bunch of them out because I noticed the Mexican groundskeeper in my complex is Dirty JAX’d down. I swear this dude wears a different Dirty JAX tee everyday around the complex and it really cracks me up. Unfortunately the dude is deaf so I can’t trip out with him over it. All I do is wave and smile.
ip: Where do you draw inspiration for your designs? It seems to me to be a reflection of the New York street and club scene. You know, sex, drugs, and music.
jk: You pretty much nailed it. Shirts like “Always on my Grizzly”, “White Lines”, and “Zip Zero” speak to the street and the hip hop influence from my BX upbringing. However, even if you didn’t grow up in the city, Dirty JAX is like your alter ego. It’s like a good gangster flick or wet t-shirt contest. It allows you to express yourself in ways you may not always be able to. Dirty JAX is that dude you morph into when the work is done, the bills are paid and you’re ready to celebrate, get laid, get crunk, and have a story to tell. My inspiration comes from those moments when I was able to be that dude. The clubs, the girls, the music, just a celebration of life, success and the streets.
ip: You’re a big hip hop head right? I know you used to rap. In fact, I remember that you told me that when you heard me rap for the first time back at College Park you decided to quit and try something new. Haha. Truly the best compliment I ever got! What old school shit did you really like when you were coming up? And what are you feeling right now? You always have known what the hot songs are, and I can remember you being up on all the southern rap songs before anyone was really checking for that shit up here.
jk: It’s funny because I was the typical New Yorker who rejected all southern rap. I thought it was inferior and I couldn’t stand Master P which heads would try and shove down my throat when we were at Maryland. That all changed when I heard “Bling Bling” and Juvenile’s “Ha”. Granted these were commercial tracks but it also exposed me to Lil Wayne who instantly stood out to me. The music was fun, light, and entertaining. I was over that whole underground phase where I needed rappers to ‘”drop knowledge”. I would rather see some white chick “drop it like it’s hot” at a frat party than have a rapper with a GED try to school me on the illuminati (No disrespect to tragedy khadafi one of the illest ever haha). In my opinion, southern rap music saved hip hop. NY rap stalled after Mobb Deep, Nas, Wu-Tang, Redman, Boot Camp, etc. Everyone was trying to sound like those guys instead of inventing something new. The south on the other hand was being creative with hooks, production, creating a brand new sound that no one ever heard. In doing so they spawned a whole new legion/generation of hip hop fans. Whenever I see older heads griping about the current state of hip hop I have to remind them of how much they sound like the people who hated on our music when we were coming up.
ip: Word. You were the first one up on Lil Wayne, I remember that. You put me on to “Bling Bling”! So, Dirty Jax is bigger than ever right now. What did it take to get here? Can you describe the grind of having your own line? What does it take?
jk: I’ll avoid all the obvious cliche’s here “work hard”, “perseverance”, “blood sweat and tears”, etc. I started doing something because I enjoyed it. Although it was not a priority at first, making money was the goal. The brand started out small with local boutiques giving me a shot. Luckily the shirts sold, the reorders came and it became a little side thing as I continued to work full time. Little by little the demand grew and in 2007 I invested in the MAGIC tradeshow out in vegas (thanks to a long talk with your cousin Chris Isenberg who owns No Mas NYC clothing). MAGIC is a HUGE expense but we crushed the show and opened up about 30 new doors as a result. Fast forward to 2010 and its pretty much been a roller coaster ride since that first show. We just had an amazing summer sales wise but I’ve learned to never take the good times for granted. The recession is real and you are never safe in this business. It’s most evident when you hear about major retail chains going out of business, going bankrupt, or putting a freeze on purchasing. I can get a huge order from “Store A” and they sell every single piece but they can’t reorder because they owe Nike 30k. Or “Store B” can’t pay their bills period and shuts its doors. Although there was nothing wrong with my product and it sold well, I lose two major retail accounts that brought in major revenue for my company. This is something you can’t see coming but always have to be ready for. There are so many other factors involved in running not only this business but any business and all of them will make you want to quit and go back to a 9-5. You just have to step back, take a deep breath and remind yourself how lucky you are to make a living doing what you love. Also, make sure you can find other sources of income! Haha!
ip: What’s your best seller? How come you think it’s sold so well?
jk: The best sellers are usually the joints that are funny, clever and easy to understand or “quick”. Or, if they match a popular sneaker release like the Nike Copper Foamposites.
ip: What about your personal favorite shirts you’ve designed?
jk: In the early days, I was a lot more aggressive with colors because there wasn’t a science to it. I loved the freedom I had back then to do what I wanted. Now there’s much more of an intense focus on what sells because the economy is so bad and people aren’t spending like they used too. Nowadays, my faves are def the hoodies. I wear them all the time.
ip: There’s been alot of celebrity Dirty Jax sightings, my favorites being Diddy on MTV and Perez Hilton at some red carpet event. Any others you particularly thought were cool?
jk: I’ve actually had some NBA / NFL players cop stuff from me online and I only found out when I processed the invoices. But honestly, nothing is better than seeing a regular dude in the street who copped that shirt online or at his local boutique. Those are the folks who are keeping the dream alive.
ip: This is Westcheddar, and I know you’re a Bronx boy, but you’ve been living in New Rochelle for a while now. Any ill spots in the 914 for shopping we should know about? And where are your favorite spots in the city to cop clothes and kicks? Do they carry Dirty Jax?
jk: Unfortunately, Westchester hasn’t been a huge supporter of my type of product, you know, urban, streetwear, whatever you want to call it. However a little spot opened up in my neighborhood about a year ago called The Fitted Gallery (357 North Ave) and they’ve done extremely well with us. There are a couple of other places popping up that I have to check out so I’ll keep you posted. If you live in the boroughs – 4U House of Fitteds (White Plains Rd. also a location in the Palisades Mall), Sammy’s on Fordham Road. Swagga360 and Atlantis in Brooklyn. The Vault (Harlem) Ajays (Midtown), Get Set (Delancey St) and JJ’s (The Heights). And Shoe Gallery in Florida.
ip: How about online? I know you’re big on Karma Loop.
ip: You’re a big movie head. Just curious, what are your favorites?
jk: I’ll give you my Top 10…
City of God – Breathtaking from begining to end.
Romper Stomper – Early Aussie flick with Russell Crowe. Unbelievable fight scenes. Ahead of its time.
Chopper – Another Aussie flick this time with Eric Bana. Gritty as hell. Bana’s amazing.
Avatar – IMAX 3D glasses and all. Although I’m not even sure this can count as a movie.
Matrix – Neo and Morpheus styled on ’em.
Fight Club – Perfect flick for the 21 yr old American male.
Anchorman – Got funnier everytime I saw it until the whole movie was memorized.
Pulp Fiction – A masterpiece. Unfortunately he hasn’t come close since.
Sixth Sense – Created a new genre with this one.
Blair Witch Project – I’m sorry but I saw this movie 4 months before it hit theatres having no idea about it. I thought it was real and it bugged me out for a week.
Honorable Mentions: Boiler Room, Sling Blade, Anything with Don Cheadle, War of the Worlds, Most movies with Denzel, The Professional, Crash, Napolean Dynamite, 300, Charlie Wilsons War, Jurassic Park, Hoop Dreams, Office Space, Old School, Seven, Slumdog, Eddie Murphy Delirious, Enron: Smartest Guys in the Room, Super Troopers, Casino, The Bourne Identity.
ip: I love the new “I Does This” shirt, I’ve been telling you for years to bust that off and I’m so proud that it’s out now and people are actually rocking it! Thanks for blessing me with those, now I got all four colors! What else is hot for this season? Any shirts you think are gonna be big in the fall? Winter?
jk: Doing some pretty dope hoodies with embroidered patches, different types of sweaters too. Really looking forward to it. Also be on the look out for New Era hats. They may not drop til Spring ’11 but they WILL drop.
ip: So what’s next for Dirty Jax? Where is the line going. Is there gonna be a Dirty Jax store one day? What’s on the horizon. What’s the goal!?!?!
jk: Right now the goal is to put out a good product, make money and stay in business. We’re making some progress with the pieces we’re offering this fall and I’m really excited about the New Era caps. It’s really tough to think too far ahead because every season holds so much uncertainty. I’m hoping to take a big leap with spring ’11. We have a new manufacturer in Cali as well as our go-to printer in Brooklyn. Look for more fashion shows, photoshoots, a new website to launch this holiday and a collaborative mixtape with DJ Pay Homage that will be available on Soundcloud. We’re also working on a T-shirt/Crewneck collaboration with Sub Con Threads who are our mates on Karmaloop that will be available during the holidays. Were just trying to take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way and fight off this motherfucking recession.
ip: Thanks my G, appreciate your time. And good luck with everything!
*BONUS*
We dropped this last spring, but it’s still hot. Download it if you don’t got it….
We’re back to school here at Westcheddar! Today’s Math lesson comes from Mr. Max Bent and his colleague and professor in rhyme Ernesto Lara aka GDK. It’s called “Math Rap: Mathematics for the Ages”. Ill concept, perfectly executed. Do the knowledge.
Ok, this is what happens when I spend a whole summer with a bunch of middle school campers. We hang out every day, play pool and tetherball, crack jokes nonstop, and then go into the lab and make rap music together. These kids, who call themselves “The Kunais” (I’m told it means “japanese tool”) came up with the concept and beat for two great songs, and we ended up performing them for the whole camp.
The first, “I’m Pumped”, came from them being so fired up everyday at camp. They’d walk around all day saying “I’m so pumped right now” and then wail on each other’s arms with fists of fury. Then one day they bumrushed me in the lab and said they wanted to make a song called “I’m Pumped”. They banged out the beat on Garage Band, and I helped them shape their verses and the chorus. Then, true story, when we were done recording I was so pumped myself that I went in and freestyled the last verse. We were all cracking up and they loved it so we decided to keep it on the song. For the rest of the summer, this was our anthem. Everyone knew all the words, and campers were constantly quoting my freestyle back to me, which was so funny.
The second, “Says Who”, was another saying of theirs. For example, if a counselor would ask them to do something, they would respond “Says who!?” Completely rude, obnoxious, and disrespectful, but really, really funny. So I suggested we make a song about it. I came up with the hook, like I’m the counselor and they’re talking back to me, and they wrote their verses. The rest is summer camp history.
So the above video is us performing these two songs at the end of camp Variety Show. You can’t tell from the video, but the entire gym is filled with campers and their parents and families. It was an off the hook performance, and I’m confident that no summer camp Variety Show has ever witnessed anything like it. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and big shout out to my boys at the BGC for making the past eight weeks unforgettable…
*BONUS*
My beat boxing brother Max Bee came to perform for the campers and shut the place down. It was extremely sick. Here’s a clip from the performance of him playing the “Name Game” with the campers (he makes beats using their first names), and also beat boxing for a staff dance battle. Thanks for coming Max!
I grew up reading the The Source magazine, and still have lots of old issues stashed away in my crib and my parents’ attic. So it’s only right that I post the first ever issue of The Source (August 1988), which I saw over at my White Plains homeboy Dan’s site Sour Powered. Click it twice to enlarge and read about what was hot 22 summers ago in rap music. And if you want to see some of the old hip hop mags I have in my personal stash, click HERE. And for all your other throwback hip hop needs, sift through the Up North Trips archive (it’s so deep it’s not even funny). Holler scholar.
Westcheddar 