Completely Off-Topic:
UncleBiggy meets Chuck D.
Yes, let's get this outta da way: I did ask Chuck D. to come play with us.
For years, many of you have heard my lamenting about the segregation of indy-rock and indy-hop. Most of us have no idea how to even achieve first contact with the underground hip-hop scene, and even if we did, we'd really have to be sold into going. Face it, if there's no integration within an artists' scene, it's lacking cause it's all-cracka, or all-blacka, and we're reminded: if we can't groove together at venues, when can we?
Perhaps things are changing for the better. I know some white artists are reaching out, and trying to make a rainbow, and to others' credit, some have had diversity within their own bands. But for me, tonight was the worst possible rendering of what could have been an evolutionary evening, as experienced by, say, the mysogenal triumph in "Look Who's Coming to Dinner!", or the commeraderie of USA for Africa's midnight-oil session, if ya threw in no-shows (or non-inviteds) Prince, Chaka Khan, Run-DMC and ya' momz. Yes, really all I want is a bill giving me cool Eboneez and Ivories.
I always thought the Coral Room could have huge nights, and when I found out last week that Chuck D. was blessing the room, I imagined i would see see limos dropping off record execs while thumping, hydrolic 6-Fours unload J-Z, Missy Elliot and Bionce'. I was worried about getting in, so I called my friend and brother Chris, the owner, to make sure i get me and mines through the door. A surprising amount of people didn't come, which I found curious, but others I invited were there, in addition to old homies I thought might attend.
I got there at 9:35 with some activity outside, no hoopla though, and inside, the crowd was a bit light and very white. Most of the bands I routinely see draw better, and they've never been tapped by the FBI. The first thing I saw on stage was Chuck D. introducing what turned out to be the third band, a band so crappy they couldn't play a decent cover of "I Want Candy", which they somehow did without its trademark guitar line. The leader played guitar and bass, and had no problem showing he sucks on both. On bass, he was as agile and imaginative as Roger Daultry's guitar playing on Eminence Front. He just held it tightly and awkardly, always keeping his instrument at a perfect 45 degrees. His guitar style made you wanna kick his ass back to the schoolbus he came in.
We took a cigarette break, with a long chat: they were still on. Next thing i know they're doing another cover, "The Devil Went Down to Geogia", which always prompts my schtick that the devil won. So now, I hear the band talking, and just as I figure they're over, they're inviting Chuck D. on the stage to perform with them! I mean these guys aren't good enough to play the coke-room at Stinger's at 7:30 am on a Monday, and now they're Chuck D.'s backing band.
Chuck D. came up and explained their collaboration: one day he was walking to work, and he heard this band rehearsing a Public Enemy song. I think they might practice near his home. Anyway, he just decided to pop in to kinda freak them out, and now, he decides he'll do them a favor and rap over them. He even let them choose the song, By the Time I get to Arizona, and he didn't know their choice until he had to rap it.
Now, no doubt this part was great, and here's a picture:
Their choice of "Arizona" was decent, and they played it well. Chuck D. was awesome, and intense. After hearing me dis the band and assert that Chuck D. could command the best band in the city to play for him, Chris retorts, "Well, that's why it was nice for Chuck to play with them."
But I thought he would have a whole set; instead, he was just throwing a bone to a buncha metalheads with an average DJ.
Then another metal-rap band comes on, "The Answer" (i hope it wasn't an homage to Allen Iverson, because....): they blew too. When will I see a rising and fresh hip-hop band? Instead of sensing a step towards integration, "The Answer" basically strove to air on 92.3, and Chuck D.'s performance made me feel as hip and down as when my old boarding school brought in a Gospel Choir to sing for Black History Month. The night wasn't about bringing us together, it was just a neat treat before we go home and watch MASH (thanks Chris Rock).
Afterwards though, Chuck was wandering around and shaking hands, and that was cool. I did get a group picture, even made everyone wait so i get Aaron into the photo:
Mishka, Aaron, Chuck D., Alyson, Josh
I don't know what else to say except when are we going to get a crew and head up to see a show in Harlem, or wherever we can make a connection? Does anyone know?
UncleBiggy meets Chuck D.
Yes, let's get this outta da way: I did ask Chuck D. to come play with us.
For years, many of you have heard my lamenting about the segregation of indy-rock and indy-hop. Most of us have no idea how to even achieve first contact with the underground hip-hop scene, and even if we did, we'd really have to be sold into going. Face it, if there's no integration within an artists' scene, it's lacking cause it's all-cracka, or all-blacka, and we're reminded: if we can't groove together at venues, when can we?
Perhaps things are changing for the better. I know some white artists are reaching out, and trying to make a rainbow, and to others' credit, some have had diversity within their own bands. But for me, tonight was the worst possible rendering of what could have been an evolutionary evening, as experienced by, say, the mysogenal triumph in "Look Who's Coming to Dinner!", or the commeraderie of USA for Africa's midnight-oil session, if ya threw in no-shows (or non-inviteds) Prince, Chaka Khan, Run-DMC and ya' momz. Yes, really all I want is a bill giving me cool Eboneez and Ivories.
I always thought the Coral Room could have huge nights, and when I found out last week that Chuck D. was blessing the room, I imagined i would see see limos dropping off record execs while thumping, hydrolic 6-Fours unload J-Z, Missy Elliot and Bionce'. I was worried about getting in, so I called my friend and brother Chris, the owner, to make sure i get me and mines through the door. A surprising amount of people didn't come, which I found curious, but others I invited were there, in addition to old homies I thought might attend.
I got there at 9:35 with some activity outside, no hoopla though, and inside, the crowd was a bit light and very white. Most of the bands I routinely see draw better, and they've never been tapped by the FBI. The first thing I saw on stage was Chuck D. introducing what turned out to be the third band, a band so crappy they couldn't play a decent cover of "I Want Candy", which they somehow did without its trademark guitar line. The leader played guitar and bass, and had no problem showing he sucks on both. On bass, he was as agile and imaginative as Roger Daultry's guitar playing on Eminence Front. He just held it tightly and awkardly, always keeping his instrument at a perfect 45 degrees. His guitar style made you wanna kick his ass back to the schoolbus he came in.
We took a cigarette break, with a long chat: they were still on. Next thing i know they're doing another cover, "The Devil Went Down to Geogia", which always prompts my schtick that the devil won. So now, I hear the band talking, and just as I figure they're over, they're inviting Chuck D. on the stage to perform with them! I mean these guys aren't good enough to play the coke-room at Stinger's at 7:30 am on a Monday, and now they're Chuck D.'s backing band.
Chuck D. came up and explained their collaboration: one day he was walking to work, and he heard this band rehearsing a Public Enemy song. I think they might practice near his home. Anyway, he just decided to pop in to kinda freak them out, and now, he decides he'll do them a favor and rap over them. He even let them choose the song, By the Time I get to Arizona, and he didn't know their choice until he had to rap it.
Now, no doubt this part was great, and here's a picture:
Their choice of "Arizona" was decent, and they played it well. Chuck D. was awesome, and intense. After hearing me dis the band and assert that Chuck D. could command the best band in the city to play for him, Chris retorts, "Well, that's why it was nice for Chuck to play with them."
But I thought he would have a whole set; instead, he was just throwing a bone to a buncha metalheads with an average DJ.
Then another metal-rap band comes on, "The Answer" (i hope it wasn't an homage to Allen Iverson, because....): they blew too. When will I see a rising and fresh hip-hop band? Instead of sensing a step towards integration, "The Answer" basically strove to air on 92.3, and Chuck D.'s performance made me feel as hip and down as when my old boarding school brought in a Gospel Choir to sing for Black History Month. The night wasn't about bringing us together, it was just a neat treat before we go home and watch MASH (thanks Chris Rock).
Afterwards though, Chuck was wandering around and shaking hands, and that was cool. I did get a group picture, even made everyone wait so i get Aaron into the photo:
Mishka, Aaron, Chuck D., Alyson, Josh
I don't know what else to say except when are we going to get a crew and head up to see a show in Harlem, or wherever we can make a connection? Does anyone know?