Throwback Thursday x Song of the Day: Thievin'

"hiding like thieves in the night, illusions of oasis making you look twice"

If I could ever make a "Top 10 Song of All Time" list -- which will probably never happen because I have a phobia towards meaningless commitments -- I'm almost positive (see?) that this song would be on there. On probably one of the most classic hip-hop albums of all time, Blackstar's "Thieves in the Night" has some of the most innovative, creative, and intellectual lyrics in hip-hop, if not music in general. Their album Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Blackstar is actually full of songs with mind provoking lyrics, such as "Astronomy (8th Light)" that makes reference to the Fibonacci series of numbers or "Respiration" which actually has so many metaphors and allusions that I can't seem to pick out the best one. Brian and I were fortunate enough to see these two perform at Rock the Bells a couple of years ago and perform this iconic album in full, so needless to say that was one of the greatest moments of my entire life. For now, I'll reminisce about the time I saw greatness perform right in front of me by listening to this song.
On Repeat.
All day.

Enjoy!

Song of the Day: Numbers on the Boards

Hundreds of sighs of relief were heard simultaneously when this song came out was played. Kanye may be losing his damn mind in some of his new music and overall life choices, but no one can deny his producing skills. Meanwhile, Pusha fails to disappoint on this one; he really goes in the whole way 

through.

This song is fantastic and on repeat now and for the rest of the week. Enjoy.

Song of the Day: Together on Valentine's Day

This is my one I'm-in-a-relationship-so-I-actually-really-love-Valentine's-Day moment and I'm going to take full advantage of it with today's Song of the Day. I love this song so much, and what better day to post it than on a day where you should be spending it with someone (or people!) you really care about. As cheesy as that last sentence was, I really mean it! Valentine's Day isn't just for couples, so remember to spend some time with some really special people in your life. As for me, I'm lucky enough to have 2 Valentine's Day dinners: one with my amazing team whom I adore, and one with my special guy. I realize how fortunate I am and I fully appreciate the good things and good people I have in my life. But just in terms of this post --just this one time on this one day-- I'm dedicating today's Song of the Day to my amazing boyfriend, Brian (I love you! :) ).

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Song of the Day: Struttin' with FlyLo

It's not Sunday or Wednesday. I realize I'm behind and this is the last time im mentioning it. 

For the life of me, I really can't figure out why it's taken me this long to post about Flying Lotus, being that he is probably one of my new favorite artists right now. After completely falling in love with his last album, Cosmogramma (which I will also probably post about sometime in the near future), I impatiently waited for his new album to release. Although I was already sold with the music, it wasn't until I watched this short film when I realized that FlyLo is actually a heavily underrated creative genius. Honestly, this short film is probably one of the best short films I've ever seen, from a creative standpoint. But I'll let you be the judge of that. What isn't up for debate, though, is the fact that this is one of the best instrumental albums, if not THE best, of 2012. I really feel like Until the Quiet Comes is what electronic music should sound like. One of my favorite songs off the album is "Putty Boy Strut" and seeing how weird the music video for it only made me love it more. If you don't even feel like watching the video, it's totally fine. Just listen to it and do something else. I guarantee you will still notice the greatness. 

Be like me. Buy the album. Support greatness.

Song of the Day: Backseat Freestyle

In honor of Kendrick Lamar's debut LP good kid m.A.A.d going gold yesterday (&deka^lk%sdf 500k, omg), today's Song of the Day is not only a song from the album, but easily my favorite song on it. I'm almost certain countless people around campus have seen me either mouth the words to the song in a fairly aggressive manner, do a kind of hand & head-moving-combo dance move thing, or an awkward combination of both. Regardless, this song makes me feel like I can just go out and fight someone and win...which is probably not very true. I don't feel the need to go into detail about what the song is about or "what it means" because there's like a million stories all over the internet about it. Listen to it and enjoy it; don't try and pick it apart. I'm sure that's what K Dot would want out of your experience anyways.

Oh, and the ultimate best part about the song its sample. Well, one of its samples. Easily the most random and unsuspecting thing I've ever heard. I usually tell you to just jump to the part of the sample the song comes from, but I highly suggest letting it play through. It makes the experience that much better.

Also, how hysterical is this thumbnail?

Song of the Day: Free Lemonade for Everyone

Besides it being a beautiful, 63 degree, autumn feeling Tuesday in the city, turns out an unreleased song called "Lemonade" by Blu has pretty much made my morning nothing short of awesome. It seems as though no one really knows whether or not this song that was uploaded to YouTube this morning was uploaded by Blu and his people, but no one really cares. Lyrically, Blu does what Blu does best and kills the track, and with classic scratches and some dope drum breaks, well this is an instant put-on-repeat-all-day kind of jam. Plus, I love lemonade. So I was already biased towards this song from the jump. 

Song of the Day: Joey and the DOOM

In my opinion, anyone who has the courage to take on a DOOM beat deserves to be heard, at the least. Now anyone who takes on a DOOM beat and kills it? They deserve respect. I think I've listened to this song at least 12 times in the past 2 days and it definitely got me through some rough patches during the move in to my new dorm room (pictures to come, once everything is in order). I realized that the name of the song has something to do with the intro...Pinky and the Brain? Take over the world? It took me a little longer than it really should have, I'll admit. But seriously, take my advice: give it a listen, give it a play, and realize that good music is still out there somewhere not too far away (I didn't mean for it to rhyme or sound cheesy when I first typed this. I actually thought think it was clever, so I'm sticking with it). 

Note: I saw this comment on youtube: 

Joey Bada$$ + MF DOOM = 

JOEY BADOOM. 

I love it. 

Song of the Day: The Big You-Know-What

Contrary to popular belief, this dis to former Slum Village group member Proof was made before he actually died. 

I suppose this is an appropriate #tbt post (for those of you not in the know, that means 'throwback thrusday') and well, just an all around appropriate post. I mean come on, it's Elzhi. Being the wonderful girlfriend that I am, I'm taking Brian to one of the dopest concerts of this entire summer: Elzhi at S.O.B's. If you ask me,"The Big F.U" is easily top 5 of any Elzhi song. Maybe if we're lucky enough, he'll play this jam tonight. Then again, he's never had a bad song ever so whatever he plays is going to be amazing. Look out for a post reviewing the concert!

Song of the Day: Queens-bound "Loco-motive"

HE IS BACK.

Song of the Day: A Kind of Mathematics

(So sorry about the late post people. I have a real excuse this time though. The combination of Blogger acting up and the internet in my apartment sucking led to the delay of this post. It was honestly ready last Tuesday.)

If you know me, or actually took the time to read the little "about me" part of the welcome section of this blog, you know that I hate math. I don't hate math for the sake of hating math, though. I hate it because it hates me; we just don't go well together. But of course, leave it to Mos Def/Yasiin Bey to get me to love his kind of Mathematics. Off his classic album Black on Both Sides, "Mathematics" is one of the prime examples of how complicated and intricate a true lyricists lines can be. I could get into how amazing and unique Mos Def's word play in this song is, but that's only half the reason why I posted this as today's song of the day. As I was listening to this song on the subway ride home from practice, I paid close enough attention to the small inserts of a recognizable sample at ____ . Turns out it's from Erykah Badu's "On and On" off her classic album Baduizsm. But of course the madness doesn't stop there. Turns out Badu's sample appears at the same time in "Mathematics" as it does in the original song: 2:20 exactly. Check it out -- I'm not even lying.

Some people think that the timing is probably a coincidence, right? I highly seriously doubt that. There is literally no way that it is a coincidence. I refuse to believe it because it's just not true and if there comes a time where someone wants to play the devil's advocate to my stance, I have no problem doing some research to investigate in the name of good music.

Song of the Day: Guess Who's Back

"But the game ain't the same since I left out (left the house? I'm not sure)"

I don't even know what made me think of this particular song, but I think it's hilarious that I did. I forgot how dope this beat is and I'm glad to know I had some taste in music when I was younger.  Well you can obviously imagine why this song is song of the day. If not....

1) I'M HOME!

2) I'M BACK TO BLOGGING

Replace "Mase" with "TheFancyClown" and "Welcome Back" literally was written about my absence from the blogger world. And I'm almost certain there were kids in the airport singing this at me when I landed -- I'm so serious. I couldn't be happier that my finals are done and I am actually a junior in college. Okay that last part still freaks me out but I can deal with it, I guess. This summer is going to be amazing and I'm going to be blogging like crazy. I'll be home for 2 weeks and then it's NYC all summer long. Stay with me people, I ain't leavin again. 

Song of the Day: Babblin'

"When I'm babblin', we travelling, we can take our time..."

I don't have too much to say about this Song of the Day by Stalley except that it is the perfect kind of song with the perfect kind of beat for such a warm day like today. Enjoy.

Song of the Day: Stormy Weather

Post #100! Dedicated to the late Lena Horne

It may not have counted for anything in terms of my major or the core curriculum, but History of African American Music was one of the best classes I've taken at Columbia. I loved that class and I learned so much from it. One particular song I heard in that class, Stormy Weather by the late Lena Horne, is one of my most favorite songs ever. She had an amazing voice and every time i listen to this song I feel completely at peace. This clip is from the 1943 movie "Stormy Weather" which features other greats such as Katherine Dunham and Cab Calloway and is one of those classic musicals that everyone needs to see. Not surprisingly, this also a great song to listen to on a rainy day -- it's just so appropriate you know?

Song of the Day: History

If you know me well enough, you'll know that when it comes to music, one of the first musician's names that comes out of my mouth is Mos Def (or Blackstar, if we're talking Mos Def & Talib Kweli). Although I've already posted one of his freestyles a little while ago, this song, History, is obviously totally different. Side note, I really don't want to call him Yasiin Bey, but for the record...he changed his name to Yasiin Bey; I never clarified that last time, so there you have it.

I listen to at least 1 song from a Mos Def album every single day, and today's song is off the Grammy nominated album "The Ecstatic" which if you haven't listened to it, you really should. Mos Def is not your typical "rapper" and this album is not your typical "rap album" -- i mean, he sings in Spanish on No Hay Nada Mas. But anywho, this song is pretty much perfection. J Dilla, one of the greatest producers of all time, is a ridiculous genius; thank you Brian for reminding me how much of a genius he actually is. The beat is amazing, Mos Def is amazing, Kweli is amazing.

This song is that.

Song of the Day: A Different Kind of Flamenco

Yes, more jazz for the soul. I used to think that "So What" off Kind of Blue was my favorite Miles Davis song, if not my favorite jazz song. After countless replays of what is actually hands down my favorite jazz album of all time, I've come to realize that my favorite song, and therefore the justified Song of the Day, is the alternate take of "Flamenco Sketches". Don't ask me why it's the alternate take because it's just a gut feeling as to why I like it more than the original. Like, whenever I see the original on my iPod I sort of wish that it were the alternate take instead. I don't know why, but I just go with it.

Song of the Day: The Floesist and the Songstress

The saddest thing about this Song of the Day? Floetry broke up in 2007. 

Floetry...my definition of neo-soul, besides Erykah of course. Marsha Ambrosious (The Songstress) is pretty much unbelievable and Natalie Stewart (The Floetsist) is just dope. And I mean they're from London...how can you not love them? I was walking around campus the other day listening to my iPod and this song, Floetic, came on shuffle. Obviously, my mood brightened up immediately, probably because I didn't even know I had their album on my iPod at all. I absolutely love everything about Floetry, especially the fact that they do spoken word poetry together. I can't remember what season of Def Poetry Jam this is from, but I definitely know I have it on DVD (so it's either season 1,2,4 or 5) and I've watched it enough to sing along with Marsha while completely disregarding anyone around me. I'm sure they enjoy my lovely voice anyways.

Side note, someone told me the other day that I have the perfect voice for jazz or blues (a very nice way of saying you have kind of a deep, raspy voice for a woman). Too bad I can't hold a note without my voice cracking. Puberty will hit soon enough...

Anywho, the poem is called "Fantasize" and it's easily one of my favorites. This back-and-forth, overlapping kind of spoken word is my favorite style. More poems performed in twos coming soon!

Song of the Day: You Rascal You

News for the world: I'm not dead. Papers and exams kept me from the wonderful world of blogging (again) and I'll probably disappear again next week, my one and only hell week of the semester. I tried this new thing where I don't procrastinate and just get work done, which actually worked! Honestly though, if blogger actually had a real iPhone app and not the one where you can upload pictures but have absolutely no idea how big they will be or where they will be in your post, I probably would have been posting in class.

Anywho.

In honor of my literary jazz class take-home midterm being assigned tomorrow, I'm making this 1930s Louis Armstrong classic "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You" as Song of the Day. Every time I listen to this song I can't help but laugh a little under my breath. I think Louis' laugh is kind of contagious. Oh and if you can't tell, yes he is surrounded by bubbles. If you watch "A Rhapsody of Black and Blue" you'll kind of get it...sort of. 

Song of the Day: Tu Comprends?

In case you were wondering, "Quelqu'un m'a dit" means "Someone told me" in French. 

I can't believe this is my first post about a song in my mother tongue...weird. Brian, his little sister and I watched 500 days of summer a couple of months ago; I'd seen the movie before and rediscovered it when we all watched together, but I guess that doesn't really explain why I'm posting this song today. My train of thought today about the song went as follows, sort of:

1.  "Yayyy Morgan and Alex (two of my best friends from home) will be here in like 2 weeks!!!!"
2. "Wait. What was that french song Morgan asked me to translate for her senior year?"
3. "Umm, 500 days of summer!...I love that movie."
4. "When did I watch it again?...Winter break?"
5. "Brian definitely downloaded that song from the car scene, I think. I'm finding it and blogging about it.."

So that's pretty much it. I really do love this song, (Carla Bruni's "Quelqu'un m'a dit") although I seem to find a lot of trouble translating the words. It's not so much that she's speaking ridiculously fast to me, but that combined with her mouse-like soft spoken voice makes it kind of difficult. C'est la vie, I suppose.

Song of the Day: Thelonius (Not Monk)

I really wanted to make Like Water for Chocolate Album of the Day but there really is no way for me to put an entire album on here. I can tell you to go buy the album and then listen to the whole thing twice, but that's about it. So my choice for song of the day off Common's Like Water for Chocolate is Thelonius. It could be because I'm partial to anything Jazz related now that I'm in a literary jazz class, or because there's a Slum Village feature on the record. Or both. Probably both. And apparently, the song is perfect for walking in rainy weather...I almost forgot I was getting soaked on my way to class..

Song of the Day: Pursuance for Inspiration

In honor of the first day of my "Jazz and the Literary Imagination" class (it's an English class...and I get to learn about jazz. I love my life), I give you Mr. Coltrane's Pursuance. From now on -- hopefully -- I'll be able to add a mini biography about anymore jazz songs I feature for Song of the Day. I'll update this post with how my class went later!