DJ Language and Blacktronica

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Perfect Sound Forever has a profile up on DJ Language a New York DJ who has got a new album out called Real Music for Real People. The album asks/answers the question 'What is Black Music?' by traveling through "a mix of underground hip hop, seventies soul, neo-soul, and a remix or two to tie it all together." DJ Language's take on the current state of hip hop:

"I think hip hop in general is at a real kind of turning point right now. Hip-hop has become part of mainstream culture in... the world; it's really taken on the attributes of mainstream American culture. It's kind of gone to being a healthy meal to McDonalds. I think because of that, people have lost sight of the fact that hip hop was not just a style but sensibility out of many things. James Brown, Kraftwerk, The Clash, they made a whole culture out of that, a progressive/open-minded culture. It's become so mainstream and predictable. It's become more conservative 'dress this way, only this way,' which is a contradiction to the original aesthetic of the hip-hop spirit. Instead of being open to folding new things into your culture, it's now about playing for the mainstream hip-hop crowd, the Hot 97 play list. It's exceedingly frustrating if you're a thinking person."


Stepping back from that, if you pop through DJ Language's home site you can hit the website of London-based collective Blacktronica. Click on "Radio Volta" and then follow the link to "Jah Dark Reggae Mix" for a really scratchy dub Real Player radio show....good stuff.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks for the tip. He's dead on; the lack of consciousness around the deeper lifestyle implications of hiphop is kind of heartbreaking, really. "Rap is something you do, hip hop is something you live," and all.

Every time someone I know disses I try to explain, but it's hard when what they know and see is $0.50. KRS who?
1:15 PM
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