05/6/12

Remembering Yauch

The Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch died of throat cancer last week. Always some cruel twist of fate for a rapper. See The DOC of NWA & DMC of Run-DMC. We knew him as MCA. (Sheesk. This post already has more acronyms than a text message between 13-year old girls transcribing an FDA compliance manuel. BTW. ALOL.) I have a weird history with the Beastie Boys. When Licensed to Ill dropped, to nearly universal acclaim (among both whites and blacks), I sort of thought they were clowns. Long before some of the divisions that eventually developed in hip hop culture, I felt like the Beastie Boys were a parody of the real thing. I thought their flow was corny, their gear too white, and that they were a product of their beats not their lyricism. (It was probably some sort of latent self-hate.) Even now, I’m not sure I was precisely wrong, just short-sighted. By their sophomore record, Paul’s Boutique, it became pretty clear that there was something sustainable and serious about them. And, in fact, it could be said that they became one of the most creative voices in music, film, and fashion of a generation. They were a significant influence on my musical youth.

Not to mention, Yauch was probably my closest rap doppleganger, a fellow silver-haired spitter.

“I’m flowing like a mudslide and when I get on I like to ride and glide.”

No song today. Nothing really got me going. R.I.P.M.C.A.

03/29/12

BREAKTHROUGH

That’s the theme of tomorrow’s TEDxGreenville. It might also be what I do to this picture frame window to my right if this week doesn’t end soon.

I present third, in the first afternoon session, immediately after lunch.

I have between 8-10 minutes to perform a song, explain the entire evolutionary history of recorded music, describe song blogging, write and record an entire song on stage, and then publish it to this site. I have calculated, therefore, that I’ll have between 3 and 4 seconds to actually be worried about it all. But, that’s still plenty of time to puke right?

The event is sold out but there are still other great ways to participate. There is a smartphone application available here. And, the event can be livestreamed at TEDxGreenville.org on the day of the event.

If nothing else, check back here around 2:00 pm to hear what we created from stage.

This has been nearly 6 months in the making. I’m so blessed for the opportunity.