Blog - The Movement Fam, Independent Hip Hop Record Label - Toronto + Montréal
I only just stumbled upon this video, so it's probably been out for a minute. The homie Classified's new anthem, 'Oh Canada', got me already feeling proud and I ain't even moved there yet.
The video is cool as fuck; literally. Oh and check for the cameo from Jim Lahey off of 'Trailer Park Boys'. CLASSIC. Only Class could pull that one off (pause).
Peep the video after the jump, and the behind the scenes footage too.
Official Video
Behind The Scenes
Ah shit. So here's the first official video (the title track no less) of off the homegirl Eternia and MoSS's long awaited LP 'At Last', featuring Termanology and Reef The Lost Cauze.
Video is blazin', the track is a straight up banger. But on the real, I'm after those introspective real joints where E shines the most. I love a bit of shit talkin' raps, though. Can't wait for the album. Hope it drops Down Under in late June, Silky!
Jamie Lidell: The Making of "Compass" from Audioholic Media on Vimeo.
I fucking love this cat. Got the chance to see his show earlier this year and he's one strange dude who makes some serious music.
This video is brilliant as it gives you a great look into the recording of his new album 'Compass', which dropped on May 17th (go cop it!).
Thanks to Bekah, Entourage has been my favourite TV show since the first season. The last couple seasons were cool but not quite as dope as the earlier ones, so here's hoping the fellas come back with some heat this time around.
Check out the above trailer for season 7. Kinda corny but it still gets me vibed for it. Boom!
Social media enthusiasts may well be familiar with www.MissCoca.com, a relatively new marketing, fashion, pop culture, lifestyle, beauty and social media blog that is really making some waves on the interwebs.
So Lauren Ridgway, the founder of www.MissCoca.com, kindly contacted me to make me the May interviewee for 'Stars in the Blogosphere', which was the first interview I'd ever done that wasn't exclusively about music; it was more Craig than Cee. And it was really refreshing, and fun, to put more of me out there than my music persona.
So check out the interview, and while you're there, take a squizz around the blog. Folks in Melbourne and Sydney will love the weekly JobOps post, which is getting crazy hits.
On behalf of TheMovementFam.com, and of course myself, I'd like to warmly thank Lauren for the great interview and kind words. Check it out, folks!
The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
The point of no return. Once past, nothing can fit the image/idea/sense of what it used to be any longer. At this point that I read this book. Batman was represented by Adam West, zany plotlines and BAM, POW and BANG!!! flashing on the on the screen during the fight scenes. Before that, It was the Super friends adventures and stuff like that. Batman was a “Good guy” in every sense of the word. I had seen the Tim Burton take on batman before but even the darkness there wasn’t enough to erase the image in my mind of who Batman was. When I turned 11 years old and I came across a copy of this in the local Giant store, I bought and read it. That was the moment I first experienced what a mind fuck was. Nah Nobody had even explained the concept to me at that point I just knew that something in my mind had been altered by this book, never to return to it’s original shape.
Frank Miller ( God bless him ) had deconstructed the Batman mythology so intensely in this book that over 20 years after it’s inception it still informs much of the versions of Batman seen today. ( Including the aforementioned Tim Burton movie ) This was the book that turned Batman into the grim, brooding hero he is today. Matter fact I would say that the wave of grimy superheroes from “Spawn” to the new volumes of “X force” owe their dark overtones to this book. Batman as a character has always been as crazy as the people he hunts. ( Picture CNN running a story about a real life millionaire that dresses up as a giant bat to beat up thugs. Seriously, picture what you would think of such a man if he was flesh and blood like you and me ) This book really showed how tragic, dark and ( most of all ) INSANE he really was. It also crowned the Joker as the Yin to Batman’s Yang. A relationship that showed that despite their Polar opposition of each other they were linked as one.
The artwork is stunning and the cinematic aspects of the drawings make you believe that you are watching a movie that you were not supposed to watch as a kid. The violence and sexual innuendos were intense but not gratuitous. Anything lighter would have lessened the impact of the book. But like I said it is INTENSE. Children get killed, eyes get stabbed, suicide and battered women all pop up in the story.
The plot itself is simple. Batman has a midlife crisis and after 10 years of retirement comes to show a new generation of scum that certain things don’t change. Simple right. Now add in the craziness of Batman’s world and what this turns into is a masterpiece of emotions. He faces off against Two Face, The Joker, The Mutants ( Gotham City’s newest generation of degenerates ) and crazily enough Superman. His gritty disposition is enhanced by the fact he is a much older man. Cranky, irritable but still a viciously skilled fighter and peerless strategist. Alfred is present but Robin is re imagined as a girl named Carrie. Which gives the story a cool twist. It doesn’t take away or enhance the plot as Robin has always been a sidekick but it’s just kinda cool that Frank took that turn.
I cant recommend this book enough. A must read for Batman fans. The line that a cop in the story says to his younger partner when Batman is about to be seen in full costume by the reader for the first time sums it all up “were in for a show kid”
Tokyo Cigar
Y'all might have caught our recent post on the new doco on Banksy (and street art in general), 'Exit Through The Gift Shop', and now for some Banksy news closer to home...
Dude has agreed to paint the cover of the next issue of Time Out magazine, but this time it's the Sydney (Australian) edition. The last two he's done for Time Out were for London and New York (below), so it's a fairly big deal, especially seeing how reclusive he is. Apparently the file has been sent but the mag haven't released it as yet.
Check out the vids below of some recent exhibitions he held in London. Definitely need this type of action out here.
This is my favourite song in the world right now, has been for a few months. The melody is simple, and Angus doesn't have the greatest of voices, but the sweet and honest lyrics, the haunting guitar parts and extended outro all come together to make a magical piece of music. This is a live performance in Sydney earlier this year.
Look out for my 50 bar verse over this joint, coming soon...
I only discovered Laura Marling recently, and both of her albums - 'Alas I Cannot Swim' and 'I Speak Because I Can' - have made a serious impact in my musical world.
This was the only song I was able to embed (why the fuck do people keep disabling embed codes? Don't you want your videos spread virally so more folks can check them out? Seriously), and it's not exactly my favourite it's a solid example of Laura's work. Can't wait to check out the show in Melbourne in August.
Wow. This is some cool ass shit. It's apparently a new sport called Liquid Mountaineering, which is essentially utilising the angle of your feet to, well, walk on water. Just watch the video, very damn impressive.
So Classified has always been one of my favourite artists, since my homies in Toronto put me into his shit back in 2004.
This joint, 'Beatin' It', which is from his last album 'Hitch Hikin' Music', is one of the most creative moments in Hip Hop this decade, hands down. The fact that he knocks out a beat so fucking dope and then go out on some conversational concept shit is a credit to the man.
But as ill as the recorded version is, check what dude does to it live. About 4 minutes in is where the goosebumps start...
I was really hoping that this joint would be a single. This is the co-write with Drake, and it's the illest joint on Ms Keys' new album, 'Element Of Freedom', for sure.
Interesting video. The whole same scene, different era shit with a racial overtone wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it's kinda cool. Plus she looks as fine as ever.
The singles from Rob's latest album, 'Sex Therapy', just keep rollin'...
The latest is the Snoop-laced 'It's In The Morning'. Definitely not my fave joint on the album, but it's cool. The video is nice; Rob's broad is fiiiiiiiine. Snoop is a bit meh overall but still an enjoyable video and tune. Just cop the album.
Drake - Find Your Love from October's Very Own on Vimeo.
So here's the Drake video that erryyyone's been taumbout.
It's cool. I'm still not 100% sold on the song, but it's growing on me. Strange video, but then again Drizzy doesn't exactly have a solid track record with them shits. That said, dude is probably under more pressure than anyone in the game to come with a classic, and he's getting panned whatever he does. So gotta give it up for pushing the envelope (well, that's kinda debatable since it sounds like an '808s & Heartbreak' offcut). Check it out.
Atlanta. Seattle. St Louis. J-Mar has resided in all of these cities, and their style, attitude and swag is evident in his music. Most folks may not know the name, so I'ma let the man himself tell y'all...
Cee: What up man, how you doing?
J-Mar: I'm good dog, just livin' this North West life.
Cee: Aight, so you represent Seattle, one of my favourite cities in the US for sure. Even though Seattle is on the West, do you think you guys get excluded from general West coast conversations?
J-Mar: In some ways I think we get excluded. I think it's mainly from the people who ain't on West Coast. When you think of the West a lotta people associate that with palm trees, Cali life. But cats in Cali if they're real for the most part, they know what's up and they put us in the mix. We along wit it, we're bangin', ridin' low low's, ol' school Chevy's, the whole nine.
Cee: Does Seattle have a certain sound with regard to Hip Hop, as y'all did for the grunge movement?
J-Mar: Yeah I think Seattle's hip hop sound is MCs busting over real smooth, cool out joints. That's when hip hop is at it's best out here.
Cee: Tell me about your latest album.
J-Mar: My newest project is called 'Be A G About It'. It has all kinds a features on there, including West Coast legends such as C-Bo and Marvalous. 'Be A G About It', the the phrase is somethang our camp tries to stay true to. It means to handle your business accordingly whether you are the street hustler on the corner or the business executive. Be a G about yours and handle your business.
Cee: What were some of your inspirations?
J-Mar: As far as inspirations go, my cousin Yougn was the first one who pushed me to start rapping for real. We formed a group called North West Heathens. As rappers go, I would have to say Brotha Lynch Hung. He was my favorite rapper growing up but as I traveled around I grew to like artists such as TI and Obie Trice.
Cee: What sets you apart from the masses of MCs these days?
J-Mar: I think what sets me apart from most MCs is my diversity. I have lived in so many different areas in the States that I just naturally picked some of their styles and that especially held true with music. From Atlanta to St Louis back to Seattle, I'm able to tell stories that can relate to all urban living, no matter were you come from.
Cee: What other projects are you working on?
J-Mar: Currently I'm working on my mixtape which is set to hit the streets within the next couple weeks. It's called 'Elevator Music (Next Level pt 1)'. Also I'm working on my new hip hop/jazz album called 'The Cognac Lounge' with the hit single 'Pimp Shake'.
Cee: Have you been touring or doing any shows lately?
J-Mar: Yeah I just got off the Prenuptial Agreement tour with J Stalin and San Gin. And I'm doing a show in Seattle with B-Legit from E-40s The Click on May 6th.
Cee: Ever been to Australia?
J-Mar: No, never been to Australia but I would love to come over there to rock a show and kick it with the locals.
Cee: Outside of Hip Hop, what artists have been catching your ear and inspiring you?
J-Mar: I love R&B. Keri Hilson is doing her thang. Neo soul artists like Dwele, Lauryn Hill, Corinne Bailey-Rae and Jill Scott.
Cee: Hit me with some contact details so the people can get at you!
J-Mar: You can find me and my music on iTunes, Rhapsody, CD Baby, MySpace.com/du4self and look for Du4self on Facebook.
Cee: Thanks for your time!
J-Mar: Thank you. Appreciate it, continue to do your thang and don't forget to be a G about it the whole time.
Sooooo...I'm obsessed with this joint right now. Here's the acoustic version. Bruno is amazing. Hook of the year thus far...right alongside 'Airplanes' from B.o.B and Hayley Williams of Paramore.
