what passes for april fool's jokes these days...
Now Playing: betty padgett - (self-titled)

okay, you're a sharp person, i trust you.  you'll be able to tell me if this is appropriate or not...

so it's april fool's day of 2009 and i'm dropping off simone at day care.  as i'm about to go, one of the attendees says, "jason, what is that bruise on simone's neck?  what happened to her?"

being the concerned parent that i am, i immediately check Simone's neck, to which the woman starts laughing and says, "APRIL FOOL!!"

i'm beyond shocked. i'm frozen with rage.  at one point, i think i muttered something to the effect of, "i'm sure in somebody's universe, that's funny."

then she says (still laughing), "now you have to get somebody."  to which i say while wearing an obviously forced smile, "it's probably a better idea if i don't."

so, appropriate or inappropriate?  if you're wrestling with this, let me remind you that a worker at a daycare center thought that they could joke about a bruise on a child...AT DAYCARE.

apparently, nothing says kneeslapper like perceived child abuse, be it real or imagined.  two days later, i'm still not laughing, but at least i don't want to smack her anymore.  until the next time that she says something stupid, which quite frankly could be any day now...

BSOTS 082 - blends session: why hip-hop still matters...
Now Playing: rye rye - bang
Topic: my podcasts

after last episode, i'm sure you're tired of hearing me talk. hell, I was tired of hearing myself talk. so i'm getting out of my own way and letting the music flow. it's a blends session, which means a continuous mix of music. it's primarily hip-hop this time around - lots of good stuff and almost half of the songs here are available for free download. creative commons joints are handy like that. netlabels such as budabeats and error broadcast are representing in here, as well as a selection from j. period's must-have mixtape showcasing q-tip's vast discography. did i mention that the cut features de la soul?

basically, we're rockin' some oh-nine newness while catching up on '08 selections as well and going back about 10 years prior...even more than that, really. there's new music from souls of mischief, dr. who dat?, thad reid, and the mighty underdogs (a supergroup of sorts featuring gift of gab from blackalicious and lateef the truth speaker with headnodic on production). there's some turntablism wizardry courtesy of dj z-trip and dj kechup, as well as an old cut-and-paste classic from double dee and steinski. BSOTS favorites outta germany cy tru and mishoo the drumkit bless the session as well with a cut each - beautiful selections from them both. there's even a live recording from the master of symphonic jazz, mr. david axelrod, a figurehead whose compositions have been extremely influential amongst a number of hip-hop's premier DJs and producers. special guest appearances throughout the mix include guilty simpson, amanda diva, truth enola, and others. again, lots of great material here.

thanks for tuning in. hopefully, you'll find this mix to your liking. this one's just under 80 minutes, so if you have a friend that doesn't get down with podcasts but still enjoys a good mix, burn it to a CD and share it with them. after all, friends don't deprive friends of good music (lol)...

oh yeah, if you're wondering what the "word from our sponsor" was, that's "baloney & oates" by evolution control committee.

download ||| rss feed ||| subscribe to podcast in itunes

go here to stream shows.

you can contact me via twitter, facebook, or email.

id drops courtesy of ej flavors, india of astronauts of antiquity, and thad reid.

other key info:
macedonia's playlist on blip.fm
download j. period's brilliant mixtape the abstract best

1. d-sisive - "like this (feat. guilty simpson & dj grouch)" {iTunes | Napster}
2. thad reid - "the reason (acapella)" {free download}
3. panik - "lupita soul" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
4. shaun boothe - "music man (feat. amanda diva)"
5. apes on tapes - "out for a shrink pink drink" {free download}
6. souls of mischief - "tour stories" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
7. cymarshall law & mr. joeker - "truth (feat. supastition & skit slam)" { iTunes | CDBaby}
8. suhov - "skunn" {free download}
9. cy tru - "100"
10. ez a divat - "no no fun" {free download}
11. copperpot - "let it go (feat. truth enola)" {iTunes | eMusic}
12. j. period - "excursions (tribute remix feat. de la soul)" {free download}
13. surreal and the sound providers - "true indeed" {iTunes | eMusic}
14. mishoo the drumkit - "hope (feat. mr. nnaji)" {free download}
15. b. bravo - "midnite" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
16. dr. who dat? - "nights over nantes" {iTunes | Amazon MP3}
17. jurassic 5 - "gotta understand (bean one remix)" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
18. flesh o.n.e. - "mozart 2" {free download}
19. the mighty underdogs - "the anthem"
20. dj kechup - "ready freddy" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
21. dj z-trip - "rockstar" {iTunes | eMusic}
22. steinski and double dee - "lesson 3 (history of hip-hop)" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
23. david axelrod - "song of innocence" {iTunes | Rhapsody}

free iodapromonet downloads:

Panik
"Lupita Soul" (mp3)
from "Instrumental 9"
(Molemen Records)

More On This Album

Z-Trip
"Rockstar" (mp3)
from "Return of the DJ Vol. II"
(Bomb Hip Hop)

More On This Album

Steinski, Double Dee
"Lesson 3" (mp3)
from "What Does It All Mean? - 1983-2006 Retrospective"
(Illegal Art)

More On This Album

Technorati tags: Blog, Podcasts, Podcasting, Music, Hip-Hop, Electronic, Soul, funk, Radio, mp3

reviewyou.com review: jake pashkin
Now Playing: sunday soundtrack with mr. fresh
Topic: 2009 reviews

it's been a few weeks since i penned a write-up for reviewyou.com.  the last disc i would have listened to from them was by this cat outta russia named jake paskin.  not sure how many joe satriani or steve vai fans that come across this blog, but if you dig rock instrumental full-length albums with lead guitar solos at the forefront, paskin's latest just might be up your alley.

click here to check out the review...

BSOTS 081 - BGB: as absurd as gourmet pork rinds...
Now Playing: sky high jazz too (mizell brothers) {rhythmsinblacksatin.com
Topic: my podcasts

anji bee once told me that her podcast personality represents the person that she wants to be or wishes she was, and that there are so many other sides to her than what we hear through The Chillcast. i feel the same way about Radio BSOTS. on the freeform shows, it's always a "best foot forward" effort. i'm excited about the music and i want you to be excited about it as well. and i try to deliver the show with my voice and mood guiding you through it all. i'm not that calm in real life. the other sides of me are a mess. i've become more angry, more irritable, and more carnal in my mid-thirties. and if you call yourself a Christian, that's just not a good look. it may not be pretty, but it's the God's honest truth, and it's those types of warts and idiosyncrasies that will be on display when it's time for BSOTS to go BUCKWILD...

this is the third go round for BSOTS GONE (buck)WILD (BGB). this show should've been up a month ago and i've gone through many a sleep-deprived night to get this done, so hopefully there's something here that you'll enjoy. no time constraints with the BGB episodes, so i'm running my mouth about various topics, namely the new york post, facebook, and examples of unquestionable stupidity in action. lots of music in this one, a majority of it high-powered and brash, particularly the 12 minutes or so towards the middle that i take to rock out. been thinking about the oscar grant police brutality case in oakland and that prompted me to play the guilty simpson cut. oh yeah, i mispoke about the blame one and exile joint: "disturbed" came out as a single last year, but the album got pushed back to a march 31, 2009 release date. and the joint from longshot should definitely get some reactions from people, both good and bad. i'm interested in the feedback from that one.

Radio BSOTS is all about the music, but during the BUCKWILD sessions, you'll learn more about me as well, for better or for worse...

download ||| rss feed ||| subscribe to podcast in itunes

go here to stream shows.

you can contact me via twitter, facebook, or email.

id drops courtesy of anji bee. theme music produced by cy tru (featuring jonny sonic).

background music:
jim jones - "pop champagne (instrumental)"
flesh o.n.e. - "still love 3" and "4th MPC beat"
foul mouth jerk - "small town USA (instrumental)"

other key info:
macedonia's playlist on blip.fm
macedonia on the half show
hired gun on myspace
25 things i did not want to know about you
chuck treece on wikipedia and discogs.com
the official afropunk website
let's talk about race: the blog

1. cassetteboy vs. obama - "we are the world" {watch video}
2. fusion unltd. - "the sun (feat. little brother, nickelus f., hall of fame & skillz)" {iTunes}
3. blame one and exile - "disturbed (feat. sean price)" {iTunes}
4. rabbi darkside - "state of the union" {free download}
5. hired gun - "the show"
6. guilty simpson - "piglets (oh no remix)" {free download}
7. the angel - "vicious cycle" {eMusic | Amazon MP3}
8. flesh o.n.e. - "delay beat (feat. mitchell wilcox and el diablo)" {free download}
9. mike ladd - "wild out day" {iTunes}
10. mcrad - "punk rock camden"
11. fishbone - "party with saddam" {iTunes}
12. tamar-kali - "boot" {iTunes | Amazon MP3}
13. longshot - "n.*.g.g.e.r. (feat. psalm one)" {iTunes | Rhapsody }
14. strong arm steady - "black history (feat. chace infinite, planet asia, and affion crockett)" {watch video}
15. steinski - "none shall be afraid" {free download}

Technorati tags: Blog, Podcasts, Podcasting, Music, Hip-Hop, Electronic, Soul, funk, Radio, mp3

both sides archives: album review - common
Now Playing: dope sandwich - coming of age
Topic: 2005 reviews
y'know, i really ought to do better about moving the reviews and rants on this site to the blog. it would be a lot less cluttered that way. while new podcast postings tend to be the big draw, it's nice to reminisce about older albums and see if the same feelings still linger of if they've changed with time. so with that in mind, let's start dusting off some of those BSOTS reviews. if time permits, i'll dig into a few from the ON THE VERGE years as well.

this review was the last that was written for the BSOTS site prior to the podcast starting up. Radio BSOTS began in august of 2005; this review was posted one month earlier and is written by my man, hired gun. knowing him, i'm sure he wants this common back and not the guy that dropped universal mind control last year. thing is, however, THEY'RE THE SAME CAT, but i'm sure i'll get into that with h. rap gunn next time i see him. and another thing: there are a number of people who couldn't get down with electric circus when it first dropped that love the album now that it's several years down the line. i'll have to find out mikal's thoughts on that one, too...

{jason randall smith}

COMMON
Be
Record label: Geffen
Format: 2xLP/ CD
Release date: 24 May 2005

Common has become an enigmatic figure over the decade plus that he has graced the mic. He's been respected universally as one of the most gifted lyricists of his generation. Much like Nas, Common's career has seen many odd twists and nearly as many manifestations, though of a more subtle variety. When we had last seen him he was exploring a much more experimental side, dressing in knitted pants and reportedly been pussy whipped by the alien, Erykah Badu. This resulted in a huge question mark placed next to this new album.

Quietly, Common (again, much like Nas) probably got a free pass for Electric Circus (we all have to search our inner self sometimes, and it's not always pretty...). But people still begged the question: "Where is Common going to take us now?" Common gives his answer with the single "The Corners." We basically get the Chicagoan rhymer coming full circle and connecting the points from past to future.

Be is not Common's greatest work. It arguably falls right between One Day It'll All Make Sense and Like Water For Chocolate (depending on who you ask), but the truth is this is one of his most well rounded albums, highlighting all of the things we love about Common. Clocking in at about 40 minutes, we get to see a focused, matured, and very hungry Common reminiscent of his Resurrection period. He shows that he still has the intangible introspection and soul searching that we loved from One Day... on cuts such as "Love is," "Real People," and "Faithful." The quick wit, punchline-laced explosions of "Chi-City" and the album intro causes us to remember Common Sense as he was on past efforts. With Kanye West and J-Dilla on the boards (only for two tracks) and backed up by John Legend and the Last Poets, there is a glimpse of that (*gag*) Neo Soul sound from Like Water..., but with just a little bit of that radio polished twist that only Mr. West can bring. Surprisingly, Kanye doesn't really pull a full Pharrell, and only weighs in vocally for four songs (which is still way more than enough).

If there is a knock, it actually might be its strength: Common runs the gamut of topics and sounds on this album, but doesn't go all the way. The beats are lacking a really heavy hit. Songs like "Go!" and "Testify" don't stand out or contribute much to the feel of the album. Still, Be as a whole work is one of those albums on full rotation (no skips) and you'll find yourself falling in love with Common all over again.

{mikal lee (hired gun)}

unauthorized biography of martin luther king and barack obama
Now Playing: dj center - tout passe [pushthefader.com]
Topic: music appreciation

kinda late to the party on this one and it's my own fault, but i'm sure there are heads who haven't seen this video yet.

there's been a lot of talk comparing our new president barack obama to the reverend dr. martin luther king, jr.  perhaps they both have the gift of eloquence and oration, but for me that's where it ends.  towards the end of rev. dr. king's life, he was making connections between poverty, racism, and miltarism that brother barack wouldn't be able to do and still have any hopes of being commander-in-chief.  very few talk about the post-"i have a dream" speech dr. king, but that's where you'll find the more radical and revolutionary preacher and leader.  meanwhile, connections between the two figures (mostly due to a matter of timing) during obama's acceptance speech at the democratic national convention, his victory speech as president-elect and inauguration speech were virtually inescapable.  again, as public speakers, both are brilliant.  politically, they're further apart than convenient timing would suggest.

even though i have some ideological differences with brother barack, my prayers are certainly with him and the first family.  and i can't front on those that suggest that the rev. dr. king ran so that obama could fly.  so with that in mind, here's the fourth installment of the unauthorized biography series by shaun boothe.  the video treatment is, as always, masterfully done.  can't wait for next month, though...he does JIMI HENDRIX next.  that one should be hot...

macey on the half show...
Now Playing: nickel & dime radio w/dj small change (wfmu.org)
Topic: other people's podcasts

new this week in the o.p.p. category, my heads me-saj and jason from the half show gave me a call a while back to talk about podcasting and the state of hip-hop. it was a great conversation.  i think the show turned out really well, especially the footage from their search to go see the Biggie Smalls movie, only to come up empty.  i love their on locale or en route recordings, those are always great.  plus, me-saj and jason have a great chemistry together and their banter back and forth never ceases to crack me up.

click here to check out that episode.  and if you're not already subscribed to their podcast, do yourself a favor and set yourself up.  it's always a blessing when a new show gets delivered...

reviews for impose: madlib and dr. who dat?
Now Playing: radio freetown w/dj franc o {wfmu.org}
Topic: 2009 reviews

the last two reviews i wrote for impose magazine are now online.  the new album by dr. who dat? is considerably darker and more spacey than his last one.  meanwhile, madlib the beat konducta has never been better.  his latest is a tribute to j. dilla and it's gorgeous from start to finish.

Dr. Who Dat? - Beyond 2morrow

Madlib - Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6: A Tribute to...

BSOTS 080 - 2008 recap (pt. two)
Now Playing: madlib - beat konducta vol. 5 - dil cosby suite
Topic: my podcasts

seeing as how it's almost the end of february, what say we finally get the 2008 recap done, m'kay?

egadz starts things off with a beautiful instrumental lying somewhere in between electronic and alternative avenues, but wouldn't exist without hip-hop turntablist influence. oddisee follows with slick production for phonte and big pooh of little brother to lace lovely, as always. idiot savant comes through with another memorable one (wonder how the cure fans out there will react to this one), phashara holds it down for chi-town and hip-hop with thoughtful words that ease us into the piano-led crush of dj sun, wonderfully remixed by genre jazz. then it's up to western canada for a bonafide head nodder from moka only.

what's the science? the chemistry that obviously exists between carlos nino of build an ark/life force trio/ammoncontact fame and john robinson (lil' sci) from scienz of life. i reviewed abel okugawa's album recently and thought it was really beautiful. i kept coming back to "reparations," so it was only right to have that song in the mix as well. after that, the ghostly international label drops a gem in the form of michna's "swiss glide." it's hip-hop with a trombone in it, what's not to like? myself was the secret weapon last year - his protest in disguise album is a force to be reckoned with. and if you're gonna get harder, you'd have to follow up with the black panther of rap, paris a.k.a. p-dog, the original "bush killa." "don't stop the movement" is the first song on his new album, acid reflex, and it is GOOD, y'all. really good. definitely recommended for all the public enemy and x-clan fans out there.

ah, j*davey. i'm totally crushing on the lead vocalist, i admit it. and "slooow" only makes me more infatuated with miss jack davey. damn good song. singer/songwriter ben senterfit keeps up the sexy flow with "hush", a song i found out about through ariel publicity. and then, the show stopper: "amsterdamn" by yoome, a collaborative project between producer tony trimm, renee louise-carafice, and serengeti (youtube video available at the top of this entry). this episode ends with beyond absence's "space trip," a quiet and introspective tune that has really grown on me. 2009 is shaping up to be another great year for music and i can't wait to see what the world of podsafe sounds has to offer.

download ||| rss feed ||| subscribe to podcast in itunes

go here to stream shows.

you can contact me via twitter, facebook, or email.

id drops courtesy of fave and ej flavors. theme music produced by cy tru. background music is "bathing" by techniken defunkus.

other key info:
macedonia's playlist on blip.fm
cupid's hunt: podcaster/blogger roll call and twitter link
51st grammy awards: who won
my love for music

1. egadz! - "what we are destined to do" {iTunes | Napster}
2. oddisee - "delusional (feat. little brother)" {iTunes | Napster}
3. idiot savant - "ice princess" {iTunes}
4. phashara - "the storm" {iTunes | amazon mp3}
5. dj sun - "dubai (genre jazz remix)" {iTunes}
6. moka only - "starfish" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
7. what's the science? - "the natural" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
8. abel okugawa - "reparations (feat. regime change)" {album website}
9. michna - "swiss glide" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
10. myself - "keep the fire burning"{iTunes | Rhapsody}
11. paris - "don't stop the movement" {iTunes}
12. j*davey - "slooow" {iTunes | Napster}
13. ben senterfit - "hush" {artist website}
14. yoome - "amsterdamn" {iTunes | Rhapsody}
15. beyond absence - "space trip"

free ioda promonet downloads:

Moka Only
"Starfish" (mp3)
from "Carrots and Eggs"
(URBNET Communications Inc.)

More On This Album

Michna
"Swiss Glide" (mp3)
from "Magic Monday"
(Ghostly International)

More On This Album

Paris
"Don't Stop The Movement" (mp3)
from "Acid Reflex (Radio Safe Version)"
(Guerrilla Funk Recordings)

More On This Album

Technorati tags: Blog, Podcasts, Podcasting, Music, Hip-Hop, Electronic, Soul, funk, Radio, mp3

reviews galore...
Now Playing: new music from bbe records
Topic: 2009 reviews

with the BSOTS grammy episode behind me, i was able to finish up some music reviews for reviewyou.com.  there's a total of four that i recently wrote for them, which cover the following artists:  desmond drive, dan freedman, ronii, and a beautiful silence.  if you want to know what they're all about, why not click on a link and read the review?

in addition, i have three reviews that i'm writing for impose magazine, getting back into the swing of things with them.  the first of three reviews the new album from PPP.