DJ AGILE

Posts Tagged ‘hip hop’

HOT AND SPICY

Every year in Toronto one of my favourite festivals that I try to go to is Harbourfront’s Centre “Hot & Spicy Food Festival”. Food, music, dance & film will have all your senses stimulated for hours.

Food will be the central focus of the festival this year, and will include the 9th annual International Iron Chef Competition and a Taco Takedown competition. There will also be a special performance by French-Chilean hip hop artist Ana Tijoux.

The Hot & Spicy Food Festival takes place July 20th – 22nd at the Harbourfront Centre. Tell them Agile sent you!!

Bon Appetite

SEASON ONE

It’s been 13 years since Saukrates released his debut LP “The Underground Tapes“. I remember buying that CD at HMV, (do they even sell CD’s anymore?) at the Scarborough Town Centre Location. It’s still a highly sought after record to this day. You don’t believe me? Click on the link above and see what used ones are selling for. Don’t even get me started on the vinyl for it. If you own one of these, value it and take care of it, it’s actually worth a pretty penny, and is gaining value.

So much time has past since “The Underground Tapes” was burning up charts every where. It got Saukrates a Juno nomination, A Def Jam record deal through Redman and had him anointed the next talent from the north to blow up world wide. Several record deals and years later we finally have the follow up album, ‘Season One’.

It’s not like Sauks was only working on this record for the last decade+ years. He is a triple threat artist. He sings, raps and produces. He has done remixes for everyone from Nelly Furtado to Swollen members. He’s also has had more features then I can remember. Easily one hundred features. From k-os, Kardinal, Jully Black, Rich Kidd, Andreena Mill, Frankie Payne to Strong Arm Steady, Sauks has spit some potent bars over these years. Also released in 2007 was “Heaven’s Caught On Fire” by producers turned group ‘Big Black Lincoln’ where Saukrates served as front man. I am a part of the group, so obviously me telling how great that record is would be completely self serving, so I won’t.

It’s really hard to judge this album as a sophmore LP. Saukrates has had so much growth as an artist in between records, most haven’t been able to see or hear him flourish. He’s influence can be seen in his peers Drake and k-os. I’ve been lucky to hear some of the records (Bad Addiction, Saukrates Season & the untitled LP he did with Mr. Attic of the Da Grassroots) that were never released so I have been able to witness his recorded growth. ‘Season One’ the new LP may seem foreign to you in terms of the sound you are expecting, if all you know are his albums and his 12″ singles to date. You should treat this album as if it were from a new artist. ’Season One’ is contemporary sounding, full of autotuned vocals and synth arpeggios. Much different then anything on “Underground Tapes”. Stand out tracks from the new record are ‘Season One’, ‘Only One’ and my favorite song so far ‘Save The Day’ Ft. Richie Hennessey (from BrassMunk) and OB O’Brien. I didn’t include ‘Say I’ which I do like, but has been out for a few months for free.

The album has something for everyone, which might be it’s biggest weakness and strength, unlike his previous offerings which were more streamed lined to a particular demo of the hip hop genre. Saukrates albums have a way of growing on you, and increasing in value, so it’s worth the purchase, just do not expect the Saukrates from 13 years ago, he’s moved well past that.

As he should.

Buy ‘Season One’ HERE

GAME TIME

This year I have spun at the all the Friday night games for MGD’s Guys night out, inside the ACC – over at the Molson Brewhouse. I play the pre-game, half time, and get to make jokes with Mark Strong every week. Last night I played the game for the first time. My homies 4 Korners, who normally play each game, were living the hard life down in Cancun DJing for the week. I was asked to fill in for them for a game. It’s a totally different experience. I know folks think we are just playing records, mixing and having a good time, which is part of the gig, but it’s so much more then that. It’s a full production co-ordinated with sound men, pyrotechnists, camera men, producers, production co-ordinators and a whole army of people who’s job is for you not to see them, but for you to enjoy their work. It is a carefully orchestrated performance done by pros who rarely get acknowledge for their talents. Now that I have seen behind the curtain so to speak, I am impressed by how much goes into the little things we as fans take for granted. As the DJ for the game, I was part of that well old machine. I am glad I got to experience it. Thank you to everyone at game operations for your faith in me, and of course 4 Korners. You guys all do amazing work!

The Raptors bet up the Pistons to enhance my evening ten fold! My boys from Middlefield pointed out I am 1 – 0 as DJ at the game.

Planning to stay undefeated

(all photos taken and edited with my trusty iPhone4S)

BROOKLYN BOHEME – FILM PREMIERE + Q&A WITH NELSON GEORGE

It is good to have friends like the homie Wan Luv. He’s always putting me up on the latest. Now all of you can benefit as well. He’ll be premiering “Brooklyn Boheme” this Friday December 9th, at the Toronto Underground Cinema followed by a question and answer segment with director and author Nelson George. I could write a big paragraph about the film, or you could watch the trailer Here is the facebook event page for it.

See you Friday!

Brooklyn Boheme is a love letter to a vibrant African American artistic community who resided in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill Brooklyn during the 80′s and 90′s that included the great Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Branford Marsalis, Rosie Perez, Saul Williams, Lorna Simpson, Talib Kweli just to name a few. Narrated and written by Fort Greene resident Nelson George, this feature length documentary celebrates “Brooklyn’s equivalent of the Harlem Renaissance” and follows the rise of a new kind of African American artist, the Brooklyn Boheme.

This community of artists made this part of Brooklyn a mecca for young black and Latinos, where they were bonded by great ambition, good times and jamming parties.

Brooklyn Boheme is a chronicle of that magical time as a flowering of great art made by black Americans. The documentary is a funny, joyous look at a time and place with charismatic storytellers and dazzling photography telling this amazing story.

Inspiring, dynamic and colorful, Brooklyn Boheme will make you wish, you too, would have been invited to the party.

Please contact us at info@nelsondgeorge.net or info@civilianstudios.com to find out more.

UPDATE: We are proud to announce we have been selected as the opening night film of the 15th annual URBANWORLD festival on Sept 15th, 2011 THe fest is sponsored by BET and HBO and this is one of the first times they have featured a documentary for the opening night film. We won runner up for the Audience Award among a field of 60 films.
Directed by Diane Paragas and Nelson George

Written by Nelson George

Cinematography by Diane Paragas, Francisco Aliwalas

Edited by Diane Paragas, Emir Lewis, Trevz Bayack

Graphics by Trevz Bayack

Aerials by Perspective Aerials

Music ion furjanic

WATCH THE SHOW

So I know it’s a couple days late. I’m finally getting re-adjusted to the time zone. I’m still not getting enough sleep, which is leading to fewer posts on my blog, but I think I’m back now. I had a great time at the Jay-Z & Kanye show. As big a star as Kanye has become, he still isn’t Jay-Z. You can tell by the screams. Kanye received loud cheers, but the screams Jay-Z were showered with surely damaged some of my hearing at Wednesday’s show at the Air Canada Centre. It was about two and a half hours of hit song after hit song. I don’t wanna give too many details to ruin the show for those who have yet to see it. As a fan, it was almost everything I wanted in a show by these two. Jay-Z even performed “Where I’m From”, off of his second album “In My Lifetime Vol. 1″ (1997). It’s one of my favorite songs from him. He actually did it over “Angels” by Dirty Money which sampled his song. I thought it was a nice touch to make sure all generations at the show could get into it.

Watching both of them, I drew a few conclusions. Despite Kanye’s “unique” outfits, he’s the better performer of the two. Jay-Z has a great command of the crowd, and his voice projects much better, but Kanye has the better performance energy. Surprisingly Kanye has great breath control. He actually “ran” across the stage a couple times, and it’s a big stage. He never missed a word, or sounded winded. He did this mid song. Watching Kanye, you get the feeling even he doesn’t know what he’s going to do next, which makes it fun to watch. The transitions between songs in the later half of their show were brilliant! I can’t tell you how many shows I’ve seen that were ok, and could have been good or great had the transitions been better. Hov & Ye are having fun on stage. It’s very apparent. You can see genuine joy in their faces as they perform new and old classics. It’s contagious.

It’s beautiful when the entire building is rapping & singing together. It’s almost like the songs are “ours” not just theirs. All the best concerts I’ve been to in my life have that common thread. (I’ve seen over 1000 shows and performed in almost as many). When you strip away the effects, lights, fireworks etc., that is the most important factor in any good show. Being in a place with people who all share the same songs in their lives, and are enjoying them together, while being entertained by the performer(s).

Kudos Ye & Hov. Great show!!!

Here are a few pictures I snapped for the blog in between throwing up the diamond sign.