Category: Miscellaneous

Random sh*t we don’t know where else to put

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Miscellaneous Music News and Interviews

The Resurgence of a 1980s Classic

“Stranger Things” is one of Netflix’s biggest shows and is set during the 1980s.

This show is no stranger to dropping 80s movie references and including tons of iconic and classic songs from the 1980s to add to that effect. Not to mention, the show is about a group of teenagers that live off pop culture.

Music was as big a part of 80s culture as it is today, and due to the popularity of the show, songs from the 80s are on the charts once again. To be more specific, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush. 

The song has more significance in the show than just being a part of the soundtrack.

*Spoilers Ahead about Stranger Things Season 4*

“Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” was an influential part of saving the life of a character named Max, portrayed by actress Sadie Sink.

If you’ve seen the season, you know how important finding the right song was to save the lives of characters that were targeted by Vecna. Max had a strong connection to the song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush which led to her life being saved.

It was this concept that your comfort music can reach parts of your brain that a human’s voice isn’t able to. 

Not only was this her favorite song but the lyrics were highly significant to Max’s history, knowing her trauma. Her brother, Billy, had been possessed by a creature called the Mindflayer and was eventually killed at the end of season 3.

After Billy’s passing, Max blamed herself and had this overwhelming guilt and trauma from witnessing his death. This is reflected throughout the song as seen with the lyrics “And if only I could | I’d make a deal with God| And I’d get him to swap our places” 

Max spends day after day thinking about Billy’s death and if she could have saved him. If she could have taken his place. She’s seen wearing headphones connected to a Walkman, constantly listening to music as an escape from her reality.

The resurfacing of this song led to a lot of fans discussing what their favorite songs are and essentially what songs would “save them from Vecna.” It’s cool to see how a TV show can cause a music trend to arise.

The scientific aspect of how music activates all parts of your brain is so fascinating to me. The fact that there can be one or two songs that you have an emotional connection to can literally save your life.

I might not make it out alive if I was ever in that situation. I am too indecisive when it comes to choosing a favorite song. One day I like one song and the next I’m religiously listening to another song.

What I love about the power of the internet when it comes to popular shows is that fans do not hesitate to make edits. The song has been used in over 1.5 million edits and videos and has finally hit #1 on multiple charts after 20-ish years.

Plus, what makes that all the better is that Kate Bush wrote, sang, and produced the entire song all on her own. 

Check out “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” if you haven’t already, you won’t regret it.

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Miscellaneous

The Movies and Music

WKNC 88.1 blog

Music and film have been able to evolve together over the past 100-ish years to create more beauty out of these arts than any artist could probably have imagined. Obviously music has been around for a longer time than movies, but the profound affects the two have on each other led them both to feed each other’s creative capabilities. 

First There Was Silence

Before there were movies with sound, we had the silent era of film. I have not seen many films from that era, but I do know how popular Charlie Chaplin’s films were and still are today. His film, “The Kid” features a comedic fight scene that has no sound, but honestly doesn’t need it. 

Chaplin was able to take visual arts and impact millions of people without a sound, which inspired generations of filmmakers to come. Chaplin wasn’t the only silent film influence on the world, but he made big strides toward the future with his techniques

Then Came the Music

When sound came to film, there became so much more room to explore within the medium. People could have conversations without being interrupted by dialogue cards, fights that sounded real and thrilling and the sounds of music could be heard by the audience. 

One of my favorite scenes from “RRR”,  a movie that came out this year, incorporates music, choreography and cinematography beautifully. You can watch it here:

Naacho Naacho from “RRR” released in 2022. Video uploaded by T-Series.

The colors and costumes in this exciting action film aren’t even the best part. The music and choreographed scenes add more to the movie’s strengths than the dialogue or plot. 

“La La Land” and “Sound of Music” are another two films that blow me away in their use of music in film. They, like “RRR”, have scenes throughout the film that are choreographed and feel separate from the film universe around them. Whenever I see an amazing musical-ish movie like “La La Land” I do enjoy it, but it often feels less plot oriented and less emotionally impactful than narrative films. 

Synthesizing the Worlds

The films above are absolutely fantastic and I have nothing bad to say about them, but the way these next couple of films use sound and music creates more emotional connection and tension. Instead of separating scenes into dialogue and music, the directors of these movies have incorporated music and rhythm directly into the cinematography of the entire film. 

In the opening scene of “Sound of Metal”, the camera is focused solely on Ruben about to launch into his drum routine live on stage. We see his reactions and actions to the sounds and stimuli around him, and we learn this movie is more character driven than anything else.  

The music of that scene adds to Ruben’s character rather than existing as a nice emotional piece of music. It is the background and platform to understand his current state of emotional affairs. Music is part of Ruben’s world and throughout the film, music and sound are used as character development rather than emotional stimulation. 

Also, in movies by Edgar Wright, like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Baby Driver”, action scenes are synched to a musical rhythm like Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”. It is a lot like a choreographed dance, but instead of relying on dance to show the rhythm, the scenes are able to use violent action synched to a beat. The characters also rely on music to express themselves to the people they love around them. 

Conclusions

I have found movies that are able to synthesize music with the narrative flow and cinematography often create a more emotionally influential piece of art. Music hits our ears at the same time we see a story unfolding and pictures moving with the sound of the film. 

Keep eatin’

Ben

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Miscellaneous

“Boiling Point” – Movie Review

Boiling Point movie poster
"Boiling Point" by Philip Barantini movie poster.

After watching “Uncut Gems” a fair share of times, I gained an appreciation for a masterfully done dramatic thriller film. That is exactly what “Boiling Point” is. This film was released in 2021, and was directed by Philip Barantini. 

This movie is shot in a single take, like “1917”, and uses this technique to drive your heart into your throat. I was choking out of anticipation by the last minutes of the film. It has a run time of 92 minutes, which feels incredibly short while watching it. 

This is Barantini’s second feature length film and it is his most successful. The main actors are Stephen Graham, who plays Andy Jones, Vinette Robinson, who plays Carly and Alice May Feetham, who plays Beth. The movie is set in a London restaurant focused on head chef, And Jones’ ability to handle the heat of his personal life and kitchen life in a single night. 

This movie is quite intense and uses extreme language as it is set in the high seas of a foul mouthed kitchen. 

Quick Synopsis:

I don’t want to talk too much about the plot of this movie because that is the driving force behind the tensions and heart pounding story. Basically, Andy Jones comes into his restaurant and immediately faces barrages of inquiries that make him feel overwhelmed. 

His front of house (FOH) manager, Beth, is already up in his business when he walks in the door, which makes it hard for Andy to even have a calm moment to prepare for the busy night. Also, his sous chef, Carly tells Andy about issues and new trainees that are happening while he deals with management issues from Beth. 

I always start to perspire when I think about how long of a night this kitchen staff has after the closing of a restaurant. Platter after platter of drama piles up, and by the end of the film it feels like there is no way for Andy to resolve the mess he has gotten himself into. 

A Review:

Having this film be shot in a single take is astounding to me. Not only does every single actor have to be sharp and attentive for the entirety of the film, but the crew has to be prepared too. Plates of food are brought out and fires extinguished constantly. Barantini really does make you feel like you’re in a kitchen with a time bomb strapped to it. 

Having sweat slide down my forehead while sitting and watching a movie is never something I thought I would recommend, but the ache in my heart from anxiety I got watching the film was intoxicating. 

Stephen Graham and Vinette Robinson are also fantastic throughout the entire film. I could absolutely believe them in their roles. Carly and Andy play off each other so well, it feels like real kitchen experiences I’ve had myself. 

Conclusion:

The more I thought about this film as a representation of kitchen life and stress, the more I began to enjoy it. Films and directors that are able to focus on a few key emotions instead of a spectrum of feelings, keep me involved and invested during and after the viewing. I feel like I learn something about someone’s life perspectives by taking in their sights, sounds and frustrations with their world around them, which is exactly what “Boiling Point” does. 

Keep eatin’

– DJ Chef

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Miscellaneous

“How to Survive a Plague” – A Look at Activism during the AIDS and HIV Epidemic

How to Survive a Plague movie poster
"How to Survive a Plague" movie poster

“How to Survive a Plague” is a documentary that shines a blindingly direct spotlight on the activism during the AIDS and HIV epidemic from the late 1980’s until the late 1990’s period. This film is not a happy one, but the director, David France, created a documentary that has given a clear perspective of the AIDS and HIV virus from the eyes of the groups ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) and TAG (Treatment Action Group). 

David France has a rocky relationship within the film community and other social spheres because of his ignorance and greed when he stole the story of Marsha P. Johnson from creator Tourmaline, as stated in their Instagram post. I absolutely do not support what France has done with his Marsha P. Johnson documentary, and any person that decides they have the right to steal art should have everything they create be critically examined for plagiarism.

That being said, I think France has still made an extremely powerful documentary in “How to Survive a Plague”. France’s boyfriend died from AIDS in 1991, as mentioned in this IndieWire article, and I think that assists in validating his voice for this documentary. This film does accurately report on the lives of ACT UP and TAG members by primarily using archival footage and exclusive interviews done in 2012.

There are a few notable people highlighted in this documentary like Larry Kramer, Anthony Fauci, and Jim Eigo. More important members of both activist groups play key roles in the history of this film. 

HISTORY

To appreciate and understand the impact of this film, some history is required before watching. I will be pulling some timeline information from the HIV government website and this timeline from PEPFAR. 

The HIV and AIDS epidemic first started getting attention from the media and communities in 1981, so the beginning of this documentary really starts in the middle of the epidemic, which makes it difficult to follow at some points. 

The HIV virus was almost immediately linked to the LGBTQ+ community, which caused the immediate and further ostracization of these community members. It wasn’t until 1989 that AIDS cases reached 100,000 reported infections as stated by this CDC article. After that, the numbers grew even faster. 

“ACT UP, or AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, was founded in NYC in 1987 as a political action group in response to the AIDS crisis. The group’s first action, in spring 1987, was a march on Wall St. to protest the high cost and lack of availability of HIV treatment.” 

This quote is directly from ACT UP’s website.

ACT UP successfully started the campaign of getting more attention and action to the epidemic. The documentary goes into great detail about theirs and TAG’s foundation, so I won’t go into detail about it here. 

In October of 1995, the CDC reported 500,000 cases of AIDS in the United States, and from 1990 to 1995 there were just under 1,000,000 AIDS related deaths in the world, which you can see in this graph.

My little history report does not go into nearly enough detail about the atrocities committed by those in power who prevented and stalled research, funding and support for this epidemic. The documentary, however, does do this. 

THE DOCUMENTARY

The acquired film and interviews that David France used are synthesized in a way to emphasize the emotions and stories that are weaved together. One of my favorite techniques utilized in the documentary is how well peoples’ faces are highlighted. You can see their betrayal, anguish and hunger for life all in their eyes through the framing done by cinematographers.

“How to Survive a Plague” overwhelmingly succeeds in showing the impact of raising concerns and actively participating in the world around us. The collected films show people on their deathbeds participating in research and activism because they want to live. Not only do they want to live, but they want other people with their afflictions to live. 

France did an alright job collecting clips from the voices in the community, but he still leaves out many voices that deserved to be heard. A CDC report from October 6, 1986 states that Black and Latinx communities were disproportionately contracting AIDS and HIV in comparison to white people. I would have loved to have seen interviews or footage from these community members rather than solely the leaders focused upon in this film. 

One last thing I want to note about this film is how well it uses the death toll from the virus throughout the film. We see the numbers start around 100,000 deaths, and then they grow. 

These statistics are like bookmarks in time. Each growth correlates to the inaction of those in charge, and the flattening of the curve shows the success of ACT UP and TAG.

CONCLUSIONS

As I stated in the beginning of this review, this film is not easy to watch, but I highly recommend seeing it once. The HIV and AIDS epidemic that swept through the world (and still affects millions of lives today as you can see on this graph) is still not talked about enough today. 

The inaction from the US government and governments around the world has robbed the LGBTQ+ community of strong leaders and activists that could have supported the new, younger generations today. Millions of young people could have been supported by a strong community, but were instead left with a fragile support system that still continues to struggle under oppression from those against the LGBTQ+ community. 

Just remember, “Silence = Death”.

-DJ chef

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Miscellaneous

Best Way to Consume Music?

In the past half of the year, I have been to my fair share of concerts whether they were being streamed online or I was standing in the crowd experiencing them in real-time. Of course, during that same period, I’ve streamed more than enough hours of music from hundreds of different artists.

Listening to music is something I constantly have on in the background no matter if I’m doing homework, driving, or painting. The real question though is, what is the best way to experience music as a concept. Live in its natural form or streaming it prerecorded?

Music creates an ambiance and sets the tone for any outing or event, in restaurants or on public speakers it allows silence to be filled.

Recently, I was thinking of going to Lollapalooza and the question of if I wanted to spend the money to experience these artists live or sit in the comfort of my living room and watch their live stream on YouTube for free was racking my brain.

Starting off with live music, there is just so much that can be added to that experience besides seeing the artist performing live. Being surrounded by fans of that artist and being able to shout the lyrics along with the artists themselves can feel surreal. You notice that they sing a line differently or play a random electric guitar solo just because they feel like it. It’s something you can never have the opportunity of experiencing outside of that moment and each live performance by an artist will be unique.

There is that adrenaline that rushes through you in excitement, but it’s an experience that can only be felt in that moment. After the performance or concert is over, you’re left sitting there watching scrolling through videos and pictures trying to attain that feeling once again. Reminiscing about how you were hearing their music in real-time right in front of you and exhibiting the artists as humans.

On the other hand, streaming music is a different experience on its own. You can listen to the same song for hours on repeat and retain that freshness of it if you’re in the mood to do so. Any song is within your reach and you don’t have to go out of your way by plane or car to listen to that music.

While the upside is being able to listen to quite literally any song, you don’t get to experience the realistic quality of that instrument playing. Each time you listen would be 100% identical and you won’t hear any fumbling of chords or changes in song pitch or any variations that make music listening to an experience.

Regardless, it’s all a matter of preference and access. Go stream some music or hop in your car to hear an artist play live.

In the end, live your life and experience what you want the way you want to.

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Miscellaneous

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong – Book Review

On This Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous Cover
Cover photograph by Sam Contis

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” is a letter dedicated to Ocean Vuong’s mother, in which the speaker of the novel explores his intimate past, beauty in the aftermath of hate and desperation and cultural identity.

Ocean Vuong was born in Saigon, Vietnam and at the age of 2 came to America with his family to be raised in Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from Brooklyn College with a BA in Nineteenth Century American Literature, and later graduated from NYU with a MFA in Poetry as stated by his website.

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” has an outstanding number of accolades attributed to Vuong and his words. This book is Vuong’s first published novel. He has two published poetry collections, “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” and “Time is a Mother”, both of which I now have a strong desire to read. 

SYNOPSIS

I am a big hater of novels and stories that are in a letter format. Books like “Dracula” and stories that have clippings of information usually take away from the personality a book can offer, but Ocean Vuong puts so much of his voice into this novel.

Little Dog, the narrator and speaker of the novel, is an immigrant from Vietnam who takes us through his family’s past, his own sense of love and what family means to him. The scars the narrator presents us are deep, but Vuong is able to explore their divots with a perspective of beauty and hope rather than solely pain and sorrow. 

Each word of this letter carries the emotion of someone who has lost so many people they have loved, hated and feared. The story weaves in and out of the present and past. Actually, the letter rarely focuses on a central time frame. Instead of being centered around a moment in space, it centralizes itself around the various feelings that stem from love. 

We read through neighborhood myths and stories of war crimes separated only by a few spaces. The novel flows impeccably. Vuong threads emotion throughout all the memories that resurface in the letter. 

Despite the unimportance of chronology in this book, it is a journey for Little Dog. He comes to terms with losses in his family, and he must learn the importance of loving people deeply. What makes this book so great is in attempting to write about it, I am utterly failing to convey the appropriate amount of grace and insight that can be gleaned from a single page.

TAKEAWAY

Good art makes you appreciate how other forms of art shape the way we experience the moments and people around us. “On This Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” is a tremendous novel on its own, but adding its perspective to the multitude of words, eyes and lips that exist in the modern artist leaves me wanting more art and beauty to devour. 

I cannot wait to see where Ocean Vuong will take language in his writing, and I hope he provides the best inspiration for the future of voices and language.

Keep eatin’

-DJ chef

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Miscellaneous

Remastered: Covers that transformed the original song

WKNC 88.1 blog

Kacey Musgraves’ cover of “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley

Musgraves recorded her rendition live at Spotify House for Spotify Sessions 2016. Her live version is stripped down and authentic to her country roots, something the song had certainly not seen before. Her use of minor chords and harmonica align with the anger and sadness of the lyrics, giving the song a more sinister sound than the original.

The Civil Wars’ cover of “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

The alternative country duo recorded their version of the classic “Billie Jean” in 2011. Complete with a constant fingerpicking guitar and raspy harmonies, this cover could not be more different than Jackson’s original upbeat tune. The Civil Wars’ Joy Williams and John Paul White alternate solos and ad-libs, giving new life to the lyrics and presenting a refreshing view of “Billie Jean” as a duet. Their risky decision to totally revamp a beloved Michael Jackson super-hit paid off.

Cake’s cover of “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor

Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 iconic disco hit sounds different here. Cake’s alternative rock version with electric guitar changes everything. Vocalist John McCrea’s blunt tone and F-bombs give the breakup song a wonderful, bitter feel. It’s a must-listen.

Nirvana’s cover of “The Man Who Sold The World” by David Bowie

Nirvana performed a version of the Bowie song for their MTV Unplugged album in 1994. The whole album is a masterpiece and features covers and originals, but this one takes the cake. Kurt Cobain’s vocals are melancholy and chilling, perfectly matching the lyrics. The crowd erupts at the end of the recording as Cobain credits Bowie.

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Miscellaneous Music Education

What makes Indie music Indie?

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Before you get the wrong idea reading this blog, I want to preface that I most definitely don’t think there will be a definite answer at the end of this post. I got the idea of writing this based on the concept of indie music and just how vast and diverse it is as a phenomenon.

As indie music has become increasingly popular, I wanted to research what has attracted a large following to this type of music. What makes it stand out from traditional music genres that are easy to pinpoint such as pop, hip hop, R&B, and jazz. 

Historically, what we call indie or indie-rock music now emerged from an era in the late 1970s in the United Kingdom when post-punk, new wave, and alternative music was being released by UK record labels to go against the manufactured mainstream music at the time.

You might have heard of the band The Smiths who first came on the indie scene in the 1980s and now exemplify not only what indie music is on a musical basis, but on a cultural basis as well.

Starting off, Indie is not necessarily a genre although it has sort of developed into one just recently. Indie is short for independent and indie artists are just artists that self-produce their music and are not signed under a major label.

This ‘indie’ title starts getting harder to define once these indie artists and indie bands become famous enough to be signed under a major label. If they are signed by a label such as Capitol Records, the artists themselves are not ‘indie’ or independent anymore yet they still have that indie sound to them.

An example of a major label would be something like Universal Music Group (UMG) or Sony BMG that of course have subsidiaries of their own like Atlanta Records and Columbia Records, to which these more famous artists belong. 

What stands out in a lot of work done by indie artists is their usage of a variety of instruments in their music and most of the time indie music is instrument heavy. If you look at more of the rock and alternative side of indie music the most prevalent instruments are the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and drums. These instruments together create this “indie sound’ that has caused a ‘genre’ around this aspect to develop. 

Of course, as I mentioned, indie is not really a genre in itself because the music could be new wave, jazz or punk, or pop too. However, a common theme I find about indie music is the strong sense of individuality you can experience in the work made by the artists. They strive to focus on a single emotion or experience instead of a full narrative.

Often when you listen to music by an indie band there is a distinct piece or component of their composition or lyrics that immediately lets you know it’s by band XYZ or by artist XYZ. Having control of their own music is what allows indie artists to put their identities into their music and take full creative control over what they produce compared to the more controlled music released by mainstream artists and record labels.

What started as a term to define independent artists has culminated not into a genre but a culture of its own. Music that actively rivals mainstream music and is best consumed in its raw form of instrumentals and chords. 

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Miscellaneous

“SLC Punk!” – A Movie Review

The rage, terror, and joy of punk rockers is hard to appropriately capture on film. I have seen directors place punk into a nice neat box of hardcore drug users, nihilism and fighting, but that’s not punk.

“SLC Punk!”, directed by James Merendino, explores hardcore punk rockers’ reasons to live and rebel. I do not think this film encapsulates all of the punk genre, but it does get a clearer representation of punk compared to a mainstream music film. 

This movie stars Matthew Lillard as Stevo, Michael A. Goorjian as Bob and Annabeth Gish as Trish. A few other notable actors are Jason Siegel, James Duval and Summer Phoenix. 

PLOT RUNDOWN

Stevo and Bob are reformed nerds who turned to the punk music scene when they felt outcast by their classmates. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is a funny setting for a punk film. Exploring the fictional punk scene in Salt Lake City (SLC), we are taken on a journey of pent up emotions. 

Stevo is pushed by his parents to attend Harvard Law School after graduating from Utah University. Bob, on the other hand, is growing more accustomed to life in SLC as he falls in love with a mystical being, Trish. 

I love the way Merendino is able to show Stevo becoming more aware that being a punk in SLC isn’t something to do for life. Stevo’s dad at the beginning of the film tells him to “buy in” to society and law, but don’t sell out. This comment is a catalyst for Stevo’s change throughout the film. 

By the end of the film, Stevo changes, Bob changes, even punk changes. The characters are full of life throughout the film, but as we explore their motives and backgrounds they become more realistic and loveable. The way I perceived this vision of punk changed how I appreciate music in general. I see more artists as expressive, and I am able to enjoy more voices in music. 

MUSIC

Okay, the music in this film is great. It doesn’t dive as deep as it could in terms of hardcore punk, but it grasps the roots of punk rock firmly. 

The movie opens with “Sex and Violence” by The Exploited, which is a fun way to open any film. I think this track (even though it is a bit repetitive) can keep my blood pumping even harder. It also prepares viewers well for the blood, sex, and stories that follow. 

Also, in the intro are the opening credits where they put actors’ names onto the album art of tracks they used in the film. I thought it was a cool way to appreciate the art and love for the albums as they flashed across the screen. 

A few more key tracks in the movie are “Amoeba” by The Adolescents, “Gasoline Rain” by Moondogg and a classic, “Kill the Poor” by Dead Kennedys. 

The Adolescents bring a hard, riotous edge to one of the fight scenes, while “Gasoline Rain” slows the film down a bit during an emotional scene. I find both tracks are used perfectly in the score. They tie into the characters’ emotions well and are able to make the scenes feel bigger than the film. 

“Kill the Poor” by Dead Kennedys is great core punk music. I just wish this wasn’t saved for the end credit scenes of this movie. It could have been used for a cool rowdy scene in the desolate SLC, but unfortunately got chopped up to be put with the credits. 

COSTUMES

I don’t think I could write about this film without talking about the costumes. There are so many wonderful flavors of people that are represented. 

Stevo’s striking blue hair is sick. At one point he has a massive blue mohawk that grabs your eyes from every other thing happening on the screen. Everyone’s clothes are really well adapted for the SLC weather and punk shows.

Check out this clip that shows off their costumes well [Content Warning: violence and cursing]:

Clip off YouTube from “SLC Punk!”. YouTube video posted by cybluvshatchets2012.

I love how all of the “gangs” of Salt Lake City all have a semblance of a uniform. The mods in the suits and coats, the punk rockers in their rough style and the rednecks looking like stereotypical rednecks all come together to create a strange, vibrant scene. Everything meshes together to create a lifelike city atmosphere, and I could almost attribute that solely to the costumes. 

WRAP UP

While I love watching this film, there are a few issues with it. Mainly, I think it does not talk about sexuality and punk well. It will have lines that hint at the topic, but I think it’s a big part of punk culture that gets glossed over and not explored. 

More issues include how the movie ended and what it poses as a solution for punk rockers. I won’t go into much detail about it because it spoils it a bit, but I feel as if it gave up too much of its core values and did not set up a bright future for all of the characters (not that they have to have bright futures). 

Overall, I highly recommend watching this even if you aren’t remotely into punk as it explores art and music in an exciting way. 

Keep eatin’

DJ chef

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Miscellaneous

The Unlikely Sample That Defined a Scene

One of the things that has interested me most in hip-hop is the different regional scenes that spring up in different areas of the country. One of the most unique and influential is definitely the Houston scene. Many artists make up this scene such as UGK or Geto Boys but no one defined it as much as the legendary DJ Screw.

DJ Screw’s signature style was to slow down and chop up different hip-hop records which which was called Chopped & Screwed. This sound gave the songs more of a funky and distorted sound to them and would be a huge hit in Houston. Screw would remix many songs from different rap artists and would even have his own group of rappers he remixed most often called the Screwed Up Click.

Now whats most interesting about this local scene is some of the songs that helped pioneer it. The one song that is the main star for Houston rap is “June 27th“. This song was a 35 minute long freestyle that ever since it dropped has had almost mythical status. The song was actually created in Screw’s living room for the special occasion of rapper D-Mo’s birthday who is on the song along with Big Moe, Yungstar, Big Pokey, and a few more.

Now some of the verses are good and iconic but what really made the song was the signature Chopped & Screwed beat. Now the origins of the beat are very interesting and it first starts with Kriss Kross.

Kriss Kross in 1996 was trying to ditch their “kid rapper” image they had gained with their massive hit “Jump” and with that they released the album “Young, Rich, and Dangerous” which would spawn the single ” Tonite’s Tha Night” which was a small hit. The B-side of this single was a song called “Da Streets Ain’t Right” which would make almost no impact at all. This song would have been forgotten except the instrumental is what Screw would slow down to use for the beat of “June 27th”.

Now this sample is pretty interesting in itself but what is more interesting is what Jermaine Dupri who produced the Kriss Kross songs chose to sample for “Da Streets ain’t Right”. Dupri decided that for the bassline he would sample New Wave/Pop group The Romantics on one of their hits “Talking In Your Sleep“.

Now Screw definitely didn’t know he was sampling The Romantics but when I found this out I thought it was the wildest thing because that means in a way the sound that defines Houston hip-hop and the Chopped & Screwed sound was a New Wave sample that seems like it is the furthest possible thing from the world of Houston rap.

Screw tragically passed in July of 2000 at only 29. But since his passing June 27th would go on to be a staple freestyle beat and has been remixed hundreds of times most notably Drake used the beat on his mixtape “So Far Gone” on the song “November 18th“. The date June 27th has become somewhat of an unofficial Houston holiday and a day to celebrate Screws life.