Afro-Punk: Two Days In Photos

Afro-Punk proved this year that it was an event not to be missed by any means! Each and every performer did it big, each and every skater skated (and sometimes hit the pavement face first) hard; the bikers flew high on wheels, and the fashion was off the chain! There was so many things going on that there was a rush to get from one stage to another! 

Representing "the other Black experience--" those who don't define themselves by color lines, the indie crew, the metal crew, the punk crew, and the Erykah Badu/Janelle Monae crew, was a diverse crowd that inspired, yet provoked this years acts to bring it! Both sides fed off of each other, it was beautiful. It was the best of the underground meeting the best of the worldwide. 

This is the true spirit of the word "festival" centered in the heart of Brooklyn, once again, the cultural "mecca" for many an artsy person. It was a place where you could find your favorite underground act, jamming to your other favorite underground act. Cool, right?

Considering attending Afro-Punk next year? Well, a picture is worth a 1,000 words, and GBSTL has more than a few that speak volumes. Check out what went down, and stay tuned for more...good stuff.--GB

Find this Fresh tie at Rocker's Closet in BK. www.rockerscloset.com

 

 After seeing her live, it would be sac-religous not to sing this girls' praises. Alice Smith!

 

The Skins are a really fun, young band on the Wreckroom Records imprint.

  

Coco && Breezy's glasses have been featured all over the net/magazines in the past 3 years. The tag twin team had a tent out @ Afropunk, and greeted guests all day. Check em' out at www.cocoandbreezy.com.

For the rest of my Afro-Punk photos, head over to my new FACEBOOK PAGE!!!!!!!!

VIDEO: AARADHNA, "WAKE UP"

Talk about getting "up and at 'em." Aaradhna's back with an artsy video to "Wake Up," her first single off Treble & Reverb, slated for November. It's an upbeat, sweet song about getting past stifling stagnation and into a more productive spirit. It's like the end of School Daze, without the shrieking. -GB

VIDEO: Aesop Rock, "Cycles to Gehenna"

Aesop Rock is at it again, this time with his third video off of the Skelethon release; it's out now on Rhymesayers Records, and the dramatically produced video above, "Cycles To Gehenna," is kinda sorta a complete indication of how grand the album is (last verse, anyone?). So watch Aesop in the background on a one man's land as "badass ballerinas" point their toes while dressed in war paint; they fight the good fight and dance the good dance. --GB

VIDEO: Ariana Grande: Gimme Some Lovin' (The Spencer Davis Group Cover)

There are many Audrey Hepburn protégés out there, but this girl takes the cake! It's Ariana Grande covering The Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'," and in this clip, the Victorious star has fun on the beach and driving down the highway in a cute pink polka dot Peter-Pan-collared dress. Cute!

NEW MUSIC: ALPHABEAT "LOVE SEA"

The Alphabeat sound could have been created in a time machine. Ill-fitting jeans meets lunch boxes, with pins, watching Saved By The Bell, going to a Sixteen Candles drive-in.

Yet whether it's the 70's, 80's, or 90's, Alphabeat's here to help with your time warp. They have a new single called "Love Sea," and it's sure to warm your yearning heart. It's the second single off of their next fun, upbeat album entitled Express Non-Stop out September 24. Elated? Like it? Love it? Listen now, and buy the track when it hits iTunes US soon!*

*"Love Sea" is already available on iTunes elsewhere.

Propers- Alphabeat Official

GBSTL Recap: Aloe Blacc, @ Metrotech Commons

The blaring tones of saxophones and trumpets, the strum of the electric guitar from all sides, bombarding sound; a soulful, raspy, adroit, aged voice; the crisp stinging of the holding of a note. It’s raw emotion at it’s finest. Sentiment, upliftment… church! A spiritual experience borne of social activism and political unrest. Loud. Full. A shame for those who only have the option of listening through headphones, for Beats by Dre nor Aviators can compete with this—this—live show. It’s heavy, and intense, with the background slap of a soul-harmonic; and it's all led by Aloe Blacc.

Aloe rang in the celebration of the last BAM Rhythm and Blues Festival act of the summer, and although he didn’t look like a seer when he entered the stage, Aloe, with his first note, started channeling the sound of predecessors Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, and Donny Hathaway, but for this generation. He starts off with “Politician” and ends the song with Stevie Wonder’s chords to “Living For The City.” 

Showing where he likes to hang in his off hours, he continues the show with a vibrant “Tonight, Downtown,” also touching the crowd with I'm Beautiful” and “You Make Me Smile,” elated by a young child front and center, dancing and waving his hands.

Bill Withers was the inspiration behind this next song.  In “Hey Brother,” Aloe croons about a woman doing a brother all types of wrong. On the same line of storytelling, he sings, “Miss Fortune,” about a man who “let his fortune become his "'misfortune.'"*

Crowd participation accompanies more well known singles “I Need A Dollar,” and “Loving You Is Killing Me;" but his long-held notes on “Cali Dreaming” straight penetrate the heart. After playing a lesser known but groovy tune about seizing the day ("Opportunity"), he ends with a slow rendition of Michael Jackson's “Billie Jean;” yet he couldn’t get through his set without dropping some knowledge on the kiddies.

“There’s better music than “to the window, to the wall!” Aloe wittingly shared. “This is a different kind of ‘Birthday Cake.’ This is the cake that lasts forever, good music.”

Clap to that. --GB

*Aloe also performed "Good Things," "Green Lights," and others during his set. 

Propers: Lucia Reed, Lucia Reed Photography

I Like

Stalley-"Live at Blossom"

EP: LAURA IZIBOR, "THE BROOKLYN SESSIONS, VOL 1"

Spotlight on Atlantic Records recording artist Laura Izibor. This snazzy Irish soul singer is working on her follow up to her 2008 debut album, Let The Truth Be Told. The Dublinite, who has loved classic R&B and soul from an early age, traveled around from city to city, recording her debut. But to keep us salivating for her next big drop, she gives a little taste of what's to come with The Brooklyn Sessions, Vol. 1. This sassy three-song offering was recorded in, you guessed it, the cultural mecca of Brooklyn, NY. Electrik Indigo Studios to be exact. And the doo-wop, reggae sound would not be complete without diaphragm-heavy, weighty harmonies, breathy yet forceful vocals, and a sort of jazzy air which makes this EP, GBSTL certified.

Oh. And you can hear the entire EP via the link below. --GB

LISTEN TO LAURA IZIBOR'S THE BROOKLYN SESSIONS, VOL 1

VIDEO: JADEN SMITH, "PUMEPD UP KICKS (LIKE ME)"

Jaden Smith is at it again, this time with a remix to Foster The People's "Pumped Up Kicks." Seems like Jaden is king in his adolescent universe, the MSFTS, and has fun reigning at a skate park with all his friends--supported by fun yet laid-back privileged lifestyle raps. Gotta love the life of a teen.--GB

NEW SONG: JAY BROWN, "UNDER MY SKIN"

There's more to Jay Brown than being V V Brown's sister. She's a budding starlet, usually equipped with a guitar and a voice of rasp--her song arrangements are alternative, and this Northampton, UK crooner has another honor under her belt--having the official badge of being "what's next."

Here's a new intimate look at Jay to her old and new fans. It's called "Under My Skin," and it's sure to trickle through a few veins.

Stay Tuned.

MIXTAPE: TABI BONNEY "LOVEJOY PARK"

Tabi releases his second drop of the summer, LoveJoy Park. Timely: summer lovers stateside still have one month left to canoodle in the sun.

While summers almost over, LoveJoy Park can be played year round. With the tape, Tabi takes the male perspective on finding love and all its successes and failures. The mixtape features Fat Trel, Hello Chi City, Raheem DeVaughn, and Phil Ade, and production by J Scrilla, Tone P, Kent Rockafellar, Breakbot, and Rio. The DMV-bred rapper caps off the mixtape with some NSFW cover art

.

With lots of pensive moments, insights, bluntness, a few hilarious skits with funny Aussie/cockney/London (What? Exactly.) accents, and some more of Tabi's famed banging beats, this mixtape is a fun ride. --GB

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD TABI BONNEY'S LOVEJOY PARK

Propers- Soundcloud

GBSTL SOUND: The Songs Behind The Blog

These are just some of the songs behind the blog-- where the world quasi-hipsterness comes from. --GB

The Cool Kids were "it" in the hipster heyday of 2008-2009. Special favorites included "Black Mags," "88," and "Mikey Rocks"off of the Cool Ass Ninjas mixtape ("Gold and a Pager" too). I especially liked "Action Figures" for it's potency. The Chicago duo is now a part of Green Label Sound, with When Fish Ride Bicycles under their belt, and with Sir Michael Rocks putting out solo mixtapes every so often (listen to his latest album/mixtape "Lap of Lux" when it drops at 3PM EST), and Chuck Inglish doing the same, also doing the producing thing.

This video shows the essence of Esperanza Spalding's appeal, stripped of the big concert hall stages and elaborate outfits. It's just talent. Her self-titled album Esperanza had a few favorites, including "I Know You Know," and this one "Cuerpo de Alma (Body & Soul)." This up  above is the English version. I also like "Really Very Small" off Chamber Music Society. Really good, pure, music.

This is a relatively new one that I like. The video is all over the place, and I've got to admit that I still have watched it multiple times and love it. Even when they match they do not match. It's called "Love Me" from UK's Stooshe, and their charisma and energy overshadows order. Wouldn't give a second thought to why Nicki Minaj chose them to open up for her on her UK-leg of her tour this year.

I like the doo-wop swing too. UK is good with that.

More to come!!