Every year around this time I get excited to go to Techno City. The anticipation is always high because Detroit is such a wonderful place. The music is always incredible, and the people very genuine. For me it is especially inspiring to watch strong brothas and sistahs who are entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians thrive. If…
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Mix: D1 Recordings: Box Set
It has been a few years since I last mentioned D1 Recordings on here, around the time Fatima Yamaha’s Whats a Girl To Do was getting the re-issue treatment. I wondered if there would be any more music released from the publicity-shy imprint and though it took a while there is now a new release…
LEFT COAST HAPPENINGS AND THINGS
Over the past few weeks I have noticed more and more that promoters feel they own genres of music. It is disheartening at best to watch others claim stake in something that is everyone’s for the sake of profiteering. Unless you are an innovator you really have no say regarding who chooses to do what….
Mix: Dimensions / w Lerosa & Kenny
I’m pretty sure this is the longest I’ve gone without posting on ISM since I joined over 10 years ago. So it goes. I’m still buying music and Djing – and slowly but surely, releasing records through my label Apartment – along with working on the Open Ear Festival; so while I’m not focusing my…
Dance Music Needs More Brothas And Sistahs
So as of late I have had many discussions about black dance music being hijacked. Yes it has been stolen away from us and in many cases we are to blame. Soulful underground American dance music is no longer visible in Black and Latino communities. With the exception of a few radio stations nation wide…
SUMMER IN SAN DIEGO
Well it’s been quite sometime since I wrote something, as I have had quite the writers block. Not knowing what to say or write about I have been going on with the everyday routine grinding. The summer started off in epic fashion traveling to Detroit for Movement Weekend. Every year I get excited to go…
DJ as Critic
This article is an interesting read and it made me consider the aspect of djing that was always the most captivating part of the whole operation. I think that being a dj (at least used to) put one into an inherently critical space by its very nature. Sure, you were kind of expected to “have…
EXCURSIONS DETROIT 2018
Every Memorial Day Weekend, the world of dance music converges on Detroit to pay homage to the city’s long heritage and musical traditions. Deep in the underground a party called Excursions draws people from all walks of life for it’s annual Memorial Day event; to celebrate dance music and her culture. The party is the…
You Booked Your Homie For Your Party And That’s Why It Was Whack…
How many times have you gone out to that party with a “dope lineup” expecting to have a brilliant night only to come back home wanting something different or something more? How many times have you seen the DJ that should actually be playing at the party watching just like everyone else? Yeah me too,…
Some of My DJing Tendencies
Fall of 2017 marked twenty years since I first purchased turntables, and sometime earlier in the year, twenty years of buying dance records. This year will be two decades since my first gigs playing records in front of the general public. Thanks to starting a LONG overdue organization of my records (they have never been…