Music
Video: Bay Area Bands on Soul Train
February 18th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, History, Music
In the wake of Don Cornelius’s passing, much has been said about the cucumber-cool Cornelius and his long-running and iconic show, Soul Train. I won’t wax poetic about the show’s societal impact and influence because it’s been done by many who can say [...]
Concert: Estelle with Elle Varner, Stacy Barthe, and Luke James
February 7th, 2012 | by niema | published in Events, Featured, Music
What are you doing this Friday? Oh. you don’t know yet? Well, Estelle is hitting the stage at The New Parish as part of the BET Music Matters Tour. This London girl will be singing some of the tracks that got her U.S. buzz and promoting her new album [...]
Music Video: Krypto, Los Rakas & The Jacka: “Gyangsta”
February 7th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Art, Featured, Music
Haters are as old as the earth is round. I bet you there were Neanderthals who made cave paintings to clown rival hunters with less prowess. 5 pence says that medieval chamber maids put the kings’ mistresses on blast at the market and that knights [...]
Event: Valentine’s Day with Martin Luther
February 4th, 2012 | by niema | published in Art, Events, Featured, Music
Have you made plans for February 14th? Did you remember to include a night at Museum of the African Diaspora with Martin Luther? If not, you still have time to grab your tickets for the unplugged session co-presented by the museum’s young professionals [...]
Too $hort Speaks on the Efficacy of the Hyphy Sound
February 2nd, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Music
Too $hort is the godfather of Bay Area rap and the independent hustle. His music may strike you as misogynistic and gross, but he’s a very smart man. If you’re an up-and-coming emcee, when he talks, you listen. The gospel $hort is preaching these [...]
Album Review: Daveed Diggs: Small Things To A Giant
January 26th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Mixtape Reviews, Music
Daveed Diggs is a soft-spoken maniacal motherfucker. He’s a quiet fellow when you first meet him–no rapper braggadocio or traces of ‘too cool for school’ bravado to speak of. He does stand out though. Aesthetically, Diggs fuses hyphy fashion sensibilities [...]
Music Video: Symba: “Winning Pt. 2″
January 24th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Music
Deer Valley hoop star cum Berkeley spitter is back with the video for “Winning Pt. 2.” In this Aquavis Warfield-directed video, he finds himself toe-to-toe with a rival emcee in a basement-lit battle scene. He prowls and attacks, starts and stops, something [...]
Video: Etta James Live In Oakland Backed By The Grateful Dead & Tower of Power
January 23rd, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, History, Music
Etta James is famous for bridging a myriad of genres with her music, but this collaborative effort takes the cake. On New Years Eve of 1982 Etta James and Tower of Power’s famous horn section joined Jerry Garcia’s Grateful Dead on stage for a 30+ minute [...]
Music Video: J. Lately feat. El Prez: “Share The Love”
January 20th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Music
Cali representer and West Oakland educator J. Lately is back with a dope ode to Cali’s world class trees. On it, producer Nima Fadavi blends falsetto ad-libs and lower register horn blasts, before the beat crescendos into a soulful sample (which, I’ve [...]
Music Video: Moe Green feat. Netta B: “Glory”
January 20th, 2012 | by niema | published in Featured, Music
“Overworked and underbooked,” is how Moe Green describes himself in “Glory.” If you’ve ever met dude, you know that his work ethic is real. But it doesn’t take running in to him on one of his many sleepless nights to know that he’s always working, just [...]
Straight Outta B-Town: The Evolution of The Cataracs
January 11th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in 38th Notables, Featured, History, Music
When I was in college at UCLA, my roommate Garrett put me up on The Cataracs via their CD Technohop Volume 1. At the time they had a regional hit with The Pack called “Blueberry Afghani,” their T-Pain remix “I’m In Love With a Swisher” was buzzing, and [...]
New Music: Siaira Shawn: “Icarus (Who is in Charge?)” & “Dusk”
January 10th, 2012 | by niema | published in Featured, Music
Siaira Shawn’s debut project The In Between was an EP for 20-somethings attempting to carve out their space in the world, chase dreams, repair hearts, experience real love, wade through murky gray relationship waters, and come to peace with that tinge [...]
