The Audacity of Dope

The Sound Session world tour continues…this time from Melbourne, Australia!  Episode #578 features new music from artists like A Tribe Called Quest, The Cool Kids (finally reunited), Steele (of Smif-N-Wessun) + Sean Price, Termanology + Westside Gunn + Conway + Your Old Droog, Tanya Morgan, Juelz Santana (aye!), Angel, Blu, Amine (kid’s about to blow up), Wiley + Skepta, Nick Hook + Nasty Nigel, Framework (Seattle legend, just got home), Bruno Mars (album is too fun), and more.

You’ll be able to tell from my voice that all this traveling has taken its toll on me in the form of a cold, but you know we always power through.  Enjoy the dopeness…

Show #578 (11/27/16)

1. A Tribe Called Quest – “We The People…”
2. The Cool Kids – “Connect 4”
3. Mibbs ft. Blu – “Tell Me ‘Bout It”
4. General Steele & Es-K ft. VVS Verbal & Sean Price – “Unforgettable”
5. Nas, Dave East, Lin-Manuel Miranda, & Aloe Blacc – “Wrote My Way Out”
6. Termanology ft. Westside Gunn, Conway, & Your Old Droog – “The Curve”
7. Juelz Santana – “Up In The Studio Gettin Blown (Freestyle)”
8. Framework – “What They Whispa Bout” (Local Music)
9. Smoke DZA & Pete Rock ft. Jadakiss, Styles P, & BJ The Chicago Kid – “Milestone”
10. Wu-Tang Clan – “Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)” (Throwback of the Week)
11. Kung Foo Grip x SCLY ft. Jamel Moxey – “This Is Life (Local Music)
12. Tanya Morgan – “Clappas”
13. Blu & Union Analogtronics – “One Two”
14. Angel ft. Rich Homie Quan – “Get With You”
15. Amine – “Baba” (Local Music)
16. Mayer Hawthorne – “Time For Love”
17. Topaz Jones – “Motion Sickness”
18. Childish Gambino – “Redbone”
19. starRo ft. Gavin Turek – “Can’t Take It Back”
20. Common ft. Syd & Elena – “Red Wine”
21. Innanet James – “Black”
22. Bruno Mars – “Calling All My Lovelies”
23. Daniel Caesar – “Japanese Denim”
24. Tall Black Guy ft. Mario Sweet – “Beware Of The Groove”
25. Wiley ft. Skepta & Belly – “U Were Always”
26. Nick Hook ft. Nasty Nigel – “Lovesong”

Link to download - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B72U-rgJjvmWYlJTTXpVc0hYTDQ

If you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and stream/download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.

Feels like a whirlwind couple days for me, as we did this week’s Sound Session episode from just off Wall Street in New York City and now I’m writing this from back in Australia, a mere 10k miles apart.  Shout to everyone I saw in NYC and double that for everyone I didn’t get a chance to catch up with.  Time ran out but we’ll get up next time!

In the meantime, enjoy this week’s episode featuring new music from Smoke DZA & Pete Rock, Pearl Gates, Tribe, Like & Kali Uchis, The Weeknd & Daft Punk, Topaz Jones, Jhene Aiko, Daniel Caesar, Yo Trane, Blu & Union Analogtronics, Innanet James, Common, and more.  Some really good records in there, enjoy!

Show #577 (11/20/16)

1. Smoke DZA & Pete Rock ft. Jadakiss, Styles P, & BJ The Chicago Kid – “Milestone”
2. Meek Mill – “Blue Notes”
3. All Star Opera – “Give You This Feeling” (Local Music)
4. Like ft. Kali Uchis – “Blah Loops”
5. Kung Foo Grip x SCLY ft. Jamel Moxey – “This Is Life” (Local Music)
6. Pearl Gates & Syll – “Symphonic”
7. The Game – “Grew Up On Wu-Tang”
8. A Tribe Called Quest – “The Space Program”
9. De La Soul – “Ego Trippin’ (Part Two)” (Throwback of the Week)
10. Mayer Hawthorne – “Time For Love”
11. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “I Feel It Coming”
12. Topaz Jones – “Motion Sickness”
13. Jay Prince ft. Jordan Rakei – “Where You Belong”
14. Macklemore – “Wednesday Morning” (Local Music)
15. Ray BLK – “50/50”
16. Childish Gambino – “Redbone”
17. Daniel Caesar ft. Kali Uchis – “Get You”
18. Jhene Aiko – “Maniac”
19. Yo Trane – “Late Night Drive”
20. starRo ft. Masego – “Yams”
21. Blu & Union Analogtronics – “One Two”
22. GTA – “Illuminate”
23. Common ft. PJ – “Unfamiliar”
24. Innanet James – “Black”
25. Alicia Keys – “More Than We Know”

Link to download – https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B72U-rgJjvmWWGZuazBTMGhuTWM

If you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and stream/download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.

Well, that escalated quickly.

A lot of eloquent words by folks more intelligent than I have been written this week, plus I’m burned out from the emotion of it all and traveling from Australia to New York (24 hours straight on the move is no joke), so I’ll keep it as brief as I can.  There are three points I want to stress to everyone:

1. Almost 50% of the eligible voting population sat this one out.  Voter suppression occurred both via laws (reducing early voting windows, requiring additional identification, etc.) and by killing all enthusiasm for being a part of the process.  In such a close election (where the Electoral College has failed the will of the people for the second time in my life), every vote is crucial and we simply couldn’t afford so many people to stay at home.  Shameful, in my opinion, especially with local races and propositions on the ballot too.  It’s interesting watching this happen while I’ve been in Australia, where voting is required by law.  Sure, that gets abused too, but it definitely looks like a better system to me.  The Republicans have decided not to update their platform to move with the changing world, so they know their best chance to win is to have as few people vote as possible.  Credit to them, it worked this time around.  It’s on us to ensure more people, from all parties, get out to the 2018 midterms.
2. Trump won just 25% of the vote.  I would hope that the hardcore racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia he based his campaign on is only embraced by a small percentage of that group, say up to 10%.  Perhaps we’ll never be able to reach those people.  Maybe they’re just stuck in their ways.  But the rest of his voters amazingly decided that all of this nonsense was NOT a deal-breaker, which, at best, tells all the targeted people, “I don’t hate you…but I don’t care about you.”  These are the people we need to have conversations with, to ensure they understand that they have just emboldened and validated this rhetoric by putting him in the White House.  Those values are NOT shared by the vast majority of America and we cannot let a small few hijack the narrative in attempts to normalize this.  Speak up and stay vocal, shouting this down at every turn.
3. We gon’ be alright (c) Kendrick.  Sound Session has been here during the Bush years, the Obama years, and we’ll be here during the Trump years too.  So will you.  You are valued.  You matter.  You are loved.  Be the change you want to see at the local level and control what you can control.  Progress is not a straight line and we’re going to continue on our path to a more perfect union, one day at a time.

And now, some music for your soul:

Show #576 (11/13/16)

1. ASAP Mob ft. ASAP Nast & Onyx – “Nasty’s World”
2. Common ft. Bilal – “Home”
3. The Game – “Grew Up On Wu-Tang”
4. Like – “Diamond”
5. Mibbs ft. Blu – “Tell Me ‘Bout It”
6. Notorious B.I.G. ft. 112 – “Sky’s The Limit” (Throwback of the Week)
7. Meek Mill – “Blue Notes”
8. Khalid – “Hopeless”
9. Alicia Keys – “More Than We Know”
10. Mickey Factz & Nottz ft. Phonte – “Treat You Right”
11. Jay Prince – “Smile Good”
12. Dame D.O.L.L.A. ft. Lil Wayne – “Loyal To The Soil” (Local Music)
13. TYuS – “Shapes and Sizes” (Local Music)
14. Jalen Santoy – “Foreplay”
15. Big Sean – “No More Interviews”
16. Mayer Hawthorne – “A New Love”
17. JAHKOY – “Don’t Beg”
18. Solange ft. Sampha – “Don’t Touch My Hair”
19. Ray BLK – “5050”
20. All-Star Opera ft. Warm Gun – “Lifeline” (Local Music)
21. starRo ft. Masego – “Yams”
22. Childish Gambino – “Me and Your Mama”
23. Daniel Caesar ft. Kali Uchis – “Get You”
24. Nas – “I Can” (Throwback of the Week)
25. A Tribe Called Quest ft. Andre 3000 – “Kids”

Link to download – https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B72U-rgJjvmWaFdjcjJNQTV3Q2M

If you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and stream/download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.

One of the most eye opening parts of this election has been the lack of discussion around the rampant sexism and misogyny allowing these two candidates to be seen anywhere near equally qualified. When I worked on the Obama campaign, I encountered racism quite often (mostly indirect, sometimes explicit) and I was happy we were going to get him elected in spite of it. I thought it was awesome how we were going to overcome this ridiculous self-constructed hurdle, and anticipated future doors being much easier to break down as a result.

Only later, when Hillary won the nomination, did I realize that old racist white men were actually more willing to accept a black man than a white woman. Not knowing how these people think, I just always assumed they valued race over sex. After all, they came from white women, married white women, and fathered white women. Logic would indicate their fear of the “other” would apply to a group outside their own immediate family.

Turns out, I was wrong. These folks will begrudgingly, while fighting every step of the way, accept the fact that a minority male can join their inner circle, but ask them to do the same with a woman and that’s where they attempt to draw the line.

Tiger can join the golf club. After all, he’s a male. He “gets it” (though perhaps too fervently and too publicly, as it turns out in that case). A woman though? Bollocks. Read the sign: “No Girls Allowed.”

Well, we are here: at the last stand of the patriarchal Alamo, and we are poised to make history.

If that’s not exciting enough, this is merely the beginning!

With all the negativity and pessimism surrounding us, we must recognize that progress takes time and we continue to steadfastly march down that path, undeterred by the delays and extra effort it requires. We will not see “the end” in our lifetimes, because it doesn’t exist. The goal continually moves because we continually evolve. The only constant is change and living life is to embrace that change.

This week we will take a massive step forward, one that will change the perception of what is possible for every generation of girls AND boys that follow. I’m so excited to take that step with you all.

Vote! And I will see you on the other side…literally in this instance.  I’ll be coming back to the States for some business in New York City from the 10th to the 20th, so holler accordingly NYC homies!

Onwards.

Show #575 (11/6/16)

1. Meek Mill – “Blessed Up”
2. Dame D.O.L.L.A. ft. Lil Wayne – “Loyal To The Soil” (Local Music)
3. Apollo Brown & Skyzoo ft. Patty Crash – “One In The Same”
4. Common ft. BJ The Chicago Kid – “The Day Women Took Over”
5. ASAP Mob ft. ASAP Nast & Onyx – “Nasty’s World”
6. Onyx – “Last Days” (Throwback of the Week)
7. No Panty (Bodega Bamz, Joell Ortiz, & Nitty Scott) – “The Afterparty (Live At Jimmy’s, Pt. 2)”
8. Action Bronson ft. Big Body Bes – “Durag vs. Headband”
9. Like – “Lamped”
10. Jalen Santoy – “Foreplay”
11. Dave ft. Drake – “Wanna Know (Remix)”
12. Big Sean – “No More Interviews”
13. Ari Lennox – “Night Drive”
14. GTA ft. Jarina De Marco – “True Romance”
15. Jay Prince ft. Raheaven – “All In”
16. Drake – “Fake Love”
17. Taliwhoah – “Alright”
18. Khalid – “Hopeless”
19. Manatee Commune ft. Sol & Flint Eastwood – “What We’ve Got (Remix)” (Local Music)
20. All Star Opera ft. Warm Gun – “Lifeline” (Local Music)
21. JAHKOY – “Don’t Beg”
22. NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge) – “Sidepiece”
23. Mayer Hawthorne – “A New Love”
24. Joe Budden – “Forget”
25. Brent Faiyaz – “Invite Me”
26. Mickey Factz & Nottz ft. Phonte – “Treat You Right”
27. De La Soul ft. Usher – “Greyhounds”
28. Ray BLK – “Chill Out”

Link to download – https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B72U-rgJjvmWbzhjN2hkUGNuSDQ

If you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and stream/download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.