My buddy played me this track and immediately I was a fan. It has a catchy beat and for his first try its not too shabby.  It is simple and repetitive, but I found I  was unable to get sick of it. He is new to the electronic music scene so lets give him some (constructive) advice on his first track. I think hes got some major talent and im excited to see what he comes up with next.

On an unrelated note: This is probably the most adorable thing i’ve ever seen.

Viceroy absolutely kills this Going Back to Cali remix. I don’t know how the weather is where you are, but in Maryland its hovering between 60 and 70 and beautiful. Viceroy turns this Biggie song into a feel good summer track with a little island vibe. Between this weather and this jam it might as well be summer. Roll down the windows and pump this.

Hello all,

In my last post I wrote about Mark Katz’s book Capturing Sound. There was some miscommunication. I believe my words were not clear enough and for that I apologize. What I wrote was “I recently read an chapter about music sampling in a book by Mark Katz called Capturing Sound. In the book he examines how some think that Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You” was another example of white artists “appropriating and denuding black culture for profit and fame.” However, I meant to say the chapter was about how Katz examines how some believe that white artists exploit black artists. I never meant to say that these are his beliefs, but that they are the beliefs of some people. Let me be very clear in saying that the “some people” I refer to are not Mark Katz.

Mr. Katz was kind enough to write me a response and I thought It would be only fair to post his answer as well.

Here is Mr. Katz’s response:

“Hello–as the author of the book you mentioned in this post I wanted to add a quick comment. I was dismayed to see that you think I’ve “smeared” Fatboy Slim’s song. Please take another look at what I wrote. Note that I *ask* “Is this just another example of a white musician–Cook–appropriating and denuding black culture for profit and fame?,” but I make no such claim myself. And then in the next paragraph I clearly say, “Yet the story is not so black and white,” and offer all sorts of evidence (some of which you cite) for seeing Norman Cook’s actions in a more positive light. In fact I conclude that his sampling of Yarborough was far from disempowering. So I hope you can understand why I was distressed to see you say, “It is so easy to look at things as black and white” when I literally said and did the opposite. If you re-read that part of the chapter I think you’ll discover that we agree more than you first thought.

Thank you, Mark Katz.”

No, no, Thank you, Mark Katz

I recently read an chapter about music sampling in a book by Mark Katz called Capturing Sound. In the book he examines how some think that Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You” was another example of white artists “appropriating and denuding black culture for profit and fame.” This did not sit well with me…here is my response.

Below I posted ‘Take Yo Praise” by Camille Yarbrough and Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You.” I suggest listening to both songs first, but do as you please.

“Take Yo’ Praise” -Camille Yarbrough

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“Praise You” – Fatboy Slim

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In Mark Katz’s book, Capturing Sound, he discusses sampling and uses Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You” as an example. As an aspiring DJ I am well aware of sampling and the dangers it can lead to. However, the part that I found most unsettling was when the topic of race was brought into the sampling debate. Maybe, it is because I am white, but the idea of Fatboy Slim, “appropriating and denuding black culture for profit and fame” doesn’t sit right with me. I understand I am young and the racism that used to be commonplace is now not as outright. My thoughts on this song might be the naïve feelings of someone who has never witnessed real racism, but to me “Praise You” seems like a tribute to people, black and white.

“Praise You” is sampled from Camille Yarbrough’s “Take Yo’ Praise” in a way that I think honors the song.  The songs message is not lost because the vocals are chopped and the tempo is sped up. “I have to praise you like I should” is universal. It’s not black and white. Yes, a black woman wrote it for her black people and black man, but the message is universal. Everyone deserves praise, everyone has had their trials and tribulations, and it is a great honor to be celebrated by the people who love you.  Does it have to be complicated? Can’t both songs be beautiful and meaningful in their own ways without the race playing a role? If anything “Praise You” was created to honor “Take Yo’ Praise.” I am no accomplished DJ by any means, however I know how much time and effort it takes to create a song like “Praise You.” Countless hours are spent slaving over slices of sound. Fatboy Slim has probably heard “Take Yo’ Praise” more than anyone in history. I was surprised that Katz never mentioned that the “Praise You” is already a tribute to “Take Yo’ Praise”. Rather than discussing the “whitening” of the title (“Take Yo’ Praise” to “Praise You”), why not discuss how some interpret  the song as a tribute to “Take Yo’ Praise.”  Couldn’t “I have to praise you like I should” be Fatboy Slim’s tribute to Yarbrough, an artist who most people don’t know and wouldn’t know if it weren’t for “Praise You.”  Maybe, if Slim had not given her credit for the sample like he did with The Who’s, “I Can’t Explain” (which he sampled without permission), there would be some reason for the discussion of white artists using black music for profit and fame, but he didn’t. He gave Yarbrough 60% of the royalties and gave her co-composer credit. He was honorable and honest and yet I am still reading about race and whites stealing black music.

It’s not the racial aspect that angers me though. It is the fact that I’m not reading about how this song promotes love worldwide or that it takes me almost halfway through the section to find out that Yarbrough was “pleasantly surprised” by the track. Slim even explicitly says, “I’m aware that white artists who are fans of black music tend to have big hits when they cover black records. All I can say is, I don’t do it for profit, I do it because that’s the music I love, that’s the music I want to make in my own way.”  “Praise You” is not only a tribute to Yael Yarbrough, but also the black music that he loves.  The discussion of race should end there, however it doesn’t. I hate it when something clear, beautiful, and in this case respectful, gets clouded and smeared by the illusion of racism.

If people are going to extrapolate and say that this song is a white artist exploiting a black artists for money and fame then maybe I can extrapolate as well.  Maybe the song is about a peace offering.  Maybe, “we’ve come a long long way together, through the hard times and the good”  can refer to the struggles between the races. Maybe, Slim is saying that after all this time and history between the races it is finally time praise each other the way we should. It is so easy to look at things as black and white, but maybe “Praise You” is not about color at all, but it is about moving past color.  I like to think that “Praise You” is about hope and that the message is that everyone deserves to be praised. It’s corny I know, but that’s the best thing about music, when one sees racism, another sees hope.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to comment below

Most of you don’t know that this website was originally called Thoughts From Between The Headphones.  Lately, I’ve been mostly posting music and I’ve gotten away from the “Thoughts” part. My main thought tonight is how academic work is keeping me from doing important/ relevant things such as working out or working on music. I waste a large amount of my time learning things that are not going to help me in my future career and this frustrates me. It causes me to devalue the work and put in a subpar effort. Take now as an example. I should be writing a paper, however I am not. Instead I’m watching videos like this:

and reading girl blogs like The Laxititues and Pushups With Polish

I Love Star Wars. Judge Me.

BTH

As you all know I’m all about the DVM. So like usual here is my weekly/monthly repping of a DMV artist. Mike Price has dropped a couple tracks and is beginning to create some buzz for himself in the DMV and around his alma mater, Clemson.  Price, straight from the mean streets of Kensington, MD (recently named the 2nd best American suburb in to live in), combines his wit and humor with catchy beats to create some really fun music.

Give him a listen below

“High Class Girl” – Mike Price DOWNLOAD

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“Khaki Boy” -Mike Price DOWNLOAD

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“Living Lavish” – Mike Price DOWNLOAD

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Its finally here! Tony and I have been hyping up Musicool Therapy for months now and here it is. Tony takes his story telling ability to the next level on this one. He gives you a inside view of his relationships, the loss of his father, and his feelings, which I find very refreshing.  Many up and coming rappers rap about their money (which they don’t have), the girls that flock to them (which I’m sure aren’t THAT many), and how they are the best thing you’ve heard since (insert favorite rapper here).  Tony doesn’t present himself as anything but Tony. He presents himself as a person with faults, vulnerability, and fears. Tony isn’t the rapper u toss on at a rager, but the type you toss on when your cruising and your looking for someone to tell spin you a tale.

Much of the time the information we read about artists is all second hand. I’m not a fan of that. I asked Tony to write up a paragraph about Musicool Therapy because I enjoy hearing directly from artists. I like to hear what they are actually thinking rather than assuming I  know what going on in their heads. Here is what Tony had to say:

Download Musicool Therapy

Like I said in my post about DJ Soleiman, its amazing who you meet in random places. On the first day of class I sit down and within the first five minutes meet a rapper named Lexicon. Of course i’m gonna toss a fellow Tar Heel up on BTH so here is Lexicon and his boy Arok rocking it on the track “El Dia”

Another badass track from Tony as we get closer to the release date of Musicool Therapy on Sept 1st!

“Tony Montana” – Future ft. Tony Walker

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