Running list of music and music-adjacent things I came across this year.
Channel 5 O Block Video
Love Andrew Callaghan’s videos with Channel 5 and formerly All Gas No Breaks. Sheads a differnet light on Chicago’s O block formally know as Parkway Gardens when the rap subgenre drill music got its start with musicians such as Chief Keef and Lil Durk circa 2011/2012. Everyone has the time and the platofrm time to discuss their hopes and aspirations as young men here admist in the streotypes and realities of violence and econmic insecurity. Really liked how the video ended with going to see the Chicago White sox at Guranteed Rate Field. The segments also gives good critcism of rap commentators No Jumper’s Adam22 and DJAkademiks as well as r/chiraqology remarks and fanning flames on the Chicago Dill music scence that has caused of acts of violence and retaliation over the past decade.
El Espiritu de la Salsa: HBO Documentary
Started to learn salsa dancing this summer. Stumbled across documentry of people new to dancing Salsa in New York City circa 2008-2009. Everyone goes into salsa dancing for a variety of reasons, to be confident, find friends, try something new. Through the up and downs of getting ready for a showcase, all of the dancers grow as people and dancers. Inspired me to keep dancing also. A key takeway is the insturctor telling his students on the hardest days, always find a way to smile. Works in a diffucult dance lesson to diffucult seasons and valleys in life.
Girl Talk Chicago Show
Followed Girl Talk Since high school with a run of mashup albums Night Ripper/Feed the Aniamls/All Day. He really was my gateway to discovering all genres of music. Always liked his production work with artists like Freeway, and Wiz Khalifa and BIG K.R.I.T. Saw tickets for the show a day before and immediately bought tickets. Incredible show with old and new mashups. The best of the set with a mix of Dua Lipa’s Levitating with Vince Staples Norf Norf.
Fred Again.. Boiler Room Set
Still getting into the Actual Life mixes from the past year and a half. But this set was crazy.
Atlanta Season 4; Episode 8: The Goof Who Sat By The Door
Spoilers ahead: The most wild episode of Atlanta, and one the best moments of TV i’ve watched. Taking the Goofy Movie to new heights and for nearly 40 minutes lets the audience imagine if Disney in the early to mid 90s was run by a Black CEO. Only if there was a way Thomas Washington could have put Janet Jackson, Tevin Campbell and Brian Mcknight on the Lion King Soundtrack
Neal Breenan Blocks
Stumbled across this late November. Brennan’s breaks down the state of the world, his family, politics, Kanye, dating in comical ways to the poigant ways to the ending of wondering of being enough. This is a special that will stick with me for awhile. As someone moving though the world managing all of it, it nice to know its ok to not know all the answers.
Sheng Weng Sweet & Juicy
Laughed a lot as this special. Go watch it on Netlifx if you havent already.
Mo
If you love Ramy Hulu. Give Mo a shot. Comedia Mo Amer take on a show somewhat based on this life showing the struggles of identity, relationships, and hustle in Houston. The city’s influence is worn proudly with Tobi Nwigwe in a supporting role with cameos from Bun B and Paul Wall.
Romeo Satnos: King of Bachata
Started to learn bachata dancing this year. Its really fun gives me an excuse to list to a whole bunch of bachata remixs of popular songs. Bachata rose in the Domnican Republic in the late 1950s early 1960s after the assissination of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. While Romeo Santos is Nuyorican, this documentary follows Santos as he travels to the Domnician Republic working with old Bachata legends for his Utopia album. The Kid Mero is also great as an interviewer as they travel the DR learning Bachata origns and people building new traditions while maintaining the past.
The Jesus Music
Intresting documentry on the rise of the Contemporary Chiristian Music (CCM) industry from the 1970s to the present orginating in Southern Califonria and Nashville. Through Amy Grant, TobyMac, Kirk Franklin, Michael W. Smith, and Lecrae among others it sheds a lot of light of the pressure and demands of the CCM industy on artists. Similar with secular music, CCM artists feel the strains of the recording industry and its cool to hear their perspective.
Black Noi$e at Pitchfork Music Festival
The Earl Sweatshirt set got rain delayed. His DJ Black Noi$e played 702 Rain that got into the Sunday Service Choir vesion of the song. If this this is only thing remotely we can play from Kanye now, I wouldnt be mad.
The Typecaster 