No weak tracks from this worldwide collective.
Milwaukee collective N.A.N.
(New Age Narcissism)
have been releasing plenty
to hold us over as of late.
I'm going to try to play
catch up in this article,
so pardon me if I missed
anything crucial.
Let's first begin with
'Until They Berry Me',
a short film directed by
Cody LaPlant and Damien Blue.
The two have handled plenty
but this is their first
proper short film.
As far as I know.
Starring the members of N.A.N.
(in particular, Lorde Freddee)
as well as Mic Kellogg,
Zed Kenzo, and more,
and with a deeply
moving/haunting score
courtesy of Q the Sun,
the eight minute piece
is one that will make you shiver.
The short is particularly
impressive for moving
the audience without
dialogue, instead
with action and music.
Lex Allen
lost his mother
almost a year ago
and he turns that tragedy
into an uplifting
and moving pop song
known as "Mama's Boy".
Released only a few days
ago, the song drips emotion
and is a stunning contrast
to his upbeat capabilities
found on "Cream & Sugar".
Wow, that piano.
Wow, that voice.
The artwork says plenty
in regards to this song,
but Lorde Fredd33
plays around
with autobiographical
tales and subtle flexes,
flowing over minimal
production, turning his voice
into an instrument,
even switching everything
up on the final
30 seconds. Respect.
WebsterX has been featured
this calendar year,
but the single
"Blue Streak",
produced by Four Giants,
is his first solo offering
of 2016.
With this track
came the announcement
of a distribution deal
through Closed Sessions.
It's nice to know
that Mr. Web is in good hands
with the independent
Chicago label.
Earlier this fall,
NAN member Siren
released "Priestess",
a track produced
by Mic Kellogg
that I'm still spinning.
Hopefully we get an EP
or a full-length
from this talent
sooner than later.
This is a nice sequel
to "Queen Medusa".
Is this genre
considered witch-hop?
I hope so.
Along with producing
for most members of NAN
and providing the score
for the short film above,
Q the Sun
also works with teenagers
in Milwaukee through
various non-profits
in order to educate
about production and performance.
Over the summer,
Q teamed up with
Milwaukee Water Commons
to speak out on issues
surrounding water.
They even wrote and produced
a song, which you can find
up above. What
can't this group do?
I don't think
Kenny Hoopla
is technically N.A.N.,
but he is featured
in the short film above
and he has been going
wild on the music tip.
After releasing an EP
last month,
he followed it up
with the single
"MESS"
and it's too hot
to not mention
in this article.
Salute to N.A.N.
Salute to Milwaukee.
A rundown of one of my favorite producers.
All hail the Froyo.
This video, this video.
Grab some cheap wine.
New single from producer Izzard.
In this ongoing series, I will publish four line poems. Some as old as ceiling dust, others as new as rainfall. This is my first attempt. All of the imagery on this page is taken from the 2002 film Hero. Just because.
Lightning chimes the clouds awake
a monsoon season of flying carpets
and dead camels who only stop spitting
when they're driving past graveyards
Brock Berrigan's newest feels like its own radio station.
Kweku Colllins hits the spot yet again in this 2-for-1 video.
Newest comic gem from Tom Gauld.
A new video from the Chicago rock outfit.
These songs hit.the.spot.
An interview with Colorado artist Eldo.
Collaborative zine between two of my favorite creatives.
Whoa Nellie (I had to)
Vagabond Maurice. The name brought me in years ago, and the music kept me around. Last year's album, The Dragon Who Devoured the Moon, still makes the rounds in my iTunes catalog. In preparation for Maurice's upcoming album, Watching Icarus Fly (Nov. 24) and with two singles already available, I spoke with the Chicago MC about movies, books, Bossa Nova, Liberia, and everything else under the star that Icarus tried to reach.
“further melding cosmic imagery through the often-melancholic spirit of autumn, the two arrive with a more energetic sound to the season. ”
Hey, how’s it going? Can you describe your surroundings right now?
At the moment I’m sitting at a desk, or at least the furthest corner of a desk, that is cluttered in music equipment, speakers, monitor and a keyboard. The first issue of the Black Panther comic book is settled on top of one of the speakers, and I’m drinking some black tea while listening to jazz music (Yusef Lateef as I type this, doing some music research and such).
For anyone unfamiliar reading this, explain yourself in a few sentences. Icebreaker shit.
Um, I’m an unapologetic Black Nerd who is literary like a motherfucker – to put it in the least amount of words.
What's a normal week look like for you?
It’s probably reminiscent of the Spike Spiegel/Cowboy Bebop scenario in the sense that there used to be a lot of freelance work and teaching I used to do. Now it’s composed of figuring out the next steps to making the music and writing life sustainable, so my days vary from creative to the practical.
Everyone has a story to tell. What’s your story? You can answer this as precisely or as abstractly as you like.
I don’t think I even get to mention this as often as I’d like to, but I’m the first generation born here in America. My parents are from Liberia. Funny story, they just retired earlier this year and moved back to Africa. Last thing my Pops and Mom said to me was, “Good luck” concerning the election. It’s also dope to have family out of the country, because my Pops always sends me articles about the US to read, so I sort of always have an outside outlook of our country too.
What’s the rest of the year looking like for you?
I’m bout to travel to the West Coast for the first time! Going to LA in December to hang out with Chinsaku and create. A brotha trying to stay up out the cold weather of the Midwest. Although I know it’ll be sort of cold in Cali (I mean, but really, what is even considered cold in Cali?) I know I’ll be good. Midwest tough skin, and all that jazz.
What have you been listening to recently?
A lot of Bossa Nova and Latin Jazz, and just jazz from different countries – a brotha just building up his chops is all.
Quick survey: favorite movie / favorite book / favorite video game.
Goddamn this a hard question. I’d have to narrow it down to Cowboy Bebop: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Black Boy by Richard Wright and Chrono Trigger.
Do you have any advice for artists working on their craft?
Research, analyze and then practice your form, forreal. And make working on your craft a habit. Getting better at what you do is definitely work (that you may enjoy) but don’t forget it’s work. Clock in overtime for them ten thousand hours.
Do you have any final words/thoughts/shout-outs?
“Jesus was black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the government is lying about 9-11.”—A rather stellar quote by Huey Freeman, of the The Boondocks.
Kid Cudi returns with two strong videos that he directed.
What did you do in the last 96 hours?
Someone give this talent a trophy.