SEAL OF APPROVAL /MIXTAPE (DC) – Afrobeat 4 Ya Soul w/ DJ Underdog & Funk Ark – 8/26/10

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Those who really know about partying in DC know that Lunchbox Theory’s “Afrobeat 4 Ya Soul” parties are never to be missed. DJ Underdog’s sonic journeys across the African continent and beyond create true open source DJ sets that aren’t just a thinly veiled way of saying that hip hop will be played alongside EDM. Underdog’s brilliance as a DJ here is in no way understated. In the past two years, he has become a top spinner in this city due to the organic growth of the tales of legend of his sets. In a city where rare things happen so commonplace that they no longer can be referred to as such, an entire room getting down after getting their faces painted for free in a tribal style is certainly unique and worthy of praise.

The downstairs bands deserve a shake as well, as for this event it’s the Funk Ark, following in the footsteps of the well respected local hip hop act the Cornel West Theory, the groovemasters are certain to not disappoint.

The other highlight of the Afrobeat parties? The Afrobeat mixtapes released by DJ Underdog. Africa, Africa, Africa Volume 2 mirrors current popular EDM and mainstream music styles by echoing a darker sentiment than the ebullient Volume 1 of the series. Taking things into the rabbit hole by way of Fela Kuti’s “Zombie” and Die Vögel’s “Empire,” Underdog shows off his excellence as a selector in dropping sounds familiar to the party’s theme, but also mirroring larger trends without dropping the thematic goal.

For more information visit http://www.lunchboxtheory.com!

SEAL OF APPROVAL: (DC) AFROBEAT DANCE PARTY – BOSSA – 4/29/10

Not gonna lie. Since Red Lounge’s demise in 2005, finding a party in DC’s underground scene that consistently and deeply cuts across all racial, social, economic and cultural lines is a pretty hard concept. In all honesty, thanks to the U Street Music Hall’s hot spotlight placed upon soulful house music, the concept of dance having a stage with magnificence to be a true cultural melting pot in the city has begun to become a reality yet again. However, prior to U Hall, you could find parties that truly set forth and succeeded in the ethos of all respect all, but it was a much more difficult journey leading to a lot of unique storefronts, restaurants and obscure dance spaces. One of the most successful parties in unifying the city prior to the U Street Music Hall in the post Red era was the Lunchbox Theory blog organized Afrobeat Dance Party. There’s something about DJ Underdog doing an all vinyl, sweaty as hell dance party that just speaks to people, and across all lines is one of the best organized, respected and quietly beloved monthly parties in the city.

Do take a listen to Underdog’s superb Mix for the party, and check the flyer above for all of the details of the party which includes Afrocentric face-painting, DJ Slimkat78, and downstairs at Bossa, DC’s own truly impressive hip hop/soul poetry slam that are the excellent Cornel West Theory.

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the Cornel West Theory record release show vid#2 from Denman C Anderson on Vimeo.

SEAL OF APPROVAL (DC) – AFRO-BEAT FOR YA SOUL – 3/25/10

Congratulations! You’ve made it to Thursday, the night when the weekend *really* starts. Celebrate your survival and dance the pain away at the one year anniversary edition (already? how time flies!) of Afrobeat, the monthly dance party thrown by our friends at Lunchbox Theory. Let DJ Underdog, the Pied Piper of Percussion, take you on a musical journey back to continent. Get your face painted, pick a partner, and dance until you’re sweaty. Cathartic? Hell yes!

Half a sawbuck ($5) gets you into Bossa Lounge in Adams Morgan, where Brooklyn’s Ikebe Shakedown will be bringing the live funk downstairs and Underdog will be crate diving upstairs. Whether in the backroom of Selam or at its new digs in AdMo, Afrobeat is always a must-attend. As the name says, do it for your soul.

THE DROP! Weekly tracks and mixes to dig! (AFROBEAT Edition)

Wanted to give things a bit more of a DC focus this week. The Afrobeat scene in DC easily provides the liveliest, consistently entertaining and musically superior parties in the city. I definitely wanted to shout out two DJs this week who do it better than most in spinning what is rapidly becoming one of the leading genres that is apparently “up next” in the international musical consciousness. Do enjoy!

DC’s DJ Meistro’s Jigawa Groove

DC DJs Meistro and Deep Sang are two of the leading practitioners in the local scene of keeping the grooves fresh and perpetually entertaining. Equally as adept at spinning top 40 jams for the hipsters and crunk frathouse crowd at Wonderland Ballroom on a Friday night for their Dirty Bombs party or spinning international beats at an Eritrean restaurant for their Soul Power party with the always magnificent DJ Stylus, the duo’s multiplicity of styles in which they show a gift at spinning is mind blowing. So, it stands to reason that if Meistro spent three months in Nigeria this year teaching Nigerian youth, he’d absolutely come back with some rare grooves, and throw down a tight mix. The “Jigawa,” of the title obviously referring to the area of NW Nigeria where he was stationed, and the mix itself goes deep into the funky heart of African funk and disco rhythms. There’s a growing contingent of the musical intelligentsia that would tell you that due to the rise of the Esau Mwamwaya led The Very Best project, that Africa is up next. My proof, the Lunchbox Theory Afrobeat party now at DC’s Bossa, is easily the most groundbreaking, sweltering, and rhythmically fun party in the city, which is a sentiment that I fervently believe can be spread back into mainstream rhythms as they were throughout the soul experience of the 1970s. In any event, do enjoy DJ Meistro’s mix, below.

Meistro – Jigawa Groove by Meistro

Monomono – Give the Beggar a Chance
Bala Miller & The Great Music Pirameeds Of Afrika – Stretch Your Nose
Cloud “7” – Can You Do It
Ofege – Evil Child
Buari – Advice from Father
Ofege – Amayo
Kiki Gyan – Keep it Cool
Harry Mosco – It’s Too Late
Bill Campbell – Boogie All Night
KG Band – Disco Train
William Onyeabor – When the Going is Good and Smooth

DJ Underdog Africa Plays On

As mentioned earlier, Christine from DC’s LunchBox Theory blog may host what is consistently the best party in the city in her sweaty, deep funk grooved, Afrobeat monthly DJed with magnificence by DJ Underdog. The party has moved to a more spacious and better ventilated venue, and DC fashion leader DURKL has recognized the sheer greatness of the event, and is honoring that on the 18th of December with the “East Your Vegetables” Holiday Fundraiser. In attending the event, attendees will receive a copy of DJ Underdog’s latest mix. His “Africa Plays On” mixes are a highlight of the month, and I give you Volume 5 here to give you an idea of the excitement you miss with these sounds at this event.

DOWNLOAD HERE