Looking forward to 2010 profiles…Ninjasonik

From l to r. DJ Teenwolf, Rev. McFly, Telli Federline

Too often, Brooklyn trio Ninjasonik are taken lightly. With performances that trend from the ridiculous to the meandering to the downright absurd, it was once terribly easy to get caught in the undertow of the group’s bizarre surroundings than concentrate on the content itself. In the combination of the concepts of “leaner and meaner,” and “Bigger. Better. Faster. Stronger.,” the hip hop hipster punks invaded stages and the underground consciousness in 2009 in such a manner that in saying that they’re going to blow up in 2010 is merely to state that they’re going to continue business as usual, thoroughly destroying what, if anything was left of genre and decency in music.

The group, comprised of DJ Teenwolf, Rev. “Jah Jah” McFly and battle prepared and hypercharismatic emcee Telli “Bathroom Sexx” Federline are exactly what happens when people set aside notions about themselves and others, and embrace the universe around them. Or, in layman’s terms, placing the License to Ill era Beastie Boys in a cryogenic chamber and unleashing them in society right now. Teenwolf, the DJ, would at an initial glance by an untrained eye be better suited as the lead singer of a Sonic Youth cover band than be a DJ for a hip hop act. But, with a background involving all musical styles, and a pronounced love of club music, Teenwolf’s ability as a producer of Ninjasonik material is completely underrated, if for no other reason than people being unable or unwilling to cosign a man who does not abide to a societal norm. Rev. McFly and Telli Federline don’t come off like two emcees having classic hip hop repartee, they instead come off like twin comedians on the Kings of Comedy tour, imagine Bernie Mac and Cedric the Entertainer playing the dozens, then being reminded by a DJ that there are occasional times where a song is needed. It’s not traditional, but it is entertaining, and certainly a recipe for excitement.

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The key element that prepares them now for the spotlight of the universe is that they’re vastly improved. They figured a way to tighten their live performances and have a more serious approach to the studio that has made their mainstream appeal a far more foregone conclusion than before. They’ve gone from having a jam that has one hit comedy wonder written all over it in “Pregnant,” to having a growing catalogue of singles tailor made to both the hipster community and mainstream hip hop heads looking for something a bit off the beaten path. Their Brooklyn clothier Mishka sponsored “Darth Bano” mixtape, featuring 13 tracks that exposed the mind and world of Telli Federline’s alter ego to the universe was a master stroke, as in two minutes and thirty seconds of flowing over underground dance hit “Hold the Line” by Major Lazer (even Kanye took notice), Telli stood up to be counted as an ill emcee. The track opened the door to Ninjasonik welcoming people into their bizarre world on the mixtape, of being some “tight pants wearin’ ass niguhz,” or rocking “tats and plugs, doing drugs and drinking PBRs in bars.”

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Ninjasonik just isn’t an act crossing over and struggling for hip hop acceptance, though. Their sphere of influence in the hipster community is long, wide, deep and strong, as, well, in being the embodiment of the ideal, they’re well respected by pretty much every single band that is making noise from the underground. The NYC by way of Philly by way of Bmore by way of Australia Death Set, have worked with them, the duet “Negative Thinking (About Tight Pants)” was a surefire eye opener, and in many ways the cosign started the ball rolling. Power pop art punks with hearts of diamonds and gold Matt and Kim have had their giant hit “Daylight” covered by the band for years onstage,” with an actual video being released for the track just recently.

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If we’re looking at the underground New York revival going on these days as being as vibrant a musical melting pot as it was in the punk/post punk/CBGB/Studio 54/block parties and b-boying days, then Ninjasonik are the most diverse and accepting band of this musical experience. Ninjasonik, after years of tinkering with the recipe, have arrived. The musical nitroglycerin they’re providing? It’s about to blow.

Looking forward to 2010 profiles…Joker and Dubstep Entering the Urban Mainstream

“Wait’ll they get a load of me!” – Jack Nicholson as The Joker, from 1989’s Batman

Whatever you do, just don’t call it dubstep. Call it goonstep, call it grimestep, call it the sound that will come to define urban radio for the foreseeable future, and call 20 year old British producer Joker the master of it. Joker’s rise to prominence is a wonderful story of the confluence of chance and opportunity. Joker was a UK DJ for a rap crew at 14, and took the opportunity to make beats for them and turned it into a career. He’s apparently shy, and not so much a fan of playing in public. Even further, he’s a fan of video games. If Joker weren’t an internationally renowned producer with his own label at this point, he’d be a poster child for 21st century slackers. But he’s not. Like Motown was almost five decades ago, Joker’s about to become the sound of young America.

Why? Well, his sound makes sense. It’s as if with each progressive addition to the dubstep sound at the base of his composition, he creates a new breed of music fans can appreciate because it combines complelentary and unusually emotive styles extremely well. His productions, by track alone, rather than by the merit of any individual singing on it are already smashes, and with the right singer at the perfect time he will be the first superstar producer of the forthcoming decade. We know this is fact in 2009 because of his work with remixing Gossip’s Beth Ditto on her collaboration with Simian Mobile Disco, “Cruel Intentions.” Ditto, the Rubenesque soul stirring chanteuse becomes Ditto the purring sex kitten with the help of some of the funkiest synths in awhile, which, when aided by a dubstep bassline placed so low in the mix that it is less than overtly perceptible, and an addendum to the style, not the style itself. The track comes off as some smoldering, sexy trunk funk, as if Keith Sweat and Dr. Dre got together at the heights of their careers and made classic material at it’s chorus, with some retro leaning Afrika Bambaataa leaning electro funk at the ephemery. Simply incredible.

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R & B is the look for this young man’s talents. He is enamored with the color purple, and in being synasthetic as well, says he makes music that sounds, well, purple. This might sound insane, but for anyone of a mentality at age 20 where he composes and sees colors with such depth, scope and importance but as to on occasion dress head to toe in that color, well, in this author’s conceptualization of music, this is an intelllect worthy of graduated exposition. To give him a harsh hip hop voice is absolutely expected, and actually makes his compositions no different than anything Western ears may have heard from Rusko or Dizzie Rascal. But Joker? He’s different for sure. He’s already clearly acquainted with melody, and to give him a voice that has yet another melody for him to lay upon the pastiche of familiar sounds he uses, I tend to believe something magnificent will occur.

It agitates me greatly that he was not tapped for Rihanna’s Rated R project. Chase and Status’ work on the album is extremely stark and bleak, some proper face melting to match the mood of the damaged chanteuse, but what of the extreme depths of her soul. That was not explored. In listening to, say, Joker’s track “Digidesign,” it sounds like the emotion that causes romantic action, the internal reaction that is then re-emitted as action. Rather otherwordly of a concept, and, well, for a young woman who was punched, slapped and choked out by a defiant boyfriend, the levels of emotion say, Rihanna on THAT track could have reached is overwhelming to say the least.

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Joker is clearly an incredibly intense and insanely insulated youth. With each deepening level of insularity and intense thought, he is somehow unravelling his soul with a bass heavy funk backdrop. There’s something along the levels of Stevie Wonder meeting Issac Hayes with a stop to visit Sun Ra and Miles Davis at play here. And the most amazing point here is that he’s 20, so clearly he has no idea that this is what he is doing, but rather he has merely become a regurgitation of the sounds of his psyche and the sounds of his universe at play. I can only hope that he stays so private. To conclude with a comic book analogy, full exposure and total recognition of this genius doesn’t make him the Joker anymore, it makes him merely a killer without focus. Let’s not get greeen with envy, feel blue, or be red with anger. Music is about to turn purple, and not a second too soon.

Looking forward to 2010 profiles…Tabi Bonney

Washington, DC has the eyes of the record industry slowly preparing to turn its way. Wale has opened a door for the city, and likely when the record industry looks through, they’re going to initially see (likely once again) the most well respected, well connected, most engendered to being an ambassador of greatness and ultimately important man in hip hop in Washington, DC, Tabi Bonney.

Does your favorite emcee have a Masters degree in Biology and Secondary Education from one of the top HBCUs in the country? That isn’t the only question posed by Tabi Bonney that makes him the most curious of talents, and easily the one most ready to blow while likely having the least level of stress. Tabi Bonney doesn’t need hip hop. Hip hop does need Tabi Bonney. Having grown up over four continents with a legendary Afrobeat musician as a father, Bonney knows a little bit more than the average emcee about living a life few dream of and actually accomplish. He may be the ultimate example of someone who should succeed, but because of the incessant stereotyping of the hip hop genre, absolutely cannot. He didn’t grow up as a hard luck hardship case and get shot nine times. Nor is he willing to start a beef and carry it out by dropping 64 bars over 20 mainstream radio instrumentals over six months.

Instead, Tabi Bonney is a builder, a marketer, a man who uses his superior intellect to always rise above, and ultimately serve as an inspirational leader for the rising hip hop community of Washington, DC. His Cool Kids Films is the video production studio of note for the entire area, as everyone from Kingpen Slim to Mullyman to Phil Ade to go go powers Mambo Sauce and the artist himself have benefitted from the exemplary creative vision and skill he has. Also, any time Tabi Bonney makes a video, it ends up on MTV Jams. In fact, it may stand to mention that Tabi’s “The Pocket” likely made Wale’s road for “Nike Boots” and “Chillin'” a much easier one as the video for 2006’s “The Pocket was easily one of the biggest underground success stores in the network’s history. MTV actively namechecks his talents as an artist and director because simply, he is a rising star in those areas worthy of mention. As well, his “Bonney Runway” fashion line is a sign of his growth and expansion as well, as only someone with common sense, or with multiple college degrees would realize the nature of our economy and attempt to monetize themselves in as many diverse ways as possible.

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As an emcee, Bonney may be without peer in the DC/Baltimore area. His smooth and understated delivery isn’t the cohesive and perpetual adlibbing of Wale, but Tabi Bonney uses his ability to craft a story to sell himself as a brand. From tracks like “The Pocket,” the violin sample based winner from 2006’s still excellent A Fly Guy’s Theme, he doesn’t need to stand up behind the letters DMV, instead, he uses the slang and demeanor of the area’s residents to carry forth a lifestyle statement of calm and comfort. 2009’s release Dope may be the most slept on album of the year, namely due in part to the lack of major label influence behind Bonney’s career. Tracks like “Rich Kids” and “Jet Setter” are so smooth, underrated and frankly fly, as Bonney has the innate ability to control his flow and voice in such a manner that there’s a unity between track and vocal that creates a permeating calm, the very antithesis of much of anything popular in hip hop at the present moment.

Between a multitude of underground rumbling album hits, an internationally distributed fashion line, and being checked for by New York mixtape heavyweight Mick Boogie, and the group he produces The Crybabies, garnering interest on many levels from the Black Eyed Peas Will I Am, it is my belief that 2010 may indeed be the year that Tabi Bonney truly wins. Whether as an artist, director, designer, lawyer, doctor or teacher, Bonney deserves honor for being a man of uncommon and unparalled drive, passion and excellence without already having a deal and major label machine behind him. Unlike Wale he won’t be winning for the DMV, but as always, he’ll be winning for himself, and setting an undeniable standard of excellence for all others to follow.

Looking forward to 2010 profiles…Maluca and the start of the Latin/Freestyle invasion

Diplo sure does have a lot of talented and uniquely attractive ex girlfriends with strong and unique senses of style to use to paint the canvas of his forward thinking musical universe. Following in the line that leads from M.I.A. out of the Mad Decent laboratory, 21-year old Dominicana Maluca is part of Diplo’s attempt to always be a step ahead of a step ahead. In rapping over a sped up merengue track that does nothing more than, alongside the expected smash that Laidback Luke and GIna Turner’s Nouveau Yorican combo will be, portent the imminent and full on return of freestyle. “El Tigeraso” is easily the candidate to be the one of the most dance friendly underground tracks of 2010, and the clarion call to what will be the the smash after next, the specialty of Mad Decent.

El Tigeraso
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MALUCA | MySpace Music Videos

Be aware that Afrobeat, UK 2-step and a more soulful take on dubstep are actually up next. The hottest remixes and underground hits of 2009 have almost all featured sounds that would make you believe that DJ Yella and Dr. Dre got in the lab and remade “Before You Turn Off The Lights” for a slightly belated 20th anniversary of the World Class Wrecking Crew record, or just a confirmation that pretty much everybody has an enormous soft spot for Fela Kuti. But what for the dancing? What for the face melting? What for the sweat inducing? It amazes me that this hasn’t already happened. Maybe it’s a fear of partner dancing? Maybe it’s a belief that hipsters don’t have double jointed hips that can REALLY sway in time to the music? Whatever the fear, Diplo, and his newest charge Maluca, have come to the rescue, and are now fully prepared to start and lead the dance.

This actually marks the third or fourth time in his relatively brief career that Diplo has completely upset the concept of what underground, trending into mainstream dance parties can aspire to become. He’s the man responsible for, as an example, Bmore club master K.W. Griff seeping onto dance floors worldwide. Ultimately he’s the man responsible for the mind expansion process of the average underground DJ. Note I state “average,” as Mad Decent is so well marketed as being “strange” and “odd,” to non-scenesters that Diplo merely doing what is at the extremely creative bottom of the urban underground, when put on the map by him, becomes new, intriguing, and ultimately, important.

Maluca is next because she represents something greater than herself. Yes, she provides the requisite and completely stereotypical sass, excitement and attitude necessary to be an entertaining re-entry for the ears of the mainstream universe into the concept of Latin tinged electro. But updating the concept with a fuller embrace of hip hop from the female perspective is absolutely entertaining, and WILL win.

When precision marketing meets excellent musical composition and execution, it’s a powerful, powerful combination. If you’re not aware of Maluca, or even more so, Maluca’s sound, do so. Everything old is new again on the underground.

Looking forward to 2010 profiles…Florence and the Machine

Florence Welch is a damaged child of the 21st century. There’s really nothing completely groundbreaking about her, or her performance ensemble Florence and the Machine that ultimately sets them apart in the artistic realm. But, in the description of being again, a positively damaged child of the 21st century is where Florence comes into her own, and is deserving of the acclaim that sets her up to be easily the most buzzed about artist into 2010.

Yes, she’s another soul inspired Brit-pop songbird. But there’s something in her persona that definitely differentiates her from the rest. Lily Allen? She’s the chief troublemaker at the head of the class, making mischief and giving you big, soft doe eyes to apologize, with more mischief expected. Amy Winehouse? Well, she’s the girl who never really was all that good who used an excuse to go bad, and happily stay there. Her talent appears to have been her avenue to aspire to being the deviant and decadent woman she always wanted to be. Adele? The plump girl with a heart of gold who refuses to be “messed about” like Minnie Driver’s turn as Bernadette Hogan in “Circle of Friends.” Her beauty shines through in her music, and it unravels all of the preconceived notions and stereotypes, a cocoon unravelling to show a butterfly with an incredible voice.

Florence Welch is seemingly different. A child of means, partying, drugs and experimentation as were her contemporaries, Florence appears to aspire to neither end of the culture, the socialite highs of Allen, nor the lows of decadence or despondence of Winehouse or Adele. She’s firmly in the middle, and able, because of this to emotionally access all sides of the fray. And trust, her life’s a fray. The 2009 Florence and the Machine debut Lungs deals with love and breakups, but from the haunting voice of a young lady preoccupied with death and the quiet that accompanies it. Her backing band, The Machine plays a restrained soul that exhibits Florence Welch’s patient, soaring vocals. It’s almost as if the girl preoccupied with death just wants to enjoy the time she has, and takes an extremely relaxed, warm cocoa on a slow winter day approach to a song.

The great strength of her are in her covers though. It’s where she shines. Still not a polished songwriter, save her victory in that department so far, the great “My Boy Builds Coffins”, tracks like “Kiss Like a Fist,” while technically great, feel blatantly written not requiring an overwrought delivery. In layman’s terms, a solid A & R rep would’ve mentioned covering The Crystals’ “He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)” as Courtney Love and Hole, and a plethora of other bands have done as well. Not allowing someone to rewrite perfection is the job of someone at Island Records (who released Lungs in the US), and they dropped the ball, much to the inability of my desire to want to appreciate the haunted voice of Florence Welch.

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But as with everything it seems these days, it took a remix to make her a star. The XX, the world’s first British/gothic/soul/hipster act, took Florence and the Machine’s elegant downtempo pop cover of Candi Stanton’s 1986 post disco/jazzy soul hit “You’ve Got the Love,” and with a dash of UK 2-step, the most amazing loop of a harpsichord, and vibraphones (!) remixed and redeveloped the song from lovelorn dance pop standard into something more aligned with Florence’s usual moody yet hopefully upbeat temperament, the magnificence turning the blogosphere and ALL DJs worldwide on their collective ears. With covers of Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love,” as well as Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m Goin’ Down,” her particular vocal style and societal attitude makes a great addendum to the pop music atmosphere.

Florence Welch and her fabulous Machine enter 2010 ready to find the love, from her seas of adoring fans.

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