Recent posts: Breaking Bits

As images of elaborate floats descend down historic New Orleans streets and mid-air bead tossing continue into the late night hours, one can’t help but get swept up in the mardi gras madness. An album that perfectly encapsulates this distinct time of year and its special festive atmosphere is Delfeayo Marsalis and The Uptown Jazz Orchestra’s “Uptown On Mardi Gras Day”. Whether it’s the “Mardi Gras Mambo” or the “Uptown Boogie”, this 2023 12-song offering takes the listener down to Bourbon St right quick.

Descending yet again on Anaheim Convention Center for its 102nd year, NAMM Show returned to Southern California with its flurry of interactive talks, lectures, award shows and musical instrument demos at the end of January. Initially not sure how I would maximize my days in the musical melody mecca, NAMM Show+ emerged conveniently providing an organized guide including an up to the minute schedule of events, a detailed map and link to livestreamed sessions broadcast internationally. Drawing aspiring students to seasoned professionals, NAMM Show proved once more why it remains THE premier place to connect with a unique group of world class musicians, instrument brands and business execs from across the globe.

Walking through the Grammy Museum a few months ago, I encountered a powerful musical industry agent of change who warmly greeted me while I was checking out the dynamic sights and sounds of the recent “Hip-Hop America” exhibit preview. Amid the valid vocal scrutiny and criticism from artists and fans in The Recording Academy’s past, Ryan Butler, VP of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), directly affects the Academy’s membership representation with the Black Music Collective and his partnerships with Color of Change and GLAAD. Although there’s more to do, the building impact can already be seen in last year’s nominations, changes to the voting process and in stage show content (Check out this year’s show broadcasting live on Sunday February 4th).

Weeks after the Grammy Museum’s lauded “Hip Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit” opening, the celebratory mood continued with one of its exhibit’s contributors Chuck D being featured on a panel highlighting the latest Amazon Audible docuseries ‘Can You Dig It?’. On a busy downtown LA Tuesday night with The Lakers playing down the block, casual fan and hip-hop purist museum members alike gathered to hear more about the 1970’s Burning Bronx’s Ghetto Brothers’ Black Benjie’s gang murder backstory, leading to a peaceful culmination of Kool Herc’s historic 1520 Sedgwick Ave’s house party hip-hop birth.

Previewing Grammy Museum’s new “Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit” before its public opening a few weeks ago, my eyes immediately met priceless, meaningful cultural artifacts at every turn. Among the friendly faces greeting the small crowd of photographers and journalists viewing these rarities, stood UCLA’s English and African-American Studies “Professor of Hip-Hop” and Rap Lab founding director Adam Bradley. As a life-long lover of poetry and song lyrics, I was hyped to connect with him about his passion for the art form and his influence on the prominent “Lyrical Adventures” pod within the exhibit.

Entering The Grammy Museum’s latest ” Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit”, in the center of the room, an eye-catching case with studded jeweled nails worn by Bay Area rapper Saweetie, rests. Contributing this trendsetting piece of hip-hop art is celebrity artist and nail salon owner Temeka Jackson. Beginning her nail art journey as the first Black nail technician in New Haven, Connecticut, she’s appeared in reality shows like “Next Top Nail Artist” and “Nailed It”. Today, staying booked and busy, her custom creations reign on red carpets, music video sets and magazine covers on the reg.

Getting the unique opportunity to preview Los Angeles’ Grammy Museum’s latest exhibit before doors opened on Friday, Dilla’s personal cassette tapes, Andre 3000’s flamboyant feathery suede jumpsuit, Saweetie’s elaborate nail art, and a B-Boy posed in mid-head spin all awaited me inside.

SPUNSUGAR DO IT THEMSELVES IN NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR UPCOMING SINGLE ‘SAN JOSE’ DROPPING SEPTEMBER 29TH 2023- Swedish three-piece Spunsugar is releasing DIY-chic music video for new track ‘San Jose’, the third single from their upcoming new album ‘A Hole Forever,’ via Adrian Recordings on September 29th, 2023, with forthcoming sophomore album due to release on November 17th, 2023.