The album cover is everything. For anyone that’s from the Caribbean, they know what those white plastic chairs stand for. Chairs that are so strong and so fragile at the same time. Chairs that sit in the yard and under rain or sunshine, where elders hold court, where the family eats meals and tells jokes. It’s the same chairs I told my cousin to grab when I cut his hair out back, the same chair tio spent hours calling across the world to his family and friends. In those chairs we cry and we laugh, we debate and observe. After a long day or if there’s nothing to do. We sit in those chairs with a little bit of shade, shirts off, a little bit of rum and an opinion. It was the extra chair and main chair, the chair that moved in and out the house without hesitation or reservation. We may have paid for it but that was everyone’s chair, friend or foe, wanderer or lover. It’s a testimony and a monument.
If you like the article and want to see more about Jake Adelstein check out the HBO series, Tokyo Vice. A Jake Adelstein book turned TV series the depicts Jake’s venture in to the underworld of Tokyo, Japan.
Raekwon the mutha fucking chef made a stop at the Joe Rogan Experience. I love when Joe has Doctors and people with degrees and what not, people that can educate us and share information. But ain’t nothing like Joe Rogan just having a conversation with no clear direction, just chatting. Raekwon came through and him and Joe just nerded out and just talked about hip-hop, hunting, the origins of the Wu-Tang Clan name. Joe even put Raekwon on to a hip-hop song he hadn’t heard before. This is one you can see that Joe is excited for. Just wait til Raekwon take off the shades. The comments were excited. Shit I was excited. I fucking great podcast to kick off the year!
I hadn’t looked up John Mayer in a while but John never disappoints, he’s always got something for me to sing along to. Something that catches me before I understand why I like the music. Imagine being in middle school and everyone’s listening to rap and your bumping John Mayer. No one was asking me for music recommendation. But from this latest album my favorite song is Wild Blue. It almost sounds like you’re underwater
Shaboozey had a hell of a year. I first came across him in Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter but I think we all came to know him for his rendition of J-kwon’s Tipsy, putting a new flavor on an old song. I have a few songs that make my end of the year playlist but if I had one to share with you guys it would have to be Annabelle off his premier album Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going
I’m a new comer to country music, can you tell? My friends Sonia set it off with an invitation to Morgan Wallen’s Homecoming at the VOLS stadium this fall. Definitely a weekend to remember.
Since that weekend, we’ve been exchanging country song and I sent her a live performance of Paralyzed by Kevin Smiley on On The Radar’s Instagram. Someone commented saying that this was “crazy out country” which I found hilarious but interesting enough to go check him out on Spotify and listen to the rest of the singles he had on his profile. I’m glad a few months later he released his first album, Hurts Worse. Still have Broke as My Heart playing weekly.
Vince Staples has been one of my favorite artist in the last few years. He always delivers on thought provoking music that makes me reflect on what the fuck I’m doing in my life. You know what Vince is so special to me I’ll share my favorite song by him off the first project I ever heard from him. Producer by the late great Mac Miller, Stolen Youth, has a gem that always makes me stop what I’m doing and rap.
Knxwledge and Anderson .Paak did it again with another NxWorries Album to follow up the cult classic of Yes Lawd. You know that the beats are funky and Anderson .Paak has a way with words that damn near hypnotizing. It’s hard to pick my favorite on this one because there’s no skips on here for me but Distractions is one of them songs that you wish was longer
I know I’m late to the party on MIKE but I’m usually late to everything when it comes to music. To be honest I haven’t even listened to Kendrick’s GNX album. But MIKE caught me with this snippet of No Curse Lifted (rivers of love) I heard of instagram earlier this year. It’s GTA Vice City type dance sample that makes you wanna two step and Big MIKE gets down
Anthony Santos has been playing in my parent’s homes since I was a hair on my father’s nut suck. This year I finally decided to listen to his album Enamorado and it’s definitely a get up and move album. Get up and get something done. It’s Rum, Romance and Nylon Guitar strings at it’s finest. My favorite’s Esa Me La Doy Yo
I’m not really a Beyoncé fan, I think this might be the first album I’ve heard from her in it’s entirety and I loved it. I don’t really have anything say. Beyoncé just delivered on the years of hype I’ve been hearing about her. My top two are Blackbird and Bodyguard and I’m definitely going to take a deep dive into her discography this year.
Sir’s Chasing Summer album has been awaiting a sequel and for years it seem fans have been waiting on him to drop another album or project, something to supply the demand. And I believe Heavy fulfilled that, the vibe is a bit different because Sir himself has taken a new path of health and wellness. But understanding that you give an artist room to show us what he now has to say with this new perspective. I believe Poetry In Motion shows that the best. It’s a blend of the old with the new.
I was watching a vlog from The Chronicle YouTube series, a channel I came across a few years ago when I really started getting into Honda. They had a few vlogs on some time they spent in Osaka, Japan with member of the No Good Racing team. They’re insane and pretty raw.
While watching I came across this guy, Yuta Akaishi, and for years I didn’t know what his name was or much about him really. All I knew was that he was a solid mechanic, smoked cigarettes and seem to know what the hell he was talking about when it came to cars. At the time I really didn’t know much about cars, you think you know about cars but when you open the hood and start pulling bolts and covers off, you quickly find out you really don’t know shit. But for whatever reason I liked dude. He seem genuine and he had taste for the way he was doing things. I guess you can say I liked his style.
I kept watching the YouTube series here and there. And then all the sudden I stopped for whatever reason. But when I came back to the series Yuta wasn’t in front of the camera anymore. I wonder what had happened but I didn’t even know how to ask the question in the comments cause I didn’t even know bro’s name.
Fast forward to today I saw The Chronicles release a new video blog and Joey (the cameraman and face of the brand) mentioned some guy name Yuta and how they don’t really talk or whatever. Instantly I thought, “Is that the name of dude from the earlier videos I watched years back?” Scrolled down to the comments and read what the people were saying. There were some theories as to what had happened between Joey and the mystery man Yuta. but at the end of my comments dive I got a full name, Yuta Akaishi. So googled the name and there he was. The mystery mechanic I had seen years ago in the vlogs of Osaka.
There wasn’t much on the guy but some articles about an 240z he had built years ago, some old vlogs of course and an old article on a 97 civic that he was doing time attack in. From what the comments under the vlog said Yuta didn’t want to be in front of the camera anymore or that he wanted more privacy, which as a viewer sucks but I understand that. Not everything is meant to be shared or for public consumption.
After years of curiosity, I can finally put a name to the face
I’ll add the links to some of the article written on him and some of the vlog that he was apart of during his time at the chronicles. I don’t know maybe you’ll see what I see, maybe you’ll like his work as well.
I know I posted a bunch of video in this post but definitely check out the one below. It’s Yuta racing his 97 civic, same one from the speedhunters article above. He rips!
Pete Eldridge’s Bootleg 3000 part is one of them. Super underrated, I never hear anyone bring up his name. He does everything hella proper and the way it should be. A couple baker makers but its on brand. If you don’t know how your tricks should look, here’s the perfect example on how to do them.
A few days ago Elliott Wilson went on the New Rory and Mal Podcast and had thing to say about Media and Journalism in the hip-hop space, specifically naming Cam’ron, Mase and Summer Walker. Saying that they aren’t Journalist and what they do isn’t good. I’m paraphrasing but I’ma be honest, it came off as hate. It comes off as Elliott wanting to gatekeep but not have to the power to do so. Elliott says he wants to compete, almost as if he asking for someone one to bring him off the bench and let him play the game. But Elliott’s thought process is one of the olden days. “It’s a direct to consumer market” as Wayno says on his show I’ll Do It Myself
Now a broken clock is right twice a day. I do like that Elliott says about Artist needing to talk about their music. I like when artist explain what their album’s about, what stay of mind they were in, what influenced them to make the new music. I love that type of content and it always make the listening experience better for me. As a consumer I do still get these moments where an artist speak on their music when the times right. But I understand if the artist doesn’t want to speak on the music too.
Frank Ocean is an artist that comes to mind that doesn’t have much interview speaking on his music but in this day in age. Artist don’t have to speak when they don’t want to and the artist now a multitude of platforms to go and speak with someone they want to have a conversation with if they want. Not just thee guy to speak to that Elliott once was. The media landscape has definitely changed and as one that didn’t know about The Source magazine or about XXL, I find the landscape more accessible.
Like Wayno says Elliott has got to adapt with the time. Elliot has to create his own platform instead of applying for jobs. Like a Wayno, like a New Rory and Mal, like an It Is What It Is. All these platforms invested in themselves, I think Elliot should do the same. You want to compete then take yourself off the bench and get in the game.
2024 FAVORITE SONGS: knowledge- uaintfrmhere david miller- just in the way kendrick – gnx tanya blount -through the rain lupe fiasco -dominican barber az chike – 1up sahbabii – viking tyler -judge judy glorilla -hollon mkgee -alesis tommy richman -green therapy ill town family -…
Burning in paradise 