To stay on top of what's going on with music, as well as observe its cultural impact, I try to devote some time to checking out pop music from around the world. While most of the industries of the United States have been improved upon by our international counterparts, there is still at least one product the US excels at: pop music.
Browse your favorite video site and you're guaranteed to see the influence of our pop stars in videos and performances of artists throughout the world. From fashion to dance moves, it's always interesting to see our artists' stylings applied to the expressive, region-specific norms of an international artist.
Today I came accross a video by Kobi Peretz, a notable singer from Israel. Kobi performs in a style called Mizrahi, which is an amalgam of Arabic, Turkish, and Greek music and a very popular genre in the Middle East.
Check out Kobi's latest video, "I Am Not A King" (the title is loosely translated from Hebrew...very loose). As I watched this video, it began to remind me of something, but what?
How 'bout this?
I think all that's missing is the Israeli Jamie Foxx, but even without him, the similarities are pretty undeniable. If you need further proof, try watching both videos simultaneously with the sound muted. I don't speak Hebrew, but considering the title of Kobi's track, you kind of get the gist of what he's getting at. All in all, I think the "I Am Not A King" video illustrates the influence Yeezy's had on music. It also cements his relevance and impact on pop culture as a whole.
For better or worse, the web has broken down barriers in music which in the past prevented international artists from gaining an audience, let alone a chart position, in the US. We're already seeing the effects of these changes as evidenced by artists like Drake, Lights, and many others. Meanwhile, the Kobi Peretz video has a lag time of 5 years on Kanye's, but I'm still interested to see what will happen as technology continues to advance and cultural borders shrink.
Showing posts with label Kanye West. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kanye West. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Bank Remixes Part 2: "Forever"
Thanks to everyone who downloaded our first remix, the response was good enough to warrant that we keep this little experiment going.
I mixed "Always Strapped" in the box (within the DAW) and it came out pretty good. This time around, Wes mixed "Forever" on the SSL. If you compare the two songs, the differences in depth and warmth of sound are striking. My only real gripe with this remix is the source audio of the a capella for "Forever." The vocals were riddled with filters and processing (especially on Em's verse for some reason) that degraded the audio quality, and there wasn't much we could do but to work around what was there. The instrumental sounds much fuller and clearer, but overall I think this remix came out really well.
As with all of the remixes we do, the instrumental is available for artists to spit on. If you're interested, email us at info@thebankinc.com.
-TJ
Monday, December 28, 2009
Albums That Defined Our Decade
Right now there's probably a million posts like this: "So & So's Blog's Top Albums of the Decade."
This is one of those posts, lol. This is a critical, exciting time, why not look back on the music that helped shape our experience over the last ten years? BUT, before I go into it, I should explain how our choices were made:
Wes and I took different approaches towards compiling our lists. In addition to his personal enjoyment, Wes also took sales and overall chart performance into consideration before making his choices...he's a numbers guy, what can I say? With my choices, I cheated; I let my iTunes library determine what my favorites were based on number of plays, thus whatever I listened to more was clearly a favorite. Actually, it's a little deeper than that, but I digress. Both of our lists are very personal accounts of our respective tastes, and now we offer it to you, friends, readers, music snobs, etc., to pick apart and scrutinize at your leisure :-)
Enjoy, and Happy New Year!
-TJ
Wes: Chronic 2001, Dr. Dre
Even though it came out in 1999, people are still trying to catch up. It was so good, it seems Dre is reluctant to drop Detox because he wants it to be better than this. Please do...I've been waiting for 9 years already.
TJ: Deltron 3030, Deltron 3030
This album changed my life. The combined prowess of Dan The Automator, Del The Funky Homosapien, and Kid Koala yielded a powerfully vivid and imaginative album that was way ahead of its time. Ten years later, 1020 years before it, and there's still nothing like it.
Key track: "Things You Can Do"
Wes: Kamikaze, Twista
I have to put Twista up on this list; Chi-Town Allegiance. It was great to hear about Broughams and puffing B's on commercial radio lol.
TJ: Madvillainy, Madvillain
I also was torn for 2004, so I also have two for this year. First off, if you know me in real life, you know the quickest way to get into a four -hour conversation with me is to bring up Stones Throw or any artist associated with them. It's a pretty serious obsession, but a healthy one. The pairing of Madlib and DOOM on an album...wow, I mean if you want to talk about a clash of the titans. Even though DOOM's MM..Food (also released in '04) was a great work in its own right, it was eclipsed by this behemoth of a record that even Rolling Stone tagged as being one of the best of the decade. If you have not heard this album, it is possible that you have been in a coma for the better part of six years, please get up.
Key Track: "Rhinestone Cowboy"
TJ: Love, Angel, Music, Baby, Gwen Stefani
Okay, I know it's a far cry from metal-masked villains and indie hip-hop, but my iTunes library doesn't lie; I listened to this album ALOT! Can't help it, I've always been a huge No Doubt fan, lol. Best known for the singles "Rich Girl" and "Hollaback Girl," L.A.M.B. was exactly what it was supposed to be: a fun, light-hearted pop album sprinkled with bouts of melancholia for good measure.
Key track: "Luxurious"
This is one of those posts, lol. This is a critical, exciting time, why not look back on the music that helped shape our experience over the last ten years? BUT, before I go into it, I should explain how our choices were made:
Wes and I took different approaches towards compiling our lists. In addition to his personal enjoyment, Wes also took sales and overall chart performance into consideration before making his choices...he's a numbers guy, what can I say? With my choices, I cheated; I let my iTunes library determine what my favorites were based on number of plays, thus whatever I listened to more was clearly a favorite. Actually, it's a little deeper than that, but I digress. Both of our lists are very personal accounts of our respective tastes, and now we offer it to you, friends, readers, music snobs, etc., to pick apart and scrutinize at your leisure :-)
Enjoy, and Happy New Year!
-TJ
-2000-
Even though it came out in 1999, people are still trying to catch up. It was so good, it seems Dre is reluctant to drop Detox because he wants it to be better than this. Please do...I've been waiting for 9 years already.
This album changed my life. The combined prowess of Dan The Automator, Del The Funky Homosapien, and Kid Koala yielded a powerfully vivid and imaginative album that was way ahead of its time. Ten years later, 1020 years before it, and there's still nothing like it.
Key track: "Things You Can Do"
-2001-
Wes: The Blueprint, Jay-Z
September 11, 2001 release date. "Even Bin Laden couldn't stop him." The arrival of Kanyeezy. 5 mics, well deserved.
TJ: Since I Left You, The Avalanches
A group of Australian DJs pieced together over 3,500 vinyl samples to create this masterpiece of an electronic/dance album. Not only my pick for '01, this album is easily in my top 5 favorite albums of all time; I still have it in rotation. Like countless other fans, I am patiently waiting for the follow-up.
Key track: "Close To You"
-2002-
Wes: The Lost Tapes, Nas
A return to the man, not the mobster. One of his best.
TJ: Dwight Spitz, Count Bass D
After a long hiatus from the music industry, Nashville MC, beatmaker, and multi-instrumentalist Count Bass D re-emerged with this offering- a brilliant, left-of-center album filled with interesting beats and clever word-play that still holds up today ("I see a Grey Goose in the sky, you see Smirnoff Ice." Crazy!). Spitz is without a doubt an underground classic not to be overlooked.
Key track: "Subwoofer (Dumile)"
-2003-
Wes: Get Rich Or Die Tryin', 50 Cent
I was torn this year, so it's a tie between this and R. Kelly's Chocalate Factory. It was a hard decision, so I gave it to both. Kellz snapped hard and 50 created an empire.
TJ: The Love Below, Andre 3000
Make no mistake, I really liked Speakerboxxx as well, but for someone like me who listens to music from any and every genre, The Love Below was a breath of fresh air in the hip hop realm which at the time was obsessed with its various personas being the hardest/most Scarfaced-out/ballin'-est/most thugged out/biggest chain having-est/most keeping it real-est on the block or club. I practically wore this disc out, I played it so much.
Key track: "She Lives In My Lap," ft. Rosario Dawson
Honorable Mention: Chocalate Factory, R. Kelly
I have to agree with Wes, this album was huge that year and deserves its proper due. It's definitely a definitive Kellz album.
-2004-
Wes: Confessions, Usher
I was torn again this year, so I have two. Usher came with a lifetime classic R&B album.
I have to put Twista up on this list; Chi-Town Allegiance. It was great to hear about Broughams and puffing B's on commercial radio lol.
I also was torn for 2004, so I also have two for this year. First off, if you know me in real life, you know the quickest way to get into a four -hour conversation with me is to bring up Stones Throw or any artist associated with them. It's a pretty serious obsession, but a healthy one. The pairing of Madlib and DOOM on an album...wow, I mean if you want to talk about a clash of the titans. Even though DOOM's MM..Food (also released in '04) was a great work in its own right, it was eclipsed by this behemoth of a record that even Rolling Stone tagged as being one of the best of the decade. If you have not heard this album, it is possible that you have been in a coma for the better part of six years, please get up.
Key Track: "Rhinestone Cowboy"
Okay, I know it's a far cry from metal-masked villains and indie hip-hop, but my iTunes library doesn't lie; I listened to this album ALOT! Can't help it, I've always been a huge No Doubt fan, lol. Best known for the singles "Rich Girl" and "Hollaback Girl," L.A.M.B. was exactly what it was supposed to be: a fun, light-hearted pop album sprinkled with bouts of melancholia for good measure.
Key track: "Luxurious"
-2005-
Wes: Late Registration, Kanye West
Respect. Common's Be is runner up. Chi-City running things.
TJ: The Further Adventures of Lord Quas, Quasimoto
The spirit of Madlib's helium-voiced, aardvarkian appearing alter-ego is very much alive on Further Adventures... the follow-up to 2000's The Unseen. This album is one of the most puzzling, imaginative, and "visual" albums I've ever heard. Conceptually, it's consistent in its utter lunacy, but when I reach for an album to compare it to, the only thing that comes to mind is Frank Zappa during his days with The Mothers of Invention.
Key Track: "Closer," ft. Madvillain
-2006-
Wes: Release Therapy, Ludacris
TJ: Donuts, J Dilla
The late-great Dilla may have left the earth too soon, but he left a legacy that will live forever in the hearts and minds of music fans everywhere. Donuts is an album that is so unmistakably "Dilla-fied" that he didn't even have to say a word on it; this collection of instrumentals speaks for itself. This is another one that never left rotation, another life-changer.
Key track: "Two Can Win"
-2007-
Wes: Double Up, R. Kelly
This album was written for me :D
TJ: American Gangster, Jay-Z
It would have been easy to name a Jay-Z album every year because I like everything he does, pretty much, but with this album he outdid himself. With the assist from Diddy and production from newcomers and usual suspects alike, Hov delivered an extremely soulful, organic, and thorough album.
Key track: "Sweet"
-2008-
Wes: Untitled, Nas
"Sly Fox" is something I can appreciate.
TJ: 808s & Heartbreak, Kanye West
I'm a Kanye fan (I'm from The Go, how could I not be?), and I've liked all of his albums, but truth be told, whenever he came with something, a friend of mine would give me a CD full of leaked tracks months before the release. These discs would have songs that never made it on any album, and consequently I always ended up liking those better than the actual release (For the record, I still paid for the albums when they came out.). But this one is different. I love it when artists challenge themselves, when they step out from their comfort zones to try something new; that's usually when next levels are reached, boundaries broken, and history gets made. No exception here, this album is fantastic and continues to grow on me even now.
Key track: "Paranoid," ft. Mr. Hudson
-2009-
Wes: Relapse, Eminem
This one was hard because [this year] there was a lot of material I've been waiting for: OB4CL2, BP3, 50 Cent, etc.
But Eminem takes the cake for somehow going multiplatinum in 2009 without many big singles. Plus, repackaging and reselling it again for Christmas is brilliant.
TJ: Love vs Money, The-Dream
This is a tremendous album. Seriously. For many reasons. I hear faint echoes of its influences: R Kelly, Prince, Timbaland (to name a few), but it still has its own identity. What I like best about it is that it fits in that diminishing family of albums that is consistent with its theme and vibe; conceptually it's a whole piece, not just a collection of songs. Tremendous...seriously.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Media Blast
As many of you know, Kanye West's mom died. I'm not going into the who, how, and what here because that's not my job. All I can say is that we at The Bank offer our sincerest condolences to Mr. West and his family for such a tragic loss. Period.
Now if I can shift gears for a minute, I would like to know why this news is on the front page of today's Chicago Sun Times? Why? The front page?! I mean really, there's no other news going on in Chicago or the world at large, perfect time to put someone's personal crisis on the front page of a major metropolitan publication. Makes sense to me! Feh!
Celebrity obsession is ubiquitous these days, to the point where major networks fill in the gaps of everyday accounts between nightmares and crime with whatever celebri-drama scoop people are feeding on. Essentially, the public at large is becoming the equivalent of a fourth grade class. Must be or there wouldn't be such a high demand for this nonsense. Seriously, I'm done with it. Recess!
-T
Now if I can shift gears for a minute, I would like to know why this news is on the front page of today's Chicago Sun Times? Why? The front page?! I mean really, there's no other news going on in Chicago or the world at large, perfect time to put someone's personal crisis on the front page of a major metropolitan publication. Makes sense to me! Feh!
Celebrity obsession is ubiquitous these days, to the point where major networks fill in the gaps of everyday accounts between nightmares and crime with whatever celebri-drama scoop people are feeding on. Essentially, the public at large is becoming the equivalent of a fourth grade class. Must be or there wouldn't be such a high demand for this nonsense. Seriously, I'm done with it. Recess!
-T
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