Slum Village
Fantastic, Vol. 2
GoodVibe, 2000
Bonus Cut
"Hip-hop is just the tip of the iceberg"
Monthly Archives: March 2014
Bonus Cut Films Presents: An Interview With James Gardin (Part One)
via blatpack.com
If you’re at all familiar with Michigan hip-hop and Michigan music in general, then the name James Gardin (fka P.H.I.L.T.H.Y.) is commonplace. As one of Lansing’s premier music icons for the last decade, James has shown how to get down, how to dance, how to properly enjoy a live show, how to fight for a cause and how to live in general. More than that though, James has fueled the hip-hop community beneficially in other ways. Working with Michigan State’s MRULE and various other youth programs to donate art workshops, not to mention spending time in South Africa teaching kids with HIV/AIDS music and uniting them through it, James has never stopped being an influential and important figure in his community.
Musically, James has opened for the likes of Talib Kweli, The Cool Kids, Grieves and The Pack. He was also recently named one of Rapzilla’s Freshman of 2014.
Today we’re excited to unveil part one of our interview with the man himself! Check out the video below, and don’t forget to check out James’ pages and music!
For more on James Gardin:
James Gardin on Soundcloud
James Gardin on BandCamp
@JamesGardin on Twitter
An Emotional Night of Hip-Hop’s Finest: Freddie Gibbs & Madlib at The Metro
By: Daniel Hodgman
It was around 7pm on Friday when I found myself walking along Addison Street in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood when I stopped at the Clark Street junction. In front of me, basking in the city’s aura, was Wrigley Field. The bright red lights had seized me, and for a couple of minutes I was in complete awe. Being new in a city is something I’ve experienced before, but I feel it’s a completely different circumstance for cities like Chicago. There are so many landmarks, and so many spacious areas to explore, and maybe in due time I’ll pass by without even stopping to steal a glance, but that night I had to take it all in. I was starstruck, and boy was I about to be starstruck all night.
Taking a left on Clark, I quickly hopped in line at the Metro, one of Chicago’s patented music venues, and as I stood there in a complete haze, I had no idea what was about to rush over me. On the Metro’s large venue sign in the front it simply read: 3/7/14 Freddie Gibbs & Madlib.
Bonus Cut Poetry: “ode to my father” By Ariel Kaplowitz
This is Bonus Cut Poetry, a series that features original poems by Bonus Cut staff, artists and YOU! In this series, our mission is to bring people together in poetry, share stories and display wonderful artistic pieces. If you would like to have your poems in the next Bonus Cut Poetry installment, just email us at bonuscut@gmail.com
This installment features guest-writer Ariel Kaplowitz.
Bonus Cut Poetry: “#facade” By That Sweatpants Kid
This is Bonus Cut Poetry, a series that features original poems by Bonus Cut staff, artists and YOU! In this series, our mission is to bring people together in poetry, share stories and display wonderful artistic pieces. If you would like to have your poems in the next Bonus Cut Poetry installment, just email us at bonuscut@gmail.com
This installment features Bonus Cut’s own That Sweatpants Kid.
Women, Hip-Hop and the Arab Spring: Sawtuha In The Context of Middle Eastern History
By: Gus Navarro
A little over a month ago, Jakarta Records put out an album called Sawtuha. Translated from Arabic, Sawtuha means “Her Voice” and is the end result of a two-week studio session in which women from the center of the Arab World, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria, put their experiences from the Arab Spring into song. Sawtuha is a refreshingly eclectic mix that combines western influenced hip-hop beats with traditional Arab music. With some production from Oddisee and Olof Driejer of The Knife, Sawtuha stands as an example of how hip-hop music can be used alongside more regional sounds from anywhere in the world to create music that is new and beautiful. Sawtuha is worth the listen for this reason alone. However, there is a larger historical context that surrounds the political involvement of women in the Arab world and the artists that took part in the creation of the album that should be addressed. Because of this, Sawtuha is one of, if not the most important records that will be released this year.
Album Review: “Oxymoron” by Schoolboy Q
Pete Havlatka
Since the beginning of hip-hop music, rappers have stepped into the arena with their respective crews. Before Dr. Dre came N.W.A. Before Busta Rhymes took over the world, Leaders of the New School did its damn thing. *NSYNC had millions of girls screaming at them on stage, but only Justin Timberlake rose to equal—or perhaps greater—fame as a solo artist. Counting all of music as a whole, Stevie Nicks, who apparently is a woman, rode dirty with Fleetwood Mac for years before amassing eight—count ‘em, EIGHT—Grammy nominations after she set off on her own. Freddie Mercury was THE GREATEST before he died of AIDS. I may have already gotten off-track, but my point is that when a member of a group or collective goes solo, typically that first member to go solo is the most successful. That’s why Dr. Dre has his own line of headphones, while Eazy E is… oh, shit—he died of AIDS, too? Damn!
Anyway, in this case we have Top Dawg Entertainment, starring its undisputed ring leader, Kendrick Lamar, who – in my opinion – is one of the few MCs in history who can be so highly esteemed without being even remotely overrated. The man spits blazing unicorn cocks out of his mouth when he raps. Yes, that’s a good thing, and yes, he’s that good. Deal with it.
Also in the TDE stable are MCs Ab-Soul, Jay Rock and the focus of this piece, Schoolboy Q. All are talented, sure—otherwise they wouldn’t likely be part of the Black Hippie tribe at all—but the reason they didn’t bat lead-off for their team is, presumably, because Kendrick Lamar is better, which isn’t hard to fathom because of the aforementioned unicorn cocks. Still, after K-Dot, Schoolboy Q is next up to bat with the newly released Oxymoron, and he certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Bonus Cut 