ETHOS

 By Paul Pennington

Orginally I had this amazing idea to post my favorite albums of 2008. When I started, I began to reminisce over this year and all of its musical disappointments and mediocrity (Common, T.I., John Legend, Robin Thicke,  Gym Class Heroes, Common, Common…Common). However, after a closer examination, I realized that there was a truly solid collection of great music that came out. Looking at incredible releases from Erykah Badu, Lil’ Wayne, Dwele, Nas, N.E.R.D., The Roots (as always), Q-Tip, and Al “Don’t Call It A Comeback” Green, 2008 was a solid year. But, generally speaking, these are names and releases that most people are aware of. So as this post was literally written and awaiting publication, I began to look at other “Best of 2008” lists and realized that every list was basically the same. I’m sorry but I just don’t get down like that. Deciding to not play in the mainstream, I figured I would rewrite the post and drop the “other” best of 2008. So I went back and looked at the musical masterpieces that flew under the radar of 2008. This is for the artists that said “motherf*** the wagon come join the band…” Download/Buy/Listen/Enjoy.

-Kay/Nicolay/Zo!/Phonte-Time:Line, Zo! and Tigallo Love The 80’s, Leave It All Behind

Apparently collabos were hot in the Justus League this year and we should all be thankful. The connection of Dutch producer Nicolay and rapper Kay dropped first with Time:Line in February, which was a great beginning to the collective of albums. It is my belief that Nicolay solely makes beats that transcend genres and just scream “NOT HIP-HOP!” and that’s why they are so powerful. On the other end Houston-rapper Kay brings a very solid flow to the tandem. The album is particularly feature heavy, which usually is not a good look. However, the album showcases many “underground” artists that deserve serious shine. Of particular interest is S1 of The Strange Fruit Project, an amazingly dope hip-hop act out of Houston.

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By Paul Pennington

This thing that we have come to understand as jazz has encompassed a variety of subgenres that have surfaced throughout musical history. Many of these outgrowths were important to the sustainment of one of America’s earliest forms of music. We can take a particular look at the musical path of the original jazz pioneers to understand the evolution of the art form. Adapting and fusing funk, jazz, electric, and rock sounds allowed for Miles Davis’ original love to sustain popularity over the fast-paced cultural explosion and expansion that is American history.

Because of this we gained the smooth jazz styling of George Benson, the funk-fueled sounds of Donald Byrd, and the jazz-inspired hip-hop skills of Digable Planets. What has been relatively absent in the present, particularly in the pop arena, are the older sounds of Hard Bop, Swing and Modal jazz. These sounds made famous by musical geniuses such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane have, in many ways, been removed from a younger audience. What can be seen and heard, however, is the emergence of a new crop of young artists that I believe will fuse the sounds of today to resurrect the sounds of old, whilst maintaining their stylistic roots. (Sidenote: Sooooo yeah…all the artists are defintely not black…but I just really love that song…and I’m black so I can do whatever I want…)

—ROBERT GLASPER—

I’ve done a good bit of gushing about the 27-year old pianist already on the blog and don’t expect me to stop anytime soon. From jazz classics (Blue Skies/Irving Berlin) to hip-hop classics (Stakes Is High/De La Soul) Glasper does it all. What is so impressive about his style is that it never strays from the cool jazz styling, a sound made popular by artists such as Bill Evans and Vince Guaraldi. Despite the onslaught of “smooth jazz” fusions, ranging from “A Smooth Sax Tribute to Marvin Gaye” to “A Smooth Jazz Tribute to Amy Winehouse” (seriously what idiot is financing these absurd projects…stop it.), Glasper keeps the music sophisticated and yet relevant. For many jazz fans his sound is akin to the percussive and simplistic playing style of jazz pianist and Pittsburgh-native (Shout Outs to the 412/724!!!!) Ahmad Jamal.

If I could have one thing in the entire world it would be a Robert Glasper J Dilla Tribute…seriously I would never listen to a single record again if that ish came out…

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By Paul Pennington

So….because we here at Ethos are a phenomenally lazy group (or just prefer to enjoy our summers) we have been dropping the ball. We probably won’t step our collective post games up until the fall (although I have a few posts collecting dust). While this makes no sense considering we will be overloaded with work in our junior years, we just like dope distractions like writing for Ethos…or Facebooking. To break the monotony of the Ethos silence I figured I would post this video of the Robert Glasper Experiment. First off Robert Glasper is probably my favorite modern jazz artist. Along with characters like Esperanza Spalding (opened for The Roots), Pimp & “Soil” Sessions (they’re from Japan-a place that still loves and respects jazz and hip-hop), and many other younger jazz artists, he is really bringing back a great musical genre. I recently bought one of his albums (if you know me you understand how extraordinary that truly is…)

For those that were there with me or happened to catch the concert at another venue, Glasper recently toured with Common and Q-Tip. He was the guy on the keys playing jazz guitarist Joe Pass’ cover of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”…which in turn was sampled by J Dilla for Q-Tip’s “Let’s Ride” (most people at the concert were confused as to what he was doing…but as a musical nerd and a huge fan of all three songs, I went through what some like to call multiple eargasms). With Glasper added to my list of musical mancrushes that I have gushed over, I’ll move on to the Robert Glasper Experiment. This musical mind trust consists of jazz artists Derrick Hodge, Chris Dave, and Casey Benjamin, and implores the talents of artists such as Mos Def, Bilal and Q-Tip. The group fuses hip-hop with jazz stylings, reminiscent of Illadelph Halflife. They do random shows all the time and if there is a god I will catch one.

This particular video is one of my all-time favorites…I almost broke down completely after hearing this live instrumental of Black Star’s “Thieves in the Night” (understanding this song is like understanding a part of me…) with the Mos Def ad libs. This is music folks…pay attention.

p.s. expect a post soon about those newer jazz artists I mentioned earlier…in the mean time google/imeem/myspace…or buy those names immediately.

p.s.s. To understand my love of Robert Glasper check out this cut of off his 2007 album In My Element…entitled “J Dillalude”…wooooooow.

By Paul Pennington

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. If you start to break it then people aren’t going to go. I’m sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music…I don’t know about it. But I’m not having Hip-Hop at Glastonbury. It’s wrong.” ~Noel Gallagher of Oasis

Looks like Jay has been taking classes with Wayne at the Guitar Hero School for Rock&Roll

This weekend Jay-Z headlined the legendary Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, much to the dismay of many diehard fans of the event. One of these haters came in the form of Oasis band member/clown Noel Gallagher. While Gallagher’s distaste with Jay-Z’s top billing is understood, it shows that he does not actually know the history of his beloved event and that he is a world-class douche.

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By Paul Pennington

As a critic of most things, I find myself shaking my head a whole lot. Thusly, I would like to introduce my first installment of the Shaking My Head Awards more commonly known as the SMH’s (get it lol, lmao, gtg…smh?). This post is actually inspired by Melissa Harris-Lacewell’s “John Brown Awards”, which coincidentally put her on the list…well done. These individuals and entities have been awarded an SMH not because I hate them or dislike them, but simply because they have recently made me shake my head in disappointment and/or utter disbelief. Sometimes I laugh afterwards and sometimes I die a little bit afterwards. Either way I applaud you all for the incomprehensible moments of absolute bewilderment that you all have provided me; leaving me to just…shake my head.

Melissa Harris-Lacewell

As noted your “John Brown Awards” are given to “white me who are down for the cause.” So far, so good. After all there’s nothing wrong with giving out awards to deserving individuals. However, giving John Edwards a “John Brown award” is like giving Ward Connerly, the “Nat Turner Award” around his work for racial uplift and commitment to the Left. Now I do appreciate the fact that you started the piece noting that it was “unauthorized” and “likely to be rejected and denounced” which takes away any anger I would have held. That does not however negate the fact that you did this…I suppose that I am no better than you either considering I am responding, albeit facetiously. But I still have to shake my head on this one Professor.

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By Paul Pennington

“I’m in your girl with her heels in the air n****”
~”Conscious” brotha from the Legendary Foundation

Now personally, I am not a huge fan of labels—in relationships, art and anything else people love to smack a label on. In hip hop music we can see labeling of “conscious” or “underground” emcees as a by-product of the commercialization of the genre. The irony in this assessment of rappers such as Common, Talib Kweli and Mos Def, is the seemingly commodified and packaged identity that these characters are given. I say this in the sense that while these particular artists do not box themselves into the packaged product akin to the “commercial” artist, the backpacking fans manage to pigeonhole their heroes into altruistic lights of positivity and revolutionary thought.

Let’s Get Free…How?….Well, um let’s um burn flags, um eating our vegetables like mommy said…that should work…yea and let’s disregard capitalization…just so the white man knows we don’t play his silly games.

I have major contentions with these notions for several reasons. The first comes in definition. Who was the linguistically-challenged (read: idiot) individual who decided that “conscious” was the proper adjective to describe this particular sect of artists. Most sources define “conscious” as being self-aware or general cognition…wtf?!?!?!?…Are we seriously going to put some people on a pedestal because they ostensibly maintain a level above a vegetative state? Well, in that case every rapper in the game, is conscious unless there is an unknown artist named LIFsupport, with the tentatively-titled Pull The Plug EP, coming this summer (don’t be the idiot who actually googles that ish…please) (more…)

By Paul Pennington

As I have told many, my mother has been the greatest musical influence in my life. When people notice my 27,000+ (I am shameless) song iTunes Library, I consider it a reflection of the wealth of knowledge that my mother gave me at a young age. What must be understood about my life is the fact that as a child we did not listen to the radio. Instead our car was inundated with the sounds of Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, Roy Ayers, and Donald Byrd. Even as I grew older my mother introduced me to Lauryn Hill (Miseducation Tour with my mom was my first concert ever…), Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige. Being a musician herself, my mother understood sounds and harmonies on a level unbeknownst to the average listener. This translated into the musical selection that she passed on to me.

Because of this, I first heard that familiar piano cadence without an accompanying drum loop. When I first heard those notes, smooth yet aggressively stroked piano notes, they were then Ahmad Jamal’s “I Love You” from his 1970 classic The Awakening. However, many of my contemporaries would understand the piece in question as Nas’ “The World Is Yours” produced by legendary producer Pete Rock. It’s moments like these that I cherish in life—I listen to a hip-hop record to find a song from my past; from music’s elongated history

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By Paul Pennington

Pull out the black nail polish and hide the sharp objects kids, The Roots have gone emo…Well not really, but The Foundation has taken their sound to a new stage of vehement expression. I suppose that we should have seen this coming.

“If I ruled the world”…Black people would def fly around chasing white people…

Considering the melancholic sound of their 2006 release, Game Theory, which was fused with more of a rock-feel than any of their prior albums, Rising Down, their most recent effort, is the next logical stop on their pathway of progression. I will admit, as I have before, that I loved Game Theory, which along with Common’s Electric Circus and Mos Def’s New Danger, was the perfect blend of hip hop and rock sounds that is able to transcend genres. Rising Down, which drops today, falls into such a category, while carving out its own niche in The Roots’ discography. I can honestly say that this is the rawest, grittiest checkpoint on their eight-album journey. The hype around the album was partially diminished considering the Roots Crew released a new track every other day. The precedent was set with the release of “75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)” followed by the more recent release of the popish “Birthday Girl” (unfortunately not on the American release) featuring Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump. Shout outs to Sasha Grey in the video…I see you girl!

Birthday Girl featuring Patrick Stump

“She has a good head on her shoulders…”

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By Paul Pennington

Well folks, unfortunately I’ve been pretty busy with papers and final as this school year ends. However, expect a new post very soon. In the mean time, I figured I would give you all something a bit more personal. The following transcript is from an email exchange between me and a young, white college female. To set the stage, I was sending out an email on the Penn SLAP listserve to coordinate our next meeting…hilarity ensues.

————————————

Paul:

So we (SLAP) are going to meet this Sunday (2/22) at 7 P.M….this is very very
extremely important…so basically show up. Seriously. The entire movement
depends on this meeting. If you don’t show up then millions of people will
perish. It is our time as elite and privileged students of an ivy league
institutions to lead these poor people to the promised land. We are the
Talented 10th the best and the brightest folks. Let’s make the movement happen.
Most importantly it’s time to fight the Man. Down with Whitey (Sorry Eric) So
grab your old negro spirituals, picket signs and costumes and meet in room ***
of Du Bois…WORKING CLASS PEOPLE UNITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. bring your kufis, africa medallions, sandals and radical/”Why I Love Black
Women” pieces for an impromptu, yet necessary poetry slam

Paul:

My apologies for offending anyone who rocks kufis, believes that they are in the
talented 10th and exclusively loves black women…It has been a very long
day…seriously though be at room *** in Du Bois this Sunday (2/24) at 7
PM…otherwise I actually will be slightly annoyed and/or openly abrasive and
hostile towards you.

MaDWhitEWoman783@ihaveadream.com:

Paul et al,

I must admit I was not only offended but disappointed in this e-mail that I assume was mistakenly sent to me. I may be, by face, a “whitey” or daughter of “the man” but, at heart, I am an activist. Furthermore, I have devoted the past two and a half years of my life to this campaign and in no way has elitism, privilege, or bigotry advanced our goals. Your university may lead you to believe that by the location of your classroom and the tens of thousands of dollars you pay them, that you are entitled to so deeply insult those who have worked to improve the conditions of their neighbors. The movement is all encompassing and work is work no matter how you are educated. I refuse to believe that since we go to a school and not an “institution” we are somehow unequal in our abilities. The labor movement is not about the “best and brightest” leading the “poor people”. It is about communion amongst people Black, White, Hispanic, poor, rich, or otherwise. Did Dr. King refuse a hand extended in friendship because it was white? Did Lucy Parsons find herself any less of a revolutionary because she married Albert? Only when we begin to look at ourselves as people and not as classifications can we progress. I hope that some of you will be attending the GROW today and that we can work as equals to do what we have come to do: attain justice.

Paul:

Well then…I suppose the right thing to do would be to lean towards the side of
optimism for the sake of reconciliation and “solidarity”. So with that in mind
I cannot simply assume that you understood my email to be completely sarcastic.
Although basically everyone else that read the email laughed at my dry wit and
what they saw as blatantly obvious sarcasm, I can not make the assumption that
you would see it that way. I suppose humor is defined by the person. I suppose
I cannot assume that one would note the sarcasm in lines such “If you don’t
show up then millions of people will perish.” and “Down with Whitey (Sorry
Eric)”, the latter literally referencing my roommate, my dear friend and most
importantly my lighter hued comrade Eric. I suppose that my references to “old
negro spirituals, picket signs and costumes” was not blatantly sarcastic enough
and for that I apologize. However, I believe that it is important to clear up
some of the contentions made in the rebuttal. I apologize for the “Down with
whitey” comment, I’m sure that stings in a place that I as a black person can
never fully understand. I apologize for not referring to Temple as an
institution, the next time I make an abrasively humorous email, I will make a
special note to call Temple an institution (although Temple was not even
relevant to the comments made in my email). I also apologize for making any
references to Penn students as the “elite”, It’s not like anyone in these
organizations have called themselves “Working Class Heroes” and thusly I should
not even joke about such elitism and romanticizing as a student. Sincerely (note
there is zero sarcasm here), we believe the exact same thing, outside
“interestingly” placed evoking of MLK I’m sure I would have written the same
type of email that you did. That is why this whole situation is utterly
perplexing. Again I cannot assume that just because everyone else understood
the email as being crazy sarcastic, including people who don’t really know me
that well, that you would either. Really it’s all love. Next meeting we can
sing the chorus of Ebony and Ivory or something I guess…(sarcasm)

.

Eric:

.

Wait…so you weren’t being serious in the part about bringing my
medallions, sandals, dashiki, and kufi? Damn it!

MaDWhitEWoman783@rainbowcoalition.com:

I understood the sarcasm. I just didn’t appreciate the joke. I’ve been burned a few too many times. I appologize for the offense.

.

FriendlywhiteMan2008@notmail.com:

.

I don’t know. I thought it was funny.

————————————

In no way was this incident fabricated or taken out of context. This ish really happened. She actually attempted to invoke the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the way only her white, liberal, “colorblind” demographic has been able to do. What I find funny is that out of everyone mentioned in my first email, (Spoken Word Poets, Black Nationalists, Elitist “Working Class Heroes, etc.) it was the young white female who took most offensive. As usually Whitey McWhiteman always has to be number one (sarcasm.) I actually love the white man. Well at least his women (sarc…on second thought never mind).

By Paul Pennington

In light of Chloe’s recent posting on California-based rapper Blu’s new video, I feel that some minor points of confusion need to be cleared up. In and around my circle of friends there has been much debate regarding Blu’s position as the best rapper in our generation; at least in the 18-25 age range. I believe that this is a fallacy of monumental proportions. It is with great pleasure that I introduce the true holder of the Hip-Hop crown: Dwayne “Lil’ Wayne” Carter. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Lil’ Wayne, affectionately known as “Weezy” is the top MC in the game, at the very least, according to Rolling Stone Magazine’s “Best of Rock” issue. In this, their most recent issue they placed Weezy at the forefront of the rap game as top spitkicker. Again for any of you that may have missed my several affirmations of the God MC: Lil’ Wayne is the best rapper alive. And I am the King of France.

I am the King of France
I am the King of France
I am the King of France
I am the King of France…

The “Lil’ Wayne Theory of Pompous Repetition” states, “If any one individual or collective body perpetuates any absurdity and/or braggadocio about the former, said statement will ultimately be deemed true.” Under this theory, one can only assume that if I continually claim to be the King of France, maybe put out some mixtapes called “The Greatest King of France Alive”, have MTVu flaunt me as the Greatest King of France Alive and hopefully get on the cover of XXL wearing an “I Am The King of France” t-shirt, I will ultimately become the King of France.

“We are all Hip Hop.” At least that’s what the white kids with dunks, book bags and “J Dilla Changed My Life” t-shirts tell me as I laugh at their commodification of a great art form (pause).

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