Audio Gumbo is a supporter and fan of The Remix on WRFG 89.3 FM, so it was an absolute honor to be asked to provide the soundtrack for the #BrittanyWhitneyTakeover segment from 12-2am. Co-host Brittany brought me on to share some Audio Gumbo flava and feed her listeners some sonic goodness. As always with AG, the goal is to expose, entertain and hip y’all to some dope, funky shit. Listen to the exclusive playlist below and download the full episode of The Remix here!
Y’all. Okayplayer just dropped some heavy, heavy news. I’m talmbout so heavy, it’ll make your head spin from the weight of it all. Amerigo Gazaway, returns to reign majestically with an epic fusion from his new series “Soul Mates”–Yasiin Gaye.
Building the album’s foundation from deconstructed samples of Gaye’s Motown classics, Gazaway re-orchestrates the instrumentation into new productions within a similar framework. Carefully weaving Bey’s dense raps and Gaye’ soulful vocals over his new arrangements, the producer delivers a quality far closer to Gaye’s famous duets than that of a “mashup” album.
Yes, that’s the mighty Mos, now known as Yasiin Bey and the Soul Gawd Marvin Gaye. As one. Together. The full project will drop on February 25th but you can listen to the track below and download it here.
Out of New Orleans comes one of the city’s most renowned and respected traditional jazz bands, Preservation Hall. The band has teamed up with the incomparable pianist Allen Toussaint, Trombone Shorty and newly transplanted New Orleanian Yasiin Bey to bring a toe-tappin’, second-linin’ good time to a protest song. Creative director of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band Ben Jaffe told Rolling Stone, “Yasiin’s words are brilliant. I love that it’s a protest song that makes people dance. Those are the best kind.” “It Ain’t My Fault,” recorded at Carnegie Hall in January, will be released on St. Peter and 57th Street on Sept. 25th.
Rolling Stone holds the goods, so you can stream it there. I found some footage from the concert, which you can check out below.
Lawd have mercy, I’m on a Mannie Fresh beat. -Yasiin Bey
Yes, that’s right. Yasiin Bey fka Mos Def has teamed up with New Orleans hitmaker Mannie Fresh. Quite unexpected but nonetheless anticipated, the Brooklynite has made a new home in the Crescent City and put it in his mind to go ahead and make some new music there as well. Befittingly so, he’s linked up with Mannie Fresh, Cash Money alumni and consummate New Orleans dj. Bey seems to have a soft heart when it comes to N.O. culture. He, along with a host of others, lent his talents to Mark Ronson’s interpretation of New Orleans jazz with “A La Modeliste.”
From the videos below, the Bey/Fresh project, titled “OMFGODBKNOLA,” looks like it’s about to stir some shit up.
Act 1:
Act 2:
Keep up with the project at http://www.omfgodbknola.com/
Spotted at Okayplayer
I’ve been very intrigued by Mos Def’s name change to his Muslim and legal name Yasiin Bey. Mostly, my intrigue comes from what impetus encouraged Bey to drop the pseudonym and share his chosen name with the world. In this article from Scott Korb, the journalist delves quite deep into Yasiin Bey’s history of hip hop and Islam. I’m not sure if there are those that believe that the MC is some fly-by-night Muslim, but that’s quite the contrary. According to Korb, Bey is one of the most recognizable Muslims in pop culture since boxing great Muhammad Ali. For anyone that has followed Ali’s career and conversion to Islam, it’s a very telling comparison. Ali was a staunch Muslim, displaying this in instances such as his refusal to join the Armed Forces. The artist formerly known as Mos Def has taken such sociopolitical stands through his music, integrating his beliefs with his passion. Although lengthy, the article is a great read and shines some light on the struggle between one’s perceived self and one’s true self.
The artist formerly known as Mos Def has dropped some crazy shit for your eyes to behold. Directed by himself and Set Free, the video is steeped in images of rebellion, tyranny, unrest, social and political injustices, the occupy movements, the big banks and fights for civil rights. Add that to Yasiin’s prominent presence in the studio and the powerfully insightful lyrics, the rapper single-handedly denounces the frivolousness of the one percent. As much as I dig the words, I’m loving the visuals even more.
"Doctors say I'm the illest/I ain't got no insurance"
Yasiin Bey FKA Mos Def is on some “stay woke” on this one. While Jay and ‘Ye are boasting on passport stamps and Margiela, I appreciate Yasiin touching on blue-collar, 99% issues. According to Soul Culture, this cut is off an upcoming mixtape Top 40 Underdog, where the emcee does his thing over top 40 hits. One thing I can always say about Mos Yasiin, he’s consistent in his message. Remain humble, “don’t get caught up in no throne,” and pay attention.
“all that we are, all that we got, make up the pieces, put it in a pot”
Not too many things compare to the feeling of hearing a good tune. Music that evokes a myriad of emotions–whether from a low-end or a high-end–has always had a place in my consciousness. As you’ll come to realize (hopefully *smile*), my tastes in music is ever-changing, but my love is unconditional. “Audio Gumbo” is the brewing of all the sounds I’ve grown to care for. If you’ve ever had good gumbo, you know it’s a mixture of many delicious ingredients, blended with love and meticulous care. That’s what music is to me. Hip hop, soul, funk, jazz, R&B, reggae, zydeco and all that’s slid in-between, I embrace them with understanding, openness and vulnerability.
Below, there waits a sample of the “gumbo” of many of the genres I really dig. So, again, thanks for stopping by. Funk it out, y’all.
Audio Gumbo 