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review: 'fruitvale station' - Powerful film hits the uk on friday 6th june

4/28/2014

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PictureHanging with writer/director Ryan Coogler
In the early hours of New Year's Day 2009, Oscar Grant, a 22 year old African American, unemployed with a fiance and a young daughter, found himself pinned down on the floor of a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport) station by several police officiers in the Bay Area of California, close to San Francisco. As shocked onlookers from the train standing at the platform observed (and filmed from their phones), the unthinkable happened. The unarmed Grant was shot in the back by one of the law enforcers which culminated in his death a few hours later in hospital. This very real event is the subject of a very moving and  powerful film called 'Fruitvale Station', named after the very place where this notorious incident occurred.

Written and directed by newcomer Ryan Coogler, who himself hails from the very same Bay Area, this film is indeed a strong debut. He said the whole sad event of yet another young African American male being unlawfully killed, especially so close to his own neighbourhood, made him feel compelled to exorcize his own personal feelings through his art of film making. His approach was to look at the very last day of Oscar Grant's life, actually in a very matter-of-fact manner. We, the audience get to experience his day, without any cinematic dramatics, no heavy handed nod as to what was to come. It was all about a normal guy from the hood, trying to take care of business.


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De La Soul Release vinyl copies of mixtape for record store day

4/18/2014

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PictureDe La Soul
Tomorrow (Saturday 19th April) is officially Record Store Day worldwide, celebrating and promoting independent record shops who still believe in and sell vinyl to die-hard fans who refuse to see it die a death, inspite of the digital revolution. Without doubt, vinyl was a major component in the early development of hip hop, and in keeping with the spirit of those origins, rap group De La Soul, whose hippy type 'Daisy Age', conscious laden songs actually help change the course of the music back in the 90's, have decided to get involved in the festivities honouring the 'wax' in their typical fun-filled way.

Back on 26th March De La Soul dropped a mixtape (free to download from their website) called 'Smell The DA.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancy)' as a tribute to the renowned hip hop producer J. Dilla, who unfortunately died in 2006 due to rare blood disease. This master beatmaker made his name not only working with De La Soul, but many other hot artists which included A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu and Common. The mixtape consists of the band rapping over unreleased Dilla beats and has already created a buzz of anticipation for their first new album in 10 years, 'You're Welcome', due this summer. Especially for the occasion of Record Store Day, De La Soul have pressed up 100 vinyl copies of the instrumental version of 'Smell The DA.I.S.Y.', which they intend to sneak into certain record shops across America, Canada and the UK. 5 copies will go up on eBay, which I suppose will give fans outside of the those countries a chance to get one. Clues as to where these very limited edition records can be found are on the group's website, along with a link to several vinyl stores in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Speaking of which, my own gut feeling for the LA location is Amoeba Music on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, without doubt the number spot for vinyl in Southern California.


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nas 'time is illmatic' documentary opens Tribeca Film festival

4/17/2014

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PictureNas at The Tribeca Film Festival
They say that timing is everything, and that phrase is particularly apt for legendary hip hop figure Nas, the New York rapper who exploded onto the scene back in 1994 with his iconic debut album, 'Illmatic', which featured such classics as 'The World Is Yours', 'It Ain't Hard To Tell', 'One Love' and 'N.Y. State Of Mind'. Indeed, 'Illmatic' is generally accepted by the hip hop community and beyond as one of the greatest rap albums of all time which heralded the arrival of a brilliant new talent. Now as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of its original release, a brand new feature length documentary film, looking at Nas, from his early years in Queens housing projects to the release of 'Illmatic', has emerged, entitled 'Time Is Illmatic'.

Last night the film opened up Robert DeNiro's annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York at the Beacon Theater in mid town Manhattan. The acclaimed actor, along with his business partner Jane Rosenthal, even introduced the movie to a packed, sold out audience. Although when asked later by the press if he had any favourite Nas songs, DeNiro had to admit he was not overly familiar with the rapper's catalogue. For me, this was a very minor bump. The fact that 'Time Is Illmatic' had the seal of approval from DeNiro and his colleagues enough to open this prestigious film festival was not wasted on Nas who went on stage to publicly thank Robert DeNiro, and then added " He plays me in the movies". This documentary has been a labour of love for ten years for its director One9, who goes on to explain his name. "I grew up as a street artist - one is the beginning; nine is the completion." Having very little money meant it was a long and arduous task getting his vision to the screen, even with no involvement from Nas himself, until towards the very end of the journey. However, even One9 did not envisage his debut as a director would culminate in such a high profile occasion.


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'godfather' of house music dj frankie knuckles dies at 59

4/1/2014

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PictureFrankie Knuckles
The dance music world is in mourning on discovering the very sad news that legendary dj Frankie Knuckles passed away on 31st March, aged just 59 years of age, due to complications of Type II diabetes. This warm and very charismatic figure played a pivotal role in the world wide explosion and mainstream acceptence of the hard driving, bass heavy, pulsating rhythmic beats, usually accompanied by gospel like searing vocals that became known as House music which exploded out of the Chicago 'underground' club scene in the 1980's. However, its orgins began in New York, and in reality it was Knuckles who brought it to Chi-town.

Frankie Knuckles was born in The Bronx, and in the 1970's New York was where he cut his teeth as a dj, working in several of the city's hot 'underground' spots. He was helped by a childhood friend, the iconic Larry Levan, who would later become his mentor. They first began djing together at The Continental Baths. While Larry went on to conquer Paradise Garage, Knuckles while still popular in New York, was offered to dj at a new club, The Warehouse in Chicago in 1977, where he would have complete creative control. Levan in fact was one of the people around Knuckles who advised him to go out and there and make his own mark. This he did, djing on a regular basis, making a name for himself and building a huge following. He continued until 1982, when he left to start his own Chicago club called The Power Plant.


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    EON IRVING

     DJ, Remixer, Producer, Writer
    Involved in the music business since the very late 70's Beginning work at Island Records. DJing since the early 80's both in London and abroad, including the US and Europe. Along the way performing at many high profile events for such luminaries as Prince, Public Enemy and Lennox Lewis.
    Aside from radio and club djing, remixing and production work in the recording studio has meant working with the likes of Loose Ends, Junior Giscombe, David Morales, Gwen Guthrie, Sly & Robbie, Maxie Priest and Madonna.
    An intense lifelong love of cinema has blossomed itself in several ways including presenting to the UK public for the very first time such films as 'Boyz In The Hood', 'House Party' and 'A Rage In Harlem'.
    My passion for music, cinema and all other interests manifests itself through my writing. I am also a Contributing Editor for the music and entertainment website magazine, DeeperThe Beats  www.deeperthebeats.com



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