TAG: Ethnomusicology

Feb27

Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti (Review)

Various Artists

Black Man's Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti

Released by Now-Again Records


To begin describing the epic importance of Fela Kuti is to write a doctoral thesis on the history of African music from before his birth to the present day. To understand the impact the music of a person such as Fela is to consider the history of struggle, prejudice, racism, and political disenfranchisement as an understandable whole.  In the music of Fela Kuti, we see these positive undercurrents of political awakening, consciousness, activism, empowerment and liberation.  These values are what make the messages embedded in the work of Fela ...

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Jan13

The Whitefield Brothers – Earthology (Review)

The Whitefield Brothers

Earthology

Released by Now-Again Records


Boasting an illustrious roster of artists ranging from Edan, Quantic, MED & Percee P (on the very fitting “Reverse”), The Whitefield Brothers (previously known as the Poets of Rhythm) have engineered a masterpiece of mutated psychedelic funk through their sophomore effort Earthology.

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Dec07

Oh No – Dr. No’s Ethiopium (Review)

Oh No

Dr. No's Ethiopium

Released by Stones Throw


Ethiopian sample-based hip-hop instrumentation from Oxnard, CA?  Yes m’am, straight from the 805, Oh No aka Dr. No drops yet another classic album off Stones Throw that is sure to entertain jazz heads, hip-hop heads, culture vultures, and all those in search of a creative and pure sound—Dr. No’s Ethiopium.  Following 2007’s Oxperiment, Oh No once again comes through with a lavish and cohesive album in the vein of label mate (and brother) Madlib’s Beat Konducta Vol. 3-4: Live in India. Oh No’s impeccable beat composition shines through on ...

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