Donuts Are Forever

Bodega Radio – Jan 22nd

TODAY on Bodega Radio Friday, January 22nd, 1-4PM EST on www.pncradio.fm *DONUTS ARE FOREVER We sit down with Dee Phunk from Rare Form to talk about the upcoming Dilla tribute party - Donuts Are Forever *Salute Uncle Ralph Angela McKenzie comes to DUMBO to talk about her Black History Month Tribute to Uncle Ralph McDaniels *FELA Special mix from Bodega Fam DJ NessDigi. Ness will be rocking the best from the original Black President. Get your Afro Beat and Funk on this afternoon. —--------- Brooklyn Bodega Radio Hosted by Bodega Prez, Wes Jackson ------------------------------- Brooklyn Bodega Radio Fridays 1-4pm EST on www.pncradio.fm

Bodega Approved – Jan 22nd

New Baatin mixtape from Wajeed

Check out this banging mix from Bling 47 and Bodega Fam Wajeed (My nigga Wajigga got beats by the pound) Download Here

Ma Dukes and Dilla’s Heirs Win the Legal Battle Over Estate

Great news. Ma Dukes and Dilla's heirs have finished a year-long battle with the estate's executors to retain full control. It's a great day and much deserved. From Okayplayer... "We received good word in an email from the homey Jeff at Stones Throw last night that Ma Dukes and J Dilla's other heirs have recently succeeded in their legal battle against the executors of J Dilla's estate. The previous executors have resigned and a new administrator has been appointed who is looking forward to working closely with the family throughout the process...Be on the lookout for an official statement from the new executors of the J Dilla estate, coming soon."

Donuts Are Forever 3

Rare Form proudly presents DONUTS ARE FOREVER 3 www.rareformnyc.com | www.donutsareforever.com a lupus awareness fundraiser + a tribute to a Detroit legend Saturday, February 7th, 2009 @ Public Assembly - 70 N 6th Street btw Wythe & Kent Avenues (Williamsburg, BK) Trains: L to Bedford Avenue www.publicassemblynyc.com Doors 10pm / 21+ w/ ID - ARRIVE EARLY! 2 rooms of music provided by DJ CENTER | www.pushthefader.com DJ PARLER | www.djparler.com DJ MYLES | www.myspace.com/djmyles DJ BRAINCHILD | www.onesoulfulnegro.com SUCIO SMASH | www.myspace.com/suciosmash along with our very special guests WAAJEED | www.bling47.com GE-OLOGY | www.myspace.com/geologymusic live silkscreened limited edition tees by Hustlenomics (while supplies last) $5 MINIMUM DONATION AT THE DOOR! (more encouraged, please give) your generous donations will go to benefit the Alliance for Lupus Research | www.lupusresearch.org additional love & support provided by Fusicology | www.fusicology.com Okayplayer | www.okayplayer.com Brooklyn Bodega | www.brooklynbodega.com Hustlenomics | www.hustlenomics101.com Rappers I Know | www.rappersiknow.com Tone | www.photobytone.com Mel D. Cole | www.villageslum.com Mary Pryor (We Fancy)

Dilla Videos

Nah, wasn't me what's up with the three screw? get out the way Tone coulda told ya that clone shit is over

Native Tongue Week Part 4 – The Children

The heirs to the Native Tongue throne is a long list. Little Brother, Consequence, Black Star, Bush Babees, Mos Def, Slum Village, Talib Kweli, Butta Verses, The Pharcyde, Truth Enola, Souls Of Mischief and the list goes on. There are also many impostors. Groups who use a vague affiliation as a marketing ploy. Then there are those like Lupe Fiasco who shun the affiliation despite obvious parallels. An analysis of all the heirs would take more time than I have to spend on this piece. Of all the younger groups who claim affiliation we will focus on two: Mos Def and Slum Village. The latter because of the very clear endorsement via Q-Tip’s verse on “Hold Tight” from Fantastic Vol. 2 “I’m out now this is the last time to cheer me…I’m a leave it in the hands of the Slum now.” And although Mos did not receive such a verbal blessing his amount of work with core Native Tongue cornerstones De La Soul and Tribe put him ahead of the pack. Another reason why I focus on these two is they took the Native Tongue aesthetic and moved it forward. So much so that in many cases the teachers became the students. Slum Village and Mos Def both influenced Q-Tip and A Tribe Called Quest heavily. While groups like Little Brother built their career on reminding us of the Native Tongue sound and energy, Mos and The S created a unique sound based on the Native Tongues. This is not meant to take anything away from Little Brother as I applaud them for embracing their Hip-Hop heritage. Even by their name they pay homage to those who came before them. This level of humility is rarely seen in Hip-Hop. But for today we are going to discuss The Mighty Mos, Dilla Dog, RL Altman III and Baatin Rasul Rasi. Mos Def was rolled out almost as the son of De La Soul sort of like how Run was the son of Kurtis Blow. “Big Brother Beat” from ‘Stakes Is High’ was Mos’ re-introduction after the short lived group UTD that was signed to Payday Records. His status as the #1 draft pick was cemented by the mere fact that ‘Big Brother Beat’ was far from the best record on the album but we all went ga-ga over him anyway. He was a key part of the De La camp in a time when the Native Tongue crew had lost much of its shine and members. He single-handedly resurrected the vibe. And what made it better Mos was one of us. A kid from Brooklyn who grew up listening to these classic records. Probably rhyming in the mirror, lip syncing to ‘Me, Myself, and I’ and rewinding the “Scenario” video to get a tally of all the stars. He was living the dream and his effervescent charisma breathed a new life into Hip-Hop. After his initial affiliation with De La, Mos began to run with Q-Tip. While Mos became the rock star that Tip was, it is Mos’ influence on Tip that is most important for this discussion. Listening to the shelved “Kamaal The Abstract” album and you can help but think that the new singing Q-Tip spent a lot of time with the singing Mos Def. That same vibe has carried through on Q-Tip’s latest, the exceptional “Renaissance.” Similar to Latifah as we discussed yesterday Mos has eclipsed his mentors in many ways. Mos’ has produced two incredible albums, his solo “Black On Both Sides” and the collaboration with Talib Kweli “Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star.” He is a movie star…I guess. At least he is the best rapper/actor out. No matter how you slice it Mos is a star. Certainly bigger than the MC’s who put him on. As for Slum Village. Their influence on the neo Native Tongue sound may be the loudest. Jay Dee himself crafted many of the latter Tribe hits as a part of the Ummah. He co-produced the distinctly non Native Tongue chit “Vivrant Thing.” After the fire that destroyed Q-Tip’s stash of beats, records, and equipment Tip leaned on Jay Dee even more. “Beats, Rhymes, and Life” and “The Love Movement” were the products of the new responsibility to carry the Native Tongue torch that was thrust on Jay Dee. Coincidentally, as much we love Jay Dee and respect his work these two albums are widely recognized as the two weakest from the ATCQ five album discography of original work. The hard snares and minimalist sound that defines so many neo-Native Tongue-ers all goes back to Jay Dee. He and Slum Village are the link in the chain. 9th Wonder is more a descendant of Jay Dee than Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad or DJ Mark the 45 King. The Roots, Common, D’Angelo, Badu and other extended members of the Neo-Native Tongue sound rarely worked with any original members outside of Q-Tip. But they all worked intimately with Jay Dee. He produced Common’s best work (along with No I.D. in the early years. His Kanye stuff comes in third for me). He was a part of the Soulquarians that simply dominated the non-commercial sound in the early 2000’s with the aforementioned Common, The Roots, Jill Scott and more. However, the most important part of the Jay Dee/Slum Village legacy was the album “Fantastic Vol.2.” As good as Mos Def’s first solo was this is the only record by a neo-Native Tongue-er that rivaled the classics of the masters. “Vol.2” should be mentioned in conversations with “Midnight Marauders” or “Three Feet High and Rising.” It is the record that Q-Tip tried to make starting with “Beats…” and ending with “Amplified.” It is the record Common was trying to make with “One Day It Will All Make Sense” and “Like Water For Chocolate.” And there is no doubt that Phonte, Pooh, and 9th Wonder spent much time with it. It is a wonderful expansion of the laid back vocal style of Afrika, the reclusive coolness of Q-Tip, the playful ‘I don’t take myself so seriously’ vibe of De La Soul, the machismo bravado of Black Sheep and the innovative use of samples a la Prince Paul. It is the standard for this generation. Slum Village put Detroit on the map in a way that the Great White Hope could not. There is now a whole new generation connected to Jay Dee – Black Milk, Slum Village, Phat Kat, House Shoes, Invincible and more. None have quite broken through but there time is coming. So here is to the 2nd generations. Fans turned legends.

Dilla article in vibe

via Stones Throw THREE YEARS AFTER HIS UNTIMELY DEATH, J DILLA'S BEATS AND REPUTATION LOOM EVER LARGER OVER HIP HOP. BUT FOR HIS MOTHER - WHO NURSED THE VISIONARY PRODUCER THROUGH A CHRONIC ILLNESS AND HAS WATCHED HIS ESTATE LANGUISH IN LIMBO - THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES. BY KELLEY LOUISE CARTER