Monthly Digest #4: August 2021

OutKast, Aaliyah, UGK, 112, RIP Lee Scratch Perry, BLK ODYSSY, a l l i e, J-Swift, Archibald Slim, Sabrina Claudio, Damian Lillard, Memphis Rap Tapes, Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap, etc.

Welcome to the latest edition of my monthly digest where I share cool and interesting stuff I’ve been reading, watching or listening to lately.

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✍️ WRITINGS ✍️

Micro-Chop @micro_chop

5) Tracing OutKast’s obsession with space Dazed looks at the ATLiens’ cosmic narratives following André 3000’s appearance in 'High Life' Article by @lexi_mana via @Dazed

dazeddigital.comTracing OutKast’s obsession with spaceSpace is the Place: we look at the ATLiens’ cosmic narratives following André 3000’s appearance in High Life

Micro-Chop @micro_chop

10) 11 Things You Might Not Know About Outkast's 'ATLiens' Article by @AndresWrites via @billboard

billboard.com11 Things You Might Not Know About Outkast’s ‘ATLiens’Outkast’s “ATLiens” was more than just an album, it was an invasion. Since its release on Aug. 27, 1996, the set has become one of the hip-hop’s most celebrated opuses. Here are some facts about the album that some earthlings might not know.

Micro-Chop @micro_chop

18) 20 Years, 20 Questions: Big Boi Reconnects With OutKast’s ‘ATLiens’ Daddy Fat Sax reminisces about the making of his and André 3000's breakout sophomore album. Article by @CorbinReiff via @SPIN spin.com/2016/08/outkas…

Max Bell @TheeMaxB

UGK’s Ridin’ Dirty turned 25. A Southern rap masterpiece, Pimp C & Bun B captured the many ills of hustling while riding in candy-painted slabs & jamming Screw. I talked to the album’s co-producer @officialnojoe & wrote about my favorite Texas rap album.

theringer.comHow UGK’s ‘Ridin’ Dirty’ Went From Afterthought to a Crown Jewel of Southern RapExploring Pimp C and Bun B’s magnum opus, 25 years later

Reverb @reverb

Whether you first heard these beats + flows on cassette in the '90s, or you got served a ton of #ScaryGarry vids on TikTok last winter... ...there is a LOT to say about the profound impact of Memphis rap tapes. ✍️ : @ginosorcinelli

reverb.comThe Rise of Memphis Rap TapesStax samples, horror scores, live synths, and 808s—in ’90s Memphis, it all combined into atmospheric sound collages.

B L K O D Y S S Y @blkodyssy

Much love to @AltPress for covering our new record 🙏🙏 altpress.com/features/blk-o…

altpress.comBLK ODYSSY explores Black American joy and sorrow with ‘BLK VINTAGE’BLK ODYSSY is placing activism at the forefront of his artistry on his debut record, ‘BLK VINTAGE.’ The new record dropped Aug. 27.

Yung Yemi @YungYemi

a l l i e Talks Travel, Ancestral Ties, and Musical Rebirth on Her New Album ‘Tabula Rasa’ @alliemoves ⚡✨⚡✨

complex.coma l l i e Talks Travel, Ancestral Ties, and Musical Rebirth on Her New Album ‘Tabula Rasa’Toronto R&B singer-songwriter a l l i e opens up about starting a new chapter on her sophomore album “Tabula Rasa,” which is an international love letter.

Яandall 🎧 Яoberts @LilEdit

Lee Perry worked as a laborer when he had a vision: ‘By throwing stones to stones I start to hear sounds. When the stones clash, I hear like the thunder clash, I hear the lightning flash, and I hear words & I don’t know where the words [were] coming from.’

latimes.comImagination, razor blades and ganja: How Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry changed the sound of popular musicLee “Scratch” Perry, who produced landmark recordings for Bob Marley and helped invent dub music at his famed Black Ark studios, died Sunday at age 85.

Otto Von Biz Markie @Passionweiss

In 2015, J-Swift, the Inglewood producer behind "Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde" was deported. This is the tragic tale of his attempt to fight the shattered Kafka-like immigration system, re-enter America, and reunite with his family. By @TheeMaxB

thelandmag.comThe Bizarre and Tragic Ride of J Sw!ft - theLAndIn the early ’90s, J Swift’s life took a turn for the worse, sending him on a tragic ride that was only halted by a fateful deportation in 2015. Today, he continues to be hopeful and work to mitigate the mistakes of his past and create a brighter future for his children.

Patrick Lyons @P_Lyons_

Spoke with the one and only @archibaldmygovt about his long hiatus from music, the dynamics of Awful Records, and his bracing new album My first for @Passionweiss

passionweiss.comThe Ballad of Archibald SlimAfter a near five-year hiatus, Archibald Slim returns to lead us through the ups and downs of the realist philosophy.

Natelegé Whaley @natelege_

I wrote about Aaliyah’s legacy🕊 for @BitchMedia. “She lived and breathed duality: the swag of hip hop and the sensuality of R&B; a voice that delivered softness but still exerted power; a confident but never haughty aura.” bitchmedia.org/article/reflec…

bitchmedia.org20 Years Later, Aaliyah Is Still an OriginalShe is still the patron saint of R&B-pop.

Brandon Caldwell @_brandoc

for my debut with @EW, i wrote about the staying power of Aaliyah's #OneInAMillion - how the album focuses on a 17-year-old seeking her own identity and with the help of The Superfriends (@Timbaland, @MissyElliott, Static Major) set a course for modern R&B

ew.comHow Aaliyah’s ‘One in a Million’ set the blueprint for modern R&BA unique individuality lies at the heart of the late singer’s sophomore effort, which is finally available to stream

Rated R&B @RatedRnB

In honor of the 25th anniversary of 112's (@theofficial112) self-titled debut album, here's a look back at the R&B classic with exclusive commentary from Slim and Mike.

ratedrnb.comRevisiting 112′s Debut Album: 25 Years LaterThe intro on 112’s eponymous debut album is a clear-cut example of what to expect on the 19-track effort: heartfelt ballads, liquifying harmonies, and noteworthy vocal performances. These elements would serve as the groundwork for one of the most essential listening experiences of the last 25 years.…

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📚 BOOKS 📚

PopMatters @PopMatters

The 'Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap' is a brilliant and expansive look at one of the most popular and important art forms of the last half-century. #hiphop #HipHopMusic #rap #History #PMPick out now via @Folkways. popm.at/3gqhXWI

Smithsonian Folkways @Folkways

The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap is officially out today! Produced in collaboration with @NMAAHC, this first-of-its-kind multimedia collection chronicles the musical and cultural revolution of hip-hop from 1979 to 2013. #SmithsonianHipHop 💿 smarturl.it/smithsonianhip…

Smithsonian Magazine @SmithsonianMag

The @smithsonian Anthology of Hip Hop and Rap tracks the evolution of the genre from its music to its culture and to its people. @NMAAHC @Folkways #SmithsonianHipHop

ow.lyChronicling Hip-Hop’s 45-Year Ascendance as a Musical, Cultural and Social PhenomThe groundbreaking box set “Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap” features 129 tracks, liner notes and an illustrated 300-page compendium

huck @HUCKmagazine

This is a journey into sound...

huckmag.comThe anthology celebrating 45 years of hip hop and artA newly-released multimedia collection chronicles the growth of hip hop and its surrounding culture from the parks of the Bronx to its becoming a global phenomenon.

VANITY FAIR @VanityFair

The curator behind the Smithsonian's Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap—a nine-disc collection with an accompanying 300-page book—explains how they distilled the narrative of hip-hop's origins and its mainstream breakthrough.

vntyfr.comThe ‘Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap’ Explains Why Hip-Hop Conquered the WorldOne of the project’s curators, Dr. Dwandalyn Reece, explains why the ambitious box set was intended to go beyond a greatest-hits collection.

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🎙️ PODCASTS 🎙️

Crate 808 @Crate808

🚨 New episode Talking @Outkast’s ATLiens album with @sarocthemc 🔥 We also dive into her superb Sharecroppers Daughter record, talk Black Thought and so much more! Apple: apple.co/3bQj66y Spotify: spoti.fi/3kx0JYq YouTube: bit.ly/37UVzR3

Crate 808 @Crate808

🚨 New ‘Best 3-Album Run’ episode @TheCompanyMan breaks down @Outkast’s Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, ATLiens and Aquemini - expect dope insight and love for the rap aliens 👽 Apple: apple.co/3tY2jXv Spotify: spoti.fi/3rSCNRK YouTube: bit.ly/3b89bJh

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👀 VIDEOS 👀

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