Monthly Digest #9: January-February 2022

RIP Traxamillion, RIP Max Julien, RIP CPO Boss Hogg, Dilla Time Book, Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, Gizo Evoracci, Amber Mark, Raveena, E-40, Bun B, Master P, Jay Rock, Nhale, Jee Van Cleef, 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, in English and in French (my native language).

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✍️ WRITINGS ✍️

KQED Arts & Culture @KQEDarts

Remembering hyphy legend Traxamillion: “It’s my loss–it’s every rapper, it’s everybody in the Bay–it’s all our loss." — @TooShort

kqed.orgRemembering Traxamillion, Whose Beats Defined the Bay Area Sound | KQEDToo $hort, Mistah F.A.B., Keak Da Sneak and more reflect on the late producer’s lasting legacy, from hyphy and beyond.

D'Andre @drejball

⁦⁦Wrote some words reflecting on ⁦@Traxamillion⁩ and what his production meant for the Bay. Made a playlist too. Peep the link. The POW Traxamillion Mix | Passion of the Weiss

passionweiss.comThe POW Traxamillion MixD’Andre Ball honors the loss of a true hyphy pioneer with an essential playlist.

NPR @NPR

Actor Max Julien, star of the classic 1973 Blaxploitation film The Mack, has died. He played opposite a young Richard Pryor in the movie.

n.prMax Julien, star of Blaxploitation classic ‘The Mack,’ has died at 88Julien starred opposite a young Richard Pryor in the 1973 movie <em>The Mack. </em>In addition to his pivotal work onscreen, he co-wrote and co-produced <em>Cleopatra Jones.</em>

Los Angeles Magazine @LAmag

Named one of @Longreads top picks of the week: After surviving a lifetime of brutal obstacles, the 28-year-old rap star was stabbed to death backstage by a mob of anonymous invaders just before a concert. buff.ly/3qMVHMe

AFH @ambrosia4heads

Rest in Power to CPO Boss Hogg. He worked with Tupac, Snoop, MC Ren and others ambrosiaforheads.com/2022/01/cpo-bo…

Cengiz @CengizYar

"nearly everyone interviewed for this story identified demos that can’t be found online... The magic of the internet, of course, is that these rarities may very well resurface shortly after this article is published." @mosreeves @pitchfork

pitchfork.comThe Race to Save Hip-Hop’s Lost ErasWhy are early rap recordings so hard to find, and what does the ideal historical archive look like?

Max Bell @TheeMaxB

BounceBackMeek. One of the best in Stockton rap’s first golden age. Grim slaps made to shake the rear-views of cars that don’t brake for red lights. Spoke w/ @MeekBlood2900 about what his success means to his Cambodian community in Louis Park for @SPIN.

spin.comBounceBackMeek’s West Side Story​​​​Blue Chips is a monthly rap column that highlights exceptional rising rappers. To read previous columns, click here. If you know Stockton,

Max Bell @TheeMaxB

Profiled @nhaleTNE, Nate Dogg’s son & one of LA’s most promising rappers, for @theLAndmagazine. He pens neo-G-funk that tempers ice-hearted macking w/ romance. We discussed his rough journey from division 1 football star to preserving his dad’s legacy. thelandmag.com/nhale-the-next…

Dhruva Balram @dhruvabalram

I had a v honest & transparent conversation with @raveena_aurora recently for @Dazed where we touched upon the themes which twirl throughout her latest album as well as how she still feels pigeonholed in an industry coming to grips with her artistry

dazeddigital.comWelcome to Raveena’s desi-futurist utopiaThe genre-bending musician opens up about her new album, the power of heartbreak, and the ‘lazy and reductive’ way her art has been categorised

🐊 SwampDiggers 🐊 @SwampDiggers

Entretien ✍️ Avec plus de trente ans d’expérience dans le Rap, Jee Van Cleef a eu l’occasion de s’essayer, à peu près, à tout ce qui touche à cette musique

swampdiggers.comJee Van CleefAvec plus de trente ans d’expérience dans le Rap, Jee Van Cleef a eu l’occasion de s’essayer, à peu près, à tout ce qui touche à cette musique. D’un bout à l’autre de la chaîne, de l’écriture au mastering, ce parcours fait de lui un personnage plutôt singulier dans le paysage français. Enfant de la…

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📚 BOOKS 📚

Dan Charnas @dancharnas

What's the big deal about J Dilla? DillaTimeBook.com

Dan Charnas @dancharnas

"Educational without being overbearing, emotional without turning saccharine, Dilla Time is a must-read not only for fans of Yancey, but anyone with a deep love for hip-hop or Black music, full stop." — @ringer

theringer.com‘Dilla Time’: A Journey Deep Inside the Legend of J DillaDan Charnas, the author of the new book ‘Dilla Time,’ discusses the life and work of the legendary hip-hop producer and why music journalism doesn’t often allow for this kind of storytelling

Okayplayer @okayplayer

.@dancharnas spent years writing ‘Dilla Time,’ interviewing over 200 friends, family and collaborators. We spoke to Charnas about his new book, Dilla’s relationship with Q-Tip, and wanting to recenter Slum Village and Fantastic Vol. 2 in Dilla's legacy: bit.ly/34ep15A

Otto Von Biz Markie @Passionweiss

Dan Charnas wrote another essential work of hip-hop history w/ his latest "Dilla Time." @soundsommelier interviews him about his early years at The Source, working as A&R at Profile & for Rick Rubin, and of course, the legend of James Yancey passionweiss.com/2022/02/03/an-… @dancharnas

passionweiss.comAn Interview With Dan Charnas, Author of the New Book ‘Dilla Time’In his new book, Dan Charnas takes a deep dive into J Dilla’s singular genius as an inventor of completely new rhythmic structures.

New York Times Music @nytimesmusic

J Dilla wasn’t known to give many interviews, and his influence has grown exponentially since his 2006 death. “Dilla Time” by Dan Charnas explores what drove him.

nyti.msJ Dilla Was a Revered Rap Producer. A New Book Deepens His Legacy.The Detroit musician wasn’t known to give many interviews, and his influence has grown exponentially since his 2006 death. “Dilla Time” by Dan Charnas explores what drove him.

Los Angeles Times @latimes

“Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm,” by bestselling author @dancharnas, vividly outlines the ways in which J Dilla shifted the notion of rhythm in the digital age.

latimes.comStudio fights, ghost stories and more revelations in bestselling new bio on producer J DillaJ Dilla’s precisely imperfect beats changed rhythm in the digital age. Now, though he never produced a top 10 record, his bio debuted in the top 10 of most major bestseller lists.

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🎙️ PODCASTS 🎙️

stony island audio @StonyIslandPods

As part of Dilla Week 2022, @Questionshiphop is joined by 'Dilla Time' author, @dancharnas and former guest/Detroit hip hop luminary, @Franknitt. The duo recount Dilla stories and Dan puts his hip hop knowledge to the test. Lots of overall Dilla geeking out in this one. Out Now🎤

Dad Bod Rap Pod @DadBodRapPod

RIP to my brother Traxamillion. We have been good friends/musical collaborators since the mid 90's. He put our hometown San Jose on the Bay Area music map. Trax was a fan of the podcast too. In that spirit I wanted to share this interview. -DEM open.spotify.com/episode/7tmvgX…

22H22 @22h22Media

Aujourd'hui je suis super heureux de lancer mon nouveau projet 'Audiography, le podcast de curiosité musicale'. J'y parle musique et de la curiosité qu'elle déclenche pour moi. Le 1er épisode raconte l'histoire du morceau 'Let Me Ride' de Dr. Dre. linktr.ee/Audiography

brandon / jinx / big jinx @brandonjinx

NO SKIPS WITH JINX AND SHEA 🚫⏭💿 Ep 31: Jay Rock "Redemption"🤲🏾 We talk Jay Rock's foundational role in TDE, when serious people have fun, Kendrick showing up for his friend, and why Future has the best guest verse (of course he does) LISTEN: open.spotify.com/episode/3kCqkn…

Konbini France @KonbiniFr

Du World Class Wreckin' Cru, en passant par N.W.A. , Death Row, The Chronic, 2001, Beats ou encore le Superbowl 2022… On vous dit tout sur la carrière du légendaire rappeur et producteur : spoti.fi/3C0MO5L

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👀 VIDEOS 👀

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