If there was one thing we could learn from the industry, it’s that success is a bitch. A big ass, overweight bitch that will eat you out of the house and home that she built you. We see artists blow up like party favors and disappear like point guards at Memphis on a regular basis. It’s no longer surprising for a rapper bouncing his feet against that silly suede couch, sitting in between Julissa and Terrence (106& Park) promoting their new album, and a year later be working full time at the post office licking stamps. Most artists just aren’t built for that type of pressure. However, Our main man Drake rose to the occasion, and showed some sac on this second album.
Maybe not officially, but So Far Gone was served and digested as Drake’s debut album. It was how we got to know Drake and most certainly the rubric of comparison for his later work. Easily one of the best bodies of music in the last ten years, it was followed up by a, safely played, Thank me Later. It’s easy to go platinum when you have the biggest buzz since Curtis in ‘03 and put out a compilation album with Hip Hop’s ’92 Dream Team. Although an economic success, generating record sales of platinum status and yielding hyper profitable tours across the globe, for those who do this music shit, who live it and breath it, TML was not the self-proclaimed classic that Drake said it was. It was just another album that you got out of your system in a few months. It lacked the timeless adhesive used to assemble So Far Gone. October’s Very Own rushed through that album like 2 grams on the tour bus. Months after the album was released, Drake acknowledged this himself, “Thank Me Later was a rushed album, I didn’t get to take the time that I wanted to on that record, I rushed a lot of the songs and sonically, I didn’t get to sit with the record, it was like once it was done, it was like its done.” Drake said in a sit down with 1Xtra’s DJ Semtex. Time, isn’t something you can’t fake. You either Take Care, or you don’t.
One thing we pride ourselves on with music is being able to introduce you to musicians to pay close attention. I grab my crotch and say we’ve introduced you to artist like Theophilus London, Mike Posner and Kid Cudi. I can put the gloves on and pull our the analytics to prove it. So the next artist that we’re putting you onto that will be serious name to know is iFFY. Coming out of East Harlem, iFFY makes it a priority for you to believe and feel each of his words as it blares through your speakers or headphones. As a new member of this sorta “feel-good” music coming out, he manages to tailor a sound that he can claim his own.
iFFY’s love for music began with his brother’s nineties rock collection, decorated by the likes of Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It wasn’t until moving from his birthplace of Miami to New York City as an 11 year-old that he was introduced to hip hop, when a classmate lent him the Bad Boy compilation album, “No Way Out.” Almost overnight, he became an instant hip hop head, delving into the music of Cam’ron, Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas and Rakim. As a teen, he started writing and brought his talents to the ring, battle rapping and developing a reputation for poignant punch lines and clever wordplay.
Now as iFFY begins to wholeheartedly pursue a career in music. The influences of rap gods, combined with his early love for rock and punk, are helping him develop a distinguished sound that brands him as one of a kind. His debut mixtape “Songs of Love & Madness” displays his versatility and limitless range. Whether he is spitting the rawness of “Feelin’ iFFY” or singing the upbeat yet somber tune of “Cast Away,” iFFY melodically captivates ears.
With more projects in the works, he will continue to offer listeners his heart in the form of music. In the process, he plans to further polish his sound and keep testing the boundaries of creative freedom.
I will easily conclude that iFFY is on ours list of Face to Watch in 2011.
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In partnership with the Enough Project, veteran taste-maker and former KCRW Music Director, Nic Harcourt, has enlisted the help of friends like: Bat For Lashes, Imaad Wasif, Konono No 1, Damien Rice, Amadou & Mariam, Norah Jones, Mos Def and more to donate songs to the Raise Hope For Congo compilation. The Raise Hope For Congo project aims to protect and empower Congolese women who are the subject of unspeakable abuse as a result of the high demand for the country’s conflict minerals used in cell phones and computers in the west. Listen to Mos Def’s contribution, “Priority (A Capella)” and go support the cause, take action now.
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I met Shyvonne back in 2007 and have watched her pursuit of happiness unfold in front her eyes. Needless to say that I’ve kept my eye on her progress and watched as she left the corporate world to something that she was much more happier doing; singing. As I listen to her music, it reminds me that her personal style is a diverse as her music. Experimenting with a mesh of genres to form her own, Rock & Soulectro.
Her eclectic mix of thrift to sassy is an approach that led to work with Hell Bellz, Funky Fannys well as bring outfitted by the legendary fashion house Gucci for most of the singer’s live appearances, which matches the aesthetic of our readers.
Her do-it-yourself approach inevitably landed her backup slots for the likes of Estelle, Theophilus London, and Mickey Factz, opening up for Dwele at Spellman’s Homecoming concert, all before locking in her own string of dates that placed the singer in over 30 + headlining spots spanning from New York, Miami, London, and D.C. She also recorded an exclusive online promotion sneaker giant Converse for their 09 holiday campaign.
After infiltrating clubs and the consciousness of the young, progressive and exclusive, the song landed a deal with A-trak’s Fool’s Gold. Her yet-to-be titled debut (an EP, to be released March 2010) will guarantee a vast sounding body of work from the dancefloor jolts to your nervous system to the lover’s rock.
Without any further ado, Limité Magazine welcomes Shyvonne as one of our “Faces To Watch” in 2010.
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Sex! There I said it. I had mind-numbing, sweaty, bed-shaking, hot sex. In fact, I did it in public in front of a packed room of strangers. I even tried to prepare myself for it by getting some extra rest the night before. But it just wasn’t enough. Right now I’m breathing heavy, there are beads of sweat running down my neck, I feel light-headed and I’m weak in the knees. I need a cigarette and I don’t even smoke! It was orgasmic, magical and unbelievable all at the same time. Now before you start jumping to conclusions, take your mind outta the gutter and away from your crotch. See I was at last night’s Them Crooked Vultures show at Roseland in NYC and this is the only way that I can begin to describe how I felt as I exited into the cold February night. Continue reading “Them Crooked Vultures – Live Roseland – NYC 2/08/10” »
If my memory serves me right, this is Weezie’s first post on Limité (clap it up) and receiving the news about him serving 8 months in the pin on gun charges is disappointing, maybe this will get a chance for rappers to come up with good music on their own while Mr. Featured on Every Damn Song will be penning up verses alongside of another Hip-Hop champ. Anyway, being locked up certainly isn’t going to slow Wayne down as he’s definitely already got a bunch of material and plans for two albums by December, the upcoming No Ceilings mixtape from which this song came, plus whatever else he decides to record before his sentencing in February…and you know Drake will drown us while his boss is out of the office.
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We noticed the group had started working on a different sound, adding “a girl from brooklyn” – this was the birth of Neon Indian. A completely different – more chilled out, psychedelic ( and dare I say, hypnotic ) sound (compared to Vega).
Neon Indian has been on tour for the past few weeks (& will be until Jan of 2010) – with their album “Psychic Chasms” debuting last Tuesday as a top 10 album in iTunes “electronic” category.
We wanted to give you something you couldn’t hear on the album; a remix of Au Revoir Simone’s “Another Likely Story”. Enjoy!
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Another gem born out of a collabo of three of my favorite New York musicians, vocalists Peter Hadar, Theophilus London and producer Machinedrum. Thanks to my homie Law who put me on this freebie today! Also make sure to check out both Peter Hadar’s dope new site here and Theo’s This Charming Blog.
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Fresh from the source, this dope remix by top UK producer Sasquatch of Crunc Tesla‘s original VOODOO SOUND from his 2008 release “What’s Really Rad?” on Tigerbeat6/ Ekleroshock/ Luv Technologies has been on heavy rotation…intented for lucid dreaming stimulating flying experience to terrestial and outofspace jungles. Thanks for my fellow intergalactic bhakti Aeon for putting me on this!
“What’s Really Rad?” is a 23-minute kinetic energy burst along the lines of Outkast, The Pharcyde, Squarepusher, and even Harry Bellafonte. Acid basslines, gypsy organs and tweaked synths melt into grimy beats while creamy, rapid-fire lyrics flicker from dark to brilliant. The bipolar fusion of tones melds Middle Eastern melodies with dirty south drum kits, dancehall riddims and broke-beat glitchology.” The vocalists bombard from all angles, with MCs hailing from Jamaica, Baltimore, D.C., Atlanta and New York.” You can take a listen and download the album on amazon.
