An Impossible Duet- Miles Davis with LCD Soundsystem

We cannot take credit for this one...a friend spotted it over at http://laughingsquid.com incredible synchronicity! ashwan

Funky Sesame Street

Here are a selection of hip hop related segments from the wonderful world of Sesame Street. Check out the likes of Run DMC, Common, LL Cool J and Queen Latifah do their thang on this always funky show. This last clip is from Sesame Street in Germany...cool piece, but the monsters sound all wrong!!! peace

LOWER BACK PROBLEMS??? a fix for The Whole Darn Family

This is by far the most OFF 'OffHipHop' posting so far...and probably ever. That said, I do not know a DJ or producer out there who has not had lower back problems.
When you are so heavily involved in work that you love in the lab, feeding your soul, it is easy to forget what your body needs. Whole days can pass with your body barely moving and inevitably the slouch sets in...for your back, this is the worst thing you can do.
As for DJ's, how often are the decks at the right height for you???? If you dj regularly, it is probable at least a couple of times a week, you will be stooped over for your set and for the true vinyl junkies this is after having carried heavy record bags, twisting to get them in and out of cars etc... NOT GOOD! For ages you get away with it, maybe it stiffens up a bit, but suddenly you do something really slight: sneeze, go to pick something up...and BOOM! your lower back goes and you cannot move for a week. so, here is a really simple way to avoid this. Don't get me wrong, you need to stop sitting in that chair for 10 hours straight, you need to think about posture too, but trust me, THIS WILL HELP! '6 minutes Dougie Fresh...' that's all it needs, Six minutes exercise, 5 days a week. I am going to break it down into 1 stretch and 2 exercises each day, just alternate the exercise session each day. so here is the first part, do this everyday:

 THE STRETCH 

you should do this before you do the exercises, but also it is something you can do anytime during the day. The hardest part about this is explaining the neutral position you need to put your lower back into. The best way to do this at first is to stand against a wall, feet shoulder width apart, then try to get as much of your lower back into contact with the wall. this flattens the lower back and creates a neutral position. Keep the lower back as flat against the wall as you can, shoulders against the wall also, and bend to one side, as in the image below.

photo source hold this position for 10 seconds and then repeat on the other side. repeat 3 times each side.

Session 1

The first two exercises are THE PLANK and the GLUTE BRIDGE. they are pretty self explanatory from the images, these are all non-dynamic exercises, you just HOLD the position:
1.THE PLANK

 

photo source

Lie flat on the floor, place elbows on the ground in front of you, shoulder width apart. Raise up onto your toes and keep your body straight.

Hold this position for between 30 seconds and 1 minute. (building up to 1 minute)

Your elbows will take a LOT of pressure here, so best to do it on a decent yoga matt.

when complete, turn over onto your back for:

2. THE GLUTE BRIDGE

photo source

Again, the position in the photo is pretty self explanatory, but it is important to try and keep pushing the pelvis up towards the ceiling. The first few times you do this, go easy, it will stiffen up if you hold it for too long. Again aim to build up to holding this position for 1 minute.

REPEAT THESE TWO EXERCISES THREE TIMES EACH

Session 2

THE SIDE PLANK:

photo source

Place elbow on the floor directly under the shoulder and maintain straight body position as in the above photo. Again, hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then change sides. 

REPEAT EXERCISES THREE TIMES EACH SIDE

That simple!

As I said do these 5 days a week. Each session should take 6 minutes, plus the minute or so that you will stretch for.

If you click play on the track below, by the time it finishes, you will be done with one of the sessions.

NOTE: give this at least six weeks and I promise your back WILL feel much stronger. It is basic core training.
A lot of core training exercises include more dynamic elements, which you may want to incorporate later, HOWEVER, I would advise keeping it simple. These exercises really work and will avoid injuring your back further.
Many exercises like sit up's and leg raises can do more damage without you realising. Leave them alone unless you are working with a qualified personal trainer who can closely watch your technique.
And these exercises can be done by The Whole Darn Family!!!
Ashwan


sources:
http://www.morethanmedication.ca/en/article/index/joints
http://www.globalchiropractic.es/
http://vivaglammagazine.com/fitness/viva-fit/3209-upright-and-living-well.html
http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/core-workout-4
http://mattsiniscalchi.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/bridge_crop.jpg

Ice Cube and Eames

'...plus nobody I know got killed in South Central L.A, I gotta say, Today was a good day!'

In possibly the most unlikely pairing ever, here is Ice Cube celebrating his home city and one of it's more famed Architects: 'Eames'. Here Cube can be heard likening the choice of mass produced elements in design to sampling in music. Certainly I think that any true art reflects the developments in society as a whole and this is one of the reasons why Hip Hop has been such an important art form and cultural development...it is the ultimate in post-modernism. The beauty is, it came about in a pure and innocent way. I doubt Afrika Bambaattaa cared too much about the parallels!

Moving 'offhiphop', here is more info on Charles and Ray Eames:
http://firstrunfeatures.com/eames/


ashwan note: source for this post came from a Guardian article by Steve Rose which is available HERE

Deltron 3030 rehearsal session with orchestra in Toronto

Dan the Automator, Del, and Kid Koala rehearse with the orchestra for the first official DELTRON show in 12 years- The Luminato Festival in Toronto Canada. A$H

Shim Shimmy Yall....El's Michels Affair

peace ASHWAN

Nelson George & Arthur Baker Talk Creative Communities
with a little help from a surprise 'guest'

Sitting front row and engaging in eye contact it felt like the legendary hip-hop film maker and writer was talking directly to me. As it was there were a few others in attendance for a Keynote talk at this Liverpool Sound City 2012 event back in May.

We had all come to listen to Nelson George and his long time friend Arthur Baker discuss the Creative Communities phenomenon and what drives certain areas in the world to become centres for an explosion of creativity that effect other parts of the globe.

Nelson suggested that geography / location, the economy and 'a catalyst' can all be reasons for a specific area to flourish. With his recent film 'Brooklyn Boheme' he explores his theory by looking at his own experiences in Fort Greene, Brooklyn during the 80s & 90s. Highlighting how a kid named Shelton Lee, who's father was a Jazz musician, had started to make a name for himself making movies in college. The bike riding 'Spike' was a fixture of the community that lead him to meeting amongst others Chuck D & Favor Flav, which in turn lead to the hip-hop legends featuring on the soundtrack for Lee's classic Brooklyn movie Do The Right Thing. The film also featured another 'neighbour', Rosie Perez.

Other names that were around the Fort Greene area included Chris Rock (Nelson & Chris would write rap parody CB4 together), Talib Kweli & Saul Williams. The latter being part of the spoken word movement based out of the Brookyn Moon Cafe that attracted young poets that would become recording artists themselves, Erykah Badu, Mos Def & Common.

Fort Greene itself had been vacated during the 1970s, where 'white flight', crime and budget cuts damaged the area, creating cheap rent in beautiful Brownstones for the creatives to take advantage of. Nelson recalled "I had a 2 floor apartment for $600 a month!".

In conclusion geography, economics and a catalyst (Spike Lee) all played a part in the creative community of Fort Greene.

Nelson and Arthur are currently seeing how this idea translates to a 'little town' in Southwest Ohio called Dayton. During the 70s this small city gave rise to a funk scene like no other. populated by migrating workers from the Southern States grew a community in Dayton that gave us The Ohio Players, Slave, Heatwave and many, many more. A documentary will be made with their findings.

The cherry on the cake for this fascinating day was the 'appearance' of Sire Records legend Seymour Stein (The Ramones, Talking Heads, Madonna) who added to the discussion with his insight into the various Jazz communities of the US and the punk/new wave scene of the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

A great thanks must go to the Liverpool Sound City organisers for bringing these legends to our city. The year before we were able to listen to Afrika Bambaata and Ernie Paniccoli. I am already looking forward to who we see next year...

@PitchKitsch
@nelsongeorge
www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk

GOODBYE RAP!!! Kool Keith

GONE!

'Made You Die...a Trayvon tribute

ashwan

Ahmad Jamal 'Poinciana'

ashwan

Roland TR 808 drum machine

BOOOM! ashwan

Robert Glasper remix by Ashwan

Logorama

ashwan

Three Kings High

Three Kings High.... new group from the man CHATTERBOX. Chatterbox is a guy myself and London Spoken Word guru Curious have done a few cuts with...most notoriously 'Digital Data', which made it onto a few mix tapes a while back. been promising to get a blog done about these guys in a while. Until I get around to it proper, here is a taster. ENJOY! Ashwan