My Philosophy

So, it’s September sum’n and still no sign of Common‘s
Invincible Summer (which I somehow don’t think is an homage to
the k.d. lang album of the same name). That’s because the
LP—produced exclusively by the Neptunes and Mr. DJ (genius producer for Outkast and others)—has been pushed
till November, and the name has been changed to Universal Mind
Control, after the Pharrell-featuring, “Planet
Rock”–evoking single of the same name.

I won’t lie, as much as Com (whom you can catch at the Showbox Sodo
September 18) hasn’t quite grabbed me for a sec, I was even less stoked
to hear the album would be “techno-inspired” jams influenced by fun
stuff like “barbecue and strippers.” Don’t get me wrong, I love both
of those things (especially together), but it sounds exactly like
the latest Fader-rapper mixtape with cool streetwear references
and zero replay value—and probably more than a little like that
gawdawful “Love Lockdown” from Common’s townmate Kanye West. I
don’t care if the version that’s leaked is not mixed, that shit
suuuucks (and hell no, I ain’t watching the VMAs)!

People keep asking: Is Ye’s said-to-be all-sangin’, all-Auto-Tune
fourth album 808’s & Heartbreak gonna be his The Love
Below? Probably, saleswise; qualitatively, it’ll probably be more
like Idlewild. Dear Hiphop’s Best and Brightest: Please stop
ruining my life. Cats are falling off so fucking fast, I’m going
deaf from all the sonic booms. Man, I remember when drugs and money
made people make awesome music. What happened? It blows when the only
props I can give Yeezy is for spiking a paparazzo’s camera. Nowadays,
doing any kind of dirt at the airport is gangsta!

What are you doing Friday night, though? Those trying to do it big
have a couple of options. There’s the charismatic Cali collective
Living Legends at Neumos—like, all of them motherfuckers!
They haven’t toured as a whole family for some time, so those LL heads
(no Old Spice Swagger) in the town will be wanting to get down
with them, turf goofballs the Bayliens, and our hardworking
neighbors from Portland, the Sandpeople.

If that’s not your thing, hit up that Showbox Sodo Lounge for the CD
release for The Cost of Living by Black Lab Productions rep and Beacon Hill soldier Graves. There’ll be performances
from Life Cycle, Cheo Lopez, Phreewil with WD4D, and
33 1/3 with Jewels Hunter—nice lineup. I haven’t
heard the album yet, but I’ve peeped the videos for Graves’s “Partial
Truth” and the excellent “Primal Rap” from his MySpace, and so can you:

www.myspace.com/spacefamilymusic.
Yeah, kids, do the knowledge, check the files, keep an ear to the
street—but keep some Purell.