This Saturday, March 1st!!!

It's going down this Saturday with Nouveau Riche, Akilles, Selina Carrera and body art from John F. This is something that you really do not want to miss, I promise you. Check the flyer and websites for more info.

Website Links Here:
Nouveau Riche
Akilles
John F. Designs
Selina Carrera
It's Only Music

The Last Writes: An Iconic North Philadelphia Graffiti Wall Succumbs to Development.

I've been driving by this wall for the past 8 months or so and finally snapped some extra colorful pictures. Let me tell you, these pieces are truly amazing. The precision and styles of a majority of them are astounding and I highly recommend taking a trip over to the wall while you still can.

Here is a short excerpt from a recent article written by Jeff Deeney in the Philadelphia Weekly. The graffiti wall at Fifth and Cecil B. Moore is an underground icon, a "permission wall" where property owners give grafitti writers free reign to display their talent. The wall itself is really three continuous walls: a half-block of Fifth north of Cecil B. Moore, the entire block of Cecil B. between Fifth and Germantown, and a half-block of Germantown north of Cecil B. It's been painted continually since the 80's, changing constantly as one mural piece eventually gets swallowed by another.

That's about to change. The property was recently sold to a developer who plans to build townhouses on the site. I can only hope that something goes wrong and that this wall stays around forever. I drive by it at least 5 times a week and it's more enjoyable everytime, especially when that new piece goes up.

Love Of My Life Party, Part 2

So the 2nd installment of the "Love Of My Life" party hosted by The Social Society and myself, on 2/15/08 at Marathon Grill @ 10th and Walnut was a.........hmm........party? And yeahhhh it was crazy! Open bar from 10-11, free shots at 1am, DJ Phsh (killed it!), crazy body art by John F. (who drew on almost everyone), some more fresh art from MCQN, and a wild crowd of people! I thought we were gonna literally bring the house down, the floor was straight up shaking all night. As usual, if you missed it...it's all good, there are more parties coming, so stay in the loop. If you were there, thank you for comin out, this couldn't go on without support from the people! Definitely hit me up and let me know how your night turned out, and stick around for awhile! We sure are. O yeah, here's a few pics from the night. The rest are on MySpace.

RECOGNIZE!

LL Cool J, Erykah Badu, Common and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five are just a few of the hip hop artists featured in paintings and photographs in "RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture." The exhibition opened at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Feb. 8 and continues through Oct. 26, 2008.

Hip hop, one of the most vibrant and popular musical movements in America since the 1970s, is featured in this exhibition as a cultural phenomenon that has had a broad impact on self-expression and portrayal. The exhibition features artists whose work has been influenced by hip hop and who work in the traditional portraiture mediums of photography and painting, as well as video, poetry, spoken word and graffiti. It is the first exhibition at the Smithsonian to examine the influence of the hip hop music and style on American culture.

"'RECOGNIZE! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture' shows that much of the art inspired by the hip hop movement is a form of portrayal," said Marc Pachter, director of the National Portrait Gallery. "Music, photography, painting, poetry and even graffiti provide a medium for self-expression and establishing identity."

The exhibition includes photographs by David Scheinbaum, paintings by Kehinde Wiley, video self-portraits by Jefferson Pinder and several works commissioned specifically for the show. Award-winning poet Nikki Giovanni has written an ode to hip hop that will be published in the accompanying booklet. Her poem, entitled "It's Not a Just Situation," will be graphically displayed in an exhibition gallery. Brooklyn, N.Y.-based artist Shinique Smith will interpret the poem and create an installation in the same gallery that will include an audio component. Two Washington, D.C.-based graffiti artists -- Tim Conlon and Dave Hupp -- were commissioned to create four 20-foot-long murals that will be installed in the corridor that connects the galleries.

Located at Eighth and F streets N.W., Washington, D.C.

Valentine's Day with no valentine...Don't worry, you are loved!

The truth is that according to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the leading causes of disability, with approximately 121 million people suffering with depression worldwide. The National Institute of Mental Health states that approximately 18 million people suffer from depression in America alone. Depression does not discriminate across age, race, gender, or class. Among teenagers it is estimated that 20 percent will suffer from depression at some point by the time they reach adulthood. There are also as many as 8.3 percent of teens suffering from depression for at least a year at a time, compared to 5.3 percent of the general population.

To Write Love On Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

Insprired by the work of TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arms), an organization created to spread awareness for teen depression, self-injury, and suicide, we are coming together to make sure the whole world knows. We are not directly affiliated with TWOLHA, but are in great support of their work To find out more about TWLOHA visit their Facebook Group here: To Write Love On Her Arms

During the time of year that suicide rates are at their highest, TWLOHA chose February 13, the day before Valentine's Day, as an opportunity to start showing people how much they are loved. We will physically write the word LOVE on our arms (with a sharpie, or whatever other ink suits you best). If someone asks you what it’s for, tell them about TWLOHA. Tell them they are loved, that they are important. And ask if you can write LOVE on their arm as a symbol of that. Don't be afraid to reach out to those who need love, those who you often walk right by every day. They need our care.

There is NO set time, there is NO set location. Where you are, when you are there, speak out.

Stop the bleeding. Rescue is possible.

Happy Belated to the late J. Dilla

You are missed and will never be forgotten. Check the video of Dilla and Common in Dilla's studio at his crib. 

Before The Music Dies....find it, watch it immediately.

So if you didn't have the opportunity to see one of the free screenings throughout the country in the past year and a half, you can still see the movie....and really need to see the movie....asap. Here are the links for the B4MD trailer and a bunch of interviews and clips from the movie. I highly suggest buying the movie, you won't regret it. 

Trailer
Questlove Interview Clip

How To Create A Sexy Pop Star...Erykah Badu Clip (hilarious)


Behind The Clear Channel Curtain
Billy Preston Clip....Opening Scene

B4MD Website

Never have so few companies controlled so much of the music played on the radio and for sale at retail stores. At the same time, there are more bands and more ways to discover their music than ever. Music seems to have split in two - the homogenous corporate product that is spoonfed to consumers and the diverse independent music that finds devoted fans online and at clubs across the country.

BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES tells the story of American music at this precarious moment. Filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen traveled the country, hoping to understand why mainstream music seems so packaged and repetitive, and whether corporations really had the power to silence musical innovation. The answers they found on this journey–ultimately, the promise that the future holds–are what makes BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES both riveting and exhilarating.

Cold Chillin in Conshohocken

Yeah, so it's like 10 degrees outside, windy as hell and I'm chillin below the pub at Studio Four. For those of you who don't know, Mr. Phil Nicolo is the owner. He and his brother Joe began their music careers as teenagers, fixing speakers at a nearby drive-in theater. In 1980, they founded Studio 4, a recording studio in Philadelphia. Individually and together as the Butcher Bros., they quickly established themselves as a force in all genres of music production, from rock to R&B, mainstream to cutting edge. Mr. Nicolo has attained the most coveted form of success in the music business: he has succeeded in every music genre he has tackled. His early rock credits include the Hooters, Nighthawks and Willie Nile. At the same time, he was creating music with Kriss Kross, Teddy Pendergrass and Taj Mahal. Mixes of Billy Joel's River of Dreams, the Rolling Stone's Love Is Strong, Aerosmith's Falling In Love and James Taylor's A Little More Time are all Mr. Nicolo's work. He co-produced and mixed Sting's When We Danced and re-mixed Message In A Bottle for the Police. Other credits include John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Amy Grant, Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Santana, Pete Yorn, Luscious Jackson, Urge Overkill, the Pretenders, Jon Bon Jovi, and Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam.

In 1989, Ruffhouse Records was launched out of Studio 4 operations, and over the next ten years it moved more than 100 million units through Sony distribution. Responsible for the careers of Lauryn Hill, the Fugees, Cypress Hill, Kriss Kross and Wyclef Jean, Ruffhouse alone accounted for 12 of Columbia Records 39 Grammy nominations in 1997. In 1993 , Mr. Nicolo founded Master Voice, a mastering lab based in Conshohocken, PA. In 1994 he joined producer Rick Chertoff and Polygram Records. Rick's label Blue Gorilla had great success with Joan Osborn. While maintaining a busy stable of multi-platinum artists, Mr. Nicolo has continued to work with cutting edge talent. Thanks for all the good tunes Phil, and not to mention the spaceship....The Legendary Neve Console.

Love Of My Life Party, Part 1

This past Friday, The Social Society and myself threw a party at MarBar at 40th and Walnut. Just in case you missed it, Part 2 is this Friday 2/15 at MarBar at 10th and Walnut, don't mix those addresses up. In any case, I have some pictures from the evening, check em out. Big thanks to John F., Akilles, Rick Rube, Selena Carrera and the band, and The Social Society. If you were there, hit me up, let me know how you're night turned out. Remember this Friday, 10th and Walnut. There won't be a performance but John F. will be in the house again doing some more free body art, and Repstyles Crew will be keeping the party live all night. For more pictures, info and music from the night, go to.... It's Only Music

It's Only Music??

What up what up people. So this is the "It's Only Music" blogspot, running out of the one and only, city of Philadelphia. There's going to be a lot of different things featured on this page. Everything from my day-to-day thoughts and activities, coverage of local (and the occasional non-local) musicians and producers, crazy art and artist features, ill b-boy pics and features, event coverage and info, and just a whole lot of info on the music scenes and culture in and around Philadelphia. Stay tuned and be sure to check out my MySpace and YouTube pages for more music, videos, pictures and info. Peaceee