J.PERIOD Pays Tribute to Hip-Hop Culture and Legends in the Richly Creative Content of the Song/Video “The Legend of Globetrottin’”

J.PERIOD, photo courtesy the artist

In song and short film for J.PERIOD’s “The Legend of Globetrottin’” is an animated comic book and live action featurette that charmingly relates the tale of one of the greatest basketball matches in history between Masego and J.PERIOD. But it’s more than that, of course. It begins in a record store where crate diggers are looking for solid wax to sample when they think they spot DJ Jazzy Jeff and indeed in puppet form it is the legendary DJ. The song deftly samples sounds of a basketball game and various MCs taking verses in classic hip-hop style telling the story and the jazz samples and unconventional beats like a nod to one of DJ Jazzy Jeff’s collaborators years ago in J. Dilla. This rich fusion of elements, style and presentation really speaks directly to hip-hop culture as a significant creative subculture of American and global culture but in tying it with comics it layers storytelling styles and elements in a way that is highly accessible and experimental at once resonant with what Dmitri Jackson did with his 2018 comic collection Blackwax Boulevard: Five Years, What a Surprise (2012-2017) Watch the video for “The Legend of Globetrottin’” on YouTube and follow J.PERIOD at the links below.

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J.PERIOD on Apple Music

Key Seeyen’s Ambient Jazz Hip-Hop Track “You’re Mine You” is a Beautifully Stylistic Time Travel Experience

Kay Seeyen sounds like the songwriter spent a good deal of quality time watching 40s and 50s cinema and listened to a lot of jazz music of that era as well as classic hip-hop samples as channeled through the lens of J. Dilla. At least on the song “You’re Mine You” there is such an eclectic blend of sounds in the beat that it sounds like you’re getting a cut up tour through time in music to create something that could really only have been made in recent years in this cohesive and smooth a way but demonstrates an appreciation for the compositional skills and ear for melody of another era. The vibe is jazz and classic pop but the style is underground hip-hop and its free associating sonic palette. There’s even a tastefully expressive, echoing guitar riff mid-song that sounds like a nod to dub. Because the song doesn’t sound like it owes allegiance to a narrow aesthetic it actually has an almost orchestral ability to stir emotions by touching those places in your brain where the memory of many good but neglected sounds reside. Listen to “You’re Mine You” on Soundcloud and connect with Kay Seeyen at the links provided.

Kay Seeyen on Twitter

Kay Seeyen on Instagram

Caracol Teams Up With Illa J on “Flooded Field” to Break the Emotional Isolation of a Loved One

Caracol, photo courtesy the artist

Caracol’s new track “Flooded Field” was written in collaboration with Illa J, the brother of J. Dilla. The song’s structure has well-arranged complexity with downtempo flavor and a reggae cadence with electronic steel drum accents. Its rich synth piano flourishes and splashes of rapidly expanding tonal wash suggest a sound palette drawn from 80s hip-hop production. When Illa J comes in the song exits the ethereal undertones and comes down to earth for a nice passage of vivid imagery to reinforce the message of the lyric “Your heart is a flooded field” and the sense of isolation the narrator of the song feels for the object of her love and a desire to bridge that emotional barrier. It is as though Illa J gives the critical clue to solve the emotional conundrum. The dynamics of the song as it shifts between vocals, moods, rhythmic flavors and an effervescent melody keeps it an interesting and rewarding listen beginning to end. Check out “Flooded Field” on Soundcloud and follow Caracol at the links below.

twitter.com/caracolmusic
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