The New Hotness Vol. 12

1. Ari Lennox - "Night Drive" 2017  Ari has been touring the globe as part of J. Cole's Dreamville Records crew and collecting new fans every step of the way; myself included. This song went straight to the New Hotness Spotify playlist.




2. L'Orange feat. Del The Funky Homosapien - "Blame The Author" 2017  L'Orange is that dude 100%. One of the reasons I'm so all about his production is that he is smart enough to use samples with women's voices in them.  L'Orange's new album, The Ordinary Man, is due out October 27.




3. Falon Sierra - "Sprained Ankles" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC   Love the effort that went into the video for this song, keep it up Falon! KEXP did a great interview with Falon around EMP Sound Off... peep it.




4.  J'Von - "Grey Beanie" 2017 SEATTLE MUSIC  I'll be a J'Von fan for life; I can't wait to see where his journey takes him. His animation always take his projects to the next level.



J'Von's latest EP was released on October 20.




5. Last Word - "Andrew" 2017  Can't say enough good things about Last Word and this mix hosted by Brother Ali. Last Word is Brother Ali's DJ/Tour Manager/Super Homie and is currently driving the van I'm writing this in... until it's my turn to drive again. He's giving this mix away for free.99 via the Fifth Element website.




6. Jessie Reyez - "Fuck It (Stripped)" 2017  I have yet to find a Jessie Reyez song I didn't like.




7. Wu-Tang Clan feat. Redman - "People Say" 2017  Wu-Tang Clan recently released an album many of us are afraid to listen to in fear it won't live up to our expectations. I will face my fears later today and get back to you...




8. WESTSIDEDOOM - "2STINGS" 2017 (Produced by Alchemist)  Alchemist = Beat Nasty Face every single time.




9. Akua Naru - "My Mother's Daughter" 2017  Akua Naru's Mother must be so proud and honored to be featured in her daughter's music in such a way. It's beautiful to see women pay tribute to each other with their art.




10. ODESZA feat. Leon Bridges - "Across The Room" 2017  Leon Bridges is just so damn classy.




11. ill Camille feat. Damani Nkosi - "Home" 2017 (produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow)  Still hoping to find a rabbit hole of dope producers that just happen to be women. For now, Georgia Anne Muldrow is the Queen.




12. LayFullStop - "YinYang" 2016  I discovered LayFullStop via the UK magazine/website Bonafide's 5 Essential New Voices In Rap. She's in a crew called Cul De Sac, a group whose video will appear on the next installment of bicycle videos (you should watch their 2016 video for "Know We Now" asap though, it's that awesome).



Her latest, released back in September...




13. Bomba Estéreo - "Internacionales" 2017  You best believe I just added this to the Roller Skating Music Videos YouTube playlist. Bomba Estéreo makes the most fuego videos of them all.




14. Tierra Whack - "MUMBO JUMBO" 2017  Bless you Tierra Whack for embracing the weirdness and making such a rad video.




15. Prince Paul - "REDUX ALBUM 2018" 2017  Prince Paul will always be in my Top 5 Producers. Here's hoping when I eventually meet him that I'll be smoother than when I met Dan The Automator. Prince Paul is giving this album away for free cuz he's that dude.




16.  ¿Téo? feat. Jaden Smith - "Uno Dos" 2017  At the age of 19, Jaden Smith has already surpassed most of us on his journey of self growth. I'm 100% on board.




17. Guayaba - "Live On KEXP" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  Guayaba is a Queen on this Earth with infinite potential. I love her.




18. Lute - "Morning Shift" 2017  From the Dreamville crew...




19. hERON - "hERON" 2017 SEATTLE/SAN ANTONIO MUSIC   In the words of the artists themselves...

hERON is a long-distance, Seattle-slash-San Antonio collaboration between Progeny of Chisme/Ghost Palace (MPC) and Rob Castro of Grayskul/Ghost Palace (bass). Instrumental trip-hop infused with a gloomy dreamlike melancholy, hERON’s cinematic sad bangers draw as much from psych rock, 70’s pop and Twin Peaks as they do from Seattle’s chief exports of hiphop and grunge.

In my words...

This is dope, I love it.




20. John Legend feat. Chance The Rapper - "Penthouse Floor" 2017  The mainstream still has some cuts...




21. Nick Hakim - "Cuffed" 2017  My intro to Nick Hakim was his animated video for "Roller Skates" and I was hooked immediately; peep the video on 10 Animated Music Videos Part VI. If you're itching to learn more about him, check out his interviews with FADER and Pitchfork.




22.   Little Dragon feat. Faith Evans - "Peace Of Mind" 2017  This jam is almost too smooth... wouldn't mind if it hit a little harder but I felt the same way about Little Dragon's last release as well. I much prefer Faith Evans on this track to her "new" album with Biggie.




23. Zensofly - "Getting Started" 2017  I was blessed to meet Zensofly briefly at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina. She was headlining a show in the smaller room of the venue The #OwnLightTour was also performing in. Didn't get to catch her set cuz I was posted up at the merch booth but I loved discovering an artist in this way.




24. Method Man + Black Thought Cypher On Sway In The Morning 2017  Everything about this is whoa.




25. pinkcaravan! - "A LLAMA BROKE INTO MY HOUSE AGAIN" 2017  If I tried to find ten llama music videos, I may never get a chance to share her sad happy rap.




26. Everything Is Recorded feat. Syd + Sampha - "Show Love" 2017  A lyric video for people who aren't into lyric videos.





27. Bahamadia - "Dialed Up" 2017  Bahamadia recorded this entire EP in her car on her phone. Amazing what we can accomplish if we make the most of what we have!

14 Great Live Performance Videos Part V

The Live Performance Music Videos YouTube playlist has 75+ videos and still growing.

1. Jessie Reyez - "Figures (Live Acoustic)" 2017  Amazing what this woman can do with a guitar, her voice, and some imagination. I believe in you Jessie!




2. Jorja Smith - "Teenage Fantasy" 2017  When you're this good, all you need is a microphone. She just rocked that performance in a t-shirt like a boss.




3. Taylar Elizza Beth - "Live On KEXP" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  I've been a fan of Taylar since the first moment I heard her voice and she just keeps getting better. Seeing her at the Laser Dome with Sassy Black was truly epic. KEXP also interviewed Taylar for their Local Artist Spotlight back in June.



If you haven't heard her EP Fresh Cut Flowers yet; I've made it easy for you.




4. Gabriel Garzón-Montano - "Everything Is Everything" (Live Session Findspire) 2016  STONES THROW  He learned it from his Mama.




5. Mahalia - "Sober" 2017  I may have a problem, I can't seem to stop listening to this song. Could be way worse.




6. Fkj & Masogo - "Tadow" 2017  These two recorded this masterpiece at Red Bull Studios Paris.




7. Noo - "Without You" 2015  I'd really love to see Muzzy Legault pop in the screen to do her verse but she was far away in Canada... see below.




8. Muzzy Legault - "Cafe Nostalgica Ottowa" 2017  My intro to Montreal native Muzzy Legault was from the song above; I was an instant fan.



This jam I posted back on The New Hotness Vol. 7 clinched my fandom.





9. Tay Sean - "Live On KEXP" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  I was blessed to discover Tay Sean back in 2010 when he performed at Seattle Central Community College's Unity Fair as half of Helladope with Jarv Dee. Peep the link for a photo. The Helladope album I bought from them that day remains one of my favorite Seattle Hip Hop albums ever. I haven't been able to find it online but here's one of the tracks.




10. Masego - "Navajo" 2017  I've listened to the studio version of this song way too many times so I could figure out why I love it so much. Still haven't figured it out.




11. Kung Foo Grip - "Walk Alone 2 (Live On KEXP)" 2011  SEATTLE MUSIC  I loved these Caffe Vita Bean Room videos. Since they recorded this six years ago, they've linked up with the Cabin Games crew and released the EP below. We're all watching to see what they do next.






12. Shabazz Palaces - "Live On KEXP" 2017 SEATTLE MUSIC  Next level... once again.




13. Lizzo - "Live On KEXP" 2017  By being herself, Lizzo has already inspired thousands of young women to love themselves just as they are. #superheroshit




14. Dua Lipa - "I Would Rather Go Blind" 2017 (Etta James Cover)  Bold move to cover such a legend's music but she nailed it.



Here's Etta James doing it her damn self; rare to see performances like this these days.

The New Hotness Vol. 11

The New Hotness YouTube playlist is looking pretty damn good these days...


1. Indian Agent - "Life Keeps On Spinning" 2017  These people amaze me (Silver Jackson, OCnotes, + Zak Dylan Wass). I don't write sentences as grand as the following so I'll let Jonathan Zwickel of City Arts Magazine etc. speak about the album...
It's a dreamy, wavy montage of broken, downtempo beats, Galanin's relaxed, distorted vocals, hypnotizing guitar and ambient electronics, ghostly in its sound and urgent in its themes.  (told you it was good)




2. Princess Nokia - "Bart Simpson + Green Line" 2017  Princess Nokia is no stranger to The New Hotness; she puts out so much high quality material that it is hard to take your eyes off her.




3. Stop Biting Beatmakers Vol. 2  SEATTLE MUSIC  The Stop Biting crew has done more for me than they could ever know and I love them all. Standing at LoFi nodding my head to their music will always be one of my happy places. These days Stop Biting is the last Tuesday of every month, you should definitely go.



They released this documentary with Volume 1 back in 2012...




4. Kari Faux feat. Jerry Paper - "Gotta Know" 2017  Kari Faux had me hooked with "Fantasy" off her 2016 album Lost En Los Angeles. I posted "Fantasy" on Ten Artsy Weirdos You Should Know back in December 2016 alongside 9 other artists who just happen to be women; look at it, the list rules. I have yet to listen to her latest album, Primary, but it is patiently waiting for me to stop listening to Rapsody, Wiki, and Princess Nokia.




5. Mahalia - "Sober" 2017  This went directly to currently overplaying status in my world; still not sick of it. The version she did for A COLORS SHOW is flame emoji too. Mahalia is now officially on my radar with this track I found via YouTube algorithms.




6. The Flavr Blue - "Fetti + Spaghetti" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  The Flavr Blue's perspective on life and commendable grind has helped them to far surpass being labeled Seattle artists even though they happen to be Seattle peeps. This song premiered on Complex today with a some back story on the visuals and the announcement of their upcoming album, Blue Dream, due out October 27.




7. Sudan Archives - "Water" 2017  STONES THROW   Did you know Sudan Archives traveled to Ghana to teach children music production? Me neither, til I read this... #superheroshit




8. 316 (Oneohtrix Point Never + Ishmael Butler) - "The Rapture" 2017  We actually do live on the same planet as these people, they've just transcended to another plane unreachable to those who have yet to visualize their maximum creative potential. Adult Swim has been killing it with their single collection; even if some of them have gone missing.




9. RVN - "GREYNEON" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  Thanks for being 100% you RVN (formerly Raven Matthews), the universe needs your weirdness. One of Seattle's most interesting people has just released a new album and it's just as unique as we knew it could be. Keep it up RVN!




10. Billy Blaze - "Here + There" 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  I can't believe I missed this when it came out; this is the Rainwater Conglomerate jam I love the most on their EP I posted on The New Hotness Vol. 9. Here's hoping we get to see more visuals from this crew; I'd love to see them pull together a full album and launch it with gusto via social media... here's hoping.




11. The Mouse Outfit feat. IAMDDB + Fox - "I Wonder" 2017  UK HIP HOP  I love pairing "local" artists from all over the world together; in theory, it will help them to link up so they can do shows together and share a planet-wide fanbase. Lofty goals can be exhausting and I'll never know for sure if I finished said bridge but I'll have a great time building it. Pretty sure this crew has yet to tour the US but I'd prefer to see them overseas anyway.



In case you were wondering, this is what's going on with The Mouse Outfit...




12. Lizzo - "Truth Hurts" 2017  I can't say enough good things about this woman and all that she represents. Lizzo is a hero amongst humans and has inspired more people to love themselves than most; I love her.

Ants... Everyday Robots... A Fan Video For Macro Nerds Like Me

I made this with the Moment Macro Lens attachment on my iPhoneSE, iMovie, and some well-placed rocks. How sad would it be if I had done nothing with this footage? #usewhatyougot

@TheRingOfDOOM 0007: Banksy Lets His Alien Show In Park City

This is the official third theory about the identity of Banksy; he's an alien, duh.

10 Bicycle Music Videos Part III

The Music Videos With Bicycles playlist is thirty plus videos deep and all gems. I linked to the playlist on Reddit once and people tried to give me all these shitty recommendations for more bike videos but I resisted. These playlists are for me to enjoy and I don't fux with shitty music.



1. Calvin Harris feat. Jessie Reyez - "Hard To Love" 2017  Stoked for Jessie that she made it around those gatekeepers; she's broken into big money collaborations and is still making great music. I've had this on repeat since I first heard it.




2. Deem Spencer - "Tussilago" 2016  This bicycle video was my intro to Deem Spencer. Seems like a simple video concept but the video shoot could have presented some safety challenges if the multi-tasking bicyclist wasn't so talented.



My second Deem Spencer song was "there was plenty time before us," needless to say, I'll be paying more attention from now on. I love strings in Hip Hop.




3. Steve Lacy - "Some" 2016  Steve Lacy, of The Internet hit factory, warns us about the dangers of chickening out when you've reached that Say Anything moment with the visuals for "Some." Say what you've got to say while you still can!



He released this six days ago but I prefer the joint above.




4. Porter Ray - "Past Life" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  Porter Ray's last release, Watercolor, was reviewed in Pitchfork; an accomplishment in itself. My favorite thing about Porter remains to be his positive attitude and infectious smile. Love this dude.



Porter Ray released the following collaboration with Stas THEE Boss a few months back.




5. Sa-Roc - "True Mastery" 2014 RHYMESAYERS  I couldn't be more excited to see 20+ more Sa-Roc shows in just a few weeks... life is good. Her latest video, "The Reckoning" appeared on The New Hotness Vol. 9 earlier this month.



Here's another great Sa-Roc jam from her Soundcloud so you can dive into the Queen's work.




6. Cosmo Pyke - "Chronic Sunshine" 2017  This eighteen year old superhero hails from South London, like his fellow crooner King Krule. There is something good in the water there, I drank it and then took a bunch of beautiful photos, shit works. This article by the Guardian is a good intro to all things Cosmo Pyke.




7. FKJ - "Skyline" 2017  Getting up this early/staying up this late to get this light for the video shoot was totally worth it.




8. Humble The Poet - "H.A.I.R." 2017  Humble The Poet is an artist/vlogger/internet entrepreneur type who has all the ladies lipsync the lyrics in this video; always works.



If you wanna hear more, his latest project, Righteous Ratchet, is free to stream on Soundcloud.





9.  Reverie - "Scheming" 2016  Thanks to Google, I just found a great interview with Reverie on a new-to-me French Hip Hop site focused on women artists called MadameRap... enjoy.



Madame Rap puts out mixtapes on Soundcloud...




10. Fatima - "Biggest Joke Of All" 2014  I delivered pizza in Lake Tahoe in the late 90s and it loved every minute of it; I was on Team Subaru so I slayed deliveries all year. Anyway, I fell for her "La Neta" video back in 2014 and have been watching out for her since. We have a special bond now cuz of the whole pizza delivery thing... not really.

@TheRingOfDOOM 0006: An Intergalactic Love Story With A Happy Ending

I love the idea of @TheRingOfDOOM interacting with the characters in the Street Art so I made up a legend about the characters in the two prominent D*Face murals. The other murals in the neighborhood just happen to corroborate their story.

The New Hotness Vol. 10

The New Hotness YouTube playlist is looking good these days...

1. Princess Nokia - "FLAVA" 2017  I'm very happy to link you to a review of this album on Mass Appeal written by Seattle's very own, Andrew Matson. He's been putting me onto good music since before I started this website eight years ago and it's great to see him progress. This album has been on repeat ever since I first hit play; Princess Nokia is Queen Bee of my world at this time... no question.




2. Mr. Lif + Akrobatik (The Perceptionists) - "Dirty Drumz" 2017  Mr. Lif speaks the truth, dirty ass drumz really are what it's all about; that said, health insurance would be tight.




3. Everything Is Recorded feat. Sampha, Ibeyi, Wiki, + Kamasi Washington - "Mountains Of Gold" 2017  Whoever picked this team knows what's up. Maybe it was Quincy Jones?




4. Leikeli47 - "2nd fiddle" 2017  Leikeli47 amazes me and I can't wait to see what she does next.




5. Liv.e - "FRANK" 2017  This artist is infuriatingly hard to google but there is a trail to follow via her Bandcamp page and Soundcloud pages. This album was released via the team at Dolfin Records (alongside Jon Bap, see below).




We were all wondering...

okay so my name is pronounced (LIV).e like i'm LIVING or like O(LIV)IA :-) not live like live music streaming 😜✨✨

— (liv).e (@oliveosun) September 12, 2017

6. Jon Bap - "You Got It" 2017  I love that the internet unearthed Jon Bap to me; see below the visuals for some recent Soundcloud action.







7. Ibeyi feat. Kamasi Washington - "Deathless" 2017  Wicked awesome special effects; if you've been paying attention, you know I love those.




8. Magna Carda - "Joccin'" 2017  Magna Carda is one of the last shows I booked at The Crocodile Back Bar, they were on time, had great manners, and put on a great performance. This will get them everywhere.




9. HTMLflowers feat. Banoffee - "Chrome Halo" 2017  Banoffee first appeared on my site back in February 2014 following the release of "Reign Down" but came back up on my radar lately when Andrew Matson (from the Princess Nokia article above) posted this video on Twitter. When I first researched Banoffee, I found out that in addition to being an Australian musician, Banoffee is also a dessert pie made of bananas... so that's tight.




10. King Krule - "Dum Surfer" 2017  The new album is due out October 13, here's what Fader has to say about it. Here's hoping I'll be able to catch one of the tour dates. Mike Ramos wrote an incredible piece about 6 Feet Beneath The Moon for The Stranger that documented how the album helped people get through difficult times in their lives; I remain very impressed by both the album and the article.




11.  Kali Uchis X Princess Nokia as interpreted by MassHendrix - "Corsa" 2017  Still can't figure out if these Mass Hendrix videos are endorsed by the musicians but the end result is awesome. Whatever is going on there, Mass Hendrix has built up quite a collection of YouTube videos and I respect that. #props




12. Ladi6 - "GURU" 2017  If you follow the directions in this video by the New Zealand artist, you'll likely be a more well-rounded and positive person. Give it a shot, are you happy now?




13. L'Orange - "The Ordinary Man" 2017  The full album will be released on October 27 but we are blessed with this Oddisee collaboration to tie us over until we hear the rest. If you haven't heard the Adult Swim released album he did with Mr. Lif, there's still time; that's one of the wicked awesome things about music.




14. Radiohead - "Lift" 2017  If I act on all my creative impulses, I'll eventually recreate this video  (and "Daydreaming") w/ @TheRingOfDOOM and laugh my way through the entire process. My love for music drives me to do such weird things these days and I'm more than okay with it.




15. Blockhead - "Funeral Balloons" 2017  I found out about this project by subscribing to the Phat Friend email list because hearing about music from the artist themselves is where it's at... and sometimes the only way.



Here's a video of the vinyl pressing...




16. Nekubi - "NEK048: creative native" 2017  A weird and wonderful beat tape for your consideration...

@TheRingOfDOOM 0005: San Francisco Spacecruise

In which our hero pays tribute in the Hip Hop section, learns about a human who can recreate the landscape of other planets, and gets in a San Francisco skate session.

12 More Short Film Music Videos

The YouTube playlist of all the Short Film Music Videos I've found so far is better than television.

1. Tay Sean - "Leavings" 2016  HOMESKILLET RECORDS  The album was released on white vinyl via Homeskillet Records. I'm truly sorry that it took me so long to find ten more short film music videos to post this but I'm happy to share it with you now. High quality music is timeless.




2. Sevdaliza - "The Formula" (Short Film) 2016  The world is a much better place with Sevdaliza in it; imagine the presence of such a being standing before you. A real life Goddess. Women with the courage to be this amazing are an inspiration to us all.

Still from SZA "Babylon" 2014... great minds think alike

3. Residente - "Somos Anormales" 2017  NSFW!!! You will be surprised AND offended by these five minutes of weirdness starring John Leguizamo. Residente is proof that being as weird as you possibly can will get you the love and attention of millions (5.9 million)... so go all in and make something only you can make. If you lose people along the way, you know you're really getting somewhere.




4.  Daryn Alexus, Jamila Woods, + Po' Chop - "I Ain't Got It" 2017  She got it tho.

Here's the bio from her site, we can learn together...
Daryn Alexus, a Washington, DC native now living in Chicago, has spent much of her life on the stage. Be it in theater productions, choral performances, or musicals, she was consistently involved in the arts. Using the last four years to focus solely on music and writing original material, Daryn bridges the gap between her love for Disco, Rock N Roll, Soul, RnB, and Pop music. With iconic inspirations like Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Beyoncé, and Lauren Hill {to name a few}, Daryn has managed to find her very own eclectic, fresh, and nostalgic sound in which she would describe as “Sol”. The soul pop singer released her first, in her words, “authentic body of work,” in August of 2014; a 13 track EP titled GREEN. Shortly after, she began to perform in historic venues and events all around Chicago and Washington, DC such as The Metro, Steppenwolf, Taste of Chicago, Howard Theater and many more. Since, Daryn has experienced much success having shared stages with artists like Kendrick Lamar and Biz Markie.





5. Nina Sky feat. Angie Martinez - "Time 2 Go" 2004  This song still goes and all these ladies stay killin' it. Angie Martinez's "Dem Things" lays in waiting on a future compilation of champagne videos while she does her thing on the radio and elsewhere. One of the ladies of Nina Sky, Nicole Albino, was married recently and it made the pages of Vogue. Here's the link to their latest project.




6. Die Antwoord - "Umshini Wam (A Short Film)" 2012  I had the pleasure of working with Die Antwoord when they came through Seattle last year as their Wardrobe Queen's Assistant and I'll never forget it in the best way. True individuals are a sight to behold and being in the presence of legends is inspiring to say the least.




7. Glass Animals - "How To Be A Human Being (Side A)" 2017  They should really teach a class on how to be a human in high school, there's not a manual or anything for navigating this weird life.




8. 070 Shake - "Trust Nobody" 2016  I had the pleasure of discovering 070 Shake at this year's Soundset Festival and was hooked. She has a long future ahead of her if she keeps up this pace.




9. Mr. Lif feat. Selina Carrera - "Let Go" 2016  Looks like Mr. Lif did all his own stunts, dang. He's been going for it lately with the L'Orange collaborations and is now on tour as half of Perceptionists with Zion I; sounds like a rad crew to tour with.




10. Beck - "Up All Night" 2017  I love an epic music video production and Beck has been blessing us with great visuals for decades. There's a magnetic knight in this video, top that.




11. Action Bronson - "The Chairman's Intent" 2017  Still over here tryna live like Action Bronson in my own weird way AKA on a constant vision quest to figure out how to get paid to travel. Anything is possible when all efforts are focused... stay tuned.




12. London Grammar - "Non Believer" 2017  I'm loving the locations for this video; oddly enough, I'm into cement circles.

@TheRingOfDOOM 0004: Hoverboard Skypark For Alien Types

I made this...



Follow @TheRingOfDOOM on Instagram to see what we're up to today.

I'm Going On Tour Again With Brother Ali, Sa-Roc, Last Word + Sol Messiah

I'm headed out on tour again for the second leg of The Own Light Tour with Brother Ali, Sa-Roc, Last Word, + Sol Messiah as the Merch Manager. Brother Ali's new video for "It Ain't Easy" was made by my tour roommate, Amal Flower Kay AKA @cohibit with footage from the first leg of the adventure.  These people are seriously amazing and I couldn't be more excited to be trapped in a van with them for another six weeks.

I just posted this new Sa-Roc video in The New Hotness Vol. 9 but this is my website and I'll repost whatever I want. I had the pleasure of seeing the artists perform 20+ times and it still wasn't enough. Love seeing who decides to join the Goddess Gang at the merch booth.



One of the best parts of my whirlwind four years working in the music industry so far is witnessing the interactions between artists and enthusiastic fans. This is a photo of Sa-Roc signing this guy's DJ Shadow shirt in Portland. As a two decades plus DJ Shadow fan, I was happy to witness such an auspicious moment. I promise to take more photos this time around.



I'll be the one smiling at the merch booth, come say hi!

@TheRingOfDOOM 0003: A Trip To Haight-Ashbury

I'm learning a ton while making these videos for @TheRingOfDOOM on my iPhoneSE and have infinite ideas for future shenanigans. In this one our hero meets Eddie The Eight-Headed Mink Snake AND Madonna in the Amoeba SF alley while on a trip down Haight Street. Thank you to Grape God, Slick Devious, Heems, DJ Shadow, En Vogue, and Gang Starr for letting(uh...no) me borrow your music (please know it is because I love you).

I'm currently road tripping across the country selling random items on eBay, including this eight headed mink that I FAILED to sell. I'm trying to use what I've got to build an empire (lofty goals I know) and thanks to my lack of eBay skills; I have some really weird shit traveling with me that I will get to use as costars in the series. If I make Eddie the Eight-Headed Mink Snake internet famous, maybe I can actually sell him on eBay?

In this video you'll hear Grape God using #444 in 2014, three years before Jay-Z. 

The New Hotness Vol. 9

I had started to photoshop all the New Hotness artists into a photo but Ish as a baby goat(?) is too priceless. 

1. Taylar Elizza Beth - "Live On KEXP" 2017  Taylar is no stranger to this website. I cannot wait to hear the album with Khris P she clued us into in the interview portion of the video; those two together is whoa.




2. Stas Thee Boss - "S'Women" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  Stas Thee Boss is kicking ass at life right now and I have no doubt that she is just getting going. Mad props are due for Street Sounds and all the rest. The Album Release Party is October 23 at Barboza with Porter Ray, JusMoni, Jay Stone, and Queens D. Light. I'm guessing she picked out this dope ass lineup herself... like a boss.




3. Specs Wizard x Silas Blak x Able Fader - "Bona Fides" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  It's great to see this crew finalize a project together, here's hoping we see a full album very soon. Hit the links to see what they've been up to with their solo projects.



Watch Able Fader's Voyage Of The Thubba series, you will not regret it.




4. OCnotes - "Doug Morris" 2017  Stay on your grind Otis, I believe in you. A note from the artist himself on the project...

OCnotes presents "Doug Morris" 

A meditative journey to the outer reaches of your creative imagination & temporary self. 

An extraterrestrial being is sent to planet Earth unable to speak the languages or communicate with anyone. It only understands the language of sound & has exceptional expertise in all forms of music. It doesnt know why it is there, but understands that when it does this thing these beings call "music" the beings transform and begin to glow and increase in body temperature. They move about in organized patterns & make strange noises with their vessels. 

In the search for its purpose, the reason for this mission, our extraterrestrial being faces the ups & downs of Earth life while transforming the planet itself with its extraordinary musical abilities. 
A new perspective of the present re-interpreted through this modern vessel. 

Here for you, the listener, is an audio visual presentation best experienced through headphones or on sound systems with a balanced frequency range. 

Film Release Summer 2018






5. Paint Soup (Grape God, Slick Devious, + Skelli Skel) - "Paint Soup 3" 2017  PORTLAND MUSIC  Let's get these dudes some bread, if you've ever seen them perform live... you know they deserve at least that. #444




6. Indian Agent - "Life Keeps On Spinning" 2017  This is the first single from their upcoming album, Meditations In The Key Of Red, due out October 13 on Homeskillet Records. These are some seriously high quality humans... for a peek into what they're all about, check out their bio here and check out this article about the release from the URB magazine site. Silver Jackson's Homeskillet Records has exactly the type of roster I hope to have on my own label someday... when I materialize the fundage (although my label would be mostly women).




7. Sa-Roc - "The Reckoning" 2017  RHYMESAYERS  I had the pleasure of spending six weeks in a van with this woman and have no doubt she will take over the universe as only she can.




8. Ear Dr.Umz The MetroGnome - "Nick Johnson EP" 2014  SEATTLE MUSIC  Ear Dr.Umz has recently released his Nick Johnson EP on vinyl and you should definitely buy it while you have the chance.




9. Kiefer - "aaaa" 2017  I can't say enough nice things about Kiefer; after seeing him perform with Mndsgn, I was hooked. His latest album, Kickinit Alone is available however you want to ingest it. Follow him on Soundcloud for more gems.




10. MF DOOM - "The Missing Notebook Rhymes" 2017  Adult Swim is releasing one MF DOOM song per week from The Missing Notebook Rhymes. I love seeing these two ridiculously talented teams work together and aim to grind hard enough to be right up there with them.










11. Shabazz Palaces - "Shine A Light" feat. Thadillac 2017  Shabazz Palaces prove once again that they are on a completely different plane than the rest of us... this is a really good thing. Ish as a slimy baby goat may be the best part of this whole post.




12. Araless - "Intertwine" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  "Intertwine" was most definitely inspired by Araless' wonderful lady, Melanie, who also stars in this video. Shout out to them for being a great team.




13. Wizdumb - "Bust Tha Format" & "Shadows" 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  At first listen my favorites are "So Clear" with Specs Wizard and "Suckaz" with Comel 15... listen to it, you will not regret it.







14. Thundercat - "Tokyo" 2017  BRAINFEEDER  Thundercat's tribute to Tokyo is pretty awesome, I better go to Tokyo myself to make sure he got the vibe right. I also added it to the collection of Music Videos With Cats... if you're into that sort of thing.




15. Jorja Smith X Preditah - "On My Mind" 2017  I've been a Jorja Smith fan since "Where Did I Go?" and have been ever since. Can't wait to see what she does next.




16. Rainwater Conglomerate - "The EP" 2017  If you're only going to pick one track from Rainwater Conglomerate to see what they're all about, listen to "Here & There." Billy Blaze amazes me. The crew is selling shirts on Amazon.





17. Musab + Ink Well Present MInk - "Resources" 2017  RHYMESAYERS  As someone with an unused history degree, I highly support this message. Fun fact, Musab is one of the founding members of Rhymesayers Entertainment.




18. Grieves - "What It Dew" 2017  RHYMESAYERS  This is my favorite Grieves video so far, props to the whole team for their efforts! Go see Grieves on tour with Dem Atlas, they are awesome.




19. Myke Bogan - "Pool Party" 2017  PORTLAND MUSIC  The visuals for the first single from Pool Party, "Take The Night Off" featuring Blossom were on The New Hotness Vol. 8. Myke Bogan, formerly of Pac Div with Like, is now part of the Eyrst crew... who of course, I also love.




20. BINKBEATS - "Little Nerves" feat. Niels Broos 2017  This is the first original BINKBEATS track I've heard, his cover of Madlib + Erykah Badu's "The Healer" and "J Dilla Mixtape" had me hooked instantly.



I'd like to note that BINKBEATS and Dax Edword AKA Diogenes have a doppelganger thing going. They're both ridiculously talented musicians and I sincerely hope to see them share a stage one day.

Photo stolen with love from Seattle Weekly.

@TheRingOfDOOM 0002: Secret Yayoi Kusama Alien Tunnel Hotel

Had to run up to Tahoe real quick because I got a chance to see a secret Yayoi Kusama Alien Tunnel Hotel. You would too if you had the chance.

@TheRingOfDOOM 0001: The 1st Tour Video

Great news! I got an internship as the hovercam operator for @TheRingOfDOOM. It's not a paying gig...yet...but as usual, I'm (delusionally?) optimistic that it will all work out. We are gonna work our way to the Atlantic Ocean and document all the cool shit we find along the way. This is a "use what you've got" kind of tour so we're making everything on my iPhone and laptop. I'm looking forward to learning 1,111,111 things to make all this happen and I promise to get weirder with every video.

In case you didn't already know, @TheRingOfDOOM is a fictional character from another planet I made with clay that wears my MF DOOM ring. He's been traveling Earth over the last year on his mission to save the planet via shining light on the artists who are changing the world for the better... so they can save your planet...again.

I'm headed to the Bay Area next... stay tuned. If you are in a position to donate to @TheRingOfDOOM's Intergalactic Travel Fund, you may do so here. 

Street Art Spacecruise Vol. 1 - Paces Lift + Ben Bounce "Sol Walk" Fan Video

Okay kids, I made my first music (fan) video and I couldn't love it more! The fan video for "Sol Walk" by Paces Lift + Ben Bounce is comprised of photos I took myself on my adventures. I have every intention of making more of these and am hoarding thousands of photos just waiting for the right song. I can't wait to see what I learn next.

10 Car & Driver Music Videos Part IV

I learned a ton while making this screen shot photoshop collage; like when to let go and release something even if it's not my favorite thing I've ever made. They can't all be Outer Spacecruise. 

1. Danger Mouse feat. Run The Jewels + Big Boi - "Chase Me" 2017  This is a rad project for this squad to get into; not many rappers get to make something as high profile as this. They've all done a great job of working their asses off to get to the point where they get the major motion picture paychecks. #tryharderitworks




2. Zack Villere ft. J'Von - "Minivan" 2017  Taking minivans on sweet jumps is pretty cool Zack, I think you've finally tapped into coolness that you had in you this whole time...or maybe it's all that time you've been spending with J'Von rubbing off on you. Just kidding. For real though, I love seeing these two work together; check out the song after the video if you want to hear more.






3. Like - "Miss Me With That" 2016  I've already severely overplayed this song and I'm okay with that. "Miss Me With That" appeared on The New Hotness Vol. 1 back in January because my passion for the song couldn't wait seven months until I found more videos with cars and/or driving.




4. Tei Shi - "How Far" 2017  If you're reading this, you're having a much better day than Tei Shi (in this video anyway). For all things Tei Shi, check out this interview with Stereogum or this live performance of the song that first caught my attention, "Bassically." Shoutout to Tei Shi for being the Queen Of The Sausage Fest that is this list.




5. Dwynell Roland - "Devils" 2016  MINNEAPOLIS MUSIC  I posted this back in March on The New Hotness Vol. 4 after geeking out (in the best way) over seeing P.O.S. hit Dwynell with his car in this video. My second favorite Dwynell Roland song is "Eva Change" produced by the tour homie Last Word in case you were wondering.




6. Rejjie Snow - "All Around The World" 2015  This video works as a "What Not Do Do With Your Convertible" ad. For example, any asshole who smokes cigarettes in a car with a kid deserves to be pulled over, even if it is a convertible. He even has the kid lipsync weed lyrics, an interesting choice Mr. Snow. Another interesting choice is having Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis' daughter, Lily Rose Depp costar in the video. All cigarette shaming and name dropping aside, this song is dope.




7. The Raconteurs - "Steady As She Goes" 2006  They must have had a blast making this video; I kinda think that might be what life is all about. Shoutout to Jack White for being Jack White. He appeared on CBS recently in a story about his label, Third Man Records if you aren't familiar with his legacy.




8. illa J - "7 Mile" 2017  I love the effects in this video; they took the visuals to a whole other level. Bandcamp recently did a feature on illa J if you're interested in learning more.




9. Metasota - "No Money, No Problem" 2017  MINNEAPOLIS MUSIC  Yes you can make a music video with your friend while driving in their car; I sincerely wish that more underground artists would do this very thing.




10. J. Cole - "Everybody Dies" 2016  May I present a video of J. Cole watching for cops while rapping on top of a moving truck; it totally worked.