11 Music Videos With Cops Part III

Found in London December 2016

Here's all the videos with cops/law enforcement on a YouTube playlist...

1. Joey Bada$$ feat. BJ The Chicago Kid - "Like Me" 2015  Joey Bada$$ managed to make a culturally relevant banger...we could really use a lot more of these right about now. The police continue to take innocent black lives almost daily in the United States and they're getting away with it. It's can be hard to know how to help such a horrific reality so you can start by making a formal complaint to the Seattle Police Department for the murder of Charleena Lyles, a pregnant woman who called the police for help and was murdered in front of her children just days ago. There's also a Go Fund Me set up for Charleena's family if you're in a position to help.




2. OCnotes - "Hum Drum Killa" 2015  Another amazing Stephan Gray creation. In general, I hate guns but slow motion underwater gunshots are kind of amazing. I sincerely hope OCnotes stays weird for all of his days on this planet.




3.  The Beatnuts - "No Escapin' This" 2001  There are so many times in which I think JuJu AKA Jerry Tineo looks like he could be Redman's brother...this is one of those times.




4. Kool + Kass - "Peaceful Solutions" 2013  If only the police were trained in peaceful solutions...




5. Run The Jewels - "Oh My Darling (Don't Meow) Just Blaze Remix" 2015  The USA needs some giant cats with laser eyes to come pull some superhero shit right now.




6. Denmark Vessey - "Think Happy Thoughts" 2016  It can be hard to think happy thoughts when there's so many dark forces against us right now but messages of love are vital to get us through this without losing our minds.




7. Jorja Smith - "Blue Lights" 2016  Shout out to Jorja Smith for creating art that sheds light on the terrifying reality of black people in America today. In her words, “It questions why you should have a guilty conscience if you've done nothing wrong." She explains. "The video is about a black male who portrays three different paths he could've gone down in life... as a boxer, a police officer and just a guy in a hoodie. This man is fighting with himself and the perception that society and authority have given to him. How can a young black male run away from the stereotypical stigma and hatred towards police if it is on every screen or paper they see? The boxer is quite literally being beaten up by society's perceptions. The video's narrative is just one example of the negative stereotypes many people suffer each and every day."




8.  Brockhampton - "Heat" 2017  No actual cops in this video but the song is inspired their dark presence in our country.




9. Silent Lambs Project - "Mic Choke" 2002  SEATTLE MUSIC  Silas Blak has been doing it bigger than you for decades.




10. Cadenza feat. Jorja Smith + Dre Island - "People" 2016  Here's some ideas about what to do instead of calling the police...




11. BADBADNOTGOOD feat. Snoop Dogg + Kaytranada - "Lavender" 2017  The police, media, and (not my) president really are clowns; very scary clowns. Fortunately, Snoop's gonna take em out for us.




Here's the link to the first two volumes of Music Videos With Cops.

The New Hotness Vol. 4

The New Hotness YouTube playlist is updated every time I find a new favorite song.

1. Dwynell Roland - "Devils" 2016  This song is on track to go from zero to overplayed in 3-5 days. Dwynell Roland is currently on tour w/ P.O.S. (who makes a cameo in this video), Sims from Doomtree, and DJ Fundo. Their show at The Crocodile on March 2 was incredible.




2. SiR - "Queen" 2016  It can be tricky for me to overplay a song that isn't on Spotify but I powered through it via Soundcloud and YouTube and am almost sick of the song already. SiR is one of the latest signees to the TDE label.




3. 10.4 Rog - "The Hand Drawn Rhythm Machine" 2017  I can't possibly say enough good things about 10.4 Rog; a former Seattle area resident now living in Oakland. His collaboration with Tacoma, WA's Noo is on my Top Albums of 2016 list. I bought this the moment I realized it existed.




4. The Mouse Outfit feat. Truthos Mufasa + Black Josh - "Sit Back" 2013  UK HIP HOP  I found this while internet mining this Bristol New Years Eve Hip Hop show flyer. It will appear again on the site on an upcoming Weed Anthems list. Four year old songs can still be The New Hotness if they're new to me; I listened to this song on repeat recently while roaming the streets of Barcelona.

5. Falon Sierra - "Mr. Prez" 2017 (Produced by Noo)  Falon Sierra, a Home Slice veteran (I made this show flyer and curated the lineup), has been kicking some serious ass at the 2017 SoundOff at MoPop recently; no surprise there. Noo was on the same Home Slice as Falon Sierra because I have really good taste (brushes shoulder).




6. Omen feat. Donnie Trumpet - "49 Laws" 2017  This Interscope release is instant beat nasty face.




7. Radio Concuss S01E01 feat. Silas Blak, Specs Wizard, + DJ Able Fader - 2017  SEATTLE MUSIC  Rob Castro of Concuss Creations has been making shit happen in the Seattle area for a decade plus. Fun fact, I drove all three of these artists to Castro's for the filming and I appear in one of the photos on their Facebook page. They launched Radio Concuss on March 2 at Monkey Loft in Seattle. I will most definitely be keeping you posted as new Radio Concuss episodes become available.



This was the promo video for the show; I love it when people go the extra mile to do this.




8. Anderson .Paak - "The Come Down Gospel" 2017  It's beautiful to see artist's creative visions grow as they gain confidence, fans, and financial support. Even with his Malibu release being my number one album of 2016, I truly believe that he's just getting going and the best is yet to come.




9. Shark Dentures - "Bog Slump" 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC I was late to the game on this one but music is forever...if we're lucky. Add it to your Soundcloud playlists here. As both of us are devoted fans of the local and worldwide Hip Hop scenes, I've had the pleasure of meeting Shark Dentures on many occasions but only just now heard his music for the first time; can't wait to see what he does next!




10.  "NEK030: retrox novela" Compilation 2016  Before I even got through the full album, I had to buy Nekubi's mix on cassette, all 40 tracks are that good...plus it comes with a 20 page booklet and some stickers. I had never heard of a single artist on this rabbit hole of good music. Goldmines like this are exactly what inspired me to start my own website/rabbit hole in 2009 and it has led me on an adventure that I never thought possible. This is only the first of the 40 mixtapes this artist has on their Bandcamp site; life is good.




I found this via my genius friend Dax AKA Diogenes's Bandcamp page; following him on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Twitter, etc. will expose you to more amazing music than you thought possible. He is the driving force behind the Filthy Fingers United crew, an incredible musician, graphic designer extraordinaire, and a truly wonderful human being (among other things). "Death & Acid" from 2015 is linked below purely because it remains to be awesome. Seattle based but worldwide, FFU releases a name your price compilation on the 20th of every month.




11. Luna God + Taylar Elizza Beth - "Managing" 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  Luna God and Taylar Elizza Beth are two of Seattle's most promising artists; I will forever support them in their endeavors. Both artists are Home Slice veterans.

Eleven Music Videos with Extreme Close-Ups

Here's all the Extreme Close-Up videos I've found so far on a YouTube playlist. #YouTubeNchill

(Not the cover of a NIN album...yet)

1. Gorillaz feat. Benjamin Clementine - "Hallelujah Money" 2017  I've been Gorillaz fan since they dropped "Clint Eastwood" back in 2001 and will remain to be as long as I shall live. Benjamin Clementine's voice has haunted me (in the best way) since "Condolence;" love that Damon Albarn caught onto his magic.

2. Fink - "Looking Too Closely" 2014  Fink is one of the many bands I was blessed to discover while working at The Crocodile; they remain to be one of the nicest bands I've ever met. I had just watched the episode of Walking Dead in which their song "Warm Shadow" appears in the weeks before the show and had yet to figure out who the artist was; the timing was wicked.

3. Lusine - "Arterial" 2014  SEATTLE MUSIC  This video couldn't be more appropriate for the Extreme Close-Ups list. My intro to Lusine was seeing him perform at The Crocodile with Trent Moorman a few years back and I've been a fan ever since.




4. The Good Sin x 10.4 Rog - "All For You" 2011  SEATTLE MUSIC  Look closely at the photos they show us in the video, so many wonderful people included. 10.4 Rog has been killin it since...




5. Her - "Quite Like" 2015  NSFW  Skinemax 2015 style...with a better soundtrack. Still not into band names that are hard to google but this song is pretty good so I'll give em a pass.




6. Pharrell Williams - "Freedom" 2015  Check out the Business Ventures section of Pharrell's Wikipedia page to see how hard this man grinds to remain at the top. Good things happen to good people with a strong work ethic, thank you for the inspiration Pharrell!




7. Shabazz Palaces - "Dawn In Luxor" 2016  Stephan Gray nailed this video; no surprise there. Naturally, members of Black Constellation would have killer outer space videos. Shabazz Palaces opening for Radiohead remains to be one of the best things to happen in 2016.




8. DoNormaal feat. Raven Matthews - "50 Jasper Horses" (prod. IGNORVNCE) 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  I love that the horse got the shine it deserves, for real, look how shiny the horse's hair is at 0:19. Can't say enough good things about DoNormaal and Raven Matthews; they're ahead of the game in owning their uniqueness and speaking their minds. Their musical journey is the stuff of legends. #69/50




9. Phantogram - "You Don't Get Me High Anymore" 2016  Big ideas and big budgets for the win. There's only one Phantogram song that has earned Liz's Currently Overplaying status; the rest of their catalog doesn't really do it for me personally but I still fux with them.




10. Bloom - "Raindrops" 2016  This song literally slaps you in the face, can't figure out if that's a good thing yet. Pretty sure I'd never consume this song without the visuals but mad props to Bloom for making such a huge statement with her art.




11. Run The Jewels feat. Gangsta Boo - "Love Again" 2016  Run The Jewels are winning at life these days; their merch game is on point. Do as they do but continue to do you...or something. Here's hoping I give the *what's up headnod to these two in 2017. [*The what's up headnod is when you casually acknowledge the presence of someone you truly admire (and they do it back) but you don't actually meet them so no fangirling ensues. My favorite what's up headnods of 2016 were Joey Bada$$, Schoolboy Q, and Eddie Vedder.]

Ten Great Live Performance Videos Part IV

Here's a YouTube playlist of 40+ great live performances; the list is always growing. #YouTubeNchill

1. Radiohead - "Present Tense: Jonny, Thom & a CR78" 2016  So good it makes your heart feel funny in the first thirty seconds. Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead are a gift to this universe. I often have those Radiohead Kind Of Days and I made a playlist for it...it's always evolving.




2. Silas Blak - "Cops On My Back" (Live Shots) 2015  SEATTLE MUSIC  I have so much love for Silas Blak, his entire Cabin Games crew, and the mega-talented DJ Able Fader. I had the pleasure of attending his Birthday Show at The Rendezvous in Seattle, WA a few days ago and it was perfect.

3. Sevdaliza - "Amandine Insensible" 2016  Some people are oozing with so much talent, style, and passion that all they need is a microphone to blow my mind. Much can be learned about Sevdaliza from this interview Fact Magazine did with her back in 2015.




4. Paris Alexa - "Cashitis" @ EMP SoundOff! 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  Paris Alexa is truly one of the best performers I've seen in a long time. She's gonna take over the world. Andrew Savoie, DJ Able Fader AKA Ben Dixon, and myself will always be proud that Paris Alexa was one of the artists featured in our Home Slice series in The Crocodile Back Bar.




5. Homeboy Sandman - "God" (Dungeon Sessions) 2016  All thoughts about religions and gods aside, the spirit of Homeboy Sandman shines through brilliantly in this Dungeon Session. Simple video series like this are a much needed element in the music community. Shoutout to RossAngeles for creating the series.




6. COSMOS - "Living Proof" Sound Off! 2016 SEATTLE MUSIC  The Sound Off! series at MoPOP (formerly EMP) does an incredible job showcasing the young talent in Seattle. COSMOS won the 2016 round and have nailed every single performance I've seen.




7. Dec 99th (Yasiin Bey + Ferrari Sheppard) - "Seaside Panic Room/N.A.W. Medley" 2016  This performance isn't that enjoyable but it's a much watch for anyone who's been following the amazing journey of Mos Def/Yasiin Bey. Their self-titled album was released on Tidal, which is a bummer because I have yet to embrace the music platform. Spotify, Soundcloud, and YouTube are still the Queens of the industry in my humble opinion.




8. Katie Kuffel - "Fault Lines (NPR Tiny Desk Submission)" 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  When Katie Kuffel takes the stage, she takes the breath away of everyone in the room. I had the extreme pleasure of booking her at The Crocodile Back Bar a couple times and still can't believe the world has yet to catch on...I know they will. Since I know you'll want to hear more, her YouTube channel is the place to look.




9. Anderson.Paak + The Free Nationals "SXSW 2016: NPR Music Front Row" 2016 Anderson.Paak ruled 2016 so hard...still haven't seen him live but I know it'll be worth the wait (I showed up late when he opened for Wax at The Crocodile in 2013) and was working across the festival when he played Bumbershoot. Anderson.Paak's "Malibu" album is my pick for the Number One Album of 2016.




10. Bootsy's Rubber Band - I'd Rather Be With You (Live 1976)  Bootsy is gonna take you there.

Top 10 Albums of 2016 (In My World)

These are the albums that got the most listens and provided the most feels of 2016 in my world. That said, there are a ton of albums released in 2016 I haven't even listened to yet because the hype was off (it's an internal jedi thing, I don't get it either). Spotify kept track of what I actually listened to the most... I made this list for me so I can look back later and be like...damn, 2016 was a great year for music. Had to throw my 2 Pence into the ring (I wrote this from my hotel room in London).

1. Anderson.Paak - "Malibu"  I was shocked/amazed/overjoyed to find that this album that could (and should) be overplayed in it's entirety. His KnxWorries song "Suede" with Knxwledge from 2015 had already convinced me (and Dr. Dre) that Anderson.Paak was whoa, but damn has this man added an element of joy to the world of music that we've been missing for awhile.



This series of videos by Mass Appeal did an amazing job of capturing some of the most beautiful moments throughout the creation of this masterpiece (Dre's reaction).




2. A Tribe Called Quest - "We Got It From Here... Thank You For Your Service"  A Tribe Called Quest's album, "We Got It From Here... Thank You For Your Service" was released at the exact moment the world needed it most. We the people were all heartbroken at the results of the Nov. 8 election but were still able to find some joy through their music when they gifted us this album three days later. The well timed pause in the beat followed by "The ramen noodle; Your simple voodoo is so maniacal, we're liable to pull a juju" gives me beat nasty face every-single-time...pretty damn close to this guy's priceless reaction.






Their Live On SNL performance was bittersweet but beautiful, it's great to see Jarobi White back on the scene but Phife's absence was very apparent. Thank you to the surviving members of A Tribe Called Quest for working through their loss and having the courage to keep moving forward. We love you and always will.




3. Homeboy Sandman - "Kindness For Weakness"  My respect for this man and his unique talent (and record label) has no limits. My favorite line from the album is "the glass isn't half empty or half full, it's all drink," an observation about the timeless dilemma I'd never heard before. I love people who have a unique perspective on the world. According to the roster on the sidebar of my website, I've posted about Homeboy Sandman ten times already. I'd really love to see my talented musician friends step their games up and work as hard as Homeboy Sandman so I could post their music videos ten times...



Here's some words from Homeboy Sandman himself on how it all went down...




4. Solange - "A Seat At The Table"  It's beautiful to see such a highly evolved woman doing her thing, she's welcome to a seat at my (cheap ass Ikea) table anytime. The music videos for "Cranes In The Sky" and "Don't Touch My Hair" are almost too perfect. Here's hoping she releases a video for "Mad," I don't fux with Lil Wayne but he still crushes the song and the message is on point.



Here's the link to a great interview she did with another highly evolved being, Tavi Gevinson, founder of Rookie (and beyond). Shoutout to all women who have the balls to be themselves and go all in for their vision, I wanna be just like you (but more me of course) when I grow up.




5. James Blake - "The Colour In Anything"  "The Colour In Anything" was released within days of the Radiohead album "A Moon Shaped Pool" so I took both albums on a road trip to get to know them. That day, I decided I loved this album the most. I had the extreme pleasure of seeing him at The Neptune Theatre in 2013 and it remains to be one of the best concert experiences of my life (as a fan). His show later that year at Showbox Sodo did not provide the same emotions due to vibe and layout of the venue but I wholeheartedly support this man.



James Blake and his team have yet to make a video for my favorite song on the album, "Timeless," so this fan-made video will do for now.




6. J. Cole - "4 Your Eyez Only"  I did the Road Trip Challenge with both "4 Your Eyez Only" and Childish Gambino's "Awaken, My Love!" and J. Cole won the first round because a few singles stood out to me more but my relationship with Childish Gambino's album is only just beginning. The prize for winning the Road Trip Challenge is to get overplayed the most but maybe I'll work on stepping my game up with that in 2017. The storytelling of the title track "4 Your Eyez Only" is currently in my Top Five (rotates daily). J. Cole went for it and dropped the following two videos on the same day, I love that shit.



J. Cole is coo and everything but I still think Joey Bada$$ did it better.




7. Radiohead - "A Moon Shaped Pool"  In my universe, Radiohead albums age well so it's best for me to take my time getting to know them. I fall in and out of love with Radiohead songs as their lyrics and vibe become relevant in my life or when I've grown enough to connect with Thom Yorke's genius at that moment.



Live Radiohead videos really do it for me, they released a few in 2016 that further prove their talents and take my breath away...another one will appear on my site soon.




8. Onry Ozzborn - "Duo" SEATTLE MUSIC  Onry Ozzborn has been steadily killin it for years and has seriously stepped his game up with this release. He does a great job of supporting his peers and I truly value his presence in Seattle. I sincerely hope that the still blossoming artists I love will follow his example and stay classy. The "duofilm" below is a masterpiece.



The lineup for the Duo Album Release at Nectar Lounge was perfect and he sold the place out, I had a fabulous time.




9. Noo & 10.4 Rog - "Inner G" TACOMA MUSIC (AND BEYOND) My thought process when I listen to the music of these two geniuses... "what? holy shit, this is fucking awesome, (checks number of listens), I can't believe they're not more famous, I'm gonna listen to it again to figure out why it's so damn good, 10.4 Rog is a genius, Noo is killin it." The rest of the Home Slice team and myself had the pleasure of hosting Noo at The Crocodile Back Bar back in September and it was whoa (I made the show flyer myself).



I would love to see a video for "Without You" featuring Muzzy Legault this song is straight fire (and I don't even say that shit). Here's hoping I get to see 10.4 Rog live in 2017, will travel.




10. Remember Face - "Remember Face" SEATTLE MUSIC  This release amazes me because it's fucking beautiful to see the people you love grow, challenge themselves, and get even better with every release. The Remember Face live performances I've seen show that they're going the extra mile and that they truly love what they're doing. I can't wait to see what they do next. This album made it on Seattle Weekly's "The Most Underrated Local Records Of 2016" with Noo + 10.4 Rog and that's wicked awesome.



Andrew Savoie and Chimaroke Abuachi of Remember Face branched off from Nu Era, their crew had an amazing album release party for Armadilla Lexus in 2016. I was smart enough to film this epic moment, shaky iPhone style; the talent of everyone in the video shines through the poor quality.






HONORABLE MENTION (mostly because it wasn't time for me to bond with them yet, fortunately music is timeless when made from the heart) :

NoName - "Telefone"
Childish Gambino - "Awaken, My Love!"

Ten More Music Videos with Bridges

HERE's the link to ALL the bridge music videos on a YouTube playlist. #YouTubeNchill


1. Mat Randol - "North Of Nowhere (Short Film)" 2016  PORTLAND MUSIC One of the many gems of the Portland scene. The Greater NW Music website does a great job of covering both Seattle and Portland artists; check em.




2. Nas - "Nas Is Like" 1999  When I had the pleasure of seeing Nas perform at Moore Theater in Seattle, he was alone onstage with his DJ... as it should be.




3. Grynch x Wizdom x Fearce Vill - "My City's Filthy" 2014 (Produced by D-Sane) SEATTLE MUSIC This city really is filthy.




4. Homeboy Sandman - "Stroll" 2014  He can do no wrong in my eyes; I even love that he has Lice. The project combines artists from two of my favorite record labels; Rhymesayers x Stones Throw. Kindness For Weakness is one of my favorite albums of the year; "Eyes" is the cut.




5. Black Coffee - "Come With Me" feat. Mque 2016  Black Coffee was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at the South African Music Awards back in June.




6. Grimes - "REALiTi" 2015  She is doing a great job of owning it these days. I love this.




7. Wizdumb feat. Silas Blak - "Rap Class" 2015  SEATTLE MUSIC This Silas Blak verse though.




8. M.I.A. - "Sunshowers" 2005  Treehouse bridge for the win.




9. Show + AG - "Next Level" (DJ Premier Remix) 1995  This remains to be one of the best songs I've ever heard.




10. Kaytranada feat. Syd - "You're The One" 2016  My heart swells with warm thoughts for all parties involved in the making of this song and video, thank you for making music!

The iPhoneSE Adventures of @206Liz [Chapter 1]

A little over two years ago, I quit my unfulfilling safe job with benefits to see if I could carve out a niche for myself in the music industry. I was able to use this website as a resume to get my foot in the door and have been working (and learning) at music venues almost every single day since then.

In an attempt to "be the change" I hope to see in the world, I decided to share some of the experiences that made me the happiest and learn iMovie at the same time. In the spirit of Chase Jarvis who said, "The Best Camera Is The One That's With You," I've decided to use the tools I already have to their fullest potential. This is gonna be fun.



@206Liz Instagram

Ten Great Low Budget Music Videos

I decided to add a link to a YouTube playlist for each list because I just got a Smart TV and I'd rather watch music videos than television. Adding YouTube playlist links to previous lists will be another new long term project. TEN GREAT LOW BUDGET VIDEOS YOUTUBE  PLAYLIST

1. Taylar Elizza Beth - "Daisies" 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  Can't say enough good things about this woman and her video debut. With one video she's been able to show us what she's all about and leave us wanting more in a way that a strictly Soundcloud release cannot. I have no doubt "Fresh Cut Flowers" will be worth waiting for. @taylizzabeth




2. DoNormaal - "Let That Thing Go" 2015 (Prod. by Roach Carter)  SEATTLE MUSIC  Her beauty and talent shines from the inside out. DoNormaal's progression as an artist is a beautiful thing to witness. Here's hoping a new DoNormaal album is coming soon. @donormaalright 




3. The Last Artful, Dodgr - "Pestilent Intestines" 2013  PORTLAND MUSIC  Since The Last Artful, Dodgr released this low-budget gem, she's been working with the uber-interesting EYRST crew and making some big moves including being named one of the "5 Female MC's Leading The Charge" by Milk Studios. It would be in your best interest to follow @TheLastArtful on Twitter.




4. Stevo The Weirdo - "LUNCHTIME X LIKE ME REMIX" 2016  PORTLAND MUSIC  I haven't yet delved into Stevo The Weirdo's catalog but this song is dope. I get infinite inspiration from the goldmine of great music in the Pacific Northwest. @StevoTheWeirdo




5. Able Fader - "The Wind And Rain" 2015  SEATTLE MUSIC Can't say enough great things about this dude. He is a true professional in everything he does (Graphic Design, DJ, Producer, Sound Engineer, Father, etc.) and a joy to work with. @AbleFader




6. Macklemore feat. XP "Brad Pitt's Cousin" 2016  SEATTLE MUSIC  The adventures of Macklemore and his crew are not low-budget, they still made this video on an iPhone. This song is not that tight but I love how they're showing us what we can do with the tools we already have. I'd love to work for this crew because they understand that music can be used as a tool for social change.  @Macklemore




7. DonMonique - "Kendall, Kylie, Miley" 2015  I've never followed the moves of Kendall, Kylie, or Miley but DonMonique seems coo. Here's a video about the Brooklyn artist via Noisey.  @DONMON1QUE




8. Jorja Smith - "Where Did I Go?" 2016  This UK artist further proves that one great low-budget video is all you need to capture the attention of the world. The simplicity of the video shows us that she doesn't need flashy gimmicks because her "Personal Sunlight" alone can carry the video. I've been overplaying this song since I first heard it a few days ago. @JorjaSmith




9. DoNormaal - "Standing" 2015 (Prod. by Brakebill)  SEATTLE MUSIC  She's amazing because she's being herself 100%. One of my favorite DoNormaal moments was when she performed with Nu Era at their "Armadilla Lexus" Release Party at Sunset Tavern. @donormaalright




10. Lady Leshurr - "Queen's Speech Ep. 4" 2015  I'd love to see my girl Z3LLi make videos like this. It's simple and low-budget but showcases the personality of the artists well. The rap/walk multitask is a classic music video skill...I sense a new list coming on. @LadyLeshurr




*Use what you've got! If you or one of your friends has a smartphone, you can make a music video. A YouTube presence is vital if an artist wants to be taken seriously. The only thing holding you back is yourself.

Ten Music Videos With Kissing

10 Kissing Music Videos Playlist is here.

1. Disclosure feat. Eliza Doolittle - "You And Me" (Flume Remix) 2014  I actually think they went a little overboard with the kissing on this one but the song is awesome. It was one of the many songs I knew I loved in the first 1 minute and 4 seconds. My intro to Disclosure was "White Noise" featuring AlunaGeorge and I've been on board ever since. For Flume, the song that caught me was "Left Alone" featuring Chet Faker.




2. Bjork - "Mutual Core" 2012   Bjork is Queen of the Keep Iceland Weird committee in the best possible way. The almost unlistenable song and creepy visuals in this single from her Biophilia album make it an all around uncomfortable video to watch. Don't get me wrong, I have loved Bjork since before I Mod Podged the Post album art on my journal in 1995; but, her new music is a little hard to digest. A+ for effort and for staying true to her inner weirdo.




3. The Weeknd - "Often" 2014  Even though all of The Weeknd songs sound the same to me, there are only 3 songs that I have overplayed as of yet. "Can't Feel My Face," "The Zone," and "The Morning." He's just meh to me in general, but I would love to see other artists work as hard as he has for a sustainable music career.




4. Shura - "Touch" 2014  Love the song but the video makes me feel like a Peeping Tom. Shura has a Shuraverse on her website that is so high tech that it doesn't load half the time. Have yet to find any other Shura songs that I like.



The final product of Talib Kweli's remix is pretty weak. It feels like a concocted label collaboration to me, but maybe Kweli simply liked the song as much as I did?




5. BADBADNOTGOOD + Ghostface Killah feat. DOOM - "Ray Gun" 2015  This is a truly epic trio of artists. Masks, robots, spaceships, subtitles, cars, fur, birds, special effects, food, lasers, cops; this video has everything. I love that Left Brain is the lead actor in this; he doesn't tip his bartenders though so he'll never be that classy.




6. Odesza feat Zyra - "Say My Name" 2014  I'm down with Odesza but I have yet to feel the urge to spend time with their music. The duo met at WWU and quickly made Bellingham, WA a new hub of the Electronic music scene. Pretty sweet trick actually.




7. Prof - "Motel" 2015  Best dimples, promo, and socks in the game. He's been working his ass off under the guise of almost constant shenanigans for over a decade. With the priceless backing of Rhymesayers, he's making a huge mark on the music community.



My former ReignCity team had the pleasure of hosting Prof's "Liability Tour" at Nectar Lounge November 17, 2015 with Nacho Picasso and Slow Dance. Here's a few of the photos I found on my phone the next day.

8. The Flavr Blue - "Hearts Racing" 2014  SEATTLE MUSIC  All three members of The Flavr Blue are pushing themselves to be the best humans they can be. Mad respect to Hollis, Parker, and Lace for their commitment to their craft and for being all around awesome people.




9.  Snakehips feat. Tinashe + Chance The Rapper - "All My Friends" 2015  We never actually see what these people are waiting in line for which is actually perfect for the song. This video for my first exposure to Snakehips would have been perfect in the short Rotating Cameras list. I've listened to this song too much but I'm coo with it.




10. Kwamie Liv - "Higher" 2015  This video documents the course of a relationship, The Cure's Wild Mood Swings album did that too. I first heard Kwamie Liv in the single "5 AM" a few years back but haven't seen her in Seattle yet.

Specs Wizard - "Golden Eagle EP"

My favorites on the long-awaited new Specs Wizard "Golden Eagle EP" are "Shy" and "Golden Eagle." I'd really love to see Specs go for the gold and complete a music video or two for this project and to overall step into prolific artist mode. Shout out to Adam and Tyler Swan at Sauco who get the Engineering and Mixing credits on the EP as well as Adam Straney on the Mastering. Album photo by Astro King Phoenix from our field trip Deception Pass with Wolf Delux last year.

I cannot wait to see what Specs does next. If he can harness his momentum and put in the work, he'll be able to make the mark on the music and art communities we've known he was meant to for decades.



Specs can be found March 11 at Vermillion for The Jam All Stars Edition featuring Silas Blak, Tulsi, and the rest of the official Jam crew, AbsoluteMadman, and DJ Able Fader. The Jam unites all of the best people in the oasis of cool that is Vermillion.

Specs recently headlined the 2016 Kickoff of Home Slice on the Showroom stage of The Crocodile with Silas Blak, Meteor Killers, Sir Withers, and DJ Able Fader. Thanks to Adam, my General Manager at The Croc, I was able to pay Specs to paint this mural on the 2nd Avenue wall as promotion for the show. The mural is gone now but will live on digitally. As with every month's Home Slice, I curated the event so that all of my favorite people would be there. Felt 100% at the end of the night because I got props from Vitamin D. Success!

Ten Great Short Film Music Videos

Here's a link to a YouTube playlist with 12 Short Film-style Music Videos. 

1. Onry Ozzborn - "duofilm" 2016 (SEATTLE MUSIC) Congratulations to Onry on the successful Visual Album Debut at Nectar 2/13/16 for this project! It's wonderful to see people putting in huge efforts to do something unique. The following are his words on the video and the March 25 Fake Four release of "duo":

"DUO is an album I created of calculated duets with some good friends of mine (hence the album title), + duofilm is visual version of the album edited down to a 15min viewing.
Almost every guest off the album participated in duofilm such as Aesop Rock, Kimya Dawson, P.O.S, Nathan Quiroga of Iska Dhaaf, Terra Lopez of Sister Crayon, Rob Sonic, etc, bringing forth a very diverse sitting filled with variety + depth."

The Album Release party for "duo" is April 7 at Nectar Lounge with Homeboy Sandman, Blueprint, Divide The Poet, What Have May, Mr. Hill, and Special Surprise Guests (I'll give you one guess). Onry is straight killin it.

2. M.I.A. - "Born Free" 2010  M.I.A. is a Queen On This Earth because she dares to be her true authentic self and share it with all of us in such an unfiltered manner. She's definitely found a way to channel her inner Bowie. Props.



Do yourself a favor and go to the only place you can leave with everything you want, money being no object...the library. Her self-titled book is there waiting for you to check out for free.

3. Alexandre Francisco Diaphra - Blackbook Of The Beats 2015  This was another great international Okay Player find. I've included a small portion of the YouTube credits for some background info on the artist.

A multifaceted artist from Guinea-Bissau, based in Lisbon: rapper, poet, edutainer & beatmaker, creating music based on improvisation in which he blends his psychedelic, black music, afro ancestral influences and love for the non-quantized beats in the same way as with experimental jazz, mixed contemporary and urban styles. Last year Diaphra wons the 3rd place at the 1st International Poetry Slam in Rio de Janeiro (Flupp).

4. Thundercat - "Them Changes" 2015  Thundercat and the Brainfeeder crew managed to fit a whole story in their three and a half minute video for "Them Changes."



Thundercat is part of Flying Lotus' WOKE Supergroup with Shabazz Palaces; which may end up being one of the most exciting musical endeavors we've seen in awhile. Even Thundercat is stoked on it.




5. Florence + The Machine - "Queen Of Peace / Long And Last" 2015  She has quite the flair for drama doesn't she? I'm down with Florence, her creative vision and efforts are inspiring. I'm not in love with this song in the least but still think the project is coo. "Cosmic Love" still goes.




6. ASM (A State Of Mind) feat. DOOM as King Dumile - "Masking" 2015  It's been suggested via the artist's website that we  "Imagine a Quentin Tarantino movie set in ancient Greece and scored by Ennio Morricone and A Tribe Called Quest" with DOOM in it. I'm in. ASM is touring in Europe over the next few months. I hope he makes it to Seattle someday soon.




7. Grape God - "Open: A Flexistential Crisis" 2015 (PORTLAND MUSIC) During his October 19, 2015 performance at Home Slice in The Crocodile Back Bar (my monthly local Hip Hop showcase) he painted, percolated coffee, burned his own scent of candles, and was all around totally awesome. Ripley Snell and Skelli Skel were part of the time travel magic as well.



Grape God is one of the most unique and talented time travelers I've ever met. He recently released a one track jazz album and painting that he made on Valentine's Day. All hail Grape God. #444




8. ZHU X AlunaGeorge - "Automatic" 2015  I was blessed to see London artists, AlunaGeorge, at The Crocodile on October 18, 2015; it was whoa. My master plan includes immersing myself fully in UK music scene for a bit when the time is right. I'm still working on the music bridge that will get me there.




9. Flying Lotus - "FUCKKKYOU" 2016  Flying Lotus rightfully got mad props for this one...

*Official Selection Sundance 2016
*World Premiere Sundance Next Fest 2015
*Official Selection AFI Fest 2015
*Official Selection Fantastic Fest 2015
*Winner Zubroffka International Short Film Fest 2015
*Official Selection Zinema Zombie Fest 2015
*Official Selection Shivers Genre Film Festival 2015
*Official Selection Bogotá Short Film Festival 2015
*Official Selection HollyShorts 2016
*Official Selection Twister Alley Film Festival 2015
*Official Selection Madeira Micro Film Festival 2015

With the ability to travel in time, a lonely girl finds love and comfort by connecting with her past self. Eventually faced with rejection she struggles with her identity and gender, and as time folds onto itself only one of them can remain.

Director | Producer | Editor - Eddie Alcazar
Composer | Sound Design - Flying Lotus
Producer - Javier Lovato
Cinematography - Danny Hiele
Cast - Jesse Sullivan | Charles Baker




10. Mike Larry Draw - "Similar Contrast" 2015  This video stars the multi-talented Araless of Black Magic Noize, Vaughn illa, and Z3LLI from my hometown of Seattle. The video is so good that I didn't realize I wasn't into the music itself until I watched it again. Side note, Vaughn illa is not this evil in real life, not even a little bit.

Ten Great YouTube Video Series

1. Anderson .Paak A N I M A L via Mass Appeal

"Today, Mass Appeal premieres Anderson .Paak’s new web series, A N I M A L. Curated by Ian Schwartzman and Adrian Miller, and shot by Micah Stell, the show is a quick-paced, jump cut-filled account of newfound fame, which mirrors the wonderfully turbulent life that Paak is adjusting to. “It’s been a crazy ride and I’m not really concerned with stopping any time soon,” says Paak. “This is what we’ve been working toward for a long a time. We’re ready, and I’m glad I can share this moment with new fans and people that want to get to know me.” The cast of characters ranges from Paak’s L.A. underground homies like Dumbfoundead and LO_DEF, global superstars like Dre and Kendrick, to his wife and son." - The YouTube credits




2. KINDA NEAT

"This is a podcast about music…kinda.  Hosted by Lee Shaner (better known as Intuition), a rapper, writer, photographer, curator, and producer haling from North Pole, Alaska and currently residing in Los Angeles.  Produced by Ben Shim, also known as DTBS, an audio engineer, producer, beat maker, and fellow Knocksteady ex-patriot.  The two previously hosted and produced over 70 podcasts on the now defunct “Knocksteady Live” show.  Kinda Neat is a means of getting to know more about their friends and fellow dream chasers, while introducing them to, or better informing, folks that share similar tastes in music." - Kinda Neat

ILLFIGHTYOU - "Potty" - Episode 30 9/11/13





3. King Krule - "What's In My Bag?" 2014 Amoeba Records 1/13/14

"Our award-winning series and tastemakers sharing what they found shopping at Amoeba."
- Amoeba Records

4. Crate Diggers via Fuse TV

"Invited into the private homes and studios of some of the most influential personalities in music, this award-winning digital series profiles musicians through the thing they hold most dear—their record collections. In Crate Diggers, renowned artists, DJs and producers allow Fuse’s cameras to document personal vinyl collections that have frequently never before been seen by the public. Each episode becomes more than an exploration of a crate of albums, it becomes an exploration of the music that shaped the artists’ work and lives. In 2013, Crate Diggers was named an Honoree for Best Online Music Documentary by the WEBBY Awards." - FUSE

J Rocc's Vinyl Collection - 2012




5. Thursday Plantation - Larry Mizell Jr. + Propadata Films circa 2006

Playlist of all Ten Episodes from his pre-KEXP days. The Prince Paul interview is my favorite part.




6. 7 Slaps In The Sack w/ Carrick Wenke for MissCaseyCarter.com 2014-Present

I wish he'd work with more local artists but it's still a great series.




7. Coolout TV Interview with Treach and DJ Kay Gee of Naughty By Nature 2008

Georgio Brown and Coolout TV feature Gloria Medina w/ Naughty By Nature at the 92.5 House Party 2008 with Coolio in Seattle.

"I'm feeling the fire right now" (2:14) -says the woman standing next to Treach




8. Black Cab Sessions in London + New York

 Champagne Champagne - "Soda + Poprocks" 2012 (SEATTLE MUSIC)

"Presenting the best bands performing in one of the worlds most iconic vehicles!"
-Chris@blackcabsessions.com




9. Rhythm Roulette by Mass Appeal

"Mass Appeal challenges producers to make a beat by sampling three random records, chosen from a local record store while blindfolded. The results offer us a unique perspective into the musical minds of these world-class beatmakers and the hidden souls of the records that destiny hath given." -The YouTube Description

This one features samplemaster-flex, Exile.




10. Fuck! That's Delicious By Action Bronson

He's the Anthony Bourdain of Hip Hop.