Madlib’s Medicine Show
Otis Jackson, Renaissance Man. Although never reported to have constructed a helicopter, Madlib’s skill-set can be said to exceed even his vast array of pseudonyms. While a comprehensive list of The Beat Konducta’s…
The Birth of Indie: 5 British Labels and Their Legacies
Damn this stupid “indie” term. No one even knows what it’s supposed to mean anymore. Yeah, it is short for “independent” but wasn’t every single post-Libertines/Strokes guitar band with flabby shirts and dirty…
Everything Is Purple: Houston Chopped and Screwed
On March 19, the University of Houston will open the doors to its exhibit “DJ Screw and the Rise of Houston Hip Hop”. In an attempt to uphold the legacy of one of…
Afro-Punk Mix: PVNTHER PXWER
The concept of “Afro-Punk” might appear to be a fairly simple one at first glance. In essence, it could be best described as the music of black resistance. The people of the African…
Are You Scared of Revolution? The Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron & The Watts Prophets
“Time is running out on lifeless serpents reigning over a living Kingdom”. One of the opening lines of The Last Poets’ debut album accurately articulates the zeitgeist felt by radicals on both ends…
Bigger Than Hip Hop
It is one of those instantly recognizable bass lines. The boom of Dead Prez’ 1999 hit “Hip Hop” still gets parties pumping and heads bobbing in unison all across the Globe today. Add…
Thundercat – The Golden Age of the Apocalypse
Just when you thought the Brainfeeder camp was becoming the benchmark for what many a blogger likes to refer to as “Glitch Hop” and “Wonky”, the label headed by Steven Ellison (better known…
Academy Records – Brooklyn, NY
Part of a number of thriving independent record stores in and around the now notorious Williamsburg corner of Brooklyn, Academy Records has achieved that rare equilibrium of a fantastic selection and knock-out prices….
Sam Cooke – Live at the Harlem Square Club 1963
The year is 1963. Sam Cooke is at the height of his fame and is playing a gig in Miami, in the still partially segregated South. The recordings of this gig were released…
Novi talas – New Wave and (Post-)Punk in Former Yugoslavia
While their Western contemporaries like Wire, Gang of Four, Talking Heads and Devo were stirring things up on their side of the Iron Curtain, the New Wave and Punk bands from what was…
Who’s the Man? Isaac Hayes’ Blaxploitation Soundtracks
When Isaac Hayes passed away three years ago, he left behind a legacy riddled with controversy. In spite of some questionable attempts to remain in the spotlight and his involvement with Scientology, Hayes’…
Patron Saints of the Underground: The Story of Fondle ‘Em Records
The New York underground label Fondle ‘Em Records is probably best known for their release of MF DOOM’s debut album “Operation: Doomsday”. Taking a closer look at the label’s history will however reveal a remarkable depth of hidden treasures, buried in the crates of independent hip hop’s flagship.
![Let There Be Death [Vol. I Pt. I]](http://www.icrates.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/joe_strummer_s-50x50.jpg "Let There Be Death [Vol. I Pt. I]")
