Our American friends hit the voting booths today. psychology reminds you/them to make the right decision.
if you still are on the fence about who to vote for, or even if you have made your decision, take a listen to psychology's 2008 tribute to Barack Obama.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the release of one of my favorite albums from one of my favorite groups in Hip Hop. On March 26, 1990, Digital Underground released their debut album, Sex Packets. Sex Packets was a concept album about "G.S.R.A." (Genetic Suppression Relief Antedotes), a pharmaceutical substance that is produced in the form of a large glowing pill (about the size of a quarter), that comes in a condom-sized package, and is allegedly developed by the government to provide its intended users (Astronauts and the like) with a satisfying sexual experience in situations where the quest-for/attainment-of such experiences would be counterproductive to the mission at hand.(wikipedia)
Sex Packets & Digital Underground may best be known for the song, The Humpty Dance, which was performed by Shock G's alter ego Humpty Hump. The Humpty Dance was so catchy & the bassline so hyponotic that it was sampled many times over the years.
Sex Packets introduced P-Funk to a new generation of listeners. Digital Underground even coined themselves as the rejects of the P-Funk family who were black sheeped for being to crazy & funky for the P-Funk forefathers. Personally, Digital Underground is the catalsyt for my obsession with funk music & led me to research & listen to music by Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, Parliament & others. Not only did Digital Underground bring funk into the spotlight, but Shock G & the Digital Underground are also responsible for introducing the world to a young Tupac Shakur. Initially Tupac was a backup dancer & roadie for Digital Underground, then a few verses on some DU songs to eventually releasing his solo material, which was initially produced by Shock G; including Tupac's first hit (and one of the few Tupac songs I dig), I Get Around
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The world may not have been into Digital Underground as much as I was, but they were pioneers in their use of funk samples, which became a main staple in 90s West Coast Rap & Hip Hop. Sex Packets opened my mind to different sounds as well as made me curious about sex, as it was a prominent theme throughout the Sex Packets album. Songs like Freaks Of The Industry & Gutfest '89 were like audio pornography to a young teenger like myself, full of hormones.. The Way We Swing & Rhymin' On The Funk were just to funky to not listen to. Then there was the Jazz Piano sounds the Packet Prelude that seduced the listener with every strike of the keys. This album was & still is a classic that deserves recognition & respect.
Originally I intended to celebrate Sex Packets' 20th anniversary with a DITR: Digital Underground Session mix; but after a year or so of serious thought, I realized that I would be the only one who would enjoy it. If there are Digital Underground fans out there, let me know. Maybe I'll creconsider & release DITR: The Digital Undeground Session for the 25th anniversary in 2015. In the meantime, thank you Shock G & all your alter egos; Money B & Raw Fusion; and everyone who was involved in Digital Underground for your creativity & inspiration. I have always been & will always be a fan.
Enjoy some Digital Underground today!!
and finally.. If you didn't believe me when I said Tupac was a back up dancer? Here's video proof:
This week commemorates the 1st anniversary of the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. It truly was a historical moment, and Obama continues to try and fix the clusterf**k better known as the USA.
This historical moment became the catalyst & inspiration for one of psychology's most special mixes; The Diamond In The Rough: The Change Has Come Session. Starting with psychology's remix of Barak Obama's historical victory speech on November 4th, psychology than continues the mix with songs that seemed to compliment this moment in history.
The holiday season is filled with many memories for everyone. And at this time of year, its also a chance to remember "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business", James Brown. Leaving a legacy that can never be repeated, James Brown died on Christmas Day, 2006 from congestive heart failure resulting from complications of pneumonia. There isn't much I can say about James Brown that hasn't been said before. The Godfather of Soul; is arguably the most sampled person in Hip Hop history and settled for nothing less than perfection from himelf & his musicians. The legacy of James Brown will live on forever.
Download psychology's tribute to Mr. Dynamite,James Brown RIP James Brown.
After a week of absorbing the historical win by the Obama team, and with the inspiration of his victory speech still giving hope to many, including myself, it only seemed right to put this inspiration to good use. And inspiration in psychology comes in one main form: Studio time.
Now I know this mix may SEEM a bit late with all the Barack mix tapes flooding the internet before the election. I heard many of them & even blogged about them. But again, it was the speech given after he won that got my creative juices flowing. So for the past week, psychology has been listening to various Obama speeches & rallies; songs of relevance; hunting various you-tube videos & digging in the crates to find the right songs that would not only fit with the words used by Barack Obama on November 4th, but also convey a message of hope & inspiration for the future.
Hopefully by now you have had a chance to download psychology's remix of the November 4th victory speech. But as I mentioned; it is only the beginning. Literally. The Obama/psychology remix kicks off The Diamond In The Rough: The Change Has Come Session which will premiere tonight (Midnight) on the airwaves of K103.
It's been a week since the historic moment of Barack Obama's victory to become the 44th President of The United States & his Memorable, Historical speech in Chicago's Grant Park. As people for years to come will recount where they were when Obama was anounced victorious over John McCain, I wanted to try and paint history through the eyes of psychology. Now I must admit, I feel like an outsider looking in; as a Canadian; but reading blogs, articles & watching reports on TV & online, I have come to realize what I already knew... This is historical. Barack obama has a tough job ahead of him. But, as a fellow DJ, Z-Trip said; if he get's a third of the stuff he promises done, The US (& the world) will be in a better place. I have been listening to Barack Obama's November 4th speech for the past week. Its echoes resonating inside me, hoping for the best for our neighbours to the South & anxious to see the day that Bush (aka Yosemite Sam) is out of office. On Thursday, DJ New Money sent me an e-mail of a remix of Common's Be, he made using parts of the speech around the opening song of Common's 6th studio album. (Listen to New Money's Be remix here). It gave me an idea... Why not give the ENTIRE speech a soundtrack... I have heard some of the most inspirtaional speeches put to music (Most noteworthy being Montreal's DJ Blast remixing some of Malcolm X's speeches) & thought that Barack's words from November 4th deserve the same treatment. So I present to you, the Barack Obama November 4th victory speech (psychology remix).Download here: Z-Share Rapidshare Megaupload Let me know what you think
A special thank you to DJ New Money, The city of Chigaco & the Obama family for the inspiration to make this remix. And thank you to Excel, Leslie & Greg for our various political discussions over the past years about Barack, the Clintons, The Bush family...
