Serengeti, Live @ Union Transfer

Tags

Anticon, Chicago, concert video, Dennehy, kDZ, Kenny Dennis, live music, live philly concerts, R5 Productions, Serengeti, Spotify link, Union Transfer

This one goes out to my girl Jules. 

If you know David Cohn (stage name Serengeti), you know what I am talking about.  This enigmatic story spinner is a genius by some estimations.  We talked to him.  We definitely support the crazy genius definition.  Serengeti is an artist who certainly cares about his fans and produces copious amounts of amazing output.  Think I am kidding?

Albums

1. Dirty Flamingo (F5 Records, 2002)
2. Noodle Arms Whimsy (The Frozen Food Section, 2005)
3. Gasoline Rainbows (Oarfin, 2006)
4. Thunder Valley (Audio 8 Recordings, 2006)
5. Race Trading (Audio 8 Recordings, 2006)
6. Noticeably Negro (Audio 8 Recordings, 2006)
7. Dennehy (Bonafyde Recordings, 2006)
8. Don’t Give Up (Audio 8 Recordings, 2007) (with Polyphonic)
9. The Boredom of Me (Audio 8 Recordings, 2008) (with Renee-Louise Carafice & Tony Trimm, as Yoome)
10. Friday Night (Breakfast Records, 2008) (with Hi-Fidel, as Friday Night)
11. Terradactyl (Anticon, 2009) (with Polyphonic)
12. Conversations with Kenny / Legacy of Lee (Golden Floyd Records, 2009)
13. There’s a Situation on the Homefront (Breakfast Records, 2010) (with Hi-Fidel & DJ Koufie, as Tha Grimm Teachaz)
14. Saturday Night (Breakfast Records, 2010) (with Hi-Fidel, as Friday Night)
15. Family & Friends (Anticon, 2011)
16. Shtaad (Blank Records, 2011) (with Sicker Man, as Shtaad)
17. C.A.R. (Anticon, 2012)
18. Saal (Graveface Records, 2012) (with Sicker Man, as Shtaad

EPs

1. Bells and a Floating World (Anticon, 2010) (with Polyphonic)
2. There’s a Situation on the Homefront EP (Chopped Herring Records, 2011) (with Hi-Fidel & DJ Koufie, as Tha Grimm Teachaz)
3. Davis (Leaving Records, 2011) (with Matthew David, as Davis)
4. Beak & Claw (Anticon, 2012) (with Son Lux & Sufjan Stevens, as S / S / S)
5. Kenny Dennis EP (Anticon, 2012)
6. C.A.B. (Anticon, TBA)

24 releases since 2002.  On many of these Serengeti spits his verses through alter-egos channeling their thoughts and delivering at a pace to match the character.  These alter-egos have themes which are thoroughly explored in his music. This could be explained in depth – there is plenty of depth to it – but encourage you to explore on your own if interested.

++ Serengeti on Spotify ++

On the 14th of September 2012, Serengeti delivered tracks from C.A.R., Family & Friends, and Dennehy among other albums. Active out of Chicago since 1993, he showed why he has been able to stay around for so long while never substituting quality for gimmicks.  While most of the crowd were uneducated on the talent before them, we knew what it was about and think most everyone that left knowing also.  Check out some of our video below:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zQQFUoK5YA]

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euGAVs9xxWQ]

El-P, Live @ The Trocadero

Tags

concert video, El-P, Killer Mike, R5 Productions, Spotify link, The Trocadero, Trocadero Philly

El-P is a brilliant pioneer that explores sound textures and rhythms outside the mainstream hip-hop pallet.  Short for El-Producto, El-P has carved out large swaths of today’s alternative hip-hop movement in a vernacular that is hardly paralleled.   His work can be seen not only in solo projects but in that of the collectives to which he was a member, productio9n and beat-work on the albums of contemporaries,  and the shepherding of the seminal record label Definitive Jux.

++ El-P – Cancer 4 Cure on Spotify ++

On the heels of his new banger Cancer 4 Cure, El-P rolled into Philly from Brooklyn, NYC with Killer Mike in tow and lit up the Trocadero stage with tracks new and old.  We caught8 of them which you can see below:

Dice Raw, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

Tags

concert video, Def Jam, Dice Raw, Dj Sugar Shay, johnny brendas, Karl Jenkins, live music, live philly concerts, Local Philly Band, Lushlife album release party, Money Msking Jam Boys, Philly Rapper, Spotify link, The Roots, The Roots Crew

Philly Hip-Hop legend Dice Raw (aka Karl Jenkins) with Roots crew affiliation and Money Making Jam Boys ilk rhymed like a gold-medaler for the Lushlife album release party at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown on April 17th.  Spitting verses from his DeNiro-eque career track credits, Dice came across as an authority to the craft in a performance most moving.

++ Dice Raw on Spofity ++

Taking the stage in a vintage-looking grey and black power suit and glasses, vodka in hand, Dice Raw was total class act.  Verses were prepared with quiet effort and care with beats supplied by DJ Sugar Shay (sp?); Dice’s new set DJ.  Diverse, powerful, moving, searching, and clever samples combined with Dice crowd engagement made this a must see set.  One of the greatest Rap performances we have ever seen.   Sufficed to say, there was no mumbling on the mic.  The crisp sound of JB’s lent itself well to Dice’s flow and Sugar Shay’s turntableism.  Check out our video below and witness a Philly star.  Also, Gotye is sampled in the second video.  I know you will like this:

Doomtree, Live @ Union Transfer

Tags

cecil otter, concert video, dessa, Doomtree, laserbeak, live music, live philly concerts, Mike Mictlan, Minnesota, P.O.S., Paper Tiger, pos, R5 Productions, Sims, Union Transfer

Doomtree is an amazing hip hop collective out of sunny Minneapolis, Minnesota.  For those of you who don’t know, Minnesota is chocked full of talented musicians and indie labels.  The Doomtree collective is comprised of numerous adroit Emcees, DJs and Producers:  P.O.S (Stefon Alexander), Sims (Andrew Sims), Dessa (Maggie Wander), Mike Mictlan (Mike Marquez), Cecil Otter (Kyle Smith), Paper Tiger (John Samels), and Lazerbeak (Aaron Mader) comprise the current roster.

I could write a book about these guys.  They are that good.  Instead of doing that, I simply present to you a few videos from their February performance at the Union Transfer in Philly and let you judge for yourselves: