Potholes In My Blog » shafiq husayn

Mo Kolours – “Bomptious” (Shafiq Husayn Remix)

Andrew Martin — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:11:02 +0000

A few weeks back, we premiered Mo Kolours‘ superb single/ode to Keira Knightly, “Bomptious“. It’s off his recently released EP3: Tusk Dance, which also houses a blunted remix of “Bomptious” by like-minded galactic artist Shafiq Husayn. His take retains the hypnotic drums of the original, though they’re much heavier and in your grill. Also, there’s a killer outro here that I personally wish went on for another five minutes. OK, that’s a stretch, but Husayn is in his zone on this remix.

Bilal – “West Side Girl” P. Shafiq Husayn

Andrew Martin — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:08:46 +0000

I was excited enough when I saw that a new track off Bilal‘s upcoming album, A Love Surreal, had dropped. But that excitement jumped up considerably upon reading that it’s produced by Shafiq Husayn and co-written by Thundercat. Hell, if I had those two in my corner, even I could probably record a pretty solid track. But given the fact Bilal is an incredible artist, he’s gone ahead and made the soundtrack for the rest of today. Listen below. A Love Surreal drops Feb. 26. [via]

Blu – “My Sunshine” F. Nia Andrews [Video]

David Reyneke — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:15:14 +0000

Let me tell you a story about this MC named Blu. He dropped this incredible album back in 2007 with a producer by the name of Exile called Below The Heavens. It received fabulous reviews and instantly launched Blu’s career above and beyond anything we had seen in the indie hip-hop scene for a long time. Four years later, Blu has released a slew of notable, yet far from top-notch works, and even signed a deal with Sire Records. Let’s face it, you all already know the story, and you are all sick of these abstract lo-fi tracks that Blu has been putting out. Just give us NoYork! already! Well, folks, it looks like it is finally coming around. Yup, because “My Sunshine”, which features Nia Andrews on vocals and Shafiq Husayn on production, will serve as the first single off of Blu’s major label (we still hope) debut. To accompany the single we have stunning visuals directed by Aaronisnotcool, a self-depreciating filmmaker that is now all over my radar. No word on when exactly Warner will unleash NoYork!, but things are certainly looking up.

Hit the skip to check out the video for “My Sunshine”.

Flying Lotus Shares More Unreleased, New Tracks

Andrew Martin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:27:03 +0000

What? You thought Flying Lotus was done sharing new and unreleased joints after what he uploaded yesterday? Shame on you! And me, because who the fuck could have guessed that dude wasn’t done there. The L.A.lien once again took to his Soundcloud account to share a slew of tracks, from what’s expected to be a new galactic jazz-trip in “Voyagerrrrrs” and a blunted take on Shafiq Husayn’s “Evil Man”. Those are just two of the many cuts he uploaded, though, so be sure to head to his Soundcloud after checking them out.

Hit the skip to stream “Voyagerrrrrs” and the “Evil Man” remix”.

Flying Lotus – Voyagerrrrrs by Flyinglotus

Flying Lotus – shafiq evil man remix final by Flyinglotus

Preview Shafiq Husayn & Om’Mas Keith’s All City Split 10″

Andrew Martin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:00:05 +0000

It turns out that All City Records isn’t done just yet with their L.A.-themed series of vinyl releases, which has featured House Shoes, Dam-Funk, and TOKiMONSTA, among many others. The label linked with Shafiq Husayn and Om’Mas Keith, of Sa-Ra Creative Partners, for a split 10″ release. According to All City, Husayn’s side of the vinyl will feature “seven minutes of funk split into three parts” while Keith’s side boasts a new track called “Girl’s a Player”. Remix-ready producers will be happy to know there will be instrumental and a cappella versions of “Girl’s a Player” included on the vinyl, too. And even though we only have a preview of the split, we can safely say it’s sounding pretty damn great. Pretty damn funky, too.

Hit the skip to stream the 10″ preview.

Shafiq / Om’Mas Keith – LA Series # 0 (ACLA10x10x0) by allcitydublin

Exile – AM/FM

D.L. Chandler — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 12:30:33 +0000

Exile – AM/FM
Traffic Entertainment: 2010

In 2009, Southern California DJ and producer Exile released one of the most compelling projects of that year with Radio – an instrumental album centered on radio, or at least Exile’s version of what radio station surfing would sound like. The end result was a creative, if sometimes exhaustive, journey in sound and thought. Many listeners hoping for an exact replication of his work with MC and producer Blu – the album Below The Heavens – would undoubtedly be disappointed in his departure in sound. This is a shame because Radio is indeed worth repeated listens. Exile latest release AM/FM is a reworking of Radio with remixes and vocal guest appearances from some of Exile’s former collaborators and associates. With Radio having achieved such a heavy impression, was this remix album necessary? That question is explored below.

Sa-Ra Creative Partners member Shafiq Husayn’s remix of “It’s Coming Down” is a spacey, noisy affair that doesn’t necessarily improve upon the original song. While the track attempts to be some ambitious audio event, it lacks any manner of direction – even when Husayn finally decides to let the drums give the song a much needed jumpstart. Producer Samiyam’s remix of “Population Control” is an improvement from the opener; the hesitating drums, distorted vocals, and organ stabs will inspire head nods. Producer Milo1’s take on “In Love” actually expands on the original and is an early standout track. The jazzy, up-tempo drums and soulful keys work in tandem and leave a definite impression. The reworking of “Your Summer Song” featuring vocalist J. Mitchell is another excellent improvement on the original material. J.Mitchell’s syrupy vocals and the busy, big-sounding track are perfect together. A vocal reworking of “We’re All In Power” features the talents of Evidence, Krondon and Blame One. On paper, this sounds like a dream team but the rhymes from Evidence are underwhelming and the usually potent Krondon is nearly smothered by the track. Blame One barely resonates, even with the best performance of the three. This song is skip worthy. The Free The Robots remix of “Population Control” is another mishap as the noisy, robotic and entirely mechanical sounding track is nothing more than audio annoyance. Vocalist Muhsinah’s reworking of “Stay Tuned” (titled “Stay Here” on this LP) is more of the usually amazing work from the DC-raised songstress. Muhsinah shows incredible range and she adds her original stamp to the track. The chorus is simply beautiful.

This project wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from Blu, and his reworking of “Love Line” does not disappoint. Blu, who has total command of the lover-boy style he exhibits here, sounds completely at home on this guitar-tinged highlight of a song. One of the best tracks on Radio, “The Sound of God” (listed on this LP as “Sound of God”), MC ADaD gives lyrical life to Exile’s track and while the hook is a little muddled, ADaD’s performance is extremely memorable. Closing the LP out is the excellent Clutchy Hopkins remix of “In Love”, the strong drums are a great boost to the samples and instruments that float in and out of the track. AM/FM is not perfect by any means. When it works, it soars. When it doesn’t, it sinks. A curious point one could raise is why did Exile see fit to remix an already good project? Whatever the answer may be, fans of Radio should give this LP a chance simply to hear what other heralded producers have done with Exile’s source material. There are gems aplenty but it’s not quite clear
what the eventual aim is with this record.

3 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5

Shafiq Husayn – “The U.N. Plan”

Andrew Martin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:38:53 +0000

Even though I was kind of harsh toward his group’s 2009 project, I maintain that Sa-Ra member Shafiq Husayn dropped one of last year’s best albums. Shafiq En’ A-Free-Ka is a swollen blend of R&B, soul, and hip-hop that excels in its experimentation. Yes, the album is a bit much to digest at times, but the production remains absurdly on point throughout and Husayn’s reverb-drenched vocals complement the entire expedition. And, thankfully, he and Plug Research aren’t done promoting the record as we now have the visuals for the peace-promoting “The U.N. Plan”. Personally, I think there were several other cuts that should have been used as a single to receive to the video treatment, but I’ll definitely settle for this one.

Hit the skip to view the visuals for “The U.N. Plan”.

Video: Shafiq Husayn – “Cheeba” feat. Bilal

David Reyneke — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:45:21 +0000

Here comes the latest visuals off Shafiq Husayn’s Shafiq En’ A-Free-Ka, this time featuring the voice of Bilal. Enjoy!

Album Review: Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)

Andrew Martin — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:45:59 +0000

Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
Motown: 2010

Sure, Erykah Badu had shown on 2003′s Worldwide Underground that she could craft loosely built tracks that more or less felt like jam sessions rather than proper songs. Even so, her trademark organic sound remained an important, crucial element on that record. She might have been experimenting, but it was more so with song structure than with the actual sound laid on the album. As such, few people could have anticipated the huge sonic shift that was 2008′s New Amerykah Part One (4th World War). It represented a gigantic leap into funk, afro-beat, hip-hop, and jazz full of soul-baring and frustrated lyricism. She had toyed with those ideas before, just never like this. And while it was an immense surprise at first, the album quickly grew on listeners and critics alike, with many of the latter rightfully labeling it one of that year’s finest. But where would the former muse of Andre 3000 and Common and the current muse of Jay Electronica take us this time?

As New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)‘s title implies, Ms. Badu has decided to take us back. Although, it didn’t appear that is what she had planned at first. What we all assumed was the album’s first leak and single – the psychedelic, otherworldly “Jump Up In The Air (Stay There)” featuring Lil Wayne – actually wasn’t. She, again, looked to be playing the ol’ switcheroo on her fans, sort of like she did with Part One’s first leak, “Honey”, that was inevitably a bonus cut. “Jump Up In The Air” found the same fate as an iTunes-only extra. But was she really playing games with us or was she prepping us, offering her fans a gradual shift into her new territory? Think about it. “Jump Up In The Air” could have easily fit onto the trippy Part One. But on Part Two? Not a chance. A curveball to some, a wise marketing choice to others.

Badu isn’t necessarily making a return to her roots or sounds we have heard from her before. Instead, she’s reliving the funkier days of Motown, with enough quirkiness to keep it interesting. She has also left behind the socio-political commentaries heard throughout fist-in-the-air jams of Part One. On here, it’s all about love from a woman who is clearly torn, slightly beat down, and, perhaps, confused. She opens the epic 10-minute album-closer, “Out My Mind, Just In Time”, by singing the following with hint of fragility: “I’m a recovering undercover over-lover/recovering from a love I can’t get over.” And as the track builds, you hear her scoff at her emotions as she jumps from huge outbursts to soft, direct vocals. It’s not only gorgeously done; it’s beyond captivating. She guides us on a spiritual journey that lasts one-fifth of the entire album without losing you for a second.

What’s most intriguing about “Out My Mind, Just In Time” is how it, in a way, closes the book on a relationship we have gone through with Badu throughout Part Two. “20 Feet Tall” and “Window Seat” play out like a romantic game of cat-and-mouse. At first, she feels shut out by this person, until she realizes she’s “20 Feet Tall” and can see over the wall built by her potential lover. And on “Window Seat”, she retreats from a sea of uncertainty. She “wants a ticket out of town, just to look around.” She “wants a chance to fly.” Yet, she needs this person’s attention. “I need you next to me,” she coos beautifully. It’s a give-and-take, a push-and-pull, and a situation we have all experienced. This of course continues throughout the course of the album, from the honest expression and loving vibes of “Umm Hmm” to the goodbyes of “Fall in Love (Your Funeral)”. And while some might see the vibrant, lush mostly-instrumental “Incense”, which features Kirsten Agnesta’s lovely harp work, as a useless interlude, it’s much more than that. “Incense” represents a calming, soothing mindset. It’s an “eye of the storm,” if you will, before the emotional breakdown that is “Out My Mind, Just In Time”.

Yet, even with those lyrical intricacies throughout the album, some of which might be admittedly off-base, the most endearing element of Part Two is the music itself. Badu, who helped produced many tracks on here, again teamed up with the supremely talented James Poyser, 9th Wonder, Karriem Riggins, J Dilla, Shafiq Husayn, and Madlib, among others. And their collaborations have (again) yielded a sonically brilliant piece of work. Top honors in that group, though, go to Madlib, who with Badu crafted the album’s finest track, “Umm Hmm”. He also assisted in the creation of “Incense”, a personal favorite that will certainly find itself on many Sunday-afternoon playlists. Madlib-praising aside, it’s rare that so many producers can come together to make such a cohesive, balanced record. But that’s exactly what they did here. And, thanks to Ms. Badu, it’s also one worth listening to for more than its phenomenal production.

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5

Album Review: Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Potholes

Sure, Erykah Badu had shown on 2003′s Worldwide Underground that she could craft loosely built tracks that more or less felt like jam sessions rather than proper songs. Even so, her trademark organic sound remained an important, crucial element on that record. She might have been experimenting, but it was more so with song structure than with the actual sound laid on the album. As such, few people could have anticipated the huge sonic shift that was 2008′s New Amerykah Part One (4^th World War). It represented a gigantic leap into funk, afro-beat, hip-hop, and jazz full of soul-baring and frustrated lyricism. She had toyed with those ideas before, just never like this. And while it was an immense surprise at first, the album quickly grew on listeners and critics alike, with many of the latter rightfully labeling it one of that year’s finest. But where would the former muse of Andre 3000 and Common and the current muse of Jay Electronica take us this time?

As New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)’s title implies, Ms. Badu has decided to take us back. Although, it didn’t appear that is what she had planned at first. What we all assumed was the album’s first leak and single – the psychedelic, otherworldly “Jump Up In The Air (Stay There) featuring Lil Wayne – actually wasn’t. She, again, looked to be playing the ol’ switcheroo on her fans, sort of like she did with Part One’s first leak, “Honey”, that was inevitably a bonus cut. “Jump Up In The Air” found the same fate as an iTunes-only extra. But was she really playing games with us or was she prepping us, offering her fans a gradual shift into her new territory? Think about it. “Jump Up In The Air” could have easily fit onto the trippy Part One. But on Part Two? Not a chance. A curveball to some, a wise marketing choice to others.

What’s most intriguing about “Out My Mind, Just In Time” is how it, in a way, closes the book on a relationship we have gone through with Badu throughout Part Two. “20 Feet Tall” and “Window Seat” play out like a romantic game of cat-and-mouse. At first, she feels shut out by this person, until she realizes she’s “20 Feet Tall” and can see over the wall built by her potential lover. And on “Window Seat”, she retreats from a sea of uncertainty. She “wants a ticket out of town, just to look around.” She “wants a chance to fly.” Yet, she needs this person’s attention. “I need you next to me,” she coos beautifully. It’s a give-and-take, a push-and-pull, and a situation we have all experienced. This of course continues throughout the course of the album, from the honest expression and loving vibes of “Umm Hmm” to the goodbyes of “Fall in Love (Your Funeral)”. And while some might see the vibrant, lush instrumental “Incense”, which features Kirsten Agnesta’s lovely harp work, as a useless interlude, it’s much more than that. “Incense” represents a calming, soothing mindset. It’s an “eye of the storm,” if you will, before the emotional breakdown that is “Out My Mind, Just In Time”.

Yet, even with those lyrical intricacies throughout the album, some of which might be admittedly off-base, the most endearing element of Part Two is the music itself. Badu, who helped produced many tracks on here, again teamed up with the supremely talented James Poyser, 9^th Wonder, Karriem Riggins, J Dilla, Shafiq Husayn, and Madlib, among others. And their collaborations have (again) yielded a sonically brilliant piece of work. Top honors in that group, though, go to Madlib, who with Badu crafted the album’s finest track, “Umm Hmm”. He also assisted in the creation of “Incense”, a personal favorite that will certainly find itself on playing of Sunday-afternoon playlists. Madlib-praising aside, it’s rare that so many producers can come together to make such a cohesive, balanced record. But that’s exactly what they did here. And, thanks to Ms. Badu, it’s also one worth listening to for more than its phenomenal production.

Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of 2009

David Reyneke — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:00:50 +0000

1- Blitz The Ambassador – Stereotype (Amazon)

“It would be great if albums like this became the prototype for future Hip Hop releases in taste, quality, and execution.” – Kkon-El

2- Tanya Morgan – Brooklynati (Amazon)

“[Brooklynati] is their most endearing and focused effort yet, weaving together a creative collection of breezy songs into a concept album that’s as much about a fictional city as it is their collective state-of-mind.” - seandammit

3- Mos Def – The Ecstatic (Amazon)

“The Ecstatic feels like the album Mos has always wanted and intended to make. It’s experimental and progressive without being too left-field and isolating. It’s hip-hop without being a photocopy of what he’s released in the past. Simply put, it’s Mos being Mos: Equal parts oddball and straight-up dopeness, even with its flaws.” – Andrew Martin

4- P.O.S. – Never Better (Amazon)

“Likely his greatest album musically and artistically, Never Better excels because P.O.S. is just being himself. Pissed Off Stef.” – Zach Cole

5- Diamond District – In The Ruff (Amazon)

“On the whole, In The Ruff is well paced with hardly a dull moment. It’s lyrically top-notch and a superior example of what hip-hop can be. D.C.: be proud.” - Zach Cole

6- Brother Ali – Us (Amazon)

“Us is a 61-minute experience you need to sit down and listen to. You could try doing something else while it plays, but it’s unlikely you’ll be able to focus on anything besides Ali’s words and Ant’s beats.” – Andrew Martin

7- Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II (Amazon)

“It’s still a little hard to believe that the project has finally seen the light of day, but possibly even more shocking is just how worth the wait it actually is, serving not simply as one of the year’s strongest albums, but also a worthy continuation of its predecessor.” – Charles Mahoney

8- k-os – Yes! (Amazon)

“…don’t be surprised if you spin this record several times in a row after your first listen. But doesn’t that seem to be the case with every k-os album? Yes!, it does. And with this, he has now solidified himself as one of music’s most consistent artists.” – Andrew Martin

9- Finale – A Pipe Dream & A Promise (Amazon)

“This fiery emcee has given underground hip-hop heads another reason to embrace the gritty Detroit sound even more with this consistent, hard-hitting, and above all fantastic debut.” – Andrew Martin

10- Shafiq Husayn - Shafiq En A Free Ka (Amazon)

“Its intent is to make you feel positive and free through sound irregardless of your race, sex and nationality. I am inspired that musical genius such as Shafiq and this album are alive and breathing today.” - Francisco McCurry

Honorable Mention:

Exile – Radio
Sene – ADayLate&ADollarShort
Moka Only – Lowdown Suite 2…The Box
BK-One – Rádio do Canibal
Mr. J. Medeiros – Friends Enemies Apples Apples