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| The Cape Town Sessions |
| 06.03.04 (4:11 am) [edit] |
A rare treat to our avid readers: Justice reports in for the Collective, while currently stationed at our temporary outpost on the Cape Peninsula.
This week marks the beginning of the full scale production for the Josi Tapes, 'the dirtiest south'. This trip out of Jo'burg will kick off the album, featuring recordings with some of the dopest MC's in SA. Luke and I have rented a flat in Cape Town, set up our studio in the bathroom, and already laid down a track and- a- half with a crew from one of the nearby townships... It's going to be a milestone. In the past few years I have gathered a number of recordings with MC's from around the world, but the complete production of an international album with multiple crews and artists, including poets, R&B artists, producers, and DJ's? A milestone.
The studio is set up real nice. As I admire it, I'm reminded of an anecdote I heard while suffering through a HOT 97 broadcast in NY - one of the DJ's was explaining that many of Jay-Z's tracks for the Blueprint album were recorded in hotel rooms converted into studios. The line between high quality mobile equipment and studio time had merged, to the point where he could produce music in the same format that the Collective is (why that fool gotta be jockin my style?).
Really I hope that we're on to something, because someone has to take the torch that Sean Carter [Jay-Z] left as a burning ember. In order to lead black people to liberation, we must study who they have adopted as their leaders today. Unfortunately the values that Carter pushed with his work perpetuated the decay of Black people. But there are millions that are willing to rally behind the movements of one star - one leader. Someone must fill those shoes.
In Carter's lyrics on featured tracks with Dead Prez, and even on his much matured final album, The Black Album, we do hear that he is aware of his place in society. He says he would like to rap like Common Sense and Talib Kweli, but he couldn't have made the money selling that image. I believe his idea of rockin' bIing and popstarrin' with a sprinkle of reality can be reversed, to reveal a movement of revolutionary artists that remember people like to dance, and even look nice sometimes. And to reach a place where all the lil' Jay-Z's in Brooklyn can have those goals will come from them following a leader that will bring them down a different path - one of mobilization directly towards freedom, not just the riches it promises.
Thats what we're reppin on the Josi Tapes: the underground artists of South Africa, and the ghetto youth from the townships that are ready to show that their art is here to move the people in both the physical and the mental. They are the children of the revolution that America never had.
Look for online clips from the Josi Tapes in the next few days.
justice aka p[h]aze 3 aka the phoenix
512 International/Exec. Ambassador
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posted by: youyoumomma (reply)
post date: 06.03.04 (11:26 pm)
Rented a flat? then why is the recording studio in the bathroom??? I guess I don't get it. Better acoustics in a smaller space?
But this soundz so hot!!!
Howz the $$ holding out? No word from VA yet! Take care.
Don't forget your IM interview with Shawna Monday June 7 at 5:45 PM Joberg time!
Momma
posted by: david dirks (reply)
post date: 06.04.04 (7:10 pm)
Great post.
That is fantastic what you guys are doing.
I can't wait to hear the Josi Tapes. To quote TREX, you can't fool children of the revolution!
posted by: misskendy (reply)
post date: 06.04.04 (7:30 pm)
Can't wait to hear the tapes! Keep us posted.
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