Let's get it together, let's make something happen

A Tribe Called Quest. "The Space Program." We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your service, Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, 2016.

A Tribe Called Quest is back. We've been waiting 18 years for this, and this album does not disappoint.

The rhythm on this joint is so funky, and the lyrics are on point given the political climate. ATCQ offers an inspiring call to action right from the get-go with "The Space Program, the first track off the record.

🎶 Move on to the stars 🎶

Now I heard there was a secret chord

Leonard Cohen. "Hallelujah." Various Positions, Sony Music Entertainment, 1984.

What a year it's been for losing musical legends.

Last night, as news broke that the great Leonard Cohen had passed away, I exchanged messages of grief and sadness with old friends who have, like me, been so touched by his music and poetry. One noted, poignantly, that "God is building a supergroup." 

The lyrics and melody of "Hallelujah" have always touched me, whether performed by Cohen himself or covered by others -- Jeff Buckley's rendition stands out for me in particular.

In positive news, today ATCQ released their first album in 18 years. (More to come on that tomorrow.)

For now, we celebrate the music, the art, and the legacy of Leonard Cohen.

And here's Jeff Buckley's hauntingly beautiful rendition of the song, made famous by John Cale's cover (also below).

Finally, last but not least, here's the great Canadian singer and pianist Rufus Wainwright with his take on the ballad, accompanied by Choir! Choir! Choir!.

Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart's in it

The Notorious B.I.G. "Sky's The Limit (feat. 112)." Life After Death (Deluxe Version), Bad Boy Records, 1997.

It's been a surreal couple of days. I am a sucker for Spike Jonze's music videos, and "Sky's The Limit," where he cast little kids as adults, always seems to help lighten the mood.

Like Wu-Tang, this one's for the children.

🎶 The milks was chocolate, the cookies, butter crunch // 88 Oshkosh and blue and white dunks 🎶

Excuse me while I kiss the sky

Method Man, Redman. "Part II." How High (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Def Jam Records Inc., 2001.

While we wait for this American election to be called, and for the candidates to make their statements, I'm flipping that track from Toni Braxton we shared Monday. Feels appropriate given the news on Prop 64 passing here in California.

Black diamonds and pearls

Nas, Ms. Lauryn Hill. "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)." It Was Written, Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, 1996.

On Thursday evening, a friend came through with a last-minute surprise: tickets to catch Nas and Lauryn Hill perform at SF's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. I've caught each of them perform many times over the years, and more recently have been to their double-bill shows at Oakland's Fox Theater, one of my favourite venues in the Bay Area.

These two have still got it, no doubt, and the messages in their lyrics resonate two decades after this track first dropped. Imagine that.


Who wants to love somebody like me?

Alicia Keys. "In Common." Here, RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, 2016.

2016 is shaping up to be an incredible year for music. While we've been rocked by the loss of several of our greatest legends -- from Bowie to Prince -- the next generation of artists (Anderson .Paak, Kaytranada and Solange, just to name a few) have been releasing some truly meaningful work that, I believe, will stand the test of time.

And it just keeps coming. In anticipation of her new album, Here, out this Friday, Alicia Keys earlier this week released her short film The Gospel, directed by A.V. Rockwell. Roam the streets of Keys' New York City as Rockwell captures everyday moments and stories, get lost in the cinematography that propels you forward, in constant motion, as the film addresses the impacts of police brutality.

I'm looking forward to all the remixes I'm sure are about to drop in the coming weeks of today's track, "In Common," bound to be a club anthem this winter.

This is a call for all you sleepin' souls, wake up and take control

Public Enemy, Steven Stills. "He Got Game." He Got Game (Soundtrack), Island Def Jam Records, Inc., 1998.

Basketball legend Ray Allen (Jesus Shuttlesworth for those of you paying attention) announced Tuesday that he would be retiring from the NBA this year. Allen wrote a beautifully written piece in the Player's Tribune as part of their "Letter to My Younger Self" series, which included these gems, among other golden nuggets of wisdom.

Listen: God doesn’t care whether you make your next jump shot. 
God will give you a lot of things in life, but he’s not going to give you your jump shot. Only hard work will do that.

Sometimes you’ll be afraid.
Sometimes you’ll think you’re out of your league.
But you’ll keep showing up every day, putting in the work.

In every locker room you’ll ever be in, everybody will say all the right things. Everybody says they’re willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to win a title. But this game isn’t a movie. It’s not about being the man in the fourth quarter. It’s not about talk. It’s getting in your work every single day, when nobody is watching.

The message in Chuck D & Flava Flav's lyrics on this track, written for Spike Lee's classic film by the same name and which samples the opening verse of Buffalo Springfield's classic "For What It's Worth," still feels appropriate today almost two decades later.

 🎶 More than your eye can see and ears can hear
Year by year all the sense disappears
Nonsense perseveres, prayers laced with fear
Beware, two triple O is near  🎶

And from Flava Flav (I never thought I'd be writing these words, but here we go)...

🎶 He-hey!!!
Aiyo, these are some serious times that we're livin in G
And a new world order is about to begin, y'knowhutI'msayin?
Now the question is - are you ready, for the real revolution
Which is the evolution of the mind?
If you seek then you shall find that we all come from the divine
You dig what I'm sayin?
Now if you take heed to the words of wisdom
That are written on the walls of life
Then universally, we will stand and divided we will fall
Because love conquers all, you understand what I'm sayin?
This is a call to all you sleepin souls
Wake up and take control of your own cipher
And be on the lookout for the spirit snipers
Tryin to steal your light, y'knowhutI'msayin?
Look within-side yourself, for peace
Give thanks, live life and release
You dig me? You got me? 🎶

Cool beans, cool beans

Anderson .Paak. "Come Down." Malibu, STEEL WOOL / OBE / ART CLUB / EMPIRE, 2016.

.Paak gave us a real nice present for Halloween yesterday: the official music video for "Come Down," a track produced by the great Hi-Tek. 

I dig the Ernie Barnes shout-out at the end of the video, with a shot of his classic "Sugar Shack" painting that graced the cover of Marvin Gaye's 1976 record I Want You. Just another example of .Paak choosing "to follow what the greatest do," as he sings on "The Bird."

Enjoy.

🎶 That's a whole lot of reefer, let me help you with the pre-roll 🎶

Operating from another world

Sevdaliza. "Marilyn Monroe." Children of Silk, Twisted Elegance, 2015.

This track feels just right for Halloween. Moody, mysterious, haunting, and sexy af.

And those lyrics.

🎶 It’s true
In this life
I’ve never been the one
In your eyes
I’ve never been the truth
All you saw
Was a broken mirror
And they told
Me to care
When tryin’ to fix your heart
It’s unfair
I’m tryin’ to fix myself
And not care
Too much about you 🎶

Thanks to one of my oldest friends, Beatrice Lee (more about her in this week's edition of #views), for putting me onto Sevdaliza, who went from playing basketball in the Netherlands at the professional level to pushing boundaries as a performing artist.