It's probably about time that you're introduced to Femi Temowo. The Nigerian-born guitarist (and producer) is amongst the most talented jazz musicians currently residing in the UK. Fittingly, he's just been nominated for a MOBO in the Best Jazz Act category.
If there was a solitary reason for the lack of more 'eclectic' Hip Hop groups being present in today's field, it probably would be because of the fear of living up to the ridiculously high standards set by Philadelphia’s legendary outfit The Roots. Black Thought, ?uestlove and co have been rocking out for almost two decades now with their sublime arrangement of true school Hip Hop, golden era jazz and blues. Even whilst often cited as one of the most 'underrated' groups in musical history, The Roots have consistently remained within the realms of many top five lists due to their staunch lyrical offerings and their dynamic live shows. Whilst currently the in-house band for US chat show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Undun is the 13th offering from The Roots but still creates the same tingles of anticipation as previous efforts; the hope now is that the same musical richness of the past carries over to this December release.
In May 2010 we asked superproducer Just Blaze "What Happened To The Remix?" - who would have thought that that answer would make it's way into the pages of the colossal 420-page coffee table book Hip Hop: A Cultural Odyssey Book?
Bound in black leather and described as "the definitive literary and photographic celebration of the groundbreaking culture," the luxury book features unseen photos by Hip Hop photographer Jonathan Mannion, interviews, essays and profiles on a range of Hip Hop pioneers, legends and players key in the growth and global impact of Hip Hop of Hip-Hop, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem, Run-DMC, Queen Latifah, Will.I.Am, Diddy, 50 Cent and Will Smith.
Afrika Bambaataa penned the book's intro with a further 150 or so artists contributing commentary, including Cee Lo, Chuck D, Faith Evans, Ice-T, Kool Keith, Method Man, Nelly, ?uestlove and Spinderella.
Watch our interview with Just Blaze below, along with more details on Hip Hop: A Cultural Odyssey and how to get your hand on it.
The Roots' iconic drummer and so-called musical encyclopedia ?uestlove will soon be "combining his headful of music factoids with real life stories, celebrity encounters and thoughts on life" in a new autobiography of sorts, according to Okayplayer. Tentatively titled Mommy, What's A Questlove?, the book is...
For the past two decades, the hip-hop ensemble known as The Roots has produced a sundry, quintessential sound for the music masses. They're regarded in many circles as the best Hip Hop band in the history of Hip Hop music and their 11th album overall [9th studio album], How I Got Over may be their best work of music since Things Fall Apart. They've been classified in their own category over the years and recently many thought their demise was on the horizon due to them agreeing to be the band for the Late Night With Jimmy Fallon TV Show. But as usual they've proven to be the exception to the rule.