Nonsense Records Blog

2008-06-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time....
in a land far, far, far, far away there was a place where hip hop was free to roam. Living among the creators or all creativity came Reckless Intelligence and with them came a new sound.

JUNE 24
Reckless Intelligence album debut of
"INVISIBILITY CRISIS" on Nonsense Records Available on iTunes.

2008-02-26T10:13:00.000-08:00

Think you deserve the honor of “Nonsense Fan of the Week”? If so, answer the following questions:

Do you like to brag about yourself to your family members?

Are you more “hip hop” than your friends could ever long to be?

Whenever your boss passes your cubicle, do you find yourself closing your bookmarked page of the Nonsense Records site?

When pulled over by cops and they ask you “Do you know why I pulled you over?” do you answer, “Because I’m raw, like the hip hop I was raised on!”?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then you qualify as Nonsense Records Fan of the Week.

Email

nonsense@nonsenserecords.com your hip hop credentials and tell us which artist or song is your favorite. Include your name and a photo of you using the Nonsense Records logo located here: http://www.nonsenserecords.com/files/logo-nonsense.pdf iin the most creative way. If you picked, you will be featured on the Nonsense Records site and a short interview posted on the official Nonsense blog site. At the end of the year there will be a music prize pack for the Nonsense Fan of the Year!

2008-02-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

Check any underground hip hop show, and you're bound to find at least one attendant wearing a shirt that makes the bold statement: "J. DILLA CHANGED MY LIFE".

Quite a message to put out there, sure, but after this past Sunday's Dilla tribute at BBQ Bar, one gets the sense that it's not a total over exaggeration. In commemoration of Dilla's birthday, his death, and the release of his seminal Donuts record (all of these milestones oddly enough fall within a week's time of one another), Orlando congregated to TURN IT UP, pay tribute to the best rapping producer, and raise money to put towards Lupus research (James Yancey succumbed to the disease at the age of 32).

The night almost fell through before it even started, though; host and Orlando's favorite record head DJ Y-Not? suffered a broken foot earlier that day, and word from the hospital was that he might not be able to attend the festivities. The doctor strongly urged him against performing that night. It was very likely that spinning at BBQ Bar might in fact cost him his life. But the man showed up, rocking the crutches, and for the LOVE OF DILLA came to do the damn thing!

Fuck a doctor, I've got to spin these Dilla classics...Maaaan, he can't tell me NUTHIN'! Y-Not? chillin with DJ Stranger

The DJ himself may not have been hopping all over the place (in fact, he sat on a stool for most of the night), but the energy of the music he played had the crowd going nuts* cut after cut...

The crowd, NOT PICTURED: going nuts (*When the crowd WAS going nuts, it was unsafe for me to actually try to use my camera. They would have smashed it for sure)

UJEmpire delegate and Godfather of all-things Orlando-hip hop Conshus dodges paparazzi...

....BUT I STILL GOT YOU SUCKA! BWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

While all of this madness was going down, Secret Weapon manned the donut table. Free donuts made available for all, donations towards the Lupus foundation accepted. Mmmmmm, donuts....

Soon afterwards, Secret Weapon and Kutzu hopped on the decks for a special, hour-long recreation of the Donuts album, spinning the original samples and records that Dilla used to create this instrumental masterpiece from his hospital bed in LA...

Kutzu and Secret Weapon cut it up

The duo manipulated the samples live, cranking out the classic 'donuts' that heads have come to know and love. It was a dope and unique experience to get sort of a 'behind-the-scenes' look at Dilla's last completed piece of work.

"Psst, what u tryna do today?" "Hey, I'm tryna get paaaiiid. Payday- get dis money"

All in all, the event was a success. As you can see, donuts were definitely consumed (both musically and baked goods-ally), and some money was raised (though it would have been nice to have seen a little bit more- STOP BEING GREEDY, ORLANDO). Let's hope next year we can turn this into an even bigger, more successful event.

2008-02-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

The amount of praise and accolades that have been attributed to the name of the late, great James Yancey (aka J.Dilla) may be exhaustive at this point, but it's not any less worthy or true.

To commemorate the 2nd anniversary of his untimely passing, here are two special tributes/celebrations to the man behind the music that changed hip hop forever.

First off, tune into WPRK this Saturday for some of Dilla's classic creations, played live on the air by DJ Y-Not.

The next night, the party continues at BBQ Bar downtown, where Y-Not, Secret Weapon, and Kutzu continue the celebration, with an hour-long recreation of Dilla's seminal 'Donuts' album.

THANK YOU, JAY DEE!!!

2008-01-29T13:58:00.000-08:00

Two dope shows featuring Nonsense artists going down this week that you definitely do not want to miss!

Tatame is an underrated spot to catch some really dope hip hop, and this night is no exception. Wednesday night should be, as they say, the 'jumpoff'- get there early, space is limited!

The following night, X:144 and SPS open up for SOLE and the SKYRIDER BAND. Have you been to Taste yet? It is quickly becoming a dope venue, especially with its (semi)-recently constructed stage.

Pictures and reviews to follow....See you out there.

2008-01-15T10:26:00.000-08:00

This week at the Nonsense Records blog, we're delving into the various character types that you will no doubt encounter in your travels in the world of music, whether you are an artist, a fan, or both. Yesterday, we took a sneak peek at the surprisingly easy process it takes to convert into an underground backpacker. Today, we eavesdrop on one candid writer's run-in with the sworn-enemy of the hip hop head (and pretty much anybody who's cool in general)...
(SWIPED FROM WWW.HIPSTERSAREANNOYING.COM)

THE HIPSTER.

Making Music More Complicated Than It Is — A Rooftop Somewhere In Greenpoint, Sept. 15, 2002

John, 25, is a classical musician. Billy, whom John and I just met, is a hipster and a self-described 'musicologist.' John, a violinist, was educated at Juliard. I rarely ever get a chance to see him, but he happened to be free this night, and we happened to find ourselves at this house party, which was relatively hipster-free until we got to the roof. John's smart and handsome, but he's definitely not a hipster, and he doesn't like to tell people he's a violinist because he thinks it makes him seem dorky. Billy turns to us, his feeble little mop-head swinging languidly on his pale Midwestern neck, and slurps from his beercan. "You guys listen to music?" The tone is one of classic hipster faux-nonchalance, think James Dean thumbing his sideburns (gag), burping, smiling about something we don't know about, shaking his head. And this is chit-chat, this is back and forth, at least one would think so. But it's not, and I can already tell this isn't a question. This is a monologue; this is Billy's monologue, dressed up like a question. But John isn't a hipster. He doesn't have the pop culture burden that I have inexplicably gathered, one that allows me — that forces me — to differentiate between these 'types' of people. John's not cynical like me. Whereas I would have answered "No, I don't listen to music at all," John answers, enthused, "Yeah man, definitely!"

Billy's head swings again toward us, "Good, music's cool."
Billy's wearing a black T-shirt with a tear near the bottom, on the front it says "Dragons '86" in crumbling white silkscreen. He's wearing blue jeans and expensive diesel sneakers. He's got a 'tribal' tattoo on his right arm, which he's holding himself up with.
"Yeah, definitely," John says.

"So, what kinda music do you guys like?" Billy asks.
"Oh, I dunno," John says. "Rock I guess."
Billy sneers. He's getting warmed up.
"Cool man. Very cool," he says smiling. "So, ah, what kinda rock do you guys listen to?"
"Well, it's not just rock," John says. "I mean, I listen to all kinds of stuff. You know, a little of this, a little of that."
Billy switches arms. He's closing in on us, he's smiling.
"That's totally cool man, totally cool," Billy says.
"I guess so." John says, and looks at me, questioning. I shrug.
"So, like, what bands do you guys like?" Billy asks.
"Oh, uh, I like… well, hmm. I've been listening to all kinds of stuff lately. I like Radiohead."
Billy tries to look respectfully at John, but he can't. He's like dog taking a shit, once he's started, he can't stop. "Yeah, Kid A was alright," Billy says, his eyebrows raised in simulated empathy. "I mean, it was kind of a rip-off of Aphex Twin, but whatever."
"Um-hm," John says. But he's never heard of Aphex Twin, he's never heard of Kid A either, but he gathers it's some Radiohead song. "I dunno, I mostly hear them on the radio, so I don't really know any song names or anything. I like the guy's voice though."
"Oh yeah?" Billy asks. "Tom York, what a pud. I didn't know they put out any singles for that, since it was kind of avant. Fuck, I don’t listen to the radio, so I wouldn't know. I don't even have a TV."

"Oh yeah?" John asks.
"Yeah man," Billy says. "I'm kind of a musicologist."
"Oh, great!" John says. "So, uh, what kind of music do YOU listen to?"
"Shit man, I listen to everything. You guys listen to Emocore?"
"I dunno," John says. "What is that?"
"You ever hear of the Get Up Kids?"
"I don't know" John says.
"Oh, how about Death Cab For Cutie?"
"Nope." John says.
"Oh," Billy says. "Well, Emo is like, it's like Emotional, you know?"
"Like how do you mean?"
"Like, have you guys ever heard of Sunny Day Real Estate?"
"Don't think so," John says.
"Oh. Well Emo is like pretty hard stuff, with emotional lyrics."
"Oh." John says.
"Yeah, it's cool. You guys ever heard Jimmy Eat World?"
"I don't think so." John says.
"Shit man, what about At The Drive-In?"
"Nope" John says.
"Minor Threat?"
"Umm, I've heard of them."
"Embrace?"
"Nope."
"Hot Water Music?"
"No"
"Weezer?"
"Oh yeah!" John says. "Didn't they have that one video with the Happy Days thing?"
"I dunno." Billy says. "I don't watch TV."
"Oh yeah."
"Well, Emo is like pretty dynamic and shit. It's kinda like Indy rock, but it's more like Post-Punk, like Progressive and stuff."
"Hmm." John says.
"What about Rites of Spring?"
"Nope." John says.
"Yeah," Billy says. "Weezer's like the most commercial of the Emo bands, they're new album kinda sucks."
"Oh yeah?"
"Totally."
"They got that dude from that one group, you know that 80s band, The Cars?"
"Yeah," John says. "The Cars."
"Well they got that singer to produce this album and it totally sucks."
"Oh, too bad." John says.
"Yeah, but they sold out anyhow."
"Oh." John says.

There's a break in the conversation now; the three of us stare up at the sky. Billy's looking contented and ready to continue educating us about music.
"So shit man, you should check out some Emo dude," Billy says. "I guess you don't listen to music much huh?"
"Yeah. Maybe." John says.
"So like, what do you do anyway?"
"Oh," says John. "I'm a professional musician."

2008-01-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty spot-on, hilarious, sad-but-true instructional course on how you too can be a backpacker. It's been floating around a few message boards/forums, can't find the original source, though...

HOW TO BE A BACKPACKER (FOR DUMMIES)

So you wake up one day and realize your taste in music sucks. And obviously, that means you suck as well. You're tired, frustrated, hopelessly unhip, and you're very sick of your Winamp playlist. But wait...... before you pull that trigger, consider this.

You need hip hop and you need it fast.

For your sake, I've set up a "How to be a backpacker" kit that's so easy, virtually anybody can do it. Don't worry. You'll be in touch with the little b-boy inside of you in no time. After this kit, you'll be keeping it so real that only other backpackers will understand a word you spit. So what are we waiting for? Let's begin.

A good backpacker is neck deep in underground hip hop records. Here's some to get you started:

Aceyalone - Accepted Eclectic

Mystik Journeymen - Black Sands ov Eternia

Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein

Anticon - Music for the Advancement of Hip Hop

Quasimoto - The Unseen

Atmosphere - Overcast

7l & Esoteric - The Soul Purpose

Start with these. Then supplement with some Aesop Rock, Buck 65, Solesides, Mr. Lif, and perhaps even a little Planet Asia. Throw in some a Kool Keith record for good measure and you're set.

Frat boys are starting to claim they're about the "real" hip hop. Show them who's boss by flaunting your superior tastes while STILL listening to all of their . Here's some of their favorites:

Jurassic 5 - Quality Control

Deltron 3030 (anything by Del)

The Roots - Things Fall Apart

Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

Common - Like Water for Chocolate

Dilated Peoples - The Platform LP

Reflection Eternal - Train of Thought

Method Man / Redman - Blackout

Bonus Credit: Try obtaining some tapes of local artists nobody knows about. This will be your secret weapon.

So now you've got your base. But you still look like a little new-jack. Pick up some certified hip hop classics to boost your credibility. People will think you've been in the game for years. Backpacker approved classics:

Nas - Illmatic

Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus

Wu Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers

De la Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

Pete Rock / CL Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother

Jeru tha Damaja - The Sun Rises in the East

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom it May Concern

Gang Starr - Daily Operation

Feeling brave? If you're ambitious, you can take things even further. Convince 'em you were there in the beginning with these:

BDP - Criminal Minded

Public Enemy - It'll Take a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

NWA - Straight Outta Compton

Ultramagnetic MCs - Critical Beatdown

Run DMC - Raising Hell

Erik B. & Rakim - Paid in Full

Bonus Credit: Tell people you're from the Bronx. Tell them about Kool Herc, Bambataa, and Flash. You were there. Make them believe it.

(Know your elements)

There are a few more things you must learn before you blossom into a backpacker. Without delay, here you have it:

- If anybody asks, your favorite producers are Primo, Pete Rock, Automator, Prince Paul, and the RZA (but emphasize that you only like pre-Wu-tang-Forever RZA).

- You must learn to speak like a backpacker. Pepper your language with "knowmsayin" and refer to as many things as possible as "". You'll have to be patient. Try recording your voice and comparing it to some Busta Rhymes skits. Practice makes perfect.

- Wear T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, baggy jeans (not too baggy. you do not want to crossover into raver pants territory), and lots of hats and visors. Walk with a slight limp and never smile.

- Have diversity on your side. Backpackers get eclectic with Portishead, Esthero, Radiohead, DJ Shadow, and Amon Tobin. You can say your girl/boyfriend got you into it.

- You must like at least one Jay-Z album. It is a backpacker's obligation. This will save your when people claim you are an elitist snob.

- Smoke lots of weed.

So there you have it. It's really much easier than it sounds. If it helps, try setting a few hours aside each day to practice hip hop. Refer to UndergroundHipHop.com and read Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. Go to shows, write some lyrics, learn to beatbox, get some 1200s. Learn about the elements and assimilate yourself into them. Quiz your friends and laugh at their ignorance. Confidence won't be so slippery much longer. Remember... hip hop is a way of life, and now you've got the shortcuts.

If you need further assistance... try to Discover Hip hop.

Ok! You're welcome.

2008-01-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

Whole Lotta Press

As we begin this thing called 2008, let's catch you up to speed with all the press that Nonsense artists have received in the past month...

First off, X:144 is featured in December's Remix Magazine, where he discusses his production techniques on M.E., and explains his strategy in winning last year's Scribble Jam Production Battle.

Orlando Weekly also had some kind words to say about Tablehogs when they previewed last month's show at the Social:

"Run-DMC was the first to say a DJ can be a band, and Rakim nominated him for president. And the turntablist – packed with an arsenal of tricks, scratches and cuts that blow the imagination – is the god of the mix culture. This night’s special edition of Yes Yes Y’all, Nonsense Records’ hip-hop showcase series, honors the turntablist tradition in grand fashion with a team of DJs acting like a band. In this ensemble performance of homegrown dynamos, beatboxer Rubox Cube and DJ J.Storm lay down the rhythms while DJ Sureshot and the ever-ill DJ SPS provide the melodic instrumentation. This crew packs laurels (DMC and Scribble Jam champs). Go to marvel at the talent that exists in our midst."

And finally, Hakim Tafari was mentioned in Orlando Weekly's '8 Albums To Watch In '08' list. More info on that album coming to this spot soon...

Expect some big things from Nonsense Records in 2008!

2007-12-20T08:17:00.000-08:00

Shouts to everyone who came out and made last night's Tablehogs show at the Social a success. Here's some pics, with more to follow soon...

Hakim Tafari ripped through an opening set that brought the crowd to the front of the stage and ready for the rest of the night. Pics of his set will be posted soon...

The Tablehogs spent the bulk of November doing small, warm-up shows in preparation for their full-on debut at the Social. It was well worth the wait, as the audience was left with gaping jaws watching these guys whip out their arsenal of sound collages, routines, and raw uncut turntablism. Each member (J-Storm, Sureshot, SPS, & Rubox) was given a mini-solo set during the course of the show to do their thing, as well.

Even Mr. T was there, and showed his unique and unanimous approval for what was going down onstage:

For their first major show, the Tablehogs did not fail to impress. This surely sets the stage more great things to come in 2008...

2007-12-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

TABLEHOGS LIVE AT THE SOCIAL 12/19/07!!!

That's tonight folks...

Tablehogs are djs J-Storm, DJ SPS, Sureshot, and vocal tablist/ vocal percussionist Ruboxcube. Catch a night of this 4 turntables, 3 mixers, 3 djs and one beatboxer Crew as they Megamix, juggle, scratch, manipulate, and transform classic material of Classic Hiphop, Soul, Funk, Rock, Experimental Electronica, and B-boy rockin' supa duty tuff work!! US DMC finalists J-Storm and DJ SPS (World Universal Zulu Nation Champion 2006) rock the turntables in smoke with this hardcore sound of upper level scratching!! Sureshot will no doubt funk the facility with the combo B-boyism flavor and a side of "f*ck the other DJs" attitude!!

The art of scratching and beatboxing will be projected upward and outward in this Hiphop Extravaganza for the hiphop culture enthusiast!! If you like your hiphop with the BoomBap, funk, textured with icing on the top raw transforming, flare, cuts, chirpy, crab, autobahn, tweaked with a side of juggles and body tricks...then you do NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!!

Expect Compositional Pieces, soloism from each member of turntable routines, a dope b-boy mix by Sureshot, beatbox showcase, and a freestyle frenzy of an all-vinyl cast of DMC level djs with beatbox breaks of what the soundtrack of hiphop culture should be!!

I heard this guy may be there, too...

2007-12-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

Remember in the last post how blown away people were by Hakim Tafari's performance at the Wild Style event?

Remember how it was also mentioned that Kap (of Caveman Theory) had some upcoming projects that were in the works?

The two emcees have collaborated on a track that's been generating a lot of buzz in the relatively short amount of time it was leaked online. Produced by Optiks, the track is called "The Greats", and can be heard on Kap's myspace page:

Click Here to Listen

There's talks about an entire collaborative project in the works...Stay tuned.

2007-12-04T09:40:00.000-08:00

When the Hip Hop Awareness Council at UCF contacted Nonsense about throwing an all-day hip hop celebration to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the classic hip hop flick Wild Style, the idea seemed strong- but with only a few weeks to plan, prepare, and execute, would it be a success?

As it turns out...YES! This past weekend's event was a great success (c) Borat, with over 100 people coming out to the UCF Memory Mall (an open area of grass that is, in fact, neither a mall, nor has any directly apparent connection to the concept of a memory) on what was a perfect day for an outing like this.

A huge graff wall was set up with free paint available to anyone who wanted to show their work. This is just a smattering of what transpired...

Spinning records all day were two of Orlando's finest...

DJ Dolo

and DJ Y-Not (who only takes this stance for photos, I swear- it's like a reflex for when the flash comes out)

With the music playing old school breaks and jams throughout the day, it was only a matter of time before the b-boys arrived. As soon as the linoleum was put down, they seemed to fall out of the sky and land directly on the spot.

We also had a slew of performances from faces new and old...

The Unlikelys, ladies and gentlemen...live band, dope rhymes, tight grooves. Expect big things.

Kap of Caveman Theory, rocking the second most ridiculous pair of shades at the event)- he's got a few solo endeavors on the way that should catch a lot of peoples' attention.

And the "Why-the-hell-haven't-I-seen-this-guy-before" Award goes to Nonsense's own Hakim Tafari. His solo set won over a crowd who was largely unfamiliar with the man's work- but he's got quite a few new fans now.

Finally, the performances were capped off by the turntablist supergroup of Nonsense Records, the Tablehogs. Though DJ Sureshot was out of town for this one, his cohorts SPS, Rubox, and J-Storm melted minds with their instrumental scratching and beatboxing, and raised a lot of interest from the crowd in the show they are performing at the Social on December 19.

Afterwards, with the sun down and the crowd pretty exhausted, we screened Wild Style and reminded everyone what we were all there for, to recognize one of the pivotal and monumental moments in hip hop history, all documented on film.

Shouts to Hip Hop Awareness Council, all the graf writers and b-boys who came out to show support, our performers, and everyone else who made this day a huge success- see you at the next one!

2007-11-26T14:04:00.000-08:00

Another year, another ridiculous Battle of the Elements behind us. A week and change later, here's some pics...

Nonsense was in the building, with a sweet spot right by the entrance (and by sweet, I mean only in the sense that the 1000+ attendants had to pass by our table on their way in. In terms of being able to SEE nearly any of the events...not so much).

The event, hosted by Flashback (Zulu Nation/NYC), was filled with the usual suspects, a gang of new talent and participants, and the occasional confused-looking UCF freshman who had wandered in to investigate what the racket was all about.

There were DJs... (Dolo, SPS, Luminous, Sureshot)

B-boys...

Bored-looking spectators (hey, it's a 6-hour event, it's bound to happen at some point)

And of course, emcee battles...

Here's a list of the winners-
Emcee Battle: Madness of Critical Madness
DJ Battle: DJ Concept
1-on-1 Bboy Battle: Jose (Mizguided Souls)
3-on-3 Bboy Battle: Heps and Friends
Blackbook Battle: MAS

All in all, a truly dope experience to see so many heads under one roof in what has truly become a cultural tradition here in Orlando. Though the organization/run-time of this year's event left a little to be desired (PLEASE, don't break up the battles as much next time! Having the second round of an emcee battle occur 2.5 hours after the first round is a bit anticlimactic.), props need to be given to Elements, who put together the whole thing, and all of the vendors and sponsors who were out there as well.

Till next year....

2007-11-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the newly revamped Nonsense Records Blog!

In addition to our main website, this blog will serve as your go-to spot for all things Nonsense- upcoming shows and events that you need to know about, hip hop news ranging from happenings in Orlando all the way up to a global scale, and other points of interest that we just feel like sharing with you. We'll also be sharing some treats here, including artist interviews, videos, audio, and more...

For those of you who are reading this entry from some remote, arctic location, take heed: Orlando has no shortage of talent and and dope events taking place on a continuous basis. If you weren't aware of this and you're reading this blog IN Orlando, hang your head in shame...or, get hip to the slew of events that are taking place in the immediate, immediate future.

First up, we've got Battle of the Elements, the now-legendary annual event put on by Elements at University of Central Florida this Saturday, November 17. Here, you can read...

This is an event that has been the stomping grounds for pretty much every player in Orlando's hip hop scene for the past 5+ years. Last year's number of attendants was somewhere close to 800, and I've heard that they are anticipating 1000 this year. It's free, it's all night, and there's really no good excuse not to go.

While it's pretty much a given that you and your friends are going to congregate in the parking lot for AT LEAST an hour afterwards talking about the battles that transpired, why limit yourselves? The very next day, Sunday November 18, Nonsense Records will be hosting the latest in its Yes Yes Y'all Event Series, the Hip Hop Park Jam.

On the complete opposite tip of the preceding night's theme, there will be NO battling whatsoever (except for the occasional, to-be-expected hot dog eating throwdown)- it's just a breezy, cool day in the park. DJ Sureshot of The Tablehogs and DJ Rod-1 will be holding it down, and there'll be kids, graffiti, breakdancing, and more. Oh, and did we mention it's free?!? You hip hop heads' wallets get a welcome weekend break with these events (because we know you're broke from actually buying records, right?!?

There's a lot more coming down the road, but we'll let you chew on that for a minute. Thanks for reading the first of many more informative blogs to follow....