Tag Archives: band

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Mint Condition – “7”: A review and sample flip

‘Sup crew…

Being the BIG MC fan that I am, I picked up “7” the day it dropped. I got it at Best Buy for the five bonus tracks all though REAL MC fans know that there are only 4 tracks (Cupid’s Hunt was released on the Walmart-only distribution of “Livin’ The Luxury Brown – Mint, you owe us a track! haha).

I’ve given the CD one listen through, and still assessing it in comparison to previous releases. Listening to it again, after I finish this post. Here‘s is a pretty decent review for you to check out.

So far, the only issue I have with the CD is that Shanachie, their new label, didn’t encode the tracks for CDDB, which means when inserting the CD into a computer with iTunes, the track data and artwork doesn’t automatically appear….#FAIL (hush Lis…:) )

On a separate note, I’ve been doing a lot of work in studio on my Akai MPC 1000, flippin’ samples and recording some tracks I may use in the future. Having a lot of fun re-learning the machine again, and plan to have it as an integral part of my gear setup.

A snippet of the track I did is below, done in all of ten minutes before I came into the office this morning. You’ll know the sample I flipped when u listen to the CD.

MCFlip

MC fans, pick up “7”, get the CD, don’t download the tracks which are already ALL over the net.

::: oceans of rhythm :::

Fresh!

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No need for “making of the band” when the band is made.

Crew…
Hello. I hope this post finds u well. Over the last year or so, I’ve been having more and more discussions on the evolution of music, specifically commercial music, be it pop, urban contemporary, hip-hop, and the like. Many of you know I am a musician, and have been one since I was a teen (can you spot me??dont laugh!)

Black Frost, circa 1975

That being said, I’ve seen the evolution of R&B as I grew and played in different groups in college, even up until now. What I have also seen over the last 18 or so years, in R&B, is the decline of “the band” in this genre of music. When I say band, I don’t mean the loosely used term as in “boy band” (98 Degrees, NKOTB, etc) or as in “making of the band” (Day 26, Danity Kane, etc)…I mean as in the classical term of band…singers/musicians (SOS Band, The Time, Lakeside, Dynasty, EWF…etc).

I’d say the only ‘band’ that is mainstream in R&B is considered to be The Roots. I would define it otherwise, but I believe that definition is probably the most accurate. I say that there is no specific front man for The Roots (save Questlove, who is known to be the name one thinks of when The Roots are mentioned).

I could go on about why the decline of the band has taken place, with respect to the evolution of the music industry for the urban contemporary/R&B genre, but that is enough for another post. What I would like to do is post a quick video of who I consider to the only real band left in R&B that has toured consistently since their debut in 1991 on Jam and Lewis’ Flytetyme recording label: Mint Condition

I wont get on my soapbox about my luv for MC (you really don’t want that…LOL), but I will post some serious video clips of some original and cover material that they did specifically for AOL’s Black Voices. To me, Mint Condition is, and always will be, the “definition of a band”

Here’s MC doing Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Runnin’ ” …enjoy.

peace,
F!