This video’s a little cheezy but it’s also a nice primer about how Creative Commons works. CC is a Copyright alternative that allows for remixing and sharing of media, which we here at Mashit think is of utmost importance.
Some of you might find CCMixter.org of interest. It’s a website where you can upload and download samples, accapellas, remixes, and collaborate on projects. Like Archive.org’s audio site, it’s a great place to get open-source samples for productions you’re working on.
These projects are a big step in the right direction, but they don’t solve the problem that most of pop culture has not yet opened up to open-source and commons ideas. Digital media and the internet have unleashed a “torrent” of remix and collage culture, and creativity is running wild in the best way, but a large portion of the output is technically illegal. In the immortal words of Peter Tosh, “You’ve got to legalize it.”
I’m noticing an emerging theme; M.I.A. has been inspiring some hip-hop activism on her remixes. I’m glad to see her and Jay Z (!) taking the lead by talking about leadership. Jay seems to realize that his piece of the bling-pie will be eaten by someone much more wealthy than him if he doesn’t speak up and push for change.
Gotta get Bush out the chair.
Give Obama the floor.
Lets bring back Ragen,
at least we were gettin’ that raw.
These Politicians don’t give a s***
The hood’s still gettin’ ingnored
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Then there’s this Paper Planes remix by Rock City that I posted recently.
I ride for Obama
I ain’t messin’ with McCain
Stop the War on Terror
Cause we ready for a change
Gas prices to high
Plus these jobs ain’t payn’
I ain’t a politician
But my N**** I’m sane
Obama ’08
Doesn’t that sound great
My president is black
Yours is a disgrace
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Wayne pointed out this post on Vibe’s blog about the abundance of M.I.A. “Paper Planes” remixes floating around. I had already collected a bunch over the past year, but recently they’ve been popping up like mushrooms on shit after a rain storm. Many of them seem to be legit/official (or semi-official) versions featuring prominent rappers like 50 Cent, Jim Jones, and Bun B.
To top it all off, the new T.I. track “S.L.U. (Swagga Like Us)” features a “Paper Planes” sample as the main refrain. M.I.A. repeats “No one on the corner has swagger like us” while T.I. and his brothers in top-40 rap Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and Kanye West, do their thing over the top.
In light of this situation I felt the best thing is to make a mixtape, reggae-style, on which I juggle the “riddim” — in this case Diplo’s crunked-out, Clash-lifting beat.
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DJ C “Paper Planes Mix” Tracklist
M.I.A. “Paper Planes (Rock City Obama Version)”
M.I.A. “Paper Planes (Original Chorus)”
M.I.A. “Paper Planes (Afrikan Boy & Rye Rye Remix)”
M.I.A. “Paper Planes Freestyle (ft. Trey Songz)”
M.I.A. “Calle13 vs MIA (Villa Diamante Mix)”
M.I.A. “Paper Planes Guacharaca”
M.I.A. “Tengazako (Diplo’s Paper Planes RMX ft. Esau Mwamwaya)”
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It’s been just about a year since we re-launched Mashit.com as a blog, online shop, podcast, and all around place for fiends. Over that year Mashit boss DJ C has produced and released a whole slew of bastard-pop-style mashups and remixes, many of which have been available as part of our Free Tunes series.
Now we’ve decided to release those mashups all together as a free download album, along with a few secret bonus tracks. The album, entitled “Mas Hitsâ€, is out now. This is the teaser, in the form of a mini-mix (leaked here by Time Out Chicago), and music video.
DJ C “Mas Hits” Mini-Mix (’80s Cartoon Music Video Version)
Meanwhile, If this post over at Mad Decent is any indication, DJ mini-mixes are hot right now. Check the Bang Gang DJ’s mini-teaser for their upcoming mix album on Modular which features the DJ C and MC Jorge Stylo track “Juce”; forthcoming on Man Recordings.
The Bang Gang Deejays “D is for Disco, E is for Dancing!” Minimegamatronicmix Download here ->
3 years and 3 days ago John McCain and George W. Bush ate cake to celebrate McCain’s 69th birthday. At that very moment hurricane Katrina was bringing devastation to the gulf coast.
Now it’s election season, and almost exactly 3 years later the Republican National Convention was due to begin today, but another monster hurricane has disrupted the plan. I hope that Gustav is a more benevolent beast then Katrina was, but this new storm does bring a silver lining. It reminds us of Katrina and the way she was handled. Gustav shines a light once again on the Bush administration’s horrible bungling of the disaster. Not only before, during, and immediately after the event, but the continuing botches that have left FEMA-trailer-park refugee camps spread across the region to this day. And now those camps themselves have been evacuated as Gustav begins to bear down on the coast.
Coincidently my friend, filmmaker Lucia Small, was here in Chicago this weekend for the debut theatrical run of her new documentary “The Axe in the Attic“, a film about Katrina.
Wow! This is the same guy who recorded early Bob Marley & The Wailers tracks before reggae even existed yet, and then went on to help define reggae and dub throughout the ’60s and ’70s with his band the Upsetters.
Lee “Scratch” Perry now continues to transcend age and genre with this new crunked-up, ragga-club-rap number co-produced by Andrew W.K..
Our fave electronic musical instrument blog, Music Thing posted a tribute to today’s date that doubles as a tribute to the boominist drum machine around, Roland’s vintage TR-808 Rhythm Composer. The machine became so ubiquitous in certain musical circles that it’s been referenced in song lyrics, song titles, and even band names. Check out Music Thing’s list: Today is 808 Day ->
The list includes one of DJ Flack‘s fave tracks, Boom Like an 808 by Blaque:
Hi everybody! I’ve been away for a LONG, LONG time…sorry about that.
Anyway, I just picked up this new Cocoa Tea 7″ called “Barack Obama”, and it’s pretty adorable. To be honest, I am kind of really tired of the Obama sales bonanza that I see going on in my demographic–I mean, I love the guy and fully intend to vote for him, but when I walk into Urban Outfitters (my first mistake) and see no fewer than FOUR different Barack Obama t-shirt designs for sale, I shudder a little bit.
NEVERTHELESS, I thought this nifty Obama-themed steppers joint from dancehall legend Cocoa Tea was cute as hell. Enjoy.
Cocoa Tea; Barack Obama (VP Records)
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This video’s a little cheezy but it’s also a nice primer about how Creative Commons works. CC is a Copyright alternative that allows for remixing and sharing of media, which we here at Mashit think is of utmost importance.
Hi everybody! I’ve been away for a LONG, LONG time…sorry about that.
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