There is a lot going on in the world right now involving the economy, corruption and politics.  The dollar’s weight is in flux like Oprah’s in the ‘80s. And Senator Ted Stevens finally got caught up in is own verbal diarrhea being found guilty of seven counts of trying to hide free benefits and favors given him for home renovations by a friend in the oil industry… Oh, and he’s up for re-election next week!  ‘The greatest nation on earth’, we say…  More than half of us have never left U.S. soil… something to think about.

Some things continue to raise our eyebrows in positive and creative ways, however.  One such thing is the ultra high-level creative mix of Jay-Z and Coldplay, which dropped last night.  Producers, Mick Boogie and Terry Urban were blessed with the approval to produce a massive mixtape featuring mash-ups of Jay-Z and Coldplay with the much-a-buzzed, Viva La Hova.  Viva La Hova is a 19-track album that features mash-ups of the two artists.  Mash-ups have been around for more than 20-years, but have recently become ‘popped out’, ‘mainstreamed’ and ‘hot’ to the Johnny-Come-Latelies of the world.  Not a problem though… The mash-ups are created when a producer/dj takes a vocal track from one artist and lays it over the instrumental bed of another.  One such example is the Pitbull & Ying Yang Twins “Shake” beat that is laced by Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” vocal.  People in the clubs seem to dig it… So the hook here is that the Jay-Z/Coldplay mix will be available for download at midnight October 29, 2008 (yesterday) for free at Vivalahova.com.   I am curious to read your thoughts about this one.  It should at least be creative and clever.

Creative and clever is an understatement when it comes to Alex Duncan.  I have heard of and read about the Jamaican-American artist for years, but when I opened his latest offering, The Sweetness EP, I felt it immediately.  I felt it like Mac Dre on-stage feeling himself – it was simply an undeniable groove and lyricism that commanded my attention. 

Duncan, a self-styled Reggae/Dancehall/Soca artists has been a key contributor for groups like Inner Circle (he worked on the ‘Bad Boys’ theme coined so well for the famous show, Cops) and with Pacific Northwest standout group, Jumbalassy – touring the club and college circuits for many years.  Now, Duncan resides in Tacoma and is busy in studios, developing ideas and plans for his art and working on the full-length release of his next album to follow The Sweetness EP and his Midnight EP before that.  Ladies love his physique as much (if not more) than his music, but they compliment each other when he is on stage, “I try to put on an intimate and energetic stage show to compliment the music and involve the crowd,” said Duncan from a Tacoma studio.  Sweetness features five tracks: “No More Lonely Nights” for the lovers and others, “Sweetness” the party and club-banging title track – that truly does BANG with dope vocals and a vicious beat, “Brown Skin Girl” that pays necessary tribute to the richness and foundation of our communities – women and specifically women of color, and “No More Trouble” which is a socially conscious track that features an acapella of the track as well.  I am thoroughly impressed with Sweetness as an offering that competes with Duncan’s counterparts from the islands… and why shouldn’t it, he’s from the islands… he just lives in The Tac!

On the battlefront… Congrats to Olympia’s XP aka Xperience who edged out a hardcore rhymer and Killa MC from Tacoma, Lux.  These two had an epic lyrical showdown at Olympia’s Royal Lounge last week at The Battle Royal and XP edged Lux photo-finish style!  Shots to all competitors.

Oh… by the way… Go out and VOTE!  The ancestors paid too many costs to stay in the slave mentality!

Peace & Love
 
Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. is an editor, writer and producer. A graduate of Washington State University and student at The Evergreen State College, he writes and edits the Pacific Northwest section of OZONE Magazine and hosts and produces Live From I-5 Radio (since ‘89) every Friday at 3 p.m. on KAOS 89.3 FM ( HYPERLINK "http://www.kaosradio.org" www.kaosradio.org) in Olympia. He writes a weekly hip-hop column in the music section on the Weekly Volcano’s Web site.