Culture Connection: Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton

Listen in as KC, Chris and Eli guest host for Brother Malcolm and discuss the documentary, Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton, that showcases the evolution of innovative music label, Stones Throw Records! For comments or questions about this or any other episode call the hotline at (323) 455-4219!

Facebook: Black Is Magazine    Twitter: @BLACKISONLINE      Brother Malcolm: @caliyalie

Movers & Shakers: Garth Trinidad Part II

During the last year of getting to know Garth Trinidad, I was able to learn about his interests outside of music. Unsurprisingly, Trinidad is a well-rounded artist in his own right. A graduate of Otis College of Art and Design, Trinidad was an artist-in-residence at the Beacon Arts Building in Inglewood, CA. Additionally, in 2012 Trinidad created Jim Kelly,  a unique music and live performance experience with his partner in sound crime, Mateo Senolia. What I loved most about this event was the music offerings: no top 40, and plenty of new music to discover. Trinidad + Senolia equals a very eclectic, groovy vibe, so much so, that they landed a deal on Osunlade’s Yoruba label. You can catch the duo spinning some Friday nights at Bar Marmont in Hollywood. Lastly, Trinidad hooked up with two of LA’s finest, Dam-Funk and J-Logic, to create MAC or the Modern Audio Collective. One of their first shows at the end of 2012 featured Talib Kweli and drew a packed house in Venice’s Del Monte Speakeasy. I am waiting with bated breath for what these three will bring in 2013.

Watch and listen as Trinidad and I chat about how he finds new music, the impact of technology on the music industry, and what the future holds for him. Hopefully by now you’ve purchased those Moja Moja Pre-Grammy brunch tickets. Enjoy!

LA EVENTS: Kiss N’ Grind & M.A.C.

LA Babies, we know there is no shortage of events in Los Angeles on any given weekend, and of course a holiday weekend brings its own spice to the city. However, there are two that we must bring to your attention:

Kiss N’ Grind Black Friday edition: The fam is podcasting for Black Friday, but don’t let us stop you. LA’s premiere party is doing it big this weekend at the Vanguard in Hollywood! This time the guest DJ is none other than the legendary Ali Shaheed Muhammed from A Tribe Called Quest. $15 presale tickets are available until noon on November 21st; after that tickets are $20 at the door. And as always, this event is curated by none other than Vikter Duplaix!

M.A.C: This is a party that we look forward to becoming regular attendees to. M.A.C. or the Modern Audio Collective, which is comprised of Dam-Funk, J-Logic, and Garth Trinidad, with special guest Talib Kweli is going down at the Del Monte Speakeasy in Venice! $15 cover all night with DJ sets and live performances. This set of musicians is guaranteed to please so we’d suggest early arrival to this event!

There are no excuses to working off that Thanksgiving meal this weekend! Get your body rock on and we will see you on the dance floor!

LA EVENTS: Labor Day Weekend

LA Babies, if you aren’t heading out of town there are a myriad of events taking place in our city this weekend, and these are just a few that caught our eye. Grab your family, good friends, or your snuggle buddy and hit the streets to check these out!

The Black Music & Art Festival

We dedicated and entire post to this three-day event in Rancho Park. Check it out. 

LA County Fair

The 2012 Annual County Fair is back for it’s 90th year and opens its gates, starting Friday, August 31st. Prices and hours of operation vary by day. There are various attractions, including a traveling circus, a farm, and a concert series that includes Chaka Khan, George Benson, Babyface, Boyz II Men and Earth, Wind, and Fire.

The Taste

For all the foodies, the Los Angeles Times presents The Taste, a five-event experience spanning over the three-day weekend, showcasing some of LA’s best culinary delights. Daytime and evening events hosted by special guest celebrity chefs are $65 each, although the price will rise to $75 on September 1st.

Jim Kelly

This is only for the grown and sexy. BI buddy Garth Trinidad and Mateo Senolia are back with one of our favorite body rock events known as Jim Kelly this Sunday, September 2nd at The Virgil in Hollywood. What we love most about this event (aside from Garth on the ones and twos) is that no top 40 music is played – only the best in house, NYC garage, funk, disco, hip-hop and world music will be played. With no school on Monday, the BI crew will be shutting this event down.

FYF Festival

In Downtown Los Angeles in the L.A. State Historic Park, the FYF Festival – a combination of music and comedy acts, will take place September 1st and 2nd of this weekend. Some of the acts scheduled to appear are Beirut, Aesop Rock, James Black, and BI fav DaM-FunK! This events runs from 12 noon – midnight and weekend passes will cost you $89.

Enjoy the last bit of summer sunshine this weekend! See you on the streets of LA!


LA EVENTS: Dam-Funk at the Troubadour

If your 4th of July weekend needs a kick-off event, this is it. Dam-Funk, the Los Angeles “Ambassador  of Boogie Funk” will be performing this Friday, July 2 at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. Special guests for this show include: Master Blazter, Peanut Butter Wolf, and none other than LA legend, MC Eiht.

If you aren’t hip to Dam-Funk yet, I suggest you turn your speakers up and take a listen.

Who’s coming with me?