A Long, Long Time Ago...Pay Attention!

As we're slowly but surely getting everything back up and running (some of our older and more popular posts are back in working action...keep your fingers crossed), & please make sure to check out some of the older posts as I will re-edit them and add some extra tracks here and there (here's a hint, check out the GETDOWNNN Love Dilla, Game On & Better Than Lupin the 3rd posts). Consider it sort of like how George Lucas redid the original trilogy (well, you can't really compare my posts to the Star Wars trilogy).

May the schwartz be with you.

:: MISTA HIPPO ::

R.I.P. Godfather of Soul

[I posted this one up a while back, but with the Godfather of Soul's recent passing, I thought I'd put it up again in tribute. Rest in Peace.]

Whether you know him as Soul Brother Number One, Mr. Dynomite, the Funky President, the Hardest Working Man in Show Biz, or the Godfather of Soul, James Brown is James Brown is James Brown is James Brown. If you live in LA, you might have heard that he was performing at the Hollywood Bowl, and I was fortunate enough to be invited to see the legendary James Brown perform (for the first time in public) his “Soul on Top” album. To my surprise, at 73, James Brown still has all the moves, looks, and the same howls and yelps of his youth, and the audience knew it.

Having never heard the “Soul on Top” album, I was blown away by the 20 piece big band arrangements and his reinterpretation of jazz and pop standards. I can easily say this show was in my top 3 favorite concerts of all time. While he started off slowly with "Every Day I Have the Blues," he quickly picked up the show and by the end had the entire crowd and the 30 people onstange getting down to "Sex Machine."

Up until now, I’d been more familiar with James Brown as the Funky President in his time with the JBs. “Doing it to Death” and “Givin’ up Food for Funk” were the funk classics that always defined James Brown in my mind, but seeing him perform “Soul on Top” made me see and appreciate his versatile talents in a whole new light.

That said, “That’s my Desire” and “The Man in the Glass” stand out for me because they aren’t like many other songs you might hear in his catalog, so I'm including them here. Take a listen and you’ll hear why.

[MP3] James Brown :: That’s my Desire
[MP3] James Brown :: The Man in the Glass

Hippo's Tracks:

[MP3] J-Rocc :: Live at the Do-Over (JB "Doin' it til Death")
[MP3] Salaam Remi :: James Brown 40th Anniversary Mix

For more background information on the “Soul on Top” concert and an interview with the Godfather of Soul himself, check out my favorite blog, soul-sides, here.

|bruce banner|

GETDOWNNN's New Years Resolution

Since we've been down for what seems like forever, I thought I'd make it up to you all by putting up some songs that we would have posted on, if we were around. Please enjoy and have a safe and happy holidays {Better than "Best of..." lists and Christmas songs (just get Sufjan's album if you want some new holiday sounds), right?}.



[MP3] Mos Def :: U R The One
[MP3] Mos Def :: Lifetime
{A return to a more soulful Mos...me likes}
Style so fresh like baby's breath

[MP3] Ghostface Killah feat. Trife Da God & Soloman Childs :: Grew Up Hard
[MP3] Ghostface Killah feat. Shawn Wigs & Eamon :: Gotta Hold On
{What a year for Ghost. I heard with the success of the Fish series, Ghost is now going to strive to come out with 2 albums a year...now that's a Christmas gift.}
Ghost's site

[MP3] Clipse feat. Slim Thug :: Wamp Wamp (What It Do)
[MP3] Clipse :: We Got It Cheap
{This was the album of the year, especially in Hip-Hop. There were other contenders like Lupe, Ghostface, The Roots, but this was the album that brought it home all the way around, a 360 degree banger.}
Clipsy

[MP3] Snoop Dogg :: Real Talk
[MP3] Snoop Dogg feat. 2pac & DPG :: Just Watchin'
{Yes, Jigga & Nas weren't the only ones who had comebacks, but their albums were better from top to bottom. These are the only two tracks on the album that caught my ear.}
S-N-double O-P D-O-double G

[MP3] Nas feat. Kanye West :: Still Dreamin'
[MP3] Nas feat. Game & Floetry :: Hustlers
{I don't think Hip-Hop Is Dead, with a showing like this year. Granted it's not '89, but it could be worse.}
Kidnap the President's wife without a plan

[MP3] The Good, The Bad, & The Queen :: History Song
{Something to look forward to for next year, a supergroup which features Paul Simonon of The Clash on bass and production by Dangermouse. Check them out here.

Here to stay (hopefully).
RIP JB.

:: MISTA HIPPO ::