Crash

LPs : Flood :: MP3s : Crash

I'm still in mourning for my 500gig external hard drive that died in 2008 (or what I like to call it, The Crash of 2008). It was probably karma that took my precious mp3s away*, for what I have no clue. What I do know is that I lost some great tunes I've been collecting for over eight years, most which I can't find again**. Like what you ask? Let me run down a list of some I could remember:

• various Prince bootlegs like Charade and Livesexy
• various Dilla beat tapes including the original Ruff Draft and Jaylib unreleased instrumentals
• some VonPea and Donwill solo tracks before they became Tanya Morgan
• some Dilla samples that were nicely complied
• some songs my friend in Akron made before she became a pastor
• instrumental of Little Brother's "Nic's Groove" as well as various LB and Nicolay tracks that were on #thatsite
• A DJ Jamad mix I used to play almost weekly
• A Brown Sugar Era D'Angelo song maybe only three people have
• A Nujabes album (RIP)
• the Samurai Champloo albums
• some japanese jazz albums
• various samples I used/wanted to use

Just typing those make me tear up. It's especially hard when you hear random people mention songs, you go to your music folder (or drive), and you get this.

I know various DJs who look down on mp3s and while I agree there is a warmth not felt through digital formats, mp3 collectors have more in common with their vinyl counterparts than both sides would admit. Both look for that one perfect tune. Both have a secret stash. Both can tell you a story about a particular acquisition. Most importantly, both love music.

But the one main commonality is how painful the lost of a music collection is, which goes back to the first sentence of this blog. In my hearts of heart, I still think Beats, Rhymes, and Life suffered when Q-Tip's wax collection got destroyed in a flood (or was that a fire)***. I remember reading that RZA got flooded THREE TIMES. I'm pretty sure at one point most of my favorite producers got hit with this causality.

With the advent of digitizing music and Serato/Scratch, vinyl collectors at least have a back up plan, but what about the mp3 collectors such as myself? What hard copy do we have of files we have a history/memory with? Easy answer would be to back up your files, but even that is not fool proof. I guess in time someone *coughGooglecough* will come up with a way to archive mp3s, especially with digital downloads are becoming more and more common.

Until then, here is a 40oz to pour for the mp3s that are no longer here. We miss you.

1Luv2U,
Prov!?

To Have & To Hold - Taster Tape from Jony Lyle on Vimeo.

*If you believe in stuff like that
**Actually I could, but that would be way too time (and money) consuming
***Remember this was around the time Tip was in his "hood" phase, making tracks like "Gangsta Bitch" (RIP Apache), Tiger's "Who Planned This", and Mobb Deep's "Give Up The Goods". Straight bangers

JobBlog: HEAD FOR THE LIFEBOATS!

Heh...
Received an email today stating that my company is considering moving...to Jersey City.

Oh it gets better and better every year...

...say wha?

First: HIYA! I missed you too (whoever you may be)

Second:

Third (the main topic): I was at a cookout and met a dude who was part of a crew that had a couple of hits. Not sure if the crew is together because the main member decided to be in Miami than in New York. We got to talking and he asked if I DJ'ed, which I kinda do if you like amateur shit. I told him I did beats, but mainly for hobby. Basically he was looking for a new direction so he asked who I listened to. I ran down the list and got...

"Nah never heard of them"

Them = Dilla, Waajeed, Little Brother, Dwele, Flying Lotus, Wale, J'Davey, Little Dragon

Me = :-(

Then it hit me...even if you're in the industry, you do not know who is out there unless their songs are pimped to Viacom or Clear Channel. Even more shocking was that his crew hung with underground cats for a while.

Being the person that I am, I played him some Dilla.

"This is hot. How many records did he sell?"

:-( * 2

I kinda want to lead him to the goodness that is Left of Center, but the people I like do not make money. This road will get him props, but no ends. This road will have him on the road for a long stretch of time with little cash coming in. C.R.E.A.M. is real, yo and he proved it to me.

Jeez...
Maybe heads were right..."You like them niggas that are broke and struggling."
Birds of a feather...

This hasn't been a good 35th year...

Mainly because I keep saying I'm 36 (that's not until August 4th). So of course you start thinking "Four more years til 40. What do you have to show for it?"

And the answer comes back: Nothing.

Now THIS is probably how folks approaching 30 feel and I should be thinking "It ain't that bad". Then you look around. "It really is that bad."

-no real prospects. Those that were are boo'd up, pregnant, or something
-when people ask me what's new, I respond "Remember how it was the last time we've talked? It's the same."
-got placed on probation because honestly I was pissed at how we are treated every year so I slacked off
-directionless
-at times I feel lonely
-at times I am alone
-I've been in the past waaaaaay too much. I'm wishing there was a time machine or somehow granted special time controlling powers so I could tell my former self "Nigga, go away for college. This rap thing isn't gonna happen" or "You should have never went full time so soon and left the library five years earlier" or "Maybe you should have networked better."
-I think I've geeked out too hard this year

So if you've been wondering why I haven't been out and about, those are some of the reasons why. Like what do I have to offer? Do these people who I call friends, that? Have I pushed my friends away?

"...like my father..." © Prince, "When Doves Cry"

Bah, I need to let that one go.

I don't know.

I'll probably get out of this funk soon...









I hope...







Inshallah...
(and no I'm not suicidal (just wanted to put that out there)).