NOTE: In conjunction with the drastic change in Komplicated's day to day runnings, this is the last column to be posted under the old regime. Starting next week, Brutha Gimel will come to you live and direct, posting his own materials, so look out for that.
In an effort to further explore the myriad and "Komplicated" musical tastes of the modern "post-Black" denizens of the world, we present Spin City, which will feature recommendations from some of the world’s finest DJs, Joining resident turntablist DJ Jedi, we're proud to present the musical musings of Brutha Gimel (also known as Gimel Hooper), a double threat who not only is well known for his skills on the wheels, but also as a spoken word artist of considerable renown and one of the co-founders of LA's long-running venue Da Poetry Lounge. We now present Gimel's favorites for this week …
- "Refill," Elle Varner
I spend time scouring blogs, music sharing sites and record pools to find music but sometimes I get recommended songs. That's what happened in the case with "Refill." My homegirl Alice at the R-I-P Boutique hit me off with this on. She was so excited about it. I couldn't help but get pumped about it too.
- "Pyramids," Frank Ocean
This is the second song of the week I was introduced to by a fellow poetess. She goes by the name Terisa and she was on Twitter expressing her uncertainty about "Pyramids." I hadn't heard it but of course my curiosity made me seek it out and whoa! This song is why I have so much respect for Frank Ocean. Dude does his thing with a true artistic swagger. He's carving out his place in the music game on his terms. I love that!
- "5 Minute Freshen Up," Ryan Leslie
I'm a fan of Ryan Leslie. I think the guy has a knack for sound when it comes to production. I think he's one of the better vocalist/producers that has descent rhyming skills. I'm digging the bravado, mellow cool vibe. Ride with it and stay fresh while you do it.
- "They Told Me," Tito Lopez
This kid hit us off a few "Mama Proud" a couple of months back. He has a true to the game appeal with honest emotion and conviction and I feel conviction makes the voice stand out over beats.
- "All My Time," Lauryn Hill
I had my iTunes on random the other day and came across this oldie but goodie. Many of you true Lauryn heads will remember this joint. Some of you may have missed it because it was not on The Miseducation LP. Get into and reminisce on how much we love us some Ms. Hill.
Come out tonight and celebrate 14 years of poetry with Da Poetry Lounge. This is week two of a month long celebration. We have features and poets from back in the day gracing the stage. We are located at:
Greenway Court Theater
544 N Fairfax Blvd
9 to Midnight
$5 admission
all ages
Barring unforeseen challenges, Brutha Gimel's Spin City should be waiting for you, right here on Komplicated.com, every Tuesday afternoon.
[Source: Brutha Gimel]