New Mix: Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2 & 2.5

With no TV and internet at my new place, I hit the turntables a lot to entertain myself in some way. Much thanks again to Mike Deuce for lending me his turntables, I don’t know what I would do without the ability to mix. So I got home early the other day to wait for the fridge to be delivered. This gave me a lot of time to do nothing, especially since delivery people are ALWAYS LATE. I decided to put together a shorter piece for Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2 with a focus on Caribbean inspired music from Jamaica, New York, and beyond. Since the fridge delivery was super late, I decided to fill the other half of the mix and make Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2.5. 2.5 was focused on funk and soul from the late 70s and early 80s. I did branch off a little but it was just because I felt like playing the song at the moment. Wasn’t really feeling this one cause I was really off and my mixes kept drifiting, but I share what I record so its all good Check the mixes. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated. And again, shit is raw and uncut and totally off the top of the head. Enjoy.

Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2 (Week of 06.08.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Mad Lion – Take It Easy
2. Brick & Lace – Love Is Wicked
3. Beenie Man – Feel It Boy feat. Janet Jackson
4. Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go
5. Shaggy – Bonafide Girl feat. Rik Rok & Tony Gold
6. Supacat – Ghetto Red Hot
7. T.O.K. – Top Shota
8. Capelton – Tour
9. Born Jamericans – Venus
10. Chaka Demus & Pliers – Murder She Wrote
11. Born Jamericans – Sending My Love (RBL Remix)
12. Mr. Vegas – Heads High
13. Buju Banton – Champion
14. Inner Circle – Blood A Run feat. Junior Reid
15. Cham – Ghetto Story feat. Akon
16. Collie Buddz – Come Around
17. Damien Marley – Welcome To Jamrock
18. Estelle – Come Over

Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2.5 (Week of 06.08.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Michael Jackson – Day & Night
2. The Isley Brothers – Who’s That Lady
3. Sly & The Family Stone – Dance To The Music
4. Mass Appeal – Firecracker
5. James Brown – I Got The Feelin’
6. Curtis Mayfield – Pusherman
7. Foxxy – Get Off
8. Dazz Band – Let It Whip
9. The Bar Kays – Freakshow On The Dancefloor
10. Afrika Bambaataa – Soul Makossa
11. Westbam – Beatbox Rocker
12. Evelyn Champagne King – Shame
13. The Pointer Sisters – Jump
14. Eddie Murphy & Rick James – Party All The Time
15. Prince – I Would Die For You
16. Rare Earth – Get Ready
17. Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
18. The J.B.’s – Blow Your Head
19. Rufus & Chaka Khan – Do You Love
20. Skyy – Call Me
21. Eddie Grant – Electric Avenue
22. D-Train – You’re The One For Me
23. Prince – Erotic City

New Mix: Neo-Soulish Styles + Some: Part 1 & 2

I always wanted to put together a neo-soul mix but I just never got around to it. With dope neo-soul songs, as well as songs from other genres that just seem to fit the mood, this is what I put together. Check parts 1 & 2. Thanks to DJ Siik, DJ Linotype, DJ Ocir and endless list of music blogs for some of the tracks and remixes that helped bring this all together. Sorry for the excess 4Hero, but they just make good music…

Part 1:

Neo-Soulish Styles + Some: Part 1 (Week of 02.02.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:
1. 4Hero – Look Inside feat. Face
2. Chico Mann – Dilo Como Yo
3. Jazzanova – Look What You’re Doin’ To Me feat. Phonte
4. Amel Larrieux – Bravebird
5. Maxwell – Changed
6. 4Hero – Sink or Swim (No Choice for Me) feat. Lady Alma
7. 4Hero – Take My Time feat. J Davey
8. Goapele – Closer
9. Erykah Badu – Soldier
10. Iman Williams – You R feat. Nebulus
11. Maxwell – Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)
12. Common – Funky 4 U feat. Jill Scott & Bilal
13. Adriana Evans – All for Love
14. Amerie – One Thing (Siik Remix)
15. Zhane – Request Line
16. Soul II Soul – Back to Life
17. Ave.To – Mama’s Koolaid
18. Flying Lotus – Camel (Nosaj Thing Remix)
19. New Mastersounds – Your Love is Mine feat. Corrine Bailey Rae (Fred Everything Mix)
20. Raphael Saadiq – Get Involved feat. Q-Tip
21. Common – I Am Music feat. Jill Scott
22. Adriana Evans – Hey Now

Part 2:

Neo-Soulish Styles + Some: Part 2 (Week of 02.02.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:
1. Jill Scott – High Post Brotha feat. Common (Live)
2. 7 Samurai – Without Luv
3. Jill Scott – Love Rain
4. Corrine Bailey Rae – I’d Like To
5. Amy Winehouse – Help Yourself
6. Cooly’s Hot Box – What A Surprise
7. Raphael Saadiq – Be Here feat. D’Angelo
8. Aaliyah – If Your Girl Only Knew (Siik Remix)
9. Glenn Lewis – Don’t You Forget It
10. Carmen Rodgers – Dream
11. Common – 8 Minutes to Sunrise feat. Jill Scott
12. D’Angelo – Devil’s Pie
13. Ryan Leslie – Rescue Me
14. Amy Winehouse – Stronger Than Me
15. Corrine Bailey Rae – Trouble Sleeping
16. Erykah Badu – Love of My Life feat. Common
17. Erykah Badu – The Healer
18. Dwele – Hold On
19. Raheem DeVaughn – Woman
20. Lupe Fiasco – Daydreamin’ feat. Jill Scott
21. Chico Cesar – Mama Africa
22. Akon – Mama Africa
23. Stone Mecca – In Love
24. Estelle – Come Over
25. Gnarls Barkley – Who Cares
26. Angie Stone – Baby
27. Alicia Keys – You Don’t Know (Siik Remix)
28. John Legend – Another Again

Spotlight on DJ Siik

I met DJ Siik at the May 2008 Come Up party. This San Fernando Valley kid’s mixes was real clean and his music selection was immaculate. His mixes sounded like they were meant to be together.

DJ Siik, Unknown Photographer

Getting to know Siik more I found out that he is still a beginner on turntables and that he never really touched any until that day at The Come Up. That amazed me because he just picked it up real quick and his mixes are hella clean. Later I got to see him mix in some acapellas for a 4×4 set with Mike Deuce and he even had great timing, which can take other DJs years to master. He is a natural and with a few more years on turntables he will become one of the siikest in the business.

Siik also has a blog that is very successful and has a huge following. He got a lot of mixes up there as well as remixes that sometimes seem to be a better fit to the song than the original track. Keep up with DJ Siik at www.siik.org and download his mixes and remixes.

If you are in Honolulu, Hawaii, pick up Siik’s mixtape “In Between” at In4mation.

DJ Siik - In Between at In4mation in Hawaii

Here are some of my favorite DJ Siik mixes and remixes (in no particular order):

Remix: Amerie – One Thing (Siik Remix)

Remix: Aaliyah – If Your Girl Only Knew (Siik Remix)

Remix: Snoop Dogg – Signs (Siik Remix)

Remix: Estelle – American Boy (Siik Remix)

Remix: T-Pain – Can’t Believe It (Siik Remix)

Remix: Robin Thicke – Wanna Love You Girl (Siik Remix)

Michael Jackson – Remember the Time (Siik Remix)

Mix: Siik – In Between

Track listing:
dem franchize boyz – oh i think they like me (remix?)
dan the automator – to catch a thief
the avalanches – tonight
blackalicious – deception
fantastic plastic machine – black dada
nightmares on wax – morse
black sheep – B.B.S.
camp lo – gotcha
cibo matto – moonchild
the roots – you got me
pharcyde – she said(mike caren mix)

Mix: Siik – How’s Your Lady

Track listing:
q-tip – blue girl
pharcyde – passin me by(fly as pie mix)
nightmares on wax-a night’s interlude
a tribe called quest – bonita applebum(hootie mix)
kick the can crew – nounai vacation
the roots – proceed ii
ugly duckling – another samba
nujabes – kumomi
black star – brown skin lady
will i am – lay me down

Mix: Siik – All I Want

Track listing:
lemongrass – lightning fire
kanye west – heard em say (instrumental)
federico aubele – postales
bonobo – ketto
thievery corporation – the supreme illusion
polyrhythm addicts – take me home
gift of gab – evolution
dwele – keep on
one self – over expose
nujabes – reflection eternal
the roots – act too (the love of my life)

Mix: Siik – Bous

Track listing:
kelis – glow
common – love is
glenn lewis – don’t you forget it
brandy – best friend
michael jackson – butterflies
dwele – hold on
cooly’s hot box – what a surprise
laurnea – keep your head up
carmen rodgers – dream
raphael saadiq – be here
lauryn hill – i used to love him
toni braxton – you’re makin me high

Mix: Siik – I Don’t Even Like Coffee

Track listing:
a tribe called quest – i c u doin’ it
the roots – what they do
black eyed peas – fallin’ up
andre 3000 – she lievs in my lap
amerie – why don’t we fall in love (richcraft remix)
kenny dope – horn joint
misia – escape (dj watarai remix)
miho – esperanza
shing02 – luv(sic) instrumental
monday michiru – when i’m with you (dj krush remix)
a tribe called quest – like it like that
yesterday’s new quintet – uno esta
the tribe called quest – like that
outkast – ms jackson
jazzanova – no use

Mix: Siik – Unable to Satisfy

Track listing:
pharcyde – on the dl
gift of gab – to know you
common – faithful
n.e.r.d. – run to the sun
thievery corporation – samba tranquile
dj cam – dieu reconnaitra les siens
gagle – practice and tactix(soljazz mix)
nightmares on wax – 70s 80s
shakkazombie – kokoro warp(4 hero friday nite remix)
tosca – chocolate elvis(boozoo bajou remix)
jaffa – sneakin
ratatat – crips
q-tip – movin with u
prefuse 73 – detchibe

Did I mention that Siik is a siik ass photographer with samples on his blog.

Sample of Siik's photos, Shot in Hawaii

No more sleeping on DJ Siik. Kid is dope…

I Am Now a VJ…New Music Video Remix: Estelle – American Boy (Siik Remix)

I have officially became a VJ with two music video gigs under my belt and a lot more to come.

1. My cousin Kim’s Debut 10.04.08
2. The Creep Up (The Come Up) 10.25.08

I now want to be able to VJ as universally as I DJ. I want to have a good music video collection. This is where it becomes hard. Downloading a music video just doesn’t cut like it would if you download a song. Quality becomes the number one issue and music video downloads usually have sucky quality. The other problem is that music videos ripped from MTV or BET or any other music video network cannot be played except for personal use without a chance of getting sued since you as a VJ don’t represent the network. The answer is Music Video Pools. Just like the exclusive record pools of the past, digital pools for music and music videos are now the industry standard and that same exclusivity has been thrown out the window with the ability of digital files to be copied over and over and over again.

There are many pools out there and most of them have all the same music every month. The only difference is price and quality. The best pool from my research is Promo Only. You sign up and pay per genre which is sent once a month in DVD format which will have to be converted into mp4s for use in Scratchlive Video. With a subscription with Promo Only you also have access to all the old collections of music videos, from the 70s to the more current hits. Those issues are $40 each and have an average of 40 videos. If I were to buy the whole collection of non-current stuff, I would spend $1200. Then I would have to convert them all.

I am really into personalizing my videos with hot remixes as well as mixable versions. I am really thinking of pumping out a bunch of remixed and mixable versions that I can use and sell to other VJs to make some money back for all the time I put in.

Here is my first video remix using my homeboy, DJ Siik’s remix of Estelle – American Boy. The beat should be slower but I didn’t know how to slow down the video track on Final Cut Express. Enjoy.