THE DOVE SOCIETY 
Hear the Roses presents a series of music-focused features. The podcast about passion, perseverance and the pursuit of dreams, includes an in-depth conversation with Grammy Award-winning music producer Shafiq Husayn (SA-RA Creative Partners) and his The Dove Society label mates, who open up about their creative process, working with Anderson .Paak and “being a vessel.”
Listen: https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/the-dove-society

ASYA SHEIN 
The music edition features an intimate interview with Asya Shein, founder and curator for FUSICOLOGY, a Hub for Progressive Culture and Lifestyle events that has worked with artists including Anderson .Paak, Aloe Blacc and Robert Glasper.
Listen https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/fusicology-asya-shein

BILLY JOHNSON JR. 
The music edition includes an in-depth conversation with veteran music journalist Billy Johnson Jr., a former senior editor for Yahoo! Music, who has interviewed musical icons such as Beyoncé and Janet Jackson.
Listen https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/musicjournalistbillyjohnsonjr

The post Hear the Roses: Music Edition appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The Museum of Light digital platform that explores the alchemy of the artists’ journey teams with Fusicology to create a content partnership.

The post Museum of Light and Fusicology Form Content Partnership appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, do you feel that being an artist relates to that of being an alchemist? Do you view the artist journey and your creative expression, as alchemy?

ROBERT GLASPER: I feel like the transforming of something into another thing as far as the alchemist goes in music is basically understanding all of the elements of the genre that I’m in. Once you understand the element, you’ve got to study the element, and you actually can authentically replicate that element, then, at that you point, you know the ins and outs of it, and you can change it. I feel like that’s what my band does. We’ve all studied and we know the history of the music and all these different things and we know sonically what makes one thing sound different from another thing. So that allows us to have the tools to be able to go from one thing to another and change things. And even have the tools to try to do something that is different that we haven’t really heard as far as we know. A lot of that really comes from studying all types of things. Some people know genres from a far when they hear it and never really played it or lived it. So it’s very important to be in it and then that really helps.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light, do you see your work as an artist like that of a star? Is this “light” that stars radiate merely the evidence of this journey of becoming a star/learning to radiate light?

ROBERT GLASPER: I see my work as a light to people. I feel that because I’ve been able to read feedback from people from social media, talked to people at shows, I get a lot of insight on what my music does for them. And even for some music, my intention wasn’t for a certain feeling, but for somebody else it resonated a certain way. I was like, ‘Wow. I didn’t have that in mind when I wrote this song.’ For them it’s like something else. It’s great. You never know what your music is gonna do for people. It’s very good to be open and honest about your music because people are going to interpret it different ways anyway. So being a cookie cutter and doing what somebody else does, for what? They’re going to have their feeling about what it makes them feel like. People can feel when something is pretentious. They feel it when it’s not honest. I try to always be honest because that’s what’s gotten me this far. People telling me how my music has changed their life or changed a situation. It let’s me know that was a light for them. I think that’s great and what motivates me.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” How do you navigate this space, how do you find the creative spark in the dark, and does it require courage to create from this unknown space? Describe this process.

ROBERT GLASPER: What’s helping me create and find that spark? It’s funny a lot of people when they create, musicians, we tend to say, All right tomorrow at 2 o’clock, I’m going to sit down and write a song. Like they got the universe on lock. Like at 2 o’clock that’s when the Gods are going to give me this beam and the song is gonna be written and this amazing thing. I don’t do that. Pretty much since I started playing, recording music, I’ve always had voice notes on my phone because I get inspired by so many things in my life: riding a train, walking down the street, in the bathroom. Like a song might play in the bathroom while I’m taking a piss and it inspires another thought. And as musicians, thoughts come and go really fast. So we let go of more than we keep, just naturally. So I try to record as much as I can to keep as much as I can. Immediately I pick up my phone and I sing whatever idea it was in my phone. And that’s how I recorded 95 percent of my music by doing that because I get inspired when I’m not in front of the piano. Seeing the piano doesn’t inspire me. Life inspires me. So whereever that might be, I always carry my phone so I can try to capture that moment. Then, I’ll work on it later. Flesh it out and make it something. But that’s what I’m inspired by: life. It could be anything. Any person, any song, a bird. The other day I saw this hummingbird flying around the tree. Somebody had a little hummingbird feeder with sap in it and boom. It inspired me somehow. I took out my phone and sung a melody. I might not use it for six months, but when it’s time, I’ll go back and listen and will be like, Oh, I can use that as a tag for that song or ending or bridge or anything. I just try to record all my ideas.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: If you want to know what alchemy sounds like, listen to Robert Glasper Experiment’s work. His new album, ArtScience, out today, is transformation at its finest. It’s among pop music’s most eclectic merging of genres, incorporating jazz, R&B, Hip Hop, drum and bass, and more.

In addition to addressing the fusion of Art and Science in the album title, Robert also expounds on it on the album’s opening track, “This Is Not Fear.”  As the production moves from battling, frantic saxophone and piano solos, the music calms to allow Robert to speak. He says, “The reality is my people have given the world so many styles of music, so many different styles. So why should I just confine myself to one. We want to explore them all.”

As Robert’s voice fades, the music shifts again and so on. He follows this course for the duration of the album, refusing to limit himself creatively. It’s the way alchemists transform lead into gold.

Photo Credit: Mathieu Bitton

The Museum of Light is curated by: 

Billy Johnson Jr., Adell Henderson, Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik Buie.

Fore more on The Museum of Light visit:

http://themuseumoflight.com
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
Tweets by museumoflight

The post Conversations in Light: Robert Glasper – This Is What Alchemy Sounds Like appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

IT’S FINALLY HERE!! Earlier this week Erykah Badu teased us with snippet’s of a video release for “Maiysha (So Long)” – A Robert Glasper reimaged version of the Miles Davis classic; Is now officially here. According to pitchfork The video was written and directed by Badu herself. Badu toiled with our emotions all week with snippet’s of the video alongside movie posters displaying her and Glasper on the front cover.

The video is a song/movie that tells a story in which Badu whom plays a “neurotic” chanteuse named Sarah Bellam who happens to be “one of her many personalities” – Robert Glasper plays her tortured/lover keyboard player boyfriend. Maiysha (So Long) is the first song to be released off of the album Everything Beautiful in which is a tribute album in honor of Miles Davis. The song is from Davis’s 1974 album “Get Up with It”

Glasper and Badu are a pair to be reckoned with in the video; Badu’s acting skills are superb as she and Glasper bring a comedic edge to the video, fussing like an old married couple who are in love with each other; but gets on stand each others nerves at the same time. The video is fresh and has a cool melody to it that makes you feel as though you’re driving down a highway in a classic top down corvette with your hair blowing in the wind as you head toward the sunset that’s before you; or at least that’s what I felt when I listened to the lyrics.

But you can develop your own feel of the sound and the video for yourself; Thus far the video has been viewed on youtube over 1500 times already and has a total of 197 likes which goes to show that there are quite a few other people whom are feeling Badu’s new project, but who wouldn’t love it – after all she is Erykah Badu.

Check out the video above and tell us what you think.

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Erykah Badu to Release Video for “Maiysha (So Long)”

The post Erykah Badu releases video of “Maiysha (So Long)” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

So besides Twitter recently, if you’ve just happened to be wondering what Erykah Badu has been up to lately well, you’ll be happy to know that she’s still being just as creative, talented, cool, calm and intelligently versed these days. Did I also mention that she’s set to release a self-directed video (yes, she directed it) of “Maiysha (So Long)” this Friday? No? Well, consider this your front row invitation to see what the bag lady has put down because she’s definitely pulled out something extra special from that bag that we all should be excited to see.

“Maiysha (So Long)” is taken from the Everything’s Beautiful album by Legendary jazz trumpeter, bandleader and composer, Miles Davis. The album is Miles Davis’ recordings but have been reimagined by Jazz pianist, Robert Glasper. Badu– whom is a four-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and producer– will star as the main character in the musical film/video, Sarah Bellam, which happens to be one of her many alter-egos. Badu co-produced the video alongside Glasper whom will be portraying her lover as well as the tormented keyboard player.

Throughout the rest of the week, Badu will be giving us a “tease” of many visuals and clips leading up to the much anticipated release. Badu and her team, Control Freaq Media, have even created a number of movie inspired posters, art and animated gifts to display prior to the the big day.

SO LONG
Starring ROBERTO GLASPER and introducing SARAH BELLAM
Video drops 12 noon Friday June 24 #soLongTWSS pic.twitter.com/yaYy9cIVKY

— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) June 21, 2016

There will even be exclusive bonus content even after the video release. From the looks of the posters and the audio, this will be a video that will be dramatically different than any other . Unpredictable and unique just as Badu has continued to be from day one.

If you can’t wait to see the video, then you can check out Badu & Glasper’s preview of the song for “Maiysha (So Long)” below.

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The post Erykah Badu to Release Video for “Maiysha (So Long)” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo by
Martin C. Pariseau ©

Kevin Celestin uploaded his first track, “Voices from Heaven,” onto Soundcloud almost a year and a half ago. Since then, the Montreal based, Haitian-born producing machine has earned more than 13  million plays off of his signature style of fruity loop beats. Barely two years into the game, this 21 year-old has made his mark by seamlessly mixing  elements of hip hop, R&B,  black soul, and electronic music into groovy jams we just can’t get enough of. Maybe it’s because his impressive sample pool includes favorites like Janet Jackson, Amerie, K-OS, Robert Glasper, and Missy Elliot? Or maybe it’s because his last music video, “At All,” finally gave us a reason to get up and go to the gym? Either way, this young talent has a lot to offer and his fans are more than eager to pick up everything he’s putting down. If you’ve managed to catch him live during the past year, we’re sure you can agree that 2014’s breakout producer, Kaytranada, is definitely not one to be slept on any longer.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

Which one of your upcoming tour dates are you most excited about?

I’m excited to go to Europe. Actually this weekend I’m doing the Wildlife 2014 show with Disclosure , so I’m pretty excited about that. The do-over for the Coachella after party- I don’t know when its happening, or whats up with that- but I’m really excited for that show too.

Is tour wearing you out right now? You’ve been on the road almost all year!

Yup, but I’m having a break right now. I’m just chilling for the next three more months.

What’s your favorite part about performing live?

I don’t know. I really love having a good crowd response. I don’t really have a favorite part about mixing except for just playing around and doing stupid stuff. The fact that I can do whatever I want is great. Just playing with two songs at the same time and getting a good transition is pretty cool. But definitely the crowd is my favorite. I like it when the crowd gets hype and has a great response.

What are your secrets to keeping yourself a awake and alive with such a crazy tour schedule?

I don’t even know- maybe just drinking water. I started drinking water for the last two months and it really helped me get back.

Wait, you never drank water before?

Yeah, you know, the way I eat and the way I drink is not really healthy. Just having water has really helped me.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

I know you were in Brooklyn in the fall for the Electronic Music festival, and you were also there recently recording “My Block” for Mobb Deep’s new album. How do you feel about Brooklyn as a music center right now?

I really love Brooklyn. I wanna live in Brooklyn, but its way too expensive. It’s about money right now, so I can’t live in Brooklyn. But I get excited every time I come to Brooklyn- just New York in general.

Any crazy stories from the last time you were there?

Not really much. Pretty much the fact that we partied. There was this weird after party in my hotel after the festival. Its not really a big story, but in the other room Tommy Kruise was chillin, having another after party and we got to go back and forth. Its not really a crazy story, but it was fun.

I heard you used to dance and draw before you were completely committed to music. What kind of dancing were you doing?

I was just doing Hip Hop dances, you know, back when the Harlem Shake was hot. I’m still the Harlem Shake god, I’m lot gonna lie. And you know when Jersey club dances were really hot?  They’re still hot, but you know, when there was a lot more excitement about dances like the sponge bob and stuff.

What kind of art were you into?

I used to draw a lot, I used to dance a lot, and I was really into every kind of art. I was growing up listening to music with my dad- whatever he would listen to- and he used to paint, too, so painting was really interesting to me. Really any kind of art was interesting to me- dance, music, whatever.

Are these things you still get to play around with in your free time, or are you still too busy with music now?

I feel like I’m not doing anything at all right now [laughs]. I’m off of tour and I’m really just chilling. I’m not doing much production, even though I try to be creative. My creative block is really hard to get over. Sometimes I go to other people’s studios to try and collab with other producers. Actually that’s what I’m thinking about right now. I don’t do any other types of art. I wish I could get back into drawing and painting- all the other types of art I used to do- but music really just took over everything.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

What do you usually do when you have creative block? What are your rituals or pick me ups?

I’m always looking for inspiration. So I’ll go to other people’s studios, not to bite their style or anything, but just to see them making beats. That really inspires me as well. I also listen to brand new records- like a Brazilian sample or another type of foreign sample will inspire you to make a beat or any kind of new stuff. I just keep listening to stuff I’ve never heard before.

What are favorite places to crate-dig in Montreal?

My favorite is called Aux 33 Tours and its great. They have a lot of secret jams in there, and a bunch of Montreal stuff. I just got into the Montreal jams. I never dug into there and I never new they had some crazy shit.

Really?

Yeah they do

No, I’m not surprise they have great music from Montreal; I’m just surprised that you were never into Montreal music. So what did you usually dig for before you started looking up music from Montreal, just American music?

Yeah, just soul music, new wave. I never really checked the soul music for sampling, I just really like to listen to soul music on my own. For sampling I just checked on the grooves, new wave, psychedelic rock. In Montreal I’ve been sleeping on the Canadian stuff, but I’m learning that they do have a lot of crazy good stuff.

What do you usually order when you go to La Banquise?

Oh, I’ve never been actually, I know it’s crazy! I always plan on going after I party or something, but I’ve never been ever in my life. No one ever wants to go when I want to go, so I always go to this other spot that’s sort of looks like La Banquise. My friend went and he told me its not all that, so whatever. It is the most talked about spot. I’m sure it’s one of the best in Montreal for poutine.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

How do you get inspired when you’re looking for cover art for your music?

I just get inspired by old records and the fact that they used to draw and make illustrations for covers. That’s what inspires me to make covers with illustrations.

Do you make all of your cover art?

I used to back in the day when I used t make the beat tapes; you know, just an easy photoshop effect and that’s what I used to do with the beat tapes. Now I’m just trying to do photographs with a cool lens or a rare picture. I just like covers without the title.

Some of my favorite covers that you have is the “Massively Massive” cover with the sloth and everything, as well as the “Charles Barkley” cover. Both of those were covers for The Celestics. Can you talk a little bit about the Celestics and your music relationship with your brother?

Yeah, The Celestics is something that we planned way back before the Kaytranada thing got big. We wanted to be famous together, and eventually that didn’t happen. Now we’re trying to make that happen with the next mixtape we’re working on. It’s called “Supreme Laziness,” and it’s about to be a good album. It’s going to show a lot of what I was doing on the hip hop site, because lately I’ve been dropping more electronic stuff and that’s what people know me as. But I’m still on the hip hop tip and I’ve just been saving all of the good beats for my brother for this project. I really want this project to be big.

Is your brother older or younger than you?

He’s younger. He’s 19.

Are you the oldest?

No my two sisters are the oldest

You have one video on your YouTube channel right now, “At All,” which is hilarious. What was it like working on that video project?

The video idea and concept came from my friend Martin Pariseau. He did the Tommy Kruise video, the brand new one. He came up with the idea for the muscle girls and the whole thing about it. I wasn’t really down with the idea, but when we started filming I thought it was kind of nice, so I didn’t get made about it. Actually it was fun, getting carried by the muscle girls, and getting in the gym hanging out with the body builder girls. People in the gym were looking around us like, “Whoa, what is going on?,” but it was a really fun day.

Any more videos you’re thinking about doing in the future?

Yeah, I’ll probably do more videos by the same director maybe, because he has a lot of good ideas. I would definitely like to do Celestics videos with him. He’s a good director, you should check him out.

I heard you’re a basketball fan, is that right?

Yeah, I’m really into the vintage basketball.

What’s your team?

Back in the day I loved the Celtics with Larry Bird and everyone in there. Also I like the Atlanta Hawks but really it’s not about a favorite team. It’s more about how cool it was the NBA back in the day. I can’t really remember exactly how it was in detail, but I remember how much more exciting and raw it felt. The stories behind the vintage NBA thing, there’s some good stories in there.

Are you team Playstation or Xbox?

I have an Xbox at home. I wish it was a Playstation ’cause you know the Xbox has a lot of problems. Like in the last days of Xbox 360 you really wish you had a Playstation 3. My next console is definitely a Playstation 4.

Games?

Fighting games like Mortal Kombat. I’m still into the old school games. Marvel vs. Capcom, I got that on Gamecube. I’m more of a retro dude with the old school games and the wrestling games.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

What are you listening to right now on your Ipod?

I’m listening to Brazilian music right now like Bossanova. There’s this singer called Gal Costa and she’s really dope. And I’m mostly listening to that new Freddie Gibbs and Madlib record. I really love that album. I think it’s by far going to be the best album of the year, for real. I’m a big Madlib fan and I’ve been waiting for an album for years. So, I was really happy when it came out and its a good album.

Are you fluent in French?

Yeah I speak French and Creole. I have a French accent from Montreal. I really speak French at home; we speak French, Creole, and English all mixed together

Obviously you have a lot of support from Canada, but you also have a huge fanbase here in the States as well as around the world. How does that feel?

I don’t know, sometimes it just happens. I know a lot of people may not listen to Canadian music and underestimate it just because it’s Canadian. It’s really awesome that they like me, I’m not mad about that, especially because the American music really influenced me. It influenced the whole world really. So the fact that I’m in there and doing it, that means I did it right since Americans like me.

Do you really think people underestimate Canadian music right now, even with Drake and Justin Bieber and all that?

Yeah everyone except Drake and Justin Bieber. I’m talking about like Chaos, High Klassified,  Julie Black and all these other dope people. There’s more than just Drake and Justin Bieber.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

I know you got your first name, “Kaytradamus” from Nas’ album Nastradamus and then you changed it Kaytranada when Flosstradamus blew up first. Is Nastradamus actually your favorite Nas album?

I haven’t heard Nastramadus because everyone says its a wack album. That’s at least what I’ve heard.

You should check it out. It’s not my favorite either, though, but I like God’s Son after Illmatic.

I love God’s Son. Illmatic, I like it, but I don’t think it’s the greatest greatest album. I really like his newest album, too. Nas has problems picking good beats, that’s what bugs me with Nas, that’s it. But it’s okay because his voice is dope and whatever he says is ill. He has a nice flow, and God’s Son is probably one of my favorite albums from him.

What was the first album you ever bought?

My first album I ever bought with my own money was Clipse’s Lord Willin’ and it kind of changed my life.

Have you met Flosstradamus yet? Do you ever mention the name thing?

I saw them and they weren’t talking to me. They don’t know me, so I might as well not talk to them.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

What music production software do you use?

I’ve never changed it up, I’m still a fruity loops guy. I’m not gonna try anything else other than fruity loops right now.

How long does it usually take you to make your synths?

They actually take me a long time, because the way I work is kind of weird. I don’t have any midi keyboards and stuff, it’s all done by mouse and typing on the keyboard. I just take my time to get the perfect bass line and then add the synths. I just play roads to get the key in the chords right so I can create new melodies. I just change the preset and put my own signature synths and any other dope shit. All that is done in about 25 minutes because I usually take time with my cords.

How do u know when a song is finally finished?

It just depends how you feel [and] how excited you are over it. If you feel your beat and you’re like , “Oh this song is done, alright it’s perfect, ” that’s good. Sometimes it’s only half done or something and you just have you to work on that a little later. Or sometimes I’ll decide I’m just never going to work on it again and start something else.

Who do you want to collaborate with the most right now?

There are so many people I want to collab with, but Erykah Badu is definitely the main. Other than that, I don’t care. I just want people to understand me, so I can understand them and we can just click. The only other person I can think of is Madlib, but I know he doesn’t collab; he only collaborates with rappers not beat makers. Oh, and Flylo and Thundercat.

What are you excited about for the summer?

I’m gonna do a bunch of festivals. I’m also doing a European tour with Sango and Stwo in the beginning of July. Also I’m gonna do a bunch of festivals and looking forward to being home. Last year I just missed summer so I’m looking forward to staying home.

How was your family been reacting to your new fame?

They really like it. They didn’t really understand it at first. They didn’t want me to be just a DJ or a producer because they didn’t know what that means. It’s hard to explain to Haitian parents what that is. But eventually with the tour they see that that I’m out and touring, doing something serious. Then they saw the money coming in so they were like, “Okay you’re doing something great .” Now they can’t really say anything [laughs]. But they are proud of me.

I know you  said your brother is a rapper. Are there any other professional musicians in your family?

My dad used to be in a music group back in the day when I was a little kid. My dad was the singer and the group was called “Moustique” which means Mosquito. It didn’t really have big success. My mom used to sing gospel in churches and stuff like that. My sister is a singer, also.

Do you sing?

I don’t sing. I wish it could. I would kill the game. That’s my dream, but I can’t sing so it sucks. My sister used to play clarinet too. We all were involved in music. I think my dad kind of forced us, but now I really understand why he did that. Its really cool to have musicians in the family.

Who in your family are you most alike?

Really, only my brother. My sister is crazy like me, but we’re all crazy. My two sisters are the oldest.

If Jaydee was still alive what’s one thing you’d been dying to ask him?

Can I have your drums? [Laughs.] I don’t even know, I don’t know how he’d be. Actually, I wouldn’t even talk to Jaydee because I respect him so much and I wouldn’t want to bother him. It’s like me when I saw Pharrell at the airport.

You didn’t say anything?

I didn’t say anything but he nodded at me.

So, he knew who you were.

Yeah, he nodded and I said, ‘Hey’ and just walked away [laughs].

You still get starstruck?

Oh yeah all the time. Talking to those people, those childhood heroes, is surreal.

If you happen to be across the pond this summer, make sure you check out Kaytranada on his European Tour!

The post Interview: Kaytranada, Soundcloud’s Newest Star appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Robert Glasper‘s Black Radio Recovered remix EP comes out tomorrow (Oct. 9). Remixes by Georgia Anne Muldrow, ?uestlove, Pete Rock and 9th Wonder are all on the project. This 9-minute symphony helps to show the world that J. Dilla‘s legacy is still influential and important in our hip-hop culture. This is the final release from the album, which is available for pre-order right here.

The post Audio: Robert Glasper – “Dillalude #2” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.