Navarro Blends Worlds On Modern Mexican Art: Radio Sondido
"I done paid my dues and have some changed left."
Navarro, known well throughout Chicago's underground Hip Hop scene as Scheme, returned in April of 2018 with a new album centered fiercely on identity and story-telling. The LP, Modern Mexican Art: Radio Sondido, plays out like a documentary set in Chicago's Mexican neighborhood and narrated by the polished emcee.
The album is timely for many reasons. As Donald Trump and his administration continue to harm the immigrant community (and all communities of color), Navarro's perspective as a first generation American who fell in love with Hip Hop is welcomed and needed. Since his last proper LP, Navarro has changed his name, created a successful after school program and also has a growing daughter. Those kind of life changes will force anyone to really examine their life and decide what is most important. As an emcee with over a decade of experience, Navarro has had to clearly define his priorities as well as how he fits into the current climate of commercial music.
Duality is an inherent part of the immigrant experience, and Modern Mexican Art succeeds the most when that duality is at the forefront. The album's first track, "Sin Singre En Las Venas" is a perfect example of the recipe as Navarro raps in both Spanish and English over hard drums provided by long-time collaborator, Nascent. The track also welcomes listeners into Navarro's world, using old audio about Mexican immigrants and the ways in which they have used music for escape, empowerment, and action.
Action is the subject of the album's second track, "Feel The Earth Move", another track with Navarro in his bag, clearly displaying his lyrical skills. Tracks like "The Jordan Era" and "City Never Sleeps" featuring GLC bring in the Chicago perspective and add some lightness to the album. "Timeless", produced by Panik is another favorite on the LP, with Navarro recounting his experiences as an emcee and the frustrations with hitting a ceiling as far as recognition and accolades in the first verse. The second verse, he adopts the perspective of greed and motivation, showing the search for such accolades and success as a relationship and actor in the frustration.
The album ends with "Final Peace" a dedication to Hip Hop culture, something that gave him a voice when he thought he had none. I feel like this is the track in which Navarro brings everything together - his current family needs, his place in music, and a love for Hip Hop above fame. It's a sentiment that's not popular, but needed.
Saba returns with "Busy" Video
"Tell me, how are you said? You got all of these friends, you got all of these fans."
Man, it feels good to write about Saba again. One of my favorite artists, and former students, Saba is back in 2018 with a new haircut, new music, and a new nationwide tour. While that's all cause of celebration, his first musical offering carries a melancholy vibe and speaks to being lonely in a room full of people. "Busy" is the name of the song and video that Saba teased on social media for about a week. He doesn't disappoint in its delivery, however, the young veteran seems to be a bit disappointed in the emptiness that can be a music career, as well as relationships and loved ones gone.
To fully understand "Busy" requires multiple listens. Get started right now with the video below.
Stream TOWKIO's New LP, WWW
It's finally here. TOWKIO formerly Toyko Shawn fomerly Preston San has dropped his debut album, WWW. The LP is years in the making, and TOWKIO has grown tremendously since he started making music. Congrats are in order for the kid, for sure.
Earlier this week, DJBooth released a pretty in-depth interview with TOWKIO where he discussed the inspiration for the album, and the ties to space in theme and feeling. He took everything a step further, and actually went 92,000 feet in the air to get the full experience of his music. You can watch that unfold in the video below as well.
Vic Mensa, Sza, Carter Lang, Teddy Jackson, and others appear on the project. As I type this, I'm listening to "Forever" featuring Vic Mensa, and it's fucking awesome. Enjoy.
Listen To Phoelix's new jam "Drip"
I was on a massive cruise ship with Phoelix one time, out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, watching Gallant and drinking alcohol. It was fucking amazing. But that's irrelevant right now.
What is relevant is Phoelix's new joint, "Drip", which is equal parts crunchy and raunchy. The vocals are dirty both in delivery and subject matter, and both work out well for one of the Chicago music scene's most versatile contributors. Peep the new one below.
Hear An Uncovered Malcolm London + Kweku Collins Track on the LTAB 2018 Mixtape
"Always bout my bills, no Bill Cosby."
The only things certain are death and taxes. Just below that are other things we can begin to count on every year, the LTAB mixtape has become one of those things. For the last few years, Young Chicago Authors, has put together a free mixtape to coincide with their annual youth poetry slam, Louder Than A Bomb. This year's mixtape includes an almost overwhelming 26 tracks from familiar as well as unfamiliar names ranging from Femdot and Matt Muse to Aeon Moore and Loona Dae. Also included is an uncovered collaboration from Malcolm London and Kweku Collins.
I do remember Malcolm and Kweku recording this in the Closed Sessions C-Room, I believe it was very close to the time Kweku started coming around. I don't really remember much outside of that, and honestly totally forgot about this song. This is actually the first time I've heard it, and I fucking dig it.
Outside of the song's quality, it's just dope to see this record come to life via the LTAB mixtape. Good mixtapes include rarities and b-sides, and YCA is keeping that spirit alive. Peep the full mixtape below, you might just find a new favorite.
Bars! Listen to Seven1's "The Only One"
"Told my momma, 'fuck school, I got a plan bigger'/ she said, 'you're ass grown, you make your own dinner.'
Come get these bars... Seven1 was someone who caught my attention my first time around on rubyhornet with his poignant and menacing take on the violence impacting Chicago. In my time away, Seven has continued making music and he's releasing a new album on March 9th, From EastSide With Love. Today he sent over the album's intro, the fierce and haunting, "The Holy One". This is a great intro track, which is an art in itself. This pure rhymes, no hook, just bar after bar, painting a picture of who Seven is, where he comes from and what we may expect on the project.
C-Sick produced the beat, and C-Sick is always on point. He's one of my favorite producers and just a good dude. Listen to Seven's track below, and get the rewind button ready.
RH In The Studio With: Ajani Jones
When I started rubyhornet damn near 10 years ago, one of the biggest things for me and Virgil was being the studio with artists. Just the idea of “the studio” was a magic place, something like behind the curtain of the Wizard of Oz. I remember those early days fondly of being in the studio with artists like Naledge, GLC, Mikkey Halsted, Rhymefest and many others. The studio is where Closed Sessions launched, where I first met a 15 year-old Vic Mensa, and got to watch a hero like Raekwon breakdown his approach to music. I think back on that time, my early and mid-twenties, running around like a kid in the candy store. I had a flip cam, and would just hit record. One of my favorite articles on RH were the in-studio pieces where artists would share their creative process and their new work. Since I’m back at rubyhornet, we want to get back to some of our strengths, and the In The Studio articles are at the top of the list.
For this edition, Cooper Fox hung out with Ajani Jones at SoundScape Studio. He talked to Ajani about his new music, life since he released Eternal Bliss last year, and got a glimpse of new music to come. Check out the piece below, and look for more of these on the regular.
RubyHornet: What are you working on today?
Ajani Jones: Today I’m working on "Bloom", a song I did with my Manager (Alexy), and (Netherlands-based producer) Pim. And it’s going on a project called Cocoons.
When going into these sessions are you looking to build towards a project or just recording songs and figuring it afterwards?
Ajani Jones: I usually come up with a concept before I start a project. I like to have a genuine message behind what I’m doing, so when I get into it it’s not just music. There’s something behind it. Cocoons is an EP, and I have an LP I’m also doing after. They tie together, this one’s called Cocoons and the other one’s called Dragonfly. I have a third one, which I’m still working on. It’s basically all symbolizing growth, growth as an artist, growth as a human being. And having fun and being happy in life.
RubyHornet: What would you consider your ideal situation going into a session?
Ajani Jones: I don’t produce. I like to be with a producer. Usually it’s Banks The Genius or Boathouse. Both of them I can make a song with in 20 minutes. The vibe is, they start working and I let them do them. If there’s something I don’t like, I’ll say it, but for the most part I let them inspire me and I’ll go from there. I put down my ideas and it’s usually just we’re working together to complete the record.
RubyHornet: Do you usually come into them with a game plan?
Ajani Jones: It’s definitely off the cuff, they’ll play some shit and I’ll be like 'fire, lets run it.' And that’s what I do, it’s just good vibes everywhere.
RubyHornet: What’s been going on since putting out your last project Eternal Bliss?
Ajani Jones: The game plan after that was to push it, work on making a better sound than we made before and bettering our situation. And we did that. We now have the resources to work as much as we want, and be more creative and have the quality there as well. That was the plan and now it’s about delivering and letting everything come together.
New Year, New Name, Same Kills. Watch Navarro's New Video For "Sin Sangre En Las Vinas"
"Son of a mother and a father who done did themselves, them dollars calling cause them pesos never added up well."
"Sin Sangre En Las Venas" is the newest single from longtime friend of the program, Navarro - who many rubyhornet readers will know very well as Scheme. For good measure, peep our video from 2010 of Scheme cooking up "Lose Your Soul" with Mikkey Halsted.
While the name has changed, the skills have not diminished in the slightest. Perhaps you could say the lyrical sword is as sharp as ever on "Sin Sangre En Las Venas", which translates to "No Blood In The Veins". As the title can suggest, this is not necessarily a happy track you dance to. It is a pointed narration of an immigrant's experience, and starts fitting with a news report about life in the barrio and songs of the street. Navarro picks up where the newscaster left off, giving the listener a visitor's pass.
The song begins in Spanish, with mentions of Cadillacs and Cervezas, before Navarro switches seamlessly to English for a proper introduction - "manifesting ghetto glory, tell'em this that boy, Scheme," he raps.
The single is the first from Modern Mexican Art: Radio Sonido, his first proper LP since he started the Beats and Bars program, where he mentors CPS students through the creation of new music and videos.
Frequent collaborator, Nascent is supplies the production and Gerardo Duran provides the visuals for "Sin Sangre En Las Vinas". There is something both triumph and haunting about the song and the story that Navarro tells. There is plenty of hope amongst the despair and struggle, and there plenty of quotables to keep the rewind button busy. Navarro saves one of his most potent bars for last, as he ends with "It's all power, I'm just trying to make it further, But Rahm could try to hide my murder."
Enjoy.