T-Shirts Made Everyday

Just talked to the crew at Time Matter Energy in the Bronx. Looks like the new Upset The Setup shirts should be shipping this week. You can pre-order here. Check this shirt they did for Creature who we talked about over at the blog last week.

Finally, a DJ Eurok record on Turntable Lab

Jon Kennedy from the UK asked me to rhyme on one of his tracks in the summer of 2005. I slept on the beat for ever and never finished my verse. After hurricane Katrina, I was listening to the beat and noticed the vocal sample Jon built the track around “I left my favorite briefcase in New Orleans, playing all the bars intown, whatever the hell that means.” I swear I listened to that track 100s of times before, but it never clicked. Anyway during Ramadan of 05, I finished and recorded the track at Apex’s studio. Jon got the joint pressed, and now, finally, there is a DJ Eurok record on the lab. Take that Lab mgmnt!

Charts, Radio Play, Web 2.0 and an indy hip hop kid trying to figure it out

Here’s the story so far. 2 summers ago, I gave Ian Mackaye a bootleg promo CDR at Head-Roc’s show at Fort Reno. Ian has always been supportive of the indy hip hop that we do, and has repeatedly told me how much he likes my song “This is DC.” In April of 2007, Ian was in Australia doing shows with the Evens. Him, Amy Farina from the Evens, and Henry Rollins stopped by the Triple J morning show with Zan Rowe and played some music from DC including “This is DC.” Ever since that first play the Triple J (A national radio station broadcast across Australia) has been getting mad requests for the song. Random emails and Myspace friend request from kids in Australia started trickling in.

Ok, pause there. I have no record label, no promo, no video. Nothing. I make music, record it, hustle it here and there, put it out on the Internet. Yeah I do my little myspace thing, I’m trying to get my website back in shape, start selling music online again. But you know what, shit is hard. I got a job. I’m an artist with issues, I’m not trying to be all out there all the time, dig? But kids from Australia are hearing a song I wrote about DC Statehood, googling the lyrics, finding me on-line, and connecting with me. Fuck web 2.0 – this is some next generation future music shit, and I’m trying to get a hold of it and build a movement!

But then in the midst of me being overwhelmed by RSS feeds and content syndication, I stumble upon some shit like this:

The Triple J – Australian Broadcast Corporation
June 1, 2007

the HOTTEST TEN SONGS OF THE WEEK are…

1. HILLTOP HOODS – RECAPTURING THE VIBE (RESTRUNG)
2. KINGS OF LEON – FANS
3. CHEMICAL BROTHERS – DO IT AGAIN
4. ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI – HEART IT RACES
5. MUSCLES – ICE CREAM
6. SMASHING PUMPKINS – TARANTULA
7. DJ EUROK – THIS IS DC
8. WHITE STRIPES – ICKY THUMP
9. BILLY TALENT – FALLEN LEAVES
10. OPERATOR PLEASE – GET WHAT YOU WANT

I mean, really? NUMBER 7 in AUSTRALIA! ON A NATIONAL RADIO STATION? Can I get some help? Investors, street team, beats, an article on your blog, collabos, studio time? something! Holla at the kid!

Site Update

I just figured out how to use WordPress and RSS feeds to create a simple content management solution for my website. This is on some next level web 2.0 shit.

I can even embed images…!