Power Struggle: Remittances ALBUM SAMPLER

click HERE to download it for FREE!

if you just wanna listen:

-Fatgums

Beatrock Music in Hawaii

Beatrock Music artists POWER STRUGGLE will be joining Bambu and DJ Phatrick to perform at Tadashi Nakamura's A Song For Ourselves film premiere in Honolulu!

EVENT INFO:

SEPT. 24, 2009 @ 7pm

NEXTDOOR - Honolulu (43 N. Hotel St in Chinatown)
ADDITIONAL SCREENING - SEPT. 24, 2009 @ 5:30pm UH Law School

To purchase tickets and get more info please visit: www.iijimafundraiser.blogspot.com

::

and, if you haven't downloaded the mixtape:

Click HERE to download.

-Fatgums

...A Peaceful Riot... Album Review

Fatgums X Bambu :: A Peaceful Riot Going On :: Beatrock
as reviewed by Patrick Taylor

On this ten-song EP, Bay Area DJ Fatgums and L.A. rapper Bambu answer the question, how do you make hip hop that isn't commercial, doesn't pander to violence and misogyny, but isn't boring? They start things off with "Peddlin' Music," in which Bambu raps about trying to make it as a rapper in L.A., dealing with open mics, angry bosses, shitty day jobs, and, for Fatgums, med school, "trying to stay focused when he opens that textbook." "We peddle music on the side to hopefully make rent," Bambu admits, but he doesn't sound down. Part of that is due to the soulful strings and funky drums that Fatgums layers in the background. They may be broke, but they are still celebrating, and on "Good Clothes" Bambu raps about the joys of finding good clothes on sale.

On "Strapped," Bambu takes on the subject of gun ownership. This is a tricky subject for rappers who get lumped in with the backpack or conscious scene. Talib Kweli got a mess of shit for his "Gun Music" from fans who felt that the underground should be a safe haven from the violence of mainstream rap. As Bambu makes it clear, the problem isn't that simple. Over a Biggie Smalls sample and swaggering horns, Bambu raps about coming strapped both literally and lyrically:

"I do not condone the killing of our own
But I do condone defending yourself from the pigs, holmes
Ask Tyisha Miller who her killer was, you'll see
Riverside PD shot til she did not breathe
12 shots hit her point blank right in her chest"

The Biggie sample is no accident, since the late rapper was shot to death. Bambu continues the discussion on "Gunslinger I," describing his gun collection, but clarifying: "I am not advocating what a bullet might bring/I done lost two cousins three homies one uncle/From the little tiny pellets that fly out a gun muzzle." Bambu grew up surrounded by gang culture, and was part of that life before decided to start focusing his energy on more positive pursuits. The song both acknowledges the need to bear arms, and laments the fact that so many people are quick to pull the trigger over nothing. "Remember," he advises, "Fight for your family and change/Stop killing over nothing more than 'What'd you say?'" That song is followed by "Gunslinger II." Fatgums provides a mournful spaghetti western beat for Bambu to spit a tale of his 12-year-old nephew beaten by police. Fatgums cuts in just about every "fuck the police" line in hip hop history, ending with audio footage of Oscar Grant being shot by police on New Year's Day.

Bambu's thoughts on police and guns and violence are much more complicated and intelligent than what I'm used to hearing from the media, much less rappers. He comes from a world where pacifism isn't an option, and where violence is as likely to come from the police as it is from the drug dealers and gang bangers. Bambu has a gritty toughness rounded in intelligence and insight, so he avoids the trap of coming off as either a dumb thug or an intellectual with no real life experience. He applies the same insight to relationships on "Listen," which talks about the need for both partners in a relationship to listen to one another in order to avoid conflict and misunderstanding. The album ends with a eulogy to a dead friend, "Black Smile," which includes phone messages to the deceased. Bambu's rhymes are heartfelt and heartbreaking, and the song stands up with Ice Cube's "Dead Homiez" or UGK's "One Day You're Here, Then You're Gone." Throughout every song on the album, Bambu's never comes off as preachy, and he doesn't drop any awkward or clunky rhymes. He never sacrifieces the music for the message, and he manages to make his message sound good.

Bambu gets a lot of help from Fatgums, who is the perfect partner on this album. A point of reference would be 9th Wonder's work with Murs and Little Brother; both producers know their soul, and are able to spin samples into colorful, banging beats. Fatgums created the beats here while on leave from med school, and as much as I hope that he will be able to finish school and become a doctor, I'd also like him to keep making beats. He's too good on the decks to completely abandon them, even if it is to help people.

"A Peaceful Riot" finds common ground between feel-good, old school worshipping West Coast backpack rap and sun-and-gun drenched L.A. gangsta rap. Bambu tackles big issues without resorting to oversimplification or cliche, and Fatgums keeps it cooking with his soulful beats. This EP is one of the best I've heard this year, and I hope that the duo keep peddling their music.

Music Vibes: 8.5 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 8.5 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 8.5 of 10

Originally posted: June 2, 2009
source: http://www.rapreviews.com/

-Fatgums

Lil brother

I've always been proud of my younger brother and sister's achievements. If you compare me to them, I would be the underachiever. They're always workin hard and puttin in the extra hours at work. At the end of the day that hard work always leads to something positive. In this case, check out what lil brother did.



When you're drivin around and you see this big ass graphic on the side of a bus, remember my lil brother created this. Good shit lil brother.

Beatrock & Alfie Numeric presents

YOU WANT TO BE STARTIN' SOMETHING. A King of Pop-themed group art show

September 5, 2009 6pm- 10pm



Artshows+Music+Cupcakes...Get your FPAC tickets for the weekend afterwards here!!!!

Empanadas!

The first time I had these empanadas was months ago at one of our artshows. The homie Daniel (he's probably your homie too. Dat muhfucka knows everyone) brought em over. They were bomb then. But if you go to the restaurant and eat em there, they're even more bomb. I've had Filipino style empenadas all my life. I'm surprised Filipinos haven't fried em like they do in Argentina.







Spicy cheesy beef.



If you go here super hungry you gotta get 5 or 6 of em.

Vegas bitches!!!!

Haven't been to Vegas for a good minute. Last time we were there my wife was prego with baby boy and I almost sat next to David Carradine. Almost because the ticket agent gave my wife and I seperate seating assignments. When my wife noticed the empty seat next to me she decided to take it. Seconds after sitting down, here comes David Carradine switchin between lookin at his ticket and lookin at his seat that my wife is on. My wife says, "I'm sittin on your seat huh?". He says, "It's ok i'll just sit here.". He ends up sittin on my wife's assigned seat. The whole time David Carradine and the guy he's sittin next to are talkin bout movies, Kill Bill, and workin with Quentin Tarantino. My wife looks at me and says, "Sorry, that could've been you he was talkin to.". Fuck it! All good. What are you gonna do. Anyhow, on Saturday we flew in to Vegas and met up with our cousins from da Bay.






Ya mon!






This muhfucka wouldn't move even though folks was sittin and leanin up on her feet.












Watchin Top Chef on da plane is makin me hungry yo!






So I had a couple bags of these. I love these cookies.







This is where we put our luggage & slept.












It looks nice in here, but it smells like shit. By shit, I mean roses. A million of em. Everywhere. To the point that it hurt my nose.






The chili cheese dogs are bomb at the Grand Lux Cafe. It's on muhfuckin Texas toast.





After meetin up with da homie Hoku at the bar for some drank, we hit up this joint.













My cousin got this. It's called the hangover omelette.






Mac & cheese. Super cheesy. This shit is bomb.






Frozen hot chocolate. Holy shit. This shit is fuckin bomb.


Some dope lookin animals.






























Haven't eaten here since last year.






Prime rib. 22 oz. Cajun style. Ya mon!