Crib Notes

Want the power to nominate a candidate for higher office? Have a strong opinion about what’s truly the best of the best in Atlanta?

Become an officially endorsed CL Super Delegate and give us your opinions. For this year’s Best of Atlanta Raging Election edition, we are looking for independent voters to act as special CL critics.

If your nominations are picked, YOU will be considered a CL critic and given the power to bestow a Critic’s Pick Best of Atlanta award for 2008. We are looking for picks in all categories, so send us a blurb about what you consider to be the Best of Atlanta and why. Send them to bestofatlanta@creativeloafing.com.

If you haven’t voted, what are you waiting for? And don’t forget to take our exit poll once you do!

We look forward to your nominations!

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(Photos by Perry Julien)

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Grandmaster Flash appears in Atlanta today for a Q&A and booksigning. Free. 7:30 p.m. Tues., June 17. Borders, 3637 Peachtree Road. 404-659-1949.

Grandmaster Flash’s story has been told time and time again. But never like this.

In his new memoir, “The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats,” Joseph Saddler (a.k.a Flash) and co-author David Ritz (“Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye”) dig deep into the history of one of hip-hop’s founding fathers.

Past the Quick Mix Theory he invented in the early ’70s that elevated DJing from an art to a science. Past the success of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the first hip-hop group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Past the music and straight to “The Message” behind it.

In the following interview snippet, I talked to Flash about just that. The song, “The Message” is still known as one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever. When it was released in 1982, “The Message” was the first rap song that stepped outside of hip-hop’s party and rhyme-toasting roots to detail the ugly side of the streets: “Don’t push me ’cause I’m close to the edge / I’m trying not to lose my head / It’s like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.”

While the hook transfixed listeners across the nation, giving birth to the raw reality reports it would take the music industry another decade to exploit and market as gangsta rap, Grandmaster Flash was quickly descending into his own uninhabitable jungle of record label woes, drug abuse and self-destruction that it took him years to escape.

Rodney Carmichael: Talk to me about the song “The Message.” After 25 years, I still think that’s the greatest hip-hop song ever. But in your book you talk about how it was like the beginning of the end for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and I know you were starting to dabble pretty heavy in [cocaine] at the time.

Grandmaster Flash: At that time — at least for me — when we first signed to the label Sugar Hill [Records], we were craftsmen. We were craftsmen of our art. What did we know about business? So we made ‘Freedom,’ which did pretty well for us. We did ‘Nasty.’ It did pretty well for us. ‘Scorpio.’ All the joints, all the jams that you guys made big songs for us.

By the time it was time to make [‘The Message’], this is where the nightmare came in. (more…)

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Looking like a surfer isn’t enough to make you a douchebag at Bonnaroo — hell, it makes you the bedrock of the establishment. But having a tattoo that tells me to “slow down,” in cursive font, no less, does.

If you’re offended that you’ve been selected as the bearer of a douchebag tattoo of the day, I’m sorry. That you’re a douchebag.

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ZAPPA PLAY ZAPPA: Dweezil pays homage to pop, Frank Zappa, at the Variety Playhouse last night.

(Photos by Perry Julien.)

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From MTV.com:

The verdict is in. On the second day of deliberation, the jury in R. Kelly’s child-pornography trial has reached a decision: not guilty on all counts.

Kelly was indicted just over six years ago for videotaping himself engaged in sexual acts with a then-underage girl, his goddaughter. A copy of a videotape was delivered to the Chicago Sun-Times in February 2002, which reporter Jim DeRogatis then handed over to the police. Kelly denied he was the man on the tape, claiming it must be a forgery. The jury agreed, after hearing testimony and evidence that still left a reasonable doubt as to the identities of both parties on the tape.

Somewhere, Dave Chapelle is shaking his head in disbelief.

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Morehouse grad and long-time Atlanta music scene mover and shaker Shakir Stewart was recently promoted to executive VP at Def Jam Recordings.

Though their titles differ, Billboard reports that Stewart is succeeding Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, who served as President of Def Jam for three years before leaving the label when his contract expired in Dec. ’07.

Before his current position, Stewart served as VP, then executive VP, of A&R at Island Def Jam during which time he was credited with bringing Young Jeezy and Rick Ross to the label. His working relationship with IDJ Chairman/CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid goes back nearly a decade when Reid hired the proven industry upstart as creative director of his Hitco Music Publishing. Since then, he’s played a stake in the careers of artists ranging from Beyonce to Ciara.

From the looks of the head shot that accompanied the Def Jam press release, Stewart is more than ready to head the venerable hip-hop label. Check him out looking oh so gangsta.

And you thought the rappers on the label were hardcore. Ha.

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I’m going to flip the script and put the moral of this story right at the top. Hopefully, every “undiscovered” artist gets it: Sometimes it’s not how many people come to see you perform, but who, that really matters.

Last night at Smith’s Olde Bar, there couldn’t have been more than 25 people sparsely scattered throughout the room to catch a performance by Radiant Kids. The local, rag-tag crew of emerging artists — including solo MCs L-Marr the Great, Small Eyez, Spree Wilson and punk band Tendaberry — originally joined forces to lend mutual support among Atlanta’s disparate, clique-heavy underground scene.

They’re finally starting to get some of the attention that evaded them early on. Several key tastemakers, promoters and artists (Fadia Kader of Come Up Kids, Thomas of Proton, Jessica Tonder, Seven of Chocolate Industries, Ree de la Vega of Bang Bang, Arjan of ArjanWrites.com) came out last night to show suppport and/or see what the growing buzz was about.

(Click here to listen: “Word!”)

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Arguably Atlanta’s most versatile band, hip-hop/jazz heads Jaspects will unveil new music tonight at Sugarhill. Show starts at 9:30 p.m.

But get there early. You don’t want to miss opening act, Chantae Cann. Her voice sounds like butter, baby.

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SMOKED OUT: Rockets to Ruin performed at Smith’s Olde Bar Saturday night. (All photos by Perry Julien.)
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