This is Jap’s new video, directed by Twin Peaks, the brotherly team of Evan Guidera and Garrett Guidera.
Beat and scratches by Mekalek.
From Jahpan’s album, An Album Called Life, on iTunes now.
ENJOY!
Combing through old CDs and mini-discs we just uncovered this song created during the “Slow Your Roll” recording sessions that didn’t make the album. It’s called “Blind Date”, and it’s about just that – story verses about what happened on blind dates that Jaysonic and Comel each “went on” with a dame that they didn’t know. Produced by Martian Gang – the same guys who did “Thinking About You” and “Time’s Fly”. Enjoy the stream or download.
Stoe here. This was the second TM video I had the privilege of doing, a whopping 6 years after the first one. It involved four or five shooting expeditions. Our boy Garrett held down camera work for a good amount of this video. It was a blast to shoot and cut up. We gaff taped my camera to the hood of Jay’s luxurious ‘93 Infiniti J30 and took a drive around Temple and Beverly. We dunked Comel in a North Hollywood pool. We shot the beach stuff at Point Dume. An LA-ass shoot for an LA-ass video. ah, yes.
Ha, almost forgot this existed. One of Time Machine’s lesser-seen videos, “Caught On Tape” is a song from TM RADIO and the “Grime Machine” EP. The song is definitely one of TM’s more aggressive tracks.
The video was shot by a guy named Carey Williams who just approached the group on some, “hey we’re in LA, you make music, I make videos, let’s work” type shit, and this was the result. The paparazzi guy with his back to the camera is DJ Real, of the production duo Martian Gang, who made the beats for two songs from SLOW YOUR ROLL; “Time’s Fly” and “Thinkin’ Bout You”.
Time Machine’s second actual music video (after “A Million And One Things To Do” which will be posted soon) was “Night Lights”, directed by Michelle Oz. This song was produced by Jaysonic, and was the only beat he ever made that saw the light of day as an official Time Machine song. The original name he gave the beat when he saved it to disc was “Sound Horn”. The name “Night Lights” came about after no obvious title came from Jahpan’s party-rockin’ chorus, or either of the verses.
There’s plenty of funny back story to this video, but umm, maybe some things are better left unsaid. One good anecdote is that the video was shot in the now famous “TM Mansion” in the Silver Lake neighborhood of LA, just a few months after the boys moved in. On the day of the video shoot, a plumbing pipe on the property burst, leaving a house full of crew, video models and extras without a bathroom to use. As a result, a production assistant was shuttling people who needed to use the bathroom back and forth between the house and the McDonalds at the corner of Melrose Ave and Vermont Ave.
A rarely seen look at the making of Time Machine’s beloved debut album Slow Your Roll, featuring appearances by Edan (pre Dylan phase), Edo G and Special K.
Forgot how fun this shit was! Assembled by Stoerok.
There does not exist music that means more to me than the music that Gang Starr has created. My “on a deserted island” albums are “Daily Operation” and “Moment of Truth”. Add in “Hey Young World” by Slick Rick and I don’t need a damn thing else. The whole reason I DJ is because of Gang Starr. The reason I love hip-hop to the extent that I do is because of Gang Starr. The reason I make beats is because of Gang Starr. And the reason I have early signs of arthritis is because I wanted to scratch as well as Preem did on the “Take It Personal” hook.
I used to carry around the inside of the “Daily Operation” cassette in my wallet and read the lyrics whenever I could. My boys and I used to bring a boombox to everywhere and anywhere and blast the intro to “Step In The Arena”. We used to do the same and rewind the “‘92 Interlude” 100 f**king times in a row cuz it was too damn short and we just wanted it to go on forever.
If you grew up in Rhode Island you may or may not have seen Guru’s caricature stenciled all around the state. My boy Ant was responsible for the sketch. I have no idea who may have done the rest:
For my summer reading one year I read the Ted Williams autobiography. Below was the project i did in which I have Guru endorsing the book. My teacher asked me who the f**k Guru was and what did he have to do with Ted Williams? I said, well Guru is from Boston and Ted Williams played for the Red Sox! This poster was hanging up in the hallways for at least one year after I graduated.
When Gang Starr received their star on the Walk of Fame at Tower Records in Boston I had to go.
I waited in the freezing cold and rain for almost 3 hours. There was a line down the street and around the block, and I loved it all.
I met Guru and Premier and was shook. I gave Preem one of my mixtapes and shook Guru’s hand. Then they signed my “Daily Operation” album. Guru told me to “stay cool” and I have tried to do just that ever since.
“Moment of Truth” came out around that time, and i was going through some pretty serious issues. The title track spoke to me, and at the risk of getting too emo, that album really helped me pull through.
I grew up listening to WRIU 90.3 FM in Rhode Island. I still remember Stress playing “You Know My Steez” for the first time on his friday mixshow, backspinning the f**k out of it. I had my walkman headphones pressed up against my ears, straining to hear each note of that song. Preem’s new “choppy” style completely blew my mind. So when I finally got a chance to spin on WRIU in 1999, I wanted to share my love for who I thought was the best rap group ever. Scott the Freq gave me the opportunity to spin on his show and i did a Gang Starr set. I was shook and rattled, but i pulled it off:
DJ Mekalek WRIU Gang Starr Mix 7.1.99 by GlowLikeThis
Then I eventually got my own show, and when “The Ownerz” came out, I bought 2 copies of the CD, LP, and LP Instrumentals and did another, more extensive Gang Starr set:
DJ Mekalek WRIU Gang Starr Mix 2003 by GlowLikeThis
We all have music that can take us to a place that was much easier. Whether it’s just selective memory or really just happened to be a simpler time, there is something powerful and uplifting about being able to get transported back to that time and/or place. Gang Starr does that for me, and will always do that for me.
I remember skipping class to go to Skippy White’s the day that “Hard To Earn” dropped so I could cop it. I got back to school riding shotgun in my boy Andy Murphy’s cherry red Jeep Cherokee; the sun was shining, and “Speak Your Clout” was blowing my freaking mind. When “FALA” came on I almost put my face through his window. I just didn’t think music could be that good.
So this is why, when i woke up this morning and heard that Guru had passed away, it hit me so hard. I didn’t know the man, so I can’t say that he changed my life, but he and Premier sure had a hell of an impact on my life for two dudes that just existed on tape, vinyl and CD. I know i’m not the only one that held out hope that Guru would wake up, get better, and get back up with Preem and make one last Gang Starr album. It is the realization that this cannot ever happen that has left me with such an empty feeling. So is life, though: unfair, shockingly sad, stressful, and relentlessly scary. Luckily for me though, I have a sh*t ton of Gang Starr music to take me back to a place that is none of those things; where all I have to worry about is not putting my fist through a wall because Preem’s drums knock so hard or Guru’s voice just sounds, well, perfect.
Thank you for everything Guru, and I hope your soul is at peace, wherever you are.
Preem, take care of yourself, we need you here!
-Matt Katz aka DJ Mekalek
Edit:
I just got one more mix sent to me that I did circa 2005. My boy Ned, who’s also a Gang Starr fanatic, was basically handing me records and i was cutting/blending with a quickness. It’s from CD, so everybody who’s afraid of the tape quality of the others can enjoy the lack of grime. Plus, the tracks are separated. Considering the lack of preparation, it’s pretty damn good.
My Gang Starr Quick Mixx:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9K34OVJH
All,
Your receiving this letter because in some form or another you’ve shown amazing support for satellite radio’s “Subsoniq” over the years. Earlier this week we received the unfortunate news that Sirius XM had removed us from the platform! For 8+ years we’ve been doing all we can to support/expose good, soulful, progressive music, and truly give some shine to hip hop that may not always get the recognition it deserves (especially on radio).
We can only hope over the years we’ve helped to bring some of the music you (make, promote, love) to a wider national audience by putting our all into our show every week, and playing what we love/feel, not what some Program Director tells us to play! Likewise you all have inspired and given us amazing amounts of music and support from day one and for that we are extremely grateful.
We would by lying to say we weren’t crushed/angered by Sirius XM’s hasty decision to take us off air. However, like any good fighter, we get up, dust ourselves off, and get ready to fight again. Problem is we need to hear the the support of our corner.
We know time is very valuable to all these days, but if you can find a few minutes to drop Sirius XM an e-mail expressing “what Subsoniq has meant to you as an (artist, promoter, hip hop fan)” we would be forever in debt.
You can write (in a separate e-mail) backspin@siriusxm.com and express these thoughts, however long or short.
Hope all is well with you and yours, and for those on the road…many safe travels.
Many Thanks,
K-Murdock
Jahpan’s solo album debut, AN ALBUM CALLED LIFE, produced in entirety by Time Machine’s own Mekalek is on iTunes now. Click the cover or the iTunes button above to link, listen, and buy.
Check out Edo and Ace’s clever new video “Little Young” from their upcoming album Arts & Entertainment.
Also peep Chris Faraone’s article from The Boston Phoenix about Edo and Ace that credits Time Machine for bringing them together in the first place!