Editor’s note: A few months ago, we asked Catherine Harris-White and Stasia Irons, better known as hip-hop R&B duo THEESatisfaction, if they would be interested in writing a regular column for us. To our delight, they accepted. With a nod to hip-hop’s legacy of strong female voices, we’ve titled the column “Ladies First,” and you can look for it on the last Wednesday of every month. THEESatisfaction will release their second full-length album, EarthEE, on Sub Pop Records in February. This is their first piece for Seattle Weekly, in which they consider the standout events in a past year full of pop scandals and global tragedies.
Stasia’s Picks
Gifted Gab had an astonishing year beginning in January when she was featured on City Arts’ “Future List.” In March, she dropped Girl Rap, one of the best hip-hop projects of the year. She’s got a seriously nostalgic, rapid-fire golden flow that we’ve been missing in our lives, and she was placed among legends when she opened for Cam’ron and Rakim. She is the first and only lady of Moor Gang, but she holds her own.
This was an excellent and terrible year for young god Bobby Shmurda. He became famous through Vine and YouTube with “Shmoney Dance,” which resembled something my uncles used to do back in the ’70s listening to Shalamar. Everyone was doing the Shmoney, from Beyonce to animals to grandmas. His song “Hot Nigga” was the hip-hop banger of the year. He got signed to Epic Records but before the ink dried, he got arrested. About a week ago, he was sentenced to a shminimum of five years for a murder conspiracy and possession of narcotics. It’s sad to see young heads becoming victims of this deleterious system.
The Great, White, Fancy Heist: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis admitted they “robbed” accolades from folks they deemed more deserving when the Grammys awarded The Heist Best Rap Album of the Year. Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart for six weeks. It’s evident that the faces of hip-hop and rap music are changing very quickly and powerfully. G-Eazy, Action Bronson, and Riff Raff have been making a killing on tours. Yes, some folks are happy for their success, and the rest of y’all are “haters.” However, there is a very thin line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. There is an even thinner line between cultural enhancement and cultural exploitation.
Sub Hop: Hip-hop at Sub Pop Records is becoming a staple. Hiring the legendary Ishmael Butler on as A&R was a wise move. His first signee was rap artist Porter Ray, a smooth wordsmith from Central Seattle. Los Angeles experimental hip-hop group clipping. was also added to the roster. Shabazz Palaces heated up the summer by dropping their second album, Lese Majesty. All of these acts carry traditions of the genre, but also lean heavily in other directions of sound. I’m waiting on the Sub Hop T-shirts.
Ferguson: The killing of unarmed black teen Mike Brown has been the catalyst to worldwide protests. Some MCs like Talib Kweli, Q-Tip, and Nas have been very vocal on social media and in the streets. J Cole, Killer Mike, and David Banner have been on the radio speaking truths on underlying facts as to why these murders are happening. Some rappers have used their art to help heal the wounds. The Game rallied up a posse cut for the song “Don’t Shoot,” while Lauryn Hill expressed “Black Rage.” Hip-hop has never really had any love for the po-po, and this year was no different.
Cat’s Picks
’90s R&B Returns: As flat tops, dookie braids, and bright fluorescent outfits made a comeback, I was quietly waiting for my favorites artists to do the same. I was quite pleased with Brandy’s BET Hip-Hop Awards performance of “I Wanna Be Down (Remix)” with Yo-Yo, MC Lyte, and (my crush) Queen Latifah. A fly representation of black women in hip-hop making good music and good decisions.
D’Angelo released Black Messiah, and for that we can all thank Big Black Baby Jesus. The album includes some groovy hypnotic feels (“Really Love”), mixed with an array of straightforward funk (“Sugah Daddy”). An instant classic with only more fans to gain as time goes on.
Strong, Soulful Music: 2014 brought forth a multitude of revitalizing soulful releases. Tunes like Eric Lau’s collaboration with Gwen Bunn (“Without a Doubt”) and KING’s “Mister Chameleon” made the world seem like a dreamier place, while Little Dragon and Frank Ocean dropped heavy-weighted, trippy songs with darker pop appeal. Overall, deep soul is making a strong resurgence, with a message of thick feelings and emotions.
Legendary Performances and Talks: One of my New Year’s resolutions was simple: Cherish each experience. I saw Bootsy Collins and Mavis Staples at Bumbershoot, Herbie Hancock at the Oregon Symphony, Lisa Fischer at Jazz Alley, and Stevie Wonder at KeyArena. Bizarrely enough, I witnessed Neil DeGrasse Tyson in his element (at a tech conference) as well as Philip Bailey outside of his element (at a book signing). These are all examples of Black Excellence, exploring life and the creative range.
New Black Wave: Black music is an ever-changing art form, constantly pushing the boundaries in which it was created. Flying Lotus’ You’re Dead! and Shabazz Palaces’ Lese Majesty both provided haunting, majestic perspectives, challenging us to rearrange our ideas of expression. Other musicians like Iman Omari, FKA Twigs, and Kendrick Lamar continue to advance this concept, and I only expect 2015 to continue it.
With the grace of a modern-day Diana Ross, we have watched Beyonce bloom. Her release of Beyonce featured an array of videos for every track, while providing an intimate look into the diva’s personal life. A standout track was “Flawless,” which included a speech from an invigorating TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Even at the Met Ball, where younger sister Solange was not only flinging limbs but also saliva at her hubby Jay Z, she kept it classy. She was the highlight of the On the Run tour, released collaborations with Nicki Minaj, and filmed a GoPro video (“7/11”) that put many filmmakers to shame. All I gotta say is: Way to “Bey.”
music@seattleweekly.com
