Preach Jacobs invades Atlanta: Mood’s Music, Apache Cafe & Dilla Day in the ‘A’ in one weekend. Oct. 24th-25th

sup yall? i’m excited about the end of october. not just because denz and i’s ep is coming out on R2 Records on Oct. 27th but also because of the events i’m blessed to be apart of in atlanta. i’m sad that i missed the soul music summit (we had a listening party in asheville that was great……until later in the a.m) but i’ll be back in the ‘A’ for great reasons.

first off i’ll be having a maple st. sessions listening party at mood’s music oct. 24th (between 3-5pm). i’ll also be apart of Dilla Day in the ‘A’ in celebration of j.dilla that’ll include everything from music to a lupus walk. for those that want to donate you can by going through the Blusic Productions page for the Alliance for Lupus Research.

and last but not least i’ll be at apache cafe oct. 25th backed by the secret b-sides giving you all a live band flavor for what’s on the album. so, for my atlanta people go to mood’s music and cop the ep! it’s there now (kinda early, i know since it’s not suppose to be out til oct. 27th) but let’s keep the momentum going.

also, for my people in the A my appearances will be accompanied by soul-songstress dezaray dawn for both apache and mood’s. so if yall don’t like me, at least you’ll have another reason to show up. trust me, she’s hotter than two suns fuckin’ and you can check out my feature on her here. (truth be told i’m trying to work a tour out together, so we’ll keep you posted).

i’m very excited and looks like we’ll have a great weekend. but don’t forget the other gigs that’s coming up and you can always check out what’s coming up in the tours/shows/event section. love yall. peace and napz.

Two Films You Need to See: “Still Bill”/”Precious”

“it’s okay to head out to wonderful. but on the way to wonderful you’re going to have to pass through ‘alright.’ and when you get to alright, take a look around, get used to it. cause that maybe as good as it gets.”
one of my favorite artists pretty much disappeared after 1985 and i wondered what he was up to. this new documentary about bill withers and his continued passion for music is as inspiring as it comes. can’t wait for it to hit my town. check out the trailer.

and last but not least, i’m going to admit that i’ve given tyler perrya hard time. even though i doubt he cares while he’s swimming in his millions of dollars like scruge mcduck, he has my respect by getting behind this project titled ‘precious.’ the story is about a teenage girl dealing with a drug addicted mother, fathering two children and living in the inner city. the trailer absolutely sent chills down my spine and i can see why oprah and tyler got behind this movie. please do yourself a favor and check this out as well.

…and even though i said two movies, i’m tired to find the trailer to chris rock’s ‘good hair.’ my hat’s off to the black films in the upcoming months. enjoy. church!

DJ Babu Interview by Preach Jacobs @ Vapors Magazine

*hey, this is an interview i did w/ dj babu for vapors magazine back last november. some folks haven’t seen it, so i felt it’ll be cool to post it up. enjoy.*
DJ Babu Interview @ Vapors Magazine Words by: Preach Jacobs

It may be safe to say that hip-hop years are similar to dog years. The longer you’re in the industry the faster time seems to fly by. The next thing you know there are more pups fighting to get the attention that you once received without much effort. But for DJ Babu, the dog-eat-dog game of hip-hop doesn’t affect him one bit. Fresh off the release of Duck Season 3,’ Babu solidifies a reputation that most producer/djs can only dream of. Tune in and listen to a legend.

Today so many rappers want to sing, and now you see a lot of producers wanting to rap. Is that something you may want to do in the future?
Hell no! I don’t even have the balls to do the Pete Rock thing in the background. *laughs*

Why don’t rappers want to rap anymore? I mean, Kanye found auto-tuner and Phonte barely rapped on Foreign Exchange. But I’m not mad ’cause Phonte sounds great.
Yea, I’m not mad at hearing Phonte sing. I feel what he’s doing and I never want to limit any artists. If someone tells me not to do something, I’ll do it to spite them. So, yea, I just don’t want to hear athletes rap.

Being a DJ that’s been involved with the turntablism movement; how do you feel about the digital age, more specifically programs like Serato?
I’m for it. A lot of OGs took a while to get on it, but in this day in age if you want to do this professionally you have to use the advantages. Everything from Pro-Tools to Serato, we didn’t have back in the day. Everything we did was makeshift. We should be grateful and embrace technology. I still spend tons of dough on vinyl, but across the board I’m digital out. After looking at every angle and dues I paid, I deserve to use the technology and have it further my career.

Tell me about Duck Season 3.
Well, on the first and second installments, I’ve only produced one or two cuts. This time I produced the whole thing. Its hard rhymes, dope scratching and dope beats, things we’re known for.

It’s hard to have people not appreciate the effort especially seeing how dedicated you are to hip-hop. Has there ever been a time where you wanted to hang it up?
I got to the point I was looking at the bank account and was on the verge of applying to the Apple Store. It’s hard ‘cause reality is I didn’t go to college, there’s no ‘plan b.’ My college years was my time at Capitol records and DJ battles. My whole life is hip-hop culture. My day starts with a turntable and record somehow, and I have to lead with a lot of blind faith. Now, I need to worry about health insurance for my kids, you know? But nothing makes me feel the way I do from working on music, and hopefully that shows.

Atlanta Listening Party @ Mood’s Music/More Tour Dates

i’m going to apologize to you all now because you’re going to be sick of me in the next month or so. i plan on hitting as many cities, venues and fans as possible to help spread the word for ‘MSS.’ next stop is atlanta at mood’s music on oct. 24th from 3-5pm. so if you’re there, please make it out and enjoy the show. we’re trying to plan more stuff that day so please stay tuned. also, here’s a list of more shows that’s been added that you can see here and also on the tours/shows/events section.

09/20/09 2nd Annual Charleston Peace Day Celebration VIEW FLYER
09/26/09 BoBo Gallery w/ Secret B-Sides VIEW FLYER
10/03/09 O’Malley’s (Charleston, SC)
10/09/09 The Koger Center (Columbia, SC) 20 Year Anniversary show for DJ Prince Ice w/ Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Nice & Smooth, Preach Jacobs & more.
10/16/09-10/18/09 Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) (Black Mountain, NC)
10/22/09 Situations Lounge Maple St. Sessions Listening Party w/ The Secret B-Sides (Charlotte, NC) VIEW FLYER
10/24/09 Mood’s Music Maple St. Sessions Listening Party w/ Dezaray Dawn (Atlanta, GA)
10/30/09 Emerald Lounge w/ The Secret B-Sides (Asheville, NC)

“Maple St. Sessions” Will Be Available 10.27.09 on R2 Records/Listening Parties Added

sup guys? i’m very excited with the news about ‘MSS’ being picked up by london based label R2 records. it will be available with world wide digital distribution and in selected retail store front outlets will carry the cds (more info on that as it comes in). it will also be available here on preachjacobs.com with some goodies thrown in the bag.

also, we have a few shows coming up including an official listening party at situations lounge in charlotte, nc. it’s going to be a dope ass show and will also include my peoples the secret b-sides.

there will also be a listening party for the record oct. 24th at mood’s music in atlanta, ga. the premier spot for independent soul/hip hop and funk. more info is coming with that too (including the flyer later this week).

thank yall for the love and dedication. there’s more to come, i promise. ez

Street Sweeper Social Club (Boots Riley) by Preach Jacobs @ Vapors Magazine

Street Sweeper Social Club (Boots Riley) by Preach Jacobs
Words by Preach Jacobs
Photo by Jorge Peniche

Rap music seems to have lost its balls. Rappers have traded the ‘fight-the-power’ creed of the late 80s for a flashy, light-hearted approach to the music that was born to rebel. Thankfully, for about a decade and a half, Boots Riley has been going against that grain and doing more than just ‘sticking it to the man’. Now, he’s collaborating with like-minded guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine fame to form the Street Sweepers Social Club. One of rap’s most intriguing voices sat down with me. Here’s what he had to say:

Being that rap music isn’t as politically charged as it once was, how do you feel about the climate now compared to when you started? Where do you feel that you fit in?
When ‘Kill My Landlord’ came out in ’93 all of these clubs that are doing hip-hop now weren’t doing that. They were doing rock. We had a video that was number two on BET and couldn’t get a tour going. Booking agents didn’t have the connections to get touring around the country. Rap was always thought to be be bought by white kids but attended mostly by people of color. Back then rap shows got shut down before they happened, because they thought it would be too violent.

Did you feel uncomfortable that this black music was purchased mostly by white suburbia?
It was always known, even in the late 80s, that people buying hip-hop were white kids. The difference was that white people were scared to come to the shows. The white kids that came were the ones that would hang with the black crowd. Now, white kids can come to these shows and not know any black people. That’s how you can do 150 shows a year as a hip-hop artist now.

How do you feel today’s politics affect your music now? Things like Iran’s outcry with the election etc.
People are in a position where they’re stressed out. They have a hard time paying their bills, hard time keeping a roof over their heads etc. Naturally people want music to talk about the struggle that they’re going through. Stuff that’s considered political, hip-hop isn’t addressing that stuff. Artists are talking about money and people can’t relate to it; there needs to be a movement with artists addressing our problems. One thing that’s interesting about Iran is how when they felt the election was stolen, people were out in the streets. That didn’t’ happen here. The people wanted radical change, and when they’ve gotten to that point that they may get killed but they’ll be out in the streets to make it happen. Here we think we’re so free that we don’t have to worry about that.

Tell me about Street Sweeper Social Club and how did you end up working with Tom Morello?
Over the years The Coup’s live show was a rock show instead of a hip-hop show. Tom hit me out of the blue and told me he wanted me to join his ‘Tell Them The Truth Tour’ in the fall of ’03. We would play together and do stuff on stage together at his ‘Night Watchman’ shows. The one night he took me to dinner and said, “We’re in a band. It’s called Street Sweeper Social Club.” He didn’t even ask me. He just gave me a cassette with 26 riffs and told me to start writing. I didn’t give him an answer; I told him I wouldn’t answer him until we sell 30 million.

Kooley High – Kooley is High (Mixtape) Free Download

i guess great minds think alike. i always loved the de la soul ‘stakes is high’ cover and decided to page homage with an old release i did called ‘baby blus’ (check the cover out here). so, when i heard about these cats from raleigh, nc called kooley high and saw their cover, i knew i’d love the music. and i was right. i’ve been on these guys for a minute, and the fact that i was working on a new podcast made me want to put this free download they have up. it’s dope rhymes, jazzy beats and just good music all around. download the kooley is high (mixtape) here.

1. Intro(ducing)
2.Gettin’ Up (Remix)
3.Daykeeper (Kooley High Remix)
4.Phonte’s Movie in a Minute
5. Stay Up (Young N’ Fresh Remix) feat. HaLo
6. Flow Glow (Kooley High Remix)
7. I’m Fresh (Remix)
8. Due Process (Kooley High Remix)
9. G Building (Foolery Koolery High Remix)
10. Bodega (HaLo Remix)
11. Jacques Cousteau
12. Kooley is High
13. Soldier (Kooley High Remix)
14. Rude Bwoy
15. The Next Episode (Foolery’s Fooldogg Remix)
16. Trix (1983 Kooley High Remix)
17. The Light (Outro)
18. Worldwide (BONUS TRACK)

enjoy.

Download Kooley High-Kooley is High (Mixtape)

Diamond District “In The Ruff” Download

i’m sorry yall. i apologize for taking so long to hear about this. d.c. producer Oddisee (producer/MC from Prince George’s county, Maryland) formed this group with solo artist, XO and YU and what the released is “In The Ruff” available as a free download.

the album in short is fucking dope. this was playing on the way to ATL and time flew by (good thing cops weren’t around because you may get a speeding ticket listening to it).

you need this lp in your life. you’re welcome.

Download Diamond DIstrict “In The Ruff” (clean)

Preach Jacobs added to “2nd Annual Charleston Peace Day Celebration”

what’s goin on yall? i have a quick second before i head to atlanta for the dragon con and other buffoonery in the A, so i decided to hip you guys to another gig that’s been added to the tour list.

this one is for the 2nd annual charleston peace day celebration held in charleston, sc on sept. 20th. i love the poster, i love the concept and think it’s going to be a great event. peace isn’t just for hippies anymore. hope to see ya out there, but if not, there’s tons of other shows to check out. remember to keep your eyes on the tour/show/events page for all the upcoming gigs. yall be good, and see ya soon. ez

Download The ‘City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya’ Sampler

it feels like frickin yesterday since ‘leave it all behind’ has come out. but sure nuff, it’s been about a year or so. so, in that case it must be the fact that ‘LIAB’ is in constant rotation a testament to the quality of music coming from nicolay and company.

i can’t wait for the release of ‘City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya’ on september 15th. i guess it’s also helps to let you know that if you pre-order the cd from nicolay music you will get your copy autographed, a poster, stickers and nicolay and phonte will personally drive over to your crib and eat an egg and cheese samich with you while playing the cd. well, okay, maybe not the last part, but that’s still a great deal.

enjoy.

Download The ‘City Lights Vol. 2: Shibuya’ Sampler