HiPSTERWAVE

Check out Winstrong’s track “Fi Mi Nation” here.

Featuring Jah Dan, M1 of Dead Prez, Haiku De Tat (Myka 9, Abstract Rude, Aceyalone) and more.

Taking the lead where Mad Lion and KRS-One left off with his blend of Dancehall and Hip-Hop, Reggae artist Winstrong is stirring up the Bay Area, building a reputation as a moving, high-energy performer and recording artist. The South American born artist is currently set to release Ghetto Hymns (M9 Entertainment) and features Jah Dan, M1 of Dead Prez, Haiku De Tat (Myka 9, Abstract Rude, Aceyalone) and more.

Winstrong has been delivering his brand of “singjay” (a combination of singer and deejay) for a minute. After migrating to the US in his late teens in 94, he started recording at Conscious Sound Productions (Ursa Minor) with Benjamin Grand Depaux and later recorded a Jazz-fusion album Noble Nature.

His 2008 debut album, Eye of the Storm propelled the devout Rastafarian onto the national music scene. The single “Sounds of the Gun” (aka “Boom Boom Blah Blah”) solidified his place in the Reggae music scene. He has performed with and is featured on compilations with some of the industry’s best, from Capleton, Sizzla, Prince Malachi, Tony Rebel and Black Uhuru’s Mikal Rose to Hip-Hop artists Wu Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, Warren G and the bay area’s own Delinquents.

Born Winston van Ewyk in 1971 in Paramaribo, Surinam, Winstrong was raised in a family of musicians. His mother was a schoolteacher who always took the time to sing falsetto around family and friends. It was her influence that encouraged Winstrong’s love of music. “My moms used to tell everyone, “Dis kid has something…watch dis…”

“After featuring Win on some mixtapes,” explains partner of west coast label JtheSarge, “I wanted to do a record with him. Sarge explains that he met Win through a mutual friend Ishi Dube of the Humboldt County Reggae Stars. “I’ve always been a serious Reggae and Hip-Hop head, so when Win wanted to a Hip-Hop record on M9, I jumped at the chance.”

Feat. Lee “Scratch” Perry, Cee Knowledge the Doodlebug from Digable Planets, Del The Funky Homosa­pien, Rita J, Juice, and more~

Chicago, IL –September 29, 2011–Illuminati Congo is a Chicago based hip hop group with their second full length album All Eye See scheduled to be released on November 8, 2011. Vocalist Jahn The Baptist and producer Nic The Graduate create an infectious blend of head nodding beats and unexpected subject matter that will have you begging for a rewind! Musical influences range from classic reggae to classic rock creating an equal blend of modern synth-and-sampler driven hip hop and danceable, live band instrumenta­tion. The sound is reminiscent of artists such as Nas and Damian Marley with a hint of Gym Class Heroes thrown in. There is much more space for the musicians to shine than is typical in hip hop. Instrument solos and “dubs” are mixed throughout, giving the lyrics time to settle in and just feel the rhythm. Breakup songs come across just as heart-felt as songs about sexy yoga chicks and the anguish of having a foot fetish- often in a not so subtle tongue in cheek manner. Vocal collaborations include major reggae recording artists Lee “Scratch” Perry, Big Youth, JahDan and Lutan Fyah, Hip Hop legends Cee Knowledge the Doodlebug from Digable Planets, Del The Funky Homosa­pien as well as Chicago veterans Rita J, Juice, Ang 13 and Sharkula.

Jahn The Baptist is unlike any other rapper out there. He is able to utilize his mantra of “as above, so below” to formulate a refreshing unity of the higher self and lower self. His lyrics reflect both his practice of spirituality and his embrace of earthly, human desires. His words are meant to appeal both to Yogis as well as the inner city Hood- with an authoritative demeanor that lets you know he is equally of both. Having studied and taught Kundalini Yoga and Rebirthing Breathwork as well as being an avid herbalist in the Rastafarian community, Jahns true goal is to heal. Heal the world of its ills through awareness of self and the practice of unconditional love. Hip hop is an art form that has the ability to com­municate complex ideas to a potentially large audience, let it not go to waste!

Nic The Graduate has taken Jahn’s eclectic background and layered it with equally eclectic beats. As a Multi-instrumentalist, producer and dj for many years in Chicago, he is most attracted to music that elicits an emotional response. Rather than just being impressed by songs that get the dance floor packed or stay in your head for hours, he is always more interested in music with a meaning- or soul. In producing the Illuminati Congo album, he has made it apparent that hip hop is truly a global style, combining traditionally heavy beats and bass lines with some unexpected twists and turns from other genres. In using a wide variety of live instru­ments and samplers The Graduate is able create a fusion that activates the soul as well as the dancing spirit.

This year sees the 30th anniversary of one of the UK’s most beloved and influential sound systems, Norman Jay’s Good Times. Instrumental in the development of the Rare Groove scene and the identity of Notting Hill Carnival, Norman’s influence on music tastes can’t be overstated. Hear what those close to Norman have to say about Good Times, from its beginnings to its status as a cultural institution. Good Time 30, an anniversary collection, is out now on Strut.

This Summer, Strut teams up with one of the most revered of all DJs, Norman Jay MBE, to celebrate 30 years of Good Times, the party that changed the face of the Notting Hill Carnival and zwhich has become a Summertime fixture at festivals worldwide.

Jay set up his first sound system, Great Tribulation, in 1979 with his brother Joey which became Good Times Sound System in 1981, the start of a 30-year residency at Notting Hill Carnival. Norman changed the face of the music played there, introducing a range of gritty, soulful styles to complement the predominantly reggae-based sound systems. The move paved the way for the open-minded Carnival we know today, with Good Times still at its core.

From Good Times, Jay’s career burgeoned. He became a key DJ during the ‘80s London rare groove scene, hosting a series of legendary clubs – Shake ‘N’ Fingerpop, High On Hope (inspired by New York’s Paradise Garage) and famed sessions at London’s Bass Clef (later the Blue Note), all of which built his reputation for open-minded soulful selections spanning soul, funk, disco, early house, reggae and hip hop. Through his club nights, he was one of the first to introduce legendary US DJs like Tony Humphries, Louie Vega and Blaze to the UK. Further success followed – he was one of the founders of London station Kiss FM and ran the seminal Talkin’ Loud label alongside Gilles Peterson at Phonogram.

Jay’s tireless work as a DJ has earned him many accolades – he has appeared on the BBC’s Question Time, and received an MBE for his work in 2002, the first time any DJ had received such an accolade.

In the wake of his many achievements and the ongoing success of Good Times, Jay has enjoyed a series of essential compilation albums on React, Resist, Nuphonic and Azuli stretching back to 2000, as well as a recent spin-off album, ‘Good Times Australia’. Now, the maestro returns with a special 30th Anniversary collection for Strut, another bumper set of genre-hopping classic and rare Good Times favourites. Tracks include boogie rarity ‘Dreamin’ by short-lived band Zalmac and Fries & Bridges’ ‘Forever This’, a 4×4 belter featuring an early vocal by chart superstar Cee-Lo Green. Jay touches on independent hip hop with Basement Chemist, jazz grooves courtesy of Kira Neris and Attic Tree, skanking reggae from Jacob Miller and doo-wop soul courtesy of Little Anthony & The Imperials.

Norman Jay presents Good Times 30 is released on CD, LP and download. For the CD and LP formats, leading journalist and author Lloyd Bradley interviews Norman Jay for an extensive career-spanning sleeve note. The package also features rare and unseen photos from across Norman Jay’s career as a DJ.

strut-records.com
normanjay.com

1. MARK CAPANNI – I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
2. AVERY SUNSHINE – I GOT SUNSHINE
3. TED TAYLOR – GHETTO DISCO (Edit)
4. ZALMAC – DREAMIN’
5. TERRI WELLS – WHO’S THAT STRANGER
6. LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS – I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WORRY
7. MARIO BIONDI – MY GIRL
8. JACOB MILLER & INNER CIRCLE – TIRED FE LICK WEED IN A BUSH
9. THE BASEMENT KHEMIST – EVERYBODY (L I F E)
10. J BOOGIE’S DUBTRONIC SCIENCE feat. GOAPELE and CAPITOL A – TRY ME (People Under The Stairs Remix)
11. ATTIC TREE – VOAR
12. CURTIS MAYFIELD – VICTORY
13. DANTE – FREAK IN ME
14. FRIES & BRIDGES – FOREVER THIS
15. THE DETROIT EXPERIMENT – THINK TWICE (Henrik Schwarz Remix)
16. ASHLEY SLATER – PRIVATE SUNSHINE

Norman Jay MBE- Good Times 30 Mini Mix by Strut

If you sign up for dance lesson from The Queen Diva of New Orleans Bounce, Big Freedia, you can’t expect her to take it easy on you. You can, however, expect her to brighten up your wardrobe and take the art of wobbling to transcendent heights, all while whipping your sorry butt into shape.

Currently, Big Freedia is on a world wide “GO HOMO TOUR” and his shows have been known to prompt sweaty after-parties and dance-floor freak-outs. But, you must see it to believe it. Freedia has been featured in theroot.com, LA Times, Chicago Reader, along with the New York Times, SF Bay Guardian, Fader, xlr8r, among others.

MORE ON FREEDIA:

Big Freedia (pronounced “Free-da”) isn’t a just rapper, or the Queen Diva of Bounce, or a performer extraordinaire. Big Freedia is a movement. Currently on a worldwide “Go Homo Tour,” Freedia is bringing her show and Bounce music — a subgenre of hip-hop born out of New Orleans and known for its lightening speed booty-shaking—to audiences around the globe. Known to prompt sweaty after-parties and dance-floor freak-outs, a Big Freedia show is an experience.

Raised on Josephine Street in uptown New Orleans, Big Freedia, born Freddie Ross, was raised by his mother, a hairdresser, and stepfather, a truck driver for Coca-Cola. After years of hard work, the family was able to move to downtown New Orleans, where schools were better and the streets, safer. Freedia—along with his brother Adam and sister Crystal Ross—were immersed in music at home by their mother, who collected Gladys Knight and Patty LaBelle records and often sung aloud around the house.

But it was the church choir where a young Freddie flourished. ”My mother made sure I never missed practice,” recalls Freedia. It’s no wonder that by the time he was 18, he wasn’t just a member, Freedia directing the choir.

A product of the 80s, Freeida was rocking RUN DMC, Salt ‘n Pepa and Adidas Shell Tops as a teenager. One night in 1991 he heard “Where Dey At” by MC T Tucker, (what many believe to be the first recorded Bounce track) and he was transfixed. When he started backing Katie Red, the original “Sissy Bounce” (a queer brand of Bounce) rapper, Freedia knew Bounce was his calling and the stage where he felt most comfortable.

Big Freedia says he refers to himself as “she” only when on stage (as in Queen of Bounce) but is not transgendered as some in the media have reported. He’s a gay man, plain and simple. But he adds that his sexuality has little to do with his music. “All types of people—gay, straight, rich, poor, black, white come to my shows.” In fact, in all his years of performing, Freedia says that he’s only had one bad experience on stage (at this years’ BOMB Fest in Connecticut where her set was scheduled between Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa). And he still finished the entire set. “A very few people aren’t accepting,” claims Freedia, “The truth is, most people just wanna get out and shake their a** and have a good time!”

The Big Freedia movement keeps growing. Last year, he appeared on “Last Call with Carson Daly” and has been lauded in The New York Times, The Fader, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, among many other media outlets. He is releasing a debut EP on Scion A/V label this summer, which is produced largely by New Orleans beat maker BlaqNmilD. What’s more, he appeared on two episodes of HBO series ‘Treme’ [as himself] and is the subject of a documentary film. Finally, Freedia is in the studio recording her highly-anticipated debut LP, due out Fall 2011.

Big Freedia occupies a rare place within the Bounce strata, somewhere between Lil Wayne and Lady Unique. She has the potential to push the genre onto a national stage and into the collective music consciousness, where it belongs. Big Freedia can’t be stopped!

Catch Big Freedia on one of these dates:

Thu 7/14/2011 • Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar
Fri 7/22/2011 • New Orleans, LA – Eiffel Society
Fri 8/5/2011 • Stockholm, Sweden – Sodra Teatern
Thu 8/18/2011 • Brooklyn, NY – House of Vans
Sat 8/20/2011 • Richmond, VA – Best Friend’s Day!!!
Wed 8/24/2011 • Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Thu 8/25/2011 • Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
Fri 8/26/2011 • Phoenix, AZ – Brick
Sat 8/27/2011 • El Paso, TX – M’s Lip Lounge
Fri 9/2/2011 • Paris, France – Social Club
Sat 9/3/2011 • Amsterdam, Holland – Valtifest
Thu 9/8/2011 • London, UK – Hoxton Bar & Grill
Sat 9/10/2011 • Portland, OR – Dante’s
Fri 9/23/2011 • Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s

Days after the release of Dancehall/Hip-Hop artist Winstrong’s single “Rude Boy” comes the stunning video! The Bay Area based by way of South American is in the studio finishing his Fall 2011 LP, Ghetto Hymns, which features Jah Dan, Abtract Rude, M1 of Dead Prez, Haiku De Tat and more.

Winstrong has been delivering his brand of “singjay” (a combination of singer and deejay) for a minute. After migrating to the US in his late teens in 94, he started recording at Conscious Sound Productions (Ursa Minor) with Benjamin Grand Depaux and later recorded a Jazz-fusion album Noble Nature.

It was his 2008 debut album, Eye of the Storm, that propelled Winstrong, a devout Rastafarian, onto the national music scene. The single “Sounds of the Gun” (aka “Boom Boom Blah Blah”) solidified his place in Reggae history. He has performed with and is featured on compilations with some of the industry’s best, from Capleton, Sizzla, Prince Malachi, Tony Rebel and Black Uhuru’s Mikal Rose to Hip-Hop artists Wu Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, Warren G and the bay area’s own Delinquents.

Born Winston van Ewyk in 1971 in Paramaribo, Surinam, Winstrong was raised in a family of musicians. His mother was a schoolteacher who always took the time to sing falsetto around family and friends. It was her influence that encouraged Winstrong’s love of music. “My moms used to tell everyone, “Dis kid has something…watch dis…and I’d come up with songs and performances for dem…”

Armed only with his guitar and his voice, Winstrong’s music will inspire and entertain. Ghetto Hymns coming this Fall.

Web: winstrongmuzik.com
Facebook: facebook.com/winstrongmuzik
Twitter: @winstrong