The Witzard

DOOM STARKS & Jay Elec-Hanukkah (CREDIT: Arturo Torres) Honestly, it doesn't even feel like there's a proper way to elegize an eccentric and extremely talented artist such as MF DOOM, who meant so much to so many of us for so many years for so many different reasons as truly unique as DOOM himself. So, what better way to pay tribute to The Man, The Myth, THE MASK himself than by speaking to those closest to him? With a heavy heart, I proudly present Shadows of Tomorrow; a new recurring column in tribute to DOOM in an effort to re-tell the tall tales, strange stories, and lesser-known tidbits of The Metal Face Villain himself. R.I.P. Daniel "MF DOOM" Dumile Thompson. Josh Leidy is a writer, producer, filmmaker, and co-host of the Serious Rap Sh*t Podcast and content creator for Culture Cypher Media. Follow Josh "Indi" Leidy (@indi_srs) on Twitter and Instagram to experience more of his work. Daniel Dumile—even in his youth as Zev Love X—showed an...

"The band we know as Phony Ppl is a mix of people, time, and sound that's been nurtured over generations in Brooklyn " currently consisting of members: Elbee Thrie on vocals, Elijah Rawk on lead guitar, Matt "Maffyuu" Byas on drums, Aja Grant on keyboards, and Bari Bass on, of course, bass guitar. Since forming in 2009—amidst self-releasing 3 albums and an EP on Phony PPL LLC — Phony Ppl have had the unique opportunity to perform alongside Domo Genesis , Erykah Badu, Fetty Wap , Kali Uchis, Mac Miller , Odd Future, Princess Nokia , The Roots, Snake Hips , and more. Now, following a brief hiatus, Phony Ppl have returned with their first new material since Yesterday's Tomorrow (2015.) Last week, okayplayer premiered "Before You Get a Boyfriend," which effortlessly blends together Soul , Funk, Hip-Hop , and R&B-leaning sounds into a "noGENRE" musical mix the site deems "an ice-cold summer daydream." Phony Ppl '...

Mahatma Crowley, a friend and frequent collaborator here at The Witzard, messaged me an MP3 of "KAYFABE" a few weeks ago from a then unnamed mystery artist he had recently taken under his wing and signed to his Akashic Vibrations Records. I guess the best way I could even begin to attempt to describe Doc Savior and in-house producer Heavy Rev's unique output would be to try to imagine what Kendrick Lamar might sound like, if he were rhyming over an album full of samples culled from Black Flag's first album with frontman Henry Rollins, 1981's Damaged. Crowley generally unleashes new musical projects on various seasonal solstices and Doc Savior & Heavy Rev's Never Sleep is no different—released today, march 20th on the Spring (Vernal) Equinox. Mahatma Crowley served as Creative Director on Doc & Rev's Never Sleep, which was assembled and recorded 100% independently with Crowley coming in after its completion to handle branding and promotion. It app...

"'Disaster" was the last song I wrote for Time Machine and it's one of my favorites. Noah Kistler directed the video, and I gave him full creative control in doing so; he imagined an 80's motion-graphics bonanza, and it was a lot of fun to shoot!" singer-songwriter D.A. Wallach wrote within an emailed statement exclusive to The Witzard , concerning his just-released Sci-Fi -leaning "Disaster" music video treatment. Wallach's post-Chester French Harvest Records debut, Time Machine was hands down one of my absolute favorite albums of 2015, however, it still has yet to see a proper physical CD-LP release, aside from digital download; although, D.A. told me as recently as Sunday that he's still "trying to work on something for vinyl though, at some point." I, myself, previously described Time Machine as "a phenomenal "debut" record delivered in the vein of a modern day Hip-Hop -influenced James Taylor or Bill...

"That image just came to me as a bit of a non [sequitur]. I was imagining being camping with a girl who had underestimated the amount of kerosene to bring. Just a sliver of the sort of forgiveness and empathy one must have in a relationship," prolific singer-songwriter D.A. Wallach recently explained during an emailed interview for this very publication on the eve of his proper debut record, Time Machine ; with the specific song fragment in question being "Long Way Down'" s poetically-worded non sequitur, "girl, if we run outta kerosene, don't say I never told ya... might be embarrassing, but I'm still here to hold ya." Time Machine is, quite frankly, without a shadow of doubt, amongst the most note-worthy albums released throughout 2015, alongside a rather unlikely cast of characters including Detroit -bred emcee Guilty Simpson , Action Bronson, Run The Jewels , Mark Ronson, and Stones Throw 's premier Reggae act, The Lions . Nearly ...

"Once in a while, a pop songwriter is not a songwriter, but a discoverer – some kind of celestial [archaeologist], uncovering the bones of songs that already exist somewhere, perfectly. D.A. exhibits such exploration here, his discoveries beautifully intact in their sparest, most potent forms. Some daringly plain wizardry," Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes frontman Alex Ebert said in high praise of close friend D.A. Wallach's long-awaited Harvest Records debut, Time Machine . Along with former Chester French partner-in-crime Max Drummey, Wallach was initially discovered by Hip-Hop heavyweights Kanye West and Pharrell, while he was studying as an undergrad at Harvard. Chester French released three full-length albums during their brief tenure together and somehow, managed to ignite a three-way bidding war between Kanye, Pharrell, and Jermaine Dupri with their infectious debut single, "She Loves Everybody." On the heels of Chester French's final album, ...

Tyler, The Creator has taken a page from his Odd Future cohort and one-time "little brother" Earl Sweatshirt 's playbook by announcing that he'll surprise release a new album, Cherry Bomb just a mere three days ahead of it's planned Monday April 13th digital release; within a matter of hours, he managed to strategically unleash two previously unreleased album tracks lifted from Cherry Bomb , "F***king Young/Perfect" and "Deathcamp." "THANK YOU CHARLIE WILSON, CHAZ BUNDICK [Toro Y Moi] , AND COLE [ALEXANDER] FROM THE BLACK LIPS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO ["F***KING YOUNG/DEATHCAMP"] " @fucktyler frantically Tweeted soon after the pair of tracks were initially uploaded to his newly-launched app. GOLFMEDIA . Although, according to a trail of information accidentally "leaked" along with the album's iTunes pre-order, it appears as though Wilson's G.O.O.D. Music label boss, Mr. Kanye West will supposed...

"I just emailed [Peanut Butter Wolf] : "Would you like to go record shopping?" And I couldn't believe it, but he wrote back and said: "Sure." So, his show [in Austin ] happened to be the night of my prom, so I took my date to his show, her name was Cindy Huckabee . I took her to the show and I met Wolf and was still wearing my tux and we just kind of hung out for the next few days," James Pants lamented to Red Bull Music Academy concerning his first chance meeting with Stones Throw label-head, Peanut Butter Wolf . Pants' debut album, Welcome (2008), which garnered famous fans such as Tyler, The Creator , Gary Wilson, and Mayer Hawthorne , more or less helped spearhead what I'd loosely refer to as Stones Throw 's post- Jaylib "outsider artists" movement. James Pants' first album in four years, Savage , was reportedly "inspired by Martin Denny flourishes, royalty-free breakbeats, Gary Wilson , and Hamburg 's ...

"We're trying not to think too much in a cartoon sense, but more just like a psychedelic, otherworldly type of thing. If you want to draw a parallel, maybe think of what The Beatles did with Yellow Submarine ," Chad Hugo , one half of hit-making production team The Neptunes , recently told Variety about their forthcoming work on The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water . "Squeeze Me," which was released online Friday afternoon, is the first track accredited to N*E*R*D since their 2010 group album, Nothing ; Hugo, Pharrell , and Shay Haley 's critically-acclaimed Funk-Rock fusion side-band has remained largely inactive over the past 4-5 years since its release. While Pharrell seemingly confirmed that N*E*R*D 's "nature-based" fourth album has been in-the-works since around 2013, nothing of any magnitude has yet materialized. But to their credit, "Squeeze Me" is a jangly Caribbean -infused track that's likely comparable to...

Well, I can't say I'm rally all THAT surprised, but it sounds like Chicago 's very own 1980-90's Boom-Bap revivalists The Cool Kids are finally back together... or as Chuck Inglish recently told fellow rapper-producer and apparent super-fan Tyler, The Creator , "Never stopped...It was just a time-out;" contrary to what Sir Michael Rocks (formerly Mikey Rocks ) told AllHipHop back in December 2012, "We'll probably do something else, but as The Cool Kids and as Shark Week , no. Those ideas are done, and we're on something different now." Ahead of their long-rumored second album Shark Week , the loose follow-up to Gone Fishing , Tacklebox, and When Fish Ride Bicycles (2009-11), The Cool Kids simultaneously unleashed 2 new tracks on the unsuspecting Internet Monday afternoon, "Computer School" and "Chop." Chuck Inglish & Mikey Rocks' own Cake Recordings imprint will seemingly self-release their new/shel...

The Witzard was formed on three sonic pillars: Punk, Hip-Hop , and Indie Rock , which just so happen to be my personal go-to genres. And I guess you could say that I often times tend to favor Hip-Hop , but I really enjoy all three genres and it's always nice when they end up colliding organically. Case in point: Odd Future manager Christian Clancy initially introduced Tyler, The Creator to an Indie Rock band, who wishes to remain anonymous, after playing it for him on a plane a few months ago. Tyler liked the song so much, that he agreed to write and direct a video for the band's track "Glowing," under his Wolf Haley alias; "What people take from it is up to the viewer, I suppose," Clancy told NPR Monday night, "Controlling the narrative seems contradiction to the point. For me, it's a challenge to the assumption that ignorance is bliss, and that challenge is a timely as it's ever been." Even though it's an anti- Hip-Ho...

Light years before unveiling his nearly flawless magnum opus, My Name Is My Name , Pusha T unleashed his unofficial 2-part G.O.O.D. Music debut, Fear of God and it's companion commercial re-boot, Fear of God II: Let Us Pray (2011). Not long after, LuckyMe & Decon Records commissioned Rustie , S-Type, Machinedrum , Lunice, and Hudson Mohawk [TNGHT] to produce a lost remix project dubbed "Lucky-T." Although LuckyMe further specified that "it never surfaced though, as Hud Mo started working with G.O.O.D. Music in an official capacity;" likely referring to his production contract, signed with Kanye 's in-house Very G.O.O.D. Beats micro-label in January 2013. While Lucky-T never really managed to fully materialize, Rustie quietly uploaded his "Trouble On My Mind" remix to Soundcloud late Tuesday afternoon. It's a terribly awesome glitched-out re-work that upon an initial trunk-rattling listen, kinda reminds me of a Trap -heavy ...

Leading up to it's 9pm/12 midnight (eastern) online debut Monday night, "Tamale" was being billed as "A VISUAL INTERPRETATION OF TYLER'S MIND." What ended up coming out is a pretty trippy music video, especially from a guy who's supposedly drug and alcohol free; once again, directed under Tyler The Creator 's oft-used Wolf Haley alias, "Tamale" features quick-strike cameos from Pharrell , Trash Talk frontman Lee Spielman , Shane Powers, and Odd Future affiliate Lucas Vercetti . Tyler The Creator was seemingly inspired by Diplo 's TWERK-friendly brand of Dubstep , "Bubble Butt" in particular. He's seen bouncing on model Bria Myles' butt like a trampoline in one brightly colored scene... we also see a real-life recreation of one of WOLF 's 2 alt. covers, some hi-jinx on a golf course, Tyler riding a giant kitty, underwater pool aerobics, Chappelle -reminiscent "white face," and blurred scenes that...

When Odd Future first came out (2007), it seemed like they were pretty against working with an outside producers. But they've since slightly broadened their horizons, working with a handful of various producers: Kanye , Flying Lotus, Pharrell , James Pants, The Alchemist , RZA, BADBADNOTGOOD , Samiyam, and supposedly even MF DOOM . Late Tuesday night, without any prior notice, rhyme or reason, OFWGKTA uploaded "Look" to Soundcloud ; It's produced by Nottz Raw , a Virginia -based beatsmith who's worked with everyone from Asher Roth to [The] Game . Tyler The Creator, Hodgy Beats, Domo Genesis & Earl Sweatshirt manage to utterly RIP apart Nottz 's hard-hitting beat over the course of nearly 5 minutes. While it's chock-full of righteous-minded bars-on-bars , some of my personal favourite lines include: "Barnacles, now I gotta brag / [Beamer] drive right by you nig*as like I was kinda fat / with a paint job that's flatter than Miley Cyrus...

It must be pretty hard to try to stay "Punk Rock," rebellious, and still keep food on the table these days; Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA V) was released last week and features a pretty awesome, broad-spanning in-game soundtrack. Rockstar uploaded an expansive 59-track 3 volume collection to iTunes: The Soundtrack, Original Music, and The Score (composed by Tangerine Dream ). Included within are tracks, both new and old, from the likes of Clams Casino , Tyler The Creator, Oh No , Yeasayer, Jai Paul , Lee "Scratch" Perry, Yellowman , WAVVES, and recently re-invigorated Hardcore super-group OFF! The Keith Morris -penned "What's Next?" was conjured up exclusively for GTA V and plays alongside Black Flag , Descendents, The Weirdos , and The Germs on a fictitious radio preset. Noisey reports that Morris, just off a stint with Black Flag off-shoot FLAG , should "head [in]to the studio soon to record a full-length of all new tracks." VICE R...

Whether or not it's actually factual, Tyler, The Creator Tweeted: "LISTENING TO LIL B WITH KING KRULE . GAY HUMOR WITH EMINEM . "HOE CAKES" BY MF DOOM LIVE. ALL IN LIKE 72 HOURS. MY LIFE IS SO NASTY!" Saturday evening. It's also worth noting that Odd Future 's semi-mysterious feliciathegoat Instagram handle posted a candid shot of Tyler, Earl & King Krule along with the caption, "OUT GETTING RIBS. GO GET KRULE'S NEW ALBUM, [6 Feet Beneath The Moon] ." 19-year-old King Krule 's just-released album definitely seems to have Tyler, The Creator 's approval; Archy Marshall 's debut album under the "King Krule" moniker was quietly unleashed on his birthday, August 24th, although he's released various projects under a few different now-retired monikers... Zoo Kid , Edgar The Beatmaker, and DJ JD Sports . True Panther/XL Recordings unveiled 2 teaser singles earlier this month, "Easy, Easy" and ...

"Goodbye" and "Wicked" are comfortably nestled towards the tail-end of Hodgy Beats' just-released 7-song EP, Untitled 2 ; More often than not, this type of blatant Hip-Hop/Punk Rock fusion are relegated to cheesy one-off single status. But it sounds like MellowHype & Trash Talk are planning something a little more long-term: "No one knows about it. That shit is on the super-low," Hodgy Beats told Red Bull , referencing an upcoming album. "We spent last week [April] jamming and shit, finishing up writing and stuff," added Trash Talk bassist Spencer Pollard . Looks like "Goodbye/Wicked" are amongst the first tracks culled from those very sessions, while a full joint Odd Future Records -backed album still lacks any sort of solid release date. Honestly, "Goodbye" is my personal favourite of the 2 and man, it's one Hell of a brooding, heavy, Lee Spielman -assisted, guitar-filled closing track. It's a dam...

Maybe Earl Sweatshirt really was locked up in a Samoan juvenile detention center from 2010-12 or maybe he was just "chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool" for a while. Whatever the real deal was, Odd Future 's 19-year-old protegee is back and after a string of non-album loosies, he's finally prepping his long-awaited sophomore album. Doris is rumored to feature production work from Pharrell , Flying Lotus , BADBADNOTGOOD , Samiyam, The Alchemist , Christian Rich... and guest vocals/instrumentals from Thundercat , Frank Ocean, DOOM , Om'mas Keith, Action Bronson , and his fellow Odd Future cohorts. Earl Sweatshirt quietly released "WHOA" late Monday-Tuesday night and eventually proceeded to break The Internet; Tyler, The Creator contributes a few ferocious bars, as well as directorial duties [Wolf Haley] for it's terribly AWESOME zonked out music video. I mean, getting introspective and deep is cool and all... But I can really...

Hardcore Punk is one of the few genres that's never really has any of those cliche, defining "mainstream success" moments and maybe that's what's kept Hardcore so independent since it's late 1970-80's inception. Forget about Pop Punk bands like Blink-182 , Sum 41 , Green Day , etc... who I know and love, too. But that's definitely a different kind of slightly pussified, manufactured brand of Punk . Genre-shaping bands like Black Flag , The Misfits, Minor Threat (Fugazi) , and Descendents were the closest prize-winning champs ever got to early Jersey/LA Hardcore success stories. Forget about all those damn cash cow Hot Topic re-issues, too. Go return that shit, man! Trash Talk are a bi-racial Hardcore Punk band hailing from Sacramento, CA who just might have the POWER/balls to become the genre's first real "mainstream success." Lee Spielman, Garrett Stevenson, Spencer Pollard , and Sam Bosson just signed a record deal with Tyler...

"The Ritual" is the latest released track from mysterious and already infamous rapper, Captain Murphy , who's true identity is still largely unknown - Even with 3 pretty STELLAR tracks nestled under his belt this early! Murphy first appeared with a brief verse on Flying Lotus' second Adult Swim single, "Between Friends;" Since it's July 23rd release, Captain Murphy 's identity has quickly become quite the "hot topic" across Hip-Hop ... He may or may not be a cleverly-crafted alter ego of either Flying Lotus , Earl Sweatshirt , or Tyler, The Creator . This whole mystery ego thing really reminds me of Quasimoto, King Geedorah , and even Humpty Hump [1990]. While "The Ritual" actually swiped it's primary beat from "Dear Moleskine" (Jay Electronica) , his other 2 tracks: "Mighty Morphin' Foreskin" and "Between Friends" seem to be [mostly] original compositions. iTunes' Info section s...