The Witzard

James Reitano is a director, animator, graphic designer, illustrator, and devout Skinhead. No, not THAT kind of "Skinhead!" A different kind of Skinhead... one often motivated by social alienation and working-class solidarity, who could often be seen wearing their hair close-cropped or shaven and working-class clothing, such as Dr. Martens/steel-toe work boots, braces, high-rise and varying length straight-leg jeans, and button-down collar shirts, usually, slim-fitting in check or plain. Skinhead Punk/Reggae was initially popular in The United Kingdom during the 1960's and experienced a second wave of popularity through the mid-70's to early 80's world-wide. Reitano currently runs a "tradition Skin-zine" out of Santa Cruz, California called Boots N Booze (or @bootsnboozemagazine on Instagram ) which regularly posts archival photos, nostalgic show flyers, sought-after 7/12-inch covers, and Skin-centric nuggets of information. James Reitano, also, runs a ...

"The new Wu-Tang EP is kind of boring. So, in response, I made my own "Wu-Tang EP" with all of their collabs/remixes with Madlib, who has surpassed RZA ten-fold: Wu-Tang Clan x Madlib - The Wu Digger ... Madlib is what you get, if RZA just keep sitting in a room full of records from '95 until today. "And Madlib is who RZA would have been, if he could just learn instruments when he felt like it," Small Professor (@smallpro)... On some real sh*t, Madlib's remix of "Black Boy" by [Cappadonna] is better than almost any [Wu-Tang Clan] track this decade by any Wu member. These guys have access to any producer on the planet and act like Madlib or Alchemist don't exist." - Zilla Rocca (@ZillaRocca) Wu-Tang Clan & Madlib - The Wu Digger Playlist/EP (Tracklist) 01. Cappadonna - "Black Boy" (Madlib Remix) from Madlib Medicine Show #12: Raw Medicine [2011] 02. Method Man - "Uh Huh" (Madlib Remix) from MIND FUSION ...

Shawn Johnson is a multi-talented artist, who makes digital art and videos, as well as Instrumental Hip-Hop . For his digital art efforts, Shawn goes by @oldsoulbrother AKA NEKTR (@SHONJART) and has released music, over the years, as Shon J. Mr.J with Mr. Backside, OLD SOUL with Optimus Prime , and as part of Hip-Hop/Rock band, NOGENRE559 with affiliation to The Natural High, Amajin Records , and Alpha Force . Shawn Johnson has worked with and created Cut-and-Paste-esque music videos for The Witzard mainstay Purple Dialect , Slum Village emcee T3, Westside Gunn & Conway affiliate Benny The Butcher , J-Zone & Pablo Martin's The Du-Rites, Ali Miller FKA Truck North (The Roots,) K.A.A.N. and Lance Skiiiwalker . I've previously spoken with Shawn Johnson concerning his work on Purple Dialect 's "Cocoa" video, as well as Shon J & Mr. Backside 's 32-track Mr.J beat tape; however, in recent months, Shawn has been mentioning a number of hig...

"Kendra Morris recalls singers who straddled Soul and Rock during the early 70's, such as Ruth Copeland and Chaka Khan, while her contemporaries include the likes of Charles Bradley, Alice Russell, and Mayer Hawthorne," reads Kendra Morris' on-site Biography. Morris, who's band consists of Jeremy Page, Sam Merrick, and Jeremy Siegel, has recorded two full-lengths—critically-acclaimed Banshee and 2013 covers album Mockingbird—for Wax Poetics Records since joining the label's roster in 2011. Kendra Morris has worked with the likes of DJ Paul Nice, Chico Mann, DJ Premier, Zack Martin, Godforbid, and most recently, CZARFACE, DOOM & Open Mike Eagle. Morris was also, a member of Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson's short-lived 2013-15 band, The Singles, along with Holly Miranda, Julia Haltigan, and Este Haim (1/3 HAIM) on drums. One of Kendra Morris' non-musical hobbies and passions is stop-motion animation, as seen on her hand-made #Babble50 12-in...

Canadian producer Marco Polo 's currently putting the finishing touches on Newport Authority 2 [mixtape], which 2dopeboyz describes as, ""Legendary emcees on beats by Marco Polo " series with samples that were impossible to clear." He recruited the talents of seasoned lyrical assassin, Big Daddy Kane for "Night & Day." Marco Polo somehow managed to flip a sample pulled from Al B. Sure! 's cheese-tastic New Jack Swing/R&B hit, "Nite and Day" (1988); What ensues next are 3 hard-hitting, age-appropriate verses fit for a 44-year-old rapper. I've transcribed a few of Big Daddy Kane 's sharp-tongued bars for the purposes of this here post: "You in your zone, tricking on Patron / with more shots of silver than a werewolf... Shit, baby girl, you said you don't feel appealing. Them breasts ain't looking pirky no more / Them dudes ain't acting thirsty no more." Newport Authority 2 is set to feature ...