Ahh, summer. cookouts, water, bike rides, nature. These things that go hand in hand with sunshine also get tossed into the mix when a burgeoning blogger is trying to stay active and post as much as he can. Summer '10 has been quite tumultous thus far; along with taking a much needed vacation up north, I also have been working more hours than I was last summer...when I do get free time, the sun and the outdoors usually jockey for position along with writing, spinning records, and watching adult swim. (insert spoiler for aqua teen-schooly d-dangerdoom post here) Couple that with going to shows, resturaunts, record stores, and all the other crazy awesome stuff the city of Austin has to offer, and that'll draw the foregone conclusion-I HAVEN'T POSTED SINCE MARCH.
Excuses. like assholes, they say. I've been listening to all kinds of different great music this summer, namely the new Roots' record How I Got Over and Sage Francis' L(i)fe amongst many others. As you sift through this post, oh conscientious hip hop blog reader, you may be asking yourself, Marty...what exactly does the photo you posted at the top of this page have to do with taking 3 months off from posting? Well, here goes. Whenever I go to visit my extended family in Detroit, I always go to Car City Records, a great record store in the St. Clair Shores neighborhood..if you know D-town, around 9 mile and Harper. Right around the corner from where my grandparents still live, this store is a gem. I've been a solid customer there for probably about 20 years...I've bought everything from Eric B & Rakim's "Don't Sweat the Technique" cassette maxi-single to Sugar's File Under Easy Listening on 12" Vinyl @ CCR. This is brings us to the late, great, producer, beat maker, and MC, J Dilla, who is pictured above. Where is Dilla, you ask? He's flipping through records at CAR CITY RECORDS. Yes, I've stood in the same exact spot he's standing in this picture many, many times. This made my day yesterday. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure the pic that I use for the profile picture for onlyhiphop blog's facebook fan page was also taken @ Car City. To know that such a legendary, talented, enigmatic, and almost revolutionary musical mind/talent shopped for records in the same store you have-I have not the words. Hell, for all I know I could've been there when these pics were taken-Amazing stuff.
I've been dealing with a bout of writer's block which usually happens after a few months of creativity pulsating from my head and through my fingers. I had a few ideas for posts over the last few months, namely, the piece about GURU passing away, but for some reason, I didn't have the words. I tried and tried and couldn't come up with anything I liked. I finally succumbed to the sunshine and laziness, and here we sit.
Up and coming: would like to add another guest poster or two, so if you'd like to contribute, please let me know. lord knows I can't handle updating this thing even on a semi-regular basis. Outside of some of the ideas I've had, people have pitched posts on Texas Hip Hop...which, to be honest, I'm not all that into, but that might honestly be a good thing.
In summation, thanks again to all of those who read. Stay tuned, kids.
Keep noddin' ya heads,
-Marty.
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