From 12 pm to 6pm on Friday, March 19th, DC to BC and The Great Progression, along with several other fine organizations, will be hosting Quality!, a South By Southwest showcase in Austin, TX. How did this all happen? If you’re interested, you better read on.

Several years ago, probably in either late high school or early college, I was put on to a remarkable boutique music blog by the name of Blind I For The Kids. Headed by music buff Suli, or $ as he goes by on the internets, Blind I has been hipping me to the vast majority of the eclectic jams I’ve had in rotation. Every other rarity and B-side in my 22,000+ patchwork collection of legally and illegally acquired music has been downloaded from Blind I. They were the biggest inspiration in starting this site that you see today, providing support and motivation while I tried my hand at building a safehaven where people could revel in music, trillness, and tomfoolery.

Almost two weeks ago, Suli reached out to me and said, “Modi, you tryna do a showcase at South By Southwest with me?” I thought it was a joke. As you can see by the flyer, it wasn’t a joke at all. 10 or so later, I got my $#!t together. The wonderful team behind Blind I (especially Noah, Maiya, and $) obviously gave this endeavor much thought before I was involved, from gathering sponsors to finding the acts, from securing the venue to getting the little intangibles dealt with. I’m honored to be a part of this experience, and it’ll be a journey. If you’re interested in following it all, follow @DCtoBC (me) or @QualitySXSW on Twitter. Below is a nice little summary of exactly what’s going on.

We present to you “QUALITY,” an eclectic progressive musical display showcasing some of the best and brightest in 2010’s new musical landscape. Hosted by the tastemakers of Blind I and DC to BC / The Great
Progression, “QUALITY!” aims to provide the community of burgeoning talent that Blind I, DC to BC, and The Great Progression promotes virally with a visual showcase during the famed South by Southwest (SXSW) week.

DATE: Friday, March 19th, 2010
LOCATION: Soho Lounge (217 E. 6th Street, Austin, TX)
Expected Attendance: 600+ (600 people!? My goodness!)

Performances by: Theo Martins, Vandalyzm, Classy Hand Favours, TiRon, The Paxtons, KJ, Project Mayhem, Mic Terror, Black Spade, Brittany Street, Bad Rabbits, Phil Ade, U-N-I, Kinky Notti, Tabi Bonney, Brittany Bosco, Peter Hadar, Sulaiman, YP, Big Homie Doe, Rockwell Knuckles, House Shoes, BBU, Coultrain, L.E., Pugs Atomz, and some special guests.

Yeah, and if all those names didn’t ring too many bells (and some should, but some shouldn’t, because it’s a showcase. It’s where relatively known and unknown artists give you a reason to check for them in the future.), we’ve done you a favor and compiled a smooth sampler mixtape to prepare you for what you’re about to see, or for you to live through vicariously if you can’t make it to Austin for the weekend. Click artwork or the link below that to download!

DOWNLOAD: QUALITY! Showcase Sampler Mixtape

Quick note: U-N-I was a last-minute addition, so the song you played while reading this post was a song of theirs. Wasn’t that some crafty thinking? Ha. Grab it below.

DOWNLOAD: U-N-I – Windows

]]> http://DCtoBC.com/2010/03/south-by-southwest-showcase-quality/feed/ 752 http://DCtoBC.com/2009/10/blind-i-presents-the-neptunes-decemvir-rare-gems-unreleased-material/ http://DCtoBC.com/2009/10/blind-i-presents-the-neptunes-decemvir-rare-gems-unreleased-material/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:14:14 +0000 modi http://www.DCtoBC.com/?p=6945

Today feels almost as great as when a member of the Star Trak family drops an album. Why? Well, because the music blog of all music blogs, Blind I For The Kids, has dropped a powerful, two disc compilation of everything that production gods The Neptunes haven’t leaked to the masses. I consider myself a Neptunes superfan, but most of these I’ve never even heard of. It’s like uncovering fossils or ancient ruins to me. I could talk, but I’d rather let the creator, my ninja Sulaiman out the Chi, do the rest of the talking while you jam this unreleased Fam-Lay snippet featured on the tape.

I’ve been working on this for a LOOOONG time and I finally completed another masterpiece. For those not in the know, The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for some successful Hip hop, R&B and Pop artists in the late-90s and 2000s. The Neptunes’ sound is a distinctive brand of off-kilter, stripped-down electronic funk. Along with Timbaland and Dr. Dre they were the driving force behind many of the musical characteristics of late-90s/2000s hip-hop, helping to re-introduce sci-fi style sounds into the hip-hop mainstream, along with sounds from Middle Eastern and Asian music including percussion and woodwind.

I decided a few months back to make a collection of my favorite rare, b-side, and unreleased Neptunes production, from 1999 to 2009, in order to create a dedication to over 10 years of next-level music that still stands the test of time. I swear listening to these tracks puts you in a state of mind where everything’s better around you. Decemvir, which is the latin term for “ten“, is used to describe this decade of incredible works from the stellar production duo. Their music can speak for itself more than anything I can say, so without further ado, I give you…

DOWNLOAD: The Neptunes – Decemvir (DISC 1 | DISC 2)

if i could marry a music blog, it would without a doubt be blind i for the kids. cuz every day, my wife would put me onto something incredible, forever broadening my horizons. yeah, i’m on their johnson a little bit (all hetero/no brokeback, RIP heath), but it’s because they are the greatest innovators of the compilation CD. everything they throw to their cult following is from mars, or a surrounding planet/galaxy.

the latest gem i’ve scooped from them is dandiggity’s eclecticuts, vol. 2. i just got vol. 1 in rotation like two weeks ago and it’s also vicious, but this one gave me the eargasm (all hetero/no brokeback, RIP heath). yerp. eclectic collection of b-sides, remixes, and rarities that i’ve never even thought about thinking about. ever. goodness. how do they find these precious songs, i’ll never know. but kudos, blind i. kudos. i’ll throw a sample your way, and as usual, click the artwork or the link below to download. tracklisting after the jump!

DL: dandiggity’s eclecticuts, vol 2

Tracklisting

Chester Gregory – Search In
Djimon – Fall In Love
Muhsinah – Discovery
Oddisee – The Perch feat. Phonte, Tor, Flying Lotus
edIT – The Game Is Not Over feat. J-Dilla, Phat Kat & Dabrye
Matty G – West Coast Rocks (The Glitch Mob Remix)
Tettorybad – Somewhere Far
Funky DL – Spins
Wreckelekt – Keepin’ It True
Flying Lotus – Shhh
The Primeridians – Hang On (Nicolay Remix)
Bottom Fly – Rhyme or Reason
Cookin on 3 Burners – Feel Good Inc
Rez – Last Call
Heralds Of Change – Part of the World
Lewis McCallum – It’s You Feat. Cherie Mathieson

editor’s note: this mix right here!? you have no idea how this series inspired me. it dropped a year ago, and my dude $ulaiman of blind i for the kids (the best music blog around) blessed me with the re-up of this super mix. confused as to why it’s so crucial? read away.

Whoa! I’m proud of myself. Four, yes FOUR discs full of super-sexy, ultra-flirtatious, luxuriously-loving, filthy-fucking songs! I dug all the way through my extended catalog of slow jams and picked the best ones possible to add to these compilations. What I ended up with was 50 (yes, 50!) songs of which I really wanted to make a compilation out of. I tried to leave off some of the super OBVIOUS joints that are on EVERY compilation out there (D’Angelo’s Untitled, H-Town’s Knocking The Boots, random ass R. Kelly), and focus on the four themes/stages of intimacy where this music is helpful: Flirting, Sex, Fucking, and Love.

I know we all fall under at least ONE of those four categories when we’re getting in the mood with our significant others, and my intent through the organization of these is to allow you to pick which mood/situation is closest to yours. I recommend you grab ALL of em, however, for as we all know, the best intimacy is spontaneous, and you don’t wanna be logging onto Blind I while your lady/mans is getting undressed and ready to get it popping.

I mixed a bit of old with a bit of new…a bit of soul with a bit of OOH!. I’m so cliche, please forgive me, but I feel like out of all of our compilations offered here, this is the most universally appealing and is SURE to get it going when you need it to. And it all blends perfectly….

Have fun. Use protection . And get EVERY DISC. DL links and tracklistings after the drop!

"Grab a Red Bull and sip that twice…
Now ya’ll can have $exytime, it’s nice!"

[The Backstroke Series] – Step 1: Flirting

[The Backstroke Series] – Step 2: Sex

[The Backstroke Series] – Step 3: Fucking

[The Backstroke Series] – Step 4: Love

yerp. michael phelps has just solidified his spot as one of the greatest athletes of all time. and guess what? he’s a product of baltimore, maryland. consider the man claimed (and rightfully so). rumors are rampant that the man is has gills, has fins, is a dolphin…all sorts of things. congrats on rocking the olympics and scooping 8 gold medals and 7 world records in the process.

you thought this post had no real purpose? please. blind i’s $ulaiman aka TheNativeSoul put together this track, inspired by phelps himself. flows over ‘ye’s “barry bonds” instrumental and kills it. enjoy!

click here the artwork to download.