Although many independent labels appeared in the wake of New Orleans's 1991 bounce explosion, Parkway Pumpin' was one of the first. It was also one of the most influential stables of talent, although the limited finances of KLC (the man behind the boards) resulted in precious few recordings. When Master P relocated No Limit from Richmond, … Continue reading Parkway Pumpin – Be Pumpin’ Hits Like its Motown
Month: June 2009
Untouchable Records – down wid it cuz we bound to get it
Untouchable Records was one of the many New Orleans rap labels that sprang up in the early nineties after the advent of bounce. A small label with a roster of musicians that, for the most part, came and went as they pleased, they nonetheless featured some of New Orleans' biggest, most notable talents. It was started by … Continue reading Untouchable Records – down wid it cuz we bound to get it
California Fool’s Gold – Exploring Yucca Corridor, Los Angeles’s Crack Alley
In this installment of the California Fool's Gold, we visit Yucca Corridor. The Yucca Corridor is a small, crowded neighborhood in central Hollywood, just northwest of downtown. Its borders are Franklin Ave on the north, Hollywood Blvd on the south, Highland on the west, and Vine on the east. Below is the southeast corner of what's … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold – Exploring Yucca Corridor, Los Angeles’s Crack Alley
California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Elysian Valley (aka Frogtown)
In this entry of the Los Angeles neighborhood blog, we will cover Elysian Valley. City of Los Angeles neighborhood sign for Elysian Valley Elysian Valley is a small working class neighborhood in Mideast Los Angeles (MELA), bordered by Fletcher to the north, the 5 freeway to the west and south, and the Los Angeles River … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Elysian Valley (aka Frogtown)
Obscure & Unrecognized Republics of Eastern Europe
So as not to offend anyone, films set in Eastern Europe commonly take place in imaginary countries like Trouble for Two's Karovia, The Terminal's Krakozhia or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's Vulgaria. In reality, there are several little-known, obscure republics which enjoy various amounts of autonomy that would fit the bill. As portions of their citizenry actively campaign for … Continue reading Obscure & Unrecognized Republics of Eastern Europe
Big Boy Records
For several years in the '90s, before Master P moved to New Orleans and gobbled up most of the talent of the legendary Parkway Pumpin, Big Boy Records was one of the main creative and commercial rivals to uptown's fledgling Cash Money. Over the course of the next few years, they released some of New Orleans' … Continue reading Big Boy Records
Mobo Records – West Bank’s Finest
In the old days (the '80s), most New Orleans rap was released by labels from outside the state. Dallas's Yo! had handled Gregory D & Mannie Fresh and Tim Smooth. Ft. Lauderdale's famous bass label, 4 Sight, released Ninja Crew's "We Destroy." Juvenile was initially on New York's Warlock. When majors got involved, they invariably … Continue reading Mobo Records – West Bank’s Finest
Vietnamese New Wave Revisited
Due to popular response, here's a follow-up to my initial blog on Vietnamese New Wave. For those of you who may not have read it, Vietnamese New Wave (less often called Asian New Wave) is not Vietnamese music. Think Northern Soul, a British genre of music that didn't come from British artists, but were beloved … Continue reading Vietnamese New Wave Revisited
Eric Brightwell 