Random Thoughts #6: King Jay of Leontronica

If you're a regular around here, you know I'm a bit obsessed with the instant Hip-Hop cultural phenomenon that is Jay Electronica.  Not so much the songs themselves (dope as they may be), but people's response to them.  The internet's reaction.  Radio's reaction.  Bloggers' reactions.  Other rappers' reactions.
Anyway...a few weeks ago I said to someone (or posted it as a Facebook status, who knows) that "Jay Electronica is the Animal Collective of Hip-Hop".  What I meant was, much like the connection AnCo has to the indie/alternative scene, Jay Electronica seems to have been crowned as the next, best and brightest among what's new in Hip-Hop.  But to me, the question remained...how much do/did people ACTUALLY like either artist.  Clearly their work is well above average and worthy of...fan-ship...but are they really as great as they've been made out to be?  Much more importantly, does anyone REALLY think they are?  Do we genuinely adore the music, or have we been caught in a storm that requires anyone with an opinion to stand in favor of AnCo and Jay Elec.  I don't know.

But a funny thing has happened in the last few weeks.  Jay Electronica is starting to get spins on mainstream radio (at least in NY, anyway).  He's made a shift.  His status has gone from "Animal Collective" and he's on his way to becoming "Kings of Leon".  What do I mean?  I mean he's authentic enough for underground heads, AND comfortably familiar enough for corporate radio.  It's fascinating.  Blasting off Jay Elec jams on drive-time radio has become a badge of honor for mainstream DJs.  Like some sort of inverse street cred.  DJ are screaming shit like "it's the return of that real Hip-Hop!!", totally ignorinng the fact that they just played 12 Young Money/Drake/Wayne songs in the last 3hrs.  Exhibit C has become a both a coping mechanism for real Hip-Hop DJs who spin bullshit to pay the bills (Enuff, Cipha Sounds) and has given faux-credibility to commercial DJs pretending to give a shit about the music (DJ Clue and damn near anyone else on the radio before midnight).

Regardless of how good Jay Electronica is or isn't, the fact that his music has led to genuine macroscopic evaluations of the culture is a blessing, and I applaud him (and Just Blaze) for what they're building.

Animal Collective - Brothersport

Do I actually like/care about this song?  Or am I just using Animal Collective's popularity amongst a certain demographic to further my own wonderful agenda?

Does it matter?  Do you care?
No, and no.  But it does, and you should.

That made sense to me and 3 other people.
I'm getting loopy.

Too much posting.

Need a beer.

Animal Collective - What Would I Want? Sky

Wow.
Yeah, I think I might have to officially change my A.C. status from "casual appreciator" to "budding fan".  I like everything I'm hearing from this upcoming EP . . .but the question remains:  When exactly is someone supposed to listen to Animal Collective?  What's the mood?  What is one actually (not?) doing when listening to Animal Collective?  Its very confusing.

Animal Collective - Graze

Champagne Music! [(c) - FF&SS, Inc.]

Ahh, we have a new sneak peek from the traffic generators Animal Collective, upcoming EP.
I quite like this one, actually..  It sounds like waking up.  Like it should be the jam that jams when my alarm clock goes off in the morning.  They should name it Pt.1 and Pt.2 like them long old R&B jams that completely changed themes in the last third of the song.  I'm rambling.

Animal Collective - In The Flowers

What's the point of having a blog if I can't blatantly post shit I only half-like for the sake of relevance and traffic?  That's why we're all here, isn't it?

I like to consider Animal Collective the champagne of music.  Meaning, no one actually loves it, everyone thinks its pretty alright, yet we all consume it like lunatics because of the perception of fanciness.  Not that I blame AC for this, it's not their fault that people are dumb.  In fact, I'm officially declaring "Champagne Music" a genre.  Thank you, Animal Collective!

And yes, I did just go from a cheap critical breakdown of Beanie Siegel to a cheaper one of Animal Collective in the span of 45min.  This is why I get no sleep.

Old Folks Jam Out

Some (really) old heads review Young Jeezy and Animal Collective.
It's stuff like this that make me love life on occasion.

Half-asleep dude with the sweater-vest is my absolute #1 ace homeboy though.
I imagine his name is Abe and he enjoys fine brandy.

Animal Collective - My Girls

Animal Collective "My Girls" from Chad von Nau on Vimeo.

I could (and presumably will) stare at this for hours.
When it comes to colors and shapes in motion, I have the brain of a toddler.

And I'd like to welcome Merriweather Post Pavilion to my music purgatory, otherwise knows as "The Realm of Albums I've had For Several Weeks, But Never Seem To Find The Time To Jam".