Apparently, DãM-FunK doesn’t just do beats, he does music and that’s the difference.
Since I couldn’t say it as noble as Stones Throw’s philosopher of P-funk himself, all I’m left to do is pass along the music. Just doing my job, guys. Don’t get mad at me if you’re offended when DãM generally and legitimately calls out 90% of the current rap producers to conclude the sonically Roger-esque “I Dont Just Do Beats, I Do MUSIC!,” the first of two new Twitter-debuted leftovers from his highly-touted Stones Throw 5-LP debut, Toeachizown.
“All you motherfuckers out there thinking you genuises, making music on computer, and only computers. Motherfucker, play the Goddamn keyboard motherfucker. Don’t you know what this is? The forefathers are looking down on us. You taking computers and looping shit all the time and you ain’t even recording real music all the way through….”
He might have a point, but hey, every producer comes up in the game differently, and in the end it’s usually the money that’s leading the conversation.
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Download — DãM-FunK – “I Dont Just Do Beats, I Do MUSIC!”
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Download — DãM-FunK – “Visions”
Previously Posted — “The Return Of Dam-Funk…” | “Dam!”
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Nice!
TSS has been en fuego today.
He’s one cool brother also……chilled with him during Peanut Butter Wolfs 999 tour. Down Ass MoFo!!!!!
His position on this is bullshit – if it sounds good it doesn’t matter how it’s made. If you follow his line of thought anyone not playing traditional instruments isn’t ‘making music’ – and just cos you bash out a little line on the keyboard it doesn’t make you Beethoven.
and just cos you bash out a little line on the keyboard it doesn’t make you Beethoven.
======================================================
trust me…..brother can play the keys….fall back
And as you said… it’s his position/opinion. Everybody got one……..clearly.
are physical CD’s available for purchase? if not, will they be? Until then…I don’t usually do this, but I WILL SUPPORT & go to Stonesthrow.com & cop the mp3s.
I just don’t like the whole self congratulatory tone of a statement like that – he plays an instrument well? that’s great, but it doesn’t mean the music he makes is ‘better’ than something 9th Wonder knocks up in Fruity Loops…
His statement – while being based on a good point – fails to touch on alot of things when it comes to music.
But here is a quote he might want to read and let swirl around.
“If you develop an ear for sounds that are musical it is like developing an ego. You begin to refuse sounds that are not musical and that way cut yourself off from a good deal of experience.” John Cage (1912 – 1992)
sheeeeeeeeeit
Peace everybody reading this blog, as well as LISTENING to my (non self-congratulatory) joint titled: “I Don’t JUST do Beats…I Do MUSIC”.
Now, first & foremost I’d like to thank the folk’s on here who clearly GOT the meaning of this joint and were ‘sharp’ enough to read between the lines.
History: The track was recorded almost 3 years ago. If U do a search on it…it’s already been hijacked, linked, recorded off myspace, etc for that long. All artist evolve. I already know that ALL MUSIC IS MUSIC. Come on, of course! My recording of that song a while back was in response to a conversation I was involved in at the time, which one these cats I was talking too was saying something to the effect that: “Man, I strictly sample man. Fuck all that keyboard music!” I was like…WHAT?!?! Now, it was one thing to be proud of the little tricks (oh, I mean tracks) he’d learned, purchased in a box at the local Guitar Center, but to literally ‘shit’ on an entire way of art (PLAYING music!) all in one sentence…was the last straw man. So, I made this FUNK attack, by going ‘all live’ on the track to show cats that you can STILL be fresh without having an approach like he did as he was saying: “He only samples… man, fuck that keyboard music” or whatever. (Also mind you that, this conversation was at the height of the period just a few years back when it seemed like ‘every new producer was copying the late great J Dilla/Jaydee’s approach, snares/claps, and overall off beat vibe to making tracks).
So, bottom line, this track was made to smash on foolz like ‘him’…the dude I had a conversation with in regards to the new age of recording. The message is SIMPLE: Don’t give up on learning to play an instrument. Why not do both? And, the main message was…if any cats start to ‘dis’ musicians who actually play….they will not go ignored in the game. My song, recorded 3 years ago, will be around via free download to remind headz of that. Humbly yours & with respect. – D-F
*(And, of course I know ‘ALL music is MUSIC’. The song was meant for certain headz to check themselves and to simply never ‘dis’ the age old, set in stone, true art form of ‘playing an instrument all the way thru’. Stay up & stay FREE!!)
This post reminds me…
I need to hit up Egon.
Last I heard from him… he was in some tiny town down south acquiring the rights to old soul records.
http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2009/10/dam-funk-toeachizown-vol4-hood
http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2009/09/dam-funk-latrifying
^ one time when clicking “Previously Posted” links would’ve been helpful. Dam’s gonna be a force. Mark my (and Beware’s) words.
Whattup DF? ‘Preciate the words & support.
Well said Dam-Funk, what I love about your music is it’s always changing, one song could start making you feel this way and then by the end it could sound totally different.
“Since I could say it nor as noble as…”
…the fuck that mean? lol.
Big props to TSS for turning me on to this dude (nh) and @ Dam, that was a nice response – good points and great music.
@ Dam..
“Don’t give up on learning to play an instrument. Why not do both?”
That’s the goal homie. Sometimes, it’s just easier said than done. If I had time/money to learn how to play the piano, it’d be over. But that’s a wish I’ve been harping on for years. Still, I feel like if I can learn everything but the keys in the meantime, using it as a grace period to hone my abilities on the pearly whites, it’ll all come full circle in the end. Making me a better musician in the long run.
Oh, and thanks for stopping through mayne. We’re big supporters over here and are happy to help.
What up.
I’m here in my hotel in Paris (getting ready for a hit w/ SA-RA & PBWolf tomorrow nite). I just touched down a couple hours ago. I wanted to return here to the ‘Smoking Section’ (Big up!!) to let you know that I really appreciate ALL of your comments & dialogue on this subject (& track). I also appreciate being able to talk (write) with y’all anytime, especially when it comes to music. The reason why that track didn’t make the album was because it was some tough love that I felt could be shared just amongst us…the ‘true headz’, currently learning, recording, dreaming, & striving for their musical goals within the game. Like I said earlier; I made it as a ‘reaction’ to what this cat was yappin’ about to me, a couple (& some change) years ago, in regards to ‘keyboard music’ (as he called it) vs ‘strictly sample based/beat music’.
It was also recorded before I came up with my (very hard to stick with, because we’re only human..lol!) mental exercise & lifestyle concept called: N.O.N.C.A.T. which translates to: ‘Not’ ‘One’ ‘Negative’ ‘Comment’ ‘Action’ or ‘Thought’.
And, last little known fact on this joint in discussion was that it was actually gonna be included on a recently ‘put on hold’ EP of mines called: “The Darkside”.
It was leaked (the track) un-officially a while back and now, ‘officially’ shared just recently with you again, because I’ve seen/heard murmurs about ‘this’ or ‘that’ recording process & subject again.
Look here, as I grow older in the game, it seems that everything happens for a reason and maybe the reason for me choosing to include this joint in my FREE DOWNLOAD SERIES (via my twitter & facebook accounts as a gift to all my friends who’ve been supporting my music before my debut album is released) was so that we can ALL discuss this ‘under the breath’ topic at hand (in some circles) as we all come together and keep spreadin’ the gift via OUR generation of urban based music creators. That’s all.
So, peace fam… as “I Don’t JUST Do Beats…I Do MUSIC!” was nothin’ but a little ‘tough love’, so as to keep thangz in perspective out here man.
In parting…please, DON’T STOP CREATIN’, via whatever method you choose to get it done. Just don’t ever decide to ‘sh*t on’ or be/act ‘sarcastic’ toward musicians who STILL choose to play today. This is all I humbly request from our global scene (and, especially the New-School cats comin’ up) at this time.
1!! – D-F
“TOEACHIZOWN”
*Double CD w/ 22 tracks, in stores OCT. 2OTH
“TOEACHIZOWN”
*5 record box set w/ 29 tracks, in stores late 2009.
Both on Stones Throw Records.
Wow, what a nice guy – now I feel like a total arsehole.
One thing to add though – on the subject of ‘keyboard music’, when your Swizz Beats type of producers came to the fore a lot of the more ‘purist’ hip hoppers were dismissive of that style of music saying it went against the whole (ahem) keep it real, sampling ethos. I can’t knock someone for being dismissive of ‘keyboard music’ in that context if what they mean is they’re sticking to the traditional hip-hop sample based formula…
NONCAT eh? but my negative whiney message board comments are all I have…