What I’m Watching…
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
I think the NPR Tiny Desk concept is brilliant for so many reasons: the sound quality (impressive), the creative remixes of old and new material (nostalgic), the brevity of the format (teasing), and more more. That we all get to consume these concerts for free is a blessing, really, and I’ve lost count of the gallons of midnight oil I’ve burned watching these.
I love too many of them for very different reasons. Therefore, I’ve listed a bunch of ones I’ve enjoyed for various reasons below. Enjoy!
Freddie Gibbs and Madlib teamed up with a legendary group of musicians like Marc Benevento, Homer Steinweiss, and Dave Guy to blow the lid off the NPR office with songs from their album “Bandana” (2019)
Smino - Maraca (2018) & Rice & Gravy (2021) (Technically not tiny desk concerts, but he’s brilliant so I had to make an exception)
What I’m Listening To…
I listen to a lot of music. A lot. Singing might be my longest-standing hobby/pursuit to date. And in fact, I considered pursuing a professional career in music in the not-too-distant past. There’s probably an article/podcast/song (book?) in me on how hiphop has shaped the way I see the world and my place in it. But not now.
I’ve compiled a playlist that reflects some of the things I’m currently listening to. It won’t only contain music - the heavy emphasis here will likely be on hip hop, soul/R&B and dance music, podcasts on technology + small business, and a sprinkling of comedy to take the edge off.