DJ Assault

DJ Asssault, Straight Up Detroit Shit Volume 5 (excerpt)

I hope that you all enjoyed the DJ Assault taste from last week (re-uploaded, because that's the kinda guy I am). That album, Off the Chain for the Y2K, was my first experience with the music coming out of Detroit a few years ago, which, for lack of a better term, I will call ghettotech. It seems to me like one of the logical follow-ups to my focus on Miami bass, the grandfather of all booty musics, as both are fixated on the rear-end and getting people to shake theirs.

Assault made himself into the leader of this genre, presenting an outrageous, cartoonish public figure for the world to latch onto. He personifies the lyrical content, coming off as a p-i-m-p who gets all the women he wants and counts his stacks of money in his free time. In reality, he has helped develop an infectious, dirty music that feeds off of the currents coming up from Miami and across the oceans from Europe. He has blended the 4 to the floor that formed the basis of techno and drum and bass, combining it with the attitude, misogyny and irresistible grooves of bass and hip-hop. (I do hope to get into the misogyny issue at some point, although I feel like Cowboyz'n'Poodles or some of my great readers could put together far mor intelligent and devastating critiques.)

Straight Up Detroit Shit Volume 5 is the final installment in his first mix series that dropped in the mid-late 90s, put out on the Electrofunk label. This one comes from 1998, and it is not as readily available. This is the reason for the longer excerpt this time, as I feel like people need to hear this one. It is not a whole lot different than any of the many mixes he has put together, although there are a few more slow jam, female vocal jawns than I have ever heard. Some of my favorites tracks are on here, like "Ponytail", "Bounce Those Titties" and "Mouth Blue Out". Enjoy, and let us know your thoughts and feeling on this one.

More Assault coming, although we may take a look DJ Godfather in the meantime.

-Terrell Owens is back in camp and peace reigns again. For real though, enough is enough. I couldn't agree more with this column by Rich Hoffman in yesterday's Daily News, as he discusses the disgust one feels at seeing all of the media coverage and T.O. antics. (Of course, it would be nice to see a little self-reflection from a man who works in the media, which has fueled this circus at every turn.) He and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have really misplayed this situation, as they have never seemed to have a very good sense of how to get the money they want. Attacking your teamates and coaches? Working out on your lawn? Quite a hand you had there, guys. The only real winners with all of this are those in San Francisco, who have to be laughing their asses off at all of this drama.

- Funniest Craig's List posting ever. [Via Fables of the Reconstruction]

-For all of the losers who have to worry about sports and local teams 24 7, check in on the Philadelphia Phillies, who most of us gave up on months ago. As it turns out, they are now leading the National League Wild Card race, and are guaranteed a September that matters. They are playing well, the bullpen is one of the best, and they are gathering momentum at the right time.

-It ain't just bloggers spreading the music. DJ Ayres, the amazing NYC DJ, has posted up lots of heat on his web site, but pay special attention to the disco mix that he put together. Amazing stuff, and it is always nice to see another person return to an important music. I got into this shit through a lot of the Ze Records releases and Disco Not Disco stuff that has come out in recent years, all of which helped me to overcome some ridiculous assumptions and biases. This was a vital, creative genre of music that continues to inspire us today. Back to Ayres for a second. Make sure to peep all of his mixtapes for sale, as these are so necessary, perhaps the best out there. Oh, and make sure to check out The Rub this Saturday in Brooklyn, one of the best parties anywhere, put together by Ayres, Cosmo Baker and DJ Eleven. Go here for all the party info, mixtapes and mp3s.

-Finally, I made it to Trilladelphia Wednesday night at Silk City, the night dedicated to the music of the Dirty South. Low Budget and DJ Deluxxx absolutely killed it, playing exactly what I want to hear when I go out. Three 6 Mafia, Swishahouse stuff, Trick Daddy, some No Limit stuff, Miami bass. Unfortunately, the crowd was small, and there was not a lot of energy. I really hope that this becomes a monthly or weekly or something, and will keep everyone up-to-date on this one. More to come on this topic, as I may ask my dear readers for some opinions and answers.