Somos Logan Square Audio Documentary pt 1

Wanted to try and write a Christmas song this year...happy holidays!

You Make It Feel Like Christmas

An ode to Black Love.

I Feel Good feat. Edwina Maben
Prod by. DMDtheproducer
Engineered by Jesus Rodriguez of Rhythm and Passion Records and whoisROG of Get Busy Livin Studios
Cover Art by Tyriq Typhy Swingler and Shaun Don

I Feel Good feat. Edwina Maben prod. by DMDTheProducer

LILAC CLOUDS

Lilac Clouds (with Edwina Maben)

Underground rapper and record label CEO Sage Francis joined us to share how his lonely journey as a hip hop fan fueled his passion for cultivating a  successful career in music. As a special bonus he shares one of his first songs, a Mother's Day rap he created at age 10.

(S2) #14 Sage Francis on hip hop and personal sacrifice.

I am scared of debt.  There, I said it.  I am afraid of waking up at four in the morning with the weight of looming payments pressing down on my ribcage, imminent fees and compounding rates kicking cyclical thoughts around my mind as I try to fall back asleep.  I am scared that I will drop the ball - missing a payment, or worse, over-drafting my account.  At the same time, the appeal of credit is undeniable, having been the only way for me to purchase much needed musical equipment.  

Plastic Angel explores the normalization of debt within a culture of financial illiteracy.  By appropriating the language of credit card advertising, I highlight the ways in which companies reframe debt as an extension of the self and relationships.  MasterCard’s “priceless” campaign offers a particularly potent example of how we are encouraged to delink our spending from the debt that we accrue.  Debt has become a good thing, something one must engage with in order to build up a credit report, so that you may take out more loans.

Written and arranged by David Ladon*
Produced by David Ladon and Chris Lee
Engineered and Mixed by Chris Lee
Mastered by Mike Hagler
​
David Ladon - Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Percussion
Thor Bremer - Drums
Mary Ann Michael - Vocals
Christopher "Bubbles" Brown - Vocals
Chris Lee - Vocals, Percussion
Seth Adams - Upright Bass on "Plastic Angel"

Single

Plastic Angel

Mother Market is my second single as a solo artist. 

Co-produced by myself and Chicago’s unofficial DIY archivist Chris Lee (Young Camelot, Dark Circles Records), Mother Market examines the role neoliberalism and economic language as a dominant cultural lens in American Society. The album was initially written, recorded, and defended as my master’s thesis at DePaul University.

Written and Arranged by David Ladon
Produced by David Ladon and Chris Lee
Mastered by Mike Hagler

David Ladon - Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar
Maryann Michael - Vocals
Bubbles Brown - Vocals
Chris Lee - Vocals
Thor Bremer - Drums
Matthew Gladly - Keys
Paul Brinnel - Saxophone
Gomeh Barak - Trumpet


Lyrics
Mother Market may I have a slice
Other boys and girls aren’t playing nicely
It’s my turn to make a buck or two
I’m not concerned, my foot is in the other shoe

Read the manifest, It’s my destiny
Trust me, I know best, can’t you see my phD
I believe in God, she’s the Economy
Mother Market, take good care of me

Do you understand my legalese?
I float electric dollars through h the eth-er
While atlas shrugged, I turned a trick or two
The masses drugged, this story isn’t new

Read the manifest, It’s my destiny
Trust me, I know best, can’t you see my phD
I believe in God, she’s the Economy
Mother Market, take good care of me

The strongest player wins
Now let the games begin

Thank you mother market
I have a beamer and I park it
In my four car garage (repeat until end)
Thank you Mother Market (repeat until end)

Mother Market

Mr. Mackey pokes fun at the green consumerism phenomenon that has gone mainstream with the ascension of companies like Whole Foods.  In particular, I juxtapose the language of the green products with the neoliberal agenda of John Mackey, the founder of Whole Foods.  Mackey has been a vocal opponent to unions and the affordable care act.  He refers to his ideology as Conscious Capitalism, and has argued strongly for market-based approaches to social issues.  At the same time, he sells a convenient way for people to “Go Green” in the form of luxury organic food products and a lifestyle brand.

The song points to some of the logical inconsistencies between supporting a free market based on unending growth and the values of environmentalism and conservation.  It explores the ways in which we have been socialized into seeing “green consumerism” as a more benign type of waste, as it comes certified with a USDA organic label.  "Mr. Mackey" also acknowledges the communities that are displaced by rising rents that often follow the installation of new Whole Foods locations.

Written and Arranged by David Ladon
Produced by Chris Lee and David Ladon
Engineered and Mixed by Chris Lee
Mastered by Mike Hagler

David Ladon - Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar
Maryann Michael - Vocals
Bubbles Brown - Vocals
Chris Lee - Vocals
Thor Bremer - Drums
Matthew Gladly - Keys
Paul Brinnel - Saxophone
Gomeh Barak - Trumpet

06/26/2020

Mr. Mackey

a song written about march 2020....

full lyric video here : https://youtu.be/rmQ_kfL7cUU

march

This week on Generation Justice, we heard from Brayan Moreno and Lavina Gray, two young artists from Moving arts Espanola, about their Census campaign and getting participation in Espanola and the Surrounding communities!  And from Ahtza Dawn Chavez, Executive Director of NAVA Education Project about  making Native voices heard in the 2020 Census. Ahtza gave us an insight as to the detrimental consequences of Native communities not participating. Tune in and Fill Out the Census! 

Catch us live every Sunday @ 7:00pm on 89.9 KUNM OR stream on KUNM.org!

Census 2020 - Moving Arts Espanola & NAVA Education Project

With a detailed arrangement featuring a full band, horns, and harmonies, So Inert shares reflections on living in a perpetual campaign cycle. Released just days after Joe Biden's inauguration, this song is meant to warn listeners about getting quickly sucked into next season's campaigns cycle before newly elected lawmakers can begin their jobs.

So Inert (or Reflections on a Perpetual Campaign Cycle

Youth on Record’s vision is for youth to discover how their voice and value can create a better world through creative education opportunities and arts exploration. Youth on Record's Media Arts program teaches podcasting interns to produce multiple youth-centered and youth-facing podcasts each year. This program gives youth the chance to explore podcast production and storytelling through hands-on learning in the field and in the studio.

(S2) #14 Sage Francis on hip hop and personal sacrifice.

Youth on Record Podcasting

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