Questlove

Summer of the NPR Intern Shit Storms: What Austin Cooper's Public Enemy Essay Says About Taste

In many ways, pop culture in 2012 is more sophisticated than ever. Hit TV shows and movies boast plots that are more twisty-turny than was once allowed; the general public's understanding of what Joni Mitchell once called "the star-maker machinery" seems pretty thorough by now; and there seems less ... More >>

The Grammys: A Timeline of Madness and Misery

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards happened yesterday. Which we're sure you know already. If you missed it, however, you may have missed some of the weirdest details. So here, for your convenience, is a timeline of events. Get comfortable, 'cause this thing was a three-and-a-half-hour carnival of absurdi ... More >>

tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus on Her Creative Philosophy, Finding Inspiration in the Bay, and the Wisdom of Steve Jobs

By CHLOE ROTH In 2009, tUnE-yArDs frontwoman Merrill Garbus was lured from Montreal to Oakland by "Love and fear of illegal immigrant status in Canada." Lucky for us. "I started sadly playing a ukulele that my mom had given me," Garbus says. "Though it crossed my mind that being a doctor was probab ... More >>

Weekend Party Preview: Dirtybird, Tiger & Woods, The Rapture, and More

It seems as though the weekend party gods may yet smile on San Francisco. Early forecasts show that the weather this weekend will be brisk but thankfully dry. And that's good news, because this weekend's got a grip of fantastic parties that will appeal to a diverse crowd, nu-disco fanatics and hip-h ... More >>

Thirteen Lesser-Known Artists You Should See at Outside Lands 2011

From SF Weekly's latest print music section: tUnE-yArDs is one act you shouldn't miss at Outside Lands​Outside Lands Must-Sees: You're obviously going to catch the headliner sets at this weekend's Outside Lands Festival, so we'll assume you're already more than familiar with Arcade Fire, Muse ... More >>

DJ Excel on His Mixtape History, and Why Top 40 Clubs Suck

​ Philly-born DJ Excel started his DJ/musical career at just 11 years old and later sold mixtapes in high school. A turntabilist at heart, he became the founder of the Skratch Makaniks crew of DJs known for their legitimate turntable skills and ability to rock any club. Having moved to L.A.19 ... More >>

Watch tUnE-yArDs Make Its TV Debut with the Roots on "Gangsta"

tUnE-yArDs on TV!​ So this was pretty cool: Not only did the Oakland experimental pop outfit tUnE-yArDs make its TV debut last night on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show, but it did it so with the show's house band, which just so happens to be the Roots. With Questlove on drums and Black T ... More >>

J Dilla's 10 Greatest Remixes

J Dilla​ Deceased hip-hop producer J Dilla, née Jay Dee, first asserted himself on the rap radar with his group Slum Village. Lauded by luminaries Q-Tip and ?uestlove, the Detroit-based trio of Dilla, T3, and Baatin (also sadly deceased) are held in cult esteem today, and tonight, remaining g ... More >>

"Beats, Rhymes, and Life": Michael Rapaport's "Love Letter" to A Tribe Called Quest

After 20 Years, the Vinyl Still Spins -- And Sells -- at Groove Merchant Records

Ian S. PortGroove Merchant owner Chris Veltri with a rare record.​Chris Veltri stands behind the cluttered wood counter at Groove Merchant record store. Dressed in a navy peacoat and Levis, with sandy blond bangs draped over his blue eyes, he watches three customers browse his small Lower Haight s ... More >>

Make a Famous Musician -- Wayne Coyne! Bob Weir! -- Remind You To Vote

Russ Harrington (russharrington.com) for Harp MagazineGrace Potter gets intimate with democracy​So you're the kind of person who forgets to vote. And in such a democracy-happy burg as S.F., where voters are asked to weigh in frequently on such trivialities as the mix of recycled material in the to ... More >>

Emily Wells Remembers S.F. As 'Pure Blissed-Out Romance,' Plays Saturday at Slim's

​Pigeonhole Emily Wells at your own peril. Homegirl stacks violin loops like Andrew Bird, purrs tales of love and darkness like PJ Harvey, lays down beats like ?uestlove, and occasionally even raps like Eartha Kitt channeling Biggie. On her albums, particularly 2008's The Symphonies: Dreams Memori ... More >>

The Park provides solid rhythm and a safe playspace

What to Do? Wednesday's Pick: The Park at Mojito

​The Park is probably the best San Francisco band you didn't know you've heard. With its knack for modern updates of the vintage soul, jazz, and funk sounds hip-hop producers have sampled for years, the trio has lately kept busy working on critically acclaimed albums and live shows by cult early-' ... More >>

R.I.P. Gang Starr's Guru

Legendary hip-hop emcee Guru passed away on April 19 at age 43 after a reportedly long battle with cancer that forced him to be hospitalized earlier this year. The news was posted to DJPremierblog.com, a fan site dedicated to Guru's former GangStarr partner, DJ Premier. Although the blog had been up ... More >>

The Return of the Coup

EKAphotographyBoots Riley at Outside Lands, 2009​ It's been a minute since Oakland's legendary hip-hop group the Coup last played its hometown - nine years in fact, according to frontman and primary songwriter Boots Riley. In that time, the group has played SF and Berkeley -"We did a kind of ... More >>

Last Night: The Roots at Davies Symphony Hall

The RootsDavies Symphony HallBetter than: Sitting still for an orchestraLocal music history was made last night as the Roots performed the first-ever hip-hop concert at Davies Symphony Hall as part of SFJAZZ's Spring season. The Philadelphia-bred, Grammy Award-winning group plays in your living room ... More >>

The Roots discuss hip-hop’s second jazz age

Questlove at PST Tuesday Night

Natty and Nappy: Questlove Tuesday nights haven't traditionally been the most happening club nights around--that honor is usually reserved for the weekend (or Thursday, for locals wary of bridge-and-tunnelers). But Great Gosh A-mighty if DJ Sake One's "Pacific Standard Time" at 330 Ritch hasn't comp ... More >>

Capitol MC

Hey DJ! Friday Q&A: Mr. E

One of the most respected DJs to grace the Bay Area, Miguel Escobedo has been manning the decks for over two decades. The resident DJ for San Francisco's Rock the Bells tour stop, he's one of the most sought out vinyl spinners when national artists are looking for local support. Coming up in the g ... More >>

Al Green goes back to the basics

Al Green Visits Sleep Train in Sept.

The Roots’ state of the union address

Al Green

Lay It Down (Blue Note)

The Roots

Rising Down (Def Jam)

Al Green Gets ?uestlove to Produce New Album

The Roots Get Political on New Album due in April

New Gnarls Barkley Single Leaked by Roots' ?uestlove

Mojave Desert Mystery Deepens with Clutchy Hopkins' New Ubiquity Release 'Walking Backwards'

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