DJ Shadow / Mos Def Tour
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DJ Shadow
10 years ago, Josh Davis, aka DJ SHADOW, dropped a bomb on the music world in the form of “Entroducing” – following that up with 2002’s most innovative album “The Private Press” – which confirmed his position as one of the world’s most progressive producer/DJ’s.
In 2002 DJ SHADOW not only sold out every show on his all too brief visit to Australia – including 3 nights at Melbourne’s Forum – but he brought down the house each night to a thunderous, rabid and rapturous response. Armed with 3 video screens, a couple of decks, cd players, sampler and laptop, SHADOW produced a rocking show that not only displaying his formidable mixing, scratching & tweaking skills, but also his love of music.
SHADOW has been in the studio putting down tracks for his new album, entitled “The Outsider” Outsider”, and has warned his fans to expect a “risky record, very different” to 2002’s ‘The Private Press’ Press’. Says Shadow: “The album is very diverse, and reflects the fact that I don’t fit comfortably in any one genre. My critics see that as a problem, but I don’t…it’s simply the way things are. I’ve never really fit into any one clique. That’s why the album is called ‘The Outsider’ Outsider’. …I can’t see playing it safe at this point in my life.” He added “there’s songs on this album that I think blow away almost anything else I’ve ever done”.
Mos Def
Joining DJ SHADOW in Sydney and Melbourne is the one and only MOS DEF. One of hip-hop’s most promising newcomers in the late 90’s, Mos Def has continued to expand his reach.
After establishing himself as an actor, Mos Def extended his artistic horizons by turning to rap music. He began by affiliating himself with the local New York hip-hp scene, appearing on tracks by such esteemed groups as De La Soul and da Bush Babees.
In 1998 Mos Def collaborated with Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek to release “Black Star” which shook up the hip-hop community and became one of the most discussed rap albums of its time. Drawing on the socially conscious, thoughtful rap music to celebrate Afrocentricity rather than gangsta-ism, Mos Def became championed as a genuinely important MC in an age of gangstas and angry thugs.
A year later he backed it up with his first solo effort, Black On Both Sides, again garnering further attention and praise.
In the early 2000’s, he returned to acting, appearing in several films including the critically acclaimed Monster’s Ball. He began working on the Black Jack Johnson project with several iconic black musicians – keyboardist Bernie Worr (Parliament/Funkadelic), guitarist Dr Know (Bad Brains), drummer Will Calhoun (Living Colour) and bassist Doug Wimbish (Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Living Colour), culminating in the 2004 release of his 2 nd solo album, “The New Danger”.
[See inthemix.com.au for more details and to buy tickets]
