in the middle of august on a thursday, i was booked to spin at an East 6th bar. i was going through some clenched emotions, so i wanted to play an aggressive hiphop set. about an hour later, there was a fight. it was sudden and inexplicable, and between two people who apparently knew each other on a friendly basis beforehand. i’m not saying i started a fight with music, but i don’t think i helped avoid one.

i realized afterward that i had no intent to take it anywhere, musically. i was just pissed the fuck off. and i was lucky enough to have the amplification to make what i was feeling heard through the records i was spinning. but i didn’t take it anywhere. and fires left uncontrolled tend to burn things down.

the other night my soul was burning with fury. and again, i didn’t know what to do with that fire, so i arranged this mix. because what we need right now isn’t fire, we need lanterns to focus that incendiary power into something that can light our way forward. we owe it to those who have fallen before us, in the pursuit of a world where justice exists for all.

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75 bars (black’s reconstruction) — The Roots
let the rhythm hit em — Eric B. & Rakim
a day at the races — Jurassic 5
liquid swords — GZA
dead presidents — Jay-Z
ddfh — Run the Jewels
brain washers — Blackalicious
shoes for running — Big Boi
represent — Nas
the quickening (the wreckoning part II) — Latyrx
priority — Mos Def
black donor (aka come on) — Camp Shadow
move something — Talib Kweli
shook ones pt. 2 — Bobb Deep
top billin (dm’s air mix) — Audio Two
daylight – Aesop Rock
hip hop — Dead Prez
passin me, southside — Lil’Cyde

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caution: this hiphop mix contains explicit fury and swear words.

addendum: in hindsight, i’m so very not happy with this take of the set. but i’ll leave it public to force myself to record a cleaner version.

retroactive addendum… wait, actually would that be

retroactive preface: take two from 11/23