Mark Devlin

Monday, 14 February 2011

80s/ 90s RADIO TAPE RIPS - WESTWOOD/ MIKE ALLEN/ ROBBIE VINCENT/ PETE TONG

MD'S CLUB DATES, FEBRUARY/ MARCH '11

Friday 18th February
Tramps, Worcester, (with Soul City Ibiza's DJ Mister I)

Saturday 19th February
The Living Room, Oxford

Thursday 24th February
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 25th February
Mirage, Aylesbury

Saturday 26th February
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Saturday 5th March
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Thursday 10th March
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 11th March
G2/ The Garage, Glasgow, SCOTLAND

Saturday 12th March
The Living Room, Edinburgh, SCOTLAND

Sunday 13th March
SUNDAY SHAKEDOWN @
Espionage, Aberdeen, SCOTLAND

Thursday 17th March
ST. PATRICK'S NIGHT @
Cafe Ceol, Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND

Saturday 19th March
Mirage, Aylesbury

Thursday 24th March
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Saturday 26th March
THE VAULTS @
The Second Bridge, Bath

Thursday 31st March
Pulkvedis, Riga, LATVIA

JONELL & METHOD MAN: ROUND & ROUND

Domestic beefing has never been portrayed more lucidly than on this absolute gem from the 'How High' soundtrack in 2002. Meth plays the put-upon male to Jonell's assertive, dissatisfied female as the pair trade trivial swipes over a difficult relationship. Jonell really should have gone further based on her funky vocal performance here, and the funky guitar-laden beat is to die for. A killer tune that still works in clubs to this day.

Saturday, 12 February 2011

ALLEN ANTHONY: ALRIGHT

Although it's the version featuring Freeway from his 'Philadelphia Freeway' album that made the song familiar, this original rap-free version by Allen Anthony remains a largely undiscovered gem of the 2000s. It cropped up on the soundtrack of the 'Paid In Full' movie, with production from an on-point Just Blaze. Soulful vocals meet an 80s-influenced jamming beat, with reflective and empowering lyrics. This cut is truly a cruelly overlooked classic.

JAY-Z FEATURING BEANIE SIGEL & SCARFACE: THIS CAN'T BE LIFE

One of the greatest things about (real) hip-hop is the genre's ability to address every kind of life situation and human emotion. While party joints have their place, it's the reflective kind of joint that hip-hop does so well, and there are few finer moments than this Kanye West-produced soul searcher from the Roc A Fella camp in 2003. It finds Jay-Z, stripped of ego and swagger, recalling his humble roots, with Beanie Sigel in similarly sober mood. The last verse, from Scarface, is drenched with emotion, his voice quavering as he recounts the tale of one of his homies losing his kid. This is music that makes sense of life, and a listen to it has more value than any counselling session ever could.

YO YO FEATURING GERALD LEVERT: IS IT ALL STILL GOOD?

This joint sadly bombed on its release in '98, but I always loved it and blazed it on my radio show. A lyrical variation on Biggie's 'Juicy', it was very much of its time, reflecting on the changing nature of the hip-hop game in the wake of the Big and 'Pac incidents. A wonderfully soulful sample from Gerald Levert, steeped in 80s groove nostalgia, completes its appeal, and it serves as a reminder that, though eclipsed by more 'glamorous' rivals like Foxy and Kim, Yo Yo remains on of the truly hot female MCs of the 90s.

Friday, 11 February 2011

SOUNDSATIONAL AT CHERRYWOOD LOUNGE, FARNBOROUGH TONIGHT

Looking forward to throwing down with my big homie DJ Mr Jay tonight for Soundsational, Cherrywood Lounge on the grounds of Farnborough F.C. Music for grown-ups!

Tuesday, 8 February 2011

MD AND DJ MR. JAY AT SOUNDSATIONAL, CHERRYWOOD LOUNGE, FARNBOROUGH, THIS FRIDAY

Thursday, 3 February 2011

MD'S CLUB DATES, FEBRUARY/ MARCH 2011

Friday 4th February
Connections, Club Illusion, Tartu, ESTONIA

Saturday 5th February
The Living Room, Oxford

Thursday 10th February
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 11th February
SOUNDSATIONAL @
The Cherrywood Lounge, Farnborough

Saturday 12th February
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 18th February
Tramps, Worcester, (with Soul City Ibiza's DJ Mister I)

Saturday 19th February
The Living Room, Oxford

Thursday 24th February
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 25th February
Mirage, Aylesbury

Saturday 26th February
The Living Room, Milton Keynes

Friday 11th March
G2/ The Garage, Glasgow, SCOTLAND

Saturday 12th March
The Living Room, Edinburgh, SCOTLAND

Sunday 13th March
SUNDAY SHAKEDOWN @
Espionage, Aberdeen, SCOTLAND

Thursday 17th March
ST. PATRICK'S NIGHT @
Cafe Ceol, Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND

Saturday 19th March
Mirage, Aylesbury

Saturday 26th March
THE VAULTS @
The Second Bridge, Bath

Thursday 31st March
Live & Loud Hip Hop Showcase, Port Mahon, Oxford