Where Ya Bin At?

Yikes! I know... I haven't posted consistently since December of last year. Life... has been happening at a fast pace. As always, though, the music keeps being released and there's always plenty of reasons to celebrate the classics. So, as I've done in the past, I've kept track of what I listen to daily, and I've saved a ton of drafts so eventually I'll share those and get all caught up. (Update: it's slowly happening... bare with me!). In the meantime, I appreciate the emails and messages checking in on me, seeing how I'm doing. I especially dig the suggestions on what to listen to, and sending me various links as well as your own personal reviews on music. I do read as many as I can, and I appreciate them. What more can I say? Blogging or music journaling, whatever you wanna call it, is something to do late at night when I can't sleep or when I find a small pocket of time to share what I'm checking out... The moment it becomes a chore or a painstaking process for me, you'll notice a drop in posts. But, me with no music is not possible, so I'll always get right back. Until I don't ... then you have the endless archives to read through. Peace-n-Love - Sav. Keep it real right!

Welcome to 2022...

We're living in very trying times... a lot of uncertainty. But, as many of us know, some of the greatest art is created during struggle, so we look to talented creatives to say and express thoughts that we can relate to and that reflect these times. We've learned how fragile things can be for artists who live check to check, unable to tour and perform like they used to - and without health insurance. Still, music persevered and artists have found their way through the maze. In 2021, Verzuz became a staple of performance-based art: The Lox vs. Dipset, Big Daddy Kane vs. KRS-One, Ja Rule vs. Fat Joe, Raekwon vs. Ghostface Killah, etc. DJ Premier came through with the So Wassup? video series that gave me life; podcasts like Take It Personal, Legendize, Vinyl Esquire, What Had Happened Was, Showoff Your Gems, Drink Champs, Joe Budden's Podcast and more gave us an escape, too. DJs like J. Period, Statik Selektah, DJ Filthy Rich, Donnie Propa and more stepped up to entertain with their mixes. Albums from Breeze Brewin, Pharoahe Monch (Th1rt3en), The Alchemist, Blu, Jay Electronica, J. Cole, Evidence, Blu, Nas, AZ, Common, Big Ghost, Rasheed Chappell and more, were atop my playlist all year. But... of course, tragedy continued to hit us hard with the loss of friends, loved ones, and artists like Zumbi of Zion I, Shock G of Digital Underground, Biz Markie, Gift of Gab, DMX, Ricky Powell, Double K of P.U.T.S., Michael K. Williams and more. It's terribly hard to predict if it'll be more of the same in 2022, or if we'll finally turn the corner, but whatever it is, nothing will be the same again. My message to everyone reading this is to hold on and survive. Don't fight change, find ways to navigate this new normal and you'll come out the other side stronger than before. I apologize, once again, for all the delays in my posts. One love. - DJ Sav One. Oh, and 30 years since the "Happy New Year" drawing below from the talented Andre LeRoy Davis...

Another Trip Around The Sun... Thank You.

Pandemic and all, I survived yet another trip around the sun! I think I can honestly say that things are going pretty well right now. Specifics are unimportant, but my overall level of peace of mind is HIGH. So, why am I stressed? I think it's because the last few years have been so tumultuous that the idea of happiness sounds like such a distant memory. Is this the calm before the storm or did I finally come out the other side of this whole thing? Forcing myself to put that to side, I woke up today, thankful for another day... I smiled my way through a shift at work, and came home to work on some other passion projects and spend time with family. It's not perfect but there's a balance to it, right? My brother Supastition said something to me during the rollout of one of the projects (and I'll paraphrase), "No matter how this album goes, I'm still gonna get up and go to work on Monday." Those words resonate and caused a shift in perspective for me. We can be happy; we can celebrate small victories and all that, but be prepared to get up tomorrow and get back to it. I also think about my brother Praverb, who passed on - what he wouldn't give and what his family wouldn't give for one more day... I can't waste it focussing on the wrong things. Anyhow, that's today's daily post, hope everyone is doing well and I'll let you know what I'm listening to tomorrow. Happy Born Day to Talib Kweli, Black Thought, Asap Rocky and more. Below is a song I've been listening to from Coney Island's NEMS, "Go Fish," where he says, "I wanna tell you that you worth it, right there where you are / Everything that's in your past don't define who you are / It's a new day, and you can choose to do whatever you want / 'Cause the Devil is a liar with the cleverest fronts / You gotta make it happen, so people know what your lifе meant / You don't wanna be 60 wondering whеre your life went / Homie, you gotta make a plan and then bubble / 'Cause there's nobody that's gonna hold your hand when you struggle." Amen to that! Peace and Love. - Sav One.

The Day I Fell Off... Kinda!

With J-Live's "The Day I Fell Off" on repeat in the background, I acknowledge that I've fallen off a lot... I can't remember the last time I consistently posted to my Instagram account, logged into Twitter and I've never even bothered to settle into a Tik Tok account (I'm happy about that decision, by the way). However, little do some of you know - ok, none of you know this - I do still create drafts in my blogger platform to one day edit and post to this site. Sometimes, like is the case today, they get backlogged and sometimes I'll make a post live that was started two months ago. Then poof, there'll be a bunch of posts that you missed, because I went back and completed them. Yup, for the sake of continuity I still try to create a new blog post every day, you just might have to go back if it wasn't live on that exact date. Fortunately the drafts keeps a fairly decent record of things, as long as I don't f#ck around with it too much (which I've mistakenly done once or twice). All that said, if you've been curious what I've been listening to or thinking about musically, you can go back in the archives and check it out. I'm almost caught up, but not quite! There's also a bunch of new items going live on the Hip Hop Nostalgia online store shortly: new books, pins, posters, and more. When you do it because you want to, the rules kinda go out the window... ok?!?!

PSA: Posts On The Site Are Now Archived By Year

Towards the end of 2020, I read through a bunch of year-end lists that were circulating around the internet... I wasn't surprised at most of the records that were championed by mainstream media. Some of my favorite podcasts had lists of their own that I respected, too. I'd briefly considered doing one of my own, but quickly got discouraged by the amount of projects I'd have to consider for the list, but just as quickly I felt a sense of relief - why? - because nobody cares what I think! lol. All year round, I share the projects that I'm listening to and enjoying, you already know all most of the projects I think you should check out! But - and this is the reason for this post - I realized, years from now, it'll be harder to isolate the albums I post by year, because I didn't create tags for the archives. A major oversight, in my opinion. So, over the last few days, I've attempted to go through all the posts and add the year in the tags. So... if you wanna know all the content related to 1990 or 2020, you can click the appropriate tag. Sure, I probably messed up a bunch by error or pure laziness, but I did my best. If a mixtape was made in 2020 that was a Best of 1995 mix, I probably tagged it 1995 or if it's a golden era mix, I may have made it 199x, which just means its all-90s. It's not a flawless system, I know, but now that it's in place, I can tweak it and make it better over time. Also, I can see which years were the most influential and add ideas for what else to share. Oh, and don't forget, the Hip-Hop Nostalgia Store is still OPEN... lotsa random nostalgia. Thank you for all of the support! I hope to add some new items in the next month or two!

PSA: The Hip-Hop Nostalgia Online Store

A shameless plug ... much thanks to all the readers and those of you who happened to stumble upon this site or the Hip-Hop Nostalgia online store. I've been blessed to have a healthy customer base since the store opened in July, 2018. I've done my absolute best to keep the site stocked with unique items and stuff that I really feel people would enjoy. At one point, I even had the DJ Premier Nike Air Force 1 Low sneakers for a lucky customer who was happy to cop them. Mostly, it's posters and pins; stickers and books - items of that nature. Anyhow, when I first posted about the store, I said how long it would stay open was really dependent on the support it received so for it to still be open in the summer of 2020 is a true testament to how y'all have held me down. The sudden passing of my mother was hard on me in 2018, but it was made just a lil' easier thanks to each of you. Thank you. The photos below are from a happy customer and the pic above was a custom bundle I put together for a Wu-Tang Clan fan. You can visit the online store HERE. Peace and Love. 

Reminder: Follow Me On Instagram: @DJ_Sav_One

A(nother) rare plug ... I should clearly be doing this more often! Don't forget to follow me on my Instagram page for promotional items and stickers; tapes, videos and vinyl - whatever else I feel like sharing on there! If I were smart, I'd link my posts directly to/from this site, but that doesn't feel authentic to me. I'd rather post directly and control the look and feel of everything. Anyhow, above and below are a few scattered images I've shared to my IG, and randomly selected to share here. These two worlds don't overlap as much as my IG and my online store. I communicate often with people between those pages, but very rarely do I get messages or comments from people that also read this site. Perhaps because I don't ever share links from here? Duh. Anyhow, if you see content on my IG that you think would make for an interesting post or you have questions, hit me up HERE. 

PSA: Why "Blog" In 2019?

For kids old enough to remember Doogie Howser... you remember how every episode ended with the lil' dunn at his computer, sharing a journal entry. When people ask why I have a music journal in 2019, I say it's just something I try to do (at least) once a day, to keep track of the new music I'm listening to and share memories and information about artists I came up enjoying. It's entirely possible to put energy into something and not be married to - or measure - the results of its impact. I don't tweet out links; I don't police people that borrow content for their own purposes; I don't have the link in my bio and I genuinely don't think much about it beyond wanting to leave Google something behind that reflects what Hip-Hop has meant to me over the years. I've been doing this off and on for 15 years, long before blogs were cool, and now, it seems, long after it's beneficial to have such a labor of love. If you weren't outside at the time, maybe this site doesn't generate the same level of nostalgia for you that it does for me. That's okay. I try not to be too mindful of others reading these posts, or else the lizard brain might keep me from sharing anything at all. Anyhow, I hope that answers the question of WHY I'm still blogging. Now you can move on to more pressing questions, like, why is Jadakiss as hard as it gets? If you've got other questions, let me know, and in the meantime, I hope that you enjoy the content on the site. It'll be our lil' secret.

The Offical Hip-Hop Nostalgia E-Store Is Now Open!

I was hesitant to do it, and maybe it won't last long - who knows - but the official Hip-Hop Nostalgia online store is now open for business. I do not have infinite shelf space, so all items should be considered limited edition, get 'em while you can. I have done my best to make the highest quality available and offer the lowest shipping + bundles, but the website only allows me but so much room to communicate certain options, so if you want something customized or the cost seems too high for you, just contact me directly and we'll work something out. I'm online at @DJ_Sav_One and the website is HERE via Big Cartel. We'll see how this goes, your support will help determine that to a great degree. All sales go to legal and medical fees surrounding the tragic death of my mom earlier this year. It's 100% out of necessity, so if this doesn't work, I'll definitely have to focus energy elsewhere, so yeah, hit me up with any feedback or ideas, or anything else to help make it work. Peace and thanks to everyone that has reached out and offered support. Salute.

Rest In Peace, Mom.

My mom died today ... I'm trying to find the words, when even the feelings are foreign to me. Sigh. I've never felt hurt like this before. A lot of things don't feel fair at times in our lives, mostly it's our own preparation; decisions that could have gone another way or just a stroke of bad luck - it comes and goes. This, is something else. My mom was perfectly healthy a month ago. Yes, she had physical pain, but the same residual pain she'd had since the 90s when we were both struck by a truck on a street corner in Queens. I mean healthy in terms of her vital signs and body operating as it should. An infection was wrongly introduced to her body and she got very sick; she spent a month fighting it in the hospital and today we had to pull the plugs. She'd had several strokes at the hospital and it was at a point where her heart and her lungs were causing her more pain than we could bear to watch her experience. This whole ordeal has tested my faith to new limits, and has left me even more confused. We've been through too much for me to understand why God would allow her to suffer this way. I know that life must go on - death is a natural part of life - but the details I'm leaving out are what make this all so hard to swallow. I love you, Mom. Rest In Peace. I'll see you when I get there. I will not be doing a public GoFundMe, but hit me to help support. Sidenote: I was oddly thankful to have this site to post at through all of this - conversations about music took my mind off everything else. Constants are always a comfort in difficult times. Anyway...

DJ Sav One - A Rare ReIntroduction

This industry is tough for an introvert like me to navigate. I'm simply not willing to do what it takes to become part of the "in-crowd" ... I mean, especially for myself. On behalf of my artists, I stretch myself a bit to accommodate the needs of the industry and I do my best to make sure their efforts are seen and heard. Still, am I gonna cold call people all day? No. Go to networking events and shake every hand in the room, doing these bullshit listening parties? Not so much. Even a blog like this, people may find it on Google or an occasional (rare) link I'll share, but I don't EVER go out of my way to discuss it. So, if posting slows down, it means I'm working on other music things, but I can still be reached on social media. Hit me! You'll catch me making the most of the few words I speak. 

Puff Daddy "A Message To The DJ" (Video, 2009)

In Feb, 2009, Puff Daddy shared a video blog called A Message To The DJ, where he said: "The DJ introduced me to Hip-Hop... The DJ took my pain away... The DJ made me dream... The DJ made me forget about my surroundings; my financial state; what society had planned for me... The DJ created hip-hop... The DJ exposed me to things; sounds and visions that I never thought existed... Every DJ had their own style; their own journey they'd take you on... I wanna turn on the radio and get exposed to something fresh and something new. That's why we're all on the internet - we're in search of something new." Diddy closed it out with a reminder to all DJs, saying: "The DJ is and always will be responsible for Hip-Hop!" In today's climate, this is not only true of the DJ but bloggers and playlist curators, A&Rs at labels, etc. It's a responsibility we have to filter through the bullshit and find what speaks to us and amplify those sounds, visuals, and messages. I'm sure Puff wasn't in clubs where J.Rocc or DJ Jazzy Jeff were spinning, so he wasn't speaking for ALL DJs, but there's a reason that The Breakfast Club is broadcasted in countless markets and why geography and regional sound plays such a minor role in music today. It's all the same playlist! It's just some food for thought and something I've continued to consider as I curate this website. The full video message from Puff Daddy is below... Oh, and Happy Birthday to me, Black Thought, and Talib Kweli!

Thank You, Praverb The Wyse.

Reflecting on our brother, Praverb the Wyse, in the back of my mind today. He still inspires me! Even in his absence, he gave me something to aspire to with how he humbly carried himself and brought light to others. Over the years, we’d spoken on e-mail and social media countless times and I always knew that if I made a suggestion, shared a vision or championed an artist, he would go to great lengths to carry that vision forward - whether I knew it or not. To me, that made him twice the man I ever was, because I always shy’d away from things, and I knew he was a torch-bearer for ideas I’d leave lost in a notepad. I am sorry that he didn’t hear that from me (more) directly; it’s a reminder to celebrate the people behind the scenes that work tirelessly and selflessly to advance a culture that can be so thankless at times. I honor you only by becoming more like you; staying inspired, and by paying it forward for those to follow behind me/us. As he humbly once told me, "It will get better fam..." Rest In Peace, Earl Patrick McNease aka Praverb The Wyse... you are missed.

Allow Me To (Re)-Introduce Myself, My Name is SAV!

Greetings! I don't have any of the usual ice breakers, so let's jump right into it: Please think of this blog/journal of music and memories like you would a white label vinyl - judge the content by its quality and not by the name, features, the obvious simplicity of the site's layout, album artwork, etc. Give any content you're not familiar with a chance to surprise you, then follow the bread crumbs and see what you discover (via the labels/tags below each post, or your own Google searches). My hope is that this will be a space that provides a certain feeling... whether it's "Mecca & The Soul Brother" or "Below The Heavens" or ??? ... it's less about old or new... it's that feeling that I'm always searching for in music. I don't trust algorithms, I'm from the diggin' in the crates generation, so who knows what I may dig up and share here (past, present or future nostalgia). On a personal note, I currently work as an artist manager and publicist; DJ, and I'm also an alumni of Fat Beats, New York. I've had a few blogs over the years, starting back in '05, all similar to what I envision for this 'site' ... for better or worse. If you'd like to build in the comments, or on social media, hit me up! Thank you - in advance - for reading and being a supporter of good music! Niche, from '78 til... I hope that you enjoy the daily snapshots of what's on my mind, and in my tape-deck. - DJ Sav One (Update, 2018: I opened an online Nostalgia shop, please visit it HERE for various COOL 'ish + some co-signs below...)