Couch Wisdom

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Questlove Feb 12, 2018

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Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is a living link between the digital science of modern hip hop and the flesh-and-blood textures of vintage R&B. He's helped shape the sound of neo-soul with The Roots, the house band for Jimmy Fallon’s late night show, and the Soulquarians with D’Angelo, A Tribe Called Quest and the late Jay Dee. In this lecture at the 2013 Red Bull Music Academy, Questlove returned to the couch for a deep dive into drumming, Dilla and D’Angelo.

George Clinton Feb 05, 2018

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Music as we know it would look a lot different (and less colorful) without the contributions of George Clinton. From his early musical beginnings at Motown, he went on to form the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, two of the most important groups of the 1970s. As part of the Red Bull Music Academy Festival New York in 2015, the king of P-Funk sat down for a rare, intimate chat about his momentous life and career.

Holly Herndon Jan 29, 2018

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Holly Herndon is obsessed with the intersection between mind, body and technology. Her music tackles her complicated relationship with the internet, the NSA, Max/MSP software, and her own voice; creating a unique brand of cyber-pop that is both academic and dancefloor-ready. In this talk at the 2014 Red Bull Music Academy in Tokyo she discusses self-sampling, growing up in the Bible Belt and real-time emotions.

Dev Hynes Jan 22, 2018

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Liberation of soul and mind is essential to the work of Dev Hynes. In addition to crafting socially-minded R&B as Blood Orange, he's worked with artists ranging from Solange Knowles and Nelly Furtado to David Byrne, Grace Jones and Kindness. In his lecture at the 2016 Red Bull Music Academy in Montreal, Hynes talks about his fascination with found sound, working with female voices and what it means to be a black classical music fan.

Q-Tip Jan 15, 2018

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As a member of A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip helped shape the sound of hip-hop in the '90s. The group became a blueprint for MCs looking to balance the literate and the absurd, as well as producers searching for the perfect break. In his 2013 lecture at the Red Bull Music Academy in New York, he talks recording with the likes of Nas and J Dilla, and how to make music that stands out from the crowd.

Matana Roberts Jan 08, 2018

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Chicago-born saxophonist Matana Roberts’ Coin Coin series – named after a freed slave and businesswoman – openly questions the American jazz tradition while paying homage to it. In her lecture at the 2016 Red Bull Music Academy, Roberts discusses the evolution of her practice, her struggles as an artist, and the stories and ideas that are feeding the Coin Coin project.
Interview by Anupa Mistry
Produced and engineered by Frank Westerkamp and Denis Hürter

Ice-T Jan 01, 2018

Show notes

Ice-T introduced himself as one of the West Coast’s most electrifying rappers. He recorded a string of classic hip-hop albums in the late ’80s, broadening his palette with the infamous Body Count project. He’s now the longest running black actor on television with his role in SVU. In this rare conversation at the 2017 Red Bull Music Academy Festival Los Angeles, Ice-T retraced his steps from becoming an artist to finding new ways to challenge himself.
Interview by Jeff “Chairman” Mao

Jam & Lewis Dec 25, 2017

Show notes

Meeting in the ’70s Minneapolis music scene that produced Prince, songwriting and production duo Jam & Lewis have crafted classics for Janet Jackson, Human League, George Michael, Usher, Mary J. Blige and more. In their lecture at the 2016 Red Bull Music Academy,the pair revealed some of the secrets behind making hit records and staying relevant.
Interview by Jeff “Chairman” Mao
Produced and engineered by Frank Westerkamp and Denis Hürter

Jah Shaka Dec 18, 2017

Show notes

Jah Shaka’s legendary dubs, spiritual message and chest-rattling soundsystem symbolise a deep meaning in sound. Coming from Jamaica to London in the late ’50s, his young life was embedded within the black British immigrant experience. Having toured the world with his message of love, tolerance and spirituality, Shaka's 2014 lecture at the Red Bull Music Academy in Tokyo remains a truly special one.
Interview by Benji B
Produced and engineered by Frank Westerkamp and Denis Hürter

Kindness Dec 11, 2017

Show notes

Pop singer and producer Kindness has a deep understanding of how music ties into identity and ways of seeing the world. Having collaborated with Dev Hynes, Kelela, Robyn and more, his outlook on how musical cultures inform one another is a breath of fresh air in an often-stifling world. In this lecture from the 2015 Red Bull Music Academy in Paris, his stories on identity, bigotry and the music business prove touching for musicians and non-musicians alike.

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