萬能俠/OTHERWISE. PHARRELL WILLIAMS

Pharrell_SG

訪問/INTERVIEW:SPITZ
撰文/CN:ESSY CHIU

來自美國維珍尼亞洲的超級巨星Pharell Williams,早在兒時便與好友Chad Hugo組成樂隊Neptunes,同時又與另一友人Shay Harley組成另一個組合N.E.R.D.,在1990年代出道時已開始引人注目。出道至今日,他已涉足至時裝、藝術、影視界,今年甚至變身成作家,與著名出版社Rizzoli推出名為《Places & Spaces I’ve Been》的書籍,誓要在出版界大展拳腳。我們與 Skateboard P(Williams的別名)做了一次專訪。

You don’t recognize this man? That rock your under must be comfortable, dark, and soundproof. Pharrell Williams mofo! His proficiency in producing the hits is perhaps only surpassed by his prolific output. I don’t have enough appendages to list of what he has done, and done successfully. Just to let you know we were able to sit down and chat with him as he was in Hong Kong to promote his book, ‘Places and Spaces I’ve Been’, from publisher, Rizzoli.

(English continued after the Chinese)

SPITGAN – Pharell你有其他較少人知道的別名嗎?
PHARRELL – Golden Bones、Megatron。

SG – 好,我們就由Nothing開始說起。(Nothing 是N.E.R.D.近期的音樂大牒)
P – Yes sir。這張大牒當中有3首歌其實我是頗討厭的,因為我覺得像是被置在一個主要音樂廠牌經常遇到的局面──電臺的人總想找一些適合在電臺播放的歌曲。但N.E.R.D.從來不是一個會配合電臺的樂隊,我們大部分時間都是在一些音樂節或現場演出。這是一張為樂迷度身訂做,而不是去配合電臺而妥協、變得商業化的大牒。除了那3首歌,當中有很多歌曲,像《Inside the Clouds》、《Help ME》、《God Blessed Us All》、《Life As A Fish》我都十分喜歡。

SG – 他們把你迫得很緊嗎?
P – 也不是,但已經令這張大牒留下一些污點。我仍覺得那是一張很具水準的大牒。特別是《Like a Fish》,當中可以看到你們的大躍進。我們知道所有事物都是一個迴圈。這是Hippies回歸的日子,是時候去表達自我。我們看到這個日子的來臨,對於能夠成為首幾個提倡者我感到十分驕傲。

SG – 你為Neptunes創作的第一首歌曲是什麼?
P – 與Blackstreet及Teddy Riley合作的《Tonight’s the Night》,那是我們的第一首佳作。

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放音樂/MUSIC IS PLAYING

Big Punisher ft. Noreaga – You Came Up

討論/CRACKER BARREL : RAKIM VS BIG DADDY KANE

一個恆久定律-意見是沒有分對與錯。最近回味經典,分別聽了RAKIM 和 BIG DADDY KANE的歌,最後得出的結論是Rakim是比較好。第一;Rakim有Eric B這位戰友。雖然沒有太多的功勞給Eric B,但聽他們的歌時,你可聽到Eric B的功力有幾強!獨特的風格、音樂氣氛使 Rakim更上一層。而Kane在歌詞上著手,以歌詞對抗Rakim。除了歌詞之外,歌曲都不及Rakim。就好像Eric B的”Welcome to the Terrordome”的真實內容,節奏感重,使人們在舞池上的手不會放下。在音樂製作上,這首曲是難以相比。就是如此,他們的獨特使他們還能在這舞台上。

另外一個有趣的觀點,就是Rakim的造型比較好。不知道?那你要看看這個音樂特輯’Move the Crowd’就會知道吧。

駁斥1:
BIG DADDY KANE的舞群很厲害,其他人不能比較。

駁斥2:
BIG DADDY KANE的饒舌比較好,有自己獨特的風格。

(文章 #108)

One for eternity; heated arguments in barbershops and street corners. Recently listening to the classics from both, a few points entered my mind that convinced me that Rakim IS the better of the two. The main point being, Rakim had Eric B. Not a lot of credit has been thrown Eric B.’s way, but listening to their cuts, damn! B really crafted a unique, aggressive soundscape perfect for Rakim. Kane had lyrics to go blow for blow with the R, but in terms of tracks and songs? I gots to give it to Rakim. It was like Eric B. was on some Public Enemy, ‘Welcome to the Terrordome’ ish before them! Real dense, funky and made for hard steppin’ to dancefloors. That production settles it for me. Its the tracks that can’t compare. The uniqueness of them still stand today. They sound modern, and you perk the F’up when they come on.

Other interesting point to this arguement. Rakim had the stylee down, no? Look at what homes and PNC B. were rockin’ in videos like, ‘Move the Crowd’ (DAAAMN! That Nike track suit?!), the cover of, ‘Follow the Leader’. Off the chains.

COUNTERPOINT :

Scoop and Scrap were nobody to F with at all.

COUNTERPOINT 2 :

Can it be said Kane had the more versatile, varied flow?

(post #108)

辉/CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE : SADAT X

嘩!這是第二首詩!文字世界!
WHOOO…That second verse! Word life.

真/CURIOSO. WILL SMITH

家長其實不需要明白什麼,他們只要管好就行了。

-威爾·史密斯在Oprah Winfrey 360(奥普拉·溫弗瑞360)節目中說

Parents don’t have to understand. They’re in charge.

– Will Smith on Oprah Winfrey 360