It’s a simple yet sublime pleasure, and just thinking about it can make you feel a little calmer, a little more content. Imagine: You bring out one of the good rocks glasses (or your favorite mug or a special occasion tea cup) and pour a couple fingers of amber liquid (or something dark and strong or just some whole milk). You drop the needle on the jazz platter (or pull up a blues album on your mp3 player or dig out that mixtape from college). Ensconcing yourself in the coziest seat in the house, you crack the spine on a classic (or find your place in that sci-fi paperback or pull up a biography on your e-book reader). And then, you go away for a while. Ah, bliss.
In this series, some of NTSIB’s friends share beloved albums, books and drinks to recommend or inspire.
I first wrote about Chris Clarke back in August; I liked him then (and now) because his songs capture the feeling of wandering through a party, bouncing between conversations and the dance floor and the secret smokers nook on the roof.
This is his latest video, for Beads, from his most recent release, the handpicked. It is about exactly what it says on the tin: beads. Specifically bead necklaces. In addition to Clarke, it features BEATS ME singing the hook, and is really awesome and funky and I love it.
http://youtu.be/CHEUxd4cp0o
And now here is Mr. Clarke to tell us about a favorite book, record and drink:
A Good Read
I could go easy and say Khalil Gibran The Prophet, or Paulo Coehlo The Alchemist or Herman Hesse Siddhartha, but I’ll go with the next best thing . . . which is better to me in some ways. This good book would be the Tao of Wu by RZA.
I recommend it to people who enjoy all that and more. It has eye-opening philosophies and mind-blowing quotes which draw from wisdoms across the world from different times. In only a few pages you may get a Chinese mythological tale with a moral, a quote from an American industrial innovator from the 20th century… as well as jewels from holy books, chess strategies and discussion of artistic methods etc. The book got tons of information from a multitude of sources most intelligent people haven’t looked at. So off the top it’s brain food.
THEN, you also get all kinds of action. Ghetto project stories involving crime and danger and other fascinating elements that lock you in like these new shows people stay home to watch. The best thing is that these stories are shared only as lessons. As exciting as they are, they’re only revealed if they are part of an equation he wants to demonstrate for you to grasp. There is no gratuitous violence in the book. No hip hop celebrity gossip just to make noise. There is also tons of hip hop nostalgia which reads so lovely. His presence during the formative years and him recounting the vibes he felt and activities he participated in is soul food to a true head in this culture.
The thing though that inspires me the most is the passages about his determination to manifest his visions. He paints a picture well of himself channeling his energies to create and orchestrate his biggest gift to the world, The Wu Tang Clan. Anyone determined to form a powerhouse could benefit from his words. He is truly an enlightened man. All that and bits about his personal life make it that much more personal and actual. I fondly remember reading portions of this book on the deck of a boat during a storm at night! I also bought a copy for a friend and plan to do that again.
A Good Listen
The Nonce, World Ultimate. I recently tweeted “Nothing tops this album in terms of creative rap that u are automatically a G for even knowing about it”
I’m not big on comparisons but they’re like a West Coast Digable Planets but with more emphasis on rhyme styles. They weren’t on that bohemian vibe but musically they definitely had some earthy dare i say acid jazzy shit, but its from south central and it was hard! The beats ALL knock. Rick Rubin signed them if that helps you to want to hear what I’m saying…
A Good Drink
Water with lemon in it. get your alkaline up!