Filipino “Master Rapper,” former breaker and acclaimed photographer Francis Magalona passed away a few days ago after a year-long battle with leukemia. Along with being at the forefront of the country’s rap scene, Magalona is also a national emblem as his music dealt with Filipino life and culture. He is survived by his wife and eight children, two of whom are also in entertainment. More »

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Though the Wiltern is a historic LA landmark (one of the last-standing art deco buildings) and is the home to some of the best concerts you can catch on the West Coast, it’s a mid-sized venue that’s not really conducive to a barrage of million-member pop groups. Amazingly enough, JYP and co. still managed to do their thing on the relatively small stage. From the Wonder Girls and their sweeping dance numbers to 2PM and their bboy acrobatics, the stage withstood the lovely assault. More »

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I’ve stopped counting how many times Mario Lopez has said, “Whoa-ho, Quest Crew… is on a quest!” Dimple’s overdone pun may be annoying, but it’s true. Although Quest Crew has comedy and good times down pat—just try to interview these guys without getting sucked into random and silly tangents, specifically by Dom—this is no careless road trip. These boys are on a mission. More »

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Hip Hop Decathlon…? Before I start whining, it’s not just me. Quest Crew’s Dom (aka D-Trix) saw it fit to point this out, too: you know a decathlon consists of ten different events, right? Well, if you didn’t know, now you do. But whoever comes up with the ABDC episode challenges should know better. Five challenges ≠ decathlon. Sigh… all vocabulary policing aside… More »

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What really defines 2PM from other dime-a-dozen idol groups is that while its members are clearly pretty boys, they also possess a slight grittiness that extends to their music itself. Both 2PM’s image and musical appeals are analogous to those of Justin Timberlake: while they officially fall under the category of boy bands and boy idols, their music has the ability to transcend beyond various genres. Most importantly, it’s the sort of music that isn’t only limited to one particular audience—from fan girls to top-forties fans to clubbers to music snobs to casual listeners, 2PM has got something for everyone to enjoy. More »

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This probably goes without saying, but JYP seriously knows what he’s doing. His first amuse-bouche, the Wonder Girls, has turned out to be a delicious five course meal, and now his new boy band protege, 2PM, is gunning for a hot new spot on the entree menu. 2PM encompasses not only vocal talent and sex appeal, but also a knack for both bboy acrobatics and aesthetics. More »

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I was scheduled to speak with Kenichi Ebina at 1:00pm. Unfortunately, I failed to factor in the fact that we live on opposite coasts, making my phone call three hours late! What was I thinking? [clearly, not enough] Fortunately, Ebina is an understanding fellow and graciously spoke with me whilst he drove and made a pit stop at the drive-thru. More »

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I’m always looking for music that has a real feel to it. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I like listening to the type of music where you don’t know the lyrics and you just like the beat; you’re just having a good time dancing and singing along with it. But most of the time, I want the music to move my soul and grab a hold of my heart and make me feel passion – whether it’s from hate, love, or sorrow – running throughout my veins. One day, I came across a musician-producer by the name of Taiyo Na. I bought his album Love Is Growth, which I love. I decided to talk to him about it and about his career. More »

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What a premiere… In terms of diversity of dancing, this episode had it all, whether it was Latin dance, crumpin’, flexin’ or clogging. While it was refreshing to see new acts, most of them floundered. For those who succeeded in episode one, a solid foundation in hip hop and bboy was key. Stomp and Riverdance may have their places in the dance world, but as far as being America’s Best Dance Crew, few of these specialized dances translated into wide, mainstream appeal. More »

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Over the years I have seen all kinds of musical talents from different parts of the country and the world. I love the ones that bring something new or something old with a fresh twist on it, not straying too much from the origin. One day I came across a guy on a website that was a music artist. He was very different from the average music artists in that he performed without any background music. The music was actually coming from within him. He himself was actually a musical instrument. I was amazed at his talent. He has fresh sounds, you can see the energy popping off of him, and he is fierce. His name is Jason Tom, a beat boxer from Honolulu, Hawai’i. I asked him if I could feature him in one of my blogs on this site. He was very shy and he agreed. Here follows his story. More »

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Taiyo Na, a 25-year old renaissance man of word, sound and action, released his first full-length solo album Love Is Growth in March of 2008 through Issilah Productions.

Influenced as much by Curtis Mayfield as it is Nas, Ben Harper or Chris Iijima, Love Is Growth is a blend of gritty New York hip-hop and classic American soul. Featuring collaborations with singers Vudoo Soul, Conchita Campos and Emily C. Chang, rapper/producer Koba, jazz violinist Jason Kao Hwang, guitarists Minimum Tek of Outernational and Mark Concerto of P.I.C. and more, the album is composed, arranged and produced entirely by Taiyo. Socially conscious, often funky and always personal, the album showcases the artist’s urgency, scope and depth through songs such as the champion’s anthem title track, the pulsating introduction “One More Time” and the ethereal rock-soul ballad “Take My Breath Away.” More »

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