Mac Genius?

The following post is 100% geek certified:

I'm feeling rather accomplished these days. Not because of the tons of projects that are finally seeing the light of day - but I hacked open not one but TWO Macs recently - and lived to tell the tale. I'm no slouch when it comes to building and or fixing a computer, but Macs have to be the most tightly designed when it comes to layout and design. Those aesthetics aren't easy to come by - each component is snuggly packed and related to the next. You take out one part, you're taking out ten. Fortunately, all those years playing "Operation" paid off.

First I was able to recover a drive that I thought was dead ages ago. Benefit? Hours of footage saved, and a reason to build my internal storage up to nearly 1 terabyte. In the words of Michael Gardner "Ballin. Ass."

Secondly, well Val dropped her laptop...again. This time it wasn't as simple as fixing the DC power input...or reseating the CPU (yea that was *real fun*). This time the LCD cracked with a pretty little flowery pattern that rendered all 15" of beauty useless. How much would it cost to repair via Apple. $1,000. Actual cost when you have a Mac Genius on tap = $300. And to top it off I added a nice snazzy neon green touch to the backlight on the cover. Call it Granny Apple. Maybe I'll start a company "Pimp your Mac". Nah - nevermind apparently its been done.

Muh.Sin.Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

I don't blog much - but that's in part because there is rarely anyone that inspires me to blog. Not today. Straight inspiring sounds like a fresh breath of air from Musinah.

Credit to MJ Zilla who was speculating, then raving about Muhsinah before anyone else I know. In fact she was the only person I knew that was raving about her - but she's usually ahead of the curb like that. Said conversation went like so:

Sometime in 2005/06
Mec: "So who do you think she sounds like?"

Me: "Black Bjork"

Mec: "You so ignorant."

Me: "Nah, I'm just kiddin. Georgia Anne Muldrow. 100% - what's wrong with Black Bjork? That swan shit was dope."

Mec: "Yep - and nope."

Me: "Methinks someone is bitin'...but who...who came out first?"

Mec: "Nah, I don't think its like that."

Me: "Aight, but seriously how in the hell can you have two chics on some ethereal self production shit - both sounding equally sublime. I mean what are the chances?"

Mec: "Go to her myspace. You listened to 'Millions' yet?"

Me: "Oop! ok. I see now - Muhsinah's loops more repetitive

Mec: "Construction?!? - What?

Me: " More hip hop, not quite tho - damn when she comin out?!

Mec: "I'msayin!"

Not that being compared to Georgia Anne Muldrow is a bad thing...in fact it's a great compliment to any contemporary artist, since most people don't have that level of command for creativity. But the downside is you have to stake your identity and fight being pigeonholed or as a "biter". But as soon as that first clap, loop, and/or sample hits you its clear Muhsinah's sound is exquisitely her own. Channeling her inner DillajeedLib (you figure it out) Muhsinah creates her own lush mesh of drums and claps, and *actually plays instruments*. You know those things that either belong to the string, woodwind, percussion, or brass family? To quote Muhsinah "I found a harp that I liked and I used that". Seriously how many cats you know just find a harp through some form of divine intervention and just rock it into a lovely opening track (see "A.M.") or nonchalantly work nice latin jazz groove intro for head nodder like "Only and Always"?

Oh and she sings too (see "Millions"). Basically a surreal/ethereal concoction and infinite source of inspiring samples, loops, vocals, and anything else she chooses to weave. Even more tantalizing the transitions and snippets between tracks which could make for an interesting mashup with a rumored 08' release coming.

So fast forward 1.5 years. Muhsinah's out. Album is Day.Break. On Mec's label. How Mec sees and thenceforth controls the future I have not the slightest fuckin idea. Is "thenceforth" a word? I dunno, but all 27.3 minutes of Day.Break have been playing in my iTunes, iPods, and iCars an uncounted number of rotations. Seriously if you're not breaking your days open with Day.Break...well to be frank, sh*tty day for you.

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