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Shuffled! is a column appearing most Thursdays here on BPRLive. Each column, we welcome someone from the API* community to share some thoughts about the music they listen to. Check out the Shuffled! archive for past articles.

This week’s guest: Pushkar Sharma of the BROWNSTAR REVOLUTION

THE NORTH STAR is one-half of the spoken-word duo, BROWNSTAR, and captain of THE BROWNSTAR REVOLUTION reppin Cambridge, MA.  Pushkar has a broad background in theatre on and offstage, recently producing THE REVOLUTION’s production of UNIFICATION: A DEMONSTRATION FOR PEACE in New York City, an event that brought together a variety of South-Asian performers for a joint celebration of the Pakistani and Indian Independence days.

As a playwright his poetry-infused play, Midnite’s Vultures, which depicts two Indian-American poets’ visit to an American-Indian graveyard (and their resulting exploration of identity, history, and peyote), was produced by Chicago’s Rasaka Theatre company in August and September 2009.  Pushkar’s directorial work on the South African ghost story, Ipi Zombi?, was hailed by St. Louis’ River Front Times as “a stunning release of imagery and color… the kind of event that makes our preconceptions about theatre seem restrictive and even irrelevant…. [it] ignores conventions and expands the possibilities of imagination.”  As an actor he has trained at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, and performed in a variety of contemporary and classical works.

Pushkar feeds his artistic mind with his work in the nonprofit sector, currently working at Bridgespan, a nonprofit strategy organization, and India’s largest education NGO, Pratham. He is a proud member of the Boston Progress crew.

Ready to shuffle? Okay, let’s go!

Yo Kids,
NEVER has BPR seen a Shuffled column like this.
Get ready to get Ecleftic.
Get ready to journey into the mind of a VILLAIN.
Disagree? Well then get ready for Kanye to curse you out in front of the free world.
As THE NORTH STAR presents… a shuffling of the sickest music collection on the planet (or at least in his apartment).

“Tojo Told Hitler” from A Ass Pocket of Whiskey
R.L. Burnside

RL Burnside is an electric blues pioneer/genius and a man who knows how to entertain, croon, and confuse with his rock and blues. His versatile work hits so many of the right dimensions that I’ve thrown him on when I’ve needed to rock out, mourn, dance, or to set the mood for a female companion…  This album—yeah you read it right, it’s “A” not “an” Ass Pocket of Whiskey—is one of Burnside’s most experimental.  ”Tojo Told Hitler” demonstrates that, as the track features RL inexplicably telling a tale of a transcontinental phone call between Emperor Hideki Tojo and Adolf Hitler who answers with “no hat on his head, no shoes on his feet, and his heart beating like steel.”  RL drops some spoken word, threatens to kick someone’s ass, but most importantly puts on a damn entertaining show.  RIP RLB, hope that you’re in heaven, sitting down.

“Ghettochip Malfunction [8-Bit Remix]” off Guerolito
Beck

Beck is my guy.  I’m addicted to his sick new website (Beck.com) and all the beautiful trash he uncovers.  I’d follow him into a musical volcano (hey, I’ve even followed him into electronica; traditionally South Star territory), and his 2005 Guerolito (a remix album off his 2005 Guero) proves that it’s worth the risk.  ”Ghettochip Malfunction,” 8-Bit’s remix of “Hell Yes,” not only significantly improves on the original, but does so while creating a sustainable, catchy-ass hook using Gameboy game samples.  The fact that Beck made Guerolito and signed up 8-Bit for the “Hell Yes” remix represents Beck at his avant-garde best. As for his avant-garde religious beliefs… all hail L.Ron Hubbard!

“It Ain’t Me Babe”
Johnny Cash/June Carter

Well, didn’t think this one was going to pop up…. Hmmm… I have deep respect for Johnny Cash.  What I like most about the Man in Black is that the guy was fucking real.  Damn.  He contrasts an upbeat tempo and melody with bleak, tragic lyrics.  I never felt like he spoke a false word (almost the opposite of today’s pop idols…).  He told it like it was for him, and when you throw on his gravely, aggressive delivery and driven guitar, his lyrics pierce the heart even deeper. All of that is true of this song in which Cash and Carter sing “You say you’re lookin’ for someone/ to pick you up each time you fall/ to gather flowers constantly/ and to come each time you call/ and will love you for your life/ and nothin’ more/ but it ain’t me babe/ no, no, no/ it ain’t me babe/ it ain’t me you’re lookin’ for.”  Can you imagine telling someone that?  Damn… the man was hard.

“Bitties in the BK Lounge” off De La Soul is Dead
De La Soul

Ohhhh “Bitties in the BK lounge.”  The cultural implications of this song.  I’m pretty sure Burger King tried to spin a marketing campaign off this title, and Dane Cook scored major points off it too (read more about the epitimology of the phrase on urban dictionary).  What I like about this song, is what I love about De La, is the fact that it is a part of a whole, that they would build albums as coherent pieces of art, a gallery of exhibitions with a common thread instead of simply a vehicle to packages singles.  What’s impressive is the number of themes and storylines that span this album and crossover into their other works; to me that is true craft and artistry.  Their bold and blatant theatricality and use of storytelling is something that also appeals to the playwright/storyteller/BROWNSTAR in me. My favorite diss on this track?  ”Well… aren’t we living foul? / Speaking of fowl, how about some chicken for the cow./ Oops I meant you,/ sorry for the mixup, but your stomach’s always big/ due to sexual slip-ups.” viva de la.

“Stars” off Hush
Yo-Yo Ma/Bobby McFerrin

If I could choose one song to fall asleep to every night for the rest of my life, this would be it.  What a lush, lyrical, warm, comforting world they create here.  A combination of Yo-Yo Ma’s silky cello and McFerrin’s gentle and stable vocals create an environment that pours like water over your body.  I cannot over-emphasize how soothing this track is; to me it exudes and encourages mindfulness and reconciliation.  Every time I hear it, it succeeds at making me reassess the possibilities of this world and my place in it.  It illuminates the big questions while reminding you that finding their answers are unnecessary; to see them and recognize the wonder and beauty of this present moment is enough. This shit is spiritual.

Pour one out for those who didn’t make the shuffle… particularly DOOM, Serge Gainsbourg, Wyclef, MIA, Madlib, Isaac Hayes, AR Rahman, Gorillaz, Gil Scott-Heron, the White Stripes, Black Star, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Wu-Tang, and ICPJK.

Last 5 posts by shuffled

• Shuffled! Pen Khek Chear - November 25th, 2009
• Shuffled! Maanav Thakore - November 19th, 2009
• Shuffled! Jerry Ma - August 13th, 2009
• Shuffled! Tanzila Ahmed - August 6th, 2009
• Shuffled! Slanty - July 30th, 2009