Paris-Philly Lockdown

From the rock-rap collaboration between Run-DMC and Aerosmith to Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and his 60 piece orchestra’s rendition of hits produced by the late great J. Dilla, hip hop has often been fused with other genres of music. On Sunday, Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson of the Legendary Roots Crew presented the original work, Paris-Philly Lockdown, at the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall. This performance is part of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, which takes place through May 1, 2011.

The inspiration for Paris-Philly Lockdown came from a period early in the Roots’ professional career. En route to Japan for a gig that was later cancelled, the starving artists found themselves stranded in Paris. Anyone who has ever been to the City of Light knows there aren't many places in this world that a musician could receive more inspiration. From the street performers at Sacré-Coeur Basilica to the numerous jazz clubs, walking the streets of Paris can re-energize the most dispirited individual.

I expected the show to be similar to Miguel Atwood-Ferguson's Suite For Ma Dukes (see below) but it was not that by any stretch of the imagination. ?uestlove, Keren Ann, and a host of elite classical musicians performed their interpretation of classical works by Stravinsky, Debussy, Satie and Ravel. I am not a professional music critic; my only claim to classical fame is a course that I was required to take in undergrad to graduate from The Honors Program. With that said, I felt like Paris-Philly Lockdown was the flawless synthesis of classical and jazz with a few bass heavy drum lines intertwined. Simply put, it was stunning.

Following the show, there was an after party in the Perelman Theater. Diversity is not a cultural norm in Philly. While there are a lot of people from various ethnic groups in the city, it is rarity to see everyone partying together. In the middle of the melting pot that simmered in the Kimmel Center, a group of b-boys started the party while DJ AfroDJiak and ?uest spun on the one's and two's. Yes, they were pop lockin' and breakin' in the Kimmel Center!! It must have been surreal for the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts alum to perform classical compositions in his hometown at such an illustrious venue. Being a musician, producer, journalist, and DJ, ?uestlove is a modern day renaissance man. And on this night, he brought all segments of Philadelphia together with the beat of a drum.



It sounds cliche but as I travel back to DC, I realize there's no place like home. Although I grew up 20 miles away in South Jersey, Philly helped raised me. From posting up on South Street on hot summer nights to staying after hours in the cadaver lab on North Broad Street, the blue collar energy is infused in my soul. My grandfather spent countless hours cleaning the halls of Drexel University so his children could be awarded a better life through the vehicle we call an education. A few decades later, I received a doctorate from the same university my father graduated from the year I was born. As a child, I never quite understood why my extended family would attend award ceremonies for nursery school graduations but I finally get it. Whether I am in the Kimmel Center listening to classical music arranged by a hip hop drummer, hiking through the rainforests in Colombia, or tasting Hennessey fresh out of oak barrels in Cognac, France, the path that I walk upon has been laid down by my ancestors. My family and friends live through my experiences and vice versa. And although I may walk alone, I am never lonely because within me is the ‘blood of a slave, heart of a king.’

The Score

Address by Curren$y feat Stalley

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson & The Suite for Ma Dukes Orchestra – Untitled/Fantastic

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson & The Suite for Ma Dukes Orchestra – Stakes Is High