WORDS BY KHALID STRICKLAND a.k.a. BLACK PACINO
PHOTOS BY SUNDIATA ACREE a.k.a. THA SNYPER
Jay-Z’s departure from Def Jam left Roc-A-Fella up for grabs, so Damon Dash commandeered the label and nominated Curren$y its flagship artist. Recently at the cavernous DD172 Studios, a multi-purpose Tribeca loft building owned by Dash, the once-and-future head of Roc-A-Fella held a listening party for Curren$y’s upcoming debut album, Pilot Talk.
The Snyper & I attended this exclusive event for the scoop.
DD172 Studios is an impressive venue. The upper levels were roped off and reserved for VIPs but there was more than enough room for the crowd, even with a ping-pong table in the main area. Makeshift open bars were on-hand for the freeloaders, giving the event a house-party feel.
After treating the media to an official listening of Pilot Talk, Curren$y gave a live performance in DD172’s massive basement studio. As we descended the staircase, the smoldering aroma of Mary Jane blessed our noses. Sweet. Tha Snyper and I stay prepared so once we get the green light, we light green.
There was no stage so the crowd surrounded Curren$y, giving the show a smoky, pit-fight atmosphere. A live band pumped out bass-heavy instrumentals for the performance. Producer Ski Beatz, who provided Jay-Z and many others with classic tracks, chipped-in from behind a Macbook. Ski’s 24 Hour Karate School mixtape is forthcoming on Roc-A-Fella .
“King Kong,” the first single from Pilot Talk, sounded great live. But Curren$y’s music wasn’t the only thing that was hot: the basement was like a steaming cauldron. Even Curren$y asked during his set, “Ain’t nobody pass out yet?”
Sweltering heat and Cognac do not mix, so I surfaced for air after a while. Person-by-sweaty person, the party seemed to follow me back upstairs to the cooler, better-ventilated main area. But the music continued to play on the loft’s sound system and it was an enjoyable event. The vibe was pretty relaxed; not your typical industry function.
Pilot Talk will be released on June 22nd and judging from the joints we heard at the party, it’s a banger. Curren$y is worthy of the Roc-A-Fella chain Dash bestowed upon him. Here are more flicks from DD172.
Links of interest:
VIDEO OF PILOT TALK LISTENING PARTY AT NAH RIGHT
For more stories by Black Pacino visit THE SPIZZY.
They can’t keep Dame out the game! Nice story.