It’s spooky how much P-Funk was blasting in our house the days leading up to Starchild’s passing. The sound that he helped develop has been playing such a huge role in our music for iB4the1.2, from Dahlak’s productions to our vocal arrangements. Although the funk blogs have been buzzing around the news, hip-hop’s remained silent for the most part. Certainly, Garry Shider wasn’t a household name – but his work shifted our culture.

One of the reasons we’re so inspired by P-Funk is because they’ve remained true to their narrative.  As iLL-Literacy meanders from spoken word to hip-hop to funk, the key constant element is storytelling – to speak on real shit while daring to imagine.  Starchild is a central character to the P-Funk universe.  He defended humankind from Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk!  If George Clinton is Goku, then Starchild was Vegeta.  And I am obviously a nerd.

The above video is “Placebo Like a Mug,” the animated featurette that played in the beginning for Parliament Funkadelic’s early live shows.  Acclimate yourself to the story and the music.  It’s a beautiful thing.  Long live Starchild.

In the alternative universe where I was alive during the 60′s and 70′s, I see myself as a borderline Parliament-Funkadelic groupie.  Not to the point where I’m lifting up my shirt and screaming every time “Cosmic Slop” comes on, but at least the the point where I could get kicked offstage of air-guitaring.  A couple of years ago I caught P-Funk at DC, but was surrounded by an audience of 50+ year-olds so I restrained from any form of craziness out of fear of someone reaching for my throat-eel.  So up until now, I thought that the new millennium held no place for a youngin’ like me to be a Funkateer.  However, Bootsy Collins is opening the Funk University, an online intensive for bass players across the world!  Is this a real opportunity to tap into the Funk?  Or did I just sign up for another mailing list I won’t read (damn you, David Plouffe!!).  Only time will tell.  But chances are, if it’s Bootsy, I can digit.

Props to the pops.

I hate Jon Reyes for producing the most gangster-ass Christmas beat EVER.

I hate C Plus for beasting on it so HARD.

I hate ALL you muthafuckas for making the Christmas song me and iLL-Lit were scrambling to make.

Merry Christmas, Hip-Hop! DOWNLOAD HERE.

(I told you a Christmas song would work, Plus. You gotta let me on the third verse! Holla…)

I must admit, P-Funk…it’s hard for me to accept the fact that your name’s P-Funk.  Because you’re named after the music that has completely shifted the way I live my life.  And C Plus…it’s hard for me to accept the fact that your name’s C Plus.  Because you’re named after the grade I consistently got in trigonometry class, and I’d normally beef with anyone who makes me think about tangents.  I hate tangents!  Speaking of Michael Jackson, here’s a kid really really feeling his music:

At any rate, this track is raw as hell, as well as the gentlemen who are the culprits of the vocals.  Digit!

[C Plus & P-Funk "My Patna Dem (Norcal Remix)"]

So you win this round, rappers with names that could get mixed up for other people or things!  Psh, I’m glad I don’t have that problem.  Nope, I’m just plain ol’ Drizzy.  And I’m the fuckin’ best.