新多倫多 音樂‧籃球‧城市/BUN DEM. TRACK BREAKDOWN, THE RAPTORS AND THE 6 GUIDE


Bun Dem – Lord Juco ft. Falcon Outlaw (prod. by Ol Man 80zz)
https://lordjuco.bandcamp.com/track/bun-dem-ft-falcon-outlaw

Interview : Nick D

We caught this track on the strength of FalconCrest being involved in the mix. Lord Juco’s name had a familiar ring already, having featured on Chong Wizard’s, The Power Stone EP. Ol’ Man 80zz? I swore Jordan C. had his production in a Top10EN, but it must have been his clever flip on the Zig Zag logo that got stuck in the mind! I digress.

To the matter at hand though, Lord Juco’s, ‘Bun Dem’ is a track that exemplifies a stylistic sound of Toronto. That Hip Hop inflected with a strong Caribbean/West Indies vibe. This banga is straight head nod with a minimal beat of 80% slap your skull up drums, and some sinister keys. Lord Juco sets it off callin’ an end to the fxckery he sees, ‘you hide like Anne Frank… put you in a hole like Hussein’. Big Falcon Outlaw fills throughout with his patois chant, and closes with a second verse reinforcin’ why you don’t bring it ’round here. This is some straight 90’s Smif N Wessun ish (Not a Toronto group lol)!

Since all heads were from the Toronto area. We figured why not get all hands on deck to share some insight on the track for ya’ll. Chop it up about some basketball since the Raptors are in the playoff hunt with some real possibilities, and just share a few down to earth recommendations about the city for you readers. Things like some spots to hit on a night out, and where to grab a hearty plate! A Hip Hop guide to Toronto, truly!


Lord Juco

Lord Classy – Lord Juco X Fortes
https://lordjuco.bandcamp.com/album/lord-classy

SPITGAN : So you big basketball fans?
Lord Juco : Haven’t followed Ball in a long time, I catcha one two raptors games here and there, but can’t say I’m a fan.
Ol Man 80zz : Huge fan of Ball. I get legit hurt when the season ends lol. My obsession wit ball has got to the point where I get in bad moods if my squad loses.
Falcon Outlaw : I’m a big Raptors fan!

SG : Who’s your favorite player?
FO : Kawhi Leonard.
LJ : Tracy McGrady then, probably Kevin Durant now.
OM8 : I’ma definitely go wit Jordan on this one, but if we talkin’ Raptors then I’d say VC, Demar & the boy Kawhi. I definitely fuxs wit Lowry as well.

Punisher Kills The Marvel Universe – Lord Juco produced by Unlucky Bastards (Chong Wizard’s Power Stone EP)
https://gourmetdeluxxx.bandcamp.com/track/punisher-kills-the-marvel-universe-ft-lord-juco-prod-by-unlucky-bastards

SG : Who’s gonna win it all this year?
OM8 : That shxts easy!!!!!! We The North!!!! RAPTORS all day haha. I can’t front tho, the Bucks, Warriors & Rockets are nice wit it. I could see any of these squads makin’ it deep.
LJ : I’d like to see Houston.
FO : Come on mannnn! The RAPTORS!

WAAAAY MORE GOODNESS HERE. THE INTERVIEW CONTINUES >>

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米靚酒純/SWEET RICE. FUKUSHIMA

FUKASHIMA_SG1_Suehiro_s_Kaei_Brewery
Suehiro Kaei酒廠。/Suehiro’s Kaei Brewery

攝影及撰文 (英文)/Photographs and English : Johannes Pong
翻譯/Translation : Derek Leung

某天告訴朋友即將去參觀福島的傳統清酒釀造廠,回應竟然都是震驚與憂慮,然後更開玩笑說我會長出第三隻眼睛和增生一些手腳,並建議我穿鉛質內衣保護自己…

福島地震、海嘯和第一核電廠事故發生以後,實在傳聞誤報謊言滿天飛,唯恐天下不亂。可是,輻射其實是很容易通過科學方法檢測出來,所以是無法掩飾或誇大其詞的。

後來在iPhone下載了Lapka輻射偵測程式,並從有輕微強迫症的居港法國朋友借來別緻的Lapka PEM設備準備一併使用。最近被Airbnb收購的Lapka是一個可連接到智能手機的細小環境監測器,其精確的傳感器會對世上肉眼看不到的離子和分子有所感應,當中一個程式就是可以測量和分析緊貼我們周遭環境的基本輻射水平。因為我那朋友認為第一核電站的災難會令整個亞洲瀰漫致命的輻射,所以他買下那小器具以作傍身之用實在無可厚非。

就是這樣,我出發日本前,便在港到處測試Lapka設備的功能。令人相當沮喪的是文華東方酒店地庫酒吧的基本輻射水平比首都東京還要高,而順便一提的是東京的輻射水平竟又較福島高。

到達福島時,Lapka證實我身旁四周都沒有放射性物質。當然,核燃料棒正在溶解的第一核電廠附近範圍是個例外:沿海地區確實有待從遽變中復甦過來,而有關的漁業亦暫告中止。說實在,福島土地遼闊,當中三個地質區域各有不同,而氣候、文化和語言亦有天壤之別。

我探測到在福島縣內最大的城市郡山市,會津若松鎮和喜多方地區農場的背景輻射程度只有0.17,持續較香港地區的0.20-0.21為低。說實話,香港、上海和東京這樣的大都會全因花崗岩和混凝土建築物太多而令輻射聚結不散,含量較福島郊區還多實在不足為奇。

會津若松連接喜多方的地區就是那肥沃的水稻盤地。海邊的重災區與會津若松連接喜多方地區被郡山山區隔住,距離仿如東京遠離富士山一樣。那福島會津若松的人可吃刺身嗎?傳統會津若松那兒從不多吃魚生或海鮮,與近畿京都的習慣相似。會津若松當地的刺身反而是生馬肉伴辛口味噌,或者像京都同樣吃一種軟軟的腐竹腐皮,即素食版「湯葉」。有些菜式會用上干貝帶出鮮味,與廣東的粵菜不遑多讓。

某晚坐新幹線上行前,查問了東京外國記者俱樂部的數位新聞記者,曾到過福島的都對該縣讚不絕口。然而很多時候,有關福島的資訊發布都牽涉政治問題,這與其他任何小鎮沒有異樣。

FUKUSHIMA_SG3_Prepping_the_sake_rice_at_Daishichi_Brewery
在Daishichi酒廠準備著做清酒的米。/Prepping the sake rice at Daishichi Brewery

參觀的第一家釀酒廠是位於福島田村市 (名雖為市卻更像村落—巴士服務只到晚上6點) 的仁井田本家,成立於1711年,由品牌的第十八代傳人仁井田穩彦釀酒大師主理。他和22名員工負責種植和收割水稻,以及整個清酒製作過程,並對自己的手工清酒製作非常自豪。

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