{"id":8184,"date":"2024-04-01T13:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T18:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=8184"},"modified":"2024-04-22T12:07:05","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T17:07:05","slug":"reflections-karriem-riggins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/reflections-karriem-riggins\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections : A Conversation with Karriem Riggins on Jahari Massamba Unit\u2019s \u2018YHWH is Love\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The corporate-led division of music into genres ignored the reality of the music presented. This is perhaps no better seen than in the relationship between \u201cjazz\u201d and \u201chip hop.\u201d Over the last two decades, many have written about the meeting of these two stylistic influences. This analysis, however, is incredibly misguided. Technically speaking, it is impossible to merge jazz and hip hop. They are both one and the same. Both originated from the same demographic – primarily Black, urban, young men. Both make novel use of rhythms and improvisation. Both stretched ideas of existing music, whether expanding chords, eliminating them entirely, or sampling someone else\u2019s work. The historical record – jazz supposedly \u201cdied\u201d in the same era as hip hop\u2019s rise – also supports the position that the two supposed genres are one music. You can also hear that unity well on Jahari Massamba Unit\u2019s sophomore release, YHWH is Love<\/em> (Law of Rhythm, 2024). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

YHWH is Love<\/em> is deliciously difficult to categorize. At times, as on the spacey \u201cRubato Love\u201d, one would be excused for mistakenly thinking they stumbled upon some long-lost record Lonnie Liston Smith from the 70s. The tight grooves on \u201cThe Clappers Cousin\u201d, \u201cSeven Mile to Oxnard,\u201d and \u201cAnointed Soul\u201d are unmistakably indebted to drum machines and sampled beats. The short interlude \u201cE11even\u201d suggests Sun Ra\u2019s cosmic travels. Dedicating the album to God further brings in hues of spiritual jazz and gospel music. Each piece complements each other well, further cementing the connections between these allegedly different musical ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listening to YHWH is Love<\/em> is a magical experience. This transcendent element is in large part due to the uncanny parallels between the duo\u2019s artists, Madlib and Karriem Riggins. Both come from a line of great Black musicians. In Madlib\u2019s case, it is his father, soul singer Otis Jackson, Sr., and his uncle Jon Faddis. Riggins is the son of Emmanuel Riggins, a gifted keyboardist. They are each also enamored with past jazz greats. One need only listen to Madlib\u2019s work with Yesterdays New Quintet and his invasion of Blue Note Records or Riggins\u2019 work with Roy Hargrove, Ray Brown, Mulgrew Miller, Betty Carter, and others. Both Madlib and Riggins are also established hip hop producers with impressive releases to their credit. And, perhaps most importantly of all, they adopt an equally expansive view of their craft, one dedicated to fully expressing themselves instead of forcing perceived genre norms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We sat down with Karriem Riggins to discuss the Jahari Massamba Unit, Ray Brown, Diana Krall, and Norah Jones. We also discuss the groundbreaking collective, the Soulquarians, of which the drummer should be considered an honorary member. In particular, we cover some of his time with one of the finest compositional minds of the third millennium – James Yancey, AKA J Dilla. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PostGenre: This second Jahari Massamba Unit album is titled YHWH is Love<\/em>, or put another way, \u201cGod is Love.\u201d Where do you see the role of music when it comes to spiritual matters?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Karriem Riggins: Well for me, I always feel God is present in the music that I create and that I want to create. In large part, that is because music is healing. I’ve seen people healed through music. Music is therapy. I feel like it helped me while creating this record that the feeling of God was present in the music. Especially with the world in the shape it is in today. Focusing on God brought so many positive things out of me while I was creating. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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