Harlem’s AraabMuzik Between Old And New (video)

We excerpted this piece from a Village Voice article titled, “Live: AraabMuzik Bridges the Gap Between Old and New at East River Park.”

The true test of the audience (at East River Park) was AraabMuzik (Abraham Orellana), whose live stage shows are all about showmanship yet eschew the over-the-top, behind-the-turntable-bravado other performers embrace.In fact, at a SummerStage event earlier this year in Bed-Stuy’s Von King Park, the legenadry DJ Scratch played a similar concert, though he denounced wannabe DJs while picking up the turntable mid-song and delivered up a slew of classic turntablist tricks in suit. While these are signature moves of old-school DJs, I was left wanting more than throwback rap and calls for real DJs of yesteryear. This is where the expertise and technical prowess of AraabMuzik has bridged the gap between old-school tradition and current trends. Live the Harlem-raised, Dipset-producing wunderkind used throwback jams to his benefit and built whirlwind-fast orchestrations of snares, hi-hats, bass, and screamy drops over hits like Damien Marley’s “Welcome to Jamrock” and his own recent release for Slaughterhouse “See Dead People.” A camera captured his fingers pounding his MPC while a swarm of photographers crowded around him for the best seats in the house. “I was at the dentist yesterday and he played this track,” joked a friend nearby as a drill-shrill dubstep concoction kicked in. Behind the gates next to us, the once-riotous mosh pit had toned their dance moves down a little to stare in awe of the musician, ending the show with the closest scene resembling old-school turntablist culture than I’ve seen in a long while…

AraabMuzik’s performance took place at the East River Park Summerstage last night, Monday, August 20th 2012.

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