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Rich Medina and Bobbito

The Connection
Legendary DJs Bobbito Garcia and Rich Medina built their reputations by bringing all kinds of unexposed dance music to the party. Mondomix meets them as they go head to head on their new 2CD compilation: The Connection - Modern Explorations in Afro-Beat and Afro-Latin.


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Rich Medina and Bobbito // The Connection


Happy Feet - Rich Medina and Bobbito

It’s Easter Sunday and two of NYC’s finest, Bobbito Garcia and Rich Medina, have flown in to London to launch The Connection – a double CD on R2 records of deep, conscious, Afro and Latin grooves. Mondomix catch up with them as they head off to rock a boat party on the river Thames.

When it comes to that urban meltdown of musics, Bobbito Garcia and Rich Medina occupy a hallowed place in the elite echelon of the crate diggin’ hierarchy – not just in the Five Boroughs of New York City but globally. As DJs they effortlessly span generations and their passion for conscious, soulful dance music remains undimmed. From hip hop to soul to Afrobeat to Latin, you simply can’t pigeonhole these guys.

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AIFF Let It Roll

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Rob Swift feat. Bob James & D-Styles Salsa Scratch

 

 

 

Bobbito

Bobbito is an original B Boy. A member of the Rock Steady Crew, hip hop courses through his Puerto Rican veins alongside the rhythms of Hector Lavoe and Willie Colon. His radio show with Stretch Armstrong was legendary and his DJ moniker is DJ Cucumber Slice aka Kool Bob Love. His vinyl imprint, Fondle ‘Em, was home to artists like Kool Keith. A devout sneaker-freaker he’s the man behind the classic NY sneaker culture book ‘Where’d You Get Those?’ The life-long basket ball player and enthusiast is also an NBA commentator and publisher of his own magazine, Bounce.

 

Rich Medina

Bobbito’s DJ partnership with long tall Rich Medina goes back over a decade. Their Happy Feet party is currently kicking in NYC at Le Poisson Rouge. Another NYC session has Rich Medina vibin’ with Q Tip and his nights at APT have regular queues round the block. Anyone familiar with the Philly scene knows that Rich Medina’s long-standing, down’n’dirty Jump N Funk sessions provided a launchpad for the Stateside Afrobeat vanguard. As a producer Rich has worked with DJ Spinna, King Britt and Platinum Pied Pipers. His debut album Connecting The Dots dropped via Kindred Spirits.

 

The Connection

“The Connection is a collective idea,” explains Bobbito. “Back in 2003 I did the Earthtones compilation for Kyri at R2 and I felt ridiculously proud of the art work (by HVW8) on that album and how it all came together. For years, we’ve talked about doing a follow up and when I found out that he was talking to Rich it seemed like a good idea to do a collaborative project that tied into some of things that we are doing together.”

As DJs they are both doctors in every genre that’s soulful and positive and relish the element of surprise in what they do. Shaping a compilation can be a treat but it’s also an art. “As a collector it makes you a little bit vulnerable,” reflects Rich. “We’re not the first guys in the world to do a compilation, there’s some very smart things been put out there over the years and there’s a bar to be met. You’ve got to hit a certain standard, a certain depth. So, firstly, we were very focussed on the idea of how we differentiate ourselves from other albums of a similar style and, secondly, we made sure that we complemented the theme we’d agreed to.”

 

Modern Explorations in Afro-Beat and Afro-Latin

“I’ve never seen another compilation album that attacks modern releases in Afrobeat and Latin simultaneously.” adds Bobbito. “Most comps tend to be rooted in the 60s and 70s, which is everybody’s favourite time ‘cause it was such a vibrant era. We wanted to focus on groups that are out there now and making dope shit and then throw in a couple of nuggets from the older era for the collectors.”

The lynchpin of this comp is that they have straddled a space that a lot of people have missed the boat on. Just listen to tracks from bands like Aiff, Grupo X, The Daktaris, Ruth Tafebe and Afrorockerz, Candela All Stars, Franck Biyong & the Afrolectric Orchestra and Sir Victor Uwaifo. Add to the mix Rob Swift’s ‘Salsa Scratch’ and Elenita Ruiz con Conjunto - with a song featuring Bobbito’s father – and we get to savour the diversity.

Both Bobbito and Rich love deep diggin’ comps like the Soundway offerings but they also feel that it is part of their responsibility, an essential part of the job, to research and support that new generation of musicians. Following an era of “microwave superstars when there was no more slow cookin’” the future lies with those players and producers who thrive in the cross currrents that unite the diaspora.. “We need to understand what’s going on and keep our nose to the street,” stresses Rich. “Years ago, in the States, DJs were revered for breaking music and I think that's become a lost art. People are afraid of becoming maverick but I think that’s something neither of us have ever lost.”

According to Bobbito it is essential to keep redefining yourself. “Right now, it’s looking to what’s happening beneath the radar. We speak with the records that we play out. When we’re spinnin’ out together there’s still a kind of, ‘listen to this… ha, ha, I know you don’t have this record…..’ It’s a friendly thing…yeah, playful competition, that’s what happens and that’s what is manifested in the compilation as well. I definitely wanted to kick his ass with my selections. I’m not even gonna front. I wanted to listen to his disc and be like, ‘What? Where did you get that?!’ And then for him to listen to mine and be like, ‘wow, I only know one song!’

The room fills with laughter at this point and as it subsides Rich Medina, in that deep baritone voice of his, says: “And vice versa! There is no ego in our relationship. We both come to the table guns blazing.”

Paul Bradshaw – Straight No Chaser

 

 The Connection vol.1

Rich Medina and Bobbito present The Connection Volume One - Modern Explorations in Afro-Beat and Afro-Latin
Out 14 April on R2 Records

 

Tracklist

CD1: Rich Medina’s Afro selection

1. AIFF Let It Roll
2. Ruth Tafebe And The Afrorockerz Celebrate
3. Fanga Kelen
4. Franck Biyong & The Afrolectric Orkestra feat. Melissa James We Shall Overcome
5. Raw Artistic Soul feat. Wunmi Oya O
6. Souljazz Orchestra Mugambi
7. Chico Mann Sound Is Everything (Rich Medina Remix)
8. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes Ekassa 22 (Dolelezi)
9. Azuka Of Afrika We Don Tire
10. The Daktaris Musicawi Silt
11. Soul Ascendants Tribute
12. Blaze Production present James Toney Jr. Project Revolution Poem

CD2: Bobbito’s Latin selection

1. Rob Swift feat. Bob James & D-Styles Salsa Scratch
2. Grupo X Sunshine
3. Big Bang To The Full Every Minute
4. Setenta Funky Tumbao
5. Louie Vega feat. Blaze & Raul Midon Sunshine (Sacred Rhythm Mix)
6. Reel People feat. Jag Second Guess (Da Lata Remix)
7. The Quantic Soul Orchestra feat. Noelle Scaggs Lead Us To The End
8. Nickodemus feat. Sammy Ayala & The Candela All-stars Con-migo
9. Saravah Soul Supersossego (Instrumental Version)
10. Tequila Someone To Love
11. Totin Rumba Cultura
12. Elenita Ruiz con Conjunto Ya Nada Me Importa



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