Lovework
Encyclopedia
Lovework, is the critically acclaimed debut Hiphop
album by Gabriel Teodros
, released February 27, 2007 on MassLine Media.
, characterized by groups such as Black Anger and Silent Lambs Project. It was a time where the Seattle sound became jazzier—more melodic, intricate, and atmospheric. It turned away from the gangsta themes and beats that dominated the period and instead focused on progressive politics, utopian aspirations, and an organic connection with black Africa.
Lovework was produced by Amos Miller with additional beat contributions from Sabzi, Moka Only
, Kitone, and Specs One - it's sound was primarily influenced by Seattle veteran Vitamin D
(who also mixed the record) and the late J Dilla
.
On Lovework, Gabriel Teodros
ponders issues of racism, sexism, and colonialism, as well as lighter topics like romance and the art of rhyme.
The opening song Sacred Texts creatively namedrops groups of influence in Teodros' life, including A Tribe Called Quest
, Freestyle Fellowship
, Common
, Boogie Down Productions
, Public Enemy, Roy Ayers
and Bob Marley
.
In the song East Africa, Teodros first speaks about his family and how he grew up, and then goes on to talk about the 2005 Ethiopian police massacres
.
The album title, Lovework was inspired by bell hooks
and her book All About Love
, where hooks insists that to truly know love, one must agree that love is a verb. She goes further to say to truly know love, one must work to undo every system of domination that stops people from truly loving. The title was also inspired by a quote from Khalil Gibran
's The Prophet
where Gibran says "Work is love made visible".
There were 2 official music videos made for the Lovework album, both directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi. The first was for No Label (Esma Remix) and the second was for Don't Cry For Us featuring Khingz & Toni Hill.
The album held the #1 spot on the CMJ
Hip Hop charts for 2 weeks and came in at #19 for the year 2007.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
album by Gabriel Teodros
Gabriel Teodros
Gabriel Teodros , is a hip hop artist and a member of the group Abyssinian Creole. He is of Ethiopian, Scottish, Irish & Native American descent, and was raised on Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington...
, released February 27, 2007 on MassLine Media.
Overview
Aesthetically and politically, Lovework descends from a mid-'90s school of conscious Northwest hip hopNorthwest hip hop
Northwest hip hop is hip hop or rap music and dance that originates from the Pacific Northwest, encompassing major cities such as Seattle, Vancouver and Portland.-Musical style:...
, characterized by groups such as Black Anger and Silent Lambs Project. It was a time where the Seattle sound became jazzier—more melodic, intricate, and atmospheric. It turned away from the gangsta themes and beats that dominated the period and instead focused on progressive politics, utopian aspirations, and an organic connection with black Africa.
Lovework was produced by Amos Miller with additional beat contributions from Sabzi, Moka Only
Moka Only
Daniel Denton , known professionally as Moka Only, is a Canadian hip hop artist. Originally from Langford, British Columbia, near Victoria, he is now based in Vancouver. He was previously part of the hip hop group Swollen Members, and briefly a part of Len. His albums are released by Legendary...
, Kitone, and Specs One - it's sound was primarily influenced by Seattle veteran Vitamin D
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. In humans, vitamin D is unique both because it functions as a prohormone and because the body can synthesize it when sun exposure is adequate ....
(who also mixed the record) and the late J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
.
On Lovework, Gabriel Teodros
Gabriel Teodros
Gabriel Teodros , is a hip hop artist and a member of the group Abyssinian Creole. He is of Ethiopian, Scottish, Irish & Native American descent, and was raised on Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington...
ponders issues of racism, sexism, and colonialism, as well as lighter topics like romance and the art of rhyme.
The opening song Sacred Texts creatively namedrops groups of influence in Teodros' life, including A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
, Freestyle Fellowship
Freestyle Fellowship
Freestyle Fellowship are a rap group from Los Angeles consisting of rappers Aceyalone, Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., Self Jupiter and producer J Sumbi...
, Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
, Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
, Public Enemy, Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk .- Biography :Ayers...
and Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
.
In the song East Africa, Teodros first speaks about his family and how he grew up, and then goes on to talk about the 2005 Ethiopian police massacres
2005 Ethiopian police massacres
The Ethiopian police massacre refers to the killing of innocent people by government forces during June and November 2005 which led to the deaths of 193 protesters and injury of 763 others, mostly in the capital Addis Ababa, following the May 2005 elections in Ethiopia...
.
The album title, Lovework was inspired by bell hooks
Bell hooks
Gloria Jean Watkins , better known by her pen name bell hooks, is an American author, feminist, and social activist....
and her book All About Love
All About Love: New Visions
All About Love: New Visions is a book by bell hooks published in 2001. The book discusses aspects of love in modern society. hooks combines personal anecdotes, psychological and philosophical ideas to make her point. She focuses on romantic love and believes that in American culture men have been...
, where hooks insists that to truly know love, one must agree that love is a verb. She goes further to say to truly know love, one must work to undo every system of domination that stops people from truly loving. The title was also inspired by a quote from Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān,Jibrān Khalīl Jibrān, or Jibrān Xalīl Jibrān; Arabic , January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer...
's The Prophet
The Prophet (book)
The Prophet is a book of 26 poetic essays written in English by the Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer Kahlil Gibran. It was originally published in 1923 by Alfred A. Knopf. It is Gibran's best known work...
where Gibran says "Work is love made visible".
There were 2 official music videos made for the Lovework album, both directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi. The first was for No Label (Esma Remix) and the second was for Don't Cry For Us featuring Khingz & Toni Hill.
The album held the #1 spot on the CMJ
College Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
Hip Hop charts for 2 weeks and came in at #19 for the year 2007.
Track listing
- Sacred Texts (Intro)
- Do U (feat. Jerm)
- No Label (Esma Remix)
- Beautiful (GT Version)
- Sexcapism
- Racoon Rock (feat. Toni Hill)
- East Africa
- Don't Cry For Us (feat. Khingz, Toni Hill)
- In This Together
- The Dirty 6 (skit)
- It's That (feat. Geologic)
- Third World Wide
- Warriors (Lovework Reprise)
- Chili Sauce
- Find A Place (feat. Rajnii Eddins)
- Lovework (feat. Toni Hill)
- Rest O' Me Dayz (feat. Khingz)