SOUND: WELCOME TO "SOUTHLAND

SESSIONS." EVERY WEEK, WE

SHOWCASE THE VIBRANCY AND THE

RESILIENCE OF SOUTHERN

CALIFORNIA'S CREATIVE

COMMUNITY. I'M DEF SOUND, AN

ARTIST, DJ, AND MC AND

GENRE-FLUID HUMAN RESOURCE.

TODAY WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE SONIC

EXPRESSIONS BY ARTISTS FROM ALL

WALKS OF LIFE. FROM VIRTUAL JAM

SESSIONS TO DRIVE-IN CONCERTS,

MUSIC IS A UNIVERSAL TOOL TO

KEEP US GROUNDED, CONNECTED,

AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ALIVE.

ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR

THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY

THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED

BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR

THE ARTS AND THE LOS ANGELES

COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS &

CULTURE.

[CHIMES PLAYING]

SOUND: THE VIDEO YOU JUST SAW

WAS CREATED BY NO OTHER THAN

BEASTIE BOYS KEYBOARDIST AND

SINGER MONEY MARK, WHO HAS BEEN

MAKING A SERIES OF SUPER

CREATIVE SHORT FILMS CALLED

"ISO JAMS" AND SHARING THEM ON

INSTAGRAM OVER THE LAST FEW

MONTHS. WE'RE GONNA CHAT WITH

HIM A LITTLE LATER ON IN THE

SHOW AND TALK ABOUT MUSIC,

SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND QUARANTINE

LIFE. I THINK FOR A LOT OF

PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, THIS

HAS BEEN A TIME OF REFLECTION,

AND MUSIC OFFERS US A WAY TO

PROCESS THE CURRENT MOMENTS

WE'RE LIVING THROUGH. COVID-19

HAS AFFECTED ALL OF US, BUT

EVERYONE IS FINDING THEIR OWN

WAY TO COPE AND EXPRESS

THEMSELVES. LET'S START WITH

XOCHI, A YOUNG

SINGER-SONGWRITER FROM DELANO,

CALIFORNIA. THIS ONE'S CALLED

"COVID CORRIDO."

MORALES: HI. MY NAME IS XOCHI,

AND THIS IS A CORRIDO THAT I

WROTE ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS AND

ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF OUR

COMMUNITIES AND HOW, EVEN IF

THINGS MIGHT FEEL SCARY OR YOU

MIGHT FEEL DISCOURAGED, WE'LL

GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.

[PLAYING "COVID CORRIDO"]

[SINGING IN SPANISH]

RUFFIN: ALL RIGHT. CRUISING

AGAIN. WHAT'S THE NEXT SONG? I

DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT SONG

IS? WHOO!

["MABUHAY BOY" PLAYING]

[SINGING IN TAGALOG]

SOUND: THESE DAYS BY NECESSITY,

PUBLIC MUSIC EXPRESSION IS

GOING TO TAKE MORE INTENTIONAL

IMAGINATION. EARLY IN THE

PANDEMIC, MUSIC COLLECTIVE AND

RADIO STATION DUBLAB SET UP A

DRIVE-IN CONCERT AT A GROCERY

STORE PARKING LOT IN ECHO PARK.

THE PERFORMANCES HAPPENED FROM

INSIDE A VAN WHILE THE AUDIENCE

LISTENED FROM THE SAFETY OF

THEIR CARS. LET'S CHECK IT OUT.

>> YOU ARE LISTENING TO...

>> 99.1 FM--KZUT, LOS ANGELES,

CALIFORNIA.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, AT DUBLAB.

HERE WE ARE ALL TOGETHER

MAINTAINING OUR SOCIAL

DISTANCE. THIS IS AN

EXPERIMENT. WE REALLY DON'T

HAVE SORT OF A ANSWER OR AN

UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IT'S GONNA

RESOLVE RIGHT NOW, SO I THINK

ALL WE CAN DO IS JUST REALLY

WORK TOGETHER AND COMMUNICATE

WITH EACH OTHER AND TRY TO DO

THINGS LIKE THIS THAT CAN BRING

COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN A SAFE

WAY. ALSO KNOW THAT SO MUCH IS

UNKNOWN RIGHT NOW AND ALSO JUST

CHANGING EVERY DAY. REAL LIFE

IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW OUTSIDE

EVERYWHERE VIA THIS MICROPHONE,

VIA US FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO

THIS BROADCAST FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN A VAN IN A PARKING LOT

IN A CITY ON THE EARTH.

SOUND: AS AN INDEPENDENT

CREATIVE, THIS QUARANTINE HAS

FELT A LITTLE BIT LIKE AN

INCUBATION FOR ME, A REAL BREAK

IN THE NORMAL GRIND WITH MORE

TIME TO EXPLORE WAYS OF MOVING

PEOPLE WHILE STAYING PUT, SO

HOW DO WE SEE EACH OTHER

WITHOUT SEEING EACH OTHER? HOW

DO YOU MAKE A MUSIC VIDEO INTO

A GROUP EXERCISE? HACKING MY

WAY BACK TO EXCITEMENT, I

REACHED OUT TO ABOUT 30 OF MY

FRIENDS AND CO-CREATED THE

"STRUCK" MUSIC VIDEO, AND THIS

IS THE WORLD PREMIER...

[IMITATES AIR HORN]

SO SHOUT-OUT TO HOMIE ZHAO, WHO

PRODUCED THE SONG, AND KELLEN

MALLOY, WHO EDITED THE MUSIC

VIDEO, AND IF YOU LOOK REALLY

CLOSE, YOU MIGHT SEE SOME

PEOPLE YOU KNOW.

♪ REMEMBER WHEN

WE COULD PRETEND

REMEMBER WHEN

WE COULD PRETEND

REMEMBER WHEN

WE COULD PRETEND

REMEMBER WHEN

WE COULD PRETEND

REMEMBER WHEN

I GOT MY GROOVE

YOU ARE MY CRUSH TONIGHT

YOUR BODY I MEMORIZE

BULLY THE BULLSH--

LET'S TAKE A LOOK TONIGHT

WE CAN MAKE, WE CAN MAKE

WE CAN MAKE MOVES

I NEED YOUR KISS TONIGHT

DON'T GIVE A ... TONIGHT

KIND OF ALOOF

YOU ARE A FAST MACHINE

I MEAN, YOU ARE THE TRUE THING

KRYPTONITE

YOU ARE MY KRYPTONITE

I WANT TO LIVE TONIGHT

TILL WE ARE LIVING LIFE

I THINK YOU'RE CUTE

CUTE? NO

I THINK YOU'RE MORE THAN THAT

I CAN'T IGNORE THE PAST

SEE THROUGH MY MONOCLE

DOWN TO YOUR PARTICLES

I READ YOU LIKE ARTICLE

MM-HMM, GOOD SHARE

MAKE YOU FIND FREE TIME HERE?

RARE, WISDOM IS WEAPONRY

WE NOT SO SEPARATELY

PROBABLY PROBLEMATIC

BUT I'M ALL IN, YEAH

CRESTFALLEN, YEAH

I REALLY LIKE, REALLY LIKE

I REALLY LIKE--YEAH

HA, REALLY LIKE, YEAH

REALLY LIKE YOU, UH-HUH

KEEP IT ON ROUTE 3, YEAH

I LIKE YOUR STAMINA

WE CAN MAKE DANCES UP

MY MOVES ARE CANCER, HUH?

MY MOVES ARE CANCER, HUH?

THAT MEANS I'M EMOTIONAL

THAT MEANS I'M REALLY EMOTIONAL

I LIKE YOUR STAMINA

WE CAN MAKE DANCES UP

MY MOVES ARE CANCER, HUH?

HUH, GEMINI SUN

LIBRA MOON

SCORPIO RISE

I NEED YOU

GEMINI SUN

LIBRA MOON

SCORPIO RISE

I NEED YOU

GEMINI SUN

LIBRA MOON

SCORPIO RISE

I NEED YOU

GEMINI SUN

LIBRA MOON

SCORPIO RISE

I LIKE YOU

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE, LIGHTNING

IN A BOTTLE SOMETIMES

LITTLE MAMA, I'M STRUCK

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE, LIGHTNING

IN A BOTTLE SOMETIMES

LITTLE MAMA, I'M STRUCK

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE, LIGHTNING

IN A BOTTLE SOMETIMES

LITTLE MAMA, I'M STRUCK

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE, LIGHTNING

IN A BOTTLE SOMETIMES

REMEMBER WHEN

WE COULD PRETEND

REMEMBER WHEN

WE COULD PRETEND

REMEMBER WHEN

WE COULD PRETEND

REMEMBER WHEN

REMEMBER WHEN

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE, LIGHTNING

IN A BOTTLE SOMETIMES

LITTLE MAMA, I'M STRUCK

LA LA LA LA LA

LA LA LA LA LA

STRUCK, STRUCK

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE, LIGHTNING

IN A BOTTLE SOMETIMES

LITTLE MAMA, I'M STRUCK

LA LA LA LA LA

LA LA LA LA LA

LA LA LA LA LA

LA LA LA LA LA

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE

THIS IS WHAT LIFE

FEELS LIKE, LIGHTNING

IN A BOTTLE SOMETIMES

I'M STRUCK ♪

[INDISTINCT]

♪ MAYBE YOU CAN SPEND

THE WEEKEND HOW YOU WANNA

FEELINGS ON THE DEEP END

DO YOU WANNA?

MARY J., MARIGOLD

NO MORE WITH THE DRAMA

HERE WE GO, MAYBE FOR A MOMENT

WE SIGN AWAY THE TRAUMA

MAYBE ♪

♪ DOO DOO DOO DOO

IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, MANY OF YOU

ARE MISSING GETTING OUT TO

EXPLORE THE STREETS OF LOS

ANGELES. LUCKILY, YACHT HAS

CREATED A TOUR SHOWCASING

ICONIC L.A. LANDMARKS IN THEIR

VACANT QUARANTINE STATE. THEY

MADE THIS UNIQUE VIDEO ON

THROWBACK MAC PAINT SOFTWARE,

AND IF I MADE THIS, I'D BE

PROUD OF IT, SO LET'S CRUISE.

SPACE NEEDLE: ♪ DON'T KNOW

WHO YOU ARE

YOU

GET YOUR LIFE FROM A STAR

BUT I

I CAN SEE IN THE DARK

AND I AM

LIVING IN THIS WORLD DAY TO DAY

NOTHING CAN BE SO STRANGE

AS TO MAKE YOU WANNA STAY

I FOUND OUT A LONG TIME AGO

THERE'S A VOICE IN MY HEAD

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT SAID

IT SAID, "OOH, OOH, OOH

OOH, OOH, OOH

OOH, OOH, OOH

OOH, OOH, OOH"

YOU ALWAYS ANSWER THE PHONE

YOU NEVER GO OUT ALONE

BUT I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE

OH, I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE

OH, I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE

NO, I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE

OH, I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE

NO, I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE

OH, I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE

NO, I'M NEVER LONELY ALONE ♪

SOUND: THIS LOCKDOWN CAN TIP

EVEN THE MOST CREATIVE AND

GENTLE MINDS INTO A FRENETIC

NEED FOR EXPRESSION AND

RELEASE, SO LET'S SEE WHAT

HAPPENS WHEN AN EXPERIMENTAL

JAZZ TRIO REACTS TO A MUSICAL

COMPOSITION MADE BY A TALENTED

PET COCKATOO. Y'ALL ARE GONNA

LOSE IT OVER THIS COCKATOO,

Y'ALL. I'M SERIOUS. THEN WE'LL

GET ENERGIZED BY A GROUP OF

YOUNG MUSICIANS WHO, LIKE MOST

OF US, HAVE BEEN COOPED UP IN

THE HOUSE MISSING OUR FRIENDS.

[PLAYING "COMPOSITION FOR TOY

PIANO"]

>> HA HA HA! HA HA!

YO, HO HO HO!

ELOISE: ♪ THE LIGHT

COMES STREAMING IN

THROUGH MY WINDOW

PRETTY GULLS DANCE

IN THE BREEZE

BUT I'M JUST STUCK IN MY HOUSE

ALL DAY LONG

I CAN'T GO AND

DO WHAT I PLEASE

YEAH, I COULD FACETIME

OR DO HOMEWORK ONLINE

BUT IT JUST AIN'T THE SAME

I WANNA SEE MY FRIENDS

AND PLAY WITH MY BAND

I WANNA EAT DINNER

AT MY GRANDMOTHER'S

HERE I SIT IN MY HOUSE

FEELING SO BLUE

I'M MISSING YOU

BIRDS SING THEIR SONG

AND FLY UP BY MY WINDOW

I SEE THE SQUIRRELS PASSING BY

BUT I JUST SIT HERE

IN MY BEDROOM THROUGH THE PLAGUE

THEY PLAY OUTSIDE

WHY CAN'T I?

YEAH, I COULD FACETIME

OR DO HOMEWORK ONLINE

BUT IT JUST AIN'T THE SAME

I WANNA GO TO SHOWS

PLAY PAINTBALL, EAT NACHOS

I WANNA GO TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S

HERE I SIT IN MY HOUSE

FEELING SO BLUE

I'M MISSING YOU ♪

♪ YEAH, NOW I'LL HAVE

TO BE LEARNING CROCHET

READING ALL THE BLOGS

[INDISTINCT]

AND KEEP PEOPLE AT BAY

EVEN WRITE A NEW SONG

YES, I COULD FACETIME

OR DO HOMEWORK ONLINE

BUT IT JUST AIN'T THE SAME

I WANNA SEE MY FRIENDS

AND PLAY WITH MY BAND

I WANNA EAT DINNER

AT MY GRANDMOTHER'S

HERE I SIT IN MY HOUSE

FEELING SO BLUE

I'M MISSING YOU

HERE I SIT IN MY HOUSE

SINGING TO YOU

STILL MISSING YOU ♪

[SCISSORS BUZZING]

[PLAYING "ISO JAM #77"]

SOUND: AND THAT WAS ANOTHER

DOPE ISO JAM FROM THE

BEAUTIFULLY TALENTED MONEY

MARK, AN ARTIST THAT HAS USED

HIS PLATFORM TO FOSTER A SENSE

OF SOLIDARITY AND SHINE LIGHT

ON SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, SO

LET'S TUNE IN AND TALK WITH HIM

NOW. YO, MONEY MARK, WHAT'S UP?

MARK: HEY, HELLO. HOW ARE YOU?

SOUND: YOU KNOW, IN THIS TIME

OF THE QUARAN-TIMES, THE

QUARANTINE LOCKDOWN, I FEEL

LIKE YOU HAVEN'T LET EVEN THAT

TERM "LOCKDOWN" HOLD YOU DOWN,

SO SOMETHING I'M REALLY CURIOUS

ABOUT, MARK, IS HOW THAT

FIRST--THE VERY FIRST ISO JAM

CAME TO BE.

MARK: I HAD BEEN TRAVELING, AND

MY FAMILY WAS SAYING, "WELL,

YOU BETTER JUST STAY AT THE

STUDIO, QUARANTINE AT THE

STUDIO." LIKE, THAT ISN'T

REALLY MY FAVORITE THING TO DO,

IS, LIKE, TO BE IN MY STUDIO,

YOU KNOW, 24/7, BUT I DID, AND

I WAS LOOKING AT ALL THE

INSTRUMENTS, LIKE, "OK. I'LL

JUST-- I HAVE AN INSTAGRAM

ACCOUNT. I'M GONNA MAKE A

LITTLE POST," AND I HAD THIS

LITTLE KEYBOARD. YOU KNOW, IT'S

LIKE A LITTLE--

[BEEPING]

SOUND: SOUNDS LIKE MORSE CODE.

MARK: YEAH, EXACTLY. YEAH...

[PLAYING ISOLATION JAM #1"]

SO MARCH 15 WAS MY FIRST POST,

AND I STARTED GETTING ENERGY

FROM IT AND JUST KEPT GOING AND

GOING AND GOING.

SOUND: YEAH. I LOVE HOW MUCH

YOU'VE EMBRACED THIS TIME AND

JUST MADE A DECISION THAT IT'S

LIKE, LET'S BE PRESENT IN IT

ALL THE WAY, AND SO WHAT HAS

BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING ISO

JAM, YOU'D SAY, LIKE, YOU HAVE

AN IDEA, AND YOU'RE LIKE, "OK.

THIS IS GONNA TAKE THE MOST

STRATEGIC PLANNING"?

MARK: HA HA HA! THERE WERE A

FEW OF THEM, THERE WAS A LOT OF

MECHANICAL THINGS INVOLVED WITH

PULLEYS AND STRINGS, AND THINGS

WERE TIMED IN A CERTAIN WAY,

BUT IT WAS JUST FUN JUST TO

BE-- I WAS-- YOU KNOW, I'M NOT

ALONE WHEN I'M WITH THESE TOOLS

BECAUSE THOSE ARE AUTHORS. YOU

KNOW, PEOPLE INVENTED TOOLS,

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SOUND: I LOVE THAT, AND TO KNOW

THAT WE'RE SURROUNDED BY, LIKE,

LIVING THINGS AND WE GIVE

ENERGY TO THESE THINGS, I THINK

THAT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL

REMINDER. I DO WANT TO KNOW,

HOW MANY ISO JAMS UP TO TODAY

HAVE YOU MADE?

MARK: RIGHT, SO I MADE 79

ISOLATION JAMS IN A ROW, AND,

OF COURSE, WE ALL PAUSED ON MAY

22 WHEN GEORGE FLOYD WAS

MURDERED. YOU KNOW, THAT'S

STAYING WITH ME SO, SO MUCH,

IT'S NOW PART OF MY--IT'S PART

OF MY THINKING AND MY ETHOS,

AND NOW MOVING ON FROM HERE, I

HAVEN'T ACTUALLY POSTED ANOTHER

ONE. I PROMISED TO GO TO A

HUNDRED, SO I HAVE 21 MORE TO

DO, AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE

OUT HOW WE CAN NOW MERGE THESE

THINGS AND HAVE IT INGRAINED,

AND EVERY THOUGHT THAT I HAVE

NOW FROM NOW ON, IT'S GONNA BE

PART OF THIS BLACK LIVES MATTER

IDEA, AND IT'S NEVER GONNA GO

AWAY FOR ME PERSONALLY, SO AND

AS I WAS DOING THE ISOLATION

JAMS AND ALL OF THESE THINGS

HAPPENED, I REALLY FELT VERY

CONNECTED TO IT BECAUSE OF THE

PEOPLE WHO WERE FOLLOWING MY

POSTS WERE EMBRACING ALL OF THE

SAME THINGS THAT I WAS

EMBRACING. IT FELT LIKE A

BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.

SOUND: YEAH. I THINK IT'S-- I

THINK IT'S HONEST TO TAKE A

PAUSE AND TO SEE WHO WE ARE

WITHIN THIS CONTEXT, AND WHAT

DO YOU BELIEVE, IN 2020, THE

ARTIST'S DUTY IS RIGHT NOW?

MARK: THE ARTIST IS ALWAYS

REFLECTING WHAT IS GOING ON IN

THE TIMES, WHETHER IT'S THEIR

OWN VICINITY, THAT LITTLE SPACE

THAT THEY'RE IN, SOMETIMES IT'S

A GIANT SPACE, AND SO ARTISTS

ARE AMPLIFYING WHAT IS GOING ON

RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT'S

PART OF THE DUTY NOW THAT WE

HAVE GOTTEN TOOLS AND IDEAS,

AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO MIX

NEW COLORS. WE'RE MIXING NEW

COLORS RIGHT NOW, MAKING NEW

SHAPES. WE'RE CREATING NEW

PROCESSES. WE ARE AMPLIFYING

ALL THOSE IDEAS. WE HAVE NEW

WAYS, NEW VENUES TO TRAVEL

DOWN. MUSIC SPECIFICALLY, TO

ME, IS SO POWERFUL, SO I WANT

TO BE CONNECTED. ARTISTS NEED

TO BE MORE CONNECTED, TOO, SO

THERE YOU GO.

SOUND: I LOVE THAT. THANK YOU

FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND FOR

YOUR TIME, MONEY MARK, REALLY

APPRECIATE YOU AND JUST THE

TIME SITTING AND JUST

CONNECTING, EVEN THROUGH THIS

SCREEN.

MARK: ALL RIGHT, MAN. SOUNDS

GOOD TO ME.

[PLAYS RHYTHM]

SOUND: HA HA HA!

MARK: WHOO HOO!

♪ TAKE CARE

OF EACH OTHER

TAKE CARE

OF EACH OTHER

YOU GOT TO KNOW

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE

EVERYBODY NEEDS A HELPING HAND

YOU DON'T THINK TWICE

IT'S A FACT OF LIFE

YOU GET ON YOUR BIKES AND RIDE

AND DO WHAT YOU CAN

TAKE CARE

OF EACH OTHER

TAKE CARE

OF EACH OTHER

NOW

NOW

NOW ♪

SOUND: THERE'S NO DENYING THAT

WE ARE LIVING IN A HISTORIC

MOMENT. HOW DO WE STILL STAY

SAFE AND USE OUR VOICE AND

PLATFORMS FOR ELEVATION?

"WHAT'S GOING ON" BY THE

LEGENDARY MARVIN GAYE FEELS

LIKE A MOTIF FOR WHERE WE ALL

ARE RIGHT NOW. ALTHOUGH THE

SONG WAS RELEASED IN 1971, I

HATE HOW RELEVANT IT STILL

FEELS RIGHT NOW. THE LOCKDOWN

HAS GIVEN US A TIME TO QUESTION

WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. THE

SPIRIT OF THIS PROTEST SONG IS

BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

BEAUTIFULLY BY THE B-SIDE

PLAYERS, WHO BLEND AN INSPIRING

ENSEMBLE OF VOICES INTO A

DIGITAL CHORUS, SO LET'S DIVE

INTO THAT RIGHT NOW.

[PROTESTERS SHOUTING]

[PLAYING "WHAT'S GOING ON"]

PAEZ: ♪ MOTHER, MOTHER

THERE'S FAR TOO MANY

OF YOU CRYING ♪

LOCKETT: ♪ AND, BROTHER

BROTHER, BROTHER

THERE'S FAR TOO MANY

OF YOU DYING ♪

FERRER: ♪ WE KNOW WE GOT

TO FIND A WAY

TO BRING SOME LOVIN'

HERE TODAY ♪

LOCKETT: ♪ HERE TODAY

DIOUF: ♪ AND FATHER, FATHER

WE DON'T NEED TO ESCALATE ♪

MOSBACHER: ♪ WAR IS NOT

THE ANSWER ♪

ARAGON: ♪ ONLY LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

CAN CONQUER HATE ♪

DIOUF: ♪ WE GOT TO FIND A WAY

ARAGON: ♪ TO BRING SOME LOVIN'

HERE TODAY ♪

PAEZ: ♪ PICKET LINES

LOCKETT: ♪ AND PICKET SIGNS

DIOUF: ♪ DON'T PUNISH ME

WITH BRUTALITY ♪

MOSBACHER: ♪ TALK TO ME

PAEZ: ♪ SO YOU CAN SEE

ARAGON: ♪ OH, WHAT'S GOING ON

LOCKETT: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

MOSBACHER: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

DIOUF: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

MOSBACHER: ♪ YEAH, WHAT'S

GOING ON, AH... ♪

[ALL SCATTING]

SANDOVAL: ♪ MOTHER, MOTHER

D'ALMA: ♪ EVERYBODY

THINKS WE'RE WRONG ♪

SAMUEL: ♪ WHO ARE THEY

TO JUDGE US ♪

PACHECO: ♪ SIMPLY 'CAUSE

OUR HAIR IS LONG ♪

SAMUEL: ♪ YOU KNOW WE'VE

GOT TO FIND A WAY ♪

D'ALMA: ♪ TO BRING SOME LOVING

HERE TODAY ♪

SAMUEL: ♪ HERE TODAY

D'ALMA: ♪ PICKET LINES

SAMUEL: ♪ AND PICKET SIGNS

DON'T PUNISH ME ♪

D'ALMA: ♪ WITH BRUTALITY

SAMUEL: ♪ JUST TALK TO ME

TALK TO ME SO YOU CAN SEE

WHAT'S GOING ON ♪

SANDOVAL: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

PACHECO: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

SANDOVAL: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

SAMUEL: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

D'ALMA: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

SAMUEL: ♪ WHAT'S GOING ON

OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH

AH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪

[ALL SCATTING]

LOCKETT: ♪ WHAT NOW, NOW, NOW

IS GOING ON ♪

[LOCKETT AND DIOUF VOCALIZING]

SOUND: DOMINIQUE PURDY OF THE

KOREATOWN ODDITY IS A LOS

ANGELES PRODUCER, MC, AND

RAPPER. HE JUST RELEASED HIS

NEWEST ALBUM ON JUNETEENTH, AND

HIS MUSIC VIDEO "KIMCHI,"

PRODUCED DURING THE LOCKDOWN,

OFFERS A PERSPECTIVE OF GROWING

UP BLACK IN KOREATOWN AND BEING

A FATHER.

[MAN SHOUTS]

PURDY: ♪ THE PLACE WHERE I BE

IT AIN'T ALL KIMCHI

SEEING TAGS ON THE WALL

JUST TO REMIND ME

SAME PLACE WHERE THEY SHOT UP

ROBERT F. KENNEDY

IS THE SAME PLACE

THAT BROUGHT UP

A YOUNG NIGGA LIKE ME, YA

BUILDINGS GET BOMBED ON

IMMEDIATELY WHEN ABANDONED

BY EVERY KIND OF GRAFFITI PIECE

MARKETS, APARTMENTS

RESTAURANTS, AND STORES

SINCE I CAME INTO THIS WORLD

IN 1984

SEE MY MOMS CRYING

ON THE HOUSE PHONE

WITH THE CORD

BEFORE WE WAS ABLE TO SWITCH IT

FOR THE CORDLESS

SEE MY POPS CHOPPING UP GAME

ON THE PAY PHONE

CHECKING HIS PAGER

RESPONDING TO THE CLIENTS

THAT WERE IMPORTANT

SOMETIMES I GOT THE SHORT END

OF THE STICK

WHEN IT CAME TO ME

BUSINESS OR WOMEN

AND HE HAD TO PICK

I WOULDN'T CHANGE A BIT

IT HELPED ME GROW THICK SKIN

DIDN'T SEE A MARTYR TIME

BUT, YO, WHEN I DID

CONSTANTLY DROPPING GEMS

NEVER TALKED TO ME LIKE A KID

EVEN THOUGH THEY NEVER LIVED

UNDER THE SAME ROOF

SEPARATELY, WHAT MY PARENTS

BOTH TAUGHT ME WAS TRUE

DISCOMFORT AS A YOUTH

IS SOMETHING THAT I GOT USED TO

DOING DEATH-DEFYING ACTS

IN MY EARLY PURSUITS

'CAUSE THE PLACE WHERE I BE

WASN'T ALL KIMCHI

SEEING TAGS ON THE WALL

JUST TO REMIND ME

SAME PLACE WHERE THEY SHOT UP

ROBERT F. KENNEDY

IS THE SAME PLACE

THAT BROUGHT UP

A YOUNG NIGGA LIKE ME, YA ♪

SOUND: KOREATOWN ODDITY, WHAT

UP, MAN?

PURDY: MAN, I'M JUST OVER HERE,

GOT MY DAUGHTER OFF TO "SESAME

STREET" RIGHT NOW.

SOUND: OOH, THAT'S THE GOOD

STUFF. THAT'S THE--

PURDY: OH, YEAH.

SOUND: I FEEL LIKE THIS TIME

HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH MORE TIME

WITH FAMILY, AND THAT'S A

BEAUTIFUL THING. JUST KNOWING

HOW PERSONAL THE RECORD IS...

PURDY: MM-HMM?

SOUND: HOW HAS BEING A BLACK

FATHER, LIKE, IN 2020--HOW DOES

THAT AFFECT YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF

YOUR WRITING?

PURDY: EVERY TIME WHEN I'M

RECORDING, WHAT'S ALWAYS GONNA

CONNECT TO THE TIMES IS JUST

SPEAKING ON THIS CITY AND KIND

OF, YOU KNOW, HOW I FEEL

GROWING UP AS, YOU KNOW, A

BLACK MALE IN LOS ANGELES AND

IN THE WORLD, SO THOSE THINGS

ARE ALWAYS GONNA BE IN THERE.

LIKE, I'M GLAD THAT I'M THE

TYPE OF PERSON TO NOTE MY

EXPERIENCES AS A PART OF MY

MUSIC BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOW

SHE HAS THAT TO LISTEN TO. SHE

HAS IT TO BE LIKE, "AW, MAN,

THIS IS WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT.

I CAN KIND OF, LIKE, CATCH UP

TO THE SPACE THAT YOU WERE IN."

I MEAN, YOU COULD TELL SOMEBODY

ABOUT, LIKE, HOW YOU WERE

LIVING, BUT ALSO, HER BEING

ABLE TO HEAR ME IN THAT FORM,

YOU KNOW, IS, LIKE, PRETTY

TRIPPY, TOO. IT'S LIKE, YOU

KNOW, THINGS JUST BECOME A PART

OF THE MUSIC NATURALLY. LIKE, I

HAD A VERSE I RECORDED WHERE I

SAID, YOU KNOW, "AND YOU KNOW

MY DAUGHTER NEEDS THESE

DIAPERS, SO AFTER THE SHOW,

HAVE MY DOUGH AFTER I BURN THIS

MIC UP"--YOU KNOW WHAT I'M

SAYING?--LIKE, SO JUST THINGS

JUST COME INTO A PART OF THE

MUSIC, YOU KNOW?

SOUND: YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. IT'S

LITERALLY DISTILLING LIFE. I

THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL, THE WAY

THAT YOU BRING PEOPLE IN WITH

THE DETAILED WRITING THAT

YOU'RE DOING. WHAT HAS SHIFTED

PERSONALLY FOR YOU MOST DURING

THIS COVID-19 TIME? THIS

QUARAN-TIME IS WHAT I'VE BEEN

CALLING IT.

PURDY: QUARAN-TIME. YEAH.

IT'S KIND OF, LIKE, COOL FOR,

LIKE, EVERYBODY TO KIND OF,

LIKE, TAKE A CHILL PILL RIGHT

QUICK AND JUST, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

ABSORB AND, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

HANG OUT IN A KIND OF DIFFERENT

WAY. IT'S JUST LIKE PREPPING

FOR A NEW CYCLE OF ENERGY

THAT'S HAPPENING.

SOUND: IT'S WILD. IT'S

DEFINITELY-- I KNOW THAT WE'RE

LIVING IN A HISTORIC TIME.

LIKE, I KNOW. I'M LIKE, "THIS

IS-- I NEED TO--" I DON'T NEED

TO CREATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,

BUT I NEED TO BE PRESENT AND AS

POTENT AS POSSIBLE WITH WHAT

I'M SAYING AND NOT SO DETACHED

FROM EXACTLY-- LIKE, WHAT I'M

SAYING NEEDS TO BE ATTACHED TO

WHAT I'M DOING, AS WELL. I

DON'T DISCONNECT WITH THAT.

PURDY: YEP, YEP.

SOUND: I FEEL LIKE THERE'S TWO

SHIFTS THAT HAPPEN IN THIS

QUARAN-TIME, RIGHT? THERE'S US

HAVING THE PATIENCE AND HAVING

TO STAY HOME AND RETHINK HOW WE

MOVE THROUGH THE WORLD, BEING

SAFE, WEARING MASK, ALL THESE

THINGS, AND THEN THERE'S THIS

MOMENT OF...

THERE'S A SOCIAL JUSTICE

UPRISING, AND I DON'T WANT TO

JUST TIE IT TO ONE PERSON'S

UNTIMELY ASSASSINATION OR DEATH

BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE

NOW CANNOT IGNORE...

PRUDY: RIGHT.

SOUND: AND I'M LIKE, "HOW DO WE

KEEP UP THAT ENERGY, AND, YOU

KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO TO CONTINUE

TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM OF CHANGE

MOVING FORWARD?

PURDY: I'M HOPING THAT IT'S NOT

ALL JUST BEING SOME TRENDY

THING--YOU KNOW WHAT I'M

SAYING?--BECAUSE YOU GO ON,

LIKE, ALL THE STREAMING

SERVICES AT ONE POINT, AND

IT'S, LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW,

"BLACK MOVIES, Y'ALL, RIGHT UP

FRONT," AND IT'S LIKE, "OK. IS

THIS, LIKE, BECAUSE IT'S, LIKE,

HOT, OR IT'S, LIKE, THIS IS,

LIKE, WHERE WE AT NOW, LIKE WE

GONNA MOVE FORWARD LIKE THIS?"

IF IT'S LIKE THAT, THEN ALL

RIGHT. COOL. HONESTLY, MY THING

IS, LIKE, I WAS THINKING. I WAS

LIKE, "MAN, THEY SHOULD JUST

GIVE A MILLION DOLLARS TO EVERY

BLACK PERSON IN THE WORLD." YOU

KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT

WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABOUT THE

MONEY. IT'D BE, LIKE, THE

ACTUAL ACT OF DOING IT WOULD BE

CRAZY. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M

SAYING? WE NEED SOMETHING LIKE

THAT, LIKE, SOMETHING, LIKE,

THAT'S LIKE, "WOW. THIS IS

REALLY, LIKE, HEALING RIGHT

HERE. LET'S GET PEOPLE IN THE

SPACES AND THE POSITIONS SO

THEY CAN SHARE THEIR ABILITIES

ON WHAT THEY DO, YOU KNOW?

SOUND: SOMETHING SUSTAINABLE,

SOMETHING TANGIBLE.

PURDY: YEAH, SOMETHING REAL.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

I TRY IN EVERYTHING THAT I DO

IN THE MUSIC TO TRY TO NOT

WASTE ANY SPACE. IF I'M GONNA

DO SOMETHING, IT'S GONNA BE FOR

A REASON, AND I'M NOT JUST

MAKING SONGS FOR NO REASON. I'M

NOT JUST DOING VERSES FOR NO

REASON. EVERY TIME YOU HEAR A

VERSE, IT'S GONNA HAVE SOMETHING

FOR YOU TO TAKE OFF OF IT. IT'S

GONNA BE LIKE A SCENTED CANDLE.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S

GONNA LIKE YOU COULD LIGHT THIS

VERSE UP AND SOME AROMA IS

GONNA COME OFF TILL YOU GO,

LIKE, "HMM. OH, AH, I LIKE

THAT." YOU KNOW WHAT I'M

SAYING? "AH, THAT SMELLS GOOD."

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

SOUND: THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A

DOPE MOMENT, KOREATOWN ODDITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

PURDY: NO. THANK YOU, BRO.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

JOHNNIE WILDER JR.: ♪ FOREVER

ER

ER

ER ♪

♪ ER

ER

ER

ER ♪

♪ ER

ER

ER

ER ♪

GORDON: HA HA HA!

WHAT'S UP? HEE HEE!

SOUND: COME ON, Y'ALL. DIDN'T

TAYLOR GORDON, THE POCKET

QUEEN, JUST KILL THAT, THEN HEAL

THAT? THE ENERGY SHE BRINGS TO

EVERY INSTRUMENT IS CONTAGIOUS,

AS IS THE ENERGY OF YOUNG

PEOPLE ACROSS LOS ANGELES AND

THE REGION, SO LET'S PAUSE FOR

A SECOND AND TAKE IN ANOTHER

SPECTRUM OF BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS.

>> ♪ EVERYBODY'S FREE

EVERYBODY'S FREE

EVERYBODY'S FREE

EVERYBODY'S FREE

EVERYBODY'S FREE

TO FEEL GOOD

TO FEEL GOOD ♪

>> ♪ BROTHERS AND SISTERS

TOGETHER, WE'LL MAKE IT THROUGH

OH ♪

>> ♪ SOMEDAY A SPIRIT

WILL TAKE YOU

AND GUIDE YOU THERE ♪

>> ♪ I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HURTING

BUT I'VE BEEN WAITING

TO BE THERE FOR YOU ♪

AND I'LL BE THERE

JUST HELPING YOU OUT

WHENEVER I CAN ♪

>> ♪ EVERYBODY'S FREE

>> ♪ OH, EVERYBODY'S FREE

>> ♪ EVERYBODY'S FREE

>> ♪ OH, EVERYBODY'S FREE

>> ♪ TO FEEL GOOD

>> ♪ OH, EVERYBODY'S FREE

YEAH, YEAH ♪

[PLAYING "VLADAMIR'S BLUES"]

WOOD: ♪ SOMETIMES IN OUR LIVES

WE ALL HAVE PAIN

WE ALL HAVE SORROW

BUT IF WE ARE WISE

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S

ALWAYS TOMORROW

LEAN ON ME

WHEN YOU'RE NOT STRONG

AND I'LL BE YOUR FRIEND

I'LL HELP YOU CARRY ON

FOR IT WON'T BE LONG

TILL I'M GONNA NEED

SOMEBODY TO LEAN ON

PLEASE

SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE

IF I HAVE THINGS

YOU NEED TO BORROW

FOR NO ONE CAN FILL

THOSE OF YOUR NEEDS

THAT YOU WON'T LET SHOW

LEAN ON ME

WHEN YOU'RE NOT STRONG

AND I'LL BE YOUR FRIEND

I'LL HELP YOU CARRY ON

FOR IT WON'T BE LONG

TILL I'M GONNA NEED

SOMEBODY TO LEAN ON

JUST CALL ME

CALL ME

CALL ME ♪

SOUND: THAT WAS, OF COURSE,

"LEAN ON ME" BY THE LATE, GREAT

BILL WITHERS AS PERFORMED BY

DORIAN WOOD. SOUL MUSIC LEGEND

WITHERS IS JUST ONE OF MANY

ARTISTS WE'VE HAD TO SAY GOOD-

BYE TO THIS YEAR. AS UNCERTAIN

AS THESE TIMES ARE, WE DO KNOW

THAT WE ARE WITNESSING AND

EXPERIENCING A TIME TO HEAL,

THINK, AND RECONNECT WITH WHAT

MATTERS MOST. WE HAVE ONLY

SHOWN YOU A FEW OF THE ARTISTS

AND MUSICIANS THAT HAVE BEEN

CREATING WORK IN THIS TIME, BUT

IF YOU GO TO KCET.ORG, YOU'LL

FIND MANY MORE VIDEOS,

ARTICLES, AND PERFORMANCES FROM

ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. IN

THIS EPISODE, WE'VE SEEN HOW

CREATORS OF ALL AGES, RACES,

AND IDENTITIES HAVE CONTINUED

TO FIND WAYS TO SING THEIR WAY

BACK TO SOLACE. MUSIC IS AND

HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MEDICINE,

SO LET'S TAP BACK INTO OUR

INNER RHYTHM AS AKUA'S VISUAL

FOR HER SONG "IF" TAKES US BACK

HOME.

>> [INDISTINCT VOCALIZING]

AKUA: [VOCALIZING]

♪ YOU TORE IN LIKE A RIPTIDE

NO TIME TO DECIDE

IF I COULD MAKE TIME

YOU CAUGHT ME SINGING

STALE LOVE SONGS

LONELY ON MY NIGHTS LONG

WONDERING IF I COULD MAKE TIME

THEN YOU GRABBED MY SHEETS

AND MADE THEM SILK

AS TO BUILD A COCOON FOR ME

IF THIS IS MAKING LOVE

I WILL

I WILL MAKE TIME

IF THIS IS MAKING LOVE

THEN I WILL

THEN I WILL MAKE TIME ♪

ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR

THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY

THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED

BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR

THE ARTS AND THE LOS ANGELES

COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS &

CULTURE.