Thursday, July 17, 2008

What’s Playing in Rome now …Norwegian hip-hop + The Four Seasons = monster hit.

This song is everywhere. I heard it three times yesterday. Once on the radio, then when I was passing a café, and last at a gelato shop near my apartment.

The first time I heard it I thought it was Gnarls Barkley. Then I look it up online and found out this group is from Norway! Norway is not the first place I think of when it comes to hip-hop. The song is a cover of a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song. Great lyrics. I'm over most commercial hip/hop with it's stupid lyrics about bling this and bling that. This song lodged itself in my brain.

The group Madcon is Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa. Yosef’s parents are from Ethiopia and Eritrea and Tshawe’s are from South Africa. Madcon is huge in Norway. They host a popular TV show and have had a few number one singles.

This song is always going to remind me of summer in Rome. Last weekend I went to birthday party at the beach. The host (we went to Ostia with a few weekends back) gave me a ride so I couldn’t leave when I started to hit a hall around midnight. I had been up since 5:30 a.m. and I’m usually in bed by 10:30. I got my second wind around 1:00 a.m..

We danced until 3:30 in the morning. This song was the last fast track the DJ played. I was wiped out (hello, I’m old) but some how found the strength to boogie some more.

I think this performance is on a Swedish show.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Music does it for me, I tell you :)

You might remember that I was engaged to a Norwegian and I stayed with him in Norway for a bit. So, I must admit that this is a very different sound from what I expected, but I like it...

Anonymous said...

The last time I was up at 3:30 am was for a feeding and diaper change ;) ... and that was years ago!
I have to admit, that summers in Rome were always a lot of fun, or it could just be that we were younger and childless - who knows.

erin said...

oh, I think I like it! Never would have thought Norway though. Aren't those songs great that take you back to a nice time in your memory. I made a playlist of the songs that remind me of our time in Florence too!

glamah16 said...

Doesn't surprise me about this group coming from Norway. I was surprised at the amount of Ethipians and West Africains in Scandanavia. Somewhat comforting when Im up in Sweden.;-)

Anonymous said...

I think I love this song. You've just given me something to add onto my clubbin' playlist! I think I'll give it to my friend who's a dj...let's see if it can catch hold out here in L.A.?

P.S. I'm not suprised you were tired by 3:30am...when you've lived in a city that shuts down clubs and bars at 1:30am it is quite an adjustment and definitely has nothing to do with age! ;)

P.P.S. two more weeks until I'm in sxm!

gibber said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
gibber said...

Actually, it let me play it after i closed it and opened it again. This song is very catchy! And so european...:) me likey!

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

rome 2 rome - I couldn't live with music. Glad you like the song.

joanne - believe me midnight is pushing it for me. :)

erin - I am a big fan of playlists. I have one for each project I'm writing, one for working out, etc.

glamah16 - I'm looking forward to hearing about about your Swedish adventures.

k.c. - It's a great club hit. I am so jealous. Have a great time.

gibber - It's so catchy I have been playing it to death. ha. I love how melodic it is. And you are right, it's very European.

Anonymous said...

oooo me likey!!!

i was born in norway so i know that great things come from that country :-)

when we were in rome in may everywhere we went was playing the new Madonna and

Anonymous said...

oops sorry about that.....the new Madonna/Timberland song "4 minutes to Save the World"

:-)

have a lovely weekend in Roma!

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

eryn - they are still play that Madonna/justin song. I believe I will be hearing this song until at least Christmas. ha.

I have never been to Norway but I have seen some beautiful pictures of your country.

Jen said...

How cool! I wish the U.S. would play music in other languages...

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

jen - I wonder if some of the few independent radios stations do. It's hard for non-english artists to break though in the U.S. Shakira didn't take off in America until she started singing in English.