Tough Customer // Wire

Tanya Morgan

4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, for much the same reasons I really like Halloween and New Year’s Eve. It’s mostly a party for the sake of having a party. While the 4th is ostensibly a day to honor our nation’s independence, it has long since turned into a celebration of beer, grilled meat and fireworks. There are no religious or cultural affiliations that might keep some people from participating. It’s just a day off at the beginning of summer to do summer things.

Which is why I think it’s kind of cool that we generally call it 4th of July instead of Independence Day. Of course, one refers directly to the other, but still. Just naming the date by the date is, I believe, a subtle way way of calling attention to the good parts while soft-shoeing the whole patriotic aspect - which can get messy if it goes unchecked. Conversely, it’s fun to declare your American pride in an over-zealous, Homer Simpson kind of way. Seriously. Try chanting “USA! USA!” while your dad flips burgers on the 4th. It makes the act of grilling beef patties over an open flame even better.

Obviously I’m one of those people that takes the 4th of July seriously. Like the kooky grandma who starts wearing her Christmas sweaters in October or the school girl who makes Valentines for everyone in her class, I like to go a little overboard for 4th of July. I make sure there are at least three animals on the grill. I buy enough beer to float everybody’s liver and I try to make sure I do something quintessentially American. Usually that has something to do with fireworks and gambling, but this year it’s fishing.

Of course, this means a long drive up to the river with my fellow patriots, which also means we will need a mixtape for the car. And of course, I am in charge of the mixtape. For the record, I am always in charge of the mixtape. Also for the record, I am probably the only person who cares whether or not there is a mixtape.

Since I burn through music at an ungodly rate, I was looking around for some new stuff to put on my “driving up to the river to catch a big ass fish” mix. I threw on some new Handsome Furs, a track by Sleepy Sun and a couple from Vetiver and Sean Bones. Having covered the rock category, I went looking for some hip hop. I found a new track by Drake, some awesome remixes from Dave Wrangler, and then I hit the jack pot.

“I sold my album out and all the haters stared hard/you put your record out for free on fail blog”

That’s jut half a line from a freestyle by Tanya Morgan, which is not a person, but three man rap group hailing from the fictional utopia of Brooklynati. Apparently these guys have already spent some time freaking out rap aficionados around the internet. No doubt this has something to do with their crazy fresh beats, sick flow, and all around hip hop mastery. Their third EP, cleverly entitled “Brooklynati” came out last month and it fucking kills.

Needless to say, this shit is going on the mixtape. It will be played in the car, at the grill and down by the river. I’m not sure what Tanya Morgan think or feel about America or 4th of July, but either way they will be the soundtrack to this year’s tribute to our independence.

God bless the USA and all the fish who taste my steel.

MP3: ‘Bang N Boogie’

MP3: ‘The Drop’