Arts and Culture

DJ Zernell Gillie Gives Hip Hop a New Scent

Zernell Gillie has been in and around the Hip Hop and House music scene in Chicago for over 30 years. The world-renowned DJ has spun records all over the world and headlined parties in London, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, France to name a few.

Published

6 months ago

November 7, 2023

Oakland Post

Zernell Gillie at the Ministry of Scent debuting his new parfum, Hip Hop. Photo by Lee Hubbard.

By Lee Hubbard

His love for music started at 14 during the early years of House music as he would listen to the Hot Mix on WBMX in Chicago. Listening to the early pioneers of House music such as Ron Hardy, Gillie generated his own style, which is called grimy. The grimy style of Rouse music mixes the rarest disco and house music together.

Gillie now heads the record label Grimy Edits and its sister label Grimy Trax and the clothing brand Grimy Gear. Now a Los Angeles resident, he saw his worldwide DJing opportunities come to a stop during the COVID-19 pandemic when he was housebound.

“I was sitting around the house kind of depressed as there was nothing to do,” said Gillie.

It was during this time Gillie came up with the idea to start his own fragrance line.

“I was and have been wearing fragrances since I was a boy, so I was always drawn to them,” said Gillie. “I had been thinking about this for a while, but [worldwide slowdown] just helped to jump start it.”

In contact with a perfumery via ZOOM about starting a brand, Gillie began sampling scents weekly at home and discussing the different notes he wanted in a fragrance.

“I had been thinking about this for a while, but this just helped to jump start it,” continued Gillie.”

The pandemic was the perfect time for Gillie to launch his line. His first fragrance to hit the market was ‘Disco’ in the spring of 2022 and his second fragrance was ‘Techno’ which was released in fall of 2022.

These two were met with moderate success and they were featured at various musical festivals where Gillie performed as the pandemic wound down in 2022.

“Fragrance kept me from going dark during the pandemic,” continued Gillie. “Just like music. It uplifted me.”

But Gillie’s newest fragrance, “Hip Hop,’ changed the game, dropping during the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.

Gillie was on hand recently to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Hip Hop and to reveal his new scent at the independent fragrance retailer, Ministry of Scent at 973 Valencia St. in San Francisco’s Mission district.

“This event is to help celebrate Hip Hop, Gillie’s third fragrance in his line of fragrances,” said Antonia Kohl, a co-owner of Ministry of Scent, which specializes in independent and niche fragrances.

Hip Hop is a boozy scent with notes of black currant, saffron, spice leather, white musk and amber with a sweet twist. It has a 50% concentration with 10 hours of longevity.

“I started the fragrance line for myself,” continued Gillie. “If I liked the smells, I felt like others would as well and if the brand didn’t work, I would just smell good for the rest of my life.”

He joins other Black perfumers who have made a mark on the fragrance scene. This includes Chris Collins, Chris Crenshaw and Pink Mahogany to name a few who have entered the multi-billion dollar industry.

“A lot of people are getting into the independent lane and making fragrances,” said Gillie. “It’s about providing a good product and taking it to the marketplace.”

Gillie’s fourth scent, ‘House,” will be coming out soon.

After ‘House,’ he said he will launch another quartet of fragrances which will be called Soul, Jazz. Blues and R&B.

“Fragrances are subjective, and they are not for everyone,” added Gillie. “But I want people to be happy and feel good and to be uplifted.”

Hip Hop can be purchases at the Ministry of Scent in San Francisco and at retailers online.

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Arts and Culture

Richmond Preps for Full Weekend of Cinco de Mayo Festivities

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival. The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

Published

5 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Scene from the 2023 Cinco de Mayo parade from Richmond to San Pablo. Photo courtesy The Richmond Standard.

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival.

The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

The parade’s Grand Marshall this year will be community organizer Diego Garcia, owner of Leftside Printing.

The festivities continue Sunday with the Cinco de Mayo Festival along 23rd Street, which last year drew over 100,000 people, according to the 23rd Street Merchants Association. This year’s festival will again run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between the intersections of Rheem Avenue and Clinton Avenue. It will feature two entertainment stages, one sponsored by La Raza 93.3 FM at 23rd and Rheem, and another sponsored by Radio Lazer FM at 23rd and Clinton.

Both events are important for the city and the region’s Latino community.

San Pablo Mayor Genoveva Calloway, who co-chairs the parade alongside John Marquez, president of the Contra Costa Community College District Board of Trustees, says Saturday’s festivities are about bringing the Richmond and San Pablo communities together in unity.

“This truly connects the spectators and people in the parade as one,” Calloway said. “The parade showcases the real communities of Richmond and San Pablo – our nonprofits, schools, horse riders, classic cars and trucks, our local businesses. All of these people represent the heartbeat of our community.”

Rigo Mendoza, vice president of the 23rd Street Merchants Association, said that at its heart, Richmond’s Cinco de Mayo Festival celebrates the date the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

But John Marquez started up the popular festival to bring the community together and also to exhibit the community’s businesses and culture to visitors, Mendoza said. The gathering was also a way to promote peace in the community.

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Art

Mario Van Peebles’ ‘Outlaw Posse’ Screened at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre

Published

5 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Film director Mario Van Peebles, who also stars in “Outlaw Posse,” appeared at a press conference held at RBA Creative on MacArthur Boulevard hosted by the Oakland International Film Festival. Photo By Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Oakland International Film Festival hosted a screening of “Outlaw Posse” at the Grand Lake Theatre on Monday. Special guests included director/actor Mario Van Peebles and his co-star, Oakland native Scytorya Rhodes. The film is Peebles’ second western, the first being ‘Posse,’ 13 years ago. Filmmaker Van Peebles shared his passion for independent artistry and producing projects with his son, Mandela, who also starred in the film, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Cedric the Entertainer. Next week, The Post will publish an in-depth interview featuring Peebles’ reflections on his work, future projects, and continuing his father’s legacy and Rhodes on her grandfather, a real-life cowboy.

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Arts and Culture

Kedrick Armstrong: New Music Director for the Oakland Symphony

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director. In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Kedrick Armstrong is the new music director for the Oakland Symphony. Photo credit Scott Chernis.

By Post Staff

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director.
In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Armstrong is the successor to previous music director and Conductor Michael Morgan, who passed away in 2021 after a 30-year tenure at the Symphony.

Armstrong will open the Oakland Symphony 2024-2025 season on October 18.

Armstrong, who is 29 and hails from Georgetown, South Carolina, is currently the creative partner and principal conductor of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.

The Chicago Tribune has praised Armstrong for his ability to “simply let the score speak for itself.” He enjoys a wide range of repertoire, spanning early music to premiering new works, using his joy and curiosity for all music to cultivate understanding and collaboration within diverse communities.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the new music director of the Oakland Symphony,” Armstrong said. “As a Black conductor, I find it humbling to stand on the shoulders of both Michael Morgan and Calvin Simmons,” the most recent and the first African American music directors of the Symphony, respectively.

Armstrong led three programs at the Symphony between 2022 and early 2024, which showcased his broad knowledge of the classical repertoire and enthusiasm for spotlighting diverse voices.
On his Oakland Symphony subscription debut on Feb. 16, Armstrong led the world premiere of “Here I Stand: Paul Robeson,” an oratorio by Carlos Simon on a libretto by Dan Harder, commissioned by the Oakland Symphony.

Armstrong was selected unanimously by the Oakland Symphony’s board of directors and musicians after an extensive two-year search. “The search committee was overwhelmed by Kedrick’s scholarship and curiosity about all kinds of music, from classical and jazz to gospel and hip-hop,” said. Dr. Mieko Hatano, executive director of the Oakland Symphony. “We are thrilled to have him join us at the Oakland Symphony.”