Dan The Automator

Ten most enigmatic figures in hip-hop

Sometimes there are figures in music whose mysterious and inscrutable magnetism transcends the music they make. More than musicians, they become cultural figures whose every move is analyzed every which way in an effort to figure out what's going on in that great gray matter, as Frank Ocean puts it. ... More >>

Ten acts that helped make hip-hop more accessible to mainstream audiences

Hip-hop is a world unto itself. Its rich tradition of spoken word poetry, self-referential subject matter and electronic and sample-based production make it, in many ways, a difficult musical form to adapt to, especially if you come from a more traditional background. These ten acts helped make rap ... More >>

The five best concerts this weekend

Welcome to the weekend! The fact that you're reading this right now means that we either all survived the end of the world, or we all misunderstood the Mayans and miscalculated the date of our supposed demise. Whatever the case, we're here, and it's the weekend -- and it's a holiday weekend at that. ... More >>

Review: Deltron 3030 at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 9/16/12

DELTRON 3030 @ CERVANTES' MASTERPIECE BALLROOM | 9/16/12 The futuristic project known as Deltron 3030 and consisting of Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Dan "The Automator" Nakamura and DJ P-Love (sitting in for Kid Koala, who was apparently stuck in Canada) took over the stage at Cervantes last night jus ... More >>

The ten best concerts this weekend: Sept. 14-16

Welcome to the weekend! The weather has finally cooled off a bit, but the shows haven't. Whatever your inclinations are this next couple of days, there are a plethora of options, from Devin Townsend Project tonight at the Summit Music Hall to Deltron 3030 tomorrow night at Cervantes' Masterpiece Bal ... More >>

Deltron 3030

Saturday, September 15, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 303-297-1772.

Del The Funky Homosapien on putting more thought into the lyrics for Deltron's new album

Twelve years in the making, the sequel to Deltron 3030 has attained mythical stature in many underground hip hop circles. The original -- a turn-of-the-millenium sci-fi concept record that sprang from the collaboration of Del the Funky Homosapien, Dan The Automator and Kid Koala -- balanced a dark, ... More >>

The 20 greatest geek albums

​If the geeks are really set to inherit the earth (that's the saying, right?), then it's time we highlight the musical offerings they have on the table. With Jonathan Coulton's Artificial Heart being released last week at PAX, it seems as good a time as any to look at our favorite albums about ... More >>

Galactic gives props to the music, and musicians, of New Orleans

Del the Funky Homosapien on the things lacking in hip-hop today, Gorillaz and cassette tapes

​ If you ever get the chance to speak with Del the Funky Homosapien, your first thought will most likely be something like this: "Wow! He is one quiet, enigmatic dude." However, as you'll discover, once he opens up, he is a wealth of information. Embarking on his twentieth year as an artist, ... More >>

Five albums that should be made into movies instead of American Idiot

There are rumors floating around that the Tom Hanks owned Playtone production company may be discussing the possibilities of turning Green Day's American Idiot (the musical) into a movie. This is, without a doubt, the worst possible news we could feasibly imagine. We're picturing a kind of Garden ... More >>

Friday Rap-Up: ytCracker, DJ AM , Eminem and No Limit

Peeping Tom

Wednesday, April 18, Gothic Theatre, Englewood, 1-866-468-7621.

A.G.

Sunday, December 10, Fox Theatre, Boulder, 303-443-3399.

Del tha Funkee Homosapien

Wednesday, November 1, Fox Theatre, Boulder, 303-443-3399.

On the Down-Low

Shovel away all that Usher, Prince and Lil Jon you've been jamming and dig this year's buried black-music treasures.

Head Automatica

Decadence (Warner Brothers)

Depeche Mode

Singles: Boxes 1-6 (Reprise/Mute)

New Men, Blue Men

Azure like it

Constant Evolution

The weirdest thing about Del tha Funkee Homosapien isn't his mind. It's his ability to get better and better.

Discmania

Backbeat writers revisit their favorite albums of the year.

After the Fall

An unfortunately timed album cover put the Coup in a harsh post-September 11 spotlight. But the controversial rap group's political resolve refuses to crumble.

Gorillaz

Gorillaz (Virgin Records)

Frazer's Edge

Paula Frazer artfully crosses the country divide with Tarnation. As a solo artist, she sticks more to the shadows.

On the Records

Backbeat contributors reflect on the releases that helped them survive the year 2000.

Handsome Boy Modeling School/Quannum Projects

So...How's Your Girl?
(Tommy Boy)

Quannum Spectrum
(Quannum Projects)