Oak Cliff, 11.8.2019

Ty Macklin: "involuntary motions are normal"

"I look like a hip-hop clown," said Tahiti, who'd just driven in from Oklahoma, where he now lives. The ex-PPT/Awkquarius rapper, whose recent single "Light Blue Room" was inspired by living with Parkinson's disease  (with which he was diagnosed in 2015), was in town for an evening of hip-hop at Top Ten Records. Joining him on this occasion were award-winning producer Ty Macklin (Erykah Badu, india.arie), aka XL7, and Doc Strange, whose Tahiti-produced sci-fi opera Sindrome was a favorite spin at la casa a few years back.

(L-R) Tahiti, Doc Strange, Ty Macklin aka XL7.

The night had a house party atmosphere, starting out with a set of classic hip-hop and soul sounds from DJ Bilal and beats from Dee the Beatmaker. A young chef was handing out fresh Chilean empanadas he'd just baked. Tahiti's PPT/Awkquarius collaborator Pikahsso was in the house, as was violinist Leonard Hayward (Rachella Parks-Washington, Ronald Shannon Jackson).

The DJ set flowed seamlessly into a series of beat demonstrations, in which the creators talked a little about their methods and inspirations. Tahiti's beats featured idiosyncratic textures and musique concrete-like sonic disruptions. Doc Strange took a more aggressive approach, creating the kind of background that might accompany an MC battle, which he illustrated with some forceful, full-throated freestyle. "I like to let a sample play for awhile," he said, "so people can hear this cool little sample I found before I freak it."

Ty Macklin's beats and presentation were the most developed, and unfolded as he stood in "suspended animation" behind an ancient piece of equipment he averred he'd bought from George Clinton, which he said would read his thoughts and translate them into beats. A robotic voice provided narration. When at one point, the previously inert Macklin raised his arms above his head and the voice intoned, "Involuntary movements are normal," it was a moment of theater worthy of Sun Ra or Dr. Funkenstein himself.

A planned video presentation was the victim of technical difficulties, but that didn't stop Macklin (in his XL7 guise), Doc Strange, and Tahiti from finishing with a spirited version of their 2014 single "Don't Get It Twisted," which inspired a local break dance crew to bust moves.

Top Ten Records is Dallas' oldest record store, in operation since 1956 (although, as Macklin points out, "there weren't this many of us there back then), reborn in 2016 as a non-profit focused on "arts engagement and media archiving." They have a fundraising campaign in progress now; they deserve your support.

Tahiti plans an appearance in Fort Worth in the new year.

ADDENDA: 'Twas DJ Bilal, not XL7, that got the dancers breakin'. And the "young chef" was, in fact, rapper Kilo Artefacto. Mea culpa.