The Common Roots Sound System
Using the Common Roots Project approach we can Cultivate Wholistic Nourishment through the Sound System by breaking down barriers and expanding our boundaries when exploring culture in the search for eclectic global sounds for our soul. Inspired by the resourceful ingenuity of the Jamaican sound systems of the 60’s and 70’s and how they brought music and message to the masses.
DJ Rhymic
Representing on behalf of the Common Roots Soundsystem, the self proclaimed “flavor finder”, the crafty blends specialist and forager of fine global flavors since ’96.
Blending a wide array of genres such as deep-jazzy-Latin-Afro-House to Baile funk-dancehall to Cumbia. Whether it’s a dish he’s serving up or a platter he’s dropping on a turntable it’s gonna have flavor. he’s rocked decks from NY to SF to Toronto Canada to the Caribbean. He created the Common Roots Project to make connections with people through food and music.
2016 marks my 20th year of digging in the crates and #findingflavor as a DJ. Over the years I’ve gone by the pseudonym of Rhymic as my DJ name which is a portmanteau of my first and last name with a twist on the spelling (Ryan-McGuire). Learn more about my DJ story here.
Check out the most recent mixtape projects below…
https://www.mixcloud.com/oakcitysoul/
The Molcajete Mixtapes series was created as another way to highlight some of my favorite local Chef’s and taste makers. A creative way to promote their culture and brand by creating a soundtrack that’s fitting to their style.
The second mix in the series was a collaboration between Serena and Toriano of Boricua Soul Food Truck based out of Durham, NC and mashed up in the molcajete by Common Roots Sounsystem’s DJ Rhymic. Check out the flavor finder’s special blend here…
I’m extremely excited to share with you the first of this series which was a collaboration with Chef Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham. Chef Ricky gave me a list of songs that he’d love to hear on his mixtape and I helped with the special blend.
Check it out…
Oak City Soul Sessions
Enjoy this sample of select blends from the most recent curated mix by DJ Rhymic, the self proclaimed #flavorfinder in pursuit of all that is soulful while living in a state of constant flux. This juxtaposition has been the spark of my invocation in this latest series I’m calling Oak City Soul Sessions. My intention is to create mixes that blend different worlds together. Seamlessly intertwining new with old by digging in the crates but also searching out the freshest cuts. Peacefully crossing borders without barrier. Genre bending. Exploring songs of protest, songs of love and growth, broken hearts and blues. A thoughtful selection of tracks that evoke a feeling of place.
The steady barrage of outsiders influences are continuously changing the local landscape and traditions. Culture and heritage as it was may be in jeopardy of being lost forever. In homage to the disappearing tobacco barn or the gentrifying city block with respect to the new neighbor living in the newly built development that replaced it, this is my attempt to bridge the gap. Please check out this sample of my latest mix. More details to come on the release of the entire side A.
Sweet Cream Corn- side A & B
I’m going to kick things off here with a DJ Rhymic mix from 1996. This is side A of an actual mix tape (casette). This is obviously an all vinyl mix. No time code or digital syncing or any other funny business like that.
Here’s side B of the same tape along with the pic that gave inspiration to the name…
Live@Liquid SF
This was recorded live at Liquid SF around 98-99? I went out there to check out the scene and linked up with an old Buffalo, NY friend. JP Soul from Roam Recordings (http://www.roamrecordings.com/home/) who hooked me up with this gig. Had a blast! The set is something you may have heard if you were a regular at #DeepSoulPlug Sunday’s in Buffalo at that time. A little bonus spoken word at the end that was edited in later. This is straight up feel good house music, a little jazzy with a bit of a worldly twist to it.
State Of Transience
At the time of recording this mix in 2001 I was living in the fog’s of San Francisco. It was right after the dot-com crash and 9/11 had just happened. The economy was a bit of a mess. The homeless population was insane which weighed heavy on my constitution. I just graduated from college and needed an entry level position but getting a job in my field at that time was extremely challenging. The vibe I felt was portrayed in the music I collected during this time which was kind of filtered, fragmented, dark, dubby, bass heavy and deep. Sort of a techno-deep house kind of vibe.
Jackson Heights Masala
Moving right along, and skipping ahead to about 2005-2006, inspired by that Bodega Boogaloo vibe while living in Queens NY. Here’s a great down tempo mix I’m pretty proud of. It’s a bit fuzzy, a touch distorted, a few skips and bumps but it really explores a wide range of artists. Featuring tracks from Al Green, Roy Ayers, Thievery Corporation, Dawn Penn, Tribe Called Quest, Astor Piazzolla, Frederico Aubele and many others. It’s a great summer wind down kind of vibe and may be a nice Yoga flow soundtrack. I hope you can dig it.
http://www.mixcrate.com/commonrootssoundsystem/jacksonheightsmasala-10364064
Roller Skate On Molasses
When I made this mix I had just moved to NC the second time. This would have been about 2009. I’m still feeling the mash up from NYC and STX USVI in this selection…
Hophurdlewaxmyrtle
It was about 2012, and the wax myrtle’s were in bloom. I was finally feeling a little more settled in North Carolina but not really sure where to go hunting for vinyl. I decided to “hop that hurdle” (thus the title of the mix) and shake things up a bit. I purchased a Numark CD/MP3 controller which allowed me the ability to purchase tracks online which gave me a bit more freedom and a wider selection at my fingertips. My preferred method is flipping through dusty bins in a physical store and supporting my locals but it’s becoming more and more difficult to find an actual record store. This set ping pongs back and forth between vinyl and CD. Some old classic house tracks mixed in with the tracks from that year. Filtered, dubby, indie dance, nu disco burners for your eardrum’s. Enjoy!
Common Roots Project 