Ask the DJ: Amy Lamé’s Top 10 NYC Tracks to Coincide w/ 6 Music Loves New York Weekend (9-11 Feb)

On BBC Radio 6 Music from Friday 9th through to Sunday 11th February, is 6 Music Loves New York – a weekend of programmes celebrating the music of this amazing city.

Highlights include The Wu-Tang Clan Radio Show (Friday 9 Feb, 7-9pm), a one-off special with RZA and DJ Mathematics from the almighty Wu-Tang Clan taking over the network for two hours, playing hip hop from across the spectrum and the tracks that have been sampled by the genre plus an exclusive track, created on the spot in the radio studio, featuring Chicago rapper Reverend Willie Burke and electronic duo, Parisi.

In The Huey Show (10am-1pm) Huey Morgan pays homage to his home city, from Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten, to the Battery and the top of Manhattan. Beginning in his home neighbourhood of Alphabet City, he guides listeners around all five boroughs, dropping in on the well-known musical spots and the places that only a local could take you to. Along the way he’ll celebrate the musicians who have shaped each borough’s musical identity. And Gilles Peterson (3-6pm) heads to NYC to find the emerging artists shaping its musical future, from Nick Hakim and Onyx Collective to The Shacks and Madison McFerrin. Listeners should get ready for three hours of music from the best breaking artists and classic East Coast grooves.

In her own show this Sunday (4-6pm), Amy Lamé will be taking a look across the Hudson River at her hometown of New Jersey, shining a light on all those New Jersey acts and artists you may have thought were NYC through and through…

This week’s Ask the DJ sees Amy select some of her favourite NYC tracks, some of which will feature in a special 6 Music Loves New York Playlist show on the BBC Red Button and BBC iPlayer, featuring music and videos from classic NYC artists. To see the show, click HERE. In the meantime, check this out.

1. Blondie – ‘Heart Of Glass’

“Blondie capture the independent spirit of New York- I remember seeing Debbie Harry perform this song live on TV on New Years Eve 1979; from then on I was a dedicated Blondie fan.”

2. Beastie Boys – ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’

“I saw the Beastie Boys live; their shows in the early days were raucous and visceral.  They are SO New York- Jewish guys rapping and sampling- one of the best cultural mash-ups ever.”

3. Ramones – ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’

“The Ramones was the first band I ever saw live- At Club Bene in Sayreville, New Jersey.  I was 15. They tore the place up- literally!”

4. Sister Sledge – ‘We Are Family’

“When I’m DJing live, this always goes down a treat- A feel good song that has been claimed by the NYC LGBT+ community as our anthem.”

5. Talking Heads – ‘Once In A Lifetime’

“Art meets music meets absurdity meets life- Talking Heads capture that ‘anything can happen and it probably will’ attitude in NYC.”

6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Turn Into’

Karen O is actually from New Jersey- she’s helped us break out of the male dominated New Jersey ethos and tradition of music.  She’s my NJ shero!”

7. SBTRKT – ‘New Dorp. New York. (feat. Ezra Koening)’

“This track feels so urban and so NYC. New Dorp is actually a place- on Staten Island, the most overlooked (and dare I say it interesting?!) of the 5 boroughs.”

8. Queen Latifah – ‘Ladies First (feat. Monie Love)’ 

“Another gal from NJ who breaks the mould- Queen Latifah led the way for women in rap; here she joins with London’s Monie Love for one of music’s all-time great feminist anthems.”

9. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – ‘The Night’ 

“A Northern Soul classic from New Jersey; this is always a floor filler for those who want to show off their dance moves. It’s an unexpected style of song from a band known for their pop hits.”

10. Deee-Lite – ‘Groove Is In The Heart’

“Who doesn’t smile when they hear this record?! New Yorkers certainly need some cheering up sometime so I think this should be piped into every subway station to improve everyone’s mood.”

You can listen to all Ask the DJ playlists on the FMS Magazine Spotify channel. Find Amy Lamé’s playlist HERE.

And tune into Amy’s 6 Music Loves New York show on BBC Radio 6 Music this Sunday, 11 February, 4-6pm.

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