DJ Vadim and the Russian Percussion

Though he leaves the words to an ever-changing cast of underground lyricists, DJ Vadim played a part in one of recent history’s most memorable musical statements. On “Your Revolution,” a single from his 1999 disc U.S.S.R.: Life From the Other Side, spoken-word artist Sarah Jones delivers a scathing critique of sexist hip-hop, with lines such as Your revolution will not happen between these thighs/The real revolution ain’t about booty size. The track rebuffed randy rappers using their own smack it up, flip it up, rub it down lingo, for which it became subjected to selective punishment. The Federal Communications Commission saddled a Portland, Oregon, community radio station with a hefty fine for playing the “pandering and shocking” song, discouraging other outlets from picking it up and proving that the FCC fails to take context into consideration when defining obscenity. Vadim’s latest album, U.S.S.R.: The Art of Listening, contains no such manifestos, but it still won’t get many commercial spins, for the same reason his esteemed guests (members of Blackalicious and Atmosphere, among others) can’t crack playlists: Intelligence seldom sells. Vadim’s down-tempo yet compelling live shows, featuring fellow turntablist First Rate and versatile speak-singing female vocalist Yarah Bravo, embrace spontaneity, with live remixes and freestyle flurries that make each gig unique.