While I had planned to use this post to both review an artist's release whom I admire and promote a good cause, unfortunately now it’s going to serve as a small tribute to Jerald Amaya, aka Darkside. Bakus put together the single
Darkside, Dare Iz A (a couple tracks of older, unmastered work with the rapper) originally to help cover expenses during Darkside’s battle with cancer, but tragically Darkside passed away of a heart attack Father’s Day morning. He was 42 years old.
From my emails with Bakus, I understood Darkside as one of those genuinely good men, a father and musician who improved the lives of those around him. Browsing his Facebook I was extremely touched by the number of heartfelt messages both from within the hip hop community and beyond. This world doesn’t have enough people who's presence improves it, and sadly now it has one less. Bakus had this to say about Jerald "Darkside" Amaya:
"I first met Darkside in the early aughts at Urban Underground, a weekly
hip hop show at the Airliner in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles. Urban
Underground was a hive of young, hungry and hustling, backpack rappers
in the vein of The Living Legends, Def Jux and Rhymesayers, owing much
to The Goodlife family tree and the Project Blowed community like
Freestyle Fellowship. Darkside was always an aggressive but thoughtful
emcee and I liked him immediately. Later I would see him walking with
his kids down Figueroa Ave., down York Blvd., down Aldama St., down any
sidewalk in Highland Park, a neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles that
was headquarters for many in the underground hip hop scene at the time.
I
jokingly coined Darkside, "The King of Highland Park," and would honk
and wave if I was in a hurry, or pull over and holler for a bit if I had
the time. He always had time. I came to know Darkside, Jerald Amaya, as
a towering example of what it meant to be a man, a father, and a person
who would do anything to help his family and friends. As a fellow
educator, Jerald cultivated young minds and helped many a young emcee
get his first studio time. He is considered a mentor by many. As a
father, there are no lengths that Jerald would not go to protect and
provide for his kids. Hearing that
Darkside was battling cancer shook me. Not only because we are the same
age and came up in the same community, but also because this kind of
thing shouldn't happen to good people, and Darkside is nothing but good
people.
Hearing that he passed so suddenly, within days of sharing his
diagnosis, and so young, is a fucking gut punch. I’m in tears. Hug your
people today. The neighborhood loved you, Darkside. And we miss you
already."
I had originally planned to offer a review of the album, but I think in the wake of Darkside’s passing I’m going to let Bakus’ words, as someone who knew him, be the main focus for this post. I will say that the two tracks are very moving in the context of his untimely death (especially "Life Moves Fast"). The rough mixing only gives the very strong impression that the two voices heard are real people, and friends, doing what they love and value simply because they love and value it. There’s really nothing more you could ask for in music.
Get the single
here. All proceeds from the sale will go to help Darkside's family and friends with funeral expenses. Also, for those (like myself) who weren't familiar with the music of Darkside, check
here for his Bandcamp. He worked with all sorts of artists from P.U.T.S to Murs and both produced and rapped with competence and heart...
Also, Bakus has informed me that the family is conducting a GoFundMe campaign as well, which can be found
here. Featured on that page is a music video as well, another way for people to get to know Darkside.
To the friends and family of Jerald “Darkside” Amaya: you have UGF's respectful condolences.
