The above comment, posted by Tha Megatron online yesterday, is just one of the literally hundreds of tributes  that have been written about beloved Bay Area DJ Matthew Africa who was tragically killed last Monday (9/3) in a car crash. Since Thursday last, when the shocking news of this well-known and well-liked DJ's sudden death began circulating, friends and fans from the Bay and beyond have been mourning his passing through memories of the music that Matthew himself loved so much and happily shared via his radio shows, blogs, 2 Busy Sayin’ Yeah or Stay Hatin podcasts, club sets, and mixtapes. That comment by Tha Megatron was posted on the MixCrate page for Matthew Africa's final mix, "Matthew Africa: Plays Seven Inches," made a few weeks ago. On August 14th, the tireless crate-digging Bay Area DJ made what would be the last entry on his blog. And in true Matthew Africa fashion, it was all about music and records, and about how he was really looking forward to spinning 45s at the upcoming weekend's 45 Sessions - both to play records and to hang out with fellow music fanatics/DJs like DJ Platurn, E Da Boss, DJ Enki, and Joe Quixx.

Samba Guisse at Kitty's, Emeryville

 

It's goodbye Kitty and hello Brazil for the owner of  East Bay music bar Kitty's in Emeryville following this Sunday's final blow-out goodbye party when Kitty Faria (Kitty English) (aka DJ Kitty pictured below) will sadly shutter her beloved music bar that she co-owned with Bill MacBeath. But she won't waste time lamenting. Instead this independent-thinking, self-driven, business woman/avid music lover (and former KALX DJ) will head down south to Brazil to begin a new life, and likely a new bar down there - one that hopefully will not get stifled by the local bureaucrats who killed the Emeryville bar that bore her name.

Tucked in an off-the-beaten-track location on Hollis Street in Emeryville for the past five and a half years, Kitty's bar/music emporium was a most inviting East Bay destination to head out to and enjoy DJs (no cover) spinning funk, soul, hip-hop, roots reggae, dancehall, samba, and countless other cool genres. All were guaranteed to pack the dance floor. It was also a spot to go to hear and see live ensembles such as Samba Guisse with Fouta Toro delivering soulful percussive music from Senegal, West Africa (see above set from a couple of years ago). Kitty's also offered a nice patio for warm evenings and attracted a diverse crowd, typically in their 20s to 30s. Fun was had by (nearly) all.  But for the hundreds upon hundreds of fun-packed, music-loving, peaceful nights and afternoons at Kitty's, it was one unfortunate and widely-publicized night of violence earlier this year, when a big ugly fight broke out, that will forever blemish the positive image of the club and resulted in Kitty's cabaret license being revoked.