David Ma

San Francisco, San Jose, The Bay

Music Journalist and Editor at Wax Poetics

Bylines: @Waxpoetics, @Guardian, @NPR, @Parisreview, @Billboard, @TheSource, @Okayplayer, @Pitchfork, @RollingStone, @Complex, @Passionweiss

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Articles

A Guide To Southeast Asian Psych: From The '60s To '70s & Beyond

2 weeks ago | grammy.com | David Ma

Khun NarinPhoto: Ciesay, courtesy of Innovative LeisureIf the "White Lotus" soundtrack caught your ear, you've just scratched the sonic surface. From Vietnamese artist Phuong Tam to Sinn Sisamouth, the "Elvis of Cambodia," Southeast Asia's musical history is rife for exploration. |GRAMMYs/May 22, 2025 - 03:42 pmRadical songs that exploded from Southeast Asia in the '60s and '70s weren't made because of heartbreak and destruction — they were made in spite of it.
Champion Sounds: Onra's 10 Favorite Dilla Flips

2 months ago | passionweiss.com | David Ma

Onra via Onra/Instagram, J Dilla via Gregory BojorquezIndependent rap journalists will recommend you new music until their voices give out. Keep it that way by supporting Passion of the Weiss via a subscription to our Patreon. David Ma‘s TV ain’t HD, that’s too real. J Dilla could build an entire world around one minor sound. Detroit’ own James Yancey was well known for flouting convention on the MPC, using unquantized drums that were tapped live (imperfections and all).
Boxcar Sessions: Saafir's Eulogy

Nov 22, 2024 | passionweiss.com | David Ma

Image via “Light Sleeper” video/YouTubeShow your love of the game by subscribing to Passion of the Weiss on Patreon so that we can keep churning out interviews with legendary producers, feature the best emerging rap talent in the game, and gift you the only worthwhile playlists left in this streaming hellscape. David Ma‘s TV ain’t HD, that’s too real. Halfway through Boxcar Sessions, Saafir wonders “Where will I go when I die?