Teacher by Day, Rockstar by Night

Some people simply make me tired with all they do in a given day. Case in point, Sharon Hagopian. Her day gig is elementary school teacher in Connecticut. As my sister is a grade school teacher, I can tell you with some degree of certainty, that’s an occupation that takes hours and hours of one’s day. That doesn't stop Hagopian from putting out some damn fine hip-hop inspired tracks by night under the moniker Cannonball Jane, though. You may recall Ms. Hagopian made something of an internet splash about a year ago. As I recall, she was "discovered" by one of the Beastie Boys and has been a big hit in the indie scene ever since. I may be slightly off on the Beastie role in things, but I'm far too lazy to verify such a trifling fact when we can be discussing her music instead.

With summer upon us, Cannonball Jane is taking to the road to pimp her CD, Knees Up!, with a series of shows in the East. As a school teacher, I suppose you have to take your free time when you can (damn ankle biters always are messing up something, aren't they?).

So take a break from your summer reading list and enjoy her track, "The Secret Handshake," below. It's an intriguing amalgam of hip hop samples and pleasant vocals. I could have done without the police siren sample myself, but that's probably because I always start to pull over on the side of the road and look guilty whenever I hear it in the car.

mp3: The Secret Handshake