Oct 21st:

Wale with Daniel Merriweather

* PICK: Allido Records Showcase: Mark Ronson, Wale, Rhymefest, Daniel Merriweather and Kidz In the Hall @ SOBs. Ronson has a penchant for inviting special guests, so when the flyer says "plus special guests", you best believe it.

* PANEL: The Hip-Hop Renaissance: A Cultural Rebirth @ Kimmel Center. Q-Tip heads up a discussion moderated by CNN's Lola Ogunnaike on the reinterpretation of old school hip hop music. Details are here.

* Decon Showcase: Evidence, Aceyalone, DJ Babu, Izza Kizza, 88 Keys at Sullivan Hall. Two-thirds of Dilated Peoples (Evidence & DJ Babu) with Freestyle Fellowship founder Aceyalone along with producer turned MC 88 Keys. More info & tickets here.

* Cool Kids, Rhymefest, Skillz, The Carps, Free Sol @ Blender. Hey, you can also catch The Carps on Saturday Oct 25th!

* Brooklyn Bodega Presents: Platinum Pied Pipers @ Drom - Platinum Pied Pipers consist of detroit hip hop producer Wajeed and multi-instrumentalist Sadeeq. The duo have ties to Slum Village and J. Dilla and it shows in the production style of their hip hop/R&B hybrid. Tickets are available here.

* Embedded CMJ Showcase: Bisc1, Junk Science, Iller Than Theirs, Loer Velocity @ Knitting Factory Tap Bar. Tickets are on sale.

* Mixtape Awards CMJ Party: Joell Ortiz with Grafh, Agallah, Sam Scarfo, Ali Vegas, SKYZOO and many others @ Public Assembly. Two rooms of hip hop up and comers headlined by former Dr Dre protege Joell Ortiz and featuring former Dipset affiliate Agallah of Purple City. Tickets are on sale.

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OCT 22nd:

* PICK: Stones Throw CMJ 2008 with DJ's Madlib, Peanut Butter Wolf, Edan The DJ, James Pants, Dam-Funk, Arabian Prince, & Egon hosted by Melvin Van Peebles @ Gallery Bar. The Stones Throw all-stars come out in full force at the Gallery Bar. Info and RSVP here.

* Roc Raida's 2008 Gong DJ Battle Finals @ Hiro Ballroom. Legendary X-ecutioner Roc Raida plays host along with Lord Sear and DJ Fat Fingaz to a DJ battle featuring showcases by DJ Shiftee, DJ Roli Rho and DJ Slyce. Tickets are on sale.

* S.O.B.'s CMJ-08 Presents: Coast2Coast with Blu & Mainframe (as Johnson & Johnson), Mickey Factz, Pacific Division, P. Casso, Shawn Jackson, Free Sol, Metermaids @ SOBs. Tickets are on sale.

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OCT 23rd

Ill Bill with HR (Who is also playing CMJ)

* PICK: Ill Bill (La Coka Nostra, ex-Non-Phixion), Sean Price @ BB Kings. One half of Heltah Skeltah (Sean Price) hits the stage with former Non-Phixion luminary and Necro's older brother Ill Bill

* Ghetto Metal & CMJ present: Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, Black Ice, Bazaar Royale, Drag-On (Ruff Ryders) @ Studio B. Revolutionaries Immortal Technique and Dead Prez hit the stage with spoken word badass Black Ice and... Drag-On from the Ruff Ryders?

* Nomadic Wax & Bloom Effect Present: Global Hip-Hop Throwdown Hosted by Pharoahe Monch @ Drom. Pharoahe Monch hosts a night that proves that hip hop is a worldwide phenom with performances by Blitz The Ambassador, King Reign, Mr.Reo, DJ Soulscape, Too Many Fish, Chachi, and Empire Isis. Tickets are still available.

* High Water CMJ Showcase: DJ Spinna, Sucio Smash, Sputnik Brown @ The Knitting Factory Old Office. Cratediggin' badass DJ Spinna shows the whippersnappers how it's done with a little assist from Sucio Smash and Sputnik Brown. Free.

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OCT 24th

* PICK: Black Milk, U-N-I @ Southpaw Tickets are still available.

* PANEL: One Nation, One Groove: The Changing Role Of The Producer: Featuring a panel discussion from RZA, Easy Mo Bee, True Master, Keith Shocklee, George Clinton, Shavo Odadijian and others @ Kimmel Center. A discussion of producers with some of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, a bonafide funk genius, and the scary bald dude from System Of A Down. Details are here.

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OCT 25th

* PICK: Stetsasonic, Mike G. & Sammie B (JBz), YZ, Zimbabwe Legit, People Under The Stairs @ Knitting Factory. Tickets are still available.

* Hip Hop Live! Presents: Talib Kweli, Little Brother, David Banner @ Nokia Theater. Sony has sweetened the deal by adding that the first 1000 concert goers will receive a pair of Sony EX earbud headphones. Tickets are still available.

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Did we miss anything?

For all our CMJ coverage, check out www.brooklynvegan.com/tag/CMJ