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February 7, 2007

"Hip Hop Tours of Harlem"! with actual rap legends ++ the "Abolish the N Word organization"

Kurtis Blow giving a "Hip-Hop tour of Harlem" | Jan 27, 2007 (CRED)

Not only is Kurtis Blow teaming up with a politician to help abolish the "N Word"....

"Queens Councilman Leroy Comrie spearheaded the nonbinding measure before the New York City Council Thursday. He appeared with hip-hop pioneer Kurtis Blow Walker on Thursday and said the slur has gained a level of acceptance among entertainers and youths that is troubling. 'So I challenge the hip-hop community, I challenge you to abolish that word during the month of February -- Black History Month -- and beyond,' Walker said." [KSDK] (via Rolling Stone)

...he's giving (see above) "hip hop tours of harlem" along with other rap legends:

Trace the history and influences of hip hop from its earliest stage with Pioneers DJ Red Alert, Grand Master Caz, Rahiem of Grand Master Flash & the Furious 5 and others.This interactive cultural tour of Manhattan, Harlem and the Bronx highlights the true meaning of hip hop see, DJing, Mcing, Graffiti and Break Dancing.

Get the lowdown on groups like Public Enemy, Treacherous 3, Sugarhill Gang and Russel Simmons; try your hand in our "Show Your Skills" segment while dressed in our 'bling-bling'/

I realize this has tourist written all over it, but I can't help but want to sign up for one ASAP.

A quick Google search reveals that the NY Times wrote an article on it last year, and that there seems to be competing companies.

For more Hip Hop, check the latest round up.

Posted in NYC | hiphop | music at 7:10 PM | Comments (9)

Wes' Weekly Hip Hop News Roundup | (Feb 07, 2007)

When Mos Def isn't rapping, he's acting in films like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 16 Blocks, and Journey to the End of the Night. Find out how to win a DVD at the end of this post.

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DOWNLOAD: The Rub live-on-WFMU (MP3)

DJ Premier & DJ Ayres @ The Rub (Southpaw), Brooklyn, NY | Feb 3, 2007 (MORE)

Every first Saturday of the month The Rub bring it to Southpaw in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. This past Saturday DJ Premier himself stopped in to play an unnanounced DJ set, and later in the night Spankrock showed up and got on the mic. DJ Ayres (pictured along with Premier above) has some pics. The Rub are going on tour tomorrow. Dates up at their site.

And speaking of DJ Premier, consider this a reminder that tickets are still on sale for the Lord Finesse Birthday Bash at Irving Plaza in NYC on February 23rd. Prefix links to a mixtape download.

And speaking of Irving Plaza, the Plug Awards featuring a performance by El-P this Saturday is sold out, but you can catch El-P at Bowery Ballroom on March 22.

Also this Saturday: A Jewish Hip Hop Showcase with Y-Love, Kosha Dillz, Niz, Remedy & dj handler.

And speaking of Bowery Ballroom, tickets are also on sale for a special performance of Guru's Jazzmatazz featuring Superproducer Solar / DJ Doo Wop and The 7 Grand Band.. Last week I was telling you about the new album.

Def Jux's Cage, Hangar 18 and Rob Sonic are playing a cancer research benefit on Long Island. Tickets for the March 23rd show are on sale. Cage also plays closer to home on February 15th. Tickets are on sale for the show at Knitting Factory.

And speaking of Knitting Factory, the Slick Rick show is this Friday.

Hip Hop Karaoke is at Knitting Factory on February 18th.

DOWNLOAD

• Dogg Pound ft The Game - Anybody Killa (here)


• Royce Da 5'9" - Go Get'Em (here)


• Termanology - 50 Bodies [produced by Marley Marl] (here)


• Classified - Find Out here


• Jay-Z - 1989-1994 The Early Tapes [full album] (here)


• Nas - Where Are They Now (80's Remix) ft Grandmaster Caz, MC Shan, Raheem (Furious Five), Doctor Ice (UTFO), Kangol (UTFO), Kool Moe Dee, Sha Rock (Funky Four Plus One), Tito (Fearless Four), Lin Que (Isis of X Clan), Dana Dane, Pebblee Poo & Just Ice. Download here.


• Nas - Where Are They Now (90's Remix) ft Redhead Kingpin, The Original Spinderella, Rob Base, Father MC, Monie Love, Mike G (of the Jungle Brothers), EST (of 3XDope), Positive K, Das EFX, Lords of the Underground, Dres (of Black Sheep). Download here.


• Nas - Where Are They Now (Westcoast Remix) ft Breeze, Kam, King Tee, Candyman, Threat, Ice-T, Sir Mix-A-Lot and the Conscious Daughters (with scratches from DJ Bobcat). Download here.

More graphics like the one of Nas above here.

We all know Prince ripped it during the Superbowl Halftime Show, but Kanye and Common also did a great pre-show show.

VICE interviewed Malice of Clipse:

My mum couldn’t stand rap. She didn’t understand nothing about it—didn’t get it. She was always the first one to say, “If you know your homework like you knew that record, you’d be aiight.” Then Pusha got her a Jaguar. Now she’s the number-one rap fanatic in the world.

More news & a free DVD below....

Devin the Dude is back.

Redman speaks on his upcoming new album Red Gone Wild (March), another new album Muddy Waters 2 (November), another new album Blackout 2 (2008), Def Jam, touring, and more. Great read.

Diddy & Jay-Z are allegedly looking into launching a Video On Demand cable channel.

Paul Wall launches GetMoneyTV.

Check out the tracklist and production credits for Pharoahe Monche's Desire

More drama involving 50 Cent, Cam'ron, and others. Watch a video of Cam on the phone with 50 live on Hot97, and then listen to the audio from the Hot97 broadcast.

J Dilla's Won't Do premieres on GOTV - including special features by Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monche. Watch a promotional video.

AllHipHop reviews the film "Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes"

New Nas video...

Earlier this week on BV:
* Jill Scott has a scary hat.
* The Roots & Lupe Fiasco coming to NYC, touring.
* Public Enemy releases a Greatest Hits Live CD.

CONTEST
To win a copy of Journey to the End of the Night featuring actor Mos Def, e-mail us at BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Journey), and tell us which Broadway play Mos co-starred in a few years back. One winner will be picked at random. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.

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this post brought to you by Undisputed Wes

Posted in MP3 | hiphop | music | tour dates at 9:04 AM | Comments (4)

February 4, 2007

Jill Scott's purple hat is scarier than an enchanted evening with Art Garfunkel

While perusing Largehearted Boy's latest list of new releases, I came across a contender for this week's scariest album cover courtesy of Jill Scott. That 80s-jean-jacket-purple-hat-combo with accompanying-furry-thing-on her-shoulder may even be scarier than the thought of an enchanted evening with Art Garfunkel. Is that cover supposed to help album sales? I think she looked much cooler when she appeared on Letterman with Lupe. Speaking of which, I hope she shows up when Lupe plays with the Roots.....who she also plays with.

Once she performed with Moby and the Blue Man Group....

Popmatters calls "Collaborations" a "cash-in" album, and says the "undeniable highlight is the Chris Botti number 'Good Morning Heartache'." Common, will.i.am, Sergio Mendes, and Mos Def, also appear on the album.

Check out the weekly roundup for more hip hop.

Posted in hiphop | music at 3:04 AM | Comments (4)