Black Milk has always been one to make hip hop burners as a producer, and now comes word that he will step away from the microphone for a forthcoming LP with visual artist Upendo Taylor. Titled Synth or Soul, the new LP will be available on vinyl in time for Record Store Day (4/20) and just like the name suggests, half of its output devoted to synths and the other half to soul samples. Check out a track below and order yours should the mood strike you.

In other news, Black Milk recently released the new single "Sunday's Best / Monday's Worst." Stream that below and get yours at your nearest digital retailer, or via the man himself.

Continue reading "Black Milk goes instrumental w/ 'Synth or Soul' (track stream)"

by Andrew Sacher

Two hip hop producers, House Shoes and Dabrye, are teaming up for some shows together this month. They've got two shows in California this week, and then they'll come to NYC for a Bandshell-presented show on February 28 at Le Poisson Rouge with Lamin Fofana. Tickets for the LPR show are on sale now. At the moment, those are the only three shows announced for the two producers, and you can see them all in list format below.

House Shoes has been a mainstay as a producer in the Detroit hip hop scene for years, but it wasn't until 2012 that he released his "official" debut album, Let It Go, which features guest spots from Danny Brown, Roc Marciano, The Alchemist, Oh No, Guilty Simpson, Black Milk, Chali 2na and more. Like collaborator The Alchemist's 2012 album, Russian Roulette, Let It Go is a great showcase of the current indie rap scene, but it also works as its own cohesive album of retro-futuristic boom bap. You can stream the entire album and watch the video for the song with Danny Brown, "Sweet," below.

Dabrye hasn't released anything too recently, but like House Shoes, his albums feature a variety of great indie rappers (his 2006 release, Two/Three featured DOOM, Vast Aire, Beans, Guilty Simpson, and others), and his material has been taken on by some pretty great remixers like Kode9 and Flying Lotus. A stream of the instrumental version of his Two/Three LP is below.

All streams and a list of all dates below...

Continue reading "House Shoes released a guest-filled album, playing shows with Dabrye (dates, video, streams)"

The full list of artists confirmed for the 2012 CMJ Music Marathon so far is below...

Continue reading "CMJ 2012 initial lineup announced"

Black Milk at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 (more by BBG)

As revealed on twitter, Black Milk will open the previously discussed Lauryn Hill show at Highline Ballroom on Saturday (6/2). He'll be playing with his live band Nat Turner (aka Aaron "Ab" Abernathy - keys/vocals; Malik Hunter - bass; Zeb Horton - drums) which he took on his February/March tour which included a Brooklyn show at Knitting Factory (2/29).

Tickets (which, as mentioned are $125 for general admission and $250 for VIP) went on sale today and are still available.

Check out some "backstage pass" videos of Black Milk and Nat turner from their recent tour below...

Continue reading "Black Milk opening for Lauryn Hill at Highline Ballroom"

by BBG

Black Milk at Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by BBG)

How appropo that the king of dry snares and booming kicks Black Milk will hit the road for a 25-date tour entitled the "Claps and Slaps". The MC's trek kicks off in late February with J. Pinder and A.Dd+ and includes a stop in NYC at Knitting Factory on February 29th. Tickets are on sale. All dates are listed below.

Black Milk is one half of Black & Brown, which also includes Danny Brown. The also-Detroit MC (Black Milk is from there too) recently played the Echoplex in LA and will play Santos Party House in March. He ALSO is opening for ASAP Rocky at the sold out Irving Plaza show Wednesday (2/1). Danny, who also has a run of dates coming up with Childish Gambino, was announced on that one after the show sold out. Maybe he'll also stop by the afterparty.

Stream Black & Brown EP below alongside a video and all tour dates...

Continue reading "Black Milk schedules US tour; Danny Brown opening for ASAP Rocky at Irving Plaza (dates)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Passion Pit

It's now Saturday and Fun Fun Fun Fest's second day is already underway and streaming on Pitchfork.

Yesterday, Friday, while BBG was holding down the black stage (which Danzig eventually played), Tim (who ran into Ryan Gosling more than once), was handling most of the other music the Austin fest had to offer. A quick selection of Tim's pictures from Friday continues below...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 -- Day 1 in pics (part 2) -- Passion Pit, Reggie Watts, Omar Souleyman & more)"

photos by BBG

Four stages and more. Fun Fun Fun Fest truly is non-stop fun of many varieties. BBG spent most of Friday at the Black Stage (the one Danzig headlined). His pictures, including Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Murder City Devils, Russian Circles and the afterparty at Red 7, continue below...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 -- Day 1 in pics (part 1) -- Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Murder City Devils, Russian Circles & more"

DOWNLOAD: The Big Pink - Stay Gold (AraabMuzik remix w/ Danny Brown) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Big Pink - Stay Gold (AraabMuzik remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Big Pink - Stay Gold (MP3)

Black & Brown

Black Milk is on the beats and Danny Brown is on the mic, and together they are Black & Brown, the title of their forthcoming EP due on Fat Beats on 11/1. Stream the entire EP below. No Black & Brown dates as of yet.

Danny Brown meanwhile is currently out on tour with Das Racist, though he doesn't open their Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. That one will instead be opened by Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire and Despot (just like the Bowery Ballroom show was).

Danny Brown also appears on the new Random Axe LP, which is out now and streaming below. Random Axe recent finished a batch of US dates and are currently touring Russia(!). Tour dates and the Random Axe stream is below.

Danny Brown also appears on a new AraabMuzik remix of a song by The Big Pink, "Stay Gold". Download that, the version of the remix without Danny and the original above. Stream the remix and watch the video for the original version below. AraabMuzik opens for SBTRKT at Bowery Ballroom on Halloween.

Continue reading "Danny Brown collaborating w/ Black Milk, Random Axe, AraabMuzik & The Big Pink (MP3s & streams)"

Slayer at Izod Center (photos by Samantha Marble)

Slayer, Thee Oh Sees, Public Enemy, Girls, Danzig Legacy, (Danzig + Doyle von Frankenstein playing Misfits, Samhain & Danzig), Hot Snakes, Diplo, Major Lazer, Henry Rollins, Ted Leo & The Phramacists, Spank Rock, Murder City Devils, Hum, Lykke Li, Passion Pit, Four Tet, Rakim, The Damned, Austra, Purity Ring, and Flynt Flossy are just a few of the acts announced today as part of the Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 lineup. Another amazing year! Check out the full lineup below and stay tuned for more announcements coming in August and September.

The new additions to the Austin, Texas festival, which takes place from 11/4 - 11/6, are in addition to the the previous "lineup leaks" that included Brian Posehn, Odd Future, Okkervil River, M83, X (performing "Los Angeles"), Reggie Watts, Flying Lotus, Tune-Yards, Ra Ra Riot, Kid Dynamite and others

2011 is the festival's sixth year, but first at its new home Auditorium Shores (no more Waterloo Park). Tickets are on sale now.

Slayer also has a NYC performance coming up with Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth as part of the "Big Four" show at Yankee Stadium on 9/14. Tickets are still available.

Fun Fun Fun 2011 flyer and almost-full lineup is below.

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 lineup (Danzig Legazy, Passion Pit, Slayer, Lykke Li, The Damned, Henry Rollins & much more)"

Smoke Fairies at iTunes Festival (via iTunes UK)

Smoke Fairies kick off a tour with Rasputina later this month. As mentioned, the tour does not include any NYC dates, but Smoke Fairies will return to NYC on August 22 at Rockwood Music Hall (one of the two NYC venues they played last time they were here).

Smoke Fairies recently played iTunes Festival in London with Seasick Steve. Seasick Steve records on Jack White's Third Man Records, the same label that released Smoke Fairies' "Gastown/Riversong" 7" in 2009. Jack played with Seasick Steve at the festival, along with his Dead Weather bandmate Alison Mosshart and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. If you missed the show, you can watch the whole thing at iTunes along with performances by Beady Eye, Cat's Eyes, Paul Simon, Arctic Monkeys and others. The iTunes Fest presents a new show every day in July. Upcoming shows include Mogwai, Coldplay and Moby.

Jack White's old band The White Stripes uncovered two unreleased tracks via the Third Man Vault. Listen to "Signed D.C." and "I've Been Loving You Too Long" below.

Jack also recently collaborated with underground hip hop mainstay Black Milk. You can read Black Milk's account of the experience at his blog and stream the songs. The 7" is available at Black Milk's webstore.

Updated Smoke Fairies dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Smoke Fairies add a show, watch iTunes Fest online, listen to unearthed White Stripes & Black Milk too"

by BBG

Sean Price at Southpaw (more by BBG)

"I like no female rappers. Not like I don't like them personally; they don't hold my interest. Except MC Lyte," he told Vlad TV. "I haven't bought a female rap album since MC Lyte, Lyte as a Rock. That album? I haven't bought one since, straight up. I like none of 'em."

P was quick to clarify, explaining that he holds a soft spot for Digga. "Let me take that back. Rah Digga. She get busy too. But other than that, none of 'em. I'm not buying none of they albums. All of 'em. That's just me. I be fooled. You have a nice single. If the single is good, I'll buy the album. I got a fooled a few times. Who did I get fooled by? I was so pissed. Boss. Remember Boss? I was so pissed, b. I fell for a few, but I like no female rappers. None." -[Hip Hop DX]

Can't make it tomoight? Tomorrow (Wedneday, 6/22) Random Axe to play a ANOTHER NYC show, this time a headlining date at Southpaw with labelmates Black Moon and SkyZoo. Tickets are still available. The pair of shows are in addition to the crew's upcoming appearances at Rock The Bells and Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest. Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest's lineup recently expanded with the additions of Shad, Homeboy Sandman, Nitty Scott MC, Eternia, and Twilite Tone.

Random Axe is celebrating the release of their new and self-titled LP out NOW via Duck Down Records while Smif N Wessun will release their new collaborative LP with Pete Rock, Monumental, via the label on 6/28. Stream the entire Random Axe LP at Complex, and check out two recent Random Axe videos, "Random Call" and "The Hex", below.

And while we're on the subject of Duck Down Records, Black Moon, and Smif N Wessun, look for the two crews to join fellow Duck Down affiliates Heltah Skeltah, OGC, Pharoahe Monch, and Black Rob for a "Hip Hop Legends" night at BB King's on July 12th (Black Rob & OGC... hip hop legends?). Tickets are still available.

Reminder: Duck Down signee and collaborator Talib Kweli will play a free show at Red Hook Park TONIGHT, a day before he hits The Colbert Report.

A bunch of videos and song streams are below.

Continue reading "Random Axe released LP on Duck Down (stream it), playing shows w/ Smif N Wessun & Black Moon & more"

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Lupe Fiasco's "Lasers" album finally will be released to the public this Tuesday. It's been a long time coming -- his last record was "The Cool" in 2007 -- but it's not at all the album the Chicago rapper wanted to make. His valiant attempts to buck up and promote it are downbeat and disheartening. When I first chatted with Fiasco during some down time last week in New York City, I congratulated him on the album's first single, "The Show Goes On," which had just gone gold (selling 500,000 singles). He huffed, his whole attitude was "whatever" as he responded: "It's their record. My words, their music. They forced this song to be a No. 1 single, and that's what they got. I can't take any credit for it."

He's referring to Atlantic Records, the once historic label (founded by Ahmet Ertegun) that is now a subsidiary of the Warner Music Group. According to Fiasco, various players at Atlantic thwarted his artistic mission on this, his third album for the label -- a process that dragged on for three years and ended only when several hundred fans scheduled a protest last October in downtown Chicago and outside the label's New York City offices. -[Chicago Sun-Times]

Lupe also recently played a sponsored event at the smaller Music Hall of Williamsburg. His next show may be the Atlantic Records showcase (he can't be that angry) with Wiz Khalifa and Cee-Lo at SXSW.

More pictures from Webster Hall, setlist included, below...

Continue reading "Lupe Fiasco played Webster Hall w/ help from Black Milk, John Legend, Sway & Dosage (pics & setlist)"

"lupe's show was incredible! such an inspiration..
thanks for showing Brooklyn some love! #LASERS" -traces_notepad

Lupe Fiasco played a free sponsored show show at MHOW on Sunday 2/27. Did you go? How was it? He'll also be at the sold-out Webster Hall on March 8th but in addition to that, Lupe has added ANOTHER NYC date after the smoke clears from his Lasers record release. Look for Lupe Fiasco at Roseland on April 24th with the great Black Milk! Tickets are on sale.

Some videos from the Music Hall show below...

Continue reading "Lupe Fiasco played MHOW, adds Roseland show w/ Black Milk"

by BBG

Black Milk at Southpaw (more by BBG)

Now that his Album of The Year has garnered considerable year end accolades, Black Milk will rope his live band in for a show on Feb 10th at SOB's with Danny Brown and DJ Houseshoes. Tickets are on sale. The show is one a bunch scheduled for Detroit MC. A full list of his tour dates is below.

The Black Milk show takes place on the five year anniversary of the untimely death of the legendary J Dilla. Dilla will no doubt be memorialized at many events around the world, including at Santos on Feb 5th as part of the Donuts Are Forever 5 party. The lineup for the show has yet to be revealed, but advance tickets are on sale.

Rest in Peace Dilla Dawg. You are missed.

Continue reading "Black Milk playing w/ live band, J Dilla being remembered"

Foals @ Bowery Ballroom in 2008 (more by Leia Jospe)

today in NYC
* SOAR @ Glasslands
* Tired Pony @ Irving Plaza
* Miho Hatori @ The Stone
* Erik Friedlander @ The Stone
* Stephane Wrembel @ Joe's Pub
* Michael Lytle, Nick Didkovsky @ Roulette
* El Guincho, Able Hearts @ Cameo Gallery
* Eliot Lipp, Alex B, Ana Sia @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Zizek, Chico Mann, Xenia Rubinos @ Coco 66
* Foals, Esben and The Witch @ Bowery Ballroom
* Sonny & The Sunsets, Kelley Stoltz @ Union Hall
* Menomena, Suckers, Tu Fawning @ Webster Hall
* Uz Jsme Doma, Zuby Nehty, FPB @ The Rock Shop
* Efterklang, Buke & Gass, Xylos @ Santos Party House
* Film School, The Depreciation Guild @ Mercury Lounge
* Hungry March Band, Stagger Back Brass Band @ Union Pool
* Vermillion Sands, The Beets, Backlights, Normandy @ Cake Shop
* Hey Battlefield, Left Me Bashful, Jump Into The Gospel @ Pianos
* Dirt Bikes, Shark?, Your 33 Black Angels, Lady Magma @ Southpaw
* Laurie Anderson (performing Delusion) @ Brooklyn Academy Music
* Born Ruffians, Winter Gloves, First Rate People @ Knitting Factory
* Bonnie Jones, Andrea Neumann, Bob Bellerue @ Issue Project Room
* The Temper Trap, Delphic, The Hundred in the Hands @ Terminal
* Ninjasonik, Oxymorrons, Cody B. Ware, Johnny Nelson @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Shooter Jennings, Hierophant, J-Roddy Walston & The Business @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Check out This Week in Indie

Pop Montreal is happening in Canada.

Matador 21 kicks off in Vegas.

Black Milk has a new video for "Welcome (Gotta Go)". Check it out below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday? "

by BBG

Black Milk celebrated Album of The Year (stream it) with a headlining show at a packed out Southpaw on Tuesday (9/14). In addition to a Besides a bouncy and big-bang performance from Black Milk (one of the few hip hoppers that understands the art of the live show), there was a killer lineup of supporting characters that included the pure hilarity/unstoppable rhymes of Sean Price, a super energetic Elzhi, Guilty Simpson, and a surprise appearance from Roc Marciano (his first since the release of his incredible LP Marcberg on Fat Beats in April).

More pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Black Milk played Southpaw, Roc Marciano stopped by (pics) "

Black Milk at SXSW (more here)

Black Milk plays Southpaw TONIGHT (9/14) with a formidable cast of characters in Sean Price (of Heltah Skeltah), Guilty Simpson, Elzhi, and DJ Spinna. Tickets are still available at the door for all you procrastinators, but for those chained to your desk for the evening, take solace in the fact that East Village Radio will be streaming the show LIVE starting at 8PM. Album of The Year is out NOW via Decon/Fat Beats.

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Black Milk - "Closed Chapter" featuring Mr Porter (MP3)

With Album of The Year due on Tuesday (9/14), Detroit MC Black Milk is opening this new chapter, with the release of "Closed Chapter" featuring Mr. Porter. Download it above. The soulful guitar loops, incredible drum fills with the requisite dryer-than-the-Arabian-desert snare, and R&B hook compliments a bouncy verse from Black Milk, and proves that dude still has it. Look for the album Tuesday and stream it all now courtesy NPR!

Reminder, Black Milk will perform in NYC TUESDAY (9/14) at Southpaw with Sean Price, Guilty Simpson, Elzhi (of Slum Village), and the incredible DJ Spinna. Tickets are still available.

Show flyer and Black Milk's recent (and uncensored) video for "Deadly Medley" is below.

Continue reading "new Black Milk MP3 & album stream"

by BBG

Black Milk at SXSW (more by Samantha Marble)

BrooklynVegan is proud to announce the release party for one of 2010's most highly anticipated underground hip hop albums, Black Milk's Album of The Year. Brooklyn's Southpaw will be the venue and September 14th is the date (also the album's release date). The show will feature appearances from the man himself along with Sean Price, Elzhi of Slum Village, and Guilty Simpson among other special guests still to be announced. Tickets are on sale.

UPDATE: DJ Spinna, who is also spinning the Michael Jackson birthday party in Prospect Park this Sunday, has been added to the Southpaw show.

Individually, Sean Price, Black Milk, and Guilty Simpson is an incredible lineup, but in addition, the threesome combine to form Random Axe. Ramdom Axe have completed an LP that, according to a recent interview, will see a release in "October/November". Keep on the look out for that one.

Elzhi is 1/2 of the current Slum Village, who recently released their new album Villa Manifesto via E1 Music, the first since the passing of Slum Village founding member Baatin and ex-SV member J.Dilla. Elzhi released his (almost entirely) Black Milk-produced solo album The Preface in 2008.

The rest of Random Axe has been busy with their own projects, as well. Sean Price released the Kimbo Price mixtape in the tail end of last year, and is prepping to release Mic Tyson on Duck Down. Guilty Simpson's new LP, um, OJ Simpson hit stores in middle May via Stones Throw. The LP features production by Madlib on all tracks.

Some video, including the recently released Black Milk clip "Deadly Medley" is below...

Continue reading "Black Milk will celebrate 'Album of the Year' at Southpaw (w/ Sean Price, Guilty Simpson, Elzhi & more) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: - Jim Jones - "Salute" Remix w/ Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, & Vado (MP3)

"Freddie Gibbs hella #underrated" - NiNO_WiLLIAMS

"only in NYC can you see Gotham Green, Black Milk, Freddie Gibbs, DJ Spinna and Tony Touch all rock in the same night." -jessfromcosign

"Jim Jones is at the Freddie Gibbs/Black Milk show. I didn't know he liked rap." - itsthereal

Freddie Gibbs at SXSW (photo by Villageslum.com)

Freddie Gibbs is the Str8 Killa (and a straight blunt killa, but more on that in a sec) and he celebrated his new EP with a show featuring the great Black Milk, Gotham Green, Push! Montana, Tony Touch, DJ Spinna and others last night at SOB's. Check out some videos from the event below.

In other Gibbs related news, odds are you won't see the MC at the upcoming Rick Ross / Diddy shindig at Governor's Island:

Complex: Switching topics: One of the hottest rappers right now is Rick Ross. One of your recent tweets read: "Who are you? Rick Ross, Big Meech or Larry Hoover? the rap game is like halloween every day?"

Freddie Gibbs: [Laughs.] That's real, man. That dude makes good records, but I just can't support no bold-faced lying on records. I guess he's entertaining people. It's like a movie, like Scarface. He can have that fake lane. I'll stay in the real lane. We got a non-fiction lane of rap, that's how I'm looking at it now. So you got that fiction lane over there where they're doing all them. I do the non-fiction, the autobiography, the real shit. It's all good.... I mean you can't really trip on him yelling names out. This the same dude that told you he knew Noriega when he first came out, so...

As you can see above, Jim Jones was spotted at the Freddie Gibbs/Black Milk shindig. Jones's reunited partner in rhyme (dipset all day, as the kids say) Cam'ron will headline the Funkmaster Flex birthday party next Wednesday (8/11) at BB King's. Look for Killa Cam to perform alongside a team Ja Rule, Capone & Noreaga, Group Home (who just played Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest) and DJ Premier (him too). Tickets are on sale, yuhnahmean? Dig on the remix for "Salute" from Jim Jones's upcoming LP The Capo (9/28 via E1) featuring Juelz Santana, Vado, and Cam'ron above.

Video from the Freddie Gibbs/Black Milk show last night, as well as some of Mr. Gibbs and Best Coast (ex-Vivian Girl Ali included) sharing some ganj at the Pitchfork Fest, is below...

Continue reading "Freddie Gibbs played SOB's, smoked weed w/ Best Coast (video) ++ Rick Ross is fiction?, a Cam'ron show & more"

by BBG

Black Milk at SXSW (more here)

Black Milk will team up with his uber-buzzy mic controller Decon label-mate Freddie Gibbs for a show at SOBs on Tuesday (August 3rd, tickets). The show will double as a record release party for Gibbs, as he readies his new EP Str8 Killa due that same day (git it) and accompanying (requisite?) mixtape, available for free download HERE. In addition, Gibbs has pounded out a new video for the lead single from Str8 Killa, "National Anthem", available below

The eight-track Gibbs EP also features a song called "Oil Money" that features guest spots by Chuck Inglish of the Cool Kids, Chip Tha Ripper, Bun B & The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach. Download that track free HERE or HERE. Read more about the THREE Black Keys shows that just happened in NYC here, here, and here.

Freddie's older The Miseducation Of Freddie Gibbs Mixtape is free HERE.

Black Milk's new LP Album Of The Year is due on September 14th, and the beat god (and damn fine MC) dropped a video album trailer for that LP today. View that below along with the album's tracklisting, some other video and full Freddie Gibbs tour dates...

Continue reading "Freddie Gibbs giving away new mixtape, celebrating new EP @ SOB's w/ Black Milk -- MP3s, video, dates & the Black Keys"

words by BBG, photos by Brook Bobbins

"Wht a fckin day! Was a 90s hipHop reunion backstge DAMN! Nice & smooth, dela soul, group home, primo, pete rck& cl smooth, large prof, craig g" -MastaAce

"Damn Pete Rock and CL Smooth rockin under the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a beautiful thing. Straighten it out! -greenspam

"I really am sorry that you're not here with me watching De La Soul kill shit live in Brooklyn" -djreadycee

De La Soul at Brooklyn Hip hop Fest in DUMBO - July 10, 2010

Though the rain did rear it's ugly head momentarily on July 10th, the crowd was nonetheless rocked at the 2010 Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest on Saturday. It was the final day of a week-long celebration, and also the biggest event of the fest. With a lineup that consisted of greats like De La Soul, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Black Moon, Smif n Wessun, and many others, the surprise additions of Nice & Smooth, Black Sheep and Group Home gave the event an especially 90s touch. It wasn't all veterans though; relative newcomers like Curren$y, Black Milk, Diamond District, The Money Making Jam Boys, and many others brought new blood under the Brooklyn Bridge to get the block rockin'.

Tons more pics (starting with Black Milk's 3:45 set), and video are below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest 2010 in pics & video (De La Soul, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Black Moon, Black Milk & more) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Black Milk - "Welcome (Gotta Go)" (Mediafire)

Black Milk at SXSW (more here)

The new LP is called Album Of The Year. That's bold talk from the great Black Milk, but if there is one man who can get that head nodding, it's him.

The Detroit MC (and recent BV show alumnus) will welcome Album of The Year on 9/14 via Fat Beats, and the LP is chock full of Detroit luminaries like Royce Da 5' 9", Danny Brown, and Elzhi of Slum Village alongside appearances from Mr. Porter, AB, Melanie Rutherford, and Monica Blaire. Dig on the lead track "Welcome (Gotta Go)" available above.

Black Milk is scheduled to perform at the Saturday (7/10) show of the Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest alongside a host of other great mic controllers. Admittedly, as much as I am looking forward to seeing the Detroit rhyme killer, the Duck Down crew (also BV show alumni) and a good portion of the Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest support (not to mention the great De La Soul), the main event for me is reunion of the great Pete Rock & CL Smooth! The show will be their first US appearance together in 10 6 years. Reminisce no more, my friends....

Tonight's (7/8) BHHF festivities feature a salute to the DJ at Music Hall of Williamsburg with appearances by DJ Spinna, Bobbito, Rhettmatic, Rob Swift, and Wajeed (Platinum Pied Pipers). Prepare thy ass to get shooken. $10 gets you in.

Dig on a bunch of hip hop videos below...

Continue reading "Hip Hop Fest continues w/ Black Milk, a PETE ROCK & CL SMOOTH REUNION (and a salute to the DJ @ MHOW tonight)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Little Brother - "Star" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Little Brother - "Curtain Call" (MP3)

Little Brother

It's the end of the road for Little Brother, who have released their final album, Left Back. 9th Wonder is long gone from the scene (Khrysis handles the bulk of the duties), but Phonte and Big Pooh will hit the road for a string of dates in celebration of the release, starting with Hiro Ballroom tonight (May 11th). The bill is rounded out by Black Milk, Torae, Joe Scudda, Chaundon, Jozeemo, and DJ Mick Boogie. Tickets are on sale.

It's one of two NYC shows for Phonte, who will be back in the NYC area with his Foreign Exchange project (with DJ Nicolay) at BB King's on June 6th. Tickets are on sale.

All tour dates and a few recent Little Brother videos are below...

Continue reading "Little Brother (tonight) & Foreign Exchange shows (dates) "

record store day @ Permanent Records in Greenpoint (autovac)

Hi everyone...

We at Permanent Records just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you so much for making this year's Record Store Day the unbelievably huge success that it was. You all helped make it the biggest weekend we've ever had, and we sincerely thank all of you for your continued support of our little record store. Hopefully you managed to get most (if not all) of the Record Store Day exclusives you were looking for. If you'd like to see photos from the big day (which, if you were at the front of the line that morning, you are probably in), click here.

We do still have some of the Record Store Day exclusives in stock... so if you haven't made it in to check out some of these limited new releases, it's still not too late! They're on display, right in front of you as you walk into the store.

So, since we're still recovering from the mayhem of this weekend, we're taking a break from our New In Stock / Back In Stock mailer this week. Rest assured, we have plenty of new records available this week, but if you wanna know what they're are, you'll just have to come in and look for them. You know, like old times.

Thanks again everyone. We truly appreciate your business.

-The P-Recs Staff

- Other Music had their best single day in their 14 year history.
- The Sound Garden had their busiest day in years, outpacing Christmas sales for the past couple of years.
- Vintage Vinyl sold more stuff on RSD than any other day in the stores' history.
- Twist N Shout reported the best sales they've ever had in a single day.
- RSD 2010 was Sonic Boom's single biggest sales day in their 12 year history.
- Silver Platters' sales on RSD 2010 were up 80% from last year (which were up 20% from the year before).
- Exclusive Company's RSD 2010 sales increased 102% from RSD 2009.
- Dimple did twice as much in sales from last year's RSD event.

Record Store Day video interviews and performances and stuff, some taped at Coachella, below...

Continue reading "Record Store Day was great for records & record stores"