photos by Brook Bobbins

Ali-Shaheed Mohammed will return to the tables this weekend at Dekalb Market after spinning at Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest last weekend, along with (former?) bandmate Q-Tip and tons of suprise guests (like Busta Rhymes & Kanye West). You saw the videos. Here are the pics. More of them below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest pics"

by BBG

Q-Tip at Rock The Bells (more by Eric Townsend)

This week is devoted to hip hop and specifically Brooklyn hip hop, with the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival ongoing and a "Salute To The DJ" event slated for TONIGHT at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Juice Crew mastermind Marley Marl will be on hand the headline the event, bringing along Grand Wizzard Theodore, Mista Sinista, Chairman Mao, Roli Rho (5th Platoon), Twilite Tone, and Getlive, all hosted by Duck Down representative Torae. Tickets are still available. We also have a pair you can win. Details and set times below.

Friday (7/15) will mean the Bodega Recognition Awards at Sheraton Brooklyn, which will "recognize and celebrate positive contributions to Hip Hop Music and Culture", but Saturday is the big celebration. Over two stages and during two events, BHHF will see performances from Lords of The Underground, Q-Tip, K-Salaam, MOP, Shad, Diamond District, Random Axe, and many more from noon until 9PM. That's split into the Family Day celebration (12 - 3) and the subsequent show at Brooklyn Bridge Park (6- 9). Full festival details are below, and tickets to the Main Stage performances are still available.

Shad's appearance is one of a few scheduled for the coming weeks, as he'll skip around the US and Canada in the coming months. Full tour schedule is below.

Though it isnt part of the BHHF, Company Flow is decidedly hip hop AND from Brooklyn. The crew plays with The Juggaknots at a sold-out Santos on Saturday.

All Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival details, Shad tour dates, and some videos below.

Continue reading "Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest is underway, Shad is on tour (dates)"

The 2010 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival kicks off tonight, July 5th, with a party at Brooklyn Bowl featuring DJ Sets From Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and Large Professor (doors at 6pm, show at 8pm). Tickets are available at the door.

From there the fest continues all week, culminating with the De La Soul-headlined afternoon show at Brooklyn Bridge Plaza & Tobacco Warehouse, and ending with an afterparty that same night at Southpaw where Maseo of De La Soul will be DJing. Get tickets and read more about all the events at the festival's official website.

by Black Bubblegum

Marty Markowitz and Ralph McDaniels

The theme of this summer has been rain, and though the skies opened up halfway into the 5th anniversary show of The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival on June 20th in Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park, that didn't stop the crowd from swaying to the classic beats and rhymes by a stable of 90s artists. Thankfully the organizers of the DUMBO show thought ahead, and though it was a little packed in there, everyone stayed perfectly dry inside the emergency tent.

With all the veterans of hip hop on Saturday's lineup, you'd think that the most kinetic performance of the day would come from a Grand Puba or Pharoahe Monch. You'd be wrong. Oddly enough, the least "conscious" MC and the one that I always felt was slightly overrated, Styles P of D-Block (fka The Lox), delivered an energetic performance of hits that was matched only by the energy that the crowd bounced back. I was shocked, though pleasantly so.

I was glad to be wrong about Styles P, and I definitely learned a few other things that rainy Saturday:

Continue reading "the 2009 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival - in pics & review "

Continue reading "The 2008 Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (KRS One, DJ Premier)...."