LL Cool J, Chuck D, Ice Cube, and Doug E. Fresh at SXSW (via)

Last week in Austin for SXSW, LL Cool J headlined the Doritos stage (back for a second year, but slightly less cheesy this time around), performing with Public Enemy, Ice Cube, Doug E. Fresh, and DJ Z-Trip. Switch out Doug E. Fresh from that lineup and replace him with De La Soul, and you've got the full bill for this year's "Kings of the Mic Tour," which kicks off in late May and runs through early July. That tour hits the NYC area for shows on June 18 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and on June 20 at Roseland Ballroom in NYC. Tickets for the Roseland show are on Citi Cardmember presale now. They go on Live Nation/LN Mobile App presale Wednesday (3/20) at 10 AM (anyone know the password?) and general on-sale starts Friday (3/22) at noon. Tickets for the NJ show go on presale Thursday (3/21).

You may remember that LL Cool J previously teamed up with Z-Trip and Chuck D of Public Enemy (along with Tom Morello and Travis Barker) to perform his new single, "Whaddup," at the Grammys. You can listen to that single, and check out all dates listed below...

Continue reading "LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Ice Cube, De La Soul & DJ Z-Trip announce the "Kings of the Mic Tour" (dates)"

Twin Sister at Bowery Ballroom in 2011 (more by Jessica Amaya)

today in NYC
* Whiplash @ UCB
* Wyatt Cenac @ Littlefield
* John Hodgman @ The Creek & Cave
* Blood Orange @ Sony Style
* Tony Scherr @ Living Room
* Jim Campilongo @ Living Room
* Ask Me Another @ The Bell House
* Ali Shaheed Muhammad @ Le Bain
* Linfinity, Free Blood, Waking Lights @ Mercury Lounge (cancelled)
* Rita Ora, Iggy Azalea, Havana Brown @ Highland Ballroom
* Lydia Lunch, Thurston Moore, John Moloney @ The Bowery Electric
* Belle Mare, Elephant Wrecking Ball, Four Visions, Wilsen @ Cameo
* Juggernut, Ken South Rock, Filthy Savage, Jah Jah of Ninasonik (DJ set) @ Pyramid Club
* Chairlift, Twin Sister, Empress Of, Slowdance, Jason McMahon, Ice Choir DJ set @ Glasslands
* Ben Taylor, Menahan Street Band, Ki:Theory, Sinkane DJ set, In Transit DJ set @ The Bowery Hotel
* Caribbean Music Festival w/ Machel Montano, Alison Hinds, Mr. Vegas, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh @ Barclays Center

ZZZs were supposed to play Pyramid Club tonight but had to drop off the show. However, you can catch them tomorrow at Death by Audio (12/18) with Dead Til Tuesday, Negfi, and Human Crush.

The Caribbean Fever Music Festival, which was supposed to take place on November 2 but was postponed due to Hurricane Sandy, goes down at the Barclays Center tonight with Machel Montano, Alison Hinds, Mr. Vegas, Slick Rick, and Doug E. Fresh. Tickets are still available.

For more old school hip hop in NYC tonight, you can also head to The Standard at Le Bain to catch Ali Shaheed Muhammad (of A Tribe Called Quest) DJing.

T.I., who plays a sold out show at Best Buy Theater with A$AP Rocky on Tuesday, has landed in NYC ahead of that show. He'll be taping a performance in midtown this afternoon and will head to Fuse Studios after that for a performance at 9 PM, which will stream live at the Fuse YouTube channel. His new album, Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head, drops tomorrow and since we last spoke, he revealed two more songs: "Hello" feat. Cee Lo Green and "Wildside" feat. A$AP Rocky. You can stream them both below.

And for even more hip hop, don't forget that the Duck Down Music and Javotti Media holiday party, which BrooklynVegan is co-sponsoring, is tomorrow (12/18) at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, Buckshot, Sean Price, Smif-N-Wessun, Flatbush Zombies, Skyzoo, and Dyme-A-Duzin. Tickets for that show are still available.

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It's about that time of the year when the Christmas songs start piling. We just heard Ex Cops take on Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime", and now The xx have revealed a cover of Wham's "Last Christmas" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge this morning. Check it out below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

Jill Scott's great new album, "The Light of the Sun", is out June 21st. If you have any doubts, stream the whole thing now at NPR.

Scott has come a long way since she was working as The Roots' hook girl. (Can you imagine a time when Scott rode the bus on the Things Fall Apart tour just to come out and sing the chorus she'd written for Erykah Badu to sing in "You Got Me"? And people were kind of bummed when she hit the stage -- until they heard her sing, of course?) Scott began in Philadelphia as a spoken-word artist, and on The Light of the Sun, she incorporates that work into her songs cleverly. When she finds an opening to leaven her singing with speech, she goes for it, but within reason and to an end.

This summer Jill will take the show on the road. "Jill Scott's Summer Block Party" will hit amphitheaters in multiple cities including Wantagh, NY aka Jones Beach on July 28th. Tickets for the NY show, and other shows, are on sale now.

The shows will be hosted by Doug E. Fresh with opening sets by Anthony Hamilton and Mint Condition. DJ Jazzy Jeff will work the turntables. All dates below...

Continue reading "Jill Scott releasing "The Light of the Sun" (stream it), bringing a 'block party' on tour (dates)"

photos by Chris Doss

DOWNLOAD: Dominique Young Unique - Show My Ass (MP3)

"Jelly pool party was historic/epic. DMC + Andrew WK + Les Savy Fav+Doug E Fresh : unforgettable. Gucci mane is the gertrude stein of hip hop" -erikhinton

Gucci Mane @ Williamsburg Waterfront Sunday

When they said "surprise" they meant it, though as rumored (and here), Gucci Mane was on the lineup of the final Jelly Pool Party on Sunday, August 29th, at Williamsburg Waterfront. Andrew WK hinted at his participation the night before, but for the most part, the lineup remained a rumor until the artists hit the stage. Featuring DJ sets by The Rub and Smalltown DJs, Sunday's Pool Party-that-almost-didn't-happen featured performances from DMC (of Run DMC), Andrew WK (and Cherie Lilly), Doug E Fresh, Doug's son's group, Big Freedia (and dancer), The Cool Kids, Tim Harrington (of Les Savy Fav), and Atlanta MC Gucci Mane in addition to the previously announced Dominique Young Unique and Delorean.

Unlike Run, Andrew WK and Tim Harrington helped DMC perform "It's Tricky" and "Walk this Way". Delorean, already headlining multiple nights at 600+ capacity venues in NYC, played 2nd on the bill after an opening set by Dominique Young Unique who was busting out of her top as she played songs like "Show My Ass" (download that song above).

Dominique Young Unique

But Dominique's outfit was nothing compared to the stage show of New Orleans's Big Freedia who brought "Ass Everywhere" to a NYC crowd for the third time in two days (Freedia also performed at PS1 on Saturday and at Coco66 later that night) (Dominique also played again later Sunday night at Brooklyn Bowl).

So was it the final pool party ever?

...Series' co-founder, Sarah Hooper, has said that she "hates" what the beloved Pool Parties have become: lame concerts with muted speakers, too many security guards and too much oversight from the state and its patron, Open Space Alliance. She even hinted that Jelly's current side-project, a six-show free series called "Rock Yard" on Wythe Avenue, could replace the Pool Parties (so named because they began at the McCarren Park pool).

Hooper didn't fork over any of the juicy details when she took the stage on Sunday to give a crammed park its final farewell.

"Thank you so much, we love being in Brooklyn," she said to a roaring crowd. "Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't be yourself." -[Brooklyn Paper]

By the way, Chuck Schumer was there again too. Until next year?

More pictures and some videos from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "Gucci Mane, Doug E Fresh, Dominique Young Unique & the Cool Kids played the final Pool Party too (pics) "

Brian Jonestown Massacre @ T5 in 2008 (more by Lori Baily)

tonight in NYC
* The Rub @ Southpaw
* Martin Sexton @ Nokia Theatre
* Nellie McKay @ Feinstein's
* Galactic @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Andy Kindler & Eugene Mirman @ Comix
* Athlete, Carney @ The Bell House
* Stars, Dead Child Star @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Jay Farrar Richard Buckner @ Bowery Ballroom\
* Broken Bells, The Morning Benders @ Irving Plaza
* Bing & Ruth, Twi The Humble Feather @ Littlefield
* Rooftop Films w/ Dinosaur Feathers @ Open Road Rooftop
* The Futureheads, The Like, The Static Jacks @ Maxwell's
* Kings of Convenience, Franklin For Short @ Webster Hall
* The Babies, Behavior, Phonetag, La Big Vic @ Party Expo
* The Dig, The Grates, Casey Shea, Red Lions @ Mercury Lounge
* The Hollows, Pastel Group, The Red Rogue @ Pete's Candy Store
* Web Dating, The Semaphore, Quilty, Golden Girls @ Silent Barn
* Monolith, Voyager, Seraphim, Altered State (early) @ Cake Shop
* Yeasayer, Keepaway, Delicate Steve @ The Beach at Governors Island
* Delorean, Restless People, MillionYoung, Sam Buck Rosen @ Glasslands
* New York Night Train Presents: Soul Clap & Dance-Off (late) @ Glasslands
* Iron Chic, The Homewreckers, Cudzoo and The Faggettes (late) @ Cake Shop
* Fixed/DJ Kicks tour w/ Juan Maclean (DJ), JDH & Dave P (DJ) @ Public Assembly
* Shapes, The Twees, Your Kid Sister, Waking Lights, Little Big @ Cameo Gallery
* Brian Jonestown Massacre, Sparrow and the Workshop @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Tamboula and Julio Jean Haitian American Dance: A Tribute to Haiti @ Von King Park
* Circuits Des Yeux, Brian's Dirty Business, Pink Reason, Pop. 1280 @ Death By Audio
* Living Colour, Ebony Bones, Pillow Theory, CX Kidtronik @ Central Park Summerstage
* The Jaguar Club, Quiet Loudly, Coyote Eyes, Pet Ghost Project, more @ Fort Useless
* Greg Attonito, Kevin Seconds, Shanti Wintergate, Kepi Ghoulie, Jonny Corndawg @ Pianos
* Hub City Stompers, The Rudie Crew, The Moon Invaders, The Caroloregians, Royal City Riot @ Knitting Factory
* W.H.I.T.E., Orphans, Human Resources, Say No! to Architecture, Dard Modnoc, Graffiti Monsters @ Shea Stadium

How is the singer of Bouncing Souls playing with the singer of 7 Seconds playing with the singer of Groovie Ghoulies in a small room like Pianos not sold out?

This weekend is the Renegade Craft Fair in McCarren Park.

The Dig celebrate the release of their album tonight at Mercury Lounge with support from the Grates.

Juan Maclean is touring as a DJ in support of his new DJ Kicks album. That tour hits Public Assembly in Brooklyn tonight.

Brian Jonestown Massacre play their first of two NYC shows this weekend.

Yeasayer for free on Governors Island tonight.

Catch Living Colour, Ebony Bones!, Pillow Theory and CX KiDTRONiK at Central Park Summerstage for free this afternoon (show at 3pm).

Doug E Fresh played a Summerstage show in Herbert Von King Park on June 3rd. Video from that sexy party, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

SummerStage 2009's last show of the year (more by Chris La Putt)

"On Tuesday, June 8, 2010, City Parks Foundation will welcome guests to the SummerStage 25th Anniversary Celebration in association with Michael Dorf & City Winery, an annual fundraising benefit, to support CPF's free year-round arts programming. This year's benefit will feature the songbook of Simon & Garfunkel with unique duets performed by Shawn Colvin, Aimee Mann, Dar Williams, Loudon Wainwright III, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Joan Osborne, Stephen Kellogg, Dean & Britta, Cory Chisel, The Holmes Brothers, John Forte, Valerie June, John Roderick, Ricky Skaggs, Willie Nile, Paula Cole, Alejandro Esovedo, Ollabelle (house band) and many more.

Tickets for this benefit will run you from $1000 to $25,000. Tickets to the other "benefits" (aka regular old ticketed shows) at the venue, are much cheaper. Those include John Butler Trio / State Radio, The Flaming Lips, The Black Keys, Hot Chip, Gov't Mule and Pavement.

The 2010 SummerStage series has also expanded its free shows outside of Central Park to include parks in all five boroughs. Look for free "Summerstage" music, theater and other events this summer in Brooklyn's Von King Park and Betsy Head Park, Bronx's St. Mary's Park and Crotona Park, Queens' Springfield Park, and Marcus Garvey Park East River Park in Manhattan, and others. Those parks have always had free shows, but for whatever reason, they are now "Summerstage".

The free-show lineup is 100% ANNOUNCED being slowly released (we're posting it all day today) (also check out the full free Celebrate Brooklyn lineup). Some of the Summerstage lineup, along with the list of theater productions (happening in all of the above-mentioned parks), is posted below...

Continue reading ""SummerStage" expands into other parks, theater events, annual fundraising benefit & some other shows announced"

Freddie Gibbs @ SXSW (more by Andrew Frisicano)

Roc Nation signee J. Cole's Tuesday (3/30) show at SOB's had a few special appearances (not Jay-Z).

Surprise guests Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek joined Cole on stage for "Just to Get By," but the highlight of the night was when Cole brought out Young Gunz rapper Young Chris. "We don't wear the same chain, but, I gotta give respects to those that came before me, from Beanie to Young Gunz," J. Cole told the audience before bringing out the former Roc-A-Fella artist, who was received with shouts of excitement from the throng of people. [Billboard]

Last night (3/31), K'Naan & Wale's show at Irving Plaza featured a surprise appearance by Nas and Damian Marley, who performed their album's first single "As We Enter" (Nas and K'naan did "NY State of Mind" too). Videos are below. Nas & Damian Marley's tour this summer includes a show at Williamsburg Waterfront.

At Highline Ballroom last night (3/31), Freddie Gibbs and others from XXL's Freshman Class performed. Cam'ron wasn't quite a special guest - his appearance as the headliner was announced the day before.

One of the more hyped Freshmen, thanks to his imposing style and intelligent rhyming, Indiana's Freddie Gibbs represents a bit of a stylistic change from the other performers. Everything about him--from his physical appearance to his deep, gritty vocals--commands respect. The turning point in his set came when he took his shirt off and upped his intensity (the crowd went crazy).

Donnis was probably the biggest surprise of the night. Besides his smooth, succinct Southern delivery, he brought out two surprise guests of note--Brit soul sensation Estelle and the up-and-coming Ryan Leslie. Estelle, with her scintillating vocals, came out for a quick verse on a new Donnis single, while Leslie played the keys for the track "Gone." [Time Out NY]

Doug E. Fresh also made an appearance before Cam'ron's set. A bunch of videos below...

Continue reading "J. Cole, K'naan, Freddie Gibbs, Cam'ron & others played guest-filled shows w/ Nas, Damian Marley, Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek, more"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Idle Warship - Party Robot (Usershare link to ZIP)

Talib Kweli and his Blacksmith Music imprint are scheduled to celebrate the holidays the right way, with two turntables and a microphone! "The Night Before The Night Before Christmas" at Highline Ballroom on 12/23 will feature Jean Grae, Strong Arm Steady, and Soul Brother #1 Pete Rock. Tickets are on sale.

It's one of three shows that Kweli has lined up in the coming month, with the second being with his Idle Warship project at Southpaw on 11/28. Trezure The Empress, Jah C + The Antidote, and Niles get credited with the assist. Tickets are still available. Idle Warship recently dropped a new mixtape blessed by the great Mick Boogie. Download a copy of the mixtape, Party Robot, above in one of two mixtape covers. The first is above, the second is available at MySpace.

The third for Talib is the previously-mentioned show at Brooklyn Bowl on November 22nd. Jean Grae is also on that one as well as Mickey Factz and Skyzoo. Tickets are still on sale.

On the same day as the Highline show (12/23), just across town, BB King's will host the Hip Hop Legends show with Method Man, EPMD, Doug E Fresh, Large Professor, Onyx, AG (of Show & AG) and many more. Helluva old school lineup! Tickets are on sale. Rakim probably should be on that lineup, but instead he'll headline a show of his own at BB King's on 11/19 along with Rhymefest. Tickets here.

More imminently, Cee-Lo is taking some time away from Gnarls Barkley to return to his great (and somewhat unsung) Southern hip hop crew Goodie Mob, who are scheduled to play their reunion show at BB Kings on FRIDAY 11/13 with The Ruler Slick Rick (who'll have a live backing band!). Tickets are still available, and I have a PAIR OF TICKETS FOR GIVEAWAY. Details on how to win below with some videos, including a live video of Idle Warship from SOB's, below...

Continue reading "upcoming hip hop includes Talib Kweli in Idle Warship & his label's holiday party ++ Goodie Mob (win tix), Rakim & more"

by Black Bubblegum

Ft. Greene's own Just Ice

Since the last time we talked, the Rakim show at Knitting Factory on Dec 19th (Friday) has expanded quite a bit, adding performances by Black Thought of The Roots, (he's) Keith Murray, and the "original gangster of hip hop" Just-Ice. The whole night will be hosted by Sascha Jenkins of ego trip fame and will feature "all vinyl" DJ sets from a sick lineup of DJs including fellow ego trip-per Chairman Mao, along with Dante Ross, Ge-ology, Psycho Les of The Beatnuts, JS-1, Dooley-O, DJ Amir (of the legendary Kon & Amir), J-Zone, Jel, and Thanksgiving Brown. That makes it three nights in a row for Jel & Thanksgiving Brown. Tickets are still available, check out the flyer below.

Kon & Amir dropped their On Track Vol 2 via BBE in June of this year. When they aren't dropping one of their killer mixes, they can be found either at their blog or behind the decks... which is where you'll find them on Jan 16th, 2009 as part of Disco 3000 NYC at APT. Get your dancin' shoes out (sorry to trample 'ya Showtrotta).

In other news related to what some see as "The Golden Age Of Hip Hop", Irving Plaza added a show on Feb 7th, 2009 billed as.... The Golden Age of Hip Hop Pt 1. No word on what part 2 entails, but we do know that Doug E. Fresh, Chubb Rock, Brand Nubian, Positive K (yeah, him), and Lord Finesse will be on hand for part uno. Tickets are on sale. Lord Finesse recently played Knitting Factory as part of DITC.

While we're on the old school tip, LL Cool J announced a show at Nokia on Feb 19th, 2009 as part of his "Pursed Lickable Lips Tour 2009" (ok, I made that up, it's just the one show). Prepare to wade through a sea of ladies with bamboo earrings (at least two pair). Tickets go on Amex presale on 12/18 at noon and regular sale on 12/20 at noon here.

Continue reading "Rakim, Just Ice, LL Cool J & the Golden Age of Hip Hop "

MC Hammer has a blog?

@ Wingate Field, Brooklyn, NYC in 2007 - FREE
July 9 - MC Hammer, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick & MC Lyte (Old School Night)
July 16 - Fred Hammond (Gospel Night)
July 23 - Boyz II Men & Ruben Studdard (an evening of Smooth Grooves)
July 30 - The Mighty Sparrow (Carribbean Night)
Aug 06 - Lauryn Hill
Aug 13 - mystery night
Aug 20 - The O'Jays & The Spinners (Classic Soul Night)

THIS IS the 2007 season of the Martin Luther King Jr. free concert series.

Continue reading "Lauryn Hill, Boyz II Men & MC HAMMER playing free Brooklyn Concerts @ Wingate Field"