Kendrick Lamar at Roseland in February (more by Dylan Johnson)

We recently posted that the Hot 97 Summer Jam "Festival Village" lineup (aka the side stage in the parking lot), which features Action Bronson, Joey Bada$$, A$AP Ferg, Smoke DZA, Bodega Bamz, Troy Ave, and more. And now the main stage lineup, which goes down inside of MetLife Stadium on June 2 has been announced, and that one's looking pretty good too. It's got Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky, who both quickly graduated from the side stage that they played last year (but for obvious reasons), in addition to Miguel, Wu-Tang Clan, Fabolous, Wale, 2 Chainz, Joe Budden, French Montana, and, sigh, Chris Brown. Tickets for the whole festival (main stage and "Festival Village" included) are still available. Hopefully no headliners drop off this year.

This show is one of a few that Kendrick Lamar is doing in the NYC-area this year, including his Downtown Music Festival show at Capitale on May 10 with the rest of the Black Hippy crew (Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock) joining him, plus support from Fat Tony. Tickets for that one are still available. Then he plays NYC festival Governors Ball on June 8.

Miguel was originally on Governors Ball too, but dropped off. He, Kendrick, 2 Chainz and A$AP Rocky will also be festival-mates later this year at Jay-Z's Philly festival, Made In America in August, which also includes Drake, Beyonce, Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Phoenix, Solange, and others. Tickets for that festival are still available.

Meanwhile, A$AP Rocky has many other tour dates too, including NYC-area dates on May 4 and 5 at Barclays Center with Rihanna (both sold out), and on August 2 at PNC Bank Arts Center, August 6 at Jones Beach, and August 8 at Comcast Theatre with Wiz Khalifa, Joey Bada$$, Rockie Fresh, Smoke DZA, and others. Tickets for those shows are still available.

Videos of Kendrick and Rocky on last year's Summer Jam parking lot stage below...

Continue reading "Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, Miguel, Wu-Tang Clan & more playing Hot 97 Summer Jam (lineup)"

by Andrew Sacher

Though the attention being paid to futuristic R&B has been more prevalent than ever in the past two years, it's also been interesting to look back on the ways the sound did exist in years prior. And even more exciting to see some of those artists making comebacks. Miguel's Kaleidoscope Dream was one of last year's better albums, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't tempt me to dust off my copy of FutureSex/LoveSounds. And only a few months after doing that? Boom: The 20/20 Experience. Another thing I went back to last year was Cassie's only album -- her 2006 self titled debut -- specifically it's opening track/huge hit, "Me & U." The thick bass and airy vocals of that track are way more similar to the post-Weeknd world of R&B than I remembered, and it more than holds up.

Cassie had been dropping some singles here and there since her '06 album, but almost seven years later, there was still no sign of another full length release. However, like JT did in March, Cassie ended her lengthy absence last week with the release of her free mixtape, RockaByeBaby. It might be "just a mixtape" (whatever that really means at this point anyway), but RockaByeBaby serves as a worthy followup to Cassie, and as a whole release, it might even be better. The album is stacked with guest appearances (Jeremih, Pusha T, Fabolous, Meek Mill, Too $hort, and others) and the producers are no slackers here either (Mike Will Made It, Young Chop, and more), but it's not over-saturated with guests. Even the verses from some of the weaker rappers (Wiz Khalifa) work pretty well here. And some of the samples used are noticeably big songs (Kendrick Lamar's "m.A.A.d City," Tyga's "Do My Dance"), which can be a turnoff, but she uses them well.

Overall, the thing really feels like an album. Too often with mixtapes I find myself filtering through 20-something songs for the 10 good ones, but RockaByeBaby has no fat to trim. Its 13 tracks (12, not including the intro) clock in at 37 minutes, and they're all strong. The collaboration with Jeremih, "Sound of Love," is an early standout, with both singers bouncing off of each other really nicely. A little surprisingly, Fabolous' guest verse on "I Love It" is actually one of the most memorable moments of the album. And the chorus of "Paradise" (with its "pair of dice" pun) is one you'll find yourself humming after the album ends.

Download RockaByeBaby for free over at DatPiff and stream it in its entirety below...

Continue reading "listen to Cassie's comeback mixtape, 'RockaByeBaby'"

Pusha T

Fabolous plans to release his first album since 2009, Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power, at some point this year, and he's got a NYC show coming up on April 26 at BB King's with Pusha T. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (3/22) at noon. Towards the end of last year, Fabolous and Pusha T collaborated on the track "Life Is So Exciting," which you can watch the video for below. Pusha also recently dropped a free mixtape, Wrath of Caine.

That Fabolous/Pusha T track is from Fabolous' 2012 mixtape, which also featured fellow NYC/NJ area rapper Joe Budden, and Budden has an upcoming show too. He plays with a live band on April 30 at Highline Ballroom. Tickets for that show (including a VIP meet & greet) are on sale now.

Another long-running NYC-area rapper, Styles P, is playing a show on April 15 at BB King's with special guests. That show is a record release party for his new album, Float, which was produced entirely by Scram Jones and is due out April 20.

Much weirder NYC rapper Beans (who is no longer in Anti-Pop Consortium) plays The Bowery Electric on April 18 with Bryant K., Uumans, and Mike Pride's from Bacteria to Boys. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

A huge '90s Hip Hop Revival' show is going down on Friday (3/22) at Public Assembly with a number of classic NYC groups and rappers like The Beatnuts, Jeru the Damaja, Rah Digga, Nature, King Just, Lord Digga, and many more. Full lineup and more info HERE.

Let's shift our focus to the West Coast for a bit to mention that Too $hort is playing NYC on May 2 at Stage 48 with Greedy, Reggie Mills, and We Are NJ. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Andre Nickatina is playing Santos Party House on May 22 with Roach Gigz and Mumbls. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Curren$y at SXSW 2012 (more by Ryan Muir)

Now onto Southern rappers. Curren$y plays NYC on May 10 at BB King's. Tickets for that show are on sale now. Curren$y recently released the free mixtape, New Jet City.

Florida rapper SpaceGhostPurrp and the Raider Klan play Santos Party House on Monday (3/25). Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Killer Mike plays previously discussed shows at Public Assembly on Wednesday (3/20) (you can only get into that one through Scion A/V's contest), NYU on March 27 with Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire and Cakes da Killa, and has an upcoming tour with Big Boi which hits NYC on Brooklyn Bowl on April 24 (general admission sold out, but $100 VIP tickets still available) and June 20 at Prospect Park. He was on Letterman last night (3/18) with El-P and Scar to perform "Untitled" from his 2012 LP, R.A.P. Music. Check out a video of that performance below.

And lastly, Hot 97 Summer Jam is returning to MetLife Stadium on June 2. Lineup is TBA but tickets are on presale now (password: "ACCESS") and general on-sale starts April 12 at 10 AM.

Videos below...

Continue reading "upcoming hip hop shows in NYC: Pusha T, Styles P, Curren$y, SpaceGhostPurrp, Killer Mike (who played 'Letterman') & more"

photos by Tim Griffin

Talib Kweli @ Mohawk Friday night

As previously mentioned, Black Star will return for a pair of dates at Best Buy Theater, and on the same night. Saturday December 3rd will see Yasiin and Talib Kweli perform their only LP in its entirety at an 8:00 show and an 11:30 show. Tickets are on sale for both. Talib Kweli joined Res and band to form Idle Warship, at the BrooklynVegan Day Party on Saturday (10/22) before heading to the Duck Down vs Blacksmith showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg next door. Pictures from the BV party are on the way, but we have a set of pictures in this post from the show Talib Kweli played at the Mohawk one night earlier (yes he was in Texas playing a show after midnight the night before he headlined our show at 5pm in Brooklyn!).

In related news, Wu-Tang Clan (billed as with Method Man, RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck, and Masta Killa) will also head to Best Buy Theater in the coming months, hitting the venue on December 18th as part of a string of live dates that will also include Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ on 12/15 and Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY on 12/17. Tickets are on sale for all dates.

Inspektah Deck will also HEADLINE his own show at 285 Kent on 11/4, joining Ava Luna, DJ Dog Dick, and a DJ set from WFMU'S Marty McSorley. Tickets are on sale. The show is meant to wave goodbye to Babycastles, a collective of independent gaming designers that built an arcade inside Silent Barn.

In other "hip hop at Best Buy Theater" news, Jadakiss, Lloyd Banks, Juelz Santana, Fabolous, Meek Mills, French Montana, and Red Cafe will team for a Funkmaster Flex Presents event at the venue on 11/24. Tickets are on sale.

J Cole plays there tonight (10/25).

Talib Kweli's show Friday night at the Mohawk in Austin, TX was with G-Eazy and Franchize. More pictures from that 10/21 performance, and Wu Tang dates, below...

Continue reading "Wu-Tang Clan tour dates, Talib Kweli live pics & stuff"

Rakim @ Rock the Bells 2010 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Pentagram @ Power of the Riff in LA (photos by Adam Murray)

today in NYC
* ASSSSCAT 3000 @ UCB
* Dayna Kurtz @ Barbes
* Emily Wells @ Ace Hotel
* Chicago @ Beacon Theatre
* Susana Baca @ City Winery
* IDENTITY Fest @ Jones Beach
* Hannibal Buress @ Knitting Factory
* Talib Kweli (DJ) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Dom, Sheen Bros & DJs @ Public Assembly
* Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Leisure, Emil & Friends, Slam Donahue @ Littlefield
* Rakim, EPMD, Funkmaster Flex @ Central Park Summerstage
* Quitzow, Alexander Trust, WKC, Shock Diamond @ Bruar Falls
* Canadian Rifle, Shaved Christ, Foreigh Objects @ The Acheron
* Stephane Wrembel Presents The Django Experiment @ Barbes
* Iceage, Crazy Spirit, Raspberry Bulbs, Perdition @ Secret Project Robot
* Pretty Good Friends w/ Eugene Mirman, David Cross, AD Miles @ the Bell House
* Pentagram, JEFF The Brotherhood, Valient Thorr, ELKS @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Paul Metzger, Neg-Fi, Eleven Twenty-Nine (Silent Barn Benefit) @ Zebulon
* Doldrums, Zorch, Many Mansions, Say No! to Architecture @ Death By Audio
* People's Champs, Nate Hancock & The Declaration, Mariami, Lyonnais @ Mercury Lounge
* Pizza Hi-Five, Archagathus, Violent Gorge, Powercup, Misanthropic Noise @ Acheron
* Christopher Willits, Jozef Van Wissem, Noveller, Loren Dent, Alexander Turnquist @ Littlefield

The IDENTITY Festival comes to Jones Beach today. It looks like this:

KASKADE 10:00 PM / DISCO BISCUITS 8:10 PM / AVICII 6:25 PM / CHUCKIE 5:10 PM / BOOKA SHADE 3:55 PM / MODESELEKTOR 2:40 PM / JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS 2:05 PM / DATA ROMANCE 1:00 PM

/ ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK x DIM MAK STAGE /
DJ SHADOW 10:15 PM / STEVE AOKI 8:15 PM / NERO 6:50 PM / STEVE LAWLER 5:40 PM / THE CRYSTAL METHOD 4:40 PM / HOLY GHOST! 3:40 PM / HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR 2:40 PM / LE CASTLE VANIA 1:40 PM

Flyer below.

Power 105.1 is hosting a show on Governors Island today with Fabolous, Kelly Rowland, Big Sean, Meek Mill, J. Cole, Estelle, Wale, and Ace Hood. Living Social has tickets for $20 each.

JEFF the Brotherhood, who recently played Rockawaway Beach, play LPR with Pentagram tonight.

DOM, who recently played Pier 54, play Rockaway Beach today plays Public Assembly today instead of Rockaway Beach due to rain..

Today at Pier 54 is the Blues BBQ with:

7:30 Bonerama
6:15 Shakura S'Aida
5:00 Walter Trout
3:45 Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley
2:30 Marquise Knox

Rakim headlines Central Park Summerstage today.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

by BBG

The Throne (aka Jay-Z & Kanye West) have rescheduled their original set of dates to kick off in late October. The current schedule is listed below and "more dates to be announced soon". The new set of dates include NJ's Izod Center on November 5th & 6th (instead of September 27 & 28). Tickets for both dates go on presale at 10AM with the password "WTT".

Meanwhile, much like the Jay-Z/R.Kelly tour there are reports that the partnership isn't going so swimmingly...

A battle royal has broken out behind the scenes of Jay-Z and Kanye West's new album, "Watch the Throne."

Sources say the rappers -- who call themselves The Throne and are releasing their expected blockbuster collaboration Aug. 8 on iTunes and four days later everywhere else -- are barely speaking to each other as they iron out the details of their upcoming tour...

The sources say West wants flashy concerts with "next-level production," which would cost more than $400,000 per show. Jay-Z is said to be meticulous about costs and already has a larger, long-term advance from Live Nation that he has to pay back.

"Jay-Z can't deal with Kanye," an insider told Page Six. "Jay is a stone-cold businessman. He wants to recoup all of his money from Live Nation. But Kanye wants to upstage rock stars with a blowout show. He doesn't care about costs. He has a lot less to gain from the shows."

West is expected to agree to the conditions of the tour next week, but the business brouhaha between the powerhouse artists might have affected their backstage relationship.

Industry insiders were shocked to see West and Jay-Z perform separately with Young Jeezy last Monday night at the Highline Ballroom [a private event]. "We were expecting them to come out together to perform a track from the album," a source said. "They didn't even go out together after the show."

"Jay-Z is fed up with West's antics," another source said. "He doesn't even want to be around him." However, the two are expected to perform together at a listening party tonight at The Rose Planetarium in Central Park, according to The Post's Dan Aquilante. A Live Nation rep said, "No comment." The rappers' reps didn't get back to us.-[New York Post]

Jay-Z denies the beef and said Kanye is a genius. Jay & Ye hosted a private listening party at The Rose Planetarium in Central Park last night (8/1). According to attendee Erin Carlson, "Contrary to reports, they seemed to be getting along...." Contrary to rumors before the event, they did not perform. "Watch the Throne" is out August 8th via iTunes.

Videos from that private Young Jeezy show at Highline Ballroom last week (7/25), which featured appearances from Bun B, The Lox, Fabolous and others in addition to Jay/Kanye, are below alongside all tour dates.

Continue reading "Jay-Z/Kanye West tour has new/changed dates - presale now"

by BBG

Cam, Jimmy, and Julez of Dipset at Hammerstein (via)

[For] ...the Diplomats -- Cam'ron, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Freekey Zekey -- ...this was the reunion show [for a crew]... torn asunder a few years ago by petty animus and financial accusations back and forth, survivors of arrests and family struggles, but now brought back together for another chance at harmony, if not quite world domination.

For the last decade, the Diplomats have been synonymous with Harlem -- even if some of its members have moved elsewhere. In an era in which New York is decreasingly central to hip-hop's landscape, as a group and as solo acts they have been regionalist holdouts, sticking close to the stylistically flamboyant street rap pioneered by Cam'ron and tweaked by the rest.

At almost three hours this rapturously received concert, sponsored by the hip-hop radio station Hot 97 (WQHT-FM), was a tribute to the persistent power of geographic mythology. Every summer Hot 97 hosts the giant Summer Jam concert, in which the Diplomats, local heroes infiltrating what is effectively a national stage, tend to get short shrift. This raucous night was the group's own Summer Jam, full of hits and obscurities and split into five parts: first, an opening group set; then three solo sets, by Jim Jones, then Juelz Santana, then Cam'ron; then everyone reunited to close the show. -[New York Times]

Yes, the New York Times was in attendance when The Diplomats staged their triumphant reunion at Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, 11/26, the day after Thanksgiving. In addition to the core quartet of Jones, Santana, Zekey, and Killa Cam, Hammerstein's stage was blessed by the requisite surprise appearances from Dipset crew members Hell Rell, 40 Cal, and JR Writer in addition to an appearance from Black Rob (he of "Whoa" fame, who also appeared at the Duck Down Anniversary). The Dipset crew reportedly covered upwards of 50 songs over the evening (snippet or otherwise).

If you missed Juelz at Hammerstein on 11/26, maybe you caught him at Hammerstein.... on 11/25. Santana made a surprise appearance at the Fabolous/Nicki Minaj show alongside another not-so-surprise performer, Kanye West who "played" the Thanksgiving Parade earlier that day and a show with the help pf Nicki at Bowery Ballroom a few days earlier. Santana appeared with Fab for "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley" while West again appeared with Minaj for "Monster" from his new album.

Videos from both Hammerstein shows below...

Continue reading "Dipset reunited at Hammerstein Ballroom (one night after Juelz & Kanye played w/ Nicki Minaj at the NYC venue)"