by BBG

Curren$y

Tons of hip hop shows on the way, from the classic to the new! First up, Curren$y will headline Irving Plaza on June 6th as part of a string of US dates that he has scheduled in May & June (dates are below). Tickets are currently on Live Nation presale, and go on regular sale at 10AM tomorrow (4/6). Curren$y is currently preparing to release his new and entirely Alchemist-produced EP Covert Coup on April 20th and for FREE.

As previously mentioned, Big K.R.I.T. & Freddie Gibbs are on tour and hitting Southpaw later this month.

Raekwon will headline BB King's on April 17th, alongside Ultramagnetic MC's (billed as an exclusive reunion show, I assume that means that Kool Keith is on board much like at ATP New Jersey), MC Eiht, Bushwick Bill (Geto Boys), Chip Fu (Fu-Schnickens), Da Bushbabees, Tanya Morgan, Tony Touch, and many many more including "special invited VIP surprise guests" and the host D-Stroy (Arsonists). Tickets are on sale. The show takes place just four days before Raekwon will team with The Lox, EPMD, Brand Nubian, and Nice and Smooth as part of a Salute to Hip Hop at Best Buy Theater on April 13th. Tickets are still available.

Tanya Morgan has another NYC date too, TONIGHT (4/5) at Southpaw, as the hip hop crew will pair with DJ Neil Armstrong (Jay-Z's touring DJ) for a free, 21+ event.

Speaking of Jay-Z, have you checked out his new "Life and Times" blog? One of his first posts is on Little Dragon.

Keith Murray will similarly team with a gang of 90's hip hop stars at Santos on April 14th. He'll be joined by Lords of the Underground, Group Home, Real Live, Nine, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and DJs Evil D, Eclipse, Kon & Amir, Ralph McDaniels, and many others. Tickets are still available.

Two of the most extreme MCs in hip hop, M.O.P., will hit Southpaw on April 7th with Top $ Raz, Sleepwalkas, and others. Tickets are still available.

Del Thee Funkee Homosapien will hit BB King's on May 1st as part of a round of US dates for the Hiero lynch pin. Tickets are still available. Del will release his new LP Golden Age on April 11th.

Slick Rick is returning to BB King's, as he'll play the venue on May 29th. Tickets are still available.

Talib Kweli will play a FREE show in Red Hook Park on June 21st as part of the City Parks Foundation's Summerstage series. Tons more Summerstage events (and undoubtedly a large number of hip hop ones) are also slated to be announced, we'll keep you informed. Kweli recently played SXSW and released Gutter Rainbows earlier this year.

And last but certainly not least, 9th Wonder and Phonte (aka 2/3 of Little Brother) will join Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg at 92Y Tribeca Wednesday (4/6) night as part of the Noisemakers series, where Rosenberg interviews his guests. Tickets are on sale.

All tour dates and some video is below.

Continue reading "Curren$y dates, Raekwon shows, Talib Kweli in a park, Ultramagnetic MC's, Jay-Z's blog & other hip hop news"

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) "

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Clipse

"highline ballroom is a proper hip-hop venue. it has a booming soundsystem, two bars, and most importantly, VIP booths designed for seeing and being seen. last night, i met up with my friend kriss and his brother, mads, to experience the pinnacle of coke-rap, the black card era, viginia's finest: clipse. pusha and malice were joined by ab-liva of the re-up gang, but sandman was conspicuously absent (this was supposedly the re-up album release party). as expected, an energetic show was provided with lots of gun-shaped hand puppets, neptunes production, and fans trying to grab malice's $60,000 pendant." [fast life]

"U-N-I: This pair of Inglewood rappers have helped to resurrect the Cali backpack rap scene (along with Pac Division who inked with Universal, so, goodbye indie days!) and ushered in a new era in L.A. amid all the gangsta boogie and clichés. Need proof? Check their remake of Wu-Tang's classic cut "C.R.E.A.M." titled "K.R.E.A.M.," for Kicks Rule Everything Around Me. And they ain't talking about Chucks." [XXXL's 'Big 10']

Continue reading "Clipse, U-N-I & Group Home @ Highline Ballroom, NYC - pics"