Black Star @ Rock the Bells 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

After cancelling shows including one at Irving Plaza in NYC, Mos Def & Talib Kweli aka Black Star will give it another try at Best Buy Theater on Saturday, December 3rd at both 8pm and 11:45pm. Tickets for both shows go on sale today (10/21) at noon.

Meanwhile spend the day with Talib Kweli this Saturday (10/22). Talib and Res are Idle Warship and will make an exclusive CMJ-week appearance at the free BrooklynVegan day party at Public Assembly on Saturday. Talib will then play a collaborative set with Pharoahe Monch, Jean Grae & Buckshot w/ Band at Music Hall of Williamsburg Saturday night as part of the Duck Down VS Blacksmith CMJ Showcase. Tickets are still on sale.

by BBG

The artist soon to be formerly known as Mos Def
at Rock The Bells (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Countdown is on. Only 3 months and 10 days left of "Mos Def":

Following a lengthy line of rappers that have hung up their show names, rapper Mos Def says he's definitely giving up his rhyme alias come 2012.... the artist born Dante Smith revealed that he's changing his name to Yasiin. After more than a decade in the business, though, he won't be mad is you slip up and call him "Mos."
"No, no, not at all... 'Mos Def' is a name that I built and cultivated through the years... I feel that I've done quite a bit with that name. It's time to expand and move on."
...He's usually credited as Mos Def during cast listings. But his several identities will soon just be that one.
"I also don't want to have to deal with having any moniker or any separation between the self that I see and what [people refer to me as]," he continued.
At press time, his publicist wasn't able to confirm what Mos' full name will be after it's changed or if he'll simply just be Yasiin. -[EW]

Anyway, Yasiin is currently on the road with Talib Kweli as Black Star until early October. They play two shows in Chicago Friday night and will hit Irving Plaza in NYC on 10/5. Tickets are still available. All dates are listed below.

In other Talib Kweli and Mos De.. -ahem- Yasiin news, the pair will also cross paths on 10/8 at the previously mentioned Restoration Rocks! Music Festival on Fulton Street between Marcy & Brooklyn Ave. The FREE show, now with an expanded lineup, kicks off at noon and will close at 5PM, featuring appearances from Idle Warship (with Kweli), Pharoahe Monch, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra with Mos Def. Flyer is below. More Mos Def & Philharmonic appearances listed HERE.

Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch will also cross paths at the just-announced Duck Down vs Blacksmith CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 10/22 with Pharoahe Monch, Buckshot, Jean Grae, Smif N Wessun, Kidz in the Hall, Promise, and a Statik Selektah "Population Control" All-Star Set. Tickets go on sale at noon on 9/23, or you can use your CMJ badge (if you're one of the first 150 to try and do so). Flyer below.

All Black Star tour dates and flyers below.

Continue reading "Mos Def's new name, Black Star tour dates, free Restoration Rocks! Fest, a Duck Down vs Blacksmith CMJ showcase & more"

Wild Flag at Williamsburg Waterfront (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

The first round of CMJ 2011 artists have been announced. The initial list includes Neon Indian (Webster Hall with Purity Ring), CSS (Webster Hall with EMA and MEN), Zola Jesus (KF and LPR), Wild Flag (Bowery Ballroom with Eleanor Friedberger and Hospitality), Metronomy (MHOW), Portugal. The Man (T5 with Givers and Alberta Cross), Viva Brother, Wombats, The Good Natured), Kvelertak, Handsome Furs, Memoryhouse, Pharoahe Monch, and more.

The Viva Brother show is on October 19 at Bowery Ballroom with 1,2,3 and Kitten. Tickets are on sale now (or you can try to get in with your CMJ badge). All dates below.

The Wombats show is on October 19 at Webster Hall with The Postelles and The Good Natured. Tickets are on sale now (or you can try to get in with your CMJ badge). All dates below.

Other bands scheduled to play that aren't part of CMJ's initial announce include Still Corners, Shonen Knife at Public Assembly, PS I Love You, and Revolver. Full list below...

Continue reading "CMJ 2011 initial lineup (Handsome Furs, Viva Brother, Wombats, Memoryhouse, Kvelertak, Pharoahe Monch, more)"

by BBG

Bun B

Bun B will join DJ Clark Kent & DJ Greg Street for a FREE show at Good Units on May 17th in celebration of "online sneaker community Sneakerpedia". RSVP now for free entry.

I'm guessing that Bun B, who is also a co-professor of a course on Ethics & Hip Hop at Rice University, won't use the forum to speak on Religion and Hip Hop culture or a career in the music industry like he has done in recent months, but we'll let you know if that changes. Check out Bun B discussing the illuminati, ethics, and the war, with Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco and Russell Simmons at recent Rice University events, in videos below.

I wonder what Bun B thinks about Odd Future member Tyler the Creator's new album "Goblin" which is out via XL today (5/10). He might prefer the more ethical raps you can hear at the Pharoahe Monch/Jean Grae show happening at Brooklyn Bowl TONIGHT.

And speaking of Talib Kweli (who has his own free show coming up), maybe he'll be at Brooklyn Bowl to perform with Jean again, like he just did on his tour that included an April 28th show at SOB's and didn't include a May 4th show at Sonar in Baltimore. Watch a video of Talib and Jean on stage together (and covering Nina Simone) on May 3rd in DC (you can hear them advertise the not-cancelled-yet Sonar show at the even of the video), also below...

Continue reading "a free Bun B show, Hip Hop ethics, Pharoahe Monch tonight"

Talib Kweli at Emo's during SXSW (more by BBG)

Talib Kweli is currently on the road in support of his new LP Gutter Rainbows, blessing Milwaukee tonight on his way toward the tour conclusion in Orlando inMay. Along the way he'll hit home base on April 28th by tagging both Other Music (to sign copies of Gutter Rainbows starting at 6PM) and SOB's later that night (tickets are still available). There he'll be joined by Fred The Godson and Jean Grae, the latter of which will also appear at Brooklyn Bowl with Pharoahe Monch on May 10th (tickets).

Kweli is also scheduled to play the previously mentioned free show in Red Hook Park on June 21st as part of the City Parks Foundation's Summerstage series. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Talib Kweli on tour (2011 dates, a free show & a NYC signing)"

Pharoahe Monch @ Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by BBG)

Pharoahe Monch's latest tongue-twisting LP W.A.R. is out now via Duck Down Records and Monch has a pair of dates scheduled in the coming weeks. He'll head to Santiago, Chile to play a date on May 15th with Heltah Skeltah and Das Efx, and will play Brooklyn Bowl on May 10th with Jean Grae, Boogie Blind, J Period, and DP One. Tickets are on sale.

Pharoahe Monch recently joined Buckshot for a performance at the Comedy Awards of "Jon Cryer Will Fuck You Up" featuring the Two & A Half Men star. Check out video from that comedic performance as well as a recent interview below.

Continue reading "Pharoahe Monch released W.A.R., played the Comedy Awards, playing Brooklyn Bowl w/ Jean Grae"

photos by Tim Griffin

Deakin

"This solo project from Animal Collective's Deakin (or Deacon, or Josh Dibb) was just as psychedelic, but in more of a dub vein, with spacey, ambient guitar over echoing reverberating distorted drum-pad beats. A pair of smoking-hot yoga-body hipster girls were dancing throughout--no idea how they found a beat to lock into, as loose as the rhythm was, but none of the guys nearby were complaining." [Dallas Observer]

From some of our posts, you might think metal and punk dominated at Fun Fun Fun Fest, and honestly it kind of was the metal and punk bands who packed the most punch making it harder to enjoy the lighter fare all in one day, but there are many who probably spent all weekend at Waterloo Park and never even ventured over to the Black Stage once, not even to check out the spectacle that is Gwar who were on that the same time as Dirty Projectors on Saturday.

If indie rock/pop/chillwave was all you were looking for, or even just dancing and hip hop, you had more than your share of best new music to keep you occupied from noon to 10pm on the Orange and Blue stages. Sunday alone featured Deerhunter, Toro Y Moi, Washed Out, Deakin, Magic Kids, Best Coast (Wavves played the day before) and Cults, not to mention Yelle, Polvo, P.O.S. and A-Trak. Those are most of the artists pictured in this post which continues below...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest - Day 3 pics (part 2) - Deakin, Best Coast, A-Trak, Yelle, Polvo, Deerhunter, Washed Out, Toro y Moi, more"

by BBG

Ghostface Killah at Rock The Bells (more by Andrew St. Clair)

CMJ is almost here, and as usual hip hop is well represented with appearances from the greats as well as those on the upswing. Ghostdini (aka Ghostface Killah) obviously is one of the former, and he'll headline BB Kings on 10/22 with Sheek Louch (of D-Block), and Frank Dukes. Tickets are on sale, or you can get in with your CMJ badge.

Audible Treats have announced their 2010 showcase at Sullivan Hall in NYC, and once again it's chock full of interesting indie hip hop. Veterans Black Sheep will join Nottz, Diamond District, Big Pooh (ex-Little Brother), Chip Fu (of Fu-Schnickens), Rah Digga, Von Pea, Moe Green, DaVinci, and The Left (Apollo Brown, DJSoko, Journalist103). The show goes down on 10/21 and tickets are on sale.

Von Pea of Tanya Morgan will play two shows at SOBs in the coming months, with the first happening on 9/29 when he supports Pac Div along with STS and Beyond Belief (tickets). Then less than two weeks later, Von Pea will play the venue again with J-Live in tow to celebrate the release of his new record Pea's Gotta Have It. Tickets are on sale.

And while we're on the subject of former members of Little Brother, Foreign Exchange (aka ex-Little Brother member Phonte and producer Nicolay) will play a CMJ how at BB King's on 10/23 with Darien Brockington, Zo! and a live band in tow. Tickets are on sale. Darien Brockington, who also contributes to Foriegn Exchange, will also be at SOBs in the coming weeks as part of a collaborative show with R&B singer Yahzarah on 10/14. Tickets are on sale.

Duck Down will team up with Blacksmith Music (Kweli's label) for the Duck Down vs Blacksmith CMJ Showcase with appearances from Jean Grae, Pete Rock, Strong Arm Steady, Pharoahe Monch, Skyzoo & !llmind, Marco Polo with Torae & Ruste Juxx, Team Facelift and Boot Camp Clik (Sean Price, Buckshot, Smif N Wessun, Heltah Skeltah & 9th Wonder). Sounds amazing. Tickets are on sale for the 10/19 show at LPR.

The Duck Down CMJ show is part of a "15 Year Anniversary" tour for the label. All dates below.

And for those of you planning next week, keep in mind that Talib Kweli will play Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday (9/28) with Res and K-Salaam. Tickets are on sale.

And speaking of Pete Rock, BB King's will host a night curated by the year 1992, as Pete Rock & CL Smooth will team with Brand Nubian and Das EFX for a show at BB King's on 10/20. Tickets are on sale. Pete Rock & CL Smooth reunited at Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest earlier this year.

Eric and Parrish are making more dollars at Knitting Factory on November 19th, as the duo known as EPMD will team up to tear down the joint with D-Money. Tickets are on sale.

Joell Ortiz of recent Slaughterhouse fame will play SOBs on 11/9. Tickets are on sale.

Pittsburgh weed kingpin Wiz Khalifa will play the Best Buy Theater on November 13th as part of a huge US tour dubbed the Waken Baken Tour. Tickets are on sale. All dates below.

Statik Selektah & Termanology's new collaborative LP, 1982, gets an album release party on October 25th at SOBs. Tickets are on sale for the show, which will feature support from REKS & more special guests TBA. Dig on the recent video by 1982 featuring Bun B & Masspike Miles, "You Should Go Home", below.

Some videos and tour dates below...

Continue reading "upcoming hip hop shows & tours -- CMJ, Duck Down & more "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Murs & 9th Wonder - "3:16 Part 2" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: One Be Lo - "The Pigs" featuring Mike Posner (MP3)

Some great upcoming hip hop shows in the coming weeks, starting with Murs who is back with producer 9th Wonder for a new album, Murs 9th Wonder Fornever. Check out the first track from the album, "3:16 Part 2" above. Fornever is due on April 13th, and one week later, the "Bad Man" will kick off a US tour in Arizona that has him crashlanding at Highline Ballroom on May 19th. Tickets are on sale.

DJ Hi-Tek has done beats for the entire G-Unit crew, so in that light, I guess it makes sense that the thematically different Hi-Tek project (with Talib Kweli) Reflection Eternal would play the "This is 50" (Cent) event at Nokia Theater. Although for the life of me, I cant figure out why Reflection Eternal would support Lloyd Banks. Ah, nepotism. Tickets for April 29th at Nokia Theater with Banks and Reflection Eternal are on sale.

One day before the "This is 50" event, One Be Lo will step back into his old role as a member of Binary Star for a show at Knitting Factory (4/28) with DJ Abilities, Pigeon John, Donny Goines, and Nyle. Tickets are on sale. One Be Lo is scheduled to drop his new solo album B.A.B.Y. on MYX later this year, which features appearances from Royce Da 5'9, Freeway, Zion I, Phonte, Jean Grae, and more. Check out a track from the upcoming LP above.

Though Before The Casket Drops has, um, dropped, Clipse is still on the road promoting the record, laying down dates in NYC at Highline Ballroom (5/6, tickets) and Baruch College earlier that same day. Ninjasonik is on board to get the party started. Full tour dates are below.

Finally, a few hip hop greats from the 90s are scheduled to play NYC in the coming weeks. Naughty by Nature and Black Sheep will team up for a show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on 5/21 (tickets still on sale). Cypress Hill could easily play a room much much larger than SOBs, but look for them at the venue on 4/15 (tickets still avail) and the blastmaster KRS-ONE on 4/20 (tickets). Wait... shouldn't those dates be reversed?

Tour dates and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Murs, Clipse, Cypress Hill & other upcoming hip hop shows"

Raekwon @ Irving Plaza (SANCHO PANZAA)

Backed only by DJ Symphony on turntables and Raekwon's brother Don P on vocals, the set could have used the energy of the other rappers who invade the album. Raekwon's set ran to 90 minutes, but it felt here and gone. It included the appearance of a huge cake in the shape of a purple cassette -- the original "Cuban Linx" album, from 1995, is commonly called the Purple Tape -- and an assortment of friends and business associates, either texting or appearing to smoke weed onstage. Two notable things happened, neither musical.

The songs came fast, one after another, without stagecraft or pacing. The set went back to early tracks by his old collective, the Wu-Tang Clan, touched on "Cuban Linx" Part 1 and settled in for stretches of the new album, including the scabrous, seedy "Gihad" and the imagistic, violent "Surgical Gloves."

There weren't as many Wu-Tang Clan cameos as might have been expected, aside from Cappadonna, who rapped verses on "Ice Cream." But halfway through, another member of the extended Wu family appeared: Cherry Jones, the mother of the Wu-Tang rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard, who died in 2004. She and Raekwon hugged, without speaking, for nearly a minute. Raekwon praised Dirty and his mother and then performed "Ason Jones," a tribute to Dirty on the new CD, with some emotional difficulty, his movements creaky, as if he needed oil. (He stopped the song at one point, shaking his head in sorrow, swearing and then collecting himself.)

Near the end -- after the duo Capone-N-Noreaga briefly hijacked the set -- Busta Rhymes, a longtime Raekwon booster, came onstage to congratulate his friend. Busta Rhymes likes to talk. Ten minutes later he was still there, praising Raekwon's rhymes and metaphors. Raekwon slumped against the opposite wall, looking humble, grateful and worn out. [NY Times]

That review come from Raekwon's show at Irving Plaza on Wednesday (12/16)

Mos Def was supposed to play Highline Ballroom last night (12/20), but the show was cancelled due to the weather and rescheduled for January 17th. Tickets are on sale.

Speaking of Highline Ballroom, Clipse has been added an opener for for the previously-mentioned Jadakiss and Melanie Fiona show happening at the venue on Tuesday (12/22) ("Concert starts @ 10PM"). Tickets are on sale.

Also Tuesday (12/22), is a show at Southpaw in Brooklyn:

Masta Ace & Edo. G "A&E" Album Release Party
**SPECIAL SURPRISE GUEST!!** / Sadat X / Jean Grae / Doitall (Lords of the Underground) / Torae w/ DJ E. Holla / Sha Stimuli
doors 8PM DOORS / 9PM SHOW 21+ with ID
$12 advance / $15 day of show

Tickets are on sale.

Wednesday (12/23) is the previously mentioned (and again) Method Man / Ghostface / EPMD Hip Hop Legends show. Tickets are still on sale.

A video from Raekwon's show (including the CNN appearance) below...

Continue reading "Raekwon played Irving Plaza (video), Mos Def didn't play Highline (rescheduled) ++ Clipse & other upcoming shows"

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 Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes (Dam-Funk Remix) MP3
DOWNLOAD: Dam-Funk - Toeachizown (MP3)

Stones Throw's Dam-Funk will be headlining a free show tonight (10/27) at Brooklyn Bowl presented by Fader to celebrate his new record and appearance on the cover of the mag. Also on the bill are Cubic Zirconia and DJ sets from Duane Harriott & Master Khan, Snack N Cmish and special guests. It's the first in a new monthly series, dubbed Fader Bowl, from the mag.

Dam's 2xCD Toeachizown came out earlier this week (on 10/20) through the Stones Throw label, which also has a 5 LP version of the record scheduled for a Dec-Jan release (because of production issues). You can catch the album's instrumental title track, loaded with gorgeous retro synths, above.

Brooklyn Bowl will also be hosting Talib Kweli and friends with Jean Grae, Mickey Factz and Skyzoo on November 22nd. Tickets are on sale.

In addition to his new Reflection Eternal material with DJ Hi-Tek and Black Star shows with Mos Def, Talib also guests on the new Madlib-produced record by Strong Arm Steady (ex-Death Row-ers Krondon, Phil Da Agony and Mitchy Slick) called Stoney Jackson (release date TBA on Stones Throw) (also with guest spots by Guilty Simpson, Little Brother's Phonte, Planet Asia and "a host of underground Los Angeles's emerging rap talent"). Talib gets the first verse on the first single, up for free on iTunes. Maybe that has something to with Talib's Blacksmith label set up to release Strong Arm Steady's debut Arms & Hammers in 2010. The release was delayed when Warner split with Blacksmith in '08. There's also a Dam-Funk mixtape at the iTunes link.

A flyer for the Fader show, a Dam-Funk interview, two Strong Arm Steady/Madlib tracks (definitely harder-sounding than Madlib's usual work) and a Reflection Eternal video are below...

Continue reading "Dam-Funk at Brooklyn Bowl tonight + Talib Kweli on Nov. 2 + new Madlib-produced Stoney Jackson"

NYC's very own critically-acclaimed lyricist Jean Grae will perform at NYC's New Museum on Friday, May 1st along with "the soul-inspired hip-hop of Derrin Maxwell and the gritty, heavily-fried underground funk of 3beanstew." Tickets are on sale.

That show is part of the museum's Get Weird series. A week later (Friday, May 8th), Get Weird hosts the Younger Lovers (featuring Brontez Purnell of Gravy Train!!!!) and Gamma Rays. Tickets are on sale.

During the No Fun Fest, taking place May 15th-17th at the MHoW, the New Museum will partners with Rhizome and the No Fun to present "No Fun 2009: Infinite Sound and Image" on Saturday, May 16th. The live-music and silent film screening includes Jim O'Rouke (a man with many credits including Sonic Youth and producing Wilco), Robert Beatty (of Hair Police and Three Legged Race), Sarah Lipstate (of Noveller), and C. Spencer Yeh (of Burning Star Core). Noveller and C. Spencer Yeh both also make separate NFF appearances. Tickets for the New Musem show are on sale. Full program details are below.

The museum combines its Get Weird music series and its Younger Than Jesus exhibit (artists less than 33 yrs old) and gets a show with BARR/Brendan Fowler and MEN on Friday, June 12th. Tickets are on sale for that too.

All details, with more upcoming New Museum music events (including Nick Hallett performing Meredith Monk, Karlheinz Stockhausen and others) below...

Continue reading "Jean Grae, Jim O'Rourke & others playing the New Museum"

Q-Tip @ the Woodies (more by Tim Griffin)

Q-Tip's December 2nd show at Nokia Theater with the Cool Kids has been moved to the smaller Highline Ballroom. Tickets are still on sale.

Other hip hop shows coming up at the Highline include Ludacris's album release party this Tuesday, Slick Rick on November 28th, Jean Grae on November 30th, Wale & Kid Cudi (and DJ Mark Ronson) on December 9th, AND last but not least: Hip Hop Harry on December 27th.

Some other upcoming hip hip shows are listed HERE.

Kanye West's new album is out today.

Video of Q-Tip performing with Lykke Li at the Woodies below...

Continue reading "Q-Tip/Cool Kids moved to Highline & other hip hop shows"