by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Run the Jewels - "Get It" (MP3)

El-P in Austin in 2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

As mentioned, Killer Mike and El-P, who previously teamed up with El-P produced Killer Mike's 2012 album R.A.P. Music and when Mike rapped a verse on El-P's Cancer for Cure, are teaming up again this year under the name Run the Jewels. The duo will release a "free album and limited edition items" this June via Fool's Gold. The first song from the album, "Get It," should appeal to anyone who liked "Butane (Champions Anthem)" or "Tougher Colder Killer", and the way they're quickly trading verses here sounds like they're having even more fun than before. You can download that one above or stream it below.

Killer Mike is currently on tour with Big Boi (and he just brought out El-P at their Brooklyn Bowl show), but when that tour ends, Run the Jewels will go on their own tour. Support on that tour comes from El-P and Killer Mike's past tourmate Despot and ex-Das Racist member Kool AD. It culminates in NYC with a show on August 14 at Webster Hall. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet but you can check ticketmaster for updates.

All dates are listed, along with the song stream, below...

Continue reading "El-P & Killer Mike's Run the Jewels project releasing free album, touring with Despot & Kool AD (dates & MP3)"

Le1f (photo by Siobhan Bledsoe)

The Whitney Museum is currently hosting the Blues for Smoke exhibition, which will be up through April 28. The exhibition "explores a wide range of contemporary art through the lens of the blues and blues aesthetics." In conjunction with that exhibition, they are also presenting a festival this weekend with performances and events. On Friday (4/5), former Das Racist member Kool A.D. will team up with Mykki Blanco for a show at 6 PM. Then on Sunday (4/7) between 1 and 4 PM, the other two former Das Racist members Dapwell and Heems, will play with another rapper, Le1f, and psych freaks Prince Rama.

In addition to the two hip hop oriented shows, there will be a show on Saturday from Brooklyn soul ensemble King Holiday. The performances on all three days will be spread out into small, unconventional spaces rather than in a concert space, and will be accompanied by projections. All performances are free with museum admission.

Mykki Blanco recently played the official BrooklynVegan SXSW showcase, and his tour brings him to Bowery Ballroom tonight (4/2) for a show with DJ MikeQ, Rizzla, and Ian Isiah. Tickets for tonight's show are still available.

Meanwhile, Le1f has another hometown show coming up as part of the Red Bull Music Academy NYC residency. His show takes place on May 7 at Glasslands with Laurel Halo, Venus X, Spank DJs, The Peronists, Crazy Bitch In A Cave, :PAPERCUTZ, and a "very special guest." Tickets for that show are still available.

Stream Mykki's 2012 mixtape, Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss, and Le1f's recent mixtape, Fly Zone, below...

Continue reading "Le1f, Mykki Blanco, Prince Rama & members of Das Racist playing the Whitney during 'Blues For Smoke' exhibition"

Das Racist at Afro-Punk 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

The individual members of NYC rap trio Das Racist have been playing a handful of solo shows lately and it looks like we'll be seeing more of that, as the group have decided to call it quits. Pitchfork reports that Das Racist were supposed to perform at Munich festival On3 on Saturday (12/1), but instead Heems did a solo show, and announced from the stage, "You guys wanna know the secret? Alright, so I'm going to do some Das Racist songs, but Das Racist is breaking up and we're not a band anymore."

Kool AD also tweeted, "for the record i quit das racist 2 months ago and was asked by our manager not to announce it yet. apparently @himanshu wanted to do it tho" and Heems replied, "hah dag, my bad dont even remember saying that shit."

What ended up being Das Racist's final hometown show happened at Irving Plaza in October. You can check out some videos from that show below.

Continue reading "Das Racist break up"

by Klaus Kinski and Joe Mande

Joe Mande is a comedian and writer. He's been seen on Conan, Comedy Central, and VH1 Best Week Ever. He's also a writer for Parks and Recreation, Delocated, and the upcoming Kroll Show. He's also the brains behind the pitch-perfect project Look At This Fucking Hipster. When you're as brilliantly hilarious as Joe Mande, it's only a matter of time before you get sucked into Olde Man Los Angeles' bosom and have to leave NYC, which is precisely what he did recently much to the dismay of many people who love him, myself included.

I have been an avid fan of Mande since he was knee-high to a grasshopper and getting his start in the NYC comedy scene. There was a time where it seemed like you could catch him on a stage somewhere in this city at least 9-10 times a week. It is his simplest flourishes that kill me the most; for example, his twitter feed is the best. Among other tweet-skillz, he has a knack for re-tweeting the absolutely vapid and pointless horse-shit that a celebrity's pea-brain managed to fart out into cyberspace. And where else can you see a picture like this? I asked Joe for a Top Ten of 2012 list. The results, with accompanying YouTube videos, are below.

Continue reading "Joe Mande's Best of 2012 ("top 10 rap songs I downloaded for free off the internet")"

Cymbals Eat Guitars at MHOW in July (more by Chris La Putt)

As you may have noticed in today's What's Going On (11/18), there's a few Hurricane Sandy Relief benefits going on in NYC today.

There's one going down in both rooms at Public Assembly, which started at 1:30 PM and is continuing into the evening. If you head down there now, you can still catch sets by Wojick, Zula, The Veda Rays, Their Planes, Backwords, Pessanger Peru, Cool Serbia, Ski Lodge, and Slowdance. Admission is $10 at the door and all proceeds go to NY Cares. Those who bring three canned food items or one hygiene product will get one free Brooklyn Brewery Beer. The full schedule and more info is below.

Union Pool has one dubbed, "From Brooklyn with Love," starting at 5 PM with sets by Wild Yaks, Free Blood, Ice Balloons, Field Mouse, Sophia Knapp, Desert Stars, Firecracker Firecracker, Jess Williamson, Shenandoah and the Night, and The Monte Vista. Admission is a minimum of $20 and all proceeds goes to World Cares. "Big drink specials come to those who donate." The lineup is below.

There's also a Thanksgiving-themed benefit for Far Rockaway going down tonight at The Dalloway (525 Broome St) with DJ sets by Tanlines and Victor Vasquez (aka Kool AD of Das Racist). That party is hosted by Patricia Field, Erin O'Connor, Alana Zimmer, Jaquelyn Jablonski, Sara Blomqvist, Harry Brant, Scoot McNairy, Jeremy Kost, and Va$htie. It begins at 7 PM. Show flyer below.

Later this month, there will be a Sandy benefit at Pianos on November 29 with Cymbals Eat Guitars, Hooray for Earth, Zambri, Grooms, and DJ sets by Will Shortz between sets. Tickets ($12 minimum) are on sale now and proceeds will benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy in Red Hook.

Other upcoming Sandy relief benefits include Holly Herndon, Ducktails, and Oneohtrix Point Never at MoMA PS1, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Paul McCartney, Kanye West and more at MSG, EDM for Sandy Relief at Gramercy, and more. The Bell House has a lot of benefits coming up too.

Show flyers, lineups and more, below...

Continue reading "upcoming Sandy relief benefits in NYC (Cymbals Eat Guitars, Slowdance, Ski Lodge, Field Mouse, Tanlines & more)"

by Andrew Sacher

Main Attrakionz at BV-SXSW 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Earlier this month, we mentioned that iPhone/Android app Mobli was throwing a CMJ party with Heems, Sasha Go Hard, Kitty Pryde, Weekend Money, SAFE, The Underachievers, and Party Supplies. That party was supposed to happen today at Delinquency but that venue has since been shut down so the whole lineup (minus The Underachievers and Party Supplies) is merging with the Young One Records showcase, which happens tonight (10/17) at 285 Kent. That showcase, in addition to including the names mentioned above, will have Main Attrakionz, Kool AD, Deniro Farrar, Supreme Cuts, Cities Aviv, Bryant Dope, Ryan Hemsworth, and CBG. SAFE and Ryan Hemsworth are DJing between sets, the rest of the acts are playing live. The show flier and set times are below.

That 285 Kent show is a pretty stacked bill for hip hop, and if you're into stacked hip hop shows like that one, you'll also probably want to check out the Mass Appeal party at Gramercy on Friday (10/19) with Asher Roth, Prodigy (of Mobb Deep), The Alchemist, Large Professor, Mr. Muthafuckin' exquire, Roc Marciano, Boldy James, Ninja Sonik, Bodega Bamz, Alexander Spit, Angel Haze and Timeless Youth. That one's free with RSVP to RSVP@massappeal.com but entry is based on capacity. The flier for this show is below.

As mentioned, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire also plays SOB's on Thursday (10/18) and an MTV Studio at Webster Hall the same day. That studio show is with Big K.R.I.T. and LE1F, and when we first mentioned it, a "special guest" was billed who has since been revealed as Killer Mike. Tickets for that one are still available.

That MTV show is an early show (5:30 doors) and after that there's a late show with Chuck Inglish (of The Cool Kids), Ninjasonik, ASAP TyY, Blvckalfred, Vault Boys, MopTop, Chase N Cashe, GDP, Vyle, and Curtains. Tickets for that one are still available.

Cities Aviv, in addition to the Young One show, has other CMJ shows, including the Flowerbooking CMJ showcase at Knitting Factory on Friday (10/19) with Unicorn Kid, Ki:Theory, Devin, Ghost Wave, and Talk Normal (tickets) and the Bond Music Group/PopGun show at Cameo Gallery on Friday (10/19) (late show) with Steven A. Clark, Lushlife, Dark Sister, and Pegasus Warning (tickets).

He also plays the free BrooklynVegan day party at Public Assembly on Saturday (10/20) with The Orwells, Eternal Summers, and the rest of the lineup coming soon!

While we're talking about good hip hop shows during CMJ, don't forget the Converse Rubber Tracks/Fool's Gold 5th anniversary show at Music Hall of WIlliamsburg on Saturday (10/20) with Ghostface Killah, A-Trak, Flosstradamus, Donnis, Nick Catchdubs, World's Fair, Troy Ave, and special guests. That one's totally free, first come, first served.

Showcase flier and set times for the Young One/Mobli show are below.

Continue reading "hip hop CMJ update: Sasha Go Hard show merges w/ Main Attrakionz show; Cities Aviv dates; Killer Mike adds show"

As mentioned in What's Going on Monday, California rawk duo Deap Vally canceled tonight's Maxwell's show (10/15). But there will be no shortage of chances to see them this week, as their CMJ schedule boasts five shows, including the BrooklynVegan day party on Friday (10/19) at Public Assembly. They'll be on early (1:30 PM) and we'll be letting you in on the full schedule real soon.

They'll also play the Fader Fort at Converse Rubber Tracks Studio on 10/17, Bowery Ballroom on 10/18 with MNDR, MS MR, IO Echo, Sky Ferreira, and Gabriel Bruce, Rockwood Music Hall on Friday night (10/19) after our day party with Matthew and The Atlas, Foreign Fields, Matrimony, and KOOL A.D; and finally Cake Shop on Saturday afteroon (10/20) for the Village Voice party with Delicate Steve, Dent May, Heavenly Beat. Vockah Redu and Daytona.

Deap Vally will open for Muse in November on their European tour. CMJ dates and flyers are below.

Continue reading "Deap Vally not playing Maxwell's, are playing BV party Friday"

Das Racist at Bonnaroo 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Glasslands is hosting a pretty great multi-genre, Das Racist-related show on September 10 with Das Racist associated rapper Lakutis (who we profiled when he opened for Kool AD last month), SAFE (who recently played a Cameo show in June that Heems DJ'd), Quinn Walker (of Suckers, whose video for "Turn On the Sunshine" features Dapwell), Carrie Wilds (whose free mixtape featured Das Racist associate Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire), Peaceful Solutions (Kool AD + Kassa Overall), Cult Days, DJs Chungo and Mike Finito and host Dapwell. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Streams and videos from the artists playing are below.

Continue reading "Das Racist members, Lakutis, SAFE, Quinn Walker, Carrie Wilds & more playing Glasslands in September"

by Andrew Sacher

Das Racist cohort Lakutis, who appeared on Das Racist's 2010 LP, Sit Down, Man, and who released a free EP last year on the group's Greedhead label with production and guest spots from the members, will be opening the two NYC area shows on Das Racist member Kool A.D.'s upcoming tour with Fat Tony. We already mentioned that the tour includes Mercury Lounge on July 30, and more dates have since been revealed, including a NJ show at Stanhope House on August 5. Tickets are available for the Mercury Lounge show and the Stanhope show.

Like Das Racist, Lakutis doesn't rap without a sense of humor. If you can't tell from song titles like "I'm Better Than Everybody" or "Ja Rule," then lend your eyes to the music video below of "Pool Party," during which Lakutis spends the entire time smoking a blunt behind a giant roll of toilet paper while delivering tongue-in-cheek sexed up lines about "hanging with Mila Kunis in the pool" into a cell phone. Lakutis' EP, I'm In The Forest, can be streamed and downloaded for free at the Mishka bandcamp.

As mentioned, Kool A.D. was orginally scheduled to play the Shortcuts party at Santos tonight (7/19) with Angel Haze but has since dropped off. Angel Haze's Reservation EP is out now and can be streamed/downloaded for free HERE.

The "Pool Party" video and a list of all dates are below...

Continue reading "Lakutis playing shows w/ Kool AD (dates, video & free EP); Angel Haze's 'Reservation' EP is out now (download)"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Angel Haze - "Werkin' Girls (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Angel Haze - "New York" (MP3)

Angel Haze

As discussed, the next Shortcuts party goes down at Santos Party House on July 19. Kool A.D. (of Das Racist) was originally scheduled to play but he has since dropped off. (He'll still play Mercury Lounge on July 30 though, and tickets for that show are still available.) The lineup for the Shortcuts party as it currently stands is Angel Haze, Carrie Wilds, King Leo, and DJ sets by Venus X and Covert Kids. Tickets for that show are still available.

For 21 year old NYC rapper Angel Haze, the Shortcuts party doubles as a release party for her new EP, Reservation, which comes out on July 17 via True Panther/Noizy Cricket/Biz 3 Records and as her live NYC debut. You can download two tracks from that EP at the top of this post -- "New York" and the just-revealed "Werkin' Girls." She's got rapid fast flow and a no-bullshit attitude that makes her one of the most compelling rappers to recently hit the scene.

Streams of "New York" and "Werkin' Girls" are below, along with artwork for each track and the flier for the Santos show...

Continue reading "Angel Haze releasing 'Reservations' (MP3s), playing release party at Santos (which Kool AD dropped off)"

Das Racist at Red Hook Park last week (more by Eric M. Townsend)

Kool AD, aka 1/3 of Das Racist who just played Red Hook Park in Brooklyn last week, has two solo shows scheduled to happen in NYC this summer. He'll play a Shortcuts party at Santos Party House on July 19 with Angel Haze and Venus X, and will also play Mercury Lounge on July 30 with Lakutis, Fat Tony, and Tex & Kass. Tickets for the Santos show are on sale now and tickets for the Mercury Lounge show go on sale Friday (6/29) at noon. Kool AD released two free mixtapes this year, The Palm Wine Drinkard and 51.

In related Das Racist news, Heems will perform at Prodigy's "Queens Day" show, which goes down on July 3 at Gramercy Theatre with The World Famous Beatnuts, DJ Rob Swift, World's Fair, Big Baby Gandhi, and Rek Stizzy.

All Kool AD dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Kool AD (of Das Racist) playing solo shows, 2 in NYC (dates)"