Ghostface at Rock The Bells 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Lyricist Lounge will celebrate 20 years of events and releases with a free Celebrate Brooklyn show at Prospect Park on June 23rd. Ghostface Killah (who celebrated his birthday yesterday, May 9th!) will join the kings of "Luchini" Camp Lo, Astro, and more for this FREE event that kicks off at 7:30. Ghostdeini currently has no other US dates planned, but will go on the road for a string of Australian dates at the beginning of June. Details are below. Check out the full Celebrate Brooklyn schedule HERE.

In other classic hip hop news, Prodigy of Mobb Deep will team up with The Beatnuts, Heems of Das Racist, DJ Rob Swift, Big Baby Gandhi and more as part of an event called "Queens Day" on 6/19 at Irving Plaza. Tickets are still available. Prodigy recently completed recording of his new album HNIC3, which is due for release on July 3rd. Stream the recent track "Gangsta Love" featuring Esther below.

All Ghostface Killah dates, some video, and that Prodigy stream is below. Pay close attention to the tail end of that "Luchini" video and you'll see Butterfly of Digable Planets (aka Ishmael Butler) drop a verse from Camp Lo's "Swing". Butler's new project Shabazz Palaces play Williamsburg Park this summer.

Continue reading "Ghostface & Camp Lo celebrate 20 years of Lyricist Lounge; Prodigy & The Beatnuts celebrate Queens day"

Rob Swift

For the second year in a row, Red Bull Thre3style is taking place in Brooklyn to test the top party DJ's in their mixing skills. In the ultimate battle scenario, nine local DJ's will take turns stepping up to the tables to determine who can rock the dance floor the hardest combining three different music genres in fifteen minutes.

Competing in the night's party are DJ's Get Live, Cobra Krames, Synapse, Dances with White Girls, Theory, Vinyl Richie, Equal, Stimulus and Kalkutta.

The DJ's will compete in 15 minute intervals and play a set of at least three different genres. The winner of Red Bull Thre3style will take home a $1,000 prize check and a trip to DC to compete in East Coast finals. The winner of that will go on to participate in the US National finals.

The show will also feature appearances from Total Eclipse & Rob Swift of the X-Ecutioners, and will go down on April 22nd at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are now on AmEx presale and go on regular sale on Friday.

On a similar note, the regional battle of the 2011 DMC Battle for US Supremacy is scheduled to go down at Santos Party House on June 11th. The show will feature an appearance from host DJ FatFingaz and tickets are on sale. Then on August 6, Santos Party House will host the DMC US Finals DJ Battle. Tickets are on sale.

Red Bill held another Thre3style event at SXSW over the weekend. Performers included De La Soul, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Z-Trip, and surprise guest LL Cool J. Videos below...

Continue reading "Red Bull Thre3style & other NYC DJ battles coming (LL Cool J, De La Soul, Z-Trip & others played one @ SXSW)"

"After announcing the closing of their New York and Los Angeles locations, Fat Beats is excited to present a send-off worthy of their hip-hop legacy. A week-long series of in-store performances and music industry panels at both stores will allow the music community to not only learn about the history of Fat Beats and what the future of the music industry holds, but to also celebrate the legacy of one of the strongest music brands in the company of their favorite artists. These week-long in-stores are sure to go down in hip-hop and New York history. Everyone is welcome to come and all events are free.

Today marks the official start of the week-long in-stores for the New York location. This location will host artist performances every day this week from 4-9pm until it closes its doors for the final time on Saturday, September 4th, 2010. Additionally, both locations will be selling limited edition commemorative t-shirts, as well as discounted music and merchandise"

The schedule for the New York location is as follows:

Continue reading "free in-stores all week @ Fat Beats (leading up to closing)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Black Milk - "Welcome (Gotta Go)" (Mediafire)

Black Milk at SXSW (more here)

The new LP is called Album Of The Year. That's bold talk from the great Black Milk, but if there is one man who can get that head nodding, it's him.

The Detroit MC (and recent BV show alumnus) will welcome Album of The Year on 9/14 via Fat Beats, and the LP is chock full of Detroit luminaries like Royce Da 5' 9", Danny Brown, and Elzhi of Slum Village alongside appearances from Mr. Porter, AB, Melanie Rutherford, and Monica Blaire. Dig on the lead track "Welcome (Gotta Go)" available above.

Black Milk is scheduled to perform at the Saturday (7/10) show of the Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest alongside a host of other great mic controllers. Admittedly, as much as I am looking forward to seeing the Detroit rhyme killer, the Duck Down crew (also BV show alumni) and a good portion of the Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest support (not to mention the great De La Soul), the main event for me is reunion of the great Pete Rock & CL Smooth! The show will be their first US appearance together in 10 6 years. Reminisce no more, my friends....

Tonight's (7/8) BHHF festivities feature a salute to the DJ at Music Hall of Williamsburg with appearances by DJ Spinna, Bobbito, Rhettmatic, Rob Swift, and Wajeed (Platinum Pied Pipers). Prepare thy ass to get shooken. $10 gets you in.

Dig on a bunch of hip hop videos below...

Continue reading "Hip Hop Fest continues w/ Black Milk, a PETE ROCK & CL SMOOTH REUNION (and a salute to the DJ @ MHOW tonight)"