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: 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"