photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin, words by BBG

Lauryn / Erykah

Last year Rock the Bells, the touring hip-hop bonanza, picked up on the voguish festival concept in which an artist performs an old record from beginning to end. It went well, and this year's edition bought in twice as hard. On Saturday on Governors Island, amid other, more ordinary sets, 11 albums were performed in their entirety.

What a gorging! What an obligation! It seemed to weigh on the crowd. It meant that listeners weren't in the here and now, where they might be fratty or selfish or mean spirited. They were deep in the been and gone. They weren't just listening to hits, or to sustained works of art, but to their own pasts. The exercise cooled them out. Saturday's audience was truly racially mixed, with a heavy representation of the 30-to-45 age bracket, grown-up New Yorkers at their casual and courteous best. Many of them high, but still. -[New York Times]

Rock The Bells 2011 took Governors Island by storm on 9/3, and according to reports, ran smoothly and generally on time. There was a barrage of classic LPs (Nas's Illmatic, Mobb Deep's The Infamous, Lauryn Hill's Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu's Baduizm, Black Moon's Enta Da Stage, GZA's Liquid Swords, Cypress Hill's Black Sunday, and others), and performances from some of independent hip hop's great up-and-comers. Though it was clearly elders day, younger crews like Slaughterhouse, Big K.R.I.T., Fashawn, Blu & Exile, Freddie Gibbs, Roc Marciano and others also had the ability to shine on the Paid Dues stage (DOOM, an elder statesman via his days in KMD, was scheduled to play the Paid Dues stage but cancelled his appearance).

In true hip hop fashion, guests abounded. Nas capped the day off with a performance of Illmatic, and he didn't hide the men/women behind the curtain of his first LP; MC Serch, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor (of Main Source), Akinyele, Fatal, AZ and many others who either blessed the LP or were instrumental in his come-up all made appearances (yes, they performed the Main Source classic "Live at the BBQ" featuring Nas's first recorded appearance). Pras of The Fugees joined Lauryn Hill for "Ready of Not", Big Noyd joined Mobb Deep for "Give Up the Goods (Just Step)" and other tracks, and Black Moon brought a full band.

More pictures from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "pics from Rock the Bells 2011 @ Governors Island (Nas, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Raekwon, Ghostface, Mobb Deep, more)"

by Black Bubblegum

Talib Kweli + Hi-Tek = Reflection Eternal

Rock The Bells 2009 is SUNDAY (7/19, tix still avail). Reflection Eternal is among those scheduled to play the NY date @ Jones Beach, and they are scheduled to make their NYC return on August 28th at BB King's with three others on the Rock The Bells bill: the reunion of Slum Village (sans J.Dilla of course), Slaughterhouse (aka Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9, Joell Ortiz & Crooked I), and freestyle kingpin Supernatural. No word on whether the show, billed as "The Rock The Bells Club Tour" is part of a larger tour (sure f'n sounds like it) or when tickets go on sale.

Reflection Eternal recently dropped a new single via iTunes, "Back Again", accompanied with a video that is viewable below. No word on the status of their new LP, tentatively titled Trainspotting, or if "Back Again" will appear on it.

Meanwhile, Rock The Bells 2009 has posted the set times for Jones Beach, with one suspicious hole slotted for "Special Guest" at 5:20 on the main stage. Hmmmm..... Set times for the show are below.

Slaughterhouse recently dropped a video for "The One" from their upcoming self-titled LP due on 8/11 via E1. Check that out below.

The other half of Black Star with Talib Kweli, aka Mos Def, has released the absolutely sick new record The Ecstatic. Mighty Mos is scheduled to play Governor's Island on 9/12. Tickets are on sale.

Videos and Rock The Bells set times below...

Continue reading "Reflection Eternal 'Back Again' - playing BB King's w/ Slum Village, and ROCK THE BELLS NY on SUNDAY (set times)"