Baauer

Veteran hip hop producer Just Blaze and worthy newcomer Baauer have a collaboration in the works, and will be touring North America together in 2013, Pitchfork reports. Not much info has been revealed on the collaboration, but also both have their own releases on the way. Just Blaze is releasing an EP on Fool's Gold and Baauer is planning a release for LuckyMe.

The tour that the two producers will head out on hits NYC on February 15 at Webster Hall. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet, but you can check ticketmaster for updates.

In related news, fellow hip hop production great Swizz Beatz, who has worked with many of the same rappers as Just Blaze, and also worked with Just Blaze himself, will be at Webster Hall this Thursday (12/13) for a GIrls Night Out party. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

A list of all dates on the Just Blaze/Baauer tour is below...

Continue reading "Just Blaze collaborating & touring w/ Baauer, playing Webster Hall (where Swizz Beatz plays this week)"

Swizz Beatz

Long-running hip hop producer Swizz Beatz, who has worked with Jay-Z, T.I., Busta Rhymes and many others, has been named the Global Ambassador for New York City Health and Hospitals (via Black Celebrity Giving). He'll be formally presented as the new Global Ambassador at a fundraiser at Mural Pavillion at Harlem Hospital Center on Thursday (9/27) at 7 PM. Executive director Joe Shick said Swizz "is committed to using his creativity, his innovation, and his international stature to help spread the HHC message on a global scale to promote better health in our city and our world."

Swizz Beatz will also be performing at a Bud Light Lime-presented 'End of Summer' party at Beekman Beer Garden on Saturday (9/29) with Araabmuzik, Jermaine Dupri, and DJ Kiss. Admission is free but RSVP to turnupsummer@engineshopagency.com is required.

This Saturday's party is Araabmuzik's last show before he kicks off his tour with Sleigh Bells, which begins at Port Chester's Capitol Theater on October 5. Tickets for that show are still available. All Araabmuzik dates are listed below.

In related news, Megaupload, which was shut down earlier this year and which Swizz Beatz was involved in, is allegedly on its way back. Kim Dotcom, who launched the site, recently tweeted, "Quick update on the new Mega: Code 90% done. Servers on the way. Lawyers, Partners & Investors ready. Be patient. It's coming." He followed that with multiple tweets, saying, "Dear Megaupload friends please RT to tell @BarackObama & @MittRomney that you want #InternetFreedom and #Megaupload back." Though "the new Mega" may also be in reference to Kim's new Megabox music service, which he just posted a trailer video for today (9/26). You can watch that video below.

Continue reading "Swizz Beatz named Global Ambassador of NYC Health & Hospitals, playing Beekman Beer Garden w/ Araabmuzik"

Federal prosecutors in Virginia say they have shut down one of the world's largest Internet file-sharing sites, Megaupload.com, and charged its founder and others with violating piracy laws.

An indictment accuses the company of costing copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content. -[New York Times]

This strangely/coincidentally/ironically/suspiciously/somethingly comes just one day after more news of Universal being pissed off which was also the same day (yesterday) that the internet protested the related SOPA & PIPA bills (which were somewhat successful in helping that issue).

Megupload is run by, no shit, CEO Swizz Beatz who recently helped create a video promoting the site with testimonials from the likes of Kanye West, Diddy, The Game, Ciara, and Alicia Keys. That video was controversially removed (by Universal) and then put back on YouTube in December (by Google). Universal Music Group and Megaupload are now suing each other, though it looks like that's the least of Megaupload's problems at the moment. Universal says the endorsements were "unauthorized". Watch the video in question below...

Continue reading "Megaupload shut down by the feds (not long after its public fight with Universal began)"

"Great show. Though, totally unnecessary 3+ hour wait to get in." - Anonymous

Nicki Minaj & Kanye West @ Bowery Ballroom (photo by Questlove)

Kanye West played his entire new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy from start to finish, followed by a four song encore Tuesday night at the intimate Bowery Ballroom in NYC where Kanye literally brought in "all of the lights" (there were lots of lights). The show started with people who weren't Diddy (he walked right in) waiting on a long line. The show ended with Kanye going on a rant about racism, George Bush, Taylor Swift, the Today Show, etc. Audio of that final portion can be streamed below.

Album guest stars Kid Cudi, Raekwon, Jay-Z and RZA were nowhere to be found, but Terena Taylor, Bon Iver aka Justin Vernon (who might appear again with Kanye in the Thanksgiving Day Parade), Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj (who plays Hammerstein Ballroom on Thanksgiving), Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz, and John Legend (whose friend Questlove was in the balcony taking pictures) all performed at the show that started around 12:40am and was was over by around 2:15. Full setlist, videos and that audio below...

Continue reading "Kanye West played Bowery Ballroom w/ many special guests (setlist, videos & audio of the show-ending rant)"

photos by Eric Townsend, words by BBG

"Can't NOBODY FUCK WITH A TRIBE CALLED QUEST LIVE! ROCK THE BELLS NYC WAS MAGIC!" -Carringtonworld

"#np tribe called quest-steve biko(stir it up)....what yall know about #RocktheBells 2010 live from nyc huh? -"NotoriousDIZZ"

"Some of my rap top 10 will be live on stage: slick rick, lauryn hill, wu tang, rakim, krs one, tribe called quest. nYc represent, represent" -LeRoyLive

A Tribe Called Quest on Governors Island Saturday

Linden boulevard represent, represent
Tribe called quest represent, represent
When the mic is in my hand, I'm never hesitant
My favourite jam back in the day was "Eric B. is President"
-[A Tribe Called Quest - "Steve Biko (Stir It Up)"]

Both A Tribe Called Quest, Rakim, and the songs "Steve Biko" AND "Eric B Is President" were showcased at Saturday's Rock The Bells event at Randall's Island as the crews showcased their classic LPs Midnight Marauders and Paid In Full respectively. The two Hip Hop legends were part of a much larger whopper of a show that also showcased Wu-Tang Clan's Enter The 36 Chambers, Snopp Dogg's Doggy Style, Slick Rick's The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, KRS-One performing Criminal-Minded, as well as performances from Lauryn Hill, Jedi Mind Tricks, Brother Ali, Wiz Khalifa, and many many others. On the paparazzi tip, celebs were out in full force to check out the show as well as Jay-Z, Chris Rock, John Legend (who performs at Bowery Ballroom tonight), newlywed couple Alicia Keys/Swizz Beatz, Mary J Blige, and many many others were all spotted at the shindig (some snaps are below).

More pictures (and video) from the show are HERE and below (, and one more set still on the way)...

Continue reading "Rock the Bells @ Governors Island - pics & video (part 1) (A Tribe Called Quest, Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, Rakim & more) "