by BBG

Havoc of Mobb Deep @ the kick-off in LA (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

In addition to initially announced Rock The Bells lineup (Nas playing Illmatic? Mobb Deep on The Infamous detail? wow), the festival has made some interesting additions like Erykah Badu performing all of Baduism (on select dates), Common performing all of Be (on select dates), Killah Priest performing all of Heavy Mental, Slaughterhouse, and DOOM. More lineup details are below.

The NYC show on 9/3 at Governor's Island gets the Erykah Badu appearance, and tickets are on presale, password is "ILLMATIC". General sale begins Saturday, 6/11, at 10:00 AM.

LA and San Francisco are on sale now, and the only other date, Boston, still doesn't even have a venue announced yet.

DOOM of course is not to be confused with the crust band who just played MDF and Chaos in Tejas.

In other Hip Hop festival news, Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest's lineup has expanded too adding MOP (!), Torae, Random Axe (Sean Price + Black Milk + Guilty Simpson), eLZhi, Marley Marl, Roli Rho (5th Platoon), Grand Wizzard Theodore and Twilite Tone. Tickets are on sale for all Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival events, including an after-party at Southpaw on July 16th which proclaims to have "special guests invited including the entire BHF '11 lineup".

Full Rock The Bells details, alongside some videos, below...

Continue reading "Rock the Bells expands lineup, NYC tix on presale now"

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 "

words by BBG, photos by Brook Bobbins

"Wht a fckin day! Was a 90s hipHop reunion backstge DAMN! Nice & smooth, dela soul, group home, primo, pete rck& cl smooth, large prof, craig g" -MastaAce

"Damn Pete Rock and CL Smooth rockin under the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a beautiful thing. Straighten it out! -greenspam

"I really am sorry that you're not here with me watching De La Soul kill shit live in Brooklyn" -djreadycee

De La Soul at Brooklyn Hip hop Fest in DUMBO - July 10, 2010

Though the rain did rear it's ugly head momentarily on July 10th, the crowd was nonetheless rocked at the 2010 Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest on Saturday. It was the final day of a week-long celebration, and also the biggest event of the fest. With a lineup that consisted of greats like De La Soul, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Black Moon, Smif n Wessun, and many others, the surprise additions of Nice & Smooth, Black Sheep and Group Home gave the event an especially 90s touch. It wasn't all veterans though; relative newcomers like Curren$y, Black Milk, Diamond District, The Money Making Jam Boys, and many others brought new blood under the Brooklyn Bridge to get the block rockin'.

Tons more pics (starting with Black Milk's 3:45 set), and video are below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest 2010 in pics & video (De La Soul, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Black Moon, Black Milk & more) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Little Brother - "Star" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Little Brother - "Curtain Call" (MP3)

Little Brother

It's the end of the road for Little Brother, who have released their final album, Left Back. 9th Wonder is long gone from the scene (Khrysis handles the bulk of the duties), but Phonte and Big Pooh will hit the road for a string of dates in celebration of the release, starting with Hiro Ballroom tonight (May 11th). The bill is rounded out by Black Milk, Torae, Joe Scudda, Chaundon, Jozeemo, and DJ Mick Boogie. Tickets are on sale.

It's one of two NYC shows for Phonte, who will be back in the NYC area with his Foreign Exchange project (with DJ Nicolay) at BB King's on June 6th. Tickets are on sale.

All tour dates and a few recent Little Brother videos are below...

Continue reading "Little Brother (tonight) & Foreign Exchange shows (dates) "

words and photos by BBG

Black Milk at Audible Treats showcase, SXSW 2010

Duck Down Records (meaning Buckshot, Smif N Wessun, Torae, Ruste Juxx, Marco Polo, "and more") will showcase their infinite rhymes with a show at NYC record store Fat Beats along with Black Milk (with a live band), AG (of DITC and Showbiz & AG fame), Von Pea (of Tanya Morgan), 88 Keys, Soul Khan, and DeeJay Element in celebration of Record Store Day Saturday (4/17). Flyer for the show is below.

Both General Steele of Smif N Wessun and Ruste Juxx with Marco Polo recently dropped their new albums on Duck Down, Amerikkka's Nightmare part 2: Children of War and The Execution respectively.

Black Milk plays SUNY Purchase tonight (4/16) as part of Culture Shock 2010. The Detroit beat killer headlined one of the stages at our Attitude Adustment show at Red 7 and then the BV-sponsored Audible Treats show on 3/20 during SXSW. Lost pics from the latter and and flyer for Fat Beats (with set times) are below...

Continue reading "Black Milk played SXSW (pics), playing Culture Shock (today) & Fat Beats (w/ Duckdown artists & others) on Record Store Day"

by BBG

Buckshot (more by Tim Griffin)

I know we are a bunch of teasers, in between all of the (not so subtle) hints we have dropped lately. But now BrooklynVegan, in association with Tee Pee Records, Chronic Youth and Converse, is proud to announce 'Attitude Adjustment' at Red 7 in Austin on Saturday, March 20th from Noon to 6PM! The free show will pair some of the greats in hip hop with brutal hardcore, all while a riff-stravaganza destroys the other stage. You've been warned. Here's the lineup:

Indoor Stage
5:30 PM Black Milk
4:30 PM Buckshot
3:45 PM Trash Talk
3:00 PM Iron Age
2:15 PM Touche Amore
1:30 PM Torae
12:45 PM Alpha & Omega

Outdoor Stage
5:00 PM The Gates of Slumber
4:15 PM Nebula
3:30 PM Priestess
2:45 PM Bison BC
2:00 PM Howl
1:15 PM Liturgy
12:45 PM Naam

The Red 7 show is one of MANY BrooklynVegan shows during the festival this year, and one of four that involves metal. The other three are the two stage Emo's shindig with Torche and Fucked Up on 3/17, the Profound Lore/20 Buck Spin Official showcase on 3/19, and the BV/100Knives/Crustcake Pizza Party on 3/18. Actually it's five if you count the M for Montreal show on 3/20 with VOIVOD.

Other non-metal BV shows include our official showcase on 3/17 with Califone, Serena Maneesh and more, and the BV/Anso party on 3/18 with Tyvek, Cheeseburger, and many more, and our day party at Club DeVille on 3/19 with Lucero, The Antlers and others. Half of this stuff is still not fully announced. Stay tuned.

The Red 7 show will also be one of two hip hop events we are involved with at SXSW this year. We're also happy to report that we're media sponsoring the official Audible Treats showcase on 3/20. More details to come! Pictures from their most recent CMJ show HERE.

Buckshot tells a story in the video, along with the flyer, below...

Continue reading "announcing 'Attitude Adjustment' - a Saturday party @ Red 7"

Raekwon @ Irving Plaza (SANCHO PANZAA)

Backed only by DJ Symphony on turntables and Raekwon's brother Don P on vocals, the set could have used the energy of the other rappers who invade the album. Raekwon's set ran to 90 minutes, but it felt here and gone. It included the appearance of a huge cake in the shape of a purple cassette -- the original "Cuban Linx" album, from 1995, is commonly called the Purple Tape -- and an assortment of friends and business associates, either texting or appearing to smoke weed onstage. Two notable things happened, neither musical.

The songs came fast, one after another, without stagecraft or pacing. The set went back to early tracks by his old collective, the Wu-Tang Clan, touched on "Cuban Linx" Part 1 and settled in for stretches of the new album, including the scabrous, seedy "Gihad" and the imagistic, violent "Surgical Gloves."

There weren't as many Wu-Tang Clan cameos as might have been expected, aside from Cappadonna, who rapped verses on "Ice Cream." But halfway through, another member of the extended Wu family appeared: Cherry Jones, the mother of the Wu-Tang rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard, who died in 2004. She and Raekwon hugged, without speaking, for nearly a minute. Raekwon praised Dirty and his mother and then performed "Ason Jones," a tribute to Dirty on the new CD, with some emotional difficulty, his movements creaky, as if he needed oil. (He stopped the song at one point, shaking his head in sorrow, swearing and then collecting himself.)

Near the end -- after the duo Capone-N-Noreaga briefly hijacked the set -- Busta Rhymes, a longtime Raekwon booster, came onstage to congratulate his friend. Busta Rhymes likes to talk. Ten minutes later he was still there, praising Raekwon's rhymes and metaphors. Raekwon slumped against the opposite wall, looking humble, grateful and worn out. [NY Times]

Mos Def was supposed to play Highline Ballroom last night (12/20), but the show was cancelled due to the weather and rescheduled for January 17th. Tickets are on sale.

Speaking of Highline Ballroom, Clipse has been added an opener for for the previously-mentioned Jadakiss and Melanie Fiona show happening at the venue on Tuesday (12/22) ("Concert starts @ 10PM"). Tickets are on sale.

Also Tuesday (12/22), is a show at Southpaw in Brooklyn:

Masta Ace & Edo. G "A&E" Album Release Party
**SPECIAL SURPRISE GUEST!!** / Sadat X / Jean Grae / Doitall (Lords of the Underground) / Torae w/ DJ E. Holla / Sha Stimuli
doors 8PM DOORS / 9PM SHOW 21+ with ID
$12 advance / $15 day of show

Wednesday (12/23) is the previously mentioned (and again) Method Man / Ghostface / EPMD Hip Hop Legends show. Tickets are still on sale.

A video from Raekwon's show (including the CNN appearance) below...

Continue reading "Raekwon played Irving Plaza (video), Mos Def didn't play Highline (rescheduled) ++ Clipse & other upcoming shows"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Skyzoo - "Popularity" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: KRS-One & Buckshot - "Survival Skills" (MP3)

Buckshot at Nokia Theater (more by Tim Griffin)

With Buckshot and KRS-One's collaborative LP Survival Skills still making some noise, Duck Down Records have announced their CMJ Showcase at Gramercy on 10/24 featuring 9th Wonder, Buckshot, Smif 'n Wessun, Skyzoo, kidz in the hall, Sean Price, Marco Polo & Torae, Team Facelift, Da Beatminerz, Ruste Juxx, and Blue Scholars. Tickets are on sale, or you can try and get in with your CMJ badge if you have one.

Skyzoo & 9th Wonder played Santos Party House on Tuesday (9/29) as part of an album release party for Skyzoo's The Salvation.

"Skyzoo had a real dope performance with Dujeous as his live band and 9th Wonder on the 1's and 2's. Daru opened up with his amazing drum solo and J hatch was the host. Rule4080 was in the building peep the flicks and yes that is 9th Wonder in red lol" [Rule480]

Continue reading "Duck Down doing CMJ (tix), Skyzoo record out now (MP3)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Tanya Morgan - "So Damn Down" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Tanya Morgan - "Bang N Boogie" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Tanya Morgan - "Never Enough" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Tanya Morgan - "So Damn Down" Keelay & Zaire Remix (MP3)

Tanya Morgan at BHHF (more here)

If it wasn't evident by their mixtape of the same name, then let it be known that Tanya Morgan Is A Rap Group. The conscious Cincy-Brooklyn trio, made up of MCs Donwill and Ilyas as well as MC/Producer Von Pea, recently dropped their concept album Brooklynatti on Interdependent Media (a bunch of samples above, get it here) and are hitting the road for a few select dates in the wake of their appearance at the Brooklyn Hip Hop festival. The first of those dates blasts off on Wed, July 8th, when the trio teams up with Torae & Marco Polo, Che Grand & The Brown Bag Allstars to tear down Southpaw. Tickets are still available, full tour dates are below.

Tanya Morgan recently completed a video for "So Damn Down". Check that out, as well as a live vid from BHHF, as well as their full tour shed, below...

Continue reading "Tanya Morgan (is a rap group) - MP3's, video & tour dates "

by Black Bubblegum

Marty Markowitz and Ralph McDaniels

The theme of this summer has been rain, and though the skies opened up halfway into the 5th anniversary show of The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival on June 20th in Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park, that didn't stop the crowd from swaying to the classic beats and rhymes by a stable of 90s artists. Thankfully the organizers of the DUMBO show thought ahead, and though it was a little packed in there, everyone stayed perfectly dry inside the emergency tent.

With all the veterans of hip hop on Saturday's lineup, you'd think that the most kinetic performance of the day would come from a Grand Puba or Pharoahe Monch. You'd be wrong. Oddly enough, the least "conscious" MC and the one that I always felt was slightly overrated, Styles P of D-Block (fka The Lox), delivered an energetic performance of hits that was matched only by the energy that the crowd bounced back. I was shocked, though pleasantly so.

I was glad to be wrong about Styles P, and I definitely learned a few other things that rainy Saturday:

Continue reading "the 2009 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival - in pics & review "

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

Fresh Daily & Homeboy Sandman

Record Store Day (4/18) meant events at record stores all over the country on Saturday. Bill Callahan played Other Music in the NoHo section of Manhattan. Further west, Fat Beats had an all day line-up that ended with the Rock Steady Crew followed by DJ Premier, NYGz & Blaq Poet followed by headliner Talib Kweli (who also played Columbia University the same day). More pictures and video from some of the acts earlier in the day, below...

Continue reading "Record Store Day 2009 @ Fat Beats in NYC - pics "