Schoolboy Q at Best Buy Theater - 5/21/13 (via Kellen Dengler)

Thanks to TDE's recent success, Q found himself as the most established performer at the Freshman show. With no one to accompany him on stage, he fared better in the larger crowd as a solo artist, breezing through tracks from Habits & Contradictions and throwback collaborations with A$AP Rocky. At one point, he asked Kendrick Lamar to join him but laughed at the audience members who fell for his joke. Fittingly, he won the crowd back with his charisma by asking them the title of his upcoming album. "Oxymoron!" they screamed back. And this was done four times over. [XXL]

As mentioned in yesterday's What's Going On? post, Action Bronson made a video for his Harry Fraud-produced song, "Strictly 4 My Jeeps." If you missed it, you can watch that video below. Riff Raff stars in the video, and as discussed, he plays a Scion A/V show in Brooklyn at Coco 66 tonight (5/22) with Stalley and Smoke DZA. Entrance to that show had to be gained through Scion's contest which has since ended.

Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul are both members of the group Black Hippy (which also includes Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock), and that whole group is playing the traveling Rock the Bells Festival which hits the NYC-area on October 4-5 at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, NJ. Tickets for that festival are on sale now. The rest of the lineup includes Big K.R.I.T., Common, Danny Brown, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler the Creator, Jhene Aiko, Juicy J, Rakim, Wu-Tang Clan, and many more.

Updated Rock the Bells lineup and videos below...

Continue reading "Schoolboy Q, Action Bronson (who has a new video) & more played the XXL Freshman show; Rock the Bells tix on sale"

Happy 10th anniversary to Rock the Bells, who have announced their initial, rotating 2013 lineup featuring hosts Peter Rosenberg & MURS 3:16, as well as names like Bone Thugs N Harmony, Danny Brown, Black Hippy (who just played NYC), Common, E40 & Too Short, Earl Sweatshirt (ditto), Flatbush Zombies, Juicy J (who played a Fader show on Monday and Irving Plaza last night), Rakim, Wu-Tang Clan (who play Summer Jam soon), Tyler the Creator (who just announced an NYC show as part of Odd Future), Eazy E, Ol Dirty Bastard and more. Confused? Yes, I did just say Eazy E and Ol Dirty Bastard, both of which will be "virtual performances" as part of the travelling festival. AllHipHop reports:

Ol Dirty Bastard and Eazy-E's spirits will return to the stage at Rock The Bells this year, AllHipHop has learned.

The pair of Hip-Hop legends will have holograms performing this year at the 10-year anniversary of the rap festival.

Eazy-E will perform virtually with Bone Thugs-In-Harmony and ODB will rock with Wu Tang. Organizers said Eazy never blessed the Rock The Bells stage and ODB only did once.

Also, the "holograms" are approved by Eazy-E's wife Tomica Wright and Ol Dirty's mother, Cherry Jones.

Tupac's Coachella appearance inspired the new virtual performances at Rock The Bells, organizers admitted.

Initial lineup (at least 15 more artists TBA), dates and some video below.

Continue reading "Rock the Bells 2013 initial lineup (Wu-Tang, Earl Sweatshirt, Juicy J, Tyler the Creator... + hologram ODB & Eazy E)"

Tyler, the Creator @ MHOW, March 2013(more by Jason Bergman)

Earl Sweatshirt, who is about to link up with the touring Tyler, the Creator for some Earl Wolf shows in Texas, just played the Downtown Music Festival in NYC over the weekend. And now Odd Future have announced they'll all return to NYC to play a big Brooklyn show at Williamsburg Park on July 20. It's with Meek Mill and doubles as Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg's 2nd Annual Birthday Show. Tickets for that show go on venue presale on Thursday (5/14) at 10 AM with the regular on-sale happening Friday (5/10).

The Brooklyn show comes right before Meek Mill starts touring with Mac Miller and friends, a tour that also includes Earl Sweatshirt and The Internet on some dates.

Meanwhile, Tyler, the Creator is dealing with the controversy around one of the online Mountain Dew ads he helped create along with other members of Odd Future. The online video, one of three, was pulled after Syracuse University professor and social analyst Dr. Boyce Watkins called the spot "arguably the most racist commercial in history." Watkins has since mellowed, saying via Twitter "Studied your music, I have an altered perspective. Still could do without the ad, but I think you were well-intended. #respect." Tyler then spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the ad:

It was just a goat who liked Mountain Dew. He wanted more. The waitress lady got hurt. He got pulled over by the cops, and the lady points out the goat [in the lineup], who obviously attacked her because of the Mountain Dew. And that's it.

I guess people are claiming that it's racist, which ... you know, that wasn't even portrayed in that commercial. There's no type of hate being portrayed in that work of art at all -- which I'm confused by. But this older black dude, Dr. Boyce Watkins, I guess he found it racist because I was portraying stereotypes, which is ridiculous because, one, all of those dudes [in the lineup] are my friends. Two, they're all basically in their own clothes. It was originally supposed to be just two dudes, but Garrett from Trash Talk came with his friend and other people had showed up, so I just put all of them in that lineup, if you really wanna know the truth. Three, no [commenters] saw that commercial and said, "This is racist." Everyone either said, "Wow, this is ridiculous. It's a goat talking," or they said, "Wow, this is the dumbest. Why would they even make this?" So for [Watkins] to nitpick and notice that, clearly shows his state of mind is on some other shit that I can't comprehend, for him to actually sit there and for him to notice that it's all blacks [in the lineup]. That wasn't my intention.

Tyler was recently in NYC for a live chat with Elliot Wilson at Highline Ballroom. Watch that in four parts below...

Continue reading "Odd Future playing Williamsburg Park with Meek Mill, still debating controversial Mountain Dew ads +++ watch that live Tyler the Creator interview"

Tyler, The Creator @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (more by Jason Bergman)

Odd Future's most popular character, Tyler, The Creator, who recently dropped his new album Wolf and played Music Hall of Williamsburg on the first leg of the LP-supporting tour, will return to NYC for another show SOON, but not one where he'll be playing music. Tickets go on sale at noon for a live coversation between critic Elliot Wilson and Tyler. It happens at Highline Ballroom on Tuesday, April 23rd (10:30pm doors).

From there Tyler will head to Arizona to kick off the 2nd leg of his "Wolf" tour which includes three big shows in Texas with Earl Sweatshirt where they're being billed as "Earl Wolf". All dates are listed in the poster below...

Continue reading "Tyler, the Creator talking to Elliot Wilson in NYC before continuing 'Wolf' tour (tix on sale today)"

Pharrell at Afro-Punk 2012 (more by Gretchen Robinette)

Renaissance man, MC, producer and, most recently, journalist (sort of) Pharrell will play a free show at House of Vans on April 19. RSVP is free and open to the public.
The Neptunes/NERD member was recently featured on Tyler, the Creator's new album and is expected to make an appearance on Earl Sweatshirt's forthcoming effort too.

Meanwhile, Pharrell interviewed Henry Rollins for a recent installment of web series ARTST TLK and you can watch that below.

Continue reading "Pharrell playing free House of Vans show, interviewed Henry Rollins + more"

Tyler, the Creator's album, Wolf, leaked and in response the Odd Future rapper has posted it on OFWGKTA's official Soundcloud. Featuring guest appearances from Laetitia Sadier, Erykah Badu and more, you can stream it below.

You may have already heard some of it at Tyler's show at Music Hall of Williamsburg last weekend.

Continue reading "stream Tyler, the Creator's 'Wolf'"

photos by Jason Bergman

Tyler, the Creator at Music Hall of Williamsburg - 3/23/13

On the new material previewed during the show, flashes of introspection shone brightest. He opened one track berating his father for still not picking up the phone, and later placed his bank account flexing in context: "You'd think all this money would make a happier me, but I'm about as lonely as crackers and skinny models be."

Tyler's production is more progressive and exploratory this time around, digging even deeper into the kick drums and colorful chords of his idol/mentor Pharrell. The upcoming single "Bimmer," a playful love-letter about sharing Slurpies with a girl he thinks is "chill," accented with harmonies from Frank Ocean, felt especially precious between the snarls and growls that dominated his set. [Rolling Stone]

A portion of the set was spent with just Tyler and Earl on stage, during which they played "Whoa" off Earl's new album (which Tyler is featured on), in addition to earlier tracks the two rappers recorded together. When Tyler wasn't previewing Wolf material, he reached back his early albums, Bastard and Yonkers, and also the early Odd Future mixtapes, like when he brought out former OF member Casey Veggies to do "Odd Toddlers" from 2008's The Odd Future Tape.

More pictures and some videos from Saturday's show below...

Continue reading "Tyler, the Creator previewed new material at Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Earl Sweatshirt, Casey Veggies & others (pics)"

Natureboy @ Union Pool, 9/22/2012 (more by Jessica Amaya)

Greys

today in NYC
Mike Daisey @ Joe's Pub
Soulive @ Brooklyn Bowl
Zach Pruitt @ The Stone
Travis Reuter @ The Stone
Slavic Soul Party @ Barbes
Ben Holmes Quartet @ Barbes
The Allman Brothers Band @ Beacon Theatre
The Whigs, Bad Girlfriend @ Mercury Lounge
We Are The Woods, Tom Shaner @ Mercury Lounge
Tristan Prettyman, Anya Marina @ Bowery Ballroom
Greys, Shahman, Fake Surfers, LAW$UITS @ Death By Audio
Natureboy, Magmana, Daltonians, Abandoned Lighthouse @ Cameo Gallery
Breastfist, Taurus, Nate Wood, Alan Hampton, Jeremy Current @ Pianos
Jo Kroger, Lindsay Dragon, Dollshot, Maya Caballero @ Pete's Candy Store
Dropkick Murphys, The Mahones, BarRoom Heroes, Bryan McPherson @ Terminal 5
Adrian Younge's Venice Dawn, William Hart, Taylor McFerrin, DJ Spinna, Pharoahe Monch @ Le Poisson Rouge

So...not a lot of shows. It's because everyone's in or heading to Austin for SXSW. Including most of BrooklynVegan. Follow our exploits via @BVSXSW on Twitter. If you're in Austin, come say hi at one of our many parties (most of which are free).

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Also follow @bvAustin for just Austin stuff.

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Big K.R.I.T. prominently samples James Blake's "The Wilhelm Scream" on his new single, "R.E.M.," which you can watch the video for below.

Earl Sweatshirt is working on his new album, Doris, and as mentioned, he'd be revealing the video for its second single, "Whoa," this week. That video features Tyler, the Creator and it's out now and you can watch it below. Catch Earl at SXSW in Austin playing collaborative sets with Captain Murphy (aka Flying Lotus) like he just did in LA.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Tyler, the Creator said he would release his new album, Wolf, back in 2012 but didn't, and now he's saying it will come out on April 2 via Odd Future Records, and the first video from the album will premiere tonight at midnight EST on Odd Future's site. The cover art above is one of three covers for the album, including one designed by Mark Ryden. The other two are below.

Tyler also just announced a tour which hits NYC on March 23 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and as is always the case for Odd Future shows, tickets are already on sale, so act quick.

UPDATE: The video is out now. Watch it below.

A list of all dates and the other two album covers below...

Continue reading "Tyler, the Creator announces new album & tour (tickets for the NYC show on sale now)"

Fiona Apple @ Winstar World Casino last night (via rideincircles)

The brouhaha surrounding Fiona Apple's drug arrest last week just keeps going. (They're calling it AppleGate!) Over the weekend, Apple talked about her jail experience, or something like that, in Houston. It involves two "lock boxes."

Then, Hudspeth County Sheriff's department spokesman Rusty Fleming offered an amazing rebuttal that included this bit:

Two weeks ago nobody in the country cared about what you had to say, -- now that you've been arrested it appears your entire career has been jump-started. Don't worry Sweetie, I won't bill you.

Fiona Apple ended up not playing Austin the night of her arrest even though she was let out that same day, but another woman musician making lots of news lately, Amanda Palmer did.

Meanwhile in Bushwick, Bill and Hillary Clinton were hanging out with indie musician Lia Ices, Joel Cohen, Gloria Steinem and other hip cats at Roberta's on Friday.

The great Amenra is preparing to launch Mass V, the band's new LP due via Neurot Recordings on November 26th. Check out the tracklisting, album art and a teaser video below.

Flying Lotus's new album 'Until The Quiet Comes' is streaming at NPR.

The Barclays Center opens this week. Will you be going inside or protesting out?

Speaking of protests, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is on strike. UPDATE: Were on strike.

More stuff below...

Continue reading "ALSO: more Fiona Apple, new Myspace, James Franco's band Daddy, Bill & Hillary @ Roberta's, Grizzly Bear, RIP baby panda & more"

today in NYC
* Wave Sleep Wave @ The Stone
* The Micro Titans @ The Stone
* Jose Conde's Conjunto Fresco @ Barbes
* The dB's, The Spinto Band @ Maxwell's
* Banda Sinaloense De Los Muertos @ Barbes
* Mondo! indie pop dance party @ Cameo
* Metz, Pop. 1280, Herzog Rising @ Death By Audio
* The Mynabirds, Port St. Willow @ Mercury Lounge
* Rain Machine, Soft Location, Slowdance @ Union Pool
* Baauer, Om Unit, DJ Slink, Aquarian @ Glasslands
* Garcia Peoples, Albert Goold, Katie$ Money @ Cake Shop
* Hacienda, Raccoon Fighter, Caddywhompus @ Mercury Lounge
* Pillars And Tongues, Olivia Salvadori, DJ Hiro Kone @ Zebulon
* Celestial Shore, Strange Shapes, Leapling, Half Waif @ Muchmore's
* Electric Zoo afterparty w/ Markus Schulz, Khoma @ Best Buy Theater
* Johanna and The Dusty Floor, I Am Lightyear, Sveta Bout @ Glasslands
* Warm Up w/ James Holden, Kassem Mosse, Om Unit, Silent Diane @ P.S. 1
* Treasure Fingers, Nick Catchdubs, Drop The Lime, The Captain, Shox @ Le Bain
* Power of the Riff afterparty w/ Lecherous Gaze ++ 2 secrets guests @ Saint Vitus
* Endless Boogie, Call Of The Wild, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, Liquor Store @ Shea Stadium
* Far East Movement, KevJumba, Wong Fu Productions, AJ Rafael, Poreotics Dance Crew @ Terminal 5
* Power of the Riff w/ Pentagram, Negative Approach, Hoax, Xibalba, Alpha & Omega, Power Trip @ Warsaw
* Electric Zoo afterparty w/ Benny Benassi, Bingo Players, Adrian Lux, Peace Treaty @ Roseland Ballroom
* Rock The Bells w/ Nas, J. Cole, Big Sean, DMX, Jadakiss, Eve, Common, Method Man, Redman, 2 Chainz, Curren$y, Sean Price & more @ PNC Bank Arts Center
* Electric Zoo w/ Axwell, Benny Benassi, Wolfgang Gartiner, AbdeCaf, Rusko, Steve Aoki, Datsik, 12th Planet, Felix Cartal, Kill The Noise, Mustard Pimp + more @ Randall's Island

Labor Day Weekend is in full effect with no shortage of musical things to do, including day 1 of the ear-piercing slay-a-thon that is Power of the Riff East at Warsaw with Pentagram (doing Relentless in toto), Negative Approach, Hoax, Xibalba, Alpha & Omega and Power Trip. You can still get tickets.

Additionally, don't forget about the Power of The Riff afterparty tonight at Saint Vitus. Two special guests will join Lecherous Gaze for a show with doors at 11:59PM. Don't miss this all ages throwdown.

There is also Rock the Bells for hip hop fans and day 2 of Electric Zoo for danceheads; and the the second-to-last Warm Up at PS 1.

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Trash Talk have a new Tyler, the Creator-directed video for "F.E.B.N." Check it out below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

photos by Mighty Beardo

Frank Ocean & friends @ 285 Kent

After Frank Ocean played Terminal 5 and Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt played Best Buy Theater, Frank, Tyler, Earl, and most of the rest of the Odd Future crew that was in town (no Mike G or Syd The Kid), made their way over to 285 Kent where the free Brooklynvegan-presented afterparty was happening with an advertised set by Trash Talk (who record for Odd Future Records) and DJ Leftbrain (of Odd Future). Doors were scheduled to open at midnight, By then there were already more than capacity on line to get in. Naturally, everyone did not get in, and some actually stayed on line outside, still hoping while listening through the door until the end of the show.

As advertised/hinted, there were special guests who turned out to be all of Odd Future (even Frank Ocean). The show started with about an hour-long DJ set where the members of Odd Future were on stage dancing around, singing along to whatever songs were playing and hyping the crowd who started to get crazy, but not as crazy as when Trash Talk actually took the stage. It was a trip to watch Frank Ocean having fun on the 285 Kent stage with his friends, after just having seen him command a sold out crowd at Terminal 5. Not to mention Tyler and Earl goofing around, after also just having played a headlining show at the sold out Best Buy Theater. Tyler, Earl and others then stayed on stage for Trash Talk as the band played a signature set that includes lots of pit action and people jumping off speakers. Odd Future didn't technically perform a live set at 285 Kent, but Tyler, as he has done in the past, took over vocals for "Radicals," which you can watch a video of below. Said video also includes footage of Trash Talk playing their song, "Awake."

sweaty Trash Talk

For Trash Talk's last song, they asked every single person in the room to run out of the venue on to the street to join with the people who couldn't get in. That didn't work out so well though, as the security at the door was already overwhelmed and chaos and a fight quickly ensued outside as Todd P and the rest of the 285 Kent crew tried to calm the masses.

Among those in the crowd were Odd Future associate Lucas, members of Real Estate (who Trash Talk shouted out), Neon Indian, and Cults. Vampire Weekend and John Legend were spotted earlier in the night at Frank Ocean (where Odd Future and Trash Talk also was), and I saw Action Bronson, Despot, and Chavez guitarist Matt Sweeney all hanging out outside the Odd Future Best Buy Theater show. All in all, an eventful night for the NYC music scene thanks to the Odd Future crew coming to town.

We have even more pictures coming, but here's one set. More of them, with the video of Tyler joining Trash Talk, below...

Continue reading "Trash Talk & Odd Future brought chaos to 285 Kent after the Tyler, Earl & Frank Ocean shows (pics/video)"

Frank Ocean at Coachella 2012 (more by David Andrako)

Tyler, the Creator at Pitchfork Fest 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Trash Talk at BV-SXSW 2012 (More by Greg Cristman)

today in NYC
* Mallu @ MoMA
* Kotorino @ Barbes
* Oren Bloedow @ Barbes
* Frank Ocean @ Terminal 5
* Kassa Overall @ The Stone
* Questlove @ Brooklyn Bowl
* The Dave Hill Explosion @ UCB
* The Universal Thump @ Barbes
* Kishi Bashi, Tall Tall Trees @ Joe's Pub
* Bomba Estereo, Il Abanico @ Webster Hall
* Milagres, Indians, Zulu Pearls @ Glasslands
* Slowdance (DJ set) @ Ace Hotel New York
* Tom Shillue's Funny Story @ Brooklyn Brewery
* Eternal Summers, Ex Cops @ Mercury Lounge
* Pedrito Martinez Group @ MetroTech Commons
* Soul Asylum, Joseph Arthur @ Bowery Ballroom
* The Dust Rays, Smoota, SORNE @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Poolside (DJ Set), Sean Glass @ Hudson Terrace
* Persephone's Bees, Bizi Gara, Psychic @ Zebulon
* Oberhofer, The Soft Pack, Royal Bangs @ Pier 84 CANCELLED
* Marshall Crenshaw, Bottle Rockets @ City Winery
* Milo Greene, Family Of The Year @ Mercury Lounge
* Skaters, Liquor Store, Neon Windbreaker @ Swat Bar
* Beach Day, Chalk & Numbers, Island Twins @ Cake Shop
* Prawn, Calculator, Caravela, Tawny Peaks @ Maxwell's
* Agalloch, Taurus, Musk Ox @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Alien Whale, Ms. America, Dead Stars @ Ding Dong Lounge
* Rebecca Pronsky, Zachary Cale, Woodsy Pride @ Union Hall
* Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Geko Jones @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Jeffrey Gaines, Jennings, E. Clayton West @ Highline Ballroom
* Trash Talk, DJ Leftbrain (OFWGKTA), "special guests" @ 285 Kent
* Murals, Indian Rebound, Treppenverter, The Split @ Cameo Gallery
* Zomby, Rusty Lazer (DJ set), Lemonade (DJ set), LE1F @ The Hester
* King Khan & The Shrines, Nicky Da B, The Everymen @ House of Vans
* Kings County Ramblers, Andi Rae Healy, Whale Belly @ The Rock Shop
Night Panther, Ghost Beach, Nicos Gun, N/A, Silya, The Blakes @ Pianos
* Uncle Monsterface, The Planes, Little, Big, Attack.wav @ The Grand Victory
* Jack Quartet, C. Spencer Yeh, Patrick Higgins, Jantar @ Secret Project Robot
* Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Raekwon, Asher Roth @ Best Buy Theater
* Little Howlin' Wolf, Wes Buckley and Allie Klein, Hurricanes of Love @ Union Pool
* Oscar DeLeon, Luis Enrique, N'Klabe @ Seaside Summer Concerts in Coney Island
* Law & Order, Porches, No One and The Somebodies, Frankie Cosmos, Cave Cricket @ Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
* Our Mountain, Scott & Charlene's Wedding, The Amp, Bones Howell, Osekre & The Lucky Bastards @ 929 XPO
* Le Rug, EULA, Rainbow Party, Michael Jordan & The South Jersey Seashore Lifeguard Convention Band @ Shea Stadium

Trash Talk, who are on Odd Future records, play a FREE BV-presented show at 285 Kent tonight with DJ Leftbrain (of Odd Future) and "special guests." Odd Future's Frank Ocean plays a sold out show at Terminal 5 tonight and OF's Tyler, the Creator & Earl Sweatshirt play with Raekwon tonight at Best Buy Theater. The flier for tonight's Trash Talk show is below.

"Goldfinger" screens for free tonight in Tompkins Square Park.

"Clueless" screens for free tonight in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Speaking of free screenings, did you RSVP for our screening of "Celeste and Jesse Forever"?

Officially unelected Coney Island major Dick Zigun is giving his annual overview of the current state of Coney Island at the Coney Island Museum tonight.

Vol. 1 Brooklyn's 'The Greatest 3-Minute Punk Stories' is returning for a second installment tonight at Housing Works. Here's what they say about it and the full list of people who will be there:

For the first time ever, Vol. 1 is revisiting a Greatest 3-Minute story topic for a second time around. On July 26th we're presenting The Greatest 3-Minute Punk Stories 2.
Since we had such a fun time the first time around, we figured why not invited a bunch of people to get up on the Housing Works stage and tell stories that might or might not be about bad tattoos, bad hair dye jobs, bad tours, selling out, selling in, and/or having an emo phase in the mid to late 1990s. The event starts at 7 pm, is free and includes the following folks.

Ari Spool (Impose)
Michael Fusco (M+E Design)
Mishka Shubaly (Freshkills)
Syd Butler (Les Savy Fav/Frenchkiss Records/author of Who Farted Wrong?)
Maura Johnston (Village Voice)
Russ Marshalek (Silent Drape Runners/Flavorpill)
Alina Simone (Author, You Must Go and Win)
The Beets
Evan Smith Rakoff (Poets & Writers)
Jeanne Fury (Writer)
Matt Elkin (The So So Glos)
Ami Greko (Book Camp: NYC)
Jenn Pelly (Pitchfork)
Molly Neuman (Bratmobile)
Maria Sherman (Writer, WNYU DJ)
Alexis Fleisig (Obits)

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Follow BrooklynVegan on instagram.

Murals play their first of 4 NYC shows tonight.

Bat For Lashes have a video for "Laura," the single off of their upcoming album, which you can watch below.

Wilco was on Fallon last night (7/25) after playing their third of three NYC shows. They performed "Art of Almost" and then "Laminated Cat" as a web exclusive. Videos of both performances are below.

Balam Acab remixed N'Sync's "Bye Bye Bye" (yes!). You can stream/download that below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Off Future's Tyler the Creator with Trash Talk

As mentioned on BV Chicago earlier this week, Odd Future announced some news and a tour that happens after the previously announced The Internet and Tyler the Creator/Earl Sweatshirt shows.

Odd Future will head out on the "Camp Flog Gnaw" tour in September, tagging The Paramount in Huntington, NY on 9/4 and Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, CT on 9/8, along the way. Tickets for both of those shows go on sale at 10am today (7/20). All dates, which include Jay-Z's Made in America fest, are listed below.

Meanwhile, OFWGKTA member Frank Ocean is on tour, hit Austin last night, and will be in NYC for a sold out show at Terminal 5 on 7/26, THE SAME NIGHT Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt play NYC's Best Buy Theater with Raekwon and Asher Roth. Earl joined Frank on stage for "Super Rich Kids" in LA. Hopefully NY will get some of the same action. Listen to Frank's album Channel Orange at Spotify. All remaining tour dates are listed below.

And speaking of on-stage collaboration, Trash Talk are currently on a west coast tour with SpaceGhostPurrp and were joined by Tyler the Creator at their Anaheim show last night (7/19). Trash Talk will release their new record in the fall on Odd Future Records which also has new albums coming from Odd Future members Mellowhype, Domo Genesis, Mike G, and Tyler the Creator.

Domo Genesis' album, No Idols, is the first upcoming release. It's due out on August 1, and you can listen to/download the lead single "Elimination Chamber," featuring Earl Sweatshirt, Action Bronson, Vince Staples, and The Alchemist, at the bottom of this post. MellowHype's Numbers is due out on October 2. Take a listen to a new track for the album, called "La Bonita," below. Trash Talk release their new record, 119, on October 9, and Tyler, the Creator's Wolf is due out sometime in November.

Stay tuned for for another big NYC, related announcement coming shortly.

Songs and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Odd Future announce tour, Long Island & CT shows included; Tyler, Earl & Frank Ocean will be in NYC the same day"

Frank Ocean at Coachella 2012 (more by David Andrako)

Odd Future affiliated R&B singer Frank Ocean posted a note to his tumblr titled "thank you's," which was "intended to fill the thank you's section in [his] album credits, but with all the rumors going round.. [he] figured it'd be good to clarify." The rumors he was referring to were regarding his sexuality and were based on the inclusion of male pronouns on his upcoming album, Channel Orange (due out 7/17 via Def Jam). In the tumblr note, Frank Ocean describes how his first love was with a man that he spent entire summers with when both Frank and the other man had girlfriends. You can read his entire note below.

Though he doesn't explicitly identity as gay or bisexual in the note, Frank's coming out was a bit of a risky move in the hip hop and R&B community, and especially for a member of Odd Future, who have long been criticized for homophobic lyrics (though member Syd tha Kyd, whose project The Internet recently announced a tour, is openly a lesbian). However, Frank has gotten huge support all around. Fellow Odd Future member Tyler, the Creator tweeted, "My Big Brother Finally Fucking Did That. Proud Of That Nigga Cause I Know That Shit Is Difficult Or Whatever. Anyway. Im A Toilet." Def Jam boss Russell Simmons wrote a letter titled, "The Courage Of Frank Ocean Just Changed The Game!", in which he writes:

Today is a big day for hip-hop. It is a day that will define who we really are. How compassionate will we be? How loving can we be? How inclusive are we?

I am profoundly moved by the courage and honesty of Frank Ocean. Your decision to go public about your sexual orientation gives hope and light to so many young people still living in fear. These types of secrets should not matter anymore, but we know they do, and because of that I decided to write this short statement of support for one of the greatest new artists we have.

His gifts are undeniable. His talent, enormous. His bravery, incredible. His actions this morning will uplift our consciousness and allow us to become better people. Every single one of us is born with peace and tranquility in our heart. Frank just found his.

Frank, we thank you. We support you. We love you.

Read Frank's full note below...

Continue reading "Frank Ocean comes out about his sexuality"

DOWNLOAD: Frank Ocean - "Pyramids" (MP3)

Odd Future at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 (more by Tim Griffin)

Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg, who seems really big on this whole "real hip hop" thing, will be presenting a show at Best Buy Theater on July 26 with Tyler, the Creator & Earl Sweatshirt and Raekwon, which is being billed as "A Night of Real Hip Hop." It's probably safe to assume that Nicki MInaj won't be there. Tickets for the Best Buy Theater show go on sale Friday (6/15) at noon.

It's the only date for the Odd Future boys at the moment except for Jay-Z's Made In America Fest in September. They're probably busy working on the second season of their Adult Swim show, Loiter Squad, or something. Or maybe Tyler is still finishing up his new album, Wolf, which was set to come out in May (it didn't). Meanwhile, it was recently revealed in a NY Times article that Earl is also working on a new album, and it will come out on his own Columbia-distributed imprint, Tan Cressida.

Frank Ocean recently announced a new album and tour too. If you missed it, the 10-minute single, Pyramids," is downloadable above and streamable below.

For Raekwon, the Best Buy Theater show comes at the end of an international tour that he's currently on (he plays Boston tonight). Also his Wu-Block project, with Ghostface Killah, D-Block/The LOX members Sheek Louch, Jadakiss, and Styles P, plays Rock the Bells in September. All Raekwon dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Raekwon is on tour, playing NYC with Tyler, the Creator & Earl Sweatshirt (dates)"

Frank Ocean & Tyler, the Creator @ Coachella 2012 (via yungzilla)

As Fader says,

Met her at Coachella/ I went to see Jigga, she went to see Z-Trip/ Perfect. An enterprising YouTube user ripped the official live stream of last night's Frank Ocean performance at Coachella, available in its entirety below. Ocean was backed by a full band, and at one point by a surprise appearance of fellow Odd Future member, Tyler, the Creator. The set list is below, as annotated by Pretty Much Amazing.

Continue reading "watch Frank Ocean's full Coachella set (video, setlist & a guest appearance by Tyler the Creator)"

Odd Future's show tonight at Hammerstein Ballroom is still not sold out. You can also get tickets to the afterparty which is happening at Santos Party House with OF DJ Syd Tha Kid, Zebra Katz & Spoek Mathambo (DJ). Flyer below.

The Sub Pop-signed Spoek was just at SXSW and plays his own show at SOB's on 3/22.

Odd Future, Earl Sweatshirt included, dropped a new video today for "Oldie" off The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2, filmed by Lance Bangs (NOT LESTER as I accidentally typed and posted before) during a Terry Richardson photoshoot. The group writes "At A Photoshoot, We Said Our Verses Into A Camera While This Song Was Playing In The Background. Why Not Release it." You can watch all 10+ minutes, and a Hot 97 interview with Earl Sweatshirt (his first interview ever according to FADER), below.

Continue reading "Odd Future in NYC, made a video w/ Lance Bangs/Terry Richardson; afterparty at Santos; Earl Sweatshirt interviewed"

Odd Future at FFF Fest 2011 (more by Tim Griffin)

Odd Future are readying their new joint mixtape, The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2, and it's due out March 20 via their own Odd Future Records. Though other mixtapes have been released since their 2008 debut, The Odd Future Tape, this one seems to be somewhat of a conceptual followup. Their debut featured Tyler, the Creator, Left Brain, Hodgy Beats, Super 3 (1/2 of The Jet Age of Tomorrow), and Casey Veggies, who since left Odd Future (and is featured on the new Rockie Fresh single). The new tape will again feature Tyler, Hodgy, and Left Brain, in addition to Frank Ocean, Domo Genesis (who raps on the new Smoke DZA EP), Mike G, Syd the Kyd, and The Internet (aka Syd Tha Kid and producer Matt Martians).

They're about to announce a 10 city national tour which will happen in March that will include an OF pop up store in addition to a show in each city that it hits. The shows will each open with an exclusive viewing of their Adult Swim show, "Loiter Squad," which makes its premiere on March 25.

In other OF news, Tyler, the Creator will release his third album, Wolf, this May and MellowHype will release Numbers in the summer. Listen to a recent MellowHype track, "45", on Hodgy's tumblr. As Hodgy points out, "whats funny is that 45 shit aint even on numbers. just be ready. MellowHype is ill as fuck. bank on it."

Tyler at FFF Fest (more by Tim Griffin)

TMZ reports that Tyler, the Creator was arrested at his show at Hollywood's Roxy Theatre last night (12/22) for "suspicion of vandalism" after he "just destroyed an electric soundboard belonging to the venue." The NY Times confirms. A video below also shows that while throwing his fit on stage, he punched a sound guy. The police reports that "as [Tyler] was being escorted to a nearby radio car, the crowd exiting the venue became angry and rushed into the street, towards deputies." TMZ has a video of that, which you can watch below too. They also mention that "Tyler was taken into custody in front of his mother...who was visibly upset and yelled at the cops."

As expected, Tyler's fellow Odd Future members have wasted no time expressing their opinions on twitter. "Fuck sheriffs nigga WG," says Hodgy Beats, who continues, "Next year it wont be at the roxy." "Next year" refers to the fact that the show was the "Odd Future Christmas show." Jasper Dolphin tweeted, "Fuck The Police!," updating two hours later to, "Fuck The Roxy." Frank Ocean says, "dem hoelice yo," and Domo Genesis says, "fuck the feds!" And Mike G tweeted "Free Tyler."

UPDATE: Tyler is in fact a free man.

Videos below...

Continue reading "Tyler the Creator arrested in LA @ Odd Future Christmas show"

Josh T Pearson @ BV-SXSW 2011 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Check out Rough Trade's list of the Top 100 Albums of 2011 (yay Josh T Pearson!), below...

Continue reading "Rough Trade's Top 100 albums of 2011 "

"YO LOS ANGELES...what a night. thank you." - Frank Ocean

by Andrew Sacher

Frank Ocean @ the El Rey

Frank Ocean concluded his tour, which didn't include a NYC show (though it is reportedly being postponed), at LA's El Rey Theater last night (11/15) to a sold out crowd. Like he's been doing at the other shows on his tour, he played some Nostalgia/Ultra cuts, Beyonce's "I Miss You," which he co-wrote, his Watch the Throne contributions, some new material, and of course, played Guitar Hero. He was also joined by fellow Odd Future member Tyler, the Creator for "She" off Tyler's Goblin LP, which Frank sings on. He debuted a new track, "Super Rich Kids," which will presumably appear on the new album he's been working on. Videos of "She" and "Super Rich Kids" and more pictures from the show are below.

Speaking of his new album, according to an interview with BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe, he is choosing to not collaborate with Kanye West, who he previously worked with on Watch the Throne. "I'm a big fan. He's a big influence on my music," Frank said. "I told him, 'As much as I want to work with you, I kind of want to do this without you.' I kind of want to do it on my own."

In other Frank Ocean news, SBTRKT recently remixed the single, "Thinking About You," which Frank released over the summer. You can listen to the original and SBTRKT's remix below.

Speaking of Tyler, the Creator, SPIN reports that he will release his third album, Wolf, in May. Tyler mentioned taking influence from The StepKids for the album musically, and that he'd be changing things up lyrically as well, because "talking about rape and cutting bodies up" just doesn't interest him anymore.

"The StepKids, a psychedelic, jazz-influenced band he likes, play on his laptop. "My new album [Wolf, expected to released in May 2012] is gonna sound like this," he says. "I wanna make the music I actually get all my influence from. I don't know how, but I'm gonna try shit like this out. I'm gonna make a band or something.""

Continue reading "Frank Ocean played his LA show (pics, video & related news)"

A letter from XL...

We work with some amazing artists, and we appreciate the support you show them. To celebrate their work, and say thank you to you, we've made a limited edition, double 12" vinyl sampler. It features a track from each of the artists we've worked with this year. It won't be available to buy anywhere.

We would like to give you a copy of the XL Recordings Sampler 2011. If you'd like a copy of the sampler, email your postal address to XL11@xlrecordings.com and we'll send you one, wherever you are in the world. We have 1000 copies to give away. First come, first served.

XL Recordings Sampler 2011 tracklist:

A1 Adele- He Won't Go.
A2 Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - I'll Take Care Of You
B1 Radiohead - Supercollider
C1 Tyler, The Creator - Yonkers
C2 Friendly Fires - Show Me Lights
D1 The Horrors - Still Life
D2 Jai Paul - BTSTU (Edit)

Thank you,

XL Recordings

One look at this weekend's Rock The Bells lineup and you could debate whether any of those MCs would be anywhere without the rhymes of the smooth operator Big Daddy Kane. The juice crew affiliate plays BB Kings on Sept 19th for those of you looking to get "R-A-W". The venue says the show is with a live band with opening sets by Lethillweapon and Prophet. Tickets are on sale.

Kane is currently working on a new album, though details remain scarce.

In related news, Pusha T's new EP Fear Of God 2: Let Us Pray is coming out September 27th on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music. Its nine tracks will feature guest appearances by Diddy, Kanye, Young Jeezy, 50 Cent, Rick Ross, Tyler the Creator and more. Meanwhile Pusha T told the Village Voice he's working on a new mixtape called Long Live The Caine, an obvious ode to both the white powder and the great Brooklyn MC. Keep a look out for that. Check out the new video for "Feeling Myself", off the upcoming EP and featuring R&B singer Kevin Cossom, below...

Continue reading "Big Daddy Kane playing a show, Pusha T working on 'Long Live the Caine'"

"The VMAs unite us as a people, a shitty, shitty people. #VMAs" - Dave Hill

Tyler's mom & Wavves @ the Video Music Awards (via Hipster Runoff)

Bon Iver (Justin Vernon) has posted his thoughts on last night's VMAs. This is what he said:

"there are great moments in awards shows. bruno mars sounded really good doing 'valerie' for amy winehouse. i don't think anyone is bummed that adele is killing everything. her voice was real and focused when i went thru and watched highlights from tonight. kanye and jay z are always murdering. beyonce is pregnant. yes this is awesome as shit, culturally speaking. but can i just ask, the reader, us, we ... as non-rhetorically as possible: don't we seem dumb? didn't MTV lose the fight against themselves? Didn't Rock'n'Roll STOP? Why are the lights so bright? isn't our talent as artists enough? Why do we try SO hard? Does a moonman mean what it did back then? Should we feel pumped when we get one? Should our mom's cry? I am not even thinking about it that hard. I will close my eyes in 90 seconds and have total peace... But, seriously. Why are we waving around so much? Why do we NEED this shit so bad? Why don't we just have MUSIC? DO music? soul? I don't know. I don't mean to criticize. Anyone. Actually. Except for MTV. You might have had a very large opportunity to be stabilize your self as a global presence of culture and art about 15 years ago and you fucked the dog. Sorry. Im with my girls on this one. Its becoming increasingly clear as I think about it more and more, that the dollars, if they ARE apart of why you are doing something... they are apart of why you are doing something. that's fucked to me. that's the absence of spirit, glue, fabric of what makes us a person. it distracts us from what we could be doing: WORK. on EARTH. Better say this: Forget what I say. If you even read this, you'll probably say to yourself, who is this ass saying shit? It doesn't matter what i say. it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. But this one last thought: What would Bill Hicks say?"
- JV

Continue reading "Bon Iver's Justin Vernon discusses the MTV VMAs (where Odd Future won, Tyler's mom got excited, etc)"