Wes' Weekly Hip Hop News Roundup (Apr 07, 2007) w/ Chrisette Michele, Jay-Z, Pharoahe Monch & Devin the Dude

CONTEST: Win one of three copies of the Hip Hop Life DVD at the end of this post.

Chrisette Michele & Jay-Z @ Joe’s Pub, NYC – April 2, 2007

Monday night I went to see Island Def Jam recording artist Chrisette Michele perform at Joe’s Pub. Jay-Z came out on stage to introduce her (see photo). I came away impressed, and looking forward to her debut album – out in May. She has a lot of soul and sass, and her songs had that little something different that makes them stand out. She paid tribute to some of her idols by segueing from bits of Erykah Badu‘s song to Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole. More photos here.

You might remember Chrisette from Nas‘ song (and video) “Can’t Forget About You”. They performed it together on Letterman in February. You also might know her from Jay-Z‘s song (and video) “Lost Ones”.

Earlier Monday (before Joe’s Pub), Jay-Z was spotted at Yankees stadium watching Opening Day game…

Jay-Z @ Yankees Stadium, NYC – April 2, 2007

The Yankees beat Tampa Bay which made a lot of New Yorkers very happy. Prefix Magazine posted this Out-Of-Print Hip Hop Podcast which made me very happy. Tracklist at the end of the post.

Devin the Dude is playing Knitting Factory in NYC on May 18th. Tickets are on sale. More show announcements and tour dates at the end of this post.

NEWS

• The legendary DJ Stretch Armstrong started a blog called Konstant Kontakt where he will post old demos, recorded radio appearances and tons more. Best new Hip Hop blog!
• The Game says the truce with G-Unit is over and releases new diss song Body Bags which can be downloaded here.
• DJ Drama finally breaks his silence and speaks on his arrest and the RIAA suit against the mixtape game.
• Paul Wall and Chamillionaire make up and reunite.
• Check out the tracklist with featured artists for Fabolous‘s new album From Nothin’ to Somethin’.

MUSIC

• Aesop Rock did one of those exclusive songs for that sneaker company. Download here.
• Download a Ludacris/Jackson 5 mash-up album here for free!
• Stream a great remix of Amy Winehouse‘s Rehab featuring Pharoahe Monch here. Pharaohe’s tour dates, including an April 16th NYC show at Queens College, under the cut.
• Stream the disappointing Timbaland‘s ‘Shock Value’ here.
• Download UGK ft Outkast‘s International Player’s Anthem here.

Upcoming shows, tour dates, videos, free DVD’s and more BELOW….

Despite visa issues causing a UK tour cancellation, Snoop Dogg still played Ireland…

Snoop Dogg & P Diddy in Dublin – March 31, 2007 (CRED)

VIDEO: Watch DJ Khaled – We Takin’ Over (Feat. Akon, T.I, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Baby & Lil Wayne here

VIDEO: 50 Cent‘s new hobby: pushing women into pools.

SHOWS

The A3C Independent Hip Hop Festival takes place in Atlanta from April 12-14.

George Clinton & 420 Funk Mob are Rockin to Save Darfur at the Concert Hall @ the New York Society for Ethical Culture in NYC on April 19th. Tickets are on sale.

Guitar Center presens GC Sessions ft Daryl McDaniels (DMC), Chuck D, Large Professor, Rob Swift, Buckshot, Grand Wizard Theodore, 88 Keys, and more. A new music based initiative featuring informative, provocative and fun discussions and tutorials geared to aid musicians. In addition, there will be performances from the top participants throughout the evening.
April 26, 6pm-9.30pm, Guitar Center 25 W. 14th. Free, first come first served

Ghostface is playing with Spank Rock. Don’t do anything funny to get tickets….

Sage Francis and Buck 65 are touring.

Ciara, Lupe Fiasco, and TV on the Radio are playing a college in Syracuse.

Souls of Mischief announced a tour including Wednesday April 18 Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw in Brooklyn w/ iCON the Mic King, Zeph & Azeem. Tickets here.

Good Deeds Tour Starring Souls of Mischief feat: A+, 2007
Friday April 13 Nashville, TN @ The Rutledge *
Saturday April 14 Atlanta, GA @ A3C Festival held at The Loft
Sunday April 15 Johnson City, TN @ The Hideaway **
Monday April 16 off
Tuesday April 17 off
Wednesday April 18 Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw ****
Thursday April 19 Ottawa, ON @ Heaven ****
Friday April 20 Killington, VT @ Tabu / The Outback ****
Saturday April 21 Hamilton, ON @ Pepper Jack Café ****
Sunday April 22 Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig ****
Monday April 23 Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub *
Tuesday April 24 Milwaukee, WI @ The Stonefly *
Wednesday April 25 off
Thursday April 26 Asheville, NC @ The Emerald Lounge **
Friday April 27 Wilmington, NC @ The Soapbox **
Saturday April 28 Chapel Hill, NC @ Signal Fest held at Cat’s Cradle *****
Sunday April 29 Greenville, SC @ the Handlebar*
Monday April 30 New Orleans, LA @ The Howlin Wolf *
Tuesday May 1 Jacksonville, FL @ Thee Imperial *
Wednesday May 2 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Roxanne’s *
Thursday May 3 Orlando, FL @ The Firestone
Friday May 4 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum *
Saturday May 5 Sarasota, FL @ Tyler’s Tavern on Main
* With iCON the Mic King
** With Someonelse
*** With Someonelse, Zeph & Azeem
**** With iCON the Mic King, Zeph & Azeem
***** With Masta Ace, Wordsworth, DJ Flo Fader, iCON the Mic King, Someonelse

Pharoahe Monch – 2007 TOUR DATES
Apr 16 – Queens College Queens, New York
Apr 21 – WKYS Performance Washington DC, Washington DC
Apr 22 – New Era Showcase Washington DC, Washington DC
Apr 26 – UCLA Los Angeles, California
Apr 28 – Coachella Palms Springs, California
Apr 29 – DNA Event San Francisco, California
Apr 30 – TBD Chicago, Illinois
May 3 – Richards On Richards Vancouver, British Columbia
May 5 – Chop Suey Seattle, Washington
May 5 – HEAVEN OTTAWA, Ontario
May 26 – THE NATIONAL MONTREAL, Quebec
May 27 – MIDDLE EAST BOSTON, Massachusetts
Jul 28 – RANDALL’S ISLAND with Wu-Tang, Nas, Mos Def, EPDM, Cypress Hill, Rage Against the Machine NEW YORK, New Mexico

Devin the Dude – 2007 Tour Dates
Apr 20 – MT.BAKER THEATER BELLINGHAM, Washington
Apr 25 – GREAT SCOTT CLUB ALLSTON, Massachusetts
Apr 26 – CLUB METRONOME BURLINGTON, Vermont
Apr 29 – BAR RIO HOUSTON, Texas
May 3 – FUZION BAR LOUNGE BETHESDA, Maryland
May 9 – Debaser Medis Stockholm
May 10 – Train Aarhus
May 11 – Venue TBA Copenhagen
May 12 – Venue TBA Malmo
May 13 – Oosterpoort (with NAS) Groningen
May 14 – Melkweg (with NAS) Amsterdam
May 16 – Dattera Til Hagen Oslo
May 18 – Knitting Factory New York, New York

Prefix Magazine Out-Of-Print Hip Hop Podcast (here)
1. “Magic Number”: De La Soul, 3 Feet High And Rising [1989]
2. “Miss Ghetto”: Poor Righteous Teachers, New World Order [1996]
3. “Thick”: D.I.T.C., Diggin’ in the Crates [2000]
4. “Ill and Get Clowned”: Shadz of Lingo, A View to a Kill [1994]
5. “The Jam”: Mad Skillz, From Where??? [1995]
6. “One + One”: featuring Nas: Large Professor, The LP [2002; never officially released]
7. “Do It Like It G.O.”: Willie D, Controversy [1989]
8. “Change the Style”: Son of Bazerk, Bazerk Bazerk Bazerk [1991]
9. “True Fuschnick”: Fu-Schnickens, F.U. Don’t Take It Personal [1992]
10. “Danger”: Blahzay Blahzay, Blah Blah Blah [1996]
11. “The Life”: Mystic, Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom [2001]
12. “Creative Control”: O.C., Word . . . Life [1994]
13. “Mix Tapes”: The Nonce, World Ultimate [1995]
14. “Recognized Thresholds of Negative Stress”: Boogiemonsters, Riders of the Storm [1994]
15. “Tick, Tick . . .”: MF Doom, Operation: Doomsday [1999]

More shows in last week’s post.

Happy Passover and Merry Easter. Want to win this?…..

Hip Hop Life is a documentary featuring some of the country’s top underground freestyle rappers as they face off in a battle-royale for “Rhyme City Supremacy.” The documentary pits Houston vs. Detroit, and also features Fat Joe, Rick Ross and Young Jeezy. View the trailer here (high) or here (low).

We’re giving away 3 copies of the Hip Hop Life DVD. To win, send an email to [email protected] (subject: “Hip Hop Life”). Let us know your favorite hip hop album of 2007 so far. Winners will be notified by e-mail which will not be sold or given away or anything shady like that. Contest ends April 12 @ 5 pm EST.

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