Metal Lungies

Wow, who would think Screamfest would be such a spectacle?

Our collabo project continues haters! The finale of the Helio Pool Party series went out with a bang. I wish I could’ve checked out the Baltimore Bass Connection!

Here’s what Tien thought:

Sunday’s McCarren Park Pool Party was the last one for 2007, and possibly the last one ever. With future use of the pool in question (http://gothamist.com/2007/08/15/mccarren_2.php), music fans and artists made the best out of the final show this year under overcast skies and rain. Yacht was a one man show with the artist stopping at one point to field audience Q&A and getting into the crowd to sing and dance. Following Yacht was a group of artists performing with The Baltimore Bass Connection with guests The Cool Kids, Kid Sister, Betty Black, and Pase Rock. The collective was followed (after a dancing banana) by the headliner Ghostland Observatory. While turnout was much smaller than it would have been on a nice day, the crowd was excited for the duo from Austin, Texas. Watching singer/guitarist Aaron Behrens, it’s clear why they say he’s drawn comparisons to Freddie Mercury and Prince. 

Spank Rock (B-more legend.)

Santo Gold

Kid Sister (Signed to A-Trak’s & Catchdubs’ Fools Gold Label, appeared on that little mixtape. peep her.)

Cool Kids (Dope up & comers)

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If you look closely you can see 2 dudes in black tees. This was a hip hop duo (didn’t catch their name) performing at the Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark’s community day back in June. Not one soul seemed to pay them any mind which I kinda felt bad about but you wouldn’t expect your average baby boomer government employee to be “feelin it”. The sound was pretty bad so I couldn’t even tell if the guys were any good, plus I was too busy enjoying my new free:

Talk about randomness, and what kind of message is being sent, government employees need grooming? But the price was right. Tax dollars at good use 😉 .

I know this late but I have reasons, one of em being FINALLY finding the damn usb cable for my phone.

PS if you know the groups name holla in the comments so I can at least give em a myspace link.

Casting has started for a biographical movie of Biggie called NOTORIOUS. Both Voletta Wallace & Diddy are involved with the project, as well as Biggies former managers. It will be interesting to see how the movie portrays Biggie’s adversaries ie, 2pac. You can submit your own entry to try to become the next Biggie at the official site, hopefully Guerilla Black doesn’t apply. There aren’t many contestants up but we have our early favorite, and he is reppin DC! According to IMDB the film is scheduled to start production in the Fall.

One of our favorites from the south. Grindtime Bang! Bang! Bang!

If you are anywhere near Hollyhood Hollywood you owe yourself to check this out. Go out & celebrate the elements of hip-hop people! Plus we’ll be hella jealous of you seeing The Ruler live.

Freestyle Session 10, the world’s largest b-boy break dancing battle, will be taking place at Circus Hollywood on Saturday, August 25th and Sunday, August 26th.
The preliminary battles take place on Saturday and Sunday will crown the winners in the three categories of breaking, popping and locking.  Sunday will also feature will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas as the host emcee with performances by Slick Rick, DITC, One Be Lo and more. The Black Eyed Peas also provided funding for Freestyle Session 10.
Produced by Cros1, Freestyle Session first began as a small b-boy gathering in November 1997 and this year’s competition marks the 10th anniversary of what has now become an annual assembly for hip-hop communities worldwide. Over 100 crews from the US, Japan, Korea, Europe and other countries will be competing over two days for $25,000 in cash and prizes. 
Freestyle Session 10 will be a chance to witness some of the greatest dancers from around the world perform their best routines.  This momentous occasion will also provide a greater appreciation for the art and skill of break dancing and bring unity in spirit to the participant and spectator alike.

Freestyle Session 10
Circus Hollywood
6655 Santa Monica Blvd.
Hollywood, CA  90038
Saturday, August 25th     12 Noon – 8 PM
Sunday, August 26th      2 PM – Midnight
TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Purchase tickets at www.groovetickets.com, Workman’s Outlet and select ticket outlets.  All dates, acts and ticket prices subject to change without notice.

Just came across this, first you had the original, then you had a version with a Biggie verse, now Lupe get’s on the track riding the drums damn near perfectly. Emily told me herself in Bmore during Artscpae that she is glad that the album is finally droppin on August 28th.

Download: Emily King Ft. Lupe Fiasco-Walk In My Shoes

With all due respect to Company Flow and their ’97 debut Funcrusher Plus, it was really Rawkus Records’ 2nd album release, ’98’s Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, that propelled the label to global prominence. Its 2 commercially-released videos, “Definition” and “Respiration” featuring Common, got occasional Rap City airplay in the midst of the dominant “shiny suit” videos of that time. But, these videos didn’t need to be viewed much more than once to stay with you. Black Star showed the world that “underground” rap, “conscious” rap, “backpack” rap, or whatever label you want to place on it, wasn’t something to shun and be afraid of — it could actually be pretty dope. And furthermore, it showed that the MCs didn’t need boring production in order to get their points across — the beats could also be dope. Enter Hi-Tek (producer of 6 of Black Star‘s 13 tracks).

The name of the game for Hi-Tek is “versatility”. It’s difficult to pinpoint a production “style” for him, because he employs so many so well. It’s the best explanation for how one Tony Cottrell out of Cincinnati could go from lending beats mainly to Talib Kweli (as one-half of Black Star with Mos Def, or as one-half of the group that Tek co-anchors, Reflection Eternal, which is the closest thing to a “new” Gang Starr hip hop has seen thus far), to working as a staff producer for Aftermath Entertainment, where he has worked on the majority of G-Unit’s releases, as well as participated in the making of Detox (that is, assuming Detox actually exists and/or will exist). It also explains how his Hi-Teknology albums’ guest lists grew from mainly Rawkus-signed artists and local Cincinnati MCs in 2001, to including the likes of Nas, Jadakiss, Ghostface, and Bun B on his 2006 follow-up.

Your friend and ours, Marco Polo, is back in the cut like Neosporin this time around (if you haven’t yet, peep his contributions to the forthcoming Boot Camp Clik album here).

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The good word on the Wu-Tang just keeps on rolling in. According to  pitchfork (via spinemagazine), Wu-Tang is going to use the Beatles track While My Guitar Gently Weeps on 8 Diagrams. With George Harrison’s son and John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing on instruments on the track to boot! We can’t wait to hear this, you got a sample of what to expect a few years back when Ghostface straight up murdered an obscure cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. You gotta think it was Ghost’s idea to make such a track happen with all of the Wu involved… sheer genius. The Ghost track was a ML approved classic, now add the whole clan to that formula and we might have broken repeat buttons on our Sony Walkmans.

Dear God-8 Diagrams CANNOT disappoint.

I’ve re-upped the original Ghostface track for all you people late to the game.

Download: Ghostface-My Guitar.