Hip Hop Blogs

Free Summer Hip Hop Shows in New York

Couldn't cop tickets to the Jay-Z concert at Radio City? On the wait list for the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival?  Don't worry, there are a handful of FREE quality hip hop and R&B shows to catch in New York all summer long.  Here's a shortlist:

- Prince featuring Tamar, June 16
- Nelly Furtado, June 22
- Mary J. Blige, June 23
- DJ Cut Chemist, July 2
- Pharrell and Kanye West, August 4
- RJD2 and Lyrics Born, August 10
- Chris Brown, August 11
- Janet Jackson, Sept 29

HERE is the full list of FREE summer events to enjoy in New York, including details on the above performances.  Enjoy.

2nd Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival

If you're in the NY area sign up for tickets now before they're all gone at Brooklyn Bodega.  It's FREE, so no "I'm too broke to go to hip hop shows" excuses.

Also on the billing but not on the poster are The Procussions, one of my indie rap favorites.  They just signed to Rawkus (yes, backpacker nation stand up!) and dropped a new joint with Talib Kweli.  Surprisingly, Kweli's flow is on point: 

The Procussions feat. Talib Kweli- Miss January [stream via Okayplayer]

Pictures from the Hip Hop Gaming League World Championship

Method Man and Eric V (of the Baka Boyz) battle for NBA 2K6 supremacy. The Hip Hop Gaming League World Championships were held in LA on May 13, 2006.  More after the jump.

The Future of Hip Hop Drinking Game

If you had three wishes for the future of hip hop, then what would it be? A bunch of hip hop thinkers will be on hand at NYU this Saturday to answer. More details:

"We've given some of the sharpest critical minds in music five minutes each to offer three wishes for the next three years of hip-hop. Destined to be a controversial evening, the panel includes luminaries: Ta-Nehisi Coates (Time, Village Voice), Jaylah Burrell (Pop Matters), Richard Goldstein (former Voice editor), Margo Jefferson (Pulitzer Prize-winner, New York Times), Bakari Kitwana ("Why White Kids Love Hip-Hop), Sacha Jenkins (Ego Trip co-founder), Cristina Verán (One World) and Oliver Wang ("Classic Material," Vibe)."

Having read so much material from all these guys I feel like I can already predict Jenkins' smart remark, Verán's sunny optimism, and Coates' quiet disapproval.

I plan to bring a can of crunk juice to the panel, so I can take a swig every time someone declares, "Hip Hop Is Dead". I call it the Future of Hip Hop Drinking Game. I'm asking the promoters to put the whole discussion on YouTube so you can play along at home.

Toure and Jeff Chang's New York Book Signing

Hip-Hop authors Jeff Chang and Toure can't stop, and won't stop never dranking the Kool-Aid. Tonight they are signing their books at my favorite bookstore, Hue-Man.

If I get over whatever has my stomach doing flip-flops, then I'll be there. If they say anything interesting, then I'll relay it here.

Jay Dee Party on Valentines Day

I'll be there.

Ghostface at B.B. King's

Guess where I'll be at on Monday?

Ghostface is doing a show at BB Kings's in New York. Also performing: RA the Rugged Man, Swollen Members, and Tru Life.
 

RZA drops knowledge the Commonwealth Club SF (full audio link)

The Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, CA is one of those dope organizations that attempts to increase civic participation and social awareness via guest speakers like Al Gore and Steve Jobs. 

They have a subsidiary organization called INFORUM that targets the 20-something crowd with relevant speakers on topics such as urban art, political empowerment, and hip hop.  Last month I visited the Club to see the legendary RZA speak.

Photo from Marc Ecko's "Getting Up" Festival

Hip-hop in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

Sometimes I forget why I love hip-hop so much. Then I see a photo like this...

And I become amazed, not by the acrobatic move of the break dancer, but more by how much his friends in the background enjoy watching what he's doing.

Brings me back to my b-boy alpha, at the high school lunchtable kicking my little raps, trying to get some respect from the fellas.

Getting your name known - that's hip-hop.