The Audacity of Dope

This is exactly why I wasn’t running around SXSW trying to Flip Cam all the performances hahah.  Levi’s and Fader combined to do a great job covering the performances at the Fader Fort, and the highlight was Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music showcase.  Common came out to do “The Light” and get the ladies in the mood (handing out assists like Steve Nash…well done Com), and then Erykah popped up for the outro and an impromptu freestyle session.  Super dope.

Hahaha, Tunj is hilarious.  I remember GregTheDude shot me this video along with the earlier clip of Tunj freestyling with Cook about the New Classics mixtape the night he did ’em.  While the first free was dope, I was sad this one didn’t get released too…until now.

If you haven’t downloaded the mixtape, stop sleeping!

I’ll be there…possibly telling you how your beats sound.

Remember a while back when I told you about this project that Braille and S1 were putting together called Cloud Nineteen?  Well the Seattle release party is here and you already know it’s gonna be great.  It’s all ages and only 8 bucks, which includes a copy of the album, at the Vera Project tonight.  Braille, S1, Ohmega Watts, Theory Hazit, Ragen Fykes, and Vursatyl of the Lifesavas (possibly the most underrated MC in the country) will all be in the building and you should be too.  I’ll see you there.

Damn, I slacked on posting this right after it happened, but better late than never right?  If you don’t know, Donuts Are Forever, is a great event honoring the legendary J Dilla that’s now in its third year in NYC.  DJ’s including Waajeed and Ge-ology spun some of Dilla’s classic joints and 2/3 of Tanya Morgan, Von Pea & Donwill, hosted.  Speaking of those fellas, I need to post up the interview we did a while back.  Cool ass dudes and some of my favorite artists doing it today.

But anyway, shout to Rare Form for throwing this event and Dee Phunk for sending over the recap video.  When is someone in Seattle going to launch something similar?  I might even come out of my live mixing retirement for that…since nobody ever rocks one of my favorite Dilla beats…

To all my Seattle/Tacoma folks, I highly recommend you check out this year’s Hip-Hop Summit at Highline Community College today and tomorrow.  It’s going to be full of great conversations and great performances, including a panel appearance by yours truly later today at noon in the student union.  For the performance, you get to peep some of the best talent here in the northwest (Parker Brothaz, Common Market, Gabriel Teodros, and more) for only a few bucks.  Here are all the details:

Thursday, February 26th

The History & Evolution of Hip-Hop
with King Khazm(founder of Zulu Nation-Seattle Chapter, Hip Hop emcee & activist)
9-9:50am, Student Union-Mt. Constance Room

Hip Hop Politics
with Dr. Tricia Rose of Brown University
10-11:30am, Student Union-Mt. Constance Room

Panel Discussion: Misconceptions of Hip-Hop
with DJ Hyphen, Kitty Wu, King Khazm, and more
12-1:30pm, Student Union-Mt. Constance Room

Friday, February 27th

Art Showcase
Evolution of Art Club
10am, Mt. Constance Room

Poetry Lounge and Open Mic
11am, Mt. Constance Room

Night Show
Doors Open at 6pm
Highline Student Union, Mt. Townsend Room Stage
2 v. 2 Break Battle
With Performances by:
So HyDef, Nam, Khingz, Gabriel Teodros, The Parker Brothers and Common Market
Highline Students $5, General Admission $10

For more information contact: Tony Innouvong at tinnouvong@highline.edu, (206)878-3710 x3904

Come through:  2400 S. 240th St., Des Moines, WA 98198

Exile and DJ Day practice their D-Train routine for their upcoming tour.  Seattle folks: they’ll be bringing the incredible MPC skills to Nectar on March 14th. I highly suggest you be there.  Other dates below:

Feb. 22nd – Long Beach, CA – Blue Cafe
Feb. 26th – Pomona, CA – Cal State Pomona (Session A)
Feb. 6th and 7th – Chicago, IL – Sub T
March 12th – Portland, OR – The Fix
March 14th – Seattle, WA – Nectar Lounge
March 28th – San Bernardino, CA – Paid Dues Festival

Tunji just shot over this footage of Talib joining Mos for a little impromptu Blackstar performance at the House of Blues from last night down in Los Angeles.  Is it strange that hearing “Respiration” drop still gives me goosebumps a decade after it first came out?

Peep more over at the Year of the Blacksmith.

Supa came through the world famous Wake Up Show with Keelay & Zaire and blessed the mic with some verses.  Great stuff, but did Tech really not know who he was?  Yeesh.  Bad form from a legendary hip-hop dude, but at least Supa made sure he’ll remember him from now on.

Shout to the Myx Music fam who was in the building as well.