The Audacity of Dope

Just like C-Sick last year, the winner of the last Red Bull Big Tune beat battle got to choose a legendary MC to get in the studio with and Frank Dukes chose Ghostface.  I heard some hilarious stories about this trip to L.A. from behind the scenes, but peep the beginning of part 2 for a brief example.  Ghost is crazy.

I mean…look at all the homies involved.  It’s so dope to be able to call these folks friends and I couldn’t be prouder of what J. Moore and the fellas have built with the Big Tune series. Shout to the homey Budo on a huge win, but also congrats to KT for being an alien with beats human beings are not worthy of rapping over. If you weren’t lucky enough to be in Austin for this, enjoy the video recap…

By now, most of you have heard Nas’ collaboration with the 2009 Red Bull Big Tune champion, C-Sick, but I thought I’d post up the ill behind the scenes footage of the making of “Film.”  Above, you can peep a little background on C-Sick’s journey, while the two studio segments are below.

Also, neither of the 2 versions of the song that have leaked online so far are the final edit, so I’m posting that up too.  In case you’re living in the woods, my co-host on Sunday Night Sound Session, J. Moore, created the Red Bull Big Tune with Vitamin D, Jake One, DV-One, and Marcus Lalario.  The homies helped put this song together and even recruited Seattle’s own Choklate to sing the hook.  Due to sample clearance issues, C-Sick’s original beat had to be replayed, and you’ve yet to hear the final, official version of the track…until now.  Enjoy!

Nas ft. Choklate – “Film” (final version)

In case you aren’t aware, the Red Bull Big Tune event is the brainchild of our very own J. Moore, along with the big homies Vitamin D, Jake One, Marcus Lalario, and DV-One.  Saturday night, the 11th, you can watch an excellent special on this past year’s competitions on BET at 7:30 EST/PST.  Don’t miss it, for real.  206 stand up.

Here’s some footage shot by the legendary JKim at the Seattle release party for Exile’s Radio at Nectar Lounge.  This was a dope night all around – DJ Day and Ex killed their set, and I judged the Qualified Beat Battle.  Congrats again to the winner, Ohmega Watts, and shout to all those involved with putting on a great night.

Be on the lookout for Exile’s appearance on SNSS soon…more homies who were down at SXSW!

What up, what up?  I know it’s been a minute since I’ve posted anything up, but your boy has been mad busy.  After heading down to Oregon last weekend for a basketball tournament with my 6th grade select team that I coach, I promptly caught a crazy cold that has me stuck in bed.  I fought it all last week and seemed to be doing pretty well, but when you have a nagging cold and don’t eat or sleep well all week, it usually catches up to you.  Running around from 9am – midnight every day for weeks at a time definitely got to me.  And someone please tell me why it’s still snowing in March in Seattle…wtfffff.

Anyway, I hope to be blogging more again soon.  Here’s this week’s Sound Session to get things started.  Darn good show if I say so myself…

Show #197 (3-8-09)

1. Buggs Tha Rocka ft. Little Brother – “Get Away”
2. Reflection Eternal ft. Bootsy Collins – “Internet Connection”
3. Focus ft. Big Pooh, Sha Stimuli, & Kurupt – “Homage To Pete Rock”
4. DJ Babu ft. MF Doom & Sean Price – “The Unexpected”
5. **INTERVIEW WITH MACKLEMORE & CASSIUS**
6. Blame One ft. Sean Price – “Disturbed”
7. Nottz ft. Kardinal Offishall & Cory Gunz – “Can’t Hide The Truth”
8. Braille & S1 – “For Life” (Local Artist)
9. John Legend – “Lay Your Head Down”
10. Mayer Hawthorne – “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out”
11. Zion I ft. K. Flay – “Coastin’”
12. LaRue – “Rise Up” (Local Artist)
13. Kid Cudi – “Sky Might Fall”
14. TiRon ft. Ayomari – “3 Drink Minimum”
15. Ms. One ft. Black Milk & Big Pooh – “2 MC’s”
16. Drake – “Lust For Life”
17. Saigon & Statik Selektah – “The Rules”
18. Ripynt ft. Jazz Digga – “Can’t Take It” (Local Artist)
19. Pacific Division – “Mayor”
20. Slaughterhouse (Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Royce The 5’9”, & Crooked I) – “Fight Club”
21. Method Man & Redman – “A Yo”

Link to download the mp3 – http://www.mediafire.com/?ododhcoedzi
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/56841816dcd6056c/)

If there are any problems with the links or if you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.

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

As I showed y’all yesterday, we’re snowed in here in Seattle and as a matter of fact, it’s even worse than it was during that video.  I think we’re up to about half a foot of packed snow on the ground, with no signs of it letting up for the next few days.  It’s really cool looking outside and fun to walk around in, but the downside is that I’ve been stuck around my house for 4 days straight now.  Wait…that’s probably not such a bad thing…I have good food, a warm place, football (and futbol!) on TV, and I’ve been able to finish up a ton of work.  I take it back, this snow thing is kinda dope.

Well, aside from the fact that I haven’t done any Christmas shopping yet and I’m suppose to be moving in 10 days.  If I have to move my couch on ice skates, I’ma be very, very upset.

Anyway, in the meantime, I’ve been getting some old projects finished.  Here’s some simple Flip Cam footage I grabbed of the homies Black Milk and Elzhi performing at the Red Bull Big Tune stop here in Seattle on 9/12/08.  If you recall, we recorded a dope interview with them the day before, which you can still check out right here.

At the show, they ran through some of their illest songs, including “Sound The Alarm,” “Motown 25,” “Hiding Place,” “1, 2,” and more.  If you’ve never seen Milk and El rock live, you’re missing out.

“Detroit in the muhf****n’ buildin'”

…but he makes dope music off it, so I ain’t mad!

The homey Brainstorm of Dyme Def won our 2008 Redbull Big Tune beat battle a while back and now he’s preparing for the finals out in NYC.  Peep the preview video and get familiar with young Brainy Stacks.  Shout to our runner up, Rising Son, who will also be representing Seattle in the finals.  Good luck fellas!

Yes, yes y’all.  It’s finally time for the Seattle stop of the Red Bull Big Tune (an event that originated here with my people J. Moore, Vitamin D, Jake One, DV-One, and Marcus Lalario) and here’s the itinerary for the week:

Monday, Sept. 8th: Red Bull Big Tune Kick-Off (flyer)
The War Room
722 E. Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
Featuring DJ Maseo of De La Soul and special guests
9pm, 21+, $5 cover

Tuesday, Sept. 9th:  Educational Outreach – Producer workshop with Jake One & Vitamin D
Vera Project
305 Harris Street, Seattle, WA 98109
4pm – 6pm
Free and All Ages

Red Bull Big Tune Film Premiere (flyer)
Screening and Live performance by Brainstorm of Dyme Def with special guest DJ DV-One
Nectar
412 N. 36th Street, Seattle WA 98103
9pm, 21+, $5 cover

Wednesday, Sept. 10th:  Youth Workshop with “Aim for Peace” program
Buttermilk Studios
1108 13th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
4pm – 5:30pm
Free and All Ages

Thursday, Sept. 11th: Red Bull Big Tune In-Store featuring Black Milk & Elzhi
GOODS
1112 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
4pm – 5:30pm
Free and All Ages

Friday, Sept. 12th: Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle (flyer)
Beat Battle and special performances from Elzhi & Black Milk
Neumos
925 E. Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
8pm, All Ages, $5 cover

See y’all there…