Gensu Dean - Forever (feat. Large Professor)

“75 Bars” of Black Thought and Mos Def Define the Realness at the Lyricist Lounge’s 20-Year Bash!!

The New York City crowd was jam-packed with lyric-hungry, authentic Hip-Hop heads. They had to be real Hip-Hop heads – otherwise they may not have even known about the 20-year legacy of the famed Lyricist Lounge. The Lyricist Lounge, founded in New York City in 1991, has sought to promote up-and-coming raw artists, and in doing so, has facilitated three albums, seven domestic tours, two seasons of an MTV sketch comedy, called “The Lyricist Lounge Show“, and two DVD releases. It has always been an invitation-only club for true MCs – where truth is defined as lyrical/word dexterity rooted in the “massacre the mic” foundations of rap. For one night, some of the most famous alumni came together to celebrate its longtime epicness via the Lyricist Lounge 20-Year All-Star Reunion at Manhattan’s Le Poisson Rouge, sponsored by AllHipHop.com, Rocksmith, Real Talk NYC, and Fusicology. And, with a hella-heavy lineup and special guests list and boasting Black Thought as host, the fans were about to get their tickets’ worth. When it comes to lyricism, it doesn’t get much better than Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter. As a founder of Philadelphia’s legendary Roots crew, Black Thought was seemingly blessed from birth with words that fit together with an effortlessness, a unique, throaty tonal quality, and unmistakable street rawness. He held the show together like a host with the most – in between sets, keeping the capacity crowd enthralled with his verses, something like a late night monologue over beats backed by J Period on the turntables. It was on, and in a nutshell, the unforgettable night went something like this: Backstage, AllHipHop.com asked Black Thought to define lyricism, and then pointed to his 700-word “75 Bars” masterpiece as a likely candidate for one of the best no hook, no nonsense rap records ever. We caught him beforehand in his always diml-lit green room, freshening up the lyrics (see video below), and then during the show, dropping it in what was a great moment in Hip-Hop… Black Thought performed his “75 Bars” alongside the equally stellar Mos Def a.k.a. Yasiin Bey, who knew the song almost better than its writer and co-signed it as one of the best songs in Hip-Hop history. The two also paid tribute during their set to a recently fallen friend, the late MCA of the Beastie Boys. Da Bush Babees, offshoots of the Native Tongue clique, made the seasoned heads bop with just as much energy as they had on 1994′s Ambushed. It was a rare and welcome sighting for the group from Brooklyn. About Queens, New York’s Homeboy Sandman, though? Quite simply, he ripped sh*t. From the corners of the stage and the DJ booth, even the veteran MCs marveled at his voracious command of the crowd. His well-known rap rolick had his faithful NYC fanbase rocking then stopping, rocking then stopping. We got to know him better at last year’s Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest, but dang, Sandman – we’re watching more closely from here on out! Prodigy was there, and naturally, anything Mobb Deep from the lyrical heyday of the ’90s and early 2000s was sure to hypnotize the Big Apple crowd. And the crowd, they loved him, but one couldn’t help but wonder where Havoc was. Then there was Immortal Technique, who always seems angry, but actually is a solid, thoughtful guy on every occasion. He rocked the crowd into a revolutionary frenzy, and then, in true Immortal Technique fashion, he closed the show with a disclaimer for any visitors: that even though you may see men in pink shirts walking fluffy dogs, “this is still New York City!” Deep into the night, Hip-Hop Monuments Doug E Fresh and DJ Kid Capri reminded the crowd that female MCs have always been among the best lyricists in the game. They brought Farrah Burns, Sara Kana, and Eternia to the stage to burn off some of the testosterone in the air. Short story – the ladies killed it. There are too many highlights still left to mention – and too many other cool people in the building to run them all down. (Peace, Pharoahe Monch and Lil Fame of M.O.P.!) All in all, it was a lyric lover’s dream. Just like the Lyricist Lounge. Beyond this event, the “Lyricist Lounge 20-Year Anniversary” celebration continues with several commemorative events throughout New York following the kickoff party, including outdoor concerts in city parks in partnership with Summerstage and Celebrate Brooklyn. For more info on the Lyricist Lounge, visit www.lyricistlounge.com.

Saigon Goes Off on Rick Ross And Big Sean For Making Destructive Music!

Politically smart and socially conscious Brooklyn rapper Saigon is upset with the current state of Hip-Hop music and points his fingers at popular artists, Rick Ross and G.O.O.D. Music’s Big Sean. Check out what Saigon said about Ricky Rozay’s music being too heavily based on selling drugs and how nobody knows the lyrics to Big Sean’s hit “Dance (A$$)”.

Why ya’ll supportin’ a n*gga that promotes the destruction of our community? Why are you doin’ that? Why would you let this n*gga thrive and we don’t know where our next jobs are coming from? He’s rapping about selling kilos of cocaine and selling drugs. This is what he’s about, this whole lifestyle saying he’s so rich and he eats shrimp every night, and ya’ll support this sh*t?

“Ya’ll broke and poor and your family’s about to get kicked out. That’s our hit son! That’s his hit. Nobody knows the words to this song, all they know is “a$$, a$$, a$$, a$$, a$$, a$$, a$$” [background noises]. We don’t care about “a$$, a$$, a$$, a$$,” but this is the society we livin’ in right now. So it’s like alright.”

Lupe Fiasco vs. In Pete Rock?

After we thought the hatch was buried following Pete Rock's tweets, Lupe hit up "Sway In The Morning" and expressed disappointment and frustration with Pete Rock. Lupe cleared up some talk explaining the following, Lupe did get clearance on his record from the label. He also says Pete Rock wasn’t suppose to tweet about their “epic” upcoming homage to Troy and Heavy D. Seems as if the situation hasn’t been resolved yet, huh? Although earlier this week it appeared that rappers Pete Rock and Lupe Fiasco had cleared up their issues stemming from the release of Lupe’s “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free),” following an interview between Sway Calloway and Lupe it appears that their issues have not been fully resolved. A seemingly heated Lupe appeared on “Sway In The Morning” to share his side of the story and explained his songs use of a sample from Pete Rock’s “T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You).” “We reached out to Pete in November, right? My team. It was my partner’s idea,” Lupe explained. “He wanted to go back, take an iconic Hip Hop record, flip it, breathe some life into it, and bring it back to new school. That’s the whole point of it so we reached out to Pete…When we rap over the original instrumental we send it to get cleared, Warner Chapel tells us ‘No, that’s the publishing company.’ They tell us ‘You can’t clear that. It’s unclearable.’ There’s portions of that song that have never been cleared before ever. You have to remake it.” Lupe later went on to speak on his phone conversation with Pete Rock which consisted of himself and several other people and wasn’t as pleasant as many may have assumed it was. “The funny part is you ain’t even got to go through Pete Rock to clear cause he don’t even own it,” said the rapper. "Then he comes on Twitter the day after the joint’s released or it’s the same day that it’s released and bodies me like that and bodies my crew like that. And just shits on us like that. That’s foul. Then when we finally get on the phone, we didn’t have a [good] conversation. We weren’t on the phone like ‘Oh, I love you Pete at the end of the day.’ I was hot. My crew was hot. The people who put it together was hot. The record company was hot. He just wasn’t on the phone with me; he was on the phone with six people. Like Pete what’s wrong with you? Going in on us like that. We’re trying to pay homage to you.” “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free)” will be featured on Food & Liquor 2 when it’s released in September. Tensions have been high between Lupe Fiasco and Pete Rock over the past few days. Earlier in the week Lupe Fiasco released his single "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)” which Pete Rock dubbed as 'wack,' because it used a sample of his and CL Smooth's classic "T.R.O.Y." Eventually Rock said that the two had patched things up, but Lupe told a different story during a recent interview on "Sway in the Morning." On Friday Pete Rock released an official statement, trying to clear the entire thing up. Read below. Pete Rock: "It's true that Lupe Fiasco's representative from Atlantic Records contacted me last fall and he did so while I was in mourning over the sudden death of my cousin Heavy D. I gave the representative a conditional "yes" to use T.R.O.Y. for Lupe's album but only based on the condition that I be involved on the project. It's what I always say when approached by people who want to use that particular song. I was never contacted again. At no point was there any follow up from Atlantic Records. Now, the story gets twisted and it's being said that I said "yes." The part about my conditions has been left out to make me seem like I'm a hypocrite. When I heard about the song again, it was done, completed, and playing on the radio...and that was Monday night. It's true that people have made T.R.O.Y. over. I can't control what's done with my work after it's already out there but I can control who gets my blessings. Those who involve me and respect me in the process, get my blessings. Those who work behind my back – but all the while putting up a front like I'm down with it - don't. I'm flattered that they wanted to remake my song and that they respect it for the classic that it is. I just think they should have talked to Atlantic Records to make sure things were done right. The biggest violation is from Atlantic Records but what can you expect? Labels are corporations and their whole point is to sell records. If they respect the artist in the process that would be nice, but they're not required. For as political as Lupe as, I expected him to know that and to have hopefully made them more accountable. I'm surprised that he's siding with the corporation on this. Technically, there was no crime committed with the release of Lupe's version of my song. Technically, the song can be out there but I'm not talking about legalities. I'm asking: Where's the respect for the code among artists? No ego, but I know my place in this game. I'm recognized as a legend and I accept that. But most of all, I'm a grown man. The love and admiration that people have for me as a producer and as a man of honor has been non-stop, consistent for over 20 years. That's based on something that can't be touched. My music and my character stands for itself. T.R.O.Y was a career-defining song has gotten me invited to the White House. It's not just because people think the production is dope. It's also because of what the song stands for. I want my music to touch people but I don't want to be walked over or lied on in the process. I admit that my outburst on Monday night on Twitter was based on my reminiscing about Heav and Troy. I think about them every day. I apologize for being emotional about this. I had no intentions of hurting Lupe's career. That's not me. I'm known for building up not breaking down careers. Moving forward, I'm 100% in control and focused on what's good."

Crate Logic - Malvagio

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Tony Two-Step - 1986’d (Mixtape) If you’re looking for new music, here it is… This mixtape includes @tonytwostep’s remix version of Punchline’s “Whatever I Want, Whenever I Want”! tonytwostep:

Check out Tony Two-Step’s Latest Mixtape entitled “1986’d” Featuring Whitney Peyton, DJ Bahler, Kid Teck, Za Get Money, Dough Stackz & Steve Soboslai of the band Punchline along with an awesome revision of their song “Whatever I Want, Whatever I Want” from the album Delightfully Pleased. Production credits to HB, Jumbo Beatz, Nima Skeemz, Crate logic, Talen Ted & more!

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Portishead - Cowboys (Crate Logic remix)

Jarobi and Dres of EVITAN Keep The Native Tongue Tradition Alive!

One of the newest duos on the scene actually consists of two veterans in Hip-Hop: Jarobi of A Tribe Called Quest and Dres of Blacksheep.Together, the two Native Tongue members make up EVITAN, which is actually “Native” spelled backwards. Go in the studio with EVITAN & take a listen to tracks from their upcoming album, and hear why the two decided to collaborate on the new project. Dres discusses bringing the “Golden Era” of Hip-Hop to the present, while Jarobi discusses how serious Hip-Hop has become. In addition to preparing to bring the fun back into Hip-Hop, Jarobi also gives a quick tip on how to stay out of trouble by talking to yourself in the mirror daily.

RZA interview w/Mnet America

BPM Season 3 Episode 4: RZA x Staples | Mnet America

Showbiz & A.G are Back!

Finally the long wait is over and we have Showbiz & A.G's "Preloaded" on our hands...If this is just the warm up for "Mugshot Music", these Bronx Bombers might have the album of the year up their sleeves...Real Hip Hop is far from dead & 2012 has already been a huge year for quality music, and now with the addition of "Preloaded" the stakes have just gotten higher.

Beastie Boys Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch: Punk Rocker, MC, Filmmaker, Activist, Family Man dies @ 47

Founding Beastie Boys member Adam "MCA" Yauch died Friday, May 4, according to published reports. The cause of death has not yet been revealed, but the musician and activist announced in 2009 that he was battling cancer. He was 47. Yauch was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 5, 1964, and was an only child. As a teenager, Yauch taught himself how to play the bass guitar. By 1978, at the age of 14, Yauch started a hard-core punk band called the Young Aborigines with three friends, including Michael "Mike D" Diamond. They played their first show on August 5, 1981, Yauch's 17th birthday. They changed their name to the Beastie Boys and by November 1982 released an EP, "Polly Wog Stew." By 1983, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz joined the group, replacing original member, guitarist John Berry, who left to start another band. During the Beastie Boys' acceptance speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony in April of this year, Diamond said that it was at Yauch's parents home in Brooklyn that the group met after school each day to listen to albums from the Clash, Grandmaster Flash, and Run-D.M.C. In 1983, the Beastie Boys recorded their first hip-hop song, "Cooky Puss," which is based on a lewd crank call they made to Carvel Ice Cream. The song was a success in underground dance clubs in New York, prompting the Beasties to begin performing more rap songs. The group linked with NYU student Rick Rubin, who was starting Def Jam Recordings. In 1985, they released the 12 inch EP, "Rock Hard," and released their now-classic debut, "Licensed to Ill," the following year. "Licensed to Ill" became the first rap album to reach No. 1 on Billboard's album chart and is also the top-selling rap album of the 1980s. LL Cool J said it was the Beastie Boys who helped him get signed to Def Jam. "If it wasn't for the Beastie Boys I wouldn't have my career because they actually played my demo for Rick Rubin in the NYU dormitory and that's how I got my break," he said. Chuck D said the Beasties invited Public Enemy on tour in 1987. The rapper said he is teary-eyed about Yauch's death. "They were essential to our beginning, middle and today," he said in a statement released to Yahoo! Music. "Adam especially was unbelievable in our support from then 'til now." While the Beasties continued to thrive artistically with their subsequent releases, Yauch also became known as an activist for Tibetan human rights. The Beasties donated to the Milarepa Fund proceeds from concerts and royalties from their fourth album, "Ill Communication." In 1996, Yauch held his first Tibetan Freedom Concert festival which drew 100,000 people to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The festival also traveled to New York, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Sydney, Tokyo, and Taipei through 2003. It was also through his activist work that Yauch met his wife, Dechen Wangdu. In 1995, Yauch and Wangdu, met at Harvard University while attending a speech by the Dalai Lama. Both were in attendance in support of Tibet. They were married in May 1998 and had a daughter, Tenzin Losel, later that year. Yauch described his wife and daughter as his soul mates in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech letter read at the ceremony. In addition to his musical and philanthropic interests, Yauch was also a filmmaker. He directed many Beastie Boys videos under the alias Nathanial Hörnblowér. The Irish character's last credit was the Beastie Boys' "Make Some Noise," which featured actors Danny McBride, Seth Rogen and Elijah Wood portraying the group.