Category Archives: Hip Hop

KRS-ONE Performs at the Shrine in Chicago (Review)

By Brand Gilliam

A high level of energy descended upon Chicago’s Shrine nightclub in anticipation for the arrival of the legendary KRS-ONE.

PNS (Molemen) commanded the turntables and kept the crowd at a feverish pitch playing golden era Hip-Hop and an onslaught of Reggae and Dancehall tunes while waiting for the show. Then, around 12:30 a.m., The Blastmaster aka The Teacha aka I Am Hip-Hop took command of the stage like Moses holding the Ten Commandments. A controlled chaos ensued as the 50 year old emcee and 28 year Hip-Hop veteran, Lawrence Parker, aka KRS-ONE, gave an adrenaline-charged 40 minute performance.

He kicked things off with a bundle pack of old school classics from albums Criminal Minded (1987), By All Means Necessary (1988), Edutainment (1990), Return of the Boom Bap (1993), KRS-ONE (1995), and I Got Next (1997). After about 15 minutes ripping the mic non-stop, KRS-ONE declared “Now I am ready to start the show”. KRS-ONE saw a fan in the crowd holding up a piece of paper which said Invaders; a Mexican empowerment anthem released in 2013.

From breath control to freestyle skills, crowd command, stage presence and song selection, his simple yet awe-inspiring performance was 100% on point. KRS-ONE frequently broke into off the dome freestyles which came effortlessly to him. KRS-ONE never lost the full attention of the crowd or the electrifying momentum that he had built on stage. The only down side about the performance was that it was only about 40 minutes long and that he and the DJ (PNS) did not seem to be on the same page when it came to the sound levels. Also he ended the performance rather strangely… he went to sign a fan’s album cover and just ran off stage. The fans were puzzled and did not know if the show had ended or not. The host came out and said that the show was over and about 5 minutes later KRS-ONE came into the crowd to take pictures and sign autographs.

KRS-ONE’s high power performance would put 98% of these so-called rappers to shame. I have been to a lot of rap show/concerts and the only other crew that I have seen equal and/or surpass the energy of a KRS-ONE performance is Public Enemy.

Overall the performance was an “A+”. Although the two and half to three hours of waiting in a packed shoulder to shoulder crowd… for a 40 minute performance with an abrupt ending was a “D-“.

KRS-ONE performed at the Shrine in Chicago on January 16, 2015

Photos by Brandy Gilliam

Talib Kweli & Black Star Vinyl Reissues Available Now

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) continues its “Respect the Classics” tribute to many of hip-hop’s finest with the vinyl release of rap icon Talib Kweli’s four historic Rawkus Records albums, including the underground classic, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star, in a limited edition two-tone black on black picture disc, available now at http://smarturl.it/RespectTheClassics

Established in 1996, Rawkus Records jump-started the careers of legendary artists such as Talib Kweli, Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch, among many others.

Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star was released on August 18, 1998, to critical acclaim. The title is a reference to the Black Star Line, a shipping company founded by Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey. The album deals with modern-day issues, philosophies and life in Brooklyn. The two MCs had planned to release solo albums around the same time, but decided instead to collaborate on a full-length album. The first single, “Definition (song),” is a reaction to hip-hop’s fascination with death, dedicated to both Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., with a chorus that gives a nod to Boogie Down Productions’ “Stop the Violence.” “Children’s Story” is a re-imagination of the Slick Rick original, featuring Mos Def cautioning against materialism. The second single, “Respiration,” featuring Common, includes a Hi-Tek produced beat that samples Don Randi’s “The Fox” and another from the hip-hop documentary Style Wars. The track offers a melancholy ode to city life, with references to organic life functions such as breathing, eating and sleeping, but with an ominous edge, as Kweli raps about “sitting on shitty steps/we stooped to new lows, hell froze/the night the city slept.” The album peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard Top 200 and No. 13 on the Hip-Hop Albums chart, but has become considered a classic since then.

The other Talib Kweli titles to be reissued on vinyl include Quality, The Beautiful Struggle and Train of Thought, the collaboration between Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek dubbed Reflection Eternal. Quality, originally released in 2002, has not been available in vinyl since 2006, and includes the singles, the Kanye West-produced “Get By” and “Waiting for the DJ.” The Beautiful Struggle, which came out in 2004, has been out of print on vinyl since 2006, and includes the singles “I Try” (featuring MJB) and “Never Been in Love.” Train of Thought, released in 2000, produced the singles “The Blast” and “Love Language,” and hasn’t been available on vinyl since 2003.

UMe’s “Respect the Classics” campaign continues to reissue classic out of print hip-hop albums back on vinyl for the first time in years, with cool modern twists like 3D Lenticular covers, picture discs, metallic treatments, updated artwork, colored vinyl and more.

Respect The Classics launched last September with five Priority Records classics, including expanded CD and digital 25th Anniversary Editions of Eazy-E’s triple platinum solo debut, Eazy-Duz-It and EPMD’s chart-topping album, Strictly Business. Remastered 180-gram vinyl LP reissues of Eazy-Duz-It, Ice Cube’s solo debut, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, and N.W.A’s iconic, triple-platinum Straight Outta Compton will also be released in faithfully replicated original album packaging, as well as a remastered CD and digital reissue of N.W.A’s debut, N.W.A & The Posse.

UMe’s “Respect The Classics” continued with special edition 15th Anniversary vinyl LPs for DMX’s first two albums, both multi-platinum essentials originally released in 1998 and long out-of-print on vinyl. It’s Dark & Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Heart, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart within seven months of each other, were released on gold vinyl and blood-splattered vinyl, respectively. All products can be found at RespectTheClassics.com along with merchandise and exclusive vinyl bundles.

Black Milk Announces Fall Tour Run With Live Band Nat Turner

With his latest album, If There’s A Hell Below, set to be released on October 28th via his own independent label, Computer Ugly, critically acclaimed rapper/producer Black Milk announces Fall Tour dates with live band Nat Turner. Kicking things off on October 17th in NYC at Webster Hall, they’ll be touching down in several U.S. cities, in addition to several dates in Canada during the tour. This follows a recently concluded European Tour, which Black performed throughout August. Speaking on a past tour, LA Weekly shared praises, saying “Master of Ceremonies Black Milk was expertly both directing and starring in this show.”

With his latest album, If There’s A Hell Below, set to be released on October 28th via his own independent label, Computer Ugly, critically acclaimed rapper/producer Black Milk announces Fall Tour dates with live band Nat Turner. Kicking things off on October 17th in NYC at Webster Hall, they’ll be touching down in several U.S. cities, in addition to several dates in Canada during the tour. This follows a recently concluded European Tour, which Black performed throughout August. Speaking on a past tour, LA Weekly shared praises, saying “Master of Ceremonies Black Milk was expertly both directing and starring in this show.”

This information about the Fall Tour follows the If There’s A Hell Below album announcement, and also the release of “What It’s Worth”, the first singe from the album. “Detroit’s New Dance Show” was the second track to be released from the album, featuring thumping, dark electronic production layered beneath pitch-lowered vocals on the chorus, with some hard-hitting lyrics in the verses. The “new-wave-tinged rocker,” as Okayplayer dubbed it, pays homage to a television series that aired in Black’s hometown of Detroit back in 1988 called “The New Dance Show.” “If There’s A Hell a Below isn’t as dark as No Poison No Paradise but it is somewhat of a continuation of that album,” he explains. “I’m still giving you a glimpse of different struggles for the point of view of an inner city youth but rhyming in different patterns over instrumentals that sound different from anything I’ve done in the past.”

In August Black Milk’s first Boiler Room performance set was shared as a video and free audio download. The upbeat mix starts with some Tronic-style synthed-out production and transitions into some dance-inducing blends that includes vocal re-workings of Danny Brown, Total, and Lucy Pearl, among others. Check out the video from the Boiler Room performance below.

Purchase tickets for Black Milk’s tour: http://blackmilk.biz/tours/

Black Milk’s Fall Tour:

Oct 17 – New York, NY at The Studio at Webster Hall
Oct 18 – Philadelphia, PA at Johnny Brenda’s
Oct 19 – Burlington, VT at Signal Kitchen
Oct 20 – Montreal, QC at Cabaret Underworld
Oct 21 – Ottawa, ON at Ritual
Oct 23 – Toronto, ON at Tattoo Queen West
Oct 24 – Chicago, IL at Reggie’s
Oct 25 – Toledo, OH at Frankies

React Presents Method Man & Redman + B Real (Cypress Hill) In Chicago

Thursday, October 23rd, React Presents is thrilled to welcome legends of hip-hop to Concord Music Hall! The World Wide Rollers Tour stops in Chicago with Method Man & Redman, along with Cypress Hill‘s B Real! Special guests include Berner and Mick Jenkins!

Launched in 2010 by Cinematic Music Group Founder Jonny Shipes, Steven “Steve-O” Brown, Shiest Bubz, and recording artist Smoke DZA, The Smoker’s Club Tour has flourished into one of the most successful independent concert tours in the world. The tour has featured performers such as Big K.R.I.T, Curren$y, Method Man, Juicy J, Joey Bada$$, Ab Soul and others. After the success of the first show at the South by Southwest Music Festival in 2010, all four founders saw the potential and never looked back. Fast forward to 2014 and the tour has reached its five year anniversary. With polarizing artists, shows that turn into parties, and their popular YouTube Channel that showcases the hilarity of it all, it’s no wonder The Smoker’s Club Tour shows no sign of slowing down.

Method Man and Redman‘s energy and reputation for humor have made them larger than life personalities. They are one of the most legendary duos in Hip-hop and this year marks their 20th Anniversary together. Method Man is a multi-Platinum Grammy winning solo artist who hails from the multi-Platinum Super Group Wu-Tang Clan. Redman is also a multi-Platinum solo artist as well. Together, they have become global icons as “Meth & Red”. Their album Blackout sold 1.5 million copies. Beyond the music, Meth & Red are also TV and Film stars in their own right, having had their own sitcom and the cult classic movie How High.

The Smoker’s Club Tour will also feature: B-Real, Berner, and Mick Jenkins. B-REAL has led Cypress Hill as one of the biggest global hip hop groups ever with over 18 million albums sold, three Grammy nominations and an MTV Award. With a co-sign from Wiz Khalifa, BERNER has established himself as a legitimate musical entity in Taylor Gang while developing and promoting his passion for marijuana. With his love for all things weed, Berner couldn’t have found himself on a more appropriate tour. Upstart MICK JENKINS has been making waves in the Chicago rap scene since the release of his Trees & Truths mixtape last year. Propelled by the success of “Martyrs” (where Mick outspokenly speaks on the state of Chicago), Mick is full steam ahead with his second project “The Water[s]” which just released on August 12th, along with the recent announcement of his signing to Cinematic Music Group.

Tickets are on sale now at Clubtix.com.

Black Milk Reveals Cover Art and Release Date For If There’s A Hell Below

“I’m never one to say which album of mine is the best, that’s for the fans to decide,” says critically acclaimed rapper/producer Black Milk, “but at this point I feel like I’m making the best music of my career on a creative level and on a technical level. I think you’ll hear that in this new album.” If There’s A Hell Below will be released on October 28th via Black’s independent label, Computer Ugly.

This information about the album follows the announcement of U.S. and Europe tours, and also the release of “What It’s Worth”, the first single from the album. “Detroit’s New Dance Show” is the second track to be released from the album, featuring thumping, dark electronic production layered beneath pitch-lowered vocals on the chorus, with some hard-hitting lyrics in the verses. The “new-wave-tinged rocker,” as Okayplayer dubbed it, pays homage to a television series that aired in Black’s hometown of Detroit back in 1988 called “The New Dance Show.” “If There’s A Hell a Below isn’t as dark as No Poison No Paradise but it is somewhat of a continuation of that album,” he explains. “I’m still giving you a glimpse of different struggles for the point of view of an inner city youth but rhyming in different patterns over instrumentals that sound different from anything I’ve done in the past.”

Black Milk will be touring this August with his Loops Don’t Lie Tour, which will feature the Detroit native performing live beat sets. The tour will stop in five U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte, and Tampa. Soon after, the multi-talented artist will be heading to Europe with his four-person live band for the Black Milk Live With Nat Turner Tour. This segment of the tour includes dates in major cities such as London and Amsterdam, and three dates in Germany, before returning back to the U.S. Speaking on his previous tour, LA Weekly shares praises, saying “Master of Ceremonies Black Milk was expertly both directing and starring in this show.”

Purchase tickets for Black Milk’s tour: http://blackmilk.biz/tours/

Purchase “Detroit’s New Dance Show”: http://blackmilk.bandcamp.com/track/detroits-new-dance-show-2

Listen to “Detroit’s New Dance Show”: https://soundcloud.com/blackmilkofficial/detroits-new-dance-show

Black Milk’s Loops Don’t Lie Tour:

Aug 6 – Asheville, NC – One Stop

Aug 7 – Atlanta, GA – 529

Aug 8 – Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor

Aug 9 – Jacksonville, Fl – Rain Dogs

Aug 10 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum

Black Milk With Live Band Nat Turner Europe Tour:

Aug 21 – London, United Kingdom – Jazz Cafe

Aug 22 – Hradec Králové, Czech Republic – Hip Hop Kemp Festival

Aug 23 – Orpund, Switzerland – Royal Arena Festival

Aug 24 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso

Aug 27 – Berlin, Germany – Cassiopeia

Aug 28 – Gent, Belgium – Dok

Aug 29 – Munster, Germany – Hot Jazz Club

Aug 31 – Riverview, MI – Rocky’s Pub
Sept 27 – Austin, TX – Red 7 (Black Milk Beat Set at Weird City Fest)
Oct 17 – New York, NY – Studio at Webster Hall

Tickets: http://blackmilk.biz/tours/

Black Milk Releases Track List and Full Artwork for No Poison No Paradise

Rapper/producer Black Milk released the official track list for his upcoming album No Poison No Paradise today, along with the full album artwork (inside and out) and a video that goes inside the cover artist Joonbug‘s sketchbook. Check out the track list and artwork below, and pre-order No Poison No Paradise on iTunes or FatBeats. The album drops on October 15th.

Black Milk will also embark on his No Poison No Paradise Tour with Quelle and DJ Sober later this month, kicking off September 20th in Dallas, TX and running 28 dates before wrapping up on October 24th in Washington, DC. Check out the dates below.

No Poison No Paradise Track List:
1- Interpret Sabotage ft. Mel
2- Deion’s House
3- Codes and Cab Fare ft. Black Thought
4- Ghetto DEMF ft. Quelle Chris
5- Sonny Jr. (Dreams) ft. Robert Glasper & Dwele
6- Sunday’s Best
7- Monday’s Worst
8- Perfected On Puritan Ave.
9- Dismal
10- Parallels ft. Ab
11- X Chords
12- Black Sabbath
13- Money Bags (Paradise) ft. Tone Trezure

Black Milk is a producer and rapper born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. As one of the most-celebrated auteurs of his generation of hip hop artists, he has conditioned fans and critics to always expect the unexpected each time he releases new music.

Few producers have earned the notoriety and respect he has as a musician, and when that is coupled with commanding talent as an emcee, it’s no surprise that his solo releases are met with exalted anticipation. He has been making music professionally since 2004 and has collaborated with many noted artists including Slum Village, J Dilla, Elzhi, Phat Kat, Frank-N-Dank, Lloyd Banks, Canibus, Pharoahe Monch, and Jack White of The White Stripes. In 2010 he released Album of the Year, which perfectly captured his soulful, jazzy style. He is currently putting the finishing touches on his new album, No Poison No Paradise, due out October 15th via Fat Beats/Computer Ugly.

Tour Dates:

To purchase tickets: http://blackmilk.biz/shows/
Sep. 20 – Dallas, TX @ Dada
Sep. 21 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar
Sep. 22 – Las Vegas, NV @ Beauty Bar
Sep. 25 – Fresno, CA @ Fulton 55
Sep. 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echoplex
Sep. 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar
Sep. 29 – San Jose, CA @ Pagoda
Oct. 1 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Velvet Jones
Oct. 2 – Phoenix, AZ @ Red Owl
Oct. 5 – Austin, TX @ Red 7
Oct. 6 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
Oct. 7 – New Orleans, LA @ Hi Ho Lounge
Oct. 9 – New York, NY @ Santos Party House
Oct. 10 – Providence, RI @ Fete
Oct. 11 – Boston, MA @ Middle East
Oct. 12 – Burlington, VT @ Signal Lounge
Oct. 13 – Montreal, CANDA @ Cabaret Underworld
Oct. 14 – Ottawa, CANADA TX @ Ritual
Oct. 15 – Toronto, CANADA @ Mod Club
Oct. 16 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s
Oct. 17 – Toledo, OH @ Frankies
Oct. 18 – St. Louis, MO @ Blank Space
Oct. 19 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
Oct. 20 – Iowa City, IA @ Gabe’s
Oct. 21 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Oct. 22 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
Oct. 23 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose
Oct. 24 – Washington, DC @ Liv

Pete Rock & Camp Lo Present ’80 Blocks From Tiffany’s Pt. II’

“80 Blocks from Tiffany’s” is a project named after a popular documentary directed by Gary Weis in 1979 that reflected the days of early Bronx gang life. The project is solely produced by legendary producer Pete Rock and lyrically mastered by the Bronx Dynamite Duo Camp Lo; an together they form the group “80 Blocks from Tiffany’s”.

Pete Rock and Camp Lo keep Hip-Hop genuine with the “80 Blocks from Tiffany’s Pt. II” project. The venture started in 2008 after working on the underground hit “On Smash” for Styles P. This is when the trio decided to revive Hip-Hop’s heartbeat and pay tribute to the birthplace of the genre. The group’s initial release entitled, “80 Blocks from Tiffany’s,” was successfully launched in 2011 and used Pete Rock’s previous music catalog to set the tone for Camp Lo by providing authentic beats, with a distinctive soulful, jazzier style than what he is typically known for.

“80 Blocks from Tiffany’s Part II” reintroduces the vintage art of sampling and soul of rap music that has made Hip-Hop commercially relevant, making this mixtape an instant classic. Never before has revered producer Pete Rock released free music, especially of this caliber. “80 Blocks from Tiffany’s Pt. II” features all new original tracks from Pete Rock and as Pete states “teaming up with Camp Lo contributed to making the project authentic, explicit, and shocking.”

“80 Blocks from Tiffany’s Pt. II” was released on 7-30-2013 exclusively by Datpiff.com and contains features from Mac Miller, Ab-Soul (TDE), Talib Kweli, Uncle Murda and M.O.P. All tracks were originally laid down at Pete Rock’s pre- production studio with engineer Dave Dar and mixed and mastered at Da Man Production Studio in NYC. The mixtape will be sonically superior than what currently exists in the mixtape market and combined with these features will reconfirm the revival of the 90’s boom-bap sound.

80 Blocks from Tiffany’s Part II Track Listing:

1. Intro

2. Ladies and Gentlemen (introducing 80 Blocks) f/ Talib Kweli

3. Starlight Glitz

4. Clean Getaway f/ Uncle Murda

5. No Uniform f/ M.O.P. and Pete Rock

6. Lets Toast

7. Megan Good f/ Mac Miller

https://soundcloud.com/agentcbw7/megan-good-ft-mac-miller/s-62lJI

8. 80 Blocks Party

9. Don’t Ya Just Love It f/ Ab-Soul

10. Y’all Not Ready

11. Rocking With The Best

12. You Never Seen A City Like (The Bronx)

13. Supa Fly Shit

14. 80 Block’s From Tiffany’s

15. Bionic

16. Mafungo

17. No Hook f/ Pete Rock

18. Love Traps f/ Tyler Woods

19. Glitter and Gold

20. 99 Bottles

21. Dream Journey f/ Geechi Suede

22. 4 The OG’s

23. Pot of Butta

24. Can I Get A ……

25. Outro

Hiero Day Music Festival in Oakland

Legendary independent artist collective Hieroglyphics Imperium are teaming up with Oakland-based Linden Street Brewery to present the Second Annual Hiero Day block party on Monday, September 2, 2013 (Labor Day) from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Linden Street Brewery, located at the Port of Oakland. Hiero Day is a free all day music festival that features live performances by the legendary Hieroglyphics and other special guests, local merchandise vendors, food trucks, and interactive activities for all ages. Hiero Day celebrates and showcases the Bay

Hiero Day was created in 2012 with the purpose of celebrating Oakland, supporting local businesses, empowering communities, and highlighting the Bay Area’s internationally recognized independent Hip-Hop culture. Showcasing independent and emerging artists who live and work in the Bay Area, the festival will remain free and accessible to all, thanks to the generous support of sponsors. After the success of last year’s inaugural event, Oakland’s Mayor Jean Quan will declare September 3, 2013 as “Hiero Day” in the City of Oakland. This year’s festival holds particular significance to the local music community, as it lands on the 20th anniversary of the release of the highly influential and groundbreaking album, ’93 ‘Til Infinity by Bay Area underground legends, Souls of Mischief. At Hiero Day 2013, the Hieroglyphics will perform hits from previous albums, including the infamous ’93 ‘Til Infinity, Full Circle, and songs from their new album The Kitchen, released Tuesday, July 16, 2013.

Visit www.hieroday.com for more information and updates on performances, sponsors, vendors, and activities. Watch footage of Hiero Day 2012 and hear Kanye, Sway Calloway, Davey D, and Radio Rahim wax poetic about Hiero’s legacy on music, culture, and fashion here: http://youtu.be/yuZ9NacZ-z4

Founded in 1997 in Oakland, California, Hiero Imperium Records was founded by artists Del The Funky Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love, Domino, and the group Souls of Mischief, consisting of members A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai. After releasing albums on several major labels, the collective established their own independent Hieroglyphics Imperium label, website, and merch company in 1997, and are credited as creating the blueprint for independent rap labels. Few other rap collectives have withstood the test of time and are still considered as vibrant, respected, and talented as when they first stepped on the scene 20+ years ago. They are also credited as being one of the first hip hop groups to work with skate, snow, and surf companies . Created by Del the Funky Homosapien, their “third eye logo” is considered the third most recognized music logo according to Rolling Stone Magazine, and has been seen tattooed on dozens of fans all over the world. 2013 marks the 20 year anniversary of Souls of Mischief’s seminal ’93 ‘Til Infinity album, which will be celebrated at the 2nd annual Hiero Day block party festival on September 2nd, 2013 in Oakland, California.

Slum Village UnVeil New Album Evolution, Available June 25th

Ne’Astra Music recently announced the release of Evolution, the new Slum Village album, available worldwide on June 25, 2013. Evolution is the long-anticipated release coming on the heels of the critically acclaimed mix tapes “Dirty Slums” and “Dirty Slums 2.” This album features new music from founding member T3 along with Young RJ and Illa J.

The first single “Forever” has already been released digitally. The track’s musings on the natural drift of relationships over time delivers a vibe that’s a cut above.

The group was founded in the early 90’s by 3 childhood friends: Baatin, T3, rapper and producer J Dilla, who all grew up together in the Conant Gardens neighborhood of Detroit, MI. After leaving Pershing High School, the trio began to forge a path into the Detroit underground hip hop scene and quickly found themselves steadily gaining popularity, where they originally went by the name Ssenepod.

Even though the group has suffered many heartaches and member changes over the years, Slum Village always finds a way to reinvent its brand. As the group has persevered despite the struggles over the years, it was only natural that the inspiration for this album title paid tribute to Slum Village’s enduring quality. The meaning of Evolution can be described as “a continuous change to a higher, more complex or better state” and that is exactly what Slum Village has ascribed to with their music over the years, culminating with this new album. The Evolution of Slum Village continues with a reinvigorated energy, as founding member T3 holds down the legacy along with the Grammy-nominated producer Young RJ as well as young prodigy Illa J at his side.

Evolution also includes the talents and skills of Blu, Havoc (Mobb Deep), Raheem Devaughn, Jazzy Jeff, Rapper Big Pooh & Focus amongst others. The album was produced by T3, Young RJ and FOCUS. Slum Village has partnered with The Orchard for worldwide digital distribution.

In conjunction with their new release, Slum Village has also launched a Pledge Music campaign as a way to allow the fans to join the album-making process. There are various packages available, even including the SV logo stage prop used in the “Selfish” video featuring Kanye West and John Legend.

Slum Village will be touring worldwide in support of the release. Remaining tour dates below with more to be announced:

May 16 London, UK Cargo

May 17 Manchester, UK Sound Control

May 18 Munster, Germany Skaters Palace

May 22 Munich, Germany Import Export

May 23 Milan, Italy Biko Club

May 24 Aarau, Switzerland Kiff

May 25 Brussels, Belgium Brass

June 14 Chicago, IL Reggie’s

July 24 Orlando, FL Backbooth

July 25 Tampa, FL The Orpheum

July 26 Miami, FL The Stage

Rock the Bells Announces 2013 Line-up, Dates and Venues

Boost Mobile in association with Guerilla Union made the initial announcement of the Rock The Bells 2013 Festival Series this week.

Upholding to true Rock the Bells tradition, freestyle champ Supernatural unveiled this year’s performing artists via freestyle, of which include: BIG K.R.I.T., BLACK HIPPY, BODEGA BAMZ, BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY, BROTHER ALI, CHASE & STATUS, COMMON*, CURREN$Y, DANNY BROWN, DILATED PEOPLES, DIZZY WRIGHT, DOM KENNEDY, E40 AND TOO SHORT*, EARL SWEATSHIRT, FLATBUSH ZOMBIES, HIT BOY, HOPSIN, IMMORTALTECHNIQUE, JHENE AIKO*, JUICY J*, JURASSIC 5*, KID CUDI, LECRAE, MIMOSA, PROF, RAKIM, SNOW THA PRODUCT, SUPERNATURAL, TALIB KWELI, TECH N9NE, TYLER THE CREATOR*, and WU-TANG CLAN with more to be announced.

The festival will kick off at San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California on September 7 and 8 and make its way to Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on September 14 and 15. To round out the tour, Rock the Bells will be establishing new festival sites at RFK Festival Grounds in Washington D.C. on September 28 and 29, and at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey on October 4 and 5.

This year marks Rock the Bells’ tenth anniversary, and to celebrate and commemorate the premier hip-hop festival, Weisberg promises fans an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Rock the Bells will have original virtual performances of iconic hip-hop legends Ol’ Dirty Bastard performing with Wu-Tang Clan and Eazy-E performing with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

This virtual performance is especially important for the legendary New York crew. The first year of Rock the Bells in 2004 was the last major performance all Wu-Tang Clan members had together before Ol’ Dirty Bastards’ untimely passing. Now, 10 years later, they will be reunited on the same stage at Rock the Bells for their 20 year anniversary.

Rock the Bells artist ambassador and famed emcee Nas states: “I’m proud to have been a partner with Rock the Bells for the past five years. This year, RTB X, will mark a significant time in hip hop. Today’s announcement is a celebration of several historic moments in the past, with a keen eye for the future.

For the first time ever, Guerilla Union mailing lists subscribers will get the first chance to purchase specially priced tickets during an Early Bird Pre-Sale with the exclusive password. Fans are encouraged to sign up for the mailing list to receive this exclusive pre-sale password. Check www.rockthebells.net for information per market. The next announcement of artist additions will be made in June. For more info, visit: www.rockthebells.net

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