Politics As Usual?

It looks like Mista FAB has big plans for the Town, he's endorsing Ron Dellums as the new Mayor of Oakland. That's good news for all the thizzed out yellow bus riders who have been undecided up until now.

FAB sat on a Hip Hop meets Politics panel a couple of weeks ago when Dellums came to speak. FAB was impressed and told the candidate that he and other politicians need to have a way to make their political speak relatable to the Hip Hop fan base that Mista FAB and others have.

FAB also told Dellums that he should not be fooled into thinking that because he sports a grill, wears his hat backwards and gets hyphy that he doesn't stay up on the politics effecting Oakland. Following in the tradition of 2Pac who was always well read and stayed informed, Mista FAB is and numerous other artists are the same way. Part of being able to get their hustle on is being up on all aspects that impact both their business and neighborhood.

It's good to see someone from the 'hyphy movement' step up and deal with some real shit going on in the area. From what I've heard, FAB is already pretty involved in the community and does tons of volunteer work. I'm pretty sure Dellums might want to see Fabby trade in the 'Stop Snitchin' shirt.

Read more at DaveyD.com

Crown City

It's going down tonight.



Crown City Rockers
'B-Boy'

This is a good one for the summer.

They Are The Ones

Here's another one from 'Pick A Bigger Weapon', it's funky!

The Coup - We Are The One's

Like Heads in a Barrel

These guys have about a century in the rap game between them, so they know what their doing.

Pimp C, E-40, B-Legit, and Bun B - The Corruptor's Execution

'Situation Critical' Video

Dre Dog
'Situation Critical'

Hyphy Week

MTV's My Block is now a thing of the past and will be quickly forgotten, because BET has a whole fucking week of hyphy madness coming your way. I'm shocked that they are actually putting down a whole week dedicated to the Bay considering I haven't seen a Bay Area video on there in about a decade. Im hoping Spice 1 and Dre Dog might be able to sneak their way into one of these shows.

“Hyphy promises to be more like the ‘second coming’ of the glory days of Bay Area music artists,” stated Charles Johnson of Oakland’s Young Lion Entertainment. It has been more than a decade since hip hop dominants like rap artists MC Hammer, The Luniz, Digital Underground and E-40, put the Bay Area music scene on the map. Hyphy has erected a new stage for unique and talented artists like Oakland native Mistah F.A.B, rap’s version of the Grateful Dead — Hieroglyphics Crew, The Federation, and the ageless Too Short. The country will have the opportunity to catch a glimpse and experience the movement through BET next week.

The BET series covers the past, present, and future of Bay Area Hip Hop. The series opens Monday’s with hip-hop icon, rap artist Too Short—a pioneer Oakland Rapper who went from slanging tapes on the corner to platinum sales—and concludes on Saturday with the Bay Area’s Top 10 Countdown.

The schedule is as follows:
Monday 5/22/06 Too Short – A Day in the Life
Tuesday 5/23/06 Hyphy – A subculture of Hip Hop
Wednesday 5/24/06 E-40 – His second wind
Thursday 5/25/06 Hieroglyphics & Davey D – The Past, Present, & Future
Friday 5/26/06 Bay Area – The Road Map
Saturday 5/27/06 Top 10 Countdown.

This player below is an interview Davey D did with Mad Linx from BET and Big Chuck from Soul Beat. Listen to it, you might learn something.


powered by ODEO

Who Shot Ya

San Francisco super-producer TomC3 is pack with his latest installment to the rap game, 'Project Polaroid'. This time around, he's teamed up with the legendary Kool Keith to hit you with some super scientifical madness. Everything is full blast android. Peep game.


TomC3 and Kool Keith


Wassup Tom, let 'em know who are you, how you got started and what you have done.
TOMC3 / producer. I got started by being fascinated by all the greats such as Ultramagnetic MC's, Rakim, the whole Juice Crew, BDP etc..I grew up listening in an era that was very innovative. The mid to late 80's! So, basically what i did was work at various odd jobs and saved up enough money to buy my first sampler. An akai s950. Thats basically how I got started. I learned the hard way, there was no internet etc to help you out with beats and samples!

Well, as for the projects that I have done so have been Dopestyle 1231 (self titled album), Kaijin (Japacronix), Nate Mezmer(Kill The Precedent), Project Polaroid(The Original Soundtrack) Bucc Rogerz feat. Kool Keith (Transmitting Live 12"). I also did a remix for Tweaker feat. Robert Smith from the Cure that hasnt come out yet.

Some people think Keith has fallen off a bit since the days of Dr. Octogon. Does this record get it back to that feel?
Well, as far as Keith falling off since the Octagon days, it's just a matter of opinion I guess. He still sells units, so there is a fanbase that steadily purchases his stuff. Judging from sales it wouldn't indicate so. But I guess people were expecting another Octagon and he hasnt given them that. So, in that sense I suppose people would assume he fell off according to that.

This album we did (Project Polaroid) does touch on that era of Keith in that he is kickin some sci-fi type stuff. But the album itself isnt based just off of that concept. It's its own thing, I would like to believe. I would say its a return for him to rappin over sample based production. But, if you were a fan of the Octagon era, then you would definitely dig this album.

Anyone who's listened to Keith's music know he's a bizzare dude. How is it working with him, do you guys get along well?
Working with Keith is fun. He has a lot of routines he needs to do before he records. i.e. go to porn shops, buy chicken wings and look at magazines for an hour or maybe go to Red Lobster. Keith really knows what he is doing when its time to record. He doesnt take many takes to get it right, he's very quick during the recording process.

We get along pretty good on a business and personal level. You just have to know his routines and you'll be fine. He's a funny dude.

Project Polaroid has collabs with Motion Man, Jihad the Ruffneck from Third Sight, and Prince Po. I know you've worked with Motion and Jihad before, but how did the track with Prince Po come together?
Well, that came about because I have always been a fan of Organized Konfusion. Prince Po was my favorite in the crew. I thought he had some of the illest lines. Especially on releasing "Hypnotical Gasses", he has some of the illest lines on the album . I basically got in contact with him through the label he was on at the time, LEX. I hit him up and he was totally down and did that verse on "Mechanical Mechanix". I told him what we were going for on that song and he just ripped it. I mentioned something about "Hypnotical Gasses" to him, and thats why he mentions Reed Richards in that verse as a reference to our conversation!!



The 12" and LP cover both have some tight artwork. Why dont people put more effort into the cover art?
Yeah, the artwork is pretty damn dope. I dont remember seeing anything like it. My brother , DIET, came up with that stuff. He has a lot of good ideas. Watch for his stuff coming out, its pretty innovative! You need to get him on CITY OF DOPE!!
Yeah, a lot of covers are pretty un-imaginative. Some dude on the cover with a gold chain in baggy clothes, or with his shirt off etc...pretty lame. You look at the top ten releases for hip hop and the covers all look the same! I seen some cool artwork in the other forms of music though.

Last summer you went around the country on tour with Keith and Guru. That must of been a crazy experience, any wild stories from the road?
It was pretty wild at times. I cant really mention that stuff in print because thats some private shit for certain people. But I'm sure you have heard it all befoe anyways, right? I remember being in Colorado at this bar next to the club we performed at and this girl bought me a drink. That never happens, isnt that wild! hahahah.....we had a chrysler 300 for the whole tour. It was pretty comortable. On the way to Texas we were driving late at night from New Mexico and I remember running over something on the freeway. Whatever it was, it wasn't in my sight, it seemed like it was out of nowhere. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw nothing , so I didnt stop. So we get to Texas and we stop at some place to eat. We are outside standing around and I look at the car and it looks funny, something isnt right. Upon close inspection, the side spoiler? was missing! Thats what I ran over on the freeway that night! The shit fell off!

You dont do a lot of production work outside of your own projects. Why is that? Is there anyone out there you really want to work with?
Hmmm, good question. Well, probably because I haven't really gotten out there yet. I am hoping that after this project with Keith, people will be lookin for some tracks. If not, I have a lot of projects I'm workin on anyways. Plus, I actually prefer to work on whole albums as opposed to just tracks. I like to vibe with the artist like that. Bounce ideas off each other etc. Build an album instead of just "here, here is a beat I made, rap over it".
As for working with people..hmm.. A lot of people. Maybe Sean Lennon, Dre Dog, Beck, Trent Reznor, Beastie Boys.

Ive always thought you looked like the love child of Kid (Kid and Play) and Juwon Howard. Do you get that often from people?
Youre funny, I thought I escaped that! Yeah, I used to get that a lot. Not as much lately. I used to get Juwon Howard more than Kid. It's funny when you realize it yourself. You hope no one notices, but sure enough, they got me! I used to have a hi top fade as well! I can still do the kid n play kick step mean!

What does the future hold for TomC3?
Well, lets see..There is going to be another single for Project Polaroid comin out soon with remixes from different producers , can't mention any names because it isnt final yet, but its gonna be good! ..I have an album that Motion Man and myself are working on called Ernie Drastic. Then theres the Motion Man and Del album that we are workin on right now. Also expect a collaboration with my boy the Specialist. He has some of the illest beats right now! Also doin some tracks for the upcoming Nate Mezmer album as well. Maybe another project with Keith. Thats what I got cookin right now....more to come!!

Tom & Keith at Myspace
Threshold Records

'Deep East Oakland' Video

Black Dynasty
'Deep East Oakland'

Dont miss the Zack Morris Motorola cell in the beginning.

Team Playas

The East Bay Express ran a piece this week about local celebs, The Team, and the new album 'World Premiere'. To me, it appears more to be an add for their 'grapple' flavored energy drink, 'Hyphy Juice'. Can't knock the hustle.

"Hyphy Juice is the brainchild of Carson and his partner K.O.A.B. The two own the Moe Doe record label, which put out World Premiere, and created a new company, the Oakland-based It's Good Bev Co., after being inspired by Nelly's Pimp Juice and Lil' Jon's Crunk Juice. "We wanted something to represent our culture on a national level," Carson said. They also "wanted something that tastes like candy."

After two and a half years of product testing, Hyphy Juice hit the shelves earlier this year — just in time for the Team's album release. The national explosion of hyphy into mainstream consciousness was a fortunate coincidence, and so far, the response has been encouraging: Carson claims the drink has earned $600,000 in revenue in its first two months. "The hyphy movement can sell the juice, but the juice is so delicious, it sells itself," he boasts. "We got the West Coast on lock," he adds, with national distribution in the works. According to Carson, business building is in the soil. "All the acts that come out the Bay Area, they always had ownership," he notes, naming Too $hort and Hammer in particular. "We from Oakland, we represent the blue-collar hustle of the Bay; it's just taking it to another level."

Continue reading

I've had that shit, and it's alright, but I prefer Jolt. Twice the caffeine.

Dumb Intelligent

This one's nothing new but it's super dope, the best remix of this track I've heard.

Tell Me When To Go - Trackademicks Remix

'Light Sleepers' Video

Saafir
'Light Sleepers'

Bay Area Rappers: Get Off Your Own Nuts

Bay Area Rappers: Get Off Your Own Nuts
By: Adisa Banjoko, “The Bishop of Hip Hop”

Right now we have a lot of people jockeying for position in the Bay. Labels squabble in backdoor bid wars. Mixtape DJ’s are locking and loading the hottest track from the Bay. Everybody from MTV, BET and your local news station want to look at the Bay Area rappers on the rise. A lot of money and a lot of reputations are at stake.

I was here when the Bay Area first rose up in the early 1990’s. I was also here to watch it fall aroudn 1995. One of the main reasons it fell then, and might fall right now- is because of bad business.

There are a lot of self appointed, half baked "managers”, “label owners” and “CEO’s” squandering real opportunities in pursuit of the ultimate hustle. All eyes are on the Bay, but they don’t have to stay here. Out of all the groups trying to take advantage of the hype around Hyphy, only a select group will truly make that journey. Too many people are over confident on what they can do when they have no real record of accomplishment in the game. But if the Bay does not learn to get off it’s own nuts- it won’t matter who is watching.

I want to see the Bay fully back on its feet. To do that the Bay must learn from its mistakes. Here are seven things you can do to keep yourself, your group and your label away from failure.

1. You must learn to see what you are doing beyond the hustle and turn what you are doing into a business. E-40 and Too Short’s success did not happen overnight. It was the result of many years of recording, doing shows, selling tapes outta the trunk, learning the in’s and out’s of distribution, learning how to use the media to your advantage, etc. At some point, they made the actual transition from the hustle into the business. If you fail to do that, you can expect failure period.

2. Follow though with your word and your deed. If you say you are going to provide a service (promotions, recording, PR, mastering, cover art, building a website, etc.) provide to the fullest. If you tell someone, you are going to pay them an agreed amount on a specified day- follow thorough.

3. Understand that just because you soul 50,000-100,000 units or more in the Bay- that does not make you large. I know cats who made platinum plaques on the first rise of the Bay who are broke today. I know cats who never went gold who are living well. The people who won and the people who lost usually had their fate decided on #2. Which one do you want to be?

4. Consistency is the father of victory. If you want to win you have to stay the course. You have to make a habit of doing what you say, when you say you’ll do it. Giving your all in one show, one day of recording, one battle will not keep you in front. Remember a lot of rappers and rap groups have come and gone in the last few years. Only a FEW remain in the minds of the people. If you are consistent, you have a better chance to be one of the truly chosen few.

5. Look at yourself, and your group. Are you marketable? Why should someone buy your music over the next rappers CD? If your only response is, “’Cause I’m hella raw”, that’s not enough. Do you know what a brand is? Do you know what your company’s position is? Do you know what messaging is? What does your press kit look like? What is the difference between public relations and advertising? Do you know what kind of habits build and destroy brands? In an oversaturated market you need very edge you can have. Do you visit sites like www.prohiphop.com ? Knowledge is the key. But there is no better branding than making good music, and conducting positive business.

6. Think beyond the Bay!! Many rappers are so focused on gaining an audience here to the point that they ignore the national and international rap audience. Listen to music from other areas and see if you can show them love by working with producers, DJ’s, magazines and rappers from that region. One of the main reasons the East coast fell off, is because they could not see beyond 5 boroughs. But the world was bigger than NY. If we want to avoid their fate, we have to know that the world is bigger than the Bay. It always was, and always will be.

7. Read books about money and have integrity when you deal with people. Understand that one day of selfishness over a connection or the media spotlight can lead to years of never having access to it again. Read books about the industry, find out the people in your area who conduct the best business. They may not all be apart of the Hip Hop community. Some of the main people I work with have no connection to the rap game. Visit websites like www.guykawasaki.com, www.ries.com- often. No matter how dope you are, no matter how many records you have sold, no matter how many shows you have done, get off your own nuts and put in real work. Seek to build bridges, don’t burn them. If you don’t know how to do that, see #4. Good luck and God bless.

Adisa Banjoko is author of “Lyrical Swords Vol. 1 & 2” and a partner of Shin-Ken PR. For more info visit: www.shinkenpublicrelations.com .

Choppin' Up Dope w/ King Eljen (I Got 5)

High!
Its King Eljen again...my EP is gonna be out next month! Its called "Green Olive Monsters" (f.y.i.: I love drinking like a monster and eating green olives) and i did it with DJ Waxsmith and The Soundblasters!!! It features Bucc Rogerz and E da Boss did a beat but I'll tell you more later. You ever heard of Joe Quixx? Act like you know kids! Did you see that video a couple days back (on this very site...) by the B.U.M.s "Free Your Mind"? Guess who did that beat...Joe Quixx. Thats one of the many classics beats and current mixtape pieces of genius Joe Quixx has under his belt. Everyone remembers the days of The Wakeup Show w/ Sway and when you heard the deep ass machine radio voice go: ..." with Joe Quixx in the mix..." Goosebumbs right? Maybe im a music pheind but you knew it was about to be some shit that was better than anything going on that night. I personally would listen and bug out on that fresh boom bap never soft onslaught of shit the Joey Quixxsta would drop with a signature no frills finess...thangs aint changed son. No KMEL but J.Q. is still servin' fools with the Oakland Faders alongside DJ Platurn and company at venues throughout the Bay and if your smart you'll get your hands on one of his mixtapes... so so sick. That hard hip hop shit, no silly shit son. I caught up with Joe Quixx spinning @ Radio in Oakland and asked this legend a few questions for you guys, aiight? Peep game...



King Eljen: Yo Joe Quixx, you've been teaching toy deejays how its done for a minute now. Do miss the days of the "Wakeup Show" era or are you feeling whats going on now?
Joe: I'll never miss the old days. 4 me shit just gets better and better as years go by.

KE: Who are some of your favorite deejays right now?
Joe: My favorite dj was and always will be DJ Riz from Brooklyn 3, I don't know too much about rappers.

KE: What about emcees, you feeling anybody right now?
Joe: To me every rapper got they own flavor.

KE: Whats next on your agenda as far as gigs or projects your gonna bless?
Joe: Me and Specialist got a new joint commin' out this month.

KE: What do you like better, mac or pc's?
Joe: I got a pc.

KE: What do you make your beats with?
Joe: MPC 3000.

KE. Can i get one (a beat)?
Joe: Of course sun, you famalams.

KE: Word!(King Eljen jumps for joy) Yo, me and you share a love for Curb Your Enthusiam, whats your favorite episode?
Joe: Crazy Eyes Killa.

KE: Word, thats a classic. I like the one called "Weatherman" where he thinks the weatherman gives the wrong forcasts to have the golf course to himself. But yo, on a serious note, Im about to twist my hair into dreadlocks like Sway. You think thats a good move?
Joe: No.

KE: Alright, lastly whats some advice for the DJ's in the Bay right now trying to get fame and hold the crown like you?
Joe: Everybody gotta take they own journey, let you be you and live with it.

Cool Joe...good looking out as always.

Peaaace!



No five on it list this week, but I'll make you miss it then hit you with the sickness.

..
CHECK OUT THIS REVIEW FOR THE MIXTAPE I'M ON

I told you it was fresh! Big up to E da Boss, he's deejaying for Lateef on Saturday playing with The Coup at a free show in the City. More details to come....peaaace!

E-40 Gets Punked

Hip Hop in the Park

Live graffiti and DJs! B-Boys and B-Girls! Free!

Its about that time of year once again for the 10th annual Hip Hop in the Park. This is always a pretty cool event and the lineup this year looks pretty good, all Bay Area artists this time.

Live performances by:
Mistah FAB
Pep Love
The Attik
Black Lion Crew
Kahlil
Native Guns
4OneFunk
Kirby Dominant

@ People's Park, Haste between Telegraph & Bowditch, Berkeley
FREE, 12-5pm

Project Polaroid

If you are hyphy, this probably isnt for. If you know Keith and Motion, enjoy.

Project Polaroid (TomC3 & Kool Keith) feat. Motion Man - Clubber Lang

Project Polaroid @ Myspace
Motion Man @ Myspace

Ethered

Wow...this is fucking incredible! Fuck Kanye West. Treason is the highest form of patriotism, right?

Part One


Part Two


Part Three


Part Three is kind of lame.