The Gift of Gab Latest Release

The Gift of Gab is dropping a new project in a couple of weeks. For now, we get to groove to "War Walk". Get the FREE mp3 download here. I'm crazy about Blackalicious, so count me in. Don't sleep on this on hip hoppers. kfox.

MARK YOUR CALENDER for Oct. 6 - VH1Hip Hop Honors

It's the VH1 Hip Hop Honors on Monday, October 6, 2008 @ 10 p.m. Awesome except I don't have cable and I will be feenin to hear/see the show. I'm trying to figure out a remedy for that.

The honorees are:

• Cypress Hill
• De La Soul
• Naughty by Nature
• Slick Rick
• Too Short

Meanwhile, you can do some voting like best webbie - I want to cast my vote for Okayplayer since that's how I stay afloat.

Oh, and Mick Boogie is supposed to be droppin some crazy, awesome, ridiculous VH1 Honors Mixtape ... I'll keep you posted on that.

Nothing like salutin the old heads ... stay true hip hoppers, kfox.

How About Checkin the Charts ... ?

It's been a minute since I posted the CMJ (College Music Journal) Hip Hip Chart. They are usually just a bit behind; meaning they lag a bit in terms of what is currently hot. Never mind that though because the newbies are what you want to spot. For the full Top 20, check out the link above.

1. NAS
Untitled

2. Lil Sci and Carlos Nino Present: What's the Science?
Elevation

3. Common Market
Tobacco Road

4. High Decibels
HD

5. Brooklyn Academy
Bored of Education

6. Doomtree
Doomtree

7. Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip
Angles

8. Cool Kids
Bake Sale

9. Factor
Chandelier

10. Atmosphere
When Life Gives You Lemons ...

I'm listening to the new Roots Manuva and Common Market. It's da bomb, baby! Just like you hip hoppers. Keep doin it ... kfox.

Where's the Hip Hop in Cleveland?

I know that not everyone is into hip hop. I dig that. But sometimes, I just want folks to give it a chance. Other times, I really want it to be my nicely kept little secret so that when I want tix to that show, the tix are easier to get. Also, so that when I get to the venue, I don't have to push and shove through droves of young people (i.e. my students) just to enjoy a show.

But that's just me. It's also just me to put you on to what you have been missing, actually in this case here are some events that you don't want to miss. I am personally recommending the Murs show, Atmosphere too. Oh, and Little Brother will be right up your alley. And don't you dare miss the Ohio Hip Hop Awards. I'm writing this post because all of these shows will be awesome and the price is, well, priceless. You could see 12 of these shows at the cost of one Tina Turner show ... I just thought I'd point that out.

~The 3rd Annual Ohio Hip Hop Awards Official Pre-Party~
On Friday, September 19, 2008
@ Metropolis Nightclub
2325 Elm Street (on the west bank of the Flats)
Doors open @ 9 p.m.
For more info, call 216.659.4780

~The 3rd Annual Ohio Hip Hop Awards Show - A Black Tie, Red Carpet Affair~
On Saturday, September 20, 2008
@ the Cleveland Convention Center Music Hall
1301 E. 6th Street in downtown Cleveland
Red Carpet entrance starts @ 4 p.m.; show begins exactly @ 6 p.m.
Hosted by Z107.9'S Sam Sylk ... For more info, call 216.659.4780

~The 3rd Annual Ohio Hip Hop Awards Official After Party~
On Saturday, September 20, 2008
@ Club Cyrus
2000 Sycamore Street (on the west bank of the Flats)
Doors open @ 9 p.m.
For more info, call 216.659.4780

~PERFORMANCE w/Everlast~
On Wednesday, September 24, 2008
@ Peabody's DownUnder
2083 E. 21st Street
@ 7 p.m.
Tix are $15 ... call 216.241.5555

~PERFORMANCE f/Santogold and others~
On Thursday, September 25, 2008
@ the House of Blues
308 Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland
Beginning @ 7 p.m.
Tix are $19.50 ... call 216.241.5555

~PERFORMANCE w/Cappadonna~
On Friday, October 3, 2008
@ Peabody's DownUnder
2083 E. 21st Street
@ 7 p.m.
Tix are $15 ... call 216.241.5555

~ALBUM RELEASE PARTY f/Kev Blaze, Aubrey Cardilino, and All These Kings~
On Saturday, October 4, 2008
@ the Grog Shop
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 8 p.m.
Admission is $8 ... call 216.321.5588

~PERFORMANCE w/Lupe Fiasco~
On Tuesday, October 7, 2008
@ Kent State Auditorium
108 Macc in Kent
@ 8 p.m.
Tix are $20 ... call 216.241.5555

~HIP HOP PERFORMANCE w/Cunninlynguists~
On Saturday, October 11, 2008
@ the Dionysus Club
135 W. Lorain Street in Oberlin
For more info, call 440.775.8471

~HIP HOP PERFORMANCE w/Little Brother~
On Friday, October 17, 2008
@ the Grog Shop
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 10 p.m.
Tix are $14 ... call 216.321.5588

~PERFORMANCE w/Wiz Khalifa~
On Saturday, October 18, 2008
@ Peabody's DownUnder
2083 E. 21st Street
@ 7 p.m.
Tix are $10 ... call 216.241.5555

~HIP HOP PERFORMANCE w/Atmosphere: "Paint The Nation Tour"~
On Tuesday, October 21, 2008
@ the Beachland Ballroom
15711 Waterloo Road
Doors open @ 8 p.m.; showtime @ 9 p.m.
Tix are $20 ... call 216.241.5555

~HIP HOP PERFORMANCE w/Murs~
On Friday, October 24, 2008
@ the Beachland Ballroom
15711 Waterloo Road
Doors open @ 8:30 p.m.; showtime @ 9 p.m.
Tix are $12 ... call 216.241.5555

I also publish a CleveEvents, weekly events list of things going on in Clev ... check it out hip hoppers!

I Could Listen to this "Again and Again"

"Again and Again" is the second single from Roots Manuva. Crazy cool jam. Nice reggae like beats; smooth delivery from Manuva and a catchy hook. I've heard a few different versions including a Matt Helders from the Artic Monkeys remix - Terrorbird gave me access to those babies.

Anyway, "Slime & Reason" is the name of the project and you can get it where ever you are copping your new music these days. I know how you hip hoppers do it; I do.

You can check the vid below.

New from Lauryn Hill

Okay, so while I was off in Chicago nearly sleeping @ a taping of my girl O's show, a new Lauryn Hill track leaked to the interweb.

Of course I got wind of this leak via Okayplayer. You know how they do it over there...

The song is called "World is a Hustle". And really, this song is so true to the Lauryn Hill that put out "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" - the disk that we all know and love so well. And can you believe that we are nearing the 10th anniversary of that disk? Oh, but beware the track is over 8 minutes long. But it is all good.

Check out the post for the track, a download and a link to the Rolling Stone article w/an indepth analysis of "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill". I have not read the article yet, but I do hear that it is over ten pages long ... go and get ya read on hip hoppers, kfox.

NOTE: photo courtesy of Photrazzi