Afroclassics :: "Boom In It"

Well, now, this is a club banger! I can just see the parties jumpin off w/this one. Afroclassics "Boom In It" is a slow vibe with some smooth lyrical delivery along w/the feel of a live audience. There's a group of folks singing the hook "Hold up, wait a minute, let me put that boom in it". There is no escapin the drums and a mixture of other percussion instruments that are driving the beat. I would even say that it is Go-Go- esque. Yes, indeedy!

But it's not a club banger in the same sense as some of the watered down rap that you get now in the clubs. This track from Afroclassics has the feel of the groups name: it's a classic soulful sound. I don't know that my description is doing it justice ...

At least listen to this track. It'll definitely have you movin.

The project is "The Classic EP". Oh, and Scarub and Very, are Afroclassic, check them out:

• Afroclassics on MySpace

Hip hoppers, let me see you "put that boom in it!" kfox

Where's the Hip Hop in Cleveland? v.2

I know that there some bigger cities and hotter hip hop communities, but Cleveland is doin their thing on the hip hop scene as well.

There's a bit to pick through ... cause I know you're watchin how you're spendin that cheese!

~HIP HOP PERFORMANCE w/Black Sheep~
On Friday, April 3, 2009
@ Peabody's DownUnder
2083 E. 21st Street
@ 8 p.m.
Tix are $10 ... call 216.241.5555

~I am Hip Hop~
On Friday, April 3, 2009
@ Anatomy Lounge
1299 W. 9th Street in the Warehouse District
Doors open @ 10 p.m.
For more info, call 216.363.1113

~Rock Hall Induction Ceremony 2009~
On Saturday, April 4, 2009
@ Music Hall Cleveland
@ E. 6th & St. Clair Avenue in downtown Cleveland
@ 7 p.m.
F/Bobby Womack, Run DMC and Little Anthony & the Imperials
For more info, call 216.781.ROCK
**as a part of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's Induction Week 2009

~A Tribute to Run DMC and Old School Hip Hop~
On Saturday, April 4, 2009
@ Touch
2710 Lorain Avenue
Beginning @ 10 p.m.
F/djs Steph Floss, K-Nyce and Majette ... call 216.631.5200

~RAP PERFORMANCE w/Chip tha Ripper~
On Saturday, April 11, 2009
@ Peabody's DownUnder
2083 E. 21st Street
@ 8 p.m.
Tix are $15 ... call 216.241.5555

~Sam Sylk Middleschool Jam~
On Sunday, April 12, 2009
@ the House of Blues
308 Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland
@ 7 p.m
Tix begin @ $12.50 ... call 216.241.5555

~PERFORMANCE w/Diplo~
On Saturday, April 18, 2009
@ the Grog Shop
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 9 p.m.
Tix are $15 ... call 216.241.5555

~PERFORMANCE w/Dr. Dooom vs. Dr. Octagon; plus DJ Kutmasta Kurt and Muamin Collective~
On Sunday, April 19, 2009
@ the Grog Shop
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 8 p.m.
Tix are $13 in adv; $15 the day of the show ... call 216.241.5555

~Jazz Meets Hip Hop Part 7~
On Saturday, May 2, 2009
@ the Beachland Ballroom
15711 Waterloo Avenue
@ 10 p.m.
Tix begin @ $25 ... call 216.241.6000 or 216.383.1124
**as a part of the Tri-C JazzFest

That last event is the one to be at though I can't make it. I need yall to rep for me ... kfox

2nd Annual Roots Picnic :: June 6, 2009

I am not The Roots' biggest fan, but I try to keep up; yes, I do.

Just sharing the love about their upcoming picnic. I really do like the lineup. Though I will definitely not make this one, since your girl works on weekends. That's okay though. I can only hope that someone will capture some vid and post it up for weekend workers, like myself, to see.

More on the picnic ... like the line up, right? Tix are $47.50 and here's what you get:
The Roots
TV on the Radio
The Black Keys
Public Enemy
Antibalas
Santigold
Asher Roth
KiD CuDi
and more

The big picnic is on Saturday, June 6, 2009 in Philly and of course, it is an all day event.

Go ahead hip hopppers and start planning for this one. This is the summer that we set it off! kfox.

WordSmithMusic

I've been meaning to write about WordSmith for some time. But alas only time has gone by and you are missing out.

So this is just a brief post to put him on your radar. He's got a lot to troll through and you will not get bored. The musical variety is delicious.

He's been working on a project w/the legendary Chubb Rock too.

WordSmithMusic on Twitter

WordSmith's Revolt Radio

WordSmithMusic on MySpace

WordSmith on ReverbNation

Get ready to enjoy and appreciate some good stuff hip hoppers. Count on me to put you in touch w/the good stuff. kfox.

The Roots Tour 2009 :: take 2

I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about The Roots Tour schedule. They are on it. They've posted a nice little note on the Okayplayer website with an update about their tour schedule.

Here' s the post:

• Okayplayer :: The Roots Tour Schedule
  

Also, check out this interview w/?uesto on National Public Radio's "Tell Me More".

• Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson interview on NPR's "Tell Me More"

Have you all had a chance to see The Roots on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"? If so, what do you think so far?

Okay hip hoppers ... I'm giving you the leads, but are you following? kfox.
**image borrowed from Urban Daily

Hip Hop @ SXSW

South by Southwest is mostly commonly known and written as SXSW. I've never attended, but I am seriously considering it in the near future. Let me tell you why.

If you like music, cool. You will like this. Especially if you like live performances because there are lots of music showcases. If you like movies, cool. They have a section of the conference dedicated to films. Check. And if you are a techie or a gamer, there is an interactive component as well. Now all you have to do is get time off from the j-o-b to enjoy the madness. If you haven't made plans by now, then you aren't going this year. But as we say about the Cleveland Browns, there's always next year ... love my Browns.

Anyway, SXSW is an annual event that takes place in Austin. This year it began on March 13. It will wrap up on Sunday, March 22, 2009.

Nice to know that hip hop is filtered through the SXSW festivities. Especially with this year's Audible Treats SXSW Round Up. There's a pretty good line up of performances from Thursday through Sunday featuring a variety of hip hop artists:

• J*DaVey
• Keelay & Zaire
• Jern Eye
• Fortilive
• Truthlive
• Tanya Morgan
  

I hope to get around to reviewing the Keelay & Zaire as well as the Tanya Morgan. I hope to do that sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, if you can't take part in the event hip hoppers, pop open your music player and get down wit the get down ... kfox

Loer Velocity's "Uninfatuated" EP

Loer Velocity's music is pretty cool. I've written about him before, but only briefly.

This is a belated Valentine's day project. Late or not, I'll take it. That's how (you, we, I) should show love for good music.

There are only a handful of tracks on the "Uninfatuated" EP. But that's a nice little set. It's a nice laid back project.

Here are my thoughts a three of the tracks from the EP:

First up for review is "Ball N Chain Dames". The music is floaty. Which is not a bad thing. It's a good vibe for the track. Loer compliments the music with a nice mellow flow. Oh and the hook moves at the same pace. The song is chill.

"Spread Luv" bring the tempo up just a bit. And like the previously mentioned track, this one has a smooth hook, "Luv is luv ..."

Lastly, there's the EP title track "Uninfatuated". Oh, so cool. He does his thing on this one too. His flow is consistent throughout the EP. But on this one, he has a woman singing the hook. That mixes things up just enough.

So I like this one. But there is a bit of a problem: I don't know where YOU can get it. I got a promo link from Spectre Music. I also got a link from Audible Treats. I'll have to look into this. Just hang in there.

Loer Velocity's on the Embedded label (the link goes to their site, but it has not been updated in a while). I can get down w/them any day. I am always on the lookout for new joints from them. You ought to do the same.

Get some more Loer Velocity via MySpace. But don't get too infatuated hip hoppers ... kfox

Rootbeer is Pigeon John and Flynn Adam

I love collaborations. Anytime you can get Pigeon John to drop some lines, it is all good. This colab is with Pigeon John and Flynn Adam. Pigeon John has several solo projects including one of my favs, "The Summertime Pool Party". Adam has some star power as a member of LA Symphony and he's a producer as well.

"Girlies" is one of the first singles under the Rootbeer moniker. I love the tempo of this track. It reminds me of something old school. But it's not coming to me at this time. The hook on the song goes like this "girlies hit me up because the homie is famous" and the say that quite a few times. I love simple songs. Meaning you don't need pages and pages of lyrics, but a catchy hook, good beats, nice lyrics. Easy formula. I also like their sense of humor which comes through on this single.

The title track did not do much for me. It has eclectic written all over it. Which is cool, but in this case, I thought that the track was directionless. It was just doing too much and it did not come together. You may feel otherwise, if so, do chime in on this one.

So, Rootbeer's "Pink Limousine" EP is out; released today. And I believe that the fellas will be on the road. But not so fast, it's a west coast tour. And it includes South by Southwest - SXSW; a music festival and conference. That should be nice.

• Check out the tour sked
  
• Check out Rootbeer on MySpace

Their MySpace page has several tracks from "Pink Limousine".

Hip hoppers ... spring is on the horizon. Let's keep it fresh. kfox.

Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek's "Internet Connection"

You know, I do like Talib Kweli. His flow is smooth. His voice, commanding. Love the colabs w/him and Hi-Tek (I'm sure that you do too), but then they go and toss in my homeboy Bootsy Collins. Yeah, Ohio is reppin up in this one.

I like the beats on "Internet Connection". Not so crazy about the topic/subject - shout outs to Twitter ... I don't know. And that hook, sort of ... just sort of reminds me of Snoop's "Sensual Seduction" ... really.

But the song also has an old school vibe. Just kind of laid back in its tempo.

• download "Internet Connection"

Anyway ... check it out and let me know what you think. Gimme some feedback hip hoppers. kfox.

A Kanye Video "West Welcome to Heartbreak"

Okay ... another video. This time from Kanye West. How cool is this? I'm just lukewarm on the song, but the video is hot. I love the technique.

Oh and he's featuring KiD CuDi in this one. That gets cool points too. But check it and leave your comments.


KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Hip hoppers, it's all about taking hip hop to the next level. Be about it. kfox.