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.

REVIEW: "Public Enemy: Welcome to the Terrordome"

I checked out "Public Enemy: Welcome to the Terrordome". The documentary was screened at the Cleveland International Film Festival that concluded today. I was pretty hyped about the screening because I have been following P.E. for a while now. I'm not their biggest fan, but yeah, I definitely know their history. The film was okay. I liked a lot of the vintage footage; lots of concert footage too. But I did not like the 120 minutes of my life that I can't get back.

Just a quick overview: There was much insight from the ALL of the group members sans Terminator X. There were also some interviews: Henry Rollins, Tom Morello, Talib Kweli, and DMC. I would be interested to see a DVD version so I could see what did not make the cut.

Rock the Bells Fest

The Rock the Bells Festival line-up looks stellar! I mean, if you are a true hip hopper, you are 'bout it and are beyond hypie about this showdown. Old schoolers are stoked about Public Enemy and Cypress Hill; but maybe it's the inclusion of the Wu that will get you goin ... then there's Nas, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch and many others.

They've got 17 dates (and it seems they keep adding them; and the line-up changes a bit from city to city). I have yet to purchase a ticket because my future is so undecided, but maybe I should just live a little and do the damn thing ... who knows if it will go down like this next time, huh?

Their webbie is pretty active ... check that out.

Never too tired for hip hop

Hello all...no post last week - now what is up with that? It's the end of the semester and things are getting hectic ... but I'm never too tired for hip hop!

Some new joints have landed in my cd infested office. I have a new cd from AWOL ONE "The War of Art" along with 2MEX & LIFE REXALL's "$Martyr." I've given the AWOL ONE a quick listen and discovered that I like track #7 "Get You" which features Pigeon John on background vocals (and I do likes me some Pigeon John). "The War of Art" also includes appearances by the infamous KRS ONE as well as EYEDEA from Rhymesayers plus more. I have not checked out "$Martyr," but I look forward to it because it just seems different.

There are a couple of really hot artists headed to the northcoast: SOUL POSITION will be in Cleveland this weekend (April 22nd). I am considering attending that one. I missed SPANK ROCK last week. PREFUSE and EDAN will be in Cleveland on May 9th. Then it's PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS (PUTS) on May 12th. Not to mention the mainstreamers: Ice Cube, Mike Jones and T.I. (as individual perofrmances), but this here blog ain't about them-the commercial types that is. Oh, one more thing ... on the Cleveland hip hop scene, there is a Jazz meets Hip Hop performance on April 29th. But the hot thang will be the annual "Kings of the Iron Mic" which takes place Memorial Day weekend. It's a hot showcase of the hottest emcees in the city of Cleve. If you want the scoop on venues and ticket prices for any of these shows, just hit me on on the email: kim.radiogirl@gmail.com ... yeah, do that!

So I am going to finish this off with the recent chartoppers for WMCO's Sunday Night Hip Hop Show:

1
SOUL POSITION
"THINGS GO BETTER WITH RJ AND AL"

2
APATHY
"EASTERN PHILOSOPHY"

3
SERGIO MENDES
"TIMELESS"

4
DEVELOP[MENTAL]1
"VARIOUS ARTISTS"

5
J DILLA
"DONUTS"

6
CARVING A NEW STANDARD VOL. 1
"VARIOUS ARTISTS"

7
PUBLIC ENEMY
"REBIRTH OF A NATION"

8
THE COUP
"PICK A BIGGER WEAPON"

9
DILATED PEOPLES
"20/20"

10
FIVE DEEZ
"KOMMUNICATOR"

your girl is exhausted ... so it off to dreams of beats and rhymes for me...stay true yall,
kfox

No apathy, just lots of good hip hop!

Back in action...only not all that is happenin in the indy hip hop world. Well, that's not quite the way it is, but that's what I'm going to call it because I don't have a wealth to report on this week.
Just a handfull of items...new music from Apathy and Up Above Records as well as the ever popular WMCO Hip Hop music chart.

First, Apathy: A few weeks ago, a package arrived in the mail with several cds from Apathy. His latest project is called "Eastern Philosophy." It is HOT! As Randy from "American Idol" would say "We got a hot one, bay-bee!" Enough hype, let me tell you what is real. The Apathy cd deserves props because he comes correct. Good rhymes, good beats with sort of a jazzy, but definitely old school vibe. Tracks I'm lovin right now are the title track, "1,000 Grams," and "All About Crime."

The Up Above Records compilation totally took me by surprise. I don't know why I finally listened to it (keep in mind, I get about 60-75 cds delivered to my office on a weekly basis - so if a cd does not stand out and I don't receive a call about it sometimes they get trapped as a part of these mini cd towers on my desk), but whoa...it is truly the shiz-nit! Shut up and listen. The strength is in the lyrics. But there are so many plusses. They have some crazy talent lacin up the joint...Prince Po, Visionaries, and tons of others. Just go to Amazon.com and put in a request to get that joint when it is available to all in the next few weeks.

My last item, which needs no real explanation is the WMCO 90.7 Hip Hop Chart for this week. If only the residents of east central Ohio knew what a sweet treat they have for their listening pleasure right in their backyard...

Here are the current hip hop chart toppers @ WMCO:

1
DEVELOP[MENTAL]1
"VARIOUS ARTISTS"

2
SERGIO MENDES
"TIMELESS"

3
J DILLA
"DONUTS"

4
DJ CAM
"REVISITED BY..."

5
P.O.S.
"AUDITION"

6
FIVE DEEZ
"KOMMUNICATOR"

7
PUBLIC ENEMY
"REBIRTH OF A NATION"

8
SOUL POSITION
"THINGS GO BETTER WITH RJ AND AL"

9
APATHY
"EASTERN PHILOSOPHY"

10
DILATED PEOPLES
"20/20"

yo hip hoppers ... stay true, kfox