Rock the Bells 2009 Line-up Announced

The Rock the Bells Festival line-up has been announced. It's a wowser. Now, before you get super duper hyped, please know that not all of the artists will appear at each and every tour stop. Yeah slow ya roll, son ...

But the line-up is bangin. If you even get a third of who's listed, it will be all good.

So here's how it's lookin:
Nas
Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
The Roots
Common
Big Boi
KRS-One
House of Pain
Tech N9ne
K'Naan
RZA
Raekwon
Sage Francis
M.O.P.
Slaughterhouse
Eyedea & Abilities
Necro
Slum Village
+ more + surprise performances

Hip hoppers, you need to get your hustle on and start tucking away parts of your unemployment check ... oh, and you should have a 'plan b' too. kfox.

Indy Hip Hop Festival

Okay folks ... I received an email today from Guerilla Union. They produce the Rock da Bells Festival. Along w/Murs, they are bringing the 3rd Annual "Paid Dues" indy hip-hop festival. So, for the record, I am not affiliated w/this show.

This will be a nice little set - for real. If underground hip hop is your thing, then this is your thing too!
So check out a portion of the line up:

• Sage Francis
• Little Brother
• Dilated Peoples
• Jedi Mind Tricks
• Visionaries
  
• POS
• Fatlip & Omni
  
• Murs and many more
  

This west coast show is on Saturday, March 22 @ the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, CA.

Get your Hip Hop On!

So, it is true that I missed all of the hip hop shows in Cleveland over the past few weeks. I really wanted to peep the Brother Ali show. But don't dispair because if you are true hip hop fan, you not only checked out the Rhymesayers crew, but you also sat in on the El-P/Definitive Jux set. And there is more on the horizon; that's right, it is time to get your hip hop on:

~The Underground Nation: Darren Anthony, T-Mates and Therlbread~
On Thursday, May 17, 2007
@ the Beachland Ballroom
15711 Waterloo Road
@ 8 p.m.
Tix are $5 in adv; $8 @ the door ... call 216.383.1124

~Lifesavas and Strange Fruit Project~
On Thursday, May 17, 2007
@ the Grog Shop
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 9 p.m.
Tix are $10 ... call 216.241.5555

~The Ill Disciples~
On Friday, May 18, 2007
@ the Agora Theatre & Ballroom
5001 Prospect Avenue
@ 8:30 p.m.
Tix are $6 ... call 216.241.5555

~Slum Village~
On Sunday, June 3, 2007
@ the Grog Shop
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 9 p.m.Tix are $12 ... call 216.241.5555

~Peanut Butter Wolf DJ Set~
On Wednesday, June 20, 2007
@ B-Side
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 9 p.m.Tix are $10 ... call 216.241.5555

~Sage Francis and Buck 65~
On Wednesday, July 11, 2007
@ the Grog Shop
2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights
@ 9 p.m.
Tix are $15 ... call 216.241.5555

The Changing Face of Hip Hop

Every so often I post the hip hop charts from WMCO. New hip hop music makes it way to my office on a weekly basis. Some of it stands out from the pack, some of it is judged by its cover (and the judgment is usually accurate). But the point is, the music is new and the charts are always changing ...

So here goes :: this week's badasses!

My favs are DJ Vadim, Sage Francis, and Red Cloud; fav never to make the list: Gutterfly.

1
EL-P
I'll Sleep When You're Dead
Definitive Jux
2
J DILLA
Ruff Draft
Stones Throw
3
DJ VADIM
The Sound Catcher
BBE
4
WAX TAILOR
Hope And Sorrow
Decon
5
BROTHER ALI
The Undisputed Truth
Rhymesayers
6
MOVE.MEANT
The Scope Of Things
Wax Paper
7
GABRIEL TEODROS
Lovework
Massline
8
SAGE FRANCIS
Human The Death Dance
Epitaph
9
REDCLOUD
Hawthorne's Most Wanted
Syntax
10
BUSDRIVER
RoadKillOvercoat
Epitaph

Dream on and aim high ... kfox!