HoustonSoReal is now AustinSurreal.com

WILLIE D IS FREE!(Almost)

2011-06-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

MORE GOOD NEWS!

A source close to Willie D hit me up to tell me that Willie D is on his way home. He has left the prison in Beaumont and is currently on work release. In a halfway house in Houston. Allowed to work in the studio 5-6 days a week, and hopes are that he will be home at the latest September.

And if he follows through with the plans we discussed before he went in, 2012 is going to be a huge year for the Gangsta of Love....
More as the story comes in...

Jason Moran's 713 - 212 Showcases some of Houston's finest musicians now living in NYC

2011-01-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

Houston ex-pats in NYC Stand Up! I know yer out there! Wish I could be there for these events.

Word to Jason Moran. I just saw this video and was completely blown away. One of Houston's finest sons!

Free Press Summer Fest IsTHIS WEEKEND IN HOUSTON!

2010-06-01T11:54:00.001-07:00

MAN! Hold up. Seriously. This weekend is going to be out of control in that H-Town. I thought festivals this thowed happened only in Austin? But alas and alak... That's just not true anymore!

The good folks at Free Press Houston and Pegstar Events have joined forces to bring to you the 2nd Annual Free Press Summer Fest!

And what an incredible line up. Check it out on www.freepresssummerfest.com

I'll never forget when the Free Press hit the streets, filling a void left long ago by the Public News. I'll also never forget when Jagi of Pegstar first started booking shows. He was bringing Banghra (sp?) DJs to Houston and hipping me to that whole sound before we ever even got to meet. He'd call and send me CDs and stuff. Great to see such wonderful people working together to make something this serious.

This is no half assed attempt at a festival, THIS IS A SERIOUS FESTIVAL.

And I can't wait to attend. I missed last years, and I'm not sure why. This year I just have to see the whole thing.

Poster-art Godfather Jermaine Rogers has kindly thrown down for his hometown with this mega-clutch poster for the upcoming Free Press Summer Fest. Jermaine has helped Free Press out from its infancy and we already are indebted to him for his artwork, advice, and vision. We are utterly proud of his involvement and honored he did this. Limited edition screen prints of this poster will be for sale at the festival and Jermaine himself will be on hand to sign and sell them.

I mean seriously it's really goin' down. Peep all these posters. Admission is cheap but they gone make you go broke once inside!

Anyway it's like $40 to get into this thing, what a bargain. I suggest going the full two days and checking out all the music you can! I can't believe Austin's own Blacklisted Individuals are on this show! I mean seriously some of my favorite artists are gonna be in one place, at one time, IN HOUSTON!

Bun B, Slim Thug, Dead Prez, Perseph1, Blacklisted Individuals, Kid Sister, Mixmaster Mike, Free Radicals, Flaming Lips, Rusted Shut, Bull Thieves, and so many more acts from all over the board.

And it's cheap for real. You can't miss this. Just go to www.freepresssummerfest.com for tickets and all the information you will need. Full schedule is there, and suffice it to say, it's really goin' DOWN!

Weather is gonna be sunny with a few clouds and peak in the mid-90's. Yeah, pretty perfect. Pack some sunscreen and meet me there! Anyone know what the food vendor situation is gonna be like? I'm dreaming of some Houston restaurants that I'd like to see out there...

BLACK SHEEP and NICE & SMOOTH in HOUSTON and AUSTIN!!!

2008-11-05T12:50:00.001-08:00

RSVP HERE NOW!

RSVP HERE NOW!

Next Scion Event! Black Sheep and Nice N Smooth

2008-10-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

www.scion.com/livemetro to RSVP AND GET IN FREE!

www.scion.com/livemetro to RSVP AND GET IN FREE!

MASH OUT POSSE!LIVE IN HOUSTON AND AUSTIN!FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Monday and Tuesday...

2008-10-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY IN AUSTIN AT FLAMINGO CANTINA!

MONDAY IN HOUSTON AT WAREHOUSE LIVE!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ONLINE NOW AND GET IN FREE!!!!!!!!!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ONLINE NOW AND GET IN FREE!!!!!!!!!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ONLINE NOW AND GET IN FREE!!!!!!!!!

I'll be out there in Houston a couple days y'all. Lookout for the exclusive South Park Coalition Podcast in celebration of their upcoming show in Austin Saturday Oct. 25th at Ruta Maya. Me and DJ Buddha have an SPC mix for y'all and an interview with K-Rino and other members of the SPC to be posted here no later than Tuesday, probably Monday, maybe Sunday night. But it's goin' down.

And of course...

AustinSurreal Presents Bavu Blakes & the Extra Plairs, Mojoe, Black Mike & Kemistry, DJ Knoowledge, Hosted by Terel Shahid, and it's really goin' down. At the Mohawk. RSVP to austinsurreal@gmail.com for discount admission.

M.O.P. Live With Connie Price & the KeystonesFREE!Austin & Houston Oct. 19 & 20!

2008-10-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

It's goin' down once again y'all! Another FREE SCION EVENT!!!!!

Come down y'all. RSVP HERE AT THIS LINK RIGHT HERE TO GET IN FREE!

We missed y'all out there in Houston last month. Come celebrate your survival!

First in Austin... THIS MONTH AT FLAMINGO CANTINA!

Then in Houston... ALWAYS AT WAREHOUSE LIVE!

RSVP NOW! www.scion.com/livemetro

Redman Live in Houston & Austin!!!FREE Scion Shows!!!!With Connie Price & the Keystones + Cosmo Baker!!!

2008-09-06T23:28:00.000-07:00

SEPTEMBER 16TH - HOUSTON - Warehouse Live / SEPTEMBER 17TH - AUSTIN - The Parish

CLICK HERE TO RSVP TO GET INTO BOTH SHOWS FOR FREE!!!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND GET IN FREE!!!!

HOUSTON! FREE BUN B SHOW THIS WEDNESDAY AT WAREHOUSE LIVE WITH LIVE BAND!!!!

2008-08-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

BUN B LIVE WITH ORGONNE BACKING HIM UP! AT WAREHOUSE LIVE AND IT'S FREEE!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND GET IN FREE!!!

Then roll to Austin Friday and see the same show cuz it's really goin' down!!!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP TO BOTH SHOWS AND GET IN FREE!!!

I hope to see you at both.

The Joys Of Summer...

2008-08-08T12:28:00.001-07:00

...For me this year obviously don't include blogging.

I spent the last week upta my ma's in Erie, Pennsylvania at a cottage on Lake Erie with a good portion of my family and extended family, and remembered what this here life is supposed to be.

It's supposed to be sitting the fuck on a beach with your family and chilling the fuck out. That's what it is supposed to be. Not all this other shit. I'm serious. I don't care what they told you in school. I don't care what your father who broke his back to make sure that you had a semblance of a life, told you. I don't care what anybody says. Life truly is supposed to be about sitting on a beach with your family. Also beer.

I'll leave room for bits of work, cuz even on the beach you have to work to survive. But that's it. The endless grind is beginning to drive me nuts. I realized that on my third day with no internet or cell phone service. I found myself checking the screen on my phone, even though I knew there was no way there would be anything there.

And I don't even have a bad job. In fact I love my job. I just don't like not being on a beach with my family.

Barton Springs works too.

That being said, artistises, get on your grizzlie and get your applications in for SXSW 2009. Don't make me chase you down round about February. And definitely don't call me asking for a slot in February. Time is now. www.sxsw.com

I've already got some incredible stuff in the works.

Anyway, so tonight I head out to Concan, TX to do a lil tubing on a river and camping in a forest (Life is also about rivers and forests too). Then Sunday I'm en route to Houston for the Ozone Awards!

If you happened to read my lil review of the Ozone Awards last year, please tune in again this year to see if my bad attitude hath changed. I'm not gonna immerse myself in three days of industry shit, but I'ma be up in the house for the event itself. Which looks to be quite over the top.

Then directly after that I'm headed off to Amsterdam for the Lowlands Festival. So if yer reading me in any of those places, holler at me. Except in Concan, don't bother me and my river.

THEN AFTER AMSTERDAM! I head back to Houston for this magnanimous event!!!!

BUN B LIVE WITH ORGONNE BACKING HIM UP! AT WAREHOUSE LIVE AND IT'S FREEE!

Then two nights later see the same line up in Austin at The Parish!

DJ AYRES WILL BE LIVE IN THE MIX AND YES IT'S GOIN' DOWN!!!!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP NOW AND GET IN FREE TO BOTH SHOWS!!!!

Anyway, also, See Devin the Dude live at the South Street Seaport in NYC on Sept. 6th for the East Village Radio 5 Year Anniversary Festival. Hosted by KRS One!

AugustSoReal it's Surreal.

ICE MIKE Has a Net Radio Show!See him LIVE in Austin This Saturday!

2008-07-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Afta Da Heatwave!

Check out this pioneer producer of New Orleans Bounce Music!

Online and in person. CLICK HERE TO CHECK ICE MIKE'S LATEST RADIO SHOW!

And come check out Ice Mike Live in Austin, TX this Saturday night. With DJ CHILL!

Legendary Bounce Producer Ice Mike + DJ CHill in Austin July 19th!

2008-07-08T07:04:00.001-07:00

AUSTIN TEXAS It's about to go down!

July 19th!

Right after you go see Lil Boosie and Paul Wall at the Heatwave Car Show, come down to Whiskey Bar and get a taste of where the New Orleans and Houston scene's really started!

IT'S GOIN' DOWN!

GETO BOYS LIVE IN HOUSTON TONIGHT!FREE MP3!!!!Willie D featuring Scarface & LIl Wayne - Dem Boys

2008-07-04T08:55:00.001-07:00

It's the truth y'all, the four core/current members of the Geto Boys - Willie D, Scarface, Bushwick Bill & Domo - will all be on stage tonight in Houston at Warehouse Live. To see them in such a dope spot, with great sound and lights and all that shit, should be a real treat. Back in the day I thought they were one of the livest groups in hip-hop, lets see if they can still hold up to that claim.

Since they don't really hang out these days, I doubt you'll see the routines we saw back in 1989, I pretty much just expect some raw energy and realness. Nothing less though.

(Peep some of the first posts on HoustonSoReal for interviews with all the members, and a review of the last time they hit the stage together, in early 2005 I think.)

Anyway Jeff from Warehouse Live says tickets are selling briskly in advance, so I suggest you go and get yours online NOW. www.warehouselive.com

And as a bonus, to get you hyped up for tonight, here's a lil gem I dug up in the garage yesterday.

DEM BOYS - Willie D, Scarface, Lil Wayne - From Willie D's 2000 album Loved By Few, Hated By Many.

Download the song featuring Lil Wayne.

Yep, that's Lil Wayne from 8 years ago.

You heard of Lil Wayne right?

Lil Wayne is an alien.

Lil Wayne on the TV.

Lil Wayne lackadaisical rappin'.

Lil Wayne will be in Austin July 10th.

For a Lil Wayne concert.

Also, Lil Wayne.

Lil Wayne jammin'.

They say Lil Wayne is an alien.

Did I mention Lil Wayne?

Yeah, Lil Wayne, he been listening to the Geto Boys since he was like 10.

Uh, huh, he says it, Lil Wayne does, on the song.

LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE LIL WAYNE

Sorry, just trying to get some traffic on this bitch. Did I mention Lil Wayne made a video?

Also, Jay Z's rendition of Wonderwall is stuck in my head so hard. What a beautiful moment in rock and roll history.

I'm serious.

Also, Amy Winehouse and Vampire Weekend.

Also Shawty Lo.

And of course, Lil Wayne. Aka Weezy. Aka LIL WAYNE.

Red Bull Big Tune Round Up And More

2008-07-04T08:39:00.001-07:00

Well not much more. Basically this past weekend my man Mr. Cree got married so my boy Scavone and his wife Astra came to visit, and well, I just haven't found time to blog in a good week. Which isn't doing you, me, or anybody else any good. So I'ma get to it.

Last week IT WENT DOWN! The Red Bull Big Tune Producers Battle returned to Houston and it was like last year only even better. The night was just straight up magical man. Everyone brought their A Game and in the end, Houston's Sound Mob reigned supreme. I'm still pulling hard for Picnictyme, cuz the boy on another planet and shit, but man, Sound Mob is REAL!

Anyway, the night before the battle, everyone got together at the Cotton Exchange, my man KB's place for drinks and appetizers and to take photos and get the run down of how the event was about to go down.

Picnictyme and S-1 came down to represent for Dallas and pretty much killed it. I think sound issues affected S-1's early showing. And well, I think Picnic was affected by not being on the home (Houston) team. He had the crowd FLIPPING OUT, but in the end, only maybe 20 people in the crowd of 900 really knew who he was. So odds were stacked against him.
But whatever, not for nothing, every producer on that stage is making moves. I'm proud of my people in my state!

The ARE won last year. You probably know him best from his work with the K-Otix. Seen here with Cozmos, who also did beats for K-Otix, and was also maybe a little affected by early sound issues. Dude is a beast on them beats.

The Are with organizers J. Moore and Jake One. Super dudes who I have to give big thanks to for creating this event AND bringing it to Houston two years in a row.

T-Gray held it down on the tables during the pre-event.

The ladies of Red Bull. MY PEOPLE!

T-Gray was DJing outside the event on the huge Red Bull TANK of sorts, seen here greating Baby Jae of the Krackernuttz.

Cozmos and Baby Jae outside the event

Michael Watts of the Swisha House was our featured DJ, he opened up the night with nothing but new, underground Houston bangers. And Mr. Lee was our featured producer for the evening. He produced MANY Houston bangers, and more.

Picnictyme once again!

Marcus, another organizer who I gotta give it up to!
(PS Send me a new GOODS hat. I been wearing this one for 365 daze and shit)

Fiyah and freind. Fiyah did a lil beat box during Willie D's set and KILLED IT!

Where's tyhe YouTube of Willie D's set? Also, how many y'all mothafuckaz voted for Hillary Clinton? Man I bet that bitch mad than a mothafucka.

You don't have to understand that right there.

Desiac!

EQ came in second. She's off the chain as well!

Giselle and super producer MIKE DEAN!

Kay of the Foundation! I gotta hip you to this dudes skatboard he has out with Cipher. Also pick up his project he just did with Nicolay from Holland. Straight bangers.

DeeRail

DJ Domo and Willie D. Y'all gonna see the Geto Boys at Warehouse Live Friday or what?

LIZ and YVONNE! WHUT IT DEW!

G-DASH!!!!!!

Lil Young is the newest signee to the Swisha House. RECOGNIZE!

BIG WATTS!

Legendary K-O!

Kiara

Super Producers in the hizzy - Domo and Mr. Lee

Willie D and them folks!

B-Boy!

Mic of K-Otix and his lovely wife

Mr. Lee and my bro Lil J da Mex Connect!

GANGSTA RAP LEGENDS! Mr. Mike and E-Rock of the 5th Ward Boyz. If this was a baseball card in a set it'd be #0001

Nelson!

Perseph1 and Kam are MY PEOPLE! Kam is the best in the street promo game out there. Holler if you need someone in the streets of the H and I'll hook you up.

I don't be cuffin'.

T. Piper!

Prodigy!

Ricky Baby held it down for Mr. Lee during his segment making sure everyone in the house knew exactly who they were hearing.

Smoo-G got the footage!

Anyway it was a magnanimous event. Youtube links after these:

WORD TO CHRIS AND ANNABELL EDWARDS! Finally tied the know. I have known Chris, aka Crop Diggy aka Mr. Cree since Andre Walker introduced us in 1991. He was in a group called Sociopath Left, and early Austin institution. Wild, underground, avant garde, weird, boom bap hip hop from early 90's Texas! We ended up living together in Brooklyn for most of 1994, where we met Scavone...

Seen between us in this pic right here. Was nice to all reunite.

Anyway, it's official; now. Check out some of the videos from the BIG TUNE big night, and if anyone has video of Willie D's set I NEEEEEEEEED IT!

PEACE!

Red Bull Big Tune Competitors Just Announced!

2008-06-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here's the list of 12 finalists! Who will win???

I ain't gonna play favorites

(but my money is on Picnic)

.

Drewski
Lab Ox
S1
Sound Mob
Chinky P
Picnic
T Ward
Anwar Mack
Neon Collars
EQ
Desiac
Mr. Rogers

See y'all tomorrow at VENUE! Flyer below.

Red Bull Big Tune Is Uppppoooonnn Us!

2008-06-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

I'ts 'bout to go down in that H-Town this week, knowmtalmbout?

First off check out this video. Local Austin band SPIN ALLEY covering UGK's "One Day" at Momo's in tribute to Pimp C.

What's dope about this to me, is this video shows you just how far and wide Pimp C and Bun B and UGK as a musical entity and a movement touched so many people. Their impact is immeasurable man. Seriously, if you know like I know, you know that UGK was one of the most important groups in rap for reasons deeper than them just making some dope rap songs.

Anyway, enjoy that.

And Tuesday afternoon if yer in Houston be sure and come by Urban Zone in Sharpstown Mall for THIS!

And then Wednesday Night You already know!

Texas Producers Should Get In On This!!!RED BULL BIG TUNE PART 2 IN HOUSTON NEXT WEEK!!!!!

2008-06-17T12:31:00.001-07:00

RED BULL BIG TUNE HITS HOUSTON
--Houston Music Producers Battle for Red Bull Big Tune Title --

WHO: Battle-ready producers, beatsmiths, and sound-architects from Houston who have original music, talent and desire to take their passion to the next level. Featured producer Mr. Lee and featured emcee Willie D of the Geto Boys and special guest DJ Michael Watts of Swisha House will get the evening started.

WHAT: The city will be bouncing to fresh beats when the premiere music producer battle known as Red Bull Big Tune hits Houston this month with a beatsmith battle royale. Houston marks the third stop in a series of eight regional beat competitions designed to find the most talented U.S. producer with the next big tune. Twelve beatsmiths will be called to battle at each regional qualifier. Other regional battles will be hosted in Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, Calif. The top 2 producers from each city will square-off in December 2008 at the Red Bull Big Tune National Championships in New York City.

The winner of the finals receives custom studio equipment and an opportunity to collaborate with a recording artist of his/her choice in the prestigious Red Bull Studios/ Santa Monica, Calif. Last year’s Red Bull Big Tune winner opted to work with Young Buck. Other artists available for collaboration were Redman and Talib Kweli.

HOW: Red Bull Big Tune is open to emerging and established music producers regardless of genre. Interested producers can apply online at www.redbullbigtune.com. Check website for deadlines, updates and videos from last year.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 25, 2008, doors at 8:30 PM.

WHERE: Venue, 719 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002

ADMISSION: RSVP at www.redbullbigtune.com

WHY: Big Tune began as the brainchild of DJ/producer/emcee—Vitamin D and Hip Hop visionary/event producer –Jonathan Moore, in 2004 with the purpose of bringing emerging and established talent to the forefront. After three years of hosting thriving local battles in Seattle, they forged a creative partnership with Red Bull and the event evolved beyond a beat battle into a dynamic national producer program.

EDUCATION: TUESDAY June 24, 2008
3 pm - 5 pm, The Urban Zone (Sharpstown Center), 7500 Bellaire, Ste 922, 2nd Fl. Houston, TX 77036

The Red Bull Big Tune team will be conducting a musical education outreach program to educate future beat makers on the business and creation of music.

Ready Red and Johnny C in NYC!

2008-06-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

Man it REALLY went down this past week in NYC! Firstly I went out there last Friday with my wife Melissa and we mostly walked around and drank and shopped for the kids and sat on Astra's roof (more on said roof in a sec) drinking. It was pretty much what we neeeeeeded. For real.

Then Sunday I went to Jersey for Hot 97 Summer Jam but they were trippin' on my camera so I just kind of milled around the area talking with "industry peeps" and such. Working on SXSW '09 already and such. It's bout to go down.

Anyway, seen here is DJ Ready Red, myself and Prince Johnny C. Crazy thing is, this is the "best" photo we took together. Oh well, my camera is quite complicated. And such.

For those who don't know. Johnny C and Ready Red both moved to Houston from New Jersey and worked with Rap-A-Lot Records when it was just starting out. The two of them along with a few other folks became the original Ghetto Boys, and if you know your history you know that the Ghetto (nee Geto) Boys were pretty much put together like a boy band from the hood. Only instead of being some slick, polished pretty boys, these fools broke boundaries and changed the whole rap game. Especially the independent rap industry.

Anyway, there were a lot of "Ghetto/Geto Boys" to be real with you. But check the album Making Trouble and the early 12"'s and you'll see these dudes. Johnny C even put out a highly slept on solo record on Rap-A-Lot. I moved to Houston full time in 1989 and pretty much after a month or two of hearing extremely hype commercials on the radio for big rap shows and clubs in neighborhoods people wouldn't go with me to, I started setting off on my own to see groups like the Ghetto Boys, Too Much Trouble, King Tee, Monie Love, Redhead Kingpin, Too Short, Spice One, um Brand Nubian up in that Palladium, um, Shabba Ranks, a whole lot of folks were coming thru the hood clubs in Houston back then. Even my "black friends" (not that I had many friends of any race at that point) would not go with me to these shows, they'd tell me I was trippin'. But fuck that, I went all the time. Sometimes I'd go for an early punk rock show at the Axiom and head out to the north side to see some rap. The um, "urban" clubs back then - like today - never started their shows before 2 a.m. So it was generally not a problem. I'd go to all this shit by myself, and would generally just stand around and see if I could talk to one of the artists or DJ's or whatever and assault them with a barrage of nerdy questions like all good 17 year old boys who like music too much tend to do.

Anyway, my point is, I used to see the Ghetto Boys all the time. Like 20 times. And I met them on a few occasions. This was post Johnny C Ghetto Boys, but I saw his solo shows and whenever I'd see Ready Red or Johnny C someplace I'd say hello to them and they'd always be cordial and stop to talk to the lil white nerd in an army jacket. Or bad shorts.

Anyway, Face and Willie D would just look at me funny, and Bushwick Bill would say hello and be nice about 40% of the time. But Red and Johnny C were always real cool. So imagine how excited I was to see that Ready Red was back in Trenton and willing to not only come to my party at Sway (first one in over a year!) and not solo, but with Johnny C. That shit had me AMPED!

Red has two broken fingers so he didn't get on the decks, but he will sometime later this summer when he is healed and he and Johnny C promise to unleash some new music on the people! This is all very important.

Anyway here is Astra on her roof.

Where we spent quite a lot of time.

Queen Majesty joined us on said roof for an hour or so Sunday.

Then I left the roof Monday night and met said Queen at her East Village Radio Show. Every Monday night from 6 - 8 p.m.

Anyhow, the party went the fuck down. Great turn out, lots of good peeps, and well, we are gonna have to do this again.

DJ READY RED AND PRINCE JOHNNY C!

J-Zone came out to show some respect to the legends and get some autographs.

Rapid Ric of course killed it, as did Kunal M!

I fuckin' killed it too. I mean them bowling pin shaped Budwesiers is what I killed.

Ready Red and Peter Beste.

Scavone needs help. Help him.

My boy Seth and his duuuuudes.

Super Promoter Roxy Cottontail and First Lady of Sabbath in the Park MAGGI HORN!

Crystal Lee's aunt died so she had to come to NYC for the funeral. Quite somber and such, not the normal C-Lee. Anyway was good to have you thurr Crystal. RIP to yo aunt. Also please don't punch anyone at anymore of my events (she hit two people, oops).

LIN YEE!

Me and recent Houston to NYC transplant Spring.

Alex Richter and Josh Brockhausen

Tierney aka Beerney just moved to NYC on Monday! Somebody give her a job. I co-sign her on all accounts and such.

Crystal Lee and Lance Walker

Peter Beste

Sometimes I think I'm a good photographer, mostly when I am drunk and looking out a window. But I'm not, I'm just drunk and out of focus, which can be fun, but isn't gonna make me any monies. But whatever, I got love for that New York City Town.

Shit actually I thought I took more of these. Well here's one more, sort of, featuring my boy Mark Lowyns of Frank 151 and such. Up in Casa de Scavone.

O.K. So that was NYC. I'm now back in Austin, gonna head to Houston a couple times this month and possibly the DFW urrea. Come out June 25th for the next Red Bull Big Tune Producers Battle. More info to come but here's the flyers.

Deadline for producers to enter is Wednesday June 18. DO IT! Last year was off the fuckin' chain. Producers can enter and YOU can RSVP for FREE admission at www.redbullbigtune.com.

Also it's Holy Hip Hop Awards Time Again! Always a wonderful event. Turn yourself on to some new music you probably haven't heard yet cuz commercial radio hates God.

Anyway, what's next?

Big Week for Rappers Who's Names Start with "B!"First AustinSurreal Party in NYC THIS MONDAY!With DJ Ready Red & Prince Johnny C!

2008-05-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

That's right, DJ Ready Red and Prince Johnny C of the original Ghetto Boys!!!!

More in a minute.

Firstly BIG CONGRATULATIONS To BUN B! 2 Trill debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 and #1 on the Hip Hop or Urban or R&B Charts or whatever that is. Big Up's to the man. Only reason he was #2 is cuz 3 Doors Down had Walmart on Lock. FUCK WALMART THEY ARE NOT A RECORD STORE! Walmart is a tool for Satan. So fuck 'em. Bun B is #1.

He out sold them boys in Best Buy and Transworld and all that so fuck 'em in they pussy as Bun might say (though I know for a fact he wouldn't say it about them).

Also BAVU BLAKES IS FEATURED ON XXLMAG.COM! CLICK HERE TO PEEP IT OUT! Boy needs a real deal. It's time for some real representation. Anyway, I digress...

ALSO! This Monday night, we return to Screw York City and reunite with our sister Roxy Cottontail for the first AustinSurreal/Oxy Cottontail EVENT!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL SIZED VERSION OF THIS MASTERPIECE OF A FLYER!

I've been trying to get Ready Red to come out for a party for a while now, but he was living in the Bay Area. Now he's back in Jersey with his long time partner Prince Johnny C and they are working on some NEW MUSIC! Be the first to hear said new music on Monday Night and also groove to the sounds of DJ Rapid Ric, the homey Kunal M and DJ Readycee FROM HOUSTON! That's right, the man who now (and has for some time now) lives in the Bronx and does the hottest underground hip hop radio show in NYC is comin' down and comin' thru to rock for you on Monday. I used to have Readycee DJ at my spot the Hip Hop Coffee Shop. This was in 1991. Come down and check my man out.

Anyway it's going down at SWAY 305 Spring St. and I want to see you there. It's been a long time y'all.

Also here's these for reference...

Also the homies at ALLHIPHOP.COM did a wonderful piece on DJ Ready Red last week. PEEP IT OUT HERE! Hope to see all my AHH folks in NYC next week as well!

Parts 3 & 4 of our Drive through London with Dizzee Rascal!

2008-05-23T23:24:00.000-07:00

THERE IS SO MUCH TO BLOG ABOUT TONIGHT!

But I'm just gonna vlog...

Dizzee continues on his drive with us through East London...

And well...

Today Is The Day!BUN B DAY! Go Get 2 Trill RIGHT NOW!

2008-05-20T06:57:00.001-07:00

(cuz it could possibly be our only hope...)

MAYNE HOLD UP! Today is the day!

BUN B'S 2 TRILL IN STORES NOW!

I generally say support the independent retailer, and still say that and will always say that, but um, if you didn't know, Target has it for $9.98 today and I am pretty sure that the Target edition comes with a DVD that you can't get anywhere else. So I'ma go get me the disc there this morning, and possibly some slacks FOR THE EVENT TONIGHT!

HOUSTON ITS GOIN' DOWN!

Bar Rio - 6400 Richmond Ave. - BUN B'S TRILLIONAIRE RELEASE PARTY!

HOSTED BY LIL WAYNE!

Then tomorrow night WEDNESDAY MAY 21ST IN AUSTIN!!!!

BUN B LIVE AT EMO'S!

I gotta get on the road, go get that album and leave a comment here telling me what you think. I think it's the first rap album I have listened to more than 10 times in the past 3 years (yeah, yeah, yeah, I did what you did too. But I'ma buy it. For real. I'm 'bout to right now. Don't judge.)

BUN B LIVE IN AUSTIN WEDNESDAY2 Trill in Stores TuesdayThe AMPS Remix of "That's Gangsta!"I'll Post Houston Release Party Flyer Later

2008-05-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

Well the time hath come. It's here, it's leaked, though I'd recommend not downloading it and waiting for the full retail version, and it's about to take over the rap game.

Bun B's 2 TRILL!

I already told you "Get Cha Issue" is the best track. :If It Was Up To Me" is a close second, with "Keep It 100" rounding off the holy triumverate of jams. Pick it up Tuesday then AUSTIN come out Wednesday to meet the man at Music Mania, and see him live in concert at EMO'S!

Bun B at Emo's? YES EMO'S. On the main stage. 1,000 capacity. If you missed him at SXSW, you should not have this problem this time.

Ande check this out, my first jam with big name, national features:

DOWNLOAD "MATTSOREAL FEATURING BUN B, DJ KHALED AND RAPID RIC - REAL TALK PLAYAZ AND BALLAZ IN THE ATX JAM" NOW!

But seriously folks, THIS is what you need. An exclusive Remix of "That's Gangsta" by The Amps, to keep you jammin' till Tuesday. These boys are really on another level.

DOWNLOAD THE AMPS REMIX OF "THAT'S GANGSTA" HERE!

ARABIC RAP IS THE NEW JUMP OFF!

2008-05-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

MAYNE IT WENT DOWN! We also just moved into our Austin house, and are in the process of moving in and such, so I can't write now. Must sort things and sit in my new garage and wonder why I have so many cdrs with one rap song on them and somehow they followed me, they wouldn't just stay behind, or leave, or throw themselves out, no they ended up in boxes in my garage, along with every magazine I have read in the past ten years, also not sure why they made it. Also records. And VHS tapes. And such.

So yeah, full review forthcoming but suffice it to say, ARABIC RAP IS THE NEW JUMP OFF! At least the way Dam and Mohammad Al Farra do it. Word to them.

You don't understand the realness of the situation at hand.

Dred Skott are very important. Austin, get ready for the revolution.

Like I said, I PROMISE to write more.

Southbound is also the TRUTH! Very important to the Austin landscape and such.

Mohammad Al Farra live in Austin!

Joined on stage by Tamer of DAM to do a song about "Smoking Hookah." Which I am all in favor of.

Me doing the host thang thang. Photo courtesy of D tha Sandman

These boys WRECK!

Flows for days. You don't have to understand it, but you gotta respect it.

DJ RHYME!

Also courtesy of D tha Sandman. BUSTED!

Melissa and Richard Henry

D and James Dean

DRED SKOTT!

DRED SKOTT!

Rapid Ric wreckin'...

Richard Henry Drinking

Southbound and Dred Skott are the future.

On to Houston

Savvi of HISD hath crafted something wonderful in this HISD thang thang.

Equality is one of the best MC's in Houston. And I don't even know if he'd call himself an MC. He's the poet laureate of the whole region. Keep your eyes and ears opened and such. Mind too. All that.

BOY WRECKIN'!

I should have taken more pics of the ladies in the place at both events. But I was working and such. But Dam attracts an attractive crowd. There is no doubt about that shit right thurr real talk know'm sayin'.

WRECKIN'!

Trish aka Crooked Cricket done went and got the HD Footage. IMPORTANT!

BOYS KILLED IT TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW!

You really need to see these dudes.

Especially if you are a rapper. They can teach you a thing or two about flows, showmanship, respect, many things.

Me and my cousin Kassandra

Tish getting footage too! SEND ME PLEASE!

Monique and Friends

Hadeeel was the brains behind this entire operation! THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE A PART OF THIS HADEEL!

KB DA KIDNAPPA THE LEGEND PLUS THE PALESTINIAN LEGENDS! OMG OMG OMG!

I get real geeked out. Excuse me. But here's Jackie Salloum and Hadeel. Jackie made the film Slingshot Hip Hop which is also EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!

Wrecked.

The end of the night dance and such. Also very important.

IMPORTANT PEOPLE!

Serious I will write more later, must prepare house. IT'S GOIN' DOWN! Thanks to all who supported and more to come.

DAM on Radio in Houston NOW!

2008-05-07T13:50:00.001-07:00

Check it y'all, it's about to go down. The boys from DAM and PR have made it through customs and they are currently in Houston on the way to KPFT to do an interview on SOS Radio with ZIN (Original Damage Control).

Tune into www.kpft.org NOW to hear them between 4 and 5 p.m. Sometime. They will also be on Damage Control TONIGHT! So tune in there as well.

Then tomorrow night AUSTIN May 8th COME DOWN TO THE SCOOT INN on 4th and Navasota to see them Live!

Show will end at 11 p.m. and the party will move inside with DJ's Rapid Ric and Rhyme till 2 a.m. It's only $10 and you will see something you have never seen before in your life. Arabic hip hop from Palestine along with Austin's own Southbound and Dred Scott!

Please come down and tune into KPFT NOW!

Also read this interview with Mohammad Al-Farar of PR HERE

LIVE HIP HOP IN HOUSTON AND AUSTIN!FROM PALESTINE!!!!

2008-05-04T10:17:00.001-07:00

And it's serious. Check out these videos, and seriously, I don't normally beg people to come out to my shows, but this one means a lot to me. I need each one to teach one and spread the word about this magnanimous event. Austin on Thursday and Houston on Friday.

People keep talking about the resurgence of "conscious" hip hop, well, come get conscious. Party, learn something, support these brilliant artists / activists / humanitarians.

Show begins promptly at 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage at The Scoot Inn and goes till 11 p.m. After 11 p.m. DJ Rhyme and Rapid Ric will spin inside the Scoot Inn for an after party / meet and greet with the artists from Palestine.

Those of y'all who want to see Z-Ro on Thursday night can easily see both shows. You already know Z-Ro won't be on stage before 1 a.m. (I assume) soooooooo, you could presumably see two of the greatest rap shows you'll see all year, in one night, in one city. Seriously, if you are reading this and are in Austin or Houston or maybe within driving distance of either city, I really need you to come out and support.

Free Palestine: Born Here

Slingshot Hip Hop Trailer

Who's The Terrorist?

Han Bennink and Peter Brotzmann in Houston This Weekend!

2008-04-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

(I posted all this and more at AustinSurreal.com. Don't mean to neglect HoustonSoReal, but I haven't gone back in like 6 weeks now soooo, things happen. But I'll be in the big, big city this Sunday and Monday so come down to Diverseworks and check out one of the true greats - Han Bennink and another great - Peter Brotzmann - and lets kick it on down. Enjoy the videos.)

...See, I am a lil obsessed with this Dutch drummer named Han Bennink so I'm gonna check him out on Saturday in Austin at the Victory Grill and on Sunday in Houston at Diverseworks with Peter Brotzmann. Two improvisers who wreck fucking shop real talk noam talm bout?

Anyway, I wrote about Han on HoustonSoReal before and posted some pics I took of the Instant Composers Pool when they played Diverseworks a couple years back. I'll have a full report and photos next week. For now check out some of this YouTube footage and get familiar with what you just might see should you heed my advice and come out to one or both of the shows.

Like I said, I'm pretty obssessed. Han Bennink is my favorite musician. No lie.

Peter Brotzmann & Han Bennink (2006) - I bet they are even better now! Ha.

Solo at North Sea Jazz Festival

Solo live in Jimma, Ethiopia

Terrie Ex and Han Bennink Duo

"Solo"

The Ex in Ethipoia 2004

Misha Mengelberg & Han Bennink Duo - Improvisation

Here he plays blocks of cheese. Ah the Dutch!

Part Twee

Here he proves that he is an unparalleled master of rhythm. PEEP THE CLOGS! Ah the Dutch.

ICP Orchestra - 'Criss Cross' (Monk)

Anyway get on his level, I will see you there.

Peter Brötzmann / Han Bennink Duo

Legendary free music duo in a rare Texas appearance.

When:
Saturday Apr 26, 2008
at 8:00 PM

Where::

Victory Grill
1104 E. 11th St.
Austin, Texas 78702

$15 Advance tickets available now @ End of An Ear and Waterloo Records.
$18 @ door

(512) 462-6008 for ticket info
--------------------------------------
When: Sunday, April 27, 2008
8 pm

Where: DiverseWorks (map)
1117 E. Freeway, Houston, Texas 77002

Tickets: $13 general admission / $10 for students; everyone under 18 gets in for free

Peter Brotzmann (Germany) - saxophones, clarinets
Han Bennink (Holland) - drums, percussion

Big Pimpin' In Houston!

2008-04-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

Might bring a tear to your eyes, but do not sleep on this.

Oh what a feeling.

DAM! Hip Hop From Palestine Coming to Houston and Austin!May 8 & 9

2008-04-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all,

Sorry for the mass email but I need to reach out to ALL of you with the quickness. I have a huge and very special event coming to Austin and Houston May 8th and 9th and I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP GETTING THE WORD OUT! I wouldn't stress if I were just doing a normal rap show, but this is some crazy shit.

I, in association with Hadeel Assali and the good folks at the Palestinian Film Festival, am bringing the PALESTINIAN HIP HOP GROUP - DAM - for their first shows ever in Texas. I know they were at Sundance for the premier of SLINGSHOT HIP HOP - an incredible film about hip-hop in Palestine (and much more!) - but I don't know if they performed. I know M1 of dead prez and Chamillionaire met up with them, and I also know that they are amazing, outspoken, radical and extremely important.

Anyway, if you can't think of an angle for a story about these dudes coming to your town for the first time, holler at me, lets brainstorm, but I need FEATURES! And you know I normally don't get pushy with my events, but everyone who is receiving this is a friend of mine in the media or in music and I need y'all to help get the word out (flights from Palestine to Texas AIN'T CHEAP!). We are taking a huge risk with this one.

Anyway here's the details:

Thursday May 8th - Austin, TX
Venue - The Scoot Inn (aka the new Liberty Lunch fuck what a hater say)
Doors at 7 p.m.
Show at 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. outside stage
DAM from PALESTINE, Southbound from Austin, TX, DJ Rhythm and MORE TBA!
11 p.m. - 2 a.m. - After Party Meet and Greet with DAM - DJ Rapid Ric and DJ Rhythm on the tables.

Friday May 9th - Houston, TX - In Association with the Palestinian Film Festival
Venue - Warehouse Live Studio
Doors at 10:30 p.m. Show at 11:00 p.m. (There's an event earlier in the night)
DAM from PALESTINE, DJ Rhythm and special surprise guests TBA

Then they head off to San Francisco, New York and Toronto - BUT TEXAS GETS THEM FIRST!

Seriously, this event means a lot to me. I wouldn't do it if it didn't. I REALLY need your help in the press, we need radio interviews if possible in advance on the phone. I need you to forward this email to people you may think be interested in this. I need to build a buzz cuz time is running out and well, I can't bring all these cats from Palestine to an empty house!

Any artists who could lend their time to maybe host, or possibly mention this show in some sort of interview would be very much appreciated as well. I personally feel as though it's very important that the kids in the streets over here start to learn about the kids in the streets in places like Palestine. I'm on a mission here to widen the scope of some of these young hip hoppers. And that is real.

Here's some info and links on the group, plus a photo you can use.

Website:
http://www.dampalestine.com

Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2390787321

Myspace page:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=25392149

The song that put them on the map:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqbDiN2uYcQ&mode=related&search=

PEACE and THANKS IN ADVANCE!

ALSO BE SURE AND SEE THE FILM SLINGSHOT HIP HOP! I MAY SHOW IT AGAIN BEFORE THE SHOW IN AUSTIN AND IT IS PLAYING AT THE PALESTINIAN FILM FEST IN HOUSTON!

The boy Witnes up to the New York Town for Obama!

2008-03-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

Gotham Obamans want you to Barack what your momma gave ya! Head to Sapphire Lounge on Wednesday, April 9 for the exclusive, first ever, muy caliente edition of Freedom Funk, a new Obama fundraiser that's sure to put the sheen in your fro and soul in your glow!

Fifteen dollars gets you past the bouncer and goes directly to Obama's campaign. DJ Morsy of Brooklyn's Nanachill will spin his signature blend of disco funk, while Witnes, back from his jaunt to Miami's Winter Music Conference, will get the dance floor nice with '60s soul grooves and stomping Motown beats.

We've also got drank—Bamakazee shots—that will sock it to ya all night long! Arrive early and we'll also treat you to two for one well drinks, 10-11pm.

Sound like a plan? Meet us there!

Can't make it? You can still help the Gotham Obamans reach their contribution goal.

Donate now at:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/GothamObamans

Remember to click on the meter!

Gotham Obamans present:
Freedom Funk Vol. 1

Where:
Sapphire Lounge in the Lower East Side
When:
April 9, 10-2/3am
Who:
DJ Morsy
Nanachill.com
Witnes
Quickwits.blogspot.com
Dress:
To impress.
Why:
To keep hope alive!

$15 MINIMUM donations taken at the door.
NO RSVP
21+ ONLY
Bamakazee shots all night!

NEW VIDEO FROM K-RINO!

2008-03-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

BECAUSE YOU NEED A LIL REALITY IN YO LIFE!

Reality Raps Finest kills it again. Word to Kris from Kinetic Cinematix!

Devin the Dude Special SXSW Appearance WEDNESDAY!

2008-03-12T00:03:00.000-07:00

With the Norwegian group RALPH MYERZ!

At Club PRAGUE.

Midnight on Congress Ave.

Look It Up.

Also there's a chance Kurupt will be in the house as well, but me personally, I can't confirm that. But Devin and Kurupt are on the Ralph Myerz song. Gonna be off the chain.

And then of course 1 a.m. - BUN B LIVE AT FUZE on Neches at 6th.

I'll be on Hot 93 in Austin Tonight with Deuce!Also Previews of some films I am excited about at the SXSW FILM FESTIVAL!

2008-03-05T04:58:00.001-08:00

Talking about SXSW and the events at hand!

Check this promo. DL It Now and Play it LOUD in the RIDE!

Yeah so I will be on Hot 93 tonight sometime between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. talking about SXSW, probably closer to 8 p.m. cuz I am old and tired and such.

Word to Deuce, he will be hosting some of the events at Fuze and it's goin' down next week and I need ALL of y'alls support. I look forward to seeing you in Austin!

-------------------------------------------------

Also this week, the SXSW FILM FESTIVAL Starts. You can see the entire schedule here. And below here's a few advance reviews I wrote about some films I am very excited about.

I highly recommend this one:

Don’t Get Me Wrong
DIR: Adina Pintilie
(Romanian with English Subtitles)

Sitting down to watch Don’t Get Me Wrong, a beautiful, slice of life film set in a Romanian Neuropsychiatric Hospital in 2006, one might be easily confused by its premise. And that might just be the point.

Director Adina Pintilie has stated that she went into the facility for eight days, without much of a plan other than to document some of the things she had read in the papers about the people who live behind the stark gray walls that extend seemingly up to Heaven for the people who exist within them, day in, day out, for the bulk of their lives.

What she left with is a story of love.

Not a love story in the traditional sense, there is nothing traditional about Don’t Get Me Wrong, but a love story that mirrors the foibles of the pursuits of love and success in our high octane modern world, with the simpler pursuits of a group of human beings who seem to get by just fine with almost nothing.

Pintilie observes, rather than follows, five patients through their daily lives, one of whom, named Ignat, has spent everyday for the past 40 years in the same spot, moving stones from one side of a plank to the other. The only thing that stops or bothers him is the rain.

Cut to a seemingly never ending conversation between a schizophrenic, obsessive, stair sweeping philosopher with a deep connection to God, and a man who claims to be the only person on Earth who God has given the power to stop the rain, and you begin to realize that the lesson to be learned with this film is much deeper than what appears on the surface.

While the characters in this film are often looked upon as outcasts, without much social worth, the reality may be that these misunderstood eccentrics have a better grasp on what life is really about than 9/10ths of modern society. They know how their actions affect their microcosm of the big picture and in doing what they do, day in, day out, they keep a certain sort of peace for themselves and all who surround them. They find freedom in their confinement, while much of the “free” world works hard to confine themselves. (Matt Sonzala)

Couldn't find an embed link for the Trailer but you can see the trailer HERE.

And this one is a real eye opener as well. The message mathces the strength of the music. Serious, if you make music, see this one and learn something about what it is that you do...

The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee “Scratch” Perry
DIR: Ethan Higbee, Adam Bhala Lough
95 MIN 2008

In the opening scene of this thoughtful documentary on one of reggae music’s earliest innovators and creators, a lone Jamaican Television presenter dressed in a sharp 3-piece suit, stares deeply into the camera and calmly says to his audience, “I’d like you to meet a genius.” He then goes on to laud the accomplishments of his upcoming mystery guest, dropping names of some of the artists he produced in his earliest days – the broadcast is from the late 60’s – and concludes with the statement, “He’s not only a record producer, he’s a songwriter, a poet, a musician, a video expert, and overall, a Rastaman.”

Quick cut to an example of his video/poetic work and you see a shirtless Perry, spinning around in circles outside his Jamaican home, in plaid short, shorts with oversized sunglasses covering his marijuana reddened eyes, and a kufi over his unkempt locks. He is chanting the praises of Jah Rastafari in a language only the deepest Rasta could possibly understand, while flailing his arms and gyrating manically, like a man possessed.

He seems crazy, but as the film progresses, you realize that Lee Perry was never possessed by any sort of devil, not in the traditional sense anyway. But his soul was obviously overtaken by the spirit of rhythm, as his every word, movement and nuance is punctuated by an irrational cadence, wholly unique to him.

A mystery to most of his fans for the bulk of his career, Perry brought reggae music to the masses by providing off kilter rhythms to such greats as Bob Marley, Junior Murvin and Max Romeo, to name but a few. His colorful and creative existence was the subject of many rumors and tales, both wholly true and oft-times understated. This film offers a tell-all explanation of one of music’s most colorful and genre splitting, pace setters, told mostly from his own mouth.

With the wisdom of an elder who saw a genre of music progress from birth to present times, his musical revelations are nothing short of revolutionary, and as the film comes to a close, if you still don’t quite understand the man behind the music, you’ll surely have gained a better understanding of the music that made the man. And helped shape a deep, cultural, renaissance. (Matt Sonzala)

And then of course there's this, which I had been waiting to see for some time. Don't miss out. You have not see this side of Iraq.

Heavy Metal In Baghdad
DIR: Eddy Moretti, Suroosh Alvi
84 MIN 2007

Given what we have seen on the news and been told for many years about Iraq and its neighbors in the Middle East, quite possibly the last thing one might think about coming out of the war torn, heavily religious region could be heavy metal music.

Heavy Metal in Baghdad not only follows the Iraqi heavy metal band Acrassicauda – Latin for “black scorpion” - from the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 to the present day, it gives its viewers an inside look at the human side of modern Iraq. A place where average, everyday people live, work, and try to survive in their war torn world.

Acrassicauda is a four piece band, not unlike any four piece metal band from any town on this side of the world. They play the same riffs, wear the same clothes and want the same things as their worldwide contemporaries. But due to cultural differences and religious standards, they are not fully free to practice and produce their art. Even worse, chicks don’t come out to their gigs!

Bombs drop, gun shots ring out, Military Police question and detain the artists and film makers involved, but still they persist, and from a magnificent struggle comes a dynamic film that delivers a slice of life no other film has produced before it.

The film takes you from the bands peak, just after the toppling of Sadaam Hussein, to three years later when they are living in exile in Syria. The directors – better known as two of the main editors of Vice Magazine – take time out to examine the nuances of the city that produced their subjects, and give a truly well rounded vision of what life in Iraq is really like, through the eyes of its average citizens. It’s nothing like what you have seen on Fox News, but it sure ain’t the Sunset Strip. (Matt Sonzala)

Anyway, go see some films. Celebrate great art for the next couple weeks in Austin, TX. Cuz it's really goin' down...

P.S. I don't think that SXSW Selected this next clip but it is hands down my favorite short film of all time. It says so much in such little time. Sums up EVERYTHING!

BRILLIANT! Now back to work...

March 12-16Just be in AustinCuz It's Goin' Down

2008-03-01T23:54:00.000-08:00

Man seriously, if you're not in Austin in these next couple of weeks, you're missing out. We got more hip hop music, more hip hop press, more hip hop industry, more hip hop presence than ever this year. It's growing and growing and growing and growing and such... And I'm stoked. March 12th, we ready.

Anyway what follows is the schedule for hip hop and things that I may have had a hand in. I didn't book all the hip hop, some came in via agents and sponsors and my dudes up to the job reeled all that in, but this year, it's exponentially goin' down.

Wednesday March 12th

SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center - 500 E Cesar Chavez St.
5:30 p.m. - Saul Williams (Los Angeles, CA)
2:30 p.m. - Mala Rodriguez (Cadiz, Spain)
12:00 noon - Bisc 1 (Queens, NY)

Fuze – 505 Neches St.
1:15 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Bun B (Port Arthur, TX)
1:00 a.m. – 1:15 a.m. - MDDL FNGZ (Houston, TX)
Cory Mo (Houston, TX)
12:45 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. – Vicious (Lake Charles, LA)
12:30 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Hezeleo & Big Bubb (Port Arthur, TX)
12:10 a.m. – 12:25 a.m. XVII (Pass Christian, MS)
11:50 p.m. – 12:05 a.m. - B Do & T.O.E. (Port Arthur, TX)
11:30 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. - Bankroll Jones (Houston, TX)
----------
11:00 p.m. – 11:20 p.m. - Chalie Boy (Hearne/Calvert, TX)
10:30 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. - Gerald G (Austin, TX)
10:00 p.m. – 10:20 p.m. - Public Offenders (Austin, TX)
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. – Slykat (San Antonio, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Circle G’z (Houston, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – DJ Rapid Ric (Austin, TX)

Habana Backyard – 708 E. 6th St. - Stones Throw/Duck Down
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – Buckshot (Brooklyn, NY)
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Sean Price (Brooklyn, NY)
11:40 p.m. – 12:10 p.m. - Guilty Simpson (Detroit, MI)
11:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. - Percee P (Bronx, NY)
10:15 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. - Kidz In The Hall (Chicago, IL)
9:45 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. - DJ Rhettmatic (Long Beach, CA)
9:00 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. - DJ Chicken George (Austin, TX)

Molotov – 719 W. 6th St. – SXSW SOUL Presented by The Bloom Effect/Smooth
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – HEAVy (Queens, NY)
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - Karina Nistal (Houston, TX)
11:00 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - IB3 (Houston, TX)
10:25 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. - The Bamaz (Montgomery, AL)
10:05 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. - Lady Lux (Houston, TX)
9:20 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. – Jennifer Johns (Oakland, CA)
8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Choklate (Seattle, WA)

Thursday March 13th

SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center - 500 E Cesar Chavez St.
4:40 p.m. - Cool Kids (Chicago, IL)
3:30 p.m. - Murs (Los Angeles, CA)
3:00 p.m. - Billy Bragg (London, UK)
2:30 p.m. - Cadence Weapon (Edmonton, AB)

Auditorium Shores Stage at Lady Bird Lake
7:00 p.m. - Del the Funky Homosapien (Oakland, CA)
6:00 p.m. - Grupo Fantasma (Austin, TX)

18th Floor at Hilton Garden Inn - 500 N IH 35
8:00 p.m. - Rufus Cappadocia (New York, NY - Fonkiest cello player ever)

Barcelona - 209 E 6th St.
11:10 p.m. - Diplo (Philadelphia, PA)
8:00 p.m. - Shepherd Fairey (Los Angeles, CA

Beauty Bar - 617 E 7th St.
9:00 p.m. - Juiceboxxx/Roxy Cottontail (Detroit/NY)

Buffalo Billiards - 201 E 6th St.
12:30 a.m. - Tommy Guerrero (San Francisco, CA)
11:45 p.m. - Curumin (Sao Paolo, Brazil)
10:45 p.m. - Money Mark (Los Angeles, CA)
10:00 p.m. - Pigeon John (Los Angeles, CA)
9:25 p.m. - Taylor McFerrin (Brooklyn, NY)
8:45 p.m. - Dokkebi Q (Ainu Tribe, Japan)
8:00 p.m. - DJ Jester the Filipino Fist (San Antonio, TX)

Elysium - 705 Red River St.
12:30 a.m. - Ghislain Poirer (Montreal, QC)
9:30 p.m. - Yppah (Houston, TX)

Flamingo Cantina - 515 E 6th St.
1:00 a.m. - Mala Rodriguez (Cadiz, Spain)

Fuze – 505 Neches St.
1:15 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – M1 of Dead Prez (Brooklyn, NY)
12:40 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Ryno and Slim Gutta (Austin, TX)
12:15 a.m. – 12:35 a.m. – Drojo (Corpus Christi, TX)
11:45 p.m. – 12:05 a.m. - SouthBound (Austin, TX)
--------
International Hip Hop
11:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Akala (London, UK)
10:20 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. – Killa Kela (London, UK)
9:50 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. – Lars Vaular (Bergen, Norway)
9:20 p.m. – 9:40 p.m. – A-Laget (Bergen, Norway)
8:45 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. – Dok Holiday (Austin, TX)
8:15 p.m. – 8:40 p.m. – PLA (Austin, TX)

Karma – 119 W. 8th St. – DJ’s Who Kill It
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Skratch Bastid (Montreal, QC)
12:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Smalltown DJ’s (Calgary, AB)
11:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Witnes (Houston, TX)
10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. - Four Color Zack & Pretty Titty (Seattle, WA)
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Squincy Jones (Houston, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – NaNaChill (Houston, TX)

Momo's - 618 W 6th St. - All Music Is World Music
1:00 a.m. - Marcelo D2 (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Prague – 422 B Congress Ave.
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - J-Davey (Los Angeles, CA)
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - Aloe Blacc (Los Angeles, CA)
11:00 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - Yahzarah – Purple St. James (New York, NY)
10:00 p.m. – 10:40 p.m. – Neckbone (Austin, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:40 p.m. – Kam (Houston, TX)

Scoot Inn – 1308 E. 4th St. – Def Jux
1:15 - 2:00 - Dizzee Rascal (London, UK)
1:00 - 1:10 - Newham Generals (London, UK)
12:45- 12:55 – Jammer (London, UK)
11:45 - 12:30 - El-P (New York, NY)
10:45 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Del the Funkee Homosapien (Oakland, CA)
9:50 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Devin the Dude & The Coughee Brothaz (Houston, TX)
9:00 - 9:40 – Bisc1 (New York, NY)
8:15- 8:40 – Perseph1 (Houston, TX)

Tap Room – 117 W. 4th St. – Houston Press Presents
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Million Year Dance (Houston, TX)
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - Peekaboo Theory (Houston, TX)
11:00 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - Studemont Project (Houston, TX)
10:00 p.m. – 10:40 p.m. - The Tontons (Houston, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:40 p.m. The Dimes (Houston, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 8:40 p.m. - Linus Pauling Quartet (Houston, TX)

Volume – 614 E. 6th St. – Kork Hip Hop
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Living Legends (Los Angeles, CA)
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Zion I (Oakland, CA)
11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Luckyiam (Los Angeles, CA)
--------
10:45 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. - C-Rayz Wallz & Kosha Dillz (Edison, NJ)
10:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Sleep (Portland, OR)
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. – Zeale 32 (Austin, TX)
9:05 p.m. – 9:25 p.m. – Phranchyze (Austin, TX)
8:40 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Nosaprise (Houston, TX)

Friday March 14th

SXSW Live at The Bat Bar - Austin Convention Center - 500 E Cesar Chavez St.
4:00 p.m. - Dizzee Rascal (London, UK)

Emo's Main Room - 603 Red River St.
1:00 a.m. - Clipse (Virginia Beach, VA)
12:00 a.m. - Kid Sister (Chicago, IL)
11:00 p.m. - Cool Kids (Chicago, IL)
10:00 p.m. - A-Trak (Montreal, QC)

Fuze – 505 Neches St.
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Chingo Bling (Houston, TX)
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Mr. Capone-E (Los Angeles, CA)
11:40 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. - Lil J da Mex Connect (Houston, TX)
11:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Lucky (Houston, TX)
10:30 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. - J. Kapone (Austin, TX)
10:10 p.m. – 10:25 p.m. – Jezufavio (Houston, TX)
9:40 – 10:00 p.m. – Coast (Houston, TX)
9:10 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. – Stunta (Houston, TX)
8:40 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. - Da C.O.D. (Austin, TX)
8:15 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. - Da Wetbacks (Houston, TX)

Karma - 119 W. 8th St. – AmsterDAMN! Night
10:00 p.m. – 10:40 p.m. – Adept (Groningen, Netherlands)
11:00 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - Aux Raus (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. – Postman (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - C-Mon & Kypski (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Molotov - 719 W. 6th St.
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – Sway (London, UK)
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - The Knux (New Orleans, LA)
11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. - Doujah Raze (Brooklyn, NY)
11:00 p.m. – 11:20 p.m. – Scavone (New York, NY)
10:20 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. - A-Alikes (New York, NY)
9:45 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. - Super Chron Flight Brothers (Brooklyn, NY)
9:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. – Doomtree (Minneapolis, MN)
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. - Thurogood Wordsmith (Houston, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. - Superstar DJ’s (& between acts) (Austin, TX)

Volume - 614 E. 6th St. – Strange Music
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Tech N9ne (Kansas City, KS)
12:45 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Krizz Kalico & Kutt Calhoun (Kansas City, KS)
12:30 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. – Prozak (Kansas City, KS)
12:15 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. - Skatterman & Snug Brim (Kansas City, KS)
11:15 p.m. – 11:55 p.m. Dirty Wormz (Austin, TX)
10:45 p.m. – 11:05 p.m. - KB da Kidnappa (Houston, TX)
10:05 p.m. – 10:35 p.m. - Mac Lethal (Kansas City, KS)
9:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Grayskul (Seattle, WA)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. – Intrinzik (Phoenix, AZ)
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. – The Kriminalz (Austin, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. - Dollaz N’ Since – DJ Grip, DJ Young Spinna, DJ Since (& between acts) (Austin, TX)

Wave - 408 E 6th St.
11:00 p.m. - PPT (Dallas, TX)

Saturday March 15th – Day Time

SXSW at the Carver Museum - 1165 Angelina St
512-974-4926
www.cityofaustin.org/carver

11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

11:00 a.m. – Film Screening – I Love Hip Hop In Morocco
1:00 p.m. – Film Screening – Sling Shot Hip Hop (Palestine)

3:00 p.m. – Performance – World Trade (Bavu Blakes & Element 7D) (Austin, TX)

3:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion

Hip-Hop, Politics & The Politics of the Music Business

Chuck D once called Hip-Hop “Black people’s CNN.” Is it still today? Do today’s rap artists feel as though their hands are tied when it comes to speaking on social issues? Is it only about the party in 2008? Does the music business actively try to stifle the potential message? Are politics relevant in music? Do you care?

Speakers:

David Banner – (Jackson, MS)
Salih Williams – (Austin, TX)
Chingo Bling – (Houston, TX)
Jean Grae – (Brooklyn, NY)
Tech N9ne – (Kansas City, KC)
M-1 of dead prez – (New York, NY)
Davey D – (Oakland, CA)
Soren Baker – Editor of Source Magazine – Moderator (Los Angeles, CA)

5:30 p.m. – Performance – Mookie Jones – son of Oran “Juice” Jones (Houston, TX)

Auditorium Shores Stage at Lady Bird Lake – Riverside Dr. & S. 1st
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.mish - Ice Cube (Los Angeles, CA)
7:00 pm. – 7:40 p.m. - Talib Kweli (Brooklyn, NY)
6:00 p.m. – 6:40 p.m. - Jean Grae (Brooklyn, NY)
5:30 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. – Strong Arm Steady (Los Angeles, CA)
4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. - Lyrics Born (Oakland, CA)

Saturday March 15th – Night Time

Austin Music Hall - 208 Nueces St.
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - David Banner (Jackson, MS)
12:30 a.m. – 12:50 a.m. - Rob G. (Houston, TX)
11:50 p.m. – 12:20 p.m. - Wale (Washington, DC)
11:15 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. - M1 of dead prez (Brooklyn, NY)
10:40 p.m. – 11:10 p.m. – Murs (Oakland, CA)
9:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Wiz Khalifa (Pittsburgh, PA)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Question (San Antonio, TX)
8:15 p.m. – 8:55 p.m. - Paper Route Records (Birmingham, Alabama)

Club DeVille
9:45 p.m. Ohmega Watts

Flamingo Cantina – 515 E. 6th St.
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – Rootz Underground (Jamaica)
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - Grimy Styles (Austin, TX)
11:00 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - Dokkebi Q (London, Korea, Japan)
10:00 p.m. – 10:40 p.m. - Cherine Anderson (Jamiaca)
9:00 p.m. – 9:40 p.m. – Katchafire (New Zealand)
8:00 p.m. – 8:40 p.m. – Mau Mau Chaplains (Austin, TX)
DJ QUEEN MAJESTY ALL NIGHT

Friends – 208 E. 6th St. – Flamin’ Hotz Night
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Scottie B (Baltimore, MD)
12:00 a.m. – 12:50 a.m. – Low B (Philadelphia, PA)
11:00 p.m. – 11:50 p.m. - White T’s White Belts (Philadelphia, PA)
10:10 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. - Curtis Vodka (Ankorage, AK)
9:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Todosantos (New York, NY)
8:40 p.m. - 9:20 p.m. - Cobra Krames (New York, NY)
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. - Bird Petersen (Austin, TX)

Fuze – 505 Neches St.
1:15 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Mr. Pookie & Mr. Lucci (Dallas, TX)
12:50 a.m. – 1:10 a.m. - Kottonmouf Jesse (Dallas, TX)
12:20 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - MC Fatal (Austin, TX)
11:50 p.m. – 12:10 a.m. – Grit Boys (Houston, TX)
11:20 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - Mr. Mike of South Circle (Corpus Christi, TX)
10:45 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. - K-Rino & South Park Coalition (Houston, TX)
10:30 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. - Klondike Kat (Houston, TX)
10:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. - Point Blank (Houston, TX)
10:00 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. -144 Elite (Houston, TX)
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. - Papa Chuk (Austin, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Basswood Lane (Austin, TX)
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. - Lumba (Dallas, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – DJ Wrecka (Waco, TX)

Light Bar – 408 Congress Ave.
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Lower Life Form (Houston, TX)
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - Black Mike & Chemistry (Austin, TX)
11:15 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. – Spear of the Nation (Oakland, CA)
10:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Megaphone (Boston, MA)
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. - D.O.S. (Austin, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Fat Tony & Dee Rail (Houston, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Flynn D (Austin, TX)

Ninety Proof – 333 E. 2nd St.
12:45 a.m. – 1:30 a.m. - Roxy Cottontail (New York, NY)
11:45 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. – V.I.P. (Philadelphia, PA)
10:45 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Lord T. & Eloise (Memphis, TN)
10:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Team Facelift (New York, NY)
9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. – Shina Rae (Houston, TX)
8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. - Terp 2 It (Austin, TX)
DJ’s?

Prague – 422 B Congress Ave.
1:10 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – Cunninlinguists (Lexington, KY)
12:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. – Grand Analog (Winnipeg, MB)
11:45 p.m. – 12:15 a.m. - Blue Scholars (Seattle, WA)
11:05 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Now On (Detroit, MI)
10:35 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Buff 1 (Detroit, MI)
10:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Scarub (Los Angeles, CA)
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. - H.I.S.D. (Houston, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Cap D. (Chicago, IL)
8:15 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. - Tee Double (Austin, TX)

Spiro's
8:00 p.m. - Astronautalis - DJing all night between sets (Jacksonville, FL)

Victorian Room at the Driskill – 604 Brazos St.
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Russell Taylor (New York, NY)
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Melissa Young (Atlanta, GA)
11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. - Miz Metro (New York, NY)
10:30 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. - Bavu Blakes & the Extra Plairs (Austin, TX)
9:40 p.m. – 10:10 p.m. – Maya Azucena (Brooklyn, NY)
8:50 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Renee Sebastian (San Francisco, CA)
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. - Rachel Brown (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

Vice
12:00 a.m. - Z-Trip

Volume - 614 E 6th St.
Fool's Gold/Matrix
1:00 a.m. - Chromeo (New York, NY)
12:00 a.m. - A-Trak (Montreal, QC)
11:20 p.m. - Kid Sister (Chicago, IL)
10:30 p.m. - Flosstradamus (Chicago, IL)
9:40 p.m. - Kid Cudi (Brooklyn, NY)
8:50 p.m. - Jokers of the Scene (Ottawa, ON)
8:00 p.m. - Nick Catchdubs (Brooklyn, NY)

Sunday March 16th

Emo’s Jr. – 603 Red River St.
DJ Jester (San Antonio, TX)
Team Facelift
Looptroop (Sweden)
Timbuktu (Sweden)
Chords (Sweden)

SXSW Show AnnouncementLegends of Texas Rap

2008-02-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

Fuze - Saturday March 15th - SXSW
1:15 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Mr. Pookie & Mr. Lucci & the Stoney Crook Family (Dallas, TX)
12:50 a.m. – 1:10 a.m. - Kottonmouth Jesse (Dallas, TX)
12:20 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - MC Fatal (Austin, TX)
11:50 p.m. – 12:10 a.m. – Grit Boys (Houston, TX)
11:20 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - Mr. Mike of South Circle (Corpus Christi, TX)
10:45 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. - K-Rino & South Park Coalition (Houston, TX)
10:30 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. - Klondike Kat (Houston, TX)
10:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. - Point Blank (Houston, TX)
10:00 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. -144 Elite (Houston, TX)
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. - Papa Chuk (Austin, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Basswood Lane (Austin, TX)
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. - Lumba (Dallas, TX)
DJ for the night - DJ Wrecka (Waco, TX)

Another Two Serious Announcements coming tomorrow when we get a couple things sorted. But David Banner, GZA, Wale, B.O.B., a lot more gonna fall into place.

Also Clipse Friday night Emo's at the Biz 3 Showcase. Kid Sister, A Trak, Cool Kids and more.

Also Chromeo, Flosstradamus, Catchdubs and more at the Fools Gold Showcase Saturday at Volume formely Visions formerly Caribbean Lights.

It's goin' down. March 12th - 16th. Austin, TX.

First Initial SXSW Hip Hop Line Up (Subject to Change)

2008-02-26T20:58:00.000-08:00

THERES WAY MORE TOO JUST WAIT I HAVE MORE! Fools Gold, Urb, lots of folks bringing that good this year...

This is not the final list. It's pretty complete but I have to add a lot of info like cities for a lot of these folks and some info and presenters and such. I'll also add addresses and all that to the next post and such, but for now take a look at this.

Also theres a couple more things in the works, and Saturday there's going to be two huge shows that I can't announce here. Yet. Not today but I'll change that and you'll have all the information at your disposal, but Saturday is going to be insane. Wait till you see. Anyway, here's where we are so far. Saturday night BIG shows about to be added.

Wednesday March 12th

Fuze – Bun B & The UGK Family Tribute to Pimp C
1:15 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Bun B (Port Arthur, TX)
1:00 a.m. – 1:15 a.m. - MDDL FNGZ (Houston, TX)
12:45 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Vicious
12:30 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Hezeleo & Big Bubb
12:10 a.m. – 12:25 a.m. 17
11:50 p.m. – 12:05 a.m. - Bido & Toe
11:30 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. - Bankroll Jones
----------
11:00 p.m. – 11:20 p.m. - Chalie Boy (Hearne/Calvert, TX)
10:30 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. - Gerald G (Austin, TX)
10:00 p.m. – 10:20 p.m. - Public Offenders (Austin, TX)
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. – Slykat (San Antonio, TX)
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Circle G’z (Houston, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and between sets – DJ Rapid Ric of Hot 93 (Austin, TX)

Habana Backyard – Stones Throw/Duck Down
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – Buckshot (Brooklyn, NY – Black Moon)
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Sean Price (Brooklyn, NY)
11:40 p.m. – 12:10 p.m. - Guilty Simpson
11:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. - Percee P
10:15 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. - Kidz In The Hall (Chicago, IL)
9:45 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. - Rhettmatic (Replaces J-Rocc)
9:00 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. - DJ Logic

Molotov – R&B – The Bloom Effect, Smooth, Music World
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - HEAVy
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - Karina Nistal (Houston, TX)
11:00 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. - IB3 (Houston, TX – Music World)
10:25 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. - The Bamaz (Birmingham, AL – Music World)
10:05 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. - Lady Lux (Houston, TX – Music World)
9:20 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. – Jennifer Johns
8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. - Choklate

Thursday March 13th

Buffalo Billiards
1:20 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - J-Davey
12:30 a.m. – 1:10 a.m. - Aloe Blacc
11:45 p.m. – 12:15 p.m. - Yazarah – Purple St. James
11:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Kam (Houston, TX)

Fuze
1:15 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – M-1 of Dead Prez
12:40 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Ryno and Slim Gutta (Austin, TX)
12:15 a.m. – 12:35 a.m. – Drojo (Corpus Christi, TX)
11:45 p.m. – 12:05 a.m. - South Bound (Austin, TX)
--------
International Hip Hop
11:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Akala (London, UK)
10:20 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. – Killa Kela (London, UK)
9:50 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. – Lars Vaular (Bergen, Norway)
9:20 p.m. – 9:40 p.m. – A-Laget (Bergen, Norway)
8:45 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. – Dok Holiday (Austin, TX)
8:15 p.m. – 8:40 p.m. – PLA (Austin, TX)
8:00 p.m. & Between Set DJ Kurupt of Hot 93

Karma
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Skratch Bastid (Montreal, Canada)
12:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Smalltown DJ’s
11:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Witnes (Houston, TX)
10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. - Fourcolor Zack and Pretty Titty (Seattle, WA)
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Squincy Jones (Houston, TX)
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – NaNaChill (Houston, TX)

Prague – Quannum
1:15 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. - Finale
12:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. - Tommy Guerrero
11:45 p.m. - 12:15 a.m. - Pigeon John
11:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. - Lifesavas
10:15 p.m. - 11:45 p.m. - Honeycut
9:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. - Curumin
8:45 p.m. - 9:15 p.m. - Bing Ji Ling
8:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - ApSci

Scoot Inn – Def Jux
1:15 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. - Dizzee Rascal (London, UK)
1:00 a.m. - 1:10 a.m. - Newham Generals (London, UK)
12:45 a.m. - 12:55 a.m. – Jammer (London, UK)
11:45 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. - El-P (Brooklyn, NY)
10:45 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Del the Funkee Homosapien (Oakland, CA)
9:50 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Devin the Dude & The Coughee Brothaz (Houston, TX)
9:00 p.m. - 9:40 p.m. – Bisc1 (NY)
8:20 p.m. - 8:50 p.m. – Perseph1 (Houston, TX)

Volume – Kork Hip Hop
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Living Legends
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Zion I
11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. - Luckyiam
--------
10:45 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. - C-Rayz Wallz & Kosha Dillz
10:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. - Sleep
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. – Zeale 32
9:05 p.m. – 9:25 p.m. – Phranchyze
8:40 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. - Nosaprise

Friday March 14th

Fuze
1:15 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Chingo Bling
12:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Mr. Capone-E
12:00 a.m. – 12:20 a.m. - Lil J da Mex Connect
11:30 p.m. – 11:50 p.m. - Lucky
11:00 p.m. – 11:20 p.m. – J. Kapone
10:40 p.m. – 10:55 p.m. - Jezufavio
10:20 p.m. – 10:35 p.m. - Stunta
10:00 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. - Coast
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. – Reyez
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. – Da C.O.D.

Molotov
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. – Sway (London, UK)
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - The Knux
11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. - Doujah Raze
11:00 p.m. – 11:20 p.m. - Scavone
10:20 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. - A-Alikes
9:45 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. - Super Chron Flight Brothers
9:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. - Doomtree
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. - Thurogood Wordsmith
DJ’s for the Night – Superstar DJ’s

Volume – Strange Music
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Tech N9ne
12:45 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Krizz Kalico & Kutt Calhoun
12:30 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Prozak
12:15 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. - Skatterman & Snug Brim
11:15 p.m. – 11:55 p.m. Dirty Wormz
10:45 p.m. – 11:05 p.m. - KB da Kidnappa
10:05 p.m. – 10:35 p.m. - Mac Lethal
9:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Grayskul
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Intrinzik
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. - ATX Kriminalz

Saturday March 15th

SXSW at the Carver Museum
1165 Angelina St
Austin, TX 78702
512-974-4926
www.cityofaustin.org/carver

11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

11:00 a.m. – Film Screening – I Love Hip Hop In Morocco
1:00 p.m. – Film Screening – Sling Shot Hip Hop (Palestine)

3:00 p.m. – Performance – World Trade (Bavu Blakes & Element 7D)

3:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion

Hip-Hop, Politics & The Politics of the Music Business

Chuck D once called Hip-Hop “Black people’s CNN.” Is it still today? Do today’s rap artists feel as though their hands are tied when it comes to speaking on social issues? Is it only about the party in 2008? Does the music business actively try to stifle the potential message? Are politics relevant in music? Do you care?

Speakers:

David Banner – Jackson, MS
Salih Williams – Austin, TX
Chingo Bling – Houston, TX
Jean Grae – Brooklyn, NY
Tech N9ne – Kansas City, KC
M-1 of dead prez New York, NY
Davey D – Oakland, CA
Soren Baker – Editor of Source Magazine - Moderator

5:30 p.m. – Performance –

Friends – Flamin’ Hotz Night
Scottie B
White T’s White Belts
Curtis Vodka
Todosantos
Cobra Krames
Bird Petersen

Lady Bird Lake Stage
4:00 p.m.

Ice Cube
Talib Kweli
Jean Grae
Strong Arm Steady
Lyrics Born

Light Bar
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Lower Life Form
12:00 a.m. – 12:40 a.m. - Black Mike & Chemistry
11:15 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. – Spear of the Nation
10:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. - Megaphone
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. - D.O.S.
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Fat Tony & Dee Rail

Ninety Proof
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Roxy Cottontail
12:00 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. – Team Facelift
11:00 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. – Lord T. & Eloise
10:15 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. – Josh Martinez
9:15 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Terp 2 It
8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Shina Rae

Prague
1:10 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Cunninlinguists
12:30 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. - Camp Lo
11:45 p.m. – 12:15 a.m. - Blue Scholars
11:05 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. – Now On
10:35 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Buff 1
10:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Scarub
9:30 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. - H.I.S.D.
9:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Cap D.
8:15 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. - Tee Double

Victorian Room at the Driskill
1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Russell Taylor
12:15 a.m. – 12:45 a.m. - Melissa Young
11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. - Miz Metro
10:30 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. - Bavu Blakes & the Extra Plairs
9:40 p.m. – 10:10 p.m. – Maya Azucena
8:50 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. - Renee Sebastian
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. - Rachel Brown

Sunday March 16th

Emo’s
DJ Jester (San Antonio, TX)
Looptroop (Sweden)
Timbuktu (Sweden)
Chords (Sweden)
+ MORE!!!!

Got Drank???

2008-02-23T07:49:00.001-08:00

Cuz I do...

It's the world's first anti-energy drink! Combining Rose Hips, Melatonin and Valerian Root with a great tasting beverage to um, well, create the world's first anti-energy drink.

I'm a lil scared, but not as scared as I am of the actual energy drinks. See, I need to "slow my roll," cuz I'm a total maniac inside. Energy drinks just jazz me the fuck up. It's also why I don't do cocaine (also, I'm not a squirrel).

Anyway, yeah I got that DRANK, what you need?

(P.S. Note the prescription bottle in the logo. The promo materials, which I will have on Monday, don't have the bottle on them.)

Art is Gangsta

2008-02-21T20:34:00.000-08:00

HOLY GUACAMOLE BATMAN IT WENT DOWN!

Couldn't really promote in advance on das blog, as it was an invite only affair, but man, big ups to Hawaii Mike and Jan Dizdarevik of Seed Gives Life and the good folks at Mountain Dew for throwing this lil soiree.

The party celebrated local graf legend, DEZ and his new Mountain Dew bottle design.

Which for some dumb reason I didn't get a photo of. But you'll get the idea as you scroll through.

Bun B hosted the event and as stated above IT WENT DOWN!

It's still UGK Fo' Life

Hezeleo and Mama Wes in the house! Such a sweet, sweet woman!

WHITE TIM!

Rob G and Theresa of SF2. Wait till you see Rob G at this years SXSW!

Crystal Lee in the place to be! Big thanks to her for helping connect some of the dots on this party.

Farrah from Envy Magazine!

Mike Frost with friend, Rob G. and Giselle of Shazaam Productions

Gina and Katy

G-Money!

Brandon Holley and Giselle

DENISE!!!!

B'nard and BP of the Street Pharmacy. Word to Bernard, he was ill for a couple months there but he's back in action, and all slim and trim and shit. GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK MY BRO!

Giselle and Cashton of Shazzam Productions!

Hezeleo

Ivan and Lil J da Mex Connect. Watch out for Lil J at SXSW as well!

Jan D!

Big Bryan!

The Ghost of Reko Trill

Keith and Brett

Melesa and Nayala

Me and Theresa!

The Queen holding court!

Bubba looking good as well, clean shaven and ready to WORK!

Xavier and Omar were in the house with them Strapped Condoms.

She held it down rather properly.

DJ Chill in the place!

MC Caption and Friend

International Red, Oakclif and Bun B

White Matt and White Tim

Bun B singing along to Street Military played by DJ Cipher

Bun B and KB da Kidnappa

Reverend Butter

Tray of Mojoe, David Anderson III and Me. DA is the MAN in Houston. Throws the best events.

Trucks new tattoo!

VG Skillz, Bun B, LA

V. Strill of Takeover TV

Dez and Bun admiring Dez's UGK Portrait

Bun B and BP

Bun B, KB

Dez and Bun

The party was off the freakin' chain.

Perseph1 and Mark Sound

Again.

Then after the event Crystal Lee and Perseph1 got in a rhyme battle with Bubba providing the beat box and hand claps.

I was about to fall over at this point, and may have. I'm not sure. That being said, I went home and forgot to put on the AC and woke up in a puddle of sweat. I always knew Houston was humid, but having lived in Austin for just over a month, it's very much so overtly noticable.

Anyway it was Awesome.

See you Monday at Brand Nubian, Houston...

RIP DozzielocalsoIs anyone crying for Chuck?

2008-02-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

Not me.

Bye Bye ya Bastard.

--------------------------------------

But many tears will be shed for this...

Um, yet another rapper death in Houston. Only this time it was a Korean American rapper dude from Portland who was in town promoting his music.

You can read the story here.

And check out the man's, Blu Crush aka Dozzieloc's MySpace Here.

It's a damn shame mayne. R.I.P. Dozzieloc. I didn't know much about dude, but it appears that he was really doing some things in his community and he had a lot of support in the Northwest. It's a damn shame mayne.

Story on CelebStoner.com

2008-02-15T06:55:00.001-08:00

My first piece on CelebStoner.com!

Word to Steve Bloom.

And yes I think it's a conspiracy. Or a cover up. Or well, let not pull any punches here, I think it's murder.

NYTimes Review of Bun B Show

2008-02-11T06:46:00.000-08:00

WORD TO KELEFA SANNEH ONCE AGAIN PROVING HIMSELF TO BE THE REALEST!

Click here to read his review of the Bun B Show.

I neglected to mention in my post below that my man - the man who set off all the media attention on Houston a few short years ago with HIS article on Houston rap (seriously I credit a lot of this shit to him, the world followed his lead in a major way and that's real) - came down and came through to Houston for the show.

How real is that?

We had some dinner, discussed the whole "drank scented air freshener" thang and other musical and non-musically related things about Houston. Had a few beers and then lost each other in the sea of people that was Warehouse Live on that particular night in that particular situation.

But man, The New York Times covering the real. Thank you for that.

And my man Shea Serrano is gonna get famous for his play by play concert review style on the Houston Press Blog.

Click here to read Shea's run down of the show.

He's pretty much killin' it right now.

My question is this though, there was so much press in the house, everyone had a fucking camera in the air. Where's all the photos? I haven't really seen anyone elses. Whaddup with that?

Oops click here to see Julia Beverly's photos from Ozone. Spoke to soon as per usual.

Here's some YouTube footage from Ematik

Suffice it to say, it went down.

IT WENT DOWN!Bun B Returns to the StageThe President of the South Done Showed How It's Done

2008-02-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

And real talk, the people really came out for him, and of course Pimp.

I ran out the back door at work round about 3:30 and hit the road to Houston. I expected the show to be big, but when I called Jeff Messina and he told me that the show had pre-sold more tickets than any hip-hop show ever at Warehouse Live, I knew shit was gonna get crazy.

Bun was in fine form. After short sets from a nice slice of the UGK Family - Cory Mo, MDDL FNGZ, Hezeleo, 17, etc - Bun B BLASTED onto a crowded stage and proceeded to rip through what seemed like every hit and feature he ever did in the past 15 years.

It's crazy cuz when you see the scene on stage (literally 250 people up there behind Bun) you'd think it would have been total chaos, but it wasn't. Everyone up there was there to hold down Bun, not just to be seen. Most of the folks up there were some of Houston's biggest and best artists, and I think every one of them got on the mic at one point or another.

The people really got their moneys worth. Trust.

Mama Wes - Pimp C's mother - was in the house. I can't imagine how she must feel, cuz while I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this show, one thing I kept thinking, and honestly getting a little angry about (I can't help this) was "Man, what if Pimp was up here on this stage too?"

It's still a mystery to me as to why UGK did so few shows. It's a moot point now and I am happy to say that I am one of the few people who got to see them multiple times. I should do a post someday about all the times I went to see UGK over the years. Like the time they played TSU in 1994 with Brand Nubian, The Odd Squad and Seeds of Soul. Or like when I went to see them in Baytown but the parking lot got shot up before the show could ever begin and I ended up ducking down the side of a bayou wall to keep out of range of all the bullets. That was probably 1993 or so.

Bandit of MDDL FNGZ

Know'm talm bout?

E Rock of the 5th Ward Boyz has a new project on the way, seen here with Z-RO!

ESG got up and freestyled and did Swang and Bang.

Slim Thug came out and killed it. They actually were a really great duo on that stage.

As evidenced by these photos

Kid Styles and GU

Chris Ward and Kyleon

Julia Beverly of Ozone Magazine in the house

Mike Jones came out and ripped it as well

Super photographer Jack Thompson in the house!

Zin and Melesa

Allison Pember - one of the founders of Flavor Magazine, now with Microsoft Zune. Is Bun B gonna teach you how to use your Zune Player? Stay tuned.

DEZ! Check this y'all. Dez - one of our local graf/design legends - designed a new bottle for Mountain Dew. Reception happening for the man Feb. 20th, location TBA.

But here's the info. No, this blog IS NOT brought to you by Mountain Dew, but I'm proud of the man so lets take this quick pause for his cause. You don't have to like it, but you gotta respect it. (It's like Pimp C is speaking through me now! I say that a lot these days.)

Honestly the commercial is pretty bad ass. Hats off to the man DEZ!

Now back to our program.

Brother J from X-CLAN WAS IN THE HOUSE! He's recording the new X-Clan album in Houston right now with my man Zin.

Gangsta Legends Willie D and Z-Ro

MDDL FNGZ!!!!

Oakclif gets the thowededed shirt award!

Who?

TJ Chapman

Wille D, C-Lean and Friends

MC Beauty

Mama and Big Monsta!

KB da Kidnappa

Beze!

ESG MAYNE!

Cory Mo and Friend

Hezeleo

J. Prince and his son with International Red in the back

KG Mosely and Friend

Coughee Brotha KB!

E-Rock and Jugg Mugg

Nore

This is a photo of Pimp C, DJ Screw and someone else. Can't see it all that well.

But I tried

And then these dudes

Stopped traffic.

Whew, what a night. The vibes were so right, the energy was electric, the sound was flawless, the flow was uninterrupted by any bullshit. It just went perfect and I hope Bun takes this show on the road. You should too.

Ever wonder why when Houston was at its peak there was never a Houston tour? I bet some of the big head motherfuckers who fucked that up two years ago would love to go do that now. Watch.

Anyway, Rest in Peace Pimp C. I don't personally believe the coroners report. I don't believe in Hollywood. I don't believe a lot of the shit that happens in this world. All I can say at this point is Rest in Peace Pimp, and Bun, I wanna watch you walk across that stage at the Grammy's tonight - hopefully early in the show so I don't have to watch all that other bullshit. But I already know how they do. Do they even show the rap award? I'll be watching.

Bun B Live in Houston FRIDAY!

2008-02-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

Real talk get your tickets in advance for this one.

It's imperative that we all show up and support the man Bun B on his first trek to the stage since the passing of Pimp C. I imagine that this can't be easy for the dude, and to be real with you man we all need to be there to show him how much his music and Pimp's music has meant to all of us.

I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.

Seriously Houston, and I don't know if any of the artists even look at this page anymore, but fact is I'ma call y'all out. Come have this mans back and celebrate the life of Pimp C and the future of Bun B and all the artists who Pimp held close.

Then Feb. 25th Get ready for BRAND NUBIAN live with Connie Price & the Keystones and my brother COSMO BAKER!

RSVP Site should be up later today at www.scion.com/livemetro

R.I.P. to Conrad O. Johnson - Leader of the Kashmere Stage Band

2008-02-06T11:03:00.001-08:00

OMG. I'm gonna freak out. I had heard tell of a special Kashmere Stage Band reunion in Houston this past weekend, but couldn't get (m)any solid details. Turns out it went down, was quite magical and then one day later, the man who brought this incredible band to the people in the 1970's, passed away. I don't know all the details but here's a press release Joe Gross just forwarded to me.

Conrad O. Johnson, bandleader of the Kashmere High School Stage Band from 1968-1978 and owner of Kram Records, the label that issued the Band’s legendary eight albums and three 7” singles of Texas jazz, funk and soul music, died in Houston February 3rd at 92 years of age.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

World-renowned Kashmere Stage Band reunited February 1st in Houston for the first time in over 30 years and played a tribute concert for their leader, the legendary Conrad "Prof" Johnson. Below is a letter from Egon Alapatt, owner of Now Again Records, the label responsible for the release of the Kashmere Stage Band Texas Thunder Soul 1968-1974.

FROM EGON ALAPATT OF NOW AGAIN:

He received one hell of a send off. On Friday, the Kashmere Stage Band reunited for a performance at the High School’s auditorium. Filmmaker Mark Landsman, who is producing and directing a documentary on the Band, worked with Johnson’s foundation and Kashmere High School to set off the event for his crew’s cameras. But the reason that the Band’s members, many of whom left the music field after their departure from Kashmere High, reunited and rehearsed, daily, for a month prior to the concert, was to give Johnson the respect he deserved and had fought for, for so long.

The Kashmere Stage Band’s story can be found here (link to the Now Again Section of Kashmere - http://www.stonesthrow.com/nowagain/kashmere/index.html). But in a nutshell, here it is: Johnson, known by those close to him simply as “Prof” took the reins of the Band in the late 1960s and worked with his charges to perfect the idiom that they understood most: funk. Heavy funk at that. By the time that the band recorded their third album, Thunder Soul, they were funking like a mini-JBs. And, by the time they won “Best Stage Band In The Nation” in 1972, they were funking as hard as the JBs themselves.

Yet the Band was relegated to the annals of funk lore, largely due to the fact that the records they released were so rare and, when a collector did get his hands on an original copy, he usually wanted to keep that power for his own ears. A few people did bootleg a song or two in the mid 90s, and, by 2000, the band’s name heated up then fledgling chat rooms when DJ Shadow sampled their namesake track “Kashmere” for the Handsome Boy’s Modeling School cut “Holy Calamity.” With Stones Throw, I reissued “Kashmere,” the first legitimate reissue of a Kashmere Stage Band track, on The Funky 16 Corners in 2001.

The band that performed on “Kashmere” as teenagers back in 1973, including Gerald Calhoun on bass, Earl Spiller on guitar, Bruce Middleton on tenor sax and the indomitable Craig Green on drums, performed the anthem and other Johnson-penned classics like “Zero Point” at the auditorium on Friday. It was a overwhelming to say the least. I’m not the kind of person easily impressed by a funk band, and I’m especially critical of those bands that played intensely in the late 60s and early 70s reuniting and performing as a shadow of their monstrous selves, but the Kashmere Stage Band funked like their lives depended on it. By the time they reached the climax on Bubbha Thomas’s modal jazz classic “All Praises To Allah,” and Craig Green rode the uptempo breakbeat like Clyde Stubblefield and Gerald Calhoun plucked those same staccato notes that danced along those same rhythms nearly forty years ago, I stood breathless.

After the event, I mentioned to Prof's son that there were still some Kashmere albums at Prof's house on Rosewood Drive that I needed to transfer, for the possibility of assembling a compilation of Kashmere's ballads. He told me that the family had moved Prof out of that house he'd lived in for nearly sixty years, and that he had moved all of Prof's records into a storage unit on the side of the house. I made my way over and sorted through everything on Saturday, becoming more inspired as I went through the stacks of vinyl. The man's recorded output with that stage band was just tremendous, and the fact that he had kept such meticulous archives of his music, well into his 90s, blew me away.

On Sunday, I drove out to Conrad Jr.'s house to catch up with Prof before leaving for Los Angeles. When I arrived, vinyl in hand for safe delivery, I sat and talked with Prof… we had one of the best talks we'd had in months: about the band, and how good they sounded ("Doggone! Man, could they have sounded any better?" he asked), about Bubbha Thomas and his Youthful Musicians Summer Program and the 45 that they released in the mid 70s - a cover of Prof's "Lost Love," about future performances of the band, and, of course, about future anthologies of the band's recordings. He was most excited about that. Smiling, laughing, and gently prodding me with the same types of questions he did over the first years of our musical courtship ("Look here man, how are you going to do it? With what songs? From where? With the reel to reels?") - and, of course, making sure his business was straight.

He was so thrilled, so happy, so with it... I left feeling uplifted. I hadn't just spoken with a sick man, a man recovering from the heart attack that had confined him to a hospital bed just days before. I had spoken with a peer - a man who was going to be with us forever - carefully stewarding the next steps of his legendary Band, the band whose legend seems to grow greater by the day.

In a way, he will be.

-Egon

Egon is selling original copies of some of the band’s LPs and 45s in order to help the Johnson family pay for Prof’s funeral expenses. If you’re interested – serious buyers only, as these records aren’t cheap – email egon @ stonesthrow . com, subject line “Kashmere Records.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Also R.I.P. To Tony Silver, director of the legendary film STYLE WARS.

See you at the Bun B show in Houston this Friday to celebrate our lives and the life of an incredibly important living artist.

Get a free Badge for SXSW MUSICIf yer not afraid to work

2008-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

peep the real...

Anyone still interested in volunteering for SXSW needs to log on to sxsw.com/volunteer and fill out the online application.

What I am looking for is people WHO LIVE IN THE AUSTIN AREA to work stage crew and anyone wanting to work stage crew can contact me (james@sxsw.com). If they want to volunteer but are interested in other volunteer positions besides stage crew they can email volintern@sxsw.com for available crews.

Stage crew volunteers are assigned to one of the SXSW Music Festival venues, and will work in the same venue each night. The stage crew assists performers in loading equipment on and off the stage during set changes; communicates pertinent information to artists, stage managers and staff; and surveys the venue for problems.

This position requires no specific knowledge - just patience and the willingness to work hard and have fun. A team-oriented attitude and the ability to work well with all types of people are essential. At minimum, two meetings will be required of each crew member prior to the festival. One meeting will be a walk-through of the assigned venue.

Thanks

If You Don't Come Out and Welcome Bun B Back to the Stage

2008-02-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

You hate hip-hop.

NEXT FRIDAY FEB. 8TH AT WAREHOUSE LIVE! HOUSTON, TX!

Check out this story on Bun B by Andrew Dansby.

THE SHOW IS FEB. 8TH AT WAREHOUSE LIVE!

Hope to see you thurr.

Rapid Ric and DJ Raze in New York Tonight!

2008-01-28T07:09:00.000-08:00

Man I wish I could go to this...

Pharoahe Monch Kilt Houston

2008-01-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

Yeah so I suppose I'll put the Houston stuff on HoustonSoReal and the Austin stuff on AustinSurreal, and I'll decide how to distribute the outta town stuff properly, democraticaly, meaning - equally, properly, the way they should be distributed, cuz this is America. I don't know.

Not sure when I'll be outside America again, but I did get outside of Austin this week, back to Houston, to check on the house and to check out Pharoahe Monch, live in concert with Orgonne and DJ 11. Presented for free by Scion. Lordy they've given us some nights.

I rode into town Wednesday night, crossing 1960 round about 10:30 p.m. and I realized what it is that I miss about Houston most. I miss being able to drive 80 miles per hour in a 60, with virtual immunity. I mean, shit, Houston is a freakin' speedway. It's NASCAR in comparison to Austin. I love Austin, don't get me wrong, but coming from Houston and trying to drive properly in Austin could put a man such as myself right over the edge.

In this Traffic Police State, you can't blame the people for taking it easy and slowing their roll (except when passing the death trap that is the on ramps of inner city I-35. They like to fly past those like Ice Bats Outta Hell), but I'll be damned if I wasn't tickled fuckin' pink, as I spied the first "GOD IS WATCHING YOU HEATHEN BASTARDS" billboard just inside the city limits (there's a lot of these in Houston), and then I look down at my speedometer and realize that man, I was going 80. People were whizzing past me. It was raining. I was in Houston.

Here in Austin, you can't go 80. People go 60 in 65's , they come to an almost complete stop before turning into a parking lot off a feeder road, and they sit at greenlights as if that light is gonna do something besides turn right the fuck back to red.

But you can't blame them. 5-0 is everywhere in this town. It's a pretty mellow place so I guess they have a lot of extra time to pull people over. I don't know man, I drive like a Grandpa here too, cuz everywhere I go I see somebody outside their car, shivering in the red and blue lights.

But Austin is pretty alright otherwise.

It was great however to get back to my city.

To get back to my Kroger.

To get back to my barber, Leonard Morgan, you might have seen him up in the GQ book.

And as always, it was fantastic to get back to Warehouse Live (BUN B FEB. 8TH???)

Pharoahe Monch is literally one of my favorite rappers. He's at the very least top 5, and he's pretty much Top 3. Bun B (UGK), Scarface (Geto Boys) and Pharoahe Monch (Organized Konfusion). That's who I really like to listen to.

Crowd was thick.

And Monch was dope, but his set was extremely short. Like way too short. Like I can't front, dudes set was ridiculously short for such a situation. Dude had Orgonne backing him and two of his own singers with him, and what he did give, he killed. He's an amazing lyricist who can bring it on stage. But I mean, it was really short.

In fairness he did say that the bulk of the folks on his bus got some sort of bug and his throat was hurting him. Pretty much everyone I know right now has some kind of shit, so I don't doubt him. Hoping Austin show tomorrow includes a couple Organized Konfusion classics.

Bubba proposed to Kam during "Desire." They getting married, real talk.

This dude shoulda pushed Monch to do "Releasing Hypnotical Gasses." Also "Agent Orange." In this day and time, where the hell was "Agent Orange?"

"The Extinction Agenda." Actually, where the hell was Prince Po? I know, I already know. But I'm an Organized Konfusion super fan and that's a break up I've never truly ever been able to accept. I also can't accept the death of Pimp C. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED PEOPLE? We know more about Heath Ledger in two days than we know about what happened to Pimp. What the fuck happened? Who's hiding what? What happened.

Sorry, I just still can't really accept it. Can't really accept most of the rapper deaths. Why can't WE ever get any answers?

Stacy, Kiara, Bubba and Heather B. Boy was already prowling ten minutes after he got engaged. Real talk.

S.I. Click!

MY PEOPLE!

After the show DJ 11 from The Rub held down the after party at THE FLAT. Dude killed it as well. I think, I was high out of my mind by that point.

But I'm pretty sure he did.

I think I was standing in front of the turntables raving it up when this was taken. I don't know. Don't fear the reaper.

But yeah man, I'm bi-city now. Rolling back and forth as usual. Nothings changed. For example, I’m sitting here, writing a blog, and thinking about how so much of the music business is just about faking people out. It's a hard realization to come to. I've ruined yet another night.

(P.S. Big ups to Nancy Byron. She brought me back the latest Sidewinder 7 CD + 1 DVD set from London. All this new Grime. I almost forgot about Grime. Then these 8 hours plus of dudes chatting over riddims from some of the top DJ's got me back listening. Also a long chat with Nick Cage (not the actor, the realest), about grime. It's still there, it didn't die. Dizzee Rascal, Newham Generals, Jammer all reppin' at SXSW in March, don't miss that shit. Also Akala and Killa Kela, for the deep um, heads who know things. Also Lars Vaular and Marcelo D2, and Tumi. Do your research (Googling), international hip-hop gonna be silly at SXSW this year. Also Mala Rodriguez. Bolz betta know! Also, is Pretty Todd remixing "Pussyole" and is it going to be on the domestic release of Math's & English via Def Jux? Did El-P remix "Where's the G's?" Can someone please tell me who's knockin', knockin' doors down?)

300 Skaters Bout to Look Real Throwed(P.S. HoustonSoReal Ain't Dead)

2008-01-19T07:42:00.000-08:00

I remember round about last year sometime when Bun B called me to ask what I thought about the idea of a U.G.K. Skateboard. He told me he had been kicking around the idea with the folks over at Dirty Ghetto Kids and I remember thinking that there really couldn't be a more perfect marriage. Ten years ago, the concept of a UGK skateboard would have sounded "mad funny yo." Simply because closed minded people could never imagine a UGK fan on a skateboard.

But open your eyes America cuz "shit is mad real" and not necessarily the way you might hath thunk it. Peep the real...

I used to kind of sort of skate. Never seriously cuz I was always tall and lanky (with a beer gut since I was like 12), and honestly the ground just looked so far away everytime I'd get up on the board. Maybe if I had one of these I would have been inspired to keep on. Maybe not. I wiped out A LOT.

But I mean, this shit is just next level. My 5 year old, Eva asked for a skateboard this Christmas, and I lobbyed against it. Maybe I'll get one of these and hold it for her till she's able to handle it.

Act fast though, 300 ain't a lot.

And if this is the shirt, I think I'ma start liking street wear again.

See You In Houston This Week!FREE Pharoahe Monch Show!

2008-01-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND GET IN FREE!

Seriously click the link above right now and get yer RSVP on. You already know the Scion concerts have been the hottest jump offs Houston has seen in years! They've brought you so many classic artists and this week they are bringing you one of my favorite MC's of all time (and maybe even the greatest MC of all time, really, seriously, I feel this way).

PHAROAHE MONCH!

GET WITH IT! And if yer in Austin this Sunday come see me at Flamingo Cantina, I mean come to my party cuz it's goin' down!

FULLY LOADED URL READY TO GO HUNTIN'

2008-01-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

I feel so real. I bought my URL before any other haters could jack me and here it is...

www.AUSTINSURREAL.com

Thats all you gotta plug up in!

THANKS TO MY WEBMASTER TOSIN!

Find Me Here

2008-01-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

http://austinsurreal.blogspot.com

I bought the domain and it'll be pointing to the correct place as soon as the Cyber-Gods deem it proper.

Word to...

BRYAN MOCHIZUKI OF THE AUSTINIST

and

JOE GROSS OF THAT STATESMAN!

For the Kind Words!

FIRST AUSTIN EVENT AND NEXT HOUSTON EVENT!

2008-01-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Ring in MLK Day Peacefully and properly with Grimy Styles, PPT, Zeale 32 and Gerald G with Bavu Blakes as host and who knows what. All live at Flamingo Cantina, 515 E 6th St., Austin, TX 78701, 512-494-9336.

And H-Town GET THE FUCK UP! Pharoahe Monch live with Orgonne and DJ 11????

AustinSurreal begins tomorrow. In some capacity.

Finna Make That Transition

2008-01-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

Welp I've been in Austin for a couple weeks solid now and I am about to unveil the new blog. Well I mean, not unveil, it's not going to be groundbreaking, it'll be as shitty and simple as this one, but on Friday AustinSurreal will be the new jump off.

All that being said, I want to announce my first event here...

Hey y'all,

I'ma "launch" my new blog AustinSurreal hopefully properly URL'd and all that shit on Friday. But check it, I wanted to announce the first event I'ma have a part of out here in this here town and such.

Sunday January 20th
at FLAMINGO CANTINA
AustinSurreal Presents:

GRIMY STYLES
PPT from Dallas
Zeale 32 and Phrancyze
Gerald G
Hosted by Bavu Blakes

Massive Freestyle at the end with all involved.

It's the Sunday before MLK Monday so hopefully everyone can attend.

I'll have posters tomorrow. Hope to see everyone out there. You need to see Grimy Styles and everyone else on this bill.

Gonna do some monthly shit at least to start. After SXSW I'ma go full on and do a lot more. But um yeah, this is a start. Hope to see all y'all thurr.

So yeah man. I was thinking that HoustonSoReal would disappear once AustinSurreal popped off, but I'm back and forth so much and still have the house in H-Town and will retain a room there anyway, so I think it's gonna be proper to do both.

Some people are bi-coastal, me, I'm bi-Texas. Or something. Country boy with a city mouth. I don't know mayne. All I know is IT'S GOIN' DOWN!

Nice piece on the passing of OG Style from the Houston Chronicle

2008-01-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO READ ANDREW DANSBY'S PIECE ON OG STYLE, WITH COMMENTARY FROM K-RINO, SMURK and DJ STYLES.

ALSO XXLMAG.COM FEATURED THE LEGEND ON THEIR HOMEPAGE AND OF COURSE IN A TRIBUTE BY NOZ WHICH HATH BEEN NOTED BELOW.

All of which was quite nice. Maybe a feature on the unhearalded legends of rap who somehow always kept a career is in order. K-Rino, C-Bo, Young Bleed, half the Bay, Point Blank, Bobo Luchiano, Psycho Drama, E.C. Illa, man there's just so many. SO MANY artists who have lived on beyond the hype. Artists who have paid mortgages for their entire adult lives without the help of the Source, XXL, Vibe or Clear Channel (or Clear Channels equally evil cousins). Maybe it's time to shine light on some of these other living artists outside of the blogs and Murder Dog.

Maybe it's time. I don't know how y'all feel, but seeing three certified Houston legends pass in only two months makes me think that I need to step my game up. I may have to pick up the pen again and deal with these editor drones and "fact checkers" and well, maybe not. I have a family to feed as well.

Anyway, I have no idea what to do. All I know is that when I was on Damage Control, the goal was to support artists who were trying to support themselves. Not suck the dicks of the fake motherfuckers only out for a pay day. There's so many artists out there walking these streets, alive, creating, and being over looked by so many. Then they die and people start to pay attention for a day or so. Such is life, this is nothing new, but fact is, in 2008 we have WAY more outlets than we did when I was coming up. More radio stations, a million more magazines, websites, TV shows and entire stations, etc. But it seems that even less is being covered. Much less is being played. The Top 40 is now a Top 4 and I blame it on complacency, laziness, selfishness and hatred for those who might want to do for self.

We don't all have to be cogs in the machine, but these corporate entities might make you think otherwise. I wish I could give a K-Rino CD to every kid in the ghetto wanting to rap. I wish I could open the eyes of those who diss and dismiss independance in favor of riding the corporate wave. I wish I could convince the editors of these magazines that music is more than a marketing budget. But alas and alak it may be pointless.

Sorry, I'm a little depressed right now.

It's True...RIP O.G. STYLE

2008-01-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

It's true. It hath been confirmed. O.G. Style passed on to his next life yesterday night. I don't have a lot of details, but word is he was not feeling well Wednesday night and so his wife took him to the hospital where they discovered his blood pressure was quite high and his brain had begun to hemmorage. He flatlined a couple of times and went brain dead, but his wife kept him on life support until his family could come to the hospital and say their goodbyes.

O.G. Style may have only had one big hit, "Catch 'Em Slippin'," (though many would call it I KNOW HOW TO PLAY 'EM), but he continued to work and record and release music till the day he died. His was one of the first full length releases on Rap-A-Lot Records and while he may have never reached the levels of his contemporaries in the Geto Boys, he was none the less an influence and a pioneer on this here Houston scene.

He was also one of the artists in this community that I considered a friend. We didn't hang out and play ball and have dinners and shit, but when we talked I always felt like this was one of the better dudes that I had met throughout my journeys in this shit. He was always hustling his music and trying to change the game. He will be sorely missed.

He was preceeded in death by his early partner, Big Boss of the group 4 Deep. Big Boss can be seen pictured on the cover of his first album. Which led me, and many people to believe early on that O.G. Style was a group, not a groundbreaking solo MC.

Anyway y'all, dude was a legend. I know we are all still trippin' hard off the deaths of Pimp C and Big Moe, now we have this to ponder.

Everytime someone close to me passes it makes me sit back and think about myself. I have two beautiful daughters and a wife who need their daddy/husband. What can I do to ensure that I can keep my health in tact and stay alive to see my grandchildren? When I hear about dudes having heart attacks and high blood pressure, sure I think about the drugs and things, but O.G. Style never seemed to be that type of dude. To me, I have seen STRESS take a deeper toll on my friends and family than any drugs ever have. I've seen pork and red meat cause strokes and heart disease, and all these processed foods. I'm not saying these things about O.G. Style, I'm just saying in general, this is what I think about.

I've been driving back and forth to Austin a lot in the past couple months and in doing so I have stopped at my share of Whataburgers and taco joints and such. For a long time I pretty much didn't eat any fast food, but you know, when yer on the road, sometimes you gotta stop and get whatever is cheap and fast and can be eaten whilst driving. All I can think about now, besides just mourning the death of a good friend, is what a pig I have been over these past couple months and how I need to get my shit together and start paying attention.

Oh yeah, wait, I'm in Austin now, I guess that means I'm a vegan. AustinSurreal coming this week. And no, I'm not a vegan, I'm way too weak for that. All these friends and legends dying aren't making me any stronger.

REST IN PEACE O.G. STYLE! Listen to the Drum and Kick the Ballistics my brother.

PEACE TO NOZ FROM COCAINE BLUNTS. A real dude who is representing the real better than anyone out there in this here field. He's got some audio samples up on his XXL Blog. PEEP EM OUT!

----------------------------------

Now for the good news...

Pray for OG Style

2008-01-03T17:14:00.000-08:00

Word has it that OG Style suffered a stroke yesterday and is currently in a coma on life support. I got this info from a couple sources but none completely close to OG Style. I tried to call a number I had for him but its cut off and can't get a hold of my man who I know would know. So honestly at the moment this is all hearsay, and I pray it is not true.

That being said, keep the homie in your prayers. Yet another Houston legend.

Also, a big smack in the face to me, because I realized that I never did anything for his early partner, Big Boss who also passed a little over a year ago.

Recognize this classic??

I know how to play 'em, I know how to catch 'em slippin'!

PRAY FOR THE LEGENDARY PIONEER!

For 2008

2008-01-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

The neighbors were traipsing around like drunken daisy peddlers at a peace rally.
$1 for the daisy, $3 for the “special” daisy with the joint tucked inside the faux stem.
Like how they do on the side of the highway in Houston with the roses.
Only these people weren’t peddling daisies and they hated marijuana.
What they were really doing was trying to get a peek at the man who himself had been traipsing around the neighborhood the night before,
quite unlike a daisy,
more like a wild hog,
in a dress, and heels, with women’s underpants on his head and some silvery cop sunglasses.
It was New Years Eve and the world didn’t explode and the ball had been dropped and the hammer never came down.
The numbers changed, but the mindset didn’t. The days were still short and the nights were still cold and the war raged on around the world for all to see.
Leaders were assassinated in countries where they actually did such things and the peasant minions were sprayed with hoses and bullets and tear gas as they hurtled rocks at police hell bent on keeping the status quo,
no matter that the status quo had been shattered eons ago before the concepts of AD and BC were ever, even, thunk.

For there’s no such thing as time, and there’s no such thing as place, there’s only here and now, wherever it is we may be sitting.
For me it’s Houston, tomorrow it’s Austin, and in a few years it may be Auckland, but will probably be Austin,
for all a man wants is a chance to comfortably co-exist with the peasants, the servants, the leaders, the writers, the musicians, the sculptors, the artists, the babies and the women who bore them.

The food will remain on the table with or without the water to wash it down, and the children will quit screaming as soon as their most basic needs are satiated.
Meanwhile, millions of its brothers and sisters will starve,
sleep in the sand,
drink imaginary drops from dry wells,
never knowing the power of the pen, as they may or may not have ever even seen a pen. For many get by on much less, and right or wrong, whatever it is that you might have in your pockets,
will never be a match for what one might have in his or her mind.

As master of your own destiny, you should already know this.

Tis That Season

2007-12-26T17:27:00.000-08:00

To be jolly, fa la la la la la la la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Welp, I've got a few seconds here at the house, no family, no friends, no obligations, no phone calls, no nothing just me and this computer so I'ma post a few gems from this past holiday season.

Starting with the SLICK RICK SCION EVENT that went down Dec. 18th. That seems so long ago. Anyway right after this show I had to hightail it back to Austin, so I haven't been at a computer with Photoshop since then and have been embarrassed that I really didn't take a lot of photos on this particular night, and real talk, it was one of the best shows I hath ever been a part of. Slick Rick with the Rhythm Root All Stars? Shiiiiiiiiiiit.....

Once again I ddin't make it to the stage to get any real shots, but you get the idea here. It was packed and off the chain.

Willie D, Rico and Bun B. Yes my friends, Bun B was in the house. What a man. So good to see him out and about. I'm still messed up about Pimp C's passing, I can't imagine how he feels.

Hey, I was just wondering, is anyone investigating this shit or is it just another rapper death? Theres so many things that I want to ask/say right now, but I just can't. I wish somebody would.

DEZ! Dez designed a new bottle for Mountain Dew! Look for the unveiling in February!

Crystal Lee, Dez and Witnes

Katina and KAM! Kam is the #1 promoter in Houston.

And of course, STACY!

KPFT KREW IN FOOL EFFECT! DJ Sun, Zin and Cara!

Anyway like I said, directly after that event I headed back to work in Austin then had Christmas part 2 and 3 and then back to Houston for part 4 and tomorrow we go to Erie, PA for part 5. If any of my hometown (or Buffalo) peeps read this thing, hit me up at my moms. We will crack some Yuenglings and reminisce and such.

No this isn't a hipster party for dwarfs, it's Elena and Eva with their cousin Layla at Oma's Haus.

And this is here at home. Those stockings took two lifetimes and four hands to make.

THESE DOLLS CAN GO IN THE WATER! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS???

Real partiers Crystal Lee, Heather B, Matt D and WifeSoReal

And what Christmas party would be complete without Grandpa Chill asleep in his cap for a long winters nap...

I hope to see you before 2008, then it's off to AustinSurreal, so get ready ready.

CHRISTMAS RAPPING PART AWESOME (and Reggae)

2007-12-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

It's like this and like this and like that y'all

It really is!

You think I'm lying?

You didn't want to listen.

But I was right.

But Forget About It.

-------------------------

Christmas Rappin' and Thangs

2007-12-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rappin'

Live on Tops of the Pops!? You can't ask for much more than this.

- VERSUS -

The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

My dad says he remembers seeing them perform this on Saturday Night Live but I can't seem to find that footage. If anyone has it I'd love to see it.

Remember when Linus was talking about the commercialization of Christmas?

I only really buy tea at Tesco.

Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas Bloopers and Outtakes

This is one of the greatest things ever to be shown on a TV. I mean the original, not this. Get the DVD.

This a real jam right here...

Real Talk!

Real rock from the rock...

I don't know this kid but I fully endorse this video.

RIP TO THE KING!

What a year this hath been.

This a real video right here

This may or may not be

This my jam

More coming thusly.

Also

2007-12-18T15:11:00.000-08:00

I really do love the holidays.

Not Gone Yet

2007-12-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

No, I'm just commuting.

I am and always have been, a sentimental flitcase. In fact, every year about this time I get a disturbing feeling of doom, not about Christmas, as I actually very much so enjoy Christmas, but more about the impending new year.

I never had any worries about Y2K - even while one of my great friends was curled up in a fetal position beneath his computer desk (for some odd reason) cuz he was SURE that God was gonna strike us all down at the stroke of the new millenium and made sure every minute of every day leading up to it that I knew this "fact" - and I have no worries for 2008. But something about watching another year pass always gives me this melancholy feeling that I can't shake.

Couple that with all of the impending changes in my life, the fact that my family and I will celebrate Christmas in no less than four cities in one weeks time and then in the next week move to Austin to full on start my new job at SXSW, yeah I'm freaking out.

I'm a nervy person in general (ask Devin, he'll tell you), and this combination of excitement and well anxiety I guess is why I haven't posted anything on this blog since I put the Hillbilly fracas up some time ago. There's no real point to this post other than to say Happy Holidays to all of y'all, do your best to get through it all and look forward to big things in 2008.

Real Talk.
Know'm Sayin'.
Um.

Yep.

See you at Slick Rick tonight? Warehouse Live? Free! www.scion.com/livemetro

Lets tip a few of them drinks.

Forget you ever read this.

P.S. This whole Pimp C thing also has my head a mess. R.I.P. to one of the main reasons any of you are even reading this blog. For if it wasn't for UGK, there may never have really ever been "Southern Rap." And here we sit.

Someone tell these folks it's 2007, not 1957

2007-12-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

Watch the video below. I was going to write a raging commentary about this whole debacle and then decided against it. But I'll say a few things.

Basically the video below shows what happened when Houston activist and member of the New Black Panther Party, Quannel X, went to Pasadena to protest/investigate a situation where a white man shot two dark skinned, Latino men who he saw break into his neighbors home.

I have very mixed feelings about this because real talk, I'm an extreme pacifist, I don't want to use violence to solve much of anything, but if someone broke into my house, I would shoot the fuck out of them until they were definitely dead. I have two children, fuck all that noise. Both of my neighbors are over 90 years old, if I saw someone climbing into their house, yes I would shoot the fuck out of them too, with no remorse.

That being said, I don't necessarily think this dude should be looked at as a hero. Yes, he certainly did "beat the bad guys," but he had a lot of time to think about what he was about to do, and he did it. He killed two men, with a shot gun, at close range, IN THE BACK. It's something that I hope to never, ever, ever have to do.

I really don't want to pass judgement on the man, cuz like I said, I think personally I would have done the same thing. If the cops could get their asses in gear and respond to such things in a timely manner, we wouldn't have to do such things.

All that being said, I don't think it's too off base for Quannel to be looking into this situation. If it was a black man shooting a gun in his front yard, he'd be sitting in jail right now, hoping for a trial. It's the truth, and if you don't believe me, if you think racism does not exist, watch the video below and be disturbed, be very disturbed. This is America 2007, and this video is strong evidence that we really have not come very far.

That being said, I think that this is so shocking to me because I don't hang out with people like you see in this video. I hang out with progressive folks from all races, from all corners of the world. These type of people barely exist to me. The only time I see people like this is when I'm in a town with no other place to shop than a Walmart, then I go in and puke on myself cuz 1. I'm in a Walmart, 2. I'm surrounded by racist pieces of trash.

Anyway that's neither here nor there. I just wanted to share this video to make sure that all of you know that racism does indeed still exist and there's a lot of scumbags out there who really don't even hide it. Shit looks like 1957. If even.

Also, why were they chanting USA! USA! USA!???? That is not MY America that they are reprsenting. Excuse me while I go throw up and try to convince my wife again that we need to live in New Zealand, on a mountain, with no TV or internet. Just a stream and our dreams. Maybe a windmill.

In summary, I am not against the man who did the shooting, but I am certainly not against Quannel X for going out to seek some sort of answers. I am against the people of Pasadena who attacked Quannel and his people. This is supposed to be a free country. SUPPOSED being the action word in the previous sentence. Stop the madness.

Holiday Party at The Orange ShowMy Party Saturday Night

2007-12-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

MAYNE IT WENT DOWN ONCE AGAIN! After a thoroughly depressing week, it was nice to hit a few holiday events, see good friends and family and sort of kind of get this holiday season thang thang into full swing. WE READY!

Friday the whole family and a lot of good friends gathered at the Orange Show for their end of season Holiday Party. I DJed Christmas music along side DJ PRKL8R who killed it all night. And the Soul Rebels Brass Band and Corey Ledet and his Zydeco Band WERE AMAZING! What a way to end a harsh week, missing one great musician who has passed but celebrating great musicianship with some wonderful people who are still here to help sooth our souls. Anyway, IT WENT DOWN!

If you ahev never been to the Orange Show, I am sorry for you. It's a magical place.

Skinny Santa was in the house to scare the children half to death!

Alyssa! IN THE HOUSE!

Eva went to a birthday party where they did all the little girls hair and nails and put on make up. I'm not totally sure what I think about that shit, but she loved it.

Elena was indifferent.

Corey Ledet and his Zydeco Band!

THANK YOU!

Dancing on the roof!

DJ PRKL8R on the roof!

Kids in a well.

Which had Eva and Alyssa quite intrigued.

SOUL REBELS BRASS BAND!!!

WHAT A NIGHT THANKS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED! Also I killed it on them tables real talk knowmsayin?

T. Piper in the house!

And of course Bubba was there as my official security.

THen Saturday night we had our lil going away party at The Pro. Grimy Styles, K-Rino, KB da Kidnappa, Rapid Ric and Dr. Dubbist all KILLED IT! I Djed a dub set for a while, but you know, I don't think I killed it.

Denise Proprietor of said Pro.

Domokos!

DOmokos and Denise

KJ and Mike!

K-Rino and Murder One

Naz and Melissa!

Mayadia and Justice Allah of the 144 Elite!

GRIMY STYLES!!!!!

Christamonster

Cayne of Peekaboo Theory

Kam and Christa

DJ Awol DJed for KB and KILT IT!

As evidenced by this photo.

MAYNE!

Shit was mad wonderful yo.

Two of my favorite rap legends and my new favorite band and my favorite DJ I mean come on now man!

K-Rino and Thurogood Wordsmith. TW gave me a money clip engraved with SOREAL on it for allthe money I'm making and Bobbie Fine gave me some candy. WOW! Floored.

Ruff Eyeque and Murder One

Monica

Mike Barre

Me and my wife (I wish you could really, really see my shirt)

Melissa and Ric

A pensive Todd and asmiling Stacey

Me Kam and Christa

G-MONEY!

Mike Frost and Rapid Ric

Fat Tony

Naz

Father Time

Domo and Marty Grimes!

And Papa Doc of the SMUGGLAZ. Look out for their new music, it's straight up revolutionary.

Interview with Bun B - 12/06/2007Rest In Peace Pimp C

2007-12-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

I got a chance to talk to Bun B today and do a little interview. Really couldn't believe it, and didn't expect it, but like when his partner temporarily left him for the penitentiary, Bun's already holding it down for his partner forever, Pimp C.

--------------------------------------------

HSR: This is such a crazy situation. It’s not like when someone gets shot or had been sick. Have you been able to really grasp the fact that Pimp is gone yet?

BUN B: Hmm. In certain senses, you know what I’m sayin’? Yes. But, there are surreal aspects to it. But I’ve um, I’ve likened it to trying to hold onto a bowling ball with silk gloves on, it’s the only way I can explain the process of how I’m trying to wrap my head around this. It doesn’t process in the normal sense that things logically process. It’s an entirely different grieving process opposed to every other time that I’ve ever had to grieve anyone’s passing. It’s absolutely different to a relative, or… my father passed recently. I took it pretty hard but this is still a little bit different you know? I’m not saying that I hurt more for him than my dad, it’s just different. I’m stronger than I think I am but I’m not as strong as I would like to be. People think I’m doing a lot of things like talking to you , or talking to The Box (97.9 FM in Houston), the assumption is “Wow this guy is really strong for him to be able to do this right now.” But the true reality is that I’m weak, and that’s why I’m doing it. Because I need to talk about it, I need to think about him amongst people that loved him. Not just by myself and with family, but his fans loved him unconditionally. His family loved him unconditionally. Even all the artists that have called into local radio, and XM and Sirius, we’re aware of all of that. The tribute that you guys made, I got calls from London, Canada, Amsterdam, Nigeria, and when I was at The Box this morning a guy emailed in from The Virgin Islands. It’s just incredible, not just the extent that the music reached, but the extent of the acceptance and the admiration and honor and the respect and love that transcended as well. I’m in awe.

HSR: Well I can see that looking at it from the inside out, it might be a little hard to really put it in perspective, but you have to realize the impact that you guys have had on this music and culture since day one. Maybe even more so recently, which is also crazy because there are not too many artists out there who came out when you did and are not only still doing well, but you guys put out a number one album this year. This is unheard of in rap.

BUN B: We were just starting to understand the full range to which we had been accepted. It took a long enough time to realize that internally in just this country Matt that people in North Carolina could love you as much as people in Texas. People in Washington state and Nebraska can love you as much as the people in Louisiana and Mississippi. Cuz we really didn’t get to see it like that, we didn’t get to feel it like that. But you go out to these shows and you sing a song from 1997, you sing a song from 1995 and even “Pocketful of Stones” from 1992, and they knew it all. We were just starting to understand the acceptance. Now I’m just starting to see the extent of the admiration and love and how close people felt themselves connected to UGK internationally. When Pimp was locked up, I really began to understand what we meant to people. The way people reached out then in that respect. But to really just start to see it internationally with the different places that we have been to and just the interaction with Germany and shit like that.

HSR: Well I said it on the radio last night, but when I worked for Murder Dog, my main job was traveling to all these different cities and interviewing all the people in the rap scene from the dudes with demos tapes on up to the big guys and basically do scene reports and when I would ask the artists who they were influenced by, two names always came up. First was always UGK and then 8Ball & MJG. And to be honest that surprised me because I had been a fan at least since “Tell Me Something Good” came out. But everywhere I’d go, your name came up. Not only did you show these young cats that it could be done, but y’all were the first ones down here to get that major deal with a major impact. And when you listened to those UGK records, you didn’t just hear UGK, you heard 3-2, you heard Botany Boys, you heard people from Port Arthur and Houston who never really had deals, they were just the real deal people from the streets out here and I think one of the things that people need to recognize about UGK is that since day one, you have had success, but you’ve also always given back.

BUN B: You know we were really lucky to have Scarface, Willie D, Too Short, J. Prince, you know, to really pull us to the side in parts of our lives, not only in our musical lives but in our everyday lives, and just give us different game on different things. And some of the shit was really life altering and career altering. It made such an impact that we felt it was only right to give whatever we had learned, to others. We were never selfish about that. Anything I could talk to a cat about, lyrically I would try to talk to them about that. Pimp C mentored a very large percent of the people who are doing it and making a lot of noise right now. Not just producers, but lyricists as well. We wanted everybody from here to win, and that was something that was really instilled in us by J. Prince. He instilled that in us a long time ago. He said “No matter what you do or where you go or how far you get, you remember where you came from.” And for us, it was the south. Don’t let anybody make you feel that you can’t be who you are. We took that shit to heart man, Pimp more than anybody. And we were determined to make it on our terms and we wanted other cats to understand that and we wanted them to make it on their terms so they wouldn’t owe anybody. So they could really be able to take pride in their success or feel comfortable in their failures. Pimp was very gracious in that respect, a lot more than people would ever know. You have to think like, people like Crazy C, he gave Pimp C his organ sounds. So whenever someone would ask Pimp where he got his organ sound from, Pimp would give it to them because he had gotten it from somebody. How could he claim the right to that when somebody gave it to him? Different little things like that. He’d show people different little ways to program, different ways to sequence, just different things.

HSR: Everyone is wondering what the hell happened in that hotel room. No one knows how the man died as far as we know. I don’t want you to have to speculate, but I have to ask, was he stressed? Because reading a lot of the stuff he said in Ozone, and listening to some of the radio interviews he did, it seemed like these things that he was talking about were really, really getting to him.

BUN B: First off it’s still too early to speculate on how he died. To be honest, we don’t know yet. We haven’t gotten results back from toxicology, we haven’t gotten the autopsy results yet. Everything is based on the condition he was found in and the condition of the room. Pimp was never one to bite his tongue about things. Sometimes in life it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. I think that the way Pimp phrased things was a little more off putting than what he was saying. It was just his blunt honesty about things. Pimp didn’t really have a filter, he wasn’t really good at sugar coating things for people or being PC about things. If it was something he felt strongly about, he had to say it. He just could not hold it back. Keep in mind he had a lot of positive things to say too, like “Knockin’ Doors Down.” I would hate to try and even guess what his mental state was in that sense. You know he had been in the studio with Paul, he had been on stage with Paul, when we know for sure we will let it be known. These things are public record. Why lie on someone who wouldn’t lie on himself? One thing that people respect about UGK is that we were always so honest with them. We let them know about our ups as well as our downs. And we tried to let people know that no matter how big we seem, we’re human. Pimp C did a crime, he had to go to prison, like everybody else. We’re human. When he did his interviews while in prison, he said I did this, it was my mistake, it wasn’t anybody’s fault and I’m paying for it. He stood up as a man, he did his time in general population and he came home to respect, love and admiration. We were together last at the Jeezy concert here in Houston at Bar Rio, you know, we went there, jammed Jeezy. He wanted to go there and let it be seen that he had nothing against Jeezy and that he enjoyed Jeezy’s music, which he did. And he wanted Jeezy to see that as well. People think that a lot of that was personal, but it wasn’t. I talked to Jeezy at the Dirty Awards and he wasn’t trippin’, and Pimp wasn’t trippin’ and I don’t want anybody to think that he passed away with any issues with anyone. Anyone he had a problem with he had already rectified all those issues.

HSR: I want to talk with you a little bit about the music, because I personally feel like UGK is really the platform that a lot of the south really came from. And more specifically I think the production, Pimp’s voice and your voice, were the ones that really came out sounding like you were from the south. Like you were from the backwoods, the swamps, a small town. And that’s really what the bulk of America is really like. The bulk of America is not like Manhattan or Los Angeles. I think people really felt the realness that y’all put forth. But musically straight up, you guys weren’t the first people to ever rap about cocaine, but y’all pretty much set the standard and gave the rap community a story line to build on for years.

BUN B: Well, we just gave like we got. We listened to the early NWA stuff, the Ice Cube stuff, we also listened to Public Enemy, Tuff Crew, Gucci Crew, Ron C, every thing you could think of. We took it all in. We really love and respect music and we just wanted to honor and respect the people who opened the door for us. Personally, I really can’t speak exactly on who we influenced, even if I know this. Most people I would name are actually out there saying it themselves, but I can speak personally to the fact that I would not be the lyricist that I am today were it not for Pimp C. Just being able to try things musically and content wise and substance wise, it was always Pimp C that was ready to cross the boundaries as far as content, lyrically and musically. I’d be like “Shit man we can’t talk about that.” And he’d be like “Shiiiiit man, yeah we can.” A lot of things we brought to the table was Pimp. He was more than happy to show somebody how he did things musically.

HSR: Well for me as a fan and as some one who knows you and have talked to you about a lot of different music, I always thought that was you. Because when it comes to music, and your taste in music, you’re definitely not one-dimensional. You’ve surprised me a bunch of times with how much you actually know about not just hip-hop and soul, but popular music in general. You’re very informed on that and I always kind of thought from my perspective that you were the more adventurous one musically.

BUN B: Well I was willing to listen to different things, as he was, but I was nervous about bringing that kind of stuff into UGK. You know I listen to Radiohead sometimes and stuff and Pimp and I would both listen to stuff like Portishead and Massive Attack and stuff like that. He would want to incorporate that stuff into music and I’d be like “Aw man, I don’t know if we can do that. That might be too much for people.” But anytime you think of any of the radically impacting songs from UGK, nine times out of ten, that was him wanting to go there. I tended to want to play it safe and just make stuff I felt people wanted to hear. And different times he’d be like, naw we need to talk about this shit. Pimp was a big jazz enthusiast and really big on live instrumentation. He loved old soul, The Meters and stuff like that. That’s why we had Leo Nocentelli on so much shit, the lead guitarist for the Meters. A lot of people don’t know that he played lead guitar on a lot of the stuff for Super Tight and Ridin’ Dirty.

HSR: Whoa, I didn’t know that.

BUN B: A lot of people don’t know that. And that was Pimp making a personal appeal to the man, telling him how much he respected his sound and he didn’t want to get somebody to try and do it, he just asked him to come in and do it. They could talk to Pimp about different things and they knew that the kid knew his stuff. We did it with respect and honor. We didn’t just chop somebody’s music up, he treated peoples music like he would want people to treat his.

HSR: I think that him setting himself apart and setting UGK apart with the Country Rap Tunes declaration was a really bold statement, and it was very important to the development of everything that has happened down here. I like all kinds of hip-hop, but for the most part, a lot of the indie hip-hop and classic rap fans were definitely not southern rap fans, and the southern rap fans didn’t even know who any of these indie and “real” hip-hop artists were. I think that before Pimp made that statement that people only looked at this rap down here on the surface, but that statement really set a standard and told the world that you guys are who you are and you do what you do, and you’re just as passionate about it as anyone from the east coast or anyplace else.

BUN B: Well you know, you ask anybody in those early days from that era, you know, it was really hard to get people to take you seriously. We’re just going to be extremely real about this. It was very hard to go to some of these different media based markets and prove to these people that what you were saying was impactful. Because the reaction in their area was really not the same as the reaction in our area, so they really didn’t see it and didn’t understand it and basically didn’t believe it.

HSR: Well I can back you up on that, cuz I remember calling (a magazine editor) one time around when Dirty Money was supposed to come out, and I told one of the editors that I wanted to do a feature on UGK and he said to me “No one cares about UGK, why would we do a feature?” Now the same dude probably has you on his top ten MC’s list.

BUN B: Well I mean, you got to think of the perspective of where they are from, and ten years ago nobody did care about UGK. But down here it was more than care, they really gave a fuck. And over the years, they were like, “You know what I know y’all the shit here, but I got cousins in Philly and in Cali and they don’t understand. They don’t understand that somebody down here could be the shit.” And our whole thing was always, “We ain’t going anywhere anytime soon, and we ain’t finna stop rapping like we rap, so, they’ll get it eventually.” It was a rough ride for a long time. I didn’t do shows in New York till after “Big Pimpin’.” But that was cool because I didn’t want it to be fake, and Pimp didn’t either. That’s one thing about New York and LA, if they don’t like it, they will tell you. But at the same time, I would go to New York and meet up with real dudes on the street, I would go to Harlem and get my haircut on 125th Street and get Jamaican food and go around the corner and pick up some bud and I would tell people the name of my group and they’d ask about our songs and I would say “Pocket Full Of Stones” and they’d know that one from Menace II Society and I’d say “Front Back and Side to Side” and they’d know that one too. But because the visual aspect wasn’t there, like I say - these media based markets – there was no correlation. And the record companies, they didn’t know how to market that kind of thing. We would tell them to market it just how it was and they didn’t really know, they didn’t understand it, they were so far removed. Telling a room full of people from the Bronx and Brooklyn how to market two boys from Port Arthur, Texas, I mean, shit. Them boys from Port Arthur, Texas probably couldn’t tell you how to market a kid from the Bronx. At the time I was young and I didn’t understand it. All we really wanted was just a chance, a fair shot. But at the same time, we wasn’t the easiest people to work with, at all. But getting back to the original point, it was hard back then to get out there and represent it. But we in the door now, we have no regrets. There was no hard feelings either. New York is supposed to stand up for New York, because truth be told, if you was in the south in 87, 89, to maybe 1991 and you were a hip-hop head, you were a fuckin’ minority.

HSR: Absolutely.

BUN B: If you wasn’t jammin’ Geto Boys and PSK 13 or even K-Rino, Ron C and them, shit from Dallas or somewhere, or Luke, you was trippin’. Nobody wanted to know about God Body and Knowledge Me in Houston anymore than people up top wanted to hear about 5th Ward or South Park. The wall was put up to make us think that we was so far removed from the struggle of each other and there was no way we could relate. And the perception media wise was backing it up. But once we actually got to New York, once we got to Chicago and Detroit and LA and Oakland, those people were just like us. Their words were a little different, but their walk, their vibe, they swagger, their attitude and the way they cared about stuff was exactly the way it was for us. And then we had to take it back and tell people down here that them New York boys is real. People would look at us like “What is you talking about?” And we’d be like “Man, them New York boys just like us. You just don’t know cuz you ain’t been to New York.” I remember talking to Camron about it. He came down to Dallas to go to community college then went back to Harlem and was like, “Yo, listen to this UGK, this how they get down out there. It just sounds different, but this is how we live.” This is as much us, as what we do.

HSR: Which is what was beautiful about “Big Pimpin’.” A lot of people say that Jay Z brought you to national prominence, but they don’t realize how many people in the south you brought Jay Z to as well.

BUN B: It’d be ignorant of anyone to assume that UGK didn’t benefit from that. Regardless of what Jay Z got from the record, it doesn’t lessen or strengthen the fact that we got a lot out of that record. We definitely appreciated that. I understand the issues that some people have, because people fought very hard, and I understand this with you too as a fan Matt, you fought very hard to support us cuz we were a group that were going about it on our own terms. There were a lot of opportunities to jump on the bus, to jump on the different movements. The Cash Money movement, the No Limit movement, and I know that a lot of you guys wanted to see UGK get the credit for a lot of the work that they put in themselves. The old fans just want the new fans to recognize that. It’s not that the old fans don’t want to give Jay Z his card, you have to give him his card. He’s a great artist, he had southern fans, and whether or not we strengthened his connection with his southern fans or not, now it’s now a moot point. Because I know for a fact that whether or not it strengthened him here, I know for a fact it strengthened me there. Not just inhis region, but then like on a whole different social level.

HSR: Well that’s a great example of an artist being from a media based market and an artist who’s not anywhere near a media based market.

BUN B: Right, and that’s a pure collaboration. Showing that we can all do something together. Like the song with Jay Z and the song with Outkast they’re both emblematic of a lot of different things with a lot of different people. To be a southerner, to be a Houston person, to be on a record that big, you know, Jay Z could have rapped with anyone. So for him to call upon us to get on that song, people knew it was going to be a big record. That shit solidified a lot for a lot of people here. It was like, “You know what? They do know what’s up.” We’ll always be grateful for that. I understand your point, duly noted, but it was a great experience, I owe him a lot. Just expanding us to more markets, getting more shows, that was money you know? The features, being taken seriously. Just being on a real video set in terms of a million dollar budget and knowing what a real high dollar operation is supposed to look like, running. The Roc-A-Fella boat was nice to watch while it was going. It was nice to watch No Limit, Cash Money, it was good to watch that because you know what, we can do that. No disrespect to their movement, but they taught us that we didn’t have to jump in their movement to reach that level because they didn’t jump in anyone’s movement to get to that level. If we just stick to our shit, we’ll get where we’re trying to go.

HSR: I know you’re working on a solo album, and you’ll always be an artist, and it’s probably a bit of a dumb question this soon after Pimp's passing, but where do you see yourself going right now?

BUN B: It’s not a dumb question because even if I don’t say it out loud, I ask myself. I remember going to Dallas, actually it was in Arlington, with DJ Whoadie and doing some of the first shows prior to Pimp being locked up and how hard it was to get on that stage and do a dedication “This gonna be for Pimp, y’all gonna rep with me for Pimp.” That was hard enough and I knew that was temporary. I just can’t even say what that holds. I know I have to carry on this tradition. I know that I have to get back up on that stage, I gotta get in and finish this album, I gotta get out and promote this album, I gotta get out and honor his memory and lift him up and maintain the legacy of this group as well as Pimp C the individual. It’s just, I can’t even see that far right now. You know like I know we were mid stream on that thing, hell he was midstream on his solo album and we had another album we had to do and turn in this year. We were trying to get it back together, he was getting his equipment together and we were trying to figure out what we were gonna do respectively on each others albums, but before I can be a strong artist again, I have to be a strong man. I’m not gonna put myself under any pressure to feel like I gotta go in, but eventually I got to get back on it. I’m gonna give myself some time to heal. We still haven’t buried Pimp C yet and I’m not sure what the after effects of actually seeing that will be. I can’t tell you how I’m gonna be until that happens. At this point it’s still somewhat surreal.

HSR: It’s extremely surreal.
BUN B: I can honestly say that it still hasn’t really washed over me.

HSR: And to add to the surrealness of it all, one day later you get nominated for a Grammy.
BUN B: Yeah, exactly.

HSR: Pimp C touched a lot of people. There’s people all over the world who are feeling real fucked up right now.

BUN B: You would be surprised Matt at the outreaching that has occurred. Like I’d never expect to get a text from the RZA. Only because you would assume that our worlds are so far apart and that we’re so on different tangents as far as artists. But as men, as brothers, he’s already been where I’m at. ODB wasn’t just a member of his group, he was his cousin. When you’re poor and cousins, y’all use the same spoon and shit for cereal. These are people that probably started building things at the same time in their lives. I had people like that reach out to me, just to say they care. And for him to see my pain, you never know who cares. But so many different people are calling in, telling their Pimp C stories. Because you know anytime you met Pimp C there was a story. If you met him three times, you had three stories to tell. Literally, that’s no joke. That’s just how hard he was on peoples minds. He was just unfuckindeniable. You was gonna know he was in the room. That’s my motherfuckin’ brother. You was gonna know he was in the house man. Square business.

Industry Jimmy Wine

2007-12-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

UGK HATH BEEN NOMINATED FOR A GRAMMY.

Now you know, I'm the last one in this world to give a fuck about a gawdam Grammy, but ummmmmmm, I'm tellin' you, I told ya.

SMOKE SOMETHIN BITCH!

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
(For duo, group or collaborative performances of Rap only. Singles or Tracks only.)

Southside
Common Featuring Kanye West
Track from: Finding Forever
[Geffen]

Make It Rain
Fat Joe Featuring Lil Wayne
Track from: Me, Myself & I
[Terror Squad Entertainment]

Party Like A Rockstar
Shop Boyz
Track from: Rockstar Mentality
[OnDeck/Universal Republic Records]

Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)
UGK Featuring OutKast
[Jive]

Better Than I've Ever Been
Kanye West, Nas & KRS-One
[Nike]

So glad NIKE RECORDS finally got a Grammy nomination too. So glad. If UGK doesn't win this, Pimp C needs to tell God to rain fire down pon Babylon.

And a fight'll come with it.

Pimp C Tribute on Damage Control NOW ONLINE!

2007-12-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

Like any decent person with a heart for this shit, I came out of retirement to host Damage Control tonight. Because of course, we had to put one up in a major way for Pimp C.

DOWNLOAD LAST NIGHTS DAMAGE CONTROL TRIBUTE TO PIMP C HERE. PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND DO NOT STREAM BECAUSE I IMAGINE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOIN GTO TRY AND GET THIS SHOW AND IT WOULD BE IN ALL OF OUR BEST INTERESTS IF YOU JUST LISTEN TO IT FROM YOUR OWN COMPUTER AND NOT MY SERVER. THANKS. ENJOY. AND ALWAYS KEEP PIMP C IN YOUR HEARTS!

And thanks to everyone who came out last night, eespecially my man Tim who brought down some unreleased exclusives for the archives. This show is a Tribute to one of hip-hop's most important contributors. Do not try and jack any of this music and do anything funny with it. Out of respect, please.

Partial Track List (I tried to keep up and keep it correct)

Pimp C - Why Do We Die So Young (Unreleased)
UGK - Cocaine in the Back of the Ride (The Southern Way)
UGK - Short Texas (The Southern Way)
UGK - Tell Me Somethin' Good (The Southern Way)
UGK - Swishas and Dosha (Underground Kingz)
--------------------
Talk with Playa D
--------------------
3-2, Mitchel Queen, Bun B, Pimp C - Weed, Weed (Unreleased 1994?)
Pimp C - Comin' Up (Live from Harris County Jail)
UGK - Intro/One Day (Ridin' Dirty)
Lil Flip, D-Red - Pimp C Tribute
UGK, Willie D, Charlie Wilson - Quit Hatin' the South (Underground Kingz)
--------------------
Talk with Superb Herb, Bird, Nancy Nyron and more
--------------------
Pimp C - Hustler (Live from Harris County Jail)
UGK - Trill Nigaas Don't Die feat. Z-Ro (Underground Kingz)
Pimp C, Mitchell Queen - Funky Connection (Unreleased???)
Chamillionaire, Pimp C - Welcome to the South (Ultimate Victory)
Mitchell Queen, Pimp C - Underground Kingz (Unreleased???)
UGK - Living This Life (Underground Kingz)
My Place (Produced by Pimp C???)
Pimp C - '93 Mack (Unreleased version)
Here They Come (Unreleased)
I Left It Wet (Instrumental)
--------------------
Talk with Diamondnique, Showtyme, Los and More
--------------------
Recording cuts off but after 3 a.m. we played 2 Freestyles from the DJ Screw Tape - Ridin' Dirty

Also click the photos below...

Music for ages

2007-12-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.xxlmag.com/columnists.php
Word up NOZ.

Be Free, Pimp C.Be Strong Spice One

2007-12-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

Legends

Spice 1 Shot and In Critical Condition

This is too much.

R.I.P. Pimp C

2007-12-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. to Sweet James Jones, we won't do any speculating yet. More info as it comes. Pray for his family...

MeltFace

2007-11-30T08:46:00.000-08:00

Yep. Welp, Shit. Last Night MY GROUP Melt Banana came back through town forcing me to miss Rapid Ric at Venue and Special Ed and YZ at the Engine Room. Hoping both went off smashngly, but I can't miss Melt Banana when they come around. Seriously, Melt Banana trumps pretty much everything for me. Don't know bout 'em? Better ask somebody. They are like rock and roll mad scientists. Here's a few flicks.

RAW POWER!

Also for some reason I didn't put the flicks from Ghostface up yet. Below please to find them. They're not the best representation of the show cuz I was feeling lazy on said night and wasn't feeling like shooting much. Nor did I want to fight the crowd to get to the front. But yeah man, word to DJ Ayres that shit was off the chain!
(SLICK RICK DEC. 18TH SEE FLYER BELOW!)

DJ Ayres in full effect!

Squincy saved the damn night. One of the turntables would not work and everyone was sent into a panic for 5 minutes until the man magically pulled one out of his hat. I mean trunk.

Carlos Garza aka DJ Styles and The ARE (who just produced the latest Lil Kim single and is now a Trackmaster) - Two legendary Houston producers.

LADIES IN THE HOUSE SAY WHOOOA!

See, I was feeling lazy...

Didn't get too close but suffice it to say, the show was GREAT! Man, I had low expectations for it to be real with you. I'm a Ghostface fan and all that, but was a lil leary as to how he would deal with the band. Like, a lot of rappers can't get over the set track mentality that comes wiht performing to a CD so often. Man, Ghost actually led the band, improvised a bit, went with the flow, let things go in weird directions, it was dope man. He was fully immersed in the sound and brought forth a great show. Dude really is top notch.

And rappers should just have bands. It's 2007. Get a band.

Ayres contemplates the meaning of "Back Like That"

FATAL FLYING GUILLOTINES (I thik Ghost gave them a shout out, word to Roy)

Photographer Jordan Graber - see his work on Chron.com

THE FLY!

Maurice Bobb and Karton Zawalo!

Rob Quest in the haze

Rob Quest and Lin YEEEEE THIS IS A BIG PHOTO FOR MEEEEE!

Fly and Khalief

TH' FUCKIN' TRANSMISSIONS!

Photographer Brandon Holley and Head

Already then young soldiers, do not miss out on the next big free Scion event coming to our area. SLICK RICK WITH PERCEE P!!!!!

GO TO www.scion.com/livemetro to RSVP NOW!!!!!!

Rapid Ric on BBC 1Xtra!

2007-11-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

CLICK THIS LINK HERE TO HEAR RAPID RIC AND DJ SKULLY GO HEAD TO HEAD ON 1XTRA!!

WORD TO DJ SEMTEX!

1Xtra brings you a brand new show featuring the world's biggest DJs, alongside stars of the future.

This week's mix is a transatlantic face-off featuring heavyweight hip hop from two of the most slept-on DJs either side of the pond.

In the red corner, hailing from Northampton, UK is former UK DMC champion & Klashnekoff's selector, DJ Skully weighing in with an explosive mix of UK and US joints.

In the blue corner, direct from Houston, USA, weighing in with a bag of dirty stanking southern bangers is Rapid Ric aka the Mixtape Mechanic and Chamillionaire's DJ.

Seconds out, round one!

Tracklistings
DJ Skully in the mix

Big Pun Feat Fat Joe - Twinz (Loud)
Jay Dee - Pause (BBE)
Keith Murray - The Most Beautiful (Jive)
A Tribe Called Quest - Once Again (Jive)
Little Brother - Light It Up (ABB)
Nas - Halftime (Columbia)
Tragedy Khadafi - True Confessions (White)
Method Man Feat Mary J Blige - You're All I Need (Def Jam)
Helta Skelta - Lefleur Leflaur (Priority)
Nas - Nas Is Like (Columbia)
Lowkey - Freestyle (White)
Roots Manuva - Witness (Big Dada)
Task Force - Graph Da Bus Up (Lowlife)
Klashnekoff - Murder (Skully Special) (Kemet Ent)
Verb T & The Last Skeptik - Heaven (Silent Soundz)
Kyza - Lights Out (Kemet Ent)
Jehst - Alcoholic Author/Skully Special (YNR/Lowlife)
Dj Mentat Ft Skinnyman - When I Give My Heart To You (Beat Asylum)
Skriblah - Angels Beside Me (White)
Scorzayzee - Final Destination (White)
M9 - Freestyle (White)
Beat Butcha & Skully - Skratch Skit (White)
Fallacy - Scream Back (White)
Terror Squad – Lean Back (Instrumental)

Rapid Ric in the mix

DJ Drama feat T.I, Yung Joc, Young Jeezy & Twista – 5000 1’s (Grand Hustle (Atlantic)
Scarface - Girl You Know (Def Jam)
Gorilla Zoe - Hood Figga (White)
Jay Z - Blue Magic (Def Jam)
Hot Dollar feat Rick Ross - Streets On Lock (White)
Webbie feat Lil Boosie - Independent (Trill/Asylm)
Lil Wayne – Gossip (Cash Money/Universal)
Twista feat T-Pain - Creep Fast (Atlantic)
DJ Khaled feat Trick Daddy, T Pain, Rick Ross, & Plies - I'm So Hood (Koch)
Gucci Mane feat. Ludacris - Freaky Gurrl (Asylum/Atlantic)
Big Kuntry feat T.I - That's Right (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
Yung Joc feat Gorilla Zoe - Bottle Poppin (Bad Boy)
Lil Keke feat Chalie Boy - I'm a G (White)
Devin Tha Dude feat Snoop & Andre 3000 - What a Job (Rap-A-Lot)
Hurricane Chris - Playaz Rock (White)
Kanye West Feat Lil Wayne - Barry Bonds (Mercury)
Playaz Circle feat Lil Wayne - Duffle Bag Boy (D.T.P/Def Jam)
Boss Hogg Outlawz feat Slim Thug – Ridin’ On 4's (White)
Al Fatz - Came Down (White)

It's Like This and Like That

2007-11-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of ways to do this music thang thang, here's two of the ways I like to see it get done. The Cosmo Baker way and the Rapid Ric way.

TWO NEW TAPES!

Both different but still the way things should be done.

Cosmo Baker "... I'd Rather Marry Oprah..."

1. Brand Nubian “Allah Hu Akbar”
2. Dark Sun Riders “Time To Build”
3. Rakim “Shades Of Black”
4. Common “Ressurection (Large Professor Remix)”
5. Yomo & Maulkie “Black Folks Watch Out”
6. Poor Righteous Teachers “Easy Star”
7. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth “Mecca And The Soul Brother”
8. X-Clan “Grand Verbalizer What Time Is It”
9. Big Daddy Kane “Word To The Mother (Land)”
10. Lakim Shabazz “No Justice No Peace”
11. Latee “This Cut’s Got Flavor”
12. Poor Righteous Teachers “Shakiyla (Jrh)”
13. Brand Nubian “Wake Up (Stimulated Dummies Remix)
14. X-Clan “Fire & Earth (100% Natural)”
15. Divine Styler feat. The Scheme Team “It’s A Black Thing”
16. Gang Starr “Step In The Arena”
17. YZ “Thinking Of A Master Plan”
18. Chill Rob G “Court Is Now In Session”
19. Eric B. & Rakim “The R”
20. Boogie Down Productions “Blackman In Effect”
21. Zhigge “Born Black”
22. Boogie Down Productions “Jack Of Spades”
23. The Stop The Violence Movement “Self Destruction”
24. KMD “Nitty Gritty feat. Brand Nubian”
25. The Jungle Brothers “Acknowledge Your Own History”
26. Public Enemy “Show ‘Em What You Got”
27. Public Enemy “Bring The Noise”
28. Hard Knocks “Thoughts Of A Negro”
29. 360 Degrees “Pelon”
30. Intelligent Hoodlum “Black And Proud”
31. Lakim Shabazz “When You See The Devil Smash Him”

CLICK HERE TO STREAM
CLICK HERE FOR PODCAST

And that boy Rapid Ric is back with WHUT IT DEW RADIO!

I don't have a download link for you as of yet, but look for it in the streets and other secret places.

1- Whut It Dew Radio Intro- Rapid Ric
2- David Banner Cosigns
3- Paper Planes- MIA/ Bun B
4- Chamillionaire Cosigns
5- Never- Scarface
6- Sleeping Giant Freestyle- Gerald G
7- Callin Em Out Interview- Pimp C
8- Talkin Smart- Project Pat/ Pimp C
9- La LA LA- Lil Wayne
10- Dope Boi Dime- 4IZE/ Killer Mike/ Marc DeCoca
11- We Still Here Flow- Chalie Boy/ Gerald G
12- Gettin High- Trae (Life Goes On In Stores Now)
13- I Know Why- Gucci Mane, Pimp C, Rich Boy
14- Down In Da Dirty- Ludacris/ RIck Ross/ Bun B
15- Mr 512 Flow- Gerald G
16- Model- Archie Lee/ Slim Thug
17- Umma Do Me- Rocko
18- Pimp Mode- Chamillionaire/ Bun B
19- Same Shit- Killa Kyleon/ Mistah FAB (Prod. By Young Samm)
20- Way It Goes Flow- Gerald G
21- Paper Chaser- Playaz Circle/ Phonte of Little Brother
22- Hello Brooklyn 2.0- Jay Z/ Lil Wayne
23- Beat Da Trunk Up- GT/ Slim Thug/ Killa Kyleon
24- Ball With Me- David Banner/ Chamillionaire
25- Trill Nigg*s Don't Die- UGK/ Z-RO
26- We Doin It- Big Mike/ BG
G TRACKS
27- I Got Money- Stix/ Young Buck/ Sparkdawg
28- Fresh Out Da Box- Greg G and King Mike
29- What U Say- Powerbroker ENT's Young Mabooda
30- Ridin Dirty- Kyle Lee/ Fade Dogg (Prod. By Dolla Bill)
31- Dress Code- S.O.S.A. So San Antone (Cocked & Locked)
32- How U Love Dat- J Kapone/ Tomar Williams of Carnival Beats
33- Mississippi Freestyle- Donnie Cross

Another classic.

YZ AND SPECIAL ED IN HOUSTON THIS WEEK!

2007-11-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

IT'S GOIN' DOWN! Legends in the city!

Thanks to everyone who came out to Ghostface last night. Show was off the chain, photos coming soonish.

TONIGHT FREE GHOSTFACE AND DJ AYRES SHOW IN HOUSTON!

2007-11-25T07:27:00.000-08:00

See the flyer below and go RSVP right now if you haven't already. Come have a drink with me at Warehouse Live and see GHOSTFACE WITH THE RHYTHM ROOTS ALL STARS BACKING HIM, alongside one of my favorite DJ's -- DJ AYRES! --. YOU KNOW HOW WE DO!

Sayanora Houston?

2007-11-20T12:11:00.000-08:00

Yeah man I been waiting to say anything official, but it's about to go down. Me and the family are moving to Austin. SXSW offered me a real gig and I took it, so there ya have it. I go to Austin literally once a week anyway, so I will come back to Houston quite often and am even keeping a room here at my friends apartment so I can still come here and do what I do when I need to do it. Events and such.

My going away party is Dec. 8th at The Proletariat and GRIMY STYLES finna come back and rock that ass.

Click the flyer to see it full size.

I haven't talked about this much to people, cuz I don't like to discuss things a lot, I just like to do things, hence, the move will commence as soon as this house is sold and I'm quite excited for this.

I kind of see it like this anyway, I couldn't live in Houston if there was no Austin and I couldn't live in Austin if there was no Houston. Both cities have their qualities, and their problems, but in my eyes, they work hand in hand with each other.

Living in Houston, we found ourselves driving out there quite often not only cuz most of our family is in Central Texas (Mom, get down here please) but because Houston can get a lil crazy, sticky, loud, and such. Austin has beautiful lakes and Barton Springs and a job with benefits staffed by a lot of people who I really like a lot. Soooooooo... it's about to go down.

That being said when I lived in Austin in 1995 I literally came to Houston EVERY WEEKEND (I'm not a 6th Street kind of guy). Like seriously, I stayed in Austin like 10 weekends that year. Of course I was single and on a lot of drugs at the time and didn't have much in the way of responsibilities, now I'm married with children and looking forward to living in a quiet Austin neighborhood, riding my bicycle to work in some cut off shorts and never cutting my hair again... (last part is a joke, I ain't no fuckin' hippy. I mean, I am a fuckin' hippy, but with a proper haircut).

Also I'ma go vegan, have a solar powered house, make jewelry out of oatmeal and hemp rope, buy a lot of 7" vinyl and possibly start a 'zine.

Actually I'm not gonna do any of that shit (except the solar powered house). As much as I wanna go vegan, them chickens keep calling and nachos suck without cheese, so yeah, I mean, I don't know. I hope I don't get lynched. I heard that in Austin the vegans chase you in the night.

I hope it's not true. I also heard they can smell the pork fat in your sweat. IT WAS TOFURONI I SWEAR!

Alright, enough of the Austin inside jokes. I actually love that town. I love Houston too. Not much is gonna change except that tomorrow is gonna be my last Damage Control. I'll come thru and host with Chill and Golden Child every now and again, but lately I've had a hard time getting off my couch in Houston on a Wednesday night and making it down to the station, probably won't be driving in from Austin on too many Wednesdays. Some, but not all.

I mean real talk, I am sure that my regular listeners have noticed that I have not only missed a lot of shows lately due to travel, but when I have been there, my hearts just not in it man. I hate to say it, but the way we do things down there worked for a while, but um, in 2007, we may need a bit more filtering.

The whole reason for Damage Control was to give everyone a chance. If you're making rap music independently and have no in's to commercial radio or any of that shit, you could always come down to DC and get a spin. Let the world know you are out here. I love that concept, it's the best, it's in my heart, but today man... it's just not worth it.

There's always been great rap music and there's always been shitty rap music. I honestly never cared if it was good or bad, I was more than happy to support real people trying to do real things. Real people making art, that's what I love. But nowadays man, 99% of you people who are trying to rap are weak minded and in the wrong place. I hate to say it, but literally 99% of the people out there rapping are copy cats who lack vision and passion. I hate to be so blunt, but it's true.

I can't listen to the copy cat shit any more, and real talk, the stuff people call conscious and progressive half the time is some bullshit that sounds like 1992 and still calls women bitches and hoes and is fairly worthless cuz no one but the deepest hip hop nerds will ever want to hear it, if them.

Feel me? I'm going off a bit right now, but please understand my position. It's hard to sit at KPFT and smile anymore when people give me their discs. I have a lot of respect for a lot of the people I've met over these past 5.5 years and have discovered a lot of great music and art during my time at DC, but man, these days I get so much shit that sounds like so much other shit. We are 6 years into our war with Iraq. Shit is crazy ugly from sea to shining sea and all so many people can think to rap about is their cars and some bitches ass shaking. Look here fools, it's been done. Open your eyes, there's more out there. I like cars and ass too,but not so much that I want my entire CD collection populated with songs about such things.

And a lot of our "conscious" rappers don't know what the fuck they are talking about. I'm sorry but it's true. Bun B should teach a class.

Anyway I'm goin goff on a tangent here and i need to stop. Hip Hop Ain't Dead but it sure seems like a lot of motherfuckers are working very hard to smother it out of existence.

And no Mr. Banner, I'm not talking about Al Sharpton and Oprah. I'm talking about the lost minions who think that getting on TV will save their lives. Hip Hop is eating itself alive from the inside out and that's some real talk right there.

I recycle cans and paper, not art.

So with that, get ready for the new jump off. HoustonSoReal will still exist and I will still post to it when I have things explicitly Houston to report, but the new jumpoff is AustinSurreal.com. No link yet cuz it's not up, I just started building it. AustinSurreal will be the new site and HoustonSoReal will be a subsection. Until I can get on the radio in Austin I'ma do a weekly podcast or two. One will be all new music from all genres. All sorts of shit. The other will be more Damage Control like cuz people still need to know about the real shit, however skint the selection may be.

I'll still do events in Houston and Austin. I'd like to get some more jump offs popping in New York again. I'll still book my people in Europe is the opportunity is worth it and will put money in my pocket rather than take it out and I'ma still be MattSoReal. Unless they really do put LSD in the water in Austin on Fridays. Then I'ma go all MattSurreal on y'all, but don't worry I won't become a raver. I swear. I like the French and all, but I'm no raver. (TAKE THAT HOW YOU WANT IT!)

So yeah, ain't nothing changed but the address, and my phone number. WHich is a good thng. So good for my soul. Apologies to all who's calls I have missed. I really really hate the phone. I'm a writer, not a talker. So it is what it is.

Anyway, the hip-hop portion of SXSW is gonna be bigger and better than ever next year. I'ma get all the good ones in one place at one time and we gone ride on the enemy. I'm working to bring some serious international flavors that you need in your life and a lot of our favorite DJs and such will be there as well. Seriously SXSW 2008 is gonna be ridiculous. Get your passes now.

So yes, I have a real job now and am about to move to Austin. Come celebrate this fact and see my favorite band in the world on Saturday December 8th at the Proletariat. More info coming soon.

Word to K-Rino (and Snapp)

2007-11-14T05:58:00.000-08:00

Man, I didn't even know this video existed, and YouTube says it's been up for four months, shit. Anyway it's my man Snapp featuring K-Rino. Snapp waaaaay back in the day was one half of the Poetic Souls along with GT (from 97.9 the Boxx and you probably have a couple of his solo discs). Their 12" went on ebay recently for like $200,000 or some shit. Naw, but it was way high. Anyway here's a video with Snapp and K-Rino called "Deth Season." I know a lot of people out there don't cut for rappers who really rap anymore, but this shit right here is coming real.

Then as I was looking at this one (Thanks to FWMJ at RappersIKnow.com for the heads up!) I noticed that there's a gang of K-Rino stuff on YouTube. Check it out...

Doin' Bad

Live in Adelaide Australia. GO GET THE FULL DVD AT SOUTHPARKCOALITION.COM along with the Finland one. It's so dope to watch man.

The One

On my Side

Ryno from Austin meets K-Rino (FREE RYNO)

And Free MC Fatal too.

LITTLE BROTHER AND EVIDENCE LIVE IN HOUSTON WITH DJ COSMOS!

2007-11-09T12:03:00.000-08:00

This is not a paid advertisement, I ride for my homeys and the homey BOBBY PHATS is jumping into the concert promo biz big time. It's goin' down man. Bobby Phats finna bring some real love to this promo game mayne, please support him as he has almost definitely supported you over time.

O.K. So maybe he hasn't supported everyone from around the world reading this, but he supports this music like a true soldier. He comes on KPFT right after Damage Control and is my DUDE! Very important that we all support this show real talk come down and come thru.

BIG MOE TRIBUTE: Damage Control 11/18/07Plus a Bonus - Last Weeks Damage Control

2007-11-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

Finally got the files and the servers and the thangs and the whoozits to all work together and got these up online. From the KPFT Archive so the show is split into three, one hour parts. Burn 'em on CD and jam 'em in your ride and never forget the Big Maaaaann.

BIG MOE TRIBUTE: Damage Control 11/18/07 Part 1

BIG MOE TRIBUTE: Damage Control 11/18/07 Part 2

BIG MOE TRIBUTE: Damage Control 11/18/07 Part 3

Also check out the first two hours of last weeks Damage Control, the Halloween edition. I only did one interview and the rest is all music.

11-01-07 Part 1

11-01-07 Part 2

This past week I was out in Los Angeles, so Chill and Golden Child held down the show. Bobo Luchiano, Bun B and Z-Ro were all in the house. I'm quite jealous, but I'll try to get the audio for you. Supposedly Z-RO played 5 new tracks.

YES!

2007-11-07T22:45:00.000-08:00

http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-11-08/music/racket

GHOSTFACE & RHYTHM ROOT ALL STARS!DJ AYRES IN THAT H-TOWN!NOV. 25TH!FREE!

2007-11-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

It's Goin' Down Once Again!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND GET IN FREE!

Also, I have mp3 archives of the last radio show and the Big Moe Tribute but for some reason they won't upload properly, I keep getting errors. Not sure why, but I'll get it figured out and get those up pronto.

This Old House!Low-Bee in Houston!Willie D's Birthday Party!

2007-10-31T07:11:00.000-07:00

Talk about neighborhood beautification! Check out this old house, all painted by the Aerosol Warfare dudes. I don't know the entire story but word is someone donated this house to Diverse Works (if ya done know it was a day care before this transformation, if you look close you can even see the outline of Big Bird underneath part of the paint on one of the sides) and they decided to let them Aerosol Warfarerers get busy. Check the pics, what a party!

Oh yes and it is located at the corner of Alabama and Almeda.

Elena was feelin' it

Eva doesn't like pictures anymore

Christamonster!

DJ CHill finna put this pic on a mixtape called THIS OLD HOUSE - CRUNK REMIXES OF HOUSE DIVA JAMS FROM THE 80'S! Watch his feet!

Gonzo of Aerosol Warfare and ZIN!

DJ Mieshach!

Now you don't have to worry about keeping track of your neckerchief hipsters.

Brandon Holley

Dusti Rhodes

This dog is dressed like a hot dog.

Shana and the Reverend Butter!

Know'm sayin'? Oh yeah and Happy Halloween you freakin' pagans.

And this Friday do not miss out on this EXXXXXXXXCLUUUUUSIVE M.I.A. Afterparty with Low Budget, CeePlus and Yogi! It's at Deco, which is where the Bun B MFAH after party t'was.

Be up in thurr. Paul Wall performing with M.I.A. earlier that night at Verizon. That's some monumental stuff for H-Town right there. Hope I am in town, but I doubt it.

Also to all my people in Los Angeles, I'll be out there next Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday. Whut it Dew? Holler at me cuz I want to see some thangs.

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO WILLIE D! A TRUE PIONEER! Do not miss this!

An Event for your heart and Some Music for your soul

2007-10-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

IT'S GOIN' DOWN THIS EVENIN'! Them boys from Aerosol Warfare, our originators out here, done did this whole house up and it's time for the unveilling. Lets meet for some drinks round about after work. O.K.?

And lookee here, if you're not up on the FIRST MISSIONARY CHURCH CHOIR - well then I've said it before and I'll say it again right up here on this blog here, YOU DON'T KNOW MUSIC!

Cuz this right here is real.

http://www.myspace.com/thefirstmissionarychurchchoir

Check it out, add her/them as a friend and leave a comment for them on thier myspace and here letting the world know how you might feel about such a thing.

Blogger Mutual Appreciation

2007-10-30T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I forget to check this blog right here, and when I do realize what I hath done in doing so I realize that alas and alak I need it to keep my faith in humanity cuz it's awesome. Word to Nintendo, Double Dare, Douche Bag Lawyers, Michael McDonald and slowed down raps.

Bun B's 2 Trill Coming Soon to well basically save YOU

2007-10-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

Alright, I'm being over ambitious once again with the titeling. One reader even recently called me "Hip Hop's Ignorance At It's Finest" (T-Shirts coming soon and all over print hoodies too!) I don't know. I do know that I ride for my people, and I also know that I have listened to this music and have been immersed in this culture for over twenty years and I listen to pretty much everything that comes out. Everything from everywhere, serious, real talk, I'm comin' real, never fake, just sayin', word up, to the extreme, I rock a mic like a vandal, o.k. lemme quit. I've had too much pumpkin juice.

Anyway yesterday afternoon I had the distinct honor of being able to join Bun B and Cory Mo for a lil private listening session to the tracks Bun has already knocked out for his next solo album, 2 Trill.

I know, I know, I know, I know, I already know already that you already know already that I am a huge Bun B fan. I admire the dude as a writer, an all around artist and a person and well yes he's one of my favorite MC's in the game, and well he's hands dow THE best MC in the game, no question no comparison on any level ever whatsoever, go ask yo mama.

Those are just facts, if you happen to have an affinity towards someone else, go ahead and have that. I'm just sayin'.

Maybe I'm just geeked to have been one of the first people to heard all this stuff yet. Call me a hip hop nerd, but I am excited. Dude has taken them to the next level. Anyway, I don't have any mp3s for you, but I did take some notes and will tell you what I heard so far.

Dude is killing it. I'll say straight up that I of course loved Trill, but personally there was a little something missing from it. Listen to it close and you'll hear all sorts fo messages and meanings and such, cuz Bun doesn't just drop a bunch of pap and hope to sell. But see, I talk to Bun sometimes. We talk about politics, we talk about the environment, we talk about the war on art that America hath waged, we talk about a lot of shit and dude is extremely informed.

So when Trill came out, honestly I was hoping to hear a song in which Bush was beaten like a pinata on a birfday, the Iraq war was reduced to a blip in our history books, and one where Bun teaches the kids in the hood why styrofoam cups are contributing to global warming. But alas and alak, I didn't hear it.

On 2 Trill, the President of the South is at his lectern, telling fools things they need to know. He's still Bun B, the underground king of the gutta, yes, but on 2 Trill he's bringing more knowledge than any rapper you can name right now. And that's a good thing for me and yooooooooooooooooooooooooooua.

Anyway, the listening session went down at Cory Mo's spot. I tried to get Cory to smoke a spliff mixed with a lil tobacco like how we did in Canada, but he wasn't havin' it on this side of the border.

He don't have to on this side of the borda.

Anyway here's the breakdown of what I heard:

"City of Syrup" - Produced by Cory Mo and featuring Mike Jones and Slim Thug.
Apparently Cory pitched this song to Mike a couple years back and Mike was with it but in the end it didn't make the album. Bun was going through some old stuff with Cory and heard this beat and immediately reacted. He got Mike and Slim to come in and round off the track and honestly, the beat is fire and it's a great Houston anthem, on par with Still Tippin', but it's really only the tip on the iceberg.

"Gangsta" - Produced by JR Roten and featuring Sean Kingston.
O.K. This was song number two for me to hear, and while both are jammin' in a basic song kind of way, I was a lil nervous. The song is real, if you really listen to it. Bun breaks down a lot of realities, but it; sjust radio ready enough to possibly be a big one. Not my favorite by any means, but it's good.

"Get Yo Issue" - Produced by Big Time
My favorite by all means. Big Time is one of the most slept on producers in the game. I don't know what happened between him and Swisha House, but he's the dude that helped form their whole sound back in the hey day. When he left them he kind of slowed down a bit - by todays standards anyway - but time and time again he keeps coming with that real fire. On this one, Bun takes crooked cops, preachers and politicians to task over a raucous, maniac, out of control beat that goes every which way but loose. He starts off each verse with a line like "Hey (Mr. Policeman) I hear you're trying to save some people today." Then proceeds to break down said policemans, politicians and preachers on points that nobody could ever argue with him. Like,he comes realer than I have heard anyone come in a while on this one, and the beat just SLAMS!

"My Block" - Produced by Jazze Pha
This is some classic hood shit from a classic combo.

"2 Trill" - Clinton Sparks camp?
The title track is a soulful, yet sinister jam that I will assume is gonna be a big single at some point.

"If It Was Up To Me" - Produced by Blackout, Junior Reid on the hook
WOW! "Get Yo Issue" is one of the greatest songs of all time, and this one right here is the most meaningful and poignant track on the disc. Dude goes ALL OUT on this one blasting all the ills of the world. He tackles politics, the environment, the lack of education in this country, man, he goes all out. He says some shit like we need to go to the "Doors of City Hall and Kick Them Hoe's Down," and even says some shit like "Since no one else is gonna do it, it's gotta be me, mayne." Which is true, hardly anybody else with a voice to the people is gonna say shit. Dude even talks about how so many places are ripping down projects and replacing them with condos and goes real deep into that whole situation. It's real mayne, a real look at America 2007.

"My Paper" - Produced by Big Time
This is pretty much the hardest song I've heard in ten years. Really.

"Damn I'm Cold" - Produced by CHOPS and featuring Lil Wayne
Gotta say I got real excited when I heard that my dude CHOPS was gonna be on this album. Seriously, I beenknowing him and his manager for some time now, and like 4 years ago he started really pursuing working with some of the folsk down here. Through sheer persistance, he's made it onto two of the hottest rap albums this year, and I'm pretty sure both songs are gonna be singles. If Cham doesn't make "We Breakin' Up" a single, he's nuts, and honestly I can't see Bun NOT making this a single. He and Lil Wayne both kill their verses and then trade off line for line in the third. Mayne, this shit is real mayne, I'm trying to tell you. What I've always liked about CHOPS is that he doesn't sample, he plays everything and makes his songs really melodic and musical, this one is no different, and it knocks.

"22 or Better" - Produced By Enigma
Another one of them straight up classic anthems.

"Unititled" - Produced by Mr. Lee
We've heard a lot of Mr. Lee production in the past couple years, but none on the level of this one. The shit is over the top. You'll hear it.

Anyway, I just feel crazy good to have been able to hear some of this shit in advance. It'll be out in early 2008 on Rap-A-Lot and it's gonnan change das game.

Listen to me now, believe me later on. In the future.

Also, Bun said this is what hath been fueling his fire. Ya don't kneaux beautx that Frenchy's, you better ask somebody from this town right here.

Anyway, that's that, wish I was as eloquent as Bun is coming on this record, but I'm not. I'm also a lil tired from a wild Halloweekend with these buddies right here. It's been a while since you've seen the girls, so here they go....

And Eva wanted you to see the skull on her face.

I been waiting all my life for this

2007-10-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

My sister Mona B and the fine folks at NRK in Norway have got all of the Lydverkets from the last year or so on the internetseses!

Which means that the HOUSTON SPECIAL is online as well. Man, seeing this special was one of the finest moment in my life. At the height of the um, Houston thing that happened, seeing a special on all the real cats out here on a Norwegian TV station means a lot to me.

CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE THE NRK LYDVERKET HOUSTON SPECIAL!!!

On here you'll see Devin being interviewed in my backyard, me and Elena in my kitchen and living room. Bun B and Scarface at 7303 and Bun B in Norway and way way more.

WATCH DAT! WORD TO MONA B! When fore art whilst we meet in Norge again? Grit Boys and Trae need a show in Bergen Bergen Bergen.

Houston Premier of INSIDE THE CIRCLE This Friday at MFAH

2007-10-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

“If you can hold yourself down in battle, you can hold yourself down in life.”
Romeo Navarro, founder of B-Boy City

After a critically acclaimed world premiere at SXSW earlier this year, the award-winning documentary INSIDE THE CIRCLE will have its Houston premiere as part of the MFAH “Premieres and Revivals” series. The film will screen at 7 pm and 9:30 pm on Friday October 26. The film’s director Marcy Garriott will participate in an audience Q&A after each screening, along with the film’s subjects: dancers Omar Davila, Josh Ayers, and Romeo Navarro.

Capturing the raw power of a grassroots hip-hop movement, INSIDE THE CIRCLE tells the story of two strikingly talented Texas b-boys (break dancers.) Josh and Omar are former best friends who become rivals when they join competing dance crews. Immersed in the b-boy culture of defiant creativity, Omar rises to international renown while Josh tangles repeatedly with the law. Both of them struggle to keep dance at the center of their lives, and the “B-Boy City” competitive events thrown by visionary street dancer Romeo Navarro serve as emotional milestones in their journey to adulthood. As Romeo aptly observes: “If you can hold yourself down in battle, you can hold yourself down in life.”

INSIDE THE CIRCLE reveals a hip-hop culture sometimes invisible to the world at large, full of love, acceptance, hope and creativity.

Director Marcy Garriott is a Houston native and Rice graduate who now lives in Austin. Josh Ayers (Masterz of Mayhem/MIND180 crews) and Omar Davila (Jive Turkeys/Mighty Zulu Kingz crews) are world-class b-boys who regularly win international competitions; Josh also tours with Black-Eyed Peas vocalist Fergie.

INSIDE THE CIRCLE takes us across Texas, and around the world, with a few stops in Houston along the way. The innovative Houston-based non-profit Youth Advocates is featured, along with members of world-renowned Houston dance crew HaviKoro. The film’s short animated sequences and its website were developed by Houstonian b-boy Mario Jaramillo and his graphic arts company Robot Agency.

The film is very character/narrative-driven, but at the same time deals with universal issues felt by the b-boy community worldwide. The three b-boys that it focuses on (Romeo, Omar & Milky) will be in Houston also for the screening, available for interviews, etc. And Houston’s HaviKoro crew shows up through-out the film, as the established “role models” for the younger up & coming b-boys. The film has other strong Houston ties as well, such as highlighting the unconventional youth intervention organization Youth Advocates.

www.insidethecircle.com

So come out and see the HOUSTON PREMIERE of the award-winning documentary INSIDE THE CIRCLE at THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON (Same place the Bun B screening of STyle Wars was held)

Friday October 26, 7:00 and 9:30 pm

1100 Bissonnet Street

Director Q&A after each screening, plus b-boys Josh, Omar & Romeo

After-party till 2 AM with DJ Comp1, 2609 Dunlavy

Praise for the film:

** SXSW 2007 Audience Award **

** San Diego Film Festival 2007 Audience Choice Award **

“Amazingly good…”
www.aintitcool.com

“Easily the single most inspirational and gripping film of its kind I’ve seen in quite some time...”
www.film.com

“An absorbing documentary about two Texas b-boys that not only features the most sizzling breakdancing to be seen on the big or small screen, but also does the only lucid job I've yet encountered of explaining the aesthetic of this street art without diluting its power...”
Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun

“It’s a film about perseverance in life and transformation through art that gives a message of hope to everyone.”
Nancy Schiesari, Award-winning filmmaker and Professor, University of Texas Dept. of Radio-Television-Film

“… a MUST-SEE film…”
Adrian Harewood, CBC Radio, Ottawa Canada

(PS We will be giving tix away to new members tonight on Damage Control so tune in).

TRAE LIFE GOES ON OUT TODAY!

2007-10-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

Real talk for my peoples on the block...

New Trae in stores today so run and go get that. I'm only gonna endorse the realest and once again the realest is coming from Houston. What other region - seriously answer this in the comments with real examples cuz I wanna know - has put out rap records as real as Houston in the past couple months?

Seriously, tell me. And I'm talking about real, not dance music.

UGK
Chamillionaire
Grit Boys
Trae

All real.

And there's more coming too.

But for now go get the Trae, do yourself a favor.

Grit Boys Release Party Last Night at Venue!

2007-10-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Where were the TVT Execs????? Anyway man, it went down, super good to see Paul Wall in the place and all the good supporters of this great music. Real talk, y'all are missing out on some real music if you miss this Grit album. They put themselves waaaaay out there.

I stayed as long as I could. The party was cool, but I can't sit and listen to radio music all night or I die inside. But the crowd was really off the chain, nice vibes, lots of ladies, and Venue is quite top notch.

Anyway, heres the photos...

I took this just before getting to the club. In a daze/haze.

Unique of the Grit Boys

Poppy of the Grit Boys

Scooby of the Grit Boys

Calvin Earl and Pretty Todd

Paul Wall and Pretty Todd

Chase Money, Paul Wall, Gu-U and Scooby

Great Scott!

Gu-U, Paul Wall, Mike R. and Pretty Todd

MY PEOPLE RIGHT HERE!

Diedre and Todd

BP of Street Pharmacy and Sparkdawg

DJ Rynos new Trae tape is one of the only mixtapes I can listen to right now. Real talk.

InDMix was indmix!

Ricky Baby!

Starchy Arch!

It went DOWN!

Big Moe Interview from 2002 - Murder Dog

2007-10-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

I did this interview with Big Moe for Murder Dog Magazine just before the release of Purple World in 2002. Probably the hardest interview I ever had to transcribe, but what a cool dude. It's truly yet another sad day in H-Town.

Also the damn compouter fucked up last night so I gotta go up to KPFT and get last nights tribute show from the archives.

Photo by Peter Beste

Big Moe
By Matt Sonzala

Do you remember the first time you ever heard your voice Screwed?
First time I ever heard my voice Screwed? Oh what year?

Yeah when did you first hear your voice Screwed and how did it make you feel?
When I first heard Screw, I really didn't like Screw. I ain't gonna lie. My voice wasn't on there, but as like I grew old that's what everybody listened to and I listened to so much and it started sounding good to me you know what I'm saying? That was like '92 - '93. When the majority of the Screwed Up Clique met Screw anyway. I kind of like hooked up with him in '92, but I really hooked up with him mostly in '94 when we really started kicking it. That's when I heard my voice on a Screw tape. It sound kind of fly and I liked it so I stayed with it. I hopped on his album, you know what I'm sayin'? The album came out and the album did great. Featuring Keke and featuring me. Album did good and we all got paid. The album made our name big, you know Texas sized around here and it got deeper than that, it got around everywhere. Everybody know about it, you know what I'm saying?

Do you remember the name of the first tape you appeared on?
3 In The Morning, DJ Screw 3 In the Morning tape. Underground wise on a tape called RIP T-Lee, a dude that passed away. It was a RIP tape. He passed away and Screw wanted me to come sing on it. Some RIP shit, miss my potna or whatever. So Screw called me.

How many tapes do you think you have appeared on?
It's a lot. I don't know, probably about 30 or 40, I don't know. I know I been lost count a long time ago. I did a tape that did real good, I think if the underground sold this tape here for a dollar a piece, I think it went platinum. It's called June 27th. So many people have the tape. I'm on there, Pokey on there, Yungstar on there, to this day people ask for the tape. This tape for $10, this boy offered me $50 for a tape. That's another tape that people know too.

Do you ever make songs with what it might sound like Screwed in mind? Do you think about that beforehand?
I sing a lot. I'm more r&b than a rapper, but I rap too, I'm so used to doing straight up singing I feel that's where I sound good. And singing, got some good singing, slowed down, that'll always sound good. Yeah, I be thrown by how it sound slowed down. I'm so used to listening, I just started listening to the radio. I guess it's cuz I want to hear myself on the radio, but at first there was no radio. Straight to Screw. Straight Screw.

I want to ask you a little bit about syrup, because your new album "Purple World" kind of follows the syrup theme of your first album. Would you say that syrup use in Houston is really as big as the music and media makes it out to be?
It just really started getting big because of these teenagers you know what I'm saying? Me, I ain't a old dude or whatever, but I got a mother and she raised me, she really was a cool mother. She said "you want to get drunk, get drunk right here. You want to smoke weed you smoke weed in the house." She didn't want her children outside. "You want to have sex with your girlfriend? Go in your room." That's the kind of mom I got. So it's like that kind of mom she supervised us and that was my deterrent. I'm 20 something, she 47 she drank it before I was born. Police and all of them, they done it. What I done for it? There's a lot of old people I know that drank. They done it for a long time. But now since these laws, they got big cases and laws came up in it, and you just can't do it if you don't want to go to jail, cuz it's not legal.

Being that it's not legal, but it is a prescription drug, how do people get so much of it?
Well it's for bronchitis. That's what it's really for. It's a downer, and people like that feeling. I can't lie I done been on it. I talk about it a lot because it's what's going on. I don't talk about it and say I do it like that. I talk about it cuz that's what's happening. If I was talking about chronic right now, why not write another song about chronic? That's gonna sell you know what I'm saying. So I write a song about syrup.

But is it really a big thing here like it's made out to be. Is it really such a phenomenon?
Now I don't knock 3 6 Mafia, I cut for them. But I know where that started from. They came down here. Matter of fact, I kicked it with MJG and 8Ball, they from Memphis you know what I'm saying? They used to come down here and that's what everybody was doing. You wasn't no player if you wasn't doing it. Shit's crazy, but that's what everybody was doing. And we didn't make it no better cuz we said it so much on tape, and then people look up to us already. People ask me what it taste like? You want to ask me what it taste like, I ain't your parents. I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do basically it's on them.

So you can just get it on the street in Houston? Or do people go to their doctors and get prescriptions?
Well there's crooked doctors and there's the streets too. The hustlers. I been around all that before but God blessed me to get away from all that. I don't have to sell. It's dudes that will hook up with something and they on the block just like selling grass. I'm from 3rd Ward, there's a corner in 3rd Ward folks call the Million Dollar Corner, you go get anything you want over there. And they all know each other so somebody pull up wants some drank, there's probably drank over there so they call him over get the drink. Cuz this dude here he probably sell weed. This how this works. They had a couple doctors that was doing it too much. Just giving scripts out. And we saw that same old doctor in handcuffs. Cuz that's illegal how they do that right there. The doctor will give it to you if you really need it.

Is it a cheap drug?
It's cheap but it's high. I mean a pint will go for, at a pharmacy it'll go for like $12 or something. Out here it cost $225. So that's where the money at there. If they got the inside hook up or whatever, they can go in there and man. I been around when the price is high and I been around when the price is low. It's laid back and relaxing but it ain't good for you. You gotta drink a lot of water, you know what I'm sayin'? It'll dehydrate you. I done been to the hospital for it. It was just dehydration though. You have to drink a lot of water.

If you buy some syrup on the street how do you know you're not buying NyQuil or Robitussin or something.
You don't. For one thing you gotta know somebody. Some of them do it. Actually one time I gave this boy, when a pint was $275, I gave this boy an unopened Snapple container. Grape. I'm laughing, man. I said MAN!

How much of "Purple World" revolves around syrup?
I mean, purple, that's the color of it. Purples my favorite color, it's a pretty color. I feel I'd just change it up a little bit. Do something a little different. Like on a Kool Aid level.

But is it a subject that comes up on the record a lot this time around?
Naw I kind of slowed down cuz I talked about it a lot on the last one. This one here it's more deeper.

Can you tell me a little about the new record? Who are some of the guests and producers? What's you're favorite song?
Well I ain't name the songs yet, you know what I'm sayin'? But the album done though. I got a song called "Drop the Top." I like that song. It's about coming out on the boulevard on a day the sun out, drop the top, ride around, that's what it's about. Drop the top, ride through the wind. I ain't really got too many features. Last one didn't have too many features. This album here I got my best friend Toon on the album. I got Pokey and Z-ro. The producers are the Platinum Sound producers which are Wreck Shop Producers.

So you don't have a lot of features on your album? Is the Screwed Up Clique as tight now that Screw is gone as they were before? Do you still get down to do music?
On my album I got all the people on there. I got Hawk on there, I got Pokey on there, I got Keke on there. I got my people on there. We all sticking together it's just that we all signed with different labels. I wanted to be like a Screwed Up Productions, but Screw passed away so, but me and Hawk had talked one time and Screw was like he didn't want to do a CEO thing, he just wanted to DJ and I respected that. So it made me look and I made a decision and went with Wreck Shop. I think I made a good choice.

Who would you say is doing a good job of keeping the spirit of Screw alive?
Everybody representing him. Everybody miss him you know what I'm saying? I'm always going to, at a show or anything. I miss my boy.

GRIT BOYS ALBUM IN STORES TODAY!

2007-10-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

Go get it, seriously, it's what Houston 2007 is supposed to sound like and then some. Real talk. It's what you want.

WE'LL ALWAYS LOVE BIG MOYO!

2007-10-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Another tragedy has hit the Legendary Screwed Up Click. Big Moe passed yesterday and will be sorely missed by us all. More info as it comes in, but REST IN PEACE MOE!

I've got an interview I did with him for Murder Dog in 2001 or 2002, I'll find it and post asap.

HOUSTONSOREAL GARAGE SALE 8am - 2pm SATURDAY!

2007-10-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hit me on that myspace if you wanna come buy some of my records, vhs tapes, receivers, lawnmower, baby clothes or a bunch of streetwear type shit for $2 a piece. www.myspace.com/houstonsoreal

send me a message and i'll send you the address. im quite close to 12th and shepherd.

This My New Workout

2007-10-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

Seriously, we all need to take better care of ourselves. Why not make it fun?

BIG MOE UPDATE!

2007-10-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Word is he is opening his eyes now and again and has been wiggling his toes, which is a good sign. Keep the big man in your prayers and I'll try to keep you posted.

WE ARE PULLING FOR YOU BIG MOE!

PRAY FOR BIG MOELast Nights - and two weeks back - Damage ControlGrit Boys Party at the Grid IronCory Mo's Montreal Photos!

2007-10-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

FIRST THINGS FIRST, lets all keep the Barre Baby Big Moe in our prayers. I have waited to report on this, cuz I haven't been able to get any solid information from anyone close enough to the source, but this morning I got a lil info from a reliable source.

Photo of Big Moe linked from theindustri.com

There's been a gang of text messages going around the city this week stating that rapper Big Moe has passed away, this is not true. Please stop forwarding these texts. I have been hearing this rumor since Sunday.

That's not to say that he is not in bad shape, from what I hear he is in a coma on life support after suffering three heart attacks last week, and then a seizure.

Those who know, know that Moe was one of the main dudes who shaped this whole Houston sound. An original member of the Screwed Up Click, it's his nasal, slow riding, baritone voice that graced some of DJ Screw's greatest tapes and roped people into the slowed down sound of Houston, TX. He's not simply a rapper, he's a grimy crooner with a penchant for really rocking the house and singing the praise, of well, what seemed to be his favorite vice, codeine cough syrup.

There's a lot of talk on the internet about how we shouldn't focus on that aspect of his career, but um, go head and look at his albums, listen to his songs, its unavoidable. He's the Barre Baby and really blew the whole syrup thing wide open way before the media ever gave a fuck about Houston.

We all are praying for you Moe, you're a soldier mayne and we need you to pull through this.

That being said, from reports I have received, it's not looking good. What kills me, personally and maybe selfishly, is that Big Moe is one of like, three rappers from Houston who has never been on Damage Control, and I don't think I ever really even had him on my blog. Scarface, Lil Flip and Big Moe have never been on Damage Control, I need to change that.

Anyway pray for the big man. He gave us quite a lot over the years.

We did a bit of a tribute to the big man last night on Damage Control, first hour all Big Moe music, mostly mixed by DJ Artillery. DOWNLOAD IT HERE.

And I didn't get to post the show from Sept. 27 for some reason so here it go right here.

This weekend, there's a ton of stuff going on. Westheimer Arts Fest, Axiom Reunion at Fitz for aging punk rockers like myself, my garage sale where I'ma sell a bunch of records and "street wear" ;) - um, what else, a bunch of shit. But I'ma make sure that I can make it over to Pretty Todd's studio, THE GRID IRON for their open house/Grit Boys listening party. There's gonna be beer, and such. nd the Grit Boys album is amazing, you need to hear it. IN STORES NOW (In Germany).

(In Germany)

And below please find Cory Mo's photos from the Montreal trip!

It hath been said (by Ric Rapid) that DJ Chill could make friends in a desert, and I think he has.

Mood: Contemplative.

Ditto.

Also my boy Noah from New Orleans has an event coming up next month called HIP HOP FOR HOPE, in New Orleans. It goes down Nov. 1st, 2nd & 3rd and features Partners 'N' Crime, Raw Dizzy, Nutt Da Kidd, KnowOne, 5th Child, DJ EF Cuttin, Fuego, Jealous
Monk, Nomadic Souls, J-Dubble, Mr. Jai, Jimi Clever, Killa B and Many More!

Hit up Noah on noah_f_baby@yahoo.com and check out his website for the event here.

ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT HIS BLOG CUZ HES KILLIN' IT. He's also on WTUL in New Orleans so get at Noah and get your music played out there. He's a real dude. Word to Jeff B (throwback shout out!)

Photos from the Coughee Brothaz Tour

2007-10-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

Warms me heart to see these boys on the road, doin' shows, and such. I was a lil concerned when they pulled out 17 deep, but seeing these dudes in these photos just makes me happy to know that my dudes are really seeing this country and grinding it out. Coming to a city near you, holler at ya boys!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTOS! WORD TO GABO FOR THE LINK!

Brian McManus on Devin the Dude

2007-10-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

And he exposes some of my secret hotel techniques! Which is damn real.

CLICK HERE TO READ BRIAN MCMANUSES'SES'S PREVIEW PIECE ABOUT DEVIN THE DUDE AND DEL LIVE IN PHILLY NEXT WEEK!

Dana Meyersons Pop Montreal Photos

2007-10-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

Its fucked up, but I think my camera has demons in it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. Word to the digital age. Like for real, sometimes my flash just wont trigger at all no matter what I do. Sometimes the camera will say my card can't be used, then ten minutes later it can. Sometimes I have to format it 12 times. Sometimes I'll have a full charge on my battery and it'll say it needs a charge, then an hour later it magically works. I don't know. I won't pretend to know things about technology or cameras, I'll just say it's got demons infecting its innards.

Like many of us.

Anyway, so my first night of Pop Montreal, even though I lugged the thing everywhere in my backpack, I wasn't able to take any photos. Word to super publicist and individual of the highest ilk Dana Meyerson for taking the following.

Like what if we had missed Cory Mo's first forway into the world of eating with Chopstix? You'd have no idea that he hath mastered this ancient art.

Anyway Kid Sister freakin' ripped it.

She's got a real show, serious moves and all that.

The backstage after the show was freakin' crunk as evidenced by this photo of Cory Mo and DJ Chill. Reading.

Anyway, like most parts of the semi-civilised world, you can't smoke indoors anymore. So we headed outside to um partake in various thangs that may or may not affect our lungs later in life. Only time will tell and well... fuck it. There's a lot worse things one could be doing than smoking on a Montreal street on a Thursday night.

Them PRO NAILS we hath heard so much about.

Kid Sister seen here with photographer of this whole thang thang here Dana Meyerson.

Brian McManus and I held it down hard in Montreal. One of my favorite moments was when we were walking back, I think from the Bun B show, up Saint Laurent - and I mean UPHILL. It was maybe a 4 block walk, but the last block was like straight up into the sky, just like, this steady incline that would be fine had we not drank like 40 beers and each had a bag of french fries, anyway. We were walking all briskly, excited to roll a spliff at the hotel and finish off said fries, and whence we hit the hill it was like all time stopped. Like the hill was a never ending vortex we would never conquer. Anyway I was drunk so maybe I'm being a lil over dramatic, and real talk, I don't really remember that much. I just remember that when we got to my room, all huffed and puffed Brian said "I'm so glad we got fries. It's great when a plan works out this well." And I knew exactly what he meant. We had survived the grease, the alcohol and the incline and we were alive in Canada.

Which is how I like to be.

Me, Brian and Cory Mo...

For some reason, I don't know.

Anyway, heres DJ Chill on the streets of Montreal holding an reasonible facsimilie of said fries as mentioned above.

And here's me with said joint, or a reasonible facsimile as such and such.

Anyway, the shit was fun. Hope to see all yall next year. Or next week. WHy am I not going to CMJ again? Oh yeah I'm broke.

America's Drug Lords Don't Live in America?

2007-10-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

O.K. I try to stay out of politics on HoustonSoReal for the most part. I may come out and say things like "IT'S ALL ABOUT KUCINICH WAKE UP FUCKERS!" But for the most part I'm not going to go nuts on these things in favor of kind of sticking with the music and general debauchery...

But I read this article in the Houston Chronicle today and had to post it.

Basically it's saying things like this...

American drug fighters say that for a variety of reasons, the biggest of bosses stay out of the United States.

"You don't have prominent cartel figures here. Our law enforcement efforts are too good. Our intelligence is too good and we don't have the vast corruption," said Fred Burton, a former federal anti-terrorism agent who is on Gov. Rick Perry's Border Security Council.

James Kuykendall, a retired Drug Enforcement Administration agent, said big-time dealers want to avoid the type of scrutiny they'd draw in the U.S.

"If you get too flashy, there is a red flag," he said. "We do not pursue it as well as we could, but we seem to do better than most Latin American countries."

Uh huh. You guys are great. Never mind that we live in a country where if you have enough money you can get anything you want including diplomatic immunity for them boys on top, and a stick up the ass for those on the bottom.

We have, how you say, "vast corruption."

Come on now man, this shit made me mad. If our intelligence is so grand, why can't the pigs find the two dudes who broke into a house down my street at 2:30 p.m. last week? The woman across the street saw them, took a photo of them, said photo was published and the criminals were in full view. Maybe if the cops would have come to the scene of the crime in progress in less than a hour they would have gotten them...

Man I'ma stay out of this and let you read and decide for yourselves. But these corrupt politicians and police need to just shut the fuck up. This article is a smack in the face to all hard working Americans. And hard working workers all over the world.

Also this...