Live Music // Current

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1 month ago

Experiencing Grief, Joy and Community in Live Music

I share this review with you because it was one of my favorite reviews I’ve read this year. And when I finished reading the... more

livefixblog
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The Secrets to Oprah's Flash Mob Dance in Chicago

What’s bigger than Chicago, bigger than the Black Eyed Peas and bigger than Oprah? The collective ripple effect of... more

livefixblog
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HaleAmanO live from Las Vegas at WASTED SPACE

A little bit of the show from the Hard Rock inside WASTED SPACE!

WarptTV
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HaleAmanO a little more from YAYO TACO'S in Las Vegas!

Hope you like the show more soon!

WarptTV
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HaleAmanO at YAYO TACO'S in Las Vegas

Here is a little bit of the Local Music show at YaYo Taco's in Las Vegas, Thanks ED!! Brought to Las Vegas by Itchy Metal... more

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Rass Kass Central Taking it by storm

Rass Kass: Re-Edited, Styled & THEN FLIPPED HARD: Scott O'Malley / Guerillapress.net Executive Producers: Ras Kass,... more

Preyproductionstv
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Wyland Earth Day - World Premiere - Wins Best Film

The short film Wyland Earth Day - World Premiere was at the San Diego Film Festival. Won Best San Diego Film! Check out the... more

chrismorrow
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DX News Bits: Meek Mill, G-Unit, Eve

Grand Hustle artist Meek Mill spoke to Datpiff.com on Sunday [click here] about several topics including his spot in the rap game... more

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Presents Ghostdini: The Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City - Ghostface Killah

Fans who meet the news that Ghostface Killah [click to read] would be releasing an R&B-inspired album with surprise shouldn’t; the fact of the matter is, Tony Starks waxes about the fairer sex with greater mastery than just about any of peers. Yes, Ghost has weaved tales about love, lust and everything in between – so it’s only natural that he devotes an album to what may just be his favorite subject (all deference to cocaine).

“Lonely” shows that Ghost is uninterested in allowing Wizard of Poetry to be so limited as to explore only lust and infatuation. Here, GFK examines the consequences of not valuing his significant other: “Someone is sleepin’ in my bed, eatin’ my food / Usin’ my soap, layin’ up in my pool / Walkin’ around in his boxers, like everything’s cool / Gassin’ my chick for the whip, droppin’ her off at school / Under my covers and changin’ my channels / Playin’ my CDs in my robes, another man’s burnin’ my candles / My cologne’s halfway gone, a fake don / My old whiz fell for now she chose to park under his arm.” Ghostface carries the song with an obvious tone of regret, which is made even more effective when paired with Raheem DeVaughn’s gloomy hook.

Things don’t stay dreary for long, however, as “Stapleton Sex” brings the listener right into the bedroom. Over-the-top sexually charged Rap is rarely entertaining these days, but Ghost’s storytelling prowess here is in full effect. Kids – this isn’t one to play while the parents are in earshot. “Paragraphs Of Love,” with the help of airy piano keys and a soulful pairing in Estelle and Vaughn Anthony is on the opposite side of spectrum, and just as good. It would seem that the track order is meant to reflect the unpredictable nature of attraction, as the subsequent “Guest House” [click to listen] goes into a completely different direction, dealing with jealousy and revenge – complete with a great cameo by Fabolous [click to read]. Again, Ghostface stakes his claim as one of the game’s greatest storytellers on the track – this time over the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League’s trademark horns and keys.

Read the whole review here...................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.1274Fans who meet the news that Ghostface Killah [click to read] would be releasing an R&B-inspired album with surprise... more

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1 month ago

Nas Talks About Album No-Shows, Def Jam Presidency

In a recent interview with punchbowlblog.com, rapper Nas (sort of) spoke on a few rumors that have been circulating concerning his... more

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1 month ago

Royce Da 5'9" Talks Possible Slaughterhouse/Shady Records Deal

Upon being featured in a cameo capacity in the "Forever" video, rumors of Slaughterhouse negotiating a deal with... more

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1 month ago

Underground Report: Ras Kass

Summer’s over folks as we slip and slide into rotational diversions of school, work and limited play. A flawless choice for this month’s Underground Report is one man defying a nation, examining political realities while simultaneously flexing lyrical – and sometimes physical - muscles. Try him if you wanna. A connoisseur of music yet not its consumer – check the newly released Ras Kass: The Biography of John Austin episodes – Ras Kass is an artist on the quest of evolution through experimentation which can be witnessed in the Rock-inspired “Ironman Thug” or the recently released “If This World Were Mine,” a soulful backdrop from Pete Rock featuring DJ Doo Wop.

While most noted for his lyricism, Mr. John Austin too attracts attention through controversy, notably the legal battles with Capitol Records and the two publicized incarcerations. Irrespective of both however, Ras Kass remains vital in Hip Hop’s playpen as a window to the woes where he is currently working on The Quarterly, a weekly leak of original tracks which will develop into a finalized compilation. He’s here to show you what this mic is for. Kass’ discography entails an assemblage of creation showcasing official, unofficial, bootlegged and scrapped albums, including Soul on Ice, Rasassination, Van Gogh, Institutionalized Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Eat or Die, Revenge of the Spit, Razzy Kazzy. Eyes don’t lie and neither does Ras as he sits down with HipHopDX to discuss passion, the appeal of violence and why the new never gets old.

HipHopDX: Where have you been?
Ras Kass: [Laughs] it’s a transition period. If you’re talking about as far as putting out major label albums, there’s that sense. If you’re talking about legal situations, decisions that cost me, I’ve been going from there…and then there’s the concept of where I’ve been recently. [Laughs]

DX: Let’s address each, at least briefly. What’s happening with you and Capitol Records?
Ras Kass: Me and Capitol…you know, they want party records. We didn’t see eye-to-eye. That went on for a long time, basically five years. I can’t go into that, we agreed not to talk about each other.

DX: What do you owe them as of now?
Ras Kass: The initial contract that I signed was for five albums. I can never seem to get the third album done. That was Van Gogh and that died, and the fourth album was Goldyn Child…there were different perceptions. At that point they would have said that I didn’t turn in an album. I just really felt like everybody else - all my peers, some people I considered my friends - their careers were progressing and mine was kind of halted. So I took the steps I felt were necessary to change the situation. And that resulted in a lawsuit. And that dragged on for a long time, five years. There it is in a nutshell. We’ve settled in, and I think everybody’s better for it. And it’s a new day now…

DX: Are you happy with the vision of your current projects? Right now, The Quarterly.
Ras Kass: Yeah. I’m enjoying myself. Just to be able to do something in spontaneity, of being able to be your own artist, do what you want to do, when you want to do it…there’s pros and cons to everything. The con is that you don’t have somebody that’s willing to upfront and that’s willing to make all these things happen, or get you to this place, or BET Awards. “We’re gonna fly you and pay for your hotel and give you 20 dollars a day”…all that. That’s the pro side of being on a major label. The con is that sometimes they get caught up in so much red tape or politics that you lose the time. You can’t get it done fast enough because either you’re busy in an office trying to convince someone that this is a great idea or they think it’s a great idea but they’re still taking this long to process it.

Read more Ras Kass here.....................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.1417Summer’s over folks as we slip and slide into rotational diversions of school, work and limited play. A flawless choice for... more

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1 month ago

Common, Kanye West, Nas Perform For A Good Cause

Common's Common Ground Foundation's [click here] benefit concert took place at the Hollywood Palladium last night (September 26), an evening full of stars that were there for a good cause. HipHopDX was at the event, one which saw the impressive roster of performers and special guests, including the surprise arrival of one of this year's most talked about rappers.

De La Soul kicked things off with classic cuts before bringing MF Doom [click here] along as a guest. The Roots followed with a couple of songs including "The Next Movement," while Black Thought stayed to perform a few impromptu freestyles with Common [click here], who acted as host and performer all night.

Ludacris' [click here] set was full of the enthusiasm he has become known for as he let the crowd pick songs from his discography including "Southern Hospitality" and "Move Bitch." Ending his set with "I Do It For Hip Hop," Nas joined him to spit his verse. After "I Do it for Hip Hop," he stayed to perform solo, starting with "One Mic." Common later joined Nasir at the tail end of his set to help with tracks off Illmatic, which they performed together, an unexpected moment met with thunderous applause as they spit "N.Y. State of Mind" together. Another surprise followed as Nas introduced Heavy D, who thanked the fans for welcoming him as he performed a few of hits including "Nuttin But Love" and "Now That We Found Love," dancing like he never lost a step.

Fans went wild as Mos Def entered the stage to begin "Respiration," and after having to start the track over, Talib Kweli [click here] joined Com and Mos for the rest of the cut. Black Star was not originally supposed to perform, as Common later announced, but the surprise was met with praise from fans as Mos sang "Umi Says" and Kweli stormed through "Get By." After Black Star, Common announced the most surprising performance of the night.

At first Com told fans that Kanye West was supposed to be a special guest for the evening. However he said he could not make it due to the backlash he's received from his VMA interruption of Taylor Swift [click here], adding that Ye sent his love. A few second later, Kanye emerged from the back telling fans to "Get Em High," greeted by the loudest welcome of the night. Members of the audience jumped and shouted in surprise and awe as West performed his verses off "Make Her Say" and "Run This Town," with Common, Mos Def and Talib Kweli backing him up. By the time he got to "Good Life" and "Flashing Lights," Queen Latifah [click here] took the stage to share in the moment.

Read more on the cause here.................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9874Common's Common Ground Foundation's [click here] benefit concert took place at the Hollywood Palladium last night... more