Archive for the ‘T.O.N.Y.’ Category

SIDEWALK HUSTLING 101…

Saturday, October 4th, 2008

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There is always something exciting going down outside of the party. There’s a whole vibrant culture to the people that weren’t let inside the club. Here is where you can find the next great, but more than likely its usually the next never will be.

Still and all people are ready to shoot their shot because you never know if its the last one you got. I am that dude. These are my peoples. My lil’ homey DJ J-Ronin spotted me on the blowout from the Hip-Hop Honors show so we politicked for a few…

The verdict is that Planet Asia has style and flow. I get links to his tracks from time to time so I’ma have to give him a second listen. Sav Kills is my dude. He reminds me of Percee P without the omnipresence. Sav Kills do be on his grizzly though. He tried to sell me his CD one day when I was standing on the corner at Union Square waiting for C.S.

The next video features the street team dude who drank too much yet still wants to fulfill his fream of performing in front of a camera. Dude obviously got dressed up to come out to the Hip-Hop Honors awards as evidenced by hy his LL Cool J ‘Exit 13’ promotional fitted cap. You could never buy class party people, and you surely can’t get it from the free schwag that a cheap ass record label gives away.

Ghetto Surf & Turf!?! Hmmmmmm, 40 Diesel called it.

After The Show, And Yet Before The Afterparty…

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

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There is a nebulous area in entertainment between the show and the afterparty. It is called the parking garage. This is where entertainers wait for the horses and carriages to chaffeur them off to the the next thing.

If you hang with 40 Diesel then you will have access to this place that even your press credentials couldn’t provide.

Take a few minutes to enjoy the dialogue we shared with some of our favorite rappers and entertainers who entered the zone otherwise known as the 2008 Vh-1 Hip-Hop Honors Aftershow Parking Garage Party.

Okay, my bad that was ridiculously long. I hope these clips aren’t.

Featuring Wyclef Jean, Michael Rappaport, Ahmir ?uestlove Thompson, PMD, Fat Joe, BizMark, Dave from De La, Fab 5 Fredddy and the unstoppable, irrepressible obama eliminator, 40 Diesel.

Hip-Hop Hooray!

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

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What if B.E.T. were to honor Hip-Hop as well as Vh-1 does?

Here’s a few thoughts on tonight’s taping of Vh-1’s Hip-Hop Honors Awards and why all the honorees were deserving of their recognition for a myriad number of reasons.

  • Too Short was a pioneer of self-distribution before the age of the internets and platforms like YouTube and the such
  • De La Soul for inspiring most of us to become rappers that rhymed to our own beat
  • Cypress Hills for keeping Hip-Hop’s legacy of activism well lit
  • Naughty By Nature for still having that Juice
  • Slick Rick for just being the ruler
  • TERRENCE came through and shot up the red carpet. Okay, I mean shot using his movie camera, and the carpet was actually purple and not red. Not a royal purple either, more like an eggplant nightshade type purple.

    MARVELOUS MO held it down for DP Dot Com. I can’t wait to see her footage. She looked so stunning that Fat Joe only remembers me because I was standing next to her.

    KEV CLARK remains omnipresent when red carpets are in effect. Peep some of his pics…

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    We were sited next to B.E.T.’s “Black Carpet” coverage team again. I didn’t make a point to talk through their uncharismatic hosts like I did last year and GOD rewarded my goodness by letting me see Vh-1 staff boot B.E.T. off the carpet runway to behind the steel barriers.

    Vh-1 staff keeps their shit real nazi-like for the press. We accept that treatment for the access and the crafts services. F.Y.I. The roasted chicken and the vegetable lasagna were excellent. As usual, I made my way to the V.I.P. area where the kick ass hors d’ovaries and the free drinks were. 40 Diesel was there going in hardbody on the souvenir cups.

    I caught a few minutes of the performances between my double-fisting and free dinner. It’s fun to be a fan of Hip-Hop. Most of the people in the VIP area were still working and politicking. The new event is now the Hip-Hop Honors afterparty where the entertainment industry people rub elbows with the night’s performers.

    Basically, everyone that has been together for the last 12 hours hangs out for another 4 hours. I’m sure someone is charging this to overtime.

    I’m certainly not.

    It’s only 6am and I have only processed three video clips. Sleep? That shit is the cousin of death.

    I wish I could quit you Hip-Hop [ll].

    Vh-1 Hip-Hop Honors
    Monday October 6th
    10pm EST

    Back Pack Rap Attack…

    Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008

    duck down

    It’s never a good time to leave NYC. There is a party tonight for the launch of NBA 2K9. Open bar and free food. There is some other industry shit on Wednesday night with more free drinks and Thursday night in NYC is the new Saturday night with free drinks and free food in several spots.

    NYC is straight banana bread during the week, but on the weekend it becomes the city that never sleeps. This Friday there is some historic shit popping off at the Knitting Factory. Boot Camp Clik will be riding in hard with live performance by the Cocoa B’z and Black Moon. A live band will be backing them up as they perform the classic Hip-Hop albums ‘Da Shinin’ and ‘Enter Da’ Stage’.

    ‘Enter Da’ Stage’ is such an important record in Hip-Hop history and the Duck Down BCC movement is finally being recognized as one of rap music’s greatest collectives, if not the greatest. Look at their consistent track record and their longevity. BCC just keeps grinding through the underground. Heltah Skeltah’s Sean Price has become the most prominent face of the movement in the last few years but who can deny Smif and Wessun and their impact on rap culture. Boot Camp is Brooklyn to the bone and they represent for the neighborhoods that gentrification still won’t fucks with. Brownsville, Ocean Hill, East New York, Pitkin, Sutter, DuMont, Saratoga, Rockaway, Ralph Ave. Hail Meg!

    It sucks that I am going to Barbados for a week today. It doesn’t suck like that, but damn, this will be such a legendary performance that I hate the idea of missing it just because me and my chick caught this sick deal in February. The end of the hurricane season and right before the prime season jumps off is when you can got to the Caribbean for next to nothing. So while I’m chilling on a white sand beach Buckshot Shorty will be ripping down ‘Buck ‘Em Down’ with a live bass player on his side.

    I hope some of you hermits come up from your mom’s basements. Don’t be scared. There will be hell’a white hanging out with you. This won’t be like a show at the old NYC nightclub called the Muse back in 1992. You won’t have to tuck in your jewelry or keep a razor blade inside of your cheek. If you are fresh like me you will make sure you represent like it was 1992 though. Put some of your ‘Lo lifestyle wears on and even rock a Jansport of a NorthFace backpack. The underground Hip-Hop will never die. Beats and rhymes never get old.

    Someone drop me a line and tell me how ill the show was.

    BTW, are y’all hype for Da Incredible Rap Team?

    Everything is still Heltah Skeltah.

    dirty jerz

    FELIPE LOPEZ, Where Have You Gone?

    Sunday, September 21st, 2008

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    Talking about Rice High School reminds me of the days my kid brother went to Holy Cross and FELIPE LOPEZ was NYC’s next All World prodigy. My brother was five years younger than FELIPE, but he was very inspired by dude’s ascent to the top of the mountain after his arrival in the city. FELIPE barely spoke english well enough to conduct an interview yet everyone wanted a piece of his time. Sonn was the American dream on crack. His life was 100mph with no brakes. Is it any wonder there are no more Dominicanos trying to get into the Association?

    FELIPE’s travails are spoken in the whispered lilts of his native language. Stick to beisbol young platanos. Don’t get all twisted up like FELIPE did. The real story is that FELIPE is still playing the game he loves and now he can do it without the pressure of expectations that follow a teenager on the front cover of Sports Illustrated. This is why I have the utmost respect for the LeBRON’s, KOBE’s and KEVIN GARNETT’s who were forecasted to be great and they have even exceeded the scouting reports.

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    FELIPE still has the lightning first step. Only now he is doing his thing in the Continental Basketball Association instead of the, well, the Association.

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    FELIPE’s coach is MICHAEL RAY RICHARDSON who knows a thing or two about falling from the spotlight and having the courage to still stand upright.

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    FELIPE still has the hops and playing for the Albany Patroons keeps him close to his base of support here in NYC.

    FELIPE’s story is like so many of the kids that the sports industrial complex overwhelms with hype and expectations. I’m glad that he is still living the life he loves with no regrets and no remorse. He is still a legend in the D.R. for sure.