Internets! CMJ is epic. The Chef should earn rapper of the year honors. Although Sean Price, Eminem, DOOM, Jay-Z, Mos Def, KanYe, Drake, and whomever else could claim that honor. This is because we were treated to a prolific moment of creativity within Hip-Hop for 2009. There is so much new talent in development and so much existing talent still living in the moment.
CMJ can spoil you as a journalist, documenter, fanboy because you have a deluge of acts and events to attend. I try not to ever plan anything too soon. There is some shit liable to pop up that you know will be the ripple in the time space continuum. It will be that instance at the CMJ where you realize how great music is, how inspiring that shit can be. I knew the OnSmash x Nahright soundclash was that event.
I met the OnSmash niggas a few years back at B.B.Kings. They was madd young then and all brash and filled with alcohol. Hof said he was going to take the OnSmash community and make it a brand that people could fux with for the hottest releases from everywhere. They were pushing Weezy, Jeezy and Yeezy, while Nah’right was official Jay-Z. OnSmash and Nah’Right proved that we, the internets could reshape the music business for the better.
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My night didn’t begin with all those revelations. It began at BoB’s on Eldridge for an event that Digiwaxx had sponsored for deejays. Sucio Smash on the 1’s and 2’s. Statik Selektah was in the building along with Joe Scudda. I built with Esso for a minute. Sigiwaxx was the low-key, no-pressure, official pre-game status. That will be four Stoli Vanil and pineapple juice to the face thank you.
The next event was the Pro-Keds release of the limited Bobbito Garcia design. Yo. This was such an official event. I will be honest and tell you that as much as I stan for the Wu and Sean P I have to stan for deejays like Bobbito, Rich Medina, Stretch Armstrong, Spinna, Clark Kent. These dudes have an incomparable multi-genre library of music. Come to learn that Dante Ross fux with DP.com (word to Dondi). Pro-Keds x Complex mag x obama(open bar) x free buffet was just what the kid needed to make sure the liquor stayed in its place.
Shouts to Village Slum. I need this t-shirt.
I had been fighting a nasty headcold which kept me off the streets Tuesday and missing the Clipse show. The Clipse are a Hip-Hop anomaly. Their music is downloaded from the internets relentlessly and their albums under-perform but their cult following is tremendous. So yeah, I missed that one. This was a night that I didn’t dare miss tho’. Roni the Ruffian had the loud pack (no Steve Rifkind). Polotron got with the movement. Shamz OKayPlayer was even in the streets.
Outside of the Plug Research showcase we lit up that loud pack. Fools was hating us from that moment forward. The loud pack is the stinkiest of the stinky. It is rude and it makes people on the street look at you crazy. Like “you smoking that shit ain’tcha?!?” Yep. Pharoahe Monch was hosting this Plug Research party wearing the full blowout crown. This party was going to turn into some soulful love funk explosion because Bilal and Shafiq Husayn of Sa-Ra Creative Partners were on the bill. iFux with Sa-Ra hardbody [ll]. Peep this podcast from Shafiq Husayn…
Shafiq – En A Freek A
I wanted to get funky with the Afreekans my damn self but I know my freaky Africa date is on Saturday with the OKayAfrica jump off. More on that later. The next spot to fire out to was the closer. Nah’Right and OnSmash had the lineup that would be all about surprise guests. Raekwon, Juiceman, Kidz N The Hall, Curren$y, Styles P were on the bill. Rumors circulated that Ghostface would appear and that there was going to be a Lox reunion with Diddy and Cam’ron would guest out.
TWitter rumors ruined what was a medium to really pass ideas freely. It’s a silly place now all the time. KanYe didn’t come on stage, but Consequence and Kid Cudi repped lovely for G.O.O.D. Music. Raekwon battled a raspy voice by himself. Diddy didn’t come out with the Lox. The Lox were missing their X-Man Sheek Louch. The Nah’Right x OnSmash show was still the best Hip-Hop concert popping this week. This was in no small part to the work that Eskay and Hof have put into the culture.
These websites have forever changed the way we receive music. I know I said this earlier but you need to recognize that fact.
You better recognize…
