The Audacity of Dope

Yes, yes y’all.  It’s finally time for the Seattle stop of the Red Bull Big Tune (an event that originated here with my people J. Moore, Vitamin D, Jake One, DV-One, and Marcus Lalario) and here’s the itinerary for the week:

Monday, Sept. 8th: Red Bull Big Tune Kick-Off (flyer)
The War Room
722 E. Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
Featuring DJ Maseo of De La Soul and special guests
9pm, 21+, $5 cover

Tuesday, Sept. 9th:  Educational Outreach – Producer workshop with Jake One & Vitamin D
Vera Project
305 Harris Street, Seattle, WA 98109
4pm – 6pm
Free and All Ages

Red Bull Big Tune Film Premiere (flyer)
Screening and Live performance by Brainstorm of Dyme Def with special guest DJ DV-One
Nectar
412 N. 36th Street, Seattle WA 98103
9pm, 21+, $5 cover

Wednesday, Sept. 10th:  Youth Workshop with “Aim for Peace” program
Buttermilk Studios
1108 13th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
4pm – 5:30pm
Free and All Ages

Thursday, Sept. 11th: Red Bull Big Tune In-Store featuring Black Milk & Elzhi
GOODS
1112 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
4pm – 5:30pm
Free and All Ages

Friday, Sept. 12th: Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle (flyer)
Beat Battle and special performances from Elzhi & Black Milk
Neumos
925 E. Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
8pm, All Ages, $5 cover

See y’all there…

I always love hearing behind the scenes stories about songs, especially when they involve my favorite living MC (RIP Big L), Elzhi. MichiganHipHop.com linked up with El and had him recount some of his classic material, including “Come and Get It,” “Reunion,” “Boomerang Slang,” “Scattered Pictures,” “Hiding Place,” “Motown 25,” “Guessing Game,” “Love It Here,” and “Colors.”

If you haven’t already, cop The Preface!  Seattle people: remember that El and Black Milk will be coming to town next week for the Redbull Big Tune.  I’ll post up the schedule of events in a few days for y’all…

These Hip-Hop Official dudes have good taste.  They keep making great selections for their “artist of the week” spotlight and here’s their newest pick, the one and only Black Milk.  Milk speaks on the Detroit sound and how his music fits into that vibe.  Seattle people: remember that he’ll be coming to Neumos on Sept. 12th with Elzhi at the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle…

Swiped from Nah Right.

You may have heard us talking about this on Sound Session the past few weeks.  It’s official: two of the best in the game, Elzhi and Black Milk will be coming out to the Seattle stop of the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle.  It’s going to sell out, so be sure and cop those tickets…

The best rapper alive (well, maybe that’s Andre…eff a Weezy) performs two songs off his Euro Pass mixtape, “Motown 25” and “That’s That One.”  “Motown 25” might be my favorite song of the year, although part of that is due to Royce’s verse that isn’t in the above performance.  As a bonus, here’s a new Elzhi track off his upcoming album, The Preface, swiped from the Dopehouse:

Elzhi ft. Ayah – “The Leak”

And if you’ve never seen this clip of Elzhi breaking down his patterns, watch it now.

(big in Japan)

See, this pains me. I love Slum Village, pause, and not just in a “J Dilla Changed My Life” t-shirt wearing, never heard of them before he died kind of way. Nah, I’m talking about wearing out the dusty cassette tape of Fan-tas-tic, Vol. 1 and then the classic “official” debut, Fantastic, Vol. 2. Sure, there have always been some ehhhhh lyrics here and there in SV releases, but these days, T3 is doing the best writing of his career and Elzhi might be the best rapper in the game…at least bar for bar.

So it hurts that when I was driving home from The Roots & Erykah Badu show last night (more on that in the days to come), I was bumping Elzhi’s ridiculously dope Euro Pass mixtape and heard:

“You never cease to surprise maay/So I, had to go like a worker on a Friday”
–T3 (of Slum Village), “Save Ya”

Well, it’s Friday so I suppose it fits. Sorry T. That song is still an instant classic and y’all make great music, but WLotD can’t play favorites. Gotta call ’em like I see ’em.

You just can’t go wrong with Dwele and Slum Village.  Every one of their collaborations has been dope, and this joint is no different.  T3 and (the rhyming god that is) Elzhi hop on Dwele’s new single, “I’m Cheatin’.”  I would have liked some longer verses, and perhaps a remixed beat…you know, like “remixes” were meant to be…but this is still the jam.

Dwele ft. Slum Village – “I’m Cheatin’ (Remix)”

The D, and the entire midwest region, is really on fire right now…