Out of no where. Sold out shows across the country. No significant radio play. Only now they are starting to catch on. In this post record sales and post radio era, underground hip hop is just as popular as ever with a new generation.
Last night went off. Never have we scene the Enmore bounce like that with a crowd full of dedicated hip hop fans. Kendrick did a mix of both old and new material, which all went down amazingly and then ‘bam’ came out for a third encore. Massssiivvvveeee!
So good to see a young hip hop artist come out here, when they’re career is really popping, rather than wheeling out the same old geriatrics chasing 19 year old girls around the backstage.
Let us know what you think? Highlights? Who else do you want to see come out?
Listen: Kendrick Lamar – The Recipe (Black Hippy Remix)
Listen: Kendrick Lamar – Cartoons and Cereal
Listen: BJ the Chicago Kid – His Pain II ft Kendrick Lamar
Listen: DJ Khaled – They Ready ft J Cole, Kendrick Lamar & Big KRIT
Was it a secret show? I don’t know. The line wrapped around the corner, so if it was a secret, it was poorly kept.
Diplo or Mike Who? Can’t really tell from this distance…
Who played? Walshy Fire, Jillionaire, Black Chiney and Diplo.
Was it fun? I’m still dancing.
The only low-light of the night was budding videographer and all around nice guy Aiden, got one of his cameras stolen. He was filming the night so that us and the whole world can enjoy it forever in cyber space; until some dickhole decided to pocket something that wasn’t theirs. Not cool. It’d be nice if you gave the camera back. But if you don’t I hope you step in dog poo.
From Stockholm to Compton, this was a night showcasing some very unique styles of reggae music from two different parts of the globe. Hailing from Compton Los Angeles, of Hawaiian and Samoan heritage, J Boog brings the island vibes with a very laid back Polynesian soul influenced style of roots reggae. In support of J Boog was Million Stylez. Million was born and raised in Stolkholm, Sweden, and is half Japanese and French. Growing up among mostly migrants he learned to respect different cultures and started experimenting with hip hop at a young age. A little later he discovered reggae music and is now one of the number one dancehall artists in Europe. Together they put on an amazing show, highlighting different sides of reggae music.
Listen: Million Stylez & Joey Fever – Young Guns (Come Down Riddim)
Listen: Million Stylez – So Di Ting Set (Costra Nostra Riddim)
In it’s first year, Musica is a smaller scale festival at Darling Harbour’s Tumbalong Park with a really cool line up. Maybe a little to cool to draw a massive festival crowd, it was a refreshingly, easy going, dickhead free day of good music. Rather than fighting crowds of sweaty muscle bound boofheads, dividing your time between 7 stages of the same old acts, Musica was just one stage of smaller amazing new artists. Perfect sunny weather for enjoying the likes of SBTRKT, Lunice, Ghostpoet, Baths, Electic Wire Hustle, Mitzi, Bon Chat Bon Rat, Tiger & Woods and Simon Caldwell. Brilliant day. Let’s hope it becomes a regular fixture in the festival calendar.
Listen: SBTRKT – Nervous ft Jessie Ware from Nervous EP
Listen: SBTRKT – Something Goes Right ft Sampha from SBTRKT
Listen: Lunice – The Name Dunnit ft Troy Dunnit from Stacker Upper EP
If you are not yet formally acquainted allow me to introduce you to Levins and Captain Franco. Levin’s is your favourite DJs, favourite Australian DJ. If not for his musical selections, definitely for his kangaroo burgers and fine hospitality. Meanwhile, Franco is the DJ of choice for all those untouchably, hot hipster girls that look like they fell out of one of your wank fantasies.
Together with the help of Spruce Lee they do a hip hop night called Halfway Crooks. It earns both the disparagement and envy of ‘true school’ hip hop heads. It is one of the few good hip hop parties in Sydney, which is a ‘party’ and there is a possibility you may go home with a female with all her own teeth.
They have started a new podcast called the Hip Hoptimist. It is basically them giving their review of the latest rap albums, and talking copious amounts of shit. Alternatively, I could just hang out at The Dip or Heaps Decent for this sort of conversation, but today I chose to download it. If they cyphered at the end of each of these episodes I would be a regular listener.
Here they give their two cents on Lil Wanye, Ferrari Boyz, Jay-Z & Kanye, and The Games latest works.
I had a bit of a love hate relationship with the band. Bombs Over Baghdad for instances – not necessary. I just want to hear that kicking, crisp electronic production rather than a wall of noise through which it was sometimes difficult to make out the song. However, on the other hand, Spottieottiedopalicious played with the help of two horn players in matching green Adidas tracksuits – stooooopid fresh to the power of infinity plus one.
Oh did anybody see that hoochie doing her stripper dance between the horn players? Oh dear! Maybe it would work in a place where folks weren’t so rhythmically challenged, but it just seems awkward when they invite the girls on stage in an attempt to turn the encore into the after party.
Nitpicking aside, Big Boi has hits for days, and delivers them with an amazing energy and flow. He played his part of all the Outkast hits as early as ‘Southernplayalisticcadiallacmusic’ taking us through to his more recent ‘Sir Luscious Left Foot’ solo jams. What more can I say? Dude can really rap, and it is just bumping party music.
In addition, Theophilus London was fun. Bringing a little bit of that Andre 3000 element to the tour.
Oh and big ups to Thundamentals who almost got kicked off the tour for stealing chicken backstage. Apparently Big Boi has two tonnes of chicken wings in his rider in every variety from Buffalo Wings to Honey Mustard Wings.
Anyways, here is a mix we did… Vodpod videos no longer available. Download:Outkast and Dungeon Family Tribute Mix on Stolen Records Playlist:
Outkast – Last Call (Feat. Slimm Calhoun, Lil’ Jon & The Eastside Boyz, & Mello)
Big Boi – Shutterbug
Killer Mike ft Sleepy Brown & Big Boi ADIDAS
Cee-Lo Green & Jack Splash – Right Now
Outkast – Player’s Ball (Original)
Outkast – ATLiens
Big Gipp ft Sleepy Brown – Steppin Out
Cool Breeze ft Sleepy’s Theme – Eastpointin’
Sleepy Brown ft Andre 3000 – I Can’t Wait
Big Boi ft Sleepy Brown & Joi – Turns Me On
Andre 3000 – Roses (Kero One Remix)
Dungeon Family – Follow The Light
Sleepy Brown ft Pharrell & Big Boi – Margarita
Outkast – Way You Move
Big Boi – Shine Blockas ft Bun B & Project Pat (Remix)
Outkast – Southernplaylisticcadillacmusick
Rich Boy – Throw Some D’s feat. Andre 3000
Outkast – Git Up, Git Out ft. Goodie Mob
Outkast – So Fresh, So Clean (Locsmif Mix)
Janelle Monáe – Tightrope ft. B.o.B (Wondamix)
Bubba Sparxxx – Ugly
Outkast – B.O.B.
Outkast – Bombs Over Your House (Locsmif Mix)
Scary Canary on a Wednesday night. It is like a Koh Phangan full moon party in the middle of Sydney’s CBD minus the sand, water and some dude with dredlocks fire twirling. Trashy tourists, trashy music all getting trashy on toxic cocktails served in little buckets with big straws.
Don’t ask how we ended up here at 3 in the morning after Mr Merriweather’s show. But I guess this is how I paid Daniel back for showing me some of the slightly more classy parties that you can find in New York on a weeknight while I was in his town.
From Melbourne originally now living in Harlem for several years, Daniel put on a couple of shows while returning to Australia for a little while. Instead of an over rehearsed show that an artist reproduces in every city, Daniel’s performance at Tone felt more like he was playing to us in the living room of a New York apartment in the wee hours of the morning after the clubs had closed.
Working his way through a bottle of Jameson, Daniel played his songs acoustically, and talked to us openly and honestly in between each track. He spoke about the vices that have inspired some of his songs, joked about making very little progress on the new album, his opinions on the London riots, Amy Winehouse and other friends and fellow artists that have passed away.
While I think some were expecting something more uptempo, instead we experienced a very intimate, at times very somber show, which really showcased his amazing voice as he sung with such feeling and depth.
Janini Panini
STOLEN RECORDS 