The rapper Guru, who formed one half of legendary hip hop crew Gang Starr, died yesterday after a long battle with cancer. Born in Roxbury with the name Keith Elam, he was 43 when he died. Performing with DJ Premiere as Gang Starr, Guru was a rapper's rapper, delivering complicated rhymes and taunts sprinkled with references to the Five Percenter Nation of Gods and Earths. Gang Starr scored a minor hit in the early 90s with "Mass Appeal," which remains an entry in the canon of rap's golden years. Since splitting with Premiere, Guru has collaborated with his brother, Solar, on a project called Guru's Jazzmatazz, a jazz project. The relationships between Guru and Solar and Guru and DJ Premiere promise to be an unsavory part of his legacy as a posthumous letter—that some fans say was faked—has disavowed his former DJ. [Above Ground Magazine]
Results tagged “hiphop”
Somewhat less annoying to us than most Christmas songs. Will it become a classic? "Sing loud, Boston, and raise your favorite pint of beer." Featuring Big D and the Kids Table as well as dj BC.
Last night, Minneapolis hip-hop head Stefon Alexander, otherwise known as P.O.S., graced the stage at Harper's Ferry in support of his latest album, Never Better. Unfortunately, the set was far too late for Bostonist's bedtime (hey, it was a work night), forcing Bostonist to replace what was no doubt a compelling performance for the awkward gaffes and moments that made up this year's Academy Awards telecast. Luckily, Bostonist managed to corral Alexander into answering a handful of questions via the Interweb.
Bostonist made our way to City Hall Plaza on Sunday to catch the 2008 Peace concert, a free hip hop event sponsored by the city and featuring classic hip hop artists EPMD, Das EFX, and Chubb Rock as headliners. We'd been hoping to get a shot of Our Popular Mayor popping and locking along with the b-boys. Instead, we ended up with drenched trousers and a long ride home on the Orange Line.
21+ / 10p - 2a
Last year, at his annual State of the City address, Mayor Thomas Menino sought to prove the thesis of the recently released Nas album entitled "Hip Hop is Dead" by declaring that the rap community had given him the name "T-Mizzy." He might need some credibility and political capital with minority Bostonians after unveiling at last night's speech that he wants to save on school transportation costs by dismantling part of the city's busing program.
On December 12th Berklee College of Music hosted a show (broadcast live for Sirius Canada) dedicated to the music of Canadian artists - rapper k-os and rockers The New Pornographers were billed as the headliners. The Canadian music scene has been on indie radars for a while now, and this show proved that the attention has been well deserved. The show began with performances by Canadian Berklee students, and while all the students showed truly stunning talent, one young woman was a standout. Fiddler Ivonne Hernandez played with heart and vigor - her fiddling was rich and complex and her love of the music apparent. Judging from these performances, the students certainly have bright futures ahead of them.
Bostonist just left the 2007 Boston Music Awards, and while we'll have ruminations on the awards ceremony for your Sunday reading pleasure, you can find below the crop of winners from the 20th anniversary ceremony, presented here in chronological order: Outstanding Funk/Jam Band of the Year: Westbound Train Outstanding Blues/Soul Act of the Year: Eli "Paperboy" Reed & the True Loves Outstanding DJ/Dance Act of the Year: DJ BC Outstanding Rock Band of the Year:...
Or at least they need some sensitivity training. Via Universal Hub, we hear Harper's Ferry has some real racist assholes on its staff. There's one guy who was begging to be fired after insulting black hip-hop performer Bus Driver last week. Bus Driver promptly refused to perform, and the other act, Daedalus, followed suit. Etan at Basstown spoke with Regan Farquhar (aka Bus Driver) and his DJ. They say the sound guy at Harper's Ferry...
Monster Mash Halloween Benefit PA's Lounge, Union Square (356 Somerville Ave) October 29, 2007, 8:00 pm, 21+ $10 suggested donation Somerville's got good claim to the "Monster Mash" label. Bobby Pickett, responsible for penning the perennial Halloween hit (which is one of only three records to hit the Billboard Top 100 three separate times), was a Somerville native. Pickett passed away in April of this year, so this will be the world's first Halloween without...
Bostonist Pick: Ballermore Has Arrived .::. Shake 'Em Down @ Milky Way (Thurs) Bostonist has some good news for you: this is going to be an easy weekend on the liver. The bad news is that your two days of drinking, dancing and staying up into the wee New England-established hours begins tonight. There are two main events invading our city on the 4th, and first up is Shake 'Em Down, a dance party...
You know those TGIFriday's commercials, where they portray the hard workers of today sitting at a round table and laughing, drinking, and eating inexpensive but tasty comfort foods to celebrate the end of another work week? Not this time. This Friday, it's time for a fast, light meal and one or all of the variety of events going on in this city. It seems there's been a lot more nightlife lately, with parties happening left...
We at the Gothamist network would like to express our heartfelt wishes to the people of Minnesota in the days after their tragic bridge collapse. We're not trying to discount the severity of the accident by making note of it in opposition to our usual -Ist lightheartedness - we just wanted to take a moment and recognize those affected last week. After the Minneapolis bridge collapse, Bostonist did some research and found that Massachusetts bridges...
Last night, author Dave Zirin said that when sports radio tries to tackle politics, the results are so ugly that "it's like imagining Mitt Romney wearing cornrows." Something's just not right.
On the brink of the Summer music scene, two weeks from EarthFest 2007 music doesn’t stop in Boston. Good shows are still to be had on the cheap before the summer festival season is truly upon us. Take a gander at this week's picks and keep on rocking. Wednesday 5/16 The Blow With the release of their latest record, Paper Television, Portland, Oregon's The Blow have finally hit their mark. Earlier recordings were scattered...
For a brief moment at Avalon Monday night, Bostonist felt like we'd been transported to 1964. Flanked on both sides by an eight piece, horn-fueled band, a young woman and her towering bee hive took the mic in front of a simple back drop strung with twinkling lights. Two male back-up singers, elegantly suited-up, began moving in unison.
Yeah, it was inevitable. The backlash, that is. When the turbo-hype visited upon soul sensation Amy Winehouse in the UK started to pick-up steam stateside, it was only a matter of time before the chorus of praise would be matched by a groundswell of derision -- or what's the BFD questioning (at least one gawker simply can't understand what all the fuss is about).
French electronic producer and Tiger Sushi label founder Joakim Bouaziz released Monsters & Silly Songs in February, making a huge leap from his previous efforts. Having remixed Air, Annie, Stereolab and Fischerspooner, along with two previous albums that stayed true to the French electro genre, Monsters brings elements of post-punk and pop to the mix. Tonight at Axis, Joakim plays a DJ set in lieu of the live band he’s taken on tour (The Ectoplasmics) for the last few months. You can expect a toss of techno, house, and synth-disco alongside Boston duo DJ Die Young and Djezus, who’ve recently started the minimal techno saturated Slumber Party. Die Young has been DJing the Boston circuit for some time now, but his strongest talent is in his remixes, which mix the elements of electro, house and hip hop into the roots of rock and synth tracks. What’s next? “I kind of want to do a really deep minimal mix though. I'm tired of all of the bloghouse shit. Everyone is playing the same stuff these days.” Well said. Also spinning is Boston-based Damien Cuvelier (also French!) of Robot Love Songs.
This Sunday Project Bread's Walk for Hunger takes over the streets of Boston, Newton, Watertown…oh, you get the picture. The walk starts in the morning and thousands of people will be walking to raise money to support food banks, soup kitchens, and other initiatives across the Commonwealth. There are lots of good shows going on this week – and it's capped off with a weekend extravaganza that includes both Arts First and Harvard Square's...
This week we'd like to congratulate the -ist network's Mother Hen, Gothamist's Jen Chung, who found herself a recipient of Wired Magazine's Wired Rave Award. If that doesn't sound terribly exciting, keep in mind another recipient was J.K. Rowling. Yep, that's right, the -ist network and Harry Potter now have something in common. Go us. Austinist has a chat with the ever-fashionable Golden Girl Rue McClanahan, and managed to catch some local fashionistas making...
Perhaps with all the recent hype surrounding UK soul sensation Amy Winehouse, you plum forgot about Alice Smith, who made a bit of a splash her own damn self last Fall. Smith's debut album For Lovers, Dreamers & Me on ultra hip UK underground hip hop label BBE (J Dilla, Pete Rock, DJ Vadim, "Return Of The Magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff," etc.) is just as impressive as Amy's heralded sophomore effort Back to Black. And...
A weekend stand of winning baseball at home when the Sox take it to the Angels followed by the all day boozy spectator sport that is the Boston Marathon it's going to be a long week. Lucky for music fans there's a lot to look forward to and keep you up all night with that lovely ringing in your ears that only comes from live music.
If you look past the fact that the Sox are back at home for their first few games at Fenway this season you'll be able to hear a greater beat on the street. As is often the case there is more good live music going on in town this week than any one person could possibly listen to. Time to clone yourself so you can scoop up a standing room ticket to watch Dice-K...
As the saying goes April showers bring May flowers. We're willing to subscribe with that theory. April looks to be a bit soggy for us in the beginning, especially considering the current seven day forecast. That means that frolicking in the outdoors will be limited and heading into the haven of the local rock haunts will be plentiful. Lucky this week provides a host of great shows around the Boston area. Included this week is the Shoot the Moon residency at Abbey Lounge. Another one of those wonderful local bands we first heard while tuning into Exploit Boston Radio.
With violence on the increase in the city we thought it might be a good time to remind ourselves of the good efforts being taken by those around the city.
Since daylight savings time kicked it's been hard to get a good nights sleep. Up too late, and up again the next day too early. This week promises to keep us in that very same groove with a list of great music coming to Boston. Who needs sleep anyway? Don't forget to give your support to Exploit Boston Radio, they've got their fingers crossed that Congress and their favor of big label music will be beaten. Listen up for hot local tunes.
This week the music world turns its gaze to the party they call SXSW. A number of local bands are hitting the scene in hopes that it will propel them to some worldwide tour – or at least help them get out of that "garden level" apartment in Medford. While some eyes turn south to Texas where an immigration debate runs wild the US immigration policy has taken a toll on the local concert...
After the total lunar eclipse spiced up the night sky this past weekend we've got enough of the visuals. This week we're committed not to go see live music but to go hear live music. This week we're welcoming a few new contributors to the list, have a listen, will ya? Monday 3/5 Badly Drawn Boy It's okay to admit to liking British singer-songwriter Damon Gough, aka Badly Drawn Boy. He may write lyrics...
Tuesday was a difficult day for the city of Boston. How frequently do you find yourself having to choose between the Clipse and This American Life? More importantly, how do you choose? Pusha or Dan Savage? Malice or Kori Gardner? The Reupgang or Ira's Gang? The Middle East tried to mitigate these concerns by adding a Monday Clipse show several weeks out, but it was too little, too late for those who'd already bought...