Besides the group members themselves one person who was very happy about last Wednesday's announcement that the Beastie Boys were among the new inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame was long time hip-hop ambassador James Bernard. Bernard, a former editor at The Source magazine, is one of the members of the nominating committee for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and, as such, responsible for nominating the Beastie Boys to the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame for the 2012 list. Bernard told the Amoeblog that he was "really pleased" about the Beasties getting in but added that many of the other acts he has nominated have not been as fortunate in the final leg of the process. "We tried to get LL [Cool J] in last year and it didn't really work. We got Eric B & Rakim nominated this time," he said. "And Rakim was so happy but that [nominating] might be as far as we get."

Bernard added that he was also happy that the rap/funk fused rock band The Red Hot Chili Peppers also got into the upcoming Rock And Roll Hall of Fame awards but that he would like to see more hip-hop acts added and will continue to work on that happening in future years. In a prepared press statement last week about their Rock And Roll Hall of Fame induction the Beasties collectively wrote that, "While we are very proud of the music we make, we have to acknowledge the inspiration from our families, friends and musicians like The Slits, Bad Brains, X-Ray Spex, The Treacherous Three and too many others to possibly name. And most of all, we give thanks to New York City and the world of musical influence it provided for us."

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year, is fast approaching. The folks at Record Store Day have helped to organize a series of exclusive items just for indie record stores to be released on Black Friday. The list is pretty big, so we wanted to highlight some of the titles and give you the chance to view or print the entire list (PDF) so you can be prepared on Friday November 25. Just a heads up that the stock may differ between the three stores as well. 


We will hold exclusive RSD releases behind our front counters. Line will form outside the store no earlier than 8 a.m. on Saturday. Product is limited to stock on hand and available to customers on a first come, first served basis. Limit one per title per customer. Store opens at 10:30 a.m.

Huge Black Friday Turntable Sale at Amoeba Hollywood! All turntables 20% off, plus even bigger deals on Audio-Technica LP 60 and Crosley Keepsake turntables. Limited to stock on hand. Friday 11/25 only.

We will feature exclusive RSD releases on our sales floor. Product is limited to stock on hand and available to customers on a first come, first served basis. Limit one per title per customer. Stores open at 10:30 a.m.

  2) MellowHype Blackenedwhite
                   (Fat Possum  Records)

  3) Hassaan Mackey & Apollo Brown
     Daily Bread (Mello Music Group)

 4) Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame
        Ferrari Boyz (Warner Bros)

   5)  Beastie Boys
      Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
                     (Capitol Records)

The ever ubiquitous Odd Future is holding down the two top slots on the hip-hop chart at Amoeba Hollywood this week with Tyler the Creator's Goblin in the number one position and fellow Odd Future's MellowHype in close second with the reissue by the duo of last year's mixtape Blackenedwhite, which Fat Possum shrewdly remastered and repackaged for those who missed it first time round.

             


There is a lot going on right now in Bay Area hip-hop music and what is most impressive is not just the quantity of artists making new music but the diversity of hip-hop music in the Bay Area as we head into what promises to be one a most prolific summer of music. One week ago exactly I wrote about Bay Area female rapper Kreayshawn's meteoric rise to fame within the previous week and a half, thanks in large part to her viral video "Gucci Gucci." Well since then, the buzz-worthy artist who did her first show only three months ago at SXSW, sold out her White Girl Mob show with Lil Debbie & V Nasty at SOM Bar in SF and had Erk da Jerk and Mistah Fab opening for her. More significantly she landed a major deal with SONY: reportedly a one million dollar deal of which she sees a quarter up front.

In the world of turntablism, which many agree is rooted in the Bay Area thanks to such pioneering crews as the Bulletproof Scratch Hamsters and the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, this week is a really exciting time in San Francisco. On Wednesday (June 1st) the monthly Bay Area Skratchpad party, which recently extended to LA (after Sacramento and San Jose) jumped off at the Rockit Room on Clement (formerly the Last Day Saloon). In addition to such resident DJs as Deeandroid, Celskiii, DnZ, and Snyak Eyez flexing their stuff on the turns also making beautiful turntable music were Primo, Robynn Battle, MuddBird Waxaholic, and SoundTronix. Additionally Chicken Skratch (the night's expert beat selector) was laying down an incredibly rich variety of grooves from old school to dubstep.

1) Blu & Exile Below The Heavens Re-Issue (Sound In Color)

2) Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (Capitol)

3) Tyler the Creator Goblin (XL Recordings)

4) Blu Her Favorite Colo(u)r (Nature Sounds)

5) Neek The Exotic Still On The Hustle (Fatbeats)

Two of the top five on this week's hip-hop chart are from LA emcee / producer Blu and both new chart entries are actually reissues from the artist, who is now signed to Warner Brothers and busy working on his major label debut, due out later this year. The 30 minute remastered Her Favorite Colo(u)r, care of Brooklyn's Nature Sounds, was formerly a free mixtape, and is now being released officially for the first time. The other is a reissue of the long out of print acclaimed collaboration of Blu with Exile, Below The Heavens. This 2007 release was the artist's first full length album and was widely acclaimed by many as one of the best hip-hop albums not just of its year but of the decade. In fact, so in demand was the album that since it went out-of-print, much sought after copies sold on eBay for $100 to $200 a pop. Obviously, the new reissue is considerably cheaper, but be forewarned, it is a limited edition pressing, so get yours now before it's too late.