Amoeblog

Hip-Hop Rap-Up, Week Ending 04.22.12: Record Store Day, Amoeba Hollywood Top Five, New Gangrene EP, Cash Money DMC Interview, Ice T's Hip-Hop Doc, David Banner + more

Posted by Billyjam, April 23, 2012 08:30am | Post a Comment
As you probably already heard/read, Record Store Day Saturday was off the hook everywhere across the US including at the three Amoeba Music stores. At the Berkeley, San Francisco, and Hollywood stores it was the way a record store should be: supercharged, intense, energy from music fans celebrating music and music collecting. 

Among the music fans that happily packed Amoeba for Record Store Day were a lot of DJs and a lot hip-hop music collectors who  were digging for such Record Store Day 2012 exclusive releases as the 3 sided, 10" Rhymesayers picture disc, or the James Brown live at the Apollo  7" single, the Childish Gambino red vinyl 12" single, or "Bizzare Ride II The Pharcyde: Singles Collection 7" box set, and a Shabazz Palaces live at KEXP 12." According to hip-hop section specialists Rob and Trey at Amoeba San Francisco the hottest item was the Pharcyde seven inch box set.  "We had ten and they went right away," reported Audra from the Haight Street Amoeba.  E-Lit who was kept mad busy all day Saturday at the Berkeley Amoeba store reported that, "Record Store Day was busy as all hell once again this year! Lines around the block, customers clamoring for the exclusives, and lots of happy faces. 30 minutes in and the Pharcyde "Bizarre Ride II" 7" boxes were sold out (we actually have a few more coming in, shhh...). The Rhymesayers Atmosphere/Uncluded picture disc was the next to fly out of stock, followed by Danny Brown's XXX LP with Record Store Day exclusive 7," Death Grips' "The Money Store" LP and Childish Gambino's 12." Lots of awesome buddies of mine stopped by to shop around as well. It was an awesome day!"  For full in-depth Record Store Day reports at Amoeba, including lots of photos and videos of all the craziness and fun for what was the biggest and best Record Store Day to date, check the series of Record Store Day 2012 Amoeblogs here.


AMOEBA MUSIC WEEKLY HIP-HOP ROUND UP: 12:04:09

Posted by Billyjam, December 4, 2009 09:00am | Post a Comment
Amoeba Music Hollywood Weekly Hip-Hop Top FIve: 12:04:09
Black Keys, RZA, Blakroc, Mos Def
1) BlakRoc Blakroc  (V2/Cooperative)

2) Lil Wayne The Carter Documentary DVD (Cash Money/Universal)

3) Birdman PRICELE$$ (Cash Money/Universal)

4) DOOM Unexpected Guests (Gold Dust Media)

5) Juvenile Cocky and Confident (Atlantic Records)

Blakroc by BlakRoc, the number one new hip-hop release from the Hollywood Amoeba store this week, is one of those refreshing albums that pushes the boundaries of what rap or hip-hop is, or can be. The Blakroc project, which was initiated by rapper Jim Jones and produced by Damon Dash, is a large scale collaborative affair between the Black Keys (who you'll recall worked with Danger Mouse on their last album) and a slew of high profile hip-hop talents including Mos Def, Q-Tip, Raekwon, RZA, Pharaohe Monch, Ludacris, and the late ODB. But to label BlakRoc simply another rap-rock fusion (a melding that so often comes off sounding forced) is selling it short. The album comes off sounding fresh and never forced with the Black Keys' (guitarist & vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney) dirty, guitar driven, big drum beat sound proving to be the perfect match for the album's numerous emcees. Because it is far from your typical cliche rap release, this album will not appeal to all rap fans, which is why it is so worth listening to. For a taste of this album, check out the video below for the album track "Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)" featuring Mos Def and Jim Jones.
Birdman Cash Money Lil Wayne
Cash Money Records holds down two new releases on the new Top Five, a CD and a DVD from Birdman and Lil Wayne respectively. The 90 minute documentary takes an in-depth look at the highly successful New Orleans rap artist Dwayne Carter Jr., aka Lil Wayne, aka Weezy, aka the self-proclaimed 'greatest rapper alive." It includes lots of interviews, behind the scenes segments, and, of course, concert footage. The movie, which won positive reviews when it screened at this year's Sundance Film Festival, also offers a pretty revealing look at Wayne and what makes him tick (and also what gets him high). You get to see the popular and prolific artist, who has been a star since his early teens, as an alternately funny and short-tempered fellow. Unfortunately -- due to the timeline of its creation -- the film doesn't include his latest legal problems (gun possession) and the likely jail time he may soon serve. There is a ten minute excerpt from the documentary below. 

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Ya Hoidz Me? - Talk About Bounce Music

Posted by Eric Brightwell, March 20, 2009 12:01am | Comments (4)
Uptown New Orleans

For some reason, the Bounce scene, born nearly 20 years ago, seems to be undergoing a minor critical reassessment as it inspires curiosity in a new generation of fans amongst the young, the Euro, the old and new. I can only guess why. I suspect that part of it is a development of the ongoing, time-delayed, middle class fascination with vulgar, good-time booty, that, as with booty bass, gogo, ghettotech and juke house before, takes a little longer to catch on beyond the music's traditional base. Or perhaps it’s just the curiosity factor due to the prevalence of so many openly gay rappers, who have been the subject of articles in The Village Voice, The Guardian and The New York Times -- although their readers are unlikely to run out and buy the latest Sissy Rap record. There was even a piece on Bounce for NPR’s stomach-turning attempt at hipness, What's the New What? ...Just the title of that show makes me feel like I've been kicked where it hurts.

On the other hand, sites like Louisiana Rap, Nola Bounce and Twankle and Glisten have done a good job in documenting the scene and suggest a much deeper, more honest appreciation that makes me happy. I'll be honest, the idea of a politician claiming to like Bounce would make me die a little inside. Yet, I’d love it if all these underappreciated, undercredited artists who made Bounce happen got some well-deserved acknowledgment and attention. With films like Ya Heard Me documenting the scene and Youtubers like 1825 Tulane Ave and Whatheallman tirelessly keeping Bounce in your ear, I guess I can live with the idea that some ironic, comb-over-wearing member of the Dumpster Click is going to be into it too. Anyway, for the time being, if you look up "New Orleans Bounce" on Youtube, you're (currently, at least) unlikely to be confronted with the image an American Apparel/Vice Magazine disaster doing the Eddie Bow.