Dub Esquire (a.k.a. Dub Esq) is one of those Bay Area hip-hop soldiers who has been quietly on the grind for two full decades.  Since the early '90s, the Oakland-born and bred emcee has been tirelessly putting his heart and soul into his favorite art form. He is one of those dedicated hip-hop heads who may not be known on a mainstream level but yet has been paying his proverbial dues since the early '90s when he first arrived on the scene in the long-defunct but oft-referenced underground Bay Area hip-hop group Misfitz Ov Stylz. More recently he's been getting props for his solo recordings -- recordings that often blur that division between so-called "rap" and "hip-hop" with the release of the album G-13 and the EP Rap Starz. However, soon both of these fine releases will be eclipsed when, in 2012, he drops his most ambitious project yet, his album The Odyssey with its impressive line up of guest spots that include such luminaries as The Grouch, Del the Funky Homosapien, and Sadat X.

Tonight's talent packed hip-hop show at Berkeley's the Ashkenaz with Dub Esquire (left), Mel Yel, Baby Jaymes, Westacy, Mic T., The Dime, DJ Tim Diesel and Dj Kool-C, is further proof that the Bay Area indie hip-hop scene is in a healthy state.

This afternoon I caught up with both Baby Jaymes and the night's headliner emcee Dub Esquire -- both Oakland artists -- to ask them about tonight's show and also their take on the state of the local Bay Area music scene. Do they agree that it is in a very healthy state right now? Dub Esquire, who cited Mel Yel, Dirt Nasty, The Bayliens, Mic T, & The Dime (all of whom are on his new album Rap Starz, which also features such talents as Del the Funky Homosapien and Living Legends' Lucky I Am) as among his fave homegrown talent to perform alongside, and who believes that the Bay scene is doing great pointed out that, "The hip hop scene in the Bay is ever changing. I would like to see more diversity instead of the same cats all the time. It's cool and all, but you gotta test yo' grit with all walks."

1) Azeem "Going Dumb vs. Going To Brazil" (Oaklyn)

2) Paris "Get Fired Up" (Guerrilla Funk)

3) East Coast Avengers "The Day That Hope Died" (Brick Records)

4) The Mighty Underdogs "Warwalk" (Definitive Jux)

5) Jurassic 5 "Gotta Understand (Bean One Remix)" (BOMB Hip-Hop)  



6) Dirt Nasty "1980" (BOMB Hip-Hop)

7) Madlib feat Prince Po "The Thang Thang" (Rapster)

8) Blueprint "Sacred" (Rhymesayers)

9) Hu$tle Simmons "Over and Out (feat. Buff 1)" (Break Bread Projects)

10) NaS "Black President" (Def Jam)

The number one entry on this week's Jameoblog Top Ten (a subjective, song oriented chart) is the funky and funny "Going Dumb vs. Going To Brazil" by Azeem off the always edgy Oakland emcee's recommended brand new album Air Cartoons on Oaklyn Records (cover by Ezra Li Eismont -- scroll down to see his Oaklyn speed painting video). On one level the song "Going Dumb..." is an ode to "the town" (Oakland) but on another it caps on the short-sighted shallowness of many fellow dwellers of Azeem's in this East Bay city where hyphy culture still rules. In the Anas Cannon produced song, Azeem pokes fun at "that dude that ghost-rided and ran over himself" as well as those who just "wanna swerve thru the town high on pills." Meanwhile, the artist's idea of real fun is heading south to the beaches of Brazil and not acting "dumb." The fourteen track album features lots of great producers complimenting the former Spearhead member's lyrical flow, including DJ Zeph, DNAE Beats, Meat Beat Manifesto, DJ Spin, DJ Aneurysm, Mark Pistel, and Kontroversy 396. And scratch fans will be happy to hear both DJ Quest and Z-Trip add some sick cuts on a few album tracks.

The number three entry is the incendiary "The Day Hope Died" from the thought-provoking, ever confrontational East Coast Avengers (ECA) whose recent single/video "Kill Bill O'Reilly" caused some controversy with its over the top lyrics that suggest murdering the notorious FOX News host. In fact, it was so extreme in its lyrics that even longtime BIll O foe Keith Olbermann of MSNBC condemned the song (scroll down to see video clip below). Boston's ECA, who cite Public Enemy, Paris, and the Dead Kennedys among their influences, is the trio of Esoteric (of 7L & Esoteric, The Army of the Pharoahs), trademarc and DC the Midi Alien. They recently dropped the album Prison Planet, on which they lash out at numerous deserved political and media targets.