Jamoeblog Top Ten: 09:03:08

1) DJ Muggs & Planet Asia "Sleeper Cell" (Gold Dust Media)

2) Paris "Blap That Ass Up" + "The Trap" (Guerrilla Funk)

3) dan le sac Vs. Scroobius pip "Development" (Strange Famous)

4) Large Pro "Rockin Hip-Hop" (Gold Dust Media)

5) Tricky "Council Estate" (Domino Recording Company)

6) J-Live "Ooweee" (bbe)

7) Nightmares On Wax "195 lbs" (Warp Records)

8) Quest Quartz Qrew "Do Gooder" (Reverse Techniques)

9) Jean Grae "My Story" (Blacksmith)

10) Brooklyn Academy "This is Brooklyn" (feat Ill Bill) (K7)

DJ Muggs & Planet Asia have a very strong new collaborative album in Pain Language. It brings out the very best in both artists on tracks such as "Sleeper Cell," "Black Mask Men," "Smoke," "9mm" (video below), and "Death Frees Every Soul" featuring Sick Jacken. Wu-Tang members Killah Priest and GZA are among the album's many guests. Also making cameos on Pain Language (available at Amoeba in two weeks) are B-Real, Cynic, Scratch, Prodigal Sunn, Tri State, Chance Infinite, and Turban. What I love most about the Soul Assassins' DJ Muggs' top notch production is his ability to effortlessly create a dark, ominous mood -- the perfect backdrop to Fresno emcee Planet Asia --  that is enhanced with subtly interwoven soundbite samples.

After having the plug pulled prematurely on the concert he was a part of last Saturday at the Bayou Boogaloo & Cajun Food Festival in Norfolk VA where authorities charged him with "abusive language" (apparently for uttering the lyrics "What the fuck" during one of his songs),  Boots Riley of The Coup has issued a statement saying that the local authorities' charges against him are "racially motivated."

The obscure local Virginia law, on the books as # 18.2-416, has never before now been applied to a performer, nor has it been enforced against anyone in over 25 years.   But yet the city of Norfok is determined in pressing forward with the charges against the visiting Oakland emcee.

"City Officials claim that they are making the statement that profanity will not be tolerated," said Boots Riley in a prepared statement sent out yesterday by his label. "Obviously, since no one has been charged with this in 26 years, profanity IS tolerated. The statement they are making is that the culture and the people they feel I represent won't be tolerated. I was already off stage; the man they asked to leave the stage was Trombone Shorty, another Black man who looks nothing like me."

"This happened at 10PM, and it was far from a 'family' atmosphere, most of the audience was intoxicated after drinking at the festival's bar -- 'The Missing Kidney.' There was also a VIP section where free alcohol was distributed by the keg. Anyone who has been to a music festival on a Saturday night understands the scene. I did not leave the park afterward, as was claimed by FestEvents, the organizers of the Bayou Boogaloo Festival. I stayed and debated the validity of the charge with police and festival promoters. It is clear that this is part of a larger debate that has nothing to do with profanity, one that is being dealt with nationwide. That debate is about racism, gentrification and the ownership of public space."

As usual, there's lots of great indie hip-hop jumping off round the Bay Area this weekend, starting later today (May 30th) at Amoeba Music San Francisco where longtime local hip-hop artist TOPR, in celebration of his latest (fifth) solo album The Marathon of Shame, will be performing for free at 6PM.

Joining the Gurp City member onstage at the Haight Street store will DJ Quest, who incidentally celebrated his own new album (Questolous) release on the same stage not too long ago.

For some more background information on TOPR, who appeared on the Amoeba Music Compilation Vol. V with a song whose lyrics mentioned Amoeba Music, read his bio on the Amoeba Music website and/or scroll down a bit to the Amoeblog interview recently conducted with the hip-hop artist who is known for his homeless couch-surfing past, his gift  for graffiti art (see a piece he did with Lews of LORDS crew below), and of course his love for booze and partying.

Meanwhile some other Bay Area hip-hop shows happening this weekend include a great DJ throwdown tonight featuring two of the Bay's best turntablists, the world famous DJ Apollo (Triple Threat DJs etc.) vs. Goldenchyld of San Jose's Finger Bangerz fame at Vessel, 85 Camptan Place (near Union Sq., SF). Tomorrow night the ever busy DJ Apollo will join forces with his fellow Triple Threat DJs, Shortkut and Vin Roc and throw down a mix of hip-hop, breaks, and reggae at Berkeley's Shattuck Downlow, where tonight (Friday, May 30th) the reggae legend Eek-A-Mouse will be performing.

This evening Amoeba Music San Francisco will welcome hometown turntable master DJ Quest who, in celebration of his recently released new album Questolous (ZQ Records),  will take to the stage of the Haight Street Amoeba location at 6PM for a free instore performance. Joining the veteran San Francisco turntablist onstage at Amoeba will be some of the collaborators on the new album including Eddie K, Luke Sick, Bas-1, DJ Oaty Love, DJ 2 Fresh and Dawgisht along with emcee Apostle this evening.

An established battle DJ and performing artist, DJ Quest's long list of accolades include his membership of the historic early nineties SF turntablist crew the Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters with Eddie Def & DJ Cue, who produced the first ever DJ battle record (Hamster Breaks) and who in later years morphed into the Space Travelers (aka Bullet Proof Space Travelers) -- adding DJ Marz, & emcee Eddie K to the lineup. In more recent years he has won praise as the turntable musician in the critically acclaimed envelope-pushing jazz trio Live Human (with bassist Andrew Kushin & percussionist Albert Mathias).

Super unique & talented, albeit generally slept-on, longtime San Francisco emcee  Z-Man flew out to New York City last week to do a couple of gigs including opening for the Alkaholiks at the Knitting Factory last Thursday (4/10) when the Gurp City former 99th Demention emcee, down with the Hieros, totally wrecked it on the mic (pictured left), much to the delight of the numerous San Fran transplants in the NYC audience that night, proudly representing in their SF Giants gear (no doubt they showed up to see both Z-Man and the other SF rapper on the bill Starski who is on the current LIKS tour).

 Z-Man, as well as pleasing fans, managed to convert many East Coast-ers unfamiliar to Z-Dazzle's fluency in the Bay Area spun Gurp City** slanguage (word billy) for a tight set that included his song "OJ Simpson & Courtney Love."  A great set, with DJ Thanksgiving Brown ably backing up the MC, from a true lyrical talent who I rate up there with E40 and the late Mac Dre when it comes to being a truly creative wordsmith, creating new words and always telling stories in a most engaging way -- a far cry from the usual tired clichés that pass as rap/hop-hop these days. For proof, pick up his CD "Dope or Dog Food" (Refill/Hiero - 2002) or any of the other releases of his available at Amoeba including his "Z-Mutiny" 12" vinyl release.  Z-Man never disappoints.