Throughout Lateef the Truthspeaker's recently released album FireWire on Quannum Projects the longtime Bay Area emcee / Solesides founding member shows nothing but pride and love for his hometown of Oakland,  CA. 
LiveWIre contains countless shout outs to "The Town" including mentions of Interstate 580, SoulBeat TV, and Skyline High School. In fact the East Oakland born & raised emcee even arranged a Skyline High School rap reunion of sorts on the new album's lead single "Oakland" which features cameos from two fellow alumni of the Oakland high school: Del the Funky Homosapien and The Grouch.

One morning last month I caught up with Lateef at World Ground Coffee cafe on MacArthur in East Oakland's Laurel District where he was grabbing a hot drink before heading out on the road, along with fellow Solesides/Quannum member Lyrics Born, to travel up to the North West to do some shows. The two emcees, who as well as having their own individual careers collaborate together as Latryx, (but had not in a long while) had just done two nights of "reunion" shows at The Independent in San Francisco along with such other local artists as Bayonics, Honor Roll, and Hopie Spitshard. "Awesome" was how Lateef described those two shows. In addition to being one of the founding members of the Solesides crew/hip-hop collective that morphed into Quannum Projects Lateef is also part of The Maroons (with Chief Xcel) and has another side career recording with Fatboy Slim. He told me that he and Lyrics Born were busy working on the long overdue follow up Latryx project - that he and Lyrics Born, along with some help from individuals like DJ Shadow and Chief XCel, began almost two full decades ago - but haven't released anything new in over a dozen years with the exception of a few new bits on a mixtape CD (and now a download for sale on LB's site) Latryical Madness Vol 1 mixed by DJ Zeph .  "We are about six songs into it [new Latryx album] right now with production on there by Amp Live, Cut Chemist, the Bangerz [formerly Finger Bangerz] are on there doing some stuff. And a few other cats as well: DJ Shadow and [Dan the] Automator is supposed to give us some stuff. And Chief Xcel is supposed to give us some stuff. We've got a bunch of stuff," he said.

Photos by Kaitlin Layher
Words by Spenser Russell-Snyder

In this week 20 years ago, the first Amoeba Music opened on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, CA! I'm sure none of you need a history lesson, but just in case you do, head over to our "History" page and educate yourself on all that is Amoeba Music! On Sunday, November 14th, Amoeba Berkeley had a birthday blowout celebration featuring in-store performances, DJs, prizes, cookies, and a 20% off used item sale! Here are some pictures from throughout the day:

Kicking off the day at noon was Amoeba Berkeley floorperson Kyle, who spun old time rock 'n' roll, garage, blues, and soul records.

The Berkeley store's Grace had people spinning the prize wheel all day! Also at the prize table, we held an hourly raffle, with all proceeds going to The Berkeley Free Clinic. Prizes from the raffles included "Lunchbox" amp from ZT Amplifiers, a year's worth of Peets Coffee, a $100 Amoeba gift certificate, plus other rad items!

If you are in the Bay Area today put a stop at Amoeba Music in Berkeley at the top of your to-do list! All day today, Sunday, November 14th, the famed East Bay Amoeba store that opened 20 years ago this month is celebrating with a big sale and non-stop entertainment. In addition to 20% off all used items and lots of other enticing store bargains and goodies (EG gift bags for customers who purchase over $20 + Amoeba Prize Wheel with fabulous prizes such as a collectible lunchbox amp from ZT Amplifiers or limited edition Amoeba 20th Birthday T-shirts) there will be non-stop music by DJs and other performers.

DJs include party rocker and turntable wrecker DJ Pam The Funkstress of The Coup, who, as you can see from the concert clip above, is an amazing DJ to witness live. Her set begins at 3pm today. Other spin masters today include two current Amoeba Berkeley staffers JoNasty (noon) and DJ Inti (at 1pm he will spin an exclusive "dollar bin" set), and two former Amoeba Berkeley staffers, DJ Platurn (6pm is when the famed Oakland Fader DJ kicks off the day's closing set) and DoseOne. Anticon's DoseOne (born Adam Drucker and a renowned emcee) is such an incredibly gifted & multi-talented individual. His DJ set starts at 2pm and is followed by a meet/greeting/signing session. In concert with his groups Themselves and Subtle he often simultaneously raps as he plays synth, sampler, and/or keyboard.

1) Lyrics Born As U Were (Decon)

2) Von Pea Pea's Gotta Have It (Interdependent Media)

3) Skillz The World Needs More (Big Kids Music)

4) 2Mex My Fanbase Will Destroy You (Strange Famous Records)

5) Cunninlynguists Presents: Kno-Death is Silent (A Piece of Strange Music)

Lyrics Born's newest studio album, As U Were on Decon, arrived at Amoeba Music on Tuesday (Oct 26) and within three days shot to number one on this week's hip-hop chart for the San Francisco store. With a diverse and accessible sound that ranges from old school disco beats ("Coulda Woulda Shoulda") & old school electro (think Bambaataa) to post-hyphy Bay rap ("Black Bots"), alternative grooves and more, the album features guest spots from Lyrics Born's long time Solesides/Quannum rhyme buddies The Gift of Gab from Blackalicious and Lateef (who joins him on both "I Wanna B W/U" & "Pushed Aside / Pulled Apart"). Other contributors include Sam Sparro, Trackademics, and Francis and the Lights. The low points on the 15 track As U Were CD are the three unnecessary & not-funny skits, while the high points include the sharp critical commentary on prescription drugs, "Pillz (feat. The Gift of Gab)" and the mad raw & fast breakbeat driven "Oh, Baby!" To coincide with the new album, Lyrics Born's Auto Reverse tour is currently underway along with fellow Decon artists Rakaa and Chali 2na. There is one week left of the tour that stops in Victor, ID tonight at Knotty Pine and finishes next Friday (11/05) at Dante's in Portland, OR. Meanwhile, to peep pics of Lyrics Born doing an instore at Amoeba San Francisco back in '03 click here.

1) Lil Wayne I Am Not a Human Being (Cash Money/Universal Records)

2) Atmosphere To All My Friends (Rhymesayers Entertainment)

3) Foreign Exchange Authenticity (Foreign Exchange Music)

4) Trademark Da Skydiver Super Villain-Issue #2  (iHipHop Distribution)

5) Pigeon John Dragon Slayer (Quannum Projects)

Thanks to Luis at the Amoeba Music San Francisco store for this week's hip-hop top five chart. The still incarcerated Lil Wayne is at the top of the chart with his latest CD I Am Not a Human Being, which continues to garner positive reviews and sales round the country. He continues to cool his heels in solitary confinement in Riker's Island in New York for the next two weeks and is scheduled to be released on November 4th. Let's hope for his sake that at once released he can stay out of trouble and out of jail and that people can pack away their "Free Weezy" t-shirts for good. And while I Am Not a Human Being is way better, nearly all agree, than last year's long delayed Rebirth, it is clearly not as strong an album as 2008's The Carter III. Human Being was rush recorded right before Weezy began his stint behind bars and there are cameos many from his Young Money crew, including Drake, who makes five appearances here. As an album that was rush-recorded, it is a damn good offering but my guess is that once Lil Wayne gets out of jail and is free to go into the studio to record The Carter IV that he will truly appreciate his freedom and deliver perhaps the best work of his career.