South london writer, Rough
The Icons aka Rough, Part 2, System, Juice126 & Crise have been selected to partake in the 2006 Write 4 Gold event. So lets take a look at one of my faves, Rough. His artwork is magnifico. I'd compare him to a combination of Dondi & She.

• Rough website

The Lonely Island video, Lazy Sunday

These dudes from Berkley, Cali having been posting their skits & songs on their website for a few years now. They have a new video that is pretty damn funny. They are apparently real hip hop heads & it shows. Ironically for a bunch of comedians kinda taking the piss, they end up not dissimiliar to Ugly Duckling. They've scored a slot on the weekly comedy show, Saturday Night Live after Fox, MTV & the Comedy Channel passed on them. Now I remember the incident that Kiether Sutherland was going on about when he was talking to Dave Letterman one night. The clip below is awesome. Music is dope & they can spit better than some emcees. Check their website for loads more, including the pilot for thier 'never picked up' show, Awesometown. A treasure trove of nuttiness from some bloody idiots. Ha ha!

The Lonely Island Website

• VIDEO: SNL - Lazy Sunday
• LINK: CREATIVE COMMONS - Interview
• LINK: The Kiether Sutherland Incident - Thinks he's saving an old lady

EDAN in Australia 2006

Poster I just did for Edan show in Sydney next year.

• Edan website

Q-BERT figure, with QFO deck.

Designed by English born/American resident Huck Gee (read his own story of his impending deportation here). The DJ Qbert Dunny will retail for $19.95 and come in two editions: tan (1000 pieces) and blue (2000 pieces). On sale January 12th.

• Vinyl Abuse website
• Turntable TV

• Magazine dedicated to Urban Vinyl - PlayTimes

AUSTRALIA: PLUTONIC LAB - Codes Over Colours
OBESE. 2005

Was there ever going to be any doubt in the quality of a new Plutonic Lab album. I mean seriously? Did I expect it to be this good, maybe, maybe not. One tends to avoid thinking about the unknown in case one might become obsessed by the fantasy & then fall into its arms only to be disappointed by the reality. No worries this time around, for this is tip top stuff. We we’re already gobsmacked with the Muph & Plutonic album, Hunger Pains earlier this year, so this is like the icing on an already scrumdiddlyumptious cake.

As with his previous 2 albums, this one is a mostly instrumental affair. Adding to his beats are the talents of keyboardist Drem & guitarist Chris Toro, filling in the gaps without being too bold. I especially love the track Storms that samples Astrid Gilberto’s vocal from her track ‘Gentle Rain’ (which was recently remixed by RJD2 for 'Verve Remixed 3'). Good to find a fan of John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing. He uses it on 2 different tracks, Immitations & on one of the vocal tracks, the tri-versed Waiting with Muph, Ivens & Pegz. British emcee Lotek manages to get a sweet little tune in the form of Echoes & runs with it perfectly. In fact I almost prefer this over his last albums contents. Not a diss, just means this tune is rather good. If he had any sense he would include it on his next album. The only other vocalist is Bondi Beach lad, Kye, who sings solemnly & sporadically over some dark cello, swirling keys & scattery drums on the absolutely exquisite Character Assassination. Bravely they have released this as the main track, with a rather smartly photographed video clip set in bushland. So props to them for not adhering to convention. Recently I saw the clip after another Melb hip hop artist had used every convention & cliche in the book, so the disparity was overwhelming & refreshing.

Shame the general audience needs to be treated like an idiot most of the time. If only they could escape from the tedium that is foisted upon them & embrace the greater world of music. Thankfully at least those who have good taste, or rather a more broad awareness, will find this album blissful from beginning to end. It’s a piece of work that is crafted, not made. Not a skip-worthy track to be found. One thing I do like is that it lacks the clutter that some kitchen sink hip hop instrumental albums can suffer from. To compensate, or should I say embellish, he does use film dialogue, a few appropriate sung vocal samples & the talents from 2 exceptional deejays, Selekt & Bones. Now if only we can get the people in that other hemisphere to also broaden their tastes.

CD & Limited Edition double vinyl. Dope artwork again from Mexi.

• Obese website

• MP3: PLUTONIC LAB - The Waiting ft. Muph, Ivens & Pegz
• MP3: PLUTONIC LAB - Immitations

The Stones Throw Holiday Mix
Compiled by Peanut Butter Wolf

I recieved this in the mail today on CD, but it is also up on the Stonesthrow website. Just in time for your pudding & family fighting... So gather around the yuletide log, um, er okay the barbie down here in OZ, get joyous & merry & hum along to the Wolf's chosen chrissy tunes. You northerners can have the snow while we get oven baked in the hot 38º sun (that'd be like 150F I think to the old gauge people). Let fat elderly bearded men run around in smelly, sweaty, synthetic Santa suits while we add fake snow to our trees. Aah, it's a wonderful time of year....

1. Hello World – Rudy Ray Moore
2. Peace On Earth – Hopeton and Primo
3. Where Day At Yo – K. Nock feat 24K
4. Rappin Christmas – The Cold Crew
5. Jingle Bells – Dudley Perkins & Georgia Anne Muldrow
6. Seven Days of Kwanzaa – Georgia Anne Muldrow
7. In The Hot Sun Of A Christmas Day – Caetano Veloso
8. My Lovely Christmas – Baron Zen
9. Irie Christmas – Freddie McGregor
10. Christmas Will Really Be Christmas – Lou Rawls
11. Go Power at Christmas Time – James Brown
12. Seasons Greetings – Sound On Sound Productions
13. My Christmas Bells – Hard Call Christmas
14. Broke At Christmas – Jacob Miller & Ray I
15. Broke Christmas In Brooklyn – Baron Zen
16. Night Before Christmas – Rudy Ray Moore
17. Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas) – Free Design
18. Glory, Glory – Al Green
19. What You Want For Christmas – 69 Boys
20. Little Saint Nick – The Beach Boyz
21. Christmas – Beat Happening
22. Got The Beat For Christmas (Breakdance) – Monyaka
23. Sound The Trumpet – Bob Marley & The Wailers
24. Christmas in the City – Marvin Gaye
25. Silent Night – Peanut Butter Wolf
26. Tidings – Phil Spector, Peanut Butter Wolf, and Esquivel

I turned this into a downloadable MP3, as opposed to just a streaming file.

• MP3: PEANUT BUTTER WOLF - Stonesthrow Holiday Mix 60MBs

Old School Wrestler figures

Andre the Giant, Jimmy Hart & Billy Graham.
Only US$19.95 each from Jakks Pacific.

I know crap all about modern wrestlers, but I reckon these new figures of classic 70s/80s wrestlers are much cooler. This is awesome stuff. Forget all that Kid Robot super expensive limited edition stuff, get some of these ugly looking champions for your office. These are from the CLASSIC SUPERSTARS WAVE series. Some of the US toy stores don't send their products overseas, so I found a place that does. Toywiz.com seem to be the place.

I thought I'd up the Hulk Hogan dissing title track from Macho Man Randy Savage's 2003 released hip hop album, Be A Man. Produced by The Raskulls.

• Action Figure Insider
• MP3: RANDY SAVAGE - Be A Man

THE PHARCYDE - Sold My Soul.
FUNKY CHEMIST/TRAFFIC 2005

Chock fulla gems. Remixes & Rarities galore. This is like the penultimate collection of the classic 4 membered Pharcyde. I love it when labels do the correct thing & make a release as good as it can be. Naturally some tracks were remixed more than others, so we get 4 versions of Soul Flower, 3 of Otha Fish & Ya Mama & 2 of Passin Me By & She Said. Leaving the rest as tracks taken from 12" single b-sides, compilations, soundtracks or unreleased remixes, Drop, Emerald Butterfly (only available on the 'Runnin' 7" single), Just Don't Matter, Live @ Dodger Stadium, My Soul, Pandemonium (from Streetfighter soundtrack), Pork, Flower & Y?.

Remixers include, Jay Dee, The Beatminerz, Fuzz Face, (Geoff 'Portishead' Barrow), Kenny Dope, Matt Dike, Brand New Heavies & L.A. Jay. Most of them hold up really well, even if some do have those easily identifiable mid-90s drums. Available on double CD or handy Triple vinyl. This will surely be snapped up. For it's a rare day that everyone would have every version that is available on here. I've upped the Rae & Christian remix of Runnin because I've always rated it highly & have had it on white label for years not knowing wether it was ever actually released comercially as a 12". Incidentally it was R&E's first ever remix in 95.

The cover photo looks remarkably like one from the 90s magazine Rap Pages.

• Full track listing
• MP3: The PHARCYDE - Runnin' Rae & Christian remix

THE BOOK OF TAGS: New Italian publication.

THE BOOK OF TAGS is a DROPDROP Agency project, published by KITCHEN 93 and made possible by the collaboration of over 300 world-wide graffiti writers. The project attempts to analyze and also give voice to one of the most demonized yet pure means of expression within the graffiti world, the Tag.

THE BOOK OF TAGS presents the personal signatures of 150 writers coming from 20 different countries throughout the world. This selection includes some of the most influential tags belonging to pioneers in the graffiti world as well as others that represent innovative and experimental calligraphic styles.

DROPDROP's purpose is to create a 1980's style graffiti « blackbook » object, simple and essential in the layout and rich in content. The First Section of THE BOOK OF TAGS consists of short introductory essays by five prestigious individuals working in the fields of design, calligraphy, graffiti and architecture,

• Book of Tags website

B-boying Gonzo.
Winter 1984 issue of Muppet Magazine. Too cool. I had to post this insanity up...
Click on image for hi-res version.

• Henson website

PERREALO- New Latin hip hop & Reggaton DVD magazine
Perrealo DVD Magazine Home of Latin Hip Hop, Reggaeton and the Hip Hop culture is dedicated to bringing you the realist interviews, music videos & live performances around with no holds barred. Returning from a triumphant first issue Perrealo DVD Magazine has some of the hottest artists in the genre talking about the trials, tribulations and successes they have had through out their careers. On the latest installment Volume #2 Perrealo has Zion y Lennox the hottest duo in the game walking the streets of New York while talking about their experience & musical careers.

• Perrealo Website
• Reggaeton Online

I want a Spinning B-Boy toy for christmas
Yep, a remote controlled spinning breakdancer. Ha ha. Kinda cool though.
Listen to the inept emcees on the website & be prepared. Most of their designs for belt buckles, t-shirts, necklaces are horrible... Who in their right mind would wear this stuff? They have awful bags with ripped off Dondi artwork & other items that all look like they were designed by toys. Their hearts might be in it, but the talent is missing.

The spinning b-boy is the best thing they have in stock.

• Kleenhouse Website

MARC ECKO's 'Getting Up' - The Movie?
From MTV
His first video game may have missed its intended holiday-season release date, but fashion impresario Marc Ecko has new reason to be excited about his interactive graffiti opus "Getting Up."

MTV Films announced Thursday (December 8) that it has acquired the feature-film rights to Ecko's game and that Ecko will serve as a producer. No cast, crew or release dates are set yet for what will be MTV Films' first foray into the sometimes-treacherous waters of video-game-based movies.

The film division's slate has included "Jackass: The Movie," "The Longest Yard," "Hustle & Flow" and "Napoleon Dynamite." Now it will face the challenge of trying to succeed with video games where previous companies adapting games from "Street Fighter" to "Doom" have struggled creatively and commercially.

The game tells the story of Trane, an aspiring graffiti artist who learns the notorious street art and slowly gains the political consciousness to use it to fight the oppressive authorities of his city, New Radius. In the game, Trane is voiced by Talib Kweli. Diddy, Adam West and Rosario Dawson are also among the game's deep list of celebrity voice talent.

Earlier this summer Ecko told MTV News that "Getting Up" has been percolating in his mind since the mid-'90s when he wrote the script for a planned graffiti-adventure trilogy. At the time, he said, he was $6 million in debt (see "Designer Marc Ecko Says Graffiti Game Mixes 'Star Wars,' 'Style Wars' ").

The video game version, which is being developed by the Collective, is expected to hit stores in February for PS2, Xbox and PC. It has drawn fire from critics, including New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who see it as the glorification of an illegal activity.

This summer, Ecko already had a defense ready for his critics: "I'm not condoning you go out and ruin property," he said. "That's not what this is about. Any cynic that's going to try to just hate on it for that reason needs to dig just three inches deeper and understand the story, immerse yourself in the story and learn about Trane and where his head is really at. He's just trying to flip the script on the system."

• Ecko Unlimited website
• Atari wesbite

SLOPPY WHITE - New mix CD.
Once again Sloppy goes in for some heavy duty packaging. Looks pretty styling, not just in looks, but also in track selection. He loves the late 80s/early 90s style of hip hop & he digss for some of the lesser know tracks. Even has some early Rap-A-Lot on this one. So if you like DJ Ivory & Shadow's 'Diminishing Treasures' style of selections then you'd dig this as well. Nowadays these records are all labelled as 'Random Rap'. Basically ones that fell through the cracks, but are still valid & very dope.
Check out the website for a track listing, how to purchase & previous releases.

• Sloppy White website

Christmas Raps for you festive freaks
Oh why oh why did I do this. Xmas raps... Oh deary me. Cheeseball city. Though, some are actually pretty cool. Yeah, what am I saying. Some of this stuff rocks. Stick that in ya whiskers while I curdle your goat. Throw a whizbang party for the ladies & put these gems on, so when they walk under the mistletoe they'll be captivated by the crazy seasonal beats. Nah mean?

Except it's like 38º celsius down here. No snow this year... Again.

• MP3: SUPER J - Santa's Rap Party
Early boogie rap on the Sound of New York label. 1980.
• MP3: The TREACHEROUS THREE - Xmas Rap
Uncensored version, with different music than the Beat Street Version.
• MP3: The TREACHEROUS THREE - Santa's Rap
Censored version from Beat Street soundtrack.
• MP3: KURTIS BLOW - Christmas Rappin'
Live version with Grandmaster Flash on the decks. Not that he does much.
• MP3: RUN DMC - Christmas in Hollis'
The best track from the Profile Records compilation, 'Christmas Rap'.
• MP3: RAPPINSTINE, Lil' STINE & STYLE - Party with Santa
As far as I know it doesn't snow in Hollywood. Where this 1988 release comes from.
• MP3: ROOFTOP ALL STARS - Here Comes Santa
Seldom seen posse track from 1988 by some of the artists on the NY Rooftop label. Tony Tee, B-Fats, Rashien, Boom Bash, El Money & Shaleet.
• MP3: CUTMASTER DC - The Night Before Christmas
What can I say, it's another gem by Mr Izzard.
• MP3: BIZMARKIE & BIG DADDY KANE - Xmas Beatbox live
Hilarious 1:30min live segment. Pretty cool.
• MP3: WHISTLE - Santa is a B-Boy
UTFO's mates get all cheerful. Corny, but fresh track that still holds up.

OMEGA ONE - The Lo-Fi Chronicles
NATURE SOUNDS. 2005.

Omega One (Owen Brozman) is a graff writer & a very skillful deejay from New York who produced Coma on Aesop Rock's 2001 debut, Labor Days & the song, Skip Town on his 2002 release Float. As he did with Aesops albums, he also provided the scratches for Blockhead's Music By Cavelight & they teamed-up for a project entitled, We Didn't Invent The Remix. Admittedly they do share a musical similarity & I should really give some props to Block's recent album, Downtown Science as well. Cannibal Ox & I Self Devine have also benefited from his production talent. Devine is one of only 2 emcees on this album. The other being Lo-Deck. I was already to claim Maker's album, Shooting the Breeze as the instrumental album of the year, until this appeared. Though I do rate both equally.

There's something quite magnetic about his earthy style & his lack for any need of pointless production trickery or electronic noodling. He prefers the classic style of laying loops & creating drums from chopped up beats. The cover might indicate that it is alien & spacey & to a degree it is, but more in it's mood & choice of dialogue samples, less in any use of electronic sounds. Omega prefers the more organic use of strictly sampling vinyl to a high degree. Some tracks sound like the end result of a horde of conquistadors raiding villages in search of 2nd hand vinyl. The track Body Double does evoke a sense of dread in that it sounds like the soundtrack to a film like Invasion of the Body Snatchers or Them. Check the videoclip for what I mean. It's a rollicking adventure for those who like their instro hip hop, so I implore you to bypass that Ninja Tunes record for a change get something else. It was mixed by Fred Ones of Sonic Sum.

I've upped the track Memento because for me it works on so many levels. The violin loop just kills me. I feel like crying everytime I hear it. It's like I remember the loss of my cat when I hear it. Yeah, a cat. So what! We were connected. And the shuffling drums mixed with the emotionally tugging piano murders my brain. Some people might find it unspectacular because it isn't all about pushing the envelope in regards to technique. Fuck technique, give me something from the heart instead. I love the dialogue sample from the tv show, Six Feet Under ala the Uncle Gunter bit on T.A.B. Cool shit. An album I needed on Vinyl & CD.

And he did the dope cover art as well.

• Nature Sounds website

• MP3: OMEGA ONE - Memento
• MP3: COMMON - Resurrection
From the We Invented the Remix CD.
• VIDEO: OMEGA ONE - Body Double
This is basically a cut up of several 50s sci-fi films. Kinda cool if you are a fan of those films.

Wow!! A Hip Hop DJ in a film cameo.
I just went to see Terry Gilliam's film The Brother's Grimm. It was full of senseless shenanigans with 2 moronic lead actors & fruity European accents. It was dull, boring, pointless & to top it off, the screen was slightly blurry. Oh & what's with the overkill on the wide-angle lens? The stills & the trailer looked good. What happened?

So I was peeved & annoyed (yeah, both), so I then snuck into another cinema & blindly ended up seeing a romantic comedy film starring Uma Thurman & Meryl Streep set in New York called Prime. It was much better & I probably liked it more because of the turd I just sat through. It's a cool little film in which the main male character was a part-time artist. You could see that he must've done graff at one stage in his life because some of his paintings incorporated tags & throw-ups. What I wanted to say was that 2 of the characters went to a party & the deejay at the house was Stretch Armstrong.
That is all.

You know what is amusing? When I googled the film for some more info I came across this review site. Screen It. Unbelievable..

ACEYALONE & RJD2 Super combination

I know I'm getting ahead of myself here, but I was extremely impressed with the 8 tracks I've heard already. Yep, Acey & RJ have teamed up for the album, Magnificent City. After RJ created 3 of the best tracks on Acey's 2003 album, Love & Hate. it was most hopeful that they would work together again. Acey is obviously one of the most gifted emcees that there has ever been & RJ is proving himself again & again with every release he's involved in. To be released Feb 7th, with the almost boogie disco-ish single Fire coming out the 17th Jan, 2006. Awesome stuff. I've upped one track from the promo. Like some promo CDs, it naturally it has Aceyalone talking over it, but not enough to be annyoing. It's incredible. Definitely another contender for album of the year.

• Project Blowed website
• RJD2 website

• MP3: ACEYALONE & RJD2 - All For U

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED
Directed by Liev Schrieber.

Dope flick. Quirky & fascinating. Elijah Wood's character is a collector of things relating to his Jewish immigrant family. One day he gets intrigued by a photograph that was in possession of his recently deceased grandfather, so he decides to go to the Ukraine to investigate the meaning behind the image. There he meets his 'translator' Alex. A goofy looking hip hop loving, Kangol & Adidas wearing nutjob, played brilliantly by musician Eugene Hutz of the NY based gypsy punk rock group, Gogol Bordello. Though it's Alex's grandfather who is the more eccentric, with his dog Sammy Davis Jnr Jnr not far behind. So it starts off as a lite version of an Emir Kusturica film, but then slows the pace down to some more serious overtones, yet it all rolls out beautifully with some stunning visuals, brilliant casting & a message that is as deep as it is wondrous. It's based on a best selling novel from Jonathan Safran Foer. Considering that the book is apparently 600 pages & spans 200 years, the actor/director Liev Schreiber thought it best to focus on just one aspect of the novel. So people who haven’t read the book will be impressed, while those who have will be peeved at this aspect. It was a joy to watch & the music was also great. Lots of weird Ukrainian rock & folk stuff. Oh & a Pete Miser track?? Did I mention that there is even a b-boy scene with a female dwarf as the deejay? Yep, it’s that kind of a film.

• Everything is Illuminated website


PETE MISER
The criminally slept on Portland born/Brooklyn based b-boy/graffiti writer/producer/emcee/deejay Chinese heritaged Pete Miser has his song So Sensitive included in the film, though a film dialogue & scratch filled instrumental track with The Con Artists is the one included on the actual soundtrack. He recently won a heat in some MTV band comp. Check for his excellent albums, Camouflage is Relative & Radio Free Brooklyn. Save me yammering on about him just check his website for loads of info, videos & news. He's done it all, yet people still don't realise he's been involved with about 6 albums, the early ones with his crew 5 Fingers of Funk. Find them.

• Pete Miser website

• MP3: The CON ARTISTS ft. Pete Miser - Ya Tokay
From the soundtrack, Everything is Illuminated.
• MP3: PETE MISER - Scent of a Robot
From the album, Camouflage is Relative.

DJS FOR LIFE Birmingham, England. DEC. 9 & 10, 20

Birmingham-based music organization Punch has announced the launch of DJs for Life, a groundbreaking conference and event celebrating worldwide DJ culture. Taking place in Birmingham on the 9th and 10th of December, DJs for Life is set to be this year’s biggest event in the DJ calendar.

DJs have, in recent years, established themselves as a prominent force in the music industry. Arbiters of taste, superstars of the club scene and global icons for a generation of young music fans, their influence is huge. DJs for Life features discussion, debate, masterclasses and performances from some of the world most influential DJs.

US and UK DJs performing and representing include: The Original Jazzy Jay, GrandWizzard Theodore, Steve Dee, Rob Swift, D-Styles, DJ Quest, DJ Supreme, Cutmaster Swift, DJ Disk, DJ Pogo, Mr Thing, Rapzcallion, First Rate, Mark Rae, Charlie Dark, Normski, Ras Kwame, DJ Woody, DJ Skully, Shortee Blitz, DJ Blakey, Dave VJ, Dodge, Dego, Masterstepz, DJ 279, Tigerstyle, Phil Asher, Diggz, Nihal, DJ E Double D, Sacha Brooks, Captain Boogie, Weetamix, DJ Roc 1, DJ Moyma, Sparra, Wooligan and more!

• DJs for Life website