Pharrell Williams Video Interview

This looks to be a Much Music interview, Canada's MTV equivalent TV music show. Topics include Child Rebel Soldier (Kanye Lupe, Pharrell project), Pusha T going solo with G.O.O.D. Music and N*E*R*D's 'Nothing' album, among other things.

N*E*R*D's 'Nothing' on Star Trak/Interscope arrives November 2nd.

Drake Live In Winnipeg Concert Review With Set List

As reported by Darryl Sterdan at Sun Media / Canoe Jam

WINNIPEG - There's a difference between phenomenon and phenomenal. And I'm not talking about two letters.

I'm talking about five letters: D to the R to the A-K-E. The Toronto rapper born Aubrey Graham is clearly a sensation — along with a lady named Gaga and a kid named Justin, he's the hottest thing in music right now. Dude was nominated for Grammys and took home Junos even before his debut album Thank Me Later — which has already gone platinum — dropped last month.

Impressive? Indisputably. But as a performer, well, let's just say that the 23-year-old hip-hopper clearly has plenty of charisma and raw talent. But just as clearly, he still needs to up his game before he can truly hold his own in the bigs.

Not that Drizzy was slacking when his Away From Home tour stopped at Centennial Concert Hall Wednesday night. With the help of a boombastic PA that shook the building like an earthquake, a stroboscopic light show that was blinding and blazing, and a funky quintet (including a fleet-fingered DJ) that pumped out the jams, Drake and a sold-out crowd of 2,300 teenagers turned the classy confines of Centennial Concert Hall into the city's largest nightclub for 70 fast-moving minutes.

"Tonight's so special," the black-clad Drake claimed after taking the stage an hour late (which isn't too bad for hip-hop time). "They finally let me come back to Canada. I'm gonna ask you to do one thing — just show me a good motherf---ing time."

Set List:

9 AM in Dallas

Forever

Unstoppable

Show Me a Good Time

Lust for Life

Fireworks

Money to Blow

Lose My Mind

I'm Going In

Every Girl In the World

Bedrock

Unthinkable

A Night Off

Successful

Say Something

Fancy

Find Your Love / Paris Morton Music

Best I Ever Had

Free Weezy

Over

Read the full concert review here:
Drake in Winnipeg

(video courtesy of FreshNewMusikTV & madups77)

Slaugtherhouse To Sign With Eminem's Shady Records?; Preps Tonight's Edmonton Concert

via Jam Canoe

Detroit rapper Royce Da 5'9", a.k.a. Ryan Montgomery, wants you to know his new supergroup Slaughterhouse is the best of the best.

But that doesn't mean he takes criticism lightly.

Some major names in hip-hop will shine at the Edmonton Event Centre tonight (Check The Rhyme concert Friday, April 16), including Del the Funky Homosapien, Pharoahe Monch and, of course, headliners Slaughterhouse -- a group that also includes Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Crooked I.

"Right now the message is just basically to convince everybody that we are the best, nobody's better than us," Montgomery says of his new crew's lyrical agenda.

Slaughterhouse formed after Budden featured the other three group members on a track from his Halfway House album, to overwhelmingly positive reactions from online fans.

The praise was too much to ignore, and the four veteran lyricists bring their A-games to the table on Slaughterhouse's self-titled debut album, which was released last year.

Critics have mostly been kind, but when someone knocks their rhymes, it smarts a bit for Montgomery.

"I think I hold what people think to a higher regard than I should. The writers and all of that, they get under my skin," he admits. "I look at all the reviews, I look at all the comments.

"There's a lot of artists that don't even pay attention to the comments because they don't wanna get moved by it, they don't wanna feel a certain way about it.

"It'll bother me, and I know I shouldn't be lettin' it bother me, but I'll let it bother me anyway and it'll push me harder next time."

Few rappers have hotter credentials than Royce. He's ghostwritten for the likes of Dr. Dre and P. Diddy, and has been turning heads since the late '90s when he formed a duo called Bad Meets Evil with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem.

He later had a falling out with Eminem's group D12, which resulted in an ongoing public feud.

But the two have since made up, and though Montgomery isn't quite the celebrity his ex-cohort is, he has no self-pity.

"There's been times when I've been overlooked, or sometimes I feel a bit underrated, but I can only blame myself for that," he says.

He recalls past opportunities with record labels that he simply wasn't prepared for when they rolled around.

"When I signed my first deal, I got a multi-million dollar deal two times in a row. It was set up for me to just take off. I don't think personally that I delivered all of the right records," he says.

"I didn't have the mechanics of writing songs and making complete albums all the way down yet.

"I didn't know how to bring across my natural personality and nail interviews, and everything that comes along with catapulting yourself to the next level."

Now, he insists, he's "so prepared, it's pathetic."

And who better to help catapult Slaughterhouse than Montgomery's old partner in crime?

His quartet is currently primed to sign with Eminem's label, Shady Records, a branch of Universal.

"We've got the deal on the table right now," he says, adding the major label backing could take Slaughterhouse to the status of his most notorious collaborators.

"We conquered the underground already. Now we're ready to show people that we can take it to the next level."

But money and fame pale in importance to what he's really after: sweeping critical acclaim.

"I want to be looked at as the best ever," he says.

Buck 65 & D-Sisive Form New Group Known As Ricardo Christoff Apparatus & Want Your Participation

via Exclaim

Fans of eclectic, boundary-pushing Canadian hip-hop will know the names Buck 65 and D-Sisive, but they may not know this: the two have just announced that they’re collaborating on a new project called 100 Story Building, under the name the Ricardo Christoff Apparatus.

The project requires fan participation, and here’s how it works, according to the duo’s blog:

We’re looking for stories. Tell us a story about a person you know — a friend, a relative, a love interest, a co-worker, a roommate… The story should be funny, strange, tragic, inspiring, epic or all of the above. We’ll pick a bunch of the best stories and turn them into songs. That’s it! Be sure to tell us the name of the person the story is about, because that will be the title of the song. Instant immortalization!

For years, the duo claims they have been “telling their stories with guts and teeth and blood,” and now they’re asking the same of their fans.

Sound interesting? You can send the duo your story at 100storybuilding@gmail.com.

No word yet on any release dates regarding the project. We assume it’ll be based on how quickly they can amass a hundred good yarns. Get sendin’, people!

Alicia Keys Is Evermore Elegant & Mature In Toronto On 'Freedom' Tour Concert Recap

As reported by Jane Stevenson at Canoe / QMI Agency

TORONTO - I know why the Caged Bird sings.

Or in the case of neo-soul star Alicia Keys, who initially appeared inside a silver cage at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday night (March 10), singing Caged Bird, why she sings: Because she sounds so good.

Keys brought her biggest production to date for the occasion: a dazzling gigantic video screen that broke into many smaller screens, a large gleaming silver staircase, a nine-piece band, and three dancers.

Touring in support of her fourth album, The Element Of Freedom, the 29-year-old New York singer-songwriter-pianist also made a good glamazon, appearing in silver sequined pants, a black shirt, a blood red blazer, and high heels, with her hair in soft curls.

Her first hit, Fallin', prompted major applause, as she stood at the front of stage playing a tiny white piano - and the song ended with the words, "Rise Up" on the enormous video screen above her.

But she delivered a more dramatic performance with her Bond theme (a collaboration with Jack White), Another Way To Die, losing the blazer and seductively prowling the staircase and her large stage with her dancers.

For her next song, Karma, Keys added some of the lyrics of Talking Heads' Once In A Lifetime, but it was her own, I Need You, that proved to be a stronger follow-up tune.

And when she sat down to play Prayer For Forgiveness, her piano flashed the words: "Play Me," and then, "Thank You," before it began rotating during, Diary, which prompted a crowd singalong and some mighty high notes from her male back up singer.

"We're excited to be here in Toronto," said Keys, who hit a few big notes of her own during Like You'll Never See Me Again. "God bless you."

After a brief band interlude, Keys re-appeared lying on top of the piano, now moving from the back of the stage to the front, for another uplifting number, Wait Til You See My Smile.

But the mid-show highlight proved to be the uber-soulful and funky Go Ahead featuring Keys playing a portable keyboard strapped around her neck, while her guitar player traded licks alongside her.

Finally elegant in a floor length white gown for Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart, the first single from The Element Of Freedom, there simply was no stopping Keys in the last half-hour of her 90-minute show.

Hit after hit followed: the female empowerment anthem, Superwoman; the heart-on-her-sleeve songs, If I Ain't Got You and No One; and the crowd-pleasing encore number, Empire State Of Mind Part II (Broken Down).

Earlier in the show, the bouncy Put It In A Love Song, Keys' collaboration with Beyonce, and the R&B ballad, Un-thinkable (I'm Ready), her duet with Drake, came across too calculated for the more mature Keys, who has always been an amazing songwriter and singer but is only now hitting her stride as a live performer.

Photos:
Toronto Sun Newspaper
Getty Images
Wire Image

Alicia Keys 'Freedom' Tour Toronto Air Canada Centre - Wednesday, March 10th set list:

Caged Bird
Love Is Blind
You Don't Know My Name
Fallin'
Another Way To Die
Karma
Like the Sea
I Need You
Pray for Forgiveness
Diary
Like You'll Never See Me Again

Band interlude

Wait Til You See My Smile
Go Ahead
Put It in a Love Song
Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)
Feeling Good (performed by the band)
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
Superwoman
If I Ain't Got You
No One

ENCORE

Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

3/11 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone
3/13 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/14 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/17 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
3/19 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Centre
3/20 - Atlantic City, NJ - Mark Etess Arena
3/22 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
3/24 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
3/25 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
3/27 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
3/28 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times-Forum
3/30 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
4/2 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
4/3 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
4/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
4/10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Coliseum
4/29 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
5/1 - Ischgl, Austria - Ski Resort
5/2 - Verona, Italy - Arena
5/4 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
5/8 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome
5/9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
5/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Color Line Arena
5/13 - Oberhausen, Germany - Konig - Pilsener Arena
5/15 - Merksem, Belgium - Sportpaleis Antwerpen
5/17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion Zurich
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - The NIA
5/21 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2 Dublin
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - S.E.C.C.
5/25 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of Canal de Vídeos do oitoronto)

K-os: Canadian Hip Hop Artist Interview

via the Black Book

Black Book: You’ve rapped about the state of hip-hop many times. Why do rappers more so than any other musicians in their genre rap about the state of their genres?

K-os: Why I think rappers do that is because they slowly feel their genre of hip hop dying, so it’s a way to stay fresh. And that’s what people love about hip hop, it’s always fresh. That’s why rappers talk about the state of hip-hop, because they want to rap themselves into relevance. If it’s an old school guy moving into the future by talking about the state of music, you make yourself relevant outside of the music. Rakim was the first rapper to rap about rapping. Nobody was rapping about the rhyme, but then he came along and he would start talking about the rap, and it made him so much more relevant in hip-hop. You become hip-hop at that point.

Black Book: So what’s the current state of hip-hop?

K-os: We’re moving to more people taking chances. I think Kanye was a big part of it, I think Jay-Z’s last record and where he went musically with it showed that. I think Obama being President, and Black people being like, Okay, we’re in the White House now. It’s like, one foot is here so I can put my other foot here. Now we have a stance. Now that someone is in that high form of office, it frees up artists to just be artists. Jay-Z doesn’t have to be Obama, Biggie Smalls doesn’t have to be Obama. Now artists can just go do weird things and wear pink shirts if they want to. Now the kid on the block isn’t going, Oh, you’re breaking protocol by looking like that, or not being black enough, so I won’t listen to your hip-hop. Hopefully hip-hop is in a renaissance where it’s about to do some really cool stuff. That’s my Canadian, golden, hopeful, utopic idea of what’s about to happen.

Black Book: Do you consider yourself a rapper or a songwriter?

K-os: Songwriting is first, and that’s why I like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, because they were songwriters.The Roots are my favorite band and changed my life. Those bands made songs. So when I approach hip hop, I approach it from the songwriting basis. Especially the beginning of my career, when I performed just acoustically, a lot of those songs that were hip hop songs started in small studios just playing guitar. When Jimmy Fallon did that Neil Young cover of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, that all made sense to me. I’m not from the streets, so I’m not going to jump off the streets into the studio, that’s not me. I’m probably going to be the guy who is listening to the new Bon Iver.

Black Book: You’re not as well-known in the U.S. as you are in Canada. How does that affect you?

K-os: I call it being in the fridge. The landscape of American music is so different, because it’s so competitive and there’s so many people. In Canada, it could be like Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, and Metric all existing at once, and that doesn’t happen in America. It’s always one dude. Without so much competition in Canada, I was able to develop my music as I wanted it to be developed. I never felt like I had to conform my music so it would get played on the radio. In America, it’s not a cakewalk like that. I think it’s great when I come to America and no one knows who I am. It’s really inspiring for my music and my creative process to be somewhere and not be seen as something that already has an idea to it. It’s almost like aging backwards. If my music was to come out in America tomorrow, I would be a new artist when I’ve been doing this in the fridge, in Canada for ten years. It’s a beautiful thing, selling out places in Canada, and playing clubs and carrying my own gear in the U.S. How can that not make you really appreciate both sides of it?

Black Book: Who is the best rapper working today?

K-os: I will always say Black Thought of the Roots. I think he’s proven himself to hold all that down. I also like Jay Electronica right now. I’m a huge Mos Def and Andre 3000 fan, so I would say those four. And just off of the strength of the historical David and Goliath thing that he just did, I’d have to throw Drake in there as well.

Black Book: As a fellow Canadian hip-hop artist, were you surprised by how quickly Drake rose to prominence in the U.S.?

K-os: When someone dies, people say they still can’t believe it, because they’re in shock. I think the same thing happens to me when people live like that. Death is one thing, but when someone pulls a feat like that, I still haven’t really taken it in. I think it’s just one of those great stories. He’s a thespian, and a lot of times actors understand music just as well as they understand theatre. There’s some kind of link between him being a rapper and him being an actor. There’s something about that that’s allowing him to have a different perspective than everyone else. I mean, there are a whole bunch of factors, I’m not just going to chalk it up to his acting, but as someone who is a senior to his sophmore in music, I feel like I he did something that no one does, that no one did. That’s why I have to throw him in there.

Black Book: Do you know if Natalie Portman has heard the song you named after her?

K-os: Yeah, actually if you go to my label’s website, you can watch Entertainment Tonight Canada play it for her.

Melanie Fiona In-Store Performance At J&R Music World NYC

Photos from the event here:
Wire Image

Melanie Fiona - 'The Bridge' on SRC/Motown/Universal in-stores now!

On The Road With Swollen Members

Catch Swollen Members on their upcoming tour with Potluck:

Feb 18 - Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
Feb 19 - Bellingham, WA @ The Nightlight
Feb 20 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne
Feb 21 - Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall
Feb 23 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Feb 24 - Avon, CO @ Agave
Feb 25 - Steamboat Springs, CO @ Ghostranch Saloon
Feb 26 - Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
Feb 27 - Ft. Collins, CO @ Aggie Theatre
Feb 28 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
Mar 01 - Breckenridge, CO @ Three20South
Mar 02 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
Mar 04 - Park City, UT @ The Star Bar
Mar 05 - Ketchum, ID @ NexStage Theater
Mar 06 - Ketchum, ID @ NexStage Theater
Mar 07 - Spokane, WA @ The Boulevard

Timbaland: Shock Value II Tour Live In Toronto Concert Recap

As reported by Jason Macneil at the Toronto Sun

As part of his current Shock Value Tour, producer extraordinaire Timbaland has brought along Justin Timberlake, members of Jet, Katy Perry and Drake among others to bring his collaborative club grooves to the masses.

Unfortunately though, a strong album with so many guest stars can result in a lackluster effort when it’s brought to the stage without them.

And for most of the evening, it was this hit and miss feel that made Timbaland’s gig Friday evening (January 22) at Toronto’s Sound Academy very uneven.

Backed by a full band and with a video screen to his left which would show Drake, Perry, Timberlake and others performing, Timbaland began the night rolling a very high quality wave with Timothy Where Have You Been off the new album Timbaland Presents Shock Value II.

Wearing huge silver headphones and a rather conservative amount of bling for his producing prowess, Timbaland had the audience filling half the venue singing “I love Toronto” back to him during the lengthy, rambling opener.

When not creating beats off the floor, the artist was content to perform most of his new material such as Say Something (featuring Drake) which Timbaland delivered with Auto Tune perfection and the electro-dance feel to The Way I Are which was definitely an early party-starter. This was despite the fact there were occasions when all he could do was bounce and wait for the guest artist’s pre-packaged vocal portions to conclude.

From there, Timbaland perfected that dance club vibe with Morning After Dark as a brief snippet of Twilight – a film which partly inspired the new record – was shown on the video screen before Katy Perry appeared onscreen.

The first 45 minutes of the show was red hot, but a forerunner of what would ensue came during Oh Timbaland. Here Timbaland gave each of his band members their own miniature solo before reining things in again. It was a slight lull but would seem like pure bliss compared to the next half-hour.

Following another strong dance-friendly nugget entitled Can You Feel It (and featuring vocals by Canadian singer Esthero), Timbaland plowed into If We Meet Again with purpose, something that couldn’t be said for Ease Off The Liquor.

Breaking the tune down and then basically filling time, Timbaland started asking fans in the crowd how they were feeling and if they’d like to have drinks with him. He also spent this time telling some 19-year-olds how he couldn’t let them drink and would buy them Kool-Aid, unaware of the legal age north of the 49th.

After this filler, Timbaland then left the stage for another 15 to 20 minutes while a deejay played snippets of various Timbaland-related hits. The rather inane absence had more heading to the exits before he finally reemerged with Carry Off featuring Justin Timberlake.

The show definitely had its moments, both terrific and terribly tedious.

PHOTOS:
Getty Images

Timbaland Shock Value II Tour dates:

1/26 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
1/28 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
1/29 - Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
2/02 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
2/03 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues

(video courtesy of jDiggz TV & Hailey248ilyjb)

Musician Chin Injeti Gets Big Name Production Credits w/DJ Khalil

via Vancouver's Straight.com

Local producer Chin Injeti and his L.A.–based partner, DJ Khalil, were responsible for some of the sounds on Til the Casket Drops by Clipse. In fact, the duo produced the first single from the new record, “Kinda Like a Big Deal”—which also features Kanye West. The team also scored a production credit for “Could’ve Been You” on 50 Cent’s Before I Self Destruct.

“It’s been an exciting year,” Injeti told the Straight, fresh from a trip to L.A. to put the finishing touches on his and Khalil’s album as the New Royales. “Khalil is signed to Aftermath Entertainment, so he’s quite an up-and-comer, and whenever we do something, it gets played. We’re synonymous with a certain sound.”

Boi-1da: Music Producer Talks Drake And More

via Hip Hop Canada

Boi-1da has been an influential part of the current growth happening in our industry. As the beat maker behind the Billboard chart-topper “Best I Ever Had” and the current banger “Forever” featuring Kanye West, Eminem, Lil Wayne and Drake – 1da is creating an international presence. I had to chance to go to 1da’s house and really get a glimpse into what his world is like (Shout-out to his 10-year old brother, Mikey who does the best Lil Wayne impression).

HipHopCanada celebrated with Boi-1da on October 16th at Embassy nightclub in Toronto as he turned 23 years old.

HipHopCanada: Congrats on the Grammy pre-nominations – where were you when you first heard the news?

Boi-1da: I was in LA in my hotel room and then HustleGRL told me. I was shocked.

HipHopCanada: Who was the first person you told?

Boi-1da: My sister.

HipHopCanada: How has your family responded to your success?

Boi-1da: Before they were sceptical that someone is going to make it when billions are doing it – but my dad has known Drake for years, so he sees the big things he’s doing. He finally acknowledges that we’re doing really successful things – except that my brother says I’m too famous to hang around with him.

Read the full interview here:
Hip Hop Canada - Featured Producer: Boi-1da - Exclusive Interview

Melanie Fiona: L.A. Times Interview

L.A. Times: You have a very interesting background, with strong West Indian roots. How did your heritage inspire your music?

Melanie Fiona: I love my background. It’s fantastic. My family is from Guyana and they immigrated to Canada. I’m the only one who was born in Canada. I have the best of both worlds. Toronto is just great; I love everything it has to offer. That influence was in the house. My mom would sing and play music in the house when she was doing laundry or washing clothes. She just loved music and singing. My dad would come home from work and gig out in the basement. That gave me a good foundation. I couldn’t sleep without it, growing up. It naturally encouraged me to follow through with my talent.

L.A. Times: You opened for Kanye West. Did he give you any advice on your live performance?

Melanie Fiona: The best advice was watching him every night. He really puts his passion and his story into his shows. Him telling me, “when you’re onstage, that’s your moment. That’s how you win them over.” I love to perform live, it’s my favorite part of what I do. He loved what I was doing. When someone in the industry that you admire loves it, that’s the best feeling. The music I have is international, but it’s unknown. I get thrown onstage to open for Kanye, and I’m like, “Oh my gosh.” My focus was to entertain [the audience], connect with them. I was overwhelmed. They were loving and appreciating what I’m doing. People appreciate good music. That was an amazing first touring performance for me.

Read the full interview here:
Los Angeles Times - Melanie Fiona: A soul singer and her 'consistent variation'

K-os ft. Saukrates 'I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman' (Video)

Using the vocal hook from the song 'California' by Phantom Planet.

Off of K-os's "Yes!" on Universal Music Canada available now.

Swollen Members Interview

Exclaim's Andrea Woo interviews Mad Child & Prevail of Swollen Members as a November feature:

Exclaim: It's been a decade since your official debut with Balance. What have been some of your biggest achievements, or proudest moments, since then?

Mad Child: 2001 to 2004 were epic years for us. Those years were really incredible. The wave of success that we got to ride in Canada during those three years was just unforgettable. Looking back, we were real blessed to have gotten that opportunity.

Prevail: For me, having grown up in Victoria and knowing Nelly Furtado for a good portion of her life when she was younger, I think when we were able to do "Breath" together, that was ten years in the making. That was a pretty special moment. Of course, watching her rise to her success has been amazing.

Mad Child: Our first Juno win, I think, was probably the most exciting moment of our whole career just because it was so unexpected. I was at my parents' house watching the Junos and my mom was so excited we were nominated. We were getting mad at her, like, "Mom, there's no way we're going to win this! Don't get yourself so riled up and excited because there's no chance we're going to win this." When we won, I was more blown away than anybody. It was such an exciting feeling.

Prevail: My grandma called me and I thought she was having a heart attack. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" "Grandma, what's wrong?" My aunt lives on the East coast and saw it in real time. She called my grandma, and she in turn called me.

Exclaim: What would you say have been some of your biggest challenges as a group?

Mad Child: 2009. [Laughs] The whole thing, coming back to this world after being addicted to drugs for the last four years. The music business changed 100 percent. There's not very much left from what I remember, running a business and being in a group. That whole business model has changed completely.

Prevail: The one challenge that every hip-hop artist has is adding the legitimacy to their lineage by having success in the States, it being the birthplace of hip-hop. I believe that Swollen Members has had so much love from Canada that we really need to prove it not only to [the U.S.] but to ourselves that we have the vested faith to be able to take it to the next level and make the kind of noise that [Kardinal Offishall] and Drake have been making down south right now, which is amazing.

Read the full interview here:
Exclaim - Swollen Members

Jay-Z: Canadian Weekend Concert Wrap-Up With Video, Photos & Show Reviews

(photo courtesy by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette)

Oct. 30 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC

As reported by T'Cha Dunlevy at the Montreal Gazette

When he (Jay-Z) intoned the “na-na-na-na” hook off Death Of Auto-Tune, the Montreal crowd joined in.

By the third song of the night, U Don’t Know, it felt like the encore. Everyone was on their feet, arms up, the beat was booming, horns were blazing.

“I like that,” Jay-Z said.

He was, it should be noted, backed by a rockin’ 12-piece band, including hype-man Memphis Bleek.

“I’ve never heard a rap show sound so clean,” said veteran hip-hop promoter Rickey D, seated next to me – and he would know.

The hits kept coming: 99 Problems, Show Me What You Got, I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me), the Jackson 5-sampling Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Heart Of the City (Ain’t No Love) – all with full-on singalong – and we were just half-way through the show.







Oct. 31 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON

As reported by Jane Stevenson / Sun Media / Canoe

TORONTO - Jay-Z donned a white plastic hockey mask for the opening of his Halloween show on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre.

How appropriate.

The King of Rap pays homage to the king of horror movie characters - Jason - on All Hallows’ Eve.

Face mask aside, Jay-Z brought plenty of slick-looking and sounding tricks and treats with him.

A snippet of Paul McCartney and Wings’ Live And Let Die heralded his arrival while a massive video screen, broken up into rectangular pillars, and a 10-piece band including a three-man horn section, supplied all the sights and sounds of a big production rap show.





Nov. 1 – Scotiabank Place – Ottawa, ON

As reported by Denis Armstrong / Sun Media / Canoe

OTTAWA - He’s sold more records than Elvis and holds the record for No. 1 albums in the Billboard 200. He co-owns the NBA’s New Jersey Nets and swank nightclubs. He’s the former CEO of Def Jam Records and he’s married to Beyonce.

Yeah, life’s sweet for Jay-Z, and the King of Hip-Hop has paved the way for younger producer-musicians such as Timbaland, Ruff Ryders, The Neptunes and Kanye West, and at last night’s big jam at Scotiabank Place, it’s obvious Jay-Z isn’t done with music yet.

Not by a long shot.





Read each show's recap here:
The Montreal Gazette - Concert review: Jay-Z, Oct. 30 at the Bell Centre

Canoe - Jay-Z tricks and treats ACC crowd / Oct. 31 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON

Canoe - Scotiabank Place, Ottawa - November 1, 2009 Hip-Hop King shakes The Bank

Photos:
The Montreal Gazette - Friday, October 30
Getty Images - Toronto Saturday, October 31
WENN Photo - Toronto Saturday, October 31

(Oct. 30 video courtesy of KamiePhresh & couchsurfer)
(Oct. 31 video courtesy of Peace Magazine & Cybershotzz)
(Nov. 01 video courtesy of FREDDY81FUNES & jirkovsky)

Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' World Tour dates:
Nov. 4 - Alexandra Palace - London, UK
Nov. 7 - Save Mart Center - Fresno, CA
Nov. 8 - Pauley Pavilion - Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 12 – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall – Champaign, IL
Nov. 13 - Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN
Nov. 17 - United Spirit Arena - Lubbock, TX
Nov. 19 – Tingley Coliseum – Albuquerque, N.M.
Nov. 20 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX
Nov. 22 – Frank Erwin Center Arena – Austin, TX

Jay-Z Got Game In London, Ontario Canada Show Recap

Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' world tour stop at John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario Canada - Thursday, October 29.

As reported by James Reaney/Canoe

LONDON, Ont. - Say what you want about Jay-Z -- the man's got ballgame.

Just hours after leading off Game 2 of baseball's World Series in NYC, the hip-hop master was in downtown London.
About 8,000 energized young fans were right there with him last night, shouting their worship as Jay-Z emerged, rising from the stage.
"This is going to one of the shows," the star said. "I came here specifically for that reason. They said that I wouldn't be here . . . I am."
Jay-Z was also able to time it so he reached the arena -- 10 p.m. -- as his Yankees started to take charge of Game 2.
Last night also proved that someone can party in the Big Apple and still save his best stuff for London.

Read the rest of the show recap here:
Canoe - Jay-Z at John Labatt Centre, London, Ont. - October 29, 2009







(video courtesy of trevorkindree & TheMossburg1)

Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' World Tour dates:
Oct. 30 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC
Oct. 31 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
Nov. 1 – Scotiabank Place – Ottawa, ON
Nov. 4 - Alexandra Palace - London, UK
Nov. 7 - Save Mart Center - Fresno, CA
Nov. 8 - Pauley Pavilion - Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 12 – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall – Champaign, IL
Nov. 13 - Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN
Nov. 17 - United Spirit Arena - Lubbock, TX
Nov. 19 – Tingley Coliseum – Albuquerque, N.M.
Nov. 20 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX
Nov. 22 – Frank Erwin Center Arena – Austin, TX

Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' World Tour Stop in Calgary Show Recap

Fan shot video below.



Last night's Jay-Z "The Blueprint 3' World Tour stop at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, AB Canada October 14.

Concert review excerpts via Lisa Wilton of Sun Media/Canoe

Jay-Z's live performance takes more from the over-the-top stage artistry of Nickelback or U2 than the laid-back, rather unorganized style of say, Snoop Dogg.

But unlike Nickelback, Jay-Z doesn't overdo it. His entrance was dramatic, of course, rising up from beneath the stage to greet the 9,500 excited fans who took in the concert.



Opening act Wale crammed as much as he could into his short 30-minute set. Though people were still filing in as the D.C. rapper did his thing, Wale made sure those who were paying attention were rewarded with a cool set of bass-heavy neo-funk and groovy hip hop.

Full show review here:
Canoe

(video courtesy of keriprigmore and mwood)

Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' World Tour dates:
Oct. 15 – Prospera Place – Kelowna, B.C.
Oct. 16 – General Motors Place – Vancouver, B.C.
Oct. 17 – Key Arena – Seattle, WA
Oct. 21 - EMU Convocation Ctr. - Ypsilanti, MI
Oct. 23 - The Wachovia Center - Philadelphia, PA
Oct. 24 – Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Providence, R.I.
Oct. 25 – Mullins Center – Amherst, MA
Oct. 27 – 1st Mariner Arena – Baltimore, MD
Oct. 28 – Value City Arena – Columbus, OH
Oct. 29 – John Labatt Centre – London, ON
Oct. 30 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC
Oct. 31 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
Nov. 1 – Scotiabank Place – Ottawa, ON
Nov. 4 - Alexandra Palace - London, UK
Nov. 7 - Save Mart Center - Fresno, CA
Nov. 8 - Pauley Pavilion - Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 12 – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall – Champaign, IL
Nov. 13 - Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN
Nov. 17 - United Spirit Arena - Lubbock, TX
Nov. 19 – Tingley Coliseum – Albuquerque, N.M.
Nov. 20 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX
Nov. 22 – Frank Erwin Center Arena – Austin, TX

Jay-Z: Edmonton, Canada Concert Recap With Video and Show Review

Last night's Jay-Z show at the Rexall Place in Edmonton, AB Canada October 13.

Fan shot footage below.





via Canoe

A careful listening of Jay-Z's material last night reveals a fondness for fine champagne, fine women and his own fine self, hopefully combining all three in a hot tub filled with $100 bills. That's just the surface impression. Sexist? Hard to say. But hateful it's not.

Last night's show was an expression of pure joy. Even "99 Problems," coming early in the evening, with its line, "I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one," was brimming with positivity -- positive that the man has a fine woman who is not a bitch, obviously. "Gimme That Funk" is a simple call for sex, while "Show Me What You Got" is a simple call to show him what you got, such as waving one's arms like one doesn't care, and so on.

Read more of Jay-Z's Edmonton, AB Canadian show here:
Canoe

(show review courtesy of Mike Ross at Sun Media/Canoe)

(video courtesy of highsocieties)

Jay-Z 'The Blueprint 3' World Tour dates:
Oct. 14 – Pengrowth Saddledome – Calgary, AB
Oct. 15 – Prospera Place – Kelowna, B.C.
Oct. 16 – General Motors Place – Vancouver, B.C.
Oct. 17 – Key Arena – Seattle, WA
Oct. 21 - EMU Convocation Ctr. - Ypsilanti, MI
Oct. 23 - The Wachovia Center - Philadelphia, PA
Oct. 24 – Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Providence, R.I.
Oct. 25 – Mullins Center – Amherst, MA
Oct. 27 – 1st Mariner Arena – Baltimore, MD
Oct. 28 – Value City Arena – Columbus, OH
Oct. 29 – John Labatt Centre – London, ON
Oct. 30 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC
Oct. 31 – Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON
Nov. 1 – Scotiabank Place – Ottawa, ON
Nov. 4 - Alexandra Palace - London, UK
Nov. 7 - Save Mart Center - Fresno, CA
Nov. 8 - Pauley Pavilion - Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 12 – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall – Champaign, IL
Nov. 13 - Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN
Nov. 17 - United Spirit Arena - Lubbock, TX
Nov. 19 – Tingley Coliseum – Albuquerque, N.M.
Nov. 20 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX
Nov. 22 – Frank Erwin Center Arena – Austin, TX

De La Soul Performs In Toronto Video And Photos Posted

De La Soul performed at the Phoenix Theatre in Toronto, Canada
Sunday August 23.

Check out the photos here:
Star Traks Photo

(video courtesy of blackwood79)

Lil Wayne Cancels 2 Canadian Tour Dates

According to the Canadian music website Canoe, Lil Wayne has canceled his 2 shows in Vancouver and Edmonton August 17 and 18 because of an undisclosed illness?

Read here:
Canoe - Lil Wayne cancels 2 Cdn. shows

In a related instance, Lil Wayne canceled his European tour earlier this Summer.

Read here:
Hooked On That - Lil Wayne is forced to postpone pending European Summer tour

Well, either way the America's Most Wanted Tour with Lil Wayne and others forges on...in the U.S.A.:

August 20 - Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
August 22 - Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 23 - Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center
August 24 - Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre
August 27 - Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Theme Park Resort
August 28 - Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
August 29 - Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
August 30 - Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
September 1 - Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
September 2 - Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheater
September 3 - Cincinnati, OH PNC Pavilion At Riverbend
September 4 - Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
September 6 - Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center