Jay Electronica Performance Live At The Key Club, West Hollywood Show Recap

Last night, I had the privilege to check out Jay Electronica performing live in West Hollywood, California at the Key Club. Back in April, I witnessed Jay on the Paid Dues Festival concert stop, but was looking forward to a more intimate show that a smaller venue provides. I arrived at the club at 11:30 pm and security checked me relatively quick, as most people were in the club already. With no lines to worry about, I got in and worked my way up to a good vantage point to witness Jay's well reputed show. The club was packed to the brill and the crowd was ready for whatever Jay was going to throw their way, lyrically and spiritually. Yes, this was hip hop church and the parishioners were more than ready to receive Jay's sermon.

Jay arrived on stage and started with the Just Blaze produced track 'Dear Moleskine' (view below)



Current Los Angeles Clippers and former Hornets' NBA player Baron Davis was in the VIP section within a mere foot from me. Baron and his crew were evenly placed and had a bird's eye view of Jay Electronica's on stage performance. Jay mention that Baron was in the building several times, as well.



Then Jay broke out a new song that he didn't perform per se, but gave the crowd a brief taste. Jay let everyone know that he would unleash this new diddy on his Birthday, September 19th. (view above)



Then the real action started as Jay invited everyone on stage while he performed 'Exibit A', 'Exibit C' and other tracks. A bold move on Jay's behalf, but the audience loved it. (view at top, above and below)



After Jay jumped into the crowd performing his last song, it seemed like he turned into hip hop's version of Harry Houdini because 'poof' all of the sudden he was gone - which abruptly concluded the show. The show clocked in around 45 min. I wouldn't necessarily say I was short changed by the short set. As with a professional act as Jay Electronica comes, what also comes with it is the hype builder component too, by leaving us wanting more. And we certainly did.

Check out another fan xIgnantx, who was also at the show photo link:
Flickr

Curren$y: New York Times Reviews 'Pilot Talk'

As reviewed by Jon Caramanica / New York Times
Image & article spotted via DD172

The New Orleans rapper Currensy was once a member of the Master P affiliates the 504 Boyz, and was later signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money Records. So it comes as a surprise that on his major label debut, “Pilot Talk,” what comes to mind far more quickly than anything Southern is the reign of mid-1990s jazzbos Digable Planets.

That’s because Currensy is the second most important person on this album: the first is Ski Beatz, a long-dormant refugee of that era, who produced almost the entire record. A street-oriented classicist, he was responsible for several dank songs on Jay-Z’s 1996 debut, “Reasonable Doubt,” and almost all of the 1997 Camp Lo debut, “Uptown Saturday Night,” which exploded with sunbursts of orchestral soul. That record feels like the template for the formidable and lush “Pilot Talk,” full of braying guitars, seductive, plangent keyboards and crisp drums, and purportedly free of samples. “Audio Dope II” is sluggish and hard all at once; “Chilled Coughphee” sounds like theme music for a lost ’70s black sitcom; and several songs recall Grover Washington Jr.

And then there’s Currensy, who raps in tight clusters of syllables that sound smooth but say little. Mainly he’s interested in getting high — “That killer weed/Alfred Hitchcock in the Ziploc,” he raps over soft-soul piano on “The Hangover” — and, occasionally, getting high with other people. Still, many of his friends, under the influence or not, perform better: Currensy is out-rapped by several guests here, including Big K.R.I.T. on “Skybourne” and Jay Electronica on “The Day.”

He sounds less hungry than he has on any of the several mix-tapes and independent albums he has released to this point. Maybe he’s been lounging too much at a downtown Manhattan fixture that’s a long way from New Orleans. “TriBeCa at Bubby’s/I’m enjoying the lemon press,” Currensy raps. “Not that Minute Maid,” he cautions, adding, “They squeeze these lemons theyself.”

Related:
Curren$y 'Pilot Talk' Hip Hop Reviews Are In

Curren$y 'Pilot Talk' Hip Hop Reviews Are In

Hip Hop has spoken, all across the web the reviews are in and here's what is being said about Curren$y's long awaited debut Pilot Talk:

"Pilot Talk is a much more consistent listen that won’t have you skipping around for stronger tracks...he is a rare emcee in these times who actually honestly rhymes about his lifestyle"
All Hip Hop

"...it is a solid debut from a 29 year-old that brilliantly connects with younger fans"
Hip Hop DX

"The album is a beauty to listen to musically. It contains none of the retread production that you will hear, none of the hyper-masculine tough talk or drug talk that plagues so many releases."
Ill Planet

"...it’s a superior piece of work and certainly one of the better hip hop releases so far this year."
Urb

"After all the free material this dude has provided our iPods with, it’s only right y’all show support. I did."
2 Dope Boyz

"Pilot Talk impresses with its consistent switching of heavy ‘hood material and the infectious grooves which Curren$y performs well on in equal measure."
Soul Culture UK

Curren$y Pilot Talk on Island/Def Jam/DD172 out now!

Jay Electronica At London's Jazz Cafe Concert Review

via Music Like Dirt

(Thursday, February 18) Looking dapper in an immaculately tailored suit, like Louis Farrakhan guesting on Mad Men, Electronica is witty, engaging and utterly at ease on stage. Early in the gig he jokingly asked if we’d mind if he had a Jack Daniels to ease his nerves. Pouring himself one he asked if anyone else wanted a glass to which an American on the balcony yelled down “Yes, Up here”. Later he admonishes him for asking for more, calling him a “rude American” while pouring him another anyway. After running out of glasses a girl at the side of the stage requests a swig to which Jay goes to enquire if she’s got cooties… before saying what the hell I’ll just catch whatever you’ve got.

All very amusing… until midway through he set Jay abruptly stops and staring straight at my head poking up above the throng declares “this guy here is the only person still making me nervous“. To general chuckles he wanders over and enquires my name, “Leon!!”…oh Neil he says when corrected.
“Neil, Why are you making me nervous?” he gently demanded. At which point Id love to say I came back with a witty retort, but no I just stood and let my cheeks cycle through a variety of purple tinged shades. “Are you here with your girl?” came the next question… “no“… “then why are you making me nervous…if it isn’t because you think Im going to steal your girl!?” Clearly by now he’d taken pity on me and in his best Dick Van Dyke accent declared “Im only joking… what a handsome bloke!“… clarifying as he walked away “but not in a gay way!“. And who says Americans don’t do sarcasm!

One of his numerous unreleased tracks “Dear Moleskine” got the evening started. Its typical of Jay’s leftfield nature that the track first leaked as part of a trailer for a supposed feature length film featuring Electronica exploring the globe talking to characters like Monks at the Bodinath Buddhist Temple in Kathmandu. Unreleased or not, the crowd knew every word, mouthing each one along with Jay.

Overall he performed surprisingly little of his own material, he rapped some Nas and early in the evening a heartfelt tribute to J Dilla.
Asking the crowd to imagine Dilla in hospital wired up to machines with doctors telling him by rights he should be already be dead. Such was Dilla’s love of working on his music, Jay said, that instead of feeling self pity he asked for his MPC to be hooked up by his bedside.
With the “Waves” beat playing he asked everyone to take out a lighter/mobile anything that shines and hold it up in respect of Dilla. For a minute or two he just zoned out as it played telling us to feel this beat is being communicated to you from his death bed. It might have been moving but unfortunately an argument was breaking out next to me between some girls up the front and a very young inebriated young black boy cruelly trapped in the body of a white boy from Surrey. They reasonably objected to his constant “brapping” and gesticulating with his hand onto their heads.

Read the full concert review here:
Music Like Dirt - Jay Electronica @ The Jazz Cafe

More fan shot footage below.





(video courtesy of thenowschool

B.G.: Hometown Paper 'Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood' Album Review

via New Orleans Times-Picayune

"Too Hood" is B.G.'s first studio release since '06, and he takes a minute to address the absence on the track "Back To The Money": "Everywhere I go, they ask me, Gizzle, where you been/ You ain't looking hard enough, I tell 'em, look again."

In real life, B.G. moved his family to Detroit for two years after Hurricane Katrina. He wanted a break from the New Orleans scene even in evacuation.

"I didn't want to be where everybody else was at," he said. "There was just too many people that I knew in Houston and Atlanta and I just wanted to go a little further away."

"Too Hood" languished in music-industry limbo for almost two years. The rapper T.I., who has an executive producer credit on the album, helped B.G. put together his deal with Atlantic Records. But T.I. was arrested on federal gun charges in October 2007. B.G. suspects that Atlantic was nervous about putting out his album without T.I. being available to help promote it.

"I'm used to dropping an album a year, every eight, nine months. I guess they figured I needed T.I. to hold my hand. But T.I. went to the CEO of Atlantic and was like, 'I grew up on B.G. B.G. can carry his own weight - he's a legend in the game.'"

The hottest songs on the album find B.G. reaching into the wayback machine for heavy-hitter production chops. Craig "KLC" Lawson, who cranked out hits in the '90's as part of No Limit Records' Beats by the Pound team, and Cash Money Records legend Mannie Fresh each produced two tracks. "My Hood," a pledge of allegiance to the New Orleans streets, is buoyed by Fresh's trademark shiny synthesizers. KLC's "Hit The Block & Roll" features a sample that might be the best use of a screaming electric guitar in hip-hop since producer Rick Rubin (via Slayer) helped the Beastie Boys fight for their right to party. If anyone questioned B.G.'s star power, "Too Hood" is the high-wattage answer.

Read the full album review here:
B.G. keeps it street on a new album, 'Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood'

Lil Wayne Bids Adieu At Home Town Concert

(video courtesy of Linzwats1214 & HipHopRapper420)

Lil Wayne 'Farewell' Tour Dates:

Dec. 31 (Thursday) - San Diego Arena - San Diego, CA
Jan. 1 (Friday) – Don Haskins Arena - El Paso, TX
Jan. 2 (Saturday) -Tucson Convention Center - Tucson, AZ
Jan. 5 (Tuesday) – Ford Park Arena - Beaumont, TX
Jan. 6 (Wednesday) – Travis County Expo - Austin, TX
Jan. 7 (Thursday) – Allen Events Center - Allen, TX
Jan. 8 (Friday) – Cajun Dome - Lafayette, LA
Jan. 9 (Saturday) – Alltell Arena - Little Rock, AR
Jan. 10 (Sunday) – Desoto Civic Center - Southaven, MS

Lil Wayne & Juvenile w/Mannie Fresh Schedule Hometown Concert Appearances

via Nola

Homegrown rap superstar Lil Wayne is slated to headline the New Orleans Arena for the second time in less than 12 months on Monday, Dec. 28.

With additional dates as follows:

Dec. 17 (Thursday) – Dodge Arena - Hidalgo, TX
Dec. 18 (Friday) – Laredo Entertainment Center - Laredo, TX
Dec. 20 (Sunday) – American Bank Center - Corpus Christi, TX
Dec. 26 (Saturday) – Phillips Arena - Atlanta, GA
Dec. 28 (Monday) – New Orleans Arena - New Orleans, LA
Dec. 31 (Thursday) -San Diego Arena - San Diego, CA
Jan. 1 (Friday) – Don Haskins Arena - El Paso, TX
Jan. 2 (Saturday) -Tucson Convention Center - Tucson, AZ
Jan. 5 (Tuesday) – Ford Park Arena - Beaumont, TX
Jan. 6 (Wednesday) – Travis County Expo - Austin, TX
Jan. 7 (Thursday) – Allen Events Center - Allen, TX
Jan. 8 (Friday) – Cajun Dome - Lafayette, LA
Jan. 9 (Saturday) – Alltell Arena - Little Rock, AR
Jan. 10 (Sunday) – Desoto Civic Center - Southaven, MS



via New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Juvenile w/Mannie Fresh handling DJ duties is scheduled to perform at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival the weekend of April 29 – May 2.

and the Associated Press

Though dotted with major national acts, the festival is made up of more than 80 percent Louisiana artists such as The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, Pete Fountain, Dr. John, rapper Juvenile, Trombone Shorty and Buckwheat Zydeco.

Birdman 'Pricele$$' On Track To Sell 30k-35k 1st Week Sales

According to Hits Daily Double based on the first day sales round up, Cash Money impresario Birdman 'Pricele$$' album is on track to sell between 30k-35k first week of release.

The Hits Daily Double numbers will become more firmer a day prior (on Tuesday, December 1) to the Nielsen/Soundscan (the industry standard) numbers as we will see next Wednesday, December 2.

B.G. Listening Session For 'Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood' In NYC

B.G. - Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood on E1/Chopper City Records in-stores December 8.

Juvenile Gives Us The Main Ingredients For Upcoming 'Cocky And Confident'

via Hip Hop DX

The regionally-focused sound found on Juvenile’s new LP was supplied by the in-house beatmakers from his Beats & Hooks Production Company (which houses trackmasters S8ighty, Precise and C. Smith). The firm founded by Kango Slim of veteran New Orleans duo Partners-N-Crime (B&H’s creator is also the crew’s in-house hook writer) sell their sonic and scribe services to various artists, having recently crafted both beat and hook for C-Ride and T-Pain’s “Money Round Here,” and maybe most notably of late contributed the hook to Lil Boosie’s “Better Believe It.”

In addition to contributions from Beats & Hooks, Juve himself produced two songs for Cocky & Confident.

Mannie Fresh crafted 10 tracks for the disc, two of which made the tentative tracklisting. But Juve warned, “We ain’t too sure if those two gon’ make it ‘cause we steady doing other songs right now.”

Cocky & Confident is led by two singles in the bass-heavy grindin’ anthem “Gotta Get It” and the radio-ready nod to the ladies “Hands On You” featuring Pleasure P, which follow the previous leaking earlier this year of album cuts “My Money Don’t Fold.”

Read more of the interview here:
Hip Hop DX - Juvenile Says New Album Is Return To Classic Formula

Juvenile - 'Cocky And Confident' on Atlantic/UTP Records in stores December 1.

Eminem: Voodoo Festival Concert Recap

(photo courtesy of Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune / Nola.com)

Eminem at the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans on Friday October 30, 2009.

As reported by Keith Spera for The Times-Picayune/Nola.com

He (Eminem) arrived on the main Voodoo Stage on time, moments after the French duo Justice completed a tedious deejay/rave set. Among major rappers, Eminem was one of the first to understand that arenas require an arena-size show. Thus, the giant backdrop screen flashed videos and graphics cued to Eminem’s lyrics (a screen to the left of the stage apparently short-circuited, fading to red distortion). He deployed live musicians – drums, percussion, bass, guitar, keyboards – for much of the set. They costumed as skeletons and stood atop platforms fronted by LED screens. In “Beautiful,” the guitarist even ripped off a credible solo.

Eminem wore a black hoodie over a white T-shirt for the opening “3 a.m.,” yet another of his homicidal fantasies, this one from his current “Relapse” album. He soon changed into a red shirt, black sleeveless jacket and black cap. “I’m back, ya’ll,” he said. “Did you miss me? I missed you too, man. It’s been a minute, huh, New Orleans?”

As reported by Alex Rawls at Rolling Stone

For the occasion, Eminem had a live band dressed in skeleton costumes that added muscle, particularly in the closing “Without Me.” To further beef up the sound, he was joined onstage by a hype-man (D-12's Denaun Porter) throughout, and D12 for part of the show. He took time out to salute the late Proof, “the real leader of the group” in one of the set’s few tender moments.

The D12 segment also featured one of the more awkward moments as Em — who addresses his struggles with prescription pills openly on this year’s Relapse — recalled “when we was fucked up”. “When you was fucked up,” Big Proof corrected, then Eminem started talking about a time in Amsterdam when he was so loaded he was under the table and speaking a new language. The skit seemed designed to put Eminem’s drug problems in a “one of the boys” context, but the high-school-drama-class delivery undermined it.

Excerpt from Creative Loafing - Vibes blog site.

The highlight for many of the thousands in attendance was the headliner of Eminem who performed for roughly an hour and 15 minutes as he made his return to the stage after a five-year hiatus. He hit the stage to “3. A.M.” “Hey New Orleans, I’m back. Did you miss me?” Eminem asked the crowd. After a huge applause – “I missed you, too.”

His set mashed up a number of his hits as he quickly went from one song into another in a sort of medley. “We Made You,” “The Real Slim Shady,” “Stan,” “Kill You” and “Toy Soldiers” were big sing-alongs, as was his encore of “Lose Yourself.”

Eminem also brought out the guys from his band, D12 for “My Band” and “Purple Pills” after joking about “when he used to get high.” Welcome back, Eminem… I’m not a big fan, but it was an entertaining, head-bobbing performance.

Read each show recap here:
Nola.com
Rolling Stone
Creative Loafing - Vibes

Photos:
Getty Images
Film Magic
Wire Image

Fan shot footage below.







(video courtesy of bkraji & ryans2k8)

Juvenile Announces 'Cocky And Confident' New Release

Juvenile - Cocky And Cofindent on Atlantic/UTP in stores November 17.

( October 13, 2009, New York , NY ) --UTP/Atlantic recording artist Juvenile has unveiled early details of his eagerly awaited new album – the New Orleans-based rapper's first in over three years. "COCKY AND CONFIDENT" is scheduled for a November 17th, 2009 release at all physical and online retailers.

The album is heralded by two singles: the sizzling album track, "Gotta Get It," currently #47 and growing at urban radio, and "Hands On You (Feat. Pleasure P)," impacting now at Rhythmic radio outlets nationwide, having already been the #1 most added new track at Crossover.

"COCKY AND CONFIDENT" follows Juvenile's "REALITY CHECK," which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 upon its March 2006 release. This new album sees the acclaimed MC collaborating with a stellar line-up of guest performers, including Pleasure P, Kango Slim, Bobby V, Rico Love, B.G., Dorrough, and Q Corvette. Among the producers are such studio superstars as S-8ighty, Mouse, Precise, Lu Balz, C. Smith and of course, Juvenile.

"Cocky and Confident" is Juvenile's second Atlantic album, and E1 Records is adding its hip hop marketing muscle to the release, confident in the continuation of the extraordinary success of this great artist from New Orleans' Magnolia Projects.

Lil Wayne & Young Money Crew Live in Amsterdam with Video & Photos

Quality fan shot footage from the photo pit.





Lil Wayne, Birdman, and Young Money at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands Tuesday October 6.

Photos:
Getty Images
Wire Image

(video courtesy of Arthurcroes)

Lil Wayne Turns 27

Untitled from DERICK G on Vimeo.

Photos and post:
Lil Wayne HQ at the hotel
and:
Lil Wayne Birthday Pix at LIV at Fontainebleau in Miami, FL

B.G. 'Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood' Track List & Street Date Revealed

B.G. - 'Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood' track list.

01. Intro
02. I Swear ft. Gar
03. Ni**A Owe Me Some Money
ft. Lil Boosie, C-Murder, Soulja Slim & Young Buck
04. Is U Wet Yet ft. Level
05. My Hood ft. Gar & Mannie Fresh
06. Hit Da Block & Roll ft. Yo Gotti
07. Like Yeah
08. Cut Thang/F**k Thang ft. Matravious Cooks
09. Back To The Money ft. Magnolia Chop
10. Ya Heard Me
ft. Lil Wayne, Juvenile & Trey Songz
11. Rather Die ft. Maino
12. Watch Me Do Magic
13. Gutta Gutta ft. Gar
14. Keep It 100 ft. Magnolia Chop
15. Under Surveillance

Bonus Tracks

16. For A Minute ft. T.I.
17. I Hustle ft. Young Jeezy

B.G. 'Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood' on E1 tentatively scheduled for November 24th.

Beyonce: Essence Music Festival Michael Jackson tribute with photos, review and video posted

(concert review courtesy of Nola.com)

Inside a sold-out Superdome -- reportedly the largest single-night attendance in Essence history -- Beyonce lived up to the legend of her stellar 2007 Essence performance.

This is what Beyonce said during her Michael Jackson tribute.

"When I saw Michael Jackson hit the stage, that's when I decided who I wanted to be. There will only be one Michael Jackson. Long live the king."

Read more of the article here

See the fan filmed Beyonce's Michael Jackson tribute below.





Check out the photos from the show:
Wire Image
Getty Images
Rex Features
Film Magic

Beyonce I Am...North America Tour Dates:

July 7 - Phoenix, AZ - US Airways Center
July 9 - Sacramento, CA - Arco Arena
July 10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena
July 11 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
July 13 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
July 16 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
July 17 - Chicago, IL - United Center
July 18 - Detroit, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
July 23 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
July 30 - Las Vegas, NV- Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas
July 31 - Las Vegas, NV- Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas
August 1 - Las Vegas, NV - Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas
August 2 - Las Vegas, NV - Encore Theatre, Wynn Las Vegas

Juvenile interviewed backstage at House of Blues New Orleans

Juvenile speaks with Making Moves TV at the House of Blues New Orleans there to support co-horts Partners N Crime for their CD release party February 18, 2009. Juvenile talks about the current hip hop game and upcoming projects for 2009.

Hot Boyz reunion on the horizon? Let's hope so, that is if the lawyers don't slow the process down.