Oh Dang!

Rewind: Freddie Gibbs' STR8 KILLA EP release w/ Tanya Morgan and DaVinci (08.25.10 at 330 Ritch, SF)

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:14:09 -0800

Freddie Gibbs celebrated the release of his Str8 Killa EP last Wednesday at San Francisco's 330 Ritch with hometown favorite DaVinci and NY's Tanya Morgan (the show was a stop on their Headphone Rock Tour). As always at a significant hip-hop show, the guest list read like a Who's Who of hip-hop leaders, innovators and taste makers: from Keelay to Trackademics, Hip Hop is Cool Again to 24KMilkcrate. Even on a Wednesday night, a decent-sized crowd came to show love to the Gary, IN native, and he showed love back, making sure to rock "How We Do," a mixtape track over Souls of Mischief's "93 'til Infinity." (And props to his manager/DJ Arch Bonkers for dropping C-Bo's "Black 64" before the set.) Gibbs did have one gripe with the city: the SF Weekly. Responding to a not-so-glowing review in the Weekly, Gibbs made the crowd chant "Fuck you Phillip!" before getting into his EP's lead single, "Fuck the World!"

Oh Dang! was in the building, snapping shots and flicks. Check out a photo slideshow below, followed by clips of Tanya Morgan performing "So Damn Down," DaVinci doing "Clean Ass Whip" and Freddie Gibbs going in on Masta Ace's classic "Born to Roll." And yeah, we know the sound's kinda fucked up; eat a dick.--Zo

Tanya Morgan - "So Damn Down"

DaVinci - "Clean Ass Whip"

Freddie Gibbs - "Born to Roll"

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Lorenzo Escalante is a chaser of destiny, a poet of pain and a videographer of vengeance. What?!

Freddie Gibbs: Pardon his Gangsta

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:17:15 -0800

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There once was a time when gangsta rap reigned supreme. Our parents and politicians might not have understood it, but the taboo content of dope pushin’, pimpin’ and random thuggery served a purpose. For better or worse, gangsta rap vented the frustrations of ghetto youth, gave a perspective of life from below the poverty line and dropped heavy doses of reality.

At a time when rap’s target audience is the cast of Jersey Shore instead of the residents of the Jersey projects, it’s time we get back to basics. Enter Gary, IN native Freddie Gibbs. Once signed to Interscope, Gangsta Gibbs is now dominating the indie rap scene and giving hipster rappers cause for alarm. He’s bringing back raw, gritty realism to rap while showcasing lyrical excellence with his brash Midwest drawl and double-time delivery. He may scream “Fuck the world!” like 2Pac, stay strapped like Biggie and remain ruthless like Eazy, but Gibbs is blazing his own unrelenting path. And he hasn’t let the industry’s fickle nature halt his efforts either.

Following a string of successful mixtapes, Gibbs hit 2010 hard, appearing on the cover of XXL as a member of the Freshmen 10 on the merit of his skill alone. Fans have since waited patiently for Gibbs to drop some new heat. This month, he released his Str8 Killa No Filla mixtape, followed by his Str8 Killa EP, available now on Decon Records. (See him perform live in San Francisco on Wed., Aug. 25 at 330 Ritch. Click here for more details.)

We caught up with Gibbs to talk about his music, industry bullshit and garbage-ass rappers.

Listen to "Crushin' Feelin's" (from Str8 Killa No Filla mixtape)

Listen to "P.S.A." (from Str8 Killa No Filla mixtape)

Download: Freddie Gibbs - Str8 Killa No Filla mixtape (No DJ)

You started off the year on the cover of XXL. It seems like 2010 is gonna be a big year for you.

Man, I’m bout to crush these niggas this year. F’real dog, can’t nobody rap better than me. If a mothafucka feel a certain way about it, then they just feel a certain way about it, but that’s my personal opinion. For me to feel like I’m the best and to be sitting at home, that wasn’t the move. I took that whole year (2009) and I sat back and was like, “Yeah, I’m bout to crush these niggas. I’m bout to get focused and do what I gotta do.” You know what I mean? Because I had some situations in this game that really threw me off and had me in the dumps. I had to just get back on my grind.

What were those situations? I know you were signed to Interscope at one point.

Yeah, that definitely fucked me up. It fucked up my outlook on the whole music game. It made me think that all these mothafuckas was fake because the mothafuckas around me was the fakest of the fake. They embraced me, and I embraced them like family but I had to learn the hard way that ain’t too many mothafuckas in this game your family. I had to let my emotions of all that go and get back in and stop being sour on the industry and say fuck the industry.

So what's it take in 2010 for an emcee to maintain and find some sort of success?

You know what man? That’s yet to be seen because I think I’m about to do something different that nobody ever did or hasn’t done in a long time because there ain’t too many original mothafuckas out here. Everybody sounds the same, everybody’s trying to mimic or do something that’s already been successful. I’m not conforming or following nobody’s blueprint. I’m just doing me and that’s what it’s gon’ take for any mothafucka to survive out here in this dirty game. It’s hard for a nigga to get money out this music shit, that’s why a mothafucka still in the streets.

You put those extended mixtapes with like 80-something tracks. That was ridiculous.

That was a combination and collection of the work I’d been working on for the last couple years. I just didn’t want to let this shit sit. I wanted to get it all out there and get people more familiar and get people caught up on what I was doing.

You came to LA how many years ago?

I first came to LA in 2006. And then I left LA in 2007 and came back in ’08. I’ve been back and forth. I do a lot of business out there so it’s a good place for me to be, between there and Geary and Chicago and whatnot.

You always hear that story about people coming to LA from all over to make it big, but few actually do. How did you make such a big impact so fast?

That was the good about me signing to Interscope; it put me in the arena of people I would never see or talk to in Gary at all. I used that part of it to my advantage. They ain’t put my record out or no shit like that but, for the most part, I just took that and ran with it.

You’ve got another project coming out this year, right?

Str8 Killa No Filla. That’s bout to drop next. You talkin’ bout a full album? I don’t know. It might, it might not. I’m just doing music, man. With the fucked up politics in this game, it’s a lot of companies and shit that’s scared to take a chance on a nigga like me ‘cause they feel like I’m not gon’ give them no single or some shit like that. These labels, they’re not signing mothafuckas to give them full albums no more, they just want your songs. It’s like the mothafuckin’ ‘50s or some shit. My shit will come out, it’s just finding the right home for it and putting it in the right position. I think my shit is next level and deserves to be put on the highest pedestal. And if a company ain’t willing to share my vision, then fuck ‘em. I’m straight, I’ll keep doing what the fuck I’m doing. Like I said, I ain’t in this shit to be the most famous nigga. If that happens, then that happens but mothafuckas gon’ know I’m the best in this shit.

Can you tell me a little more about Str8 Killa?

It’s self explanatory: Str8 Killa No Filla. There’s a lot of in between ass mothafuckas in the game and I’m just bringing that hard shit back. I’m trying to re-establish this gangsta rap ‘cause a lot of people done took it and did all kinds of bullshit to it and fucked it up. And the mothafuckas that’s really doing it for real, you gotta sift through too much of the bullshit to get to it, and I wanna eliminate all that.

All original beats?

About 70-30, mostly original. But the beats that I pick, most muhfuckas ain’t gonna know where they came from.

On one of your mixtapes, you rapped over “93 ‘til Infinity” and a lot of beats that cats weren’t rapping over. A lot of cats rap over what’s hot right now and recycle the same hook.

‘Cause they garbage, ‘cause they fuckin’ garbage. I rapped over that shit ‘cause, for one, mothafuckas don’t expect me to rap over that shit with me being from Gary, so when I do it, and do it to perfection, they like, ‘Aww shit, this mothafucka can really rap.” Like, yeah nigga that’s what I’m in this shit for, to really rap. I’m not in here to play with y’all. I’m a always pick obscure beats and just shit that gives me a challenge. What’s the point of me rapping what’s on the mothafucking mixshow on the radio, using the same hook and putting a rap to it? That shit don’t make no fuckin’ sense. I’m not gon’ shine or stand out. I do what I want to do with this rap shit; other mothafuckas just do what they can.

What’s next for you?

Man, just rocking these shows and staying in that lab. As long as I hold my integrity in the studio, can’t nothing stop me. I think the people know that, I think the people know that I’m not gon’ bend over for nobody or no money or none of this shit in this game and I’m gonna hold true to what I’m doing. That’s why people love, so I’m a keep doing it.

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See Freddie Gibbs perform live on Wed., Aug. 25 at 330 Ritch for his Str8 Killa EP release party. Supporting him are SF's own DaVinci and Brooklyn-based Tanya Morgan. Click here for more details.

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Zoneil Maharaj is editor-in-chief of Oh Dang! His gangsta rap collection includes gems such as Temporary Insanity's Bitchez Neva Learn and Dayton Family's What's on my Mind?.

Ariel Zambelich is a contributor to Oh Dang! Check out more of her work at www.arielzambelich.com.

Sept. 5-11: 3rd Annual Independent Artists' Week in San Francisco

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:29:59 -0800

Going on their third year, the Wonder Twins--Melonie and Melorra Green of Bay Area-based creative events and production company Infin8 Sync--bring the Bay Area another true community festival. It's something I look forward to every year, more so than any other music or cultural festival. It's always a pleasure to participate in their organic, grassroots events that showcase the Bay's homegrown talent. Each year, Independent Artists Week grows bigger but the events are always dirt cheap, if not free. See the full details of the week below and visit the IAW blog for updates.

Monday, Sept. 6
Labor of Love: A live art celebration with local artists painting live, spoken word by Youth Speaks poets and Girls Inc, local DJs spinning the classics, performances by local bands, emcees and more! 12pm to 4pm at Fillmore Center Plaza. FREE.

Tuesday, Sept. 7
Opportunity Knocks: A speed dating meets networking event where emerging artists are given 15 minutes captive time to sit with various industry professionals. Artists are encouraged to bring their music, portfolios, scripts, apparel, etc. 7pm to 9pm at Yoshi’s SF. $5 with RSVP; $10 at the door. Immediately following is: Yoshi’s Late Night Live Tuesdays featuring Bay Area band, So Timeless! $5 before 9pm, $7 after.

Wednesday, Sept. 8
Go Green: A sustainability/eco art event where vendors and artists who create using recycled materials will be present to show and sell their amazing products. SF Environment will be present to share wisdom on creating responsibly. Enjoy live painting, DJs, and live music from a local band. This event is in conjunction with Bay Vibes’ Global Movement Night. 8pm to 12am at Yoshi’s SF. $5 before 9pm, $7 after.

Thursday, Sept. 9
Night of International Art, Thank You Awards and International Elements of Hip Hop--Kenya, India, and Ghana: A celebration to say “Thank You” to amazing Bay Area artists making a global impact. The event carries the theme of the Week: “One Love. One Heart. One Art” + Screening of Ni Wakati, a film about passing the torch from civil right’s leaders to leaders in hip-hop, Dead Prez.+ a fundraiser for India with a b-boy battle and b-boy showcase with the Dhol Indian drum. Awards at 7pm (donation); Screening and B-Boy Battle Fundraiser from 9pm to 11pm ($5). At African American Art and Culture Complex.

Friday, Sept. 10
Fillmore Art Walk: A huge art celebration on Fillmore Street between Eddy and Sutter. Live painting, video/DJ Showcase, food and drink specials from the restaurants and lounges along Fillmore Street, live music, vendors, face painting and More! 6pm to 12am. FREE. (Drink Specials and Food specials specified at each participating venue.)

Saturday, Sept. 11
Healing Arts: A glimpse into the art and craft of yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, massage therapy and meditation. This event is in conjunction with the Fillmore Farmer’s Market. Come and participate, ask questions and learn about taking care of your body so that you can continue to create beautiful works of art. First session starts at 9am. Fillmore Center Plaza. FREE

To participate in IAW. email: iaw@infin8sync.com
For more information: info@infin8sync.com; iawsf.wordpress.com.

Sept. 3: Oh Dang!'s 4-Year Anniversary at 111 Minna, SF

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:28:59 -0800

Damn, four years came fast. And while four years in the online media circus is something of a triumph, we're still learning and growing each day. I know we've had our ups and downs--I've slacked on more than a few occasions--but the fact we still remain is a testament to our dedication to what we do. And we've got a few tricks up our sleeve that we'll be sharing with you over the next few months. I guess what I'm saying is: we ain't going nowhere any time soon.

In Oh Dang! fashion, we're partying and bullshitting with our fam and friends in celebration at 111 Minna Gallery. We've got Mes 1 (of All Mighty Family), Tap 10 (Honor Roll), Justin Time (Mixerfriendly) and Super Sayan spinnin' with J.Todd.O, Ichii Ohrhyin, Kris Mestizo, Steve Belale and Jasmin Joy doing live art. See the flyer below for more details.

Here's to four more--nah, fuck that--40 more years! (Okay, maybe not that long.).

Sept. 1: Oh Dang! x LEGENDmag present Tanya Morgan w/ DLRN, Moe Green, Ahmad and J Good at The Sol Collective, Sacramento

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:44:45 -0800

We're teaming up with the good folks at LEGENDmag to bring our Cen Cal/State Cap family an extra-special, super-dope concert lineup featuring Brooklyn crew Tanya Morgan on their Headphone Rock tour. Supporting them on Sept. 1 at The Sol Collective are Sacramento duo DLRN (who you should have read about here), Vallejo newcomer Moe Green, Sac emcee J Good and veteran rapper Ahmad (yes, the "Back in the Days" Ahmad). $10 at the door, doors at 8pm. Check the flyer below, followed by more dates from Tanya Morgan's Headphone Rock tour (SF heads can catch Tanya Morgan on Aug. 25 with Freddie Gibbs and DaVinci. More info here.)

DOWNLOAD: Donwill and Von Pea of Tanya Morgan - The Sandwich Shop EP

8/20/2010 @ The Green Elephant Dallas, TX
8/21/2010 @ Moonlight Lounge Albuquerque, NM
8/24/2010 @ Spaceland Los Angeles, CA with Afro Classics & TiRon
8/25/2010 @ 330 Ritch San Francisco CA Freddie Gibbs, DaVinci
8/26/2010 @ Someday Lounge: The Fix Portland, OR w/ Blu J*Davey, + DJ Kenny Fresh's Birthday Celebration
8/27/2010 @ The Riverfront Salem, OR
8/28/2010 @ Columbia City Theater Seattle, WA
9/1/2010 @ Sol Collective Sacramento, CA

Aug. 25: Freddie Gibbs, DaVinci and Tanya Morgan at 330 Ritch, SF

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:01:30 -0800

We all know that major labels don't have a clue, but it still blows my mind when they continually fuck up. Case in point: Gary, IN native Freddie Gibbs. Once signed to Interscope, Gangsta Gibbs is now dominating the indie rap scene and giving hipster rappers cause for alarm. He's bringing back raw, gritty realism to rap while showcasing lyrical excellence. And he's putting it all on display for SF heads next Wed., Aug. 25 at 330 Ritch for his STR8KILLA EP release party. Supporting him are SF's own DaVinci and Brooklyn-based Tanya Morgan.

You can't ask for a more solid line-up. And for $8 presale tickets, you'd have to be as dumb as Interscope for sleeping on this one. Cop your presale tickets here. Download Freddie Gibbs' Str8 Killa No Filla mixtape here. See the flyer and details for the show below...

Aug. 19: The Farmers Block presents PLANET BLOCK -- A Gulf Wildlife Rescuing Benefit at Mezzanine, SF

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:01:30 -0800

The Farmers Block, a community of creatives headed by Josh Couto aka F-22, is keeping the movement growing with PLANET BLOCK, another fresh event pairing music, art, fashion and health consciousness that will benefit gulf wildlife. A portion of the proceeds will go to the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Fairfield, CA.

PLANET BLOCK kicks off at 5pm and goes till 2am; $5 till 10pm, $10 after. There will be special raffles, giveaways, live painting, art and vegan friendly chefs. Keeping it organic, the DJs are spinning nothing but vinyl. See flyer below for the lineup. More info on their Facebook page. And if you're not sure what to expect, check out our footage from the first Farmers Block event...

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Rewind: Zion I and Black Star (07.31.10 at Fox Theatre, Oakland)

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:53:12 -0800

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When my editor hit me up about reviewing the Zion I and Black Star concert on Sat., July 31, guarantee that I was all over it.

I live in the East Bay so I know how Oakland gets on a Saturday night, especially the night of a big show. People everywhere, cars honking nonstop and madness in parking lots is not something I get excited about, so I slide through to Fox Theatre early to get prime parking and have enough time to get situated. But it doesn’t even matter. The photographer, John Coyne, is on the press list but I’m not. After hella phone calls, we meet up with Zion I’s manager who gets us in with no hassle. Then out the cuts, dude asks me if I want to interview Zion I. This is my first concert review, so I had no idea I was going to get this opportunity. I respond with a cool and collected “Hell yeah!”

Me and John head up to the stage where we watch DJ Mr. E spin joints ranging from Bob Marley to Slick Rick to Common and everything in between. Bodies sway and heads bob but there is little excitement in the crowd’s faces. Anticipation for a live act was making the audience restless.

Kicking off their west coast tour in Oakland, emcee Zumbi and producer/DJ Amp Live of Zion I hit the stage to perform their set to an almost-full Fox Theatre. I’m still trippin’ that I’m able to watch the show from literally right next to them. Doing their best to get the less-than-hyped crowd going, Zion I starts off with “TakeOver” and gets the crowd chanting “…it’s the take over!” It works, and the crowd goes crazy, throwing their hands in the air and reciting every verse with so much energy you could’ve sworn they wrote the songs. Now I feel like I’m at a hip-hop show.

Zion I perform multiple tracks from their most recent album, The TakeOver, including “Coastin’” and “Antenna.” They also do a crowd favorite, “Bird’s Eye View,” off 2005’s Tru and Livin’. Zumbi definitely owns the stage. He’s working the entire crowd, moving from all parts of the stage. I guess this is why I saw him stretching before their set. At one point, Amp comes out from behind his turntables and takes his MPC to the front of the stage. The crowd goes bananas! This is probably as loud as the crowd gets all night. But when they perform “Don’t Lose Your Head,” the front row audience looks confused. It becomes obvious that most of the audience is here to see Black Star.

After Zion I finishes, DJ Mr. E hits the turntables while John and I head to Zion I’s dressing room. Probably not the best planning, but I have no questions prepared and I’m sweating balls when I get into the room. Talk about star-struck! The interview probably lasts no more than seven minutes and mostly consists of me fumbling my words with, “Uh, so…” At the end of the interview, Zumbi asks, “Oh, that’s it?” Wow! Welcome to Amateur Night ladies and gentlemen!

John and I leave and make our way back to the stage to watch Black Star. I look around and I’m the only female from a publication there. Awkward much? Then Black Star takes the stage and it’s a whole different game. Rarely performing as Black Star, Talib Kweli and Mos Def concentrate significantly more on their solo careers, making this performance all the more epic.

Talib and Mos perform favorites off their 1998 classic like “K.O.S.” and “Definition,” accompanied by not one, not two, but four DJs. It’s pretty insane. They also perform joints from their solo catalogs, rocking a set that lasts nearly two hours. Throughout the show, Mos Def is dancing and gigging like he’s trying to win a contest while Talib is much more chill in his approach. Although both men have completely different execution styles, both have the ability to so effortlessly spit fire and pump up a crowd.

Walking out of the venue, I’m not gonna lie, I feel pretty badass. I had an “All Access” pass on my shirt, I saw a great show, and I met Zion I. Not bad for a Saturday night.

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Lauren Fitzgerald Villasana is a new contributor to Oh Dang!

John Coyne is a Jersey cat doing that photography thing in the Bay Area. He's got a love for the grit and grime of the city and he's out to capture the beauty of the streets to the best of his ability. See more of his work at www.caughtinthescramble.com

Rewind: HARD Summer tour w/ Proxy, Crystal Castles and Rusko (08.06.10 at Fox Theatre, Oakland)

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:55:27 -0800

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Aug. 6 was a pulsating evening at Oakland's Fox Theater with the electronic and dubstep sounds from Rusko and Crystal Castles for the HARD Summer tour.

As people chilled out front before the doors opened, it was hard to tell what might be going on. One group was wearing sequenced tank tops, booty shorts, furry boots up to their mid-thigh, pacifiers in their mouths and bracelets up to their elbows, while another group stood off in the side in their tight pants, dark glasses and cigarettes constantly in hand. Others rocked their Bob Marley shirts, Birkenstocks and dreadlocks. These people stood in their respective circles, bouncing around with excitement with what they were about to experience (well, everyone except the assholes in tight pants).

A strange mix of people, but it took no time to prove the show was going to get heavy when there was already a shirtless guy crowd surfing during the opening act, last minute fill-in Sam Supa.

Even with British DJ Sinden’s last minute cancellation, his Oakland native replacement was welcomed by the crowd, most noticeably, of course, by the shirtless crowd surfer who stuck around for most of his set.

The lower levels of the theater began to fill up fast with a huge mix of people. While the tight pants hipster party crowd proved to be the dominant fans, once they got some liquor in their body they stopped being assholes and let loose like everyone else.

Further exploration into the crowd proved an even more oh-so-random-yet-oh-so-right mix of people for this event, such as a group of homosexuals there to celebrate one of their friends “coming out” to the world, a girl wearing a tiara broadcasting that she was now legally 18 and ready to party, and one US marine corporal who was on leave from his base in San Diego and bought a scalped ticket with his friend moments before the doors opened because they heard some hot chicks saying it was a good show.

On stage, Sam Supa stood out among his fellow performers with his pop music remixes, rather than industrial or dubstep beats. Some fans were bummed to find later in the show that Rusko, one of the UK's leading dubstep DJs who worked closely with M.I.A on Maya, did a lot of the same during his set.

With such a high energy in the crowd, it was crucial from the beginning to allow little down time between sets. The first three acts made smooth transitions between each other, with the performers beginning to set up their gear during the last of each other's sets.

Despite Sam Supa's efforts, it was clear that Russian dubstep DJ Proxy started the real show.

For those not up on dubstep, think hip-hop meets industrial beats with a little bit of something you’d hear on a gay bar jukebox thrown in, only without lyrics so you can experience the amazing beats some heady guy puts together on some computer. This isn’t shit made in a studio being played on the speakers while some singer dances and lip syncs. This is a one-man live band, accompanied by an epic light show, here for your listening and dancing pleasure.

"I'm from Russia and rarely get to see good Russian music played here," said Olga Kapanski, 19, who's lived in Oakland since she was 14. "My friends are really into Crystal Castles, but I'm here to show them Proxy."

As Proxy began to set up during the last of Supa’s set, the celebrating tiara-wearing teen screamed to her posse, “C’mon bitches! It’s time to dance!” as they ran down toward the growing mob in front of the stage.

Alice Glass and Ethan Kath of Crystal Castles no doubt stole the show with a mind blowing light show and Glass' signature stage dives…not to mention their 16-song setlist, which included a three song encore.

For those of you new to the Canadian phenomenon of Crystal Castles, don’t expect rainbows and unicorns. Crystal Castles is a dark, mysterious duo who do shit their own way. Producer Ethan Kath has been an electronic music producer for most his life but usually worked solo. In 2004, he went to a punk show and saw Alice Glass singing in her band, Fetus Fetale. As the story goes, he said to his friend, “She is the missing ingredient to my music.” Soon after, he’d convinced Alice to join him as the voice to his beats.

But Alice isn’t only a voice. She is an entity. And by that I mean she doesn’t give a fuck when she’s on stage, and probably in life. You will see this chick pounding down straight vodka on stage during Kath’s instrumental sets, throwing shit into the crowd and doing unpredictable stage dives. You don’t know if she’s going to float along the crowd singing/screaming her lyrics, or kick someone’s ass because she feels like it.

But none of this matters. As the mixed crowd proves, Crystal Castles’ electronic/industrial/pop/dance/punk music is something anybody can relate to and, most importantly, shake their ass to.

Kath’s amazing beat compositions and Alice’s whiney/screechy voice work like Jagermeister and those 180 energy drinks--individually you'd choose something a little tastier to drink, but you’ll pound 10 in a row when you mix the two together. Or in the case of this show, dance your ass off for 16 straight songs.

Despite how crazy and unpredictible she may be, her fans love her. One fan commented on www.last.fm that he was surprised at finally hearing "Insectica" live because it's rarely included in their setlist. Most of the other fans were stoked to have experienced "Untrust Us," with Alice crowd surfing across their hands, kicking and singing/screaming with fury the entire time. Songs performed from their newest album included "Celestia," "Doe Deer," and "Empathy".

Alice Glass has a haunting effect on people. She's the guilty pleasure you want to be but don't have the guts to do it. So, instead, you don't have a choice but to live it through Crystal Castles’ live show.

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Eric Lawson and Erika Langdon are freelance contributors to Oh Dang!

Rewind: The Farmers Block

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:04:36 -0800
On June 5, we witnessed the inaugural Farmers Block--a daytime fresh fest implementing health conscious foods and sustainable awareness with the best in indie arts, crafts, fashion, hip-hop, dubstep, local farms and community gardens. Organized and arranged by artist/videographer Josh Couto aka F-22, the family style block party was held at 111 Minna Gallery and brought together an extensive network of Bay Area creatives.
We partnered up with MotionScope Studies to give you the highlights of the day. Check out a photo slideshow and watch MotionScope's video feature where we caught up with Ancient Youth Clothing, East Bay art collective/gallery Everybody Get Up, Amanda Grayce of Foundnation, Vallejo artist Dyno, Canadian progressive hip-hop artists Magnolius and Leo37, and more.

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Felonious: Live City

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:03:45 -0800

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You know that feeling you get when that one song comes on the radio and you start bobbin’ your head thinking, “Man, this is gonna be a good day”? That’s the feeling you get when you listen to Live City.
The fourth studio album from San Francisco-based band Felonious definitely reminds me why I love hip-hop. A blend of heart-pounding drums, proper guitar, electric keys and heavy bass lines set against their witty lyricism and ridiculous beat boxing, make members Soulati, Jon Monahan, KP, Illin Ills, d.wolf and Infinite a group to remember.

Download three FREE tracks from the album : here.

The twelve-track album takes your head, shoulders, knees and toes to a place they ain’t never been before. “Get it Str8” showcases the talents of each member and is one of the tightest cuts on the album. And just when you think you know what’s coming, Felonious--whose members also perform hip-hop theatre--takes it way back with tracks like “Misunderstood,” turning the original 60s Nina Simone hit into their own modern day declaration. Cutting and chopping the popular chorus and blending it with self-proclamation, the group flips the original on its side.
Although the album comes correct instrumentally, I’m sometimes left scratching my head trying to figure out what they're trying to say. Clever lines like, “We don’t fit the part, is it pissing you off? / If we ain’t bringing it hard, is it making you soft?” will only take you so far. Listening to their songs, it’s almost as if I’m stumbling my way through as I search for a theme and cohesiveness in their verses.
Don’t get it twisted, Felonious is definitely a group to have knocking in the car. But if you’re looking for deep lyricists, you might want to cop the instrumentals and keep it moving.

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Lauren Fitzgerald Villasana is a new contributor to Oh Dang!

DLRN: Cali rap's new governors

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:25:36 -0800

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Sacramento is one of California’s largest cities and, in terms of legislature and policy, the most important. But it’s hardly a blip on the music map. While the millennial success of metal acts such as Deftones and Papa Roach gave rise to a flourishing local rock scene, hip-hop hasn’t been so lucky. It’s almost as if hip-hop was shunned from the city. And if you ask producer Jon Reyes and emcee 5th Ave, collectively known as DLRN (pronounced “Delorean” and named after the car), that might be the case.
“There’s still a lot of not-in-my-backyard going on,” Reyes says.
DLRN, alongside a host of young and innovative burgeoning talent, aim to change that. After holding down the city’s longest running hip-hop monthly in their hometown with members of the Neighborhood Watch collective, DLRN gained national traction with their debut, last year’s No More Heroes. At times lush, somber and soulful; upbeat, playful and raw at others, No More Heroes staked the duo’s claim in the west coast rap scene. With their recently released The Bridge EP, they’re sweeping more heads under their campaign.
Photographer Ariel Zambelich and I sat down with the duo at 5th Ave’s Sacramento home to talk about their music, their city, and the obscurity of Sac's music scene. Say hello to Cali rap’s new governors.
Listen to "Grapevine" ft. Iman Malika and Hopie Spitshard (from The Bridge EP)

Download: The Bridge EP

Listen to "Chapter Seven"

Download: No More Heroes

Zoneil: Why the name DLRN?
Jon Reyes: Because our music travels through time, Zoneil. C’mon! (Laughs). We draw our influences from different time periods. I was trained in classical piano and I really like jazz music and a lot of old soul music, and so we want to create music that’s timeless like that.
5th Ave: I know when Glenda (their manager) first heard our stuff, she said it sounded kind of futuristic but steam-powered. I think we draw from the past and what we think the future might look like and bring it all together in this vehicle.
JR: And the car is fucking cool, too.
Ariel: Have you ever thought to go to Texas and check out the factory?
JR: The factory’s in Texas? Where?
Ariel: It’s just outside of Houston in some rural town.
5A: We shoulda made that trip. That’s gonna be my first big purchase.
Ariel: It costs like eight grand.
5A: That’s crazy. That’s gonna be my first big purchase. You’ll know we made it when I’m rolling around town in a Delorean, like, “I’m good, I got the car!”
Zoneil: Let’s talk a little about the Sac music scene. I’m from Stockton, so I always have some pride for what’s coming out of my area, but no one’s ever got Sac hip-hop to blow up. I mean the rock scene, you had Deftones…
JR: Cake
5A: Tesla, the biggest act out of Sacramento. (Laughs.) Mumbo Gumbo...
JR: I heard Tower of Power is from Sacramento originally. New Shoes is out here. You remember? (Starts singing) “I can’t wait, ta-toot-toot.”
5A: Yeah, Jon. (Laughs)
JR: I’m saying, our music travels through time! (Laughs)

5A: Nah, but man, the Sac scene is crazy. There is so much talent out here, and I’m being so sincere because I listen to a lot of hip-hop music, but right now it feels like there are so many strong acts. Last night, we did a show with Illecism, C Plus, Lee Bannon was there, Nicatyne, this new group TUS (The Usual Suspects) was there. It’s just crazy right now.
JR: I like the fact that our scene is overlooked because it forces everyone to come hard. Otherwise, you can’t really survive in a scene like Sacramento.
5A: I think it’s a scene that’s finally starting to form its own identity. I don’t sense a lot of outside influences in the Sacramento music. It’s a very unique sound—a little bit of aggression, a lot of frustration, a lot of sincerity—because nobody really pays attention to Sac.
JR: I think if Sacramento’s going to make its mark nationally, it’s gonna happen because we’re gonna do it together, which was kind of the point with the show last night. It was called “United We Stand” and it was a lot of Sacramento’s best talent coming together for a show at a local boutique. It was promoting the local businesses and really trying to develop that scene here.
Zoneil: This might not go in the interview, but back in the day I used to come out to Sac for shows at The Colonial for Living Legends shows and stuff. And there was another spot, I think Joe’s Style Shop.
JR: Where you go downstairs?
Zoneil: Yeah, the underground spot. I thought that was a dope venue.
JR: That was a dope venue. I saw DJ D-Styles there. It was the only show I saw there, but it was hella underground, you know? (Laughs) It was in a basement.
Zoneil: I was always hoping that at least someone from Sac might blow up. I mean, everyone knows Brotha Lynch Hung.
JR: And Blackalicious, too.
5A: Yeah, but they don’t rep Sac like that.
JR: Not like Brotha Lynch. (Laughs)
5A: A crazy fun fact is that Gift of Gab and Brotha Lynch were like the best rappers at Kennedy High School and were in a group together.
JR: They were a duo but they went separate paths.
5A: (Laughs) Obviously.
JR: There’s a lot of people that came out. DJ Shadow’s from Davis, Quannum formed there. Mixmaster Mike’s from Sacramento.
Zoneil: Is it really a concern whether or not you get national attention?
5A: I don’t think it’s necessarily a concern. It’s cool that every time we look up, it feels like someone somewhere is checking for us. For instance, I was talking to Rashaan Ahmad from Crown City Rockers and he was saying that when he was in NY, a public access show he was interviewing with was playing our “Dear Langston” music video. Or, like, we have radio stations in Spain asking us for drops. When we hear about that, it’s like, “Oh shit, that’s cool, people are paying attention.” But I think because Sacramento is a bubble, we really just do it for us and our people.

Zoneil: Can you explain the concept of No More Heroes? I’ve been kinda tripping off the intro.
JR: The intro was done by our good friend David Scott. He’s just the most lyrical, imaginative, creative guy that either of us knows. His mind just goes places. I sent him the beat first and was like, “Hey David, can you throw something on this?” It kind of set up where we were going with the album. When we did the intro, we probably only had one or two tracks done. If anything, the intro and the outro are perfect bookends to the album. He sets it up and we go into “Chapter Seven” off that. But the narrative, it’s a story of this character he created. I interpreted it as he was losing faith in himself and the world was bringing him down with that. It’s the story of his struggle to reclaim himself with the world around him beating him down.
5A: Also, when we decided to call the album “No More Heroes,” we wanted to not necessarily be a concept album in that every song fell under a certain theme. I don’t know, maybe I’m a bit cynical, but when I look at hip-hop and the people that, at least at the time that we were making the album, the people that were really popular, I didn’t really relate to it. I remember coming up and seeing artists in the spotlight that I really admired and respected, like great presence, great talent. I didn’t feel like there were any more heroes to me when it came to rap. I think the narrative just followed, like, “If there are no heroes right now, what can we do? How do we address this problem? Do we create new heroes? Who do we look up to? And that’s where the title came from—us trying to be those characters for our city.
Zoneil: So what’s next for you guys?
JR: We’re putting out The Bridge. It’ll be a free EP download. We’ve got Prometheus Brown from Blue Scholars on there, as well as several folks from Sac like Illecism and Iman Malika—she’s a talent out here waiting to be heard.
As we're wrapping up the interview, Ariel asks another question...
Ariel: In Sac, it seems like there’s a stronghold with only a handful of promoters that work with the few venues in town. It seems like they have a real push for either this super electro DJ kind of stuff or this heavier rock. Do you find it’s hard to do break through that even in the local scene?
5A: At first. In ’06 we formed the Neighborhood Watch, which was us before we were DLRN, State Cap, Dahlak from iLL-Literacy, Random Abiladeze, because there weren’t a lot of promoters out here. We came together to become our own promotion company, book shows together, go on the road and perform. When it comes to hip-hop in Sac, there’s only one promoter I see consistently bringing out really good touring acts or doing quality shows. I think the support would be better if we did have more promoters and venues because everybody wouldn’t be trying to get the same slice of pie.
JR: Well, a lot of those places don’t want to play hip-hop. For a long time, Sacramento PD has been cracking down on hip-hop. They target hip-hop shows because of the reputation it has. And that made it difficult for us, which is a big reason we started Neighborhood Watch. From that, we got a consistent monthly.
Ariel: Even the summer concerts in the park are all rock, and those draw huge crowds. It’s surprising that the format never changes.
5A: I think what it is is that Sacramento doesn’t want to have a reputation as a music city or artistic or cultural because it is the capitol and it’s like, “Well, let’s be business. We conduct business, this is a family town.” And they associate hip-hop with profanity or this, that or the other.
Zoneil: It probably goes back in the day when C-Bo and Brotha Lynch were really popular and that was the kind of rap that was coming out.
JR: Yeah, and there’s still a lot of not-in-my-backyard going on. That’s really stalling a lot of the development downtown and, really, the push.
5A: It’s just waiting for everybody else to catch up. We’ve been making ourselves better for years. The competition here is crazy. And the artistry—I can go for weeks just listening to only Sacramento music, whether it’s indie rock or punk or electro or hip-hop. There’s just so much going on right now.
JR: It’s funny, since I’ve moved to the Bay, people are just so surprised when I’m introducing them to Sacramento music, just because there’s that competition, we all push each other to master the art.
5A: Next we gotta start kicking the wack ones off the stage. We’re too nice for that, we just let them play. People don’t burn bridges in Sacramento—that’s my next qualm with this city. No one gets in a rage and burns bridges because it’s too small. When it gets bigger, you’re gonna see a lot of that, you’re gonna have rap wars in the streets, emcees gonna be throwing each other off stage. (Laughs). That’s when you know the city has made it, when you can throw a person off the stage and nobody says anything. Right now, everybody’s so friendly and cordial.
JR: That’s not hip-hop!
5A: When we started the Watch, that’s the last time something like that happened, when all my mics got cut at a show ‘cause we went on too long, and they were like, “You’ll never play in Sacramento again!” We’re like one the biggest acts in Sacramento. (Laughs). That shit really did happen. Now look what we did. Maybe we really do need to start throwing people off stage.
For the latest on DLRN, visit www.dlrnmusic.com

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Zoneil Maharaj is editor-in-chief of Oh Dang! He'd like to apologize to DLRN for taking forever to post this and thank them for showing him the "Miracles" video.
Ariel Zambelich is a contributor to Oh Dang! Check out more of her work at www.arielzambelich.com.

Photo Slideshow: The Return w/ DJ Premier, Amad-Jamal, Prince Po, Melina Jones and more (07/11/10 at Temple, SF)

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:32:30 -0800
On July 11, the legendary DJ Premier touched down in San Francisco for The Return at Temple. His first visit since the passing of the his late, great partner Guru, the world renowned beatsmith paid tribute by spinning classic Gang Starr gems. The night also celebrated the release of LA emcee Amad-Jamal's Barely Hangin' On: The Chronicles of a Brotha like Rodney King and featured an all-star roster of performers including Prince Po, Bored Stiff, Z-Man, Melina Jones, Jern Eye, Chosen Few, Otayo Dubb and many more. Check out the photos below, shot by Lorenzo Escalante.

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Lorenzo Escalante is a chaser of destiny, a poet of pain and a videographer of vengeance. What?!

July 31: Oh Dang! presents The Great Demise: The artwork of Steve Belale + performance by Locksmith

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:36:34 -0800
Steve Belale has been a longtime member of Oh Dang!'s extended fam. His raw, colorful, graffiti-inspired wildstyle-on-canvas was hung in our first boutique back in 2006 (R.I.P. B2S1) and he painted live at many of our early parties. It's our pleasure to share with you Belale's new works, a collection titled The Great Demise, for one night only at 111 Minna Gallery this Saturday, July 31.
Belale will be painting live alongside the equally talented likes of J.Todd.O, Christopher De Leon, Ichii Ohrhyin, Dyno and Sophinie. On deck we've got Franky Fresh, IllEffect, Sayan and Trick Vic. But that's not all! Bay Area veteran spitter Locksmith (of Frontline fame) will perform with newcomer Willie Joe. Check the flyer below for more details...

C Plus: Making the Grade

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:15:37 -0800

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"I'm so ahead of my time that I look back at the future," announces C Plus on “Back at it Again,” a track off his 2006 mixtape, The After-School Special. Despite his moniker, the Sacramento, CA-based emcee is proving he's far above average. He's revitalizing the west coast music scene, giving listeners a taste of his compelling lyricism and witty wordplay with an onslaught of recent mixtapes like The Smallest Giant and Avant L'Orage (with emcee Gameboy). C Plus’ name is ringing bells to where if you say "Sacramento" and "hip-hop," you have to mention him. Sitting on the steps in front of his home, he gives Oh Dang! an introduction to who he is.
Listen to "Tighten Up"

Download: "Tighten Up"

Listen to "Captain Kirk"

Download: "Captain Kirk"

Who is C Plus?
Plus is a 22-year-old ... [who] grew up on old school, west coast hip-hop but then really got into alternative music, and then came back on hip-hop when I started skating and got into freestyling. But I'm just trying to make it out here, that's all it really is. I'm just trying to establish myself as an artist, and get some people to hear me.
Why’d you latch onto hip-hop?
It was the first thing that I found that I was actually good at … It's too natural for me to not do it. From the first time I ever tried to write a rhyme, I pretty much had it, I knew what to do.
Do you remember the first rhyme you wrote?
I kind of remember how it went. It was for a battle, like, they were going to film it for school or whatever … Something about swinging swords like a Samurai.
You were listening to Wu Tang when you wrote that, huh?
Yeah! That's when I first got into Wu Tang.
What are your earliest memories with music and when did you begin rapping?
I started rapping when I was 13, 14, just freestyling and stuff, and then [at] 15, I started writing. One thing that got me, the radio station out here, 103.5 (then KBMB), used to have this thing on Sundays where you call in and you battle people over the radio, so I'd just write the most battle rapper-ish writing that I could and just fucking try and win. I held it down for three or four weeks, actually. My evolutions as an emcee: I used to talk about the fakest shit; I used to want to be as gangster as possible when I first started rapping. I would fit too many words in each bar and it sounded real cluttered but I think that kind of helped me later on. If you listen to my shit, I try and say the most intricate, most over-your-head thing in the simplest way in the least amount of words. That's my whole approach to everything.
What emcees have inspired you the most?
My favorite rapper of all time: Nas. Blu, Below the Heavens, I felt like was my life story, front to back, you know what I'm saying? I'm listening to Blu rap and I'm like, "Yo, why isn't this me on the speakers right now? This nigga going through everything that I'm going through.” Definitely Blu.
So how does your alternative music filter into your raps? Why does it inspire you? Did you feel outcast in rap for liking alternative music?
I didn't seriously start listening to hip-hop ‘til about 8th grade. Before that I just listened to what was on the radio. I knew all the words to Pac and Big's shit, Mase, Master P ... but I also knew all the words to Green Day, Radiohead, Bush, etc. I’m damn near half white. I got hella white friends, I skate, all the shit. I was just blessed enough to be exposed to a lot of different shit, especially at a young age. As I got into high school, I was really heavy on The Strokes, Interpol, The Postal Service. But like I said, 8th grade, it was a wrap. Blame Tribe! (Laughs) Between my older brother and skate videos, that's what got me into rap. The alternative shit is just dope ‘cause it's like you can do something different without trying to "be different." I can loop up something that a band did, rap on it or sing a little bit and a certain audience may react to it that wouldn't have felt it if it was just me doing my thing on a hip-hop record. I felt kind of outcasted in high school for being into different shit, like the whole mixed kid identity crisis type thing, but I grew up and grew passed it. It's funny now because we grown and cats that may have looked at me funny back then are waking up now and realizing that different is cool and cool is different.
If you could collaborate with an alternative group/singer, who would it be? And Why?
Julian Casablancas, period. I feel like The Strokes were one of the most influential bands at that time in the early 2000s where it seemed like the more raw, gritty alternative sound was becoming really popular. His solo stuff is ill; it's a little more electronic than the group shit.
And if you could add your verse on any classic hip-hop track, which song would it be?
I would love to add a third verse to "Life's A Bitch." I feel like AZ is just as dope as Nas. I feel like he got outshined by Nas. This is what I would've said: "This is my niche, now I came to steal the show like AZ on ‘Life's A Bitch.’”
Tell us about your latest projects.
I got a few things going right now. Most recently, I did a mixtape with Gameboy called Avant L'Orage (which is French for "Before the Storm"). It's a prequel to the album we got coming, which is entitled Saving Sacramento: A Story Told by North & South. It's gonna be fully narrated and is the most "musical" work I've done to date. After that, I got my first solo LP coming. Then after that, I got ALL C.I.T.Y. (Creative. Intelligent. Troubled. Youth).
What are you looking to accomplish with these projects?
I just want to get my buzz going enough to where people know what's up. I just want my name to ring bells at the end of the day. I don't want the fame, but I'm trying to get a little money in the rap game, take care of my people and my situation and from there, go on to other endeavors. I'm just trying to solidify my name. I want to make an impact on music and push the boundaries.

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All Phalary has is a dollar and a dream.