Oh Dang!

Z-Man - Show Up, Shut Up, and Rap EP

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:29:46 -0800

Z-Man is one of my favorite emcees. It's the self-proclaimed Crumb of the Bay's eccentric personality and oddball, "did that fool really just say that?" rhymes that always keep me checking for him. And I've been fiending for some new isht since his last full-lenghth, Don't Forget to Brag with producer G-Pek dropped a few years back. (He might have dropped some stuff after that, but he's so underground that even I don't know what's up with dude.) A San Francisco indie rap legend and member of One Block Radius, Z-Mainey just dropped a free EP, entitled Show Up, Shut Up, and Rap. Heed his advice, and look out for his Six Pack of Dynamite LP dropping later this year on Machete Vox.

Download: Z-Man - Show Up, Shut Up, and Rap

Watch: Bambu - "Slow Down" ft. Prometheus Brown

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:56:30 -0800

"I can't wear skinny jeans 'cause my gat's too fat..."

Bambu and Prometheus Brown (a.k.a. Geologic of Blue Scholars) come hard, flipping double-time rhymes on this joint off Bam's freshly released Paper Cuts EP, which dropped last week on Beatrock Music. The EP also features guest appearances from Chace Infinite of Self Scientific, Diz Gibran, Thurzday of U-N-I and Malcolm & Martin. If you're a regular 'round these parts, then Bam and Geo need no introduction. Just check the ill video, directed by Luis Ivan Garcia and featuring a gang of Filipinos holding it down at IMIX Bookstore in LA.

Bambu: Slow Down (with Prometheus Brown of Blue Scholars) from Beatrock Music on Vimeo.

Watch: DaVinci - "What You Finna Do?"

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:02:18 -0800

DaVinci is one of the last men standing on his block, trying to keep San Francisco's Fillmore culture alive. Once a predominantly black community, many of the now gentrified neighborhood's longtime residents have been pushed out. In “What You Finna Do?” off his upcoming debut, The Day the Turf Stood Still (available March 9 via SWTBRDS Creative Collective), DaVinci describes the changes like an overnight, zombie-like takeover as he wakes up to black-owned businesses and homes being eradicated: “They’ve replaced all the liquor stores with coffee shops. I ain’t sayin’ that’s a bad thing, but where I’m finna hustle at?” he raps, calling it a “republican’s dream” and a “street n----’s nightmare.” Directed by Marcus Ubungen, the video takes us around DaVinci’s neighborhood and illustrates the plight of those pushed out of the community.

DaVinci - "What You Finna Do" (Music Video) from Sweetbreads Creative Collective on Vimeo.

I've been slapping DaVinci's The Day the Turf Stood Still for over a month now, and I can say it's a definite must-cop. He's one of the realest emcees in the Bay, kicking heavy doses of game--not bullshit pimp talk, but real knowledge about why folks in the projects are so marginalized. With production from Al Jieh, Ambush and Big D, it's an early contender for album of the year.

Watch: Delorean - "Dear Langston"

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:52:04 -0800

Sacramento, CA-based duo Delorean drop the video for "Dear Langston," the second single off their debut album, No More Heroes. Directed by Sami Abdou of Faux Real Productions and Inspired by Langston Hughes' poem, "Dreams", the song describes emcee 5th Ave's struggle to follow his dreams.

If this is your first time hearing Delorean, you'll find that they're one of Cali's best kept secrets. Though L.A.'s music scene is bubbling and getting lots of attention, the Central Valley remains criminally slept on. Hopefully, that won't be the case for much longer with artists like Delorean.

Delorean - Dear Langston from Faux Real Crew on Vimeo.

Tonight: Kurupt w/ Snoop at the Fillmore in SF + mixtape download

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:51:04 -0800

Kurupt, probably my favorite emcee out of the whole Dogg Pound/Deathrow crew, is popping up for a few west coast dates with his big homey Snoop. They rock San Francisco's historic Fillmore (1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco 94115) tonight, followed by the Roseland Theater (8 N.W. 6th Ave, Portland 97209) in Portland on 3/4 and the Showbox SoDo (1700 First Ave South, Seattle 98134) in Seattle on 3/5

Kurupt will be previewing tracks off his upcoming fourth solo studio album, Streetlights, which drops April 20 on Fontana/Universal Records. The album's produced almost entirely by Terrace Martin, who's worked with Snoop, Talib Kweli, DJ Quik, Raphael Saadiq and Murs. I've been feeling a lot of the one emcee/one producer albums (like Freeway and Jake One's Stimulus Package), and Kurupt never disappoints. Last year's Blaqkout with DJ Quik was a solid, West Coast classic that fly under most folks' radars but popped up on many "Best of 2009" lists, including Pitchfork Media and the Washington Post, so I'm looking forward to Streetlights.

DOWNLOAD: Kurupt's Tha 420 Mixtape

WATCH: “I’m Burnt” feat. Problem, the first video and single off Streetlights

Watch: Mayer Hawthorne - "I Wish It Would Rain" + tour dates

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:45:55 -0800

Simple, sad and oh so smooth. Here's a video for my favorite track off Mayer Hawthorne's A Strange Arrangement. (If you haven't seen him live yet, he embarks on yet another tour on March 4. See below for dates.)

MAYER HAWTHORNE & THE COUNTY
March 4th Webster Hall New York
March 5th Ottobar Baltimore, MD
March 6th Pearl Street Northampton, MA
March 7th Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
March 9th The First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
March 10th Rock and Roll Hotel Washington, DC
March 12th The Jewish Mother Virginia Beach, VA
March 13th The Loft Atlanta, GA
March 15th The Parish at House of Blues New Orleans, LA
March 16th The Loft Dallas, TX
March 17th Warehouse Live Studio Houston, TX
March 18th SXSW
March 19th SXSW
March 22nd Proud Larry's Oxford, MS
March 23rd Exit/In Nashville, TN
March 24th Zanzabar Louisville, KY
March 26th St. Andrew's Hall Detroit, MI
March 27th Wrongbar Toronto, ONT

MAYER HAWTHORNE & THE COUNTY SUPPORTING PASSION PIT
March 28th Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
March 29th The Pullo Center York, PA
March 30th House of Blues Cleveland, OH
March 31st Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
April 2nd Congress Theatre Chicago, IL
April 3rd Turner Hall Milwaukee, WI
April 4th First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
April 5th Beaumont Theatre Kansas City, MO
April 7th Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
April 8th In the Venue Salt Lake City, UT
April 10th McDonald Theatre Eugene, OR
April 11th Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC
April 12th Roseland Theatre Portland, OR
April 14th UC Davis (Freeborn Hall) Davis, CA
April 15th Warfield San Francisco, CA

MAYER HAWTHORNE & THE COUNTY @ COACHELLA
April 18th: Coachella Indio, CA

On Set: Alexander Spit's "No Baking Soda Allowed"

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:22:28 -0800

Alexander Spit knows how to move a crowd. The 22-year-old producer and emcee makes sure that his beats bang with intensity and that his raps are searingly sharp, captivating listeners' bodies and minds both at once. Citing influences as disparate as Morrissey and Tha Jacka, Alexander Spit's shaped a distinct sound forged out of distorted synths, guttural drums, a laidblack delivery and witty lyricism that spins tales of the fast life, youth and women. Having already made a name for himself as a member of the Instant Messengers and touring with the Living Legends, he dropped his solo opus, Open 24 Hours, late last year via lifestyle brand The Hundreds.

Still buzzing off the release, Alexander Spit teamed up with director Josh "F-22" Couto for their upcoming music video, "No Baking Soda Allowed." We caught up with them on the set, cramped in a basement of a record store with plenty of booze, women and...flour. Check the interview to get the raw dope, no additives...

On the Scene: Left Fest 2010

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:52:38 -0800

Better late than never, right? Right. It's been almost a month since Left Fest--a nightlong showcase of quality hip-hop headlined by Bay Area legends Souls of Mischief on Jan. 28 at the Mezzanine in San Francisco--but we've finally got the photos and videos edited and upped. I mean, we could tell you how dope it was to see So Cal beat mangler Exile flip Hieroglyphics' "At the Helm" live on his MPC, or how freestyle king Supernatural flipped ridiculous off-the-cuff rhymes while puffing blunts with the crowd, or how seeing Souls rock classics was like being in a time machine taking us back to 1993. But we'd rather just show you. Check below for a photo slideshow and footage from Souls of Mischief, Supernatural, Exile, Crown Royale and Alexander Spit performing at Left Fest (apologies to Kings of 8-Bit and 40Love--we got there a little late), all shot by our drunken video correspondent, Lorenzo Escalante...

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Dessa Darling Sings the Blues

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:28:04 -0800

Click to englarge

Maggie “Dessa Darling” Wander, the lone female emcee of Minnesota hip-hop collective Doomtree, is showing fans she can do more than rap. The self-described china doll in the bullpen displayed her clever introspective lyricism and cunning delivery on her 2005 debut, False Hopes, and traded bars with her brethren on various Doomtree releases. Now on her sophomore release, A Badly Broken Code, the talented author and spoken word artist proves her pipes are just as nice as her rhymes. The 15-track opus is a collection of torch songs and narratives describing love, loss and childhood memories.

Although Dessa’s hit the road touring in support of A Badly Broken Code, she’s managed to get stuck in a van traveling with boys again. I guess some things never change. Catch her at Bottom of the Hill on Thurs., Feb. 18 with P.O.S and Grieves.

Listen to "Dixon's Girl"

Download: Dessa - "Dixon's Girl"

Listen to "The Chaconne" ft. Matthew Santos

A lot of bloggers are calling A Badly Broken Code pop. What, if anything, would you call it? How would you describe your sound?

I think that probably they’re calling it pop because there’s a lot of singing on it. For me, with each of the 15 songs, it’s pretty easy to describe the genre. There are some straight ahead rap tracks and some melancholy ballads. There’s some acappella arrangements that sound a little like hymnals but I think, because all that material is all on one disc, it gets hard to figure out what label to give that entire project. You know? There’s a handful of genres represented on this album and among them is hip-hop, pop and r&b, and maybe some churchy acappella stuff.

You do quite a bit of singing on this album. What was the transition like?

You know, I’ve always sung--since I was a little kid. It wasn’t so much a transition from rapping to singing as it was a transition from singing in my bedroom to singing in a recording studio. So the actual melodies weren’t challenging but sometimes it was really challenging to figure out which of the performances that I recorded ought to make the record because part of me was a little obsessed with being technically perfect. I wanted something that was on time. I wanted something that was in the right pitch and I think it took a little practice for me to be able to select the performances that had some real character. In part, those decisions were made at the urging of P.O.S. to try to capture a genuine performance.

One of my favorite tracks is “The Chaconne,” which features Matthew Santos (of Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar” fame). How did you hook up with him?

He and I actually met in 2006 or 2007. We were both playing a small show in Minneapolis. We struck up a really easy friendship and realized a couple of weeks later that we graduated from the same high school. So I talked to him as a friend and potential collaborator before he had released “Superstar” with Lupe Fiasco. By the time my album was ready to come out, I sent him a text message and asked when he might be coming to town. When he did, I took him to the recording studio and we mapped it out in just a couple of hours, arranged the parts a little bit. I sang my part after he left my bedroom recording studio and then we mixed them together. I thought he did a really beautiful job. I think on this tour when we pass through Chicago, I’m going to see if he’d like to be part of that performance.

This album features production from Lazerbeak and the rest of the Doomtree clan, in addition to Big Jess (of Unknown Prophets). What do you think each of them brings to the table creatively?

Paper Tiger has been developing a real melodic, emotive sensibility to his beats. Lazerbeak is kind of the reigning banger champion of Doomtree--real driving, propulsive rap music. Big Jess--I dug the beat that he contributed a lot. MK Larada also contributed a big chunk too and he also has a dark, sometimes moody palette that I really like. It’s really lush and a great inspiration to me as I try to dream up some lyrics to match that sound palette. Also Jessy Greene, she played cello and violin on the last song of the album (“Into the Spin”) and she provides lots of layers. She has been a long time collaborator, since before my False Hopes, and has worked with Foo Fighters and toured with Pink.

Did you feel more pressure with this release? Have any anxiety about hitting a sophomore slump?

Absolutely. My first disc was pretty well received. It served, in a lot of ways, as a calling card that I could hand other artists to try to collaborate with them. I ended up gliding on that for a long time so I was apprehensive and a little freaked out about releasing a full-length because I knew that I wanted it to be really good. I didn’t want to undermine the momentum that I’d been lucky enough to get from the previous project. So I think that’s probably why this took so long.

Female emcees always seem to get railroaded into being hyper sexual or assuming a tomboy persona to offset their femininity. Do you feel like you have to work twice as hard as a female emcee to avoid being stereotyped or to be taken seriously?

I guess in my career so far I’ve met people that are working very hard. So long hours and hard work doesn’t seem to be exclusive to females because everyone is trying really hard. I think there are some benefits to being a woman in this business. It’s unusual which, right away, can maybe garner interest because novelty is always the first step. At the same time, I think there are a lot of assumptions about what your art will sound like that could hurt you. The biggest challenge has been trying to decipher who has a legitimate interest in your work and your art and who has ulterior motives, whether those are to market you in a way that is disingenuous or they’re trying to date you or trying to get a sexy picture of you. Sometimes it can be a challenge to figure who your real allies are.

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See Dessa live on Thurs., Feb. 18 at The Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco with P.O.S. and Grieves on the Every Never is Now tour. For the rest of the tour dates click here.

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Kimberly Turner is Oh Dang!'s resident music critic and pastry fiend. And NO!, she's not fat.

Power Struggle - "Blood of My Heart" (ft. Denizen Kane and Big Drew)

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:15:34 -0800

Listen to "Blood of My Heart"

Download: Power Struggle - "Blood of My Heart" (ft. Denizen Kane and Big Drew)

Power Struggle, a Bay Area-based hip-hop group led by Midwest-bred emcee Nomi (formerly of Oddjobs) and a rotating cast of beat technicians, leaks this new joint for Valentine's Day off their upcoming LP, Remittances. Those familiar with Nomi know his music acts as a conduit for the people, telling stories of working-class laborers, immigrants, revolutionaries and, in this case, lovers. It's a powerful dedication to passionate people over a heavy drum loop laced with strings, bells and angelic background vocals to create an emotive, laidback feel.

The album, which drops next month on Beatrock Music, features production exclusively by Fatgums (who teamed up with Bambu for last year's A Peaceful Riot) and Mister Rey (who worked with Denizen Kane on last year's Brother Min's Journey to the West), along with vocal assistance from Bambu, BWAN, Kiwi, Pele and others.

Featured Video: Hopie Spitshard's "Yummy"

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:46:24 -0800

There's a lot of elements at work here: you've got raw, unmatched lyricism provided by the sister Hopie Spitshard + the homey 6Finger's futuristic blapper + a really ill visual depiction of the song by Kid Heroes Productions and Xylophone Films (who brought you Bambu's "Crooks and Rooks"). They're truly some of the best doing it in their respective fields and people to keep your eye on. For Bay heads, this is a special treat and features cameos from J-Billion, Charlie Darker, Del, Drizzletron and more. Check it out...

Hopie Spitshard "Yummy" Official Music Video (Directed by Patricio Ginelsa) from Kid Heroes on Vimeo.

Flickin': Photos from A Special Entree at 111 Minna

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:34:48 -0800

On Jan. 31, we had six of our favorite Bay Area artists come through to 111 Minna Gallery to get down...on half-naked women. Artists J.Todd.O, Christopher De Leon, Kris Mestizo, Aaron Lee, Mike Manu and Ichii Ohryin provided the fresh paint for the gorgeous models, while DJs Delrokz, Mes1, Justin Time, Illeffect and Sayan were in the booth rocking your favorite jams. Check the highlights...

(*TIP: Click an image and click the left and right arrows on your keyboard to scroll through the gallery.)

Thurs., Jan. 28: Left Fest w/ Souls of Mischief, Crown Royale, Exile, Alexander Spit and more at The Mezzanine

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:49:18 -0800

While it ain't quite festival season yet, Just One Entertainment is starting things off right in San Francisco with Left Fest on Thurs., Jan. 28 at the Mezzanine. An epic night of top-tier hip-hop, Left Fest will feature live performances by Oakland legends Souls of Mischief, who will celebrate the release of their recently latest album, Montezuma's Revenge; Crown Royale, with Athletic Mic League's Buff1 (Ann Arbor, MI) and Beat Junkie DJ Rhettmatic (LA); So Cal beat mangler Exile; SF emcee Alexander Spit; freshly-formed duo Kings of 8-Bit (Rush One and Mezmetic); freestyle veteran Supernatural MC; and DJ Whooligan with 40Love. (Sorry, there won't be any camping out in the rain, psychedelic drugs or regrets of making out with that dirty-ass hippie chick who doesn't shave her armpits at this festival, though I suppose you could get down like that if you wanted to).

Check the flyer and more detailed info below...

Thursday January 28, 2010

Just One Entertainment presents "Left Fest," featuring live performances by:

+The Souls Of Mischief+

"Pioneering bay area MC collective and founding members of Hieroglyphics crew will be celebrating the release of their new album "Montezuma's Revenge".

After ten years of steady work in the music industry Souls of Mischief come full circle with another groundbreaking album produced primarily by the legendary Prince Paul (Stetsasonic, De La Soul, Handsome Boy Modeling School, etc.) along with Domino and other members of the group. The album is already considered a classic!

+Crown Royale+

Crown Royale, the group which pairs veteran Michigan emcee Buff1 with World Famous Beat Junkie DJ Rhettmatic made perfect sense from the start.

Rhettmatic offers his standing as a forefather in L.A.‘s burgeoning Hip-Hop scene; as part of DJ crew the Beat Junkies. Recently highlighted as a part of URB’s NEXT 100, Buff1 has stacked up more than a decade of recording, touring and honing show-halting stage skills with seven-man Hip-Hop arsenal Athletic Mic League.

Crown Royale not only makes classic music, but their live show is an experience rather than an event. The energy that has come to be expected from a Buff1 live performance is only further enhanced by the presence of a true turntablist such as Rhettmatic.

+Exile+

Known for his prowess on the MPC Exile will be gracing the stage for a special set that combines original MPC beats combined with interpretations of his original productions.

After successful projects with the likes of Aloe Blacc, Blu, Mobb Deep, Ghostface Killa and more Exile is sure to wow the crowd.

+Alexander Spit+

Formerly of "The Instant Messengers" Alexander Spit has gone solo and never looked back. With the recent release of "Open 24 Hours" Alexander Spit and The Hundreds have taken independent West Coast Hip-Hop by storm. Sell out performances from North to South prove that this up and coming emcee is one to watch.

+Kings Of 8 Bit+

This newly formed duo graced the stage at "Amplify" Summer Music showcase in SF dropping a new style of beats and rhymes that the bay has not yet heard and people were blown back. Rush One and Mezmetic combine several years of experience in the studio and on stage to bring the crowd a performance they would not forget. Kings of 8 Bit will be a group to watch in 2010.

+Supernatural MC+

Legendary freestyle MC Supernatural brings something that not many other host are able to provide, a show! Whether it is phenomenal wit on the mic or impersonations that will have you taking a second look. Supernatural ensures there is never any dull moment in the mix.

+The Whooligan & 40 Love+

Touring DJ, booking agent, party rocker you name it The Whooligan makes it happen. The Whooligan aka Julio Galvez has putting in work in SF and beyond for years and the effort shows. We're honored to have him rock the crowd and build the hype at "Left Fest". 40 Love will also be making a special appearance.

+Limited edition screen printed show posters by What It Is... SFC artwork and design by Jeremy Fish+

Doors open @ 9 pm, 21+, $15 Pre sale tickets (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/94454), $20 at the door.

*** FIRST 100 GUEST RECEIVE A FREE RED STRIPE + $1 OFF RED STRIPE ALL NIGHT!***

Mezzanine 444 Jessie St. SF, CA 94103

Jan. 30: Oh Dang! + Medium Rare present A Special Entree

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:19:27 -0800

One month down, and we've been keeping it moving with fresh events each weekend. We toasted goodbye to Poleng Lounge with the final Love's Gonna Getcha on the 15th and will celebrate our first LVRS DLX of 2010 with the All Mighty Family on the 23rd at Element Lounge. Now, we're popping bottles for the homey DJ Mes1's birthday and saying goodbye to Sophinie Som (say it ain't so!) with A Special Entree on Jan. 30 at 111 Minna Gallery, featuring live art on models. (No, they won't be naked. Yes, we're disappointed too.)

Artists:
J.Todd.O
Christopher De Leon
Kris Mestizo
Aaron Lee
Mike Manu
Ichii Ohryin

DJs:
Illeffect
Justin Time (Mixerfriendly)
Delrokz (All Mighty Family)
Mes1 (All Mighty Family)
Super Sayan

$10 all night. Hosted by Enoch and P.

Jan 15: The final Love's Gonna Getcha at Poleng Lounge, SF

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:17:03 -0800

After three years, Poleng Lounge is closing its doors. Come say goodbye and raise your drinks one last time at the final Love's Gonna Getcha, presented by Oh Dang! + Osiris + Poleng Lounge. We're toasting to Poleng, and celebrating the birthdays of DJ Dre B and Infinity Funk Project's Stephen Empacis aka Viberoc.

DJs Marlino, Mel (Poleng), Illeffect, A-Ron, Strategy and Junot are sending us off. All January birthday celebrants are free all night. Free before 11pm on guestlist, $10 otherwise. For guestlist consideration, send emails to lovesgonnagetcha09@gmail.com. Love's Gonna Getcha has been crackin' for two years, and Oh Dang! is honored to have been a part of the monthly event at Poleng, as well as part of the Poleng family. See below for the flyer and info, along with a message from the owners of Poleng.

Dawn of a New Day

Change happens quickly in the new year, and change happens unexpectedly. Today, I have the unfortunate duty to announce the wind down of Poleng Lounge. 2009 was a rough year and 2010 promises to be a better year. With that in mind, we're packing our bags and saying goodbye to 1751 Fulton St. and on to new projects across the Bay Area and beyond.

In 3.5 years, we took a legendary night club space and transformed it into our vision of a 3rd space for people of like minds to mingle and enjoy loose leaf tea, exotic asian street food, artisan cocktails, and the best of underground music and nightlife. To our surprise we ranked up critical acclaim for our take on asian food (in particular Filipino). We were quickly named one of the Top 10 restaurants in 2006 and remained in the Top 100 a few years afterwards.

Most importantly, we made lifelong friends along the way! We have co-workers, dj's and promoters that we think of as family, and a whole host of vendors, foodies, neighbors, and supporters we'll surely miss.