Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Method Man/Redman/Ghostface @ Nokia 7/30/09- The HFE Ticket Giveaway.


Like ice water, the generosity keeps flowing through the veins. So apropos since I'm seeing Raekwon tonight. HowfreshEats has an extra pair of tickets for tomorrow night's (Thursday, July 30) Footprints in Hip Hop Tour at Nokia Theatre featuring Method Man, Redman, & Ghostface Killah along with Duo Live, DJ JS1, and Mickey Factz with Stalley.

Volume 2 of the world famous HowfreshEats ticket giveaway. Similar to the Cam Crime Pays contest, there will be several questions and the 1st person to answer all of them correctly, both factually and grammatically, will get the pair. Email answers to the red address on the upper right. Tickets will be available at the venue prior to the show.

Questions Please...

1) Name 3 album tracks that Ghostface, Method Man and Redman appear on together.

2) What is the only album track that Redman and Ghostface appear on without Method Man?

3) What tracks were on the Bulletproof Wallets clean LP but not the commercial release, and what 2 tracks had different versions on the commercial release?

BONUS:

4) According to Ghostface, what happened when Biggie died?

Check here for all your concert needs. You never know if volume 3 will be next week or next month.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Mixtape Mondays.



You know how much the kid loves alliteration. Mixtapes too. Unfortunately there's been nary a CD worth listening to lately. And believe me, I'm on Canal St. almost once a week checking the Africans' bootlegs. By the way, Canal St. is straight bedlam lately. The boots are out in full visible force. And 5-0 doesn't harass them at all. Almost copped the Gucci limited edition wallet/GPS unit.



J-Love - Acknowledge the Takeover Vol. 12 hosted by Meyhem Lauren

After a 2 month trip abroad J-Love is back with something you should be listening to. No Gucci Mane, no Wavy Max B, no Juiceman, no Drake. More like Rakim, Raekwon, Ghostface, AZ, Kool G Rap, Large Professor, Havoc, Trife and so on. Not filler non-album cuts either- new heat from some legends. A bunch of joints worthy of continual rewinds. The Large Pro joint is crazy, new Rakim over the Axelrod/Electric Prunes break is what you've been waiting for, the Inspectah Deck joint going at Joe Budden, and some real soulful Ghost shit. I don't think any other DJ has been as consistent as J-Love bringing the non-radio dope shit.

Rakim- Holy Are You


Large Professor- Bowne


J-Love's diplomacy skills, both international and domestic, are at an all time high here. Calling out all fake Michael Jackson lovers and their moms (all your mothers should be burned for bearing the birth of worthless piece of shit garbage ass motherfucking cock sucking faggot DJ niggas that you all are), commenters on websites/blogs, and the hygiene of various countries. "Dirty France...they smell like shit out there b," Greeks too, Brits are prissy but Belgians are aight. He must be a mussel and frite head.



The "Typhoon Rap" track has the culinary verse of the month, if not year, by Action Bronson. Doesn't hurt that the beat is a straight head nod break loop. Has Martin Yan been referenced on a track before? This shit is history in the making.

"Super superb, Martha Stewart good with the herbs, I'm Bobby Flay cooking the birds, Yo, I'm Martin Yan, when you talk about the knife, steal and ate the chicken, we talkin' bout your wife"


Typhoon Rap- Meyhem Lauren ft. Action Bronson







If you haven't caught the Nah Right x Cookin' Soul 1:00 AM and Rising mixtape, do yourself a favor and give it a gander. While you might not be up on all the artists, the production is top notch. Who but Eskay would have 40 Cal, Doowop, and Mickey Factz on the same tape?

Catch it HERE.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Word is Banh.


(photo courtesy of the NY Times)

Make sure to scroll down for the official Word is Banh playlist.

I finally faced my fears and tackled 2009's most popular food item, the Banh Mi, or versions very similar to it. Yeah man, this shit freaked me out. It didn't make much sense to me- the ingredients didn't seem like they worked well together. The carrots, the pate, the terine, the ham- basically the odd cuts of pork. It freaked me out to the point of aversion. Just writing this and conjuring up the image of these swine cuts makes me half nauseous, but truth be told, if done right, the sandwich is delicious. Fuck the fear, we're going in on this one. That's why I had 3 different versions this past week. I haven't ventured into Chinatown yet for the real deal half jewelry store/half banh mi shops, but you need to crawl before you walk. Maybe later today.



It all kind of happened by accident. I hit Stand for their fabled Toasted Marshmallow shake and right across the street was Num Pang, a Cambodian sandwich spot. There will be a post for the shake very shortly, Best I Ever Had- no Drake status, that had me coming back 2 days later to re-up on the chilled nectar. I was disappointed with the burger, so this was a liquid only endeavor. Carbs would have to be acquired elsewhere and Num Pang fit the bill. The little stand overlooking 12th Street looked welcoming so the order was placed.



The menu didn't provide the "typical" banh mi so I went with the next best thing, the 5 spiced pork belly ($7.50) with its assortment of pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro and an interesting yet delicious addition of pickled rhubarb. It was missing the pate and terine so the trepidation was at level blue, just a bit guarded.



One bite and it was a wrap. This is the problem with fear- it keeps you from life's pleasures. And I'm throwing banh mi and the like into that category for the present moment. Freshly baked bread from Parisi Bakery on Mott Street housing a flavor jumpoff (read: party, pause). Tart, sweet, sour, bitter, pork, crunch, crisp- the sandwich encompasses it all. Shit had me open.



My boy, aka the Gatekeeper, had the Lemongrass chicken liver pate with grilled pickled red scallions ($7.25). Not a fan of liver- the stuff dries me out- however this dude is a certified liver specialist and it received a high mark. So for all you liverheads, do you. I should note that both of these sandwiches were daily specials, but they have been on the menu for a little while. Not sure how often they switch things up.



And that's why after an afternoon of eating and drinking I found myself at Baoguette on St. Mark's off 2nd Ave. ordering the Sloppy Bao, a banh mi-esque creation consisting of spicy burry beef, green mango, cilantro, and lemongrass. This meal too followed a toasted marshmallow milkshake, as well as a burger, half dozen oysters, a bunch of peronis and a San Loco cheese quesadilla. Yeah man, the worms were working OT in the tummy. A victim of the big eyes, the sandwich didn't meet its maker till the next day.



With that said, I ate it after a brief stay in the fridge. Tried heating it up, but the inside was still pretty cold. Didn't even matter. Hot or cold, it was enjoyable and all the flavors were accounted for. Basically an Indochine Sloppy Joe, as the name indicates. Spicy ground meat with the mandatory pickled element (green papaya) and some cilantro on their in-house baked bread. I could see this sandwich being messy, but it's worth it. Just go in Guy Fieri style, elbows out and sneakers protected from splatter, skeet skeet. Easy.



I needed 3 sandwiches to make this a substantial post. So on a rainy Tuesday I ventured out to Baoguette's most uptown baby, uptown baby location on Lexington between 25th and 26th Steets. The $5 namesake Baoguette was on the hit list. The menu describes it as pork terine, pate, pulled Pork, and fresh herbs, but my take was a crumbled terine with whole peppercorns, pate, ham, cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon, and sliced jalapeno. The fear was at level orange shook ones, high. The pork was showing out in all its glory.



First let me say that eating this fresh, I was really impressed with the bread. Light, with a nice bite. And now the good stuff. Every bite had me wondering what I was getting in to. That aside, it was delicious. Aside from a rogue piece of gristle, fat or bone (?) the flight was smooth. Pork reigns supreme but not in an overpowering way. All of the other ingredients temper the swinesthenics. To follow up on the whole cracked peppercorns- my first encounter had me about to spit out the entire bite, thinking I was eating into some crazy head cheese product. Once I settled down, I looked forward to the other hidden crunch berries.



Baoguette also serves several varieties of bun noodles and salads. Never one to say no to a noodle dish, I ordered the roasted fish vermicelli noodle. A spicy roasted fish served over a cold bed of white vermicelli noodles sitting over a bed of lettuce and mint leaves. Mad support serta style, ya dig? Pickled carrots and daikon as well as thinly sliced cucumber and sliced jalapeno were also part of the mix. A sweet honey colored sauce was on the side.



This was the dish. A refreshing light dish. Not sure what kind of fish- light pink in color, but tender, and some major heat. The mint leaves caught me offguard, thinking it was cilantro, but the coolness of the mint offset the spice real well. The crunch of the cucumber and pickled veggies added to the fun. A little extra srirscha hot sauce and I'll be heading back for this one.

Num Pang
21 East 12th St. between University and 5th Ave., closer to University
New York, NY 10003
212-255-3271
Monday – Saturday 11am to 10pm
Sunday 12pm to 9pm
www.numpangnyc.com

Baoguette
East Village
37 Saint Marks Place between 2nd & 3rd Ave.
New York, NY 10003
212-380-1487
Sun - Thurs 11:00am - 12:00am
Fri - Sat 11:00am - 2:00am

Murray Hill
61 Lexington between 25th & 26th St.
212-532-1133
Mon - Sat 11 - 8pm
Sun 12pm - 5pm
www.baoguettecafe.com/

MUSIC PLEASE...

Below we have the OFFICIAL Banh Mi playlist. Grab yourself a sandwich, press play and enjoy.

Word is Banh- Brand Nubian


Word is Banh Remix- Brand Nubian


Word is Banh- House of Pain


Word is Banh Remix- House of Pain


Run DMC- Word is Banh


Banh to Roll- Masta Ace


Banh 2 Live- O.C.


Banh 2 Live Remix- O.C.


Banh Killer- Scarface


Banh 2 Kill- M.O.P.


Natural Banh Killaz- Dr. Dre & Ice Cube


Banh Gangsta- Boss


Hits From the Banh- Cypress Hill


I Woke Up Early on my Banh Day...- Nas


Banh Alone, Die Alone, No Crew Keep My Crown or Throne...- Nas


Mo' Money Mo' Murder/Banh Alone, Die Alone- AZ

Thursday, July 16, 2009

HowfreshEats Stacks (Potato) Chips Like Hebrews- Vol. 6-The Over the Pond Edition.


I tried to stay away but they kept calling me. Psst, ayo How, I got that good shit fam. Chip, chip. 5 oz., 9 oz. Fam, we got you. This is the type of shit I hear in the supermarket. I used to live that life, that reckless shit, but I'm trying to get on that straight and narrow and these Chip-ass punks are clearly not respecting my gangsta. And it happened. I broke down and copped. First it was one bag, then another, and before you know it I have a milkcrate's worth of that crunch. That crunch homie.

The selection for today's Stack Chips post isn't that inspiring, though the UK chips bring some flavor, pun intended. This post is sponsored by Kettle Brand Chips and Archer Farms. I didn't enjoy this one. Like a bad night of drinking, these chips just weren't going down. It was a fight. No vomit but no pleasure. And that pic up top looks so autumnal- earthy tones- where's that bright summer shit? Depressing. What can I say? I've covered most of the bases, at least in this locale, so it's slim pickings. I might need to get on my artisanal grind and start ordering from different parts of the country. Believe you me, I order one bag, then 2, and it's a wrap. A slave to the spud.

You can check out the previous 5 installments here: Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4, and Vol. 5.

Kettle Brand Sea Salt & Vinegar





Kettle Brand makes a nice chip. Crunchy, tasty and easy to eat, paws. I thought I was into salt and vinegar chips, but these were too tangy for me. So either my tastes have changed and I've matured, or Kettle doesn't execute it that well(anymore). Lay's Kettle Cooked SS&V is responsible for this passion of the potato. They just fell asleep while adding the vinegar. This was the first time I ever saw a 9 oz. bag, labeled "sharing size." Stop N Shop had a 2 for $5 sale- best deal out. Having sorted through my previous Stack Chips posts, I realized that these were reviewed in Vol. 2 around a year ago. I seem to have appreciated them more back then. Must be the signs of a maturing palette. Haha, you done good How.

Kettle Brand Yogurt & Green Onion





Kettle still makes a nice chip. These were tasty and rich. Too rich in fact. After a couple it was time to wrap that shit up, B. At first I thought this was Kettle's version of Sour Cream & Onion, but after looking at the bag, I noticed they make a sour cream, onions and chive chip. I like the bag- green and white is a great colorway- real clean. I think that's what led to this purchase. The yogurt part appealed to me, in a savory way, but usually I turn my nose up at chips like this.

Kettle Brand Lightly Salted





Yes, we all know that Kettle makes a nice chip. But lightly salted? Damn homie, I'd hate to see my blood pressure after some regular joints. I'm not complaining, but there was nothing light about it. In fact, these reminded me of McDonald's fries. And who doesn't like Mickey D fries? A communist? A member of taliban? A jerk? Definitely not some blue-blooded yankee. These were another sharing size bag from Stop N Shop. They only had SS&V and this flavor. They mustn't have sold that well to be marked this low. Too next level I'm assuming. The sheep prefer Wise, Lay's and Ruffles.

Archer Farms Jalapeno Cheddar





Archer makes a consistently enjoyable chip however there are too many folded and curved chips, and some way too big. Flavorful, a smoky cheese flavor- hints of bacon, with some kick. I was running out of options at Target so I gave these a try. Prefer other flavors. OD on ingredients.

Archer Farms Maple BBQ





Same thing applies as above. A very sweet chip- obvious I guess- and sort of addictive. Didn't realize I almost finished the bag until I looked inside. Surprised I went in like that. Disappointed in Target for the use of artificial maple flavor. Come on man- 2 teaspoons of maple syrup would cut into profit margins? Cheapos.

KETTLE BAGS- Smarten Up Kettle




Kettle needs to step their bag game up- tearing the top so it's unusable? I got plenty of chip clips, but still, staleness sneaks in before you know it. Is their MO to get you to finish the bag in one sitting so you cop the next day? Not a good look. You need to be jacked to open the bag. Admittedly I'm not, but these bitches were tight, whoa. The sharing size 9 oz. bags are easier to open than the 5 oz. bags.

Oy Geez, Some Crisps for me Blokes...



What up UK??? I see you. And now I taste you. Easy killa. If it wasn't for lil' bro dating and then marrying London birds, this would never have been possible. For that I thank you and your lady. The UK is really next level when it comes to flavors. Like whatever the craziest shit we can think of is what we'll do. Just peep Walkers flavours (so British). Cajun squirrel, crispy duck hoisin, chili & chocolate????? We call that bugging in America. NYC at least. Peep the video at the bottom to truly see the insanity.

Walker's Turkey & Stuffing




Thanksgiving in July party people!! They really taste like turkey and stuffing, with the latter being more prominent. Sodium overload, but I'm young, so let that shaker runneth over, keep pouring!!

Walker's Prawn Cocktail





I've been looking at this bag for months, and to be honest, was kind of freaked out about trying them. Shit just doesn't make sense. But a lot of things in life don't. Sweet, mad sweet. A slight hit of tang at first and then sweet. And there was ketchup in there somewhere. Prawns? No clue.

McCoy's Special Thai Sweet Chicken





Not a fan of ridge/crinkle cut fries so these were at a disadvantage off the bat. Not bad though. I can say that they taste how they're supposed to, even with hints of the peanut sauce on the side. A rich chip- only a couple and then that bag had to be put away.

McCoy's Special Oriental Ribs




Tasted just like the Thai Chicken joints. Looked like them too so use your imagination. Oriental, Thai- what's the difference anyway? Same goes for pork or chicken. I kid, but apparently McCoy's isn't.

I'm glad I was able to try some of these flavours (so British again), as I never will again. When I was living in Woodlawn amongst the laddies, these were all over the bodegas, but I just didn't have it in me to cop. I prefered the Cadbury. Caaaaadbureeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Friday, July 10, 2009

A Pair of Bright Sport Red Air Max Hit the Racks, Snatch Them Up Son- 92 Beans, No Tax!!!


Ghostface Killah- Apollo Kids


I guess we have a new series. And in order to progress it, I need to cop more Air Maxes- oh well. We dooos what we dooos. This might infringe on my Air Force pick-ups, or better yet my Wildwood acquisitions. Or as of late, my Asics jumpoffs. I need to diversify the portfolio so this might be a worthy venture.



A couple of weeks ago word began leaking about the retro of the Air Max 1 OG red and grey colorway along with the royal blue pair. I got a bit excited and was a bit surprised. These dropped as part of the History of Air pack in 2005. But you know how Nike does, if it sells, drop it, and drop it again. I didn't cop then because I had acquired a pair around '01- plus I didn't like the materials and construction of the new pairs- and the red wasn't as rich. Fast forward to 2009 and while I still have issues with the details and don't love the mesh material on the toebox, my pair has yellowed over the years and the left foot toebox is fucked up so a new pair was close to necessary.



So I'm at 21 Mercer and they just got them in- not even on shelves yet- so a size 12 was definitely available. You know that early feeling, like you're fucking with an exclu-si-vo, even if it's for 5 minutes- haha check me out family- I got that new shit that you ain't even up on. Pre-internet that might have been the case, but not today. 92 beans just made it easier. If they were $110 and up I still would have left with them but there would have been a little self-hate. Absolutely no self-hate here. In fact, I was pretty excited. These are just a dope summer shoe- and that bright white toe box is super crispy. Only problem is once that line of dirt appears you might as well hang these up. I'm looking for a cleaner or method that can clean the mesh- or maybe a shoe repair guy with some skills. For some reason whenever I treat the stain I make it worse.



Here is the pair from early 1999. Even though the sole has yellowed and the left toe box is kind of fucked up, they are still oh so fresh. How they were acquired makes them that much better. Back when I used to hit Fordham on a fairly regular basis, I'd always do the same route- hit the Fordham Ave. spots- Dr. Jay's, Freddy's, VIM's, an Indian spot or 2 and then hit the Concourse and hit all the spots down to Young Star by 188th St. Mimi's was the spot closest to Young Star- unfortunately they have recently shut down. The shelves were always packed with joints but the diesel Spanish dude would always talk your ear off. I need some peace and quiet when absorbing all the product. Anyway, I see these- fresh, crisp, and clean. I ask for a size 12, turns out the only pair they had was a 12.



I was shocked they had them since no other spot had them. That's when dude said they had just found them in the stockroom earlier that day. The label had fallen off the box and they had been sitting there for a minute, a long minute. At least a year plus. I'm sure they would have sold that day, I lucked out. They cost no more than $70 and I was out the door.



A quick comparison between the two. The '99 pair is a better representation of the '87 original. That said, even if I criticize the new pairs, I'm hyped to have them and have rocked them almost everyday since the purchase. To see an original pair- 1988 really, click HERE.

Air Max 1 Red- 1999 vs. 2009


1- The mesh on the '99 pair is similar if not the same as the original. A thicker, tougher, more matte finish, like real mesh. Not as shiny and smooth. 2- The older pairs fit much more snug. The heel is narrower and envelopes the ankle much better- shit feels locked in. The shoe itself is narrower, or at least feels that way. Sole to sole there is no difference so it must be the use of thicker/better/more materials. Many newer retros are roomier than their predecessors- the product isn't made with the same care. Mind you these were a performance sneaker in '87, the first of it's kind. 3- As mentioned earlier, the red isn't as rich. The red should be a blood red, the '09 and '05 versions are brighter.



4- The mudguard (red material running above the sole around the entire shoe) is thicker on the '99 version, and thinner on the newer version. I always considered this a chunky sneaker and the older versions exuded that with the tighter feel and look. The '99 version seems more compact, though the dimensions of each shoe are very similar. The newer versions are too low to the ground, too sleek. Also the toebox is flatter and bigger on the '09 pairs, almost boxy, while more rounded on the '99 pair. There is at least 1/2 an inch more material wrapping over the toe.



5- The '99 sole is all red, while the '09 pair is white, black and red- here the newer version copies the OG version, the red sole was only for '99. 6- The grey and red materials on the '99 pair and OG pairs were a nubuckish material while the '09 pair is felt, similar to the feel of a pool table.



6- The air bubbles in the '99 version are red while the '09 pairs are white. Not really the plastic air bubble, but the spring type structures in them. The 1987 OG pairs were white.



7- The lining on the tongue is red on the '09 pair and white on the other pair. Neither of the tongues are like the OG which had a stitched lining around the edge.



And last but not least, 8- The new pairs don't come with the Anatomical Arch Supports. I never used these but it was always cool to see them in the box, like the prize in Cracker Jacks.



The Air Max 1 is responsible for my get fresh on my feet steez. It was a dirty pair of Air Max 1s that made me switch things up and ultimately turn my swag on, no soulja boy. My co-worker/friend Kim T. commented on my dirty kicks- the exact pair you see above- and that was it- never again. I was into kicks back then, just not as OCD about maintenance. Nowadays I don't really care as much if a pair gets a little dirt, but absolutely nothing dogged- you never know who's watching.

When the royal blue pairs drop best believe I will tear them shits up. Literally, and literally.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Summer Summer Summertime, Time to Sit Back and Unwind- The Thorough NYC Hip Hop Concert Listing.



Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince- Summertime


Before the summer's over- can't believe it's July already- I needed to bust out the extensive summertime concert/event listings. If you're home doing nothing- peep the list and you might find something. A lot of free joints this summer- and artists worth seeing. I will update this as shows are added or canceled. I've looked far and near, leaving no stone unturned. If you know of some super DL knock 4 times or bring an egg for entrance 90210 status, let me know. September is coming very soon. For more info i.e. directions and to purchase tickets click on the venue links.

JULY 2009

Tanya Morgan with Marco Polo & Torae, Che Grand & Brown Bag All Stars- July 8, Wednesday- Southpaw, BK, NY- 9pm- $10 adv., $12 day of



Soul Sonic Force- July 8, Wednesday- Crotona Park, 173rd & Crotona Park East, BX NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

The Roots Present the Jam (Weekly Session)- July 8, 14, 21, 28- Highline Ballroom- 11:30 pm- $10 adv., $12 day of (Sells Out Quickly)

MC Lyte- July 9, Thursday- Von King Park, Lafayette Ave. between Marcy Ave. & Tompkins Ave., BK NY- 7 pm- FREE!!



GrandWizzard Theodore, Popmaster Fabel & Biz Markie hosted by GrandMaster Caz as part of Crotona Park Jams- July 9, Thursday- Crotona Park, BX, NY- Enter at Charlotte St & Crotona Park East- 5 pm - 9 pm- FREE!!

Dwele & Leela James- July 9, Thursday- BB King's, Times Square, NYC- 8 pm- $30 adv., $35 day of



Throwback Comes to Harlem Vol. 4- Kool Moe Dee 30th Anniversary ft. Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick & More- July 10, Friday- Apollo Theater, Harlem, NY- 8pm- $43.50 - $78.50

Frankie Beverly & Maze- July 10, Friday- Beacon Theater, NYC- 8 pm- $50- $90

Dujeous & Soul Mafia- July 11, Saturday- Mercury Lounge, LES, NY- 10:30 pm- $10

Chali 2Na of Jurassic 5 ft. Whosane & Pangaea and Brown Bag All Stars- July 13, Monday- Highline Ballroom- 9 pm- $20

Mickey Factz ft. Jade, Stalley & FKi- July 14, Tuesday- SOB's, NYC- 9 pm, $12 adv., $14 day of

Sugar Hill Gang- July 14, Tuesday- Queensbridge Park, 41st Ave. and Vernon Blvd., Queens, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

Wiz Khalifa, Corleone and Green Street- July 14, Tuesday- Webster Hall, NYC- 8 pm- $8 adv., $10 day of

Asher Roth & Kid Cudi ft. B.o.B. and 88 Keys- The Great Hangover Tour- July 15, Wednesday- Nokia Theater, Time Square, NYC- 8 pm- $27.50 - $30 (SOLD OUT)

George Lamond & Judy Torres- July 15, Wednesday- Crotona Park, 173rd & Crotona Park East, BX NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

Chico DeBarge- July 16, Thursday- Von King Park, Lafayette Ave. between Marcy Ave. & Tompkins Ave., BK NY- 7 pm- FREE!!



Afrika Bambaataa, Kool DJ Red Alert & Jazzy Jay hosted by GrandMaster Caz as part of Crotona Park Jams- July 16, Thursday- Crotona Park, BX, NY- Enter at Charlotte St & Crotona Park East- 5 pm - 9 pm- FREE!!

End of the Weak Presents Poison Pen, T-Weaponz, Jess Jamez Figueroa, Iron Solomon, Vanguard Angel & more- special guest DJ Scram Jones July 17, Friday- Highline Ballroom- 8:30 pm, Free with RSVP HERE or $5 at door

Q-Tip with Chester French, Little Dragon and Benji B- July 18, Saturday- Central Park Summerstage- Rumsey Playfield (71st St.)- 3 pm - 7 pm- FREE!!



Rock the Bells ft. Nas, Cypress Hill, Roots, Common, Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, EPMD, House of Pain, Reflection Eternal, RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Slaughterhouse, M.O.P., Buckshot, Neco, Slum Village, Evidence & Alchemist, and more- Hosted by KRS One, Supernatural, Murs & Pete Rock- July 19, Sunday- Nikon @ Jones Beach- 12 Noon- $40 - $130.50

AlBe Back- July 20, Monday- Santo's Party House- Chinatown, NYC- 8 pm- $10

DJ Spinna Album Release Party ft. DJ's Premier & Scratch with Sadat X, Jigmasatas and Fresh Daily- July 21, Tuesday- Southpaw, BK, NY- More info to come

Lovebug Starski & Friends- July 21, Tuesday- Queensbridge Park, 41st Ave. and Vernon Blvd., Queens, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

KRS-One- July 22, Wednesday- Crotona Park, 173rd & Crotona Park East, BX NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic- July 22, Wednesday- Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood, NJ- 8 pm- $29- $89

Slick Rick- July 23, Thursday- East River Park, FDR and Delancey St., LES- 7 pm- FREE!!

Jazzy Joyce, Rockin Rob, DJ Scratch and Roc Raida hosted by GrandMaster Caz
as part of Crotona Park Jams- July 23, Thursday- Crotona Park, BX, NY- Enter at Charlotte St & Crotona Park East- 5 pm - 9 pm- FREE!!

Peter Rosenberg B-Day Bash ft. Big Sean, Mike Posner, Kid Daytona, Low Budget All Stars, Homeboy Sandman & more- July 23, Thursday- SOB's, NYC- 9 pm, $12 adv., $15 day of

Ginuwine, Joe & Chico DeBarge- July 26, Sunday- Central Park Summerstage- Rumsey Playfield (71st St.)- 3 pm - 7 pm- FREE!!

Atmosphere- July 27, Monday- Webster Hall, NYC- 7 pm- $25

Laura Izibor- July 28, Tuesday- SOB's, NYC- 9 pm- $15

Noisemakers with Peter Rosenberg Featuring Raekwon - July 29, Wednesday- 92Y Tribeca- 8 pm- $15

Wayne Wonder- July 29, Wednesday- Brower Park, Brooklyn Ave. & Prospect Park Pl., BK, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

Power Live ft. Ryan Leslie, Lyfe Jennings & Letoya Luckett- July 29, Wednesday- BB King's, Times Square, NYC- 10 pm- $20 adv., $30 day of



Method Man & Redman and Ghostface ft. Mickey Factz with Stalley, Footprint in Hip Hop Tour- July 30, Thursday- Nokia Theater, Times Square- 9 pm- $35 - $40

Rhyme Calisthenics Official MC Competition ft. Mr. Complex, Chen Lo and Daru Jones- July 30, Thursday- Southpaw, BK, NY- 9 pm - $10

Lord Finesse, GrandMaster Caz and Cash Money hosted by GrandMaster Caz as part of Crotona Park Jams- July 30, Thursday- Crotona Park, BX, NY- Enter at Charlotte St & Crotona Park East- 5 pm - 9 pm- FREE!!

Chrisette Michelle- July 30, Thursday- Springfield Park, 184th St & 147th Ave., Queens, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

AUGUST 2009

Lil' Wayne, Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy, and Drake
- Young Money Presents America's Most Wanted Music Festival- August 1, Saturday- Nikon @ Jones Beach- 6:30 pm- $69.75 - $125.75



DMC USA FINALS hosted by DJ Red Alert with Lord Finesse on the tables- August 1, Saturday- Santo's Party House, Chinatown, NY- 4 pm- $15

The Roots Present the Jam (Weekly Session)- August 4, 10- Highline Ballroom- 11:30 pm- $10 adv., $12 day of (Sells Out Quickly)

Digger's Delight: Harlem ft. Rockin' Rob, DJ Chuck City & DJ Lean Rock, All star producers and rare record collectors spin their funkiest 45s and more!- August 4, Tuesday- St. Nicholas Park Plaza, 135th St. and St. Nicholas Ave., NY- 4 - 8 pm- FREE!!

Case- August 6, Thursday- Springfield Park, 184th St & 147th Ave., Queens, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

Jon B.- August 6, Thursday- Marcus Garvey Park, 124th St. & Mt. Morris Park, Harlem, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

Styles P- Rock The Block Fest Day 1 ft. Featuring Metermaids and NSR- August 6, Thursday- Southpaw, BK, NY- 9 pm- $15 adv., $20 day of (2 day pass available for $30)

Freeway- Rock The Block Fest Day 2 ft. Hezekiah and Kimberly Nicole- August 7, Friday- Southpaw, BK, NY- 9 pm- $15 adv., $20 day of (2 day pass available for $30)



QN5 MEGASHOW 2009 Ft. CunninLynguists, Tonedeff, PackFM, Substantial,Mr. SOS, Kokayi, Session, DJ JS-1 + Special Guests- August 7, Friday- Highline Ballroom- 9 pm, $15 adv., $17 day of

Big Daddy Kane hosted by Rahzel- August 8, Saturday- Prospect Park Bandshell, BK, NY- 7 pm- FREE!! (actually a $3 donation)

Jazmine Sullivan, Chrisette Michelle & Jon B.- August 9, Sunday- Central Park Summerstage- Rumsey Playfield (71st St.)- 3 pm - 7 pm- FREE!!

Lisa Lisa- August 11, Tuesday- Red Hook Park, Bay St. between Henry St. & Clinton St., BK, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

Digger's Delight: Harlem ft. Chairman Mao, JBX and more, All star producers and rare record collectors spin their funkiest 45s and more!- August 11, Tuesday- St. Nicholas Park Plaza, 135th St. and St. Nicholas Ave., NY- 4 - 8 pm- FREE!!



Raekwon- August 12, Wednesday- Mahoney Playground, Beechwood Ave & Crescent Ave., Staten Island- 7 pm- FREE!!

Black Moon & Smif n Wessun, Tribute to the Classics with live band- August 12, Wednesday- Brower Park, Brooklyn Ave. & Prospect Park Pl., BK, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!



De La Soul with special guests, backed by the Rhythm Roots All Stars- August 13, Thursday- Nokia Theater, Times Square- 9 pm- $30 - $33

Rakim- August 13, Thursday- Highline Ballroom- 9 pm, $20 adv., $25 day of

John Legend ft. India Arie- August 13, Thursday- Madison Square Garden, NYC- 8 pm- $46 - $90.50

Joe- August 13, Thursday- Marcus Garvey Park, 124th St. & Mt. Morris Park, Harlem, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

DJ Premier vs. DJ Scratch hosted by Danny Castro of Lyricist Lounge- August 18, Tuesday- Red Hook Park, Bay St. between Henry St. & Clinton St., BK, NY- 7 pm- FREE!!

Digger's Delight: Harlem ft. DJ Jazzy Jay, Danny Dan the Beat Mann & DJ Forrest Getemgump, All star producers and rare record collectors spin their funkiest 45s and more!- August 18, Tuesday- St. Nicholas Park Plaza, 135th St. and St. Nicholas Ave., NY- 4 - 8 pm- FREE!!

Naughty By Nature- August 19, Wednesday- Mahoney Playground, Beechwood Ave & Crescent Ave., Staten Island- 7 pm- FREE!!

Funk Flex B-Day Extravaganza, Hip Hop Legends Concert Series ft. Rakim, UTFO, Biz Markie, Lost Boyz, Jeru the Damaja, Dr. Jeckyl & Mr. Hyde and Lovebug Starski- August 21, Friday- BB King's, Times Square, NYC- 11 pm- $30

Digger's Delight: Harlem ft. Lord Finesse, Miss Shing-A-Ling & more, All star producers and rare record collectors spin their funkiest 45s and more!- August 25, Tuesday- St. Nicholas Park Plaza, 135th St. and St. Nicholas Ave., NY- 4 - 8 pm- FREE!!

Rock the Bells presents Reflection Eternal ft. Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek, Slaughterhouse, Slum Village reunion with T3, Baatin & Elzhi, Supernatural, hosted by Pete Rock- August 28, Friday- BB King's, Times Square, NYC- 11:30 pm- $32.50 adv., $35 day of

The Golden Age of Hip Hop Pt. II ft. KRS-One, Kool Moe Dee, Just Ice, and Grand Daddy IU, Hosted by Red Alert with Jazzy Joyce on the wheels- August 29, Saturday- The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, NYC- 9 pm- $46.50

Black August 2009 ft. Sadat X, Blitz the Ambassador, Bobbito Garcia, Shadia Mansour, DJ Reborn, the A-Alikes & more- August 30, Sunday- BB King's, Times Square, NYC- 9 pm- $20