From the Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2003 issue

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Other Breaking-Talent Hiphop Events of Note

Battle of Bumbershoot It seems like the level of competition in the Northwest for both DJs and MCs improves with each year. While in previous years, the audience would generally have to wait until the Battle of Bumbershoot semifinals or even the finals to see some skills, this year everybody has pulled out their best stuff every step of the way, as evidenced by the preliminaries. Surrey, BC, native DJ Wundrkut heads the list of competing DJs, along with Tre, Dyce, and Waystylez as the favorites, with E-Fade, Rise, Smerk, and Rayzer ready to come with an upset. In the MC competition, everybody will be gunning for H-Bomb, who, along with Bishop from Oldominion, smoked the competition at the prelims. Equally impressive was Bishop's crewmate Onry Ozzborn, who will also be performing with Aesop Rock and Murs at another Bumbershoot event. Maniak B, formerly of the group Dymenz Lyfe, made the cut along with Logic/Saba 7, Surge Spitable, Xntrik of the Subdwellers, and the MC from Eastern Parallel, Insane. Special honorary judges for this battle will include DJ P-Trix, and Q-Unique and Swel Boogie of the Arsonists. Q-Unique will also bless us with some of the new material on his solo album coming out on Non Phixion's label, Uncle Howie. This event, hosted by back-to-back champion DJ Ace and recent recipient of the Mayor's Award for Excellence in Hip Hop, Wordsayer, will be a great kickoff to this year's Bumbershoot festival, which includes a lot of great hiphop in the mix. SAMUEL L. CHESNEAU

Freestyle Session Special Edition Many probably remember the high standard that was set when Red Bull and Circle of Fire's Bob Foxhoven put together an incredible competition for urban dancers, otherwise known as b-boys. This year, Foxhoven, one of the most widely respected cats around who founded the most popular website for b-boys (www.freestylesession.com), will be bringing his famous California-based battle up north to this year's festival. This isn't another California takeover, though, as several Northwest icons will be holding the fort down in key positions. Judging this year's battle will be Fever 1 of DVS--and more recently, of Rocksteady Crew--who is like one of the godfathers of Seattle's b-boy community. Also judging will be Poe One and Crumbs from the group that many say is the best in the world, the Bay Area's Style Elements Crew. The musical selectors for the evening will be pioneering DJ DV One, who has history with the event for bringing a couple Freestyle Sessions up here in the late '90s, and Bles One and Soul One of the DVS Crew. Sixty-four crews from all over the world--places like Denmark, Korea, France, and beyond--will be trying to win the $3,000 grand prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan for the Freestyle Session there. Northwest staples the Massive Monkees and Circle of Fire head the list of favorites, along with Florida crews Ground Zero and Skill Methods, Havikoro from Texas, Killafornia from Cali, and several more heavyweights that would make the list too long to mention. SAMUEL L. CHESNEAU