From the Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2003 issue

Music

The Hiphop Tip

Maseo's the Man

Soul One and Supreme are going to need big crates full of break beats this weekend with all the b-boy events going down, from Bumbershoot's Freestyle Session Special Edition to all the prefunks and after-parties going off. This includes Seattle's legendary Circle of Fire crew, who are throwing two parties at the Noiselab this week, with the DVS Crew on the cuts. On Saturday night, August 30, an 18-and-over gig will accommodate a lot of the out-of-town dancers, and the usual Monday-night Movement party will follow the b-boy competition finals at Bumbershoot, where Soul will be spinning with DV One and Bles.

Word is, De La Soul's Maseo will be a busy man this weekend as well. With two gigs in one night, and a new label, Bear Mountain Entertain-ment, under his belt, he appears to be one of the hardest-working men in the biz. It's a no-brainer that the Bumbershoot Hip-Hop 101 showcase at Memorial Stadium on Sunday, August 31 (with Common, Black Eyed Peas, and De La Soul) will be the show for everyone to hit who's not a Radiohead fan. Afterwards, Maseo will be at the "official" Hip-Hop 101 after-party going on at the Baltic Room--a national version of their Jumbalaya night, with Vitamin D on the ones and twos along with Maseo, in a night that also includes members of the Jumbalaya house band, Printz Board from the Black Eyed Peas, and several others, including Reggie Watts. Watts' new album, Simplified, is funky as hell, and I'm digging it. It's a definite twist from the stuff I heard from his Maktub crew, which was stellar in its own right. The track "Broken Dreams" sounds like Depeche Mode with soul, and it seems to be the new direction that Watts is taking with this one--incorporating the influence of '80s music with a new R&B flavor that hasn't really been done before.

I want to send a shout-out to Central Intelligence, who have a gig rocking the Seahawks Stadium this Sunday, August 31, prior to the Seattle Sounders' Fan Appreciation Night. It's a free show--with the purchase of a ticket to the Sounders game against the El Paso Patriots--and big ups to the Sounders for investing in Northwest talent like that. I'm just looking forward to the day when Jay-Z and Freeway rock while Real Madrid plays Barcelona. I might have to fly out to Spain just for that, and with David Beckham's wife, Posh Spice, rumored to be signing to Roc-a-Fella, it's not completely impossible. Speaking of the R.O.C., the genius that is Juelz Santana debuts on that label with From Me to U, a record packed with hiphop quotables. The album is pure comedy, both intentionally and unintentionally, as the prelude to the dope track "Down" has what might be one of the funniest skits I've ever heard (some might find it repulsive). But if you're a fan like I am of the soul sample trend that's taken over the designated dunn scene, this is the album for you. The Heatmakerz are all over the record, with a couple beats from Charlemagne and the standard Jazze Pha staple, along with Atlanta native T.I. on a track called "Now What." All in all, this album will probably be forgotten five years from now, but in the meantime, it should satisfy folks on the dance floor and spread out through the hiphop world via mix tapes.

Lots of solid albums have been dropping lately, including the long-awaited debut from Philadelphia's Last Emperor, Music, Magic, Myth, which is another quality release from the folks at Raptivism following Zion I's last two albums. The lyrics are exactly what you would expect from someone who came out with such bangers as "Secret Wars" parts 1 and 2, although the production on it ain't got the heavy heatery that seems to be required from most major-label releases that usually incorporate something from the Neptunes, Jazze Pha, or Just Blaze.

And 4th World Occupants, the most recent artists added to Vancouver-based Battle Axe's roster, will be performing at the Noiselab with Elevated Elements this Tuesday, September 2, so for those who aren't nursing a Bumbershoot hangover, this is definitely the spot to check out, with B-Mello consistently bringing it on the decks. SAMUEL L. CHESNEAU

hiphop@thestranger.com

REQUIRED LISTENING 1. Juelz Santana, "Down (Skit) & Down" (Roc-a-Fella)

2. Special Ed, "I Got It Made" (Profile)

3. Murs, "Brotherly Love" (Def Jux)

4. Common, "Sixth Sense" (Geffen)

5. Arsonists, "Backdraft" (Matador)

6. Lifesavas, "It's Over" (Quannum)

7. Canibus, "Showtime at the Gallow" (Babygrande)

8. Reggie Watts, "Movin On" (NonLinear)

9. Hieroglyphics, "Let It Roll" (Hiero Imperium)

10. Immortal Technique, "The Rebel" (Insomniac)

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