It’s official like a ref wit’ a whistle—NYC indie Rawkus Records has joined forces with Mass Line Media to release Seattle’s own Blue Scholars‘ Biyani as their next long-player, player. Rawkus is of course known worldwide for being the epitome of the late ’90’s indie-hop vinyl boom—breaking Company Flow, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli, not to mention releasing crucial LPs from Pharoahe Monch, Reflection Eternal, Black Star, and Big L. Their two-disc Lyricist Lounge comp was probably the crest of popularity for their archetypal basement backpack hiphop, and the razor logo has been back on the scene in recent years with contemporary cats like the Procussions and Chi-Town’s Kidz in the Hall. I hollered at Blue Scholars and Common Market producer/amateur comedian Sabzi, who is optimistic about expanding the profile of the Mass Line brand. “What excites me is making music, connecting with people,” says Sabzi. “So I’m definitely looking forward to collaborating with Rawkus to do even more of that.” Y’all can anticipate that 206 sound bombing heads worldwide; for starters, check Guru, RA Scion, and Geologic rhyming over that “Respiration (Pete Rock Remix)” instrumental on Guru’s upcoming Jazzmatazz mix tape.
I recently received the new joint from our guy, Fraggle Rock representer B-Boy Fidget—the BoomBox Mixtape, mixed by the West Coast’s number one DJ, B-Mello. Firstly, if you weren’t hip to Fidget’s ’04 sleeper In a B-Boy Stance, you should cop that, not just because it was pretty damn good, but because you’ll be able to hear the improvement in homey’s flow and writing on BoomBox. Lacing industry beats and originals alike, Fidge amps up his cockiness another notch, out-swaggering all comers. Fidget’s hustle is sure to pay in dividends, as he stays on his grind from coast to coast, killing shows from here to the ATL.
Repeat the words after me, children: I Support DV One. Anybody and everybody who can should show up for DV’s trial on Monday morning, March 19. It is in Room E1201 of the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue…. I know some of y’all know where that motherfucker is already. Anyway, make it a point to come out and show the jury that the town stands unwaveringly behind DV and that we will not stand for senseless brutality any longer.
Speaking of injustice, cruelty, and abuses of power, “Superproducer” Scott Storch has decided to rap. God help us. Apparently sparked by a sideways dis Timbaland dropped in a five-year-old Justin Timberlake song, Storch has stepped to the mic and recorded “Built Like That,” where he alleges everything from beat-jacking to steroid use by Mr. Tim Mosley. See, it’s bad enough that Timbo ever cut a mic on, but damn—do we really need the man who brought us a Brooke Hogan album dropping any hot bars? Oh yeah and for the record, I FUCKING HATE SCOTT STORCH. He and his bullshit beats epitomize everything wrong with—ahem, everything I hate about—hiphop today. Just look at the fucker! Orange tan, spiky gelmet, aviator shades—what is he, from Kirkland? He shouldn’t be talking about nooobody! 