The Baltimore City Paper’s annual Best Of Baltimore issue hit the streets today, and as usual I helped pick some of the best-ofs for the Arts and Entertainment section and wrote a few blurbs that appear in the issue:

Best Male MC: Los
Best Female MC: Si-Notes
Best Hip-Hop DJ: DJ Jabril
Best Live Band: Soul Cannon
Best Summer Jam: CJ Hilton - “We Can Get It In”
Best Solo Artist: Reina Williams
Best Radio Show For Local Music: Strictly Hip Hop

Some of the other music winners I'm happy about included Mobtown Studios, Labtekwon, Mania Music Group's producers, Supa DJ Big L, Murder Mark, and DJ Pierre, and in the readers poll, the Best Hip-Hop Act winners included the Get 'Em Mamis, A Cool Stick (who?), Rapdragons and Height With Friends, and some other hip hop winners and runner-ups include Shodekeh and 92Q.

(Si-Notes photo by Rarah)

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore City Paper, CJ Hilton, DJ Jabril, DJ Pierre, G.E.M./Tha Plague, Labtekwon, Los, magazines/newspapers, Mobtown Studios, Shodekeh, Si-Notes, Soul Cannon, Strictly Hip Hop

It's been about a month since I hit my Kickstarter funding goal for my book, Tough Breaks: The Story of Baltimore Club Music, but I just wanted to post a quick reminder that the official site ToughBreaksBaltimore.com will continue to be a source of updates about the book and about club music in general. In the past few weeks posts have included thoughts on Debonair Samir's new single, a comprehensive overview of my freelance writing about Baltimore club prior to beginning work on Tough Breaks, links to video of Scottie B. at Whartscape and the Washington Post article by Chris Richards about 92Q and Baltimore Club, and other posts about events and media. I'm still kinda slow going with it so far, but eventually I hope the site will be as much a resource for Baltimore club as Gov't Names has been for Baltimore hip hop, and will be posting about new music more frequently soon, so keep checking for new posts.

Labels: 92Q, announcements, Baltimore club, Debonair Samir, Scottie B., Tough Breaks

“K-Swift Day” 2010 is this Sunday, July 25th at Reedbird Park in Cherry Hill!

To celebrate the life of the late DJ K-Swift, the 92Q Family is inviting the entire Q-munity and all area DJ’s to Reedbird Park, 101 Reedbird Avenue (next to Cherry Hill Splash Park) in Cherry Hill this Sunday from 1pm-5pm! We’ll be honoring the memory of our Club Queen with food, fun and a live All-Star B’more Club Mix-Off featuring your favorite DJ’s from B’more and beyond! Plus, donations will be accepted by Swift’s family for the DJ K-Swift Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Then join us for…

A Memorial Event & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

7pm-midnight

Skateworks, 1716 Whitehead Road in Gwynn Oak

Admission: $10

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the memorial fund for the late Khia “DJ K-Swift” Edgerton.

***Flowers and cards will be accepted at the event***

Enjoy music by DJ Porkchop, DJ Big Rel, DJ The Kid and guest DJ’s.

And the party doesn’t end there. Join 92Q’s Konan at the…

Afterparty

6 pm-2 am

Bourbon Street, 316 Guilford Avenue

All of the proceeds from this event will benefit the memorial fund for the late Khia “DJ K-Swift” Edgerton.

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore club, Bourbon St, flyer, K-Swift, Pork Chop

Today's Washington Post has a big spread on the city's neighbor to the north, Baltimore, in today's Arts & Living section, including an article by Chris Richards about 92Q and Baltimore club music (you may need to grab a password from bugmenot.com to view it on the Post site). The piece features quotes from K.W. Griff (pictured), Say Wut, Porkchop, Cullen Stalin, and Wye Oak, and also mentions K-Swift, Blaqstarr, Rye Rye, DJ Class, Rod Lee, Mullyman, Booman and the Get Em Mamis (Chris also spoke to me for the article, but I'm not quoted in it, which is a situation I've been on the other end of enough times that I totally understand -- limited space, lack of a perfect quote, etc.).

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore club, Blaq Starr, DJ Booman, DJ Class, G.E.M./Tha Plague, K-Swift, KW Griff, magazines/newspapers, Mullyman, NSW (Say What), Pork Chop, Rod Lee, Rye Rye

NOE - Deal Or NOE Deal (DJ Daa One)

My review of NOE's latest mixtape is in this week's City Paper. It's got a bunch of songs with Jim Jones and other Byrd Gang dudes, including that "Swagga From Us" song that I already voiced my opinion about a while back, and there's a good track of him freestyling live on 92Q. The last track has a short 'preview' of an unnamed song which I assume is going to be his single because it's awesome and sounds like it could be huge, I can't wait to hear the full track.

NOE f/ Si-Notes and Chalie Bo - "For Starters"*
Si-Notes is a female MC from Baltimore that I first heard on Ms. Stress's last album, and she really stands out on the 2 tracks she appears on here, I wanna hear music from her.

* Blogger took down this post because of the mp3 link because of a copyright infringement notice, despite the fact that it was a track taken from a fucking mixtape released for free to the internet by a DJ, not any record label.

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore City Paper, magazines/newspapers, mixtape/album review, mp3, NOE, Si-Notes

Labels: 92Q, flyer

Labels: 92Q, DNA, Dru Hill, flyer, Paula Campbell, The Wire, Tim Trees

If you haven't seen the infamous YouTube footage yet of Dru Hill reuniting (and breaking up again) live on 92Q yesterday, I posted it on Idolator and it's also over on the City Paper's Noise blog. Shit is disgraceful, y'all. And how funny is it that Woody, who was just on a Baltimore club track a year ago going "dance like a freak," says he can't be in the group because he has to go do gospel and be a minister?

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore City Paper, Noise

From news.radio-online.com:

WERQ-FM (92Q)/Baltimore PD Victor Starr Exits
Urban WERQ-FM (92Q)/Baltimore Program Director Victor Starr exits; MD/midday personality Neke Howse will handle PD duties until a replacement is named. Prior to joining 92Q in July, 2003, Starr programmed WZMX-FM/Hartford for two years. Before that, he served as PD/MD and afternoon talent at KPRR-FM/El Paso for several years. (12-11-07)

From dcrtv.com:

PD Gone From 92Q - 12/11 - DCRTV gets confirmation that Victor Starr is out of his program director gig at urban outlet WERQ, 92Q, in Baltimore. We're hearing rumblings that his leaving may be related to a music playlist controversy that has plagued the Radio One station for the past year or so

I guess they mean this playlist controversy?

Labels: 92Q

Here's an informative e-mail from Amotion that landed in my inbox with info on a lot of upcoming events:

Movers and Shakers! There's so much to be involved in tomorrow (saturday Nov. 24th) so if you're in town sitting on your couch Saturday and not at any of these events, you are not part of the movement.

Moe Hammond Media presents a movie shoot for
'The 50 most essential hip hop albums of all time'
Diggin int he crates 101 a dj schowcase on hip ohp samples
Deep Flow is filming and editing this movie and this is a new shoot
5 Seasons 830 Guilford Ave Baltimore, MD.
Doors open 2pm showcase 3pm
Free admission, free food, all ages
410.262.8515 for more info

Calientepresents...'Who SAid hip hop is dead'
6pm-10pm
Lothuanium Hall 851 Hollins St. Baltimore, MD. 21201
Huli Shallone, Amotion, Uninvited Guests, Dynamic Compositions, K-Jil, Amadaye and more...
443.575.6159 for more info

Dizasterous Nightmare Fall Fashion Show
At Uniterian Unizersarist of Annapolis 333 Debois Rd.Annapolis
Doors open 7:30 show at 8pm
$25 at door
Kojo will be performing featuring TestMe, MTM crew and more...
410.878.595 for more info

Rick Starr of tlantic Records, Invisible Set, Raw DOc & Star Status Present... 'Second Chance' Talent Showcase
9pm-2am
Club Taste 4314 Curtis Ave Baltimore, MD. 21226
Hosted by Sonny Brown
$10 door charge
$40 registration for 8 minute act
myspace.com/rawdoc for more info

Sunday night we will be filming at Zanadus for 'Mr. Incredible's album release party
and listen in to 92Q 'Rap Attack' Sunday night in which we at Rock Da Mic may be there to give you more info and background about this Wednesdays event

Monday at 7:30 Tune into DeepFlowRadio.com for the live interview with Raw DOC about current album releases adn Rock Da Mic.

Tuesday I'll be in New York Rallying for the WGAEast Strike. For those of ya'll who aren't familliar, for the past 2 years I've been producing the tv show 'Deep Flow TV'. From incredible local and internet response I decided to go head and shop the season 3 pitch to major cable networks while still recording and airing season 2. After spending many months researching the best way to go about this and the best way to protect myself and doing this, I finally began the agent pitches. Upon doing so 1 agency told me theres no way my show'd get picked up any time soon didn't I know about the pending writers strike. (Though I'm a member of the guild I didn't). Well, one week later the strike was on so here I am, finally ready to shop the show with no means of shopping it because apparently I'm on strike. (The reson for the strike is becasue tv is now airing on the internet and writers contracts have not been updated to cover compensation for internet play. Writers also reciecev $ .4 off of each dvd sale and are asking for $.8.) SO with the changing times I completely agree with the strike and am rallying with my fellow members at Washington Square Park at noon on tuesday. Yes, I will bring a camera and capture parts of the pending process to bring back to Baltimore tv, and have set up a handful of meetings with NY companies while I'm up there prevelent to music and tv but thats all i'll say for now!

This Wednesday Nov. 28th Rock Da Mic Championships is back! Featuring TestMe, Block Holder ENT of Raw DOC, and last months winners Kartel, 12 artists will be showing off in competeion for the 'rock da mic champ' title. We will also have 3 fashion shows thorughout the nite from Hi-Xposure modeling agency (you've seen them at Zanadus, at Gardels with P.Diddy, adn in DC this past year). Hosted by Rod Mad Flava of 92Q VH!'s Hip Hop Honors awardee, the legendary Busy Bee will also be in the building!
Come get in free b4 9:30, ladies before 10, everybody $10 after. To register to perform int he next 'Rock Da Mic' (the lsat wednesday of every month) you must bring your cd and contact info to us this night, we will go over all entries and pick the top 12 for next month).

Hope everybody had a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Labels: 5 Seasons, 92Q, D.O.G., Deep Flow, flyer, Huli Shallone, Kartel, Sonny Brown

THE BALTIMORE HIP HOP COMMUNITY WILL ASSEMBLE @ 92Q ON NEXT MONDAY NOV. 5TH FROM 7-8PM TO SHOW THAT WE DO HAVE SOLIDARITY AND UNITY....
WE ASK THAT EVERYONE BRING AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AS WELL AS 5 CAN GOODS FOR THE UPCOMING THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY!!!

JUST SHOW UP!!!!

THIS IS NOT A PROTEST OF 92Q......THIS IS US SHOWING OUR STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!!!!

1705 Whitehead Rd, Baltimore, MD 21207
NOV. 5TH, 2007 ---- 7PM-8PM
BRING ATLEAST 5 CAN GOODS
THE CAN GOODS WILL BE DONATED TO THE BEA GADDY FOUNDATION ON BEHALF OF THE BALTIMORE HIP HOP COMMUNITY.....

Labels: 92Q, flyer

I just got done talking about how much press UnReal has been doing lately before I realized that he's actually on the cover of the new issue of Bmore Vibe Magazine. I didn't get around to writing anything for this issue, although Rogue asked my permission to excerpt some things I said in a Gov't Names post about the 92Q controversy for an article on that subject, so I guess that's in there. The issue comes with a mixtape and there's gonna be a release part at 5 Seasons on November 13th.

Labels: 5 Seasons, 92Q, magazines/newspapers, UnReal

The City Paper's biggest issue of the year, Best Of Baltimore 2007, is out this week, and I wrote more than twice as many blurbs than either previous year that I contributed to the issue (that was one rough deadline week, believe me). The blurbs I wrote and awards I had a hand in deciding are as follows:

Best Band Web Site: Karmella's Game
Best Singer/Songwriter: Lizz King
Best Male MC: Skarr Akbar
Best Female MC: Jade Fox
Best Hip-Hop DJ: DJ Vicious V
Best Club DJ: KW Griff
Best Club Music Producer: King Tutt
Best Beatmaker: One Up Entertainment
Best Summer Jam: "Chicken Box" by Silohette (which I posted recently)
Best Posse Cut: "I'm So Fly" Remix by Skarr Akbar featuring Bossman, D.O.G., Barnes, A-maz-on, Heavy Gold, and SK (another one I've posted)
Best Doomed Major Label Contract: A-maz-on
Best Music Radio Show: 92Q's Rap Attack
Best Place To Hear Hip-Hop: The (New Turntable Club)
Best New Club: Lo-Fi Social Club
Best Karaoke: Hip-Hop Karaoke at Latin Palace

I haven't had a chance to read through the rest of the issue yet, but obviously, you should pick up a copy for yourself or at least browse all over the site for all the interesting and right on and totally wrong awards I had nothing to do with. The party is on Thursday night and I've tried to contact every winner whose category I wrote to make sure they get their invitations, but there are still a couple of people that we never got an address to mail them to. If any of them still need ad invite, e-mail me ASAP and I'll let you know who to call. Congrats to everyone who won, hopefully I'll see you there.

(cover image by Kevin Sherry)

Labels: 92Q, Annexx Click, Baltimore City Paper, Baltimore club, Barnes, Bossman, D.O.G., Jade Fox, KW Griff, magazines/newspapers, One Up Entertainment, Skarr Akbar, Turntable Club

Labels: 92Q, flyer

The Making The Right Moves Entertainment Conference is this weekend at the Baltimore Convention Center, and it's shaping up to be a pretty interesting event, I can't remember anything like this ever being done before here, at least on this scale. As I mentioned last month, I've been invited to appear as a panelist on two panels, which I believe will be on Saturday at 12 noon and at 3PM. So I'm gonna go check it out, meet some people, try to contribute to the discussion, and hang around and maybe see some of the speakers and showcases, and probably write something about the experience for the City Paper's Noise page. I put pretty much all the info I have about it below, and there's more at http://www.milestonemediaonline.com. I hope the turnout's good and the whole event lives up to its potential, it'd be cool to have a conference like this every year.







July 27-29, 2007
@
THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER
Panelist include
, DJ Heat(Justo Award Winning DJ, WPGC 95.5 FM,Kelly Connelly( Music Monthly,Frank Johnson ( Alantic Records), Wil Roc( UnRuly),Rogue Versatile( Bmore Vibe Magazine),Mike MacIntosh( ARS,Architentects Ent) Antonio Motts ( U Turn Marketing and Promotions),Al Shipley ( Government Names Blog, Baltimore City Paper) Adeniya Omisore, Cheryl Slay ( Business Law attorney with a particular focus on Intellectual Property and entertainment industry matters) and many many more

KEYNOTE SPEAKER SATURDAY 4PM- 5 PM
ICE T
( NEW JACK CITY, LAW and ORDER, Multi- Platnium Recording Artist)

DIP SET/ BYRD GANG RECORDING ARTIST
NOE
Deshawn Taylor ( Author, CEO Real Hiphop.com, BET's Ultimate Hustler Contestant
Liris Crosse (Best Man,The Source, XXL, Music Videos,),
Gary Gentles ( CEO/ Founder SingersRoom.com)
Venom ( Hot 103.9FM SC)
The WILD CHILD DNA ( Rountable Ent, Rooftop Ent XM66 RAW Radio, Mixtape King
DJ LIL MIC( XM,WEAA 88.9,KJAM 105K Tulsa OK, WQIZ 93.1 The Beat Amarillo,TX,Raheem Devaugh Tour DJ)
David Ivory ( Grammy Award Winning Producer, Songerwriter),
Pork Chop ( 92 Q, Big Phat Morning Show, Billboard Charted Artist)
TOVE COOPER ( Author Of LADY B. MOORE and Founder/CEO of GOOOD Books
CEO, Actress, Studio Owner, Promoter and Host her own Series of Street DVD's
BMORES TRUE BOSSLADY

Paul Gardner

Since Attorney Gardner began the Gardner Law Group to specialize in entertainment and business law matters. Attorney Gardner has been the legal advisor to some of the following sample high profile clients like Actor/Comedian Tommy Davidson; the Prince of Fashion Travis Winkey; and many

Mike Williams

Publisher of Exclusive Magazine. Exclusive Magazine is an urban music publication with distribution in 10+ US markets as well as overseas in Germany with over 20,000+ readers. They have produced shows for television and college radio in the Hampton Roads region of VA. The TV show was called The Fixxx which aired on WVBT Fox 43 for 6 months and the Radio show was on Old Dominion University and was called the Block with the 1st Lady of College Radio which aired for 2 years on WODU AM 1630

JUST ADDED... STAY GETTIN ENTERTAINMENT

WE NOT DONE YET ............ More will be added this week

FRIDAY
MEET AND GREET PARTY @

Sponsored by ORIGINAL INC. Clothing
Music by DJ SPONTANEOUS
9-2 AM
TASTE INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT & ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX

4314 Curtis Avenue Baltimore, MD 21226

Phone: 410-354-5566 Fax: 410-354-5567

Performances start @ 10
Baltimore's Best Sound System

PERFORMING ACTS

- BOMB
- POETIC
- CAPO
- GRAMZ
- MINISTER DaUrbanledjen
- UnREAL
- Greenspan
- Bree Ft. Adonna
- S.I.- Buck Head Records
-Sudden Distraction - Buck Head Records
- The New Familia - Buck Head Records
- Kasper aka Young NOVA
- Broadway the Governa
-The Head Bangers
- Cyndiva
-Tydale Clayton
- O.D.R.
- Fat Dog
- C BAN

and many many many more suprises

Saturday

JUST ADDED FOR SATURDAY HIPHOP WORLD.NET

Registration

Conference, Panel Discussions and Fashion Show

SITE: Baltimore Convention Center

1 W Pratt St

Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone:(410) 649-7000

Rooms 302 and 303

Staff 8:45 am

Check In 9.00 am

TIME WHERE EVENT

10 am Room 303 Fashion and Imaging

11 am Room 303 Get Your Business Started the Right Way

12 pm Room 302 Are you Using the Internet to Fully Market Yourself

1 pm Room 303 Touring on a Budget

1 pm Room 302 What are the Alternative Outlets For your Music

2 pm Room 303 Women in Media

Intermission 3-4

3 pm Room 302 Street Team and Gorilla Promotions

3 pm Room 303 Manager or Agent Whats Best and How Do I Get Legal Representation

4 pm Room 302 How to get distribution for My Product

4 pm Room 303 Demo Listening Session I

ROOMS WILL BE COMBINED

6 pm Key Note Speaker Ice-T “How to Hustle the Industry”

7 pm – 8 pm VIP Reception
Sponsored by EGO Productions

8 pm – 10 pm Fashion Show Presented By:

Avon Dorsey and Fashion 101

VIP Reception for ICE- T 5 PM to 6 PM

Fashion Show Powered by
AVON DORSEY &Style 101
www.style101.com

DOORS OPEN 6 PM
@ The Convention Center
Advance Tix 15.00... Get at me for Tix...they are going fast...
VIP 50.00
MORE AT THE DOOR

For Tickets contact
AVON 410-926-5184
HOWARD 484-347-7898
REGGIE 410-900-6380

AFTER PARTY & ARTIST SHOWCASE
@ 5 Seasons

830 Guilford Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21202

The Mount Vernon Plaza

next to Dunkin Doughnuts

- Sluggerz Entertainment
- BOMB
- POETIC
- CAPO
- GRAMZ
-MINISTER DaUrbanledjen
- Karon
- Beat Box
- Bree Ft. Adonna
-Sudden Distraction - Buck Head Records
- The New Familia - Buck Head Records
- S. I Buck Head Records
-The Head Bangers
- Cyndiva
-Tydale Clayton
- O.D.R.
- Fat Dog
- C BAN
- TONEY BONE
- Heavy Gold/ HG Stay Gettin Entertainmnet/ Arabz

Sunday
Staff 8:45 am

Check In 9.00 am

TIME WHERE EVENT

10 am Room 302 Music Publishing for Songwriters

11 am Room 303 Another Way to Make the Big Time

12 am Room 303 Target Songwriting

1 pm Room 302 Demo Listening Session II

2 pm Room 303 Kids in the Industry

2:30 pm Room 302 Independent Film and DVD’s

3 pm Room 302 The Power of Video Exposure

4 pm Screening “ How Hip Hop Saved My Life “

Labels: 5 Seasons, 92Q, B.O.M.B., Bosslady, DNA, flyer, NOE, Stay Gettin', UnReal

You may remember this letter I posted from "The New Republic" last month about 92Q's business practices regarding local artists. Well, The Baltimore Sun is researching this issue for a story, and would like to speak to the authors of the letter, as well as anyone with relevent firsthand experience with the station, and I'm sure they'd like to speak to the station employees who are being accused as well. You can e-mail the Sun reporter at Nick.Madigan@baltsun.com if you'd like to speak on or off the record about this matter.

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore Sun, magazines/newspapers

This conference is about a month away, but I'm gonna start telling you about it now so that anyone who's interested can make their plans for that weekend and get tickets. I've been invited to appear as a panelist and it sounds like a really interesting event, I hope people come check it out:

Makingtherightmoves conference
July 27-29, 2007
@
THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER
Panelist include
, DJ Heat(Justo Award Winning DJ, WPGC 95.5 FM,Kelly Connelly( Music Monthly,Frank Johnson ( Alantic Records), Wil Roc( UnRuly),Rogue Versatile( Bmore Vibe Magazine),Mike MacIntosh( ARS,Architentects Ent) Antonio Motts ( U Turn Marketing and Promotions),Al Shipley ( Government Names Blog, Baltimore City Paper) Adeniya Omisore, Cheryl Slay ( Business Law attorney with a particular focus on Intellectual Property and entertainment industry matters) and many many more

KEYNOTE SPEAKER SATURDAY 4PM- 5 PM

ICE T
( NEW JACK CITY, LAW and ORDER, Multi- Platnium Recording Artist)

Deshawn Taylor ( Author, CEO Real Hiphop.com, BET's Ultimate Hustler Contestant

Liris Crosse (Best Man,The Source, XXL, Music Videos,),

Gary Gentles ( CEO/ Founder SingersRoom.com)

Venom ( Hot 103.9FM SC)

The WILD CHILD DNA ( Rountable Ent, Rooftop Ent XM66 RAW Radio, Mixtape King

DJ LIL MIC( XM,WEAA 88.9,KJAM 105K Tulsa OK, WQIZ 93.1 The Beat Amarillo,TX,Raheem Devaugh Tour DJ)

David Ivory ( Grammy Award Winning Producer, Songerwriter),

Pork Chop ( 92 Q, Big Phat Morning Show, Billboard Charted Artist)

FRIDAY
MEET AND GREET PARTY @
2139 Jefferson St Baltimore MD, 21205
Sponsored by ORIGINAL INC. Clothing
Music by DJ SPONTANEOUS
9-2 AM
2 Floors of Entertainment
Performances start @ 10
Baltimore's Best Sound System

Saturday

Panel Discussions 10 AM to 4 PM
DEMO Listening Session 4 PM to 5 PM

VIP Reception for ICE- T 5 PM to 6 PM

Fashion Show Powered by
AVON DORSEY &Style 101
www.style101.com

DOORS OPEN 6 PM
@ The Convention Center
Advance Tix 35.00
VIP 50.00
MORE AT THE DOOR

For Tickets contact
AVON 410-926-5184
HOWARD 484-347-7898
REGGIE 410-900-6380

AFTER PARTY & ARTIST SHOWCASE

Coors Light Models
Drink Specials
830 Guilford Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21202
The Mount Vernon Plaza
next to Dunkin Doughnuts

Sunday
Panel Discussions
10 AM to 5 PM
DEMO LISTENING SESSION
SUNDAY GUEST SPEAKER TBA
CLOSING EVENT TBA

Promotional Partners
UP and UP fashions: UPandUP.com

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE
PERFORMANCE SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE

Contact Howard Perkins 484-347-7898
Regg Hatcher 410-900-6380

Labels: 92Q, Architects, DNA, flyer, Unruly Records

K-Swift - Jumpoff Vol. 8: Next Level Edition (Next Level/Unruly Records)

I got this back when it dropped in October but took a while to get around to posting about it, in fact the next Jumpoff mixtape is already out, although I haven't heard it yet. I've got a ton of K-Swift CD's and they're always the best way to keep up with the new Baltimore club tracks. I have to admit, though, I've been a little less interested in hearing her mixes lately since it's become apparent that most of the music that she spins is by teenage rappers signed to her Next Level label (Deuce Tre Deuce, Tay-Eazy, A-Ma-Zon, Prince, Nazz-D, plus I think Young Leek was originally with Next Level), or by club producers who are affiliated with her. Most of the producers, like Blaq Starr and NSW (Say What), are dope, so that's not really a problem, and now and then the kiddie rappers make a hot track, but it still feels like a pretty blatant conflict of interest and maybe an abuse of her position of power as the most popular club DJ on 92Q. I can't really hate, though, there's a ton of great tracks on here and of course it's an Unruly product.

Tigga - "Independence Day" (mp3)
The melody line from this track is sampled from "Groupie," a Comp song that appeared on his Independence Day mixtape. I think that's pretty interesting because, of all the instances of MCs remixing Baltimore club tracks, and Bmore club producers remixing popular hip hop songs, this might be the first time I've ever heard a Baltimore club producer sample a Bmore hip hop track. In a weird small way, that seems like a milestone. I've only been seeing Tigga tracks on club CD's for the past year or so, so maybe they're a newer producer, but they've got some hot tracks.

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore club, Blaq Starr, Comp, K-Swift, mixtape/album review, mp3, Next Level Records, NSW (Say What), Unruly Records

92Q Winter Wonder Jam
Dec. 30th @ 1st Mariner Arena
featuring Baltimore artists Mario and Bossman, and many more

Labels: 92Q, Bossman, flyer

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore club, flyer