Oakland’s hip hop legends Souls of Mischief return to the UK and Europe for the first time in 2 years since their “Montezuma’s Revenge” tour.
It’s almost 20 years since the release of the classic ’93 Til Infinity’, but the group members, as part of the Hieroglyphics Crew, have remained one of the most prolific artists on the scene with numerous solo and group releases on Hiero Imperium Records. They still tour regularly all over the United States and Canada, and are due to perform at SXSW on their return from Europe
2012 starts with three solo albums being released in quick succession.
Tajai has already released his new collaboration with Sleeprockers “Machine Language”
Opio is set to release his new album “Vultures Wisdom Volume 2” on 28 February
Phesto’s new album “Background Check” drops on 13 March. Taken from Background Check is the bangin single “Every Detail” with a drivin beat courtesy of the ever dependable Lalo Schifrin. Check out the video below
The European tour takes in Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Germany and Belgium, while UK fans can expect to hear a mix of new material and the old classics on the following dates
March 5th Norwich Arts Centre
March 6th Ipswich The Swan
March 7th Manchester Roadhouse
March 9th Penzance Sound
March 10th Cardiff The Moon
March 11th London Jazz Cafe
March 12th Leeds Sedgwick Avenue
March 13th Edinburgh The Electric Circus
March 14th Glasgow Classic Grand
Expect to hear some more new exclusive releases over the coming months.
Having completed a highly successful UK support tour with Aloe Blacc during December, London’s DJ Sarah Love has returned to Australia for a month long new year’s tour.
The “1st Lady of Hip Hop” has so far confirmed a series of dates which includes supporting international heavyweights Pete Rock, Immortal Technique and Aloe Blacc mixed with a number of club dates set to receive the “One Woman Wrecking Machine” treatment, so those in Melbourne & Sydney, you have been warned!
Further dates may be added, so be sure to check www.djsarahlove.com for developments, and also look out for a special performance in Singapore on the 27th January…details to follow
Sarah has had some recent UK media coverage in magazines such as Flavour, Raw Talk, Stories of Hip Hop, Streets on Demand, Kix Magazine, and In-Spirels Magazine. A new video interview with premier UK online The Hip Hop Chronicle will go live soon.
Also expect word of a series of UK dates in the Spring, including the launch of a new club night in London, more international tours & new enterprises in 2012
London’s DJ Sarah Love is currently on tour in the UK with Califonia’s soul singer Aloe Blacc
The ex MTV Base and BBC 1Xtra presenter took time out for a number of media interviews shortly before going on the road for the extensive series of dates. The latest is with Flavour Magazine where the UK’s “1st Lady of Hip Hop” discusses her background and how she became involved in deejaying, her thoughts on the current UK scene, how she helped assist set up MTV Africa and her thoughts ahead of touring with Aloe
The tour to date has been a massive success and they play Manchester 7th December, Newcastle 8th December, Sheffield 9th December, Liverpool 11th December, Glasgow 12th December, Bristol 13th December, Hammersmith 15th December and finish at Brighton Dome on 16th December
On the eve of beginning her dj support tour in the UK for Aloe Blacc, DJ Sarah Love spoke with Sasha Shantel the editor of In-Spirels Magazine as part of their “Wonder Woman” feature
Here she talks about her early days performing at the various Kung Fu nights in London, her time with BBC 1Xtra, the djs who have inspired her, her Mobo nominations, performing with Wu Tang and The Roots and much more
In-Spirels is a publication dedicated to those who motivate and inspire, designed to encourage young talent and recognize achievements
The “Aloe Blacc & The Grand Design” tour starts in Birmingham on Saturday 3rd December, followed by Leeds 4th, Nottingham 5th, Manchester 7th, Newcastle 8th, Sheffield 9th, Liverpool 11th, Glasgow 12th, Bristol 13th, Hammersmith Apollo 15th and finishes at Brighton Dome on the 16th
Earning his reputation initially in the Australian homegrown scene with artists such as Bliss & Eso, producer M-Phazes went on to produce for internationally renowned stars such as Talib Kweli on Gutter Rainbows, the tracks Clap, Assassins and One Day ft Jill Scott for Pharoahe Monch, and Back on the Scene for Shady’s supergroup Slaughterhouse.
In 2010 he released his debut album “Good Gracious” featuring the cream of Australian hiphop which received global recognition
In October this year it was announced that he was collaborating with DJ Rhettmatic on a new remix album, to be called “Phazed Out” which will feature Big Noyd, Inspectah Deck, Termanology, Heltah Skeltah, Sadat X and many more, due for a 2012 release on Coalmine Records. Emilio Rojas current single Middle Finger was also produced by him
He has worked with several UK artists over the years, most recently Sonnyjim, and was in the UK for a few days recently where he gave this interview to well regarded online Hip Hop Kings.
Ed Andrews of Huck Magazine has also started an excellent new online quarterly magazine dedicated to stories of hip hop “Take The Stage”
The publication, obviously dedicated to hip hop, looks to get the views, news and stories from key figures on the scene who have developed over the years or have just come up, for a better understanding of how they developed their careers and an insight to what’s happening in the scene generally.
Its a departure from the usual reviews and guest features for a more in depth look behind the scenes, and can act as a useful reference point for new aspiring artists to learn from those who have achieved recognition
Issue 2 has just been released to the internet and features Scroobius Pip, DJ Sarah Love, Dr Syntax, Slug and The Last Skeptik
London’s 1st Lady of Hiphop & “One Woman Worldwide Wrecking Machine” DJ Sarah Love came fresh from her support of Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs at Brixton Jamm on Wednesday to give this interview to the UK’s street tastemaker online magazine Streets On Demand.
She talks about her experience deejaying, touring, life after MTV Base and BBC 1Xtra, and how she’s preparing for being the official UK tour dj for Aloe Blacc in December
Smokin Joe Frazier was born in 1944 and became Olympic boxing champion in 1964.
With the World Boxing title left vacant due to Muhammad Ali’s ban, caused by his refusal to be drafted during the USA’s war in Vietnam (later overturned due to public pressure), Joe Frazier fought Jimmy Ellis on February 16th 1970 in Madison Square Garden to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
The subsequent lifting of the ban on Ali saw the pair fight at Madison Square Garden on March 8th 1971, though this was felt to be too soon a return to top flight boxing for Ali who was floored on a couple of occasions by Frazier, with Joe winning a unanimous points decision. This was billed as the Fight of the Century.
Frazier lost his title to the giant George Foreman in Kingston, Jamaica on January 22nd, 1973. Although nearly 2 years after the Ali fight, a generous Foreman later claimed that the fight with Ali had taken a lot out of Joe, and he caught him on a slight downward spiral, and at his prime he could never have beaten him. Foreman had Frazier on the canvas several times throughout the bout to win the title, only to lose it to a resurgent Ali during the famous Rumble in the Jungle in Zaire.
On January 28th 1974, Frazier faced Ali a second time in New York City losing on points in what was generally regarded as an anti climax
It was the second in what became known as a famous treble of boxing matches between the pair, the last being the infamous Thrilla in Manila on 1st October 1975.
Deemed by many to be the most brutal heavyweight fight ever, Frazier was stopped by his trainer in the 14th, although Ali himself described the fight as “the closest thing to dying I know of”
This period of time was known as the Golden Era of Boxing due to the calibre of fighters, understood to be far higher than today. The public image of the rivalry between Ali and Frazier was one of bitter resentment due to Ali’s taunting of Frazier as an “Uncle Tom” due to his own involvement in various Black Movements and Nation of Islam, where Frazier’s team (not that different to Ali’s) was mainly white and he had no strong leanings towards any particular movement.
While there is little doubt Frazier was enraged about the taunt, and reportedly never forgave Ali despite an apology years later, the private relationship was in fact a lot closer, and Ali was building up the rivalry to sell tickets. During his ban, Frazier gave money to Ali to see him through, and after defeating Frazier in one fight, noticing Joe’s son Marvis crying in the corner at a press conference, Ali ignored the press, approached the boy and told him “Dont cry, your father is a great man”
Despite a brief return, Joe Frazier retired from boxing in 1976 and set up a boxing gym in Philadelphia. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. His daughter Jacqui began a boxing career in 2000, following in the footsteps of her father and brother. On June 8th 2001 she fought in the first ever Pay Per View Boxing card in women’s boxing when she fought Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad.
Jacqui lost in the 8th round but went on to be WIBA champion on December 14th 2001.
Joe maintained his gym in Philadelphia and pursued many activities, assisting boxing gyms around the world and encouraging young boxers
Described as the “bravest boxer he had ever witnessed” by George Foreman, Joe Frazier died on 7th November 2011 from liver cancer, and in the words of Muhammad Ali, “We have lost a great champion”.
RIP Joe Frazier & thanks for the memories
Here is our own little tribute to him by way of appreciation. Our condolences to his friends and family.
New York’s Double A.B. spent some time living in north London’s Tottenham.
As the news of the much publicized London riots of August 2011 spread globally, Double A.B. wrote the track London Calling reflecting on what he could see happening in his old neighbourhood. He got together with his old associate & fellow New Yorker Dub Sonata who produced the Clash sampled beat and then approached the UK’s highly rated MC Iron Braydz to feature.
Braydz goes in hard on the track as expected with plaudits for his “Devil May Cry” album last year still reverberating around UK hiphop
Double A.B. and Dub Sonata are currently working on a new album while Iron Braydz has new projects lined up for 2012 with some heavy hittin international names on board
The video was filmed in New York by Last Call Steeve and in London by Despa of Stay Fresh in September this year, edited & produced by Dirty Media London.
Cypress Hill and Soul Assassins DJ Muggs brings a big night of hiphop and dubstep toLondon’s Brixton Jamm on Wednesday 9th November with a heavy dj support line up including Sarah Love, 279, Snuff, Rod Azlan, Chef, Raggs, Enme and more, hosted by Kiss FM’s MC Crazy D
