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SHOW (WIN TICKETS!): Boot Camp Clik at The Crocodile – TONIGHT, 4.2.12, 8:00 pm

The demographics of Brooklyn may be changing (sections of Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy barely resemble the ‘hoods of even five years ago when I first relocated out here from Seattle), but the hip-hop mind-state stays rooted in the Golden Era of bygone days. If it were up to geezers like me, everything rap would sound like the dusty hardcore of Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage.

Alas, time pushes forward like a Q45 Infinit on the BQE, so my brethren and I are relegated to beating young ‘uns over their heads (figuratively, of course) with the cracked jewel cases of seminal crews like Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, and OGC, groups who composed the larger Boot Camp Clik collective and who recorded on the still-in-effect Duck Down Records. (For one degree of Seatown separation, see: Blue Scholars’ OOF! EP.)

Reminisce over shit like Smif-N-Wessun’s “Bucktown” tonight at The Crocodile ON US! 206UP.COM has one pair of tickets to give away to a lucky reader. To enter, just send an email to 206upblog@gmail.com OR a Tweet to @206upBlog, with the phrase “Who got da props?!” in the subject line. We’ll draw one lucky name at random for the show.

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Seattle Hip-Hop Involved in Six-Player Deal

The Big Apple and the Emerald City are trading hip-hop artists this week.

Seattle will receive Ghostface Killah in exchange for Blue Scholars, D. Black, Grynch, Champagne Champagne, THEESatisfaction, and a player to be named later (just kidding). And, from my point of view, while Ghost is a heavy-hitter and obvious future hall-of-famer, that deal seems kinda f*cked-up. Sounds like a trade Woody Woodward would’ve made (Heathcliff Slocumb, anyone?). Good thing it’s only for one day. The line-up goes like this:

On Saturday, 10.24.09, at Showbox at the Market, Ghostface Killah headlines a show that also features Town dudes They Live!, 503 feel-good outfit Animal Farm (who I’m pretending I’ve heard of, but in reality I just sampled their sh*t on Myspace — I like!), and 206 rapper Cheezaleo (who I won’t even pretend to be hip to).

Ghostface Killah Showbox Flyer

A few weeks ago I finally took a listen to some of They Live!’s material (go to their blog here for a bunch of FREEBIES). They’ve been dubbed “weed rap” by a few local blogs and writers and, I must report, it’s true. They rhyme about (and presumably smoke) weed on a very consistent basis. I expected to be bored (and hungry). Surprisingly, I was not. They Live! are just good got-damn party music. And I should have known better than to doubt them, if only for the fact Seattle hip-hop renaissance man, Larry Mizell, Jr. is mixed-up in their shenanigans. Props to They Live!

This pic by Rabid Child Images and stolen by me from They Live!'s Myspace page.

This pic by Rabid Child Images and stolen by me from They Live!'s Myspace page.

Also on Saturday the 24th, and this time in NY (my current home, in case you didn’t know), Blue Scholars is scheduled to play the Duck Down NYC Showcase at The Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan. (I say “scheduled” because I’m hearing reports now that they might have backed out. As of this writing they’re still listed, but I’ll update if the opposite is confirmed. UPDATE, 10.20.09, 11:12 pm: a little Twitter told me that Geo will be there solo to rock a short set — and I’m not talking about the kind Fresh Prince buys at the mall in “Summertime.”) With ELEVEN different acts, this show will be bonkers. Click the photo below and check the list. I wonder how much stage time our dood will even see?

Duck Down Showcase NYC

And finally, on the same night at The Suffolk, D. Black, Grynch, Champagne Champagne, and THEESatisfaction will play a Seattle showcase for CMJ. Here’s a good write-up on Publicola about the evening. How’s about that for an opportunity for Seattle hip-hop to shine?

CMJ Festival NYC

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Hawaii 808

hawaii_satelliteSome more OOF! EP sh*t from Blue Scholars. (I’ve been posting a lot about BS lately — I swear this is not a fanboy site for them dudes. Their sh*t is continual dope, though, that cannot be denied…)

(UPDATE, 8.5.09, 11.35am: And here’s a story from the Seattle Weekly that gives the best explanation, to date, of the deal struck between Duck Down Records and Caffe Vita.)

(UPDATE, 8.5.09, 5:35pm: And a little video preview of the OOF! EP. I’m diggin’ the marketing campaign, thus far. Thanks, Duck Down!

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BCC + DTA + BS = ?

What do Boot Camp Clik, a Double Tall Americano, and Blue Scholars have in common?

A lot, apparently. They’re the latest creative collaboration to hit the hot Seattle pavement this summer. Click here for the gory details.

Our boys Geo and Sabzi have never gone the traditional record deal route (and that’s partially why we love ’em), but this partnership between Duck Down Records and Caffe Vita looks to be the most interesting to come around thus far.

Distribution by Rawkus last go ’round was cool. Partly because it was nice to see Blue Scholars get so much shine nationally. (I came across a few copies of Bayani in the hip-hop section at the Virgin Megastore — may she rest in peace — last year in Times Square, not to mention that beacon of hip-hop independence, Fat Beats, in Greenwich Village.)

Honestly, though, I was a little scurred that it was the start of something bigger; something nefarious. Something that might even result in their hasty departure from the Emerald City and *gasp* normal rotation on MTV2. Then I remembered that it was Blue Scholars. “Sell-out” is simply not a term in their vernacular (knock on wood). Also, MTV2 doesn’t even f*cking play videos anymore, so whatever. It was all paranoia on my part, anyway. (Plus, even De La eventually had to go a little commercial to get paid.)

Anyway, this new partnership is cool. Duck Down has been a standard-bearer in hip-hop (as was Rawkus, of course). And I used to hit Caffe Vita every morning on my way to work. Which reminds me: what the hell does coffee have to do with any of this??!! Judging by Geo’s somewhat esoteric blog post, I presume their role is of financier. Speculation abounds.

In any event, I’ll be checking for the OOF! EP on August 25th and so should you.

Stay UP!

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