THE MESSAGE 2003 What do these three old schoolers all have in common? They're all OLD! (l-r): GrandMaster Melle Mel, Nasty-Nes & Micky Bentson (Pay Up Promotions).     WHO'S DEF?  These three were Def Jammin' in the Big Apple! (l-r): Bellingham, WA's DJ J-Tyme, Kimmy Blaze (Ms. Def Jamaica of NJ) & Rap Attack MixTape reporter DJ Yoshi!

[[ November 17, 2003  ]]

What's upper! I can't believe it's finally cold & raining here in Southern Cali! Comin' from Seattle, it is kinda nice but people out here be trippin' when it comes to driving on the streets & the news treats it like we're having a major storm! Trust me, we're not... To the Rap Attack reporting panel, because Thanksgiving is just around the corner, playlists will be due that week on a Wednesday, November 26th by 4pm (pst). The very last reporting day of this year will be on Thursday, December 10th by 4pm (pst). Please mark both dates on your calander... On a different non-related rap note, being a dj for well over 20 years, I'm very open & love all genres of music. I feel a true dj needs to be open minded & not just stick to one format of music. When I was recently in NY grubbin' at the ritzy soul food diner, Jezzables with a grip of our Rap Attack dj's, both Chris Hodkins from Denver's KGNU & I was lovin' the music (it was so relaxing) they kept playing it over & over on their sound system. I finally figured out who & what it was. Peep this cause it was just released last week, Ron Isley Presents Bacharach! Burt Bacharach wrote & produced endless amounts of hit records back in the 60's & 70's for artists like Dionne Warwick, BJ Thomas, Herb Alpert & The Carpenters. Ron Isley of course is the main voice behind the Isley Brothers. This album (thank you Dreamworks for lacing me!) features Ron Isley doing covers of Bacharachs' hits like "Alfie," Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," "The Look Of Love," "This Guys In Love With You," "Close To You" and "A House Is Not A Home." Ron Isley does an excellent job in redoing these classic hit singles & if you're into Ron Isley & the old school tracks Burt Bacharach wrote & produced, pick up a copy of this cd!...

Ok, on with this weeks Nasty News... Babygrande Records is pleased to announce the signing of the legendary hip-hop group Brand Nubian. Lord Jamar, Grand Puba and Sadat X are currently in the studio working on their fifth album which will be released by Babygrande sometime next year. “All of Brand Nubian’s albums are timeless works of art and their newest work continues in that tradition. It is truly an honor to work with a group that means so much to the hip-hop genre of music,” says Chuck Wilson of Babygrande. Babygrande will also look to release solo albums with each of the member, starting with Lord Jamar in early 2005. As you die hard hip-hop fans may remember, Brand Nubian was formed in 1989 in the New York suburb of New Rochelle. Grand Puba (born Maxwell Dixon) had previously recorded with a group called Masters of Ceremony, and was joined by Sadat X (born Derek Murphy, originally dubbed Derek X), Lord Jamar (born Lorenzo DeChalus), and DJ Alamo (Murphy's cousin). The group signed with Elektra and released their debut album, All for One, in 1990 which produced certified classic hit singles such as "All for One," "Slow Down," and "Wake Up." In 1992, Grand Puba made what would become a temporary departure from the group to release his solo debut, “Reel to Reel.” In 1998, with a new underground/alternative rap movement gaining prominence, the original four members of Brand Nubian reunited for the Arista album "Foundation," which received highly positive reviews. Log on to: WWW.BABYGRANDE.COM for more info & welcome back Brand Nubian... I'll be meeting with Interscope Records this week to get our panel back in effect with gettin' serviced with the label who continues to drop all the phat new releases. Our new contact person at Interscope is my dawg, Garrett Williams. You can reach him at (310) 865. 8051, on his 2way at 8777060634@skytel.com or online at: GARRETT.WILLIAMS@UMUSIC.COM  Now please be patient & polite with Garrett since he's just gettin' his feet wet in their Radio Promotions Dept.. Feel free to hit him up & introduce yourself to him & I will do my part to lock down our new panel of reporters with him & his boss, the infamous Kevin Black... There's a new artist on the block, Infa Red who's been down with the Conscious Daughters for years! Remember them? Infa Red's got a new single out "Keep It Real" (Infamous Ent.) featuring Kurupt. Off the single, I'm really feelin' the b-side "I Like It" which has got a dope Spanish hip-hop vibe to it. For more info in gettin' laced, you can holla at my homegirls Jo Jo or Annie B. over at Bryan Farrish Radio Promotions at (818) 905. 8038. Tell em' Rap Attack sent ya' & lemme know your feedback on Infa Red aiight!... Comin' to your turntables soon, straight outta Canada is the group IRS who I believe is gonna make some big noise out here. Their album "Welcome To Planet IRS" (Avatar/Universal Canada) is TIGHT. Lyrically, their unique hip-hop sound, a touch of impressive r&b voals & production are all on point. I'm not sure what single Avatar Records plans on releasing but their album track "No Hesitation" featuring Planet Asia and "Strictly For The Heads" are two joints that fits college rap radio formats perfectly. I'm going to need you to break this group IRS & their new single once you receive it. Log on to their site at: WWW.PLANETIRS.COM & stay tuned... The Wonder Twinz have been busy makin' noise with their show on the Sirius Satellite channel & they're gettin' ready to lace our panel with the new LordRoc joint "Roccolypse" (Skygod Ent.). You can also peep them out online at: WWW.SKYGODENT.COM... I just got an advanced copy of DE.'s own Lt. Dan's mix cd featuring all new tracks from the new & debut Troy Walsh (aka Mr. Unlikely) album "Country Clubbin'" (Burb Life). Troy suprised a bunch of us when he performed live at our recent Hip-Hop Showcase #3 in NY. He's got some solid hip-hop cuts & cuts that lean to the alternative tip, but he is very unique & I think will bring in a whole new generation of hip-hop fans. Lookout for his debut single, "Country Clubbin'" b/w "Runaway Train" & a bonus cut "Whispers." Troy is 100% down to do radio drops, so if you're interested, give him a shout online at: GETDOWN@BURBLIFE.COM... Northstar is hittin' the road tour with the Rza & Das EFX. Unfortunately their shows both here in L.A. & at Anaheim got cancelled cause the Rza was sick, but you can still peep them out. Here's their schedule:

18-Nov Tue Austin Stubbs
19-Nov Wed New Orleans Twiropa
20-Nov Thu Atlanta Earthlink Live
21-Nov Fri Bloomington IN Axis
22-Nov Sat Indianapolis The Patio
23-Nov Sun Pittsburgh Laga
24-Nov Mon Toronto Funhouse
25-Nov Tue Cleveland Peabodys
26-Nov Wed Cincinnati Top Cats
28-Nov Fri Milwaukee The Rave
29-Nov Sat Detroit Shelter
30-Nov Sun Louisville Headliners
2-Dec Tue Baltimore Fletchers
3-Dec Wed Providence Ultra
4-Dec Thu Northampton Mass Pearl Street
5-Dec Fri Boston Axis
8-Dec Mon Burlington VT Higher Ground
ESP Media member DLorand is finishing up his latest marketing tour and the Roots have been added to a couple of dates. Here are the dates:
Atlanta - Thurs, Nov 20 - 10pm @ Eleven50 - Dieselboy

 

SPECTREMUSIC.COM presents "SCRATCH TOUR 2003." For more info log on here:
SCRATCH TOUR 2003
2003 TOUR ITINERARY

DATE: MARKET: VENUE: CAP:
Tue-Nov-18 Winooski, VT Higher Ground 550 x, z, jay + qbert
Wed-Nov-19 New York, NY BB Kings 1000 x, z, jay + qbert
Thu-Nov-20 BOSTON, MA AVALON 1800 x, z, jay + qbert
Fri-Nov-21 Philadelphia, PA TLA 760 x, z, jay + qbert
Sat-Nov-22 Washington, DC 930 Club 1200 x, z, jay + qbert

x = xecutioners
z = z-trip
jay = jazzy jay

SHOUT OUT TIZIME: Happy B'day to Doug Dilly at KXCI in Tucson, AZ. R.I.P. to Art Carney who played Jackie Gleason's sidekick as the character, Norton on the classic TV show "The Honeymooners." He was one of the funniest & comical actors of all time.

PEACE, LOVE & HIP-HOP UNITY (God Bless & Isa Mahal),

Nasty-Nes

(Pinoy Pride4Life / John 3:16)