What's upper!  I just got the official word from my homeboy, Marc Matsui of www.brainstormbattle.com that I'm gettin' an all expense paid trip back home to Seattle this coming September 3rd-6th to be a guest judge at their Brainstorm MC/B-boy Battle! Yo, this is the weekend of one of Seattle's biggest events called Bumpershoot & I feel honored & so excited to be going back home to see my friends, fans & family once again. I'll keep you posted on the event if you plan to be in the neighborhood. I do know Nas & Public Enemy are scheduled to perform at that event & I can't wait to see them too. Stay tuned & Seattle, I'm coming home!... A big congratulations goes out to my lil' brother in Hip-Hop, DJ Imperial aka Rich Lawson from KSMU in Springfield, MO on the recent birth of his baby girl, Sophia Marie Lawson. She was born on July 25th at 10:15am & weighing in at 6 lbs & 14 oz.. This is Rich's 3rd baby & I wish him & his family all the best. You can hit up DJ Imperial online to give him his Big Poppa-san props at:  dj_imperial@hotmail.com... Anyone peepout last weeks Democratic convention outta Boston! I'm not really one who's into politics, but after watching former President Bill Clinton & our next leaders in the White House speak, John Kerry & John Edwards, I was blown away & ready to put my vote in. Spread the word & this year VOTE... Ok, my new favorite TV show has got to be HBO's "Entourage." Loosley based on Mark Wahlberg's (Marky Mark) life. Whoever casted these four kats & wrote the script gets a big thumbs up. Peep it every Sunday night for a new & exciting episode... Last Friday here in the valley in Cali, the spot to be was at Basement Records where the Visionaries tore ish up on the mic & greeted an over packed house of Visionaries fans. On that note make sure you peep out the VISIONARIES "IF YOU CAN'T SAY LOVE VIDEO" online because (EVERYTIME YOU WATCH THIS VIDEO, IT HELPS THE VISIONARIES- the more times it's downloaded to watch, the more chances it has to air on MTV2.) Here's the links:

 MTVU.com - http://www.mtvu.com/music/freshmen/

MTV.COM - http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/visionaries/artist.jhtml

Much love from the VISIONARIES & RapAttackLives.com. Support underground Hip-Hop & log onto their site too at: www.upabove.com...The Real Live Show is a Hip-Hop/funk band born in New York City and ready to make some big noise this year on our Rap Attack panel's 1s & 2s. They've got three cuts I recently peeped "Shop Rockin'," "Too This" & "Shake Down" which are all off the heezy. Formed in 2001, The Real Live Show is a collective unit of 2 lyricists/emcees and a 7-piece jazz/funk ensemble. Each member boasts his own distinct musical styling and undeniable talent combining to create onstage charismatic synergy and a sound/experience that can only be called The Real Live Show. Mugshot Magazine writes, “Real Live Show music has its own distinct personality, evident by the way they move the crowd …a sound so refreshing, vibrant and alive, you can’t help but smile.”This band consists of members: Tarus Mateen, primary bass player, produced and performed for Outkast, Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton and Christina Aguilera. Additional bass provided by jazz great Eric Revis of the Branford Marsalis Quintet. On drums, jazz legend and Grammy award winner Greg Hutchinson. Also on drums is Terreon Gully. On keys are Raymond Angry and James Hurt. Angry is among the most sought-after keyboardists in live music, following his successful tours with Joe, Me'Shell N’degeocello, Kelis and the late great Ray Charles. James Hurt produced and performed with Q-Tip and Bilal.On guitar is “World” Thor Madsen of Wax Poetic. Wax Poetic's latest release on Ultra Records features N'Dea Davenport, U-Roy and the single "Angels" featuring Norah Jones. Pascal Zumaque, flutist and producer-extraordinaire. Produced for the likes of Latin sensation Marc Anthony. Colt Seavers, first class DJ spinning at venues such as Lotus and Lot 61, also in house DJ for several MTV and VH1 events. Coming soon to a turntable near you!... De La Soul will release their 8th LP, "The Grind Date," with a high-end signing to the Matthew Knowles-headed Sanctuary Urban Records Group. The group is also producing a custom shoe with Nike called the 'De La Dunk' & will teach a class on Hip-Hop this Fall at NYU. "The Grind Date" hits stores 9/28 & features Spike Lee, Common, MF Doom, Ghostface & others... Old school heads should remember Rod Edwards aka RoddyRod from back in the Tommy Boy Records days. Well he is back & now doing his Radio Promotions thing over at L.A.'s Jive Records headquarters! You can reach Rod at (310) 358-4255 or online at: rod.edwards@jiverecords.com. Hit him up if you need Jive product... My homegirl Shemia from Shemia Miller & Associates offers the opportunity to get your show ideas and press releases to the Oprah Winfrey Show & more. Before you invest time and money with press release services that can't guarantee results, it is time to see what everyone is talking about with Shemia Miller & Associates. At a steady pace, Shemia Miller & Associates is becoming the leading Marketing & Business consultant firm for African Americans across the globe. With a success rate of 95% story content placement, and 100% returned calls back, Shemia Miller & Associates has landed a call back from The Oprah Winfrey Show. Ms. Miller, CEO explains, "This exciting news came about after the staff pitched a show via phone about Kanye West. One of the talent executives called back immediately, we are still hopeful that The Oprah Winfrey show will place Mr. West on the show about his controversial 'Jesus Walks' video. But we are simply satisfied with The Oprah Winfrey Show being interested in our client Rana Walker. Although Ms. Walker couldn't appear on the show it left the entire team glowing." Headquartered in Savannah Georgia, Shemia Miller & Associates is a nationally recognized company. Shemia Miller & Associates have innovative media techniques and strategies, investment and loan programs, alignment with companies that offer sponsorship, grant research and grant proposals, top of the line entertainment management opportunities that includes creating shows and pitching them to major networks, Community Development and Assessment Program to ensure that the Non Profit truly gains monies for it's experience, consulting firm specializing in strategic research planning and implementation. This company receives immediate results. For information log onto her website at: http://www.shemia.net or you can call her at: (912) 356-5392 or online at: shemia@shemia.net... P.B.T. is a hungry & new promising artist outta the ATL who's already stirring up a buzz & his 12" vinyl ain't even dreopped yet! His debut joint "Baby Momma (Projekt Chik) on Lavish Records will be hittin' our Rap Attack panel in a couple weeks. The b-side banger "I Luv Atlanta" may be considered a regional hit but could possibly be the new anthem for the ATL! For copies, hit up Tracy Randall online at: lavishrecordsllc@aol.com... Nacirema Records are now taking requests for El Gant interviews, freestyles, drops or anything else you need. I appreciate all the love you have given El Gant through the years & especially on his most recent record "All That I Got" and "Pressure." So hit up Omar "The Big O" Hamilton at: OHPsalms1@aol.com , his 2WAY: BigOhamilton@tmail.com or call 212 713-5421... Peep this from www.Mixtape.com: "I am emailing you because I run an online urban clothing store that features mainly underground urban fashions inspired by the elements of Hip-Hop culture. Emcees, DJs, B-boys, Graffiti. I would love it if you joined my affiliate program As a member of the MIXTAPE.COM affiliate sales team, you'll receive 10% of all sales from customers clicking through to MIXTAPE.COM from your site. Once you've registered, you'll receive everything you need to create links from your site to MIXTAPE.COM. Joining the program is free, and you can cancel anytime." For more information about the program, feel free to look at our affiliate agreement. Read through the agreement, fill out the simple form at the bottom of this page, pick up banner code for your site, and you're on the road to riches!
Click here for to sign up : http://mixtape.com/affiliate.htm...

Here are some of the tour dates for The Procussions, Time Machine, Insight and Edan. If any djs want to do interviews or ticket giveaways on your show, please hit up my dawg Papa-Dizzle at: papad@brickrecords.com
DON’T SLEEP TOUR! Presented by Mixwell/Scion:
Aug 2@Lee’s Palace, Toronto, Ont
Aug 4@TBA, Harrisburg, PA
Aug 5@Pirate’s Cove, Cleveland OH
Aug 7@Schuba’s, Chicago IL
Aug 8@ Ascott Room, Minneapolis, MN
Aug 10@ Fox Theatre, Boulder CO
Aug 11@Cervantes, Denver CO
Aug 13@ Lo-Fi, Salt Lake City UT
Aug 17@ Red Devil Lounge, San Francisco, CA

Here are the NATIONAL DATES FOR The Shure Inc./Vinyl Kombat DJ Battle & for more information go to: www.vinylkombat.com:
Aug 5: The Showbox, Seattle
Aug. 8: Nation, Washington DC
August 19: The Metro, Chicago

Rap Attack takes a "WHAT'S UPPER" look this week with DJ Raw-B (KUSF-SF): "What up peoples!? Hope all is good with you and yours. I got some pretty exciting news for you and myself. I was recently hired at a subdivision of CNET called http://www.Download.com. It is essentially the website that has filled the void of what MP3.com used to be. I will be the Hip Hop publisher/editor. This is an excellent way to promote your music to millions of people for free. And since I will be handling most of the hip hop reviews I'll make sure to get you and your artists maximum exposure. Currently we are only excepting music in the MP3 format. So if you've got MP3's then download them to the site at www.music.download.com  or you can send the MP3's directly to me Rob.Blach@CNET.com Please only use this email for sending MP3's.Although I'll miss the days of waking up at 11am and only working 3 days a week, I had to jump at this opportunity. And YES...I will still be doing our weekly radio show Beatsauce as well as spinning at various clubs throughout the Area (but probably only on the weekends). Please reach out if you have any questions. Thanks for spreading the word. I've gotten a lot of responses. In the future can you have folks go to www.download.com click on the MUSIC link and upload their MP3's, bio, and imagery there. I would do the production for each individual myself but I didn't anticipate the overwhelming response. If they do that I'll still be able to review their material and publish it on the website. It's better that way because they have the bio and imagery along with the MP3's which gives them a better shot of not getting buried in the website. Thanks again for all your help. I really hope people utilize this opportunity"... NOTE: The following letter originally was written back in March 2004. I'm just seeing it now for the first time from Darren Beckford (KUCR-CA): "Due to politics, the FCC nd paranoia, I will no longer be with KUCR. This means that I will no longer be the Hip-Hop music director for the station. It’s a sad day for me after being with the station for 5 years. Because of this entire FCC/indecency ruling, I had been planning on leaving KUCR (but not now) because the environment just felt uncomfortable since then. I guess fate has decided for me. It sucks though because I’ve been dedicated to the station even after moving out of Riverside and stayed on as music director without compensation since last August. I’ve been trying to keep a positive attitude about this (and not burn any bridges) in thinking that this will lead me to bigger and better things. But in all, if I have to go, I have to go. Also, please keep me on your email list but send it to sonicd@excite.com. This way, I can still be in the know of what’s out there. I’m also online on AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). My screen name there is BigD2006. I’m also not sure if the station will be doing any more Hip-Hop reporting because the general manager pretty much cancelled all its urban programming (ain’t that something). If you want to get at me for anything in the future, here’s my info:

 Darren Beckford

310.612.6732 - cell

Thank you for being cool with me and I hope we can still keep in contact even though I won’t be affiliated with the station"... DJ Honeycut is no longer with KPSU in Portland, OR. Here's KPSU's new Hip-Hop Director's info P.O. Box & a street address: 

Jay Butler KPSU
PO Box 751-sd
Portland, Oregon 97207

OR

5716 SE Boise St
Portland, OR 97206
Email - Jbut@pdx.edu
Phone - 503 725 4071

You can now reach Reggie Love from Boca Raton, FL's WOWL at: (561) 297-0453... Here's Rap Attack Mixtape Reporter, DJ Mor's new mailing address:

 DJ Mor (Underground Army)

 PO Box 656753

Fresh Meadows, NY  11365

Chela (WKNC-NC): " It was great to catch up with everybody I ran into in NYC last week. Shouts to Corporate Ken, Buddha, Nathan Sheard, Jessica, Mike Money, Travis, Chiko, Kristi, Rene, Dave House, Dove, DJ Splif, OP, Romeo, Angie, A-Beats, Freddy EQ, Kuttin Kandi, MF Grimm, Scram Jones, Chocolate Thai, Saigon, Nicolay, Kev Brown, 9th, Jean Grae, Supreme, Wordsworth, Kaseem, Dan Shores and everybody else who I forgot. The Rap Attack Panel is buzzing with news that Interscope has dropped servicing the panel. Apparently Interscope records didn't see their material on our charts enough. Please, major labels, give us your priorities. If you don't, Rap Attack DJs won't be able to look out for your records as a unit, you won't see your material on our collective chart, and will be less likely to see your material on our individual charts. I am much more likely to chart a record in a top position if I know it is getting pushed for a certain spot. Sony and Def Jam are the only major labels that give me any kind of priorities and Sony is all over the college charts because they tell us what records to push at a certain position each week. I tend not to play on college radio records that are getting a lot of commercial radio spins or video play so that I can use college radio, what is thought of as a secondary market, to put people on to quality new or slept on music, whether independent or commercial. However, I need club records as well, and am starting to include in my weekly charts a list of the new club tracks that are bubbling here in North Carolina. Look out for Twip in this month's Source Magazine. Twip, out of Durham, NC, is an MC signed to Iced Records with a video out called "Stage Dive". It was featured last week at www.bet.com, and is getting some play as well. Ya'll can check for me, cast as the DJ. The Holla Point "Answer Back" contest is in full effect--an MC I DJ for, Shelly B, did a crazy track that caught the attention of the A & R's at Sony. If anybody wants to hear the track or put it into rotation, let me know!"... Dan Shores (WHRW-NY): " I have to also say a thanks to everyone I saw this weekend who helped contribute to making my short stay in NYC a great one. I never do this because theres always someone I miss and feelings get hurt, but - Shouts go to Elan, Ivan Woodson, A-Beats, Shaw, Jess, Chela, Freddy EQ, Wes Jackson, Pep Love,  Kwote,  Kimani Rogers,I con the Mic King, PackFM, Tonedeff, Session, Mecca, Pumpkinhead, Nicolay,P honte, Big Pooh, Pharoahe ,Jean Grae, DJ JS 1, Substantial, Wordsworth, Intext, Coyne, Abacus,Z ack at Halftooth,Primetime, Side Effect, Dj Lynch, John Woo and Planet Asia, G Proph ,Avee, Dj 3D, Chops, Kenn Starr, Oddisee, Kev Brown Ninth Wonder, The Cozy's Soup and Burger and anyone I may have missed"... DJ Solo (WECI-IN): "DJ Toast, I give you mad props, I feel your thoughts on Interscope servicing, on what you had to say and when to say it and I am sure many of us hustlas in the college radio game feel the same way. I don't know who is running the promotions @ Interscope, but be like the song and "WAKE UP". I call and get sent to Garrett Williams, but no answer. Then I spend time and contact Chunk, I am told to email him, that did no good. So I say, Shady have fun promoting your music on MTV, cuz BET barely plays it. So if your wanting to hear D-12, Jadakiss, anyone from the G-Unit crew listen elsewhere. Until I get them again, you will not here anything new from Interscope records. Sorry for the inconvience. Making a huge impact on the college market and nationwide is P.B.T., Lavish records breaking star coming to a table near you. Also still hiting big is Rap Attack's "Rock the Beat Vol.1," fellow DJ's are you supporting this project?"... Nate Abney (WKDU-PA.): "Well I did show up to Rocksteady granted it was only one event I actually went to, that being the outdoor show. That was cool I guess watching from outside. My man Reef won the battle and security interrupted a conversation I was having with Jess from Spectre(that only happens to me). The Beat Society was the hottest.I wasn't sure if I was believing what I was hearing because there were some bangers from all 4 of the producers. Sorry if I didn't get to see everyone, I spent alot of time hanging out with the 5G crew of course. "I, Robot" is just ok and there are alot of dope jawns in Brooklyn that I did not see the last time I was there. Euphoric Soundbites will continuing Wed 12-3am for all those who need a specific time there you have it"... Edgie Kokoski (WUNH-NH): "After a weekend in her evil grasp, the bright city of Montreal once again scorned me economically and shortened my lifespan by several years. The highlights included two massive hangovers, my buddy pitching a 5 foot tree out of a 5th story hotel window, and the first cab driver I encountered offering to take my friends and I to a place where we could "make sex with girls". Just what I need to test my already shakey morals!  never thought I would see the day when I would hear Ma$e, Eminem and Lil Jon on the same track but that's exactly what I heard today on Terror Squad's "Lean Back Remix". This is the most mis-matched team up since Blondie & Mobb Deep! What's next, a remix featuring Nelly, Chuck D, and Master P? Jay-Z topped the VMA nominations with 6 for his work on "99 Problems". Aside from being one of the worst songs on "The Black Album" who wants to watch a video with that mountain man/reckloose Rick Rubin riding shotgun? Just goes to show: crap sells. With the DNC engulfing the city of Boston just south of me, I'm already sick of the New England TV stations "round the clock coverage". If you want to check out a funny non-partisan cartoon about George & John, go to www.jibjab.com"... Meddafore (Mixtape-PA): " Holla Point (signed to Sony) has a song out right now, called "Baby Mama" in a change up from her usual style and proving that - SHE CAN DO ANYTHING - Shannon Swain from my Forever Fam squad has cooked up a response track it's ghetto, it's cruunk, but cotdamnit she makes it hot. Peep it here: http://meddafore.com/ShannonSwain-BabyMama.mp3"... Brian "DJ Wicked" Coulombe (WBRS-MA): "Just a heads up if anyone is interested, this girl Nedelle who I've been working with to release a 7" is heading out on tour. Not a ton of dates, but it covers a good chunk of the US. Definitely check her out if you can and of course the 7" will be on sale during the tour! Dates are below... NEDELLE & THOM (recent signees to the Kill Rock Stars label)
August 2004
02 - Portsmouth, NH @ the Red Door
07 - New York, NY @ Pete's Candy Store
08 - New York, NY @ Knitting Factory (Old Office)
18 - Houston, TX @ Proletariat
19 - Austin, TX @ Flamingo Cantina
21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory/Alterknit Lounge

SHOUT OUT TIZIME: Happy Birthday this week to Sam Figueroa (WRSU-NJ) & my homegirl, Erika Walken aka Princess both celebrating their b'day on August 2nd. My Gung-Fu bro & SJ's original MixMaster, Ray Lum celebrating his b'day on August 6th & to Stuart de la Rosa from KAFM in CO. celebrating his b'day on August 7th! A-Rod (KJLA-Hip-Hop Show-I got your back dawg). Jamie Kennedy (great meeting you, I'm a big fan homie) & to Jayleen Sun ( I had a wonderful weekend with you. Thank you)!

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

Nasty-Nes

(Pinoy Pride4Life / John 3:16)