CGY! 59! CGY! 59!

Dragon Fli Empire's Calgary anthem track "CGY" off of the Intermission EP was ranked #59 on CBC Radio 3's top 103 songs of 2008! The song just happens to be part of the inspiration for this blog. Some notables on the list are listed below:

1 Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate
2 Chad Van Gaalen - Willow Tree (Calgary!)
3 Cadence Weapon - In Search Of The Youth Crew (Hip hop!)
11 Shad - The Old Prince Still Lives At Home (Hip hop!)
42 Sweatshop Union - Time Machine (Hip hop!)
46 Jane Vain & the Dark Matter - C'mon Baby... (Calgary!)
59 Dragon Fli Empire - CGY (Calgary! Hip hop!)
69 The Summerlad - City of Noise (Calgary!)
76 Ghostkeeper - Mr. No Show (Calgary!)
77 Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir - Go Back Home (Calgary!)
78 Woodpigeon - Piano Pieces for Adult Beginners (Calgary!)

Tomorrow: Thought Express New Years Eve Party @ Julliards!

Looking good...

Lord Finesse - Keep the Crowd Listening (DJ Premier Remix)

Free download of a fresh remix by one legendary artist of another legendary artist. In Primo's own words:

"FROM THE LORD FINESSE REMIX LP COMING 2010....HERE IS ONE OF THE FIRST CUTS WHICH IS PART OF THE REMIX EP...... AVAILABLE NOW DUE TO HIGH REQUESTS OF THIS RECORDING.....BUY THE EP, YOU GET THE LIMITED EDITION VINYL OF THIS SONG......GOTTA GIVE IT TO LORD FINESSE ON THE MARKETING....GOOD IDEA"

CGY Hotspot: Tubby Dog

Tubby Dog - 1022 17th Ave. SW
The only place I know of where you can get a hot dog with Captain Crunch, Peanut Butter and Jam. You gotta try it at least once!

Mental Illness playlist DEC 21 2008

Tracklist for the Christmas-themed Mental Illness (see right column for show info):

Menahan Street Band – Birds
Mulatu Astake & The Heliocentrics – Gulubye
The Heliocentrics – Winter Song
The Souljazz Orchestra – Amen
Tanya Morgan – Be You
Raashan Ahmad – Peace
BSTC – Suffering and smiling
J Boogies Dubtronic Science ft. Zumbi – For Your Love
Incise ft. Tunji – True Greatness
Abyssnian Creole – South Side
Organized Konfusion – Fudge Pudge
Del ft. Pep Love and Q-tip – Undisputed Champs
Dooley-O – Headbanger’s Ball
Pharcyde – Officer
Gang Starr – Just To Get a Rep
GZA – Liquid Swards
Common Sense – Resurrection
Grand Puba – I Like It
Rascalz – Quest for a Rhyme
Prince Paul ft. Chubb Rock, Wordsworth & MF Doom – People, Places and Things
UMC’s – One To Grow On
Biz Markie – Kung Fu
Frankie Cutlass – The Cipher pt. 3
Eric B & Rakim – Mahogany
Pete Nice & Daddy Rich – Kick the Bobo
A Trice Called Quest – Scenario
Naughty by Nature – Uptown Anthem
Funkdoobiest – Doobie to the Head
The Busy Boys – Funky Fresh Christmas
Count Basie – Good Morning Blues(remix)
Kurtis Blow – Funky Fresh Christmas
James Brown – Go Power at Christmas Time
Snoop Dogg – Santa Claus Always Comes to the Ghetto
Soul Saints – Santa Got a Bag of Soul
Run DMC – Christmas in Hollis
Jimmy Smith – God Rest Ye Merry Soul(Oh No remix)
Georgia Ann Muldrow – The Kwanza Song
Nina Simone – Chilly Winds Don’t Blow(remix)
Super Jay – Santa’s Party Rap
Danny – And I Love H.E.R.
Madlib – Disco Dance

Dela - Atmosphere Airlines Vol. 2 (free 99)

Up and coming producer Dela (straight outta France) touches down with his second installment of the Atmosphere Airlines series of mixtapes. This one features plenty of hot remixes plus some new music featuring Blu, Supastition and others. Click here to download.

403's Finest- Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi

Here's a brief Q&A with DFE's "Outside Inn" video director, Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi.

What were your personal highlights of '08?

My personal highlights of 2008 would have to be finishing up my stint at the Quickdraw Animation Society as the team leader for the Youth Animation Project, my on-going work on a short animated film with the Original Rudes crew, and of course making the music video for Dragon Fli Empire's Outside Inn. But on the a personal note I would have to say meeting a fine group of likeminded artists and filmmakers in our fine city to further collab with.

What's on deck for '09?

2009 is the year. I have a ridiculous amount of projects lined up each of which I am super excited about. I will hopefully have 2 short films done, one feature doc close to done, and hopefully a load more music videos as those are the projects I enjoy the most.

Top 3 spots in Calgary

My three favorite spots in C-town would have to be; The back of my Dad’s store ‘Frame for Less’ on Centre Street, my dining room studio in my apartment, and the on air booth at CJSW radio 90.9 FM.

For more info please check out www.nurfilms.net

Could use a chinook right about now...

Count Bass D - Neon Soul (Video)

Fresh new animated video by the original Tennessee hip hop titan Count Bass D. You can't really go wrong with this guy- too much flavour!

Photo Recap - DFE opening for America's Best Dance Crew @ Mac Hall

Tonight - America's Best Dance Crew @ Mac Hall + Dragon Fli Empire!!!

All bboys, bgirls and b"fans"... the America's Best Dance Crew Tour hits Mac Hall in Calgary tonight... for all of you that watched the series on Muchmusic, top crews Super Cr3w, Soreal Cru, Fanny Pak and Supreme Soul will be performing. As an added bonus, Dragon Fli Empire has been added on as a last minute opener along with Audible Intelligence. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Main Source - Lost Science (Audio)

Some lost recordings from Main Source's first attempt at a follow-up to Breaking Atoms, a never-completed album called The Science (with Extra P still in the fold) have been unearthed by a British record label and put on a 7-inch entitled Lost Science. Snippets and a link for more info below.

Source: Soul Strut

Raashan Ahmad - Peace (Video)

"Peace" is the first video off of Raashan Ahmad's latest album The Push. Great beat, great animation, great message... check it out! Raashan is featured on Dragon Fli Empire's new album Redefine, check out the track "The Ride" on our MySpace page.

Mental Illness playlist DEC 14 2008

What’s good folks? Mental Illness is a radio show hosted by myself that can be heard live every Sunday from 3-6 PM MST on CJSW 90.9 fm or on http://www.cjsw.com/ world wide. It’s a variety show based on a love for Hip Hop’s golden era, although you will hear much more than just classic rap. In fact you'll hear a sophisticated mix of Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk, Soul, Afrobeat, and Reggae from the past, present and future. Whether you wear baggy jeans, tight jeans, shell toes or flip flops, you’ll be feeling the mix! Cosm

Camp Lo – Park Joint
Azeem – Going Dumb vs Going Brazil
Zion I – Juicy Juice
Black Grass – Without Your Love
Presto ft Blu – Pour Another Glass
Percee P – Let the Homicides Begin
Jake One ft Elzhi and Royce the 5’9 – Glow
Mayer Hawthorn and the County – When I Said Goodbye
Moka Only – Tit 4 A Tat
Ultramagnetic MCs – Give the Drummer Some
Eryka Badu – The Cell
Beastie Boys – Root Down
Shawn Jackson – First Of All
C.R.A.C. – Respect
Jungle Brothers – 40 Below Trooper
The Cool Kids – Pump Up the Volume
Menahan Street Band – Make the Road by Walking
Devin the Dude – Thinkin’ Boutchu
Rhymefest – Sister
Ice T – You Played Yourself
Evidence – The Layover
Third Bass – Derelicts of Dialect (sd50’s rmx)
Sly & Robbie/Amp Fiddler – Crazy Day
Kid Cudi ft Wale – Is There Any Love
Keelay and Zaire ft Tunji – Addicts For Real
EPMD – Bac Stabbers
Iomos Marad ft J Live – Appetite to Write
New Jack Hustle – Surprise
The Roots – Do You Want More?!!?!?!
Plantlife – Sumthin About Her
Aloe Blacc – Find A Way
Raphael Saadiq – 100 Yard Dash
Frankie Numi ft Wildchild – A Wild Child in the K Zoo
Universal Soul – Way Back in the Day
Common – Changes
Q-tip ft Norah Jones – Life is Better
The Primeridian ft Naledge – Bucktown (city of wind)
Black Milk – Bounce
K’Naan ft Chubb Rock – ABC’s
Mighty Underdogs – Want you Back
Ohmega Watts – What it’s Worth
The Bamboos – The Side Stepper
The Budos Band – His Girl
The Sugarman 3 ft Large Pro – Bosco’s Blues (remix)
Connie Price and the Keystones ft Myka 9 – High Life
Del the Funky Homosapien – Hold You Back
The Souljazz Orchestra – People People

403's Finest- thekidbelo

403's Finest will highlight some of the freshest talent this city has to offer. Here's a brief Q&A with visual artist thekidbelo.

What were your personal highlights of '08?

Personal highlights of 2008 were: My trip to Montreal in Feb, my trip with Tyler Power down to LA to see RD in June, my trip to New York to chill with Tim Okamura in Sept, receiving Visual Artist of the Year for 2008 by FFWD Magazine, being able to rock the spot out in Kelowna with my OG Crew mates Star and Law, being put down in ASK out Bristol, UK, painting the Rise Above mural with roommate and friend Darcy Obokata amongst a bunch of other things (like doing up the DFE album cover, suckas!)

What's on deck for '09?

What's on the deck thus far is more art, art, art. I have a collab show in Vancouver in May with Tim Okamura and another in October in Toronto. It's gonna be dope. I may have a solo show in May here as well, we'll see. Launching more of my line, Le HVY Styl Est and hopefully launching my other website with my business partners, openyawn.com!!! Oh yeah, fellas be asking me to rhyme again - so we'll see about that.

Top 3 spots in Calgary

I would go with top 3 spots being my apartment/studio, any one of my friend's homes and my parent's house. Every place else is a meeting, eating, dancing, shopping spots - and there's some goodies in town! Cheers!

For more info please check out www.thekidbelo.com

Clipse strike back at their 7.6...

Virginia brothers The Clipse (coming to Calgary in January) have struck back at what they perceived to be a negative review of their latest free mixtape on the online blog Pitchfork. Some entertaining dialogue in this exchange... here's a taste...

Pitchfork:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/147928-clipse-road-to-till-the-casket-drops

Thing is, once upon a time, Clipse were able to do girl records, or something like them, anyway, in a way that didn't just turn the songs into morbid jokes. With breakout single "Grindin'", Malice and Pusha established the dead-eyed coke-talk they're still running with six years later. But they also made "When the Last Time", one of this century's greatest club jams. On that and a handful of other Lord Willin' tracks-- songs released in 2002, when the duo had something to do with the commercial rap landscape-- Clipse seemed totally genuine talking about how club night was one of the reasons they loved life, and their cold monotones worked just as well on frothy dance-pop tracks as on harshly mechanical tough-guy (stuff). That was them on Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You", after all.

The Clipse's response:
http://reupgangrecords.net/blog/2008/12/12/76/

...there’s a prevailing theory that targeting women as the main consumer/enjoyer of hiphop proved the genre’s biggest misstep. Once you start catering, when you worry more about how your product is received versus your own, organic creative process, you should simply drop the mic. Since when was making a successful club/girl record a measure of a rapper’s talent? Instead, that’s an inversion of the intent. Hiphop from its genesis was a meritocracy—a bunch of dudes lined up in a sweatbox trying to outshine the next man. Their aim wasn’t MTV rotation or club spins; it was renown around their hoods.

Reviewers beware! What's interesting about this response is that it isn't a typical artist's response to a bad review (temper tantrum). The Clipse will be playing in Calgary at the Tequila on Sunday, January 18th.

CGY Hotspot: Recordland

Recordland - 1208 9th Avenue SE
Calgary's best selection of wax, any digger who comes through town has to make a stop or several at this Inglewood mecca. When our buddy Ohmega Watts came in 2006 to rock at the HiFi, this was the only place he wanted to go, forget about any regular tourist trap. Check out this video interview I did with him on the art of digging while he was raiding Recordland.

Masta Ace speaks on composing 'The Symphony'

Dope video featuring the legendary Masta Ace speaking on the creation of one of hip hop's classic posse cuts. Ace is featured on the new Dragon Fli Empire album Redefine, coming in January '09! Check out the interview HERE.

Metawon - Electric Dyslexic (free 99)

CGY's own Metawon (straight outta' Silver Springs) dropped this crazy digital-only instrumental album through the good folks at Neferiu Records earlier this year... and best of all, it's free. Great mood music while you're trying to get things done. He also produced the Headphones Remix on Dragon Fli Empire's Intermission EP and some co-production on Redefine. Look out in '09 for more fresh releases from this talented beatmaker, including his compilation album Choplifter.
Get Electric Dyslexic for free now.

The Roots moving to late night?

It's official, The Roots are going to be the new Late Night house band. The background is this: Jay Leno is moving on to better things and Conan O'Brien is taking over the Tonight Show. Jimmy Fallon (of SNL fame) is taking over for O'Brien's Late Night slot. Very interesting news.

The Roots were officially introduced as the house band on the video clip linked below, and it will be interesting to see how they get along with Fallon's gags and whether or not this will help or hinder their recording career (I say recording because though their album sales may have started to lag, their live shows are still a hot commodity). Interestingly enough, Black Thought is part of the band in the video, and isn't known so much for his singing chops, which is normally what late night show bands feature... perhaps he'll take more the hype man/occasional rapper approach and leave the singing to Captain Kirk. Time will tell. In a perfect world, the exposure would earn them a whole new army of fans and their next album will go double platinum so they can keep pumpin' out the classics. We shall see...

Source: 2dopeboyz

Prince Ali - Rhythmicism BLVD (free 99)

Here's a new EP courtesy of Toronto's Prince Ali. It's the straight goods.
http://www.mediafire.com/?cdalmyyjddw

Grey Cup Win = The "Dead" Mile

The biggest sporting achievement of any Calgary-based franchise in 2008 was without a doubt Henry Burris and the Stampeders finally pulling through and getting a Grey Cup (only the Stamps sixth ever). Ultimate Canadian football supremacy should equal one ultimate party, right?

Well, I wanted to check this theory out, and ventured down to the place where Calgarians are supposed to celebrate great sporting achivements en masse, the infamous Red Mile (17th Ave. SW). Traffic was normal and not many people seemed to care. A few car honks and one tiny gathering outside of Classic Jack's (which was the only thing the poor CFCN-TV cameraman could capture to represent a celebration). That's it. Every other car seemed to be a police cruiser, as it seemed like the cops also gave the fans more credit than they obviously deserved. Why was this the case? The weather wasn't terrible. The team had an incredible season.

The answer in my opinion is simple- this is a one-sport city. Flames or nothing. The Stamps are okay, but Calgarians just aren't as emotionally-attached to football... maybe if the Grey Cup was held in the city and the Stamps won it would be different... I'd like to think so. Well, maybe the Flames can get one series win this year and finally re-ignite the 'Mile'.

Dragon Fli Empire - Outside Inn ft. Cadence Weapon (Video)

Our debut video for the Redefine album, featuring none other than Cadence Weapon. This video was directed by the homie Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi and features some cool local cats including my brother and sisters, Ryan Josue at illmovements, Cam the Wizzard, Cure126 and others.

Birdapres - Toothpaste EP (free 99)

Vancouver/Winnipeg veteran emcee Birdapres is back with "Toothpaste", an EP produced entirely by Thizzy Asper. Bird continues to put out great material and is definitely one of the nation's most slept-on hip hop talents. The title track especially is getting major play in the pod. Download it for free (but feel free to make a donation).

Tracklist:

1. The End Of Your Starting
2. Cozy
3. Bridge & Tunnels
4. A Pocket Full Of Cobras (Feat. Evil)
5. Duncemeat
6. Three Four
7. Toothpaste Commercial
8. Toothpaste
9. Hey…………….Props

Don't worry... winter didn't forget about us...

It may not be this bad... but it feels pretty close. Before Sunday morning, the weather was beautiful, a Decemeber to remember. Yeah, it didn't "look a lot like Christmas", but that was fine with me. I get fooled every time. I think "maybe winter might be giving us a break for awhile". But this is the Great White North. And now we can really experience a White Christmas. Sigh.