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Ice-T, Grandmaster Caz & Chuck D at Sundance

Ice-T, Chuck D and Grandmaster Caz are scheduled to perform at the Sundance Institute's annual Celebration of Music in Film on January 21 in Park City, Utah. Their performances are to celebrate Ice-T's documentary "Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap," co-directed by Andy Baybutt, which examines the craft and skill of the music with input from Afrika Bambaataa, Nas, Mos Def, Eminem, Chuck D, KRS-One, Run-DMC, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg. It is the first time rap has been featured at the event, which in recent years has seen Lou Reed, Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt and Patti Smith headline. Sundance Film Music Program director Peter Golub and Lionsgate's head of film music Tracy McKnight program the event. In addition, the Sundance Institute will, for the first time, present live

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DJ Qbert heading out on the Bass Bizarre World Tour

Four time DMC World Champion, DJ Qbert and two time UK beatbox Champion Reeps One, have joined forces to create for the Bass Bizarre World Tour. The tour is designed as a free form musical experience where performance and technique are balanced. The two will mix the sounds of dubstep, Hip-Hop and drum n bass in free form for concert goers. The Bass Bizarre World Tour is what DJ Qbert’s calls his most musically diverse performance project to date and it represents a new chapter in his quest to break artistic boundaries. Reeps One is recognized as one of the most powerful beatboxers on the globe, and he plans to bring a new element not seen in Qberts previous performances. DJ Qbert & Reeps One will be hitting the road at the following select dates: Wednesday, February 8 Har

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Public Enemy puts spotlight on skid row

The concert stage for the Operation Skid Row festival was set up on Gladys Avenue between 5th and 6th, in the heart of downtown L.A.'s homeless district. As a white SUV turned onto Gladys, a murmur rippled through the crowd, turning into a roar as the hip-hop legend, elder statesman and co-organizer of the event, Public Enemy's Chuck D, exited the vehicle. The goal of the free show Sunday was twofold: for hip-hop artists to perform gratis for skid row residents, and to spotlight the economic and political plight of L.A.'s homeless. It was no coincidence that it was scheduled the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. As speakers would pointedly note from the stage, this is also the 20th anniversary year of the Rodney King riots and the 25th anniversary year of Public Enemy's exis

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Fat Joe to perform at LM!NOP event in Newark

Fat Joe will perform during the Let’s Move! Newark: Our Power (LM!NOP) event to fight obesity and encourage fans to live a healthy lifestyle. The program was created by Behavioral Health & Fitness Expert Jeff Halevy, who was selected by Newark Mayor Cory Booker to create the program, as an extension of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign. Fat Joe was hand selected to perform at LM!NOP, due to his recent weight loss, as he shed over 100 pounds after he ballooned to over 460 pounds. “Of all the challenges I have faced in my life, losing weight was probably the most difficult,” said Fat Joe. “I am so happy to be able to spread the word on the dangers of obesity and join the Let’s Move! Initiative with Let’s Move! Newark: Our power.” The program start

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Trugoy & Posdnuos of De La Soul are First Serve

Trugoy and Posdnuos of the mighty De La Soul have announced the launch of a side project titled First Serve. For the project, the pair will be known as Jacob “Pop Life” Barrow and Deen “D” Whitter, or Plug 1 and Plug 2. The duo plans on releasing its first album in April, but has already released a warm-up titled The Goon Time Mixtape where they rap over reworked beats from Aloe Blacc, Eminem and Run-DMC. Check out http://wearefirstserve.tumblr.com/#11 to find out more about First Serve. The Goon Time Mixtape is available now for download here http://soundcloud.com/firstserve/first-serve-mix-tape-1 and the tracklisting is below. 1-First Serve - We Made It Interlude 2-First Serve vs Aloe Blacc – Pushin’ Aside, Pushin’ Along 3-Notorious BIG vs De La Soul – Wh

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Chuck D talks Operation Skid Row & new PE albums

While Public Enemy prepares to stir up some hype with a performance on the eve of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Chuck tells Billboard.com that the legendary hip-hop group will return in full force this year with two new studio albums. "Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp," a new full-length produced with the help of longtime collaborator Gary G-Wiz, will be released in June, while a follow-up, "The Evil Empire of Everything," arrives in September. Chuck D describes the albums as "two concise statements that are connected in the same breath." In the meantime, the rapper plans to address journalists on Sunday (Jan. 15) from one of the nation's poorest districts, a sliver of downtown Los Angeles known as Skid Row. Chuck D says that he wants to expose the effects of America

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