One of the coolest and most diverse hip-hop package tours is ready for you to lace up your Adidas and bounce on over: Rock the Bells 2008 (which last year featured a reunion of Rage Against the Machine) will showcase the music of A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, De La Soul, Rakim and a reunited Pharcyde. Other acts on the bill include Method Man and Redman, Raekwon, Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, Spank Rock, Jay Electronica, Murs and more. Supernatural, B-Real (Cypress Hill) and Scratch will serve as MCs on the main stage. There are only a few female artists on the bill, but they’re all earning attention for their work and are pushing boundaries of hip-hop: Santogold, DJ Amanda Blank, and, freshly signed to Downtown Records, Kid Sister.
Kids, tell your parents that this hip-hop tour should be fun and only fun. Murs was quoted on rollingstone.com as saying, “Some people don’t want to give hip-hop tours a chance, thinking it’s a violent art form. But Guerilla Union found a way to make a real nice, peaceful, hip hop festival that is like Heaven on Earth.”
Check out these angels in America (and one Canadian date) later on this summer. For tickets and other info, visit guerillaunion.com
July 19 - Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
July 20 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Molson Amphitheatre
July 26 - Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center
July 27 - New York, NY @ Jones Beach Amphitheatre
Aug 2 - Miami, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheatre
Aug 3 - Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehanna Bank Center
Aug 9 - Denver, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre
Aug 16 - San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug 23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Glen Helen Amphitheatre
Aug 30 - Vancouver, BC, Canada @ Venue TBD
Don’t have time to search out this week’s essential MP3s, streams and viral videos? That’s why we’re here.
Lily Allen “I Don’t Know”
The British pop tart gets serious on this leaked demo, contemplating her place in the world over a not-too-solemn synth score: “And I am a weapon of massive consumption/ It’s not my fault, it’s how I’m programmed to function.”
MP3: I Don't Know.mp3
Nine Inch Nails “Discipline”
After getting something like 17 albums of instrumental music out of his system, Trent Reznor returns to making manic electro-noise-pop on this track. The best part is that he’s giving it away for free.
MP3: Discipline.mp3
Scarlett Johansson “Anywhere I Lay My Head”
Produced by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek, featuring cameos by David Bowie and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and comprised entirely of songs written by Tom Waits, actress Scarlett Johannson makes what is possibly the first credible album by an actor. Ever. Here’s a taste.
(via Bring Me Up)
No Age “Eraser”
Sub Pop continues on its quest to sign on all the world’s most interesting bands. This Los Angeles fuzz-rock duo’s stratospheric tune must be the reason why.
MP3: radywem800.mp3
Santogold “L.E.S. Artistes”
This week’s totally awesome ’80s throwback comes via Santi White, a sartorially savvy Brooklyn musician that records under the name Santogold. With M.I.A. producer Diplo at her side, she blasts hipsters while simultaneously offering them a wicked future anthem.
MP3: 01 LES Artistes.mp3
Vampire Weekend: “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Black Dominoes Remix)”
It seems like we weren’t the only ones thinking Vampire Weekend’s take on Paul Simon’s Graceland album would sound a lot better with a twist of random noise and dash of Latin space.
(via Pretty Much Amazing)
Shinichi Osawa: “Star Guitar (ft. Au Revoir Simone)”
The Chemical Brothers’ best song gets a rough-hewn remake and becomes even better. Well, almost.
(via The Yellow Stereo)