Massive B documentary

Short video on Bobby Konders and the awesome Massive B (via the brilliantly named Reload Magazine). Catch their show Fire Sundays on NYC's WQHT Hot 97 here.

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Nas and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - Only the Strong (snippet) - Pass the Mic @ZanzibarDC 121209 from Global Tropical TV on Vimeo.

Missed about 20 seconds of the end of the song - the camera mic cut out some of the track's nu-Metal guitar stylings, which is just as well.


Big Youth chatting easy over the Satta and Real Rock, while Kool Herc and Waterfall look on.


Rakim on top form on "Microphone Fiend", with a bionic Junior Gong in the background.

I love the similarity of their poses.

Distant Relatives double-header this Saturday

Ultra heavy lineup this Saturday, first at the National Geographic Grosvenor Auditorium, then at Zanzibar:

(from the Nat Geo events page)

Nas and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley present “Distant Relatives”

WATCH ONLINE

Tune in for free and watch live online starting 7 p.m. ET on December 12, 2009 at Natgeomusic.net.

SEE IT IN PERSON

Nas and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley explore the origins of the deeply-rooted reggae and hip hop genre, tracing both sounds back to African music. They will debate and celebrate the implications of this culture’s impact on the global community with a panel of pioneers—from DJ Kool Herc, DJ Rakim and DJ Red Alertto Jamaican dancehall legend, Daddy U-Roy, King Jammy, and moderator Sway Calloway of MTV. The event at National Geographic is being filmed for an upcoming documentary.

This event is now sold out, but it will be streamed live and broadcast online for free starting 7 p.m. ET on December 12, 2009 at Natgeomusic.net.

Tickets are still available for the after-party and open-mic show at Zanzibar, a Washington, D.C. nightclub, that will feature all event participants. Doors open for the after-party at 9 p.m.

Disco Devil

Lee Perry a.k.a. the Upsetter, Scratch, Lee King Perry, Pipecock Jackson, Lee Scratch Perry, Rainford Hugh Perry a.k.a. the chief architect of the Jamaican space program and a musical genius on a par with George Martin, Brian Wilson and Phil Spector will be at DC's 9:30 club next Monday, December 14. I'm chuffed!

Here is a short video with a greeting from Scratch and dates for the forthcoming US tour.

Reason enough to bask awhile in the ray of pure shining light that is the Congos' "Solid Foundation" from Lee Perry's masterpiece production Heart of the Congos.

Raising the roof

Wicked night! Station 9 is a great venue right on U St. that's definitely seen better days, but the powerful rig and polished wooden floor upstairs made for a great dancing party. Around 11:30 it got so packed they stopped letting people in and consequently there was a line up the stairs from the main room.

Bugalú Juan flew in to the gig straight from el Distrito Federal and was in a fierce mood, so we just played a back to back set of banging reggaetón, pitched up salsa dura, Balkan beats, vallenato, baile funk, dancehall and soca. Couldn't use the turntables as much as I'd have liked to as the floor was just heaving too much, but thankfully it wasn't a big problem.

Bouncers hit the lights at just past 3 AM.

Big up to Jorge G. and the rest of the Young Professionals for Latin America and the Caribbean crew for making it happen, and also Carlos E. and Tadashi for staying up past their curfew and keeping up the drinks supply all night long.

Makongo vs DJ Malvado - Kisselenguenha

Afro-Portuguese kuduro ravers Makongo* dropped their awesome video for DJ Malvado's version of their track "Kisselenguenha" today.

The original cut off their unmissable debut album Angolan Kung-Fu is more than twice the length and almost three times as mad, so head over to Juno to get your copy. Apart from "Devil's Daughter" it's an end to end burner so you'd do well to get the whole thing.

* Makongo = Rappers/champion beatboxers SP and Wilson + MC Petty of Buraka Som Sistema fame (e.g. "Yah")+ DJ Knowledge or DJ Stik Up on decks + live percussionists + Formula Armada, a top class troupe of break/kuduro/tecktonik dancers who tear it up at open airs, rock festivals and even on Portuguese afternoon TV.

Hard ass editions I

Hard Ass Sessions 1 — DJ Znobia in an original limited Artist Edition from thevinylfactory on Vimeo.

This looks incredible...I'm a get me one.

Levantando el techo

Raising the roof!

A multi-floor party in benefit of homeless families in Asunción, Paraguay
@ Station 9, 1438 U St., Washington, DC
Sep. 25, 930 PM
$15 at the door, $10 if you mention Juan P's or my name.

Me (a.k.a. Yonni Lodigo) longside Juan P. (a.k.a. Mr. Bugalú) in the upstairs, Charles "Carlo35" djing and the guys from Laissez Passer playing a live set in the main room. My first time playing out in DC!

Global Tropical

Abriendo el changarro...setting up shop...