Sonar Hip-Hop Shows

Even if you are one of the many students who weren’t able to score tickets to the SEE-sponsored Lupe Fiasco concert, which sold out in a couple of hours, you can still get your hip-hop fix in December.

Sonar, a tiny basement-like venue near the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, is hosting a slew of worthy emcees’ concerts. Tickets are still available and most cost only $20 or less.

Method Man and Redman will bring their wild, smoked out antics to the stage December 2. The duo is known for stage diving, crowd surfing and spirited tunes from their acclaimed 1999 album, Blackout! Opening acts include Termanology, an up-and-coming Boston rapper, and Rapper Big Pooh from Little Brother.

If you are in the mood for sipping sizzurp and riding ‘round in a coupe with candy paint, head to the performance by the self-proclaimed prince of the parking lot, Paul Wall. The Houston rapper is known for his grill, Southern drawl and laid-back rhymes.

Paul Wall is a relative newcomer to the music scene compared with B-Real, the lead emcee of the hard-core Cali group Cypress Hill. B-Real, known for his nasal vocal tone, political lyrics and aggressive delivery, will headline Dec. 19. Expect new material from his upcoming solo album, Smoke N Mirrors.

Perhaps the biggest show at Sonar this month is by a crew of rappers who told you to protect your neck and to not f*** with them. That’s right, the 9-member Wu-Tang Clan will bring the ruckus Dec. 31 for what is billed as Wu Years Eve. Unfortunately, this concert is rather expensive--$65. But Wu-Tang is legendary so treat yourself to this holiday gift.

Thanks For the Memories

With Turkey Day approaching, now is the time to reflect on what to be thankful for. Of course friends, family, health, food and shelter top the list, but music fans can count additional blessings. Here's Unwind!'s list of the top five things popular music enthusiasts can celebrate the last Thursday of November.

1. The return of Flight of the Conchords - New Zealand's fourth most popular digi-folk duo are picking up their guitars for a second season on HBO, set to premier January. Bret and Jemaine, the awkward, bumbling and mumbling pair, had to write all new songs for the sophomore installment of the hit television series. But if the tunes and story lines are even half as good as those of the first season, viewers will be in folk parody paradise.

2. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's new album - The boss and company will drop a new 12-track album, Working on a Dream, Jan. 27. In this age of muddled and mashed up genres, the rock scene needs as many quientessential, classic records as it can get. Plus, Springsteen is an avid Obama supporter, so expect some optimistic political tracks.

3. The Recent British Invasion - UK exports were some of the best and most innovative artists of the 1960s and new millennium acts have been following suit for the past several years. This past year, there have been hit new albums by more seasoned bands such as Bloc Party and The Streets, reunion concerts by legendary groups The Who and Led Zeppelin, as well as breakthrough acts such as Estelle and Kate Nash. Plus, super producer Mark Ronson is tearing it up by manning UK pop singer Lily Allen's upcoming album, in addition to executive producing D.C. rapper's Wale's yet-to-be-released debut. And of course, the biggest bands in the world are arguable Coldplay and Radiohead.

4.T.I. has to go to prison - Of course hip-hop fans will miss him, but this harsh reality has given the Atlanta-based emcee a whole new outlook on life and propelled him to make his best album yet, Paper Trail. His killer punchline and versatile, aggressive flow has always been there, but his lyrical content was far more mature, reflective and personal. When a rapper's back is against the wall, he or she usually delivers provocative and ground-breaking material.

5. Outkast will release three albums in 2009 - One of hip-hop's most experimental groups, who has infinite crossover appeal, are reuniting after two years apart to drop an Idlewild follow up LP, as well as two solo efforts. Although the original Idlewild soundtrack wasn't all that, perhaps Big Boi and Andre 3000 will be more cohesive on the second record. And even if the duo's album can't measure up to Aquemini or Stankonia, their solo albums also have a chance to acheive the Grammy-winning success of their preivous Speakerboxx/The Love Below

In addition to being a month filled with colorful leaves, turkeys, and students’ dismay that terms papers are almost due, November is also stacked with great music releases. Here are a few upcoming albums to check out.

The Renaissance, Q-Tip, drops Nov. 2 – The former lead emcee and beat-maker for the legendary A Tribe Called Quest continues to crank out jazzy, soulful, funky grooves in this skillfully produced album. Q-Tip even uses live drums and bass on songs such as “ManWomanBoogie.” The Abstract’s lyrics are always fresh and he also discusses personal matters such as relationship troubles and the memories of friends who died. However, Q-Tip’s serious content is balanced by his always up-beat instrumentals.

Day & Age, The Killers, drops Nov. 25 – This four-man multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated band experiments with more diverse sounds on its third studio album. The album is concise—only 10 songs—but features a range of styles that include electronic-influenced dance tracks and classic, guitar-driven rock. The Killers even incorporates steel drums and saxophone into the poppy, undeniably catchy “I Can’t Stay.” When the album comes out, perhaps we will actually live in the day and age of The Killers.

808s & Heartbreak, Kanye West, drops Nov. 25 – Kanye West’s relentless experimentation will either make him or break him. The super-producer decided to stop rapping on his latest release and just use a T-Pain-esque voice augmentation machine to craft ‘80s-style dance tracks. The music on leaked songs “Love Lockdown” and “Heartless” is masterfully arranged with a seemingly endless amount of instrumental layers. However, Kanye is tone deaf even with technology’s help. The melody is completely lacking. However, the album is worth downloading (not buying of course) to see if he continues to flop and throw away his career.

Top Political Songs of 2008

With the economy in shambles, the war in Iraq and global warming still hot button issues and the presidential election approaching, Americans have had an extremely politically-conscious year. In the spirit of civic engagement, Unwind! decided to round-up the top five political songs of 2008. Some are radical and some are partisan, but they are all dynamic music editorials—CNN to a soundtrack.

1. “Yes We Can,” Will I. Am. – This innovative track pieces together quotations from Barack Obama’s speech after his victory in the 2008 New Hampshire Primary. The Democratic presidential candidate’s inspirational rhetoric is layered over calming guitar riffs and a slew of artists, from John Legend to Scarlett Johannson croon over Obama’s words. The song garnered attention through its music video that featured all its celebrity guests. It even won the first Emmy Award for Best New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment.

2. “Black President,” Nas – Nas builds on his reputation as one of the most controversial conscious rappers in the game with the last joint on his self-titled latest release. Nas expresses some support for Obama, yet contemplates his potential failures and questions his loyalties to the working-class and the African-American community. The DJ Green Lantern-produced track is enhanced with a 2Pac sample that bluntly states “although it seems heaven-sent, we ain't ready to have a black president." But then Nas plays devil’s advocate by including the R&B chorus with the lines “yes we can, change the world.” “Black President” provides a terrific forum for political exchange and criticism.

3. “Politics (Obama is Here),” Ludacris – How could we not include a song with wild, reckless lyrics such as “Hillary hated on you so that bitch is irrelevant” and “McCain don’t belong in any chair unless he’s paralyzed?” The track was a hit on the Internet but also gave right-wingers another reason to criticize Hip-Hop and Obama’s self-stated appreciation for rap. Obama probably wishes he never said Ludacris was on his playlist.

4. “Rising Down,” The Roots – This accomplished Hip-Hop band recruited rappers Mos Def and Styles P to speak on conflict diamonds in Africa and prescription drug propaganda, respectively. Black Thought rounds out the ominous, synthesizer-laced track with his concerns about climate change. Political candidates should consider this dramatic tune when forming their platforms.

5. “The 3^rd World,” Immortal Technique – This fearsome and brash underground emcee has the most confrontational track on this list. Immortal Technique gripes about America’s exploitation and oppression of poorer countries. His vocals are gruff, loud and raspy. The beat is reminiscent of an island funk song, making it an extremely catchy track despite its serious tone.

A Hip-Hop Mishap

Alex Rush
Music Editor

Thanks to the seemingly unstoppable gentrification of America's cities, the Bronx apartment where Hip-Hop began was sold to investor and real estate developer Mark Karasick on Oct. 4.

The building at 1520 Sedgwick Ave was home to Kool Herc in the 1970s. This legendary DJ hosted the first parties, which would later be considered Hip-Hop cultural events, in the rec room. Kool Herc is considered by many to be the founder of Hip-Hop. One year ago, New York officially dubbed the building "the birthplace of Hip-Hop" and declared it eligible for national and state registrars.

However, the landlord group that owns the building is selling it to pay off their $5 million dollar balance. Now the 100 low and moderate-income tenants who live in the building may face eviction if they can't pay the high rent that would result from the building's renovation.
The tenants and housing advocates tried and failed to stop the sale by filing a law suit in the state Supreme Court.

Hip-Hop started as parties for Bronx residents who couldn't afford to go to the pricey, upscale discos in Manhattan. Now, a historical site for this working-class art form may be reserved for the rich.

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