TMB Recap: The 2012 Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival

For the last four summers OC and I have been meeting up at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival to enjoy great music, good food and networking with dope people. He comes from Connecticut and I troop down from Upstate New York. It's become a tradition of sorts. One that we both look forward to.

Each year as we've gotten the feel for the festival, our camera arsenal has also grown (well, OC's has) and so we're able to expand our coverage of the event. This year we headed out to Brooklyn with three photographers (myself, OC and 3feetofanger) on a mission. Eight hours. 500 pictures. These are some of our best shots.

Before we get to the pics, I wanted to sum up the event in two categories, highlights and low-lights.

Highlights:

• Seeing TMB favorites Clear Soul Forces, Chuuwee and Charmingly Ghetto rock the BHF stage with ScienZe and Dutch Rebelle.
• Witnessing live A Tribe Called Quest and Leaders of The New School on the same stage for the first time in decades.
• Slick Rick, Smif-n-Wessun and others rocking with Busta Rhymes, one of the greatest performers of our time, alongside his longtime hypeman Spliff Star.

Low-lights:

• Tickets for this year's final day jumped from $15 to $30, which turned off some folks. Still an affordable event considering the headliner and his guest but something I heard a lot of negativity about.
• Even with a higher ticket price, Saturday's show didn't have nearly the amount of  performances as they've had in previous years, which led to too much downtime in between sets and prior to Busta Rhymes finally taking the stage. 
• The folks at Brooklyn Bodega, who run the event, granted us press passes. That was dope. But we didn't realize those passes provided limited access to the press pit in front of the stage once the headliner hit the stage. So we ultimately got booted because that area suddenly became only accessible to all access badge holders. This could have reduced the quality of our pics. Good thing we're nice like that though and worked it out. Ha! But yeah, this info wasn't communicated to us and that was kind of lame.

All and all, it was a cool event. Not nearly as great as previous years overall. But as I mentioned, there were a gang of dope moments, many we caught on camera. Peep the visuals after the jump.

Download ... A Tribe Called Bastard - On the Blvd. of Layton

The Milwaukee crew KingHellBastard have never been really into the whole mixtape thing, so with their new project they venture into uncharted territory for the group. But instead of just doing any type of mixtape, they decided on the 17th anniversary of the release of A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders to release A Tribe Called Bastard - On the Blvd. of Layton. I had the privledge of rocking with the press advance over the weekend. The project is fresh. With appearances from Sadat X,  Akrobatik, Raashan Ahmad and Stricklin, coupled with the energy of KHB, this joint is definitely worth the download. Enjoy.

KHB has never been interested in the hype-over-substance world of here-today/gone-tomorrow mixtapes, so it is only fitting that our sole contribution to the medium opts for a different template. Instead of jumping on instrumentals from the latest pop-rap radio singles, we decided to see how our previously recorded verses would hold up when synched with classic beats from hip-hop's past. In particular, beats from A Tribe Called Quest, hence the name of the project. The results surprised us, and we think you'll be pleasantly surprised as well. Mixed by our very own DJ OneL, "A Tribe CalledBastard..." makes for a blissed-out trip down memory lane with some new friends. 

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Where tha Lady Was: Rock The Bells Wrap-Up

On Saturday, Hip-Hop invaded Governor's Island in a major way. Rock the Bells 2010 was on deck and it was the best Saturday I had spent in awhile. Great music, great company and best of all, I witnessed the return of Lauryn Hill. Yes, Lauryn Hill, whom we have been summoning back to existence since I started Tweeting last year, finally blessed us with her presence. Since this is the biggest RTB news, I will start with her. I have been hearing people's opinions about her performance. Now I am going to give you mine. Granted, she is not the Lauryn we knew from '95 but, she can still do the damn thing. No, her voice is not the same but she can still flow. She took us through her hits with re-vamped beats and melodies. I caught up with Ms. Hill backstage where we had a brief chat. The area backstage was hectic so we had to do things quick and when we could get it in. She basically expressed to me that she had been to "hell and back" but that she "remains positive". I made sure to tell her that she is almost a daily conversation topic when discussing the best female rapper. The smile on her face made me wanna cry. She shook my hand and said. "Thank you sis. I appreciate the love folks are sharing with me here today. I really am." And then she went about her way. The look in her eyes still seemed distant. I can't imagine what she went through but it definitely took it's toll.

Lauryn Hill performing "Ready or Not"

*wipes tears* Okay enough of that...

Old school represented as usual. Eric B and Rakim, KRS-One, Slick Rick (and his entourage of chains) all represented their respective albums, performing the classics. It is a shame that albums are not created like those any more. People are focused on the single, not the album.

The show was on point from beginning to end. Aside from seeing Miss Hill, I was excited to see A Tribe Called Quest. Their set was amazing. Their energy was through the roof. I dug deep into the "lyrics learned" section of my brain and went in as if I was a member of the group. They went through all the classics, "Bonita Applebaum", "Scenario", "Electric Relaxation". They did a J. Dilla tribute and out of the mouth of Q-Tip, "J.Dilla The best producer ever..." while Swizz Beats stood on the stage... LMAO

Tribe performing "Scenario, Check tha Rhyme"...

Backstage View of A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star

Consequence and Phife Dawg

The Wu shut it down as usual. If you have ever been to a Wu show, you know what it is. With the entire Clan in tow, including Old Dirty Bastard's son who performed his father's parts from the songs on the 36 Chambers album. He looks and sounds just like his father. It is a little freaky.

Wu performing "Da Mystery of Chessboxing" with an appearance by lil ODB

A Wu performance is definitely something you have to see. Outside of the Dogg Pound, they are the only other Rap "Group" that can deliver a hardcore performance. The Snoop moved through Doggystyle and enlisted the help of the Dogg Pound usual suspects. Warren G, Lady of Rage and RBX were also on hand to perform. It was amazing to see this crew, created so many years ago, still come together and deliver a Class "A" performance. Snoop did the damn thing, long blue bandana suit and all.

Snoop on his way to the stage, focused on tearin' it down

Snoop doin' the damn thing... "It Ain't no Fun"

Ladies Rage and Blogga playing with the Blackberry taking self pics before she hits the stage.

Jay and Bey...

RZA choppin' it up with my camera ace @IRunsNY

I did a few interviews and have a few cameos on film. Footage coming soon!!! There were a lot of people on deck to see the show as well. Jay and Bey, Swizz and Alicia, Chris Rock, John Legend, Mary J. Blige were all backstage enjoying the show. Rock the Bells is a show that I make it my business to attend. If you have never been, you need to re-evaluate your love for music and get to one.

Throwback Thursday - A Tribe Called Quest "Check the Rhime"

Chilling at work and someone mentioned this song. We immediately put it on. We've been vibing to this joint ever since. So, I decided to share. Enjoy a little throwback Thursday joint.