Homo Thug sez Heeeaaayyy….

Popular Los Angeles based gay rapper Deadlee has announced that he will headline what is being billed as the first ever organized regional tour of gay, lesbian and bisexual rap & Hip-Hop artists. Billed as the Homorevolution Tour 2007, the ten-city trek will feature a variety of popular gay and lesbian MC’s, including Johnny Dangerous, Delacruz, Melange Lavonne, Salvimex, Bigg Nugg and JFP. Covering five states, the tour is set to launch in San Diego in March. “The HomoRevolution Tour is a direct challenge to the old status quo in Hip-Hop,” Deadlee told AllHipHop.com. “Times are changing and if openly gay rappers aren’t invited then we are kicking the door in – and inviting ourselves…we are taking the mic. It’s our turn too.” Deadlee, born Joseph Lee, has grabbed headlines with his confrontational style of Hip-Hop, in which he disses top rappers like Eminem, DMX and 50 Cent.

For the full story log on: http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=6627

graham massey posted a new comment about you

Once upon a time kids, there was this thing called MySpace….

Prick Up Yer Ears

My hater-review might go some’n like this:
Apparently all it takes to be hailed the second-coming of Kurt Cobain and Eminem in the UK is a guitar, a cigarette and a blowhard publicist who can place you in the right glossy rags. He’s even called Plan B, as in “2.0″ to label-mate Mike “The Streets” Skinner, the previous British knight appointed bringger-of-cred to rap in the Queen’s English. Let’s hope B stands for back-up.

But, in these wee hours, in my smoky state, I’m feelin…
He’s called Plan B because his name is Ben Drew, not because he’s a redux of label-mate Mike “The Streets” Skinner. He speaks French and Italian, digs art and blue-eyed soul, and hype has it he’s the UK’s supernatural love-child between Kurt Cobain and Eminem. B is easy on the eyes in that way, and requisite “urban” angst motifs abound on his debut “Who Needs Actions When You Got Words.” But so do crafty harmonies, schmaltzy crooning, melodic strummings, piano strokes and spitfire rhyme combinations that neither KC nor Slim Shady alone co-mingled. “A black girl won’t suck my dick/just because it’s pink” acapella over a six-string? Maybe a mo’ bitta Justin Timberlake after a Wu-Tang gig. And that’s what’s got journos across the pond all atwitter and rolling out the Breakthrough British Rap Star fanfare. The CD’s acoustic-rap schtick is so smooth it flows by before you know it. Only passing samples or choral references – i.e., Hall & Oates on “Mamma Loves a Crackhead” – distract from the DIY compositions and arrangements. At times, the overall-effect veers “thisclose” to Wigga drag, but Drew’s off-center persona and on-point delivery pull it from the brink of “Angsta Pop” and take it to another level, one that could (presumably) turn America’s Freudian aversion to rap in the Mother Tongue on its ear. Again. No, really…

Speaking of Doomsday…

Who knew it was one word? Thanks, Reuters!

Doomsday Clock edges toward midnight
Scientists add global warming to nuclear fears

By Will Dunham, Reuters | January 18, 2007

WASHINGTON — The scientists who mind the Doomsday Clock moved it two minutes closer to midnight yesterday — symbolizing the annihilation of civilization and adding the perils of global warming for the first time.

Tracey Thorn Gets Around to It

The voice of Everything but the Girl (and mother of 3) drops her fist solo set in decades with a little help from a lot of her friends, including Ewan Pearson (Goldfrap, Rapture), Darshan Jesrani (Metro Area), and Charles Webster. There in guiding spirit, Arthur Russell under a shimmering confection of a cover on “Get Around to It” where Tracey and Arty tickle each other’s avant-disco fancies to everyone’s collective delight. Things get into an 80’s power-pop groove on “It’s all True,” and “Grand Canyon” comes on like a slow electro roll invoking floor-fillers on “that other album” from back in the day without rehashing them. “Raise the Roof,” the deep micro-house closer will keep remixers and clubheads busy and boppin’ for a hot minute. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Thorn without a few bleeding-heart ballads that capture the lo-fi vibe of the around-the-house demos that inspired these lush final tracks. Lyrically, she’s always tended to be a bit on the nose, leaning toward a purist’s fondness for the pursuit of forced rhymes and overextended metaphors, but the whole project’s not as disjointed as a cynic might expect. The ideas, production and her voice swing smoothly en semble and the largely mid-tempo affair goes down real-pretty-like. You can save the “Everything but the Boy” swipes for some lesser diva. From everything I hear on “Out of the Woods” this sister’s doing it quite well for herself. Nicely complements the “Spring in Mid-Winter” countdown-to-doomsday playlist on ye ole iPod. The album’s out in late March, but methinks I spy dancing polar bears in Central Park now.

Most Eligible….media whore?

Hmmm….
Just got this from Bruce at TONY.
Desperate times call for desperate measures….

For those on my list who are DJs, producers, promoters, or somehow actively involved in NYC nightlife – and are single! (Apologies to those who don’t fit this category….)
Time Out NY’s editors have commanded all of us to come up with FOUR people in our field for a “most-eligible” box that will be running in each section. (Which, in my case, is the Clubs section.)

Mog

“Discover music through people and people through music.” Cheesy tag line, but a great way to listen to other people’s music libraries and/or read about them; like one big ole’ community jukebox. The stripped-down design lets music junkies showcase their goodies without all the adolescent Myspace bells and whistles. Popular with industry heads and indie stars alike. Clicked up with “Anna” – the photographer for the upcoming Mary Weiss album. Turns out, she’s from L.A. too, and friends with Kid Congo. And, um, oh yeah – lots of cute boys with big hard drives packing good music. Go figure. Better yet, Go Listen….

Azis

Thank You for the Music, 2006

Band of the Year: Fujiya & Miyagi
Sleeper: Scritti Politti
Swan Song: Funkstorung, Jaydee
Still Hot: Gnarls Barkley
Whippersnappers: Husky Rescue, Hot Chip, Junior Boys, Jamie Lidell, Jose Gonzales, Delia & Gavin
Last Minute Discoveries: Geoff White, Bulgur Brothers, Post Industrial Boys
Potential: Home Video, Punk TV
Return to form: Pet Shop Boys, Saint Etienne, Arling & Cameron, Nightmares on Wax
Old Reliables: Matthew Herbert, King Creosote, To Rococo Rot, Sparklehorse, The Egg, Flaming Lips, Dabrye, Nouvelle Vague, Kinky, Nortec Collective, My Morning Jacket
Roots: Yoko Ono, Ryuchi Sakamoto, ESG, Cerrone
DJs: Henrik Schwarz, Martin Solveig, Rob Da Bank, Gilles Peterson, Michael Meyer, Matthew Dear (Audion), Derrick Carter, King Britt, DJ Cam
Lables: Kompakt, K7!, Ghostly, Stones Throw
Promoters: BackSpin, Great Stuff, Forced Exposure, Girlie Action, Magnum PR, Tell All Your Friends
MySpace: The Sleeping Years, Freeform Five, Guggenheim Grotto, Escort, The Perfects, Mudville