2nd video of Kendrick Lamar LIVE at The Roxy Sat Aug 7. Here performing "Bitch I DO This" featuring U-N-I (Thurzday & Y-O), Skeme & Jay Rock.

-Photography by Kasey Stokes.

First video from the show at The Roxy on Sat. Introducing young Kendrick Lamar from Compton. This song stayed stuck in my head for a day "P& P" stands for... well why don't you figure it out. I hear some of the hip hop veterans stayed with a stone face during that song (check Rebecca Haithcoat's tweets) It could be just an interpretation.... I like its humurous side, I see his point AND the verses are dope.

Enjoy!

Coming up in a dope performance at The Roxy

Photo: Kasey Stokes

You heard it, go support true L.A talent

Footage of Speak & Pheo at The Spliff in Nov 2007 LOL

So Jasmin (TakingYouOver) & I went to Trek Life's album listening party. The performance was very energetic. The whole West Cov was on board: J Bizness, Jansport J, Hawdwerk + Basicali, Tommy Blak, etc. We then interviewed the man himself and were able to admire Jansport J's natural ability as a host. Trek Life goes in deep about his album, mad tour stories, Soulja Boy, how & why he got into the game, his relationship with producers Oddisee & J Biz, etc. Basically you get to spend ten minutes with the West Cov legend himself. COP HIS NEW ALBUM EVERYTHING CHANGED NOTHING that dropped yesterday.  Don't forget to check the rant above enthused by the "Biz rants on Twitter"

Mustard is Tiron's newest project, and, in almost every way, is more refined and mature than the project that preceded it. Though his style still relishes a bit in an early Kanye West flavor, the production is almost Roots-esque. Each instrumental has an organic sound as though it were live recorded in a motown studio. Song to song the album is appealing but leaves something to be desired in the realm of delivery and rhyme scheme. Tiron counter balances any lack in polish with creative and witty themed songs such as "1ne", a song tied together by the repeated, unique use of the word one. And he still bears the mark of humility in his rap that continues on his every-man feel he had on Ketchup with sons like "60901", dedicated to his hometown, Chicago. Features are minimal at just 3: Ayomari on "Ms. Right" and Blu and Asher Roth on "The Richers." Though normally seeing the names Blu and Asher Roth would raise eyebrows as well as interest, their effect is marginal and somewhat underwhelming. Nonetheless, if you're interested in a project to let ride when you're trying to unwind, cool down, or even pacify you to sleep, Tiron's Mustard is just the thing to snack on.

While we interviewed Aloe, he drew our attention to a track (Death is Fair) he'd worked on with Exile (together known as Cali duo EMANON) and how he'd linked up the lyrics to some of the subject matter he was alluding to: here on his site. It's pretty cool and instructive. It's safe to say that both Exile & Aloe are great experimenters, and I'd expect this really simple concept to be used ad inifinitum, once the multimedia technology enables it.

"Back in the lab with Exile working on new songs for the next EMANON album, Birds Eye View. I had some downtime came up with the idea to link the words in my lyrics to relevant articles and videos for you all to enhance the meaning of the song. It gives you a better sense of what I'm talking about."

This is a very sensitive song by one of of the most romantic emcees out there in LA from the mixtape "Out to Lunch". Props to Lite aka Coolroy for this social and existential take on life, the visuals by Tha Vision go well with the storytelling, I was caught up by the video. Beat by ALpha MC. A five star all round.

Belvi(left) & Richard Wright(right) outside of Kaos during the Leimert Park Art Walk a few weeks ago. 

For the past 4 weeks my close colleague, Richard Wright, has released 4 mixtapes. One mixtape per week. In a time where MC's are here today and gone tomorrow, Richard Wright (aka Rich For A Reason) proves his lyrical capabilities are not to be tested. With Project Blowed & the Spliff as Rich's stomping grounds, there's no reason why you shouldn't give each of these "random" mixtapes a listen. Features are held to a minimum - Belvi, Skeem Price, Stego, & Mr. Sobers are the only collabs. With productions ranging from J Bizness & Vann Clayton to Bangladesh & Q-Tip, the beat-side of these projects compliment each verse. With a round about of 6  tracks in each mixtape, (which could've easily been pasted together as 1 whole mixtape) there is definitely enough time to digest each song in a single sitting. Check em out!

Richard Wright's #RandomMixtape1 -4 - http://www.richardwright.bandcamp.com/

A couple days ago, a cool/smart friend hipped to this new group called, King Fantastic. He told me to check em out and give my honest my opinion. When I downloaded the album, I was blown away, My ears were pleased to hear something NEW & FRESH!

KING FANTASTIC = Reese One (of Bleu Collar) & Troublemaker (Producer/DJ)

Now, King Fantastic's album is called "Finger Snaps & Gun Claps", but can best be described as Westcoastsynthesizerbeachbumgangstermusic - the stand out track. After a few listens to the project you can get a vibe of a very distinct LA, one that fuses the electro/hiphop/party/dance.

This album is for those people that appreciate a new sound, looking for a descriptive outlook on the Los Angeles lifestyle. As expansive LA is will be a direct influence on how contrasting this album is. But enough of me talking my side, take a few minutes to download the project and check out their store, they got some crazy exclusives, packaging, & memorabilia.

PLEASE VISIT ---> www.KingFantastic.com

Find two adjectives to best describe Johnny by commenting on this post. The best ones will be picked by Johnny and the winner will get two tickets to see Afro Classics, Alexander Spit and him perform at Little Temple on Thursday June 24th.

captured during the 2010 UCLA Regga Fest.

-by kasey stokes

Skeme just released this teaser song to his anticipated "Pistols & Palm Trees" LP via Twitter early this morning. It's good to hear Skeme at his fire-spitting antics again. I'm sure he's gonna have some heat for the summer.

DOWNLOAD: Skeme - "First 48" - http://usershare.net/md9ysj6abqsx

TiRon released his anticipated follow-up mixtape this week. With only 10 songs to it, i can defintiely say he put all his effort/time/brain on this project. Having to deal with, Hard Drive crashes, pushed back release dates, & all the troubles of putting a project out, TiRon is greatly appreciative to release some material for the world to hear. Check it out!

DOWNLOAD TiRon's MSTRD - http://www.mediafire.com/?5ulzgja1jqf

I can’t find Kokane.  Knocking on the door of his room at the Best Western on Franklin in Hollywood once more than I’m comfortable with, I resign myself to the lobby with not just a little relief. 

After all, Jerry Long, aka “Kokane,” aka “Mr. Kane,” is a West Coast OG. Unlike, say, Snoop Dogg, whose early bite has been defanged by things like E!’s “Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood,” Kokane’s still something of a mystery.  Early association with N.W.A. Close friend and colleague of Eazy-E. Heavy involvement in the porn industry.  Internet research leaves a lot to the imagination. And his new album, “Gimme All Mine,” a shuffle of odes to both his spiritual awakening and his baser proclivities, leaves a lot to the imagination. 

He appears downstairs shortly after I, pacing while on the phone, running behind on interviews.  But if he’s feeling rushed, it doesn’t show. He shakes my hand and stares intently at me, serene as still water, a gentle giant.  He speaks, and occasionally gets lost, in parables, but like a pastor who’s traveled far beyond doubt, he’s confidently convicted. The conversation usually circles back to his faith, his blessings, what he’s learned from God.  He’s humble and likable, even when complimenting himself: “Eazy recognized God blessed me with a gift”; “I’m a West Coast pioneer, one of the chief architects.”   

Re-entering a game you’ve studied and played for 20 years must do that to you.  A part of the West Coast’s revolutionary rush of the hip-hop stage, Kokane signed to Jerry Heller and Eric “Eazy-E” Wright’s Ruthless Records label and released “Addictive Hip Hop Muzick” in 1991. 

“It [the beginning] was bananas. Out here you can create your own lane…Eazy-E created his own lane.  Dr. Dre created his own lane.  Learn how the older cats…created this prosperity.  There will never be another Eazy-E. Eazy showed that you can come from that suppressed environment, and you don’t have to be held by the guidelines of that system that’s purposely set up to fail…you can have freedom of speech, you can break outta that…It was rewarding- here’s a dude that had on a Compton hat, saggin’ in his little pants, with the Chuck Taylors on, but he knew how to break down points.  He knew structure. When you heard him talk, there was a certain eloquence.  It was chaotic too, at the same time; [but] Eazy allowed me to be me.” 

Clearly he’s comfortable in his skin.  In retracing his steps, he comes to 1995, the year Eazy-E died.  “We was at House of Blues, having a meeting, like, two weeks [before he passed], like, TWO WEEKS…he was fine.  He got to the meetin’ and started coughing. I was like, ‘Man, why you coughin’ like that?? What’s goin’ on witchu?’  You could see something was wrong…but he always kept it G; he didn’t want nobody to get worried about him.  And he looked at me and said, ‘You know what, Jerry?’  He always called me Kokane, but he ain’t never called me Jerry. And I’m like, oh shit, why he call me Jerry?  He was like, ‘Man, you gonna do some big things- you gonna be on a lot of records.’  And I wasn’t on hardly no records then!  And he said, ‘You know, I love ya.’”  Kokane’s eyes get bluer, watery, and he drops my gaze for the first time since we started talking.  Shivering, he says, “Oooeee even sometimes talking ‘bout it [I get] chills….and like a week later, he passed.  That put us in a deep, dark type of situation.” 

He started gathering spots on records, beginning to earn his tagline, “the most featured artist in the world.”  In 1999, he reconnected with Snoop Dogg, who was starting to work on his last No Limit record, 2000’s “Tha Last Meal.”  The two ended up collaborating on 20 songs, and just shy of half of those made the album. 

But the music industry wasn’t prepared for the internet, Snoop “had a situation” over at MCA, and Kokane found himself back on the block. “I had to go back to the streets, I had to hustle again, and I got in a little bit of trouble and I had to go to jail.  After I got out of jail, I moved the family [he and his wife have been together 20 years, and have eight children] up to Seattle.” 

He only briefly mentions his gangbanging, drug using, adult filmmaking past, and I don’t press.  Instead, I ask about the contradictions on the album, and how he reconciles his nature and his faith. “God puts you in boot camp for life just for you to be trained to be a Navy Seal for whatever profession you’re in…your misery is your ministry...when I say, ‘gimme all mine back,’ [I mean] gimme all that you took from me, Devil, all I gave away…I got my stuff I’m still attached to, because I am a work-in-progress- aren’t we all?” 

His voice takes on a different timbre, and I’m suddenly a congregant.  He leans forward, preaching about being in church, and then being in a strip club, but I’m not confused; I see the light. “If you believe in something, and you really believe in it, do you know you can move mountains? Do you know you can hypnotize people and actually move mountains?” 

Can this thug get to heaven? Oh, amen.

"Gimme All Mine" is in stores June 1, 2010.  Find Kokane online on Twitter @kokaneofficial or MySpace www.myspace.com/kokane360.