Hip Hop News
June '98

Big Pun aka Big Punisher was scheduled to do a concert here in the Bay Area this past weekend..[June 3 1998] Unfortunately it got cancelled because he collasped and had to go to the hospital.. In fact all his west coast dates were cancelled.. According to the label [Loud records].. Big Pun's weight... which is shooting near 500 pounds has gotten to be too much.. From what I was told he's now being advised by a nutritionist..and hopefully the brother drops some weight.. I look forward to seeing him do his hit song.. 'I'm Not A Playa' live.. Also if you ain't up on it.. you may wanna peep out his album Capital Punishment.. Simply put it's dope.. Big Pun comes through like a champ...I'm not sure if this put a delay on Big Pun's new video for the 'Deep Cover' remake entitled 'Twins'.. It's a raw/street video which of course features Fat Joe and Snoop Dogg who as you know rapped on the original track 'Deep Cover'

*San Mateo native Rascogot everyone open last year with a dope ass song called 'Unassisted'.. His deep voice and straight ahead rap style was crushing...He blew up the spot.. After the song folks just waited and waited and waited-wondering when the heck Rasco would drop his debut album.. Well at long last it has dropped.. It's appropriately titled 'Time Waits For No Man'.. Trust me when I say you will not be disappointed upon hearing this.. One of the things I've noticed over the years is that there are dope emcees who come out.. but their music is oftentimes lacking.. Such is not the case with Rasco.. His production team includes folks like Kut Masta Kurt of the Wake Up Show, Paul Nice, Peanut Butter Wolf and Evidence of the group Dilated Peoples..They all came through and represented.. Of course rasco's flow is sinister.. I'll say it now.. He will light a hole in anyone's ass when it comes to flowing on the mic..No doubt.. Stand out cuts on the album include..the title track, 'Me & My Crew', 'Major League' and 'What's It All About' which is his current single... Anyone intrested in peeping out Rasco.. give him and his Stones Throw crew a call at 408-631-3012.. tell 'em Davey D sent you.. But let warn ya.. Don't call and try and battle Rasco.. or you'll get your feelings hurt big time...

* E-40 is putting the finishing touches on his new project 'Elements Of Surprise'.. I was down in LA the other week to help out on a Bay Area hip hop documentary he's getting ready to drop.. It will be focusing on E-40 and all the independent labels that have surfaced from the Bay Area.. In acse you don't know, The Bay Area has the most independent rap record labels anywhere in the world.. At one point there were over 150 labels ... No Limit with Master P, Dangerous Music with Too Short, Sick Wid It records with E-40, Young Black Brother with Mac Mall and Mac Dre, Stones Throw with Rasco, Peanut Butter Wolf and Homeliss Derelix, Awol with C-Bo and Marvelous, ABB with Defari and Dilated Peoples, RagTop with Rappin'4Tay, Get Low with JT The Bigga Figga and San Quinn and C-Note with The Luniz and Dru Down are just a few of the more visible labels that have all come outta the Bay Area.. Collectively these independent labels have sold well into the millions... It's just ridiculous..

Anyway 40's documentary is spotlighting this entreprenueral spirit that has been embraced by the Bay Area.. It will feature folks like Ice T, Daz Dillinger and comedian Cedric The Entertainer.. Yours truly is also featured in this flick.. so look out for it.. As for E-40's new lp from what I've heard it's the bomb..His first single is a hip hop interpretation of Earth Wind And Fire's 'Ya Yo' and is called 'I Don't Wanna Go Back'..Here Bay Area singers Otis And Shug sing the hook while E-40 raps about not having to go back to a life where he sold dope [Ya Yo] It's definitely knocking.. Folks are speculating that E-40 will go multi-platinum with this new lp...We wish him luck and continued success..

*Ice T says he too is working on a new album and he promises it will be his best ever.. He is also getting into directing.. He's looking at some projects now... In addition he's also getting ready to go off and direct some porno flicks... Ice also noted that he has an escort service jumpin' off... Finally Ice talked about wanting to set up some 'fighting tournaments' for pay per view.. For those who don't know Ice is a Black belt in karate and has long been into that whole 'gladiator thing.. As he explained to me.. He's a guy with 10 hustles.. who is constantly on the run... Oh yeah his show Players got cancelled by NBC.. but he's definitely not sweating it..

*Ras Kass rolled through the Bay last week and performed at a club called Mocha Sundays.. It's hosted by djs Kevvy Kev and Mike Nice of KZSU's The Drum Hip Hop Show. KZSU is Stanford's college station.. It's also the longest running hip hop show here in the west coast.. Kevvy Kev has been holding this down Sunday Nite hip hop show for more then 15 years.. .. Anyway Ras swung through and took care of business..He's about to drop his new lp entitled 'Rassassination'.. It features folks like 'Dr Dre and Mack 10 on a track called Ghetto Fabulous', Other artists who get down include Xzibit, Saafir, Rza, Kurupt and Twista. They may have Lauryn Hill on a track before the lp is fully completed.. Premier and Easy Mo Be handle the production on the album's 15 cuts...

If you recall last album.. Ras had a controversial track called Nature Of the Threat.. It talked about the rise of white supremacy.. The song definitely shook a few feathers.. This time he has another controversial song called 'Interview With The Vampire'.. Ras was very guarded about that song..and while he let folks peep out some of the album's other completed songs.. He would not let that one out the bag.. You may wanna jam him up and see if he'll drop the goods.. I believe his email is Raskass@technologist.com..

Ras is about the business of trying to open doors and take hip hop to whole other level..He says thatthere are a lot of people within hip hop who have stopped being open minded and there's a lot of people who are hypocritical... Ras is without a doubt a very down to earth brother who can rip any microphone to shreds..

*Brooklyn born Mos Def came through the Bay the other week with The Lyricist Lounge Tour which is being sponsored by Rawkus Records.. The Lyricist Lounge in case you don't know is a concept that was founded in New York back in 1991 by Anthony Marshall and Danny Castro.. They wanted to create a venue where emcees could come up and flow on an open mic.. It was designed to help spotlight unsigned talent..It started out in a small studio.. and then eveolved into a moving bi-monthly club.. Everyone from Notorious BIG to Foxy Brown has participated in the Lyricist Lounge..The Lyricist Lounge album which is entitled Lyricist Lounge Volume One is off the hook .. Artsits like The Jurrassic 5, KRS-One, OC and Ras Kass are some of the featured performers.. De La Soul along with Kool Keith hosts the album... and of course Mos Def's new joint 'Body Rock' is featured..

Mos came through and performed with a whole bunch of folks including Bahamadia who wrecked shop and let the whole world know that sistas will always be a factor in the rap game...He's about to drop an lp in late September with Kweli who collectively are known as Black Star...In the meantime folks may want to look for the limited edition 12" singles that they release.. One such record is called 'Definition'.. It was issued as a plastic record which was inserted in the latest issue of Stress Magazine.. The song is dope and is in fact part of a larger 61/2 minute song.. This new track which thus far is only available inside the magazine has had people bugging.. Kids are so hyped on the record that they are buying two copies of the magazine and cutting out the plastic records.. They are then taping them to larger 12" records and getting busy.. So folks may wanna check for4 the records because as I said they are limited editions..

*Props to Bay Area/Los Angeles artist Defari who is one of the more talented kids around the country.. He is now signed to Tommy Boy records and has just dropped his new single called 'Never Lose Touch'.. Folks may recall Defari from the previous song called 'The People's Choice'..Here pin the Bay people were feeling Defari.. Now hopefully the rest of the nation will get a chance to peep him out.. His partners from the group Dilated People arte also making noise with a 3 song ep which features my favorite jam for the moment entitled 'The Main Event'.. Dilated peoples are still signed to ABB Records [Always Bigger & Better] which is an extension of Beni B and the Bay Area Hip Hop Coalition...

*Speaking of the BHHC..President Beni B is in the process of putting out the new radio schedule.. Here in the Bay there are over 70 hip hop shows on 23 stations.. Altogether there is over 180 hours of hip hop.. In short there's a hip hop show on one of the Bay Area radio stations every single day of the week for several hours..There's no excuse not to get your hip hop fulfillment... If your interested in getting more info..Call beni B up at 510-419-0396.. or email him at bahhc@ix.netcom.com..

*For all you Pete Rock fans.. listen up 'cause he's about to hit the scene in a quick minute.. He just signed to Loud Records and he'll be doing a compilation album called Pete Rock presents.. Thus far the album features folks like MC Eiht, Inspectah Deck and Raekwon..Speaking of which Raekwon is finishing up his new lp entitled 'Blood On Chef's Apron'.. Inspectah deck is also working on his lp...Another group to watch out for is Heltah Skelta.. their new lp will be out in August..

*New York is getting ready for the huge Puerto Rican Day Parade in which an estimated 3 million people are expected to attend.. Of course Big Pun, Fat Joe and this new group which is making mad noise The Terror Squad..will be on hand.. Puff Daddy will be out there.. I heard he may even be performing... Speaking of Puff.. the remix to his 'Rocky' inspired tune 'Victory' is off the hook... Puff went into the studio..and took out all the commercialization and made it rough and rugged the way we should all like it.. It's my pick of the week..

written by
Davey D
c1998

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