For all the SD people that read this blog, afterschoolspecial ent. just started a new monthly Art/Open Mic/Performance explosion. In the vein of Feel Good Fusion and Tuesday Night Cafe, Funky Rhythms combines local muscians and artists and gives them a chance to collaborate and share their work.

Last Thursday, Aug 21, they held their opening night (sponsored by Future Rockstars of America)

Featured artists were Chris Legaspi, Anne, and Nicole.(Anne was rocking a FR*A shirt. Also, they had to develop art around the FR*A logo- as featured below)

Performances included:

Concrete Project

Terry Matsuoka

afterschoolspecial

Next event is tentative, but we’ll be sure to update you on the when’s and what’s.

A great contest that the San Diego Asian FIlm Foundation is sponsoring. For all you aspiring film makers or politicians or …regular people check it out!

If you have access to a video camera and a great idea, here’s your chance to take action in 30 seconds! The San Diego Asian Film Foundation is challenging YOU to submit a 30-second public service announcement that promotes civic responsibility and democratic participation in the electoral and public policy processes. In other words, your PSA should help encourage voter registration and participation in the APIA community. Be creative!

We will choose a winner to receive $1000 and a Sony HDF-FX1 HDV Camcorder (worth $3700), plus bragging rights - the winning PSA will be screened before all film programs at the film festival.

Entries must be postmarked by July 31, and no more than 30 seconds in length.

Go to SDAFF.org for more info

The battle of epic proportions: WALE VS WALL•E VS a WHALE. I’m going to size up each of them with several different categories

Latest Release:

Wale - New Mixtape that is out for free download at “Mixtape About Nothing”.
Wall•E - New Pixar Movie that is being released this Friday. However it costs whatever your local cinema is charging.
Whale - Swims in the ocean

Point to Wale - A free downloadable mix tape by one of the freshest emcees on the block wins the point.

Promotional Material:

Wale - Just got picked up to do Rock the Bells Tour. Will be on most of the country wide dates. Also is featured on the single for The Roots’ latest CD- a song called “Rising Down.”
Wall•E - Had interesting robot playing basketball promotions during the NBA Finals. Eventual happy meal toy at Mc Donalds. Has own stuffed animal.
Whale - Promotes it self by eating lots of fish

Point to Wall•E- Nothing spells out pimp like having your own stuffed animal.

Life Span:

Wale - Will probably die off around his late 70’s, early 80’s
Wall•E - Doesn’t have the life span boundaries that humans have. Can live years upon years
Whale - Depending on the whale, 40-85 years.

Point to Wall•E - Although having an unfair advantage of not really being alive, Wall-E lives longer.

Fashion:

Wale - Nike Boots, Common Wealth threads, and D.C.’s finest designers
Wall•E - Rusty metal
Whale - The Nude

Point to Wale - The kid is fresh. Although the whale was a close second.

Survival underwater:

Wale - Can hold breath for a little over a minute
Wall•E - Will sink to bottom of any body of water
Whale - Can survive 40-85 years.

Point to Whale - Nothing spells pimp like being able to survive under the water 40-85 years.

ADDING UP ALL POINTS:

It’s a tie between Wale and Wall•E (although the whale was a close second).
I know it’s a cop out, but i love Wale’s new Mix Tape and Pixar animation on the same level. Pixar and Wale should team up to do an animated hip hop flick. (do it Pixar!)

Wale x Justice - “W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.”

I really want to go to this show. Anyone want to go?

The HARD Summer Festival is hitting LA at the Shrine Expo Hall on July 19th.
N*E*R*D, KID SiSter, A-Trak, Spank Rock, Steve Aoki will all be doing sets.

Tickets are on sale now. Check out Hardfest.com for details.

The collaborations between MF Doom (or just Doom as he goes by now) and just about anyone he works with produces some of the most creative and ingenious hip hop i’ve ever heard. Case in point, i just picked up the Danger Doom Cd (it was released in 2005) and was blown away by the collab between Danger Mouse and Doom. AND..ANDDD they mixed it with Adult Swim, having various characters provide a back drop for the songs. You got Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Brak, and Sealab 2021 rapping along side Doom. In particular, on one of my favorite tracks “Old School”, it’s Doom featuring Talib Kweli going back and forth about saturday morning cartoons.

“I was, makin up a miracle flow, over a cereal bowl,
And a paused beat from my stereo,
Rhymes stronger than Popeye with the spinach.”

While on the topic, although they’ve calmed down a little on it, Adult Swim’s close connection with hip hop has been historic. They’ve down records with the Stones Throw label and sponsor hip hop shows. A few years ago they even had the evil genius Doom host a Holiday show. Some may argue there isn’t anything hip hop about Adult Swim. hellll no. The wonderfully independent minds of Adult Swim push the limits of creativity with everything they do. The truly independent hip hop scene is the perfect compliment to the mix. Push them records- pick em up!

stonesthrow.com

Adultswim.com

Myspace.com/Dangerdoom

This post has been months in the making. DC rapper WALE is bigggg. He’s doing huge things right now. Being Mark Ronson’s hand picked protege just solidifys his place within Hip Hop up and comers. Many people are comparing him to Kanye and Lupe when they first launched. I believe it. Although he’s defintely got his own swagger and style (much different the lupe and kanye), the hype around him is comparable.

Check out his myspace page at myspace.com/wale202. he’s got a free mixtape you can jam on (also Rhymefest has got a mixtape you can download too!!). Personal favorites are the remix of Rehab, WALEDANCE, and Good Girls.