This blogger has moved

I confess I’ve been a fraud. For the last five months I haven’t even lived in Cardiff and it is for that reason that I can’t go on posting on this blog.

Instead, I have set out my digital stall over at From the Streets of the Sticks. Over there I’ll be posting all the usual fluffy goodness from the Hip Hop-iverse, along with a few additional gems from time to time.

The only thing that remains is to thank those that have helped out or made this possible or have been accommodating and helpful in hooking me up, you know who you are. See you on the flip side. Peace.

Ghostface on Jimmy Kimmel

The intro to this video captures what is wrong with commercial US TV vision. I mean, how many names do you need to drop these days to introduce one song? But at least it's nice to see Bez is still getting work.

Oner Signs calender competition

Cardiff's long standing graff spot Oner Signs are running a competition for local artists to get your work in their 2010 calender. Anything goes from full colour walls to exquisite sketches as long as it includes the word Oner and you get it over to Ronnie and the guys in store on Cardiff's Church Street.

The deadline is November 27 so you best get down there to get some paint if you want to be one of the 12 in print.

Image of Oner's roof by courtesy of Walt Jabsco

Brett Domino's comedy stylophone beatbox mix

I have posted this because Hip Hop needs more hair parted to the side.

Google map: Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind

If you've been wondering what Hov was chatting about for that three minutes while you waited for Alicia Keys to pop up in the mix, then wonder no more because someone has mapped out the whole of Empire State of Mind for you. At the time of writing guided tours were not yet available.

Watch this space because my good pal and Hip Hop heretic @weekspotblog is threatening to make one for Orinoc Flow.


View Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" in a larger map

Brad Strut Interview

While i might have been neglecting this place i have still been working on a few things. A little while back I caught up with London based Australian emcee Brad Strut for Stealth Mag. Here's a little of what he had to say.

The UK seems like a harder place for an independent Hip Hop artist to survive?

A lot of people at home have this fantasy ideal that British Hip Hop is just as big as its own and probably bigger. The scene here has its moments but Australia is probably a better place for an independent Hip Hop artist to be.

It is a healthy scene over here. You don’t have a national radio station over here or one that is as prolific as the one over here and knowing that if you get a song on the Js [Triple J] then you know that a lot of regular people might have that on in their cars and boom you’ve got a profile.

I haven’t actually got play on that shit at this point. I do get splashes or moments where they push one of my singles for a few weeks but it never really gets on rotation. The Hip Hop Show has always been a supporter and Triple J has as well, but they have a particular style of music they want to play and I’m aware of that in the studio. I’d like to think that as an artist I have the range to make a song that they couldn’t not play but at the same time I’m in this for Hip Hop. I’m not about to go and sucker out for want of an 80s or 90 term.

You can read more on Stealth Mag

Image courtesy of Stealth Mag

Uexpected collabs Vol. 1: GZA and Devendra Banhart

Yeah, you read that right, apparently the liquid sword tongued one has hooked up with wyrd folk sensation Devendra Banhart.

The unlikely pair met at the Coachella festival where GZA was watching him form the sidelines. They got chatting and before you know it GZA has recorded a freestyle to Devendra's new single Baby.

What the shaloin warrior will be rapping about is anyones guess but my bet it that it's all really about the wonders of organic knitwear.

You can read more on how they got together at Clash Music.

Image courtesy of DG Jones