Fruit and Rap

This is my new cartooning adventure, which only fans of rap music can appreciate. More are in the works, which will include such fruits and vegetables as yams, celery, avocados and a "lime to a lemon." The URL, FruitandRap.com, is inspired by my husband's website, BeerandRap.com

Guru Rest In Peace

Keith Elam, aka Guru, passed away yesterday.

Gang Starr is my favorite group of all time, all genres. DJ Premier and the Guru had a synergy that was magic. Guru, aka Keithy E, as he signed here, was an emcee and lyricist like no other. I was lucky enough to meet Guru, hang out with him, and watch him perform from the wings a few times. I'm grateful for the memories. Today is a day of mourning for the hip-hop world.



20 years ago my friend Stacey worked at BRE Magazine and found this 8x10 in a file. She also met Guru around this time. She grabbed the photo and had him sign it for me. It hangs in my kitchen. She is also the person who played Gang Starr for me first, from a tape dubbed from Davey D. I've been the biggest Gang Starr fan ever since. It was during Gavin of 1991 that I met them. Almost 20 years ago. My heart goes out to the entire Gang Starr Foundation.

This is what Keith wrote on the photo: "To Stephanie, Keep spinning baby and remember music is the universal voice. Peace and we wish you all of the best! Blessings & love, from 'GURU' Brooklyn - Gang Starr 1990-91 - Upward Flow!"

Interview with The Genius - KPOO 1991

Click image for mp3.

I knew I had this tape somewhere. Thanks to my husband Serg finding it, it's here for all to enjoy.

The Genius (pre-GZA) hit San Francisco with his manager, Melquan (the same Melquan that Just-Ice said "peace" to) the Funky President, to promote his first album, Words From the Genius, on Warner Bros/Cold Chillin'. I believe this was in January or February of 1991. He made a promo/autograph signing appearance at 520 4th Street (old Trocadero Transfer, now Glas Kat), and one of his radio stops was at KPOO-FM 89.5 on the "Soulful Sundays" show with KK Baby. This is a recording of that interview.

Genius Interview - San Francisco 1991

During this visit, he told us (a group of friends including Stacey Holmes and Adisa Banjoko) about his cousin Rakeem, and talked about how hip-hop would soon be taken over, and changed forever, by their crew. Two years later we realized he had been talking about the Wu-Tang Clan.

RedWine's monthly record swap 2/14

Bad Brains "Omega Sessions" 10-inch

Toph One and the RedWine crew present their monthly record swap today and every second Sunday afternoon/evening complete w/ beer, pool & brats. Rap, Latin, punk, rock, metal, funk, soul -- all genres of wax represented.

No cost to sell and no cover to get in!
4-8 pm @ Gestalt
3159 16th Street between Albion & Guerrero (nr. 16th St. BART)
In the Mission, San Francisco

I missed last month's, when Grand Invincible shot their new music video. Last time I came up on a Bad Brains "Omega Session" 10-inch, a gift from Sake1. Gotta get there early!

Valentine's Spindig w/ Matthew Africa

Spindig is this Friday! Our special guest Matthew Africa promises to get romantic wit'cha.

Metal Wednesdays & Left Fest Success

(Thanks for the W, Municipal Waste.)

With the success of Full Metal Spindig and the Metal Xmas Party, Butter will now host a monthly metal night every first Wednesday of the month. Doors open at 8, DJs 10-1, and all kinds of metal will be played all night. It jumps off this week on February 3rd. Want to spin metal with us for free drinks? Hit me up.


(And here I borrowed a W from Warbringer.)

"Back to the hip-hop" (like the Troubleneck Brothers): I failed to post about this show beforehand, but last Thursday night's Left Fest at Mezzanine had a great lineup with an equally great crowd to enjoy it. Here's the video flyer I made, which I was excited to see up on the wall.



Souls of Mischief celebrated the release of their new album, Montezuma's Revenge. It was also Crowne Royale's (Buff1 and DJ Rhettmatic) debut appearance in the Bay Area. Learn more about them at the Myx Music Label site. Hot shit!

If you missed the Edan and Ricky Powell "Echo Party" party, or just want to reminisce, check out Ron Nachmann's excerpts:

Echo Party feat. Edan & Ricky Powell @ SOM, San Francisco 1/19/10 (excerpts) from Shockman on Vimeo.

Excerpts from Echo Party @ SOM, San Francisco 1/19/10. Includes DJ Centipede opening set, narrated slide show by legendary NYC street photographer Ricky Powell, video interpretation of Edan's Echo Party mixtape by Tom Fitzgerald, & Edan DJ set. Shot by Ron Nachmann & Stephanie Ornelas, edited by Ron N.

SteadySonic with DJ B.Cause

I don't DJ on Saturday nights much anymore, mostly because I'm sticking to vinyl only and don't have Lady Gaga or David Guetta on wax nor would I want it. But this party at SOM will be different. The DJs have the opportunity to be creative, and I think SOM's crowd will appreciate it. See you on the dance floor.



Edan's Echo Party party last Tuesday night at Change the Beat was phenomenal. The man Ron Nachmann provides an on-point review over at SFWeekly.com's Last Night section. Here's a clip of the first part of Edan's set.

Edan Echo Party

Got Edan's Echo Party album on vinyl and it's an incredible collage of old school rap, dance, various rhythms and crazy sound effects that make me want to double dutch. Read about it in Stones Throw news.



He's DJing at SOM tonight and screening the "Echo Party" film along with photographer Ricky Powell who will present a slide show of his work. Sounds like two great things that go great together like chocolate and peanut butter in a Reese's cup. I found a few flicks from the LA show on Flickr.

Tonight at SOM also marks the first installment of CB Records' legendary weekly party, Change the Beat, at its new location.

D.R.I. tonight

I'm stoked to see Dirty Rotten Imbeciles live for the first time tonight at Slim's. Note to self: Get the "Live at The Ritz" DVD, which this clip is from:



It almost makes up for Slayer cancelling their tour. Almost.

Happy New Year! Spindig 1/8/10

The first Spindig Happy Hour of 2010 is this Friday with special guest DJ B.Cause.

METAL XMAS 12/23!

HOLY SHIT! Have yourself a Merry Metal Xmas with DJ Mattle Axe (aka Matt Loomis) coming all the way from Chico to bring the ear pain. And the cheer. See you at Butter starting at 9:00. Get in free before 10.



We'll have shitty holiday horror flicks and gifts that suck! Come ring in the holidaze with the crew!

Paul Mawhinney and The Archive

I just watched this beautifully-shot short, "The Archive," for the first time yesterday, although it was posted over a year ago. I did remember the story of Paul Mawhinney, owner of the "World's Greatest Music Collection", from his eBay auction early last year. The winning bid of $3,002,150 came from a buyer in Ireland, but it turned out to be a fake.

Please watch and enjoy. From various perspectives -- musical, cultural, technological, business and artistic -- as Paul says, "It's a sad commentary on the times."

The Archive from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.

Paul Mawhinney was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Over the years he has amassed what has become the world's largest record collection. Due to health issues and a struggling record industry Paul is being forced to sell his collection.



This is the story of a man and his records. I hope you enjoy it.



veryapeproductions.com

He is still trying to locate a new home for these "close to 2,500,000" recordings. Check out Record-Rama.com for more info. I'll be watching to see what becomes of The Archive.

Rest In Peace Mr. Magic

My heart hurts. Mr. Magic passed away this morning. His "Rap Attack" show on WBLS with DJ Marley Marl, the first exclusively rap format radio show, first DJ mix show EVER, was legendary. Here on the west coast we fiended for tapes, or just word about who was on the show, what records they played, so we could try to find them in the record stores here. In 1985 I listened to the first Rap Attack album non-stop.





Thank you, Mr. Magic!

DJ Premier in San Francisco

It's been a long time. He shouldn'ta left us.


DJ Premier - Part 1

Had a blast at the DJ Premier show at 330 Ritch last night. Thank you, Big Gord! More video to come.

Before the show I watched his Red Bull Music Academy interview with Chairman Mao. Two years late, but better late than never. So many great stories here. My favorites are 1) How all his records got rained on in the back of his truck while driving from Texas to New York, which resulted in the static-y sample in "The ? Remainz," and 2) As a little kid getting lost at an Ike & Tina Turner concert.

Video is here and transcript is here.

Rest In Peace Grandmaster Roc Raida

Peanut Butter Wolf Extravaganza - Palm Springs

For real, that's what they called it.



Our weekend getaway to Palm Springs with DJ Joe Bank$ and his girl Liz just happened to coincide with a Stones Throw show at the Ace Hotel. Our friend DJ Day opened, so although we love staying at "our" house with the pool, we broke away for one night to go. Day offered to try to get us on the guest list, to which we responded, "It's cool," until we get to the entrance and find out the cover is $30. We needed an ATM, so walk back to the lobby. The Ace Hotel is WAY bigger than I expected (180 rooms). ATM is out of order. Long story short, we walk for almost an hour searching for an automatic teller machine, a machine, apparently for Palm Springs, "from the future." The four of us had been drinking all day (some more than others, guess which ones) and it was 100 degrees outside at night. Finally we find one, get back and into the venue.



I say hi to Peanut Butter and explain what we're doing in Palm Springs. I hesitate to introduce him to Serg, wondering if he's aware of his Twitter war with Dam-Funk. (More on that later.) We thought he may show up and there might be a throw-down, but to my relief Dam-Funk is not there. However, Peanut Butter Wolf, James Pants and Gary Wilson are all there, and it's an amazing show. PB plays a fun yet deep VJ set which includes Rick James, Billy Ocean, Inner City, Madvillain, the Jackson 5, Nas and a lot more.




Peanut Butter Wolf mixes Gang Starr and Michael Jackson.

I was very excited to see Gary Wilson and he did not disappoint. We saw him again in San Francisco a week later. The music is great on its own, but Gary adds his performance art panache to make it next level. His duct tape headdress had the tape roll hanging off it. Amazing. Serg tweeted: "This dude has the George Clinton at home kit."


Gary Wilson & the Blind Dates with James Pants on drums.

Hell Awaits Tour SF video

Better late than never.


MC Esoteric and DJ Beyonder


Jedi Mind Tricks "Heavy Metal Kings"

Security told me both times to stop recording video. Glad I wasn't kicked out the second time.

Jedi Mind Tricks in SF tonight!

I just found out that DJ Beyonder is with them, along with Esoteric. Vinnie Paz is one of my favorite people on the planet. HELL AWAITS!



The Independent's calendar links to the wrong MySpace pages for the opening acts, The Armada and Bound By Honor. One of the links goes to Thee Armada. Imagine them playing with Vinnie Paz. Ha.


Thee Armada. NOT on the Hell Awaits tour.

Bay Rap Spindig

I pulled out some classics to play at the next Spindig Happy Hour. Come through and hear 'em along with DJs B.Cause and Joe Bank$!

After that, Andre Nickatina at DNA Lounge, right across the street.

Spindig with Shezilla this Friday!

This month's Spindig Happy Hour is gonna be a blast. We're celebrating Shezilla's birthday as well as her return to the turntables. I've become obsessed with the Runaways of late, so I will be playing "Cherry Bomb" every hour on the hour. When you hear it, it means it's time to enjoy one: Black Cherry Vodka + Squirt + a cherry (the bomb).