BRISBANE BULLETS R.I.P.

Later Brisbane.

GET THE DJ DRUNK

There should be more tracks like this one - dedicated to getting DJs drunk. It can get lonely when you're up there DJing, thirsty as hell! (Except for the weeks at XO when everyone claims VIP status to get in the DJ booth, but they rarely bring the DJ a drink - do that and there's more chance you won't get kicked out.) This track from an artist named ProHoeZak is simply called Get the DJ Drunk and I think every Sydney DJ should start playing this s--t ASAP.

TELL ME HOW MY ASS TASTE

Thank you J.Rocwell! He's gone and taken Shaq's freestyle and built a track (and a club track at that!) around it. I was looking for something to get Laker fans at XO more angry than I did last week, when I started my set with We Are the Champions and this should do the trick. If you want some Shaq merchandise, I'd recommend checking out this site. Speaking of Shaq, Australia's own "Baby Shaq" Nathan Jawai ended up with the Toronto Raptors once draft day was over. Will he jack Vince Carter's number 15? Here's hoping.

NO STATIC

Check it out, Nappy Roots are back! This track will be on next week's podcast but I couldn't wait, had to let you listen to it now. It went straight into the "CHILL" folder in my iTunes (this folder is usually reserved for timeless music that gives me chills - hence the name - so it's rare a new, fresh track goes in there). Check out the sample from Nice and Smooth's Sometimes I Rhyme Slow they used in the hook!

XO PODCAST - 25-06-08

Treeeeemendous XO podcast this week! I'm not even going to play games with "guess my favourite track" this time - it's the first two tracks, gotta start the 'cast off with a bang. Thanks to everyone who came out to XO last week for the launch of Reprezent 2, the latest album from XO's DJ Peter Gunz. Get yourself on the guestlist this week by emailing XO here. Check out the new flyer at the end of this post, it's dope!

25-06-08 PODCAST TRACKLISTING

1. A Better Day - T.I.
2. I Got - Three 6 Mafia feat. Pimp C, Project Pat
3. Immma Get Mine - Mannie Fresh feat. The Show, Lil Wayne
4. In the Limelight (March 9 remix) - Notorious B.I.G.
5. I'm On - Nas
6. I'll Be Lovin' You Long Time (remix) - Mariah Carey feat. T.I.
7. Nobody but You - J.R.
8. She Sexy - Durty Bo Dean
9. Put it Down (Sweet Dreamz) - Strizzo
10. Keep it Playa - Boss Hogg Outlawz feat. Ray J
11. Bubblegum - B.G. & The Chopper City Boyz
12. Umma Do Me - Rocko

SHAQ'S VERBAL VENOM

Just when you thought it was over, Shaq saves the day and comes out with some more disses to Kobe - this time in freestyle format! This story is geting big - it even made it to the Sydney Morning Herald. Here's my highlight from Shaq's poisonous darts:

"I'm a horse, Kobe ratted me out, that's why I'm getting divorced. He said Shaq gave a bitch a mil, I don't do that 'cause my name's Shaquille. I love 'em, I don't leave 'em. I got a vasectomy, now I can't breed 'em."

WILT CHAMBERLAIN?

I don't know whether I should be offended by this CD cover or bask in its awesomeness! I'm leaning towards the latter, as it appears Gucci Mane is just paying homage to the NBA's biggest pimp, Wilt "Untouchable Stats" Chamberlain (we're talking on and off the court stats as well).

Take a listen to Gucci's first big hit below, Icy featuring Young Jeezy (before they started beefing and shooting at each other).

HOOCHIES NEED LOVE TOO

This track is from the greatest movie soundtrack of all-time, Above the Rim. The title of the song makes a very valid point - Hoochies Need Love Too - and it's by Paradise, who I haven't heard of outside this soundtrack. FUN FACT: The image to the right was the first non-pornographic image that came up when I did a google image search for "hoochies". Hoochies, see you tonight at XO!

KOBE SUCKS

Best photo from the Celtics championship parade yesterday in Boston. Hey Kobe, do you like apples? Well how do ya like them apples?!

I GOT

Hmm, this trend of sampling dance music in hip-hop continues. I haven't hit up my electronic music friends to identify this sample (it's 1am so they'd be off chops on pills right now - way to generalise!), but I'm sure it's something fairly mainstream-ish because the melody sounds familiar. This is from the new Three 6 Mafia album Last 2 Walk, it's called I Got, featuring Pimp C and Project Pat. DJ Carl Alley dropped it last week at XO and I'm going to steal his thunder and play it right before he jumps on the decks this Saturday!

THIS WEEK AT XO - DJ PETER GUNZ 'REPREZENT 2' LAUNCH

Part of the XO dream team of DJs (the 1992 US Olympic basketball team stole OUR name!), DJ Peter Gunz is launching his second solo album, Reprezent 2, at the club this week. Get on the guestlist by either heading to the XO MySpace page or sending an email here.

Check out the youtube video below of Gunz on stage with Savage, Mareko and Dawnraid at the MTV Australia Music Awards!

SORRY KOBE!

What a MVP performance! Kobe Bryant's stat line - 22pts (7-22FG), 3reb, 1ast, 4to. Final score - 131-92, Celtics win NBA title. All that's left now is for me to collect my bets from Dre and Jay! Thanks fellas!




















SASHA, WIPE AWAY THOSE TEARS!

CLAY BENNETT = OWNED

The Sonics vs Seattle trial is underway and Clay Bennett says losing. First of all, 3000 people (including Xavier McDaniel and Gary Payton) turned up to protest the Sonics possibly leaving town, while Bennett insists the team has no support. He then got roasted in court. For a complete rundown on the ownage of Bennett, read this article by Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Art Thiel.

XO PODCAST - 18-06-08

I'm sorry! The XO podcast train is running a little late this week due to a night of Chivas and Tera. Check out the first track , Beast in the Booth by Major League feat. Mareko - it's produced by XO's DJ Peter Gunz and is on Pete's latest CD Reprezent 2 - and we've got the official launch at XO this Saturday! Get yourself on the guestlist by sending an email here!

18-06-08 PODCAST TRACKLISTING

1. Beast in the Booth - Major League feat. Mareko
2. They Know remix - CTMC
3. Money in the Way - Bow Wow feat. Lil Wayne
4. My Shoes - Murphy Lee
5. You're Everything - Bun B feat. Rick Ross, David Banner, 8Ball & MJG
6. BooKoo - Yung Joc
7. What You Got - Colby O'Donis feat. Akon, Lyrikill
8. I Got a Dollar - YV feat. Polow Da Don
9. Show You What to do With That - LL Cool J
10. It'z Me - Ray Cash
11. Situations - Stan Bravo feat. Slim from 112
12. Let it Fly - Trick Trick feat. Ice Cube, Lil Jon

DRANKIN'

The less said about the Lakers-Celtics game today, the better. Let's talk politics! FUN FACT: When I was in primary school, I wanted to be Prime Minister, and all I'd write about for my creative writing assignments were stories about how I'd be PM one day. And if I was Prime Minister, I know one thing that I wouldn't do - classify four drinks in a day as "binge drinking". How nuts is that? I usually have a litre of beer at the Bavarian Bier Cafe (I recommend the baby octopus salad) every Saturday night before heading out to XO, which means I'm almost a binge drinker before my night has begun. I thought having a nerd as PM might be cool, but all it has exposed is the dude has never been out drinking before in his life. Might explain why he couldn't remember what happened the night he went to a strip club, the guy is a two pot screamer.

Here's a song for Kevin Rudd and the rest of the lames in Canberra.

JESUS SAVES

Second half: Lakers 33 - Celtics 57
Kobe Bryant: 6/19 FG, 17 points (MVP!)
Celtics come back from a record 24-point deficit to win the game.

FUN FACT: No team in NBA history has come back from being down 3-1.

Face it Kobe, you're not as good as Jesus...

QUEENSLANDER!

I live in Sydney, but I'm still a Queenslander - 30-0. Two quotes come to mind here:

- "Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion" - Former Houston Rockets coach, Rudy Tomjanovich
- "It's not how big you are, it's how big you play" - Former Gregory Terrace head of basketball, Steve "Pig Dog" McLeod

XO PODCAST - 11-06-08

Once again, Australia's number one nightclub brings you Australia's number one podcast! Brand new and exclusive tracks, hosted by yours truly. I'm still slightly hung over from last Saturday night at XO, get yourself on the free guestlist for the madness that is XO this Saturday night by emailing here!

11-06-08 PODCAST TRACKLISTING

1. Uh Huh - Alfamega
2. I'm Me - Lil Wayne
3. Rider Pt 2 remix - G Unit feat. Wisin & Yandel
4. Deep in the South - Lil Flip feat. Jay-Z
5. Don't Stop Movin' - X & Hell
6. Silver & Gold - T-Pain
7. U So Thick - Kitty Katt feat. Fabo & Diamond
8. We Break the Dawn (DJ Montay remix) - Michelle Williams feat. Flo Rida
9. Nite Life - Playboy Tre feat. B.O.B.
10. Only in the Dark - Macy Gray feat. The Game
11. Turn Heads - Dem Franchize Boyz feat. Lloyd
12. Betcha Can't Do It - Lil O

CELTIC PRIDE REDUX

Jay, get ready to produce the two shots of Goldvasser, and Dre, I'm waiting on my c-note! Celtics up 2-0 thanks to the play of a guy named LEON (Powe).

CELTIC PRIDE

Ahhhh I'm going to have fun with the Laker fans tomorrow night at XO...

MISS U

How can I have a week of 1990s classic tracks without something from Christopher Wallace a.k.a. Notorious B.I.G. a.k.a. Biggie Smalls etc... this is one of my favourite Biggie tracks, Miss U feat. 112. It's from the Life After Death double album. If you don't like this album you're not a fan of hip-hop, I don't care what your excuse is.

FRONT, BACK & SIDE TO SIDE

This track was from the UGK album Super Tight, but I remember it more from the classic soundtrack A Low Down Dirty Shame - Front, Back & Side to Side by Bun B and Pimp C, a.k.a. UGK. R.I.P. Pimp C.

XO PODCAST - 04-06-08

Another hot XO podcast this week! Looking at the tracklisting, I bet there's no way you'd pick what my favourite track is - the answer is at the end of this post. I'm going to be a super nice dude this week and open up my own personal guestlist for XO this Saturday night - email me here and I'll put you on my list. See you there this Saturday night!

04-06-08 PODCAST TRACKLISTING

1. Could You Be The Reason - Akon
2. Get Silly remix - V.I.C. feat. Soulja Boy, Bun B, E-40, Pitbull, Polow Da Don, Jermaine Dupri, Arab, Unk, Big Kuntry King, & Tech
3. Get Down - Rick Ross feat. Pharrell
4. Bobble - R.Kelly
5. Down On Your Knees - DJ Unk feat. Maceo
6. Grey Goose - Allstar Cashville Prince feat. Yo Gotti & Lil Wayne
7. Please Excuse My Hands - Plies feat. Jamie Foxx & Dream
8. Say Yeah remix - Wiz Khalifa feat. Jody Breeze, Arok, & Lil Wayne
9. Do Your Thang - Ice Cube
10. You Know Me - 2 Pistols feat. Ray J
11. On Deck - Unda Surveillance
12. City of the Swang - Bun B feat. Mike Jones & Slim Thug

* My favourite track is track 7!

NO PIGEONS

I told you I was going to keep it in the 1990s this week (except for the XO podcast, coming up later tonight, which is cemented in 2010). Take a listen to No Pigeons by Sporty Thievz featuring Mr Woods - this track was a response to TLC's "girl power" anthem No Scrubs. It features the awesome line "this ain't my Benz there, it's my man's yeah / but this ain't my car like that ain't your hair". NOT SO FUN FACT: One of the members of Sporty Thievz, Marlon Brando, died when he was hit by a car while he was pushing a young girl out of the way.

PETE ROCK REMIX - SHUT EM DOWN

This is another goosebump track, much like Nas's The Message - it's the Pete Rock remix of Public Enemy's classic Shut Em Down. I'm on a bit of a nostalgia kick right now so there could be a string of 1990s/early 2000s tracks coming up soon. Oh and speaking of shutting things down, expect Ray Allen and the Celtics to shut down Kobe Bryant and the Fakers this Friday!

ANTHONY MUNDINE INTERVIEW

Did this interview with Anthony Mundine quite a few years ago for Urban Hitz magazine, for an article about hip-hop and sport. (Which reminds me, I also interviewed Darryl McDonald for the same article, need to get that interview online soon.) Mundine was cool to talk to, and it turned out he's a Geto Boys fan so he's alright with me!

When did you first get into hip-hop?
A real long time ago, for as long as I can remember I’ve been into it... probably since I was four or five.

Who were some of the first artists you were into?
Back then it would have been Run-DMC, Geto Boys, those kind of groups. I also liked a lot of older stuff, more old school funk and soul music.

I’m glad you said the Geto Boys, a lot of people didn’t really get into them early. You use hip-hop as your intro music before a fight, what is the ultimate adrenalin pumping, hype track for you?
There’s a few. Victory by Biggie and Puffy, Hypnotize by Biggie... I love 2Pac’s Changes too.

What do you listen to when you want to chill out? You mentioned before that you were into old soul...
Yeah, I get into the slow jams. I also listen to some country as well, my Mum was brought up in the country and my Dad’s from the bush so I was brought up on a lot of country music.

I’ve got a theory that although hip-hop was born in the 1970s in New York, that Muhammad Ali was actually the first “MC” – if you take his pre-fight speeches and put a beat behind them, you’ve got a typical braggadocio hip-hop track. Do you agree?
True, true. Ali was a great motivator for a lot of people, and he also put fear into a lot of people as well. And he put that fear into his opponents before he even stepped into the ring, his words held a lot of weight, a lot of power.

What about your own MC career? I know you’re not too shy to jump on the mic every now and then.
I’m currently working on an album, yeah. It’s going to be a good foundation for the future, we’re going to release a track with MDP, Modern Day Poets from Brisbane. Joel Turner, the beatbox guy from Australian Idol, he’s on there as well.

What about Roy Jones Jr?
Yeah, I’ve heard his stuff, it’s real good. There’s a lot of talent over there [in the US], his music isn’t as huge as Nelly or someone like that, but it’s still good. He’s got a great label set up.

Is that BodyHead Records?
Yeah.

Are you going to be working with any Aboriginal hip-hop artists in the future?
That’s what I want to do, yeah. But not just Indigenous [people], I want to work with anyone with the drive and talent to make it.

Do you feel that as a role model to young Aboriginal kids it’s important for them to understand that they can listen to the violent tales in hip-hop but not to take the wrong message from it?
Yeah, for sure. I mean, I’m an Indigenous person and I’m not a gangsta, I’m not into that lifestyle even though I can relate to that kind of music. I want to let kids know that it’s the government and the infrastructure [that’s holding us back], they want us to feel like we’re inferior, we’re no good and below everyone else. It’s about choosing the right path and not letting anyone hold you back.

There seems to be a new beef in hip-hop popping up every second week. Do you think for a change these guys should put down the mics, put on some gloves and get in the ring?
Yeah, go at it mano-a-mano. They should – but I doubt if they would.

Any MCs who you think would make good boxers?
LL Cool J, he looks like he’s got the right kind of physique to make a good boxer.

You mentioned you’re a Geto Boys fan before, what about Willie D, he was a semi-pro boxer for a while wasn’t he?
Yeah, a lot of these artists have talent in other areas. Really, it’s all about just putting your mind to what you want to do, setting goals and then doing it.