New Bay

Some of the hottest Bay Area songs that came out in the last few years, 2005-2008.

The Pack – Vans
Bailey – U C It
J. Stalin – 808
Keak da Sneak – That Go remix
The Jacka – All over me
The Frontline – What You Want
Traxamillion – San Francisco Anthem

The Pack are from Berkeley and they are so hip. They call their music Based. Bailey is the younger brother of San Quinn, he did his debut album a few years ago, the second album Just Listen is out now. He’s from Frisco, but now stationed in Atlanta. J. Stalin aka Joseph Stalin is a young rapper from West Oakland. But why is he called J. Stalin? They say he came across the name in 11th grade history class. “We got the same initials. Plus he was short like me, but he was always smashin’ on everybody.” Keak da Sneak has a long career, he was part of the group 3xKrazy, and he’s the one who coined the word “hyphy” back in 1994. The Jacka is part of the Mob Figaz family, and his upcoming album Tear Gas is one of the most anticipated records of the year. The Frontline are two rappers who come from Richmond. Much of their work has been produced by E-A-Ski. Traxamillion is a producer from San Jose and he also raps.

Bay Classics

Celly Cel – Bay Classics

RBL Posse – Don’t Give Me No Bammer

E-40 ft. B-Legit and Mac Shawn – Sideways

Celly Cel – Its Goin Down

Luniz – I Got 5 Five On It

Too $hort – Cocktales

The Coup – Not Yet Free

Messy Marv – On the D.L.

The Mac Named Dre

Mac Dre – The Mac Named Dre

Mac Dre is a major influence – not only for his music, but also for the creative style he had, and his attitude in general.

Dre grew up in Vallejo (North of San Francisco), and when hip-hop came to The Bay in the 80’s, he started rapping. After recording his first albums in 1989-1991, Mac Dre was charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery. Having refused to snitch, he was sentenced to five years in prison. He continued to record raps over Fresno County jail inmate telephone. Dre got free in 1996, kept doing tight music, ran his own record label, and created much of what today is called hyphy or thizz movement. He died tragically in 2004, gunned down in a freeway shooting in Kansas City.

In his early career Mac Dre did a tight song called California Livin. It came out in 1991 and it came with a video, check it out!

Mac Dre – California Livin

And here’s Ray Luv who speaks on Mac Dre and shares the last conversation he had with Dre. Also talks about Mac Dre’s non-stop hustle and business ethic. Listen and learn game:

MAC DRE was FILIPINO & liked LUMPIA

We play that G-FUNK and those BAY SLAPS

BATTERRAM
Thursday night hip hop fever
20-02 @ Squat Rajatila

28.8. CALIFORNIA LOVE!

We play that G-FUNK and those BAY SLAPS
blended with other good WEST COAST MUSIC

Special Guests: SuperJanne, Joni Fontana

20-22 Screening of GHOSTRIDE THE WHIP (2008)
A documentary about the Bay Area hyphy movement (imdb) (trailer)
22-02 SLAPS!

Suggested support fee 3e
Where it’s at: Rajasarenpenger 12, Töölö.

…Come Get Hyphy or Lean Like a Cholo!

No Dress Code … But If You’re Hood Enough You Know You Wear a White Tee! Yadada?!!

In The Bay we dance a lil different

First, I do it like this
Put a look on my face like I smell some piss
Bounce to the beat ’til it starts to hurt
Then dust all the smirk off me shirt

That’s Thizzle Dance, made popular by the Vallejo rapper Mac Dre.

The Bay Area has always had the style and swagger. Here some of the earlier Bay dance styles:

The Humpty Dance by Digital Underground (1989)
MC Hammer Going Wild in his Hammer pants (1990)

California Love

This thursday at Batterram we make a trip to the Golden State. It’s all good from Diego to tha Bay!

A few hot joints

Santogold – Creator
M.I.A. – Paper Planes
Yo Majesty – Club Action
Kid Sister ft. Kanye – Pro Nails
DJ Blaqstarr & Rye Rye – Shake It To The Ground

Santogold just released her debut album this year. She was the lead singer of the punk rock band Stiffed, coming from Philadelphia. Everybody already knows M.I.A. the british artist of Sri Lankan Tamil descent with the great albums Arular (2005) and Kala (2007). Yo Majesty is a new girl group coming from Tampa, Florida, they have two EP’s out, “Yo” and “Kryptonite Pussy”. Kid Sister comes from Chicago and her debut album is supposed to come out this autumn. Rye Rye is young (17 yo) talent coming from Baltimore and you should know her song Wassup Wassup by now!

Hela Vägen Ut

The second Batterram event “Ladies First” highlighted some of the coolest female artists in hip-hop but also in soul, r&b, dancehall, electroclash and whatever is good. The DJ’s and dancers kept the party live until 2 a.m. DJ Vibe covered for Reea and played some of the funkiest female hip-hop from the golden 90’s blended with some soul classics. Pussy P finished the night with dancefloor bangers from the likes of M.I.A., Yo Majesty and many more, not to forget Feven! Feven is the Eritrean-born Swedish female mc who broke through in 2001. Wonder where she’s now?

Remember this?
Feven – 10 budord

Some of the Realest Sisters in the Game

The music industry is what it is, the realest shit gets slept on too often. So here we go! Check out some of today’s realest female emcees who you don’t see every day on MTV.

Medusa – I See You
Medusa – My Momma Raised A G
Silk-E feat. San Quinn – Hard times
Silk-E live at The Fillmore with The Coup
Newsense with Psychodrama – Horrible Terrible No Good Very Bad Day

Medusa is the L.A. Gangsta Goddess who comes from the legendary Project Blowed crew. Silk E comes from The Bay Area and is collaborating and touring with the revolutionary rap group The Coup. They say KRS-1 said she’s the rawest female rapper he ever heard. On some The Coup songs she sings, too. Newsense comes from Chicago, she was part of the legendary Chi rap group Psychodrama and the Vice Lords street gang.

Neo-Soul from The Bay

Mystic – The Life
Goapele – Closer
Streets to the Hill – El Shaddai

Mystic comes from Oakland, and her debut album “Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom” came out in 2001. Goapele is a Berkeley-born, Oakland-based singer-songwriter. She has done 3 albums and collaborated with rappers like E-40 and Hieroglyphics. She’s also featured on Mistah Fab’s song “Make It Thru” (2008). Streets to the Hill is an Oakland-based duo that “combines the lyrics and struggle from the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica with the streetwise, neo-soul grooves of New York, Philadelphia, Oakland, and Atlanta”. Their debut album “The Soul of Kingston” came out in 2006.