COMPETITION IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST RADIO GAME
For a little more than a decade (besides their few years of Grunge
experimentation) KUBE 93 FM was the only commercial radio station playing
Hip Hop music in the Pacific Northwest. Three years after Tacoma’s Y104.9 FM
was surprisingly bought out, The Beat 94.5 FM has arrived in our northern
neighbor’s Van City.
The Cosby Reunion recently aired on NBC, sin Lisa Bonet and featured some of
the most memorable moments in the lives of the Huxtable family. Airing for
more than nine years, The Cosby show was effectively role modeling for
families of color yet was often criticized by pessimistic TV critics, White
and Black, for being “too unrealistic.” Hmmm…successful, law-abiding Black
folks too unrealistic? I guess Good Times is supposed to be more realistic
for people of color…yeah…ok…uh huh, what’s up...you know the rest.
Speaking of the Huxtables – Theo or better yet Malcolm Jamal-Warner has been
doing his thang in The Van City (Vancouver, B.C.) recently while filming a
new movie. The dread-rocking Jamal-Warner has immersed himself in the world
of spoken word and poetry. He is extremely well written and has been hosting
and performing at spoken word readings in Vancouver. Jamal-Warner performed
some of his material recently on The Beat 94.5 and dedicated an earstirring
piece to The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Amaru Shakur. Check Jamal-Warner out
– he’s on.
Word has it that DJ B-Mello has been making his way around the Northwest
circuit recently. He was doing it in a major way at Christo’s Casino in
Bellingham a couple weeks back and is releasing his latest installment of
the Block Burners Mix CD series with Jerzey Love. Look for more of DJ
B-Mello on Seaspot.com.
Speaking of B-Boys like B-Mello, KRS One and the Temple of Hip Hop Culture
founded Hip Hop Appreciation Week in May of 1998. Pay respects to our
forefathers and foremothers like Afrika Bambataa, Kool Herc, Sequence, The
Funky Four + 1 More, Phase 1, Turbo, Ozone, Schooly D, Spoonie G., The
Treacherous Three and all of the veterans who made Hip Hop so amazing during
the times when it was not so popular – we owe them much honor and respect!
LOCAL
Spokane MC by way of Watts, Skanless has received notable attention from
various well-known labels based in the Southern United States. After
releasing his debut CD, The Future is Platinum in 2000, Skanless was
reportedly contact by the likes of Project Pat and members of the Cash Money
camp. Skanless is said to be the original proprietor of the “Gilligan’s
Island” sample used in a now popular song “Still Fly” by the Cash Money
Camp…a lesson…don’t sit on your ideas, you’ll kill’em.
Oh yeah, it looks like Juvenile and B.G. are out of the Cash Money confines.
B.G. reportedly announced the creation of his own record company, Chopper
City Records and is seeking distribution…oh yeah, he may be in the Northwest
sooner than you know.
Seaspot continues to do it in a major way. The Seaspot Northwest Compilation
is slated to hit the streets sometime in the summer of 2002. The project is
accepting demos from artists and is reportedly full of heat from MCs and
DJs. Log on to Seaspot.com for further details on how to submit material and
where to find it...
Big ups to Byrdie of Street Level Records. This cat has been getting some
major spins in Seattle, on KUBE 93 FM. Quite an accomplishment considering
the fact that local artists rarely receive local commercial media support in
Washington…
The same cannot be said for Canadian MCs. Did you know that Swollen Members,
Checkmate, Moka Olny and Nu Skool all Vancouver artists, receive regular
airplay in their hometown of on The Beat 94.5 FM…
SPORTS
Extra large shots out to Jarramy Stevens of the Seattle Seahawks. The
Olympia native and former University of Washington All-American was the
Seahawks’ first round draft pick in this year’s draft. Do it cuzzin! Also,
what up to the Cougs who were drafted and are making their dreams come true:
Raonall Smith and Lamont Thompson – keep Cougin’ it ya’ll.
Oh, what up to the youngsta, Brandon Roy outta Garfield High School in
Seattle. Roy recently made himself eligible for the NBA Draft in June. Hey
cat, do your thang! If this cat doesn’t get drafted he can still go to
college and if he does get drafted…quit jockin’em. Stay humble dude! Go get
it!
NBA FINALS PICKS:
My picks for the NBA Finals come straight from the hometown – L.A. It would
be cool to see Boston and L.A. hook up in the finals again, but something
tells me that Jason Kidd can smell it a little too well and Byron still has
to give the Lakers a nudge for not letting him retire in L.A. Oh, I didn’t
mention Sac Town on purpose. Even though I have liked them since Lionel
Simmons ran their show, I’m a Laker and Sac is not yet consistently ready,
the Kings can’t hang – period. Lakers beat New Jersey 4-2. The Nets will be
fortunate to win that many, but it’s possible.
