Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself

I'm baackk!! Sorry for the extended absence. I must say, although I don't regret taking about 12 full days off of MWB — my Spring Break trip was spectacular — I am sorry to those of you who regularly follow this site for your hip-hop updates. I would have loved to be able to contribute while I was away, but that wasn't really a possibility. Upon my return, I compiled a big list of links of things that I missed out on while I was gone. I basically perused through my email/various other blogs and provided links to everything below. I realize this is probably a grossly incomplete compilation, but it's a good start to getting back on track. I'll be back on full blog mode starting tomorrow morning. In the meantime, feel free to hit the following links, provided in no particular order.

Hokay! I'm reloaded!

• Abstract Rude to release new album Rejuvenation on Rhymesayers on May 5 / leaks title track
• Peter Parker hosts Get Loud, Volume 1 mixtape
  
• Rhymersayers announces Soundset 2009 lineup
• Cymarshall Law: "Bullet Train ft. Elzhi & Masia One"
• Black Milk: "Dreams"
• GLC: "Flight School ft. Kanye West & T-Pain"
• Rhymefest speaks on Charles Hamilton beef
• Consequence: "Buggin Out '09 ft. Kid Cudi" (Video)
• Kidz In The Hall: "I Got It Made '09" (Reebok Classic Video)
• Kidz In The Hall: "I Got It Made '09" (Live Performance)
  
• Rhymefest: "Goin' In"
• Mikkey Halsted: "Sweetest Taboo"
• D/Will: "Fresh Off The Charger"
• 88 Keys: "Stay Up! (Viagra) ft. Kanye West" (Video)
• Cunninlynguists: "Don't Leave (When Winter Comes) ft. Slug"
• Naledge: :"Turn Off Freestyle" + "Respect Me Freestyle"
• Atmosphere: Paid Dues 2009 Festival Preview
• Muja Messiah: "B96 Freestyle"
• Hyder Ali: Careless Talk EP release + "Paper Dolls"
• P.O.S. Interviewed by Roxwel
• P.O.S. covers Pearl Jam's "Why Go?"
• Brother Ali interviewed by Roxwel
• Kid Cudi: "Day N Nite" (Carson Daly Performance)
• Mike Posner: "Heartless" (Cover)
• Mac Lethal drinks beer out of a dog bowl (plus more!)
  

Midwest Broadcast Update

I will be away a Spring Break trip from Friday, March 13 until Sunday, March 22. In case you're curious, I'm road tripping to Southwest Arkansas with some friends, where we will be backpacking/camping in the mountains for a few days. Then, we're heading to New Orleans for two nights before driving back to Minnesota. Should be a fun trip, I'm very excited.

However, I won't be bringing my computer with me (they don't have wireless in the mountains yet, do they?); thus, there will be no Midwest Broadcast updates until I return. For a mixed bag of music updates (hip-hop and other genres), I encourage you to visit the following sites, or check out my links section to browse around more. When I return, I'll try to hit you with a massive post of all that I missed out on while being gone.

• 2DopeBoyz
• Nahright
• FakeShoreDrive
• HipHopDX
• Okayplayer
• Culture Bully
  
• Sound Verite
• Minneapolis Fucking Rocks

Peter Parker of B96 Calls Out Twin Cities Hip-Hop

B96's resident DJ Peter Parker got a little frustrated on air the other day. Give the following clip a listen, as his rant is really worthwhile. He speaks on the inadequate work ethics of many local Twin Cities artists. Peter Parker is putting kids on the map with his Homegrown Heatrocks segment, local artists need to send him some records!

Peter Parker Calls Out Twin Cities Hip-Hop

Happy Belated New Year From Common

Is this worth posting? I'm not quite sure. But I'm about to get my wisdom teeth pulled and will be so drugged up for the rest of the day I may not be able to get back at you all later. So I guess I almost had to post this. I'll try to do what I can by later in the day, we shall see. Peace, ya'll.

Mac Lethal: The Price of Having Sex with Mariah Carey (Video)

I'm almost sorry for posting this, but it was too funny to pass up. Mac Lethal exercises his journalistic capacities in documenting the lengths people would go to have sex with Mariah Carey.

Star Tribune 2008 Recap

Chris Riemenschneider of the Minneapolis Star Tribune wrote a nice little story recapping the best of 2008. Included in the article are some nice hip-hop references. Muja Messiah received "Best Two-fer Musician," in dropping two differing releases this year, MPLS Massacre and Thee Adventures of a B-Boy/D-Boy. Rhymesayers festival Soundset 2008 was honored as "Best Festival," and Ant and I Self Devine were even given their respective best moments of the year.

It's good to see artists other than Brother Ali or Atmosphere get their shine in larger publications like the Trib. The Twin Cities hip-hop scene has much more to offer than just its big-name acts, and that is beginning to be recognized more.

To read the article, hit the following link: Star Tribune, 2008 Recap: Just The Best

Concert Announcement: Hip-Hop Against Homophobia

Chris of Culture Bully just send this over to post. I'll be sure to repost an update when the concert draws nearer. As for now, here's the press release:

Hip Hop Against Homophobia: Friday, January 23 at the Nomad World Pub
Twin Cities hip hop artists—gay and straight alike—come out to support LGBTQ rights

On Friday, Jan 23, the Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis will host "Hip Hop Against
Homophobia," a show sponsored by music blog CultureBully.com, local record label
Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records, Join the Impact Twin Cities, the Twin Cities Avengers
and OutFront MN. Performers include some of the Twin Cities' most successful hip
hop acts, representing both the LGBTQ community and its straight allies: Maria Isa,
Toki Wright, Alicia Leafgreen, DeeJay Blowtorch, Kredentials, Tish Jones, See More
Perspective and the show's lead organizer, Kyle "El Guante" Myhre.

I feel like Minneapolis hip-hop is always taking a very progressive stance against some of the widespread convictions that mainstream rap culture faces. Make sure to head to the Nomad in late January to support this movement!

Vote For Midwest Broadcast!

Minnesota Music/Culture/Entertainment/Etc. Blog Vita.mn is hosting a series of voter polls for "The Best of 2008." Among the categories involved is "Best Local Blog." Naturally, you should all hit up the site and vote for Midwest Broadcast!

Hit this link now to vote for Midwest Broadcast for best local blog!

And if you're curious, go ahead and head to Vita.mn to see all the other best of 2008 lists you can vote on.

Operation Humble Kanye A Success

In a shocking upset, Operation Humble Kanye was a success. Although Stephen still came short of the crown - both Brittany and Akon took him down.

Stephen Colbert's "Operation Humble Kanye West"

This requires little explanation.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Operation Humble Kanye

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Be In A Heiruspecs Music Video!

So, for those who haven't been exactly keeping up with Saint Paul hip-hop band Heiruspecs, they're coming out with a new album this December. Which is very exciting, because we haven't been hearing too much from them for a couple of years now. What else is exciting, is that for those of you in the Twin Cities, you can appear in their upcoming music video, which they're shooting this coming Saturday in Saint Pizzy. Details are as follows, which came from their Myspace page:

Heiruspecs will be filming their new video for the song "Get Up" at Eclipse Records in Saint Paul on Saturday afternoon. Please show up at 1PM if you would like to be a part of the video.
Eclipse Records is located at 1922 University Ave W at the corner of University and Prior in the Midway section of Saint Paul. For more information please check out myspace.com/eclipserecords651 . Questions, please call 651-645-7724.

I hope to see some of you in the video once it drops! Also check the above image for info on their album release party/concert!

Twins 7, White Sox 6

That was easily one of the best baseball games I've seen in a while. Twins looked down for the count once Slowey got injured and gave up all those runs in the 4th. But in typical Minnesota fashion, they started grinding away, one run at a time. Great victory, couldn't be more proud of my Twinkies. Huge games from everyone, now we just gotta close out against Kansas City!

ESPN Recap of the Game

Rhymesayers' Soundset Recap

So the Rhymesayers website posted a recap of Soundset '08, a great day if I might add.

After following that link, there are more options to see photos taken and what not. I also couldn't help but notice that there were dudes taking video footage of the concerts everywhere, so if we're lucky (knock on wood), maybe Rhymesayers will put together some DVD deal with highlights of the day.