Who says Hip-Hop is Dead? RESPECT. will be giving away two tickets to see Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane and the rest of the Legendary Juice Crew in St. Montclair, New Jersey at the Montclair’s Wellmont Theater. The Juice Crew, which are Queensbridge-based artist were founded in the mid-to-late 80’s. The crew consists of Hip-Hop greats such as Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Kool G Rap, MC Shan, Craig G, Marley Marl, Roxanne Shante and Masta Ace.

The Juice Crew, helped launch the careers of Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante’ and Kool G Rap. Now all the artist are coming together to collaborate and perform some of their greatest and chart topping hits in Montclair! So if you want to be a part of history in the making and see The Juice Crew, you MUST do the following:

• Follow RESPECT. on Twitter (if you don’t already)
• Retweet the tweet that RESPECT. puts out about the concert.

It’s really that simple! Just in case you need a refresher of whom The Juice Crew is and their mastery lyrics, below is a little taste of what you’ll be missing out on if you don’t go and TWEET!

The concert will be held on December 30, 2016 at 8pm at the Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour St. Montclair, NJ 07042.

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The post RESPECT. is Giving Away Tickets to See Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane at the Legendary Juice Crew Reunion! appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Masta Ace‘s lengthy career in hip-hop can be attributed to one pivotal moment. Growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn in the ’70s and ’80s, kids often went to roller skating rinks to socialize. One particular evening, a friend of his asked him if wanted to enter a talent show at the United Skate of American in Long Island. Although he was home from college visiting his family for Christmas, his mother encouraged him to go. Not only did he win the contest, but the grand prize was a studio session with famed producer Marley Marl, which took him a full year to finally claim. Once they got into the studio, where he met Craig G and other veteran hip-hop emcees, that was it.

Appearing on one of the best posse cuts of all time, 1988’s “The Symphony,” with Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap and Craig G, and Marley Marl ended up producing Masta Ace’s entire debut album, 1990’s Take A Look Around.

In 2000, he became disillusioned with the music industry and took a back seat for years until an experience overseas reignited his passion. He came back with the critically acclaimed Disposable Arts in 2001 and hasn’t put the mic down since.

Currently promoting his latest release, The Falling Season, Ace had some time to talk touring with Albuquerque emcee Wake Self, walking away from music and writing his story on the NJ Transit trains.

RESPECT.: How was your recent tour with Wake Self?

That was a very nice run considering we were in the US.  It was a positive experience compared to some ‘tours’ I have done in the States. The turnouts overall were surprising and gave me hope that quality, non-commercial hip-hop tours were still possible here. Wake Self and Def-I killed it every night, and DJ Native, their DJ, held down the music for me and even the opener DeLaZoo on the last four shows. 

RESPECT.: What did you learn on the road this time around? 

I learned that all hope is not lost for US touring.  If you get the right promoters in the right markets together, miracles are possible.

RESPECT.: There was a period in your career where you were kind of fed up with the music business. What reignited your passion for making albums?

It started in 2000, I did a 13 city tour in the UK and Europe. I wasn’t expecting much from it. To my surprise, the venues were packed with people who knew the words to my songs and wanted more from me. I came home from that tour and went in the studio and made Disposable Arts.

The Falling Season is out now. What was the album making process like for this one? 

I took my time. There was a lot of emotion for me when writing these songs. It was like going back in time, reliving my experiences as a young teen and putting it into song form. I took the train into the studio almost every day. I was able to write during the commute. Many of my song ideas on this album were born on NJ Transit trains.

RESPECT.: Do you have a favorite track on the album?  

It’s probably “YBI” because it was the first song I wrote on the album. The lyrics encompass my life growing up in Brownsville at that time and the friendships that I had with kids who decided to take a different route in life; thinking about us all as kids and reflecting on where we all actually ended up. The songs explains the fine line between who I became and who I very easily could have become.

RESPECT.: What does this summer look like for you in terms of touring? 

I’m doing three of the major festivals in Europe, Hip Hop Kemp being the biggest of them. I am doing a few more US dates (a few of those with Wake Self) and towards the end of the summer, I am planning a US Midwest run and an Eastern Canada mini-tour, which should include Buffalo, New York, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, London, Hamilton and maybe one or two more cities.

RESPECT.: You’ve been blessed to have a very long career. What advice would you give the teenage Masta Ace if you could go back in time? 

I would tell the teenage me, ‘Don’t be afraid of success outside of New York—embrace it. Don’t listen to the criticism. Success is success no matter where the support is coming from.’

RESPECT.: What does the music you make mean to you on a personal level? 

It’s my life’s work. We all hope to leave something substantial behind when we are no longer around. Many people rely on the children they leave behind to tell their stories. I have a music catalogue that gives my story in an almost autobiographical form that can be heard 100 years from now. 

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The post [Interview] Masta Ace On His New Album, ‘The Falling Season’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Founded in 1986, SummerStage was created “in the spirit of Central Park’s original purpose- to serve as a free public resource to help enrich the lives of New Yorkers.” Over the years, it has been a public platform for great art, presenting a dynamic range of music, film, and performance, including dance, poetry, and comedy. This year, SummerStage’s “This is Hip-Hop” series boasts an impressive roster of hip-hop’s founding fathers and greats like Rakim and Big Daddy Kane who performed in June, The Jungle Brothers who will appear on August, 6, as well as some of the godfathers of production, such as Marley Marl, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier, who are performing toward the end of summer. There is certainly something here for everyone; dance performances, film screenings, DJ sets, and concerts abound.

Below is a curated list of the remaining “This is Hip-Hop” series’ events from the SummerStage calendar.

7.21.2013 | 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm | Queensbridge Park DJ D-Nice/25th Anniversary of “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka”

7.28.2013 | 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Central Park Pete Rock & CL Smooth/Brand Nubian

7.31.2013 | 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Central Park World Premier of “RSC Ghetto Made” Rock Steady Dance Crew Celebration

8.6.2013 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem The Jungle Brothers/Zhigge 

8.8.2013 | 10:30 am – 11:30 am | Queensbridge Park Illstyle & Peace Productions 

8.9.2013 | 10:30 am – 11:30 am | Bloomingdale Park Illstyle & Peace Productions

8.11.2013 | 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm |Marcus Garvey Park Illstyle & Peace Productions/ Robbi K/ DJ Set by Stormin’ Norman/ Sweet Billy & The Zooloos

8.10.2013 | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Central Park “Hip-Hop Turns 40” DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell

8.10.2013 | 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Central Park DJ Kool Herc and Special Guests

8.11.2013 | 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | 5Pointz  Back To The Roots-DJ Kool Herc at 5Pointz Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

8.26.2013 | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm |East River Park “Wild Style 30th Anniversary Celebration”

8.27.2013 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm |East River Park Pete Rock vs. DJ Premier

All the listed performaces are free of charge and accessible to all ages. For additional events in a range of genres and media, take a look at the full SummerStage calendar here.

Incidentally, many members of the RESPECT. staff will be attending the Quadron and Lianne La Havas show on July 27. See you there?

The post Concerts: NYC SummerStage’s “This is Hip-Hop” Series appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The King of Posse Cuts is back with his latest offering titled, “I Did It For My Dawgs.” DJ Khaled‘s latest single features some of the hottest emcees currently in the hip-hop game. The track produced by Beat Bully, contains some of the dopest verses heard in awhile from Rick Ross, Meek Mill, French Montana, Ace Hood and Jadakiss. The newest posse cut from Khaled‘s latest album titled, Kiss The Ring, is one to add along with The Dopest Posse Cuts of All Time like, A Tribe Called Quest‘s “Scenario”, Puff Daddy & The Family‘s “It’s All About The Benjamins”, Kanye West‘s “Monster”, Stop The Violence Movement‘s “Self Destruction”, Marley Marl‘s “The Symphony”, Craig Mack‘s, “Flava In Your Ear (Remix)”, West Coast All Stars‘ “We’re All In The Same Gang”, Master P‘s “Make Em Say Ugh” and LL‘s, “I Shot Ya (Remix).”

On DJ Khaled‘s latest offering each rapper spits their own definition of what it means to stay loyal to their closest friend (or dawg). As each emcee takes their turn over this bumping 808 beat, you get the true meaning of what it means to give your last for your homeboy, in order to gain respect from them. Yet again, DJ Khaled has himself another hit single that will get him another million selling plaque to bring home and hang on his wall.

Song Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UKZAog61DE

The post NEW MUSIC: DJ KHALED FT. RICK ROSS, MEEK MILL, FRENCH MONTANA, ACE HOOD & JADAKISS – I DID IT FOR MY DAWGS appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.