First I’d like to thank all of you for your patience. This announcement has been a long time coming. I regretfully announce that Paid Dues will not happen this year. 2013 was financially challenging for my partners at Guerilla Union and as a direct result of these unfortunate circumstances we were not able to come together to give you another successful Paid Dues Festival. However, I am using this time to restructure my business in order to bring you Paid Dues for 2015. Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to celebrating Paid Dues 10 Year anniversary with you next spring. Stay tuned…. MURS.

Guerilla Union is also the organizers for Rock the Bells, which was cancelled last year due to low ticket sales. As a result, the promotion team had a financially challenging year that has lead to the cancellation of Paid Dues. Murs assures that Paid Dues will return in 2015 to celebrate its 10 year anniversary. We can expect that the show will be better than ever next year.

The post News: Paid Dues 2014 Is Cancelled appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo by Steven Lau

It’s been a minute since we’ve given you a photo of the day, so we’re taking it back to the 2012 Rock the Bells festival for some giggles. During their set, Method Man and Redman decided to have a little fun with a security guard and began rapping directly toward him. The guard looks none too pleased, and his expression gives a new meaning to blackout. Either that or he’s dreaming about some fresh music from both of them. We’d all like to hear that.

The post Photo of the Day: Method Man & Redman Make Security Guard Blackout appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Last Wednesday night the Flatbush Zombies finished off the last show of their first ever headlining tour. Since its kickoff in late August, the Better Off Dead Tour hit 31 North American cities before finally closing out in Trilladelphia, Pistolvania. Along the way, the Zombies and their opening acts, Bodega Bamz and Dillon Cooper, performed at both the Rock the Bells Music Festival and the North Coast Music Festival, while also making appearances on Action Bronson‘s headlining tour in Texas. While other venues along the tour route may have been bigger or more well known, the small crowd that jam packed Philly’s Barbary night club definitely came ready to show some love to their east coast neighbors.

Dillon Cooper, the 20 year old emcee from Brooklyn (who’s laid back, retro style has been compared to that of fellow Brooklynites Joey BadAss and The Underachievers) was first to perform. His newest cut, “State of Elevation,” was a particular crowd favorite and helped to transition the Eagles and Phillies fans into a more New York state of mind.

Next up was Bodega Bamz, who served as the hype before the storm. His performance of “Told Ya” drove fans into a frenzied mosh pit, but luckily there were no causalities. Unfortunately, there was no guest appearance by frequent collaborator A$AP Ant (but we definitely held our breath).

Of course, the principal players of the night, Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, and Erick Arc Elliot laid their final performance down proper. Amerikkhan Pie, Death 2, and Live from Hell almost ended a few lives, but the enthusiastic crowd loved every minute of it- especially when Darko, drenched from head to kicks in sweat (and maybe blood and tears) nose dived into the audience for an incredibly intimate crowd servicing experiencing. Check out close up photos from the event, as well as small timeline to summarize the Zombies first ever headlining circuit.

The post Concert Review: Flatbush Zombies @ The Barbary Philly,PA appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Tyler, the Creator recently released a video where he talks about his music and gives us a list of his influences and inspiration track by track. It’s amazing how many of his influences aren’t rappers. It’s actually kind of refreshing. Thus Tyler’s quote below makes even more sense:

When people who take hip-hop the genre as a whole, like so serious, when they tell me that they fuck with me like just based off the music that I make or my opinion on stuff, when they tell me that they fuck with me I really appreciate it.

For hardcore hip-hop heads to praise a guy who is clearly in their world, but not of it,  truly is a big deal. Listen below.

Hopefully his Rock the Bells performance goes well.

The post Tyler, the Creator: Talks About <em>Wolf</em> ‘s Various Influences appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Kid Cudi is hitting the road this fall and he’s bringing along some friends. Besides Cudder himself, the Cud Life tour will feature select-city appearances from Big Sean, Tyler, the Creator and Logic. The tour is set to kick off September 6 in San Diego and will wrap up in New Jersey on October 5 for Rock the Bells. You can view all the dates below and purchase tickets here.

09.06  San Diego, CA  Valley View Casino Center – w/Tyler, The Creator

09.10  Vancouver, Canada  Thunderbird Sports Centre – w/Big Sean & Logic

09.11  Seattle, WA  WaMu Theater – w/Big Sean & Logic

09.13  Nampa, ID  Idaho Center Amphitheater – w/Big Sean & Logic

09.16  Morrison, CO  Red Rocks Amphitheatre – w/Juicy J, ScHoolboy Q and Logic

09.18  Milwuakee, WI  Eagles Ballroom – w/Tyler The Creator and Logic

09.19  Madison, WI  Alliant Energy Center Expo – w/Tyler, The Creator and Logic

09.21  Clarkston, MI  DTE Energy Music Theatre – w/Tyler, The Creator and Logic

09.24  Columbus, OH  Lifestyle Communities Pavilion – w/Tyler, The Creator and Logic

09.26  Philadelphia, PA  Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing – w/Tyler, The Creator and Logic

09.27  Boston, MA  Bank of America Pavilion – w/ Tyler & Logic

09.29  Mashantucket, CT  The MGM Grand Theater – w/ Big Sean & Logic

10.03  Toronto, Canada  Air Canada Centre – w/ Big Sean & Logic

10.04  Montreal, Canada  Bell Centre – w/ Big Sean & Logic

Rock the Bells appearances:
09.07  San Bernardino, CA  San Manuel Amphitheater  Rock The Bells

09.14  Mountain View, CA  Shoreline Amphitheater  Rock The Bells

09.18  Washington, DC  Rock The Bells

10.05  East Rutherford, NJ  Rock The Bells

The post Kid Cudi Announces “The Cud Life Tour” with Big Sean, Tyler, the Creator & Logic appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Fuse caught up with El-Producto during Rock the Bells a few days ago. They begin talking about why we haven’t heard more El-P music the last few years, but the convo then shifts to the controversy surrounding his single “The Full Retard.”

El states that it’s not his problem if people do not understand the joke and cultural reference of the title and that he simply doesn’t care if you find his content offensive:

“There’s so much sanctified, washed, censored, packaged corporate bullshit that gets handed to you every day. I think people would hear someone that’s a little bit fucked up and a little bit wild say something that’s a little bit true than to hear the thing that doesn’t offend them.”

The post Video: El-P Doesn’t Care If He Offends You appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Common Sense from the city of wind is officially on the bill for this year’s Rock the Bells Tour. Common joins headliners Kid Cudi, Nas, Wiz Khalifa, J Cole, Atmosphere and many more, along with special guests Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. For the complete lineup per market, click here.

Be first in line to get your tickets to Rock the Bells! The exclusive pre-sale happens today at 10am to 10pm local time. Tickets go on-sale to the general public tomorrow, May 19th, at 10am.

The post Common Added to Rock The Bells Lineup appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.