Giant Step’s eighth installment at Hudson welcomes back British DJ and underground tastemaker Benji B on Monday, July 13th.

The once producer for Gilles Peterson’s award-winning Worldwide radio show on BBC Radio 1, Benji B has since produced and presented his own Deviation Sessions on BBC 1Xtra for the better part of the last decade.  Don’t miss Benji spinning his heavy slabs of soulful, summer dance music at New York’s best Monday night party.

Hudson Hotel
356 W 58th St.
New York, NY 10019

7PM – 11PM
21+ w/ID

Free with RSVP

Do you love summer concerts in the park but loathe the obscenely long lines? We’re with you. Giant Step is hosting a contest for you to win guest passes to bypass the general line for our SummerStage event on July 18th with Q-Tip, Chester French, Little Dragon and Benji B.  Simply answer the multiple choice question at the contest below for a chance to win.

Enter the contest

More info on Giant Step’s SummerStage 2009

Philadelphia-based indie label Record Breakin’ Music (RBM) is giving away copies of their latest 7″ by M64 (Ragen Fykes & Ohmega Watts).  The recently launched limited edition series adds to the labels’ two highly acclaimed compilations, Lend Me Your Ear and Excursions.

RBM Founder DJ Junior is dedicated to exposing ground-breaking artists and producers on new releases from Joy Jones, Spinnerty, Kissy Asplund, Vicelounge, DnS, Lil’ Dave, Anthony Valadez, Replife, Dee Ferguson, Dotmatic and more, as well as remixes from Daz-I-Kue (Bugz In The Attic) and Daru.

Enter the contest

Record Breakin’ Music

Actress, singer, lyricist, dancer and supermodel, Grace Jones makes her only east coast appearance at Hammerstein Ballroom on July 30.

Grace Jones has to date released nine studio albums from Portfolio to Nightclubbing, Slave To The Rhythm and Warm Leatherette, most of which are dance club hits. Her latest album Hurricane came out last year on Wall Of Sound.

Hammerstein Ballroom
311 West 34th Street
New York, NY

More info

Buy tickets

We are all saddened and shocked by the untimely passing of Michael Jackson.  As a tribute, we’ve picked 3 of our favorites from different periods in his career. It was a hard choice, so please share some of yours with us in the comments.

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On August 4th, 4-time Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Erykah Badu will perform at the beach at Governors Island, NYC on her 4th World War tour.

The mini tour that will take her across the US and Europe precedes her follow up to 2008’s New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), New Amerykah, Part II (Return Of The Ankh), out by the end of the year.

Tickets go on sale this Saturday 6/27 at noon through ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000, and at the Nokia Theatre Box office (No Service Charge / 44th & B’way).

The Beach At Governors Island
Doors Open At: 6 PM
Show Starts At: 8 PM
Advance Price: $52

More info

This weekend on June 27th and 28th, Dubspot, New York’s premier DJ and electronic music production institute, has teamed up with Ableton to present the Live 8 US Sessions Tour in NYC.

It’s the second stop of the tour, featuring established artists like Richie Hawtin & Scientist, who will present their personally developed strategies and techniques for producing and performing with Ableton Live 8.

Register for Live 8 US Sessions Tour in NYC

To top off the weekend workshop on Sunday, Dubspot and Ableton celebrate Dubspot’s 2 year anniversary at Le Poisson Rouge.

Legendary Scientist will mix live with Dub Is A Weapon, followed by DJ sets from Matt Shadetek & DJ Rupture of Dutty Artz, Kiva, Barry Cole and Badawi. This will also be the first party of Dubspot’s new monthly night!

More info on DubSpot’s 2 Year Anniversary Party #3

Honorary ladybug of the Bugz In The Attic crew, Joy Jones recently recorded an impressive take of Nina Simone’s “Be My Husband,” expanding on Simone’s sparse original. Though the track will not appear on Jones’ forthcoming Godchild album (out July 7 on Future Soul Records), it is true to her future jazz stylings and available for free.

Download “Be My Husband”

Stream “Supernova” and more from Godchild

Here it is for your listening pleasure: a Madlib & J Rocc Stones Throw takeover of Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide radio show.

Stream part 1
Stream part 2

Tracklist

The second single from Illa J’s acclaimed debut album Yancey Boys, “Sounds Like Love” feat. Debi Nova is an irresistible, perfect fusion of hip hop and soul music. The production for the song, like all of the tracks on Yancey Boys, comes from a cache of previously‐untouched beats created by Illa J’s older brother, the late great visionary producer James “Jay Dee / J Dilla” Yancey.

The 12-inch includes remixes by Nobody, who turns in a grimier version, and Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, who transform it into a cinematic trip to the cosmos.

Stream “Sounds Like Love” and remixes