Download the Jnerio Jarel remix of “Pretty Wings” (right-click to download)

Maxwell BLACKsummer’snight | Jneiro Jarel Myspace

Planet Hip-Hop will be a panel discussion between Bajah, ?uestlove, Chuck D, and record exec Steve Stoute, moderated by the Journal’s culture editor Christopher John Farley, about why hip-hop has gone global and where it’s headed next.

The evening will wrap up with a DJ set by ?uestlove.

Tuesday, August 04, 7:30 PM
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse
Ticket Price: $20
($15 with Discount Code WSJ10)

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Seher Sikandar interviews Ragen Fykes about her single, upcoming projects and collaborators, and how Ragen first discovered Giant Step. Nothing like a shout out from two talented b girls!

Pick up Ragen’s 7″ single “Rhythm of the Drum” here on Record Breakin. Maybe you saw when we offered the record to Giant Step readers way back when?

92YTribeca is the 92nd Street Y’s new arts and entertainment venue, located in Tribeca, breathing new life into the downtown all-ages scene.  Upcoming events include a record release party for Blitz the Ambassador and a panel with Peter Rosenburg and Raekwon.



Noisemakers with Peter Rosenberg Featuring Raekwon
Wed, Jul 29, 2009, 7pm Doors, 8pm Show
Price: $15.00
Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg hosts a night of music and conversation featuring famed hip-hop artist Raekwon, a member of the legendary group The Wu-Tang Clan. Rosenberg will sit down with Raekwon for a candid interview about the life and influences of this innovative musician, storyteller and entrepreneur. Jazz hip-hop fusion band The Cypher will perform throughout the night, paying tribute to Raekwon’s music.

Blitz the Ambassador Record Release
Sat, Aug 1, 2009, 8pm Doors, 9pm Show
Price: $10.00
Blitz the Ambassador’s Stereotype drops Aug 4– and 92YTribeca is where it’s all happening. Come celebrate the album release with special guests, DJs and a full band performance by Blitz and the Embassy.

Widely regarded as one of the premier selectors in the nation, Chicagoan DJ Heather graces the decks at Hudson for Giant Step’s Monday night party on August 10.

One of the Windy City’s main DJ exports, Heather’s released soulful house mix compilations for the Afterhours label and the much heralded Fabric CD series, for the club of the same name. She won the first ever Dancestar award for Breakthrough DJ in 2002 and now runs her own house label Blackcherry Recordings.

Hudson
356 W 58th St.
New York, NY

7PM – 11PM
21+ w/ID.

Entry is free with RSVP

After a brief hiatus, the Steve Madden series presented by Giant Step at STEVEN returns with Jessie James on Thursday, August 6.

Featured on the soundtrack of the hit film version of Sophie Kinsella’s best-seller Confessions Of A Shopaholic, Jessie James’ sassy “Blue Jeans” first previewed by Perez Hilton on his popular website last year.   Catch Jessie at her intimate in-store performance in the Lower East Side.

Drinks provided by SVEDKA Vodka
7 PM – 9 PM

21+ w/ID

Entry is free with RSVP.  RSVPs will be confirmed via email.

RSVP and more info

Check out the photos from last night’s Hudson party with DJ Vikter Duplaix! We’re not done, Hudson #10 is coming next Monday, August 10th.

A longtime stalwart of the contemporary jazz scene, McBride takes a detour from his usual path for an intriguing new recording that reinterprets a dozen contemporary pop songs via straight-ahead jazz arrangements. Fleshed out with the help of a live trio – guitarist Dan Wilson, bassist Roger Hines and drummer Elijah Gilmore – Lookin’ For A Change is a collection of songs originally written and recorded by a range of pop luminaries, including Gnarls Barkley (“Crazy”), Coldplay, John Mayer, Seal and several others. These reinterpretations, along with three original compositions from McBride’s own inspirational well, make for an engaging juxtaposition of the best elements of contemporary pop and traditional jazz.

“Gnarls Barkley’s manic tune gets a more subtle, contemplative treatment from jazz pianist McBride.”
– USA Today

Special Offer: Enter ‘MCBRIDE’ in the Promo Code during check-out at Joe McBride’s official site for 25% off of the already sale-priced CD (through Aug. 7, 2009).

Stream songs and read more

Waxploitation has put together its fourth annual auction to benefit Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam America. 100% of the proceeds go toward their work in Darfur and elsewhere.

This year’s selection includes signed recordings and artifacts from Madonna, Kid Rock, Norah Jones, Wilco, The Shins, Gnarls Barkley, Kylie Minogue, Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, Arctic Monkeys, Diplo, Counting Crows, Matisyahu, Stereophonics as well as non-music items signed by Salvador Dali, Luke Chueh, Jean-Luc Godard, Yogi Berra and Hugh Hefner to name a few.

Waxploitation recently released Causes 2, its second benefit album for Darfur. The album includes exclusive songs donated by The Decemberists, Devendra Banhart, Diplo, LCD Soundsystem, My Morning Jacket, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, and others.

“With everything else in the news, it’s important to not forget Darfur,” says Waxploitation founder Jeff Antebi. “When we did our first benefit auction, 70,000 people had already died. Today, the number is estimated to be 300,000.  Almost five million innocent civilians are caught in the middle of this, with nowhere to go.”

The auction launches today, July 27th at www.ebay.com/causesauction

For more info on Waxploitation’s non-profit work, please visit www.waxploitation.com/causes

By Mawuse Ziegbe

Monday morning I woke up in a rumpled tank top with my cell phone plastered onto the side of my face, an ache in my thighs, and vodka sloshing through my veins. This level of abject foolishness means only one thing: summertime! It’s July but for a lot of New Yorkers making do with a pittance of sunshine, summer has just only begun. But even through a completely soaked June, some of us kept our dispositions on the sunny tip like singer Miz Metro. She premiered her bubbly video “Trashion” – a montage of her flouncing about the LES – at her recent SOB’s mixtape release party. While her fussy outfits and re-purposed Metro Card accessories evoke a street artist/trustafarian trying to “find herself,” her music is actually warm and effortless. Toasty soul from zany white chicks is usually pretty fun.

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