As Rocktober draws to a close, there’s little left to do but get all dressed up in Drive jackets and Kahl Drogo / Khaleesi from Game of Thrones and host a fun little party. The question arises: Do we get this party started or do we stick with the spookiness of Halloween? We decided to go with the latter and make a playlist (via Spotify) of some of our favorite, scary, messed up, shifty, and uncomfortable songs to guarantee to to anything but get the party started. Well, it depends on the kind of party you’re throwing.

1. Pan Sonic – “Voltos Bolt” – It sweeps almost every frequency your ear can hear, and is the closest you’ll probably get to finding out what it’s like to be electrocuted.

2. Death Grips – “Guillotine (It Goes Yah)” – The sound of a guillotine runs throughout the abrasive and powerful hip-hop track, and the production on the final 90 seconds may take you to and off the edge.

3.  Spoon – “The Ghost Of You Lingers” – A Spoon outlier from the dissonant piano intro to the multi-tracked vocals. Loitering is much scarier thing if it’s an apparition.

4. Ween – “Spinal Meningitis” – Creepy use of a little kid creepy voice and it doesn’t make it any easier to listen to with the out of tune bells. One of Ween’s most twisted and depraved songs, which is saying a lot for this band. Happy HalloWEEN.

5. Prurient – “Many Jewels Surround The Crown” – Injurious and noisy, opening with a scream from the depths.

6. Mayhem – “Funeral Fog” — The circumstances surrounding this song and album is morbid enough. Watch your back, or the kvlt will get you.

7. Misfits – “Theme For A Jackal”  – The Misfits have always been known for being weird and spooky, but “Jackal” takes things to a whole different level. Any song about girl’s livers hanging out will certainly give you chills.

8. Johnny Cash – “Long Black Veil” – Don’t let the upbeat finger picking or Johnny Cash’s nonchalant voice fool you: this is some creepy Shakespearian shit. It’s sort of like Corpse Bride meets The Wire.

9. Animal Collective – “Unsolved Mysteries” –  Avey Tare’s got one of the most brilliantly abrasive voices in indie music today, so he’s an obvious candidate for a song loosely based on Jack The Ripper. Best part? He’s sympathetic for the Ripper: “That blood in the dark/Will attract the sharks/Who are not violent/We all have hungry bellies.” You know what? He’s right. Why hide our inner serial murderers if that’s what we’re into?

10. TV On The Radio – “Wolf Like Me” – “Got a curse I cannot lift/shines when the sunset shifts/when the moon is round and full/gotta bust that box gotta gut that fish.” Yep, American Werewolves in Brooklyn.

11. Eminem – “Kim” – Revisiting this song after however long it’s been will probably be what makes you take another break from it. Histrionics like this run the gambit of emotions, but eventually horror wins out. Bleed…

12. Crystal Castles – “Suffocation” – Chances are you’ve never been smothered to death with a pillow by Nicole Kidman, for that is a fate too awesome for the average human being. The only thing that could make that experience better is if “Suffocation” by Crystal Castles were the soundtrack to it all.

13. Swans – “I Crawled” (live)  – This is a journey, with Jarboe giving a vocal performance of a lifetime. It’s inspirational and utterly destructive with Gira coming in at the end. [note: Spotify has this track listed as "Yum Yab", but it's "I Crawled".]

14. Immortal Technique – “Dance With The Devil” –  Tune in to the thousands of words Tech spits on this track and see into his psychotic, agit-prop socially demented mind. It’s also of one of the most powerful and hard to digest songs from the hip-hop canon.

15. Gorillaz – “Last Living Souls” – Over the years, the apocalypse has become the tired subject of many films. But whether you break down completely like Barbara in Night of the Living Dead or you vanquish and study the plague with the intellect to match your bulging biceps like Will Smith in I Am Legend, an apocalypse is emotionally taxing. Damon Albarn does a pretty good job of capturing the sentiment here.

Check Out: The Ninth Circle Halloween Mixtape

But when the Electric Daisy Carnival was forced to move its 90,000+ attended bash from sunny Southern California to sunnier Las Vegas, NV, it left a massive void in the calendars of Los Angeles’ summer concert revelers (but perhaps more importantly, in the wallets of city council). Rumors swirled for months, speculating over what/who would eventually replace it but not many could’ve dreamt up LA Rising’s monolithic double headline of Rage Against the Machine and Muse. The undercard wasn’t half bad either, boasting the likes of Rise Against, Ms. Lauren Hill, Immortal Technique and El Gran Silencio.

El Gran Silencio – 3:00 p.m.

Courtesy of KROQ

El Gran Silencio, who brought their brand of ska-infused rock all the way from Mexico, got things started on an interesting note. As was discernible by the number Rage/Muse/KROQ shirts in the crowd, most everyone in attendance was there for the headliners’ heavy riffage. Still, the Monterrey-based rockers had no trouble winning over the crowd, even as they hardly sang/spoke a word of English (aside, of course from a couple of Bieber/Gaga jokes).

Immortal Technique – 4:00 p.m.

Courtesy of KROQ

Perhaps the closest band to Rage’s heart as far as political fire-branding goes, Felipe Andres Coronel, aka Immortal Technique, has spent the past decade or so earning one of the biggest followings in hip-hop’s underground. His fiery, no-compromise approach to hip-hop, and his propensity to start crowd chants (on anything from “Viva la Revolucion!” to an obligatory “Fuck cops!”), riled up the crowd more than security would have appreciated. Interspersing wildly divergent banter between vicious tracks from throughout his career, Immortal Technique and his crew (which included a guest spot from Chino XL) proved why he’s such a force to be reckoned with.

Lauryn Hill – 5:30 p.m.

Courtesy of KROQ

The most curious selection to play Saturday night, Lauryn Hill took the stage with an six-part R&B band and two back-up singers. Though she opened with a spirited take on the Fugees’ classic “Killing Me Softly”, sound issues and poorly mixed bass drowned out Hill’s soaring voice for much of the set. Nevertheless, Hill and her band blazed through an hour-long set that blended solo work off of her acclaimed 1995 album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (which she’ll play in its entirety at this year’s Rock the Bells) and old Fugees material, as well as a couple of Stevie Wonder covers thrown in for good measure.

Rise Against -  6:50 p.m.

Courtesy of KROQ

Rise Against were the only LA Rising act to rep the Midwest, rising to the occasion with an energetic set chock-full of altern-rock radio hits and ferocious punk energy. The crowd responded well to their fervor, stirring the first circle pits of the night and inciting the crowd to rush the barriers blocking entry to the pit. Frontman Tim McIlrath seemed to relish the spotlight, engaging the crowd often and showcasing his best onstage acrobatics, as he jumped off and onto Brandon Barnes’ drum platform. He even busted out his acoustic for a rousing version of “Hero of War”.

Muse -  8:20 p.m.

Courtesy of KROQ

Muse took the stage right as night had fallen, opening to the tune of their towering “Exogenesis Symphony, Pt.1″ before ripping an uproarious run-through of “Uprising”. Their legions of supporters reveled in every blast of overdriven guitar and lasers, as they shouted along with every gaudily overstated chorus, fists lifted sky-high. Muse threw in the occasional nostalgia trip for the die-hard fans — in the form of cuts “Map of the Problematique” and “Butterflies and Hurricanes” — in addition to a “greatest riffs” medley in between songs that included everything from Zeppelin and AC/DC to headliners Rage Against the Machine themselves. All in all, the British trio punched out the hits that paraded around every reason they’ve risen to the level of super-stardom they’ve achieved over the past couple of years, capping things off spectacularly with the sci-fi bombast of “Knights of Cydonia”.

Rage Against the Machine – 10:40 p.m.

Courtesy of KROQ

Unlike nearly ever other nostalgia act touring on their generation-old, antiquated material, Rage Against the Machine‘s message seems to ring louder and more relevant with each passing day. By the time they finally jumped onstage, some 20 minutes behind schedule, tensions had reached their peak. All hell broke loose when the band burst headlong into Battle of Los Angeles‘ opener “Testify”. Even as the PA cut out for an entire verse, the band played as if nothing had happened, with frontman De La Rocha shouting into his inert mic and leaping about stage. The crowd didn’t seem to mind either, as they hollered, bellowed, and yelled every line of every verse. By the time that nasty breakdown in “Township Rebellion” came around, there was no escaping the somehow jubilant maelstroms of flailing fists and elbows; I walked into at least seven.

Courtesy of KROQ

Tom Morello proved why he’s so often cited as one of the greatest guitarists of this, or any, time, finger-tapping and killswitch-jabbing his way through funky guitar leads that sounded less like a single guitar than chopped-up synth lines. Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford, on drums and bass respectively, kept things grooving mightily throughout. In the calm before “Wake Up”s mega-breakdown, de La Rocha launched into a tirade that spoke louder than any voice, person or instrument did all day, essentially stating why — in the face of rising debt, a free-falling economy, and the rise of a frustrated, aimless generation — his band, music, and message have never been more pertinent; a blast that brought the frenzied shouts of “Wake Up!” (and all that followed it) instantly up to date.

Muse Setlist:
Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1
Uprising
Map of the Problematique
Supermassive Black Hole
Butterflies & Hurricanes
Hysteria
Nishe
United States Of Eurasia
Helsinki Jam
Undisclosed Desires
Resistance
Starlight
Time is Running Out
House of the Rising Sun (crowd sing-along)
Stockholm Syndrome
Plug In Baby
Knights of Cydonia

Rage Against the Machine Setlist:
Testify
Bombtrack
People of the Sun
Know Your Enemy
Bulls on Parade
Township Rebellion
Bullet in the Head
Down Rodeo
Guerrilla Radio
Calm Like a Bomb
Sleep Now in the Fire
Wake Up
Encore:
Freedom
Killing in the Name

All four of the United States’ major musical festivals tapped a hip hop headliner in 2011, but there’s only one festival that truly embodies the spirit of the game: Rock the Bell. Once again, the annual hip hop festival series is bringing a who’s who of the rap world to venues on both coasts with a lineup topped by Miss Lauryn Hill, Cypress Hill, Nas, Black Star, and Raekwon & Ghostface.

As was the case last year, a number of the headlining acts will be performing albums in full, with both Hill and Nas confirmed to be performing their respective breakthrough debuts. Also, Cypress Hill will relive their 1993 multi-platinum album Black Sunday, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star will tackle their 1998 self-titled debut album, and Raekwon & Ghostface will team up to play Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.

Other notable acts include Erykah Badu, Mobb Deep performing The Infamous, The GZA performing Liquid Swords, and Immortal Technique. A number of up and coming MCs are also on the bill, including Slaughterhouse, Mac Miller, Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, and Macklemore.

While the full album sets are already in their second year at the festival, festival promoters will use 2011 to christen a brand new stage Along with the already-established Paid Dues Stage and Rock The Bells Stage, this year’s edition will feature the 36 Chambers Stage, which will feature four members of the rap group Wu-Tang Clan and Wu-esque acts as chosen by curator and Wu sensei/member RZA. Several of the festival’s stops will also feature the Grindtime Stage, which houses battle rap performances. Check out the entire lineup below.

This year’s festivities will feature four dates over the course of one month, kicking off in San Bernadino, CA on August 20th. After hitting San Francisco one week later, Rock the Bells will then head east for stops in New York City and Boston on September 3rd and 10th, respectively.

General on-sale for the festival goes down June 4th; get your tickets here. As always, stay tuned to our Festival Outlook page and the official Rock the Bells site for more info and updates as they’re announced.

Lineup:
Ms. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill +
Nas – Illmatic +
Cypress Hill – Black Sunday +
Erykah Badu *
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star +
Raekwon & Ghostface Killah – Only Built for Cuban Linx +
Mobb Deep - The Infamous +
The GZA – Liquid Swords +
Immortal Technique
Slaughterhouse
Mac Miller *
Curren$y *
Souls of Mischief – 93 ‘til Infinity +
Black Moon
Childish Gambino
Blu & Exile
Fashawn
Random Axe *
Masta Killah – No Said Date +
Evidence *
Macklemore *
Freddie Gibbs
Roc Marciano

+ = full-album sets
* = performance on select dates only

Hosted by:
The RZA + MURS 3:16 + Supernatural

Rock the Bells 2011 Dates:
08/20 – San Bernardino, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheater
08/27 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
09/03 – New York, NY @ Governor’s Island
09/10 – Boston, MA @ TBA

Rage Against the Machine might not have plans for a new studio album, but the acclaimed rock band will return on July 30th for a massive one-off concert in Los Angeles, California. Since we last talked Immortal Technique and El Gran Silencio have been added to the bill, joining already confirmed openers Muse and Rise Against. Also, a venue has been confirmed: the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Update: Miss Lauryn Hill is also on the bill. The Roots, who were previously listed on the festival’s lineup poster, are now nowhere to be found.

Tickets are priced from $69-$99 (plus applicable fees) and will go on sale Friday, May 13th at 10:00 AM PDT.

Paid Dues is not a place for the big time radio darlings. It’s not for the rappers who have chosen to reside in The Hamptons. And it’s certainly not for the rappers pushing almost 500,000 copies of their album in the first week of its release (sorry, Yeezy). Paid Dues is a place reserved for the pioneers of underground and the promising up and comers of the genre; the artists that have stayed true to the spirit of hip hop since the very beginning. It’s for those artists who have hustled their entire lives to be heard, never once forgetting their ideals amidst the hubbub of stardom. They aren’t so worried about the fame and fortune. They’re a little more concerned about one thing in particular: the message.

So it should come as no surprise that this year’s installment of Paid Dues was a pure blend of sermon and skill. Whether it was Lil B’s (cocaine induced?) rant on why there should be no such thing as the word “race”, or Immortal Technique’s potent rally for opening the Mexican border, there was no shortage of politically-charged messages. The hearts of these rappers are closer to the streets, which isn’t a knock on all the established artists putting out great music, but there’s a certain energy underground artists carry that those living the good life can’t quite convey as authentically. For the artists at Paid Dues, it’s not about the amount Yves Saint Laurent they own, it’s about life. Real life.

And so, it’s with that in mind that CoS entered the realm of San Bernardino, CA’s Paid Dues.

Tabi Bonney – Paid Dues Stage – 4:20 p.m.

As the Togo born, D.C.-based young gun Tabi Bonney set up on the stage that would eventually play host to legends such as Dead Prez, Bun B, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli, it was clear that he was in no way intimidated. Paid Dues is a place to prove yourself as an artist and Bonney was obviously up to the challenge. The small crowd that gathered to see the youngster was blown away by his charisma and lyricism, especially on the track “Rich Kids”. Oh, and the lively chant he started that went “Fuck the rich! Fuck the rich!” didn’t hurt, either.

Dead Prez – Paid Dues Stage – 5:00 p.m.

Dead Prez attracted what was by far the biggest crowd for a non-headliner at the Paid Dues stage. The crowd quadrupled from what it had been for Tabi Bonney, and it was abundantly clear that the poetic, free-spoken words of Dead Prez had reached the ears of many. As stic.man and M-1 took the stage, the crowd knew what a legendary presence they were in. Dead Prez’s sound ethical beliefs have been conveyed time and time again via flawless verses, something that was even more powerful live. As they closed their set with a vigorous version of “Bigger Than Hip-Hop” there wasn’t a dis-affectionate heart in attendance.

DJ Exile v. Blu & Fashawn – Grindtime Now Stage – 5:45 p.m.

Underground producer Exile did all the production on Blu’s 2007 album, Below the Heavens, and also on Fashawn’s 2009 effort, Boy Meets World. So it’s only natural that the DJ would spin for this double set of MCs. A more accurate name for the event might have been DJ Exile v. Blu/Fashawn, however, as the two rappers only shared the stage for two songs, but they both played impressive solo sets separately on the MMA cage-fighting style stage. Fashawn peaked with his track “Sunny CA” for which he employed the rapping styles of Alchemist, who happens to be Eminem’s current live DJ. Blu peaked during ballad-esque “No Better Love”. It was tough to decide who was the most impressive between the two MCs and the established producer. It’d be easier to withhold judgment, and enjoy them all for what they were: underground hip-hop up and comers.

P.O.S. -  Paid Dues Stage – 6:25 p.m.

Minnesota underground champion P.O.S. is a lot of things, but closed-minded he is not. The creator of the Doomtree collective doesn’t limit himself to just rap. Influenced by years of punk and hardcore, P.O.S. entered hip-hop cautiously as a means of expressing himself more fully (he was also more recently a part of the soft rock supergroup Gayngs). Little did he know, not only was he an incredibly gifted rapper, but his influence in punk would help him create a very unique production style, borrowing samples from live punk drums and guitars. As he brought his act to Paid Dues 2011, the sun set over the sizable crowd in San Bernardino. And maybe it was the size of the crowd, or  maybe it was because the night was upon us that P.O.S. decided to go all out, but it’s arguable that this Midwestern legend has never thrown down on-stage with this much energy or spoken with this much charisma. Before announcing that he had a new album on the way, the Minneapolis native played “P.O.S. Is Ruining My Life”, “Let It Rattle”, and “Purexed”.

Lil B – Dues Paid Stage - 7:05 p.m.

The two names everyone’s been following this year in hip hop: Odd Future and Lil B. The former is an LA-based, borderline psychotic collective, the latter is an overachiever from the bay. Both have been hyped all of 2011 as the two acts that will emerge to do great things. After seeing them both in the same weekend, I’m sure that this hype is 50 percent right – not in Lil B’s favor. Compared to the surreal showstopping that goes on with Odd Future, Lil B is kid stuff. Not only is he not as talented a lyricist or rapper, the kid can’t work a crowd. The leader of the Bay Area’s The Pack, Lil B has been releasing throngs of mixtapes to the masses, and much of it has been eaten right up. Some may have hope for the budding star yet, but it’s doubtful festivalgoers here did, as he may have been the worst performer at the festival.

The slow spitting 21-year-old filled up half of his already short half hour time slot with nearly 20 minutes of barely audible mumblings about a wide variety of topics, from proclaiming himself the most proven artist ever for producing the beat to a song that nobody had ever heard, to the “Tunami in Japan” (we’re pretty sure he meant tsunami, unless, of course, he was belatedly referring to Cartoon Network’s anime-oriented programming, Toonami that stopped airing in 2008. In which case, our mistake..). Lil B’s flow was so slow it almost became spoken word over massive bass beats. And when the speaker is a complete moron, spoken word can be a very bad thing. Not even the annunciation of a forthcoming EP with Jay Electronica or closing track “Base 4 Ya Face” alongside 9^th Wonder could save this train wreck of a set. Hopefully, he was just a little wasted. Charlie Sheen wasted, though. That would explain a lot.

Bun B – Paid Dues Stage – 7:50 p.m.

Arguably the most commercially successful rapper on the bill, Bun B was right at home up there on the independent hip hop stage. After giving the obligatory shout out to his fallen collaborator Pimp C (the two combined recorded as UGK for over a decade), Bun B got things started right quick. Producing one of the steadiest flows of the night, Bun played hit after hit, dazzling the surprisingly small crowd that had gathered to see him. It was unfortunate that Bay Area legend Andre Nickatina and Bun B were slated to play at the exact same time, but B took it in stride and put on the most OG show of the night with rousing renditions of “Let Me See You”, “I’m A G”, and “Git It”.

Slaughterhouse – Grindtime Now Stage – 8:25 p.m.

Arguably one of the hottest acts to appear at Paid Dues (what, after hitting the cover of XXL and joining Eminem’s revamped “Shady Records” alongside Yelawolf), Slaughterhouse came to play. Hosted on the Grindtime Now stage, there couldn’t have been a better pulpit for the supergroup to play. With raw, pile-driving beats over brutally good raps, a cage-fighting arena was ideal to suit the mood. Emerging one by one, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I, and Royce Da 5’9” all took turns spitting on the standout track from their debut, “Sound Off”. They came out big, and only got bigger as the show progressed.

Taking turns to introduce one another to the audience (though introductions were hardly necessary), they all received massive cheers from the rowdiest audience Paid Dues saw all night. Joe Budden only fueled the flames when he emerged from the cage and egged the crowd on during the pinnacle track of the night, “Microphone”. Who knows if the addition of Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf will help to re-vitalize Shady Records, but after seeing Slaughterhouse in action, one can’t help but think Slim knows exactly what he’s doing.

Murs – Dues Paid Stage – 8:45 p.m.

As mentioned, this festival was created by Murs and is still run by the man, and for that he should be given eternal props. Before his set sub-headlining the Dues Paid Stage, he could be seen scurrying about behind the scenes, clipboard in hand, making sure all was going according to plan. Truly, the guy’s a stud.

His offstage toils were matched only by his onstage presence. Bolstered by the spirit of the day and the spirit of his own creation, he went into an impressive set. And I tell you this as a non-fan of Murs’ music. He went on early due to a scheduling change, and played almost twice as long as he was slated to play, having to compete for an audience with Immortal Technique but it didn’t phase the veteran. When he and comrade 9^th Wonder came on with “L.A.”, he was met with raucous applause by his adoring fans.

Immortal Technique – Paid Dues Stage – 9:25 p.m.

Immortal Technique shows are scary. His lyricism is scary (in more ways that one). Multiply his potent politically, ethically charged rhymes by an entourage 20+ big, all wearing Immortal Technique garb, and you’ve got yourself a bona fide nightmare. The Peruvian born rapper was an obvious fan favorite at the festival, attracting the biggest crowd of the night in spite of not being a headliner. Between playing masterful hits such as “Point of No Return” and “Peruvian Cocaine”, he got on his soapbox, as he is likely to do. He preached to the congregation about California – more specifically how we weren’t really in Southern California, but Northern Mexico and how we were on stolen land. His call to open the border was met to uproarious cheers. His advice on the topic was, “Revolution is not just about guns and violence. It begins in the mind.” He finished his set with an unexpected performance of his notorious track “Dance With The Devil” in its entirety, to which the adoring crowd responded enormously.

E-40 – Dues Paid Stage – 10:15 p.m.

Due to a minor shift in the schedule (and a prolonged period of backstage bro high-fiving from various members of entourages), Bay Area legend E-40 showed up 15 minutes late to his set. But when you’ve got the following that someone like 40 has, 15 minutes is chump change. E-40 was the perfect nightcap for the Dues Paid stage, which was primarily devoted to Bay Area acts. There’s no question, he’s the king of hyphy.

And to make the short headlining set even more Bay-heavy, Oakland legend Too $hort joined 40 on-stage for the majority of his set. For the hundreds of fans who had driven from San Francisco, this was the sugar-charged icing on an already mind-numbingly delicious cake. Starting things off nicely with a shout out to the Bay Area, followed by his verse from Snoop Dogg’s “Candy (Drippin’ Like Water)”. Things reached their hyphy climax as E-40 dropped his verses from “Snap Yo’ Fingers” as Too $hort sang the Lil’ Jon chorus. Without a doubt, E-40 has paid his dues to the game, and he proved it by putting on a 45-minute hyphy heat wave.

Black Star – Paid Dues Stage – 10:30 p.m.

Black Star were penciled in to play a 60 minute set. But for anyone who knows just how influential Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star is, multiplied by how incendiary each subsequent solo release by each artist have been, 60 minutes couldn’t possibly do it justice. Quick fix: push the set to 90 minutes, and then throw in a legitimately impromptu three-song encore.

Without many (or any) theatrics, two of the greatest rappers alive took the stage with DJ Hi Tek in a humble manner to be reunited for their incendiary 1998 album. While both artists have been equally successful in their own solo endeavors, completely evenly keeled in record sales/critical praise, it became abundantly clear from the get go which MC was going to take control of the night. Mos Def, looking Andre 3000 chic in his neatly pressed slim slacks, two-toned penny loafers, suspenders, and denim jacket, was the dominant entertainer at this show. Talib Kweli was there to spit tit for tat alongside him, but the mighty Mos Def took off from the starting gates working the crowd like only a seasoned pro would know how.

The set began with Black Star track “Astronomy (8^th Light)”, and they ran through Black Star tracks throughout the night with solo work peppered throughout. Kweli’s “Move Something” was the solo high for him, but true to his role in the night, Mos Def took over a half hour into the set. Playing solo material that spanned his career, he threw down especially hard (with help from Kweli, of course) on “Auditorium”, “Mathematics”, “History”, and two unbelievable freestyles. It’s easy to forget what a gifted rapper Mos Def is amidst his many other talents, but Mos Def is first and foremost an underground MC. The latter of the freestyles was one of a pair of new songs that Mos Def debuted (one of which was produced by Madlib), presumably for his forthcoming solo album. The set ended with Mos Def’s Black on Both Sides heavy hitter, “Umi Says”.

After the lights went on and the background music began to play over the P.A., many headed for the exits, but just as many lingered behind and began cheering for an encore where there obviously wasn’t meant to be one. The reunion of this untouchable duo was important enough to some fans to make them crazy for more – the performers understood this, too. Absolutely spur of the moment, Kweli re-emerged with Hi Tek, followed by Mos Def, to put on a three-song encore that included: “Twilite Speedball”, “I’m On One”, and “Quiet Dog Bite Hard”. The unexpected encore was a testament to two things. First, what a force Mos Def and Talib Kweli are together and just what a massive impact they’ve had on the hip hop world and their fans; and second, what talented performers they both are. Black Star re-uniting to headline this event is something that is going to be hard to top in future Paid Dues events, but that’s as much a good thing as it is bad – that is, if you were one of those lucky enough to be in attendance.

Photography by Winston Robbins.

Appearing with Black Star and Immortal Technique on the Paid Dues Stage will be Bun B, Sage Francis, Dead Prez, Asher Roth and Nottz as Rawth, Heavy Metal Kings (Ill Bill and Vinnie Paz), P.O.S., Binary Star and more.

The second stage, called — wait for it — the Dues Paid Stage, will be headlined by Murs and hyphy hero E-40, and also feature fellow Bay Area rappers Lil B the Based God, Andre Nickatina, and Mistah F.A.B., as well as Eligh of Living Legends, Nipsey Hussle, The Shock G Trio (Humpty Hump and DJ Fuse), Visionaries, and DJ Nu-Mark, among others.

The third stage is called the Grindtime Now Stage, named for the hip-hop battle league, and will accordingly feature emcee battles in addition to regular performances. Paid Dues is going with a “vs.” theme, with Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs presiding over battles featuring Planet Asia, Bambu, and Sick Jacken of Psycho Realm, as well as DJ Exile vs. Blu and Fashawn. Also billed for the stage are Grind Time Now All Stars, featuring battles between names you will have heard if you’re into that sort of thing.

Slaughterhouse will headline that stage, which will also feature performances by Chino XL, Opio of Hieroglyphics, Grieves w/ Budo, and more.

Take a look at the full lineup below, or at Festival Outlook page. It’s all happening April 2nd at the N.O.S. Events Center in San Bernardino, CA. General and VIP tickets are priced at $45 an $148, respectively, and can be purchased here.

While a lot of us are busy figuring the odds for Coachella 2011, we shouldn’t sleep on another festival happening in California: the 6th annual Paid Dues Festival. Organized by rapper Murs & Guerilla Union, the festival goes down April 2nd at San Bernadino, CA’s Nos Events Center. The official lineup hasn’t been revealed yet, but Murs along with Immortal Technique and a reunited Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli) have been confirmed as three headliners (via okayplayer). A Guerrilla Union pre-sale begins Friday, December 10th via Ticketfly, with a public on-sale to follow on December 11th.

Stay tuned for more updates as they’re announced.

Founded in 2004, Rock The Bells set out to be thee festival for authentic rap music. We’re not talking about the things you’ll hear on your top 40 stations, we’re talking about real Hip-Hop, with all its grit, its grime, and its beauty. The festival has experienced varying levels of success over the years, at times being one or two shows, other times being able to tour with a full lineup all over the United States and even into Europe and Japan with acts that have included Rage Against The Machine, Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, Jurassic 5, Nas, De La Soul, Cypress Hill, The Roots, Public Enemy, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, MF DOOM, and countless, countless others. The economy obviously took its toll on this year’s installment, limiting the tour to only four stops, including one in San Bernardino, where CoS was well represented.

Let’s just get the giant elephant in the room right out in the open. The Rock the Bells crowd enjoy their marijuana. Disclaimer: Winston Robbins does not use illicit drugs, but he’s also not oblivious to the world around him. Most, if not all, of the artists on this year’s bill openly rap about smoking, dealing, or reminiscing about their sweet old Mary Jane. Hell, this year’s headliner Snoop Dogg’s song “Next Episode 2003” straight up admonishes everyone to “smoke weed every day.” Further proof? There were several booths set up for the petitioning of legalizing marijuana, a medical tent that could tell you whether or not you qualified for medicinal marijuana (how they determine eligibility at a loud rap festival in a vinyl tent, I have no idea), and blunt wraps for the reasonable price of $6.25 at every food/alcohol vendor.

But it wasn’t (and never is) all about weed. It was (and always is) about real hip hop. The realest (real word, honest. I asked Webster and Britannica) Hip-Hop. From noon ’til midnight, the greater Los Angeles area was treated to some of the best live rap available to the world. This year’s edition was especially awesome because many of the artists played their most popular albums from start to finish. It was a festival fraught with nostalgia.

Saturday, August 21st

Slick Rick
Main Stage, 1:00 p.m.

The biggest logistical problem with this year’s installment of Rock the Bells was the sun, but we can’t really point fingers for the sun coming out without running the risk of being smitten by an almighty entity. The sweltering heat ruined three acts from the Golden Age of Hip-Hop, much to my dismay. Slick Rick was the first victim. Rick was slated to perform his beloved Great Adventures of Slick Rick for an hour, but due to some logistical errors, and the scorching sun, this failed to happen.

However, this minor inconvenience didn’t seem to slow Rick the Ruler down at all. Donning a stunning array of gold chains and what appeared to be an ivory cane, the legendary Slick came out playing hit after hit to those fans daring enough to brave the 98 degree heat. The brave souls were treated to spot on versions of “Treat ‘Em Like A Prostitute”, “Children’s Story”, and “Indian Girl”, among others. It was a bad idea to put Rick on so early in the day, but as they say, the show must go on. And it certainly went on. -Winston Robbins

Jedi Mind Tricks
Paid Dues Stage, 2:00 p.m.

In an attempt to escape the blazing sun, I entered what I thought would be the air-conditioned building where the Paid Dues Independent Stage was located. I was disappointed to find little to no change in temperature, and a haze of marijuana smoke as thick as sea fog. It didn’t matter, however, once underground Hip-Hop darlings Jedi Mind Tricks took the stage.

The crowd at the Paid Stage was much bigger than that of the crowd at the Main Stage, partly because of the heat, but also partly because Jedi Mind Tricks have quite the following. People of every shape and size were screaming the lyrics along with the Philadelphia trio. With virtually no pyrotechnics, this show was about raw rhyming skill, which they had in spades. They came out one at a time with their verses on bass blaster “Sacrifice”. They proceeded to satisfy their crowd in their short half hour set with fan favorites such as “I Against I” and “The Worst”. -Winston Robbins

Rakim
Main Stage, 2:15 p.m.

Remember how Scottie Pippen played after Michael Jordan retired (the first time)? Or how the gang fared for their final season [of That 70's Show] after Eric Forman pursued a teaching opportunity in Africa? Things just weren’t the same. In all honesty, they were much, much worse. Okay, now take that concept and flip it. Let’s pretend the gang got by just fine without Forman, and Pippen continued to be one of the most dangerous Small Forwards in the game.

Such would be the case with Rakim. Despite the dissolution of the highly successful duo Eric B. & Rakim, he continued to flourish as a solo artist. Regardless, this was a festival of revisiting the past, so he performed bits of 1987’s incendiary Eric B. & Rakim album, Paid In Full sans Eric B. The sun was still blazing and the crowd was still small, but all sorrows were forgotten when Rakim busted out his Hip-Hop anthem “Don’t Sweat The Technique”. -Winston Robbins

Brother Ali
Paid Dues Stage, 2.45 p.m.

You may notice in this coverage a leaning towards Winston pieces and not so many Philip pieces. Though this has to do with my focus on the festival photos, I feel I must admit that hip hop is not my thing. I love Wu-Tang and enjoyed most of the artists I watched on Saturday, but there is a difference between enjoying it and being able to write about it. So why I am I writing about Brother Ali? Well, Winston didn’t see him. But also, I felt like Brother Ali signaled me out first through frequently shooting me eye contact and frequenting the small piece of the stage I inhabited. These are all a photographer can want from an artist and unfortunately I cannot return the favor through any kind of knoledgeable analysis of the performance.

So, I could try to give you my best interpretation of Brother Ali’s set (it was fun, energetic, he performed what I assumed were improvisational flows that the crowd seemed to get a kick out of, the crowd generally responded to him favorably, blah blah blah), but instead I will leave you with this thought. It’s my opinion that to be a successful hip hop artist, talent is 50% of the game. The other half is personality. The most beloved rappers have all been enigmatic or larger than life characters, somehow relatable in where they came from and foreign on where they ended up. For other people who grew up in poverty, fighting racial discrimination or forced to live with a physical abnormality, these musicians end up being fantasies and if you aren’t getting in some trouble or making some waves, then the audience won’t be there to relate to you. You have to get people to listen to an album comprised mostly of lyrics. Brother Ali has the talent and he seems like he has already had an pretty interesting life with both universal and enigmatic struggles. I guess we’ll see how it all lands, but don’t be surprised to see him on a main stage in the future. – Philip Cosores

KRS-One
Main Stage, 3:30 p.m.

Yet another unfortunate victim of the blazing sun, KRS-One’s crowd should have been much larger. He’s received a BET award for his efforts in philanthropy and overall contributions to the Hip-Hop community. KRS-One was part of a highly influential rap trio called Boogie Down Productions, which released an impeccable album in 1987 entitled Criminal Minded. KRS eventually went out on his own, but has always kept the fame achieved with Boogie Down. As this year’s theme seemed to be nostalgia, KRS decided to revisit his Criminal days. With his unmistakably smooth vocal styling, he impressed all those who didn’t mind standing in the sun to hear it. Criminal highlight “Elementary” brought the house down with authority. -Winston Robbins

Immortal Technique
Paid Dues Stage, 4:00 p.m.

Quite possibly the angriest, most emotionally charged rap at the entire festival belonged to Peruvian-born Immortal Technique. He and his five hype-men had the audience in an uproar right out of the gate. With chant-a-long sayings such as “Viva La Revolucion!”, “The government should fear the people, the people shouldn’t fear the government”, and simple but effective, “F*** cops!”, the underground rapper had everyone ready to riot.

Immortal is most widely known for his infamously gruesome track “Dance With The Devil”, and I personally spent most of my time waiting for its arrival. But it was a foolish hope as the song is nearly 10 minutes long, and would have eaten up a third of his set. Instead, he stuck to mainly tracks from his most recent release Third World, interspersed with political sermons. If anyone came out of Immortal’s set without feeling some kind of anger, they are completely incapable of human feeling. -Winston Robbins

Murs and 9th Wonder
Paid Dues Stage, 4:40 p.m.

Murs is an unabashed outcast, and he likes it that way. Listen to any of his many, many raps (he promised 10 full-length albums in 2010 alone, but we’ve only seen one so far, and it was nothing to write home about), and you’ll see that this is true. Fun fact – Murs had his own separate merch tent, completely separate from every other artist’s. He’s what we in the biz call a “loner”. In fact, Murs is admittedly a Juggalo. For those of you who do not know what that word means, click here and discover a subculture you will wish didn’t exist.

Regardless, Murs and his gnarly dreads got his crowd of fellow lone wolves amped, and isn’t that what it’s all about in the end? -Winston Robbins

Wiz Khalifa
Paid Dues Stage, 5:20 p.m.

Once again, cannabis was not something that was kept quiet at this show. Most of the crowded had shifted to the Main Stage to see Lauryn Hill, so Wiz Khalifa played to a very small crowd of fellow stoners, but I’m not sure there was a more enthusiastic audience all night. Wiz was named to XXL’s Freshmen 2010 list, which is an honor for any up and coming emcee. These acts typically attract a younger audience, and this was certainly the truth here. College age kids very serious about their weed were there to support one of their beloved up and comers. The Pittsburgh native laughed and joked with the crowd throughout his set, and played through his half hour set with impressive poise and talent. He commented on the title of his newest mixtape “Kush and Orange Juice”, saying “It’s just what I do, man. I like to wake up, smoke, and then have breakfast.” True to his word, some audience member threw a J onstage and Wiz proceeded to finish it off for them whilst rapping over a remixed Empire of the Sun track. -Winston Robbins

Lauryn Hill
Main Stage, 5:25 p.m.

Hip as ever, Ms. Lauryn Hill took the stage after a very generous and deserved introduction from an unnamed hype-man declaring her “the most influential woman in Hip-Hop.” She went on about 20 minutes later than scheduled, but once people got a taste of their old favorite Fugee, those 20 minutes were easily forgotten. She had little to say about her newly reclaimed career or where it was going, but she did say that she was happy to see us all again, which is good indication that she’s warming back up to the game. She also had nothing to say about her former bandmate’s annunciation for Presidential candidacy for the country of Haiti or the prompt denial of his request, but she certainly had some things to sing.

Barnburners: “Ooh La La La”, “Ex-Factor”, and her version of Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low”. Unfortunately her set was a little slow and droopy, and it didn’t hold the attention of the audience as well as expected. I don’t wanna tell her how to do her job, but why on earth would she not play “Killing Me Softly”? Anyway, it was nice to hear from a voice from the past, even if that voice was a tidbit subdued. -Winston Robbins

Street Sweeper Social Club
Paid Dues Stage, 6:15 p.m.

The Paid Dues Stage had a solid crowd all day long. This may have something to do with the fact that it was out of the sun, but by the early evening this advantage had become obsolete. So was that why Street Sweeper Social Club had the smallest crowd of all the acts we covered? I think it had to do with playing against Lauryn Hill, who was probably the second-most anticipated artist beyond Wu-Tang Clan (and probably the most anticipated amongst the founders and other performers, who all crowded the photo pit during Hill’s set to create complete awesomeness and madness). But the festival’s token rock act seemed to view the sparse crowd as more of a challenge than a defeat.

Now I am not a huge Rage Against The Machine fan, but I have a great respect for Tom Morello as both a musician and activist. When I saw him earlier giving an interview to some other agency, I was star-struck. But like his role in Rage, Morello is a low-key stage stage presence, making himself known but not going over the top. That job is left to his vocalist, which in this case is The Coup’s Boots Riley. Riley was everywhere, embracing the photo opportunities and trying to rile (pun intended) up the sparse crowd. Regardless of whether I would ever listen to the music outside of that precise moment, I dug every moment of it, even their cover of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes”, which on nine out of 10 days would infuriate me. What can I say, I like bands… -Philip Cosores

A Tribe Called Quest
Main Stage, 6:45 p.m.

I think I’ve figured it out. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, better known as A Tribe Called Quest, have discovered the fountain of youth. On paper, the men are 40-years-old, but they both move better than men half their age.

After hearing the robotic female voice of “The Midnight Marauder’s Tour Guide”, the crowd edged closer with understandable anticipation. We were in the presence of outright legends. Phife Dawg came out first in a Kobe Bryant jersey and Lakers ball cap, despite his being from Queens. This can be perceived in one of two ways: A) he was just trying to fit in (there were plenty of yellow and purple 24 jerseys in the crowd), or B) he has given up on the Knicks, which would be entirely understandable (see last season’s 29-51 record). Next was Q, who was stylishly dressed in a pair of black slim slacks and a leather jacket. The two jumped right into their planned Midnight Marauders festivities with heavy-hitter “Steve Biko (Stir It Up)”, which revved up the crowd.

They stuck to the script for the next five or six songs, playing tracks from their acclaimed Marauders, but they decided to switch things up a little bit and deviate from the plan. Should we really be surprised, though? Remember, we’re talking about the same individuals that pushed the limits in the early nineties to pave the way for modern Hip-Hop. They jumped back in time to play Low End Theory track, “Scenario”, which features Busta Rhymes. How could they do that without Busta, you say? Well, let’s put it this way: they didn’t. Busta joined the boys for the track, as well as “Oh My God” and remained for the rest of their impeccable set. Tribe kept the pace high the entire time (much unlike Ms. Lauryn Hill), and took the cake for most impressive act, in my opinion. -Winston Robbins

Wu-Tang Clan
Main Stage, 8:30 p.m.

Wu-Tang Clan really ain’t nuthin’ ta f*** with, it’s true. Wu-Tang brought their rowdiest ‘A’ game as they embarked upon playing their 1993 debut album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in its entirety. Unlike A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang played their album track for track in its exact order. As you may know, a key member of the Clan, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, passed away in 2004. So, a question that came to everyone’s minds at the annunciation of playing the whole album was “Who’s going to do Dirty’s parts?” 36 Chambers is a very ODB heavy album.

Fortunately, ODB’s eldest son, Boy Jones, who looks way too much like his father, was happy to take the role. And although his role was strictly ornamental, he played the part like a champ and deserves major props at doing his Father justice, running all over the stage and into the crowd, screaming and yelling the whole time.

Every Clan member got their chance at the spotlight, but as usual, the performance was dominated by the more enigmatic characters of the Wu. Method Man, RZA, and Raekwon took the helm at fronting for the band, connecting with the audience between every song, and taking every opportunity to make a shout out. The album was played with brilliant expertise with major highlights including  “Bring Da Ruckus”, “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ Ta F*** Wit’”, “C.R.E.A.M.”, and “Method Man”, though the group also squeezed in some other hits, including “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”, “Triumph”, and “Da Rockwilder”.

While less stylistic than that of Tribe, Wu-Tang really stole the show with mere presence. Really, who expected Method and Raekwon to re-enact those torture scenarios we’ve only heard on record? And who ever thought the crowd would sing along, after, what, 20 years now? Hilarious yet amazing. Once again, they owned a Rock The Bells festival, pretty much ensuring them a spot in the Rock The Bells events to come. -Winston Robbins

Snoop Dogg
Main Stage, 10:15 p.m.

Let’s be honest, most of the people in attendance were there for Wu-Tang. The original 2004 Rock The Bells was centered around getting the whole group back together, and at least one member has attended every year since. It’s very much a Wu-Tang affair.

That being said, Snoop Dogg is something of a hometown hero, hailing from the LBC. But it had been quite a long day of energetic performances, and throngs of people made their way to the exits as Wu-Tang finished. It didn’t help that Snoop didn’t officially go on until exactly 10:47 PST. People got more and more tired of waiting, and a large portion of the crowd split. This ended up being a blessing in disguise, however, separating the true fans from the bandwagoneers; the wheat from the chaff, if you want to get Biblical. The remaining “wheat” were treated to the glitziest performance of the festival and hit after hit from L.A.’s beloved son.

Coming on strong with “Gin n’ Juice” followed rapidly by “The Next Episode”, I wasn’t sure he could go up from such a lofty starting point, but I was gladly wrong. He pulled out all the old Doggystyle stops; “Who Am I (What’s My Name)”, and “Doggy Dogg World”, among others. But he, like Tribe, didn’t stick to the playbook, and deviated from the Doggystyle course, much to the delight of his adoring fans. He finished things up with a newer cut, a big sing-along version of “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, the perfect authentic Hip-Hop end, to a perfectly authentic Hip-Hop day. -Winston Robbins

Photography by Philip Cosores
——

Gallery by Philip Cosores

[nggallery id=103]

Rock the Bells 2010 will feature Wu-Tang Clan performing Enter the 36th Chamber, Rakim performing Paid in Full, KRS-One performing Criminal Minded, and Slick Rick performing The Great Adventures Of. Other acts scheduled to take part in the festivities include Street Sweeper Social Club, Murs & 9th Wonder, Clipse, Immortal Technique, Brother Ali, and Wiz Khalifa. For a full list of confirmed acts, click here. And it probably goes without saying that even more will be added in the weeks to come.

Update: The tour announcement also mentions “special guest” Lauryn Hill, but does not elaborate on what role the former Fugees and solo star will play on the tour (via MTV).

Currently, Rock the Bells 2010 stops have been announced for Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Washington, DC. Ticket information is still forthcoming.

Rock the Bells 2010:
08/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ NOS Events Center
08/22 – San Francisco, CA @ Shorline Ampitheatre
08/28 – New York, NY @ Governors Island
08/29 – Washington, DC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion

Slipknot, Deftones, Pennywise (minus its frontman), Method Man & Redman, and Kottonmouth Kings head the festivities, while Bad Brains, Immortal Technique, K’Naan, and Mix Master Mike are all also scheduled to make an appearance. Also confirmed will be reunions by Goodie Mob, The Geto Boys, Hieroglypics, and Living Legends. Oh and of course, Cheech and Chong will be hosting the event. Find the complete lineup here.

And as the name indicates, the festivities will also included a number of non-musical, cannabis-themed events, such as a medical marijuana expo, vendor village, and massive munchie gardens.

Pre-sale tickets will be available beginning Wednesday, September 9th. The general public will get its opportunity on Saturday, September 12th. Ticketmaster.com and Livenation.com will be the places of purchase.