The annual hip-hop music festival Rock the Bells was set to hold its fifth and final installment of 2011 next Saturday, September 24th, in Boston, MA. But now, an issued press release reports that those plans have been canceled, with the festival blaming “scheduling conflicts, bad weather, and logistical challenges.”

The full statement reads as follows:

“We are very disappointed that our Boston Rock The Bells Festival stop had to be cancelled this year. Unfortunately, we will not be able to execute the festival to our standards and apologize to the fans who have supported Rock The Bells and quality Hip Hop,” stated Guerilla Union’s Chang Weisberg. “We’ve had many challenges with this show including numerous scheduling conflicts, bad weather and logistical challenges but hope to come back to Boston with Rock The Bells soon.”

Ticket refunds are now available at the point of purchase.

Despite ending on a down note, this year’s Rock the Bells was able to bring hip-hop heavyweights like Nas, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Cypress Hill and Black Star, among others, to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, and New York City. We were at the latter of the three shows and you can find our coverage of it here.

Rock the Bells, the annual, traveling hip-hop festival, has entered its eighth year. Following up a lauded 2010 series that boasted Snoop Dogg performing Doggystyle and A Tribe Called Quest reuniting for Midnight Marauders, among others, this year’s four-city, month-long concert series takes that concept a step further. At least 11 acts (varying slightly by date) have performed their classic albums on this year’s tour, largely representing an era of hip-hop that took place from the years 1993 to 1998.

Consequence of Sound was on hand for the New York leg of the festival series, where the action played out across two main stages. The larger Rock the Bells Stage hosted hip-hop legends and modern R&B greats from Nas and Black Star to Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. The 36 Chambers Stage was home to numerous Wu-Tang Clan affiliates from GZA to Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, as well as other iconic East Coast hip-hop acts including Mobb Deep and Black Moon. Side stages included the Paid Dues stage, which put the spotlight on underground and up-and-coming acts such as Big K.R.I.T. and Immortal Technique, and the Grindtime stage, which hosted DJ performances.

Governors Island provided an ideal spot, merely a 10-minute boat ride from Battery Park, although attendees had to deal with hour-long ferry lines on the Manhattan side. Still, thousands of NYC-area music fans found themselves in a festival-sized venue within the city limits, catching some of the 90′s biggest names in hip-hop flash back to their most classic cuts. Even though Rock the Bells is making stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Boston, New York City is where many of these artists call home, and so the entire day seemed to celebrate just how special New York hip-hop was in the mid-late ’90s and how important it continues to be.

-Austin Trunick
Staff Writer 

Black Star – Rock the Bells Stage – 2:25 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“That’s the second time we’ve played that song in 10 years.”

Despite any number of acclaimed solo albums, film roles, and TV appearances, to some people Mos Def and Talib Kweli will always be Black Star, the independent hip-hop duo that released one brilliant, self-titled album in 1998. Despite issues with boat transportation to Governors Island that caused many festival-goers to miss the day’s first few sets, the pair kept the energy level high for the smaller-than-normal early afternoon crowd. Knocking out most of their singular LP, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star, highlights included the anti-violence sermon “Definition”, the NYC street life tale “Respiration”, “Thieves in the Night”, and the salacious “Brown Skin Lady”. While they let on that they hadn’t played some of the material in quite some time, it was hard to hear any rust in their rhymes.

Both artists’ solo careers were also represented during their performance: Kweli dropped his 2002 single “Get By” from Quality, while Mos Def took on Black on Both Sides’ “Umi Says” from 1999. The duo repeatedly promised a sequel Black Star record in 2012. For many of the gathered fans in the audience, the new year won’t come soon enough. -Austin Trunick

GZA - 36 Chambers Stage –  3:55 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“Sometimes we gotta flash ‘em all back, remind them where it all started.”

GZA may be the festival’s longest-tenured veteran on the nostalgia circuit, as he’s been performing Liquid Swords in its entirety on tour since 2007. While other performers can sometimes come across as a bit rusty on their classic album’s lesser-regarded tracks, The Genius has been knocking out all of the songs from his seminal LP long enough to have each line down tight. He gave the best renditions of classics such as “Duel of the Iron Mic” and “I Gotcha Back” that this writer’s ever seen, despite the searing afternoon sun. There were a decent number of cameos from his various Wu-Tang brethren and affiliates: Killah Priest hung out onstage through the bulk of his set, giving support on most songs and taking on his featured track from Liquid Swords, “B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)”. RZA rushed the stage for a surprise appearance on “4th Chamber”, which sent the audience into a roar of cheers. Some time was even taken to pay tribute to Ol’ Dirty Bastard by rolling into a rendition of “Shimmy Shimmy Yah” with the departed’s son, Young Dirty, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his father both in looks and in stage antics. GZA departed from the Liquid Swords playlist a few times, including a crowd-pleasing section of the Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)staple “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta Fuck Wit” and an amped-up run-through of his own “Alphabets” from 2008’s Pro Tools. -Austin Trunick

Cypress Hill – Rock the Bells Stage –  4:00 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“Yeah, I’m started to feel this spliff right here. I’m starting to settle into it. Y’all settlin’ into your high?”

Cypress Hill took the stage minutes before 4:20, as if there were any other time they could possibly start. Still, despite the kitsch factor of being the big pot-smoking act of the day, B-Real and Sen Dog threw down a classic set, drawing from their 1993 triple-platinum album, Black Sunday. Improving on the album’s original track order, the boys from L.A. crafted a set with a natural flow and arc, centered around B-Real’s lighting up a spliff before heading into “I Wanna Get High” and “Hits From the Bong”. For these acts playing full albums, an unexpected divergence was often an exciting highlight, and that was certainly the case when Cypress Hill’s turntablist, DJ Hitman Julio, and percussionist Eric “Bobo” Correa played a duet of old-school 80s hip-hop beats and Latin-flavored hip-hop drums, ending with a dramatic percussion solo that got the crowd going. The group amped up the intensity with “Cock the Hammer” and “A to the K”, and of course, closed with their mega hit, “Insane in the Brain”. -Jake Cohen

Black Moon – 36 Chambers Stage – 5:25  p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“It ain’t over when the sun goes down, because that’s when the Moon comes up.”

Black Moon’s Buckshot was a constant force through all of the group’s 1993 classic, Enta Da Stage, pacing the platform and raising the audience’s excitement levels on heavy-hitting jams like “Who Got da Props?” and “Powaful Impak!”. Onstage, Black Moon’s live band included two saxophonists, keyboards, electric guitar, drums, and a bass player; the live instrumentation added an extra level of vitality to the proceedings, and the group gave shout-outs to jazz forefathers Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong. The bass groove that kicked through “How Many MC’s…” was a highlight–enough to make you stop and recognize the value of a little bit of funk in a song. Other notable tracks included “Make Munne” and “Buck Em Down”.

Never the most prolific group, Black Moon has only released two albums of new material in the 18 years since their landmark Enta Da Stage, and none since 2003’s Total Eclipse, but that may soon change: “New Black Moon record coming soon,” Buckshot promised toward the end of their set, “called Dark Side of the Moon. Because we’re all about that dark shit. We’re all about that real nighttime shit.” -Austin Trunick

Erykah Badu - Rock the Bells Stage – 5:45 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“There will never be another Baduizm. There will never be another 1997.”

Not many artists can pull off elegant, sexy, and eccentric at the same time. Not many artists are like Erykah Badu. She ran through most of her landmark, genre-defining, neo-soul album Baduizm, and her six-piece live band and four backup singers brought a funky, smooth groove to the late afternoon show. Needing a few songs to get warmed up, Badu really got things going with “Appletree”, giving the song a much stronger push than the slick album version and displaying some scat-singing acrobatics. Her performance generally took the album tracks a touch faster and harder, perhaps to bridge the gap between the more hardcore hip-hop acts and herself. Her introductory quote was dead-on: More than other classic 90s albums, Baduizm seemed to capture a very particular moment in African-American music, when female artists were trying to navigate the territory between R&B, jazz, soul, and modern hip-hop. Yet, of the two late 90s female singer/rappers, Badu was overshadowed by Lauryn Hill’s outstanding set.  -Jake Cohen

Mobb Deep - 36 Chambers Stage – 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“What we gonna do right now is go back!”

Havoc and Prodigy, the Queens, NY, duo better known as Mobb Deep, took the 36 Chambers Stage just as the sun was disappearing behind Erykah Badu’s set across the festival grounds. Joined onstage by regular contributor Big Noyd, the pair ran through cuts from their acclaimed sophomore effort, The Infamous, as well as choice selections from their more recent albums and solo discs. Those hoping for cameos by the original featured guests on The Infamous’s “Eye for a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)” or “Right Back at You” (Nas and Raekwon & Ghostface, respectively) might have been a little let down given those guys’ proximity at the time, but they were likely too busy prepping for their own sets coming later in the night. Mobb Deep’s Rock the Bells set left little other reason to disappoint, as Havoc and Prodigy energetically tore through all of the album’s best songs, just killing “Survival of the Fittest”, “Temperature’s Rising”, and their dark classic, “Shook Ones Pt. II”.

If that weren’t enough, Prodigy took off with “Keep It Thoro”, the lead single from his solo debut, H.N.I.C.. Latter-day Mobb Deep tracks performed included “Quiet Storm” from 1999’s Murda Muzik and a hard-hitting version of Amerikaz Nightmare’s “Got It Twisted”, driven along by a cranked-out Thomas Dolby sample. -Austin Trunick

Ms. Lauryn Hill – Rock the Bells Stage – 7:45 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“People always say, ‘You do the old stuff, but you don’t do it in the old way.’ Well, tonight we’re gonna do the old stuff in the old way.”

Lauryn Hill has taken a lot of flack (no pun intended) over the past 10 years. Since leaving the Fugees and dropping her monumental solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she’s been the subject of nasty rumors and unfortunate stories, both of which have contributed to her stepping out of the public eye. But make no mistake about it: Lauryn Hill still knows how to throw it down, to belt it out, and to sing tenderly. Her Rock the Bells set was a powerful, dynamic, passionate performance, showing off her soulful vocals and her strong rapping abilities. Her set began with an energetic version of “Lost Ones” and continued running through The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill with a heartfelt “Ex-Factor” and a spirited “To Zion”, during which she repeatedly implored, “I trusted you with my heart!”, straining her voice and making her audience feel the heartbreak. Her hit single “Doo Wop (That Thing)” came next, flying by at a fast clip with high energy as Hill jumped around the stage and the crowd swayed their arms.

Photo by Jake Cohen

After fixing some monitor problems and blowing up the crowd with “Doo Wop”, Hill found her confident stride, and her performance kept growing stronger as it went on. She wowed the crowd with the lyrical acrobatics of “Final Hour”, finding that hardcore attitude that was a crucial part of the powerful Fugees sound. But even an intense version of “Forgive Them Father” was overshadowed by the evening’s biggest surprise: two thirds of a Fugees reunion, as Hill was joined (unannounced, she said) onstage by Pras Michel. The part of the crowd milling about the middle of the concert field immediately gravitated to the main stage while Hill showed her strongest rapping of the night, taking Wyclef’s verse on “Fu-Gee-La” and then throwing down a ripping “Ready or Not”. For her encore, Pras and Hill gave the audience an energetic “Killing Me Softly”. On this night, it seemed as though Ms. Lauryn Hill re-educated the audience, reminding us that she still knows how to crush it. -Jake Cohen

Childish Gambino – 36 Chambers Stage – 8:35 p.m.

“Latin girls see my face and call it Jupiter /
Latin girls see your face and call it stupid-er.”

Childish Gambino is the hip-hop project of comedian/one-time-Spider Man candidate Donald Glover, who currently appears on NBC’s Community. Taking his emcee name from an online Wu-Tang name generator, Gambino was far and away the only rapper at Rock the Bells dropping references to Shining Time Station. Or Amelie. Or Huey Lewis. Or Smurf villain Gargamel. Roughly one third of the small crowd that chose to forego Lauryn Hill to catch him seemed to be caught off guard during the initial part of his set. (More than a couple shouts of “Get off the stage!” were thrown his way.) At first, it’s hard to tell whether he’s a joke rapper or just one with a lot of genuinely funny rhymes. On further inspection, the needle points firmly toward the latter, and Gambino won over a lot of his detractors with overflowing energy and wit, climbing up the amplifier stacks and wearing his voice raw on self-released tracks such as “Do Ya Like” and “Put It in My Video”.

Besides, any emcee who can drop a line about “eating more pussy than Alf” and keep a straight face deserves any props that come his way.-Austin Trunick

Raekwon & Ghostface Killah  - 36 Chambers Stage – 9:35 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“Then analyze my soundtrack for satisfaction/ 
You adapt like a flashback chain reaction.”

Deservedly headlining the 36 Chambers stage, Wu-Tang Clan members Raekwon and Ghostface Killah took the stage to perform the former’s 1995 solo record, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…. Rock the Bells attendees were forced to make the difficult choice between this set and Nas’s going on across the field; those who stuck were treated to a Wu-Tang mini-reunion, with Masta Killa and Cappadonna joining at different parts of the set. Despite sound problems that stalled out the setlist and forced Ghostface to spend five minutes mid-show on a mic check, the hip-hop veterans successfully banged out old, crowd-pleasing favorites such as “Incarcerated Scarfaces”, “Criminology”, and “Ice Cream”. Before Raekwon or Ghostface even took the stage, Supernatural warmed up the crowd with his virtuosic freestyling and spot-on, chameleon-like impersonations of Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes, and Biggie Smalls. In a fun bit of audience interplay, the nimble-mouthed MC had the crowd hand shirts, drinks, or any other object to him onstage, which he then incorporated into his freestyle. -Austin Trunick

Nas - Rock the Bells Stage – 9:55 p.m.

Photo by Jake Cohen

“Life is good. Life is beautiful. But sometimes, life’s a bitch!”

After grabbing the main headlining spot following a number of schedule rearrangements, Nas found himself with the biggest and most hyped-up crowd of the night. Taking full advantage of his hometown show, Nas dropped the first three tracks from his debut album, Illmatic, featuring many of the original MCs and DJs. After throwing down “N.Y. State of Mind”, “Life’s a Bitch” with AZ, and “The World is Yours” with Pete Rock, Nas gave the stage over to Pete Rock and DJ Premier for a quick battle mini-set. While it was cool to hear this club-style exchange on the grand proportions of Rock The Bells, it also seemed to suck the energy out of the set, thinning out the crowd eager to catch an early ferry back to Manhattan. However, any early departures missed the biggest party of the night, as Nas ramped it up and kept it going for almost another hour. He re-emerged from the intermission clad in camouflage, filled the stage with guest MCs and his cheering entourage, and ventured well beyond the confines of Illmatic. The intensity and energy reached a fever pitch with “Hate Me Now”, while Nas capitalized on Lauryn Hill’s presence to partner up on “If I Ruled the World”. With the stage set up to mimic the Queensbridge Houses projects, Nas blew up a NYC-sized celebration with a NYC-sized set. -Jake Cohen

The Culture of Rock the Bells

Gallery by Jake Cohen

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The first half of the trek will offer Raekwon and Ghostface Killah performing Only Built for Cuban Linx and Mobb Deep reliving The Infamous. The second half, which will begin September 16th, will see the reunited Black Star performing Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star. Tickets for all shows are now on-sale, and you can scroll below to find out who’s performing where.

Guerrilla Union and House of Blues Entertainment’s new venture doesn’t end there though. Billed as the “North America’s premiere live hip hop partnership,” the deal promises 150 shows in 44 venues in over 30 markets with dozens of club and theater tours annually. Not only is Rock The Bells involved, but so too are hip hop festivals like Paid Dues, Spring Gathering and Smokeout.

Rock the Bells 2011 Tour Dates:
08/12 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues *
08/13 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues *
08/14 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues *
08/16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of the Living Arts *
08/20 – San Bernardino, CA @ Rock the Bells Festival
08/21 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues *
08/22 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues *
08/27 – Mountain View, CA @ Rock the Bells Festival
08/30 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room *
08/31 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s *
09/01 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall *
09/03 – New York, NY @ Rock the Bells Festival
09/06 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues #
09/07 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues #
09/08 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues *
09/08 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues #
09/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of the Living Arts #
09/13 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues #
09/15 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle *
09/16 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues *
09/16 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room #
09/17 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore *
09/17 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s #
09/18 – Washington, DC @ The Fillmore #
09/20 – Mansfield, MA @ Rock the Bells Festival
09/21 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall #
09/22 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues #
09/23 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues #
09/25 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues #
09/27 – Miami, FL @ The Fillmore #
09/28 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle #
09/29 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore #
10/01 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues #

* = Raekwon and Ghostface performing Only Built for Cuban Linx, Mobb Deep performing The Infamous
# = Black Star performing Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star

This week brings a whole slew of lineup news, including Voodoo Experience, Ottawa Bluesfest, Bumbershoot, Hopscotch Music Festival, Hop Farm Fest, Life is Good Fest, Escape to New York and more. Below, you can find all the pertinent information.

And while we have your attention, please be sure to bookmark Festival Outlook and follow us on Twitter. That way, you’ll get more timely updates! And if you see something missing from one of the thousand pages listed on Festival Outlook, please drop us a line and we’ll fix it asap. Of course, tips are also welcome!

BUMBERSHOOT

When/Where: September 3-5 at the Seattle Center in Seattle, WA

What’s New: Big Boi, Eisley, Dom, Kendrick Lamar, Motopony, and Fly Moon Royalty

Who Else is Playing: Hall & Oates, Wiz Khalifa, Broken Social Scene, Ray LaMontagne, Mavis Staples, Leon Russell, The Kills, Warpaint, STRFKR, The Lonely Forest, Toro Y Moi, Urge Overkill, and Minus the Bear.

Tickets: $29 single-day tickets and $75 three-day tickets are available via the festival’s website.

ESCAPE TO NEW YORK

When/Where: August 5-7 at Shinnecock Reservation Land in Southampton, NY

What’s New: of Montreal, Mates of State, Reptar, The Jolly Boys, and Savoir Adore

Who Else is Playing: Patti Smith, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Best Coast, The Vaccines, and Au Revoir Simone

Tickets: $275 weekend passes and $100 single-day passes are available via seetickets.com.

HOP FARM FEST

When/Where: July 1-3 at Hop Farm Country Park in Kent, England

What’s New: Eliza Doolittle, The Go! Team, Hot Chip (DJ set), Fenech-Soler, and Aloe Blacc

Who Else is Playing: Prince, Morrissey, The Eagles, Lou Reed, Death Cab For Cutie, Brandon Flowers, Iggy & the Stooges, Patti Smith, Bryan Ferry, Gang of Four, The Duke Spirit, The Head and the Heart, and The Walkmen

Tickets: £141 weekend passes and £75.70 day tickets are available via seetickets.com

HOPSCOTCH MUSIC FESTIVAL

When/Where: September 8-10 in Raleigh, NC

What’s New: Titus Andronicus, Times New Viking, Vivian Girls, Bass Drum of Death, Pepper Rabbit, Xray Eyeballs, Diamond Rings, and Xray Eyeballs

Who Else is Playing: The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices, Superchunk, Swans, The Dodos, Toro Y Moi, Twin Shadow, Yelawolf, Black Lips, Cold Cave, Japandroids, Liturgy, John Vanderslice, Ford & Lopatin, Lower Dens, Beach Fossils, and Beans.

Tickets: Multiple ticketing options are available via the festival’s website.

LIFE IS GOOD FESTIVAL

When/Where: September 24-25 at Prowse Farm in Canton, MA

Who’s Playing: The Avett Brothers, The Levon Helm Band, Ray LaMontagne, The Hold Steady, Ingrid Michaelson, Brandi Carlile, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Raphael Saadiq, and Zee Avi

Tickets: $120 two-day ticket and $65 single-day tickets are available via the festival’s website.

MUSICFEST NW

When/Where: September 8-11 in Portland, OR

What’s New: Marketa Irglova, OFF!, Sallie Ford & the Sound, Dan Mangan, Loch Lomond, Fool’s Gold, Emancipator, Young Buffalo, and Purity Ring

Who Else is Playing: Band of Horses, Iron & Wine, Explosions in the Sky, The Kills, Butthole Surfers, Archers of Loaf, Sebadoh, Handsome Furs, Tennis, Sharon Van Etten, YACHT, The Vaccines, The Thermals, Ted Leo, Phantogram, The Joy Formidale, Little Dragon, and Blitzen Trapper.

Tickets: $115 all-show wristbands, $70 GA wristbands, and $250 VIP wristbands are available via the festival’s website.

OTTAWA BLUESFEST

When/Where: July 5-17 at Lebreton Flats Park in Ottawa, Ontario

What’s New: Jane’s Addiction, Lupe Fiasco, Protest The Hero, Stephen Marley, and Classified.

Who Else is Playing: Soundgarden, The Flaming Lips, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, A Perfect Circle, Death Cab for Cutie, Girl Talk, Ben Harper, Erykah Badu, The Roots, The Tragically Hip, Death From Above 1979, Tegan and Sara, Ra Ra Riot, M. Ward, Cheap Trick, and Wanda Jackson

Tickets: $260 festival passports and $40-$55 single-day passes are available via the festival’s website.

ROCK THE BELLS

When/Where: San Bernardino, CA (8/20), Mountain View, CA (8/27), New York, NY (9/3), and Boston, MA (9/10)

What’s New: Erykah Badu performing Baduizm, Common performing Be, Killah Priest performing Heavy Metal, and DOOM

Who Else is Playing: Lauryn Hill performing The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Nas performing Illmatic, The GZA performing Liquid Swords, Cypress Hill performing Black Sunday, Immortal Technique, Mobb Deep performing The Infamous, and Slaughterhouse

Tickets: Ticketing options vary on location. Visit the festival’s website for more information.

SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL

When/Where: August 18-20 in Hollywood, CA

Who’s Playing: Mötley Crüe, Bush, Public Enemy, Matt & Him, dredg, and Felix Cartal

Tickets: Multiple packages are available via the festival’s website.

TREASURE ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL

When/Where: October 15-16 at Treasure Island in San Francisco, CA

Who’s Expected: Friendly Fires and Warpaint

Tickets: TBA

VOODOO EXPERIENCE

When/Where: October 28-30 at City Park in New Orleans, LA

What’s New: My Chemical Romance, Portugal. the Man, X, Ozomatli, Soul Rebel’s Brass Band, and City and Colour

Who Else is Playing: Soundgarden and Girl Talk, with more acts to be announced in the weeks ahead

Tickets: $150 GA and $450 VIP passes are available via the festival’s website.

Each week, Cluster 1′s Sami Jarroush provides a video recap of the week’s biggest headlines. This week, Jarroush discusses Gil Scott-Heron’s tragic death, Trent Reznor and Karen O.’s cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”, new albums from Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks and The Rapture, Blink-182′s upcoming summer tour, and the 2011 lineup for Rock the Bells.

Please be sure to check out all the other goodness posted on Cluster 1, featuring over 30 music videos, several short films, and other nifty clips, all crammed together in one non-stop barrage of visual and aural stimulation. Also friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. It’ll be worth your while.

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

–Weezer caused some controversy after suggesting they may have been bought off for their new album.

– A week after surprising us with a new EP, Sufjan Stevens detailed his forthcoming full-length, his first since 2005′s Illinoise. He dropped an early taste of the album in the form of “I Walked”.

– Kanye West introduced G.O.O.D. Fridays.

– Bruce Springsteen pulled, well, a Bruce Springsteen and dropped plans for yet another mind-numbing box set.

– The equally legendary Bob Dylan also announced plans for a massive box set release. Get ready for some more bootlegs!

– Ted Leo took on Broadway.

– The Swell Season announced a hiatus. Not retirement. Get it right.

– U2 and Jay-Z will tour together down under.

– First there was Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg. Now Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen are teaming up! Look for their collaboration soon.

–Bjork premiered a new, kids-friendly song/ music video.

– Two tracks from Elton John and Leon Russell‘s forthcoming joint effort surfaced.

– Ronnie Wood teamed up with Eddie Vedder, Flea, and Slash for his new solo album.

– Ray Davies has tapped an eclectic group of collaborators for his new duet album.

– The Cure revealed that they’ve got lots in store for 2011.

– Badly Drawn Boy announced a new studio LP, his first in four years.

– Matt & Kim detailed their new record.

– Dhani Harrison, Joseph Arthur, and Ben Harper teamed up to form Fistful Of Mercy.

– Austin City Limits unveiled a slew of after shows.

–Think you know who will headline Coachella next year. Click here and let the debates begin.

– We premiered a brand new video from Montreal “sloppy pop” band Parlovr.

– Matt Melis reviewed Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell‘s new album.

– Chris Coplan offered his thoughts on of the biggest releases of the year: Interpol‘s fourth LP.

– Winston Robbins and Philip Cosores covered Rock The Bells.

– Karina Hall sat down with Chromeo.

– Ryan Burlson interviewed Evan Abeele of Memoryhouse.

– In the latest edition of our Cinema Sounds series, Ted Maider explores the Mallrats sountrack.

– Please follow/friend/tweet/etc.

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
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Gallery by Philip Cosores

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Snoop will be making his debut appearance at Rock the Bells and he’ll be making the most of it. For the first time ever, the rapper will perform his 1993 quadruple platinum album Doggystyle in its entirety. Plus, he’ll be joined by a collection of equally high-profile onstage collaborators, including Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, Lady of Rage, and RBX.

A Tribe Called Quest will also perform one of its classic albums in its entirety, this being 1993′s Midnight Marauders, while legendary producer, DJ and co-founder of revolutionary hip hop group, Gang Starr, DJ Premier will make a special appearance to celebrate the life and work of fellow Gang Starr collaborator, MC Guru.

And if all that weren’t enough, Lauryn Hill will make a rare live appearance, where she’ll perform a set “prepared exclusively for the festival featuring songs from her critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, spanning through her work with The Fugees and more.

A Tribe Called Quest, and DJ Premier will appear at all four of Rock the Bell’s 2010 stops, while Hill and Snoop will perform everywhere besides San Francisco and LA, respectively.

Tickets for Los Angeles and New York will go on sale to the general public on June 12th. Tickets for San Francisco and Washington, D.C. will go on sale the following week on June 19th. Visit Ticketfly.com for more info. Find a complete listing of Rock the Bells 2010 bill here.

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

But what would be the point of that? Let’s face it: these are given facts.

So before you head out for the holidays, feel free to catch up on this “mixed bag” of a week. Below you’ll find a listing of the most pivotal as well inane news items in music. Think of it as a source of ice breakers for all of those barbecues and beach parties that you’ll be attending within the next few days.

– U2 canceled its North American tour due to Bono’s recent back surgery, but dates will be rescheduled for 2011. The group also cancelled its appearance at the Glastonbury Music Festival next month. Organizers enlisted Gorillaz as a replacement.

– The Sasquatch! Music Festival in George, WA begins this weekend. Never been anywhere near the  festival grounds? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

– In other festival news, Rock the Bells dropped its initial 2010 lineup this week. And four headliners for Bumbershoot leaked. Look for an official announcement in early June.

– David Byrne filed a $1 million dollar suit against Florida governor and senate hopeful Charlie Crist after he used the Talking Heads single “Road to Nowhere” in a campaign advertisement.

– Paul McCartney is to receive the Library Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The televised awards ceremony will feature performances by many special guests, including Jack White and Dave Grohl.

– New York state legislators are reinstating an anti-scalping law in the wake of the Live Nation Entertainment-Ticketmaster merger.

– Apple’s selling practices became the subject of an antitrust inquiry.

– Rage Against the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha unveiled The Sound Strike, a boycott against Arizona’s controversial immigration bill.

– Ra Ra Riot, Röyksopp, and Grinderman promised new albums in the coming months.

– As if Arcade Fire hasn’t been getting enough press lately, two new songs are available for listening. The group also said something about an album release this summer.

– Did I mention the Arcade Fire-inspired high school musical?

– A new Kanye West song leaked.

– Slipknot bassist Paul Dedrick Gray passed away at age 38.

– Nick Freed reviewed The ArchAndroid,  Janelle Monáe’s audacious, genre-bending effort. He also shared his thoughts about Jamie Lidell’s Compass.

– The Dead Weather released its followup to last year’s Horehound. See what Chris Coplan had to say about it.

– Luke Steele, frontman for Australian dance outfit Empire of the Sun, confessed his love for hi-fi in an interview with Cap Blackard.

– What better way to end than with a shameless plug: CoS seeks online sales associates.

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

Rock the Bells evokes mixed feelings among many hip hop fans. On the one hand, the festival is notorious for delays, cancellations and shortened set times. On the other hand, you simply aren’t going to find this many great rap acts on one stage anywhere else. I attended the second show of the tour at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in the north suburbs of Detroit on Sunday. While I usually refrain from writing concert reviews in a chronological style, I feel this is the best way to capture the scope of this festival:

Pre-Show:
Concertgoers at the DTE Energy Theater were greeted at the entrance with signs announcing Busta Rhymes, scheduled to be one of the events headliners, had canceled his performance for the day. To the credit of the organizers and the venue, refunds were offered at the door, but it was still an ominous start to the day. As it turns out, Busta skipped the show to attend the BET Awards. This is a legitimate enough excuse, but one that seems could have been handled a little more in advance. At the very least it would have been nice if GU could have pulled Raekwon, GZA, or someone else off the Chicago lineup to take his place. As it was, they just started the show a little late.

The Knux:
I wasn’t a big fan of The Knux‘s instrument-driven, misogynistic debut, but it seemed logical that their music would translate well to the stage. But for whatever reason The Knux opted to play with just a DJ. The lack of a live band was a glaring omission at a festival that has seen live instrumentation added to a lot of acts who didn’t really need it (Wu-Tang comes to mind) over the years. Still, the New Orleans MC’s did a decent job holding down the stage, no small task for an early-day set in front of a nearly empty amphitheater.

K’Naan:
According to the listed set times (the updated listed set times at that), Chali 2na was to take the stage next.  Instead, K’Naan strode out to the opening chords of “In the Beginning”. The Somalian-born rapper continued to stroke his surprisingly large ego, claiming his music to be “the freshest sound you’ll hear all day.” And in a sense he was right. The Rock the Bell lineup is perpetually full of artists who were making great music last decade, or at the very least have a style that sounds like they should have been making great music last decade. K’Naan stands in opposition to this, representing hip hop’s transformation into a global genre. And the fans, most of whom did not appear to be familiar with his music, responded enthusiastically to his politically-charged lyrics, joining in the sing-along on set closer “Waving Flag”.

Slum Village:
Slum Village may have been an opening act, but the hometown fan base was clearly represented in Detroit. A large group of fans (relatively speaking) filled up the front and center of the venue, waving their hands and rapping along with the legendary J Dilla’s one-time group.

Slaughterhouse:

These guys are straight up rappers. In my Rock the Bells preview I called them the best MC collective since Wu-Tang Clan. After seeing them perform I stand by my claim, though their lyrical prowess did not exactly translate that well to a large stage, especially a large stage in a nearly empty venue. Perhaps they knew this and it explains why they spent probably ten minutes in an a cappella cipher. Or maybe ciphers are just their thing considering, you know, they are so damn good at it.  Regardless, it was easily the best part of their set. Slaughterhouse also gets bonus points for some of the most entertaining artist banter of the day, dropping gems like, “Give it up for Royce da 5’9″…holding it down for Detroit…if [he] ever grew an inch he’d be fucked,” and “Everyone put a peace sign in the air for Michael…I’m going to put a middle finger in the air for that lying little kid.”

Tech N9ne:

Here is a fun fact. Last year, Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne was the third highest grossing touring artist in hip hop, trailing only Jay-Z and Kanye West. I know, right? It’s not all that surprising when you consider his legions of fans. I can’t lie. I own none of the guy’s music and I don’t really see that changing anytime soon. But he put on a pretty entertaining set and he wore face paint and it turns out those are the two things I look for when I don’t know any of the songs. Also, I saw him a couple hours later in the deserted food area just having a bite to eat with a few people…and he was in full makeup!

Reflection Eternal:

Reunited with Hi-Tek, Talib Kweli put on a set that was a whole lot like the sets he puts on without Hi-Tek.  He was perhaps the first artist of the day to come across unmotivated, forgivable given the small crowd.  The set was obviously high on music from the duo’s aged debut album, including “Move Something” and “Too Late” among others. They also touched on new music from their upcoming second album. But like usual, the best crowd reaction was saved for “Definition”, “Get’em High”, and “Get By”. Still, even the latter, usually one of the best live hip hop songs, came across a bit flat, as Kweli half-heartedly sleepwalked through the whole false start routine.

The Roots:

Perhaps it is just me, but it seems that the Roots hour-long set was shockingly low on covers. Maybe with the late night gig and the decline in tour dates they are just welcoming the opportunity to perform songs they wrote themselves. And I have to say, as much fun as their trademark jam sessions are, it was really nice to hear them delve into their back catalog to play songs like “Respond/React” and “Proceed” along with live staples like “Star” and “The Seed”.

Big Boi:
The nice thing about rappers is that, for the most part, they know what the crowd wants to hear. Big Boi spent very little time previewing material from his upcoming Sir Luscious Leftfoot, electing instead to please the audience with just about every single OutKast ever recorded (aside from the strangely absent “B.O.B.”)  He even dug a little deeper on “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Part 1)”.  Still, as much fun it was to hear these songs live, the performance just increased desires to see an OutKast tour, or at least that new album Big Boi kept promising throughout the show.

Nas & Damian Marley:
I am continually amazed by Nas‘s stage presence. He seems to get better every time I see him, bringing a level of intensity and emotion that is nearly unmatched in the genre. The last three times I saw him he performed solo, with no hype man or band. It was just DJ Green Lantern, Nas and one mic. Queensbridge’s finest was able to hold down an empty stage better than anyone I have ever seen. But on Sunday he had a full band, along with what could be called the greatest hype man of all time in Damian Marley.

Nas went on first, bursting onto stage as the band played the opening notes of “Hip Hop is Dead”. He proceeded through his typical Illmatic medley, finally bringing Damian Marley (and that flag waving guy…I wonder if it is the same guy every time) onto the stage after four songs. Nas continued through his hits with Marley helping him out and lending his own flavor to the songs.  There were too many great moments to name. Nas’ “One Love” ended by breaking down into a reggae beat and transitioning into Bob Marley’s “One Love”. “If I Ruled the World” was an emotion-packed sing-along with Nas commenting on Michael Jackson being in a better place. Eventually, Nas took a break and left Marley to perform his solo material. He slowed the tempo of the show down a bit, mixing covers of “War” and “No More Trouble” in with some of his slower songs. It all lead up to the rollicking “Welcome to Jamrock”, which got the crowd as live as it had been all day.  So far.

The real party was going on up in the lawn and the concourse separating it from the seats. I learned this when I left my seat and headed for the back, (mistakenly) assuming the show was just about over. That’s when Nas raged back on stage and tore into “Hate Me Now” and everyone just started going bananas. The entire concourse was a dance pit. B-boy circles broke out all over the place. It was pure joyful mayhem. And that was before the triumphant flourish of “My President” drove the crowd into a further frenzy by bringing back memories of another timeless night seven and a half months before. And that was before he ripped through “I Can”, “Made You Look” and “One Mic”.

The show wasn’t over yet. Marley returned and the two performed together on “Road to Zion” and a song from the new album. The mellower songs offered the crowd a chance to catch its breath before a short walk to the parking lot (let’s face it….everyone was parked pretty close…sorry, just had to get one more cheap shot in.) All in all, the set checked in at close to ninety minutes, long by hip hop standards and unheard of by Rock the Bells standards.

Final Thoughts:
My problems with Guerilla Union and the Rock the Bells festival have been well documented in the past and I’m sure I will have more to say on some of these issues in the future. Instead, I chose to focus this review on the music and I have absolutely no major complaints on any of Sunday’s sets. All qualms aside, it was an incredible day of music. The crowd was small but the vibes were good. Most importantly, there were no major delays and every act played its full set time. This seems to be a huge step in the right direction. Let’s just hope there is enough interest around the country for the festival to continue moving forward.

1. Nas/Damian Marley

Nas has been second on this festival’s bill the last two years. Bringing back a repeat as a headliner is a bit of an underwhelming move, but the collaboration with Damian Marley helps spruce things up a bit. The duo will be performing songs from their upcoming album, Distant Relatives. It’s unclear whether each will perform solo material, but it seems a fairly safe bet. Nas can hold down a stage with the best of them and with Marley in the mix it should be an entertaining set.

2. The Roots

Sure, you’ve seen the Roots 57 times now. We all have. That doesn’t change the fact that they’re still the best live hip hop act going. And now that we are past that pesky nonsense about them not touring anymore (which apparently just meant they will no longer be playing 600 shows a year) we can just sit back and admire ?uestlove’s awesomeness. For the two or three people reading this who have never seen the Roots before, you can probably expect a metric ton of covers (please let one of them be “I’m on a Boat”), an extended jam on “You Got Me”, “The Seed”, and hopefully a Sousaphone solo.

3. Big Boi

It may be time to embrace the reality that we probably aren’t going to see OutKast perform live again. If this is the case, seeing Big Boi perform a bunch of OutKast songs at Rock the Bells may be the next best thing.  He will most likely preview material from his upcoming Sir Luscious Left Foot, an album that has been delayed so many times it may as well be, well, an OutKast album. Regardless, you can expect a sizable helping of the hits, at least enough to make it my most anticipated act of the day.

4. Reflection Eternal

If you’ve been to Rock the Bells before, there is a good chance you saw Talib Kweli. He continues to be a just sort of average performer; entertaining if you’ve never seen him, predictable if you have, with one song that is sure to bring the roof down either way. But with Hi-Tek coming along, this set should be worthwhile for anyone. At best, Kweli and Hi-Tek will delve into deeper material and feature upcoming collaborative work.  At worst, you’ll still hear Kweli perform “Get By”.

5. RZA, GZA and/or Raekwon

It just wouldn’t be Rock the Bells without a sprinkling of Wu-Tang. The collective headlined the 2007 tour, bringing all living members (!) and a sort of unnecessary live band. Last year Method Man tore the roof off the joint. This year, most shows will have at least one member of the Clan (with the notable exception of the show I happen to be attending). GZA will serve up a heap of Liquid Swords cuts. Raekwon will (hopefully) preview material from his (maybe) upcoming Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2. And RZA will do whatever the hell it is RZA does at a live performance. No matter who is at your show you can expect to hear more verses of “Triumph” than you probably should.

6. KRS-One

He may be performing in your city. He may only be hosting. Why on earth he would be in the venue and not be given a set is anyone’s guess, but I’ve stopped trying to figure these things out when it comes to Rock the Bells. Regardless, KRS-One is a true legend of the genre and a performance would be a treat.

7. K’Naan

The up-and-coming Somali rapper is worth catching, if only because he stands out on a lineup packed with backpackers.  K’Naan should be performing with a live band, which is great because his music actually lends itself to live instrumentation, unlike many of the other acts who inexplicably chose to go with a live band at this festival (coughWUTANGcough.)

8. Slaughterhouse

This rap super-group – made up of Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Royce Da 5’9″ – may be the best collective of M.C.’s since the Wu-Tang Clan. Slaughterhouse first united on Joe Budden’s appropriately titled “Slaughter House” last year. That song is a seven-minute, hookless, lyrical gangbang that will leave your head spinning. Subsequent leaked tracks have repeated the formula. Rock the Bells will give them a chance to preview material from their upcoming debut LP.

9. It’s Rock the Bells

The lineup pales in comparison to last year’s, the venues are too big, and you can bet the show will be plagued by delays and shortened sets. But it’s still Rock the Bells. As of right now, it is the undisputed, top hip hop festival in the world and until somebody decides to put up an effort to dethrone it, it’s the best festival hip hop fans have. In addition to the eight acts listed, attendees will be able to catch sets by Busta Rhymes, Common, and a host of others who should put on enjoyable greatest hits sets. In L.A. you’ll see Ice Cube. In Calgary (Calgary?), you’ll see Cypress Hill. In Toronto you’ll see EPMD. I don’t have an answer to why these acts aren’t playing more shows, but regardless of where you attend, you are going to get an extremely full day of pretty damn good hip hop that should at least warrant a lawn ticket.

Rock the Bells 2009 Tour Dates:
06/27 – Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
06/28 – Clarkson, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
07/05 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
07/12 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
07/18 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
07/19 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
08/01 – Burnaby, BC @ Deer Lake Park
08/06 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
08/08 – Devore, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheatre
08/09 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre

In other news, Busta Rhymes, GZA, and The Knux mark the newest additions to this year’s lineup. All in all, Rock the Bells ’09 currently features 31 acts, including:

The Alchemist, Big Boi, Buckshot, Busta Rhymes, Charlie 2na, Common, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Evidence, Eyedea & Abilities, GZA, House of Pain (feat. La Coka Nostra), K’naan, The Knux, KRS-One, Mickey Factz, M.O.P., Murs, Mystic Jouneymen (Sunspot Jonez & Lucky I Am), Nas, Necro, Pete Rock, Psycho Realm, Raekwon, The Roots, RZA, Sage Francis, Slaughterhouse (Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Royce Da 5?9?, Crooked I), Slum Village (Baatin, T3 & Elzhi), Supernatural, Tabi Bonney, Tech N9ne

Tickets for this year’s dates will go on sale beginning today via Livenation.com and Ticketmaster.com. Full details are available on guerrillaunion.com.

Rock the Bells 2009 Tour Dates:
06/27 – Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
06/28 – Clarkson, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
07/05 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
07/12 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
07/18 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
07/19 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
08/01 – Burnaby, BC @ Deer Lake Park
08/06 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
08/08 – Devore, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheatre
08/09 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre

Yes, Big Boi, The Roots, and House of Pain (featuring all three original members and La Coka Nostra) are among those currently tapped to take part in this summer’s Rock the Bells, as is Nas, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, and Common. All in all, some 25 artists will take the stage at each of traveling festival’s 10 stops this summer, which includes dates in Toronto, Boston, Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Vancouver from June 27-August 9th.

The currently announce lineup looks something like this:

The Alchemist, Big Boi, Buckshot, Charlie 2na, Common, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Evidence, Eyedea & Abilities, House of Pain (feat. La Coka Nostra), K’naan, KRS-One, Mickey Factz, M.O.P., Murs, Mystic Jouneymen (Sunspot Jonez & Lucky I Am), Nas, Necro, Pete Rock, Psycho Realm, Raekwon, The Roots, RZA, Sage Francis, Slaughterhouse (Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Royce Da 5’9″, Crooked I), Slum Village (Baatin, T3 & Elzhi), Supernatural, Tabi Bonney, Tech N9ne

Specific details, including dates, venues, and ticket information, are still forthcoming.

Guerilla Union, the company responsible for Rock the Bells, gets a lot of play out of the “real hip hop” mantra. Whenever I hear an artist or a DJ or a writer talking about “real” or “true” hip hop I can’t help but get a little queasy. I understand the importance of respecting the ideals on which the genre was originally built.  But the “real hip hop” rallying cry has become a cliché, beaten to death by a particular subset that pines for a bygone era that can never be duplicated.

So year in, year out the folks at Guerilla Union stack the Rock the Bells lineup with classic backpacker favorites that peaked a decade or two ago. On the one hand this is great. I paid quite a large sum of money for a pit ticket for the chance to be so close to so many legendary artists. At the same time, too much of an over reliance on nostalgia acts plays right into the hands of those who claim that hip hop is dead. Today’s commercial rap radio may be extremely repetitive and watered down, but this is more the result of the state of commercial radio than it is of trends in hip hop. (It is worth noting that the venue hosting the show is run by Live Nation, a spin off of Clear Channel Communications, the company largely responsible for the current state of rap radio. So take that into consideration before accepting the idea that GU’s goals are completely altruistic.) There are plenty of new artists around who would have both complemented the existing lineup well, and sent the message that rap music is alive and well.

Most of the buzz for this year’s tour centers around the two big reunion acts, A Tribe Called Quest and The Pharcyde. While Tribe is the festival’s overall headliner, The Pharcyde may actually be the more anticipated act since Saturday’s show was the first time all four original members performed together in eleven years.  They did not disappoint the hyped up crowd, tearing through hits such as “Passing Me By” and “Ya Mama” with the assistance of a live band.

As for Tribe, they wore the headlining crown well, playing almost exactly what was expected of them.  Despite an unfortunate decision to allow Q-Tip to spend the first fifteen minutes or so of the set performing his solo material (along with Tribe hits “Excursions” and “Sucka Nigga”), and a momentum-killing set change before the emergence of Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, they were able to rebound nicely and work the crowd into a frenzy on “Scenario”, “Electric Relaxation”, and practically every other song they could have been expected to play. By the time the evening came to a close with a rollicking “Award Tour”, most of the baffling stage decisions and technical difficulties of the day had been forgotten.

None of the day’s artists embodied straight-ahead, no frills hip hop as well as Nas. Performing with just a DJ, on an empty stage devoid of musicians and hype men, the Queens rapper used his drastically shortened 25-minute set to hit some of the highlights of his prolific career, including “N.Y. State of Mind”, “If I Ruled the World”, and moving set closer “One Mic.” He also had time to open his set with two tracks off his new album, “N.I.G.G.E.R.” and “Sly Fox”, and give a shout out to his nemesis Bill O’Reilly.

But other artists who attempted to hold down the amphitheatre’s massive stage single-handedly did not fare quite as well. Mos Def certainly could have benefited from an appearance by Talib Kweli, a live band, or anything else that may have perked up a disappointingly dull set that seemed to be made up almost exclusively of new songs. Time constraints affected Mos, as they did most of the festival’s marquee acts, and he had to beg the stage manager before being allowed to finish his set with a shortened version of “Umi Says.”  Def Jux rapper Murs also suffered through a horribly disjointed set, though this was not necessarily his fault. During his set one of the turntables was not working and he was never quite able to get into a rhythm.

Never were the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre’s acoustical problems more irritating than they were during Rakim’s short set. The legendary Long Island emcee, known to many by the simple moniker of “God”, is known for being one of the most innovative and influential lyricists of all time. The fact that his words were nearly indecipherable was nothing short of the day’s greatest tragedy, and not even his and DJ Kid Capri’s stellar stage presence could make up for it.

Short sets and poor acoustics also sunk sets by usually great live acts De La Soul and Dead Prez. The former did a decent job moving the crowd, but had their set time cut nearly in half due to the time constraints.  Dead Prez seemed to be lacking their usual stage presence, though it did come through on “Hip Hop.”

One act that was seemingly unaffected by the poor sound was Method Man and Redman. The show was stolen by the Wu-Tang emcee, who dove into the audience, crowd surfed, and even ended up at the back of the venue, bringing the house down on his signature hit, “M.E.T.H.O.D. Man.”

Also performing at the tour opening show were Immortal Technique, Jay Electronica, B.O.B., and Kidz in the Hall. With thirteen live acts on only one stage, it appears that Guerilla Union may have bit off a little more than they could chew for an eleven-hour festival. With all due respect to every artist on the bill, trimming the lineup a little would have allowed the festival’s higher billed acts to play their full set times. The introduction of a second stage, which GU advertised (and is continuing to advertise) on the festival’s website, would have also served to make the day a little more bearable.

Day one of the Rock the Bells tour was an eleven-hour day characterized by some very good sets by some of rap’s greatest artists. It was also characterized by shoddy clock management, technical difficulties, poor sound, and a whole bunch of self-congratulatory mumbo jumbo. I spend a lot of time trying to convince skeptical friends and acquaintances of rap’s musical and cultural relevance. All in all, as a hip hop fan I had an excellent time at this show, but I would not have felt comfortable recommending it to anyone still on the fence about rap music since it played straight into so many common, negative stereotypes of the genre.  And this is a real shame because Rock the Bells has such a great opportunity to push positive hip hop forward.