AN ENGLISH MAN IN NEW YORK (DAY 2) GLOW IN THE DARK

I hit up Madison Square Garden, New york. Lupe fiasco, Rihanna, Nerd, Kanye West all on the same bill, you know this is a multi-platinum line up, all of these artists are killing the charts right now.
This is kind of a big deal for me. I never thought I’d ever attend a show at the ‘Garden’ out here in NYC, let alone get the ultimate swagger status at one of the hottest shows.

Unless your part of the line-up on stage, no other DJ can get this kind of hook up.

Lupe was up first, and he really wasn’t playing.
I linked him before the show and he was in the zone, psyching himself up for his performance. He hit the stage and he went in hard!
As New York is the home of Hip-Hop and the most guliest city in the world, it is the only way to start a show. It sounds weird, but I felt proud to see him do his thing. I’ve had him on my show from the beginning, and he’s grown as an artist and to the point where he has his own roster on stage with him.

This isn’t just a gold plaque, the writing glows up in the dark, he’s the first artist in the world to get one of these.

Nerds performance was hot, and Rihanna killed it, we watched them on the plasma screens that were linked up to Kanye’s backstage area. Thats right….it’s swagger time.

This was a very surreal experience, we were chilling backstage with Kanye and his team, then Jay-z walks in the room with Beyonce.

Kanye turns up the volume, and starts playing [censored], he played 2 new [Censored] tracks, remixes, it was crazy. Kanye spat lyrics, Jay listened/examined each bar nodding to the music. It was like there was no one else in the room. It was like watching a younger and an older brother in a cipha, except these are 2 off the hottest rappers and 2 off the most influential figures in pop history.

Then Diddy stepped into the room….

Don C pours some Henny for Scarlet Johansson…

My peoples Talib Kweli and Consequence [Urgent appeal: Yo Cons please send me the shot of me and Beyoce, yours is killing me lol!] were in the house, as well as John Legend, Chris Brown, Cassie, GLC, and many more.

Yo Cons I owe you, thanks for the shot!

I read the Rolling Stone review of his first show and it got me hyped. I saw Perez Hilton talk about the LA show, and I thought ‘ok the dudes a little over excited’, but it made me more determined to hit the show.

I missed the UK shows last year because I was touring with Dizzee, talking to the promoters and security before the show, everyone said the same thing ‘Yo, this is very different compared to his previous shows’ in the same serious tone. It kinda felt like it it was gonna be a big show.

Believe the hype. This was one of the best shows i’ve ever seen. This show is up there with any of the major players like Prince or Madonna. The attention to detail is incredible.
Music from all 3 Kanye albums, is tied into 1 concept on a 90 minute set. The special effects change with the mood of each track..

each track is different from the album version on your ipod, he’s done things like extending tracks or adding/taking way elements from certain tracks.

This was the set after he performed ‘Hey Mama’. Kanye really put his soul into it. He gave an emotional and powerful performance, and when you consider the line up that performed before him, this has to be one one of the best Hip-Hop tours put together.

Take a siccy, check out the remaining dates, book a plane ticket now, your not gonna’ see anything like this in the UK.

Check out more shots of the Glow in The Dark tour here.

*[Censored] is in accordance with the official Hip-Hop Secrets act 2008.

BUN B (FEAT LUPE FIASCO) - SWANG ON EM’

This joint is a monster!

BUN B (FEAT LUPE FIASCO) - SWANG ON EM’

LIL WAYNE (FEAT KANYE WEST)-LOLLIPOP REMIX

This is banging! and the show was off the hook last night!

LIL WAYNE (FEAT KANYE WEST) - LOLLIPOP REMIX

AN ENGLISH MAN IN NEW YORK (DAY 1)

Im out here to check out Kanye West on the Glow in The Dark tour at Maddison Square Garden.
It feels good to be back in the rotten apple. The minute I leave JFK, I always get the cab driver to throw on Hot 97, its almost ceremonial. The journey from the airport to Manhattan is important, it is always inspiring. As you pass through Jamaica Queens, you see the names of boulevards that Tribe Called Quest rapped about, you see the lights of the big city getting closer, you hear the soundtrack to the streets. Its one of those few moments where you actually feel like your getting close to the heart of Hip-Hop.

I witnessed one of the best years in Hip-Hop when I first came out here in 94′, I used to go to the Tunel in 96′, I witnessed the ‘Shiny suit’ era in 97′, I was out here when 50 Cent had the streets locked in 03′. Anytime I hit up New York City, its like going back to the womb.

12pm I was interviewing Nelly in the UK.
4pm i’m on the plane to JFK.
10pm I’m in NYC.
12am I hit the clubs with my homie, Mickey Factz.

We hit up a club, where my other homie, Mick Boogie was deejaying, it was a crazy party, a lot of beautiful women were in the house, as well as lot of artists.
You see, New York is the only place in the world where you casually bump into rappers, and I mean big artists, people that your a fan off, or people who have changed the game and played their part.

My man Consequence came through with his crew, Jermaine Dupri was holding down his own vip corner.
By 2am more girls flooded the venue and there rumors that Kanye and Jay were gonna’ pass through. ‘Lollipop’ by Weezy, and ‘Low’ by T-pain are 2 of the biggest joints killing it out here.

I also bumped into Joe Budden….

By 3am, drinks are being ordered left right and center.
Out here they do this thing whereby the waitress attaches a sparkler to a bottle of champagne, and they hold it up high as they walk to the vip section to the person who bought it. No doubt this costs a few hundred dollars…..for the sparkler. This way you get to see who is balling and who isn’t, who is getting ripped off and who isnt.

One thing that isn’t good about NY is the drink prices in clubs. They are crazy, I ain’t spending anything in the clubs, my pockets are phat when i’m in the club! You want a drink? meet me at the Mcdonalds round the corner. My doe is strictly allocated for my addiction to kicks.

Yes, I will be buying out Dr Jays in the AM!

SPEED RACER

The Wachowski brothers hated on my boy Asher D. He’s one of he UK’s hottest actors and member of the legendary UK collective, So Solid. He was actually on the set and they shot him as one of the drivers, but it looks like he didn’t make the final cut.

As far as comic book to Film adaptations go, this is very hot. At some points in the film though, it felt like the Wachowski brothers jacked ideas from ‘Sin City’, especially when you are first introduced to Racer X. Also a couple of the transitions were reminiscent of what Ang Lee did with the previous Hulk film too.

Despite this, the film is banging! The storyline, the cars, the way that the scenes are edited, and the innovative use of colours. Visually, they took the colouring and special effects to a different level like they did when they dropped the first ‘Matrix’ film. Easily one of the best films of the year.

I hope they put Asher D in the DVD cut.

DARK KNIGHT WATCH

The artwork for this film has been very impressive, and for the last 24 months the online campaign has been highly creative. It looks they’ve got it right (unlike the new Hulk film).

Due to the unfortunate passing of Heath Ledger, its going to be hard for the film company to make an event of the film release. It’s a shame that Heath didn’t live to see the impact of his role as the Joker.

THE GOLDEN TICKETS….

I’ve got these and a couple of AAA passes.

I missed out on the London shows because I was on the road with Dizzee, and I know Kanye is in the UK next month, but I don’t know if the stage show is gonna be the same.
Its worth a 3000 mile trip to see this show!

THE COOL KIDS REALLY DO CARE ABOUT ANIMALS……..EXCEPT STINGRAYS

This was of the funniest interviews i’ve ever done, but it looks like the Cool Kids actually do care about animals.

They have just announced a tour in the U.S., and they are getting Peta 2 involved.

REAL TALK

This guy is making History. He’s first Politician that actually comes across as sincere.

Can he actually make ‘the change’ for the US? Its definitely needed.

THE DREAM (FEAT YOUNG JEEZY) - I LUV YOUR GIRL

This joint is hot, but its so wrong at the same time.