Last weekend I hit up a few hiphop events around Los Angeles. On Friday I started off by hitting up the screening party Havana Joe and Ricky Kim were throwing for the new Stones Throw DVD. The party was a really nice chill kick back with a good vibe and really good music, which has become something standard with everything coming out of what Stone Throw is doing these days.

Later that night I went and peeped Slum Village at Crash Mansion. Who always come threw with great energy. It was the first time I got to see both T3 and Elzhi together, it was really great to see how well both of their styles complement each other.

I also got to see this kid Dibiase who is making some smooths sounds that ooze quality. Just go listen to some of his stuff on his site.

The next evening I rolled back to Crash Mansion to check out one of my favorite emerging rappers, Blu. He was joined by Exile who was his partner for his last album Bellow The Heavens. Together they form are really solid duo that outputs quality music along with fun and entertaining performances.

In times where people say “mainstream” hiphop is dead, I'm still very excited by the movement thats brewing off the radio and off MTV. The times are changing "real" music will no longer be choosen by major recorde lables or by media conglomerates but by the people......but i think this is a disscussion for another time....

-Elijah