Don't Forget to Check Out the
First Half (#022A) of this Double Update!

• Bay Area DJ Profile #012: DJ QBert
• Spearhead in Europe by Tall Paul Lowe
• HIP HOP SLAM BEST OF 2003 LISTS (Part Two), including:
• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of 2003 by BillyJam
• DJ Stoic's Five for Reform
• Tall Paul Lowe's Seven: Top 5 / Worst 2
• Skeptic Druid's Top Five
• Rocky Hanes Top Five

THE GOOD, THE BAD, and THE UGLY of 2003
by Billy Jam

1) THE GOOD

The good things included all of the amazing artists who actually pushed the new music envelope: people like Gunkhole, Live Human, Matmos, Alien Army, Finger Bangerz, RA, L'Atelier, Cat Five and of course the ever-pioneering DJ QBert who, unlike so many jaded copycat artists (notably in hip hop and even more so in rock music) who merely served up reheated versions of some form of pop music already done...and done better: making me scream aloud: WHY..WHY....WHY? Because they are just too lazy to be original, or simply that they are just out to make money - not to create art, or maybe because they think that most of today's music fans are either too stupid to care or too young to notice that they are merely rehashing pop's past.
That is not to say that every pop music artist is a waste of vinyl/CD/airtime. Not at all. Many electronic and cut-and-paste artiists created some of the most exciting new music in 2003. Same for a lot of hip hoppers from underground artists such as Non-Prophets and DJ Zeph to such popular rap artists as E40, Missy Elliot, and Outkast who each managed to create something fresh and new in their music while mining a familar terrain. (Best Pop Single/Video of 2003 had to be the Outkast's irresistable Hey Ya). Other good things of 2003 included such commendable music magazines as VICE (who write what they think, not what they think people want them to write) and XLR8R (going strong after ten years and writing about what they love...I love their free CD sampler series) and such club promoters as Mark Herlihy and Future Primitive in San Francisco (so good at what they do that the SCRATCH tour borrowed some of their ideas) and Fuse-One whose consistantly well booked San Jose club Stank has become the best hip hop DJ weekly in the Bay Area. Some of the best shows I attended included QBert @ the DNA (SF), Rancid at the Warfield (SF), Gunkhole @ Rassalas, Cat Five at the Black Box (Oakland)

Personal highlights of my year included *** Working consistantly on building www.hiphopslam.com with webmaster & multi-talented mixed media genius Geoff Rantala (aka Dawgisht) who is not just one of the smartest people I know but also perhaps the most patient, humble, & coolest muthafuckas I know>>***Going back after twelve years to KALX (love that fuckin radio station: 90.7FM in Berkeley baby!). >>>*** Working along with Munkifunk on the QBert book and getting to interview (besides Q) some of the greatest artists in the world including Mixmaster Mike, DJ Shadow, Dan the Automator, D-Styles, DJ Craze, Roc Raida, Apollo, A-Trak, (to name but a handful of the countless voices to be heard in the 2004 book on DJ QBert). >>>>***Working closely with DJ Pone on such projects as the numerous 2003 Hip Hop Slam/Scratch Attack concerts/BBQs/radio broadcasts, the DJs of Mass Destruction (WAR album), the Transplants/Cat Power/Rancid etc. remixes (look out for the Scratch Pistols debut in 2004) and more!

2) THE BAD

The bad things included a great majority of the fickle music press whose infatuation with "scratch music" died sometime ago. One national music journalist, who called the new Alien Army CD "not very imaginative," said that "most turntablists (are) just rehashing 1997." His attitude was common among fickle music writers in 2003, ironically often the very same scribes who, in circa 1998, were heralding turntablism as the next big thing. Dave Paul of BOMB Hip Hop eloquently weighed in on the trend: "Do some of these press people at magazines really understand what dj's/turntablists like Alien Army are doing? I think if they did they would see how forward thinking it really is compared to a lot of music released in these days and times. I guess they hear an AAAAH or a ffffresh and think it's the same ole thing. Yet most rock music uses the same 3 chords and all the "new" bands are basically copying the formulas of Zepplin, PIL, Bowie etc. The press claimed "turntablism" was the next big thing but they were the only ones claiming that. And now that it didn't live up to be the son that they could be proud of, they kicked it outta the house. Turntablism is just like being a teen - it's all about the rebellion. Now that's some music with heart! Okay, i gotta go buy some new mags so I can read my 100th review of Beyonce." - DAVE PAUL. >> Right on Dave...couldn't agree more.

Personal bad things of my year ***seeing good folks like DnZ join but then leave Hip Hop Slam (we'll miss ya Chase!)...spill a lil on the curb for Joefu too...thanks mayn!, **The recent demise of Oakland's legendary, long-running SOULBEAT Television thanks to the corporate fucks @ COMCAST who gave Chuck Johnson (owner of the long-running & unique African American media outlet) an early Kwanzaa present when they pulled the plug in late November. (NOTE: faceless corporations are the real enemies of the average American and pose much more of an immediate and real threat than any foreign terrorist... ***The deaths of many of my musical heroes (Joe Strummer, Johnny Cash, Joey Ramone, Edwin Starr) merely reminded me of my own mortality...but it did make me go back and relisten/realize how fuckin great the Clash were..Sandinista really is a fuckin masterpiece!.>*** Last bad thing was seeng Matt Gonzalez lose the SF Mayoral election. Newsom's fave DKs song? Kill the Poor

3) THE UGLY

The ugly things of 2003 ranged from such trivial annoyances as the mere existence of that faux-punk band Good Charlotte (excuse me while I puke) to the much more serious: namely George W. Bush's WAR on Iraq and the American publics' blindness to the implications of such a seriously foolish move, plus such misguided Californian voters' election of Aaaaarnald into the Gov's office, not to mention the reality that his seat-in-SAC will most likely just be a stopover en route to the White House (I bet money he will one day be Prez of da USA). >***More ugliness in 2003 included the total apathy of the average pop artist who got quiet as mice when it came to using their high profile positions to speak out on the WAR - most likely out of fear of the implications of the Patriot Act. This facist-like Act, which was slyly rushed into effect in the confusing/paranoid days following 9/11, has had its ugly impact felt by many in the music world from Dave Paul who was visited by the Secret Service just because of his label's name: BOMB Hip Hop to Eminem who got investigated by the same civil servants (your tax money at work) over lyrics off an unreleased track that said he would not mind if the "president" was "dead." All of this unnecessary ugliness merely made such politically outspoken artists as Paris, Spearhead, Variable Units, and the What About Us?/Hard Knock Records project appear all the more praise-worthy for doing something that no American should ever live in fear of: excercising their right to free speech!

*PS: the MUSIC INDUSTRY IN 2003 could fall under all three categories: the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY: UGLY to witness the big labels and the RIAA aggressively going after and attacking music fans for downloading music. BAD in that a lot of music industry employees and artists lost their livihoods as the music biz went further into the fiscal toilet in 2003. GOOD in the sense that it shook out most of the losers in the game and forced the music biz to realize that music fans (especially in these economically fucked up times) don't want to be screwed by profit hungry labels/distributors/one stops whose greed results in fans having to pay up to $20 for shitty CDs (usually with only one or two good songs) that cost about a dollar to make.

DJ Stoic's 2003 Five For Reform

The ever-humble DJ Stoic is an extremely smart, introspective, & well-grounded individual: Among many other things he is an athlete, a thinker, a web site creator/editor (line-in.org), and an inspired DJ/producer (check out his inspired track on the Hip Hop Slam WAR (if it feels good, do it!) compilation). Here are Stoic's Five For Reform:

Unprovoked War:
I’m sure others will break this down at length, so I’ll simply say that it is wrong in ways that are beyond debate: It is racism. It is gluttony. It is classism. It is deception. It is robbery. It is mass murder.

Giving up television:
I couldn’t stand the war and the pathetic state of TV journalism. When regular programming resumed, I realized that no matter what was on television, what I could be doing would be more enjoyable and productive.

Donating the SUV:
Maintenance costs and expenses weren’t worth it. I’m still adjusting to life without a car, but it’s liberating in many ways. Just a bicycle for now--environment friendly, saves ton$ and doesn’t require a murderous foreign policy. (Oh, and bikes are allowed the entire lane by law.)

Another year of running & being active:
Just a good feeling getting back to healthiness after a decade of bad habits. It changes everything--diet, sleep, smoking, the dependence on motorized transportation--just trying to create a healthier lifestyle.

www.line-in.org zine launch:
Part arts/writing journal, part jack-ass comedy. It is what it is, as Dawgisht says. Working with site designer altazakin has provided some of the most fun and focused moments in years. We keep things simple. The contributing writers, artists and musicians are true stars.

ROCKY HANES' TOP 5 OF 03'

1} WALKING
BEING ABLE TO WALK, AFTER ALMOST LOSING MY FOOT !

2}INSTRUMENTALS...FOR FREE
COLLECTING OVER 500 HUNDRED DOPE ASS INSTRUMENTRALS FROM KAAZAA, CUZ THERE IS NO MUSIC IN THE MIDWEST.

3} HAWAII
GOING TO HAWAII , SCUBA DIVING, SNORKELING, LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE !

4} DANK
GETTING SHIPMENTS OF THE ICKY STICKY KILLA KALI BOMB SHIT, HIDDEN IN SIDE PEANUTBUTTER !

5} THAILAND/HAWAII/THA' SCO
GETTING MY TICKETS TO THAILAND/LAST STOP HAWAII , AND PACKING TO HEAD BACK TO THE SUCKA FREE, {FUCK ST.LOUIS,THE RAMS SUCK,ALL THESE RACIST REDNECKS CAN BURN WITH THEIR "GOD"} TO HANG WITH ALL THE TRUE REAL ASS FOLKS IN CALI! FRISCO, HERE I COME,
PEACE,
420,
ROCKY- BEOCTH !!!!!!!!!!!!

BAY AREA DJ PROFILE #012: QBert

DJ Name: QBert

Hometown(s): San Francisco, Daly City, Hawaii

Philosophy: Love for life. When you love it's like giving. Do everything you can to share the God-given shit in you.

What made you want toDJ and to scratch? The sound...Buffalo Gals and Rockit...listening to that stuff.

First record ever bought: Rapper's Delight

Best show you did? The last show I just did. They're all fun. They're all a cool learning lesson. The last time I messed with that QFO it was fun. It was different. I got to sit down and relax. It was a cool vibe. I like that feeling...more of that chill stuff.

Do you feel free to play anything in gigs [minidisc, CD, laptop]: Anything as long as the skratching is skratching. I wouldn't do digital skratching. I wouldn't go that far, but just to play beats I use anything.

In your opinion who is the best DJ of all time? Everyone has super qualities. The first mentor for me was Mixmaster Mike. His vibe was crazy. Then after that you have juggling with Shortkut. Then you have really dope skratching for me was D-Styles. That opened me to a whole other world. You got guys like Toadstyle from Chicago who skratches really lyrical. There's Excess. There's even Ricci Ruccer who's really dope...he's got his own style with skratching. There's Mike Boogie in Gunkhole...that guy's really good, very lyrical. Then there's J-Rocc, the way he mixes and does breaks. There's always Babu...

Best way for folks to find out more about you inc. your discography: www.djqbert.com

To see pics of + for more info. on the new QFO: www.turntabletv.com/pages/1

Tall Paul Lowe's Top Seven (Top 5 Best & Top 2 Worst) of 2003

Dublin, Ireland Hip Hop Slam member Tall Paul Lowe offers his Good 5 & Bad 2

TOP FIVE BEST:

1) On Saturday 13th we have an Irish Hip Hop night. On the stage will be Exile, Relevance, Kormac headlining Messiah J & The Expert with their band and including the World ITF Skratch Champion DJ Flip.

2) ITF at long last comes to Ireland Irish DJ History has been made twice this year. Tuk wins ITF and DMC in the same year. DJ Flip wins The Eastern Hemisphere Skratch Championship and goes on to win the World ITF Skratch last weekend.

3) Release of some great Irish Hip Hop Messiah J & The Expert launch their long awaited album What's Confusing, Relevance EP, Captain Moonlight & Hazo 12 "Stepping Through Your Dreams", Ri-Ra "25 O Clock". The return of Ghost n Jay.

4) Some great concerts the likes of J5, Blackalicious, DJ Q-Bert, Spearhead, Public Enemy, Gang Starr, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Breakestra, J. Rocc & Shortkut, Dälek, etc long may it continue.

5) Watch the culture that I love so much growing and seeing people DJ Scope Choice Cuts and Declan Ford Wide-O Productions been able to bring gigs to the people at realistic prices and not rip people off. Big up the independents.

TOP TWO WORST:

1) The attack on Iraq

2) And the election of Arnie.

In the words of Michael Franti. Stay Human. Peace love n unity. lowep@zomax.ie

TIMI D's Top Five of 2003

1) Hip Hop Slam Memorial Day BBQ Bash 5/26

2) "The Peep Show" Puma Party. Peanutbutter Wolf/Foreign Legion & Open Bar

3) The Jungle Brothers & Black Sheep @ GAMH

4) Andre Nickatina aka Dre Dog — Cocaine Raps 3 CD & DVD

5) The New Jersey Devils 2003 Stanly Cup Camps (yeah thats hockey) and I got the tattoo!

STRAIGHT OUTTA GREECE, DJ SKEPTIC DRUID's FAT FIVE

1. Style Wars DVD edition - The return of a classic!!

2. "WAR" compilation - Hip-Hop Slam's answer to all kind of...Bushit!

3. Turntableradio shows - Definitely the best (Trick keep doin' your thing!!)

4. Return of the DJ Vol.5 - Another return of another classic!

5. HipHopSlam.com - What more can I say?!

Peace, Skeptic Druid eversor@in.gr

Don't Forget to Check Out the
First Half (#022A) of this Double Update!