Since it has been 10 long years since DJ Premier has graced these shores with his presence, it’s no surprise that the audience are excitable to say the least. Being one half of Gang Starr and the producer of at very least 3 of your favourite hip hop tracks of all time, Preemo is at […]
<After a stellar set at Forbidden Fruit earlier this year that upstaged headliners Wu Tang Clan, Joey Bada$$ returned to Dublin to play a headline show that was a long time coming. With the Pro Era crew in tow, minus Kirk Knight who had apparently been booked to play in the U.S. on the same […]
<It’s rare that you get two groups as hungry as Boss Level Series and This Side Up performing support sets at the one gig. B.L.S easily fill up the stage with their multiple man crew and unleash a ferocious barrage of tracks from the various artists on stage. They set a relentless pace for the […]
Action Bronson is quite unlike any other rapper. After breaking his leg in a kitchen accident, he decided to leave the culinary world behind and put his rhyming skills to work just 5 years ago. It is fair to say he has come a long way in such a short space of time. Having released […]
Having released his debut, the Sun Rises in the East, in 1994 alongside DJ Premier, many would believe that Jeru the Damaja’s prime could be far behind him. However, undeniable charisma and talent thankfully prevent this from being the case. The show that he put on was as energetic, and more entertaining, than that of […]
It is hard to know what to expect going into a Kool Keith show. The man of many names (Dr. Dooom, Black Elvis, Dr. Octagon to name a few) is one of hip hop’s most enigmatic and eccentric characters. He combines strange and smooth quite like no other. The erotic visuals accompanying the set and […]
The Pharcyde are a group whose aesthetic was tailored perfectly for hip hop’s Daisy Age. However, they were perhaps a bit late to fully capitalise on the market that was paved for them by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul. They took on the task of flying the flag for the […]
Looking at the Forbidden Fruit festival, lineup aside, it really is quite an exceptional festival. Considering it is right on the edge of Dublin city centre, everything really went of without a hitch. There was no huge traffic jams throughout the weekend, just about every act was on time and the atmosphere is one of […]
Even though this was advertised as an AV show, it was still quite jarring to see the stage setup initially. Any idea of what was to be expected was thrown out the window with the first sight of the hexagonal cage placed in front of Flying Lotus’ equipment. Premature doubts that the show may not […]
Hank Shocklee is one of the members of Public Enemy associates and producers, the Bomb Squad. In the late 80s their chaotic and attention grabbing sound helped to influence and shape hip hop as we know it today. Since ChoiceCuts were able to book him for a DJ set, it was no surprise that a […]
Despite the downtrodden nature of many of his tracks, Ghostpoet had no problem entertaining the Button Factory with vigour and enthusiasm while opening his current tour in Dublin. His past experiences of touring have paid off and gifted him with an obvious prowess for performing. For a set that runs well over 75 minutes, his […]
Screening Dave Chappelle’s Block Party before a gig sets the standard pretty high for any headliner, regardless of who they are. This is because the crowd was (technically) warmed up by Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu and The Fugees to name a few. However, Pharoahe Monch had no problem smashing this standard from the […]
