The RUB! Best of 2008 Mix!

Big up to THE RUB fams out in NYC! What better way to bring in the new year than "The Best of 2008" by Cosmo Baker, DJ Ayers and Dj Eleven! The free download is 2+hours of RUB stylism... Enjoy and be safe tonight fam!
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CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PART 1
Q-Tip - Gettin Up
Erykah Badu - Soldier
The Roots ft Wale & Chrisette Michelle - Rising Up
B.o.B. - I'll Be In the Sky
Jadakiss ft Ne-Yo - By My Side
Lloyd ft Lil Wayne - Girls Around The World (DJ Ayres Blend)
Big Boi ft Raekwon & Andre 3000 - Royal Flush
Rick Ross ft T-Pain - The Boss
T-Pain - Can't Believe It (Benja Style Blend)
Movado - Am So Special
Serani - Play It Straight
Mavado - Money Changer + Get Money Remix
Lil Wayne ft T-Pain - Got Money (DJ Ayres Blend)
Stephen & Damion Marley - The Mission
Santogold - Creator
Ludacris ft T.I. - Wish You Would
Bun B ft Lil Wayne - Damn I'm Cold
Young Jeezy - My President
Big Tuck ft Trae & Slim Thug - Not A Stain On Me (Houston remix)
John Legend & Andre 3000 - Green Light
Tittsworth ft Pitbull & Nina Skye - Here He Comes (DJ Day remix)
Busta Rhymes - Don't Touch Me
Robin Thicke - Magic
Estelle - Wait A Minute (Just A Touch)
Q-Tip - Move
J-Boogie ft Zumbi of Zion I & Rithma - For Your Love
Raphael Saadiq - Never Give You Up
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (DJ Day Alternative Mix)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PART 2
Shawty Redd & Big Gipp - Drifter
Kanye West & Mr Hudson - Paranoid
Estelle - No Substitute Love (Treasure Fingers Remix)
Common & Pharrell - Universal Mind Control
Fully Fitted - 100 Million
Pase Rock - Get Money Kids (OG + Nacho Lovers Remix)
Treasure Fingers - Cross The Dancefloor (Laidback Luke remix)
A-Trak & Laidback Luke - Shake It Down
Blaqstarr - Get Your Handz Up (Nadastrom Remix)
Crookers - Big Money Comin
Fake Blood - Blood Splashing (Fake Blood Theme)
Boy 8-Bit - The Cricket Scores
Studio Apartment - I'm in Love (Rasmus Faber Epic Remix)
Osunlade ft Divine Essence - My Reflection (DJ Gregory Remix)
Surkin - White Knight 2
Nacho Lovers - Acid Life (DJ Eli Remix)
Juan Maclean - Happy House (Lee Douglas Remix)
Hercules & Love Affair - Blind (Frankie Knuckles Remix)
MGMT - Kids
Santogold - You'll Find A Way
Think Almost Twice - Chikiba
N.E.R.D. - You Know What
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Peace, Justice and Liberation in 2009!
One heart, one mind, one struggle!

TAX DOLLARS KILL, TDK Crew (1995)

The Tax Dollars Kill production was a great moment in Oakland/Bay Area graffiti. The concept came from the TDK brothers Mike Dream and Spie in 1995. That's Dream in the photo. Whenever Spie and Dream connected on a wall, you could be sure that the message would be strong and the styles would be fierce. The Tax Dollars Kill production represents what writing graffiti is all about for me... blasting the truth and calling out the oppressors. In style!

Unfortunately our government continues to prove that the words still stand (although the mural is gone). Thoughts and prayers for the loss of life in Gaza. Long live a free Palestine! Get your ass in the streets!

TDK: The Dream Khronicles

"THIS IS IIIIIIIIIT! THIS IS IIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTT!"
-IZ the Wiz, Style Wars, (Tony Silver, 1983, 70 minutes, color/b&w, 16mm)

If you haven't seen Style Wars, you should as soon as humanly possible. Back in the day, we usta have to dig like fuck just to find a VHS copy all fuzzy from being a 8th generation copy... nevertheless an integral part of a young writer's development... yall know.

Subway Theme from Wild Style
Start this track and click play on the video!

Big up to the TDK CrewFamilyMassive... The pieces as they appear in the video are KING 157, DYL by Dylska, JASE, STASH, MEUT, GYRO, AMEND, SPIE, DONE, VOGUE, KRASH, MERX and PAK by Spie. The "OAKLAND WALL OF FAME" is by Krash with background by Done (dope! and easier to see in person).

The overall theme of the Oakland contribution to the wall, "THE DREAM KHRONICLES" is a dedication to the TDK brothers in the spirit world. KURL, PAK ONE, PLAN BEE 11-5, Mike DREAM TDK who all called 23rd St. yard home and BURNED this wall with the some of the dopest styles west of the Mississippi. The Background is all renderings of photos from Mike Dream's flick box throughout the lifetime of the 23rd St. Yard(they came out HELLA fresh)... The pieces rocked are a testament to the style and heart put into a culture we made in an ignored corner of a ghetto you know the name of.

I wouldn't trade my time in that yard for anything. In a world gone mad, nothing means as much as the alliances we choose.


T.D.K. The DREAM Khronicles from Willie Maze on Vimeo.

THE DREAM KONTINUESThe future of TDK... Sir Jahar, Prince Akil(Dream's son), and Princess Bella B at Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival 2007.

Class is in Session!

In my evolution, there are the kindred, those I look to for opinions, homie love, and good times. Those that are proud of where we're from and our influences, but somehow never satisfied, always looking forward, always pushing in their own way. Those that get it like I get it. I been meaning to do a "HOMIE LOVE" post on the reg, and am overdue. Don't trip, I'ma make it up to yawl... ALL week.

The Honor Roll crew makes the music I wanna hear. The crew is deep to the tune of Trackademicks, DJ Tap 10, Spank Pops, Josie Stingray, 1 O.A.K., Mike Baker the Bike Maker, and Mox to the More. Trackademicks is one of the Bay's foremost producer/mc's and at the center of the sound that is the HONOR ROLL. The sound slaps like we like it in the Bay, but don't get it twisted, they take their cues from everywhere and then some. TrackyD was just awarded a Goldie by the SF Bay Guardian and the 'Roll is celebrated wherever forward looking Artists, DJs, and producers are seen and heard. ... so like the young man says, "Class is in session!"

Mox to the More - Guzzlin Guiness feat. Trackademicks
This track makes me wanna slap someone and have a beer. In a good way.


Spank Pops - Hangin feat. 1 O.A.K.
Spank and 1 O.A.K. do the damn over this Loose Ends classic...
T

Chromeo - 100% (Trackademicks B-Live Pemberton Remix)
Trackademicks puts his hands to a Chromeo heater and turns it out! Fools Gold/Honor Roll? Fuck yeah!

I'ma hit yall with more Honor Roll tracks this week... stay tuned... Fuck it here's more.

Mike Baker the Bike Maker - Lets Make it Happen feat. Trackademicks
Mike Baker and Trackademicks flex styles over this bouncy feelgood sound... referencing old school flavor with updated content and style. Watchout for the give and go on the last verse! Hot!


Kenna - Say Goodbye to Love (Trackademicks Remix feat. Mike Baker)
The Mike Baker blues makes for good listening and the video below is kinda eerie but dope!


In case you missed it or g-d forbid SLEPT on this, here's the [RE]MIXTAPE here it is... all you gotta do is look at a little Z-Share ass. It's a good cross section of what goes down in the Honor Roll camp, with fresh remixes from Trackademicks, mixed by DJ Tap 10. Taa dow!
Trackademicks - The [RE]Mixtape Vol. 2

I know you like what you hear... do yourself a favor & buy music! Go see them live!

Tonight two great boxing traditions square up... two hard working nations represented that get shit on by U.S. Capitalism and Emperialism ("e" on purpose) get to beat the shit out of each other... (Hey, wait a second...) It's no contest really, active vs. retired, hungry vs. paid, and one has a the cooler name and roots for the G-Men ... PAC MAN! Thanks to big brother Corey for hitting me with the photo... Go PAC MAN! GO GIANTS!

Herve- Rocky Raver
Granted, this song is bugged, but considering tonight's main event... it works.

"DOWN BY LAW" Oakland Wall of Fame Prequel

Krash TDK's dedication to Dream of the 23rd Yard... pressure washed to remove all the layers of paint that were peeling off.

Fab 5 Freddy- Down By Law

I'm hella excited about the 23rd Yard "Oakland Wall of Fame" being completed, I can't wait to get down there and take connector photos and video of the entire wall. The taped together 4"x6" prints alone will be at least about 20 feet long. In anticipation of full completion, check these photos and video i took of the wall the day before production began. It was an honor to see the wall stripped down to the bone revealing how much time, energy, and love went into the wall so many of us called home. For me, it literally was home, I grew up on the other side of the big shady wall at 23rd, and painted my first toy pieces on the shorty wall. I usta throw rocks at bottles in the Yard before I ever thought I would be painting alongside the masters I watched develop while taking the shortcut home so I could watch cartoons. In later days, after school I was there every day painting, meeting writers, hanging out, and watching kings paint. Chances are I seen almost every piece that makes up each layer, and that each layer I made is in my blood (literally, i don't think the toxins ever leave)... In the video below, one of my Maestros talks about the wall and what a trip it is to see all the layers down to the bricks over 20 years later. Also discusses his process for laying out pieces on the 23rd Yard Wall... take notes!

23rd Interview 2 from Willie Maze on Vimeo.


Burner by Buter TMF dedicated to King Dream TDK...

The Photo above is a rough layout of the wall plan Krash TDK made. Didn't quite work out like that but it's a cool document. This is just the Bay Area sampling of the wall. Some of the Nation's best writers from across the country came out to rock the Oakland Wall of Fame. Big up Krash for bringing it all together, this shit is a monumental task to say the least!

In the video below, another OG writer discusses his anticipation of what's to come on this wall...

23rdYard Interview 1. from Willie Maze on Vimeo.

Looking forward to showing you all that and more soon...

PRESIDENT GETS HEAD FROM PARDONED TURKEY

Every year on Thanksgiving, a turkey is pardoned by the President and not killed for dinner. They then perform lewd acts with that turkey before they eat one of its relatives.In all seriousness, this photo makes me wonder if President Elect Obama will be participating in such DUMB ASS traditions as this... or will he make a real power move and actually pardon a prisoner... I nominate Leonard Peltier. I've never been given cause to put my faith in any US president, but a pardon of an INNOCENT political prisioner might make a Native think twice.

In the grand tradition of Presidents getting head, I offer you this... Substitute the right bird and
Voila'!

Project Pat- Chickenheads


Big up Lisa Chen for lacing the photo...

FUCK THANKSGIVING. YOU'RE WELCOME

Goin' out to all my Natives, those Indigenous to Turtle Island... and all our friends, allies, and loved ones however the fuck yall ended up on this continent. While you are enjoying food and family, take a second and think about your ancestors, and give thanks. But FUCK THANKSGIVING. Things are the way they are because of lies, murder, slavery, and genocide committed(and being committed) by our "founding fathers" (White Americans.) So go find your elementrary school teacher and slap the shit out of them for teaching lies, making you make a construction paper headband with feathers, or god forbid "reinacting" the first thanksgiving with the "pilgrims." Ok, so it's 2008, lets get it straight... shit is still fucked up and the same thangs continue under the guise of free markets and corporations. Genocide is still alive and driven by companies we all probably support unknowingly. If you are with me in flippin the bird to Thanks-taking, try not to live off the backs of others, and to those who are lived on, lets shake these fucks!

I hope you're living it up with fam and friends. Here are some bangin' Rez jams I got from my dude Nick from Thunder Valley... he's making the worlds first green corridor on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota... show the world how to live Nick!

Northern Wind- Sneak Up
I like this song because it sounds gunshots going off and sneaking up on your enemies. Northern Wind is no joke, these fools kick ass!


Northern Wind- Crow Hop
A Crow Hop is a pow wow dance where dancers flex their skills at a different tempo. It's all about fools swagger and style. If you ain't seen, get your ass to a pow wow... shit is dope!

Oakland Wall of Fame Update

Beat Street/B-Boy Interlude- The Roots

Meut One TDK, Soul TDK, portrait by Amend TDK

Dream's Tattoos of fallen brothers PakOne TDK and PlanBee 11-5 By Spie TDK

J Dilla- Anti-Amerikkkan Graffiti

Vogue TDK reps an original style... wholly shit.

PakOne R.I.P. by Spie TDK, TMC, FC, IRIE POSSE

Chino BYI rep'n NYC!

Original style innovators, Mark Bode character, Stan 153

Young buck Daz flexes on the Meeting of Styles section of the wall.

Tall homies are the last to Rock, we gotta sew the backgrounds together and it's a wrap! Apologies to those not featured, promise I'll get you up, the shadows were too much for my sidekick... booooo.

More from Oakland's Wall of Fame. Stay tuned for a massive post once it's all said and done... Shit is lookin DOPE. The wall is almost a QUARTER MILE long with many of the Nation's freshest writers rocking styles in memory of Mike "Dream" Francisco, Oakland's favorite son and style master who was tragically murdered in February of 2000. The wall is a tribute by his comrades that helped Mike put Oakland/Bay Area Graffiti on the map. Keep an eye out for the opening party throwdown coming soon!

Ps... the banner image for this blog is a pic of one of my old pieces the day before painting began on this huge project. The wall was so caked with hundreds of burners that it was falling off in huge beautiful chips that had to be pressure washed off and primed. Big up to young Kufu 2!
-wm.

Oakland? Berlin? HELL YEAH!

You gotta love the interweb. A big part of my evolution is tryna stay up on shit round the globe as much as possible. Although there's HELLA bullshit out there, there's a whole lotta dope shit too, you gotta find good filters... Discobelle is one of my favorites. I came across this track from Bounce camp 'round Ju-ly and I wanna play it more, sooo I'm innoculating your asses with the expectation that you'll come out and listen. This track is dope cuz 1. It's Town related (Saadiq vocals!). 2. proper freakage of the best samples of the original song. 3. progression is clever and not hella repetitive. 4. the Champ!

Bounce Camp is from Berlin. This is how he describes his sound...

"10% rap, 24% house, 10% cheese, 12% hand claps, 2% cheap perfume, 8% golden oldies, 8% Miami, 0% minimal, 6% sexy midget playing a keyboard, 12% stolen property, 100% Bounce Camp!!!!!!!"

... I can digit.

Bounce Camp- Big Dancin'

TOWN BIZNESS OFFICIAL

Last week my birthday exploded all over the city. In the age of gentrification, aka hipster-invasion, it's rare that anyone is from the Town these days, and today I wanna express my love for my fair city. I live within eyeshot of where I was born and love what I am because of it. As a dude who loves music, by my count you gotta love history too. Music is always be shaped by hella factors, and in this city the good, bad, and ugly always makes for good music. If you love your city and rep that shit you know what the fuck I mean... I got love for all yall, but Oakland's home.

I could go on... I'm sure I'll revisit this topic often... this time round, here's what comes up when search OAK.

Keak Da Sneak feat. Mistah FAB- Oakland
Man, this song really puts it down... Nostalgia and hella shit no hipster could ever reference (hipsterproof). This shit reminds me of writing E.S.O. on the bathroom wall of my elementary school in pencil next to "ELF" which was my first tag. hahaha. Love that FAB is on it too E.S.O. and N.S.O. love! Big up to my patna Matthew Africa (KALX 3p-6p Wed.)for puttin me up on this'n!



Jawbreaker- Condition Oakland
This track makes the cut even though Jawbreaker ain't from the Town, cause it reminds me of drinking with punks on rooftops and shit (and the title). This track's huge sound is hella beautiful and reps a feeling I know to be Oakland. Peep the Kerouac samples... dude knows the town too.


Rodger Collins- Foxy Girls in Oakland
Listen. This song is self explanitory and not a whole lot has changed except E.14th is called International by newcomers (See Keak's track). This song is a whole lot of awesome and there's a bit of shit talkin' bout Frisco dudes in it, and although I don't share the opinion, it's reassuring that the friendly rivalry goes back to Rodger's day. This track reminds me of DJ Kitty who held down the Town's longest running Soul nite at the Ruby Room on East 14th. She usta rock this bout every Wednesday and even though fools at that spot looked like they were fighting when they danced, she kept it poppin.' She owns a bar now. I rock Saturdays with Matthew Africa at KITTY'S you should come thru!


Casual feat. E Mac, Too $hort, G Stack & Richie Rich- Oaktown
Off the Smash Rockwell album this came out when hyphy was big and its genius is that this track takes it back to the slump Too$hort made famous. Love that the chorus is kids yelling "Oaktown" while fools are spittin' bout all that town life includes. It reminds me of catching the 82 to go play ball at Greenman next to the 69 Village. Ask somebody.

more later!

Dam(n)s!

Ya boy Willie Maze has been working with Native Tribes on the Klamath River in Northern California to remove 4 dams. The story made the FRONT PAGE of the SF Chronicle today when the company announced an agreement in principle to remove the dams. It's a huge step forward in removing the dams, which has huge spiritual, environmental and economic impact for the all people on the Klamath, which is one of this country's last great salmon rivers. In addition to being a DJ, I've been the director of the Indigenous People's Power Project that works with Indigenous communites across the U.S. and Canada to use direct action strategy and tactics to stick it to The Man (in this case, Warren Buffett). I been collaborating on creative nonviolent direct action with them since early this year in a campaign that goes back hella far. Looking forward to turning up the heat and pushing those shits over! This is one hell of a birthday surprise!

The fam Chook Chook (KARUK) is a young and powerful leader in this fight. He called the "richest" man in the world a S.O.B. in his native language in front of 30,000 + shareholders in Omaha this year at Berkshire Hathaway's AGM. I asked him for a musical selection for this post he offered "Solid As A Rock" by Sizzla.

Try this on too... Unstoppable - Santo Gold

p.s. FUCK PROP. 8!!!! (Watch the video) REPEAL! REPEAL! REPEAL!

OK, ONE MORE YOU DEAR BOY.

As a DJ, one sees HELLA funny/sad shit.  Less than one of every 100 requests is worthy of consideration... every now and then something keeper happens.  Matthew Africa (and I) has collected hella "request napkins" or "napquests" as I've been calling them.  Here's one of Matthew's funniest...  Hit up his myspace for a whole gallery of these rare treasures and check back er'y now and again for more... Love the use of punctuation and "near Timberlake" request that turned Furgielicious in no time.  

Funny how the napquests come earlier in the night, and later its aggrobreezies and dudes with 3 dollars... for best results ask for something that doesn't suck ass!

HOMIE LOVE

A while ago I nominated my homegirl Nancy for an Agape Foundation Peacemaker prize, which they won for their life-changing (and saving) work in the Mission (SF) with Latino/a youth, taking their love for their set/block/hood and turning it into love for the people, our struggle and freedom.  When nominating her, I asked Nancy, "you wanna be nominated? Or the organization?"  she snapped "You ain't shit wit'out your Homies!"  H.O.M.E.Y. stands for Homeys Organizing the Mission to Empower Youth.  They were a part of a recent shutdown of the I.C.E. (Immigration Control [ha] and Enforcement) who has been unjustly deporting and detaining mission residents who are the life blood of the city on some homeland paranoia/prison industry bullshit.  Here are some photos.

These are a few of my Homies that I ain't shit without... 

MATTHEW AFRICA is my ace.  He busts the dope moves on mix tapes and up in the club.  He and DJ Eleven collaborated the definitive "DIRTY RAPS... the Best of Too $hort" mix last year, and he is still driving the ladies (of age of course) wild with the double disc "Dirty R&B... the Best of R. Kelly."  He and I make party every Saturday up at Kitty's in Emeryville at a night called Crazy From The Heat!  Matthew is like my personal library of dope music.  He's always hella generous and willing to talk music over some dranks.  His latest and greatest is "HARD AS FUCK VOL. 4" on Beer and Rap which will have you stompin' the shit out of somebody in no time!

DJ ELEVEN of (((LOCAL1200))) fame is the tallest DJ on record and we go back so far I hooked him with his name.  He laces the ladies, gents, boys and girls with the get sweaty heavy heavy monster sound at The Rub in Brooklyn every first Saturday with the dudes Cosmo and Ayers.  Like B-Legit said the dude is "so international" and i would agree.  He rep'd the Town on the Best of Too $hort with Matthew Africa and has made like A BIZILLION other DOPE mix projects that stay in rotation round the world.  He and The Rub homies kicked the shit out of a huge undertaking unlike any other in their take on the "HISTORY OF HIP HOP" series that plays all the platters that matter from 1979 to today!  Hot damn!

SAKE ONE my (((LOCAL1200))) crewfam makes sure the Bay's soundtrack to the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality always has its proper dose of dynomite soul!  My man is the Bay's foremost record slayer and holds down the best weekly nights in Fog Town.  PACIFIC STANDARD TIME (tuesday) and COLORS (thursdays).  Sake stands tall amongst us freedom fighting party mongers who put it where our hearts are and still makes the ladies say "Owwwwwww."  For real doe, my man is a Legacy in this line of work and makes good like the champ he is!   Here is a live mix he rocked at Colors (early set), at the behest of his moms I think.  

I could go on and on!  Fuck it, think I'll go weekly with it... HOMIE LOVE.  Word!

In Struggle, 

w.m.

p.s. Big up Fred Savage of  SUCKA FREEZE!

Oakland Wall of Fame!

Coming soon from the TDK champs! Wall featuring crews/artists from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Oakland (of course) and more!

NVR OVR... WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Willie Maze here... supwiddit?  

I found music stashed away in a the rat infested storage room in my families crib in Jingle Town USA.  Cardboard treasure chests made sure this kid was reared on the blues, soul music, jazz, moms rock records on uncle bob's realistic stereo... apparently my family liked to throw down.  My first gig was playing records at a house party for sips of beer and drags of tobacco... sometimes pocket change... hell yeah!

The Meaning of the Name.... Gang Starr

The kid really hit his stride when he got passed a "rap" tape from his patna Theo at school.  It was a radio program of an early hip hop show his pops recorded in new york.  It was black with a piece of masking tape on it that said RAP in all caps.  I wore that shit out.  On my way home I always stopped to throw rocks at bottles and shit.  After hearing that tape all shit looked different.  The paintings on the wall was now graffiti, there really was broken glass everywhere, and someone talked about my life in song... IT WAS ON!  Baseball was my first love, hip hop would be my life... 

Hip Hop you the love of my life... - The Roots

... BUT Mo Money Mo Problems the man said.  The billion dollar industry it has become, the internet taking it global, leaders, biters, and saviors coming and going and the ever present tyranny of popular taste has mutated and at the same time changed pop culture forever.  My mode is the same, my thirst for the freshness is stronger than ever, but i can't seem to satisfy myself with the shit that's out now.  Evolve or die. 

"Hip Hop Don't Stop".... "Our Work Is Never Over."   Get it?  

So here it is... my evolution.