The BOMB HIP-HOP TOUR returned from Europe at the end of March after three and a half weeks of touring. Foreign Legion, Azeem, DJ T-Rock and Dave Paul would like to thank everyone that came out to the shows in Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Scotland and the United Kingdom. We appreciate your support.



THE BOMB HIP-HOP TOUR featured:
FOREIGN LEGION
(Prozack, Marc Stretch and DJ Design)
AZEEM

DJ T-ROCK
DJ DAVE PAUL




Tour Dates - March 2003 - Europe
Wed 05 : Munich, Germany - at Beatstreet @ Atomic Cafe
Thu 06 : Weinheim, Germany - at Cafe Central
Fri 07 : Berlin, Germany - at Icon (with record release party for DJ Hype's "1973" album)
Sat 08 : Amsterdam, Netherlands - at Melkweg
Sun 09 : Paris, France - at Nouveau Casino
(with guest DJs Damage & Dusty "Jazz Liberatorz")
Thu 13 : Aarhus, Denmark - at Musikcafeen (with special guests: DJ Talkback / Static & Nat Ill)
Fri 14 : Dresden, Germany - at Scheune
Sat 15 : Hannover, Germany - at Faust
Sun 16 : Gothenburg, Sweden - at Pusterviksbaren

Wed 19 : Nurenberg, Germany - at Desi
Sat 22 : Biel, Switzerland - at Artix
Sun 23 : Mannheim, Germany - at Soho Club
Mon 24 : Brighton, U.K. - at Concorde2 (with special guest DJ Maniphest)
Wed 26 : Nottingham, U.K. - at Rescue Rooms (with special guests Krispy and DJ Maniphest)
Thu 27 : Glasgow, Scotland - at Glasgow School of Art (with special guests Krispy)
Fri 28 : London, U.K. - The Jazz Cafe



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Foreign Legion
are much like fellow West Coast hip-hop outfits such as Jurassic 5 or Ugly Duckling, the Bay Area trio known collectively as Foreign Legion base their style on a back-to-basics, no-nonsense interpretation of old skool values and aesthetics. A hybrid of Gang Starr's Moment of Truth and Pharcyde's Bizarre Ride, FL's album Kidnapper Van (Beats to Rock While Bike-Stealing), is an all-out manifesto. It transcends the stylistic doldrums that currently plague the greater portion of hip-hop creators. And even more importantly, it possesses an ideological resolve that injects hope into a reeling genre. Kidnapper Van's greatest quality, however, is its recognition of hip-hop's self-accountability. In "Underground," an open letter to underground and retro rappers, FL fondly recalls a moment in hip-hop history when MCs could "keep it real/[But also] keep it skilled still." It contends that Old School cannot be reduced to self-conscious pandering to anti-pop sentiments or rhymes about basketball games and block parties. With the affirmation "we can get down but not too underground," the gravly toned Marc Stretch and the more nasal sounding Prozack are eager to put themselves forward as a pair of hiphop zealots; more concerned with being dope than different. Still, obeying the axium "let the hybrid of your heart and soul become deeds of greatness". The group uses their "Kidnapper Van" to seize a handful of rap cliches to smack the crap out of them and then take them on a joy-ride.



click here to listen to Happy Drunk by Foreign Legion

Foreign Legion signed to Look Records in 2002 and just released their full length album Playtight (to read a review of the album click here). DJ Design has recorded for Stonesthrow and has remixed songs for many artists including the Beastie Boys, Rae & Christian and Bob James. Marc Stretch has recently signed a solo deal with Look Records. Prozack has signed a solo deal with Dreamworks and has recorded with producers Pete Rock, Organized Noize, J Dilla, Alchemist, Paul Nice, Design and Super Dave West (De La Soul). The album Death Taxes and Prozack will be released in September.


"San Franciscan hip hop that comes packing furiously intelligent heat..." - NME

"Either you slip on your slickest Armani bathrobe and luxuriate in the odius and boorish rhymes of Jay-Z and company or you smoke yourself into a blunted frenzy while being entertained (?) by the minimalist dictates of the leftfield. Right? Wrong... Foreign Legion highlight the paucity of ideas apparent in both well entrenched camps [and] demonstrate the swift moves towards hip hop's third way." - Jockey Slut

"Foreign Legion represents anew, post-indie revolution era in Bay Area hip hop, one that's realized mix tapes and MP3's don't pay the bills." - Bay Guardian

"FL's Production has taken a giant step forward this time around, resulting in a more varied musical palette. Along with their trademark big beats, the album abounds with string melodies, reggae basslines and lively organ fragments. On Playtight, the group are just as delinquent in their habits as ever, if noticeably more self assured. Unlike far too many underground groups who seem more concerned with abstract metaphors then getting bodies on the floor, Foreign Legion crafted several of Playtight's tunes into what could easily be deemed club bangers... Though they've risen to the top of the Bay Area Indie Hip-Hop heap, FL is a long way from blingin'" - XLR8R


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Azeem
started his first band Telefunken in 1989, which was a combination of live instrumentation and hip-hop. Years of hard work culminated in their first release (1994) on the then newly-formed OM Records. Soon after, Azeem's spoken word lyrics won him a spot on the Lollapalooza tour, which in turn led to a PBS special, two books, and prestige as the third best performance poet in the country. In 1997, Azeem joined Michael Franti in co-writing songs for Spearhead and then touring for two years as a writer and performer with the band.

Finally, in 1999, he decided to focus on bringing together his writing and performing skills as a solo musical act. 2000 saw the release of his first solo EP Garage Opera (Heratik) as well as a track on Afro-Mystik's Future Tropic album. Azeem followed up with the full length album Craft Classic (Stray). Azeem's hilarious vocals and DJ Zeph's funky horn laced beats earned the albums' single "Rubber Glue" the #2 spot on the CMJ radio rap chart.

Azeem has guest appeared on many current releases including projects from Wide Hive and Bomb Hip-Hop. Azeem's current 12" single "Family Man" features the Bay Area master craftsman Azeem spittin' lyrical gems in his trademark sing-song style over a fat Hydroponic Sound System produced track that combines the nasty funk sound of late 60's New Orleans with dubbed out keys and delays. Azeem is currently recording a full length album for Bomb Hip-Hop.


click here to listen to Family Man by Azeem

"Azeem is a very talented, diverse, creative artist that will achieve many profound feats during his musical endeavors" - Hip Hop Hot Spot

"Azeem brings some heat and comes across as a breath of fresh air... Don't sleep on this kid, he represents the otherside of Bay Area Hip Hop." - Davey D

“Craft Classic” is, unfortunately, a rarity in Hip-Hop. It’s an album that can be listened to straight through from beginning to end without ever losing its interest. It’s records like this that keep Hip-Hop alive and thriving as an original art form. " - Manhunt.com


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DJ T-Rock
is one of the most talented DJ's on the turntablist scene. He has been honing his craft for more than 15 years, mastering the turntable as an instrument. T-Rock is best known for his full length albums Who's Your Daddy (Bomb Hip-Hop) and Sikinthehed (Nu Gruv/Stereotype Records), as well as his appearances on Bomb's famous "Return of the DJ" compilations volumes 3 and 4. He has also produced songs for Deeper Concentration Volume 3 (OM Records) and Billy Jam's Scratch Attack (Hip Hop Slam). T-Rock currently appears on new albums by the Warp Brothers (Warp Factor) and Mr. Dibbs (The 30th Song). He has appeared in numerous international magazines including URB, DJ TIMES, XLR8R, Mass Appeal, and Elemental.

In addition to his work as a scratch DJ and producer T-Rock is an accomplished mixing dj that can rock any house party or club venue. His classic record collection and quick mixing skills have enabled him to perform with such greats as Cut Chemist (Jurassic 5), Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys), DJ Swamp (Beck), Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Mantronik, Z-Trip, The Xecutioners, DJ Craze, Babu (Dilated Peoples), Shortkut (Beat Junkies) and many others. T-Rock currently lives in Los Angeles and is working with his new band Graffiti Death Threat. T-Rock has a new mix CD out titled Hip-Hop Sundae.


click here to listen to The Inkredible Turntablist by DJ T-Rock


footage of DJ T-Rock live during the European Tour


"T-Rock needs no MC's, no gimmicks, no outside producers whatsoever. Like Terminator X before him, T-Rock takes music to the edge of panic with his musical opus "Sikinthehed." - RapReviews.com

"T-Rock's Sikinthehed is one those rare CDs that reflects hip hop's early days while still marching ahead to the future. There's no rapping, no bling-bling or tales of urban folklore or misogynistic boasting. Rather, Sikinthehed is mainly beats, samples and scratching that seems to have been done in a lab in outer space, not a basement here on earth." - Independent Weekly



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Dave Paul
is a veteran hip-hop dj (since 1985) and the founder & owner of Bomb Hip-Hop. His fresh style of party rocking and extensive collection of hip-hop records keeps him booked at various hip-hop clubs in San Francisco. He has been featured in URB, CMJ, Undercover, XLR8R, Blast and appeared on the cover of Billboard and is featured in the movie Scratch.


Listen to an interview with Dave Paul on Brave New Waves/CBC Montreal

"Starting in 1991 as a 'zine and later evolving into a full-fledged record label, Bomb put San Francisco on the underground hip-hop map. The label was also one of the first to champion deejaying as an art form with it's groundbreaking Return of the DJ compilations." Stance Magazine

"David Paul and Bomb Hip-Hop have helped define one of the most exciting forms of music in the '90s: turntablism" - Pulse Magazine

"David Paul has been a trendsetter for 10 years, his projects have defined genres and jump-started now legendary careers" - SF Weekly