DJ's & MC's Tour

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bomb hip-hop's "DJ's & MC's TOUR"
Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004 - Milk Bar - San Francisco, CA. photos
Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004 - The Grove - Bend, OR.
Friday, Oct. 22, 2004 - Neurolux - Boise, ID.
Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004 - Berbati's Pan - Portland, OR.
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004 - LaSalles - Chico, CA.

featuring
DJ QUEST (Live Human / B.P.S.H. / Space Travelers - San Francisco, CA.)
Z-MAN (Refill / Hiero Imperium - San Francisco, CA.)
DJ T-ROCK (1200 Hobos / Bomb Hip-Hop - Los Angeles, CA.)
AZEEM (Bomb Hip-Hop / Wide Hive / Future Primitive - Oakland, CA.)
DJ DNA (Bomb Hip-Hop / Future Shock - Sacramento, CA.)
NAC ONE (Bomb Hip-Hop / FSC - Berkeley, CA.)

Over the past decade Bomb Hip-Hop's influence and contribution to the promotion of the four elements of hip-hop (dj, mc, breaking, graffiti) is undeniable. Bomb has evolved since it's humble beginnings in 1991 as a hip-hop publication to "one of the fifteen independent labels that matter" according to Rolling Stone.

Having been credited with the revival of the D.J. as an artist in their own right for the Return of the DJ series (featured in the movie Scratch playing on the Sundance channel and available on DVD), the label is also known for spotlighting Hip Hop from around the world. Bomb has presented compilations and solo projects from the U.K., Denmark, Switzerland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Japan and Australia, including beatboxing and b-boying (breakdancing) albums. Some of the artists that have appeared on releases from Bomb Hip-Hop; Dilated Peoples, Blackalicious, J-Live, Cut Chemist from Jurassic 5, Qbert, DJ Craze, Z-Trip, Rob Swift & Roc Raida from X-Ecutioners, DJ Honda, Defari, Mixmaster Mike of the Beastie Boys, Kid Koala and many, many more.

Bomb Hip-Hop has produced various Bay Area concerts and club nights from the early 90's to the present including the legendary sold out "Bomb" parties at the DNA from '92-'95, the 2003 "Bomb Hip-Hop Tour" in Europe as well as the "Return of the DJ Tour". Some of the cutting edge hip-hop artists that have performed at Bomb events include; Kool Keith, Aceyalone, Invisibl Skratch Picklz (Q-Bert, Disk, Shortkut, Mixmaster Mike), Blackalicious, Jurassic 5, Beat Junkies (Rhettmatic, J Rocc, Babu, Melo D), Mystik Journeymen, Supernatural, Volume 10, Schoolly D, Akinyele featuring Rob Swift, Shakey featuring Rahzel the Human Beatbox, Ultramagmetic MCs, Pete Nice & Daddy Rich, Alkaholiks, Pharcyde, Masta Ace, Freestyle Fellowship, Nas, DJ Craze, Dan the Automator, DJ Swamp, J-Zone, Grandwizzard Theodore, DJ Shadow and House of Pain (with B-Real from Cypress Hill).

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DJ QUEST

Born in El Salvador, Quest moved to the San Francisco bay area in 1982. He started out as a bedroom dj in 1987 and quickly began performing as a mobile dj. In the early nineties the second stage of his career took place when he began competing, producing and independently releasing turntable music. Quest is also known as one of the founding members of one of the original scratch crews in the bay area (Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters/Space Travelers). In 1992, at dj battle that was staged for the popular tv show Home Turf, Quest gave birth to the term "Hamster Style" which refers to the reverse set up of the turntables. Today the term remains popular and is recognized by djs worldwide. Quest and the BPSH produced "Hamster Breaks", the first record of its kind, designed specifically for scratch and battle djs. Since its release in 1993, hundreds of dj tool records have imitated the arrangement of this classic album. In late '96 Quest further expanded his musical horizons by teaming up with Albert Mathias (percussion) and Andrew Kushin (cotra bass) to form the experimental jazz/hip-hop group Live Human. In 2001 Quest won the SF Weeklys' "SF's Best Hip-Hop DJ" award.

Quest teamed up with DJ Shadow for the song "Holy Calamity (bear witness II)" with Handsome Boy Modeling School (Tommy Boy).

DJ Quest has performed at various festivals in Europe, including the "Montreux Jazz Festival" in Switzerland, the "Roskilde" festival in Denmark, and "Transmusicales Music Fest." in Renn, France to name a few. Quest has also traveled throughout Japan, Australia, and the U.S. performing with Latyrx, Live Human, Space Travelers, and solo. In addition to workshops, guest apperances on live and internet radio shows Quest has collaborated on many recordings by numerous artist including Dan the Automator, DJ Shadow, Blackalicious, Rob Swift (X-ecutioners) and has appeared on many albums including ones by Peanut Butter Wolf, Blackalicious, Handsome Boy Modeling School, the Future Primitive Sound Collective's 12" (Black Hole) & Urban Revolutions comp, and the recent Variable Unit comp. to name a few. Quest who is featured in the Doug Pray directed documentary SCRATCH (palm pictures) is one of todays most talented and versatille turntable artist.

• click here to listen to an excerpt from DJ Quest's mix cd Mutation Mann

• click here to read an interview with Quest

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Z-MAN

- New album Dope or Dog Food in stores now
- Has been featured on the Van's Warped Tour
- Has been featured on the Hieroglyphics Full Circle Tour
- Spotlighted in URB's the Next 100
- Great album reviews in Maxim, URB and Hip Hop Site
- Featured on many releases in the Bay Area over the last 10 years

1. Intro
2. Come Gurp With Me
3. Free Spirited
4. Lightening In A Bottle
Featuring: Gingerbread Man
5. Buckle Up
6. Party On
7. Domain
8. Spit
9. White Girls With Ass
10. Two Bad Ants
Featuring: Gingerbread Man
11. Knock On Wood
12. No Cure For Sugar
13. Glued
Featuring: Tajai of Souls Of Mischief
14. God Is Watching
15. Z-Mutiny!
16. UFO
17. Bigots And Bitches
18. Sleeping Pills
Scratches By: Mars

It is a sad fact in music that marketing is what drives success. Here we have an album of fabulously playful, observant and lyrically impeccable hip-hop that is far more worthy of mainstream success than the likes of D12 and their ilk.

Z-Man walks a line between fantasy and reality, possibly fuelled by the variety of substances he is clearly familiar with based on the lyrical content of his tunes. Tracks such as ‘Biggets and Bitches’ show a depth of vernacular and intelligent rhyming while ‘Free Spirited’ and ‘Party On’ provide the obligatory head nodding party starters. His origin in the Bay Area is reflected by a laid back and almost carefree delivery, California oozes from his vocal chords.

‘Dope or Dog Food’ is a lengthy 18-track offering and while the humour and the constant drug and sex references tend to wear a little thin, the occasional change in style, as with ‘God Is Watching’, ensures your continued attention.

In this age of constant collaboration it is refreshing to see an artist take full ownership of his work. The only guest appears in the form of Tajai from Souls of Mischief, however, that is not to say that Z-Man hasn’t drawn from the styles of many other artists. There’s a healthy smattering of both Digital Underground and Rakim in Z-Man’s own style but he has taken elements of their skills and made them completely his own.

Aptly enough the closing tune ‘Sleeping Pills’ confirms what has been suggested all along, Z-Man is an artist able to weave humour and wit with accomplished songwriting substance.

album review written by Carl Brooks

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DJ T-ROCK

Since 1988, hip-hop's golden era, DJ T-Rock (1200 Hobos) has built his foundation of turntable skills from the ground up. 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 pioneering Return of the DJ compilations volumes 3, 4 and 5. He has also produced songs for Deeper Concentration Volume 3 (OM Records) and Billy Jam's Scratch Attack (Hip Hop Slam) and appears on new albums by the Warp Brothers (Warp Factor) and Mr. Dibbs (The 30th Song).

T-Rock moved from Atlanta to Los Angeles in 2003 to work with the new hip-hop/rock hybrid band Graffiti Death Threat and dj for Virgin recording artist Amanda Perez. He's just released a new mix cd Hip-Hop Sundae as well as a dvd Sikinthehed.

T-Rock has been featured 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.

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

• click here to listen to an excerpt from T-Rock's mix cd Hip-Hop Sundae

• click here to read an interview with DJ T-Rock

"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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AZEEM

Azeem's new album for Bomb Hip-Hop, Show Business, features production and remixes by Paul Nice, DJ Design, Hydroponic Sound System, Anas Cannon, Sapone, Fanatik, Gettic, Christian, DJ Zeph & Platurn, Adamatic, Dawe Fe, DJ T-Rock, Jah Yzer and Architech. He is also featured on the recent VU release Mayhemystics (Wide Hive) which has been nominated for a California Music Award. 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. 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 named Best Hip-Hop Artist!
Best of the East Bay 2004: East Bay Express

• MP3 of Show Business by AZEEM (produced by Paul Nice)

12" single and full length Azeem album Show Business in stores now!

cd track listing
01 The Experiment - produced by The Architech
02 Oakland to Brooklyn - produced by Gettic
03 Family Man - produced by Hydroponic Sound System
04 The Worst 4 Letter Word (skit)
05 Show Business - remixed by Paul Nice
06 Non Stop - produced by DJ Zeph & DJ Platurn
07 Platinum Trends - produced by DJ Design
08 Five Oooh - produced by Christian
09 Blood, Water and Wine - produced by Fanatik
10 Let's Go - remixed by Sapone, featuring Jnyce
11 Don't Do It - produced by Anas Cannon
12 Doc Screwface (skit)
13 Thug Mac Ologist - produced by DJ Design
14 Rest - produced by Jah Yzer
15 Oakland to Brooklyn - extended remix by Adamatic
16 Platinum Trends - remixed by DJ T-Rock
17 Platinum Trends - remixed by Hydroponic Sound System
18 F.U.W. (original demo version) produced by Dawu Fe, featuring Tiye Selah

"This is one of the best albums of the year by one of the hottest MCs I've heard in quite a while. This guy has the goods, and he's not afraid to show up just about every MC this side of MF Doom as the ciphers they are. Azeem is just a wonderfully gifted MC, fully in command of his abilities and blessed with the type of consistently phat beats that most MTV rappers would kill for. He seems to be that rare member of the hip-hop nation who understands the art and science of true lyricism - the poetry and the rhythm, the use of simple simile and metaphor to create complex effect, and the power of direct honesty to carry true sentiment. This is as fine a rap album as you'll hear all year." — Tim O'Neil - PopMatters.com Associate Music Editor

"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

"This cat's got one of the illest flows around, and one of the hottest live shows you'll see anywhere. Check out his latest album with production from Paul Nice, DJ Design, Fanatik and more. Good sh*t throughout" - Toph One, XLR8R - New York Now issue #81

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DJ DNA

What so many producers don't take into consideration when they are working on an instrumental project, is that no one is going to rap over the tracks. So the beats need to be thick enough and they need to be able to tell a story themselves. It's such a simple rule and fact, it's quite surprising how few producers actually accomplish such. DJ DNA really took this first rule of making an instrumental project into consideration when he put together the four song 12" single "When Day Breaks, Night Falls". Taken from the forthcoming full length album Impressionism. Some records are meant for the dimly lit lounges of beat freaks all over the world. This is one of them. "When Day Breaks, Night Falls" brings you back to the revolutionary and exciting days of the Skratch Piklz, the peak of DJ Shadow’s Entroducing, and the excitement felt by the reinvention of the art of turntablism… the ingenuity and unabashed creativity required in the craft of piecing together drastically varying influences into a single cohesive entity.

DJ DNA's ability to set a mood is paralell to none in this fast growing market of sample based music made popular by DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, Kid Koala, and Dan the Automator. Nevertheless DJ DNA hold's his own as he truly stands out as a dope reconstructor of breaks and outlandish samples. The songs on this record are never stagnant, always changing and always interesting. This is the kind of music that allows your mind to travel. With the journey ranging from b-boy summit anthems to emotional travels deep within the soul, "When Day Breaks..." marks DJ DNA as a skillful engineer of tone, bringing feeling back into music. "I wanted to make this release to basically reminisce on where I've been, kind of question where I am at, and explore where I am going. Not just musically, but spiritually and socially as well," explains DJ DNA .

DJ DNA 12" single When Day Breaks, Night Falls in stores now

Ranging from the eerie to the downright funky, DNA’s technical expertise is as evident as his penchant for some serious crate-mining. The haunting, repetitive, elegantly rustic melodies provide the backbone to DNA’s abstract breakbeat scratching. While many of the tracks finish as they start, there's always a whole lot of things happening in between, with tracks moving far away from where they began, while still always staying in respect to all what came before. And what's very important, there's very little room left for anyone to rhyme over these songs. And that's the way we want it, when we listen to an instrumental record. A must have for serious beat freaks.

Full length DJ DNA album Impressionism in stores now!

01 I'd Just Like to Say (Intro) 01:09
02 Destruction's Theme 04:36
03 Live From The Unheard 05:45
04 Daily Grind 05:20
05 Infection Collection 1 (Extended Version) 03:57
06 Electrocution Behind A Feeling 04:27
07 Re-Balance 05:09
08 Thou Shall Not Synth 04:36
09 Odyssey 05:17
10 Impressionism 10:54
11 When Day Breaks, Night Falls 04:13
12 I Know I Have To Go (Outro) 0:35

"Reinforcing turntablism's cut-and-paste pastiche with a solid rhythmic bass and a steady and at times saddened procession of moody atmospherics, Northern California's finest, DJ DNA, delivers one of the more impressive instrumental hip-hop CDs of the year" - Urb Magazine / October 2004 Issue

"In the family of cut 'n' paste party rockers such as Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow (the obvious comparisons), Sacramento's DJ DNA nonetheless manages to surprise and raise an eyebrow with his unexpected twists and fresh samples. "Re-Balance" is the prime example here, a clear student of the John Hillard School of Rock-45 Digging." - XLR8R

"Bomb Hip-Hop presents the impressive debut 12" from Justin Adams, aka DJ DNA. The Sacramento native crafts moody instrumentals thick enough to stand on their own and so expressive that they don't need an MC to complete them. DNA's vibey mixture of crashing beats, far out samples and top-shelf turntablist flourishes gives discerning heads-on-the-go something truly fresh to bump on their headphones." - SF Examiner

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NAC ONE

Bay Area graffiti artist and emcee Nac One (Berkeley, CA.) has been appearing on mix tapes and performing with artists like the Fugees, Nas, Abstract Rude, Freestyle Fellowship and Living Legends since the early 90's. In 2001, with his graffiti/emcee crew FSC, he released the independent classic cd Oneness.

For his national solo debut album Natural Reaction Nac One has teamed with east bay producer Fanatik - best known for his work with Azeem, Planet Asia, Rasco (the hit song "Unassisted") and the instrumental project Phanatik Beats (the first record released on Stones Throw). Heavily influenced by artists like KRS-One, Organized Konfusion and DITC (raps golden era '88-'93) Nac One spits lyrical gems over Fanatik's bomb bap style of beats. Ill concepts, lyrics and rhyme delivery are apparent on songs like Streak, Hand Crafted and Mega Rats... Nac One and Summertime Joint are party jam tracks and songs like Get Mine, I Run Styles and Winter Again will appeal to lovers of independent hip-hop music worldwide.

Full length Nac One album Natural Reaction out now.

album track listing
01 Natural Reaction 03:29
02 Streak 03:19
03 Goin Through It 04:44
04 Get Mine 03:06
05 Hand Crafted 03:23
06 Meditate With Me 04:51
07 I Run Styles 03:36
08 Words Thoughts 02:04
09 Nac One 03:41
10 Summertime Joint 04:19
11 Winter Again 04:22
12 Mega Rats 04:23
13 Feel Me 04:36
14 Posse Cut 04:29
15 Lyrical Warlords 05:13
16 It All Comes Back 03:43

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click here to visit the official Bomb Hip-Hop website
http://www.bombhiphop.com