2011 Feb 25 Pete Rock "Not Dead Yet" - See For Yourself at Yugong Yishan This Saturday
Beijing's hip-hop heads are in for a rare treat tomorrow when Pete Rock comes to drop bombs on Yugong Yishan. You shouldn't need told twice to part with money to see Soul Brother #1 but if you need persuaded here are the facts: the man is one of the best beatsmiths on the planet (Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy"), he's responsible for some stone cold classic tunes ("They Reminisce Over You") and he's undoubtedly rap royalty. If you don't know, now you know. Tickets are RMB 100 on the door or RMB 70 if you get them in advance - get down to YGYS tonight to grab a bargain.
We caught up with Pete and he told us that he has the same inspiration as Li Na, his favourite kung-fu flicks and which producers to check for this year (and we found out he's cool with internet slang) ... but first here are a couple of videos to put you in the mood.
You've got an album coming out with Smif-n-Wessun, how was that and have you any more plans of working with Duck Down acts?
It was good, the shows went really well.
You were recently quoted on DJPremierblog.com as saying any new Nas album "wouldn't be the same without" you and DJ Premier - can we look forward to new Nas tracks featuring your production?
Yes, you can.
What's your favorite beat that you produced of all time?
Shut Em Down Remix [by Onyx] is my favorite.
What about tracks that you didn't produce?
De La Soul - Stakes is High
Who are the MCs and producers to watch out for in 2011?
Joel Ortiz, Corey Guns, Fred The GodSon - Producer M-Phazes
What's the word on the street about Beijing these days back in the States?
I honestly don’t know, I will find out and let people know.
You've done a lot of great work with members of the Wu Tang - do you share their passion for old school kung fu flicks? If so, do any of stand out?
Yes, I do. Blade of Fury, Five Deadly Venoms, The Kid with the Golden Arm, 36 Chambers.
What inspires you to lay down a track?
Money....
If you had to pick a specific rock which one would it be?
Black Diamond
Who do you think reminisces over you?
No one, my man. I am not dead yet ... lol.
You might also be interested in :
DJ Usami: Electronic Arts
A regular at Yen parties down through the years, DJ Usami’s been blowing up Migas’ terrace this summer alongside Patrick Yu with the pair’s “Moonlighting” series.
Daniel Bell: Minimal Techno, the Detroit Way
Detroit minimal techno pioneer Daniel Bell is the man behind the influential Accelerate, Elevate and Seventh City record labels. After a brief hiatus from producing, and a move to Germany, he’s resumed a busy DJing schedule. Originally set to play at Alpha, his performance in Beijing has just been moved to Yugong Yishan on Friday, July 23. Bell sat down with us for 60 seconds of interrogation.
French Disco Ambassador Comes to Beijing
Known for his eclectic musical pairings, Dimitri from Paris has worked with everyone from Madonna to fashion houses Yves Saint-Laurent and Chanel. His latest project unearths the 70’s disco music of Philadelphia.
Infected Mushroom write Chinese School Essays and Win tickets to the Show!
If you’ve been living in the trance sphere, there’s no need to describe the brilliance of Erez Aizen and Amit “Duvdev” Duvedevani, or better known as Infected Mushroom (http://www.myspace.com/infectedmushroomcentral). After their last Beijing show in May, the Israeli producers, DJs or even rock stars - whatever you prefer to call them - are back in town on Christmas Eve.
INTRO-ducing ... Sonic Architect Gui Boratto
Brazilian producer and DJ Gui Boratto studied architecture, but abandoned a prospective career in construction for a life in music. We asked him a few questions as he readied himself to headline this weekend’s INTRO Electronic Music Festival (May 26).
