Swollen Members

A great week for all you hip-hop heads. Out now in stores are highly anticipated releases like the debut from Lupe Fiasco, DJ Shadow (only his 3rd proper album in 10 years), and a video game soundtrack produced by Dan The Automator featuring an all-star cast of MC’s.

Live in town, Shadow is playing 2 gigs with Quannum partner Lateef opening, Nike’s popular Run Hit Remix event at the Coliseum sports some blasts from hip-hop’s past, avant jazz-funk trio MMW gets nasty at the Fonda, trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack headline the Bowl following TV On The Radio, and Guns ‘n Roses headline KROQ’s Inland Invasion.

As far as sounds coming out of Crack Alley studios, check out Squeak E. Clean’s own Jack Catlin (aka DJ Knewjack) spinning Friday at Santa Monica’s newest bar Nocturnal along with Johnny Octane, whom some of you might recognize from our MDR loft parties (more on that later). And last week I forgot to mention the new record from Canadian hip-hop group Swollen Members, featuring the Squeak E. Clean-produced “Go To Sleep” with frequent vocal collaborator Barbie Hatch, set to be the second single. It’s an awesome track on a great album that also features Mix Master Mike (of Beastie Boys & Invisibl Skratch Piklz), Everlast, Ghostface (of Wu-Tang Clan), DJ Babu & Evidence (of Dilated Peoples), the Alchemist, Mr Vegas, and more!