NEWS: Rock The Bells Line-Up Announced

The Rock The Bells tour is back (check photos from last year's here). The bills is a little lighter than last year but still a cannot-miss level event.

Performers: A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, De La Soul, Rakim, Method Man & Redman, Raekwon & Ghostface Killah, Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, Murs, Kidz In The Hall, Spank Rock (blegh, they better be booed off stage), Santogold, Kid Sister, Wale, Flosstradamus, Jay Electronica, The Cool Kids and it will be hosted by B-Real (Cypress Hill) and Supernatural.

Rock The Bells Tour 2008
7/19 Chicago, IL
7/20 Toronto, ON
7/26 Boston, MA
7/27 New York, NY
8/2 Miami, FL
8/3 Philadelphia, PA
8/9 Los Angeles, CA
8/16 San Francisco, CA
8/23 Denver, CO
8/30 Vancouver, BC

VIDEO: Ghostface Killah - We Celebrate

Ghostface Killah finally releases the video for 'We Celebrate'. Crazy.

CONTEST: Ghostface Killah Deck + T-Shirt

SDSU CONTEST: The kids over at Zoo York, Cornerstone and Def Jam have teamed up with SDSU to do this great Ghostface Killah contest. I mean, seriously, how cool are these prizes? You know you love The Big Dough Rehab, and you know you want that shirt and deck. Even you non-skateboarders out there. Looking at you Rafi.


The aforementioned parties have created that hype co-branded skateboard deck and T-shirt adorned with custom graphics that pay homage to The Big Dough Rehab, as well as the abundance of AKA’s the hip-hop icon has adopted over the past fifteen years. Limited to less than 500 promo-only pieces and slated to release in early February 2008, these co-op collectibles will be available exclusively through in-store and online promos from Def Jam, Cornerstone, the Zoo, and this SDSU contest of course.

WHAT TO DO TO WIN: Write me at wes[AT]liberatedmatter[DOT]com (subject line: GHOSTFACE CONTEST) and tell me your mailing address and what your favorite Ghostface Killah album is. One winner will be randomly picked and sent the prizes per UPS, who by the way are hiring. NOTE: Only people in the continental US are eligible. Sorry international readers.

VIDEO: Ghostface, Rakim, Brother Ali = Hip Hop Live Tour

Ghostface Killah, Rakim, Brother Ali, and the Rhythm Roots All-Stars went on tour together.

LISTEN: Craig G - Just What I Need

DOWNLOAD Craig G - Just What I Need (MP3)

What a great track. A message, great story-telling, great flow, beautiful melancholic 90's beat. Craig G is still killing it after all these years. Below a freestyle with Ghostface Killah nodding his head to Craig's rhymes.

NEWS: Brother Ali Announces New Tour

Brother Ali released one of my favorite albums of 2007. He is also going back on tour after a run of shows with Ghostface Killah a few months ago.

Brother Ali - The Truth Is Here Tour Dates:
2/29/08 High Noon, Madison, WI
3/01/08 Picador, Iowa City, IA
3/02/08 WMTU Hougton, Houghton, MI
3/03/08 Pizza Luce, Duluth, MN
3/04/08 UW Stout, Menomonie, WI
3/05/08 Waiting Room, Omaha, NE
3/06/08 Blue Bird, Boulder, CO
3/07/08 Blue Bird, Denver, CO
3/08/08 Kilby Court/Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
3/09/08 The Venue, Boise, ID
3/10/08 Neumos, Seattle, WA
3/11/08 Hawthorne, Portland, OR
3/12/08 Slim's, San Francisco, CA
3/13/08 Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
3/14/08 Canes, San Diego, CA
3/15/08 Congress, Tucson, AZ
3/16/08 Sunshine Theatre, Albuquerque, NM*
3/19/08 The Prophet Bar, Dallas, TX
3/21/08 Orpheum, Tampa, FL
3/22/08 The Social, Orlando, FL
3/24/08 Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
3/25/08 Ottobar, Baltimore, MD
3/26/08 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
3/27/08 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
3/28/08 Middle East, Boston, MA
3/29/08 Neitzches, Buffalo, NY
3/30/08 Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI
3/31/08 Abbey Pub, Chicago, IL

* w/ Living Legends

VIDEO: Ghostface Killah - We Celebrate Behind-The-Scenes

FlowTV takes us behind the scenes of Ghostface Killah's 'We Celebrate' music video.

VIDEO: Wu-Tang Clan Live @ Hammerstein

I scoured YouTube for a few videos of this weekend's Wu-Tang Clan Hammerstein Ballroom concert. See below. Shaky, far away and fuzzy but the energy is palatable. Below photos take by DutchDaMasta. Erykah Badu came out to sing Happy Birthday to Raekwon.



VIDEOS:
- Raekwon - Criminology (Live @ Hammerstein) [Watch]
- Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing To F*ck With (Live @ Hammerstein) [Watch]
- Erykah Badu sings Happy Birthday to Raekwon [Watch]

LISTEN: Jay-Z/Ghostface Killah - American Ironman (Full Mixtape)

DOWNLOAD Ghostface Killah - Success @ The Apollo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Jay-Z/Ghostface Killah - American Ironman (Full Mixtape) (MP3)

Rafi just just posted yet another American Gangster, but this time with an extra interesting angle. Cali's DJ Chong Wizard combined Jay-Z rhymes with Ghostface Killah's beats, and vice versa. Makes me wish Jay-Z would ask for some RZA beats sometimes. Download above a highlight, Ghoistface Killah over the 'Success' beat, as well as the full mixtape.

LISTEN: Rhymefest - Man In The Mirror (Full Mixtape)

DOWNLOAD Rhymefest - Man In The Mirror (Full Mixtape) (MP3)

This one's been floating out there for a few days already, but I hadn't gotten a chance to listen yet and I'm pleasantly surprised with Rhymefest's latest mixtape 'Man In The Mirror', presented by Mark Ronson. Tracklist below.


1 The Cipher (Rhymefest & Michael Jackson)
2 Can’t Make It (Rhymefest) [prod. by Best Kept Secret]
3 “Thriller” Skit
4 Get Up (Rhymefest ft Wale)
5 Dancin’ Machine (The Jackson 5 ft Rhymefest)
6 Flip It Skit
7 Never Can Say Goodbye (Rhymefest ft Talib Kweli) [prod. by Best Kept Secret]
8 Mike The Mentor (Rhymefest ft Michael Jackson)
9 No Sunshine (Rhymefest) [prod. by Emile]
10 Caught Up Skit
11 Foolin’ Around (Rhymefest ft Dres) [prod. by Mark Ronson]
12 Set The Mood
13 Breakadawn (Rhymefest ft Daniel Merriweather & alpha.)
14 Windbreaker Skit
15 Higher Intro
16 Higher (Rhymefest)
17 Mark vs. Mike
18 All That I’ve Got (Rhymefest ft Ghostface Killah & Mary J. Blige)
19 Maybe Tomorrow (Michael Jackson)
20 Sunshine Skit
21 Coolie High (Camp Lo ft Rhymefest)
22 Family Reunion (ft Tito, Randy, Mike & Rhymefest)
23 Much Love Skit
24 Man In The Mirror (Rhymefest ft Michael Jackson)

VIDEO: Ghostface 'Freestyles' For AOL

Ghostface Killah sticks it to the man when instead of dropping a new freestyle he repeats some lyrics from 'Wisdom Body' in this AOL 16 Bars freestyle segment.

LISTEN: ICC - G.A.M.E. ft. Ghostface Killah, Napoleon & Shing02

DOWNLOAD ICC - G.A.M.E. ft. Ghostface Killah, Napoleon & Shing02 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD ICC - G.A.M.E.(CA Version) ft. Shing02, Jern Eye & Caveman (MP3)

'G.A.M.E.' is produced by ICC Productions and the original version features Ghostface Killah, Napoleon and Lounge Lo. This song is included on both the Orders Disorderly Conduct LP and Sabotawj's Key 2 Da City album (Buy here). The CA Remix features a completely different beat and here Shing02 is joined by Jern Eye and Caveman. Below a video by the aforementioned Sabotawj.

Sabotawj - Five Deep (Produced by Order)

NEWS: Method Man Defends RZA

Now this is technically unsubstantiated and the source is unclear, but just because I really want this to be true and it sounds like something Method Man would say , we're just going to assume it is. Meth speaks on Ghostface Killah and Raekwon's vocalize displeasure with RZA and 8 Diagrams.


Method Man & RZA @ Rock The Bells, more pics here
""Them niggas got they opinion, but shit's peace between me and RZA, no question. Ghost & Rae don't never like nothing anyway...never," Method Man states with a dismissive tone. "Them dudes be looking at they mom's turkey on Thanksgiving like 'The fuck is this bullshit??' (laughs) 'Man this macaroni is some ol buuulllshit! Megan Good's titties is some bullshit! Rihanna's forehead, that's some bullshit!"

On RZA's production and 8 Diagrams: ""That's music right there man, I don't know what them dudes is listening to. They must have heard it from some clock radio speakers or something, and Rae, that nigga was probably just mad 'cuz he ain't had his lunch yet at the time. I like what RZA doing right now, the way he's able to go outside the box as well as go to the typical Wu bangers ya'll critical ass motherfuckers is used too. I already got some joints from him on my next album, more heat. In fact we was just in the studio a few days ago, and Nas came through. He hopped on a beat and we did the hook and everything that night. He talking about he wanna put it on his Jiggaboo album (a joke reference to Nas' upcoming album, The N Word), but I think I'ma hold on to that one. We might hook up again for another song. I was actually supposed to be on It Was Written back in the day, but it just never happened." Man, I hope is legit. RZA and Meth with Nas.

VIDEO: Ghostface Killah - Barrell Brothers ft Styles P & Beanie Sigel

You do not have to check your RSS readers or monitors. This is not a repeat post. Ghostface Killah brings out Styles P & Beanie Sigel for the video to 'Barrell Brothers'.

VIDEO: Ghostface Killah Highlights Parts Of 8 Diagrams

After throwing the album under the bus Ghostface Killah took some time out to highlight a few parts on 8 Diagrams.

NEWS: Ghostface + MF Doom LP Not Coming For A While

Ghostface Killah comments on the long-awaited collaborative album with MF Doom. It is coming soon?


"Not as of right now," he reports. "I'm about to go on the road again and I gotta finish up (the sequel to 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx') with Raekwon, so maybe when everything gets cleared out of the way, but we'll find a space."

NEWS: Ghostface Killah Did NOT Sell Hat On Ebay

Seems like RZA isn't the only person Ghostface Killah has issues with concerning payment. You may remember his video about auctioning off his fitted 'Atlanta Backwoods' cap which has "been in front of Halle Berry". Well the buyer reneged.


Ghost at a recent video shoot by Hesastud. More here.
When the bidding ended on November 4, the lucky winner of said hat — a — agreed to deposit $355 in the PayPal account of Ghostface's intermediary seller. At least that was the plan. "I didn't sell it, because the guy that posted on it that bought it, he reneged on it. So it wasn't nothing to it, you know." More here.

NEWS: Ghostface Hates 8 Diagrams

Ghostface Killah spoke to Rhapsody and his level of appreciation for the new Wu-Tang Clan album 8 Diagrams came up. "That s**t is wack. I heard RZA was changing some of the beats around the last minute. I didn’t hear that. I don’t know what y’all listening to out there. I never heard it. I’m with Raekwon." Personally I think the problem is that musically speaking RZA is ahead of the rest of the clan and 8 Diagrams will prove to be an excellent album people go back to in a few years and they'll understand. It's not vintage hardbody Wu, but that wasn't the outset. It's an evolved piece of work that I predict will stand the test of time.


Ghost at a recent video shoot by Hesastud. More here
On RZA and being owed money: "I just won my court case from them n*gg*s. The suit been in there for three years. So put that out there. They just lost their f*ck*n’ case. So who don’t owe who money? Let’s get it straight, RZA. That’s all I’m sayin’, baby. It was a loss, they lost. L-O-S-T. That’s really it. [...] I don’t see RZA, man. That n*gg*’s real sneaky. I love him, though. Ain’t no bad blood. Ain’t nobody doing no bad to him. It’s just that you can’t get money with a n*gg*." More here.

NEWS: Photos From Ghostface Video Shoot

I'm going to join VDB on this limb and say these photos by Hesastud were taken about a week ago on the video shoot for Ghostface Killah's 'We Celebrate' off of December 4th's excellent The Big Doe Rehab.



More photos on this flickr page.

LISTEN: Ghostface Killah - Yolanda's House ft. Raekwon & Method Man

DOWNLOAD Ghostface Killah - Yolanda's House ft. Raekwon & Method Man (MP3)

It's Ghost hour here at SitDownStandUp.com! Two back to back inbox arrivals. This track off of Ghostface Killah's Big Doe Rehab features Method Man and Raekwon but someone still clocks in only slightly over 3 minutes. Ghost explains the track here.


Ghost & Rae @ Rock The Bells. More pics here.