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Roots Picnic justifies visiting Philadelphia

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  • Run-DMC has been replaced by a special set from Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface, backed by The Roots. Upgrade.
  • Das Racist blowin' up.
  • Fuck Vampire Weekend.

Get your tickets already.
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Jay-Z, Eminem announce super concerts at baseball stadiums



Jay-Z and Eminem will co-headline a home-and-home series, performing September 2 in Detroit's Comerica Park and September 13 in a developing little field known to a few as Yankee Stadium. Getcha popcorn ready.

No ticket info yet, but stay tuned.
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Lollapalooza snubs hip-hop

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Fading burn outs returning to their Simpsons-early '90s roots (Cypress Hill), a revivalist r&b guy infamous for Bel Biv Devoe (Raphael Saadiq), and a well-connected up and comer with more famous cosigners than actual fans (B.o.B) will be the only semblance of hip-hop during Chicago's Lollapalooza festival in August.

Three marquee festivals linchpin the summer season. Coachella is the spring fling. Bonnaroo props up the midsummer fatigue in June. Lollapalooza is the August crescendo. Coachella and Bonnaroo have already shown their cards and put on for the genre across the board: Jay-Z, Wale, P.O.S., 2ManyDJs, Major Lazer, Flying Lotus, Gorillaz, De La Soul, Mayer Hawthorne, Jay Electronica, Nas & Damian Marley, Kid Cudi.

Held annually in Chicago's Grant Park since 2005, Lolla is a must. We're talking Rage Against the Machine/Kanye West/Wilco/Radiohead/Nine Inch Nails as headliners in one sitting, charging the masses. While Coachella and Roo bring the party to scenic, rural grounds, Lollapalooza is held on the shores of Lake Michigan, in the heart of the Dunkin' Donuts district, downtown in one of the most densely populated U.S. cities. Whereas the other two festivals are defined by camping and mushrooms and free love, Lollapalooza is about crowded subways full of locals and enjoying Lupe Fiasco with his hometown skyline approvingly adorning the view.

To be clear, Lollapalooza is the most accessible of the major festivals and thus it bears an added responsibility to diversify beyond trendy college rock and trendy college rock from 20 years ago. No, Lady Gaga doesn't count.
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NYC Bureau: XXL Freshman Showcase @ the Highline


Few things get the internet goin nuts quite like XXL's annual freshman series these days, so when we got invited to check out the official showcase @ the Highline Ballroom in NY, we had to swing through.

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Shows: Clipse at Ace's Lounge (Austin)

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Photo by Callie Richmond for ATG.

Virginia's all-time greatest cocaine gurus, Clipse, strolled through Central Texas last night and rocked a sold out crowd at Ace's Lounge. Local firestarters Kevin Jack, Drastik, The League of Extraordinary Gz and Vonnegutt opened the night.

Check out an exclusive show gallery after the jump.
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SXSW 2010: Saturday

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Photo by Callie Richmond for ATG.

The home stretch of the South by Southwest music conference.

Hustlepalooza was filled with, you know, hustlers and standout performances from Skyzoo and GLC; Freddie Gibbs sipped Hennessey on the rocks and spoke candidly to ATG about the game's perils; weather turned grey and murky and cold as Bone Thugz returned to rock the Fader Fort; the Lawyers 4 Musicians Party at Ace's, in its sophomore inception, jammed out with Kidz In the Hall and The Cool Kids although the Dilated Peoples delegate canceled; Mos Def energized sympathizers at Red Bull Thre3Style, an open air block party; I didn't get into Perez Hilton's party either.

Still sorting out the notes, stay tuned for detailed interviews and summations. Hit the jump for one last batch of pretty pictures from our photographer. It's been a journey.
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SXSW 2010: Friday

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Photo by Callie Richmond for ATG.

The third music day is the messiest during South by Southwest: the most people are converged in Austin, the biggest parties become impenetrable, there's tons of wonderful shows. It's when I start making dumb calls: key networking opportunities and interviews are passed for the fourth annual reunion show from a local punk band, an open bar at The Parish and terrible modern rock wins over important, tastemaking shit.

ATG chats with Kid Sister about Paul Wall's generosity and her new tattoo and Bin Laden Blowin' Up about playing the Nahright party and Charles Hamilton's production.

During the evening, official showcases are left unattended as I'm with friends and everyone wants to find free drinks. After three days in a washing machine, with an intimidating Saturday of appearances by buzzed about rappers looming, I'm in bed by one.

Excellent photos from our more adventurous photog after the jump.
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SXSW 2010: Thursday

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Photo by Callie Richmond for ATG.

Thursday meant scrambled and canceled interviews and hotel lobbies (Bomba Estereo, Ozomatli, Cypress Hill, Choc Quib Town); the stacked Smoking Section and Nahright party (J. Cole, Freddie Gibbs, Freeway, Pill, Wiz Khalifa, Yelawolf, Fashawn); a 12-4 start to my hopeful March Madness bracket; Dam-Funk, The Walkmen and Kid Sister already losing her voice after numerous shows and talking college hoops with a friendly, sharp, depressed Purdue student (the Final Four is in Indianapolis, they were an overpowering team, their best player tore his ACL) at the Mad Decent & IHeartComix Carniville; The GZA finally showing up at Eastbound & Found; Passion Pit and Mayer Hawthorne late at the Fader Fort after party.

Exclusive documentation after the jump.
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SXSW 2010: Wednesday

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Photo by Callie Richmond for ATG.

"Paul Wall and I had lots of beef," Chamillionare recounted to the modest crowd Thursday morning at La Zona Rosa, "No, like, a lot of beef."

The Houston princes proceeded to playfully apologize to each other for a decade of lost collaborations and then the house lights came up. A triumphant final note in a typical, tiring opening South by Southwest day. But let's backtrack.

After worming through the vast Fader Fort wristband pickup line and then jump-starting the afternoon with a flash performance from Danger Mouse and the bro from The Shins's undeniably listenable and pretty new band, Broken Bells, ATG waited around at one of Brooklyn Vegan's numerous bashes with worthy non-hip-hop (Japandroids, Titus Andronicus, Black Angels), vegan ice cream (no matter how offputting veganism is for its blatant disregard towards gloriously greasy Western diets, the cream is just fine), and vodka teas until one of Brooklyn Vegan's photographers confirmed GZA wouldn't make it.

The GZA is not in my top three Wu-Tang Clan members, but he's always been the wordy intellectual and his craftsmanship reputation has played well with all the indie rock collaborations dude's been on since last year. But he's first and foremost a rapper and rappers cancel shows.

Reporters also miss shows because they don't bother to read a Facebook message from performing talent.

Minutes later, I arrived at Phranchyze's well-placed, well-executed cd release party having missed the music part. If you're an Austin artist and you want Austin music fans to support you during SXSW when the world is in their backyard, do something. Phran's event was early, concise (2-6pm), offered drinks, was at a fresh new retailer for rare kicks and tees (aesthetics, son). Also, dude's album is dope.

Anyway, we talked college hoops, reminisced about an era when Texas freestylers would rehash same lines over and over ("I kick ass like 'Tekken'" for instance).

"I like Syracuse man," Phranchyze said, "I like Baylor in the Final Four. I've filled out so many brackets I don't remember. But Robbie Hummel is a bitch."

The proceedings led to interviews in lobbies and back to Fader Fort.

Early on, Fort security told me Nas would be performing during the week. Given his official showcase was Wednesday, and that I didn't see two enormous stars (Damian Marley, his album collaborator) taking in the conference together and going to Chuy's and The Salt Lick, safe money had them as the Wednesday special guest.

"Nas Is Like" set off a firestorm of open bar-fueled party people's hands in the air. So did "NY State of Mind" and "One Love." But it popped off too quick and classic Nasir led to well-received songs from Welcome to Jamrock and then a bunch of stuff no one's heard because it won't be available for public consumption until May. 30 minutes later it was over, time to journey 1.6 miles to La Zona Rosa.

Texas rappers are far and away the most charming rappers. After a half-empty set of mostly stoned dudes watched stoically as an Usher type singer dry humped the air and sang slow jams, the underground conglomerate showcase took off. CD-Rs were thrown into the crowd, 30-plus friends and well-wishers stood around stage taking videophone footage, flipcams saw it all.

Chalie Boy was incredible. Trae was historic. Paul Wall and Chamillionaire, back together after beef tore apart their professional relationship, killed. Only two cuts from 2002's collaborative masterpiece, Get Ya Mind Correct, made the setlist (you know which ones). But it was a rundown of classic freestyles from Swisha House tapes, brilliant remixes, guest spots like "Drive Slow," solo hits. 
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SXSW 2010: The ATG Interviews

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Photo by Evan Daniels for ATG

Day one of the big dance and the gang's all around: elder statesman from the major markets, reunited Texans, internet hype dudes testing cross-over waters for the first time. It's a playful, hopeful atmosphere around Austin as South by Southwest's overpowering, circuit-breaking music portion revs up.

Far as who ATG is checking for, reference the building list of interview subjects below. As always, follow us all week for up to the minute updates, tips, obscene hashtags; stay hydrated, wear green, check the jump for an exclusive slideshow of pictures.


Kidz In the Hall

88 Keys

Freeway

Mayer Hawthorne

Das Racist

Theophilus London

Donnis

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