BEATS RHYMES & LIFE
Beats Rhymes and Life, a documentary about A Tribe Called Quest, opened on Friday July 8th. But on Thursday July 7th Paper Ships threw one big ass party to celebrate the movie’s release. The event was hosted by the film’s director, Michael Rappaport, and had a slew of BIG TIME Hip Hop DJs performing. The big names included LA’s own Madlib and Peanut Butter Wolf, and the legendary Prince Paul. Paul and PB Wolf ended the night with a legendary VJ battle.
Prince Paul started off his set admitting that he usually doesn’t DJ with videos but was talked into it by PB Wolf, who pretty much only does VJ sets these days. Paul is most famously known for his work with De La Soul, but for me his teaming up with Dan the Automator on Handsome Boy Modeling School’s So How’s Your Girl… is the most life changing album I’ve ever heard. Paul announced throughout the night that he was only spinning “real Hip-Hop.” For him this meant mostly 80’s and 90’s tracks, further disproving the idea of some that real Hip Hop is alive and well. He actually only played a handful of tracks from this millennium. And only one track from the past 5 years or so, that being Tyler the Creator’s “Yonkers.”
As for Mr. Peanut Butter Wolf, he began his VJ set with some unbelievable homemade footage from Tribe’s very early years. But to make sure he wouldn’t be outdone by anyone that night, he brought out Phife Dawg and proceeded to impersonate Ali Shaheed Muhammad as the two went through Tribe’s unreal catalog of Hip Hop classics. The energy was palpable and almost brought a tear to my eye as I realized this is the closest I may get to seeing a real A Tribe Called Quest show, but who knows… Their Pamela Anderson-Tommy Lee like off & on again relationship keeps us fans on the edge of our seats. The golden years of Hip Hop may be over, but with nights like this I am reminded that as long as Hip Hop legends are alive and performing, real Hip Hop will never be dead.
A Tribe Called Quest – Award Tour
Golden Bloggen 
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