Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. is an editor, writer and producer. A graduate from Washington State University, he writes and edits the Pacific Northwest section of OZONE Magazine and hosts and produces Live From I-5 Radio every Friday at 3pm on jose@devastatorgroup.com
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Working class, gritty and grimy hip-hop rears its beautiful head with the arrival of Sweatshop Union in the South Puget Sound tonight. A mighty contingent of Canadian DJs and MCs prepare to wreck shop with one of the dopest live shows you will see. Homeland Security once again brings the
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The Puget Sound is not particularly known as a comedy haven, although Tacoma's Ralph Porter is a veteran of the laugh circuit. In terms of this column, the marriage of hip-hop and comedy has always been a necessary fixture, from the brilliant antics of The Fat Boys to Russell Simmons'
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I've been involved with hip-hop radio since 1989 when I was invited to visit KAOS 89.3 FM in Olympia - where I host a show to this very day. I was intrigued by the smooth voice of hip-hop radio pioneer Nancy G. Plus, I never forgot about KDAY in Los
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This Saturday night at Olympia's Royal Lounge, some esteemed members of Los Angeles' hip-hop royalty will make their impact on stage when Murs and Psycho Realm's Sick Jacken headline a show flanked by Olympia's award-winning Afrok and Junkyard Gang. The show, put on by Growing Pains Entertainment, features one of the
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Tonight, Vancouver, B.C. native turned Portlander Josh Martinez will make a return visit to "Tha O" as he headlines an awesome lineup of hip-hoppers at Olympia's Royal Lounge. The show, put on by Homeland Security, features appearances by The Junkyard Gang and house-party rockers extraordinaire Night Fox - followed by
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On an overcast Sunday afternoon I had the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with one of my favorite MCs from Puget Sound - Josh Rizeberg. I was excited to meet with Rizeberg because he's one of a growing contingent of hip-hop artists in our region beginning to
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Tacoma and Olympia have raised a healthy crop of hip-hop/entertainment artists - from Criminal Nation and Wojack to High Performance, Black Anger, Black Caesar, DJ Hawkskee, Donald Glaude, DJ Dan, Slo Poke aka SP, Jay Barz and too many more to name in this humble column. Adding to the relatively long
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Tonight Dark Time Sunshine (Onry Ozzborn and Zavala) celebrate the release of the group's highly anticipated sophomore album, Vessel, on Sake Four Records. The show will be your first chance to cop Vessel, featuring Aesop Rock, JFK, XP and more, as the record drops officially on April 20. Ozzborn (of
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Renown MC/poet and T-Town representative Josh Rizeberg hosts an all-ages Aries Party for yo' ass at The Viaduct in Tacoma Sunday. Rizeberg will bring to the stage performances by: $krilla, Illizm, TKO, Bounce, Wicked Sixx, Darxiide, Business As Usual, Young Swag and L.O.P. A thick lineup of 253 talent by
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Leave it to a real OG like SP aka Slo Poke to deliver a necessary solution to the problem of wack MCs and general stagnation in the 25360 hip-hop communities. With his newly launched monthly battle series, "Go Hard or Go Home," held at Olympia's Royal Lounge, SP has created
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Since its birth and nurturing period, hip-hop culture has served as an alternative path to the lifestyle that awaited youngsters in the Bronx - and New York's early heroin and gang-dominated era in the mid '70s. For the founding generation, hip-hop became a powerful outlet for the type of expression
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Tech N9ne coming to Oly Tech N9ne will hit The Royal Lounge's stage Friday March 26. The Kansas City representative is a giant on the independent music scene. Example: he signed fellow underground legend Brotha Lynch Hung of Sac-Town to his Strange Music label last year. SP will host the joint
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One of the last MCs with soul had planned on spending most of the beginning of this year in the motherland, Africa, for a life journey, performances and more life learning. However, while in England, Gabriel Teodros' plans were thwarted by the British government who denied him passage from Europe
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I will say this much... Seattle is quickly - and I mean with a quickness - becoming a model of how to do things right in the Hip-Hop community. Of course this is a blanket statement and does not apply to each and every Seattleite, but it speaks to the
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Olympia MC, Afrok dominated the much scrutinized and criticized nominee list for the 2nd Annual 25360 Awards. Not only was he nominated for the most awards (three), but he won each category as voted on by the public. Afrok won in the categories of Best Come Up, awarded to the
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This weekend marks thr 8th Annual Hip-Hop 4 The Homeless/Haiti Benefit Weekend Saturday, Jan. 30, 4-10 p.m. at The Loft on Cherry in downtown Olympia. It will provide an opportunity for the community to donate and contribute to support, relief and resource services for the homeless and needy of
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Hip-Hop 4 The Homeless continues to thrive as an annual event that focuses on the increasing numbers of the homeless nation and raises food, clothing, resources and funding for the homeless and needy of Thurston, Pierce, Mason and Lewis counties and beyond. For the scoop, read my previous column here. The
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Hip-Hop 4 The Homeless will be held Saturday, Jan. 30, 4-10 p.m., at The Loft on Cherry in Olympia. It continues to thrive as an annual event that focuses on the increasing numbers of the homeless nation and raises food, clothing, resources and funding for the homeless and needy of
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The Year — she’s up Ahhh, The final installment of The 25360 for 2009. I’ve been at it since August 2008, hopefully providing some news, info, philosophy and insight about our Tacoma/Olympia hip-hop scene as it grows at a patient pace. The 25360 Awards 2009 — vote now! A flash in the pan
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DJ B-Mello’s vintage mixtapes Seattle-based World renowned celebrity DJ and hip-hop aficionado DJ B-Mello has been creating, developing and contributing to hip-hop culture since the ‘80s and much of his work is documented — accidentally on purpose. The decorated DJ/producer (West Coast 2006 DJ of The Year) has been producing, mixing
