Skase A.k. - Opening Credits

Hip Hop...
Easily the most important label/Culture in my Life. From the days in the mid to late 90's at my VERY public High School in Country Victoria where anyone sporting that or a Metal Head label would congregate at the back ovals behind trees that almost as if created that way, had grown with perfect hiding places within their trunks for bongs, beers and other things teachers and underpaid and extremely annoyed gardeners would have disposed of in a heartbeat. 
A very large and ever growing group of mostly Artists and basically hard knocks and anti-socials comprised of Dj's, A LOT of very average but passionate breakers and at that point NO Emcees, controlled the School by any means necessary. Race was never an issue, age was never an issue. 

The Incredible albums and sounds being shared consisted of, among others, Wu Tang, Cypress Hill, Run DMC, Tupac, Nas, Dmx, Tha Dogg Pound, De La Soul, House of Pain, Naughty by Nature, etc etc etc, the list grew daily and continues to grow. I'm Proud to say today almost 20 years later I am still friends with, or more accurately, Family with these People. Some are Professors at Universities, plumbers, real estate agents and a hundred other occupations, and in my case Producer/Emcee, and to pay the rent, bartender. 
Bartender extraordinaire. 

Hip Hop...

Let me explain a few Rules for the uneducated. ...

1. If you are of white pigment, NEVER say the N word. No excuses.
2. Understand the N word, you are Never Ignorant Gettin' Goals Accomplished. So when it's stated in songs it IS directed at YOU as well. But you cannot say it. We as a Culture are not there yet. We will ONLY be there when EVERY white Hip Hop listener or Souljah understands this. Tom Hanks' Son is a fuckhead. A moron. 
3. The Culture is a Revolution. 
4. The Culture is a Revolution. If you are not ready for complete social and Societal change, step away and find another hobby. Just listening to Hip Hop Music does not give you the right to comment on it.
5. Investigate Great Hip Hop Artists, even if you don't feel them. It's important to understand the backgrounds and Legacies of ALL Great Artists in our Culture, in all Elements. This Culture has Prophets and Legends that in some cases willingly died for OUR Revolutionary Beliefs. As Pac said, "don't have to bump this but please Respect it."
6. Oz Hip Hop is DEAD. Australia makes Hip Hop, not a bastardized white version of it.
7. Have fun. Enjoy the most Amazing Movement on Earth, add to it, be it, Live it. Evolve it. Be Strong. Fuck haters.

I Love you guys n girls.
More 2 come.

Signed,
Skase A.k.

Jen raps

So to entice people into liking my facebook page recently I said I would drop a video of me rapping. Safe to say the response was massive. I was only sitting at about 800 likes at the time and got there in a day! 

The video was one that was never meant to be released, it was me rapping Sarah Connor's track "Treason," basically just to see if I could do it. 

After dropping the video it got over 2000 views in less than 24 hours!! Really not something I was expecting! 

Anyway here's the video below. Let me know what you think.......

Secret's out! I'm not a rapper! But here's what happens when I try to rap the Sarah Connor track 'Treason.' Thanks so much to everyone for the support so far! It means a lot. :) :) :) So happy to have reached 1000 likes so quickly. There's so much more to come so stay tuned! Blam! (Haha btw this is quite embarrassing!)

Posted by Jen Loves Hip Hop on Tuesday, 21 April 2015

And so and so it goes...

Hey guys! Thanks for sticking with me for so long without an update. As always I've been working hard behind the scenes to bring you the most up to date gig guide possible! I couldn't do it without your help though so keep those gigs coming through, either through the email link in the connect button or via facebook invites. Don't forget you can submit gigs from any area now so don't be shy! 

Most of my focus has been on one gig at the moment though... refer to above photo!! This is the first gig I am promoting myself and it has been such a fun ride so far sorting it all out. Couldn't be done without my co-hort Dave (Spectacles). Basically what we are trying to do is cultivate a creative artistic community of like minded Hip Hop loving people to come together sans ego and just do what they do best. Create! Live! Connect! 

There used to be this warehouse space called Spaceport in Marrickville a couple of years back now. They had monthly Hip Hop nights there and it was the most amazing vibe and community I have yet experienced. The people there, especially Matt and Steph helped to create such an amazing vibe that people felt right at home. It was like hanging out in a lounge room with your mates. Better than that even cause there were so many new people to meet as well, all on that same tip. 

When I was contacted by Dave to help organise a Hip Hop room for Rock the Gate several months ago, he mentioned Steph from Spaceport and I was sold. It was then that the idea sparked to turn this into a more regular thing. I have to shout out Ash (Mighty Ash) as the one who first suggested it though! 

And so it goes... the gig is now less than 2 weeks away and I feel like I have so much to do! I'm meant to be putting up in depth artist bios/ interviews. Oh were has the time gone?  Anyway the gig has this nostalgic tinge to it in more than one way. Firstly the Spaceport connect, and then there's the Gaelic Club connect. Everyone that I've told so far as said, The Gaelic Club is doing live shows again?? Oh yes they are! Although it's not the same club that you remember.  It's upstairs and it's a club- club- as in an Irish club. As in an amazing chilled out room with couches everywhere, a cool smoking balcony, an actual GREEN green room with a pool table. So many quirks and awesome things to discover.  I think it's as close to Spaceport feels as we are going to get from a venue without being in an actual warehouse. Oh yeah, also, NO LOCKOUTS 24 hours license. Hmmm what!!!? haha!

And then the OTHER piece to the nostalgia is TWO TOES!! They have only done one other show since 2008!! It's the mountains crew, and you must know about the Blue Mountains people... WAY more talent than should legally be allowed to come from one town. No I am STOKED about the line up!! Two Toes at the moment is Joe New rappin, Caustic Yoda on production and percussion, and Waza playing bass and then usually DJ Cost on the decks. It is gunna be MAD CRAZY. I was blown away when I saw them before so I guarantee you will not be disappointed! You know what's also crazy cool?  One of the young guys also from the mountains that I met on the night I saw Two Toes was El' Jistos.. he was basically the biggest Two Toes fan ever!! He gave me his mixtape that night and how it all turned out is that he is on support. So what awesome crazy energy that will be!

In the middle we've got Sarah Connor and Yum Yum... two names that you could NOT have missed lately. And then DJ Jimmy New tying it all together on the ones and two for the night. 

Throw in some YUMMY food, Live art, and visuals that tie in to all sets and DAMN you won't ever wanna leave!!

Alright alright I'm just rambling, but YES COME ON DOWN!!! 

April 10th, Gaelic Club Surry Hills.  
So it's 1 minute walk from Central Station. Go to Surry Hills side, walk straight up Devonshire St till you see the green doors for the Irish Club on the left. Two flights of stairs (or the lift) and then you won't need to leave for the WHOLE night... did I mention cheapest drinks in the city?!

Welcome to the new site!

Happy 2015! I welcome you to the new Jen Loves Hip Hop site, have a look around! I have decided to leave the old blogger style site at the old address jenloveshiphop.blogspot.com and not carry any of the old material over, at least for now. I'd like to start fresh and I'm REALLY excited about the new layout. I've been wanting to do this for a long time now, so how is the start of a new year for inspiration?  They really are starting to go quick, which is what happens when you get old I guess. The time just speeds up.... 

Anyway, I will be using this blog as an open communication board, with my thoughts and opinions that aren't hashed out into full fledged articles. Speaking of articles, yes there will be more of that too! And not just reviews but features. I am SO excited about the one I am working on now and I can't wait to share it with you, it might blow some of your minds! (no really!)

If you're new to Jen Loves Hip Hop, extra special welcome! Thanks for your interest.  I have been doing this Sydney gig guide thing for more than 2 years now and I have finally decided to expand into other cities. That's where I need YOUR help though, since I'm not there to scope out all the best events, the more information you send me, the better resource this will be for everyone. So the newest feature you will find is SUBMIT A GIG in the Connect section. I look forward to hearing from you!

Also don't be afraid to say hi either on the comments here, or through the email submit.  You can even comment on all the events that are listed to tell me which ones you're most excited about. Technology! haha

That's all for now but there's big things coming soon, so keep in touch! Oh and give my facebook page a like for immediate updates.

Jen Loves Hip Hop

oh yes and if you don't know I also do a spoken gig guide for the hip hop show Hardcore Classic Friday nights 8-10pm in Sydney 107.3 or hardcoreclassic.com There's a live chat at that site when the show is on, some come say hi!