Where Brooklyn At?

Summertime in New York is the season for awesome concerts. If you're in the area, Concert organizer Celebrate Brooklyn! is back with their eclectic list of artists that will be performing throughout the summer. There isn't just one genre being represented; there is a little bit of something for everyone during the 2009 concert series. Some noteworthy artists include David Byrne (Talking Heads), MGMT (Concert is already sold out, sorry swaggers!), Bonny Raitt, TV on The Radio and Big Daddy Kane! Tickets are about 30 bucks for each concert. More info here.

In addition to that, Brooklyn Bodega will be hosting their 5th Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. BPT has attended this event in the past, and you better believe we will be attending again this year. The festival always delivers with various tents of interests, showcases by local underground artists as well as big name Brooklyn-ites and associates. This year you can expect performances by Pharoahe Monch, Torae & Marco Polo, and DJ PREMIER just to name a few! BHHF takes place June 20th from 12-8. We will be present to cover the event and show some love.

On some more noteworthy Brooklyn Ish, MC Joell Ortiz recently Released his mixtape, Joell Ortiz Covers the Classics. For those who aren't familiar with this rapper, he's one fourth of the rap group Slaughterhouse (along with Royce Da 5'9'', Joe Budden, and Crooked I), with a unique and dope cadence that can rip a track. Previously signed to Dre's Aftermath, Joell is taking more control of his career as he releases more and more heat both solo and with Slaughterhouse (Move On).

This new mixtape is basically him fucking around with dope beats from the 90's. Sometimes he immitates the flows of some of the greats (I Can't Go Broke) or he drops some Ortiz-esque lines that goes with the beats almost as good as the originals. Also, he pays tribute to some of the O.G. producers with a "T.R.O.Y." cover (yes, CL spit over the beat but it's been covered a million times so I always kind of considered it a beat of its own, much like most of Pete Rock's work) and a song entitled "Primo Tribute".

All in all, this mixtape is an enjoyable listen to anyone who misses the essence of rap during the 90's. The pure drive behind being a dope MC was present in a majority of the material released, something rarely seen in the acts of today. Joell Ortiz wants to bring that back to Rap music, and the mixtape is a step in the right direction.

And i can't talk about dope Brooklyn music without mentioning Tanya Morgan. Stay tuned for a Brooklynati Album Review.

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