The recently released 26-track hip-hop compilation NoiseLab Vol 1, features  a lot of familiar San Jose faces like Kung Fu Vampire, Rey Resurreccion, Sean Blak, Language Arts Crew and Luck Loosh and lesser known locals like newcomer YDMC and rap veteran Joe Cutter.

The compilation, assembled by Blak, is divided between veterans of the South Bay scene on the first half, and newcomers on the latter portion. The second volume is expected out in May.
In addition to San Jose rapper, the mixtape features artists from Santa Cruz (Playz), Half Moon Bay (Araknophobix), San Francisco (San Quinn, Pariah), Oakland (Kafani, Deuce Eclipse) and Watsonville (Xplisit).

Check it out here:

It’s been 25 years since Too Short’s first LP was released and the Oakland rapper is still showing no signs of slowing. He released his 19th studio album this year, and just last week, he released two albums with E-40—the only other living Bay Area rapper to reach his level of national fame.

Too Short plays at La Fiesta Nightclub tomorrow. Here are a few video highlights from his catalog over the years:

Too $hort plays Fiesta Nightclub on Friday November 9th, along with Mr. Kee, Chraze-C, Reign, Why Hate, YB Ent, YDMC, Big Mister, Big E, Elite, Jeff Turner, Malicious Da Misfit and Natty K. Dirtbag Dan hosts the event. The show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

It was on Halloween one year ago that Chip DeVille (A.K.A. DJ CaSp3R) held his last RetoXx show at the Cardiff Lounge in downtown Campbell. Since then, the party has set up shop at Johnny V’s, where a Halloween party tonight features a packed lineup.

For this year’s Halloween show, DeVille booked the most performers he’s ever had on one night—Three rap acts and four DJs. Portland rappers Landon Wordswell and Garin Reese will be biking down the coast to play this show on their West Coast bicycle tour). Other rappers include local YDMC and Santa Cruz-based Grim Bzns. DJ CaSp3R will be spinning some tunes, as well as RetoXx favorites, DJ MARCade, SMiZZle and B-Boy Drift.

RetoXx Monday begins at 9pm at Johnny V’s. It is a free event.

Hip Hop has always entwined itself with other art forms, be it dance or visual art, both considered key elements of hip-hop culture. Local promoter Jonathan Reniery hopes to give people a taste of at his monthly free party Natural Selections, which arrives at South First Billiards this Saturday. The show features rappers, DJs spinning between sets, performance artists and painters.

“When Hip Hop started in the late 70s/early 80s, graffiti went hand in hand with hip hop,” Espinal says. “We’re not really specifically encouraging graffiti art, but art is art. It’s just another added bonus to what we’re trying to present for free for the community. It’s basically a buffet of audible and visual goodness.”

Headlining this month’s edition of Natural Selections will be local rappers Hennessy, YDMC and dancer Pop Kulture. The video below features all three:

The song, “Good Vibes” by Hennessy, harkens back to the laid-back, jazzy, underground-hip hop of the 90s. The horns, orchestral swells and mellow drum beat set the perfect backdrop for Hennessy’s relaxed, but thoughtful rhymes. The video was shot at “On the Corner Music” in Campbell. Keep your eyes open for a cameo by owner, Jeff Michael Evans.

Also performing at the show will be Rico Laws and Six of Seven. DJ SavSci will be spinning between sets. Showing off their paintings will be artists Alex Gammon, Erals R. DeLao, OscarLars and Life.

The next Natural Selections show is Saturday May 19th at South First Billiards. It show starts at 10pm and is free for 21+.

A couple years back Berkeley DJ, True Justice played a show he’d never forget—opening for Biz Markie in San Jose on Cinco de Mayo. He had such a good time he wants to do it all over again. Getting Biz Markie to come play isn’t exactly the easiest thing to, but that was ok, what True Justice really loved was the party atmosphere in San Jose at that Cinco de Mayo show.

“It’s a great party day. This year, Cinco de Mayo is on a Saturday which is going to make it party party party,” True Justice told me over the phone.

With all this partying going on, that doesn’t mean there won’t also be some killer music. True Justice’s spastic turntable wizardry has been wowing Bay Area underground hip hop fans for almost two decades. He’s collaborated with a lot of the greats on mixtapes, as well as showing off his convulsive spinning skills at many a show. Co-headlining with True Justice will be Nump, a crazy, raunchy East Bay rapper who surely won’t disappoint in the “partying” department.

The partying won’t be just beginning in San Jose. By the time they reach us, the party will have been under way for almost a week. They’re calling it “No sleep till Cinco de Mayo” because they’ll be playing four shows along the way at Las Vegas, Riverside, Concord and Nevada City, and they’re promising to not do a whole lot of sleeping in the process. By the time they take the stage at Johnny V’s the crew will either be totally pumped up with hyper-testosterone mania or completely out of their minds and hallucinating from lack of sleep. In other words, it should be good.

Several other great hip hop artists are on the bill including Distant Relatives, the Bayliens, DLabrie and YDMC.

True Justice and Nump play Johnny V’s on May 5th. Show starts at 9:30p. Tickets are $5 before 9:30p and $7 till close.