so overall, I thought the 2008 VH1 Hip Hop Honors was cool. I think they completely screwed up De La's tribute by havin Chuck in there with Mos. He butchered Stakes Is High! I love Chuck but he don't need to be sayin nobody else's rhymes but his.
Despite Chuck, I think the best tributes were De La, Cypress Hill & Isaac Hayes. Inside De La's tribute, Prince Paul was dope as the beatkeeper while Estelle and an excellent Q Tip covered "Saturday". Mos Def did late-great producer Jay Dee's memory an awesome service by comin out shoutin "DILLA, DILLA, DILLA, DILLA!!!" before tearin thru his wonderful recitation of "Stakes Is High". EPMD started strong with their cover of "Ego Trippin", but unfortunately got tripped up toward the middle and the end. Cypress Hill was treated to a tribute almost as good as Big Daddy Kane's a few years ago. Fat Joe definitely did justice to "Phunky Feel One" while Mack 10 & Gym Class Heroes delivered the goods covering "Insane In The Brain" as Mack 10 naturally played Sen Dog to Travis' superb B-Real. The Isaac Hayes tribute was one of the highlights of the show. From Mos Def's intro to Cee Lo's cover of "Look Of Love" to Chuck D's redeeming performance of "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos". Slick Rick's tribute was saved by Busta Rhymes' outfit and performance of "The Show" and Eve's effortless, nearly flawless cover of "Mona Lisa"! Fab & Dane were stumbling over each other on "Hey Young World" and Rick's performance was just ok. I thought Naughty themselves did a dope show but Too Short REALLY let me down. How in the world do you have DOPE joints in your catalog like "Short But Funky", "In The Trunk", "I'm A Player" AND "Buy You Some"(I mean, Erick Sermon WAS there! Yall coulda wrecked it!), and you opt to do bullsh!t like "Gettin It" and *sigh* "Money In The Ghetto"????????
Lastly, I really think Lupe set off an unfortunate and embarassing trend last year by blanking out on "Electric Relaxation" cause now it seems more and more likely these people will mess up lines rather than remember them.

My friends,

It is a good day in the midwest. I say it is a good day in the midwest because the city's own soulchild Black Spade has finally debuted to the world! Tuesday March 4, 2008 should go down as the day St. Louis got back much of its soul identity. Dating back to Scott Joplin, Chuck Berry, Miles Davis and Tina Turner, the bi state area has been home to many soulful pioneers in music and art, however, the last 10 years or so haven't showcased individuals on a national level willing to carry that torch of foward-thinking, mind-building, flat out GOOD MUSIC...until now. With the release of Black Spade's "To Serve With Love", the rest of the world will at long last know what those of us in St. Louis have known for years. Artists such as Black Spade, Coultrain, Rockwell Knuckles, Gotta Be Karim, Coco Soul, Tef Poe, Ill Spitta, Jada Avenue, Nato Caliph, Altered St8s Of Consciousness, TeresaJenee, Ruckus Crew, Vandalyzm, Lamar Harris, Dirty Lynt, Wild Mann, Track Vandals, Nite Owl, Steve West and so many others are filled with natural talent and deserve a chance to show the planet that true singers, emcees and musicians do exist in the midwest outside Chicago.

People we GOTTA support our man Black Spade! If you're content with the absolute garbage constantly churned out of damn near every studio in this town, then by all means, continue to support crap. However, if you want to get behind something good for a change, please go to Vintage Vinyl or itunes and BUY BLACK SPADE'S ALBUM! NO BOOTLEGGING! NO BURNING COPIES FOR FRIENDS! TELL THEM TO STOP BEIN CHEAP AND SUPPORT BLACK SPADE AND GOOD MUSIC IN GENERAL! 

OK, so I think that's all for today kids. Just know I wouldn't tell you to buy some old bullsh!t. It really is a dope record and you need this in your life, trust me.

4EVER4WARD>>>

James as DJ Needles

peace.

Ive been overwhelmed by the feedback and support Ive received following my
announcement to end my weekly Thursday event @ 609/The U Lounge. I thank
everyone who has ever set foot in the place on Thursday to
hear me deejay. It's an honor and completely my pleasure to play records
for people who search for somethin more than what's thrown at them
from commercial radio like scraps to pigs. It's those pigs, though, who
crave the scraps that have a tendency to defacate, if you will, all over the
particular vibe deejays such as Reminise, Enoch, Willpower, Chan, Stan,
Sinamin, Crucial and myself try to create.

We know there's a crowd in St. Louis that thinks for themselves and seek spots
that feature deejays who play real music. The radio and various clubs
around the city more than cater to the demographic who seem all to
eager of playing into tired stereotypes. I, myself want more for my people.
That's the reason I started JAZZYPHATNAPPY back in 2002 at
Churchill's(now Posh). I saw the void in weekly events and there was nothing
highlighting progressive music from Soul & Real Hip Hop artists for Soul
& Real Hip Hop heads.

Fast foward to 2007, the crowd has changed a bit to say the least. With the
success of the weekly event, there came many people who attended because it
was apparently the new "hot" spot but couldn't even tell you who the
deejay was. That's not my ego talking, however to insure enjoyment at such
a specific event, you should know who the deejay is and what he/she is all about.
Overrun by knuckle and chicken-heads alike, the joint lost a lot of its
core supporters and in turn developed a stigma that kept potential good-vibe seekers away.
 That's much of the reason why I felt I should end it now.
YOU REAL PEOPLE LET THE LAMES TAKE OVER AND STOPPED COMIN!!! ;)
 but I digress.....

I thank the people who stayed with the event through everything and I hope you
know this isnt some sort of ending to events like JAZZYPHATNAPPY.
I realize exclusivity is key to keeping the vibe true and
enjoyable to those who genuinely want a non-radio/club experience.
This is why I began my email list. If you arent on that list, I suggest you send
your email address to my messages so you don't miss out on
upcoming joints ya dig???

And don't worry folks, with brothers like FreeTime, SYGU, Hustler of Culture
and others, events in St Louis can't ALL suck.

defeat the WACK. support the REAL.

your humble deejay...DJ Needles

HIP-HOP FROM THE TOP Underground rap comes up from The Basement, DJ Needles' program on The Beat (100.3 FM) By April Park  Article Published Sep 8, 1999