I take it by now most of y’all have seen the lineup for Rock The Bells that dropped this week. “Real” Hip-Hop cats should be relieved that this year’s lineup dosen’t include any rock (Rage Against the Machine), or hipster (Santigold) acts at all. Personally, I think it’s too safe, however, I’m glad to see DC’s own Tabi Bonney make the lineup. That’s such a good look for DC.

The tour is definately rolling through DC, but dates and times are TBA.

Rock The Bells Press Conference

I’ve been reading Clyde’s ProHipHop blog for quite a while now, and he’s written several posts about “brand destruction” in the music industry. The term is defined just like you think it is, and it is all too common in today’s hyper exposed music marketplace. There are many examples of this is the music industry–most recently Rick Ross, as well as cocaine starlets like Britney and Lindsay Lohan. However, this type of behavior is not just for pop stars–MF Doom is making sure that underground hip-hop heads are equally represented.

Doom has always been one of my favorite rappers, ever since the time when he was with KMD in the early nineties. When he reinvented himself as Doom, his stock rose in my eyes, and I even go to bat for his collaboration with Danger Mouse–Dangerdoom, which was one of the best albums of ’05.

But all that work may be down the drain. There has been speculation floating around the internets for months that Doom has been using impostors for his live gigs. See, I guess when you perform in a mask, its easy to fake your true identity. There hasn’t been any actual proof that this is the case, but this past weekend at Rock The Bells, a masked man looking nothing like Doom, took the stage and got booed and pelted and subsequently left the stage.

The MF Doom “brand” is tainted at this point. The biggest thing you can do as an artist is play your fans for fools, and the fact that Doom hasn’t stepped up to the plate with a defense against these accusations makes it even worse. Some people believe that this is all some marketing plan for his upcoming album. If that were the case, he needs to fire his PR people with the quickness.

For the most part, Doom’s touring career is basically over. The only way that he can resurrect himself now is to drop a press release saying that he has a medical condition, or better yet….dead. I highly doubt that fans will accept him in any other circumstance.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to go to Rock the Bells for its DC appearance last Sunday but I heard it was off the chain. My bad, but life got in the way. However, DJ Eurok has some amazing coverage of the event including Tribe’s tour rider and a conversation with the one and only Afrika Bambaataa. Josh Sisk from BYT got some dope photos of the event, including the one above.

Nas is going on an extensive club tour in support of his new album Nigg Untitled and is bringing Talib Kweli along for the ride. Jay Electronica and DJ Green Lantern will also perform on select stops. These dates are in addition to Nas and Kweli’s appearances on the Rock The Bells tour.

Tour Dates

*Sat 7/19 – Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
*Sun 7/20 – Toronto Arrow Hall
Tue 7/22 – Montreal, QC Metropolis
Thu 7/24 – Burlington, VT Higher Ground
Fri 7/25 – New Haven, CT Toad’s Place
*Sat 7/26 – Boston, MA Comcast Center
*Sun 7/27 – Washington, DC Merriweather Post Pavilion
Tue 7/29 – Charlotte, NC Amos’ Southend
Wed 7/30 – Charleston, SC Music Farm
Thu 7/31 – Atlanta, GA Center Stage
Fri 8/1 – New Orleans, LA House of Blues
*Sat 8/2 – Miami, FL Bicentennial Park
*Sun 8/3 – New York, NY Jones Beach Amphitheater
Fri 8/8 – Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
*Sat 8/9 – Los Angeles, CA Glen Helen Pavilion
Sun 8/10 – San Diego, CA House of Blues
Thu 8/14 – Reno, NV New Oasis
Fri 8/15 – Chico, CA Senator Theatre
*Sat 8/16 – San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Fri 8/22 – Park City, UT Harry O’s
*Sat 8/23 – Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
Sun 8/24 – Austin, TX Emo’s
Mon 8/25 – Houston, TX Warehouse Live
Tue 8/26 – Dallas, TX House of Blues
Thu 8/28 – Cleveland, OH House of Blues
Fri 8/29 – Detroit, MI Chene Park
Sat 8/30 – Champaign, IL Canopy Club
Wed 9/3 – St. Louis, MO The Pageant
Thu 9/4 – Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Fri 9/5 – Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
*Sat 9/6 – Quincy, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre

*Rock The Bells tour dates.

The lineup for the annual Rock The Bells tour was announce this week, and this year, like last year, its already generating controversy. Last year, it was the inclusion of Rage Against The Machine as a headliner (cause they ain’t hip-hop?), and now this year, it’s the inclusion of hipster-hop acts like The Cool Kids, Spank Rock, Kid Sister, Santogold and the like.

But forget the controversy….A TRIBE CALLED QUEST IS REUNITING!! Also, what’s this? The Pharcyde (who I guess have reunited, but have played some West Coast gigs last year) are also on the bill as well as Nas, Most Def and others.

And honestly, I was going to save this for another post, but what the hell is wrong with hipster-hop?? Seriously, there are people who think that The Cool Kids are the second coming of the apocalypse? Why? Cause they’re “soft?” Last time I checked, Hip-Hop had The Fat Boys, Kid N’ Play, and Arrested Development…..and somehow it survived.

Anyway, tour Dates are below…

Sat 7/19 – Chicago, IL
Sun 7/20 – Toronto, ON
Sat 7/26 – Boston, MA
Sun 7/27 – New York, NY
Sat 8/2 – Miami, FL
Sun 8/3 – Philadelphia, PA
Sat 8/9 – Los Angeles, CA
Sat 8/16 – San Francisco, CA
Sat 8/23 – Denver, CO
Sat 8/30 – Vancouver, BC

Rock The Bells Official Website