Tag Archives: Hip-Hop
Best Night Clubs in Beijing
If you are travelling to Beijing and are only able to stay for a short period of time, these are your best options for a guaranteed good time.
1. Club Vics
VICS nightclub gives travellers a clubbing experience unique to any other venue in Beijing. VICS plays a mix of Top 40, pop, reggae and hip hop to passionate drunkards. VICS offers a fun and foreign friendly place to party for tourists. Wednesday night is LADY’S NIGHT, which provides free entrance and drinks for girls.
Website http://www.vics.com.cn/
Address : Workers Stadium north gate, Beijing
Open Time : Daily 7:00pm – 4:00am
Phone : 86-10-65936215
2. Spark Night Club
Spark nightclub promises to get you dancing, conversing with the city’s sexiest individuals and offers an unique lighting scheme. It’s a little classier than the usual clubs around the Workers Stadium (MIX/LUXY/BABYFACE). Many Taiwanese enjoy going there because is the sister club of one of Taipei’s most popular nightclubs, Spark Taipei.
Website: http://www.sparkbeijing.com.cn/
English Address: B108, The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu.
Chinese Address:光华路9号世贸天阶B108
3. Club Suzie Wong
Come well dressed to this staple of the Beijing nightclub scene. Many models and wannabe actor/actress frequent this establishment to hobnob with Beijing’s social elite. Two rooms both play everything from Top 40 to Hip-Hop. One of the more chic places I’ve partied at in Beijing. Drinks are expensive by Beijing standards so make sure you pre-drink!
Website: http://www.clubsuziewong.com/
English Address: West Gate of Chaoyang Park
Chinese Address:朝阳公园西门
Open Time: Daily 7:00pm to 5:00am
Phone:86-10-6500-3377
4. Mix
Right across from Vics. Music is somewhat repetitive. Two main rooms. If you switch rooms you are liable to hear the same songs over and over. Drinks are also expensive. 40 RMB for a bottle of water. WTF? Occasionally hosts top quality international DJs, Mix is known as a hot spot for the hook-up if you are a local. Most rich Chinese clubbers go here and order a huge bottle of whiskey and sit in booths. Not as foreign friendly as the other spots.
English Address: Inside Worker’s Stadium North Gate
Chinese Address: 工人体育场北门内
Open Time: Daily Daily 8pm to 6:00am
Phone:86-10-6506-9888,86-10-6530-2889
5. Wu
This is the place to hit if you are from 18-25 and staying in the Wudaokou area. It’s still geared towards the student crowd with Top 40 hits blaring, cheap drinks and depending on the night ALL YOU CAN DRINK, but it’s got a clean look and great space management.
English Address: 1/F, NW corner, Wudaokou U-Center. 28 Chengfu Rd, Haidian, Beijing, China
Chinese Address: U-Center大厦一层西南角
Open Time: Daily 8:00pm to 5:00am
Song of the Week (19) Big L…………Put it On
Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), better known by his stage name Big L, was an American rapper. Coleman was born and raised in Harlem, New York, where he started his rap career with Three the Hard Way. He founded the group Children of the Corn and was a member of the Diggin’ in the Crates Crew before pursuing a solo career. His first professional appearance came on Lord Finesse‘s “Yes You May (Remix)”.
He released his debut album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous in 1995, and significantly contributed to the underground hip hop scene. He created his own independent label, Flamboyant Entertainment, in 1998 where he released one of his best known singles “Ebonics” (1998).
Song of the Week (18) Big Pun…………..I’m Not a Player
Christopher Lee Rios. (November 10, 1971 – February 7, 2000), better known by his stage name Big Pun (short for Big Punisher), was a Puerto-Rican American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the 1990’s
He first appeared on albums from The Beatnuts, on the track “Off the Books” in 1997, and on Fat Joe‘s second album Jealous One’s Envy in 1995, on the track “Watch Out”, prior to signing to Loud Records as a solo artist. Pun’s lyrics are notable for technical efficiency, having minimal pauses to take a breath, heavy use of alliteration as well as internal and multi-syllabic rhyming schemes. Big Pun died of a heart attack at age 28. About.com ranked him #25 on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987 – 2007).
Song of the Week (15) Dr. Dre………..Let Me Ride
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records. He has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers signed to those record labels, such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent. As a producer he is credited as a key figure in the popularization of West Coast G-funk, a style of rap music characterized as synthesizer-based with slow, heavy beats. 
Dr. Dre began his career in music as a member of the World Class Wreckin’ Cru and he later found fame with the influential gangsta rap group N.W.A with Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella which popularized the use of explicit lyrics in rap to detail the violence of street life. His 1992 solo debut, The Chronic, released under Death Row Records, led him to become one of the best-selling American performing artists of 1993 and to win a Grammy Award for the single “Let Me Ride“. In 1996, he left Death Row to establish his own label, Aftermath Entertainment. Under that label, he produced a compilation album titled Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath in 1996, and released a solo album titled 2001 in 1999, for which he won the Grammy producer’s award the next year.
Song of the Week (14) Ghetto Bastard………….Naughty By Nature
Naughty by Nature are a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey that at the time of its formation in 1989 consisted of Treach, Vin Rock, and the DJ Kay Gee. They are known for being one of the few rap acts who were able to balance success on the pop charts with hardcore rap credibility. 
The group formed in East Orange, New Jersey (colloquially referred to as “Illtown” in the 1980s) in 1988. They first appeared on the music scene in 1989, releasing an album called Independent Leaders under their then name the New Style. The album generated the minor hit “Scuffin’ Those Knees”. After the release of their first album, the group was mentored by fellow New Jersey native Queen Latifah,and subsequently changed its name.
Their first hit as Naughty by Nature was a track called “O.P.P.,” which sampled the Jackson 5‘s hit “ABC” and was released in 1991 on their self-titled album Naughty by Nature. The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100,making it one of the most successful crossover songs in rap history. The song has become well known in pop culture, being mentioned in TV shows and films such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Malibu’s Most Wanted, Monk, and The Office. “O.P.P.” also gained critical acclaim, being named one of the top 100 rap singles of all time in 1998 by The Source magazine,and being ranked the 20th best single of the ’90s by Spin magazine
Song of the Week (13) Snoop Dogg………..Gin and Juice
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, and marijuana activist. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre‘s most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school. Shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and spent six months in Wayside County Jail. His music career began in 1992 after his release when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. He collaborated on several tracks on Dre’s solo debut, The Chronic and on the titular theme song to the film Deep Cover.
Snoop’s debut album Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records making a debut at No.1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle quickly became certified 4x platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including “What’s My Name” and “Gin & Juice
To watch the video click on link below
Song of the Week (12) Discipline……………GangStarr
First and Foremost………….R.I.P Guru
Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guruand DJ/producer DJ Premier.Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop. 
The group was founded by Keith Elam in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985 (then known as Keithy E. The Guru) and DJ 1,2 B-Down (also known as Mike Dee) with various producers, such as Donald D, J.V. Johnson or DJ Mark the 45 King helping out. In 1987 and 1988, Gang Starr released three 12″ vinyl singles on the Wild Pitch label. In 1989, the group split and the only member willing to continue under the name Gang Starr was Guru. He soon got in touch with DJ Premier (then known as Waxmaster C) who sent him a beat tape which Guru liked. He invited DJ Premier to join Gang Starr and in that same year they released their first single “Words I Manifest” along with the album No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989).During their career Gang Starr helped pioneer the New York City hardcore hip hop sound. The entire Gang Starr’s catalog, especially Step in the Arena (1990), Daily Operation (1992), Hard to Earn (1994) and Moment of Truth (1998) are well respected among underground rap fans and critics. Gang Starr provided a track, Battle, for the sound track of the 2002 movie 8 Mile. Their track “Jazz Thing” was featured on the soundtrack to Spike Lee‘s film Mo’ Better Blues.
GangStarr – Discipline (Video)
Song of the Week (11) Camp Lo………….Luchini (This is It!)
Camp Lo is an American hip hop duo, formed in 1995, which hails from The Bronx, New York. The duo consists of rappers Sonny Cheeba (Salahadeen Wilds) and Geechi Suede (Saladine Wallace), both of Muslim upbringing. 
They named themselves ‘Camp Lo’ to separate themselves from Atlanta-based rapper Cee-Lo of Goodie Mob. Initially signed with Profile Records, Camp Lo made their first appearance in 1996 on The Great White Hype soundtrack, with their single, “Coolie High”. The smooth party song was a minor hit, peaking at #25 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. Their first major exposure came with the release of their second single, the upbeat, horn driven “Luchini”, otherwise known as “This Is It”. The song became a crossover hit in 1997, breaking into the Top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reaching the top 5 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The track peaked at #74 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1997. The duo released their debut album Uptown Saturday Night in January 1997. The effort was widely acclaimed, praised for its accessible content and smooth, funk and jazz inspired production.
This is one of my top 5 songs of all-time. Do ya’ll agree? Check the video link below.
Song of the Week (9) Respiration………………..BlackStar
Black Star is a hip hop group formed by MCs Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Black Star arose from the underground movement of the late 1990s, which was in large part due to Rawkus Records, an independent record label stationed in New York City. They released one self titled album. Though the record achieved little commercial success, they (and other members of the Native Tongues Posse) helped shape underground alternative rap and helped bring it further into the mainstream eye. Both have gone on to greater commercial and critical success in separate solo careers.
Black Star’s emergence into the hip-hop scene came at a crucial point in music history. Following the deaths of both Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, hip-hop was consumed in a world of chaos. Black Star attempted to bring reconciliation in the wake of these violent deaths. The self titled album contains various references to Biggie and Tupac, and attempts to create reconciliation in the hip-hop world: “I said one, two, three. It’s kinda dangerous to be an M.C. They shot Tupac and Biggie. Too much violence in hip-hop.” BlackStar has been an inspiration for the BLL family. They exemplify what our movement is about………….showing the positive aspects of Hip-Hop music. This doesn’t mean we will shy away from discussing and showing the negative aspects of the music either. They are both important. Our goal is to enlighten Asian people and educate them on the different types of Hip-Hop music. It’s not only negative. Everybody Shines!
Click the video link below.
Living in Asia 