Rap Publicity info

So many people use the term “laid back” to describe Southern California’s Hip Hop culture. Maybe it’s the abundance of beautiful women, the potency of the marijuana or just the fact that six and a half days a week, you’re guaranteed blue skies, convertible tops and a nice breeze.

Despite the music they make, there’s nothing laid back in the DVD footage captured by Brian “B+” Cross and Eric Coleman of DJ Dusk‘s legendary Soundclashes. Crate-digging stalwarts Madlib and Cut Chemist set the tradition off over five years ago, in a friendly game of sonic baseball, where the Stones Throw producer and Jurassic 5 mixmaster battled over four rounds, with vastly different techniques.

In the years to follow, The Rootdown club in Los Angeles played host to several other clashes. A People Under The Stairs‘ Thes One on the comeup met Black Eyed Peas‘ will.i.am defending his B-boy bravado in an emotionally charged battle, that still comes as controversial. Lastly, rising stars Exile and Oh No! squared off to honor Dusk shortly before the great deejay and host died tragically.

Author of It’s Not About A Salary, the famed Hip Hop photographer and videographer B+ spoke about an unsung hero of the wild west, as well as brings significance to the recently-released Soundclash DVD. The interview may be just as close as some of us ever get to Madlib, and the scholar and culturalist explains why some of his friends are just so unbelievably dope behind the boards, with or without an audience.