To celebrate their Roc-A-Fella Records debut Tough Luv, the Young Gunz — Chris and Neef — invited press, DJs and industry taste makers out to Chelsea Piers Bowl for a night of music, videos, strikes and spares. With their hits, “No Better Love,” “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” remix and other album cuts creating the soundtrack for the night, the self-proclaimed Future of the Roc mixed and mingled with Kevin Liles, Memphis Bleek, Juelz Santana, Just Blaze, Jimmy Jones and more. After Kanye West posted such huge first-week numbers, everyone’s anxiously waiting to see how Young Gunz rank.
Next up on the night’s itinerary, the Canal Room in lower Manhattan for Tony Touch‘s The Piece Maker 2 album release soiree. Taking it back from the new school to the old, Toca’s party was packed with legends and rap vets like Kool Herc, Kurtis Blow, Jermaine Dupri, Buckshot and Dru Ha, Black Thought of The Roots, NYC Power 105’s Steph Lova, plus Slick Rick and Raekwon performed. The Pro-Rican circulated throughout the entire room as Kool DJ Red Alert held it down on the tables, proving once again that Tony is one of the most accessible and good-natured hip-hop celebs in town.
On a final note, New Jersey — Stand Up! Two CDs have crossed my path from Jersey artists. Organic Thoughts (www.organicthoughts.com) drops The Purest Form on March 30, a 13-track collection of jazz-inflected, soulful tracks that are “the complete opposite of the commercialized hip-hop,” according to the group’s CEO. Then Fel Sweetenberg will release Lost Dreams, Wasted Talent on April 20. One-third of the Nuthouse crew, Fel has appeared with Slum Village, Bahamadia, Aceyalone and Jean Grae.
