Ground Zero

After 9/11, like a lot of Americans, O'Neal and I were left wondering what we could do to help. We contacted The Middle East (the venue, and yes, there is some irony there) about doing a benefit concert. A number of other promoters and bands had the same thought, so the venue ended up doing a string of benefits, and donated 200% of the door proceeds to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. We pulled together every known emcee we could find, and I have to say, they were all eager to get involved ---- the event was a huge sold-out success, and we ended up raising over $10,000. It was a proud moment for everyone in that room. GeeSpin was on stage forcing the rappers to empty their pockets into a hat --- everybody gave that night. Pretty sure I have some show audio around here somewhere ... but in the meantime ...

We also got together with Inebriated Rhythm to record a single that would be sold at the event. The song featured EDO.G, Reks, Alius, Akrobatik, Illin' P, Jaysaun, Shuman and T-Max over a really dope Soul Supreme beat. We never did much with the song, but I like to listen to it every now and then, to remember how Boston really pulled it all together that night.

Here is the mp3.

Def Jux Freestyle 2001

Here is a juicy mp3 from the second-to-last Co-Flow show in 2001 before El and Len split. This 5-minute session weaves in and out of freestyles and writtens, and includes El-P, Copywrite, Vast Aire and Aesop Rock. Aesop had just signed with Jux, and I remember him basically walking into the venue at midnight, fresh of the bus, and walked right on stage ... and I'm thinking, "who the hell is this guy?"

Akrobatik (2003)

Akro performs "Balance" at The Middle East in Cambridge MA in early 2003. Not sure if this was his release party, but I see some label folks there in the crowd, so it must have been close to release date. Lif is with him on stage, and Fakts One and DJ Sense are on the wheels.

Mr. Lif EP Release Party Performance w/ Edan

Mr. Lif w/ Edan performing "Get Wise," from his Emergency Rations EP in May 2002.

Company Flow Live MP3 (2001)

This is a live recording of "Population Control" from what I think was the second-to-last Company Flow show before El-P and Len split. It was recorded at The Middle East in Cambridge MA. The venue was a stinking hot sardine can, packed to the gills with a crowd that knew every word. I know this was part of a Lif/CoFlow twin bill, I think it was for the release party for Lif's "Enters" EP.

Small world, but we also booked CoFlow for a show in Boston a couple of years earlier that marked the split of Bigg Jus from the group.

Here is the mp3.

Also, if you don't own a copy of CoFlow's album Funcrusher Plus (shame on you), you can cop the re-release here.