From the aforementioned new album Shotta Culture, which drops today. Based on what I’ve heard so far, it’s looking to be a rather major affair. This one, like the others, is produced by Salaam Remi.

Check out the audio below…

Download it here: Spragga Benz feat. Nas - “This is The Way”.

…via.

Official video after the jump…

Also, if you’re lucky….you’re at the album release party…

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Our peoples at F.O.K.U.S. are hooking up another great event in Brooklyn this week, after their success at The Stoop this past Saturday. They’ve teamed up with the Brooklyn Children’s Museum & Ky-Mani Marley for a pair of events to promote his new book, Dear Dad, tomorrow night and Friday afternoon. Check out the details below…

This Thursday at La Grand Dakar, Ky-Mani will be promoting his new book “Dear Dad,” with a book signing, live performance and conversation session with attendees.

7:00pm start
La Grand Dakar
285 Grand Ave. btw. Clifton Pl. & Lafayette Ave.

In addition, on Friday at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Ky-Mani will be doing a family-friendly reading from another novel “My Little Island” as well.

1:30pm start
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
145 brooklyn avenue at st. mark’s place

For more information on both events, check out this PDF or The Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s Calendar.

Music site Breath Of Life comes through with another mixtape fans our our site can dig, this time featuring live music from Nas & Damian Marley. Check out the mix and details below…

These tracks are taken from two different sessions. The first five selections are from a live in-studio BBC 1xtra radio program recorded in London. The remaining selections are from a May 17, 2010 performance at the Highline Ballroom in New York City.

I am very impressed that the live performances are on point. If you get a chance to see this show, you might want to reserve tickets at the earliest possible moment. Unfortunately, these recordings are not commercially available. Fortunately, however, sharing music is the raison d’etre of BoL.

So, whether you get to see Damian and Nas, here is close to an hour of live versions of music from their new and aptly titled album, Distant Relatives.

—Kalamu ya Salaam

Download the mix here: Via BoL: Damian Marley & Nas - Distant Relatives Mixtape.

It goes down in Brooklyn today with our peoples from F.O.K.U.S. and a whole lot of their friends as they celebrate the 3rd annual ‘The Stoop’ event. Check out the details below…

The Stoop 2010
Hosted by Circa ‘95 | Music by DJ Synapse
August 14, 2010
1:00pm
Performances starting at 1:20pm
Fort Greene Park (Myrtle Ave and N. Portland)
Brooklyn, NY

Sponsored by:
Fusicology; Fresh Industries; Brooklyn Arts Council; New York State Council on the Arts; Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; NY Kings; riceworks and Ogo Sport

FREE Arts Celebration with
-performances by: Si*Se, Pattern Is Movement, Kagero, XV, Ayodele Alli, and Ishmael Islam
-live art by Convoluted Construct, Alice Mizrachi and Free5.
-games, face painting and much more!

Presented by F.O.K.U.S.

For more info, click here: Fusicology Events - F.O.K.U.S. presents The Stoop.

Come out to The Bronx Museum of The Arts tonight for a special program currated by our peoples Asho. Check out the details below…

First Fridays! Africanísimo 4!

Outdoor Film Screening in collaboration
with
African Film Festival

Screening of
Youssou N’dour: I Bring What I Love Dr Chai Vasarhelyi, Senegal/USA, 2008, 102 min.

Music by DJ Laylo (Afrobeat, High Life, Reggae)

Performances by Asase Yaa (Ivory Coast,Guinea, Mali)

FRIDAY AUGUST 13, 2010, 6:00 to 10:00pm

Location: The Andrew Freedman Home

1125 Grand Concourse (at McClellan Street)

Rain location: The Bronx Museum of the Arts

Admission: Free

More info after the jump…

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No lie, but Distant Relatives is my father’s favorite album right now. He’s 63.

That said, I know he’d be happy to hear this right now. This is from their BBC 1Xtra Taping last week. Check out the audio below…

More after the jump…

audio via.

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You may or may not know that tomorrow is Jamaican Independence Day. Needless to say, that’s cause to celebrate. The folks at Digiwaxx, Deadly Dragon Sound & Stussy choose to mark the occasion the only way they see fit: Good music, Good People and Good Times. Join them. Check out the info on the joint celebration tonight in NYC….

For more info check out DDS.

Here is the new Estelle video for “Fall in Love” premiered today and was shot in Brooklyn (possibly the Forte Greene area), interestingly enough the track actually has two versions. First up the Estelle featuring Nas version…

and now the John Legend version….

Summertime is meant for cookouts. Our peoples at Fresthetic seem to understand that.

Join them as they throw down once again with great food, music and gear from Burden and others.

Check out the details below…

MAKOSSA Brooklyn Cookout
Saturday, July 24

BAY AREA’s own: DJ WONWAY POSIBUL

SPECIAL GUEST: DJ Spinorita (LA) & DJ TARA(NYC)

HOSTED BY: DEEPHUNK (Rare Form, Trees for Breakfast)

2-10pm * BBQ ALL DAY * WELCOME To B.Y.O.B.B.

Veggie Food BaR by Ladybird Supper Club
Sweet Potato Tacos, Tosadas de Nopales, Hibiscus flower-water cocktails

$10 table & 25% off all clothing

FRESTHETIC.com
560 Grand St.
Brooklyn, NY

For more info, click here: Makossa Brooklyn Cookout @ Fresthetic.

Come out tomorrow night for a celebration of the legendary Salsa label Fania records featuring Bobbito, DJ Laylo and others. Check out the details below….

July 11th, 2010
7pm-12am

¡Siempre!
A DJ Tribute to Fania Records

Featuring:
Bobbito Garcia
Sake One
Laylo

+ Mireya Ramos on Violin
and Jansy Gonzalez on Congas

Cover: $10 Before 8pm/ $15 After
——————————

NEW YORK, NY - On Sunday, July 11th, DJs Bobbito Garcia, Laylo and Sake One reinvigorate the vibrant ‘60s and ’70s Salsa sounds of New York City at their annual party ¡SIEMPRE! A DJ TRIBUTE TO FANIA RECORDS.

Taking inspiration from the label’s groundbreaking artists (Willie Colón, Hector Lavoe, and Celia Cruz to name a few), the ¡SIEMPRE! crew blend Latin music (bomba, boogalu, descarga, guaguanco, rumba, son montuno, etc.) for the modern dance floor, adding in elements of hip-hop, soul, jazz, house, and reggae, making the classic recordings more accessible to a younger audience while retaining its authentic flavor.

Anchored by Bobbito Garcia, a global DJ legend for multiple genres and an icon for urban Latinos everywhere, ¡SIEMPRE! is also driven by DJ Laylo and DJ Sake One. Born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents, Laylo is the co-founder of Liberation Lounge (NYC) and has ignited dance floors from Berlin to Brazil. Sake One is among the most respected DJs from the Bay Area (CA) ever, and in 2008, Fania released his Fania Live 03 mixed CD worldwide.

¡SIEMPRE! A DJ TRIBUTE TO FANIA RECORDS presents the classics of yesteryear infused with the consciousness of today, creating a unique event that will bring three generations of salsa fans as well as people of all different backgrounds together!

For more info, click here: Siempre! A DJ Tribute to Fania Records.