iHipHop will return to SXSW this year for yet another incredible official showcase. Being that it’s our third-year in a row bringing the best and brightest in all of hip-hop to Austin, Texas, we had no choice but to pull out all of the stops. We couldn’t have done it all by ourselves, so big shout outs to our co-presenters Babygrande and The Madbury Club. This year GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan will headline the event, while being backed by none other than Grammy Award winning band Grupo Fantasma (Brownout). The showcase will also include performances by east coast hardcore veterans M.O.P. as well as Curren$y’s entire Jet Life crew (Trademark Da Skydiver, Young Roddy, Smoke DZA, Sir Michael Rocks of The Cool Kids, Fiend, Cornerboy P & Street Wiz), Marz Lovejoy, Flatbush Zombies, T. Mills, Airplane Boys, Mod Sun and DJ Statik Selektah. Whether you’re a hip-hop head or a casual listener, this is place to be. The showcase will take place on Saturday March 17, 2012 at Haven, located at 409 Colorado, Austin. Doors at 8pm. For more information, visit SXSW.com

After the success of last year’s Shady Records Pop-Up Museum and Slaughter House show in New York City, Brisk Bodega is back.  This time Brisk partnered with Star Wars in celebration of the 3D re-release of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace.  The Brisk Bodega opened the second of their three Star War’s themed pop-up stores in New York on Thursday night, February 23.  “The Cantina” was set up at 540 W. 21 Street in NYC.  The event featured DJ sets by Just Blaze and DJ Soul with an opening set by NXNY as well as Brisk and Star Wars inspired artwork by Artek, Mark Dean Veca, Jasper Wong, Pose, Leo Eguiarte, Dual Forces, Eye One, and Tristan Easton.  Earlier this month, Just Blaze hosted a similar set-up in LA  and the third event will be held at SXSW in Austin on March 12 at the Molotov Lounge. All photos by Bernard Smalls. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; }

The Brisk Bodega is back for a second consecutive year after successfully exhibiting Slaughterhouse’s most prized memorabilia and artifacts at the Shady Records Museum in New York. This time around, hosted by Just Blaze and in celebration of the 3D re-release of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace, Brisk will be opening a pop-art experience and art gallery in Los Angeles, starting today, Feb. 2nd. If you’re feeling nostalgic and want the Jedi Knight experience, then this is a must! Brisk Bodega Cantina  Thursday, February 2nd | RSVP here 8-11 PM 722 N Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA *This Brisk Bodega will also be open to the public this Friday, February 3, 2012, from 3:00-11:00 p.m. But if you’re not in the L.A. area, the Brisk Bodega will be making stops in New York on Feb. 23 and at SXSW in Austin on March 12.

The Grammys haven’t had an official host in seven years. But this year they’ve named LL Cool J as this year’s MC. The 54th Grammy Awards will air February 12th at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. “I’m thrilled to be part of Music’s Biggest Night. I will always have fond memories of my first Grammys Awards and to now be hosting the Grammy show, in the company of so many other incredible artists, is a dream come true.”