RHYME CALISTHENICS 7

Friday, October 9th @ Shadow Lounge (5972 Baum Blvd)

16 MC's have once again answered our call to compete in the most challenging MC competition on this side of the hemisphere. 6 newcomers, 9 returning competitors and 1 past champion will be spinning the Wheel of Skillz in 4 elimination rounds of rap competition. Who will take home the grand prize of $500 + studio time?

Hosted by Thelonious Stretch. DJ Huggy on the 1's & 2's.

Special Guest Performance by Hands Down (Charon Don & DJ Huggy).

Doors open at 9PM. Competition starts at 10PM. $10 / Or just $5 before 10pm. 18+

Party after the competition with DJ Vex til 2am.

Get there between 9 and 10pm to enjoy Stretch's Mom's Fried Chicken & Soul Sides and watch the Video Premiere of the Rhyme Calisthenics All-Star Competition.

Pittsburgh to Experience First City-Wide Boutique Crawl!

Whether you are shopping for your self or for someone else, its nice to see what lovely merchandise is hanging on the racks of some of the city's shops. This week end, while you are buzzing around the city, do visit the boutiques, bars and restaurants that are giving great discounts for this special Style & Steel boutique crawl!

Style & Steel Event Planning LLC offers innovative, transformative, and cost effective event planning services. Specializing in nightlife entertainment planning, special events, marketing and promotion, Style & Steel’s philosophy is that events are a vehicle to connect people, infuse cultures, and inspire and cultivate creativity.

Pittsburgh, PA- October 9 – 11, 2009 Pittsburgh will experience its premier City-wide boutique crawl. The shopping experience will occur throughout the weekend, as specialty boutiques in the business districts of Lawrenceville, Shadyside, Southside, and Squirrel Hill will feature special offers on their exclusive merchandise.

The event will offer consumers discounts on merchandise, as well as provide live entertainment, and drink/food specials being offered by bars and restaurants from each participating business district.

Participating boutiques are: EONS, Charles Spiegel. Hip’tique, Becoming Mommy, Capriccio, GWOP, Jupe, Decade, Soul2Sole, OneSkateShop, Pavement, Accesorize, Divertido, Littles Shoes, DDB, Bondstreet Shoes, Tiny Little Dots, and Ten Thousand Villages.

The Boutique Crawl is free and open to the public. Shoppers must present a boutique crawl flier to redeem discounts. The flier can be found online and printed at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=164350397577.

For more information on the City-Wide Boutique Crawl, or Style & Steel’s event planning services, contact CEO Wadria Taylor atevents@styleandstyle.net or visit their website www.styleandsteel.net.

Getting my Leno On!

Hey everyone! I like many of you have been very busy with work, family, and back to school business. Through it all Spotlightpittsburgh is still making connections, and still growing. To that end, I would like you all to tune into http://waffleshop.org tonight at midnight! SpotlightPittsburgh is doing a waffleshop talk show tonight! Guests include: Hassan Howze, author of the book Life Tips, local musician Ricardo Robinson, and Shay Wafer, VP of programs for the August Wilson Center. The waffle shop streams live at midnight, so do check us out.

I will be posting a great piece done by Dr. Goddess soon about women, so check back for that as well. Please leave questions and/or comments below each post. Tell at least one person today to check out this site!

Wake Up World

Well Pittsburgh here is the Living Proofe interview that we have been anticipating. Turn your volume all the way up, it taped kinda low. Wise Malik and LP flowed well together and discussed many things. Please hit Living Proofe up on his Myspace page to listen/purchase his music. Also, please comment below to SLP and tell us your thoughts. As always, thank you for your support.

Look to the bottom of this page, if you can not find it on the blog go to http://youtube.com/spotlightpittsburgh

Introducing...

SpotlightPittsburgh is a blog of course, a brand indeed, and a place to transfer information. Yet in alot of ways this all is an extension of myself. So, like myself SLP likes to have people come and visit, and stay awhile, listen to some music and chill. Sometimes, when people come to Malik, Jordan and my home, they like it so much that they want to keep coming back. SLP has had the same experience. Kristin Renee is a blogger in her own right. She writes a popular blog for Fab5ent.com. She is am enormously talented artist as well. Soon I am sure she will formally introduce herself to the SLP audience. For now, enjoy the local artist blast that she has written for us.

Finally, please also read and comment on the other posts below. More guest blogger introductions in the near future. For now, enjoy the music. New music added, old music taken away. Tell people about how sick the playlist is! A great alternative to the radio if I say so myself.

Artists to watch: Pittsburgh Edition

Thanks to the constant inspiration of greats like Andy Warhol and August Wilson, new generations of visionaries emerge in the city of Champions. Using Hip Hop as a vehicle, they promote messages of empowerment through entrepreneurialism. Transplants from cities like New York and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh natives alike all find this much less saturated market a gold-mine for independent and creative invention.

Though small, this city is filled with DJs playing everything from bhangra to samba. DJ Vex spins every Friday at the Ava Lounge in East Liberty. Creating his own following, Vex mixes Hip-Hop, House and Reggae. Originally from Virginia Beach, DJ Vex also produces eclectic instrumentals that blend R&B and Alternative music with the smoothness of a southern gentleman. Visit Swig-Art.com to hear The Launch promo mix.

Veteran vocalist Gene Stovall has been characterized by his peers as our generation’s George Benson. Co-Founder of Seriendipitty Ent., he has performed with countless acts like the Pittsburgh Trip-Hop Band Glory Box, Hip Hop/Rock group Eviction Notice, and is currently hosting an Open Mic Series in Erie, Pennsylvania while traveling and performing his signature vocal style with The Audible. www.myspace.com/genestovallmusic

Pittsburgh is not short of talented female artists either. Groups like the duo SolSis made of poet and dancer YahLioness and activist and comedian Ma’Ve, mix the soul of Hip Hop with R&B and a rebel yell. As headliners for the August Wilson First Voice Festival, SolSis has collaborated and inspired other artists. They are currently focused on their debut record.

Other women like Kellee Maize are embracing their femininity and voicing strength through Rap. Seeing Hip Hop as an outlet for activism, Kellee began an all female operated marketing and event coordination company, Nakturnal, which specializes in providing a platform for Pittsburgh women to promote their craft. Following her first release “Age of Feminine”, Kellee plans to release new work highlighting her mystical side. She believes “music and art will usher in the peaceful revolution we need,” and continues to promote this message through everything she touches. www.myspace.com/kmaizemusic.com

While Top 40 is lots of fun, seeking out independent artists is vital to truly seeing the evolution of Hip Hop over the last decade. Take a chance to find out what local artists are creating near you by visiting an open-mic or music festival. Support the arts in your community and keep an eye for these artists; I’d love the opportunity to say “I told you so!” – Written by Kristin Renee