The Internet has become a large and mysterious place, a land where new, would-be MCs and producers are springing up everyday, all aiming to be the next A$AP Rocky or SpaceGhostPurrp. It’s a place that’s rewarded a lot of rappers in hip hop, helping translate traction on Bandcamp and YouTube into multi-million dollar record deals and cult followings. There are forums dedicated to discussing hip hop culture and emerging talent, filled with personalities of different sorts all trying to become the next successful product of this new age of “music industry accessibility” the Internet has ushered us into. There are also entire websites and blogs, all full of people like me, who are discussing the newest events in this online culture and telling our readers about new talent as they emerge out of the unknown depths of the Internet. It’s a system that everyone plays a role in (from the bloggers to the forum personalities to the artists and producers). And this well-oiled machine works, and is quickly redefining music culture for good. But there aren’t enough hours in a day to listen to all of the aspiring internet rappers you’ve never even heard of. It’s a working order that leads to crushed dreams and questions like “If a rapper drops a mixtape on Bandcamp and no one blogs about it, did it really happen?” So considering all this, it’s a special occasion when you run into a new MC that seems like a no-brainer to make it. A MC good enough and memorable enough to make you simply say “duh” when considering their prospects of blowing up. If you don’t mind, I’d like to introduce you to Hassani Kwess. Somebody Who’s About to Be Famous: Hassani Kwess Hassani Kwess is a rapper and producer I first stumbled across in the late winter of last year. An unsuccessful YouTube search led me to this song, a tribute to A Tribe Called Quest’s track of the same name. Hassani’s record is an impressive outing and does ACTQ justice. But it didn’t get him a $3 million record deal or Twitter follows from all of your favorite rappers. And as of now it still only has < 3k views. I tried to find whatever else I could of his on the internet. He didn’t (and still doesn’t) have much of a web presence. He hasn’t put out that much material to date and it’s fairly difficult to find out much about him, outside the fact that he’s from D.C. I didn’t hear anything new on Kwess for almost a year and had all but forgotten about him. Then in December 2011, Asher Roth releases his first single from his new mixtape Pabst and Jazz and it’s featuring none other than Hassani Kwess. A quick Google search brought up another new track by Hassani, this one a Chuck Inglish-produced preview from an upcoming mixtape. The Internet doesn’t know who Hassani Kwess is yet. But he’s already working with Asher Roth and Chuck Inglish, which means clearly somebody put him on. I was able to find an earlier mixtape that appears to have been released in December 2010; and after running through that a couple times as well, one thing seems apparent: Hassani Kwess is about to blow up. Tron, Hassani’s only mixtape so far, is a 17-track offering: contemporary music with a Native Tongues ethos. Hassani raps on “VII Description (Another P.S.A.)”, “Native Tongue, son. I know my roots to the stem.” But he doesn’t have to state anything to make it obvious where his influences come from. Hassani Kwess’ music is riddled with old school hip hop allusions and references. He’s a product of the Native Tongues, most specifically A Tribe Called Quest. And Hassani sounds like he’s making the kind of music they might have made were they starting out today. His beats sound like a combination of Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, and Dilla, in a contemporary context. His lyrics have an old school flow, and everything else on Tron has the same ethos. It says Native Tongues without relying too heavily on replicating their sound. He’s unabashed about his stylistic origins too. The opening track’s beginning is reminiscent of the beginning of “Push It Along” (the opening track on Tribe’s debut album). All his title tracks are riddled with old school imagery and he raps in the same care-free manner of a younger Q-Tip. But he’s versatile too. He shows on “VII O.I. (Arena Light Show)” and “Dreams of Rage” that he can create more divergent sounds, and on “Youthful Lessons 1:21 Years…” that he can make beats you’d mistake for Dilla if you weren’t paying attention. Between Tron and his first preview from his new tape Ruthless, Hassani seems bound to go places. He’s making music with Roth and Inglish, and their backing should help the tape gain hype and traction. On “Kick the Bass, Chuck”, Kwess sounds even more mature and complex. He stated on “II If My Mixtape Weighs a Ton” that “it’s hard to believe I’ll be better on my next tape.” And it sounds like he could be right, if his flow on “Kick the Bass, Chuck” is any indication. Between Kwess’s increasing rap skill, and the presumption that he and Chuck Inglish will combine their production like voltron, Ruthless could turn out to be quite the record. Your best move would probably be digesting Tron and whatever else Hassani Kwess has released so far now. Because once he drops Ruthless, you’ll probably want to focus all your attention on it. *Also, I realize that my fashion posting has been slow around here lately. I’m working hard on a few different things right now that should excite you guys once they drop. It’ll be glorious. #menswear
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The Internet has become a large and mysterious place, a land where new, would-be MCs and producers are springing up everyday, all aiming to be the next A$AP Rocky or SpaceGhostPurrp. It’s a place that’s rewarded a lot of rappers in hip hop, helping translate traction on Bandcamp and YouTube into multi-million dollar record deals and cult followings. There are forums dedicated to discussing hip hop culture and emerging talent, filled with personalities of different sorts all trying to become the next successful product of this new age of “music industry accessibility” the Internet has ushered us into.

There are also entire websites and blogs, all full of people like me, who are discussing the newest events in this online culture and telling our readers about new talent as they emerge out of the unknown depths of the Internet. It’s a system that everyone plays a role in (from the bloggers to the forum personalities to the artists and producers). And this well-oiled machine works, and is quickly redefining music culture for good. But there aren’t enough hours in a day to listen to all of the aspiring internet rappers you’ve never even heard of. It’s a working order that leads to crushed dreams and questions like “If a rapper drops a mixtape on Bandcamp and no one blogs about it, did it really happen?” So considering all this, it’s a special occasion when you run into a new MC that seems like a no-brainer to make it. A MC good enough and memorable enough to make you simply say “duh” when considering their prospects of blowing up. If you don’t mind, I’d like to introduce you to Hassani Kwess.

Somebody Who’s About to Be Famous: Hassani Kwess

Hassani Kwess is a rapper and producer I first stumbled across in the late winter of last year. An unsuccessful YouTube search led me to this song, a tribute to A Tribe Called Quest’s track of the same name. Hassani’s record is an impressive outing and does ACTQ justice. But it didn’t get him a $3 million record deal or Twitter follows from all of your favorite rappers. And as of now it still only has < 3k views. I tried to find whatever else I could of his on the internet. He didn’t (and still doesn’t) have much of a web presence. He hasn’t put out that much material to date and it’s fairly difficult to find out much about him, outside the fact that he’s from D.C. I didn’t hear anything new on Kwess for almost a year and had all but forgotten about him.

Then in December 2011, Asher Roth releases his first single from his new mixtape Pabst and Jazz and it’s featuring none other than Hassani Kwess. A quick Google search brought up another new track by Hassani, this one a Chuck Inglish-produced preview from an upcoming mixtape. The Internet doesn’t know who Hassani Kwess is yet. But he’s already working with Asher Roth and Chuck Inglish, which means clearly somebody put him on. I was able to find an earlier mixtape that appears to have been released in December 2010; and after running through that a couple times as well, one thing seems apparent: Hassani Kwess is about to blow up.

Tron, Hassani’s only mixtape so far, is a 17-track offering: contemporary music with a Native Tongues ethos. Hassani raps on “VII Description (Another P.S.A.)”, “Native Tongue, son. I know my roots to the stem.” But he doesn’t have to state anything to make it obvious where his influences come from. Hassani Kwess’ music is riddled with old school hip hop allusions and references. He’s a product of the Native Tongues, most specifically A Tribe Called Quest. And Hassani sounds like he’s making the kind of music they might have made were they starting out today.

His beats sound like a combination of Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, and Dilla, in a contemporary context. His lyrics have an old school flow, and everything else on Tron has the same ethos. It says Native Tongues without relying too heavily on replicating their sound.

He’s unabashed about his stylistic origins too. The opening track’s beginning is reminiscent of the beginning of “Push It Along” (the opening track on Tribe’s debut album). All his title tracks are riddled with old school imagery and he raps in the same care-free manner of a younger Q-Tip. But he’s versatile too. He shows on “VII O.I. (Arena Light Show)” and “Dreams of Rage” that he can create more divergent sounds, and on “Youthful Lessons 1:21 Years…” that he can make beats you’d mistake for Dilla if you weren’t paying attention.

Between Tron and his first preview from his new tape Ruthless, Hassani seems bound to go places. He’s making music with Roth and Inglish, and their backing should help the tape gain hype and traction. On “Kick the Bass, Chuck”, Kwess sounds even more mature and complex. He stated on “II If My Mixtape Weighs a Ton” that “it’s hard to believe I’ll be better on my next tape.” And it sounds like he could be right, if his flow on “Kick the Bass, Chuck” is any indication. Between Kwess’s increasing rap skill, and the presumption that he and Chuck Inglish will combine their production like voltron, Ruthless could turn out to be quite the record.

Your best move would probably be digesting Tron and whatever else Hassani Kwess has released so far now. Because once he drops Ruthless, you’ll probably want to focus all your attention on it.

*Also, I realize that my fashion posting has been slow around here lately. I’m working hard on a few different things right now that should excite you guys once they drop. It’ll be glorious. #menswear

Kanye West Debuts DW @ Paris Fashion Week The Wu-Tang Clan may have been one of the first hip hip brands to dabble in the fashion industry, but in today&#8217;s day and age we take for granted the phenomenon of the celebrity (rapper, actor, singer) turned fashion designer. It&#8217;s the prevalence of the celebrity world&#8217;s Rocawears, Sean Johns, and Jennifer Lopez x Macy&#8217;s collaborations that make it difficult for anybody who made their millions and earned their acclamations in any field other than fashion to crossover into the industry. But in every sense, Kanye West&#8217;s involvement in fashion seems radically different than the way we traditionally are used to seeing celebrities approach the fashion industry. From the start of his career, Kanye has always been an individual whose sartorial inclinations were instrumental in defining his public image. He helped turned hip hop away from baggy jerseys and ill-fitted velour track suits. With his last two albums he&#8217;s invented a new sub-genre of hip hop, luxury rap. And of late his favorite rhyming topics have been as much Phoebe Philo and Maison Margiela as anything else. It was within the context of this well-known, decade-long love obsession with fashion that Kanye West debuted his first collection at Paris Fashion Week, this past Saturday. The unique thing about Kanye West&#8217;s fashion debut is this: despite the fact that this is his first collection ever, he is still Kanye West. As a result, his debuted his collection at the Lycee Henri IV, an expensive looking Parisian secondary school. And in attendance were Anna Wintour, Terry Richardson, Silvia and Delfina Fendi, Jeremy Scott, and other important sounding fashion heavyweights you may or may not have heard of. All this, despite the fact, that he wasn&#8217;t even on the official PFW schedule. So how did he do? His Collection Unsurprisingly, different parts of West&#8217;s debut collection are reminiscent of past shows by Alexander Wang, Rick Owens, and Celine. The first thing apparent in West&#8217;s collection is the high level of workmanship in the pieces he managed to assemble in three days. West consulted Kim Jones and Louise Wilson for the collection, among others. So there&#8217;s no surprise in the quality of couture in his collection. DW&#8217;s debut collection is an intriguing mix of asymmetrical cuts, expensive fabrics, and unique Yeezyisms. Holistically, the collection seems right at home among the other PFW shows. Still though, Kanye managed to incorporate little quirks into his show that were purely Yeezy. One of the last looks in his collection was an all-black ensemble with a hood that was strikingly similar to the Bathing Ape shark hoodies &#8216;Ye had been known to rock in the past. On top of that, Yeezy had all of his models wear a gold &#8220;Yeezi&#8221; necklace. (The only real prerequisite for modeling in his show was previously being mentioned in Christian Dior Denim Flow.) Industry/Media Reaction In many ways Kanye was doomed to most of the negative criticism he&#8217;s received, even before his collection debuted. It&#8217;s a recurring theme in a professional career that has been filled with unexpected industry moves and new mediums. The producer-turned-rapper-turned-designer faced the same animosity he faced when he first tried to prove himself as more than a producer-rapper. The same occurred when he turned to singing on 808&#8217;s and Heartbreak. Now Mr. West is facing the uphill battle of proving he is more than just a hip hop designer. Most of the detraction West has gotten so far is nothing more than the fashion industry&#8217;s exclusive souls being wary of any outsider, celebrity designer trying to break into their world. There&#8217;s been a certain &#8220;stick to your day job&#8221; sentiment from pockets of fashion&#8217;s elite concerning DW&#8217;s debut. Lisa Armstrong of The Daily Telegraph regarded Kanye&#8217;s collection as a &#8220;&#8221;stupendously vacuous enterprise.&#8221; And Gawker did their best to dismiss Kanye&#8217;s debut as disastrous, despite collected quotes not incendiary enough to support their thesis. Strangely enough, most online articles have given fairly objective, honest critiques of Kanye&#8217;s debut. WWD said: neither triumph nor train wreck&#8230; It had the earnest veneer of a beginner, which was sort of endearing.&#8221; The New York Times said: &#8220;There was one good-looking pair of color-blocked pants in blue and coral, but it was obvious that most of the clothes suffered from a poor fit.&#8221; These articles are both hypercritical, yet much more honest in their approach. The New York Times was even sure to explain that the ill-fitting pieces may have been the result of rushed fittings (CDDF favorite Chanel Iman was flown in by telephone the day before). Retrospect So after the fact, what does this show mean for Kanye West&#8217;s fashion ambitions? It&#8217;s too early to tell; there are enough signs to suggest either of two possible endings. Clearly Kanye already has some traction and respect in the fashion industry. He does have a major fashion house internship under his belt, not to mention uncountable appearances at all the major fashion weeks, and friendships with some of the most important figures in the industry. And his clothes did show real promise. Despite the fact that much of his collection was directly translated looks of the designers he most idolizes, and the fact that he featured conspicuous amounts of fur and leather in a spring/summer collection, Kanye has the makings of a real designer. The intense passion for designing is clearly there, as is the patience to sacrifice the time required. And Kanye clearly has an eye for fashion design. A few times when the fit and material weren&#8217;t distracting from the look, Kanye managed to display an impressive command of couture and creative design. West has the tools necessary of a designer, as long as he&#8217;s willing to be patient about the artistic and professional growth that may take longer than anticipated. At this point in his career, Kanye&#8217;s done literally everything he&#8217;s publicly proclaimed it his goal to do, suggesting that it&#8217;d be potentially wise to not bet against him here. Only time will tell though. For now, he knows his only hope of establishing himself in fashion may come through escaping the walls built by the &#8220;black American, hip hop rapper turned celebrity-designer&#8221; label that has been placed on him by some of the industry&#8217;s finest.
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Kanye West Debuts DW @ Paris Fashion Week

The Wu-Tang Clan may have been one of the first hip hip brands to dabble in the fashion industry, but in today’s day and age we take for granted the phenomenon of the celebrity (rapper, actor, singer) turned fashion designer. It’s the prevalence of the celebrity world’s Rocawears, Sean Johns, and Jennifer Lopez x Macy’s collaborations that make it difficult for anybody who made their millions and earned their acclamations in any field other than fashion to crossover into the industry.

But in every sense, Kanye West’s involvement in fashion seems radically different than the way we traditionally are used to seeing celebrities approach the fashion industry. From the start of his career, Kanye has always been an individual whose sartorial inclinations were instrumental in defining his public image. He helped turned hip hop away from baggy jerseys and ill-fitted velour track suits. With his last two albums he’s invented a new sub-genre of hip hop, luxury rap. And of late his favorite rhyming topics have been as much Phoebe Philo and Maison Margiela as anything else. It was within the context of this well-known, decade-long love obsession with fashion that Kanye West debuted his first collection at Paris Fashion Week, this past Saturday.

The unique thing about Kanye West’s fashion debut is this: despite the fact that this is his first collection ever, he is still Kanye West. As a result, his debuted his collection at the Lycee Henri IV, an expensive looking Parisian secondary school. And in attendance were Anna Wintour, Terry Richardson, Silvia and Delfina Fendi, Jeremy Scott, and other important sounding fashion heavyweights you may or may not have heard of. All this, despite the fact, that he wasn’t even on the official PFW schedule. So how did he do?

His Collection

Unsurprisingly, different parts of West’s debut collection are reminiscent of past shows by Alexander Wang, Rick Owens, and Celine. The first thing apparent in West’s collection is the high level of workmanship in the pieces he managed to assemble in three days. West consulted Kim Jones and Louise Wilson for the collection, among others. So there’s no surprise in the quality of couture in his collection.

DW’s debut collection is an intriguing mix of asymmetrical cuts, expensive fabrics, and unique Yeezyisms. Holistically, the collection seems right at home among the other PFW shows. Still though, Kanye managed to incorporate little quirks into his show that were purely Yeezy.

One of the last looks in his collection was an all-black ensemble with a hood that was strikingly similar to the Bathing Ape shark hoodies ‘Ye had been known to rock in the past. On top of that, Yeezy had all of his models wear a gold “Yeezi” necklace. (The only real prerequisite for modeling in his show was previously being mentioned in Christian Dior Denim Flow.)

Industry/Media Reaction

In many ways Kanye was doomed to most of the negative criticism he’s received, even before his collection debuted. It’s a recurring theme in a professional career that has been filled with unexpected industry moves and new mediums. The producer-turned-rapper-turned-designer faced the same animosity he faced when he first tried to prove himself as more than a producer-rapper. The same occurred when he turned to singing on 808’s and Heartbreak. Now Mr. West is facing the uphill battle of proving he is more than just a hip hop designer.

Most of the detraction West has gotten so far is nothing more than the fashion industry’s exclusive souls being wary of any outsider, celebrity designer trying to break into their world. There’s been a certain “stick to your day job” sentiment from pockets of fashion’s elite concerning DW’s debut. Lisa Armstrong of The Daily Telegraph regarded Kanye’s collection as a “”stupendously vacuous enterprise.” And Gawker did their best to dismiss Kanye’s debut as disastrous, despite collected quotes not incendiary enough to support their thesis.

Strangely enough, most online articles have given fairly objective, honest critiques of Kanye’s debut.

WWD said:

neither triumph nor train wreck… It had the earnest veneer of a beginner, which was sort of endearing.”

The New York Times said:

“There was one good-looking pair of color-blocked pants in blue and coral, but it was obvious that most of the clothes suffered from a poor fit.”

These articles are both hypercritical, yet much more honest in their approach. The New York Times was even sure to explain that the ill-fitting pieces may have been the result of rushed fittings (CDDF favorite Chanel Iman was flown in by telephone the day before).

Retrospect

So after the fact, what does this show mean for Kanye West’s fashion ambitions? It’s too early to tell; there are enough signs to suggest either of two possible endings. Clearly Kanye already has some traction and respect in the fashion industry. He does have a major fashion house internship under his belt, not to mention uncountable appearances at all the major fashion weeks, and friendships with some of the most important figures in the industry. And his clothes did show real promise. Despite the fact that much of his collection was directly translated looks of the designers he most idolizes, and the fact that he featured conspicuous amounts of fur and leather in a spring/summer collection, Kanye has the makings of a real designer. The intense passion for designing is clearly there, as is the patience to sacrifice the time required.

And Kanye clearly has an eye for fashion design. A few times when the fit and material weren’t distracting from the look, Kanye managed to display an impressive command of couture and creative design.

West has the tools necessary of a designer, as long as he’s willing to be patient about the artistic and professional growth that may take longer than anticipated. At this point in his career, Kanye’s done literally everything he’s publicly proclaimed it his goal to do, suggesting that it’d be potentially wise to not bet against him here.

Only time will tell though. For now, he knows his only hope of establishing himself in fashion may come through escaping the walls built by the “black American, hip hop rapper turned celebrity-designer” label that has been placed on him by some of the industry’s finest.

The Jungle Brothers

When people recall the founders of the Native Tongues (the highly influential Afrocentric hip hop collective from the late ’80s to mid ’90s), they usually think of A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and the Jungle Brothers…in that order. The former two are among the most highly beloved and celebrated hip hop groups of all time. The latter is a highly forgotten and under-appreciated after thought.

It’s quite a shame that outside of hardcore hip hop heads, not many people know of the Jungle Brothers. Composed of rappers Afrika Baby Bam (homage to Afrika Bambaataa) and Mike Gee and producer Sammy B., they were one of the most influential hip hop groups of the late ’80s and early ’90s. They are the ones that introduced the members of A Tribe Called Quest to De La Soul. They are the ones that gave A Tribe Called Quest their group name. They were paving the way for jazz rap and instrumental experimentation before Tribe or De La ever released an album.

the jungle brothers (left to right): afrika baby bam, sammy b., mike gee

So why have they been so underrated? It’s hard to explain. Hip hop critics will concede that their first two albums Straight out the Jungle and Done by the Forces of Nature are definite classics. Yet in spite of all this, the J Beez (as they’re commonly called) never managed to garner much commercial appeal. Of the first three albums that consist of their canon, two were commercial flops. Perhaps it’s because they were even more experimental in their music than Tribe or De La. But for whatever reason, they never gained mainstream success.

Which of course is a shame, because their music is brilliant, with it’s own distinct style. That’s why I think this post is very timely. What better time than Black History Month to inform people about one of the most Afrocentric music groups to ever approach the mic.

Love live the J Beez!

What has continually set Kanye West apart from the rest of the music industry has always been his creative vision. Never one to leave his music solely to the strength of its audio quality, ‘Ye has always combined his sonic vision with mesmerizing performances, groundbreaking concepts, and stellar visuals. His latest undertaking is in the same tradition on innovation. Mr. West, who closed the 2010 VMAs with his performance of his latest single Runaway, also debuted the video trailer for the same song. The upcoming film from Kanye, yes film…not music video, is said to be coming out alongside his new album. The trailer is frustrating compelling, making you want to see the finished product now. But it’s also a reminder that good things come to those who wait.

Q:yea but the problem is what is creative about it? i mean it is talking, in a fast manner. and they talk about drugs, sex, gangs.... not creativity. bon jovi wrote REAL music, and so did aerosmith, and some others bands now. but you cant say rap is creative when you look at what all the stuff it talks about is

Anonymous

A Tribe Called Quest, one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time, discussed political expatriates, black nationalism, vegetarianism, and the ills of domestic violence (among many other topics) on their debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Kanye West has discussed blood diamonds, racism, the social value of post-secondary education, the ills of materialism and conformity, the trouble with minimum wage (and many other issues) over the four albums he’s released thus far. I think you get the idea. It’s a shame that some of the more shallow “hip hop artists” out there have skewed your perception of the genre. Real hip hop is some of the most enlightening music anywhere to be found. Think of it as nothing more than lyrical poetry cleverly delivered over innovative beats.

Q:why do u focus on all this rap and no real music? anyway, people just spel rap wrong, they need a c in the front

Anonymous

I would love to know who you are so I could perhaps answer this question more adequately. I focus more on hip hop now because I’m really in a hip hop state of mind right now. I’m a lover of all things of creative value. Hip hop, world music, indie, electro pop, folk, traditional rock. I love all these things. Vampire Weekend, Sublime, The Avett Brothers, Switchfoot. These are among my favorite musical acts. I invite you to give hip hop a chance. I think you’d be surprised how your opinion of it just might change.

Much hoopla was made about Lil Bow Wow when he dropped his debut album Beware of the Dog in 2000, at the young age of 13. A lot of noise was made when a then 15-year-old Lil Wayne joined rap group the Hot Boys, becoming their youngest member. Even today, there’s a significant amount of hype surrounding 15-year-old Diggy Simmons, son of Reverend Run of Run-DMC.

Why then is rap prodigy A+ still a relative unknown? Rapper A+ is no longer a child. He released his debut album in 1996, The Latchkey Kid, at age 13. He followed this with a sophomore effort three years later before virtually disappearing off the face of the earth.

Listening to this one track alone, it’s quite easy to see that the kid had massive potential. A+, at 13, could rhyme circles around Bow Wow today (age 23). His lyrical content and delivery was far more impressive than that of Lil Wayne and Diggy Simmons. The kid seemed to have maturity far beyond his years. His debut was deemed a critical success and is considered a hip hop classic by many. There are those though that say that he had largely sold out by his sophomore album, Hempstead High. Perhaps he was too focused on getting rich.

Me & My Microphone (feat Q-Tip) is essentially an ode to hip hop. It’s personification of rap is quite reminiscent of Common’s I Used to Love H.E.R..

So how could a talent with such potential simply fall off? It’s rather hard to find information on A+. But after the failure of his sophomore record, it appears that he just…stopped making music. There’s been talk of a 3rd album, but it doesn’t appear that anything has been formalized.

If you have any information about A+, please be sure to share. Thoughts anyone?

Hip hop rhyme master turned super producer turned art curator. That’s Q-Tip in a nutshell. The Queens MC, of A Tribe Called Quest fame, has recently been selected, along with The Roots of Philly, to host the 2010 Hennessy Artistry series. Hennessy Artist is an annual series that highlights music, artists, and drinks, blending the three into an unforgettable social event.

The visuals in the pretty video are on point. Q-Tip is looking rather dapper with his plaid suit and styling haircut. Black Thought is having fun on the mic. And Questlove is being…well Questlove. I appreciate Hennessy’s decision to bring together two of the most eclectic entities in hip hop history. Hennessy Artistry will be coming to Chicago, Detroit, Miami, and New York.

It’d do you good to attend the one nearest you. Among the selected special guests are Mike Posner, Travie McCoy, Kid Sister, and Jay Electronica. The event kicks off September 18th in Chicago at the Blackhawk Building. More info on Hennessy’s website.