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BEATDOWN The shoe trends HIP HOP HAS ITS FASHION TENDENCY

Can rappers protest without sounding Preachy or losing their message, often other people do not get the message essence LUIS VITTON MANOLO BIHANYK

he fan-organized event was dubbed“Fiasco Friday,” but the event was Tanything but a disaster. Upward of 200 fans cheered, danced and rapped Lupe’s lyrics for hours before he arrived just shy of 3 p.m. CHAMPION SOUND to address the crowd. “So, y’all actually did it, J.DILLA huh?” he said to the audience. “The first thing I The late, great James dewitt yancey want to say is: Congratulations. The second thing aka J.Dilla lives this holiday with dillantology I want to say is: Thank you very much for put- HALFIGER ting on a very peaceful protest. The third thing I want to say is: Lasers is dropping March 8th!” ancey aka Jay Dee aka man. He inspires me to perfect Each remark from the MC drew a loud reaction. HIP RADII was one of the my craft in every way. Dilla was The event was initially organized by two New Lmost influential produc- and will always be my hero.” Jersey natives, Matt Morrelli, 19, and Matt La ers of modern hip-hop and soul Before becoming one of hip- Corte, 17, as a way to help Lupe Fiasco score music. It’s possible that his hop’s greatest musical inspira- a release date for his long-delayed third . HOP low-key attitude and devotion to tions, Dilla came up through the The rapper had been at odds with his label over craftsmanship, rather than desire ranks of the music scene. creative differences, among other issues. But last for stardom, kept the unassuming Detroit singer/musician Amp week, he sent a picture via Twitter of himself STYLE artist below the mainstream’s ra- Fiddler first taught Dilla how to with Atlantic Records executive Julie Green- dar. But musicians and purists to work the MPC (a sampling/beat- wald with the caption “Victory.” A press release the game will tell you he was the making machine). “The first beat was issued the next day announcing the March producer’s producer as talented he played for me he looped the date for Lupe Fiasco’s album. During the rally, as a Pharrell Williams or a Kanye whole track from cassette player Warner Music Group executive Lyor Cohen ad- West. “If you were to secretly to cassette player,” Amp Fiddler dressed the crowd before the rapper showed up ask the most praised hip-hop said. “There were a few drops and played the first single from his forthcoming producers, if given a top three, but for the most part it was pretty project. who they fear the most, Dilla’s damn precise. So I told him he According to La Corte, fans traveled from as far name would chart on everyone’s needs to go home and separate as to attend the event, which was MM list, hands down,” The Roots’ all] the samples to load into the transformed from a protest into a march. Fans PRADA ?uestlove told MTV last week. “I MPC. walked from outside Central Park to the label’s am fortunate to have known this WWW.THESOURCE.COM

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