Items by Craig Belcher

• DJ Peachez, Richmond DJ, Dies

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Terika Grooms, aka DJ Peachez died at an area hospital today after a brief illness. I'm not the target audience for contemporary urban radio, so I had no idea who she was until recently, when I heard she was sick via facebook updates from a' [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 7:16pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Bazerk is Back

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  That summer tour may not have materialized, but the Son of Bazerk, the cutting edge rap group that released one album in 1991, has reunited. Tony Allen aka Son of Bazerk, is in the studio with longtime Public Enemy DJ Johnny Juice and [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 11:06am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• That's so Richmond!

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  I haven't ventured out to the clubs in my hometown on a regular basis in years. From the looks of this video, not much has changed.
  
  DJ/Blogger Big Nat fronts this video clip that shows Pretty Rickey getting the official Richmond welcome at a club last night.[...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 6:47am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Soundbombing Pt 4: Stuck in New York

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  I'd never seen anything like the performance above by RA The Rugged Man in 1999 and I probably never will. I don't have the words to do it justice, so I won't try. Rugged Man dropped a new CD this week, if your interested.
  
  After a' [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 8:14pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Bombing the Sound Pt. 3

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  The next chapter in the story might not be worth the wait, I think the footage above of Pharoahe Monch and Shabaam Sahdeeq is an acceptable consolation. The asthmatic former member of Organized Konfusion spits the first verse of "WW II" twice, after his first delivery left the audience [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 8:07pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Bombing The Sound Pt. 2

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 3
  
  This is the second installment about first trip to New York on the music industry's dime.
  Rawkus, the label that put out Soundbombing 2, put us up in a swank hotel in midtown New York. Since it was my partner Maurice's room and hook-up, I didn't want to' [...]
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  Posted: September 26, 2009, 8:08am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Roc Raida Dies

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Busta Rhymes personal DJ and X-exuctioners members Roc Raida died today. The pioneering DJ was reportedly admitted to a hospital for a spinal injury, but an official cause of death has not been released. [...]
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  Posted: September 19, 2009, 3:37pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Chris Brown at your Service, Richmond

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
    [...]
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  Posted: September 17, 2009, 7:15am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Don't Call it a Comeback Concert

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  D'angelo, according to a source close to the singer, will not be performing at an after party for the Video Music Awards. A post on ticketalternative.com claims that the reclusive singer along with "Tony S. Soulfinger Sam, Herbert Holler & Marc Smooth" will perform at' [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2009, 8:17pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Ya Still Tellin' Lies to Me

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  There are quite a few doctors in the music game, Dr. Dre, Dr. Ice, Dr. Demento. But it's uncommon for a musician to actually become a legit doctor of philosophy or medicine. Perhaps that's why a story about a underground rap artist who went on [...]
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  Posted: September 03, 2009, 7:18am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Chris Brown Doesn't Remember Beating

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  Embedded video from CNN Video
  The full interview airs Wednesday on the Larry King Show on CNN. [...]
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  Posted: August 31, 2009, 8:20am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Nas talks to Nardwuar

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  It's not easy to get a rap artist to expand beyond their stock answers and prepared comments. This guy finds a way, but at what cost?' [...]
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  Posted: August 27, 2009, 10:01pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Bombing The Sound

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  Back when indie rap lable Rawkus was flush with street cred and Fox, Inc. cash, I talked them into flying me to New York for the Soundbombing 2 release party/concert. They booked us on a small plane that left me and my partner DJ Reese shook ones. Our ride [...]
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  Posted: August 19, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Rapper Baatin of Slum Village Dies

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Detroit's hip hop community lost another pivotal member this weekend. Baatin, a founding member of Slum Village, died yesterday. The rapper, who had recently rejoined the group, was found dead on a Detroit street after leaving a cookout. The cause of death is unknown.
  [...]
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  Posted: August 02, 2009, 9:57am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Not So Fast and Furious

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Ice Cube starred in "Torque," a box office bomb that borrowed heavily from the hugely successful "The Fast and Furious." Both movies feature rappers-turnt-actors in major roles and have the characters head for Mexico when things get tough. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Neal H. Moritz, produced' [...]
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  Posted: July 24, 2009, 7:56pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Chris Brown says he's "sorry"

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Who believes him? [...]
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  Posted: July 20, 2009, 7:17pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Day Has Come, I Guess

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  Like murder, there is no statute of limitations on sampling. That's why Lonnie Lynn can be sued today for using the music of songwriters Andrew Andrew Marks and London McDaniels, on his debut album, nearly 20 years ago. I guess the recession has songwriters in a pinch, too.
  
  The' [...]
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  Posted: July 14, 2009, 9:46pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Steve Harvey knows what boys want

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  
  Since being crowned a king of comedy and starring in the long-running sitcom, "The Steve Harvey Show," Steve Harvey has kept busy. His current day job is hosting a syndicated morning radio program, "The Steve Harvey Morning Show." I guess he saves his creativity for his jokes and [...]
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  Posted: July 05, 2009, 10:49pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• So We Can Rock Forever

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  The death of Micheal Jackson has been hard to process. Like all seventies babies, I haven't lived in world without Mike and his sudden death has me a little shook. I've found some comfort remembering what comedian Lucille Ball's daughter said after her mother died.
  [...]
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  Posted: July 02, 2009, 9:45pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Thriller is Gone

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  [...]
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  Posted: June 25, 2009, 6:35pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Hammer's Words to Third Bass

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  MC Hammer finally addresses a story MC Serch of the defunct rap group Third Bass has been telling for years. Although he doesn't confirm or deny what happened, Mr. Stanley Burrell's careful word choice and knowledge about the trio's commercial in impact is revealing.
  
  For those who don't have dog-eared copies [...]
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  Posted: June 21, 2009, 9:25am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Dolla's Family Speaks Out

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  The family of slain rapper Dolla released this statement today:
  
  “First and foremost we, the Burton family would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers during these trying times,” the statement reads. “Most recently, the Burton family was made aware that [...]
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  Posted: May 22, 2009, 6:46pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Clipse of Reality

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  In the above video, Malice, of The Clipse, all but confesses that the cocaine raps that they put out for young minds to consume, may not have been true stories. As that guy used to say on This Week In Baseball, "How 'bout that?" While this admission is not' [...]
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  Posted: May 02, 2009, 12:26am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Chain and the Star

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  It didn't take long for rap veterans Guru and DJ Premier to gauge that former Wavelength host Yasmine wasn't well-versed on their career. The duo takes over this 2003 interview, tag-teaming on talking points, which means this interview is probably like many they did that day, but who [...]
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  Posted: April 13, 2009, 11:01pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Kings in the Hall

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  If you read DMC's account of his days with Run and Jam Master Jay, you probably remembered how it all ended. Shortly after the death of Jam Master Jay, Run announced the end of the group at a press conference. This was news to hip hop fans around the' [...]
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  Posted: April 05, 2009, 8:10am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Rah Rah Rah

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Rah Digga was the brightest star in the Flipmode Squad, a name that Busta Rhymes gave to his friends and family who wanted to become rappers but would settle for just hanging out with him. The crew of weed carriers has dwindled down to four members, with rappers like [...]
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  Posted: March 29, 2009, 11:13am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The McN*e*r*d Dance

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Tennis shoe pimp and rock star wannabe Pharrell attempted to persuade a Paris McDonald's to open early recently by giving them a impromptu and unwanted mini-concert. I guess if Hammer could dance for popcorn chicken back in the day, this school teacher's son can humiliate himself for a [...]
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  Posted: March 25, 2009, 8:05pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Wavelength Goes to the Movies

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  At the height of our irrelevance, Wavelength was among a handful of music shows that were invited to a series of press days for urban films in New York and California. A movie studio paid for my train ride to New York, (I never fly to New York. That's' [...]
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  Posted: March 12, 2009, 10:28pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Coup on the Boulevard

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  
  It was a rare to have a national rap act as a studio guest for Wavelength, the failed video show that inspired this blog. A convergence of events had to happen; the rapper had to be on a promo tour or in town for a concert, they had [...]
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  Posted: March 02, 2009, 12:33pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• President Barack Obama

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  .msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;}

  Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, [...]

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  Posted: January 20, 2009, 3:13pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• The Big One That Got Away

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  
  
  
  
  "Nobody Is Invincible" scene from "Notorious"
  
  As the release of "Notorious," nears I've been reflecting upon that era. I had a chance to interview Biggie when he visited our home base, the Phono Booth, in 1994. Unfortunately, I' [...]
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  Posted: January 12, 2009, 1:48pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• A Notoriously B.I.G. Movie

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  Newsweak published some shoddy articles on hip hop back in the day, as did many mainstream publications, and they've had to work hard to earn my trust. I stumbled across the first review I've seen of "Notorious,' the bio pic on the late Notorious B.I.G, at the'" [...]
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  Posted: January 12, 2009, 12:42pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Son of Bazerk plans 2009 Tour

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  The band's about to swivey again. Cutting-edge hip-hop group Son of Bazerk, known for their dapper clothes and highly charged music is planning a tour in 2009. MC Half-Pint aka Cassandra (pictured above, see if you can figure it out) says the online response to' [...]
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  Posted: December 09, 2008, 9:02am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Bush Frees John Forté

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  President George Bush has given progressives and his critics a lot to complain about the final days of his presidency. While his last minute laws regarding abortion, drilling in national parks and "clean air," aren't unexpected considering his policial leandings, the president made a move [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2008, 10:13pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Yes, we did.

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2008, 12:49am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• MTV remembers what the "M" was for

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  The Pharcyde |MTV Music
  MTV recently soft launched MTVMusic.com, which gives users access to a sizable portion of the network's video vault. This isn't as revolutionary as it would've been before sites like youtube took hold, but with copyright holders becoming more vigilant, this may become [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2008, 8:00am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Big Nat Gets Up Like a Fart Machine

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  
  Big Nat is a DJ and blogger here in Richmond, Va. His latest post is way funnier than it should be. [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2008, 5:46pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• BET's Rap City: Is it Really a Wrap?

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  BET recently announced that its long-running video program, "Rap City," would end next month. After almost decade on the air, the show never rose above mediocrity, although it often dipped below the mark. While the news of this mercy killing didn't warm my heart, I [...]
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  Posted: October 02, 2008, 5:25pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Ready to Debut

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  
  Looks good. I wonder who's playin' Craig Mack? [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2008, 2:20pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Remember Summer?

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Skillz "Be Alright" feat. Kornbread & Aaries from Okayplayer on Vimeo.
  
  
  Skillz does. His new clip for "Be Alright," features the rapper enjoying family and friends on a warm day in Richmond, Va. As the kids are in their second week in school, it [...]
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  Posted: September 15, 2008, 12:36pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Wild Wild West

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  
  "Til I got flashed by the paparazzi.. Damn, these n*ggas got me, I hate these n*ggas more than the Nazis.” - Kanye West.
  
  There's never a good time to wild out in a airport, but if you had to pick a day, Sept. 11 would probably [...]
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  Posted: September 12, 2008, 7:53am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Son of a Preacher Man

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  Former Fugee frontman Wyclef Jean's attempts to distract former Wavelength host Yasmine Weaver become more desparate and comical as this clip continues. He sings, he stares, he flirts and but doesn't get much more than a grin from Yas. [...]
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  Posted: August 28, 2008, 9:46pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Skillz in 1995

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  
  There used to be an annual concert in Richmond's Highland Park, called the "Park Jam." I think it ran for about 4 years or so, mostly local acts on a portable stage performing for neighborhood folks. D'angelo was billed one year, but he couldn't make it. One of [...]
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  Posted: July 28, 2008, 10:53pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Skillz Drops A Million

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 0
  
  
  Is this really happening? Is Skillz actually seeing a proper album release, something that hasn't happened in more than a decade? Well, it sure looks like it. After years of being held up, pushed back and let go, the rap vet is scheduled to release [...]
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  Posted: July 22, 2008, 8:17am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• A Salute to Captain Video

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  There's a crucial part of the music video industry called video promotion. In the early days of Wavelength, a 3/4 video delivered in the mail would be followed up with a call from a video promoter asking when you were going to play it. If [...]
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  Posted: September 22, 2007, 7:54am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Wrath of the Damaja

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  Artie Jefferson, the owner of the record store where this interview with Jeru the Damaja took place, was known to share his theories about artist development. I recall he and I discussing some of the thematic elements of "The Sun Rises In The East," and he said something [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2007, 9:28pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• My 25. Finally.

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 6
  I know I'm late with this, but my access to the internets is restricted at the DBC, outside of these mandatory posts. My tardiness can't be argued, but my choices are up for discussion.
  
  1. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back/Public Enemy
  Conceptually sound, impeccable [...]
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  Posted: August 26, 2007, 8:09pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Redman: Exploited on TV

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  Reggie Noble lit up the Phono Booth during his second visit to the store in 1995. He kept things moving fast, but Dre kept up with him for the most part.
  
  Enjoy Redman at his illest.
  
  P.S.The microphone used in this interview went on to bigger and better [...]
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  Posted: August 15, 2007, 9:46pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Moments of Truth Pt. 2

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  Outside of Public Enemy, Gangstarr was my favorite rap group. Peep my myspace handle. Their formula never changed from record to record, but it was enhanced and updated with each release.
  They remain one of the most consistent duos in hip hop, even if they're [...]
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  Posted: July 26, 2007, 10:07pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• A Bag and a Prayer

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  Preparing for a live broadcast of Wavelength was a soothing ritual I relished almost as much as the show itself. Hours before we went on, I picked out the videos from my ginormous collection of 3/4 and VHS tapes. Three quarter inch tapes, if you [...]
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  Posted: July 16, 2007, 9:38pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Every hero needs one

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  
  In a classic film from the 1980s, the protagonist returns home after a stint in the armed forces to find his old neighborhood in shambles. With his military knowledge, and a little help from his friends, he rids the streets of criminals and gangsters. He [...]
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  Posted: July 08, 2007, 1:43pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• A Furious Style

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  Leshaun was the first mad rapper we encountered. She came in the studio arguing with her road manager and created a tense atmosphere that lasted for the entirety of her brief visit with us in 1993. As I was cuing up her video, her mood shifted and things got [...]
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  Posted: June 24, 2007, 11:55pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Ray "Coach" Brown 1935-2007

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  I met Ray Brown when I was scouting locations for a shoot for Impact magazine. I was looking for a boxing ring and I heard that Citywide Boxing Club had a good look. It was a hollowed out warehouse, complete with a loading dock and a porta-john. It [...]
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  Posted: June 18, 2007, 9:51pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Big Shug's Real Talk

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  In 1996, at the Phono Booth Record Store, Big Shug gave Wavelength one of the most personal and revealing interviews we ever recorded. For some reason, we never aired it.
  
  I'm not sure what happened. But now, 11 years later, it's time to hear what Shug, [...]
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  Posted: June 12, 2007, 8:25am EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Big Bad Wu

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  This was another interview that almost didn't happen. The Wu-Tang Clan left the Phono Booth, our surrogate TV studio and neighborhood record store before I arrived for our scheduled interview. Imagine my disappointment. I called the label and spoke to a woman named named Charm. She shared my [...]
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  Posted: May 31, 2007, 10:28pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Flight Director

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  I didn’t do Wavelength all by myself. There were many people who supported and encouraged my efforts. Pookie, Kia, Lance, Carlos, Adrian, Derek, Paul, Lorna, Sir Lance ... But none more directly than Arthur F.D. Johnson, Jr. My director, producer, mentor, and friend. For a long [...]
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  Posted: May 27, 2007, 10:29pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Queens Get the Money

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  
  There was barely a buzz on Mobb Deep when they appeared on Wavelength. It was more like a hum. The group was known for their DJ Premier-produced single "Peer Pressure," off their first album. It was known that they were now producing themselves and everybody was waiting to [...]
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  Posted: May 17, 2007, 10:07pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Half Pint Pt. 2: Not the Average Chick

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  
  Rapper turnt school teacher Cassandra Jackson talks about being the only female in a group that sometimes spit misogynist lyrics, the state of hip hop today and why Half Pint is for the children.
  
  Do you ever think of picking up the mic again?
  [...]
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  Posted: May 15, 2007, 11:49pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Doobie U Be

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  Funkdoobiest was like Cypress Hill lite. They both had latin lead rappers, talked about getting high and shared the production talents of DJ Muggs. But while Cypress was known for their rhymes of violence and revenge, Funkdoobiest seemed to focus on the lighter side of things. Which made [...]
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  Posted: April 30, 2007, 10:11pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• It's a Jungle out there

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  Opening for the rapper-of-the-moment at a hollowed-out former restaurant, The Jungle Brothers weren't at the height of their career when they appeared on Wavelength. After three albums, the pioneering rap group seemed to have its best days behind them. The days when they created [...]
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  Posted: April 24, 2007, 11:47pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Son of Bazerk's Half Pint Speaks

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  Known as Half Pint, she was 1/5 of the underrated rap group Son of Bazerk. Her high-pitched interjections brought urgency to the Bomb Squad produced tracks, similar to what her former babysitter, Flavor Flav did for Public Enemy.
  
  Years later, she now answers to Ms. [...]
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  Posted: April 11, 2007, 12:29pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• I've been Tagged

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  I'm usually not the one for internet and email games. But since a supporter of this blog asked me to participate, I'm playing this one. So, I think I'm supposed to post 7 songs I'm digging right now ask 7 other bloggers to do the same.
  
  Here are my [...]
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  Posted: April 11, 2007, 12:11pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Sayin' Nothin'

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  
  Getting a national recording artist to appear on a local TV show took days of negotiation with record labels and road managers. Despite our intention to do things the right way, sometimes we got left holding the mic. This post is about some of those [...]
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  Posted: April 02, 2007, 2:11pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Saturday Nite Wavelength

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  Masta Ace is subjected to the interview techniques of Dre the Hip Hop Junkie and a critical review of his latest release. This interview was filmed in 1993 at the Phono Booth Record Store, which is now a laundromat. [...]
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  Posted: March 27, 2007, 10:27pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The Redman Interview

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  
  I was concerned about our interview with Redman. The funk doctor was unlike any other rapper on the scene. He didn't fit the mold of conscious rappers, gangster rappers or just-a-regular-guy rappers. Plainly put, Redman just didn't give a fck. "Whut? thee Album," his debut, was a [...]
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  Posted: March 20, 2007, 12:42pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Steady Decline

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  Every time I came across Warren McGlone, aka Steady B. things weren't going his way. The first time I saw him was at the Richmond Colesium in 1992. Steady B. was part of group called CEB, comprised of a couple of other past-their-prime rappers. (The name was comprised of [...]
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  Posted: March 04, 2007, 2:53pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• The Kings and I

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 1
  
  
  Whenever I'm asked, "So, what kind of guests did you have on your little show?" The first group I name is Run DMC. It wasn't my best or favorite interview, but it lets people know what level we were operating on. The Kings of Rock were the verge [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2007, 7:09pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• The Uptown's Lounge

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  They don't make nightclubs in Richmond like this one anymore, it lasted long enough to become a legend. Nightspots in the city now suffer short lifespans, shutting down and opening up within a few months. Most eventually fail, leaving empty husks that drag down the [...]
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  Posted: January 10, 2007, 9:37pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Word to the 3rd

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  3rd Bass had just split when MC Serch hopped on The Source Magazine's concert tour. Serch's stay on the tour, like his solo career, was brief. During his performance in Richmond, Va., he reportedly remarked that one of the members of The Almighty RSO looked like Humpty Hump. After [...]
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  Posted: January 09, 2007, 9:07pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Forgot about Dre

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  
  When I think about the failure of Wavelength, I'm comforted by the thought that it wasn't all my fault. There were others to share the blame. One of those people is Andre. He appeared at the studio after the third program and quickly became part [...]
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  Posted: January 06, 2007, 1:26pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Employee of the Month

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  Number of comments: 2
  
  I have wavered off course lately. Posting up the least embarrassing moments from my ill-fated television show has been very cathartic, but that's not all this project is about. (Read the subtitle.) So, back to program.
  
  It may have been around the end of [...]
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  Posted: December 28, 2006, 8:32pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Freestyle File: Skillz

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  Years before he would be known as the guy who sums up the year's events in a song, Skillz made a name for himself as a battle rapper. Here, caught between takes on a Wavelength shoot, he effortlessly shows why his freestyle is still feared. This was shot [...]
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  Posted: December 21, 2006, 10:57am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• The revolution will be live

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  As you may have read elsewhere, The Coup were involved in a serious bus accident recently. The group and its band survived, but most of their equipment and other essential items didn't. Boots says the band is without a way to generate income presently [...]
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  Posted: December 11, 2006, 10:21am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Freestyle Files: Redman

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  Redman and Method man were invited guests at a Free Slick Rick party we hosted at the Phono Booth in 1995. Only Redman showed up, making his second appearance on Wavelength. After a partictuarly amped interview, a cipher formed in the record store. These verses contains adult language and [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2006, 11:28am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Handle the truth

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  The first time I met D'angelo was in a nightclub in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom. A promoter was showcasing several local rap acts, among them a group called "Dirty Souls," a rap duo that included Marlon C., who was known around town as D'angelo's cousin. [...]
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  Posted: November 27, 2006, 11:13am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• The Disciple

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  Shabazz the Disciple was the first voice in "Diary of Madman," the debut album from The Gravediggas. In one verse, Shabazz killed you, stomped on your corpse and threatened to buck you down if you tried to haunt him. It wasn't one of those rhymes you easily [...]
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  Posted: November 14, 2006, 8:49am EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Moments of Truth Pt. 1

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  It was rare that we would shoot Wavelength outside of Richmond, Va. But when I got a call from an EMI rep about Gangstarr being available at Georgetown hotel, we got on the road quick. My usual cameramen were unavailable, so I snatched up D.J. [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2006, 9:59pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Rappers from the Basement

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  
  It's hard to remember a time when a rapper could admit to enjoying role playing games and not expect complete humiliation. But once upon a time in 1993, we met A rap duo that wasn't afraid to talk about the dragons and dungeons,the Cella Dwellas.
  
  Like [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2006, 7:18pm EST
  by Craig Belcher

• Change the Style

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  The Son of Bazerk were a rap band far ahead of their contemporaries. Unfortunately for them, they were also way ahead of their intended audience. The beats, the look, the style were borrowed from the future and stolen from the past. A silk-suited rapper whose style went from reggae [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2006, 6:37pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Love and Hell

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  My second interview almost didn't happen. Arrangements with the record label (Elektra) fell through. The more I got involved in the video game, the less this would happen, but it wasn’t uncommon. Luckily, I was armed with a copy of music video trade magazine that I wrote for and [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2006, 7:24pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• Fun with A Big Foot

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  I was really prepared for my first show. I wrote out all the questions, follow-ups and a couple of adlibs. I attempted to script everything. I wanted it to be the perfect show. My quest for perfection was cut short when the producer ran the [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2006, 5:36pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher

• The W File

  —Rap, Lies and Videotape

  
  This blog is an attempt to document and reconcile a part of my past. It is hoped that by retelling my triumphs, failures and bittersweet memories, some healing will occur. This exercise is sponsored by the Dee Barnes Center for Recovering Video Show Hosts, and [...]
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  Posted: September 05, 2006, 8:46pm EDT
  by Craig Belcher