Mary & Jay-Z Tour Kick Off ?uesto-jawn. Chicago Emcees Rule This Update, R.I.P. “Spanky” Alford. 
The Mary J Blige & Jay-Z “Heart of the City” Tour kicked off this past Saturday in Miami. Some YouTubery is floating around but nothing worth linking to that we’ve seen.
Where one monster tour ends, another begins. Kanye West’s North American “Glow In The Dark” Tour kicks off featuring Rihanna, N.E.R.D.,
& Lupe Fiasco, Rihanna on April 16th in Seattle Washington. It would only make sense that Ye, P, and Lu would unveil their group CRS (heh, we couldn’t find a photo of them all together) during the tour. We shall see. In the mean time, Kanye has been releasing his videos from his Graduation “Album Listening Experience” event. Here is #3 with “I Wonder,” Kanye’s favorite. Watch the first two here.
Since we are on the topic of Chicago emcees, Common has weighed in on the controversy surrounding his Presidential candidate (and ours) Barak Obama. Obama has recently found himself under high scrutiny for some comments his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. made about our political system and that various news outlets have determined were racist remarks. This weekend Common, a fellow Chi town representative, came to his defense. Common grew up in Rev. Wrights’s Trinity United Church and speaks of the message he interpreted from Wright’s sermons and explains that Wright was simply voicing his frustrations with the American Government. Read the full story and see the video that started this whole debate.
MTV’s mixtape Monday interviewed Rhymefest about his latest mixtape project “Man in the Mirror,” a tribute to Michael Jackson, produced by hitmaker Mark Ronson. Fest flips some classic MJ joints with his own Chi town flava. Check Mixtape Monday for the full interview with him and MJ….seriously. Stay tuned for Rhymefest’s second official LP El Che, coming soon.
More from the G.O.O.D. music camp. A previously unreleased gem from AZ and Consequence was unearthed last week. It’s called “Heavy in da Game” (via 2dopeboyz).
On a sad note, two members of our large, extended fam have passed to the other side. RIP Spanky Alford, the greatest gospel quartet guitarist ever. Spanky was very involved in the ?uesto-produced Al Green record which will drop this May. Also featured prominently on the record is Corrine Bailey Rae who just lost her husband Jason Rae this past weekend. Jason also played saxophone in Amy Winehouse’s band (among many others, we’re sure). We offer our sincerest condolences to the families and loved ones who are feeling this loss. Listen to some Spanky on guitar below, and then read ?uestlove’s post.
Spanky On Guitar
-dantana, ?uesto, NiKaun, & gingerlynn