by SCOTT C

I haven’t got any official word on what’s going on over at Blue Dog, but it looks like another night bites the dust. Saturday-night hip hop mainstay Back to Basics calls it quits after a healthy five-year run, and strangely celebrates that five-year milestone this Saturday, March 18, with one last night of beats and rhymes. At the controls, you’ll find Team Canada (DR One and Grandtheft), joined by a host of special guests who’ve come in to give you a night to remember. Expect to see live performances from local MCs Malicious, D-Shade, Narcissist and Loes, as well as the regular dose of hip hop old and new.

Also this Saturday, Montreal-Underground celebrates the best in Quebec hip hop with their second annual Montreal-Underground Gala at SAT, fashioned after all of your favourite award shows, right down to the red carpet. Quebec hip hop will be honoured with awards in 21 categories. If you’re still not sure whether you were nominated or not, check out www.galamu.com for a full list of categories and nominees.

Still more on Saturday night—the next chapter of spoken-word extravaganza Chocolate Letters gets underway with a special night called Dear Ladies. This month, check out the Empressions, made up of select ladies from the Kalmunity Vibe Collective who are trying to raise some funds to represent Montreal at Vancouver’s Sista’Hood Celebrations, as well as Aliyah Thomas and others. That’s happening down at Lounge 417 in Old Montreal, with the doors at 8 p.m. and the $8-show at 9 p.m.

CKUT 90.3 FM’s hip hop show Off the Hook, heard Wednesday nights from midnight to 2 a.m., has set about compiling some of the best on-air and in-studio freestyles from the show’s 10-year history, to be released later this year on CD. They’re looking for your help, though—if you’ve managed to record your moment of glory or someone else’s and think it’s worthy of hall of fame status, e-mail offthehook13@hotmail.com with the details. These cats are waiting for you.

Seven reasons to keep it up:
1. Exile ft. Kardinal Offishall “Smoke and Mirrors” (SIC)
2. Various Moonstarr Remixes (Public Transit)
3. Ghostface/Dilla “Whip You With a Strap” (Def Jam)
4. Theology 3 “Everything’s Changed” (SFC)
5. Benny Sings “Follow the Light” (Sonar Kollektiv)
6. Natural Self “The Calling” (Breakin Bread)
7. Brand Nubian “Step to the Rear” (Elektra)

BACK TO BACK BEATENS... fathead@videotron.ca

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