Nuff vibes ’n’ stuff

Those of you familiar with the International Songwriting Competition got a little good news this week if you’ve been dragging your feet. The official deadline for this year’s entries has been extended to Dec. 1. If you didn’t know, the ISC offers $150,000 in cash and prizes, including a $25,000 grand prize, to song entries in just about every category under the sun. A total of 55 world-renowned artists and industry professionals make up the extended jury that will ultimately determine if your song can stand up in its given category, which include Pop/Top 40, AAA (Adult Album Alternative), Rock, Country, Americana, R&B/Hip Hop, Blues, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, Jazz, Gospel/Christian, Latin Music, Instrumental, Dance/Electronica, Comedy/Novelty, World Music, Chil-dren’s Music, Lyrics Only, Teen, Performance and a brand new Music Video category that I’m sure will be brimming with hopeful entries. Montreal heads OL1KU and Ray Ray received an honourable mention in the R&B/Hip Hop category in the 2007 ISC for the song “Babylone (Ray Ray Mix),” managing to come out on top of over 15,000 entries from 100 countries, so if you’re sitting on some world-class material, make sure you enter while you can. Check out www.songwritingcompetition.com for full contest details and a list of past winners.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Pablo Aravena on the job

This Friday, DJ Simon B celebrates his birthday over at Salon Daomé with a very special guest, Texan Brett Johnson, and fellow resident Peter Anthony. Johnson started Aesoteric Records with some friends in 1998, and is considered a DJ’s DJ. Like many of his productions, his DJ sets tend to roll with whatever feels right instead of attaching to one specific genre. Check out his podcast at http://tinyurl.com/58ulgt.

Stones Throw Records released DJ Dusk’s Root Down Soundclash on DVD on Oct. 17, chronicling the Los Angeles soundclashes hosted and organized by DJ Dusk, starting back in 2001. Dusk was sadly killed by a drunk driver on April 29, 2006, while crossing the street with his girlfriend, so this release is a tribute to his charisma and foresight as well as his contributions to the L.A. hip hop scene. The DVD documents live beat battles featuring Madlib vs. Cut Chemist, Will.I.Am vs. Thes One (PUTS) and Oh No vs. Exile, all filmed by Eric Coleman and photographer/filmmaker B+. More info at www.stonesthrow.com.

Also on DVD as of Oct. 21 is Montreal director Pablo Aravena’s 2005 documentary Next: A Primer on Urban Painting, a now classic movie looking at the international street art movement, and most definitely worth picking up.

Looks like Montreal is getting a big dose of Detroit hip hop coming up on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at Foufounes Électriques, with none other than D12, Royce da 5’9” and Obie Trice taking the stage for this big night. Tix are $25 and I can only imagine what these dudes have in store for MTL. See you there.

Don’t forget that Bump N’ Hustle DJs Paul E Lopes and Mike Tull are in town this Saturday for another sweaty night at the Goods, at la Sala Rossa. Lopes is the DJ I used to religiously follow around Toronto when I first started playing parties in the early ’90s, and I know this will be a night to remember.

THIS MIGHT TAKE A WHILE... fathead@videotron.ca