Hip hop benevolence

>> Beats On Wheels has the tools for school

by GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT

What comes to mind when you think of music for charity? Rock for Choice, Folk for Trees, We Are the World? How about Beats on Wheels? If you haven't heard, Beats is Montreal's own annual hip hop charity event put on by Sekond Hand (promotional duo Kevin Dobie and Paul 107) and it's all about altruism: this year's funds go to the Scholarships and Bursaries department of Concordia's annual Giving Campaign.

"I studied creative arts and Communications in CEGEP and I backed away from the Communications and Film programs in University because it was too expensive," 107 explains. "And you know, a kid who grew up in Little Burgundy's housing projects doesn't have much chance to go to University and that's not cool." Seeing as about half of all Concordia students rely on financial aid to go to school, the Sekond Hand boys decided to lend a hand.

"Our intention was to start a yearly scholarship fund to help a student study Communications at Concordia, but we don't raise enough to do that, so we're contributing what we can."

The previous recipients of Beats on Wheels events were Santropol Roulant (the meals-on-wheels program from whence their name came) and the Café Graffiti, an east-end community centre that helps troubled 16-25 year-olds.

As for the events themselves, be sure to expect something unique. "It's always hip hop, but we slip it--there's always a gimmick. Like last year, we asked DJ's and some producers to play music that they liked so you got to hear what people are influenced by. This year we decided to do the triple-threat format that Apollo, Shortkut and Vinroc started when they got fed up of just scratching and wanted to rock the party. So we have three teams of three DJ's, doing one-hour sets." Team one features Montreal hip hop mainstays '97 DMC and '99 ITF world champion A-Trak and Dave One and Simahlak of Audio Research. Team two stars Orion of Shades of Culture, multiple MTL DMC champ Blast, and CKUT's Azar. Team three consists of graffiti artists and closet DJ's Maysr, StakMoney and Sakewon. Let the fun and games begin.

Beats On Wheels, at Blizzarts (3956A St-Laurent) Tuesday, Nov. 7, 9pm, $5