The lineup for the summer's top hip-hop festival tour was announced last night at House of Blues. Rock the Bells visits the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino (you know - the one formerly known as the Glen Helen Pavilion, Hyundai Pavilion, and the Blockbuster Pavilion) August 20. more ›

Tonight Philadelphia-based Grammy Award-winning hip hop band the Roots and Long Island-bred hip hop act De La Soul will be performing at the Hollywood Palladium with none other than Common, Ludacris and Nas. LA-based DJ collective the Glitch Mob (LAist Review), among many other electronic acts, are poised to take on the 15th annual Nocturnal Festival at the NOS Events Center in good ole San Bernadino. And, lastly, local indie rockers the Deadly Syndrome (LAist Review, #2, #3, #4) will be headlining the El Rey Theatre for this year's Tarfest. But we strongly suggest heading over to Spaceland to catch the phoenix that rose from the ashes of Page France, Maryland-based indie folk act Cotton Jones. Oliver Future are slated to kick things off. more ›

Tonight HARD Summer, a massive multi-stage festival boasting a bevy of prominent electronic acts like Underworld, Chromeo, Crookers, Tiga, SebastiAn, the Bloody Beetroots and many more, will be taking place at the Forum. This year's Rock the Bells, which features the likes of Nas, Damian Marley, Ice Cube, The Roots, Common, Busta Rhymes, RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Slum Village, the Knux (LAist Interview) and many more, is set to take place at San Manuel Amphiteatre. Local producer/musician extraordinaire Jon Brion (LAist Interview, #2, Review) will be jamming at Largo at the Coronet with none other than Wilco guitarist Nels Cline (LAist Interview). And, lastly, Bergen-based experimental indie pop outfit Casiokids will be performing at Spaceland with the Wave Pictures and Slow Club in tow. But we strongly suggest heading over to the Getty Center to catch San Francisco-based psych-folk-pop act the Dodos for this week's edition of Saturdays Off the 405. more ›

When Kenan Bell isn't in the classroom of a local Montessori school teaching youngsters language arts, he's on stage schooling crowds with his own unique brand of hip-hop that blends indie-rock with electronica, a style URB called "his very own genre of nu-gaze, emo-hip-hop." In March, the La Crescenta native put on full display his eclectic musical taste and range when he dropped the “Good News: The Mix-Tape,” which features remixes of songs by artists as wide-ranging as Pink Floyd, Lily Allen, Gang Gang Dance, Jose Gonzalez, Peter, Bjorn & John, Duran Duran, and Neil Diamond. Yes, you read that right, Neil Diamond. more ›

Join the Art Deco Society for Cocktails in Historic Places™ -- a learning session and happy hour all wrapped in history. Tonight’s adventure will be held from 6-8 pm at The Kress on Hollywood Boulevard. “Built in 1934 by architect Stephen Burrell as the S.H. Kress Department Store, Angelenos are more likely to remember this soaring Art Deco beauty from its more lurid incarnation as the flaming purple flagship Frederick's of Hollywood boutique.” Deco attire is welcome, but not necessary. If you arrive promptly at 6 pm, there will be a brief tour of the location. more ›

Tonight NY-based rapper Nas (LAist Review) will be performing at Club Nokia. OC's finest pop rockers Hellogoodbye are slated to play a sold-out show at the Knitting Factory. LA-based psych-rockers the Entrance Band will be stopping by the Airliner for Low End Theory Club night. And on that peculiar note, Americana act Dawes are partying at the posh confines of the Standard Hotel in Downtown. If you're looking for something that's free, then head over to the Echo to catch a wondrous bill of LA locals, including Flying Tourbillon Orchestra (LAist Review, #2), Obi Best and Princeton (LAist Interview). But we suggest shelling out a few dollars to catch a glimpse of singer-songwriter Shara Worden's ethereal world. You may remember her name from Sufjan Stevens' immaculate catalog. Brooklyn-based My Brightest Diamond will be playing the Hotel Café with Clare & The Reasons. more ›

If you put together a dream lineup for a hip hop show, chances are it would look something like this year’s Rock the Bells festival. This year’s incarnation featured the reunion (finally!) of one of the most acclaimed hip hop outfits in history, A Tribe Called Quest as well as the first performance in years from California’s own Pharcyde. But was from top to bottom a who’s who of Hip Hop both past and present. (Story continued below photo gallery) more ›

Carlos Mencia is back at it and chances are you're either pumped or pissed about it. The loved/hated comedian's show, Mind of Mencia is back for a fourth season, his new Comedy Central special "Performance Enhanced" is now in heavy rotation on the cable network and he's hitting the road with the Bud Light Presents: Carlos Mencia at Close Range Tour, which hits the Gibson Ampitheater September 26 and 27. The comic who was born in Honduras and raised in East LA, took a little time out from production of his show to talk to LAist about the new season, race, Joe Rogan, being called a hack and the Internet. more ›

Chrisette Michele busted out before our very eyes and ears at the end of 2006, singing the hook on her boss, Jay-Z's "Lost One".Shortly after the 24 year-old's incredible voice was heard on Nas' hit single, "Can't Forget About You." That same voice, according to her bio, gave L.A. Reid, DefJam Chairman, goosebumps. In June, Michele dropped "If I Have My Way," the lead single from her debut solo album, I Am. LAist caught up... more ›

The upside, usually, of going to the early show the night an artist is doing two performances, is not having to stand around waiting forever for the headline to actually hit the stage. This, however, was not the case Monday night when veteran emcee Nas, on the last leg of his Hip Hop is Dead Tour, kept a packed House of Blues crowd waiting, wandering and clock watching. Despite the fact that the doors of... more ›

Nas @ House of Blues mere mortals @ Safari Sam's Cornelius, Holy Fuck @ El Rey Musexpo, Dan Mangan, Pete Murray @ Viper Room Elegantly Wasted, The Changing, Jessie Marin, Damn Hippie Freaks @ Knitting Factory Metal Skool, By All Means Necessary, Stereo Suite, Weapon of Choice @ Key Club Alison Ray, The Trophy Wives, Venus Envy, Ladyfox @ The Gig Clark 8, The Breakups, La Micaela Bastidas @ Mr. T's Bowl Anavan, Captain... more ›

- Felony possession was the case that they gave him. Big Snoop Dogg gets busted for having a retractable baton in his computer bag, and the OC authorities have nothing better to do than charge him with what could get him three years in the hizzy. - AP - College student who created the homemade (but still illegal) Boarding Pass generator was a Google intern - CNET - Google digs around in the cushions... more ›