50 Cent – 50 Fest hits The BEACH @Gov_Island

You will usually find him in da club, but come Saturday night you'll find him on da Beach at Governors Island.

The man of whom I speak is of course non other than rapper, actor and super star 50 Cent, or as I know him, Curtis Jackson from Jamaica, Queens. Not only will Fitty headline the first so-called “50 Fest,” he is also the first performer to sell out The Beach @Gov_Island in its first year.

After canceling a free show that was going to take place in 50's childhood neighborhood just a few months ago, 50 was on the prowl to do something bigger and better: 50 Fest. Along with friends and fellow rappers Kid Cudi, Wale, Mike Posner, and too many others to name, this day-into-night long extravaganza will be the icing on the cake for The Beach's debut concert season.

50 Cent has not officially mentioned who will or will not be there on Saturday, but all I can say is that I expect the unexpected. 50 is a natural born performer, and on that stage, in this great city, with that many rappers, there will SURELY be a party at The BEACH.

Kid Cudi will bring the party from Cleveland with his hit single “Day 'n' Nite.” Wale will bring the cool lyrics from D.C. with his single “Dig Dug (Shake It),” and Mike Posner will bring the pop dance grooves from Michigan with his chart topper “Cooler Than Me” to make 50 Fest a truly eclectic Hip-Hop festival.

There may be a lot of hype and fear about a 50 Cent show, but I assure you that The BEACH @ Governors Island producers will host a safe and awesome night of the best Rap on the scene. Unfortunately for you procrastinators you will have to wait until next year's 50 Fest, but as for me, I will be doing the crip walk in the New York Harbor.

Your Hip Hop Diva,

Lady Liberty Dollar

Lupe Fiasco Closes the Hip-Hop Take Over of The BEACH

This Saturday, Lupe Fiasco will be kickin', pushin', and boatin' his way over to The BEACH @ Governors Island to mesmerize the crowd with mellow Hip-Hop, cool lyrics and his well produced beats. Over the last half decade, Lupe has quickly risen to the top ranks of Hip-Hop's best artists and performers.

With the production assistance of superstar Jay-Z, Lupe's first album Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor became a household name due to the instant success of “Kick, Push.” This debut album brought a cool, laid-back style of Hip-Hop to mainstream culture, which turned out to be very attractive as a contrast to the heavy hitting club rap that continues to dominate the airwaves. 

As a New York gal, I've always preferred the cool aspect of Hip-Hop and cannot wait for Lupe Fiasco to hit the stage this Saturday night.

Lupe's second album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, featuring “Superstar” with vocalist Matthew Santos, drove Lupe even higher in the ranks of Hip-Hop. Soon after its release, he formed the megagroup Child Rebel Soldier with Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D. (another of my favorite visitors to The BEACH) and Kanye West.

This Chicago born star will be releasing his third, and apparently final, album at the end of the year titled Lasers. It's a three-disc album that features singles “Shining Down” (released in June 2009), “Army Girl,” “Ladies and Gentlemen,” and “2 Ways.”

I hope to hear the old and new Lupe songs that I've grown to love as Lupe closes the so-called “Hip-Hop Take Over of The BEACH.” It was a great, quick run, and an amazing way to experience the many variations of Hip-Hop music.

On Saturday I will feel like a superstar!

Lady Liberty

Your Hip-Hop Diva

Mos Def's Ecstatic Tour hits The Beach at Governors Island, NYC

Tomorrow, September 12th, Mos Def continues the Hip-Hop take over of The BEACH @ Governors Island by bringing his native New York City sound home with the long awaited The Ecstatic Tour. Born and raised in Brooklyn during “Hip-Hop's Golden Age” definitely shaped the young Mos Def into the incredible rapper, actor and poet that he is today.

When I look back on those days in the late 80’s to early 90’s, I think about all of the talent that I am privileged to have watched over and that I call my own: A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, KRS-One, Public Enemy, Erik B. and Rakim, Run-D.M.C. and The Beastie Boys just to name a few fellow New Yorkers. Damn, what a time.

Mos Def keeps the vibe and music from The Golden Age alive and well. The Ecstatic (2009) is his fourth solo album following the release of his first notable album Black Star (1998), which he co-created with fellow Brooklyn MC Talib Kweli.

With over 10 years of rapping and touring, and 18 years of acting under his belt, Mos Def is a prominent star in Pop and Hip-Hop culture. You may remember Mos Def from such films and as Something The Lord Made (nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 16 Blocks, and Be Kind Rewind.

Mos Def's appearance at The BEACH will be one of this brand new venue's most memorable shows from the summer of 2009, and it will be the first to host a New York native. I miss the old school Hip-Hop scene, but Mos Def will definitely bring it back. So grab a 40, and let the beats move your feet.

Much love to Brooklyn!

Lady Liberty