Mos Def, revered as one of Brooklyn's finest musical talents, is coming to London for the first time in two years to deliver his unique sound to the Shepherds Bush Empire stage. An extra date has been added for Sunday 25 November due to high demand.

For more info go to www.islington-academy.co.uk

Hip Hop heavyweight Nas released his greatest album on Monday 5 November and we at Urban Voice UK have got ten copies to give away. The track listing includes the hottest tracks ranging from his first 1992 single 'Half Time', to the new single 'Less Than An Hour' featuring Cee-Lo (Gnarls Barkely) taken from the Rush Hour 3 movie. Producers and guests include DJ Premier, P Diddy, R. Kelly, Salaam Remi, Lauryn Hill, AZ, Large Professor, and Q-Tip.

For your chance to win a copy go to Competitions...

The auditions and the showcases are over, from nearly a thousand artists twelve talented acts have been chosen.

Big prizes are at stake. Careers could be made. Dreams realised.

Check the videos of all twelve artists - get a taste of what you will see at the finals at Indigo2 on 2nd December 2007.

Wildstyles is an exhibition that features classic rare photographs hailing back to the ‘old skool’ days and is a homage to Wild Style, the classic Hip Hop movie that is being re-released for its 25th anniversary. The exhibition will feature not only photographs but music, Breakers and Graffiti art. PYMCA have collaborated with some of Hip Hop’s grand masters from Eddie Otchere to Janette Beckman, to take you back to the days of Adidas shelltoes, gold rope chains, Betamax tapes and Run DMC.
Music+ student and eighties fanatic Mandesa went along to a viewing, look out her report in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime try and get down there and view for yourself how Hip Hop has evolved.

Wildstyles Classic & Rare Hip Hop Photography - 13th September to 2nd November 2007

The PYMCA Gallery
41 Clerkenwell Rd
London
EC1 5RS

0207 251 8338

For you old school Hip Hop heads out there, we would recommend you get yourselves down to Hip Hop Karaoke. According to their website the club night puts a fresh twist on the ancient art of post-work karaoke, Hip-Hop Karaoke lets you get on the mic and act out your rap fantasies to the fullest, whether that includes teaming up with friends to rock through a Beastie Boys jam, donning a pink t-shirt and kicking a Cam’Ron song, giving a new gender twist to a sassy Salt-N-Pepa standard or singing along out of key to Biz Markie’s heart-breaking ‘Just A Friend’.

Based on the world's original Hip-Hop Karaoke night in Manhattan, all performers at Hip-Hop Karaoke London receive a free bottle of Tiger beer and a chance to win some wonderful prizes thanks to the good folks over at Lewis Recordings.

For more info and a list of tracks go to www.hiphopkaraokelondon.com

Not many West Londoners can refer to Kanye West, Hi Tek, Wyclef and John Legend as their boys whilst actually knowing them personally, but when your name is Estelle you can. The singer has been busy working on her sophomore album, which is due for release early next year with her new single Wait a Minute Pause due for release on November 19. The singer speaks to Urban Voice UK and gives her pearls of wisdom to Music+ students and young people wishing to follow in her footsteps.

Go To Spotlight to read full interview

Tuesday 23 October 2007

The students were treated to another special Q&A session from an industry insider this week in the form of Club Promoter Matchstick. The students have already been to view potential venues for the showcase and really appreciated the invaluable advice that Matchstick had to offer. He gave them advice on how to utulise their marketing strategies, including target audiences, he also gave examples of successful marketing campaigns and the impact they had on the events that they were promoting.

Go to Spotlight to check out Matchsticks Profile

Music+ students Jai and Amir attended the B Boy Championships on Sunday. The world finals which were held at Brixton Academy attracted b boys and girls from countries including Japan, Korea, France and Russia.

Music+ student Sara Fajemisin was treated to an exclusive set by Natty, at YOYO in Notting Hill. The newest signing to Atlantic Records played to an enthusiastic crowd and already seems to have a loyal following. Look out for an interview with the man himself on the UV site soon.

To find out more go to http://www.myspace.com/natty4d

Music+ graduate Foxy White has been at Gilwell Park this week experiencing Sound Live. The Prince’s Trust week-long residential, which is located in a rural hideaway in Essex, gives young people aged 16-25 the chance to work alongside others to form a band. There are group meetings each day which help to build self confidence and where action plans are made for the future. They receive specialist instrument tuition and perform to a live audience of friends and family at the end of the week.

Wednesday 3 October 2007

It’s been another exciting week for the music+ students, when members of the class came in dressed to impress as they were interviewed for heads and assistants of each department. The students will find out next week if their ‘applications’ were successful.
On Tuesday the students were treated a special Q&A session with neo soul singer Teish O’Day who spoke to the students about her career, the business side of music and preparing showcases. Read more about Teish O'Day and what she had to say about music+ in the Spotlight. Students were also put through their paces in their Vocal and Performance lesson, as they had to write material for an original composition that one of the students have produced, they managed to rise to the challenge as each students performed their own unique version. Look out for footage of the lessons on the website soon.

For the past two weeks Music+ alumni Bow Knuckles, Double C, Nicole Elizabeth and Typah have been doing their Progression Routes at the Premises Studios in Hackney. The former students and future stars have been learning about Logic, how to build and soundproof a studio, as well as songwriting and recording techniques. They have three weeks left and are currently working on three singles that they are going to record at the end of their placement.

For more info on premises go to www.premisesstudios.com or call 02077 729 7593

Judges from Sony BMG, Warner Records and Shalit Global will be on hand to judge twenty of the best finalists from the North, Midlands and the South of the UK as PTUK reaches its next phase.
They will be performing in front of a panel of five major record labels and management A&R judges, press and a public audience with the chance to win Record deals, management deals, cash investment and much much more.
All three events will be filmed for broadcast and hosted by BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra’s Ras Kwame and there will be a special guest PA performing.

Come down and support the best talent your region has to offer

5th October - London @ Bar Rumba, 36 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7ER

10th October - Birmingham @ Medicine Bar, The Custard Factory, Birmingham B9 4AA

18th October - Manchester @ Sugar Lounge, Arch 12, Deansgate Locks, Manchester M1 5LH

For more info check out www.projecttalentuk.com

Wednesday 26 September 2007

This week the Music+ students have been getting to grips with the process of organising a showcase. The group have now started the BTEC module of the course and have been split into their specific groups which include artist liason, technical and finance. They also had their first Vocal and Performance and Exploring an Area of Music lessons. Tutors Noel Mckoy and Amina Taylor were very impressed with the students who are beginning to come out of their shells and to let their talent shine.

Urban Voice UK had the pleasure of interviewing homegrown talent Estelle. We also had the opportunity to have an exclusive listen to her new album which is due for release in February.
Find out what Estelle has to say about Kanye, education and english accents in Spotlight. Read more...

Music+ tutor Noel Mckoy's night at the ION Bar in Ladbroke Grove is due to resume on Thursday 27th September after a short hiatus. The night will see live music from a number of up and coming artists including Will Kevans, Kareem and Cherri Prince, and will also feature The Portobello Funk Band and an open mic session. Entrance is free.

For More info check www.myspace.com/ionbar

Wednesday 19 September 2007

The fourth group of Music+ students have just completed their second week of the BTEC course, and are displaying massive potential. After an exciting Induction day, which included performances and testimonies from previous students, the group then went on to get to know a bit more about both themselves and each other, as they went through the Reality Check Module. Tutor Naomi Sesay got to the bottom of Belief Systems, Decisions and Self Projection and challenged the students to incorporate what they had learnt into organising a small showcase for their fellow classmates and tutors. The show went really well, look out for footage on the website soon.
As for students from the previous group, they've been real busy! Four of the most exceptional students are doing an internship at Premises Studios, which has the first solar powered studio in Europe. Keep an eye out for our update which will give you more of an insight into what they have been getting up to, along with other student progressions.

Three lucky students who had just completed the music+ course, were treated to an audience with Kanye West at his exclusive playback party in London in August. The self proclaimed Louis Vuitton Don was interviewed by Radio 1's Trevor Nelson at the BBC Radio Theatre before playing the whole 'Graduation' album exclusively from his laptop. He then followed with a Q&A session from the audience which included Jenna G, Semtex and Rodney P. What was supposed to be a chance to listen to the album then turned into a focus group as Kanye flipped the script and began to ask the audience what they thought of the album. Obviously they liked it as the album peaked at no.1 in national charts.