Ever since Mix Master Mike made Sacramento, Cali his home in the late 90′s the love for Turntablism has always played a big role in our Hip Hop scene. Spawning amazing Producer/DJ’s like Craig G, Fooders, Mad Planet, Kodac Visualz, Crush Delight, Epik, Riff Raff, Phaze and the list goes on. But in most recent years we’ve seen a decline in the art of Turntablism which is a reflection on the state of Hip Hop and it’s lack of support for the true origin of Hip Hop which as we all know started with the DJ! So when local Turntablist/Producers Rated R, Nocturnal, Mr. Vibe, Wanted and Kwess The Bess formed the Sleeprockers DJ/Producer/Turntablist crew it immediately caught the attention of Hip Hop heads up and down the West Coast. They are classic party rockin DJ’s that can adapt to any crowd while taking the audiance to new heights with their versatility of unique Turntablist skills and live MPC production. Recently they linked with the West Coast legend Tajai of the mighty Souls of Mischief/Hieroglyphics crew to produce an album that celebrates the DJ taking the Hiero experience to a whole new level! Be sure to cop the album January 17th at your local record store. Here’s the official Tajai x Sleeprockers Interview talking about the New Album titled, MACHINE LANGUAGE.

The year 1976 in the eclectic cities of Santa Monica and Venice Beach, CA is where this artist was molded. Ocean views with the ever growing population of street hustlers, artists of all crafts, surfers, skaters, the beautiful and the ugly meshing together to keep the life alive on the strip. Before he was an underground wordsmith he was an artist of the sketch spray can mask wearing kind, another art he has mastered. 1992 the members of Dilated People formed and thus became a Hip Hop trio of raw skills. After the groups success they decided to mold independently and that is when Evidence gave us the solo bangers The Weatherman LP and the Layover album. Now here we are, 2011 the return of Evidence on the lyrical and production scene with his second solo album, Cats & Dogs. Yes that’s right, animals. Well it fits, naturally he is a beast on the mic and with his tours that took place over the year he is making kats jaws drop and dogs drowl over his delivery and production madness, as if he would give us anything less. Sept. 27th 2011 was “a perfect day to make a perfect entrance” back on the shelves of record stores and websites for us to cop his new joint. Rave reviews have given due credit to this emcee/producer welcoming his new album with open headphones. The album features many greats on rhyme and production: Aloe Blacc, Raekwon, Slugg, Ras Kass, and Aesop. But you can’t have an Evidence album without his DP fam Rakaa and DJ Babu. Also Alchemist, Premier and EV himself set the tone of the album with beats that stay constantly turning in your head even after you have taken the needle off the record. You can label it Quality music……period!

Before the show I got a chance to catch up with EV to clarify why the missing #13 track, his inspiration for this record, his instrumental colored tapes and the future for Evidence.

Ladies and Gentleman you know that its artists like Evidence that give us truth through the mic, sharing a bit of their world, knowledge, pains and pleasures without even blinking. Oh and by the way #13 stands for: rebellion, defection, disintergration, revolution or some kindred idea. Masons.

Recognize the Realness.

~Jacquie Yo.

Kendrick Lamar recently trekked out to Sacramento, CA and spoke with The Mash Up in detail about an upcoming tour with highly-buzzing artists Drake and new comer Asap Rocky, hints of a Schoolboy Q and Asap Rocky collaboration, his desire to work with R&B Goddesses Erykah Badu and Sade, the HiiiPower movement, and talks about his debut album set for a 2012 release.

CurT@!n$ was one of the openers for Fashawn’s Higher Learning Tour and he granted The Mash Up with the opportunity to see what his stance is on being an indie artist, how it is to make it as a rapper today and what he’s up to this year in music.

“Anything the government doesn’t want to be spoken about isn’t going to be spoken about. If they don’t want you talking or thinking about something, you’re not going to talk or think about it. They’ll make sure.” – CurT@!n$.

Fashawn’s Higher Learning Tour landed in Sacramento and he spoke with The Mash Up about making it as a rapper today, The Ecology, Paid Dues and fatherhood as a rapper.

The boy Blu chops it up with Hard Knock TV

While on the Sacramento stop of Fashawn’s Higher Learning Tour, Evidence spoke with The Mash Up about his I Dont Need No Love project, the Cats and Dogs album and Dilated Peoples new album, Directors of Photography, along with other topics.

It’s not often we get to see artist’s sit down together and have a convo. I can’t help but share the positive energy. Don’t forget LASERS drops 3.8.11. Props to iamthenublack.com

While Bambu stopped in San Francisco to perform, P of the The Mash Up, caught up with him to talk about the art of creating albums, wanting to work with Andre 3000, his favorite verse that he’s written, Mobb Deep and more are featured in part 1 of this interview.