The Lines Have Been Drawn...

So, which producer showcase/battle will you be attending, this evening??!

In one of the most highly contested battles to hit DC, until this November's upcoming presidential election, it's down to these two jump-offs:

The Tru Skool "Beat Grinder Championship"

...and

The Red Bull Big Tune

One is Free/$5 (...depending on your connex/RSVP game...), while the other is $7. One features, Nottz (MY NUUUGH...Vee-Aye, ALL DAY), and DC's current "prince" Wale; while the next has my mans Grap Luva on the M-I-C, and features DJ Roddy Rod ( and the Low Budget Crew...not to be F*%#ed with!!). One features 10 producers while the other 12...and accusations of "biting" run the gamut; Yet, both are guaranteed to have some really nice up-and-coming producers, and neck-snappin' beats.

So, it may just come down to which venue you prefer. I personally get down equally with LIV and da 9:30 cluuub; so remain torn...

Either way, it's good to have some healthy competition out there in the streets of DC, and as always...I welcome a flooding of ill hip-hop producers and beats, any day.

Paul Mawhinney

Wow...Check this video out of my mans, Paul Mawhinney:


The Archive from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.

Just like Paul, music is among my 1st loves and my last. And like Paul, I too have made an effort to visit record shops all over the world, during my travels and retain any extras or rarities that I could find. It's a shame that I never came across his shop the few times I've been up to tha 'burgh, before Record-Rama was forced to close its doors in February of this year...

If only I had an extra $50 million lying around...I'd help you out, homie!!!

Slang Shots, BUCK-BUCK-BUCK...

Aiight...

So, This Saturday Slang is back, and it's gonna be on-and-poppin', at The Space (9th & N St., NWDC).

Me and my bizzle Seth Pressly are gonna be blaaaaaaazin' di fiya all night, with an illy comic-set by my mans 'n 'em...Jon Eick, that's not to be missed.

I'll be slidin' through on the decks later in the evening, but be sure to get there early to catch Jon and Seth do their thangs starting at 9:30. It's gonna be "one of those nights"!!!

And, for those of you who want a lil' taste, peep Seth Pressly's mix HERE...

Isaac Hayes

Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr.
August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008

I'm just basically immune to any news of people passing at this point, this weekend. First Bernie, and now Isaac...

The bitterness I feel about all of this extends to the facts that: 1) Losing two legends like this at any point, let alone in the same 36 hours, sucks. And, 2) I definitely wasn't at all trying to make this Saj's Corn3r venture, just your next/average obitu-blog...Especially, to get things jumping-off. But, I've got to show respect to those that mean the most to me in the arts, music and life in general. So, here it is.

A lot of people know him best from his work with the Shaft soundtrack in general, and title track. While others, will recall that sweet, deep, honey-souled (...Chocolate Salty Balls) voice, as 'Chef' from South Park.

For me specifically, I remember Isaac best from the Stax LPs my parents used to play; selections from late night sessions of The Quiet Storm on WHUR; guest appearances and musical selections on numerous television shows, from Sesame Street to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air; and, as the hilarious 'Hammer,' from Keenen Ivory Wayans' I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.

Although it's sad to have him gone, his legacy is sure to live-on throughout the ages. Fortunately, early reports had him passing next to his treadmill...so, hopefully things were relatively painless and I'm certain that he's in a better place. Although I, (his two-year old son, Nana Kwadjo Hayes...) and a lot of others, sure would've liked to have had him around, just a little bit longer...

A True King of Comedy...

Maaan!!?!

What began as a beautiful summer Saturday has now become glum.

Flipping through from some pretty slow Olympics coverage (…Badminton and Women’s Handball…Umm, really!?) I couldn’t have been more shocked or saddened to learn of the passing of Bernie Mac via an NBC Sports Update.

It was eight days ago that Bernie was admitted to a hospital in Chicago, due to complications from pneumonia, believed to have been brought on by sarcoidosis; a tissue inflammation disease.

Completely coincidental, (with news of his hospitalization not breaking until the next day, and my not knowing until the following Monday, Aug 4th) that VERY day, I had decided to set-up an old VCR (…yes, VHS, son!!!) and watch some old shows taped from the early-mid ‘90s.

One of my favorite late-night weekend shows from that time was Uptown Comedy Club (future post on that, and footage to come). The tape that I decided to watch that day featured a ridiculous performance of Nice and Smooth performing “Hip Hop Junkies,” and a stand up set by Bill Bellamy and none other than Bernie, himself.

What hurts about this one, is the way the media and publicists were forced to deal with reports and rumors of his passing, earlier in the week. After having felt a HUGE sense of relief from assertions that his condition was stable, and things were looking-up for Bernie to pull through…now, it is this. But then again, that’s the way things work-out sometimes, especially with major health issues. Despite the official statements of “critical/stable” condition, it’s really always day-to-day.

So, I've been masking my tears of sadness for those of laughter with some clips from YouTube:




Much of the country and middle-America will recognize Bernie Mac best from his Fox sitcom The Bernie Mac Show, while the rest of the world has seen him on Def Comedy Jam, and know him as one of the original Kings of Comedy:




In Saj’s Corn3r though, he’s a comedic god. To have lost someone who has given me such joy and laughter over the past 15 years, just hurts.

And in this day-and-age of extreme e-praising, and holding those who have recently passed on a virtual pedestal; these words are sure to get lost in the mix. But, Bernie…I just want to say, Thanks! Thanks for your hustle, your comedy, your ability to reach out to the masses, while still “keepin’ it real” for the rest of us, and staying true to what you really were and always will be: One of The Funniest Motherf*ckers, EVER!!!

Bernard Jeffrey "Bernie Mac" McCullough
October 5, 1957 – August 9, 2008

Olympic FEVER...

I mean, really...I don't care if you were a jock, nerd, hippie, slacker, or even a jock-hating-hippie-slacker-nerd, back in High School...EVERYBODY loves tha Olympics!!! And if you don't enjoy, at the very least, the opening/closing ceremonies you're completely wack!!

It's a great time for everyone. Patriotism, triumphs, defeats...the very spirit of the games and competition in general.

So, if you like to keep your street wear fresh, fly and with the times...I'd suggest dropping by Major and copping the illy MAJOR x New Era presents “CHINA QUEST” 59Fifty Fitted:



And, I'd personally team it up with tha black HUF STOOPS “OLYMPIC” TEE:


But, that's just me...

Either way, hurry up and get on these quick like, before everyone else catches the Olympic fever, and/or word spreads about the fitted over towards the Verizon Center/China Town!!!

PUTS @ 9:30

Aiighty, then...So, lets get this thang on-and-poppin'!!


People Under the Stairs brought the fiya to tha 9:30, last night. Unfortunately, preforming for room full of "middle-schoolers" didn't really give Thes One and Double K much to work with. Having seen them in front of way more energetic and responsive crowds...the set was definitely missing something; but, to no fault of the crew. For true veterans of the underground hip-hop game (...10 years and counting!!!), they definitely deserved better.

Regardless, it's always a great time seeing PUTS, whether in a packed arena, or crowd of 6...And, getting a taste of some of the jams that will soon be dropping from their upcoming FUN DMC album, was worth toughing out the tweeny-rocker crowd.

So anyway, the duo is headed up to B-more's Sonar this evening where PUTS will be headlining a show with Busdriver, Soul Cannon, Greenspan, and Jade Fox.

Sonar is always a good time...tix are only $12, and the beverages from soft-drinks, brews and even 'top-shelf' tend to be a bit cheaper up that way, as well. So, there's a good chance that I may end-up going to that show this evening (if anything, to erase the sub-par "one-hit-wonders" [...yeah, I said it...WHUT!?] Flobots/9:30 experience). We'll see...

Word, word, word...

So, we've finally got the blog up-and-running. It's been a long time coming, and honestly I'm just tired of the constant naggin' from my other die-hard blog-o-sphere peeps and co-workers; so, it's time that I throw my own size 7 3/8 New Era into the ring (...more on those and other interests to come!!!).

As I'm attempting to enjoy the final weekday of my vacation from work; I'm gonna leave it at that...marinate on some stories, layouts, and recap of the 7/27 Columbia, MD Rock the Bells show, as well as coverage of the People Under the Stairs/Flobots show that I'mma be peepin' on Sunday at tha 9:30.

Until then, feel free to check out the guest post from my manz Patrick's blog, that sparked all of this nonsense to come. Enjoy your respective weekendz and stay safe. Can you believe that it's August, already??!