KENTISH TOWN'S HIP HOP CONNECTIONS - SNOOP DOGG & WU-TANG CLAN HEADING TO NORTH LONDON

WHO said genuine hip-hop is the domain of south London?


Camden may be the natural lair of the guitar-plucking indie kid but it’s fast becoming a credible rival to Brixton when it comes to quality rap – both old school and decidedly much newer school.



These days anything slightly urban is no longer confined to the Jazz Café, which continues to host the gold standard acts for which it has become famous.

It’s just as likely that visiting rappers will play Koko, Electric Ballroom or, in the case of Ghostface Killah, be found chilling with Mark Ronson at Proud Camden.

Take a stroll down Kentish Town Road over the next couple of months and you’ll find some of the biggest names in the world bringing their hip-hop vibes to HMV Forum.

First, tha DoggFather himself, Snoop Dogg and his lazy ways launches his album Doggumentary – the permutations of the moniker knows no bounds – on May 17.

Then, on June 11 and 12, the stage will do well not to buckle under the heavyweight players that make up the Wu-Tang Clan.

Snoop has picked Kentish Town to debut his 11th studio album and is bringing a bunch of as yet unreleased special guests to the party.

Although we do know countless international producers including Damon Albarn, Gorillaz, DJ Khalil and Kanye West worked on the plaited rapper’s latest album.

Doggumentary chronicles Snoop’s long career – nearly 20 years in the business – and will be a useful aid-memoir to established fans as well as a convenient pocket history for a whole new generation.

The Long Beach rapper’s long been a fan of Twitter and now he’s using his social media prowess "doggument" – yes seriously – the album’s progress online.

He has launched the obtusely-labelled #PuffPuffPassTuesdays campaign, where he releases exclusive clips and tracks to his 2.5 million Twitter followers every week and is giving unprecedented access to his inner circle via his frequent Ustream sessions.

And did you know his real name was Calvin Broadus?

Don’t forget the sunglasses to avoid being dazzled by his accompanying bling.

The second and arguably more significant hip-hop show to hit The Forum this summer will be the might of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Over the years, RZA, GZA, and Ghostface Killah, among others, have appeared separately in Camden Town but to have the collective together at last is what we’ve been waiting for.

In their first tour together in four years, Method Man, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, U-God and Masta Killa as well as the aforementioned trio should all be there.

Significantly absent will be Ol’ Dirty Bastard, who died in 2004, but his son, the aptly named Young Dirty Bastard will take on the rhymes of his father.

Yelawolf, recently signed to Eminem’s Shady Records label will also support.

PINK'S ACROBATICS, MISSY ELLIOTT'S FAILS, SNOOP DOGG'S SUNNY DISPOSITION AND JAY-Z'S CAMERON-LIKE TENDENCIES

PINK dropped from the sky, Missy Elliott's German tracksuit offended, Snoop Dogg wore girly hair bobbles and Jay-Z played the popular card at an eventful Wireless festival last weekend.
By Sunday night, Wireless stragglers looked more like extras from Shipwrecked than holders of the coolest hip-hop tickets in town as arid weather conditions turned Hyde Park into one giant dustbowl and filthy feet, mud-caked fingernails and dirt-streaked faces became the official festival uniform.
Not even the luxury loos, Ugg boots store, makeovers, Superdrug counter, Elemis massages and Bed Head hairdressers could combat the dust.
Pink's headline performance was a spectacle in itself, so carefully stage managed that it even ended with a roll of credits.

And they deserved the praise, Pink dropped onto a walkway from a gift-wrapped box suspended high on a crane, running through hits, many lesser-known tracks and some covers.

She mashed up Lou Reid's Walk on the Wild Side with Green Day's Basket Case, later launching the loudest sing-along of the weekend to 4 Non Blondes' What's Up – a perfect fit for her voice.Pink's songs have rarely been captivating but her performance skills and powerhouse vocals are something to behold.Her set was a fully-functioning carnival, she made full use of the slides, her drummer stood inside a waltzer and Pink's acrobatics matched those of a circus professional.From Cirque du Soleil roof-dangling on drapes, to soaring over the crowd suspended on four-way wires, to literally running over the heads of the audience in a giant inflatable Zorb ball, it was a non-stop feast for the eyes.Earlier Plan B drew hundreds from Gossip's main stage set as crowds caked the outside of the Pepsi Max tent to try to catch a glimpse.Beth Ditto made her usual threat to strip but thankfully failed to deliver.Not even Ditto's lungs could compete with the crowds singing along to Plan B 150m away and her cover of Tina Turner's What's Love Got To Do With It was drowned out.The Ting Tings banged out a bit of a racket but the most euphoric moment of the day was lying in the grass, staring at the clear blue sky listening to The Temper Trap.Day two's headliners LCD Soundsystem seriously disappointed – an odd choice for top billing when the likes of Missy Elliott and Snoop Dogg were in town.

To be fair, Missy's set consisted of a number of big fails. 1 – coming on 20 minutes late, 2 – playing a medley of best-known tracks so fast you almost missed them, 3 – part-miming, badly, 4 – bringing on latest protege after only 10 minutes, who also mimed, 5 – making an ill-judged return to the stage in a Germany tracksuit – her
prerogative I say – but she drew boos from a huge group of miserable bad sports, 6 – overrunning and having her set cut mid-flow.

Still, Get Your Freak on was a popular three minutes, her rapping was fierce and she threw herself into rallying the crowd for the brief time she was on.
A quick dash to Darwin Deez confirmed why he's the Napoleon Dynamite of the moment and a delight to watch – but the pull of legend Snoop Dogg was too strong.
The sunshine loved Snoop, who came on with a knuckle duster-style mic and charted his hip-hop history through a memorable, laid back set.
Still hard to take Gangsta rap seriously when it comes from a man with clear plastic bobbles on his plaits.
Day three was uncomfortable as thousands crammed into the park, may looking for trouble. Huge groups of boys cleared the ground of bottles by flinging them into the crowd, prompting Lily Allen to point out the number of girls she'd seen crying in front of her after being hit.
Earlier, Professor Green on the second stage was a huge, popular draw, Slash played a couple of his own solos which flew above the head of most of the crowd, but woke everyone up with Sweet Child O' Mine and a vastly diminished D12 delighted the many who rushed to see them on the third stage – though twice as many were left out in the cold.
Lily Allen brought on Professor Green for a drum 'n bass remix of Smile before the two launched into their new single Just Be Good To Green, which ended up as a huge rave.

Jay-Z the ever professional, played the popular tracks, some lesser-known older ones and never let the crowd forget he was thinking of every single one of them.

Much like the David Cameron in the leaders debates, he took note of his audience and singled out the ones who most knew his songs, or those who most caught his eye.
When he realised he had 24 minutes left he declared he was not ready to go and promised to run through as many track people asked for as possible, flicking from a bar of Bonnie and Clyde to a chorus of another, he skipped around, prepared to please his devoted followers.
He ended on Encore – the smash hit mash-up with Linkin Park's Numb – a wise and explosive choice that confirmed Jay-Z's generous showmanship.

SECURITY ALERT - N-DUBZ ARE PLAYING FOR THEIR MUMS, LOUIS LE PRINCE AND THE PROJECTORS SELL OUT + LAST.FM'S DATING GAME

POLICE lined Chalk Farm Road waving knife wands, search arches were placed inside the Roundhouse doors – was Snoop Dogg paying a special visit to Camden Town? Is 50 Cent on his way? Turns out the heavy security was for...N-Dubz, who were playing to their mums, aunts and friends on their home turf for the iTunes Festival on Monday. The cops must’ve been disappointed – the only battle I saw was the group of young boys beatboxing in the street after the show. 

This is the best video I could find of the night. Critics should see them live before turning up their noses.

• By good fortune, I was present the day the founder members of fairytale-named band Louis le Prince and The Projectors met. There was an old man’s pub, whisky was involved and there was bonding over music.

So it was a privilege to be at The Wilmington Arms for the Hope House records gig last week – amazing feat to be sold out on their first show and they deserved it. In such a short time they’ve put together a professional sound with some addictive tunes. 

• Sydney’s gorgeous dark-pop quintet Teenagers in Tokyo headline The Lexington on July 15.

• Who here uses last.fm? Ever wanted to find your ideal date based on a mutual shared love of music?  www.tastebuds.fm attempts to find matches based on your last.fm list or your list of fave bands. Hmmm, not sure it’ll work.

WAS MISSY ELLIOTT BOOED OFFSTAGE BECAUSE OF HER GERMAN TRACKSUIT?

SERIOUSLY poor form from some England football supporters today who threw bottles and booed Missy Elliott at Hyde Park's Wireless Festival.
Her set came to an abrupt end, with the big screens suddenly switching off and Missy and her dancers left looking confused onstage.

No explanation was given but it looked like the plug was pulled after she and her dancers came on in white adidas tracksuits bearing the German flag, with Deutschland written on the back.
Perhaps an ill-judged choice of garb given England's crushing at the German team's feet last week but unlikely she meant any malice.
Either the set ended because of the negative reaction from some of the crowd who took exception to her outfit or the plug was pulled mid-track because she overran, but if this was the case surely they'd be professional enough to let her finish the song.
Her costume change came just minutes after Germany beat Argentina so did she have a spare Argentina outfit backstage just in case?
And so what if she just wanted to support Germany for the fun of it? The USA's no longer in and neither is England guys so get over it.
We all need to find new teams to support!

Incidentally Missy came onstage 20 minutes late - was she watching the match or was it a coincidence?
She put on a good show for the short time she was actually onstage, playing medleys of her biggest hits, rapping live but it looked like she was miming during the singing parts.
She then strangely brought on a girl called Shoraya, who she promised was amazing but who mimed her way - badly - through some anonymous track before Missy returned in aforementioned tracky.
And we all know how that ended. Strange scenes all the same.
Snoop Dogg followed with a fantastic set and should have been the headliner.
More on him later.

WIRELESS SET TO ELECTRIFY?

THERE were some great scenes of rebellion at last year's Wireless Festival as we joined the scramble to break into the tent to catch The Streets during one of the most memorable and sweltering performances of the weekend.
And there's sure to be as many equally unforgettable moments this year with a line-up of huge draws including Jay-Z, Pink, LCD Soundsystem, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott and 2ManyDjs.

Wireless, sponsored by Barclaycard (July 2 - 4), is one of the easiest festivals around, a medley of urban, indie, electro and hip-hop acts all in Hyde Park but with the power to pull huge names more usually associated with vast soulless stadiums.

Ideal for non-campers – and lazier music-lovers – there's not even a worry about transport or accommodation, as it all usually ends before the last tube leaves and well before the last clubs shut their doors.

While last year Kanye West left us cold with his immense detachment, Basement Jaxx's star shone bright with a euphoric carnival performance.
We're not expecting a repeat of West's vacant show this year, as Jay-Z headlines the Sunday night, a US rap giant who knows how to play the crowd.

Another crowd pleaser with a mammoth voice is Pink, or is that P!ink?
Her gravity-defying feats at the Grammy awards were the talk of the show, but can she top it? She headlines on the Friday night – expect a spectacle.
LCD Soundsystem and 2ManyDjs co-headline on Saturday but I'll be more interested in Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Darwin Deez and DJ Shadow.

There's so much to see over the three days, so here are my picks – Snoop Dogg (he made it into the country, the least we can do is go see him), Jay-Z (always room for an epic megastar), The Temper Trap (soaring tunes), Hockey (good indie attitude), Alphabeat (they'll smile even if it rains), DJ Shadow (to revive some hazy student memories), UNKLE (ever innovative), Missy Elliott (fierce), The Big Pink (too cool), Darwin Deez (edgy, quirky pop from the frizzy-haired, eyelinered one), The Hundred in the Hands (moody duo), Friendly Fires (lively electro), Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip (unfailingly fantastic, a must, must, MUST) and Devlin (Dagenham MC with a good brand of dark hip-hop).
There's sure to be a book running on what Beth Ditto plans to wear when Gossip take to the stage so start guessing now.

Others attracting attention are celeb offspring Lily Allen and I Blame Coco, the slightly irritating The Ting Tings, rapper-turned-lounge-singer Plan B, new young darling Daisy Dares You, New Young Pony Club, Example, Chase & Status, Chipmunk, Tinie Tempah, Mr Hudson, D12 and Roll Deep.
As well as a whole list of other acts, there's a full programme of non-musical entertainment – fashion shows, talent scouts, a pampering parlour and all sorts of games.

SNOOP'S GOT THE GALACTIC GOODS BUT WHAT ARE NOEL GALLAGHER AND IAN BROWN UP TO?

Snoop comes out looking best in this remake of the famous Star Wars bar scene, but why are Noel Gallagher and Ian Brown playing the naughty boys giggling at the back of the class?
Surely they'd be propping up the bar? Or would the bar be propping them up?