GET WARPED TICKETS NOW

(Big Thanks to K. Delgado for the graphics work)

Info re: Warped Tour

Have you ever tried calling into a radio station to win a contest and the phone line stayed busy??
Have you ever bought a lotter ticket because the pot was in the millions and you felt lucky??

Well, here is your chance to finally get through on the line. Here is your chance to win without spending a dime.
We are giving away 2 tickets to the Buffalo Warped Tour. 2 winners will be issued (1) ticket each after answering the following questions correctly: (NOTE: Sorry to leave anyone out, but it only makes sense that this contest applies to Buffalo residents and surrounding areas.)

1) In one of the blogs that was posted regarding Edreys’ trip to Spain, in what city did he encounter the “Machete Man” rapping on stage with machete in-hand?

2) Name the old school group that is most known for the popular song “Rapper’s Delight?”

3) What Buffalo born artist was sampled in MC Hammer’s record-breaking hit song “Can’t Touch This?”

***Bonus (win a tee shirt)
Name the Hip Hop group responsible for the following line from an album skit: “How many feathers are on a Perdue Chicken? and How many times did the Bat Mobile catch flat?”

Email answers to: thedope45s@gmail.com
Winners will be announced Saturday so hurry, hurry, hurry!!!

AND THE WINNER IS…

(winner 1)

[SIGH] I’m not sure how many people were aware of the “I LIKE IT CONTEST” we were promoting a few months ago, but we have finally “crowned” our winners. They have been crowned with fresh, crispy New Era fitted caps courtesy of DTR45. Thank you and congratulations to Damario and Kevin!!

In effect immediately, we are running another contest in which we will reward 2 winners – (1) ticket each to the Warped Tour Concert in Buffalo at Darien Lake, July 24. We can’t make the contest any easier than asking only a few questions and emailing us the correct the answers.

(winner 2)

THE MONSTER

This post has nothing to do with my career at all, BUT…given all of the many things that can add stress along my path, “laughter is an awesome remedy.”
I’m sorry that my therapy was paid for by the hard efforts of this man. But I thank him just as well. He actually starts off pretty fairly until 0:54 into the video. “The rockets red glare” ALWAYS gets em!!!

Shout outs to Kelly for reminding me of how people are steadily defeated by the Undisputed National Anthem monster.

GOOD PEOPLE GOOD TIMES

(Above: My mom in the middle with her “homegirl crew” aka “My Aunties”) by Kenny Macdonald

I wish I knew who to credit for the photographs, because the picture above had me in tears, just seeing the joy in my mothers face in watching her son perform really hit me in the heart. Thanks Mom!

There were many beautiful and wonderful people that I intended to thank and would have liked to acknowledge during the WBFO performance, but while on stage, it was “strictly” business since the show was airing LIVE on the radio.

I didn’t get the chance to thank my sweet, brilliant wife and wonderful children, or my dad, in-laws, cousins etc. My mom did get a shout from the announcer, Bert Gambini and my sister was on stage with me, along with my cousin Mike. But there were some really GREAT people in the audience like City Honors Alumni, two of which were pregnant…so that was pretty cool…”Thanks girls!!” Lots of highschool friends that really touched my heart to see them in attendance. Waaaay too many people to thank, but please know that you ARE ALL appreciated!!!

(Above: From Left – DJ Lo Pro, DJ Cutler, Mizike and Queen Fana) by Kenny Macdonald

One more round of applause for the DOPE 45’s. The people in the picture above are unmatched and I’m delighted that they’ve all agreed to work with a brotha’. They are definitely DOPE!!

(Above: Me and Trev Thorne) by Kenny Macdonald

Above, I had to pull my man Trev Thorne on stage to perform one of the many “classics” songs we made as a part of the group called Raw Intel. Thanks Bro!

(Above: Monica aka Riella and Me)

Thanks to Monica for her energy during our performance of “Superman Swag.” Lastly, Thanks to my stylist “LeeStew” Alleta Steward who hooked up the DOPE45’s and myself for this show. Check her out at: http://appleshaberdashery.com

LIVE AT WBFO

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-712281.mp3

At the request of some friends, one of whom had a birthday on the day of the WBFO show, May 28, I am finally able to bring the journey from Spain, back home to the states, primarily Buffalo!

On May 28, I had the PLEASURE of being the first Hip Hop artist to perform on the stage Live at Allen Hall (UB South Campus) as a part of WBFO’s long running Wednesday Night concert series. I can’t thank the people at WBFO enough for the opportunity, professionalism, and hospitality. Alison, Bert, Ken, the stage hands, the volunteers, the sound man (by the way it sounded awesome on-air), Brenda and many many others. My apologies for not remembering everyone’s name.

I know its a couple weeks later, and many of you may have listened to the podcast already, but click the play button above to hear it again or to hear it for the first time, whichever applies.

Pictures from the WBFO show courtesy of Kenny Macdonald©.

BILLY DREASE TV – VITORIA

Check out my version of MTV Cribs as I take you on a tour of Club Vieja and show you the “Best Bathrooms in the World” as my man says in the video.

Let me say, they definitely didn’t take any tips from HGTV…The graffiti was EVERYWHERE…Even INSIDE of the toilet bowl!!..Check it out!

Awesome, awesome show here and super people. More on that on my next entry.
Peace to Vitoria…2-Up!!

More graffiti throughout the venue.

VITORIA’S SECRET

Vitoria, Spain was our last stop on the tour and certainly the LIVEST spot. The picture above reveals a somewhat “Fast and Furious” cult-like privacy. As a matter of fact, the “Fast and Furious” comparison is pretty accurate now that I think about it in hindsight. This club location was soooo hidden and nondescript that we were RIGHT in front of it and had no clue as to the directions that the Club owner was trying to convey on the Promoters’ speaker phone. So here we are, finally in Vitoria after a 5 hour ride, right on time for sound check, sitting in a truck parked at the curb of an obviously and regularly busy street lined with high, wired fences with unmarked factory buildings on each side for as long as you could see, only broken by traffic light intersections. We tell the Club owner that we aren’t moving until he comes to get us, for it was way too confusing to follow his directions in risks that we would miss the rehearsal (sound). So literally in less than 2 minutes or even less, this white, tricked out civic comes speeding in the traffic lane going opposite of where we are pointing and “drifts” or whips towards our truck in a quick-turn about (180 degree) and stops a few feet short of the curb. It was the club promoter, (definitely “Fast and Furious” insipired)… He put his hand out the window and hinted that we follow. Within seconds we were winding through alleys that he knew like the back of his hand, and BAMM!!, we were at the club in no time at all, just like he said.

This was a private club with members only like a motorcycle gang, but this place was Hip-Hop Cultured to “death..or Def!! Crazy graffiti and great music throughout the night. And guess what?? NO violence or fighting. While here in the states, we tend to associate hip hop with violence, ALL the time…so as Don King would say “Only in America!!”

BILLY BARCELONA

On December 30, 2007 I went to registered for a passport with the hopes that I would be able to actually USE it in 2008, and 5 months later, I found myself in Spain. WOW! Billy Drease in Barcelona!!??
DOPE!!!
Above is a picture I took during rehearsal, about 30 minutes before the doors opened for the show. The mic and I, regardless of what type of mic, the venue, wireless or cordless, muffled or clear..ALWAYS have a good time. There was no photoshop used on the picture either. I’m just good like that!!

Once the show started, as expected, the people came, then the music, then the beer, then the SMOKE! The smoke was such a terrible thing for me to adjust to again after being free of it in the states at shows. I had to tie a shirt around my face just to go downstairs to the merchandise table to check on the guys handling the goods. If I sound like a “whiner” to you, chances are you are probably a smoker. Ahahaa!!

Backstage, which was actually upstairs and pretty comfy, I was able to do some updates to the blog and check email with the Wee-Fee…(WiFi) that’s how they pronounce it in Spain..Wee Fee!!

Lastly, here is a picture I took a couple of blocks away from the venue as we aimlessly wandered around for something that even remotely would resemble American food…Ummm…No!
Everything closes at like 9, and the bars aren’t known for food. Well, thats a different story in how far we traveled for some good food.

GAS SIPPERS

Just the other night, home in Buffalo, my wife and I enjoyed an intellectual dinner thrown by friends of ours Elijah and Montrice, and one of the topics we discussed was how can combat the high gas prices? How do we adjust? Well, I mentioned to everyone how many Vespa Scooters I saw on the road while in Spain. There were just as many scooters on the road as cars. Talking about gas efficiency!! WOw! There were actually very very few Suv’s in Spain, as opposed to the American buyers trends. Everywhere, you would see these little scooter zipping to and fro, and people were even doubled up and not “car-pooling” but “Scooter-pooling” I guess.

I certainly am leaning towards “rocking out” on one of these babies. Jamie!!! I’m coming cross country to Cali when I get my Vespa homie!! ….umm…yeah right! Just thought I’d holler at my man Jamie, what up J!?

THE ZIG ZAG ZIG

Temporarily back in the “Z” or Zaragosa and definitely in the right element…the “studio.”
We met a really good guy named Menik while on tour who was a friend of the promoter. He was a rapper, producer and DJ along with a couple of other hats like airport baggage handler, handyman, engineer, and entrepreneur. It was a gorgeous day out on our way to Barcelona, but before we headed out, he decided to take us to see his studio that he pretty much built by himself. He had some of the most creative studio solutions I’d ever scene. It was completely decked out with leather sofas, gorgeous wood floors, cutting edge technology, and there was a story behind every little thing in the studio. The doors of the studio both the control console and the recording booth were custom, with the old school style “industrial” freezer closure handles. These doors were as thick as submarine capsule doors.

Apparently Menik was a young yet very accomplished individual. He gave me a Cd of beats to check out which I still haven’t had the chance to check out yet and he gave Tone a “Beat Break” vinyl that he created himself. I was very impressed with this dudes work ethic and knowledge of music, especially American music. OOhh!!! He also runs his own record label as well, and his artist is pretty dope too!

(Above: The wall outside of his studio in the parking lot)

Hip Hop is MASSIVE!!! Cheers to Graff Writers Worldwide.