Quick News on Grandmaster Flash, De La Soul and Cassidy

Hip-Hop pioneer, Grandmaster Flash, will be one of the motivational speakers at the Open Showcase Night on June 30 in West Orange, NJ. The event, which takes place at the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center, will feature performances by upcoming musicians, who will in turn, receive advice from the panel of judges. The event “is a chance for people to broaden their horizons and take a chance at getting exposure. Performers audition and then present their talent in front of judges who know the business,” Sondra Barron, assistant to the center’s executive director, told The Star-Ledger. “DJ Grandmaster Flash is a music pioneer [who] is a role model to thousands. His career is truly something to be admired and having him make a guest appearance at the event is inspiring.”

De La Soul will headline the sixth annual Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Ky. on July 27 and 28. Held at Louisville’s Riverfront Belvedere, the concert will feature over 40 independent bands and is geared towards raising environmental awareness. Last year, Forecastle Festival was named “one of the top 101 things to do in America” by SPIN Magazine. For more information, visit www.forecastlefest.com.

Last weekend, the And1 Mixtape Tour, which features the world’s best street basketball players, kicked off in Brooklyn, NY. Philadelphia MC, Cassidy, is currently embarking on the tour, performing at halftime of select locations. Cass will drop his still untitled third album this fall, which features the new Swizz Beatz produced single “My Drink n’ My 2 Step.” The album will also feature production from Just Blaze, The Runners, Neo Da Matrix, Hi-Tek and others. You can catch Cassidy performing on the following And1 Mixtape Tour dates.

June 23 – Boston, Ma – Bayside Expo Center
July 14 – Philadelphia, PA – Festival Pier
July 21 – Washington, DC – City Center Parking Lot