Best Hip-Hop Crew 2008 | Boostwell | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Hip-Hop Crew

Boostwell

Headed by production maestro SP Double, the Boostwell crew boasts plenty of talent. Whether it's the banging beats of SP or Flawless, the one-two punch of On Point, the lyrical mastery of ManDaMyth or the rapid-fire flows of Catch Lungs and Purpose, the consistent quality of this crew's musical output is unmatched. This year, Boostwell will drop albums from Lost Gems (Myth, SP, Procise), On Point (Flawless, Fo-Chief), SP Double, ManDaMyth and mix tapes from Purpose and Catch Lungs, with contributions from other crew members EMB and Kontrast slated for the near future. While the crew may not be running the Colorado hip-hop scene yet, they're making moves.

Best Hip-Hop DJ

Cysko Rokwel

Over the past few years, DJ Cysko Rokwel has become one of Colorado's elite DJs: He has a weekly residency at Boulder's Round Midnight, spins on Radio 1190's hip-hop-centric Basementalism show every week, and backs up local artists A.V.I.U.S., Es-Nine and The 6th Grade on records and at live shows. But his biggest accomplishment to date was placing second at the DMC USA DJ finals in Delaware, making him one of the best turntablists in the nation. And as soon as the video of his DMC routine hit YouTube, a heated competition between Cysko and a California DJ broke out in the comments section, setting the stage for a possible DMC battle this year. We got Cysko's back!

Best Hip-Hop DJ Hustlers

DJ Bedz and DJ Quote the Beatmaker

Aesthetically, DJ Bedz and DJ Quote have different styles — but their hustle is nearly identical. Both have worked tirelessly over the past few years to gain national notoriety for themselves and the city, with striking parallels in their individual trajectories. They both got their start in the clubs before branching out into the mix-tape game and then garnering slots on the radio — Bedz first on KS-107.5 and now on One-FM and XM radio, and Quote on 96.1 the Beat in Colorado Springs — as well as landing guest spots on Rap City and becoming members of several highly respected DJ crews. Bedz has also gained renown as the official DJ of the Denver Nuggets, while Quote has become an in-demand touring DJ, performing at high-profile parties across the country. Can't knock the hustle.

Best Hip-Hop Label

Jewell Tyme Music

Jewell Tyme Music launched in the heart of east Denver in 2002, headed by rappers 800 the Jewell and F.O.E. But it wasn't until last year that the imprint caught the attention of the rest of the city with the Joe Thunder/Selector Sam mix tape Drama Kings, starring F.O.E. and B Blacc and featuring the entire Jewell Tyme roster and its affiliates. And that was just the beginning: The label plans to release over ten projects in 2008, including albums from F.O.E., 800 the Jewell, Duce Wyld, Meezly and Haven and more comps from Joe Thunder, Selector Sam and DJ K-Tone. This is the type of hip-hop that Public Enemy's Chuck D was referring to when he termed it "the Black CNN" — hip-hop that gives you real insight into what's happening on the streets.

Best Hip-Hop Night

The Solution
Funky Buddha Lounge

DJs Low Key and Sounds Supreme (aka Justin Green and Nate Watters) originally started their weekly underground hip-hop parties in the basement of Shelter, with the goal of creating a night they'd want to attend themselves, one they could take pride in. Well, it looks like the duo has succeeded. Whether they're throwing tributes to some of their heroes — cats like J Dilla or Notorious B.I.G. — or just playing everything from old school to new school to soul, these fellas know how to get the party started and the crowd grooving. And now the dudes are moving up as well, going from Shelter's basement to the roof of the Funky Buddha Lounge every Thursday and becoming residents at Vinyl on Friday nights alongside DJ MU$A.

Best Hip-Hop Teamwork

Dojo

Because hip-hop is such a highly combustible medium, few collectives stay intact over the long haul. Yet Analog Suspect and Selecta Roswell, the artists behind Dojo, have been making compelling music together for years; their ability to work in harmony with a range of collaborators, including each other, is a big reason why. On Duality, their latest recording, they gain inspiration from such guests as DJ Trauma and Le Parasite, and it carries over into "Kali's Revenge" and a slew of other memorably deep cuts. The Dojo duo is a perfect match that no man should set asunder.

Best House Concerts

Highlands House Concert Series

Taking in a show at Dwight Mark's charming home in Highland is more like attending a friend's dinner party than seeing a concert at a formal venue. Prior to the performance, folks nosh on light hors d'oeuvre and chat, then eventually make their way to the living room for intimate, one-of-a-kind performances by an array of engaging acts, from celebrated local talent to well-regarded imports. And while the idea of living-room concerts might alarm the neighbors, Mark is careful to keep the music at a reasonable level — so much so that when you're standing on the porch, you can only faintly hear the sounds coming from inside. Props to Mark for a unique experience.

Best Installation Show

David Altmejd
Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver

Among the seven Star Power shows that inaugurated the new Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver last fall, David Altmejd is one of the few that are still open. A young Canadian artist, Altmejd covered the walls of the Family of Natasha Congdon Large Works Gallery with sheets of mirror, then created a series of anthropomorphic figures clad in mirrors as well. All that reflective material made the eponymous installation nothing short of an eye-dazzler. Selected by MCA curator and director Cydney Payton, this magical work was hands-down the best pick for the opening of the new building.

Best Instrumental Rock Record

Get Three Coffins Ready
Get Three Coffins Ready

The finest instrumental rock outfits cut to the chase. No extraneous instrumentation is required, and no microphones, either: just hard grooves, galloping rhythms and a burglar's fondness for getting in and out quickly. Guitarists Adam Hester and Gil Romero, bassist Jeff Anton and drummer Rikki Styxx display all these attributes and more on their self-titled debut disc, which features the emblematic likes of "Phantom Surf Party" and "Backseat Rumble," a sonic tribute to rebels without a cause. Like their coffins, these players are ready for anything.

Best Intimate Performance Space

The Meadowlark

Evan Semón
Although it's a basement space, the Meadowlark features soft, tasteful lighting and a well-appointed interior that makes you forget you're belowground. The room is well-suited to singer-songwriters and acoustic acts who thrive in small places, where they can better connect with the audience. And with a recent run of regular bookings, the once obscure bar has become a nice, clean place to see indie-rock frontmen playing rare acoustic sets, as well as louder bands like Red Cloud and A Shoreline Dream.

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