Pearl Now Set To Open in August

That's the word from Beau Mohr, who spoke to the CCIM Hawaii Chapter earlier today.

Keep an eye out for Tuesday's "In the Mix," which will contain more details about Mohr's speech and his plans for the new nightspot at the mall.


What I can tell you right now: Pearl is on the mauka side of the mall, on the third level where JC Penney used to be. It's also going to be located near the new Nordstrom extension to the mall, which is expected to be completed in 2008.

There appears to be a covered entrance to the place, which gives way to a pretty spacious interior that is still under construction.


Here's a close-up shot, from just outside the front entrance. While the guys working in the area didn't seem to mind me looking around, a couple of them started whispering when I took out my camera. Hmm.


Anyway... here's another picture I took of a poster just around the corner from the ultra lounge:

Jennifer Paz @ The O Lounge

If you're looking for something a little different tonight, you might want to consider Jennifer Paz's CD release party at the O Lounge.

Paz reminds me of an older Jasmine Trias... except you know this girl got some pipes, since she starred (twice!) in "Miss Saigon."

From Paz's biography on her website:

Philippine born Jennifer Paz began her professional career playing the title role in the 1st National US tour of Miss Saigon. Most recently she reprised the title role in the latest North American tour of "Miss Saigon", directed by Mitchell Lemsky, and regionally with San Diego's Starlight Theatre.

Jennifer's other stage highlights include "The Fantasticks" & "Fabric" (both with Singapore Repertory Theatre), "And the World Goes 'Round" (East West Players), "Les Miserables" (joined Tenth Anniversary Cast, Broadway) and David Henry Hwang's updated production of "Flower Drum Song" where she played the role of Mei-Li during the production's celebrated extension at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum.

"Awakening" features an acoustic introspective of contemporary theatre with classics and pop standards. Among the highlights are duets featuring fellow "Flower Drum Song" co-stars Lea Salonga and Jose Llana and with "Miss Saigon" tour alumnus Dane Stokinger.


And since the party is at the O Lounge, it give me a chance to write about its owner, Liz Watanabe. If you missed last week's Star-Bulletin story on her contributions to this year's "Taste of Honolulu," go ahead and click that link. Homegirl looks great in the pictures... and so does the go-go dancer she brought along for the photoshoot! Ahahaha...

Oh, but before you start thinking naughty things, keep in mind Watanabe's husband is a member of Honolulu's boys in blue. So you better check yourself, before you wreck yourself...

Band Camp @ Venus

No... we're not talking about the August concert at the Waikiki Shell with Hoobastank and Hot Hot Heat.

This "Band Camp" is a summer weekly at Venus, open to everyone 18-and-over. While there's a cover charge for the kiddies, those old enough to drink get in for free!

Reader Love Is So Neccessary...

Mahalo plenty to Elle Simple over at QuadMag.com. She was kind enough to post up a couple of graphics for the blog... this one is my favorite of the two.

Win A Chance To Meet Erykah Badu

Just heard about this, and it's a pretty good bet that not too many other people will find out in time...

DIG Lifestyles, one of the promoters for Thursday's Erykah Badu show at Pipeline Cafe, just announced that everyone who buys a $42 presale ticket at the story today only will be entered in a drawing to attend a four-person meet-and-greet with the singer. Call 946-8620.

Winners will be drawn tonight after the store closes and announced tomorrow.

And in case you forgot, Thursday's concert is 18-and-over and doors open at 9 p.m.

Jazz Music @ Jazz Minds Art and Cafe

Local jazz virtuoso Abe Lagrimas, Jr. (above) headlines tonight's jazz night at Jazz Minds Art and Cafe.

Not only does this guy play drums, but he's also taken up the ukulele. He's got a new album out in stores called "Dimensions."

Joining Lagrimas tonight at Jazz Minds are guitarist Gilbert Batangan and special guest bassist Shawn Conley. The music starts at 9 p.m.

Civil War @ Waipahu Fil-Com Center

The Funky4Corners crew presents another B-Boy competition at the Waipahu Fil-Com Center today from 5 to 10 p.m.

Ten bucks gets you into "Civil War," which features a five-on-five B-Boy Battle, a "Grab Bag" writers battle and "The Scratch Corner" hosted by DJs Observ and Cozy.

Here's the lineup of battles:

Drunken Monkey vs. RB
The Disturbed vs. Santana
Duey Nutz vs. Adam
Jermz vs. Emerson
Jon Squared vs. Rawkus Jr.
Reggie vs. James

Soul Clap @ thirtyninehotel

This one looks like fun... the Nocturnal Sound Krew collaborates with Chinatown nightspot thirtyninehotel to bring us "Soul Clap," featuring New York DJ Pase Rock.

Doors open at 9 p.m. for the 21-and-over crowd, with no cover before 10:30 p.m. NSK's DJ Eskae and guest MC Maria Remos will get things started.

Here's a quick hit about the party, courtesy of "Crawlspace" in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

Racesauce 4th Anniversary Weekend

Congrats to local car/motorcycle club Racesauce, which celebrates its fourth anniversary this weekend.

The fun starts tonight, with a car cruise scheduled long after the sun sets on Honolulu.

Tomorrow, the party moves to the O Lounge to partner up with the folks who usually bring "The Light" to the Kapiolani Blvd. nightspot on Saturdays. Doors open at 10 p.m. for the 18-and-over crowd, and a few lucky folks will score pre-release copies of RS's Vol. 2 DVD.

Sunday is for the bikers, with RS's second annual bike cruise kicking off at Kakaako Waterfront Park at 1:30 p.m.

Congrats to the entire Racesauce crew... check out their website for more info about this weekend's events.

Wishful Thinking, Part II

Hey, I can dream... right?

This summer would be OFF THE CHAIN if Jay-Z... AND Linkin Park came out to Hawaii.

And if a promoter in this town can get their act together quick, you never know. It just might happen.

From Linkin Park's MySpace profile:

LP Fans in Japan - If you haven't gotten your tickets for the Summer Sonic festival yet, get them now to catch Linkin Park headlining in Osaka on August 12, and Tokyo on August 13. Fort Minor, Mike Shinoda's hip hop side project, has also just been confirmed to perform at Summer Sonic on August 12-13. Visit www.summersonic.com for more details.

As I said in the last post... most acts get to Japan and/or Australia by jumping on a plane and flying across the Pacific. They just have to be convinced that stopping off here for a show is worth their time.

Could It Be? Jigga In Hawaii?

Now this is all just wishful thinking on my part, but...

Could Jay-Z possibly be considering a show in Hawaii?

Hip-hop website SOHH.com reports that Hov will embark on an international tour later this year. Only UK dates are listed in the story, but it also says he plans to perform in Asia and Australia at some point.

And since you have to fly over Hawaii on the way to/from Asia and Australia, it begs the question... will he make a stop here?

After Kanye kinda flopped at the Blaisdell, I'm not sure if someone like Tom Moffatt would bite on another big name rapper in 2006.

But I sure hope he does... come on Uncle Tom! HOOK IT UP!!!


Oh, and I just had to include this picture of Jay-Z and Bill Gates. Talk about stepping up your game... that's Big Pimpin on a global scale...

Russell Simmons @ Fashion 45

Tonight's the night... Russell Simmons is in town, and will make an appearance today from 5 to 7 p.m. at Pearlridge before moving on to Fashion 45 at 10 p.m.

Simmons is here promoting his new Phat Farm clothing line, dubbed "Beyond the Green." It's based on the clothes golfers wear on the course and in the clubhouse.

Read more about Simmons and what he had to say about his trip to Hawaii at this link.

Barefoot Natives @ Hawaiian Hut

From today's "In the Mix" column in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin:

Natives are taking control

I'M NOT going to waste space and try to convince you to check out the Barefoot Natives' Oahu debut tonight and tomorrow.
That's because Willie Kahaialii and Eric Gilliom don't need my help. They've already built quite a buzz from their home on Maui, and have won crowds over from the neighbor islands since their self-titled album was released last month.

What I will tell you about, however, is how much more there is to Kahaialii than meets the eye.

Did you know the man loves golf, and has plans to take his successful annual fundraising tournament on Maui and turn it into a state-wide affair? Or how about his efforts to open a youth center on Maui that will teach keiki about the music business? Or the fact that he's been clean and sober for almost a year?

Just don't think he's mellowing out too much - he is still Willie K, folks.

"I still tell them how I really feel," he said with a laugh earlier this week. "I put them in their place.

"My favorite line is when people go, 'excuse me, I don't want to bother you.' You know what I tell them? 'But you're going to anyway,' and they go right ahead. But it's all good. It's all different now."

The Barefoot Natives take over the Hawaiian Hut tonight and tomorrow starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 at the door ...

I'm pretty excited about going to one of the Oahu shows... I had a chance to listen to the entire album, and da bugga is no ka oi... plus, I hear the two of those guys have some great on-stage chemistry together.

The Usual @ Pipeline Cafe [VIDEO]

Thanks to Jake the Snake from GenuineHI.com, everyone who wasn't at Pipeline for the Talib Kweli concert can get a taste of the opening act - Hawaii's own The Usual.

Be sure to watch the whole thing, but play close attention at about 5:00 into the clip, when Creed Chameleon brings out some special guests for a freestyle sesh.

Big Mox, Intaleck the Reject and the one and only High Chief XL came out and tore it up... unfortunately, the video cuts out in places, so you miss most of the first time Mox spits and one of XL's verses is also cut short.

But hey, something is better than nothing, right?

Wild 'N Out Wednesdays @ Fashion 45

Looking to save a bit of money when you go out? Head over to Fashion 45 tonight for "Wild 'N Out Wednesdays."

Dooprs open at 10 p.m. for the 21-and-over crowd, with half off cover before midnight. There's $3 domestic beers on special all night, and well shots are just $2 from 1:02 to 1:09 a.m. Oh, and well drinks are !/2 off all night.

DJ Kool E in the mix... JT on mic control. The lovely ladies from Island Hunnies will also be on hand...

Lokahi Canoe Club Fundraiser @ Oceans

Feel like dressing up tonight? Check out this fundraiser for the Lokahi Canoe Club:

Come to a costume/dance party inspired by Alice in Wonderland -- wear a funky hat or dress as a Wonderland character for the chance to win $100 gift certificates. Live band, DJ, complimentary pupus, raffles and cash prizes.

June 21, 7pm-12am
event sponsored by Lokahi Canoe Club
entrance $10-- for the price of a movie ticket you can dress up, get down, and meet a lot of cool people.

Call 808-772-7457 or email lotus_808@earthlink.net

Black Eyed Peas Coming To Honolulu

Big concert news from today's "In the Mix" column in the Star-Bulletin:

CONCERT NEWS: The Black Eyed Peas play the Blaisdell on Aug. 14, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 9 a.m. ... Yellowman performs at Pipeline on July 6 ... 808shows.com reports that Tool will be in town Aug. 18 and 19 ... And yes, that was Stevie Wonder on the Big Island last week. The legendary artist was hired to perform at a private wedding ...

FYI.. tickets might go on sale to the general public on Saturday, but you can win tickets before you can buy them by listening to Sam the Man's morning show on 102.7 Da Bomb...

Crack-Up Tuesdays @ Eastside Grill

Stand-up comedy returns to Eastside Grill, as I-Deliver Entertainment presents "Crack-Up Tuesdays" at the Puck's Alley hangout.

Comics like Champ Kaneshiro and Mo Dixon (above) are among those supporting this new weekly, which starts at 8 p.m.

Tool @ Blaisdell in August

Hot on the heels of Star 101.9's announcement that Hoobastank will headline Band Camp IV at the Waikiki Shell on Aug. 5, word comes from Jason Miller at 808shows.com that Tool will visit Aug. 18 and Aug. 19. That's lead singer Maynard Keenan, more recently of A Perfect Circle fame, in the picture above.

Nothing's listed yet on Tool's official website, but it does list shows in Japan the week before, so it's very well possible that the band could play here afterward.

I'm also a little confused... Miller has Tool performing at the Blaisdell Concert Hall.

For real?

Wonder if that means it's going to be some acoustic set, or Honolulu Symphony collabo or something...

Big Kahuna Thursdays CANCELLED

So much for the all-ages party at the waterpark every week this summer... at least they still got Mondays at Bliss...

New Sahra Indio Music Video

"Jah's Jewel" Sahra Indio has a new music video out...

It's called "Jah Fire," and also features the band Hot Rain. The song is off Indio's upcoming album, "Change," scheduled for release this fall.

Talib Kweli In Honolulu This Weekend

It's another good weekend for Honolulu hip-hop fans, thanks to the folks at DIG Lifestyles and Echelon Entertainment.

From today's "Crawlspace" in the Star-Bulletin:

New promoters take over with a bang this weekend at Deep Blue, the nightclub located below street level at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.
Triple Deluxe partners with DIG Lifestyles and Echelon Entertainment to host the official Talib Kweli pre-party before the rapper's concert at Pipeline Cafe on Saturday.

Doors open at 9 p.m. for the 21-and-over crowd, with free validated parking available at the hotel. Kweli himself is scheduled to make an appearance.

And don't forget about the actual show on Saturday, with local openers The Usual. There's a really good Q&A with Kweli in today's Weekend, thanks to Kalani Wilhelm.

Yeah, dude normally writes for the Weekly. But when Kweli slept on my requests and Wilhelm got in touch saying he had an interview done, I made a few calls.

He asked a lot of the same stuff I had planned to query Kweli about, so big up to him. Good pictures with the story too, thanks to Kweli's old label... HA!

Summer Bash Punk Show @ Detox

From today's "In the Mix" column in the Star-Bulletin:

LOCAL PROMOTERS Unity Crayons seem to have found a new base of operations at Detox. All ages are welcome tonight for the "Summer Bash Punk Show," starting at 6 p.m. Five bucks gets you access to live performances by the Insurgents, White Rose, Mistermeaner, Smitz and Extra Stout ...

Big Kahuna Thursdays @ Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park

The "all-ager rager" has gotten bigger and badder since I was in high school. Back in the 90's, all we had were dances that were only open to students from specific schools.

These days, the parties have moved from school cafeterias and gyms to local nightclubs, and are open to kids from all over the island. It's a teen's wet dream... no parents, and plenty members of the opposite sex to get into trouble with.

"Big Kahuna Thursdays" launched last week at the waterpark in Kapolei, and will probably pack in the kids until school starts up again at the end of summer. Doors open at 7 p.m., and it costs a whopping $20 to get in (without the $5 discount flyer).

Teens 13-18 are the only ones allowed inside at the party, with flyers stating in no uncertain terms that "No Adults, Parents or Other Ages Are Allowed."

If I had a kid that wanted to go to that party, the "no parents" rule would be a big red flag for me... but I'm not a parent. So whatever.

James Coles and the United DJs are the folks behind this one, and Micah Banks is slated to host the debauchery.

Oh, and for those who don't want to make the trip to the boonies on a Thursday, there's the all-ages "Suga Suga Candy Shop" on Mondays at Bliss...

TRX TV Playlists for June

There's been a lot of support lately for TRX TV, a locally-produced television show that airs on OC-16. A lot of local bands have submitted music videos, and TRX's plan is to eventually launch a full-blown music video channel within the next few months.

If you haven't seen the show yet, new episodes air on Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m. and repeat at the following times:

Wednesday @ 4p, 9:30p
Thursday @ 3a, 6:30a, 2:30p
Friday @ 5:30a, 6:30p
Saturday @ 10p
Sunday @ 3:30a, 3p
Monday @ 10p
Tuesday @ 3:30a

And here are the featured bands and their videos that will appear this week and next:

June 13 to June 20
Jack Johnson - "Taylor"
Creed Chameleon - "Flesh & Blood"
Miss Issa - "Stay Up"
Black Square - Live Performance at The Wave, Hawaii
Pana'ewa - "Waterfalls"
Pepper - "Too Much"

June 20 - June 27
Jack Johnson - "Taylor"
The Faint - "I Disappear"
Miss Issa - "Stay Up"
Creed Chameleon - "Flesh & Blood"
Go Jimmy Go - "Set Me Free"
Pepper - "Too Much"

Here's the website for TRX, although it doesn't look like it's been updated recently.

Oh, and if you can't be in front of a television when the show airs, Oceanic Cable provides on-demand access on channel 15.

Happy Endings @ The Living Room

Architechs Hawaii and Profound Entertainment kick off a new Wednesday night weekly at Fisherman's Wharf, with DJs Delve1der and XL on the decks.

"Happy Endings" is a homecoming of sorts for Delve, who returns from a gig in Chicago last week. I wonder if he got to kick it with Kanye again, after the Chi-Town icon was just out here with Common a couple of weeks ago.

So go down to the Living Room and holla at him... maybe he'll tell you a story or something.

Stone Groove Radio Website Up And Running

Didn't have a camera in the studio on Sunday night, so you get this three-year old (or is it four?) picture of me and DJ Sub-Zero upstairs at the Wave Waikiki.

Sub was part of our "studio audience" for the debut of STONE GROOVE RADIO, with yours truly on the mic and DJ Jrama manning the wheels of steel.

Being the blogging freak that I am... I just had to register a new domain and get www.stonegrooveradio.com up and running.

Only one post so far, but you can snag a copy of the show in .mp3 and .mp4 formats, or a short .mp3 clip that features a couple of local hip-hop joints and a short bit of talking.

Go ahead and check it out... and be sure to tune into 102.7 Da Bomb this coming Sunday for the second show!

The Young Hopefuls @ thirtyninehotel

If you happen to be in the Chinatown area for pau hana sometime before July 15, make sure to stop in at thirtyninehotel for a look at "The Young Hopefuls," an exhibit featuring works by current Oahu high school students.

Not bad stuff, from what I saw before the monthly "First Friday" festivities at the art gallery/nightspot. There are some talented kids out there, and Hoala High School senior Brandon Ells did a good job of rounding up a variety of different artists.

There's traditional oil on canvas paintings, charcoal drawings and a ceramic sculpture, but students also contributed mixed media and digital media pieces along with a mural.

You can read more about the exhibit here.

X-1 Battlegrounds 4 @ Blaisdell Arena

Mixed martial arts fans are a lucky bunch these days... there's a different promotion just about every month out at the Blaisdell, along with the UFC and Pride FC pay-per-views that air regularly at Eastside Grill.

Saturday night brought the return of X-1 to the Blaisdell Arena, in a night that featured a number of action-packed fights. I've got the quick and dirty results here, thanks to my notes.

For an in-depth recap of the fights, check out this report from MMAHawaii.com.

X-1 Battlegrounds 4
June 10, 2006 @ Blaisdell Arena

Peter Placido def. Dino Gregory (dec.)
Thomas Ferguson def. Nickolas Agricola (TKO at :51 in Rd. 1 via rear naked choke)
David Balicao def. Donald Gonzalez (dec.)
Aleka Rincon def. Marcus Moreno (dec.)
Dave Moreno def. Lorenzo Moreno (Doctor stoppage at the end of Rd. 1)
Lorrin Ishimine def. Kaleo Kwan (dec.)
John Crisostomo def. Chad Gusman (TKO at 2:00 in Rd. 1 via armbar)
Dylan Clay def. Kimo Woefel (TKO at 2:03 in Rd. 2 via rear naked choke)
Bryson Kamaka def. Joshua Perriera (DQ in Rd. 1 due to illegal kick)
Mark Oshiro def. Tony Belvedere (TKO at 1:20 in Rd. 1 via guillotine choke)
Eddie Yagin def. Kana Hyatt (TKO at 1:36 in Rd. 2 due to strikes)
Mark Moreno def. John Geraghty (KO at 1:13 in Rd. 1)

Two important things to note... the main event featuring Marcelo Tigre DIDN'T HAPPEN, because dude was a poon and claimed to have a broken hand. WTF?

Also, the MMAHawaii.com report says Bryson Kamaka wasn't KO'd when he tried to get up and got kicked in the head by Joshua Perriera, earning Kamaka the win via DQ.

I don't dispute the DQ. I don't dispute that Kamaka had regained his composure and was attempting to stand up when he got kicked.

But the referee should have stopped the fight before any of that happened.

After Kamaka landed a solid shot to Perriera's knee, Perriera spun around and countered with a right hook of his own, which caught Kamaka and sent him face-down to the mat.

He was out like a light. It was over.

But the referee didn't step in, and Perriera seemed to pause for a moment before something inside him just said "f*ck it" and he kicked the guy.

There's supposedly some real heat between these two guys, and it goes back to the streets. Hopefully they won't settle this one outside of the ring. It would make for a great rematch.

Stone Groove Radio Debuts This Weekend

Six months of planning and negotiations come to fruition this weekend... STONE GROOVE RADIO IS HERE.

Be sure to tune into 102.7 Da Bomb this Sunday night at midnight for the debut program, with yours truly on the microphone and DJ Jrama (above) on the decks.

For those who don't know, the Stone Groove Family has roots in the local scene going back at least a decade. Fellow SGF members DJ G-Dog and DJ Sub-Zero continue to rep the crew at various parties around town every week.

Expect a mix of local hip-hop, exclusive new music and artist interviews. I'm also told we just might get paid a visit by a certain midwest MC who's been spotted in the 808 in recent weeks... we're gonna be doing it REAL BIG from the jump, ya heard?

Much respect to DIG Lifestyles and KICKS Hawaii for stepping up and agreeing to help out with sponsoring the show.

DON'T FORGET - this SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY at midnight.

Stone.

Groove.

Radio.

Things are about to get interesting...

Kulcha Klash @ Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park

Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park and Honolulu Streetwear have teamed up for "Kulcha Klash," another big festival-style concert out on the Leeward side.

Once again, a bunch of mainland reggae bands are making the trip, along with some pretty big names from the DJ world.

Ky-Mani Marley, Mr. Vegas and Baby Cham will all be performing, as will local acts Marty Dread, Ooklah the Moc and Emirc.

On the DJ side, you can expect Kimball Collins and JFX to close things out late night stylee, with local DJs G-Spot, Sovern-T, IKON and K-Smooth also on hand. My good buddy DJ Jrama will also be there to spin a couple of sets.

The fun starts at 8 p.m. Saturday, and doesn't wrap up until 4 a.m. the next morning. Check out the Honolulu Streetwear website for more details about the festival.

The Next Generation @ Skybox Sports Lounge

1700 Kapiolani Boulevard is turning into quite the weekend destination, with both Skybox and Osake housed in the same building, and that new clothing store just opening up there as well.

If you haven't been to Skybox on a Friday lately, now's your chance to check it out. The "Aloha Friday Concert Series" kicked off last week, coming back again strong tonight with The Next Generation.

Next week should be cool too, with Most High and The Heartical Crew sharing the stage.

Russell Simmons Coming to Honolulu

Mark your calendars... Mr. Phat Farm himself is coming to town.

From an e-mail I got last week:

"Upscale Entertainment, Hot Lava Entertainment along with My Evolution Entertainment is bringing music and clothing icon Russell Simmons to Hawaii to host the Official Phat Farm "Beyond the Green Tour." The event is to introduce his new line of clothing "Beyond The Green." The event will take place on Thursday, June 22nd at one of Hawaii's premier nightspots, Fashion 45 at 2255 Kuhio Avenue on the 2nd Floor of the Waikiki Trade Center.

Russell Simmons, the godfather of hip-hop, has used street smarts and a platinum Rolodex to create a $300 million conglomerate which includes his clothing line Phat Farm. Since its inception in 1992, Phat Farm revenues have grown dramatically every year and is one of the highly soughted fashion lines today."

The godfather of hip-hop, huh? Hmmm...

Rihanna @ Aloha Stadium

Rihanna is quite the busy bee... in just the past few weeks, she's performed both in Europe and Asia, along with gigs on both the East Coast and West Coast of the mainland U.S.

Tonight, you'll be able to catch her on both the MTV Movie Awards pre-show, as well as performing on "The Tonight Show." But thanks to the magic of television, she actually taped the MTV stuff last Saturday...

Anyway. From what I hear, she'll jump on an evening flight tonight, perform tomorrow at the E.K. Fernandez 50th State Fair, then jump right back on a plane for a California show she's been signed to do on Saturday.

Talk about busy... but if you're a fan of her music, this is your best bet to see her at an affordable price. Admission to the fair is just five bucks, and the concert itself is free.

Show starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. I'm told she'll perform for about 30 minutes.

Bun B Interview in Believer Magazine

Sorry about the lack of updates. I got sick last Thursday and spent most of the weekend in bed.

But I'm back.

Anyway, if you haven't heard of Southern rapper Bun B, then you haven't been listening closely enough. Along with playa partner Pimp C, the two make up UGK, otherwise known as the Underground Kingz.

Remember Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" and the music video that went along with it?

Now do you remember Bun B?

Good.

For all of you who weren't fans before, you will be after reading this article. And if you're already a fan, this will remind you why he's such a bad-ass motherfather.

Oh... and for a local angle: I was talking to one of my friends who works at Kicks Hawaii, and he told me Bun B was in the shop back in January or February of this year.

Wish he would have done a show... I know a bunch of people who would've gone to see him perform.