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MURS IN ASSOCIATION WITH
GUERILLA UNION PRESENT
PAID DUES INDEPENDENT HIP HOP FESTIVAL 2011
FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS UNVEIL COMPLETE 2011 LINE-UP INCLUDING:
BUN B, E-40, SAGE FRANCIS, ANDRE NICKATINA, P.O.S., NIPSEY HU$$LE, LIL B
THE BASED GOD, DEAD PREZ, VISONARIES AND MORE!
‘GRIND TIME NOW’ STAGE TO FEATURE MC BATTLES
IN PAID DUES OCTAGONAL RING
PRESENTED BY GRIND TIME NOW
MURS ANNOUNCES ‘ROAD TO PAID DUES’ TOUR
PAID DUES AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREATER LOS ANGELES LAUNCH
‘PAID DUES HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT’
Murs (Living Legends) and Guerilla Union (Rock The Bells, Cypress Hill
Smokeout) have revealed the complete line-up for PAID DUES INDEPENDENT
HIP HOP FESTIVAL held on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at the NOS Events
Center in San Bernardino, CA. Bun B, E-40, Sage Francis, Andre Nickatina,
P.O.S., Nipsey Hu$$le, Lil B the Based God, Dead Prez, Visionaries plus
many more artists will be joining previously announced headliners
including Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s Black Star reunion performance,
Immortal Technique, Murs and Slaughterhouse.
The PAID DUES 2011 roster is its most ambitious and eclectic to
date. Anticipated performance highlights of this year’s festival include
headliner E-40. Murs shares his excitement, “It is with great pride that
I announce E-40 will be headlining the ‘Dues Paid’ stage. As far as
independent rap goes, he was the first to get his label major
distribution. From Master P to El-P, he pioneered the artist/CEO
business model in hip hop.” The Black Hippy collective comprised of Top
Dawg Entertainment label mates Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and
Jay Rock will also be performing on the west-coast themed ‘Dues Paid’
stage. Wrote The Los Angeles Times (8/17/10), “Unlike many hastily
formed groups, the members [of Black Hippy] boast the sort of
hard-earned chemistry that comes from having rapped together for a long
time.” Murs states, “Individually they are a force to be reckoned with,
but collectively they have to be my favorite group in the world right
now.” After establishing individual success, Asher Roth has teamed up
with producer Nottz Raw to form a new project titled Rawth. In 2010 the
duo independently released their self-titled, ‘Rawth EP’. Ill Bill, of
La Coka Nostra, and Vinnie Paz, of Jedi Mind Tricks, are two additional
established emcees that have joined forces for a new project called
Heavy Metal Kings. Their full-length, self-titled release “Heavy Metal
Kings” is due out April 5, 2011.
PAID DUES is an all all-day, all ages hip hop music and lifestyle event.
In its 6th year, the premier independent hip hop festival will expand in
2011 to three stages and over 40 live performances. This year, fans will
be treated to an array of all-star performances with themed stages
including the ‘Dues Paid’ stage which features all west-coast artists
and the ‘Grind Time Now’ stage that will integrate emcee battle elements
for the first time. Murs credits the flourishing state of the indie
music scene and technology for the need to expand the festival, “Why
three stages? Because the independent hip hop scene has grown
tremendously in volume and talent over the past 5 years. Partially due
to the major record label system being turned on its ear, and even more
so the way technology has empowered independent music as a whole.” Chang
Weisberg, of Guerilla Union, weighs in on the significance of a festival
like PAID DUES, “Now more than ever, it’s important to have a live music
platform like our PAID DUES festival, which showcases the best and
brightest that independent hip hop has to offer. If you want a pulse on
what’s happening in hip hop, PAID DUES is a true barometer. Murs has
done an amazing job bringing together new and emerging artists as well
as the most established pioneers in the business.”
The ‘Grind Time Now’ stage is presented by Grind Time Now, the largest
battle rap league in the world. Among scheduled artist performances
throughout the day, this stage will showcase seminal producers spinning
as top emcees are invited to battle one another. “I am stoked to have
Grind Time Now as a partner this year. Their organization has helped
bring some prestige back to the arena of mc battles. I felt the festival
was always missing that element. This year we chose a “vs.” theme
featuring DJ Exile vs. Blu and Fashawn as well as DJ Muggs vs. Sick
Jacken (Psycho Realm), Bambu and Planet Asia. I would love to take this
theme even further in the years to come”, states Murs.
In support of his headlining performance at PAID DUES, Murs will also be
embarking on a 35-city tour across the United States and Canada. The
‘Road To Paid Dues’ Tour will begin February 17 in San Diego, CA and run
through March, making its final stop at PAID DUES. The tour will also
feature supporting performances by Tabi Bonney, Whole Wheat Bread,
AB-Soul and special guest, DJ Foundation. Tickets for most dates are
on-sale now. Complete tour and ticketing information is available at
www.mursworld.com and www.facebook.com/murs.
Murs and Guerilla Union in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity of
Greater Los Angeles (HFH GLA) have also launched a new campaign merging
hip hop and philanthropy. The Paid Dues Habitat for Humanity Project
aims to reach out to the music community to raise funds and awareness to
help HFH GLA’s fight to eliminate substandard housing. On Saturday,
February 12, 2011, Murs, Guerilla Union, HFH GLA and 25 fans will be
working side by side to build a home in the Los Angeles area. As a
special thank you to those who volunteer, Murs and Guerilla Union will
also be providing each participant a ticket to attend PAID DUES. 100% of
the proceeds generated from the Paid Dues Habitat for Humanity Project
will go to HFH GLA. Murs sends a call to action to the fans, “Please,
please those of you looking to buy a ticket, make the extra effort to
register and help us build with HFH GLA. You get to work alongside me
and the GU staff to make a real difference in our community. There are
only 25 slots so ACT NOW, don’t sleep!” For complete registration
details, fans can visit www.paidduesfestival/charity.
Artists* confirmed for PAID DUES INDEPENDENT HIP HOP FESTIVAL
2011 include:
PAID DUES STAGE
Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star, Immortal Technique, Bun B, Sage
Francis, Asher Roth & Nottz are Rawth, Heavy Metal Kings, P.O.S., Dead
Prez, Krizz Kaliko, Binary Star, Tabi Bonney, Eternia, Sab The Artist
aka Musab,
Hosted by: Hollywood Holt, Million $ Mano
DUES PAID STAGE
E-40, Murs, Andre Nickatina, Nipsey Hu$$le, Lil B The Based God, The
Shock G Trio featuring Humpty Hump and DJ Fuse, Eligh, Mistah F.A.B.,
Visionaries, Black Hippy, Dom Kennedy, U-N-I, King Fantastic, Skeme,
Casey Veggies, Droop-E, Noa James
Hosted by: Sunspot Jonz and the Marksmen, DJ Mark Luv, DJ Numark
GRIND TIME NOW STAGE
Slaughterhouse, DJ Muggs vs. Sick Jacken + Bambu + Planet Asia, DJ Exile
vs. Blu & Fashawn + Grieves w/ Budo, Opio of Hieroglyphics, Chino XL,
Invincible, Machina Muerte, Intuition, Dee-1, Blame One, DJ Freshh
Grind Time Now All Stars: Johnny Storm vs. Dizaster, Real Deal vs.
Dirtbag Dan
*Line-up subject to change
About PAID DUES
PAID DUES celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2010 with a sold out show,
where for the first time in its history, the landmark event expanded to
multiple stages. The all ages show featured performances by Ice Cube,
Murs and 9th Wonder, Tha Dogg Pound, Dilated Peoples and reunited
special guests, Freestyle Fellowship. 2009 marked the festival’s largest
show to date with over 7,000 attendees featuring artists such as
Atmosphere, Tech N9ne, Living Legends, Eyedea and Abilities and Brother
Ali. In 2008, the sold-out Southern California event featured artists
such as Sage Francis, Little Brother, and Hieroglyphics. 2008 also saw
the festival make stops in New York, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Denver, CO and
San Francisco, CA. In 2006 the first PAID DUES festival--with a line-up
featuring Felt, Aesop Rock, Living Legends, El-P, Hangar 18 and
more--sold out with over 5,000 concert goers packing the Shrine Expo
Center in Los Angeles. The following year Murs and Guerilla Union, along
with performers Felt, Living Legends, Sage Francis, Brother Ali and
others--teamed up again for the PAID DUES festival tour for over ten
dates across the country.
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (HFH GLA) strives to
eliminate substandard housing through advocacy, education and
partnership with families and individuals in need to build simple,
decent, sustainable and affordable housing. Since 1990, HFH GLA has
built and renovated over 650 homes locally and worldwide, transforming
the lives of hundreds of individuals. HFH GLA is a GuideStar® Valued
Partner. For more information, please visit www.habitatla.org or call
310-323-4663.
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