If you’ve been following the Ultimate MC Series on Aux TV, then you’ll be HYPE for this event. The Toronto Semi-Final was incredible, and I guarantee this show will be even crazier.

“Eight of the top MCs will Battle to be crowned Ultimate MC. Legendary Hip Hop MC Pharoahe Monch will be appearing for a full concert performance and will be a special guest judge for the battle. Other guest judges will be Canadian MCʼs D-Sisive and JD-Era. MCʼs battling are Charron (Toronto), Q (Toronto), Rome Angel (Edmonton), L-Rev (Lethbridge), Scynikal (Montreal), Fresco (Chicago), Aspire (Vancouver), and Spyte (Vancouver).”

What: Ultimate MC Finale ft. Pharoahe Monch live in Concert.
Where: The Opera House, 735 Queen Street East. Toronto, ON.
When: Thursday Sept. 15. Doors open 8pm. Battle starts 9PM. 19+ Event.
Tickets: $24 in advance. Ticketmaster. Play De Record. Soundscapes.

Go to Aux TV’s website to catch up on the show. Hit the link below for the back of the flyer.

This concert was original supposed to be in July but due to unforeseen circumstances it had to be rescheduled and Cyhi will be in town this Sunday.

What: Cyhi The Prynce, Burd & Keyz, and D’Maija live in Concert.
Where: The Opera House, 735 Queen Street East. Toronto, ON.
When: This Sunday Aug 21. Doors open 9pm. 19+ Event.
Tickets: $25 in advance.
Tickets available at Homebase @ 11 Camden St, Toronto.
Play De Record @ 357 Yonge Street, Toronto.
GBC – Gentlemen’s Barber Club @ 2677 Kennedy Rd, Scarborough.

You can also call the following people.
Lucci Price 647-705-7608 / @LUCCIPRICE
PEA 416-903-3888/ @PEADIZZLE

MEET AND GREET @ Proper Reserve on 498 Queen St. W from 3-4pm.

Uptown is one of my favourite songs on the So Far Gone mixtape. The Come Up Show presents to you live footage of Drake revealing that his first show was at the Sound Academy and how Bun-B supported him since the start. MAKE SURE to check out our photo gallery of Drake shot by Drew.

If you’ve visited The Come Up Show this past week then you know Bun-B was in Toronto tonight. There was rumours before the show that Drake was going to be a “surprise guest” and it was confirmed by our photographer Drew that Drake would be in the building. Here is the amazing photography by Drew of Drake’s performance tonight. Mad love to Bun-B, special thanks to The Substance Group for a great show and FOLLOW Drew on Twitter.

The Academy & The Cypher present J-Live in concert. $15 is a steal to see this underground legend.

• What: J-Live in concert, opening acts include Wolf J. McFarlane, Class of ’93, & a live Fresh Kils MPC set.
• Where: The Great Hall, 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON.
• When: Thursday, August 25, 2011.
• Tickets: $15. Play De Record, Soundscapes, Moog Audio, Avaliable online at Ticket Picket. 19+ Event.

Today J-Live released “The Live Identity Mixtape”. Download it here for free.

UPDATE: Livenation just granted The Come Up Show 5 pairs of passes to this concert. Stay tuned in NEXT week for info on how to win tickets to J.Cole.

It’s finally official that Cole is coming to London, Ontario Sept 6, it’s going to be a great month for concerts in Southwestern Ontario make sure to check our events page for more concert dates.

I’m excited to see J.Cole in London as the last time he was here was for the Blueprint 3 show. Check out our J.Cole interview below from that concert. The Airplane Boys are the opening acts for this concert, if you were at the Snoop Dogg show you’ve seen their performance. Make sure to download their EP Where’ve You Been on The Come Up Show.

What: “Cole World Tour” featuring J.Cole and special guests are the Airplane Boys.
Where: London Music Hall – 185 Queens Ave – London, ON. 19+
When: Tuesday, September 6 · 8:00pm – 11:00pm. Doors@8:00PM.
Tickets: $30 (+s/c) Adv. Tickets on sale August 12th at Grooves Records, Tequila Rose, and all Ticketmaster locations starting Friday 10am.

RSVP on Facebook.

J.Cole Interview on The Come Up Show.

Airplane Boys- Escape from Where’ve You Been

The Come Up Show has really been on it in terms of announcing concerts and shows that are coming to South Western Ontario. We were first to announce and confirm Rock The Bells in Toronto, The Smokers Club Tour Dates, Watch The Throne Tour and now Lupe Fiasco, Kardinal Offishall and Melanie Fiona at the Kool Haus.

ONEXONE announced a powerhouse line up of star musicians who will lend their talents in an effort to raise awareness and funds for children in need in Canada, the United States, Haiti, and around the world.

Harry Connick Jr., Lupe Fiasco, Kardinal Offishall, Melanie Fiona and other musical guests will perform at Toronto events on September 9th and 10th in support of ONEXONE.

What: Diesel Presents: Lupe Fiasco, Kardinal Offishall, Melanie Fiona live in concert.
Where: Kool Haus, 132 Queens Quay East. Toronto ON.
When: Saturday, September 10, 2011. 9:00 PM – 8:00 AM. 19+ event.
Tickets: $50 Advance tickets avaliable online at Ticket Driver.

The Come Up Show was there to witness the first Smokers Club Tour which was last fall featuring Curren$y, K.R.I.T., Mac Miller and Smoke Dza. It continues this year kicking off on October 12, 2011 in New Haven, CT, for a 35-city run with acts including Iron Lunged legend Method Man, Curren$y Spitta, Big K.R.I.T. Smoke DZA, Fiend, The Pricks, and Cornerboy P. There will be more info from the promoters themselves on ticket purchase but here are the dates below.

10/12 2011 – TOADS PLACE, NEW HAVEN, CT
10/13 2011 – HOUSE OF BLUES, ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
10/14 2011 – BEST BUY THEATER, NEW YORK, NY
10/15 2011 – STARLAND BALLROOM, SAYREVILLE, NJ
10/16 2011 – LUPOS, PROVIDENCE, RI
10/18 2011 – HIGHER GROUND, BURLINGTON, VT
10/19 2011 – NORTHERN LIGHTS, CLIFTON PARK, NY
10/20 2011 – CLUB SODA, MONTREAL, QUEBEC
10/21 2011 – KOOL HAUS, TORONTO, ONTARIO

Continue reading for the full tour dates.

Now it might not be all the artists listed above in this poster but it’s the only one I could find for Rock The Bells. I have known since Sunday that Rock The Bells might come to Toronto but I didn’t believe it 100% since it wasn’t on Rock The Bells website and the ticket outlets that were selling tickets didn’t seem official.

This all changed when I received an email from Ticket Master in association with Livenation.com. I have emailed the publicist for Rock The Bells to confirm further but for now Livenation and Ticket Master are legitimate companies that I trust. Considering tickets start at 37.75 and go up to 120 for the best seat I think this line-up is definitely worth it. What about you?

Both headline artists performing their iconic albums in their entirety Ms. Lauryn Hill will perform The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and Nas (with DJ Premier, AZ & Pete Rock) will perform Illmatic. With special guests to be announced.

What: Rock The Bells with Ms. Lauryn Hill, Nas, DJ Premier, AZ and Pete Rock.
Where: Molson Canadian Amphitheatre. 909 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Ontario Place, Toronto, ON.
When: Thursday, September 8 2011. Show starts 6:30pm.
Tickets: Presale starts: Thu, Aug 4 at 10am and ends Thu, Aug 4 at 10pm. Use Password: electric. Public Onsale: Fri, Aug 5 at 10am. Available at Ticketmaster. Tickets start from 37.75 up to 120.25.

Brought to you once again by BluRoc, DD172 & Adidas, Ski Beatz is touring again with the Sensei’s, Tabi Bonney, Mackenzie Eddy, Sean O’Connell, and Dash (also with special guests from the upcoming 24 Hour Karate School Pt.2 which is set to drop August 8th). I witnessed everyone (minus Dash) perform last year on my birthday and it was definitely one of the top 5 shows I’ve been to. The tour will be hitting WrongBar in Toronto on October 20th so mark your calenders and get ready. The Sensei’s are one of the dopest hip hop bands you’ll see!

Check the Murs & Tabi Bonney track “Hip Hop and Love”

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Check www.hiphopandlovetour.com for the rest of the tour dates!

The Day 3 scheduling at Osheaga, more than Day 1 and Day 2, makes me to think of that common mantra about quality over quantity. There were too many must-see artists playing at the same time, which required too many early and unwanted departures mid-performance to check out other groups playing across the grounds. But I’ll be honest and admit there are bigger problems and criticisms I could have faced and articulated, like the porto-potty line ups for instance, or I dunno, being bored. I couldn’t help but laugh this morning when I got a voice message from another Osheaga-attending friend two days after he left it, calling from the media tent to ask if I had any “tips on what to do – how to stay un-bored.” If only I could have banked even a slice of his worries. I was running around like a rag doll with my head chopped off all weekend, just to keep up with the cluster fuck of artists the organizers had billed. Looking back over my Sunday experience in particular, I’m left wishing I had drawn straws and fully immersed myself in a few sets rather than skipping fleetingly across sound worlds like they’re mere lily pads in a pond. Less is more, jah?

For yesterday’s Day 2 coverage I talked about how the best advantage of mega-concerts is that they offer a little bit of a thrill (and education) for music voyeurs of all stripes, so if you’re a hard nose hip-hop fan and are wondering why I cover Baths and Crystal Castles here, please check out that article to get more of a grip on why. Or, you can click directly below to dig some unreal pics c/o moi, Pat Beaudry, and Nick Leger.