A Hip Hop Yankee In King Austin’s Court: Birthplace Magazine’s SXSW Music Festival Recap [With Photos]

After a quick exchange of “what ups” and to-do list comparison, it was time to hit the town. For those not familiar with Austin during SXSW, it is fairly easy to describe. A roughly 10-block or so downtown radius, with the nucleus along an eight block long stretch of 6^th Street, filled with bars, lounges, restaurants and clubs, that is literally jam-packed with revelers, musicians and fans, every day and night, for four days, with music simply spilling from every crevice, corridor and corner.

For a music lover, it’s pretty awesome.

As an SXSW virgin, I performed much research ahead of time, to gain whatever insight I could. Make a plan, but be prepared to deviate from it. I had my schedule with me, my camera, my press pass, a list of RSVPs, a backup cell phone battery and good walking shoes.

Showtime.

There really were so many concerts and showcases, it was difficult to keep track. heavyweight hip hop blog 2DopeBoyz joined with another high profile site, DJBooth.net and Last Rights to deliver their showcase, featuring El Da Sensei, Tanya Morgan and many others. RubyHornet.com celebrated the Closed Sessions: ATX album project at a showcase full of NY-area talent, including Skyzoo, Outasight, Esso and The Kid Daytona.

AllHipHop.com held a fantastic all-day event, beginning with their Breeding Ground showcase at Venue 222, a spot temporarily rebranded as the Vibe House, sporting a prominent lineup including many familiar New York artists, as well as recent buzzworthy acts like Cyhi Da Prynce and Pill, veteran Killer Mike, and a highly entertaining Fonzworth Bentley. Later, that event transformed into a tribute to the recently deceased hip hop crooner Nate Dogg, complete with appearances by Daz, Kurupt and an unannounced set by Snoop Dogg himself, filling the venue to capacity, forcing dozens to peer in through the windows from the street.

Click for more pictures from SXSW Music Festival 2011

Move Forward Music joined forces with Fusicology to deliver a smorgasbord of talent, from Pac Div and Blu to hometown favorites Tanya Morgan and YC The Cynic. Wu-Tang Clan and Yelawolf were the big news at the Village Voice/Frank 151 shindig held at the impressive Austin Music Hall, and word quickly spreas as Diddy jumped into the SXSW fray, commandeering the stage at the Fader Fort, a giant performance complex set up by Fader Magazine. LL Cool J popped up at the Red Bull performance area. Odd Future performed in multiple locations, jumping off speakers at the Fader Fort and storming off-stage at the microphone-malfunctioning Billboard Bungalow. And of course, the big show of shows went down at the Vevo PowerStation, as Kanye West delivered a G.O.O.D. ass concert, with big brother Jay-Z thrown in as well.