Chae Hawk Performance Review

Chae Hawk. Photo by Donald J. Schwartz. Click photo for more photos from the Wild Turkey event.

Chae Hawk. Photo by Donald J. Schwartz.
Click photo for more photos from the Wild Turkey event.

If you live in the Buffalo area, chances are you’ve seen Chae Hawk perform, and even more likely you’ve seen signs of his presence (his stickers are posted everywhere). But, if you haven’t seen Chae Hawk perform in the past few months, you’re missing something special. Developing his style and honing his skills for over a decade, Chae has matured into a true emcee—captivating his audience and holding their attention from the moment he takes the stage to beyond the end of his performance, inviting fans to join him for a drink. His performance Wednesday night at The Waiting Room was the first time I’ve seen him perform where I walked away with nothing but praise—and that speaks volumes if you know my history with Chae Hawk.

I’ve been following Chae Hawk’s career since 2003, when his stage name was Noble Truth and his hair was in dread locks. It would be reasonable for you to expect my opinion of his talents to be biased, but I’m probably one of his biggest critics. I try not to let my friendship and opinion of him as a person influence my opinion when it comes to his music, videos and performances. Along with my childhood friend, Jon Salemi (of Snapcase), I’ve been a bit like a coach who knows when his star athlete is under-performing. Jon and I usually find some areas in which Chae could improve—whether it’s his lyrical content or his stage presence—and we’re not afraid to let Chae know what we think. (To be fair, Chae Hawk is no slacker—his 30th birthday was officially named Chamus F. Hawk Day by the mayor of his home town of Buffalo, New York, an honor Chae truly deserves.)

wild-turkeyChae’s set for the Wild Turkey event last Wednesday wasn’t without its share of adversity. His producer and DJ, Grabbitz, had to bow out within hours of the performance, leaving Chae to take the stage alone. To the casual observer, this setback would have gone unnoticed, as Chae commanded the stage and gave a world-class performance. From song to song, it’s evident that Chae holds his songs close to his heart, and performs them with conviction. He fills the vocal voids with dancing and a charismatic stage presence that comes across as second-nature, and nothing short of entertaining to watch.

View photos from Wild Turkey at the Waiting Room, November 27, 2013

After several years of what Chae thought would be his breakout year (“O’shine” in 2009 comes to mind), it would be surprising if 2014 comes and goes without Chae Hawk making moves throughout the music industry (and possibly some other industries, too). Follow @ChaeHawk on twitter, or like him on Facebook (facebook.com/chaehawkmusic), and see if my prediction for 2014 holds true. While you’re at it, check out Chae Hawk’s videos, they’re nothing short of breathtaking. In fact, I’ll leave you with his video for “Dirty Rich,” so you can see for yourself.

Episode 32 – SOPA / PIPA, MegaUpload, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg

In this episode

Episode 31 – Christmas 2011

In this episode

Episode 30 – New News and Old News

In this episode

  • Congratulations to us on our 30th episode!
  • Jay-Z – “30 Something”
  • Lindsay Lohan – Playboy
  • DJ Heat & DJ DStar – “Winter Warmup 2011” hosted by Trazz
  • YouTube has videos for just about anything
  • Snoop Dogg to be on The Price is Right – Jan. 2, 2012
  • Even the best job becomes a chore
  • Buffalo Bills
  • 50 Cent – The Big 10 Mixtape – “Put Your Hands Up”
  • T-Pain on Funny or Die
  • Young Jeezy ft. 2 Chainz – “Superfreak
  • Wale ft. Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, and Trey Songz – “Bait (Remix)
  • Rick Ross gives up rapping, merely shouts out brand names
  • Jermaine Dupri’s Lamborghini repossessed
  • DJ Heat’s story of BET’s Master of the Mix
  • Reality TV
  • Red Cafe ft. Trey Songz, Wale and J. Cole – “Fly Together (Remix)”
  • Red Cafe ft. Clipse – “Hitman 4 Hire”
  • City of Toronto sues Drake
  • Red Cafe ft. Drake – “Have it Your Way
  • Chubb Rock??
  • The Game ft. Big Sean – “Money Money Money
  • Christmas movies?
  • Run DMC – “Christmas in Hollis” (as heard in “Die Hard”)

Heat Wave 2 – Live Mix by DJ Heat

French Montana – Choppa Choppa Down Remix
Big Krit – Country Shit Remix
Drake – Make Me Proud
Roscoe Dash – All The Way Turnt Up
Waka Flocka – No Hands
Big Sean – Marvin & Chardonnay
DJ Drama – Oh My
Ace Hood – Go N Get It
Jim Jones – 848
Machine Gun Kelly – Wild Boy
Plies – Pocket Watchin
Fabolous & Young Jeezy – Rollin Remix
Young Jeezy – Ballin
Young Jeezy – 3 AM
Young Jeezy – Lose My Mind

Episode 29 – We’re Back!!

On July 12, 2011, we recorded an episode that would have been Episode 29, but we’re not going to release it. In addition to being plagued by equipment malfunctions, we just weren’t having a good night in the studio.

So, we now present the official Episode 29, recorded five months later, on December 5, 2011. We kept referring to this as the first episode of Season 2, but to keep with what seems to be a standard for podcasting, we’re foregoing the seasonal naming and making this the official Episode 29.

In this episode

  • Matthew Barnaby (ESPN / Buffalo Sabres) arrested again
  • Texts from Bennett
  • Mac Lethal – “Look at Me Now”
  • Kanye & Jay Z – “Watch the Throne”
  • Drake – “Take Care”
  • Mac Miller – “Blue Slide Park”

Heat Wave 1 – Live Mix by DJ Heat

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally locked Western New York’s hottest DJ in a room long enough to pump out our first live DJ mix. You can hear more of him Friday and Saturday nights on WBLK 93.7FM, or head over to his site. Want more? Subscribe to his Global Warming podcast.

In the mix

    • Travis Porter Feat 2 Chainz & Young Jeezy – “You Don’t Know (Remix)”
    • 2 Chainz Feat T.I – “Spend It (Remix)”
    • DJ Scream – “Shinin'”
    • Jay-Z & Kanye West – “Niggas In Paris (DJ Dstar & DJ Heat Dirty Intro Hype Edit)”
    • DJ Self – “Word To My Muva”
    • Future – “Tony Montana”
    • Future – “Magic”
    • T.I – “Flexin'”
    • Lil Wayne Feat. Drake – “She Will”
    • Meek Mill – “I’m A Boss”
    • Big Sean Feat. Nicki Minaj – “Dance (A$$) (Remix)”
    • Roscoe Dash – “Good Fuckin’ Ass (DJ Dstar & DJ Heat Dirty Edit)”
    • Roscoe Dash – “Good Fuckin’ Night”

Seeking a New Voice

Voiceover Talent

As we prepare to record our second season, we’d like to let Emerson retire to his Manchester estate. So, we’re looking for a new “voice of the Hip-Hop Talk Show.”

Feel free to send us a demo of your mic skills—and keep in mind: while it’s nice if you have a “golden” voice, that may not be our deciding factor. You might have a unique voice, you might be able to yell like Lil Jon, or you may sound like a phone-sex operator. Whatever the case, all are welcome to submit a sample of your voiceover chops. If we get a bunch to choose from, we may listen to samples on an upcoming episode and let the listeners chime in on the judging.

The Fine Print

If you’re in the Buffalo, NY area, we can provide recording services, otherwise you’ll need to be able to provide clean recordings.

Episode 28 – Off with the Gloves

Recorded June 30, 2011

In this episode

Pumice and Frank are joined by in-studio guest co-hosts, Chae Hawk and EecMceE, and the gloves come off as we discuss the following:

  • Method Man – Movie “How High”
  • EecMceE ft. Natural Elements (Two Face) – “Hardly Ever Sober”
  • EecMceE – “All the Way”
  • Chae Hawk – “Crushin'” inspired by Jessica Karen Szohr of Gossip Girl, produced by Arc Angel
  • Chae Hawk – “Ambition”
  • A3C
  • Big Pun’s deep breathing, sounds like a Pug
  • Chae Hawk – “Herbal Remedy”
  • Frank still hates Mac Miller
  • KRS-ONE, “The Teacher”
  • What is a “Rapper” these days?
  • Human migration, or the lack thereof
  • Frank also hates Drake
  • Introverts make music
  • Drake buys eBay Microphone from ____? (I think Frank made this up.)
  • The truth about Nicki Minaj?
  • “Ass shots”
  • “Fear and Buffaloathing”
  • Art for art’s sake vs. commercial artistry