With albums from Blu (C.R.A.C. and Johnson&Jonson), Giant Panda and Shawn Jackson, Tres Records is definitely on the move this year. Next up for the L.A. imprint: a collaboration between Newman from Giant Panda and Mr. Jackson as New Jack Hustle. The duo’s album Sound Check drops October 21.

A note from the bio:

Sound Check is debut album from New Jack Hustle, with Newman handling all the production and helping on the raps, leaving Shawn Jackson to bless the production. …

Standout tracks include ‘Lionel,’ centering around an elastic beat and Latin atmosphere, “New Shades”‘s throbbing vibe and Shawn Jackson’s chant esq. rhymes, and “Ronald’s” breezy, chill educing [sic] beat countered by the political observant rhymes of Shawn Jackson and Vursatyl.

• 1. “First Newport”
• 2. “Theme Music”
• 3. “More”
• 4. “Inglewood”
• 5. “Sooner or Later”
• 6. “Lionel” (feat. Ohmega Watts)
• 7. “New Shades”
• 8. “Surprise”
• 9. “Wow”
• 10. “Saturday Night”
• 11. “Sunday Morning”
• 12. “Ronald” (feat. Vursatyl from Lifesavas)
• 13. “Last Newport”

Last month, I told you about Raashan Ahmad’s brief West Coast run with former Jurassic 5 rapper Akil the MC. In a few days, he’ll head out on the road again, this time with Giant Panda.

Both have new albums dropping this week. Raashan Ahmad (pictured above) has The Push, while Giant Panda have Electric Laser. Incidentally, they’ll be playing shows together as well as separately. Check out the itinerary for more details.

Raashan Ahmad and Giant Panda together:

• 5/23: Raven Theater, Healdsburg, CA
• 5/25: Silk Bar, Sacramento, CA
• 5/29: Someday Lounge, Portland, OR
• 5/30: Nectar Lounge, Seattle, WA
• 5/31: TBA, Spokane, WA
• 6/01: Cactus Records, Bozeman, MT (afternoon in-store)
• 6/02: The Loft, Missoula, MT
• 6/04: Jackalope Lounj, Milwaukee, WI
• 6/05: The Dinky Towner, Minneapolis, MN
• 6/06: Norms, Duluth, MN
• 6/09: Reptile Palace, OshKosh, WI
• 6/10: One-Eyed Jacks, Dayton, OH
• 6/11: Cafe Bourbon, Columbus, OH
• 6/13: The Morseland, Chicago, IL
• 6/14: The Picador, Iowa City, IA
• 6/17: Zoo Bar, Lincoln, NE
• 6/20: B-Side Lounge, Boulder, CO

Raashan Ahmad solo:

• 5/20: Amoeba Records, San Francisco, CA (afternoon in-store)
• 6/21: TBA, Los Angeles
• 6/28: private ranch, Seguin, TX

Giant Panda dolo:

• 5/22: Little Temple, Los Angeles, CA
• 5/24: Madrone Lounge, San Francisco, CA
• 6/27: Grand Star, Los Angeles, CA

5/23: w/Pigeon John
5/30: w/Iguales, Godspeed
6/05: w/DJ Superbrush 427
6/06:w/Kritical Kontact
6/09: w/Derril Pounds
6/10: w/Possum
6/13-6/14: w/Sadat X, Coolzey
6/17: w/the Awkwords, Mo Izrael, Trinidad
6/28: Verbal Anarchy

www.myspace.com/raashanahmad
www.myspace.com/giantpanda

True school trio Giant Panda is preparing to release its second album, Electric Laser, via Tres Records on May 20.

The music, in keeping with the times, is slightly different from the sun-dappled West Coast beats of the group’s 2005 debut, Fly School Reunion. Like everybody else, they’ve gone slightly electro, using lots of synths and mid-80s rhythms to spiff things up. Thankfully, though, they don’t come off as post-millennial hip-house, to borrow a phrase from a writer satirizing the 80s babies generation’s increasingly ridiculous diet for electro/new rave sounds.

“The production, foremost, is in many ways its predecessor, and yet it isn’t,” reads the press bio for Electric Laser. “Rather, thick, electro-fused samples are laced deep in the cuts of this record providing a much more futuristic but very present musical landscape. … Overall Electric Laser is a step forward for Giant Panda, but still honors its true school mentality for its original fans.”

Wow…I couldn’t have described it better myself! If that sounds appealing to you, then check out the track listing below.

• 1. “Laser Beam (Scotty’s Theme)”
• 2. “Justin Case”
• 3. “Ready to Fly”
• 4. “Speakers Pop”
• 5. “AIM”
• 6. “Laser Ray”
• 7. “Precise Calculator”
• 8. “Same Old $#!+”
• 9. “CinemaX”
• 10. “Pops”
• 11. “Let it Go”
• 12. “Do the Robot in Cyberspace”
• 13. “Speakers Funk”

www.myspace.com/giantpanda

Photo by Eric Coleman.

Charlie Murphy would be proud.

In an interview with Plug One, Therapy, one-fifth of the ABs (or the Alias Brothers, formerly known as Asamov), quoted the “Chappelle’s Show” comedian when describing this year’s A3C Independent Hip-Hop Festival, set to take place from Thurs., April 12 to Sat., April 14.

“It’s a celebration, bitches!” says Therapy.

Brian Knott and Kevin Elphick, co-founders of Arc the Finger Records, the Atlanta-based independent hip-hop label that hosts the annual three-day event, feel the same way. Last year, 800 strong turned up for A3C — enough to officially sell out the venue. This year, Knott and Elphick plan an even bigger turn out, enough to not only sell out the venue, but piss off the fire marshal.

Given 2007’s lineup, Knott and Elphick just may be getting a call from the Atlanta Fire Department. A3C is, foremost, a local music festival — nearly a third of those performing during the event are from Atlanta. But unlike years’ past, ATF Records is flying in some of the biggest names in independent hip-hop from across the United States.

“It will be our first show that we’ve ever done on the East Coast,” says Newman, emcee for LA trio Giant Panda. Cool Calm Pete from New York, Black Milk from Detroit, Sol.illaquists of Sound from Orlando and Souls of Mischief from Oakland are some of the other cross-continental heavy-hitters performing this weekend.

“[A3C] is good for West Coast artists and, you know, artists from New York, or somewhere up northeast, to come down and be able to see what’s going on [in Atlanta],” says Newman. “And also have everybody check out what their doing.”

Because all the artists on the bill are independent, few have the budget to fund an extensive U.S. tour. A3C is an opportunity for these musicians to meet those who they have, up to this point, only admired through their headphones. “It gives cats a chance to network and build,” says Therapy, “not only with other artists but with the fans as well.”

Another reason the 2007 A3C could be the biggest yet is that it brings 30-some musicians to a single venue for only $32 over three nights. It helps that the Loft in Midtown Atlanta isn’t particularly big. “It’s just a more intimate situation, and it draws the fans in closer and it makes them feel like a part of it again, you know,” says Therapy. “Especially the disenfranchised fan that can’t seem to find anything they like on the radio.”

The 2007 A3C is also hosting a hoard of other side-show spectacles. Local beatboxer Dres tha Beatnik hosts the stage each night, and DJ Rasta Root, Rob Wonder and Dirty Digits rock the ones and twos. An exclusive preview of the documentary Wu: The Story of the Wu Tang Clan will be shown on Thursday at 6 p.m., and a before-the-party BBQ will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Dumpsterdive Records. (Per the A3C website: “Free food and a monsoon of cheap beer.”) Saturday will also see the “Jam on the Spot” B-boy/B-girl competition, which promises ten $50 prizes to the best breakdancers.

“It’s going to be a good vibe. My guess is there won’t be much violence; my guess is there will probably be a lot of good vibes,” says Therapy.

The A3C festival has epitomized independent hip-hop for three years running. Since its inception in 2005, it has embodied everything that fans love about the genre. Really, it’s a celebration, bitches!

– Christopher D. French

For more on A3C 2007, visit www.a3c2007.com.