A New Era of Responsibility was the name of Obama’s budget proposal. But it might also be a phrase that describes what some expect for hip hop, now that a black man is the leader of the country.

In Slate magazine, Jonah Weiner writes about how Obama’s rise to the presidency could help to change the definition of power and success in hip hop.

“[Jay-Z] never tried to rewrite the rules of the game beyond the one that said a black man couldn’t win. While he takes pains to portray his success as, at bottom, a racial coup, he’s never been interested in dismantling the status quo so much as infiltrating and mastering it. This is a fair description of what Obama did, too—with one crucial exception. For Jay-Z, the fact that he got rich as a businessman constitutes its own rebellion. Obama, though, is a former community organizer who chose public service over private-sector paychecks. His example might open up new sorts of narratives in hip-hop, ones where power isn’t a synonym for wealth.”

(On a related note, peep this mini-documentary about Obama and 50 Cent.)

Konkrete Jungle
Soroka, DJ Dore, Nebulla (Code of Arms) drop dubstep while Seen and Dinesh spin drum n bass.
When: Every Mon.
Where: Pyramid Club, Avenue A at 6th St. (East Village)
Cost: $5 before midnight with flyer or guest list, $10 after midnight but $8 with flyer or guest list
(got all that?)

When: Every Wed. at 10PM
Where: 87 Ludlow St. @ Delancy, Lower East Side (MAP)
Cost: FREE

To get a feel for these dudes, check this mix (tracklist below) or peep their blog.

PHARAOH: The Old The New & The Bangin’ Mix

PHARAOH – The Old The New & The Bangin’ Mix
Tracklist:
1-Dj Rod Lee – My Crew, My Dogs
2-The Count & Sinden feat. Rye Rye – Hardcore Girls
3-Modeselektor – Black Block
4-Todosantos – Robot Rozz
5-Bird Peterson – Twerk (Cousin Cole remix)
6-Surkin – White Knight Two
7-Awesome 3 – Don’t Go
8-Estelle – American Boy feat. Kanye West (Nadastrom Remix)
9-Boys Noize – Lava Lava (Feadz Aval Aval Remix)
10- A Girl & A gun – Whomp That Sucka (A1 Bassline Remix)
11-Mask – badman forward badman pull up
12-Dub Melitia – Perivian
13-Kid Cudi – Day N’ Nite (Crookers Remix)
14-Todosantos – El Tiburón
15- REM – Nightswimming (Kissy Sell Out Bmore Re-Edit)
16-JC (20) feat. Fake Rapper – Belly (Wideboys Mixes)
17-El Guincho – Antillas (Todosantos Sambombin Tukky Remix)
18-Buraka Som Sistema feat. MIA and Dj Znobia – Sound of Kuduro
19-Tricky – Council Estate (South Rakkas Crew remix)
20-Passions – Emergency
21-Kym Myles – Time After Time (Warp Addicts Mix)
22-Diplo & Buraka Som Sistema – Inna De Ghetto (Remix)
23-Wideboys ft Shaznay Lewis – Daddy O
24-Ninjasonik – Internet Bitch (Pharaoh 4×4 On The Floor Remix)

Geko Jones and Uproot Andy (Dutty Artz)
When: Every Tue.
Where: Rose Live, 345 Grand Street at Havemeyer, Williamsburg (MAP)
Cost: Free

TodoSantos headlines this month’s party. This audiovisual group from Venezuela recently relocated in Brooklyn will drop a style they’re calling “tukky bass;” a mix of Bmore, 4×4, ghettotech, and dubstep. The Bay Area’s Vin Sol will also be rockin’ hip hop. Crooked Disco DJs will support with Disco, Electro, Classic House, Good Hip-Hop, Baltimore Club, and Breaks.

When: Sat., Feb., 28, 10:00PM
Where: Public Assembly (the old Galapagos spot), 70 N. 6th St., Williamsburg (MAP)
Cost: $5 with RSVP (Open bar between 10 and 11)

When: Wed., Feb 26, 10:00PM
Where: BEast, 171 E. Broadway @ Rutgers, Lower East Side (MAP)
Cost: FREE
Jon S. from Proper Villains and Nightshifters stalwart Jubilee throw down at this celebration of the financial collapse, called Downtown Downturn. The event is a weekly jump off hosted by those electro clash Aussies, Modular, whose DJs will support.
For more on Villains, check this CS post. Also see our Nightshifters archives.

Overcast Radio (Dead Crew Orbit) and CA70 feat. Attention Screen
When: Mon., Feb 23, 9:00pm
Where: Otto’s Shrunken Head, 14th st. at 1st Ave., East Village (MAP)

When: Thu., Feb. 26 (every last Thu.)
Where: Art Land, 609 Grand St., Williamsburg (MAP)
The COA fam flips dubstep, grime, UK funky, roots, dub, drum n bass and whatever they feel like. They say this spot’s got a nasty system…

Konkrete Jungle
Soroka, DJ Dore, Nebulla (Code of Arms) drop dubstep while Seen and Dinesh spin drum n bass.
When: Every Mon.
Where: Pyramid Club, Avenue A at 6th St. (East Village)
Cost: $5 before midnight with flyer or guest list, $10 after midnight but $8 with flyer or guest list
(got all that?)

When: Every Wed. at 10PM
Where: 87 Ludlow St. @ Delancy, Lower East Side (MAP)
Cost: FREE

To get a feel for these dudes, check this mix (tracklist below) or peep their blog.

PHARAOH: The Old The New & The Bangin’ Mix

PHARAOH – The Old The New & The Bangin’ Mix
Tracklist:
1-Dj Rod Lee – My Crew, My Dogs
2-The Count & Sinden feat. Rye Rye – Hardcore Girls
3-Modeselektor – Black Block
4-Todosantos – Robot Rozz
5-Bird Peterson – Twerk (Cousin Cole remix)
6-Surkin – White Knight Two
7-Awesome 3 – Don’t Go
8-Estelle – American Boy feat. Kanye West (Nadastrom Remix)
9-Boys Noize – Lava Lava (Feadz Aval Aval Remix)
10- A Girl & A gun – Whomp That Sucka (A1 Bassline Remix)
11-Mask – badman forward badman pull up
12-Dub Melitia – Perivian
13-Kid Cudi – Day N’ Nite (Crookers Remix)
14-Todosantos – El Tiburón
15- REM – Nightswimming (Kissy Sell Out Bmore Re-Edit)
16-JC (20) feat. Fake Rapper – Belly (Wideboys Mixes)
17-El Guincho – Antillas (Todosantos Sambombin Tukky Remix)
18-Buraka Som Sistema feat. MIA and Dj Znobia – Sound of Kuduro
19-Tricky – Council Estate (South Rakkas Crew remix)
20-Passions – Emergency
21-Kym Myles – Time After Time (Warp Addicts Mix)
22-Diplo & Buraka Som Sistema – Inna De Ghetto (Remix)
23-Wideboys ft Shaznay Lewis – Daddy O
24-Ninjasonik – Internet Bitch (Pharaoh 4×4 On The Floor Remix)