Show Archive

Pop what ya got: Milez Benjiman, Mtume, One Way and Roger & Zapp bring the groove back to fat basslines and claps. J-Live drops another classic narrative on the brand new "Ooweee", and Montreal beatsmith Think Twice shares a new exclusive. Plus funky soul from Lyn Collins and Ann Bailey, and some Wu joints old and new, including a stellar featuring on the "Real Live Sh*t" remix.

Vox Sambou from Nomadic Massive gives WEFUNK a tour of his new solo album "Lakay". Vernon Burch, Edwin Starr and Bigfoot reveal the rough underbelly of the disco era. And Static drops a fiery uptempo hip hop set finishing off with a Jungle Brothers/People's Choice sample moment.

King Reign enlists Pharoahe Monch for the feel-good summer jam "One More Time". Kylie Auldist unleashes the funk sound from down under, and Sam Sparro and Saravah Soul weigh in with new heavyweight tracks. Plus certified hip hop classics by Kurtis Blow and Latee, and a West Coast excursion with King Tee, Alkaholiks, Conscious Daughters and the "Aqua Boogie" bump of Ice Cube's "Dirty Mack".

Diddley-tis: WEFUNK pays tribute to the "black gladiator", blues/r&b/rock pioneer Bo Diddley. The soul keeps flowing with positive vibes from Jamie Lidell and Ben Westbeech (+ Dap Kings), plus solid new hip hop tracks by Lil' Dap, RZA, Herbalizer featuring Jean Grae, and Praverb. And everyone's favorite back-in-the-day music medium, the cassette tape, finally gets proper dues in Blacastan's "Life of a Tape".

"It's Nothing" shows you still can't test Rakim Allah in 2008! Hammond legend Jimmy McGriff (RIP) struts his funk side, and unsung Afrofunk pioneer Geraldo Pino gets "Heavy Heavy Heavy" in the groove. Plus two monster all-star posse cuts (featuring Chuck D, Big Daddy Kane, Nas and more) and a back-to-back-to-back sample moment with Lord Finesse, Biggie and James Brown.

Iftin and Aleke Kanonu throw down rough & tough Somali and Nigerian grooves. Masia One blesses WEFUNK with an exclusive from her upcoming album "Pulau", and The Roots still "Get Busy" 8 albums deep. Plus uptempo funk hype from The Sweet Vandals, Stony Island Band and Phillip Wright, and Midwest hip hop niceness by Idris Goodwin, Black Milk, One Be Lo, Platinum Pied Pipers & Invincible.

Jazz vibes across space and time: From a rare Ed O.G. track featuring the Last Poets' Umar bin Hassan to brand new Swiss hip hop by the APT. Percussion masters Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto and Charly Antolini pound out pure latin fire. And the soul light beams on with new songs by Jamie Lidell and the still incredible Al Green.

WEFUNK rounds up another Funding Drive cypher featuring the inimitable Loe Pesci, Butta Beats, Lou Piensa and Blackbird. And at last, the much-sought secret of one of our new intros is revealed: Midnight Express' monster boogie track "Danger Zone".

The Roots' new "75 Bars" is a one-verse monster with Black Thought at his fiercest. Plus indie classics "The Life" by Mystic and "Return" by Self Scientific, Roy Ayers' underrated "Funky Motion", a trio of Sly Stone picks, and legendary breakbeat munitions from the Soul Searchers and the Dynamic Corvettes.

Dusting off treasures from the vaults: Lyn Collins' rare 1972 live recording in Switzerland, Sly & The Family Stone's first ever single "I Ain't Got Nobody", and 90s goodness from MC Lyte, MC Breed, and never-released Dr. Butcher. Plus WEFUNK gets funky for you with a Nice & Smooth/Parliament sample moment, some fierce new funk from Baby Charles, and an interview with Mohawk crew FBI about their take on native hip hop.

Ladybug Mecca lends her sultry vocals to Common's "The People" remix, Outkast is in top form on "Royal Flush" (featuring Raekwon), and Q-Tip revisits "Midnight" with Cool & Dre on production. Bo Diddley and Jimmy Smith demonstrate the smooth art of seduction with "Take It All Off" & "Give Up the Booty", plus the many faces of Busta Rhymes — from 90s headnod joints to his brand new "Don't Touch Me".

EPMD, Jay-Z and da Alkaholiks take turns riding the foundational "7 Minutes of Funk" break, plus thick slabs of funk from Osaka Monaurail, the Headhunters, Maze and Louis Chachere, and new hip hop joints by Guilty Simpson, Thirstin Howl and Edreys.

Guest DJ Fiend gets the mix moving with a heavy stack of underground gems from Mos Def, the Artifacts, Mad Skillz, AG, Saukrates, the Nextmen and more. Professor Groove gets into some rugged funk cuts & soul classics including Marlena Shaw, the Counts, Robert Moore and Donny Hathaway.

WEFUNK catches up with AG (of Showbiz & AG and DITC) about his current projects, including the brand new exclusive "Keep It Going (The Grind)" with OC. Plus a spotlight on Montreal emcees Narcicyst and Rugged Intellect, and exquisite deep soul & funk from Eddie Palmieri & The Harlem River Drive, Henryk Debich, David McCallum and Cymande.

Crucial ol' skool cuts by Sugar Bear and Spoonie Gee, an all-time Canadian classic "Money or Love", and raw new generation funk from The Lions, Lack of Afro and Erykah Badu. The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble reinvents the b-boy classic "Shaft in Africa", and Sputnik Brown switches up their vibe on their latest "Unadulterated (Remix)".

School's in session: WEFUNK brings in radio veteran Duke Eatmon for a black history month special weaving together dramatic stories of funk, soul & hip-hop icons and the social and political dimensions of their music.

Gnarls Barkley updates the classic Motown sound on "Run", the Mighty Underdogs bring back fun and positivity on "Bring Me Back", plus boogie classics from Central Line and Mtume, Slave's drugged-out "Warning", and serious new heaters from Akrobatik, Guilty Simpson, Minnesota and Ghostface.

Afronauts on deck: Parliament shines in an extended segment from their legendary '76 P-Funk Earth Tour, complete with Starchild's climactic mothership entrance. First lady of R&B Mary J Blige trades bars with Grand Puba on "What's the 411", Wu-Tang and Conflict come with that rugged Staten Island sound, and Jersey represents with two serious posse cuts, "Cowboys" and "Jersey Dozen".

Now Born Click makes the beat bang on their '93 classic "Now Born Soldiers." Ill Insanity and Q-Bert come correct with turntable techniques on "Five Fingers of Death." The funk struts, strikes and twists with standout tracks by the Gaturs, Sugar Billy and Maceo & All The King's Men. The Lions come with a fresh slab of afro-reggae funk, and Static dips into Montreal's hip hop flavors with tracks by Preach, Cordata and Manchilde.

Professor Groove provides a pure dose of the Funk: Eddie Kendrick's deep psych-soul epic "My People Hold On", a pair of slept on James Brown pearls, New Orleans heavy hitters from the Meters, the Fantoms and Aaron Neville, plus rare groove classics by Marlena Shaw, Grover Washington Jr. and the Sisters Love.

Static drops hip-hop gems from all eras, from 90s Bush Babees and Lord Finesse to brand new Treach and Keelay & Zaire. The Beatles, Bob Marley and James Brown get re-touched in a trio of funk covers. Moussa Doumbia and Mombasa invoke the groove of Mother Africa, and the Artifacts rip rhymes over Galt MacDermot's haunting "Ripped Open by Metal Explosions".

Soundtrack attack: soul & suspense from the scenes of Shaft's Big Score, The Streets of San Francisco and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off. Stahhr, Apani B Fly, Incks and Amanda Diva represent lovely for the queendom of hip hop. Herbie Hancock and Big Band Katowice cook up rough jazz breaks, and Static makes the connection from Ultimate Force to Diamond D to Black Sheep.

WEFUNK celebrates our 500th show with another classic live session featuring some of Montreal's finest emcees, vocalists, beatboxes and live trumpet, mixed to perfection with bangin' beats and heavyweight funk.