Pitchfork

In a 2007 rap landscape dominated by the likes of T.I., Young Jeezy, and Lil Wayne, red flags are raised at the first mention of "positive" hip-hop, the assumption being that "positive" artists are nostalgia peddlers recycling clichés from the genre's golden age, and that they can't have fun.

Enter Tools of War, an organization on a mission to bring back the inclusive spirit of the earliest hip-hop. Among their various activities, they throw parties in New York City much like the ones in the late 70s and early 80s that started it all. Co-founded in 2003 by Jorge "PopMaster Fabel" Pabon and Christie Z-Pabon, Tools of War has put together a 2007 season of free parties that span practically the entire summer.

The first series of parties is the Turntablist Sessions held every Thursday in June at Queensbridge Park in Queens (of course). The focus of these parties is on DJs, and Tools of War has assembled a cast including the X-ecutioners' Rob Swift and GrandWizzard Theodore (the inventor of the scratch) to play on various dates.

Also in June is the one-time-only Digger's Delight party at Harlem's St. Nicholas Park. The June 20 event will feature the Diggin' in the Crates Crew's Lord Finesse spinning records, among others.

In July, the parties are also on each Thursday, but the location changes to Crotona Park in the Bronx. These parties, called Crotona Park Jams, bring MCs into the mix. PopMaster Fabel and GrandMaster Caz of the Cold Crush Brothers will host the Crotona parties, and Lord Finesse, GrandWizzard Theodore, and legendary radio DJ Kool DJ Red Alert will all perform.

The August parties (on Tuesdays this time) actually start July 31 in Harlem's Jackie Robinson Park before moving to Marcus Garvey Park (also in Harlem). Under the name Harlem Hop!, these parties also feature Caz, Red Alert, and Theodore, but they will be more dance-oriented than most of the others (though we imagine it will be hard not to dance at most of these things).

Though subject to change, the full lineups of each party are listed below.

Turntablist Sessions:

June 7:

Rob Swift
GrandMaster Caz
GrandWizzard Theodore
The Legendary Superman Sound System

June 14:

DJ Scratch
Rockin' Rob
DJ Flawless
DJ Slyce
"Johnny Juice" Rosado
The Legendary Superman Sound System

June 21:

Grand Master Roc Raida
Cut Master DC
DJ Supreme
Mysterio 9000
Egg Foo Young
DJ Fat Fingaz
The Legendary Superman Sound System

June 28:

Davy DMX
DJ Steve Dee
DJ Esquire
DJ Boogie Blind
DJ A Plus
The Legendary Superman Sound System

Digger's Delight (June 20):

Miss Shing-A-Ling
Jazzy Jay
Lord Finesse
Rockin' Rob
The Legendary Superman Sound System

Crotona Park Jams:

July 5:

DJ Mean Gene
GrandWizzard Theodore
Mix Master Ice
Tipski
The Legendary Superman Sound System

July 12:

PopMaster Fabel
Lord Finesse
Kool DJ Red Alert
Grand Master Roc Raida
The Legendary Superman Sound System

July 19:

Kool DJ AJ Scratch
GrandMaster Caz
Rockin' Rob
T-Ski Valley
Imperial Jaycee
The Legendary Superman Sound System

July 26:

DJ Charlie Chase
The Original Jazzy Jay
DJ Cash Money
ChiefRocker Busy Bee
The Legendary Superman Sound System

Harlem Hop!:

July 31 (Jackie Robinson Park):

DJ Charlie Chase
Rockin' Rob
DJ Disco Wiz
King Uprock
The Legendary Superman Sound System

August 7 (Marcus Garvey Park):

GrandMaster Caz
Danny Dan the Beat Mann
PopMaster Fabel
King Uprock
The Legendary Superman Sound System

August 14 (Marcus Garvey Park):

GrandWizzard Theodore
DJ Steve Dee
PopMaster Fabel
King Uprock
The Legendary Superman Sound System

August 21 (Marcus Garvey Park):

Kool DJ Red Alert
The Original Jazzy Jay
PopMaster Fabel
King Uprock
The Legendary Superman Sound System