Show Archive

"This station rules the nation with version".... Mighty Mo roughs up Grandmaster Flash's "Message", the Jungle Brothers put more muscle on JB's "Soul Power", and Afrodisiac Soundsystem throws down a heavy Lakeside/Dimples D mashup. Plus the comical genius of Thirstin Howl III, Ludacris & Primo's new collabo track "M.V.P.," RZA-produced heat from the "Afro Samurai Resurrection" soundtrack, and three rare Sly Stone treats from the vault.

Montreal artists hit the ground running in 2009 with a slew of choice tracks. Plus three newly revealed Biggie demo cuts off the "Notorious" soundtrack, some disco-fied funk from Funkadelic, Bottom & Co. and the Mighty Ryeders, and a nod to the legendary Freddie Hubbard and his classic "Sky Dive," as sampled in Souls of Mischief's "A Name I Call Myself."

Scott Down & DJ Cutler represent Buffalo NY with their "716 Lesson", Brooklyn Funk Essentials and Vaughn Mason get grimy with the synth bass, and DJ Static rocks the classic "Pussyfooter" break from Ultramagnetic MC's "Moe Luv's Theme". Plus a blazing blend of Red & Meth's "How High" with the "Triumph" instrumental, and some sublime chilled-out funk & soul from Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Bootsy Collins.

DJ Static kicks off 2009 with a 2-hour solo set packed with everything from blistering b-boy anthems by Edwin Starr & Frankie Valli, to 90s hip hop from Gang Starr & CNN, and even some smoothed out classics from Bernard Wright and Debarge.

Roy Ayers and Roberto Roena put their own stamp on Temptations and Sly Stone classics, George Benson channels James Brown on the jazz-funk jam "Dance", and Shaun Boothe continues his unauthorized biography series with a tribute to Bob Marley. Plus: Two star-studded posse cuts featuring East-Coast luminaries including Biggie, Redman, Busta & Organized Konfusion.

Common gets energized over electro beats on the title track from "Universal Mind Control," K'naan enlists conscious pioneer Chubb Rock on his new uptempo joint "ABC's," Aquarian Dream roughs up the disco sound with "You're a Star," and Afrodisiac Soundsystem and Chico Mann put a fresh twist on Afrobeat.

Rawsoul is back in the studio with loads of soulful hip hop from the likes of Dela, Headnodic and Himuki f/ Rasco. Plus brand new rough funk from Japan's Osaka Monaurail and Tennesee's DeRobert & The Half Truths, and a timely taste of Christmas funk & soul.

Guest DJ Rawsoul drops hard 80s boogie, soul vocals and jazz funk, from Steve Arrington to Baby Huey and Jimmy McGriff. Plus major heat from Wu affiliate 9th Prince, and the original '92 track "Doo Doo Brown" that spawned the Baltimore club sound.

Funding drive week 2: WEFUNK brings together some of our favorite Montreal artists for a show full of fundraising, live flavor and funk & hip hop favorites.

WEFUNK unleashes solid gold funk from Eddie Bo and George Duke, heavy-hitting hip hop by Illa J and Elucid, as well as a brand new Tony Ezzy track as we kick off our first show of the CKUT Funding Drive.

The Pointer Sisters and Baby Huey throw down grimy funk, The Isley Brothers and Ike & Tina Turner get raw, and J.Period & Q-Tip drop the timely new "Q-Tip for President." Plus a live in-studio cypher featuring Organized Konfusion's legendary Prince Po and fellow "Ice Bears Tour" MCs Edreys and Paulie Rhymes.

Hot-buttered soul on Q-Tip & Dilla's "Move", abstract offerings from Prince Po and Diverse, lots of devilish funk and spooky soul, a quirky James Brown cover by Werner Müller, and rugged 90s tracks featuring Lord Finesse, O.C. and Mobb Deep.

Cookin' with breaks: Kraak & Smaak and Bugz in the Attic bring bold new flavors, The New Mastersounds and The Diplomats of Solid Sound deliver fresh rough funk, and Sly Stone's under-appreciated "Underdog" gets flipped nicely by The Mighty Underdogs. Plus a hip hop odyssey, all the way from the crucial 80s electro track "Boogie Down (Bronx)" to brand new Jake One w/ MF DOOM and DJ Babu with M.O.P.

Featuring new standout tracks from Madlib the Beat Konducta, Black Milk and Canada's own DJ Nana, feel-good disco breaks from the Family Tree and Positive Force, a Sharon Jones favorite retouched by DJ Spinna, plus an exclusive Static blend pairing Nice & Smooth's signature flow over a nasty N.E.R.D. beat.

Guest DJ Kobal cooks up a bubbling stew of raw tropical funk, sampled gems and certified funk classics. Professor Groove rounds out the show with lots of jazzy head-nod hip hop joints.

Shaun Boothe breaks down the chronicle of James Brown, Stevie Wonder shines in a rare live recording from 1973, and Parliament and Herbie Hancock bring the fat synth basslines. Plus a double shot of GZA: "Alphabets" from his new "Protools" LP as well as a GZA/Ray Charles remix courtesy of the Dysposable Heroes.

Lyrical heavyweights Elzhi and Royce da 5'9" spit fire on "Motown 25", George Clinton puts a twist on the classic "Mothership Connection" and Rare Gems Odyssey ponders "What is Funk?" Plus golden soul by Leroy Hutson and new West Coast bangers by Strong Arm Steady and People Under the Stairs.

Firing up the "funk box": WEFUNK digs into some of the earliest drum machine funk, some recent Swedish Afrobeat from Sofi Hellborg and a Sly Stone/LL Cool J sample moment. Plus a slice of Montreal flavor, from the infectious synth funk of Tony Ezzy and Payz Play to Corey E's poetic musing.

Bobby Byrd and Dyke & The Blazers lay down some full-on funk, Herbie Hancock and Frank Strazzeri inject the jazz flavor, Madlib freaks the funk with Defari on "Gamble on Ya Boy," Carl Holmes and Joe Bataan provide 'nuff percussion & breaks, and DJ Nu-Mark gives a mesmerizing remix treatment to Pharcyde's classic "4 Better or 4 Worse."

New heat from Large Professor, Umar Bin Hassan and Termanology (f/ Primo), new-generation funk from Karl Hector & The Malcouns and Sharon Jones, and stone cold classics by Lowell Fulsom and James Brown. Plus a live-in-studio cypher featuring the legendary Brooklyn Academy and Montreal's own Velvet Trench Vibes with D-Shade.

Guest DJ Godfather D comes out swinging with a hype set of 90s hip hop favorites. Plus classic sample staples from The JBs and Jean Jacques Perry, jazz-funk monsters from Blue Mitchell and Cannonball Adderly, and a salute to departed Stax legend Isaac Hayes.

Lil Sci and acclaimed producer Carlos Niño team up on the massive new track "Freedom". Little Royal, Joe Tex and Chuck Carbo (RIP) pound out grimy funk burners. Plus soul classics from RAMP and the Dramatics, an EWF/Brand Nubian sample moment and blazing new singles from Joell Ortiz, The Good People, and DJ Revolution featuring "The Teacha" KRS-One.

Tales of the Purple One: WEFUNK digs into Prince's funkiest moments in special feature show with guests Duke Eatmon and Ron Maskell.

From homegrown to international: DJ Static shines the spotlight on new European hip hop, Mtl's Karma & Lotus return to speak on their latest album "Honest Truth", and NYC artists J-Illa & Kaloket drop by to show their stuff. Plus loads of soulful funk, funky soul and soul-jazz from Marva Whitney, "Brother" Jack McDuff, Mel & Tim, The Soul Children, Blue Mitchell and more.

The JBs ask the age old question "I'm Paying Taxes, What Am I Buying?" AZ spits fire on his new track "The Secret" featuring Raekwon and Charlie Rock. Plus rough & raw funk from James Young and Lee Fields, scorching latin from The Alexander Review and Irakere, and foundational old school cuts by World of Mouth, Rock Master Scott, U.T.F.O. and more.

Tanya Morgan drops their blazing new anthem "Shake It Off", KRS-One & Que B.I.L.L.A.H. get back to basics with "Today's Lesson", and the Soul Believers and Ray Barretto get the soul drums pounding. Plus Al Green old & new, from 2008's "Just for Me" to the signature drums of "I'm Glad You're Mine" (back to back with Eric B & Rakim's "Mahogany").

DJ Fiend is back for another guest set featuring lots of late-90s hip hop gems by Organized Konfusion, Tha Alkaholiks, Busta Rhymes, Mic Geronimo, Jurassic 5 and more. Plus Freddie Hubbard's magnificent jazz-funk epic "Povo", solid new-generation Afrofunk by the Souljazz Orchestra, and more African and Cuban flavors from the likes of Manu Dibango, Wisdom and Grupo Los Yoyi.

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.