2011 Vancouver Redbull 3 Style DJ Arems Set

The Vancouver Redbull 3 Style went down Wednesday October 5th at Fortune Sound Club and featured 8 djs battling to see who's the best party rocker in Vancouver. Rules were simple - play at least 3 genres of music in 15 minutes and rock the crowd. Participants were:
Friktion
Hedspin
Flipout
KutKorners
Sam Demoe
Cherchez
Ricky Mars
and myself DJ Arems.
The end results were: Hedspin 1st, Flipout 2nd, myself and Friktion tied for 3rd!
Big up to all the people that came out to support and all of the djs in the battle. It was a really dope night.
*NOTE: Those off beat scratches you hear around the mid 9 minute mark are not me - its from the next dj setting up and testing out his tings.

RAP at Calabash w/ DJ Tanner & Rhek - Friday July 22nd 2011

It's going down once again at Calabash this Friday!!! Pure muthafuckin RAP son!!! Rap is the Faction Sound Crew’s monthly Party at Calabash and you won’t hear any thing but ill shit. This will be DJ Tanner's last RAP episode for at least 6 months as he is moving to NYC to be closer to real RAP. Special guest Rhek will be sending him off with some special selections from his Rap crates. Don't miss thisssss.

Golden Era Hip Hop and the best RAP music the way it’s supposed to be played.

Caribbean food available all night.

CALABASH in Gastown.
428 Carrall Street at Pender.
10pm to 2am.
$6- at the Door.

The next edition of RAP! goes down August 12. Mark it down on your calendar and DOO THISSS

FACTION 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY - July 1st inside Shine

This summer marks the the 10th anniversary of the Faction and we'll be kicking off the celebration with a big party inside Shine. Join the entire Faction Sound Crew as all 5 members unite for a once in a lifetime celebration – 10 years of Faction Sound!

DJ’s Arems, Tanner, Iron Lyon (NYC), Akshun and Trigga on the mic will be dropping nothing but pure fiyah all night as we celebrate Canada Day and the 10 anniversary of the Faction with Hip Hop and Dancehall

PLUS FREE BBQ CHICKEN RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CLUB!!!
…

Faction’s Extended Bio

Good things happen when tight knit friends with a deep love of music decide to join forces. After honing their skills as bedroom DJs, Arems, Tanner and Akshun soon found themselves playing in lounges, DMC battles and smaller clubs around the way. All three DJs soon got involved in college radio and by the time they met in Vancouver it didn’t take long for a bond to form. The Faction Sound Crew was formed in 2001 by Dj’s Arems, Akshun & Tanner and was joined by hypeman MC Trigga in 2006 and New York DJ Iron Lyon in 2010. Residencies at some of Vancouver’s bigger night clubs soon started and the crew began touring and putting out Mixtapes.

Soon after forming, the Faction found themselves playing alongside world class DJs and urban artists all over Canada. Their mixtapes caught the attention of a wider audience across Canada and began spreading around the globe. Currently the Faction has released over 20 mixtapes in group and solo projects with a diverse range of musical styles ranging from Hip Hop to Dancehall to Electro. Accolades soon arrived and in 2007 the Faction was nationally recognized at the Stylus DJ Awards with a nomination for best mixtape. 2008 brought 3 more Stylus DJ award nominations including Best Mixtape, Best Canadian Reggae DJ, and Favourite Vancouver DJ which was won by DJ Arems. Nominations continued in 2009 and ’10 in the Vancouver DJ of the year and Canadian Club DJs of the year categories.

As of late the world has come calling. In 2007 the Faction embarked on an Asian tour playing in the mega clubs of Shanghai, Taiwan and Hong Kong as well as doing many dates all over Canada. 2008 found the Faction touring in Europe and also included 2 National tours playing at some of Canada’s largest mega clubs including multiple dates at the Guverment in Toronto (rated one of the top 5 clubs in North America). 2009 and ’10 saw various tours across the US and Canada plus a return to Europe and Asia.

Locally The Faction has been holding down residences at Vancouver’s hot spots for unheard of lengths of time with residencies at certain clubs ranging 5 to 10 years. Their infamous industry night at Balthazar, Sunday Night Soundsystem ran for half a decade and established Sundays as a big night to party in Vancouver. You can currently catch the Faction DJing 5 nights a week at packed venues across the city. If you’ve found an amazing party – it’s most likely the Faction is in the DJ booth dropping pure fire.

RAP at Calabash w/ the Faction - Friday June 10th 2011

Remember when almost every single hip hop track that came out was dope? We do – and we play those joints strictly every time a new episode of RAP! goes down at Calabash. Rap is the Faction Sound Crew’s monthly Party at Calabash and you won’t hear any thing but ill shit.

Golden Era Hip Hop and the best RAP music the way it’s supposed to be played.

Caribbean food available all night.

CALABASH in Gastown.
428 Carrall Street at Pender.
10pm to 2am.
$6- at the Door.

The next edition of RAP! goes down June 10 with DJs Arems and Tanner. Mark it down on your calendar and DOO THISSS

PRAY FOR JAPAN - the biggest RAP showcase yet - April 19th at the Cellar

You can take one look at the flyer and know that you're a SUCKA if you don't show up for this one. Every dope Rap group in Vancouver will be performing plus Rochester from Toronto and DJ Dopey and myself providing tunes. With Flipout on the hosting mic it'll be a night to remember and it all goes to help the eternal supporters of Hip Hop everytime - the Japanese. No guestlist -DOO THISS!

The Skip To My Lou Tour Ft Serani, Ding Dong, Bugle & Razz N Biggy April 24th at Fortune

The LARGEST DANCEHALL EVENT to hit Vancouver EVER goes down April 24th at Fortune Sound with Jamaica's biggest up and coming artists touching down to tear up the stage. Serani, Ding Dong, Bugle and mega producers and DJs Razz N Biggy will all be here to treat Vancouver to a show for the ages. Vancity's best will also be holding it down plus the Bay Area's DJ Theory and all of this can be yours for the early bird price of 20 BUCKS!!! Actually, if you haven't copped em yet, tix are now $25 but will go up again soon so cop em soon. Holla at myself or Neal of Loud Ent for cheap tix or hit up Clubzone.com or your favourite local retail spot to grab em. This show is guaranteed to go down...DO NOT MISS IT!!!

The Big Pay Back Fundraiser for Kool Herc Sunday April 10th at W2 (all ages)

When Jheric Hizon, a member of the local Bboy crew Now or Never found out that New York's DJ Kool Herc was hospitalized and in need of some financial assistance to pay his medical bills, he immediately contacted some fellow hip-hop heads to host a fundraiser.

The Big Payback fundraiser (named after a classic track by EPMD, a duo also considered among
the pioneers of hip hop) will be held at W2 Storyeum, 151 W. Cordova St, in Vancouver, B.C.,
on April 10, 2011.This will be an all-ages event from 2-7 p.m. that will feature all the elements
of hip hop: Bboying/Bgirling, MCing, DJing and graf writing. A $10 minimum donation will be
collected at the door, with all proceeds set to be donated to the Kool Herc Fund. More info on the
fund can be found at www.djkoolherc.com

Thankfully, Kool Herc is out of the hospital. However, Hizon says “the Vancouver hip hop
community would still like to pay tribute to Kool Herc and the other hip-hop pioneers that paved
the way for what we do today.” And although The Big Payback was inspired by Kool Herc's
unfortunate situation, organizers say should the need to raise funds for another pioneer occur
again, this might not be the last you see of The Big Payback! That's how much the local community recognizes how indebted they are to their East Coast forebears.

DJ Arems - Fiyah Fi Bun Dem Part 5 Mix CD - The Best of Dancehall 2010

Finally got a chance to post this!!! Here's all the best Dancehall from 2010 or at least my view on it. There was so much wicked dancehall last year that there wasn't any room left on a 80 minute CD for any lovers rock or reggae joints...I had a hard time narrowing it down but i know you'll enjoy what's here... 80 minutes of 2010's best dancehall featuring 1O Faction Dubplates by the likes of Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, Mr Lexx, Gyptian, Tony Matterhorn, Aidonia, Chan Dizzy, and others amongst the 88 tracks of strictly BOOM chunes! Riddims included on the CD: ONE DAY RIDDIM, SMOKIN RIDDIM, WINNINGS RIDDIM, ROOF TOP RIDDIM, DANCEHALL EFX RIDDIM, STREET VYBZ RIDDIM, BAD PEOPLE RIDDIM, CATALOG RIDDIM, MAD VIBEZ RIDDIM, HOLD YUH RIDDIM, MAD COLLAB RIDDIM, BADDA DON RIDDIM, GANGSTA CITY RIDDIM, REMEDY RIDDIM, RAIL UP RIDDIM and many more. Download this now and hit me up for a copy of the CD if you see me!

DJ AREMS -FIYAH FI BUN DEM PART 5 - BEST OF 2010

1. DJ Arems – Fiyah 5 Intro

CATALOG RIDDIM
2. Aidonia – We A Tek It Off (DUB)
3. Tony Matterhorn – Twenty Ten
4. Di Genius – Nah Forgive Dem
5. Terror Fabulous – Catalog
6. Mavado – Unda Yuh Skirt

MAD VIBEZ RIDDIM
7. Vybz Kartel – Foot Pon Shoulder
8. Popcaan – Jah Jah Protect Me

BADDA DON RIDDIM
9. Mavado – Jah Is Coming Soon
10. I Octane – Weed We Say
11. Wayne Marshall – Careless

12. Chan Dizzy – No Strange Face (DUB)

GANGSTA CITY RIDDIM
13. Popcaan – Gangsta City
14. Vybz Kartel – Thank You Jah
15. Merital – Pray

REMEDY RIDDIM
16. Jah Vinci – Remedy
17. Popcaan – Dem Sell We Out

18. Beenie Man – Visa

RAIL UP RIDDIM
19. Bounty Killah & Doolas – Not Scared Enough
20. Mavado & Flexx – Whine Up Yuh Body

MAD COLLAB RIDDIM
21. Vybz Kartel & Popcaan – Clarkes (DUB)
22. Vybz Kartel & Popcaan – Clarkes
23. Elephant Man & Bounty Killah – How We Do It
24. Tony Matterhorn, Fire Links, Jigsy, Richie Feelings – Dem Alone

25. Vybz Kartel – Clarkes Part 2
26. Vybz Kartel – Jeans & Fitted

ONE DAY RIDDIM
27. Future Fambo & Beenie Man – Rum & Redbull
28. Seanizzle – One Day
29. Khago – Nah Sell Out Mi Friend
30. Beenie Man – I’m OK

COSA NOSTRA RIDDIM
31. Mr Lexx – Dem A Pree (DUB)
32. Assassin – Go For Mine
33. Timberlee – The General
34. Ward 21 – Pretty Gal

HOLD YUH RIDDIM
35. Gyptian – Hold Yuh (Dub)
36. Shaggy & Barrington Levy – Only You
37. Ricky Blaze – Just You and I

SPLIT PERSONALITY RIDDIM
38. Liquid – Walk & Wine
39. Mavado – Pon Di Ting
40. I Octane & Zamunda – Badda Than Dem
41. Khago – Nah Sell Out Mi Friend Pt. 2

42. Mavado – Messiah

SMOKIN RIDDIM
43. Elephant Man – Step Ova
44. Ding Dong & Voicemail – Results
45. Tony Matterhorn – Blackberry
46. Vybz Kartel – That Sweet Yuh
47. Mavado – Stulla

DNA RIDDIM
48. Laden – Bike Ride
49. Natel – God Sent
50. Buju Banton – G.A.L.
51. Vybz Kartel – Turn & Wine

DANCEHALL EFX RIDDIM
52. Mavado – All Dem A Talk
53. Aidonia – Chat From No Boy
54. Vybz Kartel – Dancehall Hero
55. Popcaan – Real Badman

ROOF TOP RIDDIM
56. Mavado – House Top
57. Charley Black – Turn Me On
58. Beenie Man – Under Curfew

SPRITE RIDDIM
59. Vybz Kartel – Touch a Button
60. Tony Matterhorn – Madd (DUB)

GULLY BOMB RIDDIM
61. Bugle – There For You
62. Chase Cross – Cant Stop Us
63. Mavado – Nuh Fraid Ah Dem
64. Laden & Flexx – Still Hot

STREET SWAG RIDDIM
65. Aidonia – Whine
66. Tony Matterhorn – Pressure Gyal Phone
67. Mavado – When The Eden Rise

WINNINGS RIDDIM
68. Chi Ching Ching – Winnings
69. Busy Signal – Too Many Men
70. Aidonia – Brace Whine
71. Mavado – Stullesha

TOASTER RIDDIM
72. Vybz Kartel – A That A Gwan
73. Gaza Slim – One Man
74. Vybz Kartel – Mi Love Pussy

STREET VYBZ RIDDIM
75. Vybz Kartel – Street Vybz
76. Popcaan – Up Inna Di Club (DUB)
77. Shawn Storm – Vybz Party
78. Merital Family – When We Party
79. Vybz Kartel – Pure Love Mi Give Gal

BAD PEOPLE RIDDIM
80. Aidonia – Bad People
81. Mavado – Gyal A Mad Ova

82. Jah Cure, Rick Ross, Mavado – Like I See It
83. Di Genius – Cyaan Friend Again
84. Mavado – 9 Life
85. Bramma – Defend Mi Own (DUB)
86. Vybz Kartel – Cake Soap
87. Collie Buddz – Come Down
88. DJ Arems - Outro

DJ Arems - Fiyah Fi Bun Dem Part 5 CD Release Party - Wednesday Feb 23rd at Free Up Inside Shine

Taking a lil break from mixing down Fiyah 5 to let you know the release party goes down this Wednesday at Free Up in Shine! We'll be giving out copies to all in attendance so make sure you're there to grab a copy of this pure FIYAAAAH! Hit me for guestlist @djarems

3rd Edition or RAP at Calabash - Friday Feb 18th, 2011

The Faction's monthly pure rap music night, goes down February 18th at Calabash - 428 Carrall Street at Pender (two blocks from Fortune). The first two chapters went down proper with strictly golden era and only great hip hop running all night. DJs Tanner and Arems are back once again to take it to where it should have always stayed - RAP RAP RAP! 6$ at the door. Presented by the Faction and Circa with free giveaways all night. Big Shouts to Rhek and Sharks and Hammers for flipping the cover of Main Source's classic Rap album - Breaking Atoms.

DRE DAY Feb 17, 2011 at the Metropole

Join us as we commemorate the good doctors birthday with a night of all Dre music. From the songs he borrows, to the sound he influences, to the artists he works with, to the artists he beefs with and of course, his own platinum hits...we’ll play it all. Plus a “The Chronic” photobooth by Randy, Gin & Juices, cake and mad giveaways. Cause it’s Dre Day - and everyone’s celebrating...
All Dre music with some of the best rap DJ’s that Vancouver has to offer: FLIPOUT, HEDSPIN, MARVEL, SEKO, RICO, KUTCORNERS, AREMS, TANNER, RELLY RELS, BRENDAN BUTTER, BRAND, RHEK, KEITH MONSTR. Hosted by KELI GOLD. Free all night...320 Water Street.

Brand New Thursday at Fabric - Sultry Thursdays Start Feb 17, 2011

A brand new night starts Thursday February 17th at Fabric Night Club with the Faction's own DJ Arems dropping Hip Hop, R&B, Dancehall and Top 40 til 2am. Tickets are only $10 and available at various outlets and through Dj Arems - djarems@djarems.com. All high balls and domestic beers just 4 dollars and prizes for best dressed female. Tickets are selling fast - Don't Miss OUT!!!