This Saturday's Rock the Bells hip hop festival will have fans reminiscing about the battered cassette tapes of yore. The big headliners are Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest and Wu Tang Clan. To some, that's as close to a hip-hop trinity as it gets.

Fans of the King of Pop are gearing up for the second annual party in Michael Jackson's honor this weekend. Hosted by filmmaker Spike Lee, "Brooklyn Loves Michael" is expected to draw tens of thousands of revelers to Prospect Park's Nethermead Meadow.

Things aren't going too well for Wyclef Jean.

If the cancellation of this summer's Pool Parties free concert series at the Williamsburg waterfront made you think of shaving your ironic mustache or pawning your bowler hat, rest assured. This weekend, the big players in the battle to keep or cancel the Pool Parties' final August 29th show resolved the conflict. The fourth year of fist-pumping indie bands with baffling names will culminate in performances by Dominique Young Unique and Delorean, along with a surprise headliner.

Ricky Martin has picked an appropriate title for his autobiography: "Me."

The New York Metropolitan Opera announced a new box office record for opening day ticket sales on Monday. The total sales exceeded $2.6 million worth of single tickets for the upcoming season. Click here to listen to the Met's General Manager Peter Gelb explain how their 2010-2011 schedule strength and HD transmissions has increased opera-going interest, making the Met seemingly recession-proof.

Abbey Lincoln, who was born Anna Marie Wooldridge, in Chicago, died on Saturday in Manhattan at age 80, after an acting, singing and composing career that spanned some five decades.

The artists in our essential Manhattan mixtape were not necessarily born in the borough, but like so many residents, they came here to make it.

Like many Mezzo-sopranos, Vivica Genaux has played her share of male roles. But she says growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska, the bigger challenge was learning how to walk in heels on stage!

From the Marcy projects to Flatbush to Coney Island, there's no question that Brooklyn has grown some of the world's finest musical talent. But what's an homage to Brooklyn's best without a mixtape? Here are some of my favorite songs from Brooklynites, born and raised.

A casino resort owned by the Eastern Connecticut Mashantucket Pequot tribe bought a stake in one of Broadway's biggest theaters this week.

The Body Music Festival showcases the capabilities of the human instrument. Take Keith Terry's crash course in body music.

What does it sound like when an outfit comes together? 

With her site RetailDJ, Wendi Muse lays out a soundtrack to the most mundane of rituals, commanding readers to "get dressed to this."

Jovanotti performed at Summerstage in Central Park, Chromeo played a sold-out show at the Bowery Ballroom, and The National rocked the Prospect Park Bandshell. 

New York City’s northern-most borough isn’t called the Boogie-Down Bronx for nothing. From hip-hop to salsa to funk to doo wop to rock to folk, the borough is packed with musical talent. We had to make some serious calls about which BX-born musicians would make the cut for our “Boogie-Down Mixtape."

Last week Die Antwoord opened for M.I.A. on Governor's Island, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros played at Webster Hall, and Free Energy played at South Street Seaport.

This week Matt and Kim, Harlem and others rocked Coney Island's Siren Fest, Small Black and Beach Fossil played the Mercury Lounge and Murder City Devils appeared down at the Wlliamsburg Waterfront.

African bands Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, Konono No. 1, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, and Burkina Electric perform throughout the city and ensure that New York's focus on Africa continues beyond the World Cup.

The Apples in stereo have been turning out impeccable indie pop tunes for nearly 17 years now. The band’s latest album is something a little different: Travellers in Space and Time is a danceable concept album about time travel. When the band stopped by Studio 360 recently, frontman Robert Schneider ...

Tri-Centric Modeling: Past, Present and Future

Legendary experimental jazz musician, composer, and multi-hyphenate Anthony Braxton, was honored last week on his 65th birthday. The two-night celebration, produced by the non-profit Tri-Centric Foundation, featured an array of contemporary jazz music’s leading lights, including John Zorn, Steve Coleman, Dave Douglas and Nicole Mitchell. “If it weren’t for Anthony Braxton,” exclaimed a clearly humbled Zorn said from the stage, “we all wouldn’t be standing here.”