In July 2002, The Rub began with a simple goal: the creation of a classics and hip-hop party to be held on the first Saturday of every month at Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY. We do it Brooklyn style: great dance music mixed well, affordable drinks, and real people; no dress code, no bottle service, no VI…
It's the return of DJ Ayres's Favorite Things mix series, with a round up of his favorite tracks of 2022! From grimy bars to smooth Afrobeats, disco to UKG, Ayres selects a little bit of everything! You can catch him live at The Bell House (including NYE!), more info at ITSTHERUB.COM. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio – …
With most producers, part two of a “Best of Mix” would be for the rarities, the underrated album cuts, the B-sides. But with DJ Premier, The Rub could do 10 of these and never run out of bangers! Gang Starr Foundation represents heavily of course, plus Nas, Biggie, Jay-Z, KRS, Rakim, and street anthems from …
This summer The Rub is celebrating 20 years, so for Rub Radio we’re keeping it extremely Brooklyn with the best of DJ Premier! This is just part 1, with stone cold classics from Gang Starr, Biggie, Nas and Jay-Z plus personal favorites by CNN, The Lox, D.I.T.C., Griselda and more. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio – History …
Lots of new rap music this month with some throwbacks / samples sprinkled in. This is Rub Radio! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (April 2022) Tracklist: DJ Shadow – 6 Days Pusha T – Just So You Remember Slim Thug – 3 Kings Nigo – Lost and Found Freestyle 2019 (ft. A$AP Rocky & Tyler the Creator) …
Hit-Boy is an impossible name to live up to unless you’re responsible for Jay-Z & Kanye West’s biggest hit of the last 15 years. And that’s to say nothing of his hand in SICKO MODE, a song which has 1.6 BILLION WITH A “B” streams on a single streaming service (which will not be named …
Rub Radio is international zone coasting this month, playing our favorite new music from all over: Toronto, Montreal, Haiti, South Africa, Nigeria, Jamaica, Los Angeles, Hamburg, Belfast, London, Atlanta, Memphis, Queens, Philly, Newark… Grab your passport and let's go! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (November 2021) Tracklist: Fireboy DML – Peru Kaytranada – $payforhaiti (ft. Mach-Hommy) Keys …
In our first Timbaland mix, we focused on his foundation, and in the follow up, we’ve put together a mix of absolute bangers from the height of his career. #1 hits for Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, 50 Cent, Omarion and Bubba Sparxxx, plus lesser known tracks with MIA, Shawnna, Jeezy and more. DOWNLOAD …
The Rub is back! Tickets for September 25 are here: The Rub 19th Anniversary The Producer Series has been so much fun to work on, and our newest entry is nothing short of magical! In hindsight, Timbaland is universally accepted as the gold standard of hip-hop and R&B production, but when he first came out …
FINALLY we celebrate the producer of some of our favorite rap records of the past 25 years, Alan the Chemist! The breadth of this man’s career is remarkable: he started out in The Whooliganz in the early 90s, made big waves in underground hip-hop with beats for Dilated Peoples, became Mobb Deep’s in-house producer, and …
The Rub starts things out this month with a medley of Black Rob tunes, to mourn his passing and celebrate his artistry. Then it’s a set of new music from Conway the Machine, FKA twigs, Tierra Whack, BROCKHAMPTON and more. Be sure to also check out DJ Ayres’s Ruff Ryders mix from earlier in the …
During lockdown, we’ve been huge nostalgia junkies, revisiting all the great records we’ve collected over the years. Rub Radio fans have gotten a taste of our comfort food, as we’ve mixed the catalogs of J. Dilla, Trackmasters and Prince Paul in recent months in our History of Hip Hop: Producers Series. Madlib is one of …
New music to start 2021 off right, from R&B to instrumental hip-hop to Afrobeats to throwback house and more! Mixed as always by Brooklyn’s premier party-rocking crew, The Rub. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (January 2021) Tracklist: Eli Escobar – zombieland Madlib – Hopprock Jazmine Sullivan – Girl Like Me (ft. H.E.R.) Melii – You Ain’t Worth …
During quarantine, a list of 1000+ records Larry Levan played at the Paradise Garage made the rounds, and we had some time on our hands so we went through it and listened to a ton of disco songs. (Check the list here) While the list turns out to be partially inaccurate, it did light a …
Rub Radio is back with a second J Dilla mix! Volume 2 features production for A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, Common, The Roots and Bilal, a whole bevy of Detroit rap classics, forgotten joints by Nas, Busta Rhymes and Ghostface Killah, and even a remix for Daft Punk! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio – History of …
Next in our Producer Series, we’ve got J Dilla! What can you say about one of the greatest beatmakers of all time, of any genre? The music speaks for itself, and we had so much fun putting together this mix that we’re going to drop another one next week. So enjoy the History of Hip …
We’ve been Prince Paul fans since we were kids, starting with his production for De La Soul’s first three albums. From Stetsasonic, Big Daddy Kane, 3rd Bass to Gravediggaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School & Dr. Octagon, this tribute takes you through some of our favorites from the Doo Doo Man’s storied career. Plus you get …
For our fourth installment of The Producers, we’re diving into The Trackmasters’ catalog of hits! The duo of Poke & Tone were responsible for a ton of hits in the mid to late 1990s, when we were starting out DJing clubs, so these songs all hold a special place for us. Their classic sound is …
Bill Withers was a beautiful singer and songwriter, and his death broke our hearts. We put together an hour of our favorite songs as a tribute. Love to everyone in these trying times. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio – Bill Withers Tribute Tracklist: Hope She’ll Be Happier Don’t You Want To Stay Use Me Grandma’s Hands Lean …
Inspired by Black History Month, The Rub presents a new mix of black excellence including Brand Nubian, Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Public Enemy, James Brown, Meek Mill, Afro B and more! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio – Young Gifted and Black Tracklist: Aretha Franklin – Young, Gifted and Black Albert King – I’ll Play The Blues For You …
For the third installment of The Producer Series, we salute two kings! Rich Harrison dominated the 2000s R&B charts, bringing back funk and go-go samples on huge hits for Amerie, Beyonce, J-Lo and Usher, among others. Salaam Remi’s body of work goes all the way back to the early 90s, blending hip-hop and dancehall for …
The Rub New Year’s party is coming up! We’ve enlisted our homie Parlé (itsparle.com) to spin the party, plus he gave us a killer set for Rub Radio! We’ll also have Hasan Insane ringing in the New Year with us, so be sure to grab your tickets before they sell out: Link to buy tickets …
We don’t know about you but we’re loving the new Gang Starr album. We thought of doing a mix of classic Gang Starr tracks but remembered that our homie Matthew Africa (who we miss every day) did a really great one, so we decided to revisit his. Big thanks to DJ Step One for digging …
Rub Radio October 2019 is a fat pumpkin full of hip-hop treats, from trap to twerk to pop to backpack rap! Be sure to come party with us at The Bell House on October 26. Buy your tickets right here. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (October 2019) Tracklist: Lil Tjay – F.N. Dreamville – Costa Rica DaBaby …
Rub Radio this month is mixed by DJ M!LLS, who will be playing the party on Saturday, September 28. (Plus he has been designing our flyers for the last two years!) The mix is chock-a-block with summer bangers, perfectly wrapping up the season, and even teases a handful of future hits going into fall. DOWNLOAD …
This month we’re joined by DJ DirtyFinger, both on Rub Radio and at the party at The Bell House on Saturday 8/31! Our August mix boasts a wide variety of shit we’re feeling, including new rap, dancehall, afrobeats, house, R&B and NOLA brass. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (August 2019) Tracklist: The Rub Set Lil Tecca – …
The Rub residents: DJ Eleven & DJ Ayres are two of NYCs most respected DJs and you can hear why with this slick mix blurring the lines between hip-hop, dancehall, afro beats, grime, disco, house and more. Check the skills, click the heart, download the tracks and head over to the next installment of THE …
Rub Radio is back with a mix of new music, their first one in a while after 4 consecutive Hip Hop History mixes. Ayres and Eleven pay tribute to Nipsey Hussle (RIP), build a vibe with new disco, hip-hop and R&B then close out the set with some deep house and club records. Enjoy! And …
Recorded live at House of Wax in Downtown Brooklyn, Love Rap is over two and a half hours of hip-hop love songs. From LL Cool J “I Need Love” (1987) to SZA & Travis Scott “Love Galore” (2017), this is the very best of rap romance and sexual braggadocio. Listen to The Rub – Love …
DJ Riz returns to The Rub for the annual Halloween Rub on October 27, so we’re thrilled to revisit this flawless live set from a few years back. The legendary Brooklyn OG rips through a ton of records, from 80s to hip-hop to reggae to disco to R&B to breaks. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio – DJ …
The Rub boys start things off with Mac Miller (R.I.P.) and then get right into the new shit, from Lil Baby, Ciara, Cassius, Sleepy Brown and more! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (September 2018) Tracklist: Mac Miller – Red Dot Music (feat. Action Bronson) Travis Scott – R.I.P. SCREW Youngboy NBA – Head On (feat. Kevin Gates) …
This month Rub Radio shares the decks with one of our favorite guests, Kevlove, who will be bringing the heat at The Bellhouse on Saturday, August 25. Kev brings a smooth ass set of new joints from D.R.A.M., Childish Gambino, PNB Rock, and The Rub bats cleanup with tracks by Tyga, RL Grime, Ryan Hemsworth …
The Rub celebrates their 16th anniversary with guest mixes from Prince Klassen and Run P., who are also playing at the Anniversary party on Saturday. The two guests deftly mix classic funk and jazz with new hip-hop and house. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (July 2018) Prince Klassen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeklassen Run P on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Run_P Tracklist: Prince Klassen …
The Rub is back with a new mix of hip-hop, R&B and house, ahead of their monthly residency at The Bell House on Saturday, June 30. Lock in for fresh tracks by Jay-Z & Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar & Jay Rock, Kelela & Girl Unit, Chromeo & The-Dream and so much more! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (June …
On June 7, The Rub Movie Night is back at Alamo Drafthouse, with Menace II Society! Last month we recorded a mix inspired by our first movie, Belly, and we were all set to do it again this month but we realized we already have two mixes which are perfectly suited for the night, …
On June 7, The Rub Movie Night is back at Alamo Drafthouse, with Menace II Society! Last month we recorded a mix inspired by our first movie, Belly, and we were all set to do it again this month but we realized we already have two mixes which are perfectly suited for the night, from …
To get pumped up for our Belly screening and afterparty, we’ve been gathering up all the songs with Hype Williams music videos. Hype has directed something like 200 clips since 1991 – he’s done 20 videos with Kanye West alone. So to keep the mix from being 10 hours long, we focused on his mid …
DJ Eleven and DJ Ayres go zone coasting on this month’s mix, taking you from the birthplace of hip-hop to the painted desert and back again just in time for their soiree at The Bell House on April 28. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (April 2018) Tracklist: Cardi B – Thru Your Phone Young Thug – Anybody …
Hot and fresh out the kitchen, it’s Rub Radio! From funk to R&B to house to tropical vibes to rap, Ayres and Eleven give you hearty helping of jams to whet your appetite for their party on March 31. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio (March 2018) Tracklist: Nona Hyndryx – Peel Back Swae Lee – Hurt To …
DJ Getlive!, one of our favorite guests at The Rub, returns to the party this month so we gladly handed him the keys to Rub Radio. He comes with a beast of a live set from this year’s Donuts Are Forever 12, an annual J Dilla tribute party in Brooklyn. DOWNLOAD Rub Radio – February …
For the second in our “Hip-Hop History: The Producers” mix series we present Organized Noize. Best known for producing almost all the beats on the first Outkast and Goodie Mob records, the trio of Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown also crafted huge commercial hits for TLC, En Vogue, and Ludacris. Their catalog of …
DJ Ayres and DJ Eleven are back for a “New year’s Eve” special edition of The Rub. Originally presented by the mighty “Okayplayer” website, the mix is a taste of things to come at “The Bell House” in Brooklyn on December 31. Download Rub Radio – 2018 New Year’s Eve Mix If you want to …
We’re launching a new series of Hip-Hop History mixes, highlighting producers. We’re starting with Mike Will Made It, a multiplatinum beatmaker who has crafted hit records over the last 6 years for Future, Ciara, Rae Sremmurd, 2 Chainz, Juicy J, Drake, Rihanna, Beyonce – pretty much all the major hip-hop and R&B artists on the radio in this decade. Mike …
Prince Klassen takes over Rub Radio this month with a mix featuring music by Action Bronson, Mura Masa, Cool Kids, Kid Cudi, Chronixx and more! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio October 2017 Tracklist: Action Bronson – The Choreographer Washed Out – Burn Out Blues (Prince Klassen edit) Mura Masa feat Tom Tripp – Helpline Brockhampton – Sweet …
Here’s Rub Radio for September – with a guest mix from Kevlove (@_kevlove), our guest for the party next Saturday! DOWNLOAD Rub Radio September 2017 (w/ Kevlove) Tracklist Dizzee Rascal – The Other Side Jay Prince feat. Amine – Vice GoldLink feat. Brent Faiyaz, Shy Glizzy – Crew Jorja Smith & Preditah – On My …