Rakim & Bell Biv Devoe to headline The Return of the Legends in Durham

This fall the Durham Performing Arts Center will host a special two-night R&B/hip-hop event for North Carolina Central University's homecoming weekend dubbed The Return of the Masters.

It will take place on October 18 and 19 and will feature ten acts. On Friday, October 18, Rakim will headline will special guests Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Lords of the Underground, Nice and Smooth and Camp Low. On Saturday, October 19, Bell Biv Devoe will headline with special guests EPMD, Brand Nubian, Pharcyde and DAS EFX. 9th Wonder will host the event.

9th Wonder to play Rock the Vote event at Duke

The organization Rock the Vote is currently touring college campuses in an effort to register young voters and get them involved in the political process. The tour will make a few stops in the Triangle next week.

They have an event planned at Duke University on Thursday, September 6 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. which will feature performances by 9th Wonder and Buckshot, Rapsody, Rockie Fresh and Skyzoo.

There is also an event scheduled at North Carolina Central University on Friday, September 7 from noon to 4 p.m., but the performers for that event have not been announced yet. We'll let you when that information becomes available.

9th Wonder & Phonte take new albums on tour, coming to Carrboro

North Carolina's hip-hop heavyhitters 9th Wonder and Phonte both just released new albums and the former Little Brother bandmates are now joining forces for a short tour in October.

The pair will play a big hometown gig at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Sunday, October 23. They'll be joined by a bunch of special guests including Median, Rapsody, The Away Team, HaLo and DJ Flash. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $15.

Check out "Never Stop Loving You from 9th Wonder's The Wonder Years and "The Life of Kings" from Phonte's Charity Starts at Home below.

Schoolkids to host Wilco listening party, Katharine Whalen & Aloud in-stores

With fall officially rolling in, Schookids Records in Raleigh has a few cool events going on at the store soon.

First, the store will host a listening party for Wilco's new album The Whole Love at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 26. There will be a raffle giving away some cool Wilco gear including a signed poster. The album will be released the following day, September 27, the same day that the band will play the Raleigh Amphitheater with Nick Lowe.

Hopscotch Day 2: 9th Wonder 'All Night'

All photos by Joanna Palmisano

We've got a little more Hopscotch Festival coverage for you. Photographer Joanna Palmisano has been kind enough to share some of her photos from the festival with us, starting with a set from 9th Wonder's big show at Lincoln Theatre on Friday, Sept. 10 featuring Raekwon, Kaze, Rapsody and many, many others. Enjoy a few photos from the big party below.

Check out a lot more Hopscotch coverage here.

The first SXSW 2010 bands announced, includes dBs

The South By Southwest music conference is still about four months away, but the first few hundred bands have just been announced. A nice little surprise is included in those initial names and that's The dBs. Also representing the Triangle will be 9th Wonder and My Dad Is Dead. There will undoubtedly be more local bands added in the months ahead. Check out the current list of bands here.

The 2010 SXSW music conference will be from March 17-21. The current price of a music badge is $675 until January 15.

9th Wonder remix on new Verve comp

Raleigh producer and former Little Brother member 9th Wonder has a remix featured on the new Verve//Remixed 4 compilation. The album features remixes of classic songs from the Verve label catalog including songs by Nina Simone, James Brown and Ella Fitzgerald among others. 9th Wonder remixes the classic Roy Ayers song "Everybody Loves the Sunshine."

Check out the Marlena Shaw song "California Soul" (mp3 no longer available) remixed by Diplo and Mad Decent.

Verve//Remixed 4 is out now. You can order the album here.