TOWN LOVE is an online art museum dedicated to celebrating the vibrant past and present of Northwest Hip-Hop. You can browse by artist or browse by year.

This gallery page is organized to highlight the creative work of

Artist: DJ Bles One

As you scroll, items are sorted from most recent to earliest.

A film about Northwest hip-hop from

DJ Bles Vs. BBoys

For hundreds of years, truffle hunters have searched remote forests for choice morsels which they could then turn around and sell for thousands of dollars. According to the most discerning fine diners, the flavors are exquisite, and canny Michelin chefs will go to great lengths to obtain the best truffles. In 2009 a 2.8 pound specimen sold at auction for $330,000 to a wealthy Hong Kong billionaire.

DJ blesOne is involved in a similar undertaking. Finding rare beats and serving them up in an epic ‘tasting menu’ of sounds has been his passion for close to thirty years. Mr. blesOne is a B-Boy-centric DJ who started putting out mixtapes in the mid 1990s. Two of his early mixes that gained wide appreciation were Portland Muthaf***a in 1996 and B-Boys B-Boy Forever in 1997. In 1998 he put together a massive collection of breaks and samples in a continuous mix called DJ Bles Vs. BBoys.

Bles has a hyperactive aesthetic all his own, and he evokes a 19th century one-man-band performer. He brings the full orchestra every time he makes a mix, there’s piano, guitars, strings, drums, and every other sound you can imagine. DJ Bles Vs. BBoys is a whirlwind of samples from the history of hip-hop, there are hundreds of different samples all combined into one delicious stew. It is the ultimate party mix, and it is surgically and architecturally designed for b-boy cyphers with rapid drums and exciting breaks hitting you one after the other.

The CD was re-released ten years later in 2008 with the following inscription from blesOne: “I’m rereleasing this CD because the last 10 years of my life would have been drastically different if this never came out. This mixtape somehow opened up the doors for me to travel, meet legends I’ve idolized, become known & respected in other countries & introduced me to some of the best friends I’ve ever had. I don’t know what I did to deserve this 10 year ride but I’m damn sure gonna celebrate it” DJ Bles Vs. BBoys is the three-star Michelin meal which you can enjoy again and again. Written by Novocaine132

DJ Bles Vs. BBoys was created in and features appearances from:

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Son of Action Breaks

Son of Action Breaks is a one-track, 28-minute romp from DJ Bles One through dialogue samples and funky-as-hell beats. You will be inspired to throw a house party just so you can play this record at it. And there will definitely be a moment when all your dancing guests will momentarily stop and say, “Does this need more cowbell?” I love Gifted Gab‘s surprise appearance at minute 22. The CD I’m holding is a limited-edition hand screen-printed version available on the Kings Without Crowns website.

Son of Action Breaks was created in and features appearances from:

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