NOLA Hope

This Is The Story of A One Man Army: Dee-1 Gives Back

2011-03-31T13:55:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, March 28th, New Orleans rapper Dee-1 visited the Safe Haven Community Center and the students of Home for Homework. The Center was packed with children and adults from the neighborhood who joined Home for Homework students for the event. Upon Dee-1′s arrival, the children rushed to meet him. “I didn’t expect such a warm welcome.” he said.

Dee-1 began by explaining that he ” has never thought it was okay” that his community faced so much violence and poverty.This is what distinguishes him from other rappers. He performed Jay, 50, & Weezy, which he said isn’t so much a critical song, as it is a “real” song.

He continued to explain that he wants to use his music to set an example for young people, emphasizing how writing can be a powerful tool.When he performed One Man Army, the whole audience joined him in the chorus, “I’m strapped with a pad/ my pen is my Gat/ a mask and a vest/ plus I’m dressed in all black./ With God by my side, so no man can harm me/ this is the story of a One Many Army.”

Dee-1 encouraged young writers in the audience to read as much as possible and not limit themselves to writing about just one topic or in one format. Finally, he discussed fighting. “You can always choose how to respond to others and every choice has consequences.” he said to the youth. Before leaving, he signed autographs for each person in the audience and handed out his CD.

As the students arrived the following day, “I’m strapped with a pad/ my pen is my Gat…this is the story of a One Man Army.” was chanted throughout the Center.

http://www.operationreach.org/2011/news/this-is-the-story-of-a-one-man-army/

An Inside Look at the Community Center of St. Bernard

2011-02-17T10:55:00.000-06:00

The Community Center of St Bernard is a grassroots nonprofit organization that serves survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in St Bernard Parish, Louisiana, and the surrounding area. The Community Center's efforts are focused on empowering families who want to rebuild their lives after Hurricane Katrina by providing them with direct local access to the factual information and practical resources they need in a safe and all-inclusive setting.

Having worked with the Community St. Bernard for several months, I have seen first hand the work they are doing on the ground. Originally established as a disaster-recovery agency after Hurricane Katrina, the Community Center has continued to adapt to meet the needs of local residents, who are now greatly impacted by the BP Oil Spill.

If you want to donate or learn more, please visit: www.ccstb.org

Dee-1: "One Man Army (Remix)" Official Video Makes Major Waves in the Music World

2010-12-09T20:03:00.000-06:00

Who would have thought hip-hop would provide the next wave of social entrepreneurs? We could not be more proud of this young New Orleans artist who is bringing positivity to the world on a massive scale. Just watch and see where Dee-1 takes hip-hop in the next few years, it is going to be epic.

If you are not usually into hip-hop, I strongly encourage you listening to this song anyway, because the lyricism and powerful message are enough to put goosebumps on almost anyone's arms. And to think he's from the 5-0-4... doesn't it just make you proud to be from New Orleans? It sure makes me proud. Now watch and listen...

Also, here are some of the other blogs and media outlets covering Dee-1's latest music; these are some major market influencers:

XXLmag.com
Worldstarhiphop.com
2Dopeboyz.com
Allhiphop.com
SOHH.com
Okayplayer.com
Pleasedontstare.com
MusicNerdery.com
RapReviews.com
NotorietyBeingANobody.com
ihiphop.com
Chopitupmag.com
The HipHop Chronicle (UK)

I definitely encourage y'all to 'buy his rookie card now, cause after this year, the price ain't going down'. Support good music. It's a cause like any other, with major influence on the way young people think and act. New Orleans is coming up in so many ways, and with Dee-1 on the up an up, there's one more thing we can be proud of claiming on behalf of the Crescent City.

Truth Universal "Serve & Protect" Video EXCLUSIVE!

2010-10-26T19:35:00.005-05:00

Video Link: http://truthuniversal.com/serveprotect
.MOV File: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TA5HFXJT

Just in time for October 22nd--the National Day of Action Against Police Brutality/Terrorism--Truth Universal presents the video "Serve and Protect." "Serve and Protect" is taken from Truth Universal's "Self-Determination" release. The song produced by beat smith N.O. Bricks, and the video is shot, directed and edited by Perez and Rome of Nickel Dime Studios.

"Serve & Protect" focuses on police accountability and examines the role of police force in the U.S. and the world. It is based on the book The Velvet Glove and the Iron Fist: An Analysis of U.S. Police by Tony Platt et al. (ISBN 0-935206-02-07) Truth uses personal experiences and observation to put this professional educational analysis into perspective. On the creation of the song and video Truth says, "I've been through quite a bit with police growing up in New Orleans. I've had firsthand experience with everything from outright harassment and assault, to wrongful incarceration at the hands of NOPD officers. It's easy to write an FTP song being Black, (to whatever degree) disadvantaged, and a resident of New Orleans. I wanted to bring something different to the table, and I feel I accomplished that by presenting the incidents in the song, questioning police motives, and attempting to intelligently answer those questions."

This song is dedicated to all of those who have been wrongfully victimized by police. Most of all, this song and video is dedicated to those innocent citizens who have lost their lives at the hands of police.

Build & Destroy,
-Truth Universal

Akoben Ologun
Truth Universal Public Relatons(TUPR)

Dee-1's "Jay, 50 & Weezy" Makes Waves in the Hip-Hop community

2010-10-08T00:06:00.004-05:00

New Orleans hip-hop artist, Dee-1, recently released a ground breaking video about a dream that he met Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Lil Wayne. The meeting starts off with Dee-1 making a humble introduction, rapping with a New Orleans accent "I grew up listening to all of y'all, from the Block is Hot, to 'Get Rich' to 'Blueprint' I bought it all". He addresses each artist and explains his opinion that basically with their level of success and power they could be doing a lot more to better the communities that support their music. He doesn't go so far as to "diss" the artists, as they have all earned their stature in their own right, but he makes a compelling case for more unity within the hip-hop's most elite circles.

Dee-1 is a force to be reckoned with. Is the mainstream ready for an artist like Dee-1? I think so. Dee-1 exemplifies the balance between flow, content, swagger, and passion that all of the greatest MC's have shown in one way or another. I think Dee-1's message actually allows him to reap massive benefits from potential sponsorships and endorsements as his image and lyrical responsibility make him an ideal candidate to reach a wider cross-over multi-generational audience.

This video is just the beginning. Expect to see more from this young lyrical impresario with his highly anticipated mixtape coming soon; "I Hope They Hear Me 2."

I think the world is finally starting to hear Dee-1, so get in on the ground floor, because we will all reap the benefits of his successes in the music industry. Maybe it will finally be cool again to rap about anything other than sex, drugs and money.

One.

www.dee1music.com
www.twitter.com/dee1music
www.facebook.com/dee1music

NOLA.COM: "New Orleans musicians create song, video to express views on Gulf of Mexico oil spill"

2010-07-30T20:00:00.006-05:00

Rusty Costanza, The Times-Picayune archive

New Orleans musicians create song, video to express views on Gulf of Mexico oil spill

Published: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 7:50 PM
viaNola.com

Shamarr Allen, Dee-1, Paul Sanchez and Bennie Pete from the Hot 8 Brass Band speak out on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in the song "Sorry Ain't Enough No More." The video can be seen here, and the song can be downloaded for free.

The video, directed by Allen, is partially set in Grand Isle. The music incorporates rap vocals, a verse from the folksier Sanchez and a trumpet solo.

New Dee-1 Video "No Applause"; Hits the Internet

2010-05-17T19:10:00.002-05:00

This video is very well produced, and the song goes hard! Dee-1 really shows what he can do on these top tier industry beats, and B. Mike of 2-Cent provides a professional backdrop to highlight Dee-1's marketable image.

Can't wait to see what's next on the agenda for Dee-1 and Brandon "B. Mike" Odums', "I HOPE THEY HEAR ME / I HOPE THEY SEE ME" Campaign. Enjoy!

New Dee-1 Mixtape Awakens Sleeping Fans, Critics

2010-04-20T15:23:00.001-05:00

Dee-1 expands his brand with latest batch of musical mastery

New Orleans, LA- On April 21st, 2010, New Orleans hip-hop artist Dee-1 will release his latest musical effort in the form of a mixtape entitled, “I Hope They Hear Me!”. Fans can download the new mixtape from www.dee1music.com this Wednesday, and Dee-1 is encouraging his fans to bootleg and burn copies in order to “share the wealth” with unfamiliar audiences. When it comes to a wealth of music, Dee-1 is living large.

After the rave reviews and undeniable response to his debut album release, “David & Goliath,” Dee-1 was happy but far from complacent with his early successes. Dee-1 is hitting his loyal fan base with an array of highly anticipated new recordings, and better yet, he is making it available for free download. While many new and old fans will be able to download the music free of charge (and share it virally), he will also be providing them with the option to “Donate” through a PayPal link on his website, allowing his most diehard fans to assign their own value to the project. This “Pay What You Will” model was made famous by Radio Head, however, it’s full potential has yet to be seen in the urban music market.

According to Dee-1, the new material “makes a statement” about his position in the rap game; a position which is continually rising higher and higher, though he is still being denied the recognition he deserves. While music critics and industry shot callers have clearly acknowledged Dee-1’s unique ability to blend lyrical content with mainstream appeal, they tend to underestimate his potential as a major driving force in the forthcoming renaissance of hip-hop music and culture. The demand for Dee-1’s brand of music is clearly there; any astute observer can see the growing indifference to typical terrestrial radio, the discontent with mediocre live performers and the hunger for new fresh sounds found throughout the underground blog sites and social networking sites. For more information, contact Fatima Aarabi by phone (504)-234-8958, email dee1management@gmail.com, or visit www.dee1music.com.

Dee-1 LIVE @ the Republic: NBA JAMS Throwback Night!

2010-03-02T18:59:00.005-06:00

If you missed Dee-1's last record breaking performance at Republic New Orleans, you definitely don't want to miss this one!

Dee-1 returns to the Republic with an NBA JAM's Throwback Night, performing with his live band.

Also, opening for Dee-1 is special guest comedian, Eric Patrick!

Show starts at 10pm so get there early to avoid the long lines!

Special basketballs autographed by Dee-1 will be awarded to the Top Three Best Dressed!

In case you missed the last big show, here is some video footage of his last performance at the Republic...

"Drew Brees for MVP" Says Dee-1 in his New Song

2009-12-17T13:19:00.002-06:00

From the artist that brought "Bring Em to the Dome" to the Who Dat Nation, comes an entirely new song for the Saints' own leader and quarterback, Drew Brees! Dee-1 does a great job (with production by Danny Kartel) on this new anthem-Drew Brees for MVP of the NFL!

Hit Saints Anthem Takes Who Dat Nation by Storm- "Bring Em to the Dome"

2009-12-01T19:05:00.002-06:00

New Orleans, LA, December 1st, 2009 - In the midst of an emerging trend of New Orleans Saints anthems, David “Dee-1” Augustine and Shamarr Allen’s “Bring ‘Em to the Dome” has risen to the top as a cross-over hit single. Blending jazz, rock and hip-hop into an appetizing musical gumbo, both artists have managed to bring together various influences and sub-cultures in New Orleans to create a universal anthem for the “Who Dat” nation.

Augustine and Allen collaborated on the song in early August with the hopes of releasing the song as the official Saints Anthem of the 2009-2010 season. After meeting with representatives of the Saints Organization and the Louisiana Superdome and pitching the song in hopes of gaining their official support, they quickly realized that they would first have to prove the songs’ potential in the New Orleans market.

Relying on Youtube and other social networking sites, along with dozens of live performances across the city, the word of mouth buzz quickly spread throughout New Orleans and the rest of the state of Louisiana. The Youtube video, under the same title, “Bring ‘Em to the Dome”, has jumped up to over 76,000 views and counting in just three short months. The Youtube phenomenon has collected hundreds of comments vowing loyalty and support for the Saints, including “Who Dats” declaring their encouragement via the internet from places as far as Utah, Hawaii, Florida and Connecticut. Clearly, this internet sensation has connected a New Orleans diaspora reaching far across the nation.

“Bring Em to the Dome” was the #2 most downloaded song in the world on CDBaby.com for three straight weeks in November, and it is now available on iTunes. Most recently, the popularity of the song has lead to officials at the Superdome finally acknowledging the song’s cross-over success, playing the anthem for the first time in the Superdome at the Saints’ home game versus the Carolina Panthers.

Allen and Augustine have both met a great deal of success in their music careers prior to the new anthem, allowing the song to quickly spread out from their fan bases to new listeners around Louisiana. Like any true Saints fans, they both hope to see their “Boys in the Black & Gold” make it to the Super Bowl this year- and of course the growing legacy of their new anthem would be icing on the cake.

For additional information on Dee-1 and Shamarr Allen, call Ben Brubaker at 504.615.2844, email nolascout@gmail.com, or visit www.myspace.com/dee1music and www.myspace.com/shamarrallenmusic.

Culture Shock: 9th Ward Global Festival

2009-11-16T14:52:00.001-06:00

Come support this event!

Entertainment, Youth Job Training, Health and Wellness Services...
9 Times SAPC Annual Parade, Poetry, Drumming, Fashion and More!

YOUTH FESTIVAL November 21st: 11am-7pm

Noon- G.W. Carver Sr. High Drum Section
1 pm- Ashe Cultural Arts Center Drum Cycle
2 pm- Sampson Park Sports Presentation
3 pm- Culu African Dance Company
4 pm- Creative Forces
5 pm- Hear the Message Tour
6 pm- Youth, City, Community, Sponsors
6:15 pm- 89 Boys
6:25 pm- POLO Society
6:50 pm- DEE-1

ADULT FESTIVAL November 22nd: 11am-7pm

11 am- Praise & Worship
12Noon- Dominion Life Ministries, Elder, Marlon Parker, Sr.
1:00 pm- Hear the Message Tour
2:00 pm- Traveler, Ben Hunter
3:00 pm- 3rd Annual Fashion Show, Greg Lpou, Red Lantern, Yb Fashions Hosts, Dionne Character & S. Nichols
5:00 pm- 9 Times SAPC Annual Parade, Ending of Sampson Park
5:15 pm- City, Community Leaders & Sponsors
5:45 pm- Ivoire Spectacle from West Africa
6:30 pm- Kermit Ruffin & the Barbeque Swingers

Contact: Karl Washington (504) 994-8459

New Saints Anthem, "Bring 'em to the Dome" by Dee-1 & Shamarr Allen

2009-09-15T15:09:00.003-05:00

Two of New Orleans most prominent young musicians, Dee-1 and Shamarr Allen, have recently released their highly acclaimed anthem for the New Orleans Saints, entitled, "Bring em to the Dome". Shamarr Allen is highly regarded as a jazz legend in the making, though his personal musical styles vary well beyond the traditional realms of music genres. This song is no exception. Shamarr and Dee-1 have managed to create a cross-over sound that appeals to the spirit of every New Orleanean, blending rowdy rock riffs with classic brass band and jazz influences, along with hard hitting hip-hop beats and rhymes.

Dee-1 and Shamarr have been working together for several projects now, including two tracks off of Shamarr's most recent album, "Box Who In?". Dee-1 has gained widespread success across the South and around the country after the release of his debut album, "David & Goliath", which also featured Shamarr's talented horn playing and rapping on their classic track, "Rebirth". Both albums are currently available on iTunes.

The new Saints anthem, "Bring em to the Dome", will be available on iTunes in the coming weeks, much to the delight of Saints fans around the state. Various New Orleans club DJ's and radio stations have already picked up the single, and they are currently playing the song on WWOZ, Q93, Power 102.9 and other stations.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SAINTS...

CALL IN AND REQUEST - "Bring em to the Dome" by Dee-1 & Shamarr Allen!!!

[Q93]- 504.260.9393
[Power 102.9]- 504.260.1029
[B97]- 504.260.9797
[WWOZ]- 504.568.1234
[WTUL]- 504.865.5885

More links for DEE-1:
www.dee1music.com
www.myspace.com/dee1music
www.reverbnation.com/dee1music

More links for SHAMARR ALLEN:
www.shamarrallen.com
www.myspace.com/shamarrallenmusic
www.reverbnation.com/shamarrallen

To Book Live Performances:
Email: shamarranddee@gmail.com
Phone: 504.473.8790 504.931.5519

World Star Hip Hop Exposed! Pt. 1

2009-09-08T16:52:00.002-05:00

This is crazzzzzzy. It just goes to show that you don't always get what you pay for, and people aren't always getting paid as much (or getting as much exposure) as it seems.

Flow Tribe & Dee-1: Live @ Bogie's Sept. 4th, 2009

2009-08-26T01:57:00.001-05:00

LSU's "Back to School Party" ft. Live Funk, Rock & Hip-Hop

Price: $5
Start Time: Friday, September 4, 2009 at 10:00pm
Location: Bogie's Bar
Street: 705 E. Boyd St., Baton Rouge, LA

Two of Louisiana's HOTTEST bands together in the same building for one of the BIGGEST back to school parties LSU has ever seen!

Flow Tribe has earned a reputation throughout Louisiana playing their unique brand of funk and jam-rock. Having headlined shows at the New Orleans House of Blues, and performed at events such as Jazz Fest, Flow Tribe's energetic live performances have earned them an ever growing following of loyal fans. They are a guaranteed crowd pleaser, and a staple in Tiger Land's live music scene.

www.flowtribe.com
www.myspace.com/flowtribe

Dee-1 is considered the #1 rising hip-hop artist in Louisiana. Recently, Dee-1 has opened up for the likes of Lil Wayne, Drake, Lupe Fiasco, Akon and many more. Last year, Dee-1 became the first Hip-Hop artist ever to win the LSU Battle of the Bands competition. Recently, Dee-1 won #2 Best Hip-Hop Artist (behind Lil Wayne) in the Gambit's "Best of New Orleans" Survey.

www.dee1music.com
www.myspace.com/dee1music

YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!!!

DRINK SPECIALS:
$4 double Jim Beam and Stoli
$1 shots after 12
$2.25 Imports and Domestics till 10
$4 Tall Calls till 10

Get ready for the night of your life!

The Living Legend Tribute Concert for MAC

2009-07-28T12:40:00.004-05:00

"Living Legend" by Dee-1
Directed by Brandon Odums

Mac was one of New Orleans' most prolific mc's ever. Now he is serving 30 years in prison for an unjust conviction to a crime he did not commit.9 years have passed already. Its time to act...

The Living Legend Tribute Concert for MAC
August 1st. @ Tipitina's

Ft. Dee-1, raj smoove, ef cuttin, truth universal, shamarr allen, blue orleans, new orleans' only hope, dj bigg cheeez,magnolia samm, popeye, and more!

Doors open at 9. $10
all proceeds go to McKinley "MAC" Phipps' legal defense fund

Benefit Concert for former No Limit Rapper, "Mac", August 1st at Tipitinas

2009-07-14T20:53:00.002-05:00

New Orleans, LA, July 7th, 2009- On August 1st, 2009, a collective of New Orleans hip-hop artists and activists will come together at Tipitina’s Uptown to pay tribute to the former No Limit Records artist, Mckinley “Mac” Phipps. In 2000, Phipps was charged with first-degree murder surrounding a controversial shooting at nightclub in Slidell, and was later sentenced to 30 years in prison. To this day, Phipps, along with friends, family, and eye witnesses at the scene of the crime still maintain his innocence, and after nearly 9 years of incarceration, they continue to fight the wrongful conviction of a New Orleans living legend. The August 1st tribute concert aims to raise and renew a city-wide awareness about Phipps’ case, with the ultimate hope of seeing the ruling overturned. The concert also aims to raise money; 100% of the proceeds will be donated to help support Phipps’ family and legal defense fund. The concert will be produced in partnership with 2-Cent Entertainment, along with various music, arts, and social change organizations in New Orleans. All of the artists involved will be donating their time and musical talent in a show of solidarity and support for Phipps, in recognition of his legacy as one of the most beloved and influential New Orleans hip-hop artists. The tribute concert will begin at 10 pm on August 1st, with the house doors opening at 9pm, and tickets will be sold for $10. The artist line up includes a diverse and talented array of musicians, representing some of the most popular contemporary New Orleans hip-hop artists, brass bands and musicians, along with legendary New Orleans DJ’s. The artist line up includes Dee-1, Shamarr Allen, Truth Universal with One Eye, DJ Raj Smoove, DJ EF Cuttin, the New Era Brass Band, Psychoward MC’s and more, to be announced soon. The concert is expected to draw in a massive crowd of long-time “Mac” fans and supporters.

Fundraising Goal: $5,000 +

for more info, visit:

www.tipitinas.com
www.dee1music.com

Power 102.9 FM Presents New Orleans "Generation Next" at the House of Blues, June 5th

2009-05-28T18:40:00.005-05:00

New Orleans, LA, May 28th, 2009 - New Orleans Hip-Hop and R&B radio station, Power 102.9 FM, will be hosting the first ever "Generation Next" showcase at the House of Blues Parish Room on June 5th, 2009. The concert will feature some of the top urban music artists in New Orleans, including Currensy, Raw Dizzy, Dee-1, Dappa, Kourtney Heart, Team Robot, Elysian Fieldz and 102.9's own, DJ Bombshell Boogie.

The headlining artist, Currensy, was recently featured in XXL magazine as one of the Top 10 Freshmen of 2009. Currensy recently released his new album, "This Aint No Mixtape", which is now available online. Currensy will be performing with special guest, Corner Boy P. The showcase will also feature Dee-1, a middle-school teacher turned rapper who has gained massive exposure through recent live performances with the likes of Lupe Fiasco, Lil Wayne and Akon. Dee-1 recently released his debut album, "David & Goliath", available in all Best Buy stores in Louisiana and online through iTunes.

Also performing on June 5th, is Raw Dizzy, who is best known for his hit single "Myspace (Work Ya Elbows)", several successful albums and mixtapes, and his work with Lil Wayne in the hip-hop group, "Squad Up". Dizzy's manager, producer and DJ, Raj Smoove, will also be performing with him at the concert. Kourtney Heart, another artist backed by Raj Smoove, recently won the "New Orleans Idol" competition at the monthly urban nightlife event, "First Fridays". Her single, "Spell It Out" is currently in rotation on Power 102.9 FM. At the age of 15, Kourtney is the youngest performer on the line up for June 5th, but she is recognized as one of the top R&B talents in the city.

Dappa and Team Robot will also be performing on June 5th, having gained a solid crowd of supporters through various live performances and mixtapes. Dappa recently opened for popular R&B singer, "the Dream", at the House of Blues. The "Generation Next" showcase follows the success of an earlier event produced by Flytracks Crew Marketing and Promotions in April at Tipitina's, called the "Hip-Hop Expo", which featured a similar line up of artists.

For additional information on New Orleans "Generation Next" concert, call Shiny Green at 504.319.4999, email hobnomarketing@yahoo.com, or visit www.hob.com.

Dee-1's Debut Album "David & Goliath" is a Smash Hit

2009-05-20T22:48:00.003-05:00

New Orleans, LA, May 20th, 2009 - New Orleans hip-hop artist, Dee-1, recently released his debut full length album entitled, "David & Goliath". Dee-1 first gained wide-spread media attention while performing with "the Hip-Hop Doc" in various schools in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge area. In January, major media outlets such as CNN, Billboard Magazine and HipHopdx.com, covered Dee-1 in his "mission" to uplift and inspire young students in Louisiana. Since then, Dee-1 has gained considerable exposure through a number of high-profile performances with artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Akon, Trey Songz, Drake & Lil Wayne.

Dee-1, also known as David Augustine, has been a middle school teacher in Baton Rouge for the past two years, but recently he has committed himself to his music career full time. His new album, "David & Goliath", includes 17 original songs, and features well known New Orleans artists such as Shamarr Allen, Raw Dizzy, and Elyzian Fieldz. The album was released on April 13th in all Best Buy locations in Louisiana, and it recently became available through iTunes, Amazon.com and other major music distribution websites. The album was met with positive reviews from fans and critics alike, and within the first two days it sold out at every Best Buy location in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Dee-1 released the album independently with the intention of "making a statement to the hip-hop world", and thus far it has received positive reviews from a number of blog sites, local news stations and industry tastemakers in the region. Dee-1 gained the support of two of New Orleans' top hip-hop tastemakers when former Cash Money DJ's, Raj Smoove and Mannie Fresh, verbally co-signed Dee-1 for his originality and talented lyricism. After the release of his album, Dee-1 was featured on New Orleans' top urban radio stations, including interviews with Power 102.9 DJ, Downtown Leslie Brown and Q93's DJ Wild Wayne.

Rachel Jones, a reporter for the major Baton Rouge news outlet, "The Advocate", covered the album release and noted that "One Man Army", one of the featured singles on the album, "became popular after Dee-1 performed it in his live sets, and the song resonated with his fans, eventually creating his 'One Man Army' nickname and the revolution behind this name". Dee-1's other singles, including "Rebirth" and "Queens", have been played weekly on the New Orleans Top 40 station, B97 for the past few months. Erin Frankenheimer, an on-air personality for B97 and a former A&R rep for Columbia Records, recognized Dee-1's potential to make waves in the music industry and has since featured him regularly on her show, "Face the Music".
For additional information on Dee-1's album, "David & Goliath", call Fatima Aarabi at 504.234.8958, email dee1management@gmail.com, or visit www.dee1music.com.

ABOUT HIP-HOP FOR HOPE - Hip-Hop for Hope is a New Orleans' based organization dedicated to helping raise money for New Orleans educational programming and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The organization hosts the largest hip-hop benefit concert in the state, now entering its 4th year running, and has raised close to $20,000 for local schools and education programs. The annual benefit concert takes place at Tipitina's Uptown (www.tipitinas.com) and has featured artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Baby Boy da Prince, Raw Dizzy, DJ Raj Smoove, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Partners N' Crime, and the Chopper City Boys. For more information visit www.hiphopforhope.org

- END -

Dee-1 Live @ Tipitina's with Jealous Monk and Alive, ft. Know One and the Able Chris

2009-05-11T17:20:00.001-05:00

Check out one of the best live hip-hop shows of the summer, this Friday at the legendary, Tipitina's Uptown. Dee-1 will be following up his highly celebrated performance with Drake and Lil Wayne last week with another show here in New Orleans, this time implementing the live music blend with the help of his friends in Jealous Monk and Alive!

If you havn't had a chance to catch Dee-1 in his element (the live concert) you need to find out what you've been missing! Jealous Monk always brings a great live show, blending funk and hip-hop in a New Orleans musical gumbo. Kevin O'Day's group, Alive!, is also a group to watch out for, delivering great hip-hop performances with the help of Know One and the Able Chris.

On top of all that, the CND Dance Asylum will be out in full effect, bringing back that oh-so-neglected element of hip-hop... DANCE! This show will be one for the history books, so don't miss out!

www.tipitinas.com
www.dee1music.com
www.myspace.com/dee1music
www.reverbnation.com/dee1

MeLo-X's "Mustafa's Renaissance": Album Review

2009-04-02T23:57:00.009-06:00

By Ben Brubaker
April 3rd, 2009

Brooklyn based artist Melo-X makes a strong statement with the eclectic and intricate, "Mustafa's Renaissance". The album blends some of the hottest lyricism out of New York in a minute with beats filled with heart and soul. His instrumentals feature a wide variety of well-known samples, though he revamps them with a jazz inspired intricacy in each composition.

The intro track on the album (also named "Mustafa's Renaissance") is like a brief portrait of the album at large, blending the nostalgic soul of classic hip-hop such as De La Soul with innovative flows and sounds that any new age hipster could vibe to. On the second track, "BoomClap", Melo first explains his musical background as a producer and then rips the beat with a laid back flow. Teaming up with Nikki Ntu and Theophilus London on the track, "Crumbs, Change & Hair Pins", Melo once again reflects the crossroads between classic and cutting edge. The beat is reminiscent of a Hi-Tek type of underground b-boy sensibility with Kanye-West-esque synths and layers. On "I Don't Rap", Melo-X aptly addresses some of the feedback and comparisons he often receives, saying "They say I look like him but I ain't trying to be 3000" and "I'm singing on tracks, I don't rap no more... That's what they say". He revisits the sample used on Jay-Z's "Roc Boys", and blends jazzy bells and horn flares to an already catchy melody. On "Keep the Faith", Melo-X spits real talk (with a flow akin to Kanye at his best) and captures the pressures and chaos of modern life with a beautiful blues sensibility in the lyrics and the melody of the hook. On "Incredible (Remix)", Melo kills the hard-hitting, synth-laced beat with the rhythmic speed of Twista and the swagger of Lil Wayne, or as he says, "Step into the booth, J Dilla's alive! I love the comparison, it's flatterin, cause my drum patters is similar to them rings around Saturn". For anyone who doubts Melo-X's ability to go in on a beat; this track should sufficiently put an end to all of those doubts.

Melo-X spits with the confidence and skill of a true veteran, and his career as a solo artist has certainly been a long time in the making, but as Melo spits, "I been making n*ggas put my verses on replay, and to think I'm only Mickey Factz' DJ". His track, "Just Me" blends a spaced-out spanish guitar with hard-hitting drum patterns, while his relaxed rhyme patterns once again create a blend of classic underground with more current club synth sounds over the chorus. His next track on the album, "Treat Her Right (And I Know)", might be one of his best. His vocal abilities as a singer give this beat a cool street aesthetic, while his lyrics tell a classic love story with a contemporary spin. "With You" is another shining example of Melo-X's musical and instrumental mastery, blending a smooth guitar riff with jazzy chord progressions and heartfelt vocals. His track, "The Peepz", is one of his coolest and most uniquely produced instrumentals, using the same soulful sample source as Common's, "The People" and creating an entirely new sound out of it. His lyrical crescendo towards the end of his last verse adds a dash of passion and enthusiasm, since clearly, as the sample says, "We're losing our minds".

On the instrumental segue "Neva Free", Melo-X once again captures the crossroads between Soul, Hip-Hop and new millennium grooves. The later half of the album is a diverse sampler of interesting instrumentals, House music remixes and an acoustic revisiting of "With You". On "Mustafa's Revenge", Melo's production skills give his rhyming ability a run for its money, with complex layering between intricate piano riffs and spacey saxophone melodies. Still he is more than capable of keeping up with the complexity of his beat with intricate storytelling and imagery, saying "deception is irrelevant when using your third eye". Overall, Melo-X's "Mustafa's Renaissance" picks up where our favorite hip-hop artists of the early 90's (Native Tongues, De La, Black Sheep, etc.) left off. It is hard to tell whether his rhyming outshines his production or vice-versa, but perhaps that's not such a bad thing. With a few more releases of this caliber and perhaps a few major features from some like-minded artists, MeLo-X could be on his way towards leading the new era of underground hiphop. Check out his myspace and blog below for more info about this hot up and coming artist.

http://www.myspace.com/meloxtra
http://melo-x.blogspot.com/

Melo-X / Mustafa's Renaissance Mixtape Trailer

Melo-X: "Welcome"

Melo-X - Keep Faith

http://www.myspace.com/meloxtra
http://melo-x.blogspot.com/

Dee-1: OFFICIAL "QUEENS" VIDEO

2009-03-28T22:23:00.001-06:00

New album, DAVID & GOLIATH, coming APRIL 13TH!!!!!

Call your favorite radio station and request the new single, DEE-1, "QUEENS" !!!!

B97- 504.260.9797
Q93- 504.260.9393
Power 102.9- 504.260.1029

www.dee1music.com
www.myspace.com/dee1music
www.reverbnation.com/dee1

Dee-1 on Reverbnation.com!

2009-03-25T01:13:00.001-06:00

G. Love & Special Sauce + Eric Hutchinson @ Tipitina's Uptown: February 18th, 2009

2009-02-12T14:44:00.006-06:00

Event Info

Host: Tipitina's

Start Time: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 9:30pm
End Time: Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 3:00am
Location: Tipitina's Uptown

Street: 501 Napoleon Ave. NOLA 70115
Phone: 5048918477
Email: www.tipitinas.com

Tipitina's has a reputation for bringing some of the best nationally touring acts to New Orleans, and this year, the Tipitina's Mardi Gras Line Up is no different. Representing Philadelphia with his funk-blues inspired acoustic jams, G. Love is a classic laid back rocker with a hint of a hip-hop flavor. In recent years, G. Love has developed strong musical relationships with artists like Jack Johnson and Donavon Frankenreiter. The show kicks off the Wednesday night before a long Mardi Gras week, setting the tone for concert filled weekend at Tipitinas. Check out G. Love's live version of "Rodeo Clowns" with Jack Johnson (below).

And if G. Love isn't enough to get you excited, then Eric Hutchinson certainly is another reason to come check out this concert. Singing with the swagger and skill of a young Jason Mraz, and having laid his claim to fame with a series of popular youtube videos, Eric Hutchinson brings the term "Acoustic Soul" to a whole new level. As the story goes, one of Eric's high school friends sent an email to Perez Hilton with some of his music, which Hilton then posted on his popular blog, helping Hutchinson jump up to the top 10 on iTunes next to Kanye West. Check out one of Eric Hutchinson's youtube videos below...

Hip-Hop for Hope 2008: "Rebirth" by Dee 1 ft. Rebirth Brass Band

2008-11-07T12:39:00.000-06:00

Tickets for Hip-Hop for Hope 2008 are on sale now! www.tipitinas.com

Hip-Hop for Hope 2008: "Change" by Raw Dizzy ft. Cupid

2008-10-27T20:37:00.001-06:00

Tickets for Hip-Hop for Hope 2008 are on sale now! www.tipitinas.com

New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope 2008: November 8th @ Tipitinas!

2008-10-16T16:30:00.004-05:00

3rd Annual New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope @ Tipitina's Uptown,11/8/08!
Tickets for Hip-Hop for Hope 2008 are on sale now! www.tipitinas.com

Tickets for Hip-Hop for Hope 2008 are on sale now! www.tipitinas.com

New Orleans Student-Driven Community Music Coalition Announces 3rd Annual “Hip-Hop for Hope Benefit Concert”

October 14, 2008 – New Orleans, LA - On Saturday, November 8th, 2008, a coalition of students, community leaders and music industry professionals, in partnership with organizations at Tulane University and New Orleans Upward Bound, will host the 3rd annual "New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope Benefit Concert".

What: The 3rd Annual “Hip-Hop for Hope Benefit Concert: A Fundraiser for Upward Bound will feature some of the most popular Hip-Hop artists and D.J.s from New Orleans and beyond. This event will feature expressions of hip-hop culture in the form of MC's, DJ's, break dancing performances by the Royal Flush Dance Crew and live graffiti art. All proceeds go towards educational programming through Upward Bound in New Orleans. The event is open to the public and all are invited to come participate in what will surely be an extraordinary experience and a positive beacon of hope for the greater New Orleans community. Producers include New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope www.hiphopforhope.org, HereWeGo Entertainment (www.herewegoent.com), and Tipitina's Uptown www.tipitinas.com
When: Saturday, November 8, 2008 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Where: Tipitina’s Uptown
501 Napoleon Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70115
Office: (504) 895-8477
Admission is $10, ages 18 and up.
Tickets for Hip-Hop for Hope 2008 are on sale now! www.tipitinas.com

Who: 2008 Artist Line-Up includes...

Raw Dizzy
DJ Raj Smoove
Rebirth Brass Band
Truth Universal w/ One Eye & DJ EF Cuttin
Know One & Kevin O'Day Present Hip-Hop Alive!
Nutt Da Kid
The Show
Dee 1
Sess 4-5
Cypher
Jimi Clever
J-Dubble
Big Dyce
Royal Flush Dance Crew
And Special Guests

For more information about Hip-Hop for Hope 2008, visit our website: www.hiphopforhope.org

T.I. "Paper Trail" Review- Q93 Listening Party

2008-09-29T17:08:00.001-05:00

By Ben Brubaker

T.I. Paper Trail Review- Private Listening Party

A small crowd gathered in a first floor conference room at the Clear Channel radio station, talking quietly amongst themselves in anticipation of the events soon to follow. Just as the crowd began to grow restless, the doors opened up and the Grand Hustle entourage walked in, followed by the station's top radio personalities, the "Q93 Boys". The crowd quickly focused their gazes upon two figures; Grand Hustle's up and coming Atlanta based artist, Big Kuntry King, and of course, the "king" himself, T.I.

Tulane sophomore, "DJ" Miles Felix, stood poised behind a set of turntables in the back corner, and immediately cued T.I.'s latest chart-topping single, "Whatever You Like". After a short introduction, T.I. took the microphone and , with a gentle confidence, thanked the audience members for attending the event. Atlantic Records representatives made another quick announcement that no video recording would be allowed, due to the threat of possible album leaks.

Standing next to DJ Felix alongside the turntables, T.I. proceeded to introduce never-before-heard songs from his new album, "Paper Trail", which dropped on September 30th. T.I. gave some brief background information about each track, explaining, for example, how his recent felony-gun possession case and subsequent sentencing of one year in prison had given him a new perspective on the world and the music he creates. He followed this introduction with the song, "You Ain't Missin Nothing"; a heartfelt look at the experiences of prison inmates and their relationship with the outside world. The song touched upon the difficulty of prison life, which T.I. is soon to encounter first-hand, while still focusing more on the notion that despite his time away, the people he loves and the world he knows will still be there waiting for him upon his release.

T.I. followed up this song with a soon-to-be classic, the recently released "Swagga Like Us", which features rap legends Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne, over a revamped sample of the popular M.I.A. song, "Paper Planes". Following in the vein of revamped pop classics, T.I. moved on to yet another classic in the making; "Live Your Life", which features Rihanna singing over a sample of the popular dance track "Dragostea din tei" (also known as the Numa Numa dance) by O-Zone.

T.I.'s new album, "Paper Trail", contains a diverse range of sounds and subjects, however, the common themes throughout the album seem to be the refined "popular appeal" of his samples, and an increased awareness of real world issues which seems to stem from the artist's imminent prison time. The album is one of T.I.'s strongest releases in years, thanks in part to the star-studded list of featured artists and producers, including Rihanna, Usher, The Dream, Lil Wayne, Fall Out Boy, Kanye West, B.O.B, John Legend, DJ Toomp, Swizz Beatz, Danja & Drumma Boy.

Perhaps even more striking than the quality of his latest musical efforts was the way in which T.I. interacted behind the scenes at the private listening party. As the mainstay of Atlantic Records' Atlanta-based sub-label, "Grand Hustle", T.I. is not only a musical powerhouse, but also a business man. Just prior to the event, T.I. requested to meet with the station manager personally; though it was not his album he was most concerned about. Instead of focusing on his own radio spins, the superstar requested the meeting in order to lobby on behalf of his Grand Hustle label-mates, Big Kuntry King and New Orleans legend, B.G.

Knowing full-well that prison would soon limit his ability to generate income, T.I. set out to make sure that his label would continue to grow and thrive. Grand Hustle is a powerhouse in the world of independent labels, however its success seems intrinsically tied to the young rapper's star status and popularity. T.I. wanted to make sure that while he was gone serving his time, his label-mates would be able to continue to grow in their own careers. Still, with the superb quality of the "Paper Trail", T.I. is in a good position to maintain his career in spite of all the challenges he faces, as top industry analysts predict this release has the potential to break Lil Wayne's "Carter III" sales records.

Pictures:

Soul Capital, Flow Tribe & My Name is John Michael: Live at the Howlin Wolf- September 13th, 2008

2008-09-09T19:16:00.002-05:00

FLOW TRIBE, MY NAME IS JOHN MICHAEL & SOUL CAPITAL!

Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 9:30 pm

Location:
The Howlin Wolf
828 South Peters
New Orleans, LA

Come see the Best Live College Bands in the City!

This is one show you don’t want to miss! Come find out why the city is buzzing over these up and coming artists. Whether you like funk, hip-hop or alternative, there is something in it for everyone! Look to get there early as DJ Miles Felix will be spinning on the 1's and 2's to start off the show. You might even get lucky and catch the drink special...

These bands are showing a lot of promise and definitely deserve a look and a listen. With original music, inventive concepts and energetic live shows, Flow Tribe, Soul Capital and My Name is John Michael have already won over a large part of the New Orleans college crowd. Now they are just waiting to take it to the next level...

www.mynameisjohnmichael.com
www.myspace.com/flowtribe
www.myspace.com/soulcapital

Mos Def to Headline Benefit Concert for Black August @ Tipitina's: August 28th, 2008

2008-08-19T21:18:00.004-05:00

Tipitina's has a knack for surprising the city with legendary, once in a lifetime shows... This one is a perfect example. While Tipitina's is a venue not especially known for Hip-Hop music (aside from the annual Hip-Hop for Hope Benefit Concert and the occasional visit from the likes of Galactic, Charlie Tuna, Atmosphere, Devin the Dude, and others), it has the undeniable potential for anything legendary and unforgettable.

This Benefit Concert for the Black August movement represents a continued shift in New Orleans when it comes to the underground hip-hop scene here in the city. The support for this type of music has grown, despite the population drop after the storm, and benefit concerts of this nature continue to remind all of the true hip-hop heads in New Orleans that change is possible.

The line up promises for a diverse, yet collectively moving series of performances. The headliner, Mos Def, has been a strong advocate for the people of New Orleans after the storm. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, Mos Def recorded the song "Katrina Clap", which was an emotionally charged remix of the classic Juvenile track, "Nolia Clap". Right after the Jena 6 protests, Mos traveled around with the young and talented crew of 2-Cent Entertainment, who showed him some of the devastation from the storm that has yet to be addressed. Mos gave heartfelt interviews on camera for 2-Cent's television show, but as impressive as his passionate opinions and beliefs were in the interview, I was most impressed with the fact that he was such a real and genuine person to actually care enough about the issues to come down and see New Orleans for himself.

Aside from the overwhelming excitement surround Mos' headlining spot, the rest of the line up is one you won't want to miss. Def Jam Poetry veteran, and New Orleans resident, Sunni Patterson will be performing some of her work. Sunni's work as a spoken-word artist and activist in the city has earned her the respect of many within the hip-hop and poetry community alike.

New Orleans most respected veteran underground artist, Truth Universal, will be a great addition to the night. His most recent album release, "Self-Determination", earned a positive review in the Source Magazine last month, and has most definitely helped bring much-deserved but long overdue attention his way.

Before all of that happens, you don't want to miss the performances by Sess 4-5, Gabrilla Ballard & Elleguae. Sess 4-5 is an icon for the streets of New Orleans, having recently opened up his record store, Nothing But Fire Records. Sess's work with the store and his success with his monthly music industry conference with DJ Wild Wayne has only served to solidify his place as a major contributor to the hip-hop community of New Orleans. And what of his music? ....Nothing But Fire.

Don't miss this once in a lifetime concert, Thursday August 28th, 2008 at Tipitina's Uptown. Buy your tickets now! This one is going to sell out fast. This Black August concert has been all around the world, including Cuba and countries in Africa and beyond. It is rare that New Orleans gets this type of event for the underground community, but I am glad to see that people like Mos Def havn't forgotten about us. I will see you there!

CHECK OUT DIZZY AKA RAW D.I.'s NEW VIDEO!!!!!!!

2008-07-02T15:10:00.002-05:00

CAN'T SIT STILL

THE NEW ALBUM "ON THE INSIDE LOOKING OUT" COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!

WWW.RAWDIZZY.COM
MYSPACE.COM/DIZZYAKARAWDI
WWW.PCOENT.COM
P.C.O. ENTERTAINMENT

"UP NEXT VOL. 1 MIXTAPE"- Local DJ and Press-Media Listening Session

2008-06-30T12:15:00.004-05:00

Contact: Joy Young FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Glamorous Entertainment
Cell: 337.308.3223
Email: glamorousent@yahoo.com

"UP NEXT VOL. 1 MIXTAPE"- Local DJ and Press-Media Listening Session

Baton Rouge, LA, July 15, 2008- The "Up Next" Vol. 1 mixtape was conceived during the first quarter of 2008 to serve the purpose of helping talented up and coming artists gain exposure to advance them to the next level of their careers. Kevin Gates, Il Duce, J. B. August, Young Gage, Lil Boxx, and J Real from Baton Rouge, LA and others such as Tee Brown, Edge & Foley, Black Vynm and Black Casper from other major cities are some of many artists featured on this mixtape. The plans for the "Up Next" project extend beyond the CD itself. A recorded showcase will be in the works for all featured artist on this mixtape. The showcase will lead to the production of the "Up Next" Vol. 1 DVD, which will be the next promotion following the CD.

Calling all Capital City DJs and Press-Media. LaMuse Entertainment, Glamorous Entertainment, and Beat Flippa's Trend Setters Studio have teamed up to present to the city of Baton Rouge the hottest mixtape of the summer at the "Up Next" Vol. 1 Local DJ and Press-Media Listening Session. This event will take place at Trend Setters Studio, located on 2035 Wooddale Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA, 70806, from 5:30-7:30pm.

The "Up Next" Vol. 1 listening session is your opportunity to be the first to get exclusive interviews, mixtape drops, and photo opportunities from these talented up and coming artists.

For more information regarding this listening session and for media inquires please contact Joy Young/Glamorous Entertainment at 337.308.3223 or glamorousent@yahoo.com

Please send your RSVP to glamorousent@yahoo.com

Plies: Definition of Real on HipHopGalaxy.com

2008-06-29T23:13:00.000-05:00

Plies
Album : Definition Of Real
Release Date : 6/10/2008

Slip N Slide Records

Review :

Success hasn’t changed Plies ; it has just made him more real. After selling over a half million copies of his 2007 debut album, "THE REAL TESTAMENT," the rapper hailing from the streets of Fort Myers, Florida returns with the release of his sophomore set, "DEFINITION OF REAL." "I feel like what I try to stand for in this game and what I reflect and represent is the extinct individuality in terms of being real," explains Plies. "It was only right for me to embody my sophomore album with the whole definition of what I like to call real. It’s a term that I looked up and I dissected and I feel like it fits me as a person ; better than any term I ever ran across."

Led by a pair of powerful singles, Plies has created an unstoppable movement with "Bust It Baby, Part 1" and "Bust It Baby, Part 2." The two-part ode to the women who have supported the rapper’s career goes beyond mere radio records. Instead, Plies has an unprecedented marketing campaign that is sure to keep him at the forefront of hip-hop. The first installment of the series is a southern-cooked dedication to the rapper’s faithful female fan base, while the second part is a largerthan- life tribute featuring production from JR Rotem and an infectious hook by R&B superstar Ne-Yo. If 2007’s "Shawty" was a pop-hit with a ghetto twist, then "Bust It Baby, Part 2" is that to the tenth power.

Still, don’t expect too many features on the album, as Plies pledges to give his fans exactly what they pay for. "There ain’t no other rappers on my album, that’s important for me. I don’t believe in having seven or eight features on an album - to me that’s a compilation album." So, much like Plies’ debut album, "DEFINITION OF REAL" only boasts R&B features. "I think I’m alright when it comes to talking about certain issues, so I don’t really need the support of n****s to help me fulfill that vision.

"I never try to be defined by how many records I sell. I think it’s more important for my mark to be made on what I stand for," says Plies.

Track listing

1. I’m Da Man feat. Trey Songz -
2. Ol’ Lady -
3. Bushes -
4. Worth Goin FED Fo -
5. Dat Bitch -
6. Somebody (Loves You) -
7. Feel Like Fucckin -
8. Watch Dis -
9. Who Hotter Than Me -
10. 1 Day -
11. Bust It Baby (Part 2) feat. Ne-Yo -
12. Shit Bag -
13. Please Excuse My Hands feat. Jamie Foxx, The-Dream -
14. Rich Folk -
15. #1 Fan feat. Keyshia Cole, J. Holiday

http://www.hiphopgalaxy.com/Plies-Definition-Of-Real-hip-hop-7020.html

Raw Dizzy- Music Now Available on ReverbNation.com

2008-06-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

THE URBAN EDGE AT POTLUCK: 6/7/08 Audio Conference Comes to New Orleans

2008-05-23T17:13:00.005-05:00

THE URBAN EDGE AT POTLUCK: June 7th, 2008

The PotLuck Audio Conference--formerly TapeOpCon--returns to New Orleans June 6-8 at the Sheraton (500 Canal St.). This week, the Producers and Engineers wing of the Recording Academy announced that it will sponsor "The Urban Edge" as a part of the conference. Saturday, June 7, there will be a series of sessions focusing on contemporary R&B and hip-hop. "Exploring Hustle & Flow: Urban Hip-Hop in Film-Making" will feature speakers Scott Bomar (film score composer and music director) and Slice Tee (who remixed tracks for Hustle & Flow). "In Their Own Words: Urban and Hip-Hop Producers Discuss Their Craft" will be moderated by Dan Workman (Beyoncé, Destiny's Child, Lyle Lovett, and ZZ Top) with panelists Kapone, Billy Hume (Ludacris, Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, Will Smith), Ralph Sutton (Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder), Carlton Lynn (Aretha Franklin, Leona Lewis, Usher, TLC), Jimmy Douglass (Timbaland's main engineer), and Raj Smoove, who is best known for his work with Cash Money Records and Lil' Wayne. Registration for the Urban Edge panels is $20 at the Sheraton. For more information, contact the Recording Academy's Memphis Chapter at (901)-525-1340 or email memphis@grammy.com. Special registration rates for the conference are available for students, groups, Louisiana residents and returning attendees. Check the PotLuck Web site for details.

http://www.blog.potluckcon.com/

Floopy Head & Common Sense @ Tipitina's

2008-05-23T16:56:00.000-05:00

Rolling Stone: "Breaking Artist to Watch: Estelle"

2008-05-14T18:57:00.004-05:00

Breaking Artist to Watch: Estelle
November 21, 2007 12:34 PM

WHO Talk about a self-made star: British singer-rapper Estelle spent her childhood "flipping secular music to gospel" with her eight siblings. "We'd take Brandy's 'Best Friend' and make it about God being your best friend," says the twenty-seven-year-old West London native, born Estelle Swaray. Years later, she took a job at a London record shop frequented by stars like Talib Kweli, and started making her own rap albums. But local labels were baffled by her unique style. "That's been the story of my career," Estelle says, sighing. " 'We don't know what to do with you because it's not been done before.' So I just do it myself."

SOUND Estelle started a label, released mix tapes and approached a pre-College Dropout Kanye West cold after spotting him outside Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles in Los Angeles. Kanye hooked her up with John Legend, and the two R&B singers hit it off at a studio the next day, and later collaborated on The 18th Day, her debut full-length, which got play nearly everywhere but the States. Together, Legend and Estelle also prepped her forthcoming album, Shine, the first release on Legend's Homeschool Records. Kanye, Mark Ronson, Swizz Beatz and Cee-Lo make cameos on the disc, which swings with the boogie funk of "American Boy" and reggae-rooted tracks like "Magnificent."

REMINDS ME OF . . . When Estelle jumps from singing the hook of the Will.i.am-produced soul-hop single, "Wait a Minute (Just a Touch)," into a laid-back but feisty rap, it's nearly impossible not to mouth the words "Lauryn Hill" — even Wyclef Jean says Estelle's an artistic dead ringer for the Fugee. But Legend says his protégé holds her own creatively. "I think because she's West African and West Indian and British, that unique blend comes through in the eclectic nature of the album," he says.

Cementing that point, Estelle reveals, "Freddie Mercury is my dude, and I loved Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith and Duran Duran." And if that sounds like a strange combination of influences to you, she doesn't really mind. "Love me or hate me, who gives a damn?" she says with a laugh. "I'm a real chick."

>> Watch every episode of our weekly New Breaking Artist video podcast by subscribing via iTunes (when prompted, click "Launch application"). Every Wednesday, an exclusive video profile of an emerging artist will be delivered to your iTunes. [If you don't have iTunes, download it here.]

http://www.rollingstone.com/blogs/breaking/2007/11/breaking-artist-to-watch-estel.php

Lupe Fiasco "The Cool"- Album Review

2008-05-02T06:09:00.004-05:00

By Ben Brubaker

Lupe Fiasco's sophomore album, "The Cool", represents a new era in popular hip-hop. Some of you may be wondering, 'why review an album only now that was released in December'? The answer: I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all. "The Cool" has far more to offer than meets the ears of the casual listener.

Part of Lupe's artistic genius is his ability to layer his music and lyrics, appealing first to the popular consumer (perhaps, to appease the industry execs), then to the average hip-hop head, then to the true Lupe fans, and ultimately, to his own sensibilities.

Upon the first few listens, much of "The Cool" would appeal to almost any hip-hop fan, even crossing over to fans of other genres. The main thing about "The Cool" that impresses me is the overall balance, in a number of ways. Lupe recaptures, and more importantly, reinvents the traditional notion of an "album" with a coherent style and concept, setting "The Cool" apart from many contemporary artists whose albums are more like a single or two amidst a collection of "filler" tracks. Lupe puts forth an eclectic effort that speaks to the multi-dimensionality of the human spirit as well as the multi-faceted nature of hip-hop.

Despite the diverse array of songs on "The Cool", Lupe is able to employ themes, motifs and a unique musical "mode" or overarching tone that unifies the album overall. "The Cool" has its share of hot singles that you might hear in the club, like "Go Baby" and "Hi-Definition" featuring Snoop Dogg. Still, Lupe reaches out to more sensitive listeners with low key, introspective tracks such as "The Fighters" with Matthew Santos,and "Streets On Fire". Lupe is also able to put forth danceable tracks that still contain powerful lyrical content, exemplified by his follow up single "Hip-Hop Saved My Life", featuring Nikki Jean. For all the backpackers and underground hip-hop fans, Lupe deconstructs the contemporary state of the hip-hop industry with songs like "Dumb It Down", "The Coolest' and "Put you on Game". Lupe is an anomaly in the hip-hop industry. After a successful debut album, "Food & Liquor", Lupe has since vowed to bow out of the music industry after the completion of his third album, "L-U-P-END".

Lupe's single off the new album, "Superstar", embodies the stylistic innovation, internal tensions, and cross-over appeal found throughout the entire album. Despite its popular "hit single" packaging, I read "Superstar" as a commentary on the entertainment industry and how fame and fortune often lead to skewed priorities and distorted perspectives. It is one thing for an artist to voice their disillusionment at the industry on an obscure track, but Lupe exploits this tension and the pressure to sell records by addressing these issues on the very "hit single" the industry executives were pressuring him to create. Lupe employs the juxtaposition of various
conflicting images and ideas to create a complex tension in the lyrics, while simultaneously allowing the listener to interpret the meaning in a number of relevant ways. While much of Lupe's lyrical content seems intentionally suggestive and open to interpretation, there is still something very concrete that comes across in his message.

Whether intentional or otherwise, "The Cool" is reminiscent of the stylistic shift in the jazz era from the more popular "be-bop" formula to the more spacious, nuanced "Cool Jazz" movement, made famous by the legendary Miles Davis. The hip-hop aesthetics are still entirely present in "the Cool", but they have been reshaped and reborn into a new sound; a phenomenon which is, sadly, all to rare in today's hip-hop industry.

www.neworleansfiasco.blogspot.com

Estelle Review on AllHipHop.com!

2008-04-28T22:20:00.004-05:00

By Jonathan Reyes

It’s John Legend’s protégé! In the context of music today, some might say it took him a little long to give all-due shine to Estelle, who co-wrote on Once Again.

English-native Estelle can now join the English-female artist invasion that was headed by Winehouse and Lily Allen.

The buzz around Estelle revolved heavily on Lauryn Hill comparisons because of her rapping/singing abilities. With the dropping of Shine, the comparison can come to a screeching halt.

Less Lauryn Hill and more Lily Allen singing and of Natalie Stewart (former Floetry member) rapping can sum up the vocal familiarity in Estelle.

Shine has on board the typical array of writers, producers and features you would expect from a new artist with strong backing. Kanye West features on “American Boy” throwing raps over a disco-beat that was a musical track called “Impatient” on Will.I.Am’s solo project.

With a little creativity and signature, Estelle made it into her debut single, and what many know her for. Never has a foreign artist’s commitment to woo us Americans been so unconcealed – “…take me to NY, I’d love to see LA.”

Grammy winning John Legend co-writes 9 out of 12 tracks, makes a couple of audible backing vocals, and a feature with “You Are.” You guessed right, a love song. You wouldn’t be able to guess other wise if it weren’t for the lyrics.

It’s difficult to get any feeling from the songs, as Estelle’s infliction only leads you to believe that she’s singing. It’s still a sultry combination as Estelle and Legend’s tones intertwine coolly.

As the flagship artist for John Legend’s label “Old School Records” Estelle dabbles into very familiar sounds, like the neo-soul “Back In Love” with speak-sing vocals that sound like Jilly from Philly.

“In The Rain” plays with a sample loop that may take you back to last year on Lily Allen’s debut album. If you listen closely, both Lily and Estelle could sing that track. What happened? No duet?

Estelle covers pop/R&B, Hip-Hop, and reggae ground and swings it out of the park when the focus is on reggae.

The Supa Dups produced “Come Over,” the Mark Ronson produced “Magnificent,” “More Than Friends” and “No Substitute Love” (sampling George Michael’s 1988 hit “Faith”) really carves out Estelle’s uniqueness– and the fact that she might have just made an album for the 2008 summer season.

Ultimately, it’s all very English pop with a tad bit of Caribbean zest. For that, kudos are in order for an original combination.

Estelle: Shine Album Review
Published Monday, April 28, 2008 9:00 AM

Web Link:
http://allhiphop.com/stories/alternativesreviews/archive/2008/04/28/19698233.aspx

DJ MIles Felix: A Snapshot

2008-03-22T00:17:00.005-06:00

About Miles:

Activities:
~Soul Capital
~FlyTracks Crew
~South Pa' Music
~DJ @ the Palms
Broadway & Freret,
New Orleans, LA
~Drums/Piano in the
Keep Moving Project

Interests:
Music/ Soul Capital
DJ, Producer, Drums,
Percussion, Piano

WWW.REVERBNATION.COM/SOULCAPITAL

Favorite Music:
Hip-Hop, Funk, Reggae, Jazz

Favorite Artists:
Nas, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Guru, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, X-Ecutionors, DJ Premier, Gangstarr, Devin the Dude, Jay-Z, MF DOOM, Camp Lo, CunninLynguists, De La Soul, Black Moon, Mobb Deep, Soul Capital, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Nate Dogg, Jadakiss, Styles P, The LOX, Dipset, Toots and the Maytals, Nappy Roots, Atmosphere, Jurassic 5, Chali 2na, Scarface, Wyclef, Xzibit, 9th Wonder, Buckshot, 40 Cal, The Game, A Tribe Called Quest, Aesop Rock, Afroman, Afu Ra, Baby Blak, Beatnuts, Outkast, Andre 3000, Big Boi, Big L, Big Pun, Black Eyed Peas, Bob Marley, Boot Camp Clik, Brother Ali, Buju Banton, Boom Shaka, Beenie Man, Bumpy Knuckles, Freddy Foxx, Cali Agents, Planet Asia, Cee-Lo, Bone Thungs-n-Harmony, Cassidy, Ludacris, Pharrell, Timbaland, T.I., Sizzla, Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon The Chef, RZA, U-God, Capone-n-Noreaga, Coolio, C-Rayz Walz, Cut Chemist, DJ Danger Mouse, Collie Budz, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Max Roach, Madlib, J Dilla, Jaylib, Danger Doom, AZ, B.G., Baba Alade, Beat Conductor, Burning Spear, Quasimoto, MOP, O.C., Big Shug, Black Star, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Peter Tosh, Diamond D, Dead Prez, The Beat Junkies, J-Live, Kid Capri, Pete Rock, INI, People Under The Stairs, Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples, Grand Puba, Sadat X, Jimmy Cliff, Bunny Wailer

Favorite Movies:

scarface
deja vu
usual suspects
HIP-HOP 4 HOPE

Favorite Quotes:

“One good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain”
Bob Marley

"I live by the beat like you live check to check
If you don't move yo' foot then I don't eat, so we like neck to neck"
-Andre 3000

“So as sure as the sun will shine,.
I'm gonna get my share now of what's mine
And then the harder they come the harder they'll fall, one and all.”
Jimmy Cliff

"“I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing.
Through every dark night, theres a bright day after that.
So no matter how hard it get, stick your chest out, keep ya head up.... and handle it.”
2pac

Equipment Used:

Korg KONTROL49 Midi Studio Controller
Reason
Pro Tools
Fruity Loops
Audacity
Stanton T-120C Turntables
Denon DN-X-100 Mixer

Website:

http://www.soundclick.com/mfelix42

Greenspan Video

2008-03-20T14:23:00.002-06:00

GREENSPAN SPIT 16 from jamar on Vimeo.

This is another opportunity to display talent. This time its for the recognition of unsigned HYPE!!!

*GREENSPAN* carefully creates vivid depictions of life experiences and desired progression.

*GREENSPAN*, born October 14, 1985 in Baltimore Maryland. He developed an interest in music and entertainment at an early age, and began writing songs and playing piano in elementary school. As a teenager, He acquired a desire for acting and subsequently landed several roles in various productions. During his high school years, he developed an interest in politics and money. He began studying in these fields and was inspired by the works of Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of the United States. Dawkins is purpose driven and understands that improvements must be made in his life; thus his phrase Keep It Movin, Hustle Improvin became a way of life for him. He continues his studies in areas of finance, business and theater, as he steps closer to attainment.

After writing numerous songs with his cousin, he realized that recording and performing his original music was what he wanted to pursue as a career. Greenspan got his first performing experience on the first volume of the DVD produced by One Love (Clothing Company). Unsatisfied with his performance and delivery Green became determined to step his game up and display his talents as a recording artist. Greenspan describes his music as being very expressive. He describes his inner most feelings and thoughts in every song that he writes. For example, in the song entitled "Feel Inside" Greenspan says ...20, I got some pain in me/ my music show my scars stating his age and describing the many trials he faced in his lifetime, that is also displayed in the song entitled "Innovation". He shows his versatility and style in songs such as "Gucci Slippers" and "Searching". As an artist, his love for music will never die and his desire to be involved with entertainment business grows stronger with every song he writes. He knows that he has something special to bring to the table that hes ready to display to the world.

www.myspace.com/fdrgreenspan
www.greenspanmusic.blogspot.com
http://www.rhapsody.com/greenspan

Article and Video Courtesy of:

Armstead "CJ" Jones
Atlantic Urban College Network
Street and Lifestyle Promotions
Baltimore
Media Consultant
Mydisplay Media Marketing & Promotions LLC

The New School of Hip-Hop: A Fusion of Funk, Jazz and Lyricism

2008-03-20T10:03:00.002-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Ben Brubaker

South Pa’ Promotions/ Tipitina’s Uptown

Tel: (504) 895-8477 
Fax: (504) 891-7996

southpamusic@gmail.com

www.tipitinas.com

The New School of Hip-Hop: A Fusion of Funk, Jazz and Lyricism

New Orleans, LA, March 19th — On Saturday, April 5th, 2008, Tipitina’s Uptown is proud to present Kevin O’Day’s HIP-HOP ALIVE! With MC Know One and the Able Chris. The event will also feature music from Jealous Monk, with special guest, Kirk Joseph of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The young up and coming band, Floopy Head, will be opening up the show with their jazz inspired hip-hop, while DJ Miles “the Professor” Felix will be spinning music all night. Jealous Monk was recently awarded “Best Live Hip-Hop Act in New Orleans”, second only to Lil’ Wayne. Floopy Head has recently emerged on the scene as one of the hottest new live hip-hop bands in New Orleans, and many describe them as “the new ‘Roots’ of New Orleans”, in reference to the popular Philadelphia based hip-hop band, the Roots. The band is comprised of young, talented musicians, ranging from ages 15 to 19, all with a passion for Jazz and Hip-Hop. Kevin O’Day is headlining the show, contributing his veteran experience in the New Orleans Music scene, and putting his skills to use in the realm of hip-hop. His act, HIP-HOP ALIVE! has recently performed at Le Bon Temps with DJ Quickie Mart, Know One and the Able Chris, and now he is taking the music scene to school with an all-out hip-hop fusion ofJazz and Funk. Tipitina’s is the perfect setting for the seasoned jazz and funk crowd to get out and see a different side of hip-hop, as well as a new outlet for the younger hip hop crowd. With a sound that can bridge generational gaps and still make your feet move, this new fusion between jazz and hip hop is THE next hot thing. Tickets are $10 general admission and $7 with a Student Discount.

Kevin O’Day’s Hip-Hop Alive! ft. Know One & the Able Chris, Jealous Monk ft. Kirk Joseph, Floopy Head and DJ Miles Felix @ Tipitina’s on Saturday, April 5th, 2008.

For additional information or tickets, Contact:

Ben Brubaker /// South Pa’ Promotions/ Tipitina’s Uptown /// Tel: (504) 895-8477 
Fax: (504) 891-7996 /// southpamusic@gmail.com /// www.tipitinas.com

# # # 

Kevin O'day Bio

2008-03-19T20:22:00.003-06:00

by Jay Mazza

Courtesy of www.kevinoday.com

A two-year tenure with the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars, sitting in the drum chair that also was occupied by "Mean" Willie Green of the Neville Brothers and Stanton Moore of Galactic, gave O'Day a chance to hone his skills in a world music setting that belied its jazz sensibility.

Before long, the musically insatiable drummer was moving in another direction towards the funk and soulful jazz spawned by New Orleans drum icons like Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste and Idris Muhammad.

His long association with Swedish rocker-turned-acclaimed-songwriter Anders Osborne bloomed when Osborne reconfigured his band into a quartet and brought in Kirk Joseph, late of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Along with tenor man Tim Green, the band forged new roads in trance-inspiring performances further establishing O'Day's cred as a high-energy player who could communicate with top-flight musicians at the maximum level.

O'Day's relationship with Joseph, arguably the most important sousaphonist from New Orleans, produced an extremly funky group called Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove with a CD entitled Sousafunk Ave.

Along the way, O'Day has lent his considerable chops to a huge array of performers. He was a member of the Kosmic Krewe- an eclectic jazz/funk band led by trumpeter Michael Ray of Kool and the Gang and the Sun Ra Orchestra. He has recorded and performed with All That, another innovative group that merged the second line beats of New Orleans with hip hop. He has also performed and recorded with the trombone collective Bonerama.

O'Day's deft touch on the drums is augmented by his deep knowledge of music of every variety. He is as comfortable on the stage at Snug Harbor- New Orleans' premier modern jazz club- as he is in gritty juke joints and watering holes. He gives his heart and soul to the music whether he is on a giant stage in front of thousands at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival or in a tiny club with only a handful of fans.

Kevin O'Day has been one of the leading lights on the New Orleans music scene for more than a decade. He is a charter member of the fertile Frenchmen Street scene and has worked with a literal who's who of the next generation of New Orleans musicians in addition to many of the luminaries who have already made their mark.

He is now prepared to take his career to the next level. His prowess as a drummer and his skills on the microphone continue to grow with each gig and each new association. He has soaked up his influences and experiences and distilled them down into an expressive personal style that is instantly recognizable and undeniably original. He is poised for a break-out. Get ready world, Kevin O' Day is coming.

Jealous Monk with Kirk Joseph! LIVE @ TIPITINA'S- APRIL 5th, 2008

2008-03-19T20:14:00.002-06:00

Formed in the Wake of Katrina, Jealous Monk has quickly garnered recognition as one of New Orleans Premier Music Acts. Bridging elements of hip hop culture with the live New Orleans Gritty Funk life, Jealous Monks music is unlike any of its kind.

The Idea

Prior to the storm, MC Jermaine Quiz started hitting the stage at local live music venues joining Johnny Vidacovich and "The Trio" to start the Jealous Monk live HipHop Movement. The idea was to lyrically freestyle to an improvised soundtrack provided by live musicians to create a completely organic and fresh new sound complete with all the trimmings of New Orleans Funk. The idea was embraced by live music fans all around the city.

The Return

Coming back after Katrina, Jermaine Quiz wasted no time in continuing the journey to put live hip hop in the New Orleans Music Scene by continuing his interaction with premier New Orleans Musicians including George Porter Jr, Ivan Neville, Tony Hall, June Yamagishi, Russel Batiste, Kirk Joseph, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Soul Rebels, Mark Mullins and Big Sam. Fan started to take notice that these affiliations arent a passing thing and live Hip Hop was here to stay.

The Monk

Today, Jealous Monk consists of a monestary of young and older faces around the New Orleans Scene committed to the fusion of Live Music and Hip Hop and the ressurection of New Orleans. Since Katrina, Jealous Monk has played countless shows all around the city as well as FEMA trailer parks and Benefits help nurture the city that they love.

They recently were named Where Yat' Magazines 2007 "Best Hip Hop Acts" and featured on NPRs "Morning Edition" along with Rebirth Brass Band.

The revolving roster includes Jermaine Quiz (Kirk Josephs Backyard Groove), Intalect, Pete Murano (Trombone Shortys Orleans Avenue), Judd Neilson (Trombone Shortys Orleans Avenue, Walter "Wolfman" Washingtons Roadmasters), Kirk Joseph (Dirty Dozen Brass Band), kyle2020 (GoodGuys), and Dave Hyman (Gov't Magik).

Jealous Monks Debut Album is set to be released January 2008 on the DeFunkt Label.

Instrumentation
Jermaine Quiz:: MC, Beatbox and Turntable
Intalect:: MC
2020:: Drums and Cymbals
Kirk Joseph:: Sousaphone
Petey Metaphor:: Guitar
Judson:: Organ
Various Horns and other New Orleans Hip Cats

Links
http://www.myspace.com/jealousmonk

SOUL CAPITAL:: Battle of the Bands @ the HIGH GROUND 4/6/08

2008-03-13T13:44:00.003-06:00

"Dollars and Sense. Dollars and Change."

Host: GORILLA PRODUCTIONS
Type: Music/Arts - Concert

Start Time:
Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 4:00pm

End Time:
Monday, April 7, 2008 at 12:00am

Location:
The High Ground Venue

Street:
3612 Hessmer Ave
City/Town:
Metairie, LA

Come Support Soul Capital at the High Ground:

On Sunday, APRIL 6TH, Soul Capital (Miles Felix and Ben Brubaker) will be competing in a New Orleans "Battle of the Bands" at the High Ground in Metarie.

The winner, judged by crowd votes, will recieve a $500 cash prize, 20 hours in a professional recording studio, their music sent to one of 5 major record labels, and a headlining gig.

Soul Capital is all about "Dollars and Change"- Music that makes Sense- so Soul Capital has pledged that if they take home the grand prize they will donate the $500 to Hip-Hop for Hope 2008 (www.hiphopforhope.org) next November. Join the Soul Capital family!

BUY DISCOUNT ADVANCE TICKETS- $8

The more tickets Soul Capital sells the better options for preference in performance times!

There are less than 100 tickets left and admission at the door is $10.

Send a message to Miles Felix or Ben Brubaker, or email:

soulcapital@gmail.com

For information on purchasing tickets.

http://www.gorillaproductions.net

GORILLA PRODUCTIONS // 1940 WEST 45TH STREET - CLEVELAND, OHIO - 44102

Soul Capital on THESIXTYONE.COM!

2008-03-06T15:37:00.003-06:00

Check out:

http://www.thesixtyone.com/soulcapital

To hear music from the New Orleans hip-hop duo, Soul Capital. Bump these tunes!

Flo Rida Visits New Orleans!

2008-02-25T01:19:00.007-06:00

Flo Rida:

Flo Rida is coming through your area on a promotional tour for his new album, Mail on Sunday.

Popular Singles: Low ft. TPain, Elevator ft. Timbaland

Upcoming Shows
( view all )

Feb 24 2008
8:00P

WQUE

New Orleans, Louisiana

Feb 25 2008

8:00P

TBA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Feb 26 2008

8:00P

TBA

Houston, Texas

Feb 27 2008

8:00P

TBA

San Antonio, Texas

Feb 28 2008

8:00P

TBA

Austin, Texas

Feb 29 2008

8:00P

TBA

Dallas, Texas

Mar 1 2008

8:00P

TBA

Meridian, Mississippi

Mar 2 2008

8:00P

Dj Nasty’s Birthday Bash

Orlando, Florida

Mar 17 2008

8:00P

TBA

New York, New York

Mar 22 2008

LUPE FIASCO SCORES GRAMMY GOLD

2008-02-11T18:48:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 11, 2008

LUPE FIASCO SCORES GRAMMY GOLD;
"SUPERSTAR" MC'S "DAYDREAMIN'" HONORED AS
2007'S "BEST URBAN ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE";
"THE COOL" CONTINUES TO REIGN AS AMERICA'S #1 RAP ALBUM,
WHILE "SUPERSTAR" ROCKETS UP THE AIRPLAY CHARTS

1st & 15th/Atlantic recording artist Lupe Fiasco earned his first-ever Grammy Award on Sunday, bringing home the "Best Urban Alternative Performance" trophy for last year's hit single, "Daydreamin' (Feat. Jill Scott)." The Grammy triumph further establishes Lupe's elevation to the upper echelon of hip-hop stardom. The Chicago-based MC's second album, "LUPE FIASCO'S THE COOL," debuted on Billboard's "Top Rap Albums" chart at #1 upon its December 2007 release, and has remained in the peak position for what is now seven consecutive weeks.
"Superstar (Feat. Matthew Santos)," the album's first single/video, is currently exploding across the board, climbing 11 spots to #25 on this week's Billboard "Hot 100." The track is now a top 5 sensation on the "Hot Rap Tracks" ranking, while still ascending a variety of other charts, including "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" and "Hot Digital Songs."
"Superstar" is also lighting it up at radio, where it has just hit the top 10 at Rhythmic outlets nationwide, while also scoring the week's "Most Increased Plays" at Urban, placing it at #20 with-a-bullet on the latest airplay tally. In addition, the single is proving a true crossover smash, bursting onto the current CHR/Top 40 chart as the week's #4 "Most Added" track, with serious play at such influential pop outlets as New York's Z100 and Los Angeles' KIIS-FM.
This week sees Lupe starring as the featured artist on MTV's 52 Bands, a special segment that highlights one new act per week, throughout the year. Furthermore, the "Superstar" companion video - directed by the great Hype Williams - is a top 10 clip at both MTV and Fuse, while also drawing major play at MTV2, mtvU, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, MTV TR3S, VH1 Soul, the N, and Music Choice. In addition, "Superstar" is in "Heavy" rotation on BET's Rap City, as well as in "Medium" rotation on the network's overall playlist.
What's more, Lupe has been all over TV in recent weeks, performing live on CBS' Late Show with David Letterman, CBS' Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, PBS' Tavis Smiley, MTV's TRL, and the syndicated Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Unquestionably among hip-hop's most electrifying and active live performers, Lupe has just been unveiled as one of the performers set to rock Manchester, Tennessee at the upcoming Bonnaroo Music festival, slated for Friday, June 13th. The MC - who recently closed out a series of sold out concert dates in such major markets as Seattle, San Francisco, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington DC, and New York City - is currently planning a number of eagerly awaited concerts at some of America's finest institutions of higher learning, including Yale University, Brown University, Ohio State University, and others (see attached itinerary).
Full details of all upcoming appearances can be found at Lupe's official MySpace page, www.myspace.com/lupefiasco. One of MySpace's top 10 current artists, Lupe maintains a vibrant online presence, including his own LupeFiasco.com (recently updated with a wide range of interactive features such as "THE COOLest" video game). Also, Lupe's very own YouTube channel - located at www.youtube.com/lupefiasco - has logged over one million plays, with videos including "Superstar" and the banging street anthem, "Dumb It Down."
* * * * *
Lupe Fiasco has quickly established himself as among the most compelling and creative artists of the era, offering a rare combination of complex, thought-provoking lyricism coupled with sure-fire beats. "LUPE FIASCO'S THE COOL" sees the critically acclaimed rapper following up on 2006's breakthrough debut, "LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR," by kicking and pushing against the boundaries of modern hip-hip. Loosely structured as a multi-character concept album detailing the "damaging influences' and 'corrupt allure" of post-millennial Urban America, the set features such special guests as the one-and-only Snoop Dogg, with diverse and inventive production from Soundtrakk, UNKLE, Chris & Drop, and Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump.
The MC first made himself known with his featured appearance on Kanye West's hit single, "Touch The Sky," followed by the anthemic hit single, "Kick, Push." As a result, "LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR" debuted on Billboard's "Top Rap Albums" chart at #1 upon its September 2006 release, while also entering the Billboard 200 at #8.
The 25-year-old rapper soon proved to be the year's biggest hip-hop breakthrough, garnering a trio of 2006 Grammy Award nominations, including "Best Rap Album," "Best Rap Song," and "Best Rap Solo Performance." Other honors include his being named one of Rolling Stone's "10 Artists To Watch 2006" as well as GQ's 2006 "Breakout Man of the Year, "not to mention an array of nominations from the BET Hip Hop Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, the mtvU Woodie Awards, and the Soul Train Music Awards.
"LUPE FIASCO'S THE COOL" drew instant critical acclaim upon its December release, coming in at #10 on Entertainment Weekly's "The Best" list for 2007 - no mean feat considering the album was released with just two weeks left in the year. The album "recalls (Kanye) West's pop versatility and positive flair," EW declared, adding "Fiasco seem ready to join his former mentors in the big leagues." The New York Times was equally effusive, calling "LUPE FIASCO'S THE COOL" "one of the year's best hip-hop albums." USA Today awarded the album four stars, praising it as "a 19-track gem that showcases (Fiasco's) intricate wordplay on everything from the rap industry and celebrity life to gun-toting youth and sexual violence."
Online outlets were also quick to commend the collection, with Pitchfork giving it an 8.1 rating, declaring it "sprawling, grandiose." "Lupe Fiasco is undoubtedly one of 'The Coolest' rappers to come along in the last ten years," noted RapReviews.com in a 10-out-of-10 rave. HipHopDX.com rated "LUPE FIASCO'S THE COOL" 4.5-out-of-5 Xs, pointing out that the set "proves that 'FOOD & LIQUIOR" was no accident and it's quite possible that the best has yet to come." "Lupe demonstrates an innate virtuosity in his brainy approach to an often over simplified craft," hailed AllHipHop.com in its 8-out-of-10 starred review, while Yo! Raps awarded the album 5-out-of-5 stars, explaining that it "has pushed the genre of hip hop music into a place where no emcee or artist will be able to lead hip hop into for awhile."
Among Lupe's biggest fans are hip-hop's best and brightest stars, including Jay-Z, who told Blender that, "I love Lupe. He's a genius writer." What's more, the legendary Rakim - without question one of rap's all-time greatest talents - recently named Lupe as his favorite current MC, explaining that "there's still a lot of artists and a lot of songs out there that's good for you and still sound like that real hip-hop. The positive rap doesn't get as much coverage as the negative rap, but people (like Lupe Fiasco) are trying to get back around to the lyrical stuff."
For more information, please visit www.myspace.com/lupefiasco, www.lupefiasco.com and http://lupefiasco.imeem.com.

(TOUR ITINERARY ATTACHED)

LUPE FIASCO
On Tour 2008

FEBRUARY
26 Valencia, CA Occidental College

MARCH
1 New Haven, CT Yale University
25 Fredricksburg, VA Great Hall
29 Pittsburgh, PA University of Pittsburgh

APRIL
9 Ferrum, VA Ferrum College
10 Philadelphia, PA St. Joseph's University
11 Providence, RI Brown University

JUNE
13 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival

ADDITIONAL DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

# # #

New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope Joins Forces with Stars 4 Students!

2008-02-07T01:17:00.000-06:00

1st Annual 5K Run/Walk “Music 4 Recovery”™ (M4R™)

Highlights:

*Celebrity Guests, including current & former NBA & NFL players

*$6,000 in Cash & Airline ticket vouchers to top winners plus awards!!!

*Free Food and Drinks

*Live performances

joined by

The Joe Johnson Foundation

************************************

About “Music 4 Recovery”™

/”Creating the lyrics for change . . .”/™

“Music 4 Recovery”™ is a concert series designed to support the collaborative efforts of students and corporate partners in New Orleans recovery projects. In 2007, it was successfully started at Loyola University on October 25th, promoted at the Voodoo Music Festival October 26-28th, and joined the Sheriff’s 33rd annual Thanksgiving Day Feast on November 22nd. Students and partners are provided with a platform and support for their recovery efforts. The series helps recruit volunteers and generate proceeds for charity. Proceeds are contributed to the Stars 4 Students Foundation, which funds a student internship program to assist nonprofit partners in New Orleans rebuilding efforts.

Branding Opportunity

Corporate involvement with the concert and run/walk will be prominently featured through various marketing outlets and materials. Participation of corporate partners, along with students, alumni members, celebrities, elected officials, and the public in this initiative will be widely publicized through media coverage, websites, event signage, and distributed materials. The series provides a significant opportunity for companies to highlight their roles in the revitalization of New Orleans and connect with those who share the same goals. More importantly, corporate partners will receive public recognition for their contributions to the student internship program operated by the Stars 4 Students Foundation.

About The Producer

“Music 4 Recovery”™ is operated by a new, socially conscious company called Stars 4 Students®, (“S4S®”), a cause-marketing specialist which promotes student and partner charitable activities on a global scale through programs that incorporate academic, entertainment, and corporate partnerships.

S4S® works through its nonprofit arm, the Stars 4 Students Foundation, to raise funds for students working in philanthropy. Our focus is intended to start with New Orleans recovery initiatives, and then branch out to include other cities and causes. Furthermore, S4S® is building an online community that will foster widespread support for multiple efforts/causes, encourage participation in planned events, and ultimately make a united difference. Contact S4S® for more Info

info@stars4students.com

Estelle: "One of the Most Exciting Breakthrough Talents of 2008" Says John Legend

2008-02-01T15:53:00.000-06:00

The UK's finest, multiple award-winning artist Estelle is back with 'Shine' - her stunning new album, set for release in February 2008. The first artist signed by US soul sensation John Legend, to his new Homeschool Records label, Estelle's new album features collaborations with Wyclef Jean, will.i.am, Swizz Beats, Mark Ronson and Kanye West, as well as a beautiful duet with John Legend. 'Shine' is a joint venture with Homeschool and Atlantic Records.

"I have known John for a while now...We worked on my first album '18th Day' before he was signed. He featured on 'Hey Girl', played piano on 'Free', and appeared in the video. As I went to do my second album I asked him to help exec-produce it. As I progressed with it, I left my label and he said he'd sign me… and here we are today! We always make great songs together. While I like and listen to a lot of musicians - there aren't many that I respect on a level to help me write songs or upgrade/push me as an artist… but John is one of them."

John Legend continues: “I'm thrilled to be a part of Estelle's career. This album is truly an accomplishment. She will be one of the most of exciting breakthrough talents of 2008. Mark my words."

http://www.atlanticrecords.com/estelle

Concreteloop is a leading urban blog and averages 1,000,000 unique users per month.

URL: www.teenmusic.com

Estelle's "American Boy" audio is featured on the "Audio" main page!

http://www.teenmusic.com/audio.asp

B.G. on XXL Video Chopper City / Grand Hustle Records

2008-02-01T15:14:00.000-06:00

Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool": THE FIGHTERS

2008-02-01T04:35:00.000-06:00

This song is so incredible, I had to share it with you. Only Lupe and Matthew Santos could pull off this magic together and come up with a completely new sound that redefines hip-hop's current styles. Not to mention the lyrics are insightful, and to a large extent, universal in their appeal. Lupe does a great job throughout "The Cool" of creating suggestive art which allows it to speak to the listener on a number of levels. How does this song make you feel? It's hard to define, but to me, it is this tension or complexity that makes it so relevant and real. In one way or another, this music is bound to move you. I think the most interesting thing about the album is what Lupe is ultimately trying to convey, or perhaps, what it is that has inspired him to create these certain songs. To me, the "Fighters" embodies much of what Lupe seems to be aiming for in the album, yet seems in many waysto be the most intriguing. One thing I think I have picked up on from watching, listening and talking to Lupe is that there is always something beneath or behind what he is doing, and most often, it is not what you would expect. All the better.

((LYRICS))

When the fighters all around
All the lovers are on the ground
Noone will save you anymore
So whats happenin
Whachu you rappin about
Little Boy
Is it cars
Is it girls
Is it money
The world

Or is it somethin they could never believe
Or is it somethin you could never acheive
Is it beyond your means
Is it inside your dreams
Can it
Never come out
Cuz its scared to
Unprepared to
To worry about the words of the people is weird too
You dont want em to hear you
You just wish it was a door that would appear that you can go disappear through
Well im feelin your pain
I was feelin the same
But I said id never feel that again

When the fighters all around
All the lovers are on the ground
Noone will save you anymore
So whats happenin
Whachu rappin about
Little Boy
Is it cars
Is it girls
Is it money
The world

Man
I really miss my pops
Hope that god watches over him
And that hes on top
That there is no more disease
And that he's alright
That hes one of the generals inside the army of the light

And grandma
You know I had to bite somethin from ya
So after every show its
Peace and much love to ya
Auntie tweetys on the way
Please look out for that girl
I know we'll meet again
So it's never me against the world

When the fighters are all around
All the lovers are on the ground
Noone will save you anymore
So whats happenin
Whachu rappin about
Little Boy
Is it cars
Is girls
Is it money
The world

I hope that god forgive us
All of us sinners
Turn us back into beginners
Put us up where the winners go
Holy apartments in the gardens
In which the rivers flow
Thank you for all your blessins
And all of your miracles
I thank all my fans and all my supports
Shout out to bishop g
Congrats on ya new baby daughter
I tip my hat to all my family and friends
Now we just got one more to go
LupEND

When the fighters all around
All the lovers are on the ground
Noone will save you anymore
So whats happenin
Whachu rappin about
Little Boy
Is it cars
Is it girls
Is it money
The world

DRAMA RISES UP FROM THE STREETS WITH DEBUT ALBUM

2008-01-25T20:46:00.000-06:00

Aphilliates/Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist Drama has announced this week's release of his eagerly anticipated debut album, "GANGSTA GRILLZ: THE ALBUM." The collection - which features the banging hit single, "5000 Ones" - is available in stores and online now.

The ATL-based Drama is known far and wide for his legendary "Gangsta Grillz" mixtapes. "GANGSTA GRILLZ: THE ALBUM" follows that same flowing formula, only with all-new original material that gathers together a veritable who's-who of modern hip-hop. Among the rap icons included are T.I., Young Jeezy, Outkast, Lil' Wayne, Rick Ross, Young Dro, B.G., MJG, Eightball, Jadakiss, Paul Wall, Lloyd, Lil' Jon, Pharrell, LA the Darkman, Willie The Kid, Freeway, and The Clipse, with production contributions from such studio luminaries as Don Cannon, Jazze Pha, Drumma Boy, Khao, and The Runners.
"This album is going to bring the movement of southern rap culture, the mixtape game, and quality hip-hop to the masses," says Drama, "where they no longer have to go to a street corner or a bodega or the Internet to know about 'Gangsta Grillz.'"

"5000 Ones" - which features Nelly, T.I., Diddy, Yung Joc, Willie the Kid, Young Jeezy, and Twista - is currently impacting at Urban radio outlets nationwide, while the track's companion video clip has just been added into rotation at MTV Jams. The video premiered last month on BET's Rap City with a special episode filmed during the clip's production. Drama recently heralded the release of "GANGSTA GRILLZ: THE ALBUM" by appearing as guest DJ on BET's 106 & Park.

Drama will spend December on a whirlwind promotional tour, with stops slated in major markets coast-to-coast, including Philadelphia, Dallas, New Orleans, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, and of course, Atlanta. For up-to-the-minute news and tour details, please see Drama's official MySpace page, www.myspace.com/djdrama.
For additional information, please visit www.gangstagrillz.com.
###

"5000 Ones" - Drama ft. Nelly, T.I., Diddy, Yung Joc, Willie the Kid, Young Jeezy & Twista (BRIGHTCOVE VIDEO LINK)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1315775866

The Atlantic Story: Roots In New Orleans Music Legacy

2008-01-20T18:35:00.000-06:00

Atlantic Records is one of the largest national record companies in history, but there is more to this story than meets the eye- especially when considering their history of recording some of New Orleans' greatest Blues and Jazz musicians ever. The hometown gem of a venue, Tipitina's, has honored one such legend through portraits, sculpture, and of course, the promise of generation after generation of great live music. I recently came across this brief article which peaked some interest in my head about the history between major labels and the New Orleans music scene.

The following is an exerpt from:

"The Atlantic Records Story"
By David Edwards and Mike Callahan

http://www.bsnpubs.com/atlantic/atlanticstory.html
Last update: February 20, 2000

"...The early Atlantic roster was eclectic, to say the least. It included Stan Kenton band members Art Pepper, Shelly Manne, and Pete Rugolo, guitarist Tiny Grimes, vocal groups such as the Delta Rhythm Boys, the Clovers, and the Cardinals, rhythm and blues singers Ruth Brown, Stick McGhee and Joe Turner, pianists Erroll Garner and Mal Waldron, progressive jazz artists Howard McGhee, James Moody and Dizzy Gillespie, jazz singers Jackie & Roy and Sarah Vaughan, blues singers Leadbelly and Sonny Terry, and café society singers Mabel Mercer, Sylvia Syms and Bobby Short. In spite of this impressive roster, Atlantic was getting most of its revenue from the rhythm and blues recordings by Joe Turner (e.g., "Chains of Love," "Honey Hush," "TV Mama") and Ruth Brown (e.g., "So Long," "Teardrops From My Eyes," "I'll Wait for You"). "

"Atlantic was the first to record Professor Longhair, the legendary piano player from New Orleans. One of the songs "Fess" recorded at his first Atlantic session was "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" which has since become the theme song for the Mardi Gras. On February 17, 1949, Atlantic released "Drinkin' Wine Spo- Dee-O-Dee" by Stick McGhee, a blues novelty number that became a big hit. This was followed in October, 1950, by Laurie Tate and Joe Morris' # 1 R&B record of "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere". In 1951, Ahmet wrote "Don't You Know I Love You" for the Clovers and it also was a #1 R&B hit. Ruth Brown notched their third #1 R&B hit with "5-10-15 Hours" in 1952. "

Professor Longhair Biography:

http://www.tipitinas.com/info/fess.asp

Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd)
Born Dececember 19, 1918 in Bogalusa, LA
Died Jan 30, 1980 in New Orleans, LA

Pianist, composer, and singer, Professor Longhair, is one of the most important musical figures in New Orleans' rich musical legacy. Born Henry Roeland Byrd (also known as Fess) in Bogalusa, Louisiana on December 19, 1918, he became the embodiment of New Orleans rhythm and blues at his peak in the late '70s. Fess influenced countless musicians, such as Fats Domino, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Henry Butler, Huey "Piano" Smith, Marcia Ball, Champion Jack Dupree, Jon Cleary, the Meters, and the Neville Brothers. His unique style fused diverse elements including blues, barrelhouse boogie-woogie, rock, and gospel, which he combined with calypso, rhumba, and second-line street parade rhythms. His hybrid "rhumba-boogie" piano style, with a heavy, percussive left hand, forever changed the sound of rhythm and blues piano. Fess had a charismatic presence and unflinching soulful quality which pervades his recordings and performances. Few artists embodied his singular quality or have equaled the span of his influence on modern music.

Longhair grew up on the streets of the Big Easy, tap dancing for tips with his running partners. New Orleans has a long history of piano legends dating back to innovators like Jelly Roll Morton, in addition, to other local pianists like Sullivan Rock, Kid Stormy Weather, and Tuts Washington who all left their marks on Fess, who brought an extremely fresh approach to the instrument. Longhair began to take his playing seriously in 1948, earning a gig at the Caldonia Club where Mike Tessitore bestowed Longhair with his professorial nickname (due to Fess' shaggy hairdo).

Debuting on Star Talent records in 1949, Fess laid down the first version of his signature "Mardi Gras in New Orleans," featuring the unmistakable whistled intro and backing band the Shuffling Hungarians. Longhair's next date was for Mercury producing his first and only national R&B hit in 1950, "Bald Head" (under the name Roy Byrd & His Blues Jumpers). Longhair made other great recordings for various labels early in his career most notably for Atlantic Records in 1953 producing the immortal "Tipitina," a romping "In the Night," and the boogie "Ball the Wall". Longhair came back on Ebb records in 1957 with the wailing "No Buts - No Maybes." He re-recorded the seminal local anthem "Go to the Mardi Gras" for Ron records in 1959. This is the version played every year during Carnival in New Orleans, and is still one of the most beloved songs in the New Orleans music songbook.

Fess' career was resurrected in the early 70s with the help of his then manager Allison Miner and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival founder, Quint Davis. His performance at the 1971 Jazz Festival put him on the comeback trail. He made a slew of albums in the last decade of his life, including Rock 'n Roll Gumbo, Live on the Queen Mary (prompted by Fess fan Paul McCartney), House Party New Orleans Style, and the stellar album Crawfish Fiesta which features an all-star New Orleans lineup of Dr. John, Johnny Vidacovich, and Tony Dagradi.

On January 14, 1977, a group of music visionaries, known as the Fabulous Fo'teen, created a club in Longhair's honor named for one of his most revered recordings, Tipitina. Their desire was to create a quality venue for Fess to perform at during his final years. The front room contained a juice bar and piano which served as a sacred place where Fess and other local pianists could play. Since his passing a beautiful brass bust of Fess was constructed, by local musician and artisan Coco Robicheaux, located near the front door where patrons enter and admire Fess to this day. Above the stage, hangs a huge mural of Fess that watches over all the great artists who have played and continue to grace the stage of New Orleans' most historic music venue over the past 25 years. Fess' spirit is always felt within the space of Tipitina's through magical musical performances during Halloween, New Year's Eve, Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and all year long.

Longhair's final day on earth was January 30, 1980, his passing marks an incredibly fertile era of music which has not been equaled since. Fess' music is still played so often and so reverently in his hometown you would swear he never left.

Professor Longhair was inducted into the W. C. Handy Blues Hall Of Fame on November 16, 1981, and the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame on January 15, 1992.

Discography:

New Orleans Piano (Atlantic) 1972

Rock 'n Roll Gumbo (Dancing Cat) 1977

The Complete London Concert [live] (JSP) 1978

Live on the Queen Mary (One Way) 1978

Crawfish Fiesta (Alligator) 1980

Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Nighthawk) 1981

The Last Mardi Gras (Atlantic) 1982

House Party New Orleans Style (Rounder) 1987

Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge (Rhino) 1991

Live in Germany (New Rose) 1992

Big Chief [live] (Rhino) 1993

Fess: The Professor Longhair Anthology (Rhino) 1993

Rum & Coke [live] (Rhino) 1993

Live: Like You Like Him (Collectables) 1994

Big Easy (Blue Moon) 1995

Professor Longhair Foundation Presents Piano... [live] (Overture) 1995

Collector's Choice (Rounder) 1996

Fess' Gumbo (Stony Plain) 1996

Go to the Mardi Gras (Wolf) 1997

Way Down Yonder in New Orleans (M.I.L.) 1997

Big Chief (Charly) 1999

Professor Longhair's Boogie (Catfish) 2000

1949 (Classics) 2001

Byrd's Blues (TKO Collectors) 2001

Big Chief (Tomato) 2002

Big Easy Stomp (Fuel 2000) 2002

Floopy Head: The Future of Live New Orleans Hip-Hop

2008-01-18T00:52:00.000-06:00

Floopy Head is a collaboration of the jazz/funk group The Black Notes and the real hip-hop of Da Quest 4 Complex. The idea behind the band came across after Chris and Creedo (the founding members of Da Quest 4 Complex) recorded The Black Notes' demo in the summer 2006. After the session Chris and Querido started free styling to a groove the band laid down and the rest is history. In the fall of 2006 the group went into the studio to lay down the first track Miss Poet and are in the process of completing an album and getting the music out there. So spread the word because this is real music. This is the next phase. Jazz and Hip Hop...Fo Real! The revolution is now people..and it starts with the music.

*******************************************
The first time I saw Floopy Head perform was one of the best daysof my life. Granted, it was in part because my favorite M.C. of all time, Common Sense, was making a surprise visit to the Tipitina's Music Workshop that day, and I happened to be there. Common's presence was uplifting; he sat in the audience upon entering in order to listen to the young aspiring musicians practicing their trade on one of the most historical stages in New Orleans. It was Sunday, the last day of Voodoo Fest 2007, and Common was taking some time out of his day to find out what New Orleans music was truly about- the soul, the struggle, & the beauty of original sounds.

Common walked humbly on stage, in awe at the skill of such young musicians, appreciative of the efforts put forth by Tip's to foster these young artists. The band, comprised of a variety of younger kids from middle-school to high-school and college age students, laid down a smooth jazz instrumental for Common as he stepped up to the mic. Common delivered an incredible freestyle, incorporating references to his Common Ground Foundation, which shares a similar vision with the Workshop program, targeting inner-city youth in order to empower a new generation. Little did I know, the show was yet to begin. As Common once again joined the audience, the young members of Floopy Head asked if he wouldn't mind listening to one of their own original songs. Chris kicked off the song with confidence... "Allow me to introduce my band"... and the beat dropped. Don't get it twisted, give these guys a few years and they will need no introduction.

Their fresh style sounded reminiscent of Tribe Called Quest and the Roots, yet it displayed a unique New Orleans influence, driven by Jazz and Spoken Word aesthetics. They only played one song, but I was hoping they would just keep playing for the whole Sunday afternoon. Who needed Voodoo Fest when we had such talent all to ourselves, sharing the room with a commonly shared hip-hop icon, Common? Once they finished, Common got back on the stage, hardly able to contain the smile on his face. He was, for the most part, speechless. I don't think Common, or anyone in that venue that day, was expecting to see such an original fusion of skill and soul from such an unexpected and ecclectic group of young musicians. He told them how impressed he was and that if they stick with it they would be going places; his words were full of genuine hopefulness and even admiration.

A few weeks later, Floopy Head played a full set at the 2nd Annual "New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope" Benefit Concert, this time with poet/mc "Q". Once again I was blown away. The line-up was chalk full of talented hip-hop artists, many of whom, if heard by the right people, would likely be singed to major deals. But by far, Floopy Head stole the night, blending theatrical performances, Spoken Word break downs and instrumental solos that reflected New Orleans proud Jazz heritage. Floopy Head is about to hit the scene big, like the Roots of the South, speaking with a voice for a new generation of hip-hop and jazz simultaneously.

-Ben Brubaker

Final Rating:
Live Performance:
***** (five out of five stars)

Floopy Head Music Player Url:

http://collect.myspace.com/music/popup.cfm?num=2&time=undefined&fid=161211958&uid=1&t=PxOre9fgaTtdh2aykzqaF3xp524XFD7UssJ8une/Vo1PHWAysG3LCggAMS3rvxJdnfIrLt5zGbKcTSI%20gcuHTA==d=MTYxMjExOTU4XjEyMDA2MTA3NjU=

Wale: New M.C. Holds It Down for D.C.

2007-12-15T22:32:00.000-06:00

Wale's New Mixtape is.... ...."100 Miles & Running" Ahead of the Game

Wale's Mixtape- 100 Miles & Running

Download Mixtape | Provided by DatPiff.com

I am still giving this a listen, but I am definitly feeling it right from the start. Sick collaboration on the Smile Remix that Mark Ronson produced. Listen to some of the tracks and check his style, it is pretty ill.

"Wale recently released his third mixtape, 100 Miles & Running, on July 11, 2007. This mixtape includes features from Mark Ronson, Daniel Merriweather, Amy Winehouse, and Lily Allen. It was released on the same day as a performance at the Highline Ballroom, in Manhattan. The Highline show was to promote the US release of Mark Ronson's album and included performances by Mark Ronson, Wale, Saigon, and Daniel Merriweather. There, Wale was interviewed by MTV News correspondent J.D. Tuminski for his first national TV feature, which was released on August 16, 2007[8].
Wale performed "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.", from his 100 Miles mixtape, at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas, NV. [9].
Wale was also featured in the October 2007 issues of XXL[10] and Rolling Stone [11]. The Washington Post profiled Wale on the front page of the Style section in the Sunday, October 21st, 2007 edition. Wale will be featured on the cover of URB Magazine's 150th issue along with French electro group, Justice.
iTunes released "Nike Boots" as a free download on November 13th, 2007 as its "Single of the Week."
In the November 30th, 2007 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Wale is featured as one of 8 people to watch in 2008 along with actors Simon Pegg and Rachel McAdams."- Wikipedia

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wale_(rapper)

References:
8^ http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1567267&vid=169390
9^ http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1568788&vid=174416
10^ http://www.goodbully.com/walexxl.gif
11^ http://www.goodbully.com/rstone.jpg

Foreword to Hip-Hop and Civic Engagement

2007-12-10T11:59:00.000-06:00

First, a public service announcement brought to you by 2-Cent Entertainment...

"Imported and tortured the work force
They never healed the wounds or shook the curse off
Now the grown up goliath nation
Holdin open auditions for the part of david, can you feel?"
-Brother Ali, Uncle Sam G*damn

The following essays are expressions of my personal opinions and observations of hip-hop's relationship to our current socio-philosophical modes and mechanisms. I should really call them reflections, because the research (though sufficient to get the point across) really does require further investigation from a variety of sources, including the voices of global hip-hop artists, studies of the cultural influence hip-hop has acquired in under-developed countries, and the extent to which the imagined "global hip-hop community" is consistently pervasive throughout different cultures in reaction to overwhelming economic disparity.

Before I ever knew about N.W.A. or Public Enemy, I remebered watching the Rodney King riots from my dad's apartment in Long Beach, California when I was only about 6 or 7 years old. I remember just thinking that everyone decided to start taking whatever they wanted, I had no clue it was about race or police brutality.

I heard Dr. Cornel West speak for the first time when I was only 17, at a school down the road from Princeton, New Jersey. To this day, I still remember feeling like I had never experienced true liberation or empowerment until I heard him address some of the most complex social issues of the time (with such sincerety and tact I thought he must be like a modern prophet ) . Never before had I been provided a means of interpreting our contemporary political, social and economic conditions with such insight. Quoting 2pac and Talib Kweli, West was the first established academic scholar I had ever heard use hip-hop as evidence for arguments; I saw hip-hop in a whole new light, recognizing its rhetorical appeal, its jazz heritage and its cultural complexity.

I saw Talib Kweli play at the 930 Club in D.C. when I was a freshman at the College of William and Mary. I was taking a dope philosophy course about human rights, and at about the same time Talib Kweli dropped "The Beautiful Struggle". To this day that album gets not love from critics, but it was probably the definitive source of my motivation to make social change through hip-hop at the time. At the 930 club show, Saul Williams opened up, stunning the audience in theatrical genius... but then Kweli came on. I have never before been at a hip-hop show with so much energy, it was in the music, it was in the crowd, it was in the room. It was as if we entered a different realm, in which the audience was the body and Kweli was the brain and the crowd moved to every phrase in unison. We were like a revolutionary army just one order away from taking direct action. I wanted Kweli to just take it to the streets right there- nothing could have stopped that energy from marching up to the Whitehouse and protesting. I felt a ball of energy inside of me to take action, to organize and to start a movement supported by a coalition of hip-hop youth. My friends used to crack jokes at me and they nicknamed me "the Movement". It took one semester to realize I was in the wrong place, I knew I had to go the city of New Orleans where I could do something productive with that energy.

I saw more suffering in New Orleans, pre-Katrina, than I had ever thought possible. No, the federal government would have done something if they knew what it was like down here. Little did I know, they DID know, and they certainly were not going to do anything. The housing projects were sectioned off by tricky one-way signs and barbed wire fences. Schools that I would have thought were closed or condemned were actually being passed off as functional and open. That was before the storm, when the city seemed to move in idle despair, the indelible aesthetic of genuine cultural traditions, marked with intense moments of joy and grief.

I saw chaos again in the wake of hurricane Katrina. It was surreal, reporters speechless with their jaws dropped as they watched families wade through chest high sewage water, using sticks to push the floating bodies out of the way. Police looked scared and hateful. People spraypainted prophetic slogans on their roofs, waiting in vain for more helicopters to pass by without noticing. It has been over two years, and it is still hard to talk about it. I was not there in the waters avoiding snakes and rats, on the rooftops burning up under the sun, or in the streets dodging arbitrary para militant agression. I was there at the coliseum in Shreveport when the first buses started ariving from New Orleans- not the ones that were supposed to leave 5 days before, the ones that came too late for many who were left behind. Still soaked from head to toe, covered in feces, toxic chemicals and mud, haunted by some shared vision of a ghost. Silent, wearing blank stares too tired to cringe from soar muscles, tired of swimming and tired of sitting. Everyday after those first few weeks, for months on end, it was another story of hardship and tragedy before, during, or after the storm, every testimony like a weight on the soul; to confront such deep sorrow often neccesitates personal detachment, reliqueshing part of your humanity (or sanity) for the sake of surviving the undeniable facts of a dehabilitating reality.

I saw a similar anguish in the way the marginalized Muslim minority groups were reduced to the suburban ghettos just outside the cities in France, where they faced similar oppression, discrimination and economic hardship. Then in late November of that year the tension finally gave way and the young people rioted on the streets setting fires and throwing stones. The news reels mentioned French underground hip-hop and how it was being used as propaghanda. Just like in the Seattle protests against the WTO, the media spin was in full effect, demonizing the protagonists demonstrators with inflammatory rhetoric in order to set up a seductive dichotemy- that beloved old "good v.s. evil" narrative. During complex crises such as Katrina, when we don't have that simple, convenient choice right before our eyes, we are often forced into a makeshift paradigm in order to make sense of the chaotic forces surrounding us, whether that paradigm be truthful or falsical. I thought about the riots, the storm, and the feeling I got at the Kweli show, and as I tried to make sense of these things, hip-hop became my voice again, even stonger now. I am still trying to articulate that voice. These essays reflect the frame of thought, described in part by the previous anecdotes, but only to give the reader a broad idea of who I am, who I am speaking for and who I am speaking with. I am not attempting to define, classify or domesticate hip-hop in anyway, I am simply aiming at splitting open the ripest dialogue and sharing the juice with my peers.

Hip-Hop and Civic Engagement: Sweatshops, Community Development and Collaborative Leadership

2007-12-10T11:50:00.000-06:00

Ben Brubaker
Social Work 300: Civic Engagement and Leadership
Prof. Pyles

This is my 2-Cents...

I. Hip-Hop Culture and Students Against Sweatshops

The recent Students Against Sweatshops Movements is a complex product of contemporary media, corporate and political narratives, the evolution of imperialism, revolutions in technology, the rise of global economies and the increasing gap between rich and poor across the globe. Hip-Hop culture and the contemporary transnational global justice movement are both products of the same economic, political, and social conditions, reflecting similar complexities and characteristics. In this way, the phenomenon of hip-hop music and culture serves as an important and relevant frame for analyzing the paradigms of global justice and 21st Century capitalism.

Hip-Hop and transnational global justice seem to go hand in hand, both positively and negatively, since mainstream hip-hop culture is so closely connected to capitalism, the media, politics & youth culture. Hip-Hop’s influence is arguably most relevant to college students; “walk onto a college campus in Anywhere, USA and you’ll find a similar scene… late teens to old-twenty somethings, most are dressed in the hippest fashion of the time” (Featherstone, Liza, et al. Students Against Sweatshops) . Hip-Hop fashion is certainly a large part of that fashion, since “companies targeting a youth market are selling a brand as much as a particular product” (Ibid.) and popular rap and hip-hop icons are often the ones promoting and endorsing those products. Hip-Hop surely didn’t invent brand names however, as colleges also rely on brands, because “before Fubu hats, trendy teenagers sported Notre Dame, Georgetown or Harvard sweatshirts, whether or not they actually attended those schools” (Ibid). In the same way over %75 of hip-hop music consumers are middle-class whites, “anti-corporatism… has, among middle-class white people, become the dominant idiom of resistance in the U.S.”(Ibid) . Still, for all the supposed resistance, we still seem unable to escape from participating as consumers in the systems we condemn. If there truly is a coherent “global youth movement” rallied against “corporate power and greed” (Ibid), it certainly isn’t reflected too often in mainstream media (because they are stakeholders themselves). There is a dramatic disconnect between the general moral indifference of the masses, the privileged global activists, and domestically marginalized communities, resulting in a fragmented collective of social justice movements. As a University of Michigan student said, “we need to develop a new rhetoric that connects sweatshops- and living wage and the right to organize- to the global economy” (Ibid) . True, to simply ignore global crisis for the sake of solving pressing domestic concerns (which hardly rival those in “third world countries”) is shortsighted and limited, however, it is essential to understand how the global justice movement connects to, and can be impacted by, local conditions. Even more true, we need to develop a new rhetoric to link different communities and issues through a common understanding. While Hip-Hop in many ways serves as a tool for corporate marketing, reinforcing the cultural obsession with materialism, it also represents a unique attempt to employ a new rhetoric which transcends boundaries by appealing to a variety of people around the world.

While “gangsta rap” is arguably the dominant mode of mainstream hip-hop, glorifying jewelry, cars, liquor, shoes and clothes through lyrical product placement, prophetic hip-hop artists such as Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Rage Against the Machine, and Kanye West have managed to break into the popular realm with revolutionary messages. Kweli mocks “gangsta’s” who claim they are “never scared”, when “there's kids in other countries making jerseys, jeans, and sneakers they could never wear/ parents never there, they're busy building homes they can't afford to buy/ cars they can't afford to drive, working jobs that don't support their life”, and criticizes how they are too “busy screaming ‘gangsta, gangsta’ all that talk is trite/ you already lost the fight if you don't know the cost of life”[Talib Kweli, "Going Hard"] . This verse is all at once the juxtaposition between our own perceptions of hardships with the realities of those in other countries, a reference to Marx’s “Alienation of Labor”, and an analysis of working conditions resulting from global capitalism- all of which is expressed through a common vernacular over compelling “beats”. Hip-Hop is able to tap into raw human emotion which seems to translate universally within youth cultures, because “Although we speak in different languages/ We all pretty familiar with what anger is” [Talib Kweli, "I Try"] . One of the most compelling aspects of prophetic hip-hop in the context of transnational global justice movements is its potential to be globally influential (through the internet, etc.) while locally relevant, influencing the actions of everyday people, professing “the revolution's here, the revolution is personal” [Talib Kweli, "the Beautiful Struggle"] . While there are diverse styles and sub-cultures of hip-hop across the globe which address each of their respective local experiences, hip-hop is also able to draw attention to global discrepancies using irony, imagery and metaphors, such as “In Africa they starvin, over here the food hurt you”[Talib Kweli, "Eat to Live"] or “now the poor klu klux man see that we're all brothers not because things are the same, because we lack the same color, that's green ($)… cant burn his cross cause he cant afford the gasoline”[Lupe Fiasco, "American Terrorist"]. Artists like Lupe Fiasco and Kweli are often branded “backpack rappers” because of their intellectual appeal to college students, serving as voices of opposition to American imperialism, satirically rapping “they ain't living properly/ break em off a little democracy/ turn their whole culture to a mockery/ give em coca-cola for their property/ give em gum, give em guns, get em young, give em fun”[Ibid] . Mos Def shares his 2-cents on global capitalism, saying “There are places where TB is common as TV/ Cause foreign-based companies go and get greedy/ The type of cats who pollute the whole shore line/ Have it purified, sell it for a dollar twenty-five” [Mos Def, "New World Water"] . One of the main issues hindering the Students Against Sweatshops Movement is that of race. While “students of color recognize the connections between racism and global economic exploitation” , they are often steered towards more pressing local issues due to the prevailing economic inequities facing many people of color. White students on the other hand seem to look right past the problem in front of their eyes, resulting from a “sense of one’s own advantage and comfort” and being able to afford “the luxury of organizing on behalf of others” [Featherstone, Liza, et al. Students Against Sweatshops]. Still, the USAS movement has found some common ground in issues such as the prison industrial-complex and living wages.

II. Civic Engagement and Hip-Hop Culture: Social Capital and Assets-Based Approach

In terms of civic engagement, best practices in community development can draw from different competing models, or paradigms, each with its own merits and short-comings. In terms of my personal philosophy, I take a very post-modern approach that rejects the universal validity of any model, and instead attempts at forming theories and solutions based on combinations of different methods. Focusing on community assets and building social capital are two methods for approaching community development, both of which can be applied through the lens of prophetic hip-hop culture.

The idea of “Social Capital” is a relative new term in the context of community building, however this paradigm has already come under fire from some critics due to its limitations within a capitalistic framework. Essentially, social capital is “based on trust, reciprocity, networks and collective action” [Flora, Cornelia, Building Social Capital: The Importance of Entrepreneurial Social Infrastructure] and helps communities mobilize resources, both human and financial. Due to the complex and continually changing range of relationships, challenges and resources on the local, regional and national level, “permeable and flexible networks are critical for community sustainability”[Ibid] . Hip-hop can be a viable tool for building and increasing social capital; lyrical expression and shared creativity can help build up trust between performers and listeners, sharing personal experiences and opening up respectful dialogue through music helps foster reciprocity, working together to utilize different artistic talents and entrepreneurial resources helps build up networks, and finding commonalities despite different styles and beliefs can help to inspire collective action.

The “assets” approach to community development differs, however it is closely connected to the idea of social capital. Many consider the assets approach to be radically different than past paradigms of community development, since it is the exact opposite of the more traditional approach of assessing community deficiencies in order to fix them . Instead, the assets approach focuses on community strengths, available resources and established infrastructure. Hip-hop can easily fit into this paradigm, because of its widespread popularity, its influence among contemporary urban communities and its inherent entrepreneurial qualities which allow it to adapt to a variety of conditions and resources. In the “Community Assets Map” , there are three main groups; gifts of individuals, citizen’s associations and local institutions. Hip-hop is able to mutually benefit from and contribute to each level, beginning with the gifts of artists, producers and promoters, influencing associations such as churches and cultural groups with positive messages that appeal to the youth, and finally thriving off of local music business, hip-hop studies in schools, concerts and performances at parks and relevant resources at local libraries. In reference to the latter, hip-hop studies has been steadily growing in popularity amongst high-school and college students due to its relevance, its aesthetic appeal, and its untapped potential; libraries should recognize this cultural paradigm as an important asset to help foster literacy, research and critical thinking amongst students who feel alienated by irrelevant curriculums.

While contemporary media might have us think that hip-hop simply highlights a list of problems making up a modern deficit-based model, hip-hop culture often takes on a dramatically different role in local communities than the commercialized mainstream expressions of hip-hop, incorporating linguistic traditions, dance, visual arts and turn-tabling. Both as a culture and as a value system, Hip-Hop is able to transcend the limitations of deficit-based models because it “grew from an asset-based approach, making new music from old records and discarded turntables, telling stories with skilled combination and delivery of words, creating dance on a piece of cardboard on the street, and painting enormous colorful murals with a few cans of liberated spray paint and appropriated canvases” [Borrup, Tom, What's Revolutionary About Valuing Assets as a Strategy in Cultural Work? ] . Hip-hop artists “use what they have and are masters of creative re-use and remixing”[Ibid] , which also serves to help incorporate traditional cultural values and historical knowledge in fresh new formats, preserving important community culture which might otherwise be lost. Hip-hop has shaped and informed so many young men and women in my generation, both positively and negatively, “yet it has not been heralded as an asset in itself but cited as examples of depravity or evidence of a lack of access to legitimate culture”[Ibid] . Hip-hop should be heralded as an asset because it has already produced a plethora of original artists who collectively speak for our generation as a whole. Furthermore, even negative hip-hop that does focus on depravity and hardship should be seen as a potential asset, because either way it is still an accessible form of expression, personal identity and dialogue, which can foster a deeper collective understanding of marginalized individuals.

In order to maximize social capital within the framework of a community assets approach, it is important to focus on processes and participation so that community goals and practices are continually re-calibrated to efficiently maximize available resources and infrastructure. Hip-hop can be a positive tool in achieving both. While hip-hop is not a perfect cultural paradigm for directly achieving social change, it does provide relevant methods for addressing community needs, strengths and common goals. Mainstream media’s portrayal of hip-hop (as parochial and exploitative as it may be) still allows for collective critical thinking that can help deconstruct stereotypes, narratives and common misconceptions. The more open and honest dialogue there is, both between peers and across generational gaps, the more social capital can build, as people find different things that can help them relate to others, while also exposing how much we can learn from each other’s experiences and wisdom. The networks that result from this process can help sustain, develop and coordinate between different levels of community assets resulting in collaborations, coalitions and co-programming. While hip-hop is undeniably a unique cultural paradigm, wrought with its own shortcomings and merits, it is important to realize that it is most significant as a contemporary model for engaging today’s youth and not as a long-term solution for community building.

III. Hip-Hop and Collaborative Leadership: Overcoming the Disconnect

In the context of university-community partnerships, collaborative leadership seems to be more rigorously defined in theory than it is executed in practice. The reason most university-community partnerships inherently fall victims to this disconnect stems from the limitations placed on federally funded service projects at the university level. Service projects must be, by necessity, apolitical and deemed worthy of approval by people who are far removed from the local circumstances in question. What’s more, the privatization of higher learning in America reflects the traditional white patriarchal monopoly of colleges and universities, which have become increasingly more like corporate powerhouses than institutions of education. In that sense, Public Service programs are not necessarily driven by moral necessity but perhaps also by financial reactions to other competitors within the market whose programs attract good students and more funding. For Tulane, investing more in the Center for Public Service after Hurricane Katrina was a no-brainer; the commitment to hurricane recovery and public service became a viable means of marketing the school. This is not to say that the Center for Public Service at Tulane, and other programs like it around the country, are not doing any good. In fact, the first Service Learning Course I enrolled in changed my life forever. Perhaps it was a rare instance among a vast majority of students who grudgingly fulfill their service requirements in often irrelevant or ineffective projects. Perhaps not. Either way, having experienced that joy, that wealth of real knowledge and that calling deep down to serve others, makes me certain that the program has the potential to do that for others, if not all, of its students. Hip-Hop for Hope was what made my college experience.

Still, I have two main reasons for being doubtful of best-practices (as distinct from best-theory) for university- community partner based collaborative leadership. The first is that I think the university, including its students, is disconnected from the experiences, the vernacular and the overall reality of some of its current community partners, and the community at large, and many potential partners are unable to share in an authentic collaborative effort to address real and widespread community needs. The second is that the motivation for social change in all parties involved (including student volunteers) whether present or not, is overshadowed by bureaucratic processes, ulterior incentives, and limited flexibility in addressing community needs. The Center for Public Service describes collaboration as “sharing resources, information and altering activities to enhance the capacity of other partners for mutual benefit” . It seems as if universities across the country have, for the most part, come to a consensus on certain paradigms and social theories, essentially forming a canon of public service at the university level. Visit nearly any college website and you will see similar authors and books cited in the mission statements. This narrative was created primarily out of a conglomeration of privileged, educated, decision makers attempting to establish a somewhat objective, politically correct and universally effective modal for public service. There is no shame in the effort to understand best-practices in public service, however, I think it is important that we remember it is a narrative which can often conflict with more immediate and widespread community issues.

In my own way, I am helping create a new narrative around hip-hop in the realm of direct civic engagement which reflects the prophetic strain of positive hip-hop while rejecting or reconfiguring the narratives of Constantinian hip-hop based on artistic commodification and capitalist markets [West, Cornel, Democracy Matters]. Hip-hop’s complexity as a genre, a culture, and a form of expression seems to be a reaction to the fracturing reality we live in, however it also seems to enables hip-hop to deal with the post-Modern nature of our experiences. The vast majority of the staff and students at most universities come from somewhat privileged backgrounds that are far removed from those of the communities they serve, today’s generation of high school and college students share a unique common bond. While hip-hop’s influence may not directly impact suburban and middle class students to the point that they would identify themselves as part of the hip-hop generation, the culture’s saturation in every facet of the marketplace has undoubtedly left some impressions, both negative and positive. Still, the common use of slang words, similar fashions, shared pop culture knowledge and the ability to relate to the general urban sensibility expressed in hip-hop creates more space for conversation, collaboration and understanding.

With Hip-Hop for Hope, I strive to achieve the standards of collaborative leadership, however I do not feel that any conception that is limited to strict definitions ought to determine one’s legitimacy or effectiveness as a community leader. I truly believe that best-practices come from experience, and though it is necessary to have a solid theoretical framework to maintain sustainability, I believe dialogue, adaptation and evolution are essential in collaborative leadership and the execution of relevant and effective service projects. "A collaborative” university-community partnership is a “mutually beneficial relationship between two or more parties who work toward common goals by sharing responsibility, authority, and accountability for achieving results”[Tulane University Community Partner Handbook] . If I were to apply for a partnership with CPS on behalf of Hip-Hop for Hope, we would potentially benefit from Tulane’s funding, volunteers, PR resources and the overall legitimacy of being affiliated with a prestigious university. In return, Hip-Hop for Hope would be providing Tulane and CPS with relevant service projects with wide-ranging impact and the capacity for social change, while also providing Tulane with more press, recognition, and credibility amongst local community residents. Hip-Hop for Hope differs greatly from other service projects, providing a wide variety of services, both financial and social as well as a number of different opportunities for involvement on both the university and the community end. Collaborative leadership is essential in creating significant social change, because there are so many different leaders and organizations who all have different talents, opinions and perspectives to contribute. The more democratic and accessible the process, the better the outcome will be. But still, behind the scenes we must work to meet our partners half-way, listening intently and maintaining open and honest dialogue. The idea of mutual benefit still confuses me, however, because the university and the community partner will almost always perceive mutual benefit differently. Even in circumstances where both parties are happy and satisfied, it is likely the case that one party is receiving more benefits than the other, due to different resources available. True mutual benefits, if actually achieved, would likely yield a radical social transformation, because it would necessitate the rejection of many mainstream paradigms and common social conceptions. Who knows if academia is ready for such a shift in educational philosophy; if the status quo is any indication my guess would be that such a radical transformation is many, many years away.

Bibliography:

Featherstone, Liza, et al. Students Against Sweatshops, Verso Publishing Co.,
London, England, 2002.

Flora, Cornelia, “Building Social Capital: The Importance of Entrepreneurial Social
Infrastructure”. NCRCRD Homepage, Ames, IA http://www.ncrcrd.iastate.edu/newsletter/june97/build-soc-capital.html

Borrup, Tom, “What's Revolutionary About Valuing Assets as a Strategy in Cultural
Work?”, Reading Room. ©1999-2007 Community Arts Network
http://www.communityarts.net/readingroom/archivefiles/2005/09/radical_whats_r.php

Center for Public Service Community Partner Handbook, 2007, Tulane University

West, Cornel, Democracy Matters, Penguin Books, Ltd., New York, NY 2004

Chrislip, David D. and Larson, Carl E. 1994. Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic
Leaders Can Make a Difference. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass. 1994.

Discography:

Talib Kweli: The Beautiful Struggle, Eardrum (Blacksmith Music)

Mos Def: "New World Water"

Lupe Fiasco: Food and Liquor (Atlantic Records)

Make sure you check out Lupe Fiasco's new album, "The Cool", for more lyrical genius... coming December 18th, 2007!!!

Hip-Hop for Hope: A Recap of Lupe Fiasco's Unforgettable Appearance at Hip-Hop for Hope 2007

2007-12-04T16:24:00.000-06:00

Working long hard hours for atlantics records pays in full... Lupe Fiasco is on my list of top 5 lyricists of all times. Believe me, that is not some easy accomplishment, that list is sacred. When I first got offered the job to work for Atlantic I was excited, but I was not entirely sure who was on their label and I wanted to do my homework. One artist immediately stuck out to me- Lupe. While I love the other artists I promote, Lupe was far and away the one that sold me on it. I wanted the business executives to know that Lupe's style of music does sell, that it's popular with a variety of people, and that it is the future of the hip-hop industry. The following is a report I submitted as a recap of the promotional event I held for Lupe Fiasco at Hip-Hop for Hope 2007.

November 1st, 2007:

The stage was set for a great event- over 100 people crowded into the
Ashe Cultural Arts Center, amidst the West African sculptures and
paintings on the wall, waiting patiently to catch a glimpse of the
"Superstar" they came to see. From 6:30 to 8:30 pm, the crowd listened
to 9 different panelists speak their opinions on a number of different
Hip-Hop themed topics: HIV/AIDS, Education, economics, violence, and
other issues related to the lifestyle often associated with Hip-Hop. Other
local hip-hop artists were in attendance, including Truth Universal, KJ Mac,
Chris and Qmembers of the band Floopy Head.

[Photo: Chris, lead singer of New Orleans hip-hop band "Floopy Head".]

The crowd was heated- towards the end of the panel, people got a
chance to speak their minds, vocalizing powerful and passionate
opinions about the subject matter. This was what Hip-Hop for Hope was
all about- establishing dialogue and fostering interaction and
community participation. All of this served to set the tone for the
M.C. we all know and love, Lupe Fiasco.

[Photo: Panelists at Hip-Hop for Hope Community Forum]

Just when it seemed as if the dialogue had come to a climax and was
about to fade out, we ended the panel and introduced our distinguished
guest. Lupe entered the room as camera's snapped and people with
camcorders shuffled quietly closer to get a better angle. People
applauded Lupe as he entered the room full of onlookers, waiting
patiently to hear his 2-cents on the issues. Just as promised, we
started off Lupe's Q and A session with questions we had asked the
panelists just an hour earlier. "In what way do you see Hip-Hop as a
means of promoting education- does Hip-Hop belong in the class room
and if so, how should it be used?" Lupe was cool, calm and collected,
rubbing his chin in quiet reflection for a moment, before responding
with a careful, thought provoking analysis, displaying a wisdom well
beyond an average 24 year old. Lupe responded with something like
this: "I think Hip-Hop certainly has its place in the classroom as a
tool to help reach students, in certain circumstances, but I think its
important to remember that education doesn't only take place in a
classroom or a school... I never did very well in school, and yet
hip-hop was one means to help me learn the tools I needed. Also,
hip-hop shouldnt be the only tool, it is just a form of a music, not a
be-all end-all solution to the problems we face...etc". We knew after
the first response that Lupe was not just some big name or gimmick to
boost attendance at the forum- he was the real deal- his thoughts
would be a crucial contribution to the overall dialogue.

We continued on with more questions, trying to maintain some focus on
his new up and coming album "the Cool". I asked him if there were any
specific issues that he was concentrating on conveying with this new
album. I added that I knew his work was more artiststic than
prescriptive or academic, that his message was heavily layered with
imagery and every day life experiences- but what community issues
could we expect to find him addressing with his latest work? He
responded very coolly, describing some of the processes he typically
uses in creating a song and an album. He talked about how his message
gets interwoven into his songs through certain experiences and subject
matter, and how he often tries to convey a different perspective of
things, often exploring aspects of the typical issues which one might
have not considered before. One example he used was that, instead of
describing a rape, or the act of rape, and saying that it was a bad
thing, etc., he would be more interested in exploring the victim's
perspective months or years after- conveying the psychological impact.
This made perfect sense to me in retrospect, thinking about his other
works- his subtle nuances and narratives convey a profound perspective
on so many intertwined issues. In many ways, his music becomes more
powerful because he focuses less on a specific issue, but rather on
experience and the inherent complexity in any given circumstance. Lupe
talked about how he refuses to cover a subject more than once, and how
it both limits him but also allows him to continue to be original and
think about new ideas. He said some of his new songs would address
problems such as immigration and other less talked about issues in the
hip-hop world.

We then opened it up for the audience to ask questions. Many die-hard
Lupe fans were given the chance to finally ask some of the questions
that had always wanted to ask him. One person was curious to know
about the album artwork- what did the symbols mean? I thought he would
just say "well it looked cool", but little did I know, this question
would be one of the most pertinent for explaining the whole background
behind his new album. He cooly removed his jacket with the triangular
logo on the back and had one of his nearby crew hold it up as he
explained the three personalities, the Streets, the Game, and the
Cool. He spit a few fluid verses "blunts for fingers.... hollow points
for teeth", incorporating them perfectly into his answer as he painted
a picture of the concept and themes of "The Cool". My mom was there, a
50 year old white woman from the south, and later came up to me saying
"you should tell Lupe that I am going to buy his CD after hearing his
explanation!" Everyone was so impressed at his thoughtful responses,
his poise and his approachable nature. The Q and A ended up being less
formal than I had initially expected, but it worked to everyone's
advantage. At times, it was as if Lupe and I were just having a one on
one conversation in my living room, for everyone to see. At the same
time, it felt almost as if we were two students giving a presentation
to our class, thrown together at the last minute, but successful
nonetheless. I tried to play my part, asking questions which could
relate to the audience and tie in his appearance to the larger mission
of the forum, while also giving him time to promote his album and
explain what it was all about. Lupe was incredible at feeding off of
what I was giving him, providing answers which were entirely
refreshing, unpredictable, yet still
%100 Lupe. It seemed as if there was an energy in the air- a
realization on everyone's part that , wow, Lupe was actually there, he
actually cared about what we were doing and he seemed genuinely
interested.

Later on, fans asked him about his experiences coming to New Orleans
after the storm. He said his first time back, when opening for the
Roots at House of Blues, he just got off the plane and got back on.
This time, he said, was different. Driving between Gulfport, MS and
New Orleans, Lupe had a chance to see the destruction of the storm- it
was and is, way beyond what any outsider could ever imagine. He said
he was a changed person because of it- part of me wanted him to stay,
because I can't imagine what his reaction would be if he had seen up
close the damage the storm had left behind in the historic 9th Ward
and other parts of the city. One day just can't do justice to what has
taken place. Still, I could tell he had begun to understand our
struggle- a struggle beyond any words to describe it. We ended the Q
and A and let his fans come up and do a quick meet and greet, getting
autographs and giving thanks to the superstar who had taken time to
share his wisdom and his talents.

Later on, Lupe did a few interviews with local student newspapers,
city-wide media, and a local hip-hop film production company: 2 Cent
Entertainment. The directors of Ashe Cultural Arts Center were very
adamant about getting some of the pictures of Lupe's appearance to
hang on their wall of fame (they were all huge fans of his and they
were so pleased that he came down!). Overall, the event was a huge
success, and we can't thank Lupe enough for being in the right place
at the right time. Next year, we would love to have him come back and
hopefully do a performance for our benefit concert. I slipped his
manager my card and told him we would love to book him, and then shook
Lupe's hand and thanked him again. I told him that he was one of the
main reasons I had been working for Atlantic, that it was my plan from
the start to try to get him to come down for our Hip-Hop for Hope
event, and that it was truly a dream come true. This type of event
makes me just want to work even harder as a College Rep to help unite
artists with fans, promoting their music while working with them for a
much greater cause- Hope.

Lupe Fiasco: Hip-Hop for Hope Forum

2007-12-04T15:55:00.000-06:00

http://democracyandhiphop.blogspot.com

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Lupe Fiasco at N.O. Hip-Hop Panel Discussion

Friday, November 2, 2007, NOLA Hip-Hop for Hope sponsored a panel discussion featuring artists, professors, teachers, and community folks, followed with a talk with Lupe Fiasco.

Among the eight panelists were a mixture of hip-hop cultural conservatives, social conservatives, and social and liberal democrats, and only two or three offered anything of value.

Most of the discussion situated around the "unholy trinity" that sets the parameters for most hip-hop discussion today; that of misogyny, violence, and materialism. The few of the Left perspective tried to give a broader social context for why themes like these predominate within hip-hop, while those on the Right attributed them to bad parenting, inferior education, depraved morals, etc.

Dr. Shayne Lee, while appealing to the logic and parameters given, argued that hip-hop has many different sub-genres, not all of them misogynistic or violent. He affirmed this by his belief in the free market that lends itself to the variety of tastes of listeners. Additionally, he stated that if one genre becomes the most popular it is because of some abstract economic law.

His flawed economism aside, hip-hop does manifest many different categories to give a broader, fuller expression of its content. But these categories cannot be treated as immutable; as if they have always been with us. These categories move, develop, grow, and are eventually superseded by new categories that act as mere forms for hip-hop's actual beats and rhymes substance.

For instance, gangsta rap and bling rap are two different sub-genres, but bling is a negation of gangsta; a renunciation of its poverty context and a break with both its militancy and embrace of poverty. But bling was an undercurrent within gangsta that eventually came to dominate and absorb the other. This doesn't mean that gangsta rap is dead, but the gangsta rap of today is hardly the gangsta rap of the early and mid 1990s. Labelling it the same tends to blur this distinction.

Betty Washington, a teacher and publisher of Hip-Hop Teen Magazine, took a hardline social conservative approach to hip-hop; an approach that is strikingly reminiscent to C. Delores Tucker and Dionne Warwick's assailing of hip-hop in the mid 90s. Her view is that we (meaning the Jazz generation) need to create and inject from without a mechanical, positive hip-hop and pressure the ruling class to create unprofitable music.

The problem with this view is in treating hip-hop as if it is something external to begin with and not a living, breathing organism from below. The artists scapegoated for all the aforementioned contexts within the music are valid and authentic manifestations of black and working class reality. How does creating such fake music erase violence and drugs? As long as these realities prevail, people will find ways to give expression to them in art and music.

One of the more vocal and animated of the panelists, who was literally all over the map when it come to her position, was adamant that hip-hop takes the blame for everything wrong in society precisely because of the demonization of black people. We couldn't agree more on this question. But her contributions ended there.

When Lupe made his way to the microphone, he was immediately bombarded by the backpack, cultural conservatives with questions as to how he feels about being a 'conscious rapper'. Witty though he was, he answered with a question, "Do you think Jeezy and 50 Cent are conscious artists?" to which the questioner replied, "No." He then stated that he feels that consciousness is an awareness of your surroundings and that Jeezy and 50 are very aware of their own. Whereas Lupe says he talks about the surroundings as they are, Jeezy and 50 embrace them.

Lloyd Banks was asked in an October 2006 interview, "Do you listen to a lot of 'conscious' artists? And how do you feel about their rapping as opposed to your own?"

Banks responds, "Well not a lot. I don't really buy their albums or nothin' like that, but I can appreciate the music. I acknowledge what Mos Def brings to the table and Talib Kweli, even The Roots, they're just another branch of Hip Hop. There's so many different styles that make up the Hip Hop culture. I can't even really... The difference with mine is, my music is 'conscious' also, I guess the difference is just the two labels. Maybe it's just more 'in your face' with me. I mean I'm totally and completely conscious with what I'm saying, when I'm saying it so I don't even know why people acknowledge that as different."

"Conscious rap" as a label is ultimately Theses on Hip-Hop point five, dogmatism, and an attempt to divide hip-hop.

What the panelists missed in the end was that hip-hop is a direct and universal outgrowth of life under capitalism and white supremacy and it reveals humanity's striving for real universality in all that we do, especially in our labor. It is a yearning for true freedom; for emancipation from the chains of the old society and that is what the intellectuals, the bewilderers, and the bureaucrats will never understand.

The D&HHP strives to capture hip-hop's totality and to validate all of its component parts, not divorce them from one another because it doesn't fit into our own thought categories. If any round content, any object, doesn't accept the square pegs of our thoughts, we need a new peg. Many of the above panelists and their ideas represent those square pegs that need to be dispensed with.
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Lupe Fiasco at N.O. Hip-Hop Panel Discussion

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Knotz Release EP “The Antidote”

2007-12-04T14:42:00.000-06:00

Bushkill PA—December 03, 2007 -- If you have yet to hear of the Knotz, it can be guaranteed they will be making waves near your city soon. This group has recently independently released a brand new EP titled “The Antidote” on their independent record label Damali Records. “The Antidote” is available worldwide digitally through Turmic Records and the group has already successfully sold over 5,000 units. “The Antidote” comes at a time when main stream hip hop screams money, glamour and fame; Knotz bring back the roots of what hip hop was built on, spiting about real problems and real situations happening in America today. “The Antidote” provides popular culture with something they relate to rather then dream about.

Knotz have shared the stage with artists such as Busta Rhymes, Common, and Papoose; and they will continue to tour throughout the east coast in 2008. The group was also named as the Independent Artist Registry's 2007 "IndiE Award" winner for Independent Artist of the Year. “Thank you for keeping hip hop alive…” raves Chris Tucker of Global Underground Hip Hop Radio; and keeping hip hop alive is exactly what the Knotz accomplished with “The Antidote”. To date what this group has accomplished is no small feat for an independent artist, Knotz are paving their way to stardom.

For more information regarding Knotz and their music visit their website: www.knotzmusic.com.

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My review:

4 out of 5 Stars: ****

The Knotz are an up and coming group that makes me proud to have been a resident of the Keystone State. People underestimate the hip-hop coming out of PA. Sure, we all love the Roots, and there are a few other key artists from Philly (excluding the Fresh Prince, Will Smith) who have done justice to the musical heritage of the state, but very few ever get the recognition they deserve. The Knotz represent the organic, yet authentically street coded experience which few can replicate or express musically. Their beats are ecclectic, but firmly rooted in the New York style of production so prevalent in East Coast rap.

The trio brings diversity in style and expression, incorporating reggae and rasta dialects into verses reminiscent of early Wu-Tang or an underground Talib Kweli. The quality of recording is good, but could use some improvement-still its rawness is part of its charm. One can easily hear that while their recordings effectively convey their sound and message, they seem like the kind of group that would absolutely kill it on stage. Their energy is almost too much to be bounded by recording booths or condensor mics, and personally, the best hip-hop artists are those who can rock a live show- it is an experience you can't put a price on.

I would love to see the Knotz make their way down to New Orleans and play a large, but intimate venue like Tipitina's or the Hangar. Either way, the Knotz got it going on and we can only hope that the industry will soon break out of their obtuse obsession with club bangars and cheesy R&B and open up the doors to this type of hard-hitting hip-hop.

Wild Wayne's Industry Influence Conference!!!

2007-10-30T11:02:00.001-06:00

Check out Wild Wayne's "Industry Influence Conference" on November 5th at the Hangar! This event will be a great follow up to this weekend's HIP-HOP FOR HOPE Benefit Concert and Community Forum. All artists, promoters, booking agents, managers and other music industry affiliates have something to gain by attending this event. THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER CONFERENCE- ITS INDUSTRY INFLUENCE. Check it out on the first Monday of each month!

Networking. Education. Showcases.

I will be there in attendence, networking and honing my music industry skills to help make sure Hip-Hop for Hope 2008 gets even bigger and better!

New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope: 2007

2007-10-11T21:36:00.000-05:00

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11th, 2007

2nd Annual New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope
November 1st, 2nd and 3rd

New Orleans, La. --- On November 1st, 2nd and 3rd, a coalition of students, in partnership with organizations at Tulane University and the Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology (MLK), will host the second annual benefit concert series - New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope.
The primary goal of this event is to raise money and support for educational programming in New Orleans and to raise awareness about two key community issues - Education and HIV/AIDS. Last year the event raised over $5,500 for MLK and featured some of the most popular local hip-hop artists, including Baby Boy da Prince, Soul Rebels Brass Band and KnowOne. The organization seeks to expand its efforts this year in order to have an even greater impact on the community.

Summary of Events

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Thursday, November 1st
What: “Homegrown Hip-Hop Benefit”
Where: Tipitina’s
When: 7pm-1 am, $10 Admission, Ages 18 and up
This concert will feature local Hip-Hop artists and D.J.s. The proceeds from this concert will benefit a building project lead by Tulane organization SAFER (Student Advocacy for a Fair and Equitable Recovery). The building project helps to rebuild the homes of local musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.

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Friday, November 2nd
What: Community Forum & Hip-Hop Culture Showcase
Where: ASHÉ Cultural Arts Center
When: 6pm-9pm, Free Admission, All Ages
This forum will feature speakers and panelists from a variety of backgrounds, including professors, students, community leaders, politicians & artists. Topics to be covered include: Hip-Hop and the Community, HIV/AIDS, Education and a variety of issues related to the New Orleans Hip-Hop community. The last hour will feature spoken word, dance and step performances.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE LUPE FIASCO ATTEND THIS EVENT?

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Saturday, November 3rd:
What: Benefit Concert: A Fundraiser for MLK Jr. Charter School
Where: Tipitina’s
When: 7pm-1pm, Admission: $15, Ages 18 and up
The 2nd Annual Benefit Concert will feature the most popular Hip-Hop artists and D.J.s from New Orleans and beyond. The line-up of artists is to be announced, however negotiations are in
progress with a number of high-profile New Orleans artists. All proceeds go towards educational
programming at the MLK Jr. Charter School. The event will feature raffle prizes, drink specials
and a V.I.P. section with gourmet catering.

***********************************************************

With your help, New Orleans Hip-Hop for Hope can contribute to the revitalization effort underway in New Orleans by bringing people from throughout the city together for a common purpose. The organization hopes to continue expanding its programming each year, eventually reaching the level of other music festivals such as Jazzfest, Voodoo Fest and Essence Fest. If you are interested in getting involved, donating money or services, or sponsoring the event, you can find more information at www.hiphopforhope.org. All are invited to come participate in what will surely be an extraordinary experience and a positive beacon of hope for the greater New Orleans community.
For more information visit www.hiphopforhope.org.
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2007 Sponsors:

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Ben Brubaker:
Founder & Director
nola.hiphopforhope@gmail.com
www.hiphopforhope.org

Tannia Suarez:
Public Relations Committee
tanniasuarez@gmail.com
(504)-390-1895

Emily Rogers:
Public Relations Committee
erogers7@gmail.com
(281)-989-5367

Biography: Lupe Fiasco

2007-10-11T21:20:00.000-05:00

Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool

Hip-hop music, once a platform for creative expression and friendly competition, has, sadly, become a popularity contest. With record sales down and ringtone dollars up, rookies searching for that “one big hit” seem solely concerned with being deemed “cool.” Lyrics have side-stepped, giving way to dance-instructing “rappers” more concerned with sparking the new “Macarena” than being hailed as an MC.

On the outside looking in at such followers is Lupe Fiasco. Rather than conform to music industry standards, Fiasco (born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco) has trail-blazed his own path to critical acclaim. Possessing head-spinning wordplay and a topical range more akin to the underground than the mainstream, the 25-year-old lyricist has proven that talent can still make waves in the rap game.

Born and raised in the seedy, confrontational West side of Chicago, Illinois, Fiasco grew up like the regular urban survivor. What wasn’t common, however, was the means by which he carried himself. Comic books and literature of all genres cluttered his bedroom floor, and a skateboard replaced your typical drop-top Cadillac. Influenced by the Californian gangsta rap of artists such as Spice 1 and Ice Cube, Fiasco gradually grew leery of such negative messages, gravitating toward the dazzling lyricism of the likes of Nas and Jay-Z.

In 2004, Fiasco signed with Atlantic Records – even launching his own company, 1st & 15th Entertainment – and began recording his debut, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. Fiasco’s first major look came on fellow Chi-town native Kanye West’s hit single, “Touch The Sky,” where Fiasco delivered a show-stopping verse. The buzz gained from that song transitioned the gumshoe rapper into his first official solo single, the skateboard-meets-rap gem “Kick Push.” Inspired by his own quirky hobby, Fiasco delivered a metaphorical tale of uplift through the eyes of a thrashing, four-small-wheel riding skater boy.

Released to extensive critical lauding and media embrace in September of 2006, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor (executive produced by good friend, and one-time mentor, Jay-Z) set the stage for a career that promises longevity. As a result, Lupe landed a remarkable three Grammy nominations – including Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song for “Kick Push.”

Now, ready to capitalize on such promise, Fiasco has returned with his second offering, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool. A largely conceptual tour-de-force, the album’s title is inspired by a standout track from Fiasco’s debut, a hustler-turned-zombie epic also called “The Cool.” This time around, Fiasco introduces three new characters – Michael Young History (The Cool before his death), The Game (a male personification of a hustler’s damaging influences), and The Streets (a female embodiment of an urban area’s corrupt allure).

The potent sense of thematic execution comes across perfectly on “The Coolest,” a highlight of Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool that serves as a prelude to the earlier track, “The Cool.” Detailing Michael Young History’s fall from glory to tragedy at the hands of his lover, The Streets, Fiasco employs his unique brand of imagery: “If the rain stops and everything’s dry / She would cry so I could drink the tears from her eye.”

Elsewhere, Fiasco strays away from his characters to comment on his own rise to fame, an issue that clearly causes discomfort. Look no further than the first single, “Superstar,” produced by Fiasco’s closest collaborator, Soundtrakk, and beaming with poignant unease: “A fresh, cool young Lu / Trying to cash his microphone check, 2, 1, 2 / Wanna believe my own hype, but it’s too untrue / The world brought me to my knees, what have you brung you?”

Primarily produced by Soundtrakk, and also featuring contributions from a diverse array of atypical instrumentalists (including Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump), Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool is evidence that Fiasco is anything but average. Rather than follow up a monumental ’06 year – capped by his three Grammy nods, four BET Hip Hop Award nominations, and recognition as GQ’s “Breakout Man of the Year,” amongst other accolades – with an obvious attempt to further crossover, the young wordsmith has crafted a dense, dark, and atmospheric examination of life’s pleasures. Whether negative or positive, what people consider to be “cool” ultimately dominates their every move, and Fiasco is completely aware of this.

In hip-hop’s popularity contest, Lupe Fiasco is the observer, a thinking man brave enough to dictate the acute thoughts that his peers ignore. Now, that is cool.

Atlantic Records- 10/07

TWISTA @ the MUSHROOM THIS FRIDAY 9/28

2007-09-27T23:27:00.000-05:00

Atlantic Records and the Atlantic Urban College Network Present...

TWISTA'S ADRENALINE RUSH 2007 PROMOTIONAL VISIT TO THE TULANE/LOYOLA/XAVIER AREA @ The MUSHROOM, uptown on Broadway and Zimple.
THIS FRIDAY! 9/18
11:30am- 12:30pm

Twista will be making a live appearance at the Mushroom Friday around Noon for a Meet & Greet and Cd Signing. His new CD Adrenaline RUSH 2007 marks the 10 year anniversary of his first album, Adrenaline Rush. Ten years in the game and still on top, Twista has worked with artists such as Trey Songz and Kanye West, among many others. Twista was in the Guiness Book of World Records for most words said in a minute. HE IS THE FASTEST RAPPER ALIVE!

This is a must see- rarely do we have such big time artists making visits in this area, so don't miss it!

Keep a look out for TREY SONGZ new Album, as well as events held in your area for the release. It's TREY DAY ya'll!

Mos Def and Dr. Cornell West Speak Up on Jena 6

2007-09-12T00:22:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from the transcript of Bill Maher with Dr. Cornell West and Mos Def on the Jena 6, Barack Obama, and other relevent issues (http://www.billmaher.com/?page_id=204)....

Appearances
Transcripts
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REALTIME
HBO BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
September 7, 2007

Episode #517

“REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER”

BILL MAHER

LARRY WILKERSON, Col., U.S. Army (Retired)
(via satellite)

MOS DEF

CORNEL WEST

RALPH NADER
(via satellite)

All “Real Time with Bill Maher” transcripts are prepared immediately following the initial HBO broadcast. Due to the speed with which these transcripts are prepared, complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

[OPENING CREDITS]

[applause] [cheers] [standing ovation]

BILL MAHER: Thank you very much! How you doin’? Thank you. All right. Thank you very much. Aw, please. Folks, sit down. Stop it. Stop it, please. I have tickets to see that Viagra band. [laughter] “Viva…” [laughter]

FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you, Bill!

MAHER: Thank you, sir. [laughter] I know why your nipples are hard tonight. [laughter] President Bush has embarrassed himself and the nation in Australia today. I don’t know if you saw this, but he was—[he laughs]—he was at the APEC Convention – that’s Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation. He said it was OPEC. [laughter] Then he referred to the Australians as the “Austrians.” [laughter] And then he almost walked off the edge of the stage and killed himself. [laughter] He was going to step on a rake and have it hit in the head, but he’s saving that for the French, he said. [laughter]

Now, yesterday, he was in Australia – and listen to this – a TV comedian dressed himself up over there as Osama bin Laden, and got within feet of Bush’s hotel. [laughter] They got him, this guy. And the Bush spokesman said it was obvious the guy was not the real Bin Laden because they caught him. [laughter] [applause] [cheers]

Now, the real Bin Laden, he made a video. It came out today. Boy, he’s up there with Kanye West and 50 Cent. [laughter] He’s going for that 9/11 market. But, in the Bin Laden’s video, the real Bin Laden said, “If Americans want the war in Iraq to end, they must convert to Islam.” Well, I mean, between that and waiting for the Democrats to end it, I say go with Islam. [laughter] [applause]

It’s interesting. Obviously, Bin Laden follows the news over here, because he said Americans are reeling from a mortgage crisis, which is true. People don’t know this; Bin Laden used to work for Afghanistan’s biggest real estate agency, Century 12. [laughter] [applause] Century 12! Not 21, because he’s—[he spins around]—[laughter]

And listen to this: in the video, he appears to be wearing a fake beard. That’s why Bush can’t find him. He has cunningly disguised himself—[laughter]—as Osama bin Laden. [laughter] No, he’s dyed – either – the last time we saw him, he had a grey beard. It’s either a fake beard, or he’s dyed his beard black. This guy has gone Hollywood. [laughter] It’s true, because at the end of the video, he says, “Mel Gibson, call me.” [laughter] [applause]

But, all of this is very good news for Senator Larry Craig of Idaho—[laughter]—because now he’s not the only guy in the headlines with a “beard.” [laughter] [groans] I know, explain it to – what the people…[laughter] No, Larry Craig – I love Larry Craig – first he said he was going to quit; then he said he’s not going to quit; now, he says he’s going to quit again. He wants to “fight for his right to potty.” [laughter] “You go, girl!” [laughter]

But, listen to this. This is only in America. His supporters are calling for a boycott of the Minneapolis airport where he was caught playing footsie, you know, looking for a little…action there. [laughter] And, you know, this is the most notorious bathroom in America for picking up gay people. It is. That’s just the truth. There’s a 20-minute wait just to get a stall. [laughter] One guy was so upset with the wait, he said, “Who do I have to blow around here to blow somebody around here?!” [laughter] [applause]

See, this is why the Republicans have fallen in love with Fred Thompson. He declared his candidacy on Jay Leno’s show. He’s in. They love this, because when Fred Thompson goes to a men’s room, it’s because he has an enlarged prostate. [laughter] It has nothing to do with…gay sex.

Now, there is a new biography of President Bush out – have you heard this? – where it says that the president cries a lot. [laughter] The president says, “I do tears.” [laughter] So, let’s see. He’s impulsive, he’s stubborn, he’s weepy. Sorry, Hillary, apparently we already have our first woman president. [laughter] [applause] Oh, go along with it. Don’t…it’s just a joke. You’ll get over it tomorrow. [laughter]

So, Luciano Pavarotti died. Very sad. President Bush said this was a sad day for music. Although, personally, his favorite opera singer is Meatloaf. [laughter]

And not a week apparently goes by where they don’t recall something else from China. Now – listen to this – they are recalling Chinese-made condoms. Because sometimes you don’t want a little lead in your pencil. [laughter] That’s…that’s…[applause] You know, folks, there’s over a billion Chinese. Why would anyone think their condoms work? [laughter] [applause]

Okay, we’ve got a great show. We’ve got Cornel West and Mos Def are going to join me in a minute. I’ll be speaking later with Ralph Nader. And, first, he was Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Please welcome Col. Lawrence Wilkerson. Colonel! [applause]

Col. LAWRENCE (Larry) WILKERSON [via satellite]: How are you, Bill?

MAHER: How are you, sir? So, what did you think of my monologue?

WILKERSON: I – I was laughing. I was afraid I’d be laughing too hard when you came on. [laughter]

MAHER: I find that hard to believe, sir. [laughter] But, okay, let me ask you about what’s going on in Iraq, because President Bush made a surprise visit there this week. And he said – in Australia, he said – “We’re kicking ass in Iraq.” Do you think we’re kicking ass in Iraq?

WILKERSON: Bill, I’ve been so confused by all the different reports that have come back: GAO, Jim Jones – General Jim Jones in the Marine Corps. I’ve emailed some friends of mine in Iraq who have been emailing me all along. And one of them has been there about four years. And he came back to me today, and others have come back to me also, and said, “Nothing really has changed other than the fact that we’ve been able by the surge to bring some security to certain areas. But nothing has really changed. No good political situation. No good security situation. No good economic situation.” And to sum it up, he said, “We’re going to be here another ten years, and in some strength, if we’re going to build any kind of stability and any kind of political system to this country.

MAHER: But, you know that America does not have the patience to wait for ten years.

WILKERSON: I agree with you. I don’t think the land forces, the Marine Corps and the Army, I don’t think they can stand another six or seven months. They’re coming apart at the seams.

MAHER: So how are they going to make this case, when General Petraeus goes to Congress, that the surge is working? Because, if you take it by the short term that they increased security, well, they really didn’t, did they? They just moved it around. Yes, there’s less death for the civilians in Baghdad because our troops are there, so the Whack-a-Mole game – the violence – went elsewhere. But the violence is not down. And if you look at the long range, which is, of course, the political situation, that hasn’t improved.

So, by either short range or long range measure, they really haven’t achieved their goal, have they?

WILKERSON: I agree. And I think this administration – fundamentally, Dick Cheney – made a strategic decision some months ago that the best they can do is pass this situation to the next administration, and in the process do everything they can to minimize the damage to the Republican Party as they do it. And I think that’s their strategy now.

MAHER: And it’s interesting, when they talk about this surge working, and they cite statistics, they don’t tell you that they do not count deaths between Sunni on Sunni, or Shiite on Shiite. In other words, when the tribes that are fighting each other within the tribe we don’t count that. We also don’t count car bombs. They also don’t count if you get shot in the front of the head, because apparently that’s just a criminal death, as opposed to getting shot in the back of the head, which is sectarian violence. Now, I read in the paper recently that the Sunnis are fighting the Sunnis, the Shiites are fighting the Shiites. Is America even relevant over there anymore?

WILKERSON: We’re relevant only in one sense, and that is if the Shiite wants to talk to a Sunni or a Sunni wants to talk to a Kurd, or vice versa, we’re the people they talk through. That’s about it. We’re liaison between these warring sects. And even, as you pointed out, there are warring factions within the sects.

MAHER: So, did you see this week that they broke up a cell in Germany; that they were about to commit some horrific crime against American installations over there. As we look at all these terrorist cells that get broken up or the terrorist cells that actually have committed the crimes, as in Madrid and in London, how many of these acts, do you think, would have taken place if we had not gone into Iraq? In other words, how many Iraq-inspired Islamic cells do you think there are, as opposed to what would have happened if we hadn’t gone into Iraq?

WILKERSON: My view all along has been that this is a war of ideas and not a war of bombs, bullets and bayonets. And therefore, to lead with the military instrument – and I’m 31 years in that instrument – is the wrong way to go. We should be leading first and foremost with our ideas, which I think – I happen to think – are much more powerful and much better than Bin Laden or Ayman Zawahiri’s ideas. And we should be leading with instruments of our power such as our economics, our financial might, our law enforcement, our intelligence capabilities, and so forth. The military should be the last instrument we’re using. [applause] And, you’re right, as we use that instrument – as we use that instruments, we do, in fact, give Bin Laden a recruiting mechanism.

That said, this is very worrisome, what’s just happened in Germany, because I do believe that one of the breeding grounds for terrorists in the world right now is in the heart of Europe. There’s a very liberal situation there. Civil liberties are high, and so forth. And it’s real easy to hide in that, and real easy to communicate and to survive and sustain yourself, if you’re a terrorist, in that environment. So, I’m worried about this situation in Europe where there are probably people like those who conducted 9/11. And they’re not being detected as rapidly as they should be.

MAHER: Well, they detected these guys.

WILKERSON: They did. And that’s encouraging. But, I – I hear from my intelligence contacts that probably there are more, and there are probably some we don’t even know about and aren’t even monitoring right now.

MAHER: Are the people in our government hearing from your intelligence contacts? [laughter]

WILKERSON: [he laughs] Let me tell you, most – most of my intelligence contacts are retired and disgusted with the formal intelligence apparatus we—

MAHER: [overlapping] Right.

WILKERSON: [overlapping]—we pay $50 billion for. [applause]

MAHER: I wish the retired and the disgusted were in charge. Okay, so, General Petraeus is going before Congress this week. We’ve been hearing for months and months and months, “Let’s hear from General Petraeus.” First of all, he sounds like a gladiator. “Petraeus, give me your sword!” [laughter] So we all believe in him already. But, Paul Krugman wrote an interesting column this week, and he said basically, Petraeus is playing the part of your old boss, Colin Powell; when Bush wanted to sell this war in Iraq, he sent Colin Powell before the U.N. because he had the kind of credibility. And it looks like General Petraeus, according to Mr. Krugman, is being set up in the same role. Do you agree with that?

WILKERSON: I’m worried about this. I have a grave concern about what we’re doing to our military leadership, from Dick Myers to Pete Pace, to John Abizaid, to now Dave Petraeus. Bruce Ackerman, a Yale law professor, had a fine piece a couple of days ago in the Financial Times: Civil military relations are being damaged by the fact that the president is hiding behind his military leaders. And he’s now hidden behind David Petraeus in a way that puts the Sword of Damocles over Petraeus’ head. He’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. That’s not the way we should be running our military. [applause]

MAHER: So he…Okay, I’ve asked this question before, but I’ll have to ask it again. He hides behind the military – you just said that. He’s pretty much used up the military. Why does President Bush retain the loyalty of the men and women in the military forces?

WILKERSON: Basically, because we have a tremendous allegiance to the Constitution and to the people who represent the Constitution, however temporarily, in the Oval Office, within the American Armed Forces. That’s a great strength of the American Armed Forces. But, as you just pointed out, it can also be a weakness in times like these.

MAHER: Okay, Colonel Wilkerson, thank you for being with us. [applause] And, please, you gather your forces of the disgusted and retired.

WILKERSON: Thank you for having me.

MAHER: Okay, let’s meet our panel. [applause] [cheers] Okay, you all know this guy. A Princeton professor whose new rap CD is Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations. Cornel West is right over here. Professor! [applause]

CORNEL WEST: Good to see you, my brother.

MAHER: How are you, sir? And, my friend, a musician and actor. His new film is “Be Kind Rewind,” debuts in January. Mos Def has joined us! Finally, Mos Def is here. [applause] [cheers] It’s been a long time I’ve been trying to get you here.

MOS DEF: Hey—[applause]

MAHER: All right. Now, first, I have to say Rahm Emanuel, Congressman from Chicago, was supposed to be with us, good friend of our show. But he had a vote, and, obviously, he has misplaced priorities, ladies and gentlemen—[laughter]—because he chose to stay in Washington and vote, as opposed to join our show.

So, anyway, I was talking to the Colonel. He says, “We’re kicking ass in Iraq.” Can I get a high-five from you guys on that? Is that something that –[they offer half-hearted high-fives]—yeah, yeah! “We’re kickin’ ass!”

WEST: Sure, sure.

MOS DEF: Sure, yeah.

WEST: Anything for you, Bill.

MAHER: [laughing] Does that fill you two with pride?

WEST: And I live in an Eskimo…an igloo, you know what I mean?

MAHER: You live in an Eskimo? [laughter]

MOS DEF: Yeah, we are—

WEST: I live in an Eskimo igloo.

MAHER: Hello, boy, that is some kinky shit, professor. [laughter] He’s in an Eskimo.

WEST: No, our Eskimo brothers and sisters got some wonderful things going on.

MAHER: I’m sure they do. Okay—

MOS DEF: I think we are kicking ass in Iraq. We’re kicking our own asses in Iraq. [laughter] [applause] And I think – I think – some Iraqis would argue that they are killing asses over there, not just kicking them.

WEST: Absolutely.

MOS DEF: Killing people.

MAHER: But, what about the people who say it’s just irresponsible to pull out and leave?

WEST: Well, the thing is, though – the worst thing is that just precious lives are being lost. Iraqi lives, American lives. There’s no doubt that if we—

MAHER: But they say it’ll get worse.

WEST: Well, it looks like it. Because, I mean, on the one hand, you know, you’ve got the precious Kurds in the north who are trying to sustain things. And then you’ve got Sunnis and Shiites going at each other. And you’ve got Saudi Arabia tied to Sunnis and you’ve got Iran tied to Shiites. So, the question becomes, well, how do you have some international forces come in so the American imperial presence, which is generating more hostility, more animosity – but the sad thing is that we don’t have a leadership that will tell the American people the truth about the imperial presence. [applause]

MAHER: Or the media, I have to say.

WEST: Oh, yeah, the media, absolutely. Absolutely.

MAHER: You know – you know, after Katrina, they said, “Well, the media is back.” The media is not back. They had one good day in Katrina, and after that, they went back to being school girls. I mean, I hear “the Petraeus report.” Petraeus isn’t writing this report.

WEST: It comes out of the White House.

MAHER: The White House is writing this report.

WEST: Absolutely.

MAHER: But they report that word – “the Petraeus report”—

MOS DEF: To make it sound official. A lot – I mean, but you see a lot of that on – on, I guess this was supposed to be pundit TV, these guys like O’Reilly and the rest and the like – you know, this “retired so-and-so from here” or all of these people are propped up to be official sources of information, and everything that comes out of their mouth is, you know, for better or worse, the gospel. And you should feel secure in their assessment of whatever situation that they’re talking about. And in a lot of instances, these people are heavily biased. They’re not as knowledgeable as they’re portrayed to be. And there’s a huge stake in keeping people misinformed about what’s really going on. [applause]

Because, if people start to understand, the danger of the situation that all of us are in, then they’ll change it. And this is not new or radical. This is what history shows you.

MAHER: Yeah.

MOS DEF: You know, the French Revolution and on and on and on. When people start to realize, like, “Yo, this is fucked up, son.” [laughter] [applause]

WEST: [laughs] That’s absolutely right.

MOS DEF: And, “Yo, we got to go.” I mean, like, that happens all the time. Kings get kicked out of they thrones all of the time. America was founded on the premise of “Fuck her. I’m not paying you no more money. I don’t like you. I want my own shit.” [laughter] Right? [applause]

WEST: No, that’s true.

MOS DEF: And so they did it! And, ironically enough – and I’ll say this about American history – the thing I’m finding ironic about all this stuff that’s happening with Katrina and Jena in Louisiana, in particular—

WEST: [overlapping] The Jena Six, the Jena Six.

MAHER: [overlapping] We’ll get to it.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—what would America even be without Louisiana? Louisiana got sold in a distress sale from – by Napoleon. And the reason that he sold it is because some black man named Toussaint Louverture was whippin’ his ass.

MAHER: In Haiti, right.

MOS DEF: So, America would have never even got the opportunity to stumble into being a superpower if it wasn’t for some black man being, like, “Nah, son, I’m not havin’ that.” [laughter] [applause]

MAHER: Well, but that’s not true either. We would have wound up with the whole country anyway.

MOS DEF: I’m not so sure.

MAHER: Yes.

MOS DEF: I think that Toussaint’s rebellion fostered the climate for that type of thing to happen.

MAHER: America would have found its way all the way to the Pacific Ocean – believe me – and they would have killed everything in between, as they did. [laughter] But, yes, it was easier to—

WEST: [overlapping] But – but I’ll tell you, what Brother Mos Def is saying is very important in terms of the conformity and complacency and downright cowardice of so many of the media people. And that’s why, when I think of people like my dear Brother Tavis Smiley, willing to raise some serious questions – you all know who Tavis Smiley is? [applause] You know what I’m talking about? I’m talking about Sister Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, your show, very, very important. [applause] But we need more voices—

MAHER: And I’m in third place on that list. That’s pretty good. [laughter]

WEST: No, but to be third – to be second after Tavis Smiley is not bad, though.

MAHER: I couldn’t agree more. [laughter]

WEST: [overlapping] No, no, the both of you are good. But—

MAHER: [overlapping] No, I love Tavis.

WEST: [overlapping]—but I want to affirm what you are doing. Jon Stewart is another brother who is right in the center, but – or to put it one way, how do you remain in the mainstream without being “mainstreamed,” because the mainstream has so many seductions and temptations. And one becomes well-adjusted to the unjust status quo. And we need maladjusted folks. I like the degree to which you’re maladjusted. [laughter] I like Tavis being maladjusted. [applause] I like Jon Stewart being maladjusted. I like Mos Def being maladjusted. I’m a deeply maladjusted black man.

MOS DEF: Yeah, yeah, we’re very, extremely maladjusted. [laughter] [applause] [cheers] As a matter of fact, if you’re black – if you’re black in America—

WEST: [overlapping] Deeply – deeply maladjusted.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—and you’re not maladjusted—

WEST: [overlapping] Something wrong.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—go get maladjusted.

WEST: [overlapping] That’s right.

MOS DEF: Find some maladjustment. [laughter] It may save your life.

MAHER: I – I have been made and honorary white man on more than one occasion. [laughter]

WEST: It’s not a matter of skin color. It’s a matter of courage, vision and sacrifice. [applause]

MAHER: I understand, professor.

MOS DEF: Right.

WEST: Oh, yes.

MAHER: So – so, I mentioned to the colonel there that this German cell was broken up this week. And I read this story – what?

MOS DEF: I’m sorry. Go ahead. [laughter]

MAHER: Well, you have to admit that there are people who do want to kill Americans.

MOS DEF: Yeah, some of them are called the police. [laughter] [applause]

MAHER: Yeah, okay. But that’s—

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—I mean, like, I don’t – I’m sorry—

MAHER: [overlapping] That’s apples and oranges. You know what?

MOS DEF: [overlapping] You know…you know, coercion apparatus – one is endorsed by the state and the other is not. You know, when the Revolutionary War was going on, George Washington and all them dudes was terrorists—

MAHER: Yes.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—as far as the queen was concerned.

MAHER: Right, right.

MOS DEF: So, it’s like – it’s – you know, it’s the difference between what’s legal and what’s fair and decent and, you know, just, on the universal sense. I mean, I hear the whole thing—

MAHER: But, you don’t want to get blown up by a bomb.

MOS DEF: I don’t think I’m going to get blown up – listen, I’m black in America. I live under constant pressure. I don’t believe in that boogie man shit. Them – they ain’t doing shit. You know, I don’t believe in that shit. If somebody wants to do some shit to you, it ain’t – they doin’ it! Them motherfuckers ain’t talking about it, sending you tapes: “I’m gonna fuck you up when I see you!” [laughter] [applause] You hear what I’m saying? Man, somebody wants to get you, they’re gonna get you!

WEST: [overlapping] They’re just gonna do it. They’re gonna do it.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And you’re gonna feel – they ain’t gonna send you no damn video messages: “Yeah, bitch, it’s me!” [laughter] No, I don’t believe that shit. It’s – the shit that motherfuckers be passin’ off. I don’t believe that was Bin Laden today. I don’t believe it was never him. I think it’s some dude just standing – I don’t even – I can’t even believe—

MAHER: [overlapping] Come on.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—I don’t – I’m sorry. I’m from the projects. I know danger. [laughter] I don’t feel no danger from that shit. These motherfuckers—

MAHER: [overlapping] But, you don’t think Bin Laden knocked down the World Trade Center?

MOS DEF: Absolutely not!

MAHER: Come on.

MOS DEF: I don’t. I don’t. [applause]

MAHER: [overlapping] You know what? That’s where you lose me, my friend.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] You know, I don’t. Listen—

MAHER: [overlapping] And I’m so on your side. But, you know what?

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—you go to – you go to any barbershop, I am so not alone. I am so not alone. [laughter] [applause]

MAHER: That doesn’t mean you’re right.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] That don’t mean—

MAHER: [overlapping] That don’t mean you’re right. [voices overlap]

MOS DEF: [overlapping] It don’t mean it is not valid, neither. Science – highly-educated people in all areas of science have spoken on the fishiness around that whole 9/11 theory. It’s like the magic bullet and all that shit.

MAHER: And what – and what happened?

MOS DEF: I don’t believe these motherfuckers been to the moon, neither. But that’s just me. [laughter] [applause] [voices overlap]

WEST: [overlapping] Brother Bill—

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—get into a whole big thing about it.

MAHER: And I will rest my case with your statement. [laughter]

WEST: No, no, but I think it’s – for me, it’s very important to put this in context, the degree to which, you know – in 9/11, it’s the first time many Americans of various colors felt unsafe, unprotected and subject to random violence and hated. But, to be black in America for 400 years is to be unsafe, unprotected, subject to random violence and hated.

MAHER: Yes.

WEST: So, what happens is, is that you have a different perspective, oftentimes, because if you’re used to dealing with the strain and the pressure and the violence coming at one – because, let’s face it, the civil rights movement was a fight against American terrorism. That’s what Jim Crow was. [applause] It was American terrorism. Lynching black people.

MAHER: Absolutely.

WEST: [overlapping] The dogs coming on the people, on the babies and so forth.

MAHER: Yes, yes.

WEST: Now, I mean, I don’t agree with my brother. I think that Bin Laden is not just a gangster, but – gangsta – but I think he had something to do with the buildings, because he said so, and I believe him. [laughter] But, the thing is, is that, at the same time, if you have multiple sources of force, coercion and terror coming at you, which many black Americans do – prison industrial complex, racist criminal justice system – Jena Six is one grand example of that. Disgraceful school systems. To what degree do you being to think, well, my paranoia is actually justified because, if they can sustain this level of psychic and physical terror against me, and they’re obsessed with a terror that’s against them, then maybe they might not be believable and credible. [applause] You see what I mean?

MAHER: Yeah.

WEST: So, it’s the context of understanding this. But, the sad thing is – is that the—

MAHER: But both things can be true. All of what you’re saying can be true, and there are also—

WEST: [overlapping] It is true. That’s what I’m saying. That’s why I said it.

MAHER: And there also can be Muslim terrorism in the world. [voices overlap]

MOS DEF: [overlapping] Okay, that’s true—[voices overlap]—I’m a Muslim—

WEST: [overlapping]—you’re not denying – you’re not denying that there’s this terrorist—

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—yes, I’m Muslim, and there’s Christian terrorism—

WEST: [overlapping] Absolutely.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—this historical terrorism from all different types of sects.

MAHER: Yes.

MOS DEF: The Catholic Church’s stance about child molestation in and of itself. [applause]

WEST: That’s right.

MAHER: Right.

MOS DEF: And you talk about – you know, classify what is and what is not terrorism—

WEST: That’s right.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—I think—

WEST: [overlapping] And there’s secular terrorists. I know you’re a secular brother. There are secular terrorists that are vicious. [laughter] [applause]

MOS DEF: He’s right! He’s right! He’s Cornel West! He’s right.

WEST: Who do you think Stalin was?

MAHER: Well, that was a religion.

WEST: But it was secular, Brother. He was an atheist.

MAHER: It doesn’t matter. When somebody is at the position that Stalin or Hitler was in a society, they are a god and it is a religion. [applause] It’s just a secular religion. [voices overlap]

MOS DEF: [overlapping] I mean, without—

MAHER: [overlapping] It’s when people worship without thinking, that’s a religion. [applause]

MOS DEF: Well—

MAHER: [overlapping] Now, you guys are different religions. You’re a Christian—

WEST: [overlapping] He’s a prophetic Muslim—

MAHER: And you’re – and you’re a Muslim.

WEST: [overlapping] I’m a prophetic Christian.

MAHER: Now, let’s get real.

WEST: [overlapping] You’re a prophetic atheist. That’s where we come together, on that “prophetic.” That adjective.

MAHER: But the reason why nothing can ever move forward in Iraq – let’s be real – is because of religion. Because there are two sects, and something that happened 1,400 years ago, they’re still beefing about.

MOS DEF: That’s they business, though. Even if that—[voices overlap]

MAHER: [overlapping] I agree, but I’m just saying that religion is the root of the problem.

WEST: [overlapping] No, it’s not the root. It’s not the root, but it’s a major – it’s not the root, but it’s a major—[applause]

MOS DEF: [overlapping] First of all – let’s – but, first of all, that was a problem that they had before we came – first of all, I’m just going to kill all “we” shit. “We” didn’t do shit. I didn’t endorse this war. We, collectively, just accepted it. That’s like, you drive in a car, somebody get in, real fast talking about drive. And you’ll be like – they be like, “We got a situation.” You’re like, “We what, nigger?” [laughter] “I was waiting on you to tell my side. What ‘we’? We didn’t do shit! You in there, into something. [laughter] Anyway—

MAHER: [overlapping] Yeah, it’s like when people say, “It’s all good.”

MOS DEF: Yeah, it’s not all good!

MAHER: That’s never when things are good, right? [voices overlap] [laughter]

MOS DEF: Never the case. But there’s a way – in short, there’s a way—

MAHER: [overlapping] When there’s a gun. “It’s all good.” No, it’s not. He’s got a gun. [he laughs]

MOS DEF: The problem – first of all, they’re not dealing with the root of the problem. Even – okay, let’s say these terrorist cells and all this Al Qaeda is the boogie man. Okay, let’s – that’s it, right? Why are they upset? Let’s deal with the fact that there are valid reasons, even to a lot of terrorist – quote/unquote – “terrorist” arguments about why they frustrated with colonial presence, imperial presence. The way that this government has pursued its foreign interests has been meddlesome, murderously meddlesome. [applause]

MAHER: I agree with you.

MOS DEF: It kills people. It’s not like it’s just—

MAHER: [overlapping] And, you know, here’s how dumb Bush is. He flies into Iraq this week, and he lands at this giant base – that, by the way, Saddam Hussein built – with his 10,000 American troops. This is the problem! That they’re in the heart of the Muslim world, where we have a giant military base. This is a stone in their shoe. They are never going to stop—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] It will be a stone in our shoe!

MAHER: Of course, it would.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] We will – I mean, no country has had the access or even the ambition to occupy us the – occupy “us,” “them” – for this administration seeks to—

MAHER: Calm down. [laughter]

MOS DEF: This administration and this government has sought to suppress everyone, and no one has sought to suppress America in quite the same way. No one has even had the ambition. People want to be America’s friend. People want to get along. “Send me some movies. Send me some Levi’s. Will you hang out with me?” [laughter]

MAHER: [overlapping] But, but – but, let’s—

MOS DEF: Everybody wants to be America’s friend!

MAHER: [overlapping] But, to put it in perspective—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And America goes to these places and fuckin’ kill people! [laughter] [applause]

MAHER: But, to put it in perspective—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] That shit is crazy!

MAHER: [overlapping]—the religion of Islam spread through the sword, spread through oppression. Oh, please.

MOS DEF: You can say the same for the Christians in the Crusades.

MAHER: [overlapping] Oh, please, are you kidding?

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And that’s not correct.

MAHER: [overlapping] Right.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And, you’re an individual—

MAHER: [overlapping] Right, have you read your history?

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—so I’d – yes, I’m very familiar with the—

MAHER: [overlapping] What happened between 632 and 732 AD?

MOS DEF: [overlapping] Listen, Bill—

MAHER: [overlapping] One hundred years. They conquered almost the whole known world. You don’t do that by handing out fliers and singing “Cumbayah.” [laughter] [applause]

MOS DEF: [overlapping] No, no, no, no. Whoa! And you don’t have to fuck people over to get ahead.

MAHER: [overlapping] They said, “Would you like to be a Muslim? Say yes or no. No?” [he makes blade sweeping gesture]

MOS DEF: [overlapping] No, that’s – I think that is – I think that is a very convenient—

MAHER: [overlapping] Oh, come on.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—revision of history.

MAHER: Really? So Muslims are better people?

MOS DEF: I didn’t say that.

MAHER: Well, you—

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—I’m not here to defend people’s creeds. It’s up – people believe what the hell they want to believe. That’s up to them.

MAHER: Okay.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] I believe as I believe, and it’s my right as an American. The same way that Paul Robeson, when he got brought up in front of the Senate, and they said, “Are you a Communist?” He said, “Yes, I am, because it’s my right as an American to be.”

MAHER: Right.

MOS DEF: I could be whatever I want. I could be…a girl if I wanted to! [laughter] “How’s this motherfucker?” But I don’t choose that. [applause]

WEST: [laughs] You don’t choose that.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] I’m just choosing to be me, and it’s okay. You don’t have to believe what—[voices overlap]

WEST: No, but I think—

MAHER: But, you’ve read the Koran?

MOS DEF: Absolutely.

MAHER: There is a lot of “let’s kill the infidel” in there.

WEST: [overlapping] But, Bill, don’t – don’t—

MAHER: [overlapping] “Let’s kill, kill, kill.” There’s not a lot of “let’s kill, kill, kill” in the Koran?

WEST: But, Bill, don’t confuse religion—

MAHER: Oh, I must be reading a bad translation. [laughter] [applause] [voices overlap]

WEST: But, don’t—

MAHER: [overlapping] Come on. I thought we were going to keep it real.

WEST: [overlapping] We are keeping it real.

MAHER: [overlapping] There’s not a lot of “let’s kill the infidel” in the Koran?!

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And this is – this is not about the Muslim or the Christian – see, that’s the whole thing. The division of Democrat/Republican, Muslim/Christian, Autobot/Decepticon—[laughter]—Crip/Blood, black/white, it’s all bullshit. Because the bottom line is that Islam is not the threat, is not a problem. No, it’s not! You cannot say a faith who has certain individuals in it who are crazy – and they crazy people everywhere, churches, mosques, airports—

MAHER: [overlapping] Yeah, and they’re – and they’re getting it from some place.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] They’re getting it from themselves!

MAHER: [overlapping] And it’s the Koran!

MOS DEF: [overlapping] No, no, no.

MAHER: [overlapping] No.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] I cannot – allow—

WEST: [overlapping] But, Bill, there’s a lot of different things—

MAHER: [overlapping] Read Sam Harris.

WEST: [overlapping] Well, let – can I just say a word?

MAHER: Yes, sir. [laughter]

WEST: Thank you. [voices overlap] No, no, because this is a rich – but I think it’s important to keep in mind that no one is denying that religion is a force and factor in history. But so are empires. So are economic systems. So are ideologies like white supremacy.

MAHER: Yeah, right.

WEST: And male supremacy and homophobia, and so forth. So that the obsession with the religious—

MAHER: [overlapping] But we’re not—

WEST: [overlapping]—downplays the relation of the religion with empire. Every empire we know—

MAHER: [overlapping] Okay.

WEST: [overlapping]—used the sword. Some of them were Islamic. Some of them were Christian. Some of them were secular!

MAHER: Right.

WEST: Secular liberalism was tied to an empire that killed people, too!

MAHER: But, when they do it and they think they’ve got God on their side, they do it with a special fervor. Okay—

WEST: [overlapping] Well, yes, that’s true, but they also—

MAHER: [overlapping] I want to show you this—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] Murder – murder with any attitude is unjust, whether it’s done coolly or whether it’s done with passion.

WEST: [overlapping] And it also cuts the other way. [voices overlap] It cuts the other way! They invoke God to resist the ugly force and coercion and so forth.

MOS DEF: Right.

WEST: That’s the prophetic element without Islam, Judaism, Christianity and so forth.

MAHER: [overlapping] Okay, I have – I’m keeping Ralph Nader waiting, and I know you fellows will let Ralph Nader show up – Ralph Nader—[laughter]

WEST: [overlapping] Let’s ask Brother Ralph – oh, he’s my dear brother.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] Tell him, “Run again.”

WEST: Absolutely.

MAHER: Where’s my introduction to Ralph Nader?

MOS DEF: There you go.

MAHER: [overlapping] He’s famous – he’s America’s most famous consumer advocate, and his most recent book is The Seventeen Traditions. Ralph Nader is joining us right now. Ralph! [applause] [cheers] Now, Ralph, thanks to these dangerous Chinese imports that have been coming into this country – first it was the toothpaste and then it was the dog food and now it’s the toys – being a consumer advocate is sexy again! Ralph, you’re bringing “sexy” back. [laughter] [applause]

RALPH NADER [via satellite]: Well, these – these corporate capitalists shipping all these jobs and industries to China – which is a Communist dictatorship, how’s that for an irony – but there’s very little regulation. China is – is in a huge pollution sink, in the job, in the water and air, and a lot of this is now being exported with seafood that’s contaminated, toothpaste that’s contaminated, ingredients in our medicines that come from China. And we’ve got to either have a very tough position here – which would also protect the Chinese consumers – and just demand that the Chinese issue tough safety standards or they – they can’t get into our market. We just stop the products from coming into the market. [applause]

MAHER: But if the – Ralph, come on – if the Chinese weren’t in our market, what would Wal-Mart be selling, [laughter] other than the “Best Hits of the Oakridge Boys”? [laughter] I mean, 90% of what we buy at Wal-Mart is from China. And so, don’t the American people have to take some responsibility for this, because they love a bargain?

NADER: It’s not the American people. It’s the American corporations who were born in America and raised to profit in America, and then turned their back on America and left America. [applause] That’s the—

MAHER: [overlapping] Yes, you know, this – I’m sure you—

NADER: [overlapping]—the important thing is that we have to have standards not just to cover American-produced goods, but all the goods that come from overseas. When we had tougher auto standards, Bill, we not only applied them to Detroit, in the sixties and seventies, we applied them to all imports. So they had to meet higher U.S. standards. We’ve got to do that with these products pouring in from China. And we need a strong consumer-protection treaty with China, where there consumer health and safety – Chinese and American – come first.

By the way, you mentioned The Seventeen Traditions. George Bush is just encouraging U.S. industry to go to these countries. The Department of Commerce actually facilitates it. And he’s gotten this war in Iraq. And there’s so much wisdom in this book; it’s how my mother and father raised their four children in a factory town in Connecticut; and there are at least three reasons why, if my mother raised George W. Bush, we wouldn’t be in Iraq. One, she would have taught him history; two, critical thinking; and three, how to listen. [applause] [cheers]

MAHER: Wow. For someone who’s so anti-capitalist, that was a pretty big plug for your book. [laughter]

NADER: It’s good for parents with young children, I’ll tell you. It’s actually my parents’ book.

MAHER: So—

WEST: He’s not anti-capitalist. He’s pro-justice.

MAHER: Yeah.

WEST: There’s a big difference.

MAHER: But he wants to sell a book.

WEST: Is that right, Brother Ralph? [laughter]

MAHER: No, I’m a big fan of Ralph.

WEST: Absolutely, absolutely.

MAHER: Let me ask you about the presidential race, because I know you have been very critical of Hillary Clinton. You said she’s a “political coward.” You said she “doesn’t even have the minimal political fortitude of her husband.” [a smattering of applause] Saying she doesn’t have as big balls as her husband, that’s quite a statement, Ralph. Why are you so anti-Hillary?

NADER: Well, she’s on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and never really went after these hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse and unnecessary weapons systems shenanigans. She never went after hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer money in corporate welfare, subsidies, handouts, giveaways to big business on the backs of middle-class taxpayers. And she didn’t even do what Spitzer, the now governor – former attorney general – of New York, to go after the corporate crime wave right in her backyard, in Wall Street. And Spitzer gave her political cover for that. So, don’t look for much more than flattery and pandering from Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail.

MAHER: But – but, Ralph, you know, when I look at the political scene right now—

NADER: [overlapping] Yes.

MAHER: [overlapping]—I say, “liberal,” “conservative,” I don’t know if these labels mean anything anymore. What it looks like it comes down to me, is that there’s one group of people who still believes in government, that government can be effective. And the Republicans have a sweet racket because they run on “government is ineffective,” and then when they fuck things up, they go, “See.” [laughter] [applause]

And, you know, the world depends on nerds to run things. And I don’t mean that as a putdown. I love nerds. In science, you want a nerd. If you’re an astronaut, you’d better hope the nerd built the rocket. [laughter] [applause] And, in government, it’s the nerds who run things well. And Hillary Clinton and her husband, they’re government nerds; they’re wonks. They really are. Why can’t people see what they see in science – nerds are good – in politics?

NADER: Okay, here’s my solution to these kinds of criminal invasions and wars, and the lack of health insurance for everybody in our country. It’s the double standard. If you’re part of the risk, you’re going to be part of the solution. What we need in this country is for people to mobilize to get a simple law in Congress which says that the Members of Congress will no longer have health insurance until all other Americans have similar health insurance. [applause] [cheers]

MAHER: All right.

NADER: And the second – and the second is – and the second is, anytime Congress and the White House get us into these wars, there’s a law that requires that all their children who are adult age for military service are drafted into the military—[applause]—including Jenna and Barbara, who are the daughters of George and Laura Bush. If this is such a glorious mission, such a messianic, glorious mission in Iraq for freedom and democracy, as George W. Bush tells us almost every other day, while he ignores important necessities and injustices in the American – in America – why doesn’t he urge Jenna and Barbara to join the armed services and go over there? [applause]

MAHER: All right. Thank you, Ralph. I appreciate you joining us, as always. Keep doing what you’re doing. Ralph Nader, everybody. [applause] [cheers]

NADER: Thank you, Bill.

MAHER: I tell you, there is a sort of paradox there that, you know, if you say to the audience, “Ralph Nader is going to run again,” they’ll go, “Boo!” But when he speaks on the principles, they all applaud what he actually has to stand for. It’s a shame that we actually can’t vote for the people that we believe in because we think they can’t win. How did that happen?

MOS DEF: Well, we could – people could win if they changed the voting – the Electoral College should just be done away with. I don’t—[applause]

MAHER: That wouldn’t – that wouldn’t elect Ralph Nader. They could have gotten rid of the Electoral College; he still wouldn’t be president.

MOS DEF: Well, it would just be a more—

MAHER: It’d be better.

MOS DEF: It’d be a better system.

MAHER: Yes.

MOS DEF: I mean, that’s what I’m really shocked at in this entire presidential race, is that no one has brought up the inequities of the voting system as it exists now. And, I mean, the whole voting process discourages you from taking part in the process. You know, it’s held in these way out places; you’ve got to do it from so-and-so to so-and-so. People are coming from work. It’s very inconvenient.

MAHER: Yeah.

MOS DEF: And it’s – it discourages you from—

MAHER: Yeah, we should have a national voting day—a day off like—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] We should have a voting weekend. We should have a vote – it should be from Thursday to Monday. You should be able to vote every place that you play loud!

MAHER: [overlapping] “Vote-nik!” [laughter]

MOS DEF: Yeah, why not? I mean, I was a part of that—

MAHER: Have a “Vote-nik.” Make it a festival.

MOS DEF: Sure! But I mean, you know—

WEST: [overlapping] But, you know, a part of the problem, though – and this is why I’m so glad to sit next to this brother, who is an artist, one of the great artists of his generation, not just in music but on the screen. I say that because, you know, truth lies prostate [sic] on rugged heels with nameless Calvaries. And what I mean is, it’s hard—

MAHER: [overlapping] Yeah, you better tell me what you mean. [laughter] Because I have…I’m not good enough to follow that, professor.

WEST: [overlapping]—it’s hard – it’s hard to find a space for truth. It is hard for truth to be a species of the good, to have impact in the face of corruption, mendacity, mediocrity and short-sightedness. So, truth has to lie prostate [sic], which means we have to reveal it in its nakedness, even if that nakedness seems to be connected to a lack of power.

MAHER: [overlapping] All right, well, let’s – let’s reveal it—

WEST: [overlapping] We have to keep speaking the truth; we have to bear witness to the truth. But this is a deep, existential truth. It’s not just about politics. It’s about—

MAHER: [overlapping] Okay, but let’s reveal—

WEST: [overlapping]—and the artists have the courage to tell the truth, but they remain on the corners, oftentimes. [applause]

MAHER: Well, let’s—

WEST: The best artists. Now, we’ve got some artists who are just lying, you know what I mean?

MOS DEF: A lot.

WEST: Yeah, absolutely. [laughter]

MAHER: Let’s reveal – let’s get the truth naked right here on this table. [laughter]

MOS DEF: I think it’s already here.

MAHER: [overlapping] About this topic that you already brought up.

WEST: Yes, yes.

MAHER: The Jena Six. Because, you know, like, for the last couple of weeks, all my black friends are calling me up and saying, “When are you going to talk about this?” Well, let’s talk about it tonight.

WEST: But you’ve got such a good record fighting white supremacy, though, Brother. Why would they ask you like that? [scattered laughter]

MAHER: I do what I – because they know that I’ll bring it up.

WEST: Oh, I see. Oh, I see.

MAHER: That’s what they’re saying. They’re saying – because, you know what? White America did not know this story.

MOS DEF: It’s been going on for months. They didn’t make it a national story—

MAHER: [overlapping] But, let’s tell them the story for the people who don’t know. There’s a town in Louisiana – Jena, right? Okay, there’s been – it really starts with a tree. This is so sad. They planted a tree there. It’s supposed to be – ironically – a “tree of knowledge.”

WEST: “Tree of Knowledge.”

MOS DEF: Knowledge, exactly.

MAHER: Okay, and it turned – I don’t know what’s going on in this town – and I don’t know how typical this is of America, but you’ll tell me – but, apparently, the racial situation there is so bad that the whites thought this was a “white” tree that the blacks couldn’t sit under. So, blacks started sitting under the tree. There was a fight. The white kids who beat up the black kids, they were charged with battery and got probation. The black kids who beat up the white kids, charged with attempted second-degree murder—

MOS DEF: Murder. Murder.

MAHER: [overlapping]—and they’re in jail. So, is this America, or is this an isolated—

MOS DEF: Yeah, absolutely.

MAHER: But it’s not all of America.

MOS DEF: It’s enough of America for it to be America for me. I shouldn’t have to live in two Americas. I should be living in the same country as everybody else. [applause] I should be able to enjoy full citizenship—

WEST: [overlapping] That’s right.

MOS DEF: [overlapping]—all this shit.

WEST: That’s right. That’s right.

MOS DEF: Fuck that. That shit is wack! If people – if people ain’t – they should be more upset about it. What the fuck am I supposed to tell my kids? What am I supposed to tell my son? That you’re just supposed to be a second-class citizen? What’s next? You hurt some white man’s feelings and you got to go to jail now? Fuck that. That shit is bullshit, it’s wack. [applause] I’m going down there for the sentencing, and I’m calling everybody – anybody black, concerned parties, from Will Smith to Jay [–Z], 50 [Cent], Kanye [West], you got something to do, you can’t do it; you can’t show up; sign a petition, respond to me online because what – I’m talking about – and this is – this is compounded.

This is Sean Bell, the San Francisco 8, these dudes is 59, 60 years old, man, grandfathers – they’re going to collect them from they homes all across America to bring them up on some Black Panther terrorist charges. Ann Patterson in Chicago, 30 years for community organizing; framing all these people and all this shit. Jose Padilla – they done destroyed this boy’s mind and his life. Over – over what? All this shit is connected!

MAHER: Well—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And like he said, it’s not just about the—

MAHER: [overlapping]—he did fill out an application to be with Al Qaeda.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] But that don’t mean that you gotta destroy his mind.

MAHER: [overlapping] Okay—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] If that’s what he did – they have him – and furthermore, they haven’t been able to prove that – and that Al Qaeda shit, he’s starting to sound like a dude that makes sandwiches in the Midwest to me. [laughter] I don’t believe in Al Qaeda; I don’t believe in the boogie man, the Loch Ness monster. I don’t believe you, because you all said the same shit about the Black Panther Party.

MAHER: [overlapping] Well—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And what got them on the National Security list—

MAHER: Okay, you’re all over the map.

MOS DEF: No, I’m not. The Black Panther Party was not—

MAHER: [overlapping] And as we learned last week, America has a map shortage. [laughter] [applause] But, let me ask you this—

WEST: But – but what he’s talking about is the—

MAHER: [overlapping]—let me relate – let me relate—

WEST: [overlapping]—the legacy of white supremacy in the criminal justice system, which is—

MAHER: [overlapping] Okay, let me relate—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] They’ll tell you somebody is a criminal when they not, that’s all I’m saying. People have been falsely characterized as criminals.

MAHER: Yes.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] And accused of things they never did. And had man’s people believe that they was responsible.

MAHER: Both things are true. Now, this Jena 6, situation, let me ask about Barack Obama, because, you know, out here in Hollywood, we live in our bubble and we think, oh, this man is going to be president, or he could be president. And then you read about a situation like this in Louisiana, and you go, oh, wait, are we kidding ourselves?

MOS DEF: [overlapping] Absolutely, Barack is going to win.

MAHER: [overlapping] Is America – are they – is it just a complete pipe dream that this man, Barack Obama, could ever be president?

MOS DEF: [overlapping] Of course he could. He looks better than y’all, man, you kiddin’? That man too good looking.

WEST: No, he’s got a good – he’s got a good chance.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] He – he appeals to America’s sense of vanity.

MAHER: Do you think he could be president in 2008?

MOS DEF: Absolutely! First of all, I know he’s going to be president, because the country is in worse shape than it’s ever been. And you know what happens when that goes on. When there’s an institution, on any shit going down, they’re finding the black dude. [laughter] [voices overlap] “It’s your account. You are the head of the department.”

WEST: Well, let me put it this way—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] So, he’s – the odds are in his favor just on that.

WEST: No, let me put it this way: it is true – it is true, especially after 9/11, the nation has the blues, and there’s no doubt that the nation with the blues can learn something from the blues people.

MOS DEF: That’s right.

WEST: Now, Barack Obama has a deep solidarity with blues people who look at America from the underside. And he has a decency, he has a brilliance. The question will be, will he have enough courage and boldness. I support my brother, but I’m hoping that he continues to be bold and courageous because he can, in fact, come not to the salvation – no individual can save a nation; if a nation is sleepwalking and doesn’t wake up, then it will never be safe. [applause] [cheers]

But an individual can be a catalyst, can be a cause to wake them up. And that’s what Barack Obama wants to do. He wants to redeem the soul of the nation.

MOS DEF: [overlapping] But he really does want to be a good president.

WEST: [overlapping] He really does want—

MOS DEF: [overlapping] That’s what distinguishes him from the rest of the candidates—

WEST: [overlapping] And that’s what I like about the brother. That’s what I like about him.
******************************************************************************************************************************

I love how Cornell facilitates Mos Def and elaborates on Mos' passionate and bold beliefs. In my opinion, Dr. West is the best orator I have ever encountered. His fluid use of language infused with his ability to connect with his audience on a deeply intellectual level, make him a highly influential figure amongst many artists in the hip-hop community.

Mos Def's artistic creativity has allowed him to explore his own world of entertainment, through music and film, paving the way for more experimental and progressive hip-hop artists and consistantly proving himself to be one of the best M.C.'s in the game. In my humble opinion...

Hot Quotes: "I speak at schools a lot cause they say I'm intelligent, no its cause I'm dope if I was wack it'd be irrelevant"
-Talib Kweli, The Beautiful Struggle

Lupe Fiasco's "Dumb It Down"

2007-09-07T14:13:00.000-05:00

"Conscious Me" Blogger on Lupe's new release...

http://consciousme.blogspot.com

Saturday, September 01, 2007
Lupe Fiasco - Dumb It Down

So what's really good with Lupe Fiasco? From interviews, sounds like he's a tad bit jaded by the way things have turned out with his rap career. In this business I guess you can only go but so far when corporations at the end of the day hold whether or not you will be famous in the balance. (One day we'll realize that the music we hear on commercial radio and most every media outlet is programmed. Possibly, on the same day we realize that we actually have power to affect changes in this world we're all a part of). How successful can you be with the use of 'their' money? Well, Lupe won't be dumbing down any song lyrics as he proclaims on 'Dumb It Down'.

Download - 'Dumb It Down'

Posted by I Sort Glass at Saturday, September 01, 2007

Labels: download, hiphop, Lupe Fiasco, mp3

1 comments:

Ben Brubaker said...

Lupe's "Dumb It Down" is brilliant... been waiting to hear a song dedicated entirely to this concept. The question is, will this song gain commercial success? If so, it would be a seminal track in the recent movement in response to club rap's limited and often ignorant subject matter. Hip-Hop is not to blame for all the drugs, violence and sexism so prevalent in contemporary urban youth culture... but yes, it can be a strong influence. Don't get me wrong, we (the hip-hop generation) have produced a ton of great lyricists whose messages have inspired thousands and caused positive social change across the country. The major labels are not always reeceptive however, because sex and drugs are easy ways to sell records. Still, some record labels, such as Atlantic, have recruited artists like Lupe and Saigon, giving them a chance to break into the popular market with extraordinary lyrical skill and integrity. We ought to support those artists by becoming consumers of conscious hip-hop. That way the major labels would know a knew era of hip-hop has emerged to replace the repetitive club rhetoric in the marketplace.

Mr. J'ai: Infinite Thoughts EP Release Party

2007-09-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

Check out this show at Tip's! Me and 5th Child are gonna rock a set along with the legendary J-Dubble before Mr. Jai gets a chance to show us all up with his latest tracks. The Saint's game will be played live in the venue also!

Mr. Ja'i Live @ Tipitina's Uptown Sept. 6, 2007

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Mr. Jai: Infinite Thoughts EP Coming Soon!!

September, 6 2007 at Mr. J’ai Infinite Thoughts EP Release Party at Tipitina’s
Napoleon Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70148
Cost : FREE

The Official Mr. J’ai Infinite Thoughts Album Release Party featuring J-Dubble, DJ Mike Swift, Ben Brubaker and 5th Child. Drink Specials and $2 Abita Beer.

“Pro-Levees, Anti-War” Web Site Announces "Overhaul"

2007-08-11T17:15:00.000-05:00

The New York–based, New Orleans–devoted information / action network Levees Not War marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with a top-to-bottom overhaul of its web site and expansion of features.

NEW YORK CITY, Aug. 10—As America’s infrastructure shows cracks all over, one of its most committed defenders is stronger than ever.

The “pro-levees” online resource www.LeveesNotWar.org announces a “total overhaul” and expansion of its information and political action web site, just in time for the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches (Aug. 29).

Founder Mark LaFlaur says, “LeveesNotWar.org is now a more robust, user-friendly resource for political action than ever before. We’re calling on the White House and Congress to spend bravely and liberally on America’s people and infrastructure, and we invite everyone to use our site to fight the good fight.”

“We were lucky to hire web programmer Ed Swartz of Sandy Pond Consulting,” says LaFlaur, a Louisiana native now living in New York. “We are delighted with the top-notch work he did to make Levees Not War a more attractive and organized resource.” The street tile logo was designed by Evelyn Menge of New Orleans, maker of a popular line of classic blue-and-white tile street names instantly recognizable by anyone who knows New Orleans.

New and Improved Features

The revamped web site includes:

• News and commentary (on hurricanes, wars, etc.)
• Links to lively New Orleans and Louisiana blogs and sites
• Phone and fax numbers of the White House and Congress
• Engineers’ post-mortems and congressional testimony
• Relief and environmental groups
• Exclusive interviews with authors and experts such as Ivor van Heerden of the LSU Hurricane Center
• Well-stocked library of recommended reading

Founded in 2005 (the weekend of Hurricane Rita), Levees Not War is a nonprofit information resource and action network dedicated to generating help for the storm victims and aggressive funding for coastal restoration, as well as a comprehensive storm protection system for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. The site has been has been mentioned online in DailyKos, the Washington Post, and The Nation.

Levees Not War will also participate in the second annual Rising Tide conference of “Katrina bloggers” in New Orleans August 24–26 as part of the promotional launch of the expanded, redesigned web site.

Levees Not War’s web site and advocacy work are informed by interviews and consultation with engineers, ecologists, and other experts in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Washington, D.C., including the LSU Hurricane Center, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, engineers on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ levee-breach investigation team, and the staffs of various members of Congress.

Homeland Security Begins at Home

“If ‘homeland security’ means anything,” says LaFlaur, “it means taking care of our land and investing in our cities. Like a preventive care program.”

As was seen with the post-Katrina spike in oil prices, the entire nation will pay dearly if the Port of New Orleans and the state’s oil and gas and seafood industries aren’t protected and given substantial investment. Nearly 25 percent of all oil and gas consumed in the U.S. and 80 percent of the nation’s offshore oil and gas pass through Louisiana’s wetlands—of which almost 2,000 square miles have been lost in the past century.

“New Orleanians know if they’re not safe, no American city’s safe,” says LaFlaur. While federal funding for disaster response and infrastructure reinforcement—levees, flood control pumps, etc.—is a matter of life and death for southern Lousiana, it concerns every American, regardless of residence or party affiliation. “Where is the federal government going to be when a disaster strikes your town?”

The web address is: http://leveesnotwar.org

Further information is available at leveesnotwar@mac.com.

—Mark LaFlaur, Kew Gardens, New York City

Atlantic Records Looking for College Rep from New Orleans

2007-08-01T13:18:00.000-05:00

It's no secret, not anymore... New Orleans hip-hop is blowing up. The 504 has always had a reputation in rap, thanks to the well-established Master P's, Juveniles and Lil' Waynes. Still, there is more music and art culture in this city then the rest of the world often recognizes. For those of you who don't know, here is a quick run-down of the not-yet but soon-to-be-famous artists and musicians coming out of New Orleans.

Established players on the scene like M.C.'s Know One, Impulss and Truth Universal. Nationally touring bands with New Orleans roots and flavor like Soul Rebels, Galactic and Trombone Shorty. Even the younger generation coming up right now shows more promise than ever. The up and coming brass bands like Da Truth, To Be Continued and the Free Agents Brass Band. College-age bands, blending the funk and jazz roots of New Orleans with the new school hip-hop vibe, like Fuego, Nomadic Souls and the Villa.

With all that talent, its not hard to see why Atlantic Records would be interested in the NOLA scene. Atlantic's artist line-up is impressive, boasting of artists such as Death Cab for Cutie, Gnarls Barkley, Lupe Fiasco, Jason Mraz, John Butler Trio, OAR, Saigon, T.I. and Twista... and so many more. Still, who wouldn't love to see one of the local New Orleans cats make it to that level? I know I would. NOLA needs more love for the music we put out; as a city, I truly believe we rival L.A. and New York, in terms of quality music.

So, the point of all this is... CALLING ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS! Atlantic Records is looking for a college student in New Orleans to bring on to their college rep team. If you are in college and interested in college credit plus the opportunities to earn prizes like exclusive record label promo material as well as trips to New York or the BET Awards, etc., send an email expressing your interest to:

Amy Wiggins
amyelizz@gmail.com

Gang Starr's Guru Brings "JazzMatazz" to Tipitina's Uptown

2007-07-30T02:40:00.000-05:00

Tipitina's is clearly one of the most legendary music venues in New Orleans, with a long history of hosting some of the greatest jazz, funk, rock, blues and hip-hop acts to ever come through the city. On August 5th, Tip's continues on with its movement to incorporate more hip-hop influenced music by hosting former Gang Starr m.c., Guru, and his latest project, "Jazzmatazz". Gang Starr, if you are unfamiliar with the classic duo which featured Guru and DJ Premier, was a legend in the underground hip-hop world, staying just below the level of commercial success which often times renders groups "sell outs". While gaining huge underground success, Guru and Premier were able to maintain their original love for the music and continue making powerful songs with a message.

On Sunday, August 5th, Guru is bringing something new to town... JAZZMATAZZ. This project has been evolving through a number of albums, Vol. 1 through Vol. 4, Street Soul and others, which have encompassed a wide variety of sounds and styles rooted in the jazz evolution to hip-hop. Many scholars and music lovers alike often miss that evolution; the close connection between our jazz heritage and the style of music (as well as the culture) we call hip-hop. Guru has woven the two together seamnlessly and managed to bridge the gap between new and old, street knowledge and academic integrity, composition and improvisation. On his recent JazzMatazz albums, Guru has worked with well established artists who reflect his musical vision, including Erykah Badu, Craig David, Macy Gray, Herbie Hancock, Kelis, the Roots and Common Sense (just to name a few). While these collaborations have resulted in some incredible music, they also presented Guru with a formidable challange- touring live. Still, Guru has gathered some of the best, linking up with producer Solar, 7 Grand Band and DJ Doo Wop, and is ready to rock the stage with something new.

My reccomendation: GET TO THIS SHOW! It is $17 but well worth every penny. This is a rare event in which the New Orleans' music scene and all of its diverse constituents will surely come in to play, appreciating the deep jazz roots in the modern hip-hop we know and love.

Review: Homegrown Hip-Hop Showcase

2007-07-28T16:28:00.000-05:00

July 12th, 2007
New Orleans, LA

On Thursday, July 12th, Tipitina's hosted a unique homegrown hip-hop showcase featuring 9 talented local acts. The show was a success, drawing in a young and energetic crowd from a variety of different neighborhoods around the city. Each act had about 3 or 4 songs to show off their individual styles and skills in front of a crowd of a little more than 300 people

One young stand out, Killa B (a.k.a. Brandon Addison, only 19) surprised everyone with a powerful and intriguing performance, showing veteran stage presence beyond his years and experience. Killa B was excited to get a chance to perform as a solo artist for his first time at Tipitina's, having already graced the Tip's stage as an M.C. for the band, Frozen Concentrate. Killa's crowd arrived early, intent on catching every minute of the performance, and they responded with an electrifying energy that carried on all night.

In other highlights, rapper P-NO, made his live debut with his producer-turned-hype-man, Wil Power. His performance with raw, full of grit and emotion; at one point in a song, having jumped off the stage to rap face to face with the crowd, P-NO ran over to a trash can to vomit, mid sentence. Of course, Wil Power was there to back him up vocally, showing how well they work together and how much they put into it. When asked, P-NO just laughed and blamed the craziness on all the water he had been drinking before his set. I was there first hand to witness it, and I must say, I was impressed by P-NO's drive and raw presence... and the fact that he could puke and recover so fast, now that's heart.

Rappers 5th Child and J-Dubble headlined the show, drawing in a solid crowd of there own. 5th Child, having recently opened up for Afroman at the Howlin' Wolf, once again proved why he is considered one of the most under-rated and talented M.C.'s in the NOLA area. J-Dubble, rolling deep with a strong crew of m.c.'s and hypemen, rocked the stage with casual swagger and bravado. He lived up to the hype, as always, delivering solid line after line, all over hot beats.

Jimi Clever made a wild appearance, driving straight from Houston where he was temporarily staying, and arriving just in time to surpirse an unsuspecting crowd. Jimi's a veteran performer, always carrying himself in his own unique style and rapping straight from the heart. His performance of his new song "Burn It to Da Ground", got the crowd hype and feeling close to the lyricist. Despite the controversial aspects of the track, his passionate defense of our city as it is constantly "under siege" resonates with a variety of listeners.

Other highlights: DJ Beverly Skills and DJ Tony Skratchere hosted the evening with sick record spinning... they kept the beats playing and laced our performances with the classic old school scratchin, J.B. and the Dough Bowl Crew showed up, WTUL represented, I got to stage dive for the first time... Everyone ended up at the club, but I had to be in Baton Rouge at 8 a.m. the next morning.

Tipitina's Homegrown Hip-Hop Showcase

2007-06-24T15:05:00.001-05:00

Where: Tipitina's Uptown, Tchopitoulous and Napoleon
When: July 12th, 2007
What: Hip-Hop Showcase, Free Admission, $2 Abitas
Who: Jimi Clever, J-Dubble, SpellBinderz, 5th Child, Ben Brubaker, Glory Jones, Young Thugga & Killa B

Once again, Tipitina's sets the stage for the local underground hip-hop scene as it builds up momentum, post-Katrina. On July 12th, Tip's will host a showcase of hip-hop talent featuring Jimi Clever, J-Dubble, Spellbindarz, Glory Jones, PNO (via Will Power, shout out), Young Thugga, the one and only 5th child, and yours truly. Jimi, J-Dubble, 5th Child, the SpellBinderz and I, are linking up for a show for the first time together since Hip-Hop for Hope, and the energy leading up to the event definitly reflects the sense of family and mutual appreciation that came with working on Hip-Hop for Hope together. I have a great deal of respect for all these guys, they really hustle to do their thing but they are so grounded and true to the music as well as their individual styles.

Who knows exactly who else might drop in for special guest cameos- there have been rumors that the local hip-hop celebrity, Know One, will be making an appearance. One things for sure every single artist on the bill is gonna rock the place in their own way. The tickets are free, and the event begins at 8:30... I am aiming to fill the place full of New Orleans folk' who love this type of neo-jazz hip-hop that makes you move while sayin' something. Get ready to hear something else, these guys got the soul of the NOLA underground.

The Biography of: Jimi Clever

The Man, The MC, The Warrior Poet

Welcome to New Orleans, the party capitol of the world. Home of Mardi Gras, Voodoo, and various forms of art. Also known for being one of the most colorful and creative cities in the world, the N.O is also home to many musical icons ranging from Hip Hop to Jazz and everything in between. Many describe this city as a melting pot, a mixture of race, styles and music all combined into one undeniably creative substance contained in a small vessel. Such descriptions can be used to describe one certain young man. He is the newest and fastest rising star from the N.O. he is the truth’ he is the future, he is JIMI CLEVER.

Born and raised up-town in the 13th ward of the N.O, JIMI CLEVER has always been a step ahead of the average. The level of professionalism that he presents through his cutting edge rhymes and crystal clear vocals pushes him so far ahead of the competition, he leaves his audience watering at the mouth for more. His heavenly flow, combined with wittiness and clever wordplay can be compared to the likes of EMINEM, with a touch of LL COOL J, and TALIB KWELI. Combine that with a mixture of vocal and harmonizing abilities and u have a natural born star. Standing at only 5ft 4 with a slim frame, it is quite an experience to witness so much power and creative energy come from such a small individual.

After years of experience, JIMI CLEVER has become well seasoned and has all the makings of a star, and has proven so by dazzling crowds up to 1200 plus at various clubs and events in New Orleans such as the world famous HOUSE OF BLUES , 6 FLAGS, even at the center stage for BAYOU CLASSIC. He has won a staggering amount of contests and battles, including the AND ONE MIXTAPE TOUR 2004, which earned him a chance to compete in the finals at the SOURCE UNSIGNED HYPE in Miami Florida later that year. From radio intros, to on-air freestyles, to live performances’ JIMI CLEVER has become one of the most strongly respected and sought after unsigned artists from New Orleans. “He is so different!” says WILD WAYNE, an on-air personality from Q93.

“He is going to change the perception of what an artist from New Orleans should sound like!” With two incredible mix tapes in heavy circulation on the streets of the N.O, JIMI CLEVER’S ability to influence everyone around him has become even greater than himself and is poised to change the face of New Orleans hip hop forever. Journey with him as he takes you on a voyage through the colorful, creative and emotional landscape that is his life. He is the future, he is the truth, he is the peoples champion, he is JIMI CLEVER. Welcome….To the JIMI CLEVER EXPERIENCE!!!

J-Dubble

J-Dubble, a college graduate from the University of New Orleans represents the new movement in Hip-Hop today. Being a southern artist from Marrero, located across the river from New Orleans, He displays an old school style with a new school sound of music. Reminding listeners of the golden era of Hip-Hop when you could create any type of music and have a good time doing it.

For example: Run-DMC mixed with J-Dilla. Breaking away from the stereotypes of Southern artists in the Big Easy, J-Dubble manages to avoid the typical rhyme patterns of bling-bling, booty shaking, drug dealing, and gun-totting the latter two only happening in the movies type of music.

"Right now everyones tired of hearing about your car, how many women you have or how many guns you bust. People want music and thats what Im going to give them", says J-Dubble.

J-Dubble establishes a unique sound blending in harmonizing vocals with truthful lyrics and a style that resembles no other artist out right now. J-Dubble supplies the industry and city with a breath of fresh air with various musical influences ranging from J-Dilla to Michael Jackson.

Background by a deep voice and a passion for making good music, J-Dubbles music and lyrics tells its own story. On his brand new album, Rock-Box Music J-Dubble displays a versatility to speak on a array of topics such as being an only child to admitting his personal struggles with life. The former English major believes that artists are not being real with their fans and thats where he differs.

"Im the everyday persons rapper, I go through the same things that they go though. So listeners can relate to me and my music because Ive been in the same scenarios that they have. I think thats how I make my connection with the fans and they make their connection with me," says J-Dubble.

5th Child

Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, the heart of the deep south, Stephen Brown is a growing artist in the true sense of the word. Symbolicly named “5th Child” he has a goal to bring conscious, thought-provoking lyrics back to southern hip-hop.

From recording karaoke machine mixtapes with his brother, 5th has evolved to independently release his first solo album, and performs steadily with his live band in the New Orleans area as he pursues a degree at Loyola. 5th Child has risen from the crunkness of his surroundings, bringing political awareness, black consciousness, and raw lyricism to the Crescent City and the Magnolia State.

True Love, 5th Child’s sophomore album, is already taking over stereos and i-Pods in Houston, Los Angeles, New York, New Orleans, and of course Mississippi.

SpellBindarz

In the wake of dem damn 'canes, stands three powerhouse emcees ready and willing to bring real hip-hop back to New Orleans. If there's a job to be done, then consider KJ Mac, Nov, & Blaze as your lyrical repairmen. Collabarating while still in high school, the Spellbinderz were formed in 2001 after recording their first song, "Too Hot." Since then they have been tirelessly preparing for their time to shine and get their message of lyrical and meaningful music across to the masses with their upcoming LP, The Dying Breed. The resurrection of hip-hop begins here, take a seat and buckle up for this mystic voyage.