MAJOR LATE PASS! ONE OF MY FAVORITE JOINTS FROM THE COOL IS THIS LUPE GEM, "DUMB IT DOWN". IT IS THE TYPE OF SONG THAT DOESN'T GARNER MAXIMUM AIRPLAY, AND THAT IS THE VERY THEME BEHIND THE SONG. BECAUSE HE IS ONE OF THOSE RARE EMCEES THAT COMBINES TECHNICALITY AND FIRST-RATE LYRICISM, LUPE CAN CONSTRUCT A SONG THAT DOESN'T WATER DOWN ITS THEME OR CONTENT. I AM JUST HOPING THAT HIS NEWEST OFFERING, LASERS, FOLLOWS THIS DIRECTION ARTISTICALLY. ENJOY THIS VIDEO THAT COMPLETELY WENT UNDER MY HIP HOP RADAR, FOR WHATEVER REASON!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
CREATIVE CONTROL VIDEO-------STALLEY, "S.T.A.L.L.E.Y."
With Stalley set to hit the stage at Ottobar this evening, it would only be right to set the mood properly with a video. Here we have "S.T.A.L.L.E.Y.", a minimalistic, yet very creative joint produced by Ski Beatz, who is positioning himself for a very productive 2011! As you take a look at the video, check out cameos from Dame Dash and others. I hope the show at Ottobar this evening is dope. If it is anything like Stalley's patented Sunni-influenced beard, we will have a winner. ONE LOVE!
LINK:
http://www.creativecontrol.tv/www/#/music-videos/stalley/current-episode/
LINK:
http://www.creativecontrol.tv/www/#/music-videos/stalley/current-episode/
Monday, February 21, 2011
MIXTAPE REVIEW: AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD, "THE EVOLUTION OF AN EMCEE--
MIXTAPE REVIEW BY: WISDOM
FROM THE WEATHERED STREETS OF HARM CITY YOU WILL FIND AN EMCEE/POET/ARTIST THAT DIDN'T ALLOW THE ELEMENTS TO COMPLETELY DICTATE HIS PATH. HIS NAME: AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD. HIS PATH: THE EVOLUTION OF AN EMCEE---AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD. HIS FACILITATOR: DJ BLACK WIZARD. HIS AIM: TO ELEVATE THE ART OF HIP HOP. AHMED IS FROM THAT SCHOOL OF HIP HOP THAT INSTILLED REAL LYRICISM AND SKILL IN THE ART OF RHYMIN'. YOU CAN HEAR EXACTLY THAT LYRICISM AND SKILL IN THIS MIXTAPE. IT IS A BIRD'S EYE VIEW INTO THE SOUL OF A MAN THAT TAKES HIP HOP FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS, A CULTURE. I CAN DEFINITELY IDENTIFY WITH THIS LIKE-MINDED ARTIST, FOR HIP HOP IS NOT JUST RHYMIN' FOR THE SAKE OF RIDDLIN', BUT FOR ELEVATING MIND STATES FROM STATE TO STATE. COMING FROM THE FREE STATE AND CITY OF HARM, AHMED SHOWCASES OVER AND OVER THAT INTELLECT IS A PRIZED COMMODITY THROUGHOUT HIS MIXTAPE. IN THIS DAY AND TIME IT IS RARE THAT AN EMCEE, A TRUE EMCEE, REVEALS HIMSELF FROM A TRANSPARENT STANDPOINT. AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD DOES JUST THAT, WITHOUT DILUTING HIS MESSAGE OR MISSION.
THE MIXTAPE CONSISTS OF 26 TRACKS ALTOGETHER, A COMPILATION OF COMPLETED SONGS AND INTERLUDES. LISTENING FROM THE ONSET, YOU HEAR (AND ACTUALLY VISUALIZE) SOMEONE THAT CARES DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT HE SAYS IN EVERY VERSE. THE FIRST OFFERING, "SCENE 1" (OVER KRS-ONE'S "MC'S ACT LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW) STARTS OFF THE MIXTAPE STRONGLY, ALLOWING AHMED TO EXPOUND ON HIS BEGINNINGS IN THE HIP HOP SCENE. HE TALKS ABOUT HOW HIS INITIAL HIP HOP GROUP EXPERIENCE YIELDED THE PREDECESSOR TO THE CONTROVERSIAL "DMV MOVEMENT". BALTIMORE, DC, AND RICHMOND WERE REPRESENTED DURING THIS MUSICAL HEYDAY. THREE DIFFERENT, YET SIMILAR-MINDED, ARTISTS COMBINED TO SPIT "WIDE WORLD OF RAP". THROUGHOUT THE MIXTAPE, YOU CAN HEAR AHMED DISCUSSING HIS INFLUENCES WITHIN THE HIP HOP CYPHER, AS WELL AS HIS BEGINNINGS AS A DJ BEFORE PICKING UP THE MICROPHONE FROM AN EMCEE PERSPECTIVE. IT IS QUITE REFRESHING TO HEAR AN ARTIST ARTICULATE TRUE FEELINGS ON THE STATE OF HIP HOP MUSIC WITHOUT ADVOCATING IGNORANCE. THE MIXTAPE CONTINUES TO FLOW, WITH VARIED INSTRUMENTALS SUCH AS '''93 TIL INFINITY" AND "MEMORY LANE" PLAYING AS THE BACKDROP. EACH SCENE THROUGHOUT THE EVOLUTION OF AN EMCEE ALLOWS AHMED TO DISCUSS HOW THE ENVIRONMENT MOLDED, BUT DIDN'T COMPLETELY MAKE HIS WHO HE IS ON THE MICROPHONE, EITHER AS EMCEE OR POET. "SPITTIN'" COMES FROM A DOPE SLANT, AS THE BALTIMORE-BRED EMCEE SHOWS DURING HIS TWENTIES THAT HIP HOP WAS (AND STILL IS) A WAY OF LIVING. HE SPIT ABOUT HIS PASSION FOR THE ART OF SPITTING HARD-HITTING LYRICS. "CHERISH YOUR BREATHE" IS JUST AS THE TITLE STATES, AS THE MAN BEHIND THE MIC MUSES OVER LIFE AND LIVING. WITH "REAL HIP HOP" AND "ONE LOVE" BY NAS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND, SCENE SIX KICKS OFF WITH A DISSERTATION OVER A DOPE PRODUCTION. "BALTIMORE SON" MAY BE THE BEST OF THIS DYNAMIC COLLECTION, AS THE LYRICAL WIZARD WAXES POETIC ABOUT BEING A PRODUCT OF THE CITY OF HARM. TOO BAD THE BALTIMORE SUN WON'T DEVOTE EDITORIAL SPACE ABOUT THIS "BALTIMORE SON", BECAUSE A BREATHE OF DOPE, FRESH AIR IS WHAT AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD IS IN THIS DAY AND AGE. TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HE DISCUSSES STREET LIFE, BUT FROM AN INTELLECTUAL LEVEL. HE LYRICALLY SHOWS HOW AN EMCEE CAN BE INFLUENCED, YET RISE ABOVE, STREET EXISTENCE. TRACK 18, ENTITED "THE LETTER", CONTINUES THE INFORMATIVE, BUT NOT PREACHY, APPROACH THAT APPEARS THROUGHOUT THIS MIXTAPE. THE SEQUENCING ON THIS MIXTAPE ALLOWS EACH SONG TO FLOW FROM ONE TO ANOTHER, GIVING THE PROJECT A COHESIVENESS YOU USUALLY DON'T FIND ON THE MIXTAPE CIRCUIT. TRUTHFULLY, THIS IS MORE OF A CONCEPT ALBUM THAN MIXTAPE, BECAUSE OF THE CARE GIVEN TO EACH SONG INCLUDED ON THE PROJECT. "BACK TO THE STREET" IS A CAUTIONARY TALE ABOUT THE ALLURE OF THE STREET, AND THE ULTIMATE DOWNFALL YOU MAY ENCOUNTER IF VISION IS BLURRED. "MY WOMAN" SLOWS THE PACING DOWN A TAD BIT, AS AHMED SPITS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NUBIAN QUEENS, SOMETHING YOU JUST DON'T SEE OR HERE IN 2011, WHEN MISOGYNY IS STILL A SOLID MINDSET. "9 TO 5" IS THE SONG I CAN DEFINITELY RELATE TO, AS THIS EMCEE TALKS ABOUT THE GRIND OF WORKING FOR PAYCHECK AFTER PAYCHECK WITHOUT ANY REAL PAYOFF IN THE LONG RUN. THE FINAL COMMENTARY ON THE MIXTAPE/ALBUM HYBRID WAS "SCENE 7", WITH AHMED SPEAKING OVER BLACK MOON'S "HOW MANY MC'S". "PRESTO CHANGO" UPPED THE PACING, WITH MORE INTROSPECTIVE, YET BRAVADO-LACED, LYRICS AIMED AT ANY AND ALL LISTENERS. "AHMED OUTRO" GAVE THIS ARTIST A CHANCE TO GIVE BACK LOVE TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMRADES IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. CLOSING OUT THE MIXTAPE WAS A CAPELLA IN NATURE, GIVING WEIGHT TO HIS ALREADY HEAVY LYRICAL APPROACH.
OVERALL, THIS MIXTAPE SHEDS EVEN MORE LIGHT ON A BLESSED AND TALENTED EMCEE. ONE LISTEN, AND YOU WILL AGREE THAT AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD IS CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH THAN YOUR TYPICAL BALTIMORE EMCEE. HE IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, EVEN AFTER OVER SIXTEEN YEARS IN THE "NOT TO BE PLAYED" GAME, AS AN EMCEE, DEEJAY, SPOKEN WORD ARTIST, RADIO PERSONALITY, RENAISSANCE MAN FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. KEEP YOUR THIRD EYES OPEN FOR AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD!
Tracklisting----"The Evolution Of An Emcee-Ahmed The Last Born Child":
1) SCENE 1 (over KRS-ONE - MC's Act Like They Don't Know)
2) WIDE WORLD OF RAP
3) AHMED FREESTYLE 99'
4) SCENE 2 ( over Nas - Memory Lane; Artfacts - Wrong Side Of The Tracks; Soul of Mischief - 93' Til Infinity)
5) DI DOUBLE F
6) WHAT WE DO
7) SCENE 3 ( over Lords of the Underground - Chief Rocka)
8) TOO MUCH TOO MANY
9) THE DIRT THEY DID
10) SCENE 4 (over Crooklyn Dodgers - Crooklyn)
11) BACK AGAINST THE WALL
12) SCENE 5 -(over Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y)
13) SPITTIN'
14) I'M NEXT
15) CHERISH YOUR BREATH
16) SCENE 6 ( over DAS EFX - Real Hip Hop; Nas - One Love)
17) BALTIMORE SON
18) THE LETTER
19) BACK TO THE STREET
20) AHMED PROMO ( over Nas -The World Is Yours)
21) MY WOMAN
22) 9 TO 5
23) SCENE 7 (over Black Moon - How Many Mc's - Dana Coppa - Paradise
24) PRESTO CHANGO
25) AHMED OUTRO (over Raheem of Ancient Sounds - Didn't I)
26) AHMED - FREESTYLEAPELLA 2011
Links:
http://djblackwizard.podomatic.com/entry/2010-12-31T17_19_08-08_00
http://cveg.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjjTefe_9pg
FROM THE WEATHERED STREETS OF HARM CITY YOU WILL FIND AN EMCEE/POET/ARTIST THAT DIDN'T ALLOW THE ELEMENTS TO COMPLETELY DICTATE HIS PATH. HIS NAME: AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD. HIS PATH: THE EVOLUTION OF AN EMCEE---AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD. HIS FACILITATOR: DJ BLACK WIZARD. HIS AIM: TO ELEVATE THE ART OF HIP HOP. AHMED IS FROM THAT SCHOOL OF HIP HOP THAT INSTILLED REAL LYRICISM AND SKILL IN THE ART OF RHYMIN'. YOU CAN HEAR EXACTLY THAT LYRICISM AND SKILL IN THIS MIXTAPE. IT IS A BIRD'S EYE VIEW INTO THE SOUL OF A MAN THAT TAKES HIP HOP FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS, A CULTURE. I CAN DEFINITELY IDENTIFY WITH THIS LIKE-MINDED ARTIST, FOR HIP HOP IS NOT JUST RHYMIN' FOR THE SAKE OF RIDDLIN', BUT FOR ELEVATING MIND STATES FROM STATE TO STATE. COMING FROM THE FREE STATE AND CITY OF HARM, AHMED SHOWCASES OVER AND OVER THAT INTELLECT IS A PRIZED COMMODITY THROUGHOUT HIS MIXTAPE. IN THIS DAY AND TIME IT IS RARE THAT AN EMCEE, A TRUE EMCEE, REVEALS HIMSELF FROM A TRANSPARENT STANDPOINT. AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD DOES JUST THAT, WITHOUT DILUTING HIS MESSAGE OR MISSION.
THE MIXTAPE CONSISTS OF 26 TRACKS ALTOGETHER, A COMPILATION OF COMPLETED SONGS AND INTERLUDES. LISTENING FROM THE ONSET, YOU HEAR (AND ACTUALLY VISUALIZE) SOMEONE THAT CARES DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT HE SAYS IN EVERY VERSE. THE FIRST OFFERING, "SCENE 1" (OVER KRS-ONE'S "MC'S ACT LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW) STARTS OFF THE MIXTAPE STRONGLY, ALLOWING AHMED TO EXPOUND ON HIS BEGINNINGS IN THE HIP HOP SCENE. HE TALKS ABOUT HOW HIS INITIAL HIP HOP GROUP EXPERIENCE YIELDED THE PREDECESSOR TO THE CONTROVERSIAL "DMV MOVEMENT". BALTIMORE, DC, AND RICHMOND WERE REPRESENTED DURING THIS MUSICAL HEYDAY. THREE DIFFERENT, YET SIMILAR-MINDED, ARTISTS COMBINED TO SPIT "WIDE WORLD OF RAP". THROUGHOUT THE MIXTAPE, YOU CAN HEAR AHMED DISCUSSING HIS INFLUENCES WITHIN THE HIP HOP CYPHER, AS WELL AS HIS BEGINNINGS AS A DJ BEFORE PICKING UP THE MICROPHONE FROM AN EMCEE PERSPECTIVE. IT IS QUITE REFRESHING TO HEAR AN ARTIST ARTICULATE TRUE FEELINGS ON THE STATE OF HIP HOP MUSIC WITHOUT ADVOCATING IGNORANCE. THE MIXTAPE CONTINUES TO FLOW, WITH VARIED INSTRUMENTALS SUCH AS '''93 TIL INFINITY" AND "MEMORY LANE" PLAYING AS THE BACKDROP. EACH SCENE THROUGHOUT THE EVOLUTION OF AN EMCEE ALLOWS AHMED TO DISCUSS HOW THE ENVIRONMENT MOLDED, BUT DIDN'T COMPLETELY MAKE HIS WHO HE IS ON THE MICROPHONE, EITHER AS EMCEE OR POET. "SPITTIN'" COMES FROM A DOPE SLANT, AS THE BALTIMORE-BRED EMCEE SHOWS DURING HIS TWENTIES THAT HIP HOP WAS (AND STILL IS) A WAY OF LIVING. HE SPIT ABOUT HIS PASSION FOR THE ART OF SPITTING HARD-HITTING LYRICS. "CHERISH YOUR BREATHE" IS JUST AS THE TITLE STATES, AS THE MAN BEHIND THE MIC MUSES OVER LIFE AND LIVING. WITH "REAL HIP HOP" AND "ONE LOVE" BY NAS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND, SCENE SIX KICKS OFF WITH A DISSERTATION OVER A DOPE PRODUCTION. "BALTIMORE SON" MAY BE THE BEST OF THIS DYNAMIC COLLECTION, AS THE LYRICAL WIZARD WAXES POETIC ABOUT BEING A PRODUCT OF THE CITY OF HARM. TOO BAD THE BALTIMORE SUN WON'T DEVOTE EDITORIAL SPACE ABOUT THIS "BALTIMORE SON", BECAUSE A BREATHE OF DOPE, FRESH AIR IS WHAT AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD IS IN THIS DAY AND AGE. TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HE DISCUSSES STREET LIFE, BUT FROM AN INTELLECTUAL LEVEL. HE LYRICALLY SHOWS HOW AN EMCEE CAN BE INFLUENCED, YET RISE ABOVE, STREET EXISTENCE. TRACK 18, ENTITED "THE LETTER", CONTINUES THE INFORMATIVE, BUT NOT PREACHY, APPROACH THAT APPEARS THROUGHOUT THIS MIXTAPE. THE SEQUENCING ON THIS MIXTAPE ALLOWS EACH SONG TO FLOW FROM ONE TO ANOTHER, GIVING THE PROJECT A COHESIVENESS YOU USUALLY DON'T FIND ON THE MIXTAPE CIRCUIT. TRUTHFULLY, THIS IS MORE OF A CONCEPT ALBUM THAN MIXTAPE, BECAUSE OF THE CARE GIVEN TO EACH SONG INCLUDED ON THE PROJECT. "BACK TO THE STREET" IS A CAUTIONARY TALE ABOUT THE ALLURE OF THE STREET, AND THE ULTIMATE DOWNFALL YOU MAY ENCOUNTER IF VISION IS BLURRED. "MY WOMAN" SLOWS THE PACING DOWN A TAD BIT, AS AHMED SPITS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NUBIAN QUEENS, SOMETHING YOU JUST DON'T SEE OR HERE IN 2011, WHEN MISOGYNY IS STILL A SOLID MINDSET. "9 TO 5" IS THE SONG I CAN DEFINITELY RELATE TO, AS THIS EMCEE TALKS ABOUT THE GRIND OF WORKING FOR PAYCHECK AFTER PAYCHECK WITHOUT ANY REAL PAYOFF IN THE LONG RUN. THE FINAL COMMENTARY ON THE MIXTAPE/ALBUM HYBRID WAS "SCENE 7", WITH AHMED SPEAKING OVER BLACK MOON'S "HOW MANY MC'S". "PRESTO CHANGO" UPPED THE PACING, WITH MORE INTROSPECTIVE, YET BRAVADO-LACED, LYRICS AIMED AT ANY AND ALL LISTENERS. "AHMED OUTRO" GAVE THIS ARTIST A CHANCE TO GIVE BACK LOVE TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMRADES IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. CLOSING OUT THE MIXTAPE WAS A CAPELLA IN NATURE, GIVING WEIGHT TO HIS ALREADY HEAVY LYRICAL APPROACH.
OVERALL, THIS MIXTAPE SHEDS EVEN MORE LIGHT ON A BLESSED AND TALENTED EMCEE. ONE LISTEN, AND YOU WILL AGREE THAT AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD IS CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH THAN YOUR TYPICAL BALTIMORE EMCEE. HE IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, EVEN AFTER OVER SIXTEEN YEARS IN THE "NOT TO BE PLAYED" GAME, AS AN EMCEE, DEEJAY, SPOKEN WORD ARTIST, RADIO PERSONALITY, RENAISSANCE MAN FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. KEEP YOUR THIRD EYES OPEN FOR AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD!
Tracklisting----"The Evolution Of An Emcee-Ahmed The Last Born Child":
1) SCENE 1 (over KRS-ONE - MC's Act Like They Don't Know)
2) WIDE WORLD OF RAP
3) AHMED FREESTYLE 99'
4) SCENE 2 ( over Nas - Memory Lane; Artfacts - Wrong Side Of The Tracks; Soul of Mischief - 93' Til Infinity)
5) DI DOUBLE F
6) WHAT WE DO
7) SCENE 3 ( over Lords of the Underground - Chief Rocka)
8) TOO MUCH TOO MANY
9) THE DIRT THEY DID
10) SCENE 4 (over Crooklyn Dodgers - Crooklyn)
11) BACK AGAINST THE WALL
12) SCENE 5 -(over Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y)
13) SPITTIN'
14) I'M NEXT
15) CHERISH YOUR BREATH
16) SCENE 6 ( over DAS EFX - Real Hip Hop; Nas - One Love)
17) BALTIMORE SON
18) THE LETTER
19) BACK TO THE STREET
20) AHMED PROMO ( over Nas -The World Is Yours)
21) MY WOMAN
22) 9 TO 5
23) SCENE 7 (over Black Moon - How Many Mc's - Dana Coppa - Paradise
24) PRESTO CHANGO
25) AHMED OUTRO (over Raheem of Ancient Sounds - Didn't I)
26) AHMED - FREESTYLEAPELLA 2011
Links:
http://djblackwizard.podomatic.com/entry/2010-12-31T17_19_08-08_00
http://cveg.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjjTefe_9pg
VIDEO-------AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD, "BALTIMORE SON"
POSTED BY:
WISDOM
"BALTIMORE SON" IS THE APROPO NAME OF THE SONG AND VIDEO FROM AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD, FROM HIS EVOLUTION OF AN EMCEE MIXTAPE, HELMED BY DJ BLACK WIZARD. DIRECTED BY GENERALBEATZ (MENTALHEADVIZION$ PRODUKTIONZ), THIS VISUAL ADAPTATION FOR "BALTIMORE SON" SHOWCASES THE STRENGTH OF A REAL EMCEE REPRESENTING THE CITY OF CHARM. JUST LOOKING AT THIS VIDEO GIVES ME MUCH HOPE THAT THE STATE OF HIP HOP IS GOING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. I'M GOING TO JUST LET "BALTIMORE SON" SPEAK FOR ITSELF IN VISUAL FORM!
WISDOM
"BALTIMORE SON" IS THE APROPO NAME OF THE SONG AND VIDEO FROM AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD, FROM HIS EVOLUTION OF AN EMCEE MIXTAPE, HELMED BY DJ BLACK WIZARD. DIRECTED BY GENERALBEATZ (MENTALHEADVIZION$ PRODUKTIONZ), THIS VISUAL ADAPTATION FOR "BALTIMORE SON" SHOWCASES THE STRENGTH OF A REAL EMCEE REPRESENTING THE CITY OF CHARM. JUST LOOKING AT THIS VIDEO GIVES ME MUCH HOPE THAT THE STATE OF HIP HOP IS GOING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. I'M GOING TO JUST LET "BALTIMORE SON" SPEAK FOR ITSELF IN VISUAL FORM!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
BEHIND THE VIDEO: P.O.E.T---"GIRL OF MY DREAMS"
A NON-DESCRIPT LOCATION NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH AND CHARLES SERVED AS THE CREATIVE SPACE FOR THE FILMING OF "GIRL OF MY DREAMS", A SINGLE FROM BALTIMORE EMCEE P.O.E.T. I WAS FORTUNATE TO WITNESS FROM A BIRD'S EYE VIEW THE CREATIVE VISION FOR THE VIDEO. THE VENUE WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE TYPE OF VIDEO BEING CONSTRUCTED, WITH ENOUGH SPACE TO ACCOMODATE THAT CREATIVE VISION. TO EXPOSE MY STEPSON DORIAN TO SAID CREATIVE VISION, I BROUGHT HIM ALONG TO SEE WHAT GOES INTO THE PROCESS, BECAUSE THE FINISHED PRODUCT TAKES BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS, NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER.
ONCE AT THE LOCATION, I WAS INTRODUCED TO A FEW OF THE VIDEO PARTICIPANTS. AS WELL AS P.O.E.T.'S MANAGER CHAUNCEY. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE A FEW LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO THE VIDEO TREATMENT AND VISION, THE PROFESSIONALISM OF EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE WS EVIDENT. AS THEY SAY IN ENTERTAINMENT CIRCLES, THE SHOW MUST GO ON, AND ON IT DID. FOR A FEW HOURS, THERE WERE MULTIPLE CLIPS AND SHOTS BEING FILMED BY THE VIDEOGRAPHER, WHO EXHIBITED PATIENCE AS WELL AS GUIDANCE DURING THE AFTERNOON. JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THE VIDEOGRAPHER ULTIMATELY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PIECING TOGETHER THE PUZZLE IN ORDER TO NARRATE WHATEVER STORY IS NECESSARY. FOR "GIRL OF MY DREAMS", IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE VIDEO TO EXHIBIT AUTHENTICITY AND CREDIBILITY, AND FROM WHAT I COULD SURMISE THOSE GOALS WERE SATISFIED.
THROUGH THE VARIOUS OUTFIT CHANGES AND SCENERY UPDATES, P.O.E.T. WAS ABLE TO ADAPT TO THE ULTIMATE SITUATION AT HAND. ONCE THE FINAL SHOT AT THE CHARLES STREET LOCATION WAS COMPLETE, IT WAS ON TO THE NEXT ONE. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE VIDEO SHOOT TOOK PLACE AT THE VIDEOGRAPHER'S HOME, IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE STORYLINE IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER. I DIDN'T ACCOMPANY THE CAST TO THE FINAL LOCATION, BUT FROM THE WORDS OF P.O.E.T. IT WAS A SUCCESS. MUCH LOVE IS BEING SENT TO P.O.E.T., HIS MANAGER CHAUNCEY, THE VIDEOGRAPHER (WHOSE NAME ELUDES ME AT THE PRESENT MOMENT) THE VIDEO MODEL WHO TRAVELED TO BALTIMORE FOR THIS SHOOT, AS WELL AS THE FOUR POSITIVE BROTHERS ROUNDING OUT THE CAST. ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A POSITIVE, UPLIFTING, AND INFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF AND MY STEPSON, WHO ABSORBED THE VIBE AND IS BETTER FOR IT. ONCE THE VIDEO IS AVAILABLE, I WILL DEFINITELY POST IT FOR VISUAL CONSUMPTION.
ONE LOVE!
ONCE AT THE LOCATION, I WAS INTRODUCED TO A FEW OF THE VIDEO PARTICIPANTS. AS WELL AS P.O.E.T.'S MANAGER CHAUNCEY. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE A FEW LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO THE VIDEO TREATMENT AND VISION, THE PROFESSIONALISM OF EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE WS EVIDENT. AS THEY SAY IN ENTERTAINMENT CIRCLES, THE SHOW MUST GO ON, AND ON IT DID. FOR A FEW HOURS, THERE WERE MULTIPLE CLIPS AND SHOTS BEING FILMED BY THE VIDEOGRAPHER, WHO EXHIBITED PATIENCE AS WELL AS GUIDANCE DURING THE AFTERNOON. JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THE VIDEOGRAPHER ULTIMATELY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PIECING TOGETHER THE PUZZLE IN ORDER TO NARRATE WHATEVER STORY IS NECESSARY. FOR "GIRL OF MY DREAMS", IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE VIDEO TO EXHIBIT AUTHENTICITY AND CREDIBILITY, AND FROM WHAT I COULD SURMISE THOSE GOALS WERE SATISFIED.
THROUGH THE VARIOUS OUTFIT CHANGES AND SCENERY UPDATES, P.O.E.T. WAS ABLE TO ADAPT TO THE ULTIMATE SITUATION AT HAND. ONCE THE FINAL SHOT AT THE CHARLES STREET LOCATION WAS COMPLETE, IT WAS ON TO THE NEXT ONE. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE VIDEO SHOOT TOOK PLACE AT THE VIDEOGRAPHER'S HOME, IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE STORYLINE IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER. I DIDN'T ACCOMPANY THE CAST TO THE FINAL LOCATION, BUT FROM THE WORDS OF P.O.E.T. IT WAS A SUCCESS. MUCH LOVE IS BEING SENT TO P.O.E.T., HIS MANAGER CHAUNCEY, THE VIDEOGRAPHER (WHOSE NAME ELUDES ME AT THE PRESENT MOMENT) THE VIDEO MODEL WHO TRAVELED TO BALTIMORE FOR THIS SHOOT, AS WELL AS THE FOUR POSITIVE BROTHERS ROUNDING OUT THE CAST. ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A POSITIVE, UPLIFTING, AND INFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF AND MY STEPSON, WHO ABSORBED THE VIBE AND IS BETTER FOR IT. ONCE THE VIDEO IS AVAILABLE, I WILL DEFINITELY POST IT FOR VISUAL CONSUMPTION.
ONE LOVE!
"BALTIMORE SON" VIDEO SHOOT
Written by: WISDOM
IF A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, THEN THIS PICTURE FROM DYNAMIC EMCEE AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD'S VIDEO SHOOT. AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL-BLACK EVERYTHING WAS THE THEME OF THE DAY, SENDING A VERY POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT BLACK IS POWER. AKIN TO A NEW AGE POSITIVE BLACK PANTHER MOVEMENT, THE OVERALL TONE AND TENOR WAS ONE OF FORWARD-THINKING AND PROGRESSIVE SPIRITS CONNECTING ON A CREATIVE LEVEL. AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD DESERVES CREDIT FOR THE VISION AND PASSION BEHIND "BALTIMORE SON", A SONG FEATURED ON HIS LATEST RELEASE THE EVOLUTION OF THE EMCEE: AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD. WITH THE VIDEO SHOOT TAKING PLACE ON SUNDAY, A MULTITUDE OF POSITIVE, LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS SHOWED LOVE AND SUPPORT, RANGING FROM CVEG CEO LEW WILLIAMS, KONSIDER DIS RADIO PERSONALITY MZ. UNDASTOOD, JERMAINE JOHNSON FROM JER JOH ENTERTAINMENT, FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SPECIAL DAY WITH AN ARTIST THAT DESERVES PROPS FOR KEEPING THAT REAL HIP HOP FLAME LIT. IF YOU HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED WHAT A TRUE EMCEE SOUNDS LIKE, JUST COP THE RECENT MIXTAPE.
THE WEATHER WAS GOOD, THE VIBE WAS POSITIVE, THE BLACK WAS POWERFUL, AND THE VIDEO WAS DONE! NEXT ON THE HORIZON IS THE DEBUT OF SAID VIDEO, HOPEFULLY THIS WEEK. DIRECTED BY GENERALBEATZ OF MENTALHEADVIZION$ PRODUKTIONZ, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE FINISHED PRODUCT. ONCE THE VIDEO IS AVAILABLE I WILL POST ON MY BLOG FOR VIEWING. I AM SURE FANS OF TRUE, REAL HIP HOP WILL ENJOY NOT ONLY THE VIDEO FOR "BALTIMORE SON", BUT THE ENTIRE MIXTAPE THE EVOLUTION OF THE EMCEE: AHMED THE LAST BORN CHILD. REPRESENT THE REAL HIP HOP!
LINKS:
http://djblackwizard.podomatic.com/player/web/2010-12-31T17_19_08-08_00
http://cveg.org/
http://www.reverbnation.com/generalbeatz
Saturday, February 19, 2011
FILM: "STILL SHINING"---THE DILLA PROJECT
FEBRUARY IS DILLA MONTH! FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, FEBRUARY IS THE TIME WHEN HIP HOP HEADS FROM ALL OVER CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JAMES YANCEY, KNOWN THE WORLD OVER AS J. DILLA. THE GENIUS BEHIND HIS MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS LIVES ON IN COUNTLESS PRODUCTIONS, SPANNING UNDERGROUND HIP HOP, NEO-SOUL, AND POP MUSIC. FILMED AT THE TIME OF DEATH, THIS PROJECT IS THE BRAINCHILD OF BRIAN "B.KYLE" ATKINS, MY OKAYPLAYER BRETHREN AND BUDDING FILMMAKER, AMONG OTHER THINGS. THIS VIDEO PROJECT FEATURES COMMENTARY FROM THE YANCEY MATRIARCH, MAUREEN YANCEY, COMMON, QUESTLOVE, DWELE, AND A MULTITUDE OF OTHERS. IT IS A NICE VIEW INTO THE ARTISTRY AND CREATIVITY BEHIND DILLA, WHO SUCCUMBED AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 32 TO LUPUS AND THE BLOOD DISEASE TTP. LOOK AT THIS PROJECT, AND THEN DO THE KNOWLEDGE ON HIS LIFE AND LEGACY. SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO B.KYLE, OKAYPLAYER, GIFTED FILMS, VIMEO, MS. YANCEY, AND THE J. DILLA FOUNDATION. DILLA LIVES ON IN OUR HEARTS AND MUSIC!
"J.Dilla: Still Shining" from B.Kyle on Vimeo.
LINKS:
Gifted Films
The J. Dilla Project
J. Dilla Foundation
Okayplayer
"J.Dilla: Still Shining" from B.Kyle on Vimeo.
LINKS:
Gifted Films
The J. Dilla Project
J. Dilla Foundation
Okayplayer
NAUGHTY BY NATURE----"FLAGS"
NAUGHTY BY NATURE ARE ICONS IN THE GAME OF HIP HOP. DON'T BELIEVE ME, CHECK THE PEDIGREE! I JUST HAD A DEBATE WITH SOMEONE ABOUT THEIR RELEVANCE IN THE HIP HOP WORLD. OF COURSE I HAD TO SHOW THE SONGS OUTSIDE OF "O.P.P." AND "HIP HOP HOORAY", LIKE "WRITTEN ON YA KITTEN", "EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT", "UPTOWN ANTHEM", "GUARD YA GRILL", AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. HERE IS A NEW JOINT FROM THE ILLTOWN REPRESENTATIVES, "FLAGS", FEATURING JAHEIM AND ICE-T IN THE VIDEO. HOPE TO SEE NAUGHTY TONIGHT IN CONCERT AT FIRST MARINER ARENA. HIP HOP HOORAY!
FLAGS
FLAGS
Thursday, February 17, 2011
THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF LAURYN HILL, PART II
February 11, 2011 (or should I say February 12th), was the date for the reclusive L Boogie to make an appearance in Baltimore. The venue, Rams Head Live, was abuzz with energy and anticipation, even if it wasn't filled to its normal capacity for someone of the caliber of Ms. Hill. I arrived a little after 10:00 PM, and I was a little surprised that I didn't have to wait in a long, winding line outside this downtown establishment. The atmosphere was one of excitement and apprehension, at least from what I could gather from the eclectic crowd. All ages, sexes, and nationalities were represented, so that was a good sign. After perusing the interior of Rams Head Live for any signs of Ms. Hill, I decided to relax and absorb the positive energy in the house.
Around 11:20 PM, DJ Rampage hit the stage, warming up the crowd for what seemed like a good hour or so. He started off with an ode to Bob Marley, and with the smell of ganja in the air, it was quite appropriate for the Marley tribute of sorts. The crowd in attendance at the time was feeling the music, at least for a little while. Before long, DJ Rampage segued into other joints (no pun intended) like "I'm Still In Love With You" by Sean Paul and "You Don't Love Me (No No No)" by Dawn Penn. Listening to these cuts definitely set a vibe in the venue, at least for a good while. Eventually, the crowd grew weary of this, and you could start to feel a little tension. I know I was antsy and anxious for the show to actually begin, because Lauryn Hill's track record over the past few years has been anything but stellar. Making matters even more tense was an announcement over sound system that Ms. Hill was under the weather, but she planned on still performing. Go figure! At that point all I could do was wait like the rest of the growing crowd. DJ Rampage managed to sway the crowd's relatively short attention span again once he delved into his hip hop catalog for guaranteed staples like "Hip Hop Hooray", "Top Billin'", "T.R.O.Y.", "Electric Relaxation", "Scenario", and numerous other "Golden Age" classics. The energy could really be felt once DJ Rampage played Nas and L Boogie on "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)". Trust me, I was one of the energetic characters inside Rams Head at that point. Soon after, the rest of her band appeared onstage, with "Hypnotize" playing in the background, intent on holding down the instrumental side of the evening's performance. Three background vocalists, three keyboardists, three guitarists, and a drummer rounded out her musical entourage.
Midnight struck, and still no Lauryn Hill! You could cut the tension with a knife at that point. Minute after minute passed, until 12:10AM, when the lights dimmed, and the female silhouette of the one and only Lauryn Noel Hill entered stage right! A deafening roar reverberated throughout the mostly packed venue, threatening permanent hearing loss, but at that distinct moment, all my reservations and doubts went out the window. Dressed in a flowing orange outfit, with a short jacket and dark-colored scarf, the star of the evening was understated compared to previous sightings. The somewhat disheveled afro was still intact, yet there was something cool about having this icon on stage, fashion aside. Lauryn Hill has been an enigma for the better part of a decade, but her loyal legion of fans (me included) always, ALWAYS hold out hope that she will return either doper than ever or never missing a beat lyrically. She started off with a Bob Marley song, of course, paying homage to the most obvious of influences on her musically. Once she crooned to the packed house, the band commenced to play a sped-up version of "Lost Ones". Her background singers definitely came prepared to belt out accompanying vocals for the evening. "When It Hurts So Bad" was next on the agenda, but her voice was not quite up to par, at least for the moment. However, once she dove into "Everything Is Everything", the crowd showed its appreciation, and she delivered a spirited rendition of this fan favorite. Of course, with the majority of the fans being of the female persuasion, her next selection "Ex Factor" really struck a chord. Every word of that touching song was sung by every woman I could see in the crowd. The song then segued into a mellower version, with sparse drums accompanying Ms. Hill's every word. "Words have to line up with actions", she preached to the female contingent at Rams Head, with vocal approval coming from all directions in the house. Her obligatory tribute to her first born, "To Zion", was next on the song list. I love the song, but I wonder what her other children may think anytime that song is played? While her band continued in the key of "To Zion", Ms. Hill exited for a brief moment, only to return reinvigorated and energized. She asked the Rams Head audience if there were any fans of The Fugees in the house. Of course everyone in attendance yelled "YES"! To satisfy that Fugees hunger, she launched into "How Many Mics", one of my favorite joints from The Refugee Camp. She launched into most of the songs from The Score, the multiple platinum best-seller from The Fugees. "Fu-Gee-La" was a definite crowd pleaser, as most in the venue jumped and pumped their fists, while Lauryn handled the lyrics with a vengeance. The Rams Head audience were puppets in her hand at that point, and once she touched "Ready Or Not", everyone in attendance showed their love for this lady that was willing to put a flourishing career on hold to do her bidding, known as motherhood. Lighters and cell phones were lifted high to illuminate the darkness surrounding everyone. This set the stage for "Killing Me Softly", her rendition of the very popular and classic Roberta Flack gem. Ms. Hill ended the show with "Doo Wop (That Thing)", giving a spirited and energized performance.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of her show. I believe that preconceived notions about her unreliable nature and eclectic (bordering on lunatic) way of thinking may have influenced my somewhat negative perspective. Seeing Lauryn Hill perform solidified in my psyche why she is one of the dopest lyricists the hip hop world has ever seen. Her rhyming is still flawless, and that fact alone is reason for her to drop another album before I turn forty-five! Her performance, stage presence, interaction with the crowd, and energy earned Lauryn Hill a solid B-. Now I can mark this performance off of my "Wisdom's Bucket List"!
 |
| DJ Rampage warming up the crowd |
Around 11:20 PM, DJ Rampage hit the stage, warming up the crowd for what seemed like a good hour or so. He started off with an ode to Bob Marley, and with the smell of ganja in the air, it was quite appropriate for the Marley tribute of sorts. The crowd in attendance at the time was feeling the music, at least for a little while. Before long, DJ Rampage segued into other joints (no pun intended) like "I'm Still In Love With You" by Sean Paul and "You Don't Love Me (No No No)" by Dawn Penn. Listening to these cuts definitely set a vibe in the venue, at least for a good while. Eventually, the crowd grew weary of this, and you could start to feel a little tension. I know I was antsy and anxious for the show to actually begin, because Lauryn Hill's track record over the past few years has been anything but stellar. Making matters even more tense was an announcement over sound system that Ms. Hill was under the weather, but she planned on still performing. Go figure! At that point all I could do was wait like the rest of the growing crowd. DJ Rampage managed to sway the crowd's relatively short attention span again once he delved into his hip hop catalog for guaranteed staples like "Hip Hop Hooray", "Top Billin'", "T.R.O.Y.", "Electric Relaxation", "Scenario", and numerous other "Golden Age" classics. The energy could really be felt once DJ Rampage played Nas and L Boogie on "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)". Trust me, I was one of the energetic characters inside Rams Head at that point. Soon after, the rest of her band appeared onstage, with "Hypnotize" playing in the background, intent on holding down the instrumental side of the evening's performance. Three background vocalists, three keyboardists, three guitarists, and a drummer rounded out her musical entourage.
 |
| Ms. Hill entering the stage |
Midnight struck, and still no Lauryn Hill! You could cut the tension with a knife at that point. Minute after minute passed, until 12:10AM, when the lights dimmed, and the female silhouette of the one and only Lauryn Noel Hill entered stage right! A deafening roar reverberated throughout the mostly packed venue, threatening permanent hearing loss, but at that distinct moment, all my reservations and doubts went out the window. Dressed in a flowing orange outfit, with a short jacket and dark-colored scarf, the star of the evening was understated compared to previous sightings. The somewhat disheveled afro was still intact, yet there was something cool about having this icon on stage, fashion aside. Lauryn Hill has been an enigma for the better part of a decade, but her loyal legion of fans (me included) always, ALWAYS hold out hope that she will return either doper than ever or never missing a beat lyrically. She started off with a Bob Marley song, of course, paying homage to the most obvious of influences on her musically. Once she crooned to the packed house, the band commenced to play a sped-up version of "Lost Ones". Her background singers definitely came prepared to belt out accompanying vocals for the evening. "When It Hurts So Bad" was next on the agenda, but her voice was not quite up to par, at least for the moment. However, once she dove into "Everything Is Everything", the crowd showed its appreciation, and she delivered a spirited rendition of this fan favorite. Of course, with the majority of the fans being of the female persuasion, her next selection "Ex Factor" really struck a chord. Every word of that touching song was sung by every woman I could see in the crowd. The song then segued into a mellower version, with sparse drums accompanying Ms. Hill's every word. "Words have to line up with actions", she preached to the female contingent at Rams Head, with vocal approval coming from all directions in the house. Her obligatory tribute to her first born, "To Zion", was next on the song list. I love the song, but I wonder what her other children may think anytime that song is played? While her band continued in the key of "To Zion", Ms. Hill exited for a brief moment, only to return reinvigorated and energized. She asked the Rams Head audience if there were any fans of The Fugees in the house. Of course everyone in attendance yelled "YES"! To satisfy that Fugees hunger, she launched into "How Many Mics", one of my favorite joints from The Refugee Camp. She launched into most of the songs from The Score, the multiple platinum best-seller from The Fugees. "Fu-Gee-La" was a definite crowd pleaser, as most in the venue jumped and pumped their fists, while Lauryn handled the lyrics with a vengeance. The Rams Head audience were puppets in her hand at that point, and once she touched "Ready Or Not", everyone in attendance showed their love for this lady that was willing to put a flourishing career on hold to do her bidding, known as motherhood. Lighters and cell phones were lifted high to illuminate the darkness surrounding everyone. This set the stage for "Killing Me Softly", her rendition of the very popular and classic Roberta Flack gem. Ms. Hill ended the show with "Doo Wop (That Thing)", giving a spirited and energized performance.
 |
| Lauryn Hill and company |
 |
| More Lauryn |
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of her show. I believe that preconceived notions about her unreliable nature and eclectic (bordering on lunatic) way of thinking may have influenced my somewhat negative perspective. Seeing Lauryn Hill perform solidified in my psyche why she is one of the dopest lyricists the hip hop world has ever seen. Her rhyming is still flawless, and that fact alone is reason for her to drop another album before I turn forty-five! Her performance, stage presence, interaction with the crowd, and energy earned Lauryn Hill a solid B-. Now I can mark this performance off of my "Wisdom's Bucket List"!
NEW VIDEO: CEE-LO GREEN-------"BODIES"
CEE-LO GREEN HAS BEEN PUSHING THE ENVELOPE ARTISTICALLY FOR A GOOD WHILE NOW, ESPECIALLY AFTER RELEASING SOLO JOINTS AND LINKING WITH DANGER MOUSE FOR THE HIGHLY CREATIVE GNARLS BARKLEY VENTURES. WITH HIS NEW ALBUM THE LADY KILLER, HE EMBARKS ON A NEW ARTISTIC CHAPTER IN A VERY SLEPT-ON CATALOG OF DOPE MUSIC. "BODIES" IS THE VISION OF CEE-LO MANIFESTED THROUGH THE LENSES OF DIRECTOR MIKAEL COLUMBU. SET AS A MURDER MYSTERY MINI-MOVIE, "BODIES" WILL CAPTURE THE SENSES. ALONG ON THIS VISUAL JOURNEY YOU WILL FIND KERRY WASHINGTON, KARL LAGERFELD, AND ANOTHER RISK-TAKING ARTIST JANELLE MONAE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MINI-MOVIE FOR PROOF POSITIVE THAT MR. GREEN IS INDEED ONE OF THE DOPEST ARTISTS IN MUSIC PERIOD, NO MATTER THE GENRE. THANKS TO SHAMZ AND MY OKAYPLAYER FAMILY FOR ALLOWING DOPE MUSIC TO BE SEEN AND HEARD.
"BODIES"
LINK: http://www.okayplayer.com/news/video-cee-lo-green-bodies.html
"BODIES"
LINK: http://www.okayplayer.com/news/video-cee-lo-green-bodies.html
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
THE LEGENDARY: A FILM ABOUT THE ROOTS
 |
| THE ROOTS AT RAMS HEAD LIVE--PHOTO BY WISDOM |
Tuba Gooding, Jr. Frank Knuckles. Owen Biddle. Captain Kirk. Kamal. Black Thought. Questlove. Four-time Grammy Award winners. Hardest working music outfit in all of music, not just hip hop. The Legendary. An appropriate moniker for a band I hold near and dear to my 41 year-old heart. Giving us true notes since 1987. I have been a faithful listener, fan, and extended family member of The Roots from the beginning, taking it back to the days of The Square Roots and Organix, their first actual release that fetches a pretty penny from collectors and music lovers alike. I am very proud to own EVERY album released by The Roots: Organix, Do You Want More?!!!??!, Illadelph Halflife, my personal favorite Things Fall Apart, Phrenology, The Tipping Point, Game Theory, Rising Down, How I Got Over, and the John Legend collaborative album that garnered three Grammy Awards Wake Up! I am so very proud of this Illadelph collective, not only for being EXTREMELY dope, but for adding a touch of class and decorum to the hip hop landscape. Without The Roots, the genre we know as hip hop would be an even sadder state of affairs. With that bold statement in mind, take a look at this Okayplayer TV jawn (that's Philly speak for joint, if you didn't know) known as "The Legendary: A Film About The Roots". Cam Be was director and editor for this glimpse into the sometimes hectic touring schedule of The Roots. Jeff Baraka served as interviewer and co-producer for this project. I've been fortunate enough to have seen this dynamic hip hop group more times than I have fingers, so I know the energy and showmanship they bring to the table. This film touches on that, but of course doesn't replace the live and in-person element. What you do have is a mini-documentary that will pique the interests of fans and non-fans alike, I'm sure. Thanks again to Okayplayer TV, Vimeo, The Roots, Jeff Baraka, and Cam Be for allowing this slice of hip hop to be shared by the masses. Enjoy this "Legendary" teaser!
The Legendary: A Film About The Roots from Cam Be on Vimeo.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
ARTICLE SWIPE----Karyn Parsons Talks 'Fresh Prince' Reunion for Non-Profit Org Sweet Blackberry
HERE IS A VERY GOOD ARTICLE REGARDING THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SET UP BY KARYN PARSONS, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN TO THE WORLD AS HILARY BANKS FROM "FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR" FAME. I LOVE THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE ORGANIZATION, AND IT IS A WELCOME SIGHT TO SEE HIP HOP GENERATION CONTEMPORARIES FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES IN VARIOUS WAYS. A SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO ZACH DIONNE, ARTICLE WRITER VIA WWW.POPEATER.COM. YOU CAN ALSO VIEW A SNIPPET OF WHAT MS. PARSONS HAS BEEN WORKING ON FROM A CREATIVE STANDPOINT, GIVING BACK SOMETHING TANGIBLE TO THE MOST IMPRESSIONABLE OF INDIVIDUALS, OUR YOUTH. ENJOY THE READ, AND GO TO THE LINK AT THE END TO SEE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUCTION.
Karyn Parsons couldn't be more different from her nasty 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' alter-ego Hilary Banks. A generous, conversational mother mostly distanced from acting for the last decade, Parsons founded Sweet Blackberry, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing rarely told inspirational stories of African-American history.
Now Parsons is staging a Charitybuzz auction where the winner and a guest will spend time with four reunited members of the 'Fresh Prince' cast as a benefit for Sweet Blackberry. "It's a dining experience," Parsons tells PopEater, "with Alfonso Ribeiro [Carlton], Tatyana Ali [Ashley], James Avery [Uncle Phil] and myself, and a meet-and-greet with Will Smith. Will's gonna come by and hang for a minute and meet the winner."
Read our full conversation here, touching on everything from Will to Willow to a bizarre 'Transformers 3' rumor.
This reunion is going to be huge for the auction winner.
I mean, I hope! [Laughs] It's so funny because for us it's such a different thing. For six years we kind of took for granted our wonderful relationship. You were used to seeing these people every day. It's a different experience for a fan of the show, but even for me, shoot, it makes me want to bid on it to get everybody together. It seems like just weddings is how we all end up getting together.
It's a pricey lunch, though. The bid is past $3,200 right now.
You know, Will is always worth it. I mean, we all are, but Will, I have to say, is great. He's such a generous, fun person, and I think he always makes it worth someone's while.
The Will Smith-ness comes across even in a brief meet-and-greet, huh?
He's not somebody who just turns it on or turns it off. Will's one of those people that walks in a room and all that charisma is just him. He can't really help it, it's just who he is. He's very positive, very bright.
Who'll be the biggest surprise for a 'Fresh Prince' fan to meet? I'm guessing you or Carlton. Er, Alfonso.
Definitely Alf and I, without a doubt. Oh yeah, Tweedledee and Tweedledum! [Laughs] We were the ones that really played knucklehead characters. I like to think we're not like that.
Where's the auction money going to go? How will it be used?
It's going to benefit Sweet Blackberry, which is an educational organization I started in order to bring little-known stories of African-American achievement to children. My mother headed the Black Resource Center in Los Angeles at her library, and she used to tell me stories, incredible information and stories from archives. One day she told me the story of Henry "Box" Brown, who was a slave who literally mailed himself, in a box, to freedom. It was a true story, and I couldn't believe I had never heard it. This story, on so many levels, has such magnitude.
So that got the wheels turning.
It was such an obvious story. A man inside of a box, pretending to be mail. I immediately thought, "That's a book." I wanted to a series of books for children that tell stories that we don't hear about.
And the Henry "Box" Brown story became your first Sweet Blackberry DVD.
It was the impetus for the whole thing, and it became the first one. In schools we seem to get a handful of stories we're told -- incredible stories of black people from history, but just a handful, kind of the same people that we always hear about. Yet black people helped build this country. I don't think we understand that. Obviously it's important for black children, but it's important for all of us to understand this together, to see our value and our neighbors' value and how we relate and how our culture is all of our culture and its history is all of our history. It should be all together for all of us to understand that.
How did you approach that goal?
I started it after my daughter was a couple years old. I wanted to pull more stories up that are relevant and teach lessons to children about overcoming obstacles. Obstacles are actually opportunities for greatness, which we learn from the stories. The first one, about Henry "Box" Brown, Alfre Woodard narrated. It's a lightly animated story. Then Queen Latifah narrated our second one, 'Garrett's Gift.'
See a Sweet Blackberry clip:
Sweet Blackberry Intro from karyn parsons on Vimeo.
Sounds like you stay busy. How often do you see your old co-stars? Was it easy pulling them together for this?
Well Tatyana is on the board of Sweet Blackberry. It doesn't mean I get to see her all the time; as far as I'm concerned I don't see any of them enough. James I get to see, he lives by me. Every time I see Will, I don't want to let him go. I'm like, "I don't know how long it's going to be 'til I get to see you!" He's wonderful, and he's the same Will. He's just so busy. He's a wanted man.
There were rumors about a year ago, talking up an actual 'Fresh Prince' reunion episode. Did you ever hear about that?
I hear that all the time.
And?
I doubt it. I don't know, maybe? It's possible. As long as Geoffrey doesn't have to wear his butler outfit while the rest of us wear gowns and tuxes. I have no objection whatsoever. I don't know if I could drag Hilary out, dust her off.
Tatyana Ali told me she gets such a warm response everywhere she goes, that she feels like fans really care about her because of her character. With Hilary, it's probably a different story...
Oh yeah, they wanna dropkick me. I had a friend say a guy jumped in at a bar and defended Tatyana. People feel like she's their little Ashley. But no, Hilary never had that. I was in Paris and some people come up to me and said, "You were that girl! On that show! We hated you!" Oh, thank you. Hilary definitely gets a different reception. That was part of the fun of playing her. I'm over it.
Showbiz isn't your main gig anymore, so why is IMDb saying you're in 'Transformers 3'?
[Laughs] No! I don't know what ... it's a lie! I don't know what happened or how. I had a family member on Facebook go, "Great news on 'Transformers 3,' Karyn, congratulations!" I was like, "What are you talking about?" Someone's trying to keep me current.
So you never heard about it?
I never heard about an audition. I have no idea. A couple years ago I saw that I was gonna do the biopic of Wendy Williams. Where that came from, I can't begin to imagine.
What would it take to get you back into acting?
I never say never. I have to say that now. I'm so consumed with a 7-year-old, a 3-year-old and Sweet Blackberry. My plate is so insanely full it's hard for me to think about it right now, but I've never stopped loving acting. We'll see what happens.
How do Will and Jada juggle family and showbiz so deftly?
Uh ... help? They're there and they're very present, but they can also structure their life because of their situation. And Willow and Jaden are doing their things too now, aren't they? They're incredibly smart, thoughtful parents.
What do you think of Willow, anyway?
She blew me away. Will played a little of 'Whip My Hair' for me before it was released -- it sounded like Rihanna or something. I was like, "Whoa, how old is she?" She's incredibly talented, and she's a really cool kid. She's been her own strong personality, a real strong flavor, since day one. You can see it when you watch the video -- it's all her own thing.
What do your kids think, knowing you know the Smiths?
We went to the 'Karate Kid' premiere, and my daughter was so excited. She didn't meet Jaden or Willow, which was probably fine because she would've been so overwhelmed. She would've passed out.
FOLLOW "FRESH PRINCE" AUCTION AND BID THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH
Article link: http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/15/fresh-prince-reunion-karyn-parsons-sweet-blackberry/
Article written by: Zach Dionne
Date posted: February 15, 2011
Site credit: AOL Original/Pop Eater
Karyn Parsons couldn't be more different from her nasty 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' alter-ego Hilary Banks. A generous, conversational mother mostly distanced from acting for the last decade, Parsons founded Sweet Blackberry, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing rarely told inspirational stories of African-American history.
Now Parsons is staging a Charitybuzz auction where the winner and a guest will spend time with four reunited members of the 'Fresh Prince' cast as a benefit for Sweet Blackberry. "It's a dining experience," Parsons tells PopEater, "with Alfonso Ribeiro [Carlton], Tatyana Ali [Ashley], James Avery [Uncle Phil] and myself, and a meet-and-greet with Will Smith. Will's gonna come by and hang for a minute and meet the winner."
Read our full conversation here, touching on everything from Will to Willow to a bizarre 'Transformers 3' rumor.
This reunion is going to be huge for the auction winner.
I mean, I hope! [Laughs] It's so funny because for us it's such a different thing. For six years we kind of took for granted our wonderful relationship. You were used to seeing these people every day. It's a different experience for a fan of the show, but even for me, shoot, it makes me want to bid on it to get everybody together. It seems like just weddings is how we all end up getting together.
It's a pricey lunch, though. The bid is past $3,200 right now.
You know, Will is always worth it. I mean, we all are, but Will, I have to say, is great. He's such a generous, fun person, and I think he always makes it worth someone's while.
The Will Smith-ness comes across even in a brief meet-and-greet, huh?
He's not somebody who just turns it on or turns it off. Will's one of those people that walks in a room and all that charisma is just him. He can't really help it, it's just who he is. He's very positive, very bright.
Who'll be the biggest surprise for a 'Fresh Prince' fan to meet? I'm guessing you or Carlton. Er, Alfonso.
Definitely Alf and I, without a doubt. Oh yeah, Tweedledee and Tweedledum! [Laughs] We were the ones that really played knucklehead characters. I like to think we're not like that.
Where's the auction money going to go? How will it be used?
It's going to benefit Sweet Blackberry, which is an educational organization I started in order to bring little-known stories of African-American achievement to children. My mother headed the Black Resource Center in Los Angeles at her library, and she used to tell me stories, incredible information and stories from archives. One day she told me the story of Henry "Box" Brown, who was a slave who literally mailed himself, in a box, to freedom. It was a true story, and I couldn't believe I had never heard it. This story, on so many levels, has such magnitude.
So that got the wheels turning.
It was such an obvious story. A man inside of a box, pretending to be mail. I immediately thought, "That's a book." I wanted to a series of books for children that tell stories that we don't hear about.
And the Henry "Box" Brown story became your first Sweet Blackberry DVD.
It was the impetus for the whole thing, and it became the first one. In schools we seem to get a handful of stories we're told -- incredible stories of black people from history, but just a handful, kind of the same people that we always hear about. Yet black people helped build this country. I don't think we understand that. Obviously it's important for black children, but it's important for all of us to understand this together, to see our value and our neighbors' value and how we relate and how our culture is all of our culture and its history is all of our history. It should be all together for all of us to understand that.
How did you approach that goal?
I started it after my daughter was a couple years old. I wanted to pull more stories up that are relevant and teach lessons to children about overcoming obstacles. Obstacles are actually opportunities for greatness, which we learn from the stories. The first one, about Henry "Box" Brown, Alfre Woodard narrated. It's a lightly animated story. Then Queen Latifah narrated our second one, 'Garrett's Gift.'
See a Sweet Blackberry clip:
Sweet Blackberry Intro from karyn parsons on Vimeo.
Sounds like you stay busy. How often do you see your old co-stars? Was it easy pulling them together for this?
Well Tatyana is on the board of Sweet Blackberry. It doesn't mean I get to see her all the time; as far as I'm concerned I don't see any of them enough. James I get to see, he lives by me. Every time I see Will, I don't want to let him go. I'm like, "I don't know how long it's going to be 'til I get to see you!" He's wonderful, and he's the same Will. He's just so busy. He's a wanted man.
There were rumors about a year ago, talking up an actual 'Fresh Prince' reunion episode. Did you ever hear about that?
I hear that all the time.
And?
I doubt it. I don't know, maybe? It's possible. As long as Geoffrey doesn't have to wear his butler outfit while the rest of us wear gowns and tuxes. I have no objection whatsoever. I don't know if I could drag Hilary out, dust her off.
Tatyana Ali told me she gets such a warm response everywhere she goes, that she feels like fans really care about her because of her character. With Hilary, it's probably a different story...
Oh yeah, they wanna dropkick me. I had a friend say a guy jumped in at a bar and defended Tatyana. People feel like she's their little Ashley. But no, Hilary never had that. I was in Paris and some people come up to me and said, "You were that girl! On that show! We hated you!" Oh, thank you. Hilary definitely gets a different reception. That was part of the fun of playing her. I'm over it.
Showbiz isn't your main gig anymore, so why is IMDb saying you're in 'Transformers 3'?
[Laughs] No! I don't know what ... it's a lie! I don't know what happened or how. I had a family member on Facebook go, "Great news on 'Transformers 3,' Karyn, congratulations!" I was like, "What are you talking about?" Someone's trying to keep me current.
So you never heard about it?
I never heard about an audition. I have no idea. A couple years ago I saw that I was gonna do the biopic of Wendy Williams. Where that came from, I can't begin to imagine.
What would it take to get you back into acting?
I never say never. I have to say that now. I'm so consumed with a 7-year-old, a 3-year-old and Sweet Blackberry. My plate is so insanely full it's hard for me to think about it right now, but I've never stopped loving acting. We'll see what happens.
How do Will and Jada juggle family and showbiz so deftly?
Uh ... help? They're there and they're very present, but they can also structure their life because of their situation. And Willow and Jaden are doing their things too now, aren't they? They're incredibly smart, thoughtful parents.
What do you think of Willow, anyway?
She blew me away. Will played a little of 'Whip My Hair' for me before it was released -- it sounded like Rihanna or something. I was like, "Whoa, how old is she?" She's incredibly talented, and she's a really cool kid. She's been her own strong personality, a real strong flavor, since day one. You can see it when you watch the video -- it's all her own thing.
What do your kids think, knowing you know the Smiths?
We went to the 'Karate Kid' premiere, and my daughter was so excited. She didn't meet Jaden or Willow, which was probably fine because she would've been so overwhelmed. She would've passed out.
FOLLOW "FRESH PRINCE" AUCTION AND BID THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH
Article link: http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/15/fresh-prince-reunion-karyn-parsons-sweet-blackberry/
Article written by: Zach Dionne
Date posted: February 15, 2011
Site credit: AOL Original/Pop Eater
Sunday, February 13, 2011
SAMPLE SUNDAY---EPISODE 10
It's 2011, and I am LONG overdue for a new installment of Sample Sunday. Today's session is a gem, in my humble hip hop opinion. Death Of A Pop Star, the stellar album by underrated emcee David Banner and producer extraordinaire 9th Wonder, is full of sampling treats. My favorite happens to be the last cut on the album, which was released December 21st, 2010, just in time for the holiday season. The album was released at the end of the year, but was such a stand-out that I had to include it on my year-end hip hop review (see http://wisdom40.blogspot.com/2010/12/as-we-come-to-close-for-2010.html). The song in question is simply entitled "Strange", and it is more of an indictment on the ills of society than anything else, with Banner and Big Remo supplying the commentary over a dense 9th production.
.
The basis for this song comes from a classic, yet overlooked, song from The Sylvers. "Cry Of A Dreamer" is a 1973 composition from the dope album The Sylvers II. I distinctly remember this record spinning on my aunt's dark mahogany-hued component set in our living room in the early to mid 70's! Before I digress any further, let me say that this song showcases the talents that the Sylvers family possessed. "Cry Of A Dreamer" may not be as well known as "Cotton Candy" or "Misdemeanor", but it stands out as signature song in the Sylvers discography. The recognizable sample starts at 0:14 of "Cry Of A Dreamer".
If you haven't encountered or purchased Death Of A Pop Star, please do so immediately. It is definitely one of the best buys from my standpoint over the past twelve month period. I appreciate the fact that David Banner was able to connect with 9th Wonder to great effect. Lyrically, Banner is not spittin' for the sake of riddlin', but he is bringing substanced by way of his Southern sensibilities. Sonically, 9th Wonder is 9th Wonder, someone with a keen ear for soul. The album is a must have, in my opinion. Follow David Banner and his music via http://www.myspace.com/davidbanner. You can visit 9th Wonder's discography and music via http://www.9thwonder.com/
Go back and visit the Sylvers catalogue to listen to music that is simply not being created any longer. Even though there is no official website for the group as a whole, there are plenty of sites that will provide information about the musical family. A good place to start would be the following: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sylvers.
It's great to be back on my Sample Sunday grind, and I promise to bring you thought-provoking and dope music that is overlooked and shunned by mainstream. Mainstream acceptance shouldn't, and won't, dictate the flow of creativitiy!
WISDOM
.
The basis for this song comes from a classic, yet overlooked, song from The Sylvers. "Cry Of A Dreamer" is a 1973 composition from the dope album The Sylvers II. I distinctly remember this record spinning on my aunt's dark mahogany-hued component set in our living room in the early to mid 70's! Before I digress any further, let me say that this song showcases the talents that the Sylvers family possessed. "Cry Of A Dreamer" may not be as well known as "Cotton Candy" or "Misdemeanor", but it stands out as signature song in the Sylvers discography. The recognizable sample starts at 0:14 of "Cry Of A Dreamer".
If you haven't encountered or purchased Death Of A Pop Star, please do so immediately. It is definitely one of the best buys from my standpoint over the past twelve month period. I appreciate the fact that David Banner was able to connect with 9th Wonder to great effect. Lyrically, Banner is not spittin' for the sake of riddlin', but he is bringing substanced by way of his Southern sensibilities. Sonically, 9th Wonder is 9th Wonder, someone with a keen ear for soul. The album is a must have, in my opinion. Follow David Banner and his music via http://www.myspace.com/davidbanner. You can visit 9th Wonder's discography and music via http://www.9thwonder.com/
 |
| Death Of A Pop Star (E-1 Music, 2010) |
Go back and visit the Sylvers catalogue to listen to music that is simply not being created any longer. Even though there is no official website for the group as a whole, there are plenty of sites that will provide information about the musical family. A good place to start would be the following: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sylvers.
 |
| The Sylvers II (Pride, 1973) |
It's great to be back on my Sample Sunday grind, and I promise to bring you thought-provoking and dope music that is overlooked and shunned by mainstream. Mainstream acceptance shouldn't, and won't, dictate the flow of creativitiy!
WISDOM
Saturday, February 5, 2011
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Written by: Wisdom
As the record industry tries to recover from declining sales, many artists have decided to go the independent route, leaving the labels in a precarious position. I am an advocate of artists within the hip hop diaspora going the independent route, but making sure they fully embrace the "business" portion of the music business. Because there are four major labels at the moment (Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Group, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group), the industry have really shifted to a more entrepreneur-based mentality. Here in Baltimore, for instance, with the blue-collar aesthetic that many artists embrace, you will find countless individuals that are going for dolo, setting up de facto independent labels. Of course there are some aspects that independent artists have to overcome to be successful. Successful is a relative term, however; success from an independent standpoint doesn't necessarily equate to huge sales from a SoundScan or Billboard perspective. Success can be building a steady, solid buzz with a core audience. Generating income from shows and tours can be a measure of success as well.
The problem that independent artists may encounter is not building a solid plan to negate the lack of major label push and promotions. Truth be told, record companies, upon signing a prospective artist, act moreso as banks than musical partnerships. This "plantation mentality" is one of the main culprits taking the reigns to the careers of signed artists. As Q-Tip famously stated in "Check The Rhime" (from The Low End Theory), "Industry Rule Number 4080, record company people are shady". Artists need to take heed to that, because a label is only looking at the bottom line in today's industry. Grooming and cultivating an artist is probably at the bottom of the totem pole when a label is signing an artist, not only in hip hop, but in general. That is why independent artists should be astute from a business standpoint, read and research as much as possible, network and communicate, and be a "business-minded" artist. When I say "business-minded", the artist should treat the business as art by being creative. With the advent of social media taking over the lives of many, independent artists are using Twitter, Reverbnation, Myspace, Facebook and other portals as avenues of spreading his or her music to the masses. The internet bridges the gap, so an artist based in Baltimore, for example, can now reach out to potential fans in Anchorage, Alaska, showing that Baltimore is indeed more that The Wire.
Other advances in technology, such as computer-based software packages such as FL Studio (Fruity Loops, made popular by 9th Wonder) and Native Instruments new creation Maschine (a hardware/software combination), allows independent individuals the opportunity to create within their own walls, saving monies with the recording process. Previously, an artist had to spend exorborant amounts of money in the studio, writing, recording, re-recording, all on the studio's clock. Now an artist may be able to either do pre-production, or the entire production or project, at home. This all-encompassing nature is giving rise to many independent artists, and it is a breathe of fresh air, because now artists are not necessarily being governed by a dictating label.
Of course, the downside to the plethora of independent artists is a lack of quality, because anyone and everyone may profess to be "independent". I have encountered many individuals that are releasing mixtape after mixtape that doesn't differentiate itself from the next project, causing a lack of creativity. Conversely, there are many an artist that deserves shine on a national front, but may not be known. Ultimately, talent, creativity, and drive are key elements in an artist being noticed from an independent standpoint. Monetary push is also important, but having the most money will NOT ensure that a project is widely accepted, and this is true from a major label or independent notion.
Again, I advise artists to be versed in the business aspect of music. Focusing solely on the musical portion may help with putting out a good project, but that good project may not get any type of notice without proper business acumen. I am a firm believer in acquiring knowledge and information from as many sources as possible. This opens the doors to numerous opportunities. A good reference tool to acquire that proper music mindset is Everything You'd Better Know About the Record Industry, written by music artist and producer Kashif (Brooklyn Boy Books, 1996). This comprehensive book, written with an eagle eye by a music insider, is a must-have when entering the music business. So for all aspiring emcees, producers, deejays, managers, promoters, label heads, or venue owners, purchase this book to acquire that knowledge that will be so very useful in the industry. Experts have been depicting the demise of the music industry for a good while now, with overall sales declining. That decline in sales can be attributed to pirated music and available online downloads. I believe that the demand for music is as high as ever, but the way the music is delivered has to be observed. File-sharing and data transfer are very popular right now, and the industry has been too slow in adjusting to this notion. I do see a slow movement in the embracing of social media and other means in delivering the music. Just as experts ten to twenty years ago issued a death knell to vinyl records, there is almost an underground/cult movement of sorts with deejays and vinyl connoisseurs. I don't believe that vinyl records or albums will die, because there is a sub-culture that relishes that feel only a vinyl recording can give to someone from an audible standpoint. In the same manner, CD's are not going to be fully replaced in this day and time. MP3 files and music USB flash drives are the new wave of music distribution. Custom crafted music USB flash drives can now be designed for independent artists to distribute music. These USB flash drives work in the same manner as a normal USB flash drive, but they deliver music and other media to your laptop or desktop. Now an artist can have a fully-formed project, including album art, liner notes, lyric sheets, songs, remixes, and links to social media on a USB flash drive that can easily be attached to a keychain. Indiedrive (http://www.indiedrive.com/) is a company that specializes in this exciting and new market. Their marketing approach is simple yet creative: deliver a product that is cutting edge. I advise independent artists to look at this site to gain ideas about marketing and delivering their music from a 21st century standard, and be ahead of the curve instead of behind the proverbial eight-ball.
I hope that this synopsis on the pros and cons of independent music will shed some light, spark some conversation, and ultimately push artists to find ways to be marketable, creative, and noticed. It doesn't take platinum record sale status to be a viable artist in today's age. A comfortable career can be made going the independent route. Tech N9ne is a perfect example of this. If you aren't familiar with this Kansas City, Missouri artist, check out his discography and backstory at http://www.therealtechn9ne.com/ for further proof of how he has mastered the independent artist niche. "Independence Day", in my humble opinion, will no longer be a movie or national holiday, but mantra to artists in Baltimore and abroad.
As the record industry tries to recover from declining sales, many artists have decided to go the independent route, leaving the labels in a precarious position. I am an advocate of artists within the hip hop diaspora going the independent route, but making sure they fully embrace the "business" portion of the music business. Because there are four major labels at the moment (Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Group, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group), the industry have really shifted to a more entrepreneur-based mentality. Here in Baltimore, for instance, with the blue-collar aesthetic that many artists embrace, you will find countless individuals that are going for dolo, setting up de facto independent labels. Of course there are some aspects that independent artists have to overcome to be successful. Successful is a relative term, however; success from an independent standpoint doesn't necessarily equate to huge sales from a SoundScan or Billboard perspective. Success can be building a steady, solid buzz with a core audience. Generating income from shows and tours can be a measure of success as well.
The problem that independent artists may encounter is not building a solid plan to negate the lack of major label push and promotions. Truth be told, record companies, upon signing a prospective artist, act moreso as banks than musical partnerships. This "plantation mentality" is one of the main culprits taking the reigns to the careers of signed artists. As Q-Tip famously stated in "Check The Rhime" (from The Low End Theory), "Industry Rule Number 4080, record company people are shady". Artists need to take heed to that, because a label is only looking at the bottom line in today's industry. Grooming and cultivating an artist is probably at the bottom of the totem pole when a label is signing an artist, not only in hip hop, but in general. That is why independent artists should be astute from a business standpoint, read and research as much as possible, network and communicate, and be a "business-minded" artist. When I say "business-minded", the artist should treat the business as art by being creative. With the advent of social media taking over the lives of many, independent artists are using Twitter, Reverbnation, Myspace, Facebook and other portals as avenues of spreading his or her music to the masses. The internet bridges the gap, so an artist based in Baltimore, for example, can now reach out to potential fans in Anchorage, Alaska, showing that Baltimore is indeed more that The Wire.
Other advances in technology, such as computer-based software packages such as FL Studio (Fruity Loops, made popular by 9th Wonder) and Native Instruments new creation Maschine (a hardware/software combination), allows independent individuals the opportunity to create within their own walls, saving monies with the recording process. Previously, an artist had to spend exorborant amounts of money in the studio, writing, recording, re-recording, all on the studio's clock. Now an artist may be able to either do pre-production, or the entire production or project, at home. This all-encompassing nature is giving rise to many independent artists, and it is a breathe of fresh air, because now artists are not necessarily being governed by a dictating label.
Of course, the downside to the plethora of independent artists is a lack of quality, because anyone and everyone may profess to be "independent". I have encountered many individuals that are releasing mixtape after mixtape that doesn't differentiate itself from the next project, causing a lack of creativity. Conversely, there are many an artist that deserves shine on a national front, but may not be known. Ultimately, talent, creativity, and drive are key elements in an artist being noticed from an independent standpoint. Monetary push is also important, but having the most money will NOT ensure that a project is widely accepted, and this is true from a major label or independent notion.
Again, I advise artists to be versed in the business aspect of music. Focusing solely on the musical portion may help with putting out a good project, but that good project may not get any type of notice without proper business acumen. I am a firm believer in acquiring knowledge and information from as many sources as possible. This opens the doors to numerous opportunities. A good reference tool to acquire that proper music mindset is Everything You'd Better Know About the Record Industry, written by music artist and producer Kashif (Brooklyn Boy Books, 1996). This comprehensive book, written with an eagle eye by a music insider, is a must-have when entering the music business. So for all aspiring emcees, producers, deejays, managers, promoters, label heads, or venue owners, purchase this book to acquire that knowledge that will be so very useful in the industry. Experts have been depicting the demise of the music industry for a good while now, with overall sales declining. That decline in sales can be attributed to pirated music and available online downloads. I believe that the demand for music is as high as ever, but the way the music is delivered has to be observed. File-sharing and data transfer are very popular right now, and the industry has been too slow in adjusting to this notion. I do see a slow movement in the embracing of social media and other means in delivering the music. Just as experts ten to twenty years ago issued a death knell to vinyl records, there is almost an underground/cult movement of sorts with deejays and vinyl connoisseurs. I don't believe that vinyl records or albums will die, because there is a sub-culture that relishes that feel only a vinyl recording can give to someone from an audible standpoint. In the same manner, CD's are not going to be fully replaced in this day and time. MP3 files and music USB flash drives are the new wave of music distribution. Custom crafted music USB flash drives can now be designed for independent artists to distribute music. These USB flash drives work in the same manner as a normal USB flash drive, but they deliver music and other media to your laptop or desktop. Now an artist can have a fully-formed project, including album art, liner notes, lyric sheets, songs, remixes, and links to social media on a USB flash drive that can easily be attached to a keychain. Indiedrive (http://www.indiedrive.com/) is a company that specializes in this exciting and new market. Their marketing approach is simple yet creative: deliver a product that is cutting edge. I advise independent artists to look at this site to gain ideas about marketing and delivering their music from a 21st century standard, and be ahead of the curve instead of behind the proverbial eight-ball.
I hope that this synopsis on the pros and cons of independent music will shed some light, spark some conversation, and ultimately push artists to find ways to be marketable, creative, and noticed. It doesn't take platinum record sale status to be a viable artist in today's age. A comfortable career can be made going the independent route. Tech N9ne is a perfect example of this. If you aren't familiar with this Kansas City, Missouri artist, check out his discography and backstory at http://www.therealtechn9ne.com/ for further proof of how he has mastered the independent artist niche. "Independence Day", in my humble opinion, will no longer be a movie or national holiday, but mantra to artists in Baltimore and abroad.
Documentary----"Copyright Criminals"
"Copyright Criminals" is a documentary I viewed a few years ago on PBS, and I was mesmerized by the subject matter that was covered in the film. This film traced the lineage of sampling in the hip hop arena, telling a story on both sides of the proverbial sampling fence.
Sam-ple [sa'mp'l] : a piece of recorded sound or a musical phrase taken from an existing recording, especially in digital form, and used as part of a new recording
As someone who has utilized the art of sampling on various levels in the past, I know and understand the dynamics behind this topic. Opponents of sampling (and basically hip hop music) will say that it is stealing, but the concept is much, much deeper. Truth be told, no ideas are original, at least from a general or generic standpoint. Most "new" ideas are nothing more that reinterpretations of something that a person may have encountered or been influenced by. Opposition will also make a point that sample-laden (coded language for hip hop) music is not "real" music. I challenge a traditional musician to embark on the journey of digging in the crates, searching for the proper samples, utilizing samplers and other production equipment, and constructing a sensible, dope creation. To me, the instruments are different, but the end result is an aural piece of artistry. I see someone such as a Pete Rock or 9th Wonder as putting pieces of a hip hop jigsaw puzzle together, making the picture become visible (or in this case audible). Not only are Pete Rock and 9th Wonder considered by me to be some of the best hip hop producers that showcase talents in the sampling arena, but others such as DJ Premier, Khrysis, Black Milk, Alchemist, Kev Brown, Oddissee, 88-Keys are keeping the tradition alive. Prior to these dynamic producers, Marley Marl, Mark The 45 King, Howie Tee, Ced Gee paved the way by manipulating SP-1200's and other sampling devices to great effect. To me, there is nothing better than finding an obscure album during a record hunt, sitting down, playing song after song in its entirety, and coming across a snippet or portion perfect for sampling. Now when I say perfect for sampling, I don't mean in the case of a blatant "You Can't Touch This" type of sample, because I don't see too much creativity in rhyming over the entire beat of another song. In its truest and purest sense, a sampled creation is making something new from other items, in much the same way the art world will give praise to Andy Warhol utilizing posters and advertisements in a new form. There lies the double-standard, because in the art world, Andy Warhol was not "stealing", but reinterpreting through his artistic vision. So to me, Pete Rock utilizes a sample like Warhol interprets Campbell's Soup art, so respect must be given to this brother and others that share that same passion. That is why this documentary is important, because it gives voice to those that may only use their music as a speaking piece. I will cover at a later point the finite aspects of sampling, but in the meantime view this engaging documentary, and give some honest feedback, positive or critical. Rest in peace to MC Eyedea, who appeared in the documentary, along with his deejay Abilities. He was an incredible emcee who will be missed in the hip hop world.
Source: www.hulu.com/watch/201358/copyright-criminals
Sam-ple [sa'mp'l] : a piece of recorded sound or a musical phrase taken from an existing recording, especially in digital form, and used as part of a new recording
As someone who has utilized the art of sampling on various levels in the past, I know and understand the dynamics behind this topic. Opponents of sampling (and basically hip hop music) will say that it is stealing, but the concept is much, much deeper. Truth be told, no ideas are original, at least from a general or generic standpoint. Most "new" ideas are nothing more that reinterpretations of something that a person may have encountered or been influenced by. Opposition will also make a point that sample-laden (coded language for hip hop) music is not "real" music. I challenge a traditional musician to embark on the journey of digging in the crates, searching for the proper samples, utilizing samplers and other production equipment, and constructing a sensible, dope creation. To me, the instruments are different, but the end result is an aural piece of artistry. I see someone such as a Pete Rock or 9th Wonder as putting pieces of a hip hop jigsaw puzzle together, making the picture become visible (or in this case audible). Not only are Pete Rock and 9th Wonder considered by me to be some of the best hip hop producers that showcase talents in the sampling arena, but others such as DJ Premier, Khrysis, Black Milk, Alchemist, Kev Brown, Oddissee, 88-Keys are keeping the tradition alive. Prior to these dynamic producers, Marley Marl, Mark The 45 King, Howie Tee, Ced Gee paved the way by manipulating SP-1200's and other sampling devices to great effect. To me, there is nothing better than finding an obscure album during a record hunt, sitting down, playing song after song in its entirety, and coming across a snippet or portion perfect for sampling. Now when I say perfect for sampling, I don't mean in the case of a blatant "You Can't Touch This" type of sample, because I don't see too much creativity in rhyming over the entire beat of another song. In its truest and purest sense, a sampled creation is making something new from other items, in much the same way the art world will give praise to Andy Warhol utilizing posters and advertisements in a new form. There lies the double-standard, because in the art world, Andy Warhol was not "stealing", but reinterpreting through his artistic vision. So to me, Pete Rock utilizes a sample like Warhol interprets Campbell's Soup art, so respect must be given to this brother and others that share that same passion. That is why this documentary is important, because it gives voice to those that may only use their music as a speaking piece. I will cover at a later point the finite aspects of sampling, but in the meantime view this engaging documentary, and give some honest feedback, positive or critical. Rest in peace to MC Eyedea, who appeared in the documentary, along with his deejay Abilities. He was an incredible emcee who will be missed in the hip hop world.
Source: www.hulu.com/watch/201358/copyright-criminals
Documentary----"Freestyle---The Art Of Rhyme"
"Freestyle---The Art Of Rhyme" was released in 2000 to critical acclaim. The Urbanworld Film Festival award winner for Best Documentary showcased a multitude of artists versed in the art of freestyle. Freestyle, in one sense, is the ability to deliver impromptu rhymes on the spot, spontaneously using environment, circumstances, or rhyme opponents as material to showcase who is the dopest "off the dome", so to speak. In other circles, freestyle is more of a stream of consciousness rhyme that has been written. Both proponents of freestyle are represented in this thought-provoking film. A wide range of hip hop artists appear in the film: Pharoahe Monch, Mos Def, The Last Poets, Freestyle Fellowship, Medusa, Juice, Supernatural, Craig G, Otherwize, Black Thought, Questlove, Talib Kweli, and countless others. The documentary was directed by Kevin Fitzgerald, also known as DJ Organic. With him having a foot in the doorway of hip hop, he was able to tap into the energy that fuels the art of freestyle. Freestyling, along with other components such as graffiti, deejaying, and b-boying, all play a part in making hip hop the viable culture that it is. If you haven't seen this film, take a look at the artistry and poetry represented by those that represent urban angst and living.
Watch more free documentaries
Source: http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/freestyle/
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