What’s Up with Congressman Charles Rangel Selling Out?

Charles Rangel

Charles Rangel

When I first read these quotes posted below from Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel in response to President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela calling George Bush a ‘Devil’ and later an ‘alcoholic’, I had to keep asking myself; ‘Did this fool forget about the all the voter disenfranchisement that took place in Florida during the 2000 election’? Has he forgotten President Bush was backing a coup attempt against Chavez? If I tried to kill your family or career and you survive the attack wouldn’t you be calling me a Devil?

I guess if we follow Rangel’s logic, then all the leaders of those countries that wished to criticize, any US President about unfair and unjust wars and foreign policy or our one time support of Apartheid in South Africa and Jim Crow Laws against Blacks in this country had better shut their mouths.

Wasn’t it outside pressure and criticism that help loosen up some of the wrong doings that took place against oppressed people here? In addition hasn’t Bush and other US leaders been running around calling other countries evil (Iran and North Korea) and cowardly(France)?

Hugo Chavez

Hugo Chavez

But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.. At the end of the day, he’s the same Charles Rangel that wants to reinstate the draft. What a sell out. The only conclusion I come to is that Bush has pictures of Rangel in some sort of compromising position and hence he felt a need to defend the President. Who knows, maybe there’s a wide-angle shot that we don’t know about that show’s our ‘distinguished’ Harlem Congressman in the infamous R. Kelly sex tape video.

Peep his ass kissing quotes..Holla Back

“You don’t come into my country; you don’t come into my congressional district and you don’t condemn my president,” Rep. Charles Rangel, D-NewYork, scolded Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“If there’s any criticism of President Bush, it should be restricted to Americans, whether they voted for him or not,” Rangel said at a Washington news conference.

“I just want to make it abundantly clear to Hugo Chavez or any other president: Don’t come to the United States and think, because we have problems with our president, that any foreigner can come to our country and not think that Americans do not feel offended when you offend our chief of state,” Rangel said.

Here’s our response to this..Its called Charles Rangel vs the Field Negro

****any thoughts?

The Connection Between Hip Hop, New Wave and Punk

Davey DThis past Monday, Spinderella of Salt-N-Pepa, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and myself among others, participated in a panel discussion at UCLA that focused on the business workings and current state of Hip Hop. Before we launched into Q&A from the audience all of us were asked ‘What CD we were listening to in our ride?’ The audience seemed a bit surprised when I mentioned that in my CD deck was the 1981 album ‘JuJu’ by new wave/punk act Siouxsie & the Banshees. Songs like ‘Spellbound, ‘Monitor’ and ‘Into the Light’ brought back fond memories. More importantly the whole early new wave/punk scene was a very much apart of my early Hip Hop experience.

For those who wish to walk down memory lane, how could we forget when New Wave/Punk acts like Thomas Dolby, Tom Tom Club, The Clash, Blondie, The Thompson Twins, The Police, Depeche Mode, Human League, Tears for Fears and David Bowie to name a few were regularly heard within Hip Hop circles especially in many of our ‘hoods’.

No offense to Run DMC, who are often sighted as the first Hip Hop group to merge Rock and Rap, when we really go back and look at what was happening in the late 70s early 80s, we’ll find that there was an often under reported important conversation and cultural exchange that was taking place with hardcore b-boys from the South Bronx and the disenfranchised rebellious New Wave/Punk kids in downtown Manhattan on the Lower Eastside and in the Village.

It really began when acts like Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash who were just starting to record records were starting to be invited to perform at some key downtown spots like the Mudclub or the Roxy which was frequented by punk/new wave kids. The parallels between the hardcore Hip Hoppers from the Bronx and the Rebellious Punk Kids soon became obvious. Both groups had reacted organically to a stale, formulaic music industry that was serving the public watered down disco and arena rock. The Blacks and Puerto Ricans in the Bronx embraced the classic James Brown Soul and Funk music of Sly and the Family Stone and developed Hip Hop, while their Lower Eastside white counterparts got into the British import punk and new wave.

Debbie Harry

Debbie Harry

People like Bambaataa, Fab 5 Freddy, Debbie Harry of Blondie and British New Wave icon Malcolm McClaren would wind up being key figures in Hip Hop’s first cross cultural exchange. The B-Boys from the Bronx would get nice gigs at the Punk/New Wave spots while the punk crowd would literally be granted safe passage to Bronx River or the PAL up in the Bronx. It’s important to note that this was not a natural occurrence which has often been erroneously stated, especially with the white kids coming up to the Bronx. It was a deliberate attempt on the parts of folks who had mutual respect and vision to build with one another.

When you look back into time you’ll find that both the early Hip Hop and Punk/New Wave groups equally influenced each other. This admiration was reflected in Blondie’s pivotal song ‘Rapture’ where lead singer Debby Harry after being escorted up to a B-Boy party at the PAL club where Grandmaster Flash was playing gave props to Fab 5 Freddy as well as Flash who blew her away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCdS7O248g

Soon after you had people like Malcolm McClaren teaming up with 5 Percent cats like the World Famous Supreme Team who hosted a radio show to do songs like Buffalo Gals (which was named after a London clothing store-not the size of woman’s butts), ‘Hey DJ’ and ‘Hobo Scratch’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DeTR8n7eTU

History will show that others like the punk rock group known as the Beastie Boys would start to embrace rap and put out songs like Cookiepuss and go on to become Hip Hop’s first meaningful white act.

Pioneering groups like the Cold Crush Brothers would release songs like ‘Punk Rock Rap’ while Flash and his crew did songs like new wave influenced songs like ‘Scorpio’. Bambaataa himself would go onto to form a group called Time Zone and would record a huge song called ‘World Destruction’ with punk icon Johnny Rotten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPHDQLuZaGo

Thomas Dolby

Thomas Dolby

The whole time this was happening between the years 1979-1984, you saw the musical walls of segregation come down as artists from both genres would become familiar to both audiences. In other words during the early 80s you would hear Thomas Dolby’s ‘Blinded Me With Science’, David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’, Devo’s ‘Let It Whip’ or Tom Tom Club’s ‘Genius of Love’ not only being played on urban radio, but also at popular Hip Hop night spots where playing them would help set off the party.

It was amazing to hear the types of early reactions to last year’s Mobb Deep hit song ‘Got It Twisted’. First, many younger folks had no idea that they had sampled the main riff that gave the song its entire flavor from Dolby’s ‘Blinded Me with Science’. When it was revealed, the reaction ranged from ‘Who in the heck is Thomas Dolby’? to ‘Wow, Mobb Deep is so adventurous, groundbreaking and experimental for going there and sampling a rock act’. For some the Thomas Dolby connection was strange for others who fondly remember those early days, what Mobb Deep did was a natural fit.

More importantly we need to remember that it was Thomas Dolby who actually stepped up and produced Whodini‘s first record ‘Magic Wand‘.In fact we need to also shout out folks like Trevor Horn and Rick Rubin who stepped over from the world of New Wave and Punk and got down on the production tip within Hip Hop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9fjN5lUgYo

We also need to keep in mind that these few examples I mentioned are just around the early Hip Hop scene in New York. If you go back and look at what was happening 300 miles away in California you will find similar exchanges between the early emerging Hip Hop community and the new wave punk sects. In places like Los Angeles where racial segregation is more pronounced and ethnic groups are really removed from one another, to see the early Ska and punk scenes make their way to early Hip Hop clubs and eventually see it reflected in the music with folks coming from places like South Central is significant.

Uncle Jamm's Army

Uncle Jamm’s Army

If anyone remembers back in the days when KDAY was jumping off in LA, then you know it was not usual to hear a Thompson Twins song or a Clash song being mixed and cut up by the famed Mixmasters at that time. It was not out of place to go to an Uncle Jamm’s Army set at the old Coliseum and here some of those aforementioned new wave groups. And of course Hip Hop was not out of place in those New Wave Punk clubs.

Today in the age of music industry consolidation and corporate radio owning multiple stations in a market has resulted in what is best described as music segregation. Industry proponents would argue and say its niche marketing, but really it isn’t. You have a group of ‘experts’ who sit around a table and devise elaborate marketing plans which run along the lines of station X owned by company A will go after Latino women 18-34 and will play a particular style of music with very little room for deviation. Station Y, also owned by that same company will go after older white men 25-54 and will also embrace a particular music genre.

This process goes all the way down the line until there are no more stations for the company to play with. The end results are a series of unintended consequences, some of which I touched upon in a previous column where I asked ‘When is Old School Too Old to Play’ as well as what I would call increased music segregation. Sure we can look at recent examples like Fred Durst and Limp Bizkit doing songs with Method Man or the upcoming Coachella Music Festival or a Warp Tour where there will be a healthy dose of rock and rap acts. However, the cultural exchange seems to be very one sided at best and contrived and forced at worse.

hip_hop_is_punk-rock-finalIt’s one sided in the sense that you have rock oriented outlets with a predominantly white audience embracing Hip Hop. Yes, you can tune into a radio station like KROQ and hear rap alongside the usual rock offerings and lastly we have all the mash up projects, with the most noticeable being Collision Course with Linkin Park and Jay-Z. However, you will not see similar attempts in many urban outlets that target African American audiences. Yes believe it or not groups like Linkin Park as popular as they are are still relatively unknown in many Black circles where BET and commercial radio are the main conduits to things outside the community. I’m not sure what needs to be done to change that or if it even needs to be changed.

I guess I just yearn for the days when the Hip Hop and Punk and New Wave communities were known to each other and me, a Black kid from the Boogie Down Bronx, mentioning I like Siouxsie & the Banshees or the Split Endz is not met with shock and surprise because I defy a stereotype but with approvals or moans because everyone in the room has strong opinions about my choice of groups.

written by Davey D May 2005

The History of Hip Hop And Funk.. Bay Area Style

Funk photoWhen all is finally said and done , there will be quite a few things that folks will be able to say about hip hop music. First it was born out of the African-American community and in many ways has managed to serve the role of the modern-day griot. It has managed to be a reflection and statement of who we are and what we were about and like the West African griot who was charged with passing along the village history, customs and mores through songs and narratives [African Oral Tradition], hip hop has also managed to link generations and keep some of customs and mores alive..especially on the music tip.

Folks may recall how rappers brought artists like James Brown and Donald Byrd back into the forefront of Black music during the mid 80s when their music was freely sampled in every which way, shape and form by literally hordes of artists. Back then folks may recall the commonly expressed sentiment that many ascribed too..”

if it wasn’t for the rap artists James Brown would be unknown to the younger generation

“And to a large degree there was a lot of truth in that statement, after all, at that time Black radio wasn’t aggressively promoting a format in which they would highlight “classic” artists like Brown while maintaining their appeal to younger listeners… The result was many young white listeners being able tell you all about pop icons like the Beatles and Elvis while artists like Brown were relatively unknown to the young Black listener, at least until hip hop came along. It”s important to note all this because another facet about hip hop is that it allowed folks and still allows folks to build upon their musical past…

James Brown

James Brown

The Brown sampling phenomenon in the mid-late 80s was the result of younger people reflecting their musical past. Most of the artist putting out records at this time were from New York and James Brown was not only an artist that mom and dad grooved to, but it was an artist that their older brothers and sisters grooved to in the late 70s when block parties were common place and hip hop was still in its embryo stages… The break beats that could be found within the grooves of James Brown records were the sounds that really set off these early hip hop jams.

So what does all this have to do with p-funk and its relationship to hip hop? Well one of the great things about hip hop is that it has always been an easily accessible form of expression with each participant being able to bring into the fold their own experiences and musical background. So while brothers back east during the late 80s were building off their musical experiences involving James Brown and hip hop culture dating back to the late 70s, brothers out west who were just starting to release hip hop records were bringing a whole other set of musical experiences to the table. Much of it centered around artists like George Clinton, Bootsy Collins George Duke and Roger & Zapp to name a few. Simply put, brothers out west brought p-funk to the hip hop round table.

Now upon reading this there are a lot of folks who are immediately gonna reach back into time and point to the p-funk style hip hop music of EPMD, especially since they dropped the ’88 classic tune “You Gots To Chill” which looped the now infamous “More Bounce To The Ounce” by Zapp and Kool and the Gang‘s Jungle Boogie.. Many rap fans consider this jam to be the first record to incorporate a p-funk style sample.

In addition, these same rap fans may be quick to point out that cuts like “Knee Deep” and “More Bounce To The Ounce” were staple items in a b-boy’s record crates. Back in the days, many a dj cut up these tracks while an emcee flowed. And while it’s safe to say that Erik & Parrish earned their spot in the history books with “You Gots To Chill“, they weren’t the first to use music from the p-funk treasure chests… In addition, EPMD’s usage didn’t reflect the special relation and love the San Francisco / Oakland Bay Area had for funk.

Rickey Vincent

Rickey Vincent

Ricky Vincent better known as the Uhuru Maggot is a Bay Area music historian who earned his stripes during the 80s for his radio work on KALX, UC Berkeley’s college station… and can now be heard every Friday on KPFA 94.1 FM… Vincent has not only chronicled funk music through his History Of Funk radio shows, but he has written his doctorate thesis on the genre..and has now just penned a book for St Martin’s Press with an intro from George Clinton himself.

This work will undoubtedly be a definitive and comprehensive work on this facet of Black music… In a recent interview where Vincent was asked about the Bay Area’s love for funk and its relationship to hip hop, he broke things down and explained that there has always been a deep seeded love affair with -funk ..He noted that George Clinton has always claimed there was something ‘heavy’ about the Bay Area funkateers.. Vincent noted that so involved was that relationship that Clinton recorded part of his live album “P-Funk Earth Tour” right here at the Oakland Coliseum.

This [The Bay Area] was probably the only place that he could capture that strong P-funk vibe

Dr Dre

Dr Dre

If that wasn’t enough, Oakland was city where the mothership first landed. This took place in 1976. For those who don’t know the mothership was brought back into the forefront when Dr Dre landed it in his video ‘Let Me Ride‘. Vincent elaborated by noting that the landing of the mothership was a major turning point. It could be interpreted as the second coming of Christ. And furthermore, Vincent explained that there are many facets of the funk as prescribed by George Clinton that are based upon ancient African religion. It encouraged folks to move in a spiritual direction. In fact many of the songs Clinton performed were nothing more than modern-day spirituals that were ripe with metaphors that held religious connotations. For example the song ‘Flashlight‘ was really a gospel song which called upon the Lord to shine some light on the ‘funk’ [hard times] that Black people here in America were experiencing.

Al Eaton

Al Eaton

The Bay Area’s Al Eaton, a veteran producer established himself by being Too Short‘s early producer. In addition Al had a hand in the production end back in the days for such well-known Bay Area acts like Dangerous Dame, Rappin’ 4 Tay and E-40 & The Click who were than just starting out their careers. Eaton expounded upon Vincent”s assessment by noting that while p-funk had a strong hold in the Bay Area it wasn’t the only funk kicking’ up dirt. “It wasn’t just p-funk, but it was the whole musician scene that put the Bay Area on the map, ” Eaton noted. Groups like Tower Of Power, Cold Blood, Maze going all the way back to Sly Stone in the late 60s all had big names and helped shape the Bay Area music scene.

“There”s always been a funk thing going on in the Bay Area-It’s always been funk base central. There’s always been lots of musicians on the crest, who didn”t make it to the big time but yet had names around town.” , Eaton pointed out. Funk bands like Johnny Talbert and the Thangs, 2 Things In One and Marvin Holmes and The Uptights were some of the funk bands that immediately came to mind.

Eaton pointed to several factors that may influenced the Bay Area to embrace the funk. First off, many of the musicians who played for these bands back in the late 60s now have kids who are now into hip hop. He also made it known that when he was coming up there was at least 2-3 bands on every block. “Each one was trying to get to the next level and hence it made for a very competitive situation.”, he noted

Rappin' 4Tay

Rappin’ 4Tay

Eaton’s last reason for the Bay Area’s embrace of funk focused on a famous movie entitled The Mack. “It seems like all the Bay Area rappers at one point or another were influenced by The Mack. ” , Eaton said. The movie depicted lots of characters real life players and pimps who many Bay Area artist have directly or indirectly tried to emulate try to emulate. Eaton went on to add that phrases like ‘Player’s Club‘ and ‘Pimp Of The Year‘ which were borrowed by SF rapper Rappin’ 4 Tay and Oakland artist Dru Down reflected the raw gritty attitude street vibe often associated with funk. “Funk is here because it’s always been here”, Eaton concluded, “And there’s been a lot of musicians laying down the groundwork for years”.

Eaton made mention of Sly Stone and spoke about how important he was in developing the funk scene here in the Bay Area… Vincent took it a step further by noting that artists like George Clinton were influenced by Stone who once upon a time ruled the city of Vallejo back in the late 60s-home of funky Bay Area artists like E-40, Potna Deuce, Khayree, Young Lay, Mac Dre and Mac Mall to name a few..Vincent gave Sly props for being the first musician to come out and dress in freaked out ostentatious outfits. This of course was later picked up and mimicked by Clinton and his p-funk mob..”Sly managed to package all the energy of James Brown while embracing the hippie vibe which was pervasive because of the summer of love among other things taking place about that time”.

When speaking on the subject of funk and hip hop Bay Area style, no discussion would be complete without talking about the work of Shock G lead rapper and producer for Digital Underground. In late 1987 several months before EPMD hit with their track “You Got’s To Chill” Digital Underground made a lot of noise with a hard hittin’ song entitled ‘Underwater Rimes‘.

Here Shock incorporated sampled riffs from the Parliament classic ‘Aquaboogie’ and cleverly weaved all sorts of p-funk like characters and elements into the song, including MC Blowfish. For the most folks it was hard to believe Clinton himself didn’t have a hand in the production. Eventually Clinton did come aboard and lend a helping hand in Digital’s second lp ‘Sons Of The P‘. It was on this lp that Shock felt DU was a head of its time because of their liberal use of the moog synthesizer.. Nowadays artists like Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube have been on hit with songs that utilize this device to provide that buzzin’ bassline…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6LWRE0OeA4

ShockG-posterShock G pointed that funk was heavy all around the country except New York where he spent a lot of time growing up. He went on to explain that there were two things going on in New York City..”First of all, disco had taken off in a big way and hip hop was starting to become big among the younger people. The result of this activity was that New York missed out on the P-funk”.

Shock explained that he made a deliberate attempt to bridge the gap between hip hop and p-funk. He noted that while a lot of his buddies in New York were true to the game with respect to hip hop however, they constantly fronted on George Clinton. Shock’s exposure to funk came when he moved down to Florida to stay with his dad. Folks in his house and school were fanatical about p-funk. He began fusing hip hop with George’s music out of necessity. “We would try and play some NY based underground break beats like ‘Love Is The Message or ‘Dance To The Drummer’s Beat‘ and it they would scare folks off the dance floor.” He eventually won them over when he started cutting up p-funk songs…

As Shock became engrossed with p-funk he found himself heading out west to the Bay Area because he had heard the vibe for p-funk was not only strong but supportive of the style of music he was trying to create. “One of the reasons I decided to move I to Oakland was because Oakland was putting p-funk on way back…and the vibe was strong..plus it was the only place in the country where they had a radio show dedicated to the funk”. Shock of course was referring to the Uhuru Maggot’sHistory Of Funk Show‘.. Eventually Digital’s first singles were dropped on the Uhuru Maggots Show. The first hip hop based show in which Shock dropped DU material was mine on the same station… KALX.

An interesting aspect that Shock brought to light was the fact that he felt that George Clinton was heavy on the Black side with both his concepts and lyrics… “George’s music was unselfish and promoted brotherhood… It reminded people of Black festivities and celebrations”. Shock also noted that George was very conscious and all about the upliftment of Black people.

Originally Digital started off the same way.. In fact their original name was Spice Regime and they were attempting to experiment and become the Black Panthers of hip hop complete with berets and all that. Two things happened that forced DU to switch..One was the emergence of Public Enemy and their beret wearing S1Ws. The second was the overwhelming popularity of Humpty Dance and the character ‘Humpty Hump‘ which force the group to momentarily move away from the conceptual p-funk style vibe that eventually emerged on their second lp ‘Sons Of The P.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj9_yW8tZxs

Another longtime player in the Bay Area p-funk hip hop scene is actually Flava Flav‘s cousin, the Supergroovalisticalfunkuponablack C-Funk. OGs of the Bay Area hip hop scene will recall that C-Funk an East Palo Alto native started out with the name Captain Crunch, but a certain cereal company came forth with some court orders forcing him to change. However, C-Funk along with his partner Mozilla the Funk Dragon have definitely made some noise around town.

In 1989 under the group name Rated X, they released a funky track entitled ‘Law Of Groovity‘. Two years later under the name Funk Lab Allstars, C-Funk came with it a p-funk style lp entitled ‘Music From A Motion Picture Rap Funk Track‘ Included on that was a slamming track entitled ‘La Da Da‘. His big hits came in ’92 with the release of the lp ‘Two Stoags’ in which C-Funk did as so many other Bay Area hip hop producers have started to do..abandon sampling and start playing the music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYqZR8D-a0c

C-Funk spoke candidly about the funk, “Funk is not a fad..I’ve been with the funk before rap kicked in ..I’ve been with the funk when it died down, I’ve been with when its in hip hop and when people decide to go away, I’ll still be with the funk”. C-Funk pointed out that he feels there are a lot of players who ain’t true to the game when it comes to funk. He noted then when its time to go the next step, musically, a whole lots of folks are not gonna bring the funk with them. “I won”t abuse the funk like brothers did James Brown..When its time to go to the step, I’ll go but with the funk”, he asserted.

Like so many other Bay Area folks C-Funk noted that his history for the music goes back to when he was 8 years old and his Uncle Chief who was a die hard funkateer would take him to Parliament concerts. For C-funk its more than just a music but a lifestyle that’ll keep on evolving. C-Funk’s most recent lp was released on the independent label Scarface records which was owned by Paris. Entitled “3 Dimensional Ear Pleasure”, the underlying message to this lp was to ‘Tune In now because you won’t know funk until you C-funk’… He also collborated with Shock G on a few projects…

Paris the Black Panther of hip hop, CEO of Scarface Records and producers for the hit group Conscious Daughters , is himself no stranger to the funk. On his last album… ‘Gorilla Funk‘ is just that a reworking of the Funkadelic classic ‘Knee Deep‘ and a derivation of George Duke‘s ‘Dukey Stick‘. Paris assessed the Bay Area”s music scene this way, “Funk for the most part has always been a west coast thing..

In other parts of the country people have been more in tuned with other types of music..jazz and dance hall seem more prominent back east, but here in the Bay Area it’s all about the funk”. Paris went on to explain from a producer’s stand point that funk has found an increased resurgence in popularity due to the fact that many folks are into hearing jams that have fuller and more complete production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-hYc_Lf_j0

Funk music allows one to dig deep and present a high gloss more complex type of sound. Back east the high gloss end of production is personified by the works of artist like US3 or Justice System while here its all the funk players. ‘Gorilla Funk’ certainly stood out on the high gloss end. Here Paris went out of his way to hire studio singers for the harmonies and session players for some of the instruments. Paris explained that for a while people moved out of the era of song writing and into the era of track making.. When trying to recreate funk via live instruments one learns to pay close attention to the song and consequently incorporate those elements of music that you really love.

Khayree

Khayree

Khayree, producer of two of the Bay Area”s hottest artists Young Lay, Mac Mall and Ray Luv has been in the game dating back to the time when there was a female group called New Choice who dropped a record back in the mid 80s called ‘Cold Stupid‘. Khayree of course produced them.. He summed up the funk situation this way, “My involvement with music goes beyond George Clinton, I grew up on the musicians that taught George, like Sly Stone, Donny Hathaway and Jimi Hendrix“.

Khayree went on to say that he tries not follow trends and hence if his music sounds like something that could classified as funk, it’s not because he attempted to be a part of the band wagon, but because he did things from the heart. Khayree like everyone mentioned in this article is an accomplished musician who has long learned the value from not sampling. When you play you can come from the heart” he noted. In addition he doesn”t have to pay for use of samples. The funk elements found in songs like Ray Luv’s ‘Get My Money On‘ and Mac Mall‘s ‘Sick With This‘ Perhaps the most important feature about funk was that much of the music when initially introduced appealed to folks in the hood. This was crucial because funk landed at a time when so much of Black music was either being diluted or in some cases avoided altogether by Black music radio stations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVS-j8mGvqU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UTpuikhMGU

Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa once noted that hip hop was the result of Black music radio not keeping funk alive in New York City… Author Nelson George confirmed that statement in his book the ‘Death Of Rhythm & Blues‘ in which he spoke about Black radio stations diluting the music from the hood with some other stuff that was ultimately designed to appeal to a downtown, hipper, more affluent, [whiter audience] and not the young black and Puerto Rican audience that listened to a radio more than any other ethnic group.

By the mid 70s Black music radio in New York wasn’t kicking a lot of music across the airwaves that was hitting on point in other parts of the country.. In the late 70s I recall a whole lot of disco songs being played… Brothers from around the way were doing block parties and playing old James Brown, Sly Stone and break beats…while outside New York in places as close as New Haven Connecticut, brothers were jamming to groups like Fat Larry’s Band, The Barkays and Mass Production

For example, I recall hearing jams like ‘Fire Cracker‘ by Mass Production outside the Big Apple, but never really hearing too much if at all within the city’s five boroughs… Mean while in places like the Bay Area where hip hop had not really surfaced the grooves put out by these types of groups were the ‘ phat buttahs ‘ of the day.

Khayree, Al Eaton, Paris, Shock G and C-Funk are just a few of a long line of artist/producers who have helped keep the funk a strong force in the Bay Area and begin to influence the rest of the hip hop nation. There are still lots of others in these here parts that are making lots of noise with their new brand of funk including E-40 and The Click“s producer Studio Tone, Oakland rap duo/producers, Easki and CMT, En Vogue producers Foster & McElroy, George Clinton collaborator and long time funkateer Dave Kaos and SF rap start JT The Bigga Figga. All have come to the hip hop roundtable with funk in their back pocket.

Funk is a Bay Area tradition, loved and embraced amongst a population which is only one or two generations removed from their southern roots. The Bay Area is also a music market place that has long encouraged folks to let themselves go and explore… It has encouraged folks to buck the trends and follow their own musical path. It is no coincidence that the first funk hip hop records have come from the Bay Area.

Props out to DJ Slice and Kool Rock J for sampling” Knee Deep in their 1986/87 classic “Slice It Up“.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYUiQ6qjyE

Props to Hammer for incorporating the p-funk in his original version of his 1987 hit “They Put Me In The Mix“.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co-PXOov1-A

props to MC Ant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSizkSsPQjk

Also props to Dave Kaos cause back in the days.. he did a little cutting and scratchin on some of George Clinton”s records. Props to the die-hard funkateers of the Bay Area like Rickey ‘The Uhuru Maggot Vincent for documenting the funk and keeping the spirit alive . Keep in mind , while there are lots of acts that use funk in their music, in the Bay Area folks live and breath p-funk… from now until the end of time.

written by Davey D c 1996Go Back To Davey D Corner Home Page

An Open Letter to Hip Hop from Afrika Bambaataa

afrika-bambaataa-pointPEACE AND BLESSING TO All of Our Family of Warriors, Thinkers and Leaders:

Hope your are in the best of Health and your families. I was sent your e-mail by the Zulu-staff . I have been living in Europe for the past couple of months and been waking as many up to what we’re, doing in the states cause in some places they have the same problems with radio,especially the ones that copy The United States formats or programming of music. Then there are those specials stations that do have a balance of Ma’at on the airwaves and you hear it all.

One thing that did bother me is that these so called Rap /Hip Hop radio stations here in some parts of Germany, France, Estonia, Croatia, Spain and even good old Great Britain underground play alot of the rap records with cursing. Their excuse is the people do not know the language anyway and my answer to them is, that is bull and you DJ’s know there are many that do know some type of English and many of your are playing the curse version cause your think that makes your hardcore and down with the tuff side of what your think the United States Hip Hop/Rap is all about. That your all are helping with the conspiracy to mess up minds all over the world. After I got finish with some of these so called Hip Hop/ Music show host ,you know they could not wait to get me out of their radio stations. Especially some of the jive ones who think they know it all about Hip Hop/Funk/Soul/Rock/Latin/Soca/Jazz/House/Techno in England and other places to many to name.

You can feel the phony in all of them and their are a very few I can say who really do not know what their doing but there are the rest of them that exactly know what they are doing to the airwaves. Guess what! their are many and I mean many over here in Europe who are also tired of their radio stations that play the same music over and over again,as well as their media of television. Also Family The NWO is getting in full swing here and Mr. Tony Blair of the United Kingdom (England) is talking strong now about their Smart cards that are coming and if he is speaking strong now about it, you know their children of the UK= USA will be following to.

Family there is so much work to be done that it is disgrace-full to see with all this chaos all over the world going on,all the problems in MaMa Afrika, In India, The States and South America with crazy things happening in Europe to and those of us that do have the serious knowledge, we know what is really going on and have to prepare now if we are to survive the onslaught that is coming. All the things I have been talking for years is on the move right before us and if you hear what brother Phil Valentine, Bobby Hemit,and many of the Meta physical community of higher learning have been dropping, it is about to get super serious. The people’s mind set all over this Great Planet is jacked up and the programming of these radio and T.V shows is playing a super big role to destroy Human mentality to think and to reason. If we can not get a movement of Humans to try and change the programming of these radio and T.V. stations which is just one step of many ,then we have some serious reactions of hell that will be all over this Earth.

I would like for your if you can and whomever else to put a list of solutions that we can put together with others on a cross the board scale that all states even other countries can follow in letting people know what can they do to help change the situations of programming of Radio and Television. We want to put as many things out with flyers to give out to all that will come out in November for The Meeting of The Mind, The Balance Of Ma’at. We are going for two days to address this situation and with these papers of solutions we are calling on everyone to be accountable to what is going on in their respected Cities, Towns, States, Countries to move into action cause if they do nothing ,Then They Deserve What They Get. Also we need to reach out to many Leaders, Thinkers, Activist, Religious Heads, Movers, Actionist to represent and come out with solutions to this event for Hip Hop History Month and to all that are doing something to make change, we must push, salute and help back to the fullest our support. Stop the Killing of the Mind.

I will be back soon. If Allah willing, but you can start speaking to Brother Yoda, Dr. Shaka (zulustaff@earthlink.net) and to whomever else for we can make a movement more successful. We all have been speaking, fighting, teaching,s truggling, winning some for a moment, losing some but keep on pushing to keep what we know is right to do.

As I said many times before The Lucerferians are on the move and the Armies of Almighty RA/Allah/Jah/Yaweh/Elohim/Anu/Theos/Shango/Zeus/Oden and whatever else people want to call the Supreme Force must Rise or The Empire will Strike Back to bring Hell all over This planet so called Earth.

May The Supreme Force Bless Us All and keep Us All Always Protected against All our Enemies.

Peace ,Unity, Love, Freedom or Death, Justice
The Spirit Of Professor X Lives On

Afrika Bambaataa
The Amen Ra of Universal Hip Hop Culture
Each One Teach One,Feed One,Help One,Live as One,Leave all Egos in the Garbage
Save Planet Earth

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

 

Got Myself a Gun…The History of Race Based Gun Control

50 Cent w Gun I would be a millionaire if I had a dollar for every time I read about a rapper being arrested on a gun charge. In today’s hip hop culture, guns are ‘fashion statements’ for the young. Especially for those projecting a thug like image. You realize its mainly about, image when you notice that the richest rap stars (Eminem, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and P-Diddy) have all been arrested and charged for gun possession at the height of their career.

Yes these Forbes men all have a rap sheet (no pun intended). These men can easily afford top-notch security; the type of protection equivalent to royalty and heads of countries. Once caught with a gun, the rapper will receive probation and agree not to carry it anymore because this would be a parole violation and it’s almost impossible to beat a 2nd gun charge while you are still on probation. Ironically the rapper often feels his credibility is intact just from the arrest, but the risk of jail becomes too real, to get caught again.

The majority of rappers are not rich and can’t afford professional security but since they project wealth they worry that, somebody who is as poor as they actually are, might be out to get them, so they arm themselves. Artist who don’t flaunt material possessions or feel the need to project a tough image are never in the headlines for gun possession. They may have them at home but they don’t feel a need to carry them wherever they go. So we can conclude image plays a major role.

black ceasar guns tintI suspect the reason that more rap artist get in trouble with guns is part glorification and part geography. Hip-hop developed in New York and was initially an inner city phenomenon. New York and other urban centers are more restrictive about gun ownership. Primarily because places like Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia etc had instances where the people revolted against their oppressive conditions and took to the streets. Historians usually refer to these instances as riots. However the point is that resistance in urban areas like the aforementioned places almost always results in “guerilla warfare“. Having to do battle up close and personal, door-to-door, shootouts in tight spaces like project buildings makes for a great equalizer, even when going up against a better-trained force. So the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed as a response to racially charged revolts in major cities.

Robert Williams CoverRace-based “gun control” has existed ever since the second amendment was established. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale read Robert F. Williams book “Negroes with Guns” and borrowed heavily from it while constructing the theoretical basis for the Black Panther Party for Self -Defense in September of 1966, at a library in North Oakland. The Panthers are known widely for “gun liberation” thanks to Robert Williams book, which became a bible of Black militancy. Williams book inspired them and The Black Panthers became famous with the doctrine of “Black self defense”, that the black war veteran (Marine), civil rights leader and Former NAACP Chapter leader documented as philosophy and policy.

Williams more than documented black self-defense he practiced what he preached but gets little credit because his activities didn’t get projected via television. At the time, the Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement refused to provide protection to the black community while supporting and enabling perpetrators of violence in his hometown of Monroe, North Carolina.

In response, Williams organized mostly black war veterans. They noticed that when armed defense teams returned fire, the racist mobs would lose their nerve. Confirming the cowardice inherent in mob mentality. Williams strongly believed self-defense should function as a critical component in a broadly conceived strategy for liberation. Williams understood this revelation as early as the age of 21. In 1946 only a few months home from war, Williams joined the growing ranks of black vets who felt like they had not come home to “pick cotton”.

Bennie Montgomery a fellow vet and friend of Williams killed a white man in self-defense. The white man had assaulted him and tried to slit his throat because he asked for his wages at noon instead of at the end of the day. The Ku Klux Klan wanted to come to town for revenge but authorities shipped Montgomery out of town, convicted him and executed him in the gas chamber. When Montgomery’s body was shipped back to his family the Klan said his body belonged to them. They said they was going to come and take the body drag it up and down the streets and then hang and burn it.

Blacks with GunsWilliams and fellow vets made a defense plan at the local barbershop. When the Klan motorcade pulled up in front of the Harris Funeral Home, 40 black men leveled their rifles, taking aim at the line of cars. Not a shot was fired; the Klansmen simply weighed their chances and drove away. That was one of the 1st incidents that got them realizing about resistance in groups. Their would be many more incidents of self defense and finally ten years later Williams would organize a permanent defense group, an “organized militia” for self defense. The NAACP at the time did not believe in self-defense and would vilify him and reduce his chapter temporarily to just him. It would not matter though, he was effective in self-defense and black people throughout the country were becoming more aware and ready to follow him. The best way for many blacks to really understand self defense tactics would be from Williams, so he wrote “Negroes with Guns“, and in later years, groups like the Black Panther Party helped make self defense a national issue.

The Black Panther Party quickly captured the attention of the national media when they marched on the California State capitol on May 2nd, 1967. In the book “Seize The Time” Huey Newton says, “We’re going to the Capitol. Mulford’s there, and they’re trying to pass a law against our guns, and we’re going to the Capitol steps. We’re going to take the best Panthers we got and we’re going to the Capitol steps with our guns and forces, loaded down to the gills. And we’re going to read a message to the world, because the press is always up there. They’ll listen to the message, and they’ll probably blast it all across this country. I know they’ll blast it all the way across California. We’ve got to get a message over to the people.”

Black-Panthers-Huey-Bobby-brownThe message was self- defense and Huey was right the world got a visual message that was powerful and planned. Huey told a fellow panther. “Call the television stations and tell them we’re the Black Panthers,” Huey Newton had instructed. “We’re coming from Oakland, we’ve got our leather jackets on, we ‘ve got our rifles, and we’re going to walk into the legislature with guns. See what happens.” What happened was eventful on two fronts. First – the carefully orchestrated public display attracted international media attention on the local and national levels, capturing the imagination of everybody. Second – J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI got both, pissed off and frightened. Hoover described the Panthers as “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country” and in November 1968 ordered the FBI to employ “hard-hitting counter-intelligence measures to cripple the Black Panthers”. (These COINTELPRO operations are still at work today disguised under different names.) As history goes, Hoover was largely successful.

Black Self defense sort of dissipated from the public once the Panthers were infiltrated. When the movie Panther debuted in 1995 Black people stood up and cheered during this scene depicting black men with guns parading through the state capitol. To us this was classic defiance. Apparently not much had changed in opinions from 3 decades prior. In Watts whereby the play called “If We Must Live” (based on Negroes with Guns book) was performed in theatres it was always to standing ovations for half a year. Almost 10 years have passed since Panther debuted and how much you want to bet blacks would still stand and applaud when images of black men with guns in self-defense are presented. To our community standing up is heroic, to others its scary as 9/11.

2Pac dropped a dope 3 minute song that thoroughly expressed the angst and plight of the young Black inner city male

2Pac shot 2 cops

On the other hand when the black community hears of black men being busted for gun possession they realize that this activity is not synonymous with Williams or Newton’s heroic history. Outside of Tupac, who shot 2 cops (though they were off-duty) you would be hard pressed to find a rapper defending himself from white aggression, even in their videos they practice running from it. The guns they have are intended for aggression within their own communities. It’s obvious to me that this is a political decision. History proves that “who gets to have a gun” is a very political topic.

Michael Moore offers a nice historical anecdote in his documentary movie “Bowling for Columbine”. Some say he politicized the gun issue too much by injecting race into the discussion but in all honesty you can’t talk about guns in America objectively and not discuss race.

Prior to FBI COINTELPRO guns had primarily been used by white men for aggression and black men for protection against aggressors. Today the only difference in usage of these diametrically opposed racial groups is political. White men with guns are a political movement. 90% of white men with guns voted for Bush. Black men with guns are not a collective but individuals either wanting them for self-defense or aggression.

Both white and black gun owners offer ambiguous language in the Constitution and Second Amendment as a reason they should have guns. In my opinion it is not hard to tell who wants a gun for self-defense and who wants a gun for “incidental aggression”. All you need to do is observe the patron who wants the AK-47 (affectionately called the street sweepers) he’s either part of a white anti-government militia or he’s part of a white anti-everything militia. Active gang members of all ethnicities also want these automatic weapons but their chances of getting them legally is slim to none.

I could cite you numerous reports on guns and public safety that show that crime levels, particularly those involving guns, are extremely high, and that gun ownership in this new era is largely ineffective for self-defense. They would even reveal that guns pose a very serious threat to public safety, and that the widespread ownership of guns does not increase public safety, and may well reduce it significantly. Further, while owning a gun may make you feel safer; it does not necessarily translate into an actual increase in security.” However, I would probably be wasting my time because the political climate surrounding guns is so intense that studies have been done of studies, that have been done about studies, on the issue. Many of the basic statistics about guns are in wide disagreement with each other and opinions largely depend on which sources you use or if you already have your mind made up. I don’t have my mind made up, either way, but while I contemplate the history of guns in the black community, I am going to watch some Black Caesar and fill out the proper paper work so that I can get myself a gun! – Nuff said

written by Bruce Banter of Playahata.com

Released: May 23rd, 2004

Time to Stand Up to the Organic Revolutionaries Throw Your P’s Up… Pork-Lovers Unite

Time to Stand Up to the Organic Revolutionaries
Throw Your P’s Up. Pork-Lovers Unite

by Davey D

Davey D Archived articleAs I write this, I’m sure that there are legions of good natured God Loving folks who’ve had this or similar incidents happen to them. So the other day I rolled up to Howard University to see my homie Dr Jared Ball give the keynote at the Pan African conference. It was a festive affair and they were serving dinner. I head on up to the buffet line and I see some mac and cheese and some good smelling links smothered with tangy barbecue sauce. I remember telling Jared this is the lick and that I was hella hungry. I hadn’t eaten all day. I got me an extra helping of links went back to my table and got ready to dig in. I put some sauce on the mac and cheese and bite into it. I remember saying to myself,…mmmm delicious. With my mouth watering in anticipation I bite into the links and started chewing and chewing and chewing some more. Something wasn’t right. I thought maybe I had a bad link. So I politely spit the chewed morsels into my napkin and bit into another link. I could taste the tangy sauce, my mouth was still watering, yet these links didn’t have that familiar feel. It looked like links, smelled like links, but they weren’t links.

So as I chewed, the cat next to me saw me squinching my face, so I told him; ‘Yo kid, something wrong with these links’.

His reply; ‘Oh no my Brother, nothing’s wrong. What you’re eating is delicious wheat based gluton something or other… This is healthy for you. It’s better than pork’

Now I didn’t wanna be rude and disrupt the important work going on at the Pan African Festival. Folks were hard at work all week trying to find ways to uplift the motherland. and figure out ways to fight oppression. I didn’t wanna intrude on all that with my sausage complaints, but nevertheless, I was sitting there steaming and thinking to myself; ‘Aaaah Hell Naaaw. These ain’t real sausages. If people don’t like pork why make food that looks like and smells like pork but ain’t pork?’

That’s like me taking folks at that conference to a strip club, they get inside and all the dancers are wearing oversized coats and baggy clothes. Imagine that happening and me turning to these folks and going; ‘Hey folks forget the butt nakedness, let’s admire their athleticism and the way they can do backflips and headstands while swinging on the pole.’

Such a move might evoke anger and disappointment. Yes, one could appreciate the physical abilities, but that’s not what was suggested. It said strip club, not athletic contest. The food I saw said links, not wheat gluton. Ya feel me?

So anyway I digressed a bit and maybe the strip club analogy is a bit over the top but you get the point. Back to the Pan African dinner. Everyone at the table was looking at me, with broad smiles. They had looks of accomplishments. They seemed satisfied that they had used subversive tactics to snare another ‘swine lover’. They looked at me as if to say; ‘Black man, it won’t be long before you’re eating tofu and bird seeds like the rest of us.’

I didn’t say anything. I kept myself in check. I kept the peace. I respected the people around me and plus I was out numbered and out muscled. I was surrounded by what Oakland rapper Azeem once described as ‘Organic Revolutionaries‘. I was trapped. I was a prisoner. I couldn’t offend no one. Dr Ball who was still at the table is big guy. The cat next to him look like he was deep into some sort of martial arts. The elder sista across from me gave me that piercing look like the one my mom would give; ‘Boy I know you’re gonna eat everything on your plate’

So I stayed cool and begrudgingly ate these fake links. I slowly chewed- bite by bite. Everyone smiled. I smiled back, but that night at 6:05pm East Coast time.. Howard University, Blackburn Hall. I made a note to myself and silently Declared War.
It was time to draw the proverbial line in the sand. It was time to ride for the ‘other white meat’. Time to break free of the harsh stares and well meaning lectures about my pork consumption. Time to take on the Organic Revolutionaries. Time for Porky to get his shine.

Yes, I said it. I know people are shocked, floored & flabbergasted. There are some who will go WTF? But let’s be honest, all of us were pork eaters at one time or another. Our grand parents ate pork? Our great grand parents ate pork. Don’t act like you’ll didn’t enjoy a Sunday dinner with some juicy pork chops or a holiday feast with some scrumptious glazed ham. Don’t act like I’m by myself on this.

Some of y’all reading this come from cultures that deeply engaged pork eating. Pork has been with you since the dawn of time. I been to family outtings and picnics where the entire pig is being cooked and everyone eats with no problem. Can we say Hawaii? Can we say the Philipines? Can you say Soul Food Mississippi style? Georgia style? Lousianna style? Can we say Memphis barbecue? Let’s not forget our roots… Where did all the ‘I hate pork’ righteousness come from? This is not who we are as a people!

Over the years I’ve endured having to patiently stand by why some of y’all drove all over a city looking for the one place in the middle of nowhere that didn’t serve pork. I had to bite my tongue over the years while some y’all jammed up waiters and waitresses at restaurants demanding to know if the food was cooked in or even slightly tainted by ‘the evil swine’. Y’all mean to tell me that not one of y’all who are part of the Organic Revolutionary crowd have never ever touched pork rinds? Come on now I find it hard to believe?

Paradise the Arkitech

Paradise the Arkitech

The other night I had to endure a verbal lashing from Paradise of X-Clan and Baltimore rapper Omar Akbar. They came armed with their Organic Revolutionary gear and went on and on and on about how we should all eat leafy vegetables and fish. I stood my ground and told them. ‘I ain’t no damn vegan’. I ain’t no damn bird. I’m a proud pork eater. I come from a long line of pork eaters. I will not be swayed’.

Frustrated the two huddled up and tried to regroup, than in typical Organic Revolutionary fashion Paradise started making Reverend Porkchop jokes..Thats how those people do when they can’t knock you off your square, they make fun of your religion. They know that Sunday Brunch is sacred and pork is always on the menu..But I held it down for my people and rebuffed the aggression. Nat Turner was a pork eater so was Dr Martin Luther King. We all know there had to be some pork at the Last Supper. Good enough for them. Good enough for me.

Right now it’s time for us pork eaters to unite and raise up against the so called ‘healthy eating crowd’. We’re not swine-lovers. We don’t have parasites. We don’t have bad health. I’ve seen some over-weight pasta eaters. I seen some outta shape vegetarians. Last night I was at the airport watching this 300 pound man munching away on an apple and a bag of nuts. He looked unhappy. I felt like telling him; ‘Dude, let the nuts go. Get with the porkchops. Life is too short, be happy. I’ve heard of people embracing the so called healthy eating lifestyle dropping off at young age. And I seen folks going well into their 90s alive and kicking still eating pork.

Did you know the smartest animal in the barn is the pig. It’s smarter than a cow, smarter then a hen, smarter than a horse and smarter then the nuts, berries and tofu many of you Organic types keep shoving at us. Do you know in some ancient culture’s like Ireland the pig is sacred? Do you know that pig skin is what footballs are made of? Funny how all these Organic Revolutionaries let that little fact go out the window when preaching about the harms of Porky..mmmmm

In closing it’s time for us pork lover to stand up for Porky and throw up up our P’s Pork Chops fo’ Life.. Pork Power Y’all.

PS I’ve included an an article that espouses the benefits of pork.

The Benefits of Pork-The Other White Meat

http://www.betterfoods.ca/about-pork.html

APork chopss a key ingredient in Better Sausages™ , pork plays an important role in delivering on our promise of “Better Taste” and “Better Health”. Better Foods™ began with hand cut lean pork to ensure our sausages have that mouth-watering taste you expect from the finest bistro. Like many foods, pork, in moderation provides many health benefits. Better Foods™ sausages provide the perfect balance of pork and soy to provide this moderation, delivering on both “Better Taste” and “Better Health”.

So why pork?

Pork contains many of the nutrients recommended to build and maintain a healthy body, including six essential vitamins, four important minerals, protein and energy. Pork contains Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenate, Phosphorus, Magnisiu, Iron and Zinc and is a good source of complete protein.

Pork and Nutrition | www.porkpeople.com

Today’s Pork

Pork is much slimmer and trimmer than days past, but remains delicious and packed with many of the vitamins and minerals required for healthy living.

Vitamins

Thiamin (Vitamin B1):
One of the best sources of thiamin is pork. Thiamin is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates. It’s also essential for the growth and repair of nerve and muscle tissues and helps maintain appetite.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2):
Pork rivals milk as your best source of riboflavin. Riboflavin plays an essential role in the release of energy from food and in cell division. This vitamin also promotes the growth and repair of tissues and maintains healthy skin and eyes.

Niacin (Vitamin B3):
Pork is chock-full of niacin, which is essential for the release of energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It’s also required to maintain healthy skin, the digestive tract and nervous system.

Vitamin B6:
Pork is a good source of vitamin B6, which is essential for the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate and fat. Vitamin B6 also promotes normal functioning of the central nervous system.

Vitamin B12:
Pork is an excellent source of vitamin B12, which is only found in animal products. Vitamin B12 helps build red blood cells and ensures healthy nervous tissue. it is essential for the normal function and metabolism of all cells, and is also involved in the synthesis of genetic material.

Pantothenate:
Pantothenate is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein. Pantothenate is also required to synthesize hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Minerals

Phosphorus:
Pork is a good source of phosphorus, which strengthens bones and teeth and maintains energy balance.

Magnesium:
Magnesium is essential for the formation of strong bones and teeth. It also transports nutrients in the body and regulates energy balance.

Iron:
Iron allows for optimal physical and mental performance. Iron is critical for energy production. Heme iron (found in meat) is absorbed more readily than non-heme iron (found in vegetables, breads, cereals, fruits, eggs and supplements.

Zinc:
Pork is rich in zinc, which is essential for the healthy development and maintenance of the immune system and bone structure. Adequate zinc status improves resistance to infections, enhances bone formation in children and young adults, and appears to protect against bone loss in older adults.

Its 2009, its time for Porky to get his shine. Stop hating on us pork eaters.
Paradise of X-Clan and Baltimore rapper Omar Akbar.. two members of the Organic Revolutionary army who tag teamed me (in the middle) and tried to get me to give up pork.. I Refuse.I resist!

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Kanye West & That Pesky Gay Question!

Archived Article:

Kanye West & That Pesky Gay Question!
written by Khalil Amani
Jan 2009

Hey Kanye! This is your old crazy-ass gay uncle! Remember me?

Well, I’m not really your uncle and I’m not really gay, but I thought that would get your attention! It’s time for some real talk about gayness. That shyt really irks you, doesn’t it?

For years, some people thought that Prince was gay. Who knew that one day he’d go on record and say that homosexuality was wrong (based on his own warped understanding of being a “Jehopeless Witness”)-Prince condemning homosexuality? Who knew? WTF? (Lol)

But prior to Prince being religiously brainwashed, you never heard him ranting to the public that he wasn’t gay! Prince didn’t give a fuck about what us little ol’ peasants thought about his wearing eyeliner, mascara, high heels, and booty-cheek pants! Prince was our androgynous sex freak who brought the bomb songs into our bedrooms! (e.g. Do Me Baby, Adore, International Lover, The Beautiful Ones, Purple Rain) We gave Prince a ghetto-pass for being himself and never apologizing for his eccentricities.

Prince is one of the musical great ones!

Now look at you Kanye West-stuck in a genre of music (rap) that doesn’t take kindly to gayness. You’re desperately trying to straddle the fence between uber-macho maleness and eclectic/experimentational… musical impresario with a lemon twist of conscious gay rights advocacy. Two juxtaposing worlds! You admit that you get your fashion sensibilities from gay dudes (shhhhh!), but you’re quick to let the world know that you’re not gay! (Okay, wink, wink) That’s how heads are looking at you!

So you wanna be left alone so you can be “great?” Well you’re going about it all wrong! Why do you feel the need to answer to us mere mortals? Let’s see…you’ve got millions of dollars, famous as a motherfucker, got hella women on your jock, on top of the rap game, doing Louis Vuitton shoe deals and stuff, but you’re worried and upset over people writing false shyt about you and your sexuality? You’re upset that 50 Cent continues to diss you? Musically speaking, 50 Cent has already “Before I Self-Destructed,” so count his opinion amongst the haters of your work. (Ever seen the Titanic? GGGG-UNIT!)

You’re starting to look mighty gay bro.! (As straight heads like to say!)

Why do you think you’re getting so much attention? Because you’re the shyt! That’s why! Remember what Steve Harvey recently said (as it relates to Katt Williams calling him out); “A stray dog don’t bark at parked cars!” If you weren’t ’bout it, ’bout it’ no one would be checking for you! You’d be some D-List entertainer on a reality show trying to make a comeback! But this is what the price of fame at its height brings-unwarranted, unsolicited attention-email hackers and Internet geeks whose sole purpose in life is to live vicariously through you! Go read the book Sula, by Toni Morrison. There are people out here that would absolutely shrivel up and die if they had no one to talk about, degrade, castigate, diss and hate on. (Like Byron Crawford/Bol and some of those XXL bloggers) This is the reason for their existence and you, Kanye, are their “Elixir of Life!” (Medical cure-all)

And some of these hip-hop sites and bloggers would like to make you a rapping pariah (outcast) because they don’t like your music. Shamelessly, some bloggers are trying to direct hip-hop and shape public opinion as to what is and isn’t hip-hop.

It would mean the world to them to say, “We at Hateration.com ended Kanye West’s career… hate, hate, hate!”

Enjoy the fame and all that comes with fame while you can, because there’s a graveyard filled with the bones of has-been rappers who think they have a second chance at rap supremacy (Can you say Jaz-O?)

Like me, you’ve opened the floodgates of doubt by acknowledging your gay-niceties. Like me, you want the world to know that you’re straight as an arrow. But unlike me, you haven’t found out that it really doesn’t matter. Hip-hop heads are hell-bent on believing what they want! The more you protest your straightness, the more heads are apt to believe that you have some gay tendencies!

So I’m gonna tell you what your mama would’ve told you (your mama and my mama are in heaven, looking down on their sons)-“Do you and forget the haters! Do you and stop trying to prove that you’re not gay! Do you and let people speculate all they want!” Word to our mothers!

The “great” ones don’t answer to the masses! The great ones are above public ridicule! Go read the “Prince Manual on Royalty” and get a clue! Mofos wanna believe you’re into bi-sexual porn-great! I know you’ve got your own website/blog, but dispelling idiotic rumors is best left up to your public relations people. Stop stooping to answer the ignorance of the peasantry! Take a page out of the “Rick Ross Book of Silence” and let the peasantry have their say. Be about greatness! Stop stooping to answer the ignorance of the peasantry! Be about greatness! Stop letting that pesky gay question fuck with you!

In your recent Vibe interview you said, “I don’t believe in a religion that has something against gay people. …I was taught to hate gays. And I don’t really believe in any of that. …I break every rule and mentality of hip-hop, of black culture, of American culture.” (February 2009 Issue) That’s very progressive of you to not believe in religious bigotry and homophobia. Have you been reading my book? (“Hip-Hop Homophobes…”)

This is what I teach and I beat all hell out of the idea that a “god” has anything to do with man’s condemnation of homosexuals. I don’t give a damn if it is in your Bible! A “god” DID NOT write the Bible! Ignorant, homophobic, and misogynistic men wrong the Bible and forged God’s signature. This is what the laity (common folk) doesn’t know or understand. They read the Bible and believe every word to be God’s hand writing! Evidentially, you, Kanye have read up on Bible compilation and history. For how can one, after all of our religious brainwashing against homosexuality, come to that conclusion, if not by study and inquiry?

Kanye! You say you are here to “break every rule and mentality of hip-hop, of black culture, of American culture.” Do you wanna really shake up hip-hop? Do you wanna do something super-progressive? Are you willing to put what others think of your sexuality aside? Would you like to introduce the world to a genre of rap that has been lurking on the periphery of the mainstream rap world? Wanna do the most innovative thing for rap since the advent of gangsta rap?

Here’s a “rule and mentality” that hasn’t been broken: Sign the first outwardly gay or lesbian rapper to your label! (G.O.O.D.) (I can hear a rat pissin’ on cotton!) They ain’t lookin’ for a seven-figure signing bonus (although nobody’s turning down money!). They are looking to be heard!

You don’t know any gay or lesbian rappers? Well let me help you! There’s a gay rapper from the “Middle East” (North Carolina) named TwiZza who’s a beast on the mic! There’s a gay cat out of Los Angeles-Last Offence, with the lyrical dexterity of your favorite rapper. How about FELONi?-One of the realest lesbian MC’s reppin’ Detroit. Or my lil man Nano, reppin’ the Bay area or a young gay rapper named Bry’NT from New York or my niggas .. and Sonny Lewis, two of the grimiest wordsmiths reppin’ Brooklyn. Not to mention the “Face of Gay Hip-Hop,” my dog Deadlee! (I can name 100 other gay/lesbian rappers!)

So what it do Kanye? Signing a gay rapper is a win-win for hip-hop and humanity! It’s time to move from rhetoric to action! You are the biggest voice in hip-hop that advocates against homophobia. Why not “put your money where your mouth is?” God has equipped you with the knowledge, strength, and foresight to kick in the door of the last bastion of human ignorance-homophobia! If hip-hop heads wanna say you’re gay, then answer back with Redman’s words-“I’ll be dat!” Are you ready to be eternally etched into hip-hop history?

“I’m not gay although I wish I were to piss off homophobes.”

Kurt Cobain-Dead Grunge Rock Star.

Author Khalil Amani describes himself as spiritual adviser to Gay Hip Hop and Kanye West

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An Open Letter to the NY Daily News About KRS-One

tony muhammed Dear George Rush, Joanna Molloy, The New York Daily News and all other parties involved,

My name is Tony Muhammad, President and founder of Urban America Enterprises, Inc. and publisher of Urban America Newspaper, the first ever urban community newspaper, based in South Florida. I am responding to the inflammatory commentary made about one of the most respected teachers and leaders in Hip-Hop, KRS-ONE. The commentary appeared very recently in The New York Daily News in an article entitled KRS-One, decency zero. The article itself pertained to statements made by KRS-ONE at a recent panel lecture concerning the Hip-Hop community’s response to the 9-11 terror attacks. After careful analysis of both the article published in The New York Daily News and KRS-ONE’s response, which is currently being circulated on several sites on the internet, I can very much say that your brand of journalism is not only irresponsible, but it is “choppy” and insulting both to KRS-ONE and the Hip-Hop community. According to your biography, Mr. Rush, you have a Masters degree in Journalism from Columbia University and have been published in various magazines as well as publishing a book yourself. Tell me, how this can be true? As an experienced educator I can safely say that I have seen greater detail in 3rd grade level essays about “favorite things to do” than in your “high status” New York Daily News article about what KRS-ONE supposedly said.

His statements, I admit, would be considered “controversial” to people such as yourselves, considering your backgrounds. However, just because you did not fully understand what he said, does that give you a right to twist his words around according to your own paranoid view of reality (a syndrome from which a large percentage of Americans today suffer from thanks to the Bush Administration’s terror alert campaigns)?

If you considered KRS-ONE’s statements so shocking or feel that you may have misinterpreted something he said, why did you not take the opportunity to ask a question to receive more clarity? Even if you did not have the opportunity to ask questions, perhaps you would have done better justice by printing more fully what the man actually said. To automatically and “officially” declare “his solidarity with Al Qaeda,” the group linked with the murder of over two thousand people is repulsively sick. You are speaking of a man who has organized with his Temple of Hiphop annual days of mourning to the victims of the 9-11 terror attacks. Not only this, since 1987, I have religiously heard the man’s music, which has frequently contained lyrics emphasizing “world peace.” KRS-ONE’s statement about how “Hiphoppas” (not merely African-Americans as you put it) cheered and said “justice” when they saw the World Trade Center being attacked is indeed scary but it is very much a real view that much of today’s youth hold. Trust me. It is no coincidence that soon after this horrible act was broadcasted on television, many of my own students at the time were theorizing that the Bush Administration was responsible (Not that I believe or disbelieve this myself, but, in effect, posing the question as to why they would automatically think this way).

Why do you believe there was so much support for Jadakiss’ controversial song Why? (this song itself includes a question pertaining to why Bush blew up the towers – a song aired uncensored and highly requested on New York FM radio). Many of our inner-city youth may not know how to express themselves fully on such topics as the 9-11 terror attacks, largely due to their own lack of study. Yet and still, they are harassed enough by police to identify a common threat. Yet and still, they are annoyingly tested like genie pigs in the public schools enough to identify a common threat. This is not to mention that anger on the part of the poor world wide has built up immensely thanks to the World Trade Organization. In America we are constantly losing jobs which are being transported overseas. The result? The decrease of legal inner-city economies has led to the rise of illegal economies, which many youths participate in. The high neglect of such communities in America has left them in conditions similar to those of 3rd World Countries. In Third World Countries, as I am sure you are aware, youth are employed in factories owned by the same companies that left the inner-cities of America, where they produced products such as Nike shoes; laboring for, in some cases, two cents a day. The Hip-Hop youth of America, in turn, purchase such products twenty to thirty times more than what they are actually worth. This is partially why KRS-ONE identifies such corporate entities as “oppressors” – as you are so quick to mention.

Do you not understand now why such anger would exist in the hearts and minds of the youth? Perhaps you need to live the experience of a youth that embraces Hip-Hop culture to fully understand what I am saying. Especially ask those who grew up embracing Hip-Hop culture during the crack filled 80s what their views regarding the government were (and most likely still are). It has only been recently that we have been targeted by more “liberal” factions of U.S. politics to, for the first time, vote in a presidential election just as the Kennedy Administration targeted highly neglected African-Americans to vote for the first time (in a long time) in the 1960s. Your slanderous and abominable statements about KRS-ONE sharply resemble the way the media has historically repeatedly lashed out against African-American leaders, such as Malcolm X and countless others, who have spoken on what have been considered unexplored realities to white America.

As a note, I am certain that the anger among the Hip-Hop youth is destined to get worse once they realize fully how they are being targeted to be sent and slaughtered in a war that most do not agree with. Just take a look at where the armed forces is advertising: on BET during Rap City, in The Source and XXL Magazines; presenting the armed forces as being a party-filled experience where all the guys are rich and all drive wrapped Hummers (you know, the kind that recruiters drive up to inner-city schools in with the intent to attract attention). I don’t see such targeting towards white non-Hip-Hop youth on any form of television programming or print media. If you are to expose any scandals (or how your column puts it “gossip”) why don’t you investigate things along the lines of this matter? I am sure the experience will be like opening a Pandora’s box.

In respects to the mention of this country “must commit suicide if the world is to be a better place,” KRS-ONE was in a philosophical sense saying that the negative or “corrupt” characteristics of the United States, both in its foreign and domestic policies, must end. Taking chopped up “tidbits” of what KRS-ONE had to say and twisting them to make it seem as if he is the epitome of evil have me question your motives which may be regarded as “evil” in and of themselves. You alluding that KRS-ONE is opposed to voting is flawed. At his concerts he emphasizes the familiar phrase “Voting is the least you can do” to show and prove the type of power the Hip-Hop community has. You quoting him in saying “Voting in a corrupt society adds more corruption” must obviously be expressed in a totally wrong context.

One final note, just because KRS-ONE is not currently signed to what would be regarded a “major record label,” it absolutely does not mean that his music career is in a “downward-spiraling” motion as you put it. In fact, he has expressed much joy in being free from any corporate entities pinning him down to a recording contract. Anywhere in this country, from what I have experienced and know, he still packs concerts – mainly filled with Hip-Hop youth who are eager to know the truth as he expresses it. His career as a leader and teacher to the Hip-Hop nation is not over. It has just begun. It is not his career that is “bent on self-destruction,” as you put it, but our very lives as Americans if we do not take the time to listen to others with alternative perspectives of reality who seek nothing less than for humanity to be steered on the right path. In fact, for all readers on the internet who have the opportunity to read this and maintain an “open mind” may they “KEEP RIGHT!” I hope that you take this message as serious as many politicians have taken the Hip-Hop community serious in this up-coming election.

If you seek clarification on any of the matters presented above, you may contact me at 305-472-2566 or via e-mail at urbanamericainfo@yahoo.com. Trust me. I have much more on my mind to express on this matter and I can share it with you if you so request it. I pray that this message reaches you in the best of health, both physically and mentally to inspire drastic change in your way of thinking. I urge you to repair the damage by publicly apologizing to KRS-ONE and the Hip-Hop community.

Sincerely,
Tony Muhammad
Urban America Enterprises, Inc.

The Dream Reborn.. Rev Yearwood Meets Dr King

This is the incredible keynote speech that Rev Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus delivered the other week in Memphis, Tennessee at the Dream Reborn conference.In this speech Rev talks about the important role the Hip Hop generation plays in the freedom movement. He reminds everyone that we have made a lot of great strides but we have along way to go. He also reminds us to not allow ourselves to become side bars to the struggle. he insist that we be front and center and take destiny into our own hands. The speech is very moving… We remixed and added a few surprises to give it some extra flava.Please enjoy

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Casual of Hiero Weighs in on Museum Controversy….Furious Styles is a Jerk.

Casual of Hiero Weighs in on Museum Controversy

I also applaud the people working with the development of the new Bronx museum. I really think its important in telling the story of Hip Hop aswell. I also think that Furious Styles is a Jerk.


(Casual is referring to the article we passed around earlier which is located here:
http://p076.ezboard.com/fpoliticalpalacefrm73.showMessage?topicID=20.topic

casual-HieroTo support the exclusion of Gangsta rap from a hip hop museum is like the act of excluding the mention of African Americans in the development process of America. His erroneous assessment of “gansta music” further proves his disconnection from our society. He is like a outsider looking in. “Gangsta Music” is the opposite side of the spectrum. The Yang to our Yin. A Museum with no mention of gangsta rap will receive no merit. Not even a room?.. a wall? Gangsta rap is the fuel pushing hip hop to the front of main stream music, It has enveloped and eclipsed your traditional “Positive Hip HOP” for many reasons, the main reason being,.. The aloof attitude of the positive hip-hopper.

Positive Hip Hoppers(for lack of a better term)or should I say hip hop optimist can always point you to a time when hip hop was better, more meaningful, and artist were more positive.
But truly there was no time like this, and if there was, it didnt last long. There is no evidence that there is more gangsta rap now than there was in the 1980. (And for any hip hop historian who wants to debate this,.. We can go song for song.)But there is evidence that gangsta rap has grown into a more lucrative commerce than “Artsy Rap”.

Here is a point I would like to make. Furious Styles shares the views of most Upper Middle Class, American-College educated Black Men. This problem you have with Gangsta rap mirrors the problem you have with the lower classes of society, your own Race, even your own less accomplished family members. This is western philosophy at its best. Bottom line is-you feel you are better than the people who achieved less. Do you believe the persons singing about Murder, Guns, Drugs, Sex, Mayhem, etc,. has know place in a museum of Hip Hop History?. You want to shelter you children from this awful exposure to reality like your hiding porn. But the truth is,… N.W.A. Can save your daughters life, So Can Justice-Ice, KRS-One, Tupac, Ice Cube and even listening to Too-Short Can Help your Daughters with their street smarts. And here is a quote for Furious Styles to further expose his insensitivity to your struggles;

I understand the age old worn out statement that Gansta Hip Hop is a product of the environment, its bigger than the thugs, pimps and playas, we dont own the planes that bring drugs into our communities, the-had- a- bad up bringing, no daddy in the house, being shot, the streets, etc. etc. etc.. etc.. But the fact of the matter is that these artists are pushing stripper music into the ears of our children, they are talking about crack selling, distribution, and murder, and wonder why we have so much violence in the lives of our youth.- Furious Styles

What is your major malfunction? Do you think living with no dad helps? Or being shot? Or having a bad upbringing? Surely your dad was there, you never been shot, and you had a good upbringing, that is why you are so insensitive to others reality. Your like a inconsiderate bitch.

And SO IS THIS WHY WE HAVE SO MUCH VIOLENCE? IS GANGSTA RAP THE REASON WERE IN IRAO OR AFGANISTAN? DID GANGSTA RAP PLAY A PART IN COLOMBINE OR WAKO? GANSTA RAP SURELY DIDNT BRING DOWN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER DID IT? AND IM SURE BLACK WALL STREET AND HEZBOLLAH HAVE SOME SORT OF CONNECTION?

And whos the Judge?

Is K.R.S.-One not a Gangsta? Did he release a album called Criminal Minded? Did he tote a Uzi On the cover of “My Philosophy?” Or is he afforded a period of time to change his views that now young artist wont be allowed?

Will Ice Cube Be in your Museum? He is definitely one of the most positive Artist to Date, Yet he grew from this most awful Gangsta rap, Bitches, Hoes etc…. Shall his efforts be slighted by your Museum?

On the other Hand Tupac? was he positive or a optimist or just a Soft Thug? who’s the person to say that a particular song or artist has know purpose universally?

Go ahead and build your little “Twinkle Toes” hip hop museum and “Georgie your own wee-wee”, But the truth is, The more divisions we place, the smaller each category gets, and leaving gangsta rap out of a hip hop museum confirms your intend to lie to your children, and your successors.

P.S. All of my releases have been positive by your standard,..bet i wont be in that bitch either,… some museum.

Casual of Hieroglyphics

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