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Davey D: Hip Hop’s Renaissance Man is Mos Def

September 8, 2010 By

If there was ever a Renaissance man within Hip Hop it would no doubt be Mos Def. Here’s a man who does it all. He’s an incredible rapper, one of the best to come along in the past 10-15 years. He’s a talented singer who’s left his mark with songs ‘Umi Says’ off the ‘Black on Both Sides‘ album which pays homage to his mother and ‘Kalifornia’ off the Biker Boyz soundtrack.

Mos to date has put out 4 albums Black on Both Sides, The New Danger, True Magic and The Ecstatic. This is in addition to the Blackstar album. Unlike most artists who are pressured by a carnivorous and increasingly dysfunctional music industry, Mos takes his time and releases an album every couple of years. He’s his own man and keeps his own pace.

  • Mos Def is an Emmy nominated, award-winning talented actor who has done a stellar job in flicks like ‘Brown Sugar’, ‘The Woodsman’ and ‘Something the Lord Made’. He set to star opposite Don Cheadle and Wesly Snipes in the movie Toussaint which is a film about the Haitian revolution.

You name it Mos Def does it…We wont even talk about his activism and the numerous causes he’s shown support and been involved in. His most recent venture occurred this past Labor Day weekend, when he teamed up with NASA and the ISIS (Instituting Science in Schools) education project and astronaut Leland Melvin to promote the importance of science, engineering, technology and the importance of exploration.

200o people came out to Oakland's Chabot Space Center to see Mos Def & astronaut Leland Melvin in a 3 D Hologram

Mos and Leland Melvin using a new 3D hologram projection appeared at science festivals in both Oakland, California and Orlando, Florida where they stood side by side and delivered their inspiring messages. More than 2000 people showed up at Chabot Observatory in Oakland to peep Mos Def in 3D. Judging from the loud applause and brief conversations with many of the young attendees, he did not disappoint.

Such accomplishments have only added to Mos Def’s appeal and underscored why he can come to a place like the Bay Area stay an an entire week, do sold out shows in both big and small venues. He did this the other night at Oakland’s New Parrish when he and his partner Talib Kweli resurrected their landmark group Black Star and rocked two shows along with comedian Dave Chappelle. Two nights later Mos Def showed up as a solo act at San Francisco’s Independent nightclub on 628 Divisadero. And just like the New Parrish this venue sold out with less than a day’s notice.

Mos Def kicked off his set at SF Independent w/ the song 'Kalifornia'... Click HERE to see Mos def photo album

Always a man for the people Mos Def whose government name Dante Terrell Smith took the crowd to new heights when he brought out surprise guest Talib Kweli. Dave Chappelle was backstage chilling and watching the show. The fact that a man of his stature was there to enjoy the performance and was under no pressure to come on stage and ‘cheese’ for the audience, went to show you just how dope and respected is the man we call Mos Def.

What I like most about Mos is his willingness to give a full 100% in anything he does. A lot of artist should take a page from his book. When you come to town, park yourself there for minute and make yourself accessible to the fans. Do more than one show. Record a few tracks with the local artists and like Mos, give a different performance with each show. Give the audience what they’ve come to know and like you for, but at the same time you push the musical boundaries and give them something new.

Below is a link to my photo album showing more pictures of Mos Def at his SF show at the Independent..

Click HERE for Mos Def photo album of SF Independent Concert

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akrk9JGdydc

Filed Under: 2010 Daily News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

While Glenn Beck Hijacks King-Hip Hop Attempts to Restore its Roots

September 7, 2010 By

While tens of thousands gathered for the Glenn Beck rally in Washington, DC another large crowd gathered in Columbia, MD. The 7th annual Rock the Bells concert welcomed mainstream and underground hip hop artists to the metropolitan area. Concert goers were concerned that mainstream rap music has contributed to the degradation of what some viewed as a powerful tool for mobilizing the black community; Hip hop. Now, hip hop fans are moving towards more political rap for inspiration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R60rHJ11i-Y

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Filed Under: 2010 Daily News, Essential videos to peep Tagged With: , , , , ,

Hip Hop History 101: Afrika Bambaataa Breaks Down the History of the Universal Zulu Nation

September 3, 2010 By

Afrika Bambaataa breaks down the history of the Universal Zulu Nation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq1ONZ7R6IQ&feature=player_embedded#!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8IO2KHjXZg&feature=related

ZULU NATION: FROM GANGS TO HIP HOP GLORY

by – Davey D

First thing we wanna do is offer up our congratulations to Hip Hop’s
oldest and largest organization, the Universal Zulu Nation. They are
set to celebrate their 29th Anniversary this weekend [November 8-10]
where they will be paying tribute to soul music and funk music God
fathers, Sly Stone, James Brown, and George Clinton. They will also
pay tribute to Hip Hop’s seminal figures Kool DJ Herc, Grandmaster
Flash and Afrika Bambaataa.. For those who are unfamiliar with the
Zulu Nation, they began as an organization founded by Afrika Bambaataa
at Stevenson High School in the Bronx. Back than it was simply known
as ‘The Organization’.

Bam who once lived the gang lifestyle and was a Gang Lord was trying
to change his ways and saw the newly formed group as a way out. Bam
who was known for reading and staying up on the teachings of Elijah
Muhammad and other African American leaders, changed the name to Zulu
Nation after watching a movie of the same name that told the tale of
the well known South African tribe.. Bam was inspired by their
resistance to Dutch settlers. As Hip Hop became popular, the group
became known as the Mighty Zulu Nation and as later the Universal Zulu
Nation.

The story behind the evolution of UZN is significant. Back in the
days Zulu’s struck fear in many who lived outside of their Bronx River
Housing Project strong hold. While they gave birth to Hip Hop’s first
B-Boys and B-Girls, the group for the most part was made up of former
gang members. Many of them from the Notorious Black Spades which once
reigned terror throughout the Bronx in the early to mid 70s. It used
to be a really big deal for cats to hang out at Bronx River and not
get stuck up. It was a sign of toughness and brought much prestige.

Many of the early crews tried to associate themselves with Zulu Nation
for protection from roving bands of stick up kids and other gangs
turned crew. It was in this backdrop that Bambaataa and other
conscious brothers spent a lot of time teaching and preaching and
working with Zulu members to bring about positive change. Bam often
talks about how he would do simple things like bestow titles like
‘King’ and ‘Queen’ upon Zulu members in an attempt to instill pride
and confidence. His feeling was that if you treated people like
royalty then they would turn around and act like royalty in their
actions. As Bam’s recording career blew up, he saw too it that many
of folks who were from the streets got an opportunity to go on tour
with him and the Soul Sonic Force. Sometimes they were employed as
roadies. Other times they worked as security. Again Bam’s main
objective was to see to it that local cats got a chance to see there
was a much bigger world outside the Bronx.

Change didn’t happen over night, but today the testament to all that
hard work is the fact that there are vibrant Zulu chapters in more
than 20 countries all over the world with estimated membership of over
10 thousand. They have come to embrace and preserve Hip Hop’s key
elements and have exemplified what is often considered Hip Hop’s 5th
Element-‘Knowledge’.

To me the beauty of it all is seeing what was once considered a
‘ruthless gang’ evolve’ to a group that has strived and succeeded in
serving the community. There are all sorts of stories about Zulus
ridding their housing projects of drug dealers and many of the older
guys spending time mentoring younger people. There are stories about
Zulus escorting women to and from their apartments as well as looking
out and helping those in need. This of course is in addition to
various Zulu chapters that have involved themselves in local politics
including the fight to Free Mumia and get him a new trial. We also
can not overlook the fact that it was Zulu Nation members who put out
some of Hip Hop’s first records as well as among the first to
establish Hip Hop’s first radio shows. Who could forget Zulu Beats
with Afrika Islam on WHBI. It’s a shame that there hasn’t been more
of a public celebration and acknowledgment of this organization and
its accomplishments. In any case, props to them on their 29th
anniversary.. For more information and a run down of this week’s
schedule check out…http://www.zulunation.com/events.html

by Davey D
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Filed Under: 2010 Daily News, Essential videos to peep Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Another Oil Rig Explosion in the Gulf-Is this Neglect or Deliberate? Are we under Attack?

September 2, 2010 By

You can’t tell me this isn’t deliberate.. I’m beginning to wonder  if these oil rig explosions and oil spills are reflective of something larger other than corporations cutting corners? Almost overnight the stories of what was going on in Michigan with their oil spill disappeared. BP has done a great PR job in removing a villanous face for their fiasco. Wonder how this latest thing will play out. I think its some sort of terrorism going on.. The question is whether its foreign or domestic..

D

GRAND ISLE, La. – An offshore oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the April blast that caused the massive oil spill.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Casey Ranel says the blast was reported by a commercial helicopter company about 9:30 a.m. CDT Thursday. Seven helicopters, two airplanes and four boats are en route to the site, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay along the central Louisiana coast.

Ranel says it hasn’t been determined whether the structure is a production platform or a drilling rig or whether workers were aboard. Ranel says smoke was reported but it is unclear whether the rig is still burning.

original story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100902/ap_on_re_us/us_gulf_rig_explosion_1

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Filed Under: 2010 Daily News Tagged With: , ,

Immortal Technique: ‘Slavery Was Once the Law-Would You have Supported that Back in the Days?’ Our Rock the Bells Interview

September 2, 2010 By

Click HERE to listen to our Breakdown FM interview w/ Immortal Technique at Rock the Bells 2010

During Rock the Bells in Mountainview we caught up with one of Hip Hop’s most profound and politically astute artists Immortal Technique. He swung through 10 deep with his famed Rebel Army and did not disappoint as they lit up the Paid Dues stage.

Later that night we talked to Immortal about some of the key issues of the day starting with his thoughts on Park 51, which is the Muslim Community center being protested by anti-Islamic mobs in New York City near Ground Zero.  We wanted Immortal’s thought on this because he had caused a bit of a stir a few years ago when he released the song Bin Laden where Mos Def and Jadakiss were  on the hook asserting that George Bush knocked down the Twin Towers. Later he did a remix where Chuck D and KRS were on the hook. He explained that it was hypocritical to demand that a group of people who did not fly planes into those buildings be asked to back down.. He said it was more than obvious the 9-11 hijackers did not represent Islam just like Christianity wasn’t represented when Timothy McVeigh blew up the Oklahoma Fed Building or when large groups of people were massacred during the Crusades.

The other big issue we broached was immigration and the debate around Arizona’s SB 1070.  He said ‘illegal immigration’ is more than just a legal issue. He said it’s a human rights issue in which people are seeking out better lives for themselves. Our foreign policies have unduly impacted many  of the places that people are fleeing. We’ve made no moves to correct that.  Immortal noted that many supporters of SB 1070 want the economic advantages that come from ‘undocumented labor’. They’re not making moves to remove themselves from that equation.

Immortal also pointed out that there’s a lot of hypocrisy in those who say they support laws like SB1070. He noted that many say that we must follow the law. “Well slavery was once the law”. Immortal pointed out;  “Would those same people have defended the institution of slavery if they was around back in those days”?

We concluded our interview by talking to Immortal about the orphanage he opened in Afghanistan and his recent trip to Haiti.  He said the idea of opening up an orphanage came during his participation at last year’s Rock the Bells where he met organizers who inspired him. He went out to Afghanistan for several weeks and avoided being embedded with the US military and instead was taken in by long time residents who took him all over the country. he said the trip was life altering.

He noted that his stay Haiti was much shorter and not as impactful compared to Afghanistan. He was disheartened by the extreme poverty and noted that there’s no excuse for this when Haiti is in our backyard.

You can listen our Breakdown FM interview with Immortal Technique by clicking the link below

http://www.swift.fm/mrdaveyd/song/60154/

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2r8kBnGtAU

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

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

KRS-One: ‘Obama is a Politician He’s not your homeboy, He’s not your man’-Our Rock the Bells Interview

September 1, 2010 By

It’s always fun catching up with Hip Hop legend Blastmaster KRS-One. He always has something colorful and insightful to say when speaking. Some you may agree with, some you may disagree with. No matter what you have to appreciate his passion and confidence..

When we caught up with KRS during the Rock the Bells 2010 in Mountainview he was on his way to the stage to perform the album ‘Criminal Minded’. He did not disappoint. In 10 minutes we touched on a number of topics including his thoughts behind his new book ‘The Gospel of Hip Hop’. KRS noted that this was the Gospel for the new millenium. He says every generation has their Gospel and that he wanted to put forth his vision of Hip Hop and remind the world about its divine aspects. He believes the culture touches on the spirit in ways we simply cannot ignore.

I asked KRS with all the wisdom he’s garnered over the years, what aspects of Criminal Minded would he change?

KRS said, he regrets how people mistook the meaning behind the album cover which shows him and the late Scott La Rock wearing an ammunition belt, holding pistols and having a grenade on the table. He said many thought he and Scott were the jump off for what would eventually be called ‘gangsta rap’ when in fact, they were attempting to put forth a ‘revolutionary’ pose.

KRS explained, that no gangsta would walk around wearing ammunition and holding grenades. He talked about how BDP was influenced by the Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army and wanted that album cover to be symbolic of the stances they took.

KRS also talked about how he regrets the harsh, sexist  words directed at Roxanne Shante. He noted that he was young and wild back in those days  and in hindsight  cringes at some of the things he uttered. He said its something all rappers will go through as they get older. How we express ourselves without full knowledge and understanding can be embarrassing once it’s obtained.

We concluded our interview by talking about President Obama. A couple of months after Obama’s inauguration , KRS came to Oakland and did a wicked freestyle where he talked about the biggest problem the president would have is the power and control of the Fed Bank. Over 100 thousand people viewed that video which sparked a lot of discussion. KRS caught al;ot of heat and was depicted as a hater. Nowadays his insight isn’t so easily dismissed or challenged

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

We talked about those earlier remarks and pressed KRS as to where he stands now. He stated that he respects the President, but make no mistake, Obama is a politician who runs a government.

“He’s a politician..he’s not your boy. he’s not your man”, KRS said.

He went to add, that we are now in a globalized world with a globalized economy and America has been resisting its entrance into it. KRS said, gone are the days when people could easily identify themselves as a race or religion. Things are changingas we are now in what people will deem a ‘New World Order’

written by Davey D

Here’s the link to the full interview we did with KRS at Rock the Bells.. let us know what you think..

http://www.swift.fm/mrdaveyd/song/60144/

Click HERE to hear the Breakdown FM KRS-One interview we did at Rock the Bells

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Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Is Lauryn Hill Back? Is it Unfair to Expect Her to Return?

September 1, 2010 By

Is Lauryn Hill back? It’s a question so many of us have been asking since she released her landmark album, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill‘ and she won all those Grammys. The fact that so many keep asking the question is a testament to how dope she was.. and also how there is such an absence of female artists within the mainstream. She left folks with a lot of questions when she hit the stages for Rock the Bells in both SF and NY..

During her performance in San Francisco she started out strong, but many of her songs took on vastly different flavors from the original causing many to complain. The sista standing near me during her set was over heard complaining she did not recognize any of her Lauryn’s songs.

“She’s doing too many remixes”, she said.

During her New York performance on Governors Island similar complaints came up. Popular reporter Toure said she “was more Twista than Lauryn Hill” beccause of the uptempo remakes of her soulful songs.

Artist and TV talk show host Amanda Diva said: “Lauryn let me down bcuz her performance was completely disconnected from the sound that folks love her 4. + Band was sloppy/vocals strained”

Her tweet was in the same vein as many who were at the NY show and tweeting about it.

However Sway of MTV and the Wake Up Show who saw her during the San Bernardino show near LA tweeted that Lauryn had killed it.

Again the question, Is it unfair to expect Lauryn Hill in 2010 to be the same as the one we admired in 1998? Is she not allowed to grow and experiment as a musician or should she stay locked in a box?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKIZu0eUrM8&feature=related

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Filed Under: 2010 Daily News, Essential videos to peep Tagged With: , , , ,
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