Pittsburgh rapper and activist Jasiri X has been on fire… His new album Ascension is masterpiece spawning several videos which are on point and inspiring.. The music is soulful.. The subject matter is thoughtful.. He’s also been focusing on subject matter that takes you deeper terrain then we normally travel in Hip Hop, but has been rooted in a tradition of African-American music ala Afrika Bambaataa, George Clinton and Sun-Ra before him.. He’s been talking about life and times beyond our earthly dimensions as well as religion…Cuts like Wheels best illustrate this.. The videos to the song Pillars featuring Brother Ali also touch in that direction..
Yesterday we sat down w/ Jasiri X and Interviewed him… here’s our Breakdown FM Intv
Check out the videos below..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ulCIjvKmT0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQknHopm0_E
Jasiri X has also been keeping his shoulder to the grind as an activist.. Him and his partner Paradise Gray from the legendary group X-Clan have been operating full steam ahead with their 1Hood Media Academy.. local youth from all over the Pittsburgh area come through and are taught how to be media makers and to be media justice advocates..
In recent days Jasiri has stepped up to join the fight to hold artist accountable about violence against women and to push back on rape culture. Below is him responding to the lyrics rapper Rick Ross put in a song U.O.E.N.O. (You Ain’T Even Know It) where he talks about drugging a girl so he can have sex with her..the lyric in question goes; Put molly all in her champagne/ She ain’t even know it/ I took her home and I enjoyed that/ She ain’t even know it.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6g5NaxkvvU
Paradise Gray from the group X-Clan weighs in on the Rick Ross Controversy.. Rape Is Rape
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-Ndy1q4so
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I mean, what ‘ill communication’ has the Amerikans doin on ‘Madison NS-Rallys’ and the such stupid identity concepts on coherece the commercialisation of such lyrics, only Latin fascist do know. Its an abusive slang on ‘other_ing’…Mr. Braun makes the rocket on – so what? In deep respect for the global culture of HeArt_core Hip Hop DIY x_change….Mum hugs!
Pep Love already made an album called Ascension…
I said that already, but really it doesnt matter. Da LenchMob made an album Guerillas In The Mist and the same year Paris did as well. All were real MCs in the game with something insightful to say about the state of AmeriKKKa around the time of the 92 riots. From what I hear Jasiri X is a positive cat and a dope rapper as well so let us stop nitpicking and be thankful for brothaz like J who are active in the community and accept that what he puts out there, he feels in his heart and soul. And for a dying society, you cannot do much more than that. I mean for f–k sake, at least he dont talk about decieving and date raping a female like that piece of s–t Rick Ross.
Reblogged this on Ace's View and commented:
A nice continuation to the Rick Ross piece from the other day–http://theaceviewblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/keep-it-real-rick-ross/
Jasiri X is one of the few left.
More tomorrow.
this is for the masses. the hip hop culture. for society..
In movies, paintings, plays and other forms of art and entertainment rape is used occasionally as part of the theater. In HipHop the line between entertainment and impressionable uneducated people who mistake it for reality is so blurred that the audience can’t tell the difference. That in and of itself is the problem. Not some dumb rapper talking about rape. The problem is, to be blunt, that HipHop appeals to very clueless people that can’t discern the difference. Confront that first.