female hip hop | Hip-Hop and Politics

500 Female Emcees: Meet Yugen Blakrok-Reppin’ the Eastern Cape of South Africa

March 18, 2014 By mrDaveyd

I got hip to this sista Yugen Blakrok the other day and was told she is on a ‘next level‘ vibe. The assertion is true. Yugen who hails from a small farm in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, comes to the Hip Hop table seriously pushing the envelope.

Yugen began listening to Hip Hop during the late 90s. It was the last dying days of the ‘Golden Era‘ when substance far outweighed swag and the youth of America were still being conscious-ised by artists like; Public Enemy, Organized Konfusion, the Zulu Nation as well as the more spiritually infused sounds of Wu-Tang Clan, De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. Words of Black Consciousness and Self-Emancipation made up Yugen Blakrok’s journey into Hip Hop.

Listening to her music over a decade later one often catches strong glimpses of these foundations, her lyrics are mosaics of social commentary infused with layers of mysticism and consciousness, layered over beautifully dark and lush boom bap backdrops.

In 2009, while trying to get get her ‘Recess Poetry‘ ep stocked in Grayscale Stores, Yugen met Gradmaster Shorty Skillz of Iapetus Records who suggested she hook up with Splif-Obliterating Super producer and Sampletologist Kanif the Jhatmaster. They strike a chord and she signs to the label.

Since then she has been touring with fellow stablemates hymphatic thabs, Gin Grimes, Witchcraft, Fifi, Zetina Mosia. As Well as with the late Robo the technician. As a solo artist she has shared the stage with some of the dopest artists in the country as well as international acts like; Public Enemy, Copywrite, Soweto Kinch and Jonzi D to name a few.

Her debut album ‘Return of the Astro-Goth‘, independently released through Iapetus in October 2013 has already been hailed a classic in several international reviews and is available now on all major online stores.

source: Iapetus Records

Yugen Blakrok – Chatterboxin’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCShsFW3Hw

Yugen Blakrok – Darkstar Animatron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raLuKP8UE5c

Yugen Blakrok – House of Ravens

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

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, 500 Females page Tagged With: 500 Female Emcees, chatterboxin, female hip hop, return of the Astro-Goth, South Africa, Yugen Blakrok

500 Female Emcees: Meet Rinko A True Survivor from Japan

March 15, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Rinko Nagahisa aka Rinko hails from Kagoshima, Japan and now lives in Tokyo. She both sings and raps and has made a name for herself. What makes her stand out is the realness of her music. Coming up she was sexually assaulted and is a survivor of domestic violence. She notes that music was her salvation.

Here’s what she noted in her bio

Parents were constantly quarelling, I was verbally and physically abused. I was fed up with it at all. The next thing I noticed, I was holding a knife against my mother.

Just as I thought my singing career started to progress, I was confined then sexually assaulted for 10 days. When I finally ran away for police , the officer told me ” go back to wherever you are , I don’t care you get killed”. I couldn’t believe anyone. After the incidents I was really alone, suffered from PTSD, depression, panic disorder which kept me down for 4 years.

I struggled to continue singing without looking away from severe realities. I had to be strong. I sing true to my experience so people like me who suffer inside can ease their heart.

My songs empowers listeners with truth and my way of life.

Rinko What u gonna do?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvbRptodhz8

Rinko Tatakae

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

Rinko I know You want Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ggovyr1yhE

Rinko Spend Money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KcF2ophGrw

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, 500 Females page Tagged With: female hip hop, Japanese hip hop, Rink, women rap

500 Female Emcees: Meet Jean Grae-Iconic, Legendary-the Best

March 15, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Originally known as What? What? Jean Grae (Tsidi Ibrahim) was born in South Africa, but says that she will always be a New Yorker by heart. She is the daughter of two jazz musicians where she learned an appreciation for all genres of music by age 9.

She attended the famed High School of Performing Arts as a vocal major and was later accepted to New York University as a Music Business major. She was recruited by a rapper named Ocean to form a group Natural Resources where Jean cut her teeth as a song writer and producer.

In 1997, Natural Resource founded their own record label, Makin’ Records, and released the 12″ single, “Negro League Baseball“, which became an underground hip-hop classic.

Natural Resource dissolved in 1998, after which Jean changed her stage name from What? What? to Jean Grae, which she was a reference to the X-Men character Jean Grey. She released her first LP—Attack of the Attacking Things—in 2002, and followed it in 2004 with This Week.

She created a buzz for herself and which led to her recording tracks with artists like Atmosphere, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Da Beatminerz, Phonte, Masta Ace, Mos Def, Styles P, Pharoahe Monch and Immortal Technique just to name a few.

Jean linked up with producer 9th Wonder to record and album called Jeanius which was never completed after it was leakedon the internet. She went on to be signed to Babygrande Records where she released the critically acclaimed ‘This Week‘ and ‘Evil Jenius‘

In 2005 Jean signed to Talib Kweli’s Blacksmith Records. On April 28, 2008, Jean Grae posted a blog entry on her MySpace page saying goodbye to her fans.She later cited disenchantment with the music industry and desire to start a family as the reasons behind the “retirement” and said that she was working on new material and still wanted to continue in music: “You know what? I need that Grammy. I think I might be able to stop after that”^.

According to her wikipedia entry…In July 2008, Talib Kweli posted a blog entry explaining Grae’s album, mentioning that she was not retiring. The blog ends encouraging fans to purchase the album, referring to Grae as “one of the last true MCs left.” Grae returned to doing live performances later that year.

On September 18, 2008, Jean Grae posted a Craigslist ad offering her creative services for $800/16 bars.^[ On her MySpace blog entry, she states, “I don’t wanna complain anymore, I just wanna change some things about the way artists are treated and the way you guys are allowed to be involved, since it IS the digital age.”

On June 23, 2011, after an almost four-year hiatus, Grae released a free mixtape entitled Cookies or Comas, which features guest appearances from Styles P, Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch, it also includes the highly praised tracks “Assassins” from Monch’s W.A.R. album and “Uh Oh” From Talib Kweli’s Gutter Rainbows.

On October 22, 2012, Jean Grae performed with MeLa Machinko and DJ Mr. Len in New York City at WNYC’s Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, also recorded as an episode of Judge John Hodgman. During the episode the upcoming records “Gotham Down” and “Cake or Death” were named.

On January 2, 2013, she released a 10-track project called Dust Ruffle. Dust Ruffle features unreleased songs from between 2004 and 2010. Of the album she says: “It’s such an interesting retrospective project because I get to actually hear myself evolve from 2004-2010. Snapshots of life.”

Between October and November 2013 she self-released a series of EPs titled Gotham Down Cycle 1: Love in Infinity (Lo-Fi), Gotham Down Cycle II: Leviathan. Gotham Down Cycle 3: The Artemis Epoch. In December 2013 she combined the releases into one and titled it Gotham Down Deluxe. Jean Grae also released an online sitcom titled “Life with Jeanie”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjb5JnhmrFU

In January 2014 she also released The State of Eh, an audiobook. All are available for download on her website.

Jean Grae My Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFz6ECvaiqQ

Jean Grae Love Thirst

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9gE4ybCp_c

Jean Grae Kill Screen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzK-fn9NaCE

Jean Grae Supa Jean

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

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, 500 Females page Tagged With: 500 Female Emcees, Cake or Die, Evil Jenius, female hip hop, Jean grae, Underground Hip Hop

500 Females Emcees: Meet Lucia Vargas from Columbia

March 14, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Columbian based rapper Lucia Vargas Salinas is a citizen of the world, convinced that music and art have the power to generate a positive transformation in all aspects of human development. She believes in a proactive re -evolution, loves music that inspires poets and whose rate is based on the rumbling sound of musical instruments and musical passion of beatmakers. For Lucia, the world moves on word of mouth, has the hidden force of the self-management done right.

She began her musical life accompanying traditional Colombian music groups who influenced the construction of her lyrics focused on the ancient wisdom. Combining this with the revolution influence concocted by HIP HOP, resulting in her first work entitled “RE- EVOLUTION LAND AND FREEDOM ” being released in EUROPE in 2008.

After touring to many communities worldwide following and sticking firm in her conviction that music can generate social justice, she released a second album in 2010 entitled ” THE ESSENCE VIVA ” which launched a second European tour entitled ” POSSIBLE WITHOUT ANY DREAM FIGHT “.

Lucia Vargas – Mientras exista

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhLjX3mC3b4

Lucia Vargas – Condenados

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

Lucia Vargas -Vuelo Entre Recuerdos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFTMMIXyV2s

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, 500 Females page Tagged With: Columbia Hip Hop, female hip hop, Lucia Vargas

3 Dope Songs from Snow Tha Product: From the Bay to Texas & Beyond

January 9, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Snow Tha Product

Straight outta San Jose, California and now holding it down in Texas is Snow tha Product who has been causing quite a stir for the past couple of years..Initially know as Snow White Tha Product until Disney got a hold of her and claimed copyright infringement, Snow caught everyone’s attention with her rapid fire rhyme flow and put folks on notice. She was one that would definitely hurt your feelings if you stepped into the rhyme arena with her..

Although she had been grinding away the past few years doing mixtapes like Good Nights and Bad Mornings pt1 and pt2, showcases here and there including South By Southwest and Rock tha Bells, performing throughout Mexico and Central America and doing collabs with everyone from Slim Thug to Trae tha Truth and more recently Tech 9ine, it was the ‘Holy Shit‘ freestyle that really set it off for her…

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

In fact the freestyle set off a bidding war among a number of labels including Atlantic who she eventually signed with. She’s set to drop an album later this year..As far as her music is concerned, Snow’s rhyme style left many wondering if she could actually do songs or would she be one to only do rapid fire rhymes without a whole lot of concepts and substances. We’ve seen over the years that she’s a talented and versatile song writer who can dip and make pop songs that you could hear on the radio as well as keep it 100 and truly rep for the underground.. Below are 3 Dope Songs that caught our attention..

These two songs capture the essence of Snow’s rhyme flows and lyricims..Seems like there were some critics who thought she was a gimmick so she let em know.. she’s far from it..

Snow Tha Product ‘Lord Be With You’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjePEq8dMJ4

Snow Tha Product ‘Unorthodox’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pWKoIgGUeQ

Snow had a number of break out songs that were regional and nationwide hits.. The best known is a cut called Drunk Love.. The one that we really like is the one below called ‘Til death’..

Snow Tha Product ‘Til Death”

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

Snow Tha Product ‘Break ‘Em

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UTEIc9AGtw

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, 3 Dope songs Tagged With: 3 Dope Songs, female hip hop, Latino Hip Hop, Snow Tha Product

3 Dope Songs from StaHHr a True Empress on the Mic

January 3, 2014 By mrDaveyd

One of the nicest emcees on the mic who folks need to know about is a sista named StaHHr who hails from Atlanta and can best be described as a ‘lyrical warrior’. Her 3 albums, Almost Neva Was, That Was You? and Mother Nature With A Molotov: Molotov Season are must have items..
‎

When talking with her, she makes it clear she represents Hip Hop and its essence to the fullest hence the spelling of her name.. The 2 ‘H’s stand for Hip Hop’. She’s also clear about the fact that her lyrical prowess and ability to execute killer freestyles is connected to her maintaining holistic spiritual, mental and physical health.

Below are 3 Dope Songs from this sista who not only nice on the mic, but dope on the crochet tip, but that’s a whole other story for another day..

Noire which is French for Black is one of my favorite songs by StaHHr. Its on this track that she shows and proves that she can take your lunch money both as a skilled lyricist and as an insightful, scholarly intellectual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4OsR0aDzzA

Another dope song in that same vein is Revolution which pays tribute to the late Troy Davis who many fought for when he was on death row. In this track StaHHr shows she quite capable of shutting you down and taking your money on the revolution/ freedom fighting tip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03Eh45zc8eQ

Still Dope is produced by MF Doom and captures the essence of what Hip Hop should ideally be about..

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

Many people including StaHHr herself, consider this 2010 joint ‘Unbreakable’ to be a classic. StaHHr flow is impeccable and is paired with a mesmerizing beat that keeps your head nodding and your ears holding on the very word she spits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LctYWY9e1zE

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, 3 Dope songs Tagged With: 3 Dope Songs, female hip hop, female Rap, femcee, StahhR

Hip Hop Icon B-Girl Asia One featured in a New Film About Her Life

November 4, 2013 By mrDaveyd

Asia One

As Hip Hop History month unfolds we wanna pay respects to Asia One. For those who don’t know her, she’s legendary Bgirl originally from Denver, Colorado who migrated to the West Coast where she cut her teeth and honed her skillz with the Rock Steady Crew and the Zulu Nation..She’s been in countless videos and has worked with everyone from the Black Eyed Peas to Tribe Called Quest and the late Malcolm McClaren

She later established (1994) the BBoy Summit which has been one of the premier and dopest International Hip Hop gatherings around.. In recent years she’s been working directly with youth and setting standards with her organization No Easy Props which now has chapters in Europe.

She has been featured in Vibe’s Hip-Hop Divas book and the We B*Girlz book by Martha Cooper and Nika Kramer. Asia One is in the Freshest Kids movie.

Late this summer Asia One was featured in a short documentary called Asia One: Expect the Unexpected. It’s about her life, put together by long time writer, film maker, racial justice activist J-Love Calderon who is also from Denver, Colorado..The film was an official selection of 2013 Hollywood Film Festival and has been getting rave reviews. J-Love and Asia One also teamed up with a tech company called gravidi to enhance the viewing experience..and make the movie more interactive.. itunes.apple.com/us/app/gravidi-interactive-video/id605396888?mt=8

In the meantime folks may wanna check out the film below and dive into the unique lifestyles of the global concrete jungle led by enlightened street icon Asia One. Explore behind the scenes world of Hip-Hop culture and street dance told through the eyes of an unlikely bgirl born and bred in the Midwest.

http://vimeo.com/77825629

Filed Under: 2013 Daily News Tagged With: Asia One, BBoy Summit, female hip hop, Hip Hop, No Easy props

An Interview w/ the First Lady of South Central, YoYo

October 7, 2013 By mrDaveyd

Went digging in the archives and found this vintage interview w/ one of my favorite emcees and long time friend, YoYo.. She had been on hiatus for a while when we caught up with each other in LA back in 2005.. She was working on some new material and decided to open up and share with us some gems about her life and career at the time..

Folks were first introduced to YoYo when she got down with Ice Cube on a song called ‘It’s A Man’s World‘. It was featured on the classic album ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted‘. To say the least people were blown away with this sister who could trade lyrical barbs with Cube and as a result they eagerly awaited for more material..

Since then YoYo he went on to give us 4 albums including; ‘Make Way for the Motherlode‘, ‘Black Pearl’, ‘You Better Ask Somebody‘ and ‘Total Control’ , She’s given us a number of hit songs including the classic; ‘Can’t Play With My Yoyo‘, ‘Girl Don’t Be No Fool‘ and ‘Bonnie and Clyde Theme‘ .

Yo Yo was a breath of fresh air when she hit the scene because she was so outspoken and a strong advocate for women’s empowerment. She also introduced us to the IBWC (Intelligent Black Woman’s Coalition), wrote a number of advise columns and ran a number of Youth programs..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_3qSG4yEL8

YoYo took a break from the music for a while to pursue acting. She appeared in a number of films including; Boys in the Hood, Menace to Society and New York Undercover. She also had a reoccurring role on Martin Lawrence‘s hit TV show. and is now back on the scene ready to blow up..we caught up with her in Los Angeles where she opened up and spoke to us about her relationship with Ice Cube, her trials and tribulations in the industry, her special friendship with 2Pac and where she expects to be in 2005..

Below are the links to our 2 part 2005 interview

Click the link below to download or listen to the HKR Intv

HKR Intv w/ YoYo pt1

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HKR- Intv w/ YoYo pt2

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Filed Under: 2013 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: female hip hop, hard Knock radio, IBWC, YoYo

3 Dope Songs From Actitud Maria Marta from Argentina

September 16, 2013 By mrDaveyd

Actitud maria marta

Actitud Maria Marta is a hip hop from Argentine who combine Latin American and Jamaican music to bring about an innovative fusion sound.

Since its inception, the group has been linked to various social demands and human rights organizations to participate, through their music, in countless festivals unemployed workers, mothers of Plaza de Mayo , missing children , and recently recovered factories in the People’s Summit, among others.

Actitud Maria Marta – Hijo Mio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBqjfos2l38

Actitud Maria Marta Asi esta la Cosa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS76aFctWHw

Actitud Maria Marta Revolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHlbQvO1tfs

Filed Under: 2013 Daily News, 3 Dope songs Tagged With: 3 Dope Songs, Actitud Maria Marta, female hip hop, Latino Hip Hop

3 Dope Songs From Aid Female Rapper from Spain

September 10, 2013 By mrDaveyd

Aid

Aid aka Aid Alonso aka Alonso Iglesias is a Spanish rapper who hails from Spain. Jugando was her debut album, which was featured on the frontpage of iTunes with Boogie Vigo song as Latin Single of The Week.That year she was proclaimed winner of Heineken Greenspace festival among more of 1300 bands.

She has won other competitions like Ones To Watch of Myspaceand Marcate un Squares of Kellogs. She has achieved popularity with her first album Jugando (2009)in Latin and Spanish-speaking countries.

Aid Puedos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qN0qHkl2SI