Leland melvin | Hip-Hop and Politics

April 18, 2012 By mrDaveyd

This week has been adventurous in the world of Hip Hop. Many of us woke up Monday morning enthusiastically talking about the larger than life hologram of the late 2Pac Shakur shown in the middle of a performance of Dr Dre and Snoop Dog at the Coachella Music Festival. It was an incredible feat, and while it was not the first time or specifically unique that a hologram was used, Hip Hop did what it always does… it flipped the script and opened up doors along with people’s minds as to how such a tool could be used from here on out.

It should also be noted that Dr Dre spent close to a 500k on the effect, sought permission and received the blessings from 2Pac’s notoriously protective mother Afeni to do the hologram. She thought it was amazing. I reached out to Pac’s brother Mopreme, he too thought it was great. The big question on everyone’s mind is will the 2Pac hologram go on tour? From what we’re hearing that’s about 90% supposed to happen.. Why wouldn’t that happen considering how much money was spent and the excitement it generated? The bigger question is will this ‘special presentation’ get quickly played out? I don’t think Dr Dre or Afeni will allow that to happen to 2Pac, but there are many music industry executive who see dollars signs before artistic creativity who are known for running things into the ground who might kill this potential golden goose of a technology before it gets off the ground.

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

Some thought the hologram while fascinating was creepy. The thought of bringing 2Pac back to life and having it look so realistic messed with more than few people’s minds. Others expressed concern that holograms will soon replace live musicians.. Time will tell..

One thing that should be noted, bringing people back to life to ‘perform’ at concerts is not unique. We saw singer Natalie Cole do this 20 years ago in 1992 during the Grammys. Cole did a duet with her deceased father the great Nat King Cole of his signature song ‘Unforgettable‘ People loved it..At that time there was talk of doing more duets where live performers were magically matched with those who were deceased.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THnGZuN0RbE

We saw numerous folks work this formula including P-Diddy who during his concerts would often show his friend the late Notorious BIG on a big screen doing songs like ‘Warning‘. Over the years we’ve seen the late Big Pun come to life at concerts. Overshadowed by 2Pac’s hologram was the late Nate Dogg who was plastered on the screen performing with Dre and Snoop.

Mos def

With respect to the hologram, not to take anything away from Dre and Snoop’s gallant efforts, but Mos Def beat them to the punch when he appeared before a number of inner city youth last year in Oakland along w/ African-American astronaut Leland Melvin. It was a part of NASA’s ISIS program and the goal was to get kids interested in science. There was a lot of excitement and planning that went into this hologram presentation. The audience was awestruck and inspired.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsmDSBpXwR8

All in all, hats off to Dre, Snoop and the team at Digital Domain Media Group and AV Concepts that put together the hologram effect. DDMG are insistent that people understand that it’s not a true hologram which is 3 dimensional but a 2 D rendering..It’s based on a 19th century illusion trick commonly known as Pepper’s Ghost . Many reference performances by Madonna, De La Soul and the Gorillaz in 2006 as examples of where it was used… In any case it was innovative and we can only hope that spirit of being creative grows.. From what we understand Dr Dre has big visions for the hologram technology.. who knows, maybe that long awaited Detox album will come as a hologram.

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

September 8, 2010 By mrDaveyd

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

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

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

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Will the 2Pac Hologram Go on Tour?

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