Talib Kweli | Hip-Hop and Politics

Talib Kweli and Zakiya Harris w/ Elephantine Rip Stern Grove

August 17, 2015 By mrDaveyd

Artist talk w/ Talib Kweli at Stern Grove

San Francisco 08-16-15 In the words of Ice Cube.. ‘Today was a good day’ Two steller acts took to the stage and seriously rocked it at Stern Grove Festival. Oakland’s own Zakiya Harris and Elephantine along with Talib Kweli set a new bar for throwing down and leaving the stage hot… They did not disappoint.

It was an incredible show that started off with Talib Kweli doing an artist talk to a packed house. Yours truly moderated as we covered all sorts of topics ranging from the recent passing of NAACP chair and SNCC co-founder Julian Bond on down to the passing of his good friend Sean Price of the group Heltah Skeltah.

During our conversation, Talib talked about the competitive spirit of Sean Price. He said every time they crossed paths Price would jokingly remind Talib, that he was the better emcee.

We talked about Talib’s recent trips to Ferguson and how and why he got involved. He noted that it was fellow artist J Cole who got him to come down. Once there, Talib was stunned by what he saw and has stayed involved and raised thousands of dollars for the family of Mike Brown and a number of organizations who are trying to bring an end to police terrorism.

Talib talked about the police killing of Sam DuBose in Cincinnati. He noted that Sam was good friends with members of his crew Hi Tek and Mood. He noted that any one of his people’s could’ve been in the car with Dubose that day when police shot him in the head..

We also spoke at length about his creative process, ghost writing, regional flavor in Hip Hop and the importance of the Bay Area. Talib also announced the release of his new album which is available for free download called F– The Money.

After the artist talk, we watched Zakiya Harris, Tossie Long, Sólás Burke-Lalgee, and Elephantine rock the house in a major way. Zakiya has been working her craft for a minute, but over the past year she has taken things to new heights. Her singing is on point. Her emceeing is not to be toyed with. You will get your feelings hurt if you follow her band.

When Talib took the stage after a brief intermission he had the crowd standing the entire time as he went from one hit song after another. He too had a band that was pretty tight.

Was blessed to hang with these folks this afternoon..Below are some photos from the event

: Talib catches wreck at Stern Groove

: Zakiya and Solas rock the crowd

: singer Tossie Long adds to Zakiya’s performance

: Dancer Soul Nubian doing his thing

: Elephatine in the Building

: Talib’s deejay rocking the drowd

Filed Under: 2015 Daily News, Davey D Photos Tagged With: Elephantine, Hip Hop, Solas, Stern grove, Talib Kweli, Tossie Long, Zakiya Harris

Ferguson: Police Draw Guns on Rosa Clemente, Talib & Others

August 20, 2014 By mrDaveyd

This is a harrowing account from Rosa Clemente who is down in Ferguson with a group of folks who she names in her Dispatches about what went down last night.. It’s important to compare her account with what’s being hailed in corporate media as some sort of major turning point…This sounds like a turning point in the wrong direction.. keep in mind about who is mouth piecing for the police.. Davey D

Rosa Clemente

An hour ago, Jessica Care Moore, Talib Kweli, folks from the Fellowship of Reconcillation, Philip Agnew of Dream Defenders, Bgyrl ForLife, Malik Rhasaan from Occupy the Hood and Trymaine Lee from MSNBC and many others were chased like animals by the cops.

We ran to get away and were surrounded on a small path on bridge, surrounded by all types of police and told to lie down and put our hands up. We complied and we were told if we did not stop moving we would be shot. We were breathing. The young brother lying on my feet as I was holding him was not able to control his breathing he said “I’m choking” the cop told him to stop or he would shoot him.

I told him “try not to move, just lay still I got you.” The gun was at his chest. I looked at the cop and said “please, he is not doing anything”

I tried to record but the cop had his finger on the trigger. I could feel Talib’s hand on my back and Jessica behind me.

We laid there until one Black officer said “Let them go, we got who we wanted.” In all my life I have never been so terrified. The young brother Devin said thank you I think you saved my life. What is going down here in#ferguson in all my years of activism, organizing, I have never seen.

This is a war zone, a military occupation and our children are the cannon fodder. P.S. The white boy who threw the water bottle a big fuck you, I am sure you were an agent provocateur. But for the police to act this way, they are itching to kill more of us. P.S. Women are also brutalized and terrorized by the police, at the end all of us are Black and Brown and animals to them.

Ferguson Dispatch #1

Let me state from the beginning: nothing provoked this, the first hour we were there, we walked, talked to folks, people were moving as they were told they had to and chanting. I saw Amy Goodman, Trymaine Lee, who I talked to for a while. He was the last person I talked to before police vamped. Right before I had talked to clergy, at one point their was a prayer vigil, I observed and did not join that as the police seemed to get very agitated because people were still protesting.

I was staying observant. Talib and Jessica were in a circle with young people who began to notice who they were and I truly believed there was about to be a cypher. I kept my eye on the crew we were with; the amount of police officers was just as many as protestors. I then saw people from Amnesty International, many who I know as I used to work there. We were talking, building; they told me we would see you tomorrow.

As soon as they left I stepped to Talib and said something is about to go down. I felt something shift, as a long time activist against police brutality I have been trained by elders and my organization Malcolm X Grassroots Movement to be alert, stay focused.

I saw them raising their batons and getting in formation. As I was finishing talking to Trymaine, we saw a water bottle, plastic water bottle being thrown, people kind of looked up, turned back to what they were doing talking etc.…and the next thing police came at us like charging bulls, weapons drawn, screaming, causing mass confusion “leave the area now!” “Don’t move!”

At the moment Jessica Talib and I grabbed hands and ran. As we were running the police came from all directions and locked us down. The threats, their eyes, postures, weaponry says it all, we have the power, we don’t care how many cameras there are we will never have to be held accountable. This is one of account of a small group of us. If young people of color did not know where they stood, they surely know now and they told us as much.

These young people were tired, but they were still determined. They were deflated but not defeated. They were longing for direction and leadership that is def not coming from the older generation. They are acquiring knowledge in this moment and are awake. They were expressing their frustrations with so called leadership, the honest truth is I saw many older people of color, talking with, shaking and laughing with the police. They also seemed to be angry with the older people, yelling at them, telling them to go home, they young people replied we are home.

Many of the male so called leadership were as Malcolm eloquently wrote, acting truly like house Negroes, the were not being subversive to the slave master, but being obedient to the new slave master. This might not be the most eloquent, succinct 500 word essay, but on da real: The moment I saw that rifle pointed at Devin, the young men who was right next to me, and I looked into this white bald headed man, and I saw his eyes, I feared the moment that so many young Black and Latino, Latina men and women face, potential death and all I could think about is my daughter hugging me telling me “be careful Mommy, the police hurt women too.”

That split second you think it is over is the most harrowing, terrifying. I thought I was prepared, and I was to a certain extent, but nothing can ever prepare you for that and that fact is that none of us should ever have to prepare for it. Devin and his boys got to go home tonight. They got to go home tonight. I hope they always get to go home.

Ferguson Dispatch #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuWvg1_jZ1U

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News Tagged With: Ferguson, Police brutality, protests, Rosa clemente, Talib Kweli

On the 10th Anniversary of the Iraq War We Recall key Anti-War Hip Hop Songs

March 19, 2013 By mrDaveyd

daveyd-raider2 With the 10th anniversary of the War on Iraq upon us.. I wanted to take a look abck at antiwar songs.. Below is an article penned a few years ago for the San Jose Mercury News

Give Hip Hop Credit for Anti-War songs

by Davey D

The other night ABC News did a special report on the growing popularity of anti-war protest songs. The report focused on how all these musicians were now coming out and providing a sound track to the growing discontent many of us are having with the war in Iraq. It talked about how people are more accepting of such songs and how major record labels were loosening up in the aftermath of the Dixie Chicks who got lambasted and later boycotted for speaking out against George Bush and his policies in 2003.

The report also brought to light the impact anti-war songs had on fueling the Anti-war movement against Vietnam in the late 60s and the question was raised as to what sort of impact todays rash of songs would have.

I cant remember all the singers they profiled, but I did recall seeing country singer Merle Haggard, Rock-N-Roll icon Bruce Springstein and pop sensation Pink. What surprised me was not seeing any mention of Hip Hop especially with the exception of KRS-One, since it was artists in the rap community that up to date have released more anti-war songs and were the first to unabashedly do so right after 9-11.

The late June Jordan

If we take a short walk down memory lane, folks may recall that the day after 9-11 Bay Area Hip Hop activists from organizations like Lets Get Free, The Ella Baker Center and Minds Eye Collective put together a rally that was held in Snow Park in Oakland. Close to 500 people attended this event which focused on the loss of human life and questioned the foreign policy missteps of the Bush administration. It was at this rally that many of us heard our last poem from the late June Jordan.

We also heard an incredible song from Michael Franti & Spearhead calling for healing and peace. A couple of months later, Franti appeared on Conan O’Brian and performed the anti-war song Bomb the World to Pieces only to find that his sentiments angered producers who threatened to censor the song when the show aired. Community outrage lead to OBrian’s people eventually showing the performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA8p_BV7uD8

Early on we heard anti-war songs from acts like the Beastie Boys (World Gone Mad), Nas (Rule), Wu-Tang Affiliates Known Associates (World So Cold), Talib Kweli (the Proud), J-Live (Satisfied) and Mr Lif (home of the Brave). All in all there are more than 150 anti-war songs that have been recorded by Hip Hop artists.

Paris

The song that really made heads turn was by Bay Area artist Paris who came out of retirement and released a 6 minute missive called What Would You Do? that went into great detail about The Caryle Group, Bush’s relationship to the Bin Laden family and the hawkish action plans of the Neo-cons serving in Bushs cabinet. Paris gave the song away for free and then followed it up with an entire antiwar album called Sonic Jihad which went on to sell over 200 thousand units. Another great anti-war cut off that album was ‘Sheep to Slaughter‘.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcxkw6ChKE0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaCPUIfr8PY

Another stand out effort came from San Francisco based Freedom Fighter records who released the first anti-war compilation featuring Bay Area artists called War Times Report From the Opposition. A year later LA based Hard Knock Records followed up with a critically acclaimed anti-war compilation called What About Us. It featured stellar songs like US History By Flipsyde

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQi4BTaYLj0

The most visible anti-war effort to date came from former San Jose resident Fredwreck who has produced tracks from everyone ranging from Eminem to Snoop Dogg and Ice Cubeto name a few. Using the name STOP Movement he gathered up a number of popular artists including Mobb Deep, WC of the Westside Connection, Daz of the Dogg Pound, RBX, Defari, Soopafly, Cypress Hill, Mack 10, KRS-One and Dilated Peoples just to name a few and released two anti-war songs called Down With Us and Dear Mr. President.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKC9-9BQO5Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiBI9TJ_iQs

Fredwreck

Fredwreck like Paris gave away the songs for free and even held a press conference only to find local commercial stations would not touch the record in spite of the big name artists he had assembled. In fact sources inside one popular station in LA, KKBT, noted that their deejays were instructed not to play those songs because they were too controversial. Whats even more ironic was Fred was supposed to be profiled in the ABC story. He was flown to NY but not shown in the report that I saw.

The other irony was after ABC aired the report one of the anchors decided to comment and naively noted that she never heard any of the songs from the artists they profiled on the radio therefore they must not be hits. We could do an entire column on what goes on behind the scenes and what it really takes to get records on the commercial airwaves, but suffice to say if what happened to Fredwreck is any indication of how key power brokers at radio get down, then of course we would not hear any of these songs on radio. However, it does not mean those songs or those artists are not popular or that people are not appreciative of their songs.

A couple of other songs that got overlooked was Snoop Dogg‘s Sister and Brothers and Dilated People’s War and Channel Live‘s Mr President. There is also a powerful more recently made song from Lowkey and Immortal Technique called Voice of the Voiceless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZO0FXMFgRY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atovUH3dCgA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-mh-oAlr9c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w6rK4OkUhs

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

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Filed Under: 2013 Daily News Tagged With: Anti-war movement, Immortal technique, Iraq War, KRS-One, Lowkey, Michael Franti, On the 10th Anniversary of the Iraq War We Recall key Anti-War Hip Hop Songs, Paris, Snoop Dogg Sisters and Brothers, Stop Movement, Talib Kweli

Wise Intelligent Speaks and Kicks a Couple of Ill Freestyles

December 19, 2011 By mrDaveyd

Hip Hop icon, Wise Intelligent of Poor Righteous Teachers is one of the dopest emcees around.. He’s also one of the most politically astute….

We caught up with him the other day while visiting the August Wilson Center in Pittsburgh, Pa to get his take on staying fresh in the emcee realm and what the Occupy Movement means to him…

Needless to say Wise left us with some jewels..His freestyles are straight rewind material as they are full of relevant substance and clever wordplay..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPS11T4hrQg

Filed Under: 2011 Daily News Tagged With: Arts and Entertainment, Hip Hop, Poor Righteous Teachers, Talib Kweli, Wise Intelligent

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

Filed Under: 2010 Daily News Tagged With: Black Star, Davey D: Hip Hop's Renaissance Man is Mos Def, ISIS, Kalifornia, Leland melvin, mos def, NASA, Renaissance man, SF Independent, Talib Kweli

White Supremacists Are the Forces Behind Arizona’s New Apartheid-Like ‘Papers Please’ Law SB1070

July 28, 2010 By mrDaveyd

We are just a day away from the implantation of SB1070 which many are calling Arizona’s Apartheid Law… Hundreds of thousands are descending on the state to protest.. while hundreds of racist minded individuals including Sheriff Joe Arpiao are perched to make full use of their police departments to start jamming up Brown skinned residents.. Below are a couple of videos that layout the key forces behind these anti-immigrant laws including the collusion of white supremacist forces and the bankrolling of these anti-immigrant movement via John Tantum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H0W97tLFHY

A short educational video revealing the forces behind the aniti-immigration movement in the United States.

Join the Center for New Community to make a stand for justice and equality in your community: www.newcomm.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvBwuAtetl4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s8jgZUgGpg

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Filed Under: 2010 Daily News, Political articles Tagged With: Arizona's Apartheid Law, Human Rights, illegal aliens, immigration reform, John Tantum, Minute Men, papers Please, sb1070, Talib Kweli, undocumented workers, White Supremacist Are the Forces Behind Arizona's New Apartheid-Like Law SB1070, White Supremacists Are the Forces Behind Arizona's New Apartheid-Like 'Papers Please' Law SB1070, White Supremacists Are the Forces Behind Arizona's New Apartheid-Like Law SB1070

Hip Hop & Political News: Freeway Rick Set to Sue Rick Ross/ Latina Professor Booed at Arizona Graduation

May 25, 2010 By mrDaveyd

Like everyone I’m watching this Gulf Oil Spill and seeing all the dead oil slicked animals and hearing endless pronouncements about how BP is going to try one failed method after another to cap the leak. Of course nothing is working, everyone is pointing fingers and at the end of the day, I see more political posturing than I do genuine concern for the destruction of the environment and the Gulf Coast Economy.

Nowadays everyone seems to be pointing a finger at President Obama, accusing him of being too cool, too relaxed and not moving fast enough. I agree Obama needs to be putting the smash on BP in a big way even if they have given him lots of money in the past. After all, this is bigger than one’s relationship with campaign contributors. At the same time I hear a deafening silence from the wing nuts who showed up in New Orleans a little more than a month ago talking all that ‘Drill Baby Drill‘ nonsense. For those who don’t remember take a look at this… http://www.srlc2010.com/

That was the Southern Republican Leadership Conference where you had all sorts of folks not only championing off shore drilling, you also had folks talking about how we needed less government and how Obama was right up there next to ‘socialism‘ as if that’s really a bad thing. Of course now that we have this catastrophe we have many of those same people including Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal damn near crying on TV demanding the government step up and do something. He needs to be smacked upside the head and told made to take his words back that Drill Baby Drill mantra. I haven’t forgotten while serving Congress Jindal was riding hard for H.R. 4761: Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2006 which would’ve lifted the moratorium on off shore drilling. The bill never passed, but Jindal was a still a rider along with just about every other Gulf Coast State governor. I wonder if they’d be pushing for those off shore drillings now?

Big shout out to Talib Kweli and Public Enemy for stepping up and dropping songs dealing with the immigration bill in Arizona. Talib has a new song called ‘Paper’s Please‘ and Public Enemy and DJ Johnny Juice who had already released a song addressing the issue remixed it. ‘Tear Down That Wall’-(Aztlan remix) .They join other artists who released songs like Swindoe-(Roadrunner vs the Coyote), Toki Wright- (By the Time I Get to Arizona 2010) and a coalition of Arizona artists who dropped the song ‘Back to Arizona Rappers Against SB 1070‘ .

Its good to see artists stepping up and using their talents to address these important issues. We had a slew of artists ranging from Jasiri X to Beeda Weeda, Mistah FAB & Jennifer Johns and Zion I aka the Burnerz who all came with songs after an unarmed Oscar Grant was murdered by a BART police officer in Oakland.

Prior to that we had everyone from David Banner and DJ Shadow to Juvenile to Jay-Z step up to address issues around Hurricane Katrina. It’s just a matter of time before we start hearing songs around the killing of 7 year Aiyana Stanley Jones.

-Davey D-

Here are some stories to peep..

Rick Ross To Sue Rapper Rick Ross Over Name

The real Rick Ross could face off against the rapper Rick Ross (William Leonard Roberts II) in court this summer, over the usage of the name “Rick Ross.”…Ross claims that Miami rapper Rick Ross (William Leonard Roberts II) signed a multimillion dollar deal in 2006, based on his image and likeness as a drug dealer.

Rick Ross claims that he protested the use of his name in 2006 by sending cease-and-desist letters to Def Jam, which were allegedly ignored.

Sources told AllHipHop.com that Ross’ lawsuit will claim that the rapper stole his identity and based it on Rick Ross’ real drug dealer image in the black community.

According to sources, Ross is planning to sue Def Jam, Universal, William “Rick Ross” Roberts II and others.

continue reading here http://bit.ly/dhTR15

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Latina professor jeered, threatened for speaking against immigration laws….

Arizona Professor Sandra Soto

Last week, Arizona University’s professor of Latina studies Professor Sandra Soto took the stage to address 2010 graduates of the school’s Social and Behavioral Sciences program. Naturally, her words were timely and touched upon the state’s recently passed immigration laws that allow police to question and detain anyone who they suspect of being an illegal immigrant.

Then, she called the measure “the strictest anti-immigrant legislation in the country” that is “explicitly intended to drive undocumented immigrants out of the state.”

Her summary, while quite accurate, elicited a wave of boos and insults from the audience.

In a video of her speech published to YouTube, either the camera man or someone close by seems amused at her characterization.

That’s right!” he said. “This is ‘merica,” leaving out the ‘A’. “Cut your hair!”

“…to a whole lot of people, myself included, it appears to not only invite but require the police to engage in racial profiling,” she continued, eliciting another wave of boos.”

“Bitch!” a man near the camera shouted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSppVDbEZkg&feature=player_embedded

continue reading here http://bit.ly/d6TPlM

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Hip Hop Wisdom: Bambu Speaks on Filipinos in Hip Hop & Gang Life in LA

We caught up with Bambu at SxSW last year and he spoke to us about the Filipinos in Hip Hop and gang life in LA. He noted that he doesn’t say gang life is wrong.. He says it needs to be redirected and folks need to use their talents and intelligence to really owning their blocks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYgW5h95wuw

In our other clip Bambu talks to us about the gender politics and deeper meaning behind his song and video the ‘Queen is Dead’

continue reading here: http://bit.ly/dkAtge

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Wall Street Reform Turns Out Great for Wall Street — Why Aren’t the Big Banks Being Punished?

You would think as this 1,500 page “reform” went through (anyone want to bet if its strongest provisions will survive the reconciliation process?) the banks would be quaking in their boots. After all, they funded what President Obama called swarms of lobbyists to kill it at birth. They denounced it with doomsday language with their rhetoric helping to drive the market down. Oh, the fear! Oh, the consequences!

But then, what happened? Were bankers jumping out of windows like their predecessors did when the market crashed in ’29? No way.

WSNS reported what happened:

Bank stocks soared on Friday, with the share price of JP Morgan Chase, one of the biggest finance houses, surging 5.9 percent and helping drive the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 125 points. Other bank stocks rose sharply: Bank of America up 4.7 percent, Goldman Sachs up 3.3 percent, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Citigroup. The S&P financial sector index was up 3.6 percent overall.

The Wall Street Journal reported the rise in prices under the headline, “Financial Stocks Turn Higher After Senate Passes Reform Bill.”

continue reading here: http://bit.ly/9wcSHL

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Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Essential videos to peep, Political articles Tagged With: Gulf oil spill, Hip Hop & Political News: Freeway Rick Set to Sue Rick Ross/ Latina Professor Booed at Arizona Graduation, Hip Hop news may 25, Hip Hop Wisdom: Bambu Speaks on Filipinos in Hip Hop & Gang Life in LA, Latina professor jeered, papers Please, Public Enemy, Rick Ross To Sue Rapper Rick Ross Over Name, Talib Kweli, Tear Down That Wall, threatened for speaking against immigration laws...., Wall Street Reform Turns Out Great for Wall Street -- Why Aren't the Big Banks Being Punished?

Russian Subways Suffer Horrific Bombings US Hip Hoppers Talib Kweli & Professor Jelani Cobb are Safe

March 29, 2010 By mrDaveyd

By now most of us have heard about the horrific train bombing that took place last night (US time ) early morning (Russian time) that left up to 40 people dead. The reports are saying that two female suicide bombers commonly known as ‘Black widows’ of Chechnya. For those who don’t know Russia has been at war with Chechen separatists since the 1990s. They’ve been demanding their independence. This was not the first time the Metros were attacked. They happened back in 1996.

Aside from this being a horrific act that hits close to home and has had many of us here thinking about our own subway system and how secure they are, the Hip Hop community has two prominent figures over there when this happened. Spelman College Professor Jelani Cobb who wrote the book ‘To The Break of Dawn’ normally takes the subway at the station where the bombing took place. Fortunately he didn’t to work that morning. Also in Moscow is Talib Kweli who tweeted last night it was time to go home..As soon as word of the bombings took place, many of us immediately started reaching out to both parties who are in Russia for seperate reasons. Kweli to do a concert, Cobb is teaching there for the year. I finally spoke to Cobb last night who let us know the blast had certainly shaken him because it’s the line he takes. He noted that one of his colleagues wanted him to come across town later that day to do some business, he respectfully passed and decided to stick closer to home.

We’re be speaking with Cobb on our radio show later this afternoon. In the meantime here’s some of the tweets Jelani Cobb shared as news was unfolding

I am safe. I do use the train stations that were hit in the Moscow blast but thank god I wasn’t there this morning.

They are not saying much on Russian TV about the blasts, just that at least 40 were killed. These are major subway stations, transfer pnts.

For whatever reason even Moscow Times website has nothing about these blasts. Cellphone networks overloaded here, can’t get calls out.

Dude, there is still not freedom of the press here. they got a TIGHT lid on it. western media reporting on it.

just spoke to my Russian friends, apparently a third bomb just went off. People are suspecting suicide bombing.

Park Kultury is a major transfer point; in rush hour this station is about as crowded as one in downtown Manhattan would be at that time.

it’s horrible knowing that innocent people lost their lives today.

Here’s Talib‘s Tweets He left Moscow this morning

Thanks for everyones concern. I am at the airport on my way to NY. #welcometomoscow

Feeling blessed. Moscow bombing happened yards from the club I was at last night, very soon after we left. Counting blessings.

About to leave Moscow. Shout to everyone who came to Discoteque and everyone I met at Karma. Praying for those affected by the bombing.

Below is a video stream that is showing lots of up to date information of the Russian Metro Attacks http://rt.com/On_Air.html

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News, Southern Shift Tagged With: Black widows, Chechean rebels, Jelani Ciobb, Russian metros, Russian Subways Suffer Horrific Bombings US Hip Hoppers Talib Kweli & Professor Jelani Cobb are Safe, Russian terrorist attacks, Talib Kweli

Give Hip Hop Credit for Anti-War songs

August 12, 2006 By mrDaveyd

Give Hip Hop Credit for Anti-War songs
by Davey D

daveyd-raider2 The other night ABC News did a special report on the growing popularity of anti-war protest songs. The report focused on how all these musicians were now coming out and providing a sound track to the growing discontent many of us are having with the war in Iraq. It talked about how people are more accepting of such songs and how major record labels were loosening up in the aftermath of the Dixie Chicks who got lambasted and later boycotted for speaking out against George Bush and his policies in 2003.

We also heard an incredible song from Michael Franti & Spearhead calling for healing and peace. A couple of months later, Franti appeared on Conan OBrian and performed the anti-war song Bomb the World to Pieces only to find that his sentiments angered producers who threatened to censor the song when the show aired. Community outrage lead to OBrians people eventually showing the performance.

The song that really made heads turn was by Bay Area artist Paris who came out of retirement and released a 6 minute missive called What Would You Do? that went into great detail about The Caryle Group, Bushs relationship to the Bin Laden family and the hawkish action plans of the Neo-cons serving in Bushs cabinet. Paris gave the song away for free and then followed it up with an entire antiwar album called Sonic Jihad which went on to sell over 200 thousand units.

The most visible anti-war effort to date came from former San Jose resident Fredwreck who has produced tracks from everyone ranging from Eminem to Snoop Dogg and Ice Cubeto name a few. Using the name STOP Movement he gathered up a number of popular artists including Mobb Deep, WC of the Westside Connection, Daz of the Dogg Pound, RBX, Defari, Soopafly, Cypress Hill, Mack 10, KRS-One and Dilated Peoples just to name a few and released two anti-war songs called Down With Us and Dear Mr. President.

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Filed Under: August '06 Articles, Essential Hip Hop Articles, Hip Hop Articles 2006, Political articles Tagged With: anti-war songs, Davey D, Davey D articles-Hip Hop anti-war songs, dixie chicks, Fredwreck, Freedom Fighter, Give Hip Hop Credit for Anti-War songs, Give Hip Hop Credit for Anti-War songs-Davey D, J-Live, June jordan, Known Associates, Michael Franti, minds eye collective, mr Lif, Paris, sonic jihad, Talib Kweli

Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women

April 26, 2006 By mrDaveyd

Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women

Filed Under: April '06-Articles, Essential Hip Hop Articles, Hip Hop Articles 2006, Political articles Tagged With: Common, Davey D Hip Hop Articles-Hip Hop's Betrayal of Black women, Eve, Hip Hop news-Hip Hop's Betrayal of Black women, Hip Hop news-Jennifer McLune-Hip Hop's Betrayal of Black Women, Hip-Hop's Betrayal of Black Women, Jay-Z, Jennifer McLune, Kevin Powell, Talib Kweli, The Roots

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