Wheels | Hip-Hop and Politics

Jasiri X Know thyself 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