Pretending you're above it will only lead to more disaster.
I'm a white man who has learned more about himself from talking to and joking with my black friends and acquaintances about our different experiences of racial identity.
I personally don't believe any form of true spiritual transcendence can emerge without first being deeply grounded in the world in which we live.
At the end of the day, transcendence in the social sphere has been most closely achieved by fascists and religious nuts.
Let's keep it real so we can get high on the incredible potential we humans share without trafficking in denial.
"Money Talks! In Support of Sean Bell (NYC) & DeOnte Rawlings (DC)"
[Press Release]
Society has a responsibility to protect all its citizens, yet society consistently turns its back when black men are killed by the police. Yet black dollars drive the American economy. It's time to send a message with money--or the lack thereof!
Black Legacy, the Black student organization at Lehman College (Bronx, NY), is organizing a boycott from May 25th to May 31st, in New York City and Washington DC, to protest the injustices in the Sean Bell and DeOnte Rawlings cases.
Sean Bell was a 23-year-old father of two who was killed by five NYPD officers on the morning of his wedding day, November 25, 2006. The officers fired a total of 50 shots, saying they feared Bell had a gun in his car; there was no weapon. Three of the officers were charged; two with manslaughter, one with reckless endangerment. All were acquitted.
DeOnte Rawlings was a 14-year-old, shot and killed by an off-duty D.C. police officer on September 17, 2007. The officer went out to look for his bike, and claimed to see DeOnte riding it; when he get out the car, DeOnte supposedly shot at him, and the officer returned fire. The gun DeOnte supposedly used has never been recovered, the bike didn't show up until several days later, there was no residue on DeOnte's fingers indicating he shot a gun, and his autopsy showed he was brutally beaten before being shot in the back of the head. The prosecutor ruled that there was no evidence to charge the officer with any wrongdoing, and closed the case.
These are only two examples of police abuse of power, sanctioned by the larger society--but can be combated with economic power. For 7 days, during the week of Memorial Day (May 25th to May 31st), people in New York and Washington, DC should not spend any money: no restaurant outings, fast food purchases, no unnecessary traveling, no shopping trips, etc. It's time to take a stand and stop supporting a system that doesn't serve all people justly and fairly. If the urge to spend becomes overwhelming, contribute instead to a community organization or the Sean Bell Benefit Fund, c/o Mitchell Law Office, 225 Broadway, Suite 1410, New York, NY 10007.
The boycott is concentrated in New York and Washington DC to make an impact, and will only last for seven days. That's about one day for every seven bullets shot at Sean Bell and his two friends, Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman, and one day for every two years of DeOnte Rawlings' life. All support and participation is greatly appreciated and needed to make this boycott a success. The boycott is a statement--"why should we support a system that says it's ok to kill us?" People in other areas who wish to participate are welcome to do so.
For more information or fliers, contact Black Legacy and a representative will reply within 24 hours.
###
Black Legacy 250 Bedford Park Boulevard, SLB Rm 205A Bronx, NY 10468 lehmancollegebsu@yahoo.com
Rod Parsley A-hole Alert: Media Gives McCain a Pass on a Pastor Who's Truly Crazy and Should Be Considered a Threat to Freedom
McCain's "Spiritual Guide" Wants America to Destroy Islam
The headline might sound like a joke but I'm perfectly serious.
Rod Parsley should be considered a threat to freedom by all sane humans.
Note: If you're into issues of demon possession, I believe Parsley is possessed by forces of evil and you should avoid close physical contact or extended exposure to his verbal flow unless you've got some heavy iron shirt training.
Well, Google finally fixed Blogger and I should be able to get up the posts that I've missed and be back on schedule with Hip Hop Logic.
Nevertheless, I'll soon be moving to a WordPress version because I think it's in almost everyone's best long term interest to find as many options to Google services as possible.
The Wild Pitch reissues, whose album cover art I posted last week, don't seem to be getting the coverage I expected but their Amazon sales are looking good, especially for The Coup's Kill My Landlord.
This actually would have been more effective without the little animated heads. Barack's got presence and timing and he's funnier without the added junk.
First Annual Washington DC Hip Hop & Peacebuilding Festival
[Press Release]
The First Annual Washington DC Hip Hop & Peacebuilding Festival features 5 Days devoted to Hip Hop promoting peace in the world!
Wed, 16 Apr 2008
From D.C. to Dakar there is only one universal language: Hip Hop. The first annual DC Hip Hop & Peacebuilding Festival will showcase Hip Hop as a cultural global movement that is transforming a generation toward a future of peace. This event will feature 5 days of hip hop events and nightly live performances with artists from five nations, coming together in one place to increase awareness of political and social turmoil in the world and the role hip hop can play in empowering youth to maximize their potential. With an alarming number of youth turning toward extremism and violence, new approaches to conflict resolution and peacebuilding must be crafted. As Hip Hop continues to spread and connect with youth on a global level it is important that this artistic cultural movement be understood and harnessed to facilitate conflict transformation and transcend conflict narratives.
The first of its kind, DC's Hip Hop & Peacebuilding Festival will bring hip hop artists together with conflict resolution experts, community leaders, educators and activists to examine what is working in Hip Hop and how together we can do more to empower and transform communities by uniting the hip hop generation. DC artists will perform alongside artists from Uganda , Haiti , Tanzania , and Senegal & Palestine bridging the divide to achieve global impact. This event is a gift to the community in celebration of the energy and heart of hip hop and its potential to achieve positive social change in the world.
Stacy Willyard Festival Director: "The core of hip hop lies within the beat, the beat is what you can feel, and it is the element that connects. In order to prevent destructive conflict we must find more ways to connect and humanize one another. Hip hop allows us to do this by finding a common beat."
DC premiere of "Diamonds in the Rough" A Ugandan Hip Hop Revolution
3:00 pm Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Kick Off International Hip Hop Show featuring Da Negus (Haiti/France), Regime Change (NYC/Haiti), Rah-P ( Tanzania ), Babaluku ( Uganda ), Flex Mathews (DC), and others.
9:00 pm DC9 Music Club
Thursday April 17
African video conference call with Kenya's Hip Hop Parliament
9:00 am Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution
Sounds of the City DC Hip Hop Showcase featuring incredibly talented artists from throughout the Metro DC area.
8:00 pm Bohemian Cavern Jazz Club
Friday April 18
Academic Panel "Can Hip Hop Beat Conflict?"
2:00 pm United States Institute of Peace
DC Hip Hop Summit & Freestyle Cipher
6:00 pm Atlas Theatre
Sat. April 19
Peacebuilding & Arts Workshop
4:00 pm Atlas Theatre
Academic Panel "Hip Hop 2.0"
6:30 pm Atlas Theatre
Global Hip Hop Global Citizenship Hip Hop Show featuring DC artists performing alongside Sabreena da Witch (Palestine), Baay Musa (Senegal), Azbac (Senegal), Dumi (Zimbabwe/USA), Bavaluku (Uganda), Rah-P (Tanzania)
8:00 pm Atlas Theatre
Monday April 21
African All-Stars "Democracy in Dakar "
12:00 pm George Mason University
This Festival was made possible by the following organizations, United States Institute of Peace, Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Project Nur, Rosetta Stoned, Nomadic Wax, and Subterranean Network.
T.I. to Headline National Hip-Hop Summit in Philadelphia
[Press Release]
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a special appearance, Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist, film star and hip-hop icon Clifford "T.I." Harris, Jr. reaffirms his commitment to community service by participating in the upcoming Turn Up the Vote National Hip-Hop Summit at Temple University on Sunday, April 20, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA. The Summit is sponsored by The Hip-Hop Research and Education Fund (HREF), PowerPAC and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN).
"I am pleased to have the opportunity to travel to Philadelphia to participate in the Hip-Hop Summit," T.I. emphasized. "We are going to encourage young people to go out to vote. I personally know the value of having the right to vote and it taken away from you, but I will add my voice to help inspire others to take seriously this right and responsibility."
Russell Simmons stated, "T.I.'s commitment to serve and to give back to the community is a shining example of the best of hip-hop. The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and the Hip-Hop Research and Education Fund continue to provide opportunities for artists and others to empower youth. T.I. will join me, Ciara, Jim Jones and a host of other artists to get out the vote across the state of Pennsylvania."
The Turn Up the Vote National Hip-Hop Summit takes place two days before the Pennsylvania primary and will educate young adults on the issues in the upcoming Presidential election. 2008 has been described as the "Year of the Youth Vote." Millions of 18-35 year olds across America are being encouraged to go to the polls and vote in record numbers.
"T.I. has supported the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network from the beginning. We are pleased to salute and recognize his leadership and commitment to help others. His presence with us in Philadelphia will greatly enhance our ability to mobilize young voters," declared Valeisha Butterfield, Executive Director of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.
"America is undergoing a profound change led by a cadre of young, talented and inspiring hip-hop leaders. The Philadelphia get-out-the-vote Hip-Hop Summit will be truly historic. Thousands will be gathered and their voices will be heard and felt by millions of young voters," concluded Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President of the Hip-Hop Research and Education Fund.
T.I. will headline the event with entertainment mogul and philanthropist Russell Simmons and R&B superstar Ciara to discuss topics that effect American youth, including: Overcoming Poverty, Healthcare, Education, Alcohol and Drug Prevention, Stopping Violence in Urban Communities, Ending the War in Iraq and the importance of Civic Engagement.
Additional confirmed panelists include: Jim Jones, Flo-Rida, Webbie, Lil Boosie, Rosci and Terrence J (hosts of BET's 106 & Park), Chrisette Michelle, Rich Boy, Styles P, Lyfe Jennings, Lil X, Green Lantern, Gorilla Zoe, Latino hip- hop/reggaeton stars Alexis y Fido; O'Neal McKnight; Emily King and NAACP National Director, Youth and College Division, Stefanie Brown.. Doors open at 12:30pm. For more information and to download free tickets, log onto: www.hsan.org.
On this rare occasion, competing radio stations, Clear Channel's Power 99 and Radio One's 100.3 THE BEAT, have come together for this historic mobilization, under a common cause, to get young people out to the polls on April 22nd.
Press Contact
JLM PR, Inc. Jody L. Miller Pamela Lipshitz 212-431-5227 jody@jlmpr.com lip@jlmpr.com
NEW YORK, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Alicia Keys has released the following statement regarding her recent interview with Blender Magazine:
"I feel it is necessary to clarify the comments that were made during my recent Blender magazine interview since they have been misrepresented.
Anyone who knows me and my character, knows that I am not a conspiracy theorist or, by implication, a racist. My comments about 'gangsta rap' were in no way trying to suggest that the government is responsible for creating this genre of rap music. The point that I was trying to make was that the term was over-sloganized by some of the media causing reactions that were not always positive. Many of the 'gangsta rap' lyrics articulate the problems of the artists' experiences and I think all of us, including our leaders, could be doing more to address these problems including drugs, gang violence, crime, and other related social issues.
Additionally, regarding the AK-47 reference, AK-47 is a nickname given to me by some of my friends in jest, as an acronym for Alicia Keys and a metaphor for wowing people with my music and performances, "killing 'em dead" on stage. The reference was in no way meant to have a literal, political or negative connotation.
The recent implications about me are too radical and too dramatic a departure from whom I have continually demonstrated myself to be. I work so hard and give so much of myself to bring about positive change to this world, and I only wish those efforts received as much press and attention as the misinterpretations of the Blender article."
Source: J RECORDS
CONTACT: Theola Borden of J Records-RCAMG, +1-646-840-5673, Theola.Borden@SonyBMG.com, Patti Webster & Aliya Crawford of W&W PR, +1-732-469-5955, Patti@w-wpr.com, Aliya@w-wpr.com, both for J RECORDS
Dare Not Walk Alone Premieres April 25th in Los Angeles
Dare Not Walk Alone Trailer
[Press Release]
New Civil Rights Film Opening in Los Angeles April 25, Documents Obama's "Gap Between the Promise of Our Ideals and the Reality of Their Time"
BROOKLYN, NY--(Marketwire - April 3, 2008) - The independent feature film "Dare Not Walk Alone" (www.darenotwalkalone.com) opens April 25 at the Laemmle Grande 4-Plex in Los Angeles. Acclaimed as "brave filmmaking" by the San Jose Mercury News, this award-winning documentary delivers a new generation's take on civil rights, set to a soundtrack that flows from gospel to hip-hop.
"Dare Not Walk Alone" vividly portrays the heroism of campaigners for equality, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., alongside grim realities of life today on streets where those campaigns were fought, in a place that symbolizes what Sen. Barack Obama has called "the gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time."
Hailed by critics as "a powerhouse of a picture... a triumph of outrage and empathy" (Aaron Mesh, Willamette Weekly); "a powerful and important film" (Orlando Weekly); "the grittiest version of civil rights history I've ever seen" (Peter Miller, Co-producer of Ken Burns' Jazz).
The film's young writer and director, Jeremy Dean, used rarely seen archive footage, like Dr. King's arrest in Saint Augustine, Florida, during a campaign of non-violent protest against segregation. Says Dean, "A lot of people who visit Florida don't know about the courageous campaign of civil disobedience coordinated here by Dr. King, the SCLC and the NAACP. Tourists of all races now vacation on beaches where blacks once braved club-wielding whites to swim."
The 1964 campaign culminated in passage of the first civil rights act after the world witnessed a motel owner pouring acid into a swimming pool of black and white bathers. The film illuminates these moving images from the past with present day interviews of the participants, including Ambassador Andrew Young, who was beaten up in Saint Augustine. In the only interview such ever filmed, motel owner James Brock describes his encounter with Dr. King.
To this mix Dean adds the perspective of African Americans living in Saint Augustine today, teenagers who see hip-hop as "the only way out" and kids to whom Dr. King's dream of a "Beloved Country" still seems like only a dream.
The film shows signs of hope, like a 2004 service of reconciliation at a church that banned blacks in 1964, but the film lets viewers draw their own conclusions about how far we've come and where we must go from here.
About "Dare Not Walk Alone"
Picked for non-theatrical distribution by THINKFilm after a strong showing at Cinequest in 2006, the film was signed for theatrical distribution by Indican Pictures after winning Audience Award for Best Film at the 2007 Deep Focus Film Festival. Written and directed by Jeremy Dean; produced by Stephen Cobb, Jeremy Dean, and Richard Mergener; executive producers are Stephen Cobb and Chey Cobb.
Contact: Dare Not Walk Alone Productions, LLC Email Contact: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=3CE98B87EFF05018
Stephen Cobb 904-377-5528 Email Contact: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=2BBA621958A6FC71
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
