SpeakYoSoul Live! Features: JASPECTS! The Polkadotted Stripe Tour!

DATE: SATURDAY 11/21/2009

TIME: 8:00 PM

LOCATION:


BOSS ULTRA LOUNGE
312 20th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233
Phone: (205) 326-3673

COST: 15:00

CONTACT: speakyosoulbham@gmail.com


WEBSITE:
www.myspace.com/speakyosoulbham

www.urbanham.com


SpeakYoSoul Live! features Award winning Jazz/Hip Hop/NuSoul Artists JASPECTS-The Polkadotted Stripe Tour! CNN’s Black in America featured Jaspects in 2008. They’ve got soundtrack credits on the movie Hustle & Flow and have performed for Bill Cosby!Spinning all WAX will be Atlanta’s DJ Dynamite Dave Soul-2009’s Essence Festival Coca-Cola SuperLounge DJ.

SoulfulHouse Party follows!


MERCHANDISE WILL BE ON SALE!


COMMENTS ABOUT JASPECTS:

"Jaspects, on their newest release, The Polkadotted Stripe, it is obvious that they have seen both the birth of cool as well as the future of the funk in heavy doses".

SoulBounce


"Nominated for Indie Album of the Year 2009"

SoulTracks



"This album is very original with a mixture of sounds being used from hip-hop,electronica,r&b,and soul but from jazz musicians".

Amazon Customer


"Loving how Jaspects have incorporated electronic with they're established jazz sound on The Polkadotted Stripe".


Last.Fm User


ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -
Today, Jaspects, an Atlanta-based group of young musicians who were born in the hip-hop era, fuse rap and jazz melodies to introduce younger audiences to jazz.

CNN



CREDITS:

Individually, Jaspects' works have appeared in the 2005 major motion picture "Hustle & Flow," on Chamillionaire's platinum albums "Chamillitary" and "Sound of Revenge," on Carlos Santana's "All That I Am," and with platinum recording artists David Banner, Wyclef Jean, Big Boi ("Kryptonite"), and Mary J. Blige ("Just Fine"). Collectively, Jaspects has shared bills with: Dwele, Bilal, Mike Phillips, Herbie Hancock, Eric Roberson, Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, and rap phoneme Drake. Jaspects has also collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists Janelle Monae, PJ Morton and Anthony David, in addition to Kedar Entertainment act Algebra, and Good Music's Fonzworth Bentley.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts featured Jaspects in January 2009 as a headliner for the Millennium Stage Series.



DIRECTIONS: If traveling towards Downtown Bham, take 20th Street. BOSS is just a few blocks from UAB and ONA’s Music Room on your LEFT. (RIGHT) if traveling to the Southside from downtown.

Female Beatmakers

I've had the pleasure of finally interviewing someone who I think is an amazing artist(musician and graphic designer). Ry Nea Sol! (aka MsBeatJunkie), she's a female producer/beatmaker from Birmingham, Al:

Aquarius Rising: So, when did you start making beats?

MsBeatJunkie: In 2000, while I was in college at Jacksonville State University.

Aquarius Rising: You majored in Psychology with a minor in Communications. Did you participate in any extracurricular activities that involved music?

MsBeatJunkie: Yes, I was a member of the Jacksonville State University Mass Choir and also the Campus Ministry worship leader.

Aquarius Rising: Wow, so what was your motivation to start producing your own music?

MsBeatJunkie: I didn't hear any music that sounded like what I felt, what I heard in my thoughts on the radio and i hadn't heard of any female producers out there.

Aquarius Rising: What devices did you start out with to create the beats you wanted to hear?

MsBeatJunkie: (She smiles) Fruity Loops aka (FL Studio) and a keyboard.

Aquarius Rising: What did your first beats sound like?

MsBeatJunkie: They were actually dirty south hip hop beats because that's what I heard around me at the time. The word spread that I was producing. I started to get calls and requests to make beats for national and local christian hip hop recording artists.

Aquarius Rising: Do you still make dirty south beats?

MsBeatJunkie: My music changed when I
started listening more closely to what was inside of me. I am far from the commercial tones of crunk and snap. To me, my music is "organic soul, futuristic boom bap" (laughing). I am influenced by many genres. I also implement the art of sampling like many producers, but did not always sample.

Aquarius Rising: Which artists influence your creativity?

MsBeatJunkie: Pete Rock,Madlib,Jdilla,Tonex,Sun Ra...

Aquarius Rising: Sun Ra was a very eccentric musician. Why Sun Ra?

MsBeatJunkie: Sun Ra made music based on what he felt whether you liked it or not. J.Dilla was the same way; both were led by the music.

Aquarius Rising: Technology has become so advanced now. Are you still using just the software and a keyboard?

MsBeatJunkie: (laughing)Yes, but I have other toys too. I love software though, and mixing it with various hardware allows me to be even more creative.

Aquarius Rising: Are there any female producers that you admire?

MsBeatJunkie: The Angel, she is a female producer that you dont hear alot about. I discovered her years ago while watching this movie called "Boiler Room". I was intriqued because the beats in every scene were so tight and organic; so hip hop that I had to find out who produced them and when I found out the producer was a "girl" I really got on it because I dreamed of producing movies for film and tv as well. She's really talented.

Muhsinah (mu-seen-nah), Georgia Ann Muldrow, and Angie Stone are other female producers that I like as well.

Aqaurius Rising: Have you worked with any Birmingham artists?

MsBeatJunkie: I've produced some tracks for spoken word artist Shaun Judah and have had studio sessions with Byron The Aquarius; both are very talented artists. I am currently working with other artists in the city and outside of the city.

Aquarius Rising: Have you faced any challenges as a female beatmaker?

MsBeatJunkie: Of course! Being dismissed in some way or another because of my gender.

Aquarius Rising: So, where can we find evidence of your skills?

MsBeatJunkie: http://www.myspace.com/offbeatmusiq

B'ham's Hip Hop Scene and Me

As much as I appreciate other music genres, I am still a fan of hip hop, particularly conscious hip hop. Few in Birmingham know that I was a percussionist in my high school band (Color Guard and Drum Major also). So naturally I'm into music that I can dance to, groove to or be moved by the messages of its lyrics.

Fortunately, I re-united with Patrick Johnson a.k.a S. Fly of Red Light District over a year and half ago. We were once employed by the same company. S. Fly is the first Birmingham hip hop artist that I was introduced to. Red Light District is an unforgettable group in my mind. I’ll always remember my favorite lines in one of their songs: “ I know a place where we can go, there’s nothin’ but love around, nothin’ but love around”. The track’s beat, the bass is so deep and melodic. It’s one of those songs that you just ride out to when you need to clear your head.

Since then, I’ve also met other Birmingham artists such as: Thed Weller, Byron the Aquarius, I.M.A.E, Poet John Paul, Shaheed, Supreme and Poet Shaun Judah. They performed at one of Birmingham’s most energizing and uplifting spoken word/live music events, The Latte Lounge: SpeakYoSoul Live! at Java and Jams coffee house . I saw Green Seed shut it down at the Bottletree a few years ago. I’m now a fan and really encourage each of these artists to continue to deliver the goods with sick beats and passionate messages about love, struggle, triumph, politics, friendships, foes and “things that make you go mmmhhh”.

Lastly, I think that Birmingham is filled with incredible talent. We can't forget about the ladies. The artists I’ve mentioned have all impressed me. Just as impressive is the female producer/singer/graphic artist Ms.BeatJunkie. She’s remixed tracks for artists abroad and here in the city. Her influences are cats like J.Dilla Flying Lotus, Pharcyde, Digable Planets and Sun Ra. You must experience her for yourself. She even freestyles and has a soulful, jazzy, “can sing just about anything” voice. She has her very own unique swag! You can listen to some of her beats at www.myspace.com/offbeatmusiq.

While you’re cruisin’ the web for hip hop, stop by djlovedeluxe.podomatic.com. This is my site. Yes, I’m making a really concerted effort to hone my dj skills. Stay tuned for the 69 Boyz/Flo Rida mashup. Not very conscious I know, but we all have our weaknesses! The SoulHeat mix on the site showcases some of my favorite conscious hip hop tracks and a remix by Birmingham's MsBeatJunkie. You know, it’s really cool to know personally some of the great hip hop artists and musicians in our city.

Thanks Bettina for the opportunity to share my thoughts on the Birmingham Hip Hop scene. I wish each of the artists mentioned much success in life and their careers.

All B'ham Hip Hop Roads Lead to S-Fly

After posing the question, "How would you characterize the Birmingham Hip Hop Scene?", members of the hip hop community shared their opinions. Almost everyone mentioned S-Fly, Patrick Johnson, of the Red Light District. I wrote to him and asked for his perspective. He responded immediately to my request. He reminded me that we had met more than ten years ago when he was still with the Red Light District and I was working at UAB.

Bettina...I'm a huge supporter of our music scene in general, and because I'm a hip hop artist, I tend to take my hometown hip hop a bit more personal than some others may. I honestly think the current scene reflects the national music scene as a whole - we still tend to try and make music that sounds like someone else's. I don't think rappers WANT to make music that sounds like someone else's (at least not initially), but the pressure from radio, video outlets, and even the (local) audience we play for often demand songs about getting money, what money allows us to do/have, or status... almost anything negative about hip hop can be funneled right back to the "money" category.

This is only 1 example that keep the hip hop community from standing out or being heard on a larger scale (there are several). THERE ARE SEVERAL ARTISTS/EVENTS that promote good hip hop music, and there are various artists from the city who are excellent examples of new, fresh sounds and approaches to the music that intrigue audiences without radio play or videos.

The best part about the current scene for me is that the scene has actually grown up. In 1992, when Southern Comffort started, the scene was more like a toddler.... we had studios where we could book time and a network of outlets to produce quality work, and we were all "learning the system".

Somewhere around 1998-99, rappers like Supreme (Eargasm), Superking and B. Moe (Last Sunday Showcase), and Red Light (Love Jones @ Phoenix) hosted regular events that promoted not only the artists who came through, but hip hop culture AND the Bham scene as a whole. We no longer booked studio time - the PC had become affordable and we now had home studios and the knowledge to use them. This was our adolescent age... we were now promoting events, booking our own venues, and showing our independence.

Nowadays, Supreme has his own hip hop show, I've produced documentary and soundtrack music, Superking and Big Creed started award shows for the local scene, and several hip hop artists are involved in civic/mentoring projects. We produce our own shows if/when necessary with no problem, buy and/or produce our own advertising, create, shoot, and edit our own videos. We are in a much better position than we were almost 20 years ago! Our #1 problem right now is being ORIGINAL whenever we produce this quality work....what's the sense in producing your very own Gucci Mane record when Gucci Mane already has one out? Shout out to Ike Gi Jones and the Battle C.A.T.S., John Woodlawn, 7even, Big Chuck Ent, Murc Camp, Code, Thed Weller (old head, new name) and a host of other "newer generation" Bham scene hip hop brethren that keep fresh creative sounds and ideas, and can rock a show without rapping over the words in the track (a new phenom, requires a different post altogether). RESPECT to all the pioneers of this scene, from Cozmo Flex and Kid Fresh, to L.O.D., R.O.A., Attitude, Supreme, and so many others (emcees and dj's alike).

Yes, long winded....but like I said, I love this scene and will always promote it. I'm not leaving.

Please check out the link to Mr. Dial Has something to Say's Emmy nominated soundtrack by Patrick Johnson.

Thed Weller on B'ham Hip Hop

In Thed Weller's own words...

Ah...Hip Hop in Birmingham. For me, I won't go back to what it "was" I'll write about what "it is"... Alive! But before you can accurately talk about something I feel it important to define what it is you are talking about. What is "Birmingham Hip Hop"? For the purposes of this blog entry I'll define it as, "art inspired by life; usually but not limited to artists from the less privileged population*." There is a thriving hip hop scene in Birmingham now, but it's sometimes difficult to find "the scene" because of several factors. If you don't limit yourself to only the people/artists you already know of and you don't limit yourself to only attending events at certain venues, you'll find many talented and exciting artists in and around The Magic City. If you trust your friends and are willing to be exposed to "new" music and/or culture, then, when you hear or read that there is something going on at a spot that you may have never heard of, go check it out. That's how I've come to know and enjoy Birmingham Artists like, R-Tist, Constantine the Emcee, DJ FX, ComplEt, Biti, 7even, Alabama Power, Tig Knight, Attitude, Jr. Star, etc. the list could go on and on.

One of the factors that limits the strength of the "hip hop" scene in our city is money. Many people are not willing to pay to be entertained by hip hop artists and many artists are tried of having "good exposure opportunities" with no monetary compensation.

Another factor is much of "rap music" today is looked upon by "the powers that be" and many others as a 2nd class, 2nd rate form of music. I once performed at The Civil Rights Institute a cappella and was well received. After my performance I engaged in a conversation with two older gentlemen and was asked "what else did I do?" I told them that I was a rapper and the entire tone of the conversation changed. One of them told me, "I hate rap. They can throw it all in the ocean." He then proceeded to walk off. He had just told me how much he enjoyed my work but when he found out I was a "rapper", he instantly didn't like my music.

Yet another limiting factor is technology. Ironic because it would seem that with the explosion of social networking, it would be a unifying force, right? Well, it's so easily accessessable now, everybody is doing it. Rappers & Producers are a dime a dozen & everybody's got an agenda. It's hard and time consuming to murk through everybody that's got a CD out to find the stuff you might like. When artists had to make more of an investment in their art by purchasing studio time and what knot, fewer artists could get their product out and so, it was easier for the public to get familiar with the limited local talent that had product to offer.

Radio doesn't help either. There was a point in the not so distant past when the people at your local radio station pretty much played what they wanted to play. Now, it's more limited as to what DJ's can get on the air. Radios play what people know because that's what keeps people from changing to another station and finding a familiar tune.

Politics also is limiting the current Birmingham Hip Hop scene. Everything is political. "If you didn't come to my last show, then I'm not coming to your next show and vice versa. If you don't have me on your "top friends" on myspace, or write back under my status on facebook or chime in on what I'm doing on Twitter, you're pretty much dead to me." Many artists produce and promote their own shows, other artists come out to the shows to show "support". This "support" is really an unspoken "quid pro quo". Most artists, if they're being honest, are hoping that when it's their own show that's being promoted, if nothing else, all of the artists they've supported will come out and show up to support them. The truth is that "we" (the artists) should be able to bring enough people that we don't know out to a show so that it really doesn't matter either way if other artists come or not. This leads me to the last "limiting factor" I'll write about in this entry.

The people of Birmingham are not avid "hip hoppers". Just because their listening to 107.7 on Saturday mornings don't mean their coming out to see live hip hop music when it's available in the city. I'm not exactly sure why this is but I do know that it is. I've gone to show, after show, after show and see 20 or 30 people in a spot that should be filled with at least a hundred or more. And not just "ATL-auto-tuned-snap" type rap but real hip hop shows with Emmy Nominated Artists, a real scratching DJ, a Beat Boxer, Live instrumentation and back up singers for FREE! In Birmingham, it's very hard to get people to come out to enjoy this form of music live.

So, what's the Hip Hop scene in Birmingham like? It's alive but it does need watering. So, if you're reading this, do us all a favor and find out how you can help "water the good seeds" of hip hop when you can.

~Thed Weller

*by less privileged I don't necessarily mean poor or uneducated just people that can tell you how life for them ain't been no crystal stair.www.thedweller.com%5D
Source: www.thedweller.com

B'ham's Own Hip Hop Historian

DJ Supreme is known around the Birmingham area for his Classic Hip Hop Show on 107.7 FM. Every morning from 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Birminghamians and on-line fans are taken back to the '80's and '90's with old school hip hop music and history. Below he shares little known facts about Birmingham's Hip Hop History.

The Birmingham hip hop scene seemed to lack trendsetters. I noticed this when I was an artist (yes, I did and occasionally still do rap) on the B-ham scene in the mid to late '90s. I officially arrived in Birmingham via Butler County, AL via Detroit, MI in '96. Prior to that year I spent 4 years at the University of Montevallo.

My first Birmingham hip hop experience was at a Luke (Campbell) show at Mama's and Sons where Legion of Doom was the opening act. Didn't get to see them perform because the members of the group got into an all out bar fight with a rival group.

While at UM I met and bonded with Patrick "S-Fly" Johnson. (His future wife also attended UM.) At the time we were still trying to gauge what our place would be in the hip hop world. His group was still known as Southern Comfort and hadn't officially become Red Light District. I was part of a group known as Joint Effort. They were working on "I Know" while I was crafting "Supreme's Lounge" (my first solo LP) in my dorm room.

Patrick and I pretty much forged a friendship that is still strong to this day and we reminisce about our humble beginnings in this game. Our triumphs always seemed to parallel each other. "I Know" became a Birmingham anthem long before the BA Boys (no disrespect). At the same time, I obtained a considerable amount of fans on the talent show circuit, namely Chris Coleman. He may not remember this but when we first met, I had won a talent show he was judging. I congratulated him for his appearance on KRS ONE's album that year. It caught him off guard because I don't think he thought anyone in Birmingham would appreciate that accomplishment let alone pay attention to it.

From there my demos were forwarded to folks like Kori White, B-Brian, and Dwight Stone and subsequently I ended up doing intros for those jocks. There was a time when I actually had an intro on every jocks show. 5 times a day, 5 or 6 days a week, my raps would be the first thing you hear before a DJ popped the mic. I utilized that recognition to secure a career in radio.

In '99, I realized it was time to fill the void, and The Eargasm was born. As Chris said, most of the emcees in B-Ham emulated what they heard from our neighbors in ATL. We didn't play that at The Eargasm. You either had to be original or get booed off the stage. That's how serious it was. I still take pride in the fact that The Eargasm was the only place you could get real hip hop culture. We had emcees and crews like The Metaphizx and Abstract Chemistry. We also introduced the city to DJ's like F/X, Heron and Rahdu, as well as b-boy crews like BMW Crew. It was a proving ground, a battlefield of sorts, and it came naturally. When we chanted "Who's next? Who's next?" and it was your turn to rock the mic, you better have all the showmanship, rhyming ability, and crowd control in your arsenal. Lack of any of this spelled disaster, but if you came with it, prepare for ghetto stardom. Just ask Attitude or R-Tist, two of many emcees to sharpen their skills on The Eargasm stage. Two emcees with styles all their own.

I often boasted that we were the "world famous" Eargasm, simply for the fact that out of all the national acts we featured (peace to Ishues, Lacks, and Onebelo) nothing made me more proud than when we got a visit from the New York City Breakers and they battled our very own BMW Crew. That was a memorable night and NYC Breakers enjoyed the experience.

I often dream of bringing it back like it was, but that will never happen due to the climate of the game right now. I attempted to bring back the Eargasm last year. I even got Akil The MC from Jurassic 5 to perform. No one showed up, only a few of my old Eargasm fans who were nostalgic for the old times.

I think the hip hop fans of today are so stuck on everyone sounding alike that they are numb to it. There was a term used back in the day for this cardinal sin: BITING. Back in the day biting was a serious no-no and if you were caught doing this the repercussions were often times severe. Nowadays it's commonplace to use each others sound, even rhymes. So much to the point that some of our pioneers like Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J succumb to this by having T Pain or The Dream on their records so they can be relevant to today's fickle hip hop audience.

I interviewed Biz Markie last year and in this conversation he recalled an incident where an emcee was caught biting and ended up getting robbed and catching a beat down. Maybe we as authentic hip hop practitioners need to go back to this type of severity, at least by addressing it. Nowadays though, you can't be critical of today's hip hop without being labeled a hater. Jay Z made a valiant effort by dropping "Death of Autotune", but it's sort of contradictory because he still works with Kanye West, one of autotune's poster children. I have yet to hear Birmingham's artists embrace the autotune trend, but give it time. Like Chris said Birmingham is usually late on everything.

For more info on the history of the career of Supreme, check out:
http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Supreme

also check out:
http://www.the-eargasm.blogspot.com

Remember when the DJ was featured in songs? Ever wonder where Missy gets her intros? Click here to listen to Request Line.

B'ham Hip Hop: Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

Homegrown and transplanted members of the Birmingham area responded to the post Birmingham's Hip Hop Scene. DJ 'Warm It Up' Chris Coleman shares his thoughts below.

Wow!! What defines the hip hop scene for Birmingham? Hmmm that's a good but complex question because the Hip Hop artists here in Birmingham have not defined themselves...Besides Patrick Johnson(S-Fly in Red Light District) NONE of the Hip Hop Artists stand out. They all sound like Atlanta to me, I am being truthful, I am not stepping on anyone toes and I'm not calling anyone out, but I am an OG in this game...one of the GODFATHERS of hip hop here in Birmingham so I can speak on it.

I don't think these artists know what the essence of Hip Hop is...now lets get one thing straight if you think that Lil Wayne is the greatest rapper alive..then you got to be 14 years old...Lil Wayne is not in the top 20 of the greatest rappers of Hip Hop. A lot of our Hip Hop artists gauge their careers off what's out today and what's out today is NOT a good look at all. One thing that made hip hop stand out is that every artist had their own sound and brand. You could tell the difference from Run-DMC and Whodini, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 to the Sugar Hill Gang, Kurtis Blow to LL Cool J...they all sound different but they stood out! Nowadays...EVERYBODY is T-Paining except Jay-Z(thank god for JIGGA!), and maybe Common, Talib Kwelie and Slum Village!

I had a conversation with some people in the industry and I told them that I don't think there is an artist out today that I'll be able to play 10 years from now and pack the dance floor..But If I play Peter Piper, Friends or 5 minutess of Funk at a party this weekend (oh by the way these are hip hop CLASSICS) I bet I'll pack the dance floor.

I bet there's not a Hip Hop artist in Birmingham that can tell me the MOST important element of Hip Hop...and I'll give you a hint...None of them HAVE ONE!

Now there are some artists here that have potential..like Modesty XO...that's my man...got a lot of heart and talent, just got to channel that energy in another direction. A lot of you guys might not know this but I am a core DJ..one of the originals...Tony Neal is my DAWG!! I had it fixed up where we were going to do a Birmingham night at his conference(where about 700 DJ's attend). The cost was 5g's, I contacted some of the well known artist here and all but about 3 of them backed out. I was like, maybe being heard by 700 of the top DJ's in the country wasn't appealing to them. If I would've gave Supreme, Red Light, ROA and PTG that deal 10-12 years ago it would've been on!!

Just getting your record on the radio in Birmingham is not the answer...Birmingham is ALWAYS late on everything, it's time to tell your story to several millions. Once you make it away from here...Birmingham will have your back...just ask Reuben! I might sound hard on our up and coming artists here in B'ham but y'all know that it's out of love and I love every last one of ya'll and you know it, keep in mind..we got a Soulja Boy, we got a Lil Wayne, we got a Lil Jon...Just be you and define yourself as an original...

Peace to Supreme, Red Light District, Dirty, ROA, PTG, Pop Boogaloo, The MC Crew and ALL the Pioneers who remained true to hip hop..it's essence and it's elements..so Bettina in a nutshell the Hip Hop culture in Birmingham will remain stagnant until one of our up and coming artists git up get out and get something!!

Last Night a DJ Saved My Life by Indeep.

Also this week: DJ Supreme, Thed Weller, S-Fly and more....

The Birmingham Hip Hop Scene

Lately, I have been getting a lot of announcements regarding hip hop music and spoken word events in Birmingham. There are several cafes and night clubs that are hosting events. Malcolm's Reading Room is holding events. The Birmingham Museum of Art has even gotten into the game. So when one thinks of the Birmingham Hip Hop Scene, what comes to mind?

What is hip hop? So many people think of hip hop as rap music only. You betta ask somebody. If you ever attended the Hip Hop Summit at UA, you would know. Most people don't think of the poetry, the graffiti, the moves and the gear. Since I was living in Birmingham at the time that popular hip hop music hit the radio, it started with Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and Kurtis Blow for me. My uncles liked to DJ so we listened to music all of the time. I also recall my cousin Ced performing "Rappers Delight" at all family fish fries and card games.

The Original Homeboy, Chris Coleman, 'Soul Night' DJ at Holiday Skating Rink on Valley Avenue, always had a spot for rap. He was always featured at the 'blue light in the basement' parties in the Thomas' basement in Fairfield too. Holla Fairfied, Ramsay and John Carroll! Since I had cousins on the East side, we also hit Skate Haven from time to time.

Eventually, Rap City and Yo MTV Raps made hip pop more visual. Hip hop is considered a New York creation. New York urban life portrayed through video was emulated all over the country and eventually the world. The dancers, the graffiti artists, the rappers and the DJ's were imported to us on a daily basis. Movies such as Beat Street, Krush Groove and more recent flicks such as Brown Sugar and Love Jones made additional imprints of hip hop.

The Hip Hop Diaspora, mostly rap music, exploded in other large urban centers such as Los Angeles, Oakland and Miami. Chicago, Atlanta, and even St. Louis would claim some well known rappers. Each region had a distinct sound. LA became known for Gangsta Rap. Oakland had an eclectic mix in my opinion ranging from MC Hammer to Digital Underground. The Miami scene was known for 2 Live Crew. You may recall their beef with Tipper Gore. The southern scene, known as the Dirty South, gave rise to a group of young rappers. T.I., Ludacris and even more mainstream R & B artists like Usher and TLC grew out of the southern Hip Hop scene. Missy Elliot and Pharrell were representin' the Tidewater area.

In the mid-nineties, as a result of a connection to the Seventh Sun, I recall going to spots such as the Cipher in Fairfield and the 22nd Street Jazz Club. Daagye Hendricks opened her family's doors at Harambee Room where many poets were introduced to a broad Birmingham base for the first time. I still remember a call and response poem, "Can I Kick It." Daagye also opened her doors and forced some of us to show up to hear Just a Few Cats featuring a local singer by the name of Ruben Studdard. Perhaps that will appear in another post.

So how would one characterize the Birmingham Hip Hop Scene? Stay tuned for local rappers, poets, DJ's, musicians, artists and fans to share their perspectives--past and present. In future posts, you will hear from Chris Coleman, Real Life Poets, DJ Supreme, Jona Crooner and more...

What characterizes the Birmingham Hip Hop Scene for you?

For more information on the history of rap, check out Kurtis Blow's History of Rap Music.

Click here for more posts on the Birmingham Hip Hop S

Poetry and Music Festival at Malcolm's Meeting Room

Are you living under a rock and unaware of Birmingham's diverse culture? If I were still teaching African American Studies, this would be a required event. Birmingham's Civil Rights District is ALIVE!

Per a Facebook invitation from Sharrif Simmons: Enjoy a mix of music and poetry July 10 -12 at Malcolm's Reading Room featuring Def Jam Poet/Apollo Winner/Author Jessica Care Moore, The Sharrif Simmons Experiment, The Common Ground Collective, Sparlha Swa, S.Fly of Red Light District...Weekend/Daily Passes available at malcolmsreadingroom.com, Malcolm's Reading Room, Charlemagne Records, Greencup Books, Dreams Salon, and Matthew's Bar & Grill

HipHopistan: Intersection of Turkish Culture and Hip Hop

HipHopistan: Representing Locality in a Global City is a documentary by Cigdem Akbay. I have been sitting here attempting to write an objective post about the documentary, but I can't. Cigdem is one of my former interns. We worked together nearly a decade ago when I first started Diversity UAB and a community program called Diversity University. She was engaged in cross-cultural studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and willing to provide assistance to programs in their infancy.

I remember when she was taking a new course in Guerilla Filmmaking. It was a course that taught amateur filmmakers how to make ethnographic films. Emphasis was placed upon the story, not necessarily the film. However, to the delight of the instructors--Rosie O'Bierne and Michelle Forman, they developed many budding filmmakers. Some of the student films have been submitted to local festivals such as the Sidewalk Film Festival and on to national and international festivals.

HipHopistan reflects what I know of Cigdem. Her background as a transnational, a person with roots in her parent's ancestral home and the U.S., helps her delicately describe the intersections between U.S. and Turkish Hip Hop movements. Cigdem was raised by parents of Turkish descent who moved to Huntsville, AL. She spent significant time in both Turkey and the U.S. As a music documentary junkie who used to spend entire Saturdays watching VH-1 Behind the music, BET, and now TV One's music documentaries, I must say that Cigdem's background in cultural studies adds a layer of complexity that sets this film apart.

I recall her descriptions of Turkish culture as European and Asian. She talked about the Grand Bazaar as a symbol of this cultural juxtaposition. I was reminded of her observation in the introduction of the film. It features a rap song that mentions Turkey's unique geocultural status.

The film describes the Hip Hop movement in Turkey from various vantage points. She even interviews Turkish American and Atlantic Records co-founder Amhmet Eregun. Name not familiar? Watch the Ray Charles film starring Jamie Fox.

Besides the fact that I was able to offer practical experience for her interests, Cigdem and I always seemed to relate well to one another. This film includes an intersection of an American art form that grew out of an underground movement in mostly black urban communities with a country on the other side of the world. I don't recall if we ever discussed the significance of Hip Hop when I was growing up. Of course the incarnation of Hip Hop today differs significantly from the Hip Hop of my youth. However, the underground nature of the movement and the generational divide between Turkish youth and their parents' generation is quite familiar to me.

Although the film was released in 2006, it speaks to some of the thoughts I have been having lately. Cigdem contacted me just after I had made several statements to friends on the global power of Hip Hop. I think I was watching America's Best Dance Crew reruns and the fact that few of the top contestants were members of the culture where Hip Hop originated. I was also thinking about a visit that I had made to Southern Africa. The young people often asked whether or not I knew Ludacris and Beyonce. A visit to Japan in the mid-nineties hinted to the power of Hip Hop among Japanese youth.

In addition to her mother's Baklava that I still dream about from time to time and the Evil Eye ornament she hung in my office, I have a film that blends aspects of both of our cultures.

Job well done Cigdem.

Clogging Meets Hip Hop

I was so excited when I saw cloggers from Alabama on America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC). I love all forms of dance, but I have never tried clogging. Dynamic Addition, a group from Winfield, AL, was so talented. I was on my feet for just about every performance. It was amazing to see these performers and their success at incorporating hip hop into their moves. I really want to see them in person. Perhaps I will stop by their studio on my way to Memphis.