Where Are the Black Hip-Hop Bloggers?

The argument honest discussion between Sally and Oliver Wang, David's response and the confession at the beginning of Byron Crawford's latest review got me thinking (again) about the lack of Black folks representing in the hip hop blog world.

I offered it to the hip hop bloggers group for discussion. Join in, or keep track via our webfeed.

Comments

[BlkScholar]

I think this is a trend reflective of my own mentality, as well as the mentality of others. Many hip hop fans (and especially minorities in the inner city) are not as used to having their own voice. I would even argue some of the gangsta posturing in the music serves to cover up a lack of power/voice. This is how you come up with terms like "hood rich" (meaning you are only really rich compared to the poor people around you), and when you have guys flossing with ice and coogi sweaters...while they live in the projects. By contrast, the people why are actually rich and who have a voice are alot more understated in their attitudes, because it's so ingrained in their culture, it's like breathing air. This is why, by contrast, these rappers often talk about "keepin it gangsta", as a way to assert their own sense of self worth, a sense which is deeply missing in the african american community. So (surprisingly or not), the people who feel less disenfranchised (eg Whites, Asians, etc.)become fans of the music, and since they don't carry the baggage, they are able to speak more or less eloquently...and with more confidence and enthusiasm than those to whom hip hop music more directly speaks.

[Mikey]

For me there is not alot of hip hop to get excited about. 90% of the artists talk about the same thing over and over.

[lynne]

are you serious - are there really no black hip hop bloggers? i think they exist - i just think that a lot of black blogs are not solely hip hop. mine for example is not totally hip hop, but i've heard that professors have told students to research hip hop info and primarily feminist hip hop.

there are other black hip hop bloggers, give me a minute and i'll come back with a list.

[lynne]

ok on one hand i believe that a lot of blogs we regard as hip hop are considered so b/c they have hip hop in their title or subtitile or the blogger writes about hip hop, alot. a second thing you have going, is that all of these published writers and academics who write about hip hop or music in general are now blogging - and many of them are not white. another thing going on is that a lot of black females do write about hip hop, but the majority of their blogs are relegated to their personal lives and observations. and then quite a few of the black men who blog are gay and they also talk a lot about music, not only hip hop, but then also their personal lives and observations. then you have the black bloggers who tend to write more about racial issues and news.

and this is probably going to make me change my blog to: Lynne d Johnson :: A Day In The Life Of Hip-Hop

and following that i'll keep it gully for sure

but anyway...

ok let's see
so there's you hashim here and here http://dieselnation.blogs.com/, and there's me lynnedjohnson.com, and there's trent at beatsandrants http://beatsandrants.blogs.com/hiphop/. ok that's 3. and then i count j of hiphopmusic.com. so that's 4. jason of negroplease.com often writes about hip hop, but like me, is not a hip hop blog per so. so maybe that's like 5, plus or minus.

Following is a list of hip hop bloggers that I know are black - I'm not going to put down the folks whose ethnic identity i'm uncertain of

mike at movethecrowd http://tradermike.net/movethecrowd/

jimi izrael
http://www.jimiizrael.com/ji.html

(I think KB is black - and sometimes hip hop blogs) http://www.buccho.com/

al boogie is black and sometimes hip hop blogs
http://rhythms247.com/

corey is black and definitely sometimes hip hop blogs
http://thought.3rdeyeopen.org/

there's gotta' be more - we probably just haven't snuffed them out yet - they're just not on our radar or in our network

i know some of these college kids out there must have hip hop blogs

i'm going to link to this to help you call them out and perhaps they can get down on some of these discussions that are happening too

[sally]

i think there are a few reasons that there is a glut of white people blogging about hip hop. for one thing, due to the "digital divide" this technology is more accessible to whites who tend to either have the resources to have a computer and high speed internet, or perhaps attend schools where computers are available. i think that this socio-economic situation has caused blogging to evolve as a mostly "white" subculture. thankfully, this is becoming less and less true and when people like lynne, jay, hashim, nova and oliver keep great blogs that get attention, not just from other bloggers, but from the media, visibility widens and hopefully the world of blogging will, too. i think this is one reason that hip hip in the blogosphere is whiter than hip hop in the real world-- there might justbe more whites blogging in general.

but to take a less material view of the situation-- I think that BlkScholar made an interesting point above, which is that white people, as many in this discussion have pointed out, are outsiders to hip hop. this makes us, i think, think about it and talk about in a much different way. we are outsiders, purveyors, and let's be honest, consumers-- so we approach hip hop in a different way, i don't know if detached is the right word, because i feel very emotional about a lot of the music i listen to. but maybe analytical is a better word. this is not to say that Black hip hop fans are not analytical about what they hear, or anything like that. just that white people listen to hip hop knowing they are detached in a very real way from the artists they are listening to , no matter how much they love the music and i think we process it in a slightly different way-- not because we are genetically different or anything like that, but because we tend to be from different backgrounds, and therefore internalize and think about the music in a much different way. i think this leads to a lot of thinking and a lot of over thinking, and wanting to discuss, which leads a lot of people to turn to blogs to do this-- a place where they know there is a forum for discussion.

[METALFACE]

Mikey,

We fall for this everytime: If we don't claim the music as our own someone will claim it as their own. Then poof Elvis is the king of Rock n Roll. Chuck Berry must be like "Well ain't this a motherfather!?"

I think as black people we feel that our art is disposable. We are often quick to throw in the towel when it comes to our achievements and be on to the next thing as if what got us there never existed.

Instead of trouncing the 90% of hip-hop that's garbage maybe we should instead celebrate the 10% that is FIYAHHHH!

[METALFACE]

By the way,

I am black/AA (I guess that's the terminology we negroes use these days). I occassionaly blog about hip-hop on my site and I write hip-hop reviews on the side. I'll post a few when I get a moment.

Lynne didn't mention Ian at differentkitchen who blogs on the regular on hip and such.

[Trent]

There are plenty of black hip-hop bloggers out there representing. Sheeet, look at my "Diarists" list on my blog and there's a slew of black latino (and white) hip-hop bloggers. On some occasions, I write a post highlighting these blogs and their hip-hop related subject matter.
Some of these people are not scholars, or published writers, or people you see on tv. They are hip-hop fans, enthusiasts(sp), buyers, average Joes, like you and I.

The problem -- at least for me -- is we don't update everyday (or frequently) like we should.
And that's because we are on the grind.

Last year, I was breakin' my readers off with mad hip-hop ish. But this year, I'm slacking because I just don't feel like blogging on some days. I write/edit all day in front of the computer on my day gig so when I get home, I just want to relax.

It's not an excuse . . . it's reality.

But hell, I don't think there's an epidemic or shortage of black hip-hop bloggers . . . just a shortage of updating. They are out there, you just have to add them to your blog rolls. And every once and a while big them up in a post. I do it all the time.

Black and Latino hip-hop bloggers are out there -- you just gotta surf the 'Net. And when you do find one, link them up.

I got mad cats on my list and I don't even know any them. But I still give them props.

That's the real problem: We are not spreading the love.

[METALFACE]

Sally,

About this statement:

"[whites] are outsiders to hip hop. this makes us, i think, think about it and talk about in a much different way. we are outsiders, purveyors, and let's be honest, consumers-- so we approach hip hop in a different way, i don't know if detached is the right word, because i feel very emotional about a lot of the music i listen to. but maybe analytical is a better word."

I'm not sure exactly where you're going with this but I think what you're saying is that those who are proponents of the music can't be analytical and therefore critical of the music.

This is complete balderdash. If that's the case would a latina be unfit to critique merengue simply because she has lived the music all her life? Of course not.

Should one be leary of a white So-Cal native critiquing No Doubt?

And when you (and blkscholar) speak of whites viewing the music from an outside perspective does that neccessarily deem you authorities because you have a different take? blkscholar says the disenfranchised being spoken to are blacks who can't speak "eloquently" or "confident" about their music. I don't know. Sounds weak.

Like anyone, you're going to relate the music to your own experiences, slosh it around in your head a bit and ultimately compare it to music you know and like. And like many journalists, it may may be some comparison to Sgt. Pepper or what you know about hip-hop's "golden age".

It's no different than a black writer/blogger who going to ultimately compare it to the music this culture tells him/her who are the pantheons while comparing it to hip-hop's "golden age".

This is all to say that Black writers live here and are inundated with the same crap everyone else is. We are pop culture junkies, unfortunately. So I think its goes with out saying that our perpspective are not that far off from anyone else.

Our oracle is MTV/BET Viacom, Clear Channel radio stations, a dose of Sponge Bob Square Pants, a Project Chick novel, a little Chappelle and while your're at it throw in the occassional Drama King mixtape. Are what the majority of Whites, Latinos (throw in some Telemundo, Flaco and Gordo), Asians checking all that different this? I'd be suprised if their was much variation. We're all slaves to it. So are we coming from completely different universes?

Another question. Where are my Latino bloggers? Stand up, mi amigo.

[lynne]

sorry metalface i didn't know that you and ian were black. i thought you might be but i was unsure. and this brings up another interesting point - the anonymity of ethnic identity on the web. i can't wait to see where this discussion will go.

[eric]

not to worry... many thousands of years ago... i was black too.

[Jason]

I don't think there are very many black bloggers that blog specifically about hip-hop. My site is often infused with hip-hop music and culture but I am all over the place. I consider Jay Smooth and Ian and Metal Face to be hip hop bloggers as their focus is almost exclusively on all things hip hop or that should matter to the hip hop community.

And that might be it in my field of vision. Maybe we need some criteria of what counts.

And maybe the larger question is whether or not there is a difference in how black folks see and experience and approach hip hop vs. individuals from other ethnic communities?

[sally]

hey metalface,
no no no, that is not what i mean. i probably misspoke/didn't explain myself very well. i was just pointing out that white people come to hip hop with a different perspective than most African Americans probably do, and so this informs/effects how we think about it and subsequently how we blog about it. not that we are more astute or objective or ANYthing like that. just that we are coming to it from a different perspective. in my mind there is no doubt that proponents of a genre can make great analytizers and critics. obviously african americans and are subjected to the same glut of pop media that white people are. i was just pointing out the different perspective i have when i discuss hip hop than you probably do. i agree with all of your points above. i hope i clarified what i mean.

[Lazarus]

I'm Black; I blog.

[skaybn]

Interesting....let's step our game up.

[METALFACE]

Sure thing, Sally. I just wanted clarification.

[Andreas Thai-yan]

I am black and I have a blog that deals with Hip-Hop and urban culture as well as promoting my organization.

Andreas Thai-yan
MediaClectic

[Lazarus]

Jerome's Black, he blogs at jeromebaker.blogspot.com

[Andreas Thai-yan]

By the way my Blog site is www.mediaclectic.com

[bemused]

i started my blog because i wanted to air some of the discussions my study group was having about blackness - black life, black politics, and DEFINITELY black music. my team of crack bloggers is really shy about stepping up to the plate, but i'm finta put foot-in-ass to get them started.

in any case, we talk hip-hop a lot during our study group sessions. i'm going to start posting some of our discussions ex post facto just to give y'all some idea of where our heads are at.

big ups and respect due to ALL hip-hop bloggers, though. a multitude of viewpoints is always the best way to critically appreciate any tupic, nu?

[Trent]

Check this out:

Black Blogz --
http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=blackblogz;action=list

I stumbled upon this webring Sunday night.

I have read at least five black writers (and there are more) whom I've deemed are "hip-hop bloggers" under Mike's definition.
[Read Mike's post: http://tradermike.net/movethecrowd/archives/2004/07/all_the_black_hip_hop_bloggers_be_quiet.php#comments]

I don't have the time to sift through all 114 black blogs to verify whether or not they are hip-hop bloggers or not.

But as far as I'm concern, the notion that they ARE NO BLACK HIP-HOP BLOGGERS out there blogging, is not necessarily true.

However, we need to support one another and continue to encourage writers to blog as often as they can -- hip-hop related and otherwise.

That webring I posted above is full of black bloggers, including 35 to 40-year-old black bloggers(!!!). Even some female hip-hop bloggers.

The digital divide is not so DIVIDED or AGE-IST. We need to start spreading the love. There are mad writers out there.

Do we need more hip-hop bloggers?
Hell yeah, no doubt.

There is certainly not enough Latino bloggers or Latino hip-hop bloggers.

Is there a dearth of black hip-hop bloggers?

I don't think so. There out there but we need more to represent . . .

[Eric IQ]

Look I agree with sally on some points. I been Blogging about hip hop sence the early days and I'm a blackman. See people can say what they want to say but from my experience all the hip hop out here today is some sort of retro form industry type money making machine I feel has killed 95% of the real culture. You can't tell me nothing about hip hop that I hav'nt lived first hand. The Monster(Industy Media) did'nt give a S*** about us urban black hip hop headz until the day they seen that there was money to be made. Hip Hop was the only release we had as blacks at that time to vent what we had inside our minds, Bodies and souls.
Get it correct only about 5% of what's left of the real hip hop culture blog somewhere
in the far far away from the phoney. In the begining was the word and the word was good.

[shorty]

hip hop is pretty much the only positive thing in my life. its saved me from making some really bad mistakes. i thank hip hop for doing this to me. hola out to aaliyah's soul in heaven! peace.

[T-Square]

I am black. I blog. Up until recently my site (tiffanytrott.com) wasn't about Hip Hop anything...it was my personal site.

Since I started doing reviews and posting stuff up on the rumor tip I decided to start a new, pretty much devoted Hip Hop/Pop Culture blog (inovermyhead.net)

We are out there, but as was said earlier, there ain't a lot going on in hip hop that gets me excited these days. Its the same regurgitated crap from most of the artists out there.

When the kings of hip hop start pushing out something that is worth a minute of talk time then maybe more of us will start talking about it, blogging about it.

[Bitsy King]

Thank you, James Earl Ray!!!!!

[Christopher Kendalls]

Let's face it hip-hop isn't what is used to be. It is no longer a novelty and has become the mainstream, rather than the alternative, music genre.

But I blog, occasionally about hip-hop, but I am an african-american who blogs. There needs to be a variety in the blogs by african-americans, not just a domination of hip-hop in black blogs.

[Christopher Kendalls]

I'm a little unsure about the phenomenon of blogs being a collaborative effort of more than one contributor. I blog and I don't see the need to blog collectively, becuase blogs are free and the technology is relatively easy to understand so I figure everyone is going to have their own blog anyway.

It does seem to be that whites are dominating the blogging scene, I'm not so sure whether I would attribute this white "subculture" of suburban life to high-speed internet connections as such, because most blogs are more about journalism or writing a journal, and less about fancy graphics or anything that would require high-speed access.

Blacks do have internet communities, and web sites, it is just a slower transition to blogging from chatting and participating in the forums of the african-american based websites that already exist out there.

Also, an earlier post dealt heavily with acculturation. I think that the community needs to begin to view themselves outside of the few extracurricular activities that the media continues to push onto blacks as those few that define the african-american experience. Notably, sex, fashion, music, etc. Join me over at http://adifferenttypeofblog.blogspot.com and see what a black blog that isn't stereotypically "black" is like, what the "other" african-americans are blogging about.

Hip-Hop is important because it gives us a power voice, from a socio-political perspective, but it is not the end all and be all of black culture. Too many people are trying to push that idea onto us, particularly with younger people, for different reasons. Some of it is because of this great financial opportunity that it has become, and some of it is because there are more individuals who cannot articulate and express themselves as well as they can through hip-hop, than a lot of us would think. Often, I believe, in the African-American community, anything that gives us that voice and allows us to succeed in life is held onto for dear life, when in reality, there are millions of different ways to express one's self and get ahead.

[cyrus]

There are black bloggers out there. Even Black hip hop bloggers. Its just that people are always looking for music and fail to ralize that hip hop encomapsses a style and approach that is fluid, improvisational, fragmentary and adaptive. There is more to hip hop. Some of us are taking the elements of hip hop mentioned aboved and using them to critique politics and society as advocates for a world that allows hip hop to thrive. It really is about more than just a salary. We are out there - Keep the Faith Baby!

Holla

[tabbysmiracle.com]

Hip Hop is DEAD! Face it hip hop is POP! It's OVER! It's HISTORY now.... that may be a good thing for society but a bad thing for hip hop lovers. lets face it, the country is not NYC and Philly and LA, its everything inbetween, and they like 50 cent and rims and money and all that garbage....... hip hop is as conseravtive as Bill O'Riley! RIP hip hop, you are blessed to have witnessed the glory days of hip hop if you were born 1963 or after.....

[Cherryl with 2 R's]

Hey i'm in the house too! come check me out at the last nerve and i'll try to make a list of everyone who posted here and add you to my "blog pound" soon. also i have a brand new blog, http://hiphoppundit.blogspot.com that i will be posting all my hip hop posts, reviews. etc. too very shortly. Whoever said we are basically too much on the grind to blog on the reg as white as some white folks made a really god point.

[Cherryl with 2 R's]

"Made a really GOOD point". Excuse me... peace!

[kmarcelous]

I dunno know about you (or y'all) but I come from a legacy of people that hace a history of being stolen from. And although I admire and take pride in the strides of Hip Hop (growth, commerciaIization, pop, clothing etc...), I just want something that we can call our own for once. For whatever trendy reason of the moment I like Hip Hop in all of it;s phases. Sometimes I love her more than last weeks top 10. Nonetheless, I listen to her and pay attention to whoever is pimping her next.

And this might be abstract but I don't like to arrive at Hip Hop shows and it's 75% white--I hate that. It's not that I hate white people--'cause I don't--it's just that I have an embedded urge to be surrounded by Hip Hop and the essence of her Blackness.

One thing I keep going back to is the infiltration of Black culture by Whites, Asians and all others. No, I'm not trying to regulate the racial composite of Hip Hop. But what I keep going back to is: You NEVER see a gang of Black folk at Ozzy fest. But man,, when I hit up a PE show, it's all White! I hate that simply because when I listen to PE I don't think or even envision White people. So at the show it kinda fucks me up and makes me wonder if the White people hear it the same way I do...I doubt it. Because if they did, they wouldn't wouldn't even show up. Instead they would let me--and all the other Black folk who get annoyed in the same light--have an evening in PE bliss.

Another related phenomenon is the amount of White dreads at the Sizzla show. Wow. I mean Damn. I mean, I live in the CA, Bay Area (Oaklandish) and it's hard to attend anything exclusively Black. Yet at the same time--dig this--we as people never ever ever (or rarely) bum rush the rock venues.

And we don't sport spiked mohawks like Whites do dreads...?

Sure, I could be impressed that my culture is so admired. But like I said, I come from a legacy of people that have a history of being stolen from. And personally, from one Black Man to the rest of the world...I just want some space where I can be Black and unobserved by "outsiders."

Africa used to be ideal, but that got infiltrated too.

In the meantime, White folks and others alike can continue to jock Hip Hop, and we'll just hustle it. Pacify.

Fight the Power.

[kmarcelous]

I dunno know about you (or y'all) but I come from a legacy of people that hace a history of being stolen from. And although I admire and take pride in the strides of Hip Hop (growth, commerciaIization, pop, clothing etc...), I just want something that we can call our own for once. For whatever trendy reason of the moment I like Hip Hop in all of it;s phases. Sometimes I love her more than last weeks top 10. Nonetheless, I listen to her and pay attention to whoever is pimping her next.

And this might be abstract but I don't like to arrive at Hip Hop shows and it's 75% white--I hate that. It's not that I hate white people--'cause I don't--it's just that I have an embedded urge to be surrounded by Hip Hop and the essence of her Blackness.

One thing I keep going back to is the infiltration of Black culture by Whites, Asians and all others. No, I'm not trying to regulate the racial composite of Hip Hop. But what I keep going back to is: You NEVER see a gang of Black folk at Ozzy fest. But man,, when I hit up a PE show, it's all White! I hate that simply because when I listen to PE I don't think or even envision White people. So at the show it kinda fucks me up and makes me wonder if the White people hear it the same way I do...I doubt it. Because if they did, they wouldn't wouldn't even show up. Instead they would let me--and all the other Black folk who get annoyed in the same light--have an evening in PE bliss.

Another related phenomenon is the amount of White dreads at the Sizzla show. Wow. I mean Damn. I mean, I live in the CA, Bay Area (Oaklandish) and it's hard to attend anything exclusively Black. Yet at the same time--dig this--we as people never ever ever (or rarely) bum rush the rock venues.

And we don't sport spiked mohawks like Whites do dreads...?

Sure, I could be impressed that my culture is so admired. But like I said, I come from a legacy of people that have a history of being stolen from. And personally, from one Black Man to the rest of the world...I just want some space where I can be Black and unobserved by "outsiders."

Africa used to be ideal, but that got infiltrated too.

In the meantime, White folks and others alike can continue to jock Hip Hop, and we'll just hustle it. Pacify.

Fight the Power.

[hiari]

I think the lack of blacks repping the hip hop blog world is due to the overall lack of focus blacks have in uplifting, promoting or doing anything with consistancy

[hiari]

http://www.hiarishouts.blogspot.com

[nubianem]

Here is the coolest DJ and hip-hopper on the air, Joe Madison, "The Joe Madison Show," THE POWER, POWER 169 1450 AM - WOL (WASHINGTON, DC) www.xmradio.com also www.joemadison.com

Now let us talk. We may be enjoying the bloggin and such, but if we continue to be apathetic, blind and coward to bringing about change, we are doomed to fall victim to the coming era. As a Shangoist (Orisha,Vadu, ect), the belief that history or circumstances repeat every fifty years is strong. Hence, it is not beyond belief and evidence that neo-facism and the old facism is back. We spend too much time fronting and not enough time working for progress and positive change.

Fortunately though, people like Davey D, Jeff Chang and a new group of hip-hoppers are contributing to a positive consciousness ( www.kpfa.org 'HARDKNOCK RADIO' from 4pm to 5 pm monday to friday with Davey D www.daveyd.com )

Folks, we must work for change and I listened to Ms Cho (THE COMEDIAN) on Hard Knock radio and her regret was that there had not been an Asian Civil Rights push which leaves asians vulnerable in the US, however, in the Bay area there was a unity among Asian Chinese/Japanese and Blacks that goes back to the 1800's. The same was so in parts of Louisiana. As for the Caribbean, the strongest evidence was there. In fact, some of the top producers in Reggae music are the Kong and Chin brothers. So, we can unite to help make America and the world better. We have done it before and historically, it is a relationship that is over three thousand years long before the Black Monks and the Black Cong from Congo/Sudan, Hu Na Kunte migrated to China, (SEE "Susu Economics," pub. by http://community.webtv.net/nubianem )

[C Love]

I recently starting bloggin. I didnt think I had anything intellectual or worth while saying (on a regular basis)that is why I refrained for so long. It is such a committment. Now that ive been doing it since the summer...I love it! It is so great to just vent and not be judged- Its my life and thoughts.

In response to the person that wrote there is very little going on in hip hop...I agree. That is why I focus on what I am doing to find good music..its out here all around us. I focus on Baltimore primarily, but I think the sentiments I express are releveant to wherever.

[nubianem]

The Hip-Hop Nationalist community must get back to the business of creating rap and hip-hop that works for and with the national interests of those who are oppressed. Self-preservation must be among the first objectives of the people.

[nubianem]

Self-preservation, cultural preservation, using our common sense and using hip-hop to uplift those at the bottom is what is needed. Most of all, love and unity begins at home. We cannot 'love' and 'sex' people who are part of the system that is destroying through booty-shaking and the cheapening of our men and women.

http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/config.pl?noframes;read=69447

http://community.webtv.net/nubianem

[KEV]

THAT ATTITUDE IS WHY THERE IS SUCH A HUGE GAP IN THE CULTURE. YOU REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHO IS TALKING? BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK YOU REALLY BELIVE THAT B### @$IT! THAT MUSIC THAT YOU TALK OF WAS CREATED BY US! NOT THE PEOPLE THAT INFLUENCE YOUR TASTE. BECAUSE I GOT TO TELL YOU WHEN MOVIE PRODUCTION WAS SILENT NOBODY COMPLAINED THAT IT WAS TOO MUCH CURSING? AND WHEN COLOR AND SOUND WAS ADDED I STILL DONT REMEMBER ANYONE PROTESTING IT THEN! MOVIES TODAY HAVE MORE OR THE SAME AMOUNT OF EVERYTHING RAP TALKS ABOUT,BUT YOU PAY TO SEE IT AND JUDGE IT INDIVIDUALLY ON IT'S ARTISTICK MERIT! BUT WHEN AN HIP HOP ARTIST DOES IT THEY ARE HURTING HIPHOP? "YOU KNOW IF YOU LEAN YOUR HEAD TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THAT BLEACH OUT CHA DOME"! CAUSE THAT WHATS HURTING HIP HOP!

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DJ K-Salaam's new disc "The World is Ours" features exclusive songs from: Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Sizzla, Dead Prez, Papoose, Busy Signal, Saigon, Da Backwudz, Capleton, Luciano, and more.

"Queens DJ K-Salaam shows off his uncanny ability to blend the best parts of hip-hop on reggae on this star-studded effort. From dope hip-hop reggae collabos (Mos Def and Sizzla) to worthy solo efforts (Saigon, Talib Kweli), K-Salaam not only knows how to pick which artists to work with, he also brings out the best in them." --Scratch Magazine

"The Florida-based political rap duo Dead Prez consists of Sticman and M-1, a pair of rappers inspired by revolutionaries from Malcom X to Public Enemy. They immersed themselves in political and social studies as they forged their own style of hip-hop, which debuted on the Loud '97 Set Up tape "Food, Clothes and Shelter." They went on to work with Big Punisher on his 1998 album Capital Punishment and released singles like 1998's 'Police State With Chairman Omali' and 1999's "It's Bigger Than Hip-Hop." Their debut album, Lets Get Free, was released in early 2000. A two-volume mixtape project — Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape, Vol. 1 and Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape, Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Tryin' — followed in 2002 and 2003, boasting tracks and new productions, and their proper studio follow-up, RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta, appeared in 2004." -Allmusic Guide

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Galapagos Art Space
70 North 6th Street
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
www.galapagosartspace.com

[MalikONE]

Peace and much love.

For the sake of clarity, the following are some FAQ's for Hiphoppas who seek general knowledge.

What is the Temple of Hiphop? A Hip Hop ministry, A Hip Hop archive, a Hip Hop school and a Hip Hop preservation society (M.A.S.S.).

What is the Temple of Hiphop's function? To nurture and protect Hip Hop's cultural development.

When did the Temple of Hiphop begin? In 1996 when its founder KRS-ONE announced publicly; "Rap is something we do; Hiphop is something we live!"

What does the Temple of Hiphop teach? Ancient spiritual truths through the culture and language of modern Hip Hop. We teach average "rap fans" how to be true Hiphoppas. Our teachings are based upon the philosophy that education should assist You in becoming a better YOU!

What is the vision of the Temple of Hiphop? To establish Hip Hop as a legitimate international culture of peace and prosperity. We envision a full-service Hip Hop city someday.

What does the Temple of Hiphop believe? We believe in GOD! We believe that Hip Hop is God's response to our suffering. For us, Hip Hop is solid proof that God is real and that God loves us! Yes, God loves Hip Hop! For us, Hip Hop is indeed the "Promised Land".

What are the basic principles of the Temple of Hiphop? Health, Love, Awareness and Wealth (H-LAW). As a temple we are governed by the principles of the Hiphop Declaration of Peace and we are guided by the Gospel of Hiphop.

What are Hip Hop's nine elements? And why? Breakin, Emceein, Graffiti Art, Deejayin, Beatboxin, Street Fashion, Street Knowledge, Street Language, and Street Entrepreneurialism. As nine elements Hip Hop is capable of being lived; not just performed. For us, Hip Hop is a sustainable lifestyle; not just music.

There it is.

MalikONE
Global Advocate
Temple OF Hiphop

HIP HOP APPRECIATION WEEK MAY 13th-19th 2007

Welcome to the Temple of Hiphop

www.malikonespeeks.blogspot.com
www.templeofhiphop.org

[Hillary]

I have been looking for sites like this for a long time. Thank you!

[sveta]

I like it and the background and colors make it easy to readk

[Marenda Taylor]

I am a Black woman I blog and came across this site in my search for Black bloggers. (I blog about Hip Hop/Culture/Issues & more)

Lynne put it down with regards to the "digital divide"and resources. I believe its also a matter of visibility (web presence), and actually locating and connecting...

Glad to have found this site. I look forward connecting.

Best wishes always,
Marenda Hughes Taylor

[PREDITOR]

JUST HERE LETTING YOU KNOW ITS "ANOTHA DAY ANOTHA DOLLA ANOTHA BEAT" . THATS RIGHT ANOTHER OFFICIAL MOVE FROM THE 3RDWALL CAMP. RAWBEATZZ HAS COMPLETED THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MIXTAPE COMPILATION TITLED JUST THAT "ANOTHA DAY ANOTHA DOLLA ANOTHA BEAT". ANYBODY READING THIS KNOW THAT THIS IS A COLLECTION OF WELL ORCHESTRATED COMPOSITIONS. IT COVERS ALL REGIONS WITH ITS WRITERS AND POSSESES UNIVERSAL PRODUCTION FROM RAWBEATZZ. WITH NAMES LIKE THE AK 49'ERS, JOKER THE BAILBONDSMAN, MESSY MARV, SKRILLA GETTAZ, MARLEY YOUNG, RICH THE FACTOR, GUCCI MANE, BOHAIGEN, SLIM CALHOUN AND SEAN P OF THE YOUNGBLOODZ AS GUEST APPEARENCES. THE COMPILATION TAKES YOU FROM ALASKA TO ATLANTA ON A NON STOP RIDE FROM THE NORTH TO THE DIRTY SOUTH. THERE IS ALSO A DVD GOING THROUGH ITS FINISHING TOUCHES COMING FROM THE CAMP TO ACCOMPANY THIS WORK OF ART. YOU CAN WATCH SAMPLES OF THE DVD AT http://www.youtube.com/jamonakacuzzo. ALSO THE MUSIC IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT http://www.myspace.com/rawbeatzzproctions. THEY SAY ITS A LONG AND CRAZY ROAD TO THE TOP BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT 3RDWALL IS MAINTAINING A SOLID POSTION ON THAT ROAD. THERE IS ONLY A FEW INDEPENDENT COMPANIES THAT CONTINUE TO PUT OUT QUALITY MATERIAL ON A MAJOR LEVEL WITHOUT THE MAJOR BUDGET, AND 3RDWALL ENTERTAINMENT IS ONE OF THEM ( http://www.3rdwall.com ). THEY GOT MARLEY YOUNG FOLLOWING WITH THE MIXTAPE TITLED "THE LAYOUT BEFORE THE ROUTE" WITH DJ MACK. SO WITH AUDIO AND VISUAL PRODUCTION PLUS A ROWSTER OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED ARTIST, WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR IN A COMPANY.

CHECK THESE LINKS FOR MORE INFO ON 3RDWALL AND RAWBEATZZ:

http://www.3rdwall.com
http://www.myspace.com/rawbeatzzproctions
http://www.youtube.com/jamonakacuzzo
http://www.myspace.com/pentagonron
http://www.myspace.com/m2gent

[Karima Brown]

Does any one know about the BET Hip Hop Awards this year to volunteer?

[Usher Milk Mustache]

I think usher has a really good blog with a decent following. He's so awesome