HipHopMOtiVatES

Must give credit when its due. “Hip Hop for H.I.V.” is receiving local press coverage from CBS 11 in Dallas, TX. http://cbs11tv.com/local/HIV.AIDS.hip.2.801340.html The article is not too in depth and it “covers” this story the way most news stations report on positive hip hop events. It happens around the part where they mention T.I. It annoys me! Its like the news station gives hip hop a pat on the back to tape a piece paper with the words “KICK ME” written with a bold black sharpie. Maybe I’m over reacting, maybe not. Check the article and see what I’m talking about.

I know one the main criticism about hip hop is that it is materialistic and too concern with money. Hip hop motivates is about showing a different side of hip hop. So why I’m I doing post about the Forbes top 20 hip hop money makers for 2008? Simple, Common. He made the list at number 12, making$12 million tying Eminem. Common has always been example of positive hip hop and this is inspiring to see that positivity can make money. It may seem harder to take the higher road. Yet it is not any harder than getting notice with excessive violence and sexual lyrics when every one is going that route. Its like standing in a crowd screaming for a free T-shirt. I’d rather be true to myself, make $12 million, and buy the T-shirt….Company.

Click below for the rest of the top 20

http://www.forbes.com/media/2008/08/15/music-media-hiphop-biz-media-cz_zog_0818cashkings_slide_15.html?thisSpeed=15000

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT
The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet
www.dluxthelight.com

For the good of hip hop!
hiphopmotivates.today.com

This is out of the always progressive Oakland, CA. “Beat, Rhymes, and Life” uses hip hop music as therapy for students. It gets them writing rhymes and channeling their creative energy into productive self expression instead of the self destructive behaviors.

This reminds me of the work I do through Ethos. This year I want to focus the students more on the positive. Help them create songs that will boost their self confidence and get them thinking the kind of people they want to be. I’ll pitch the idea like a typical bragging song but make the students dig deeper. Run them through some visualization exercises before they write. Wish me luck as you check this article below. They have a video clip of an interview with the founder of the program. Enjoy!

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=7ebf4a3d7e1d7cf163188a4f36b2075a

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT

The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet

www.dluxthelight.com

For the good of hip hop!

hiphopmotivates.today.com

You may love it or hate it but its coming back. The “hip hop bible” returns with its 20th anniversary issue from facing bankruptcy last year. Check the link to article below….

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/features-2/121894685343000.xml&coll=7

I picked up a couple of copies from time to time. It was when the cover caught my attention (Features an emcee I liked or, hot girl in my teenage days.). I’m looking forward to this revival. The source is looking to broaden its scope of hip hop, with commentary from Michael Eric Dyson and prefessor Cornell West. Hopefully this Source we’ll bring less of the fluff and more of the good stuff while it chronicles this hip hop culture.

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT

The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet

www.dluxthelight.com

For the good of hip hop!

hiphopmotivates.today.com

With that being said, I want you check out this event. Its in the Bahamas (Shout out to Leah!) and its the Truth Hip Hop Fest. This will be their sixth annual festival held on Sept. 5th. More are in the article below, click to enjoy.

http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/publish/entertainment/Truth_Hip_Hop_Fest_Gears_Up_for_Sensational_Sixth_Anniversary-003972.shtml

There is positivity all around us we just have to look for it. Until Next Time,

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT

The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet

www.dluxthelight.com

For the good of hip hop!

hiphopmotivates.today.com

Love the this idea. Not to thrilled about the name. Of course no one would assume that hip hop is really for H.I.V. Hip hop wants to raise awareness about the disease and definitely do not  want this deadly disease to grow. Can’t you see it now on some conservative blog. “Danger! Danger! Hip hop is for H.I.V., violence, destruction, terror, and total mayhem! Vote McCain!”

Anyway here is the article. Mark your Calendars in the Dallas, TX area Sept. 14th

http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2008/aug/14/city-dallas-holding-hip-hop-hiv-concert-september-/

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT

The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet

www.dluxthelight.com

Check my new blog about the good in hip hop!

hiphopmotivates.today.com

That’s right folks Percy Miller a.k.a. Master P is the CEO of BBTV which stands for Better Black Television. There are alot of jokes to be had at this development. They all escape me at the moment, but all kidding a side. This is definitely an example of hip hop moving in a positive direction. Let’s just hope the Percy Miller is a better CEO than Master P was rapper (That was kind of funny right!?). Dub B TV (what I’m calling it) is schedule to debut in 2009 and I hope to have cable by then to check it out. It can’t be too bad, DJ Kool Herc is involved and all it has to do is beat out B.E.T. You know, Percy could of been a real no limit soldier and called the B.B.E.T. “Bob Johnson what! Yeah I Said it! UHHHHHHH!”

Anyway here’s the article…..

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ide19bac7b91209a2409443d1f1ea6d7b

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT

The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet

www.dluxthelight.com

Check my new blog about the good in hip hop!

hiphopmotivates.today.com

Before I start this post I must say Rest In Peace to Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. You will be missed.

The following is a reflection inspired by the Peace and Unity I participated in yesterday. Hope this inspires someone. Read on!

Let this be a reminder. That we can achieve more through what unites us than what divides us. We all have stories of how we got here, why we act the way we do, and why we deserve to be respected. Let us begin to listen to those stories with open hearts and minds. We will begin to see that the struggles may be called by different names, held in different communities, and dealt with in different ways, but they are still struggles. While we may not have the answers to the struggles we face on a day to day basis, the next person, the next family, the next community, the next race, the next religion, and the next culture will. We are stronger together than we are apart. Let us keep that in mind.

As we move forward towards peace and unity, let us research our history to find all the challenges we overcame and those we still face. Let us implement those lessons from the past and rebuild our present. Let us look into our present conditions for the opportunities that are hidden under the despair. Let’s look to our neighboring communities for ideas on how improve our own. We can create the world we desire for ourselves and our community. Let us look to the future, not as time that is undecided, undetermined, or to be announced but with absolute certainty. We can paint the canvas of the future and make it our collaborative work of art. With the strongest amount faith that we can muster, we will make this work of art our present to all generations.

Remember how this feels, right now. The work is tiresome. The work is boring. The work is hard and grueling. To put it bluntly the work sucks, but the results… They are fantastic. They are true happiness we seek, the contentment that is finally ours to reach. Its everything that we wanted before we knew we wanted it. That’s God’s love! Its knowing you have access to all that you need and desire just like your neighbor. Remember the joy these visions bring to this moment and let’s take it with us while we do the work. We won’t be lead astray by the tiresome, boring, hard, grueling, and “sucky” work to come. We will be fulfilled with no need for instant satisfaction, because will we always be surround by joy.

See it, feel it, keep it, and work it out. See peace and unity. Feel the emotions of peace and unity bring. Keep the vision and the feelings of peace and unity in your heart and mind while we start, continue,  and finish the work to make it reality for all.

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT
The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet
www.dluxthelight.com
What to know what’s good in hip hop? Check out…..
Hiphopmotivates.today.com

Peace and Unity Festival

Bridging the Universal Family

In association with the 3^rd Annual Youth Summit and the Millions More Movement, The Traveling Pillar presents the Peace and Unity Festival on Saturday August 9^th, 2008, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Mallory Avenue Community Educational (M.A.C.E.) Center located at 126 N.E. Alberta Street.  This is an outdoor event on the parking lot across the street from M.A.C.E. Center.

The Peace & Unity Fest theme is “Bridging the Universal Family,” and will serve as a fundraiser for the upcoming 3^rd Annual Youth Summit (February 2009) and features celebrated local and national musical and spoken word artists, as well as community activists and faith leaders.  KBOO Community Radio is a proud co-sponsor for the Peace and Unity Fest.

Invited speakers include: Host Pastor Fred D Woods (Calvary Christian Church)), Rev. Renee Ward (Chrysalis Ministries), Ahjamu Umi (All African People’s Revolutionary Party, Adrian X (Youth Task Force of the Millions More Movement, and special guest Yonasda Lonewolf-Muhammad of the Lakota tribe, who is the National Director of Indigenous Nations Alliance of the Millions More Movement. 

Featured artists include: Blacque Butterfly, DLUX the Light, Madgesdiq, Mic Crenshaw, Ro Deezy, Xavier (X), and DJ OG One, one of Portland premier DJ’s as well as African drumming and Native American dancers including, highlighting the evening will be Queen Yonasda who will debut songs from her upcoming album.

Various topics will be addressed on that afternoon including: economics, violence, farming, health, youth and elder relations impacting the well-being of the universal family. Organizers of this event hope the Peace and Unity Fest will serve as a magnet to bring the universal family together through music, entertainment and collective unity in an effort to raise funds for the 3^rd Annual Youth Summit.

A donation of $10 per adult (18 and over), $5 per youth (17 and under), and $3 with 5 or more can foods is appreciated, however no one will be turned away because of the inability to pay.  Proceeds benefit the 3^rd Annual Youth Summit and all food donations will be given to Calvary Christian Center Food Ministries.

For more information on how to volunteer or financially support the 3^rd Annual Youth Summit, contact Imani Muhammad (The Traveling Pillar) at 503-781-5313 or via email at info@travelingpillar.com. Visit their Website at www.youthsummit09.blogspot.com

The following is a response to a blog entitled “Why should I apologize for Slavery?” Before you read on I wanted to add that I don’t believe in victimizing the black experience. Meaning that we are the only ones to blame for our lack of progress in this modern day. While I understand the history of the effects of slavery, we will continue to liberate ourselves and won’t blame anybody for our reality. Enjoy!

While I agree with the main points. I have to say suffering is a relative experience. You can’t determine if or how people have suffered from slavery. The effects of slavery are more than just forced labor.

You strip away people from their land, strip away their way of life, language, and make them to learn a new language, and a new faith. You break up their family structure, removing children from parents, and not allowing slaves to marry. The list of atrocities goes on that effect the fabric of the African American mindset or psyche. This mindset is passed down through generations.

How long would it take for you not to suffer from the death of your mother, father, sister, brother, or a close friend? Imagine you had no support in dealing with the pain of that lost or worst is was clear that no one cared about your pain. Imagine your view of the world. In order to survive you would adapt to a world that did not care about you. Often your view becomes the basis for how the next generation views the world, passing on the psychological effects.

This is how African Americans still suffer from slavery and most don’t realize it. They don’t know how the institution of slavery has impacted their thinking.

Once last point, the government is apologizing for slavery not you. You are not your government. True government seeks to represent the voice of the people. No one is asking to apologize personally.
But the reason you should apologize for slavery, its the nice thing to do. You know when a friend has a something bad happen to them. It wasn’t your fault but you say sorry anyway. Unless you don’t have any black friends (just a joke, I promise)?

One,

DLUX: THE LIGHT
The Spoken Word Hip Hop Poet
www.dluxthelight.com
Check my new blog about the good in hip hop!
hiphopmotivates.today.com