Music CD (Review by Steve Greaves)
Immortal
Technique: Revolutionary Vol. 2: Viper
Records
Growing
up on the streets of New York, the young man became enamored with Hip
Hop culture, writing graffiti and starting to rhyme at an early age. Although
he frequently cut school and ended up being arrested time and time again
for his wild behavior, the kid still managed to finish high school and
got accepted to a state university....
One of the rites of passage in establishing oneself
in the Hip Hop community is following in the steps of those who made their
name in lyrical warfare before you. 
Immortal
Technique quickly became known throughout the underground. His brutally
disrespectful style was trademark, and it was not long until he had
won countless battles not just on stage and in clubs, but on the streets
whenever a random cipher would pop up. From Rocksteady Anniversary,
to Braggin Rites, SLAM DVD's and hookt.com's infamous
battles, he established himself as someone who could captivate a crowd
and who people looked forward to seeing. But it was then that Technique
realized what every battle champion had come to terms with before him,
battles was just that, battling, and not synonymous with success at making
music. 
Turning his eye to production and touching up some of the songs he had written in prison he now focused on trying to get an album together, but major labels wanted a more pop friendly image and were uncomfortable with his hardcore street style that was complemented by his political views. In response to their lack of vision, Immortal Technique left the battle circuit and released his critically acclaimed Revolutionary Vol.1, which at first moved 3000 copies, but to date has moved more than 12,000. This earned him Unsigned Hype in the Source (11/02) and numerous articles in Elemental & Mass Appeal.
Preview sample Audio Clips Immortal Technique: Revolutionary Vol. 2--Immortal Techniques' Website
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on " Immortal Technique: Revolutionary Vol.
2: Viper Records
to bryworld@aol.com
"Adopted
By Aliens" is Shawnee and Shawnelle's Gibb's
current animation project. It's an original
animated web cartoon series that follows the adventures of a 12 year-old
adoptee girl Whitney Ward and her new extraterrestrial family
is a web cartoon geared for younger
audiences. Join Whitney, The Aliens, and a cast of memorable characters
as they all try to co-exist in the same unpredictable world! "Adopted
By Aliens" promises to entertain audience of all ages and
tickle your funny bone--unless, of course, you're an alien and you don't
have one!
"We became very interested in Flash animation
in 2001. I had taken an Interactive Cinema class at San Francisco State
which taught me some of the basics of using flash for video. I read books
and taught myself how to use Flash for cartoons and not long after, Shawnelle
followed suit." 
Shawnee Gibbs works collaboratively with her
twin sister, Shawnelle Gibbs, on small video and animation projects.
They have always loved to draw, ever since they were little ones (they're
in their 20s now).
They are pursuing film-making as a career. Although they graduated with degrees in Cinema, their focus was strictly traditional film production. "So, much of what we know about animation, we've taught ourselves," says Shawnee. And if proof was needed of their self-taught 'Tooning skills,' there's a site about their imaginative web series; Adopted By Aliens. Doesn't the cool title just make you want to visit it?
"Our
2003 mixed media animation 'Ravishing Raspberry'
has won several awards at film festivals in the U.S.A. The piece uses some
of the our original artwork, combined with photos and videos to tell a
story about the pitfalls of materialism.
"Ravishing Raspberry," is about the adventures
of 19-year-old Nyesha, the ultimate hip-hop material girl, who decides
her life isn't complete until she gets the latest, hot lipstick shade.
Some text & photos were retrieved
fom ToonTalents
Preview
Clips of the Gibbs Sisters' work (Reel
Republic: Film & Video Projects)
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Adopted By Aliens" and 'Ravishing Raspberry' to bryworld@aol.com
THE
FREQUENCY: "The
Five Percenters...They Exist!" a
film by glenn towery
Ray Mercy a middle aged African American male
has been suffering with severe migraine headaches for the last 6 months.
The migraines are always accompanied by a high-pitched frequency sound
that seems to make them even more painful. He has been to scores of traditional
doctors; none have been able to cure him.
His
fiancé’ Shante’, fearing that Ray is desperate enough to take his
own life, insists that he tries a non-traditional Metaphysician named Fayabo.
Although Ray does not want to go he relents and Fayabo is able to cure
him almost immediately, however the cure brings strange powers to Ray that
he cannot explain, which casts him into another type of confusion until
he learns the true source of all his power.
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on
THE
FREQUENCY: "The
Five Percenters...They Exist!"
to bryworld@aol.com
L'ECOLE
DE BLEK LE RAT
(The School of Blek
le Rat / Die Schule von Blek le Rat / L'école de Blek le Rat)
Le Monde,November 7th
1986, covering the stencil graffiti mouvement (Pochoir )under the leadership
of Blek le Rat, who birthed the mouvement by painting his first black rats
in 1981 in Paris with a stencil.
7.11. 1986, bespricht
in einem Leitartikel die Pochoirbewegung, 
die
von Blek le Rat angeführt und 1981 in Paris ins Leben gerufen wurde,
als er seine ersten schwarzen Ratten mit Hilfe einer Schablone auf Pariser
Mauern malte.
le 7 novembre 1986,"
Le Monde" consacre un article en première page à "L'école
de Blek le Rat", le mouvement du pochoir initié par Blek le Rat
en 1981 quand il peignait ses premiers rats noirs à Paris à
l'aide d'un pochoir.
The
SCHOOL OF BLEK the RAT
bespricht in einem Leitartikel die Pochoirbewegung, die von Blek
the Rat angeführt und 1981 in Paris ins Leben gerufen wurde, als
er the Seine ersten schwarzen Ratten put Hilfe einer Schablone auf Pariser
Mauern Malta. November 7, 1986, "the World" devotes an article on first
page to "the school of Blek the Rat", the movement of the stencil key set
initiated by Blek the Rat in 1981 when it combed its first black rats to
Paris using a stencil key set.
Artwork / Website Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Blek
Le Rat" to bryworld@aol.com
One-man
crusade to excite students /
Richmond VA truancy officer produces albums with inspirational themes
In Richmond, Virginia Public Schools, a district with about 25,000 students and a truancy rate of 26 percent, an attendance officer like Ronald Robinson has a lot of kids to keep up with. Robinson said he treats all of them just like he treats his own school-age daughters. It's what he would expect if another authority figure dealt with his girls. Nobody has a guarantee that their children won't someday do wrong, Robinson said. "You hope that when it happens, somebody is in the position to counsel them."
Robinson is on his own
one-man crusade to get kids more enthused about school. 
When
he's not on the job, he runs a side business,
Ronald Robinson Entertainment, producing albums with hip-hop and
rap rhythms and positive messages. He doesn't perform on the albums, but
he does write songs. "Read, Children, Read" includes the lyrics,
"Anything you want in life, it's yours for the takin', the more you
learn, the more ya earn, come on turn the page."
Robinson said that when he's writing songs, he gets the beat down first because he knows a young person will choose music for the beat and that the messages will sink in sooner or later. "If you listen to something positive, eventually it's going to have some kind of effect on you," he said. He feels similarly about a lot of the music with negative lyrics on the market today but said, "Whenever you take something away from a kid, you have to have an alternative." (Continued)
CD Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Hip-hop
Songs 4 Academic Success" to bryworld@aol.com
Pimps,
hustlers, whores, crooks, addicts, suckers… Welcome to Corporate America.
What happens when you spend a lifetime dodging
pimps, hustlers, drug dealers and crooks in grimy urban neighborhoods?
What happens when you make it thru school and into Corporate America only
to discover that many of The Street’s corrosive characters, temptations
and pitfalls have infiltrated Madison Avenue, Silicon Valley, Wall Street
and just about all points in-between? What happens when you realize that
professionalism, common sense, decency, and good business sense have replaced
by constructs, hidden agendas, schemes, and unchecked greed? What happens
when you realize that the only way to get out from under is to fight back?
You get Knock The Hustle by author Hadji
Williams.
KNOCK
THE HUSTLE: How to save your job
and your life from Corporate America brings
the insights of the streets to the office suites. The result is an explosive
book that dishes dirt and shines light on the marketing and advertising
industries, hip-hop culture and pop culture, workplace dynamics, consumerism
and modern race relations like never before. With its smart yet conversational
flow, KNOCK
THE HUSTLE brings more truth, knowledge and insight than FORBES,
CNBC, ADWEEK and FAST COMPANY combined. KNOCK
THE HUSTLE is packed with enough case studies, stories, common
sense, street smarts, genuine creativity and faith to help everyone from
CEOs to secretaries get out from under and excel like never before.
Coming Late Spring 2005.
Book Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Knock the
Hustle" to bryworld@aol.com
Cassandra's
new EP, "The 2004 Singles"
is now available! This EP features Cassandra's
new smash hits What U Want, How Many Timez?
(featuring the rapper QNA), and Dragonfly,
along with 9 minutes of bonus video footage which will take you on stage,
in the studio, and behind the scenes into Cassandra's world. Please help
support independent artists and musical variety by ordering
your copy today.
Cassandra's
first U.S. release, "The 2004 Singles"
EP is available in stores Now, thanks to a new distribution deal between
S-Beat Records and Hit Media, the parent company of CD Baby. Hit Media
will handle distribution to all major retail chains, while CD Baby will
make the individual tracks available for download on all the major music
download sites, including: iTunes, Rhapsody, AOL Music, and others.
CD Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Cassandra Sterling"
to bryworld@aol.com
Romantic
CD by Sage-El
The long awaited CD, featuring the ever popular
"Kings Ridge and Skillets" and "Still Standing", ROMANTIC
is certain to entertain and provoke sincerity from hip hop enthusiasts
and fans alike.
SPIRITUAL AMBITION GIVES EVERYONE ETERNAL LIFE
CD Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Romantic Sage-El" to bryworld@aol.com
PRIEST
FOREVER: "Live
and Let Die" - The Mixtape...Born in NYC and raised in Harlem,
the Hip Hop Artist / D.J. / Producer known as “Priest” has had a
multitude of experiences within the music industry.... He has even
toured with Hip Hop legend, “KRS ONE,” performing along with him
on stage and appearing on several cuts from his album “Tha Kristyle”
After testing the waters on the Mixtape circuit and moving two thousand copies of his independent release “Priest Revolutions, Tha Mixtape Has You...,” Priest is excited about the opportunity to take his career to a higher level. The first single off the new project “Dreams of Smacking an Entertainer,” is already enjoying a strong buzz on college radio and quickly becoming a daily request from listeners in the NYC area. Priest Says, “I took the song “Dreams” by the late great “Notorious B.I.G.” and flipped it to make a commentary on the state of the music industry. I decided to just have fun with it.” Priest is especially optimistic about the future. . And to think, he's just getting started. “I’m gonna keep working hard until reach the top. Failure is not an option.”
CD Review by Dr. Nathan Abrams, Lecturer in History (School of Divinity, History & Philiosophy)
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Live
and Let Die" to bryworld@aol.com
DJ Services / Engineering / Producer
is
your one stop shop for ALL your music needs.
DJ Slice first began in the music industry back in 1983 where he DJ'd at parties and clubs in Houston, Texas. In the early 90's, DJ Slice moved back to CALI to continue DJ'ing at various clubs and parties. DJ Slice soon began to do studio work and tour with bands from different genres of music. In the late 90's, DJ Slice began producing Hip Hop for local artists. He now professionally produces/engineers/remixes full-time. Due to working with many genres of music, DJ Slice has a pioneering, adaptable, original sound that meets the needs of ANY artist he works with. DJ Slice is interested in working with individuals from all genre's of music. He enjoys a challenge and bringing something different and original to the music.
Any artist interested in working with DJ Slice should contact him at: 213/864-9884 or visit his site: http://www.strobelyfe.com
CD Review by Akil, the hiphopscholar
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on DJ Slice to bryworld@aol.com
Book
TURNTABLE
TIMMY: Award Winning Children’s
Book Author Michael Perry Releases “Turntable Timmy” feat. DJ QBert for
the Hip Hop Generation and their Children
San Francisco, CA. Free Will Press is proud to announce the release of Turntable Timmy, written by Award winning children’s book author Michael Perry and legendary artist Doug Cunningham. Included with the book is a rap along CD with scratching by world-renowned turntablist DJ Qbert. It is the first-ever children’s book to incorporate the four pillars of Hip-Hop culture (dj‘ing, rapping, b-boy‘ing, and graf). Turntable Timmy answers the call for teachers and parents alike for books written in a Hip Hop format. “In 2002 urban youth, regardless of race have no frame of reference for ’Spot, Jane and Dick’ “ says author Michael Perry. Turntable Timmy speaks to them in a language and visual medium they understand and embrace as their own.
Turntable
Timmy is the story of a boy determined to Hip-Hop his way into
becoming the world’s youngest turntable Deejay champion. He realizes, in
order to achieve his dream he must first… "Puts in work, day and night,
practice makes perfect, gotta get it right. Hard work and dedication— perfection
takes practice, now he’s quick like a fox, sharp as a cactus."
Book
Review by Cristina Melendez
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Turntable Timmy" to bryworld@aol.com
P
Wonda: Middle East Stand Up!
By Seleah Bussey
Complete interview on AllHiphop.com
The Middle East is popping right now and we ain’t talking about Iraq. The Middle East according to rapper P-Wonda can be better classified as the land that lies in the center of the east coast of the United States. This land is the state known as North Carolina where P-Wonda and his main man, as well as sole producer, Waleed Coyote are from. These two men are just small entities of the larger movement of Othaz Records.(Interview of P Wonda continued)
CD Review By Glenn
Towery, Filmmaker
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "P Wonda: Middle East Stand Up! " to bryworld@aol.com
D'MAC
(2 Qrazi Entertainment) ...has
earned praises from his critics. Fort Worth Weekly states:
"The Fort Worthian honors the past...by not milking it." His style
has been called "different," by his peers. The critics are
not alone noticing that D'Mac a "breath of fresh air" on
the hip-hop scene today.
D'Mac
formerly lead of his local quartet Marion Block Gangtaz, has emerged dramatically
as a solo rapper / songwriter / producer. In 2000 - 2002 the group
completed an album together and performed a number of shows in the Dallas
/ Fort Worth Area. They opened for such regioanal acts as Interscope's
Slim Thug, Lil' Keke, Lil' O, also working with some radio personalities
at KKDA (K104). (continued)
CD Review by Daniel Garrett, Journalist
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "D'Mac" to bryworld@aol.com
Interview with Bob Bryan
The
star of the show here at the LIBRadio
Network is our talk radio. We proudly
proclaim that our format permits us to produce the most comprehensive interviews
with the most serious scholars and covering the most relevant issues of
the day.
Hip
Hop Church
Every Thursday 6 to 9pm
146th Street between 7th and Lenox Avenue
The Greater Hood Memorial AME Zion Church
Alphabet
City - Out On the Streets --Published
by Gingko Press, December, 2004
Street Art Alphabet Invades Manhattan--- Artist
Michael De Feo (aka The Flower Guy)
has plastered his painted flowers in cities all over the world, 15,000
in the streets of Manhattan alone. Alphabet
City - Out On the Streets is his first book. It's a vibrant body
of work inspired by the acute observational skills of children who would
stop on the street and point out De Feo's art to their parents, while he
was in the act of installing it. Ten years of witnessing this phenomenon,
the arrival of his first child Marianna, and the fact that many of his
street artist friends were also having children were the drivers behind
this unique publication: De Feo's alphabet presented in the context of
the streets of Manhattan, a book for both adults and children.
Hand
painted, made of paper and glue this work examines the concept of street
art spawned by childhood memories. It is friendly, approachable and ephemeral
all at once. In the real world De Feo's fleeting images invite interaction
simply because they won't exist for much longer than a month - in this
book they will. Bound as a kiddie's "board book",
Alphabet City - Out On the Streets is guaranteed to appeal to children,
and there's absolutely no doubt that it will appeal to adults, particularly
those who are established and budding fans of Michael
De Feo. His work first appeared in books such as The Art of Rebellion,
I NY, Stick'em Up, Street Logos and Graffiti World, and it has been featured
in many newspaper and magazine articles around the world. (continued)
Book Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on " Alphabet City - Out On the Streets" to bryworld@aol.com
CONCERT
FILM (1963) O-Genio:
Ray Charles Live In Brazil 1963
“Hit the Road Jack” video streams:
Windows Media:
http://www.rhino.com/videoplayers/RayCharles/hit_the_road_jack_56.asx
http://www.rhino.com/videoplayers/RayCharles/hit_the_road_jack_100.asx
http://www.rhino.com/videoplayers/RayCharles/hit_the_road_jack_400.asx
Real:
http://www.rhino.com/videoplayers/RayCharles/hit_the_road_jack_56.ram
http://www.rhino.com/videoplayers/RayCharles/hit_the_road_jack_100.ram
http://www.rhino.com/videoplayers/RayCharles/hit_the_road_jack_400.ram
Quicktime:
http://www.rhino.com/videoplayers/RayCharles/hit_the_road_jack.mov
Concert Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on CONCERT
FILM (1963) O-Genio:
Ray Charles Live In Brazil 1963
to bryworld@aol.com
Highlights of this Course
This course features an extensive readings section with links to websites and music by featured artists.
This course explores the political and aesthetic foundations of hip hop. It traces the musical, corporeal, visual, spoken word, and literary manifestations of hip hop over its thirty-five year presence in the American cultural imaginary. It also investigates specific black cultural practices that have given rise to its various idioms. Hip hop has invigorated the academy, inspiring scholarship rooted in black musical and literary traditions. This course assesses these sharp breaks and flamboyant versionings of hip hop that have occurred within the academy.
For a specific description of the course breakdown
ANC:
Hip Hop Revolucion - Cuba/Austria/France,
2004, 67 min, doc., Spanish w/ English subtitles, dQueen, dir.
ANC: Hip Hop Revolucion by
dQueen is a fascinating documentary about the Hip Hop scene in Cuba
that focuses on Anónimo Consejo (ANC), a popular Afro-Cuban
rap group with a humanistic ideology expressed through lyrics against racism,
Cuba's social problems and globalization.... This gritty and fascinating
documentary, accentuated by a vibrantly pulsating soundtrack, provides
a first-hand look at the rise of hip-hop in Cuba. Over the last decade
hip-hop has gained major currency as an increasing number of artists have
used it to explore racial tension and inequality, Director, dQueen,
follows
Anónimo
Consejo (Anonymous Advice) or ANC, through their real
life schedule of rehearsing, writing songs, and defending their passion
for social change through rap to their families and the community at large.
This affecting film shows how spoken word rituals, from ancient African
cultures, find their way into the hearts of their displaced descendants,
not only in the U.S., but in Cuba. The film also reminds us that the roots
of hip-hop are deeply entrenched in the desire for expression and not in
the love of money.
Movie Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on ANC: Hip
Hop Revolucion to
bryworld@aol.com
Blastmaster KRS ONE,
While Hip Hop does indeed command more power than any other musical art form before it, too much weight is being put on its true power and potential. I believe that your idea on "being Hip Hop" while sounding and feeling good, is in truth weak. I think it is dangerous for those who truly love Hip Hop culture authentically. Following this concept gives the illusion that Hip Hop can and should be equal to other cultures and faiths like African, Latino, Japanese, Buddhist, Judaic, Islamic, or Christian.
The sub-culture of Hip Hop is not built to support people in the manner that one can "BE" of other dominant cultures or faiths. The richness of the contributions of other faiths and cultures to Hip Hop are what MAKE Hip Hop great. I submit that Hip Hop is a subculture. Being a sub-culture, Hip Hop is not meant to facilitate such things. It is meant to absorb things that exist already and re-frame them in a contemporary urban environment.
To not realize this point, is to mistake the
scaffolding of a building for the actual foundation. I love Hip Hop! But
I will not pile cultural and spiritual bricks to its structure (especially
when I KNOW it was not meant to support such weight)." (continued)
--By
Adisa "The Bishop of Hip-hop" Banjoko, Author of Lyrical Swords
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on Flawed Philosophy to bryworld@aol.com
Artist:
raTino - King raTino lead man, born
raTino Moore,
began his impact on his local community of Muskegon, Michigan as a D.J.
at the age of thirteen. Doing local parties and selling mixtapes for just
two dollars each in junior high. Into that, began to mix with the poetry
he was writing to girlfriends over 12inch instrumentals. You be the Judge.
CD Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on " raTino" to bryworld@aol.com
Wacky
Woody by Tamy Hopkins
The World CAN be a better place!
Wacky
Woody, with the help of the all-wise Chief Whatchawanaknow,
travels through time righting wrongs and helping people with bad attitudes
see the error of their ways!
Wacky Woody – a young boy who hails from the late 1800s – gains a new superhero identity by drinking Miracle Water from the mythical “Horses Revenge” on the Rio Grande. The water transforms Woody into an avenging spirit who travels through time to the 1990s where he helps people who struggle with negative choices they make which sabotage their lives and bring unhappiness to themselves and those around them.
Book Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Wacky Woody" to bryworld@aol.com
"
This is written by a white person, intended for white people who are engaged
in the culture of Hip-Hop. It is created in the spirit of personal and
collective growth and development for white people who choose to live by
the cultural standards of Hip-Hop. White people are talked about a lot
within Hip-Hop in terms of who buys the most records, who owns and controls
most of the industry, the white kids in the burbs who go crazy over it,
even white artists who have made it despite their whiteness. But rarely
is there any talk of how white people affect Hip-Hop, and how Hip-Hop affects
us. What are the roles and responsibilities of whites involved in this
cultural movement? How can we become partners in the struggle for a more
just and conscious industry? How can we use our skin power to benefit the
communities from which Hip-Hop was derived? Have we merely self-imposed
ourselves into a culture which doesn't want or need us?
It is time for white folks to stand up and
be bold in the dialogue of race and culture, to push the relatively mild
interpretations on how and in which way we fit or don't fit. As difficult
as it may be, we must challenge each other to go on an inward journey of
self-discovery, in order to understand the true desires and motivations
behind our involvement in the Hip-Hop community. Check this 10 point code
of ethics for white Hip-Hop heads and see if you can get down." (continued)
--J-love
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on
White Like Me to bryworld@aol.com
HIP-HOP
POETRY JAM Volume 1: Directed by Rhonda Thompson
Live from the Ivar Theater in Hollywood. Touchstar
Media Presents the "Hip-hop
Poetry Jam." Featuring some of today's hottest spoken word artists,
including Bridget Gray (2001 Grand Slam Champion), Gaknew, Miss Kimm, Joy
Jones, Gina Loring, Jahaira and many more. These gifted and talented poets
speak on topics from racism to politics in a way that all can relate.
This is one of the most significant spoken word performances of our time.
One that's guaranteed to inspire and lift you to a higher level of
consciousness. Each performance is incredibly emancipating and liberating.
Representing a movement that's guaranteed to make history. So sit
back, relax...and be entertained.
Movie Review Coming Soon!
by Stacey Miller, Doctorial Candidate,
The University of New Mexico
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on HIP-HOP POETRY JAM Volume 1 to bryworld@aol.com
HIP-HOP
CUBANO: Directed by Eli Jacobs Fantauzzi
Cuban Hip Hop provides a unique insight into
the realities and politics of contemporary Cuba. Experience this as Inventos
follows some of the pioneers of this musical movement to their homes, the
stage and as they travel abroad for the first time. Inventos embodies the
true spirit of Hip-Hop,
which is to build something that is powerful and useful out of what is
seemingly impossible. Just as Hip-Hop in the U.S. began as a form of creative
self expression bringing awareness to oppressive social conditions, Cuban
Hip-Hop demonstrates the innovative and indestructible spirit born
from a people suppressed by the U.S. embargo on Cuba. Inventos, serves
as a reminder of the political consciousness through which this music was
created. Thirty years after its conception, and in spite of commercialisation,
Hip-Hop culture continues to give voice to people who refuse to be silenced,
ignored and cut off from the larger society. The film Hip-Hop
Cubano shows how both cultures reflect similar social struggles
and if brought together, could transcend cultural barriers and build a
collective community dedicated to spreading messages of truth and empowerment
globally. Jacobs-Fantauzzi's film Hip-Hop
Cubano rekindles an essence of the old school, which will
inspire and reawaken the eyes of our present generations.
Movie Review Coming Soon!
by Lili Furguson, Documentary Filmmaker
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on HIP-HOP Cubano to bryworld@aol.com
However this period prior to the upcoming U.S elections represents the first time Hiphoppas at large have been targeted as a significant block of voters. Many organizations are working to educate and create greater participation in the electoral process among hiphoppas all over the United States. The National Hiphop Political Convention convened this past July in an effort to galvanize support for an agenda that represents the needs of the Hiphop population, the majority of which are still people of color. The Hip-Hop Congress held its annual gathering in the spring and Russell Simmons' Hiphop Action Summit is continuing to solicit activists. While many of these organizations, and many more such as the Temple of Hiphop(www.templeofhiphop.org), The Hiphopscholar.org and Conscious.hiphop.com to name a few are working on various levels and as many different agendas one question remains. Why Us? (continued)
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on Why Us? Politics and the Hiphop Community to bryworld@aol.com
HIP-HOP
POETRY AND THE CLASSICS-by
Alan Sitomer & Michael Cirelli
Connecting our classic curriculum to Hip-hop
Poetry through standards-based, language arts instruction. With Academic
Material for...
"Those who doubt the power of using Hip-Hop
in the realm of education to advance literacy, empower youths to make wiser
choices and encourage students to reach for their innermost best are not
recognizing the significant opportunities we, as teachers, have right now
sitting at our feet. Our nation's youth needs intelligent, respectable,
savvy voices to stand up and validate the undeniable literary merit of
these new artists so that relevance and accessibility once again become
part of the contemporary academic curriculum."
--Alan Sitomer, Educator
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Hip-hop Poetry and the Classics" to bryworld@aol.com
The pulsating rhythm of the beat causes our bodies to freely wriggle, dance and move about within the great circle of drums. I close my eyes trying to envision what it must be like in the faraway land of Africa with its natives dancing to heartfelt beats as they echo towards the sky. The pounding of the drums puts me in a trance. I am lost in my own world until the session comes to an end and a new silence fills the room. “The roots of hip hop come straight out of Africa,” I hear the lead drummer saying. Through his teachings, he fills my head with a new awareness and I am so thrilled to learn that this controversial type of music has much more to it than what is often negatively portrayed through mainstream media sources.
The week-long seminar at the Florida Center for Teachers is more informative and invigorating than I ever imagined. It is an honor to be selected to attend because the finalists are chosen from many dedicated and talented teachers found throughout the state of Florida. Although there are many interesting courses of study to choose from, I take a risk and decide upon a topic that I am least familiar with "Hip Hop, Hoops and Homies." The fabulous leader of our group is an outgoing, vivacious, and extremely talented African American Poet named Phyllis. Throughout the voyage, she takes a fellow group of teachers and me on a journey to worlds I never knew existed.
Following the mesmerizing performances of the drummers, we travel to a tiny hall where expert players reveal to us the secrets of scratching. This amazing experience sheds a new light on what I previously thought were a few random wiggles of record making contact with the needle. Never did I consider the dexterity that goes into the orchestration of those sounds which accompany a rapper’s repertoire of rhymes and phrases--together creating a message mixed with music (continued).
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on Hip-Hop, Hoops, and Homies to bryworld@aol.com
GHETTOHEAT™
presents:
"GHETTOHEAT",
the debut book by HICKSON. A collection of thought-provoking poetry
and prose that focuses on the inner-city voices of Ghetto-America. Exploring
everyday people experiencing trials and tribulations of life in "da streetz",
"GHETTOHEAT" takes its
readers on an emotional roller-coaster; revealing the joys, pains, economic
pressures and spiritual struggles many endure within urban communities.
With a multitude of complex characters and controversial issues, "GHETTOHEAT"
is street-poetry in motion. It's raw, real and riveting! GHETTOHEAT™:
THE HOTNESS IN THE STREETS!!!™
Do you feel it? "S-S-S-S-S-S-S!"
Book Review Coming Soon!
by Paul Porter
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Ghettoheat"
to bryworld@aol.com
GUERILLA
NEWS NETWORK -
Presents:
Academy Award Winner Eminem's
Mosh - the New Ending (Quicktime)
"
The Moshe Continues "
Eminem's Controversial New Animated Music Video
Questions:
What's it all about?
What are the filmmaker's trying to say?
Are they successful in communicating their themes
or messages?
Who is the message directed at?
What do you think about the message?
Do you like the music video?
What do you think of the animation?
Do you want to see more animation like this?
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on The Moshe Continues to bryworld@aol.com
Are you aware of the history and
roots of the N
word?
Dr. David Pilgrim, Professor of Sociology, and
Dr. Phillip Middleton, Professor of Languages and Literature, Ferris State
University have compiled an intriguing and informative history illustrating
the etymology, usage and graphic depictions of this pejorative and insulting
term which is unfortunately still in use today by some people.
***Take a look if you dare, but please be warned that these words and images may be found to be very disturbing to you, as they are an emotional reminder of ignorance, prejudice and "man's inhumanity to man".***
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on The N word to bryworld@aol.com
Street
Level: Director Madeleine Hetherton
"These are real songs about who we are and
where we come from."
- Johnno
"I've always known that everyone has a story
to tell... and lucky for me I've got all these experiences to put down
on paper and make music out of..."
- Tanya
Through the Hip-Hop rhymes of Johnno and Tanya, we enter the world of inner Sydney (Australia) streets and kids who have lived on them. The streets are frequently a dark world - and one hard to leave.
Movie Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Street Level" to bryworld@aol.com
"
Hip Hop problems? Who’s responsible? Do we continue to point the
finger? After twenty five years of broadcasting for the nation’s finest
Radio and TV outlets, the answers have hit me. I am responsible for the
allowing the lack of balance in entertainment. That’s right, I tuned out
while the corporate dollar slowly closed the door. The variety of the messages
are few but the mediums for the messages constantly grow. The days of AM
or the lonely Black FM are long gone. MTV then BET you can’t count
the outlets that dominate broadcast media but you are well aware of the
messages. The constant barrage of bling, sex and drugs are prevalent.
Many blame big business and the corporate take over. I don't, because I
made the choice to turn while our children listen intently. We wonder why
the messages have groomed today’s youth to their current state of mess.
I lost my mind while collecting six digit salaries for NBC and BET. My
bling turned into a house, luxury ride and a occasional mind altering package.
I escaped unlike many of today’s young hip hop generation because I was
blessed by balance. I understood the difference in music and reality. Balance
is hearing songs of struggle mixed with uplifting reality. Unfortunately
we hear only one voice now the usual where we came from but never where
we are at. Head bobbing, brainwashing, bitch slapping lyrics and videos.
Have you complained or simply changed the channel? The sad thing
is I have realized the next generation is locked in living it daily. Blunt
smoking, forty ounce drinking, radio and TV is the only option for many
of today’s Urban youth. Yes, I am well aware that the masses create
the platinum artist, but statistics prove that income and education provides
values. How do we change the message from the messenger?
(continued)
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on Hip-Hop Problems? Who's Responsible? to bryworld@aol.com
Vin
Tha Chin & Scram Jones
Vin Tha Chin and Scram Jones are two talented DJ’s/Producer’s. Both born in New Rochelle, NY. They started DJ’ing at early ages, and then branched into production. They incorporate their DJ’ing skillz and there ill self produced joints on all their mixtapes. Not even a year in the mixtape game, they were already nominated at the 2004 Justo Mixtape Awards for Best Mixtape Producers Of The Year. They were up against Green Lantern, Clinton Sparks, and Cocoa Chanel. Vin and Scram have done production for many artist; such as Lloyd Banks, Mariah Carey, Nature, Sadat X, Jae Millz, Saigon, Fat Joe & The Terror Squad, N.O.R.E, Peedi Crack, Brand Nubian, Lil Kim, and the list goes on…
Even though these two are behind the scenes, they
are a threat to the industry for years to come. Keep your ears to the street
and you’ll be sure to hear from Vin Tha Chin and Scram Jones…
CD Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Vin
Tha Chin & Scram Jones New Release" to
bryworld@aol.com
FAM
1ST...a rap group of emcees out of
step with the times...
To begin with, they have the audacity to NOT
rap about violence in the clubs, cars, rims, and all the other excesses
that can be seen on any given episode of MTV Cribs..Instead these North
Carolina natives decided to write about real love, the dangers of the streets,
shady associates, hood drama and of course the superfluous battle raps.
On the intro to this superb debut, "FOR THE FAM," they reveal the pain of growing up with the weighty pressures from the street into a limitless cache of rhyme jewels. But those gems don't involve flossing per se 'edu-tainment.'
CD Review Coming Soon!
--Sarah Bentley, UK
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "For
the Fam" to bryworld@aol.com
HIP-HOP
RESURRECTION: From NY to New Zealand:
Produced & Directed by Michael Deet
is a feature film documenting the history of
hip-hop music & culture in the Pacific Island country of New Zealand.
Produced by Midastouch Productions International, HIP-HOP
RESURRECTION is
a colorful and visual exploration into the unique individual lifestyles
of the country's best urban musical artists, performers and professionals.
Uncovered is the hottest new sound in the world of hip-hop!
These talented artists display a hard-core dedication to the craft, promoting their own history and heritage through the outlets of the hip-hop culture. All while distinct parallels exist between these remote island communities and the diverse inner-city cultures of the USA. This film showcases a successful rebirth of the American-born and globally adopted form of alternative urban culture (music, traditions, lifestyles, and personalities) well known as "Hip-Hop."
Movie Review Coming Soon!
by Orisanmi, educator in the New
York Public School System and freelance journalist
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Hip-Hop Resurrection" to bryworld@aol.com
WU-TANG
CLAN (Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 2 (Concert
DVD)
DVD Liner notes by Jon Caramanica, August 2004
Wu-Tang is a milestone, a trainwreck, a pure black whirlwind. The iconic rap group of the '90's, they provided a template for practically everyone to follow. Before Wu, the idea of extended crew was a novelty. Before Wu, the idea of a rap group as a brand was non existent. Before Wu, New York had lost its shine and the group realized the only way to restore it was to turn grime into an art.
DVD Review Coming Soon!
by Francis Faye Worthy
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Wu-tand
Clab (Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 2" to
bryworld@aol.com
EXPLICIT
CONTENT a novel by Black Artemis
(see picture below)
When Keepin' It Real Means Getting Dirty
Cassandra Rivers and Leila Aponte have been puttin'
it down as Sabrina Steelo and Fatal Beaty on the underground hip-hop scene.
Even though Cassie dreams of working it like WU Tang while Leila fantasizes
about becoming the Latina Big Bun, it's all good because they're as tight
in life as they are on the mic. But when G Double G, founder of gangsta
rap label Explicit Content, seduces Leila with peomises of solo stardom,
she falls for his rap hook, verse, and sample. Burned by Leila's
betrayal, Cassie must forge ahead alone, driven to beat her partner turned
rival to the streets. (Continued)
Book Review Coming Soon!
by Audrey Borus
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Explicit
Content" to bryworld@aol.com
VALID ENTRIES -
Mic Hand Recordings
-Cedar Rapids, Iowa Hip-hop Group featured in the 5th installment of
Filmmaker's Bob Bryan Graffiti Verite' Documentary Video Series- GV5:
The Sacred Elements of Hip-Hop Documentary .
Former students from Metro High School, Cedar Rapids, Iowa these artists represent a fresh approach to Hip-hop emerging from the heartland of America. They understand that Hip-hop is much more than just "Hoes, money, sex, bling-bling and fast cars." They step to the mic and spit out knowledge in an attempt to decipher and decode the more complicated realities of what's really happening in their lives, keepin' it real, in an insightful and positive way.
CD Review Coming Soon!
by Jim Jacobmeyer, Art Educator
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Valid
Entries" to bryworld@aol.com
LAUROG / GUILLOTINE
(Zakari Muzik & Muzik Management)
LauRog/Guillotine Production Company was
formed in August 2003 to help reinstate prominence into the Memphis Music
scene. Mr. Jerroll T. Christopher (a.k.a. J. Chris) is the founder and
CEO whose mission is to provide a forum for artists who may otherwise not
have an opportunity to display their talents. J. Chris is an accomplished
music engineer and has produced well known artists such as Skinny Pimp,
LaChat, Playa Fly and Aqua Blaq whose current hit “Shake It” can be heard
on WHRK 97.1 FM.(continued)
CD Review Coming Soon!
by Tammara D. Williams, educator
at the University of Oklahoma (African American Studies and teacher education
courses)
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Laurog
/ Guillotine" to bryworld@aol.com
LYRICAL SWORDS: Vol
1: Hip Hop and Politics in the Mix
"THIS
BOOK CHANGED MY LIFE...."
"I HOPE IT DOES FOR YOU WHAT IT DID FOR ME."
"Why did it change my life? Because I wrote
it. What's more important is that I wrote it on something many of us love:
Hip-Hop Culture. I wrote this book during the down times of my life and
it became my therapy. What did I write about? Well I turned and asked myself
a serious question. This is the question all serious fans ask ourselves
at some point. Why do I love Hip-Hop? I think I love Hip Hop because it
was the first music to really speak to me. Made by people I knew, or could
relate to. When most kids were out trying to be professional football players
or street ball kings, I was in my room, with a $69.00 mixer and two mis-matched
turntables being hypnotized by the Cold Crush Bros., Egyptian Lover, Soul
Sonic Force, Wreckin' Cru, Too Short, Cybotron, Run DMC, Mantronix and
Just Ice."
-by Author Adisa "The Bishop of Hip- Hop"
Banjoko
Book Review Coming Soon!
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Lyrical
Swords" to bryworld@aol.com
MINUS
P: Welcome to the Heights
So what makes Minus
P different from the other rap artist you have heard ?
Is it the Latin flavor he adds to his music?
Is it the catchy hooks he puts in his songs? His distinctive voice? Maybe
is the fact that his personality shines through his music? Is it a combination
of all those things? Maybe, I am not sure, but what ever you think it is,
you would not think it if not for the fact that he put his music in your
face to hear.
Very few people are able to do what the rapper
known as Minus can do, From
writing his own lyrics, to producing his own beats, to being his own manager,
Manuel has, as he stated on one of his tracks, develop into “a one man
record label”.
Manuel puts 110% into everything he sets out to accomplish, he lives by the words “failure is not part of my vocabulary, only success is“. He is a talented and persistent artist who believes in his craft, and will not stop until he leaves his mark on the hip-hop generation.
CD Review Coming Soon!
by Jonathan Osler, the
Avenue Magazine
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Minus
P" to bryworld@aol.com
KOOL
& THE GANG - The Hits: Reloaded
Kool & The Gang featuring:
CD Review Coming Soon!
--Sarah Bentley, UK
The public is invited to send
us your candid comments on "Kool
& the Gang: Hits Reloaded" to
bryworld@aol.com
QUALITY
OF LIFE: The Movie
(Directed by Benjamin Morgan)
Synopsis
Meet Michael "Heir" Rosario and Curtis "Vain"
Smith, the most prolific and talented graffiti writers from the Mission
District in San Francisco. At age ten, in a desperate search for fame and
identity, the young friends began writing their names on surrounding urban
landscapes. More than a decade later, the duo have evolved into a brilliant
team of street artists. The two have covertly decorated the canvases of
concrete and steel throughout the Bay Area. However, when Heir and Vain
are arrested for painting, their secret identities are revealed and creative
outlets are abruptly severed.
Faced with restitution and the prospect of serving hard time, Heir and Vain struggle to maintain their creative passion. The paths they choose threaten to unravel their lifelong friendship and, ultimately, their lives.
Movie Review Coming Soon!
by Adisa "The
Bishop of Hip- Hop" Banjoko
The public is invited to send us your candid comments on "Quality of Life" to bryworld@aol.com
Send your press packages to:
Bryan World Productions, LLC.
Attn: Bob Bryan
PO Box 74033
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Tel: 323/856-9256
The
GRAFFITI VERITE' DOCUMENTARIES SeriesVolumes 1 - 7 -
DVD's delivered directly to your home)
Graffiti Verite'
is now Available on
for $34.50 (includes PPR & Shipping
and Handling)
San
Francisco State University Students Essays "Subject:
Graffiti Art or Vandalism?"
