Stalley drops his Pimp C tribute and second leak off of Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music). The project will be presented by Mishka on 1-11-11 and produced entirely by Columbus, Ohio’s Rashad Thomas. I got a chance to see Stalley at the Talented 2 event in DC this fall and he put on a great set. 2011 is looking like its gonna be a big year for the Ohio native.
The exhibition is called "Sharon Stone in Abuja," after a 2003 Nollywood film, and is taking place at Location One gallery in the Soho district of New York. The exhibition has been up since November 5th and will be at the gallery until January 22nd. The exhibition was created by Zina Saro-Wiwa who is a British-Nigerian film-maker and founder of AfricaLab. The idea behind this was to pays homage to the 50 year old genre of Nollywood. The exhibition contains photographs and films inspired by the themes and style of Nollywood over the years.
Yellow fever has killed over 40 people in the African country of Uganda and has many more around the country ill. The disease which is transmitted by infected mosquitoes has first detected in the nine northern districts of Uganda. Yellow fever vaccines are currently being imported into the country to try to contain the outbreak.
Directed & edited by Langston Sessoms of Inner Loop Media Group.
A night in the life of Lyriciss, as he performs at Hustlepalooza DC at U Street Music Hall on October 26, 2010.
Cameos from (in order of appearance): Hustle Simmons, Rockie Fresh, Uptown X.O. (of Diamond District), Nike Nando, Obii Say, Dugee F. Buller, Mo Betta, Dre The Mayor, Da Phuture, Sir Michael Rocks (of The Cool Kids), RAtheMC, iLL Prophet, Laelo Hood, Fat Trel, P-Stew, Tangie, Kingpen Slim, Big Chopps aka Choppa Block (of M1 Platoon), Stalley, Carlitta Durand, Ricky Parker (Studio 43), J-$crilla (of Guns-N-Butter), The Slutty Boyz, Black Cobain, DJ J-Buttah, Logic, & Pro'Verb.
Jean-Max Bellerive the Prime Minister of Haiti has been frustrated and upset that the international community has not been allowing his country to play a more significant role in its own reconstruction from last January's earthquake. Because most of the aid and relief money for the disaster is from outside of the country, Bellerive is having a tough time controlling how funds are being allocated. The minister said that about 20% of the aid pledged had been received. The country is still far from being restored and has more than one million Haitians living in camps around the country. With NGOs controlling most of the outside money, there will continue to be a battle on the most effective way rebuild the nation.
On this date in 1892, the first black intercollegiate football game was played in the Salisbury, North Carolina between Livingstone College and Biddle College, which eventually changed its name to Johnson C. Smith University. The young women of the school's industrial department made the players' uniforms for the first game. The teams played two 45-minute halves on Livingstone's front lawn with Livingstone winning 5-0. The Commemorative Classic now celebrates this game yearly. You can find out more about this historic game and the Classic here.
I haven't done this in a while, but I felt my homie Theo's trip was a great opportunity to do so. From time to time I like to post about a post one of my friends did on their site. Theo Martins aka The Rhode Island Hero just got back from an incredible trip to Zambia, South Central Africa. We chopped it up a little bit over BBM about just how amazing it was. He actually put together a great recap of his entire trip over at his Site/Blog. So when you guys get a chance hit his post up and enjoy his African Trip.
On this date in 1837 Seminole Indian forces defeated American troops at The Battle of Okeechobee. The natives were lead by John Horse who a Black Chief by all accounts of the battle. Horse shared command with Alligator Sam Jones and Wild Cat. Because the government could not tell if these darker natives were “Indians” or run away slaves, In 1849, the U.S. attorney general's office ruled that Black Seminoles were slaves by law. The U.S. government actively promoted slavery among relocated Native American tribes.
Even tribes who had never practiced slavery before were encouraged to do so. It was in the same year that John Horse founded the city of Wewoka in Mexico. It served as a refuge for runaway slaves.
Nigeria's anti-corruption police has dropped charges against the former US vice-president, Dick Cheney, over a multimillion-dollar bribery case after the energy firm Halliburton agreed to pay up to 250 million in fines. The charges which were filed Dec. 7 center around Cheney's activities as the chief executive of Halliburton and its one-time subsidiary KBR before he became the vice president in 2001. Last year both companies pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices act by paying more than $180 million in bribes to Nigerian officials prior to 2007. The companies were fined $579 million, the largest fine ever paid under the act.
On this date in 1924 Larry Doby was born in Camden, South Carolina. He was raised in Paterson, New Jersey and was a local star that would start playing in the Negro Leagues at the age of 17. Doby is most famous for being the second black player to play in the modern major leagues and the first to do so in the American League. Doby was a center fielder who appeared in seven All-Star games and finished second in the 1954 American League MVP voting. Doby would also go on to become the second black manager to lead a Major League team.
On this date in 1903 Ella Baker is born in Norfolk, Virginia. The cause of her people was instilled in her from a young age. As a young girl, Baker listened to her grandmother tell stories about slave revolts she witnessed. Baker would go on to attended Shaw University, graduating as class valedictorian. Baker was a civil rights worker who directed the New York branch of the NAACP. She also became executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the 1960's during student integration of lunch counters in the southern states. Ella Baker played a key role in the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and its voter registration drive in Mississippi.
This week's freestyle friday is dedicated to Lupe Fiasco. Why can't the powers that be just let this man be GREAT?!?!?! LASERS is on the way, are you ready???
On this date in 1950 Ralph Johnson Bunche became the first Black person awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Bunche was the UN's chief mediator at the time and was crucial in the Arab-Israeli conflict and helping reach the 1949 Armistice Agreements. Bunche also chaired the Department of Political Science at Howard University from 1928 until 1950.
When this video came out I thought this was such a great concept. I was so happy a video was made for this song because it was one of my favorite off of the classic double disc album. Biggie will forever be missed and stay in the hearts of so many that were able to see him when he was "The Brooklyn Don". It still frustrates me when critics and people say someone is the next Biggie. Its makes me think these people couldn't have seen or been around BIG when he was really BIG. Any way enjoy the video and we'll always love Big Poppa.
Like the flyer says this is an ALL James Brown affair from 5-10pm. If you are in the DMV area make sure you stop by for great music at one of the city's newest music only venues. My homie Jerome Baker 3rd will be one of the DJs along with Harry Hotter, Johnny Blaze, and James Nasty. U Street Music Hall is located at 1115A U Street NW Washington, DC 20009.
This past tuesday, the great Michael Wilbon wrote his last column for my hometown Washington Post. For so many Washingtonians, Wilbon was a voice that we fell in love with over the years. Weather you agreed or disagreed with his statements, he always expressed his point of views very clear without seeming to preach to us. When I found out he was black, my fascination only grew for the writer. When I entered middle school my dad got me a subscription to the post so I could read Wilbon's columns on a more regular basis. Even when I was away from the area for college I would periodically go on the post's site and read his stuff. We were truly blessed to have him write for us over the pass 30 years in DC. Since the takeoff of his show PTI with fellow Washington Post writer Tony Kornheiser, I knew this day would eventually come. Now that he will be on ESPN fulltime, the rest of the country will get to see the guy I was able to read for so many years. Good luck with your future at ESPN and for your years at the post, I say job well done Mr Wilbon. You can read Wilbon's final column in its entirety HERE.
Growing up an 80s baby its funny how this was one of the few cartoons I actually watched. Three super athletes as super heros was a no-brainer for s series. If you played any of these sports, these three were the players to emulate. This cartoon only helped build the mythical personas each one of these guys already had. Bo Jackson, Wayne Gretzky, and Michael Jordan made for great saturday morning entertainment. If you could pick three stars of today for a cartoon series, who would they be?
The African Union (AU) has suspended the membership of Ivory Coast today. AU official Ramtane Lamamra said Ivory Coast would remain suspended until opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara "takes over" from Laurent Gbagbo. The UN Security Council earlier said Mr. Ouattara had won last week's poll. However, Mr. Gbagbo who is backed by the army is defying international pressure and continuing to cling to power.Mr. Ouattara was declared the winner of last Sunday's run-off poll by the country's independent electoral body, but this was overturned by the Constitutional Council. This is the second suspension the country is under as the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) also suspended Ivory Coast earlier this week. Both candidates have been sworn in as president of the republic.
On this date in 1930 Andrew "Rube" Foster, the created of the Negro Leagues passed away from complications from his on going battle with his mental illness. Foster had started the league with a couple other owners as a way to better organize black baseball at the time. His influence on black baseball was second to none and it lead many to call him "the father of black baseball". He created the bunt and run as well as help put together the first ever night baseball game. Under Foster, the Negro Leagues became the largest black owned business in America. There are still rumors to this day that Foster's illness which eventually caused his death had foul play involved. He was on the verge of creating a league that could soon become as large as the Major leagues with even better talent. His league not only had black players, but also hired black accountants, bookkeepers, trainers, coaches, as well as other skilled and unskilled labor. These communities that had teams also had growing economies as a direct effect of baseball being there.
Within a year of Foster's death, the great league he created collapsed. It would take many years after his death for the rest of the baseball world to recognize the genius that was Rube Foster. In 1981, he was finally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
On this date in 1922 John Elroy Sanford was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Sanford is known by most by his stage name Red Foxx. Red was a legend on the stand up circuit but is most famous for his TV show Sanford and Son. A little known fact about Foxx is that in the 1940s, he was an associate of Malcolm Little who would later become Malcolm X. In Malcolm's autobiography, Foxx is referred to as "Chicago Red, the funniest dishwasher on this earth."
On this date in 1961 Tanzania gained its independence from the British. Tanzania had been under the control of the United Kingdom since the end of World War One. They had taken over the territory from Germany as part of a decision from the League of Nations. The national language is Swahili. Tanzania is the world's 31st-largest country.
Jay Electronica released a tribute to Guru via his twitter account yesterday. Enjoy more music from the man who has been the soundtrack to this YEBies movement.
No this is not a post of an interview of me, but two interviews of YEBies who are currently on the come up and are doing their own independent things receptively. Modi of DCtoBC/The GeePee and Jabari Johnson of IamJabari/Jabari Presents, were interviewed in New York by the homie Jack Sommer for his great site Imagination Detonation. Jack did a nice job with both interviews and got some great information from of these guys. 17 year old Jack Sommer is also defiantly someone to keep an eye out for as he continues to build his blog and brand through his different interview series.
The DMV based group Phred Diamond has put out visuals for the track "Once Again" of their mixtape Nowalaters. The group is currently working on a EP that is scheduled to drop at the beginning of the new year. Be on the lookout from more material from the group as the release day gets closer.
In the West African country of Ivory Coast the two remaining candidates for the office of president are claiming to be the nation's next president. Former South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in Ivory Coast this morning on an emergency mission as Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara both claim to be president of the country. Incumbent Laurent Gbagbo defied most of the international appeal for him to step aside and was sworn in Saturday as the new president in a formal ceremony inside the presidential palace that was live on television. Less than an hour-and-a-half later, his rival, Alassane Ouattara, told reporters that he had also taken the oath of office and asked Prime Minister Soro Guillaume to form a new government.
On Friday, The Constitutional Council declared Gbagbo the winner contradicting earlier results from the Independent Electoral Commission which handed Ouattara the victory with 54.1% of the vote.
The Constitutional Council said Gbagbo had won the election with 51.45% of the vote to Ouattara's 48.55%. It tossed out votes it said were marred by fraud in northern regions that were considered Ouattara strongholds.
Night Catches Us opened yesterday the 3rd in selected cities across the nation. It is Tanya Hamilton's first feature as a director. The score of the film is done by the great group The Roots. I personally can't wait to see it as it touches a part of American history that often gets over looked, The Panthers and the Black Power Movement.
About The Film:
In 1976, after years of mysterious absence, Marcus (Anthony Mackie, “The Hurt Locker”) returns to the Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age in the midst of the Black Power movement. While his arrival raises suspicion among his family and former neighbors, he finds acceptance from his old friend Patricia (Kerry Washington, “Ray,” “Lift”) and her daughter. However, Marcus quickly finds himself at odds with the organization he once embraced, whose members suspect he orchestrated the slaying of their former comrade-in-arms. In a startling sequence of events, Marcus must protect a secret that could shatter everyone's beliefs as he rediscovers his forbidden passion for Patricia.
The Marcy projects, Brooklyn birthed MC turns 41 today. He already told us how he came to be on the track December 4th off The Black Album, so in honor of the God MC send @yebies or @yebiesonline your favorite Hov tracks and lines so we can ReTweet you.
On this date in 1969, Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party and Mark Clark, a fellow member were killed (while sleeping) by Chicago police. The attack, aided by the help of an infiltrator, was masterminded by the city police force and the FBI's powerful counter-intelligence program(COINTEL-PRO).
The panthers left alive, including Deborah Johnson, Hampton's girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant at the time, were arrested and charged with attempting to murder the police. Afterwards, ballistic evidence revealed that only one bullet had been fired by the Panthers whereas nearly a hundred came from police guns.
After the resignation of President Richard Nixon, the Senate Intelligence Committee conducted a wide-ranging investigation of America's intelligence services. Frank Church of Idaho, the chairman of the committee, revealed in April, 1976 that William O'Neal, Hampton's bodyguard, was a FBI agent-provocateur who, days before the raid, had delivered an apartment floor-plan to the Bureau with an "X" marking Hampton's bed. Ballistic evidence showed that most bullets during the raid were aimed at Hampton's bedroom.
On this date in 1969 Moneta Sleet Jr became the first black to win the Pulitzer Prize for photography. Sleet who worked for Ebony Magazine would be known for his famous shot of Dr. King's grieving widow Coretta and youngest daughter Bernice.
On this date in 1906 Alpha Phi Alpha was founded on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. It was created by seven men who recognized the need for a strong bond of Brotherhood among African descendants in this country. The visionary founders, known as the "Jewels" of the Fraternity, are Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry ChAPman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy. Famous Alpha brothers include W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Fredrick Douglass, Edward Brooke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, Donny Hathaway, Lionel Richie, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Jesse Owens, and Eddie Robinson.
Big K.R.I.T has been one of my favorite music discoveries this year. This dude defiantly has talent and star power written all over him. He was recently in my city (D.C.), and opened for Wiz at the 930 club. I have stayed away from posting a lot of music this year because I felt all the other sites took care of that. However when ever a artist I likes goes in on a classic Outkast beat (Jazzy Belle) like this, I feel obligated to put it up and share with the world. So enjoy and be on the look out for more great things to come from the Mississippi native.
Michael Rapaport has been working on a documentary about legendary hip-hop group, A Tribe Called Quest that will premiere at Sundance 2011. The film is entitled Beats Rhymes and Life, and will be competing with 15 other titles in the US Documentary category.
Because of the success the B.M.F. record by Miami's Rick Ross, this summer people across the country were claiming to be “Big Meech”. Most people however were singing the hook without a clue of who "Big Meech" really was. Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory was the head of the “Black Mafia Family” who reigned supreme in Atlanta, Ga throughout the late 1990's and early 2000's. Most people first heard the name "Big Meech" from Ross's summer hit but he was not the first rapper to mention Meech in song. T.I. gave a extended shoutout to the imprisoned street legend on the song You Ain't Missin' Nothing on his album Paper Trail. Take a look at the video below that talks about the rise and fall of the Meech and The B.M.F.
On this date in 1969 Moneta Sleet Jr became the first black to win the Pulitzer Prize for photography. Sleet who worked for Ebony Magazine would be known for his famous shot of Dr. King's grieving widow Coretta and youngest daughter Bernice.
