Eat Good 2015 Cypher, UK Music Industry Event Plus New Music Out of Washington DC from Gerreddi

Very pleased to hear that Birmingham city will be hosting an event to get the UK rap scene together to develop a more coherent industry. DJ Miss C Brown has put together a lively selection of videos from classic and new UK artists as a showcase for the event on 24th January. Hard to say exactly how a more cohesive scene could be made, especially as music seems increasingly to be seen as something that should be available for free, or at the very least at a much lower monetary value than yesteryear. How successful different approaches can be is up for debate, and especially in rap and hip hop there's inevitably lots of cliques and differences of styles and opinion going on; one set of 'like minds' do not always see eye to eye with another set so will be interesting to see if answers come out of this.....I know Malik from MD7 does a whole heap of work in this area so those attending will be in a privileged position to hear him.

Very fitting that this event is coming to Birmingham, as the ever heavy Brum collective Eat Good have just released this banging cypher featuring RedBeard, Kosyne, Gen Uchiha and representing good Ol' East Anglia new recruit Booda French. Check this out, then head to the Eat Good website for a prime example of a business model built from the ground up with a very clear focus on style and quality product.

Finally, back to the global Inbox and Washington native Gerreddi delivers a track pushing a positive frame of mind in the face of hate and the ills of society, with the "Black Lives Matter" featuring heavily in the video. Not entirely cohesive lyrically I reckon but it stands out from the generice bling trap music that continues to jam up the Vocalswords PO Box.

GTS Mob, Audible Doctor, Guilty Simpson & Freddro Starr

GTS Mob have created a UK summertime anthem over a very nice laid back beat produced by Big Dockz who spits alongside Crime, and I have to agree that their stated aim "to capture the sunshine, good vibes and fun times we look forward to every year" comes through especially with lines like "We were having fun till the feds come" and "Season up the Best Grub" and is evidenced next to a poignent Coke bottle bigging up "Mum". However the darker side of London life is reflected with numerous references to gang culture and guns, and for me some of this gave me pause for thought as to whether I should post the video, so I appraoched Big Dockz from the team who reflected "We intentionally made casual references especially in the chorus to show the harsh reality that as much good that goes on in our summer in an instant one of us could be gone. Some of my circle aren't here due to this reality already hence why in my verse I said 'praying all my donnys see the next one' we are detailing our own reality." This caveat rang true for me in a way that highlights the differences in life and perspectives that make up UK street and hiphop culture, and one that this blog can't afford to deny.

Over the ocean, Audible Doctor has as ever been cooking up treats and the latest features heavyweight Guilty Simpson on another solid headnodder.

 

 

Next up, from the Press Release...."Hailing from Hollygrove, the artists of 0017th return with visuals for their latest release, "Black Man," which illustrates the hardships that can come along with being an African-American man in the land of the free. 

The recent shooting of Mike Brown closely mirrors the murder of their childhood friend and Hollygrove native, Keith "Magic" Atkinson. Atkinson made headlines as Lil Wayne's friend who was unlawfully killed by NOPD the morning after they had reunited in celebration. "Black Man" is a powerful tribute to Michael Brown, Keith "Magic" Atkinson, and the thousands of others murdered just because of the color of their skin."...... ..I've finished off with Fredro Starr's "Made in the Streets" track taken from the album of the same name which has just been released on CD, and paints some powerfully devastating portraits of race related violence.

Lil B - No Black Person is Ugly

 Say it one time! Beautiful and moving lyrics and video from the base god!

Neo Nazi's in the U.S. Military

The hip hop community and intelligent people everywhere have been celebrating the new Obama administration, but the shadow of racism still lurks...I was intrigued to read the following article by Jody Ray Bennett who writes for ISN Security, an independent service following international affairs. Read here It documents some of the alarming infiltrations that right wing extremists and neo-nazi's have made into the U.S. military...just another thing to consider when us Brits hide under the US umbrella op peacekeeper, stay alert people!