Jay-Z was featured on ABC News Nightline last week, but I couldn’t find the video until this weekend. As expected, ABC quoted a couple violent lyrics, showed some misogynistic videos, and took a couple shots at hip-hop. But suprisingly, they also took time to draw attention to Jay’s recent charity work.
The main point of the story was Jay’s trip to the United Nations to raise awareness about the world’s water crisis, and the November 24 airing of “The Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life,” an MTV documentary following Jay’s experiences as he meets people without access to safe drinking water. (more…)
Three words personify M-1 of Dead Prez in view of his performance during the WaPi (Words and Pictures) gala at the British Council on Saturday: Revolutionary but Gangster! The monthly event is a platform that celebrates graffiti artists, poets, writers, spoken word artists, creative artists and progressive musicians.
Flanked by Umi, a like-minded affiliate of his larger hip-hop outfit, (P.O.W)/RBG family, M-1 gave Kenyan hip-hop fans a rare experience of an electrifying live show by an internationally acclaimed underground hip-hop group. Their characteristic raps laced with radical messages of cultural, social and political revolution, inspired many of the young fans in attendance with a need to raise their consciousness. (more…)
After 12 years of successfully publishing Nigeria’s most authoritative music magazine, Smooth promotions, publishers of HipHop World Magazine have now adapted the publication’s format for television. The end result is an information driven programme called Hip TV which has already debuted on several T.V stations around the country.
‘People have been telling us to do something for TV audiences for a long time now. But we’ve taken our time. We know what is expected of us, and we’re not about letting our fans down’, says CEO Ayo Animashaun who is also the brainchild behind the annual Hip hop world awards which started in 2006. (more…)
A film on the role of hip-hop in shaping the political discourse in Senegal is getting rave reviews. The documentary Democracy in Dakar is the brainchild of filmmaker and producer Ben Herson, who visited Senegal’s capital, Dakar, in 2003.
Herson first got interested in Senegalese music a couple of years ago, when he was working on his university thesis about Senegalese music. He was amazed at the vibrant music scene in Dakar, given the small resources and financial rewards available to young musicians there. He says he was intrigued by their passion and devotion to music and decided to expand his project into a full-length movie. Herson’s next visit came during Senegal’s presidential election campaign held earlier this year. He witnessed the power of young, politically conscious rappers – and the enthusiasm of their fans. (more…)
Millions of Darfurians live in fear of murder, rape, and mutilation. They’re depending on us to help put an end to their suffering. But their torturers won’t stop until their funding dries up.
That’s why we’re working hard to create a global movement to Divest for Darfur. But we need your help to make it happen. We’re off to a strong start but we’re still $340,000 away from our goal of raising $400,000 by Friday, June 15th. (more…)
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Broadcast Date: February 22, 2007
Website: Documentary Website
TV Station: VH-1
Donate: Bambai Bling Foundation
“Bling’d: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop” Movie Review
I am heated as a motherfucker man. Back in December, Russell Simmons returned from his “fact-finding mission” to Africa and reported that everything with the diamond industry was up to par … that there were no more blood diamonds. He said that no abuses were taking place, that some 80 percent of profits were going back to Africans, and that the diamond trade was actually helping to empower and enrich the people. (more…)
HIPHOPNEWSBLOG.COM has recently given Russell Simmons a bunch of props for his recent community service actions, all of which you can read about here.
However, what I was most excited about was his late-November “fact-finding mission” to South Africa and Botswana and it’s apparent intention of helping to empower Africans. (more…)
With the recent escalation of fighting between Israel and Arab militants, I started thinking about hip-hop on that side of the world. I regularly read articles about hip-hop in Israel, and from what I can tell, it has a pretty big following. I’m sure you’ll find the same in many Arab countries.
With my interest in politically conscious rap, I started to wonder what, if anything, these Israeli or Arab rappers might say about their region’s ongoing conflict. (more…)
I recently reviewed Mr. Lif’s new album, “Mo’ Mega.” For those of you who don’t know, Lif is a highly political MC, and often gives his point of view on our country’s actions at home and abroad.
In any case, Lif’s past couple of albums have shown an interest in the continent of Africa, which I am starting to see as a major political issue for the hip-hop generation. (more…)
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