At least a couple of times a week, U.S. Army Capt. Alfonso Johnson opens his laptop at his base in Afghanistan and plays a rap video _ a clip with his young son singing of his fears his father will die in combat.  “I’m 11 years old, already grown up, ’cause my dad’s been gone so much,” Xavier chants into a microphone, his head bobbing to a hip hop beat. Then the boy gets more blunt: “I’m feeling real sad now, I can’t lie, ’cause there’s a chance that my dad might die.”

Rather than depressing him, Johnson says the song, called “Keep ‘em Safe,” makes him feel closer to his son. That is partly because of the memory of working with Xavier to make the song and video in the U.S. But the lyrics also have a harsh honesty that lets 37-year-old Johnson feel the torrent of emotions his son, now 13, is experiencing back in Fort Drum, N.Y. (more…)

On this day in which our entire nation and the rest of the world takes a moment to commemorate and honor the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we should all remember the many visionary principals of equality, harmony and peace that he put forth.

While the achievements of his lifelong fight for racial equality in the United States are well documented, Dr. King’s fight for world peace and tolerance on an international level often takes a second seat in the history books. (more…)

Hip-hop artists from the U.S., U.K., Japan and Europe have collaborated on a one-off music video to protest the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. The video was released today online, with additional broadcasts planned for other cross-channel digital media platforms. (more…)

The 15 teenage hip-hop dancers break into a sweat as the demands of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” take their toll. Despite the air conditioning in the sparkling new cultural center, the 125-degree heat finds its way inside. Dance teacher Michael Parks Masterson takes the students to task over a fumbled step. “You guys are awesome, but you must concentrate,” he shouts.

There are only seven more days to prepare for the Unity Performing Arts Academy gala show. Hip-hop, one of America’s newer cultural exports, is about to make a debut in northern Iraq. (more…)

  Rating:
  Review Date: July 14, 2007
  Website: To The Fallen Website
  Label: To The Fallen Records

To The Fallen Records “Vol. 1″ Album Review
Whenever you turn on the TV in this country, it’s very difficult not to see something about the war in Iraq. We got play-by-plays and body counts flashing up all the time on the news; politicians arguing about what the strategy should be or who should be calling the shots; people protesting and calling for an end to our involvement; and pro-America commercials urging us to support our troops and come together as a country. Yet I don’t think I’ve ever seen an interview with an active soldier, witnessed any troops talk about what it’s like to be in war, or heard the opinions of anyone who’s actually serving in Iraq. And that just doesn’t seem right to me man. (more…)

  Rating:
  Review Date: January 31, 2007
  Website: Mos Def Website
  Label: Geffen

Mos Def “True Magic” Album Review
I used to be a WWF Wrestling fan. Go ahead, laugh it up. I don’t know why, but something about the beefing soap opera drama was funny to me. When they give their little speeches where they talk shit to whoever they’re beefing with at the time, they often put on great performances, and I always felt it was not that different from freestyle battle rapping. I used to like cats like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle and Booker T, mostly because they could control the mic well. But above all, the Rock was my motherfucking man dogg. (more…)