Energize. Organize. Revolutionize! 
Archive for November, 2007
30
Nov
Gio album release party!
ALBUM IN STORES: December 4th!
http://www.flashenhanced.com/stylesp/ecard/
“I don’t think they’re going to expect what I’m coming with, this album is a display of my best work yet†says Styles Peniro (né David Styles) about his upcoming third solo album, Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentlemen). As Styles P drops his follow up to 2002’s critically acclaimed A Gangster & A Gentleman (with more then 700,000 copies sold), he’s confident in his abilities to not only continue his cliques’ reputation for banging Hip-Hop, but also cement his reputation as one of the rap game’s most talented lyricists.
Styles P, a member of The LOX, grew up on the streets of Yonkers, NY rapping alongside Jadakiss (Jayson Phillips) and Sheek Louch (Shawn Jacobs). In their late teens the trio met Mary J. Blige who was so impressed with their tough street east coast lyrics she gave them a big break by putting their demo in the hands of Sean “Diddy†Combs, who immediately hired the trio to write for Bad Boy Records. With the label, The LOX quickly started collaborating hits with Diddy, the Notorious BIG, Mary J Blige and Mariah Carey which gave them instant notoriety and status within the hip-hop and mainstream charts.
In 1996 and 1997, the group wrote and performed on a number of Diddy hits, including “It’s All About the Benjamins” and “I Got the Power,” Mase’s “24 Hrs. to Live,” Mariah Carey’s “Honey,” the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Last Day,” and Mary J. Blige’s “Can’t Get You Off My Mind.” In 1997 The LOX received international acclaim when their tribute to the late Biggie Smalls, “We’ll Always Love Big Poppa,” was picked as the B side track off of Diddy’s album (3x Platinum) with the number one hit, “I’ll Be Missing You.” This single was the most played hit in 1997, which opened the door for The LOX first solo album debut in January 1998 entitled Money, Power & Respect (Certified Gold). Though the album was a chart toping success, The LOX felt the glossy sheen of Bad Boy Records conflicted with their grimier rap aesthetic and therefore cut their ties and moved on to Ruff Ryder Records. After another LOX album, We Are The Streets (2002), Jadakiss was the first to release a solo album in 2001 Kiss The Game Goodbye and Styles followed with his own in 2002 A Gangster & A Gentleman.
Whether a part of the triple threat The LOX, or as a solo artist, Styles’ razor sharp slick talk has created a cult-like following by his countless fans within the hip-hop and gangsta rap community.
“I always looked at myself as the hardest MC in the game†he says. “I’m proud to be independent & putting this album out myself. This 3rd Album is the best display of my work thus farâ€
From growing-up on the streets to slinging drugs to making ends meet and spending time in jail, Styles has earned respect from his peers in the music industry. These days, when Styles is not making tracks, he works a busy schedule as Co-CEO of D-Block Records, and raising his two kids-daughter Tai (10) and son Noah (6) with his wife, Adjua Styles. On the artistic side, he’s been a featured artist on smash hits including Akon’s “Lock’d Upâ€, Jadakiss’s “Why Remixâ€, and Mariah Carey’s #1 smash hit “We Belong Together†(remix), keeping him on the mainstream radar.
With the release of Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) his first album with KOCH Records, he continuously packs on the heat with one of 2007’s most anticipated urban releases. “I’m proud to be operating as an independent where I have total control of my projectâ€. Styles’ undeniable talent is further showcased on this album by his more refined verses and finely chiseled songs. The first single, “Blow Your Mind†with Swizz Beatz debuted strongly on the urban charts and is currently the 2nd highest added single on urban radio. Other tracks include collaborations with Akon, Ghostface Killah, Ray J, Max B, and Black Thought making this record a standout hit.
From one of the organizers:
Austin, Tx
The Cipher- Austin’s Hip Hop Project exists to ensure Austin youth a safe, supportive, dynamic and challenging community in which to discover their powerful voices. Through written, spoken word and hip-hop, they can express their views and strengthen self-esteem. This project encourages them to use musical self-expression to air their opinions on personal and sociopolitical issues.
We provide uncensored writing, recording and performance opportunities to Austin youth at no cost. Through our year-long curriculum and workshops, we aim to develop youth’s critical thinking skills, leadership, and to ignite a personal commitment to growth and learning. In addition, this program improves job and networking skills enabling youth to start and maintain community connections. We were inspired to create this program by the documentary film The Hip Hop Project and the program it features. www.hiphopproject.com
In our curriculum, we also include the films Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Byron Hurt and Before the Music Dies by Austin filmmakers Joel Rasmussen and Andrew Shapter. see http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/ and http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/
The Beyond Beats and Rhymes discussion is led by violence prevention specialist Sean Tate from Texas Council on Family Violence.
The teens also experience hip hop theatre through Zell Miller III’s Hip Hop Theatre Explosion http://sharonbridgforth.com/2007/08/05/hip-hop-theatre-explosion/ and http://austinist.com/2007/07/31/zell_miller_iii.php
This show, put on 4 times a year, allows the teens opportunities to perform in a non threatening space as they move through the Cipher program.
Some samples from the the artists work can be seen here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNGACXaR4WY
http://www.myspace.com/zellmillermusic
View Public Offenders’s EPK
and http://www.saulpaul.com/
http://www.balleteast.org/Bios/ananda.htm
All of the performers are guest speakers and involved in the day to day workings of “The Cipher”
We also partner with Austin Voices for Education and Youth, Southwest Key Programs, Texas Association for Nonprofit Organizations and numerous community organizers. This allows Cipher participants to be meaningfully involved in the community.
30
Nov
Did D.O. sign a deal?
New D.O. single “This Grind”
The new D.O. single produced by The Beatchild is hitting the airwaves.
DJ’s around the world are calling it one of the hottest new tracks out!
Check THIS GRIND out exclusively at our myspace page along with
new bangers produced by DJ Speed, Diz Dallas, and Classified.
Click here to visit D.O. myspace
Poizunus Album Release party , Saturday, December 1st
D.O. will be performing live as part of Poizunus’s album release party. Regarded as one of the World’s top beat-boxing talents, Poizunus also performs live at many D.O. shows.
It’s Poizunus’s birthday celebration and we going to pop some bottles to celebrate!
Saturday December 1st, 2007
10:00pm – 3:00am
Peridot Resto Lounge
81 Bloor St. E.
Toronto, ON
M4W 1A9
Special guests:
D.O.
SICK.SOUND.SYNDROME – Toronto’s Sickest Beatbox Crew
M-KUTZ – Toronto DMC Champion 2004-2006
Q – L.O.D. Fam
KOL & XAVIER – Founders of DigitalX – Classic House and Electro
DJ DUSSDISS – Old School n’ Classic Hip Hop
To get a sample of the Poizunus EP, check the Myspace:
For more info on the EP, check the Blog below:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=13061305
The official home of D.O. aka Defy the Odds
D.O.’s debut album “THE NORTHSTARR” is available on ITUNES
and can be purchased online via the links on our site
For many artists it is hard to start up a website that not only keeps your audience informed but also makes it easy for you to push your products. Most artists these days are using myspace as their home page but the reality is that it could be easier to just set up your own homepage and launch your own store. Granted it will take more time and effort but the pay off and professionalism will be far greater.
The hardest part is the storefront. One site that I have seen is aShop Commerce. This site has a one stop shop for building a store. Now I don’t personally use aShop but they do offer a ten day trial. That should be plenty of time to decide if this works for you, if its too complicated, if its not what your looking for. The demo offers use of their features that include requires no installation, accepts credit cards online, and has fully customizable design. It is also search engine friendly.
I am not saying this is the best shopping cart software or ecommerce software but it is one option that is out there. If you have any other suggestions, post them to the comments.
Spread the word & COME THRU!!
Other DLab info:
PROJECTS
1. MR NETW3RK COMING SOON
2. EOG Mixtape Volume Now : In stores and online
3. Empire Strikes 1st : In stores and online
SHOWS EVENTS
1. Launch of Tacoma Hip Hop Debate in Washington
2. Show @ Waids in Seattle,WA
3. show w KRS-1 in Santa Clara,CA
Song: Life Strategies by DLabrie fea. Adisa Banjoko – Song Created for the “WorldWide Hip Hop Chess Federation” (hiphpchessfederation.org)
www.myspace.com/dlabriemusic
www.myspace.com/rondavouxrecords
www.youtube.com/dlabri3
as|peers: emerging voices in american studies
calls for submissions by 1 December 2007
American Studies Leipzig
www.americanstudies.uni-leipzig.de
americanstudies@uni-leipzig.de
as|peers is a new, annual, peer reviewed journal for young American Studies scholars in Europe. It is a
platform for the best work done by American Studies graduate students below the PhD-level. It aims to
foster academic exchange among young Americanists across Europe, and to thereby advance the field
and its genuine European perspective on ‘America’ and its presences and effects around the world.
as|peers is the only American Studies journal specifically targeting graduate students enrolled in MA
Programs in Europe. It is located at the American Studies MA program at the University of Leipzig,
Germany. Every issue will contain peer-reviewed, academic work, as well as a section of art, poetry, and
other contributions. Its first issue, scheduled to be in print in March 2008, will aim to produce a snapshot
of graduate American Studies in Europe.
For more information on as|peers and our mission statement, please refer to:
www.aspeers.com/missionstatement.
For its first issue, as|peers seeks outstanding academic writing demonstrating the excellence of graduate
scholarship, the range of concerns scrutinized in the field, and the diversity of perspectives employed.
Considering the short deadline, we thus explicitly invite revised versions of term papers or chapters from
Master (or Magister/Diploma) theses written by students of European Master (and the equivalent)
programs. Contributions to this section should be up to 10000 words (including abstract and list of works
cited).
In addition, as|peers seeks contributions to its open submission section. This issue’s open submission
topic is ‘Transatlantic Encounters’ and submissions should respond to this topic. We will consider for
inclusion printable submissions (poetry, photography, collages, etc.) regardless of the author’s
institutional affiliation or level of study.
For more information on submission guidelines and a timetable of the review process for this issue,
please refer to www.aspeers.com/submit. Please direct questions and inquiries to info@aspeers.com.
Institute for American Studies • Universität Leipzig • Beethovenstraße 15 • 04107 Leipzig
www.americanstudies.uni-leipzig.de • americanstudies@uni-leipzig.de
fon: (+49) 341 / 9737 330 • fax: (+49) 341 / 9737 339
