Energize. Organize. Revolutionize! 
Archive for June, 2008
20
Jun
ImanCentral June Cafe
Shouts to Daylan
June 16th is the birthday of hip hop icon Tupac Amaru Shakur. His life cut short in 1996 by senseless violence. His murder remains to this day is unsolved.
The ‘testimony’ of hip hop icon Tupac Shakur (2Pac) is written and there is nothing he can add to what he has left us. Tupac is dead. There will be no new oration from one of the masters of words or no new contentious tracks to make headlines. What we have from him is what we have and we must come to grips with that.
In his life Tupac touched many people. He understood the world around him and was quick to point out the flaws and the weaknesses of the government and society. He understood the power of the mic and the power the man holding that mic could brandish; not only in the hip hop culture but in all society.
Tupac has written his last poem, his last rhyme and has given his last opinion of problems in the urban community. As far as hip hop goes: Tupac is gone. But his greatest and strongest points are not those of a hip hop artist, a wild gangsta rapper associated with powerful Death Row Records and Marion ‘Suge’ Knight; his strongest point was that he was in a position to ‘make a change’ and to point out the problems; and most likely those values had something to do with his death; like many other social activist before him.
Continue reading ‘Hip Hop Icon or Bearer of a Legacy – Tupac Shakur [ThugLifeArmy]‘
please pass on to all teachers you know!!!!
Thanks
This idea has been months in the making and we’re finally ready to launch the UTN over the summer. The UTN will be a major project of Hip Hop Congress’ Education Initiative. Its purpose is to reach out directly to those that work and mentor our youth. We want to support their efforts, build networks, share curriculum ideas and resources, and organize ways to better serve our communities needs.
Teachers have many tough issues to deal with while trying to educate and elevate today’s youth in this oppressive structure. The truth is the school system in many ways maintains the status quo structure of injustice and inequality. Teachers and even many administrators work hard to change that but often find themselves penalized for thinking outside of the box and being more relevant to their students’ lives. One recent example of a talented and dedicated teacher who was targeted for teaching a culturally relevant curriculum (using the Autobiography of Malcolm X) is Ms. Salazar of Jordan High, Watts, CA. Ms. Salazar’s contract is not being renewed but her students are fighting for her future at the school and their rights to a relevant and empowering education. She has taught them to learn their histories and love themselves as illustrated in this video.
VIDEO: FIRE IN WATTS: Jordan Students Rise for Ms. Salazar
The UTN hopes to organize and support teachers like Ms. Salazar and others who dedicate their lives to literally saving our future. The UTN is also interested in educating and mentoring our youth in more creative and relevant (and less restrictive) ways to most effectively serve their needs. To that end, we are promoting an urban arts education curriculum to bring to schools, juvenile centers and after school programs. We also plan to organize UTN events for teachers and students outside of the classroom in less restrictive spaces to learn, live and grow through experiences in community based outings.
I will be the primary contact for the UTN.
“Please email me at UTN@hiphopcongress.com to request an
application (data form) and we will reach out to you promptly!”
…and again, please pass on to all teachers you know!!!!
Thanks
take care,
tina
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Kristine Wright, Ph.D.
Sociology & African American Studies
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Visit my blo g:
http://riseuphiphopnation.blogspot.com/
Bloggers Rip Fox
Over Screen Text
About Mrs. Obama
By SAM SCHECHNER and REBECCA DANA
June 13, 2008; Page A5
For the second time this week, Fox News Channel was driven to respond to criticism over on-air statements about Barack Obama, in this case for screen text that described the Democratic presidential candidate’s wife as “Obama’s baby mama.” The term is often applied pejoratively to unwed mothers.
Television news organizations, facing unprecedented scrutiny, have often expressed contrition for poorly chosen words during this election season.
The latest controversy arose over screen text in a Fox News segment.
In a campaign that includes the first viable African-American presidential candidate, the lines of appropriate speech have become fuzzy. News organizations are under pressure from a broad network of self-appointed watchdogs, including organized groups like Media Matters and individuals. These watchdogs are likely to remain vigilant about gaffes, misstatements and potentially biased language through the November vote. Just this week, Gina McCauley, a well-known blogger in Austin, Texas, started michelleobamawatch.com to track the portrayal of Mrs. Obama in the news media.
In this campaign cycle, television news organizations have issued at least 10 apologies in total over on-air expressions. On Tuesday, a Fox News anchor, E.D. Hill, said she regretted suggesting that a celebratory hand gesture between Barack and Michelle Obama might be a “terrorist fist jab.” On Monday, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell apologized for calling southwest Virginia “redneck country.”
Fox News is owned by News Corp., which also owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal.
Employees at Time Warner Inc.’s CNN and General Electric Co.’s MSNBC, and a contributor to Fox News have all confused “Obama” and “Osama” in the last year in one form or another, and apologized for the mistake.
The most-recent dust-up began Wednesday afternoon during a segment on Fox News by commentator Michelle Malkin about conservative attacks on Michelle Obama. At the bottom of the screen, a headline said, “Outraged Liberals: Stop Picking on Obama’s Baby Mama!”
One Fox News viewer saw the phrase on screen, and emailed a tip to the Web magazine Salon, according to Alex Koppelman, who runs a political blog for the magazine. Mr. Koppelman says he verified the viewer’s claim using a Web site called Redlasso, which offers an archive of television news clips, and posted an item online.
In a statement Thursday, Fox News’s senior vice president of programming, Bill Shine, said, “A producer on the program exercised poor judgment” in choosing the screen text. The Obama campaign declined to comment.
“I was a little surprised about how quickly it got picked up and turned into a really big thing,” Mr. Koppelman said Thursday. “If it’s not already happening more than it has in previous cycles, I’m sure it will because of technology.”
The phrase baby mama or baby mother is Caribbean in origin, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, which defines it as “the mother of a man’s child, who is not his wife nor (in most cases) his current or exclusive partner.” It has gained wider currency in recent years through use in hip-hop lyrics and celebrity magazines. A movie called “Baby Mama,” starring Tina Fey, has been in theaters since April. The movie is about a single executive who hires another woman to carry her baby.
Ms. Malkin, who is noted for trenchant criticism, said on her Web site that she had nothing to do with the on-screen headline. She pointed out that Mrs. Obama herself used the phrase “my baby’s daddy” to refer to her husband in 2004. But that phrase doesn’t imply unwed status, many blog commentators argued.
Among friends, “baby mama” could be construed as friendly or a joke, according to Bakari Kitwana, an artist in residence at the University of Chicago who has written about the phrase in his book “The Hip Hop Generation.” But he says its use to describe the wife of a presidential candidate is disrespectful.
“Michelle Obama is not Fox News’s homegirl,” Mr. Kitwana said. “You’re taking something out of its culture and political context.”
The Obama campaign, both naturally and by design, has ushered some aspects of African-American culture into the mainstream. On one occasion, Mr. Obama brushed off his shoulder in a gesture signifying dismissal of criticism, silently reminding his audience of a song called “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” by the hip-hop artist Jay-Z. The episode generated big attention in news media.
“This campaign has shown that people are excited to use black language for the first time in presidential politics,” says Sarah E. Lewis, a faculty member at Yale University School of Art, and doctoral candidate focusing on representations of African-American culture. “But as they do it, often they’re putting their feet in their mouths because they don’t fully understand the culture.”
Write to Sam Schechner at sam.schechner@wsj.com
DATE, LOCATION: The 7TH Annual National Hip Hop Congress Conference will take place in Biloxi, MS from July 24th through the 27th at the Treasure Bay Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. This year the conference will focus on building internal capacity and direction of the organization with a goal of improved service, clarified action and plans to further influence local communities where we have a presence as well as national. Special addresses will be also be given by Bakari Kitwana of Rapsessions and Cheri Honkala, National Coordinator of the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign.
This conference will include a variety of activities and workshops in the elements of hip hop, use and development of media coalitions, direct action, digital distribution, music industry knowledge and detailed plans for HHC in the next two years. Hip Hop Congress will also be announcing the roll out of several new initiatives including increased resources for artists through the website and cultural services for schools, after school programs, and communities. Individuals and organizations interested in learning more about HHC are welcome to attend, enjoy the activities and learn more about HHC without any obligation to join. As always, there will be shows every night featuring artists on the cutting edge of Independent music as well as a headliner yet to be named.Previous artists who have performed at the National Conference are Blueprint, OneBeLo, Zion I, Jurassic 5, and Brother Ali.
Shamako Noble, HHC President, stated, “Last year we gave an open invitation to Hip Hop organizations, partners and interested folks to attend in an effort to expand our bases. This year, we want to focus on refining our strengths while addressing our weaknesses. We’ve been able to survive conditions as an organization that many said shouldn’t have allowed us to exist. Our hope is that at this conference we can return to the formula that has allowed is to survive for so long, while troubleshooting issues that could hinder our development . This means refocusing on the mission, streamlining our communication, and redefining our programs. We are also very excited to be in the South, where a lot of Hip Hop Organizations either don’t go, are afraid to go, or only go when it’s convenient. We’re looking to build something lasting here, and connect it to the rest of the practical Hip Hop movement.â€
Cheri Honkala commented, “I’m honored to be a part of this event. I attended my first HHC conference in 2004 and we’ve been developing a relationship ever since. This year, our collaborative focus is in Minneapolis at the March for Our Lives where HHC is taking a clear stand on Housing, Health Care, money and programs for the poor and not for this ridiculous war in Iraq. I think that anybody that is serious about utilizing the potential of Hip Hop at a grassroots level should be looking at HHC.â€
When President of the Southern Progressives, Southern Regional Director, and top flight artist Kamikaze was asked to comment, he replied, “The Mississippi Artists and Producers coalition is proud to be hosting this year’s annual conference. I personally lobbied for Hip Hop Congress to be here and connect with the South in an organic way that we hadn’t really seen in Mississippi. As the defender and protector of all things Mississippi, I expect nothing but the best results from this conference.“
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION, PERFORMING, AND SCHEDULE
08
Jun
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER’S HIP HOP CONGRESS & STUDENTS TO HOST POLITICAL CELEBRATION [Denver]
This was just sent in by Tom over in Denver!
Contact: Thomas Evans, President
Tel: (720) 341-7499
Email: hhcucd@yahoo.com
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER’S HIP HOP CONGRESS & STUDENTS TO HOST POLITICAL CELEBRATION
Democracy Right Now!
Denver, CO. June 3, 2008 – University of Colorado Denver’s Hip Hop Congress & fellow students will host its Democracy Right Now event on Thursday, August 21st from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the Auraria Campus’ Tivoli Student Union’s Turnhalle.
Democracy Right Now is a student organized event that allows students, political grassroots organizations, and elected officials to network, share ideas, and to discuss issues affecting the lives of Americans. The event will provide an opportunity for young voters to actively engage in the political process and to learn how it impacts their lives and their communities.
Denver’s hosting of the Democratic National Convention is providing a fertile opportunity for Colorado to play an instrumental role in the political process. Students of the University of Colorado Denver, Metro State, and Community College of Denver are proud to be a part of this historic moment by hosting Democracy Right Now.
Scheduled keynote speaker for the Democracy Right Now event is Colorado State Representative Debbie Benefield. The event will also feature elected officials, representatives from student organizations, community development organizations and advocates, and a host of vendors and supporters. A wide range of topics will be discussed, including education, healthcare, finance, and economics.
Democracy Right Now will also feature live music as well as local artists. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and work with like-minded individuals.
The Tivoli Student Union is located at 900 Auraria Parkway in downtown Denver, CO.
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For additional information and to find out how you or your organization can get involved, contact Thomas Evans at 720-341-7499, Russell Garcia at (303) 399-3999, or Justine Sandoval at (720) 939-8751.
