One of the more telling aspects that stood out during last week’s Allied Media Conference held in Detroit, is the importance of artists forming collectives such as San Antonio's Local 782 and the Media Justice Project as a way to deal with the increasing impenetrable walls preventing access to corporate media outlets which are supposed to belong to the public.
This is severely real. One of my favorite people in this here town here hands down, and the woman behind one of the most important websites to pop up in Austin in recent years - TheSouthernShift.com - Ann del Llano speaks to Austin City Council about police accountability.
You will trip right the hell out when you hear some of the facts she kicks. Three cheers for Ann. We need more people like you who are NEVA SKED!
WATCH IT!
Big shout out to DJ Kuttin Kandi for always speaking up and reminding all of us our responsibility. What makes this letter so important is that as much as we in Hip Hop like to smash on the troubling aspects of mainstream and corporate backed Hip Hop, our so called progressiveness and 'us keeping it real' stop at the front door when it comes to women. Something is seriously amiss, we can turn on the BET awards as much as we like to criticize, and see MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Nicki Minaj and others hosting and performing and not see a cadre of women artists on the line up for a popular 'alternative' outlet like Rock the Bells. We all have to take a pause and ask ourselves some hard questions. Why and how is this happening?
Just got word about Senator Robert Byrd dying and not too sure what to make of it. The first thoughts that came to mind are, he's been serving my entire life and damn near my parents entire lives. Dude has sat in the Senate for almost 60 years. That's a long time. I keep asking myself, why do we have so many Senators who get to sit up in office till they are that old? The late Strom Thurman, Jesse Helms and Ted Kennedy are a few long time fixtures that come to mind...If you serve in office for that long can you be effective? Did they do what was needed for their states? If you're a Democrat or left leaning was he and others strong advocates or obstacle?
That's right! Two incredible and legendary reggae voices gon' grace the stage at Ace's on July 8th.
And you can win a pair of tickets to the show (2 pair to give a way on this go round) by shooting me an email at austinsurreal@gmail.com with the answer to this question:
What's the name of the group Marcia Griffiths is in with Judy Mowatt and Rita Marley?
First two correct answers win 2 tickets. Hit me up.
I don't normally do this (upload full CD's to the blog), but I found this one as I was going through a box in my garage of a ton of CD's I had on my shelf in my office in Houston. I remembered it as being pretty jammin', so I popped it in and was like MAN, yeah, this was the year 2000...
2.5 Mafia - Is Reality A Dream? KRAIGWOOD - A.K. Records - Click here to DL
The high post drama and glaring hypocrosy of Radio One's KBXX continues as former DJ Brandi Garcia speaks out about why she was fired. KBXX has stooped to all-time lows and fired her for playing a song where Trae was featured..
OMG, SMH, as the kids say. Brandi we got your back for sure, this is insanity. Thank you for speaking up and keeping it professional as always. People need to see this, it's real.
If these powerbroker fuckers would untie the hands of their DJ's across the country and globe, they might not have to worry about going under every freakin' day.
CLICK HERE TO READ ANOTHER EDITORIAL ON THE SITUATION BY A DAY AND A DREAM!
