Thursday, January 31, 2013

Did Rick Ross Return Fire During Shooting?

Did Rick Ross Return Fire During Shooting?

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Masta Killa " Selling my Soul"


masta-killaMasta Killa may be the silent assassin of the Wu-Tang Clan, but his sword cuts sharp when he does speak. The legendary Brooklyn emcee recently released his third solo album Selling My Soul and I had the opportunity to speak with 9th member of the Clan about a variety of subjects. Masta Killa & I spoke about the new LP, his inspiration for its production style, the status of his Loyalty Is Royaltyalbum and why timing is of the utmost importance to his work. Jamel Arief also sheds light on a reggae project he’s been working on and explains why he believes we’ll finally see the Wu-Tang Clan come together once again for a new album in 2013. You can check out everything Masta Killa had to say below.
Justin: What’s up Masta Killa?
Masta Killa: Just, what’s going on brother?
Justin: I wanted to talk a little about your new album Selling My Soul. Originally the third album you were planning was Loyalty Is Royalty, so how did this one come about and end up being released instead?
Masta Killa: I was kind of testing the climate of where I thought the music was at this time. And it just seemed like to me, Selling My Soul was needed for the Hip Hop universe because right now, my opinion is you can’t get any music like [Selling My Soul]. Everything else is like you can get that over there, you can get that over here. I just felt like Selling My Soul is needed right now for the people, just good music that you can put on without having to fast forward and be played at any occasion. I felt this was the right time for this particular project.
Justin: One of the things that stood out about the album was the vibrant, soulful production. It actually reminded me of Ghostface’s The Pretty Toney Album and I know you shouted him out on this LP. So, was there any influence from that project for you here?masta-killa
Masta Killa: Well, I’ve been influenced by beautiful music since I knew what music was. I have a song on there called “Dirty Soul” where I mention a few artists that I’ve been a fan of and that I’ve studied since, like I said, first started listening to music. So for me, to just want to make something beautiful and to make something nourishing is only me giving back everything that I’ve studied.
Me and my brother Ghost, we have that same ear for music. He loves a lot of old soul. We get on the road, we go in chambers, put on some old stuff and we be singing and bugging out. [Laughs] So our chambers are similar and that’s probably why you hear that closeness of both our chambers.
Justin: You mentioned “Dirty Soul” and you pay homage to Ol’ Dirty Bastard on it, mimicking his rhyme style. What was it like to do that tribute to him?
Masta Killa: Aw man, I had to give it to ‘em cause to me he was one of the most soulful brothers within Wu-Tang. I mean, he was dirty soul! When I heard the production, immediately when I heard it I was like, “This is something my brother Dirty would’ve loved.” It just sounded like him. So I was like, I’m gonna go write in one of his chambers and I’m also gonna pay tribute to – not all cause if I list all the groups that I loved, it probably would’ve been a ten minute song [Laughs] – but I’m gonna drop a few names of a few people that I love and respect and I have to mix in my brother Dirty. And as a matter of fact, I’m gonna say a rhyme of his just to pay homage and how I think he would have done it you know?
Justin: Absolutely. Now another standout track for me was the joint with Kurupt, “Cali Sun,” and it does not have the typical production we’ve come to associate you with. Is it important to challenge yourself like that as you continue on in this game and take those types of chances? Read more

As a big Masta Killa fan, I was looking forward to this release, only to be disappointed by an abbreviated album lacking cohesion. The artist stated that he planned to put his "soul" into the project, hence the title. However, unlike symmetry and quality production on Ghostface Killah's R&B influenced "Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry", this album is disjointed by a lack of consistent soul. On "Wise Words", Killa talks over Zapp's "Be Alright" which seems more like an uncreative sample of Tupac's "Keep Your Head Up" as opposed to a sampling of the original version. Killa actual takes production credit on this song, however, "reproduction" is a better term. On "Divine Glory" he takes a direct stab at R&B rap. Unfortunately, the song lacks any musical substance. At one point, the beat drops for about 30 seconds as Killa raps a cappella. Once the beat returns for another 45 seconds, the song is cut abruptly without wind-down. Perhaps the biggest disappointment on this album is "Dirty Soul" which is said to feature Ol' Dirty Bastard. Instead, we have another song with Killa speaking over the beat, paying tribute to various R&B groups. He eventually begins to honor several "soul brothers", including Ol' Dirty Bastard. Once this introduction is made, Killa proceeds to kick a verse imitating Dirty which is a far cry from an actual guest feature. There are few noteworthy songs on this disc: "Soul & Substance", "Things Just Not the Same", "Food", and "All Natural", with the later song falling short of the three minutes. This is another problem with the album - all but four songs fall under four minutes. When you add this to a few unremarkable skits, along with one song ("Wisdom") that is basically a skit without an artist, you have what amounts to an EP. Making matters worse for hardcore Wu-Tang fans, the album is void of any appearance by a clan member. Instead, we're given "Cali Sun", a lifeless song featuring west coast artist Kurupt. Masta Killa may have struck a good idea when planning this project, however, the album lacks quality or punch. With six years separating his last release, this will be a disappointment for most fans. I take some satisfaction in supporting one of my favorite artists, but wonder how satisfied Masta Killa is with this album.


It seems oddly appropriate that, some 10 years after the Wu-Tang Clan first put the world on notice, Masta Killa would finally get to put out his solo album--he's the last of the original Clan members to deliver one. Even more remarkable is that, at a time when the Wu mostly seem like material for a future "I Love the '90s" installment (Ghostface excepted), Masta Killa puts together an impressive album in the best tradition of the Clan: dusty, dissonant soul loops, lyrics that are all about style rather than shine, and that classic sinister quality embodied by the Wu's best albums. Had this album come out in 1998, people might have hailed it as another Wu classic, especially with the brilliantly biting "School" and the unexpected sentiment of "Love Spell." Add in cameos from all the family--Ghost, Inspectah Deck, the GZA, etc.--and No Said Date suddenly takes you back to the heady days of, oh, 1996. Way old school. --Oliver Wang


Seriously, Masta Killa was the last guy I expected to hold down the Wu Tang when they started to slip. When I got word that he was dropping an album back in '04, I just knew it was going to be the worst solo album in the entire Wu camp (Not that he was wack, but every group has that one guy that may not get as much shine/spotlight as the rest of the crew...Masta Killa was that guy). Then I popped No Said Date into my CD changer......and it's still there. Fast forward to 2006 ...... With the release of Made In Brooklyn, Masta Killa should easily be regarded as one of the most consistant Wu members (along with GZA and Tony Starks). The album has a distinct Wu sound despite production from cats like Pete Rock, PF Cuttin', MF Doom, and some relatively unknown beatsmiths (Jig Sor, Whyz Ruger, Chris Conway, Mark Grant....just to name a few). To list every dope track would result in me writing a 12 paragraph review. Trust me when I tell you that this joint is nothing short of definite satisfaction. The production is tight, MK brings it on the mic, and every living member of the Wu (R.I.P. Ol' Dirty) comes through to drop verses. As far as flaws, there aren't many. I wasn't really feeling "Let's Get Into Something" or "Lovely Lady" and "Older Gods" may fall under skip material if you're not in the mood for it. The rest of the album is practically untouchable. As a whole though, the album isn't as creative as his previous LP. Made In Brooklyn is as good as you're going to find in rap this year. This album along with strong joints from Ghostface (Fishscale), Inspectah Deck (Resident Patient), Mathematics (Soul Of A Man), Raekwon (The Vatican Mixtape), and Bronze Nazareth (The Great Migration) marks a strong return for the WU in 2006. It gets two thumbs way up from me. I recommend making this one a collection piece. Standout Tracks: East MCs feat. Victorious, K. Born, Killa Sin, & Free Murder, Pass The Bone [Remix], It's What It Is feat. Raekwon & Ghostface (My Favorite), Iron Gods Chamber feat. U-God, RZA, & Method Man, Street Corners feat. Inspectah Deck & GZA, Nehanda & Cream, E.N.Y House, Ringing Bells, and Then & Now feat.Karim Justice, Shamel Irief, & Young Prince


Sunday, January 27, 2013

Farrakhan's Exclusive 2013 Interview.. Topics: Barack Obama, Django Unch...



Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. (born Louis Eugene Wolcott; May 11, 1933, and formerly known as Louis X) is the leader of the syncretic and mainly African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam (NOI). He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of the Nation of Islam. After Warith Deen Muhammad disbanded the NOI and started the orthodox Islamic group American Society of Muslims, Farrakhan started rebuilding the NOI. In 1981 he revived the name Nation of Islam for his organization, previously known as Final Call, regaining many of the Nation of Islam's National properties including the NOI National Headquarters Mosque Maryam, reopening over 130 NOI mosques in America and the world. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Farrakhan as an antisemite.

Farrakhan is a black religious and social leader. Farrakhan has been both praised and widely criticized for his often controversial political views and outspoken rhetorical style. In October 1995, he organized and led the Million Man March in Washington, D.C., calling on black men to renew their commitments to their families and communities. Due to health issues, in 2007, Farrakhan reduced his responsibilities with the NOI.Read more


In the Name of Elijah Muhammad tells the story of the Nation of Islam—its rise in northern inner-city ghettos during the Great Depression through its decline following the death of Elijah Muhammad in 1975 to its rejuvenation under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan. Mattias Gardell sets this story within the context of African American social history, the legacy of black nationalism, and the long but hidden Islamic presence in North America. He presents with insight and balance a detailed view of one of the most controversial yet least explored organizations in the United States—and its current leader.
Beginning with Master Farad Muhammad, believed to be God in Person, Gardell examines the origins of the Nation. His research on the period of Elijah Muhammad’s long leadership draws on previously unreleased FBI files that reveal a clear picture of the bureau’s attempts to neutralize the Nation of Islam. In addition, they shed new light on the circumstances surrounding the murder of Malcolm X. With the main part of the book focused on the fortunes of the Nation after Elijah Muhammad’s death, Gardell then turns to the figure of Minister Farrakhan. From his emergence as the dominant voice of the radical black Islamic community to his leadership of the Million Man March, Farrakhan has often been portrayed as a demagogue, bigot, racist, and anti-Semite. Gardell balances the media’s view of the Nation and Farrakhan with the Nation’s own views and with the perspectives of the black community in which the organization actively works. His investigation, based on field research, taped lectures, and interviews, leads to the fullest account yet of the Nation of Islam’s ideology and theology, and its complicated relations with mainstream Islam, the black church, the Jewish community, extremist white nationalists, and the urban culture of black American youth, particularly the hip-hop movement and gangs.


This Entertaining and Engrossing book is neither a attempt to lionize
nor Demonize Louis Farrakhan. It is just factually based. Author
Leila Wills demonstrates a superior ability to allow the star of this
movie, Louis Farrakhan and the supporting cast tell
the story while she skillfully navigates the fluidity of the action.

She has a impressive flair for detail, each chapter offers a montage of
historical events that have occured in the 79 year life span of Farrakhan.
The Dialogue is predominately but cleverly derived from actual
public recitations of Farrakhan himself, as well as numerous documented
sources. She brillantly weaves all of this together, and captures the true
essence of all those featured. (Which Includes Malcolm X , Elijah Muhammad,
Muhammad Ali, Bumpy Johnson, Khallid Abdul Muhammad, Jim Brown, others)

One of the great things about this book is the integrity and accuracy of it.
Leila Wills fully understands that with a subject Like Louis Farrakhan,
a underlying agenda serves no purpose. Farrakhan has always been his own
biggest defender as well as worst enemy. The ultimate contradiction,
It is a theme that has constantly played out in the life of Farrakhan,
and this book captures it brillantly and honestly.

From his days as a boy being raised by his single mother, to being
a Night club performer, to being taught by Malcolm X, to how he handled
the death of Elijah Muhammad, His drug use, His Affair with Lola Falana,
his Domestic life that most in the general public do not know about
(He has multiple wives and a bevy of children), to preaching that
Elijah muhammad is ALIVE on a space ship,his bout with cancer, etc.
This book doesnt miss a beat. As you eagerly turn
the pages, you will either say "I remember that" or "God damn! he did what?"

I believe this book has tremendous appeal to those who are well aquainted
with the nation of islam & Farrakhan's history, but it also has a much
broader appeal to anyone with a casual interest or desire to be entertained
as well as edified.

Love him or hate him, Farrakhan has definitely made it pretty tough
to ignore him. This Book doesnt seek converts, like all great
"movies", The viewer will leave with their own judgements.
So my opinion about Farrakhan is not my purpose here.

My purpose is to give credit where credit is due!
This is a Damn good book! Well paced, vivid, beautifully
constructed and quite compelling!!
Leila Wills has done a Skillful job of "Directing" the volatile
roller coaster that is the life of Louis Farrakhan,
a man forever sandwiched between Inspiration and Infamy.

It is a Shame that This book is not a actual Movie, because Frankly
it would easily rival Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" or Oliver Stone's "JFK"
as a Monumental and outstanding Biographical work.

Oh Yeah, Like any Movie, I wont tell you the ending but I highly
suggest you order this book and get your popcorn ready!!

Kudos To Leila Wills!

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Slavery and the Prison Industrial Complex - Angela Davis



Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, scholar, and author. She emerged as a nationally prominent activist and radical in the 1960s, as a leader of the Communist Party USA, and had close relations with the Black Panther Party through her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement despite never being an official member of the party. Prisoner rights have been among her continuing interests; she is the founder of "Critical Resistance", an organization working to abolish the prison-industrial complex. She is a retired professor with the History of Consciousness Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is the former director of the university's Feminist Studies department.

Her research interests are in feminism, African American studies, critical theory, Marxism, popular music, social consciousness, and the philosophy and history of punishment and prisons. Her membership in the Communist Party led to Ronald Reagan's request in 1969 to have her barred from teaching at any university in the State of California. She was tried and acquitted of suspected involvement in the Soledad brothers' August 1970 abduction and murder of Judge Harold Haley in Marin County, California. She was twice a candidate for Vice President on the Communist Party USA ticket during the 1980s.Read More



"Davis' arguments for justice are formidable. . . . The power of her historical insights and the sweetness of her dream cannot be denied."—The New York Times

What is the meaning of freedom? Angela Y. Davis' life and work have been dedicated to examining this fundamental question and to ending all forms of oppression that deny people their political, cultural, and sexual freedom. In this collection of twelve searing, previously unpublished speeches, Davis confronts the interconnected issues of power, race, gender, class, incarceration, conservatism, and the ongoing need for social change in the United States. With her characteristic brilliance, historical insight, and penetrating analysis, Davis addresses examples of institutional injustice and explores the radical notion of freedom as a collective striving for real democracy—not a thing granted by the state, law, proclamation, or policy, but a participatory social process, rooted in difficult dialogues, that demands new ways of thinking and being. "It is not too much," writes Robin D.G. Kelly in the introduction, "to call her one of the world's leading philosophers of freedom." The Meaning of Freedom articulates a bold vision of the society we need to build and the path to get there. This is her only book of speeches and her first full-length book since Are Prisons Obsolete? (2003).

Angela Y. Davis is professor emerita at the University of California and author of eight books. She is a much sought after public speaker and an internationally known advocate for social justice.



First off, for anyone who finds this book dry or boring, understand one thing: this is not pop fiction. You're not going to get neat drawn-out analogies that compares human struggle to a football game or any such nonsense. It's a very intelligent, articulate book that doesn't try to dumb down its message for the uninitiated. But it's also not rocket science. Read it with an open mind and any knowledge you may have of the 60's and 70's and you'll do just fine.
What is often misunderstood is that Ms. Davis did not like the idea of a 'personal' autobiography and was very reluctant to do the book in the first place. She didn't see herself as so special or disconnected in any way from the lives of the millions of struggling people that she and her struggle sought to better. So, she wrote a 'political' autobiography. Every facet of her own life that she chose to share with us is tied in some way to that struggle to bring dignity to the masses of human beings exploited throughout the world. What you walk away with after reading this book is how much she really does care the lives of people. It's not just a bunch of abstract ideas, neat theories, or some trivial intellectual excercise. It really is life and death issues. And she fought for the lives of many as if she would fight for her own.

I think the most important thing you walk away with, and what she wants you to walk away with, is a clear and powerful demonstration of just how much people can bring about real change when we work together collectively in mass and fight for what we believe is right. Time and time again, victory after victory, against what some would consider insurmountable odds, the will of the people were heard. Not because they elected some noble politician who changed it from within. And not because of the kindness of those in power. But because thousands of everyday people like you and me took to the streets and DEMANDED that obvious wrongs be made right. Anyone who takes for granted the 5-day work week, child labor laws, civil rights, humane working conditions, fair and equal compensation, should not take lightly the efforts of people throughout history like Ms. Angela Davis. We benefit from all those things because people got in the street, fought and died for those things. Check your history.

The bottom line is if you are looking for 'light' entertainment reading, you might not find it in this book. But, if you are politicially minded or even curious about the social environment of the 60's, this is a must read. If you care about the plight of black people and opressed people everywhere, get this book. If all you've ever known about revolution, black power struggle, and those damn communists is what you've read about in school or in the papers and you KNOW they're not telling the full story, get this book. Finally, if you know how messed up things are in this country but don't know what to do about it, your life will be changed by this book.

Peace!



With her characteristic brilliance, grace and radical audacity, Angela Y. Davis has put the case for the latest abolition movement in American life: the abolition of the prison. As she quite correctly notes, American life is replete with abolition movements, and when they were engaged in these struggles, their chances of success seemed almost unthinkable. For generations of Americans, the abolition of slavery was sheerest illusion. Similarly,the entrenched system of racial segregation seemed to last forever, and generations lived in the midst of the practice, with few predicting its passage from custom. The brutal, exploitative (dare one say lucrative?) convict-lease system that succeeded formal slavery reaped millions to southern jurisdictions (and untold miseries for tens of thousands of men, and women). Few predicted its passing from the American penal landscape. Davis expertly argues how social movements transformed these social, political and cultural institutions, and made such practices untenable.
In Are Prisons Obsolete?, Professor Davis seeks to illustrate that the time for the prison is approaching an end. She argues forthrightly for "decarceration", and argues for the transformation of the society as a whole.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

HaitiRozo: Billions to Haiti, Little to Haitians

The epicentre of this magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake was near Léogâne, approximately 25 km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince. at a depth of 13 km (8.1 miles). The United States Geological Survey recorded a series of at least 33 aftershocks, 14 of which were between magnitudes 5.0 and 5.9. The International Red Crossestimated that about three million people were affected by the quake; the Haitian Government reports that over 316,000 people had been identified as dead, an estimated 300,000 injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless.

HaitiRozo: Billions to Haiti, Little to Haitians: In this photo, lawyer Bill Quigley talks to thousands of SOA Watch supporters in Fort Benning, Ga in Nov. 2012. Eh urged the matchers ...



Even before the devastating 2010 earthquake, Haiti was known as a benighted place of poverty and corruption, blamed by many for its own wretchedness. But as acclaimed historian Laurent Dubois demonstrates, Haiti’s troubled present can only be understood by examining its complex past. The country’s difficulties are inextricably rooted in its founding revolution--- the only successful slave revolt in the history of the world; the hostility that this rebellion generated among the surrounding colonial powers; and the intense struggle within Haiti itself to define its newfound freedom and realize its promise. Revealing what lies behind the familiar moniker "the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere," this indispensable book illuminates the foundations on which a new Haiti might yet emerge.



Why has Haiti been plagued by so many woes? Why have multiple U.S. efforts to create a stable democracy in Haiti failed so spectacularly? Philippe Girard answers these and other questions, examining how colonialism and slavery have left a legacy of racial tension, both within Haiti and internationally; Haitians remain deeply suspicious of white foriegners' motives, many of whom doubt Hatians' ability to govern themselves. He also examines how Haiti's current political instability is merely a continuation of political strife that began during the War of Independence (1791-1804). Finally, Girard explores poverty's devastating impact on contemporary Haiti and argues that Haitians--particularly home-grown dictators--bear a big share of the responsibility for their nation's troubles.

John Johnson Ebony Magazine Interview




John Harold Johnson (January 19, 1918 – August 8, 2005) was an American businessman and publisher. He was the founder of the Johnson Publishing Company. In 1982, he became the first African-American to appear on the Forbes 400.

Johnson was born in rural Arkansas City, Arkansas, the grandson of slaves. When he was eight years old, his father died in a sawmill accident and Johnson was raised by his mother and stepfather. He attended an overcrowded and segregated elementary school. Such was his love of learning, he repeated the eighth grade rather than discontinue his education, as there was no public high school for African Americans in his community.

After a visit with his mother to the Chicago World's Fair, they decided that opportunities in the North were more plentiful than in the South. Facing poverty on every side in Arkansas during the Great Depression, the family moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1933 to try to find work and for Johnson to continue his education. Johnson entered all-black DuSable High School while his mother and stepfather scoured the city for jobs during the day. He looked for work after school and during the summer as well, but without success. His mother was not even able to find any domestic work, which was generally available when all else failed. To support themselves, the family applied for welfare, which they received for two years until Johnson's stepfather was finally able to obtain a position with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Johnson himself secured a job with the National Youth Administration (NYA).

Johnson endured much teasing and taunting at his high school for his ragged clothes and country ways, as he encountered something he never knew existed: middle-class blacks. At DuSable High School some of his classmates included Nat King Cole, Redd Foxx and future entrepreneur William Abernathy. This only fueled his already formidable determination to "make something of himself". Johnson's high school career was distinguished by the leadership qualities he demonstrated as student council president and as editor of the school newspaper and class yearbook. He attended high school during the day and studied self-improvement books at night. After he graduated in 1936, he was offered a tuition scholarship to the University of Chicago, but he thought he would have to decline it, because he could not figure out a way to pay for expenses other than tuition. Because of his achievements in high school, Johnson was invited to speak at a dinner held by the Urban League. When Harry Pace, the president of the Supreme Life Insurance Company, heard Johnson's speech, he was so impressed with the young man that he offered Johnson a job so that he would be able to use the scholarship.Read more

One of America’s wealthiest entrepreneurs, John H. Johnson rose from the welfare rolls of the Depression to become the most successful Black businessman in American history; the founder of Ebony, Jet, and EM magazines; and a member of the Forbes 400. Like the man himself, this autobiography is brash, inspirational, and truly unforgettable.


Dancehall live from jamrock 80's



The Volcano set up was the brainchild of a music entrepreneur from West Kingston called Junjo Lawes (b. Henry Lawes). His path to sound system fame differed from the usual in that he started out producing records in the late seventies working alongside singer and producer Linval Thompson. In fact he could lay claim to one of the first dancehall albums ever released when in 1979 he produced, in partnership with Jah Life (b. Hyman Wright), Barrington Levy’s classic “Bounty Hunter” album.

This catapulted the youthful singer to stardom and made Junjo Lawes one of the most sort after producers right at the start of the dancehall era. His productions became all the rage, employing the new on the scene Roots Radics Band who specialised in slower, heavier riddims all mixed down by Scientist or Soljie at Channel One. The hits started to flow in the early eighties with many singles coming out on the Volcano label and its affiliated imprints Arrival and Jah Guidance. With the help of Junjo’s sound, artists like Yellowman, Eek A Mouse, Ranking Toyan, Josey Wales and many others, burst onto the dancehall scene, recording singles and albums which earned them fame both locally and in “foreign”.

In 1981 and 1982 Lawes had almost non stop success working with a broad spectrum of reggae artists. From more traditional groups and singers like Wailing Souls Johnny Osbourne and John Holt to grass roots artists like Little John, Lui Lepki, Little Harry(b. Claude Campbell) amongst many others. Around 1982/83 Junjo started to contemplate his next move in the business, the Volcano sound system. He had an unlimited supply of music with which he could cut to dubplate and he started to assemble the equipment needed to compete against Kingston’s finest. The sound had their headquarters in Myrie Avenue in Kingston 11 and soon he was surrounded with all the talent he needed to take the sound to the top.

Perhaps one of the key elements to having a great sound system is recruiting the best selector. In choosing Danny Dread (b. E. Ffrench) as his main man, Junjo couldn’t have chosen any better. Without doubt Danny Dread was, and still is, one of the finest soundmen of all time. If you want a set to have success Danny Dread is the man to guide a sound. Junjo also employed Steve and Bello to look after the day to day running of the sound. During the short period that Volcano flourished (1983-85) Steve and Junjo's brother Papa Mellon also selected the tunes for the sound. Buro remembers the very first night that Volcano strung up their sound. It was held in front of the Kingston Industrial Works on Spanish Town Road and the venue was so packed that nobody could move, and there was “gunshot everywhere, salutes, fences started to beat”. Buro made quite an impact that night and Junjo hired him the very next day saying “yuh haffi deejay the sound”

On the deejay front Buro (b. Donovan Spalding) was perhaps Volcano’s number one mic man, stepping over from the Killamanjaro sound around mid 1983. Always cultural in style the “Original Banton” could ride rhythms all night long, stringing lyrics together without hesitation. Another fine deejay who often turned up when Volcano played out was Josey Wales (b. Joseph Stirling). He was recording for Junjo at this time so it was only right that he should lend his considerable skills to the Volcano set. Another seasoned performer was Ranking Toyan (b. Byron Letts). His deejaying was unmistakeable, delivering his lyrics with an almost asthmatic kind of style. No matter the age of the performer, if they were good enough they played a part. So youthful deejays Little Harry (b. Claude Campbell), who had first appeared a couple of years earlier on Port Morant’s Aces International aged just 10, and Billy Boyo (b. William Rowe), himself first taking the mic aged 9 on Prince Jammy’s, regularly rocked the crowds. Other Volcano regulars were Elfigo Barker (b. Glenroy McPharker), who learned his trade from Stanley Braveman on Prince Jammy’s set at the turn of the 1980’s. Shadowman (b. Junior ...) was spotted by Junjo performing on Little John’s Romantic set and was brought on board right from the start. Buro’s apprentice deejay was Matta Pang aka Prento, and his training continued the tradition of schooling youngsters in the art of deejaying. Like most sets they always had special guests like Yellowman, Eek A Mouse, Lui Lepki, LeeVan Cliff, Dillinger and others passing through on any given night.Read more

Jamaican dancehall has long been one of the most vital and influential cultural and artistic forces within contemporary global music. Wake the Town and Tell the People presents, for the first time, a lively, nuanced, and comprehensive view of this musical and cultural phenomenon: its growth and historical role within Jamaican society, its economy of star making, its technology of production, its performative practices, and its capacity to channel political beliefs through popular culture in ways that are urgent, tangible, and lasting.
Norman C. Stolzoff brings a fan’s enthusiasm to his broad perspective on dancehall, providing extensive interviews, original photographs, and anthropological analysis from eighteen months of fieldwork in Kingston. Stolzoff argues that this enormously popular musical genre expresses deep conflicts within Jamaican society, not only along lines of class, race, gender, sexuality, and religion but also between different factions struggling to gain control of the island nation’s political culture. Dancehall culture thus remains a key arena where the future of this volatile nation is shaped. As his argument unfolds, Stolzoff traces the history of Jamaican music from its roots in the late eighteenth century to 1945, from the addition of sound systems and technology during the mid-forties to early sixties, and finally through the post-independence years from the early sixties to the present.
Wake the Town and Tell the People offers a general introduction for those interested in dancehall music and culture. For the fan or musicologist, it will serve as a comprehensive reference book.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Super Cat : Interview TALKING BOUT MUSIC BUSINESS & ASSASSINATIONS ON HI...



Super Cat (born William Maragh in Kingston, Jamaica, 25 June 1963) is a deejay most popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s dancehall movement. His nickname, the "Wild Apache" was given to him by his mentor Early B. He is the elder brother of reggae star Junior Cat.

Born to an Afro-Jamaican mother and a Indo-Jamaican father, Super Cat was raised in Kingston's tough Seivright Gardens neighborhood, then known as Cockburn Pen, home to ground-breaking deejays like Prince Jazzbo and U-Roy. By the time he was seven years old, he was hanging out at a local club called Bamboo Lawn, assisting the crew of the Soul Imperial sound system. He auditioned for Joe Gibbs as a singer but was unsuccessful.

He began appearing as a deejay under the name Cat-A-Rock, but soon switched to the name Super Cat. He also appeared as 'Wild Apache'. His first single, the Winston Riley-produced "Mr. Walker", was released in 1981, giving him some success, and he went on to record for Jah Thomas ("Walkathon", on which he was billed as 'Super Cat the Indian'), but his career was interrupted by a spell in prison. After his release he began working with Early B on the Killamanjaro sound system in 1984, and his debut album, Si Boops Deh!, was released in the mid-1980s, and included the hit singles "Boops" (which was based on Steely & Clevie's updated "Feel Like Jumping" rhythm and sparked a craze for songs about sugar daddies), and "Cry Fi De Youth", establishing his style of dancehall with conscious lyrics.

He started his own Wild Apache Productions label and began producing his own recordings, including the 1988 album Sweets For My Sweet. He featured on the album Cabin Stabbin in 1991 along with Nicodemus and Junior Demus. He had been scheduled to perform at the One Love concert in the UK in 1991, but his appearance was cancelled after the shooting death of Nitty Gritty, for which Super Cat was initially suspected but cleared in 1992. Continuing success saw him move to the United States and sign a contract with Columbia Records, releasing one of the first dancehall albums on a major label, Don Dada (1992). The following year, Sony Music issued The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Crazy, teaming Super Cat with Nicodemus, Junior Demus and Junior Cat. Super Cat had a number of hit singles in the early 1990s, including "Don Dada", "Ghetto Red Hot" and "Dem No Worry We" with Heavy D. In 1992, he was featured on the remix of "Jump" with Kris Kross, and he also collaborated with them in 1993 for their song "It's Alright". These hits made him The Source magazine dance hall artist of the year in 1993. He was also an early collaborator with The Notorious B.I.G., featuring the then unknown artist (along with Mary J. Blige, 3rd Eye and Puff Daddy) on the B-side remix of "Dolly My Baby" in 1993. The title song, "Don Dada" was a reply to many jabs made by Ninjaman. His version of Fats Domino's "My Girl Josephine", performed with Jack Radics, was included in the soundtrack to the film Prêt-à-Porter in 1994. In 1997 he was featured on the number one hit "Fly" by Sugar Ray from their platinum album Floored. He collaborated with India.Arie on her hit song "Video" in 2001, and with Jadakiss and The Neptunes on "The Don Of Dons" in 2003. Also in 2003, he collaborated with 112 for their song "Na Na Na Na". Following the death of his long time road manager Fred 'The Thunder' Donner in 2004, Super Cat released a multi-cd tribute album entitled Reggaematic Diamond All-Stars that featured contributions from Yami Bolo, Michael Prophet, Linval Thompson, Nadine Sutherland and Sizzla among others. Super Cat reappeared on the national reggae scene in 2008 for a show at Madison Square Garden with Buju Banton and Barrington Levy. He also headlined the 'Best of the Best' concert in Miami in 2008, with Assassin, Etana, Barrington Levy, Buju Banton, Junior Reid, Tony Matterhorn, Sizzla and Beenie Man. In 2012, his song "Dance Inna New York" was sampled for Nas' single "The Don", from the rapper's album Life Is Good, with Cat adding vocals to the hook. This definitive study of the 1980s Jamaican Dancehall scene features hundreds of exclusive photographs and an accompanying text that capture a vibrant, globally influential and yet rarely documented culture that has been mixing music, fashion and lifestyle with aplomb since its inception. With unprecedented access to the incredibly exciting music scene during this period, Beth Lesser's photographs and text are a unique way into a previously hidden culture.
Dancehall is at the center of Jamaican musical and cultural life. From its roots in Kingston in the 1950s to its heyday in the 1980s, Dancehall has conquered the globe, spreading to the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Europe and beyond.
Dancehall is a culture that encompasses music, fashion, drugs, guns, art, community, technology and more. Many of today's global music and fashion styles can be traced back to Dancehall culture and indeed continue to be influenced by it today.
Born in the 1950s out of the neighborhood jams of Kingston, Dancehall grew to its height in the 1980s before a massive influx of drugs and guns made the scene too dangerous for many.
This jam-packed visual history and text tells the story from its roots to its heights from that rarest vantage of the true, respected insider. In the early 1980s, as Jamaica was in the throes of political and gang violence, Beth Lesser ventured where few others dared, and this book is a never-before-seen record of the exciting, dangerous and vibrant world of Dancehall.
Writer and photographer Beth Lesser lived in Jamaica in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her previous book, King Jammy's (2002), a profile of the innovative Dancehall producer King Jammy, was described by Peter Dalton, co-author of The Rough Guide to Reggae, as "the one essential book on reggae." She currently lives in Toronto.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

"An Audience with Muhammad Ali"



Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; January 17, 1942) is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist. Considered a cultural icon, Ali has both been idolized and vilified.

Originally known as Cassius Clay, at the age of 22 he won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston. Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964, subsequently converting to Sunni Islam in 1975. In 1967, three years after Ali had won the heavyweight championship, he was publicly vilified for his refusal to be conscripted into the U.S. military, based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. Ali was eventually arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges; he was stripped of his boxing title, and his boxing license was suspended. He was not imprisoned, but did not fight again for nearly four years while his appeal worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was eventually successful.
Ali would go on to become the first and only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion.
Nicknamed "The Greatest", Ali was involved in several historic boxing matches. Notable among these were three with rival Joe Frazier, which are considered among the greatest in boxing history, and one with George Foreman, where he finally regained his stripped titles seven years later. Ali was well known for his unorthodox fighting style, epitomized by his catchphrase "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", and employing techniques such as the Ali Shuffle and the rope-a-dope. Ali brought beauty and grace to the most uncompromising of sports and through the wonderful excesses of skill and character, he became the most famous athlete in the world. He was also known for his pre-match hype, where he would "trash talk" opponents, often with rhymes.Read more

"Succeeds more than any previous book in bringing Ali into focus . . . as a starburst of energy, ego and ability whose like will never be seen again." —The Wall Street Journal

"Best Nonfiction Book of the Year" —Time

"Penetrating . . . reveal[s] details that even close followers of [Ali] might not have known. . . . An amazing story." —The New York Times

On the night in 1964 that Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) stepped into the ring with Sonny Liston, he was widely regarded as an irritating freak who danced and talked way too much. Six rounds later Ali was not only the new world heavyweight boxing champion: He was "a new kind of black man" who would shortly transform America's racial politics, its popular culture, and its notions of heroism.

No one has captured Ali--and the era that he exhilarated and sometimes infuriated--with greater vibrancy, drama, and astuteness than David Remnick, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lenin's Tomb (and editor of The New Yorker). In charting Ali's rise from the gyms of Louisville, Kentucky, to his epochal fights against Liston and Floyd Patterson, Remnick creates a canvas of unparalleled richness. He gives us empathetic portraits of wisecracking sportswriters and bone-breaking mobsters; of the baleful Liston and the haunted Patterson; of an audacious Norman Mailer and an enigmatic Malcolm X. Most of all, King of the World does justice to the speed, grace, courage, humor, and ebullience of one of the greatest athletes and irresistibly dynamic personalities of our time.

"Nearly pulse-pounding narrative power . . . an important account of a period in American social history." —Chicago Tribune

"A pleasure . . . haunting . . . so vivid that one can imagine Ali saying, 'How'd you get inside my head, boy?'" —Wilfrid Sheed, Time

Muhammad Ali. He is known as the most thrilling athlete of all time... he is known as The Greatest. The remarkable story of how he became one of the most loved, hated, intriguing, and controversial figures in American history is brought to life in the 6-hour series, Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story.
You will follow Muhammad Ali from his days as Cassius Clay growing up in Lousiville, Kentucky, to the pinnacle of his amateur career as the light-heavyweight gold medallist in the 1960 Rome Olympics. You will witness Ali's stunning victory over Sonny Liston to become the youngest Heavyweight Champion of the World and then experience his painful struggle to regain his title--a title taken from Ali because his religious beliefs precluded him from entering the Vietnam War. His is a story which fascinates both sports and non-sports lovers alike.

Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story contains 3 hours of exclusive footage of all Ali's greatest and most important fights. You will be ring-side for his famous battles with Ken Norton, "The Rumble in the Jungle" with George Foreman, and the "Thrilla in Manila" with Jor Frazier... it's a boxing fan's dream come true. This unique documentary chronicles the life of a man who, through his amazing athletic talent, brash and outspoken personality, courage, and personal convictions, not only changed the world of sports but the entire world around him. Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story will be one of the most talked about collector's series of all time.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

American Drug War: The Last White Hope: Pre Release Cut



The War on Drugs has become the longest and most costly war in American history, the question has become, how much more can the country endure? Inspired by the death of four family members from "legal drugs" Texas filmmaker Kevin Booth sets out to discover why the Drug War has ...

"War on Drugs" is a term commonly applied to a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, and the stated aim to define and reduce the illegal drug trade. This initiative includes a set of drug policies of the United States that are intended to discourage the production, distribution, and consumption of illegal psychoactive drugs. The term was first used by U.S. president Richard Nixon, and was later popularized by the media.
On May 13, 2009, Gil Kerlikowske, the current Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), signaled that although it did not plan to significantly alter drug enforcement policy, the Obama administration would not use the term "War on Drugs," as he claims it is "counter-productive". ONDCP's view is that "drug addiction is a disease that can be successfully prevented and treated... making drugs more available will make it harder to keep our communities healthy and safe."(2011) One of the alternatives that Kerlikowske has showcased is the drug policy of Sweden that seeks to balance public health concerns with opposition to drug legalization. The prevalence rates for cocaine use in Sweden are barely one-fifth of European countries such as the United Kingdom and Spain.
In June 2011, the Global Commission on Drug Policy released a critical report on the War on Drugs, declaring "The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world. Fifty years after the initiation of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and years after President Nixon launched the US government’s war on drugs, fundamental reforms in national and global drug control policies are urgently needed." The report was criticized by organizations that oppose a general legalization of drugs.




American Drug War: The Last White Hope
The subject of America's love for mind-altering substances (legal and illegal) is broad and deep enough to provide material for a dozen documentaries, but Kevin Booth does an excellent job of putting together a coherent two-hour film that takes on several aspects of the drug war. I got this movie two weeks ago in the mail and since then have been trying to make every friend and family member watch it.

That there are over a million non-violent people in jail and prison in this country because of the drug war is beyond absurd. But here we are. And there they are. And only a few politicians dare to question the rationality of criminalizing the very human impulse to feel good. Why? Among other reasons: The money that the prison-industrial complex and the alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical industries lavish on politicians ... and the cut of the action that Wall Street and the gov't takes from the illegal drug trade.


Dark Alliance is a book that should be fiction, whose characters seem to come straight out of central casting: the international drug lord, Norwin Meneses; the Contra cocaine broker with an MBA in marketing, Danilo Blandon; and the illiterate teenager from the inner city who rises to become the king of crack, "Freeway" Ricky Ross. But unfortunately, these characters are real and their stories are true.
In August 1996, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Webb stunned the world with a series of articles in the San Jose Mercury News reporting the results of his year-long investigation into the roots of the crack cocaine epidemic in America, specifically in Los Angeles. The series, titled "Dark Alliance," revealed that for the better part of a decade, a Bay Area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to Los Angeles street gangs and funneled millions in drug profits to the CIA-backed Nicaraguan Contras.
Now Gary Webb has pushed his investigation even further in his book, Dark Alliance: The CIA, The Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Drawing from recently declassified documents, undercover DEA audio and videotapes that have never been publicly released, federal court testimony, and interviews, Webb demonstrates how our government knowingly allowed massive amounts of drugs and money to change hands at the expense of our communities.


Once in a great while a book comes along that changes the way we see the world and helps to fuel a nationwide social movement. The New Jim Crow is such a book. Praised by Harvard Law professor Lani Guinier as "brave and bold," this book directly challenges the notion that the election of Barack Obama signals a new era of colorblindness. With dazzling candor, legal scholar Michelle Alexander argues that "we have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it." By targeting black men through the War on Drugs and decimating communities of color, the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a contemporary system of racial control—relegating millions to a permanent second-class status—even as it formally adheres to the principle of colorblindness. In the words of Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, this book is a "call to action." Called "stunning" by Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David Levering Lewis, "invaluable" by the Daily Kos, "explosive" by Kirkus, and "profoundly necessary" by the Miami Herald, this updated and revised paperback edition of The New Jim Crow, now with a foreword by Cornel West, is a must-read for all people of conscience.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Who Killed Biggie? Davey D intv w/ Sullivan & Poole abt the book LAbyrinth



Formerly a united front of artists, Death Row's roster fractured into separate camps. Daz, now head producer, worked on Snoop Dogg's second album Tha Doggfather, which featured Bad Azz and Techniec of his LBC Crew, Warren G and Nate Dogg of his group 213 and Kurupt and Daz of Tha Dogg Pound. 2Pac shut himself into the studio with little-known producers Hurt-M-Badd and Big "D", crafting The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory - unlike All Eyez on Me, it was devoid of high-profile Death Row guest appearances, instead showcasing Shakur's The Outlawz and Bad Azz. Knight was now barely reachable by his staff, and employees were routinely assaulted as punishment for not following orders.

During a trip to Las Vegas for a Mike Tyson fight, Shakur was interviewed on the possibility of Death Row East, an east coast branch of the record label, it was also during this time Alex Roberts and David Kenner had been seen at Knights Vegas Club 662 in discussion about the possibility of having Roberts New York underworld connections help pave the way for Death Row East. Though names from Big Daddy Kane and the Wu-Tang Clan to Eric B. and K-Solo were mentioned, the label would never be formed; three days later, Tupac, Knight and others were caught on surveillance camera at the MGM Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas assailing gang member Orlando Anderson who was a Southside Crip (which was rumored to provide security for Bad Boy Entertainment artists). Later that night, Shakur was shot several times while in a car Suge was driving as they headed to Knight's Vegas Club 662; despite living several days in critical condition, the rapper died on September 13, 1996.

Shakur's "Makaveli 7 Day Theory" was released in November just one week before Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Tha Doggfather". Although both albums went to platinum sales in their first weeks on the shelves the impact on Death Row had started to mount; Knight was convicted of parole violation and sentenced to nine years' prison time, causing Interscope to drop its distribution deal with the label. His control over the label diminished, Nate Dogg was able to leave, followed by Snoop Dogg and Kurupt; after the release of his own and the Lady of Rage's solo albums, Daz and Rage followed suit. Daz would later return in 1999 with Big C-Style to form Dogg Pound Records only to leave again in early 2001. Kurupt returned to the label in 2002 upon Suge Knight's release from prison. The record label was renamed Tha Row. Read more




Policing and corruption are inseparable. This book argues that corruption is not one thing but covers many deviant and criminal practices in policing which also shift over time. It rejects the 'bad apple' metaphor and focuses on 'bad orchards', meaning not individual but institutional failure. For in policing the organisation, work and culture foster can encourage corruption. This raises issues as to why do police break the law and, crucially, 'who controls the controllers'? Corruption is defined in a broad, multi-facetted way. It concerns abuse of authority and trust; and it takes serious form in conspiracies to break the law and to evade exposure when cops can become criminals. Attention is paid to typologies of corruption (with grass-eaters, meat-eaters, noble-cause); the forms corruption takes in diverse environments; the pathways officers take into corruption and their rationalisations; and to collusion in corruption from within and without the organization. Comparative analyses are made of corruption, scandal and reform principally in the USA, UK and the Netherlands. The work examines issues of control, accountability and the new institutions of oversight. It provides a fresh, accessible overview of this under-researched topic for students, academics, police and criminal justice officials and members of oversight agencies.



A former Chicago cop exposes shocking truths about the abuses of power within the city’s police department in this memoir of violence, drugs, and men with badges. Juarez becomes a police officer because he wants to make a difference in gang-infested neighborhoods; but, as this book reveals, he ends up a corrupt member of the most powerful gang of all—the Chicago police force. Juarez shares the horrific indiscretions he witnessed during his seven years of service, from the sexually predatory officer, X, who routinely stops beautiful women for made-up traffic offenses and flirts with domestic violence victims, to sadistic Locallo, known on the streets as Locoman, who routinely stops gang members and beats them senseless. Working as a narcotics officer, Juarez begins to join his fellow officers in crossing the line between cop and criminal, as he takes advantage of his position and also becomes a participant in a system of racial profiling legitimized by the war on drugs. Ultimately, as Juarez discusses, his conscience gets the better of him and he tries to reform, only to be brought down by his own excesses. From the perspective of an insider, he tells of widespread abuses of power, random acts of brutality, and the code of silence that keeps law enforcers untouchable.


Acclaimed journalist Randall Sullivan follows Russell Poole, a highly decorated LAPD detective who in 1997 was called to investigate a controversial cop-on-cop shooting, eventually to discover that the officer killed was tied to Marion “Suge” Knight’s notorious gangsta rap label, Death Row Records. During his investigation, Poole came to realize that a growing cadre of black officers were allied not only with Death Row, but with the murderous Bloods street gang. And incredibly, Poole began to uncover evidence that at least some of these “gangsta cops” may have been involved in the murders of rap superstars Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Igniting a firestorm of controversy in the music industry and the Los Angeles media, the hardcover publication of LAbyrinth helped to prompt two lawsuits against the LAPD (one brought by the widow and mother of Notorious B.I.G., the other brought by Poole himself) that may finally bring this story completely out of the shadows.


Two of the most notorious unsolved cases in the annals of American crime, the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls have been the subject of exhaustive investigations, relentless speculation and a tangled web of rampant rumors, crackpot conspiracies and dark secrets. Now, for the first time, the truth behind these sensational cases is laid bare in Murder Rap, a raw and riveting account of how a dedicated and driven police detective spearheaded the task force that finally exposed the shocking facts behind the deaths of these two rap music icons. Told by Greg Kading, a much-decorated LAPD detective assigned to solve the homicides, Murder Rap unravels a twisted tale of music, money, and murder, finally answering the question of who killed Biggie and Tupac and why. With access to never-before-seen material, including the confessions of those directly involved in the killings, Kading’s spellbinding saga takes readers directly inside the four-year cold case investigation, introduces a cast of unforgettable characters and provides compelling new evidence for its explosive conclusions. A torn-from-the-headlines true crime blockbuster, the scathing revelations of Murder Rap are sure to make headlines all their own.

DjBoogy.com