No Place Like Home

Often before heading to Minneapolis or Chicago, Fargo is a destination city for MidWest kids who are ready to start cutting their teeth in the hip hop community. Believe it or not dues are being paid up north in a city of 90,000. In a region where weather extremes are endured there are b-boys and b-girls, beat makers and beatboxers, MC’s, and those of us that love participating by going to every show under the sun.



At a show this weekend, while home for a wedding, it occurred to me that Lovefest needs to know what’s going down in Fargo. I grabbed Aaron (B-boy “ATS”), Derrick (Rapper “FDR”), and Justin (Rapper “Stick Figure”) for a quick interview. I also had a lot of footage of the first Fargo B-Boy Crew - Ill Technique - I picked out to share with you guys some clips that I feel show the range these B-Boys have.








To catch some of you up to speed- Meandyoucrew has been responsible for helping to bring hip hop to Fargo. Having been a rapper since Junior High, Kipp is one half of the first lineup that remained a constant. The most recent lineup, having been Kipp and Jem P ( out of Chicago ) met during their college years in Fargo-Moorhead. There was a while when venues were being threatened by an overhaul in state liquor laws. While we had always had local artists gigging around town - MYC really brought hip hop to the area. Surviving potential liquor law changes our venues were ours again and stronger then ever with the added sounds of hip hop.


Since I hadn’t planned to do something for Lovefest originally I missed out on getting my good friend Toby (Beatboxer “Toby Beatbox”) on camera, but I strongly encourage you to check his myspace or get to a show he’s part of. His peers have referred to him as the “next step in the evolution of man.”

http://www.myspace.com/tobybeatbox



Stick Figure - http://www.myspace.com/stickfigurehiphop
FDR - http://www.myspace.com/mynameisfdr

Ill Technique - http://illtechniquefargo.com/
Ill Technique on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/people/Ill-Technique/1134894812\


Jem P - http://www.myspace.com/whoisjemp
DJ Scissor Fist - http://www.myspace.com/mynameisscissorfist

Beowulf and his Tragic Flaws

Fans pay tribute all over the world.

In 8th grade Literature class, I remember my teacher talking about "tragic heroes" and their "tragic flaws". I recall an example from the old story Beowolf, where his courage, typically considered a positive trait, led to his ultimate demise. Another example would be Romeo, the lovestruck teenager, crumbling under the influence of his burning passion, where one would expect the protagonist to succeed in his quest for love. Michael Jackson, you could say, is our generation's tragic hero.

In hearing of the death of Michael Jackson, I was frozen. I was at work, a place with no room for emotional wavering, and decided to withhold my reaction until I could be alone. There, in my car, on my break, I cried.

I cried because I lost a lot that day. I didn't just lose an idol of my youth; I lost a part of my childhood. I lost the kid, at 6 years old, that was so in love with Michael that I requested "Rock With You" from my local radio station once a day for weeks. I'd huddle around my sister's neon pink and green radio and listen with baited breath.

I lost the kid that used to write "Mrs. Michael Jackson" in crayon during my after school program with my childhood friend Jassenia, equally obsessed. I remember watching Moonwalker until the tape broke in my neighbor's vcr. I cried all night.

There's something about Michael that was frozen in a time of youth and innocence. It's my opinion that Michael suffered severe trauma from the repeated domestic abuse and lack of childhood. The kid just wanted to be....a kid. And here he was, mid-thirties, doing his best to ensure that no child in his presence be mistreated the same way. In this effort to change the world and the way we consider our youth, he fell prey to suspicious situations that led to his character destruction and eventually became almost what one could say is a joke. (Ahem, southpark. Yeah I thought it was hillarious.)

In this tragic tale of innocence misunderstood and strange antics performed by the king of pop himself, we saw the crumbling of a legend. And upon his death? His fans rose and joined in celebrating his AMAZING talent, global appeal, passionate love for animals and children and mourned the loss of our previous selves, inspired by the magic and the entertainment that was Michael.

Michael's death reminds us not only of our mortality generally speaking, but also reminds us of the growing pains we experience throughout life, far into adulthood. These times are full of sacrifice, loss of innocence, and circumstances we simply cannot explain nor control. In these times we are staring aging, and eventually death, in the face. These are the times to remind ourselves what life is all about, something Michael was much in touch with- love, music, our earth, and our future generations. We have lost a great legend.


Rest In Peace, Michael Jackson.

Some good news

"Slarmy" posted this as a result of the interview

click me!


keep your ears open kids. we'll be hearing big things soon enough

Still Addicted

Mid West/West Coast hybrid Silentarmy released a video this week for his track "Still Addicted" off of his DVD "The Sight."

A close friend of Hip Hop Lovefest, Ron, came out to film the interview. Some parts are a little hard to hear (gotta love LA traffic, even on back streets), so scoot a little closer to your speakers and enjoy.

Big thanks to Crista for arranging for an interview.

Silentarmy - Still Addicted from Bradlee Baxter on Vimeo.

Before you go,

Pick Your Poison:

website
weblog
myspace
twitter
facebook

Whirlwind Soundset '09 Weekend (a collaborative post)

When it comes to packing I raise chaos to an art form so it was an event bordering on miraculous when I was packed and ready to roll a record breaking five minutes before my ride to the airport. For me there is something strangely calming about finally touching down at MSP and it was a truly beautiful Thursday evening in Minneapolis when I arrived. Linked up with Crista at the lightrail station on Franklin and we were off. A lazy evening spent gossiping about hip hop and the impending weekend. We managed to swoop through Last of the Record Buyers for a bit. I wish I could have caught one while they were still at the Dinkytowner, it just felt odd at Fifth Element. It will be interesting to see if they keep it there and how that works out.

I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was for this weekend. It was all a blissful blur. After arriving in Minneapolis May 23rd, the first activity on the list was the Big Quarters release party at the Triple Rock. The line wrapped around the building, and the night was buzzing with taxis blaring hip hop, scenesters complaining about life, and triple rock regulars guzzling drinks barside. The show started an hour later than posted, but I wasn't very surprised. Any hip hop show I've been to goes by the same formula: they say 8, you come at 9. The lineup was a menagerie of local talent. The energy even in the line was so amazing to me. I was bouncing from one end to another hugging, laughing and catching up with old and new friends alike. It was just a beautiful community vibe and it makes me sad that a lot of those kids I only get to catch up with in person this one weekend a year.

First to open was Crescent Moon. A favorite of mine since P.O.S.'s Ipecac Neat was released ("Spanish rice, burritos and a plate of fish. Man that sounds good as hell, I'm tastin' it") He gave a great performance with abrasive beats infused with native drums and a darker undertone. He did some spoken word and reinforced why I'm such a fan. He has a presence about him that is abrasive and arresting, but not intimidating. Oddjobs, Kill the Vultures, Roma di Luna, Crescent Moon is in Big Trouble... You name it if Crescent Moon is on it I can pretty much garuntee it falls into my comfort food of music catagory. You'll never catch me missing out on an opportunity to catch Kill the Vultures (Ecce Beast!)

Next was Big Zach (of Kanser) with Alissa Paris whose hair was a memorable throwback to the 80's flat top. She got a lot of compliments on her style, and I agreed: not many people can pull that look off. Big Zach (the host as well) did a few songs, one including a tribute song to the history of the Minneapolis rap scene and the legends of which it has been comprised. It was a big hit and had a lot of names I recognized. I've always enjoyed his warm stage presence and light-hearted nature. Big Zach is good people.
Lastly before Big Quarters came on was Mankwe (you've probably seen her sing backup for Atmosphere on their many tours). She sauntered on the stage with an aura of elegance, and stimulated the audience with jazz-and-spoken-word infused songs with only an electric bass as an accompaniment until her last song, where Medium Zach joined and played a jazzy-tribal beat for a single from her album. Her songs were an eclectic mix of sass and soul.


When Big Quarters came onstage, the audience was enamored and ecstatic. The first song was full of energy, and every audience member had their hands up. With guests such as Toki Wright, M.anifest, I.Self.Divine., and P.O.S., it was pure fun. The audience was compelled to dance and the beats rocked our rib cages. They performed for almost an hour and had the audience involved the whole time. Great show! I have so much respect for what these guys do and how dedicated they are to both their craft and their fans. You can see it in the reciprocated energy of their audience at every show they play. If you haven't been checking them yet times a wasting! I'm plugging this again because I think its a really great deal and a perfect example of just how hard Big Quarters grinds. $5 a month for 5 new songs every month. June featured Toki Wright and a Mux Mool remix of Hand Over Fist's Prizefight. Do yourself a favor and become a "Director" nooooww.

Soundset Soundset Soundset. I'm going to just say it Soundset 2009 was about a hundred times better then 2008. I even shock myself when saying that, I mean Aesop Rock was at '08... Mac Lethal was at '08... it was still in MINNEAPOLIS in '08. I don't think it had anything to do with the lineup, or the location, but the people really made it great this year. I had a chance to meet a bunch of people from Lethalville... and come on Internet message board friends... what could be better? Friends came in town from all over, including London, and I couldn't walk more then 10 feet without running into someone I knew. Everyone seemed to get along, despite the one dirty ass cat fight we did witness. Sage and I decided the vibe was similar to Scribble Jam.

My biggest and only (aside from the parking disaster and food tickets) complaint this year has to be where in the world was Mac Lethal? Honestly Grieves repped it hard for Black Clover on the Fifth stage but I know Crista and I were not the only ones grumbling and rumbling about the shunning of Mac Lethal. Grieves was on of my favorite sets of the day I'm more and more impressed with the addition of Budo to the live show every time I see it and seeing Lovefest favorite, Macklemore, get up and do a song with them was a treat as well (respect the Rick Ross piece.)

The weather was gorgous and it was nice to be able to check in and spend some time with so many other out of towners and locals. I'm pretty sure I'm still in hug withdrawal from that weekend. (more hugs please!) I got crispy to Hand Over Fist. I'm pretty sure Lazerbeak is one of the happiest dudes on the planet. Sims kept shit rowdy with promises of a winter release. (Yes please!) Doomtree block was solid as usual.

I was most stoked about seeing El-P perform, the last time he was in town my friends dragged me to Nappy Roots and I had to miss his show. So I was not about to miss him again this time. It was a main-stage show, and I really don't do well in big crowds, I'm about 5'2" and always end up behind the tallest man alive. So I kicked in the bleachers with Salina and Abjekt which was perfect. Dibbs as always was great to watch, and El was almost what I expected. A little more energy wouldn't have hurt, it almost seemed like he confused the crowed who at that point were posted up waiting for Atmosphere. I'm not going to lie, I totally played the fan girl at the after party, and went up to El and was terrified. I've always been a Defjux kinda girl and admire the way he runs the label; and who knows when he opportunity to express that would arise again, plus I'm pretty forward I tend to blurt out anything most of the time anyway. So I was lucky enough to thank him for what he does, and he was very responsive and appreciative which is always refreshing.

Most of the day for me was spent wandering around, watching a few minutes of a set here and there, and bullshitting. I think this what brought me back to scribble jam the most. It was just a great mix of like minded people hanging out. A lot of the day was spent with Mes and Marolyn while the held it down at their booth.((shameless blog promo for fresherthan.com)) It is always great to have a home-base at this kinda thing, and that was definitely it.

The theme of the day was definitely hanging out with good people and home base was the GCS booth. Mes and Marolyn were kind enough to share their shade and company throughout the day. Sososo much love to our Fresher Than friends. *cough*downloadSTEALINGSTARS*cough* Ahem.

The only other set I HAD TO SEE was Buck 65. Buck held down the 5th element stage while MF Doom did his thing on the main stage. I've always loved Buck, and didn't want to miss his performance which a good size crowed stuck around for. I really didn't have any desire to see Doom, and still don't know if it was even him? The verdict ruled he actually did show up, after missing his original performance time. Buck danced, and dj'd his way through a good sized site, including Wicked and Weird, Roses and Bluejays, and Centaur. It was kind of that camp-fire sing along vibe surrounded by indie rap kids in a parking lot under direct sunlight. I can easily say this was my favorite performance of the day.

YES! Buck 65 was hands down the Lovefest pick for Soundset 2009 MVP. If you only caught one act this year his was the one to watch. So good.

After party! I think this will always be my favorite part of Soundset weekend. After a grueling hot day in the sun its a collective sigh of relief to finally relax indoors red faced and grimy but blissfully content. A quick breather, drinks, dancing your ass off, more hugs and hip hop karaoke. The homies Patric and Ander both killed it. Ander doing E&A with a little help from Eyedea and less help from Abilities was a highlight of the night. I caught Crista doing some hip hop of her own as witnessed above. Can't wait to see everyone again next year! KC holler at your girls in September and NY, Crista and I will be seeing you in October. <3

Jamee, Crista & Salina

Soundset Crowd. 14,000 people plus!

B-Boy Battles featuring Mr. Dibbs on the 1's and 2's

Crista, Patric & Salina @Soundset afterparty '09 courtesty of Patric.

p.s. I (Salina) am doomed to never catch El Guante live. Doomed. Sadface, exclamation point, doomed.

The Power of Action, Words, and Music: Interview with Macklemore!

Hip-hop just hurt me so good. It left me with an overwhelming sense of inspiration, encouragement, and affirmation. It reminded me that music and musicians can really change minds, lives, and worlds. I am a big believer in being involved with social justice and community activism, and nothing makes me happier than when these two things are combined with hip-hop to form the ultimate trifecta. It’s rare, but if a musician pulls this combination off with genuine sincerity and commitment, I’m a goner.

It happened with Macklemore, a Seattle-based rapper who just finished a tour with Black Clover’s Grieves and his partner-in-crime and producer Budo. First told about his music by fellow Lovefester Salina, I was properly introduced to Macklemore at the last stop of the “Falling Off Your Shoes” tour at the Knitting Factory in New York City. By the end of his set, which included songs from his 2005 “The Language of My World” debut, songs from his upcoming free hip-hop/rock EP with Seattle photographer and producer Ryan Lewis, and songs from his yet-to-be-completed sophomore release, I knew I had experienced something special. Here was someone who came not only to entertain concertgoers, but also to educate, impact, and challenge them. With each song, he effortlessly proved that he had the skills to write great rhymes and the energy to put on captivating performances. But with each song, he went on to prove something even more impressive; he appreciated the context, history, and culture of hip-hop, and possessed a sensitivity to the intricacies and ills of the society which initially birthed and today sustains the genre. The result was passionate and heartfelt personal reflections tinged with intelligent social commentary. And no, this was not on some basic “BUSH SUCKS!” or “OBAMA WILL SAVE THE WORLD!” tip.

Take, for example, “White Privilege,” a performance he prefaced with the recommendation that “if there is anything you take away tonight, let it be this song.” Picking up where Murs’ “And This is For…” left off, the song addresses the growing presence of white rappers in a genre that grew out of experiences of disenfranchisement amongst African Americans. Macklemore tries to come to terms with the fact that “hip-hop started off on a block that I’ve never been to / to counteract a struggle that I’ve never even been through / if I think that I understand just because I flow too / that means I’m not keeping it true”. In trying to find his place in a genre that he loves, he admits that “I give everything I have when I write a rhyme / but that doesn’t change the fact that this culture is not mine”. By describing both the original and current state of hip-hop, Macklemore does what very few rappers do; he presents the issue in such a way that it actually manages to cut across generational, racial, and mainstream and underground lines and encourage a constructive dialogue about race within hip-hop.

Couple performances like that with songs like “I Said Hey,” where he warns that “all the money in the world can help you look like a star / but money can’t buy you the heart to go put inside your bars,” or “Soldiers,” in which he addresses the flawed incarceration system and says that “what we need is people that actually get involved / that can educate / get their hands dirty / get in the institute and make a difference from the inside out,” or “City Don’t Sleep,” where he raps, “if you want to see change, then put your ones in the air / now point them to yourself because change starts right there,” I knew I had to pick apart this fella’s brain. And if he really held these views, then I had found my new best friend.

Because Macklemore’s subject matter is what spoke to me the most, that was what I was most interested in talking about. In addressing the process through which he creates his songs, Macklemore admits, “I make music to channel something greater than myself. When you’re trying to choose subject matter, you’re doing too much. My music in the purest form comes through me. My lyrics are sparked by listening to a beat, and the experiences that beat conjures up.” By focusing on specific experiences rather than general concepts, Macklemore stays away from clichés like the ladies song and the club banger. This organic process also forces Macklemore to provide uncensored and honest glimpses into his true self.

Because Macklemore refuses to sugar-coat his personality, everything about him is fair game for subject matter. He reflects, “I put all of myself – the good, the bad, the imperfect, the struggles – into my music because that’s when I’m most human.” In addition to addressing serious issues, he raps at length about his little friend Alfonso on the Type-esque “Penis Song.” He admits that while “humor can be a good way to lure people in,” it can also be strategic in that it introduces listeners to an album whose first full-length song is “White Privilege.” The diverse subject matter grabs different audiences and makes them all “think in a different way about issues they have not thought about before, or issues that they don’t want to address,” says Macklemore. By encouraging listeners to reevaluate their own perspective, Macklemore once more shows the purpose he brings to his music; just as he proved with his live performances, he again proves that his music serves for more than just to entertain.

Macklemore consciously strives to uphold that responsibility in all his music. In order to address serious social issues in his songs, he offers, “you have to live life in a way that’s conducive to your music. If you’re not involving yourself with social justice, if you’re not thinking outside of yourself, if your motivation for making music is selfish, then your music is going to reflect that narrowness.” For a long time now, Macklemore has been an active volunteer at prisons. In college, he co-facilitated a writing workshop in which he helped inmates craft rap songs. The inmates then performed these songs in a final cultural fair that was essentially a hip-hop concert. Since then, Macklemore has begun tutoring inmates and helping them get their GEDs. These volunteer opportunities are what bring authenticity to songs like “Soldiers”.

In addition to adding credibility to his music, Macklemore’s volunteer experiences allow him to think beyond his own music; “music is one side of a greater picture of who I am and what I can contribute to society,” he says. He envisions eventually starting a program that provides kids who have been through juvenile rehabilitation with a productive path forward. By giving them access to recording studios, he hopes to one day create a constructive outlet for their budding creativity.

With an appreciation for honest hip-hop, real-life experience in community activism, and a commitment to social justice, Macklemore effortlessly pulls off the trifecta. In this day and age of apathetic youth and misinformed figureheads, it’s so, so, so absolutely refreshing and downright inspiring to see that rappers like him exist. It takes only one musician and one listener to start a dialogue, and it only takes a couple people to start a movement… so the ball is in your court, world. Spread the music, spread the word.

[Photography by Hanifa Haris]

Where to go from here:

-If you like what Macklemore is saying, then buy his "Language of My World" CD directly from his Myspace, check out his blog, follow him on Twitter, and be on the lookout for his free EP this summer.

-If you want to take action and combine music and social justice by bringing Macklemore and fellow rappers Alexipharmic and Sadistik to your city for the American Beauty tour, a tour in

which the three rappers will donate 100% of their net profits to charity, then click here.

-If you like Macklemore's music, then check out music by El Guante, Toki Wright, and Substantial.

-If you like the idea of combining art and community service, then check out IMAN, Paper Planez (started by Hanifa!!), Hip Hop Against Homophobia, Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, and The Art of MCing programs by Big Quarters.

Little bit of Soundset....

Soundset weekend was huge and this is not the official re-cap but a little teaser...

I've been a fan of Grieves since I saw him as a scrawny little DJ on the Everybody Loves a Clown tour. Every since then I have made an effort to catch the show whenever he came to town. The biggest development in his music has been the addition of Budo.  Not only dropping an album together but performing as a group Grieves and Budo were an act  I was set on watching perform at Soundset.

I am a fan of a good live show no matter how you spin it.  Sage always kills it with nothing more then a discman. The dynamic of these two is not that of most Rapper and DJ combinations. Grieves has an intense energy about himself on his own; adding Budo to the mix incorporating things like a trumpet and guitar - is nothing short of impressive. I decided to take my chance and ask Budo a few questions, keep in mind kids - first time interview here....