MUSIC IS LIFE P.XXIII :AYITI:THE DIASPORA

"HEARTBEAT" -

NNEKA

"New York City has the largest concentration of Haitians in the United States as well as the oldest established Haitian communities of the country. The conservative estimate of the legal Haitian population in the New York City Metropolitan Area, as recorded by INS is approximately 156,000. However, community leaders and directors of community centers, who come in constant contact with the illegal population, strongly believe that the actual number is closer to 400,000." -

Wikipedia

Z.A-Post Haiti's earthquake the world still wacthes as the poorest country in the western hemisphere rebuilds and restores the ediface of society and life. Today's A.L.I.H.S.T feature briefly looks at haitian diaspora through the beat of survival, and culture as expressed in examples as the dispersal in America:


"The largest communities are found in Brooklyn where the legal population is placed at approximately 88,763, and in Queens where the number of Haitians is believed to be around 40,000. Members of the community who are of working-class background tend to establish their residence in Brooklyn, primarily in the neighborhoods of Flatbush, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, and Canarsie; many are apartment dwellers many homes in the area are duplexes and triplexes. Middle-class Haitians who choose to stay in Brooklyn own brownstone homes in the Park Slope area and single family homes in the Midwood section."

Wikipedia

A description of one of the tri-state area haitian communities. Between refugee camps, U.N control, and government centers, the people of haiti, one are strengthening the ties that bind:


"The country needs to go from the uncertainty of the moment, to some normalcy. We have waited too long after January 12, 2010 to build and rebuild the new Haiti, which must be decentralized."-

Wyclef Jean


Words from Recording artist/Politician Wyclef Jean. Among the diaspora, in places as the Domenican Republic and france, the struggle of this people has encountered everything from poverty to discrimination; to political strength to a thriving culture. One voice to close this brief outlook is the international entity of "Negusworld Enterprises"(Clothing line/Multimedia). My brother/associate Johwell Baptiste(co-founder), also of haitian descent expounds on J.E.M.B.H.A; A movement/train of thought launched last year that communicates to diaspora's within urban communities, and nations.



THE URBAN CRY LLC 2011

THE ARCHIVE P.IX: IN REMEMBRANCE OF STRUGGLE

"ITS BEEN A LONG..A LONG

TIME COMIN'" -


SAMUEL COOK

The African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) refers to the movements in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring voting rights in Southern states. This article covers the phase of the movement between 1954 and 1968, particularly in the South. - Wikipedia

Wikipedia asists thursday's A.L.I.H.S.T series, published in the wake of MLK Jr's birthday/day of acknowledgement:

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"-MLK Jr.

-The civil rights movement is one facet of social struggle. The archive focuses on the inspiration and drive of an against the grain perspective; words from MLK Jr with an early 60's journalist about american solidarity, and the seeds of his own legacy in his own words:

"Gandhi’s salt march in 1930, the US civil rights struggle in the 1960s, the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1977–79, the ‘people power’ revolt in the Philippines in the 1980s, the campaigns against apartheid in South Africa, the various movements contributing to the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989–91, and, in this century, the revolutions in Serbia, Georgia and Ukraine – all have involved the use of civil resistance. So too have certain movements that have been repressed, including China in 1989 and Burma in 2007"-

Wikipedia

The above wikipedia quote lists examples/reflections of the term "civil resistance". By personal accounts the social unrest of the times propelled controversial leaders as Stokley Charmicheal(Kwame Ture), by the hungers of wanting social justice, and seeing oppression, took a militant stance through grassroots political groups, coining the term "Black Power".

Though leaders like Ture's views were radical; moving with a collective of ideals challenging capitalism to imperialism, his last years of pan-african struggle were spent on reflection's of spirituality, restoration and a sense of equality for people of any nation. In conclusion we can draw the elements of struggle of a people from history, or current events. Today's A.L.I.H.S.T.'s feature viewed as a Black history month pre-cursor; or as in the late MLK Jr's views the struggle of any people devoid of color consciousness. In any case, In remembrance of struggle was witnessed in the past, and the world stage of the present. Peace.

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP LLC 2011

STREETS CONSCIOUSNESS P.XIV: URBAN ACADEMIA

"We give you the facts, I told you information is power -- knowledge is power.”-



Tavis Smiley


"Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money (and like other schools, may also receive private donations) but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter.[1] Charter schools are opened and attended by choice.[2] While charter schools provide an alternative to other public schools, they are part of the public education system and are not allowed to charge tuition. Where enrollment in a charter school is over subscribed, admission is frequently allocated by lottery-based admissions. "-


WIKIPEDIA


"Yo.. Camden high is like a penitentary" A young man from west Camden NJ vented to me in explaining the reasons why he left to finish school in a co-operative credit program. In observation all schools are condusive for learning, climbing the stages of academics; but in most schools in the inner cities the socialogical aspect stands out, at times greater than the central focus of the cirriculum. The above reference, this sentiment and more i seen expressed by many during the years of the public school system, from my own reflections to the masses of struggling youth. Among the urban diaspora i witnessed in philadelphia, during the years of intense social climate the alternative spread amongst the city: the charter school. Still at the ledge of controversy from public schools, the charter school, though state owned seemed to create an environment of social reform; first targeting the social ills of the school system:



-One thing i acknowledge, is in every generation the youth need guidance, not only academically but in every form to help them navigate socialogically. Due to social preassures excelling in academics sometimes is an against the grain process. I advocate education outside of systematic academics, for the greater arm against today's world. We close with a source of inspiration, one man that stays progressive with a personal outlook from the musicians institute. In rain or shine, the principle of hard work in action.



THEE URBANPRIESHOOD GROUP LLC 2010

MUSIC IS LIFE P. XIII: CONSCIOUS VS. COMMERCIALISM(THE PRELUDE)

"CASA DE MUSICA"-



NNEKA

"Popular music belongs to any musical genres "having wide appeal",[1] and stands in contrast to art music,[2][3][4] and traditional music which was disseminated orally.[2][3][4] Although popular music sometimes is known as "pop music", the two terms are not interchangeable. Popular music is a generic term for music of all ages that appeals to popular tastes";[5] on the other hand, pop music usually refers to a specific musical genre."


"Conscious hip hop or socially conscious hip-hop is a sub-genre of hip hop that focuses on social issues. It is not necessarily overtly political, but it discusses social issues and conflicts. Themes of conscious hip hop include religion, aversion to violence, African American culture and advancement, the economy, or simple depictions of life in the projects/ghetto that reveal the struggle of ordinary people. Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" was an early and hugely influential political and conscious hip hop track, decrying the poverty, violence, and dead-end lives of the black youth of the time."-



Wikipedia



Thursday hosts the prelude to an exclusive blog feature: "CONSCIOUS VS. COMMERCIALISM"; 1/3 part of a U.P.G blog series called "CONTEMPLATION AND RESISTANCE" (Authors Zion Antoni and Cesar "Yedeed" Espinoza). Contemplation and resistance is a blog series that moves in the train of thought to simply "stop, look, and think" at a present situation or circumstance. Conscious vs. commercialism takes a brief view in the contrasts between the two. We start with a video on the reflection of the messages exchanged in pop music, and cultural influence, featuring today's leading figures.

With this.. we conclude with the official "Contemplation and Resistence" series:(click link)

http://contemplationresistance.wordpress.com/

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP LLC 2010.

STREETS CONSCIOUSNESS P. X: GENTRIFICATION

"We want decent homes
So dreams we say out loud like speakerphones just to keep em on"



Lonnie rashid lynn(Common) "Real People"

"Gentrification and urban gentrification denote the socio-cultural changes in an area resulting from wealthier people buying housing property in a less prosperous community. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size decreases in the community, which may result in the informal economic eviction of the lower-income residents"-

Wikipedia
To some degree we all bear witness to gentrification; right here in america's backyard. With america being an imperialist world power, this is not only the breadbasket of pop-culture, but the perfect picture of class system. Masses scramble up the economic ladder at any cost, from the upper, middle class to the poor; exceptionally at the hands of systems like gentrification. By overall observation, those of lower economic social class suffer the hardest in the process of gentrification; just by this acknowledgement, this serves as one inspiration for any person from any class to take advantage in a land of economic opportunity, systematically or by means of personal legitimate entrepenuarship: even in a designed capitalist society. Below are two examples of national gentrification, one in atlanta georgia, and east harlem nyc:

-We close with a preview of Michael Sterling Eaton’s upcoming LP, Mictape Vol. 1 featuring the single "White drapes", which voices mos' current view of the industry of the modern day.

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP 2010.

STREETS CONSCIOUSNESS P. IX : THE CASE OF CONSCIENCE

"We're in an illusion about what our role is in world politics and foreign affairs, and our policies are killing and destroying and doing a lot of things that we are not aware of. " -



Talib Kweli

"Amadou Diallo (September 2, 1975 – February 4, 1999) was a 23-year-old Guinean immigrant in New York City who was shot and killed on February 4, 1999 by four New York City Police Department plain-clothed officers: Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss. The four officers fired a total of 41 rounds. The shooting took place at 1157 Wheeler Avenue in the Soundview section of The Bronx. The four were part of the now-defunct Street Crimes Unit. All four officers were acquitted at trial in Albany, New York"

"The Sean Bell shooting incident took place in the New York City borough of Queens on November 25, 2006, in which one Latino and two African-American men were shot a total of fifty times by a team of both plainclothes and undercover NYPD officers, killing one of the men, Sean Bell, on the morning after his bachelor party, and severely wounding two of his friends.[1] The incident sparked fierce criticism of the police from some members of the public and drew comparisons to the 1999 killing of Amadou Diallo.[2] Three of the five detectives involved in the shooting went to trial[3] on charges ranging from manslaughter to reckless endangerment, and were found not guilty."

-WIKIPEDIA

"There is nothing new under the sun"- King solomon. The above cases in recent years, among many in the urban struggle sparked a stream of social awareness of the ills of inner city politics; specifically the relation of minorties and law enforcement. I personally advocate even the more social consciousness among the inner cities; due to the reflection of mass media stereotypes, and the hidden themes of racial profiling. Considerable time has passed in the wake of the above cases, and due to freedom of speech in the fabric of american democracy, these and many other cases of social injustices have been exposed. Nonetheless it is a constant struggle, on camara or off. Specifically in the inner city's, social consciousness is part of the element of survival; to understand the spirit and mindset of your environment; and the activity, apart
from the badge or behind it. A notable project that reflects social injustices is the 2000 throwback "hip hop for respect", created in the wake of the amadou diallo case:

"Hip Hop for Respect was a project which released one EP for Rawkus Records. It was organized & created by Mos Def & Talib Kweli to speak out against police brutality
Amadou Diallo had been murdered by policeman the previous year, so the subject of police brutality was prevalent.
Rappers featured on the EP include Kool G Rap, Rah Digga, Sporty Thievz, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Common, Pharoahe Monch, Posdnous, Dante & Main Flow of Mood, Nine, Tiye Phoenix, Breezly Brewin' of Juggaknots, Punchline, Imani Uzuri, EL-P & Mr. Len of Company Flow, Jah Born of Medina Green, What? What?, John Forté, Fre, J-Live, Rubix, Invincible, Wordsworth, A.L., Kofi Taha, Tame One, Jane Doe, Grafh, Shyheim, Channel Live, Wise Intelligent, Crunch Lo, Rock of Heltah Skeltah, Nonchalant, Ras Kass, Dead Prez, & Parrish Smith."-WIKIPEDIA

-We close with a recent documentry of an artist collective on this very subject. And the request of prayers toward my brother and G.G.O/t.h.u.g. angel wu-tang affiliate hell razah, who recently came out of icu into rehabilitaion after a brain anuerism. We feature a song off his upcoming project "the heaven razah lp". Continue to heal brother.






" STIR OF ECHOES" HELL RAZAH FT. ATARI BLITZKRIEG


THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP 2010

STREETS CONSCIOUSNESS P.IIV ..OF FAITHS AND PHILOSOPHIES

" So what's left when there ain't no God..and a whole lotta pride..you might see a homicide" -SPECIAL ED -Crooklyn Dodgers

Thursday provides insight to the ever streaming influence of spiritual/ philosophical perspectives in the modern day; both in life and music. Thoughts, faiths and idealogies carried heavy influence through the upper and underground forums of the industry, to the heights of commercial success, to the simplicity of "poor righteous teachin". Here's some of the perspectives, and the voices that carried it in retrospect:

"The Nation of Gods and Earths, sometimes referred to as NGE, Allah's Nation, the Five-Percent Nation, the Five-Percent Nation of Islam, or the Five Percenters was founded in 1964 in the Harlem section of the borough of Manhattan in New York City by Clarence Smith, known most commonly to the public at large as Clarence 13X, but referred to by his contemporaries and students as Allah (the Arabic word for God) or the Father. The Nation of Gods and Earths angered religious and political leaders, who viewed the group as little more than an offshoot of the Nation of Islam (NOI), which was already viewed by Muslims as heretical. While the Nation of Gods and Earths is commonly characterized as an organization, an institution, a religion and/or even a gang, representatives of the Nation teach that it is a way of living. The Nation of Gods and Earths teaches that the Original Blackman is God, the Original Blackwoman is the planet Earth, and through the inner esoteric powers of the Gods and Earths, people can transform and possess their true potential" -wikipedia




Rakim gave jewels during the early years of hip-hop that expressed views of the nation..in pop-culture and in hip-hop the nations voice was heard in artists as big daddy kane, brand nubian, and the legacy of the wu tang clan. The culture of the 5 % nation became assimilated with hip hop, so close that it streamed as a trend..especially in the inner city's. Part of my youth, though having my own spiritual foundation, i studied religions...in regards to the mathematics, (5% lessons) i also studied for my own knowledge, out of curiosity to why it had such an impact on hip hop culture. Though its prescence was stronger in the late 90's and early 2000's compared to today, its clearly part ofhip hop history.

The Nation of Islam is a religious organization founded in Detroit, Michigan, by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930. He set out with the goal of resurrecting the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of the African American men and women of America. The N.O.I. also promotes the belief that God will bring about a universal government of peace.[1] Mainstream Muslims consider the group to be a non-Islamic independent religion that has adopted Islamic terminology rather than an Islamic sect due to differing beliefs about God, race, and prophecy, among others.[2][3]-wikipedia

Clearly the drive of artist as gangstarr's guru, the revelations and reverence of artists like beanie sigel, and the humble refrences of mos def, islam is still a testament of faith to many artists.

"Black Hebrew Israelites (also Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of people mostly of Black African ancestry situated mainly in the United States who believe they are descendants of the ancient Israelites. Black Hebrews adhere in varying degrees to the religious beliefs and practices of mainstream Judaism. They are generally not accepted as Jews by the greater Jewish community, and many Black Hebrews consider themselves — and not mainstream Jews — to be the only authentic descendants of the ancient Israelites. Many choose to self-identify as Hebrew Israelites or Black Hebrews rather than as Jews."-wikipedia
An historic religious sect, adjacent to the african diaspora, exceeded the walls of subculture. Exemplied through the knowledge and artistry of killah priest, (maccabee house) shabazz the disciple and many others..it is a movement by itself. We close thursday's blog with an introspective look into a possible future "blackstar" reunion, words by mos def himself.. and a throwback from "the teacha" himself, krsone, who shares my train of thought, someone who is aware of the spiritual climate of the culture.





"My philosophy" One of the cornerstones..88' archive..enjoy..

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP

STREETS CONSCIOUSNESS PIII:URBAN DIASPORA

“A fully functional multiracial society cannot be achieved without a sense of history and open, honest dialogue.”

"Minorities"- Controversial issues

Refers to members of minority groups. The term is used to address the controversy with the use of the word minority.[2] Cultural diversity definitions can be as controversial as diversity projects and initiatives. The word minority is an example; it has an academic and colloquial usage. Academics refer to power differences among groups, rather than differences in population size among groups. -

Barzilai (2003)

Feagin (1984) [4] states that a minority group has five characteristics: (1) suffering discrimination and subordination, (2) physical and/or cultural traits that set them apart, and which are disapproved by the dominant group, (3) a shared sense of collective identity and common burdens, (4) socially shared rules about who belongs and who does not determine minority status, and (5) tendency to marry within the group. In South Africa under apartheid, white South Africans were a majority even though there were many more black South Africans.
In the United States, the term majority refers to a group that is larger in population size and controls economic, political, and social resources. Given the shift of people of color growing in size that trends indicate will make them a majority, many argue that white Americans should no longer be considered the majority-SOURCES WIKIPEDIA
Generations after generations, whether your reside in lands of modern day suburbia, or the back streets of ghetto america, one is never far removed from the sense of community. Thursday we look into the urban diaspora..specifically in the concrete jungles of south brooklyn. Art consistently imitates life..and music has always told the story of our society's, in every dispensation. My partner chron smith(hell razah)sunz of man/GGO and shabazz the disciple tell you the story personally along with the music they established well over a decade now through the red hook documentry. We all got a story to tell, and there are many that issue out of the urban diaspora..overstand.


Audiobiography - Hell Razah f/ Shabazz the Disciple
Uploaded by copper_shots. - Watch more music videos, in HD!


Hell Razah & Shabazz- The History of Red Hook Pt. 1
Uploaded by BabygrandeRecords. - See the latest featured music videos.

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP