Too Much Doubt

"America was a bastard, the illegitimate daughter of the mother country, whose legs were then spread around the world and a rapist known as freedom, freedom. Democracy, liberty and justice were revolutionary code names that proceeded the bubbling in the mother country's crotch..." - "Who Will Survive in America" Interlude from Kanye West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Over the summer we sat weeks waiting for the decision regarding Troy Davis' life and today many of us, hearts sunken in awe see that tomorrow Troy Davis will be put to rest. Over the years in Hip Hop, we hear rappers and artists outwardly speak of the injustice so many of us face in this country; the very country we call land of opportunity. From lil wayne's underground song about Hurricane Katrina and the lack thereof of the Bush Administration to Nas' album Untitled, Black music consumers reflect on our survival in this racial society.

"Who will survive in America" is a powerful interlude on Kanye's album and one of the many songs that speaks volumes to what we have been seeing in this country. We don't know who killed the GA police officer, but what we do know is Troy Davis will potentially be executed while there is so much doubt surrounding his case. This is at the same time, Casey Anthony is ONLY charged with not telling the truth as the evidence seems so much more vivid pointing her to the murder of her daughter. Nas said it best "We in chronic need of a second look at the law books & the whole race dichotomy".

Know the power of your voice, like the voices of many Hip Hop artists, and call the GA Parole Board at (404) 656-5651 & leave a message saying Troy Davis should NOT be executed. We will survive in America!

More about the Troy Davis Case:
Troy Davis Denied Clemency By Georgia Pardons Board
"Too Much Doubt" Too Many Times

ADE Brings "Welcome to Atlanta: Music Ascension Series"

 

Down in Atlanta, there is a buzz about the Welcome to Atlanta: Music Ascension Series coming Friday, September 16^th and lasting until September 29^th. Welcome to Atlanta is rapidly approaching and five universities within the Metropolitan Atlanta area will be proudly celebrating music as a natural resource. But who stands behind this series and where did the vision spark?

Atlantic Division Entertainment, LLC (ADE) is a recently emerged entertainment company founded in March 2009 with the vision and goal to influence culture through music. ADE comprises of young individuals playing an integral role in the success of this company. Beyond the Lyrics zooms in on the three visionaries; the founders of ADE – Jhordan Gibbs, Kevin Reese and Chase Freeman. They are all graduates of the famous HBCU, Morehouse College, with Chase graduating in May 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Jhordan and Kevin graduating in May 2011 with their Bachelors in Marketing. Jhordan and Kevin oversee operations in Atlanta, while Chase oversees operations in New York City.

[Atlantic Division Ent, LLC Blog]

During an interview with Jhordan and Kevin, I asked why they began this company and their answers resonated in the hopes of many music connoisseurs - that real music and the experience behind it is not lost. Jhordan Gibbs said he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and music is a form that speaks to people in many different ways. ADE has been Jhordan’s way of making that difference and impacting lives. Kevin Reese said his concept of ADE sparked from his love for music and after doing their Wale event he realized where his passion was. Together, the founders of this extraordinary company had a vision of giving artists larger exposure and influencing the fan experience. Since the inception of ADE, the founders, financial partners and those in charge of its non-profit sectors vigorously work to put on concerts turning their dreams into reality. They have had past concerts with T.I., Big Sean, B.O.B, Bun B and Wale and recently concept the idea of bringing the Music as a Natural Resource Documentary to life. And so Welcome to Atlanta was born.

The documentary explains the effects music has on our lives. It delves into five major parts analyzing music for peace building, music for sustainable development, music for trauma victims, music for mental & physical health and music for learning and technology building. As the documentary celebrates music as a natural resource, so does the entire Welcome to Atlanta Week. Each university will be focusing on one of the five major parts. Because of this series, Atlanta will be the first in the world to publicly feature information from the documentary and so ADE has begun to create history. Welcome to Atlanta culminates with a concert on September 29^th featuring Kendrick Lamar, Dom Kennedy Cyhi Da Prynce, Dee-1 and Univercity.

Back in 2009, the vision developed and now ADE has taken it to higher heights. For more information regarding Welcome to Atlanta week, go to Welcome To Atlanta Official Site. For concert tickets, go to  Kendrick Lamar & Dom Kennedy Tickets.

ADE created its name based off of the structure of the NBA. The NBA has two separate conferences – split into 3 divisions with the Atlantic Division being the strongest. It consists of several powerhouse teams that collectively comprise the Division. ADE is a company that has teams operating separately but they come together making a strong, powerful company that is truly “influencing culture through music”.

Atlantic Division Ent, LLC Team

Jhordan Gibbs – CEO

Kevin Reese – COO

Chase Freeman – CEO

Travis Lindsay – CFO

Erica Watters – Finance

Sophia Brimm – Non-profit Director