First 48

Da God 6EE <From http://theswellclub.com>

Da God 6EE's "First 48" single is finally here and all we can say is.... Watch out! From humble beginnings Da God 6EE  is taking his 'mission statement/motto' INeverRapped2BCool to higher level. You read his story here [Da God 6EE Interview] and now we're feeding his first single, produced by none other, No I.D. 

First 48 was his way of telling people what he's about... "The combination of will, wisdom and wittyness. I'm what you get when you mix conscious and griddyness.... Much love to my fans who understand me, cause they know its more than rap; its philanthropy." But enough of us talking about this amazing single, listen for yourself:

MLK Tribute

Today, we commemorate and celebrate the life, and work, of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A man who audaciously fought for civil rights, dreaming of a better day for our community. Years later, we see King's dream come into fruition with the election of America's first African American president. But of course, we have a long way to go! 


Around the world, many are celebrating this day in honor of this great man, even those in Hip Hop. Vibe Magazine conducted an interview with Talib Kweli, about Dr. King's dream, whether Hip Hop is fulfilling it and what he plans to do to celebrate the holiday [Talib Kweli Vibe Interview]. Vibe poignantly asked Talib, "do you think Hip Hop still cares about remembering his legacy"? Talib responded acknowledging King's work for the Black community and said Hip Hop could not exist if it were not for Dr. King and the culture recognizes that. And of course we do! 


Look back at Common's "I Have A Dream" song featuring Will.I.Am; a song that merges the lyrics of Common and that of King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech. "In search of brighter days, I write through the maze of madness... I have a dream that one day, Imma look deep within myself, I got to find a way". 

Or even look at the 'Rock the Vote' campaign the Democratic party used to mobilize youth to vote. This was a campaign that was influenced by music, art and pop culture; a campaign that significantly impacted the election of Barack Obama. 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockthevote/2817172303/" title="Pharrell Williams with N.E.R.D. by Rock the Vote, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3052/2817172303_5641d310d8.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Pharrell Williams with N.E.R.D."></a>


You can even look all the way back to Gil Scott Heron, the "Godfather of Rap" whose memoir was released today; the same man who established a year long tour to make this day a national holiday. [The Last Holiday]


It is obvious from the birth of this entity, those who contribute to it always recognized the great Dr. King. Talib closed his interview with Vibe saying, "Holidays are just another day for me because I try to celebrate in life". In March 1968, right before his death, Dr. King prolifically spoke about justice and work. "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence". As we move forward, don't only take January 16th to honor the work and legacy of Dr. King. Use all 365 days to uplift the community, whether it is within your Hip Hop lyrics, political work or teaching. 

"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of HOPE"....

Dr. King National Memory <From http://history.com>

 

Glory

Recently, the mogul, Jay Z and Queen Bey gave birth to their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. Jay Z took to the studio to give his daughter a "thank you" for giving him one of his greatest gifts!

Jay Z's simplistic record marks a beautiful day in Hip Hop as he shares his father-daughter love to the world, something we may not hear much in this realm of music. Take a listen to this beautiful record and ode to his child of destiny right here:

Gold Rush

 Nate “Richezz” Ford, Jr. has taken part of the music industry by storm through his zeal and dedication. CEO of All World Music Group and Richezz Touch Promotions, Assistant to Sony RCA Entertainment and General Manager of the Intern Showcase are just some of the many titles that Nate effortlessly carries. Through his love for all music, he never neglects his relationship to Hip Hop and through a powerful interview he demonstrated how he stood as an ambassador for the entity.

Nate was born and raised in Queens, NY, where music was rooted in him at a young age. Nate attributed much of his industry success to his parents. His mother, Laurie Kingsberry, implanted a love for music through her singing and even raising Nate in the church, in which he began to play the drums at the age of seven until he left for college. His father’s drive and passion was contagious and it was inevitable that his son would catch it. With these two seeds planted, Nate flourished into an all-around growing businessman in music and Hip Hop.

From high school to college he put his passion for music on the backseat while he became a rising football star. However, when Nate entered his junior year at Pace University he realized football was coming to an end and that it was time to hone in on his passion for music. In 2010, All World Music Group was established and it blossomed right away, opening shows for J Cole, Fabolous, Miguel, Gym Class Heroes, etc. By January 2011, Richezz Touch Promotions was born. This lifestyle promotions/marketing company began with the release of artist, Sto’mac’s mixtape To Infinity and Beyond. With 10,000 downloads, this project introduced Nate to the marketing and promotions aspect of the industry, establishing a company that focuses on unsigned projects and putting a “major label” effect on such projects.

Nate stands as an individual actively involved in the life of unsigned artists through the realm of Hip Hop, so it was only right to ask where he saw Hip Hop in years to come. In the coming years, Nate believed that this phenomenon would see a serious resurgence of New York City Hip Hop. A compelling statement because it showed the circular narrative of Hip Hop; how it was birthed in Bronx, NY, expanded globally but in years you would possibly see a resurgence of its roots.

Closing his interview, I asked to describe Hip Hop in one word and Nate boldly chose expression. “Hip Hop is the expression of all things. It expresses one's creative attitude, demeanor, style, wit, etc". Nate and I further discussed Hip Hop as a true art form and its "power to change the world".

Beyond the Lyrics thanks Nate “Richezz” Ford, Jr. for taking what he had, establishing growing companies and exemplifying the expression of Hip Hop; the very expression that he took to give life to unsigned artists in order for them to tell their story while empowering others.

Follow Nate and his amazing brands via Twitter --> @MrRichezz, @AllWorldStudios and @RichezzTOUCH.

INeverRapped2BCool

INeverRapped2BCool. A movement (and independent record label) that came to life in 2011 by Godfrey Henry, or better known as, Da God 6EE; a passionate, hungry emerging rap artist that devotes his music to the social consciousness of Hip Hop. I had the esteem pleasure to interview Godfrey learning about the man behind his music and his relationship to the art form.

Godfrey hails from the Crown Heights area of Brooklyn, New York, in which he was raised in a Haitian single-parent household. He has been making and recording music since he was about 16, but it wasn’t until he began his college career at Syracuse University where he recognized his potential and the advantage of the collegiate market. Through the campus' Verbal Blend Open Mics, he met a young man by the name of Jason Adams. Since their meeting they worked together, establishing the duo Genesys. In the summer of 2009, together they created “What U Wanna Do” and by Fall 2009 they released their Lyrical Exercise Mixtape. Afterwards, they created a music video (produced by Tari Wariebi) for their single “Whateva U Want”. By 2011, they released their final work together, Genesys Live.com. With students enjoying his music, performances and interviews with campus publications, Godfrey yearned for more and was ready to take his music to higher heights. Spring 2010 was his last semester at Syracuse University and he started a new journey at Baruch College under the Business Management program.

While speaking with Godfrey, you could hear his gumption and drive. I became enthralled with Godfrey’s up-and-coming music journey, but he wowed me even more as he began to discuss the very thing that bought us together: Hip Hop. When he was asked about the state of Hip Hop and its future state in five years, he came with a response you don’t hear often. “To me Hip Hop never really changed. The commercialism makes it look more different but it’s the same culture it was when it first started”. He further delved into the difference between evolving and changing, and how he thought a person could evolve, but not necessarily change. This was his way of touching on the global, multi-dimensional aspect of the culture, in which it evolved into something greater, and larger, but its roots is still very present.

With our interview we engaged in our thoughts about music, his beginnings, his name origin and where he planned to go. Da God 6EE came from a mixture of what his primary school teacher, Ms. Owens, and childhood friend, Mark called him. Mrs. Owens would call him “Da God”, short for Godfrey and for his originality in the poetry that he wrote. While his childhood friend gave him the name “Gee” spelled uniquely with a 6. A name that embodies his life journey and where he continues to go…

He is working on his first solo body of work, My Perspective Is Rare, where it is entirely his vision – a 21-year old young man articulating himself about coming from the bottom and not conforming. With this piece of work, Godfrey “Da God 6EE” Henry is ready to deliver a message; a message where he tells many that he never rapped to be cool. 

For more about this growing, dynamic artist, check out his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter: @DaGod6EE.

The Last Holiday

About 7 months ago, the civil rights, Hip Hop and music communities lost a prominent figure: Gil Scott-Heron. On May 27, 2011 we heard the news of this great man's passing, but today we continuously celebrate his life and his legacy. From the 2011 BET Awards Tribute where Queen Latifah recites his famous poem, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" until now.

[Charged.fm Article on BET 2011 Memorial Tribute]

Billboard.biz just recently reported that the Gil Scott-Heron memoir will be released on January 16, 2012. The memoir will be titled "The Last Holiday", a title with metaphorical significance. The memoir is set to be released on the same day our country celebrates and observes Dr. King; the same man in whom Gil Scott-Heron fought for to make this day a national holiday during his year long tour with the great, Stevie Wonder.

Gil Scott-Heron was a revolutionary artist and reigned as the "Godfather of Rap". Beyond the Lyrics anticipates this memoir as it recounts and narrates the story/life of a man who used his music to shake up things on a political and social level. [Read: Beyond the Lyrics "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" article]

The Dream

Common blesses his fans with the opportunity to hear his new album The Dreamer, The Believer in its entirety through a YouTube stream. After taking a listen, it's safe to say that No I.D. and Common creates true perfection! Common's prolific, positive Hip Hop rhymes over No I.D.'s sick beats establishes a timeless, classic album.

The album begins with the track, "The Dreamer", and over the head bopping beat you hear Common smoothly say, "Maybe I'm a hopeless Hip Hop romantic" laying the foundation for his entire album. In a video Common talks to Rap-Up TV saying that the album is a product of what he does best: Hip Hop. Both Common and No I.D. grew up and are deeply rooted in Hip Hop and together they created an album with a message of introspection for the masses; a message that you don't want to overlook.

Throughout the 12-track album, Common brings a message of the "power of the dream" and how fulfilling your dream provides hope for our community. Common continues to set the stage for the album as he concludes the first track with the voice of Maya Angelou, "If you desire a bright tomorrow, you must build a brighter dream... We are here alive today because our ancestors dared to dream..."

The Dreamer. The Believer Track Listing:
1. The Dreamer
2. Ghetto Dreams ft. Nas
3. Blue Sky
4. So Sweet
5. Gold
6. Lovin I Lost
7. Raw (How You Like It)
8. Cloth
9. Celebrate
10. Windows
11. The Believer
12. Pops Belief

Queen Latifah Covers Essence Magazine

The January edition of Essence has rolled around and mogul, Queen Latifah has graced the cover. Jeannine Amber, senior writer at Essence, wrote a profound piece on the woman behind Queen Latifah, Dana Owens, and how she reached royal stardom.

Many of us know Queen Latifah as the bold woman who addressed what it meant to be called out of your name in "U-N-I-T-Y" or the female who started one of Hip Hop's first management companies, Flavor Unit Management. Whatever you know Queen Latifah as, know that her prolific journey can be attributed to her upbringing and her family. In the Essence article, Jeannine touches on Latifah's mother's devotion to the arts, her older brother's impact and her father's courage - all factors that played an essential role in the molding of the singer, actress, rapper, fashion designer and spokesperson that we know of.


Professor and Hip Hop Scholar, Cheryl Keyes breaks down the female black identity within Hip Hop culture in her essay, "Empowering Self, Making Choices, Creating Spaces: Black Female Identity via Rap Music Performance". Queen Latifah has successfully embody the 'Queen Mother' attribute that Keyes discusses in the essay. Although, Queen Latifah denotes this motherly image by always re-affirming herself as a down-to-earth female, it is without a doubt that Queen Latifah holds a regal, self-assured demeanor while making strides to build the community. The very same attributes of a 'Queen Mother'.

Queen Latifah said, "From the time I decided to become a rapper and get a record deal and have a management company, there have been doubters, people who didn't get it. If we had listened to them, we never would've tried half the things we did. But we didn't listen, so here we are 20 years later. You believe in yourself and put your mind and your soul into it. I've been around that kind of fearlessness all my life". Dana 'Queen Latifah' Owens ambitiously set forth on a path to greatness and didn't allow the naysayers to block her. She has contributed much to rap music and the female MC persona, fought social norms to stand as a symbol of beauty, won several awards and stands as a mogul and Queen in her own right.

Check out behind the scene footage of Queen Latifah's photo shoot on Essence.com.

Look at this early 1990s video of "U-N-I-T-Y":

"We're NOT Accepting That Over Here"

Over and over again, Hip Hop scholars and professors have heard: "there is no education surrounding Hip Hop", "rap lyrics are misogynistic and barbaric, so what can you possible learn from such a course", "so what do you really teach". But Mark Anthony Neal, David J. Leonard and James Braxton Peterson eloquently said We're NOT Accepting That Over Here with their Wednesday post in regards to the critiques of Dr. Dyson teaching a course on Jay Z at Georgetown University.

"Politics as Usual: Decoding the Attacks on Liberal Education" is not a post that just attacks what critiques have been saying, but it lets you into the mind of scholars, educators, professors and visionaries who boldly stand by Hip Hop and its way to reach, teach and educate. Dr. Dyson's course has received so much praise and at the same time critiques as to what really is the purpose of the course. Well let's really look into it...

You remember, "Ignorant S***" off of Jay Z's American Gangster album? No, Jay Z was not just spitting explicit words for the heck of it. Instead, he portrayed how so many wanted to hear degradation and ignorance from his lips because it only seemed right.

I make "Big Pimpin" or "Give It 2 Me", one of those... 

Ya'll hail me as the greatest writer of the 21st Century
I make some thought-provoking s***
Ya'll question whether he falling off
I'ma really confuse ya'll on this one
Follow.... 

"Ignorant S***" was Jay Z's way of showing that there's more to the culture than the misogynistic lyrics so many of us are accustom to hearing. How about "Song Cry"? Jay Z provided millions of Hip Hop "heads" with a song as a coping mechanism for relationships gone wrong. Recently, a Hip Hop ed chat occurred via Twitter regarding the power of Hip Hop in discussing the taboo subject of mental health (coping, loss, stress, dysfunctional families, suicidal thoughts, etc.) in our community. "Song Cry" is one of Jay Z's many platforms about mental health - along with "December 4", "New Day"... the list goes on.

 Jay Z is just one rapper out of many where you can dismantle the lyrics, have an entire lecture around, build research papers/theses on and engage in magniloquent dialogue towards change. It's time that Hip Hop is more embraced as a vital part of liberal education, instead of being black listed. Thank you Mark Anthony Neal, David J. Leonard and James Braxton Peterson for always saying We're NOT Accepting That Over Here.

Higher Learning

"We are the next generation of hip-hop. We are doing this for the culture that gave us everything. SHHO is higher learning through hip-hop." These three sentences give you the essence of the Student Hip Hop Organization (SHHO) that was birthed at Virginia Commonwealth University and expanded to seven other chapters at surrounding collegiate campuses. In 2006, SHHO surfaced at VCU and then traveled down the road to the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia in 2007. And this is how Blair Ebony Smith became the only female co-founder in this ever-evolving organization.

Blair Ebony Smith obtained her Bachelors of Science in Sociology with a minor in Community Studies from the College of William & Mary in May 2011. She is currently pursuing her PhD at Syracuse University. Beyond the Lyrics had the opportunity to interview this ambitious scholar and visionary. 

Blair started the SHHO chapter at her school as a freshman along with two male students, Bobak Kasrai and Lamar Shambley. SHHO took off and it was a whirlwind for a freshman still getting adjusted to a new life, but Blair assiduously pushed forward. When asked how she kept up, Blair bolded stated, “I just did me”. Doing her allowed her to flourish and she remained the only female president up until 2010. Blair diligently worked within a small black community to create a stir at William & Mary, and it worked. Two years after SHHO was founded a member, Nolan Chao, started the “B-boy Club”. William & Mary and the George Mason University chapters are currently the only two chapters with female presidents, but Blair still stands as the only female co-founder and it was only right to delve into the bold claims of the female MC in Hip Hop being non-existent today.

“It depends who you are, who you listen to and who you know about in regards to Hip Hop”. This was Blair’s response to the thought of the ‘lack of female MC figure’. For Blair, it was nothing more or nothing less. She said she has had numerous conversations and interviews with underground female MCs and majority of them were not concerned with such claims. “Just because you’re not making it in the mainstream realm, doesn’t mean you’re not making it”. I couldn’t agree more. Hip Hop is more than what mainstream produces and it embodies what individuals, like Blair, contribute. 

 

“I don’t like when people call it a ‘game’. Lately, I’ve been thinking critically about word usage and it just sounds like we’re playing with it. That words sounds like a competition and Hip Hop is more than that to me”. In one word, Blair describes Hip Hop as love. This love that the culture represents and the love she has for it allows her to continue to use her achievements and accolades to build the Hip Hop community. Blair Ebony Smith is taking this love and finding ways to integrate it in academia. Remember, "We are the next generation of hip-hop. We are doing this for the culture that gave us everything. SHHO is higher learning through hip-hop."

For more information on the Student Hip Hop Organization, click here.

Julie Greenwald

Julie Greenwald, Chairman/COO of The Atlantic Records Group stands as number 1 on Billboard's 2011 Women in Music list. Hailing from Catskills, NY, Greenwald set out to make a change through teaching but her course took a completely different turn. In 1992, she became a summer assistant to Lyor Cohen under Def Jam Records and since then she has reached unimaginable heights.

In her interview with Billboard Editorial Director, Bill Werde, Greenwald talks about the foundational stage in her journey and her constant rise in the industry over the twenty years. Greenwald mentions the excitement of working for Def Jam and the state of Hip Hop in 1992: "Hip Hop was not in the mainstream yet. It was still in pockets of America in urban cities and urban marketplace. We did not have a lot of avenues to promote our music". Greenwald began to work with a culture that she didn't grow up around; a culture that laid in pockets of America in urban cities but a culture that turned into a global entity. As Greenwald grew within the industry and in ranks, Hip Hop grew as well.  She was one of very few women contributing to the rise of Hip Hop, but her being outnumbered didn't stop her. She hungered and thrived for more and became one of the most influential players in such a growing industry.

Jovanni Vatel, Marketing Intern at Atlantic Records sees Julie Greenwald as a Music Industry Pioneer. In a short conversation with Mr. Vatel, he poignantly said, "She is a mentor here to all her staff, setting the pedestal towards greatness. She can find the smallest seed in an artist, employee or intern; nurture them and raise them to move mountains". It is obvious that Greenwald creates an atmosphere of continued progress at Atlantic Records. Beyond the Lyrics congratulates Julie Greenwald on this major accomplishment.

To watch the interview with Bill Werde in its entirety, check out Billboard.biz and to see the complete list of Billboard's 2011 Women in Music, go here.

The Believer

On December 20, Common will be dropping his new album The Dreamer/The Believer. Over the years, Common has wowed us with his music as he remained an artist devoted to the culture of Hip Hop and the revolution it could, and did, stir. What better way to celebrate the Holiday season with what may be a breathtaking album.

Today, Common gives us an exclusive track, "The Believer" featuring the soul singer, John Legend. In the beginning of this song Common says, "I believe the blood of the struggle walking over troubled puddles. Hustle is in my chest. No hustle; no progress". It's safe to say that with "Blue Sky" and now "The Believer" Common is creating an album that will become TIMELESS; an album that will remain in the archives of Hip Hop where our children's children can understand even our struggles, success stories and more.

Listen to "The Believer" here.

The Barbie Doll Stir

This morning many of us woke up to news of Mattel beginning production on the Nicki Minaj Barbie doll*. We knew this was only a matter of time with the American rapper portraying a Barbie image in many of her videos/performances and referring to her fans, faithfully, as "Barbz". But, what has been more interesting to see was how the release of this news created a stir on Twitter. 

Taj Rani, editorial assistant at Music Choice, freelance entertainment/lifestyle journalist and Syracuse University Alum, tweeted “So Nicki Minaj got her own Barbie. Say what you want, BUT she’s changed the game in a way Kim didn’t. #theend”. A bold statement by the admirable journalist, but I couldn’t agree more. Since Nicki Minaj entered the rap scene she has received praise, but along with that praise came slander and controversy. Some individuals have said, time and time again, that Nicki Minaj has copied the gimmick of Lil Kim. But what some might not understand is that Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj are quite different. 

Lil Kim was an amazing lyricist that highly contributed to a male dominated sphere of Hip Hop and as an avid fan of the original ‘Bad Boy’ crew I pay much respect to Lil Kim. However, Nicki Minaj is doing what Lil Kim didn’t. Nicki Minaj has successfully disrupted the male domain, acclaiming power and has crossed over to various genres of music. We’ve witnessed Nicki Minaj perform a full tour with pop icon, Britney Spears; appear on the cover of Elle – a French originated magazine; and assert multiple identities that some may say undo the trending legacy of the “Jezebel” image. 

In Fly, Nicki Minaj says “Everybody wanna try to box me in, suffocating every time it locks me in. Painting they own pictures then they crop me in but I will remain where the top begins… I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive”. Whether you believe she is here to stay or not, Beyond the Lyrics sends major kudos to Nicki Minaj and what she has created within the game.



* The Barbie doll will be put up for auction and all proceeds will be given to Project Angel Food – a charity that provides meals for men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Tribute to Heavy D

Dwight Arrington Myers, better known as Heavy D "The Overweight Lover", left this earth yesterday, November 8, 2011 at the age of 44. Heavy D collapsed in his California home and was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where they pronounced his death; a death that took the hip hop community by surprise.

Born in the country of Jamaica and raised in Mount Vernon, NY, Heavy D was the definition of how Hip Hop became a cross-culture. He rose in 1990s with the group Heavy D and The Boyz and he wasn't afraid to provide the culture with fun, love and of course the image of a hefty guy with smooth lyrics. Heavy D also appeared on many 90's TV shows, like A Different World and Sister, Sister. He also contributed to the theme song of a 90's TV show favorite, In Living Color.


In October, the 2011 BET Hip Hop awards aired and Heavy D did his first performance in fifteen years at the award show! Heavy D came out and it was as if he just performed yesterday. From the moment he rose to fame until his very last performance, Heavy D was a legend in his own right. He set out to do what he loved and we are forever grateful for that.


Heavy D's last tweet was "BE INSPIRED". With that Beyond the Lyrics, charges you, and all of the Hip Hop community, to go out and create an exalting influence to better the lives around you. Heavy D, thank you for paving the way and may your soul rest in eternal peace. Your legacy lives on forever.

News coverage on his death:

NY Daily News

Washington Post - The Root DC



[Heavy D & The Boyz, Kool G Rap, Q Tip, Big Daddy Kane and more in Don't Curse video]

 [Heavy D & The Boyz - Now That We Found Love video]

We Are The 99%

Photo provided via Talib Kweli's tweets

For months, America has witnessed the Occupy movement that started out of Wall Street and expanded throughout the country. Canadian activist group, Adbusters, began the Wall Street protest fighting for the “99%” – those who were outside of the 1% of wealthy American citizens. Economically those who aren’t of the 1%, may have witnessed the struggle of survival in America and are seeking a change. As the protests turned into a movement, Hip Hop artists became actively involved.

Lupe Fiasco has taken major involvement in this movement. Lupe Fiasco took to twitter verbalizing his feelings toward the movement and even his whereabouts. On November 3, 2011, Lupe was featured on Al Jazeera’s live stream talking about the protests. He also has been highly involved in the Occupy Oakland protests. But Lupe Fiasco isn’t the only artist to utilize their platform for the mobilization of the movement. Talib Kweli and Immortal Tech consistently went to protests showing their support and them too, taking to social media their thoughts on what was happening. Russell Simmons and Kanye West too have shown their support. The support of these artists is a testament to the power of the culture of Hip Hop and how we can use it for the survival of our community.

["For a revolution to happen, you need a revolution on every level" - Talib Kweli] 

[Immortal Tech feels that the arrest of over 800 citizens on the Brooklyn Bridge, was a form of police brutality] 

If you are unaware about what has been going on with this prolific movement, please visit Huffington Post.

Chat with Joan Morgan

Twelve years ago, prolific author Joan Morgan released her book When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: A Hip Hop Feminist Breaks It Down and its relevance has prevailed to this day. In this book, Morgan successfully discusses the plight of African American women while eloquently relating the plight and feminism to the culture of Hip Hop.

A book like this needs and must be spoken about today and Beyond the Lyrics is providing this dialogue. Beyond the Lyrics is a growing site “where Hip Hop and education collide” and strives on its ultimate goal of always providing the political and social consciousness of the great culture; a provision that will reach, teach and educate. Twitter has been an amazing social media platform for great chats to learn and educate, so Beyond the Lyrics will be hosting a chat via twitter, with Joan Morgan as the co-host.

The chat will be held via twitter on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 9pm and all you have to do to join is use your twitter handle along with the hashtag, #BTLchat. If you’ve read this book and have been anticipating dialogue with the author, this is most definitely a chat you don’t want to miss.

 

Follow us on twitter--> @bey0ndthelyrics.

The Untold Story of Detroit Hip Hop

Eminem. Champtown. Slum Village. Royce da 5'9". These are the names of some of the rappers that come from the streets of Detroit, creating the Hip Hop scene in the area of the mid-West. Detroit stands as a monumental part of African American history and an important landmark in the culture of Hip Hop. But it may be safe to say, that the story of those that come from Detroit (and the city's influence) is not heard enough. Well, that is all about to change.

"The Untold Story of Detroit Hip Hop" is a documentary, executive produced by Alfred Smith III and Quomeini R. Adams. Although the documentary is almost completed, there is no set date for the release of the documentary. However, Beyond the Lyrics will be watching the moment this piece of history comes to television. You can check out more about the documentary atAllHipHop.com.

Watch the trailer for the documentary here:

Ambitious Man

11.1.11 - Those are the numbers we've been seeing all over social media sites; yes the release date of Wale's very anticipated album Ambition. During the summer of 2010, this MMG rapper hit us with his More About Nothing mixtape that included a short ode to the "Ambitious Girl". And of course aspiring young girls were hooked. He then later came out with "Ambitious Girl Pt. 2". "Ambitious Girl" was a short two minute ode that showed the Hip Hop world that males weren't always looking for the "jezebel image" of a girl portrayed in those raunchy videos. "Ambitious Girl" was the same ode that young men were spitting via Facebook and Twitter to show what they looked for. But what about the Ambitious Man? Oh, don't worry a young lady has it all covered.


Jessica Anderson, born in San, Diego California, and raised in the sunshine state of Florida is a recent graduate of the University of Florida obtaining her Bachelors in Criminology on the Pre-Med track. Her tenure at the University of Florida includes, but definitely not limited to, Chaplain & Social Action Chair of the Lambda Psi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Chapter Founder & President of Respect, Check & Protect Yourself and member of the Remnant College Ministry. Currently she is doing a post-Baccalaureate internship with the University of California at San Francisco AIDS Health Project and works as a relief counselor for Larkin Street Youth Services. So as you can see she too is an "Ambitious Girl", but she took the time on her break at work to tell how she felt about an "Ambitious Man". Her poem so eloquently written and spoken is her very own shout-out to the young brothers that are doing something rather than "chasing skirts". Within this culture, we've seen video after video and rapper after rapper pour champagne out for their lost ones, but Jessica profoundly says "ambitious man there's just so much on your mind, that du-rags and fitted caps just don't fit the same anymore. So you trade in bullet wounds for button downs, so you can actually pour champagne while you're still alive". This line, along with the entire poem, makes you go 'mmmm' and it is most definitely Jessica's way of saying, oh trust me, we see you, ambitious man.

Check out her poem here and follow her on twitter --> @deafjam2!

Brooklyn. Chicago. London.

Photo from Bigmouthsonline.com

What would any music consumer and Hip Hop fan love to hear? A song with Jay Z, Kanye West and Adele of course!! Jay Z and Kanye West are two Hip Hop superstars who have been tearing up charts with their singles, features and albums. Now an unstoppable duo, "The Throne", Jay Z and Kanye West together is bringing the Hip Hop game to higher grounds. And Adele... a product of London with the voice of a goddess mixed with soul. She has been sitting on the top of billboard charts for weeks and I don't think, she'll come down. Together, these three will create a sound your ears will love forever. Well, guess what? That sound is here...

Urban Noize Music Group has created a mashup/remix album, Brooklyn. Chicago. London., and it is a MUST DOWNLOAD. Urban Noize Music Group is a music production team [Urban Noize's Tumblr] that is based in Miami, Florida comprising of twin brothers, Steve and Steven. Brooklyn. Chicago. London. is an exemplary example of the global fusion of Hip Hop and how places and geographical regions can't set any boundaries. Often times, we try to place constraints on things with titles and concepts of space, but this right here just shows Hip Hop is...  just Hip Hop - a powerful medium spread across the globe. Brooklyn. Chicago. London. includes the hits of "Never Chasing Pavements" (Adele & Jay Z), "Melt My Heart to Stone" (Adele & Kanye West) and "Dear Summer" (Jay Z and Adele). Now, the music world just waits to see when Adele will really hit the studio with Jay Z and Kanye and make the amazing sounds that Urban Noize created!

Download the Brooklyn. Chicago. London. here:

Brooklyn. Chicago. London

The Tanning Effect

Steve Stoute, global brand mogul, started in the industry at an executive of numerous labels consulting artists like Nas and Mary J. Blidge. As President of Urban Music for Sony Music Entertainment, prior to joining Interscope, Stoute diligently worked to launch the musical careers of such artists. With making his impact, Stoute never stopped there.

Stoute worked with Carols Daughter, forming a board of investors filled with artists that highly influenced the culture of Hip Hop. Stoute is also CCO of Translation Consultation & Brand Imaging, a full-service ad agency and by 2010 he was recognized as "Innovator of the Year" at the ADCOLOR Awards Ceremony for his timeless impact in advertising, marketing and the media industries.

Steve Stoute utilized his love for the culture of Hip Hop to make a global impact through other markets. Stoute's career is the definition of "tanning" that he so very candidly talks about in his new book The Tanning of America: How Hip Hop Created A Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy, which was released on September 8, 2011. From September until now, Steve Stoute has been going from events to colleges talking of this book and what "Tanning of America" really is. Steve Stoute even sat down with artists beginning a new web series "The Tanning Effect" and explains tanning, "a force that went beyond musical boundaries into the psyche of young America". In his very first episode of this web series, Stoute conducts an exclusive interview with Jay Z. In the very beginning of the interview, Stoute talks about Watch the Throne, it becoming #1 in 23 countries and how that showed the globalization of such an esteemed culture. Jay Z powerfully says, "Hip Hop was this young, youth music that did not have those boundaries outside of America".

Check out the Interview here and stay up-to-date as we continue to follow Steve Stoute's new web series and his telling experience of "The Tanning Effect".

Jay-Z on His Joint Album with Kanye West