Behind the Mask: Lil Kim Then, Nicki Minaj Now….

It is like they are twins or more Minaj as the younger sister who borrows without permission her big sister’s clothes. The beef between Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj works partially because our society has short-term memory as well as people who are too young to remember anything before a few years ago. Well, here […]

Otherworldy Videos: Exist to Remain

I Self Devine featuring Sarah White – Exist to Remain From The Sound Of Low Class Amerika

“Naming Evil in the World: Hip-Hop’s Blues Footprints”

From the Blues and the Spirit symposium, Mark Anthony Neal discusses the secular and sacred aspects of hip-hop and Black music in general. He speaks about their visionary and prophetic tradition, their practice of naming evil in the world, the subtlety of the musical forms, the musical technology used, and concepts of escape, freedom, fugitivity, […]

Otherworldy Videos: The Final Outlaw

Final Outlaw – Invado featuring Drake

Rewind: The Evolution of Future Shock

Future Shock is a book and term by futurist Alvin Toffler and it was defined as a psychological state that occurred when “too much change in too short a period of time.” Due to the rapid advances of technology, future shock, which includes a disoriented feeling, information and sensory overload, detachment, and overwhelming stress, may […]

Moving On the Wires: SHAOLIN JAZZ L!ve in DC

For those in the Washington, DC area today, Shaolin Jazz is doing their first musical performance tonight at the legendary Blues Alley. It is the first DJ-led performance at Blues Alley including DJ 2-Tone Jones, the co-creator of SHAOLIN JAZZ, his fellow band members of Sound of the City and special guest artists.. Their repertoire […]

Modern Griots: John Jennings

John Jennings, who describes himself as a “a professional bender of time,” and is an associate professor in visual studies at University at Buffalo, blends together the worlds of comics, hip-hop and racial discourse. Here is some of his article from Buffalo’s website: John Jennings centers his life on provocative questions: How can we show the […]

Otherworldly Videos: Journey Through the Mind

Big K.R.I.T. – The Vent Ab Soul – Pineal Gland

Otherworldly Videos: Hip-Hop and Shakespeare?

Award-winning rapper Akala describes the similarities between Shakespeare’s works and hip-hop lyrics and rhythm. Akala wants to challenge those who have power to define and allow certain people to be “custodians of knowledge.” His lecture makes one think of what is poetry and what is knowledge or intellect.

Otherworldy Videos: Phone Home

Copperwire– Phone Home This group produced the album “Earthbound,” a hip-hop space opera. “Phone Home” uses NASA recordings of the cosmos and the video takes them through the land of Ethiopia as well as space. I strongly suggest that you check them out!