Boom Bap Project - Dealing with all of this (feat. peegee 13)

This song came out years ago, back when Boom Bap Project was releasing their second album/third release.

50 Cent's "Street King" Movement

I really understand and empathize with 50 Cent here. Here in Guam, people aren't really starving but they're doing something really close - dying of Diabetes. Good health doesn't come cheap and much of the world isn't enjoying it.

South Central and Gary Numan - Crawl

Gary Numan has been prepping up his album Dead Son Rising and in so doing has been doing duets and guest appearances with artists throughout the industrial/darkwave/whatever dark, dreary music is called these days. The band South Central (sounds kind of hip-hop) has him on a song called "Crawl."

"Crawl" is intense and a bit Skinny Puppy in its sound, so be forewarned. I really enjoy it, actually, but it's certainly not for the layman.

If you listen to more of South Central, they go for a sound alot like The Prodigy. Here is their title track "Society of the Spectacle:"

Gary Numan, ‘Dead Sun Rising'

Gary Numan - Dead Sun Rising by theQuietus

Carl Roe: The Interview

Carl Roe is easily talented enough to become one of hip-hop's next big stars. Given that, he hasn't done alot of interviews yet. His star is just beginning to rise and the press hasn't caught up with him significantly. Blood Is One, the first blog to reach out to this phenom, is proud to present a short Q&A with this up and comer. Here it is:

With your military past being a big part of your identity as a rapper, do you plan to keep this part of your "schtick" for the long haul?

 

The military will always be a part of my life. Any soldier will tell you that once you cross over from being a civilian, you never truly return to your former self. I have no motivation to make the military my muse or gimmick. The Army is something I did that was bigger than myself. I can't represent the Army doing what I'm doing... but i definately can represent soldiers. It's a hard life, but a soldier makes it work under the harshest conditions. I'd say my "schtick" is standing by the people that share my values of respect, honor and loyalty. Those three things can get you anywhere.

 

You've been working with Kenan Bell quite a bit, for Blood Is One projects as well as with him on a solo basis. Kenan's material and yours are quite different, to be honest. What is it about him that you find to be so synergetic?

 

First off, I would like to really recognize Kenan Bell as a "free artist." By that, I mean he is free from cliches. I really feel he caters to a large audience that has been suffering from the "same 'ol, same'ol" for years. The fact that Kenan's material is so different from mine is what really draws people to either side. At this time I am not too certain where I fall in terms of categorizing my material. I say what I think and feel at the time in hopes that listeners tie in my experiences with theirs. Kenan does the same thing. I think we are both very sincere in how we convey messages. I really enjoy his clean approach, oddly enough. I really get grimey about the lyrics sometimes, but it all ties into my story. Kenan tells HIS story and nobody else's. This fact alone has built an enormous amount of trust in ME as a listener. I'm not hearing a bunch of "empty" fuck-you messages and curse words..... I'm hearing HIM. That is a feat that he is conquering right now.

 

You've received a great reception from alot of hip-hop websites, including mine, Refined Hype and others. What do you think of this? Are you surprised or were you expecting it?

 

I didn't know what to expect. I just picked up my passion again after honorably discharging from service and now here I am. I am at the stage in my life where a soldier is attempting to reassimilate into civilian culture, and it's very difficult. Every day is a challenge, and my music reflects certain aspects of this phase. My upcoming EP, The Broken Time Machine, really touches on this subject. About the website recognition, I haven't begun to tap the many excellent resources out there, but they are in my sights. This EP needs to be everywhere and people need to hear the story of "Joe." Bloggers, writers.... I welcome them all and hopefully they connect with the music the way some have already. It's been a long time coming and I have had several road-blocks but I pushed through them. Refined Hype's blog post about the track We Own The Night was actually the first time I realized people might like this stuff......... a lot. So I plan on it being a ride.... get off one ride and hop on the other. One of my best buddies, and marketing partners, told me a year ago, "You're already famous. People just don't know it yet." We will see.

NEW MUSIC: Kenan Bell - Like This

Buy the song for only 89 cents as a Blood Is One affiliate!

An Open Letter To Mog Music Network And Its Affiliates

A couple months ago, checks were swimming in due to my approval by Mog Music Network. We were doing great.

Suddenly, the fine folks at Mog tell us that we are no longer welcome with their enterprise. The reasoning?

Your has been audited and does not meet the content guidelines we've set forth as part of our affiliate agreement and in previous emails sent in the last week.

This is not a judgment on the quality of your site, but in order to continue serving ads to all of our publishers we need to make sure these requirements are met.

If in the future you feel your site fulfills the requirements of the network, you are able to re-apply at any time athttp://www.mog.com/mmn. Until that time, we have to remove your site from the network.

We have 762 followers on Twitter (at last check) and the affiliation of many talented rappers from all over the world - Game Brothas, Kenan Bell, Carl Roe, Shimon, CaLii, Simply Simone and others. I am confident that our readers will help support us and that we also will receive new advertisers.

What is really annoying here is that Mog would drop us like this for such a superfluous reason and with little explanation behind it. If you look through our history, you will find that the majority of our content is full fledged, often very lengthy articles like this one. We don't just post music willy-nilly. The music we did post was in order to promote all of the content we were being sent on Twitter. Often enough of a description was needed just to put in the header and not necessary to put at the very top of the page.

Now, your boy is doing quite a bit of adapting. I am currently in the small island of Guam. While my uncle has lived here ten years and my aunt got married and had her daughter here, there is still alot of cultural and environmental adaptation that one has to take under in a place like this. To get gipped by Mog in a situation like that was certainly very insulting and certainly not done at the right moment. There was no warning or anything and when my ads were dropped, I had to call and send out e-mails to find out why. That's not professional at all.

I don't really seek restitution here but I do hope to warn everyone who is affiliating themselves with Mog. These guys obviously don't think much of their clients. When you sign up with them, keep that in mind.

More Reason We Need Your Help: Help Protect Carl Roe

This is for real. Complete with a black and white kaffiya, chants of "Allahu Akbar" and links to "We Are The Night," a website has a picture of Carl Roe up.

This is mighty strange. Is Al Qaeda after Carl Roe? I think that's a rap beef that may tower over any one previous.

Blood Is One Needs Your Financial Help

Blood Is One has just been dropped by one of its major advertisers - Mog Music Network. The justification by the people at Mog was that Blood Is One had posted far too many videos that didn't adhere to their standards - too many postings of music with one line or just titles explaining what they were.

I can see why they would be concerned about this but I am nevertheless a bit offended by the whole thing. Blood Is One never stopped providing full fledged articles. We only posted new music to keep people posted in between our producing new work. Blood Is One cannot operate without anyone's support. This isn't a free ride - the writing, the coverage, the interviews, this is hard work.

Since we've started, Blood Is One has worked tirelessly to promote artists that will be the future of hip-hop. I like to think that we've had a healthy role in helping the careers of Carl Roe, Kenan Bell, CaLii, Shimon and Game Brothas.

I will be staking out new advertisers as needed, however, we're going to need your help in the meantime. I am starting up a pledge drive for support for our website. Donate whatever you see fit - $1 or $100. Thank you.

Fundraising widgets will be up shortly, allowing you to donate as much as you want and help insure that this unique voice in hip-hop maintains.

Shyne Raps at the Matisyahu Concert

A new man. Apologies for the rough sound.

Lil Wayne Feat. Eminem - Fear Forever

So this isn't the real thing at all but it's pretty damn good anyway. Haha.

New Carl Roe Track: Nobody's Nobody

Carl Roe's DJ Booth presence is building up with his new song "Nobody's Nobody" up on their site. Here's his bio, just in case you need a reminder of who he is:

You won’t need to hear a phone number (area code first) a thousand times to remember who Carl Roe is. Hailing from the Midwest, Roe makes his first appearance on DJBooth with the trigger quick,Nobody’s Nobody. Stepping onto the scene with a unqiue perspective as a former U.S. soldier who toured Iraq, Roe’s style immediately hits the eardrums on this promotional release. Flowing like a torpedo, Roe drops unexpected clauses throughout the track, making you raise an eyebrow as he draws attention to his word play. Spitting savage lines over a pop-centered kickdrum provided by highly-demanded producer Shane Eli, Nobody catches Carl in a raw state on every line. Although this song won’t be on his upcoming release, The Broken Time Machine EP, it certainly garnishes enough attention to look forward to more from this stand-up emcee. No date yet for the tape, but stay with the Booth and we’ll be sure to keep you posted!

Just follow the link to listen and download.

Revealing Carl Roe's New Website!

Up and coming rapper Carl Roe has just released his new website. The design plays strongly on his military background, which involved a tour of duty in Iraq, complete with a camo background and aesthetic. Carl put "The Confidant" up as his title track on the website, illustrating a healthy tendency towards pop music sensibilities:

You can follow Carl Roe on Twitter here. Carl is grinding pretty hard and could use your feedback as much as possible.

His EP, The Broken Time Machine, should be available soon. To hold you over until then, go ahead and listen to the Blood Is One We're On Everything mixtape.

Mixtape Issues: We're Finally Done!

Hello, I want to personally apologize to everyone involved, including our readers, for the delay in the We're On Everything mixtape release. I don't know why such a simple thing has taken so long and it is really strange to me. Our graphic designer had quite a bit happening in his life and took a while to deliver, while I myself have had some life altering experiences while visiting family on the small island of Guam.

Here it is finally in its entirety. I've busted my balls under weird circumstances to finally get it to you and I hope you enjoy it to death. Thank you to all of you.

Download it here.

June G. - Finish Line Remix (Official Music Video)

Fire, bars and heat from June G., one of Blood Is One's favorite upcoming rappers.

Marvel Tries Hands At Audio Drama With "Daredevil"

I love audio drama and once wrote an entire article on the subject for the music magazine Mstation. Marvel is doing a Daredevil audio drama, under the appropriate pretext of marketing towards blind fans of the character (appropriate because the character of Daredevil is himself blind):

Since his inception in 1964, Daredevil has stood out as a unique figure in comic books: A blind man able to leap through the air and battle evil thanks to a special radar enhancing his other senses. The Man Without Fear has been a Marvel stalwart for nearly 50 years as well as a representative of the visually-impaired in popular fiction, but up to this point, those deprived of sight themselves have had to rely on friends reading them copies of DAREDEVIL in order to experience Matt Murdock's adventures.

About a month ago, Marvel Senior Editor Steve Wacker came up with the idea to record an audio edition of DAREDEVIL #1 so that the visually-impaired could enjoy the dawn of a new era for DD, his friends and his enemies. Additionally, this special project provides those who can see with a new take on what's already being hailed as one of the best comics of 2011.

DAREDEVIL writer Mark Waid provides full panel descriptions directly from his script on this audio edition, while Marvel editors Tom Brennan, Ellie Pyle and Jordan D. White lent their voices to Daredevil/Matt Murdock, Kirsten McDuffie and Foggy Nelson, with White and Wacker also providing additional vocals. Marvel.com Video Editor Todd Wahnish recorded the piece, Marvel.com Associate Editor Ben Morse directed and Jordan White edited the final recording.

Enjoy the audio edition of DAREDEVIL #1, and if you've got a friend who'se visually-impaired, please share this with them.

And don't forget to pick up DAREDEVIL #2, on sale this week!

Coming Soon To Blood Is One

I want to apologize to anyone for delays on our website. Please believe that things are in order. We have several features coming to you in the future, including:

• Kenan Bell will be regularly blogging for us, contributing with posts from his esoteric point of view. I'm pretty excited about this, especially as it means that Kenan will be showing his talent both as a commentator (check out his Twitter page) in addition to as a rapper and musician.
• As Carl Roe's career accelerates, we're going to be focussing on him more and more. That means a full on feature interview with the Iraq veteran about his influences, creative process and more!

In addition, the We're On Everything mixtape will be dropped within weeks. Get ready.

Charlie Sheen heckled by Juggalos

Now this is a nice development. He did a show there as well, so can we assume Charlie Sheen is now part of the Detroit hip-hop scene?

This time last year, Charlie Sheen was preparing for the Emmys, but after his many “colorful” episodes, things are a little different for the actor.

This year, the former “Two and a Half Men” star made an appearance at the Gathering of the Juggalos, the three-day music festival for fans of the band Insane Clown Posse held in Cave-In-Rock, Illinois.

Sheen, 45, hosted Saturday night’s show, and he got mixed reactions from attendees.


Despite his tiger blood, the actor was alternately cheered and booed, according to two videos posted online Sunday. In a video posted on TMZ, the crowd chants his name, with enthusiastic fans shouting “winning!” But just when you think the warlock’s tamed the unruly crowd, a BuzzFeed video shows Sheen getting booed and heckled.

And that “Major League” training must’ve come in handy, because like Tila Tequila and Method Man before him, the actor was hit with objects thrown on stage. (Oh, those Juggalos! They’re incorrigible.)

Sheen’s next appearance should also garner an interesting reception; "The Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen" tapes on September 10. The roast will premiere on Comedy Central on September 19 at 10/9c, the same day “Two and a Half Men” will debut Ashton Kutcher as the new "man" on the sitcom following Sheen's firing.

Tony Yayo Feat. 50 Cent, Shawty Lo & Kidd Kidd - "Haters" Official Music Video

Carl Roe - "We Own The Night" Featured On RefinedHype!

One of my favorite rappers and a potential explosive market for hip-hop listening military servicemen, and a friend, Carl Roe, is not only moving up fast but is moving up with the help of the larger hip-hop community. Here's an article that has popped up on him at Refined Hype:

Both through RefinedHype and the mothership I get approached by a lot of people looking to run music contests and I almost always say no. Why? Because you're forced to dig through so many Tiffany Green face worthy submissions to find that one hidden piece of dopeness it's barely worth it. But I've never seen a piece of unexpected dopeness like this.

Quick rewind: Shane Eli put out an instrumental version of his "I Can Do Better" album and invited emcees to rhyme over the beat of their choice. There was actually a fair amount of solid submissions, but Carl Roe's "We Own the Night" was hands down my favorite.

Seriously, how fucking ill is that? This isn't to take anything away from his rhymes, the man can legitimately rap, but this is about more than music. Or rather, it's about music's ability to convey emotions and moments that simply can't be carried by any other medium. The war in Iraq is, for most of us, a distant battle we watch unfold on CNN, but I can honestly say that this really made the war hit home for more.

So don't worry, I'll get back to booty and no fu**king sense rap lines in a sec, but if I can be allowed a moment of actual sincerity, huge respect to Carl Roe, both as a solider, a man and an artist.

Kanye West And Jay-Z - Otis VIDEO!

Yes, indeed! You've heard this song already on the radio and here it is in all its technicolor glory.

Video Provided by DatPiff.com

June G. - Life's A Bitch Video

June G. has recorded videos for most of his work. Here's another, an ode to the great Nas and AZ duet.

Kenan Bell - Summer Solstice Volume 2

Kenan Bell has released his second Summer Solstice mixtape, which is mixed down by none other than Blood Is One family Carl Roe. Some hard work was put into this one by two guys are not rolling in the dough or being served extraordinarily by today's economy. If you like it, be sure to support by buying some more of Kenan's music through our site.

Big K.R.I.T. Feat. Yelawolf – “Happy Birthday Hip-Hop”

Yelawolf has done some great cameos in his come up, with Slaughterhouse, Eminem and Raekwon, among others, but the best chemistry has been with Big K.R.I.T. The two are on a similar wavelength - K.R.I.T. from Mississippi while Yelawolf from Alabama. Both represent the south with heavy accents, a working class family oriented social disposition that makes them a bit tamer than the hustle-or-die rappers of Detroit, NYC or Compton.

This song has some great takeaway lines, especially from Yelawolf:

(Put 'em up) waffle house, 2Pac's rock song
You see I had to dig to find the hieroglyphics
My mama didn't know about Souls of Mischief
See the Bible Belt gave me that holy spirit
But didn't give me rap because I wasn't suppose to hear it

Through K.R.I.T., Yelawolf and similar artists like David Banner (see Banner's great verse on "Sookie Now"), we're introduced not just to a crop of southern rappers that know the reality of the southern United States, where racial division is rooted deeper than most of Mother Nature's plants. There's not as much rage as the urban hip-hop of yore, however, and the picture these guys present seems more like one of the blues.

Raekwon BioPic?

You read that right, and it will star Cee Lo:

Given Cee Lo’s recent multi-platform stardom, not to mention his generally outsized personality, it’s not a surprise that he should be embarking upon an acting career beyond voice work and cameoing in Mystery Men. But for some reason, it still feels weird to hear that he’s playing the father of legendary Wu-Tang Clan rapper Raekwon in the upcoming biopic C.R.E.A.M. Maybe it’s the geographical discrepancy—Cee Lo is proudly southern, while Raekwon is definitively New York. Or maybe it’s the age discrepancy, considering that Raekwon is actually about four years older than Cee Lo. Or maybe it’s just that it’s bizarre that they’re making a movie about ‘Kwon at all, considering he’d have been maybe our fifth or sixth guess about which Wu member would be the most likely to be the first to get his own vanity picture. (How has there never been an ODB flick, anyway?)

Still, uh, we’re kind of excited to see this movie, which Rae insists is gonna be the real deal, and not some straight-to-DVD throwaway project. “We’re definitely going for the theaters,” he told XXL. “The people that are gonna be involved with it definitely feel like it’s a great picture, and there’s a definite possibility it’s a Lions Gate film.” Should have a kick-ass soundtrack, anyway.

Machine Gun Kelly Gets Signed

Great video. Give him your support.

Miles Morales: The Next Spider-Man?

In life, one thing that makes itself obvious is when something is genuine versus when it is nonsense. I can't help but feel the latter about the new idea of Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man, at least based on what we're being told so far:

Pop culture history will be made tomorrow as Ultimate Comics Fallout #4 hits shelves and introduces readers to the all-new Ultimate Comics Spider-Man! That’s right, for the first time ever, someone other than Peter Parker will be Spider-Man! But, after the death of Peter Parker, who will rise up to defend the Ultimate Universe? Meet Miles Morales, a seemingly normal teenager from New York who will soon discover  that with great power comes great responsibility…and even greater danger! But just what are the secrets behind Miles’ shocking abilities? What’s his connection to the original Spider-Man? And just why does he wear that costume? Courtesy of superstars Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Ultimate Comics Fallout #4  begins the story that’ll have everyone talking for years to come!

Miles Morales? Seriously? That is almost offensive. He's black and Hispanic so of course we'll just juxtapose a common Hispanic surname with the name of a world renowned jazz musician. 

This sounds alot like the creation of The Falcon character in the Captain America world. While Ed Brubaker, during his run, has approached The Falcon with respect and made him a multi-dimensional character of his own, The Falcon started off as a living stereotype of the blaxploitation era. His character was written as bursting frequently into anti-white conspiracies and Steve Rogers was written as a guilty white liberal who would sit and pretend to listen to The Falcon in a condescending manner. It was bad for everybody.

 “When the opportunity arose to create a new Spider-Man, we knew it had to be a character that represents the diversity—in background and experience—of the twenty-first century,” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Editor in Chief. “Miles is a character who not only follows in the tradition of relatable characters like Peter Parker, but also shows why he’s a new, unique kind of Spider-Man—and worthy of that name.”

I'm all for what Axel Alonso is asking for here. We have a more diverse society, thanks to immigration, globalization and other factors. Comic book superheroes should reflect that. This sort of thing has to be done organically, however.

The best force for diversifying comic books has been guys like the late Dwayne McDuffie. McDuffie played an instrumental role in the development of John Stewart as the Green Lantern in the Justice League cartoon series. The diversity that the creators of the cartoon wanted was achieved and McDuffie helped develop a character that had some depth and meaning beyond skin pigment and ethnic background.

I want to read this new Ultimate Spider-Man. It could very well be good, but from the press release it sounds alot like Rawhide Kid. Rawhide Kid was a series that Marvel put out in 2004 that set out to revitalize the old western character as a covertly gay cowboy. The resulting series was pretty hilarious and poked fun at the overt homoeroticism of cowboy lore. However, it was still a joke that didn't really portray gay people as serious, well balanced or decent.

The character of Batwoman is an entirely different story. The writers were smart enough to make her lesbianism, a new plateau when it comes to popular comic books, a part of a multifaceted character. Here's some of a good interview with Greg Rucka, the brains behind Kathy Kane:

"We have been waiting to unlock her. It's long overdue," he said in an interview with the Comic Book Resources website. "Yes, she's a lesbian. She's also a redhead. It is an element of her character. It is not her character. If people are going to have problems with it, that's their issue. That's certainly not mine."

The news represents a significant cultural landmark for the gay rights movement, and follows a concerted effort by DC Comics to introduce more characters from ethnic and sexual minorities. However, Rucka hopes that the new titles, which are due to be released in June, will not be overshadowed by controversy about Kane's sexuality.

"I think there is going to be some media," he said. "I can't control it. You've got to remember, Wonder Woman got a haircut and that became news. So it will be what it is."

"My job is to write the best book I can, about a character that I think is exceptionally cool, that J.H. Williams [his co-writer and artist] thinks is exceptionally cool, that DC Comics thinks is exceptionally cool and worthy of being the lead player in Detective Comics," he added. "Frankly, she should be judged on her merits."

Rucka went the smarter route, the Dwayne McDuffie route, creating a lesbian superhero named Batwoman instead of putting that factor right out in the open as the only defining characteristic. The guys at Marvel should keep this in mind and remember that they're making a gamble here. If they mess up, having ethnically diverse characters will be avoided and readers of all colors will view attempts to do it with caution and rolling of eyes. 

A Call To Support: Monetizing Blood Is One (And The Blogosphere)

I want to be flat out and open about something.

I'm on a small island in the Pacific right now, called Guam. When I got here, I figured that checks from advertising that we were receiving on this website (which were growing) along with money for articles I've written would keep me afloat until I got a real job.

The checks from Mog Music Network have ceased to come and my e-mails to the staff have not really produced that much. I'm trying to call them additionally and I hope that I can get this nonsense solved. I naturally have a bit of anxiety disorder and I try to pace myself with a situation like this so that I don't freak out all over everyone around me.

I can survive. I'm not going to be on the streets. However, what is really pissing me off about this is the general nature of journalism today. The internet has allowed us untold tools of communication that printing presses and typewriters never could. However, all of a sudden, journalists are working pro-bono wherever we go. Even at big outlets like the Huffington Post, writers are being expected to work their ass off for "exposure."

This is ridiculous, and ties into a mentality about the internet that everything there is available for free. Back during the time of Life Magazine, before he hit the big time by publishing books like Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut was able to both gain exposure and feed himself by selling short stories to the most influential magazines. What about the internet makes it alright or fair for writers just as talented as Vonnegut to write online for magazines just as influential as Life and be expected to do it for free?

No other worker is treated in this manner, in which their work is given aesthetic value and they are told they are talented and creative but have no assured way of simply being able to make ends meet. Even musicians, who have had their sale of compact discs totally destroyed by the internet, at least can be reassured that they will make an income based on merchandising, concerts and appearances.

The cozier positions of newspaper staff is now a rare option - and one without the power that it may have once had. Newspapers that once had a Daily Planet like presence as part of their respective city's infrastructure are shells. Newspapers like the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a perfect example of this, is now an internet only tabloid news source. We don't need to return to a print only past but we need to look at professional options as writers in really radical ways. Beyond just adopted entrepreneurial abilities, we need to start thinking like laborers. If writers and content providers were part of a union, we'd be able to put fear into places like Huffington Post, which certainly has revenue to share, that think it's alright to employ writers and not give them any reward for their hard work.

Why writers aren't making more of a fuss about this, I'm not sure. Unlike blue collar workers, we may be very comfortable working in our own minds, according to our own logic, and let the money problem fall to the floor while we please ourselves with words of praise and support from family and/or the government. Maybe it's just a hobby for many of us. Maybe we're privileged brats who have the luxury of writing while other people toil.

Nevertheless, writing and reporting was once a serious profession. Here in Guam, people still do purchase newspapers and read them daily, despite my presence as a professional writer with an Apple computer in hand making me look a bit like a space alien.

One friend of mine, who I will not mention the name of directly out of respect, went to one of the country's largest and most prestigious public universities. She is affiliated with several prestigious journalist organizations. She told me candidly in conversation that she "had no income." This is despite her having put in a level of work and effort that many people don't have the self-starting will to do on their own. My friend, like myself, figured out the process for proposing and publishing a book but never followed through. I'm not sure of her personal reasons for doing so, since the idea was a great one.

Nevertheless, when the money from journalism has gotten so tenuous and vindication mostly based on (once again) words of praise, comments and page counts, the act of jumping into the publishing world seems like trying to land a firecracker through a hole in a closet. How do you know this will actually work? There are always doubts in the business world but the doubts become even more pronounced in a writing world like the current one.

If you're reading this and thinking that I am calling it quits with Blood Is One, don't worry about that. Blood Is One will keep going. This is an act of love, a hobby that is actually productive and not just masturbatory. We intend to reach out strategically to audiences who will be both interested in Carl Roe and in Kenan Bell, with the intention of spreading their exposure as wide as possible. If things work out to their best, it will be like Vice Records, a magazine which stumbled upon its own record label and made the operation work.

However, online journalism as a whole is simply too much of a bizarre gamble - even years after its existence - to really seem like a real profession. I've heard prominent people with the Heritage Foundation and other organizations say that there "is no clear way of making money at it." The aforementioned friend of mine called the question of monetization "the million dollar question." If these people, who are in a position to know how to make a living out of this if there were actually a process to know, can't name how to do it, what on earth is the point of studying journalism? Will CUNY's new program of Entrepreneurial Journalism really actually help solve this Great Mystery or just focus journalism on focussing on the business side of an unknowable business model?

We do appreciate and need your support. The Blood Is One main page has links to items for sale on Amazon.com, which you can purchase at discounted rates and help us survive along the way. We also have our ads here by our various sponsors, which will only bring in revenue with your support. Our numbers have not ceased to go up since we started the website so I know all of you are out there.

Thank you, and have a wonderful week.

DC Retroactive

Wow, so I just found out about this series of comic books from DC, called the "Retro-Active" series. Each series apparently has new writers and artists going back and revisiting an era of DC Comics full on with the given aesthetic of the period.

Marvel Comics has done some similar stuff with their First Class series and the X-Factor Forever one shot but all the same, it never really went full throttle into bringing in the old visuals as well. To be able to accurately channel an artistic style that is not practiced any longer by any of your peers and that you have never used in your regular work takes alot of skill.

Comic books are certainly passed the environment horizon in which they once had to make each adaptation effectively for an audience that studios assumed didn't like comic books aesthetically or as a creative form. The X-Men: First Class film presented the X-Men as a superhero team in a period piece, without any apologies and even with the adoption of bright blue and yellow costumes. Perhaps we'll see some similar blasts from the past from DC's studios?

Trick Trick Let's Work official video

Game Brothas feat. T. Knockerson & Mallski Wallski - PGA

Mark Deez (Featuring Nova-Kane & Fes Taylor) - Gettin Money (Prod by Dia...

All Natural - Phantoms (Remix)

Carl Roe Biography

Thank you for reading Blood Is One! The compilation forthcoming by the Blood Is One website, We're On Everything, will be released for free very soon and physical copies will be printed and made for sale. Inside each copy will be biographies of Carl Roe and artist Kenan Bell, both of whom have been gracious enough to affiliate themselves with us. Here is the biography of Carl Roe:

If you’re expecting the typical sob story about a musician down on his luck, you just hit the Lotto because you won’t find that here. Born in 1983 in Elgin, Illinois, Carl ‘Roe spent his childhood in the same manner any lower middle-class kid did. Dodging bullies, cussing out the big kids, and skipping class were all staples in his awkward years of growing up. Like many of us, HipHop gave ‘Roe a sense of meaning and expression. When nothing else made sense, it didn’t matter once that beat started.

Yes, ‘Roe did experience his fair share of hard times… but who hasn’t? Credibility doesn’t exist only in a person’s struggles, and a person who doesn’t have a taste for success only takes what is given him. In 2001, his family packed up and moved to Minnesota for a better life. What the hell was ‘Roe going to do now? Music always finds a way, and he linked up with local producer Clowd 9 and performed at local venues while attending college in Mankato. In 2005 music became a dark alley for ‘Roe to the point where it lost its meaning to him. Expression was swallowed by loathsome lyrics and this disconnect prompted the need for him to start over.

In 2005, ‘Roe enlisted in the U.S. Army infantry and embarked on a journey that changed his life forever. Surviving Iraq from 2007-2008, he returned with a new goal to conquer. Exiting the service in 2009, ‘Roe has been preparing for his return to the music scene… This time with more focus and fervor than ever before.

It is 2010, and it’s time to add another spark to Hip Hop’s shine.

Screw the Lotto. If I were you, I’d put my money on Carl ‘Roe…

Get ready for the upcoming full-length album The Broken Time Machine due for release this summer 2011!

50 Cent - I'm On It

I concede with the guys at Ill Roots. 50 seems like he's actually putting some effort into making his sound different.

50 Cent - I'm On It

Miami Horror - Sometimes (Hook N Sling Remix)

Fearless 4 - F-4000

Trick-Trick ft Eminem - Who Want It , NEW SONG

I'm pretty sure I've posted this before but here goes again.

Raw Fusion - Throw Your Hands In The Air

Sparky D Vs. The Playgirls - The Battle

Big Boi Offers Amy Winehouse Tribute

Some info from Pop Dust:

When talking about Amy Winehouse, it’s easy to sideline her music or write it off as just more samey retro, the sort that all her successors make. Those successors took many of their cues from Winehouse, of course, but their sheer numbers can clog the market. The thing is, Winehouse’s music was anchored by her voice and her songwriting, not by its backing–Mark Ronson’s a strong producer, but he can’t save everything. Part of the tragedy of Winehouse’s death was how much of a musical force was lost with it.

Big Boi’s previously unreleased remix of “Tears Dry On Their Own” gives us a glimpse of what could have been, stripping the “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” instrumental from the original and replacing it with a less triumphant, more turn-of-the-century R&B backing. That Big Boi was a Winehouse fan or friend isn’t at all surprising–singer-songwriter-legend Kate Bush is among his musical idols. What makes this remix good is how understanding it is, how the tension of the track undoes Winehouse’s self-sufficient declarations in a way that you suspect Winehouse would have, if not necessarily connected with, approved of.

Amy Winehouse - "Tears Dry on their Own" (Organized Noize Dungeon Family Remix) by Big Boi

HEAT NIGHT CLUB PRESENTS LLOYD OFFICIAL KING OF HEARTS & LIL WAYNE I AM STILL MUSIC TOUR AFTERPARTY

If you're in Ohio, here's a good event to attend:

HEAT NIGHT CLUB PRESENTS LLOYD OFFICIAL KING OF HEARTS & LIL WAYNE I AM STILL MUSIC TOUR AFTERPARTY

August 12, 2011

HEAT NIGHTCLUB

6115 Brandt Pike

Huber Heights, OH

Purchase Advance Pre-Sale & VIP Tickets Now!

Contact & RSVP Ticket Information:

Phone: 937-233-HEAT(4328)

Email: heat.nightclub@yahoo.com

Brother Ali Interview Pt. 2 @ Bounce Radioshow on DRS Virus

Mark Deez - Collaboration Collage #1

Blade Gordon (Featuring Kash) - Straight No Chaser (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Dream Girl Kolohe Kai

Queens of the Stone Age Bassist Faces SWAT Team

Here is a very interesting story out of Los Angeles:

Nothing like a stand off in the deserts of…Los Angeles. Okay that set up didn’t pan out like I thought I would but there was a stand off in L.A last night between S.W.A.T. and former Queens of the Stone Age/current Kyuss Lives! bassist, Nick Oliveri.

TMZ.com reports that police were called to Oliveri’s home by a neighbor who was reporting a disturbance between the bassist and his girlfriend. Upon arriving, Oliveri wouldn’t let cops into his home and wouldn’t let his girlfriend leave. So a S.W.A.T. team was called and a two-hour standoff took place until eventually Oliveri let the girl go and then gave himself up. When cops entered the house, they found a fully loaded high powered rifle.

The argument between Oliveri and his girl happened because she was coming to his place to move her stuff out. A day before, she told police that Oliveri had struck her during another argument.

The bassist was taken in on felony domestic violence and has since had his bail of $100,000 posted.

Nick Oliveri is actually an amazing bassist. He added crunchiness and effects to Queens of the Stone Age that were never really replaceable upon his departure. Nevertheless, he sounds like quite a difficult individual and his girlfriend is just another on the list - along with Josh Homme and others at Queens of the Stone Age - that had trouble dealing with him.

Grind Time Now presents: The Jackal vs Uno Lavoz

Stick 'em up! Stick 'em up!

Space Shuttle Era Over: Time Travel Era Just Beginning

Blood Is One usually does not step forth in favor of social issues and whatnot, but we firmly urge every one of our readers to take this guy who posted to Craigslist up on his offer:

TEST SUBJECT NEEDED FOR TIME MACHINE

I have successfully built a working time machine and need a human test subject that is willing to be the first person to ever travel back in time.

Due to the dimensions of the machine, you must be shorter than 6’3″ and weigh less than 230 lbs. Also, you must be male. That’s not due to the dimensions of the machine, it’s just a personal thing. I think a man should be the first to time travel, just like he was the first to fly an airplane and to walk on the moon.

The pay is $3,000 and, of course, you’ll reap the benefits of being the first person to ever travel back in time (media coverage, endorsements, etc.). You will have to sign a waiver that mainly states:

1. I am not responsible for anything that happens to you when you time travel.

2. You are forbidden from interfering in matters that would disrupt the current timeline (i.e. killing Hitler, warning Hitler about D-Day, etc.).

3. You are not allowed to travel back in time for the purposes of tearing up this waiver before it’s been signed, thereby negating this waiver you’re about to sign. I built a time machine, I’m no moron.

As far as the danger of time traveling in this machine, we sent a dog into the past yesterday and it went off without a hitch. He hasn’t yet returned, but that’s just because animals don’t know how to rendezvous. We would like for you to bring him back, if at all possible.

Lastly, you will need three personal references. I can’t take a chance sending some unscrupulous druggie into the past because you’ll mess everything up for us here in the present. The references must be male. Again, it’s just a personal thing.

If you would like to participate, call me on my cell phone at 919.824.4109.

Greg

Odd Future Send Cupcakes to Anti-Violence Protesters at Pitchfork Fest

From Mog Music Network:

Cupcakes can solve a lot of problems and make negative feelings go away, but can they defuse protest? That seems to be what the guys of Odd Future were hoping for at Pitchfork Festival this weekend. They delivered baked goods not only to fans but to anti-violence groups that were there spreading awareness because of the imagery in their lyrics.

The controversy surrounding the hip-hop collective has been going on pretty much since they started hitting it big, with advocates, groups and other musicians talking about the references to violence, homophobia and rape within their songs.

So this weekend in Chicago, some groups took the opportunity to raise awareness about those very issues. From the video below, it seems the groups like Between Friends and Family Shelter Service were there less to silence the act and more to turn the things they talk about into a platform for discussion.

Tyler, the Creator and company delivered cupcakes to the groups and some of their fans. Judging by Tyler’s tweet and the account of one of the women from the groups, they were trying to prove they’re decent guys. Which they very well may be, but that’s an entirely separate issue from whether or not someone has a problem with their lyrics.

“They took some of the fans, too,” said Amanda Wapiennik with Family Shelter Service. “One of them said, ‘See, we’re nice.’ I said, ‘We never said you weren’t.’ … That’s exactly the kind of dialogue and exchange we’re looking for.”

Of course, the controversy around Odd Future is never really going to die, but the groups at Pitchfork seem to have taken on a productive approach to dealing with it by trying to start a conversation and turning the problematic words into something positive, instead of just trying to make them stop.

Royce Da 5'9" - Legendary (Prod. by Travis Barker)

This song has production by Travis Barker and Eminem. It looks like Royce and Yelawolf are bringing hip-hop and Shady Records together.

By the way - using the HTML just didn't work at all when I was trying to do this. I have no idea why. I'm using the direct link from YouTube using the Blogger interface and if you experience any problems with that, please let me know.

50 Cent Explains The Benefits Of Delaying His Fifth Solo Album

New from Hip Hop DX:

Fif speaks on how he approached penning material with his upcoming LP.

50 Cent has been taking his time with his untitled fifth solo album, a tactic that’s allowed him to better focus on his material. During a press conference at the Festival de Casablanca 2011, Fif explained that he was always racing to meet deadlines with previous albums, but took the Eminem and Dr. Dre approach with this LP.

“I’ve worked longer on this album than any of my other projects. I’ve had the opportunity to evaluate the things that I created initially, and go back and revamp things and change things around a bit,” he said. “Both Em and Dre have had opportunities to critique themselves, when I was always on the shot clock. So this time, I get a chance to really make sure I feel like it’s going to be the right music for this time period.”

Like with his debut Get Rich or Die Tryin', the G-Unit general is looking towards his personal life for inspiration on his next release, but realizes the stakes are high.

“My material comes from my actual experience. In a lot of ways, the things that I’m saying, it doesn’t necessarily reflect my mind state at the time, but my first album had all of the dysfunction that I was being exposed to. It went on to be the largest debuting Hip Hop album, selling 12 million records. The task of recreating that came up. So I had to figure out new ways to write things or new portions of my experience to create music based on those things. Now, this album, it’s more creative, I feel like, because I’ve’ had to find things away from those things that I’ve done continuously.”

Eminem I'm On Everything Music Video Die Hard Ft Dr Dre Lil Wayne How To...

No 414: Kenan Bell

A new profile in the Guardian is out on rapper Kenan Bell, a favorite and affiliate of Blood Is One:

Hometown: La Crescenta, Los Angeles.

The lineup: Kenan Bell (raps), Jason Burkhart (beats), Jon Siebels (production).

The background: What do Sting, Tom Bailey of garish 80s pop-dance trio the Thompson Twins, and new LA rapper Kenan Bell have in common? Not a lot, as it turns out. But they are all former schoolteachers. In fact, the 25-year-old Bell, who recently toured Europe with Dizzee Rascal, still is one, spending his days at a private school in Montrose where he teaches something called Language Arts to 4th, 5th and 6th grade kids. Next question: what do MGMT, Morrissey and Kraftwerk have in common? They are all Bell's friends on his MySpace. There's a good reason for this. He has remixed MGMT's Weekend Wars and created a track, titled Save Your Life, based on samples from the Smiths' eerily beautiful account of an abortion, This Night Has Opened My Eyes. We're not sure about the Kraftwerk connection, but we're looking forward to Bell's version of Morgenspaziergang.

If you're already thinking Bell is not like most rappers, there's something else that sets him apart from his peers. He hates hip-hop, and he loathes the idea that he might be seen as a rapper. "I used to pray, like, 'Please, lord, don't let me end up as a rapper,'" he has said. This perhaps explains his insistence on keeping his day job and treating recording and performing as extracurricular, after-hours activities. His distaste for most hip-hop of the last 20 years – since the so-called Golden Age of Hip-Hop, ie that period between the chart hegemony of Run DMC, Beastie Boys et al and the release of De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising and Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet – and desire to distance himself from the hip-hop hordes also probably explain his use of rock samples, and the references to Jim Morrison in his lyrics.

Growing up in the suburbs of LA, his friends included goths, skate-punks, indie kids and ravers. On his MySpace the labels he attaches to his music are "shoegaze" and "emotronic". He counts his students and their parents as his biggest fans. "I've sold more albums to my students than anyone else," he says. Not that he's some sort of Sesame Street hip-hopper rapping his way through the alphabet while balancing a multi-coloured puppet on his knee. On the title track of his debut EP, Good Day, he raps about sex, decadence, miscegenation, sexual and racial equality and the impending 2008 presidential elections over grinding, distorted guitars, and even though there's a message/moral halfway through - "nothing in this world comes without a consequence" – the track actually sounds more powerful than preachy. On Save Your Life he doesn't flinch from the realities of AIDS and abortion, while on Celebrity he pillories label addicts, druggies and delinquent pop tarts who think babies are fashion accessories. It's downbeat and occasionally discordant, but it's good stuff.

The buzz: "Kenan Bell's nerd-chic appearance, easy-like-Saturday-morning delivery, and smoothly blended samples make for the kind of hip hop gone missing since the early '90s."

The truth: There's something oddly appealing about this rapper who hates rappers and has a track called Enjoy on which he sounds thoroughly depressed.

Most likely to: Turn up late for lessons after a long night spearing the vain and vacuous.

Least likely to: Use an overhead projector.

What to buy: The Good Day EP is released on November 17 by Cutlass, followed by the debut album, provisionally titled Sounds Awesome, in early 2009.

File next to: KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, De La Soul.

Links: www.myspace.com/theblackkenanbell

Tomorrow's new band: The Tough Alliance.

CORY GUNZ "A Millie" Freestyle

Entourage Season 8 Featuring Bad Meets Evil - Fast Lane

Eminem Calls In To Sway's First Show on Shade 45

The A.V. Club Launches Music Festival

I'm sure the sarcasm and irony will be out in force with this one: 

The A.V. Club generally has the right attitude about things, but their proclamation of “screw it, we’re doing a music festival” might be one of their most refreshingly poignant statements yet. And oh, by the way, they aren’t joking around; they really are throwing this thing.

The first edition of the aptly-named A.V. Fest will take place the weekend of September 10-11 in Chicago and will be a fairly small introductory salvo featuring just a dozen bands. So far, five of those acts have been confirmed: Archers of Loaf, The Thermals, Tokyo Police Club, Telekinesis, and Eff Barzelay of Clem Snide Plays the Music of Journey, which is sort of a self explanatory inclusion.

Manikmati Hip Hop Beat - Enso (instrumental)

Eminem - Always Brother *Proof Tribute 2011* (NickT Remix)

People Under The Stairs - Listen

Beavis And Butt-Head Is Back

Yes:

Hit 90s cartoon Beavis and Butt-head is set to return to our screens in October, creator Mike Judge announced yesterday.

Judge was appearing at the annual Comic-Con event in San Diego when he announced the return, and also treated fans to a sneak peek of the new show.

In the clip, the two teenagers, still wearing their much-loved AC/DC and Metallica shirts, poke fun at shows including MTV's Jersey Shore and Teen Cribs.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2017900/Beavis-Butthead-set-return-creator-Mike-Judge-jokes-television-getting-smart.html#ixzz1StwnLqwQ

Jay-Z and Kanye West - Otis

Nice. That's all I have to say. I like how the internet is allowing these guys to just put out raw hip-hop.

Rhyming Actors: Donald Glover, Mos Def, Will Smith and the Evolution of the Lyrical Thespians

“Wait, he’s an actor?” I said as I enjoyably listened to his fre(EP).

I had no clue about who Childish Gambino was. At that moment, “who” he was lost precedent to what he could do. I really did not care about his past. I was not concerned about where he was born. I didn’t see any importance in knowing where his parents used to work. All I cared about was that he could rap over leaps and bounds.

And then I found out it was Donald Glover. Oh, wow.

For the uninformed, Donald Glover is the young actor that plays on “Community” as Troy Barnes. Many have seen his Youtube comedy sketches and laughed all the way through (Google Derrick Comedy to see what I am referring to). Also, he writes for NBC. In turn, Donald Glover is a worthwhile thespian.

Knowing that he is an actor, many will probably take issue with his musical aspirations. There are (and will be) quizzical comments about Donald and his true skill. From many different references, people already do. He even made a comment about it in one of his songs. Thus, he is well aware of the naysayers.

The real issue isn’t that he isn’t talented in both. The bigger issue is that so many actors and musicians try to switch trades that it can become nauseating for the fans.

What tends to exacerbate the queasy feeling for most fans is the lack of talent in the acting to music switch. In 2004, Tyra Banks tried to release a song called “Shake Ya Body”. It crashed as soon as it left the ground. Kevin Federline released an album back in 2006 that nobody cared about. Kim Kardashian suffered the same fate when she released “Jam (Turn It Up)” this year. It remains to be seen how many more will knowingly try to become talentless musicians.

The same can be said for some rappers trying to be actors. Nas did very little for his uncharismatic role in Belly. The Game’s acting roles have left much to be desired. 50 Cent has gained very little admiration for his acting prowess. Xzibit? Eh. Andre 3000? He has been cool, but nothing amazing. Even with rappers (some of the biggest actors in entertainment if you get my drift), there are examples of lackluster performances or overall catastrophe.

Thus, there is very little wonder as to why people roll their eyes at the idea: so many people have tried and bombed.

The failures tend to outshine the obvious successes, however. And those obvious successes deserve our unbridled attention.

One of hip hop’s most accomplished lyrical thespians happens to be Mos Def. UTD’s own Dante Smith had the luck of starring in the shortlived Cosby Mysteries. Since then, Mos has appeared in Bamboozled, Monster’s Ball, The Italian Job, Cadillac Records, and Lackawanna Blues. In addition, he was nominated for an Emmy, a Golden Globe and an Image Award for his role of Vivien Thomas in Something the Lord Made. Mos Def, in conclusion, is one of the most established and revered rapper-actors.

When it comes to bankability, Will Smith wins out hands down. The Fresh Prince has been synonymous with blockbuster movies. From the Turner Broadcasting classic Independence Day to the lovingly witty Hitch, Smith brings in the money. Even his least appealing movies (Wild Wild West) can turn a hefty profit ($170 million to make; $222 million at box office). Therefore, Will Smith’s movies and money making tend to be synonymous.

 The man formerly known as Marky Mark may now be known more for acting than music. Although he started acting in 1995, Mark Wahlberg has made his mark (no pun) in the industry. With films like The Italian Job (along with Mos Def), Shooter, and The Boxer under his belt, he has proven to possess star power. Even as a costar, he can be caught stealing scenes in movies such as The Departed, Date Night, and I Heart Huckabees. Oddly enough, his acting carer has eclipsed the prominence and existence of his musical apsirations. Still, no one can complaine about the switch.

Another rapper to carve their acting niche is LL Cool J. LL, presently known for his role of Sam Hanna in NCIS LA, can be considered a seasoned actor. With a career that went full blown in 1991, he has had numerous roles. LL has appeared in movies like Any Given Sunday, SWAT, Kingdom Come, and Deliver Us From Eva. He also had a role on the TV show In The House. In turn, LL developed an acting career spanning 20 odd years.

Queen Latifah is, by far, the most successful female rapper-actor. Starting out in 1989 (right after her music start), she has appeared in Set It Off, Beauty Shop, And Stranger Than Fiction. Her role in Chicago as Mama Morton garnered her plenty of acclaim and awards, including an Oscar Nomination for best supporting actress. Equally impressive is her role of August Boatwright in The Secret Lives of Bees. Emphatically, Queen Latifah has earned many accolades and warm receptions from the film industry.

None of the list is more ironic than Ice Cube, however. Doughboy started out in the classic Boyz-in-the-Hood. From there, he has been in Higher Learning, Three Kings, Ghost of Mars, and All About the Benjamins. Yet, his biggest successes have come from his Friday series of movies. Serving as a writer and producer/executive producer for each movie, he has grossed over $120 million with modest budgets. The irony of it all: they are comedy movies. Hilariously, Ice Cube, a prominent gangster rapper, has made bank from comedies.

The biggest surprise has to be Ludacris. Chris Bridges is really working to become a well versed actor in different types of roles. From the intelligently angry urban philosophizer which was Anthony (Crash) to playing a hardcore hood rapper (Skinny Black in Hustle and Flow), Luda goes for diversity. Even with roles of Mickey (Rock’n Rolla) and Jim Bravura (Max Payne), he works to do something different. The biggest surprise was his role of Wallace, the sarcastic wisecracking bartender in No Strings Attached. In turn, Ludacris worked to avoid being typecast.

Oh, and special shout outs to go Common, Eminem, and T.I. for making big screen splashes. They are doing great. However, they haven't dominated like all the others. Their time is coming, though. 

Donald Glover finds himself within solid company. Whiles others have failed miserably, there is still a list of people that succeeded. The most important thing to learn from this is that those that were the most successful put work into their craft. When that effort, that labor of love, is given maximum application so much is achieved. Donald Glover has nothing to worry about though: even if he fails he has already succeeded past what many expected him to do anyway.

‘Nuff said and ‘Nuff respect!