Talib Kweli
A Brooklyn native, Talib Kweli Greene is the eldest
of two sons born to parents who were both educators. Considering that
the Arabic translation of Talib Kweli means “student of truth,”
it is obvious that his cerebral and socially relevant approach to MCing
was destined from Day One. From his underground records with DJ
Hi-Tek, to their classic “Reflection Eternal” album together,
as well as Kweli’s collaborative effort with Mos Def “Talib
Kweli and Mos Def are Black Star,” and his own solo works “Quality,”
and “The Beautiful Struggle, Kweli has never been afraid to voice
his opinions. At a time when mainstream hip-hop is largely dominated
and stifled by self-indulgent, materialistic boasts about money, cars,
jewelry, hoes and clothes, Kweli offers a much-needed breath of fresh
air by articulately addressing issues of social consciousness and self-love.
Kweli not only vocalizes his beliefs, he also embodies
the type of social consciousness and action he encourages on his records.
Exemplifying this, in 1998, when Brooklyn’s oldest black-owned bookstore,
Nkiru Books, was in financial trouble. Kweli and Mos Def purchased
it and eventually converted it into the Nkiru Center for Education &
Culture, a non-profit organization promoting literacy and multicultural
awareness for people of color.
In 1999, Kweli and Mos Def teamed up once again to spearhead
the making of Hip-Hop for Respect, a four-song maxi-single featuring 41
MC’s, including Kool G. Rap, De La Soul, Common and Dead Prez, who
collaborated to protest the murder of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African
immigrant shot 41 times by New York City police that same year.
When asked about his approach to recording music, Kweli explains.
“I will never do a record without some sense of responsibility.
Even if you don’t agree with what I have to say, even if I’m
speaking about something that’s not relevant to your life, you’ll
still be able to appreciate it.
Immortal Technique
Born in Peru, and raised in Harlem, Immortal Technique first
gained notoriety as a talented MC on New York City’s open mic scene
and the national MC battle circuit. After winning such notable battles
as the Rock Steady Anniversary MC Battle, Braggin’ Rites, Slam DVD’s
and hookt.com, Technique focused on recording music. Tech’s
hardcore street style and politically oriented lyrics made him an instant
hit with underground hip-hop fans. His critically acclaimed, independently
released album Revolutionary Vol. 1 eventually sold 12,000 copies
without major label distribution. The success of that album lead
to a joint venture with Viper Records, an independent label known for
releasing quality music. He went to work recording a second album
addressing topics ranging from injustice and inequality in America, to
the controversial politics involved in the export of cocaine from his
homeland of Peru. Technique’s reputation as a politically
and socially conscious artist helped him secure a guest spot from the
incarcerated activist Mumia Abu-Jamal. This album quickly sold 30,000
copies, solidifying Technique’s position at the top of hip-hop’s
underground. Immortal Technique’s unwillingness to compromise
his artistic content and hard-edged image in order to gain major label
support is exemplary. He is an asset to the conference not only
as an artist who demonstrates social responsibility and political awareness
through his music, but also as the picture of independent success.
Guerilla 16
Guerilla 16 is an on-campus group comprised entirely
of students currently enrolled in Oberln College. The group includes
4 MC’s - Mongoose, Iron Solomon, Catalyst, and the Prophet Isaiah
– and a live band featuring musicians from both the College and
the Conservatory. The band includes Lewis Martinez - classical double
bass performance major, Tre Fortunberry - classical piano performance
major, Kassa Overall – jazz drum performance major, Max Hellermann
– jazz guitar performance major. The group also performs with
Theo Croker - jazz trumpet performance major, John Orduna – vocal
performance major, and James Anderson, a college student renowned around
campus for his soulful vocal performances. Clearly it is an eclectic
collective, with members from a wide range of social and musical backgrounds.
Guerilla 16 is dedicated to pushing the limits of music and performance,
combining styles and aesthetics from nearly all genres of music, classical,
jazz, hip-hop, funk, disco and anything else that suits them. The
combination of live acoustic instruments, samplers, sequencers, drum machines,
synthesizers, and vocalists all lend excitement to their highly choreographed
stage shows. In their brief period of existence (the group has been
practicing together for only 3 months) Guerilla 16 has already received
a significant amount of press, including the cover story of the Grape,
a positive review in the Oberlin Review, and the cover story of the Cleveland
Scene’s Music Section.
End Of the Weak (E.O.W.)
End Of the Weak is a collective of MC’s, DJ’s, producers,
promoters and entrepreneurs. Their premier representatives, Big
Zoo, Vice Verses, and Prolific Won, form a three-man team that for the
last four years has hosted NYC’s longest running weekly open mic.
In addition, the crew has devised a unique and unprecedented MC Challenge,
a competition that tests a variety of MC skills in a way that no other
previous competition has. Because of their work ethic, innovative
approach, and the proficiency and professionalism with which they conduct
themselves, E.O.W. has received a great deal of media attention, and has
been invited to host a number of large scale events in the Hip-Hop community.
In the summer of 2003 they hosted the 26th annual Rock Steady Crew Anniversary
Concert, a free event in NYC that drew over 20,000 attendants. They were
more than able to captivate the attention of the immense crowd, ensuring
that the six-hour event operated smoothly. Needless to say they
were invited back the following year to host the 27th anniversary.
In April of 2004 the members of the Hip-Hop 101 Committee brought E.O.W.
to Oberlin’s campus to host the Battle of the Beasts. This
sold out event was extremely successful largely due to E.O.W.’s
unparalleled hosting abilities. This year’s conference will
draw a much larger crowd than last years MC Battle, and it will be necessary
to have proficient masters of ceremony. For these reasons E.O.W.
will be hosting the entire Conference weekend, from the battle on Thursday
night to the all-day concert and after-party on Saturday. This way we
can ensure that the events will commense in a smooth and professional
manner.
DJ M.I.A.
DJ M.I.A. (a.k.a. Jeremiah Rosenthal) graduated from
Oberlin College in 2003. At Oberlin he designed an independent major
that was built around a number of courses in the TIMARA and African-American
studies departments. On the social scene, M.I.A. was renowned
as the most talented and proficient DJ on campus, and was hired for almost
every party that commenced during his enrolment in the university.
After graduating he moved to California’s Bay Area where he has
made a name for himself as both a Hip-Hop and Reggae DJ, as well as a
producer, working with a great deal of local Hip-Hop artists. He
has also worked with several of the other Conference participants, including
E.O.W., and Tomorrowz Weaponz. His study of African-American culture
and music, music theory and technology, as well as his role as a former
fixture and current legend on Oberlin’s party/music scene, and his
notoriety in the hip-hop circles are all reasons for including DJ M.I.A.
in this year’s Conference. M.I.A.’s Philipino heritage also
makes him a perfect addition to DJ Q-Bert’s discussion of the role
of Philipinos in DJ culture and the wider Hip-Hop community.
Style Elements
Hailing from Los Angeles and Modesto
California, this group of Panamanian and Mexican descent has worked hard
over the years to become one of the top Breakdancing crews in the world.
With a list of over 40 battle championships under the belt, Style Elements
has evolved in their approach to the art form. Advancing beyond
the typical battle routines, the crew has evolved a type of dance-theater
hybrid in which they use Breakdancing as a means of telling stories and
acting out various situations. This type of creative exploration
and evolution exemplifies the approach to artistic creation that the conference
hopes to exemplify. Furthermore, several of the crew’s members
work with inner city children around the L.A. area, teaching them about
Breakdancing and its importance in their own lives, presenting these children
with an option to the gang related life style so is so predominate in
those communities. The dedication to artistic creativity, authenticity
as well as social action is what makes Style Elements an asset to the
Hip-Hop Conference.
Tricia
Rose
Tricia Rose is Professor of American Studies at the University
of California at Santa Cruz. She specializes in 20th century African-American
culture and politics, social thought, popular culture and gender issues.
Her oral narrative project on black women's sexuality in America entitled
Longing to Tell: Black Women Talk About Sexuality and Intimacy is the
first oral history of black women's sexual testimonies. Their stories
dispel prevailing myths and provide revealing insights into how black
women navigate the complex terrain of sexuality. She is also the
author of Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America
(Wesleyan Press, 1994) and co-editor, with Andrew Ross, of Microphone
Fiends: Youth Music and Youth Culture (Routledge, 1994). Black Noise,
which made the Village Voice's top 25 books of 1994, was awarded an American
Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 1995.
She lectures frequently to scholarly and general audiences
on a wide range of topics relating to American cultural politics, black
culture and music and gender. She has given lectures and presented papers
abroad and at schools and research centers in the U.S. such as: Wesleyan,
Harvard, Morehouse, The Whitney Museum of Art, UCLA, Spelman, Middlebury,
Yale, Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, The Brooklyn Museum, University
of California at San Diego, at Irvine, at Santa Barbara and Princeton
University. Rose has also been featured as an expert commentator on NPR
and other national radio outlets, on television and in articles appearing
in magazines and newspapers such as Time, Essence, The New York Times
and The Village Voice.
Her essays on American culture and politics, black popular
music & sexism and black women's issues have appeared in several edited
book collections and wide range of journals and magazines including: Essence,
Vibe Magazine, Artforum, Bookforum, The Village Voice, Women's Review
of Books and Boston Book Review.
Davey D
Davey D is a Hip-Hop historian, journalist, deejay and
community activist. He’s been contributing to Hip-Hop culture
since 1977 in the Bronx where he started out as an MC. Later in
California, Davey D also gained notoriety as a talented DJ. Over
the years he has contributed to an astounding number of publications,
radio broadcasts, television shows, documentaries and movies. He
has worked as a producer on many albums that are widely considered to
be Hip-Hop classics.
Currently Davey D is the webmaster for what is considered
one of the oldest and largest Hip-Hop related sites on the web Davey
D’s Hip Hop Corner. The writings he posts on this site
are frequently referenced and quoted by journalists, scholars, professors
and fans from all around the world. In the January 2003 issue of
The Source magazine (the first and foremost Hip-Hop publication) he was
profiled as being one of the Top 10 most influential people in the country
in relation to dealing with hip-hop and politics. He has traveled
all over the countries speaking and various Universities, and this will
not be the first time he has been featured at Oberlin. His role
as a historical contributing figure in hip-hop music, coupled with his
current dedication to addressing social and political issues that relate
to the music, culture and the people who create and consume it, make him
an asset to this year’s Conference.
Bakari Kitwana
Bakari Kitwana is a renowned cultural critic who has
been writing about African-American music and culture for many years.
He first made a name for himself with the publication of the book The
Rap on Gangsta Rap, in which he cast a critical eye on the popular
musical genre. Kitwana went on to contribute to many publications,
and even worked as editor of The Source magazine, the most influential
and widely circulated hip-hop publication in history. More recently,
he published his own book The Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and
the Crisis in African American Culture. In this text, Kitwana
explores the state of the ‘Hip-Hop Generation,’ using rap
music as the starting point for a larger social analysis of the post-civil
rights era. He presents a thorough examination of the factors that
influence today’s youth, and looks at the potential of this generation
in terms of building a political movement that can address specific concerns.
Kitwana’s approach to the analyses of hip-hop culture is unique
in that he is often critical. Furthermore, he more than most, considers
and discusses the social and political factors that not only influence
the culture, but are influenced by it as well. This approach is
exactly in line with the agenda of the Hip-Hop Conference.
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Davey D – Social Responsibility in Hip
Hop Music
Time: 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Venue: King 106
Cost: Free
Tricia Rose – Hip Hop Music (History, Technology,
Commodification, Sexism)
Time: 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Venue: King 106
Cost: FREE
Battle of the Beasts (MC Battle): Part 2
This year’s Hip-Hop Conference includes
the second installation of the infamous Battle of the Beasts MC Battle.
Last year’s battle, hosted by the legendary Breez EvahFlowin’
(Stronghold) and Vice Verses (E.O.W.), was a major success with a sold
out audience and many hopeful attendants turned away at the door. Contestants
came from as far away as New York City and Seattle to compete for the
cash and the glory. The two finalists Mecca (QN5, The Source Unsigned
Hype) and Iron Solomon (Brainstorm IV Champ, Cleveland’s Battle
of the Belts IV Champ) engaged in a colossal four-round battle that ended
in a draw, splitting the $700 prize pot. This year’s event is a
step up from last year’s, with Breez and Vice returning as the hosts,
16 of the country’s most competitive MC’s will battle for
a $1,000 1st PLACE CASH PRIZE and a chance to perform at the Hip-Hop Conference’s
Saturday concert featuring Talib Kweli, Immortal Techniqe and Medusa.
There will also be trophies for first and second place. Most contestants
will be pre-selected, with at least one spot open the night of the battle.
A panel of judges including Hip-Hop legend Davey D will determine the
winners. For further info on participating in the battle and other inquiries,
email hiphop@oberlin.edu.
Time: 9:00 pm
Venue: the ‘Sco
Cost: $5 w/OCID, $8 w/out
DJ Performance, Breakdance Teaser Performance,
Graffiti Workshop
Time: 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Venue: Wilder Bowl/TGIF
Cost: FREE
And What?!, Style Elements
Time: 8:00-10:00 p.m.
Venue: Philips Gymnasium
Cost: $3 w/OCID, $5 w/out
Political Action and Social Responsibility in
Hip-Hop: Talk/Panel Discussion featuring Bakari Kitwana, Davey D, Medusa,
Meeko Israel, E.O.W.
Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Venue: Cat in the Cream
Cost: FREE
Final Concert – Hosted by E.O.W., featuring
several local Cleveland acts, Battle of the Beasts Champion, Oberlin’s
own Guerilla 16, Medusa, Immortal Technique, and Talib Kweli.
Time: 4:00-10:00 p.m.
Venue: Hockey Rink
Cost: $15 w/OCID, $25 w/out
And What!? Presents: Popping and Breaking workshops
with Fable and Asia One! Plus exclusive mural and Graffiti workshop by
Daze and Mode 2!
Time:
Breaking: 11:00-1:00 p.m.
Popping: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Venue: Warner Dance Studio
Cost: FREE!
Immortal Technique speaks to the Oberlin Boys and Girls Club!
Time: 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Venue: Wilder TBA
Cost: FREE!
And What!? Presents: Panel discussion: "the
PEOPLE, the MUSIC, the ART"
Time: 8:00-10:00 p.m.
Venue: Afrikan Heritage House
Cost: Free!
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