So I went down to BAM yesterday to par take in the 3rd day of the Afro Punk 08'...or as it as been dubbed "HoodStock" 

*crowd in uproar*

*Jay-Z stands center stage in silence*
"You know, for a second..I thought we were in the mothafuckin Hamptons...New York City, make some NOISE!"
Naturally, for the first night of the Heart of the City tour, Mr. Brooklyn himself had to demand his respect.

Friday, May 2nd was opening night for Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige's "Heart of the City" tour. If you consider yourself a living citizen of New York City you would have been well aware of the sold out shows. New York's dynamic duo opened with "Can't Knock The Hustle" sending Madison Square into immediate uproar as they stepped out in complimentary silver outfits.




Mary took her half of the show next, doing naturally all the crowd favorites from her first couple albums. The whole crowd swayed to "Not Gonna Cry"; They passed overstuffed blunts to "You're all I Need"; They caught the Holy Ghost with Mary to "No More Drama" and held their hearts to "You Remind Me" and "Take Me as I Am". All in all, Mary put on her usual scream fest that we all love and adore. She forced you to reconsider what drives her on stage to a point of what resembles sheer madness-the Holy Ghost? Her life? Or a return to drugs?


"Flashing Lights" by Kanye West was a nice surprise-Now, of course, he didn't appear much to audience dismay, he's currently in Texas doing his own, "Glow In The Dark" tour (Coming to the Garden on May 13th). The stage became swallowed in black as the beat dropped, with strobe lights-very "Glow In The Dark" tour-esque,

She closed her set by shutting the stage down with "Just Fine"-accompanied by pyrotechnics and fireworks that were enough to blind people and singe off all synthetic hair weaves.
While, Hov's set was......
Hov's set.........

OPRAH was in the first row on the show, so I think these photos should make sense to you:

He did an EXCELLENT freestyle about the current stage of America and Obama.....

And Mrs. Hov naturally made a guest appearance. She ran on and did a little booty shake to "Crazy In Love" and ran off.




Memphis Bleek also showed his face, DESPERATE for a check:


All in all, I give Hov an A- in review....
It was a great, but typical Hov show with the addition of the politics..




Whether you came for the Queen of Hip-Hop and R&B, an American Gangster, or whether you wanted those "heroin tracks" one thing will always remain the same...
Baby you like....Hov.

Love,

Your neighborhood friendly,

This past Thursday 4/30/08 I attend a town hall meeting at Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Brooklyn, NY. I was a little late at but I had the feeling I didn't miss much. The energy in was still and sober as I entered. The we're people of all backgrounds: Black, White, Hispanic, even a few Asian people. Which showed the impact of gentrification throughout North Brooklyn, which played out in different ways within the span of the meeting.










A Time To Heal & Act: A Town Hall Meeting On The Sean Bell Verdict.

The meeting was moderated by April Sliver (left) of Akila Worksongs she's done a lot of great work in the Bed-Stuy, East New York, Fort Greene sections of brooklyn and the entire country and is just generally a great sister.

It was an open forum and there were panelists also, but all we're allowed to speak and ask questions.

The Panelists were:

City Council Member, Letitia James (right) (The 35th Councilmanic District, Brooklyn NY)

A powerful sister, and an amazing speak and she give most people in the crowd a reality check. That is just isn't about the life one young brother, it's about the lives of all our young black men. She voiced how she is afraid for her 17 year old nephew, who like many of us, may wear his Jeans low from time to time, or have on a hoody, or be out late at night. She spoke generally about community accountability. And really moved me and I felt what she had to say.







Community Activist & Hip-Hop Artist, Ashanti Baptiste (Fort Greene Young Film Makers)

This brother briefly spoke on how young black men are often generalized if they speak a certain way or dress a certain way. And this fear and mis-conception among the people that police our communities creates situations like the Sean Bell murder! And being an artist and a young man from the streets mentoring other young brothers that are likewise, they are targeted.

Chair of The Fort Greene Association, Ursula Hegewisch
Was one of only two white people on the panel, and honestly I don't remember what she said. Because she read what she had to say from a paper, and it sounded a little rehearsed and I really didn't connect. Don't get me wrong she is a strong community leader and what she had to say was surely valid it just didn't register with me.


Reverend David Dyson, (left)(Pastor of The Lafayette Presbyterian Church)

The other white panelists, a terrific man of God and I have to attend one of his services when I get a chance. Spoken on his largely mixed congregation, the Sunday after the verdict was delivered how the tone and the aura of the pew had changed. People had questions and needed answers. And how his church is taking a stand on this great injustice.


Laurie Combo, (right) Founder & Executive Director of (The Museum Of Contemporary Diaspora African Art [MoCADA])

A very heartfelt speaker, she spoke on how "We are the people, We've Been Waiting for" loosely quoting Fredrick Douglass. She explained how she started her museum from the ground up soon after finishing school, and wanted to quit and leave so many times. And how black people have become accustom to disappointment and failure and how she had personal responsibility to follow through with the project. No matter how hard to was, in aneffort to end this trend by being an example ( in which she has successively done so). Which relates to the Sean Bell movement in that, we just can't let this slide because of an ill judged verdict, this has been the way for to long. And it is important to be an army of one. these were encouraging words for me being a young black entrepreneur.

Community Activist & Author, Kevin Powell (left)(2008 Democratic Candidate for Congress)

Actually spoke first, and he let us know that people were text messaging him asking, why were white people present at the meeting. And how some people felt that they shouldn't be here, that this wasn't their fight. Powell immediately condemned these messages as pure ignorance. He said, "White people have been in Brooklyn before I was born, and they will be here after I'm gone." This was not the subject of this gathering nor was it relevant. We need these people as much as they need us, we are community and therefore all in the same boat. We have to stand together if this is to end once and for all.

After all the panelist spoke, people were allowed to approach the mic and ask questions and vent their feelings on the matter.

A lot of what was said by the audience was EXTREMELY irrelevantly and hurtful jargon. I was shocked at how some seeming educated people could be so ignorant and closed minded. I was at the point of tears a few times!

Some people spoke on largely on gentrification in the area, and how since there are more white people in the community police violence would only continue to rise.

Others spoke on there own personal agendas and irrelevant personal experience with the NYPD.

In fact the only relevant comments or questions raised that I can recall are:

A gentleman asked a question about the probability of special prosecutor for police that commit these types of acts actually being created.

That is what law makers and community activist are trying for.

Another gentleman brought up the fact that there is no type of psychological screening processes for those that would like to become police officers in New York City.

(So without a screening process of this nature in place, we could have a bunch of trigger happy people with hidden agendas walking the streets in uniform.)

One women spoke on creating a master directory of community groups, and organizations (yellow pages of sorts) So people have resources at their hands when these event occur.

Kevin Powell, stated that will soon be in creation with the contact information collected at the town hall meeting.

All and all my opinion is, the time for action is now! This is greater than just one life taken. It's about the lives of millions of inner city men of color. And the fact that this has happened not ONCE but THREE times, and the perpetrators (New York City Police Men) came off nearly scott free on all occasions!

When will it end? When it's me shot coldly in the streets, by the people that are supposed be protecting me! Or when it's your father, your brother, your son, your nephew, your cousin, your husband?


The greatest asset you have in this country is your voice! Use it! Make calls, write letter, join a march, post a blog, a Myspace bulletin, a note on your Facebook! It will make a difference.

For more infomation on this movement and updates on the case and the Bell family please visit: http://www.justiceforsean.net

So we went down to Fort Green park to meet up with R&B singer Melissa Duncan. This woman was wonderful to interview. She had some interesting things to say and she was really down to earth. She's bound to be a household name!

Mr. Sykes: Hip-Hop is vastly changing so how are you contributing to that change?

Melissa: I think we definitely contributing, when I say we, I mean my songwriting partner and myself (J.B.). As far as music goes we're just exploring a lot of things. Opening up a lot of avenues, we put in a lot of Jazz we wanna do some country with it. And not just because everything is popular, but because music is about everything! So we just wanna grow with it.

Mr. Sykes: What made you decide to come to Brooklyn? Cuz I know you're from Florida so made you want to come up here?

Melissa: Truthfully, J.B. and I just thought it was time for a change. So we where in Miami, and after High School we just thought it was time for a change. So it was either or New York or some place else. So we were like it's New York!

Mr. Sykes: Brooklyn loves you so you need to be here.
Mr. Sykes: So what have you accomplished since you've been here?

Melissa: Well I've been doing a lot of shows, worked with a lot of great people. And we record over at Brown Sugar Recording studio, so we worked with V.I. He's a great artist from Cleveland but he's out here too. But truthfully the biggest thing that New York has given us as songwriters is just an avenue to express ourselves. Where at home it would be a little harder to do.

Mr. Sykes: So in three year Melissa Duncan will be?

Melissa: In three years? Melissa Duncan will be, you know what we really believe is a household name. It's like you got Black & Decker, you got Kitchen-Aid, you got Melissa Duncan. We're just really trying to be in you homes, we wanna be in your hearts. And we look to really touch everything.

Mr. Sykes: Hip-Hop Living is what?

Melissa: It's living the free life. It's coming home really early in the morning, it's traveling a lot. I love R&B, I love Hip-Hop I love everything it's about because there is just so much energy. And sometimes living Hip-Hop is living over the edge and we don't wanna do that! Hip-Hop is just about living in the moment, is really what it is.

Mr. Sykes: Favorite summertime spot?

Melissa: My favorite summertime spot, would definitely be home in Miami! It's super hot! but it's the beach every single day. That's my favorite summertime spot.

Mr. Sykes: What do you like more performing or in the studio?

Melissa: I wanna be honest, cuz I want people to know the truth about me. I love being in the studio it's my own space where I can be creative and become whatever I need to be for that song.

Mr. Sykes: Music matters to you because?

Melissa: Music Matters to me because, it's very important. I know that sounds really vague. But that's just how it is. Not necessarily my voice or my music it's just it matters to me cuz it's important

For more from Melissa Duncan Check out: http://www.myspace.com/duncanmelissa

Link This to your myspace or post a bulletin CLICK HERE

So I sat down with Brooklyn rapper, and West Palm Florida native Future, to actually discuss the "future" of hip-hop. This bright and talent young man had many things to say. In trying to bring life back to hip-hop and positivity back in the music.

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