Independent Hip Hop

I’m trying not to flood the site with funny random videos but dammit this shit can’t be denied.

It’s the “09″ already! Sorry I’m about 8 days late, Happy New Year!. I figured I would go on a quick New Year’s rant about how this is the year , big things are goin down, yada yada yada. Instead I’ll just merely use this opportunity as a way to unclutter the cloudy brain in my head. I heard blogging is a good release. Not my first choice for a release but hey, I digress.

So my biggest goal to accomplish this year is to master the ever elusive time management. Seems like no matter how organized I try to become, things still slip and fall between the cracks.  This year I’m micro managing my time in order to get some shit done on time! And I ain’t callin it a resolution, we all know that shit never sticks. Till next time!

For those that don’t know (which would be most of y’all), I been doin’ this hip-hop thing for a long time now. I was one of the original “internet rappers”. Back in ‘95-96, sharing lyrics online in chat rooms and message boards with others at places like The Honeycomb Hideout (shouts out to my old crew KNO haha). I’m talkin dial up 28/8k modems. Audio? Video?? Don’t even think about it. Straight text bay-bee… all day. So yeah, that dates me a bit. And yet, music was and is so important to me, I still haven’t let go.

As the years passed, as deals and opportunities came and went, a fear started to grow inside of my mind.  A fear that up until just recently became my biggest.  The fear of.. becoming an OLD RAPPER (dun dun dunnnnnnn)!

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A photo of Oscar Grant III taken at Christmas 2008 provided at a press conference held in Oakland, Calif. on Sunday, January 4, 2009. Oscar Grant III was shot and killed by a BART police officer on New Year. (Dan Honda/Staff)

5 Things You Can Do Right Now About the Oscar Grant Shooting

Share w/ your peeps

by Makani Themba-Nixon

1. Digg the story so that the national media can pick up on it (Thanks, Jabari For this link):
http://digg.com/world_news/Oakland_Police_Officer_Shoots_Unarmed_Man_Handcuffed_Man
or
http://digg. com/world_news/Oakland_Police_Officer_Shoots_Unarmed_Man_Handcuffed_Man?OTC-em-st1

2. Contact BART Director Carole Ward Allen and demand that 1) the officers involved be taken off duty without pay and charged and fully prosecuted; 2) there be an independent investigation of the shooting that includes a review of training and hiring practices; and 3) BART establish an independent residents’ review board for the police Call her at 510-464-6095 or email the BART Directors at BoardofDirectors@bart.gov

3. Call the BART police to complain about the officers’ conduct and demand immediate action:

Internal Affairs: Sergeant David Chlebowski 510.464.7029,dchlebo@bart.gov

Chief of Police: Gary Gee 510.464.7022, ggee@bart.gov

Call them toll free at 877.679.7000 and press the last four digits of the phone number you wish to reach.

4. Talk it up on your blogs, networks and talk radio shows (call Michael Baisden 877-6BADBOY or Rev. Al, etc. to get this on the national radar)

5. Stay tuned for other actions, protests, etc., especially if you are in the Bay.

peace,
makani

For those who haven;’t seen the horrific video take a look and note that this our tax dollars at work:

http://www.ktvu.com/video/18409133/index.html

More leaky than an old shower head from a rent controlled studio apartment, here’s some new music from The Vox Merger’s upcoming album Mighty Ro Young & Akim Present…

Big Dreams by The Vox Merger featuring Chan

Download the MP3 file from the site of your choice. Shouts out to Chan for getting down on this track.

That’s the new motto for this year. There is so much I should have accomplished with music, school, and life by this point, but haven’t because I haven’t sacrificed what it takes to get there. So here is a list of resolutions to help me jumpstart the new year.

1. Finish mixing the album and rock more shows.

2. Stop spending so much time on social networking sites.

3. Curb my spending so I can get my credit report back on track and to stop moms from asking why so many people are calling for me.

4. Earn good grades in law school while continuing to make good music in 2009.

5. Spend more time in the studio making music instead of getting fucked up and chopping it up.

6. Contribute to the Illamental blog at least 2-3 times a week.

7. Continue getting my news from a variety of sources so that my music reflects the realest truth possible.

8. Remember to keep my family and friends close, cause in the end, they’re the only ones that really mean a damn to me.

Til next time,

Akim aka Hip Hop 2.1