AG Performing at Taking Control Of Our Image
Tomorrow night there is this amazing panel discussion and free rap concert going on at the August Wilson Center. Participants from the Arts Greenhouse have been invited to perform a few of their songs. I hope you can make it!
One Hood Media, founded by Jasiri X and Paradise “The Arkitech” Gray, in conjunction with August Wilson Center for African American Culture and a generous donation provided by the Heinz Endowments, will host the New Media Academy Closing Ceremony, Celebration, and Concert at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, beginning at 7:00pm.
Jasiri X and Dr. Goddess will moderate a panel discussion entitled, “Taking Control of Our Image”, which will include Hip-Hop journalist Davey D, Wise Intelligent of the legendary rap group Poor Righteous Teachers, renown author and educator Bakari Kitwana, journalist and social media expert Jesse Muhammad, Co-founder of Occupy the Hood Malik Rhasaan and Grammy award winning Hip-Hop artist Che “Rhymefest” Smith.
Following the panel, Paradise Gray will host the concert featuring performances by Rhymefest, Wise Intelligent, Jasiri X, and the New Media All Stars. DJ Davey D and Pittsburgh’s own DJ Selecta will provide the soundtrack for the evening. Jasiri X also plans to release his latest DVD/CD “The Whole World is Watching”, which features his groundbreaking viral videos “I Am Troy Davis” and “Occupy (We the 99)”
Rhymefest is one of Chicago’s best respected MCs who has never crossed-over into the mainstream. His biggest accomplishments include writing “Jesus Walks” for Kanye West and beating Eminem for the 1997 Scribble Jam freestyle championship. He’s worked with many top tier MCs and producers including:, Phonte, Q-Tip, Kanye, Siagon, NO ID, Just Blaze, Lil Jon, Mark Ronson, Cool & Dre. Rhymefest’s album “El Che” last year reached #53 on the Billboard’s top Hip-Hop/R&B charts last year.
Wise Intelligent is best known as the lead MC of Poor Righteous Teachers, a black-consciousness rooted rap crew that gained a large following in the late 80s and early 90s as part of the Public Enemy era. Although PRT lost the spotlight in the gangster rap era, Wise Intelligent has continued to record and release music independently, including his critically acclaimed 2007 LP, “The Talented Timothy Taylor”. He also runs a number of activist programs in his hometown of Trenton, NJ.
Since 2007, Jasiri X has been rising steadily from the Pittsburgh underground to one of the leading politically engaged voices in hip-hop nationwide. Recording hard hitting raps about popular struggles around our country – and creating a music video for nearly every single one – Jasiri has found a large audience who want anthems for their outrage. His Youtube channel boasts over one million views.
