New short Arts Greenhouse promo video featuring highlights from our MLK Day performance at Carnegie Mellon University. Filmed, directed and edited by former AG participant, Freeze, who is currently attending The Art Institute of Pittsburgh as a videography student.

“The cops brought hoses, not for roses
but for the children’s march.
Lock us up, and wonder why we spit bars”

Deep lines from Arts Greenhouse participant, Jordan Montgomery. This Monday, Jan 16th, at 2:30pm, Montgomery and three of his AG peers, Tairey Perez, Elijah Brewer (aka EZ Scarz), and Curtis Pope, will premier these lines as part of the new AG music video, Dreams of Kings. The video reflects on the modern-day relevance of Martin Luther King Jr. A live performance will follow the screening, featuring more music from the Arts Greenhouse. This screening/concert is part of a day of activities and events at Carnegie Mellon’s University Center, celebrating the life and legacy of MLK. Click here for a full schedule of the day’s events. Everyone is invited, all ages!

Dreams of Kings was developed with the help of Nico Slate, professor of history at Carnegie Mellon. “As a historian,” Slate explained, “it was especially meaningful to see the Arts Greenhouse participants grapple with the rich legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Like the best historical scholarship, these talented young musicians understood both the achievements of Dr. King and the larger civil rights movement and the many obstacles we as a society have yet to overcome.” The beat for the song was composed by former AG participant, and current AG volunteer, Anthony Freeze. Dreams of Kings will be included on “Volume 4,” an album entirely written and recorded by Arts Greenhouse participants, which will be released this May.

Click here to watch the Dreams of Kings music video

Official music video premier/live performance at the Carnegie Mellon University Center, Monday, January 16th, 2:30pm. The performance will be a part of CMU’s MLK Day activities.

More info coming soon.

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.

2011 Each One Teach One 3rd Music and Radio Conference

Sponsored by: New Pittsburgh Courier, Soul-Patrol.com, Arts Greenhouse, Umoja African Arts, Laptop ETC., Black Music Education Project

Kevin Amos is assembling together once again a dynamic group of folks from international, local and national levels that he has been associated with throughout his 31 years in broadcasting and the arts.

On Saturday November 19 2011, Amos will gather friends and colleagues from around the country for his third “Each One, Teach One” conference. The Each One Teach One music and radio conference will bring together incredible array of musicians, arts advocates, policymakers, technologists, media representatives and industry figures to discuss issues at the intersection of music, technology, policy and law. Your participation in these conversations are crucial. Please join us on November 19 for Pittsburgh’s one and only home grown music-tech- radio conference. This year’s conference returns to the Campus of Carnegie-Mellon University. The location is Room 103 in Margret Morrison Hall.

The event brings together a wide array of music, broadcasting and journalism professionals and novices, who discuss everything from the local music scene to navigating the ever-evolving world of online content.

The conference will take place from 9:00AM-4:30PM. Admission is free of charge and open to the public.

The conference is important for young people, consumers, and music fans in general as well as the artists. It provides an excellent opportunity for networking. The information that will be shared is invaluable and is being provided at no cost. The participants are donating their time and are willing to share information. All we are asking everyone to do is just show up to take in the knowledge shared.”

Co-sponsorships for this groundbreaking annual event are available by contacting Kevin Amos: kevinamosproducer@hotmail.com

Register here: http://2011eachoneteachoneconference-autohome.eventbrite.com/

Schedule here: http://www.eventbrite.com/rss/event_list_news/1383236297

Arts Greenhouse’s radio broadcast has finally made it’s way to the internet. Listen to all 60 minutes here, or download for your computer/ipod/android/whatever! Featuring an introduction from Nico Slate and Amos Levy, tracks from our last mixtape, participant interviews, and an incredible 30 minute freestyle session.

Arts Greenhouse Radio Episode 1 (11-15-2011)

Featured AG Production Crew Members:
Curtis
Elijah aka E-Z
Tairey
Lynnwood aka LR
Lynn
Jordan M
Jordan P

Thanks to CMU students: Anna, Chris P, Donovan, Ryan and Lisa.

One important notice: we’re going to be meeting in a different room on Saturday. There are special events going on in Margaret Morrison, and we weren’t able to book either of the lecture halls. We’ll be meeting in the College of Fine Arts Building, room 160. 160 is on the mezzanine level – one floor up from the ground floor. The College of Fine Arts Building is number 6 on this map:

This Friday night, a group of electronic music DJs from all across Pittsburgh are uniting to hold a big dance party at the Mexico City Restaurant in downtown Pittsburgh. They have chosen the Arts Greenhouse to be a beneficiary of this party, and are holding a silent auction as a part of the event for the Arts Greenhouse. This is a 21+ event, so none of our participants will be able to attend – but Arts Greenhouse Program Coordinator, Amos Levy (myself), will be there to speak on behalf of the program.

Friday, September 16
Mexico City, 409 Wood St.
Downtown, PGH
$5, 21+, 8pm-2am
Buffet @ 8pm
HydraPGH.Blogspot.Com

Here’s what the party promoters have to say about the event:

Pittsburgh is criticized by some for being too small and interconnected… yet often times these same qualities are what make it great. Hydra exists with the goal of bringing social/creative groups even closer together to show that cooperation, not competition, can yield the most rewarding results. To do this, a selection of the city’s dance/electronic music promoters and multi-format artists have come together to put on one show of monstrous proportions. The Hydra artists and promoters have chosen acts and exhibits to best represent their tastes and interests in a wide variety of genres and formats on two floors of sound and art.

In addition, a buffet of Mexico City’s Mexican food will be provided for guests starting at 8 promptly, so get there early!

DJs and Musicians for the Night Include:
Chico
Clevr
Cucitroa
Cutups
Depth One
Dizcrepnnc
DJ Thermos
DJ Skooze
Expensive Shit
Keeb$
Newtronn
Nikkels
Hunted Creatures
James Gyre
JTS
Paul Fleetwood

Projected Visuals, 3D art, Sculptures and more from:
Brian Bullets
Casey Hallas
Kemical Phuture
Matt Gondek
Stephanie Armbruster

Hydra has decided to feature a great local cause for this event which helps young kids around the city learn how to play, perform and write music called Arts Greenhouse. DJ Thermos is extremely instrumental in this organization and will be there to discuss AG with guests. In addition there will be silent auctions and more to benefit the cause financially.

More info on the program here:

http://www.pghbeatmakers.com/

We hope you can make it to enjoy the evening with us and experience some parts of this great city you may not’ve come across before.

Thanks,

Hydra:

Altered States
Cosmic Mafia
The Drawing Room
FUZZ
The Garden of Earthly Delights
Get Weird
Grey Area Productions
Humanaut
LazerCrunk
Matt Gondek / Wonderful Life Clothing
Nakturnal Productions
NexNap
SOUL DEEP
tcrps
VIA

Hydra is supported by Iron City Sound.
Iron City Sound presented by Iron City Brewery fosters the advancement of local musicians, spotlights regional and national acts in Pittsburgh and blends our hometown music culture and Iron City Beer into one mighty, satisfying groove.

Iron City products will be on special 10pm-12am @ $2 bottles!

The Arts Greenhouse is a project of The Center for the Arts In Society at Carnegie Mellon. This Tuesday, the Center is bringing in a rising star in the world of hip-hop scholarship to talk about her new book: Close To The Edge: In Search of the Global Hip-Hop Generation. Although this talk will be aimed at a University audience, we still encourage Arts Greenhouse participants to attend. Anyone else who is interested is welcome to attend as well. This is a free event.

Sujatha Fernandes
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Queens College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York

Tuesday, September 13
Margaret Morrison Hall, Room 103
Carnegie Mellon University
4:30 PM

This talk explores whether the culture of hip hop can forge global alliances between Afro-descendant people. The American culture of hip hop was integrated into the arsenal, repertoire, and landscape of black youth across the globe. But through an exploration of hip hop in four cities, the talk reveals that the global hip hop ‘hood may be more a fantasy than a reality. Hip hop had galvanized the imagination of young people around the world, but it couldn’t erase the differences between them, or the difficulties of translating lives, cultures, and political visions.

-AND-

After the talk, Dr. Fernandes will be heading to East Liberty to produce at radio show at The Waffle Shop, which will be broadcast live on 88.3 WRCT, Pittsburgh – and also broadcast live in Caracas, Venezuela. The radio show is presented by La Cocina Arepas, the third iteration of Conflict Kitchen (next to the Waffle Shop in E. Liberty).

LIVE! ON THE RADIO will simultaneously air both Pittsburgh and Caracas, highlighting contemporary culture and politics in Venezeula through live hip-hop performances, readings by Venezuelan science fiction writer Israel Centeno, guest of City of Asylum in Pittsburgh, and interviews with Chavista barrio activists in Caracas.

The show will be presented in both Spanish and English.