In the days of the cyber-surf, it is not uncommon to accidentally stumble upon some dope music – that was the case with this track, one that I found while searching for a link to Dimitry Killstorm and DJ Name’s mash-up project. This cut is a mashed-up remix of “Silver Zephyrs” by Haley Bonar, and “I Dont Know” by I Self Devine – featuring some added drums, bass synth and sound fx by DJ Neviator. Neviator is not a stranger to our scene, having recorded/performed with Mayda among other local groups.
Face The Vote (FTV) is part of a very large community reaction to the Voter Suppression (Voter ID) bill. The concept behind FTV is simple: The Twin Cities Hip Hop community has decided to put a face on the voters affected by the suppression bill.
Face the Vote brings something critical and creative to the table this election season. It’s more than the talking points, the facts, the billboards, the smoke and mirrors, and the 30 second soundbites. It’s local changemakers and culturemakers in our community connecting their voices to a key issue on the ballot this November 6th. The message is clear: this amendment affects you, its about your life, and you’re the one who’s gonna have to do something about it and VOTE NO.
Today brings an important video with an important message communicated by some the Twin Cities finest emcees.
No matter how disenchanted, disengaged and fed up you may be with the current political system and the federal elections, there are bills on this years ballot that significantly effect your local community, and therefore need your attention and vote.
If you would like to communicate why or why not you choose to vote, and how you plan on helping our local, national or global society regardless of your choice to cast a ballot. Email Eamon@bescenempls.com, we’d like to give your voice a channel to be heard.
On October 28th, Brother Ali, Slug, I Self Devine, Los Nativos, Mally and others will be performing a benefit concert at First Ave in support of #GetOutTheVoteMN, for more info click here.
Want to learn a little more about why you should Vote No and not limit the voting rights of your fellow Minnesotans? Check out a fact-sheet from the ACLUhere and watch Toki, I Self and Muja among others express their views in rhyme form.
Featuring: MaLLy The Lioness Danami Toki Wright Maria Isa Kaleem B Dot Croc Nazeem Muja Messiah Felix I Self Devine Master Mind Jamecia Bennett
Credits:
Video produced and directed by: Adam J Dunn Songs recorded by: Bishop Tracks mastered by: A. Greenwald Executive Produced by: Bobby Jo Champion & Nick Muhammad
In preparation for his performance at Hip-Hop Harambee, we caught up with Mike the Martyr to burn tree, talk about his new album and discuss why he is particularly excited to play this Block Party. Need a co-sign? Check out what Big Wiz, Slug, I Self Devine, Meta and Truth Be Told had to say. You can also check out the cut that he recently recorded, called Shameless, with Slug, Haphduzn, and Mally.
First off many thanks to Kevin Beachem, his series of pieces on the history of I Self Devine and The Micranots over at the 5th Element/Rhymesayers blog have all been amazing content-packed reads for any Micranots/I Self Devine fanboy like myself or fellow Be Scene contributors Berhe and Nikko.
After reviewing early Micranots projects like their demo tape, their album Return Of The Travellahs or The Dynospectrum album, the other day he posted tracks from their 1999 Farward EP, a collection of tracks that had appeared on other projects excluding one new track called Decapitation Ill.
Listening to this track reminded me of when I had been listening to a lot of Things Fall Apart/Phrenology-era Black Thought and then my brother showed me Organix, and my mind was blown.
To say I Self goes in would be a severe understatement, I advise you to check out Mr. Beachem’s piece on Farward EP and Decapitation Ill, he’s transcribed I Self’s verses and even scanned photos of his old rhymebooks.
Here is the second release and first video from I Self Devine’s upcoming album The Sound Of Low Class Amerika (pre-order here). The vivid image of contemporary Amerikan life that I Self paints in his rhymes is accompanied by a powerful video directed by Dave Wilson, and also stars Minneapolis artists that Be Scene regulars should be familiar with like Haphduzn, Cleva, Knox, Jay-Linen, DJ Just Nine and Mankwe Ndosi.
This morning I Self Devine dropped a new (Dave Wilson directed) video from the fourth installment in The Culture Series, The Shining Path (only available with pre-order of the album The Sound Of Low Class America).
“New Shoe Smell” features I Self looking at plenty of dope kicks at one of my favorite Minneapolis businesses, Studiiyo23 (shoutout to Moh). You might also recognize some of the art featured in the shop from the homie Taylor Lindgren. I also posted a video where I Self explains the meaning behind The Shining Path and talks about a few of the tracks, including this one.
As the build up to I Self’s highly anticipated sophomore solo album, “The Sounds of Low Class America” (Dropping May 8th on you suckaz.) continues, Rhymesayers’ Kevin Beacham will be chronicling the MC’s career over the next several weeks over at the Fifth Element Blog. In his first history lesson, Beacham schools us on I Self’s beginnings in the group Micranots, and even gives us a few songs from their earlier days (including rare tracks from their very first tape, which I was extremely worried I’d never be able to hear). This is a must read for any Twin Cities Hip-Hop fan, because the beginnings of I Self, is the beginnings of Twin Cities Hip-Hop. Also, the Micranots are one of (if not my favorite) groups of all time, and easily the most influential in my life, so if I were to suggest you listen to anything, it would probably be this shit.
A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending I Self Devine’s mixtape release show at 7th St. Entry. If you keep up with our blog, you have probably noticed that he has released a flurry of material in conjunction with a series of release parties. At each of these release parties, I Self has successfully brought together a variety of genres/performers.
At the release of his latest project, Reports From The Field: In the Trenches, one of the artists performing was a female vocalist by the name of Mankwe Ndosi. The first time I had heard of her was on Big Quarters’ last project, singing on the track “Perfect Match”. Not until seeing her perform at I Self’s show was I able to really get a sense of the talent that this woman is working with. Eager to hear more, I headed home and scoured the internet in search of her recordings. After a few clicks, I stumbled upon her Soundcloud and was most impressed by her song, Out of the Whole. Check out this video of her performing that song live, in-studio.
Want to learn more about this Harvard graduate? Check out this article, via City Pages, to learn how she got to the place she is today.
Cop her album, Do Gooders’ Blues, here (via Fifth Element).
With songs like this I might as well stop studying Sociology and African American studies and enroll in the school of I Self Devine.
In the first release from his forthcoming album The Sounds of Low Class of America, I Self explores (as we all should as human beings) the structural changes that have fundamentally transformed our society through the years and have left urban areas in a state of crisis, in a much more stimulating way than my textbooks.
