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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 12, 2000)
2Tl|i ^UirUanii ffibeeruer---------------- < Music The Revolution will not be televised There will be no highlights on the eleven o ’clock News The revolution will not be televised The revolution will be live -Gil Scott-Heron And yes, the lyrical revolution is right now ... LIVE! If W ebsters D ictionary defines “Free” as: having the legal and political rights ofa citizen. Enjoying civil liberty, not subject to the control o f domination o f another... then free most come at a very high cost. So to help us get free, southern bom Florida rapper Stic.Man and his Brooklyn-bred partner M -l are spoon-feeding hip-hops hungry ears with their LOUD Records full LP debut “Let’s Get Free”. Ju st as G il S c o tt-H e ro n s “Revolution” lyrics were blasted as highly political poetry by linking it up to jazz-funk fusion with soulful deep vocals, the Dead Prez are bringing the same needed public awareness by hyping their own attention... in stereo. The duo comes by way o f 7G Entertainment founded by Lord Jamar o f Brand Nubian. This not just substance but social hip-hop duo speaks the truth on themes o f black nationalism, and self discipline. Most o f all, the determ ination to free ones self physically, emotionally, but most o f all mentally. F o c u s _________________April 12,2000 Page 3 Dead Prez gets the vote in hip-hop Rap artist like Common, Mos D ef, K RS-ONE, RasKass and now, newcomers. Dead Prez, are bringing political, but more important, social and conscious hip-hop headlines to you, in your face; but oh so poetically, positively and non- pretentiously. As a hip-hop connoisseur, my vote is that both Dead Prez’s “Let’s Get Free“ and Commons “Like Water for Chocolate” will be two o f the best rotating in 2G. Prez lyrics could be inflammatory to some, but hands down and five mics up, that if you pause, you will catch much needed lyrical lessons. When the two met back in 1990 in Tallahassee, FL, who would have known but these social prodigy’s th a t they w ould be not ju st preaching, but to really put their money where their mouth is; by teaching their refugee lyrics to the m asses. T his tw osom e also participates in such movements as the National People's Democratic, th e P e o p le 's A rm y, U huru Movement and the Black Survival Movement. T h ese m odern day H uey P. Newton’s, Steve Biko’s and new millennium KRS-ONE’s wants you to listen. Listen to their oh so precise open, honest and yes mind levitating lyrics. These brothers are on some serious and no fluff or bluff mission, so let the Prez music ministry begin. They’re bringing and preachin’their street but social knowledge to hip- hop stage pulpits across the world. The Prez are like vocal vessels o f being taught English in lieu of their me rre z meir rair share of air how to maintain that what you native language. Anxious about the time.It’s socially unfair when it’s so preach & teach, you should practice. a u to m a tic w eap o n s the noticeable that when artists really Lyrics like my favorite, “Mind Sex” demonstrators in the picture are have something worthwhile to say will resuscitate your mind. raising in defiance o f the Apartheid- in their music, it only gets played We could have mind sex/we ain 't era police, who are firing upon them, once or twice, then it gets shoved to got to take our clothes o ff y e t Loud Records at first “suggested” the back o f the play list. We can burn the incense, and ju st that they scrap the cover. The guns Although it might sting to some, if chat/Relax I got the good vibrations displayed on the top half o f the you take just a mental swallow of Before we make love let's have a cover w ere concealed w ith a their street ministry or even a pinch good conversation message stating that the artwork o f their poetic salt, my vote says Another case & point. All o f their was censored due to its political you’re bound to walk away with a tracks are mind-freeing & lyrical content.” M -l proclaims proudly, full plate o f and some conscious head-trips; definitely all o f their “We fought for it [the complete seasoning for your mind. The Dead worthy, but pay attention to both cover]. Prez might just help you., get free. titles “Be Healthy” & “Discipline”. Hopefully, radio stations will give Once again, it’s on. The dynam ic duo doses melodic ministry for your physical as well as mental. T hese so ngs are ab o u t nutrition and the benefits o f a vegetarian lifestyle. The Prez are currently on James DcPrcist, Music Director & Conductor tour, most recently appearing in p la c e s lik e L on d o n , England, and throughout New York City. Their next stop is Houston, TX, on April 15 as they share the stage Wednesday, April 12 at 7:30 pm with D ’Angelo and Mos Def. The world's best-known brass quintet returns to Also look for them on the Portland for a fabulous evening of classical virtuosity “Black & W hite” m ovie and high-spirited entertainment. so u n d track w h e re th ey S u p p o rte d b y K IN K fm 1 0 2 collaborate on a serious track with the Marley Bros & The Tickets $18.75 - $50 Ghetto Youths Crew titled *Orchestra does "Dem Crazy ” not perform. Local resident, Robert H. confirms th a t...”The Dead Prez project is one o f the most aggressive thus far in 2000. And sin ce Public E nem y, likely the m ost controversial. It’s a must have; not just for the social economic & political views of the two M C’s. But it’s entire lyrical co n ten t & style.” They’re giving it to you straight, no chaser. The Dead Prez are truly, and just think, only in th eir respected early 20’s ages, ahead o f their time. But to those o f us ready always searching for that mental medicine, they’re right on time. So, wake up and pay attention. In an re c e n t BLA ZE m agazine in terview , the tw osom e explained their reasoning over the now, controversial CD cover. “The artwork depicts a group of South African students in 1976 dem onstrating over C A N A D IA N B R A S S IN R E C IT A L *
