Recap: Holy Hip Hop 4 Hunger (9/11/09)

I was going through my notes recently and realized I'm behind on a few photo recaps.

So here are some pics and details from the Holy Hip Hop 4 Hunger event organized by Von Won that took place on 9/11/09 at the prestigious Rice University in Houston, Texas.


SXE's Trevor Lee started things off with his brand of acoustic rap and worship.


DJ Wiz from Praise 92.1 FM held down the mixing board.


The Holy Hot Boyz brought some (gulp) "Crunk & Praise."


S.O.M. fought sound problems to perform "Fiyah Starter" and Chizzle reminded us that this event was meant to combat both physical and spiritual hunger.


Tre9 rocked out with the band Southerland and did a couple of live throwback joints like "The Godfather."


Yessir, Bushwick Bill was in the house and somewhat freestyled his set with the band. He spit "Takin' It Back" and "Spiritual Warfare" from his Testimony of Redemption Christian rap album (available now here) and kicked a verse acapella.


Von presented a "Local Servant" award to Pastor Sam Harris (aka J Xavier's father/manager.)


J Xavier brought some of his Christian remakes to mainstream songs like "Always Strapped," "Best I Ever Had" and "Rhythm Nation."


Tre9 was spotted with a custom Ginosko tee.


The W.A.R.R.I.O.R.S. came down from Austin to push their "For Christ I live / For Christ I die" anthem.


Gifted da Flamethrowa did a stellar rendition of "Want Some/Get Some" with punk rockers The Shiny Darks.


Von Won's set with The Shiny Darks even brought out some masked krump dancers.


Big Al got us all clappin' to hits like "Get Low," "Get High," and "Rest of My Days."


Al showing off his "Big Boy Dance."


That night, Von debuted the video for and performed his touching "I Missed That Day" song. Watch the final version here.


Afterward, everyone headed downstairs for meet-n-greets and to turn in their canned food donations.


Holy Hip Hop 4 Hunger brought in the goods for the needy.

This was Von's 3rd HHH4H event. It looked to be a success and something he'll organize again in 2010.

UPDATE: I just found this video of Still Trill Christians performing their "No Sex" anthem (you might have seen on BET's 106 & Park). Enjoy.

Free DL: DJ Primo "Ain't Ridin' Slow"

My man DJ Primo has cooked up another free mixtape called Ain’t Ridin' Slow.

This blend features Dre Marshall, Bushwick Bill, Gifted, Tre9, Lecrae, Sean Slaughter and many others.

Check out his freechristianmixtapes.com site to get the files.

Vid: Bushwick Bill "Testimony of Redemption"

Photo by Sketch the Journalist

Last week a video for “Testimony of Redemption,” the title track of former Geto Boy Bushwick Bill’s gospel rap album, hit the Interwebs.

Featuring cameos from Lil Wayne, KRS-ONE, Busta Rhymes, Von Won and Tre9, the track shares his story of coming to know Christ and his desire to live for him.

Here’s a clip:



Look for a special appearance by yours truly midway through. I’m the goofy looking white dude in the H-town cap fist-pumping in the front row.

Testimony of Redemption is set to drop next month and can be pre-ordered online at www.reeltalk.org.

Please also keep Bill in your prayers as he continues to work out his faith.

Bushwick talks about his "Testimony" to Allhiphop.com

Someone from Allhiphop.com got at Bushwick Bill recently and let him share his "Testimony" (both the album and literal heart change story.)

Story: "Bushwick Bill: Growing Up"

This is the Bill I pray continues to emerge.

Props to Applejaxx for tipping me to the story.

Vidz: More AEOM clips

I know it seems like I'm only posting YouTube clips these days, but when you keep finding gems, you wanna share.

Here are a few solid ones from my man DJ Promote. He and his boy Joe Funk hit the ground running at the All Eyes On Me Awards and snatched these choice cuts.

DJ Promote's highlight reel


Sean Slaughter's hallway freestyle


Bushwick Bill's open mic (from a different angle than before) - Be sure to stick around for the "Testimony of Redemption" lyrics at the end.

Vidz: Bushwick Bill's gospel raps

Several of Bushwick Bill's recent g-rap performances have hit the Interwebs. Here's a sampling.

This one is his performance of "No More Child's Play" from the All Eyes On Me Awards with the band Atonement. Be sure to stick it out to the end to hear him talk.



Not sure where this one took place (I just found it on YouTube) but it has Bushwick doing the "Takin' It Back" rap acapella with his clean verse from "Mind Playin' Tricks On Me."

Preview: Geto Boys Reunion Show - Warehouse Live - July 4, 2008

Well... this should be interesting.

The group, who apparently doesn't even really get along, is getting the band back together for a reunion show tomorrow night (Friday, July 4) at Warehouse Live.

This will be notable for the reason above and especially because Bushwick Bill has recently become outspoken about his Christian faith, is recording a gospel rap album, and just two weeks ago performed his new message music at the All Eyes On Me Awards (which honored holy hip hop's pioneers.)


Image by Scott Alan Photography Book him at www.scottalanphoto.com

I'll be going to observe - not judge. I'll probably even nod my head more than a few times.

Rest assured a follow-up will be written and posted after the event.

Buy your ticket here.

Venue locale.

Flix: All Eyes On Me Awards (06.21.08)

The full recap with text and more photos is coming soon. Until then, enjoy this little taste of the All Eyes On Me Awards weekend.

All photos shown below were taken by me - Sketch the Journalist. So if you swipe 'em, please give credit where it's due.

Friday Night Kick-Off Party Fellowship

San Diego's RedCloud rips it with a "pull-out-your-pockets" freestyle

NY's Whuteva (formerly of G-Unit) & Changdwumn in the house

Saturday Workshops & Panel Discussions

Panel A: How real do we have to keep it?

At the table: Sparky D (Roxanne, Roxanne Wars), Mrs. Rocc, Sean Slaughter, Pettidee, Whuteva, Chile Baby & Solo (Gospel Gangstaz), and E-Rock (5th Ward Boys)

Red Carpet

Secta7 founders: Black Seed, Rehab, Last Testament, Optix


Jacksonville, Florida's Pettidee gets an interview

Main Ceremony

Bless'T, Ganksta Loc, and 007 (5th Ward Boys) set it off


Honoring the Classic Era MCs: Ras, Pettidee, Corey Red, & Elle Roc

After Party

Bushwick Bill (Geto Boys) on the ultimate open-mic: Two turntables and a microphone in a crowded hallway before the After Party

The Future of Christian Music / Braille's "IV" in a week / Bushwick Bill @ SxSW

Stuff you need to read/buy/view:

Christian music vet Charlie Peacock waxes prophetic with an essay about what the future of this faith music will look like. Read it here.

Braille Brizzy's next album "The IV" drops one week from today and looks to be a certified banger. Dude is previewing every single song from the disc on his MySpace for the next seven days. Run over and take a listen.



And finally, peep this nice quickie interview of Bushwick Bill from the SxSW fest last month. Keep your ears open for shouts to my boys Tre9 and S.O.M.

Exclusive: Bushwick Bill "Testimony of Redemption" cover and possible tracklist

It's almost here: Bushwick Bill's first gospel rap album.

I got my hands on an advance promo copy (one single and six clips) and decided to share the cover.

Note that this ain't the final pic or tracklist. I also have a flyer that shows the cover with more detail in that the Ten Commandments are spelled out on the tablets to his sides.



Also, back in December when BB had his listening party, I got away with a possible track listing that I've been sitting on until just the right moment.

Here's what it looks like. Titles with a (*) beside it means it's on the promo disc I have in my possession. This is also probably not the final sequence.

1. Takin' It Back(*)
2. I Know What U Might Think (feat. Ras, Von Won, & Icece)
3. All the Pain
4. Testimony of Redemption(*)
5. Going to the River
6. Praise God for You(*)
7. God's Side is the Best Side
8. No More Child's Play
9. Spiritual Warfare(*)
10. Guardian Angel(*)
11. Sunshine
12. Thorn in my Side(*)
13. Calling Out to You
14. Life is a Beautiful Struggle
15. Praise of a Good Woman
16. Work It Out (feat. Gifted)
17. My Renewed Mind

If you want a sneak peek, run over to Bushwick's MySpace page and check out a few of the songs.

www.myspace.com/therealbushwickbill

Recap: Bushwick Bill / Icece Listening Party & B-day Bash (12/14/07)

All I can say is “What a night!” I haven’t been to a holy hiphop event this unique in a while.



More than just a concert, Friday’s jam at The Brighter Side Café/Club also included celebrations of several birthdays and the surprise announcement that Much Luvv Records was losing one of its team members.

Oh yeah, we also got sneak previews of tracks off of two upcoming albums from Icece and the legendary Bushwick Bill (of the Geto Boys).

Happy Birthday to…

• Bushwick Bill
• Icece
• Mrs. Tre9 (aka Maria)
• Mrs. Bless’T (aka Linda)
  

The small $8 cover charge went to support The Brighter Side and included a full fajita dinner (con aroz & frijoles) - plus we all got to grub on the cakes.


Tre9 and Maria show off the goodies



As the crowd filtered in, DJ Chill manned the music booth and got all the kids dancing to the some old school hip hop classics and the latest gospel rap heatas.




DJ Chill and Tre9 behind the scenes

Shortly after that, Tre9 took the Master of Ceremonies mic and explained that evaluation forms were being handed out to the audience to rate and rank tracks from Icece’s upcoming album. Each song got a minute and half of play time and then the crowd was asked to give each title an:

• Industry Rating (A-D): A. Radio Single / B. I’d Buy It / C. Might Buy It / D. Wouldn’t Buy It
• Personal Rating (1-5): 1-Trash It / 2-Needs Lots of Work / 3- Good / 4- Feelin It / 5-Bangin
• Dislikes (optional): Ex: Beat, lyrics, delivery, sound quality (mixing), feature artists, etc.
  

Such market research is a common practice in the mainstream music industry, but it’s a rare occurrence in the holy hip hop world. And it’s such a win-win for the audience (previews of new tracks) and the labels (advance feedback before making any final decisions) that I don’t know why more people don’t take advantage of it.


X-Thug (of The Brighter Side) and Stephen Oran (fka Stikk)


Testimony with producer Bruce Bang and his wheelchair athlete brother Kevin

Before and after Icece’s listening session, several acts took the stage for a quick set. Those that blazed the mic included: AFC, Gifted (Bound 4 Glory Records), Chosen, Bless’T, and 007 (formerly of the 5th Ward Boyz).


Gifted on the mic


007 comin' fierce

Next, we got to hear and evaluate songs from Bushwick Bill’s “Testimony of Redemption” album. Man was there some fire here!

Seventeen cuts in all, from the anti-Chucky, rock screamer “No More Child’s Play” to the remake of the classic “Mind Playin’ Tricks On Me” called “My Renewed Mind.”


Charles, Pastor T, and Joe from A.O.G. Clothing

The album has several guest features from local HHH cats like Gifted, Bless’T, and Lil Raskull who were in attendance that night and later took the stage with him.

I gotta tell ya that Bushwick is serious about his change. At a side table during the listening session he chopped it up with Lil Raskull and said he wasn’t satisfied with just doing this one album. He said God had laid it on his heart to do a triple album tentatively titled “The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”


Gifted, Ras, and Bushwick engage in some real talk.

He said he didn’t want people to see him like KRS-ONE who dropped “Spiritually Minded” and then went back to his typical material (and was thought to have only done a gospel album to pimp sales from the church crowd. )

Instead, Bill said he has done and said so much evil in his old lyrics and that he needed to set things right with his new content. He said he wants to touch everyone with his music and even include tracks done entirely in Spanish or Jamaican slang.

A drop date for “Testimony of Redemption” has not yet been set, but look for it in 2008 on the G-Spot Productions label.

After the BB listening session, Colcutz and Tre9 took the stage followed by Von Won, S.O.M. and Icece.


Tre9 and Colcutz (in the Lupe Fiasco-like hoodie) get the crowd moving without any Souljah Boys


S.O.M. - They some real "Fiyah Startas"


Icece is 6'3" flowin....

At the end of Icece’s set, Tre9 asked that everyone from his label join him up front for a major announcement. He reviewed the history of his Much Luvv Records label and how Icece was an old high school friend who reconnected with him over the past few years. Icece was intended to be Much Luvv’s first mainstream artist (still positive and clean, just not so Scripture heavy) but that a bigger opportunity had been presented to him that he had to take.

Never one to hold his artists back, Tre9 gave his blessings for Icece to sign with J7 Records out of Baton Rouge, LA. J7 has a relationship with Universal and can possibly put Icece in front of millions and millions of listeners.


The Icece presentation and prayer

Both sides embraced and prayed as T-Trax (J7’s main man) thanked Much Luvv for their above-the-board business ethics and for grooming Icece’s career up to this point. A cool feature of this move is that Tre9 will actually continue that relationship as a manager/advisor for his former artist.




Tre9, Icece, and T-Trax

Finally, the Little Big Man took the stage to perform some of his new material. He said he was nervous about the performance and still getting into "show mode" with some of his new lyrics. Nonetheless, he did it all with a smile and his trademark giggle and humor.


Bushwick blasts off


"What's up Party People?"

The “All Eyes On Me” TV show camera crew was in the crowd in addition to some guys filming for an upcoming documentary on Bill’s life.



Tre9 assisted on the hook for “Takin’ It Back” (Bushwick Bill / takin’ it back / to the days when people actually learned something from rap) and AFC and Gifted joined in to perform their parts on “Work It Out.”




Gifted, AFC, and Bushwick break it down

Bushwick closed out the night with a prayer for the families of Houston’s fallen recently deceased rappers (Fat Pat, Hawk, Big Mo, and Pimp C) and took the audience through a recitation of the Sinner’s Prayer confession of faith. He also asked people to lift him in prayer as he continues to try and follow and imitate Jesus the Christ in his daily life.


The always animated Boyce



As I said, it was quite a night. Look for more details on both Icece and Bushwick Bill’s albums in the near future and check out The Brighter Side on any upcoming weekend for a chill, Christian social environment.


Mr. Morris of The Brighter Side


Bushwick with his G-Spot Records partner


Hear Bushwick's new music at: http://www.myspace.com/therealbushwickbill
Hear Icece's tracks at: http://www.myspace.com/icece