“One of the Best Period, Not Just One of the Best with Breasts and a Period!”

THE REVIVAL from EMERGENCE Media on Vimeo.

The Revival (Europe, 2009, 17 min)
Directed by Invincible. Produced by EMERGENCE Media and Iqaa the Olivetone.

The Revival gives a candid glimpse into the first meeting of legendary Hip-Hop pioneer Roxanne Shante and veteran Philly emcee Bahamadia, as they trade stories of their struggles and triumphs in the industry over their long careers. It also shows the exchange of lessons between them and up-and-coming artists DJ Shortee, Eternia, Stacy Epps, and Invincible. This short documentary, a collage of performances and behind the scenes footage, was filmed and directed by Invincible while on the road in Europe as part of We-B Girlz all women in independent Hip-Hop tour. The largest all female Hip-Hop tour of its kind, it spanned over three weeks, six countries, and featured dozens of female artists who performed for tens of thousands of supporters.

In support of the release of The Revival, The Fembassy is featuring weekly interviews with the artists from The Revival.

Posted by:

Biko Baker

Top 10 Songs Of 2009

Top 10 Songs of 2009

Whether you were all about swag or on top of your hustle, the soundtrack for 2009 was a chock-full of songs about being confident about who and what you were, and where you were from. Lady Gaga literally turned the world out and Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Drake made a great case for Young Money to have the ‘best’ year they ever had. Whether you were listening from the club or the car, here’s my short playlist for ten songs that couldn’t be escaped in 2009.

Turn My Swag On

“Turn My Swag On” – Soulja Boy

Many thought Soulja Boy would never be able to top his dance-themed hit “Crank Dat,” but his swagtastic ode to self-confidence – “Turn My Swag On” was one of the most sung along anthems of 2009.

Diva

“Diva” – Beyoncé

Producer extraordinaire, Bangladesh set out to do for Beyonce what he accomplished for Lil Wayne last year and created another smash hit. While Bey’s tribute to the “female version of a hustler” didn’t inspire quite as many freestyles as its predecessor, “Diva” was one of the unshakable singles of the year.

Best I Ever Had

“Best I Ever Had” – Drake

The lead single off Drake’s So Far Gone mixtape went a long way in putting the Toronto rapper/singer in the middle of a label bidding war. “Best I Ever Had” was a big hit on radio and inspired hundreds of thousands to BUY an EP that many of them had already downloaded for free online.

Wasted

Wasted [feat. Plies] – Gucci M…

Gucci Mane was free long enough this year to experience new heights in his career – both figurative and, as his party friendly lyrics exhibited, chemical as well. Never one to shun an opportunity, Plies added his Florida drawl to the mix and a hit was born.

Every Girl

“Lil Wayne” – Every Girl

Male promiscuity got an anthem of its own as Lil Wayne’s band of brothers expressed a desire to bed every girl in the world. Meanwhile Young Money’s leader showcased his fearless attempt to actually do so, impregnating three different women (Lauren London, Nivea & Ohio nail tech Sarah J) in less than a year.

Empire State of Mind

Empire State Of Mind (feat. Al…

Start spreading the news, Frank Sinatra’s rendition to the Big Apple might just be passé. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys showed their city love by giving it an updated theme – one so big it inspired a Lil Mama stage crashing.

Breakup

Break Up – Sean Garrett, Gucci…

Sean Garrett lived up to his “The Pen” nickname, landing a hot single for oft overshadowed R&B singer Mario, but Gucci Mane almost stole the show with his confident claim, “girls like buses, miss one, next fifteen one coming.”

Pokerface

“Poker Face” – Lady GaGa

Lady Gaga would not be ignored in 2009, setting tongues wagging with her outrageous outfits and even crazier quotes. Probably her most popular song of the year, “Pokerface” was given new life by Kid Cudi’s “Make Her Say” with help from Common and Kanye, but Gaga will always be the originator.

Birthday Sex

Birthday Sex (Album Version) -…

Virtually unknown before 2009, Def Jam singer/songwriter Jeremih and his sexy serenade to his birthday girl could not be escaped this year. Jeremih tried to move on with follow up singles “Imma Star” and “Breakup To Makeup,” but neither could outmatch the birthday ballad.

Stanky Leg

“Stanky Leg” – GS Boyz

Every year has it’s dance hit, and Stanky Leg was it for 2009. I’m still not sure what a “Stanky Leg” is, but thanks to all the YouTube dancers out there, I definitely know how to do it.

Posted by:

Janee Bolden

Top 10 Stories of 2009

Top 10 Stories of 2009

2009 is almost a wrap, but it wouldn’t be proper to let it pass without paying homage to the stories that made us ask “Did that really just happen?” Whether it was C.Breezy putting hands on Riri, a runaway balloon watch or Oprah spotted at Marcy projects, much of what was current could be figured out in 140 characters or less on Twitter, the social media site that changed the journalism game in ’09 — but even a Tinkerbellesque trending topic couldn’t keep Michael Jackson alive. We lost a lot of special people this year – but they’ll be remembered. Now lets take a moment to reflect on 2009:

Chrihannagate

2009 turned Chris Brown and Rihanna into this generation’s poster children for domestic violence when the aftermath of Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party resulted in an entirely different kind of bash. Chrihanna dominated tabloid covers and the talk show circuit, and kept people talking about herpes, illicit text messages and baby blue bowties.

Vick Back in the NFL

If you thought his year in the pen marked the end of Michael Vick’s NFL career, well you thought wrong. After serving his time, PETA’s least favorite quarterback headed back to the field to suit up for the Philadelphia Eagles. Guess his dog days are over.

Kanye’s Big Ego

Armed with a bodacious bi-sexual and a bottle of Hennessy, Kanye invoked international ire after crashing the VMA stage as America’s sweetheart Taylor Swift tried to claim her prize. Amber Rose may be forgotten by 2010 however “Imma let you finish but …” might just rank as the most famous last words of the decade.

Long Live The King

Many doubted Michael Jackson could recover from huge debt, accusations of child molestation and just plain old eccentricity, but death restored his fortune and legacy perhaps more than any comeback concerts ever could. 2009 saw some of America’s best talents (Farrah Fawcett, Steve McNair, Patrick Swayze, DJ AM) take their last breaths, but only one was the King of Pop.

All Hail Hov

Jay-Z aligned his Blueprint3 release with an unprecedented branding plan (who didn’t see those HP and Rhapsody commercials?). The result? BP3 became S Dot’s eleventh #1 album, knocking Elvis from his throne. Oh and did I mention he brought Oprah to Marcy projects and keeps President Obama on speed dial? Forget about running “this town,” Hov runs the globe.

Bernie Madoff

If the recession wasn’t bad enough, thousands of Americans were royally ripped off by Bernie Madoff, whose Ponzi scheme literally made off with billions of dollars from investors, proving thievery definitely isn’t just a black thing. Wall Street caught a bailout but Madoff will never make bond, after being sentenced to 150 years behind bars in 2009.

Cheetah Woods

Golf’s great black hope set the tabloids afire after his wife’s Nordic fury sent the Cablinasian in a Cadillac into an Ambien-fueled one-car collision. The fallout from the accident placed Tiger at the epicenter of a 14-sidepiece pussy pileup, sidelining the golf great and costing him endorsements.

Balloon Goon

One of the strangest hoaxes in American history happened this year, when a Colorado man named Richard Heene succumbed to a thirst for fame so great he’d ask his son Falcon to con an entire nation by faking his disappearance in a runaway balloon. P.S. I’d like my hour of CNN watching back please!

Twitter Takes Off

Diddy and Solange helped drive the charge to make Twitter the most popular social media site on the block. It didn’t take long before Chris Brown, Bow Wow and Soulja Boy were proving 140-characters is more than enough to make an ass of yourself.

Jailhouse Rap

With Remy Ma, Da Brat and Prodigy already behind bars, lyricists in lockup are not a new phenomenon, but rappers went to jail in droves this year. T.I., Max B, Boosie, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne and C-Murder were among the MC’s either sentenced or sent packing, while Shyne was freed only to be deported to Belize.

Posted by:

Janee Bolden

Best Albums of 2009

Best Albums of 2009

Anybody who says hip-hop is dead wasn’t paying attention in 2009. Yeah, most of these artists will never make it to 106 and Park, but you know what, who cares? Hip-hop has always been at its best when it’s been outside the confines of mainstream standards. That’s not to say that the artists in our top ten list don’t have mass appeal, it’s just that these MCs are making quality music that even hip-hop purists would be proud of. And while we aren’t ready to say that rap music is experiencing a revival, if this year is any indicator, 2010 is going to be another strong one for hip-hop.

10. Finale — A Pipe Dream and a Promise

With a flow reminiscent of Rakim, this Detroit native’s album, A Pipe Dream and Promise, is a must for any fan fiending for a rap record with lyrics that are just as hard as the kick drums. What else would you expect from Rock City?

9. Wale — Attention Deficit

With his debut Attention Deficit, Wale silenced critics who said that his brand of intricate word slanging wouldn’t connect with mainstream audiences. With guest appearances from everyone from Bun B to Lady Gaga, this DC native proved that musicians from the nation’s capital can make more than just Go Go music.

8. Toki Wright — A Different Mirror

After years of releasing mixtapes, this Twin Cities native hit the scene hard with his Rhymesayers release A Different Mirror. Blending street consciousness and Afrocentricty, Wright will leave you dancing, crying and screaming revolution all on one track.

7. Jasiri X

Until now, Jasiri X has been the king of the viral video. That was until he dropped his solo album American History X. This hard hitting album consists of the most popular tracks from his popular This Week with Jasiri X series, including the inspirational “Baller and Rappers”.

6. Jay Z — The Blueprint 3

Say what you want about Hov, but Jigga can still rap. And Blueprint 3 might not be a classic album, but years from now, when you hear “Empire State of Mind,” you’re going to remember the autumn of 2009.

5. Masta Ace and Ed OG — Arts and Entertainment

What happens when two of hip-hop’s most legendary MCs collaborate? You get one of the most entertaining rap albums in recent memory. Who needs club records when your flow is timeless.

4. Drake — So Far Gone

Few MCs have ever had more buzz than Drake. The ghostwriter turned pop star proved that he’s got what it takes with his EP release So Far Gone. Let’s just hope he can keep it up before the masses get bored.

3. Clipse — Till The Casket Drops

With production from the games biggest names, including DJ Khalil and Pharrell, this VA duo came back from their extended hiatus with a vengeance. No one makes crack dealing sound so entertaining.

2. Raekwon — Only Built for Cuban Links PT II

15 years after he dropped his classic album, Raekwon returns to the scene with one of 2009’s most critically acclaimed records. From beginning to end, this classic album will remind you why you fell in love with the Wu-tang clan in the first place.

1. Slaughterhouse — Slaughterhouse

Who cares if this album didn’t go platinum? There has never been a more talented coterie of MCs on one record. Let’s just hope that Royce, Crooked I, Joe Budden and Joel Ortiz have the attention span to come back with another one.

Posted by:

Biko Baker

Top 10 Viral Videos of 2009

Top 10 Viral Videos of 2009

Thanks to sites like YouTube, World Star Hip-Hop, OnSmash and FunnyOrDie, there was never a dull moment in 2009. Videos of Pretty Ricky gyrater Spectacular and wannabe rapper Bangs spread faster than H1N1, while another clip put Charles Hamilton on the wrong side of a punch seen ‘round the world. Whether it was just plain silly, simply inane or “Pause” worthy, if you watched, laughed and passed it onto your friends, you were part of what made it a viral video. There were way too many to count this year, but sharing is caring, so here’s ten of my faves:

Prop 8: The Musical

“Prop 8 – The Musical” starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more… from Jack Black

“Hairspray’s” Marc Shaiman decided to tackle America’s hot button issue of gay marriage in musical form and virtually every comedian in Hollywood teamed up to take on the topic.

Bangs Take U To Da Movies

Bangs put Sudan on the map, with his take-you-out YouTube pleas. Poorly edited photo-shopped imagery and near tone deaf vocals couldn’t keep this Bangs video from becoming one of the biggest viral hits of the year.

Khaled McDonald’s Ad

Khaled’s on air promos for McDonald’s hit the “Pause” button hard, as he proclaimed the joy of that “cream hitting your face.” It probably wasn’t meant to be funny, but Miami’s favorite radio DJ’s signature delivery proved priceless when he finally said something other than “We Da Best!”

Booty Pop Panties

For all those babies without back, “Booty Pop” promised bigger bootys to all the cuties suffering from “noassatall”. It’s no wonder the Whooty (white girl with booty) was at an all time high this year, with even Martha Stewart and Kelly Ripa adding testimonials to this popular informercial.

Ballers and Rappers – Jasiri X

Jasiri X has had dozens of entertaining videos this year, but his latest one, “Ballers and Rappers” is perhaps the most inspiring.

David After Dentist

It shouldn’t be so funny to watch a little kid suffer the effects of dental anesthesia, but little David’s post-surgery high proved so hilarious that millions tuned in to watch.

Tiger Woods Reenactment

While Tiger Woods publicly claimed his wife never put hands on him, most of the media – especially in China, seemed to think otherwise. This cartoon re-enactment of Tiger’s imprinted an image of a golf club wielding Elin Woods that can never be erased.

Charles Hamilton Gets Smacked

After landing a coveted spot on the cover of XXL Charles Hamilton fell all the way off when a video emerged of him disrespecting, and subsequently being socked by, his assistant and one time love interest Briana Latrise.

Evian Babies

Creepy yes, but Evian’s diverse special effects-created cast of babies breakdancing and roller skating to “Rappers Delight” proved uber popular in ’09.

SNL On A Boat

SNL’s Lonely Island singing antics continued into 2009, propelling T-Pain’s fame to even greater heights by teaming with the King of Autotune for their rap/sung sketch about living the high life.

Posted by:

Janee Bolden

10 Lessons from Copenhagen

Found via theroot.com Written by Jacqui Patterson, member of the NAACP’s Climate Justice Initiative

For the past 12 days, the NAACP’s Climate Justice Initiative has been blogging from the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. While the discourse on global climate change often focuses on the impacts on wildlife or faraway places, it also has a direct and profound impact on communities at home in the United States, particularly on communities of color. My goal for the conference was twofold: to bring the stories of these affected communities to the Copenhagen conference, and to help bring the lessons of Copenhagen back to our communities.

Check out the rest at theroot.com

Posted by:

Biko Baker

The World Is Yours

From my friend Christina Polcari:

“Whose world is this?
The world is yours, the world is yours
It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine” -Nas

Rapid response at midnight last night just after Obama broke the bad news and our activist hearts. Young people took to the conference center gates sounding “Our future is in your hands,” “Climate Justice Now,” and “EU don’t sign.” Props to some Bay Area flair for mixing up the straight chants with a taste of Nas. Had the enviros from the various other countries known the melody, we could’ve had something creative and real–a message from young people in our voice. Bookmark that kind of thinking for the strategy we need going back home.

Some thoughts on the protest…first of all, you should know I’m not a typical activist. I only believe in direct action when it’s clever, brilliant, beautiful, or necessary. And in the environmental movement, I’ve found that that caliber of direct action is few and far between. So I’m a cynic. This past week was no different. The march on the Bella Center Wednesday was an utter embarrassment. A few thousand people meandering down streets don’t reflect an urgent global movement. When we finally reached the entrance, police pushed even nonviolent activists around with pepper spray, tear gas, and German Shepherds. There was no “People’s Assembly” as planned. Delegates on the inside were supposed to do a walk-out to meet us, but we never reached each other. There was nothing effective or useful about it.

The only action I heard that was “useful” at the COP15 was a vigil the Saturday before I came. Activists and delegates alike called it beautiful.

But last night, I got excited. While I was wallowing after Obama’s press conference, the organizers were doing what they do best (and what I don’t). Rapid response. Storm the Bella Center gates. Bring candles. Hope you have warm clothes.

It was necessary. But I warned I’m a cynic, so it didn’t live up to what it could have for me. There weren’t enough people for enough of the time to stomp our foot down outside the gates. But there was something there. I started to think about our strategy again moving forward. And I started to see how we could combine the strengths of different types of activists differently than we are now. Next time, there will be Nas.

Posted by:

Heather Box

Path Through The Parallels

There was a collective cringe in the room last night as activists and journalists listened to Obama’s closing press conference. There was no video, only audio, so you had to do something with your eyes. You could pretend to take notes on your laptop, but there was nothing to note. The speech was empty. As was the “deal.” You could do a slow pan across the room, but that would require making eye contact with people from other countries and there was an unsettling familiarity about being American with a leader failing the rest of the world…again. It would also require making eye contact with the kinds of Americans most responsible for our President’s world-changing election in the first place. So instead, I looked down.

Although I may dream it, I didn’t come to Copenhagen expecting some bold and valiant legally binding treaty. I try to be more of a realist. So maybe I’m naive because I did expect something more than what we got.

The “deal” is a failure. It has no real targets and no real timetables–that’s policy failure. But more importantly, it was reached without the participation of most of the countries that will suffer most and have contributed least to the problem–that’s system failure.

Bill McKibben and Naomi Klein gave our group a much needed therapy session after the speech. McKibben said: “Movements at their best work as people figure out how to exploit the zeitgeist of the moment – what the openings are. We don’t know what the openings are right now. Where there are wedges to be exploited. We’ll find them. This issue isn’t going away; it becomes more important with every passing minute. We’re gonna have to find them. That’s what human beings do. We’ll figure out how to build a movement that influences what it has to influence. But if the terrain shifts, strategy will shift and it will take a little while to figure that out.”

Our movement is strong, but we’re growing. We have learned so much this week especially about how we need to grow differently as a movement. It’s an interesting parallel to the change for which we strive and it brings me hope, drive, ambition, and focus. Here’s to the months that lie ahead.

Posted by:

Heather Box