Oh yeah....it launched.

Yes Yes. Hear ye hear ye.

The Phenetiks CD:
Revolutionary Non-Pollutionary Mechanical Wonder
is officialy out through the long awaited highly anticipated Rawkus 50.


(Yes. I changed the album artwork at the last minute. The one they had for 7 months wasn't "big" enough)
It's on

• iTunes
• Amazon
• Napster
• Rhapsody
• Mtraks
• Emusic
• ... and a few other
  

Thankfully, they completely ignored our song order, and the songs are now conveniently listed alphabetically. (which makes the album pretty close to inside out)
Oh, and just for kicks...my two favorite tracks are misspelled. Devistation Ragga, and Epotome One, Two.

Hope you enjoy it, and make us millions. Download like crazy you little circus monkeys.

Peace. Sorry for the Sarcasm.
~
Phenetiks collectively opened a studio in Waterbury, CT in 2003 and are now standing strong on their 2nd LP.

Roxorloops: French Beatbox Champ

Keep Hop Hop Alive!






Roxorloops
French Beatbox Champ: 2006
~
Snare

SKETCH speaks to you!!!

what's up people!!

just wanted to let everybody know what I have been up to lately. . . for little to no reason lol

I have written 6 of the 7 tracks for my half of a split LP I have with a gentleman by the name of SilenTuch called The Complete Collected Poems Of Maya Angelou. Of those 6 tracks, three of them were recorded and will soon be mixed by the genius called Deto 22 and one of those features cuts by Sir Cumference. As far as I could see, other folks contributing to my portion of the album will be Darian Cunning on the hook for a song tentatively called "Smiles" and Defnyshn will be producing the track that features both SilenTuch and myself. The LP is a collection of songs based on our freewriting, poetry, etc. I hope you guys will dig it.

Along with that, I am 5 tracks deep into the pre-production of Protege's upcoming solo EP. So far, the tracks are some of my favorite beats I have made in recent memory, they are going to be fucking doooooooooope.

Along with that I am about four tracks deep for Expertiz's upcoming EP. . . which will most likely feature 7 joints one of which I will be rhyming on with him. More on that as it develops. . .

Quest's currently untitled upcoming full length features two joints produced by myself as well, "The Rhythm" and "Taking Care Of Business". You may have seen him perform both of these live lately and I could honestly say he's made the tracks waaaaaayyyyy doper than they were alone. hit him up soon on myspace. . . tell him you love him or something lol

I am re-pressing Party Music For Pissed Off People and the SODA POP IS DEAD! the (soda) Popinski live album. For those that don't know (soda) Popinski was the live hip-hop band I had a few years back. The live album is the only tanglible product that will give you an idea of what my performances were like back then. I love it. . . some of the recorded versions of the tracks featured have not been released yet.

THE BIG SHOW!!!! is coming on Friday, December 7th featuring myself, The Rising Sun Quest, Expertiz, Protege, Sir Cumference, and DJ HALO!!!! You really all should witness this event. . . tell everybody who has absolutely no faith in hip-hop performances to come out. . . tell everyoone who thinks The Roots are the only act that could perform to come out. . . fuck it tell everyone to come out!!!! Dirnk specials at 9pm. . . shows at Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport. . . this will be my last big show of the year



Next year. . . Never Die Alone, my second full length LP will be released. . . that is all I am saying about it now. . . think big people


peace and love. . . everybody i'm out

PARTY MUSIC GOES DIGITAL!!!!!!!

the PARTY MUSIC FOR PISSED OFF PEOPLE EP is now available for digital download!!!!!!!!

click reply and copy the code and make everyone and their mother get it!!!!!



peace and love y'all!!!!

www.sketchtc.com

"Never has an album been as appropriately titled as Sketch Tha Cataclysm’s Party Music 4 Pissed Off People. PM4POP is exactly as advertised, socially conscious music that you can dance to. While a lot of artists have attempted to play both sides of the coin Sketch has managed to succeed where most of them have failed. Neither lyrics nor production take a backseat on PM4POP as Sketch has made sure both shine equally without letting one overtake the other at any point during the album. If you’re looking for something that will make you think and will make you shake your ass at the same time pick Party Music 4 Pissed Off People up. With songs such as “The Revolution Will Not Be…” and “Betsy Ross and the Miseducation of America,” you won’t be disappointed."-Adam Bernard

For more on Sketch Tha Cataclysm check him out at myspace.com/sketchthacataclysm.

Workforce & Fairfield County Weekly

By Nick Keppler:

So it's been established that Danbury isn't the next Seattle, right? Anyone still waiting on that? Anyone? Good, that means the following bands can be judged on their own merits, not the unreasonable expectation that they'll blow up like Soundgarden. Recent shows at Cousin Larry's and the Monkey Bar have been pretty sweet, even if no one's coming in from New York, the fools, to see these Danbury-based bands and musicians.

...

Workforce

"I get down with the grit 'n grime/ so until I get mine I'm gonna stay on the grind/and use the rhyme as a tool to build/cause there's empty space that needs to get filled," raps Workforce's Hawl Digg (pictured) on "Set It Straight." Digg's lyrics are positive without being corny, confident without being boastful and old-school without being outdated. DJ and producer the Dirty Dutchman serves him well with samples from the Curtis Mayfield era of soul, one that's spiritually akin to Workforce's gangsta-free urban sound. Danbury natives and childhood friends, Digg and the Dutchman became addicted to hip-hop when "Rapper's Delight" swelled beyond New York City. "[W]e've seen all the good and bad that hip-hop has to offer," says the Dutchman. "We formed Workforce in 2004 to promote more of the good and less of the bad." www.myspace.com/workforce.

Sketch is at it again ... Toad's Place, CT. Sucker MC's Beware!

So I get this e-mail from Sketch and it seems that he just blew some "Sucker MC's" off the stage at Toad's Place old school style. Here is what went down yall.
lol

Oct 18, 2007 12:49 AM
actually I just repped the AF on stage at Toad's right before RJD2 went on. . .

Oct 18, 2007 6:20 PM

The story behind the Toad's Place incident:

I went to the show to see RJD2 last night @ Toad's. They had one opening act. . . a really really shitty band called Elevated Thoughts: two emcees, a vocalist, bass player, and a terrible deejay.

For those of you that don't know, I am really tired of seeing wack emcees perform and have pledged to not pay to go to a show unless the bill has at least three heads on it that are dope. Reason being that I get infuriated when I see lazy ass performers, especially if they open for someone I am inspired by.

so anyway. . .

The assholes get onstage and do two really shit hip-hop tracks, with the girl singing real low in the background. The whole time they are lazily walking across the stage and rhyming bullshit in unison. So I am visibly pissed off. Also, I am standing right in the middle of the audience right at the stage. In between every song they stop to discuss among themselves what they should do next. The girl decides she doesn't feel like singing and sits down, one of the emcees starts walk around in circles on one side of the stage and the bassplayer starts jamming with the other emcee on the drums. They do this for ten minutes.

lol

So the girl is sitting in the back of the stage seeing me pissed off and seems to be amused. I shake my head at her. And from the back of the stage to the audience we have an exchange that went something like this. . .

"what?!? why do you look so upset?"

"cause this fucking sucks! it's mad insulting"

"Do you think you could do any better?"

"I know I could do better!"

"then come up here then!!"

So I go up on stage and the chick is like mid song starting to sing and starts talking shit to me about how not everyone could do it and it's difficult to rock crowds or whatever and I just keep going "just give me a mic just give me a mic!" she ignores my request so I then walk across the front of the stage telling everyone that this shit is insulting to anyone who paid money to get in. I then walk off. The emcee/drummer asks me to come back onstage and spit. so I go up there. he introduces me and starts beat boxing. and I fucking killed it!!

Blew them off the fucking stage! my old drummer John goes up there and gets on the drums while I was spitting and we just tore it down! Afterwards I think I was able to see that chick eat her words.

dope shit. . . they invited me to an event tonight

and peace to Mo Niklz who got to see that shit lol

Dope shit Sketch. You show em how MC'ing is done!

AFA: Freestyle Corner - Hawl Digg Interview

Today we present to you an interview with Danbury's finest MC, Hawl Digg of Workforce.




Live 'n direct from the back alley of Cousin Larry's, we present to you ... The AFA Freestyle Corner.

Enjoy

A September to Remember, Part I

What's good, AFA fans, friends and supporters! This past September was a crazy month for the Ant Farm, the d_Cyphernauts and myself, personally. Among the major events of the month was the 6 year anniversary of September 11th, the 2 year anniversary of Enter the Cypher, the "Line in the Sand" record release event in DC and the Baltimore AFA show, the NY Hip Hop Summit and the "Hip Hop as a Positive Force in the Community" panel. Wow, that seems like lot of stuff... So, here's a bit of reflection on those events...

SEPTEMBER 11th

September 11th, 2007 was a refreshingly miserable day. It was pissing rain and the traffic in and around NYC was gridlocked. Every year since the 2001 attacks, my family and I make a sort of pilgrimage to Ground Zero and to the Ladder 4 Engine 54 house where my father worked. Up until this year, those days have been brilliantly sunny and warm; vivid reminders of the actual day of the attacks. I don't know what it was about being out in the windswept rain this year that seemed comforting, but I think everybody at Ground Zero felt it.

It seems to me that America may be suffering from "9/11 Fatigue", a desire to move on and forget what happened that day. That's a luxury I don't have, and a philosophy that is narrow-minded and limiting. There was something very pure about that day in 2001, about the contradictory nature of life in it's strength and fragility that we shouldn't be so eager to forget. I also wish that we could get back some of the compassion that we felt for each other in the days after September 11th, 2001...



ENTER THE CYPHER turns 2!!!

So, in case you missed it, it was our biggest night yet! If you haven't been out to Enter the Cypher at Cousin Larry's in Danbury, what are you waiting for?!?! If you have been, keep coming, live hip hop needs your support. It is also a consistently dope show.

This month we had blistering performances from Workforce, Phenetiks, Expertiz, Sketch, Yogi Figgs and the Nauts. The highlight of the night was a BLAZING performance by RISING SUN QUEST, who finished his set glowing like Bruce Leroy from the Last Dragon (he was actually wearing a very similar hat) and stepping off the stage (actually, it was just Larry's checkerboard floor)to the thunderous applause of his legions of fans and supporters. In keeping with tradition, our September Enter the Cypher is always a fund-raiser. At this event, we raised $360 for the Yellow Ribbon Fund, which provides support to injured soldiers returning home from duty. If you get a chance, check out the good work that they've been doing and make a donation to support our troops.



A LINE IN THE SAND CD RELEASE EVENT

So, September 21 found us in Washington DC to kick off the release of the
Iraq Veteran's Against the War benefit cd, "A Line in the Sand". The event also kicked off a week of civil disobedience and protests meant to draw attention to the anti-war movement and, in particular, to the Veterans who are opposing the war. Many of the folks that we were rocking with on Friday night and many of the veterans that we were rocking for, ended up getting arrested on Saturday outside of the Capitol. These guys have our admiration and respect for not only serving our country, but for having the courage to raise their voices against what they believe to be an unjust war.

So, I got plenty more to share with you, but let's leave it right here for now. Part II will focus on Hip Hop as a Positive Force in the Community.

Peace!
Othello- d_Cyphernauts

AFA Friday Flicks: "Crooklyn Dodgers"

Enjoy

Chubb Rock & d_Cyphernauts discussion recap: The Advocate

I want to get right to the point and quote this article by Kerry Willis about the discussion panel featuring Chubb Rock & d_Cyphernauts (Othello & Nemesis Alpha). Sounds like it was a good discussion but honestly, I'd love to hear what Othello and Nemesis have to say. Here is what went down.

STAMFORD - Rapper Chubb Rock joined a heated discussion yesterday about hip-hop.

Titled "Hip-Hop as a Positive Force in the Community," the South End event launched the Connecticut Talent Explosion at the community agency CTE Inc.

Despite the title, panelists did not all have a rosy view of hip-hop's influence on youth.

Robin Simmons, a minister at Cornerstone Church of Christ in Stamford, told the panel and audience of about 50 people that he was shocked to be included in the conversation.

"I happen to be the only individual up here who does not promote hip-hop at all," Simmons said. "The origins of hip-hop are totally contrary to Christian beliefs."

That assertion made for some lively debate.

Two Westhill High School teachers on the panel took issue with Simmons' indictment of the genre. The teachers, Joe Celcis and David Wooley, comprise the hip-hop act Cyphernauts.

"Hip-hop is the result of an evolution of African culture," Celcis said. "When we lose that understanding, it's easy to dissociate ourselves from it and make it the whipping boy," blaming the music for problems in society.

Simmons said one of hip-hop's founders, Afrika Bambaataa, and Zulu Nation, the organization the artist formed to acquaint black youth with their African roots, encourages self-glorification, which contradicts the minister's belief in the glorification of Jesus. Even so, he said he respected some hip-hop artists, such as Chubb Rock. Simmons said he even imitated the rapper once at a talent show in his teens.

"There are some positive hip-hop artists out there," Simmons said.

Wooley took issue with Simmons' depiction of hip-hop's origins and Bambaataa's intentions.

"Hip-hop stood as a reaction to gang warfare," he said. "Afrika Bambaataa tried to teach a lesson of self-respect."

"What some people need to understand is that hip-hop and the rap industry are two different things," Celcis said. "The rap industry wants to destroy black identity, because if you don't know who you are, you'll spend money for anything you're told to buy. They did the same thing with jazz and blues."

Chubb Rock, a Long Island resident who was born Richard Simpson in Jamaica, took the view that consumers drive the music market and adults, particularly parents, need to guide youth to choose positive music.

"We have to deal with the home and deal with the kids, then we don't have to worry about these (negative) records," Rock said.

Other panel members, including Deborah Sewell, president and chief executive officer of the Yerwood Center, and Terrell Inabinett, a Stamford High School senior and second vice president of he NAACP's youth branch, also saw a positive side to hip-hop.

Before the discussion, Sewell said that she worked for 10 years with hip-hop artists to raise money for low-income communities. When kids of every race around the world identify with hip-hop music, she said, adults need to be able to talk to youth about the music rather than censoring the genre or rejecting kids who listen to it.

Like Rock, Sewell asserted that record sales dictate what music gets produced. A recent sales battle, in which Kanye West and 50 Cent each released albums on the same day, gave Sewell hope.

"Kanye came out on top, and his music is a lot more positive than 50 Cent," Sewell said.

Inabinett, 17, said he's a fan of hip-hop but is not interested in most acts with negative messages. He placed the onus on artists and music fans to choose positive messages.

"As for 50 Cent, he spent most of his life growing up on the streets," Inabinett said. "He is a father. He should be trying to do the best for his child, not for everyone else."

Jere Eaton, president of NAACP's Stamford branch, was in the audience. Eaton is a former Yerwood Center board member who railed against a spring basketball fundraiser planned by Sewell, which was to feature controversial rappers Jadakiss and his crew, D-Block.

The Yerwood event was canceled after more than 60 people called in concerns about the slated performers. Eaton spoke during time allotted for public questions.

"I think a key problem is we're not holding the people accountable who are benefiting from rap, and they probably don't look like us," Eaton said, referring to music industry executives.

Sewell responded, "Instead of going after an industry so huge, I believe in starting in our community, our homes. Start by talking to our children."

Rock said he was disappointed that more people did not attend the discussion.

"This place should have been filled to the rafters," Rock said of the gym at CTE on Woodland Avenue. To residents who didn't take part in the talk he said, "You should have been here. You are failing us."

Deborah Wright, CTE's vice president of finance, said she contacted Rock by e-mail asking him to take part in yesterday's event. She said she was surprised that he responded within about a half-hour.

"He has been phenomenal," she said.

Rock said before the discussion that he participates in many community events.

"I go into prisons, youth facilities," Rock said. "Before I went into music I wanted to get into social work."

Rock rose to fame in the 1990s with the hits, "Just the Two of Us," and "Treat 'Em Right." He and another hip-hop artist, Dana Dane, who had a 1987 hit with "Cinderfella Dana Dane," performed later in the day, as did 10 young singing and dance acts. The day also featured art and science projects by children in CTE's after-school and summer camp programs.

Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.

The NY to Baltimore, East Coast Hip-Hop Extravaganza: Slideshow

I finally got my hands on some photos from the trip the AntFarm made to Baltimore back on Sept. 15th. The show was at a cool spot called Penguins in Baltimore, MD.

The show featured:
SON OF NUN
d_Cyphernauts
Phenetiks
Workforce
Sketch tha Cataclysm

With Appearances by:
Bishop
Brake Fast Records
Dirt Platoon
Jade Fox
Lordz of Passion

Hosted by:
The Lyrical Leviathan

Chubb Rock & d_Cyphernauts at Connecticut Talent Explosion

Thats right, you read correctly. As we speak Chubb Rock, Othello, & Nemesis Alpha (d_Cyphernauts) are on the same stage together speaking at a panel in Stamford CT.

The Connecticut Talent Explosion is hosting a panel discussion on "Rap Music As A Positive Influence In The Community," followed by a visual and performing talent show featuring local youth.

The event culminates with a "meet and greet" and performance by Old Skool rap artist Chubb Rock. Admission is $10, with an additional $5 charge for the meet and greet and concert with Chubb Rock.

After this panel discussion, Nem & Othello then need to jet down into NYC for the 2007 AFA Hip Hop Summit at The Tank. I don't know how these 2 MC's do it. But I definitely know that the future of Hip Hop is in good hands.

AFA Friday Flicks: "Electric Relaxation"

classisc ... 'nuf said

SPAZ IS IN YOUR MUTHAF'N NETWORK!

It's been along time, fellas. Shoudn't a left you. I'm sorry I ain't been around. Things have been more than hectick (being a new home owner and shit). I've been so bizzy I can't remember the last time I sat down. I also regret to inform you that there is a possibility I won't make this summit. I know I got a lotta making up to do with you guys. Signing up to this blog will be my first step. I'll let you know if there are any changes.

The Second AFA Hip Hop Summit on 9/29/07 is right around the corner ...

If you are stranded on a desert island and have no clue what I'm talking about let me enlighten you a bit.

On September 29th, the one and only AFA Hip Hop Summit will be going down in NYC @ The Tank.

There will be workshops and discussion panels on Hip Hop culture and music from 3 - 6 pm in the afternoon for all ages. Then, from 6-9 we are having a huge concert featuring the AntFarm Affiliates. Admission is $10 dollars for the entire day, but $6 dollars with school I.D. (high school & college).

Here is a breakdown of the workshop blocks:

Open Letter Entertainment and the Ant Farm Affiliates present:
THE HIP-HOP SUMMIT 3 - 9 pm / All Ages / $10 ($6 w/ school ID)

Workshop Block #1: 3 - 3:30 pm
Using Independent Media
How can local, independent and emerging media help the independent hip hop artist gain exposure?
Presenters: Sketch tha Cataclysm, Dirt E. Dutch, Quixotic, Protégé

Workshop Block #2: 3:30 - 4 pm
Performance
What goes into making a great performance? How do you get prepared for the stage? Learn from the MCs who've been doing it!
Presenters: Rising Sun Quest, Hawl Digg, Roc 1, Expertiz, Choyce

Workshop Block #3: 4 - 4:30 pm
DJ'ing and Turntablism - Main Auditorium
What is the role of the DJ in hip hop? How can you get started as a DJ? What are the different types of DJs in hip hop? How has technology changed the game?
Presenters: DJ Sir.Cumference, Quixotic, Nemesis Alpha, Protege

Workshop Block #4: 4:30 - 5 pm
Lyric Writing
Jay Z doesn't need to write down his lyrics…you do. Get songwriting tips from the hottest lyricists in the Ant Farm Affiliates.
Presenters: Expertiz, Othello, Quest, Hawl Digg, Choyce

Workshop Block #5: 5 - 5:30 pm
Production
Hip hop has always been about the rhymes AND the beats. Let these producers show you how to put together beats and record songs that are professional quality.
Presenters: Dirt E. Dutch, Deto 22, Quixotic, Sketch tha Cataclysm

DEMO DERBY: 5:00 - 5:30 pm
We will randomly select songs for an honest critique, played for everyone over the TANK's sound system, by our expert panel of producers, DJs and MCs. CDs of your music may be submitted throughout the day in the Demo Derby box located at the front of the stage.

CONCERT feat. ANTFARM AFFILIATES & Special Guests TBA: 6:00-9:00 pm

Presenters/Performers:

AntFarm Affiliates:
In early 2007 underground giants from the New York and Connecticut hip hop scene joined forces and created the ANT FARM AFFILIATES. Anchored by powerhouse groups Phenetiks, Workforce and d_Cyphernauts and pulling in the essential microphone soloists Sketch tha Cataclysm, the Rising Sun Quest, Spaz the Working Class, Expertiz and Cee Reed, the Ant Farm possesses the depth and talent reminiscent of the Juice Crew, Native Tongues or the early Rawkus roster. Pushing past the boundaries of commercial rap, the Ant Farm Affiliates proudly wave the flag for hip hop in the new millennium.

Choyce:
Charles "Choyce" Dalton fell in to Hip Hop culture at an early age as his father did DJ work in his younger days and his mother was involved in the Hip Hop culture of the mid-80's . But it wasn't until the age of twelve that he discovered his own musical ability. In 1992 Choyce moved to Rochdale Village in South Jamaica, Queens, where he became childhood friends with Mark "Maom" Mclean and Wendell "Bonito" Jordan. After years of evaluating his life and practicing his craft, he finally found the niche he was looking for and accepted hip-hop as his life, not just a hobby. The events that caused this transition make up the man now known as Choyce.

d_Cyphernauts: Othello, Nemesis Alpha and producer Quixotic
The d_Cyphernauts have been talking the talk and walking the walk since their fusion in 2000. Rising from the ashes of NSB studios in the Bronx in the summer of 2000, rappers Othello and Nemesis Alpha continue to produce music that is streetwise, vital, intelligent and revolutionary. The Bronx battle-rapper and the Staten Island social commentator have an unrivaled stage chemistry. Nemesis Alpha's fierce, straight-forward delivery is offset by the syncopated cadences and the spitfire flow of Othello's lyrical swordplay. Both MCs are also inner city schoolteachers and their commitment to uplifting the youth of the next hip hop generation is apparent in their music. As the creators of the Enter the Cypher Hip Hop Showcase and Open Mic events and the founders of the Ant Farm Affiliates, the d_Cyphernauts have established themselves as a force on the new York and Connecticut hip hop scene. The d_Cyphernauts refuse to be players in the current state of rap music, they are intent on changing the game.

Phenetiks: Roc 1, JK 1, Protégé, Deto 22, and Sir.Cumference
Started in 1994 by producer Deto-22, the Phenetiks formula has always been a simple one: dope beats with personality, and MC's who spit hungry. Although the crews roster has changed countless times, the overall vision and philosophy has not. While making some small hometown buzz, deto-22's and Brooklyn native Roc-one involved themselves in a local project, the "Clash of the Titans" with three other area artists (Quest, Spaz, JK1) in 2000. During the 9-month recording sessions, it became apparent JK is an animal when spittin' and the MC to MC relationship he had with Roc was perfect. DJ Sir.Cumference came aboard in 2004 as the official phenetiks DJ, and has since solidified himself as the "Show" when phenetiks is live. Childhood friends with Sir.Cumference, and frequent phenetiks studio visitor, Protege has seen the vision the crew had and understood it from the rip. And now it's here, the crew, the 5, phenetiks in the Rawkus 50.

Rising Sun Quest:
Rising Sun Quests reps and reflects the life of his hometown in Connecticut. He began writing in high school, performing in the lunchroom ciphers, and quickly gained respect with his punchlines that drove the crowd wild. He has two solo albums titled Stellar Evolution‚ and Surviving Life, dealing with a wide range of topics stemming from personal experience. He has graced major stages in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts.

Sketch tha Cataclysm:
Can great Hip-Hop come from public access television? Well, if you've seen Sketch Tha Cataclysm you already know the answer is an emphatic yes. Sketch got his start hosting two public access Hip-Hop shows in his hometown of Waterbury, CT, performing what he calls, in retrospect, "terrible battle raps littered with inappropriate similes and varied other foulness for shock value." It was during that eight year period as a host, however, that he learned how to write complete songs and released an album entitled Tao Te Ching. Tao Te Ching was a collection of songs about the world told in first person and third person narratives and in a series of editorials. The name Sketch comes from his innfatuation with drawing and never finishing pictures when he was little. "Tha Cataclysm" came due to a chance encounter with a magazine, legal purposes, Jeru, and a desire to make his name become more of an artistic statement than a rap name with a subtitle. Basically, Sketch Tha Cataclysm = Design The Change. Sketch Tha Cataclysm's latest CD is entitled "Party Music 4 Pissed Off People". PM4POP is exactly as advertised, socially conscious music that you can dance to. While a lot of artists have attempted to play both sides of the coin Sketch has managed to succeed where most of them have failed. Neither lyrics nor production take a backseat in Sketch's recording or live shows. Sketch has made sure both shine equally without letting one overtake the other, creating the balance that is often lacking in hip hop today.

Workforce: Hawl Digg and Dirt E. Dutch
Workforce's first EP release is available this winter on Little Ax Media. You can trust it's a well thought out compilation of bonified bangers for true hip hop heads! Hawl Digg introduces his sharp crisp and catchy lyrics over thunderous beats produced by old-school visionary, Dirt E. Dutch. Workforce have shared stages with De La Soul, J-live, Mos Def, Slick Rick, Pharoah Monch, and the Stronghold.

Phenetiks & The Jena 6 Project: "Shotgun" Feat Asia Rainey

Phentiks is currently involved in a collaboration project called "The Jena 6 project". A bunch of spoken word artists,producers and MC's came together to produce an album for 6 young men in Jena LA who are facing life in prison and are being wrongly persecuted. Deto22 produced the track "Shotgun" (track 11) on the album featuring Asia Rainey.

All the money made off this project will be given to charity to help these young men afford proper defense attorney's. Help spread the word. Peace

Tampa Bay Artists United

Perhaps you've heard someone mention the Jena Six recently in casual conversation? On the internet, this was quickly dubbed "The White Tree" story. In a mostly white town of 3,000 in north-central Louisiana, six boys were arrested and charged with attempted murder. We later learned that a string of events highlighted by racial intimidation, institutionalized racism, and violence predated what most witnessed as a typical school fight in Jena, Louisiana. Slowly, the stench of Jim Crowe justice became more pronounced as awareness spread. Can this possibly still be a real scenario in 2007? One would have to go back to the eve of September 1, 2006 to get answers.

The climate in an already racist town hit a feverish pitch the moment the Black students at Jena High school decided to challenge segregation standards by sitting under what was historically called "The White Tree". They were rewarded for their forward thinking the following day with the horrific sight of three nooses hanging off the notorious tree. The penalty for this hate crime was a mere 3 day suspension. After an organized sit down at "The White Tree" by the Black students at the school to protest the injustice, those students were forced to disperse and told by Jena's District Attorney that he could end their "lives with the stroke of a pen". The message was clear, know your place or suffer the consequences. Several incidents would follow including one of the Jena Six getting jumped at a party and eventually being threatened by shotgun at a local convenience store. The tension would lead to an altercation between a white student, who was a good friend of one of the students responsible for the noose incident and six young black boys all under the age of 18. After provoking the Jena six with racial epitaphs, cool heads would no longer prevail. The white student would be jumped by the six in a fight that would last a couple seconds. The white student suffered a concussion and was released from the hospital after two hours. Shortly afterwards the 6 young men were arrested and eventually charged with second degree attempted murder saying that their sneakers were used as deadly weapons. Meanwhile, the stiffest punishment assigned to anyone of non-black descent was simple battery.

However, there is hope. Jena High school has cut down the infamous "White Tree" and the charges for most of the Jena Six have been reduced based on public outrage and increasing support from civil rights activists. Despite these developments, we are not content that justice has been served. These young men still face 15-20 years of prison time. We demand clemency be awarded to the Jena Six.

Like many, I remain outraged by these events. With the help of Tampa Bay's Spoken Word community dubbed "Tampa Bay Artists United" along with some local Hip Hop performers and artists from abroad, I've decided to put my words into action. The Jena Six Project is a collaborative effort with all of the proceeds going to support the Jena Six Defense Fund. It is our hope that by raising awareness about a town with a history of human rights violations (Jena Juvenile Correctional Center and torturing of New Orleans prisoners), the ability to enjoy some of the freedoms of this country can be restored to these young men.

Justice for the Jena Six!
http://www.myspace.com/motownpridemusic

- Daniel "Motown Pride"

AFA: Freestyle Corner

Live and direct, we present to you ...

the AFA Freestyle Corner.

Six new and unrehearsed freestyle tracks! Stay tuned for more.


Enjoy

The AntFarm Affiliates have a new member: Pruven!

Everyone, give it up to Pruven.

... The newest AFA MC!

Be sure to check out his myspace & stay tuned here for a bio on this latest edition to the crew.

AFA Friday Flicks: "DJ Sara and DJ Ryusei"

Sup yall. Here is a quick fun flick from SaraScratch.

DJ Sara - 8 years old
DJ Ryusei - 5 years old
--
Enjoy

QUEST, New Release!!! Sooner than later it seems.

Whats good people,
Sorry I haven't been checking in lately. I hope I didn't lose any fans. I been working heavy on this new project. Its untitled at the moment but I'm really feeling good about this one. Some say Surviving Life Is a classic. I really love that album too, but what i've recorded for the new one, OMFG!!! peep the RUNDOWN below

UNTITLED (any suggestions) SIKE!!!

1)Taking care of Business produced by sketch
2)Speak produced by Deto 22
3)On and On produced by Definition featuring DJ SirCumference
4)Escape from what? produced by Maddsonn featuring SilenTuch
5)Walk With the Beat produced by JK1
6)Our Dreams produced by Spaz

Just to name a few

Those who know me know my style and when I say I'm bringing that real HIP HOP, its the truth. I'm trying to wrap up the recording by the end of September and have a finished product by mid October. What happens from there depends on feedback from fans though. I need to know if your still with me. Hit me with some feedback on my myspace page and let me know if your ready to hear some new Tracks from The Rising Sun. I'm really feeling the last couple joints I did and I cant wait to bring this one to the people!!!
I think I,ll upload some new mix tape shit I did to my myspace page in the next few days. So be on the lookout www.myspace.com/risingsunquest

One love,
The Rising Sun Quest.
But if we meet just call me Quest

And for the shameless promotion whore in all of us.

Fairfield Weekly write up on phenetiks

What up kids. Seems the AFA is on an interview/write-up frenzy. This is the write up for you homies phenetiks from the Fairfield Weekly "Best Group in CT" thing. Somehow, without being nominated, our fans fans voted us to the top, and boom.
Our favorite heavy metal group, "SMOKE", won their respected catagory of course. And Sketch's homegirl, Larissa DeLorenzo, was in there as well. Some minor facts got a little twisted by the writer...but it's because we're too futuristic for these cats...or something.

Hip-Hop/R&B

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phenetiks
www.myspace.com/phenetiks



Straight out of Waterbury, the authentic and innovative hip-hop group Phenetiks is becoming a force to be reckoned with. Together for only two years, the men were life-long musicians, either as DJs or MCs, before they met through mutual friends. They mix edgy social observations and nostalgic explanations of music with catchy and experimental beats that immediately make you realize these guys are doing something completely different than what's "popular."

Deto-22, the group's producer, lays the beats down and, according to his MySpace page, Phenetiks is more than just a music group for him; it's a life-saving force.

"Phenetiks saved my life," the site reads. "I used to live in random parked cars and hustle Snickers to high school kids for drug money. I'd spend my nights with various homeless hookers playing setback and Scrabble and [I'd] eat cans of snowshoe peas." It wasn't until he haphazardly met Roc-one and JK1, both from New York, that he really tapped into his production skills. Then, after years of producing beats for local solo artists, the three men started Phenetiks with MC Protégé and DJ SirCumference.

Record label Rawkus picked them to be in their "Rawkus 50," a collection Rawkus calls "the 50 next important hip-hop artists," less than a month after Pheneticks submitted a demo to them. The label will get them a digital distribution deal along with promotional assistance and occasional shows in New York. Opportunities like this allow Phenetiks to "hardcore promote" their new album, The Revolutionary, Non-Pollutionary, Mechanical Player, along the East Coast, and each copy comes with the Rawkus seal.

Their songwriting is strictly collaborative. It starts with Deto-22's beats and then moves its way through the others in the group, sprouting lyrical legs until all the verses and hooks are nicely packaged and put together. "We call Deto-22 the creator and the originator because we can't make Phenetiks tracks without him, the Protégé says. "He has that certain sound." They bounce ideas off each other, and a song's not done until they all agree it's done.

Currently, aside from picking up as many shows as possible, they're collaborating with Smoke, this year's Best Hard Rock/Rock winner, on a live album to be recorded at shows between now and the end of 2008 and planned for an early-2009 release.

Hip-hop groups like Phenetiks show its struggle and passion to create art, not a struggle and passion to sell sneakers and over-sized hoodies. Listen to them and it's clear that if mainstream hip hop wasn't spoon-fed to the masses, nobody would eat it.

d_Cyphernauts are the featured artist on 'Adam's World'!

What's good, people! This is Othello, letting you know that I'm back from a week's vacation in the woods of New Hampshire and ready to take on the hip hop world!

Lots of crazy stuff coming up in September (more about that later) but I wanted to let you in on the good news that the d_Cyphernauts are the featured artists on music journalist Adam Bernard's blog Adam's World. Click the title link and you're there!

Enjoy the article and get ready for the AFA mixtape coming sooner than you think...

PEACE-
Othello

The following is an excerpt of the interview

Adam Bernard: Let’s start by talking about your music. What are d_Cyphernauts providing for listeners that isn’t out there already?
Nemesis Alpha: Balance. Hip-Hop used to have a balance before it exploded. You could turn on the radio and hear De La Soul one minute, and Kool G Rap the next. No matter what you liked you got a good serving of everything. Now it’s all an assembly line of these knock-off rappers with no talent. If they have talent they are blinded by money and ignorance. Our movement, if you want to call what we have that, is about empowering our audience to fight for that balance by giving them pure Hip-Hop without all the polish and shine. We want to take them forward by going back.
Othello: Our music is also activist music, so when we have the opportunity to speak out on issues that we think are important, it’s our obligation to do that. Over the past four to five years we’ve really been involved in the anti-war movement. I lost my father in the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, so it really bothers me that the Bush administration used the events of that day as an excuse to attack Iraq. Young people are joining the military because they’ve been sold the idea that the war in Iraq is part of the war on terror and joining the military is a patriotic thing to do because we are fighting the people that attacked us on September 11th. That’s just not true and it’s a very personal thing for me because they are using the tragedy of my father’s death to justify their aggression. We’ve been lucky to work with the Iraq Veterans Against the War, a group of veterans that have fought in either Iraq or Afghanistan and now oppose the war and are speaking out about it. Veterans of the Iraq war have come up to me and told me how much they were touched by our song “Got Your War” and how we really captured what they were feeling and what they went through. That’s a really powerful thing to be able to touch people like that. We will continue to perform at events that mobilize people against injustice. That’s what we’re about.

For the full interview go to: Adam's World

Update!!!

what's up people!

hope you all dug the 7 posts on The Party Music For Pissed Off People EP. . . I worked hard on em to give y'all a little more background on the joints. . .

moving on. . .

I wanted to let y'all know about what else I have been up to. . .

I am writing or producing various projects and all of which are in varied stages of production. . . as far as rhyming goes:

Rhyming

As of now I will be contributing 5 tracks to the upcoming AFA mix cd, all of which may not make it on to the joint. They include "Sleep Deprivation and the Artist" and "Forever With the Moon", which are already complete and a track I half debuted at the last Enter The Cypher called "Song For The Malnourished" along with a cover and a currently untitled piece.

Immediately following the completion of those tracks I am going to be banging out my next 13 track album currently titled The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou, a collection of tracks birthed from poems and free-writing rants i've done. There's some "out there" shit in there lol

Following that I will finally complete the four-years-in-the-making Never Die Alone. . . probably that most personal work I will ever do. 95% of the lyrics and music have been composed. Currently seeking out the proper production partner so that recording could begin ASAP. . .

Production

currently there is instrumental beds out there floating around

3 for The Rising Sun Quest's second full length album
2 for D_Cyphernauts
3 for Protege for a currently untitled EP
1 for Myka Nyne
2 for P.Casso
2 for SilenTuch
like 5 for Expertiz lol
2 collaborative pieces with Darian Cunning (1 for Mike Falzone and one for Expertiz)
1 for Hawl Digg of Workforce
1 for Deto 22 and Dirt E. Dutch

I also just started new sessions for my second Two Crippled Heroes album with Dust Magnet and I have been throwing around the idea of officially releasing the Psi.Dweys Thinq Different Cassettes, a collection of dirty lo-fi underground shit featuring myself, SilenTuch, and DJ Sir Cumference of Phenetiks, for some time. . .

peace and love y'all

PM4POP Day 7 of 7: Betsy Ross. . .

The last track of the cd gets a huge area of interest off of my chest.

A few years back, I dove deep into how we are lied to constantly in school about things that happened in our country's history. We get hit throughout our schooling with a barrage of lies and European hero worship. This is the main reason I continuously was disinterested in American History. It's also the area where you get the most teachers that are just drowning in their teacher's manual with no original thoughts.

I discovered this book Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen and it fucked me up. He dissects 12 high school level American History textbooks and little by little compares them and exposes blatant lies and pushed truths with footnotes every two sentences or so. He discusses not only the lies but the euro-centric focus that our textbooks have. How we praise the accomplishments of europeans that were already accomplished by others.

I moved on by researching some of his footnotes (it would take a lifetime to research all of them lol) and then moved on to books like People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn and Don't Know Much About History. It's just too important for me to know where we came from. It's like the old phrase "you've got to know where you come from to know where you're going". I think alot of the things that have built this country have been shrouded in these folk tales and happily ever afters and shit ain't really that sweet.

So yea folks. . . check the lyrics and video. . . hope you dig them and start getting an interest in the topics. . . peace and love y'all


BETSY ROSS AND THE MISEDUCATION OF AMERICA




Online Videos by Veoh.com


Yo listen up to what I got burning
lying to our face when we're supposed to be learning
the facts that put us where we are are kicked to the curb and
i'm determined to bust a hole in their sermon
they put alot of curves in and bendable wording
flaws, straight-up lies 'fore they plated and served it
i'm 'bout to put some jewels in your turbin, and know it
word to James Loewen what i'm following is hurting
everything you're reading or read gets defeated
no more focus on accomplishments of europeans
no more fake heroes or behind the scenes demons
or when they see what others have done and just leave it
yo you heard what I said? they leave it alone
wonder how you discover land that people are on
Columbus and all of the others were evil and cold
raped and pillage the villages and killing all the innocents
mistake to call them indians they really are natives
they said that they were savages, no civilization
consider situation, statements are flagrant
wasn't for Squanto the pilgrims wouldn't have made it
and what about the others or the so-called discoverers
Columbus proving the world round was just fungus or
Balboa discovered Pacific isn't right like
we forgot the Asians living on the other side I
can't believe the lies or. . . maybe it's they based
our path in history on the path of our namesake
a liar named Amerigo, mapmaker from Italy
wrote a fabrication, fibbed his way into history
if you see what is happening then lets contract
before we expand again returning to combat
rise from your seats as if you never will come back
hit the nearest open window then say fuck that
pause just for your consideration
in case of miscommunication of the information
next lets take the flag now of our very nation
and shake it until the lies fall from its foundation
the legend goes, Washington needed a favor
wanted a new flag so he hit up the neighbor
to the state house, a seamstress, he made her his savior
she made a new flag, Betsy Ross was her name but
the whole story's a lie, i'm bringing back
'cause we don't need that hero shit just give us the facts
her grandson made it up, the government played it up
to make a hero and an attraction, and that's that son
what about the natives and the slaves among the settlers
that fought their wars for them and they never get mentioned?
That most of the founders had slaves is no mystery
the civil war wasn't 'bout slaves but farms and industry
and Lincoln didn't care about a people and their freedom
look up the Lincoln/Douglas debates and just read em
Now let me take a moment just to exorcise a demon
God ain't mentioned in the Constitution, not even believe it
then there was the Underground Railroad, see this
is where the whites helped the escaped slaves to freedom
the problem with the story is I don't fully see it
most the stops were in free states lead by freed slaves
and then there was these gangs, you don't wanna start me
the Democrats were known as the white man's party
history flipped, ripped chopped, but it's darkened
when the truth comes out there's light shining through the darkness
before I get going, depart soon, i'll bark too
that you should check my references, believe what your heart do
a Tao Te Cataclysma for the topic to start you
and march through and i'll meet you on part two

PM4POP Day 6 of 7: The Fault Line

I didn't really think I would be discussing the background of any of these songs when I started working on this cd. Most of the songs were written LOADED with info and spit rhythmically to allow the message to be taken in more-so after repeated listens. This song was written with a strict rhythmic pattern as well and was initially and still remains the one I want to explain least about.


The Concept

The basic idea of the song was to bring up the issue of the widening gap in social class in this country and the slow extermination of a middle class.

I chose to just tell the life stories of a rich man and a poor man without saying too much about them at all. Let the stories say things for me. And just to add a little something I had The Rising Sun Quest speak in Spanish over a bunch of percussion at the end about his interpretation of the concept.

now the beat. . .

The Beat

I really dig having the opportunity to sample the music of people I know. Beyond the emcees and producers, I am in contact with a large group of really incredible musicians and singer/songwriters. Very proud to know them.

This track in particular features a piano sample from my homegirl Larissa Delorenzo, an awesome singer/songwriter from Fairfield County, off of her song "Type Of People" from her cd Da Sola, a voice and instrument collection of her songs.

I combined those two piano sounds with a load of chopped up percussion samples ( check this out to witness chopping from a master), drums and bass from 3 different salsa songs.

The Mix

This track and the one following it almost didn't make the EP. The deadline was closing in and there was a few issues with being able to get this song recorded and mixed before the release date (see more on this in tommorow's post). Quest was able to squeeze in a session on the morning of Father's Day and we were able to get this done and then got on the grind with Spaz the Working Class and got a few different versions of mix-downs for both of the last songs done by the end of the night. I chose Quest's version for this song.

additional info

I struggled for a while with this track and being able to get my point across without coming off too preachy. I managed to squeeze in a little criticism about taxes, social security, and insurance. There was soooooo much that I wanted to say about these subjects but the song just really hasn't come to me yet. I also learned alot about the movement of people not paying income tax and that there is no law requiring you to pay a federal income tax or to fill out tax forms. As much as I wanted to include that stuff. . . I really just haven't found away to do it without going over everybody's heads or being too preachy.

peace and love y'all

PM4POP Day 5 of 7: The Revolution Will Not Be. . .

I am very proud of this track. . .

The lyrics

The original concept for the song stemmed from a conversation I had with a co-worker of mine about the civil rights movement and push for revolution. This took place in the middle of this period were I emersed myself in literature on the lives of Stokely Carmicheal, Assata Shakur, Che, Fidel Castro, Ho Chi Minh, Huey, Bobby Seale, Fred Hampton, etc. etc. etc. so I was really really into discussing the topic. I landed upon the story of the Cuban revolution and the story of Patrice Lumumba. This sparked a discussion that slowly drifted to "why wouldn't a revolution work in this country today among it's own citizens?" And thus. . . the topic of the song. I wrote an essay on the topic citing the various reasons that I saw that the revolution would fail and decided I had to challenge myself by putting it into song form.

The next area was making the words have some sort of flow so that the message would sink in after repeated listens and then the last decision of beating the message into their heads by repeating the first verse. . . which leads me to the beat. . .

The Beat

Originally this song had a different beat. It was a funky slap bass, wah guitar, synth filled track with a chopped sample of Gil Scott Heron saying "The Revolution Will Not Be. . . be . . . be . . . be" and me saying "Hey!" on the 2 of every bar. Pretty dope. . . I still dig it.

One day I was watching a documentary on Bob Marley and caught a 5 second clip of one of his songs I never heard and immediately sought it out for samples. after making the track and dancing around for like 20 minutes lol playing it I decided to spit my lyrics that were over the original beat. Everything I spit ended up coming off in this melody of a twisted version of "Pass The Dutchie" lol that I was digging and there you go. . . bye bye original beat. . . and this became one of my favorite songs and my break out performance track.

The Revolution Will Not Be. . .

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Sketch Show 6/23

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p.s. he is saying "it takes a revolution. . . to make a solution"

peace and love y'all

PM4POP DAY 4 of 7: FREE THE RADIO

and so. . . . Free The Radio. . .
interesting track for a few reasons. . . lets start with the lyrics this time. . .

The Lyrics

I really over-thought the approach for this track. . . I wanted to do only one verse and have it repeat. . . make it have a chorus with a phrase that is repeated and have it basically be a gigantic display of what the radio does on a few levels. . .
I wanted to discuss the way in which the radio repeats messages continuously throughout the day by playing songs all with the same themes and then commercials that back up those messages, and then repeating those same songs and commercials alllllll daaaaaayyyy looooooongg. . . so I felt by explaining this in a verse that is repeated I was forcing an opposite message done in the same way as the radio but within the format of one song. . . I hope that didn't go over anybody's head. . . I just felt like a rap nerd typing that. . . but yeah. . . so that's Free The Radio. . . and I had a set rhymthic pattern for the rhyme that went directly to the Meters loop buried beneath the beat. . .

The Beat

The only thing not played out by me in the track is a loop buried beneath everything. . . I sat around in my house for a while got bored and decided I wanted to play everything that resembled an instrument in that room on a beat. I ended up playing flute, tambourine, maracas and shakers, djembe, chimes, and a guitar tuner thingy lol. . . but yea. . . fun joint I believe

The mixdown

This track was one of Deto's favorites and I think it really shows in the mixdown of the joint. . . so much so that I gave him a co-production credit for it. I think he really brought out my performance and really accentuated what I dug about the song. . . good shit Deto. He also had another layer of effect on it that was dismissed by my good friend Kristin during the session . . . that layer didn't appear on the final mix lol

check the track out here

or check the video of me performing it at a show I call the "rehearsal" show at The Space in Hamden. . . a very akward wednesday night in this past April. . . where there was a crowd of ten females lol. . . it was fun though. . . peace to Halo



Online Videos by Veoh.com

PM4POP Day 3 of 7: Michael Stewart

This track has been bubbling for a looooooooooooooong fucking time. somewhere around 2002 myself and JK1 were discussing our extreme distaste for the abuse of power within law enforcement: everything from murder to bullshit unnecessary traffic stops and we decided we wanted to do a track about it. We spent a day doing loads of research on the topic for statistics and stories and all it ended up doing was get us more and more pissed off. The names of victims kept coming and coming.

We ended up getting so pissed that we were going to make this gigantic epic about two cats that witness a police shooting and flip out and go on a rampage killing cops (this was before I saw the Melvin Van Peeble's indie-film classic Sweet Sweetback's Baaad Ass Song and before I thought about how some cops actually do their job).

Either our consciences got in the way or we feared the extremity of our anger, but the song just disappeared.

Still. . . police brutality is too important of a topic for me to not address. One particular story struck me. The story of Michael Stewart. Check the link and listen to the song man. . .

Other info. . . the track also features my homie Wos. Me and this cat made up a fucked up R&B group after a very entertaining karoake night called The Genius Called Beautiful. Look out for the project sometime toward the end of the year on Psi.Dweys Movement haha. . .

I really dig the mixing job Deto did on this track. His mix down definetly pushed this track to the more favorable side for me. I had a very difficult time with this track, The subject matter is soooooo serious and I wanted the beat to still sound fun so this one was a little tricky for me to accept, Deto helped me accept the joint a little more. . . thanks dude. . . you guys could check the track on my myspace page

peace and love y'all come back tommorow for my blog on "Free The Radio"

PM4POP Day 2 of 7: REBEL MUSIC

Rebel Music

The second track of the EP is truly the kick off point to me. "I can't keeeeeep from cryin' sometimes. . . ". "Rebel Music" was the first beat I ever made using my MPC 1000, made one afternoon so that I could teach myself how to use my machine, using an entire album for samples. No I am not going to tell you the album, but I will say it featured a varied array of funk songs from the 70's.

The topic of the song for me is probably one of the biggest parts of who I am as an emcee: be different while retaining the essence of the music. Don't do what has been done before but let what you do pay homage to what has come before. The song contains rhythmic reference to Big Daddy Kane, Common, Busy Bee, etc. all while updating the rhyme styles.

The actual recording session was slightly irritating lol. I recorded the first five tracks of the EP with Deto 22 of Phenetiks and at the time of recording all of these tracks had been performed steadily for just about three months straight. I was getting sick of them all and I couldn't tell if my takes were good, to which Deto asured me they were. And so, I accepted and decided to just have some fun on the tracks hence the starting phrase "I put the danish in your mouth and you don't stop!!" which is a throwback to the track JK1 and I put out called "Strawberry Cheese Danish".

whatever lol anyway. . . this shit is starting to seem like some ego-feeding thing so I am going to cut it right here with this video. . .


Rebel Music

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PM4POP Day 1 of 7: Editor's Note

an introduction:
In June I dropped my 7 track EP Party Music For Pissed Off People, a grouping of songs I wrote on various socio-political topics based on 6 different essays I wrote. I have always felt that it was difficult to get heads to flow in the same river if you are preaching to them, especially the hip-hop audience, so I decided to lay the lyrics over a bed of tracks containing samples in dance-able areas: 70's salsa, funk, reggae, and soul music (which I was heavily listening to as a replacement to hip-hop). Even Chuck D needed a Flavor Flav to get his message across.

I have had quite a few heads in the last few weeks that have asked me to provide some sort of background information on the songs on the cd, so I decided to use the platform of the Ant Farm Affiliates blog to do that over the next 7 days. So. . . we'll start with the opener "Editor's Note". . .



Editor's Note
This is the only track on the EP that doesn't fit into the theme of the rest of the project, instrumentally. The track was produced by Eye One a.k.a. SilenTuch, a fucking genius emcee out of Waterbury, CT who is a part of my Psi.Dweys Movement collective. I wanted to start it more abrasive, a little more direct, a chorus-less one verse editorial. I say some pretty straight to the point shit on this track and basically left it where if you don't make it past this track you are not going to be dancing later. I've watched expressions change when I get to the line "Iraq may have been better off with Sadam!" lol

whatever man. . . i'm just being as real as I can be
It's the shortest track on the project and so I figured I would just post the lyrics. . .

Pissed off people stop crying
Relax, sit "Indian" style as I drop science
an alliance has formed of funky bitches
guzzling gas in SUVs with bumper stickers
freedom isn't free is what they said
to counter complaints logged as we count the dead
as long as their mouths are fed we won't say something
problem is we're starving and kids are dying for nothing
that's why i'm confronting the lion crying dysfunction-
al prying, finding the lie that's hiding behind the fronting
I want to stick my fist through the residence
and slap the stupid grin off our condescending president
levees broke, people spoke
the sign said SOS reply is "don't hope."
this world is cold, don't leave with no coat
the pearls of souls bleed you leave soaked
and
and while they rain my brain remains focused
expose 'em to swat locusts from the hopeless
they think their intentions are cloaked they won't notice
that they think we're better as prisoners than voting
that's their slogan, weeds illegal to trp people who have less
make them evil
sell to make, get locked, what's the sequel?
Inmates paid slave rates for products that are fecal
90% profit for them rich folks
while commerce drags are masses in a stiff yoke
quote whats spoke. . . note what i'm on
Irag may have been better off with Sadam
we may have been better off by not fighting it
this has been a letter from the editor that's writing it
just a few quick words before igniting it
relax, kick back, or shake your ass to enlightenment

DAY 1 OF 7: PARTY MUSIC FOR PISSED OFF PEOPLE

INTRODUCTION TO THE WEEK OF BLOGS:

I was approached multiple times in the last few weeks about providing more background information on the 7 tracks that appear on my EP Party Music For Pissed Off People. So here we are. . .

The EP was (and will be in future volumes) a means for me to air out my personal thoughts and ideas on a varied array of social and political topics. I have always been deeply interested in all of the areas that are covered on the EP and found that I was going to need an avenue for this side of me that was separate from all of the other music I do.

Also, I have always felt that people have a hard time with being preached to, especially the hip-hop audience, and sometimes need something to ease the tension a bit and allow that information to creep through. At the start of pre-production I was on a steady diet of 70's funk, reggae, soul, and salsa (absolutely no hip-hop) and I decided that this would be a good place to focus the samples and possibly be able to make some party tracks that'll ease the tension