Subject: APOSTLE & DJ Quest in your area! With special guests, Goddess Alchemy Project

Attention Soldiers,

Revolutionary sounds are headed in your direction. In times like these, we need voices that will stand up for truth in the face of the onslaught of political rhetoric. Come together with us and invoke the spirit of change for the betterment of this world, it's the only one we've got. The future is counting on us.

Myself and DJ Quest, along with our sisters, Goddess Alchemy Project will be in your area to give you just what you need to get through these hard times, music to move your mind body and soul. Here are the venues we will be at:

Thursday 10-02: Santa Cruz: Moe's Alley

Friday 10-03: San Francisco: Get Connected Summit

Saturday 10-04 Eureka: Red Fox Tavern

Sunday 10-05 Ashland: Stillwater

PEACE
--
APOSTLE
www.7soldiersproductions.com
www.myspace.com/sevensoldier

Lyrical Activism CMJ Chart Debut #29

Showing Hip Hop Chart For Issue #1051
All charts are subject to change prior to print
TW LW 2W PK WKS Artist Recording Label
1 1 2 1 4 DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN 11th Hour Definitive Jux
2 2 1 1 7 AKROBATIK Absolute Value Fat Beats
3 5 7 3 5 SUBSTANTIAL Sacrifice Hbd Label Group
4 3 3 3 7 CADENCE WEAPON Afterparty Babies Anti
5 9 13 5 4 BISC1 When Electric Night Falls Embedded
6 6 6 6 6 MOE POPE AND HEADNODIC Megaphone NatAural High
7 8 16 7 3 JUNC OPS 2013 Circuitree Records
8 7 5 1 19 LUPE FIASCO The Cool Atlantic-1st & 15th
9 12 17 9 3 GURU Jazzmatazz: The Timebomb - Back To The Future 7 Grand
10 4 4 2 9 ONE BE LO The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. Subterraneous
11 13 11 10 7 SONIC SUM Films Definitive Jux
12 10 10 1 11 MIKE LADD Nostalgialator Definitive Jux
13 14 - 13 2 TEARGAS AND PLATEGLASS Black Triage Waxploitation
14 18 20 14 5 DOMER Vaguest Vacation Mind Spray
15 21 23 15 3 BLACK SPADE To Serve With Love Om
16 11 8 8 10 TOUCH AND NATO The Representatives In Intelligent Design Up In Arms
17 17 - 17 2 EDUCATED CONSUMERS Write Hear VerIZum
18 15 15 5 11 GHISLAIN POIRIER No Ground Under Ninja Tune
19 25 30 19 3 CONNIE PRICE AND THE KEYSTONES Tell Me Something Ubiquity
20 27 18 9 16 WYCLEF JEAN Carnival II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant Columbia
21 19 9 2 10 BREEZ EVAHFLOWIN AND DIRT E. DUTCH Troublemakers Little Ax LLC.
22 - - 22 1 JEAN GRAE AND 9TH WONDER Jeanius Blacksmith
23 16 12 7 8 THE YMD Excuse Me, This Is The Yah Mos Def My Pal God
24 20 14 3 18 Y SOCIETY Travel At Your Own Pace Tres
25 28 24 2 12 FOOD FOR ANIMALS Belly Hoss
26 22 21 1 19 BUCK 65 Situation Strange Famous
27 30 29 23 8 NICOLAY AND KAY Time:Line Groove Attack
28 - 36 28 2 GNARLS BARKLEY The Odd Couple Downtown
29 - - 29 1 APOSTLE Lyrical Activism Seven Soldier
30 26 31 18 10 RUCKUS ROBOTICUS Playing With Scratches Grease
31 - - 31 1 KIDZ IN THE HALL "Drivin Down The Block" [Single] Duck Down
32 23 19 1 30 TALIB KWELI Eardrum Warner Bros.
33 32 - 32 2 SANTOGOLD Creator Downtown
34 - - 34 1 Y-LOVE This Is Babylon Modular Moods
35 36 - 35 2 ATMOSPHERE "Shoulda Known" [Single] Rhymesayers
36 24 22 5 10 YAK BALLZ Scifentology II Flospot
37 37 - 37 2 BRAILLE The IV Edition Syntax
38 - - 7 24 M.I.A. Kala Interscope
39 29 34 4 11 VARIOUS ARTISTS Night Owls 4: A Shot In The Dark Syntax
40 - - 40 1 POEMS Special Delivery HipHop Is Music

Your Skin

In your skin I see the begining of time and space and misconceptions evaporate in the magnetic field of your fermones created from the skin tone pulsating through pores parcipitated in the air the fragrance you wear I devour in less than an hour we fill the room with our laughter and a connection is made in the context of mutual appreciation from our dating frustrations to our life aspirations to our financial complications, we engage in meaningful conversations about what we could do if we ruled the world and for a second, I thoght that together we probably could. Then I realized if I could cause you to revolve I would be the man I am but again your skin is like something I want to be consumed in redeemed in cleansed in for all my sins, I find salvation in your embrace replacing confusion perversion instead uninhibited expressions of love eroticsm mathematical tantric medicine confessions of my obsessions I can't seem to stop thinking about the flawless texture of your exterior organ a blessing to behold you, to hold you, I told you what I would do to have my light absorbed in your darkness like the sunshine when it stimulates the reaction of melanin in your skin your beautiful skin your perfect skin when can I see you again?

APOSTLE

The Way of the Soldier (The 7 by 7 Program) Part 1 of 7: The 7 Point Agenda

1) To demonstrate the Power of Music through: The cognitive connection to rhythm, rhyme and melody, vital signs in the body known as "biorhythms", and slang as the evolution of language.

2) To utilize the Power of Music for its original purposes of: Celebration, communication, education and healing. While providing an alternative media's mass marketing of violence, materialism, and misogyny.

3) To provide a framework for dialogue, strategy and implementation for social change that is enlightening and inspirational for those who find bliss on the dance floor.

4) To galvanize a strong collective of people with diverse talents that recognize the trans formative power of participating in the live performances as ritual

5) To develop a network of independent artists, grassroots community organizations, and independent media outlets to provide an alternative to mass medias' blackout on non conforming voices.

6) To mobilize a collective of artists, educators, activists, and healers to travel nationally and internationally to expand the impact of the Power of Music.

7) To unite people separated by cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and socio-economic boundaries through the Power of Music.

APOSTLE

Discovery: The impossible. Part 3 of 3

As I began to piece the dream back together, still recovering from my exhaustion cold, I reflected back on my life with newfound appreciation. I've had an amazing run of it so far, I'm so thankful I'm still here to experience more. Amazingly I've been able to hang out and rub elbows with many who would be considered Hip Hop royalty at the beginning, peak and ending of their careers. My new purpose gave these experiences a much deeper context. When I was barely a teenager, I met Crazy Legs of the "Rock Steady Crew" during a promotional tour for the movie Beat Street. In my early twenties, I met Tupac Shakur and promoted a show for him on New Year's Eve 1991, just a few months after he dropped his first solo record "2Pacalypse Now". Then in my early thirties, I met KRS-ONE, who has had the most influence on me as an artist. Although I didn't think of these experiences as a spiritual experience at the time. I realize that who these people were spiritually had as much impact on me as who they were as innovators of the culture of Hip Hop. Equally influential to me were the social justice leaders of my community in Denver who I had the privilege to have in my life as mentors. Dr. Paul Hamilton, author of "Shattering the Myths: African People's Contributions to World Civilizations". Another mentor of mine is Dr. Vincent Harding, author, and colleague, classmate and friend of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Finally the person who had the greatest effect on me as person was Brother Jeff Fard. He taught me that the first rule of empowering self and others was to "know thy self". This influenced my spirituality, politics and professional life. I have truly been blessed with an incredible amount of guidance, it would've been a shame to have it all go to waste because of something that could've been prevented. Even still, my work as a youth service provider to over 8,000 youth in over 70 schools with over 50 fellow Colorado artists is quite a satisfying and fulfilling accomplishment. As well as being able to rock crowds of thousands of people with my former band. I am grateful for this incredible life I've had, and the chance to experience more. What I have yet to experience will be even more incredible still. What I've been through and what I'e achieved was only boot camp. Now I am ready for spiritual combat with the enemy.

I spent about 3 days just remembering the dream alone. I wasn't sure if I had remembered everything or if I had added anything in from trying to hard to recall. Had my imagination filled in the gaps? Did the cold medicine have an effect my dream? Once I had it all written down, I began a 4 day research escapade on google like a cyber-space Indiana Jones searching for everything I could remember. The number 7. Tariq, What is Alumbra? Is it even a word? Turns out there is no meaning in english but in spanish it means "to illuminate" or "enlighten". I found that to be strange since I don't speak spanish. The name Tariq means "messenger" or "one who leads the way". Ironically enough so does "Apostle". I always knew the number 7 held special significance to me. Since my birthday, date and time of birth all equal 7 when adding the sum of the numbers together until you reach a single digit. It was always my lucky number. I always saw it randomly in my employee numbers, telephone numbers, addresses, mailboxes, serial numbers. I've always had sevens around me. In a number of spiritual texts and cultural traditions around the world, it's symbolic meaning is very interesting, as well as in all of the world divinations. I always thought of myself as a teacher, or a "messenger" of some kind. I always wanted to say something thought provoking at the very least in my poetry. Could it be that it's in my nature to do so by some divine course written in the stars and planets? I have begun to believe in just that even more. I was always told when I was a kid, I would be a "preacher". That used to always make me cringe because I saw preachers and politicians as one of the same. I didn't really trust them. The funny thing about that is, many people often tell me coming to my performance is like going to church. How could I possibly thought I would avoid that comparison with a stage name like Apostle? I don't know. At this point, I felt there was no turning back. I was given yet another chance to live and there is no better explanation than it is because of some divine purpose. I must use the talents I have been given faithfully for the invocation of the spirit of my ancestors.

So now what I am about to say may stun you. I will probably lose friends over this. Others will say I have gone crazy. I don't care. The reason is what I have told you about my life thus far is completely true and the undeniable incredibleness of these events, whether they be traumatizing or inspiring, they were not by chance. For over these past 7 days, I have finally discovered my self. I am a vessel for a spirit whose time has come to ascend to mastership. The work I do from this point on must affect this world in a dynamic way. My lyrics are not zoned out THC enhanced rants of randomness, but divine words of inspiration from my soul in ascension. I have so much more work inside of me. I am a servant to humanity through the will of my ancestors. I will create experiences of enlightenment for those who find bliss on the dance-floor. The intention is to create powerful music. Music as powerful as the drum circles of West Africa, that crossed the ocean in slave ships, resurfacing on plantations and igniting the passion that led to the revolts that overthrew the "Master" long before the civil war. Music as powerful as the music Ray Charles created which gave him enough influence to desegregate the chitlin' circuit of the deep south in the 60's with the threat of a boycott. As powerful as the music of Bob Marley, who brought two heads of state together of opposing nations on stage to embrace. As powerful as the music of the mid 70's that brought two gangs in the Bronx together, and fostered a world-wide youth culture that crosses racial, political, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic boundaries. I know this kind of talk turns some people off. I don't care. My work is far more important than a popularity contest. No matter how precarious the path is for me, I will traverse forward. I will stay on course. The truth about my dream is it was not a dream. I was visited by my ancestor. Some people will say it was the fatigue or the cold medicine or whatever, but I know what happened. I have accepted their gift. For a very long time I've been a proponent of the idea that we choose our own reality. I still believe that, but I did not choose this path. I was chosen. Now is the time for me to step up, go forward and do the impossible. Experience the ritual, and move your body to this.

Dream: The Purpose. Part 2 of 3

I couldn't sleep. The accident was a constant memory playing over in my head. Every time I would close my eyes, I kept thinking about what if I had died, what if I had lived and killed my roommate, or if we were paralyzed or anything. Why weren't we? What does it mean? This kept me from getting sleep for a few weeks until finally my body sick from exhaustion, I collapse in my bed. I contemplated how I was going to be able to afford to repay my roommate for the truck and motorcycle I destroyed. I thought maybe this was a wake up call to take my life in a new direction. I don't even remember falling asleep that night. I just remember this booming voice ask me "Do you believe in destiny?" Without hesitation I responded, "Yes". Before I could react, I felt my body moving as if I was being pulled forward by something, it was completely dark all around me. It felt like I was moving upward at an incline, I said to myself "Don't panic you are only dreaming", all of a sudden there was a light in the distance, I was traveling towards it and it seemed to have a hum coming from it. As I got closer, it grew stronger until I was engulfed in the light and standing directly in front of a Man. He stood about 6'1" with very broad shoulders, dark skin, a long beard and a long white robe. He reminded me of someone, but I couldn't place who it was. I asked him, "are we related?" and just then the light that surrounded us separated into 7 spheres and formed a circle about 25 feet in circumference. They slowly rotated around us clockwise. They were humming as if an electric current was running through them. "Who are you?" I asked, and his voiced came through the seven glowing spheres as if they were amplifiers. "You come from a bloodline of great warriors, your ancestors were betrayed and they are seeking justice." He continued, "You were selected at your birth, to be given a very special gift of guidance and protection, in adverse, you were tested time and again. You were born at a very crucial time in history, and just as I have led, you to will lead if you choose to accept your destiny." His voiced turned cold and direct, "If you choose to not accept who you are, you will not only be turning your back on yourself, but the people who love you, care about you, and know who you are." Then his voice grew louder "What do you choose? Do you accept this gift?"
"I accept" I said as I remembered my mentor once telling me something about paying attention to what the universe is showing me, and not to marvel at it in wonder. The next thing I remember happening is we were suddenly in a palace. It looked like a fortress of some kind. The man who was talking to me then said. "My name is Tariq, and you and I share the fact that we are warriors, but we are also from the same blood, for we are one." I couldn't tell if he meant that I was his descendant, or a reincarnation of him. Although we did not look alike, I certainly felt like I was looking at myself in another body, and in another time. "You come from a family of healers, teachers, communicators, artists, inventors. You come from a family of great Warriors. Your family was brought to North America by kidnappers, and tortured with servitude. 7 generations later you are born as the seal of a sacred covenant of our family." I stood there at attention as if I was receiving direct orders from my superior officer. " You must restore unity consciousness to the masses through the alumbra vibration." All of a sudden again we were surrounded by light. I couldn't see anything except Tariq. "You were given a gift at your birth, your were also tested, and no matter how hard times got for you, no matter how impossible your obstacles have seemed, you have always overcome them. Now I am giving you your final gift. That gift is purpose. No matter how impossible your obstacles seem, with purpose you can do the impossible. Use your gifts that you were given at birth to change your life, then use it to change the people around you, then the greater community, your nation and the world. For the time is at hand. Go forward without fear, the seven alumbra are around you." "What is the 7 alumbra?" I asked, and just then the sun peaked through the window and I awoke. I immediately grabbed my notebook and pen to jot down what I remembered. I didn't remember everything, only pieces at first. The name Tariq, the light, the palace, the 7 alumbra, the hum, the gift, spheres of light. The more I wrote, the more I began to remember.

-- To be continued
APOSTLE

Death: TheMiracle. Part 1 of 3

t was the third time I had escaped death. This time I fell asleep at the wheel of my roommates Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with his motorcycle mounted on the bed of the truck New Year's morning 2008 around 7:45 am. My roommates asleep in the passengers seat, after a night of partying, stressing, laughing, reflecting, and drinking. A typical New Year's experience, anyway I had just left one of the most frustrating shows I never played. After a night of hurry up and wait, I couldn't wait to get out of Los Angeles. I left the club without pay, without a place to stay, without enough money for a hotel, without any patience to take a step back, breathe, and process the situation. Taking that step could've been the step to save my life. Instead it was the seatbelt that saved me instead of common sense, because common sense said "Wait a minute, you didn't even sleep the night before, and you need to slow down before..." and before you know it, BAM! The guard rail smashes like aluminum foil as the four wheel drive, half ton pickup goes right over the cliff. The back tires hit the ground and this throws the nose of the truck directly vertical in a split second as we flip once, then we go around a second time and the roof of the cab hits the ground and the windshield shatters as we continue flipping until the truck lands right side up. I ask my roommate if he was alright, he had slept through the entire thing. We both walked away with minor bumps and bruises.

After the accident, I couldn't sleep. I kept having nightmares of the sounds and sensations of being upside down, dirt flying, steel bending, glass shattering not to mention the thought of what could have happened. I knew that things could definitely be a lot worse. As I thought about what the tow truck driver, the paramedics, the highway patrol all said; "That I'm lucky to not only be alive, but the fact that we were not seriously injured was nothing short of a miracle." The tow truck driver elaborated that he had seen many fatal accidents with much less damage to the vehicle. The miracle to me that was keeping me up was the fact that this was not the first time I had heard almost these exact words almost exactly 4 years ago to the day. It happened while crossing the street during a snowstorm one night when I was hit by a car traveling at 35 mph. My body rolled up the car which projected me forward, my body flipped in the air three times before I landed on my back sliding about 15 feet down the middle of the street barely avoiding being hit a second time by on coming traffic. I left the hospital 2 hours later with a prescription for Vicodin and a pair of crutches. My right fibula barely broken under my knee. The doctor, paramedics, witnesses including the cop who gave me a ticket for jaywalking, all said it was a miracle that I was alive, and after I leave the hospital, I should buy a lottery ticket. Much earlier in my life than that, a drive by shooters bullet that came through the window of a 711, where I was working at the time, landed in the back of a customer, instead of my head. The customer was bent over picking up a pair of 2 liter bottles of Coke a Cola. As he stood up straight in front of the cash register, the bullet came through the window, while I was waiting at the register to ring him up. The cops told me that from where the bullet came through the window, and from where I told them I was standing, if he was not standing there, I would've been dead. The bullet was removed, and the victim survived without serious injuries.

I seemed to have the same experiences each time it happened. I remembered every last detail. it was as if it all happened in slow motion, my body never reacted negatively, such as going into shock or panic. It was as if I had an innate nature to think fast and react in dangerous situations, or maybe it was that I had a so many people out there praying for me, or maybe it was just luck. I never really believed in luck or coincidences, and so I felt there had to be a reason why all of this had happened.

--To be continued

Waiting on Forgiveness (A 17th and Capp St. story)

Waiting on forgiveness



They live out of their 1986 Toyota Truck, She turns tricks whenever she can and he just tries to stay one deal ahead of his addiction. He can park on the busy street where there's no parking meter and shoot up in the front seat, nobody's paying attention. It just looks like he's waiting for somebody and in reality, he is. Waiting for Jesus and the Rapture? Waiting for the President to send in the National Guard? Waiting for his parents to finally understand him? Waiting for his girlfriend to come back? No. He's waiting for someone whose name he doesn't know, whose face he's never seen, someone whose voice he's never heard, because believe me, he's heard it all. He's heard the big promises, he's heard the great ideas, the get rich quick schemes, the sales pitch, he's read the big book, the good book, and he's been to the support groups, so he has no time for any of that just the needle and this strap and the smack. He can do that while he waits for something new, someone new who will say something new and do something new that will give him the reason to care. He's waiting on forgiveness. He's waiting to forgive himself, for all the things that led up to this moment on this block, in this truck, he's waiting on forgiveness for all the excuses, the lies that he told himself. He waits.



And while he waits, she provides a steady income, in come the clowns looking for someone to cum in and she knows just how to play them. She doesn't feel pretty anymore and she doesn't think it matters she's just creating a way to survive this world because she don't need to feel love, she doesn't need to remember emotion because that doesn't work in this line of work. She doesn't think about escaping she's got too much to think about. She no longer wonders if she will survive she's seen death a thousand times and now she's never scared. Now if you ask her if she's waiting for something she will tell you no but in reality she is. Waiting to laugh again, waiting for someone to show her some respect, and waiting for a new definition of dignity that will resonate. She's waiting on forgiveness. Forgive her self for letting go, forgive the man who was supposed to be her shining example of what a man should be, the man who turned out to be the example of every other man she's encountered in her life. She's waiting for clean clothes and a hot shower but the shelter is full so as she is turned away again and people shuffle along the sidewalk averting their eyes as they pass her, she glides slowly back and forth just in front of the parked cars to avoid getting hit by oncoming traffic, as she looks through their car windows trying to catch a glance, she waits. Just down the block he's in the front seat of their 1986 Toyota Truck slipping in and out of consciousness, he looks out of the window, and he waits.

I Am a Man

The average White person in America has absolutely no regard for Black people of America, period. Generally speaking, White people will never respect Black people as a community, culture, or on an individual basis. In turn, the average Black person holds nothing but contempt for White people. As long as we are entertaining White people, we are OK. As long as we have created a level of wealth, we are considerd to be human. If not, you will be treated as if you do not deserve the benefits of American society. I have tried to live above this thinking, I have always felt my intelligence could transcend this low brow consciousness. The only problem is, the rest of the world does not feel that way. Can you tell I just came home from shopping? Why must these notions continue to be reinforced in my everyday life? What am I doing to bring this energy towards me? Am I holding some sort of contempt subconsciously that brings the negative energy towards me? Maybe it is a lack of respect for myself that is bringing this energy towards me? Am I thrusting myself into communities and networks where I will always feel alienated and awkward?

In a major city like SF, cultures collide continuously and there is a lot of interaction between people of all different ethnicities. A lot of the individual interaction is not positive, which unfortunately creates precognitive notions about one another in general terms. One might say I am contridicting myself since I just made a very general statement, fair enough. I realize I have made a generalization based on my present emotions. I have plenty of people in my life of various backgrounds that I absolutely love with all my heart. That does not mean I should ignore all the subtle encounters of racism I experience on a daily basis. I will further acknowledge that I am hyper sensitive, and uncomfortable with my own identity. I attribute those characteristics of my personality to my experiences growing up in the suburbs, public education, and the life choices that I have made that have put me in court, jail, or other compromising positions at the hands of White people. I completely understand and acknowledge my faults. Why am I looking for the approval of White people or anyone for that matter?

I am extremely happy and grateful now that I write record and perform music for a living. It is truly a blesssing to have a career based on your abilities to creatively articulate your perspective. If I had not grown up alienated as the only Black kid in my class, feeling like everyone was looking at me all the time, would I be so interested in the attention people pay to me? Would my career be based on keeping peoples attention? If I looked like everyone else in the classroom growing up, and not felt constantly stared at, would I have chosen to be the person I am today?

One of our recent tours in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, during Halloween weekend, my band played for several costume parties. One of the most popular costume items is the Afro wig, which was often accompanied with the Dashiki. Although I'm sure most of the people wearing them don't consider themselves racist, symbols of cultural pride being mocked as costumes does not sit well with me. I also saw many costumes with three finger rings, sweatsuits, oversized rope chains. Even though I feel like some of these items are silly to wear, I wonder if the people who wear them as costumes are mocking the silliness of the items, or the people who made these items popular? I also realize that there are plenty of White people who have worn outrageous gawdy jewelry, but I don't believe that was what was being made fun of. Is there anything wrong with making fun of each other? Not necessarily, but does it give me an insight to what you think about me and my culture? Even if it a subconscious idea of me?

The majority of my gigs as a performer, the audience is 99.9% White. I never write from anyone elses perspective except my own. My words come straight from my own heart. I am told often from White audience members that they love what I do and respect me and my "positive message". I often wonder if my soul, my frustrations, my perspectives are understood, and if so, is the only value of that understanding the "entertainment" value? I wonder if when I say things like "That's not Hip Hop , That's not Black" in my song "Destroy The Industry," does it ever make anyone stop and think when they see those stereotypical images played out in society whether it be in real life or on television? Do people really only discern the character of an individual based on the actions of that individual even when they may exemplify traits of a stereotypical image? Are my words as an artist only good for entertainment, or are they inspirational as well? Am I making a difference by being out there, or does my energy need to go elsewhere? Am I fooling myself into thinking I'm affecting the social conditions of my own people while playing to a few hundred college age White kids in bars and an occasional festival? Or am I just a reinforced stereotype myself as the angry black entertainer who's life depends on an all White clientele base? Am I a sellout? Where do I fit in?

American society is complex. The issues of tolorence and diversity go far beyond Black and White. I can only speak for myself. I want to feel good about myself and my purpose in this world. I want to know that the love and respect I feel from people whom I consider friends is sincere. I want to know that people hear me when I get up on that stage, and know where I'm coming from. I want to know that people are really ready to dialogue with me about societal gaps, cultural differences, systemic policies that marginalize everyone who does not fit into the status quo. I want to know what I can do to make a difference in regards to race relations in this country. Most of all, I want to feel comfortable about myself no matter where I am and who is in the room.

Transformation

Transformation

On behalf of our staff, board of directors, volunteers, contractors, youth participants, parents of youth, and donors, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to be an example of creativity and leadership through our services as an organization. This December, The Colorado Hip Hop Coalition (CHHC) will no longer exist as project of the Colorado Non Profit Development Center (CNDC). This will not be the end of our work that we have done; this is rather a transformation.

Since 1997, CHHC has provided education programs and community events that empower underserved youth through Hip Hop Culture. By bridging the gap between the artists community and the greater community by engaging Hip Hop artists in the in the academic careers of the next generation, we have not only identified Hip Hop’s academic and social value, we have been instrumental in the development of the creative spirit in our communities future.

While educators within local school districts only saw Hip Hop through the lens of corporate media, exploiting our culture as misogynist, violent, materialistic entertainment corrupting the minds of youth, we reclaimed our culture from the powerful media corporations and redefined it as art, literacy, technology and business. From 2001 until now, CHHC completed 10 leadership trainings, 10 assemblies, 17 after school programs and 86 workshops all within the contextual framework of Hip Hop education. CHHC served 8,418 youth from elementary age to college age in this same timeframe within 71 schools and youth based agencies that hosted our programs. In addition, CHHC employed 56 artists from our community and raised a total of $197,652 in the name of Hip Hop education.

Yet to continue in this capacity would restrict the growth, leadership and peer to peer education initiated by the youth and artists that have participated in our program. It is now the responsibility of these artists to pass along what they have learned from this organization and their experience of finding their individual creative voices through Hip Hop Culture.

Danica Brown has spearheaded a new project called “Denver Native Hip Hop Dancers”. This performance troop of Native youth from diverse nations has begun performing regularly throughout the state while spreading the message of health ever since their first performance at the Native Games earlier this year. Danica developed this group out of her volunteer work as a board member for CHHC. 2 of our students from our Montbello High School program recently purchased their own DJ equipment and performed their first professional gig at a teen dance club in Arvada Colorado. Master B-Boy Michael “Fate” Sierra will be moving our curriculum into the private sector, offering classes in the 4 elements through his newly formed Hip Hop Academy. Paul “PAAS” Mathews, (formally of The Future Jazz Project and The Break Mechanics) an accomplished artist and well respected lyricist will continue to advocate for the culture of Hip Hop in the public sector for both youth and artists alike. So weather it manifests within the creative self expression of youth and artists as they address issues affecting their communities, or through inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit of young people and artists, the work of CHHC is at the beginning of a powerful transformation.

As for myself, I have been blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime. I will be relocating to San Francisco California to write, record, and perform music for a living full time. Everything I have worked for and dreamed about as an artist is beginning to come true. I am living proof that we have the power to determine our own reality. My group “Heavyweight Dub Champion” has developed a very strong support base on the West Coast as well as the Pacific Northwest region. I anticipate touring 6 – 8 months out of the year in 2007. I will also volunteer at an organization called “The DJ Project” which is an entrepreneurship program built on a Hip Hop Foundation. I will also participate as a member of the Bay Area local organizing committee of the National Hip Hop Political Convention. My last day at the CHHC office will be this Friday, October 13th. If you would like to be in contact with any of the people I have mentioned that will be continuing the work, or contact me for any other reason, I can be reached at the CHHC office (303) 296-0966 until Friday. You can also reach me at jeff@coloradohiphop.org.

So again thank you all for the incredible opportunity to grow with you. The work we have done is not over, it is simply in transformation. CHHC is not the exception to the Hip Hop community of Colorado, we are rather the example.


Sincerely,



Jeff Campbell, founder and director of CHHC.