Thug Life Army

Turning Up the Heat on the conversation about Hip Hop RADIO ONE AND SPRING FEST by JAHI

So I pick up the latest issue of Rolling Out Magazine. Big up to black indie press. I go to a page where it says, Spring Fest Miami 2007, hosted by AG Entertainment and Radio One. These are the acts performing live according to the listing:

YOUNG JOC, Boy N DA Hood, RIC ROSS, YING YANG TWINS, TRICK DADDY, D4L, CRIME MOB, DJ UNK, JIM JONES, MIKE JONES, LIL SCRAPPY, LLOYD, RICH BOY, JIBBS, RASHEEDA, CANTON JONES, MIMS, YOUNG BUCK AND G UNIT, BLAK JAK, T PAIN, SLIM THUG AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

With all this talking closed doors, in public, on the radio, internet, and news about what's right or what's wrong with Hip Hop and the messages that are being said against women, gun violence, drugs etc. RADIO ONE, owned by a black woman, Kathy Hughes, co signs for this type of concert where many if not most of these artist are talking about the very things "so-called" people want to be changed in Hip Hop.

I say "so-called" because there has been a different landscape of Hip Hop out there all along. It's just been ignored. I know many in my circle that are Hip Hop artists, but also working in communities with youth, creating and establishing business and teaching in a fun, creative, and Hip Hop kind of way. But most importantly for this conversation, making good music.

Radio One can''t be given a pass on this conversation, because all of the music that's being talked about is being played RIGHT NOW on Radio One airwaves. As an artist that currently has a song being played on Radio One (Cleveland z107.9fm Artist: BELLA feat. JAHI Song: Cleveland Bred) I''m happy about that, especially because our company is an indie, and we didn''t have a major budget to "make it rain" in any DJ's pockets. The song is a tribute to Cleveland, and it has no mention of guns, sex, disrespect or anything like that. So I can say Radio One is doing something for a more conscious style of artist, at least at my case and only for a short moment.

But the larger question is, when will Radio One be held accountable for the music they are feeding to our kids, matter of fact, all of us. I''m down for freedom of speech, but why do we have to have our children hear from R Kelly, for example, at 3pm in the afternoon talking about he's a flirt? When where they be radio hosts that can cover more than bling and beef, and step it up to community awareness and global warming. We as Hip Hop artist live lives outside the club and the studio. We are real people.

The deeper point is, in the mist of all this hoopla thanks to Mr. Imus, and now Hip Hop questioning itself and it's direction, Radio One, next weekend will put on a huge concert in Miami, supporting the very issues that are hurting Hip Hop, and the urban community worldwide. Look at the artist list again and I can tell you, without saying names or songs, exactly what's going to be happening next week.

TOPICS IN THE SONGS WILL INCLUDE MOSTLY Selling drugs, primarily cocaine "Push it to the Limit," disrespect of black women by seeing them as sex objects, only wearing less than nothing and not promoting their intelligence or womanhood, asking or aggressively pursuing sex before knowing a person, shooting and killing, purposely saying negative words and phrases that promote's death, violence, or the worse of ourselves. Now if you don''t believe me, check out the list again and listen to their music. Oh I forgot excessive alcohol consumption, over materialism, diamonds (most full of conflict), excessive consumerism to the 100th degree, with a side of beef. "From the window to the wall."

So I firmly feel the pressure needs to spread to the radio, and Radio One in particular, because it is owned again by Kathy Hughes. What is her stance on what Imus said? Why, the date after the controversy broke, I heard an artist say "beautiful hoe's" on the radio( RADIO ONE). Yeah they bleeped out "hoes" but was all know what it said. What does Radio One and Kathy Hughes have to say about that?

To the cultural and social political audience, it's more than saying we need more local artist being played. We need to NOT be afraid to say that we want to hear more conscious music. More music with a message. Also, don''t forget to make sure that artists like myself, who have for 10+ years maintained a conscious tone to my music get thru because like Paris just mentioned in his article, as soon as the money flows to more conscious or "positive music," watch how many people hang up their gangsta swag and start wanting to be all positive and clean. Message to the people, don''t fall for it. There are thousands of artists in Hip Hop that won''t have to change their image, their style, or the content of their lyrics, and yeah that's me included. We''ve been doing good music all along.

Back to the Spring Fest 2007.

If we really want to do something, I''d like to see how many Rev. Sharpton's, Russell Simmons, Paris'', Chuck D's, Davey D's, Kevin Powell's, Dead Prez, X-Clan's, Oprahs, Bill Cosby's, Harry Belefonte's etc. will commit to go to Miami and shut things down. Or better yet put on a bigger concert. I''ll get to that in a minute. How many will challenge Kathy Hughes to change up the format. Or will we just give more lip service and no change. The time is now. I challenge Kathy Hughes and Radio One to do another concert and have a different line up. I challenge Radio One to play more emerging artists who have something more to talk about than the normal things being programmed into our minds. As an artist, hell yeah I''m throwing my name into the conversation. Why, because I have something to say. But I''m not the only one. There's 21 people on the Spring Fest bill. So the question may come, who would I put in their place, here's my top 21. How about you check out their music, their messages, and what they are bringing to the table of Hip Hop and see if it's a better representation of what Hip Hop is and can continue to be. Here's my list, excluding my self so you can''t call me an opportunist.

1. Public Enemy

2. Erykah Badu

3. The Roots

4. Alicia Keys

5. The Marley Family

6. Tiye Phoenix

7. X-Clan

8. Jean Grae

9. Blackalicious

10. Algebra

11. Femi Kuti

12. Choklate

13. Zion I

14. Traycee Lynn

15. Pharoah Monche

16. Conya Doss

17. Deep Rooted

18. Medusa

19. Outkast

20. Bella

21. The Coup

Oh and I got many, many more.

And if Radio One won''t do it, who will.

Respectfully,

JAHI

www.myspace.com/soulhop