Poor Vida - Underground Hip Hop
Alert The Press: "We From Dallas" Documentary Trailer Hits the Streets
Written by Colin Roy Wednesday, 22 May 2013 09:51
Can you feel it? How excited we at Poor Vida are to finally be able to write this article? And the excitement that is pouring out from the metroplex's hip hop and film communities? The response has been overwhelming, from both the people and the media, with nearly 2000 views of the trailer less than 24 hours after it hit the Youtube servers. And we expect that number to be outdated quickly.
This documentary, directed by Dallas film maker Teddy Cool under the umbrella of executive producer Media 13, has been over 2 years in the making. It has evolved from a project aimed at documenting grafitti culture in Dallas, to an all encompassing chronicle of the evolution of hip hop culture in the DFW metroplex, told by the people who made it all happen.
"We From Dallas" is a salute to Dallas Hip Hop, shining a bright light on the DJ's, Breakdancers, Grafitti Artists, Producers and MC's who helped to shape Hip Hop culture in Dallas into what it is today. Featuring interviews from the biggest names to emerge from the Dallas scene, like The D.O.C., to the out-of -the-limelight heros who have held it all in place, like KNON's DJ EZ Eddie D, this documentary tracks the emergence and evolution of hip hop culture in the late 70's / early 80's, through the limelight of the early 90's, and into the explosion of Southern Rap culture. The time has arrived for Dallas to step into the spotlight. Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you think.
Expect a fall screening of the film in Dallas, followed by a late 2013 / 2014 film festival circuit.
The Spotlight: New Single: GOAT - Lead
Written by Colin Roy Wednesday, 15 May 2013 18:48
GOAT (Grades Of Absolute Truth) encapsulates the definition of diversity in music. You might see him perform an intimate acoustic set at a coffee house one night, only to light up a stage with multiple features and a supporting DJ at a packed house at Trees the following night. At the basic level, one can describe his sound as southern, hovering somewhere in middle of a clash of rock, blues, and hip hop. We asked GOAT for some insight into the production process and some underlying themes behind his newest single, "Lead".
Can you describe the inspiration for writing this song?
Oddly enough, I wrote the chorus lyrics & melody a few years ago. I was living near Greenville Ave & Ross in Dallas. Since I'd been there, several break-ins, robberies, and even a sexual assault had been committed on my street. JackRabbit James was living with me, at the time, and we always used to joke about how stupid it would be for someone to break into our place since we both have guns under our pillows. So those jokes inspired the hook. The verses and bridge were written around it.
It sounds like there's a heavy helping of live instruments, who are the musicians behind the music and what was the production process like?
There are two musicians behind it - Justin "Double J" Jones & Mike Warren. I'm lucky to have these guys in my corner, both are amazing. Double J constructed everything except the guitars. My cousin Mike did the guitar cuts when we were close to finished with the track. The production process went quickly. I came to Double J with the chorus melody, then he began playing various chord progressions over it. Once we decided on that, I let Double J do his thing with it. What he composed was an absolute perfect fit for the message.
It's pretty obvious you are an advocate of the 2nd Amendment. How do you feel about our current gun control laws?
Oh yeah, I'm an advocate, but don't take me as some trigger-happy lunatic. At its core, this song's about protecting your family from harm - that's it. Guns have been a positive force in my life and no one can change my opinion about that. When I think about the banning of assault rifles or magazines, I don't see the point. Making something illegal doesn't stop access to it. If criminals obeyed laws, we wouldn't have criminals. With that being said, I don't think the rights of people that obey laws should be stripped.
As a teacher, do you feel that teachers should be allowed to carry guns in the classroom?
With the proper training & evaluation, I don't have a problem with it. Do I think every teacher should have a pistol on them? No. But I don't see much of a difference between your child being in a public place with strangers holding CHLs and your child being in a classroom with an armed teacher you've trusted to educate your kid.
Download "Lead" Now
iTunes | Bandcamp | Amazon | Google Play
The Spotlight: New Mix: DJ Rob Viktum - Modern Day Throwbacks Vol 1
Written by Joel Salazar Thursday, 18 April 2013 09:51
Yesterday afternoon saw the release of a new mixtape by the DJ, producer and founder of Low Post Music, Rob Viktum. Rob has been holding down the decks and residencies as long as anyone can remember, so it was only fitting to hear a fresh new tape with fresh beats and lyrics. Be sure to stop by and visit his lables site, Low Post Music to find out about all the projects they have working and future releases. Sit back and enjoy the mix!
The Spotlight: Jailhouse Roc: The FACTS About Hip Hop and Prison for Profit
Written by Joel Salazar Wednesday, 17 April 2013 20:52
Earlier this week we received an e-mail about possibly getting a story out that many consider to be taboo. It's one of those topics that many people turn their cheek to and look past what is right in front of us. Help us welcome Homeboy Sandman as to the site and if anything you read sparks some interest, please share. Below is a short bio on him to get you caught up, and the main story is from the man himself. Enjoy.
Homeboy Sandman is a musician. His genre is hip-hop. An emcee that prides himself on musical growth and evolution, he has adopted as his motto and creative mission statement, "Boy Sand like you've never seen him before. As usual." Raised in Queens NY. Academic stints in New Hampshire, Philadelphia, London and Long Island. One semester short on two different graduate degrees. A couple of years of NYC Public School teaching thrown in there in between. 9th and 10th grades. Some bartending too, at the legendary Lennox Lounge in Harlem. That's where Shaft used to drink. December 2006 he decides to cut all that miscellaneous nonsense and follow his passion. His first album came the following year.Before signing to Stones Throw he'd already been chosen as a coach on MTV's MADE, featured in preeminent print hip-hop rags XXL and The Source, and perpetually championed on foremost online hubs. And since the signing, his accolades have extended beyond the realm of the hip hop specific. Rolling Stone has noted his "skill for wordplay that keeps you hooked." NPR has highlighted his "artful, hysterical, disobedient hip-hop that you can dance to." Pitchfork has straightforwardly dubbed him "one of the best pure lyricists around."He writes regularly for The Huffington Post, some for Gawker. While most of his writing is music, it appears he'll write wherever a lot of people are looking. If he had an opportunity to give a speech at a huge rally he'd take that too, so more than anything else he just wants to spread the word. Maybe he just wants attention. Attention for being himself though.
(photo credit Raul Buitrago)
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