Tuesday, March 31, 2009

RANCID NEW ALBUM

Nineties punk mainstay Rancid has completed work on "Let the Dominoes Fall," the band's seventh album and first in six year. "Dominoes" is scheduled for June 2 release on Hellcat/Epitaph, and the band kicks off a national tour with Rise Against on June 4.

"Dominoes" was recorded at George Lucas' Skywalker Sound Studio in San Francisco, with production by Epitaph Records founder and Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Stax organ legend Booker T. Jones contributes some Hammond B3 on the track "Up To No Good."

Jam Sessions #8

It was very low key just drums, bass, vox, wine. It was still very sic
Stay in tune for next week....
Players: LRB, FREEDOCHA, ME

Top 5 BAngin Shit Week #8

top 5 fun shit to do this week I hope I get my ass out the house

1.Mars birthday din din
2.Monday Jam session 6-9
3.Jean Grae shoe at the Troc
4.purple rhinestone eagle at the Mitten
5.mars pre party then afterparty at fluid

Keith Murray and Canibus New Album

Only for the fans of lyrics — Keith Murray and Canibus are recording an independent rap album together, with Erick Sermon supplying the beats.

“What happened was, I think Keith Murray and Canibus were doing shows [and came up with the idea],” Sermon explained. “They’ve been doing shows for the last six months back and forth. I guess somebody stepped to them about putting something together. They called me to do the album. I think they’re two songs deep so far, but it’s kinda ill to hear them. Keith Murray is out-there, lyrically, and now Canibus is a step way further out-there than he is. It’s a dope mixture.”

Sermon promised that there will be no commercialism on the album — the duo aren’t going for airplay, they just want to capture the underground audience.

“It’s only for heads,” E said. “I don’t think there’s gonna be one radio record on there, just rhymes and concepts.”

Sunday, March 29, 2009

88 keys X Ethel Cee

Two One Five Magazine and Little Giant Media brings you 88 Key's to Johnny Brenda's March 31st My homegirl Ethel Cee is also performing.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

FIGHT CLUB WASHINGTON DC

MY BAND THE MIGHTY PARADOCS IS PLAYING AT THE FIGHT CLUB APRIL 8th


Better Skate Than Never
Deck the Halls: Fight Club’s bowl occupied a secluded warehouse.

The city just lost a scene it really never knew it had. And, boy, will it be missed.

“That place was built from nothing into sort of the Greenwich Village of D.C. skateboarding, just an amazing scene,” says local skater Stephanie Murdock of the underground skateboarding/rock-and-roll/art mecca in Shaw’s Blagden Alley known as Fight Club. “The way it came together, the way it was built, everything that went on there—skating, bands, beers, food, painters, photographers. It was a special place. It’s gone, but now, it’s like: We pulled it off. We pulled it off!”

And when the time felt right, they pulled it down, too. Visitors to the warehouse compound, like those who frequented the venue in the famous book and movie it took its name from, knew they weren’t supposed to talk about the place outside its walls. So when it was laid to waste a few weeks ago, it was done quietly. The end came when skaters feared law enforcement, regulators, and neighbors, all of whom they’d successfully fended off despite two years of massive, all-night, diverse, and wholly un-Washington parties, were closing in.

They didn’t want to wait around until outsiders came in and busted up the place with the force of law. So the skaters canceled a party scheduled for March 3 that would have celebrated the two-year anniversary of Fight Club. Then the same folks who built one of the largest indoor bowls on the East Coast planned its demise.

Attendance at Wednesday-night skating sessions at Fight Club had become mandatory for most local hardcore skaters. The last such gathering turned into a combination skating/demolition night and had the feel of an Irish wake.

“We skated while the chain saws were being put to the bowl,” says Murdock, one of only a handful of patrons bold and competent enough to plunge into the bowl on a board from the roof and live to tell about it. “We jumped over the holes as it was slowly being torn down. It was sad. It was ritualistic. But the timing seemed right.”

Fight Club’s genesis goes back to the shuttering in late 2004 of Vans Skate Park, the massive corporate-sponsored outdoor bowl in Woodbridge that had won over the generally anti-establishment skating community.

Skateboarders are a lot like ants: Knock down their home, and they won’t spend much time fretting. They’ll get right to rebuilding. Ben Ashworth and Anthony Smallwood, both longtime skateboarding activists, immediately began brainstorming for ways to replace what Vans had meant to their scene.

And they thought large.

“Anthony thought how great it would be to have a place where people could skate and listen to music,” says Ashworth. “There wasn’t anything like that around here.”

Smallwood confessed his dream to Dan Zeman, a local arts patron and friend to the skating community. Zeman was leasing, but hadn’t yet filled, space in adjoining warehouses not far from the new convention center. Zeman, not knowing he was about to become the Andy Warhol of an incredible underground scene, green-lighted the project. Among his only demands were that skaters not blab about what was going on behind the walls and barbed wire.
“We knew we could get it done if we had a place,” says Smallwood.

Though governments have become the major players in skate park construction in recent years, the do-it-yourself ethic remains amazingly strong in the skating realm. To wit: the Green Skate Laboratory bowl in Langdon Park, which D.C. Public Schools teacher Terri Nostrand built with an all-volunteer labor force and donated materials, overcoming amazing amounts of antagonism and immorality from civil servants every step of the way. In just one example, grant money Nostrand procured for her project from the Tony Hawk Foundation was stolen by the administration of Coolidge Senior High School, where she taught science (“Cheap Skates,” Cheap Seats, 12/17/2004). And on his own, Smallwood accomplished an amazing feat back in 2000 when he got the District government to sign off on a downhill race he’d organized on 15th Street NW alongside Meridian Hill Park.

Just as Smallwood and Ashworth assumed, as soon as word spread about the potential new home for a big bowl, skaters flocked to the warehouse to offer free labor, materials, and know-how. They cleaned up the detritus from the last tenant—a small record company left cassettes of the single “Bitch Set Me Up” strewn all over the place—and got to building.

The foundation of the Fight Club bowl actually came from sections of the deceased Vans bowl—until the end, the protective rubber padding covering pillars inside the warehouse still said vans. The rest of the structure was made of whatever plywood, chicken wire, paint, and cool-looking castoff materials skaters could find.

“Governments build these things now, and I go to those parks,” says the skater known to Fight Club as Alabama. “But this place had nothing to do with governments. Fight Club was all from skaters and absolutely that added to the place, gave it a mystique... because when you’re there you could feel like you’re really not supposed to be there....There was an element of danger to it, that’s what draws people to skateboarding in the first place: the thrill of pulling something off that you’re not suppose to do.”

Skating always was at the center of the Fight Club universe. But the original vision for the compound was about more than boards and bowls. The skaters began inviting outsider artists to hang out and hang their wares at the space. Parties also became art shows, where paintings and photographs were hung on the walls outside the bowl and even on the bowl itself. The Fight Club insiders advertised the gatherings on local arts clearinghouses using coy language that only those who needed to know would understand: An invitation to a party in fall 2006 said that those who show up at the “FC Gallery” could enjoy “a massive interactive installation piece.” That would be the skate bowl itself.

The Points, a local quartet—one of the few rock acts that still employs a full-time theremin player—became the house band of Fight Club early on and held that position until the chain saws revved up.

Drummer Travis Jackson says he and his bandmates all felt blessed to fill the Velvet Underground role.

“We’d arrange for all the bands that played the parties,” says Jackson. “And these bands would come and see skaters going while the music’s going, and everybody just bonding together. Pretty much 100 percent of the bands we brought in told us they’d never seen anything like it. They’d all ask me to give them pictures and say, ‘When I go home and tell my friends about this place, they’re not going to believe me.’ Rock and skating have been sort of hand in hand here since Minor Threat was playing at the old 9:30 space, and at the warehouse, it was another forging of these two cultures in an amazing way.”

“We played every single party,” he says, “and every one was complete and total energy. It really did seem foreign to D.C.”

Those who had a hand in building Fight Club say they hope to have a similar setup somewhere else in the near future. Where and when? Well, as soon as it’s torn down, they’ll tell you.

“It’s over for now,” says Smallwood. “But we’re all saying we got a whole lot more than we bargained for. Seriously, we’d have been happy to have a place like that for two months. We got two years.”

Friday, March 27, 2009

WHERE IS THE MOON?

Moon in Aries: All day

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

ROCKERS! TONIGHT

LINE UP
ELLIOT LEVIN
BAPTIST PREACHERS
THE MIGHTY PARADOCS
THE SPADES

I WILL GIVE A POST SHOW UPDATE ON THURS STAY IN TUNED

Curtis Mayfield Move On Up Live

I love this song!!

I love Teddy 1979

My mom would say Teddy was the truth live

Muddy Waters Manish Boy 1971

Bo Diddley

Little Richard

Top 5 BAngin Shit Week #7

TOP 5 moments from ROCKERS!

1.SKRIBB'S THICK ASS GLASSES
2.ALL THE LADIES LOVING ON EACH OTHER
3.LRB SMASHING HER CHAIR ON MY FOOT
4.ME FALLING OUT OF THE MOSH PIT INTO SHEENA AND SPILIN MY PBR ON MYSELF
5.tHE SPADES SET STARING THE FAUX FUR COAT

PS WE RECORDED EVERYTHING!

Eben Gregory

Jam Sessions #7

Mad buzz in your ear. Its another dope one. we recorded everything
Players: shantnew/lrb/sheena/me

Monday, March 23, 2009

Cameo live

9th wonder X jean grae X mos X bleek

I love Nina Feeling Good

For Alexia and Civil Jones

Erykah Badu

Singer Erykah Badu made it out for her performance at the SXSW performance on Saturday (March 21) in Austin, Texas - but not before being delayed by an unusual stalker.
According to TMZ.com, Badu used Twitter to update fans that "Police just apprehended a stalker in front of my house. Stay tuned to details."
The singer said that the stalker, a woman, had been outside of her house numerous times, and that she had "several misc. items spread out in the grass. Blue shutters, a rabbit, a tucan and a sketch book."
The stalker was "pepper sprayed and cuffed" by officers, and the ensuing police report that Badu filled out apparently made the singer late for her performance.

via: hiphopdx

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Mary J. Blige x Tyler Perry

Mary J. Blige is set to star in Tyler Perry's forthcoming Lionsgate film, "I Can Do Bad All By Myself." Scheduled for nationwide release September 11, 2009, the film also stars Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson

M.I.A. Coachella

Sri Lankan pop sensation M.I.A. has been added to the Coachella festival's Saturday night lineup, the event's producers announced today via their Twitter feed. M.I.A. replaces Amy Winehouse, who was forced to cancel her appearance earlier this month due to an assault charge in the U.K.


via: billboard

Nirvana vinyl

The bulk of Nirvana's catalog is set for a high-fidelity do-over this year as the Original Recordings Group (ORG) prepares to release "Nevermind," "In Utero," and "MTV Unplugged" on 180-gram, audiophile quality vinyl for the first time ever. All three records will be released in 2009, with "Nevermind" coming first, says Monti Olson, a senior VP of Universal Music Publishing Group/Interscope Records and founder of ORG, who will announce the deal at South By Southwest tomorrow (March 21).

Prince

What a deal!

Prince has a busy schedule next week. Along with performing three nights in a row (March 25-27) on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno," the Purple One is scheduled to play three back-to-back concerts at separate venues in Los Angeles on March 28.

Prince is hoping the live appearances will help build anticipation for the March 29 release of his two new albums, "LOtUSFLOW3R" and "MPLSoUND." Both CDs, along with a third by new artist Bria Valente, will be available as a three disc set exclusively through Target for a price of $11.98.

via: billboard

I WISH I WAS IN AUSTIN

Line up for today

1:30 – 1:55 Blank Dogs
2:15 – 2:40 Wavves
3:00 – 3:25 Theophilus London w/ Special guests
3:45 – 4:10 Maluca
4:30 – 4:55 Popo(My boyz Philly stand up)
5:15 – 5:40 Major Lazer w/ Special guests
6:00 – 6:25 Rick Ross
6:45 – 7:10 Jadakiss
8:30 – 11:00 Good Music with Kid Cudi, Big Sean, GLC, Consequence, Really Doe, Tony Williams, Mr. Hudson and special guests (google it)

DJ sets by Brick Bandits/Ghetto Division, Nick Catchdubs, Paul Devro (Mad Decent), WE MAKE IT GOOD with Pretty Titty, Chris Devlin, XXXChange and Blaqstarr, Green
Lantern

via:fader

Friday, March 20, 2009

Kevin Garnett Is BACK!

SAN ANTONIO -- Kevin Garnett returned to the Boston Celtics' lineup Friday night against the Spurs after missing the past month with a strained right knee.

Garnett wasn't expected to play long. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said his All-Star forward would only play the first 7 minutes of the first quarter and the first 7 of the third.

Garnett missed 13 consecutive games for the Celtics and has not played since Feb. 19. He is averaging 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds this season.



via: espn

WHERE IS THE MOON

Moon in Capricorn: All day

Blackout 2 Red and Meth

Blackout 2, which was initially scheduled to drop in 2008, was pushed back numerous times but now a solid release date has been set for this spring. After finishing up the Still High Tour with Termanalogy, the Alchemist and Evidence, Red and Meth finished and set a released date for their highly anticipated sequel.

The Wu-Tang Clan and Def Squad tandem will be releasing Blackout 2 under Def Jam Recordings on April 28th.

The album features production from Pete Rock, Rockwilda, and Erick Sermon as Meth and Red promise to satisfy patient fans.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Run DMC

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced Eminem will be a presenter as legendary Hip Hop pioneers Run DMC are inducted into the foundation next month. Rev. Run and DMC will accept the honor on behalf of their fallen group member Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell on April 4 at Ohio's Public Auditorium. After a groundbreaking career that saw achievements in music, film and culture, Run DMC was nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2008

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Asher Roth

KRS-One and Buckshot

In late 2007, KRS-One and Buckshot both announced that the veteran emcees from The Bronx and Brooklyn respectively would be linking for a collaborative, joint-venture LP. Nearly a year and a half later, sources close to Duck Down Records have confirmed the recording underway of this momentous meeting of the masters of ceremony.

The two emcees have reportedly opened the studio to an array of star-studded guests. Last Friday, Mary J Blige recorded for the project over a reportedly "tantalizing" Black Milk beat. The track is reportedly titled “On The Grind,” featuring Blige on the chorus, bridge and the song’s opening and closing. Over a decade ago, the Queen of Hip Hop/R&B worked with the label for her famed “I Love You” remix with Smif N’ Wessun

Other confirmed guests to date are K’naan, as well as label-mates Naledge, Heltah Skeltah and the aforementioned Smif N Wessun. Production duties are already in the works for Havoc, 9th Wonder, Marco Polo, Khrysis, Illmind and MoSS.

While a star-studded list has already confirmed involvement, the Duck Down reps added that 50 Cent and Immortal Technique are also in discussion to appear.

The Havoc-produced track "Robot" will be turned into a video April 20th, directed by DXnext alum Todd Angkasuwan

Monday, March 16, 2009

Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz by Langston Hughes

For most of this month, Carnegie Hall has been presenting a festival called Honor! Curated by soprano Jessye Norman, it showcases the cultural legacy of African-American musicians. Norman takes the Carnegie stage Monday night, joined by hip-hop artists The Roots and the Orchestra of St. Luke's to perform the world premiere of a new piece by composer Laura Karpman called Ask Your Mama, featuring the poetry of Langston Hughes.

Karpman was going through a bookstore when she stumbled onto a little-known epic poem by Hughes, the poet laureate of the Harlem Renaissance. It was called Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz.

via: npr

Top 5 BAngin Shit Week #7

THIS WEEKS TOP 5 SHOWER SONGS

1.88 KEYS FEAT BILAL MILF
2.KANYE WEST FEAT MOS DEF & FREEWAY TWO WORDS
3.JAMES BROWN SAY IT LOUD
4.GOAPELE CLOSER
5.LILLIE RUTH BUSSEY BEING LOVED BY YOU

Jam Sessions #6

Tonight no bullshit it was hardcore. We recorded everything so if your good one day you shall rock. Stay in tune for next week Monday night 6-9
Players: Shantnew,krazzy K. LRB, Me

88 keys feat. Kanye West

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Micheal Jackson Sold Out

Tickets for Michael Jackson's run of 50 O2 Arena shows in London sold out in hours today (March 13) after the general sale opened to the public.

Promoters AEG Live and Ticketmaster said in a statement that a total of 750,000 tickets have now been sold, following the pre-sale to registered fans on March 11.

Tickets were selling at an average rate of 40,000 an hour when they became available to the general public at 7am GMT today. There were also queues of fans from around the world buying tickets in person at the venue.

Roots Picnic 2009

TV On The Radio, Public Enemy, the Black Keys and Santigold are among the acts handpicked by The Roots to play the band's second annual hometown "Roots Picnic" on June 6 at Festival Pier in Philadelphia. Public Enemy will perform the classic album "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" in its entirety backed by The Roots and Brooklyn-based Afrobeat band Antibalas. The Roots will also play two sets, opening and closing the festivities. The "Roots Picnic" runs from 2:00 pm - 11:00 pm.

The Pipes featuring Zoe Kravitz and Busdriver are also set to play on the main stage, with DJs Cash Money and Jazzy Jeff spinning sets in between the bands. Writtenhouse, Back to Basics, Making Time, Busdriver, Kid Cudi and Asher Roth will all play on a second stage.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

NOFX Antennas (RANCID Cover)

PROPAGANDHI Nation States

I got a free tix from Prof. Jazz to see this band tonight at the Troc. It was GREAT! This is my fave song from them. The new album is sweet go get it!

Paul Mooney interview with Sabir Bey

My Imaginary Band

Check out Faye Runaway, Alabaster McDougle, St. Skribbly La Croix, Efgeezus, Sister Blu's Imaginary Band. www.myimaginaryband.blogspot.com

Friday, March 13, 2009

Grace Jones

I know its kinda long but its very interesting.

Grace Jones Demolition Man

I Love This!

This is 50 cartoons

This is 50 cartoons

This is my first time checking this shit. Its kinda funny/fucked up

Thursday, March 12, 2009

MUHSINAH

SHE WILL BE IN PHILLY THIS WEEK

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

JAMES BROWN Just in time for the weekend

POETRY IN MOTION TODAY @ ROTUNDA

7-7:15 Lara Vracarich
7:15-7:30pm SUPERDEFSTAR
7:30-7:45pm Gina Fererra
7:45-8pm Jessika Kroboth
8-8:15pm Kasseopia & Derrick
8:15-8:30pm Dragoness & the Elements
8:30-9pmish... Open mic 2 close the night

CIVIL JONES BALTIMORE CITY PAPER

Almost Famous: Civil Jones explores female hip-hop scene in Baltimore
by Timothy Cooper | March 4, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Posted in Almost Famous: Timothy Cooper, b the paper, music



Hip-hop documentarian, radio personality Civil Jones {thanks, Kelly Connelly}



There seems to be a burning question lingering in the circles of hip-hop lovers everywhere: Where are all the female emcees?

Look no further than Baltimore, where talented wordsmiths such as Jade Fox, the Get ’Em Mamis and Ms. Stress bring the equality of verbal combat to their male peers. This is exactly the reason Tasha “Civil” Jones decided to capture some of these ladies in her groundbreaking documentary, “Even a Man Can Do This.”
The documentary is an in-depth look at the contributions women make to the blossoming hip-hop scene in the city. As a military brat who made Aberdeen her home, Jones’ main gig is serving as a rotating on-air personality for 1010 WOLB AM and 92Q FM; contributing stories about local and national issues and also interviewing various celebrities. As this innovative thinker gears up for her second documentary and another radio-hosting gig, Jones shows that women make the world of hip-hop go ’round and ’round.

Where did you get the name Civil from?
In high school, they used to call me Civil because I hung around a bunch of rowdy girls, and folks used to say I was the only civilized one out of them. … Jones is my real last name though, so I combined the two together because I’m a balance of what the hip-hop culture is missing: commercialism and conscience.

Why did you feel the need to make your documentary, “Even a Man Can Do This?”
Well, at that point in the Baltimore hip-hop scene [2008], the females were really making big moves and I wanted to capture that. The female presence has not had the opportunity to evolve. When did we become just ass and t—? Who said that the only thing you can rap about is your sexual talents? Plus I’m a retired emcee, so I had to rep for the ladies.

Talk a little about your work in radio.
Well, every Wednesday, I’m on 1010 WOLB AM from 9-10 a.m. on “The Larry Young Morning Show.” I do a segment called “Sheroes,” with three other powerful sisters where we talk about politics, entertainment, information and everything you want from a black woman’s perspective. I’m also a personality on 92Q Jams, whenever they feel like I’m a part of the team [laughs].

Any future projects coming up?
At the moment, I’m going to be focusing on doing short 10-minute features on artists, venues and everything I find enlightening. So if you are an artist, organization or whatever, and you think what you do is newsworthy, hit me up at divineideals@yahoo.com.

For more info on Civil Jones, visit civiljones.blogspot.com.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

"Even a Man Can Do This" documentary by Civil Jones

“Even a Man Can Do This” a two part documentary showcasing the dedication and sacrifices that women in the Baltimore Hip Hop scene experience, while dealing with today's music industry. One part offers a behind the scene look at me, Documentarien /Radio Personality Civil Jones as I embark on my second annual all female Hip Hop show case. The second part presents an in depth look on what females really think about the issues facing women in the music industry as told through the voices of women from the Baltimore Hip Hop Community.

Top 5 BAngin Shit Week #6

LAST 5 MOVIES I WATCHED THAT STRESSED ME THE FUCK OUT!
Check them out if you need the drama..

1. MILK
2. JFK
3. CARLITO'S WAY
4. SAVAGE GRACE
5. CHANGELING

Barrington Levy Live 1984

Rufus Thomas Breakdown

I love Wattstax. cHECK IT OUT

Isaac Hayes Soulville

Jam Sessions #5

Jam sessions are back last week I was sick so yeah...
Sheena had some bangin South Afrikan wine. I was feeling it extra hard.
I can't wait for next monday!!!
Players: LRB,Shantnew,fay runaway,Me

Shawn Jackson Feelin Jack

My Manfriend/Lover put me on to this. I love the beat

Augustus Pablo@Japansplash

General Echo Bathroom Sex

Say My Name documentary

Say My Name is a documentary film about women lyricist in the music industry.From hip hop’s birthplace in the Bronx to the ladies of grime on London’s eastside.
The film features MC Lyte,Erykah Badu,Moonie Love,Estelle,Remy Ma and many more.
It was made by Mamamess,A duo which consists of Israeli director Nirit Peled and Dave Hemmingway

JAY STAY PAID July 2nd

Before renowned Hip Hop producer J Dilla passed away in 2006 due to complications from the Lupus, he had already recorded a number of unreleased tracks, including music he produced during his stay in the hospital. More than three years after his death, Dilla's mother Maureen Yancey, who is better known as “Ma Dukes,” [click to read] along with Dilla's idol and respected Hip Hop producer Pete Rock [click to read] are planning to release a posthumous project of Dilla’s unreleased beats and samples, called Jay Stay Paid [J$P], late this spring.

Executive produced by Ma Dukes, J$P will feature music pulled off of Dilla's old floppy disks and DATs, as well as later tracks laid down during Dilla’s time spent in the hospital. Ms. Yancey assures that the project was not rushed, nor was it done haphazardly.

“This album combines what he did in the beginning of his career, [and] what he did in some of our early hospital stays, which was very deep,” she explains. “This is like the missing links to Dilla's legacy.”

The format of the album plays like a radio show with Pete Rock acting as a radio DJ. While largely instrumental, J$P also features guest vocals from artists Black Thought of The Roots, MF DOOM, and M.O.P. All are artists that Dilla worked with or admired.

“Dude was amazing,” said Pete Rock, who shared that he and Dilla held a mutual respect and high level of regard for one another. “He just kinda came out of nowhere and the more you heard his beats the better they got. He may not be with us, but it’s all good we’re going to keep his music alive and well.”

Jay Stay Paid will be released on June 2 via Nature Sounds.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

"Death on a Factory Farm"

By Jerry Bieszk

DALLAS (Reuters) - U.S. pork producers, already worried that high prices for their product may chase pinched shoppers to the chicken section, are facing another possible hit - an HBO special on animal cruelty in factory farming.

Producers at the annual Pork Industry Forum were discussing the documentary, "Death on a Factory Farm," which the network plans to premier on March 16 and show 20 times by April 1.

The documentary, based on a video taken by the Humane Farming Association, an animal rights group, "takes a harrowing look at animal cruelty in an Ohio factory farm as chronicled through undercover footage," the HBO website said.

Owners of the Ohio farm were charged with animal cruelty following six weeks of secret filming of events there.

The video also contains footage of the trial where representatives of the pork industry gave testimony detailing acceptable hog care practices, Tom Simon, co-producer of the documentary, told Reuters.

Steve Weaver, president of the National Pork Board, told the forum on Thursday that "our detractors and special interest groups have begun to focus on specific production practices and to challenge our industry on our commitment to animal care."

Weaver conceded that some producers do not adhere to the best industry practices, "and sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot."

But Cindy Cunningham of the National Pork Board said "there are 75,000 hog farms across the country and what happened on this farm is not common practice."

Pan-African Flim Festival

OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - The day after Nadege Batou's first solo documentary premiered, national authorities in her home country the Republic of Congo banned it.

"It's about a taboo topic," said Batou of 'Ku Nkelo, a la recherche de l'eau' (To the source, in search of water), which focused on the nation's water problems.

"We don't lack money in Congo and we have a big river, but the poor have nothing to drink."

Batou, 30, said she was called in by government officials and told never to show her 26-minute reportage again, but it is one of hundreds of films on show at this year's 40th anniversary pan-African FESPACO film festival.

"It's not money that counts; it's showing it ... That's why coming to FESPACO was so important," she said.

Several screenings at Africa's top film festival take a critical look at the continent, from documentaries about state terror in Cameroon and Morocco, wrongful imprisonment in Ivory Coast, villagers forced to shift to make way for plantations in Burkina Faso, and feature films that dramatise injustice

Gandhi anyone?

Over the last two weeks, the auction of Gandhi’s personal belongings has created uproar in India, with indignant citizens demanding to know why things came to such a pass.

Indians, who view the items as part of their national heritage, have said government intervention at a much earlier stage would have perhaps prevented the last minute dramatic build-up over the bidding.

Seller James Otis’ last minute change of heart to withdraw the items — Gandhi’s trademark wire-rimmed glasses, leather sandals, a pocket watch and a metal bowl and plate — failed and the auction went ahead as scheduled.

The one thing the controversial auction brought to light is the need for a clear mandate to bring home items of national heritage, spread out all over the world, in possession of collectors or individuals, before it escalates into a full-scale commercial ball game.

The interest generated over merely five of Gandhi’s items of daily use drove its price over the last two weeks to a staggering $1.8 million from the reserve price of $20,000 to $30,000.

via: reuters

Fresh cut for Nas

Darnell Hicks, a 13 year-old young man with Muscular Distrophe from The Susquehanna Township of Pennsylvania, is ready to meet his hero. He is now in Los Angeles as part of a three day stay. During this visit, he will be visiting landmarks and theme parks including Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland.
The main purpose for this trip, however, is a meeting with Nas at one of his shows. This is something he's been gearing up for with anticipation. When he and his grandfather Milton Watson spoke with Pennlive.com, the young man was planning questions for his idol.
"He even got his hair cut," Watson said, laughing. "He said 'Pop-Pop, I have to get my hair cut, so I have a fresh cut for Nas.'"
"I got my hair cut," he said. "I think he's going to say he likes it."

Joanne Watson, Darnell's grandmother, is pleased to see her grandson's wish come true.
"I'm so happy they were able to grant him the wish and have everything laid out for him. For once, all we'll have to do is ride. That's

Thursday, March 5, 2009

LIVE TO TELL By TUPAC

Titled Live 2 Tell, Tupac wrote a film screenplay during his prison stint in 1995 for sexual assault charges.
According to wooha.com, the story centers around a drug kingpin trying to leave the drug game. The script has been circulating in Hollywood since 2005, shopped by the late rapper's mother, Afeni Shakur.
The synopsis reads as follows: "A charismatic young man at the dawn of adulthood spirals down the wrong path in life and is brought into the underworld by his once trusted mentor, only to become one of the most powerful and feared kingpins in the city. Eventually his conscience gets the better of him and he is driven to self redemption in life… and love."
Currently, the rights to the movie are held with Insomnia Productions, producers of the HBO series "Rome."
The film is slated for what is being called a "very tentative"

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

EXPILICT ILLS

my friend tim is in this movie check it out

5 Questions MARS 5 EDITION

Mars 5 is a artist and producer based in Philly

1. Who would win in a fight 50 cent or Beanie Sigel? idk it would be a good one..The baw 50 used to be a boxer so...ehh
2. Most overplayed song in philly clubs? Find a way by Tribe called quest
3. 1 thing you hate about Philly? Dirty cops
4. Who is your fave philly graf artist? DUB
5. How many pairs of sneakers do you own? 40 plus

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Graffiti Philly Style

Top 5 BAngin Shit Week #5

top 5 songs I want to hear more in the club

1.FREEWAY what we do is wrong
2.PUBLIC ENEMY welcome to the terrordome
3.BIG PUN don't wanna be a player
4.GHOSTFACE yolanda's house
5.KANYE WEST barry bonds

WHERE IS THE MOON

Moon in Taurus
Moon enters Gemini: 3:00am

I'm a Coach so I love this

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- George Karl says Carmelo Anthony crossed a professional line, leading to the Denver Nuggets suspending their star for a game.

Karl said Tuesday night he hadn't seen a player refuse to come out of a game in his two-plus decades as a coach until Anthony did Sunday against the Indiana Pacers

PJ Harvey Rid of Me

THIS IS GREAT

The Roots First day of work

Monday, March 2, 2009

Sunday, March 1, 2009