What I enjoy most about attending the Hip Hop Buffet Series (hosted by JPB) is the high energy displayed by those who participate, not to be overshadowed by their determination to spread Pittsburgh pride and invite unity among each artist. Each group rapped mad props to their fellow artists who represent the north, the south, the west, and eastern parts of the City. All the love being expressed on Sunday evening, one would come to believe the answers to ending the violence in our City, would be for everyone to get off the corners and into the local underground hip hop scene.
Thanks to Da Button Pusha, Pittsburgh's local underground hip hop scene is breaking out, spreading much love, and showcasing much talent every first Sunday at the Shadow Lounge in East Liberty.
Talent is one thing Pittsburgh is not lacking, and Sunday s performers were confirmed that statement. The evening jumped off with a highly dynamic performance by
The New Game Boyz, followed by
Basic Skills, who recently opened for Bones, Thugs & Harmony. The hip hop continued to flow with the
Pgh Boyz. Later
Derrick Edwards of The New Game Records, commented on hsi group's performance by saying this was the first time they all collaborated together as one group on a stage, giving him the perfect chance to see how their individual styles complimented each other and how their voices carried and blended, along with their stage presence. I expect nothing but the best from my groups, but all in all, each group who participated were great.
With each groups performance you felt the heat rising. Quoting Nelly, It s getting hot in herre! but not the hot you want to take off all your clothes, but the hot as in starting a black man s revolution.
The Hip Hop culture involves more than lyrics describing getting that money, driving that benz, and standing your ground. Emerging are artists rapping about the black man s need for a revolution, to establish peace in our community, unity among our race, self-love, respect and morality. One such artist made a special appearance at the Shadow Lounge Sunday, and his name is Ky Oil.
Brother Paradise Gray (the Architect from the X-Clan) and Minister Jasiri X introduced NY Oil to a packed crowd. Immediately he began to spit knowledge with the audience. Speaking of the violence that has a grip on our communities, as brothers fight and kill each other all in the name of a street name, a street that was named after a slave master, are we still fighting for our massa?
Brother NY Oil broke it down to us with Y all Should Be Lynched song, where he calls for rappers lifting up the negative lyrics and images to be lynched. This is a harsh statement, but NY Oil commented that he grew tired of sitting back and hoping someday the rappers would get the hint and change their ways. It didn t happen soon enough, so he took the first step in being a man with his new CD HoodTreason (
wwww.myspace.com/nyoil.com), and he asks that more men stand up and be counted and help guide our communities back to the right path, and he s not afraid to back up what he says. He goes as far as to say he s putting out notice all the coon ass rappers that a new day is coming.
His video, Y all Should Be Lynched was banned from youtube.com, the powers that be said it was banned because of copyright violation of some of the photographs NY Oil used, but he added they have no problem showing videos of underage girls barely dressed and shaking their asses, and the videos with the real images of violence and guns.
I give props to NY Oil for taking a stance that is not popular, but truthful.
Needless to say this Hip Hop Series August was a great evening of music and knowledge. Even though the Series was in competition with the Steelers first pre-season game, I m glad I made the Hip Hop decision. Congratulations go out to JPB s Da Button Pusha, for another great show and thanks to Justin Strong for allowing the Shadow Lounge to be the Hip Hop Buffet Series venue.
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