let's go
what’s up my people,
it’s that time of the month again and kill the bullshit is this saturday. as part of kill the bullshit this month we will be having a release party for both UGod and Grand Puba. here is the flyer for that:
slow down or protect ya neck
Now I’m not gonna get on my soapbox and make a speech nor get on that pretentious high horse, but I will say this. Both of these artists have a history in this game and that still means something to me. The phrase “If I don’t know where I’m coming from where would I go?” comes to mind often. I often see a lot of cats today that don’t know their history, and don’t respect the people that paved the way for them to do what they do, and I’m not just referring to hip hop. However, when talking about hip hop, I believe that is a main reason that we started “Kill The Bullshit” to begin with. It’s for cats that understand that aforementioned phrase and want to see the change therefore they become the change. I was looking through some old documents I had written today and came across the original press release we wrote for Kill The Bullshit. Keep in mind the venue and dates are past, but the bulk of the writing still holds meaning to me and I hope it does for you as well. It is posted directly below. Until next time.
For Immdiate Release
DT: February 1, 2007
FR: David Strauss
United States of Mind Kicks Off “Kill the Bullshit”
A FREE Weekly Hip-Hop Night Starting Friday, February 9th at the Ozen Lounge in Detroit, MI
Do you worship pussy, money, drugs, fake thugs, and violence? If your answer to this question is yes read no further. In fact, it is this exact mind set that has many people within the community wondering if hip-hop is dead. It is United States of Mind’s (USM) mission to let the people know that it is in fact still alive and well. To prove this, the collective has decided to ” Kill the Bullshit” at the Ozen Lounge on the corner of 8 mile and Lahser in Detroit, MI. It will be a weekly event every Friday starting February 9th. They have enlisted resident DJ’s Sleepy Biggs and Da Crate Digga to work the turntables and local emcee Asylum 7 to host the evening. Furthermore, to see if Hip-Hop heads are still alive the collective has decided to make this night FREE to the public, so financial issues will not hold anyone back from having a good time.
As of late, music on the popular level has become monotonous and negative; words like artistry, soul, and truth no longer seem to apply. This has created a backlash in the industry causing dwindling record sales and low attendance at concerts and local events around the Detroit area. The reality is that music is just not a big factor in people’s lives anymore. However, this was not always the case. One would only have to take a look at the early 90′s to see that the music industry was markedly different. Artists were artists, and even though not all of the material was extremely positive, there was balance. Above all, a great majority of the artists were original and music was really music. The prior statement is a preemptive response to those that would argue that the music made today is no different from the likes of NWA and Ice-T. If you can’t see the difference you shall be asked once again to read no further.
It is USM‘s belief that quality music is still out there and more importantly, it is still relevant. To be bluntly honest, if you want to go out to a bar and hear the same Top 40 music you’ve been listening to on the mainstream radio all day, chances are this is not the venue for you. However, if you long to hear music that embodies the values of artistry, soul, and truth, you are encouraged to come by and see what’s going on over here. Resident DJ’s Crate Digga and Sleepy Biggs will be spinning an eclectic mix of Hip-Hop and genres that have helped influence the culture of Hip-Hop. Whether they are spinning so-called “back packer” hip-hop, gangsta rap, east coast, west coast, down south, soul, funk, break beats, rock classics, or anything else for that matter, you can be assured that it will be real music from the soul. Furthermore, the vibe will be one that people of all backgrounds can appreciate; geography, race, sex, class, socio-economic status, and any other bullshit label one could think of should not stop anyone from participating in this culture. And if you think they will just be spinning music from the so-called “Old School”, you are seriously mistaken. Although they don’t get the proper push they deserve, the DJ’s will be spinning many artists today that are making brilliant music both locally and globally.
It is USM‘s hope that the younger generation will realize what Hip-Hop truly is as music and as a culture. Conversely, they also hope that the older heads will be able to fall back in love with a culture that used to mean something before the corporations raped it. USM may say “Kill the Bullshit” to grab attention, but what they are really asking is “Save the Culture”. To quote Gil Scott-Heron, “the revolution will not be televised”, but you can catch the inception of it Friday nights at the Ozen Lounge starting February 9th.
For more information about USM and ” Kill the Bullshit” contact:
David Strauss
248-207-7675 usmdet@gmail.com
Tags: Grand Puba, Kill The Bullshit, UGod, United States of Mind
