AFI/Discovery Channel SilverDocs is accepting submissions for its eighth annual Film Festival

Submission deadlines are as follows:

EARLY: TODAY
REGULAR: March 12
LATE: March 19

To submit, go to SilverDocs.com or Withoutabox.com

All filmmakers will be notified of their status by May 21, 2010

Questions regarding submissions should be directed to: info@SilverDocs.com

Sundance Documentary “Why We Laugh” Acquired by Showtime to Air TONIGHT at 8pm

Groundbreaking Documentary Examines the Cultural Influence of Black Comedy

Directed by noted actor-producer-director Robert Townsend (“Hollywood Shuffle”), the documentary, which originally screened at Sundance in 2009 in the Premiere section, features interviews with prominent scholars, politicians, cultural critics, and a host of notable comics, including Bill Cosby, Chris Rock, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Steve Harvey, and Katt Williams.

“Why We Laugh” tracks the evolution of black comedy from the character of Stepin Fetchit and minstrels in blackface to the politically tinged humor of Dick Gregory, and from the television success of Good Times and The Jeffersons to the big-screen accomplishments of stars such as Eddie Murphy and Whoopi Goldberg. The film also turns a perceptive eye on the controversial career decision of Dave Chappelle and the implications of corporate efforts to capitalize on the massive success of Russell Simmons’s Def Comedy Jam and Spike Lee’s The Original Kings of Comedy.

“’Why We Laugh‘ is a major historical contribution to American culture,” said Codeblack executive vice-president Quincy Newell. “This film is a tribute to the way one courageous person with a microphone can change history.”

Newell produced the documentary which he co-wrote with John Long. The film is based on the book “Black Comedians on Black Comedy: How African-Americans Taught Us to Laugh,” by Darryl J. Littleton. Codeblack’s Clanagan, Richard Foos, and Littleton are executive producers on the project.
Director Townsend has been at the forefront of black cinema for 30 years and received a Career Achievement Award from the American Black Film Festival in 2002.

About Codeblack Entertainment

CODEBLACK ENTERTAINMENT is the first independent, vertically integrated African American-owned film studio, actively engaged in the business of feature film production and distribution, worldwide DVD & digital assets distribution, urban market consulting, and production of programs for television broadcast and syndication.

Recent national theatrical releases from the company include Shadowboxer (the directorial debut of Lee Daniels, producer of Monster’s Ball, The Woodsman and director of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival award winning Precious), Constellation, Steve Harvey’s stand-up comedy film Don’t Trip…and Preaching to the Choir. Under a multi-picture deal with 20th Century Fox’s film distribution division FOXFAITH, Codeblack produced film adaptations of the 80s Off Broadway gospel musical hit “Mama I want to Sing!” as well as the popular play “A Good Man is Hard to Find.”

http://www.codeblackentertainment.com

The solSource Group, ITVS,
Hip Hop DX and Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
present
Hip Hop Cinema Café One-Year Anniversary
with Filmmaker Byron Hurt

Saturday 01.30.10:

@ Historical Society of Washington D.C.
801 K Street NW (Mount Vernon Sq.), 8th and K Streets 20001

2PM-5PM | Free

featuring:

Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes

61 minutes 2006 Byron Hurt

Filmmaker Byron Hurt, a life-long hip-hop fan, was watching rap music videos on BET when he realized that each video was nearly identical. Guys in fancy cars threw money at the camera while scantily clad women danced in the background. As he discovered how stereotypical rap videos had become, Hurt, a former college quarterback turned activist, decided to make a film about the gender politics of hip-hop, the music and the culture that he grew up with. “The more I grew and the more I learned about sexism and violence and homophobia, the more those lyrics became unacceptable to me,” he says. “And I began to become more conflicted about the music that I loved.” The result is HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, a riveting documentary that tackles issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture.

Sparking dialogue on hip-hop and its declarations on gender, HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes provides thoughtful insight from intelligent, divergent voices including rap artists, industry executives, rap fans and social critics from inside and outside the hip-hop generation. The film includes interviews with famous rappers such as Mos Def, Fat Joe, Chuck D and Jadakiss and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons; along with commentary from Michael Eric Dyson, Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Kevin Powell and Sarah Jones and interviews with young women at Spelman College, a historically black school and one of the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions. The film also explores such pressing issues as women and violence in rap music, representations of manhood in hip-hop culture, what today’s rap lyrics reveal to their listeners and homoeroticism in hip-hop. A “loving critique” from a self-proclaimed “hip-hop head,” HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes discloses the complex intersection of culture, commerce and gender through on-the-street interviews with aspiring rappers and fans at hip-hop events throughout the country. The violent and hypersexual imagery in hip-hop has been a topic of heated debate on school campuses, in civic organizations, legislative sessions, women’s magazines, churches and homes. These debates stir strong emotions, with particular resonance among African Americans, arguably the community most affected by the negative messages and stereotypes reinforced by the music. Some defend the right to self- expression or argue that hip-hop encourages entrepreneurship; others link it to an increasingly nihilistic youth culture that supports violence against women and homosexuals. Missing from the debate are tools to help communities lead and sustain productive conversations that engage all sides.

HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes examines representations of manhood, sexism, and homophobia in hip-hop culture through the eyes of an adult fan, an African American male and anti-sexism trainer. Instead of offering simple conclusions about hip-hop’s fans and creators, the candid voices in the film describe the cultural and political environment in which the music is created, commercialized and consumed.

After film there will be a powerful panel discussion around the film with producer/filmmaker Bryon Hurt via Skype, Natalie Hopkinson, Jared Ball (Assistant Professor of Communications Studies at Morgan State), other panelists in the Hip Hop Community, moderated by Dru Ryan and a small reception to celebrate Hip Hop Cinema Café’s One Year Anniversary.

Natalie Hopkinson Co-author, Deconstructing Tyrone: A New Look at Black Masculinity in the Hip-Hop Generation
http://www.deconstructing-tyrone.blogspot.com

Jared Ball Assistant-Professor of Communication Studies (Morgan State University) WPFW-FM 89.3 Radio Personality
http://www.voxunion.com

…………………….

“The monthly Hip-Hop Cinema Café is a great way to enjoy hip-hop and film at the same time in D.C., but if you want to participate fully in these screenings, you should first familiarize yourself with a few canonical movies. Sure, you can show up, watch, and bounce, but often the best part of this event is the talk afterward, which typically includes a roundtable of D.C.-based arts luminaries.”

- Washington CityPaper Best Of D.C. ‘09

The Washington Post on HHCC:
“Film Series Spotlights D.C. Style Of Hip-Hop”

The Washington CityPaper on HHCC:
“Best of D.C. 2009-Staff Pick: Best Way to Enjoy the Intersection of Film and Hip-Hop

Flavor Unit emcee Apache, born Anthony Teaks, passed away today (January 22) after a protracted illness.

As an original member of Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit, Apache first appeared on 45 King Presents The Flavor Unit and his best known single “Gangsta B**ch” peaked at #11 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles chart. Shakim Compere, CEO and Co-Founder of Flavor Unit Records, remembered Apache.

“Without Apache there would have been no Queen Latifah, no Naughty By Nature, no Chill Rob G., no anything” Compere told AllHipHop.com. “Apache was the string that tied all of Flavor Unit together. Without Apache none of this would be.”

Apache was one of the three original rappers in Flavor Unit, which also counted Queen Latifah and Latee as early group members.
The rap crew consisted of groups or rappers like Lakim Shabazz, Lord Alibaski, Chill Rob G., Naughty By Nature, Freddie Foxxx, Nikki D and Queen Latifah.

Apache’s appearances included collaborations with Naughty by Nature, Fat Joe, Tupac, and A Tribe Called Quest.

Our condolences go out to Apache and his family…

Soul 4 Reel Short Film Festival
-Dealing with “The Soul of Relationships”-

Mission & Objective
The Soul 4 Reel Film Festival spotlights truly independent short films (under 60
minutes) in every genre including music videos, created by new and established
filmmakers dealing with “the soul of relationships.” The goal is to enlighten,
inspire and build the imaginations and lives of those who enjoy making films as
well as those who simply observe by expressing what it means to have and be in
a relationship. The competition is open to students, indie filmmakers, and music
video directors from all over the world.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Soul Factory Theatre will be presenting the first annual Soul 4 Reel Film
Festival March 12-14, 2010. This three day competition will feature independent
short films of all genres as well as music videos, dealing with “the soul of
relationships.” “Relationships can be defined as love between a husband and
wife, love for a pet, love between friends, a favorite material possession, etc.
This event will be presented at The Soul Factory Theatre located at 7702
Marlboro Pike, Forestville Maryland. In addition to independent films, the
competition will host Q&A segments from directors in the industry as well as
directors of films in competition. Cash prizes will also be awarded. Most
importantly, filmmakers will enjoy the opportunity to meet and learn from other
filmmakers, an experience that comes from the premier showcase dedicated to
short films and the people who make them.

As an added bonus, selected films from competition will have the
opportunity to be showcased at our sister company in Atlanta, GA for our
next filmmakers competition later in the year.

The Soul Factory is currently accepting film submissions for possible entry into
the festival. For additional information on the festival as well as submission
guidelines, visit www.TheSoulFactory.com or log onto www.withoutabox.com.

We accept films in ALL genres, and program screenings so audiences see as
many different types of films as possible.

ORGANIZER:
Rocky McKoy (Director), Justin Selby (Director), Deron Cloud (Producer)

GENERAL RULES
1. The competition accepts ALL GENRES of film and is open to ALL AGES.

2. All submissions must fit within the guidelines of dealing with what it means to
be in a “Relationship” or what it means to have a “relationship” of some nature.
“Relationship” is defined as a love between a husband and wife, a love for a pet,
love between friends, a material possession of some value, etc.

3. SUBMITTED FILMS WITH NUDITY OR EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT WILL
NOT BE ACCEPTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

4. Entry Fees are non refundable.

5. All films must be in English, subtitled in English, or dubbed in English.

6. All films must be submitted on DVD (NTSC) for judging. NO PAL VIDEOS
ACCEPTED! Please label all materials with the title, running time, director name,
and WAB ID number (if applicable). Do not send film prints, master media or
other originals. Soul 4 Reel is not responsible for materials lost, undelivered, or
miscarried by the mail.

7. All jury decisions are final.

8. Soul 4 Reel reserves the right to adjust screening schedules of films at the
discretion of Soul 4 Reel without any notice.

Maximum runtime for Shorts is 60 minutes.
Maximum runtime for Short Shorts is 30 minutes.
Maximum runtime for Music Videos is 10 minutes.

Soul 4 Reel 2010 Submissions Application

Legendary hip-hop DJ Jason Mizell, aka Jam Master Jay, is gunned down in his Queens studio. Security tapes of the incident mysteriously disappear, the five witnesses are uncooperative and no one is talking…until now. 2 TURNTABLES AND A MICROPHONE documents the investigation of the unsolved murder of Jam Master Jay, RUN- DMC’s groundbreaking DJ and producer, deftly revealing the history of hip-hop and mainstream rap along the way. Exclusive, candid interviews with 50 Cent, Ja Rule, Russell Simmons, RUN-DMC and more offer insight into Jam Master Jay’s life – including information that could finally help police solve the murder that shook the music world to its core.

2 Turntables And A Microphone – DVD Available December 1
Image Entertainment / One Village Entertainment http://www.image-entertainment.com

Pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/Turntables-Microphone-Life-Death-Master/dp/B002C39T14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1259007071&sr=8-1

Hip Hop Cinema
HIP HOP SHORTS

@ Historical Society of Washington D.C.
801 K Street NW Mount Vernon Sq., 8th and K Streets 20001

1PM-5PM | Free

In Honor of Hip Hop Appreciation Month, Hip Hop Cinema Café will celebrate with a day-long showcase of over 12 Hip Hop Short Films from around the corner and across the globe.

For a complete list of films log onto hiphopcinemacafe.com
(Ages 18 to Adults) No RSVP required.

featuring:

Can She Be Saved?

Author/activist/producer Yasmin Shiraz exposes the recent phenomenon of girl fights in America-the prevalence of video images featuring girls physically attacking each other. Painting a dark picture of what happens to juveniles who engage in violent activity, Can She Be Saved? provides historical, cultural and personal references to understand why teen girls are fighting and if anything can be done to make them stop. Revealing the cultural attitudes of girl fighting, Shiraz includes pop culture references, crime and violence statistics as well as news stories that hype the images of girls battling. Shiraz then interviews middle school girls from Syracuse, NY who have been labeled “aggressive” by their teachers, principals and/or guidance counselors. These girls were known to fight and get into disagreements with their classmates. In her interviews of teen girls and professionals who work with youth, Shiraz uncovers the shocking reasons behind the girls’ attitudes and actions. Though the girl’s reasons for fighting contrast with the professional subject’s opinions, the girl’s testimonies make a case for compassion instead of condemnation.

Other Films include:

I AM SEAN BELL Black boys speak A Short Form Documentary from Wildseed Films Directed by Stacey Muhammad, Edited by: Stacey Muhammad & R.H. Bless

I AM SEAN BELL, Black boys speak is a short form documentary, produced by Wildseed Films, directed by Stacey Muhammad. On November 25, 2006, undercover NYPD officers fired at least 50 rounds of bullets into a car carrying three UNARMED men of African American and Latino decent; killing one, SEAN BELL and seriously wounding two others. Bell age 23 was scheduled to be married on that fateful day. Three of the five detectives involved in the shooting went to trial on charges ranging from manslaughter to reckless endangerment. All were found not guilty. The incident has sparked fierce criticism of the NYPD as the city faces yet another murder of an unarmed African American man at the hands of those expected to protect and serve. “I AM SEAN BELL, black boys speak” is a short form documentary from Wildseed Films that highlights the voices of young black boys between the ages of 11 and 13 years old growing up in New York City. They speak openly and honestly about their reaction to the Sean Bell tragedy as well as their fears and hopes as they approach manhood in a city where the lives of young black men are often cut short, to often, and too soon. I AM SEAN BELL, black boys speak made it’s film festival premier at the PATOIS New Orleans International Human Rights film festival. Since that time the film has been screened at festivals and events nationwide.

HIPHOP Aesthetics: The 5 Senses, Part 1-SIGHT Directed by Danielle Eliska Lyle

To Generation X, the essential 5 elements of survival are air, water, fire, earth and HIPHOP… HIPHOP is more than Dirty Dozens on playgrounds, cardboard on sidewalks, b-boxing contests and tagged freeway overpasses—it is liberation through expression and sound. HIPHOP Aesthetics: The 5 Senses is a documentary series on the elements of HIPHOP in Detroit. We get up close and personal with two of Detroit’s finest—SINTEX, the Graffiti guru and Fel’le, the Airbrush don. They stimulate our visual, bringing us to a climax while we feast on eye candy in Part I— SIGHT.

Hip Hop Love Story A Short Fiction Film Directed by Omar Akbar, Edited by: Omar Akbar

Hip Hop Love Story is one man’s testimony to the power of Love and a new beginning. This movie depicts the journey from heartache to rebirth from the perspective of an Emcee. An abstract tale of pain and joy told in 6 parts through the narration of the Emcees lyrics.

Up in the Attic Directed by Kamal Imani

In the early days of Hip Hop, some teenage young men in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City became very popular. There hangout was in the Attic of one of the leaders of the posse who were known as the Gods AKA the Brothers. The brothers had good looks, magnetic personalities, knowledge of self and the rebelliousness that many teenagers had. They were also well versed in the elements of hip hop. This gave them an aura which attracted many fly girls who wanted to get with them and many fly guys as well as nerds who wanted to get down with the cipher. Many bonds became stronger and many lessons were learned “Up in the Attic”. Up in the Attic is a coming of age story with a realistic mix of drama and comedy. The lead character is actor Jamian Blackmon who plays Jamal and his posse Daquan and Asiatic (Real Brothers), Lakem (The Loud One), Lorenzo (The Instigator), Bookworm and I-Self. Narration by Steven A. Robinson who plays King Hannibal Saladine Allah Special guest appearances by Hip Hop Old School legends and Pioneers Crash Crews Reggie Reg and Yoda, Zulu Kings, DJ Cool Clyde, DJ Cisco, Chill Rob Gee (I Got the Power), Hip Hop Radio Personality Champagne, Ericka M. Williams and more. The soundtrack includes the likes of MC Shan, Chill Rob G, Lakim Shabazz Champagne, Maximus Parthas, Kyss Major, Koffee, DJ Revie Rev & LLC (The Break Out Brothers-Cuzzone Crew), Kamal Supreme, JP & much more!

Additional Short Films

Snowflake

The Revenge of the Robots 
ft. Mr. Lif El-P & RJD2

Hoodlyfe

Rest in Beats

Elevator Music- Tewodross Melchishu

Diamond District Mini Documentary-DJ Roddy Rod

Next: Downtown 2010-Omar Akbar

Another Randon Joint- Kev Brown

Hollywood-Phil Ade

No Love-J-Scrilla, K-Beta, XO, Oddisee, RAtheMC, Wordsmith, Judah and Teleflon

…………………….

“The monthly Hip-Hop Cinema Café is a great way to enjoy hip-hop and film at the same time in D.C., but if you want to participate fully in these screenings, you should first familiarize yourself with a few canonical movies. Sure, you can show up, watch, and bounce, but often the best part of this event is the talk afterward, which typically includes a roundtable of D.C.-based arts luminaries.”

- Washington CityPaper Best Of D.C. ‘09

The Washington Post on HHCC:
“Film Series Spotlights D.C. Style Of Hip-Hop”

The Washington CityPaper on HHCC:
“Best of D.C. 2009-Staff Pick: Best Way to Enjoy the Intersection of Film and Hip-Hop

With hip-hop continuing to take a creative downturn, Attention: Deficit is a long-overdue stimulus package.” - XXL (XL Rating)

“Several excellent mixtapes have won Wale a reputation as a smart lyricist in an age of dumbed-down ringtone rap. He often lives up to that promise on his major-label debut, tossing out deep thoughts and show-offy puns over beats that pay homage to the go-go of his native D.C.” – Entertainment Weekly

“It’s a stellar offering from a wildly gifted rapper…” – WashingtonPost.com

“With his Lil Wayne-worthy punchlines, Kanye levels of heart, and Hova-approaching fluidities of flow, Wale’s not being overly presumptuous when he calls himself the ‘past, present, and future of hip-hop.’” – SlantMagazine.com

Attention Deficit, the debut album from D.C. rapper Wale is available today everywhere music is sold!

Available now on Amazon and iTunes

Attention Deficit includes the hit “Chillin” featuring Lady Gaga and the new single “Pretty Girls” featuring Gucci Mane and Weensey of the Backyard Band. Be sure to check out “Pretty Girls” below!

MP3: Pretty Girls – Wale ft. Gucci Mane & Weensey
http://usershare.net/d6tytsnq93ut

Wale
Attention Deficit – In Stores TODAY!
Allido Records/IGA
www.walemusic.com

Connect with Wale:
http://twitter.com/wale
http://www.myspace.com/wale
http://www.facebook.com/waleofficial

BIO

You pronounce his name: Wah-Lay! He brings many blessings on the mic and he’s from D.C. Rap heads and broader music fans know that the nation’s capital is both a blessing and a curse. It’s an intensely musical city, volatile, stratified, somewhat disenfranchised. Natives often chirp about the ‘crab-in-the-bucket’ syndrome when it comes to artists’ getting up and out. But without struggle there is no progress. And when they do get out, boy, watch out.

Twenty-four-year old Wale Folarin first broke out and broke ground in 2005, appearing in the Source magazine’s vaunted Unsigned Hype column—the same column that launched the careers of the Notorious B.I.G., Common, and Mobb Deep. The son of Nigerian immigrants, Wale was exposed to all sorts of music growing up. His father, a city cab driver, would field radio requests day and night from his wide-ranging clientele. He’d then bring these different sounds into his own family’s home. “His musical tastes were all over the place,” Wale grins. “By the time I was born, I got all of them. Of course, in D.C. we have the go-go influence; that’s the sound of my niche so to speak. Then my father loved African music; then I would hear records from Thriller to the Beatles to LL Cool J to Jay-Z to Camp Lo to everything from down South. I was listening to all that stuff.”

So many stimuli could prove distracting. Indeed, Wale wrestled with incorporating his array of musical influences into a finished product that was cohesive and fluid. “I kept coming back to Jay-Z’s The Black Album, how it was personal and musical,” he reflects. “I wanted to do an album like that because D.C. is musical. But when I sat down to write, I felt different every session. So the album is musical, but it doesn’t have one theme. When I felt something, I put it down. That’s why it’s called Attention: Deficit. I don’t speak on one thing. And I finally got comfortable with that; after all, there’s a lot I wanted to say.”

For years, Wale built his yen to speak. But it wasn’t for inactivity or sitting idly and thinking deep thoughts. Wale was a collegiate athlete when the Source column hit, playing football at Bowie State University. He’d previously played at both Robert Morris College and Virginia State University. In what little free time remained, he toured furiously on the strength of digital mixtapes such as Paint a Picture and Hate is the New Love. In 2007, he independently released the record “Good Girls,” which caught the ear of world-renowned DJ and producer Mark Ronson. The two felt instant creative synergy, and Wale signed to Ronson’s Allido records. That same year, the two performed at the legendary Glastonbury Music Festival and also at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Wale followed the grounds well with a string of successful mixtapes—such as 2008’s superlative Mixtape About Nothing and the recent gem Back to the Feature. Both the underground and the mainstream had taken notice; Wale graced a 2008 XXL Magazine cover, alongside upstart blue chippers Asher Roth, Kid Cudi and Charles Hamilton, as part of the magazine’s yearly Freshman 10 feature. Each year, XXL anoints ten MCs charged with leading hip-hop. Wale is at the very forefront of that movement.

Need another industry cosign? Try Hov himself. Jay-Z opened both his arms and his doors to the D.C. MC, signing Wale to his Roc Nation management company. Wale embraced the opportunity, for himself and his oft-maligned hometown. “When I first met with Jay, I was like: ‘I want to do 100,000 the first week, 50,000 in D.C.,” Wale harkens. “He was like: ‘Don’t think about putting D.C. on the map, don’t put that pressure on yourself because a lot of other people will put it on you,’” Wale reveals. “‘Just concentrate on making the best music you can and hope DC gets the attention it deserves.’ That’s one of the best pieces of advice Jay-Z ever gave me.”

The sage advice has paid off. Wale comes armed with his ambitious yet polished debut album, Attention: Deficit, dropping September 22nd. Released earlier this spring, first single “Chillin’” featuring Lady Gaga and produced by gifted beatsmiths Cool & Dre, has already damaged airwaves and dancefloors worldwide. Wale’s unorthodox delivery interweaves with Lady Gaga’s infectious, rambunctious melody. “I just wanted to do something fun,” he says of “Chillin.’ “It’s totally left from the rest of my album. I wanted to collaborate with somebody who’s never worked with a rapper to get the net as wide as I could— bring everybody into my world. Like, ‘Look dog, this is what these 300,000, 400,000 people have been talking about for years.’ This album will illustrate what people been talking about: creativity, showmanship, lyricism, impeccably written songs, everything that made people follow me from jump.”

Another joint to check for is “Mirror,” produced by Mark Ronson and featuring Bun B. “‘Mirror, tell me I’m the realest/All these other ni–as got gimmicks in their lyrics,’” Wale raps. “I can look at you without having a problem. I know who I am. ‘Mirror’ is all about integrity.” Elsewhere, find the fitting “Artistic Integrity Part 2,” also called “Center of Attention.” “I’m talking about the world from an artist’s point of view,” Wale informs. “There’s a line where I say people are ‘keeping up with Khloe and Kim [Kardashian], not the Obamas though.’ I’m analyzing people keeping with pop culture and America’s fascination with celebrity. When people get obsessed with it, it makes you wonder what are we doing with our lives?” But Attention: Deficit is not about preaching, it’s about sharing. Wale’s many facets are on glittering display. “My goal is to just connect with people,” he explains. “I think my album does that because I have big, unusual ideas. There are songs about insecurities, songs about love but from a dark side of it. Listeners will find something that makes sense to them.”

“No matter what, you keep growing,” he concludes. “It’s like I’ve done 1200-seat shows and sold them out. OK, I want to do 3,000 now. The press picked me to be one of the dudes to blow up in hip-hop; let me do it. But when I do it, don’t praise me too hard, just let me do it again. I might be the best, but the world doesn’t know that yet. Then when I am number one, I will have to prove it every single time. And I will.”

Let’s go behind the scenes with SM City on the set of his new video “Sleeping With The Enemy”

DOWNLAND THE INDIE LIFE MIXTAPE:
http://www.zshare.net/download/67818370d0a02ee5

For More Information Log onto
http://theindielifedmv.com

Special Thanks to: SM City, Fru and G Light Films

SS: This is Jabari Majid of Sol Source here with a dope up and coming emcee straight out the DMV, named Lyriciss. How is everything my brotha?

Everything’s good man.

SS: Starting out, congrats on the success of “The Day Job” Mixtape. I understand it’s getting a lot of downloads and people are definitely taking a listen to what you have to say.

SS: First off, for those who don’t know you, who is Lyriciss and how would you describe yourself and what you bring to the table as an artist?

I bring Hip Hop. Man, there’s really no other way to put it. Everybody nowadays is doing everything…its kinda like genre bending with what everybody is doing. I keep it very very Hip-Hop. I may throw in some different type of beats every now and then, but I definitely bring back that Old School Hip Hop feel. That’s what I was raised on. I can’t sing [laughts], so your going to hear me rap a lot.

SS: How long have you been doing your thing as an Emcee?

I’ve been rapping since I was nine. I’m 21 now, so that’s 12 years at it.

SS: Who were some of your major influences coming up and Who are some of your major influences now?

Rhymin‘, I started looking up a lot to Big Daddy Kane. My mom played a lot of Big Daddy Kane, a lot of Rakim, a lot of Wu-Tang, and she played A LOT of Jay-Z. So that really played a lot into what I do. Nowadays I listen to a lot of Joe Budden, J. Cole who is out of North Carolina. He’s also the first artist signed to Jay-Z‘s new label Roc Nation. A lot of people are getting hip to him now, but I started listening to him when he dropped his first mixtape “The Come Up.” I also listen to Christian Rich who is out of Chicago. They’re some of those genre bending artists, but I just like their music, they’re dope.

SS: I noticed that in your material you mix your punch line game with personal topics that the average person can relate to. How important do you feel it is to deliver a message in the today‘s music?

It’s very important because a lot of people don’t understand. A lot of people rap nowadays and they’re just trying to get the money. But what they don’t understand is that being a rapper and being in the public eye and ear you’re a role model. These little kids are looking up to us. Like even when I’m around the way little kids are saying “Man I love the fact that you’re saying something more than just “Get That Money” or “Get These Bitches.” You know what I’m saying. I’m a grown man. I like females. I’d love to have money even though I don’t have much, but I’m an average person. So I’m going to talk about something that reaches the common man, because I am the common man.

SS: On your mixtape you have beats from J-Scrilla, G-Way out of Boston, and Arafat. How did your relationships with some of the producers on the mixtape come about, as well as your production deal with Equinox Professionals?

Arafat is out of North Carolina and is working with M1 Platoon, and 9th Wonder. We have a mutual respect for each other. We got hooked up through Mody from www.dctobc.com and then it just went for there man. He’s a real cool dude. Very talented. And to know he likes my music is crazy to me, so we just started throwing beats back and forth, you know. M1 platoon is a group from DC themselves. They’re all out in North Carolina right now working on the music with 9th Wonder.

As far as with G-Way goes, Mody from dctobc.com also he hooked that up. That’s somebody he went to school with up at Boston College. As far as J-$crilla, I’d always see Inner Loop Records around at the events. I hit a lot of the DC events. They throw like the Beat Downs and all that. And he said he liked my music, like my flow so he threw me a beat for the mixtape. Also, even though it hasn’t materialized into the planning yet, we are trying to do an EP together. As far as Equinox Professionals it’s funny because I’ve known Pro’Verb from way back. Not way way back, but high school days. He was messin’ with a female, I was messin’ with a female and they were friends. And so we ended up meetin’. That was back when I was cocky rapper. Like I’m real quiet nowadays. Back then I was real cocky so he was like “I’ll battle anybody, I’m the best out!” So I saw Pro’Verb again at Howard’s Homecoming last year and they were watching Los from Bad Boy. He was out there performing. We were watching them. So, I saw Pro and Veda there. I didn’t know Veda at the time. I’m talking to Pro like “Yeah, so what ya’ll about to do?” He was like, “We going back to the studio, you trying to roll?” I was like, “Fuck it, let’s roll!” And we did the song “Rapture.” And that’s how it started. From there we just grew a mutual respect and started becoming like fam. I love that track. We were trying to out do each other. We went to the studio and built up a relationship through the music and they asked me if I wanted to get with Equinox and I was all for it.

SS: What’s your take on the sound of the DMV? Do you feel the DMV has any particularly unique style that differentiates it from other regions across the country?

You can say that in the fact that nobody’s going to bring the vibe we bring. You have the Go-Go beats that are mixed into the sounds. You can hear it clearly in the DC accent when certain words are used, but I don’t really try to pigeonhole our sound as the “DMV Sound.” I think if it’s dope it’s dope. If it’s not it’s wack. Everybody has their own style. Like you hear Pro’Verb. He doesn’t sound super DC, but you can tell by the way he says things that he’s from here [DC]. Everybody is bringing something to the table. You got Ardamus and Flex Mathews that spazz out on tracks and performances and they don’t sound like…its like a southern mix of the voices here and you can tell they’re from DC. It’s the personality. That’s what shines through.

SS: “The Day Job“…Now that particular project was spawned through Hip Hop and rapping being your main source of income correct? How has that fueled your drive in terms of the time you dedicate to your craft and how often you’re in the studio?

Yeah, I’m just doing the music. I don’t have anything else right now. I’m looking for jobs right now. I’ve always looked for jobs, but ya’ll know the recession man. It’s hard to get a job out here. It is what it is, right now music is all I got.

It’s made me a so much better artist. Like I’ve always wanted to rap, but I didn’t have the time to focus on being a good studio artist or a great writer. So now that I’ve focused on that, its made me that much better. Its made me drive that much harder. Not only that, but just the birth of my daughter made me go even harder, because it’s like this needs to work now. I don’t have another option. My daughter is 1 year and I think we’re coming on 5 or 6 months now. Her name is Syriah Lenelle Bailey. She is my heart, my soul. I don’t get to see as much as I wish I could, but every time I see her you’re going to see a smile on my face man.

SS: When you are in the studio, what’s your creative process when composing a song? Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Life. The whole time. Like anything that’s going on around me I’m going to rap about it. If I’m sitting in the studio and I need a line to think of and there’s a DVD right there I’m probably going to rap about the title of the DVD or something that happened in the movie. Or if I’m just sitting around and its like a somber beat I’m probably going to think about a sad time I had and draw from that and make that into music. A lot of my music is very reality based. So a lot of it correlates to my life. I’m not really into the whole fantasy talk like I got this car, this chain and ya’ll know damn well I just hopped off the train. That’s just not me.

SS: So, when you do sit down with the the pen and pad, do you draw from verses that you’ve already composed or do you try to write everything on the spot in the studio?

I try to write everything on the spot, but if I hear something, a beat, and I know that I have something that’s already written that would be great on it I will use that verse. All day. I don’t recycle verses. You won’t hear the same verse on two songs, but I have a lot of stuff that’s pre-written just because in my spare time…like let’s say I’m on the train and I have a random thought, I’ll write that line. Ya’ll see it on Twitter. I’ll just post a random line every now and then because it just hits me and I might put that into a song. I don’t really freestyle too much in the studio. You’ll catch me in the cipher out here on U St all the time, but I don’t really freestyle in the studio too much. I feel like with the craft, I want it to be right. I want it to be perfect. I don’t want to freestyle a verse and it goes off topic and shit like that. I’m not Wayne.

SS: Speaking of creativity, I know you recently shot a video with director Gadget for “Doing My Job?” Why did you choose Gadget to direct your video?

Well, he got at me. He said he was interested in doing some work. If someone is really interested in working with me we can do it. I don’t care too much about the whole money factor or whatever. If you can bring a vision to my lyrics then let’s do it. He was interested in doing it so I hit him up. We did the doing my job video. We had talked about that when he had the footage from the “Go Hard” photo shoot. So, we went from there, he sent me the treatment, we got together on that day, we went over there by New York Avenue and got it done.

SS: Why did you chose that particular location, “The Historical Society Museum,” as the backdrop? How did you relay your vision to Gadget in making the video a success?

Gadget chose the location. I had no idea Hip-Hop Cinema was going on that day. I’ve been to the Hip Hop Cinema before, but I didn’t know it was going on that day, so when I got there it was a big surprise for me. I enjoyed it and it really worked in the favor of it, because that really is an historical place. It was great for me, I loved it. In terms of the video, I didn’t really have an idea for it, because at first I wanted to do some crazy stuff like we’re going to do “Doing my Job” and I’m going to be working somewhere. But I was like nah. I didn’t want to do it too much on that one. I just wanted it to be straight visual. Me putting the lyrics out there and we put it together. The next video that I do though, you’re going to see some creativity in that one. I plan to draw out that treatment or work with someone experienced to draw out that treatment. Not to say Gadget isn’t experienced, but we went straight through with that one. So, the next time I do a video you’re going to see some ideas out there. I’m definitely inspired by the homies Christian Rich. If anybody saw their “Famous Girl” video you gotta step up ya game after that.

SS: There are many emcees out there who haven’t shot videos, but still have garnered a certain degree of notoriety in the Hip-Hop game. How important do you feel it is to use media and technology to advance yourself in today’s music industry?

It’s very important. This industry, they’re not going to do it for you anymore. You have to be a self-made businessman. I do a lot of the work for myself. I have my P.R. Candice Nicole, my favorite publicist in the world. I have my management out in New Orleans, A Lifestyle, but I put a lot of the load on my own back. They kind of hate me for that, because I’ll do stuff and not tell them and its just because its spur of the moment. I have that worker’s heart in me, because I feel like no one is going to care about my career as much as I am. And that’s the truth. These labels nowadays, they’re not going to care as much about your career as you are so if you think you’re just going to rock on a track with some crazy bass and then make it…yeah, you might make it, because you got your gimmick going, but they’re not going to look out for your best interest. They’re not going to give you a million dollar deal. They’re not going to make sure your publishing is straight. They’re not going to make sure you have your song copyrights straight. They’re going to make their money off the top. That’s all they care about. So its very important to know how to utilize technology to do it for yourself, because all that can be gone, but if you know how to do it yourself you don’t have to rely on anyone else. And it brings such a bigger audience to you. I never thought I would’ve been on Two Dope Boys and Ill Roots, but I went out of my way to hit them up and introduce myself and they liked the music and it happened. Thank you internet.

SS: I noticed that you have a Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace page. Have those various networking sites helped you to advance your career?

Yeah, definitely. Like I said, it all helps you get out to the people easier. I just reached 5,000 friends on Myspace, 2,000 followers on Twitter, and 1,000 something friends on Facebook. And I don’t feel like I’m anybody too special. I feel like I’m a dope artist, but I’m not all over TV, all over radio. So for me to get that many people that believe in the music and enjoy the music is crazy to me. And that’s all thanks to the internet.

SS: What do you think it takes to succeed in today’s music industry given the leveling of the playing field as it relates to independent artists on the rise?

Number 1: Learn your business. This music business is a business first. Know how get your royalties, your publishing, your copyrights. Know how to get your own distribution; whether it be through iTunes or physical. Make sure you do that yourself. Know every legal term of any contract you sign. Learn this business. Have business tact. Know how to talk to people about business. Learn how to separate the personal side from the business side. Other than that you have to have your own drive man. Like I said, you can’t expect anybody to do shit for you. Push yourself man, don’t feel like you have to give up because its not happening right now. It takes years. It takes many years. I’ve wanted to sign to Rock-A-Fella since I was 15. Not to say I want to be there now, but I’m just saying that I’ve been trying to chase this dream forever and haven’t made it, I’m just making strides. It takes forever. Jay-Z was 26 when he really hit the scene. It takes a while to make it happen, but if you keep that heart in you and you know the business, you’re going to make it.

SS: What locally or nationally known artists would you like to work with in the future?

Anybody that’s really trying to work with me. Anybody that’s really about making good music. Yeah, if you’re about making good music and you’re about making it for Hip-Hop and getting it out to the people, let’s do it man. Business has to be handled, but I’m not really too much about the “Oh, I’m going to pay $500 to $1,000 for this verse, because I can honestly make good music by myself. I’m in talks right now with the dude S.O. from New York. Anybody that’s on their underground New York game knows about S.O. We’re talking about doing some stuff. I’m trying to get a track with J. Cole. I got the contact info from Drake’s manager and I’m looking to make something happen with that. Whatever happens happens.

SS: What are some of your upcoming projects that people should be on the lookout for?

I’m working on a new mixtape. At first I was going to call the mixtape The Lyriciss Lounge Show, but I just made the decision that I’m going back to what the first mixtape was supposed to be. This one is going to be called The Voice of the Metro. The next project after that will be my EP. That will be called The Lyriciss Lounge Show or something relating to that. Then The Lyriciss Lounge LP will come after that. The Lyriciss Lounge LP will be distributed through iTunes.

SS: And lastly, on behalf of Sol Source I’d like to thank you for taking time out of your schedule and sitting down with me for this interview. Are there any parting words for your fans out there or for those people that have yet to hear about you?

Definitely be on the lookout man. Me and DJ M.A.F. might be out in the U.K. this year. I might be in New York this year to handle some business, get this job, and really progress with the music more. It might be Brooklyn. I love Brooklyn. I’ve been to New York many times. I like Harlem, I love Brooklyn. I enjoy Brooklyn man and I love New York man. It’s the birthplace of Hip-Hop and how can I love Hip Hop without loving New York. Other than that, just look out for new music and keep your ear to the blogs, www.twodopeboys.com, www.illroots.com, www.BeatsandBombs.com. Everybody that supports 4DMVOnly, and Mumbo Sauce, I love all of you! Other than that man, Peace & Hip-Hop, look out for me.

DeLorean Music Group/EQuinox Professionals
http://www.reverbnation.com/Lyriciss
http://www.myspace.com/lyriciss202
http://www.lyriciss-dmv.com
http://www.twitter.com/Lyriciss

Jabari Majid is a Staff Writer for HHCC