10 Questions 4… Will Rap 4 Food
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Will Rap 4 Food, Inc. educates, empowers, and mobilizes the Hip Hop community to be agents of change in the global eradication of hunger through awareness, unity and the powerful influence of art.
1. “Hunger Kills, Hip Hop Heals” is a powerful way to introduce your mission. Plenty of folks have heard about Will Rap 4 Food. For those who haven’t yet, could you talk about the inspiration that led to starting the organization?
Will Rap 4 Food began with a conversation centered on hip hop artist Pro'Verb's desire to give back to his community. Everyone agreed that artists are role models, whether they accept it or not, with the power to create movements. Yet many don’t do enough for their communities. Hunger Kills, Hip Hop Heals is a reversal of this careless and destructive culture and the impact it's having on our people. The joke was that they, the artists, expect the same people they don't support with their influence to support their careers. The hunger epidemic was brought up several times throughout the conversation on the direction of our cause. Most of us have personally experienced missing meals and the lasting effects it can have. Our core belief is whether you are rich, middle class, poor, a major artist, independent artist, or not an artist, we all should be servants of our community.
2. Why hunger? Of all the social maladies we face, why did hunger strike you as the place to begin? And what other issues have you included in your work?
The issue of hunger plagues the entire world, and we believe this should not be the case. The effects of not eating or having nutritional, balanced meals are at the core of the spreading of many diseases which our nation and world face. Just recently, we partnered with farmers and co-ops to bring focus to organic, local and urban farmers. This partnership has helped to increase awareness that eating organic foods do not have to be an expensive option.
3. Most of the time it seems like there are too few Hip Hop artists spitting positive verses, but your point is that what matters more is that artists use their influence to help create some positive outcomes?
We all must understand that hip hop culture is a reflection of our community. If you have positive movements in your community supported by the youth, then you'll see a change in our music. Will Rap 4 Food seeks voices and good stewards of the community and its people. If someone is passionate about our movement, we'll work together for the cause. We've witnessed the action of serving have a positive effect on the mentality of our volunteers. One word, amazing!!!
Sophisticated Sunday: Jewels from Cathy Hughes, Founder of Radio One and TV One
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“It’s interesting how God arranges your schedule. When you’re helping someone else, you never run out of time, when you’re just interested in helping yourself, time is real short.”
– Cathy Hughes
Her family values, undeniable work ethic, struggles and strengths have long been documented. In this interview, Cathy Hughes, the founder of Radio One and TV One, talks deeper about those who have influenced her and provides a perspective of D.C. that is often forgotten – our regality. She is considered one of the greatest media and entertainment professionals of our generation, having struggled through homelessness to own the most influential media commodity in American urban culture. This week for Sophisticated Sunday, I spoke with Ms. Hughes about the lessons she’s learned, and her thoughts about giving, the entertainment industry and her overwhelming love for Washington, DC. This was truly one of the most sophisticated conversations I’ve had, and it’s my pleasure to share these jewels from Cathy Hughes with you…
What are the most important lessons that you’ve learned about life and your industry?
Hughes: I think that one of the most important lessons that I’ve learned is that you have to be very careful with what you share with your loved ones when you go through hard times. So often they will distract you from your goals because they care about you, but they don’t want to see you struggle. My mother begged me to get a government job, when I was sleeping in a sleeping bag in the radio station. She loved me. She wasn’t happy seeing me suffer, and I was complaining to her. She wanted me to have future security. But my future security depended on my current initiative.
Hang in there, and just guard what you share with them. You figure that it’s your mama, it’s your boyfriend, and it’s your best girl. And you should be able to tell them anything, but that’s not the case. They’ll give you bad advice and it will change your course.
I read that when Radio One turned 30 in 2010, instead of having a big anniversary party, you paid 1,800 members of your staff to volunteer at various organizations in the community. Why did you do that and what are the causes that are most dear to you?
Hughes: When we turned 25 I had a massive birthday party. It was on the Washington Post’s front page, Best Party Ever had in DC. I had Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Jay-Z; I had Eddie Levert, and Beyonce was my headliner. When it was all over, I looked at how much money I had spent: the hotel, the caterer, the music…
When I [Radio One] turned 30 five years later, it was a totally different economy. People were struggling. People were getting laid off, so it wasn’t the time to be celebrating. It was the time to roll up your sleeves and help other people, and that’s what we did.
It changed my organization and many of my staff. Many of my people today are still working with the organizations that they signed up to help. They got bitten by the help someone else bug.
It’s interesting how God arranges your schedule. When you’re helping someone else, you never run out of time, when you’re just interested in helping yourself, time is real short.
When you concentrate on yourself, you don’t get the same type of reaction from the universe and you don’t get the same type of assistance from God. The agencies that we helped during that week of service ended up benefiting, but who ended up benefiting the most are my staff members.
Thoughtful Thursday - Poetry
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Probably Grief
Now, nearing my own nadir I reflect on
All things never said and seldom done
I have come around to the emptiness
That eats my heart
I have to define it, know it, and name what
This feeling is
Because it is not longing, or lust, or want
It does not spring from an absence of love
It is not surety, or the shame it brings
Or hurt, or regret, honestly
And it is not care for what others think
I lost touch with remorse in the 7th grade
What I feel, I think, is probably grief
That there is no such thing as a happy ending
No such thing as second chances
No cavalry coming from just beyond the hills
Event Recap: Music Industry Describes Reesa Renee’s Wonderland Cool Tour Finale presented by Sports Zone Elite as “Epic” and “Phenomenal”
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By Natasha T. Brown
From spectacular lighting and production, an eclectic performance lineup down to the headliner, iTunes Charting “Neo-Hip” Soul Singer Reesa Renee, the Wonderland Cool Tour Finale presented by Sports Zone Elite on Friday, August 23, gave attendees at The Fillmore in downtown Silver Spring a never-before-seen festival-style concert inclusive of soul, pop, R&B, hip-hop, rock-n-roll and indie rock!
“This event is one of the most artistic and professional events I’ve seen in at least 15 years coming out the DC Metropolitan area! It was put together so gracefully and I am proud to have witnessed this new cultural movement. DC has truly evolved a new Renaissance and is a leading factor with such unique artists as Reesa Renee and her team. Phenomenal Work!” said Actress/Host TuLuv Price.
“The Wonderland Cool Tour was amazing! No indie artist from the DMV has done it that big before! Congrats Reesa Renee and team because it was phenomenal,” said 368 artist Visto.
Review - Fathers Children "Love & Life Stories"
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By Khari Gzifa
In today's "urban" musical landscape, we have been conditioned to accept some pretty weird conventions. Like all our male leads should sound like women, all of our R&B or soul (if such a category even exists, save for our pioneering artists who still carry the torch around to small venues all over the south) should use all the same sounds as hip-hop and can be easily "remixed" into rap ballads, and maybe the most important...the lyrics should be narrowly focused on lust, materialism and the most trivial aspects of relationships. If you think I sound harsh, I invite you to listen to any 5 songs in a row on any so called "Home Of R&B" and see if my descriptions do not hold up. Better yet, I dare you.
Fortunately for DMV residents and now with the power of technology the rest of the world can also benefit from the fact that this area has produced musicians for decades that defy these trite attempts at art. One such group of individuals is Fathers Children. After first gaining prominence in this area decades ago, they are back with new album "Love & Life Stories" and concert in DC to announce not only their return, but hopefully a return to real music.
I feel like I am limiting this album by simply calling it R&B, as it encompasses soul and jazz elements very prominently as well. I can paint a brief picture of the album by telling you first what is NOT on it. If you are a fan of the current state of affairs you might be looking for a lot of the same sounds you hear on the ChrisBrown-FrankOcean-TreySongz continuum, nope: you might be looking for vapid and cliché sentimentality in the lyrics, nope, not here; you might even want to hear a hot 16 from your favorite A-list rapper filled with misogyny and classist bravado, again, a no show. But what you will get is a beautiful collection of well "hand crafted" songs. And I feel the need to make note of some really exceptional musicianship throughout the album. The tracks were obviously paid special attention and they allow each lead to really shine with his lyrics as the backgrounds are so smooth, that you instantly are drawn into what you're hearing.
