===========================
FNV HIP HOP NEWSLETTER #101
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October 3 2002
In this week's issue

*Jurassic 5 Album is Off the Hook
*PE Set to Hit the West Coast
*Russell Simmons Renames Sneaker After Candidate
*Hip Hop Gets It's First Mayor
*Saul Williams, Mos Def, Dilated Peoples Say; 'Not In Our Name'.
*KRS Releases 'I On Terror':  Touches Down in the Bay Area
*The Luniz Represent Silver and Black
*Assassination Attempt on Fred Hampton Jr
*Maxine Waters to Hold Townhall Meeting in LA
*Urban Think Tank to Hold Workshops in NY

The FNV Newsletter c 2002
Send comments to
mrdaveyd@aol.com
peep the websites

www.daveyd.com
www.rapstation.com
========================

HIP HOP WEEK IN REVIEW

J-5 DROPS A BOMB

***First we have to give major props to Jurassic 5.  If you do
anything this weekend get a copy of their new album 'Power In Numbers'
This is what I call straight rewind material.  Its incredible..
absolutely incredible.  What I really dig about the album the fact
that it has such a soulful vibe..  Also if your lucky you may be able
to track down a copy of the album with the blue label that has the DVD
where you can see the day to day activities of the group as they are
followed around as well the video to their current single 'What's
Golden' .  Check for J-5 at the House of Blues in LA this Tuesday Oct
8.
------------------

PE SET TO INVADE THE CALI

***If you happen to be in LA this weekend be sure to peep out Public
Enemy along with Dilated Peoples at the House of Blues [Monday Oct
7th] They sold out their shows in Chicago and seemed perch to really
take it to the next level in LA.  I know when I ran into the group in
NY they were really amped about performing in LaLa Land so expect the
group to pull out all stops and go full throttle.  The thing to check
for is when they do the song 'Son of A Buch'.  On some of the show
dates the group which now includes a band, has gone on to do 2.5 hour
sets.  For cats in the Bay Area they will be touching down at the
Filmore this Thursday Oct 10.  That will be the last date on the US
portion of the tour.
------------------

*Props go out to Crazy Legs of the Rocksteady Crew.  I ran into during
the Wildstyle 20th Anniversary Event in LES [Lower East Side] and he
pulled out a doll that was made in his image.  Yep that's right folks
a genuine B-Boy doll named after Crazy Legs.  Also RSC will be doing a
big celebration of their 25th anniversary in Los Angeles in mid
November there will be more details to follow.....

Also we here that the World Famous Wake Up Show with Sway, King Tech
and Carmilita will be back on the air in LA in a major way..  we'll
keep you posted on that..
===================

RUSSELL SIMMONS RENAMES SNEAKER AFTER CANDIDATE

***Next up we have Mr. Russell Simmons.  In an attempt to boost voter
moral and appeal he has renamed a sneaker offered by his Phat Farm
clothing label to support gubernatorial candidate Carl McCall.  The
shoe will simply be called the Carl McCall Running Show so people can
be reminded "to run to the polls".  The sneaker is all white and has
classic phat laces with the P [Phat Farm logo] on the side.  The name
change will be in effect for the next month and will include Simmons
cutting radio spots touting his support for McCall.

Maybe its me, but if I was Carl McCall I would try and get high
profile cats like Simmons and P-Diddy who also supports him to do some
TV ads.  Every 5 minutes I see ads for his opponent-Governor Pataki.
In fact, the Republican Governor has gone out and gotten a bunch of
Democrats including former NY Mayor Ed Koch, to do TV spots where they
proudly let the world know who they intend to roll with.  I'm sitting
there watching the TV wondering how come McCall doesn't have any TV
ads with Russell Simmons telling cats to vote.  These should be
running on shows like BET's '106 and Park', 'The Bernie Mac Show' etc.
Dude needs to do something cause his 'rags to riches' commercials that
feature just him are boring as hell...

Come on Carl put on those Phat Farm sneakers and start running..  Make
it happen.  Get P-Diddy to do a song or rename a dance after you.
Let's switch it up and rename the 'Harlem Shuffle' to the 'McCall
Shuffle'.  In anycase, there's a lot riding on this next election and
folks need to register if they haven't done so already.  The election
is about 30 days away.  To register to vote link here:
http://www.newvoter.com/entry.asp?x=www.rockthevote.org
-----------------------

HIP HOP GETS ITS FIRST MAYOR

*** In other news...  Afrika Bambaataa and KRS-One have often been
found of saying that Hip Hop needs to have Hip Hop doctors, lawyers
and mayors...  Well we do have doctors and we have lawyers.  Now Hip
Hop can point to its first Mayor.  Well I should say, Deputy Mayor.
Hip Hop artist/school teacher and one time candidate for Mayor, Ras
Baraka-who is the son of poet Amiri Baraka was sworn in last Friday by
the city of Newark, New Jersey to be one of four Deputy Mayors..
Here's a copy of the press release I received.

On Friday, September 27, 2002, Ras Baraka was officially sworn in as
Deputy Mayor for the City of Newark (an appointed position).  He is
one of four deputy mayors and is in charge of Youth and Social
Services.  He retains his post as an Assistant Principal at Weequahic
High School in Newark.  Many of you supported Ras' campaign for City
Council earlier this year.  Although he lost by approximately 100
votes, it is clear that Ras, a native of this municipality, is an
important leader in the city of Newark, a true voice for the hiphop
generation and all the people of Newark, and a political force to be
reckoned with in the coming years.

We congratulate Ras on his appointment.  Who said Hip Hop wouldn't
come this far.  For more info on Ras check out
http://www.onepeoplesproject.com/barakaprofile.htm

-----------------------------

SAUL WILLIAMS, MOS DEF, DILATED PEOPLE SAY 'NOT IN OUR NAME'

***With President George Bush getting an important resolution passed
by the Senate earlier this week, the country takes another giant step
towards war with Iraq.  A lot of folks are not down with the idea and
have been organizing and phoning their Congressional reps telling them
to stand up and say 'No' to George Bush.  Among the folks standing up
and saying 'No' is Hip Hop artist Saul Williams.  He recently put out
a 4 song CD called 'Not In Our Name' which is not boldly reflects his
sentiments against Bush's war policies, but its release also coincides
with the massive rallies that are planned in US cities all around the
country this Sunday October 6th.  Here in the Bay Area they are
expecting crowds of up to 20 thousand people to come down to Union
Square in San Francisco.  In New York City they are expecting similar
crowds to converge on Central Park.  For more info peep out:
http://www.notinourname.net

Recently the Not In Our Name project took out a full page ad in the NY
Times opposing War on Iraq.  Among the signees were fellow Hip Hop
artists Mos Def, Ozomatli and Rakaa Iriscience of Dilated Peoples.
During the Public Enemy show in New York, Blackalicious announced on
stage that they would be out at the Central Park Rally but I haven't
been able to officially confirm their participation.  Hopefully they
not only tap them but also get a hold of J-Live to perform his song
'Satisfied' which speaks to this issue of war.

As for Saul Williams, here's an excerpt from one of his songs called
'September12'

"ignorance is on tour, booking stadiums and more.
the days of hitler painted pictures patriotic with gore"

"you won't put it in you headlines.
people are we that blind? do we need a headline?...
if we only see what they want us to see,
we'll only be what they want us to be:
fighting in their army!!"

"it's not about retaliation,
your history of war does nothing more
than scar imagination"

"your blindfolded justice
makes you trust in fortuity.
like it's random. it's tandem...
you teach to attack
and then question who planned them"

Folks are trying to get this song out for radio play..  So if anyone
is interested, I will post up an MP3 copy of the Saul Williams CD as
well as a number of other antiwar songs on my website www.daveyd.com.
Feel free to download them and play them often or call or call 323
463-1295 for more info and ways to obtain your own copy.

"September 12th" is written by Saul Williams with music by Musa.  The
song "Bloodletting" is written and performed by Saul Williams The "Not
In Our Name Pledge of Resistance" is written by the Not In Our Name
Project and performed by Saul Williams.  All tracks were mixed and
mastered with the assistance of T-Ray.  A special thanks goes out to
Epitaph for making these advance radio copies available.
=================================

KRS RELEASES 'I ON TERROR'-TOUCHES DOWN IN THE BAY AREA

***KRS-One also continues to make moves.  As you know he along with
Kool Moe Dee, Rap The Vote and the Temple of Hip Hop held a conference
on 9-11 to speak candidly about Hip Hop's response to the War on
Terror.  He has just released the CDs of the event called 'An I On
Terror'.  All I can say is incredible-absolutely incredible.  It was
very refreshing to hear cats just break things down especially Moe Dee
when he speaks on spirituality and religion.  KRS explains why he has
reversed his position on voting.  Another panelist Dr Bennet gives a
serious break down about the vicious pyschological game mainstream
media and the elected officials played on people during this war on
Terror.  We will be posting copies of that event up on the website
www.daveyd.com and www.Rapstation.com over the weekend.

Speaking of KRS, he along with Mikah 9, Busdriver, DJ Disk, Encore
will be up in San Francisco this weekend to perform a benefit fund
raiser for "Chicken Soup for the Hip Hop Soul" book project.

The event takes place Oct.  4th 2002 at Big Heart City which is
located at 836 Mission St.  between 4th and 5th.  The doors open
promptly at 9 pm and will go on until 5 am.
=======================================


THE LUNIZ REPRESENT THE SILVER AND BLACK
by Mark 'Eastbase' Thompson of  http://www.nzhiphop.com

The Luniz have just released their new album - "Silver & black" -
which features a myriad of guests and arguably their best material
since their 1995 "Operation Stackola" debut.  Members Yukmouth and
Knumskull's collective catalogues are as varied as they are extensive.
From the incredible success of "I got 5 On It" in '95, then the
full-length "Operation Stackola" which remains intrenched in true
Hiphop fans' minds as one of the greatest Bay Area releases period.
Then to the follow up album "Lunatik Muzik" which was unfortunately
heavily slept on - It featured a legendary joint with Too Short (The
Luniz long-time rival) called "Funkin' Over Nothin", as well as the
comedic hits "Phillies", "Is It Kool?"  and "Highest Niggaz In The
Industry".  A 'Bootlegs & B-Sides" album shortly after retrospectively
bridged the gap between albums.

Ultimately, Yukmouth was offered a solo deal by Rap-A-Lot records and
he chose to capitalize on it by instantly putting his heart and soul
into his solo debut "Thugged Out: The Abulation" in 1998 - "I recorded
over 50 tracks for that album, and put the hottest 27 or 28 on a
double CD and I rolled with it" Yukmouth says about his solo debut.

He quickly followed it with "Thug Lord", which held it down for what
maybe some of his greatest work.  Yukmouth has a new solo album called
"Godzilla" due out early 2003, which he decribes as being "Larger than
life, It's going to feature tracks for all different people, something
fort he streets and for the clubs.  It's going to be huge.  Watch out
for it."

Knumskull, however, wasn't offered a solo deal with his label - C-Note
records - instead he had to travel the independent route with Clee
from the Digital Underground with a collaborative effort titled "Good
Lawd That's A Lot of Drank" which featured the heavily slept on
comedic rip-off of Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" which was an
over hyped pop hiut at the time.  The take-off was called "La Vida
Broka" and featured Ras Kass.  Commenting on Knumskull's recording
situation at that time, Yuk states "Why didn't C-Note offer Knum a
solo deal?  That's the question."  - Never the less, Knum is working
on a new solo to hit right after yet ANOTHER Luniz album next year.

On top of Yuk's solo joint, the new Luniz album, and a new Knumskull
album, there's going to be a Yukmouth compilation called "United
Ghettos" out later this year, accompanied by a DVD movie which will
feature Ja Rule, Mac Dre, E-40 and several other prominent Hiphop
artists.

But with all the future plans, there's a few sketchy things about the
past that need to be cleared up.  Yukmouth unexpectedly found himself
on the end of several lyrical battles over the past few years with
some very unlikely competitors.  The most prominent is a battle that's
still on going with Master P.

"I never had no real, real, real like gun fight no beat down type beef
with Master P.  It's always been lyrical" Yuk professes "He chose to
bite my shit, so I chose to step into a lyrical war with him until he
stops biting niggas shit and that's my way of doing it - same with
anyone else Too Short, or any other person who got a problem with Yuk,
it's going to be a lyrical war because I'm too grounded in the streets
to ever let it be street shit cause it isn't, and I don't want it to
go there.  Shit, may the best man win, you know?"

"I'm just defending myself" He continues "These cats is fucking with
me.  Now, Master P, he fucked with me.  Shit, he stole 'Ice Cream man'
that was the first album to make his whole empire.  - The first album
that went Gold off his whole shit.  From then on, all that no Limit
shit went gold...That kicked it off.  Some shit he stole from me,
THEN, when Pac died, he stealing all Pac shit.  And there's no body
out there speaking for Pac It's not like Pac was my top down, down,
partner homie, homie - I knew Pac we see each other, we smoke
together, BUT, he wouldn't call me everyday like he'd call Richie
Rich, or The Gov, of C-Bo, you know?  So, when I did the song it's
like everyone was like 'Oh Yuk, you a Outlaw?  You down with Pac?'
Nah man, I just rode for Pac cause a lot of motherfuckers that were
down with Pac should have been made the song - They kept they mouths
shut, so I refuse to let some motherfucker bite me AND Pac at the same
time so I was riding for me and Pac.  Cause Pac was my homie."

Yuk is quick to dismiss any thought that he's trying to ride on Pac's
coat-tails "It ain't like i'm trying to be like Pac, I don't rap like
Pac.  I don't make music like Pac.  It's other people that sound like
Pac" he continues "I got braids you know?  (laughs) I ain't no Ja Rule
or no DMX.  I'm just giving him (Pac) love.  I give Pac love back
cause I do Thug music and he was the king of Thug music."

After a quick reference to Money B's solo album "Talkin' Dirty" in
which Money B states if Pac was still alive a lot of cats right now
that are making money wouldn't even have deals, Yukmouth had this
perspective to offer "Half of these motherfuckers wouldn't be tripple
platinum - I feel there wouldn't be no Murder Inc, right now, or no
DMX righ tnow.  I mean, they'd be out there, but they wouldn't be
selling no millions.  There wouldn't be no Master P neither.  - Cause
as soon as he died, everybody piggy-backed off his style, off his fan
base and off that market."

He continues "Just cause he died, it don't mean his fans died.  So
they seen that gap, and they're trying to fill it and try to take over
his market.  They doing the same numbers (sales as Pac.  The first one
platinum, the second one double platinum and now, boom, the third one
he's going tripple and all types of other shit - Just like Pac.
They're trying to use the same strategy and take Pac's fanbase."

The conversation moves toward Ja Rule in particular, after his
sentiments toward himself being Tupac's resurrection.  "I like Ja
Rule, we done chilled together, smoked together.  I like him, he a
good man.  But dude was wrong for saying he's Pac.  I heard on a Kay
Slay tape he said some shit like 'Ya'll want Pac?  Well here he is, I
am Pac!'  at the end of dissing Snoop, he dissed Dre, he dissed
Eminem, man, he was going off at the mouth.  I mean, man, I don't
know....You (Ja Rule) the dude and all, but damn, that's al ot of
folks."  He continues "That's a lot of folk - I know you partners with
Suge and all but Suge can't protect you everywhere."  ......

 End of Part 1

to see the rest of interview peep out
http://www.nzhiphop.com/hiphop/luniz.shtml
====================================

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON FRED HAMPTON JR

Earlier this week we let you know about an assassination attempt on
Fred Hampton Jr. For folks who are unfamiliar, Hampton is the son of
Chicago Black Panther leader Fred Hampton who was brutally gunned down
by Chicago police in 1969.  Hampton Jr became known to alot of people
when the group dead prez rapped about him in the song 'Behind Enemy
Lines'.  In recent months Fred Jr has toured the country speaking at
Hip Hop conferences about ways in which the Hip Hop community can
organize and become more politically engaged.  He also speaks out
about the prison system, cointel-pro and counter insurgency which is a
touchy subject for a lot of people especially in the aftermath of
9-11.  Hampton is quick to remind cats what can happen if you allow
the government to tramp on your civil liberties.  Hampton Jr also
appears on stage at a lot of dead prez concerts..  Here's an excerpt
of what went down with him last week....

Assassination Attempt on Fred Hampton Jr
by - Heru as told by Fred Hampton Jr
10/2/02 6:45:56 AM

Chicago - In the last few days, I've been witnessing intense signs of
the state's counter-insurgency efforts - from seeing an increased
number of agent provocateurs to seeing marked and unmarked pig cars
trailing me to the most recent event, an attempt to assassinate me on
Thursday, Sept.  26.  My mother, Comrade Akua Njeri, and Sister Tuere
and I were riding on a heavily populated street on the South Side of
Chicago.  All of a sudden, at 8:50 p.m., about five shots hit the back
window of our vehicle.  The only sound was the shattering of glass,
with a slight pop that sounded something like a silencer was being
utilized.  We were all able to escape without injury.

This is not the first time that the state has tried to snatch me from
the streets in one way or another.  The fact is that my contact with
the U.S.  counter-insurgency started before I was born, when the
Chicago Police Department in collaboration with the federal government
made their move on Dec.  4, 1969.  What came to be known as the
Massacre on Monroe resulted in the assassinations of Black Panther
Party Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton and Defense Captain Mark Clark.  My
mother's pre-natal care consisted not of a doctor's stethoscope on her
eight-and-a-half-month pregnant belly, but a Chicago policeman's
revolver being pressed there and him telling her, "Nigga, you betta'
not run!"

The counter-insurgency has not let up since then but has become more
intense.  The state has leveled trumped up charges against me; I was
kidnapped and held captive behind enemy lines; numerous attempts were
made on my life while I was held captive and later out in the field
(the streets); and I've been constantly harassed in every sense of the
word.  This country has a history of dealing with those who struggle
for liberation and demand to be treated as human beings by either
slandering them in attempts to isolate them or trying to buy 'em off,
spook or scare them from engaging in struggle, force them into exile,
frame or kidnap them or resort to sending them to the cemetery -
recognized by revolutionaries as "revolutionary happy hunting ground."

I see this as an indication that we are struggling in the right
direction.  As Field Marshall George Jackson assessed, "It is when we
do not incur attacks that we become concerned."

When I was held captive on the same Menard plantation where Chairman
Fred Hampton was held in 1969, many brothers referred to me as "d ja
vu" because of the similarities between the stages of struggle that we
are in now compared with then, as well as the stances that I take with
respect to those of Chairman Fred.  We see a climate of intensified
attacks on the Black Power Movement while the state distracts many of
the people into believing that it is only making its moves abroad.

In the '60s and early '70s, while the anti-war protesters were
chanting, "Bring the boys back home," Albert "Nuh" Washington and the
New York 3 were being kidnapped right under their noses in 1971.
George and Jonathan Jackson were gunned down domestically in the most
brutal fashion.  Seventeen-year-old Lil' Bobby Hutton was assassinated
by an occupying army on the streets of Oakland, Calif., two days after
Dr.  King was assassinated.  Chairman Fred and Defense Captain Mark
Clark were murdered in cold blood in one of the most brutal acts of
terrorism that ever occurred on U.S.  soil.

Right here today, many peace activists may be willing to challenge
prison conditions abroad, such as prisoners being forcefully medicated
while transported, but they turn a deaf ear to the multitudes of
Afrikan and colonized youth in Menard, Statesville and camps
throughout this country who are being pumped full of thorazine and
other narcotics against their will.  Peace activists may recognize
such degrading acts as prisoners outside U.S.  borders having bags put
over their heads while they are being transported, but the same
activists have no response for those held captive in Pontiac, Ill.,
who are forced to visit their loved ones with black nets over their
face and rubber grill pieces over their mouths.

Those same activists sit on Oprah Winfrey shows and engage in what I
refer to as "safe struggle," talking about violations that women
endure overseas but making no mention of the women in Cook County Jail
in Chicago who are forced to rinse their sanitary napkins out for
re-use.  Those same activists condemn it as undemocratic for the U.S.
to topple the leader of a foreign country but will not say a word
about the countless numbers of Black leaders who have been taken out
throughout this country's history.

How do I recognize the activities of the continuing
counter-insurgency?  Why don't I have to wait for some Oliver Stone
type movie to come out for me to say that something is a conspiracy or
a coincidence?  Because I went to the same schools that Brother
Malcolm went to.  He learned Amerikkkan history through its ghettos
and prisons.

POSTSCRIPT: Fred Hampton Jr. is the son of the legendary 21-year-old
Chicago Black Panther leader Fred Hampton Sr., who was assassinated by
the government in 1969, just before Mama Akua gave birth to Young
Chairman Fred.  Email JR at fire@sfbayview.com
=======================

MAXINE WATERS TO HOLD TOWNHALL MEETING

***A couple of side notes..

If you happen to be in LA this weekend..  On Saturday October 5th
Congresswoman Maxine Waters will be hosting a Townhall meeting and
Speakout on the War on Iraq.  2 p.m.  - 5 p.m.  First Church Of God -
Fellowship Hall 9550 Crenshaw Blvd, Inglewood (near Century Blvd) FOR
MORE INFO: (323) 757-8900

The questions they plan to address include..

  Does Iraq pose a significant threat to the U.S.?    Should U.S.
invade Iraq, even without international allies?    Will an attack on
Iraq make us more or less safe at home?    Should we risk the loss of
American men and women?    Should we risk killing thousands of
innocent people?    Are there other options besides war?    What
impact will increased war budget have on human services for Americans?
  Why does Bush want a "preemptive" strike before the U.N.  inspectors
return to Iraq?
=========================

URBAN THINK TANK TO HOST WORKSHOPS IN NY

Urban Think Tank Institute in association with the DuBois Bunche
Center for Public Policy at Medgar Evers College (C.U.N.Y.) will be
holding its First Annual Training Conference,"NEW POLITICS IN URBAN
AMERICA": A New Generation Dialogue, on Friday October 25, 2002 from
8:30am-4:00pm at Medgar Evers College,located at 1150 Carroll Street,
Brooklyn, New York.

This one-day conference will provide young activists, policy analysts,
political and community organizers and political strategists the
opportunity to learn more about campaigns and elections, finance and
fundraising, public policy and voter and community mobilization.
Registration information can be found at www.UrbanThinkTank.org.  or
you may call 718.670.3739.  Urban Think Tank Institute is a
nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) policy organization founded in 2000 in
Brooklyn, New York.

===================================
The FNV Newsletter c 2002
Send comments to
mrdaveyd@aol.com
peep the websites

www.daveyd.com
www.rapstation.com