Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Advertisement
Tags Mos Def

Tag: Mos Def

Hiding and abusing the mentally ill and physically disabled inside Texas...

On Oct. 4, 2015, at the McConnell Ad-Seg Unit located in Beeville, Texas, prisoner Jarvis Dugas, No. 1386881, was preparing for a visit with his mother. Dugas, who is known to his friends as “Homestead,” is a Black man who is mentally handicapped and physically dis­abled. He walks with a pronounced limp. Dugas’ mother, Regina Strange, is a former employee of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She is all too familiar with the overt tactics of mistreatment, abuse and degradation associated with the corrupt prison agency and because she knows that, she regularly visits her son Jarvis.

Celebrate 40 years of life in the Black Community: The SF...

We want to invite every friend of the SF Bay View newspaper to our 40th anniversary party. It’s a free event this Sunday, Feb. 21, 1-5 p.m., at the Main Library, 100 Larkin St., San Francisco. Come one, come all and let’s celebrate 40 years of the most radical Black newspaper in the country. Enjoy a panel of Bay View writers, a fashion show and performances by the legendary Avotcja, Stoney Creation and Sista Iminah reminding us of the beauty and talent in our community.

‘Sun Rhythm’ dance showcase and party this Saturday at La Pena

This Sunday, a dance showcase and party called “Sun Rhythm” will be held at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley. The main organizer is the young artist extraordinaire Stoney Creation, aka Zuna, who has been ripping stages in the Bay with her mic and dance skills. People like to comment on the youth messing up. Here is an opportunity to support positive youth in our community. Check out Stoney Creation in her own words.

Raw G talks about her new album, ‘Esperanza’

Raw G is an up-and-coming Bay Area bilingual MC who just dropped her debut album, “Esperanza.” For years she has established a local presence, burning up the opening act slot for performers in the Bay. But most importantly, Raw G is an established “raptivist” – an MC who is involved in activism. In fact, Raw G will donate all proceeds from “Esperanza” to a high school in Oakland that is dedicated to working with newly arrived immigrants. Check out Raw G in her own words.

Attorney Demitrus Evans on the case of political prisoner Aaron Patterson

I caught up with Aaron Patterson’s lawyer, attorney Demitrus Evans, to get the story firsthand. This will be the first in a series of stories that I am working on to expose the cases of current day Black political prisoners in this country, because it is very important that our people know the truth about how this government deals with the people who truly do work on behalf of our empowerment.

NAAFRA: We need a youth hip-hop vanguard for change

NAAFRA, our family movement, calls for a youth vanguard to provide added strength for immediate results. The need for a youth vanguard is made very clear in Ferguson, Missouri, where the world has been watching our youth confront a militarized police force prepared to fire on unarmed Black citizens. With these courageous youth directly in the line of fire, at that moment we were too close to a line we do not want to cross.

Black man on a quest: an interview wit’ Life is Living...

Hodari is something of a renaissance man. If you have spent time on the cultural scene, you are familiar with some of his work – the annual Life is Living Festival, the Black history oratory and poetry group Young Gifted and Black, Youth Speaks or the statewide initiative fighting Type II Diabetes called The Bigger Picture.

Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) force-feeding video launches campaign to support Guantanamo...

Yasiin Bey appears in a video launched today demonstrating the standard operating procedure for force-feeding prisoners on hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay. Made by human rights charity Reprieve and Bafta-award winning director Asif Kapadia, the film shows U.S. actor and rapper formerly known as Mos Def experiencing the procedure.

Guest Amoeblogger JR Valrey presents ‘The Black Experience Study Guide: My...

Amoeblog invited author, journalist, broadcaster and activist JR Valrey, aka the People’s Minister of Information, to be a guest contributor. The Oakland-based Valrey, who was interviewed and profiled on the Amoeblog last month, is known for his work on KPFA radio, the San Francisco Bay View newspaper, and his book “Block Reportin’.” The book will soon be available for sale in Amoeba Hollywood’s book section.

‘Block Reportin’’: Journalism in a world where much is scripted and...

A compilation of JR Valrey’s most interesting interviews, “Block Reportin'” is both revolutionary journalism and candid conversation. Combining straight-up questions and answers with much deeper analysis and inquiry, Valrey provides a forum for discussion in which interviewees have the same opportunity to say what they want. This is rare in a world where so much “journalism” is scripted and controlled.

Poor Righteous Teachers: an interview wit’ Wise Intelligent

The Poor Righteous Teachers appealed to young people trying to find themselves and their Blackness, like me. It was an honor for me to interview Wise Intelligent because of how much I gained from his conscious lyrics.

A conversation with the MOI JR, author of ‘Block Reportin’’

Bay Area journalist JR Valrey, the voice behind Block Report Radio on KPFA and associate editor of SF Bay View, known as the Minister of Information, reports vital news about the struggle against oppression. In the 31 interviews in his new book, "Block Reportin'," he shows what he calls the "big gap between what is going on in the world and what is being reported. I want to inspire people to become their own media and to truly speak on behalf of the people." Meet JR at his first book signing Saturday, March 19, 6:30 p.m., at Marcus Books, 3900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland.

A rose growing from concrete: an interview wit’ poet Jazz Hudson

Jazz Hudson is one of the new up and coming poets out of the Bay who has been making a name for herself at poetry readings - one of the most loquacious and passionate young sistas to come out of the concrete jungle of Oakland in a long time.

Rebel of the underground: an interview with RodStarz of Rebel Diaz

On the eve of Oscar Grant triggerman Johannes Mehserle’s trial in LA, the first time a Cali cop has ever been tried for an on-duty murder, Rebel Diaz from NYC and Oakland's own Beeda Weeda are headlining ‘The Black and Brown Get Down for Oscar Grant’ benefit concert Wednesday, June 9, 9 p.m., at the Rockit Room. Meet Rod Starz of Rebel Diaz, some powerful allies, musically and politically! Pre-sale tickets - $15 at http://beedaweedarebeldiazsf.eventbrite.com/ - are going fast.

Telling the truth

Oakland rapper DLabrie connects with POCC Minister of Information JR after his relief trip to Haiti and year-long battle in Oakland courts based on false charges. Upcoming events: Haiti Report-backs in Berkeley Thursday, April 8, 7 p.m., hosted by Rev. Sandra Decker, and the big show at the Jazz Heritage Club, 1330 Fillmore St., San Francisco, on Wednesday, April 21, 6:30 p.m. Saturday 2-5 p.m. is the 12th Annual LIL' BOBBY HUTTON DAY at the West Oakland Library, 1805 Adeline St. Be there!

Minister JR from Haiti, Part 2: The feel of a plantation

An old school relentless plantation-style colonialism governs the country currently through mostly white non-governmental organizations just as well as through armies like those of the U.S. and U.N. that control the flow of resources. - MULTIMEDIA BONUS: Listen to Davey D's interview with Minister of Information JR immediately after his return from Haiti.

‘Back to the Future’ mixtape: an interview wit’ R&B singer Dasha...

I learned about the Los Angeles based singer Dasha Chadwick from Facebook. The first time I heard her music was a few months ago, after I looked her singing up on YouTube. Before she was Dasha, the woman, I knew her when she was in the first grade when I used to walk her to school.

Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. returns to the Bay Area

POCC Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. will be hitting Northern Cali Nov. 7-13 for the 40th anniversary of the assassination of his father, Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and Defense Captain Mark Clark. Come out to support Chairman Fred, Block Report Radio and the SF Bay View - 7 events in 7 days, in Oakland, Sonoma, Stanford, Pleasant Hill, Santa Cruz, San Francisco.

The power of the word: an interview wit’ spoken word artist...

Scorpio Blues will be performing at Yoshi's, 510 Embarcadero West in Oakland, on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The woman who goes by the name of Scorpio Blues and I have known each other for over half our lives, and throughout that time, she has always been very intelligent, driven and never one to hold her tongue. Her artistry is definitely an extension of her persona.

The mind of Gil Scott Heron, Part 2

I had to publish more of this interview with the legendary Gil Scott Heron because a whole lot of readers personally got at me and told me that it was too short. They told me that they wanted to hear more of what he had to say. If y’all want to read interview installments 3 and 4, y’all are goin’ to have to vote and put your bid in, because I literally had to transcribe this interview that was done for radio by hand. Otherwise you can wait until the Oct. 19, when it will premiere on Greg Bridges’ show, Transitions on Traditions, which airs on 94.1FM in Northern Cali (kpfa.org) at 9 p.m. Enough on that.