Category Archives: Awareness

Awareness Headline Music

99problems.org Promotes Census among Youth

February 15, 2010 – 2:13 pm

Numbers Don't Lie: The Mixtape

99problems.org, the news website of The League of Young Voters Education Fund (LYVEF) - an American organization dedicated to empowering ”young people nationwide to participate in the democratic process” – has launched a new “online intiative”  to educate urban youth about the importance of the 2010 Census.  According to a press release, the campaign will feature

a viral video PSA series hosted by DJ Willie Shakes (Core DJs, Star Trak’s Chester French) … [that] will enable each featured interview (sic) to give their own spin on why the 2010 Census is important to them, as well as the neighborhoods they reside in and come from, in order to reach young voters in an organic and impactful way on such a meaningful issue.

The campaign has also released a free mixtape, with cuts from Jay Electronica, Lupe Fiasco, Drake, Lil’ Wayne, Joe Budden and more.  Atlhough I haven’t listened to it yet, the album’s lineup and message has certainly piqued my curiosity, and I’m looking forward to giving it a spin.  Click here to download it, courtesy of 2dopeboyz.  And scroll down to see the tracklist.

Regardless of the quality of the mixtape or the ‘viral’ PSA, it’s great to see an organization try to raise the profile of the census among young people.  The census is massively important because it informs public policy and spending at all levels of government.  Indeed, since government spending is often allocated on the basis of population, it is absolutely critical that policy makers have an accurate understanding of the population and demographics of a given community or neighbourhood.  Inaccurate census results can jeopardize funding for social programs, education and other government services.  As the LYVEF press release notes:

“The Census is so important. It decides how trillions of dollars will be spent in our community … Every 10 years young people don’t get counted because they don’t understand how important this process is. We are going make sure this doesn’t happen. We are going to meet young people where they are at, and make sure they understand how important this process is to their future.”

Numbers Don’t Lie: The Mixtape

1. Shakes Don’t Lie
2. State of Emergency – Toki Wright
3. Dollar And A Dream – J. Cole
4. Exhibit A – Jay Electronica
5. Problems In The Hood – Miss Nana
6. Wonder Why – Chip The Ripper
7. Everybody’s Nobody – XV
8. Shakes Break
9. Daisy – IB3
10. Dealings – Jay Electronica
11. Ayo – Melanie Fiona
12. I’m Beaming – Lupe Fiasco
13. Where Were You – Drake
14. One For The Money – Mr.Finley
15. All About That Money – Gucci Mane, Rick Ross
16. Numbers Don’t Lie – Yo Gotti, Lil Wayne
17. Certified Gangstas 2 – Game, Jim Jones
18. Crazy Since The 80’s – Wiz Khalifa
19. I Keep On – Joe Budden
20. Wyclef Broadcast
21. Jimmy Outro

DOWNLOAD: Numbers Don’t Lie: The Mixtape

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Awareness Music

Update On Blogger’s Removal of Music Blogs

February 11, 2010 – 10:55 am

Yesterday, we posted that Blogger had rather surreptitiously shut down several popular music blogs.  Today, Pitchfork is reporting that Blogger has issued a statement in its defence.  In the statement, the Google-owned service explains its policy for enforcing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (the controversial American copyright law), noting that when it receives multiple DMCA complaints about the same blog, and has “no indication that the offending content is being used in an authorized manner,” they will remove the blog (italics mine).

In other words, the burden of proof is on the blogger.  The statement goes on to say that

“Inevitably, we occasionally receive DMCA complaints even though the blogger does have the legal right to link to the music in question. Whether this is the result of miscommunication by staff at the record label, or confusion over which MP3s are “official,” it happens. If this happens to you, it is imperative that you file a DMCA counter-claim so we know you have the right to the music in question. Otherwise, if we receive multiple DMCA complaints for your blog, this could very well constitute repeat offenses, compelling us to take action.”

Fortunately, the DMCA complaint form seems fairly stringent and requires a lot of specific information, ostensibly preventing anyone from shutting down a blog they don’t like by sending off an accusatory email or two to Blogger.  And what’s more, Blogger’s policy (according to the statement) is to notify blog owners of any complaints made against them and to reset the offending post to ‘draft’ status, allowing them to remove the infringing content.

But that doesn’t explain why so many blogs were shut down so quickly and, apparently, without warning. 

Several commentators are pointing to this incident as further proof of the ineffectiveness of the existing online copyright regime.  As Techdirt points out,

… there are two real issues here. First, is the ridiculous “left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing” aspect of record label lawyers sending out DMCA takedowns for content that its marketing department sent to the blogs on purpose. But second, and much more important, is the ridiculousness of the DMCA‘s notice-and-takedown provisions in its safe harbors. It’s a “guilty until you’re innocent” type of measure. It effectively forces Google into a position where it needs to take down the content, until a blogger goes through the confusing process of filing a counternotice.

The response to this whole kerfuffle has been widespread and, often, intense.  We’ll keep you abreast of any updates.  Hopefully it gains enough steam to positively affect how intellectual property rights are regulated on the internet, leading eventually to a fairer and more transparent framework.

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Awareness Music

Blogger Takes On Popular Music Blogs

February 10, 2010 – 11:08 am

Earlier today, Pitchfork reported that Blogger, the venerable Google-owned blogging service, has shut down several music blogs, including Pop Tarts Suck Toasted, I Rock Cleveland, Living Ears and It’s a Rap (none of which I have admittedly ever visited).  Apparently, the free music offered on the blogs violated Blogger’s terms of services.  As of about 11 a.m. PST, attempts to visit the blogs returned one-line ’Blog not found’ error messages.

The website The Daily Swarm has compiled several responses to the move, as well as a copy of an email sent from Blogger to I Rock Cleveland and the blogger’s reply.

Obviously, this story is still unfolding.  Whether or not it represents the opening salvos in a new crackdown on illegal music sharing remains to be seen, but hopefully it’s an aberration that won’t have any wider implications.

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Awareness Featured

Hip hop and Haiti

February 2, 2010 – 2:17 pm

Peacekeeping - MINUSTAH

I know this is a bit of a dated post, being that the earthquake happened some time ago, but I thought I would take the opportunity to highlight some of the work being done, hype up some fundraising opportunities, and talk about the tight connection between hip hop and Haiti.

I’m sure most of you have heard about Yele Haiti, the charity started by Wyclef Jean.  He is probably one of the most prominent hip hop artists with direct Haiti ties, but certainly not the least.  And yes, there has been a fair amount of controversy with the organization, with some accusing it of misusing raised funds.  Wyclef has strenuously denied these, and I believe him.  Even if procedures were not followed to the letter, I do not believe there was any attempt at fraud or anything like that.  And it’s hard to deny that Yele has been doing some good for people on the ground, so I’m more than willing to overlook minor transgressions (providing they were accidental and that they are not repeated).

Looking at other Haitian hip hop artists, you can remember former-Fugee Pras as well.  Above that, you’ve got Trugoy from De La Soul, and, sadly, Tony Yayo.

Perhaps it’s because some fairly prominent rappers are Haitian, or perhaps it’s because of a professed affinity for a struggling black community, the hip hop community in North America has responded tremendously to the need for aid.

A bunch of hip hop artists supported Clooney’s telethon, which was heartwarming, entertaining, and informative.  Though it’s funny to me that Kanye was specifically not invited to be a part of George Clooney’s Hope for Haiti telethon.  The argument was that he had repeatedly proven that that he was more interested in promoting himself and seemed to disregard the greater good.  Now, I’m not going to say that I support this, but I’m not exactly going to advocate against this.  Still, hate him or not, he does get attention, and bringing attention to Haiti is something I do support.

Better still, hip hop was clearly a major influence on the remake of We Are the World. Kanye got his moment by appearing here, as did Wyclef, Snoop Dogg, Drake, LL Cool J, will.i.am and others.  What tripped me out the most is that Lil Wayne is doing Bob Dylan’s part from the original We are the World.

[Update: Video is below]

Some key things to remember.

  • Feb 12 is the last day for the Canadian government to match donations.  So hit up any of these listed charities for donations.  Try CanadaforHaiti or the Canadian Red Cross.  If you’re a texter: The Canadian Red Cross Society: Text REDCROSS to 30333 ($5); The Salvation Army in Canada: Text HAITI to 45678 ($5);UNICEF CANADA: Text GIVE to 45678 ($5).
  • In the US, the donations are conveniently consolidated by Google here.  Or text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts; text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts.

[Image from the UNDP’s Flickr photostream]

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Awareness

Imeem goes bye bye

December 17, 2009 – 1:30 pm

myspace_logo copy

This may not be something that really affects any of us, in the end, but I think it’s worth noting nonetheless.  You may have noticed that we’ve embedded quite a few tracks from imeem over the years.  It’s been a simple and convenient to showcase a whole variety of tracks.

But imeem isn’t gone.  They were bought by MySpace for a rather low sum, and it seems like MySpace is intending on keeping some aspects of it.

In the coming weeks, our team will be working as quickly as possible to take aspects of imeem that users love and migrate them to MySpace Music. We’ll start that transition today by redirecting imeem users to MySpace Music to discover their favorite music.   As quickly as possible, we’ll be working to offer users the imeem playlists they’ve created on MySpace Music.

At the minimum, maybe this means MySpace will finally allow embedding. It seems like a  no-brainer to me.  Use imeem technology to allow embedding of MySpace tracks.  Since MySpace is basically only used by bands these days, it is a cheap, legal way to enhance the MySpace experience.  It also allows blogs like ours an easier time promoting artists that we like.

Check the press release here.  (and no, it won’t actually be called MyImeem.)

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Awareness Music

Yas – Iranian hip hop

November 26, 2009 – 6:25 am

It’s hard to compete with a bio like this.  Despite the fact that hip hop is replete with heart wrenching stories of growth and struggle, gritty determination and oddball success, it’s somehow even more persuasive when it comes from a place like Iran.  Perhaps it’s the stereotype of it being “exotic”, or perhaps it’s because I feel like I understand the North American experience more than I do growing up there.  No matter what, Yas has a story that is bound to tug on you a little bit.

Born In 1982 – Tehran, YAS first began to listen to rap music at the age of 16, when his father would return from his business trips in Germany and bring him the latest Tupac CD and other hip hop music. After the sudden and untimely death of his father, YAS was faced with the responsibility of becoming the primary care taker of his household. With his father’s debts mounting and barely being able to make ends meet to live and feed the family, YAS at the age of 18 was forced to leave his college ambitions behind and begin to work and support his entire family (his mother, younger brother and triplet sisters). It was at this time that he began to write poetry which soon turned into text lyrics for his music. It was also his way of staying close to his father’s memory.

Now it’s a bit tougher to appreciate for the mere fact that it’s not done in English.  But that hasn’t stopped us before and it’s not going to start now.  In fact, Yas doesn’t even speak English, at least not yet.  And sadly, this is one of the few times I’ll openly cite the Huffington Post, because their World Music Corner is actually a decent read.  I mean, it still comes from a fairly liberal viewpoint, but it’s not overtly partisan or anything of the sort.

In fact, HuffPo did a pretty admirable job on the article, though I guess it originally came from Modiba.  It’s interesting how they draw an ancient example, saying that Persian culture has a long history of esteemed poets.  They almost seem to suggest that Persians (or I guess Iranians, in this context) are somehow predisposed to rapping because of this.

 

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Awareness Politics

Lou Dobbs Quits CNN…finally

November 13, 2009 – 11:46 am

Yes, it is true.  Lou Dobbs, CNN Anchor, hero of the birther movement and, generally speaking, an anti-immigrant toolbag, has quit CNN.

I can’t even begin to say how much of a relief it is to see him gone, and not because he’s conservative.  I think a major news network on CNN deserves and requires a responsible conservative viewpoint.  I think MSNBC sucks precisely because it’s so openly liberal, and Fox sucks for many other reasons.

I have my problems with CNN, sure, but many of them are being addressed precisely because of a step like this.  I worry that CNN, a network that already has its own bias, was working on moving towards polemicism in an effort to combat Fox News’ growth.  I worry, and I had a reason to.

Lou Dobbs, one of the original anchors from CNN, has moved steadily from being a voice of reason to one of unabashed conservative hype.  He rails against illegal immigrants, hates taxpayer bailouts, but most importantly he was the godfather of the birther movement.  According to the NYT:

Lately, though, he has saved most of his opinions for his afternoon radio show, which made its debut in March 2008. It is on the radio show that he talked repeatedly about the conspiracy-theory claims that President Obama is not a United States citizen. When he mentioned the citizenship issue on CNN over the summer, his bosses were forced to call it a “dead issue.”

Dobbs refused to let the issue die, despite how patently absurd it is.  It was the most disappointing step from a once venerable newsman.

If this is a step by CNN to move towards the middle  and find a proper, responsible voice, then I applaud it.  If it is simply getting rid of an annoying figure, then that’s another thing.

The New York Times has run Dobbs’ closing address. It does make for some interesting reading.  Particularly this:

Over the past six months it’s become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us, and some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day. And to continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible.

I assume many will be speculating that Dobbs will be moving over to a place like Fox.  I would like to float the idea that Dobbs is considering a run for Senate.  I think he would be well placed to win a conservative riding, and would continue a long line of blowhard hosts with political aspirations (both liberals and conservatives, of course).

If nothing else, this sort of gives the game away:

But each of those issues is, in my opinion, informed by our capacity to demonstrate strong resilience of our now weakened capitalist economy and demonstrate the political will to overcome the lack of true representation in Washington, D.C.

There are 36 or 37 Senate seats coming up for election in November 2010, depending on who you talk to.  While there is an special by-election coming up in January to fill Ted Kennedy’s seat, I don’t think Dobbs stands a chance of winning in Massachusetts.  Of the most likely seats, I think Dobbs will consider running in Missouri (where Kit Bond is retiring) or Kansas (where Sam Brownback is leaving).  The only alternate would be to try to take the New Hampshire seat from Judd Gregg as he retires.

We shall see how it pans out, but I wouldn’t put it past old Lou to try and ride the press over his rapid CNN departure all the way to the capitol.

[Update:  It appears that many are speculating that Dobbs will run for President in 2012.  I still believe my guess is the correct one, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out. ]

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Awareness

Street Cred is no longer what it used to be…thankfully

November 11, 2009 – 3:15 pm

I remember the days when the big beefs were settled in a crazy violent and bloody way.  The days when 2Pac and Biggie’s insults actually got people killed.  In those days, rappers were going to jail for serious crimes, crazy drug charges and all kinds of assaults.  Everyone was doing time, and everyone’s albums were selling like hotcakes.

I mean think about it.  Snoop Dogg, now one of the mellowest and most commercial dudes you’ll meet was a member of the Crips, was charged (and acquitted) as an accessory in someone’s murder.  Pac had been shot before he was murdered.  Biggie used to sling rock.

But my how things have changed.  With rappers today, the level of animosity is lower, and thankfully so is the level of violence.  I mean, 50 Cent grew up with some grit, and is the closest thing to a gangster in the game today.  But even he is now more into reality TV and vitamin water than in any sort of revenge.  And yes, I am happy about that.

The news is still full of rappers getting in trouble for all kinds of things.  Only now it’s just as often for tax evasion as it is for dope possession.  It’s an interesting new world we live in.  Take these two recent stories for example.  Lil’ Wayne and Kanye West, two of the biggest names in the game today have been getting up to no good.

Pitchfork, the venerable mainstay of indy music culture has run a few stories lately on the legal trouble of these wunderkinds.  We’ll start with Lil’ Wayne.

Kanye, on the other hand, has again shown his badassness by breaking the cameras of some paparazzi at the LA airport back in September.  Ooooh.  And yes, he’s doing time.  Hard time.  Community Service time.  Honestly, I wouldn’t dare beef with this kid anymore.  Not if he’s going to break my camera or my iPod generic mp3 player.  Though really, how scared can you be of a guy who routinely posts about fashion he finds cool?  Now, I’m not entirely hating on him, I have mad respect for anyone who isn’t afraid to embrace what the love.  It’s just hard to compare a guy like that to classic rappers.  I mean just take a look:

kanyewestsunglasses 2pac-tupac

No contest.

At least Lil’ Wayne manned up a bit.  This kid just got arrested on charges of gun possession.  That’s a throwback to old days, but Wayne never intended to use it.  He just got caught with it after the cops raided his bus because it smelled like weed.  That has to be a little bit of a burn.

Even worse, he’s just gotten sued for not having paid a guy for providing what Pitchfork has called “generic mafioso interlude dialogue”.  Basically, Wayne hired a guy to make random mafia-like statements in an Italian accent, then hasn’t paid him yet.  Gangsta.

In all seriousness, despite how much I like to rag on these guys, I’m kind of glad to see the game change in this way.  It’s good to see the lighter side of hip hop and that these people don’t always have to take themselves so seriously.  And I abhor violence at all costs.  It’s just fascinating to me to see how much the power structure of the game has changed.  It used to be that guys like Pac and Biggie would run the streets and make decisions.

Now it’s the suits and the bling and the fashion.  It’s duets with Lady Gaga and interruptions on MTV.  This for sure is not one of those “hip hop is dead” posts, because as 4080 has repeatedly shown, it’s alive and thriving in a million unexpected places.  There’s tons of dope music being put out, some even by the very same corporate rappers that I’ve been hating on.  But one thing that is true, the very nature of the struggle is different.  It’s not to be heard, it’s to get paid.  Your street cred comes from the endorsement deals and fashion you inspire, not from getting down and dirty in the streets.

[Update: Apparently NPR had this same idea for a story, but came to a different conclusion. This is what they say:

If you listen to Lil Waynes music, you believe he was campaigning for a prison conviction, and he got elected. What do fans say? MTV says fans think Lil Waynes time behind bars wont hurt his career. Of course, not. Its the fans themselves that encouraged these federally-funded vacations. It seems rappers who ram about the streets in criminal activity feel the need to have prison sentences on their rap resume. Think 50 Cents to T.I., Beanie Siegel to Gucci Mane, its as though rappers are interviewing for the possession of reenlisting rap, and fans make the choice. And theyre less impressed by a rappers ability to simply recite provocative rants. Oh, it says here you spent three years at San Quentin Correctional Facility for a weapons possession. Welcome aboard.

Quite frankly, that's bullshit.  I think that most fans these days, especially of rappers like Lil Wayne, don't expect him to be gangster or to have that traditional rep.  Maybe someone like 50 in his early days, who was building his credibility on a gritty life story, but not Lil Wayne.

Its time to remove these mandatory requirements from a rappers resume. We need to stop encouraging and validating the lawlessness. Stop buying the albums. And as far as rappers excusing themselves as musical actors of sorts, just playing characters, Im calling cut.

Again, people are buying Wayne's albums regardless of if he's in jail or not.  Why? I'm not sure.  But they are.  Perhaps I'm just being jaded, but I simply don't see this as boosting his career in the same way that a duet with Lady Gaga does.  That just shows how far the game has hanged.]

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Awareness Featured Politics

The House passed a health care bill. Now what?

November 9, 2009 – 11:13 pm

ObamacareOn November 8, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, by a razor-thin 220-215 margin.  It sounds good, but what does it actually mean?  Has free, universal health-care finally arrived in the States?  Have Obama and his cabal of socialist advisers pulled the wool over the eyes of an unsuspecting public and converted America into a full-fledged worker’s paradise?  Well, not really.  In fact, despite what you may have heard from any number of teabaggers (whose scare tactics seem increasingly desperate), comprehensive health care reform is hardly guaranteed.

It’s understandable that people are confused.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of objective, non-jargony information available on the internet, especially about a topic as complex as health care reform.

Of course, here at 4080 we’re all about that sort of thing, so here’s our attempt at a quick and dirty guide to the current state of the “Obamacare” agenda:

The Affordable Health Care for America Act

The bill passed by the House on Sunday has several key components:

  1. It would establish a Health Insurance Exchange.  A one stop shop for the uninsured, the Exchange would allow consumers to compare and purchase insurance from a diverse menu of health insurance options, including private plans, health co-ops and a new, public health insurance option.  Its proponents claim that by facilitating open competition, the Exchange would drive down prices and improve care.  Americans who are happy with their existing insurance may keep it.
  2. It would prevent insurers from increasing premiums or denying care based on “pre-existing” conditions.
  3. It would require every American to get insurance, either through their employer or own their own through the Exchange.  The federal government would provide “affordability credits” to make premiums affordable.
  4. Employers who choose not to insure their employees would have to pay a fee of eight percent of payroll.

For more information about the specifics of the bill, check out the House Committee on Education and Labor website.

You win some, you lose some

Democrats had to make some major compromises to push H.R. 3962 through the House, the most significant of which related to abortion funding.  As The Globe and Mail reports, “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a fervent defender of abortion rights, yielded to conservative Democrats and included a provision in the bill to prohibit publicly subsidized health insurance from covering abortions.”

The Democrats also worked hard to attract the support of moderate Republicans in an effort to make the bill seem like a bi-partisan initiative.  One Republican, Anh Cao of Louisiana (Update: on an interesting but likely unrelated note, Talking Points Memo points out that Cao is one of the only Republicans to have actually experienced a communist regime), did end up voting for it, but calling H.R. 3962 ‘bi-partisan’ because a single Republican supported it is like calling the L.A. Lakers ‘world’ champions because they play in a league with one Canadian team.

Next up, the Senate

The U.S. Congress is a bicameral legislature, meaning that a bill must be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate for it to become law.  So now H.R. 3962 heads to the Senate, where Democrats and their friends hold 60 of the 100 seats.  But a number of Democratic and Democratic-leaning Independent Senators have already indicated that they won’t support it.  For these moderates and conservatives, H.R. 3962 and its public option are simply unacceptable.  Joe Lieberman, for example, thinks that it will create a level of “debt [that will] break America and send us into a recession that’s worse than the one we’re fighting our way out of today.”

The filibuster threat

If Obama and his lieutenant in the Senate, Harry Reid, can’t muster 60 votes, the bill will likely succumb to a Republican filibuster. A filibuster is a technique in which one party extends debate on a bill indefinitely, preventing the Senate from voting on it.  A filibuster can only be ended with the support of 60 Senators.

Reaching the magic number

In the bill’s current form, securing the support of 60 Senators will be challenging, if not impossible.  It looks like progressive Democrats may have to bite the bullet and drop the public health insurance option.  While this might seem like a defeat to some, the bill would still represent the most significant reform of the American health insurance industry in several decades.

Clearly, the health care reform debate is far from over.  In the coming weeks, the Senate will debate the bill’s cost and implications, and Obama will likely continue expending valuable political capital to drum up the necessary support.  Whatever its outcome, the health care debate will likely be remembered as one of the defining characteristics of Obama’s first (and perhaps only) term.

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Awareness Underreported News

Hip hop’s new disturbing trend – “No homo”

October 30, 2009 – 12:06 pm

Hip hop has long been lampooned for being homophobic, and with even venerable groups like Tribe showing off some less-than-stellar judgment on the matter, it’s understandable why the genre as a whole has a bad rap.

But this new phrase seems to be even more over the top than the ridiculous nonsense that Eminem throws out.

Basically, more and more frequently now, rappers (I should note that it’s primarily commercial rappers who are doing this) drop some ridiculous phrase then toss out a “no homo” at the end.  This Current TV segment does a good job of highlighting the absurdity of the whole meme.

 

Personally, I can’t understand why hip hop would want to let something like this go.  In mind, a genre that has long been a bastion for disaffected people, or those who feel like they are being discriminated against, would want to inflict that same thing on anyone else.  Maybe it’s some whole “cycle of violence” thing the same way that abusers are affected.  Who knows? 

The problem is that it’s gaining so much credence that even big name rappers like Kanye are using it.  It’s one thing when little raw battle dogs like Cam’Ron drop some hyperbolic ish, but when someone who actually gets radio airplay is doing it, that’s another.

Hopefully this is a just one of those fads that disappears, like dropping it like it’s hot. 

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