This week it's time to give our boy from VA's, WVST DJ Sayeed some good hype with his latest mix cd, "Black Freedom Mixtape Volume II."

 

What can I say about the "Black Freedom Mixtape?" I can't say much without speaking on Black Freedom Weekend, or Happily Natural Day because they are all part of a cohesive campaign to promote black pride, love for self and social change.

 

I asked DJ Sayeed to give me a summary on what this mix cd means to him.

 

"'The Black Freedom Mixtape Vol. 2,' is a mix cd; one part of the promotional campaign for the pro-african grassroots festival Happily Natural Day. Every year the festival takes place in Richmond VA with an weekend of events that promote black consciousness and community pride and social change. The mixtape picks up where Vol.1 left off, with the passionate mission statement of Happily Natural Day by brother Manifest sliding seamlessly into Concerto in Black Minor by Hip Hop violinist Maat Free.; as her spoken word and violin over beat box call to action sets the tone for the mixtape's hour and 20 minute's it became apparent that I wasn't listening to the average mixtape.

 

You say it is just a mixtape, but I have to explain something's. First of all there was real scratching from a real DJ. Too many mixtape DJ's simply throw some songs from MP3 and blend them into one another, too few actually can scratch in songs and drops. Any real Hip-Hop head can testify to the importance of the DJ, the turntable and a mixer; as well the artistry that can be infused into a musical production with them.  Second of all, the songs on the mixtape were all from artists that either were affiliated with the festival as performers or had similar messages of black empowerment and disdain for the current state of the black community and the need for change. Third, the mixtape was excellently produced as in each song was chosen and placed in an order that makes the Black Freedom Mixtape better than most albums.

 

Songs like, "Ya'll Should All Be Lynched" by NYOIL were followed by Pain a classic spoken word poem by the Hip-Hop fore-runners the Watts Prophets was blended into unreleased song Pain by Pharoah Monche. As the headline act of Happily Natural Day 2007, Scienz of Life's own John Robinson (aka lil Sci) graced the album with powerful cuts like "More Music" with lines like "I gotta succeed the future looks up to me", & "All Behind Me".  Poignant questions were raised by Doug Evan's of Soul Logistics with lines like "Why black folks been paying tithes for years? Still don't gotta pot to piss in; congregation won't listen" and "The jig is up time up the garment/ better read for your salvation; the keys you education/ my people perish for a lack of knowledge and not college/you put your own self in bondage." The socially responsible lyrical content of the Black Freedom Mixtape glistened brightly; and is a must for any Hip-Hop critic stating that Hip Hop is dead, or that the culture is the reason behind the decadence of the black community today.

 

The musical genius of J-Dilla "Love Jones" laid as the foundation of ?uestlove of the Roots statement at Jamestown's 400 year Anniversary; an event that drew the attention of thousands of bloggers and Okayplayers in 2007.  Classic new material from Wise Intelligent "I'm Him" smacks listeners with lines like "I from the era where G was for God and a cypha was a circle full of Godz addin on" that blends into Chairman Omowali (Malcolm X) speaking on how the roots of hatred for african people lie in our hatred of our origin and how our brainwashing is a result of 400 years of miseducation. Lastly the self-proclaimed mayor Of DC Head-Roc's song, "Cris Columbus" leads the listener into the roots of conscious Hip-Hop with songs by Jungle Brothers, Lakim Shabazz, X-Clan, BDP and Intelligent Hoodlum!! When was the last time you heard You must learn blended into "Funkin Lesson?" WTF !@!!...

 

The album closes out with words by founder; giving the listener even more chills as he says "Happily Natural Day is an example of what people can do when they work together...When they say that it aint about me it is about us...We have to change the reality of the children that are coming up after us...What kind of mental entrapment is it when a black child will pick a white doll over a black doll?..." The explicit purpose of the mixtape was to let people know what Happily Natural Day is about. No cotton candy rappin, finger snappin, tom coonery buffoonery - straight real hip hop with a message.

 

"The Black Freedom Mixtape Vol. II" is a powerful testament to the power of Hip Hop to raise consciousness. What makes it even more dope is that it is part of a larger movement to raise consciousness in the African Community via a festival that is totally grassroots and funded by black people for black people extending it beyond simply another musical production. Hip Hop is alive and well, lamping with it's feet up in the Black Freedom Mixtape Vol. 2."

 

I gotta give props to DJ Sayeed & 2 thumbs up with his "Black Freedom Mixtape Volume II."

 

You can peep DJ Sayeed on Myspace:

www.MySpace.com/DjSayeed7

or online at:

thebumrushshow@yahoo.com  

 

You can also hit up Sayeed at:

804. 651-8361

 

You can hit me up with your latest mixtape news and/or events at: nastynes1@aol.com or at: nastynes1@tmail.com...

 

I'm in like the Power Summit conference “The Reunion” happening at the beautiful Palms Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV from October 24th to October 25th" & I'm out like Britney Spears!...