A BENEFIT TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF BROTHER MAHDI
Charles Augustus Bryant “Mahdi” (AKA D.J. Nex), beloved member of the Hip-Hop community, passed away on August 26, 2011 after a courageous battle with stomach cancer. Mahdi is survived by 4 children and many loving family members. Mahdi is Co Founder of The Nation Of Gods and Earths MN, School Of Thought, B Boy Commity, and Nexborn Inc. A benefit will be held September 28, 2011 at the Varsity Theater to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Twin Cities Hip Hop legend, pioneer, and cultural ambassador Brother Mahdi (AKA Dj Nex).
ALL proceeds will be donated directly to Mahdi’s children.
Hosted by: The GODBLAC
Featuring:
Slug
Brother Ali
Muja Messiah
Maria Isa
Desdamona
The Guardians Of Balance (St Paul Slim & Mastermind)
High North
Long Doe ft. (Tony Bones, Mike the Martyr, and Big Wiz)
Trina Girl
On the 1's and 2's Dj's:
Dan Speak
Stage One
Kool Akiem
Brother Julez
IXL
Verb X
SLUG
Sean Michael Daley, (born September 7, 1972) better known by his stage name Slug, is an American rapper. He is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Slug is best known as one half of the hip hop group Atmosphere, which he founded with Derek Turner (Spawn). He is also one of the founders of the Minnesota Hip Hop record label Rhymesayers Entertainment. [Wikipedia]
BROTHER ALI
Brother Ali has no reservations in saying that he’s “trying to be one of the greatest of all time” (on the Molemen track “Life Sentence”). Inspired by golden era legends like KRS-One and Rakim, this undisputed Master of Ceremony began rapping as a means of survival. Growing up albino (colorless hair, skin and eyes, poor vision, and extreme sensitivity to the sun) in a world of cruel kids made it strikingly obvious to Ali that he needed a high-powered way to earn some respect and prestige among his peers. As a result, every since elementary school he hasn’t slowed down with his lyrical grind. In his rare moments of silence these days, if you catch his eyes, you’ll notice that this Minneapolis denizen is rapping in his head. For Ali, hip-hop doesn’t stop when he exits the studio or stage.
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Brother Ali's previous album, the critically acclaimed, The Undisputed Truth, was a landmark in hip-hop, an album that carried weight equally with critics and fans alike, an album of bold statements and bolder beats, politically and socially aware without being preachy. His most recent album, 2009's Us, is a progression that will make Brother Ali one of the most enduring figures in hip-hop; while still aware, Ali has turned his gaze inward, and started examining the human condition from the outside in. A profound personal glimpse into a vulnerability seldom seen or heard in music, Us touches on the strengths and flaws of the human condition, exploring drug abuse, divorce, homophobia and many more topics that most people are scared to touch in their own lives, much less on an album for the world to see. As with previous endeavors, the beats here are courtesy of Ant, whose production work seems to be getting more soulful and lush by the minute. The guest appearances only accentuate Brother Ali's strengths, with Chuck D, Freeway, Joell Ortiz and Stokley Williams of Mint Condition making strong appearances.
MUJA MESSIAH
Muja Messiah was named City Pages Best Hip-Hop Artist 2009, Star Tribune's Best Local records 2009, The Onion 's Local Artist of the decade. Muja Messiah was featured on Atmosphere's Strictly Leakage on "Crewed Up", URB Next 100, with "Beautiful" ft. Samahra (Black Blondie). Muja Messiah released MPLS Massacre vol.1. in 2008 with its more hardcore, aggressive tracks including the internet jumps "Amy Winehouse" and M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes". Working with longtime producer Mckinney (The Weeknd / Esthero), armed with new bangers from Che Vicious (Eminem / Lauryn Hill) and advice from Slug and I-Self Devine, Muja Messiah delivered the critically acclaimed Adventures Of A BBoy DBoy. He walks the tightrope between hardcore street anthems, humor laced party joints and political manifestos.
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The Minneapolis-based MC known for his politically incorrect satire, combines serious comedy and street anthems to create a 'thinking man's' hip-hop. What you won't hear from Muja is politically correct lyrics, but politically charged themes like the powerful anti-Bush anthems "Patriot Act" feat. I-Self Divine and "Give It Up" feat. Black Thought (The Roots). Those themes run throughout, lyrically full of passion for the rap game and love of Minneapolis. As many youth of this generation face the anger at the status quo, through observations of social awareness, coming of age stories, tales of Minneapolis and its unique culture-clash. Muja Messiah has shared stages with The Roots, Slick Rick, dead prez, Common, Ghostface Killa, Rakim, De La Soul, Grandmaster Master Flash, KRS-One, Redman, 50 Cent, Atmosphere, Wale, K'naan, GZA, J*Davey, Camp Lo, Slum Village, The Cool Kids, Clipse and Yelawolf. CMJ, Soundset 08, Yo! The Movement, Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards, Minnesota Music Awards and Toronto Urban Music Festival.
MARIA ISA
Beginning her arts education at El Arco Iris Center for the Arts in 1992, Maria Isa quickly progressed from the role of student to the role of singer, songwriter, emcee and performer Her 2009 release, Street Politics, has received much critical acclaim. She has been featured on the cover of Twin Cities Metro and City Pages. She is currently shooting indie film Strike One in LA with Danny Treo; then she is headed to Puerto Rico to shoot the documentary We Rock Long Distance with filmmaker Justin Schnell.
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She has been nominated for a Minnesota Music “Best Hip-Hop Artist” Award, and was recognized as a 2010 Rising Star by the National Hispaña Leadership Institute for her outstanding work with Youthrive on behalf of incarcerated youth throughout the Twin Cities. She has also been honored for her involvement with Peace Jam on behalf of Nobel Peace Prize laureates. She recently received the Best Urban Artist award from Univision 13, a Certificate of Appreciation from the Governor of Minnesota for her outstanding songwriting and contributions to the Latino Community, and a David Laffyette Award for her dedication towards the peace movement through the arts. She has appeared on the International Bazaar stage at the Minnesota State Fair, as Mimi in the musical Rent at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre and at New York’s BMI Latin Alternative Music Conference showcase. Her music has reached audiences around the world, including Asia and the United Kingdom, Latin America, the United States and Puerto Rico. She has performed alongside Slick Rick, Tego Calderon, Plena Libre, Los Pleneros de La 21, The Roots, Digable Planets, Julio Voltio, Lil Rob, Chingo Bling, La Bruja, Miguel Alegrin, Alice Russel, Bomba Esterio, Brother Ali, The Alkoholiks, Semisonic and Paracumbe, to name a few.
DESDAMONA
Desdamona is an international award-winning artist; who has taken her distinct lyrics, sounds, and artistic stylings to audiences from Minnesota to Hawaii to Puerto Rico to Germany; gracing some of Hip Hop and poetry’s most illustrious stages. Desdamona has had the pleasure of opening up for distinguished artists including Wyclef Jean, GURU, Bahamadia, Zap Mama, Black Uhuru/Sly & Robbie, Saul Williams, Ursula Rucker, KRS ONE and Rhymesayers artists. She has also shared the stage with influential Hip Hop artists including Canada’s Eternia, Medusa and Bgirl Rockafella.
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Desdamona has worked in over 200 schools throughout the Midwest, conducting workshops and as artist in residence, working with more than 10,000 students in public, private and alternative schools as well as colleges and universities. She has also worked in residencies and workshops in Stillwater Prison, Shakopee Prison, Red Wing Juvenile Facility and the Juvenile Detention Center in Minneapolis MN.
Desdamona is one of the founders of B Girl Be, the first international festival, which celebrates women in Hip Hop. She was a featured performer at the We B*Girlz Festival in Berlin, Germany (2008), the SheRock Festival (2008), and was a Minnesota Music Awards featured performer (2005). Desdamona was also awarded Best Spoken Word Artist from the MN Music Awards five consecutive years. Desdamona was a featured artist on the SummerJam Tour (2007) with legendary, Grammy Award winning artists Sly & Robbie. She and beatbox partner Carnage (as Ill Chemistry) also headlined The 2nd Nature Tour (2008).
Desdamona released her first formal product, The Ledge, in 2005. With production from Sly & Robbie, the project was well received and combined Des’s potent poetry and fierce hip hop delivery with a mix of heavy, world-influenced beats. The Ledge also introduced Desdamona’s fans to her singing, including the hooks and full songs on the album. In 2007, Desdamona released The Source. This project was recorded more organically, with all live instrumentation. The Source offered a whole new feel to Desdamona’s sound, while her lyrics and delivery were as powerful as ever. The Source was a success with fans as well as college radio; ranking as high as number 10 on the Hip Hop charts.
GUARDIANS OF BALANCE
The rap group G.O.B. was formed when two young men with superior mic ability noticed each others talents in a studio production class in high school. Meyer St. Paul Slim Warren and Nick M-13 Muhammad of St. Paul Minnesota, decided to take their solo talents and form a duo. In 1996 the two started doing shows and recording under the name DA C.U.T. Do to certain circumstances the group was forced to part for a brief moment from the year 1997 to the year 2001. During that time M-13 became a member of a Hip Hop collective known as F.O.S. (Faculty of Speech), who during the late 90s had a lock on the Twin Cities local Hip Hop fans.
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Slim on the other hand was enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and spent most of his time overseas. In the year 2000 the two decided to change the name from DA C.U.T. to the GUARDIANS OF BALANCE (G.O.B.), when Slim came home in 2001 they had a new name a more mature sound and a different attitude toward goal seeking and decided to finish what they started in 96. They represent the very heart of the Twin Cities and its intense underground Hip Hop scene, but the G.O.B. has a sound that is like no other. With their intelligently profound flow, explosive delivery and well-rounded diverse musical production, the two have indeed raised and will continue to raise the stakes for all existing and up-and-coming lyricists in the industry.
ST. PAUL SLIM
Methodically quiet and seriously serious, St. Paul Slim prefers to sit back and observe, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Don’t write him off as shy or docile, though, because for as somber as Slim can be, he can be equally boisterous and rowdy. He’ll get in your face to deliver the harsh reality of everyday life in the inner city. Born in Chicago and raised in St. Paul, Slim’s hard past is the creative fuel powering his career. If he raps about a gun, it’s because he’s carried one. If he rhymes about gang violence, it’s because he’s dealt with it and witnessed it. “Everything’s got a lesson to it,” Slim says. Growing up during hip-hop’s heyday, Slim’s music reflects his desire to bring the genre back to those roots. “I was inspired and influenced by the greats, I am a product of greatness therefore I am great,” Slim boasts.
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Lyrically, Slim’s precise delivery and unprecedented wordplay challenge his listeners to see through the bullshit drowning commercial hip-hop today. Likewise, his beats resonate a polished, old school vibe with modern hip-hop shine. “I grew up in an era where hip-hop wasn’t about bling-bling,” he says. “People had nice watches, they wore gold chains, but nobody talked about it. Hip-hop’s the news of the ghetto and I think there’s more to talk about than money and girls.” After high school, Slim enrolled in the Marine Corps, where he served for four years but never abandoned his desire to make it as a hip-hop artist. Although Slim rarely addresses his military past in his music, he says it brought a larger understanding of the world to his music. Out of the military by 2002, Slim put together Operation Clean Dirt: The Mission Brief - his first LP - in collaboration with his brother, Mastermind. That little project had fans and critics alike begging for more; and earned Slim the Best Knowledge Spitter award during the 2nd annual Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards. His 2nd project, The Slim Case awarded him Best EP at the 3rd annual Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards.
St. Paul Slim played an important role in many successful hip-hop projects, including Atmosphere’s Strictly Leakage, Stophouse's Recession Music, featuring Prof, Muja Messiah’s MPLS Massacre, and the soundtrack for the major motion picture Justice. He has performed with respected hip-hop legends like MC Lyte, Cee Lo,A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-1, and Slick Rick. Slim is a repeat performer at the Twin Cities Hip-Hop Celebration. Although Slim’s been making noise in the Twin Cities for awhile, he’s just starting down the path to hip-hop infamy. “With his varied beats, Jay-Z-channeled flow, and uber-confident swagger, Slim has all the tools to be the next in a long line of stellar underground Twin Cities emcees.” (Minnesota Daily, January 22, 2009) Slim has recently released his first solo album, Bald-Headed Samsun, and is working on a new project set for release in 2011.
MASTERMIND
When it comes to hip-hop, Mastermind is not only a breath of fresh air and a visionary, but a movement. He dares to dream, he doesn’t want to take hip-hop back through roads already pioneered, rather move it forward in the authoritarian style that is all his own. He challenges what the role of an MC is, dissects what it means to “be hood”, and offers his insight on what love and life is all about, ultimately challenging himself for the answers. Mastermind is a TC representative born in Greenville, Mississippi and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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He started as a young hoodlum / god body spiting fire with his lyrical twin St.Paul Slim in a rap duo known as Da C.U.T. later to be re-born as The Mighty G.O.B. They built a reputation for spitting what they called Harsh Reality Rap. Listening to his range of musical styles, you’ll see that Mastermind is very versatile and gifted in the art of spittin'. His credibility and skill are not surprising considering he was being snuck into night clubs he was not old enough to attend so he could rip the mic in the mid to late 1990’s. He has laid a strong underground foundation with crews like F.O.S. i.e., Raw Villa, City Slickaz, Ring Leadaz, and his home team Guardians of Balance, preparing him for his solo debut. He also attended the infamous St. Paul Central High School, KNOWN for producing some of the greatest MC’s the city has ever seen, and the story ends like this: Mastermind is no exception to the rule.
HIGH NORTH
HIGH NORTH ENT houses a production company by the name of CREAM CROP PRODUCTIONS, as well as a recording facility and engineering team headed by DOC aka DIRTY DEAN. The High North group has put out plenty of music to name some of the latest and hottest is the solo album by I-RULE entitled UNIVERSAL LAW. This group of artists and producers maintain to be diligent and dedicated to bringing fantastic music to the public. With a unique sound all their own, the High North (which includes Chicago and Canada) home base is MINNESOTA. HARD drumlines and big booming bottoms places the High North in the running for the hottest new sound. With releases by VIBRANT SHINE ON EVERYTHING (Sharp Metals) they look to shake the world of music up, down and around, back to its street foundation.
TONY BONES
Tony Bones was born and raised in the South Minneapolis hood. Like many urban hustlers, poverty and the rough urban environment are to blame for his advanced hustling skills, despite. Tony Bones has been in music since he was five-years old as a singer in Church then at fourteen years-old Bones began freestyling. At eighteen years-old, Bones began writing and recording music. Known across the Midwest for his street hustle, Bones started Long D.O.E. Records LLC in 2002. The promotional branch of the company, Long Doe Entertainment, was launched in 2006. Tony Bones is currently writing scripts for movies, acting, directing, producing and executive producing & shooting high quality videos for his music enterprises and for new clients.
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MIKE THE MARTYR
Minneapolis based MC & Producer. Production credits include artists like AG of DITC, Sadat-X, Termanology, Triple Seis (Formerly Of Terror Squad), Large Amount (D-Block), Slug Of Atmosphere, Muja Messiah & More.
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BIG WIZ
Big Wiz, aka Nic Swisher, was born and raised in South Side Mpls. He has lived in MN all his life. He's been a Hip Hop student since the 80's. Wiz, as his good friends call, him started free style'n in the basement with Lyrical Productions and linked up with SP Styles in the late 90's, when he had just begun writing, recording and performing. Around 2000 he formed a group with life-long friend Tony Bones. He released his solo album, Words of Wizdom, to much fanfare in the first quarter 2009.
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In 2002 he formed Long Doe Records, LLC . Together they built a strong presence in our local music scene and are ever expanding. Since starting they have independently produced 9 full length albums, 15 music videos, had features in magazine like WWS & 4Seen, done a number of local radio appearances , opened for a plethora of major artists, and peformed many major artist song features. They have secured a large arsenal under their belt working with the best producers, engineers, graphic artists, directors, photographers, club owners, the list goes on... all on an independent level.
He has seen a few accolades in his time on the scene: Big Wiz & Tony Bones received the best white rapper award in the First Annual Twin City Hip hop awards (2008). He was nominated for best album in the second annual Twin City Hip hop Awards (2009), He received the 'Minneapolis Mayor' award in the 3rd Annual Twin City Hip Hop Awards (2010). A big photo shoot of the local Hip Hop legends will be featured permanently in the Minneapolis Art Institute. He has worked with names like Triple Seis of Terror Squad fame, a number of the Chicago legends like Twista, Do Or Die, Grammy award winning R&B singer Johnny P., Psychodrama, Devin the Dude, platinum selling artist Bizzy Bone and many more.
TRINAGURL
Trina was born in Minnesota where she lived until she was in the second grade. She then moved to the suburbs of Houston, TX. At the age of 13 yrs old she moved back to Minneapolis, where she has been ever since. Trina has been singing ever since she can remember. She has been in high school musicals even winning the lead role of Dorothy in The Wiz. She sang in a gospel choir, was in drama club and has even went to modeling school. That’s not all! She even writes her own songs. After that she knew she had a gift for song writing and couldn’t put the pen down.
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Trina has used her life situations to bring out her creativity in song writing, one of the most important situations was becoming a mother. She has four beautiful children ages: 13, 10, 3, and 2. Besides being a mother and artist, she is also a registered dental assistant. She says that becoming a registered dental assistant was one of the most difficult yet rewarding things she has done besides raising her children.
Once Trina makes it she wants to give back to her community and one of the things she wants to do is build a recreation center for teens, a place where they can be off the streets. Her dream would have a skating rink, bowling alley and teen club for the ages of 13-18 all under one roof. Trina hopes to build a place where children will feel like their city loves them. Trina’s influences have been Josephine Baker, Tina Turner, Gwen Stefani, and Patti Labelle who she shares a love of cooking with.Trina will no doubt make a dent in the entertainment industry whether it be, acting, modeling, song writing or her true passion of singing. Trina’s voice has become quite literally a voice to be reckoned with. She is not a one genre vocalist. She has sang songs, by Pink, Carrie Underwood, Janet Jackson and Mary J Blige. Whether she is singing in a cover band, solo, or belting out hooks for various artists, keep your eye out for this future star from the Twin Cities.
KOOL AKIEM
From underground mixtapes in the early nineties and the various Micranots releases, to 2006's Mixtape Deluxe, DJ Kool Akiem formerly of the Micranots and DJ for MF DOOM has been providing a steady diet of funk to the public for years now. Lacing ornate and eclectic samples over rugged drum hits and 808 kicks, Kool Akiem's productions have a distinct feeling that provide just the right amount of stimulation not to take attention away from the lyrics of his various collaborators.
IXL
DJ IXL first came up through the battle scene in 1998 when he made his mark by innovating a specific Beat Juggling style, using only the up-faders on the mixer. He brought a whole new sound that influenced today's top turntablists all over the world. His technique has taken him into the I.T.F. U.S.A. Finals and controversial DMC World Supremacy where he was East Coast runner-up. Besides being known to take out heads in major battle competitions, IXL has DJ'ed for Gza of Wu-Tang Clan, and toured with J Records recording artist Jimmy Cozier.
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