A staff writer at one of the top the largest black gossip websites www.Bossip.com posted Jasiri X's new Video "Dear Debra" with the following spin:

Random Ridiculousness: “Dear Debra Lee” Video

Pop it and watch this comedy"

Dear Debra - A Letter To Debra Lee


Is this dude serious?"

--end--

What followed was one of the most incredible out pourings of support that I have ever seen on the internet for a new artist (and I have been on the internet promoting music since before MP3.com!) It brought a tear to my eye to see the way people stood up and represented for intelligent, conscious Hip-hop music that is Hot!

They keep saying that buffoonery and street/drug/murder music is what the people want to hear! I think that the entire conversation is showing that plenty of people are rebelling against the kinds of negative imagery and coon lyricism that BET and all these "HOT" whatever radio stations have been poisoning our youth with.

20 years ago the same kind of revolt took place leading up to the popularity of Public Enemy, X-Clan, KRS1, Poor Righteous Teachers etc...

How can we promote and sustain a movement towards more conscious music and videos is the next question?


The People are not having it anymore:
http://bossip.com/173449/..random-ridiculousness-dear-..debra-lee-video/#more-173449

Hip-hop Pioneers and taste-makers comments about Jasiri X's new song/video Dear Debra

http://paradisegray.blogspot...com/2009/10/hip-hop-pioneers-..and-taste-makers.html

You ever see that blog Stuff White People Like? Well, blackface should most definitely be on that list. For whatever reason some whites love to paint their faces black and then express profound shock when black people get offended. Now to be fair, Asians will get in on the foolishness as well. Which makes me wonder how in 2009 seemingly intelligent people can be so offensive yet "oblivious" at the same time.

In the recent high profile incident of blackface on a variety show in Australia, the offending party, who referred to themselves as the "Jackson Jive" were all medical doctors. And, I'm sure the people who run French Vogue are experienced professionals. My brother Paradise just reminded me about Halloween coming up and how each year some college fraternity throws a blackface bash whose pictures always seem to make it to the latest social networking site. 

Which leads me to the million dollar question, Why? Can we just say it's racism and close the case? Is it maybe some deep seeded psychological problem? I can tell you one thing, it damn sure ain't funny. The country is already divided and the fire of hate is being fed 24-7 by the right wing flunkies at Fox News. Why throw a bucket of gasoline on it just to amuse yourself and get a few chuckles form your friends. Is it really worth a potential beat-down if you run into the wrong person? Plus the way things tend to resurface on the internet that blackface may soon become permanent. 

Warning, some users may experience an increase in vision, hearing and learning and in extreme cases may develop mental stimulation that lasts longer than 4 hours!

Now that I have your attention, the new video "What's Peace" by Jasiri X was just uploaded:



Jasiri X's videos should really appeal to everyone who has ever complained about the lyrics and/or negative images in Hip-hop music.

Well now is your chance to finally do something about it. Play this hot video featuring Jasiri X's ill lyrical skills, searing commentary about the meaning of peace and the audacity of giving out a "Peace Prize" in a world so violent. Turn it up and bob yo head, the beat is another banger from Pittsburgh's own legendary super producer Black Czer! Then forward this email to all your friends and tell them how incredible' it is!  Then Tweet it, share it on Facebook and Myspace, Go the full distance and text it also!

The more people that play it, the more people will like it and just maybe, we can start a trend towards intelligent, conscious Hip-hop that isn't corny or stiff.

How about we give it a try and really send it to your lists, like so many people regularly send out ignorant, woman exploiting, self hating, murder music.

Jasiri X, it's Hip-hop that won't eat your brain!

Paradise Gray
One Hood

This Week With Jasiri X-Episode 20

Jasiri X on the roof of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center-site of the G-20 Summit-Photo by Paradise Gray 




Pittsburgh was the host city the G-20 Summit that took place September 24th and 25th and of course me and Paradise were on the scene. Once I found out the G-20 was coming I immediately began to think about creating an episode. People had been asking me about This Week With Jasiri X and when it would return so I thought why not come back with a bang, when the whole world would be watching Pittsburgh.

The concept of the song, "The Only Color That Matters is Green" is dealing with how these few wealthy families and countries set policies that negatively effect the rest of the world. That to them we are not a race or religion or from the hood or the country were just another person that can be exploited. But being the G-20 would be in Pittsburgh we also wanted to show the "Real" Pittsburgh.

Leading up to the G-20 the leadership of the City of Pittsburgh was spinning Pittsburgh like it was this recession proof city with little unemployment and a "revitalized' economy. No doubt we got new stadiums and a casino but the majority of the people in our neighborhoods are suffering. Hell right across the bridge fro the Convention Center that hosted the summit is where homeless people sleep  . So in the video we made it a point to film there and also in a neighborhood called Homewood on Formosa Way.

Lastly and most hypocritically was the demonetization of the protesters. Maybe it's just how I think, but here are people that are actually organizing and bringing attention to issues that effect the average Pittsburgher, the need for good jobs, health care, affordable housing and an end to war. But yet they were portrayed as these destructive fools by the media. Yet the very people responsible for the global economic collapse that has made financially tough for almost everybody to get by, are treated like royalty and giver the VIP treatment. Plus weren't we all just praising and supporting the Iranian students for taking to the streets to protest the election and criticizing the Iranian government for it's crackdown? BTW all footage showing the Police attacking citizens happened in Pittsburgh, not a dictatorship, but the United States of America.

Yall know I'm a Media Literist. (Yeah I went Keith Murray on that one.) So when Glenn "Looney Tunes" Beck started to take shots at Van Jones I watched the situation very closely. Of course Van and Color of Change set it off on Beck costing him almost 60 advertisers and almost his job, but these Right Wing dudes do not lay down. Beck came out swinging with the heavy lumber, and because he's at Fox News the story just doesn't end with him no matter how ridiculous. Once it gained traction Hannity jumped in and then Bill O' Riley now you got a digital rumble. But instead of coming to his aid the White House let him fight it out himself. (I guess that's what you call tough love.) When I woke up Sunday Morning and found out Van had resigned I was VERY upset.

What made me so mad was Van was the closest thing to having ya partna in the White House. Now I don't know him personally but I do know he's a activist straight from the Hood, and everything Fox hated on him for made him that much more real in my eyes. Plus even with his activist street cred brother has a law degree from Yale and some of the most innovative ideas to help heal our community. That being said I've had about enough of Fox News lynching black men (primarily) and all people who speak truth to power. I mean Michael Jackson couldn't even catch a break! So since Fox is breakin out the big guns so am I, and yes I tried my best to wait to September 29 which is the This Week With Jasiri X Season 3 Premiere but I couldn't let another brother get crucified and remain silent. I gotta first give credit to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan whose lecture, "The Crucifixion of Michael Jackson and All Responsible Black Leaders" was a major inspiration. Strong Shout Out to Paradise Gray who was behind the camera and Track Fiends Production for the hot beat!

If you checked out my article The Perfect Storm: Is Pittsburgh in Danger of Becoming a Police State? you know how I feel about the current state of policing in Pittsburgh and preparations for the G-20. At Netroots Nation I did this in dept interview with Legendary Hip-Hop Journalist Davey D for Breakdown FM about the Real Pittsburgh, the recent G-20 permit denials, the dubious arrest of X-Clan's Paradise Gray and the increased militarization of Pittsburgh's police department.


Jasiri X: Pittsburgh, the Police and the G20

X-Man was my favorite joint off the Fruit Pruno project so I decided to put some visuals to it. I gotta get my editing game up for Season 3 of This Week With Jasiri X which is coming very soon. You can purchase Fruit Pruno HERE. Let me know what yall think of NEW X-MEN!

I was as shocked as everyone when I heard the news that WAMO, Pittsburgh’s only “Urban” radio station and black owned business was sold. That same night at The Shadow Lounge was the Hip-Hop Game show competition Rhyme Cal which featured a performance by Pittsburgh MC/New York resident Chen Lo fresh off video spins on BET and MTV of his hit Song “Brooklyn”.

Chen asked me to come and rock a joint with him so I figured I’d grab the flip cam and get the Pittsburgh Hip-Hop community’s reaction to the surprising news that “Pittsburgh’s Home for Hip-Hop and R&B” was bought out and changing it’s format. Below is the eye-opening footage.