Calling All Artists...

With everything that's going on in the world these days I am wondering if us artists need to step it up and start doing like we used to. I saw a picture earlier of the civil rights movement in the 60's/70's, it showed Black Panthers and blacks (and even some whites) marching together in large numbers. Next to this picture was a picture of how things are TODAY in 2014. This picture showed much smaller numbers of people joined together combating police forces who use tear gas and bullets and electricity to "control" riots. What has changed?

I've been thinking that maybe artists have changed and maybe even perhaps people in general, the people who LISTEN to the music have changed. While many of us still care, there is still this silly and foolish idea that "it's none of my business". We are living our lives with these "not my problem" attitudes and "as long as it's not me or my family" type mentalities. Back in the 60's and 70's there were only a few artists that WEREN'T involved some way in the movement and this goes from rock stars to jazz legends to blues to motown and every genre of music there was. Every artist, from painters to musicians to filmmakers and comedians and poets was in some way using their tools of trade toward the greater good. Speaking to people and enlightening them to what exactly was going on. Guys like John Lennon were waking white people up and he and others like himself turned a lot of people on to groups like the Black Panthers.

While there are still artists now in 2014 that are men and women of the people, it doesn't seem like they're getting much of the attention that they should be. Losing out to non-artists who are in the industry just to make enough money to flaunt a bunch of ridiculous pieces of luxury and say "fuck you" to all of the people that even buy their stuff to begin with. Wannabe artists who cut each other down and sell their own people out just to fatten their own pockets. Artists who have much to say don't really get all that much play and have to hustle old school style just to get any attention. Little by little society is going down the damn drain and anybody with some sort of channel into the arts and who have ANY type of "following" or a connection with other people who have connections with other people and so on and so on needs to start putting all they've got into snapping the people out of this daze.

My question is this...

What if...

What if we set up a Woodstock like festival, (more like a live aid/live 8 festival) where we could have sites in numerous different locations across the United States and over seas, each of these concerts would feature artists from all walks of life, anybody who's got something to say can come out and say it as long as it is NOT any "beef" crap or any of that nonsense that can be left unheard for one damn day...

This event could bring artists together from the hip-hop neck of the woods that have these so called "beefs" and squash that junk and do away with all of that bullshit that is doing nothing positive for anybody. It would be a chance to finally achieve what hip-hop was originally meant to achieve. Restoring peace in the community (black AND white for once).

I watched the Dave Chappelle block party dvd and something like that is actually what I had in mind only on a grander scale. Musicians, poets, and even stand up comics will perform and we could also have filmmakers display videos (shorts) in between acts or whatever. Yo...and dig this...the shows will be put on live tv, for free...so people that can't be there can still watch, but not have to pay heavily to see it. I know something like this could be worked out and arranged with ease. The less money that changes hands as result of this event the better, you know what I mean? Aside from donations, maybe. I don't want to see any Woodstock 99' crap going on to ruin it.

How many artists would be willing to do this? For free at that? Would you be willing to donate your time and energy into making something like THIS happen? Or am I just a dreamer like John Lennon was?

Artist Of The Day: Best Of The Underground 2

Jersey Demic

 As a former Philly guy I want to throw some attention at a fellow hip-hop artist from the East Coast. An artist who actually has some real stuff to say that needs to be paid attention to, Jersey Demic out of New Jersey. "Unemployment In America" and "Our Soul" are some pretty deep tracks and the guy properly reps the Underground on Reverbnation.com.

 

Graveyard Shifter 

  Another great artist of the underground to check out is Gaveyard Shifter out of Minnesota. "Attack On Metro City", "Bloody Churches", "Imperial Masters" and many other heavy tracks can be found on his Reverbnation.com page for your listening pleasure. I would expect to hear it on a Wu Tang type sirius radio station and of course being bumped by the realest of the real around the way. 

 Tight lyrics and nice mellow east coast styled instrumentals similar to Wu and other NYC artists, Graveyard Shifter and his crew are very worthy of your time to check'em out. 

 

Graveyard Shifter and Jersey Demic, the Revolution welcomes you and you are officially Sarz approved! The underground salutes you!

 Joey Dangerously

 

Legends: Onyx

I've got love for the Underground in fact it's my home and will always be even if I find myself in the mainstream at some point. To make a relevant impact I think an artist must cross over to that realm in order to turn people on to the real agenda. There are some artists that you can tell are just mainstream and don't get through for long and don't stay in peoples heart's for years. Then there are artists that you will hear one time and your life will change or your mentality at least. John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Tupac are the 3 dudes that I took the most from but here with this blog I'm going to give props to all of the legends that fed me the knowledge and motivation to do what I do and say what I say.

ONYX:

In 1994 I was a young skinny white kid from Philadelphia, Pa. I was already very into my music and had already discovered Jimi Hendrix and was into Dr. Dre and Deathrow plus I was starting to become acquainted with the music of 2pac when I found a cassette single laying on the ground, it was "Keep Ya Head Up".

I then was given a copy of a new album to which I had heard the single that I was instantly crazy about, "Slam!". "Slam" was off the album "Bacdafucup" and this album with the lyrics, delivery of those lyrics and the beats just knocked this lil white boy OUT! I was a Onyx fan for life only about half way through the album. It would be hard for me to pick any one song out of the bunch to call a "favorite" I don't really look at my music in such a way in fact. From Hendrix to Onyx there are just too many great songs that I could pick one to favorite. 

Onyx other great albums like "Shut'em Down" and "All We Got Iz Us" as well as "Bacdafucup 2" put out in 2002, "Triggernometry" in 2003 and "Cold Case Files" dropped in 2008. Sticky Fingaz, Fredro Starr and Sonsee most definitely have my respect and I am constantly bumpin' their music in my earphones. Want to say rest in peace to the late Marlon Fletcher (Big DS) who was with Onyx on their debut "Bacdafucup". 

Great music to do some white people stuff to lol jussssst playin! I usually throw some Onyx mixed in with Pac and even Public Enemy when I'm having a hard time writing and need some inspiration & motivation or just ease my frustrations. 

Oh and also Fredro Starr is one heck of an actor too! Starting out in the movie "Strapped" which was a Forest Whitaker flick in 1993. Among other films and tv shows I'd say my favorite was seeing Fredro on Law & Order. That is still one of my favorite shows on television my Mom got me watching that since it was first aired and I still watch special victims unit (they killed the original may it r.i.p.). Follow Fredro Starr on twitter @Fredro_Starr and show Onyx the love they deserve! 

Onyx...much love from the Underground! and welcome to the Revolution!

Joey Dangerously
The Sarz Revolution

Artist Of The Day: Best Of The Underground 1

It's my pleasure to bring to you the first post of this blog which will feature my favorite underground artists of many genres. I will be giving props to an artist or band each day and giving them a bit of a push, so to speak. I will not be doing a star, mic, or any kind of ratings because that's not how I roll.

Artist of the Day:

Denial

This first post I will be writing about a fellow hip-hop artist out of the Maryland area who goes by the name of "Denial". Denial is a Reverb Nation artist like myself and is a very skilled emcee. The most recent track is called "Stay Toasted" and I had the pleasure of checkin' this one out last night. Equipped with a nice smooth beat Denial supplies smooth lyrics with a smooth delivery. It's a tune I'd expect to hear on a good hip-hop radio station and I will be adding it to my playlist for sure.


Another good track to check out on Denial's Reverb page is "Sunday Morning Freestyle". Excellent beat with excellent freestyle dropped by the man himself this track is one of my faves from this guy. This one features Mega Marv who contributes with his own sick flow. Another song that I would expect to hear on some Sirius Radio hip-hop stations.

"Ridin' Til We Die" is another favorite from Denial and features "Choice". Once again the beat is awesome and the vocals are very smooth, nailed just right on each verse. Denial is a pretty heavy dude he really has some skills and seems like a pretty good dude on top of that. Definitely worth checking out for all of you hip-hop lovers out there looking for something new to listen to.


With that being said...Denial has officially been...Sarz Certified!

Tomorrow night I will check out another hip-hop artist and then I will throw some rock artists at you and tell you what I think. The underground is what I'm all about because it's where music has always remained honest and pure. Support more underground artists so that these big labels will shine more light on some real stuff. Peace!!

Joey Dangerously