BHF HISTORY: POLLITRIKKING WITH M-1

“I reminisce for a spell, shall I say think back, June 2009 just to keep it on track.”

The 2009 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival was set to be the largest ever. Styles P and dead prez leading into the headliner, Pharoahe Monch. Two stage format for the first time, highlighting Underground talent and mainstream acts simultaneously. The sky was the limit.

And then the clouds came, and we were limited by the sky.

Not that the festival suffered, in fact it shined like all others. But since it rained all day, we didn’t get to experience the two stage format organically. Instead, both underground and main stage acts shared one stage, leading to a number of acts cutting sets short because of the time bottleneck.

And even with that, even with headliners truncating performances because of the rain day schedule change, the 2009 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival was still the largest ever.

FACT.

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Through The Mic Of An OutlaW

“All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up.” - James Baldwin

“Smothered in contradiction / listen as I explain / the reason that I soak and bathe inside the pain.” - FinaL OutlaW; “Pessimist”

FinaL OutlaW is sick. Lyrically to most. But today, he is fighting a cold.

Dressed in his customary black attire - backwards black fitted hat, loose fitting black-T hanging underneath his black leather jacket, dark jeans, black Timbs - his eyes move constantly as if he is in perpetual thought. Every statement released from his mouth is preceded by a noticeable pause, then, almost on cue, a subsequent sniffle. He speaks in parables as if each of his life’s experiences has undergone its own thorough scientific analysis complete with re-drawn hypothesis‘ and foregone conclusions. And it is those experiences - tragic, triumphant, and everything in between - that shapes James Johnson the person.

It is those same experiences that define FinaL OutlaW the artist.

As we stroll through Manhattan’s Union Square - a symbol of late nineties economic prosperity - looking for a place to park amongst the street performers, independent artists, housewives less day jobs, and NYU students coveting the free wifi, FinaL OutlaW describes his El Salvadorian upbringing in Uptown’s (predominantly Dominican) Dyckman neighborhood. Ingrained at an early age, through perhaps the bleakest window possible, was the value and necessity of commitment.

“I have one brother and one sister. My parents were together. I don’t want to put their business out, but there were a lot of things that didn’t work out so...Lets just say that loyalty was broken a few times. And I did witness some domestic violence. To the point that at one point I was accidentally sprayed in the face with mace. But I don’t hold any grudges, man. I love my parents. I think that beyond the mistakes that they made with each other, they realized that they had a grand responsibility of staying together. So, because you know obviously they had kids. And despite the mistakes and violence that I’ve seen between them - and the disloyalty - they remained together. And thats symbolic in my mind because they committed to one decision and they stayed there. My dad has always been there to support us.”

FinaL OutlaW’s upbringing is less unique than it is common where he’s from - and that story and others like it provides the angst and passion behind some of his most potent lyrics and is undoubtably the reason why his fans connect with them. Tales of witnessing “a group of sixteen dudes” gang stabbing one McDonald’s employee at age nine, or inexplicably dropping his bike to evade a barrage of bullets during a Coney Island shoot out litter his childhood memories. Compound those with the time he watched a van run over a woman with a baby carriage at Van Courtland Park, or that ride on the “L” when the subway train severed a drunken passenger, or that twelve year old girl he knew was buying condoms for “Daddy” - and lines like “I watched the world fall apart through a fire escape” (on his award winning anthem, “Hip Hop Forever”) gain newfound clarity. He carries these and other weighty experiences with him like lyrical pocket change, pulling them out of whenever its time to drop dimes.

Sonically, FinaL OutlaW is often compared to revolutionary Emcees such as dead prez, or (one-time fellow G.A.ME activist) Immortal Technique. His visceral descriptions of common man plight, politically skeptical view points, and vivid, often cynical, depictions of the mind’s most horrific scenarios (“every woman I ever loved was a victim of rape, or “Pessimist’s” gut-wrenching tale of child molestation for example) force the shallow listener (or those searching for an easy reference point) to lump him into the same box as larger-named artists with similar content. But the mere mention of such comparisons is enough to quickly unleash the ire of FinaL OutlaW. “People are like ‘oh, he reminds me of Immortal Technique’. Shut up! Stupid. You haven’t even listened to it. You haven’t even delved into that realm where he’s at, to really understand where he’s coming from!” he says as his eyes fill with a disarming level of annoyance. “A lot of people I feel, unfortunately, are so simplified mentally that they can’t help but compare you to immediately the biggest thing in their head at that point.”

The differences between FinaL OutlaW and those to which he’s most frequently compared are significant. He doesn’t believe in revolution of any kind. He doesn’t believe in politics whatsoever. He’s deeply spiritual but far from religious. He believes in “the prophet Muhammad and Jesus Christ the same way he believes in Rosa Parks or Gandhi or Tupac Shakur - great examples of what perseverance and deep faith lead to.” The flattering, if not complimentary, nature of such comparisons (dead prez, Immortal Technique) is trumped by the extreme frustration he experiences from pigeon-holing of any kind.

With that being said - and he’ll likely disagree with me for making my own reference point - there is a Tupac-slash-Chuck D-like quality to his music. Each song carries an unavoidable honesty - directly from the heart, never allowing fabrication to erode its message. His voice seems to reverberate over the beat giving size and scale to each syllable spit. His cadence on tracks like “Bring It On” or “Lets Kick It” along with his admittance that he’s “smothered in contradiction” harkens to the late Makavelli. And his live show carries the same weight as his studio tracks complete with near-album clarity. In no way does it sound like he’s swagger-jacking these legends. OutlaW’s style is all his own, lets make that perfectly clear. But the motivational, get-your-ass-up-and-do-something-about-this-shit emotion that this writer receives from listening to (his album) We’re All Gonna Die..., or “Hip Hop Forever” for example - is refreshingly reminiscent to the empowering zone entered when listening to Pac or P.E. Judgement or otherwise, this is a rare and beautiful quality.

In person or on wax - also like Chuck D, also like Tupac - FinaL OutlaW doesn’t dance around his opinions on anyone or anything. When encountered with what he perceives as inequality or injustice, he calls it out directly.

“If someone is going to be flipping burgers and scrubbing toilets and driving buses, pay them a respectful amount that they can actually support their family with and recognize the fact that they are running the country that you’re sitting on. They hold the shit on their shoulders. We built this mutherfucker, yo! And we don’t get the pay check that someone gets for doing something far simpler than degrading yourself to scrub a fuckin’ hospital bathroom.”

OutlaW speaks with the same disdain for prejudice and politics as he does for bloggers, Jay-Z, Kanye, and today’s Hip Hop community. In his world, a spade is a spade and he’s not afraid to name names. “Alot of these bloggers...c’mon yo. You’re trying to be as popular as the artists themselves? That is so stupid. You know? They just automatically like ‘oh yeah, check out this new “Hip Hop Forever” video. It reminds me of a little bit of this dude.‘ Shut up! Stupid...They don’t report on shit!” he states with an ironic chuckle.

“The Hip Hop community that we have right now is such a backstabbing, lying ass community of people...Lets take Kanye West for example..if he was really really really really really that outspoken, he would put his career on the line doing something for the people and not putting his career on the line going POP... But I didn’t feel he was real for many reasons... Theres a lot of things that I feel radical about. But I’m not a radical. I’m just a person with feelings. Cause a radical is a category. Like Jay-Z, I don’t like him...Jay-Z to me is a person who doesn’t give a shit about us. You know? Jay-Z is the type of person who funds movies like that ‘State Property‘ bullshit where theres nothing but violence and mutherfuckers getting killed with baseball bats.”

Through living a tumultuous life such as his - one where his education was hijacked by racial discrimination (excelling in an overcrowded accelerated math class only to be ushered into lower level to make room for an incoming white student); one where he watched the degradation of his parents by detectives while moving through the shelter system; one where he witnessed domestic violence at an early age - the question begs to be asked, what excites FinaL OutlaW about life? What makes him hype about the future? And although his answer to this question is noticeably brief (“I get excited like everybody else. [You] gotta appreciate everything”), there is an uplifting change is his demeanor when he discusses his upcoming West Coast tour, or his next mixtape, Unstoppable Love, or when he talks about his history volunteering and helping those less fortunate. His eyes shine like a child pleasantly relieved that the toys are still there the morning after Christmas Morning. Even a life loaded with trepidation isn’t enough to block from his mind the opportunity of a brighter tomorrow.

As we exit Manhattan's Union Square - home to scattered homeless people, anchored by the now defunct Virgin Music Megastore - its clear that woven within the multi-layered complexity of the artist known as FinaL OutlaW lives a fairly simple person. Honesty, fairness, education, equality and economic prosperity for all - baseline principles achievable only by doing the right things in life drives James Johnson on a daily basis. Along with the recognition of those basic principles, its impossible to deny the contradiction, if not hypocritical nature, of his conversation. He repels quick judgements and shallow comparisons of his music to other artists by uninformed listeners, but makes his own judgements about fellow artists that (he acknowledges) he’s never personally met. He speaks with anger and pain about the hijacking of his education as a youth, but hasn’t pursued a college degree because of his career upswing. Valid or otherwise, excuses are excuses.

And thats what makes FinaL OutlaW’s music so powerful. Thats what he means when he describes himself as “smothered in contradictions”. Those inherent, internal contradictions are part of what connects us all as human beings. It represents a level of humanity that an artist is forced to tap into, as James Baldwin says, if he or she is to survive. Its the reason that Tupac’s music resonates with fans who weren’t yet born when he was alive.

It is these contradictions...and tragedies...and triumphs within the life of James Johnson that define the music of The FinaL OutlaW.

“This is the only real concern of the artist, to re-create out of the disorder of life that order which is art.” - James Baldwin

“And people ask me why I wear black all the time...First of all, I like black. People take you seriously automatically and I’m a serious person.” - FinaL OutlaW

www.FinalOutlaw.com

www.myspace.com/finaloutlaw

Hard Raps for Raps' Sake: Interview with M-1 of dead prez

The-Quotable.com caught up with M-1 following dead prez's 2009 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival performance - politrikkin' on their recently released mixed tape (Pulse of the People), the election of Barack Obama, and just hard ass raps for raps' sake. Read on.

TCM: So how’d you feel about Brooklyn Bodega and your show today?

M-1: Brooklyn Bodega was what it was suppose to be - represented for Brooklyn. It gave us an opportunity to present our Hip Hop as a revolutionary force - a cultural weapon. Thats what it was. We was able to do it. A lot of great people - Styles, Grand Puba - we understand how to put on something thats gon‘ really be able to feed the people. The people need it right now. People need feeding.

TCM: Well the people are really in to who you guys are and what you guys have coming up next. What can we expect from the mixtape?

M-1: On the mixtape, its a cross section of life in Brooklyn. Or, life in the world, actually. All over the world. Thats why we call it The Pulse Of The People. We want to take a quick cross section of what was happening all across our communities, and even internationally. [We] called in some help from people like Styles and Chuck D. Um, you know, people like Bun B and my man Johnny Polygon, who is Green Lantern’s artist. And we did some stuff that we normally wouldn’t do. We made some rhyme decisions. Raps. Just hard ass raps for raps sake. Like, my brother Stic - whose the illest Emcee thats out right now - and Green Lantern, we come together and just talk about New York. We talk about Africa. [We] get a chance to talk about everything that really matters to our people. So thats what you got with Pulse of the People. And its really like a pre-album. Its a prelude to the Information Age which is the album thats coming out the end of the year or the beginning of next year. Thats what it is.

TCM: So are you guys still doin‘ it behind the boards? More production? More thumpin? More...

M-1: Well this was Green, but we got all the production coming. Nah, we gon’...oh yeah, we comin’. We’re crazy. Yeah. We’re just diggin‘ in, right now, real heavy. So...yeah. Ear to the ground. Got my ear to the ground, man.

TCM: Thats whats up. You guys are one of the few groups that are both enlightening and entertaining at the same time. Whats your formula? Whats your creative process like?

M-1: Um, stay sincere. Stay sincere to who we are and what it is. Also, keep your head eye-level to what the people need. Cause sometimes you can’t give the people what you don’t have. You know what I’m sayin? But if you have it, we expect you to give it to us. A lot of times we be disappointed with the artists that have it and don’t give it. So its my duty, I take it as my responsibility. And thats all it is. I can’t be no more than I am and no less than I am. And really I’m a student of the people. I learn from the people. I’m...as much as I can teach somebody, I’m more learning every time and I’m humbled to that. And thats what you...hopefully you’re gon‘ hear that in the music.

TCM: Absolutely. One more question for you. Being a student of the people, being that the people chose Barack Obama, did you vote in the 2008 election? And if so, either way, how do you feel about the first 6 months of the new administration?

M-1: Well, course I voted. But I didn’t cast a vote in a ballot box that went towards the President of the United States of America. I casted my vote when it comes down to my organization. Economic development. When it comes to where I put my dollars. Where I put my thoughts. Where I invest my energy. Where I build my community. And thats been about change far beyond, far beyond the kind of new push we have...

And so, I’m inspired by people who want Change as well. I been wantin Change. I think that Change is so necessary in emergency form before we ever got it in this office. So, anybody whose charged up with Change right now, if you see it through Barack Obama, great. I say look at it through the most political eyes that we can and really look...make a vision outside of the box of what real change is for the future. Dare to see a future for our people thats got all of us doing exactly what we need to do. And thats not exactly what the United States Government has planned for us. Its still Politrikkks time again. So, one love.

CLICK HERE FOR THE-QUOTABLE'S 2009 BROOKLYN HIP HOP FESTIVAL WRAP UP

Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival 2009

June twentieth. Two-thousand-and-nine. Empire Fulton Ferry State Park. Tobacco Warehouse. Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn. Bodega.

According to the forecast there was an 83% chance of rain. By 1pm, rain clouds filled the stratosphere filling the air between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, leaving a blunted (pun intended) impression on The New York City skyline. And although this day would remain overcast and lightly saturated, by festival's end, Brooklyn Bodega made it thunderstorm.

Once Again.

The 5th Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (BHF) pimp-slapped-Mother-Nature-Charlie-Murphy-style, packing the tent erected in the center of the largest roofless room in the 19th century Tobacco Warehouse all-rainy-day-long. Anyone who stepped outside after Styles P stepped off-stage likely missed Pharoahe's raucous finale. In fact, Brooklyn Bodega anticipated a 50% decline in attendance. They expected people to find dryer refuge given the less than ideal weather conditions. They overestimated. Heads came out for Hip Hop. And they got their money's worth.

This year's BHF bosted a 2-stage format (condensed onto one stage) - 2nd Stage and Main Stage. 2nd Stage - hosted by Homeboy Sandman (The Mayor) - featured rising local artists including two of the three winners of the Bodega's successful Show & Prove series. Main Stage featured more established acts, including April Show & Prove winners Brown Bag Allstars, DJ J.Period, dead prez, Styles P, and festival headliner Pharoahe Monch. All in all, Brooklyn Bodega packed two stages and twenty-plus acts into one Hip Hop dedicated eight-hour window. To see it was to feel it.

Second Stage Highlights

CLICK HERE FOR THE APRIL 16th SHOW & PROVE WRAP UP

CLICK HERE FOR THE MAY 21st SHOW & PROVE WRAP UP

Corona, Queens natives (and March Show & Prove victors) Children of Night cooly kicked off the Second Stage lyrical festivities with the minimalistic, snare-heavy “Time Out”, the bouncy, bar-trading “100 Percent”, and sublime, Summer-time-ready, set closer, “151”. Rocking to a larger than anticipated audience (considering weather, festival crowd tendency to increase in density as the day progresses, and BHF’s of years’ past, this year’s 1pm audience was much larger than expected), Lansky, Versa, and Remy Banks roamed the stage like kids exploring a new playground. Judging by crowd response, COTN had those in attendance “chillin’ to the Children of the Night.”

“Intricate and focused like a Kung-Fu master. / Bring the daily out like the weather forecaster.” - Eagle Nebula

Brooklyn resident, Eagle Nebula, walloped the stage with inspired lyricism and an appreciated B-Girl swag reminiscent of that era when both genders had to come spit game tight to gain respect.

May Show & Prove winners, Brokn.Englsh once again commanded a high octane performance laced with increasingly crowd favorites. Brick City’s Cion Burris, Myk Dyalek, and Lyriq2Go honed the formula for a dope live show - chemistry, energy, clarity, showmanship. The nostalgic “I Remember My First Time” and the anthemic “Make Some Noise” (complete with its own old school dance break down) incited immediate head-nods throughout the tent. And the crowd showed love for their closing ode “Thank You For Being A Friend” (a la the theme song from Golden Girls). Much respect.

“I’m the underdog that finally gets the girl.” - Nyle

Nyle left his mark on this year’s BHF. The less-than-five-foot-nine-inch recent NYU graduate marched in kicking confident rhymes over the cascading live production (courtesy of his accompanying 3 piece band) of Lil‘ Wayne’s “Let The Beat Build” delivering a near-pristine remix. Dreadlocks dangling underneath his teal colored fitted hat, white-T with matching teal image emblazoned across the front hanging over his loose fit jeans - Nyle hit the stage packing lighting in his mic. His anthemic ode to the object of his affection, “XMAN” (doubling as an ill extended metaphor using actresses and cartoon characters to describe a chick who won’t stop “talking ‘bout her ex man”) garnered immediate crowd response. And his raucous set closer “Make Some Noise If You Wit’ Me” made it crystal clear that Nyle is one to check for. Definitely the most dynamic set of the Second Stage.

Main Stage Highlights

Show & Prove Series champion Brown Bag Allstars did what they do best - bum rush the stage spewing virulent energy and lyrical skill. DJ E-Holla, Soul Khan, Koncept, J-57, and The Audible Doctor acted as frontmen for this performance, bobbing and weaving across stage like Tyson in his prime - all offense, all intent to knock out the audience. And they delivered. Set opener “1, 2, 3, 4” laid the groundwork early, and the prevailing “When I Start To Drink” forced the tent masses to chant “Its like that, dattidy dat, da dat, dat.” By the time BBAS kicked the last bar on their infections “Gimme The Booze”, the bum rush was complete. Brown Bag Allstars showed and proved.

“N***** scared to get scorched. / They ain’t passin’ the torch. / Claimin’ the new n***** don’t really walk the walk / really talk the talk. / Really thats what they thought?” - Marco Polo & Torae

Lime green fitted T with a neon red silhouette of a figure hoisting an AK-47 skyward emblazoned vertically along the bottom left. Black New Era with Brooklyn scripted across the front. Brolic B-Boy demeanor. Hard-ass production. Marco Polo & Torae brought their rollicking harmony straight to the face. Throughout the set, Torae roamed solo like a veteran Emcee (swag heavy, earnestly comfortable, album clear delivery) while Marco Polo remained perched behind the tables like a Canadian mad scientist mischievously monitoring their bangerific soundscape. After a brief opening freestyle, Torae inducted the ruckus with “Double Barrel”, the title track from their debut collaboration. MP’s sick scratches were on full display on the head-nod inducing “Slam” sampled “But Wait”, while “Danger’s” sinister sirens rocked the crowd like it was 1994. The duo wrapped with Double Barrel’s lead single, “Party Crashers” - an apt ending to an amp performance.

DJ J.Period brought his world renowned Live Mixtape straight to the BHF tent. Hosting rap legends OC (from D.I.T.C.), the entire Brand Nubian Crew, and The Roots resident Emcee, Black Thought - J.Period ushered the crowd through an array of historic jams (both old and new) back-to-back-to-back. The climax came when Philly-bred Black Thought obliterated the mic with the debut of his remix of "Brooklyn We Go Hard". Few rock a party like J.Period.

“We just had little run-in with the punk-ass police...” - M-1

Stic.Man and M-1 hit the stage revolution ready. Primarily performing tracks from its recently released DJ Green Lantern produced mixtape, Pulse of the People, Dead Prez opened with the sublime “NYPD”, followed by the nostalgic and aptly entitled “Summer Time”, before taking “it back to Africa” with “Africa Hot”. Considering most in attendance had yet to hear the duo’s newest music, the crowd was certainly live. No doubt. Staying topical and true to form, Dead Prez harmonized “even though Obama’s in, Uncle Sam ain’t my friend” on the A-political “Politrikkks” before making the tent shake like a tribal rain dance with the anthemic closer, “Its Bigger Than Hip Hop”.

“Fuck the frail shit!” - Styles P

The festival’s most raucous performance belonged to Styles P. FACT. Sporting a hood certified, oversized white-T and backwards Yankee fitted - one-third of the Lox damn-near-shut-shit down, tearing through solo anthems “Locked Up”, “Can You Believe It”, and “I’m Black”, before bringing Black Thought back onstage to drop the first verse from the speaker-rattling “Get Busy”. Any perceived BHF bougieness evaporated the second (nearly) the entire D-Block crew hit the stage for “Wild Out” followed by a cut from the recently released No Security.

“I know theres a lot of police in the building. If you want to light a blunt, do what I do, go in the urinal. They ain’t goin’ in there.” - Styles P

Styles wrapped with the thumping “I Get High” before “We Gonna Make It's" chest rattling bass line closed out his performance. Every arm raised pumping to the beat. Every mouth chanting the contagious hooks. Styles P brought the gritty to BK. Who said the BHF is bougie?

Festival headliner Pharoahe Monch spared no time before bringing the ruckus. Green T-shirt. Afro-ed twists reaching outward. Focused lyricism. Pharoahe hit the stage like a rhyming Marcus Garvey. Opening with the anthemic, Public Enemy remake, “Welcome to the Terror Dome”, Monch’s uncanny Chuck D voice inflection is even more impressive live than on wax (Desire). The soulful soundscape and crashing snare on “Free” maintained momentum, and “Lets Go’s” groovy melody kept heads knocking throughout the festival grounds. From there, Monch brought it back to the early 2000s with his Mos Def assisted “Oh No” (unfortunately Black Dante was not in attendance), then a brief beat-boxing interlude introduced Milk D for a rare live performance of the Audio 2 classic “Top Billin’”. The crowd rapped the entire track before erupting at the sound of “Simon Says'” triumphant horns.

And then things went south.

Midway through “Simon Says’” opening hook, just as Pharoahe began to get into his groove, the DJ cut the music stating “They givin‘ us the boot, man. They tellin‘ us we gotta go, man!” Jubilance turned to jeers. The mere thought that someone, anyone would cut off a live performance of “Simon Says” is unacceptable. “Simon Says” is one of a handful of joints in existence capable of immediately igniting any party anywhere. FACT. Fortunately, Monch was allowed to kick the first verse and another hook before defiantly finishing his anthem. Rightfully so. Pharoahe Monch shut down the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, literally. Dope performance and a dope ending to a John-Blazing occasion.

Other Thoughts:

Donny Goines, Chip Fu, Tanya Morgan, DJ Premiere, Smif-N-Wessun, Tiye Phoenix, Keys N Krates

Much respect due to the other performances not highlighted in this wrap up. Donny Goines, Chip Fu, Tanya Morgan, DJ Premiere, Smif-N-Wessun, Tiye Phoenix (with DJ Bizarro), Keys N Krates each put together solid performances, entertaining the audience throughout.

Homeboy Sandman

Homeboy Sandman continues to impress with his diverse showmanship. The Mayor split duty as Second Stage host and Main Stage performer. His poise, welcoming personality, and innate ability to engage the audience combined with his always appreciated, time-filling freestyle maintained interest during the festival’s earliest hours. Then, effortlessly shifting gears, the Pterodactyl soared during his solo set. His intricate, beat-imbedded, dynamic delivery clearly connected with the crowd despite the complexity in which written. Not many artists can take a beastly, multi-layered track like “Fantastic Incredible African” and deliver it effectively to the scattered tastes of fickle festival-goers. Homeboy Sandman is in a class to himself. Bravo.

Duck Down Records

Once again, Duck Down Records’ boasted a significant presence at this year’s Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. Buckshot Shorty, Sean Price, Heltah Skeltah, Kidz in the Hall, and several affiliated guest appearances have all graced the BHF stage in year’s past. This year, Torae & Marco Polo and Smif-N-Wessun fulfilled the mandate, and of course Buckshot Shorty was back again with another brief cameo. Considering Duck Down’s top tier stable of talent; its rich history and longevity as a label (circa 1994); and its locally owned business status - such prominence year after year is expected and, for the most part, appreciated. Duck Down gets it in live and has a massive Brooklyn following. Few labels sponsor a roster dedicated to progressive, boom-bap production and aggressive, lyrically focused, arguably gangsta-leaning content. Duck Down fills that void.

However, the BHF prides itself on hosting dope acts from across the Hip Hop spectrum. Brooklyn Bodega’s intent is to compile the most diverse line up possible. And in each of the past 4 years (at least), Duck Down has rocked as one of the most rugged acts on the bill (this year sharing that lane with Styles P). Are there any other acts that have been denied participation because of this category’s limited space? Rumor has it that Williamsburg’s own Joell Ortiz frequently petitioned for inclusion and was repeatedly rebuked because of the festival’s apprehension to hosting “too many gangsta acts.” Will this pattern continue in years to come? Has Duck Down locked-down the aggressive rap slots at the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, boxing out other worthy (and wanted) acts?

Profanity

Given the BHF's "family friendly" festival approach, each act has a stated mandate to censure any profane lyrics from the performed songs. The occasional "mother fucker" slipped through during previous years performances, but never as many as those emphatically exclaimed in 2009. dead prez contained themselves nicely, commanding the crowd to "put their middle finger in the sky" while slyly only raising their fists. But Styles P exhibited little qualm leading the ubiquitous "roll that shit, light that shit, smoke it" cheer or instructing the audience to "fuck the frail shit!" Pharoahe Monch was equally defiant, screaming "Get the fuck up!" repeatedly on "Simon Says." To the fans in attendance, and this writer specifically, hearing the "Parental Advisory" version of each performance adds to the organic nature and visceral appeal of the live show. Its part of what is expected when a ticket is purchased. What these impromptu moments of profanity mean for Brooklyn Bodega (City Parks Foundation imposed fines or other repercussions, perhaps) remains unclear. Either way, to see such a pronounced detour from the game plan was interesting and appreciated nonetheless.

***

Dope DJ’s. Ill Emcees. Nostalgic jams. History-claiming performances. Fresh.

Thwarting Mother Nature’s attempt to wash out the 5th Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, Brooklyn Bodega once again assembled a potent, richly diverse, raucously entertaining 8 hours of Hip Hop goodness. All for only ten dollars. Rain or shine, asking for anything more is straight Bernie Madoff (greedy).