Game Designer discusses blacks in the gaming industry

Video game designer Justin Moore believes that African Americans are underrepresented in his industry. He touched on this topic and others in a candid interview.

"What's more remarkable to me," Moore says. "Is how underrepresented [blacks] are in places where employees will potentially have a large impact on the creative control of a game, and that's where I think the importance is."

Moore, 25, studied video game development at Chicago's Flashpoint Academy and has a mechanical engineering degree from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He's a founding member and Vice-President at Metamoorephosis, an independent game development studio in Chicago.

Moore says a lack of African Americans influencing creative decisions at game development companies is visible in the many token characterizations of black video game characters and through the scarcity of black antagonists.

"In understanding that games are a medium like television and radio and literature, if African American's aren't present on the creative side of this medium, the medium is due to be skewed against them," says Moore.

He encouraged aspiring black video game developers to---pun intended---get in the game.

"Don't give up," Moore says. "If what you really want to do is game development, it's not going to be easy. Work hard. Never lose sight of your goals."

Wale Attention Deficit Review

Promising newcomer Wale released his debut album, Attention Deficit today.  Go buy it.  It deserves your ears.  Wale has a breezy flow, potent one-liners, and the versatile delivery to excel on both upbeat tracks and slower soul beats.  He's one of the most believable rappers I've heard. Wale preaches without coming off preachy.  He talks about his frailty without coming off like a puss ( like the Kid Cudi).  And he brags about his flyness without being a Swag Extremist. 

But let's get back to Attention Deficit.

Below are a few of my favorite songs on an album with few misses.

"Mama Told Me" is a soulful track.  It gave me a good feel and it definitely demands a few rewinds.

"Beautiful Bliss" is...exactly that.  J. Cole gives an amazing assist on this track.
Question: With Wale and Cole on the scene, why are some heads so hasty to crown Drake as the new face of hip-hop?

Oh by the way, The beat here reminds me of Lupe's "Theme Music to a Drive By" the original intro for Food and Liquor that didn't make it on the album.  That track deserves a listen by the way.

"Mirrors" is another track that benefits from an awesome feature, with Bun B doing the honors.

"Diary" has Marsha Ambrosius singing as lovely as always.  Along with Chrissette Michelle, Marsha has graced rappers with some of the best vocal assists in recent hip-hop history.

"Shades" serves as an intimate, honest commentary on the whole "Dark Skin vs. Light Skin" issue, examining issues of color from the schoolyard, to the club, to the white house.  The track  features Chrissette Michelle on the vocals, which is a win.

"Contemplate", the last track on Attention Deficit, is a wonderfully produced mellow banger.  The song ends with Wale impressively switching gears to a spoken word delivery. 

Now for a few exceptions to my satisfaction.

Exhibit A:  "Let it Loose (Featuring Pharell)"
I had to turn this one off after listening to the hook for a few seconds.  Pharell does that sometimes.  It seems having him on your track is either a hit or miss. 

Exhibit B: Gucci Mane on "Pretty Girls."
I'm just not a Gucci man. 

Exhibit C:  "90210"
Another "Self destructive, coked up Hollywood material girl with celebrity dreams" song?  He weaves a good story, but I mean...this isn't very original.  Not a bad song, but it doesn't add much to the album.

Despite these criticisms, Attention Deficit definitely demands the hip-hop world's attention.

I give the album an 8/10. 

It will be interesting to see where Wale's career goes from here.  I predict big things, although mainstream success is often a double edged blade that comes with it's sacrifices.  A lot of artists have gone brand new on us through the years.  Let's hope the homie Wale stays familiar.

Oh yeah.  50 Cent came out with an album today.  Fuck with that if you want. 

Company creates mobile app for “sole searchers”

SoleSearch is an interesting new iPhone and iPod touch program geared towards helping sneaker freaks hone in on hundreds of independent sneaker boutiques in U.S. cities and locations across the globe.

Pangaea Subsidiaries—a multi-faceted company with several endeavors in fashion, music, art, and philanthropy—released the application last week.

I discussed SoulSearch with Pangaea CEO Brandon Williamson, who also owns All City Kicks, a sneaker boutique in his hometown Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“SoulSearch is really for the individual who travels and sees parts of the world,” he said. “It’s been received pretty well. Anyone who's purchased it, they love it.”

SoleSearch’s most useful feature is a directory with listings on local shoe shops as well as boutiques in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.

Chicago State University student and iPhone user Jonathan James is a fan of the app.

“There's nothing like it,” said James. “Sneaker heads like myself, they have to feel the same—excited.”

One of the app's impressive features is an interactive “Add a Store” option meant to continually expand the store database.

“Any store we missed, we give the user the ability to let us know,” Williamson explained.

Pangaea has plans to make SoleSearch more “user-active” in the future with updates allowing users to view and post reviews on boutiques.

“We want to make it more of a forum within an app,” Williamson said. “This allows the app to continue to grow.”

Williamson ended the interview with words of encouragement for young tech-minded African Americans.

“If you're an individual who has an idea, you have to at least see it through to see what you can make of it,” he said. “Today's idea can be tomorrow’s million-dollar check.”

Click here to get SoulSearch.

Access the app’s twitter page at http://twitter.com/sole_search.

ACM-ICPC Programming contest director discusses HBCU participation (Written for blackdigerati.org)

The IBM-sponsored Association for Computing Machinery International Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM-ICPC) is the oldest, biggest, and arguably the most exalted contest of its like in the country. Several historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are registered for regional competition this fall; intent on advancing to next year's World Finals—but they represent just a small fraction of the U.S.'s more than 100 HBCUs.

I discussed the issue of increasing HBCU involvement with ACM-ICPC Executive Director Dr. William Poucher, PhD, and a professor at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where the contest is headquartered.

"Faculty will champion participation if HBCU alumni, leaders, and students provide support," wrote Poucher.

"It's about an investment of the university community in building folks who see competition as a platform that creates opportunity," Dr. Poucher wrote. "Given the career-making opportunities that happen for folks starting their IT careers with a bang, I see strong reasons for HBCU faculty and leaders to advocate developing a competitive edge for their students."

Some of the HBCUs slated to compete in U.S. regional contests are Hampton University, Howard University, Morehouse College, Tuskegee University, and Virginia State University.

The 34-year old ACM-ICPC features teams from six continents that compete regionally every year for the right to advance to the World Finals. The 2010 World Finals, hosted by Harbin Engineering University in Harbin, China, will run February 1-6.

In the competition, sharing a single computer, teams of three build multitier software systems to solve intricate mathematical problems grounded in global and real-world issues like safety, water pollution and finite energy. Accepted programming languages varies between regions, but is generally limited to C, C++, or Java.

The number of problems solved determines rank. Teams that produce the same number of solutions are ranked by least total time for purposes such as issuing awards or determining World Finals qualifiers.

Dr. Poucher sees the contest as a reminder that good things come from people working together to find solutions for issues, with "clear minds and good hearts." He believes "That, together with a couple of decades of dedicated learning and doing," will produce a global coalition capable of delivering a better world to future generations.

Visit the ACM-ICPC homepage for more information, including schedules, registration information, and contest history.

Producer Spotlight: Keezo Kane

G.O.O.D. Music producer Keezo Kane, a southside Chicago native, has crafted tracks for artists such as Talib Kweli (The Beast), LL Cool J (Preserve the Sexy), Consequence (Who Knew My Luck Would Change) and Estelle (More than Friends) in his short, but promising career. He also helms his own production company, Mayblok, INC. Kane is somewhat under the radar but it's a safe bet that you'll be hearing his name a lot more in 2009.

The producer is an enthusiast whose musical zeal stems from a childhood submerged in music and years of instrumental training.

“I was brought up in music. I played the trumpet for like 15 years, drum sets for like ten years, I’ve won like recitals and music competitions, I used to be in the marching band, orchestra. Pretty much my whole life I been doing the music thing,” Kane said.

Still, despite such extensive musical conditioning, being a producer wasn’t always on Kane's front burner.

“When I started producing, it was actually like a little hobby or whatever, I was actually hustlin’ at the time, [producing] was just something for me to be doin’. One of my homies—Bobby—he put me up on this program back in the day called Impulse Tracker, it was like a little BS program,” said Kane. After experimenting with Impulse, he decided to see what other programs were out there. “I came up on fruity loops. I messed with it back in the day and I still use it to this day. They need to send me a check,” he said.

Kane grew up on 87th street, “2 blocks” from local rapper GLC, a friend of the producer who is also part of the G.O.O.D. Music contingent.

“Me And [GLC] just started kickin it, he was really loving what I was doing, I was hitting him with a beat CD every week with like 15 beats for at least a good 5-6 months, this is around when Kanye was getting signed to the Roc. I was at a lot of concerts, on the scene,” recalled Kane. West flew in to Chicago one day, and Kane, GLC and Mayblok producer J-Roc, scooped him up from the airport and then the group ventured to River Oaks mall for a shopping session. According to Kane, the “Louie Vuitton Don” pulled him aside and expressed his interest, telling the producer, “I really love your sound, I really love what you’re doing, and I want to sign you to my label.”

“This is in 2002. G.O.O.D. Music wasn’t a reality at the time. In 2004 I got a call from GLC like, man I need you to take this number down,” Kane said. The number belonged to Kanye’s lawyer, who broke the good news to Kane; the superstar was ready to sign him. A few days following his June 7th birthday, Kane was an official addition to the G.O.O.D. roster.

This year, Kane has numerous projects and collaborations slated.

“Kanye and Rhymefest have a puppet show coming out sometime soon on Comedy Central called Alligator Boots and I’m doing some scoring in that series alongside Jonathan Kimmel. I got 5 tracks on GLC’s album, a few on Really Doe’s. Kel Mitchell, I actually went to grammar school with him—him and Cedric the Entertainer have a movie coming out called Chicago Pulaski Jones and I’m doing scoring in that film. The Big Screen (co-produced with Kanye West), their playing that, it’s getting a lot of radio love, we’re actually going to do the video for that in a few weeks. I’ve done something in the studio with J.Ivy and his wife Tarrey Torae. We have this joint coming out real soon called ‘Get Some’. I’m gonna drop like 3 or 4 mix tapes this year. Stat Quo—I have a joint on his album, Estelle—I got a joint on her next album too.”

He is also working on a track for Beyonce and has recently completed a beat for NaS.

“I already got paid for it, I’m just waiting for it to get placed on whatever [Nas] is gonna place it on” Kane explained. He welcomes his heavy workload with open, anxious arms. His beat addiction keeps him in the lab brewing tracks on a daily basis.

“I grind all the time, I work on tracks 95 percent of my time. I don’t do anything but sit in the crib and work on beats all day. That’s the only way you’ll make it, you have to make certain sacrifices…I have to have extra eggs to come out on top. Anybody can make a beat but what will make your beat better than anyone else’s? You have to have that extra edge, a way that you go about making your tracks that sets you aside. What sets you aside, apart from anybody else?”

Kane was a member of the Van Moody marching band, which landed him the opportunity to perform at the White House as a 6th grader. He was also was recognized as the 7th ranked trumpeter in Illinois as an 8th grader. The producer’s musical training and composition IQ is audible in his production style.

“I just get up and do whatever I feel like doing when I make beats, unless I really have to make beats for a particular artists, [but] any of my strong points that someone will hear in my tracks would probably be strings and brass. I’ve been trained to play the trumpet so I know how a trumpet is supposed to sound. I can really get in there and edit the trumpet track to where it sounds like I actually had someone come in there and play it,”

Kane had these words of advice for up-and-coming producers who are still learning to perfect their craft and trying to hit it big—

“Just grind. Shit. Grind like I do. That’s the only thing I could ever tell anyone,” he offered.

Though being a workaholic certainly has it’s benefits, one of the most crucial attributes needed by a producer is the ability to know when to quit; which isn’t always simple given the meticulous nature of orchestrating tracks.

“A lot of times you can over-do a track. A lot of times less is exactly what you need,” said Kane, who went on to give insight into his evolution as a producer. “I’m really picky about my drums. Ivan Jasper—I used to do my beats with a lot of clear drums—but he put me on with doing my drums, my percussion with what I guess you would call dirty drums, to really get a different kind of sound. Back in the day I used to just be like I’ll use this kick drum or this snare. I’m learning everyday like any musician. A lot of what I do is an experiment.”

As I was interviewing Kane he was about three weeks away from moving to Atlanta. I asked him what prompted the move and how he felt about leaving the Windy City.

“I love home. Please believe I do. But Chicago is really not a place for music if you really trying to get on. You gotta move around. Plus it’s so many haters here in Chicago. Lets say I do beats and you do beats too, and you was like ‘man, listen to my beat, tell me what you think’… [People will] just be like, oh that was cool. That was aight. But deep down they knew it was the shit, they just wanted to keep you down. These muhfuccas here is crazy. I done got into it with muhfuccas here and I don’t even go out like that!”

Be sure to check out Keezo Kane's "On Fire VOL.1 mixtape" a Fall 2008 release available for download from his Myspace page--www.myspace.com/keezokane where you can also hear several beats by the producer.

Fashion Line, St. Frimpong, creates "distinctive yet diverse garments"

Budding Chicago-based fashion line—St.Frimpong—blurs the line between African and Western fashions. The label's Ghana-born design-duo;Eugene Frimpong and Kamal Ibrahim,aims to blend elements of style from both cultures into a singular expression of "everlasting glam". Day had the opportunity to chop it up with one half of the line's design team (Eugene Frimpong) and ask him a few questions.

Eugene Frimpong

Q&A

A.E.:How would you describe the concept behind St. Frimpong?

E.F.:The concept [is] to build and create a fashion empire that is inspired by past and present fashion apparel. Fashionable garments from earlier years starting from the 1920s to the present unique style of 2009 are all taken into perspective to design distinctive yet diverse garments.

A.E.: What's one major misconception people outside the fashion world might have about your line?

E.F.: That it only exists for the African community—when in actuality, I am promoting diversity. My clothes are not only inspired by the African culture but by many other different cultures and styles.

A.E.:What's your philosophy on the art of fashion?

E.F.:The art of fashion, from my perspective, is simplicity shown through creativity. Fashion is the evolution or the evolving of designs, colors, material, influences from the past, all to be recreated [but with] the ability to conceive new ideas.

A.E.:Tell me about your partner Kamal Ibrahim. How did you two link up and what does he bring to the line?

E.F.: Kamal is loyal and honest to me and I wouldn’t work with any person other than him . [We] met in Chicago at a party. We became friends, then we came out with St.Frimpong. He is the one who come out with all the designs for the menswear. He also models. [Kamal] is a very creative person and always comes out with something new. I respect him a lot and I know he's got my back no matter what, and in this fashion industry you need that.

Kamal Ibrahim

A.E.: What are some characteristics or attributes that you look for when selecting models?

E.F.: I look for an exotic look. To me, models do not have to be beautiful but they must have a strong presence in pictures. Their attitude must be professional, for example; they must speak well, present themselves well and know how to interact with the public. Communication skills are key.

A.E.: Define fashion sense. Give me your definition.

E.F.: Fashion sense is the ability to take simple concepts and combine them in order to come up with an extraordinary and high end look.

A.E.: What are your interests outside of fashion design?

E.F.: My interest revolves around art. Anything related to the art field holds my interest. For example, I love to sketch and visit museums. Art is not only my hobby but also my love. Constant reminders of design and art are what make me as talented as I will continue to be.

Visit www.stfrimpong.com for more information about the St. Frimpong line and contact information from the designers.

Artist Spotlight: LP

There are many jewels in Chicago's underground hip-hop scene, but there are also many mediocre up-and-comers who don't deserve to be heard beyond their Myspace pages. It's amazing what Pro-tools, a little studio time, ZShare and a blog can do for an aspiring artist’s career, but it takes a lot more to be a standout. To make it in this game, artists often need either a gimmick, a co-sign from an established artist, or in the best-case scenario—actual talent. I don't know about you all, but those first two vehicles of success just don't cut it in my book. With that said, I love when I hear independent, sincere and talented Chicago rappers—and I'd like to highlight one such artist. Meet LP (www.myspace.com/underratedlp) URD entertainment’s LP is a lyrically deft local emcee with standout skills. He rides the beat effortlessly while consistently offering impressive wordplay through intricate extended metaphors and thought-provoking one-liners, like...

"I envision corners populated with chefs, cooking an outcome...."
and
"No gun means no funds, which is no fun when breath is your breakfast…"
- LP "Did you hear"

If you haven't heard LP yet, here's a little audio insight.

Did you hear (produced by B-EZ)
Money (produced by LP)
Rockin featuring Vo and Aspyre (Produced by LP)

Be on the lookout for his spring mixtape release of "Playin with Cold" a Coldplay-inspired effort. In the more immediate future, if you want more LP, you can see him along with Young VO and the rest of URD perform at Aspyre In Wonderland, a party being thrown Friday Jan. 23 by C.H.I. City Committee emcee, Aspyre.

The Wrestler

Randy "The Ram" Robinson
I was at the Movie Box theater Saturday night watching The Wrestler, an award winning drama directed by Darren Aronofsky, the Brooklyn-born director behind The Fountain and Requiem for a Dream. Mickey Rourke gives an excellent performance as the film's protagonist, Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a burnt-out wrestler who has plummeted from headliner status in the 80's, to performing at community venues around New Jersey.

We are never told why Robinson fell from grace, but the wounds from that fall are apparent. He is one of the working poor and lives in a run-down trailer that he still struggles to afford. He has been estranged from his grown daughter Stephanie(Evan Rachel Wood) since her early childhood. She detests him and sees the legendary wrestler as a "living fuck-up". Robinson suffers a near-fatal heart attack after a match that forces him to put a halt to his career, causing him to confront his failures as well as the immense loneliness and lack of purpose he feels outside the ring.

"The Ram" attempts to reconcile with his daughter and takes romantic interest in a matter of fact, but compassionate stripper, Cassidy, who was impressively portrayed by Marisa Tomei. Still, life outside wrestling fails to fulfill Robinson. Convinced that his only purpose in life is wrestling, he goes back to the ring for one last match, despite the possibility of his own death.

The Wrestler is definitely a must-see flick. Rourke, who recently won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama, gives a knock-out performance, fitting his role like a glove. Perhaps the sincerity and authenticity of his performance comes from his similarities with "The Ram". Rourke, too, was in his prime during the 80's, but since then, his career has been dim by comparison. This film has many people in the movie industry thinking that Rourke is making a comeback and is on top of his game once more.

Tomei(Cassidy), who received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, is a welcome compliment to the movie and often serves as a matter-of-fact voice of reason. Cassidy is somewhat of an emotional crutch for Robinson, but deals out the straight talk when necessary, reminding "The Ram" as well as us viewers that The Wrestler is not a fairy tale, it's not a comeback story. It's the story of a broken man, with a broken dream, trying to pick up the scattered, lost pieces of his life. It's the story of a fallen man who has lived his dreams despite all risks and opposition, but is still miserable, unaccomplished and worn down. The film is heart wrenchingly realistic.

Final Score: 88/100

Our Transparent City

I recently saw a great exhibit at Columbia College's Museum of Contemporary Photography—The Transparent City—a collection of architectonic photos from America-raised, Germany-born photographer and writer, Michael Wolf. The images—all taken in Chicago's central downtown area—give a voyeuristic vantage point of the city. Chicago seems colossal and compartmentalized, and emits a somber impression of urban anonymity. The exhibit only runs until Jan. 31 so if you haven't already seen it, see it. You might feel something.

The Farewell address of HOPEFULLY the last President Bush.

Yesterday President George W. Bush gave his farewell address to the nation. Many U.S. citizens have been anxious for this goodbye for several years! Hell, the world has been waiting for this. I'll remember this speech forever. I feel like I graduated from something.

(Watch the video here)

The Peculiar Case Of Percival Fats

The internet is abound with rumors that Lupe Fiasco is the front man of a British post-punk Indie rock band—Japanese Cartoon. Two songs released through the group’s Myspace, "Heirplanes" and "Army" is the source of the controversy. Many listeners believe the man singing on the tracks is Lupe—with a [horrid] British accent.

The band published a Myspace blog in early January, claiming that "Percival Fats (Born Percival Hindenburg-Fats) Is NOT Lupe Fiasco (Born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco). Although he is a dear friend," and stating, "Lupe does finance the band but is NOT I REPEAT NOT THE SINGER IN JAPANESE CARTOON. He is however the producer and we value his participation very much.” Fats penned the entry himself. Yeah.

I wouldn’t make any definite accusations quite yet, but um, let’s all exercise some logical skepticism here.

The singer really sounds like Lupe singing in a very stereotypically British-ish—but not quite, accent. Aside from the suspicious vocals, Japanese Cartoon bleeds that same Lupe “I’m disappointed in you, world” vibe. "Heirplanes" and "Army" are both politically charged songs that address social turbulence and injustice. The band's Myspace headline is “FUCK THE ISRAELI ARMY! WHERE IS THE HUMANITY?” Another Myspace blog entry from the band, titled—"Gaza and Poland, a love story" discusses the Nazi’s World War 2 occupation and devastation of Poland. The entry ends with this:

"Never Again To 'U.S.' Anyway But To Them...?”
BOMBS AWAY!
Look In The Mirror And Stand Up Against Injustice.
War is for bitches.
Oil was $40 a barrel. After the invasion though, yeah you guessed it, it’s on the RISE!
- The Manifesto Of Percival Fats, SHALOM & SALAAM MEAN THE SAME DAMN THING! ACT LIKE IT! "

Of course, Lupe has refuted the media's and the public's accusations that he is the lead singer—

"Ha! I like those kids a lot. Met the bass player overseas last year and their publicist/manager is a good friend from like childhood," Lupe said on the Okayplayer.com discussion boards, under his user name, FNF UP UP AND AWAY. "May sign them. Not me singing though." he insisted.

For the full discussion (which is a hilarious back-and-forth between the Chi native and fans that veers off-topic and into a discussion about hip-hop's END) see the thread yourself.

*(“Never Again To 'U.S.' Anyway But To Them…?” reminds me of a line from Food and Liquor: ‘Make a fuss if it’s them, but we hush if it’s us.’ Just had to say)

Chitown standup

A luminary of his hometown Chicago's comedy scene—Lil' Rel has come up from the underground, swinging. And why not? You can only be an up-and-comer for so long. At some point, you had better actually arrive and start knocking on some doors.

The comic began his career at 19 after graduating Crane high school and spending a year at Harold Washington College. He honed his comedic prowess through performing at local venues before gaining national attention. Rel has displayed his Windy City witticisms on TV shows such as Comic View, The Big Black Comedy Show, Who's Got Jokes, Bad Boys of Comedy, and Last Comic Standing.

“People have seen me on these TV joints. But when they see me live that's when everyone be like, ‘damn man’. I'm like, yeah bruh. I go hard," he said.

There's a humble swagger in Rel’s tone. He has the sound of a man confident in his abilities who still counts his blessings. The west-sider believes he can torch any stage and isn't shy about saying so. Several knockout performances on national television yielded mainstream exposure and networking opportunities. Rel credits NBC's "Stand-Up for Diversity" showcase with providing him some much-appreciated propulsion.

"Just getting a chance to meet with the president of NBC, ain't that crazy? See him, talk to him, tell him ideas you have for different things," he related. "Just to be on their radar, like, damn," said Rel, who also spoke on insight into his act that he got from figures in the entertainment universe.

"My material's a little edgy, a little hood, but I don't have that type of look though. I can get away with saying a lot of shit. I look non-threatening, that's what they told me. They keep it real with you once you get in that little office."

Despite his industry connections, Rel is committed to holding his city down; he hasn't bolted to NYC or Hollywood as so many (too many) Chicago entertainers do in pursuit of mainstream notoriety.

"I live in Chicago and that's what the fuck it is. I know where the gangs at, I know where all the shit at. I don't want to go somewhere, have to learn some all-new shit. Hollywood is crazy man," he said. "The Chicago buzz is cool to me, but I'm finna have it crazy. People love you when you own your city."

Rel’s portrayals of jersey dress sporting, K-Swiss rocking, micro-braided Chicago hood-rats, have been comedic gold. However, his act is about a lot more than just hood-rats. And thank God for that. He also grabs laughs by discussing memorable characters from his west-side neighborhood, his zany family, hip-hop (which is certainly laughable these days) and all of those ironic, hilariously true aspects of Chicago hood culture. Still, he aims at a diverse audience despite his act's distinct Chi flavoring.

"My comedy is really broad. I know how to kind of make everybody understand it. You could put me in front of any audience and I guarantee I can rip it. I could do that hood-rat joke in front of a crowd full of white people and it will still kill. I always told people if you're good at bringing people inside your world, you can make anybody laugh," he said. Seeking his comedic insight, I asked Rel who or what in his opinion, is not funny, period. Here's what he had to say:

"I hate to say. In fact, I don't even want to say. D.L. Hughley," he admitted. "Only time he was funny was when he was hosting Comic View, and he was hosting the shit out of it," he said. "Believe me; I respect him. I respect him to the fullest," Rel added.

Visit www.myspace.com/lilrel4 for clips of his comedy and info on how you can catch Rel live and in person.

*This interview was conducted in August 2008*

Sketches of a Soulman

Neo-Soul's one-man-band man, Grammy nominated artist Dwele, sits in the lobby of the internationally renowned Palmer Hilton hotel in the heart of Chicago’s Loop. A photographer revolves around him, snapping pictures as the grounded West Detroit native gets interviewed by a young writer. Five wealthy looking elderly women on a couch across from them watch the interview, noticeably excited. People lounging throughout the ritzy lobby, as well as those scurrying to and from the room direct their stares towards the mellow, unfazed crooner.

Down to earth by default, Dwele is all eye contact and genial grins. He is without the hyperbolic bravado of more than a few artists in the music industry, and luckily for this reporter, Dwele approaches the interview like it's a casual (but in depth) conversation with a homeboy. His passion and candor shine in his words as well as through his music.

On June 24 he dropped his third studio album, Sketches of a Man, a creative brew of jazzy R&B infused with a hip hop sound. After a switch from Virgin Records to indie heavyweight Koch Entertainment, Dwele is generating a significantly different sound than what he presented on his first two major releases, Subject (2003) and Some kinda (2005).

"I think Subject had more of a soul feel. Some Kinda was more of a jazz type of feeling, and this one has more of a hip hop undertone; although, it still has those jazz elements in it because that's who I am," Dwele explained.

Dwele is looking forward to flexing his artistic muscle. Departing from Virgin and signing with Koch has put the creative reins in his hands.

"I felt I could have had a little more creativity this time around by being with a major independent label. I think I have a lot more creativity. I had a lot more input on the actual packaging of the project, as well as musically. I'm going to try to do different things. Shake it up a little bit." he said.

According to Dwele, leaving Virgin rather than renegotiating at the end of his deal was a strategic no brainer, a move that makes sense given his unique musical skill set.

"I just think it was time to move on. Being my own producer, my own writer, I keep everything in house. So it really didn't really make sense for me to be with a major label, because I'm doing everything myself." Dwele related.

Coveting his silk-smooth vocals, artists such as Common, Kanye West, and hip hop ensemble Slum Village , have collaborated with Dwele on numerous tracks. Dwele credits one such collaboration, Slum's 2002 hit single "Tainted", with jump-starting his career.

"They made it possible for me to really put an album out. Prior to that, I don't think virgin knew how to handle it," he claimed.

Dwele has also been featured on tracks with Cormega, J-Dilla, Foxy Brown, Bahamadia—to name a few. Contrary to what some people might assume, he is capable of so much more than soulful, hauntingly infectious hooks that compliment an emcee. Dwele is an authentic R&B talent and a strong artist in his own right.

Dwele doesn't foster any bitterness from the possibility that he’s seen as a one-trick pony by some mainstream music fans.

“I think it’s all a process, and part of the fun is getting there. I'm still in the process of getting there. I'm enjoying myself, I'm enjoying my life. I'm out touring. I'm spreading the music and I'm bringing new people in all the time. It's a good thing. When people finally catch on and see what it is, it’s not like they can’t go and get the prior albums. So I'm cool where I am."

Despite his talents, Dwele hasn’t received the same mainstream success of other artists who heavily rely on club oriented music. The truth is many young people these days don't appreciate soulful R&B; a lot of kids would quickly bump Ashanti before they gave Vivian Green half an ear.

"I try to take a little bit of what’s popular, a little bit of what’s mainstream, and I mix it with some of that real music. Some of that soul music," Dwele said. “When you do that you kind of open up younger ears that otherwise wouldn't listen to straight up soul music."

In the last few years there has been so much conversation about the state of hip hop, yet people have overlooked the fact that R&B is more creatively stagnate and commercially driven than it has been in the past. After being asked for his thoughts on the state of R&B, Dwele had this to say:

"The state of R&B? I feel like R&B is covering a lot of different levels right now. You got your club R&B with cats like usher holding it down. Then you got your soul R&B, I guess you would call it," Dwele said. "I think it's good but I think it could be better. It seems like more of the club R&B is getting more play than the soul R&B."

Characteristically optimistic, he added: "I think it's definitely going to come around. You have more artists leaning towards live musicianship."

With numberless fresh faces itching to step into the music industry, the trail to triumph can be thorny. Dwele has had true life experience with being an unsigned artist on the grind. He recorded his demo, Rize, in his bedroom and sold copies of it out of his car before signing with Virgin.

" All you have to do is make it happen and just do it for the love. If you do it for the love; then, whatever is supposed to happen, there will be the right time for it." Dwele said, offering advise to aspiring entertainers.

Despite his apparent optimism, Dwele has had to deal with his share of doubts and dark clouds. Despite signing with Virgin in 2000, his career didn’t jump off the launching pad until two years later.

“I was just sitting for two years. I really started thinking to myself ‘was this the right move for me?’ I was kind of making moves of my own, and not signed with a label. Then I signed with a label and I was sitting. I was stagnate."

There are hoards of unsigned artists out there with utopian expectations. They picture themselves signing a record deal, speedily attaining fame, releasing numerous top ten hits, and living the life of an icon. The music biz is much more distressful than they understand, and the truth is that everyone can't measure up to all demands and expectations.

Despite the tribulation that fame can bring, Dwele continues to fight the good fight. He is innovative in a game where individuality often comes with a cost. Literally. He may not sell as much as some artists who sing about sex at the bar—but he's making good music.

From February 2008, StreetWise---A throwback article, but interesting, I thought I would share...

American soldiers kidnap a 61-year-old man without explanation. They torture him, “by putting sandbags on his head, stripping him naked, forcing him onto his hands and knees, piling other naked prisoners on top of him,” forcing him to feign sex acts, all while being photographed. They write on his buttocks and leave him naked in a cell for two days with no mattress and no food except bread and water, according to a class action complaint filed on behalf of several former tortured Abu Ghraib detainees, all of whom were released without charge.

“There are national disagreements, but the idea that we would accept torture as some kind of policy: as an artist I couldn’t accept it,” said Philadelphia artist Daniel Heyman, whose Abu Ghraib Detainee Interview Project is at the DePaul Museum of Art, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave., through May 4.

In 2003, images of American soldiers subjecting prisoners at Abu Ghraib to grotesque, humiliating torture were leaked to the international news media, and shown worldwide.

Heyman was both appalled, and artistically motivated by the events at Abu Ghraib.

“Because I have this skill of making art, I felt it was important to use my art to speak out against it,” stated Heyman.

A friend of Heyman’s introduced him to Susan Burke. Burke is an attorney who represents the Abu Ghraib detainees in their class action law suit against Titan Corp, a military contracting company employed at Abu Ghraib.

Burke planned to travel to the Middle East with a team of lawyers and researchers in order to work on the case.

“She was already in the law suit; we met, and she asked me to come along,” explained Heyman.

Since 2006 Heyman has traveled once to Amman, Jordan, and three times to Istanbul, Turkey, to observe interviews that were conducted as preparation for the detainee’s class action law suit. As the Iraqis recounted horrid tales of torture and degradation, Heyman drew portraits of the detainees and concurrently wrote their graphic testimonials into his artwork.

Said Heyman, “The most satisfying thing that I was able to do was to listen to these people, and be a great service to them by helping others do the same.”

Heyman’s exhibition consists of 23 images painted in bold, rich watercolors. The detainees’ severe expressions accent the deplorable tales of cruelty painted around them.

“This is extraordinarily difficult work to look at, but the discomfort the images produce is exceeded by the importance of the subject matter,” said Louise Lincoln, director of the DePaul Museum of Art.

“Sometimes people think art should be pretty, and this isn’t very pretty,” Heyman admits.

Heyman plans to continue to utilize his art to raise American awareness and empathy for those who were tortured at Abu Ghraib Prison. Some Americans view the detainees as terrorists or enemy soldiers, yet, all of the detainees whom Heyman made portraits of were released without charge. They were innocent civilians.

“A guy gets arrested in the middle of night, stripped naked in front of his family, beaten, dragged to prison, and tortured for months…” Heyman alluded, referring to the vile injustices that took place at Abu Ghraib prison.

“These people were really wounded by other Americans. I felt like I was doing something to help heal terrible, terrible wounds to people.”