While we were dismayed to see that the cabaret and musical theater categories were absent without any prior word they would be removed from the running, waking up this morn to see the listing of nominees for the WAMMIES was inspiring. Kudos to some of our Liberated Muse favorites who recently were nominated this week for Washington Area Music (WAMMIE) awards, including the hip-hop trio Gods'illa who we first witnessed at our 2008 Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest, hip-hop producer and MC Kokayi who inspired the director of the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest, Maceo Thomas to conceive of the idea of the festival, highlighting local talent, soul singer/MC Maimouna Youssef who is managed by Liberated Muse member Diallo Sumbry and local staple Carolyn Malachi who is founder of the organization Smart Chicks. Congrats to you all!
New York City Independent hip hop label, QN5 Music, has signed Washington, DC’s Grammy-nominated emcee/singer/producer, Kokayi, to its official stable of innovative artists and producers. Pronounced “Ko-Kah-Yee” (or KOKE for short), this 202-native takes his name from the Swahili word meaning “to summon the people”.
Musically self-sufficient and versatile in ways that the QN5 roster is known for, he produces his own music, writes his own rhymes, sings from the gut and is self-taught on several instruments. A prime example of QN5’s New Hip Hop aesthetic, Kokayi joins the label as an in-house producer and artist who will release the sophomore follow-up to his independently released 2007 debut Mass Instructions.
On his own, he’s already managed to tour the world and snag the aforementioned Grammy nod for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for his collaboration with vocalist Wayna. What’s equally impressive, is his prolific output. Kokayi is keeping busy on multiple fronts with appearances on forthcoming QN5-releases as well as several side-projects already in the works – including a joint-project with producer Sharkey entitled Dastardly and a full-length project with his Afropunk band, The Caesarz.
"Honestly I pour everything out on a song. It allows me to free myself from any inhibitions,” Kokayi says of his approach to music. “If I can move people that say they don’t like hip hop, than I know my job is done.”
“I’ve always been extremely proud of the roster I’ve assembled under the QN5 banner and I’m highly selective of who we work with – but when I heard Kokayi’s Mass Instructions album, I was floored,” says QN5 label founder, Tonedeff. “This is a cat who seamlessly blends genres without so much as flinching and brings his own unique sound, slang and vibe to the table. His talent won’t allow him to play by the rules, so QN5 is definitely the perfect place for him.”
Also on the QN5 label is hip-hop sensation Substantial, currently on a European tour. Substantial is a featured performer in the 2009 Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest, a Liberated Muse Production.
Ok, so our girl Wayna and our Kokayi lost out to Chrisette Michelle at last night's Grammys, but, all in all, the journey there was worth the coverage.
Last night's show had its traditional boring moments, but the drama was abundant by the truckloads.
If you haven't heard already, Chris Brown and Rhianna were scheduled to perform, but called out last minute because Mr. Brown was up for questioning by police for a very vague eyewitness report of a woman being beaten in public. When questioned, the unnamed woman said Mr. Chris Brown was the assailant. This is all very bizarre and as I said, very vague. Yet, it resulted in both Chris Brown and his girlfriend Rhianna pulling out of the annual awards show.
In their place was Justin Timberlake, Al Green and Boys II Men, which I would have to say were probably a step up...I mean, really.
Of course, weren't we all rooting for Jennifer Hudson? Her tearful acceptance speech had to make you thankful for the people still alive in your life. This poor woman has to accept her first Grammy after a tragic murder of her mother, brother and nephew, talk about bittersweet.
And, for me, the night was really made with the performance of hip-hop allstars Jay-Z, Kanye West, TI, Lil Wayne and the very pregnant M.I.A. who was show-stopping as she bounced and danced despite her baby's due date being that very day. You go girl!
The DC area will celebrate this weekend as two superstars of the area-- Wayna and Kokayi-- appear on television as nominees for a Grammy award.
Wayna, an Ethiopian-born DC native, is one of my favorite vocalists-- local or otherwise--and her CD "Higher Ground" is always in regular rotation in my car. Her song "Lovin' You" which was produced by Kokayi and features him on the track in up for the Grammy nomination. She is in the Urban Alternative category against the likes of Janelle Monae (another top fave of mine), the wonderful Chrisette Michelle (a top act) and singers Kenna (who reminds a bit of Van Hunt, but Van Hunt is way better) and Maiyasha, who I would guess is the underdog among this high quality list--she is the spitting image of vocalist Joi Gilliam (in my humble opinion).
I've covered Kokayi's career for East of the River newspaper for the past two years. As an MC, Kokayi is pure fire, able to build an overseas base (like many of our better MCs who are local) that has him touring regularly abroad as a solo act and as part of the group Opus Akoben. Kokayi is also a first-rate producer, typically producing his own music and work for other artists like Wayna. Check out some of their work:
KOKAYI aka Carl Walker has made it through the first round of nominations of the 51st Grammy Award Nominatons.
KOKAYI's work was carefully considered and chosen by by voting Grammy Board members among the massive wave of submissions from both major and independent artists.
"I don't consider myself a fringe artist," Kokayi writes on his MySpace blog, "just somebody trying to push the envelope and pay homage to the founding principle of Hip Hop…innovation. Shouts to my fellow folks that got a nod here and there: Roddy Rod, Kev Brown, Substantial, Soulstice, Musinah, Wayna, Kaimbr, Oddisee, Matt Shell and Wale."
This first round put's KOKAYI's work in place to be considered for Final nominations at this years 51st Grammy Awards. Visit his Myspace page at www.myspace.com/kokayi as he shares more about this honor.
KOKAYI made it through the first round in the following categories:
Best new artist-KokayiCategory 4- # 205
Best rap album-Mass Instructions Category 35 #038
Best rap song -Babylon Hey Nah Category 34 #006
Best rap solo performance-Knowus Mayne-kokayiCategory 31. #026.
Best urban alternative performance-Babylon (hey nah) kokayiCategory 27 #011
Liberated Muse Productions congratulates Kokayi on this feat and wishes him much success!
