If Hip Hop Isn't Your Thing This Weekend...You Can Always Do...

Liberated Muse member GeminiVisions is the curator of the art exhibit that will take place at this fabulous event, When Harlem Came to Paris on Saturday, Feb. 28.

If you like dress-up and top-notch entertainment, this is the event you will most likely enjoy. You can don your best gear from the 1930's and come witness several local DC entertainers take on the persona of Black harlem renaissance players from the 1930's.

Come witness singer N'ea Posey portray Bessie Smith, dancer Holly Bass become Josephine Baker and poet Bassey Ikpi take on the persona of Marita Bonner. Poet Fred Joiner will become Wallace Thurman... It's a sure bet that you haven't experienced anything like this before.

Just In: TONIGHT, FRIDAY FEB. 27

Liberated Muse Member Miatta of Mimi's Boutique-Mix is having a FREE Couture Fashion Show in Crystal City, VA

Join Miatta at Crystal City Couture for her first trunk show and fashion show event!!!! And the best part? It's free, courtsey of Crystal City!!!

Her runway event is tentatively scheduled for 7.45pm to 8.30 pm.

The event starts at 6.00 pm with other designer trunk and runway shows.

Foxy and Fabulous Friday

Don't miss this opportunity to strut-your-stuff at this fantastic, Foxy Friday fete! Get into the evening's theme by sporting your best animal prints and stake out the trunk shows and sample sales. Nosh on animal crackers and sip Foxy Lemons, while Pamela's Punch knocks you out on the mic. So, let your animal instinct take over and lead you to this FREE event!

Featured Designers: moojoo ken, Gossip on 23rd, In The Bag, Analya, Caramel, Shelia Logan Designs, ADMK Designs, Mary Lazar Designs, Luxury Jeans and Handbags, Na'Zeem, Estella Couture, Current Boutique, Jewels for Schererazade, Alberto Parada Jewelry, Turtles Milk, Boutique Mix, Kokoon

Crystal City
2450 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA
Call 443-514-4141 for more info

A Hip-Hop Winning Weekend in DC

This weekend, for old-school hip hop lovers, Almaz Restaurant is getting the party started with old school hip hop on Friday Night dj'd by the female spinmaster DJ Earth 1ne. Serving authentic Ethiopian food and delicious drinks, gather your friends to come chill and reminisce as you enjoy the sounds.

On Saturday, during the day from 2pm-5pm, Hip Hop Cinema returns this month at the Historical Society Museum located on 7th & K in northwest DC. solSource is doing their thang this weekend as they present the hip hop cult hit The Freshest Kids which documents the lifestyle of hip hop dancers known as b-boys.

The 90-minute documentary is full of early history of the artform and features legendary dancers Crazy Legs and Ken Swift.

The Freshest Kids is the first documentary to explore the mostly unknown history of hip hop's first dance and its early pioneers.Known by many names—Breaking, Rocking, Burning, Going Off, B-Boying, Break Dancing—the style was born at DJ Kool Herc's South Bronx house parties in the early 70s, catapulted to worldwide fame in the 80s, and evolved through the 90s into its latest gravity-defying incarnation as a thriving underground movement.

After the film, you are invited to participate in an audience discussion with some of the best B-Boys, DJs and Emcees on the DC Hip Hop Scene. Kobie Nichols of Hot Topic TV/DCTV moderates.

Later that evening, don't forget to check out Saturday Night Live @ Almaz, featuring Farafina Kan starting and then Sunday, enjoy some stellar organic soul hip-hop by checking out the debut of the G-Spot.

Vendors, Authors and Artists-- Sell Your Items in This Year's Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest

Last year's Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest was a musical celebration while vendors sold their products to eager to buyers. Book authors, including Felicia Pride-- writer of The Message and activist author Devin Walker were among some of the top authors who sold their books.

The 2009 Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest will be held this year on Sat., July 25 in Marvin Gaye Park in Washington DC. While the musical acts are still being selected, vendors are able to reserve their tables now to receive our Early Bird Discount.

For more info, email us at CapitalHipHopSoulFest@gmail.com

Farafina Kan On Stage This Weekend

Farafina Kan literally translates to the sound of Africa. Farafina Kan is a West African Percussion Orchestra dedicated to maintaining the history and integrity of traditional African music. Under the tutelage of international performing arts legends, Farafina Kan seeks to sustain the work initiated by these legends through professionalism, artistry, continual learning and proactive intergenerational transmission of African culture through music and movement.



This weekend, on Sat. Feb. 28 you can enjoy Farafina Kan as the perform the Farafina Experience at Almaz Restaurant & Lounge in Washington DC on historic U Street. Visit HERE for more information.

Kuku and Christylez LIVE Tonight at Bohemian Caverns in DC

I tell anyone who will listen that I had a rare opportunity to work with the acoustic soul artist Kuku in early 2002 right before he emblazoned a mighty path as an independent solo artist. At the time, Kuku was a unique vocalist-- sans the guitar-- who infused Marvin and Al Green in his vocal stylings but had not yet created his signature sound we know now so well and love. He co-wrote the song "I'm High" featured on http://www.liberatedmuse.com/ and performed by our defunct band Phreaknahdo, and has a whole host of lyrical credit to his name, mostly all of the songs that he performs originals from his brain to his pen. Since then, Kuku has performed across the country, been featured on film soundtracks and collaborated with many luminaries including the jazz soul vocalist Vinx.

Kuku will be performing tonight at the famous Bohemian Caverns on U street in DC-- the very street where Kuku grew his audience and honed his craft as an instrumentalist and vocalist. He will be performing with the incomprable Christylez in a two-man show. Visit Liberated Muse to get the details on the event.


IFE by KUKU (KUKULIVE.COM) from Ayoola Daramola on Vimeo.

This Weekend's Top Choices

The artist collective known as The Saartjie Project (pronounced Sar-key) is back again with a new show called R/Evolution: Deconstructing the Myth of the Booty. The show examines the politics surrounding the Black woman's body by using the life of Saartjie Baartman-- known as the Venus Hottentot--as the lens. Baartman lived in the 1800's, brought from Africa to Europe and caged in a traveling exhibit so people could examine her large butt and genital area. The fascinating story about her life is still largely unknown, but the known facts are astounding. This show weaves elements of Baartman's life into today's contemporary images of Black women--examining stereotypes and the inner-depths of Black womanhood.

Two shows--one tonight and one tomorrow night-- will play this weekend at the Capital Hill Arts Workshop in Washington DC. Visit here for more details.

Also this weekend on Saturday, Feb. 21 is a musical treat-- Hot Buttered Soul:A Musical Affair. This event will take place in Washington DC at Mirrors Nightclub on New York Avenue.

An Adinkra Group Production, Hot Buttered Soul: A Musical Affair features the vocal stylings of Maimouna Youssef who was the featured vocalist on the Roots' 2006 hit "Don't Feel Right".

From the acerbic lyrics to the intense production to Maimouna Yousef's soulful crooning, everythingabout this song feels absolutely right," wrote Henry Adaso of About.com after the single's release. Thesingle went on to be nominated for a Grammy nomination in 2007.

Youssef's appearance with The Roots led to performances throughout the U.S. and around the world as sheshared stages and swapped musical licks with such artists as: Angelique Kidjo, Brian Wilson’s band, BigDaddy Kane, Nas, Wilco, Zap Mama, Cody Chestnut, Martin Luther, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, andTalib Kweli.

Youssef rocked the stages of many renowned venues such as Denver Colorado ‘s Red RocksAmphitheater, New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, and Switzerland’s Moniteau Jazz Festival.

She will perform at Mirrors on Feb. 21 for a concert to include performances by jazz/soul vocalist AkuaKyerematin, and roots soul musician C. Love. The event is hosted by spoken word artist Bassey Ikpi of the HBO show "Def PoetryJam".

Show begins at 7pm and advanced tickets $20. Tickets can be purchased at http://hotbutteredsoul.eventbrite.com/.

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