The Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest 2009 Planning in the Works

The Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest debuted on Saturday, July 26, 2008 in Washington DC in Marvin Gaye Park. The 19 act line-up was intense. The roster of acts included hip hop artists Substantial, Christylez, Mello-D & the Rados, Gods'illa and soul singers Rogiers, Afi Soul, Chaquis Maliq and Tia Dae. Well-attended, DC council-members Yvette Alexander and Kwame Brown participated as well.

As planning moves forward, Liberated Muse Productions would like for nonprofits, vendors and artists interested in participating to be on the look-out for dates for submissions and sponsor/vendor applications. Visit www.capitalhiphopsoulfest.com to get a listing of some of last year's vendors, sponsors and performing artists.

Election Night Watch Party @ The Park on Fourteenth

Admission is Complimentary with RSVP: RSVP HERE: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gprj7v
-OR-RSVP HERE: election08@teambbc.com For more information on volunteer opportunities visit: http://www.yp4obma.com/

Liberated Muse Productions is a proud sponsor

Liberated Muse Productions Announces Call for Submissions for New Anthology

Liberated Muse Productions seeks submissions for the anthology Liberated Muse: How I Freed My Soul which is set to debut in Spring 2009. Submissions can be in poetry, artwork, prose, or essay form.

Submissions should illustrate an example of when the author experienced or witnessed a moment when they felt truly "free", whatever that definition means to them. All submissions should be authentic renderings by the person submitting the work.

All authors and visual artists may submit up to three pieces for consideration. Liberated Muse Productions seeks submissions from all but will give special consideration to those who are emerging writers who have an active online presence and whose artistic image promotes artistry and/or social responsilitiy/activism.

To submit your work or for questions, please email LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com or visit www.LiberatedMuse.com.

Calling All Artists!! The Saartjie Project Celebrates New Logo and Kicks Off Visual Showcase!

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! THE SAARTJIE PROJECT™ CELEBRATES NEW LOGO & KICKS OFF VISUAL ARTS SHOWCASE

The Saartjie Project™ is proud to unveil its official logo, designed by DC-based Artist and Facilitator, Helina Metaferia. The logo has been dubbed, “Bearers of Light” by Founder Jessica Solomon.

She says, “This simple yet powerful symbol represents the collective creative healing energy we bring to issues and topics that are often missing our voices.”

The Saartjie Project™ is sending a rallying cry to all artists and artistically inclined peoples! Help us celebrate the launch of our logo by participating in our Visual Arts Showcase. Recreate “Bearers of Light” using the medium of your choice.

How will you add your artistic flair? Get creative!

All entries will be apart of a community exhibit in Washington D.C. this December.

The Visual Arts Showcase is open to all ages, backgrounds and levels of ability. Submissions may include, but are not limited to: water color, photography, sketches, and digitally created art. Submissions must represent the likeness of The Saartjie Project™ logo.

Entries must be submitted to The Saartjie Project by Friday, December 5th at 5pm.

Entries can be submitted electronically at info@thesaartjieproject.org, or by mail to: Visual Arts Showcase, 3802 14th Street, NW, Suite 702, Washington, DC 20011.

Purple Magazine Ready for a Download Near You!

Check out this month's Purple Magazine, edited by the wonderful PurpleZoe who is the main blogger for the fantastic daily blog Ultraviolet Underground. The blog is featured on the main page of our social networking site at http://www.liberatedmuse.com/.

In this month's issue of Purple Magazine, Liberated Muse Productions is pleased to read about the lady we know as Mama Moon, the lead singer of the DC-based band Uninterrupted. Visit http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZKAAL91E download the magazine for free!

Farah Lawal in "Women, Words and Power!"

Farah Lawal is one of the most talented actresses I've ever worked with. I have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with her as we are both members of the artist collective The Saartjie Project. Farah has been the epitome of professionalism as she has mentored all of us on the key elements of theatre and the fundamentals that enhance a passionate performance.

Farah is a UMD theatre graduate and will be performing some of her poetry on November 1st at 3 pm and 7:30 pm at a program called "Women, Words and Power!"

It will take place at Playbill Cafe in Washington DC, which is located at 1409 14th Street NW (at the corner of 14th & P St NW).

The program is associated with The Essential Theatre and will feature Farah and 8 female spoken word artists and a group of female drummers.

The tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door. Support this program!

Still Time to Register for the Re:Verse Literary Conference & Festival

You can still take part of this very relevant conference & festival. Liberated Muse co-founder Khadijah Ali-Coleman is one of the presenters. Kudos to author Felicia Pride and the Literary Freedom Project for hosting and creating this forum.

Visit http://reversefestival.com/08.htm
for more info.

Here are the conference workshops:

Conference Date: Saturday, October 25, 2008
Location: Hostos Community College
450 Grand Concourse at 149th St., Bronx, NY

The Re:Verse Literary Conference revitalizes the importance of books in the lives of young people.The conference presents creative ways for keeping literature and books valuable sources of knowledge and creativity.

This series of professional-development workshops will help educators incorporate literature into existing curricula to further explore course work that focuses on cultures, history, and social studies.The mission is to bring a love of literature back into the classroom in new, unique, and exciting ways.
Regular registration: $15, October 1 through October 25All conference attendees will receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Mosaic Literary Magazine ($24 value) and lunch.http://reverse.eventbrite.com

Session I: 12:00n-1:15pm
Conscious Women Rock the Page: Using Hip Hop Fiction to Incite Social Change
Conscious Women Rock the Page to support educators who wish to use hip-hop fiction in their classrooms to explore social issues and promote activism among their students.

Instructors: Jennifer Calderon, Elisha Miranda, Sofia Quintero, and Marcella Runell Hall

Puerto Rican and Dominican Poetry in the Classroom
This workshop will explore the work of poets from the rich cultural communities Puerto Rican and Dominican and ways to use their work in the classroom.

Instructor: Rich Villar

Session II: 1:30-2:45pm
Revisiting the Role of Literature & Culture in the Classroom through Art & the Written Word
Revisiting the Role of Literature will explore the fusion of culture, literature, and visual arts in new ways; global community building through literature; and the role played by literature, art and the new media in the creation of a heritage and cultural identity

Instructors: Gabrielle David and Nikita Hunter

The Bridge is Over: Connecting Young Adults with Engaging, Age-Appropriate Literature
The Bridge is Over will provide educators and youth providers with strategies to identify and work with engaging multicultural young adult literature.

Instructor: Felicia Pride/BackList

Lunch: 2:45-3:30pm

Session III: 3:45-5:00pm
Learning About Ourselves and Each Other: How Reading Diverse Text Promotes Tolerance and Boundary-Stretching
This workshop will engage participants in discussion and activity that identifies ways to engage urban youth in literary pursuits that include reading about and discussing literary texts by authors who are culturally different or write about characters who are different culturally in any way ranging from ethnicity and religion to nationality and gender.

Instructor: Khadijah Ali-Coleman

Poems as Speech Acts and Accommodating Forms
Workshop participants will read aloud and analyze three to four contemporary poems by different poets and discuss how our attitudes, beliefs, and our understanding of diction, tone, and context influence us to arrive at the poet's intended meaning.

Instructor: Charles H. Lynch

Insomnia Film Fest Seeks Submissions

Hip Hop Cinema wants you to get in on the ground floor with the 2008 Insomnia Film Festival...

Get ready for a great year of Hip Hop geared films that the support the culture of Hip Hop.

2008 Insomnia Film Festival

Turn 24 hours into a 3-minute masterpiece.

On November 15 at 9:00 a.m. EST, the clock starts ticking.

Apple will post the list of required elements for entries in the 2008 Insomnia Film Festival.

Then you and your team will have the next 24 hours to make and upload your 3-minute movie.

That's the easy part.

Once your movie's up, you'll need to get everyone you know—and then some—to watch and rate it online.

If your movie makes the top 25, you can host a showing at the Apple Retail Store.

Your adoring fans can download it from the iTunes Store.

And it'll be screened by some big-time industry players: John August, Doug Ellin, Jody Hill, Masi Oka, Jason Bateman, Paul Haggis, Greg Mattola, Barry Sonnenfeld.

Earn the #1 rating from either the public or the pros, and you'll land one of two grand prizes.

Everyone on your team will get a MacBook Pro, Final Cut Studio 2, Logic Studio, Shake, and a year's worth of One to One personal training to help you use them. Not a bad trade for one night's sleep.

Get Details: http://www.apple.com/education/insomnia/?sr=hotnews

Thanks to Kimani Anku of solSource & the Hip Hop Cinema for this info

Washington DC's Own Kokayi Garners Grammy Nominations for Hip-Hop Album

Fresh off the presses from Kokayi's PR person---

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!

Liberated Muse Productions Co-Founder Maceo Thomas Publicly Endorses Mark Long

Liberated Muse Productions co-founder Maceo Thomas is a Washington DC resident who announces today his support of DC at-large councilman candidate Mark Long.

"I think he's one of the best choices for the job," says Thomas.

Thomas has helped Long's campaign by sending e-mail blasts, facebook posts and helping with campaign events throughout the city. He will be assisting with the event below:

Come and Meet Mark Long, Candidate for City Council At-Large! Learn about Mark's vision for the District of Columbia and consider joining his team.Please visit www.voteforlong.com to learn more.Mark is #2 on the ballot. Vote for Mark on Nov. 4th!

Ward 4

Event: Meet and Greet

Date: Friday, October 24, 2008, 7:00pm

Hosts: Charles and Megan Gaither

1422 Van Buren Street, NW

Washington, DC 20012

202-257-6557,

charlesgaither@gmail.com

Ward 6 Event:

Date: Monday, October 27th, 6:00pm

Place: Pap N Petey's Bar, 421 H Street, NE

Hosts: Rebecca Renard, Thomas Bowen, Alexis Greeves, & Amber Palmer
RSVPs preferred: MeetMarkLong@gmail.com

If you have general questions about Meet and Greets, please call 202-486-0690.
We hope you will join us on the 24th or 27th...and invite a friend!

Tamara Wellons Releases New Album "Life Is...", Release Party October 29th

Wed. October 29 -"Life Is..." Official Album Release Party featuring Tamara Wellons. Special guests & DJs will be announced. Bohemian Caverns. 2001 11th St. NW. 8pm and 10pm $15 advance tickets (includes cd) $20 door (includes cd)www.myspace.com/tamarawellons

"Life Is..."will be available on http://www.traxsource.com/ on October 29th and on Itunes three weeks later.

Wellons, a Washington D.C.-area native, is a gifted vocalist whose strong jazzy soul vocals have been compared to the likes of Navasha Daya, the lead vocalist for the Afro-jazz soul band Fertile Ground. In addition to the release of her new album, she has partnered with DJ/Producer Jihad Muhammed and Italian producer Anto Vitale to release the singles "Right Now"(Downtown 161) and "Broken Wings" respectively.

In 2007, Wellons enjoyed success after the release of her single "Oh Well" which enjoyed considerable club success after the song was remixed by Abicah Soul Project. The single was also featured on the Grammy Award winning DJ Roger Sanchez Release Yourself: Volume 6 Dance Compilation CD and is a playlist favorite among numerous DJs/podcasts and mix cds.

Be Bold, Be Red Campaign Takes a Stand Against Violence

In October 2007 people all over the United States gathered physically and in spirit to speak out against violence against women of color. Some wore red all day and explained that they were reclaiming and reframing their bodies as a challenge to the widespread acceptance of violence against women of color. Some wrote powerful essays about why they were wearing red and posted them on the internet. Some gathered with bold and like-minded folks and took pictures, shared poetry and expressed solidarity.

This year, on the first anniversary of the Be Bold Be Red Campaign, all are invited to make a bold stance against the violence enacted on women and girls of color in our society visible.

In D.C., Chicago, Durham, Atlanta and Detroit women of color will be gathering to renew their commitment to creating a world free from racialized and gendered violence. This time, participants will be using a new technology called CyberQuilting to connect all of these gatherings in real time.

DC Cyberquilter, Zachari Curtis is organizing a gathering at the Emergence Community Arts Collective Space across the street from Banneker High School Washington, DC on Thursday, October 30th.

This event will be webcast to similar gatherings in other cities. Organizers are calling on you because they recognize and appreciate the work that artists and the organizations you work with are doing everyday to make this a more loving and less violent world for women and girls in oppressed communities.

Please join the movement on October 30th so that other warriors in this struggle can be strengthened and affirmed by the energy of our collective ferocity! Are you ready!? To learn more about CyberQuilting, which is a women of color led project to stitch movements together using new web technologies and old traditions of love and nurturing, visit http://www.cyberquilt.wordpress.com/

Liberated Muse Productions will be in attendance.

Liberated Muse Productions is a Proud Partner of The Saartjie Project

Liberated Muse Productions is proud to be a partner of the Saartjie Project which debuted their onstage performance in August 2008. After a successful two-day run in August and a recap during the Can a Sista Rock a Mic Festival in Washington DC in October, the Saartjie Project has plans to return in 2009 with new vignettes but the same intensity and passion showcased in the debut productions. Visit http://www.thesaartjieproject.org for details on this artist collective.

Substantial Represents All the Good Things About Hip-hop

In July 2008 at the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest, those in Washington DC enjoyed the MC named Substantial who performed for festival-goers who had come to partake of a lil bit of this, a lil bit of that and see what the nation's capital has in the form of hip-hop and soul. Well, Substantial gave them all that and then some.

Substantial is Stan Robinson, a genuinely nice person who works with youth in his full-time and travels the country in between as the rapper Substantial. With great looks and style that is, by itself attractive, Substantial is a heartthrob who doesn't act or even know its so. Mix that with dope lyrical ability and an out-of-the-box attitude and you have winner written all over it. Yes, Substantial has "crossed over" from the realm of unknown wanna-be rapper to well-known, "I've Been on MTV" best-kept secret status, but we love him all the more for it. He is putting a face on hard work=deserved success and keeping real hip hop alive in the process.

Congrats to Substantial who recently added a new family member to his crew.

Here's Substantial at the 2008 Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest :

Come Meet the Talent on www.LiberatedMuse.com

(in the photo: Liberated Muse members
Anonomas & Hook of MYST Studios)





The talent on the social network http://www.liberatedmuse.com/ just gets better and better. What makes http://www.liberatedmuse.com/ different than other social networks is that there are not just performing artists, but writers and visual artists as well who flock to the site to network. Some of the talented folk found on http://www.liberatedmuse.com/ include:
R & B singers Chaquis Maliq, Jon Bibbs, & Pam Ward
Alternative soul acts Dee Stone and Mama Moon of Uninterrupted
Writers Cheril Clarke, Ananda Leeke and Purple Zoe
Theatre group The Saartjie Project
Dancer Imakhu and Visual Artist Falando Thomas

www.LiberatedMuse.com Nominated for Online Hip Hop Award

(In photo: Rapper SUSTANTIAL rocks the stage at the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest (CHHSF)which debuted on July 26, 2008 in Marvin Gaye Park. The CHHSF is a production of Liberated Muse Productions. PHOTO BY Khadijah Ali-Coleman)

Vote for http://www.liberatedmuse.com/ for this year's Online Hip Hop Awards! Click Here: http://www.onlinehiphopawards.com/index.php?page=nominee&nomination_id=48201

Sometimes You Feel Like a Ho, Sometimes You Don't--- An Investigation

"Women, Sex, and Desire" Workshop with Gesel MasonSaturday, October 18 at Joe's Movement Emporium3309 Bunker Hill RoadMount Rainier, MD 20712301-699-1819
Women, Sex, and Desire: Sometimes You Feel Like a Ho, Sometimes You Don’t is a multi-media investigation on how women navigate sex, desire, choice, and perception. Dance, personal stories and video imagery combine to tackle powerful personal and political issues under discussion nationwide.
Free discussion from 3-4:30Movement workshop (women only) from 5-7pm - $35 $5 off if you pre-register by October 11
Be a part of the creative process for Gesel Mason's new project in this one-day workshop with Gesel Mason at Joe's Movement Emporium. We'll start with a discussion of issues surrounding sexuality and desire (in its many forms), and then find ways to embody and explore these ideas through movement, writing and improvisation.
The discussion is FREE and open to the public and the workshop is for female movers advanced-beginning and up, and ages 18 and up. Come if you're curious, nervous, confident, shy, vocal, sexually active, celibate, judgmental, open-minded, modest, ostentatious, fearless, scared, young, old, opinionated, indifferent....you get the idea. Whatever your perspective--come to share, learn and be challenged.
The project is meant to challenge our cultural programming, examine our belief systems, and reflect the struggle, humor, and pleasure we encounter as sexual beings, in an effort to empower ourselves and inform our sexual choices, whatever they may be.______________________________________________DANCERS AUDITION:October 19, 2008Gesel Mason Performance Projects AUDITIONUniversity of Maryland, College Park12-3pmGesel Mason Performance Projects is looking for dancers to be a part of the development of a new project, "Women, Sex, and Desire: Sometimes You Feel Like a Ho, Sometimes You Don't."

Can A Sista Rock a Mic Festival Rocks DC!

Okay, I am will the first one to say it, I need to lose about fifty pounds in order to get back into shape that works best for my frame and level of activity. I like to jump. I like to skip. Yes, my over-thirty big butt self likes to skip! On Friday, Oct. 10 in a warm-up exercise before my performance with the Saartjie Project (http://www.thesaartjieproject.org/) which was part of the Can A Sista Rock a Mic festivities, I did just that-- I bended, twisted, jumped and skipped! I felt like a kid again and was pumped. We had a FANTASTIC show!!!!

Alas, the next morning, yesterday, I awoke to this searing pain in my left leg. I had stretched myself silly apparantly and pulled a muscle big time. I literally screamed in pain as my partner tried to assess where the pain was coming from. Two ice packs later and a peppermint lotion rubdown on my leg, I was able enough to limp around...well enough to head to the concert finale I had been waiting for all week. I was on my way to the Can a Sista Rock a Mic (CASRAM) festival finale in downtown Silver Spring!

When we arrived, the group Nola Darling was performing. If you're not familiar with the basis of the name, then I'll share...Nola Darling was the lead character in Spike Lee's first breakthrough hit "She's Gotta Have It". Nola was a sexually liberated young woman whose identity directed the course of the movie which was about Nola and her interactions with her three male lovers.
The group Nola Darling is comprised of two Harlem natives, Nikkobya and Aziza, who rocked the stage with a refreshing wackiness and fun reminiscent of Kid n Play but with skills in rap and song on a Lauryn Hill-esque caliber...dressed down in simple sweaters, leggins and denim, they also evoked a certain every-woman element that was truly great to see (I love seeing women perform who don't cater to the "eye candy" requirement that some believe is necessary to embody before going on stage to perform).

Teisha Marie followed Nola Darling and was enjoyed as she reminded me a little of DC native Afi Soul who didn't perform in the festival this year as she has for the past three CASRAMs.

Following her was teen wonder Emoni Fela. We were about to go inside to eat but I was drawn to catch a glimpse of this DC native who I had been trying to get an interview with since 2006. This girl has traveled the country performing, gifted with a insane lyrical ability and a stage presence that is a mix of manic and mayhem. In her fierceness and uniqueness, its like she gives her young peers permission to be themselves. She is star already.

Deborah Bond was onstage when we finished our Thai dinner and re-joined the audience for the show. What can I say? This native of the DC metro area is classy, regal and one of the best voices I've heard. I had never seen her before but the buzz about her had been strong for some time. She asked the crowd how much they loved soul music. "I love it, " she said. "Gives you all kinds of goosebumps." That's what her voice did for me.

Emily King was next. She favors Wendy from Prince's band The Revolution and she is equally as skilled on the guitar. Her whispery voice evoked the spirits of Carole King and Joplin with a sprinkle of Minnie. She engaged the crowd with her rendition of "Aint No Sunshine" and a song she wrote about growing up as a child of interracial love. Though she is not a belter, she has a certain sweetness that makes you inevitably smile satisfied. My business buddy Maceo stood in a twenty minute line to cop her CD.

The headliner for the night, Angela Johnson was on fire. This singer/musician/producer is immensely talented and has a voice of pure platinum. What was so inspiring about her was how she brought with her two singers who are featured on her new album A Woman's Touch and allowed them to sing lead songs. If that's not a sista having a sista's back, I don't know what is. The song "Walkin" produced by Johnson but sung by Lisala who was present this night, is one of my favorites (I bought the CD last month at the International Soul Music Summit and play it at least once a week).

My family and I left before the show was over so I could limp comfortably back to the car without going through crowds. But, the concert was well enjoyed. CASRAM rocked this year, and I imagine that it will only be bigger and badder next year. Girls Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kudos to Kimani Anku & solSource, creator of the festival for another job well done!
-Moonhttp://www.liberatedmuse.com/

(You can find this blog post and other arts events updates on http://www.liberatedmuse.com/)

Planning for the 2009 Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest is Underway

Liberated Muse Productions announces that planning for the 2009 Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest has begun. Given the fair turn-out during the inaugaral fest that debuted on July 26, 2008 in Washington DC's Marvin Gaye Park, planners anticipate that the 2009 fest will be bigger and badder.
Media and graphic studio MYST studios will once again serve as the official media and graphics provider for the fest.