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The High Rise of Underground live
By Ytasha Womack
Contributing Writer
It's rare when young
adults have a forum of their
peers to share their creativity
without the fear of failure or
the promise of money.
Especially when there's no one
to even organize an effort for
them to be heard. But
Underground Live, an event
sponsored by the Morehouse
Maroon Tiger, provides that
opportunity.
Organized by a team led
by Tiger editors: Marc Joseph,
Gregory Johnson, Jr. and Kenji
Jasper along with CAU's
Jackie Collins, Underground
Live is an open-mic session for
all budding poets, rappers,
writers and singers eager to
share their work. It's debut
exhibition on September 25th
in Kilgore Hall drew more
than 200 students, half of
whom came to perform.
The audience was a
motley crew to say the least,
ranging from the stereotypical
"artsy" type to the rougher-
edged crowd, from the
conservatively dressed to the
Afrocentically clad. But in the
midst of diversity the crowd
functioned like family-
hugging and conversing in the
name of self-expression.
The show illustrated
what's on the minds of young
Black America. Love, sex,
AIDS, violence, politics,
brotherhood, enlightenment
and spirituality were all
addressed in the course of the
evening. Underground Live is
a microcosm of the pains and
joys that the "other"
Generation X experience.
Others like Morehouse junior
Chester Starks sought to
enlighten. He posed:
"Can't you see that the
blind tend to see better than
the sighted? Simply because
their first eye is not labeled
their third eye."
Ingrid Sildey came
political with lines like :
"Politicians, you trick for roles
like prostitutes for
greenbacks."
Themes of other female
poets included analyzing the
duality of loving men who
sexually accost them. Rebecca
Newman of CAU told of
women who try to
findthemselves "in the arms of
every man. Checking out your
pocket, seeing if my body is
fair exchange for your wallet."
Even the freestyle rap was
creative and stood above
rhetoric and coined cliches.
Like Kanetic's off the cuff "I've
got verbal inhalers to help you
breathe if you have asthma."
The organizers were very
successful in creating a
comfortable atmosphere
suited to ease the shyest poet
to come to the mic. They
selected a familiar locale as
opposed to the straight-laced
feel of an auditorium that
could easily intensify the
potential nervousness of
participants. In addition, two
djembe drummers, Salah
Brown and Jamyla Brewton,
bass guitarist Michael and DJs
Brett and Lifee added their
musical elements to the
ambiance and provided the
right musical moods for the
works of the performers.
Most participants weren't
professionals but closet poets
and MCs who had never
performed their work in front
of an audience. So if you've got
a knack for rhyming, have a
couple of essays tucked away
or just want to check out talent
in the AUC, Underground
Live is the perfect outlet for
you to express yourself.
Khari Shiver/Staff
Rhythms, rhymes, and vibes: A performer taps into the essence
of Underground Live
“Back like Christ to Resurrect the West”: Rass Kass
By Gregory L. Johnson, Jr.
A&E Co-Editor
Rass Kass' Soul On Ice is
a Self-fulfilling prophecy, an
effort that hails him as the
West Coast Hip-Hop Holy
Comforter. Ignore The Source
. Take Rappages' review with
a grain of salt. In spite of
unfair criticisms, it will win
converts nationwide. Y'all
can't let Ras Kass' genius go
unrecognized or unrewarded.
For the people who love
* microwaved bursts of dance
floor excitement: Listen.
This LP is designed for-
(gasp!)- Lengthy Play. There
are no three-minute mood
swings that blow up and
scatter into minuscule
fragments. The beats aren't
designed to show off. Instead
the album focuses on Rass
Kass' flow. It blends sound-
snippets with filtered chords
and often extrmely recycled
breakbeats. At best, they're
narcotic and nocturnal. At
worst, they give Rass
something passable to rhyme
to.
Remember how Rakim's
songs were line-by-line
initiations into hip-hop
mysticism? With help from DJ
Shortkut, on "Sonset," Rass
Kass brings back that fresh,
underground vibe similarly
found in Common.
Like Common, Rass Kass
can't
Nature of the Threat" earn the
"classic" label, surpassing
KRS-One's and even college
scholars' knowledge pound-
seem to
find the
"hot"
hit.
"Miami
Life's"
tropical
sound
didn't
burn up
the
charts.
The
obvious
A1 B.
Sure! -
looped,
"street
money"-
themed
"Anything
Ghel'rrHtd
as well.
Relaxed
and fat,
Brian Cross/Priority Records
Rass Kass lets his Soul chill on Ice
"Drama,"
featuring Coolio, and
"Marinatin'" might win Rass
some attention.
Rass is a brilliant intellect
that easily matches Nas' street
sense and storytelling. "As It
Is In Heaven" and "The
for-pound. So, does he lack
"star quality?" Is his sound not
big-budget enough? Or is it
that "elevating is treated like
elevator music/ Cause niggas
don't listen?" Again, Rass Kass
says it best.
The Next
Underground Live
Wednesday, October 23,1996
Kilgore Center Snack Bar Area.
Were doing it again y’all. Poems, prose,
rhymes, and vibes. I’m talkin instant
gratification for DEHP-ROOTED lusts,
for lyrical eargasms. We got the phattest
DJs; we got African Drums, a bassist,
ANYTHING you need, everything you
want for YOU and yours babeh.