J Dilla Walk for Lupus in Atlanta...The Jay Walkers 2009

The Annual Walk for Lupus was held on April 25,2009 in Piedmont Park, Atlanta,GA.
There were a large number of Jay Walkers(participants walking for J Dilla)in attendance.James Dewitt Yancey also known as J Dilla or Jay Dee lost his battle with Lupus on February 10, 2006 at the age of 32.
Lupus is an acute and chronic (long-term) disease in which the immune system, for unknown reasons, starts attacking normal tissue, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys.
Shout out to J Dilla's Uncle Herm for leading the Jay Walkers and the many Artist,Radio Personalities and Lover's of Real Hip Hop that walked in his Honor.

Article written by MeedyMek for The Gritty Committee

Hip Hop Appreciation Week 2009- Atlanta

Peace and much Love Hiphoppas!

The Temple Of Hiphop is pleased to announce that Hip Hop Appreciation Week 2009 is May 17-24 and our theme for this year is “COOPERATION”!

HHAW, always celebrated during the third week of May, is a time for Hiphoppas to de-criminalize the images of Hip Hop that are portrayed by the mainstream media.

Now is the time, more than ever, for COOPERATION in our communities. The Hip Hop community should work together to organize our people, our knowledge and our resources as we continue to work through the challenges we are facing domestically and globally! There are many ways in which Hiphoppas can demonstrate COOPERATION, here are a just few suggestions. During HHAW we encourage Hiphoppas to intentionally:

Ø Work with individuals and organizations that are working to make your community better.

Ø Use HHAW as an opportunity to end personal disputes with anyone that you have had challenges with.

Ø Volunteer with non-profit organizations, share your gifts and talents with your community, i.e. teach a class, mentor a youth, etc.

Ø Network, build new alliances, form coalitions and partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

Ø Become involved with a neighborhood watch group, community beautification committee, etc.

Ø Create artistic collaborations using the various elements of Hip Hop culture.

Ø Live, Teach and Promote the principles of the Hiphop Declaration Of Peace.



HHAW gives Hiphoppas a great opportunity to show the world who we are, whose we are and what we are here to do! Remember, we are not doing hip-hop, we are Hiphop, word!

NEW WU- Cuban Linx 2

The Science

Any way you want it...

THROWBACK THURSDAY @ RBAR

BIG KIDZ DESIGNS PRESENTS....

COME OUT AND LISTEN TO SOME OF
YOUR FAVORITE SONGS FROM THE 80'& 90'S
HIP-HOP, R&B, REGGAE & ANYTHING IN BETWEEN
w/ Music by Metaphysics
THURSDAY MAY 21ST,2009
$5 @ THE DOOR
21 & OVER
DOORS OPEN @ 9PM
RBAR is located
218 BOWERY
NY,NY
RABARNYC.COM

COME OUT LETS HAVE A GOOD TIME!!!!
Any further questions contact info below...

--
MYSPACE.COM/BIGKIDZDESIGNS
MYSPACE.COM/KARNIEGE
THEGRITTYCOMMITTEE.BLOGSPOT.COM

D.R.E.S THE BEATnik RADIO!!!

Human Beatboxer... MC... Host... Lecturer... Ambassador... These are only a few words to describe a True Talent. Originally from the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia “Illadelph” PA

I've known D.R.E.S and the 4Kings family for a loooong time, this brother is definitely on the pulse of HipHop and will likely be holding a mic at anything HipHop related going on in your area. Tune in to his radiocast, which jumped off today. Peep it out here at D.R.E.S the Beatnik Radiocast and also peep out his page HERE

Definitely show some love........coming from Philly as well and taking this Culture WorldWide repping.........It's a big thing!!!!!

Kunta tried to warn you!!!

go back a read some of his tweets here

Caught this today on Allhiphop.com
By Tolu Olorunda
“Then I heard dogs yelping, yowling, barking through this landscape, looking for my ancestors, looking for my grandfather, my grandmother, looking for me. I heard the men breathing, heard their boots, heard the click of the gun, the rifle: looking for me. And there was no cover.”

—Baldwin, James. Just Above My Head. New York: Dell Publishing, 1979, p. 386.


“The fact many people argue... that these triumphs show us to be ‘moving past’ race, is in fact part of the proof that we’re not; that, like the passenger who sees the train next to him moving and thinks that he is, we, also, are actually sitting still.”


—Allen, Harry (Hip-Hop Activist & Media Assassin). “The Unbearable Whiteness of Emceeing: What the Eminence of Eminem says about Race.” The Source, February 2003.


For anyone under the impression that Hip-Hop is a racial melting pot, think again. For those who argued, in the wake of Obama’s presidency, that the younger generation has significantly altered the nation’s racial consciousness, think again. For those successful Black entertainers, who lent credence to the concept of a “post-racial” reality, think again. [On second thought: screw yourselves.] And for those submitted to the illusion that, in the Rap community, color-lines are blurred, cultural differences: erased, and racial tensions: negated, Asher Roth has just proved you wrong.


Two days after the release of his debut album, the White, Jewish rapper found himself embroiled in a controversy, for comments made before a scheduled performance at Rutgers’ University.


On his Twitter page, he wrote: “Been a day of rest and relaxation, sorry twitter - hanging out with nappy headed hoes.” Yup! You read it right: “nappy headed hoes.” The same choice of words that catapulted shock-jock Don Imus to the center of controversy two years ago.


Most would recall the horrendously defamatory remarks Imus made about Rutgers University’s female basketball team—one with a predominant African-American line-up. Imus launched his tirade by describing them as “rough girls,” but, in true ‘bad boy’ fashion, had to press further to pinch the right nerves: “That’s some nappy headed hoes. I’m gonna tell you that now, man, that’s some—whew. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like—kinda like—I don’t know.” Those words sufficed in stinging the souls of millions (mission accomplished), and Imus himself knew, that this time, he had gone too far.


Facing pressure from Civil Rights organizations, he initially dismissed the attention payed to “some idiot comment meant to be amusing.” Shortly after, however, he was willing to “apologize for an insensitive and ill- conceived remark we made the other morning regarding the Rutgers women’s basketball team.” Get that: We; not I. In his words, the remarks were “completely inappropriate, and we can understand why people were offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, so, and we’re sorry.”


Unfortunately for Imus, few were buying his artificial empathy. The message that he should be boycotted and fired soon rose above the smokes and mirrors. I dutifully take this walk down memory lane, because the series of events that trailed Imus’ comments are now unfolding in the aftermath of Asher Roth’s. The same sequence has been reincarnated.


Not until complaints poured in from some of his Twitter followers, did Asher Roth begin making amends. To hear him tell it, he was “totally just making fun of Don Imus.” Blacks who took—and are taking—offense might be stretching their emotions, because he was “not trying to be offensive.” But make no mistake; he is “extremely apologetic to anyone who took offense to my immature, bad joke.” This “immature, bad joke” that brought pain and sorrow to the Rutgers female basketball team in 2007, is what Mr. Roth felt pretty pleased in invoking.


The plot thickens: The “Tweet” itself, from his Twitter page, has been deleted. Recorded history: erased—or so he thought. Thankfully, scanned images have cropped up on the web, making valid William Cullen Bryant’s adage that “truth crushed to earth shall rise again.”


The importance of this document lies in the reality that Don Imus’ comments were, as well, never intended to leak into public domain. It was reserved for the brain-dead, conscience-frozen listeners who pay obeisance to his every word. Those who had been desensitized, following years of Imus’ incendiary and barbaric anecdotes, never protested his denigration of the Rutgers women. They were accustomed to such drivel—his shtick—that made him a power player in national politics. But once it escaped the smoke-filled room, network executives knew the battle had been lost.


Death-row prisoner and award-winning journalist, Mumia Abu Jamal, explained the turn of events in a column titled, “Imus Amongst Us.” He wrote: “The videotape of Imus went from an almost unseen perch on MSNBC to the net, where it spread like a virus. Nonetheless, bloggers picked it up and passed it on, and the more folks saw it, the more it spread. It became a living thing, nastier and nastier each time it was replayed.”


Once replayed, it took newer meanings, and ripped asunder all barriers of comfort in the viewer’s mind. The same can easily be said about Asher Roth’s micro-blog.


Canibus once rapped, “Learn from the past or the future will punish you,” but his quip might have fallen on deaf ears.


Asher Roth is not a child, and should not be treated as such. In “As I Em,” a song featured on his latest album, Roth seeks to distance himself from any comparisons with Eminem; at the same time, paying as much respect he contends is due. He complains that “Every interview, feel like I’m sayin’ the same thang/ Like Em was great, ya he paved the way for me/ He was inspiration for everybody from a to z/ But they keep relatin’ me, I can’t get away.” Roth also hopes to be identified in a context independent from the Wigger-prism most white rappers are seen through, at the start of their careers: “And now the masses think that Asher wants to be a marshall mathers/ They say, his not a rapper/ Nah his ass is just an actor/ Cuz we have the same complexion/ And similar voice inflection/ It’s easy to see the pieces/ And reach for that connection.” Understandable as his objections are, he might be getting ahead of himself.


Asher Roth is not as different from Eminem as he would rather insist. In addition to similar rhyme schemes, they both now share a common bond unnoticed by many.


It was in 2003, during a highly publicized feud with The Source magazine, when Eminem’s 1993 freestyle “Foolish Pride,” was released to the public. Though explained as “something I made out of anger, stupidity and frustration when I was a teenager,” the dagger-sharp blade of his verse cut deep for many Black female listeners:


...Blacks and whites they sometimes mix/ But Black girls only want your money cause they're dumb chicks/ So I'ma say like this/ Don't date a Black girl, take it as a diss/ If you want, but if you don't/ I'ma tell you like this, I surely won't/ Never date a Black girl because Blacks only want your money/ ... And that's why I'm here now telling you this rhyme/ 'Cause Black girls, I really don't like/ We don't mix, it's like riding a bike/ ... I'll get straight to the point/ Black girls are b***hes, that's why I'ma tell ya you better pull up your britches/ ... Date a White girl, 'cuz they got the raw hide/


Eminem blamed the re-surfacing of his freestyle on a “vendetta” the source had “against” him, but this excuse failed to quell the accusations, lobbed by Black female empowerment groups, accusing him of “slanderous statements and sweeping generalizations against Black women.” Matters became worse when a second tape was leaked, featuring equally vitriolic antipathy aimed at Black women: “All the girls I like to bone have big butts/ No they don’t, ‘cause I don't like that ni**er sh**/ I'm just here to make a bigger hit.”


So, here we have two white rappers with their hands caught in the proverbial cookie jar, but without any exculpatory explanation for statements many have called racist. Some Hip-Hop fans are at a loss for words, but I’m not.


The “age of Obama” has led many to the conclusion that the younger generation can be counted on to transform racial discourse in the 21st century. Older folks have resolved themselves to the myth that time, as a factor, can capably blot out the racial transgressions of the past. They field this theory in the multi-racial coalition of support President Obama accumulated, in his victorious run against Republican rival, Sen. John McCain. This example encouraged the notion that the “Hip-Hop generation” is more mature, in racial terms, than that which came before it.


Lie. Lie. Lie.


Others have taken it upon themselves to offer up Hip-Hop as a prescription for the cure of racism. Jay-z, Brooklyn’s native son, is one of them.


In an interview last month, he confirmed this assertion. Hip-Hop, he said, “has changed America immensely… Hip-hop has done more than any leader, politician, or anyone to improve race relations.” Lie. To support this thesis, Mr. Carter provides a hypothetical that smacks more of racial infantilism than clear thinking: “Racism is taught in the home… and it’s very hard to teach racism to a teenager who idolizes, say, Snoop Dogg. It’s hard to say, ‘That guy is less than you.’ The kid is like, ‘I like that guy, he’s cool. How is he less than me’?” Like every worthy scientific experiment, the conclusion comes next: “That’s why this generation is the least racist generation ever. You see it all the time. Go to any club. People are intermingling, hanging out, enjoying the same music.”


“This generation” Jay-z speaks of, is no different than the last. This is my contention. Yes, changes have been made, bridges: crossed, and dogmas: corrected, but the past isn’t quite past, yet. The searing legacy of White Supremacy still blazes supreme in our daily experiences.


Blues giant, Big Bill Broonzy’s 1957 hit “Black, Brown and White,” (His Story), still accounts for the code of conduct under which institutional racism operates: “This little song that I’m singin’ about/ People you know it’s true/ If you’re black and gotta work for a living/ This is what they will say to you/They says, ‘if you was white, should be all right/ If you was brown, stick around/ But as you’s black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back’.”


Those who convinced themselves that Race plays no factor in Hip-Hop because Hip-Hop fans spread across all racial layers are fiddling with a dangerous lie. Asher Roth’s comments are a definitive reminder of how far the younger generation has to go, before the promise of equality becomes a reality.

BuildIng with the Family... brought N.Y. to V.A.

Who knew taking a road trip to V.A. for my Aunt's funeral would be a Gritty Event?!?! This is and was a "Family Affair." Shout out to the fam in Queens,Brooklyn,the Bronx and Harlem... R.I.P. Aunt Peepsie

The Gritty Committee L.O.E Exclusive from Lex Boogie on Vimeo.
New Clohez is the Music
L.O.E is the Gang
The Gritty Committee is the Movement!!!!!

A Likkle Hip Hip!!!!!

C Rayz Walz Ft Echo1

"DEEPER FEELINGS" C Rayz Walz Ft Echo1(Promo Video)

BACK TO ROOTS AND CULTURE...

Supercat & Nicodemus Live NY 1989

GRITTY ThrowBack Collectors Series

Bought this shit the day it came out in 1995. Album was called 2000. I pull this album out every spring/summer......Certified.

Gritty Throwback Collectors Series.

GI JOE RESOLUTE

Dope art and they really killing folks...peep



Adult Swim streaming here , every episode
GI JOE RESOLUTE

The Animal Crackers

So you may or may not of heard of a Turntablist crew from Cincinnatti called "The Animal Crackers".  These cats are U.S. DMC Team Champions and have been holding down Hip Hop in the Natti for YEARS, not to mention have been the official Dj's for Scribble Jam since it's inception (R.I.P.). I moved to the Natti straight out of college to work with Casual T (main guy being interviewed in vid)  who is also a very talented engineer (and is Bootsy Collins' personal engineer).  I learned alot from this brother, check out the mini-documentary on these fellas and music vid for "Uh-Oh!" they play off the whole circus theme with style.........get familiar. 

Marco Polo's Gritty Lab gotta love it...

What’s Going On Black 91

Shall we write?!?!?!?!?

Messiah Gritty Committee Exclusive!!!

Now this is going hard trust!!!
Messiah Bka Al-Mahdi
Quadrat Records
S-Block
Broady Champs
New Clothez Productions
Like my man Goldi Gold said "YOU AIN'T BROADY ENUFF!!!!"


BARS ENERGY HIPHOP GRITTINESS
Miss Hip Hop

Locked(next)up

No Father

出世子守唄 (Freestyle)

My Pain

Voice of Dead Souls Freestyle ODB R.I.P



Voice of Dead Souls is coming..
Point God and Messiah Prod by Lex Boogie from the Bronx!!!!!

They Broady Champs !!!

Yeah we back @ it!!!

LBBX

Food for thought Feat. NYCE and Buddy Lee

King Me Feat. Marq Spekt

Cannibus Up Feat. Point God Messiah and Lex Boogie from the Bronx

Wavey!!!

Max B-Quarintine Wave

Max B-Quarintine Wave

The Movement...

GRAFF PICS 4

ENJOY!!!

Raiders of the Lost Art

If you've ever rode the Broad Street Line's Ridge-Spur train past the old Spring Garden station and wondered "How the heck did all that Graffiti get there?" come get the scoop from some of Philly, New Jersey and New York's pioneering graffiti artists. This graffiti art showcase and hip-hop dance party features taggers Chief Kamachi, Karniege, Slim DSM and Super Chron Flight Bros; plus artwork by Ant Five, Bark and Desh. The unconventional artists will demonstrate their innovative way of playing tag and also display some of their best work. See how graffiti culture gave 'painting the town' a whole new meaning and also have some fun on the dance floor as DJ Reker provides some hot hip-hop jams.

G.R.E.A.T. SCOTT! Live@ the Bench

A True MC & Revolutionary...
Wish i caught the whole set but sometime less is more...Lets Go!!!

BLACK OUT 2 WITH METHOD MAN AND REDMAN

MY FAVORITE DYNAMIC DUO IS BACK......
LETS GET IT....
A-YO

Classic DILLA interview with MOONSATELLITE...

One of the many facets of Moonsatellite ...
A true connoisseur of the culture

and oh yeah, hes a published writer too!!!
peep the exclusive interview from his blog


I’ve already posted my Roy Ayers and Count Bass D articles, which were honors for me to be involved in. The greatest honor among these was interviewing the late, great J Dilla. It was a great experience, needless to say. What I remember the most was how honest his answers were. He couldn’t think of an answer to one of my questions immediately and told me he’d have to think about it. Most artists would have spit out a b.s. answer, but he really took my questions in consideration. That immediately struck me as a testament to his character, integrity and humility. So I present to you, my proudest moment as a journalist: the J Dilla interview.

Jay Dee’s musical beginnings were a bit more formal than his partner’s (Madlib). “Since elementary (school), I’ve always been taking some type of music class,” he explains. “And also in church, taking piano and drum lessons. ” Then the hip-hop bug bit. “When I heard (Run DMC’s) ‘Sucker MCs’ and (Whodini’s) ‘Big Mouth’, it made me curious to how the beats were made. Those song were the first time I heard the beats that weren’t melodic - just drums. Being someone who was taking drum lessons at the time, that made me real curious. That led me into deejaying, which slowly led to me doing parties and that led me into production.” It’s a little known fact that Dilla plays quite a few instruments. “My specialties are more drums and keyboards. I play the cello, violin, the trombone… a lot of little weird instruments.” (Listeners got a small taste of Jay’s live side on “Welcome To Detroit”’s Donald Byrd cover “Think Twice”.)

Jay Dee paid dues doing production for cats like Pharcyde (”Runnin’”, “Drop”, “Somethin That Means Somethin”), Skillz (”It’s Goin Down”, “The Jam”) and countless joints for A Tribe Called Quest (a personal favorite being the monstrous “Wordplay”), but came to prominence as one third of Slum Village, who arrived with the volumes 1 and 2 of the “Fantastic” series. “Volume 1 came about when I was first working with Tip,” he says. “I used to go out of town a whole lot, so when I came back to the D for a while, cats were talking about ‘let’s put something out, let’s do something’. So, in not even more than two days, they (T3 and Baatin) came over and laid all the vocals to no beats, just a metronome click. After that, I made some joints for two or three days. Everybody was tired, about to pass out. On the fifth day, we went to Kinkos’. It was supposed to be cassette only, something to get some type of buzz.”

It may have been a demo then, but it’s since become quite the collector’s item, bootlegged many times over. It also eventually got them signed, leading to the release of Volume 2. “We made that when everything else coming out was real harsh and hardcore. We always tried to do what everybody wasn’t doing, so that abum was directed towards the females, really. We had a couple of songs on there for the DJ’s and production heads, but the majority of the album was real soft. Then when we came out, finally, that’s when everybody else was doing soft sh*t.” Slum had quite the guest list for that album, including the almighty Pete Rock. “That was like one of my idols. After all those years of buying his stuff and wondering how he chopped this and that, to see him at work was crazy. He’s really, really into his sh*t. He inspires me every day, because I know when I’m sleeping, he’s not. He makes beats all damn day.”

Slum village’s material was bootlegged crazily while they dealt with label issues, and Dilla’s still wrestling with the bootleg monster as an unauthorized version of Frank-N-Dank’s “48 Hours” has popped up on the net. “48 Hours” came during Jay Dee’s involvement with MCA, and there were actually tow different versions. “They wanted a version however we felt, then they wanted a version with no samples at all. The version the bootleggers got a hold of is the one I didnt like.

Well, Jay’s not dealing with MCA anymore, and has a slew of projects dropping on Groove Attack, the first of which was this year’s “Ruff Draft” EP. “That was a quickie. I did it in four or five days, turned it in and had wax in ten days. If Im not doing beats for somebody, I make stuff for me to drive around and listen to, and that was one of those projects. I was just doing me. That’ s why it was called the ‘Ruff Draft’ EP”. Dilla’s next EP, “The Verdict”, is on the way.

So what’s on the horizon? For one, Dilla’s doing the majority of Common’s next album. “We’re going straight dirt!” he exclaims. “We’re going straight back to ‘Resurrection’ with this one, the ‘Take It EZ’ Common. He’s experimented with a lot of sh*t, so we’re taking it back to the rawness.” He’s also working on Busta’s next one, which will also include a Madlib beat originally intended for “Champion Sound”. Other artists include Erykah Badu, Vivian Green and Bilal. “This time around, instead of the token one or two tracks I’m more into doing half or the majority of albums.”

The future holds a lot for the Jaylib team. Stay plugged in and you’ll never run out of ear candy. For now go get a copy of “Champion Sound” and have at it. Just keep a neck-brace handy - and don’t say you weren’t warned.

Influences

Q-Tip: “That kinda changed my whole way of thinking on production. A friend of mine from the D put me up o the whole Native Tongue movement. It was definitely left field.

Pete Rock: “That was just dirty. I bought an SP-12 back then, so I used to vibe on all his stuff. I’m still a fan of Pete Rock. Definitely the gritty sh*t.”

Rick Rubin: “That’ s the old school; the PE joints, the Ice Cube joints. He used to have a thousand elements in one beat.”

King Of Chill: “That’s just… man! The I Don’t Care Audio Two joints, the MC Lyte ‘Stop, Look & Listen’… those were beats that really, really inspired me. They had their own little chapter.”

Prince: “When I found out he played the drums, guitar and everything on his songs back in the day, it really inspired me ’cause I was along the same lines, messing around with a lot of instruments.”

——————————–

Rest In Peace
James Yancey
Jay Dee
J Dilla
and Thank You.
check out the CultureKing

LEX BOGGIE & GOLDI GOLD: LOOK AT WHAT YOUR HEARING

Had a meeting of the minds and creativity with GoldiGold a couple of nights ago and decided to go in...
Music is more than sounds and art is only half of what you see especially when it comes from the soul.
so on that note junglejem45.blogspot.com & thegrittycommittee.blogspot.com presents...

Dope track + Dope artwork = LOOK AT WHAT YOU HEARING
Listen to the track and you'll get the full effect of the visuals. Thus the concept of the whole project

The Grilchy Era

MarQ Spekt the “grilchy” one himself drops some gems and brings you deeper into the culture.


Grilchy adj.
Pronunciation:{gril-chee}
Inflected Form(s):grilchiest, grilch
n.grilch-i-ness (the act of being grilchy)
ex.Son's verse was grilchy
grilch transitive verb

1.Foul,dingy,or having the nature of filth; begrimed or completely dirty.
2.vile; covered with grime; obscene;raunchy language,dingy
3.thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot;contemptibly offensive, raw, vile, or objectionable
4.Full of grime;abundantly supplied; dirty

started 87 with the shotty in the sheep...

Yall call it old school we call you wack!!!

Come one come all...

Marq Spekt Guilty Party
Homicide Written feat. Akil Nuru & Karniege
Prod. by Lex Boogie from the Bronx for New Clothez Productions

The Motions

The Hook say it all... lets Go!!!

Nickelus F one of V.A's own

This gone be the Anthem for the day ENJOY!

We Make the Rules

digging in the hard drive and found this unmixed gritty revolutionary BANGER!!!

Mike Flo
We Make the Rules
Prod. by Lex Boogie From the Bronx For New Clothez Productions

Artwork By GOLDI
Bigup to Jungle45 and the RBG fam!!!

Thugtician

Opinions are like assholes and assholes got opinions. I fux wit Thugtician for the most part. This cat is one of the more entertaining voices on the internets.....................tune in

TEXAS HOLD'EM

TEXAS RELAYS
Austin clubs, mall plan to close during Relays
Owners, managers cite safety concerns, lack of revenue during annual track event that draws thousands to UT, Sixth Street areas.

By Tony Plohetski, Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, April 03, 2009

Several popular Sixth Street businesses and Highland Mall are considering closing or have already decided to close this weekend during the Texas Relays, an event that draws thousands of revelers to Austin.

Owners and managers Thursday cited a variety of reasons for their decisions, including safety concerns, low revenue in past years and exhaustion from the South by Southwest Music Festival last month.

Emo's Austin, a live music venue at Red River and Sixth streets, will be closed, as will Flamingo Cantina, the premier Austin club for reggae music.

Highland Mall will close early Saturday.

The Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, which bring high school and college track athletes to Austin, include numerous private parties at hotels, restaurants and other venues throughout the city that draw mostly African American attendees.Police have said the event does not draw any more crime than other large events here.

A leader of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said he was troubled by the closures.

"It's counterproductive for us to even be open because of the craziness downtown," said Angela Gillen, owner of Flamingo Cantina. "It's kind of dangerous, and the staff doesn't want to work."

Gillen said she could not point to a specific incident that has caused her to think the atmosphere is dangerous.

"The shows that we've thrown in the past have not been successful, and it seems like it's a big gun party in the streets. Folks that come to that event aren't looking for reggae," she said.

Highland Mall, near North Interstate 35 and U.S. 290 East and a frequent destination for Texas Relays attendees, also will close at 2 p.m. Saturday "because the safety and security of our shoppers and retailers is our top priority," General Manager Jeff Gionnette said in an e-mail.

Gionnette did not cite specific security concerns and did not respond to a follow-up e-mail. There were widespread but unconfirmed reports of a fight there during the Texas Relays weekend in 2007.

Austin police, who are ramping up Sixth Street patrols for the weekend, have said the number of tickets issued during Texas Relays in past years is similar to other weekend events, including SXSW and Mardi Gras. They also have said that they typically do not see a rise in use-of-force incidents by police during the Texas Relays.

The decision marks the first time Sixth Street businesses have ceased operations during the Relays.

"Unfortunately, it gives this city a very negative reputation when it comes to treating and welcoming African Americans," said Nelson Linder, president of the Austin chapter of the NAACP.

Linder said that for years, Texas Relays participants have said that African Americans who attend don't feel warmly welcomed by Austin.

Assistant Police Chief Patti Robinson said the department will have about 100 additional officers on the street each night, which she said is not unusual for events that attract thousands of downtown revelers.

Robinson said the Texas Relays crowd in years past has been different from the crowds at events like SXSW and Mardi Gras. Generally, she said, revelers are younger and not of age to go inside bars and clubs.

That leaves many of them on the street, she said.

Robinson said she was not aware that some businesses had decided to close.

"Our interest is with the public places and the areas we have closed down to accommodate the large crowd we are expecting," she said.

Gionnette said in a statement that Highland Mall officials decided to close because security officers the mall has used in the past "were not available." He did not elaborate.

Bill Corsello, general manager of Emo's, cited financial reasons for his decision.

"We've tried stuff during the Relays, and year after year we lose money," Corsello said. "We get about 20 percent of our normal crowd. People just want to be on the street. They don't want to go into our club."

Corsello said that the Relays' proximity to SXSW is also a factor.

"We get ... beat by SXSW, and we get less than two weeks between that and the Relays," he said. "It's just not profitable for us. It's a hard dollar to make."

In past years, promoters have tried to capitalize on the volume of people but generally have failed. A few years ago, a hip-hop triple bill at Stubb's on Red River Street drew fewer than 50 fans to the 2,100-capacity venue.

Other business owners said they are considering closing for the weekend.

"We're going to play it by ear," said Ali Walters, an artist at Dandyland Tattoo on Sixth Street. "We'll be open during the day, and if we stay busy, we'll stay open."

The Red River Street hip-hop club Spiro's is packed during Relays weekend.

"We cater to UT students, so student athletes come," General Manager Josh Cisneros said. "If they come, everyone comes, from all the surrounding colleges. We will probably turn away 3,000 people Saturday night."

tplohetski@statesman.com;

445-3605

jgross@statesman.com; 912-5926

Additional material from staff writer Michael Corcoran.

Reader commenting has been disabled on this story due to excessive violations of our visitor's agreement.

One of the Greats ...Ayatollah

something to write some poisonous darts to...

Ayatollah - Everywhere

Get your Brand up...

Digg Founder Kevin Rose sits down with Trent Reznor (NIN) to discuss his views and ideas about the new nature of the recording industry, records labels, branding, and music distribution.

Some very interesting and insightful ideas are brought up regarding possible music business revenue models along with strategic advice for aspiring artists.

Notable Quote:
"We’re in between business models, the old record labels are dead and the new thing hasn’t really come out yet. So, I’m hoping that whatever gets established puts a lot more power in the hands of the artist… and revenue" - Trent Reznor
Peep...

Big Ups cratekings.com for the splash

Da U.K Connect...

Had to show love to my dudes on the other side...
yeah the Committee get around fam!!!

BEEN HERE 4 TOO LONG 2 MAKE EXCUSES!!!
Stealth Mode


SUSPECT GANG/MOB BLOCK BABYLONDON Lets Go!!!

The Gritty Committee REVOLUTION!!!

Lex Boogie from the Bronx
Get @ me

30 years in 60 minutes

538 songs there gotta be something you like on here.
Something to vibe to while your doing whatever it is that you do..

hit me here if you want the DL link

Ness Lee Live From Bk!!!

Check out the fam here

Yeah we walk with swords round here...

The West coast is on FIRE right now!!!!

Got this this bomb sent to the gmail straight from Compton
Peep the Razor Sharpness from the Shogun himself...

Columbo Black
The North Star

Been knock this all week please believe it...
Only built 4 Cuban linx nigg@s!!!

GRAFFITI PIC'S 3

ART INSPIRES MOVEMENT OF ALL SORTS SO LETS MOVE

DECEPTIKONS

back in the early 90's there was a crew repping that Hard Knock Life on the streets of NY. Everybody heard of these wild cats in the streets getting it in......Here's a snip of a str8 to DVD(it looks like) movie based on the infamous..........

TOP 5

A new show from my man Greeesy! Peep the jump off for the TOP 5 show, a fresh new concept that he'll be building further and further.


Top 5 Dead or Alive. The Show!!! from Evereese Hamilton on Vimeo.

Diamond Pixels

Ill with the Graphics and the Photography work peep the samples...





Get @ her here

Star Studded

Had to splash this when i seen it on junglejem45.blogspot.com

John Forté - Style Free

make sure you check them out they keep allot of heat in the jungle!!!

LO trailer

HISTORY as well
Imagine the unimaginable, hundreds of inner city youth coming together for a specific cause, "To get dipped"!* (fly, fresh, etc) which in Brooklyn it meant your clothes were new and usually from the most flashy designers with the illest colors. Tommy Hilfiger was still an amateur in the streets. Izod was past tense and Versace wasn't even heard of in the Hip Hop fashion dictionary, ******s couldn't even pronounce the word until Biggie Smalls came on the scene. The head honcho in labels and brands was Ralph Lauren's "Polo". In our eyes he was worshipped like God. It was even to the point where some of us would carry a picture of Ralph Lauren in our wallets.

"MONEY, HOES, AND CLOTHES was our motto and "LO" was our life

The name Lo-Lifes came about in '88 when Big Vic Lo (Thirstin Howl III) got caught talking to a girl after he just got another girl's phone number. The girl said "you are a low-life" in a disrespectful manner. His reply, "you are right!" "I wear Lo everyday and "Lo" is my life. Then everybody replied, "that's right", We are Lo-Lifes!". It was never officially voted on, or anything it was just the name we lived by.

The Lo-Lifes were originally composed of two boostin posse's from different sections in Brooklyn. There was the Crown Heights half who were originally known as "Ralphies Kids" (Ralph Lauren's Kids). That name being made by G-George whom lived on St. John's and Utica Avenue, which was also where Ralphies Kids could be found. Then there was the Brownsville half who were originally called POLO U.S.A. (United Shoplifters Association). That name being made up by Ski-Lo and Pumpkin (RIP). The Brownsville half were all mostly from the Marcus Garvey Village, with others from Van Dyke Houses.

I remember before we became the Lo-Lifes, we would see each other on the trains. We use to plot on robbing one another for the Lo items we were wearing, it never came to that though. I was on the Deuce (42nd Street and Broadway) when we first clicked together. There were alot of movie theatres and game rooms there. There was photographers with all the different backgrounds to take your pictures in. We were stepping up to take pictures one Saturday night when Ralphies Kids were already on the Polo background, their wears were crisp. And that was the one thing we all had in common. So, ******s was like "yo let's take this flick together". So both mobs got in one flick together. Little did we know it would make history according to Brooklyn's streets. "Lo-Lifes" was mainly known for; boostin, running up in stores and just snatching everything. We made this common in our everyday activities. We turned it into a lifestyle and to this day it is still the way some original Lo-Lifes put food on the table.

When we travel we would roll at least 50 or 60 deep and could be recognized by the rainbow of Ralph Lauren labels. By 1989, we grew and had members in the "90's" (East Flatbush) and East New York. We would get all dressed up just to go out to do dirt. Sometimes we would go to clubs wearing like 5 different Polo shirts each. We would wear one on top of the other and switch shirts. All night while walking around the nightclub, your prop status was rated on how much "Lo" you had and how big your heart was.

When Lo-Lifes first united it was a mutual respect from Brownsville to Crown Heights. We did everything together, boost, fight, party and look for girls. So basically, we shared the same problem inner city youth face. Everyday was a fashion show and a shoplifting spree through upstate malls, Manhattan stores and even fast food joints like McDonalds were hit. We jacked everything from our deoderant to our milk and cereal for breakfast. Sometimes we got confused for the Decepticons, they did their thing to. The only difference between us was the attire. Lo-Lifes stayed extremely dipped. My man Shills-Lo, was telling me the other day that he is who he is because of his Lo-Life experience. The "Lo-Life" experiences gave him his whole thinking pattern, showed him means for survival and ways to help mom's pay the rent.

Boostin became a culture, we don't claim to be the first to ever do it. All we are saying is that we made it go mainstream out on the N.Y. streets and even out in Philly where Boostin Bill, an original member established a whole other episode of Lo-Lifes. There was the uptown LoLifes who were Chris, Ibit, Rob and a whole bunch of Bronx heads who did crime so fast we use to have to race them to the victims, word! When we first established the Lo-Lifes a lot of us were mad young. Ten years ago and counting have gone by and Lo-Lifes have spreaded so much that many people none of the Originals know have claimed to be Lo-Lifes. On the streets, in the rap industry, even Abc's 20/20 was planning to do a episode on Lo-Lifes. They held a meeting over at ABC, somehow we found out about it and got there an hour late. We walked into a room full of different Rappers and boosters who claimed affiliation to Lo-Lifes. There were even Lo-Life hats made which was featured in a Source Magazine advertisement, none of us had anything to do with it or whomever designed it. Lo-Lifes is a title each original member has lived by and some died by. So the name is rightfully ours.

The Lo-Lifes list is endless, there's so many members from both sides that never even met eachother. Whether you were apart of Ralphies Kids or Polo USA, once it was established everyone instantly became Lo-Life, even if you never met the other side.

We would terrorize 42nd Street on Friday and Saturday nights. We were always so deep we would never pay to go into the movies. There was so many of us you would be stupid to try and stop one. Even at the stores in the same area we would steal every 40oz of Old English 800 by just picking them up and walking out. We would be responsible for 75% of the dirt committed up there. As for the department stores we hit; Macy's, B'Altman's, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Trump Towers, Century 21, BFO, and like I mentioned before even Mc Donalds. Our main target was Polo, either putting it in back packs or stuffing it down girdles. Most of the time there was so many of us, we would just rush the store and take all you can carry. Leathers and shearlings stores were wrecked also along with women gear stores. This would always be the quickest **** selling and that was how a lot of heads made their money. One thing we still all had in common was the love for true "hip-hop" . We would go to a lot of the most popular hip-hop clubs. We never paid for drinks, we would steal the bottles from behind the bar and stay drunk all night for free. We usually left the club after getting into some **** or taking somebody's ****. A lot of the things we did resulted in consequences. Many Lo-Lifes were in and out of jail for long periods of time. Regardless, of whatever situation the Lo-Life Ralph Lauren lifestyle remained the same. In prison, official heads wore so much Polo in jail as in the streets. You had to be a real ***** to be able to keep your Polo in the prison system where inmates would rob eachother for expensive clothing.

Empire Skating Rink in Brooklyn was were we met every Sunday. The Rink would close about 5p.m. Lo-Lifes would unite out front and walk toward the subway headed to Manhattan to get paid. The "ill" **** was the entire skating rink on Sundays was composed of boosters. It was a big fashion show. After awhile when we would leave on Sunday other boosters in the rink knew where we were headed and what we were up to. So, alot of others would follow us and add on to the chaos. Everybody wanted to be down and every Sunday was a repeat of the week before. Except for one week we said we would hit the stores in Manhattan before the skating rink open on Sunday morning. So we went to Manhattan, had a quick rush at Lord and Taylor's for all kinds of flavor Polo bathrobes. Then we went to Empire, there was at least 40 of us in the middle of the day at the skating rink wearing bathrobes. Of course we always got the girls. They even got with the program so we had Lo-Wives.

Boostin was a sport and source of income and from the way some turned out 10 years later it is all they may ever know. In the streets we weren't always the culprits. We were preyed upon as well by jealous people who wanted what we had (our Lo) and didn't know how to get it the way we did. In conclusion, some of us were killed and some of them killed and so on.

Ten years later traces of Lo-Lifes spread to California and even Japan. Rappers are getting free "Tommy Hilfiger" to advertise and were still wondering whatever gave D-Lo the idea for their clothing line? Hmmm, it was original Lo-Lifes who started using the word Lo after their names. "The Million Man Rush" is what we call our story just like the "Million Man March", a movement many claimed to be apart of. Only a chosen few can say "I was there".

salute the homies wit 2 L's UP

Get Familiar with the Commitee...

A.R.T.S.MAFIA Directed & Edited by: SAL GREEN APEHOUSE FILMS
UNDENIABLE ENT./ A.R.T.S.MAFIA
Directed & Edited by: SAL GREEN
APEHOUSE FILMS

KARNIEGE L.X.G

"MUSH" FROM THE CAN I KICK IT VOL.2 DIRECTED BY STEVEN TAPIA


Peep his page here

Some of La Familia

For the love of money...

All for the Cake
Nyce Broady
Prod By. Lex Boogie from the Bronx for New Clothez Productions

Radiers of the Lost Art

This is definitely gonna be on heavy rotation on the Gritty.
Plus more events to come!!!
Come out and support if your in the Philadelphia area...
Hip Hop and Graffiti @ its Finest Live from Philly Philly

The Gritty Economy...

Freebies for the out-of-work
Free health care, free job training,
Gerri Willis(CNN personal finance editor) provides helpful tips if you find yourself unemployed.

The unemployment rate is at a 25-year high. And so far, 5.1 million jobs have now been lost since the beginning of 2008. But there is help out there for you.

When you lose your job, one of the biggest things you're concerned about is your health care.

Walgreen's just rolled out what it's calling its "Take Care Program." This program offers free health care services at its Walgreens clinics. To qualify for free care, you must have lost your job on or after March 31st of this year and have no health insurance.

These clinics will treat colds, strep throat, allergies and skin conditions. But it won't cover vaccinations, physicals or health evaluations. These clinics aren't staffed by doctors, but rather nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Call toll free at 866 825-3227 if you want more information.

Keep in mind that Wal-mart, Target, and other retailers have similar clinics, which provide non-emergency services to patients regardless of whether or not you have insurance.

And there are some other places here you can get free help if you're unemployed.

If you don't have a college degree of you've been out of work for a long time, your local Goodwill organization is also a good resource.

Goodwill organizations train people for jobs in IT, health care, retail, banking and landscaping. To find one in your area, go to goodwill.org.

For help on finding retraining and career resources, the Department of Labor has Web sites at careeronestop.org and careervoyages.gov.

Remember, there's no guarantee how long it will take to find a new gig.

If you need something to tide you over, think about taking on freelance work. Start out at Internet sites like guru.com or sologig.com.

Talk to other freelancers in the field and find out what the prevailing hourly or project rate is in your area. Use social networking sites like linkedin.com, Facebook.com or Twitter.com to announce your venture and maintain your contacts.

THE ORIGINATOR 1990

CLASSIC MATERIAL KIDZ BEEN HAD STYLES

MR. Cartoon

drop from the LA TIMES article Right HERE

WNCP RADIO Carolina Blues

Big Pookie
New Clothez Productions
Just a preview of WNCP radio Vol 1...ENJOY


The introduction


Love Like Feat. Lex Boogie from the BX


Please

All songs Produced by Lex Boogie from the Bronx

STAND UP!!!

SWAVE SEVA & DOUBLE AB @ GRIND TIME BATTLE # 6

CHECK THESE 2MCEES SWAVE SEVA(on left) & DOUBLE AB(on right) AS THEY GET BUSY IN THE GRIND TIME BATTLE #6



DOUBLE AB VS. FRIDAY THE 13TH MCEE BATTLE GRIND TIME 6 (PART1) - KARNIEGE


DOUBLE AB VS. FRIDAY 13TH MCEE BATTLE GRIND TIME 6 (PART2) - KARNIEGE


GRIND TIME BATTLE SWAVE SEVA VS. ARMAREDO -

Chop hold your head!!

My homie Hassan Chop been down for a minute, we holding a place at the table for him. Alotta cats front, but Chop been my g for a while. Collaborator and friend.
You probly saw him on a few DOOM projects, heres "I Wonder" off the Mf Doom King Geedorah album.


also my favorite joint he did "Top of the World" produced by Madlib off his "Sharpening" ep.

Murda dat Sound Bwoi

Give it up for King Tubby, VIBE WIT US

DUB SUNDAY

DONT CHANGE MA...

Late night funny ish....

"And I'ma walk these dogs so we can live"

The Gritty Committee Hyena Men Steeze!!!!
Get your Pit I dare you....