Jean-Michel Basquiat Retrospective Exhibition

From Hypebeast... 2010 marks what would have been the 50th birthday of American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. A large retrospective exhibition held at the Fondation Beyeler features over 100 different pieces of work from the pioneering artist. Vernissage TV reveal the full scope of the show in addition to an interview with Fondation Beyeler’s director and co-curator, Sam Keller. The Jean-Michel Basquiat Retrospective Exhibition will take place until September 5th, 2010.

Spike Lee On Hollywood's "Coonery & Buffoonery"

At the 2009 Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference & Expo, one of the featured speakers was Spike Lee. During his segment, he was asked about the representation of black culture in TV and film. His example of our need for an improved representation was Tyler Perry's "House of Pain" and "Meet The Browns". He claims that even though it is generating a lot of revenue, it is taking us back to the minstrel days of Mantan Moreland and Sleep 'N Eat. Watch a segment of the interview and comment with your opinion.



If you want Tyson's Take on the matter, I feel that Spike makes a very valid point. We have to create more accurate representations of our entire culture or much of our history may be washed away by shuckin' & jivin'. With that being said, I also feel that Tyler Perry should not change his format or characters. Madea, Mr. Brown, and the rest of his lively characters always have a moral or positive religious undertone in each movie and story. I feel it should be less about getting someone to stop doing what he's doing, and it should be more about cultivating NEW black filmmakers to offer other representations of who we are.

- Steve Tyson Jr.

Loon Discusses His Conversion To Islam!

Loon (now Amir Junaid Muhadith), formerly of Bad Boy Entertainment, sits down with The Deen Show in Dubai, UAE to discuss his conversion to the Islamic faith and how it has given his life peace & inspired a new musical creativity. Check out the full 28 minute interview and drop a comment! Do you think there will be more MC's who are unafraid to throw away stereotypical imagery of a "rapper" and follow their own journey to create the true music that they want to make?

- Steve Tyson Jr.

NYOIL Interviews Rev. Al Sharpton

M.K. Asante's "It's Bigger Than Hip-Hop"

So I received a copy of M.K. Asante Jr.’s book “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop” from my father for my birthday, and it’s very much an eye-opener that snaps your attention to the future of our culture.

Now, like many of you I first heard the phrase “It’s bigger than hip-hop” from Dead Prez. The concept was always intriguing, but I never really thought of it as describing the progression of our culture. When reading Prof. Asante’s book, I began to understand how even though I’M part of the next-generation of Hip-Hop there are youth behind me that will shape the culture even further than I could have imagined.

Kind of how like in the 80’s we were making movies like “Krush Groove” and today you can see films like “8 Mile” and “Hustle & Flow”. Not saying they were as classic or pioneering as the original, but it re-invented what was already there to fit with the present.

And that’s pretty much the way Hip-Hop culture will continue to be… there will always be the pioneers of the past to influence the current generation, and while the current generation is doing their thing there is a whole new wave of youth that will take elements of what you’re doing and create something brand new. We can continue to say that “Hip-Hop is this” or “Hip-Hop is that”, but what will ultimately drive us forward is the realization that we can take what Hip-Hop gives us and make it bigger, better, and more applicable than anyone could have realized. And THAT’S bigger than Hip-Hop.


- Steve Tyson Jr.

NURC: Re-Generation Tour Auditions!!!

The Neo-Underground Railroad Conductors (NURC) will be hosting the 1st Annual “Re-Generation Tour” heading out across the country. The Re-Generation Tour was devised to use music as a tool to inspire youth to realize the value of true expression, the importance of making conscious decisions, and the power behind their individual voices.

NURC was founded on the same principles of the original Underground Railroad, led by Harriet Tubman. They use a network system to break the shackles of post-modern slavery, which threatens to be more dangerous than the slavery of our ancestors because we are no longer in physical bondage, but are mentally controlled by a mainstream society that puts money before morals and corruption before compassion.

The NURC will gather artists from all genres of music and the arts to perform at venues around the country. This year the focus will be on bringing positive acts to the east coast of the US, and sending satellite acts to states like Texas, California, Illinois, and other major cities.

All artists, speakers, filmmakers, dancers, etc., will be provided coaching from the NURC’s Conductor of Talent Relations and other trained professionals.

Tour Auditions will be held from August 15th – September 21st 2008 in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Submit artist & contact information to: nurc.regeneration@gmail.com
Or contact Amirah Cummings at: 646-457-6988