A couple of years ago I attended The Extreme battle of the Bands in downtown Baton Rouge, in hopes of seeing my sister and her band mates win first place. The event line-up consisted of popular high school bands from in and around the Greater Baton Rouge area, in addition to local and national recording artist like: Lil Boosie & Webbie. To my surprise I receive more than what I bargained for, not only did my sister and her band mates take first place, but I had the rare opportunity to hear positive Hip-Hop from an up and coming artist named Dee-1.
When introduced by Baton Rouges on self-proclaimed gangsta turned activist Silky Slim, Dee-1 charged the stage with swagger rarely seen in the capital city. His aggressive yet optimistic flow captivated my eardrums and subconsciously made my head nod back and forth. As I continued to listen his soulful tune, I was astounded by his lyrical content and stage presence. By the end of his set I found myself reciting the chorus in my head saying: “I’m strapped with a pad, my pen is gat, a mask and a vest plus I’m dressed in all black, God by my side so no man can harm me this is the story of a One Man Army”.
After the battle I began searching for “One Man Army” but was unsuccessful, mainly because I could not remember Dee-1’s name. Shortly thereafter, I conceded my search and waited for his music to find me and it did. One cool February evening I was listening to the MTV Jams channel, and completing a Full Sail assignment when Dee-1’s “One Man Army” video came on. I immediately stop working on my assignment and blasted the soulful tune, after learning his name I goggled Dee-1 and found his website.
Born & raised in the heart of New Orleans, Dee-1 shares the same struggles as the legendary artists that put the 504 on the map, but he is determined to represent the city with a different viewpoint by using insightful and thought provoking rhymes in his music (Dee-1, 2011). While reading his bio, I became more intrigued with Dee-1 the artist who graduated from LSU, and taught at a local middle school.
“Dee-1’s music creates an atmosphere that welcomes all listeners from nearly any background. His positive message extends well beyond the stereotype of the traditional conscious rapper, because as he says, “real recognizes real.” If you have never seen a live Dee-1 show, you’re missing out! Dee has the rare ability to perform in nearly any environment, from arenas to nightclubs to schools to churches; and the response is always the same. Outstanding!! (Dee-1, 2011)”
From Mr. Augustine to Dee-1, he has been featured in various media outlets such as Billboard Magazine, CNN, MTV, BET, XXL, 2DopeBoyz, and various columns and newspapers. He has released six mix tapes, one album, three videos, and performed alongside some of the biggest names in the music, including his recent performance at Jazz Fest, 2011. As an artist I admire his approach, and respect his lyrical ability. There are only a handful of artist that I respect in the music industry, and Dee-1 is the newest member of that club. I support the movement
Reference:
No comments:
Post a Comment