ICEE JAKE

7/24/2007 - Released by Arts, Tourism & Special Events
For more information contact John Connolly

Mayor Thomas M. Menino has announced that the city’s fourth annual Peace 2007 Hip Hop Fest, a free outdoor Hip-Hop Festival, will take place on Saturday, August 4, from 4 – 8pm on City Hall Plaza, featuring headliners Slick Rick, The Ruler and De La Soul. “Hip Hop is a powerful part of youth culture today and I want to ensure that the movement’s positive, peace-promoting voices are heard by the Boston community. Peace 2007 Hip Hop Fest focuses on the positive messages this music genre has to offer and I invite everyone to join us,” said Mayor Menino.

Widely regarded as one of hip hop’s most creative groups, De La Soul has remained fresh and everlasting while hip hop has changed dramatically since their introduction to the music industry. De La Soul has often been synonymous with total artistic expression since the group released its stellar debut album, "Three Feet High and Rising" (1989).
The show will co-feature Slick Rick, The Ruler also known as MC Ricky D, he is a rapper from The Bronx. He is recognized by his characteristic eye patch and is best known for a series of rap recordings during the 1980’s, including “Children’s Story” and “La Di Da Di.” Other performers include East Coast beat boxer “The Human Orchestra” aka Kenny Muhammad, and local acts Akrobatik, Omega Red, Ms. Aquarius, 4 Peace, 3 4 Da Stripes, Frankie Wainwright, Sullee and Golden Brown. Also performing will be the winners of Essence Magazine and Berklee College of Music’s “Take Back the Music” contest: Justin “Jae Guttah” McGibbon, Nicholas “Phantom” Garcia, and Jacob “Icee Jake” Bragg.
Peace 2007 Hip Hop Fest is produced by the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events and sponsored by Scion, and Metro Boston. The Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events is responsible for advancing the arts, tourism and culture in the city of Boston by providing advocacy, support, promotional and technical assistance, and by producing special events and public celebrations that reflect the city’s rich diversity. - Arts, Tourism & Special Events

Friday, May 05, 2006
AARON BECK
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A 16-year-old Columbus rapper is set to take his budding skills to the next level.
Jacob "Icee Jake" Bragg, a junior at Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School, was named one of two grand-prize winners in a hip-hop songwriting contest by the Berklee College of Music and Essence magazine.
Bragg will receive $5,925 in tuition and room and board to Berklee's fiveweek summer performance program July 8 to Aug. 11 in Boston.
The rapper, who has written, recorded and produced songs since he was 12, heard about the contest five days before entries were due.
"I had been going through some problems, and a friend had invited me to church," Bragg said. "When I got home that day, I knew I had to get a track down because I was feeling it, and the deadline was soon.
"I did the track in one night."
A panel of judges, including MC Lyte, Roots drummer ?uestlove and Berklee professors and students chose Bragg's Make Your Move from among 100 entries nationwide by rappers ages 15 to 18.
On the track, Bragg delivers a world-weary, sociopolitical gospel rap with a suave flow:
"Expression of my thoughts keep me leveled in this world full a sin
I won't settle till the devil stop envying men."
Until the Lord come again I?m a stay making Music for a nation consumed by hatred
Contest judge Darcie-Nicole Wicknick a Berklee graduate, music-business consultant and co-founder of the Boston Hip-Hop Alliance called " Make Your Move "multilayered on many different levels."
"The song hearkens to both the black history that people have experienced and also uses a lot of biblical allegory without being preachy or sugarcoating things," she said. "He was confident without bragging, and he called for individuality and encouraged people to overcome adversity."
Bragg will perform the song and others from his new album, Basement Cutz, Vol. 2 on May 27 in the Hey Hey Bar & Grill, 361 E. Whittier St.
The teen hopes for a career as a rapper, or, short of that, a sound engineer.
"I used to do music to make it sound like other people's," he said. "But I realized what gets me ahead is when I do my own music."
To hear Make Your Move, visit www.essence.com/takeback themusic or www.iceejake.com.
abeck@dispatch.com

- THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Jacob Bragg’s budding music career is already racking up awards, but he’s trying not to let it go to his head. Jacob Bragg records in his home studio, Beljum Studio.

Bragg will release his rap album, “Temptations,” in May, and he has won awards from both Columbus State and Berklee College of Music in Boston.
In addition to those accolades, the 17-year-old Columbus State student is hard at work learning the skill of music production. Even if he doesn’t end up famous, he’ll still have a job in the industry.

“I’m not trying to get famous. I just do music for myself and to help out other people,” Bragg said. “I do music because I can’t stop. If I do, I’ll go crazy.”

Bragg, who raps under the name Icee Jake, is a two-time finalist of Berklee College of Music and Essence magazine “Take Back the Music” Hip-Hop Song Writing Contest. He won the contest outright in 2006, then won second place in 2007 for his song “Lord Gave Me.” The 2006 win sent him to a five-week summer music program at Berklee, a program he plans to return to this summer.

Closer to home, Bragg’s song “Angel” was selected Best of Show in the Digital Music category at the first annual Columbus State Downtown Digital Arts Festival. The Digital Arts Festival celebrated music, art and film from Columbus State students working with digital media.

“Temptations” is Bragg’s third release since starting his home studio, “Beljum Studio,” in 2004. Although he’s still young, he said teenagers today face pressures their parents might not imagine. Young people today can make choices that screw up their whole lives, he said.

Those themes run through the whole album, he said. For example, the first song is “Temptations”—which leads right into the next song, entitled “Drama.


Bragg's third self-produced album, "Temptations," drops in May.
“People always talk about being at the ‘wrong place, wrong time,’” Bragg said. “I say, ‘With some of the stuff going on, when is the right time to be someplace?’”

Bragg, 17, attended Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School, but got his GED so he could attend college sooner. In his first quarter at Columbus State, he took Philosophy of Religion and Cultural Diversity, figuring those classes would make him a better songwriter.

He tries to soak up influences to improve his craft. Last year’s Berklee program helped him understand the structure of songs. Plays like “Jesus Christ Superstar” helped teach that music isn’t just songs, it’s emotion. And even bad rappers on the radio can teach some lessons.

This year was the first year for the Digital Arts Fest, and Bragg hopes it returns next year. The entries were impressive, he said.

“I underestimated Columbus State,” he said. “They really have a lot of talent here.” - Columbus State Community College