The Crowd

Family fun and positive messages were front and center at the sixth annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival in DUMBO Saturday.

Through 8 p.m., hip-hop stars and upcoming rappers were scheduled to perform at the Tobacco Warehouse between Water and Dock Streets.

The headline act was De La Soul and other performers included Master Ace, Pete Rock and CL Smooth.

The festival's co-emcee, Coney Island native Torae, released his album "Double Barrel" in June. He said the festival stresses the positive side of hip-hop.

Annual Hip-Hop Festival Sends Good Vibes Through DUMBO
"It's just awesome, you know, for new, upcoming artists like myself to be out here and perform with legends and get to touch people from young to old, every race," said Torae. "Everybody is going to be out here. It's just going to be an amazing day."

"It's packed -- no violence -- so it dispels all the myths that hip-hop brings violence and stuff," said General Steele of the hip-hop duo Smif-N-Wessun. "It's beautiful out there, it's young kids out there, it's older people out there. It's people from all walks."

The festival's founders and participants said mini-workshops in break dancing, beatboxing, the Brazilian martial art capoeira and salsa dancing would bring youth into hip-hop culture and teach them core values of social change and empowerment.

"It's uplifting, it's educating the masses, you know what I mean? Hip-hop is here," said performer Kalae All Day. "I spit positivity, whether it's about having fun or uplifting women. I'm just not here talking about all my body parts and what they can do for you.... I'm keeping it real for me. I'm representing a large demographic of women that I think aren't properly represented in the hip-hop culture."

Annual Hip-Hop Festival Sends Good Vibes Through DUMBO
Music lovers packed Brooklyn Bridge Park to celebrate an art form that began on the streets of New York.

"To hear some of the music that we grew up on is always a treat," said one visitor.

"It's amazing to see how many different people come out and how many people love hip-hop. And all the different cultures that come together -- we all share this one amazing source of music," said another.

Many young artists who performed along old school artists were looking for a big break and to share their love of the genre.

"My goal is to bring the old school back, bring all the fun in hip-hop back," said hip-hop artist Lil' Shams.

"Here is where everybody is able to express themselves and not be judged about it, and to be able to do things. Like, that is an amazing feeling," said hip-hop artist Anthony "Loco" Samuels.

Annual Hip-Hop Festival Sends Good Vibes Through DUMBO
Wes Jackson, the festival's founder and executive director, said the event is designed to show younger audiences all the possibilities in hip-hop.

"So they don't think it's all being an MC or a DJ. You can be a writer, a journalist, a dancer, a visual artist, an aerosol artist, a lawyer," said Jackson.

When asked why New Yorkers should come to the festival, Torae recited:

We here live at the Hip-Hop Fest,
Me, I'm Torae, one of hip-hop's best,
You can see the wardrobe is hip-hop fresh,
If you don't make it out, you'll be hip-hop-less!

The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and Concert was produced by Brooklyn Bodega. - NY1

Surely you have heard the phrase, "breath of fresh air". That is what Randy Mason and the garage/punk band On The Prowl try to bring with this release. Not that the rock/rap mish-mash has never been done before, but it is definitely more original than the typical fair. And Randy Mason proves that he collaborates with the live instrumentals offered by On The Prowl in a much more tolerable way than the Shop Boyz did on "Rockstar Mentality". "Fresh Air" is a decidedly more subtle album, even though some of the fuzzy guitars occasionally whip up into a frenzy the spotlight really shines on Randy Mason's lyrics.

Randy Mason is an MC's emcee, meaning that he seems to do it for the love of the art and thankfully this album suggests that notion. Hailing from the south Bronx, New York, the 22 year old MC has been inspired by the likes of Nas, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common and other rappers that mostly focus on the positive side of life. He sounds more like Lupe Fiasco (like he flowed on "The Cool") but he is just not quite there yet in his breath control and words working on multiple levels in the poetic way Lupe's do.

"New Music" is the opening track that builds into an epic opus with its blaring guitars. It is the type of song Black Thought would write and compose for The Roots. It declares itself as a new form of music but it is merely well-constructed rap-rock music. The guitar distortions on the track add a dimension to the track in the way Morella from Rage Against The Machine playfully created new sounds his electric guitar. Randy Mason talks about his transcendental material with the following line, "New music/Not even the sky is the limit we dream roof-less/Beyond where the Sun and Moon is/Don't need a blueprint/We make the footprints you place your boots in". Though Randy Mason is a self-proclaimed intellectual on a higher level than most, it is hard to disagree with nice lines like this to start off the album.

The problem starts to take form in David Yawman's garage/punk band On The Prowl and how it fits with the flow of the featured emcee. There is no doubt that the group is chock full of capable musicians in their own craft, but sometimes the rock n' roll influenced tracks can be distracting. The grinding guitars on "Style" and fast-paced drums are so frenzied that it is likely to cause an aneurism for unsuspecting rap fans, or even the most open-minded underground head. The industrial beat of "Fastlane" is equally as pounding as the aforementioned "Style" track and it becomes clear that the title of the group Randy Mason vs. On The Prowl is an understandable title, because sometimes it seems like they are working against each other to take ownership of tracks.

Randy Mason has too much panache to take backseat to the band and it is when he and Supa DJ King James on the turntables take over to create feel good, jazzy, hip-hop joints that this albums succeeds most. "Fresh Air" and "The Melting Pot" are two of the best tracks on the disc for this reason. The latter comes through with funky guitar licks and Mason states on the chorus:

"Hip-hop let's go
Let's rock n' roll
Let's talk that jazz
And feel that soul
Move your rump
To this funky music
Is how we do it"

More funk, soul and jazz, please. Once again, the form of rock n' roll here is usually good enough, but the funkiness almost Tribe Called Quest quality of this song is why it is a winner.

The hypnotic "Take You There" truly takes the listeners on a journey over a dreamy beat. "The music is out of this world/I swear and I'm going to take you there", Mr. Mason spits effortlessly. The song constantly urges the listener to take hold of his hand and notice to his words that he is taking you beyond the restraints of the typical rap album. It feels like it should be an introductory track to an album because that new world is not reached, but the notion is toyed with.

Randy Mason Vs. On The Prowl's "Fresh Air" is without a doubt an interesting album. The two parts to the equation sometimes seem to clash with their own purpose in mind. On The Prowl seems to be a pretty solid rock group capable of a variety of sounds. Randy Mason proves to be a quality emcee that is hotter than 90 percent of the spitters out there--and with the potential to reach greater heights. I do not want to repress originality or creativity in the way that my review may suggest, but maybe I do want to take the Yoko Ono role and hope for a break-up, so both parts of this collaboration can bring their own breath of fresh air. - Rapereviews.com

Akil Dasan doesn't just perform hip-hop, he embodies everything that hip-hop is, was and aspires to be. An African-Judaic blend of multiple ethnicities and cultures, Akil stands out from any crowd for an entirely different reason-he provides a blend of multiple talents: rapper, singer, guitarist, DJ, writer, beat-boxer and break-dancer. Influenced heavily by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, The Roots, D'Angelo, Mos Def and Lauryn Hill, Akil combines jazz, blues, funk and classic soul with the neo-soul sound of today. And like Stevie Wonder, Akil plays all the instruments himself. On stage, he sits alone with a guitar, a sight that might make one expect the music of a subway performer. He first strums his guitar, using it to reminisce on funky blues.and then the beat hits. There are no drums. As whispers and wows fill the atmosphere, listeners realize that every sound is coming from the kid on stage. He's a human beat box as precise as a drum machine. Finally he lends his voice, smooth as Kimono silk. The beat keeps going. The guitar keeps harmony. The energy is undeniable. Akil Dasan's first album is a funk jam session with intricate flows and sweet vocals. Everything heard, from the bass to the singing, is Akil. This musical jack-of-all-trades began at age six when he learned to play the drums. That led to the piano, which led to the guitar, and finally the bass. At twelve, Akil joined the Philadelphia Boys Choir, where he traveled the world and developed his voice. His personal musical explorations led him from the Blues to Funk and Hip-Hop. At fourteen, Akil, Black, Native American and Jewish, joined, of all things, an Islamic rap group called the G-had Platoon. Soon after, he formed a group called L.M.ental, and Akil paid his rap dues free styling every day with a group of kids that included rap star Cassidy. Akil's positive, peaceful demeanor doesn't quite fit that associated with battle rappers, but as he says in The Jawn, "I'm just an ordinary person with a story/ Never wanted to battle but it came with the territory." His flow on The Jawn would wow any accomplished musician or Hip-Hop head, as he seamlessly oscillates from on beat to double-time, nimble as a young Charlie Parker. You could find Akil Dasan walking the streets of Morningside Heights, with a guitar slung over his shoulder, face hidden by a hoody. Akil is a reminder of Mississippi bluesmen like Robert Johnson, wandering the south with a guitar and an arsenal of stories. A thin, five foot eight slice of raw talent, Akil embodies virtually every significant musical movement from the early 1920's until now. Combined with a freestyle ability honed everyday since high school, Akil legitimately bridges the gap between musician and MC. Akil Dasan studied music and creative writing at Columbia University and has performed everywhere from New York City to London, including tapings for MTV and BET. He's been featured in magazines such as Marie Claire, worked with top producers like Mark Ronson, and shared the stage with major acts including Blackalicious, The Roots and Black Eyed Peas. If you want to find out what Akil's music is all about, you'll just have to hear it for yourself...

- Harlem Hip Hop Tours

Music - Akil Dasan, Adeline, Randy Mason - The Crowd! video

NOW ON ITUNES!!! itunes.apple.com Enjoy! Check out some tracks off the new Acoustic EP at www.wearethecrowd.com Many thanks! Get @ me here www.facebook.com www.myspace.com www.myspace.com www.keepitakil.com - NME Muisc News

Akil Dasan is no ordinary hip-hop artist. An African Judaic blend of multiple ethnicities/cultures, Akil stands out from the crowd for an entirely different reason - he provides a blend of multilpe talents: rapper, singer, guitarist, DJ, writer, beat-boxer and breakdancer, Akil doesn't just perform hip-hop, he embodies everything that hip-hop is.

Influenced heavily by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, The Roots, D'Angelo, Mos Def and Lauryn Hill, Akil combines jazz, blues, funk and classic soul with the neo-soul sound of today. And like Stevie Wonder, Akil plays all the

instruments himself.

As the success of Kanye West's debut album The College Dropout can testify, Hip Hop is alive and thriving on the College campus scene. Whether artists drop out, or stick it out and graduate, Hip-Hop is hands down the music of choice among the country's emerging generation. Given the average student's thirst for something they can relate to, it figures that students themselves are making significant contributions to Hip-Hop. Some of the most promising young talents, as Lauren Hill and Alicia Keys once did, attend Columbia University.

To see him on stage, you might not think much at first. Pale, with scraggly, unkempt hair, Akil Dasan sits alone with a guitar, a sight that might make you expect subway platform music. He plays his guitar, some funky blues, and then the beat hits. There are no drums anywhere. Wows slowly sound around you as you realize it's all coming from the kid on stage. He's doing a beatbox that's precise as a drum machine. Then he sings. The beat keeps going. The guitar keeps the harmony. And his voice is fine Kimono silk.

You could find Akil Dasan walking the streets of Morningside Heights, with a guitar slung over his shoulder, face hidden by a hoody, absent-mindedly reping that tight beatbox. Akil is a throwback beyond what's fashionable, a reminder of Mississippi bluesmen like Robert Johnson, wandering the south with a guitar and arsenal of stories. A thin, five foot eight slice of raw talent, Akil embodies virtually every significant musical movement from the early 1920's until now. Combined with a freestyle ability honed everyday since a sophomore in High School, Akil legitimately bridges the gap between musician and MC.

Akil Dasan's album is a funk jam session with intricate Black Thought flows and D'Angelo sweet vocals. Everything heard, from the bass to the singing, is Akil. This musical jack-of-all-trades began at age six learning to play the drums. That led to the piano, which led to the guitar, which led to the bass. Then at twelve his folks put him in the Philadelphia Boys Choir, where Akil traveled the world, and honed his voice. In the meantime, his personal musical explorations took him from the Blues to Funk to Hip-Hop. At fourteen, Akil, a mix of Black, Native American, and Jewish, joined, of all things, an Islamic rap group called the G-had Platoon. Soon forming a group called L.M.ental, Akil paid his rap dues freestyling every day after school, with a group of kids that included Cassidy. Akil's positive, peaceful demeanor doesn't quite fit that associated with battle rappers, but as he says in The Jawn, "I'm just an ordinary person with a story/ Never wanted to battle but it came with the territory." His flow on The Jawn would wow any accomplished musician or Hip-Hop head, as he seamlessly oscillates from on beat to double time, nimble as a young Charlie Parker. His current group, Hipnotix, can be found doing shows in NYC. Akil studied music and creative writing at Columbia University and has appeared on MTV and BET and performed everywhere from New York City to London. He's been featured in magazines like Marie Claire, worked with big-time producers like Mark Ronson, and shared the stage with major groups such as Blackalicious, The Roots and Black Eyed Peas.

If you want to find out what Akil's music is all about, you'll just have to listen for yourself - tv.com

henever Philadelphia native Akil Dasan finishes a track, he usually gives it away. Some are given to his mom, and others are gifts to his neighborhood pals. "I only want to hold onto tracks that everyone can enjoy," the 25-year-old Dasan says. Still, his hip-hop cuts and his energetic presence have managed to impress more than just those in his inner circle. Dasan made it to the final five of Missy Elliott's UPN show, "The Road to Stardom," and was a guest on Us3's newest, "Schizophonic." Additionally, the Columbia University creative writing grad has also shared stages with such groups as Blackalicious and the Roots. Dasan raps, sings, beatboxes and plays every instrument on his jazzy, self-released, self-titled 2002 disc. After touring with Us3 this summer, the artist hopes to finish his sophomore set before the end of the year. - Billboard.com