One of the major concerns for people all over the United States is the fragile state of the economy. Every day, for a number of years, jobs have steadily vanished, cutbacks are becoming the norm, and uncertainty rules daily life. Families are suffering and people need help. However, out of all of this misfortune comes those who can think positively, are innovative and don’t give up. They see a way to assist others by taking a negative and turning it into a positive. Featured in this article are two people from Atlanta, who are committed to making a difference in the lives of others regardless of these tough times.

Nikki Williams, founder of the Atlanta Singles Ball, a fun, Christian based fundraising event, uses her strong faith in God to give her the insight to focus on the needs of others. She held her first Atlanta Singles Ball last year which garnered a huge positive response. The result of that success is another Atlanta Singles Ball taking place on June 12, 2010 at The Georgia World Congress Center here in Atlanta. The Ball will begin at 7PM and is a red carpet event sure to have guests dressed in their formal best. Ms. Williams is currently seeking out various organizations to participate in this event as sponsors raising money for single mothers needing assistance with childcare, bills, and other expenses of daily living.

The Atlanta Singles Ball will have music, food, and dancing, all with the opportunity to network with some great organizations at the same time. In addition, if you are looking for some Christian camaraderie or companionship, the Atlanta Singles Ball is where you need to be on June 12th.

Also making a difference in the Atlanta area with a focus on teens, is A. London Arrington, a musician who recently released an EP for children called, “Mr. London’s Operation: Elevate.” With the recent and rapid reduction of teachers and school administrators in Atlanta, Mr. Arrington’s focus could not be more important than it is now. Today’s youth are afflicted with the malady of hiding their intelligence because of the fear of being bullied and teased. Mr. Arrington has developed a unique way to build up Atlanta’s youth by taking what is considered “hip” based on the ever popular images displayed within hip-hop culture and using those images to inject the importance of academic and intellectual thought into our youth’s lives.

Mr. Arrington says, “OPERATION: ELEVATE is a motivational and highly effective presentation that seeks to pique students’ interest on a number of levels. We take the very entities that seem to keep our youth from excelling, “flip” it, and utilize it as an incentive to achieve academic gain and curb maladaptive behaviors.” He adds, “Our goal is to present academic excellence in a way that is aligned with our youth’s natural inkling to readily digest unfavorable stereotypes and behavior…music, video, and social forums. With these 3 entities, we also target non-academic behaviors that influence student’s academic achievement. These presentations will also allow the schools to record the songs as remixes and use them as incentives for academic achievement and fundraisers for the school’s budget.”

Both Nikki Williams and A. London Arrington are into the hard and selfless work of helping others. Although their methods are vastly different, their outcomes will mean a lot for many people. In these difficult times, it is a reassuring to know that there are young adults within the Atlanta area who are trying to make a difference. If you are interested in attending or contributing to The Atlanta Singles Ball you can go to www.singlesball.info or you can look for Nikki Williams on Facebook. If you need more information on A. London Arrington’s cause, contact him at londonarrington@gmail.com. His new EP can be found at www.cdbaby.com/cd/MrLondon.

Back in the 80’s, when hip hop was fresh on the scene, the industry was primarily dominated by males.  Female MC’s were few and a novelty.  The only female DJ I can remember who reached a semblance of notoriety was Spinderella from the popular group Salt-N-Pepa. Since then, there has not been much female representation on the turn tables.  The fact that men were always central and present behind the tables did nothing to deter DJ Princess Cut, of College Park, Georgia, from observing, learning, and then “touching the tables” herself in a quest to master the testosterone saturated world of the disc jockey.

Princess Cut was surrounded by music all her life which lent to her natural ear for putting tracks together. She attended Tri Cities High School, which she calls “the school of the stars,” because musical successes like Outkast, Xscape, Gorilla Zoe, and D. Woods originated from the performing arts school. As a child she learned to play the piano, and participated in dance from her formative years to her teens. Her brother is rapper Eldorado Redd, who DJ Princess Cut watched as he created music as well. This continuous exposure to the arts from childhood onward demonstrates the strong musical foundation that was laid for Princess Cut. When she was young, she may not have realized the merits of the education she was receiving from her brother or as she tickled the ivories on the piano she did not want to learn. But as she came closer to completing her Psychology degree at Georgia State University, it became apparent that those lessons were definitely needed because she soon discovered she had an affinity for touching the tables.

While at a bar in College Park about seven years ago, Princess Cut showed an interest in the skills of the DJ and started asking him questions while she watched him spin. She was hooked after her dainty and manicured fingers graced the glossy LPs. Six weeks later she bought her own set of tables, her prized Technique 1200’s. Since then DJ Princess Cut has steadily gained a following as well as lucrative contracts with some heavy hitters. At the time of my meeting with her at her home, she had just returned from touring with Southwest Atlanta’s own Goodie Mob and was on her way to Lenox Mall as she has been their official DJ for three years. Not only does Princess Cut get to display her skills with some of the best in the industry, she also travels all over the world playing to crowds of thousands. During her second year as a full fledged DJ, she experienced an opportunity that many other DJs just starting out may not get and that was to perform in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia. Playing in Bahrain was the beginning of DJ Princess Cut’s international exposure which has steadily and exponentially increased year after year.

While her new mix tape featuring the soulful, reggae beats of Bob Marley played in the background, DJ Princess Cut told me about her musical influences as well as the challenges she faces as a female DJ.  As a former dancing student, Princess Cut readily named Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad as two of the most powerful influences leading to the success she enjoys presently.  She also credits Erykah Badu, Ladybug of Digable Planets, and Teedra Moses to her success.  As far as challenges are concerned, it cannot be denied that what DJ Princess Cut does is primarily a job mastered by men, but with confidence and influences like those mentioned above, DJ Princess Cut has been able to prove herself as good as or even better than some of her male counterparts.  She revealed to me that at times she would have to endure people “standing over my shoulder to make sure I knew what I was doing,” but she did not take offense.  She knew that with time as her name grew and her apt skills were talked about throughout the industry, a trust and rapport would be established in relation to her name.

With all of DJ Princess Cut’s accomplishments to her credit and all the other projects she has in the works it can be said that she is the modern “Rosie the Riveter.”  She is making quite a name for herself in the male dominated field of the DJ, she runs her own record label called, Sweetbox Music, Inc., and she sees herself starting her own foundation in the future with the focus on young girls and self esteem. But in the midst of all that, she has managed to remain grounded, humble, and thankful for being given the gift she possesses in the form of “touching the tables and gracing them with femininity.”

Learn more about DJ Princess Cut’s impressive attributes and where to get her mix tapes.  She just released her collection honoring 4/20 featuring the work of Bob Marley.  Go to www.badazzyellagul.blogspot.com and look for her at these sites as well:  www.facebook.com/djprincesscut , www.youtube.com/SweetboxTV and www.twitter.com/DJPrincessCut.

Sitting down at Goatfinger Recording Studios in Decatur to talk with lead vocalist Michael Paul, of The Itopia Band proved to be an engaging experience.  With a calm, lilting, voice, and deeply introspective demeanor, Mr. Paul introduced me to the elements that make his band unique.  From the definition of the band’s name to the concept of “rotating band members,” Michael Paul gave solid and passionate reasons why he feels making music is his calling and that being a musician is more than about the money or living up to an image.

Born in London, and raised in Jamaica, Michael Paul listened to what he calls “American R&B” in his formative years. For him, R&B was extremely influential, liberating, and cast a “spell” on him that continues to manifest itself through his music. Classic R&B greats like Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye permeated his soul and opened up his mind to musical creativity. Paul began expressing his musical interests by writing songs while he was very young, and to this day song writing is his joy and what he does best.

Eventually, as Michael Paul grew in mind and spirit, he came in contact with people who shared the same passion for quality music, the Itopia Band came into fruition. Itopia operates with Michael Paul as lead vocals while various instruments are played by an interchangeable and fluid number of musicians.  Itopia uses the concept of “rotating” band members which allows for the personification of the movement and expansion of music. The number and type of band members change according to the theme of the event or the feel of the venue.  Because of this unique concept, Itopia is blessed with band members from all over the world and who reside in different parts of the world. For instance, if Michael Paul and his band have a show in South America, they will call for members who are closest to the venue to participate or to those who do not have other obligations that may impede their ability to perform.

Not only did Mr. Paul explain how his band engages with each other through fluidity or “fair exchange” of musicians, as he calls it, he also illustrated the meaning of the band’s exclusive name, “Itopia.”  Mr. Paul says Itopia is “his notion of the term “utopia,” and is the more profound aspect of the oneness of the word,” which places a more internal and personal connection to the term, “you.”  He adds, “The essence of “one” starts with you.”  With that said, the subject matter of many of his songs relay stories of relationships between men and women, being in love, the importance of communication in a union, and how certain behaviors can guide life outcomes.         

Before speaking to Mr. Paul, his producer, Lance Hoskins played samples of his music to give me a taste of his style and sound.  “Put It Out There” had a distinct reggae flavor amongst the heavy horns and guitars mixed with the smoothness of the R&B Mr. Paul so ardently absorbed as a young man.  “Lights On” was a political effort including bongos, horns, and guitars to back up points the band wanted to make about the ills of society.  “Talk To Me” was a slow and sensual song, speaking to mature love and the importance of keeping intimacy and communication at the forefront for a healthy relationship. 

Michael Paul and Itopia have established a force of diversity within its band members and through the subjects they sing about.  Two of the main goals Mr. Paul wants to accomplish by being a musician and sharing his work with the public is to “use music to educate the village” and to impart “love, tranquility, and oneness” to his audience.  You can sample the music of Michael Paul and Itopia at www.jangle.com or by downloading tracks at www.cdbaby.com.  There is also a wealth of information on the band’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/Itopiatheband. Check out the page for bios, names of band members, and dates and times for performances.

  At this time, Michael Paul is busily at work on more tracks for his current project and is getting used to his recent relocation to the Atlanta area.

Cavario Hunter, a New York native and current Atlanta resident was born and raised to be a hustler.  The lullabies his mother sang to him were those of the workings of the streets and how to be the biggest and best hustler to come after the generation from which she came.  His story is contained within the pages of his new novel, Raised By Wolves.  Cavario does not hold back as he tells the story of his life the way it was destined to be for him which is that of a “guerrilla hustler.”

TRA:  Where are you from, Cavario?

Cavario Hunter:  Harlem, New York.

TRA:  After such a volatile beginning to your life, what prompted you to begin writing in the first place?

CH:  I began reading a great deal in about 1995 and one of the books that I read that really impacted my perspective, was Iyanla Vanzant’s Spirit of a Man. In it, she suggested two things that resonated with me, “Be still and write.” So I got still and I wrote.

TRA:  How long did it take you to write Raised By Wolves?

CH:  I began writing RBW just days after I retired from the street. It began as an introspective and over time evolved into a manuscript. My initial title idea was, The Hustler-My Life In Death.

TRA:  What or who do you think contributed the most to the message behind your novel? Why? The message, if that’s what you want to call it, is relative to the reader. The “message” will depend on where the reader is and what they’re from; their perspective will determine their perception. But everyone that reads Raised By Wolves will come away with a new understanding.

TRA:  What event or events in your life caused you to take stock of the person you were becoming when you were in the streets?

CH:  I became the person I was in the streets while I was still in the womb. The streets did not make me the way. My mother and fathers did. I was taught the game from the moment I could comprehend the spoken word. It was whispered in my ear while I lay in my cradle so I was taught to take stock continuously, to constantly assess my performance as I moved through the gauntlet of the game. I was told not to be careful, but to be better.

TRA:  Who would you say is your favorite author and who are you reading right now?

CH:  My favorite authors are Robert “Iceberg Slim” Beck and Guy Johnson. I’m currently reading Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy by Eric Berne, M.D. It’s an oldie but a goodie.

TRA:  What was it like being the head of Don Diva Magazine and transitioning to Hip Hop Weekly?

CH:  A relief. (laughs.) I wrote 75-100 percent of Don Diva Magazine. I sold the first 36,000 and some odd number of copies out of my own hands when no one cared to claim any association. I also took all of the pictures in the first few years. We never got any real distribution so I’d pack up the Don Diva van and drive up and down the east coast, down through the south east and into the mid west. I either drove or I flew to every event across the country to represent Don Diva in person and set up retail locations all while gathering content along the way. So, Don Diva was essentially the “The Adventures of Cavario.” We started the mag in late ’99 and by ’06 I was worn out and the monetary potential was no greater. I looked up one day and realized that I wouldn’t be getting any corporate business and that took all the wind out of me. I was done. A few weeks later I incorporated Body of Power publishing or BoPp for short. Shortly after that, ideas for Hip Hop Weekly began to come alive.  The first issue of HHW was dropped on my birthday, November 7^th of 2006. History is still being made.

TRA:  What other writing projects do you have going or plan to implement in the near future?

CH:  Through my BoPp imprint, I will be releasing a series of true crime novels as well as some interesting and unique works of fiction that reach far beyond the basic urban diaspora.

TRA:  Give me some insights on your reasons for self publishing and your vision behind Body of Power Publishing.

CH:  I self published because, after having built the national and even international (I launched Don Diva England through a comrade of mine named St. John a.k.a. “Speedy”) network while watching the major publishers drop the ball on urban based projects continually. They do not know how to do what I do so, I had to do me. They’ll [major publishers] come eventually, and they will pay to play with my toys. BoPp Inc. is going to be the quintessential publisher of urban content because no single individual has greater access to that content than me.

TRA:  There are a lot of people writing urban literature.  What would you say sets you apart from all the others?

CH:   I actually know of what I write. I was not born to a nurse and a lock smith, I was not neglected by an addicted mother or abandoned by a MIA father. I wasn’t a victim of geography who suffered the misfortune of being raised in a low-to-no income neighborhood and led to believe by virtue of that mishap that I MUST be in the streets. I’m not who I am because I lived in a bad neighborhood and my mommy and/or daddy weren’t watchin’ me, so I hung around the “bad people.” My family was the “bad people.” Most of the books that are put out containing “urban content” were written by individuals who have romanticized views of the “thing” because they grew up looking at it from their window or from their stoop. They idolized my kind and studied our style, our walk and talk, how we wore our clothes and jewelry, and leaned in our customized cars. They mistook all that aesthetic for being the “thing” or “the game” as they love to call it. But what they could not know was that the “the game” was or is not the way it looks, it is the way it is played and the only way to know that is to have been in one of those cars or in some other way in ear shot of those players because that’s where the game was being given. From the whispering lips of one sportsman, to the ones who will follow, I was given the game in its original intended condition so when I attempt to read the drivel referred to as urban lit I’m left to believe that some people are mistaking the sidewalk for the street. I will show the reading public that although they seem close, they’re actually worlds apart. People will know that what I do is what they’ve been attempting all this time.

TRA:  Wow.  With that said, would you have any words of wisdom or advice for new writers or business persons?

CH:  Advice?  Integrity is your greatest commodity so be true to whatever you do. Wisdom? The greatest wealth on earth is health and self-worth. Only knowledge of this is truly gangster.

TRA:  And where can readers find out more about you and how can they pick up a copy of Raised By Wolves?

CH:  Well, my RBW website is currently under construction but I can be reached a number of ways.  Raised By Wolves can be purchased at www.wolfstylemarketing.com and I can be contacted at boppub@gmail.com or you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cavario.

When you hear the words “Grave Yard Shift” the first thing that probably comes to mind is that late night stretch dreaded by most employees. In some sense that’s the concept behind the six member hip hop clique, who call themselves Grave Yard Shift. I recently caught up with a few of “The Yard” members to talk about their concept of “individual collectivism.”

Just like the groups’ name, the day was dark and the sky threatened rain. When I walked inside of The Landmark, I spotted The Yard members, Skitz, Anonymous, and Noonie holed up at a table near the rear of the eatery.  As I reached the table I waved casually at the trio and made a remark about not wanting to get caught in the rain.  The slim, dark skinned man, who calls himself Anonymous, cracked a joke that was a bit too off color for me to include in this interview. Now, with the ice broken, I smirked and took a seat to begin my round of questions, still concerned about the rain.

TRA:  So how did you guys come up with the name Grave Yard Shift?

Skitz: The name Grave Yard Shift was a result of the hours and time we put into our craft as a collective. When everyone else is asleep we’re making the world spin.

TRA:  I understand the Grave Yard Shift is a collective of six individual artists. How does that work out in terms of projects and releasing your material?

Anonymous:  We are made up of six members, but like you said, we’re individual artists. So we base projects on individual productivity. Your own personal work effort dictates your progress. Then there are certain projects where we might work together for chemistry purposes. Like Skitz and Noonie pair well together. Me and Skitz pair well together, too. It depends on the music we’re working on at the time. Plus we are in different locations, too so that plays a part sometimes.

TRA: What do you mean by different locations?

Anonymous:  Well the other three members you don’t see here today, actually live in upstate New York.

TRA: So how does that work with the three of you here in Atlanta and the other members in New York?

Skitz: Well actually, we have H.B. in South Florida and we got Pretty M Dot and Squad in New York. It works well; it gives us an opportunity to be omnipresent. We can be many places at once as a brand. If H.B. is performing in Miami, it’s Grave Yard, ya dig? It’s the same with us and Pretty M Dot and Squad. Where ever we are, we are under the umbrella of Grave Yard Shift. This is a brand and a movement.

TRA:  O.K., I feel you. So what can listeners and consumers expect to hear music-wise from Grave Yard Shift?

Skitz: We are a collective of greatness. The people can expect to hear art combined with dedication to hip hop, the old and new school. We are artists, not rappers. Make sure you print that. We respect all artists in the game. Our music is such a diverse collective of talent because we all come from different walks in life or different generations of the music. I was born in Florida and raised in New York so I am a combination of both of those elements.  Noonie is from Long Beach and you’ll notice right out the gate his swag is different from the other members as far as appearance. Pretty M Dot is just that new age sickness. His flow is crazy. Basically we got it sewed across the board. We got every genre of hip hop covered.

TRA: That is really awesome! So what’s your latest project?

Skitz: We about to drop That Old Thing Back which is a mix-tape. We got the Eye On the Prize video out right now. Pretty M Dot is about to drop the Pretty Please album. Noonie is finishing up his mix-tape and Anonymous is wearing a lot of hats right now (laughs)… We got a lot coming for the people. I don’t want to be long winded trying to explain everything, but just look for the name Grave Yard Shift to be making an impact in 2010 on many levels.

TRA:  So are you guys signed to a label?

Skitz: No, at this point we are doing everything independently. Like I said earlier, we are spread out which helps out with our distribution. But we are looking for major distribution. We have a good following already. We are just looking to get a good distributor that can get us into the areas where we have a demand but no outlet. With the stream of ring tones flooding the market right now it got everybody trying to be single. Nobody has a relationship with the art or the music anymore. That’s why we are about to put out That Old Thing Back, so the hip hop community can remember it’s roots and see that the growth in hip hop doesn’t have to be limited to one style or one type of music. Hip hop was and still is the voice of the people who need a format for unique or abstract expression.

TRA: I like where you are going with your focus. And I agree with the fact that you say people need to be reminded of where and why hip hop originated. So, how often do you perform and where can people see you live?

Skitz: We perform as often as possible. We hit up showcases for open mics around Atlanta all the time. The best way to find out where we are going to be or what we got going on is to go to our website at www.gysnation.com.  The next big show we are doing is actually going to be in upstate New York in March.

TRA:  Is there anything else you want the people to know?

Noonie: Yeah…we ‘bout to make the world spin backwards…

As I closed out this interview Anonymous continued to flirt with our waitress. I saw the sky had cleared up outside. If the day is any indication to the group’s future, it looks like the dark hours they work into the night will eventually shine through.

Atlanta native Laurah Norton Raines is pretty busy these days.  Having achieved such accomplishments as writer, teacher, as well founder/editor of her own on-line literary magazine to boot, it is a wonder that she has the time to write such compelling, award winning short stories, such as Old Scratch and Medicine.  Both of these stories won first place in the Creative Loafing fiction contest in 2008 and 2009 respectively.  Also speaking to her impressive skill is the fact that she has been published in magazines such as Fringe, Failbetter, Night Train, and the Post Road Journal.  Her work is also found in various anthologies.

Laurah was gracious enough to sit with me in her office at Georgia State University, where she teaches American Literature and Freshman Composition, to tell me about herself, her writing, and who she thinks is just great in the genre of magical realism.

TheRealAtlanta.com:  Tell me about Laurah.  Where are you from?

Laurah Norton Raines:  I’m not really from anywhere.  For most of my life I have lived equally in North Carolina and Georgia.  I went to high school in Georgia, though. I did my undergrad at Gilford College, which is a Quaker school that offered many programs focusing on creative writing.  I then returned to Georgia, was given the Paul Bowles Fellowship while at Georgia State University, received my MFA in creative writing and was hired on at Georgia State to teach.

TRA:  How did you get started with writing?

LNR:  Well, I’ve been writing all my life.  My dad is a writer, and before I could write myself, I would dictate stories to him. When I went to college, I majored in English and was originally going to be a screen writer, but I found that in writing dialogue, you can’t really paint the picture, so I switched to creative writing.  After my undergrad was completed I went to work at Bank of America and would have panic attacks in the bathroom from being confined to a cubby all day. That’s when I realized that I needed to go back to doing what I enjoy, which is writing.  I then went back to school to work on my MFA.

TRA:  I read the stories you gave me which helped acclimate me more to your writing style and I found that you write about the mundane in everyday life.  Would you say that is pretty accurate?

LNR:  People say I’m a hyper-realist, but for me, I can’t really pin-point what kind of writer I am.  I just write.  People tell me what kind of writer I am but I have yet to confirm those observations. However, what I do in my writing is draw from particular time frames within a period.  It may be a minute occurrence within an hour that I write about.  I never write about events that extend over a great period of time.

TRA:  Well, Slow Freeze seemed to be spot on regarding real life scenarios.  I could definitely place me and my husband within the story.

LNR:  Yeah, Slow Freeze is a good example of my position of my writing and it is one of my most important pieces.  Yes, my stories are influenced by real life and Slow Freeze has been technically deemed as Creative Non-Fiction but it is a little different.  With this piece, I have taken real life events and “fictionalized” them which, does not happen in true Creative Non-Fiction writing.  In Slow Freeze the basic events are true with a slight change in the details. Typically, Creative Non-Fiction writers do not change the details in their writing. They approach non-fiction using creative writing tools. With that said, my story Off Highway 75 would probably be the one most fitting the Creative Non-Fiction moniker.

TRA:  Tell me the way you come up with your ideas for stories, and do you have a specific writing method?

LNR:  Some people are everyday writers.  I am not.  I don’t even write every week.  I usually get an idea in my head or a mental picture of something and think about it for a long time; a couple of months at least.  Then I begin writing it down. I tend to write in “spurts.”  As far as a method toward writing, I don’t think I have one.  I feel that a person should write in the way that works best for them.  Like in my case, if I feel too much pressure to write, it begins to feel like an assignment and that will not work for me.

TRA:  Right…so does that mean you are no longer working on the novel you mentioned some time ago?

LNR:  No I am not. I was working on a novel at one time because you have to write a novel to get tenure.  You can write a book of short stories, though, so I’m doing that.  I’m just not a novelist.  Novels take a lot of time in which to develop plots and I am more into flash fiction.  I love writing in tight prose.  Now, that does not mean I write in the minimal sense, but that my plots occur within a short span of time.

TRA:  Laurah, who are the authors that pique your interest?

LNR:  Right now I have an interest in magical realism and slip stream in which the piece falls within genres. So I am reading Kelly Link.  Her book, Magic for Beginners is one of my favorites.  I also love St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell.  I find their stories fascinating!  I feel their writing styles force readers into metaphorical elements and cause them not to take things so literally.  I find that I have to pick images that posses a universal quality when I read these authors.  I also like the fact that there are a lot of women writers who are representing the magical realism and slip stream genres right now.

TRA: I know…that is great…

LNR: Yeah, so I hope to expand my writing into that genre some time soon…

TRA:  Laurah, congratulations on all of the things you have done to bring light to the literary world.  Thank you for taking the time to talk to me and I hope to see your book of short stories on the shelves in the near future.  Can you tell the readers where they can find out more about you?

LNR:  Sure, readers need to check out my magazine, which is called Sub-Lit.  The website is http://www.sub-lit.com/.  There you will not only find some of my writing but that of other writers who are a part of the Sub-Lit team.

Despite the fact that a substantial snowfall blanketed Atlanta on Friday, February 12^th, the originally scheduled date for the Goodie Mob concert, the legendary Hip Hop quartet “made it rain” at 9 PM on Saturday, February 20^th to a packed Tabernacle Music Hall. Fans old and new came out and represented Atlanta and the love they have for the group as they cheered, danced, and rapped along to all of Goodie Mob’s hit songs. Opening the reunion concert was Atlanta native B.o.B. a.k.a. Bobby Ray, with his eclectic mix of rock and rap which set the mood for the upcoming Goodie Mob performance.  B.o.B. and his band rocked out the popular song, “I’ll Be In the Sky” along with a few other well-received songs by the young rapper.

Shortly after B.o.B.’s energetic opener, Goodie Mob burst onto the stage looking dapper and sleek in black outfits of various styles.  As each member of the group took the stage, fans hollered and threw their hands up in hot anticipation of what was coming next by way of musical entertainment offered up by the Goodie Mo-B, as they are sometimes referred to by fans. They wasted no time giving the  audience what they wanted as they launched into “Goodie Bag” from their Soul Food album, sending the crowd into an appreciative frenzy and that was just the beginning.  Goodie Mob performed many songs from their debut album including “Thought Process,” “Live at the O.M.N.I.”, “Sesame Street”, and of course, the unofficial Atlanta anthem, “Dirty South”. The group’s female mix master, DJ Princess Cut, added both a freshness and a unique sound to their classic hits by sampling various songs from other artists.

One of the highlights of the night was during the unselfish shout out made to their Dungeon Family brethren, Outkast, while the group took a short break.  Goodie Mob’s voluptuous dancers and DJ Princess Cut kept the crowd highly engaged as she played songs from Outkast’s legendary albums Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, ATLiens, and Aquemini. Reenergized and ready to finish off the pumped fans the group members T-Mo, Cee-Lo, Khujo, and Big Gipp glided back on the stage dressed in long pastel colored robes and this time, Goodie Mob graced the crowd with “Black Ice,” “Fly Away,” and “Beautiful Skin,” from their Still Standing album.  During “Beautiful Skin,” fans rocked and swayed to the powerful beats as Cee-Lo Goodie rapped about the pride black women should feel for themselves and demand from others. The music didn’t stop there, though. The members of Goodie Mob broadened their performance repertoire by giving their audience a taste of music from their solo projects. Cee-Lo Goodie broke out on the stage under a single spotlight and belted out his Gnarls Barkley hit “Crazy” while T-Mo and Khujo performed some of their duo ventures from the Lumberjacks albums.

For nearly two hours Goodie Mob put their all into performing for their fans that chilly Saturday night.  Even after being on the hip-hop scene for over 15 years, the foursome’s presence was still as fresh as it was in 1995. What was most impressive was the sense of camaraderie that was felt between the men as they moved across the stage. Goodie Mob proved they are still standing as one of the most prolific acts in southern hip hop and that nothing, including last week’s snow fall, can keep them from bringing the lyrical heat.

Authors of urban literature, also known as street literature, have steadily made a formidable presence on bookshelves since its humble beginnings in the early 1970’s.  The pioneers of urban literature boast such authors like Iceberg Slim and Donald Goines who opened the doors to a world of survival on the streets by doing whatever was necessary.  For them, that meant unabashedly writing stories about what really went on in their lives as hustlers.  Their form of employ certainly could not be compared to the norms that most Americans experienced in their work environments.  Goines and Slim needed to tell their stories.

Urban literature is typically and preferably written by those who have actually been a part of the mores and mechanisms of urban life.  Anyone who attempts to write a piece on urban literature who has not experienced the unique culture of street life will find a critical and unforgiving audience; there are elements to urban literature that must be satisfied within the writing to convey a genuine and convincing read.  Boldly stepping up to those expectations is author Aaron Bebo with his novel, “Change For A Dollar”.  Having emerged from street life himself, Mr. Bebo knows firsthand what it takes to write a book about urban culture that stays true and upholds the standards already set by the first trendsetters within the genre. However, Mr. Bebo’s writing is a little different.  He offers more of a look into the mind and circumstances of a hustler and gives reasons such drastic changes are made for money and status. I recently caught up with Mr. Bebo to talk about his novel and the why he will be doing something very different in conjunction with its’ release: Providing an accompanying soundtrack with the book.

Born and raised in New York State in the 1970’s, Aaron Bebo’s life was catapulted into the confines of drugs and violence early on.  However, he took the cards he was dealt in life and used them to his advantage.  Being in the streets from such a young age could have ended in disastrous results but for this urban literature author, those nascent experiences gave him the materials he would need to write the compelling piece that “Change For A Dollar” is.

For example, being in the streets calls for the ability to engage in sharp observations of people and surroundings in order to survive.  Therefore if you are astute, you become a master of gauging human behavior, mannerisms, and conversations.  Mr. Bebo takes the experiences he learned in the streets and seriously applies that knowledge to the development of his characters and to the plot. By the end of the novel, you intimately know his protagonist, Malcolm Andrews and can appreciate the metamorphosis Malcolm must undergo in order to become successful on the block.  Mr. Bebo has found that in urban literature, some authors choose to focus on the act of selling drugs, the cars, and the money that come with it.  It cannot be denied that these things, which Mr. Bebo calls “surface stuff,” are central elements of the lifestyle, but what about the emotional and mental workings that go hand and hand with hustling?  What about the person or people themselves?  What is different about this novel is that Mr. Bebo shifts the focal point from the material gains that most Urban Literature seems to be concerned about to the deeper, more abstract concepts that readers may not have considered before.  This new and more substantial subject matter coupled with the excitement and intrigue that accompanies the urban lifestyle gives readers the best of both worlds.  Mr. Bebo gives readers the superficiality of the material gains if one chooses to skim the surface of the novel and he gives readers who wish to examine the deeper layers of the piece what they need to dig in.

Additionally, Mr. Bebo wants to make sure he reaches those who may not be excited about reading his novel simply because they do not like to read or possibly cannot.  In order to reach a wider audience, Mr. Bebo’s plans to implement the innovative idea to release his book along with a soundtrack that follows the plot of the piece.  Music is a huge part of the urban scene and having a CD along with the book further represents the culture Mr. Bebo is writing about.

During my talk with Mr. Bebo, I learned that another concern for him was the craft of writing itself and the fact that credibility is key to producing a great product.  He feels that there are too many authors within the urban literature genre who do not understand that with good writing comes a responsibility to give readers a story that is convincing. Rushing to get a story down without thought and proper development makes for a book that will be lacking. He admonished that writing takes time and does not bring the instant gratification he was used to when he was in the streets.

Mr. Bebo does not look at the lack of instant gratification as a hindrance as he has gone through a metamorphosis much like some of the characters in his book. Those changes have lead him to where he is today as a hustler turned author.  Mr. Bebo can write about the changes that occur in life because he has experienced them and “Change For A Dollar” is his proof of that.

To learn more about Aaron Bebo go to his website at www.kingpen.biz for excerpts of other projects he is currently working on. You can also listen to music samples and read his essay, “Thangs Just Ain’t the Same For Gangstas,” which gives Mr. Bebo’s position as a writing educator and adviser.

Mr. Bebo currently resides in the Atlanta metro area.

This was my first visit to the High Museum of Art since I was a small girl and it’s been 20 years since I stepped over its threshold.  I have always wanted to go back to the High (as we Atlantans call it) because my experiences were enthralling but as adulthood ensued, I never  made the time.  I was born in the 70’s, raised during the 80’s.  I was bathed in culture with such exhibits featured at the High like the “China Exhibit” in which I can recall a memory of a huge card-catalog – like box filled with drawers of Asian spices one could pull out and sniff.  During field trips we frequented the museum when the “Sensations” exhibit came and we would stick our hands in holes filled with various items to heighten sensory awareness.  Not knowing what was at the end of that hole was what kept us loving when “Sensations” was at the High. My early contact with the High garnered life-long memories and now it was time for me to pass some of that on to my four-year-old and my girlfriend’s 15 year old daughter.

Therefore, on a day in late January, the three of us trudged through the cold and drizzle in search of artistic displays that could warm us at least visually and aesthetically. After checking our coats, (which is free!) paying the for the ticket (only $18, and tickets were buy one get one free on that day) the enthusiastic guide handed me a map of the museum and asked us, with even more enthusiasm if we were going to see the Leonardo da Vinci Exhibit which was one of the featured attractions and one of the artists recently covered in my young friend’s art class. We headed up to the second floor of the immaculate space and made our way to see what gifts the great Italian artists and scientist left behind for us.

We were all excited to see authentic pieces of the work of the one of the most famous artists in the world.  The da Vinci Exhibit, which will be at the High until February 21^st, contained about 50 works but boasted only 20 pieces that were actually done by the hand of the artist himself.  Most of these were drawings done in the early stages of his career. At that time, according to the information written on the wall signs next to the pieces, da Vinci was very interested in horses and equestrian arts and many of the pieces displayed exemplified that. One of the most impressive features of the exhibit were the huge statues made by Giovan Francesco Rustici, giving evidence to the influence Leonardo da Vinci had on the younger artists following him. Moving through the exhibit, we could see three stages of Leonardo da Vinci’s career:  the beginning, when he himself was a student, the phase when he was perfecting his craft as a sculptor, and finally, as a teacher, when artists inspired by him learned from his expertise and benefitted from his guidance.

The High had so much to offer that the different exhibits felt as if they would never end! As soon as we thought we might be done discovering, we stumbled upon more to see.  Our observations ranged from the John Portman Exhibit on Art and Architecture showing models of buildings from around the world to paintings highlighting local culture by Hale Woodruff featuring the consequences of erecting “housing projects” like Hearndon Homes on Northside Drive.  A beautifully colorful and moving political piece, the painting entitled, “Results of Good Housing,” speaks to the era in American history when housing projects were seen as the solution for the poor (which equaled out to blacks)  to receive adequate places to live during the Depression.  In actuality, this undertaking further pushed blacks into the bondages of racism and stereotyping.  Right now, Hearndon Homes is being demolished for many good reasons. One of the positive effects will be eradicating racial scars of the past.

Some of the most amazing paintings were of the Civil War era from the American Art exhibit.  On the walls were expansive portraits depicting the beautiful landscapes of the southern most regions of America. The beauty of the pictures contrasted with the desolation of deserted farms and plantation houses as the War swept through the land and the slaves ran for freedom.

The African Exhibit featured many different examples of the rich culture of the African peoples and was refreshing after viewing paintings that were both pleasing to the eye and painful reminders of a shameful past the Civil War can evoke.  My daughter, whose father is from Ghana, was excited to observe pieces from his home land and we marveled over huge masks made from wood used by the Bwa peoples from Burkina Faso.  Pieces from Nigeria, the Congo, Rwanda, and the Ivory Coast were also proudly displayed.

After three hours and complaints from my daughter that her feet were hurting, I turned to my friend and asked her if she was ready to leave.  She looked at me, gave me a hug, and told me she was glad we came.  She said she learned a lot and that she was anxious to get to school to let her art teacher know how much she had learned over the weekend.  I asked my daughter what she liked the most as we left the building and she said, “The Ghana stuff.”

The visit made an impression on all of us and definitely made me realize that going to the High is a great way to instill knowledge and culture within us without even leaving the city.  Take an afternoon, grab a friend or co-worker and check out all the wonders the High Museum of Art has waiting for you.

Remember PM Dawn, Arrested Development, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul?  These were just some of the rap groups who chose to flow about social issues over the more popular “gangsta rap” themes seen in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  As I can recall, although I was very young, there was not much of a southern representation for rappers at that time. That all changed as the mid 1990’s approached and talented artists such as Atlanta based Outkast and Goodie Mob burst on the scene to deliver a whole new brand of hip hop with bone crushing beats, earsplitting highs, and tongue twisting rhymes that carried messages that continue to resonate within me some 15 years later. I can still feel my sternum vibrate from the base!

Showing that they have not disappeared is Goodie Mob, the Southwest Atlanta natives returning to their roots to perform at the Tabernacle on February 12, 2010.  Always a fan of Outkast and the Dungeon Family, I bought my tickets to get my “Soul Food” on with other loyal fans for the upcoming concert.  Although the initial craze of Goodie Mob has progressively died down over the years, as is the case with many music groups, their popularity remains and for me their message is still integral in ways unimaginable.

Goodie Mob, which is an acronym for “Good Die Mostly Over Bull…t,” consists of four fiery members:  T-Mo a.k.a. Robert Barnett (born 1972),  Big Gipp a.k.a. Cameron Gipp (born 1973), Cee-Lo a.k.a. Thomas Callaway (born 1975), and Khujo a.k.a. Willie Knighton (born 1973).  All four of them met while attending Benjamin E. Mays High School in the SWATS or Southwest Atlanta and the magic began.  Their debut album  Soul Food released in 1994 is considered a classic.  This album is chock full of tunes that will make you bob your head as well as use it to think about the subject matter communicated by the members of the group. According to Wikipedia, songs to make the charts included “Cell Therapy,”  “Soul Food,” and “Dirty South” and were heavily rotated on radio stations throughout the country.

Sometimes you have to get past the impressive beats to get to the core of what is being conveyed within the music.  For example, and this is just my take, Wikipedia states that although the album Soul Food dealt with such heavy issues, some songs still carried a lighter tone, such as “Soul Food,” “in which the crew expressed their love for home cooked meals”.  This is true in a sense but places Goodie Mob into the stereotype of black lifestyle in America which is something they have been fighting to get away from.  In actuality, the song and video capture the importance of black unity within the family and the widely spread opinion that this concept is dying in a rapid pace.  The video portais the notion of the difference between the type of detrimental cultural education black Americans  receive from frequenting fast food joints as opposed to the richness of our culture by partaking during a traditional Sunday dinner with family and friends, hence the quote, “Sunday morning, where you eatin’ at?”  Wikipedia definitely attempts to make light of a heavy and under-discussed issue that has been affecting the black American community for a very long time.  This along with other topics such as poverty, educational disparities, and the traps of trappin’ permeate through the existence of this much needed social rap group.

Goodie Mob is not just a group though.  They are also individual people with different ideas and concepts.  That is why after the successes of their first three albums, Soul Food,1994, Still Standing, 1998, and World Party, 1999, Cee-Lo, the more outspoken of the group parted company with Goodie Mob in 2000 to work on solo endeavors.  Cee-Lo was successful with the creation of Gnarls Barkley as he collaborated with DJ Danger Mouse and released the hugely popular single, “Crazy.” The remaining group members went on to pursue other interests as well.  Big Gipp made guest appearances on other Dungeon Family albums while T-Mo and Khujo formed a duo called The Lumberjacks.  In the midst of their separation Goodie Mob supported their group mate, Khujo through the difficulties of a below the knee amputation resulting from a car accident in 2002. The group sans Cee-Lo released their fourth album in 2004 called, One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show, whose title illustrates the tension felt from the absence of Cee-Lo Goodie.  However, T-Mo and Khujo apparently wanted to try and display the unity that was such an important part of the group’s essence by releasing their joint effort in 2005 called, Livin’ Life as Lumberjacks. It was released as The Lumberjacks presented by Goodie Mob informing the world that credit was not due to just T-Mo and Khujo for this venture.

With the passage of time comes maturity and the realization that some disagreements and differences are not worth separation and strife.  In September of 2009, after about 7 years of solo projects and personal growth, Goodie Mob got together at the Tabernacle to a packed and highly anticipatory audience of loyal ATL fans. The reunion tour of last fall covered 11 cities and revived the sleepy popularity of the artists who were on everyone’s tongues 15 years ago. Now in 2010 Goodie Mob is back to breathe more life into their fans for another concert also at the Tabernacle in which I will be in attendance.  For me, February 12th cannot come fast enough as some of my favorite songs vibrate through the speakers.  Not only do these songs sound good, it’s the timeless message that I hope some of the younger fans will take a listen to and learn from.

My favorite Goodie Mob Songs:

From Soul Food:

Funeral

Dirty South

Live at the O.M.N.I.

Goodie Bag-great solos by Cee-Lo to get you crunk!

Sesame Street

From Still Standing:

They Don’t Dance No Mo’

Black Ice

Sky High

Fly Away

Beautiful Skin

From World Party:

Get Rich to This

Feel free to comment on this article and let me know what Goodie Mob songs are most important to you …