Last night, the DC Hip Hop Theater Festival kicked off with it’s first free event, the DMC DJ Exhibition at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. The event featured two DJs who showcased the genre’s unique history- DJ I-Dee, a 21-year old DC local, and DJ Rockin’ Rob, a long-time musician, producer, and DJ who uses old-school methods to bright new life to rare soul and funk music. DJ I-Dee, aka Isaac DeLima, used modern equipment controlled by a laptop to blend a multitude of genres including contemporary pop and rap, old school hip- hop, grunge, classic rock, and more. DJ Rockin’ Rob’s style proved the strong connection between the DJ movement and the birth of hip- hop.
The concert showcased hip- hop’s transformative power to bring people from all walks of life together. The audience included people from all walks of life- young and old, professionals, music lovers, tourists and people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. As the show progressed, more and more heads began to bob and sway to the music- even the Kennedy Center’s ushers joined in! The DMC DJ Exhibition gave insight into a genre that helps to spread ideas across cultural barriers.
The Hip Hop Theater Festival began in New York City in 2000, and has since become one of the most influential outlets for showcasing hip- hop arts and culture in cities across the country. The HHTF is entirely free and open to the public, thanks to the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The festival will continue in Washington, D.C. for the rest of the week, and will feature presentations, performance art, theater, dance, comedy, and music.
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The festival, now titled “Concert for the Coast,” will feature artists such as The Roots, Girl Talk, John Legend, Ben Harper, Alison Krauss, Ozomatli, Jakob Dylan and Three Legs Feat. Neko Case and so many others, making quite the eclectic mix.
If you are thinking of attending and donating to a necessary cause here is video of Jakob Dylan and Three Legs Feat. Neko Case to get you pumped up:
* Pearl Jam * Jeff Beck * Teena Marie * Pete Fountain * Band of Horses * Kenny Wayne Shepherd * Galactic * Sonny Landreth * Sugarfoot’s Ohio Players * Rebirth Brass Band * Allen Toussaint * Cyril Neville & Tribe 13 * Old Crow Medicine Show * Marcus Miller * The Dirty Dozen Brass Band * Henry Butler * BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet * Chris Thomas King * Sagbohan Danialou of Benin * The Allen Toussaint Jazzity Project * Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band * Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs * MyNameIsJohnMichael * Charmaine Neville Band * AARON NEVILLE * Banu Gibson with Swing Out & Tap! * Bobby Lounge * Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band * New Birth Brass Band * Germaine Bazzle * The Johnson Extension * Betty Winn & One A-Chord * Pine Leaf Boys * Gregg Stafford & the Young Tuxedo Brass Band * Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone & the XL Band * Mem Shannon & the Membership * Russell Batiste & Friends feat. Jason Neville * Driskill Mountain Boys * DJ Soul Sister * Pinstripe Brass Band * Jockimo’s Groove feat. War Chief Juan & Billy Iuso, Lynn Drury, Evan Christopher and Tom McDermott * AsheSon * White Cloud Hunters Mardi Gras Indians * Zion Trinity * Kenny Bill Stinson & the ARK-LA-Mystics * Roderick Paulin & the Big Easy Groovers feat. Nicole Slack-Jones: A Tribute to Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderly * New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra * Connie Jones & the Crescent City Jazz Band * Trouble Nation and Ninth Ward Hunters Mardi Gras Indians * New Generation * First Emmanuel Baptist Church Choir * Arthur Clayton & Purposely Anointed * Paula & the Pontiacs * Xavier University Jazz Ensemble * Baby Boyz Brass Band * Jonno’s Cajun Experience * Jamil Sharif * Ayla Miller * Undefeated Divas, and Lady Jetsetters Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs * Saltimbanqui of Mexico * Stephen Foster’s Foster Family Program * Cherokee Hunters, Wild Red Flame, and Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Indians * Donnie Bolden, Jr. & the Spirit of Elijah * Tyronne Foster & the Arc Singers * Craig Adams & Higher Dimensions of Praise * Westbank Steppers * Valley of Silent Men, and Pigeon Steppers Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs * Alana Villavaso
[Cross-posted to The Data Stream. Information from Jazz Fest website. Graphic from Google image search for 'Beausoleil'.]
“Join Robin Sukhadia and his 12 pairs of tabla interactive tabla workshops/events Open tabla classes will be interspersed with live performances from LA based Indian classical artists.”
Tashi Dhondup is a Tibetan musician sentenced to 15 months of re-education through labour for “separatist activities” related to his music on January 5, 2010.
High Peaks Pure Earth , a blog reporting on Tibetan freedom, has more.
* Aretha Franklin * Allen Toussaint * Gipsy Kings * Kirk Franklin * Jose Feliciano * Take 6 * Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Band * Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers * The Dixie Cups * Stanley Clarke Band feat. Hiromi * The Subdudes * John Mooney & Bluesiana * Elvis Perkins in Dearland * Stanley Buckwheat Dural * Eric Lindell * Nicholas Payton Sextet * Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys * Louis Prima, Jr. * The Iguanas * Nadirah Shakoor * Fredy Omar con su Banda * PJ Morton * New Orleans Spiritualettes * Astral Project * John Boutte * Kent Jordan * The Jon Batiste Band * Mardi Gras Indian Orchestra * Onward Brass Band * New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra * The Selvys * Big Al Carson * Hadley J. Castille Family & the Sharecroppers Cajun Band * Fi Yi Yi & the Mandingo Warriors * Jimmy Robinson * The Rocks of Harmony * Connie & Dwight with the St. Raymond/St. Leo the Great Choir * Papa Blue Viking Jazz Band of Sweden * Dee-1 * Buckwheat Zydeco * Thomas ‘Big Hat’ Fields * Julliard Jazz Ensemble * Pfister Sisters * Ray Abshire * Kid Simmons’ Local International Allstars * Brother Tyrone * J. Monque’D Blues Band * Forgotten Souls Brass Band * Bamboula 2000 * Kristin Diable * Creole String Beans * Rev. Jermaine Landrum and Ebenezer Baptist Church Choir * Kora Konnection feat. Morikeba Kouyate of Senegal and Thierno Dioubate of Guinea * Marisa y Mariachi Agave * Fleur de Ladies Brass Band * N’Fungola Sibo West African Dance Company * Voices of Peter Claver * Gospel Inspirations of Boutte * Heritage School of Music Band * Gloria Bell & the Revelation Gospel Singers * Nashville Children’s Choir * New Wave Brass Band * New Orleans Indian Rhythm Section * Original Big Seven and Original Four Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs * Adella Adella the Storyteller * KIDsmART and ISL Circus Arts Program * Young Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians * Scene Boosters * Ole N Nu Fellas, and Secondline Jammers Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs * KIDsmART Artist Troupe * The Jazz Cats Marionettes
* Widespread Panic * Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes * Gov’t Mule * Average White Band * Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers * Blues Traveler * Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk * Dee Dee Bridgewater: A Celebration of ‘Lady Day’ * Bernard Allison * Martin Sexton * Four Freshmen * Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys * C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band * Soul Rebels * Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots * Kirk Joseph & the Sousaphone Symphony Parade honoring Anthony “Tuba Fats” Lacen * Inspirational Souls of Chicago * Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Road Show * Shannon Powell’s Organ Combo feat. Charlie Gabriel, David Torkanowsky, and Peter Bernstein * Bobby Lonero’s Tribute to Louis Prima with Johnny Pennino & the New Orleans Express * Geronimo Hunters and Creole Hunters Mardi Gras Indians * Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove * Orange Kellin’s New Orleans Deluxe Orchestra * Elysian Fieldz * Derek Miller * Willis Prudhomme & Zydeco Express * GROUPA – Nordic Folk Fusion * The Roots of Music Marching Crusaders Band * Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole * Topsy Chapman & Solid Harmony * Dala * Black Seminoles Mardi Gras Indians * Red Hawk Mardi Gras Indians * Walter Payton with Snapbeans & Gumbo Filt * Vivaz! * Jazz Ladies Sing the Blues feat. Gina Brown, Angela H. Bell, Tereasa B., and Heather Rothstein * R. Scully Rough 7 * Coco Robicheaux & the Swamp Monsters * Classie Ballou & the Family Band * Mark Adam Miller * Grupo Sensacion * 101 Runners * Paulin Brothers Brass Band * Mario Abney Sextet * Lafayette Rhythm Devils * Loose Marbles * Hot Club of New Orleans * Joe Hall & the Cane Cutters * Lucky 7 * BonSoir Catin * Sean Johnson & the Wild Lotus Band * McDonogh #35 * O. Perry Walker, and McMain High School Gospel Choirs * Lyle Henderson & Emmanuel * White Cloud Hunters Mardi Gras Indians * Eddie ‘ChopChops’ Paris * Tulane University Jazz Ensembles * Thunder Hill * The Wright Brothers * Dillard University Jazz Ensemble * White Cloud Hunters Mardi Gras Indians * Heavenly Melodies * Pastor Terry Gullage & the Greater Mount Calvary Voices of Redemption Choir * Tornado Brass Band * VIP Ladies and Bon Temps Roulez Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs * David & Roselyn * Miss Claudia & her Traveling Troubador * White Cloud Hunters Mardi Gras Indians * Jazz Fest Residency Showcase with Seva Venet and the Wilson Charter School * OPSB Talented in Theatre feat. McMain Secondary, Bethune, and Franklin Elementary Schools
