I recently had the honor and pleasure of being interviewed and photographed as part of a cover for archive throwback UK magazine MOJO, whereas they dig into the days of music past. I’m always intrigued about the past music that came before hip hop and how it helped to make hip hop what it is today. To top that off, I was asked to pick a musical influence, and amongst the hundreds of influences like Curtis Mayfield, Gladys Knight, Ike and Tina Turner, Temps, Tops, Sly and Isaac Hayes, I had to pick one. I had to choose JAMES BROWN, how could I not? To explain the fever pitch that James Brown records set, of the foundations of hip hop and rap music, it would take using words still not invented. Today, hip hop seems a far distance from the mighty funk the man set upon all of us. I was speechless when I met him backstage at BET's 20th Anniversary. He was viewing a monitor as he was set to go on with singer Ginuwine who was dedicating a medley to the Godfather of SOUL. I was fixin to get my camera, and when I turned around he was gone, ready to do his thing. I couldn’t find him after that. But still, I was blown away that he complimented me on ‘my’ stuff and even knew my name. Straight up, Feburary 2002 to me is JAMES BROWN history month, inside a Black History Year, every day. Here’s a reprint of liner notes that I was fortunate to be asked to write a couple years back for his ‘SAY IT LIVE AND LOUD’ concert CD, originally recorded August 26th 1968 in Dallas, TEXAS.

1968, January… I was a second grader at Public School 90 in Richmond Hill, New York. We always hoped that the school ground would have its corner covered with ice, frozen flat from the melted snow that dripped from the drainpipes above. We would race to the corner at the recess bell to skate, slip, and slide over the overnight rink. During the slippin and slidin a few of us had to turn it into the customary challenge, ‘try this move and swing like JAMES BROWN.’ To do the JAMES BROWN you had to start off with ‘I Feel Good’, DUH-duh-dah dah dudda dat,’ I guess this style mighta started from his dances in ‘There Was A Time’ and the unconscious, infectious style of ‘Cold Sweat.’ Its funny, because looking back on the school bus rides you sang Stax and Motown songs, like ‘Tramp,’ Jimmy Mack’ and ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, but you couldn’t sing James Brown because it automatically meant you had to get UP, and to us kids the driver and the law said you had to sit your lil ass down.

By the end of the school year something was still making us do the James Brown. More than the funky drums, horn hits and the rhythm , James had put something in a young fertile mind to pick up and go to that other level… April 4, 1968. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. School was out for a couple of days and the 6 o clock news on the one black and white television in our house anticipated nationwide problems. Before then the turbulence of the decade had seen one assassinated president; political and civil rights leaders jailed, beaten or murdered for their beliefs. Vietnam was a blur on television, but the reality was my uncles receiving their draft letters (the inspiration for myself penning PE's ‘Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos’). Another hero, Muhammad Ali, had proclaimed ‘I ain’t goin to fight no Vietcong,’ and was willing to go to jail. Other black athletes were threatening to boycott the upcoming Olympics.

It was in this complex time that my young and simple mind remembers my family going from Negro to calling our race ‘colored,’ in fact my birth certificate list me as a ‘Negro boy’. Yeah ‘colored’ This was the answer to the question of what I was in 1967 at age seven. After the King assassination JAMES BROWNS ‘Say It Loud I’m Black And I’m Proud’ came out (uhhh! wit yo bad self); he still had that thing we wish we had the ice for. JAMES BROWN single-handedly took a lost and confused musical nation of people and bonded them with a fix of words, music and attitude. After a hot summer of baseball camp, summer lunches and barbecues, ‘Say It Loud I’m Black And I’m Proud’ was the catch phrase that prepared me for the third grade. 1969, and the rest of my life. Black now signified where we were at, a new discovery of our bad self.

Well in this game of rap, the forefathers are KOOL HERC, AFRIKA BAMBAATAA and GRANDMASTER FLASH, and JAMES BROWN is the primary influence for them starting hip-hop in the first place. The driving soul and cold sweat of the man still threads the grooves and vernacular that’s elemental this millennium….

Speaking of one of the co-founders of HIP HOP, we are thankful and blessed to welcome AFRIKA BAMBAATAA down for doing a radio show on www.bringthenoise.com. Its unbelievable how important that Internetwork has become. The show will be called 'The True School Show' (formerly on New York’s Hot 97) and will air after the Suitcase Radio spot on Saturday nights. He will personally do a two hour show and will also have DJs, including DJ Easy LG, The Original DJ Jazzy J, DJ HekTek and DJ Merge, do additional shows following his and throughout the BTN week… Stay tuned...

Comin outta Philly from the NBA All Star Weekend, where Charlie ‘first out the limo’ Mack hosted his first Old School All Star Jam at the Electric Factory, a gigantic former warehouse flipped into a club. Once again the EB Hall of Famers showed up to rep, C-Doc, Heather, Old School 76, and the Broad Street Bully himself Reggie Reg. It was an event, even if Flav wasn’t there, due to his NY license issues, and for myself a hotel mistake which made me drive to NY, almost made this a ‘no show.’ Anyway it worked out and backstage it was like a high school, or family, reunion. This is a description of the Sunday February 10th event, from Reg himself;

‘..and there was a brief performance--did my shit ‘Welcome to the TerrorDome.’ They did several jams... not full length however. They still put it down sun. Griff, Kyle, the S1Ws, and DJ Lord were in full effect. Black Ice did some spoken word too. Plus Chuck did some schoolin' too. Guys it was a hip-hop who's who up in that piece. C-Doc, Heather, and Ol' School 76 represented the E-Board. Down the street from my old neighborhood, where I use to stand on the corner listening to the cats below on a boom box. Now they in my neighborhood and I'm backstage verberatin' with these cats. I told Chuck, "I've come full circle."

Here's who was in the house (some performed some didn't):

RUN-DMC (Jam Master Jay) Naughty By Nature Biz Markie DJ Kool Kool Moe Dee Greg Nice Slick Rick Dougie Fresh MC Lyte Big Daddy Kane Rakim DJ Jazzy Jeff Jamie Foxx Dikembe Mutombo Schoolly D EPMD Keith Murray Red Man

Damn, the only cats that was missing was KRS 1 and LL Cool J.

The HardRhyma put me in position to be a part of history!! I haven't seen that many acts perform since the Raising Hell Tour!!!! Well maybe the Smokin' Grooves Tour. I was backstage chillin' too hard. Chuck was introducing me to cats I use to be in awe of when I was in my 20s. Them old school rap cats was cool as shit. Didn't take any flicks though. I'll never forget last night. The PE squad showed a bruh mad love. C-Doc hooked me up with the Impossebulls (sp?) latest project and OS 76 let me do a promo spot for SuitCase radio. I was truly blessed, again, by the hip-hop Gods. I was lookin for my man JJR, but Chuck told me he working with Deadboy. Damn, thinking about, I met RUN-DMC. By the magic of the Internet, I'm back in DC at my desk doin' one of my favorite past times, posting on the EB.

Eight blocks from Broad Street--The Bully!’

I had talks with everybody and it was special, especially RAKIM who I hugged extra hard not believing he was there. ERICK SERMON came by gave his shouts…and seemed to be allright . BIG DADDY KANE was minked down as he would be, SLICK RICK, DOUG E FRESH and DJ KOOL all did their thing as DOUG’s crew, along with my main man KOOL MOE DEE, GREG NICE told me DIZZY GILLESPIE did play a sax from time to time. DMC said that he wants yours truly to do a song alongside himself…the KING OF ROCK. DJ JAZZY JEFF, as usual, was his classy self, KEITH MURRAY... I hope keeps his head over water, and I told REDMAN that it was not his ‘only’ house on MTV cribs, he laughed. Madd apologies go out to some peeps that didn’t make the show due to communication mix-ups DJ JOHNNY JUICE, YVETTE BULLARD, and Philly ROCK THE VOTE homegirl DONNA FRISBY who got in but couldn’t get backstage... as I stated before, I called it off more than a few times.

Really, I’m still in bewilderment at all this 'niggativity' in 2002 that is endorsed, promoted, and financed by the corps, especially by the music and film companies. It seemed that everybody down there was acting out a video or something….

My mother was walking by Macys in Manhattan and was appalled by the storefront window advertising clothes with covers of the SOURCE magazine depicting the essence of hip hop gear. She couldn’t understand the DR. DRE cover from some years back with him holding a gun to his head promoting the wares. Obviously my moms, a mover and shaker from the 60s, don’t play… somebody gotta stand up amongst the spineless….

RIPPIN AND RUNNIN; BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2002...

Tryin to do a lot as usual this month and this, as T-dome cats know, is my busiest month indeed. First of all, its gonna be difficult for me to personally do two radio shows on BTN. So, I recently rolled thru PITTSBURGH and spent a day hanging out with C-DOC, SHAWN CARTER and OLD SCHOOL 76. Mainly, I was there to set up OLD SCHOOL with a ‘Suitcase Radio’ set-up, which can be acquired at BEST BUY and RADIO SHACK, so that he can assist with The Suitcase Radio shows. After that I rolled thru PA to speak at PENN STATE, which was another great engagement in the mountains of Joepaternoland. I last performed at PENN STATE in 1991, it was good revisiting.

NC STATE on January 15th, DR. KING’S birthday, was special. The place was packed and I was animated indeed. Did you know the RALIEGH-DURHAM area is the overweight capital of the US. Part of the reason is the restaurant menus, where a person who doesn’t eat chicken like myself has to bypass ‘pork milkshakes’ and ‘chitlin pizza.’ The lecture was about a day after son of a Bush almost choked on a pretzel…

Wesleyan up in Connecticut was indeed another packed event with a high level mindset. I was given a book called ‘The C.’ The day after I played some pickup ball with grad students and a few professors… lucky I frequent Run and Shoot in Atl… or I would have been done.

Big ups to IOWA STATE in Ames, IOWA where PE played back in 1989. I rolled full circle with a lecture in front of a whole new generation, and signed some books afterwards. DES MOINES is an up and coming city as far as talent is concerned, a migration from CHICAGO, KC, MINNEAPOLIS and OMAHA... it's within those crossroads. I then rolled down to KANSAS CITY to speak at the University of MISSOURI at KANSAS CITY. I was joined there by VIC HUNT and JOHN LEE of HEET MOB RECORDS who recorded the ‘SOUL PROJECT,’ which we are blessed to deliver mp3 singles on SLAMJAMZ (www.slamjamz.com). The HEET MOB crew got it together as the SOUL PROJECT collective is tight and their operations and offices are exploding with talent and drive. I had a great time in the home of JAZZ greats like CHARLIE PARKER, NEGRO LEAGUE baseball, peep www.heetmobrecords.com.

Ran into DR. MIKE ERIC DYSON and his wife MARCIA doing the BLACK HISTORY MONTH tour bicycle IN CHITOWN. We were both doing the security check routine, as I was taking my boots off within a 45 minute period where I just chilled out and sang to myself ‘PAPAS GOT A BRAND NEW BAG,’ a version that was done by OTIS REDDING in 1966 at the WHISKY A GO GO in LA. It’s on this album called, DOING THE JAMES BROWN; in the footsteps of the Godfather Of Funk / HARMLESS RECORDS mentioned below…. I picked it up along with some other CDs at this new LA record store called AMEOBA which is the third installment of two stores already in Berkeley and SAN FRAN. The store is the biggest record shop I’ve ever seen. They buy and sell records and entire collections so you can imagine how sick it is. A great store…

In NASHVILLE, after I spoke at a youth empowerment conference, I rushed to the airport and my roller bag handle broke off. Thus, I missed the plane to PHILLY, I think I carry too much s#it…

I just completed three tracks at the LA SUN-MOUNTAIN STUDIOS with GARY G-WIZ and AMANI K. SMITH. We also made a jam, based on the DARK ANGEL theme, featuring lyrics by yours truly and MC LYTE for ARTEMIS RECORDS/SLAMJAMZ for the DARK ANGEL soundtrack. It might be released as a single, thanks to LYTE as always. The other two cuts are for the new PUBLIC ENEMY album on SLAMJAMZ/KOCH. The songs done out West include the potential single entitled ‘PUT IT UP’ and another cut called 5,4,3,2,1, ..BOOM …. The name of the album is ‘REVOLVERLUTION,’ recorded in the STAXCHAMBER studios in ATLANTA. REVOLVERLUTION, SON OF A BUSH, and PSYCHO OF GREED, produced by PROFESSOR GRIFF, are some fine examples of new sonic terrain in the PE name. The remaining cuts are CAN A WOMAN MAKE A MAN LOSE HIS MIND? put together out West, and presently DJ JOHNNY JUICE is constructing GET YOUR SH#T TOGETHER in the ATLANTIC ICEHOUSE studios. Also the four remix winners plus two live tracks will be added to finish the record, which is one of a trilogy of PE albums coming out in the next 18 months which consist of a trilogy within; 60% new cuts 25% remix and 15% live in concert tracks. It should be fun. REVOLVERLUTION TRACKS;

REVOLVERLUTION PUT IT UP 54321 ..BOOM SON OF A BUSH PSYCHO OF GREED CAN A WOMAN MAKE A MAN LOSE HIS MIND GET YOUR SH*T TOGETHER PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE SHUT EM DOWN ARIZONA B SIDE WINS AGAIN LIVE RELEASE 1 LIVE RELEASE 2 This week, after Philadelphia, I flew to Detroit to roll up to CENTRAL MICHIGAN U. And sometimes the road can give you great ideas, which it did although I lost my phone on the plane. It was too late when I realized I didn’t have it because getting back up there past security is a b#tch so I used my backup. The lost and found department at Northwest Airlines needs to find themselves first because they’re terribly incompetent.

At LOYOLA in CHICAGO there was reputed to be a fire inside the building as I drove up but it was a false alarm as the orange and yellow lighting was shining hard against the curtains. I laughed and used fifteen minutes talking about it in my speech.

I never saw so much propaganda in my life, pre-super bowl AMERIkkkAN hype. Lets not get it twisted , I love ‘America’ for its potential on what it can be, not exactly where and what it is, especially since they walked out on the WORLD RACISM CONFERENCE last year in DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA. Save it...

My 5 latest CDs;

1. DOING THE JAMES BROWN; In The Footsteps Of The Godfather Of Funk / HARMLESS RECORDS - 16 COVERS of JB classics especially the OTIS REDDING ‘Papa’ Redo 2. KING FUNK / Gusto Records - Syd Nathan’s CINCINATTI company’s funk vault 3. BLUE NOTE BREAK BEATS Volumes 1-5 4. Busta Rhymes / GENESIS / J Records 5. THE FUNKY 16 CORNERS / Stones Throw Records

My 5 latest books I just picked up: 1. The OTIS REDDING Story by SCOTT FREEMAN 2. Calling Out Around The World / A Motown reader 3. EXPLODING, THE HIGHS, HITS, HYPE, HEROES, AND HUSTLERS OF THE WARNER MUSIC GROUP by STAN CORNYN 4. THE BEAT / GO GOS FUSION OF FUNK AND HIP HOP by SKIP LORNELL, CHARLES C. STEPHENSON 5. DEAL US IN / HOW BLACK AMERICA CAN PLAY AND WIN IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY by DETRICK DEBURR

My apologies to all who have been missing my current radio shows on BTN, as I’ve been preoccupied in the running of the www.slamjamz.com online record company. I hope you have enjoyed the archive classics that we have been running in lieu of new shows. It takes quite a bit of effort and time to coordinate techwork, music and the potential virtual A&R staff. As I mentioned earlier, with my added writing and recording duties, I will be shifting the SUITCASE RADIO show ‘WHEN THE SHIT HITS THE FANS’ over to PITTSBURGH’S own OLD SCHOOL 76. I will continue to do BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE, with a new season starting at the end of this month on Saturday @ 9pm est. Speaking of SLAM, I appreciate the virtual crew of JOSHSAM and his timely reviews, C-DOC the WARHAMMER and the production and artwork outta the DEF BEAT POSSE studios up in PA. As well as the entire IMPOSSEBULLS crew who are making history in their recording process and G-WIZ on the tech side as well as production, and all the subscribers. We are ready to blast off delivering music thru www.artistdirect.com, the new www.napster.com and to communities like www.blackplanet.com and www.blackvoices.com… So our four studios and our associated studios are preparing for the new ‘Revolverlution.’

I saw the GREEN MILE for the first time and it soaked me out… I was pissed off at the ending of that long ass movie. It was good though. Anything that TOM HANKS does I’m glued to, as well as DENZEL…I’m checkin JOHN Q next…