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Covering the Sound of BLAC Detroit

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:08:45 +0000

EAPro’s Nadir Omowale is a featured music columnist for BLAC Detroit magazine (formerly African American Family). Since January 2009 he has written about some of the Motor City’s most notable veterans and its most promising up and comers. He’s also penned features about the unsung heroes of Motown and Grammy winner John Legend.

Click below for a sampling of Nadir’s writings (in PDF format).

JANUARY 2010 SOUND:
David Blair – “Blairing Urban Folk”

SEPTEMBER 2009 SOUND:
Lola Morales – “The Melange of Lola Morales”

OCTOBER 2009 SOUND:
Pathe Jassi – “Son of Senegal”

4THEATRSAKE Brings Social Justice Theatre to Detroit with In The Blood

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:27:18 +0000

On January 8-10, 2010, experimental Detroit theater company 4THEATRSAKE stages a unique presentation of In The Blood. “Poverty exotica” rules Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan Lori-Parks’ modern day adaptation of The Scarlet Letter.

This urban theater project is a collaboration between 4TheatrSake, the 1440 Collective, the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center, the Cedi Collection, Detroit film-maker Ryan Myers and Plowshares Theater Company. Directed by Wyldchild L. Chemist, the soundtrack for this staging features original music by EAPro’s Nadir Omowale.

Written like final round slam poetry, In the Blood keeps it real in the “here and now.” Hester is a homeless single mother who is devoted to her five children, and struggles to find ways to feed them. Five actors play her five young treasures. The same actors also play the adults who help or hinder Hester in her quest to “get a leg up”. Lovingly comical moments are juxtaposed by the harsh world of poverty in this modern masterpiece.

The idea for the Detroit staging is to provide an all-inclusive social theater experience where audiences will witness compelling performances by 4Theatrsake’s actors as they illustrate the challenges faced by Hester, and the characters that surround her. Following the performance, the actors will remain on-stage (in character) to allow the audience a chance to react to and ask questions about the story they’ve just witnessed. Moderated by Oneita Jackson of O Street, this after-drama forum will focus on poverty, disease, human trafficking, race in a post-racial society, and what we can do to bring change.

The cast and crew of In The Blood represent Detroit artists from diverse backgrounds. Actor, director, writer Wyldchild L. Chemist was recently invited to join Plowshares Theatre Company’s new ensemble as an artistic associate. He will be participating in The Kennedy Center’s fellowship program for Theater Capacity Building in Culturally-Specific Organizations.

Named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Innovators for the Next New Wave,” Suzan-Lori Parks is one of the most exciting and acclaimed playwrights in American drama today. She is the first African American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for the Broadway hit Topdog/Underdog and is a MacArthur “Genius” Award recipient, among her many other honors.

In The Blood by Suzan Lori-Parks
Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center
311. E. Grand River
Detroit, Michigan

Performance Times:
Friday, January 8, 2010 – 8pm
Saturday, January 9, 2010 – 4pm & 8pm
Sunday, January 10, 2010 – 4pm
$40 admission
BUY TICKETS NOW

(Your treat for reading the post all the way through: Use promo code “A” to save $15 off the ticket price!)

Beat Kangz Team Up With Grammy-winning Producer Rockwilder to Empower Producers, Artists

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:18:13 +0000

Music technology leaders Beat Kangz Electronics (BKE) and Grammy Award winning producer Rockwilder have announced an innovative strategic partnership that will empower music producers and artists through the promotion of BKE’s desktop music production software Beat Thang Virtual on RocBattle.com, the #1 beat battle and beat sales website on the Internet.

Beat Thang Virtual provides the fastest, easiest way to produce professional dance, urban and hip hop music for veteran and novice users alike. Loaded with over 3000 sounds, a sampler, 16-track sequencer, digital FX and waveform editing, Beat Thang Virtual software makes beat making accessible by turning any Mac or PC into an easy to use music production station.

Over the last 17 years Rockwilder has produced major hits for artists like Jay-z, Beyonce, Lil Kim, Method Man, Redman, Lil Wayne and many others. The multi-platinum record selling producer is currently using Beat Thang Virtual as his primary music production system on his production of upcoming releases by emcee Redman and the queen of hip hop soul, Mary J. Blige as well as other projects. Rockwilder is also the producer of the new 50 Cent single “Do You Think About Me” from the 2009 LP Before I Self Destruct (Shady/Aftermath Records).
“I’m damn near doing all of Method Man’s new record with Beat Thang Virtual,” said Rockwilder (born Dana Stinson). “The sounds are so good, I haven’t even loaded my own sounds yet.” In addition to the native sound library, Beat Thang Virtual allows producers to import their own sounds for use in the desktop software’s intuitive interface.

“We are excited that someone with such talent and so many classic records is having fun and making hits with our product,” said Aja Emmanuel, president of the Nashville-based Beat Kangz Electronics.

On RocBattle.com, artists and producers meet to buy and sell beats, and producers “battle” by pitting their best tracks against one another with users voting to determine the winner. All customers who purchase Beat Thang Virtual will receive a free exclusive membership to RocBattle.com, and a copy of Rockwilder’s video Sell More Beats Online: What Every Producer or Beat Seller Should Know About How To Be Successful Selling Beats Online.

According to Emmanuel, the pairing is a win for customers as well. “Partnering with RocBattle.com will immediately empower our customers,” he said. “They will not only have the tools to create their music, but an outlet through which to sell it.”

Rockwilder agrees. “For the price of the Beat Thang Virtual software and all that it has to offer, I feel it can be a tool to empower artists and producers to make a mark in the music industry without spending thousands of dollars to do it.”

A common mission for both companies is to provide up and coming artists and producers with the professional tools needed to create and promote their music. In that spirit, the partnership also announces the KANG OF ALL BATTLES, a contest where one artist and one producer will win over $30,000 in cash and prizes.

The two winners each receive $10,000 cash, a full-page ad in XXL Magazine, a custom Beat Thang hardware unit, tickets for two to the BET Hip Hop Honors, their own Beat Kangz PLAYA THANG iPhone APP, a photo shoot, image consulting, graphic design, their winning track on an upcoming Beat Kangz mixtape, and an all expense paid trip to Nashville for a meeting with industry heavyweights like Rockwilder, Beat Kangz board member, producer Bob Ezrin (Jay-Z, Nine Inch Nails, Pink Floyd) and The Beat Kangz. The top artist will also receive a song produced by Rockwilder.

An industry panel will pick the top five producers and top five artists. Two runners up will receive free Beat Thang hardware units and a spot on an upcoming Beat Kangz mixtape. All entrants must use the Beat Thang or Beat Thang Virtual to create their tracks so the playing field is level. Producers must only use Beat Thang sounds. Artists may use original Beat Thang beats, presets, or monthly Rockwilder beatz. “No one has an advantage because of money or status,” says Emmanuel. “Straight Skill, Creativity and Hustle will determine who wins THE KANG OF ALL BATTLES!”

For more information click HERE to visit BeatKangz.com

Return of Tha GrammarGod

admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:41:08 +0000

Return of Tha GrammarGod was released in the spring of 2009 and is one of the best independent ‘underground’ albums that you’ve never heard about.

Distinctive vocals, creative rhymes, and personality are ingredients that make Detroit’s Maceo Tha GrammarGod one to watch. But truth be told, ‘rapping’ isn’t the hard part. If you have enough soul, a poetic spirit, and can rhyme to a beat, blessing the mic is easy.

His skills as an MC are undoubtedly a result of his longtime devotion to his craft, and he has no intention of putting the mic down. Back in 2001 he joined the Scribe Tribe Syndicate, a group that started as an online crew in 1999 (in the Throw Down Temple forum of Hip-Hop legend Davey D’s Website). Throughout this excursion, he’s showcased his skills as one of Hip-Hop’s best-kept secrets. And despite the lack of promotional backing and support upcoming artists receive from Detroit’s media outlets and mainstream music venues, Maceo refuses to give up.

His sophomore album, Return of Tha GrammarGod, is a bit different from most of today’s hip hop because it is a concept record. Each song relates to a different movie. “Reflections (Boyz in the Hood)” recalls Maceo’s younger days on the streets of Detroit. “Primal Instinct (Planet of the Apes)” uses gorilla samples that invokes the mood that Maceo creates as he is stomping other MCs in battle.

But make no mistake. It’s the lyrical approach that separates Maceo from the multitude of rap artists. He believes in staying true to the roots of hip-hop, when rocking the microphone was more boasting about your skills as an MC, than your materialistic possessions.

When asked about his style of rap, and how it fits into the genre, he simply states, “My style is a style that’s not a style. I’m too versatile to be classified as a certain type of MC.”

Return of tha GrammarGod was mixed and mastered by EAPro’s Nadir Omowale at the 1440 Collective Studio. Maceo will return to the 1440 for the album’s launch party.

“Yo, I’ve been plugged in with the 1440 Collective for almost three years now…they’re like family,” Maceo says. “Whenever I have a project or a promotion in mind, the first place I think of using as a resource is the 1440.

“And I’ll tell you this – if you’re an independent artist, the 1440 is your ‘one stop shop’! There’s nothing that they can’t accommodate. I mean, I’ve done everything from record release parties to photo shoots there.

“Besides that,” he continues, “I’ve recorded music, completed post production for songs, and I’ve gotten 2 albums mixed and mastered by Nadir, who in my opinion is one of the illest engineers in the game. If you don’t know, then you better ask somebody…”

Thing is, between the versatility and lyricism, and the self proclaimed title of “Grammar God”, Maceo does come down to earth. And from time to time he feels the need to exorcise the demons of discourse and contempt, and explain his love/hate relationship with fans, the Detroit Hip-Hop scene, and the music industry. But regardless of what mood he’s in at any given moment, Maceo’s a cat who’s impossible to ignore.

September 19, 2009
Maceo Tha GrammarGod
Return of Tha GrammarGod Hip-Hop Showcase/Launch Party
The 1440 Collective
1440 Gratiot 1-B
Detroit, Michigan 48207
8pm to 12am
FREE!!

Beat Kangz Summer NAMM 2009 – Real Beatz for a Virtual World

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:34:35 +0000

The WAIT is OVER! (Drum Roll Please…) Beat Kangz Electronics is proud to announce that the Beat Thang Virtual, the Beat Thang software application for Mac & PC, is available for purchase beginning at 8 am on July 17–just in time for Summer NAMM in Nashville.

Packed with over 3000 brand new sounds, Beat Thang Virtual integrates fully functioning Digital FX, a 16-track MIDI sequencer, sampling and waveform editing with an intuitive, user-friendly interface.

Designed with the musician’s ear in mind, Virtual is loaded with live bass, strings, synthesizers, Latin and African percussion, electric guitar as well as popular chopped and screwed effects.

Beat Thang Virtual was developed to run as a companion software application for The Beat Thang, but over time it evolved and morphed into a standalone beat making monster.

Beat Thang Virtual is the REAL THANG.

Check out the features:

Over 3000 sounds and hundreds of royalty free Beat Kangz Bangers
One octave pad layout with 8 banks = 8 octaves so you can bang out beats or play the keys.
16 track midi sequencer. (8 internal/8 external)
16 layers of velocity sensitivity for emotive performance.
High Quality Sampler & waveform editing. Sample your own sounds using your computer’s built in mic or line input.
Process samples using features like normalize, reverse and resample.
Easy to use Realtime Sequencer. Create patterns in real time using quantize, swing, individual bar lengths, tap tempo then string them together in SONG mode.
24bit reverb, delay, flange, phaser, pitch shift, old record and many more.
Add BANG with onboard mastering.
Export your songs as .wav files or save them to your Beat Kangz Playa Thang equipped iPhone or iPod Touch.
Integrates seamless with Beat Thang Hardware. Anything you edit, record or produce on Virtual can be transferred to the Thang, and vice versa.

Beat Thang Virtual is on sale July 17 at BeatKangz.com

The damage? $149.00 (plus shipping)

The software ships in a handsome reusable Beat Kangz Electronics flash drive.

Order now and receive a coupon for $149.00 off when you purchase The Beat Thang.

Watch Beat Thang Virtual in action.

Nadir’s First Time: This video shows Kang Boom Bap walking BKE marketing director Nadir through Beat Thang Virtual for the very first time. So simple a funk musician can play it!

THE BEAT THANG & BEAT THANG VIRTUAL
ARE ON SALE NOW AT BEATKANGZ.COM

The Beat Thang is available for pre-order for $999.00

(Shipping in October 2009)

When you pre-order The Beat Thang, we’ll immediately send you a copy of Beat Thang Virtual and a Beat Thang t-shirt. You’ll receive one of the first Beat Thangz off the line before Halloween.

Includes all the features of Beat Thang Virtual +PLUS+

256 MB Ram
Two High Speed SD card slots (up to 32 gigs)
USB in and out
Pitch & Modulation wheels
All metal housing for added durability
Lithium ion battery with hours of portable playing time
3.5 inch color video LCD screen
Integrates seamlessly with Beat Thang Virtual. Anything you edit, record or produce on the Beat Thang can be transferred to Virtual and vice versa.

Bringin THANGZ to the BLOCK!

There couldn’t be a better way to celebrate this moment than to throw a BLOCK PARTY fit for a KANG.
If you are in NASHVILLE for the SUMMER NAMM 2009 you won’t miss this party!

From 12 noon to 12 midnight the corner of 5th and Commerce right across the street from the Nashville Convention Center will be ablaze with the spirit of HIP HOP.

We’ve got the whole BLOCK on LOCK!

Breakerz, Writerz, MCs, DJs, Loverz of music, and PLAYAZ of the GAME are guaranteed to make this Nashville’s party of the year.

Are YOU up on THANGZ?

Visit BeatKangz.com for fresh updates….

(pssst NEW WEBSITE)

Motor Detroit Magazine: Promoting Detroit’s Creative Lifestyle

admin — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:35:49 +0000

The mission of MOTOR DETROIT MAGAZINE, inspired by the lifestyle of its predecessor, the world renowned Motor Lounge, is to promote and illustrate the essence of Detroit, through its elements, events and the circumstances and situations that drive it.

MOTOR DETROIT MAGAZINE will work as an extension to the world to spotlight the careers of both, the up-and-coming, as well as the established artist and talent, in all mediums and forms. The MOTOR DETROIT MAGAZINE reader is as diverse and cerebral as what the magazine represents.

The publishers of MOTOR DETROIT MAGAZINE chose EAPro’s J. Nadir Omowale to create its first feature story and video profile of Detroit rockers Ingray.

Click HERE to visit Motor Detroit Magazine

INGRAY: Immigrant’s Song

Words and Video by J. Nadir Omowale

If you really know Detroit, you’ll understand how fitting it is that a band with Eastern European roots like INGRAY is representing this city in the international Hard Rock Cafe Ambassadors of Rock competition. This region is nothing if not multi-cultural. From its native American ancestry, to its colonized occupation by the French and British; to its eventual establishment as a US industrial magnet, Detroit has always been a landing point for those from the rest of the world in search of a better quality of life. Such was the case with INGRAY.

Having received national attention as musicians and artists in their native land of Bosnia, it could have been quite easy for guitarist Nermin Selmanovic, bassist Haris Cizmic and lead vocalist Adisa to stay there and have respectable music careers. But the opportunity to come west availed itself in 1999, and in 2000 the three migrated to North America, with Selmanovic landing in Canada and Cizmic and Adisa coming to Detroit. Selmanovic would join the two in Detroit four years later. The trio formed a band and over the next 4 years experimented with several band mates and group variations. But in 2008, drummer and Dearborn native Dave Dupuie join the collective. His musical instincts and tremendous range enhanced the quality of play by allowing Selmanovic, Cizmic and his fiery new vocalist to test their respective ranges and experiment without fear. With the sound now stabilized, the rhythm grew and a new energy was spawned. INGRAY was born.

INGRAY: Immigrant’s Song from Michael Leser on Vimeo.

While a lot of attention is paid to the Bosnian heritage of 3/4 of the band, Adisa is quick to point out that “Dave’s influence on the band has been amazing”. His band mates were impressed with how easily he took their musical ideas and propelled them to another place. “The ethnic flavor comes out in a lot of the melodies and structures of the songs,” Dupuie says. “I love playing the style. It’s fun for me.”

The band fuses Eastern European and world music styles with grimy Detroit rock and roll and a touch of the blues to create a fresh and powerful sound.

“I think there is a common bond,” Selmanovic explains, “but we listen to different music so obviously, that the mix is not going to’ be unified. It’s going to be the mix of all types of genres, all types of world music. But I think when they all come together, you get INGRAY.” He continues, “Really it’s paying tribute to everything we’ve learned, everything we’ve seen, everything we’ve heard, and to the new place where we’re going with this music.”

That sense of being in “another place” is the inspiration for the title of INGRAY’s first album, Away. “It’s both physical and metaphysical,” Adisa says. “We came from someplace else, and we feel that part of our home is there [in Bosnia], and part of it is here [in Detroit]. When I go home to visit family, I feel like I’m away from here. When I’m here, I’m away from there.”

The band’s Ambassador’s of Rock victory couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. They will be playing their CD release party on the same Hard Rock Cafe stage where they won the battle of the bands. “For us,” Nermin laughs, “It’s just going to be great to get this off our backs, so we can record the second album, because we already have it ready.” INGRAY hopes this splash of national attention and the new album will position them for a return to Europe, this time as a band. Their video “Killing Time” and other demos are getting airplay back home in Bosnia and in other parts of the continent.

“People over there are interested in our work here, and what we’ve accomplished and where we’re going with our music, which is really cool,” says Cizmic. “It makes us feel special about our music and makes us feel appreciated, even though we’re so far away. “

“I think what they appreciate the most,” adds Selmanovic, “is that we are not ashamed of where we come from. We mention it at every opportunity. We write songs like “Sarajevo”, which is the capitol of Bosnia. And a lot of [our music] is dedicated to where we come from.”

But INGRAY definitely isn’t stuck in the past. They are looking forward. “Even now,” Adisa concludes, “we keep learning. It’s always a journey. Just keep on traveling, learning and trying to reach another level, always.”

INGRAY’s CD Release Party is Thursday, May 28, 2009 at Detroit’s Hard Rock Café Doors open at 8PM. 45 Monroe Street Detroit, Michigan 48226. For more information about INGRAY, visit www.ingrayband.com or www.myspace.com/ingrayband.

J. Nadir Omowale is a musician, producer and freelance writer based in Detroit, Michigan. Check out his writing and his music at www.distortedsoul.com.

GrokMusic.com Taps EAPro for Nu Soul Articles

admin — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:13:41 +0000

What in the world is “Nu Soul”? Is it the same as “Neo Soul”? How is it different from regular old “Soul”?

Great questions, and Nadir helps clear up the confusion in a series of articles for GrokMusic.com.

Anthony Hamilton – “Charlene”

GrokMusic.com guides you to new music by bringing together the best of technology and human driven content filtering, with the help of:

The GrokMusic GPS. With either the GrokMusicMap or SuggestArtists both built on the preferences of hundreds of thousands of users like you – users are able to chart their own course to find music they love.
Reviews and articles from experienced music fans and industry insiders.
Hand-selected, recommended samples by genre, immediately available for purchase via Amazon.com or iTunes.

The publishers of GrokMusic asked Nadir to offer its viewers a primer to Nu Soul/Neo Soul music, and he kicked the facts with a quick history lesson and some suggested listening.

Grok 101: What is Nu Soul/Neo Soul?

Yes, Nu Soul and Neo Soul are pretty much the same thing. Nu Soul is the living legacy of the music immortalized by icons like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder on labels like Motown, Stax and Philadelphia International. But many new artists are also influenced by the hip hop, house and funk of later generations. Therefore Nu Soul music production can range from more electronically inclined artists like Dwele to the purist retro stylings of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings.

Nadir Made in Michigan

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:18:01 +0000

May 3 – Nadir on CW50’s Made in Michigan

Nadir is an award winning Funk and Soul musician with one heck of a live show.

He’s a champion for the entertainment industry, and the best part is, he calls Detroit home. Learn more in CW50Detroit.com’s Q&A with Nadir.

Click HERE to Read the Interview

Evolution Is Revolution – Black Mastery Features Music by EAPro

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 07:47:56 +0000

“Evolution Is Revolution”, a dramatic track created by EAPro’s Nadir and Iayaalis, is featured in the new trailer for TheBlackPaper.com and The Black Mastery Success Program both by success coach Veronica Conway.

Veronica is a successful entrepreneur and founder of three coaching companies, including the Black Professional Coaches Alliance, the only coaching organization dedicated to the transformation of people of African descent. She is also the co-founder of Phenom Consulting International, a company that provides life and media strategy for the entertainment and athletic industries. She has coached everyone from truck drivers to CEO’s, athletes, artists and celebrities.

Black Mastery Is The Master Blend Of Success Strategies and It Is Your GIANT First Step Toward A Better Tomorrow.

Do you want to live in joy and abundance?
Do you want to face challenges with more confidence and poise?
How wonderful would it be for you to experience life – without limits?
Can you imagine beginning to heal, – and creating a new legacy?

The evolution will NOT be televised. The (r)evolution is internal.

Begin your (r)evolution at TheBlackPaper.com today.

WAE Silent Hero

admin — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 08:00:23 +0000

April 25 – Khary WAE Frazier was one of 18 individuals and groups honored at the Silent Heroes Night Awards for community service and activism.

“Giving a different meaning to hip-hop, Frazier is using the musical genre to bring attention to issues affecting young people.”

Congratulations, WAE!

Click HERE for more info about the Silent Heroes Night Awards