UBO Wants

UBO Needs

UBO Can’t

UBO Will

UBO Can

UBO IS

UBO Won’t

UBO challenges

UBO finds

UBO researches

UBO Writes

UBO is Loved

UBO is neglected

UBO Neglects

UBO Affects

UBO Affairs

UBO Public

UBO Fair

UBO Supports

UBO On Nothing

UBO Thanks You

UBO Doesn’t Accept

UBO Won’t Appeal

UBO Just Finds

UBO Factors Talent Over Dolla$

UBO is a Step

UBO; true talent found

Even if You Are Wack

At least the Review

Represented

UBO and You

For Them

Waahkah Ihiyahrisch is the son’s of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie and a father of three sons himself. He is the man behind the longest running dancehall every Sunday night at the Blue Lamp in Downtown Sacramento. 

His DJ name came from a fan of his in Hawaii who would call out, “Wokstar” every time he saw him perform, hence DJ Wokstar.

Originally, Wokstar sold 90-minute reggae mixtapes for $5, starting his name to local fame. His appreciation and love for those who supported him is everlasting and humble, defining the success that brought reggae music to Sacramento every Sunday for four years at the Blue Lamp. The journey as an artist is one that he does not take for granted. 

“Everyday is a blessing in which change is an everlasting journey,” says Wokstar. 
Dj Wokstar’s presence is one that creates the essence of harmony and simplicity that parallels the hypnotic and soothing effect that reggae has. He defines his music and life through the sounds that make listeners remember the basic needs of civilization, ‘love, unity, and humanity.’ 

Check out Dj Wokstar on the ones and twos every Sunday night at the Blue Lamp and every Thursdays at Fulton’s Underground in Old Sacramento.

Sometimes it takes a movement to get a reaction from society. It also takes just one person to start the whole thing. This is what AWKWORD solo artist based in Stamford, CT who is currently working with Gr8 Skot [formally of The Arsonists] and formally of indie hip-hop group Sub-Way Stiles is constructing. One thing about AWKWORD that the public should know is that this guy is a community activist. Not only is he a talented emcee spewing consciousness to his community or that he is pro-active as a Jewish-American talking about his experiences in life, AWKWORD also is an amazing photo artist and journalist. This guy can create art with his words and eye.

Originally, AWKWORD wanted to get several producers from all over the world to help remix his music for a remix tape. But he took note of the camaraderie and desire everyone had to work together.

“I could connect people [artists and fans] from all over the world, despite the wars, the inequalities, the cultural differences,” says AWKWORD whose album directly shows the similarities and differences in hip-hop from all over the world, all on one mix tape.

AWKWORD has had the chance to share his ideas with producers and artists from nearly 50 countries. So the contest has begun. AWKWORD is asking musicians, producers and artists to check out http://www.myspace.com/worldviewmixtape for more information and contact him at AWKWORD@gmail.com to request an a-capella for their remix. You will then be directed to send your finished music to AWKWORD via http://www.yousendit.com

The reason for this entire project is not just to create a diverse, rich mix tape for the people but to inform radio stations, TV networks print publications, websites, blogs and corporate sponsors about “World View” the mix tape. AWKWORD plans on selling the mix tapes for a low cost and donating 100% of the proceeds to Guns 4 Cameras [G4C].

“I use my story to encourage youth to ‘Aim To Live’, that’s why I started the non-profit organization Guns 4 Cameras, to get guns off the street and give youth the opportunities I wasn’t afforded,” says Hezues R’, founder of G4C whose non-profit agency has young people turn in their guns in exchange for video cameras. G4C uses hip-hop for marketing and entertainment. The point is to get kids off the streets and being creative instead of destructive.

The passion behind AWKWORD goes further than just trying to make a difference. AWKWORD goes all the way with everything he does, whether it is beating up racists, homophobes and women abusers when attending high school, making love to his girlfriend or emceeing.

“When I was a senior in high school, I realized I could connect my lifelong passion for poetry, my love of rap music and [the] hip-hop culture, as well as my desire to make positive change in this world. My lyrics are not preachy; they are hardcore [however] there is a message,” says AWKWORD who created Diversity Day and a Holocaust Remembrance Day when he was a senior in high school. He wrote two songs about these events as well.

AWKWORD represents all that is awkward in the world, another of the many reasons he is so passionate about this cause. He believes that people’s voices need to be heard and that there are a lot of injustices not only in America but across the world. This makes it a lot easier once the project is put out there for the public and the independent music industry at large to get people involved in the album release party. AWKWORD has selected S.O.J.A., a Florida-based producer to assist him in getting the album completed. Ares Designs will be designing apparel made of recycled fabrics for a DJ-ed fashion show. All of the apparel will be auctioned off at the end of the evening and all proceeds for the event; whether admission or mix tape sales will all go towards G4C.

The World View Festival will take place August ’08 in Brooklyn, NY in Park Slope, at Southpaw, a 5,000 square foot, high-class location. Currently donations to cover pressing the album, paying models and other people involved in the making of this project and album are being accepted to run this project. Hezues R’ will be speaking on behalf of G4C about his organization and the entire event will be DJed and there will be live hip-hop performers as well.

“AWKWORD is always up to something but by getting Kosha Dillz on it, [AWKWORD] probably looking for some ‘worldview’ controversy, a good decision on his behalf,” says Kosha Dillz about being a part of the World View mix tape venture.

Although the album deadline is for March 1, the release of the mix tape and release party will be in August. For more information about this event and how you can get involved to sponsor, be a part of the mix tape, DJ, donate time, services or money or just want to know how you can attend the event and help with guerrilla marketing, contact AWKWORD directly at one of his many websites: http://www.myspace.com/worldviewmixtape, http://www.myspace.com/seethelightthealbum, http://www.myspace.com/AWKWORD

Universal laws can’t be measured in mass appeal. Those are the words of an Immortal, the Hip Hop artist named Immortal Technique. They are appropriate to any continued discussion of this year’s Sacramento International Film Festival.

There are simply times when being ignored means that you’re so far ahead of your time that it truly does take the public at large time to catch up. This is the state this year’s SIFF finds itself in this year. 

However, the greatness of its vision is something that’s undeniable. Sacramento needs this event more than other popular area festivals held annually. 

This is the season when collectively we rise like bears from our hibernation and make plans for a brilliant spring and summer. Nothing can prepare us for this New Year, more than attending this event.

Let me explain. The SIFF wears it’s “independence” proudly on its sleeve. This is a quality our collective consciousness both wants and needs. Inundated by “popular” culture, we are near a state of mind where little can
be perceived as important unless it’s first placed in the machinery of mass media. 

The bottom line is that many of the SIFF movies will not make it into theatres simply because they don’t regurgitate some well traveled premise. Our intellects should naturally crave much more than that. 

The movies of the SIFF have more than delivered the mental stimulation that we need. Two notable entries that validate this point are, a moving documentary called, The Soul of Justice, and an award winning feature called, The Pacific and Eddy that is easily one of the most visually stunning movies recently made. 

The movie, Soul of Justice is the story of a current federal judge, Thelton Henderson. It’s amazing that more is not known about the astute, soulful, and integrity motivated man. He was one of the first afro American federal judges and has been on the front line for the cause of justice for over 25 years. His vigilance in the face of injustice has been integral to our country’s growth. He still fights a daily battle in our courts and has taken on he biggest monopoly in our state, the Prison Industry.

This is a compelling biography of a well lived life is brought to us through the vision of award winning filmmaker Abbey Ginsberg. Find a way to view this film and you will easily recognize the power of her visual storytelling.

In The Pacific and Eddy, you have a mystery wrapped in an enigma cloaked in a conundrum, wrapped in a secret scenario. Yet, all this obfuscation leaves you begging for more. In scenes that are more reminiscent of a canvassed dream, brought to us by director, Matthew Nourse, we see what we think is a drifter, return to his small town and attempt to reconnect with intimate friends who he suddenly left behind. Their reactions to him over this span a few days are complex and moving. The lead actor Ryan Donawho is most reminiscent of Leonardo DiCaprio in his ability to display a range of emotions that make you empathize with him no matter what you see him do. 

This year’s SIFF is far from over. There is ample opportunity over this weekend to view the most stellar moments in Sacramento’s cinematic world. 
After the film’s, be sure to stop in on SIFF’s legendary after parties. Become part of this world, and star in your own motion picture. No one can tell your compelling story better than you.

By Aaris A. Schroeder

I have written a great deal of food reviews however this will be my first for a San Francisco Restaurant. A Tapas sort of place, Cha Cha Cha; which has two locations, one on Haight Street and the other on Mission Street, is a sort of “New World” Tapas kind of place that features a lot of seafood items and vegetarian and for you meat eaters, things like Guava Chipotle Chicken Wings, Lechon Esado (Pork) and Bistek Esebollado (Sirloin Steak).

Cha Cha Cha has a full circle bar, friendly patrons and excellent staff waiting to assist you.  The place is a wonder and I can’t wait to go back for more.

I spent just $30 and had the best Cuban Mussels ever, laying in a bed of kind of spicy red tomato sauce with the perfect amount of garlic, onions, cauliflower and broccoli; bread to dip with and spiced up Habichuelas (black beans) on the side.  A couple Blue Moons and a glass of some of the best sangria I have tasted, besides my own, of course.

Most of the items are under $12 (Appetizers, Tapas [Small Plates] and sides.)  Entrees such as Seafood Paella; mussels, fish, shrimp, calamari, andouille sausage and bay scallops and chicken swimming in a sea of saucy broth and sautéed Spanish rice with saffron are a bit more pricey at $19.50 but well worth it.  Taste this and groove to the latin beats that are poppin’ in the background.

If you haven’t been there, you must go.  Check out the rest of the menu at the website below and get your Cha Cha Cha on.

http://www.cha3.com/

By Aaris A. Schroeder

Equipto is one of those Bay Area hip-hop artists that has been around for quite a long time.  He has gotten his shine the last few years and now is retiring from music to pursue his growing business as C.E.O. to “Solidarity Records.”

One of his latest singles, “Calling it Quits” tells the story about why he wants to retire from recording performing as Equipto. There is even the “Stress Free Tour” that features Equipto amongst other artists; this tour surrounds the idea of Equipto’s retirement.

Throughout the years, Equipto has been writing, producing and performing hip-hop in the Bay Area with Bored Stiff, as a solo artist and collaborating with other regional and nation-wide artists as well. Equipto has worked with the likes of Mac Dre, Andre Nickatina, The Jacka, Smoov-E, San Quinn and many, many more.
https://soundcloud.com/solidarity-records
https://www.facebook.com/SolidarityRecordsInc/info
https://www.facebook.com/equipto415
https://twitter.com/EQUIPTO
https://twitter.com/solidarity415
http://www.reverbnation.com/equipto

By Aaris A. Schroeder

Dreda Dre AKA Black CAT, writing, producing in South Lake Tahoe has had the opportunity to work with over 50 artists at festivals and events such as “Rock The Bells 2011”and “Free Music Tour.”  Dreda Dre is also the founder of Ghost Coast Music which has grown from a small indie label to a more well-known US-based indie label.

The album, “The Five Day Theory; My Mixtape is Better Than Yours” brings fresh street beats with a chopped and screwed addition.   The impressive thing about Dreda Dre’s mixtape is that it was written and recorded in five days.  The album’s energy pulls anthem-style music, showing all what this young cat was going through in that particular week.

An example of this energy shows through on, “One’s Up” where he produces a house-jungle beat, chopped and screwed and talks about a lady roaming around the mountains where he lives, ending with his anthem for the album, “My Mixtape is Better Than Yours.”

For more information about Dreda Dre, check out the label’s website which also features other artists such as Century Got Bars, Joezy Wells, Flossalini, Ces One and more.

www.ghostcoast.tv

By Aaris A. Schroeder

Caribbean Island of Montserrat is where reggae, hip-hop and dance artist Blee is from.  Since then, Blee moved to Canada to start his life over after a volcano destroyed half of the Island he grew up on, including the home he was raised in.  He now resides in London creating an original take on hip-hop, dance and reggae sounds and manages his founding label, “Cross Seas Entertainment LTD.”

Blee creates softer, conscious hip-hop music with a tough political side. He covers the gamut of poverty, Black-American pride, world peace and more on “The Black Lion Chronicles, Chapter 1.” There are two other Chronicles that have been released, this is the first to be reviewed by UBO MAG.

Lyrical content similar to Dead Prez with a more contemporary rhythm, save the bass, Blee brings intellectual hip-hop to your ears.  Blee’s emcee talent has a lot of reggae influence and sometimes he even sounds reminiscent of the energy Twista possesses and the intellect Jay-Z brings.

Blee’s music has been featured on TV shows, “Lincoln Heights” and “True Blood.”  For more information about Blee, where to purchase his music or events he is performing at, check out the below links.

www.bleeworld.com
www.myspace.com/bleeworld
www.reverbnation.com/bleeworld
www.facebook.com/thisisblee

~Ambessa the Articulate
https://www.facebook.com/ambessa.cantave

I don’t think you see
What I see
I am able to maintain so much
Naturally
Am able to feel you
Am able to sense you
Am able to miss you
Ever since I first met you
I didn’t think this would
Happen
Something like this
I just wish it didn’t happen
Then I am glad I did

I am an Aries
My name, Double, “A-A”
Are Is My  Name

I know you have your
Side of it
War, that doesn’t need to happen
Can’t it happen?

Get over yourself
Why can’t you
See through
That?