“Even though they are
artists, Paradise & Jasiri
X are all about community,
If there’s a police
issue or Gang problem
they are usually the ones
who are there 1st.”
— Davey D
“I grew up on X-Clan
and Paradise has been a
great influence on me as
a leader. I really respect
Jasiri X for dropping the
political hip hop videos
online consistently.”
— DLabrie
DLabrie Interviews Paradise Gray
(X-Clan) & Jasiri X
Oakland MC, “DLabrie” caught up with original X-Clan Member
"Paradise Gray" & political MC "Jasiri X" in Detroit to Discuss;
Police Brutality, the G-20 Protests & Hip Hop in Pittsburgh,
PA aka Steel City.
DLabrie: Tell us about
your History as an Artist and Activist?
Paradise Gray (X-Clan): -
I started off at 11 as a DJ in the South Bronx, mentor was Disco Kid
Mario & eventually Afrika Bambaataa. I’m a founding member of
X-Clan. My whole career has been about Consciousness Community &
Having Fun.
Jasiri X: Started rhyming
in the early 90s inspired by Public Enemy, KRS, Rakim and X-Clan. My
influences used Hip-Hop to bring knowledge to the masses. At certain
point I was in the streets and my music reflected that lifestyle. In
98-99, I joined the Nation of Islam & began the process of
self-improvement, which made my life better & also caused me to be
involved in community issues. In 2005 I met Paradise & we along
with 4 other brothers started One Hood to use Hip-Hop to help stop a
lot of the neighborhood beefs in Pittsburgh.
DL: Where are you from?
Are you originally from Pittsburgh, Pa?
PAR: Born in North
Carolina, raised in the South Bronx, New York.
JX- I'm originally from
South Side, Chicago but I lived in a real bad neighborhood. My Mom
moved us to Pittsburgh in my early teens.
What has been going on politically in Pittsburgh?
PAR: Black people
make up 15 percent of the population. It’s a democratic city, but
political power for Blacks is marginalized. Named America's most
livable city by a magazine, the tag line has been promoted heavily by
Pittsburgh's young Mayor, Luke Ravenstahl. However the University of
Pittsburgh put out a report that told the real story: in the past year
the region as a whole has suffered job losses that rival any since the
collapse of the steel industry. In the nation's 70 largest cities,
African Americans here have the nation's seventh-highest poverty rate,
a rate more than twice as high as that of local whites.
JX: It's been
interesting. We just had the Mayor's race but it was like
everybody had a hangover from last year’s presidential race. No one
really voted.
DL: What has been the
situation with Law Enforcement in Pittsburgh? Can u elaborate on the
BEAR paramilitary vehicles and Saturation Patrol?
JX: They are using
these military tactics more frequently but what’s crazy is even though
they say it was a reaction to a couple of crazy specific situations, (a
cop shooting & a random multiple shooting ,2 crimes done by white
men), the cops choose to use these tactics mostly in the poor Black
communities
DLabrie.
PHOTO /David Seiler
JX: You had an over-aggressive police force with no care for the life of our people. Michael Ellerbe (12 yrs old when he was killed) was very similar because he was also unarmed and shot in the back.
DL: Tell us what went down in August at the G-20 Convention with the protests.
JX: The G-20 is when 20 of the wealthiest “industrialized nations” meet to talk about the global economy. Obama, the Prime minister of England & France, reps from China, Japan, India and more are there. Of course there were protests. Cops were in full riot gear looking to smash any group even looking like protesters. Students from the University of Pittsburgh were looking outside to see what was going in the streets and cops began shooting rubber bullets, spraying tear gas , and for the first time in America used the sound cannon which is a military weapon . They even went in the dorms, arresting people. Most of the falsely arrested were students and journalists. And what’s crazy is most of these students were not protesting in the first place
DL: Tell us about Pittsburgh’s Hip Hop/Music (Film) scene? Mainstream and Underground? Do Artists get involved in Community Issues???
JX: Sadly, not that many get really involved in the issues. Most are trying to get on. We have some of the greatest artists and producers on the planet. One thing we lack is managers, lawyers and record labels. We've had a lot of success lately with myself, and Wiz Khalifa repping nationally. It's bubbling.
DL: What do you have coming up?
JX: My album, American History X, drops on December 15th and the DVD will drop in the near future. It will be available for free download at the websites (listed below). We will also offer autographed copies for sale.
PAR: 2010 is the 20-year anniversary of X-Clan's "To The East Blackwards". (Grand Verbalizer) Brother J and I planned a few projects throughout the year including a book and new music together for the first time since "Exodus". We also plan to travel together doing panels, exhibits and tours.
Websites:
myspace.com/paradisegray
1hood.org
realtalkexpress.com
youtube.com/jasirix
twitter.com/jasirix
facebook.com/jasirix
Hip Hop Congress (HHC) has partnered with the People’s Tribune to connect Hip Hop and other cultural movements to the practical struggles engaged all over the U.S. For more information on how you can get involved, please visit www.hiphopcongress.com.
— DLabrie, Page Editor
dlabrozia2005@yahoo.com
