Hip Hop Congress event opens minds

Shouts of "Yebo," an African word meaning "I agree," rang out from the crowd during the free hip-hop concert in the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center Friday night. The event, "Poetry, Passion, and Positivity," featured acts that ranged from poets, a capella singing, to lyricism. \nThe concert had intimate dim lights, and the live musicians set the relaxed mood. Many of the artists said they enjoyed the intimate setting. \nJunior Alex Fruchter, president of Hip Hop Congress and Amer Ahmed, advisor to Hip Hop Congress in Bloomington, said they were happy to have the event in the Neal Marshall building. \n"It was a perfect venue for the event; the purpose of the event was in line with the purpose of the building," said Ahmed, a graduate student. "It is was entirely intended to open minds; everyone has a message." \nThough the setting was intimate, there was standing room only because of the large turnout. \n"The event could not have gone better," Fruchter said. \nAhmed said he was pleased with the turnout.\n"We have proven that events can work here," he said. "People need to know we put on good quality events." \nBoth the crowd in attendance and the acts were diverse.\n"It showed the diversity of hip-hop," Fruchter said. "It had four different acts doing different things, but the same thing." \nSpoken-word act, Sisters and Sons of the Nile (S.O.N.) performed at the concert. Their music spoke of the hardships of not being heard and the frustration one feels when no one understands. \n"Out of all those who listen, how many are going to feel my pain?" were just a few of the groups lyrics. Their words were accompanied by funky neo-soul beats, performed by the live band. \nShannon Walden, of S.O.N, said the song 'Metamorphosis' touched on issues of change and growth. \n"The song says it all," Walden said. \nAlex Schein, from Cincinnati, surprised many when he performed with an acoustic guitar. He flowed to hip-hop beats played by a live band. \n"It is hard to define my style of music, people tend to categorize it as folk," he said. "I consider myself a hip-hop artist." \nSchein's sound is bluesy, but that didn't stop the crowd from bobbing their heads to his music. \n"The guitar is definitely a barrier, because I have a guitar and I am white," he said. It doesn't bother him anymore, he said, because he has been doing this for years. \nThe originality of hip-hop did not stop there, but the surprises kept coming with IsWhat?, a trio from Cincinnati. The three members, Napoleon Maddox, Jack Walker and Matthew Anderson rocked the crowd with a jazz sound very common in hip-hop music. \n"The jazz element makes us more acceptable to certain audiences," they said. \nHugh Applewhaite, a visitor from Long Island, said he was blown away by the performance.\n"The show was definitely hot, and IsWhat? was live," he said.\nThe group's sound consisted of a double bass, a saxophone and Maddox and Anderson "b-boxing" into the microphone. \n"Jack and Matt are the turntables. Jack takes samples from people like Thelonius Monk, and we bring it together," Napoleon said. \nThe group used jazz classics like Central Park West by John Coltrane as the melody behind Maddox's sharp lyrics. Jack Walker, the saxophone player, said they have a lot of different influences but bring it together. \nThe most anticipated act of the night was Ursula Ruckers, a poetess from Philadelphia. Ruckers is popular in the urban hip-hop scene and performed a piece from "The Roots: Things Fall Apart" album. Her style was harder than the rest of the acts, but like all the other acts she had a message. \n"I deal with a lot of issues that are important for youth because they are going to make the changes." she said. \nHer poetry ranges from women's concerns to concern for the evils infiltrating the youth of the world. \nWith lyrics like, "I am not your door mat…your own personal ass to kick" and statements such as "I don't appreciate someone telling me I'm supposed to look like the video hoes." She continued, "After having three babies no one is going to tell me what the fuck my body should look like." \nRuckers showed she was not ashamed to say what she thought the people needed to hear. \n"I would plead with people to pay attention to the life around them and people around the world," she said.\nHer controversial and explicit poem "A song for Billy," about the rape of a young black girl by a group of white men, shocked the crowd, but it is all a part of her appeal. \n"I obviously say a lot of things the media tries to shield," she said. "I am inspired by life and paying attention."\nQuincy Hull, a poet from Memphis, Tenn., also said he finds inspiration from life. \n"I am originally from Gary, Ind., the murder capital for about three years; during that time I lost a lot friends to violence. The poem I performed "Shh" is me talking to death," Hull said. "It is a cry for help." \nThe audience was not offended by the controversial topics of the night. \nCaroline Hackett, a junior majoring in Japanese and English, is not familiar with hip-hop but said, "It was great. It was definitely powerful, it was words to think about"