SA-ROC is Hip Hop. Sol Messiahh is Hip Hop. They are the collectors, the creators, the performers, the priests, the mad scientists of Hip Hop and I became one of the converted, one night in late February of 2011. It was a cold, dark night in Atlanta’s Little 5 Points (L5P) district; the traditionally artsy/alternative neighborhood of the ATL (think SoHo in NYC.) I was at the Journey of the Starseed album release concert at THE 5 SPOT and SA-ROC was the star. But with the likes of Starchile, staHHr, Boog Brown, Nappy Roots and Khalilah Ali in the house, much of Atlanta’s hottest underground...

Well it was Labor day weekend here in Atlanta, and there was a bunch of things going on in the city. But if you are a fan of House Music , Labor day means only one thing House In The Park !!! This was the seventh year of House In The Park and as always House In The Park delivered. Ramon Rawsoul put together a really great event that even with the rain people were at the park from early as 7:00 am until well after 8:00 pm . Dj’s Salah Ananse, Kemit , Kai Alce, and Ramon Rawsoul had the pavillion dancing all day long, people were grilling, children were playing and folks were enjoying the vibe...

Some weeks back we featured another story from Vogue Italia; it’s Tribute to Black Beauties. Featuring the photographic works of Ellen von Unwerth, it was modern, irreverent look at the beauty and glamour of fashion’s black models. Its tongue-in-cheek humor and appeal was upbeat and adorable. However, a few months before, Vogue Italia featured the works of Emma Summerton. This feature was called Black Allure and it was opposite of Tribute. It was 1920s vintage, elegant, moody and very high class. From the article in Vogue Italia:  The black allure photographed by Emma Summerton...

I know, I know, I know, I know. It’s been a long time. I shouldn’t have left you…you can finish the rest. But I come bearing gifts! I’ve decided to share some of the great stuff I’ve been listening to this summer. The best part is all of this stuff is free. That’s right, the gods of independent artists and the internet have conspired to grace us with free, awesome aural goodness! Honey, I have been jammin,’ you hear me? In fact, I’m going to use that as the excuse for why I’ve been away for so long. If that isn’t acceptable, I’m...

September 7, 2011 by Aamir Yaqub The mighty Mos Def is not gonna be Mos Def when the clock hits midnight on January 1st 2012. Speaking to Peter Rosenberg for MTV2′s Sucker Free programme across the pond, Mos (previous government name Dante Terrell Smith) explained that he will be leaving his current moniker behind in exchange for the name“Yasiin,” which is apparently his real first name. It’s all a bit confusing, and unfortunately I cannot see the video interview because MTV US obviously hate their British cousins, but the good peoples at Hip Hop DX included a brief transcript...

In Atlanta at the end of the month we have the Midnight Erotica event, (more on that later). And in Atlanta and in Richmond VA, there’s Happily Natural Weekend coming up too. In Santa Monica they have AFRO FUNKE’ going down while in Chicago they got FUSION. This is all in the events calendar and this preview will take you there when you click on it. But we are still looking for more events to share with our followers. If you want us to feature it before, during or after it happens, let us know. Its FREE to share and open to ALL the Gardeners who come to the cite. Bookmark on Delicious...

Collective inspiration… the sum is far greater than the individual contributions. “I am not going to say much here; the creators of this collection have their own statements. I will say that these images are the culmination of Chi-town artists inspired by an earthSista as their muse. The collective experience is, at times, humorous and tense and always real as they all come together to make it happen. Artist and filmmaker Paul Branton, Photographer Tracy Lynn Deis and earthSista Queen Hadassah Esther share a colorful experience with the rest of us….” –Vincent “I...

On July 29th Art, Beats + Lyrics in Atlanta GA!! Gentleman Jack Art, Beats + Lyrics breezed through the ATL recently. Touring the country with larger than life visual art pieces, nationally renowned deejays and some of the hottest dancers around, AB+L has become the insiders guide through the evolution of Hip Hop culture. Originally born in Atlanta, the event was held at The Compound, featuring live performances by Sore Losers, 8Ball & MJG. DJ Lord of Public Enemy was on the turntables as well as several other DeeJays. What began as a themed art show has quickly grown to become the hottest...

Hi, I am Nefertiti of the nefTUNES and I host the weekly event, the Creative Culture Collective or the CCC. In Atlanta, I am fortunate to be exposed to some of the hottest new talents making themselves known. They are the gifted troublemakers who rewrite the script and change the world with bold and innovative beats and melodies that move us all. As such, recently we were blessed with the opportunity to host The Official Listening Party for Singer-Songwriter-Soulstress, AJA RAY’s, upcoming album, Finding My Way @ A R.A.R.E. Experience (R.aw A.rtistic R.adical E.cclectic). Honored with her...

earthSistas. You know them in the Garden to be those rebel muses. Hips swaying and eyes full of ‘tude, they are the beauty redefined. Pangea’s earthSistas are open, artistic, sexy, nude, provocative and proud. They are glamourous, naughty, humorous, dramatic and passionate. earthSistas ARE the celebration of natural, soulful, sensual beauty.They are the liberated and they lead the way. And their numbers are growing. In the weeks to come their presence will be felt more so now than ever. The earthSistas of Pangea’s Garden are stepping up and inspiring both creatives and sistas...