Quick viewing(Text Mode)

Newvmusic Zine Issue 2

Newvmusic Zine Issue 2

New V Music The Zine Volume. 2 June 25th , 2021 CCDE Takeover F.O.E. EP Review

LGBTQ+ Playlist

Summer Jams Juneteenth Unshelved #TAGGEDURIT Index: Credits & Special Page 3………… Credits Thanks Page 4……… Songs of the Summer

Pages 6-13 ………CCDE Writers & Contributors: Angela Vance Takeover Gillian Brigance David Higgins Pages 16-17 ……… LGBTQ+ Joesph Higgins Lillian McConnell Thru The Decades Playlist Vivian ‘Twiggy’ Vance Publishing: Page 18……… EP Review: Gillian Brigance ʻT.I.M.E F.O.R. I.Tʼ F.O.E Production: Angela Vance Page 19………… Song Review Special Thanks and Acknowledgements to: ʻBop-Onʼ 1100 G-Way David Higgins, Joseph Higgins, Chinese Connection Dub Embassy, Negro Terror, DJ Paul, Frederick “Foe” Field IV, Nichole Morris, Pages 20-21……The Shelving Patrick Houston, Sir Elton John (for being of Juneteenth fabulous), Mid South Pride, Opal Lee, & Fox 4 KDFW Fort Worth Page 22 ……… #taggedurit Friends Chase Atlantic Songs of the This one came out in 2015, but thanks to TikTok it has gained popularity. The vocals are smooth and the flow is comfortable if that makes sense. You can picture yourself driving down the highway with this one on loud and nothing planned. We like it because it makes us feel good to see a story about success after years of hard work and patience finally paying off. Who doesn’t Summer want to believe the universe rewards us for being patient and never giving up? Favorite Crime Olivia Rodrigro Who doesn’t like right now? She seems to be the “it” artist, but this song we had to add for it’s actual value as a gift to the summer playlist. AGAIN with the love and heartbreak By: Vivian Vance themes, ammiright? Aside from the great lyrics and vocal range with her syncopation in the outro, but this is another artist that was putting her open soul out there for the listener and you have to We asked Twiggy to give us her favorite songs of this summer and tell us why she respect that. liked them. This is her list and this is why she thinks these will be the songs of Summer 2021! One More I Love You Alex Warren This one resonates with many of us right now dealing with loss after 2020, so this one seemed by , and fitting. Alex Warren opens up in the lyrics about the loss of his father to cancer and the subsequent We’re keeping this from 2019, because we were robbed of a proper “Hot Girl life struggles that followed. This is a powerful anthem for many going through the same thing Summer” due to Corona virus so the good vibes, the lyrics inspire women right now who have no idea how to handle it so this is why it made it. empowerment and “girl Power” are something we are living for in Summer 2021. You can to it easily and it made it’s way to our Summer sounds 2021 Playlist. Good 4 U Olivia Rodrigo Another O.R. on the list, but this one isn’t the broken dove of the previous song on our list. This is Heartbreak Anniversary by Giveon the own your power, “Anger” portion of the grief cycle, and she is running the gamut quite nicely. Summer means love and of course, heartbreak. We had to add at least one for the Aside from the fact that Devon Carlson styled her video, which we love, but again she is singles still reeling. This one by Giveon provides a beautiful track with soft harmony, expressing some actual emotions instead of some canned, processed garbage. We dig it. beautiful vocals and relatable content because we’ve all been there. The hook is catchy. It’s soft yet hits and made it to our list. Your Power Miss Eilish wowed everyone this spring/ summer. She’s never been a conventional pop star and by Megan Thee Stallion may be the one personally responsible for comfortable clothing being “in” which we should all be Second appearance by Miss Megan, and it’s a bop! Her take on the erroneous attack grateful to her for. She sets trends instead of following them. This track pretty much sent a wave of pseudo conservatives on women of color, in the industry. The beat and flow of this through the space time continuum and will probably find a place in music history. She easily one is just catchy, and I mean this as in you want to start dancing whether you can or makes it into every playlist. not. I can picture Nancy Pelosi getting down to this one as it makes it to our Summer Playlist. Our Song Anne Marie & Niall Horan It’s about time we see the ‘good guy’ of One Direction in a police chase (see video link). Niall Keep It Movin’ Olivia O’Brien Horan and Anne Marie’s duet of Our Song is definitely appealing to everyone. It can fit in on a Olivia’s voice is powerful and almost doesn’t fit her persona. She has a video on pop station as easily as a country chart, and all walks of life will find themselves digging it. Their YouTube “What’s in Her Purse”, which is hilarious and presents more of a punk pop/ voices work well together and it’s a great summer love vibe. It’s on our Sweet Summer Sounds indie performer… then you hear this. She belts out some R&B laced vocals with some Playlist! hints of a young baby Bae and Whoa! Where in the hell did that come from? This one is great and makes it on our playlist as we will be singing it all summer. Sun Goes Down Lil Nas X Lil Nas X has grown Up… He will be referred to as Big Nas X from this point forward. This one really highlights his maturity and growth as an artist. The boy has evolved. He can sing and is much more than the sum of his parts or a catchy tune that made him famous. This one has some emotions and relatability beyond being quirky… you are in a part of his vulnerable soul here. That’s why it made it to our playlist. Save Your Tears The Weeknd & It’s just another one about love and summer for some reason induces those feelings for most of us. Especially after the last two years… we just need to be reminded it exists. Romance, and love and this one kind of embodies it. Their voices beautifully mesh together in this duet and the flow of this digital throwback upbeat remind us it’s getting better. It made it to our Summer Sounds playlist. CCDE TAKEOVER By: Angela Vance

NewVMusic: Tell me a little more about the origins of CCDE? David: At first, we had this little record deal, didn’t want to go too deep with it, still wanted to perform live, because it was kind of iffy. Omar came up with ‘Chinese Connection’ and I came up with ‘Dub Embassy’. We’ve been playing in Memphis in the scene since 2009 with Omar live. There was zero Reggae scene in Memphis, you know. It’s the home of blues, rap… rock n’roll.

We sat down with brothers, David and Joseph Higgins of the two Memphis Just being fans of punk and that culture being so close to Reggae, they embraced Omar and brought him in. He was genuinely a fan of all genres. bands CCDE (Chinese Connection Dub Embassy) andNegro Terror to talk He was metal. Punk… that was his baby and Reggae later he started to Music, life, Reggae, the industry and more. The conversation flowed so freely it embrace even more so because of our mother and father. But when we got was hard to stay within the time allotted, because these brothers are two of the older to perform it and play it and he had 2-3 other different Reggae bands he most intelligent, well rounded and deep thinkers you will ever meet. True to the played with that kind of fell by the waysides. Then me and Joe came together, nature of Reggae’s roots, they have the hearts of activists beating underneath and we were like, man, we got to reintroduce you to this world. You got talent. their carefree, beach-y button downs. We’ve got to take you to the top! As far as we can, between that, and school and work and family, you know, we’ve just been going. Since then, we’ve the You can hear it in their music and feel their vibe in their presence. They main nucleus of Chinese Connection Dub Embassy in Memphis, TN. are in a place of balance and seek the same for the world around them. You almost want to join the crusade if you are around them long enough. Joseph: What’s crazy is when it comes to the origin, at least on my part of it – I was never a huge Reggae fan growing up. I was always a huge , R&B. Their first , The Firm Foundation Riddim Squad with their late brother, some smooth jazz, and stuff like that. I had heard of Bob Marley, of course, Omar Higgins from 2004 to 2010 became CCDE due to a contract mishap, in and we all know the ‘Cops’ theme song too well. I didn’t even know that was which the brothers signed with a non-descript independent label who stole Reggae at first. Going into Omar’s earlier work before we got involved, I was money from them. Instead of laying down and giving up, the brothers like, “Oh… that’s alright, but they seem to be doing the same thing over and regrouped and renamed, and this phenomenon was born. It almost reads like a over again.” storybook ending of the good guys coming out on top. Hell yeah! We are living for it, but it is just these brothers deserve every bit of good karma coming to Until I started breaking the actual formats and the different mini genres which them. The rest of this story is a beautiful history I am getting to share. are within reggae music. Like Dave was saying, the Punk rock music influence, the jazz influences, it has hip hop elements… that’s why we call Their band, Negro Terror, was the feature of a 2018documentary by director ourselves a reggae fusion band. Because we play reggae as the root, but play John Rash and was acclaimed in the festival circuit. This family truly is other genres with the reggae music that comes so natural because we grew up ‘musical’and the range of sounds coming from the Higgins brothers over the on it. past decade elevates them into the category of this generation’s Memphis icons. We grew up on different kinds of music and for me reggae isn’t just about the Along with those before them… the Al Greens, the James Alexanders, and the music. It’s a way of life. It’s the way we go outside every morning to the way Bobby Blue Blands of yesterday; this family produced a line of musically elite we lay our heads down to rest. It’s like we take what we say in the music, offspring, and we reap the benefits. outside of the music, or seriously. We take it very seriously. I’m serious. People are always looking at reggae like it’s about ‘going to the beach’ or ‘tropical’. But it’s got a deeper meaning. The ‘Truth and Rights’ aspect of it…You can go to when reggae was starting with Marley, and he was doing his Truth and Rights stuff like “So Much Trouble (In the World)” and “Majestic (Warriors)”. That’s like literally the bare bones. They were birthed through struggle and rebellion and then the other stuff came later because there must be a Yin and Yang to life. If we’re always pissed off and angry folks would be like, “I can’t be around that It needed to be out there, and I think the biggest thing in my opinion that lasting person because they always have a problem.” So, I look at both sides of the legacy that is with me is to be fearless when it comes to music, to be fearless, to coin. The ‘Truth and Rights’ and the ‘Feel Good’ resorts vibes as being be understanding and to keep the vibe as pure as possible. You could always necessary. I kind of went off topic again, but it’s still on topic. veer off into some other stuff and people will be like “Whoa! That’s not the same person… “, but at the same time be your true authentic self. NewVMusic: Definitely on topic, because it’s necessary to tell your story. Speaking of, I hear family is a deep influence and both have mentioned mom People haven’t really gotten to see our personalities fully, because we were in and dad as influencing your musical careers and paths extensively. Tell me the background, which I enjoyed because we were playing something we all about your parents… had hands in its growth. So, I never took it as, “I wanna be to the front! Omar can’t always be the front man…” We are brothers before the music, after the David: Our mother, Carrey Higgins, met our father, Ervin Higgins, in the East music, we’re going to make this work, we’re going to get some good vibes out Coast and they reconnected in Memphis. She toured with dad and would sell his there, some truths & rights out there to everybody. That’s the same premise merch on tour, handle things like the door for him locally. with Negro Terror when Omar asked David to join in the early stages. I mean, it’s always been a thing of our family trying to build and trying to change the Dad played with Albert King, Rufus Thomas, BB King, Al Green once, Little narrative of what people say when they see Memphis. It’s not just blues, it’s Jimmy once, and he’s shared the stage with greats like , Phyllis not just this and that. There’s like so many subcultures here people don’t even Hyman, Rance Allen, and a bunch of other legendary tap into, and we feel like we’ve been able to break that barrier through Reggae artists. and through Punk rock to get to jazz heads and country singers that are like “I don’t really listen to the reggae. I don’t really listen to all that punk rock, but I My mom graduated from Belhaven University with like you guys!” I just say, “Hey, it is what it is.” (Joseph laughs) (Both Laugh) multiple degrees and wrote a cookbook. Owned a catering business at one point. She also was an David: I completely agree, when it activist and member through the Urban League and comes to just being fearless. Omar worked closely with Shelby County Schools. taught us to just get out there, man. Don’t let these people and the stage put NewVMusic: We talked about Omar today. He was fear in you to get out there and be you. a major influence on you two. I want to ask… How Be you all the way, man. And I’m so do you feel like he and his spirit impact you daily and in your musical life? glad 2018 with Joseph… he fought so hard to get us on the Beale Street Music Joseph: I mean like literally everything going forward, even while he was with Festival, and you’d think that on that us, I know I might sound corny, but he’s been like the sensei, and we are like the stage we’d be intimidated by all that, students. You know the movie ‘The Karate Kid’? “Once you grow young, but what Omar, our parent’s instilled in Daniel son you need to go out in the world and do this…” us. Just fearless on that stage. We just commanded the stage. And that day in That’s kind of the stage we are at right now. We are building on things he particular, I just knew, “Yeah…Okay, showed us and things we created within that time. Even like the Dance Hall We’re in the pocket. We’re where we aspect of what we’ve been doing, musically with the Reggae music. That’s are supposed to be. something that we always had planned to do. Even David and I stepping up and doing lead vocals. That was always a plan for us, for all 3 of us to start singing Joseph: We have arrived!! more. When we were younger our mother and father had us in choir, and we’ve always been around music. David and I never stepped out, because we were David: Right! always trying to build Omar’s face back up. Like when David was saying when (Both Laughs) he had those other Reggae bands… “Man he’s not being treated like he should be and we wanted people to see, because Omar had so much pinned up inside of David: Everything has taught us, like he said, Omar is like the Mr. Miyagi, and him that needed to be expressed. we are like Daniel Russo and it’s time to go int that tournament and win that championship. Music fest was one of our tournaments and we won. We hit that crane kick after they swept the leg and tried to knock us out. We did that crane kick, unleashed that kata and won! (Both Laughs) Joseph: When people say Law of Attraction and willing something to happen, Joseph: I’d say we put way more than 10,000 in before we even got paid for one when we first started Chinese Connection Dub Embassy, I remember Omar… we show. We played for a year and a half for no money. We just wanted our name were all sitting around brainstorming ways to get the name out. Omar was like, out there to get people used to seeing us. A Lot of pro stuff, traveling pro “Plaster it on everything, get the festivals ready for us. By the time we’re ready bono, in and out of the city, just to get our names out there. If this is something to play they will know who we are. From 2015… no, 2012 I’ve been submitting you really want to do you have to sacrifice, to put the work in. If it’s something something to BSMF. We’re thinking we were going to get on. Maybe not this you really love, it won’t even feel like work. When I get on stage, it doesn’t feel year, maybe not next but we would get a ‘yes’ one day. like “Ok, now I have to get on here and do this.” I’d rather do it 100 times over than check into a warehouse and do some work. I’d rather jump on a stage than I can remember when we were recording our first EP ‘The Farmer’s Market’, we do anything. were in the studio recording this track called “Soul Fyah” and I was telling Omar and the crew, “I see this playing in a stadium full of people. This song isn’t just NewVMusic: After you do the show, or whatever you love, you have that going to be playing on the radio. This is something the masses are going to hear.” euphoric high, so it makes the hard work seem easy. I know that feeling. Money I’m not psychic, but I had a vision of this song and what we’re doing was not in is nice, but nothing beats that feeling. If you vain. People are going to see it in a whole other light. Fast Forward a couple could monetize that in a 9 to 5 they wouldn’t years and we end up playing that exact song at the FedEx Forum. It was like De have such a bad rap… Javu. When did that happen, David? Joseph: If I’ve worked a 9 to 5, I will find David: The Farmer’s Market, 2012 something because we are so engulfed in The Forum, 2014 music to get me past 2-3 hours musically. Whether it be listening to something, I create Joseph: Yes! I remember we were talking in 2012 and flash forward we ended songs from hearing people talk or sounds up playing the Forum! (I must add that seeing the excitement in Joseph’s face as around me… people will ask me, “Did you he talked about this over the Zoom was one of the most genuine moments I have just space out there?” And I’m like, “I kinda had in recent history. It reminds me of that meme that talks about how beautiful did.” (Both Laughs) someone is when they talk about something they love. It just made my day going over the notes and writing this article.). Man, the Manifestation! I tell David: You’re in the Zone. Like a boxer or people don’t take that lightly. Literally, you must will it to happen, every day Michael Jordan or Tyson. You can be 2 places have a mantra. I’m even thinking about doing a vision board. That stuff works. at once. People say, “You’re zoning out.” Those steps you take are building blocks. Our first was the foundation… Well sometimes that can be a good thing, the building blocks for everything else we’ve done thus far. I don’t take that because you can navigate away from the lightly when someone says put something out in the universe and watch it bullshit. “Man, I can’t wait to go on break and manifest, because it happens! We’ve seen it! look up that Bob Marley video.” NewVMusic: You know, it’s really crazy you did that because the next question I’d say the same thing about up-and-coming I was coming to was relatable and that was a perfect segue way. After seeing the bands except for this… Master the basics. Master the basics, and if you do that huge crowd, you brought in and hearing these stories, you definitely are a success you can do no wrong. If you do that you always have a foundation to stand on. story. Memphis is the place they say if you make it, you can make it anywhere. The Basics being your theory or the reason you got into it. Don’t get into it for Our agency works with a lot of up-and-coming artists, and we make it a point to the fame, because that’s all ego. That’s a very small part of it. The ego thing is make our services affordable to artists who may not be able to pay for things like why most people crumble, because they think the industry is one thing, but once EPKs or professional sites… things like that to keep them from being at a they got into it, they’re like “I’m not getting all the girls?” “I have to load my disadvantage. What advice do you have for a young up-and coming artist? own gear?” “I’m not getting all the money?” “What’s going on?” Go back to You’ve dropped hidden gems throughout this entire interview I feel like, but if that basic mindset of how it made you feel. People who really love it regardless you had one piece of advice, what would it be? of their skill level, they are going to make an impact. I don’t get deep into that skill thing, because we’ve had some teaching. I’ve had some classical teaching Joseph: It may sound cliché, but put the hours in. If it’s something you love… and all that, but I’m not a virtuoso and neither was Omar. None of us are, but What is it? 10,000 hours? we’ve tried to learn the basics, learn our history, put our truth to it, we put our heart on a platter and just go out there. And that’s what I would tell the young David: Yeah... yep! kids to do more than anything. Just try to master the basics, and whatever that means to you. That basic mentality, get back to that and you’ll achieve When I was younger, people would always say “You’re a big guy. You should play Joseph: The future is bright. (Both Laughs). Nah, we’re doing a lot of recording and football.” I was like, “Ahhh, but I don’t like getting hit that much, so…” I know we are collaborating with a few hip hop artists, a few rock projects, and a couple of myself and I know I wouldn’t be okay with, “Oh, I was just playing around” so I projects we aren’t trying to put out there yet. And uhhh… we just got our first script! would be swinging on folks. There’d be fights and I don’t want that. Fingers crossed; we can get it off the ground. We have our previous project, and we will have shooting a video or two from that. We are just coasting, seeing what the If I can tell a younger guy or lady anything, if you’re going to do something please try future brings, not sure yet what all is opening up. We will be playing our first out of to find a way to set yourself apart. Don’t try to be exactly like anyone. Get inspiration town gig in 2 and half years in a couple of weeks. We’ve got a lot of work to do to get from other artists, but don’t try to be that artist, because then you’ll be stuck in a rat it like we want it from music to way of life, right now. Like I was saying earlier, race, in the matrix if you will. You’ll think you’re going somewhere, then that fad will everyone is saying just go out and play and it’s opening back up like it used to be. It’s be over and you’ve got to do whatever the next fad is. Do you and try to be your most never going to be like it used to be. authentic self and people will gravitate toward you. And be truthful. That’s the thing that I love about… if I can say technology did one thing with , , David: We’re going to be doing very light touring, spot dates. Encouraging ourselves , people are able to express themselves in a true light. People still want their and others to be mentally and physically healthy, and just keep the vibes going and privacy. Social medias give people a platform though to express themselves and stand up for the truth and rights. We already made a little mark on history, but we connect with like minded individuals. Whether black, white, whatever, we can all find want to keep it going and pass the torch. That’s the plan right now. a common interest and a common goal in what we do to shed light on things that need it. Joseph: No, no, no… No passing the torch. We’re going to hold onto the torch and never let it go. (Both laughing) I will be 97 years old with that torch still in my hand. NewVMusic: Your brother and I worked on that Juneteenth article together earlier this month. Do you have any follow up thoughts on that? Even with the old standard that’s going on in America with different things that black people are trying to open up and they’re kind of putting a halt on it. Even with the whole reparations’ thing with black Americans in the US, literally every time that is brought up, it’s always shunned and shut down. No President has ever written in a bill or whatever to give black Americans a step up, if you will. You see the Stop Asian Hate thing, it’s needed but go back 400 years and we’ve been saying, “Hey! Hey!!! (Waving hand) Stop the hate for us! Can we stop the KKK and people like them and make them pay for the wrong they are still currently doing to us?” We bring that up and people say, “Oh, okay you’re beating a dead horse. You’ve been saying this for years and nothing has ever been done”. Look at the hypocrisy. NewVMusic: Honestly, as much as that makes sense, I have never even thought about it that way to process it. I don’t see how any rational, sane person could argue against that point and NOT be a member of the KKK or a white supremacist. That was a very excellent way to express it. What does the future look for you two? LGBTQ+ Thru The Before: 2000’s: Lesley Gore Big Freedia Decades The Singing Nun Brandi Carlile Little Richard Vanessa Carlton Dusty Springfield Tracy Chapman By: Gillian Brigance Rob Halford 1970’s: Being a musician has its perks, but it comes with some Elton John 2010’s: Village People Julien Baker major drawbacks as well. Theyʼre the focal point of the Grace Jones Lauren Sanderson public eye and opinion. Everyone has something to say Janis Ian Troye Sivan about how they live their life, where they go, what they do The B-52’s Freddie Mercury Miley Cyrus or say, and who they date. It hasnʼt always been possible for Doja Cat musicians and celebrities to be unapologetically Halsey themselves, and when it was finally possible it wasnʼt easy. 1980’s: Frank Ocean Boy George Brittany Howard In the past people had to hide who they really were as George Michael Kehlani differences were not easily accepted. Immense hatred was Cyndi Lauper Le1f unreasonably shown to LGBTQ+ people. Even still some David Bowie Debbie Harry Lil Nas X very brave who suffered and persevered for the greater good. Tove Lo These individuals set into motion the modern-day LGBTQ+ Janelle Monae Tyler the Creator Pride movement and paved the way for artists today to be 1990’s: Melissa Etheridge King Princess who they are with less judgement: Elton John, David Bowie, Ricky Martin Bebe Rexha Freddie Mercury, and Joan Jett just to name a few. Mina Caputo Lance Bass In the year 2021 we see a much more understanding Billie Joe Armstrong public. Now artists can be more comfortable living life the way they were meant to. They are free to be who they were born to be. While itsʼs not perfect and we still have a long way to go before it will be, it has gotten better and continues to do so to this day. Hereʼs aplaylist charting some influential LGBTQ+ musicians throughout the decades featuring these artists: F.O.E. The opening of Bop-On gives us a chance to hear ʻT.I.M.E. F.O.R. I.T.ʼ this unique and catchy beat of the song. It has the traditional bass beat of rap songs, yet the added background instruments give the song a sort of Ep Review By: Angela Vance mystical vibe. The flow that 1100 G-Way has in the song reminds me of some fellow Memphis-made We have known Fred for years and have booked him several times over the years. When he released his latest EP ‘T.I.M.E. rappers, but his voice combined with this F.O.R. I.T.’ we offered to take a listen and put some thoughts intriguing beat gives him a sort of authenticity to paper, so to speak. that is sometimes hard to come by in the modern First thoughts, this one is personal. You can tell just by the cover art and titles this one tells some back story. It’s not just rap/ hip hop industry. Another thing that really throwing some lyrics together. He’s a dad, and young husband stood out to me about his flow was the slightly and black man who is highly aware of his place in the world. This one is his post self-awareness piece. He’s not fucking aggressive tone he had while rapping. While most around anymore. rappers now follow this in their songs, what His career has always been family centered. He would bring makes 1100 G-Way different is that he maintains it his little family to gigs and his son would be on stage as Five to his Foe. His wife, Nichole, his biggest ally would be on me throughout the song; this is a song I would listen about bookings, emailing me reminding me if I got busy and to while trying to hype myself up or even shoot forgot something. She was his biggest fan. She really believes in him. You can tell. I messaged her today for last minute the shit with friends. The lyrics, flow, and beat give artwork, and she got it to me in 3 minutes. When he makes it, there will be a emotion filled speech dedicated to Nichole and this song great potential to make Summer ʼ21 an it shows. even greater comeback after the COVID filled This album has a song dedicated to her, ‘CNO’s Interlude Summer 2020. (Nichole’s Song Interrupted). The album is an open-ended letter to the world telling his truth. ‘More Soul’ opens up about a lot of childhood, issues of racism. 1+3 (Qarty’s Voice) is a self-empowerment anthem where you can tell he can really come full circle. ‘Love and Time’ hits you as it repeats “you can cheat death, but you can’t cheat God. You can cheat your mind, but you can’t cheat your heart.” It’s just a good song… it reminds you of a Nipsey Hustle/ Mac Miller sound or even recalls old Wu- Tang vibes. The next song that affects pretty deeply is ‘Voices In My Head’, and it’s a call to action about the negativity faced from the outside world and inner dialogue. It’s a very deep track that makes you think and gets in your head, pun intended. 1100 G-Way The album is an win in our book for Foe, and it has tracks that show his growth to date as an artist. If you want to check him out live he will be playing DreamFest at the Levitt Shell tonight (6/25)at 6:30PM. ʻBop-Onʼ

By: Belle McConnell Song Review NewVMusic: What are your final thoughts on this Juneteenth situation? Like what do you feel is the reason and what are our next steps? David: I can think of two major reasons this is being delayed off the top of my head. The Shelving Of Those in the government don’t want to let this happen because it shows the people, they have power. It’s like that post (Facebook Jonathon Cole), “Filibusters are tools of racism and white supremacy.” When our elected officials are stripped of their elective powers by their cohorts, It’s an abuse of justice. And 2, Big Business. They haven’t figured out a By: Angela Vance, way to profit on the holiday yet. The big corporations are crying about losing money to people taking off work. They can’t make money off of it yet, so they refuse to get behind Juneteenth David Higgins, and it. As soon as someone figures out how to sell Juneteenth Dashikis it will probably pass. (chuckles) I remember back in the 1990’s Martin Lawrence did this standup routine that was controversial at the time about staying home from work on MLK day. You can Belle McConnell probably find it on YouTube, but he was really focusing on the power the people if they could pull together, and all stay home in protest. (MLK Day would be recognized by all On February 25 th of 2021, Senator Edward J. Markey states beginning in 2000.) Introduced bill S.475 which was co-sponsored by over fifty-nine fellow senators from both parties. The bill would establish Belle: I feel like education plays a huge part in this. They recently passed laws to prevent Juneteenth (June 19 th ) National Independence Day as a legal teachers from teaching any curriculum that implies or contains anything about systemic public holiday. In September of 2020, Ninety-four-year-old Opal and/or systematic racism. I was fortunate to be a student of Central High, shout out THE Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” for being the High School recently named in the top 100 for education in US News. With it being a oldest member of the National Juneteenth Observance diversely populated school, I was able to be exposed to the realities of black youths I was Foundation (NJOF), delivered 1.5 million signatures gathered sheltered from in my early childhood. I was in a rural and suburban elementary and on Change.org urging them to pass this same bill. The previous middle school before moving to inner city, Memphis before 7 th grade. Until my Congress rejected those 1.5 million voices. freshman year, I had no knowledge of Juneteenth and I am grateful for the open discussions my teachers had with my classes, and even was given a once in a lifetime On that February day, Mrs. Lee who had planned a march and opportunity for an internship. press conference with NJOF to announce ‘Juneteenth: A Road to Unity’; which was a grassroots initiative to push for the making of Juneteenth a national holiday, felt her lifelong hard work had David: The youth really is the key to this whole thing. Us older people that are active in paid off upon hearing a bill was introduced. This celebration would be short lived as the bill, co- the community not only want to work together with the youth, but the teach and pass the sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans would be sent to Congress, where it was read twice torch. They will ultimately be the ones realizing and bringing the ideas to fruition of our and passed by one hundred and fifty-nine Democratic lawmakers and only two Republican. From generation. there it was sent to House Committee on Oversight and Reform. There it sits. NewVMusic: Hearing my daughter say that… I went to Woodstock (Elementary K-8) This isn’t a situation that needs much discussion. We acknowledge ‘Independence Day’ as a country and having strong black leaders in John E. Strong and so many teachers like Mrs. from a patriarchal leadership we are now allies with. There is no issue surrounding our celebration of Buchanan (my music teacher K-8, All-West Choir sponsor, and subsequently Gillian’s that day. It just occurs and with great pride. Juneteenth, for those who do not know acknowledges music teacher at EE Jeter), Mrs. Staten, and Mrs. Blankenship my experience was the the fact as a country some of us allowed free men, women and children to continue to live as slaves for exact opposite. My formative years were immersed in a world which was totally the profit of others. For two years following Lincoln’s proclamation on January 1 st , 1863 the news different, so I didn’t know what was going on in the rest of the world or maybe I had not spread through the entire south, and the few that had heard were the masters who profited acclimated too much into that one. Going to Millington High School was such a culture from the free labor. The Confederate Army under General Lee would not surrender until 1865 and shock for me. It was like being dropped into a different universe and being told your the Union forces led by General Gordon Granger marched in Galveston Texas and overcame the foundation was not the “Normal”. I never really recovered from that. This conversation greedy resistance desperate to retain control. needs to continue. Contact your local representatives and ask them what’sgoing on with H.R. 1320 and S. 475. His mission: to read General Order Number 3 to every formerly enslaved man, woman and child. The metaphorical irony of the fact that we are repeating history. Juneteenth is a holiday tocelebrate the official day the slaves were notified of their freedom after previous “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the emancipation.LET THAT SINK IN. Free men, women, and children were being treated United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property as slaves simply becauseof an intentional failure to spread the word of emancipation. The between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes parallels of this to present day in that states seem to be recognizing Juneteenth as a that between employer and hired laborer.” holiday while the bill sits shelved isenough to prove that statues, riots and even “gestures” aren’t working to prevent repeating history. Knowing this, how would anyone be against acknowledging this as National Independence Day? The only persons not invested in its passage would be the one’s embarrassed by its history. The fallen th Confederacy? Do they still exist in our government? We sat down with band member of CCDE and UPDATE:On Tuesday the 15 , Senator Ron Johnson of Milwaukee, who was the lone holdout to local activist David Higgins, and local Central High graduate, Belle McConnell (also my daughter), to pass the bill in 2020, reluctantly changed his vote. talk about this topic. “Although I strongly support celebrating Emancipation, I objected to the cost and lack of debate,” Johnson said. “While it still seems strange that having taxpayers provide federal employees paid time off is NewVMusic: Looking at this situation, and being from the music industry… I can’t help but think now required to celebrate the end of slavery, it is clear that there is no appetite in Congress to about the parallel of the gifted artist being signed to the label only to be forced on theshelf. You know, to prevent them from moving forward or signing with anybody else? Filibusters are more associated further discuss the matter.” with one party bills, but this was bipartisan so it’s a question offilibuster or bullshit. You know what I mean? Congress, minus 14 GOP lawmakers quickly passed the bill and President signed it, making Juneteenth the 12th Federal Holiday in US History. The act is a small step forward, but David: Yes, the parallels are definitely there. My brother, Omar was adamantly against an offer we it’s a step forward. received under our previous band name. The offer was all over the place. He wanted us to record Reggae, Gospel and a little of everything. Omar just knew he was shady and didn’t want any part of Opal Lee spent 44 years of her life pushing for this to happen and she saw her life’s dream come him. Me and the rest of the band decided to go forward with it and lost some money. We ended up having to change the band name to CCDE, so that is how CCDE was born actually. This has that feel to fruition. June 19, 2021, the country talked more openly and frankly about the need to discuss with it. Like something doesn’t make sense about it. so many things that have been quietly hidden from the history books and this is a beginning. NewVMusic: A situation recently, which shocked me, was being involved with a majorcorporation One of the most shocking realities is that lawmakers who voted against Juneteenth, in their vocal and their marketing. I mentioned celebrating Juneteenth since they had a majority black customer opposition have proven even they have been miseducated. How can one make a valid decision if base, and they stared back at me blankly. They had no clue what it was. I was floored, saddened and I they don’t even know the history of what they are voting on, and if they vote without the facts, think I even blurted out a “What the hell? Are you serious?” how valid are their votes? David: People’s lack of knowing can be because of information overload or it not beingpromoted in We are so grateful to have witnessed this day in history. We hope you all had a blessed the mass media, but because of social media we can work to change that andhighlight the REAL Juneteenth and here is to many more. Much love! history of Juneteenth. #TAGGEDURIT

Top View