The Impossible Music Sessions 2: Baloberos Crew ft. Hasan Salaam

We covered Hasan Salaam in the past. In fact, when I started Birthplace Magazine, he was one of the earliest artists on our “radar,” and one of the main reasons why I decided to include the areas immediately surrounding New York City in our editorial juristiction. His fiery delivery, conscious lyrics, and positive extra-hip-hop-curricular activities have helped him stand out in the sea of talent in the New York tri-state area.

Though we communicated online in the past, I had the pleasure of finally meeting this brother in person at this year’s Rapathon, at The Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem. We spoke for a bit, and he handed me a flyer for an event on June 30th, titled “The Impossible Music Sessions“. The flyer continued, “Political hip hop from Guinea Bissau – Baloberos Crew featuring Hasan Salaam“.

I cocked my head to the side a bit, and said “that’s dope,” not fully understanding why (and trying to remember where Guinea Bissau was…). Salaam attempted to quickly provide background information, explaining that the Baloberos Crew from Guinea Bissau (the West African coast by the way…) are hip hop artists facing government-sponsored military intimidation, due to the anti-government slant of their lyrics. Hip hop as political activism, artists being driven underground, stifled by those who would oppress them.

I didn’t absorb it all (Rapathons are loud…), but I got the general idea. I repeated, “that’s dope,” this time, really meaning it.

I promised I’d look more into it, and get the info up on the site, and after doing so, instead of relegating it to an entry in the events calendar, this event deserved a full post. For many reasons. Because the “Impossible Music Sessions” is a brilliant idea (connecting “censored” artists from around the world to audiences here… the Baloberos Crew is scheduled to “appear” via internet video)… Because hip hop has always been rooted in expression, from party-going to revolutionary in spirit… Because we co-sign and support Hasan Salaam…

But mainly because, as a lifelong hip hopper, part of the inspiration to push BirthplaceMag.com is to show that there is indeed talent, intelligence and creativity in hip hop, and in New York area hip hop in particular, and few examples of more talented, creative, intelligent hip hop can likely be found, than in what is going to go down June 30th at Littlefield.

I didn’t know about the Baloberos Crew, or the political landscape in Guinea Bissau and how hip hop is playing  a part and chances are, neither did you, so if you are in New York, and call yourself hip hop, and especially if you don’t, you might want to welcome the chance to engage hip hop in a different way than would be considered “typical,” and check out The Impossible Music Sessions 2: Baloberos Crew featuring Hasan Salaam, sponsored by Freemuse: The World Forum on Music and Censorship, Center for Inquiry, New York Foundation for the Arts and Littlefield.

The Impossible Music Sessions: Baloberos Crew feat. Hasan Salaam
Date: June 30, 2010 – Doors: 7pm – Admission: $5
Littlefield, 622 Degraw, Brooklyn NY
Special guests to be announced