Black Coffee Channel Presents Felon Disenfranchisement Documentary
As part of the BlackElectorate.com 'Business and Building' Community partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and The Black Coffee Channel will exclusively be airing the important documentary, "Democracy's Ghosts: How 5 Million Americans Have Lost The Right To Vote." The documentary, produced by Off Ramp Films, Inc. tells the story of people living out their lives as 'legal ghosts' because of felony convictions that prevent them from participating in elections in the United States of America. The 34-minute film covers a diverse array of individuals and policies, from Selma, Alabama to South Dakota's Native American reservations to an Ivy League College.

"When one considers the critical issues and political stakes which are on the line in 2008, the fact that so many Americans are unaware of the crisis of felon disenfranchisement is a tragedy. The re-entry of ex-offenders into our communities is possibly the defining political issue of this generation, which none of us can afford to ignore. The cultural, economic, and political consequences are too great. Anyone who is concerned about the redemption of human beings; the impact of the sentencing disparities in the criminal justice system; the outcome of the 2008 presidential elections; the rise of a prison industrial complex; rising unemployment rates; and the impact of the 13th Amendment on Black Americans should watch Democracy's Ghosts. It provides an authoritative look at the historical and current contradictions involved in America's political system and we are proud to feature it at The Black Coffee Channel," states Cedric Muhammad, CEO of the Black Coffee Channel and Convener of BlackElectorate.com's "Business and Building" Community which is focusing on the cause of Ex-Offender Enfranchisement.

Visit the following websites to learn more:
Democracy's Ghosts
The ACLU's Right To Vote Project
The Black Coffee Channel

About: The BlackElectorate.com "Business and Building" Community is a diverse group of entrepreneurs, professionals, activists, artists, intellectuals and students established in October of 2006, drawn from the website's community. "Business and Building" is launching Four Initiatives in the following areas in 2008: Business and Investment; Community Development; Political Action; and International Affairs. The issue of Felon Disenfranchisement falls within the area of Political Action.

To Follow The Latest Movements of BlackElectorate.com's "Business and Building" Community Tune In To "The Cedric Muhammad and Black Coffee Program" at The Black Coffee Channel.

Live Broadcast (Every Wednesday From 12 to 4 PM EST) HERE

Archived Shows HERE

To Join The Mailing List For "The Cedric Muhammad And Black Coffee Program" visit:
HERE

Significant Album Release Confirms Hip Hop is Not Dead

Today’s Hip Hop has become a multi money making venture; a far cry from the genre that Afrika Bambaataa first imagined when first using the term ‘hip hop’ to describe the subculture that hip hop music belongs to.

Over time hip hop has lost its ‘soulful’ content and now meaningless catchy hooks and ill-mannered lyrics seem to dominate the mainstream labels artists. What we have today is not really hip hop.

When hip hop releases developed into something that was decided on in corporate boardrooms, the ‘soul’ or knowledge contained in hip hop rhymes went away, or though it seems.

When many think of the hip hop icon Tupac Shakur, they see or remember the ‘Death Row Era’ Tupac (2Pac). The wild untamable THUG Pac; when in looking at the entire man Tupac Shakur we see an activist, a thought provoking artist who could bring the streets news and pain to his rhymes. He wrote about things we all could relate to. Many loved Tupac because Tupac loved many and cared about many. Tupac made us think thru his rhymes, made us seek knowledge and at times he even comforted us with his rhymes.

In today’s hip hop scene there are a few artists who bring meaningful messages to their rhymes; but the vast majority of what we hear on the radio and most of the music ‘pushed’ by major labels is a mindless mess of dribble.

The In The Shadow of an Icon project by Thug Life Army Records takes a look at artists who grew and learned out of what Tupac spoke about and cared about – the life struggles of the real people in hip hop culture; the hood or street people. It is meant to stimulate and up build communities instead of tearing down the community; in the way that hip hop seems to do today.

The In The Shadow of an Icon project has an immense ‘cast’ of over 25 artists, all hailing from different areas of the nation. All of whom can bring their life experiences with them in their flows. Thought provoking and knowledgeable, this project is meant to bring hip hop back to the motivation period where it first began.

Touching on topics with a meaning and relevance to the ‘street’, this project portrays true hip hop, updated and put forth by some of the best ‘underground’ or overlooked artists in hip hop today.

As ‘mainstream’ hip hop gravitates to a point where many can not relate to their music, it is stimulating to see such a project put forth. Hopefully to motivate and inform those who listen to it and to prove that hip hop is not dead – most are just looking in the wrong places for it.

Tupac said “I’m not saying I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world”, and thru this project we can see that Tupac has indeed ‘sparked’ many people to try to change things and have followed his lead of truth and reality in hip hop.

In the Shadow of an Icon is available nationwide and also on line at all major download points and thru the Thug Life Army Records web site HERE or any of the following

TupacTribute.com
or 2PacTribute.com
or TLARecords.com

Pac also said ‘Don’t be a playa hater, be an innovator”, and that is what this project is trying to be. Check it out.

*This article was originally posted HERE
Check for more news on the site at ThugLifeArmy.com and have a BLESSED and safe holiday weekend.
Peace & Believe in Better Dayz

Togeather WE can change the world; if we only support each other.

The Staff of Thug Life Army Network
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Thug Life Army Records.com
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" Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real. " - Tupac
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