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By Mr. Joe Walker - May 2016
By Mr. Joe Walker - May 2016
(EURweb.com, Concrete615.com, RealMenReport.com)
Here you'll find links to every celebrity interview, weekly column, album review, and feature written by me during the month of May 2016. Enjoy!
Back to Back: My Stance on Generosity
Back to Back: My Stance on Generosity
By Mr. Joe Walker
I’m so honored
hip-hop star HighTyde invited me back to host his Project Cypher charity
concert event.
I was there at The Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI last year hosting
Project Cypher 2; it raised donations for Carter Buffum, a child stricken with Mitochondrial
Disease.
This year’s Project Cypher 3 sponsored by The EDGE 104.9FM, will benefit 3-year-old Jaxon
House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency.
The picture above is of HighTyde and I standing back-to-back
on stage during Cypher 2. He was making an announcement to the audience, and I
would repeat what he’d said.
What I like about this shot is you can’t see our faces. You
can barely make us out at all, distinguishing one from the other. This image
represents how I feel about charity.
Generosity doesn’t require facial recognition. Ethnicity and
origin are also irrelevant. What matters is caring enough to help those in
need, in any way you can.
What’s best is when your actions encourage others to do the
same. They’ll stand behind you and repeat your acts of generosity. In turn,
someone will stand behind them, keeping the circle intact.
Humanity is a huge cypher. It’s poetic just how connected we
are.
We don’t have to be seen, recognized or identified to make a
positive impact on one another. | Photo by Cathe Gee
#DoIt4Jaxon
By Mr. Joe Walker - April 2016
By Mr. Joe Walker - April 2016
(EURweb.com, Concrete615.com, RealMenReport.com)
Here you'll find links to every celebrity interview, weekly
column, album review, and feature written by me during the month of April 2016.
Enjoy!
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Desanne Ledbetter
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Desanne Ledbetter
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans).
This year’s event, Project Cypher 3, emanates from The
Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14. Sponsored by The EDGE 104.9FM, its
purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide
Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer, designer, video director and
recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project Cypher is bigger
than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Desanne Ledbetter, Project Cypher’s Street Team Leader,
would agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3, as are the people working behind the scenes helping bring
this event to life. Desanne has been right there with HighTyde since the
beginning.
I asked her what she gets from being part of Project Cypher.
This is what she had to say.
“I get enjoyment in being able to help someone in need, a
family who needs help. I enjoy helping [others], it puts a smile on my
face. Not only do I [still] do it for that reason, but I get to see what
hip-hop is truly about.
I get to be part of a great show even though I'm not on
stage or an artist. I still enjoy the music and can relate to it. All the
artists come to one stage for one night and just be themselves. Seeing people
do what they love to do puts a smile on my face, and I get enjoyment out of
that [too]. This year I do it for Jaxon.”
#DoIt4Jaxon
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Prezidential Poe
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Prezidential Poe
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans).
This year’s event, Project Cypher 3, emanates from The
Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14. Sponsored by The EDGE 104.9FM, its
purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer, designer,
video director and recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project
Cypher is bigger than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Generous mixtape king and multi-faceted producer PrezidentialPoe would agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3. Each of them adds strength to its pulse, and Poe definitely understands
the lifeblood of hip-hop culture is a great deal more than its music.
I asked him what he gets from being part of Project Cypher.
This is what he had to say.
“Being a part of Project Cypher gives one a sense of pride,
it makes you hold on to that last bit of hope. Seeing hip-hop give back to
the community makes one proud of the genre of music they grew up listening to. For
one night you get to witness people come together from different backgrounds,
who normally might not, for one cause! And this year it is for a young
man named Jaxon. Salute to all the artist performing May 14th at
Project Cypher 3.”
#DoIt4Jaxon
Heart of Project Cypher 3: J-Phrey
Heart of Project Cypher 3: J-Phrey
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans).
This year’s event, Project Cypher 3, emanates from The
Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14. Sponsored by The EDGE 104.9FM, its
purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer, designer,
video director and recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project
Cypher is bigger than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Rapper, singer and songwriter J-Phrey would agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3. Each of them, which includes J-Phrey, adds strength to its
pulse.
I asked him what he gets from being part of Project Cypher.
This is what he had to say.
“Being a part of Project Cypher gives me a great opportunity
to showcase my music and help another person while doing that. People don't
understand the things we take for granted every day, and to help someone that
wasn't given the same opportunity as us brings me more happiness then any
amount of money or fame could ever bring me. I am very glad I get to be a part
of this charity event. This night isn't about us, it's about Jaxon. And we are
gonna salute you ‘till the end, lil dude.”
#DoIt4Jaxon
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Ckyttlez
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Ckyttlez
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans).
This year’s event, Project Cypher 3, emanates from The
Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14. Sponsored by The EDGE 104.9FM, its
purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer, designer,
video director and recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project
Cypher is bigger than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Hip-hop artist Ckyttlez would agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3. Each of them, which includes Ckyttlez, adds strength to its
pulse.
I asked him what he gets from being part of Project Cypher.
This is what he had to say.
“This is my second year being a part of this amazing event
and it won’t be the last. We continue to grow and show hip-hop can and will
help people, plus Ryan [aka] HighTyde does a great job with the event.
I'm just happy to help, and preform for my family and friends and local
supporters and fans!”
#DoIt4Jaxon
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Konspiracy Kamp
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Konspiracy Kamp
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans). This year’s event,
Project Cypher 3, emanates from The Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14.
Sponsored by The EDGE
104.9FM, its purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who
suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer,
designer, video director and recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to
say Project Cypher is bigger than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Hip-hop group Konspiracy Kamp would agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3. Each of them, which includes Drama aka Treason, Shneal, and
JCutless, adds strength to its pulse.
I asked the Kamp what they get from being part of Project
Cypher. They issued this statement in response.
“Every member of Konspiracy Kamp - Drama aka Treason,
Shneal, JCutlass - feels honored to be a part of the Project Cypher event, and
hope to help make it as successful as possible. Our record label, Konspiracy
Rekords, and group Konspiracy Kamp are revolutionary in nature, and giving back
or helping our communities is always one of the primary goals and focuses of
our music.
Considering a lot of our songs are aggressive, militant,
revolutionary hip-hop tracks exposing and rebelling against tyranny,
oppression, and corruption, we love to be able to show our softer sides in
support of a good cause.
We believe it’s important to care for and unite with your
local communities and feel that’s where a positive change in society has to
come from. We want to thank Ryan Evans for his caring heart and all of the hard
work and effort put in to organizing these Project Cypher events.”
#DoIt4Jaxon
3-Year-Old Jaxon House Needs Our Help
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans). Sponsored by The EDGE 104.9FM, its
purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency.
“Jaxon is the only known living male who suffers from
Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency, which means that he suffers multiple
comas, he's gone through liver failure, and he's seen upwards of 1 seizure
every 20 minutes,” HighTyde says.
“When you think you have it bad I want you to
think of what this kid and his mother go through on a daily basis, in and out
of hospitals weekly.”
A successful producer, designer, video director and
recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project Cypher is bigger
than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
If you’re unable to attend the live event, we ask if you could
find it in your heart and budget to make a donation. You can do so by CLICKING HERE
Any amount would be sincerely appreciated. Thank you!
#DoIt4Jaxon
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Gerald G-Ride King
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Gerald G-Ride King
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans). This year’s event,
Project Cypher 3, emanates from The Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14.
Sponsored by The EDGE
104.9FM, its purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who
suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer,
designer, video director and recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to
say Project Cypher is bigger than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Artist, rapper, photographer, and video director and
producer Gerald “G-Ride” King would agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3. Each of them, which includes G-Ride, adds strength to its
pulse.
I asked him what he gets from being part of Project Cypher.
This is what he had to say.
"Project Cypher is my artistic escape from
the world. It's an opportunity to focus on my music, photography, and TV
production. Having one single event where we can all showcase our different
skills while servicing the community gives me a great deal of
satisfaction.
Project Cypher is one of the most peaceful hip-hop events
I've been to in recent years, also. Often the good can be overshadowed by
negativity. There first two Project Cypher shows reached a much wider audience
than expected, and I'm proud of what the event has developed into.
Until Project Cypher came around I had no idea of the level of
talent in this community and/or people willing to come together for a worthy
cause. Every day I receive emails from artists who want to get on the bill for
the next show, or just want to support us for staying positive. Project
Cypher’s influence has also spread to surrounding areas with the help of social
media and good old word of mouth.
Whether I'm onstage or behind the camera, I love being a part
of Project Cypher. And I look forward to it every year.”
#DoIt4Jaxon
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Sick Daze
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Sick Daze
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans). This year’s event,
Project Cypher 3, emanates from The Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14. Sponsored
by The EDGE 104.9FM,
its purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer, designer,
video director and recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project
Cypher is bigger than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Hip-hop duo Sick Daze would
agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3. Each of them, which includes Ko-D and F-man, adds strength to
its pulse.
I asked the “Chasing
Stars” pair what they get from being part of Project Cypher. This is what they
had to say.
“I chose to be part of Project Cypher because it helps
show the positive side of hip-hop. I don't even think of it as a charity night.
Yeah the last couple have been for a child that's had an unfortunate diagnosis,
and we're there to raise awareness and money for a good cause, but at the
roots of it, it’s a raw ass hip-hop show.
Extreme local talent and huge crowds
equals a great atmosphere that can really get the event going. It's always a
great time. We do it for hip-hop and we do it for Jaxon.” – Ko-D
“I want to and have been a part of Project Cypher
since the beginning, and I am blessed to say that because music is everything
to me - literally. Music has done a lot for me over the years. I never really
had much so I definitely know the struggles of life, and that they can change
people. I just want to be able to give back and make a difference in someone
else's life like music’s done for me. It has got me through years of
struggles and kept me going. So if I can help make someone else's life
different, I’m all about it.
Everybody deserves to have a chance to be happy in life. Project Cypher is
a great outlet to do that with giving to others in need and spreading awareness.
Me and Kayo Dash Dee make nothing from these shows. We donate all that we get
from tickets to help support. And I have mad love for Ryan Evans for bringing
us, Sick Daze, back every year to be able to give back and put on a show.” – F-Man
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Nemoniq
Heart of Project Cypher 3: Nemoniq
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans). This year’s event,
Project Cypher 3, emanates from The Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14.
Sponsored
by The EDGE 104.9FM,
its purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency. A successful producer, designer,
video director and recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project
Cypher is bigger than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
Charismatic rhymer
Nemoniq would agree.
All the artists scheduled to perform are the heart of
Project Cypher 3. Each of them, which includes Nemoniq, adds strength to its
pulse.
I asked Nemoniq what he gets from being part of Project
Cypher. This is what he had to say.
“The reason I partake in Project Cypher 3,
and the previous ones, is simply for the fact that I believe music is a very
powerful tool. Rap or not, if used correctly it can bring people together to
support a common cause. I do it because I myself am a father, and I know how I
would feel knowing artists were doing things like this for me. I do it because
I believe we are making a positive influence in these kids’ families, and in
the community. Last but not least, this year, I do it for Jaxon.”
HighTyde Showcases Heart with Project Cypher 3
HighTyde Showcases Heart with Project Cypher 3
By Mr. Joe Walker
Project
Cypher is an annual charity concert founded and produced by hip-hop star HighTyde (Ryan Evans). This year’s event, Project
Cypher 3, emanates from The Warehouse in Battle Creek, MI on May 14. Sponsored
by The EDGE 104.9FM, its
purpose is to raise donations for 3-year-old Jaxon House who suffers from Dihydrolipoamide
Dehydrogenase Deficiency.
A successful producer, designer, video director and
recording artist, Hightyde will be the first to say Project Cypher is bigger
than he and hip-hop combined several times over.
I asked HighTyde what he gets from being part of Project
Cypher. This is what he had to say.
“Jaxon is the only known living male who suffers from
Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase Deficiency, which means that he suffers multiple
comas, he's gone through liver failure, and he's seen upwards of 1 seizure
every 20 minutes. When you think you have it bad I want you to think of what
this kid and his mother go through on a daily basis, in and out of hospitals
weekly.
What I get from being a part of Project Cypher is
a sense of pride. Pride in the artists I can bring aboard. Pride in the artists
for dedicating their time to support our community. Pride in knowing what we're
doing is taking hip-hop, as well as other genres of music, and doing something
beneficial and not for personal gain. As artists, leaders, and role models, we
define how we're perceived.
Project Cypher to me is just a
smaller piece of the bigger puzzle, but it's a good jumping off point to raise
awareness and get both artists and fans involved in giving back to our local
and surrounding communities.”
To make a donation CLICK HERE
Also read the blog series HighTyde: Piece of a Larger Picture Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, The Finale
My Soul Train Ride Has Ended
My Soul Train Ride Has Ended
By Mr. Joe Walker
Black Entertainment Television purchased Soul Train. The
deal officially brought my time with SoulTrain.com
to an end. It was truly an amazing, exciting, historic ride.
I watched Soul Train
every Saturday for much of my early life. I’d often imagine myself performing on its
stage, completing Scramble Board puzzles, and dancing down the Soul Train Line
with the lady who wore those shiny colorful stretch pants.
Actually being a part of the brand and its history through
the official website was better than I could have ever imagined.
For more than 6-and-a-half years I wrote celebrity
interviews, album and concert reviews, and columns exclusively for one of the
most respected, appreciated, and celebrated urban entertainment brands of the
last half-century. It was an honorable challenge, with each of the nearly 500 pieces I wrote, to uphold and add to
Soul Train’s existing reputation of excellence. And my role there concluded
because the brand was sold to BET. That’s a pretty awesome circumstance to be a
casualty of. Soul Train will live on in their very capable hands.
My writing career spans an astounding 18 years. Looking back
over everything I’ve done, reflecting on all the ways I’ve been blessed to
impact lives using words, my contributions to Soul Train lore via SoulTrain.com ranks pretty close to the
top of my list of most-cherished accomplishments. And for that I’m eternally
grateful and thankful.
Thank you to Soul Train Holdings, LLC for having me.
Thank you to SoulTrain.com’s
management for letting my unconventional style run wild, for allowing me to
spearhead all-star tributes to Tina Turner, Gerald Levert, Ice Cube, Patti
LaBelle, GURU and, of course, late Soul Train creator, Don Cornelius.
Thank you for bestowing upon me the honor of writing “SoulTrain.com’s
Top 40 Most Soulful Hip-Hop Artists” and “SoulTrain.com’s Top 25 Most Soulful
Rock Singers”.
Last and most importantly, thank
you to every reader who spent time with an article written by me or anyone else
who helped make SoulTrain.com a
must-visit web location before the BET purchase. I sincerely wish you all love,
peace, and soul!
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