Ayo! What's the Movement? Well last weekend it was definitely at Center Stage Cuts, Newark, NJ.
The New African Liberation Organization (
NALO) hosted their first event, the Red Black & Green (RBG) Ball. The event included hip-hop, spoken word, dj, art, graffiti, R&B among other acts. The
RBG Ball was also a networking fundraising event where artists of all kinds to meet, collaborate, and spread their particular brands, sounds, art, and their movement.
Various acts were performed included
Khalil Jibran,
KAMU and
Them Cloud Kids. Khalil and KAMU wowed the crowd with relentless bars and spoken word. They even did a track together over
Joey Bada$$ and
Kirk Knight's
Amethyst Rockstar instrumental. Them Cloud Kids preached a positive message of Ubuntu (a bantu term meaning human kindness) through song. The Rapping/Singing Duo of Jewell and Shane (who was celebrating a birthday I might add) uplifted and energized the crowd. It wasn't just music as
Xavier the Poet hailing from DC spit two very powerful poems. One in particular shook the scene as he reminisced his fallen mother before leaving the stage. I spoke to him before the event started and he was nervous.
"Question, is Jersey a tough crowd? You guys seem really organized and like yall got it together."
I reply, "To be perfectly honest, yeah. It's a tough crowd but you couldn't be more wrong about this state in comparison with the DMV region, yall fun out there but you'll be fine."
He then proceeds by tearing the stage down.
Ashanti Jones, the MC of the event, impressed the crowd with two pieces of her own. She then introduces the next poetess,
Kourtney (with a K). Kourtney spits three pieces all equally moving and conscious. Visual art decorates the building around the barber chairs and on the stage
DJ Sienna Chanel laced the room with beats old and new. All in all the event was dope and I look forward to the next time NALO throws something. The event was well planned and I can't wait to see what they have set up next. If you're anything like me you'll like networking events like this (even if I already knew everyone there) to meet people with the same (or various different) ideas and backgrounds. It gives room to learn and collaborate to create something special. If for no other reason it gives you an excuse to throw on your best outfit and take pictures. Who knows, you might even learn something if the event is thrown by
Baruti.
RAEFAITH took photos of the event (and had the dopest outfit by the way). You can look forward to my own pictures from the event posted in a gallery later on. In the near future What's the Movement plans on hosting an interview with NALO so you can see what their organization is really about. Until then, stay woke, and stay hungry my friends.
Peace and Soul from your editor,
