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Sudan is famous for its still-ongoing conflict. Young boys have been made into child soldiers, doing things we would consider almost unspeakable. And now one of them is speaking out about it. And his medium of choice is hip-hop music. The Boston Herald reports on Jal Emmanuel and how he because inspired by hip-hop music:

“What made me brave is American hip-hop,” says Jal in his heavily accented English. “Someone come and say to me, ‘They have to rob for them to eat.’ So I would try and picture, how does America look like because I’ve never been there. So for me when I look at it and look at my situation - I was a child soldier, we never had food, we raid villages and we take the food and we eat … So I said, ‘OK, let me testify.’ ”

Emmanuel Jal is releasing his third international hip-hop album, WARchild. Even though he has admiration for hip-hop music, Jal also takes aim at America’s glorification of a violent “gansta” lifestyle.

After all, Jal has lived through more in his short life than many hip-hop artists today can even conceive of.

For more on hip-hop artists, and to take hip-hop tours, visit Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

If you are looking for VIP access to the hottest NYC hip-hop clubs, look no further than the limo tours offered by Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

You can round up your posse and roll in style, getting VIP access to the hottest NYC clubs. Drink service and more available when you sign up for one of the premium tours.

When one thinks of Chess, hip-hop is not the first thing that comes to mind. That could be changing, however, with the launch of WuChess. The Washington Post reports on online chess — for those who love hip-hop:

WuChess, a partnership between Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and ChessPark, a social network around online chess playing, launches today. It’s the “world’s first online chess and hip hop community” and will also include exclusive videos and mp3 of the “hottest cats in hip hop.”

This is actually a pretty cool idea. And it might offer some surprising insights into who in the hip-hop world knows how to play chess.

For more on hip-hop artists and news, visit Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

Tags: Harlem hip-hop, RZA, hip-hop tours, chess hip-hop,
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, online chess, chess RZA, WuChess

On the 5th day of the R. Kelly trial, things came to a grinding halt. Yesterday, the defense said that they had a surprise witness — an unidentified man — who can discredit the key witness for the prosecution. SOHH.com reports on the latest drama in the R. Kelly trial:

According to The Chicago Tribune, the unidentified man will fly into Chicago tonight and meet with Kelly’s defense team. Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan said, “I have no idea what’s going on. It might be the impeachment of the [prosecution’s] witness.”

Defense attorneys denied allegations that this was an attempt to delay the testimony of the prosecution’s key witness, a woman who will likely testify she engaged in an under-aged three-way sex act years ago with Kelly and the alleged female on the tape.

For more on hip-hop artists and new, visit Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

Tags: Harlem hip-hop, R. Kelly, hip-hop tours, R. Kelly trial,
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, hip-hop music, R. Kelly witness, hip-hop culture

We at Harlem Hip-Hop Tours would like to take a moment to express our gratitude to all of our heroes this Memorial Day. We are grateful for the sacrifices of the brave men and women that serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

If you see a member of the Armed Forces, be sure to thank him or her for service done to this country!

It’s no secret that some of the pioneers of hip-hop music are somewhat disappointed with what the genre has become. In order to work for a more positive hip-hop experience, tomorrow has been dubbed “No Profanity Day” in New York City.

A group of hip-hop music legends are putting on a concert at Utopia’s Paradise Theater. The three hour event is being put on by Kurtis Blow (who co-founded the Hip-Hop Church in Harlem) and will be curse word free. Livesteez reports on profanity and hip-hop music:

“I’ve always been a stickler for being more conscious of the lyrics in Hip-Hop,” Kurtis Blow told AllHipHop.com. “Not only do I think it’s important to support no profanity in Hip-Hop and rap music, but also it’s more important to support no profanity in everyday life because in our society, most violence starts with the way we talk to each other.”

For more NYC activities and hip-hop music news, visit Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

Tags: Harlem hip-hop, hip-hop artists, hip-hop tours, NYC activities,
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, hip-hop music, No Profanity Day, Kurtis Blow

One of the latest (and illest) tours in NYC is the Hip-Hop On. Hip-Hop Off NYC tour. This tour takes you in a motor coach — complete with live MC — to some of the best hip-hop sites in the city. And now you can win free tickets.

Text “h3logo” to 67463 for your chance to win two free tickets on the Hip-Hop On. Hip-Hop Off tour.

Tags: Harlem hip-hop, hip-hop, hip-hop tours, NYC tour,
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, hip-hop music, free tickets, hip-hop culture

Harlem Hip-Hop Tours already offers some of the best NYC tour packages available (think: VIP access to hip-hop clubs), but now a new tour is being offered. The tour is a three-hour driving tour that doubles as a hip-hop party — including live DJ and MC.

The Hip-Hop On. Hip-Hop Off tour launches today from 1633 Broadway (50th and 51st), and there are still seats available for the 1 pm and 5 pm tours. This new hip-hop NYC tour will be available Thursdays through Saturdays at 9 am, 1 pm and 5 pm.

Adults: $47, Children (3-11): $42. Discounts for purchasing tickets online.

Sites on the tour include:

• MTVs TRL
• The Cotton Club
• Def Jam Rocords
• Bad Boy Entertainment
• Rucker’s Park
• Apollo Theater
• Roc-a-fella Records
• Graffiti Hall of Fame

Visit Harlem Hip-Hop Tours to take this new NYC tour.

Tags: Harlem hip-hop, hip-hop, hip-hop tours, VIP access NYC clubs,
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, hip-hop music, NYC Tour, hip-hop culture

It’s no secret that the hip-hop music culture isn’t very forgiving on homosexuality. But many consider homosexuality a prevalent part of hip-hop. It’s called being on the down low. Hip Hop DX reports on a new book on homosexuality in the entertainment that includes hip-hop artists:

In an interview with The Observer, Dean, a Detroit native, says that gangster rap is slowing down coming out within Hip Hop. Of overall homosexuality in Hip Hop, Dean surmised, “Everyone knows. It is not a secret in that sense. It is just that people do not talk about what goes on in private and who is sleeping with who. Now I hope a mainstream artist will have the courage to soon come out.“

While no hip-hop music artists are identified by their true names, it is apparent from some descriptions that Terrence Dean, a former exec at MTV, is describing hip-hop artists on the down low.

Will this book gain more acceptance of homosexuality in hip-hop culture?

For more on hip-hop culture and music, visit Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

Tags: Harlem hip-hop, hip-hop artists, hip-hop tours, Terrence Dean,
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, hip-hop music, homosexuality hip-hop, hip-hop culture

Hip-hop artist Lyfe Jennings is repeating his 2006 success with an album at #1 on the Billboard R&B chart. Not only that, but the album, Lyfe Change, is #4 on the Billboard Top 200. Rap News Network reports this about the new Lyfe Jennings album:

In Billboard’s review of Lyfe Change, music critic Mariel Concepcion wrote: “Like its two predecessors, Lyfe Change features his staple heartfelt love songs (’Never, Never Land,’ ‘Midnight Train’) and uplifting tracks (’Warriors’).  The big…changes this time around are the production tactics… . Still, songs like ‘It’s Real,’ where Jennings rhymes over thumping drums like his 2007 hit ‘S.E.X.,’ remind us why his sound didn’t need much tweaking in the first place.”

For more on hip-hop music and hip-hop artist news, visit Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

Tags: Harlem hip-hop, hip-hop artist, hip-hop tours, Lyfe Jennings,
Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, hip-hop music, hip-hop news, hip-hop culture