Blog posts

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  Jan 30, 08:04 PM

  Barbershop Beef on MLK Day

  I had a crazy thing happen to me a couple of years ago, on MLK's birthday no doubt. I was going to write about this on his b-day this year, but in the mix Inauguration Week & Obama-mania, I couldn't get to it. However, lately I've found myself retelling this story to a few people, as a testament to how crazy the world is, and the irony behind the fact that, even on MLK's birthday, ignorance never rests nor sleeps...

  Here's my story. So help me God, every word is true...

  It was the Monday of King's holiday. Usually barbershops are closed on Monday, (which I always found interesting, it's like the Barber's Sabbath day or something...) but on this particular Monday I needed a haircut, and bad. As I ride past one of my regular barbershops, I notice that even though the sign on the door says "closed", I see a barber in the window and a guy exiting the shop with a fresh one. Excitedly, I park the car and walk in to get a cut.

  As I walk in, I notice one guy in the chair getting his haircut, and one guy who was apparently waiting for another barber to show. I make a mental sidenote that if I ever need a haircut on a Monday, this would be my new place...The barber wraps up with the gentleman in his chair, and calls out "Next". After hearing the other guy explain that he's waiting for another barber, I take this as my cue and head over to the seat for my haircut. Normally getting a haircut from a new barber is always a risk, but from first glances this guy seemed to know what he was doing, so I figured "Why not?".

  Here's where the story takes an awful turn: As I'm about 10-15 minutes into my haircut, a guy walks in the barbershop, steps behind my chair to address my barber, and asks if a "Mike" is around. The barber replies, "Yeah he's here, but you have to go around to the back of the shop to get upstairs..."

  Guy (looking visibly antsy): "Look, Mike is expecting me, can't I go through here?"
  Barber: Slim, I just told you that you have to go around back, it's not a problem. Just right around the corner..."
  Guy (now raising his voice): "Ay man, I told you Mike is expecting me, and I don't think he would appreciate you holding up my progress. Just let me go up through the..."
  Barber (now agitated, but still calm): "Look bruh, first of all you are way too close -- back up out of my personal space. Secondly, I told you what you needed to do. You raising up and getting loud ain't gonna change my answer!
  Guy (now pissed off): "LOOK NIGGA, I SAID...."
  Barber: "Man, hold up..."

  The barber puts down the clippers, reaches up under his apron, then under his shirt, and pulls out a black 9 millimeter. He cocks it, puts it to the man's head, and begins to go on a curse filled tirade about how he tried to initially deal with this situation calmly, but that the dude had pushed things too far. At this point, I decide to get up out of the chair before I end up with this guy's brain splattered all over me. I was actually surprised at how calmly I reacted in the situation, considering that it isn't an everyday thing for me to witness people get into arguments to the point of guns being drawn.

  I walk to the other side of the barbershop, now standing about 15 feet away from the argument, and I notice that homeboy who was waiting for the other barber is standing even further behind me, poking his head out from behind a curtain that cuts off the back of the shop (I'm guessing this is the area that the barber wanted to prevent "the Guy" from walking through to meet "Mike"). Seeing the other customer's reaction was comical, but at the same time it seemed that the barber was really about to bust his gun. In fact, this 5'6" barber is now yelling at the guy (who easily looks about 6"0"), with the tip of his gun poked into his temple, and miraculously all that bark that the guy came in with was instantly brought down to a whisper. The barber tells the man to get out and never come back or he will put a bullet in his ass. To add insult to injury, as the guy is walking out of the shop, the barber slaps the guy on the back of the head with the butt of his gun, causing the guy to tumble down the steps of the barbershop.

  Now after all of that drama, the barber collects himself, comes back in the shop and closes the door behind him, then turns to me and says,
  Barber: "Come on man, come get your haircut finished."
  The other customer comes from behind the curtain and sits back down, equally in as much shock and disbelief as I am at this point:
  Barber (addressing customer): "Hey man, if you see that motherf&&er coming back, you better let me know something, you hear me?!"
  Customer: "Uh huh..."
  What did I do? I sat down and got my haircut finished! In retrospect, do I think that was that the smartest move? No, probably not. But hey, I was spared to live another day to tell you this story.

  The moral of the story?
  "Put a book in a child's hand today, if you don't want a gun in your face tomorrow."
  --Gabriel "Asheru" Benn

   
• 

  Jan 24, 09:58 PM

  Asheru & The ELs Nominated for 2 Wammie Awards (2009)

  Here is the link for more info:
  
  
  
  http://wamadc.com/wama/wammies/wambal23noms.html
  
  Wammies = Washington Area Music Awards
  
  From the Page Link:
  

  Rap/Hip Hop Recording
  
  
  Asheru / 3 Stars 2 Bars
  Christylez Bacon/ Advanced Artistry
  dirtywater/ Joe D. and Cool Cee Brown Are...
  Kokayi / Mass Instructions
  Oddisee / 101
  Roddy Rod / The Blunt Park Sessions
  Wale / The Mixtape About Nothing
  

  Rap/Hip Hop Duo Group
  
  
  Asheru & The Els
  Cornel West Theory
  dirtywater
  Mello-D and the Rados
  The Package
  Roll Wit Us All Stars
  S.P.P.
  

   
• 

  Oct 09 2008, 12:13 PM

  The ELs on Mick Boogie's The Honor Roll Mixtape

  
  Mick Boogie - The Honor Roll (Mixptape)
  Ego Trippin (Pt. 2) - Featuring "God's Gift to Hip Hop" The ELs
  
• 

  Oct 07 2008, 12:59 AM

  Barak Obama Supports H.E.L.P.!

  

   

  Full Story Blogged on myspace.com/asheru1
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  Sep 11 2008, 12:17 AM

  Black Luv Festival Sept 21st

  

  More info at:

  GuerillaArts.Ning.com
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  Sep 10 2008, 08:01 PM

  Zo!'s Birthday - Liv Nightclub and Lounge

  

  Zo!'s Birthday - Guerilla Lounge

  More info: GuerillaArts.Ning.com

  
• 

  Sep 10 2008, 06:34 PM

  Jazz Liberatorz - Clin D'oeil "I Am Hip Hop" on iTunes

  

  Pick up "I Am Hip Hop" off of Jazz Liberatorz - Clin D'oeil Album, featuring Asheru.
  
  Link on MySpace Below the Paypal Album Store on the Right Column:

  http://www.myspace.com/asheru1
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  Aug 16 2008, 12:35 PM

  Asheru interview on ALLHIPHOP.com

  Check out the link in the banner below to get the scoop on the H.E.L.P. program. Anyone in the hip hop industry should be paying close attention to how you can help. The children are our future. Let hip hop be a guiding force.

  
  
• 

  Jun 12 2008, 03:14 PM

  Cool Cee Brown, Asheru, Phonte - No Fear Maxi Single FREE

  

  FREE DOWNLOAD!

  
  

  NO FEAR Maxi Single Download
  
  Cool Cee Brown, Asheru, Phonte
  
  Let us know what you think on the comments here and on Myspace.

  
  

  ENJOY!
  
  Asheru.com
• 

  Jun 11 2008, 01:18 PM

  Asheru Update

  

  Hello World,

  
  

  Long time no hear. It's been a long time since I wrote a blog, but I must say that I'm newly learning the power of blogging and keeping in touch with the folks that support me, so I'm gonna step it up, I promise...

  
  

  First, on to the bizness: I got two singles out right now, "I Am Hip Hop" on the new, well -received Jazz Liberatorz project, "Clin D'oeil", and on Roddy Rod's "Blunt Park Sessions out on Rawkus RIGHT NOW!!! Be sure to check into that and you're your ipod an upgrade...

  
  

  The other thing I've been working on is the album, the ever-elusive solo project that I have been spinning my wheels on for the last 4 years...It's not that I have been trying to figure out what to write, it's just that sometimes LIFE gets in the way. You know, being in the "grown man" column of 30 something-ness, things like family, children, career, grad school, homeownership, etc take a front seat to your dreams of being the best rapper alive.

  
  

  "don't wanna hold the crown, just wanna hold it down
  that's my stee lately, as I get older and wiser
  But don't you take me for a joke young thing
  Cuz I spit my gunsling
  With the best of them, "scheizer"

  
  

  -on "Was Du Gibst", 12" single w/ German Hip Hop group, Momentan

  
  

  In hindsight, I got all that stuff accomplished, but oftentimes at the expense of my music. However in the effort of holding it down, I've learned to take a more holistic approach to my music. I'm working with the band, The ELs of course, just recorded a couple more collabos, and a couple of exclusives lined up for Japan and West Africa -- all is well in my Hip Hop universe. But I'm also working to diversify: I'm getting my presentations and speaking engagements up, and making a helluva lot of progress with my other baby: H.E.L.P., the Hip Hop Educational Literacy Program. If you ain't up on it, go to www.edlyrics.comco

  
  

  My point is this: There's more to life than Hip Hop. Just like there's more to Hip Hop than just making music. I'm on a mission to preserve our culture, honor our legacy, and validate our message. I'm working against those that think "Hip Hop" and "education" are mutually exclusive, at the same time that I'm working to deprogram the minds of my students who are influenced by these little punk ass youngins (and old folks acting like youngins) who "rap" and have no idea what they are doing...Shit is like having a little brother that you always pick on, and the minute somebody else picks on him, you're ready to ready to rumble for your family honor...This kinda work can make you schizo if you ain't careful...But that's another blog - maybe next week.

  
  

  New music on the way soon. In the meantime, please continue to support my music, buy my albums exclusively on my myspace page or at asheru.com. Proceeds from all CD sales go toward arts and educational programming, as provided by my community organization, Guerilla Arts Ink. Go to www.guerillaartsink.comcoand check out our global arts movement... Give thanx!

  
  

  Cheers,

  
  

  Ash Wednesday

  
  

  Asheru.com
  myspace.com/Asheru1

  
  

  P.S.
  Don't forget to check out Andalu Lounge on the 12th for The Set with guests The Els Featuring Asheru. Info on the Calendar, or myspace.