Durham Artists Create New Voices Against Violence Anthem

For many years Durham has gotten a bad rap for being a bastion of crime. The “City of Medicine” has gained a national reputation as being the “City of Violence.” In recent months, the violence seems to have escalated, leaving many residents scratching their heads, unsure of what to do to stop the senseless murders plaguing the Bull City.

However, a Durham musician and producer thinks that he may have the solution.

Marcus Cox, of DreajMusic  has launched the Closed Eyes Project and is making a challenge to other Triangle Area artists to raise their  voices against violence.

https://soundcloud.com/closed-eyes-project

Cox, with the help of  some Bull City artists,  has recorded what they hope will become the official anti-violence anthem of Durham. The project is streaming on Soundcloud.com  and  will consist three version of  Cox’s song “Closed Eyes.” 

The first  release (available now)  is  a Hip Hop version to appeal to Durham’s youth co-produced by Prince 8 and also features Hip Hop artist, Big Lah and Durham activist “TRUTH Minista Paul Scott.

https://soundcloud.com/closed-eyes-project/closed-eyes-hip-hop-version

The second release  will be  a “Soul Survivor”  version” featuring Cox along with spoken word artist, Tim Jackson for the “less rap music inclined.  “

https://soundcloud.com/closed-eyes-project/closed-eyes-soul-survivor-version

And thirdly, there will be  a “Make Your Own Remix” version, on which Cox is asking Durham residents to add their own rap about stopping the violence over an extended instrumental and put it on social media under the hash tag #closedeyesproject

https://soundcloud.com/closed-eyes-project/closed-eyes-make-your-own-remix

Cox says that he chose the title “Closed Eyes” because too many people  have closed their eyes to the problems facing the young people on the Bully City streets. He hopes that his Closed Eyes project will make all of Durham’s citizens open their's.

For more information contact Marcus Cox at marcuscox@musician.org  or   919-283-9680

New Rap Music Makes Black Kids Militant

For years rap music has been accused of many things, from "dumbing down" Black youth to containing subliminal messages that are rumored to make kids violent.

However, there is a new stye of rap that is said to make Black youth "militant." Hip Hop activist and journalist, "TRUTH Minista" Paul Scott has gathered a group artists together to create a new style of Hip Hop called "Militant Minded Mess-Age Music. "

 According to Scott, the music contains both overt and subliminal messages that will cause Black youth to become "militant minded."

He says that in a time when Black youth are murdered by the likes of George Zimmerman and African Americans are "dissed" by the likes of Paula Deen, it is time for Hip Hop to "Fight the Power," a phrase borrowed from a song by the rap group Public Enemy in the late 80's.

The music mixes hard pounding beats with everything from speeches from Black Power Movement leaders like Malcolm X to African war drums. And just like the old plantation songs, that covertly gave instructions to runaway slaves and insurrectionists, there will be messages only audible to black ears. "

Don't be suprised if your child falls to sleep with his headphones on singing gangsta rap and wakes up quoting H. Rap Brown," says Scott.


For more information contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 308-4233 website http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com