Project Blowed
Project Blowed is an open-mic workshop, its affiliated underground hip hop crew and record label based in Los Angeles, California.[2] This hip hop function started in 1994 and features many music groups, emcees, and dancers local to the Southern California area.[3]
| Project Blowed | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1994[1] |
| Founder | Aceyalone, Abstract Rude |
| Genre | Underground hip hop |
| Country of origin |  |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Official website | Project Blowed on Twitter |
History
The roots of Project Blowed can be traced back to the former Good Life Cafe, a health food center in then called South Central Los Angeles, California.[4] It was described by UGSMAG as "a platform for rappers to perform their material" and "a testing ground for Los Angeles' independent rap scene".[5] Lenny Kravitz, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube reportedly attended the open-mic.[4]
In 1994, Aceyalone and Abstract Rude produced the original Project Blowed compilation album.[6] It was released in 1995.[7] In 2005, Project Blowed released a follow up album, Project Blowed: 10th Anniversary, on Decon.[8]
Social impact
Project Blowed is the essential outlet for much of the LA underground hip hop culture. It is a place that many people of all genders can go to freestyle, rhyme, or just speak what is on their mind.[9] Project Blowed was a turning point for the underground culture; it “did not fan the flames of urban decay and societal attacks. Project Blowed was putting out the fire.” Rappers were required to pay a small fee to enter a battle and formally introduce themselves, and “MCs generally did not resort to homophobic slurs or excessive name calling during rap battles, as such behavior denoted lack of skill.” This group discouraged violent activity among the youth and encouraged strict norms and respect.[3] The participation in Project Blowed positively shaped the lives of the local community.
Blowed events provided a “creative outlet and alternative career outside of gang life” for young black men. One of these men, Trenseta, after time in jail, spent time mentoring young rappers at Project Blowed. They successfully built a community and a network for these young, aspiring rappers.[10] For many the collective nature of Blowed is a lot of its appeal; from MC’s and DJ’s to break and funk dancers for many, “The Blowed is like a family.”
Women
While male MCs were more prominent at Project Blowed, five female members consistently appeared in the beginning of Project Blowed. Medusa, a female MC, MCed Project Blowed for over twenty years. She was the first MC at Thursday Night and won many battles with men and women.[11]
Expansion
With the expansion of the Blowdian roster to include newer groups such as Customer Service and Swim Team, Project Blowed has since opened new additional workshops in California's Inland Empire to accompany its former primary location in Leimert Park, Los Angeles.[12][13]
- Original location: Los Angeles, California (hosted by NGA FSH, Rhymin' Riddlore?, Chu Chu and J-Smoov)
- Expansion location: Inland Empire, California (hosted by Ganjah K)
- Additional locations: Las Vegas, Nevada (hosted by Phoenix Orion) and Austin, Texas (hosted by Tray Loc)
Roster (partial)
Compilation albums
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jurassick" | Aceyalone, Spoon Iodine, C.V.E. | Home Grown Beatz | 3:44 |
| 2. | "Who's There?" | Self Jupiter | 0:06 | |
| 3. | "Strength of A.T.U." | Abstract Rude | Digiak | 3:43 |
| 4. | "What a Pity" | C.V.E. | DJ Wolf | 1:05 |
| 5. | "Don't Get It Twisted" | Figures of Speech | Digiak | 3:14 |
| 6. | "Hot" | Freestyle Fellowship | JMD, The Underground Railroad | 4:39 |
| 7. | "Once Upon a Freak" | Tray Loc | CV Shack Productionz | 3:55 |
| 8. | "Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" | Dolla Holla | J-Sumbi | 3:08 |
| 9. | "Solo Is So Low" | DK Toon, B Cartoon | Fat Jack | 3:44 |
| 10. | "This Evening" | 0:42 | ||
| 11. | "Heavyweights Round 2" | P.E.A.C.E., T Love, Aceyalone, Nefertiti, Self Jupiter, BJ, Ganjah K, Medusa, Ko Ko, Myka 9, Volume 10 | Mathmattiks | 7:00 |
| 12. | "Funky Commercial Break" | Funky Trend | Digiak | 1:33 |
| 13. | "Second Chance" | 0:09 | ||
| 14. | "I Don't Know" | Abstract Rude, Aceyalone, Rhymin Riddlore | Fat Jack | 7:59 |
| 15. | "Yeh Man" | Abstract Rude | Digiak | 0:27 |
| 16. | "Narcolepsy" | C.V.E., Rifleman Ellay Khule | Cee Vee Beat Down, Hip Hop Kclan | 4:04 |
| 17. | "I Think?" | Aceyalone | Aceyalone | 1:20 |
| 18. | "Maskaraid Part 1 & 2" | Abstract Rude, Aceyalone | Fat Jack | 8:49 |
| 19. | "Treble and Bass" | Abstract Rude, Aceyalone | Vic Hop | 4:25 |
| Total length: | 63:46 | |||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "4343 Leimert Blvd. L.A., CA 90008" | 2:11 | ||
| 2. | "Enter the Kaos" | Aceyalone, Busdriver, Longevity, NgaFsh | Riddlore | 1:52 |
| 3. | "Who the F*ck Is You?" | Aceyalone, Riddlore, Abstract Rude, Busdriver, Rifleman | PMG | 4:31 |
| 4. | "Live @ the Blowed" | Customer Service | Longevity | 4:00 |
| 5. | "Villains" | C.V.E. | C.V.E. | 3:56 |
| 6. | "The People" | Sach, Pigeon John, Rifleman | Omid | 3:19 |
| 7. | "Sound Boy Murderers" | Abstract Tribe Unique | Fat Jack | 4:11 |
| 8. | "Too Underground" | Busdriver | Kenny Segal | 4:40 |
| 9. | "Sounds Like" | Hip Hop Clan | Nobody | 2:53 |
| 10. | "What's Your Aim?" | Acid Reign | Re.4m | 3:44 |
| 11. | "Cray Crazy" | Aceyalone, Busdriver, Nocando, Subtitle | Thavius Beck | 4:45 |
| 12. | "Jazzy Girl" | Myka 9, Busdriver, Xololanxinxo, Toca | Toca | 1:50 |
| 13. | "Astro Pimp" | Cypher 7 | JB | 3:36 |
| 14. | "How You Been? (Homegirl)" | Otherwize | Jizzm High Definition | 2:52 |
| 15. | "What It Do?" | Medusa, Mr. Perkins, Black Silver, Volume 10 | PMG | 2:29 |
| 16. | "Do Unto Others" | Aceyalone | Beat Science | 4:21 |
| 17. | "13th Month" | Abstract Rude, Busdriver, Phoenix Orion | Kenny Segal | 4:25 |
| 18. | "Mama & Pappa Raised Right" | Pterradacto, Aceyalone, Jah Orah, Nonstop | DJ Drez | 2:52 |
| 19. | "Battle Prone" | Myka 9, Power Tung, Wreek One | Myka 9 | 3:27 |
| 20. | "Ruff Rhymes" | Aceyalone, Longevity | Longevity | 2:42 |
| 21. | "Doing What We Love" | Jah Orah | Beat Science | 5:54 |
| Total length: | 74:40 | |||
See also
- List of record labels
- Underground hip hop
References
- Weiss, Jeff (December 15, 2011). "It's Your Anniversary: Underground hip-hop Project Blowed is 17". Los Angeles Times.
- Thill, Scott (October 19, 2011). "Freestyle Fellowship's Brain-Hop Delivers on Promise". Wired.
- Morgan, Marcyliena (March 23, 2009). The Real Hiphop: Battling for Knowledge, Power, and Respect in the LA Underground.
- Mullen, Brendan (June 21, 2000). "Down for the Good Life". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on January 3, 2013.
- B, Jon (May 13, 2008). "Ava DuVernay: This is the Life". UGSMAG.
- Ziegler, Chris (March 22, 2009). "Abstract Rude: It's Only at the Precipice That We Change". L.A. Record.
- Rabin, Nathan. "Project Blowed - Various Artists". Allmusic. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
- Herman, Max (September 27, 2005). "Project Blowed: 10th Anniversary". XLR8R.
- Tewksbury, Drew (June 22. 2012). “MURS, Dumbfoundead, & Medusa Discuss Freestyling Mecca Project Blowed and Why Hip Hop Lacks Female MC’s”. KCETLink.
- Hunt, Darnell and Ramon, Ana-Christina (December 9, 2015). “Black Los Angeles: American Dreams and Racial Realities”. 4, 117-139.
- Lee, Jooyoung (2009). “Open Mic”. Ethnography, 10(4), 475-495.
- Feuer, Daiana (July 31, 2009). "Busdriver: Worse Things than the World Blowing Up". L.A. Record.
- Bell, Max (August 6, 2019). "Spacebase Was The Place: The Life Of Ras G, Blunted Saint Of The L.A. Beat Scene". NPR News. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
External links
- Project Blowed on Twitter
- Project Blowed discography at Discogs