Backing 2010′s “Hip Hop activism and social justice” theme of the 6th Annual Midwest Hip Hop summit will be M-1, one half of the revolutionary hip hop duo Dead Prez. Known for their politically charged and socially conscious lyrics, the duo- composed of Stic Man and M-1 -falls somewhere between the styles of N.W.A and Public Enemy. Their militant approach to their music is rooted in their admiration of the Black Panthers gained during their education at FAMU(Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University), where M-1 and Stic Man first met. M-1 also earned his stripes in his involvement with Chicago’s National People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement in the mid-90s to free Fred Hampton Jr.
After dropping their critically acclaimed debut, Let’s Get Free in 2000, Dead Prez put in work independent of the majors, flooding the streets with two consecutive street albums/mixtapes (Turn Off the Radio Vol. 1 & 2). M-1 and Stic Man then split to release respective solo albums. M-1′s solo debut, Confidential, was the result of his collaboration with jazz guitarist and producer Fabrizio Sotti in 2006. The album features guest appearances from Styles P, Q-Tip, K’naan and Cassandra Wilson, as well as his partner in crime Stic Man.
Stic Man and M-1 recently re-grouped to release the follow up to their well received Turn Off the Radio series, Pulse of The People: Turn off the Radio Vol. 3, last summer. Check out the video for the album’s first single, “Summer Time”, below.
Also, in case you were living under a rock or just forgot about the duo’s hit, “Hip Hop”, from their “Let’s Get Free” days, below is a nice refresher.
The revolution may very well be televised. It goes down February 5-6, 2010.
