Dead Prez
Encyclopedia
Dead Prez stylized as dead prez is a hip hop
duo from the United States
, composed of stic.man
and M-1
, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice
and Pan-Africanism
. The duo maintains an ethical stance against corporate control
over the media, especially hip hop record label
s.
.
M-1 joined the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement
in Chicago
for three years, stic.man remained in Florida. Burned out by the arduous labor of Uhuru, M-1 and stic.man chose to focus on music. Brand Nubian
's Lord Jamar
discovered them in New York
and signed them a deal with Loud Records
. Although dead prez was not always Loud's top priority, they built a fan base due to their over-the-top performances (they've been known to ignite dollar bill
s and toss apples into the audiences, declaring that they must eat healthily).
Prior to the release of their debut album in 2000, they had already contributed songs to film soundtracks and made featurings on high profile albums. Their first recorded song, "The Game of Life (Score)" appeared on the 1997 soundtrack to the film Soul in the Hole
. In 1998 their song "D.O.P.E. (Drugs Oppress People Everyday)" was featured in the movie Slam
. Also in 1998 they were featured on the skit "The Rain and the Sun" off Big Pun
's album Capital Punishment
, and in 1999 were featured on The Beatnuts
' song "Look Around" off their album Musical Massacre.
The duo's debut album was 2000's Let's Get Free
, with their most popular single to date
"Hip Hop". The album was well-received by critics, and included intense political diatribes featuring prominent black activist Omali Yeshitela
, as well as "Animal in Man" - a retelling of George Orwell
's Animal Farm
. The instrumental version of their song "Hip Hop" was used as Dave Chappelle
's entrance music for his show on Comedy Central, and can be heard on every episode. The popular video game SKATE also features the song "Hip Hop" in their sound track. In 2001 they collaborated with The Coup
, another politically active hip hop outfit, to release Get Up.
In 2002, dead prez contributed to Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD created by the Red Hot Organization
in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti
, that raised money for various charities devoted to raising AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. They collaborated with fellow hip-hop artists Talib Kweli
, Jorge Ben, and Bilal to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Shuffering and Shmiling," for the CD. Also in 2002, dead prez released the independent mix tape Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 1
, followed by the release of Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Tryin in 2003. Also in 2003, their song "Hell Yeah" was featured in the 2 Fast 2 Furious
soundtrack. In 2004, Columbia Records
finally released Revolutionary But Gangsta
. They were featured in the film Dave Chappelle's Block Party
, in 2006.
In 2006, they and former 2Pac collaborators, the Outlawz
, jointly released an album titled Can't Sell Dope Forever
and Soldier 2 Soldier
. In 2006, M1 also recorded a solo album titled "Confidential". From the album, the song "'Til We Get There" was on the EA Sports
video game NBA Live 2007. In 2007, stic.man released his own solo album titled "Manhood" with Boss Up Inc. / Traffic records. M-1 appears with ProfessorD.us, of the politically charged Hip Hop group The Dope Poet Society
, on the track "Everything's Political" off the 2008 album THIRD WORLD WARriors Vol. 1. On the track, M-1 and ProfessorD.us trade verses in response to the question "why is your music always so political?". In 2008, Stic.Man appeared on "Changing Weather", the first single from Marcel Cartier's album "Revolutionary Minded 2".
Dead prez released a mixtape entitled "Pulse of the People: Turn Off Your Radio Vol. 3" on June 23, 2009. The mixtape is hosted by DJ Green Lantern
. On Mother's Day
2010, dead prez released "The Beauty Within," a remix of B.o.B
and Bruno Mars
' #1 single "Nothin' On You
." Additionally in 2010, dead prez released a mixtape with DJ Drama
entitled Turn Off the Radio Vol. 4: Revolutionary But Gangsta Grillz. The album is available for free download on their website, and they announced this release was their ten year commemoration of their most well known and commercially successful album Let's Get Free.
called Dead Prez: It's Bigger Than Hip Hop directed by John Threat
. The hour-long documentary featured live footage and interviews with dead prez, along with interviews from Kamel Bell, owner of Ankh Marketing and son of incarcerated Black Panther Herman Bell; Fred Hampton Jr., son of Black Panther Chief of Staff and spokesman Fred Hampton
; Bay Area rapper and poet Ise Lyfe, and hip hop activist and radio personality Davey D. Among the topics discussed in the documentary are the inadequacies of the public education system, minority entrepreneurship and social revolution.
M1 stated, "We've never had the opportunity to express ourselves on this level of magnitude. Starz InBlack taking a chance on us lets us know that the work we are doing is not in vain. That our message is penetrating, it's getting through."
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
duo from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, composed of stic.man
Stic.man
Khnum Muata ”STIC” Ibomu or Clayton Gavin, better known as stic.man, is an American emcee, activist and author known for his work as one half of the political hip-hop duo dead prez.-History:...
and M-1
M-1 (rapper)
Mutulu Olugbala also known by his stage name M-1 is a rapper, activist and author known for his work as one half of the political hip hop duo Dead Prez along with his friend stic.man...
, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism is a movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a "one African community". Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity...
. The duo maintains an ethical stance against corporate control
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
over the media, especially hip hop record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s.
History
In 1990, M-1 headed to Tallahassee to attend FAMU (Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University) where he and stic.man met and formed a relationship due to their mutual love of music and similar leftist political ideology. There, their views solidified, M-1 becoming particularly interested in the Black Panther PartyBlack Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
.
M-1 joined the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement
Uhuru Movement
The Uhuru Movement is a political organizations centered around the principles of "African Internationalism," which adheres to liberation of Africans in both the continent of Africa and in the African diaspora, as well building economic and sustainable development in these communities. 'Uhuru' is...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
for three years, stic.man remained in Florida. Burned out by the arduous labor of Uhuru, M-1 and stic.man chose to focus on music. Brand Nubian
Brand Nubian
Brand Nubian is an American hip hop group from New Rochelle, New York, consisting of three MC's: Grand Puba , Sadat X and Lord Jamar , and two DJs: DJ Alamo and DJ Sincere...
's Lord Jamar
Lord Jamar
Lord Jamar is an American emcee and actor. He is a member of the hip-hop group Brand Nubian, which formed in 1989. As an actor, he is best known for his role of Supreme Allah on the TV series Oz. He has appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Third Watch, and The Sopranos...
discovered them in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and signed them a deal with Loud Records
Loud Records
Loud Records is a subsidiary of SRC Records founded by Steve Rifkind in 1992.Loud was a hip hop label which has released material by acts such as Wu-Tang Clan, Big Punisher, Mobb Deep, Krayzie Bone, The Beatnuts, M.O.P., Tha Alkaholiks, Pete Rock, Lil' Flip, Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, Xzibit,...
. Although dead prez was not always Loud's top priority, they built a fan base due to their over-the-top performances (they've been known to ignite dollar bill
Dollar bill
The dollar bill may refer to banknotes of currencies that are named dollar. Note that some of these currencies may have coins for 1 dollar instead.-See also:*Australian one-dollar note*Withdrawn Canadian banknotes*United States one-dollar bill...
s and toss apples into the audiences, declaring that they must eat healthily).
Prior to the release of their debut album in 2000, they had already contributed songs to film soundtracks and made featurings on high profile albums. Their first recorded song, "The Game of Life (Score)" appeared on the 1997 soundtrack to the film Soul in the Hole
Soul In The Hole
Soul In The Hole is a 1997 documentary about aspiring basketball coach Kenny Jones, his playground dream team "Kenny's Kings", the relationship between him and his players, particularly, playground phenom, 18 year old Ed "Booger" Smith, and life in Brooklyn during the summer of 1993.-Box...
. In 1998 their song "D.O.P.E. (Drugs Oppress People Everyday)" was featured in the movie Slam
Slam (film)
Slam is a 1998 independent film starring Saul Williams and Sonja Sohn. It tells the story of a young African-American man whose talent for poetry is hampered by his social background. It won the Grand Jury Prize for a Dramatic Film at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.- Synopsis :Raymond Joshua is a...
. Also in 1998 they were featured on the skit "The Rain and the Sun" off Big Pun
Big Pun
Christopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
's album Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment (album)
Capital Punishment is the solo debut album by rapper Big Pun, released on April 28, 1998. The album received critical acclaim, and Big Pun became the first solo Latino rapper to go Platinum. The album peaked at #5 on on the Billboard 200 charts and #1 on the Top R&B Albums chart for two weeks...
, and in 1999 were featured on The Beatnuts
The Beatnuts
The Beatnuts are a New York-based hip hop group and production duo from Queens, New York City. Its current members are JuJu and Psycho Les. JuJu is Dominican American from Corona and Psycho Les is a Colombian American from Jackson Heights...
' song "Look Around" off their album Musical Massacre.
Releases
Let's Get Free
Let's Get Free is the debut album by the political hip hop duo dead prez, released on February 8, 2000 on Loud Records.Critically acclaimed upon its first release, Let's Get Free was called a "return to politically conscious rap" and, "the most politically conscious rap since Public Enemy"; the...
, with their most popular single to date
"Hip Hop". The album was well-received by critics, and included intense political diatribes featuring prominent black activist Omali Yeshitela
Omali Yeshitela
Omali Yeshitela the founder of the Uhuru Movement a left wing, African Internationalist organization based in St...
, as well as "Animal in Man" - a retelling of George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's Animal Farm
Animal Farm
Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II...
. The instrumental version of their song "Hip Hop" was used as Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle
David Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His...
's entrance music for his show on Comedy Central, and can be heard on every episode. The popular video game SKATE also features the song "Hip Hop" in their sound track. In 2001 they collaborated with The Coup
The Coup
The Coup is a political hip hop group based in Oakland, California. It formed as a three-member group in 1992 with emcees Raymond "Boots" Riley and E-Roc along with DJ Pam the Funkstress. E-Roc left on amicable terms after the group's second album but appears on the track "Breathing Apparatus" on...
, another politically active hip hop outfit, to release Get Up.
In 2002, dead prez contributed to Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD created by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...
, that raised money for various charities devoted to raising AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. They collaborated with fellow hip-hop artists Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, Jorge Ben, and Bilal to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Shuffering and Shmiling," for the CD. Also in 2002, dead prez released the independent mix tape Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 1
Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 1
Turn off the Radio is a 2002 mixtape by political hip hop duo Dead Prez. It was released under the pseudonym DPZ due to a contractual conflict Dead Prez had with their former record label.-Track listing:#"Intro" – 0:56#"Turn off the Radio" – 2:59...
, followed by the release of Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Tryin in 2003. Also in 2003, their song "Hell Yeah" was featured in the 2 Fast 2 Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious is a 2003 street racing action film directed by John Singleton. It is the second film in The Fast and the Furious film series following The Fast and the Furious . It stars Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Devon Aoki, and Chris Bridges; and was directed by John Singleton. The...
soundtrack. In 2004, Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
finally released Revolutionary But Gangsta
Revolutionary But Gangsta
RBG: Revolutionary but Gangsta is a hip-hop album released by Dead Prez in 2004.RBG represents the traditional African colors of the UNIA, red, black, and green, which are featured on the album cover....
. They were featured in the film Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
A compilation of "music from and inspired by" the film was released on March 14, 2006.The album was released by Geffen Records, and produced by Corey Smyth for Blacksmith Music Corp and Questlove.#Dead Prez - "Hip Hop"#Black Star - "Definition"...
, in 2006.
In 2006, they and former 2Pac collaborators, the Outlawz
Outlawz
Outlawz, formally known as Outlaw Immortalz, is an American hip hop group founded by Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they are probably best known for appearing in the video "Hit 'Em Up", in a diss track aimed at Biggie Smalls and other New York...
, jointly released an album titled Can't Sell Dope Forever
Can't Sell Dope Forever
Can't Sell Dope Forever is the title of a collaboration project between Hip Hop groups dead prez and Outlawz.The album was released on Affluent Records July 25, 2006 and executive produced by Oscar Sanchez...
and Soldier 2 Soldier
Soldier 2 Soldier
Soldier 2 Soldier is an album by stic.man and Young Noble.In early 2006, the political, sometimes militant, Dead Prez member stic.man and Outlawz's Young Noble collaborated together to make Soldier 2 Soldier. The relationship between the two groups worked well enough that they decided to work on...
. In 2006, M1 also recorded a solo album titled "Confidential". From the album, the song "'Til We Get There" was on the EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
video game NBA Live 2007. In 2007, stic.man released his own solo album titled "Manhood" with Boss Up Inc. / Traffic records. M-1 appears with ProfessorD.us, of the politically charged Hip Hop group The Dope Poet Society
The Dope Poet Society
The Dope Poet Society is a politically charged hip hop group from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Their music is characterized by clever and sometimes controversial lyrics. ProfessorD.us is the lead vocalist of the group, known for his tongue twisting, “rapid fire” rap style. The group has been active...
, on the track "Everything's Political" off the 2008 album THIRD WORLD WARriors Vol. 1. On the track, M-1 and ProfessorD.us trade verses in response to the question "why is your music always so political?". In 2008, Stic.Man appeared on "Changing Weather", the first single from Marcel Cartier's album "Revolutionary Minded 2".
Dead prez released a mixtape entitled "Pulse of the People: Turn Off Your Radio Vol. 3" on June 23, 2009. The mixtape is hosted by DJ Green Lantern
DJ Green Lantern
James D'Agostino , better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem to become the official DJ for Shady Records after DJ Head stepped down for undisclosed reasons...
. On Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
2010, dead prez released "The Beauty Within," a remix of B.o.B
B.o.B
Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. , better known by his stage name B.o.B, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is currently signed under the labels of Grand Hustle Records, Rebel Rock Entertainment, and Atlantic Records. His debut single "Nothin' on You" reached number one in both...
and Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
' #1 single "Nothin' On You
Nothin' on You
"Nothin' on You" is the debut single by American rapper B.o.B. The song features vocals from Bruno Mars. The song is included in B.o.B's debut studio album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. An official remix version of this song, which was featured by Big Boi, debuted on March 21, 2010...
." Additionally in 2010, dead prez released a mixtape with DJ Drama
DJ Drama
Tyree Cinque Simmons better known as DJ Drama is an American hip hop artist and the official DJ for Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist T.I.....
entitled Turn Off the Radio Vol. 4: Revolutionary But Gangsta Grillz. The album is available for free download on their website, and they announced this release was their ten year commemoration of their most well known and commercially successful album Let's Get Free.
Documentary
In June 2006, the cable movie network Starz InBlack began airing an original documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
called Dead Prez: It's Bigger Than Hip Hop directed by John Threat
John Threat
John Lee, a.k.a. John Threat used the name “Corrupt” as a member of Masters of Deception , a New York based hacker group in the early 90’s....
. The hour-long documentary featured live footage and interviews with dead prez, along with interviews from Kamel Bell, owner of Ankh Marketing and son of incarcerated Black Panther Herman Bell; Fred Hampton Jr., son of Black Panther Chief of Staff and spokesman Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton was an African-American activist and deputy chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party...
; Bay Area rapper and poet Ise Lyfe, and hip hop activist and radio personality Davey D. Among the topics discussed in the documentary are the inadequacies of the public education system, minority entrepreneurship and social revolution.
M1 stated, "We've never had the opportunity to express ourselves on this level of magnitude. Starz InBlack taking a chance on us lets us know that the work we are doing is not in vain. That our message is penetrating, it's getting through."
Discography
- 2000: Let's Get FreeLet's Get FreeLet's Get Free is the debut album by the political hip hop duo dead prez, released on February 8, 2000 on Loud Records.Critically acclaimed upon its first release, Let's Get Free was called a "return to politically conscious rap" and, "the most politically conscious rap since Public Enemy"; the...
- 2002: Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 1Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 1Turn off the Radio is a 2002 mixtape by political hip hop duo Dead Prez. It was released under the pseudonym DPZ due to a contractual conflict Dead Prez had with their former record label.-Track listing:#"Intro" – 0:56#"Turn off the Radio" – 2:59...
- 2003: Turn off the Radio: The Mixtape Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Tryin
- 2004: Revolutionary But GangstaRevolutionary But GangstaRBG: Revolutionary but Gangsta is a hip-hop album released by Dead Prez in 2004.RBG represents the traditional African colors of the UNIA, red, black, and green, which are featured on the album cover....
- 2008: Live in San Francisco
- 2009: Pulse of the People: Turn off the Radio Vol. 3 (with DJ Green Lantern)
- 2010: Turn Off the Radio Vol. 4: Revolutionary But Gangsta GrillzTurn Off the Radio Vol. 4: Revolutionary But Gangsta GrillzTurn Off the Radio Vol. 4: Revolutionary but Gangsta Grillz is a 2010 mixtape by political hip-hop duo Dead Prez. It celebrates the 10th year anniversary of "Let's Get Free", is the fourth of the "Turn Off the Radio" mixtape series and the first as a "Gangsta Grillz" which are released by DJ...
- 2011: Information Age