Erik Andrade awarded Official Resolution by New Bedford City Council

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On Thursday night January 22nd, 2014 the New Bedford City Council presented Erik Andrade of La Soul Renaissance with an Official Resolutions in recognition of organizing the 2nd Annual La Soul Renaissance New Bedford Martin Luther King, Jr. “Children’s March & Teach-In” in collaboration and followed up with a day of service at GiftsToGive.

The recognition was presented by Ward 4 City Councillor Dana Rebeiro on behalf of the New Bedford City Council and the entire citizenry of city. Erik used the opportunity to speak truth to those whom are empowered and to speak to the entire city in hopes to create continued change. His speech was dedicated to Javon Brown, Ayah DeBarros-Andrade, Eric Garner & his children, and all children in our communities.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_qVGe8W-c

 

 

“Dance With Her Ego” by Erik Andrade

“Dance With Her Ego”

They used to say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet, truly I learned the eye is a liar, as I got older. See, the soul should be the sole controler of what we behold. Because truth be told all that shines is not gold and things unrefined in time grow mold or rust. So this time I find, I am more inclined towards trust. See I rather love than lust. And trust there is no rush to touch, because too much is concealed by skin. Besides I am more concerned with how she feels within.

Deep beneath her surface, blind to the eye, I try to see inside. To see “Is she nervous? Scared of herself?  Absent of purpose? Lacking of love with too much pride?” A beautiful ugly, she hides inside. See, she feels she is worthless. So, loving her becomes just as worthless. Till she begins to work to unearth her hurt and rebirth her purpose. See it is time to wake up, take off your make up. Because you could be fake but what is the reason? See it is time to let these walls fall just like the Season.

“Dance with Her Ego” by Erik Andrade Featuring Steven DaCosta on piano

 

#BlackLivesMatter New Bedford Protest- Erik Andrade & FREE Download Link

Many thanks to the organizers of #BlackLivesMatter New Bedford Protest for the great job organizing a powerful and peaceful protest in Downtown New Bedford, MA.  The event was well attended and positive step in the direction of challenging and confronting the injustice and racism in America’s political, judicial, and police departments.  It truly was great to see so many Greater  New Bedford Area community members out showing solidarity and speaking truth to power.

Above is a video clip from the protest and set to  Erik Andrade of La Soul Renaissance’s  and producer Doc Lek of P.H.A.S.S Food first draft production of “I Can’t Breathe” (for Eric Garner). The body of art features a sample of Nina Simone singing Billie Holiday’s Civil Rights song “Strange Fruit” it also contains audio segments of the video of Eric Garner’s last words.

The first draft of the song is available for free download on Erik Andrade’s SoundCloud Page (here).

Fellow Artist, emcees, poets, singers, DJs, producers, musicians, videographers please note: This open creative soundscape offered to you to co-create, share, or use. There is  plenty of space for other artists to respond to the song.

The goal in releasing this is to inspire other artists to download, record, and post their own responses and additions to the track. Whether the response is via a verses, a poem, a speech, added instrumentation, remixed production, a video, etc. it is most welcomed and appreciated.Art and culture is one of our most powerful weapons we have to combat the mind virus of racism lets create together.

 

 

 

Erik Andrade- Biography

Erik Andrade is a Cape Verdean and Irish American artist from Providence, Rhode Island now living in New Bedford, Massachusetts. A renaissance man, Erik is a published poet, spoken word performance poet, event & conference planner, web developer, fashion designer, online radio host and personality, radio disc jockey, videographer & editor, graphic designer, motivational & keynote speaker, social entrepreneur, non-profit program manager, community organizer, social justice & civil rights activist, community service project planner, feature film associate producer, poetry script writer, voice actor, creative advisor, small business owner, and the founding member of La Soul Renaissance. Erik Andrade is available for booking at: LaSoulRenaissanceBooking@Gmail.com

Erik is a 2014 SouthCoast Emerging Leader Nominee recognized for the passion, advocacy, and commitment he brings to the SouthCoast Community. This recognition was given to Erik by a collaborative panel consisting of The SouthCoast Media Group, New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership SouthCoast, Charlton College of Business at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth, SouthCoast Business Bulletin and South Coast Young Professionals Network.

As a performance artist Erik was awarded 2012 SouthCoast Music Awards Poet of the year. He has opened up and shared the stage with Mos Def, Sonia Sanchez, Everett Hoagland, Askia Toure, Climbing PoeTree, Wise Intelligent, Dead Prez, Masta Ace, Killah Priest, Ursula Rucker, Jessica Care Moore, Foundation Movement, Dirty Durdie, Caliph, Sofia Snow, Ashley Rose, Christopher Johnson, Rudy Rudacious, E the Poet Emcee, Jared Paul, Marlon Carey, Matt Ganem, Saul Williams, Masta Ace, Jean Grae,  Akura Naru, Shiesty L, Batchart, Jamaal St. John, Chance Acevedo, Rainmaker, Matt Ganem, Candida Rose, Fred Ho, Royal Hartigan, Andy Mcwain, Grand Army, and many more.

Erik has presented nationally and internationally touring the Islands of Cabo Verde, Africa. With experience performing  at music & poetry venues, college campuses, slam poetry competitions, high schools, community organizations, conferences, cultural festivals, rallies, and protests for intimate gathering and large showcases with audiences of 3,000 plus. Some highlight performances include:

Erik’s poetry has been featured and published on 14 studio albums:

  1. Foundation Movement album Greatest Album 2006 Best Hip Hop Album New England Urban Music Awards
  2. Afrika Rainbow “Identidadi” 2014
  3. The Egalitarian Ensemble  “Confronting the Dragon” scheduled for release in 2015.
  4. Medusah Black “Soular System” 2014
  5. Saturday Morning Cartoon Mixtape” by 3rd Society Entertainment 2014
  6. Sheisty L “Shiestology 3” 2013
  7. Thought Crime Infinite “Universal Consciousness” 2012
  8. Nas “From Nigger to Godson Fix Hate Tape Volume I, 2009
  9. Nas “From Nigger to Godson Fix Hate Tape Volume II, 2009
  10. New Bedford Hip Hop Club’s “The Secret Is Out” 2006
  11. Beatnick “Speak Easy” 2006
  12.  Junior’s “Inside” 2005
  13. Busted Fro “Lost and Found” 2005
  14. First Be “The Essence of Omnipresence” , 2004

Erik Andrade is also working on a music and spoken word EP and his first solo album both scheduled for release in 2015.

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Erik Andrade -Parting Ways Museum of African American & Cape Verdean American Ethnohistory Veterans Day Presentation

Video clip from Erik Andrade of La Soul Renaissance’s presentation at “Parting Ways” Museum of African American & Cape Verdean American EthnoHistory, Inc. Veterans Day event on Tuesday November 11, 2014 at the First Parish of Plymouth Universal Unitarian Church. The day was honoring Cato Howe, Plato Turner, Prince Goodwin, Quamony Quash–four patriots, four stories, four young African-American men. One a free man, two former slaves, and one who fought for his country’s liberty while still enslaved. All four were veterans of the American Revolution. The town of Plymouth granted these four patriots land near the Kingston border in an area known as Parting Ways. Howe, Turner, Goodwin, and Quash left behind a legacy. The New Guinea Settlement they founded survived into the early 20th century.

The day also featured  Reverend Ed Hardy of First Parish Universal Unitarian Church, Robert Treat Paine Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution, The Freemasons, U.S. Representative Bill Keating, State Senator Vinny deMacedo, Ron E. Armstead Executive Director of Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust,  Mrs. Christine Arato of United States Department of Interior’s National Park Service, keynote speaker Dr. Mark Attucks descendent of Crispus Attucks, poetry presentation by Erik Andrade of La Soul Renaissance, and closing remarks from Eddie L. Johnson president of Parting Ways Museum of African American & Cape Verdean American Ethnohistory, Inc.

 


Filmed & marketed by Marques Houtman of Urban International Media Group

“They Tried to Bury Me” by Erik Andrade

This video  from a short poem “They Tried to Bury Me”.  I wrote this piece this morning.  It was inspired by Mexican Proverb I read on FaceBook friend Marcy Depina page. The quote read “They tried to bury us, They didn’t know we were seeds”

they tried to bury me
beneath the dirt
of hurt
but like seeds in Earth
I am rooted in a force
that no external source
can hold back
throw mud
but with love
grow back
like seeds of grain
coded in DNA strain
that shell crack
code download
in roots
as for truth
plants eventually
flower and fruit
attracted to seek
light
we are like seeds
of life
as god

as God IS
both Goddess
as is
in Isis
all life is divine
so this burial is fine
I’ll resurrect in time

Copyright Erik Andrade, La Soul Renaissance

November 19, 2014

 

Haitian-American Poet ROYALE L’RADIN performing Saturday Oct 25th at La Soul Renaissance: “The Harvest of the Soul”

La Soul Renaissance is happy to announce Haitian American Poet, Author, and Motivational Speaker Royale L’radin will be performing at  La Soul Renaissance “The Harvest of the Soul” – Spoken Word & Music Celebration Saturday October 25th from 6pm – 10pm at the celebration of Marion Institute’s 10th Annual Connecting For Change Conference in New Bedford. The Conference expects thousands of attendees from all over the country and some international guest. Royale will be performing at beginning of the night and is a wonderful addition to an amazing line up.

 

Royale L’Radin is a scholar of spoken word poetry, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Philosopher and Mentor for young Kings and Queens.  Royale L’Radin has embarked on a journey to motivate and to inspire the masses. Especially the youth coming from broken homes just like him by teaching these individuals the importance of change, discipline, structure and daily routines that will take them one step closer to their goals and life purposes.

 “I’m on a revolution to inspire, on purpose” – Royale L’Radin

 

Foundation Movement to perform Sat Oct 25th at La Soul Renaissance “The Harvest of Soul”

With an already amazing line up set for La Soul Renaissance’s “The Harvest of the Soul” Saturday October 25th, 2014 6pm- 10pm  celebration of the 10th Annual Connecting for Change conference featuring Climbing PoeTree, Ashley Rose, Christopher Johnson, Caliph, Chachi Carvalho, Medusah Black, Rudy Rudacious, Shiesty L, Erik Andrade, The Overflowing Cup Project, Dj Anghelli, and painter Joshuah Letourneau La Soul Renaissance is blessed and honored to announce that the award winning international artists, activist, educators, and Boston based hip hop group The Foundation Movement will also be perform at La Soul Renaissance’s show. The show is all ages, free with Connecting for Change ID or $10 general public, and will be in outdoor tent 635 Purchase St, Downtown New Bedford.

Foundation Movement Biography
On February 27, 2003, the City of Boston declared the day Foundation Day. The City of Boston not only honored the group for their musical talent, but also recognized Foundation Movement for their commitment to the community and for making positive changes in a city with a history of violence, racism, segregation, and political corruption. The Foundation Movement has also been honored by the Urban Music Awards with the award for Best Hip Hop Group, the M.I.C. Hip Hop Awards with the award for Performer of the Year, and the Survivors of Violence with a Community Star Award.Foundation Movement members; Eroc and Optimus are a diverse group of artists with origins from Puerto Rico and Liberia who met in Boston and united to form the group. This cultural fusion, as well as their experiences growing up in Boston, has influenced The Foundation Movement’s music. Not another rap group with watered down lyrics, and messages of misogyny and materialism. They’re committed to addressing issues of injustice and oppression, while also entertaining crowds with hot beats and relevant lyrics.Foundation Movement has performed at local clubs, open mics, college campuses, high schools, and rallies and protests, for crowds of 30 to 30,000. In the short time the group has been together, Foundation Movement has shared the stage with KRS-One, Rakim, Angela Davis, The Last Poets, Noam Chomsky, X-Clan, Dead Prez, The Coup, C.L. Smooth, Pharoahe Monch, Greg Nice, Michael Franti/Spearhead, Saul Williams, Edo.g, Medusa, Howard Zinn, Wise Intelligent/Poor Righteous Teachers, Soulfege, Lee Wilson, Supernatural, Billy Bragg, Mr. LIF and Amiri Baraka.

The Foundation Movement was the only international group invited to perform with the Cuban Hip-Hop All-stars at the closing of the 9th Annual Hip-Hop Festival and Conference in Cuba for a crowd of over 20,000. Internationally, Foundation Movement has also performed in Canada, Europe, Bahamas, Japan, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Israel and Palestine.

Chosen as Boston’s Best Hip Hop Act in the Improper Bostonian’s Best of Boston Issue, the Foundation Movement continues to be one of Bostons top Hip-Hop acts, with songs crafted with creativity and balance.

 

Foundation Movement

 

Medusah Black to perform at La Soul Renaissance “The Harvest of Soul” Saturday Oct 25th

La Soul Renaissance is excited to announce that artist, activist, educator Medusah Black will be performing at the La Soul Renaissance “Harvest of the Soul” after party at No Problemo downtown New Bedford Saturday Oct 25th, 2014 from 10pm – 1am. The after party will be following the La Soul Renaissance “Harvest of the Soul” celebration of the 10th Annual Connecting for Change Conference. The after party is 21+ and Free

When most people think about the mythical monster Medusa, they often envision an image of a terrifying creature with scary snake hair and eyes so powerful, they turn anyone who catches their gaze into stone. While this is historically accurate, historians and music fans alike are now shifting their ideas about what and who Medusa is in present time.

Medusah Black: a monstrous female MC who hails from Rhode Island equipped with a gruesome flow and venomous lyrics to match. Not only is Medusah Black a monster MC but she is also a singer-songwriter, studio engineer, choreographer, hip hop educator, and community organizer.

Medusah Black is also the co-founder of the RI Hip Hop Union and the Director of After-school Programming at As220 Youth; a free arts education program in Providence, Rhode Island.

Medusah Black has released 2 solo mixtapes “My BiPolar Beauty Vol 1” and “Soular System” and has collaborated lyrically and from an engineering standpoint on 6 other albums. She has performed and hosted on more than 100 different stages and has been nominated twice for Best Female MC by Flipside Radio.  Medusah Black received 2013 “Making An Impact” award from Rhyme Culture Rhode Island and was  featured Providence at 2014  Foo Fest, music festival downtown Providence.
Look out for Medusah Black’s album “No Mercy” set to drop at the beginning on 2015.
Medusah Black