Ai-Que

Still riding high on the success of his recent single with Rolled Gold & Reef The Lost Cauze, "Nite Owl's Theme," Ai-Que AKA Ai-Que MCBoogie AKA "The Multi-faceted Rap Machine" has returned with his debut full-length, The American Dream. Ai-Que is a Philly-based emcee "heavily focused on the cultural impact and unification of global communities." Ai-Que also, moonlights as co-host of The BANGERS & MASH PODCAST (@bangersandmashtheshow) along with Ali Miller FKA Truck North of The Legendary Roots Crew. On the eve prior to The American Dream's Saturday, July 21st release, Ai-Que played a monumentous show with dead prez, Reef The Lost Cauze & DJ ANTLIVE at The Ardmore Music Hall hosted by D.R.E.S. Tha Beatnik. When asked what his greatest sources of inspiration and influence behind The American Dream were, Ai-Que stated he wanted to "create something that was sonically, more contemporary without compromising the integrity of the lyrics;" with the full intention from the get-go of making "an album that cohesively blended together [that] addressed our social climate and history, but people could play at night or going to the club, or before a game, or on a road-trip."
Diligently working with his go-to studio engineers, Ai-Que hand-selected beat stems from a slew of producers, including Eric Wortham, Aarun Simon, Thorn and E.N.O.N. Jacobs, as well as Ai-Que himself on "Escapism." "I picked beats that [sounded] like they could be on the radio. The projects I've released in the past have always been more Boom-Bap, whereas, this sounds like it was made in 2018," Ai-Que explained within an email to The Witzard. The American Dream has an underlying theme of social consciousness and political poignancy running through, similar stylistically, to "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" from Gil Scott-Heron's critically-acclaimed 1971 studio debut, Pieces of a Man. On his American Dream, Ai-Que is assisted by Arianna Cash on opener "The Savages," I-be4ever on "Cowboys&Indians," and his BANGERS & MASH PODCAST co-host Ali Miller (FKA Truck North) on appropriately-tilted Bonus Cut, "Bangers&Mash." The American Dream is available directly from Ai-Que's "Ai-Tunes," via PayPal for $11.00 or on Apple Music, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, TIDAL, and like-minded digital retailers. - The Witzard

The most ill, the most raw, the most authentic – this description fits The Gathering, the longest-running hip-hop event in Philadelphia. In a city where the rap scene is fractioned into small cliques, The Gathering has been providing a sense of unity and consistency since the mid-90s. Every last Thursday of the month, hip-hop heads from across the city, and sometimes the world, make their way over to The Rotunda located at 40th and Walnut to get in where they fit in. The event provides a space for breakdancers, DJs, graffiti artists and MCs to simultaneously show off their skills. It is an all-ages event that welcomes individuals of all skill levels, gender identities and backgrounds.

In 2016 The Gathering will be going into its 20th year of existence. Over time, origin story of The Gathering has become a sort of local hip-hop lore. The person who appears to have the best understanding of how The Gathering got its starts is one of its organizers, IB Forever. IB has been attending The Gathering since its start in 1996 back when it was just a couple of musicians getting together and jamming. “Circa 94 / 95, friends of mine – bohemian, hip-hop musician types, part of underground hip-hop collective named MomSug Dojo who had recently moved to West Philly/University City area – were always inviting me to jam sessions at their crib,” says IB. “Not a full out showcase I believe, no cover involved (initially) , more just a ‘gathering’ which eventually became the formal name.”

The Gathering | Photo by Josh Pelta-Heller | koalafoto.com
The Gathering | Photo by Josh Pelta-Heller | koalafoto.com
The event was very grassroots and spread via word-of-mouth, much like today. The fliers were black and white and hand-made; the growth of the event depended on messages sent through the grapevine. By the time 1996 rolled around, The Gathering moved to an unknown location on Locust Walk between 36th and 38th streets and shortly after Houston Hall, also on UPenn campus. B-Boys, B-Girls, MCs DJs and taggers found a home here where they could get busy with their craft with like minded individuals. In 2001 The Gathering set up shop at the Rotunda and has been there ever since.

Currently, in addition to IB, the production is organized by Ai-Que, Tray Digga, and Bryce McDowell. Every last Thursday of the month (with the exception of holidays like Thanksgiving that fall on the last Thursday of the month) the crew filters into The Rotunda from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. for the event. Cardboard for the breakers is laid out. DJs set up equipment, and finally participants and spectators add to the eclectic mix of individuals.

The Gathering serves as a hub for the four main elements of hip-hop – graffiti, breakdancing, MCing, and DJing. It makes sense since the city possesses deep hip-hop bloodlines. New York typically gets all of the credit, but Philadelphia is an underappreciated hip-hop Mecca. Philly is the home of the first graff artist – Darryl “Cornbread” McCray, the man who was infamous for sneaking into the Philadelphia Zoo and tagging an elephant. Philadelphia even originated the “Wildstyle” graffiti script. The city has birthed world renowned DJs and Rappers such Black Thought, DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Fresh Prince, State Property, and Matthew Law, who spent much of his early career as a DJ at the gathering.

The Gathering | Photo by Josh Pelta-Heller | koalafoto.com
The Gathering | Photo by Josh Pelta-Heller | koalafoto.com
“These are typically the broadest elements in terms of participation, and most easily observed,” explains Ai-Que. “If you participate in any of these elements, with the exception of graffiti writing, good chance is you’ve been to The Gathering – because that’s where the true students of the culture and elements go to participate and exhibit their skills and build. It’s huge in the bboy community as a reputable jam and somewhere you go if you want to rock with some of the best. MC’s get the opportunity to cipher with MCs that they typically don’t get to rhyme with. Its significance comes from bringing all of these elements under one roof so the participants can converse, network, and build with cats the don’t normally spend time with.”

On any given last Thursday of the month, someone can go to The Gathering and see some of the tightest pop locks and top rocks accenting classic break beats. Meanwhile rap cyphers are taking place on stage and tagging going on off to the side. The Gathering is a full-sensory experience.

“Your first time at The Gathering is mind-blowing,” says Tray Digga who has been down with the Gathering for over 5 years. “The cyphers are of many different styles of rap and will make anybody want to join in. The graffiti wall will amaze you and make you want to draw anything to be a part of it. The B-Boy circle will drive you into a frenzy – normal everyday people can do the stuff you see on TV and in movies. The mixes and cuts by the DJ’s will have wishing you could download this night to your iPod for a replay of memories.”

The Gathering | Photo by Josh Pelta-Heller | koalafoto.com
The Gathering | Photo by Josh Pelta-Heller | koalafoto.com
It is safe to say that The Gathering represents for the culture in the purest way possible. In the production of The Gathering and the experience itself, there is no ego involved that is often associated with hip-hop culture. Yes, the breakers battle each other and the rappers boast about how their flow is better than the next guy, but that is just part of the hip-hop aesthetic. At The Gathering there is a strong respect for the next person, their skill level, and what they have to offer to the culture.

Beyond that, the organizers understand that it can be easy and quite profitable for hip-hop to be packaged, consumed, and sold for mass consumption. And further, they understand that when hip-hop is for profit, the purity and original message of peace, unity and progress can be turned into something harmful.

“The Gathering is one of Philly’s best-kept secrets because we haven’t tried to monetize and exploit the culture,” says Ai-Que. “We want to maintain the integrity of the event so word of mouth is the primary means of promotion and with that, the benefit is only the right people know and they come. They bring people that love the culture and environment as much as we do.”

Although keeping The Gathering authentic is one of the top priorities for the team, they have in the past teamed up with Red Bull to produce the BC One 10 Cypher – an international Breakdancing Competition. The Gathering has set a high standard for traditional hip-hop so much so they they are recognized by multi-million dollar international organizations. It appears as if they have had the perfect balance between authenticity and notability. - WXPN The Key

“Differences are the reason we need each other.”

From top left: Joie Kathos, Chill Moody, Shawn Smith, The Bul Bey and Ai-Que honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | Provided
After With Philly being chock full of so many talented emcees, we thought it would be cool to pass them the mic, or in this case, the pen, to write a verse inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King. From West Philly's Chill Moody, The Bul Bey and Joie Kathos to Mt. Airy's Ai Que to Southwest Philly's Shawn Smith, these musical poets stepped up to the challenge of speaking their truth through the poetry of hip hop.

Joie Kathos
Instagram: @joiekathos

Power of thought
Comes with freedom of mind,
Decades later
that becomes hard to find,
When our media holds the keys that could reshape and define
how we should be,
It’s like my dreams and Martin Luther King’s intertwined,
Cause I don’t like the divide,
I think humanity is one,
Middle finger to Donald Trump,
His intentions really suck
Cause the worst thing to do is make humans feel different,
not keep them uplifted,
suppressing the truly gifted,
not acknowledging the worth of life is neglect,
keeping people oppressed is like living a slow death.
Racism is alive
and we still protest
we praise a speech about a dream, but has it come alive yet?
‘Cause now in 2018,
we see all the same things
that our ancestored slaved for
that our grandparents seen.
What they show on tv looks like 1963.
Everybody got excited
to hear Martin Had A Dream.
There was hope that unity
was in our near future,
But the powers that be
made separation more useful.
So freeing one’s mind is so crucial,
We are all one,
so let the power of love use you.

Chill Moody
Instagram: @chillmoody

You see I come from a place that’s built on hope, lately it’s hard to get inspired.
Police sirens drown the sound of a kid that’s crying.
Block’s hot, they tears frying. For years I’ve been trying,
growing sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Besides race there’s what is and what ain’t right.
In that case we should be fighting the same fight.
I tell them all lives matter and they combat that like all lives matter
and that’s the part of the chatter that’s gon' divert our attention
from the problem at hand, but understand that was part of their plan.
There’s too much hate where I’m from. We don’t want the evil,
we just wanna be equal. For once to be treated like one of the people
the way it’s wrote and I quote, and justice for all – fine print, no justice for y’all.
It’s time to rewrite wrongs, rewrite laws, do more than recite songs
until that time comes, we fight on together.

The Bul Bey
Instagram: @thebulbey

You can't knock the hustle
Compartmentalize the struggle
Try to rewrite a dream this whole thing wasn't for you
I mean what if I told you
Martin was more Megan Malachi and less Oprah
Please don't get it twisted — he's not a child for your poster
He was the resistance running miles with the soldiers
I mean the most important people in the history of this country is us.
How are we to heart of the city but the face of the slums?
Predicated on the fact our skin tone look like we came from the Sun?
They don't think the point is poignant enough. They disappointed we pointing the finger but you're pointing a gun.
And grab the brush — don't let them paint your picture.
They won't hesitate to call you a delinquent.
Distort the image, flip the scripture and call it religion.
But you know I beg to differ though.
Breaking down the science so you can see the division though.
They walk the fine line of love and hate but moving pigeon-toed.

Ai Que
Instagram: @ai_que

Dreams deferred and blanket statements
Define impatience,
When it’s been years of waiting,
the sweetest fragrance,
Is peace, prosperity, understanding traditions,
And honoring cultures fighting injustice but what’s the difference,
Between a brother who loves his brother or sisters of different colors?
Love undercover, differences are the reasons we need each other.
The necessities are basic, placed in stranger places, stranger’s faces, look for empathy, and timidly revert to racist.
Fear of the unknown preys on ignorant minds, spreading like viruses, transmutation of generations over time.
So now what’s yours is mine, and all of our problems have combined, tangled us and kept us stagnant so long we’re on decline,
if history repeats itself, you would be scared as I.
I will be all I can be, all change starts with we, I honor Dr. King’s legacies because we deserve the autonomy, and who’s to say the price to pay, or what’s a worthy fee, in America,
the land of the free?

Shawn Smith
@shawnsmiththeory

We need a Martin Luther King today to teach us some guidance,
‘Cause these celebrities who usually in the media silent,
Like we ain’t see how reaching for wallets is leading to violence,
Industry keeping them rich; it ain't no reason to comment,
Promised a reasonable balance to agree to keep to smiling,
Closing schools, tryna keep us from receiving the knowledge,
To keep us lenient, believing we succeeding from malice,
The cops love to scream stop resisting,
But what they really mean is stop existing,
And we ain't even got a pot to piss in,
All we preaching out is our black lives matter,
But then they slay and make our black lives madder,
Where the body footage? Why won't they just give us the proof?
‘Cause they rather give us the noose for having Skittles and juice,
Every time some footage leak off on ‘em, They either trying to book or T-off on us,
Work on keeping stable, remain with scrilla,
If we ever Abel, the Cain will kill us,
Drama would always pick up, Barbershop 3,
it's too Common to line our kids up,
Sad to really say it but we're still on stealth,
They take away opportunities to fulfill our wealth,
And put in front of us -- the tools we need to kill ourselves,
This inferior mindset is what we have to defeat,
So we won’t be a victim of the trigger-happy police,
Throwing tantrums without a cause, we seeing death,
With our hands up inside of cars, they see as threats,
Dirty cops is frauds, what law do we respect?
They tried to plant something on my dog like Chia Pets,
We all know that’s a dangerous battle,
Still there ain’t no way to tattle, I
t’s our words against their words like it’s a game of Scrabble,
At the end of the day, We know who really bang the gavel. - metro.us