B. Smith - Whatever You Do, Do It With Style

by Richard Ivory

If you are ever in Washington, DC, and in search of a nice place to eat without the huge price tag, check out B. Smith’s at Union Station. The restaurant is named after its owner Barbara (”B.”) Smith who is a restaurant entrepreneur . She was also the TV host of “. B. Smith with Style”, which use to air on NBC stations around the country. According to media outlets, NBC carried the show into the homes of more than 90% of the population and in 40 different Countries.

It was while watching these shows that I first heard about B-Smith and the awesome work she was doing. I remember thinking to myself while watching her show “Now here’s a woman who understands the American dream”. B. Smith, unlike many other black owned restaurants, was able to transcend the traditional label of being “a Black enterprise” to being simply an “American enterprise”.

Recently, a few friends and I had the opportunity to visit one of her restaurants (she has 3) located in DC’s Historic Union Station. When we walked into the entrance, we were immediately struck by the glamour of the restaurant’s interior design.According to the restaurant’s website it features a combination of Cajun, Creole and Southern Cuisine and has a 30-foot ceiling, period chandelier, and is a national landmark. Of course, the beauty of the place was only surpassed by both its delicious food and courteous service.

If you want to have a nice time out on the town when in the Washington DC Area, B. Smith’s owned by B. Smith is the place to visit.

Location:Union Station50 Massachusetts Avenue, NEWashington, DC 20002 (map)Phone: (202) 289-6188Fax: (202) 289-6199

HoursMon-Thu 11:30am to 3:00pm,5:00pm to 9:00pmFri 11:30am to 3:00pm,5:00pm to 10:00pmSat Noon to 3:00pm,5:00pm to 10:00pm Sun 11:30am to 9:00pm

B. Smith Enterprises Web Site

At Home With B. Smith Furniture

Richard Ivory is the Publisher of HipHopRepublican.com, a centrist blog that delves into urban issues from the Republican/Libertarian perspective. He has worked on over a dozen political campaigns around the country and has worked for both the Republican National Committee and was the College outreach director for Republican Youth Majority.

HipHopRepublican.com Launches New Online Radio

The Political & Music Blog Hip Hop Republican.com is pleased to announce the launch of its new online political & Music radio show The Andrew Simmon Show. The show is HHR blogs weekly online podcast which will consist of interviews and opinions. The show will feature various points of views and will conduct interviews with politicians and musicians.

Andrew Simon - Host

Andrew Simon who will be running the HHR blogs weekly online podcast will consist of interviews and opinions. Andrew Simon is a young black Canadian conservative and former Vice President 2004-2006 of the Campus Conservatives at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alta. He has worked and volunteered for Lee Richardson, a Member of Parliament Calgary, Alta.

Between 2002-2005 Andrew organized a program focused on underprivileged communities in which, in exchange for volunteering to share a skill, tutor, or mentor, low income adults and their children were eligible to go to lessons taught from any other member of the initiative at no cost.

Andrew Simon has won over 40 public speaking awards including the World Independent Schools Public Speaking Champion and the Optimist International Public Speaking Champion award. His public speaking expertise has earned him considerable awards and recognition, including numerous international public speaking championships.

The show will have as its first guest this week author & Manhattan Institute Fellow John McWhorter & "Lenny McAllister who will be on air this Sunday at 5PM Eastern Standard Time!"

Exclusive Interview with : "Lenny McAllister on his new book "Diary of a Mad Young Mad Black Conservative" Andrew Simon host of Hip Hop Republican Radio will launch its new radio blog show this Sunday speaking with HHR contributor Lenny McAllister. The two will be covering some of work on HHR, discussion on the influence of black republicans in the GOP, messages moving forward, and his new book project."

Exclusive Interview with : "Losing the Race" Author & Manhattan Institute Fellow John McWhorter "Next Friday on Hip Hop Republican's Blog Talk Radio, we are very happy to be able to have linguist, thinker and writer on race in America Dr. John McWhorter. McWhorter's books have been featured on the New York Times best seller list, and has featured numerous times on Fox News, Meet the Press, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, among countless others. His latest book, All About the Beat: Why Hip Hop Can't Save Black America, guarantees he'll be a guest you won't want to miss on Hip Hop Republican Blog Talk Radio!"

Music Review: Chrisette Michele’s “Epiphany”

By Javier E. David

Chrisette Michele, the immensely talented R&B chanteuse with a versatile yet powerhouse voice, has been something of a difficult sell to mainstream audiences. One might argue that this jazz-tinged singer’s career has been hampered by a mercurial music industry that more than often not, tends to rewards oversexed pop-tarts with wafer-thin vocal abilities (no offense, Ciara http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=243418]).

Despite the disappointing commercial success of her stylish debut album “I Am,” a setback that might have caused a different singer to conform to mainstream tastes in order to move units, Michele remained true to her abilities, and in the process hit the ball clean out of the park with her latest effort “Epiphany”. This near-flawless album showcases what distinguishes Michele from many of her peers, yet simultaneously captures the frustration of some music aficionados with an industry that tends to cannibalize talent such that demonstrated by this particular artist.

Michele experienced a career milestone and a dubious distinction this week, when “Epiphany” hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, but simultaneously setting a record for the least number of copies sold by a new release to reach that position.

Though blessed with a soulful and unique voice and the backing of some music industry heavyweights - she’s collaborated with Ne-Yo and Jay-Z, who once helmed Michele’s label, Def-Jam - Michele’s relatively limited commercial success is a testament to how inexplicably fickle music listeners can be (and in the same vein, how clueless some record industry executives can appear when choosing which talent to market).

The formula for “Epiphany” differs from her debut album by striking a perfect balance between radio-ready riffs with ear-grabbing hooks, while not burying Michele’s killer voice with hyper-produced boom-baps - or for that matter, reducing the singer to the insipid cooing one might expect of vocalists with lesser talent.

In a recent interview with Newsday, Michele herself acknowledged the variance between “Epiphany” and her first album. “It’s different because it ventured into Urbansville, definitely bobbed my head really hard this time, and definitely got involved with the hip-hop element of who I am,” the Patchogue, N.Y.-native told an interviewer.

Unlike “I Am,” which showcased Michele’s classy vocals and her old, jazz-influenced soul, “Epiphany” is a collection of contemporary and rhythmic songs designed to make listeners jump out of their seats and dance, coupled with ballads that tug at the heart-strings. On tracks such as the title track and “Mr. Right” (this reviewer’s personal favorite), Michele can tell it like it is; but can strike a more evocative tone with songs like “Notebook” and “Blame it on Me”, when she croons about standard romantic fare and its ensuing heartbreak.

“Porcelain Doll”, a song from “Epiphany” where Michele asserts her strength by imploring a lover not to treat her as anything less than a “full grown woman,” almost perfectly captures the conundrum of her career. Here is a songstress whose strong and distinctive voice sets her apart from most other young female vocalists, yet she’s infantilized by an industry that doesn’t quite know what to do with her.

Hopefully, Michele’s professional growth will inspire a host of would-be listeners to experience an “Epiphany” of their own, and perhaps even give her first album a second look.

Sure bets:

“Notebook”
“Playin’ Our Song”
“Mr. Right”
“Porcelain Doll”

Javier E. David is a native New Yorker and a contributor to HipHopRepublican.com. He writes about various subjects including popular culture, entertainment, business, finance and public policy for sites such as Parcbench.com and Examiner.com. He is a U.S. Army veteran who has worked on Wall Street and as a reporter for the international news agency Reuters. Fluent in Spanish, Javier is an avid sports fan and enjoys literature, music (especially independent hip-hop and soul), movies, good food and wine, and is also a self-confessed comic-book geek.

Shinobi Ninja: Taking Over the World, One Sweaty Rock Circus at a Time

By: Angela Severiano

A few weeks back I had the privilege of seeing Shinobi Ninja perform live at Webster Hall. Barely being able to move through the packed venue I was thoroughly impressed on how this Indie Rap-Rock group has the following that most Major Label Artists today don’t.

The set feels like “Sublime and the Beastie Boys swinging a wrecking ball through CBGB’s” (Mergent Music Magazine Jan 09)

With their debut EP “Brooklyn to Babylon” recently self-released, Shinobi Ninja has been filling venues all over the New York area and up and down the East Coast.

“We are children of the 80’s and we love metal, grunge and hip-hop, and we love to party and have fun,” the band says, answering questions like they play music: as an inseparable team. “It’s only natural that the music has bombastic drums, tons of guitars, rapping alongside rock and R&B melodies with a DJ slicing the crowd to pieces.”

Fate or happenstance brought these eclectic musicians to the same NYC Hells Kitchen recording Studio in 2008, where they formed Shinobi Ninja. The Band is the progeny of Singers Dave Aaron and Baby Girl, Guitarists Maniac Mike and Adriano Morez, Drummer Terminator Dave and DJ Axis.

What I found unique in watching this group is that they are all stars, but equally share the spotlight on and off the stage. “We all respect each other as musicians and we feed off each other’s energy.” They are a combination of songwriters, studio musicians, producers, dancers and battle dj’s. This “Voltron-esque” rock group is bound by a party lifestyle and a love of music that creates an original sound with an explosive and entertaining live show to back it.

Lyrically reminiscent of a house party in Brooklyn circa 1994, the band makes a nod to the old school while remaining in touch with their inner fiesta, fun craving personalities and un-tethered desire.


Prior to forming Shinobi Ninja, each of its members had respective careers in the music industry. Dave Aaron and Adriano Morez both produced and engineered at Progressive Studios, an Eden of music and personalities, which regularly collided fierceness with blind passion and the NYPD. Dave Aaron has a catalogue of diverse tracks with some of today’s top Artist, several of his productions landing him on the charts. Baby Girl is a celebrity dancer and singer for various major label artists such as Ricky Martin, Diddy, Cassie and Santigold. Twin brothers Maniac Mike and Terminator Dave ran The Sound Machine, a recording studio where they produced their projects and the work other eclectic NYC Indie artists. Dave has performed regularly all over the east coast with DJ Axis, an accomplished battle and club DJ.

Quickly buzzing in NYC for their mega high-energy live performances, you can check this band at its next show this Monday June 1st at 8:00 PM at the Legendary Blender Theatre (127 East 23rd Street)

With an immense response from the New York community Shinobi Ninja has one goal in sight, “taking over the world, one sweaty rock circus at a time.”

For more Shinobi Ninja & upcoming shows:

http://www.shinobininja.com/


www.youtube.com/shinobininjamusic

www.twitter.com/ShinobiNinja

Angela Severiano is a songwriter, performer, and political contributor currently living in New York City, New York. She is a music and pop culture writer for the blog HipHopRepublican.com.

Obama’s Opportunity

By John Wilson

When I watched Obama’s speech at the National Archives, it occurred to me that Obama has an opportunity that he is not willing to truly invest in. Instead of embracing the reality that fear has altered our culture and fueled an intense debate questioning the limits of one’s right to privacy, due process and a fair trial vs. one’s basic assumption that the police power of the government is capable of protecting them, Obama defers to the status quo. He expounds on mistakes that the Bush administration made, the ad hoc legal system they proposed and mended on the fly, and the ‘realities’ of terrorism. He profoundly states that, “[terrorism] will be here 5, 10, and 20 years from now”. Understandably so. But that isn’t the only reality Americans deserve to hear.

Obama goes on to say “Let me begin by disposing of one argument as plainly as I can: we are not going to release anyone if it would endanger our national security, nor will we release detainees within the United States who endanger the American people”. But how can a determination such as that be made before all the detainees have been tried? If detainees are not going to be released regardless of the trial decision, then what’s the purpose of the trial?

Amongst the five categories that Obama outlines for the handling of detainees, there are two trial options. One in federal court, the other by military commission. No detainee in his right mind would choose a trial by military commission over a federal court. Not when a federal court assumes a detainee to be innocent until proven guilty - just like any other suspect - and provides more guaranteed protections and privileges. But that decision won’t be made by detainees, it’ll be made by the federal government. By having the option of venue the government is able to utilize evidence as they see fit - justice be damned.

Another reality is that Obama isn’t currently prepared to fully question the Bush enemy combatant policy. If he were, he would have to ask questions that no one really wants to hear an answer to, including himself.

Questions such as: if a suspected terrorist is acquitted at trial or a military commission and set free, then commits a deadly act of terrorism, who will have blood on their hands? Would the public hold Obama responsible? Or would the public be content with having granted a suspect their constitutional right to a fair trial, clothed in a presumption of innocence?

Would the police power of the government use a ridiculously broad definition of what constitutes terrorism to ensnare those suspected of much lesser crimes, if so, who would be responsible? (Let’s not forget that the Terror Watch List which prevents persons from boarding airplanes in this country has over 1 million people on it. That’s just the beginning of what we are likely to see in the future). Overly broad and expansive powers being misused for the “right” reasons. So, frankly, even if you are a supporter of Obama’s you should be leery of the proposal’s unprecedented aggregation of power. Long after he leaves office such power will reside in the executive branch.

Better yet, who can right the wrongs? While the Supreme Court has been willing to hear and rule on some recent terrorism cases, notably Rasul v. Bush (03-334) 542 U.S. 466 (2004) , Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 124 S. Ct. 2633, 2648 (2004), and Rumsfeld v. Padilla, 542 U.S. 426 (2004), it’s still questionable how far the Court is willing to challenge the executive branch and Congress, especially in a time of ‘war’. Researchers at Duke Law School have concluded that historically “[t]he willingness of the Supreme Court to protect civil liberties in times of war has varied”. Ex Parte Milligan, 71 U.S. 2 (1866), included a petitioner bringing suit alleging a military commission did not have proper authority to try him. Jurisprudence trumped fear and he subsequently won and was tried in Circuit Court.

Obama has an opportunity to pose such questions and reassure Americans that the constitution has indeed done battle with analogous issues in a similar context. Terrorism didn’t start with 9/11, and we shouldn’t bury the Bill of Rights with the victims of it. If Obama isn’t willing to utilize this opportunity to transition from a fear-focused doctrine to a freedom-centered one, this opportunity will surely define him. The legacy of “prolonged detention” will be his and his alone.

John S. Wilson attends Virginia Commonwealth University with a triple major in economics, sociology, and women’s studies. He blogs at Policy Diary, contributes to Hip-Hop Republican.com, and serves as a regular contributor to PolicyNet, where he writes about domestic and foreign affairs. He recently served as a legislative fellow in the office of the Honorable David Englin (D) of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Interview with Julian Marley & New Album “Awake”

In a interview with HipHopRepublican, Marley says Awake underscores his growing
sophistication as a musician and producer who knows exactly what he wants from
his music.

By Javier E. David

We live in an unsettled world riveted by social turmoil, economic crises and political uncertainty. But with his new album, Awake, Julian Marley wants listeners to respond to his vision of optimism, positivity, and social engagement.

The title track neatly encapsulates the album’s central message and the artist’s intent, as Julian Marley sings passionately about “minds [remaining] in shackles, and exhorts the public to “open up your eyes and see” the upheaval in the surrounding world. Like most traditional reggae, the songs on Awake are suffused with the usual suspects of love, social phenomenon and spirituality - all of which Marley uses as a rhetorical hook to draw in his audience.

Awake is the third studio album by Julian Marley - the son of legendary Reggae singer Bob Marley - in which he aims to showcase his evolution as a musician. The album itself is a strong effort by the artist that illustrates the Marley family’s penchant for relaxed, hypnotic rhythms, with songs that make great additions to any summer playlist.

In a recent wide-ranging interview with HipHopRepublican, Marley said Awake underscores his growing sophistication as a musician and producer who knows exactly what he wants from his music.

“On the other two albums I was still learning…now I know a little bit more,” Marley stated in a telephone conversation from Miami, where he was promoting Awake. He emphasized the album’s ecumenical ambitions, adding that “there is something for everyone on this album; take away whatever reaches out to you.”

And Awake certainly gives Julian Marley the opportunity to show how much of his deceased father’s son he truly is. The songs feature the similarly soothing falsetto voice that recalls the elder Marley, and continues in that musical legacy with emotive lyrics suffused with socio-economic overtones and, of course, the occasional reference to that green leafy substance universally revered by Rastafarians and non-Rastas alike.

Old-school Reggae is noted for its charged social commentary, which often lack for the subtlety and nuance that would make such critiques more resonant and effective. Awake hews closely to this formula by eschewing the faddish, rap-influenced beats normally heard on the recordings of dancehall luminaries like Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer.

But move along ragga aficionados, for there are no dancehall rhythms to be found on Awake. Julian Marley’s style differs decisively from reggae’s more modern subgenres, which tend to be characterized by hip-hop-esque staccato vocals, light-speed electronic beats and sexually explicit content.

Perhaps the only exceptions to the old-school motif employed by Julian Marley on Awake come by way of up-tempo “All I Know”; the smooth ballad “Oh Girl” that features rapper Mr. Cheeks; and “Violence in the Streets,” a collaboration with this brother and fellow Reggae artist Damian. Particularly with his Grammy-winning 2005 album Welcome to Jamrock, which featured collaborations with hip-hop artists Nas and Black Thought, Damian’s own musical career has ventured into more modern Reggae territory.

While expressing his “love” for dancehall, Julian Marley emphasizes his own strong affinity for what he calls “the roots” of Reggae that preserves the genre’s rich history and traditions.

“Reggae music has its own statements: we can blend them but you have to keep its roots,” he said. “Hopefully we can give [other Reggae artists] the desire to create some new sounds.”


Javier E. David is a native New Yorker and a contributor to HipHopRepublican.com. He writes about various subjects including popular culture, entertainment, business, finance and public policy for sites such as Parcbench.com and Examiner.com. He is a U.S. Army veteran who has worked on Wall Street and as a reporter for the international news agency Reuters. Fluent in Spanish, Javier is an avid sports fan and enjoys literature, music (especially independent hip-hop and soul), movies, good food and wine, and is also a self-confessed comic-book geek.

Join The Network

Visit Hip-Hop Republicans

NEW SITE - http://hiphoprepublican.com/

NEW SITE - http://hiphoprepublican.com/

Republican Scholarships & Internships

If you are a Republican or person who supports free markets there are tons of scholarships out there for you. Below are groups that offer paid internships and scholarships. So if you are a college student or you plan to attend Grad school check out the great programs sponsored by The Intercollegiate Studies Institute & the Institute for Humane Studies. Here you will find tons of internships, scholarships to help you while pursing higher education.

Want to fly to LA and work on a feature film? Dig into a freedom-oriented, social-issue documentary? Help produce an upcoming television comedy? On the other hand, maybe you prefer CGI, animation or video game development.

The Institute for Humane Studies Production Internship Program places interns in all these areas at production companies during the fall, spring and summer.

Visit - http://www.theihs.org/ContentDetails.aspx?id=198


Want to Start a Libertarian or Republican Paper on Campus?

Visit - http://www.collegiatenetwork.org/

*Other Internship Programs*


IHS Journalism Internships

Paid print and broadcast journalism placements at daily newspapers and major media outlets across the country. Open to undergraduates, graduate students and recent graduates.

Visit - http://www.theihs.org/

*Production Internships*

Want to fly to LA and work on a feature film? Dig into a freedom-oriented, social issue documentary? Write side-by-side with a working Hollywood screenwriter or assist in the production of an upcoming television comedy? Apply for a paid production internship!

Visit - http://www.theihs.org/

*Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program*

Advance your career while advancing liberty! Participate in an intensive public policy internship at a DC or state-based organization through the Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program. Participants receive a stipend, workshops, furnished housing, and travel reimbursement.

Visit - http://www.theihs.org/

Each year the Collegiate Network offers paid summer internships and postgraduate, year-long fellowships at prominent media outlets to its most promising student journalists. For students seriously considering a journalism career, these positions offer writing opportunities at some of the nation's leading publications.

Visit - http://www.collegiatenetwork.org/internships