BLUE SCHOLARS in Colorado State University

NEW BLUE SCHOLARS EP, FREE DOWNLOAD, HAWAII TOUR

Everybody loves Hawaii. Few know better than Blue Scholars MC Geologic, having grown up in Honolulu in the 1980s and returning with the Scholars dj/ producer Sabzi last year to rock a sold-out homecoming show at Next Door. Love lingered in the air despite all the changes happening outside the sweaty, crackin' club. "Development" has paved over lush lands and displaced longtime locals, the US military continues its stranglehold on the islands, and tourism runs tings (into the ground). By and by, the people maintain, and Blue Scholars bore witness to life beyond the beaches and resorts.

OOF! is the story about the Hawaii that you don't see on TV: fish-fry BBQs in Waianae, native Hawaiians struggling for sovereignty, house parties on the Leeward side, uncles playing mah-jong on a lanai in Waipahu, a thriving independent hip-hop and fashion scene, on-air ciphers at KTUH, a room full of folks vibin' to a mean reggae song, young poets spitting fire into mics, grubbing on poke in the Foodland parking lot, whole neighborhoods leveled by the ice epidemic.

Many "mainlanders" go to Hawaii to get away. Blue Scholars went to get it in. They returned again six months later with a New Years Eve show and a handful of new tracks inspired by the first visit, soon to be released in the form of their most collaborative multi-media project yet: OOF! available August 25th. Blue Scholars partnered with painter, vinyl toy & skate deck artist, Angry Woebots (www.armyofsnipers.com who crafted a painting to go along with the lead song HI-808 which will be turned into a limited edition print and t-shirt. The painting was created at the influential Hawaii based surf & skate boutique brand IN4MATION (www.in4mants.com. The cover for OOF! was designed by one of Hawaii's premier photographers and historian of all things dope, Aaron Yoshino (Honozooloo / 5 to Life - www.honozooloo.com whose photos have documented Hawaiis subculture for several years. The video for Hi-808 was handled by The Island's premiere video production crew, Kai Media, who shot in and around Oahu (edited by Zia Mohajerjasbi). All these groups have come together to create the OOF! project which will be sold as a complete package online using Topsin Media widgets at Blue Scholars' and each project partners' websites, with the EP being available separately at all digital retail outlets.


Anchoring the project is the OOF! EP, featuring five new Blue Scholars tracks and 5 instrumentals. The minimalism of the intro song "Bananas" yields to the familiar complex lyricism and production of "HI-808," which documents the differences between the Hawaii Geo grew up in and the one he would later return to, laid over an 808-drum-dominated Sabzi masterpiece. Hello is a playful take on the escapism while New People is a truly original effort that almost treads dance music territory. "Cruz" is the duos ode to island life over

It's that time of year again - if you'd like Blue Scholars to perform at your school, tell your student activities folks to get in touch with us via The Agency Group at http://tinyurl.com/cvvpva.

Blue Scholars will rock a show and will also come to the classroom to talk about hip hop history, production and community action.

Thanks all,

Blue Scholars

Common Market (RA Scion and DJ/ Producer Sabzi) have a new album out this week called "Tobacco Road". Check out some reviews of the album at:

http://www.urb.com/features/1254/CommonMarketSnarelessinSeattle.php
http://www.spinmag.com/reviews/common-market-tobacco-road-hyena
http://www.dailycal.org/article/102531/common_market_tobacco_road_massline_

Pick up the album at iTunes, Amazon.com or your favorite local indie record store.

more info at www.myspace.com/commonmarket

MySpace is hosting an exclusive listening party for the new Common Market album at http://www. myspace. com/commonmarket

the album is also available exclusively at iTunes - and is already #17 on the iTunes hip hop/ rap chart

Common Market is RA Scion and DJ/ Producer Sabzi (also of Blue Scholars).
Check it now!

Blue Scholars and Common Market are headed to Denver during the DNC to take part in the historic progressive demonstrations during the Democratic National Convention. They will be performing at events put on by the Re-Create 68 Alliance and the Tent State Music Festival. All the info is below.


Sunday, August 24:
End the Occupations/End the War March & Rally 9am – 2pm - Blue Scholars play around 1:30 pm
West Steps of the State Capitol Building to the Pepsi Center (This will be Denver’s largest anti-war, anti-illegal occupations march and rally.
)

Speakers (Alphabetical): Ida Audeh – Palestinian Refugee, Kathleen Cleaver – Black Panthers, Ward Churchill – Long-time Author, Activist, and Scholar
Chairman Fred Hampton Jr.
– Prisoners of Conscience Committee, Larry Hales – World Worker’s Party, Larry Holmes – Troops Out Now Coalition, Ron Kovic – anti-war activist, veteran and author of Born On The Fourth of July, Cynthia Mckinney – Green Party United States Presidential Candidate, Glenn Spagnuolo – Re-create 68 Alliance

Bands: David Rovic – State Capitol Steps, kicking of the rally
Dead Prez – State Capitol Steps, prior to the march
Blue Scholars & Common Market – Concert at State Capitol, after the march, @ 1:30 pm
Jim Page – State Capitol Steps, during the rally

Blue Scholars join The Legendary Hieroglyphics to Combine Fashion & Music On 45 Date, Three Month-Long "Freshly Dipped Tour"

05.07.2008

Expo of cutting-edge music and fashion features the debut of the Hiero Jeans clothing line

(May 7, 2008 - Brooklyn, NY) In celebration of its 10th anniversary as an independent label and hip-hop collective, Hiero Imperium announced details for a massive North American tour that will span from mid-summer into fall, joining with Blue Scholars who have been lighting up the underground coming out of Seattle. As creators of classic music and trailblazers in the entertainment business and technology fields, the Hiero crew and label have grown to represent more than just hip-hop music. Since its inception in the late 70's, hip-hop culture has permeated mainstream consciousness and its influence has infiltrated fashion, sports, and entertainment on a global scale. Combining elements of fashion and music, The Freshly Dipped Tour is a nod to Hiero Imperium's prolific past ten years as indie hip-hop industry leaders as well as to the bright future of Hiero Imperium. The 3-month long tour, which runs from July through October, includes spot dates all across the US, as well as select dates in Canada.

"We are putting this tour together to thank our fans for their years of loyal support, expose them to our new projects including our brand-new lifestyle line, Hiero Jeans (www.hierojeans.com), and to celebrate the ways that hip-hop style has influenced the fashion world," explained Hiero Imperium CEO Tajai Massey.

Joining the tour and building on the trends set by The Hieroglyphics will be Seattle's Blue Scholars, who are hugely popular in the Northwest hip-hop scene and have been breaking out nationally since the release of their 2007 release “Bayani” on MassLine/ Rawkus. Both groups are known for their strong live shows, and represent the best hip-hop the West Coast has to offer. Hiero Imperium will also debut a special, limited edition Freshly Dipped Tour 7” this summer. Available exclusively at the shows, the 7” will include a Hieroglyphics remix of a Blue Scholars track and a Blue Scholars remix of a Hiero track. Also available at the shows will be a selection of Hiero Jeans denim and shirts, and special edition Blue Scholars gear.

The Lineup:

Hieroglyphics: Souls of Mischief (Tajai, A Plus, Phesto, Opio), Casual, Pep Love, and Domino. Opio's new album Vulture's Wisdom, Volume One in stores in July
Blue Scholars: MassLine/ Rawkus. New album to be released June 2007, new EP Butter & Gun$ out now. Video and single for "Loyalty" in rotation on MTVu
Prince Ali: Eye 5/Hiero Imperium. New album Curb Side Service in stores now. Video for “The Majors feat. Casual, Planet Asia and Keith Murray" in rotation on MTV and BET
Musab: Rhymesayers Entertainment Founder, Hiero Imperium. New album Slicks Box in stores now
Knobody: Bumpin Muzic, Hiero Imperium. Album Tha Cle

New Blue Scholars EP BUTTER&GUN$ is for sale now at iTunes.

Check out the new video for "Loyalty" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHDyPvF0KL8

And watch the Blue Scholars' tour dates - we'll be announcing an amazing national tour next week!