Award-winning documentary filmmaker Byron Hurt will appear and give a talk at Pierce College Puyallup tonight as the inaugural speaker in part of the college’s 2009-2010 lecture series.

Hurt’s acclaim comes from his lauded documentary, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes. He will speak and show his film at 7 p.m. then presumably communicate with attendees.  Hip-Hop premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and would later broadcast as part of PBS’ Independent Lens recurring special. The film is a first-person introspective into the world of hip-hop’s relationship with sexism, masculinity and female objectification.  Hurt himself takes his camera to several major events like Spring Break, outside of concerts and simple sidewalk conversations to ask primarily young men of color about the aforementioned issues. He also asks homosexuals and transvestites about their opinion of hip-hop and its seemingly rampant sexual exploitation, and Hurt with journalistic integrity conducts his interviews without pigeonholing and defacing the culture of hip-hop, unlike so many other journalists who are alien to the world of hip-hop.

Hurt offers an intellectual and careful view into the world of hip-hop and with a strength for conversation and intellectual analysis, he delivers a tremendous film that is a credit to the many works of filmmaking surrounding hip-hop culture and issues. Hurt is much more than a filmmaker — he is a family man, founding member of Mentors in Violence Prevention.  Hurt also directed and produced I AM A MAN: Black Masculinity in America another award-winning film.

Catch Byron Hurt tonight at Pierce College-Puyallup, 1601 39th Ave., SE in Puyallup.  Tickets are $3 for students and $6 for all other visitors.  The Office of Student Life sponsors the event.

Slo Poke in the studio

Microphone vet and Source Unsigned Hype alumnus SP, aka Slo Poke, is reportedly in the studio working on a few new projects. One such project includes he and upstart MC, Icky Spitz and another includes he and an R&B singer in a “best-of-both-worlds-esque” project. 

“I am just staying busy and trying to put out a couple projects that I have been thinking about,” said SP from his home in Olympia. “What I am focusing on in the long run is helping some of the younger artists to get their feet wet and do something with their careers.” 

SP’s projects are as yet untitled, but I’ll keep you posted on the progress of the award-winning MC.

Winners Train, Losers Complain… Do Yo’ Thang!!!

Peace & Love
 
Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. aka DJ LUVVA J is an award-winning editor, writer, producer, educator, music director and consultant.  A graduate of Washington State University and student at The Evergreen State College, he writes and edits the Pacific Northwest section of Ozone Magazine and hosts and produces Live From I-5 Radio (since ’89) every Friday at 3 p.m. on KAOS 89.3 FM (www.kaosradio.org / Comcast Ch. 982 / TCTV Ch. 22) in Olympia.

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