Lights, Camera…Action!


(photo by Shamus)

Thanks to everyone who came out to see The Package rock at Jammin Java and showed support for the release party for K-Beta’s “89 to 09″ mix CD (the reason for the celebration).

The set list was as follows:

Look Out Below (off the New Golden Era album)
Dimensions acapella verse
The Drug (off the New Golden Era album)
Final Warning (feat. Enoch 7th Prophet)*
Lights, Camera, Action (off of Noyeek the Grizzly Bear’s forthcoming solo album, Eartertainment)
Here I Am (off of Dimensions‘ upcoming solo album, Slanguage: A Brain Celebration)

* Final Warning will appear on The Package’s upcoming remix album, which will be available for free download this summer. More details to come.

We spotted a number of the DMV’s finest talents in the building: K-Beta, Flex Matthews, Ra the MC, Pro’Verb, Lyriciss, R.E.U.B., Krayola and many many more. We also had the privilege of seeing Dame Pix rock for the first time; he got busy. We missed a lot of the performances due to our tardy arrival, apologies to everyone whose performance we were unable to witness.

Big up to Betaraz and fam for putting together the whole event. Beautiful work, y’all!

On a sad note, our show at Expo this Saturday appears to be cancelled. We are having some communication difficulties getting that cancellation confirmed, but that appears to be the case.

We look forward to seeing you all when The Package rocks at the release party for our comrade Enoch 7th Prophet’s “Data Frequency” CD. $5 at the door, June 6th @ Axum (1934 9th St NW) (cost of entry gets you a copy of the CD as well). See you there!

ps: Big up to everyone I saw twittering about the show *after* I got home. I see you out there, Emperess! LOL. Please follow The Package at www.twitter.com/thepackagedc

pps: You can download a link to The Package’s recent “Ill Street Grooves” 89.3 FM WPFW radio appearance alongside Krayola (and a massive freestyle cipher with The Package, Krayola, Flex Matthews, myself and a very ill lyricist whose name I can pronounce but can’t spell (Va-Soo?), at http://www.divshare.com/download/7443220-26d

DMV Love,

Spirit Equality
Co-Owner, PKG Entertainment
newgoldenera.com

The Package Invades Art-o-Matic

Art-o-Matic is an annual event collecting the best visual, cinematic, and theatrical art in the city within one multi-level structure (usually an entire office building) converted into a temporary museum for seven days a week for a few months, all FREE for the public to enjoy!

This year, on June 27th, there will be a celebration of DMV hip-hop for almost the entire day. Hosted by Flex Matthews, don’t miss this event where performers such as The Package, X.O., Pro’verb, Lyriciss Flow and about sixteen other lyricists will rock the stage from 4pm to 1am (including our longtime comrade Peace Justice Universal who was instrumental in the formation of this very site, an attempt at listing all the performers is below). It’s a DMV hip-hop marathon! We hope to see some friendly faces out there ready to rock out with The Package and the rest of our DMV brethren and sistren! See you there!

ps: A sorrowful word for our brethren in the MA/CT area, our 5/23 Springfield, Massachusetts performance date is cancelled. MA’s lost, however, is New Jersey’s gain, as we are scheduled instead to perform at the Jackson NJ stop on the No Profanity Tour 2009, with the same heavyweight line-up (Kurtis Blow, Dana Dane, Roxanne Shante, etc). This works out better for everyone anyway because Grizz couldn’t make the MA date due to work responsibilities, so now we get to expose the NP tour audience to the full Package experience! Further, this allows the entire Package fam to rock at Expo (1934 9th St NW) that same date (May 23rd), instead of Grizz holding it down for dolo/on his own.

In no particular order, the performers at the FREE event on June 27th @ 55 M St SE are: The Package, X.O., Ra the MC, Pro’Verb, Lyriciss Flow, Brother Maniac, Peace Justice Universal, Rosetta Stoned, Pro and Reg, Benji, Nick the 1da, Tomorrow’s Yesterday, Sammy Bravo, Substantial, Enoch the 7th Prophet, K-Beta, Nando, Lady A, Jade Fox, Mic the Finite, Von, Prhyme, Buddha Bless, Godisilla, Enjay, Tamu, The Liberators

DMV Love,

Spirit Equality
Co-Owner, PKG Entertainment

The Package Goes International with Cake & Kisses

Come check us out this Thursday as The Package goes international, performing alongside red-hot Sengalese hip-hop group Wageble and recent Studio 43 signee X.O. (repping the Diamond District crew and Uptown DC lovely).

This isn’t the first time PKG fam has rocked alongside Wageble. If you check out the video below (all of which is awesome), you will catch Eyewitness (of Wageble), Outsoken and DoomE Right (of Zimbabwe Legit) on the “Ill Street Grooves” radio show* discussing hip-hop on the African continent, as well as peep me rhyming in a cipher with those three very talented brothers from the continent near the 7:30 mark. Check it out below:

Hip-hop is not only alive, it’s thriving globally! I hope to see you all rock with The Package, Wageble and X.O. display emceeing at its best, worldwide!

* Ill Street Grooves airs on 89.3 WPFW-FM, every Monday 10-11, and also streams live at wpfw.org (don’t miss it!)…you can also see my more serious side as I interview Outspoken and Eyewitness on geopolitical issues in their respective countries (Zimbabwe and Senegal) in the video clip below:


Peace,

Spirit Equality
Co-Owner, PKG Entertainment (home of The Package)

From May Day to Mid-May, The Package is On Smash!

Looks like May is National Package Month, as The Package has four shows coming up, three of which are in the first seven days of the month!

We start off the month with a bang on May 1st (May Day), opening for Virginia’s own Skillz. That’s going down at Almaz (1212 U St NW) and ladies get in free before 11 (fellas, $10 for y’all before 11). Ra the MC holds it down for the sisters, while Midas and Shaka round out the bill. On the wheels, RBI, Marcnfinit and Mel B EZ will be DJ-ing on the venue’s two floors all night, so stick around after the show to bust a move or two (I, personally, will be rocking it old school style with the Cabbage Patch). Hosted by Asheru and Maimouna Youssef (vocalist from Skillz “Crazy World” and The Roots “Don’t Feel Right” singles)

The very next day, all supporters of green leafy plants and the decriminalization of such should make their way down to the abso-smurf-ly FREE Worldwide Marijuana March. Smokers and their supporters will be marching from Lafayette Park up to Malcom X/Meridian Hill Park on 16th and Euclid. I personally didn’t know tokers could walk that far, but Michael Phelps is in pretty good shape, so what do I know? Once at the park, at 2pm, the after-concert/rally will get to jumping. The Package wil be opening for H.R. (of the legendary Bad Brains). Other bands will be in attendance to rock out as well.

May 7th, The Package is rocking at Cake and Kisses alongside new Studio 43 signee X.O. and Senegalese rap stars on the rise Wageble. Hardcore hip-hop at its pinnacle. Bring your adrenalin and come ready to bang. It goes down at Asylum (2471 18th St NW, in Adams Morgan), doors at 8pm. FREE with free cake and desserts as well.

Last but not least, May 20th, The Package make their VA debut at Jammin Java (227 Maple St E) in Vienna VA. The Package will perform alongside an amazing lineup of some of the DMV’s rising stars: K-Beta, Thad Reid, Pro Verb, R.E.U.B , Krayola, Flex Mathews, Bo Jankans, White Folkz and Dame Plx.

Thanks to everyone for supporting The Package and the New Golden Era movement!

PKG Entertainment…we here now!

RED-HOT DMV Collab (Raheem Devaughn, Tabi, Grizz, AND MORE)

You know we got that fire…

Grizz of The Package was recently featured on a DMV all-star track ”Clock’s Ticking” alongside soul vocalist/rising star Raheem DeVaughn (UGK, Talib Kweli), Oddisee (Little Brother, Saigon), Tabi Bonney, Laelo Hood, Y.U. (Diamond District) and Draus, mixed by Theory of The Package and executive produced by RBI (big up to Laelo for bringing in Draus and I made a few phone calls myself to help a little bit). The single is lead-off for the Bum Rush the Boards mixtape, designed to promote the Bum Rush the Boards chess tournament promoted for DC area youth by the Words, Beats and Life nonprofit, an annual event that took place this year on Saturday, April 18. The song can be downloaded here or streamed below. We would love for you to spread the word about this great song!

The order of emcees is:

Y.U. (Diamond District)

Laelo Hood (2008 DMV EMA Rapper of the Year)

Oddisee (Diamond District)

Tabi Bonney (2009 Rock The Bells opening act, “The Pocket”)

Grizz (The Package)

Draus (Wasteland Mob)

Truly a diverse range of DMV talent, with Raheem Devaughn blessing the hook and Choppe Chop on production (mixing by Theory of The Package).

Big up to Funkadelic Freestyles, DC Rap and DC Mumbo Sauce for continuing their support of the DMV movement by posting this song on their respective sites.

Sincerely,

A. Page (Spirit Equality)
newgoldenera.com

You didn’t know? THEORY GOT BEATS!!!!!

Theory here again…. I make the beats for The Package and get a little singin’ in as well…. Here’s a choice selection of instrumentals for you to vibe to…This should also spark some ill freestyle sessions! There’s a little something here for every one- write to it, chill to it, battle to it, make love to it…. Music is an Oasis for me…Heres a piece of my island…. ENJOY! Leave some comments too….

theory

http://www.sendspace.com/file/wopyyw

He’s not JUST the DJ–But heres a Mixtape!!!

 

 

 

Theory here…Thanks to all for the continuing support! Usually its Alan “The Suit” Page aka SPIRIT EQUALITY who’s always posting stuff but I got somthing for ya with more to come! Heres some of my favorite music for you. No track listing included- just let it ride and enjoy! Please comment if you would-if I know someones listening, it’ll make me wanna post more!

Heres the link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/3gktwh 

DMV Unity Is On The Rise! It’s A New Golden Era

RBI has put together a mixtape called Bumrush the Boards with an all-star DMV lineup. The Package is slated to appear on two songs so far, one featuring Laelo Hood and another tentatively slated to feature Raheem DeVaughn, Tabi Bonney, Laelo Hood, The Package, and yU (edited update: the final lineup was Raheem Devaughn, yU, Laelo Hood, Oddisee, Tabi Bonney, Grizz and Draus). Raheem has already laid his vocals over the track, produced by Choppe Chop.

Speaking of Y.U., April 20th sees the release of the debut album from Diamond District, the local supergroup comprised of hip-hop vet Y.U., up-and-coming DMV star producer Oddisee (Little Brother, Saigon), and young gunner and Uptown representer X.O.

And speaking of Laelo Hood, he has taken on the audacious task of launching a series of five track collabo EPs this year entitled The Five Star General EP(s), each EP featuring himself alongside someone putting in general-level work on this military field of music. One EP will combine Laelo and The Package, one will combine himself and me (Spirit Equality), one will combine him with Jay Mills (whose grind is impeccable, btw), and so on.

There was talk of a supergroup comprised of Lyriciss, Pro’Verb, Mo Betta and AP called Core, but no word on release dates or music yet (edit: Just hopped on Twitter and Lyriciss says the project is on hold? Awww, I was just getting cyssed about it, too).

At her recent performance at the red-hot monthly Cake and Kisses showcase, Ra the MC brought fellow mic femme fatales Jay Mills, Emperess and Lady A on stage to burn it down with her. Now that’s a supergroup *I’d* like to see. :-)

Till next time, see all of you up in Baltimore next Friday April 17 when The Package opens for Camp Lo at Sonar…

DMV Love,

Spirit Equality

The Package Rock At Axum This Friday!

Please check out The Package this Friday, April 3rd at Axum (1934 9th St NW). They will be headlining alongside opening acts Lyriciss, Head-Roc, Pro’Verb, Krayola, Lord Vada and more! Ladies FREE before midnight. Doors at 8pm for you to politic and hit the bar, show starts at 10pm sharp. Fellas, $10 in advance/$15 at the door. Email not4self@yahoo.com to get on the advanced guest list. Also, check out the link above to see the whimsical ad the promoters (Vintage Vibez Music Group) and Gadget of thehotconversation.com put together to announce the event! It’s a new golden era! See you there!

update: The show went great!!!! The place was packed, the energy was awesome and every performer gave his all. Special big up to the brother from Zimbabwe Legit, Pro’Verb, Lyricist, Head-Roc, Krayola (who brought The Package onstage to rock their collabo song, “Mr. Dynamite” from the free Resilience album), Watusi and Rizion. Forgive me if I forgot anyone, I stayed up all night after the show. There were also two reggae artists who performed after The Package’s headlining set, an elder and a youth, but my memory for names is awful. Their short sets were a good encore/closer for the night. Did I mention the ladies in the house looked gorgeous? Wowzers. DJ Earth 1 and DJ Soyo repped the feminine energy in hip-hop culture lovely on the wheels of steel, playing nonstop bangers!

Peace,

Spirit (The Suit)

Warning Won Best Video at the DMV EMAs!/1st B-More Show

The music video “Warning” (view here in higher HD quality) just won Best Video at the DMV EMAs (DC//Maryland/Virginia Entertainment and Music Awards); the song is a joint collaboration between producer Surock, The Package, Enoch, Kokayi (on the hook), Grap Luva, and Nas Jota (the video director). We humbly accept this recognition of our work, because we miraculously beat out heavy competition with serious buzz like Wale (nominated for “Nike Boots”) and several other DMV notables (big up to all the nominees). Thank you to everyone who supported the video.

The Package will also be rocking their first show in Baltimore on Friday, April 17, opening up for veteran hip-hop act Camp Lo at Sonar (407 E. Saratoga St, Baltimore MD). E Major and The Equation are our fellow openers. $12 in advance/$15 at the door. We hope to see a massive DMV turnout in B-More to welcome us to Charm City. :-)

We will be rocking a festival performance on May 2, at the Worldwide Marijuana March (a marijuana decriminalization event) at Malcolm X Park (a/k/a Meridian Hill Park) at 16th & Euclid St NW. Starting at
2pm, going till 6pm. FREE. Hope to see you all out there.

Our next festival date will be July 4th on the National Mall. More details on that and the half dozen other shows we have lined up in the near future are available at http://newgoldenera.com/?page_id=33

Thanks to everyone who supports The Package. We appreciate each and every one of you.


Sincerely,

A. Page (Spirit a.k.a. The Suit)

Co-Owner, PKG Entertainment (home of The Package)