Who is the KING of Eco-Rap?

10 year old rapper lil peppi from Miami is going hard for the environment. On his website lilpeppi.com he claims that at ten years old he is the KING OF ECO-RAP! Check out his song "Melting Ice".


But Lil Peppi is not your average kid rapper. He's been rapping since the tender age of three crafting his skills and getting his game right. He even opened up for DJ Jazzy Jeff when he was like 6 years old. Check out this video clip from Lil Peppi on a local NBC Daytime talk show from 2006



Is Lil Peppi really the King of Eco-Rap? We'll leave that for the emcees to battle out, but for now he's doing his thing and we are proud to see a young man spreading the word!

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New Music Tuesday Female Rapper Talks 350.org and Climate Change

Today is dedicated to where the wonky world of politics meets things people actually care about. Never heard of the word "wonky" well it's a term of endearment for people who are all into the policy and science side of life. For instance, we can get real wonky talking about climate change but at the end of the day most people just want the summary and the real deal. i.e. "how much is this going to cost me" or "how will this possibly screw me over".

So check out this song from Valida Prentice called the 350.org rap. 350 is an international organization working to get real science based solutions to climate change. It can be difficult breaking down the concept behind the number 350 but Valida takes a good stab at it.

Take a listen:

350.org rap from Valida Prentice on Vimeo.

Wanna know more about how to get "wonky with it" check out thewonkroom.com

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Event today! Grind 4 da Green Eco-Music Festival!

In the Bay Area? Check out Grind For The Green's Eco-Music Festival TODAY From 10-2pm At San Francisco State's Downtown Campus 835 Market St.

The event will feature a solar powered concert and M1 of Dead Prez will be the Keynote speaker. Oh yeah and did I mention the event is FREE!

For more information visit: Grindforthegreen.com

Also Check out this video promo for the event.

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New Music Tuesday: Lonely Are The Brave

Continuing on our quest to find the dopest eco-friendly music we caught up with Lonely are the Brave. LATB coins themselves the "synergetic beast child of hip-hop and punk." The group's Facebook page states,

"LATB stands as a call for the sharing of strength in a time of despair."

LATB's sound is a mixture of raucous punk rock and hip-hop inspired percussion infused with a sound similar to new orleans flavored zydeco due to saxophonist Sam Goering. This unique showcase of rhythm with gritty lyrics makes you understand why everyone should go to a good rock concert every once and a while.Check out this video clip of them performing "Noise on Nightmare Street" a song written by lead vocalist, Henry Mills and dedicated to those who lost their lives during Hurricane Katrina... (also big thanks for the Checktheweather shout out!)

Can't make the next show? Lonely are the Brave will be releasing their first LP "Combat Rap" on August 14th

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We'll check back with them before then but to find out about the album read their blog @ combatrap.blogspot.com

To hear more tracks, see video and find out their next show dates check out LATB's Myspace page at Myspace.com/latbdc.

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Eco-Jam of the Day: Nina Simone's Baltimore

Did you used to love catching all the grit and crime drama on HBO's the Wire? In our introduction to Checktheweather.net's Gritty City Series, we mentioned we would highlight the top ten cities with the highest homicide and crime rates. Baltimore is number THREE on the list provided by the City Crime Rankings Report. The Wire showcased the complexities of Gritty City politics from the hood to the city council building. Neo Natal Penguin offers this musical journey through the Wire's last two seasons. The video features the classic 1978 hit, and Checktheweather.net's Eco-jam of the day Baltimore by Nina Simone.



More on the song:
Baltimore was originally written by Randy Newman in 1977 and was featured on his album "Little Criminals". Newman practiced the art of storytelling throughout the album; weaving tales of quirky, yet often times cynical characters. Legendary rock group, The Eagles also played a role in creating the original track, adding background vocals and instrumentals.

Take a listen to Randy Newman's version:

Baltimore - Randy Newman

For more in-depth reporting on Baltimore City and Environmental justice issues read the article below by Reginald Larkin and check out this article "The Reek Goes On" from Van Smith of the Baltimore City Paper.

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Can the Death of Michael Jackson Make the World Change?

Today millions of people gathered at Staples Arena in Los Angeles and in front of Televisions and live web feeds around the world to watch the memorial service for the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Along with being one of the highest grossing entertainers in the world, Jackson was a humanitarian who used his fame to support those in need. Checktheweather.net reported in our memorial post for MJ that Jackson donated to the most non-profits of any other celebrity and was an environmental advocate.

Now that Jackson is gone will everyday citizens of the world pick up Jackson's advocacy work? We see ya'll on youtube posting clips of masses of people moonwalking doing the thriller dance and offering their best renditions of Jackson's hits, but when will there be a mass action for the causes MJ cared about?
When will we see people taking mass trips to cancer wards to sing and visit sick children?
When will we see massive donations to the non-profits, school systems and small businesses that are now struggling because of the massive international financial crisis?
After making the world cry during Jackson's memorial will Usher bring together T.I.,Janet Jackson Keri Hilson, Beyonce and Drake for the next "We are the World" Anthem?

Only time will tell but for today we hope you take a moment to look at the man and/or woman in the mirror and decide to carry on Michael's legacy for changing the world.

RIP Michael Jackson: The King, The Genius, The Man, The Legend.

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New Music Tuesday: Songstress, Ihsan Makes the Urban Go Green

Songwriter, vocalist and eco-activist with New York based Urban Go Green, Ihsan Muhammad, has always known her voice was destined for greatness. At the tender age of five, Ihsan was making up her own songs and getting people to sing along. Today, she uses her powerful vocal skills and lyrical expertise to create a soundtrack for change in her world and her community. As part of our New Music Tuesdays series, Checktheweather.net sat down with Ihsan to discuss how she's using her talent to advocate for Green Jobs, not Jails and help urban America Go Green.

Ihsan Live 2003-2005


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Every movement requires music and I wanted to be a part of the creation of music that would inspire the mood and the movement.

CTW: When did you start singing?

Ihsan: I started singing at five. I was on a boat traveling down the Nile river in Egypt and I made up this song and everybody on the boat started singing my song with me. I became a professional singer in 2001 and it became somewhat meditative for me. It [singing] gave me something else to do with my voice. At the time I starting taking singing seriously I was working as a youth mentor and I noticed that singing was oftentimes more effective in getting my message across than talking.

CTW: What inspired you to write your two Green songs, Go Green Get Green and Ain't Goin' Let it Burn?

Ihsan: Go Green Get Green came from reading more and more about the green movement, learning about what it was and looking at it as an opportunity for our communities to go back to sustaining and supporting ourselves like we used to during the 40's and 50's. I want to communicate this movement as a way to healthfully sustain ourselves.

Ain't gonna let it burn is a call and response song inspired by "the Roof is on Fire" It[ain't gonna let it burn] makes the audience feel accountable for the wellness of the planet. It's a little more "angsty". I wanted to make a song that would make the audience want to do something. If you don't do anything than you are aiding and abetting. Every movement requires music and I wanted to be a part of the creation of music that would inspire the mood and the movement.

CTW: What is your vision of success for the Green Movement?

Ihsan: Artist who are activists tend to be marginalized but I think we can be helpful in the creation of a movement. My goal is that we will be able to get to a point where we reach a critical mass of awareness of what the Green Jobs movement is about. I have brothers in jail and I hope the energy I have created will help them get jobs once they get out. I see Green Jobs as redemptive for all who have contributed to demise of our culture whether they wanted to or not. They can give back in ways that can make them feel good about themselves and make them strong again.

CTW: Your vision is amazing do you have any last words for the readers of Checktheweather.net?

Ihsan: I want to commend ya'll for what you're doing building up checktheweather.net. This is a youth movement and we are the ones making it happen. We are all connected whether we feel it or not.

Want to hear Ihsan live in concert? She will be performing this weekend, July 11th along with Dead Prez, Green Lantern and the So-So Glo's at the City Sol Concert at Stuyvesant Cove Park in New York City. You can also visit her myspace page myspace.com/ihsanmusic to listen to and download some of Ihsan's hottest tracks.

Shouts out to Urban Go Green doing it up in Harlem! visit their page here

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Lunch time Music Review: Dead Prez Pulse of the People

A couple weeks ago Checktheweather.net hit you with the exclusive interview with Dead Prez to discuss their new album and the green movement. Today we want to give you our exclusive review of the infamous hip-hop duo's latest album Pulse of the People: Turn of the Radio Vol. 3.

We caught up with one of the realest album reviewers, Snife the Free Radical. Snife is an Atlanta based artist, architect and blipster (black hipster) and we checked with him to ask the question, "Are you feeling the new Dead Prez album?"

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By Snife the Free Radical

Dead Prez is an acquired taste. They are too real for radio and due to that, I doubt they ever become mainstream. Honestly, its probably better that way. Everything ain’t for everybody. Their debut single and best known song “Hip Hop” was ahead of its time. They could rerelease that song right now and not only would it be extra relevant of today’s rap, it would still sound good.

Pulse of the People is an album you put on when you’re ready for action. If you weren’t charged up at the beginning of the day, by the time you get to the third song you ready to fight, protest, or stand for something! Simple and plain, the album starts hard. It is aggressive, while being socially and intellectually entertaining.

Dead Prez is exceptionally good at picking features that relate to their typically militant subject matter. Previous albums have seen the likes of Jay-Z and Krayzie Bone to name a few. Apparently, more folks can relate to the struggle than one would think. This time around is Bun B who lays down a stellar verse, on “Don’t Hate My Grind”. And Styles P fittingly joins forces on “Gangsta, Gangster”.

Its refreshing to hear hip hop with content and actual themes.

The album slows, as Dead Prez collaborate on lighter subjects, like living in New York, on “NYPD”, “Summer Time” and even getting some… on “My Dirty Valentine”.

Lyrically, you know what you’re going to get with Dead Prez. In the past, sometimes those lyrics have gotten lost in lackluster beats. DJ Green Lantern produced this album and makes it’s a lot better to listen to musically.

Pulse of the People is a good album. It’s probably not something you can listen to all the time. The DP’s are possibly too heavy to listen to before going out to the club. But if your boss is getting on your nerves or you just got harassed by the police, turn this up and indulge. Just don’t hurt nobody. I’m out.

- Snife the Free Radical

Check out a track from their new Album here:

AFR - DP

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Gritty City Series: Hello Brooklyn!

Hello Brooklyn - Jay-Z

Gritty City Series-
"The New York Chronicles" Part 1
By Jameelah Muhammad

Yes, I live in a gritty city and I have to say that the experience thus far has been, well...interesting. Not that I expected New York to be pristine and the streets clear of trash and/or debris, however I did underestimate how gritty in fact the city was. A Michigan native, I can attest that my home state has its own set of issues when it comes to pollution, recycling, and general sustainability, but I must say that I have experienced and seen quite a different situation since moving to New York. I've been living in the city for almost a year now and my health and exposure to grittiness is drastically different from when I was living in Michigan. I will never forget after spending my first few weeks here and blowing my nose, only to find gray and black particulates all over my tissue.

Initially I was disturbed, maybe even shocked by this quite obvious evidence of air pollution and inhalation of toxic chemicals to which I was partaking. After a while I stopped seeing these smears on my tissues when I would blow my nose and wondered to myself could it be that my body has adapted to this negative attack on it's lungs, or maybe there is an accumulation of G-d knows what piling up in my lungs that I'm just not as aware of as I was before because the level of my coughing and sneezing has decreased....

"This is Part 1 in a series we will be running all day featuring the Opinion of New York City Educator Jameelah Muhammad. Check back at lunch time for part 2 and a new song to go with it."

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New Music Tuesday: Download the Truth Vol.1

Last week's New Music Tuesday featured Dead Prez's New Album, Pulse of the People. Check the video out below to see what they had to say about Checktheweather.net



This week Checktheweather.net is dropping even more music for the green and giving all of our readers a free download of our latest mixtape The Truth Vol. 1. This project is in conjunction with the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative and hosted by the Bay Area's own DJLN! Find out more on DJLN and the Bay area hip-hop scene at http://cell2021.blogspot.com/

Follow this link for the exclusive download

The Truth Files

The mixtape features hits from Pharrell, Nas, Marvin Gaye, Lauren Hill and Many more all in honor of our environment and building ourselves to build better communities. Oh and I swear it's not as corny as that last sentence ;).

Follow this link for the exclusive download

The Truth Files

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RIP Michael Jackson: King of Pop and Environmental Justice Leader too?

Today in hoods all across the country, people are pouring out a little "Jesus juice" for the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Jackson unexpectedly passed away yesterday after going into cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. While the last days for Jackson were riddled in financial and legal drama, checktheweather.net is taking a moment to honor Michael "the real peter pan" Jackson for his work to address environmental degradation, and human rights. AllMichaelJackson.com reports that the pop legend donated money to approximately 39 charities. In 2000 he broke the Guinness Book of World Records for number of charities supported by a pop star.

In the music industry, Michael Jackson used his voice to tell the story of communities who are facing environmental degradation, violence and human rights abuses. In 1985, Jackson Co-wrote "We are the World" For a celebrity based campaign called USA (United Support of Artists) for Africa.

The song brought together some of the top artists of the time including, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Quincy Jones and Bruce Springsteen. The funds from the song and the campaign were donated to fight famine in Africa.

Michael also released many other songs that focused on human rights but two of the most known besides "We are the World", are "Earth Song"

and one of Checktheweather.net founder, Kari Fulton's favorites, "They Don't Care About Us."



"The video highlights the slums of Brazil and always inspired me. That's what a rally is supposed to look like and the video showcases the energy that is needed to win these life-long battles for justice." Fulton stated.

In honor of his legacy and as a tribute to a legend who is gone before his time, check out all three videos, sip the rest of your Jesus juice and smile. MJ is up in heaven, Black again and doing the biggest comeback concert ever.

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Helping M.I.A. Put People on The Map That Never Seen A Map

20 Dollar - M.I.A.

Today, the Weather Report is featuring Environmental Justice news from around the world. We thought 20 dollar by Sri Lankan musical phenom, M.I.A. would be a good fit to highlight today's focus. The song discusses economic disparities and cultural differences in developing nations around the world. The lyrics not only showcase the real issues going on in Sri Lanka and Africa but also the deep connection and respect hip-hop has across the world.

More recently, M.I.A. was honored as one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine along with Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. After the awards ceremony, Metrolyrics.com reports that M.I.A. wrote on her Myspace page that she was courting support from Oprah and other high profile celebrities. M.I.A. hopes to use her growing profile to draw attention to the plight of refugees in Sri Lanka. Check this link for the lyrics to this song.

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Dead Prez and Government All Agree: Time to Eat Healthy!

Be Healthy - Dead Prez

Today Congressional Representative Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) and Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.)introduced a new bill that would improve United States Food Regulations.

The Washington Post reports that the bill "would give the Food and Drug Administration broad new enforcement tools, including the authority to recall tainted food, the ability to "quarantine" suspect food, and the power to impose civil penalties and increased criminal sanctions on violators."

The bill was inspired by recent food contamination issues such as the recent salmonella outbreak in the Peanut Butter and e-coli in the spinach. The Washington Post reports that the push for the bill was increased because of the serious issues connected to the peanut butter contamination stating: "Federal authorities said Peanut Corporation of America knowingly shipped tainted peanuts to manufacturers who used them as ingredients in thousands of consumer products. The contamination was linked to more than 900 illnesses and nine deaths in fall and winter, although federal officials say that tens of thousands more were probably sickened. The outbreak triggered the largest food recall in U.S. history." Records from the Peanut Corporation of America also show that the peanut plant in Georgia had not been checked by authorities at the Food and Drug Administration in SEVEN years!

New regulations for food justice will place more responsibility on the manufacturers, growers and handlers of our food products. They will have to identify possible contamination and document how they are avoiding contaminated food. It will also strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's ability to quarantine contaminated food and pull food from the market. The Food and Drug laws in the US have not been drastically altered since they were enacted during the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt.

In honor of the introduction of this bill we decided to make "Be healthy" By Dead Prez the Eco-Jam of the day. Enjoy and remember to take care of yourselves today.

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Eco-Jam of the Day and More on the Oprah Chicken Chaos

Fried Chicken - Nas

Thought this would be an appropriate song in honor of Queen O giving out free chicken from KFC. Even if you don't like KFC something about Oprah and free made you go print that coupon off yesterday. (Don't lie I got one too.)

Katie Leslie, reporter with the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes, "With a name like Oprah, this chicken has to be good." That must have been the sentiment of Kentucky Fried Chicken when it decided to partner up with the Media Goddess to promote their new Grilled Chicken meals. The promotional website unthinkkfc.com states that the new grilled chicken has a "five star fall off the bone taste." Health advocates are excited about the new meals because they are another less fattening fast food option.

Folk struggling from this ongoing recession praised the coupons and the complimentary meal of two pieces of chicken, two sides and a biscuit. Unfortunately, the overwhelming demand for the free deal left many unsatisfied. Fox News in New York City's website myfoxny.com,quoted one blogger as saying, "Nice gesture since I am unemployed and a free dinner would have been nice. I could not download the coupon." Myfoxny.com also reported on a possible sit-in at the KFC on 42nd street in Manhattan. Gothamist.com blogger wrote to the station,"I went over to our nearest KFC a few minutes ago...and chaos ensued. Despite the very visible grilled chicken behind the register, the manager told everyone with coupons to leave and that the promotion was over for the day. The people there are currently holding a sit-in and refusing to leave until they get their free chicken...or the cops are called. Racial epithets were being spewed, people who actually wanted to pay for chicken were facing a potential beatdown, and the manager ran from the screaming horde. Oprah, what have ye wrought?" The Grilled Chicken meal at KFC normally sells for $3.99.

This is not the first incident of chicken related chaos. Popeyes Chicken also offered 8 pieces of chicken for $4.99. On April 23, 2009 ABC 13 in Rochester NY reported of chicken shortages at various popeyes in the area. Watch this quick clip to see what I'm talking about.

(Check for racism: How come the news piece only interviewed Black customers of Popeyes? hmm...)

Kandaka Long of Denver, Colorado wonders, "between Popeye's 8 piece deal and this KFC coupon..where in the world is all this chicken coming from recently?!?!?". Long's thoughts are similar to that of many food justice and animal rights advocacy groups like PETA. The PETA supported website Kentuckyfriedcruelty.com has been campaigning and reporting on Tyson's Chicken and KFC supplier factories where genetically mutated and abused chicken are slaughtered for consumption by KFC customers. Check this video out courtesy of Kentucky Fried Cruelty featuring Pamela Anderson.



Let us know what do you think the deal is with the chicken deal? and checktheweather.net daily for information on food justice and all the ways Generation Y-Not? are redefining Green.

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