Grassroots Street Art

01. Awake ft Blahzay the Akademic- Step Up
02. Miki Ariyama - Doko Ni
03. Realithamann - No Competition
04. Julie Gribble - Hard to Say
05. The B.E - Spread Love
06. Hypercycle - Blieu
07. Faculty - Shake that Shit
08. Dual Eyed Mic - Naked Man
09. Definite Juice - One of a Kind
10. Apoetnomadali - Pristine Queen
11. Charles Randolph feat. Jade Pappion - Jeans
12. Dayze - Life
13. Rising Suns - Something Beautiful

Mixed and Mastered by Meifaith Mims (Mege)
Location: Gallery Studios - Northridge, CA
Cover 1 Designed: by Joey Figueroa
Cover 2: Photo by Otoko Films - Model: Miki Ariyama




The Grassroots Street Art Vo1.1 demonstrates the raw emotion of music in its purest form. Each song featured on this album; give the listener a glimpse into the soul of each artist. Grassroots Street Art Vo1.1 is an adventure of Love, Politics, Personal Growth, and Artistic passion. From the Unstoppable passion and energy of RealiThaMann (Hiphop Congress & Incredible Crew) and Awake, The musicianship of Hypercycle and Dual eyed Mic, The polished and maturity of The B.E and APOETNOMADALI, The warmth and emotional love of Julie Gribble, the eclectic blend of Japanese and Hiphop culture of Miki Ariyama all wrapped up with the party time vibe and skilled rhymes of Definite Juice. The sheer geographical and musical diversity of this project makes it an indelible member of any Music collection.

Instruction for downloading: Right click on the Red Banner and click (SAVE TARGET AS).
Grassroots’ is in a Zip File Format if you don't have a Zip File program click here: Free Zip 1.49

Don't forget to scroll down and read more about the artist on the compilation.

Awake

Groups Name
Awake.

Member of the group
Andy Knapp, Alan Milin, Steve Jambor & Alex McCourt.

What does the name of your band means?
The name Awake does not have any significance with us really, as it was just a name that was decided on at practice. We do have a slogan "Rise or Fall" which is also one of our song titles. That means more to us than our actual band name. Through our music career we are going to do one or the other and we have no intention of falling.

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form?
Ventura County. It doesn't really influence our art other than the fact that there is nothing to do around here. We had to find other ways to channel our creative energy and we chose music.

How long have you been performing?
Just over 3 years.

How would you describe your creative process?
One of us comes in with an idea for a song, usually Alan or Steve, and we work with that until we have a finished product. Sometimes it will come together in a matter of hours, other times it can takes months.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years?
We will be touring or homeless. Perhaps both.

What are you doing when your not doing music?
Working. We're trying to fix that.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life?
We pretty much combine the two.

Who are some of your major influences?
Snot, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against The Machine to name a few.

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing?
It is a tricky subject. On the one hand, everyone wants to get their music out to as many people as possible. MP3's and the internet are a great way to that. On the other hand, we would like to be able to support ourselves through our music, and illegal downloading prohibits that. We feel that there should be a general crackdown on downloading as opposed to individuals being targeted and made examples of.

What is your website address?
Awake Music or Awake Pure or Awake Myspace

Miki Ariyama

What does the name of your name means? Miki Ariyama
Miki means Beautiful Beginning and Ariyama means to exist near the mountains. The reason for that is because my ancestor lived near the mountain range in Japan.

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form?
Oxnard, California is where I come It's a small town near the beach where people work and raise their families. It's not as busy as Los Angeles that is why I had to move to LA. Los Angles is teaching me to stay busy and keep moving so that I don't get stepped on. Not saying that Oxnard doesn't teach you that but when you're in place that you've known all your life it too easy to get comfortable.

How long have you been performing?
I been performing for about a year, I was in the studio with My boyfriend & Charles Randolph and they needed female vocals for his song. They ask me to sing in English however I was terrible at it so I just said something in Japanese. Charles Randolph was like "that's really nice” can you say more in Japanese and that's how it all started for me.

How would you describe your creative process?
I just sit down and write, it really hard to say because my idea come to me when I least expect them.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years?
Releasing more Cd, performing worldwide. I want my television show IV Element Television to be in every house.

What are you doing when your not doing music?
I usually in a photo shoot, painting Shuji (Japanese Calligraphy), Going to the gym, spending time with my boyfriend, writing segments for the my Television Show, or just relaxing playing video games.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life?
I just try to keep them apart because my personal life is just that, Personal.

Who are some of your major influences?
My family, Oprah, Lauryn Hill, Boyz to Men, New Edition and Janet Jackson

How do you feel about the crackdown of MP3 file sharing?
It really hard to say, I want people to hear my music however I do need to make money of my hard work as well.

How do feel about being the cover model and having your music featured on the Cd?
It's a great honor to be the cover model as well as having one of my songs on: Grassroots Street Vol. 1. I feel very special because of all the talented people in the world I was the one chosen. It very rare in this country that you see a person of my ethnic background, have the chances to represent the beauty of my peoples cultures to the rest of the world. This is for all those young Asian girls out there in the world. Who think they are not beautiful unless your look like this or that.

What is your website address?
Miki Ariyama Online

Bonus Photos (Click to enlarge)

All photo images provided by Otoko Films and may not be reproduced without written consent. (Copyright 2005)

Reali Robinson IV aka Realithamann

Groups Name
Realithamann, Incredible Crew, Beat Fossil, Humain, Periodic, Supergroup SP, Urban Artifacts.

Member of the group
Realithamann

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form?
Chicago, IL & Oxnard, CA. It influencea our art because there is nothing to do around here. We had to find other ways to channel our creative energy and we chose music.

How long have you been performing?
About my whole life in one form or another.

How would you describe your creative process?
Life is what creates my process, I just try to live and absorb the things around me. I don't really seat down and say let make this song like this. I very moody so it really depends on my mood for the day or the spirit of the room. However I just let the music write itself.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years?
Making Music, Raising a Family, Creating more projects, and Helping people. The same things I'm doing now but in a much more effective manner.

What are you doing when your not doing music?
Developing other projects, watching cartoons, freestyling in my head, thinking about music.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life?
I don't entertain, so balance is not needed.

Who are some of your major influences?
Family, Hideharu Igaki, John Thompson, Dwight Murrey, Chuck D, New Edition, Michael Jordan, MC Hammer, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Krs One, B.B King, Sam Cooke, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson.

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing?
If people are exchanging music let them do that, there is a difference between really bootlegging your entire album. First they burn your music, and then copy your album cover and logo. Secondly they shrink-wrap it, then put the album in stores right next to your so called authorize copies, that is what I call stealing. Who the artist really needs to worry about are the companies who control their masters and product. Those cats are the real bootleggers!! Many artists do not see what is really going on behind the scenes. They are to distract by the money waving in their faces. But hey, why should they care. When you don't write, play or produce the music your opinion really doesn’t matter. If you put out the music, someone will steal it and if you’re that greedy to where you want every cent, then may the gods save your soul. I was always taught those who are consumed by GREED, shall be consumed by GREED.

What is your website address?
Mictablist Online

Julie Gribble

Member of the Band
I usually play solo, but when the songs were recorded performers were Pete Mahoney on drums, Dan Lavery on Bass and guitar, and Fran Banish on lead guitar, just for the album.

What does the name of your band/artist name means? It's my family given name. But I stuck with it because people remember it. People that I haven't seen in years still yell out, "yo, Gribble!!" It's a strange name but I still think it's pretty cool.

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form? Grew up in Atlanta,GA. I have lived in NYC and London before LA. Living in so many major cities influenced the way I perceive people and why we do the things that we do. Cities inspire me as well as the people and cultures that thrive within them. I love living in melting pot cities, it forces you to step outside of yourself and your own problems and blessings. When you are constantly seeing so much great art around you it makes you work that much harder to be better at your own art. I think also the weather on the east coast inspires me in some strange way. There's nothing I love more that rainy or overcast days, a cup of tea and sitting down to write. That's the only thing I really miss from living out here on the west coast.

How long have you been performing? I have been performing as an actress and singer since I could walk, but it wasn't till about 4 years ago that I picked up the guitar seriously and started to write songs.

How would you describe your creative process? When I sit down to write it's usually because I just got a feeling it was a good time to. My lyrics are always the first thing to come. I've been writing poetry and prose for as long as I can remember. Usually a song will kind of come in an outline for the melody and then a day or so later I'll revisit the song to try and add on, and so on. I tend to focus on lyrics, I admit it.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years? Touring, playing as much as possible and hopefully getting abroad to play as well. I always just hope for progress and to reach some sort of audience that maybe I couldn't reach the year before.

What are you doing when your not doing music? I love to read, any books except for romance novels. I guess I'm kind of obsessed with murder mysteries...I love forensic science. Other than that, the normal stuff, hang with friends, play with my cat and go to the beach.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life? Still working on that. I don't go out much, unless it's for a gig. I tend to play every week and stay locked up inside trying to find that perfect song.

Who are some of your major influences? Classic rock probably...Led zeppelin, pink floyd, but I love Radiohead, Fiona Apple, and Coldplay. Anything that is good for a rainy day or a long drive is on my playlist.

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing? In one way it's good, at least people are hearing the music. In another way it really sucks because now there is hardly any money to be made for an artist for all the hard work that we put into it.

What is your website address? Julie Gribble Online

The B.E

Please name all the members of your group?
Lyrix 'The Mastermind', JDC-1 Aka Jah Da Conscious One, & JCrow 'The Spoken Word Artist'.

What does the name of your group name mean?
The B.E is an abbreviation for The B.L.A.C.K Experience, which is an abbreviation for The Beats, Lyrics and Conscious Knowledge Experience

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form?
The Bay Area. The Bay is like another planet. People are down to earth and that helps to be progressive.



How long have you been performing?
Since 1990

How would you describe your creative process?
We listen to tracks, write some lyrics, and improvise the outcome!

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years?
Possibly managing other artists and/or music projects.

What are you doing when your not doing music?
Working 9 to 5 and taking care of the Fam!

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life?
We rarely mix the two. Sometimes one is an escape from the other.

Who are some of your major influences?
JDC- Tribe, Lyrix- Rakim, JCrow- Last Poets

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing?
Revolution brings about change, whether good or bad change is inevitable. We're Happy for the artists who will see residuals from this, but we are sad about the institution and ultimately how it infringes on our freedom.

What is your website address?
Black Crew Online

Hypercycle

Groups or Artist Name? Hypercycle

Please name all the member of your group? Mark Davis, Parker Petrell, Francis Castagnetti Jr., and Kuang Lee

What does the name of your band/artist name means? It represents enthusiasm and high energy.

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form? I came from San Diego.

How long have you been performing? 2 years.

How would you describe your creative process? Flexible and free formed. We don't have any one way to approaching writing a song. Sometimes, we develop a melody first, other times we write the lyrics first.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years? Hopefully still playing music and engaging audiences.

What are you doing when your not doing music? Living and experiencing life.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life? Not easily. We try at all times to maintain strong connections with some people that have nothing to do with music. This serves to be our bridge between our passion and traditional ordinary life without music.

Who are some of your major influences? Nirvana, the Beatles, the Pixies, Weezer, U2, Phantom Planet.

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing? No comment.

What is your website address? Hypercycle Music

Faculty

Groups or Artist Name? Faculty

Please name all the member of your group? Trigonometry a.k.a. Trigonom / Damon Mondell a.k.a. Mr. Blue Juice

What is the meaning of your group name? Faculty means special aptitude or skill, knack; all the members of any profession; the faculty of speech.

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form? We are from Oxnard California/805. It influenced us in many ways cause we were not trying to doing the typical west coast rap/hiphop, we were doing what we felt was good music and talking about things we were surrounded with not what the next neighborhood was doing but our own day to day struggle. Also different upcoming groups in the 805 area I feel inspired each other from their dress, music, name, stage performance and struggle.

How long have you been performing? We have been performing together for about 8-9 years. We were in a previous group together called Red Zone Fam were it was 4 members total for about 5 years, and we broke off and started the Faculty where we have been getting down for about 4-5 years as well.

How would you describe your creative process? Our creative process varies from how we are feeling at the time of recording, sometimes the track can dictate the song, or the song could have been written previously. The creativity also comes from our day-to-day experiences as well as our past experiences. We try to hit on topics not touch before and if they have been spoken on before then we try to deliver them differently. We try to stay open minded, up to date, and educated on different things here on this place we call earth.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years? We see ourselves in 5 years still in the game and being key players. Also see more ownership from the music and business.

What are you doing when your not doing music? We are still working this thing called a 9 to 5. Being husbands and fathers to our families. Traveling to different states and cities. Trying to find a dice game (Damon).

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life? Just trying to prioritize everything and putting God first. Music is on the tip of our list but we stay realistic about things, 1- God, 2- Family, and 3- Music.

Who are some of your major influences? Well we have been blessed to see and hear the best from the late 80's to current, but we would say KRS-One, Fat Boys, Run DMC, Busta Rhymes, Brand Nubian, Tribe, Kane, Out Kast, DAS EFX, Wu-Tang, Def Squad, and Beastie Boys. We looked up to those groups because they were and are trendsetters.

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing? It's good and bad. Its good if you are just starting out or independent in-regards to promotions, but if you are trying to depend on sales which we all need at the end of the day to continue pursuing our love then it could be a not so good situation.

What is your website address? Tha Faculty Online.

Definite Juice

Please name all the member of your group? Definite juice, dj coollove, and ST One, CLX2 classix crew.

What does the name of your band/artist name means? Definite juice; the only thing definite in anyone's life is there existence and their death. So make the most of it. That’s the serious side. The juice is simply the flavor, the spice of life that makes all my rhymes tight.

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form? Originally from L.A. so I stay current on L.A. styles be it any music form, but I started rapping' in the bay, so I definitely got that bay style; cool lingo, chill mannerism, humble attitude, raw beats...basically, hella fresh.

How long have you been performing? My first live show was at 15 so it’s now been 12 years...damn, I’m old.

How would you describe your creative process? More based on true emotion rather than punch lines and gimmicks.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years? I have no idea.

What are you doing when your not doing music? If I haven’t got the mic in my hand...it's a book, my dick, or a spray paint can.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life? Staying true to myself and my dreams while understanding the world works a different way. The world promotes a dream deferred; it doesn’t want you to follow your dreams. Basically, go to work, make your money, but don't believe everything, media tells you, no matter how much it affects your comfort zone. Always think from a true b-boys perspective and form your own opinions. Create your own style, and do your own thing.

Who are some of your major influences? Chuck D, De La Soul, The Coup, Andre Nickatina, Wu-Tang, Abstract Rude, U2, Quetzal, Redman, Burning Star, Dead Presidents, Motion Man, Depeche Mode, Bored Stiff, KAOTIC SOULS, Digital Underground, The Roots, etc.etc.

How do you feel about the crackdown of MP3 file sharing? It don't bother me...as long as someone hears my music, for money or not...that's tight.

What is your website address? Definite Juice Online

Apoetnomadali

What does the name of your name means? Plain and simple: a poet named ali put it together. One word.

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form? I was born across the world in the city of Tehran, in the country or Iran. My family moved to the U.S. in 1984. Lived in San Diego county in a few locations till we finally settled down in Mission Viejo, Orange County, when I was in the third grade. It's the place we stayed. It's my city. It's where I grew up.

How long have you been performing? Since I was 12 years old. My dad owns a DJ business and my older brother taught me after my dad taught him. We used to dj and dance at parties since we were young. I used to play the drums for a band in the 4th grade.

How would you describe your creative process? I am always writing. Whether it's prose, poetry, letters, or music. I love writing and really enjoy reading. But you can't reach people without living life. You gotta' live and couple that reality with your mind. I try to record when I think I've hit a certain mood or feel for the song, and feel I would rock it best. I always think a song can be better. Always. Everything I've ever done is unfinished; people just think it's finished. I'm very lucky to have met the Rising Suns, who have recently played an important part of my process. They are incredibly talented and I have been blessed with Joey's music ("soure-of-rah") for 3 new albums I have coming out that are going to shock and amaze the world.

They are going to release there album in a year, but from what I've heard, the industry just isn't ready yet. The three of us, Joey, Chris, and me are friends and we don't limit each other’s creativity and those two things might be the two most important things when working with others. We have some bomb ass collabo's that might be on my album, the Rising Suns album, or a collabo album, but they are sizzling. Hopefully you'll hear a couple of them on the radio someday.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years? Hopefully in a position where my music is being heard by people all over the world. I'm performing in front of the size of crowds I've dreamed of. I have the economic ability to pursue my other ambitions such as acting and writing, and have been able to give back to my family, my community, my people and the world. To do that realistically I envision I would need a "big break", a record deal, or a major distribution deal, or something.

What are you doing when your not doing music? On the weekends I DJ parties to make money and keep the family business going. During the week I teach dance in the afternoons. I give tennis lessons twice a week. In the mornings I work a sales job. Otherwise, I'm reading, writing, playing percussion, or learning. I play ball sometimes.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life? My entertainment life hasn't begun. For this first half of my life it's all been training and the honing of my skills. I think the promotion of the art I've worked so hard on for so long is finally going to start being a factor. Two years ago I was performing heavily but with no solid recorded product to sell or promote. Now I got enough music for three albums and I want to perform and promote it all and try to get the right people interested.

Who are some of your major influences? Entertainer/Performer: Michael Jackson Songwriters: Jim Croce, Cat Stevens, Michael Jackson, MC's (not in any order): Last Emperor, Master Ace, Talib, Mos Def, Guru, Jay, Nas, Canibus, Dogg pound.

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing? You can't stop technology. For the artist, it sucks, but people are always, ALWAYS, going to find a way to get free shit, no matter what it is. I'm not gonna' lie, when I was younger I was doing it, too, no that I have my own product, I'm like wait a minute that's ripping into my profit, but it works in cycles. They will come up with more and more ways to regulate it and then people will come up with more and more ways to get it.

What is your website address? Apoetnomadali Online

Rising Suns

Please name all the member of your group? Joey Figueroa(Sourcarah) Chris Craig(Selfluminous)

What is the meaning of your group's name? We feel that what we do through our music carries a lot of positive energy, and light like the Sun. Also we feel as human beings as well as artists we need to be constantly rising and are rising no matter what, thus the name” rising suns"

How long have you been performing? 3 years

What city do you come from and how did it influence your art form? Joey Figueroa is Puerto Rican born in New York, and raised all over California, Chris is Belizean born in Belize, raised Chicago then in California. Rising Suns have such a colorful cultural upbringing and it shows in our music. East Coast hip hop has a huge influence on our music

How would you describe your creative process? We use our lives as fuel for our music we only write about what we've lived. We seek for creative ways to paint a picture through our music.

Where do you see yourself in 5 Years? Rising like the Sun, hopefully shining a new light on the face of music.

What are you doing when your not doing music? Joey is also an illustrator and goes to school for graphic design. Chris goes to school and works out.

How do you balance your personal life with your entertainment life? We try to use any spare time to the fullest and while a lot of other people our going to clubs we're doing music. It's not an easy balance and there's definitely a lot of sacrifice involved.

Who are some of your major influences? Apoetnomadali, Tribe Called Quest, Last Emperor, Mobb Deep, Nas, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, Reggae, Salsa, Classical, and some alternative

How do you feel about the crack down of MP3 file sharing? It’s a great resource but in same sense it’s robbing the music.

What is your website address? Just email me at Fjos7@aol.com