July 18

I contacted another person so that I could get another interview and reflection

July 18

I got my propsal read by mrs. fossum and edited I need another person to edit it

7/16/07

Today, I got my activity checklist finished am, only missing 3 differnt things:

The interview reflection
Thank you letter
Revised Proposal

7/16/07

Today I plan on meeting a rapper named blu, to talk about a gig that he is doing later in the month

7/15/07

Today I talked to blu about making him a Jeazy style beat, this blogg is being used as my agenda,llol

July 12

First paragraph of proposal

“Rap is something you do; Hip-hop is something you live” The purpose of hip-hop was to express the views of the people in the inner city. The art of Djing established the break, which established; breaking, Mcing, the graffiti arts, hip-hop fashion, along side a unique language. Though the foundation has been solidified, the purpose has swayed by egotistical ideas, the concepts are still pure. Can hip-hop be recreated in its purest form?

july 12

I capped of my outline and uploaded it, still might be late, but that is what i get for going to CalU

july 12

today I started my proposal, I stated an old KRS-One qoute " rap is something you do; hip-hop is something you live

7/12/07

Today before Drew Left for trail he made suggestions on the musice that I made. And gave me a few ideas of melodies and styles

7/8/07

I finished my pre-writing assignment, which gave me a better insight on the things that I will need to have a complete project( in my eyes). Very few of the things I don;t have but can live with out them, such as Pro-Tools( having it would make life easier)

7/7/07

today I finished my prewrite

6/29/07

I FURTHER WORKED ON MY OUTLINE, it is now 3 pages

6/28/07

Today I learned the techniques to making the proper beats
1.percussion(kick, hi-hat, claps)
2.bassline
3. melody
4. Orchestration
5.Fill

I will begin practicing this order in composition

6/27/07

Today I made the begining of my outline and plan on finishing it up after my scrimmage today against Montour. Currently I have the begining of hip-hop done inside my outline

6/22/07

To day and yesterday I found out info on the health of Hip-hop on my area. Pittsburgh is not the best place to start a music career, but there is still hope that, one day this will be the arts heaven that it once was.
A recent article showed, some of our rising stars, Wiz and the r&b group crave have all signed major deals w/ajor industry leaders

Hope for the Burgh!!

6/21/07

I have found a website that, use past and present knowledge to producing music. The website is called tweakheadz.com, and i will soon add it to y link list.

This site gives info on sampling, sound construction, and the tools needed to making the proper situation for the correct style of beat

June 18, 2007

Today, I continued answering my foundation questions with notes that I have taken from my sources

today

Today I took complete notes, and throughly read out my websites. I am lloking for the formula for the perfect beat

June 8

Today I skimmed through the rough guide ot hip-hop and learned about artist that i never knew existed. I furthered my contact list and contacted my interview canidate

6/05/07

Today, I worked on my interview questions and accomplished finding a person to interview

June 4, 2007

Today, I finally uploaded my keyterms and foundation question and found/looking for a person to interview for the secound leg of my graduation project.

My Key Terms

1. Official Birth of Hip-Hop (8.11.1973) - Sedgwick Avenue & Cedar Park is the birthplace of hip hop music and culture. Sedgwick Ave is where Kool Herc threw the original house party and extended the groove outside to the recreation area on August 11, 1973. Kool Herc was extending the break beats and MCing the event. Kool Herc followed this up with the first park jam.
2. MC- Someone who is in control of the microphone whether in a public speech or in a lyrical spew of rhymes.
3. Breaking- A dance style created around the roots of Hip-hop, considered the third pillar of hip-hop(break dancing)
4. Tagging- images or letters applied to publicly viewable things like walls or billboards
5. Illmatic- widely regarded as a one of the best hip-hop albums in the genre's history, and definitely a must-own for all hip-hop fans. Also considered the best beef song in history.
6. Beat- Hip-hop composition that is used for MCs to rap over
7. Sampling- is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or element of a new recording
8. Roland 808- was one of the first programmable drum machines, used very often in today R&B and hip-hop artist
9. Scratch- the act of moving a record/vinyl to make a ripping sound

These are my essential and foundation questions:

Essential Question

How can I re-envision the origins of hip-hop and make it relevant today?

Foundation Questions

Who were the founding fathers of hip/the beat?

What is the correct way to make a beat?

What are the breaks?

What is proper mixing technique?

What is sampling?

How has sampling affected hip-hop?

What are the 3 pillars of Hip-hop?

What are the styles?

How have the styles changes?

What make hip-hop relevant?

Research 6/9/07

Today I researched the, beginnings of hip-hop and started the weblography

Today I designed two colages, that represent my topic in my graduation project. They are---

Q8 (4/27/07)

The graduation project from what I have heard, is extremely difficult. Personally I have yet to meet anyone who has completed a Snr. Project that is appeling to me. Although they have told me thier experiences, in which they said that it takes alot of their personal time. My major concern is that I will not have the right amount of time to make the project to the best of my abilities.

Tha Alpha

This is the initial post on my graduation blog

I have a couple topic ideas

1. To hold a charitable basketball event ( sponsored by make-a-wish and also to give the wish to my coaches child who has autism

2. Do a project on the history of Hip-hop ( make a beat to show how it was started )