PLEASE DON'T STOP THE MUSIC (or the films. or the art) Word of Mouth Artist: Marcellus Ford

If you ever run into second year Howard U student Marcellus Ford, be it on Georgia Avenue or in the VIP parking lot outside of Club Love, and took the time to ask him who he was, I would think that his answer would be something like this:

"The Shit."

And, unlike most, we here at BAM think that Mr. Ford has the right to say so. The ninteen year old maverick wears the coats of many trades including artist, music man, and film maker. I dont know about you, but that sounds like "The Shit" to me. BAM chilled out with the young Prince Georges County native as he let on to what makes him so SICK.

BBI :When did you first jump into the arts?

MF: [I have been into the arts] Since Elementary School. I went to Glenarden Woods in PG County, Maryland, and I use to be in my grandma's [house] looking on the wall at the art my uncle Hampton Olfus (http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/h/holfus/) has done, look him up, and I was would be thinking 'wow'. So i'd try to draw his art work on these rolls of paper that my dad got [for] me. I was involved in band/ochestra/marching band where I played the trumpet. Now I constantly have ideas running through my head about music, drawings, and films.

BBI :Who is the musical artist(s) would be able to best define your style?

MF: I think my music can be defined by Three 6 Mafia, DJ Screw, Madlib, and J Dilla. I actually made my Dj name 'DJ Who' tryna sound like dj screw, but now I often [use] other alias' MFK(Muthafukinking), Global Warming.

BBI :How has Washington Metropolitan Life influenced your music, art, and film making?

MF: My music is influenced by gogo, sometimes I mix it [go go] in because gogo is my shit. The beat gets me hype.

BBI :What exactly makes you different from other artist around the country? What makes you similar to them?

MF: Im trying to actually seperate myself from artist of the US. I'm tryna fuck with Europe[an artist] because they are puttin on some hot shit right now. Matter fact look up Ed Banger Records (http://www.myspace.com/edbangerrecords). I'm tryna take it back to looping and beat building. But what makes me diffrent is that I have the gogo spin on my shit. What makes me similar is that im trying to hustle off what I enjoy, just like they are.

BBI :Going Green?

MF: {He Laughs}This is actually a joke, going green has nothing to do with the environment. I will put it like this... going green not only relaxes but it makes you think.

BBI :When people listen to your music what do you want them to feel? When they view your paintings?

MF: When people hear my music I want them to think 'aye I know that sample you used, I didn't think that would sound good with that'. When people view my paintings I want them to be sorta confused in a way that will keep them looking, like 'what does this mean?'

BBI :Where can we find your art? How about in 10 years?

MF: My art work was in Artomatic (http://www.artomatic.org/). Now its in my house {he laughs} but in the next ten years I want my art to be on your wall, on a cd cover, in a magazine...where ever it can be seen.

BBI :Name a message that you try to convey with your work?

MF: OH SHIT!

BBI :To many, the world has been spinning in a new direction since January 1st of 08’. Do you believe that the world is truly changing, or can ever change?

MF: Yeah the world is changing! Gas is goin up Metro( DC metropolitan transit system) is getting crowded, people are getting rude. But all that sounds bad right? Its all a cycle... it gets worse before its gets better.

BBI :Why should we be looking out for Marcellus Ford?

MF: Look out for me because first you'll like me. Second look out for me because I'm tryna bring something new. My goal is to make documentaries and add all my influences from all the arts [that] I have been involved in, so you might catch some Academy awards type shin digg... look out for me.

BBI: Will Do.




Check out some of Mr. Ford's Music on Imeem:

http://www.imeem.com/djwho/music/LF1tbWL_/mfk_get_buck_wild/

Vegan Soulfood

Yes I am the Preditor, Producer and Editor that is, of this short film on the Resturant Everlasting Life on Georgia Avenue in North West Washington, D.C.

If your Vegan, or if you just want some good ass food and good vibes, make sure you hit up Everlasting Life!

****Anique

Random Rant- No Jesse, NO!

“I’m Jesse Jackson on the balcony when king got KILLED, I survived the livest n***as around…” ---NAS

Never been one for American politics. No, not I. Not because of the savvy jargon (which at the time of my first encounter with modern U.S.politics, I never could quite understand) that spewed between the thin lips of our self proclaimed saviors, the feather weight promises of better tomorrows, or the artificial smiles that bear the most striking resemblance to those of porcelain dolls. Fake.

It was because as a short, fat girl with nappy cornrows who was born in the picturesquely quaint Jersey suburbs only to be violently and abruptly spit into the ghetto of Glenarden, Maryland. My question… What the fuck do these rich, powdered and pressed dudes have to do with me? Even though a trip down the red line was all I needed to get deep into their habitat (which included Starbucks Coffee Shops, fake breast, valet parking, and monstrous buildings) I would never be a part of their world, let alone a high concern on their political to do list.

There were a few of these dudes, and a scattered few, that would have my interest in mind. One of these guys is the legendary Jesse Jackson. For a ridiculously long number years JJ has rocked the political world through his close relations to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ties in the civil rights movement, and running for president (he was not the first Black person to run, Charlene Mitchell did it in 68’).

But today I feel, as I’m sure most African Americans feel, outraged and betrayed. Outraged because Jesse Jackson who ONCE ( the fundamental idea here is, however great his works WERE, his political weight does not hold much relevance in 2008) a light for civil rights and African Americans for many years, outright degraded my man B Obeezy (Barack Obama) on national television, then on the most racist bullshit network, Fox News. Outraged because the man who was down to helped stir the waves for the Jenna Six (www.freethejena6.org) earlier this year, the man who I ONCE felt represented me, just “spoke” for the Black Community. Betrayed because my future media hombres are telling America that this bamma JJ’s views, who’s obviously jealous of Obama’s connection and status amongst all people and not just African Americans, represent the damn views of all Black people. I’m not solely disgusted by the grotesque and ignorant lexis used by JJ, but also by the fact that Americans will believe this shit, which will ultimately remove some luster from the Shining Star, who is better known as Barack Obama. Rant Over.

---Anique***