Safari Black - Straight Up Vegan Hip Hop

In our search to find and document the best in awesome, thought-provoking staight edge and vegan hip hop, we stumble upon all kinds of interesting stuff circulating out there in the underground. Safari-Black is a super cool hip hop artist taking the animal rights cause to a whole new level, by mixing high-quality, intelligent raps with extra tight, modern hip hop music.

An outspoken animal rights activist and a member of the Vegan Hip Hop Movement, Safari Black does not forget to keep things entertaining (it's music after all). He manages to provide some real awesome hip hop to groove along to, while getting a healthy inflow of funky, compassionate & thoughful  messages. We strongly recommend to go and check his mixtape The Art of Love at bandcamp if you're up for some extra-chill, NY flavored hip hop in the vein of 2nd generation Wu Tan, Dead Prez, Masta Killa etc. Moreover, Safari Black showcases the latest  and best from that new wave hip hop sound, by adding  crazy samples and aural landscapes that will get your extra-terrestrial avatar in motion.

Safari Black is a busy man doing cool stuff for a good cause. Aside from making music, you will find his vegan episodes on youtube (vegan pizza recipes and all), as well as promoting all that is cool and compassiontate in the world of hip hop through his website So forget all that crappy, commercial hip hop and connect with the real urban underground!

Promoe - Straight Edge Hip Hop from the Long Distance Runner

It's no shame to admit that documenting the straight edge hip hop movement is definitely within the scope of this blog. This movement represents a lot of what I love about straight edge and its philosophy, but blends it in nicely with a more chilled musical approach--which at the same time I find to be extremely fun and addictive to listen to. You don't have to be straight edge (or even a huge rap fan) to enjoy this music and even learn a thing or two from its intense social and political message. From what I've seen, the core kids dig the power of intellect, thought provoking hip hop. After all, we should not forget how much it has in common with our own background!

So Promoe is another one of those straight edge (and vegan) rappers out there around the world pushing on with the most positive, yet rebellious message in the globe today. This dude is actually pretty well known as a rapper (but maybe not as an intense vegan/sXe personality) from his career with the famous crew Looptroop Rockers. He kicks it up rapping in both his native language, Swedish, and in English. To be honest, I don't think anyone can understand he's not American, as his rapping is practically flawless and with a crystal clear english accent. The things he says in his raps are just inspirational, with a force to change lives and influence people, not just entertain them.

It's definitely important (and rare) to be cool and keep it chill while representing a positive cause. It's easy to fall into the lame condescending type category. Aren't we all feed up of being patronized and aren't we here because we hate it? But Promoe isn't like that. Like a new age, funky straight edge prophet, he manages to escape all these traps and come out unharmed. All he does is blend a lot of the good stuff together, making pure, unadulterated, 'organic' straight edge hip hop for everyone to listen to.

However, I don't think he can be confined by terms like straight edge. He's been active for many years in the worldwide hip hop scene, releasing one good album after the other and taking it to the stage in front of people who have never heard of straight edge. I don't think there are many artists who've got this level of power, intensity and coolness out there today! Enjoy Promoe!

When Worlds Collide: XCYPHERX, Straight Edge Hip Hop

Who said that hardcore and hip hop do not mix? I've always believed that these two cultures have kind of evolved alongside each other and have even influenced one another to a great degree. The current wave of straight edge hip hop, which is growing every day as we speak, is here to prove just that. There are bands and artists from all over the world who keep their beats tight, while spreading the hardcore and sXe message. Today we have prepared a small feauture on one of the best out there, mr. XCYPHERX!!!

One thing I can honestly say about XCypherX isthat he plays ultra-tight, funky, West Coast style hip hop in the early 90s tradition (i.e. Looniz, Snoop etc), but one thing's for sure: XCypherX does NOT rap about weed or drinking! He has an entertaining, constructive way of rapping, about staying sober and living up as large as you want, but without the bad habits that usually accompany the claim to fame. His rhymes can be a bit provocative sometimes, but I think this is a must in straight egde hip hop, as it has to be sharp, memorable and straight to the point. Inbetween the songs there are always interesting snd sometimes funny skits about straight edge.

So all I can suggest right now is that if you like clean living and you like old school hip hop, you should go and visit XCypher'sX  myspace page right away: http://www.myspace.com/xcypheredgex. There, you will find some cool videos with MC sompetitions, as well as direct links to most of the stuff he has released, so you can download it and listen to it for free. 

Take care, and enjoy XCypherX!!!