Review & Photos By: Kasim Patton
The third annual We The People Music Festival took place at the Los Angeles Historic State Park on September 27, 2008. The Los Angeles based, all ages event is geared towards celebrating the conscious spirit of reggae, hip hop and punk rock. Political art exhibits and a wide assortment of vendors specializing in political and social products and services were on hand for the days festivities.
The line up featured diverse acts such as the RZA, Barrington Levy, Eek A Mouse, EPMD, Fishbone, Suicidal Tendencies, and local hip hop legend Murs. The musical acts were divided into two main stages and a third stage for DJ's and other electronic based acts. San Diego based jam band, the B Side Players had the crowd moving with a mix of latin and reggae tunes. Eek A Mouse delivered hits like "Ganja Smuggler" and "Wa Do Dem" in his signature high pitched voice. Later that evening, Barrington Levy rocked the stage and mesmerized fans with his speedy vocal skills and energetic dance moves. He performed crowd favorites like "Broader Than Broadway", "Black Roses", and "Dangerously". Singing well after his time was up, he inspired the crowd with a speech about health and non violence.
Musical heavyweights Fishbone, sped through a set of past tunes which included their ska and reggae influenced sound. Known as the mastermind behind the Wu Tang Clan, RZA stormed the stage with friends of which included the son of late rapper Old Dirty Bastard. He whipped the massive crowd into a frenzy with classic hits like C.R.E.A.M and songs off his new project "Digi Snacks". Scarub and Eligh, members of the rap crew Living Legends, were also in attendance. Their diehard fans sang along as they rapped in their typical complex and very fast style. L.A emcee MURS, also a member of the Living Legends, gave a solo performance. Garnering a lot of buzz due to his long awaited "MURS For President" album and numerous MTV spotlights, MURS lived up to the hype by giving attendees a forever memorable performance that included a surprise cameo by gangster rap pioneer Kurupt.
The evening ended with hip hop group Dilated Peoples on the second stage and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine on the main stage. We The People was a great success considering its wide ranging artist roster and it's political edge. For more information on We The People, visit www.wethepeoplefestival.com.
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