Bahais Online 
"It's, as I say, a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion.... It's a rather joyous song." ~ Leonard Cohen, creator of the song, Hallelujah
Trailer for Arise, the debut Album from the Dawnbreaker Collective. Featuring Iodine, Benny Cassette, Vahid, Tara Ellis, Matu, Mathai, Ray Loo, Andy Grammer and Devon Gundry.
Music video for "Back Home," the lead single off of the new Blue Scholars record "BAYANI."
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SHORT skits and near tracks are a standard feature of albums by many an overactive hip hop artist, few would spend precious disc time on a prayer from a religion founded in 19th Century Iran as Blue Scholars do on their second release Bahani.
Propounding any religious, or even spiritual belief, is a brave step in a genre where superstardom seems to be laid at the feet of hard-core, self-interested materialists perfectly illustrated by the the odious Get Rich Or Die Trying manifesto of Fifty Cent.
However, Hip Hop has always been a broad church (although this must be a first for the Baha'i faith), and it's truly refreshing to hear that the greatest financial boast on this engaging album is MC Geologic's pride at finally getting a comma in his checking account balance - a well deserved comma it is too.
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Fire For The People Download
Back Home Download
Joe Metro Download
from Bayani (2007, Rawkus)
With one full-length album (Self-Titled, 2004) and an 8-song EP (The Long March, 2005) the Blue Scholars have emerged out of the erupting Northwest hip-hop scene with soulful beats, poetic yet political rhymes and a reputation for dynamic live performances. With their second full-length release, Bayani, due out on June 12, 2007 on MASSLINE in collaboration with Rawkus Records, the torch bearing Seattle duo blends the personal and the political, unafraid to party in the process.
{josquote}The album’s title is also a nod to Geologic and Sabzi’s communities, as the word Bayani can be found in both the Tagalog (Filipino) and Farsi (Persian) languages. In Tagalog (Filipino), the word translates to “heroes (of the people)” and in Farsi, “the divine word.”{/josquote}Emcee Geologic and DJ/producer Sabzi come from vastly different musical approaches to experiment with a unique, new sound that still echoes the classic boom-bap of a bygone era (see: A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets). Prior to their collision, Geo had already begun making local rounds as a battle emcee and spoken-word poet, while Sabzi honed his skills as a classical and jazz-trained pianist while attending indie ska and punk shows. This unlikely partnership set the precedent for what distinguishes the group from the vast sea of independent hip-hop artists - the ability to strike a balance between worlds usually seen distant from one another. Poetic lyricism with beats you can dance to. Marxist theory mixed with Baha’i spirituality. Musical influences ranging from Thelonius Monk and Aphex Twin to Marvin Gaye and J Dilla.