Songwriter, lyricist/topline, voiceover artist, singer, producer, ex-Quincy Jones music, muso, big mouth.

Her name says it all! Medinah Starr is truly a "Star", a shining ray of hope, a refreshing spirit, a poet, a songwriter, an activist and an MC. She has been described as a “breath of fresh air” in an industry over-saturated with gimmicks and negative role models.

Refusing to be portrayed as an over-sexualized, gun-clapping female MC, Medinah created her own lane and refused to be compromised. So many of us long for the days of Queen Latifah sporting the kente cloth, wearing an ankh and spitting lyrics about unity and self-respect.

We remember MC Lyte and Roxanne Shante going head to head with other MCs, male and female and emerging victorious. It is these women amongst others that gave birth to Medinah’s unique sound. It is a fusion of spoken word and powerful lyrics with a street-smart edge over Hip-Hop beats!

Reviewers and critics praise the West Philly native for her creativity in addressing controversial issues such as racism, sexism, domestic violence and poverty. Emory Garris from doyourart.com writes, “No one else’s story connected with me the way that hers did”. 100.3FM The Beat, a Philadelphia-based FM station, labeled Ms. Starr “The Next to Blow” in Philly!

Motivated by her struggle to be heard and her passion for music Ms. Starr has expanded her fan base way beyond the US borders. Medinah has a strong fan base in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Canada. She was interviewed on the Urban Renewal Project in Vancouver, BC in December of 2007 and her single made the “Best of 2007” list in Canada.

Medinah Starr has collaborated with artists and producers such as Guru from the legendary Gang Starr, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Nick Wiz, Torae, Access Immortal and others.

Medinah Starr's two projects, Beyond Reazon (1/2008) and Serious Intermission (12/2008) are both available on Apple i-tunes, www.amazon.com, www.cdbaby.com and at some local retailers.

Medinah Starr's Music can be described as "Socially conscious hip-hop with a street smart edge. Medinah Starr's music is an unconventional fusion of spoken word and lyricism over a variety of beats and sounds."

DubCat presents FEMALE POWER IN DUB Pt. 2
The show aims to promote female artists in dub and will focus on female producers and production combos that feature women.
Listen to it on Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/Dub_Cat/dubcat-presents-female-powa-in-dub-pt-2-dub-night-radio-28th-may-2021/

About: I got infected with the Reggae Sound System bug the first time i came into contact with it more than ten years ago. I have since been a massive Dub and Steppas lover and been actively involved in the Sound System scene. After i had my first chance to play on a Sound System at Fusion Festival in Germany in 2013 i became a selectress and over the years have had the opportunity to play together with Riot Imagica and Catitah, Siren Sisters, Lion's Den, Plug Dub, Moonbass, Kunterbunt, Digitron and Dandelion Sound System and others. 

My mission is to promote female artists in the dub scene and spread the bassolutionary message of reggae music. 

Let's dance in love for ourselves and leave the shitstem behind! 

 =^..^=

"We have come to be danced
not the pretty dance
not the pretty pretty, pick me, pick me dance
but the claw our way back into the belly
of the sacred, sensual animal dance
the unhinged, unplugged, cat is out of its box dance
the holding the precious moment in the palms
of our hands and feet dance

We have come to be danced
not the jiffy booby, shake your booty for him dance
but the wring the sadness from our skin dance
the blow the chip off our shoulder dance
the slap the apology from our posture dance

We have come to be danced
not the monkey see, monkey do dance
one, two dance like you
one two three, dance like me dance
but the grave robber, tomb stalker
tearing scabs & scars open dance
the rub the rhythm raw against our souls dance

We have come to be danced
not the nice invisible, self conscious shuffle
but the matted hair flying, voodoo mama
shaman shakin’ ancient bones dance
the strip us from our casings, return our wings
sharpen our claws & tongues dance
the shed dead cells and slip into
the luminous skin of love dance

We have come to be danced
not the hold our breath and wallow in the shallow end of the floor dance
but the meeting of the trinity: the body, breath & beat dance
the shout hallelujah from the top of our thighs dance
the mother may I?
yes you may take 10 giant leaps dance
the Olly Olly Oxen Free Free Free dance
the everyone can come to our heaven dance

We have come to be danced
where the kingdom’s collide
in the cathedral of flesh
to burn back into the light
to unravel, to play, to fly, to pray
to root in skin sanctuary
We have come to be danced
WE HAVE COME"

by Jewel Mathieson

The rhymes and chimes of Black Jesus Experience deliver the musical strength and beauty of Africa through the vocal prism of Hip-Hop and freedom of Jazz.

Africa meets Australia and dances.


BLACK JESUS EXPERIENCE is an 8-10 piece band playing an irresistibly danceable blend of traditional Ethiopian song and 21st Century groove. With backgrounds as diverse as the 5 continents the members of 'BJX' hail from, their music reflects the multicultural vibrancy of the band's hometown, Melbourne, Australia.

When not touring BJX run a weekly session at cultural hub The Horn where BJX create new songs live on stage. The comfort BJX has with this practice lies in the improvising traditions of that feed BJX including Hip Hop, Jazz, Azmari and Rutu Pa'u.

The music is also fed quite literally before each performance by the ritual of a group meal prepared by singer Enushu and MD Peter Harper in the Ethiopian tradition, "those who eat from the same plate will not betray each other". This inspires and reinforces bonds musical, social and spiritual, bonds BJX invite their audiences to join.

Enushu began entertaining her local community as a child in Addis Ababa. Forced to leave Ethiopia, Enushu migrated to Australia bringing hauntingly beautiful compositions inspired by her remarkable life story and the unique vocal traditions of Ethiopia. Enushu is joined on vocals by poetic giant and lyrical miracle The Monk, Zimbabwe born and Outback bred.

Highlights for BJX include two tours of "the Motherland" Ethiopia, performing sellout shows with Ethiojazz legend Mulatu Astatke in Europe and Australia (an association which won BJX and Mulatu "The Age Best Tour" award) Glastonbury, Big Chill, City Of London Festival, WOMADdelaide, the Big Day Out, Golden Plains and Melbourne International Jazz Festival and supporting Tony Allen among other great festivals.

The rhymes and chimes of Black Jesus Experience deliver the power and beauty of Africa through the vocal prism of Hip-Hop and freedom of Funk.



ENUSHU TAYE (vocals)
Hailing from Ethiopia, Enushu was only a child when she began singing for her local community. In 1992 she was forced to take refuge in Cairo. In 1996 Enushu migrated to Australia bringing to Melbourne her hauntingly beautiful compositions inspired by her remarkable life story and the unique vocal traditions of Ethiopia. Enushu co-led the group GOJAM producing two acclaimed albums ‘World In A Jam’ and ‘Back On Earth’.

MR MONK (mc/vocal)
Of Zimbabwean/Australian heritage and known by his peers as the “lyrical miracle”, Mr Monk represents with solid flows and conscious word play. Whether with pen and paper or on the fly, he delivers his love message for Mama Africa loud and clear.

PETER HARPER (tenor saxophone, composer)
Harper has been a torch-bearer for the avant-garde on four continents, as an instrumentalist and as an inspirational composer, since the early 1980’s. His searingly powerful sound manifests his longtime dedication to the practice of overtone’s and musical studies under Ratu Pandji, and the great Evan Parker. He has performed and recorded worldwide with Musiikki Oy, Steve Lacy, House Arrest (Paul Grabowsky), The Australian Art Orchestra, Night Z, Something Else, Where’s Henry, The Big One, GOJAM and BLOW.

IAN DIXON (trumpet, flugelhorn, composer)
Extensive travel and study of birdsong informs Ian Dixon’s unique approach to improvisation and composition. Best known for his work as a trumpet player and composer on the global electronica scene, crossdiscipline collaborations have led to work in film and television, with visual artists, choreographers and in digital media. Recently returned to Australia after 15 years based in London, Ian has performed and recorded in diverse musical settings with performers including UTE, Guru, Kenny Garrett, Irmin Schmidt (CAN), Kumo, Max Romeo, Corker Conboy, Ape, No-Man, Night Z, Ramjac, DJ Blame, Dub Pistols, Musiikki Oy and with Bobby Singh as West Park.

HUE BLANES (keyboards)
Having traveled the globe in search of good wine, cheese and other guilty pleasures, Hue has found that it is all better in Melbourne than anywhere else. That is why, after extensive study and performance in New York (Jason Moran, Fred Hersch) and New Orleans, London, Vancouver and Paris, Hue (known as ‘Hue-age’ and ‘The Seagull’) is stealing chips here for a while, performing with Harry Angus, Paul Williamson, Pez, Illy, Rumberos, True Live and his own projects - The Melodics, The Hue Blanes Ensemble, and Electric Opera. 

CHRIS FRANGOU (electric bass)
Known for navigating a wide range of genres and textures on the electric bass touching on and being heavily influenced by music as far spread as jazz, funk, rock, balkan, hip-hop, east african music, blues, indian classical and middle eastern music. His diverse musical palate and experience on the electric bass has seen him composing and performing live and in the studio across the country for numerous Australian and international artists. Recently his 10 year career has taken him to refine his skills as an instrumentalist and composer through his music degree at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE where he has had ongoing study under Melbourne bass player Christopher Hale and his recent trip to New York City where he studied under Matt Garrison (Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock), Jason Lindner, Felix Pastorius and Grammy nominated bass player Panagiotis Andreou (New York Gypsy All Stars, Gonzalo Grau Y La Clave Secreta).

NASH LEE (electric guitar)

ZHONU ‘NUI’ MOON aka FUTURE ROOTS (percussion)
The music played by Future Roots reflects a rich life journey that allows him to draw directly on his experiences and connections with diverse cultures and ways of life. From his upbringing in India by his Moroccan father and Australian mother to traveling across Asia, Africa the Middle East and Europe, from time spent in his ancestral homeland of North and West Africa to connecting with traditional and emerging cultures closer to home in the Australasian/Pacific region. His mentors include Rama Chrishna (Pondycherri School of Karnatic music), Pape Faye (National Ballet of Senegal), Cecil Carter (Nyabingi and Afro-Cuban rhythms, USA), Irie Ingram (Papua new Guinea and Cook Island rhythms). Performance highlights include appearances at festivals including Glastonbury, WOMADelaide, Garma Festival and Vancouver Folk Festival with artists such as Yothu Yindi, Horace Andy, Ganga Giri, Future Rootsand Afro Public Opinion Orchestra.

MATT HEAD (drums)

"MSY", from Louisville, KY, has been a Hip Hop artist/writer for many years. She has stormed the streets of Louisville with her uniquely conspicuous flow at Hip Hop rap battles, community-wide events and show-cases around the mid-west. She has been noticed by some of the hottest DJ's and producers in the game, and is continuously hustling her way to the top. Staying in her lane but not restricting herself to the "female rapper" stigma, MSY shreds beats with nostalgic chants of her upbringing in urban areas of Louisville, echoing her past challenges and triumphs, which has lead to her lyrical success. MSY has moved the rap pendulum by bringing an evolutionary hybrid of raw conscious rap and humor, that has been mentioned by showcase managers as "Different" and "Good Music" . She is the future of rap, and will continue to blow minds as she delivers innovative music that transcends through many life triumphs and entices the soul

A Pure Delhite, Music is My Life, Time Conscious, Foodie, Blow My Candles on 29June.

Fort Collins, Colorado locals ZAID and Conscious Rebellion aka Kurt, a Collaboration between two DJ's coming together to blow minds on the floor!
Contact: ExecutiveReality@gmail.com

“ I want to unite all of us under One Love, which is God’s Love. The most powerful way to unite anyone is through music. It heals, it gives life, and it expresses who we truly are.  It is my goal to spread conscious music through real and inspiring lyrics. “ 
–Alex 

Whether on stage pumping the crowd full of energy or behind the scenes – Alex does it with passion. Run into him and you will see a true example of how to live your life to the fullest and fulfill your purpose. His purpose? Music. Music is his passion, allowing him to set words to life. This combined with his real delivery and honest perspective will blow your mind with every new project released. 

His independent debut album “Simply Alex” release fueled his desire to join the hip-hop community. However, he soon realized that his conscious lyrics couldn’t be confined to the genre of just Hip-Hop. Seeking advice, he received a post it note from a co-worker, listing three names with the urge to look into them. Putting it in his notebook, it was nearly forgotten for three months. While reading his Bible for guidance, Alex opened the notebook to write down lyrics. Needing inspiration he typed the names into YouTube: Lecrae. Json, Flame. Alex said, “I jumped up. I knew exactly what I wanted to be in this industry. I knew my message, I knew my path.”  

Alex has always believed in God. Born James Alexander Campbell II into a military life-style, he knew from a young age that average was not his destiny. Moving from Jamaica to Germany, the six member family settled into Copperas Cove, Texas.  Growing up in small town Texas, he was exposed to a vast amount of musical styles. Whether being played at home or performing at school; music was constant in his life. His faith, instilled into him by his parents and Grandfather, continued to grow and flourish into the rock it is today. Like many young men his path to God was not a smooth one. “I went through things. My only real outlet was music or sports. I knew God was there, but I didn’t know how to rely solely on Him. Today, He’s my all. I’m still growing – every hour, every day.”  His music is a tribute to that path and draws in those in similar situations. 

“Growth starts within and comes out slowly, one day at a time.” says Alex “Look into who you are and find His way for you in life.” Staying true to yourself is the theme of his next project “ BreakThrough”.  Set to release in AUG of 2014, the EP follows the stages of growing as man in God and finally breaking through. 


Maryanne Angus is following