Beloved Revolutionary Auntie

Osiyo, ni hao ma, and welcome. My name is KeJia Sista, and I'm a Native/Black/Hakka activist sister from Flushing, one of New York City's Chinatowns. It's time for an update, I'm rethinking my myspace page. I orginally created this site Blu Clan Rising, as a tribute to the late "Blu Magazine" a brilliant combination of hip-hop creativity, activism, oppressed people fighting back, using songs of Power and Chi. From the early beginnings of rap and hip hop, and just music in general I'd always taken notice of songs that spoke of civil rights, human rights, women's rights, songs of freedom. I've heard these songs in all genres of music, R&B, soul, hip-hop, blues, bluegrass, folk music. BLU magazine brought the politics of music all together, and showed me how music was being used worldwide to move oppressed people to unity and action. As the media flooded my eyes and ears with images of music being a background for mindless spending, women and young girls in bras and drawers, teaching us that money gives you the power to enjoy their bodies, and women themselves singing that if you are a high roller they are yours -- I would put on my BLU cd that asked, "is it all about a car and a house income coming in, naked harlots on the couch? is it all about a fk, pull up in the gut, trying to bust one nut - and then what? When I read BLU was a connection mentally and spiritually. There was a CD inside of each issue, with people like MosDef, Erykah Badu, Denizen Kane and the Poor Righteous Teachers; powerful performers who were not well known at the time; and still haven't got their due, as I see it. Blue was the magazine I'd wanted to write and the songs I wanted to sing.BLU Magazine: Dancing on the grave of apathy. BLU was an underground political-action zine that ran for three years until closing for financial reasons in the summer of 2001. Over the course of 14 issues and cd's, BLU sought to bring back a passion for social change in its pieces on politics, spirituality, and art in all it. Its focus on ethnic issues expounded the view that the plights of the oppressed are intertwined inextricably in the fight against capitalism. BLU magazine has ended, and lives only in the memories of those who created and supported it. My idea of a tribute to BLU has changed too. I don't have copies of all of the issues, I don't have the CD's of all of the songs, I don't have contacts to all of the artists.But although the format of the tribute has changed, the ideas of Blu Clan Rising continues. New artists have stepped forward to fill the vacancies of those who have left. Others are returning to the struggle recharged, after a period of absence. I will use this site to bring together, or to comment on, how our songs, words, and music is binding us together, and moving us forward. How it enlightens, heals and protects us. Here's to Blu Clan Rising, and to the continuation of artists who are progressive; who serve the people; and keep us moving forward. Nice meeting you,keep reading my blog and holla now and then.....Kejia Sista