Asheru and Blue Black
Of THE UNSPOKEN HEARD
“SOON COME…”

It’s the moment where action ceases to be a reaction, and functions solely on the merit of its own intent. It’s the space where the past and future join in the here and now, and the best of what’s been and could possibly be, resonates amongst those who inhabit it. It’s a mirror that never lies, reflecting the truth of who or what stands before it. An oxymoron that in it’s intricate simplicity describes the position of the MC with respect to hip-hop and popular culture. It’s The Unspoken Heard, a collective response to individual representations of thugged out, big-ballin’, shot-callin’ mediocrity.
MC’s Blue Black and Asheru, born Robert Jackson and Gabriel Benn, rock mics and shows as a means to know and communicate their understanding of the world. B-boys who’ve made a break from carbon copy beats, rhymes, and images, they choose instead to move crowds as grown men committed to the evolution of their art. As Asheru says, “In a world where everyone is buying more expensive clothes, cars, and jewelry to make them stand out in a crowd, the Unspoken Heard is truly unique.”

It is music capable of expressing the duality of life and the black cultural experience,
while simultaneously making heads nod, necks snap, and asses wiggle on the dance floor. Since first performing and recording together in 1996, The Unspoken Heard has opened an ever-widening circle in hip-hop, where those whose lives have progressed in contrast to the often backward movement of the music, can feel at home. From the mid-Atlantic and The Bronx but neither confined nor defined by those geographical locations, their very name alludes to the intangible threads connecting those of like minds the world over.
“Plus I come from a crew/ who speaks without words / But it’s loud and clear/ once the shit gets heard.”

The Two met while at the University of Virginia, where they both received degrees (in Anthropology and Sociology, respectively) and as two representatives of the Heard, Blue Black and Asheru bring the best of their individual life experiences to their roles as MC’s. Through two twelve inch releases, Blue Black’s “Sun Up From Sun Down” in 1996, and 1998’s “Better” b/w “Smiley”, with Asheru, as well as two EP’s, 1997’s “Cosmology”, and 1999’s “Jamboree” all on 7Heads Recordings, they’ve satisfied the consumer’s fickle appetite with jazz infused, positive, thought provoking pieces. They’re two solo artists who rhyme together, trading verses in a fluid and cohesive manner, in contrast to hip hop duos where each member seems simply to be waiting for the other to finish. Listening to one of their recordings is like being privy to a conversation between the two, where each MC relates the specifics of the situation as he sees it. This intuitive approach is most particularly evident on their forthcoming LP, “Soon Come...”

More than a collection of random songs, “Soon Come...” communicates as an aural text; a verbal portal into the minds of these MC’s, and the unified ideology from which their art emanates. It’s a celebration of life and the exuberant spirit of hip hop, possessing the ability to touch its listeners both spiritually and physically. “Soon Come...” reminds the listener of the “good old days” of Hip-Hop when Brand Nubian, the JB’s, BDP, Tribe and De La ruled the radio and video waves. Backed by tracks from Sound Providers, 88 Keys, J Rawls, Ge-ology, Richy Pitch, Yusef Dinero, fellow 7H artist Djinji Brown, and DJ Khalil of Self Scientific, “Soon Come...” is a sonic portrait of the artists’ as Black men, continuing in the tradition true artistic expression. A tradition that allows for formal education and street smarts, while also leaving room for the genius inherent to being at the forefront of every major cultural movement of the last two centuries.

The musical talents of Ge-ology, who has recently contributed to Mos Def’s gold selling debut, bless the first single, “Elevator Music “b/w” B-Boy. “Elevator” is an astonishingly beautiful combination of live guitars, live scratches, booming drums and funky keys. This track accurately sums up the intent of the album, “Elevator Music for the up and coming / Hip Hop Music, singing, drumming … something for your skybox…something both you and your kids can understand.”

The flip side, “B-Boy” is that perfect conversation between the two MC’s. Asheru states “G-Young hooked us with this beat. The funky guitar, the head bop, it’s all in there. Dedicated to all DJ’s, artists, writers, dancers, producers and consumers in the world of hiphop.”
Blue continues with, “If you ask the average Hip Hop consumer what a B-Boy is, they’ll probably tell you that it’s Breaker who up rocks to a DJ playing break beats and then moves to the floor to freak a new dance style using his / her hands or feet. They may even tell you that a B-Boy is someone who has mastered the art of Electric Boogaloo and may even suggest that you watch Beat Street, Breakin’ or Wild Style to see an example of real B-Boying. I believe that the current definition of B-Boy is too limited.”

The second single, “Truly Unique” is a testimony to the overall “feel good” vibe of the album. Crafted by newcomer and Pittsburgh native, Usef Dinero. The song is a re-creation of a night at the State of The Union (a favorite DC hangout for the crew). Asheru appropriately spits. “I rock for skaters and the thugs, / Corporate account holders who set it out in the clubs, / Students who go to school frustrated as hell, / Parents who do their best to keep you up outta jail, /Critics, cynics, and mimics All the rest in between / who hate to see a brother mix intelligence with cream / That means We either need to be poor, Black, and conscious Or bankrolled up, kicking nothing but that nonsense / But, imagine a brother like Ash going out like that With Wes Jack and Blue Black I’m truly unique!”
Nuff Said.

What the listener will also appreciate is that these are songs made for you by people like you. The album spans several years of recording. Some songs are much older than others. Some of the rhymes are from late 80’s/early 90’s rhyme books. What this means is that the listener will bear witness to the growth of artists as men. As Asheru states in the album’s liner notes, “In August of 1999, I left the middle school where I was teaching, to dedicate more time to this album, and to pursue other avenues of educating and reaching out to our youth. Consequently, I developed a curriculum for a creative writing/arts exposure program called Project NOMMO, and conducted workshops, projects, and poetry slams throughout the DC Public School system. Since choosing to work independently, I’ve learned to become more self reliant, and I am confident that big things await us in the future.”

Through songs such as “Truly Unique”, “Theme Music”, Elevator Music”, the title track, “Think About” featuring The Lone Catalysts and others, Asheru and Blue Black reflect their status as regular men capable of extraordinary moments of clarity. Men blessed with the ability to take their observations and transform them into rhymes, accurately depicting themselves, their crew, and the world at large.