#James Dewitt Yancey Foundation

[andronicmusicblog]

Roland, in partnership with Save The Music Foundation, has unveiled the Roland Lifestyle x J Dilla collection, a limited edition clothing line in honor of the legendary artist's 50th birthday. The collection is a tribute to the iconic hip-hop producer and rapper J Dilla, and is aimed at inspiring high school students in electronic music creation.

The limited edition collection includes t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories featuring J Dilla's iconic image and graphics. The proceeds from the collection will go directly to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation and J Dilla Music Technology Grant, which support music education programs and provide opportunities for high school students to learn about electronic music production.

J Dilla, whose real name was James Dewitt Yancey, was one of the most influential hip-hop producers of all time. He passed away in 2006 due to complications from lupus, but his legacy continues to inspire new generations of artists and producers.

Roland, a leading manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, has been a long-time supporter of the J Dilla Foundation and its mission to provide young people with access to music education. The Roland Lifestyle x J Dilla collection is a testament to the company's commitment to fostering creativity and innovation in the field of electronic music.

The limited edition collection is a must-have for fans of J Dilla and electronic music enthusiasts alike. By purchasing items from the collection, fans can not only show their support for J Dilla's legacy, but also help provide opportunities for young people to learn about electronic music production.

In conclusion, the Roland Lifestyle x J Dilla collection is a fitting tribute to an iconic artist and producer whose music continues to inspire and influence new generations of musicians. The collaboration with Save The Music Foundation and the J Dilla Foundation is a testament to the power of music education and its ability to transform lives.

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

New Audio: Vice Beats Teams Up with Jaz Kahina and Nutty P on a Soulful and Thoughtful Tribute to J. Dilla

New Audio: Vice Beats Teams Up with Jaz Kahina and Nutty P on a Soulful and Thoughtful Tribute to J. Dilla @beatsbyvice @JazKahina @MyNameIsNuttyP @fatbeats @hhvrecords @steaminkettlepr

Vice Beats is a Bristol UK-based producer, who has released material as a solo artist alongside collaborations with the likes of Gardna, Great Scott, Panacea, Replife, The Scribes through his own label EQ Music. Through a series of various collaborative projects, Vice Beats has shared stages with Scroobius Pip, Speech Debelle, Lazy Habits and Paper Tiger among others.

Dilla: The Timeless Tribute,

[tammycranstonart]

J Dilla's uncle Herm with my Last Donut Of The Night oil painting in Detroit. Sales from prints support The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation and Lupus UK

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tammy Cranston (@tammycranstonart)

[aboycalledpatchesandfriends]

THIS JUST IN!!! Baba here! I thought I could wait to share but, I couldn’t!! • We’re excited to announce that Ma’Dukes @officialmadukes will be the voice of our favorite teacher, Mrs. Anderson!!! • Ma’Dukes worked in #EarlyChildhoodEducation for more than 30 years, ran her own childcare center and through the legacy of her son, the legendary #JDilla and the @james_dewitt_yancey_foundation mission to utilize the arts to help educate today’s youth around the world! We’ll be producing much needed content to do just that! • Stay tuned for our interview, coming soon!!!Powered by @vintagevibezmusicgroup • This is going to be so much fun!!! • Remember to LEARN LEARN LEARN and NEVER BE ASHAMED OF KISSING YOUR BRAIN! Peace Out! • #aboycalledpatches™ #aboycalledpatchesandfriend #childrensshow #dilladay #dillamonth #earlychildhoodeducation #jdillafoundation #kissyourbrain #learnlearnlearn #neverbeashamedofkissingyourbrain #officialmadukes #puppets #puppetsintherealworld #puppetshow @vintagevibezmusicgroup (at James Dewitt Yancey Foundation) https://www.instagram.com/p/CK1yFR9DKlm/?igshid=8vwfzqzvup4n

[head-roc]

And the Winner of Round One is... Reposted from @beatkonductaz #28daysofDilla #ForMaDukes The @beatkonductaz battles... Brought to you by @james_dewitt_yancey_foundation @goldbootentertainment @3starsbrewing @joesrecordparadise @phonehomie @blackrockstarsuperhero This battle will take place over the next 28 days starting with the first round on Saturday april 11th and final round on Saturday May 9th. 4/11 _ 16 producers play 3 beats each 4/18 _ 16 producers / head to head matches / all play 3 beats each /eliminations start 4/25 _ 8 producers / head 2 head /3 beats / eliminations 5/02 _ 4 producers / head 2 head / 3 beats / eliminations 5/09 _ 2 producers/head 2 head/ 4 beats / final elimination/ one winner Here is the allstar line up excluding the producers in the battle thus far... Maureen Yancey Smith aka Ma Dukes and Toney Smith of The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation, Dres of Blacksheep, El da Sensei, Shawn J. Period, dj Trini, DCQ, dj Oso-Fresh, The Cornel West Theory, J Clyde, The Rucker Collective, Hezekiah, dj Ragz, Ralph Real, Theory, Kount Fif, Brandon Carlyle, Awthentik, Jon Laine, Choppy Chop, The Beetz, dj Honcho, Grussle, Krayola, Flames Emoji and many more. @senseifromnj @blacksheepdres @dcq_medina @djragz @cwesttheory @djtrini202 @jonlaine @joeclair @theruckercollective @hezekiah3rd @ralphreal @awthentik @scene_ism7art @shawnjperiodmusic @dj_oso_fresh @jclyde757 @kountfif @grussle_23 @chopnessmonsta @theorybeats @13krayola @brandoncarlyle @flamesemojibeatz @dj_honcho @wearethebeetz419 @djohlow and many others #ForMaDukes #JDilla #MothersDay #jamesdewittyancey #legacy #beats #dilladay #jaydee #hiphop #beats #producer #emcee #boombap #WASHINGTONDC #may #dmv #beatkonductaz #beatlife #dj #beatculture #dilladayDC #dillaHead-Roc - #regrann #blackrockstarsuperhero #ChocolateCityRocks #dchiphop #dmvmusicians #HipHop #dcartists https://www.instagram.com/p/B_AY9CFnpLH/?igshid=1kacmknmu383i

[beatkonductaz-blog-blog]

#28daysofDilla #ForMaDukes @officialmadukes The @beatkonductaz battles. This battle will take place over the next 28 days. 4/18 _ 16 producers / head to head matches / all play 3 beats each /eliminations start 4/25 _ 8 producers / head 2 head /3 beats / eliminations 5/02 _ 4 producers / head 2 head / 3 beats / eliminations 5/09 _ 2 producers/head 2 head/ 4 beats / final elimination/ one winner Producers include @freek_sanatra @l3w___ @kel_c1000 @philkreamer @soundmindzii @1st_spawned @e21_gosbeats @versgbos @pheemmusic @prolyphicsfr @moodsvibrations @hobbesduende @djbiggsmoov @coopdville2000 @flamesemojibeatz @mentalesik @thatmohican @steve_jerrick #beatlife #beatbattle #beatbattle #beats #beatsociety #beatkonductaz #producer #BeatCulture #beatmaking #jdilla #jaydee #DillaDayDC2020 #jay #boombap #dj #hiphop #live #battle #madukes #28daysofDilla #ForMaDukes The @beatkonductaz battles... Brought to you by @james_dewitt_yancey_foundation @goldbootentertainment @3starsbrewing @joesrecordparadise @phonehomie @blackrockstarsuperhero Here is the allstar line up excluding the producers in the battle thus far... Maureen Yancey Smith aka Ma Dukes and Toney Smith of The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation, Dres of Blacksheep, El da Sensei, Shawn J. Period, dj Trini, DCQ, dj Oso-Fresh, The Cornel West Theory, J Clyde, The Rucker Collective, Hezekiah, dj Ragz, Ralph Real, Theory, Kount Fif, Brandon Carlyle, Awthentik, Jon Laine, Choppy Chop, The Beetz, dj Honcho, Grussle, Krayola, Flames Emoji and many more. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-_NMBOAb0C/?igshid=1kl3bznwimdxl

[officialjdilla]

Vintage Vibez Music Group (TAY DILLA) Donte The Gr8 featuring Space Invadaz, Mood, CopyWrite, Aida Chakra, Aziza, NikoIs, K'Valentine, Piakhan, Crunch EX (Cincredibles), JSands, MainFlow, Speed Walton III, Aziza, Darryl Irby. Beats by J Dilla aka Jay Dee Physical vinyl copies are available now! EARLY BIRD SPECIAL. Support the foundation With your $20 Donation + $5 shipping USA, $10 shipping overseas to the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation, receive a copy of TAY-DILLA while supplies last. A few limited Copies available are signed by MaDukes {Pay Pal:} yanceymaureen@yahoo.com #WELOVEYOUMADUKES #TAYDILLA @aiyo.sophia @donte_from_mood @invader_slim305 @nikohigh @jsandsy @realnamespeed @itskvalentine @talibkweli @officialjdilla @officialmadukes @jdillamerch #vintagevibezmusicgroup #Repost @donte_from_mood ・・・ It’s a #TayDilla Xmas #CharlieBrown Please Dontae to the #JamesDewittYanceyFoundation #MaDukes #JDilla #JayDee https://www.instagram.com/p/Br0ufX4BzmG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ljosbx0of91q

[oraclebeats]

Chuck D to Attend Dilla Day Celebrations in Detroit

Chuck D to Attend Dilla Day Celebrations in Detroit

[ad_1]

(AllHipHop News) Fourteen years after his death, celebrations still take place around the world for producer, James “J. Dilla” Yancey. In his hometown of Detroit, several events are planned to honor his life.

On Saturday, February 8, 2020 the James DeWitt Yancey Foundation is presenting an event called “Dilla for the Youth.” Legendary rapper and activist Chuck D., will give a keynote…

[pheemmusic]

THE BEAT KONDUKTAZ A LITTLE LOUDER BEAT BATTLE AT THE DC HIP-HOP MUSEUM GRAND CLOSING GALA 

BROUGHT TO YOU BY LISTEN VISION STUDIOS | DC CULTURE HOUSE (FORMERLY KNOWN AS BLIND WHINO) | SAT MARCH 16, 2019 

 A recap of Pheem competing at this historic event. Biz Markie, The Beatnuts, Canibus, and Nonchalant, among other hip-hop royalty, were in attendance and inducted into the hip-hop hall of fame at the world's first hip-hop museum. Beat Battle judged by Shawn J. Period and Toney Smith of the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation.

Visit pheemmusic.com to hear more from Pheem.

[straightpathjewlz]

#tbt❤️ 10 Yr. Old @djkoolflash is a Hard Working Young Queen on a Mission and It's So Dope That Real Hip-Hop Continues to Embrace her and Stamp her ! Thank You HIP-HOP !! Kool Flash chillin' after show with Method Man and Redman. Meth says, "Keep up the Great Work" while Redman says, "Stay Focused." Her Smile..... Words of encouragement from Legends........ Being Put On By Feed The Scene - PRICELESS - Special Thanks to the Crowd for Showing Kool Flash Sooo Much Love !! Method Man & Redman James Dewitt Yancey Foundation Ladies of Hip-Hop Festival Global Headphones 66 RAW - AC Edition Soul In The Horn w/ Natasha Diggs + DProsper #girldj #djcity #Realhiphop https://www.instagram.com/p/BubbQ3FngaQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=eh1hvwxdfhio

[zzzinful]

Posted @withrepost • @officialjdilla THANK YOU JAY DEE For Being A Great Inspiration • For Blessing Our Ears • For Creating Timeless Music • For Being Original (1 of 1) • For Being A Great Influence • For Breaking Barriers • For Being A Trailblazer February 10th marks for over a decade since the untimely passing of a great pioneer, a general and music icon in the name of James Dewitt Yancey, Jay Dee aka J Dilla. Mainly known throughout the majority of his career as Jay Dee prior to the name change to J Dilla in 2001. Jay Dee crafted several remixes and classic tracks for likes of The Ummah (Production Collective), Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, Janet Jackson, Common, Frank-n-Dank, Phat Kat and several others to name.. He was also one-third of the Detroit Hip Hop trio "Slum Village" James was only 32 when he passed away due to complications from a rare blood disorder TTP and from Lupus. He spent the final months of his life in a hospital in Los Angeles, while his mom left Detroit to be by his side to assist him every step of the way. His mother, who slept at the hospital, never left his side. She even managed to get music equipment, vinyl records and turntables into his hospital room during this period of time, which enabled Jay to keep pursuing and crafting what he loved to do, which was to create great music. Jay Dee will always be remembered as one of Hip Hop's most influentual and highly revered emcees/producers. #Repost #Music #Life #HipHop #Legend MaDukes is now focused on nurturing the next generation of Young musicians and producers through the newly re-launched James Dewitt Yancey foundation. To contact & support the Family & Foundation directly please follow them on their official IG accounts below. @officialmadukes @illajyanceyboy @dillasdelights @jdillamerch @james_dewitt_yancey_foundation #45THSALUTE #THANKJAYDEE #JAYDEE #JDILLA #JAMESDEWITTYANCEY https://www.instagram.com/p/BtvoGsgBX0rlut1xPUA4OWJk7jHOpgYs0k4Nok0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=laeb3g13hyvu

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Minneapolis: 100 Days of Resistance May 1 march!

(Español abajo) Workers & Immigrants Rise Up! May 1 International Workers Day March 100 Days of Resistance to Trump's Agenda Join us to march on Monday, May 1st for International Workers Day to mark 100 days of resistance to Trump's agenda. 3:00 pm - Community Gathering at East Phillips Park (24th & Cedar Ave S) [4:00 feeder march at Cedar-Riverside to meet up with main march] 4:30 pm - March starts from East Phillips Park! 6:30 pm - Final rally at Federal Building (4th & 4th, downtown Mpls) DEMANDS No attacks on immigrants, refugees & Muslims No more deportations Legalization for all Workers rights are human rights Pro-Labor, pro-union Living wage for all ‘Right to work' for less is wrong End to police brutality Climate justice Peace RESIST FROM DAY ONE COALITION FB & Twitter: @ResistTrumpMN ____________ Endorsed by | Endosada por: (To endorse | para endosar: email MIRACMN@gmail.com) 15 Now - MN 320 Members First AFSCME Local 2822 AFSCME Local 3800 Al Madinah Cultural Center - UMN Anti-War Committee Asamblea de Derechos Civiles Casket Arts resource group Center for Immigrant Justice Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL) Communities United Against Police Brutality DeLeon & Nestor, LLC Feminist Student Activist Collective - UMN Filipinos for Immigrant Rights in MN (FIRM) Freedom Road Socialist Organization Indivisible Resistance Eagan Burnsville (IREb) Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM) IWW General Defence Committee Local 14 James Dewitt Yancey Foundation MN Chapter Mayday Books Med Students for Choice - UMN Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) MIRAC-UMN Minnesota Peace Action Coalition Navigate Queer Devil Worshippers for A Better Future Saint Paul Federation of Teachers Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation SEIU Local 26 Sierra Club North Star Chapter Students for a Democratic Society UMN Twin Cities Students for a Democratic Society - UMN Morris Students for Justice in Palestine - UMN TC Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar Twin Cities Peace Campaign Universal Movement for the Advancement of Hip Hop (UMAHH) VoteClimate.org Welfare Rights Committee Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) Young People's Action Coalition (To endorse | para endosar: email MIRACMN@gmail.com) ______________ Trabajadores e inmigrantes se alzan 1 DE MAYO Marcha el dia internacional de los trabajadores 100 dias de resistencia a la agenda de trump Únete con nosotros para marchar el lunes 1ro de mayo en el día internacional de los trabajadores para marcar 100 dias de resistencia a la agenda de Trump. 3:00 pm - Mitín comunitario - East Phillips Park (24 y Cedar Avenida Sur) [4:00 marcha adjunta sale de Cedar-Riverside para unirse con la marcha principal] 4:30 Marcha empieza de East Phillips Park 6:30 Mitín final - Edificio Federal (4 calle y 4 avenida, en el centro de Minneapolis) EXIGIMOS No a los ataques contra los inmigrantes, refugiados y musulmanes No más deportaciones Legalización para todos Los derechos de los trabajadores son derechos humanos Pro-labor, pro-unión Salario justo para todos No a las leyes ‘derecho a trabajar' por menos Fin a la brutalidad policiaca Justicia climática Paz COALICIÓN RESISTIR DESDE EL PRIMER DÍA FB & Twitter: @ResistTrumpMN

[trascapades]

🎶🎧#ArtIsAWeapon 🍩 TONIGHT! @dillafest DILLA Fest Digital SAT FEB 6, 9 pm EST via DILLAFEST.COM

🔥 link in bio 🔉#TURNITUP!

Celebrating Jay Dee's Earth Day + Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Welcome 2 Detroit on @bbemusic

Exclusive Closing Set from @DJSpinna!

Hosted by Frank Nitt with exclusive interviews with Affion Crockett, @amp_fiddler Fiddler, DJ Spinna, Dank, Dres of Black Sheep, Guilty Simpson, Illa J, J Rocc, Ma Dukes, Mike Ross of @DeliciousVinyl, Pete Rock, DJ Rhettmatic, @RichMedina, @RobertGlasper, @T3Slum of @OfficialSlumVillage and Terrance Martin

With Vintage Performances, DJ sets + Exclusive Merch

Presented by Distrokid, Delicious Vinyl and 1600 Cyber Security’s PRIV App

Official Afterparty presented by BOOMBOX on Twitch twitch.tv/BoomboxLosAngeles

In Partnership with The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation, BBE Music, Fusicology, Vintage Vybez and Stone Road

dillafest.com @dillafest REPOST

.

.

#DillaFest #JDilla #Dilla #JDilla #Welcome2Detroit #BBEmusic #JDillaFoundation #Distrokid #1600Cyber #1600events #1600JDilla #Priv #ThePRIVApp #DeliciousVinyl #BoomboxLA #Fusicology #StoneRoad #VintageVybezMusicGroup

#MusicIsLife #HipHop

#TraScapades #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackMusic

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A post shared by Tracy (@trascapades)

[michaelfallcon]

Daniel Brown: The Sprudge Twenty Interview

Daniel Brown, Gilly Brew Bar of Stone Mountain, GA

Welcome to The Sprudge Twenty Interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty.

Nominated by Justin Brostek and Juanita Brown.

Daniel Brown is the founder of Gilly Brew Bar, a successful and important new coffee company based in the Stone Mountain suburb of Atlanta. Housed inside a historic 19th century home known as “The Mayor’s House,” purchased in 2015 by Brown and his wife, Shellane Brown, Gilly pushes quality and innovation across an ever-changing range of premium coffee “elixirs” featuring dried herbs, bitters, and aromatics. Brown was nominated by multiple people for The Sprudge Twenty, and in one nomination essay is described as “one of the most innovative, creative, savvy interpreters of the coffee experience I have ever encountered.”

This interview has been edited and condensed.

What issue in coffee do you care about most?

There are so many, but I deeply care about advancing the education of coffee production to coffee consumers.

By the time our coffee reaches the hopper or drip station, it has traveled miles and has passed through many hands. I want all of my customers to not only have a great cup of coffee but also a better understanding of the process and effort that it took to adeptly prepare their beverage. In turn, I believe customers would appreciate the nuances of a pure, well-grown, cultivated, harvested, roasted, and brewed beverage.

What cause or element in coffee drives you?

Mixing & pairing coffee with other flavors is intriguing to me. Taking risks and challenging myself creatively through innovation, experimentation & revivals of alternative brewing methods & technology are a few causes and elements that drive me.

What issue in coffee do you think is critically overlooked?

Just to name a few:

Sadly coffee shops have become participants and identifiers of gentrification, as opposed to genuinely helping to revitalize and/or reinvest into communities.

Much of Western culture is saturated with excess. The monitoring of caffeine intake per day is not really implemented, I believe it should.

Lack of positive awareness and exposure for amazing black- and brown-owned businesses around the world! But Big Ups to Sprudge for championing and acknowledging talented working baristas, cafe owners, and career professionals of all shades across the globe; especially for the ones who wouldn’t have received this recognition in the past.

What is the quality you like best about coffee?

I see coffee as an artisanal food and my vision is to use it to enhance the culinary experience.

The quality I like best about coffee is its many notes; every crop from every origin tells a different story. But my interest doesn’t end at how coffee tastes. What interests me most is why coffee tastes the way it does. Knowing the why gives me a foundation and a story that I get to share and interpret in my own unique way.

Did you experience a “god shot” or life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?

I experienced a life-changing moment of coffee when I was a child.

The doctor diagnosed me with asthma and recommended I use an inhaler. But anyone who grew up in and around some sort of Caribbean culture knows about how home remedies are often favored over prescribed medication any day. And so at night when I would wheeze, mum would give me a hot cuppa black coffee. It would open up my airways in the lungs and therefore relieve my symptoms.

Coffee for me then was used for medicinal purposes and I still see it that way. It kept me alive (and awake) multiple times.

What is your idea of coffee happiness?

My idea of coffee happiness is being able to serve anyone that steps foot into my bar. A customer may visit that one time and never come again or they may decide to come back. Either way, I know both customers will leave, feeling Gilly.

If you could have any job in the coffee industry, what would it be and why?

Farming or the advancement of technology for the industry. Maybe inventing a new roasting machine or brewing method.

Who are your coffee heroes?

My coffee heroes are all of the men and women who labor day in and out in the farming lands. They cultivate the land that grows this wonderful creation of a tree that produces these juicy peaberries we call coffee.

If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Too easy. I’d drink coffee with my grandfather, Gilbert. I named my company after him and I’m blessed to still have him around. Sipping on some coffee on our family land in Jamaica, no words exchanged would be just enough.

If you didn’t get bit by the coffee bug, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

I’d definitely still be pursuing another one of my business ideas. A studio, maybe? Music (singing/songwriting) has always been a huge part of my life. Perhaps I could sing behind my bar for now, become the first bonafide singing barista.

Yeah, I’ll start there… Look out for my first EP with my band of baristas, aka The Gilly Gang.

Do you have any coffee mentors?

Unfortunately, I do not. I’ve subscribed to a couple of vets on YouTube who have been in the game for some time now. OG’s like James Hoffmann or cats like Chris Baca are always dropping knowledge. In a lot of ways, I’ve become a mentor to others. But I have no in-person coffee mentors in my life. That would be awesome though—hit me up if you’d like to teach me some things.

What do you wish someone would’ve told you when you were first starting out in coffee?

I wish someone would have told me how difficult it was to reach people in your own community. I get so much support from people outside of Stone Mountain Village but I have many neighbors, just walking distance away, who never come over for a cup.

You know what? I’ll bring them a cup someday.

Name three coffee apparatuses you’d take into space with you.

A nursery (consisting of a raised bed, filled with organic fertilizer) to guarantee healthy seedlings Wet mill Dry mill

A drip irrigation system with valves (to avoid water waste) will already be installed in my rocket of course. If you haven’t figured it out already, my goal is to grow the first coffee farm in space! Crazy huh?

What’s the best song to brew coffee to?

That’s a hard one. My go to’s would have to be a worship song or an instrumental by an artist like Snarky Puppy, Towser, or a classic beat by James Dewitt Yancey aka J.Dilla.

Look into the crystal ball—where do you see yourself in 20 years?

No need for the crystal ball, 20 years from now I will have a sustainable business that has grown to bear much fruit.

My wife and I will have a free weekend to do whatever we please. We’d have children by then and we’d be in a position to help them focus on their dreams (college, travel abroad, or continue in their parent’s footsteps).

I’ll be financially in a place where I’d also be able to pour into the lives of others (family and friends…) most of all, I’d do all that I can to advance the Kingdom, for the glory of the Lord.

What’d you eat for breakfast this morning?

Porridge. My mum’s recipe, made by my wife Shellane. Cheap and easy to make but very filling.

When did you last drink coffee?

Does right now count???

What was it?

It was a shot of spro: Gilly Blend (Brazil + Colombia), bright, buttery, brown sugar, roasted by my partners at Firelight Coffee Roasters.

The Sprudge Twenty is presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

The post Daniel Brown: The Sprudge Twenty Interview appeared first on Sprudge.

Daniel Brown: The Sprudge Twenty Interview published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

[shebreathesslowly]

Daniel Brown: The Sprudge Twenty Interview

Daniel Brown, Gilly Brew Bar of Stone Mountain, GA

Welcome to The Sprudge Twenty Interviews presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty.

Nominated by Justin Brostek and Juanita Brown.

Daniel Brown is the founder of Gilly Brew Bar, a successful and important new coffee company based in the Stone Mountain suburb of Atlanta. Housed inside a historic 19th century home known as “The Mayor’s House,” purchased in 2015 by Brown and his wife, Shellane Brown, Gilly pushes quality and innovation across an ever-changing range of premium coffee “elixirs” featuring dried herbs, bitters, and aromatics. Brown was nominated by multiple people for The Sprudge Twenty, and in one nomination essay is described as “one of the most innovative, creative, savvy interpreters of the coffee experience I have ever encountered.”

This interview has been edited and condensed.

What issue in coffee do you care about most?

There are so many, but I deeply care about advancing the education of coffee production to coffee consumers.

By the time our coffee reaches the hopper or drip station, it has traveled miles and has passed through many hands. I want all of my customers to not only have a great cup of coffee but also a better understanding of the process and effort that it took to adeptly prepare their beverage. In turn, I believe customers would appreciate the nuances of a pure, well-grown, cultivated, harvested, roasted, and brewed beverage.

What cause or element in coffee drives you?

Mixing & pairing coffee with other flavors is intriguing to me. Taking risks and challenging myself creatively through innovation, experimentation & revivals of alternative brewing methods & technology are a few causes and elements that drive me.

What issue in coffee do you think is critically overlooked?

Just to name a few:

Sadly coffee shops have become participants and identifiers of gentrification, as opposed to genuinely helping to revitalize and/or reinvest into communities.

Much of Western culture is saturated with excess. The monitoring of caffeine intake per day is not really implemented, I believe it should.

Lack of positive awareness and exposure for amazing black- and brown-owned businesses around the world! But Big Ups to Sprudge for championing and acknowledging talented working baristas, cafe owners, and career professionals of all shades across the globe; especially for the ones who wouldn’t have received this recognition in the past.

What is the quality you like best about coffee?

I see coffee as an artisanal food and my vision is to use it to enhance the culinary experience.

The quality I like best about coffee is its many notes; every crop from every origin tells a different story. But my interest doesn’t end at how coffee tastes. What interests me most is why coffee tastes the way it does. Knowing the why gives me a foundation and a story that I get to share and interpret in my own unique way.

Did you experience a “god shot” or life-changing moment of coffee revelation early in your career?

I experienced a life-changing moment of coffee when I was a child.

The doctor diagnosed me with asthma and recommended I use an inhaler. But anyone who grew up in and around some sort of Caribbean culture knows about how home remedies are often favored over prescribed medication any day. And so at night when I would wheeze, mum would give me a hot cuppa black coffee. It would open up my airways in the lungs and therefore relieve my symptoms.

Coffee for me then was used for medicinal purposes and I still see it that way. It kept me alive (and awake) multiple times.

What is your idea of coffee happiness?

My idea of coffee happiness is being able to serve anyone that steps foot into my bar. A customer may visit that one time and never come again or they may decide to come back. Either way, I know both customers will leave, feeling Gilly.

If you could have any job in the coffee industry, what would it be and why?

Farming or the advancement of technology for the industry. Maybe inventing a new roasting machine or brewing method.

Who are your coffee heroes?

My coffee heroes are all of the men and women who labor day in and out in the farming lands. They cultivate the land that grows this wonderful creation of a tree that produces these juicy peaberries we call coffee.

If you could drink coffee with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Too easy. I’d drink coffee with my grandfather, Gilbert. I named my company after him and I’m blessed to still have him around. Sipping on some coffee on our family land in Jamaica, no words exchanged would be just enough.

If you didn’t get bit by the coffee bug, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

I’d definitely still be pursuing another one of my business ideas. A studio, maybe? Music (singing/songwriting) has always been a huge part of my life. Perhaps I could sing behind my bar for now, become the first bonafide singing barista.

Yeah, I’ll start there… Look out for my first EP with my band of baristas, aka The Gilly Gang.

Do you have any coffee mentors?

Unfortunately, I do not. I’ve subscribed to a couple of vets on YouTube who have been in the game for some time now. OG’s like James Hoffmann or cats like Chris Baca are always dropping knowledge. In a lot of ways, I’ve become a mentor to others. But I have no in-person coffee mentors in my life. That would be awesome though—hit me up if you’d like to teach me some things.

What do you wish someone would’ve told you when you were first starting out in coffee?

I wish someone would have told me how difficult it was to reach people in your own community. I get so much support from people outside of Stone Mountain Village but I have many neighbors, just walking distance away, who never come over for a cup.

You know what? I’ll bring them a cup someday.

Name three coffee apparatuses you’d take into space with you.

A nursery (consisting of a raised bed, filled with organic fertilizer) to guarantee healthy seedlings Wet mill Dry mill

A drip irrigation system with valves (to avoid water waste) will already be installed in my rocket of course. If you haven’t figured it out already, my goal is to grow the first coffee farm in space! Crazy huh?

What’s the best song to brew coffee to?

That’s a hard one. My go to’s would have to be a worship song or an instrumental by an artist like Snarky Puppy, Towser, or a classic beat by James Dewitt Yancey aka J.Dilla.

Look into the crystal ball—where do you see yourself in 20 years?

No need for the crystal ball, 20 years from now I will have a sustainable business that has grown to bear much fruit.

My wife and I will have a free weekend to do whatever we please. We’d have children by then and we’d be in a position to help them focus on their dreams (college, travel abroad, or continue in their parent’s footsteps).

I’ll be financially in a place where I’d also be able to pour into the lives of others (family and friends…) most of all, I’d do all that I can to advance the Kingdom, for the glory of the Lord.

What’d you eat for breakfast this morning?

Porridge. My mum’s recipe, made by my wife Shellane. Cheap and easy to make but very filling.

When did you last drink coffee?

Does right now count???

What was it?

It was a shot of spro: Gilly Blend (Brazil + Colombia), bright, buttery, brown sugar, roasted by my partners at Firelight Coffee Roasters.

The Sprudge Twenty is presented by Pacific Barista Series. For a complete list of 2019 Sprudge Twenty honorees please visit sprudge.com/twenty

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

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[head-roc]

Chocolate City rocks starts off the new year right with @beatkonductaz on Saturday February 15th at @eaton.dc Reposted from @kel_c1000 (@get_regrann) - Heading back to the DMV for another @beatkonductaz royalty free beat battle 🔊🔊🔊 ....#repost @beatkonductaz ・・・ The Beat Konductaz started as a reality based show, interviewing and highlighting working music producers in their own studios, around the DC metropolitan area. It is produced, directed and hosted by DJ OHLOW and later broadcasted on local public TV stations. Over the course of filming the first season (spring 2011), we decided to have a competition of some of the best sounds. That competition has evolved into a battle league and platform for any producer or beat makers in then mid Atlantic region. We are coming up on our ninth year since our first battle in December 2011, The Beat Konductaz annual Royalty Free Competition is set Tentative date Sat February 15, 2020. Judges panel include but not limited to Shawn J. Period, Sao and Hezekiah of the original Beat Society, Toney Smith of The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation (JDILLA), Ralph Real, J Clyde, Ski Beatz, Head-Roc others. This is our annual tournament of champions competing to claim the crown for 2019. 16 producers set up mobile stations and must create, perform and battle head to head in a live on the spot situation. This years contestants include THEORY, CHOPPY CHOP, KRAYOLA, GRUSSLE, KOUNT FIF, THE BEETZ, KRAZYFINGAZ, FLAMES EMOJI, E21, S3OULC1TY, KEL C, MENTAL DA GOD, SOUNDMINZII, PROLYPHIC, PHIL REAL, BIGG SMOOV and others. DJ Honcho will be providing all sounds and a vinyl set on the turntables. Producer Workshop powered by Words, Beats & Life Special thanks to our Sponsoring Partners Chocolate City Rocks, Words Beats & Life, Sleepy Hollow Studios, Ski Beatz Dojo, MUVE, ADST Apparel, Markley Motors, D.U.I., Beat Society, Listen Vision Studios, STANDriving, Maroon Movement, Soul Trust, Brooklyn Hook, ONBEATw/OHLOW, The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation aka JDILLA LOCATION EATON DC Address: 1201 K St NW, Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 289-7600 https://www.eatonworkshop.com/ Producers To Register for the battle, DM @beatkonduc https://www.instagram.com/p/B63jhX8ht1-/?igshid=1s2c0xnn94qth