#oswinbenjamin

[phillmatic365]

Check out the new project, Apophenia High quality Hip-Hop from a trio emcees @oswinbenjamin , @dragonsandrivers @denzilporter #OfficialTissue365 #ThankYouForEmceeing __________________🔥🔥🎙🔥🔥_______________ #TissueInTheTapePodcast #HomeoftheEmcee🎙🔥 #oswinbenjamin #chrisrivers #denzilporter #apophenia #nyc #HipHop365 #EverythingisHipHop #HipHop #HeatHolderPodcastNetwork🔥 #RespectHeatHolderz 🔥 (at NYC) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZAJF3bJkFL/?utm_medium=tumblr

[doomonfilm]

Review : The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020)

I recently paid my friend Faylita Hicks a visit to pick up a copy of her book, Hoodwitch.  I had a nice long talk with her about creativity, music, navigating the world of COVID-19 and much more, and during this talk she mentioned a film that I’d scrolled past on Netflix, The Forty-Year-Old Version.  Her praise of the film was high and bountiful, which only served to further my curiosity about the film.  Therefore, it was no surprise that the movie found its way onto my year-end wrap-up list. 

Poet and playwright Radha (Radha Blank) is struggling with the obscurity that comes with unfulfilled promises in her career.  At the age of 30, Radha was placed on a prestigious list of “30 Under 30″ talents, but a decade later, Radha is struggling to put on plays above the workshop level, and her poetry is being used in an educational capacity rather than an entertainment one.  With mounting frustrations and limited opportunities quickly becoming her reality, Radha decides to take her destiny into her own hands by diving headlong into the world of hip-hop.

The Forty-Year-Old Version is a comical but heartfelt reflection on success and personal validation in the face of race-based hurdles that impede many journeys to success.  A commentary on how the white experience uses money and influence to infiltrate and reshape reflections on the black experience is also present, and strong enough to be taken into consideration without overshadowing the personal aspects of the story.  Many of these takes on race are masked in comedy to make them less jarring and easier to digest.  The real drama is found in both the budding romance story, as well as the palatable links between poetry and the art of MC’ng.  The importance of finding success on your own terms, rather than accepting opportunities that stem from guilt or pity, is the foundation that the narrative is built upon.

The film does a good job of representing a wide selection of race, lifestyle, culture and sexuality, all important aspects of telling a rich and non-polarizing story.  The way that spiritual resonance used for guidance runs parallel to how hip-hop can be freedom for the spirit rings very true to life.  Despite the film being about age and the complications that come with it, the approach has a youthful feel to it... the fact that hip-hop is such an ageist medium makes this youthful approach doubly interesting, considering the source of the story and her age.  As for the artistic aspects, hip-hop culture is represented nearly pitch-perfect without needing to be the driving force of the film, with its ‘steel sharpens steel’ nature helping to trigger Radha’s personal growth.  Respect is also a key element to the film, with narrative parallels running about how valuable it is, and how its dangled like a carrot in the theater world while it is more so earned in the hip-hop world, which in turn makes it more valuable than any currency.  Battle rap also plays an important part in the story, but does not dominate the remaining focus on other hip-hop aspects.

Visually, the black and white visual approach reinforces the independent debut spirit, while making a story with dated aspects feel much more like the timeless tale it has the potential to be.  When color is used, it serves to indicate breakthroughs into new realms and worlds of possibility... this specifically occurs in the insert shots, which serve the alternative purpose of punctuating key moments and references (still inserts for memories and testimonial or acting inserts punctuating emotion, respectively).  While the New York location is very much autobiographical, it is also hard to imagine this movie taking place anywhere else.  The creative writing present in the world of the film is handled extremely well, with the inspiration floating back and forth between Radha’s play and her songwriting.

Radha Blank mixes her self-confidence and personal drive with a reality-based hesitation that makes her character arc both inspiring and relatable.  Peter Kim does a great job of bringing the support that comes with familiarity to the table, with his brutally honest observations sometimes getting in the way of understanding Radha’s development.  Oswin Benjamin exhibits a quiet and observational nature, serving as a self-assured rock that contrasts Blank’s waves of doubt.  Reed Birney and his character’s obsession with gentrification speaks to shades of “White guilt”, and the manipulative methods some use to lessen the nature of its sting while absolving themselves of responsibility.  Imani Lewis and Haskiri Velazquez display the yin-yang contrasting nature of how youthful spirits either overly support or rebel against “authority” figures in their life, Antonio Ortiz and T.J. Atoms provide shades of a more mature and direct support to those they identify with, and William Oliver Watkins stands as a symbol for how primal trappings present themselves even when you’re in the midst of trying to achieve your dream.  Supporting appearances by Jacob Ming-Trent, Welker White, Andre Ward, Stacey Sargeant and Meghan O’Neill, among others, round out the captivating story.

The Forty-Year-Old Version is one of those rare inspirational movies that doesn’t harp on its ability to be inspirational.  The experience it leaves you with is memorable, the points that it makes on race and the ownership of your artistic creations stand out and live with you, and the ending is well earned.  I can definitely see this one ending up on a few top 10 lists for the year, mine included... a win for the hip-hop culture for sure.

[producerdata]

Yo @dragonsandrivers THIS SHIT 🔥🔥👂🏾and #oswinbenjamin never ceases to amaze me 💪🏾✊🏾🔥🔥Yall make sure to go listen to #G.I.T.U. by Chris Rivers on all platforms now! #studiolifestyles #rooftopstudiosinc #Makeyourownwave #mrblagatha #topofthebuilding #nocap 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊🙊✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 (at Brooklyn, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3cF9n0jNtb/?igshid=bvwizbn2lz3h

[lyfeofmusic]

Got to open your ears to more than the mainstream ... You will see there more to hear! You have to listen to the message 💯🙌👏👌 #oswinbenjamin #Spotifly #AlternativeMusic #Free #LyfeOfMusic #MorningJams #MondayMotivation #WorkFlow 🤑🙏🏾 (at San Francisco, California)

[bourgeoislatte]

You guys know what I do every morning and that’s brew my coffee☕️ and listen to some tunes. There’s this artist by the name of @deshawnvisionz and last month I was hanging out at @ben_black4l station on Stationhead. This song came on and I immediately bit the song to play on my station. There’s something really special about this artist and this track. It’s gotta a nice vibe and it pairs very well with my coffee flavor qualities. Earthy with a smooth taste and tone. You have to check this brotha out. Don’t Worry Video can be found on his bio. Click on his link in bio. #stationhead #mysundayvibe #chicagobullsjerseycaughtmyeye #deshawnvisionz #dopeartist #iheartradio #itsbizkitt #oswinbenjamin #hiphopartist #liveyourbestlife #sundaycoffeeandmusic #lattesrandomthoughts #musicblogger #contentcreator #publicrelation #virtualassistant #coffeejunkie #coffeecookiesandmerchcominsoon #indieapp #appreciategreatmusicians https://www.instagram.com/p/CDHOlCKJwpG/?igshid=11ihqt2mnd2aw

[coditower]

Styles P - G Host (2018). I'm not too familiar with Styles P. As far as I know this is his first project. For all I know, this is his 10th. So as I'm doing this review in context of this project and this project only. First of all I'm usually a sucker for the boom bap beats and energetic flows and that doesn't change here. Unfortunately i had a hard time getting into this album though. I was 4 tracks in and nothing was really impacting me. Yes, the beats were nice but I just found myself losing interest in what he had to say. He just didn't have any charisma, or likeability to pull me in and convince me I should care I guess, even though he often has some pretty good bars. Like I said the beats were pretty consistently passable to pretty good but I didn't find enjoyment in much of the actual content. That being said, I found myself starting to enjoy the album a bit more towards the end. I found the subject matter to become a bit personal and relatable even after the a second half and towards the end. Overall This project was just alright but pretty average and underwhelming with a and hand full of highlights. Defenitly not a bad album but nothing to celebrate about. 6/10 FAV TRACKS #HeatOfTheNight #MorningMourning #ForTheOccasion #WindowToTheSoul #GoingThruHell ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° #stylesp #ghost #stylespghost #rap #hiphopalbums #2018hiphop #music #hiphopalbum #hiphop2018 #hiphop #hiphopculture #album #albumreview #boombap #dycepayne #whispers #kayrosewood #oswinbenjamin (at Moncton, New Brunswick)

[justvlad]

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“Finish That Song” Pt. 2 Featuring Recording Artist, Oswin Benjamin (@oswinbenjamin) Let’s See If He Can Finish 😂😭🎶 @liltunechi - Tha Mobb 🎶😂😭🎙💪🏾(Tag 5 Friends) #JustVlad #HaitianV #OswinBenjamin #LilWayne #TheCarter2 #YoungMoney #SwayInTheMorning #Carolines #HeRapsITellJokes #Comedy #ComedyIsLife #Comedian #AYITI #Love #FTS #FinishThatSongWithJustVlad #FinishThatSong #HashtagLilPapi #MwènFèkBeginning #18Dreams www.JUSTVLAD.com (at New York, New York)

[trezten]

(OswinBenjamin)

[phillmatic365]

Hip-Hop 365 Day 52: @royceda59 - On The Block Ft. @djpremier @ @oswinbenjamin prod. by @royceda59 and @djpremier “We got Preemo on them cuts, we got Pinot in them cups Contraband in quarter panels, four, five kilos by the struts Put your faith in mortal man and he shall terrorize your trust Shots of Everclear, if nothing just to sterilize the Dutch” - Royce 5’9” The Allegory from Royce 5’9” is for me 12am appointment listening. The moment it dropped I was on @tidal. Doing that can often set one’s self up for disaster with unrealistic expectations. With The Allegory there is no disaster. The album is a lot to unpack, all good btw and On the block is one of my favorite tracks. Featuring the 🐐 DJ Premier on the cuts and NY based, emcee @Oswin Benjamin adding flavor with colorful Barz like: “Kool-Aid known by colors, boy, we ain't no flavors (Ain't no flavors) We relate to Jesus, most my people born in mangers, too They ain't know their fathers (Fathers), they were born to strangers (Strangers) We were raised by VR Troopers (Troopers), Wishbone and Power Rangers (Ayy)” As I mentioned a few days ago @royceda59 is on different type time. The Allegory is 365 ♾ #HipHop365 #infiniteplaylist_2_0 #EveryDAMNday #ontheblock #theallegory #royceda59 #djpremier #oswinbenjamin #heavenstudios #detroit #barz #hiphop #qualityhiphopmusic #skill #thankyouforemceeing (at Detroit, Michigan) https://www.instagram.com/p/B82LSCYBO02/?igshid=1n3iqyh548ckq

[samthehypebeast]

#GrammyWeekShenanigans Sirius XM GRADUATING Class photo starring the legendary me and some guys || Shaggy. AntKnee. Oswin Benjamin. Kelly Jackson. Pat Mckay. STING. Tracy Jordan. Jimmy Jam, no Terry Lewis. Yeah. This was the family photo. || @direalshaggy @theofficialsting @anthonyhamiltonofficial @oswinbenjamin @realsway @kellykinkaid @flytetymejam #GrammyWeek #GrammyFamily #SiriusXM #Shade45

[mrscorpio]

Time for A Brand New HOUSE FIRE!

Hot 9th Anniversary Edition

Mixcloud: http://bit.ly/Mixcloud223

D/L: http://bit.ly/DL-HF223

My Shows: http://bit.ly/ScorpioPodcasts

Feat:

Disclosure/@disclosure

#Omar_S/@fxherecords

Ian Pooley/@ianpooleyOFC

Hanna/@MelodiesInt

Octo Octa/@octo_octa

&ME/@keinemusik

#AMP_Fiddler, #Tom_Flynn/@Dirtybird

Warwick/@PalmBeachDJ

#Mark_Cubis/

Jerem A/@discoballrecord

Steve Spacek/@stevespacek @beatspacek

Funky DL/@funkydlhiphop

$uicideboy$/@SUICIDEBOYS

swarvy/@Swrvy lojii/@_lojii

Smoke DZA/@smokedza

#BamMarley/

Sophia Pfister/@sophiapfister1 Fat Tony/@fattonyrap Taydex/@taylordexter

Big K.R.I.T./@BIGKRIT Dear Silas/@dearsilas

REASON/@reasonTDE @TopDawgEnt

Deniro Farrar/@DeniroFarrar

Trippie Redd/@trippieredd Kodie Shane/@kodieshane

Sivion/@SivionDS5

R.A.P. Ferreira/@yomilo

Planet Asia/@planetasia 38 Spesh/@IamSpesh The Musalini/@TheMusalini

Princess Nokia/@princessnokia

#Nealysm/

Royce Da 5'9"/@Royceda59 Oswin Benjamin/@OswinBenjamin Dj Premier/@REALDJPREMIER

Gil Scott-Heron Makaya McCraven/@MakayaMcCraven

Khruangbin/@Khruangbin & Leon Bridges/@leonbridges

Elaquent/@Elaquent

Blood Orange/@Blood_Orange The Avalanches/@TheAvalanches

[hu1inamillion]

Right now at @themeshall support #theneshall @Regranned from @dragonsandrivers - The mes hall 255 Washington st mt Vernon hosted by @realsway performances by yours truly , my sis @star_rios @rodtheproducer and @oswinbenjamin and so much more tickets 10 bucks . Gonna be chill and a great time so come thru ima get there around 7 but it’s happening now so I see ya there and I love ya #DragonGod #DragonsUp #IFeelAwesome #YouShouldToo #SpicJames #SexSymbol #chrisrivers - #regrann

[justvlad]

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A post shared by Vlad (@justvlad)

“Finish That Song” Featuring Recording Artist, Oswin Benjamin (@oswinbenjamin) Let’s See If He Can Finish 😂😭🎶 @johnlegend - Again 🎶😂😭🎙💪🏾 ::Disclaimer:: John Legend Has 2 Songs With Similar Titles & Sound Alike (Tag 5 Friends) #JustVlad #HaitianV #OswinBenjamin #SwayInTheMorning #Carolines #HeRapsITellJokes #Comedy #ComedyIsLife #Comedian #AYITI #Love #FTS #FinishThatSongWithJustVlad #FinishThatSong #HashtagLilPapi #MwènFèkBeginning #18Dreams www.JUSTVLAD.com (at New York, New York)

[wwwnervedjscom]

#NerveDJs 20 Artists To Watch in 2020 Second 10. @TyStillCold Bri, Cleveland, @KiddKenn, Chicago, @Icewear_Vezzo, Detroit, @GringoGang, Indianapolis, @TheRealMicca, Washington DC, @ludfoe_boochiegang Lud Foe, Chicago, @DoeBoyFBG Cleveland, @_Bblasian, Louisville, @ParrisLaDame, Indianapolis, @OswinBenjamin, New York, @lifewluhkel Kel, St. Louis, @ItsGeeBaby, Detroit, @YFLKelvin, Cleveland, @DreamDoll, New York, #DruSmith330, Canton, @phoreverim , Chicago, @Skypp317, Indianapolis, @Doobie, Columbus, @DashGwoppo, Cincinnati, @Hermoso_Mistake Yvette, St. Louis, Hip Hop, (at Nerve DJs Mixtapes) https://www.instagram.com/p/B61lsfNJQC9/?igshid=1katmkluk2u7

[937reesedude]

I just wanna shoutout my dawg @kadesil for always giving me for always giving me a Platform to talk about my upcoming projects and just letting showcase my talent. He was definitely the first person I’ve ever interviewed with and I appreciate that. . Btw @mickey.factz and @oswinbenjamin keep the bars coming I’m definitely inspired by you guys💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾 Thank You . . #hiphop #bars #radio #lyrics #eastcoasthiphop #westcoasthiphop #lahiphop #newyorkcity #atlanta (at Dayton, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0eRmUjBhXQ/?igshid=rjvcw4qugitc

[reneegardner]

I am beyond excited to announce that I will be performing this Tuesday 6/11 at #atlliveonthepark @atllive_music hosted by @kennyburns!! . I look forward to seeing everyone there!! If you plan on coming and want to sit at my table, please let me know ASAP!! #MuchLove #HipHopSoul #PeaceofMind . . . #goals #dreams #atlanta #rnb #soul #soulmusic #ComeTogether #womenofhiphop #womenofsoul #womeninmusic #singers #livemusic #liveband #datenight #doubledate #atlantaevents #influencer #concert #livesingers #atlantaradio #atlantasoul #radioone #musicchoice #heartandsoul #siriusxm #shantidas #kennyburns #oswinbenjamin (at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByaLh82gS3T/?igshid=1uhjicm2r3d7o