DMV’s own Heron Gibran releases his first single, a cover of the Chuck Brown Go Go classic “Run Joe” off his upcoming mixtape Black Broadway Don
DOWNLOAD: Heron Gibran – Run Joe featuring Yazarah
Who is Heron Gibran?
As of right now, there are more Hip Hop acts than Hip Hop artists
in the industry. More rappers are going for the quick buck and instead
of longevity. Gimmicks have taken precedent over craft. Dance moves
are more valued that substance. Hip Hop is in need of a real artist
with integrity. Harnessing the gift to create images with words and a
paintbrush, Heron Gibran is set to bring something new to the game.
A New York native, Heron Gibran moved to Washington DC at an early
age and found the city to be a great influence on his music. As East
Coast music dominated DC radio Gibran reflects &the main music was
Go-Go so the music from Rap-A-Lot and Dr. Dre where they used live
instrumentation was the most popular amongst my peers. Heron Gibran
briefly ran a front man for a Go-Go band before purchasing a Gemini
sampler at the age of 14 to start making his own music. Also
possessing a need to express himself through imagery, Gibran attended
DC s world-renowned high school, Duke Ellington School of the Arts,
majoring in the Visual Arts program. This was the beginning stage of
him become Hip Hop s renaissance man.
New York gave me the lyricism and DC gave me the funk says Gibran.
As an emerging emcee he began to roll with the locals crews like the
Amphibians and Freestyle Union. He performed regularly around DC Hip
Hop s epicenter, U Street aka Black Broadway. Influenced by the likes
of The Dogg Pound and Hieroglyphics, this is where Gibran began to
formulate his sound. Gibran has said that one of the most influential
artists on his music has been The DOC. My Goal was to be like the
D.O.C. The DOC was with NWA, but he barely cursed and his songs were
extremely lyrical. His presence amongst his peers made it ok for me
to be myself and never dumb myself down just because of my company.
The DOC sounded like he was from NYC, but his production was from the
west coast. It was a perfect marriage that I always wanted to
emulate.
Heron Gibran went to college for illustration and received his
masters in Digital Arts. And has been teaching art since 2003. Gibran
began teaching Special effects and 3D animation at Gibbs College in
VA. He moved on to teach k-12 at a special Education school in DC,
where he created his own art department and became the program
director of the digital arts department. Heron is currently the
illustrator for H.E.L.P. (Hip-Hop Educational Lyrics Program). The
workbooks take the lyrics of popular Hip-Hop songs and use them to
teach vocabulary and critical thinking. The program has been endorsed
by President Barack Obama and integrated in schools across America.
The Black Broadway Don mixtape is the Introduction into the world of
Heron Gibran. The project reflects the diverse tastes of Heron
Gibran. The sound travels across the borders with production from DJ
Khalil of Self Scientific ( Any Means , Dance with Me , and The
Other Side ) and Omar Retnu ( Keep on Rocking featuring Asheru).
Making stops down south and as far as Amsterdam (The Light feat.
Complex). The project also has many collaborations with DC producers
such as Blackberry Jones (The Hustle), Decompose (Never Give Up), and
Y.U. of the Diamond District (Wish it away). Showing his hometown
influences Heron collaborates with Yazarah for a take on the Chuck
Brown Classic Run Joe . From the braggadocios What Do I Look Like
to the introspective Other Side Heron Gibran shows a unique
versatility. Amsterdam s DJ Pay giving the project yet another unique
perspective hosts the mixtape.
The Hu-ron EP is a collaborative effort between Mr. Hu and Heron
Gibran. The project is nod to Hip-Hop albums of old that were
produced solely by one producer. The live sound of the Hu-ron EP
creates a warm soundscape for Heron to spread his message. The
six-song project is a focused effort dealing with themes of
self-determination and the urban struggle. The EP is a preview of
their full length LP due later this year.
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