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Lifting Heads

Ayanna Roach
Sri_and_Anadi.jpgSrikala and Ana'di's latest album, "Sacred Hip-Hop" is not your everyday beats and rhymes.  This is hip-hop that transcends the glitz, the glamour, and the idolization of the messenger and asks for idolization to fall onto the words spoken.  This is hip-hop with true purpose.  An album cover with two vinyls replaced with spiritual symbols is a dead giveaway that this is something different.  Srikala and Ana’di, who serve as the producer and co producer respectively, recorded sacred messages for the world on their latest 12-track album entitled “Sacred Hip Hop.”  But don’t get it twisted: even though every track is a conscious work for the masses, the album kicks off with an old school style cipher, simply titled “The Cypher, which was the perfect way to start the show.  The beats, created by Mahesh and Srikala, served as supporting actors as Srikala, Ana’di, and guest stars Hired Gun, Link, and Core Rhythm enlightened us with words rooted in spiritual grounding.  Just like old school hip hop the beats never upstaged the stars.  Tracks like “Robot Rotisserie” eased you into that classic head nod as the artists had you imagine a world that put aside the distractions, harm, and false separations to become a world in oneness on “Neohumanism.”  Although they often talk on macro levels, Srikala and Ana’di make sure to bring it back down to a micro level that the individual can relate to.

Ana’di opens up “Soul Survivor” with difficult life experiences that lead to some punch lines before making it to that raised curtain of survival.  As the positive vibes flow through speakers they close by bringing us back to the essence of it.

On the last track Srikala sends a sincere “thank you” followed by a smooth transition into the sounds of “Essence” where a Sanskrit mantra (meaning “there is only the essence of that divine love”) repeats throughout the track and Ana’di gives you a little treat.  He tells us where to find that essence.  But you’ll have to listen to “Sacred Hip Hop” for the directions to that destination.  So start the search at http://srikalogy.bandcamp.com/.
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Comments

Hip-hop is sacred

Submitted by Enth Robotany on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 21:19.
I was under the impression that hip-hop was sacred, or at least it started out that way. Any creative movement that is born out of the repression of a people and their will to live 'freely' is indeed sacred. One could even argue that any expression of creativity is inherently sacred. Does the sacred not manifest itself in the world as virtues and qualities via the human machine, that of: will, joy, sorrow, forlornness, inspiration, creativity, etc? Surely when Beyonce proclaimed "Girl I didn't know you could get down like that, Charlie how your angles get down like that" she was lamenting about the fallen spark of divinity awaiting to be awoken by wisdom! Or at least that's the way I interpreted it, maybe the sacred truly is in the 'I' of the beholder. I am always weary of new age buzz words and very aware that the highest qualities of the psyche operates in subtle, not easily expressible ways. Remember what Lao Tsu spoke of the sacred: 'If you try to change it, you will ruin it.If you try to hold it, you will lose it.' The most beautiful aspects of our nature are indefinable, so to simply slap a label on in saying 'sacred' is an indication of a lack of authenticity at best, and a lack of creativity at worst. I would recommend that if you would like to listen to some sacred hip-hop, get the album 'Let's Get Free' by Dead Prez. Or listen to the classic Outkast LP 'Aquemini' to hear the prophet Andre proclaim 'Sin all depends on what you believing in Faith is what you make it that's the hardest shit since MC Ren Alien can blend right on in wit' yo' kin look again 'cause I swear I spot one every now & then'. This way you can feel inspired, be educated and still be a driven, grounded hard core mo' fo'. The sacred is not exclusive to arty liberals and dreadlocked peeps that do yoga . It is everywhere and accessible to everyone, if one chooses to commit to the search. Beware of the snare of the new age movement and for that matter any expression that appears a little to forthright and obvious. I'm sure 'sacred hip-hop' is a cool uplifting album and Srikala and Ana’di are beautiful human beings, have we not learned anything from the malevolent techno-shamans that manipulate popular media- operate with cunning, do not reveal the hand of the author, be swift and invisible, appeal to the symbolic aspect of the mind and you shall have the greatest effect.