- Da Blokk Movement -

Born and raised in Southern California, Melo Kan knew, since very young, that his soul needed music, not only to revel in the expression of his clever observation, but also to communicate his message to many others.

His first tentative steps into professional rap were taken as being part of a group called “Klas~sick”. During that time he got a good taste of what performing was like through the MC battle.

However, it would be as a solo artist and forerunner of the “New West” hip hop scene, following Dr. Dre’s protégé, The Game, that Melo Kan would blaze the streets with a hip hop ripe in thought provoking lyrics. Popularly considered to have a flow that resembles a young 2pac mixed with Jay-Z, Melo Kan is E pluribus unum, which is Latin for "Out of many, one", and is also the title of the album (E.P.U.) that have consolidated him as a People Choice Awards winner.

He has worked with producers and artists such as J-Dawg, THX, Bad Lucc, FOC, Those Chosen, Mike Jones, Dead Prez, Little Brother, amongst many others.

With his own independent label, 4lbmusik, he helps in the development of a few artists that give a boost to the Blokk Movement style of music.

Melo Kan is not only concerned about the issues raised in the streets of California but also about global social issues and his views on world affairs are as intuitive as clever are his rhymes.

The Rap and Hip Hop music scenes are once again experimenting a very much needed renewal, in pos of truth and depth. The streets have hailed their own messenger and he is just happy to fulfill theirs and his own soul's desire.

Caught in his enrapturing rhythm and the authenticity of his chronicles we are also very pleased to give Mr. Kan our full attention.

MDM: Thank you for taking the time to respond to our interview Melo, we are very happy to offer you this space. You knew, since you were a child that music got you like nothing else could. Apart from Rap artists, what other musical favorites do you have?

MELO KAN: Well let me start out by extending my gratitude to your publication for taking notice of my movement and my artistry. It's actually an interesting question you have posed because truthfully speaking, I have more influences outside of rap at this point in my career than I do inside of it. I listen to alternative, jazz, blues, and rhythm & blues (from the Motown era). Specifically, I'm feeling John Mayer, Jamie Lidell, Donnie Hathaway and Johnnie Coltrane, to name a few.

MDM: We had the pleasure to interview Jamie Lidell for our previous number, check it out, he was great too. Melo, would you be so kind as to describe to our readers what are the musical principles and philosophy behind Da Blokk Movement group?

MELO KAN: Well Da Blokk Movement is more of a collective of individuals who transcend the music and actually serve as a support function for the community. Its foundation is of course rooted in the music and our love for music, however that only scratches the surface of the true intended nature of Da Blokk Movement. We believe that music is the universal language of all people and therefore through song we can influence the minds of the people by introducing an ideology that forces them to think for themselves and not just accept what is taught and force feed to them through one sided media outlets. If you are to ever know the truth, you must first ask the question "what is the truth?" and the quest begins from there. We just want to do our part in this process which is providing our listeners with thought provoking music.

MDM: Within your 3rd album, E.P.U., which songs would you say that best reflect the discrepancies between reality and the public political debate?

MELO KAN: Hmm...good question. I would say "Blood Money" is definitely one that exposes the holes in the politics of public policy.  It dives into the conscience of the lowest level corner hustler all the way up the ladder to the church and our then president Bush and how they all play a role in this cycle of "Blood Money". It's really a heavy song because every back door and under the table deal/decision affecting an unsuspecting group or groups of people will have a potentially explosive uncontrollable and irreversible effect. At that point, one has to make a decision to come clean, or to produce a cover up.

Sadly the latter is usually chosen, and the Blood Money cycle perpetuates while the lies exponentially escalate to keep pace.

MDM: How do you think is the African-American male viewed on a world stage and why do you think that is?

MELO KAN: I believe America has created this stigma around the African American Male.  The images they choose when portraying us are typically negative. We seem to be the stars of all the criminal shows (ie. COPS, Lock Up, First 48) and even more so in the local news.  As a result, the world only sees us in this negative light. They see few of us being inventors, doctors, scientists, etc. We are these things. We are not simply here to entertain the world, we possess the insight to develop and even change the path that the world is on.  The problem is, unfortunately, we've been beaten up by slavery, ravaged by economics, and culturally emaciated by the educational, political and social systems, that we feel defeated. So defeated in fact, that we not only accept the stigma placed on us, we embrace it. We find comfort in being exactly what they portray us to be, entertainers and thugs. This will change.

MDM: In your opinion, are the current Rap and Hip Hop celebrity figures helping to this view or, on the contrary they tend to perpetuate stereotypes?

MELO KAN: There are a few helping to alleviate this view and these are the people I respect and will hope to join forces with as my movement grows. For the most part, however, rap/hip hop celebrity figures purport the stereotypical view. I just saw something that made the front page of Yahoo News that made my spirit shift and caused me great disappointment. A rapper is on the front page bragging how he just bought a $2.5 million sports car. True enough, it's his money and he can do with it as he so chooses.  I just find it extremely selfish for those in the African American community who achieve some level of success to squander their money instead of investing it wisely into our future as a whole, as a people.  It's sad. But he is not the only one plagued by this "i got mine, now get yours" mentality.

We are taught at a very young age to view each other as enemies instead of as brothers and sisters. We are not taught to work with each other, we are taught to climb over each other.  As long as we remain divided, we will continue along this path of self destructive and self indulgent behavior leaving nothing but a hopeless mentality for future generations to follow. When the camera is on you, or the mic is in your face, say something worth saying.

MDM: What is the best moment that you remember of sharing a stage and who were you sharing it with?

MELO KAN: My best moment on stage was a show I did in Phoenix, Arizona. It was about a crowd of 2,000. I had so involved them into the story Ii was telling through the music that it was almost as if they were hypnotized by the rhythm. They sang along like they had heard this song a thousand times already, but it was only the first. It was a great moment. An R&B artist by the name of T-Tru was also on the stage with me during this memorable moment.

MDM: What do you think is extremely flawed in the US educational system?

MELO KAN: The US educational system is not only outdated, it also has a completely biased approach to history.  Teachers in general are not respected by those in control of the system. They are often paid low salaries and not given the proper tools to educate the nations future leaders.  A lot of teachers become teachers because they cannot find other jobs once out of college.

Imagine being taught by someone who is only present to receive pay and not interested in whether you learn or not. Then imagine a teacher whose heart and soul is to nurture your thought and feed your mind but she/he doesn't have the means (due to budget cuts and other bureaucratic reasons) to really reach you.  I believe that teachers should be paid as much as doctors and lawyers, if not more. Not only be paid more, but also undergo the same type of scrutiny as a doctor or lawyer, when becoming a teacher. After all, these are the people in charge of any nations most prized asset, the children.

MDM: What are you aiming to foster in the new generations of hip hop?

MELO KAN: My soul aim and purpose is to promote thought in music. The more and more I drive this point home, and the more the people begin responding to this ideology, the less mindless music will pollute the airwaves. The new generation will demand music with meaning! Music that will spark them to think outside the box, and inspire them to become great at whatever it is they aspire to be. There is a yin and yang to everything. So I'm not saying it's not cool to party and have music for the clubs and what not, because we need that.  What I am saying, however, is we also need the contrast to that type of music to get just as much exposure. 

MDM: You have been to the great Africa recently. What impressions did you bring with you? Surely you will have something to say about the raping of African lands and their oiled shores…

MELO KAN: I did recently take a trip to Africa. It was an emotional experience to be "Home". African Americans are in a unique position because even though we were forcefully taken from Africa to be slaves to America, most of us want nothing to do with Africa. It's mainly because of the propaganda that America inundates us with that makes Africa look like an aids infested, war ridden land of savages.  This is how "they" keep us from going back. They control our minds to reject the very idea of this.  It was not until I went myself did I understand why they want to keep us from going there. 

There is a certain strength you gain from revisiting the place you come from.  There is a strength in understanding the sacrifices that were made by your ancestors for you to be here today.  There is a definite strength in knowing your true history because in that history, you find who you are.  You cannot possible know where you are going, unless you know where you have been. 

The raping of African lands is something that was as evident as the nose on your face.  Diamonds, golds, cotton, oil, amongst other things are natural resources of this land, but the Africans themselves have NO Control of these things.  They are still very much poor people with all of these resources around them.  How can this be? I personally believe it will take an effort from African Americans and Africans to restore Africa to its glory, but this will only happen with a change in the current mentality. The world has to SEE that there is something wrong with the exploitation of indigenous people for THEIR resources.

MDM: New projects in sight?

MELO KAN: Yes indeed. I have just released "The Unkomfortable Silence" which along with "E.P.U" are available on my website. I also plan to release a project called "Never Enough" before releasing my Official album entitled "The Heart of the City". "The Heart of the City" will be released in 2011 and will be definitely something memorable. Just keep checking melokan.com for updates and promotional materials to stay current with the movement!

MDM: Melo, we are providing the link to your official site and social pages, so people can tune into your live dates, get your music and join your ever-increasing fan base.

This team wishes you the very best in all your current and future projects.