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Professor Griff of Public Enemy was recently interviewed by Buffalo's Newspaper The Artvoice.
Cover Story
Unity Force
by Geoff Kelly
For Full Story Go To:
The ArtVoice
http://artvoice.com/issues/v7n11/unity_force or:
Turn Off Channel Zero News
http://www.myspace.com/tocznewsninfo
Public Enemy’s Professor Griff comes to Buffalo next week to lecture at the Freedom Film
Festival
It’s been a cruel winter for Professor Griff: Last month a gas leak caused his house and studio in Atlanta to burn down. He and his family lost everything—clothes and valuables, book and record collections, lectures, studio equipment, the artifacts and memorabilia collected over the course of a career that reaches back more than 20 years.
Griff’s most famous role in that long career is Minister of Communications for Public Enemy, the pioneering hip-hop
revolutionaries fronted by his childhood friend, Chuck D. But Griff (born Richard Griffin) has made his own name in the world as well, separate from but always in pursuit of the same agenda that drove Public Enemy: empowering black people, countering media dissembling, fighting the powers that be.
Griff comes to town next Friday and Saturday to deliver a lecture and screen the documentary he helped to make last year, Turn Off Channel Zero, which deals with the African-American stereotypes that populate the dominant American media. The film is part of Morningstar Promotion’s Freedom Film Festival, which takes place
March 21 & 22 at the Screening Room (in the Northtown Plaza, 3131 Sheridan Drive). Other filmmakers include Doug Ruffin, Jr. and Karima Amin of Prisoners Are People Too, Kameran Woods and Andrew P. Mitchell. (The program runs 6-10pm both days, and Griff’s lecture is on Saturday evening; check www.myspace.com/morningstarpromotions for more details.)
Community Alert
Fundraiser for Professor Griff
(mailto:omowale32@aol.com)
For immediate release - February 12, 2007
For more information Contact NBUF- (713) 942-0365
It has come to the attention of the National Black United Front (NBUF) - Houston Chapter, hip hop icon Professor Griff suffered the loss of his home in Atlanta, Georgia Monday night, February 11, 2007, while he was in New York to do a lecture. The house burned after an explosion caused by a gas leak.
He says 90% of his belongings - including his studio, books, cds, dvds, clothes, pictures and more were destroyed.
Professor Griff has had a close working relationship with NBUF and other organizations and individuals in Houston, being a major part of the success of the 10th Annual Sankofaa: Caravan to the Ancestors. NBUF - HOUSTON is organizing a fundraiser to assist our brother.
Location and date of the fundraiser will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, donations can be dropped off at the NBUF building. Call 713-942-0365 before coming by, or mail to NBUF, 2428 Southmore, Houston, Texas 77004.
Checks should be mailed directly to Professor Griff at:
Kavon Shah
P.O. BOX 11902
Atlanta Georgia, 30355
Help Celebrate
By Supporting Professor Griff
Celebrate the first year anniversary of Turn Off Channel Zero by supporting Professor Griff... Send a book, cd, dvd or whatever you can - just support...
Items should be sent directly to Professor Griff at:
Kavon Shah, P.O. BOX 11902, Atlanta Georgia, 30355
Also Listen to the following audio of Professor Griff's Message to the Young Black Youth
Professor Griff To The Young Black Youth
Poli-tainment News
February 21, 2007
Agroup of concerned activists, filmmakers, artists and media personalities have gotten
together to address Viacom’s negative portrayal of African-Americans via its media outlets VH1,
MTV and BET. "Turn Off Channel Zero" is the name of the film.
The group is particularly concerned with the growing popularity of the Flavor of Love show which is
currently broadcasting some of the most negative images on television. Flavor Flav, the show’s star, is a member of the group
that politicized a generation – Public Enemy.
Professor Griff,
of legendary rap group Public Enemy, is at war with mass media and is taking the fight directly to Viacom. Friend and P.E.
group mate - Flavor Flav is a Viacom ratings dream boy whose T.V. shows are the target of much debate and interest in popular
culture.
The Film, Turn Off Channel Zero is the best example of activist filmmaking. The aim is
to kick the hell out of the creators of negative media images. This heavily anticipated "Activist
Film" reaches deep into the Black community and high into the front yard (literally) of one of the most powerful media
moguls in the world - CBS and Viacom Chairman Sumner Murray Redstone (Rothstein).
Professor Griff of the legendary Hip Hop group Public Enemy is running with the most capable group of activists, artists,
filmmakers and everyday people. There are solutions, action and some real things get said...
This Opio Media film was released February 21, 2007.
The History of Turn Off Channel Zero
Luv4self Press
By Carlos Muhammad
September 5, 2007
When Luv4self columnist GWBUSHWACKER attacked Flavor Flav and the "Flavor of Love" none of us knew that this online conversation would become the beginning of a mass movement called Turn Off Channel Zero (TOCZ) that began on the Luv4Self Network.
A few responses from Professor Griff expressing his obvious disgust for how Flavor Flav was singlehandedly destroying the
reputation and legacy of the Rap Group Public Enemy caused Hip Hop Columnist Davey D to chime in and offer the suggestion for
us to produce our own show exposing negative media images and shows like the "Flavor of Love". The attack soon broadened to
Viacom ran stations B.E.T, M.T.V, VH1 and other conglomerates and media outlets (including radio) that display Blacks in a negative light.
Opio Sokoni became the front man for the job and soon pulled the whole crew together. Professor Griff would be the leading
man in the film and activists, authors, students and community leaders would soon jump on board. Paul Porter, Steven L.
Muhammad, Bessie Winn, Sawanda Nzinga, Top Cat (Da Soup Kitchen), Carlos Muhammad and the rest of the TOCZ crew was pulled
in. Various conference calls resulted in Opio finally requesting a name for the project.
"I can honestly
say that little things, like having something to do with the naming of this project and being the moderator and co-creator of
'The Luv4Self Network' forum, that the movement was initiated on, have meant so much to me."
I remember thinking of several names before the song by Public Enemy 'She Watch Channel Zero' popped in my head. I
immediately sent out an email to Opio and the group suggesting the name 'Turning off Channel Zero'. Opio responded, "I love
it!" but responded with, "We should make it more of a demand than an action!" and later suggested that we call it 'TURN OFF
CHANNEL ZERO'. Thus, the TOCZ movement was born.
Soon the filming began in Atlanta, Oakland, Baltimore, NYC, Boston and other cities across America. Upon completion of the
filming, actual screenings started taking place starting off in Chicago Illinois when Sister Tasleem Firdausee jumped on
board. Soon after, screenings were done in Atlanta, DC, NYC, Baltimore, California and places as far as London and Japan.
Movement surrounding the film started taking place and others began to jump on board. This movement has picked up momentum
and several screenings are scheduled on a monthly basis throughout the U.S. and abroad.
When Steven Muhammad, who operates all of the web, MySpace pages and PR for the movement asked Carlos Muhammad to comment
on his and the Luv4self Network's involvement with the project, Carlos Muhammad’s reply was, "I can honestly say that little
things, like having something to do with the naming of this project and being the moderator and co-creator of 'The Luv4Self
Network' forum, that the movement was initiated on, have meant so much to me."
The TOCZ movement has just begun and it won’t end until we do what the film suggests and that’s 'TURN OFF CHANNEL ZERO'.
For more information about
'The Luv4Self Network', It's Founders and The 1st Annual Luv4self Conference
please log unto the web at:
www.myspace.com/luv4selfconference
www.luv4selfconference.com
Get Involved
We would ask that you take the opportunity to View the Movie Trailers for Turn Off Channel
Zero. This "Activist Film" premiered 21 February 2007, long before the Don Imus incident.
We welcome and encourage you to
leave any and all Comments concerning the Movie Trailers and your general thoughts and concerns about the subject matter.
If you would like to
view what others have said, please take the time to do so.
We are looking for people to get involved by spreading the news via word of mouth, email and whatever means that you have
to disseminate information to your respective friends, colleagues, and the general public. It is
imperative that this information gets out, so that we can begin to dialogue, and take the necessary steps to affect change.
Please take the opportunity to
View all of our friends, those whom we are networking with, and the people involved with this ever so important
undertaking.
Interested in hosting a screening, or viewing the film please access the links below for more
information.
- Host a screening in your
city!
- View All Screenings
We the people of planet Earth want:
- A balance on the air waves of old school, new school and contemporary music.
- More variety of musical genres, artists and content on the radio stations.
- Radio station directors, programmers and deejays to be held accountable for what is played on their radio stations.
- The FCC to do more to regulate the radio stations which continue to play negative songs with violent/sexual content
during times when children and minors are most likely to be listening---daytime, before and after school.
- Radio stations to reflect more diverse cultural and political views of the community and not the commercial interests of
the big multi-media corporations.
- A certain amount of time dedicated to local news, important events, issues and concerns that affect the communities in
which the radio stations are suppose to serve.
- A certain amount of time dedicated to local artists who put out quality music in their regions.
- A breakup of the monopoly of the air wave band frequencies--No big corporation should be allowed to own/control several
different radio stations under different names.
- A balance on the video stations---more positive images of women and the urban experience which are free of the
stereotypical images that assault the minds of our youth.
- Use the radio, video and any other form of communication to educate, enlighten and entertain and not to control, exploit
and
Enough is Enough!
The Campaign for Corporate Responsibility in Entertainment
A Weekly Report:
For More Information Contact:
www.enoughisenough.com
GREAT TURNOUT! Over 350 attended a Town Hall Forum on (Dec 10th 2007).
Thanks so much for helping them to make this an informative and sucessful forum, but don't forget the protest rallies will continue February 23rd. See you there!
New York City Campaign
The date for the New York rally is February 23rd at 12noon.
The campaign is inviting the hip-hop community, women’s groups, Latino
organizations, the faith community, and all those concerned to join the
weekly rally outside the Manhattan residence of Philippe P. Dauman,
President and CEO of Viacom, Inc. located on East 65th Street between
Lexington and Park Avenues.
A press conference will be held at the site of the rally @ 1:00 p.m.
EDT. Supporters can take the F Train to the 63rd Street Station or the 4
Train to the 68th Street Hunter College Station.
Washington, DC Campaign:
Same Time - Same Location
Outside the home of BET Executive, Debra
Lee at the corner of 28th Street & McGill Terrace, NW Washington,
on Saturday, February 23rd.
Tell us if you will be joining us for this demonstration by
signing up here. This will help us gauge a headcount for securing
adequate transportation, accommodations, signage etc.
Metro riders take the Red Line to Woodley Park Station
Supporters will depart from
Mt. Ennon Baptist Church
9832 Piscataway Rd.
Clinton, MD 20735
at 12:00PM (NOON) - the rally will start at 1:00 PM
BE SURE TO REVIEW THE RALLY
DO'S AND DONT'S HERE!
Online Now!
