In the 50th year of Hip Hop, Kool Herc, Nas, Wu-Tang, De La Soul, Armand Hammer and Heiro immersed Hip Hop everywhere from Yankee Stadium into venues, record players, phones, computers and smart TV’s. Hip Hop was tangible.

I didn’t feel small watching Kool Herc and Chuck Schumer live from Mass Appeal’s streaming Yankee Stadium's celebration. Schottenstein Center was a comfortable place to sit for Nas, Wu, and De La Soul near Ohio State University. Souls of Mischief greeted me at A+R bar in Downtown Columbus.

New York’s Armand Hammer showed a Columbus vibrance in 2023 with the NY duo’s acclaimed album released from Fat Possum. Fat Possum released Columbus, Ohio’s Camu Tao’s solo record. Fat Possum is reissuing Definitive Jux's catalog. Run The Jewels El-P’s solo work is available from Fat Possum.

I’m drinking oatnog and vodka, I’m playing Killer Mike’s friend Andre 3000’s New Blue Sun as festive music.

I received something in the mail from legendary Def Jam publicist Bill Adler which would make a unique present for Hanukkah. Kwanza, or Christmas.

Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Slick Rick, 3rd Bass, EPMD, and Beastie Boys, 1980’s publicist Bill Adler sent me…UMAR BIN HASSAN’s comic book….

UP SOUTH TO AKRON, OHIO
SUMMER 1959
By Umar Bin Hassan.
Edited by Bill Adler

Bill emailed because Umar Bin Hassan of the Last Poets lived in Columbus, Ohio. I’d written about music and civil rights legend Umar Bin Hassan in our Free Press. The 1980’s Def Jam’s Bill Adler edited UP SOUTH TO AKRON, OHIO SUMMER 1959.

Umar Bin Hassan and Last Poets formed in 1968 at Marcus Garvey Park in New York.

Last Poets released their first album in 1970.

In 1973, Herc was spinning breaks at 1520 Sedgwick, Bronx. Once rap records were released and rap songwriting developed, Last Poets’ influence on rappers was natural.

Years later, Erykah Badu, Dead Prez and Common were excited to record with Umar. You can’t write about Rap without saying Rap is influenced by the dozens, and the Last Poets. The Last Poets were in Poetic Justice with 2pac and Janet Jackson.

Your loved one wants!

UP SOUTH TO AKRON, OHIO, SUMMER 1959 illustrates Umar’s Akron, Ohio upbringing. Hip Hop Family Tree’s Ed Piskor did the lettering with Comic Book Archivist, and illustrator Nate McDonough handled drawing Umar’s 1959 Akron. UP SOUTH TO AKRON, OHIO, SUMMER 1959 conveys a look which feels like a young kid viewing the Late 1950’s.

UP SOUTH TO AKRON, OHIO, SUMMER 1959 shows a formative moment where a kid from Ohio became a poet who articulated the Black Panthers’ climate over sounds with the Last Poets in the 1970s.

I wrote an article. I don’t own any Last Poets Records. I realized I didn’t own any Last Poets because I didn’t wanna write the name of one of Last Poets’ famous song. I know Umar.

I’ve kept in communication with Umar left since the Last Poet moved from Columbus for Baltimore, and now New York. Last Poets were accessible in my Columbus.

People don’t own every legendary piece of art. People could give legendary presents!

UP SOUTH TO AKRON, OHIO, SUMMER 1959 by Umar Bin Hassan could make a stocking stuffer for anyone you know who likes Rap, Comics, or important figures from Ohio. Perhaps you wouldn’t put it in a stocking because people collect comics. Wrap it up and place Umar’s comic book under a tree or send UP SOUTH TO AKRON, OHIO, SUMMER 1959 by Umar Bin Hassan as a present.

Other Present ideas:

Wu-Tang- Enter the 36 Chambers

36 Chambers is in every recommendation as the best Hip Hop record for a reason. Wu used refined regional New York rhyme styles over upper echelon New York regional beats with wordplay which depicted Wu’s reality in a presentation which sounded cool and was much deeper if you understood. Wu Tang is mentioned in Last Poets articles as people Last Poets influenced.

De La Soul/ ODB/ Hiero present:  Dante Ross - Son Of The City book

Dante Ross didn’t work for Def Jam. Dante was involved with formative Hip Hop during the same era. Dante Ross is a legendary A+R in the history of Rap. Dante brought both ODB, and Heiro to Elektra. Dante Ross’s autobiography is a story of Hip Hop’s development from a Hip Hop kid who skated, wrote graffiti and liked punk. Dante Ross doesn’t reveal why De La Soul calls Dante Ross a scrub during “3 Feet…”

Nas: Illmatic

Illmatic is in every recommendation as the best hip hop record for a reason. Nas used refined regional New York rhyme styles over upper echelon New York regional beats with wordplay which depicted Nas’ reality in a presentation which sounded cool and was much deeper if you understood.

Armand Hammer: We Buy Diabetic Test Strips……

I don’t know if Armand Hammer will play arenas in 20 years like Wu, Nas, and De La Soul. In 2023, Armand Hammer’s record will find acclaim in people’s year-end lists while Armand Hammer pack clubs around the country. The reason I included Armand Hammer in with legends…Armand Hammer’s Definitive Jux meets Earl Sweatshirt sound conjures ought’s Daymon Dodson/Camu/DJ Przm Columbus…Fat Possum Records released Armand Hammer: We Buy Diabetic Test Strips…Fat Possum Records sells Definitive Jux releases, and some of the Black Keys’ catalog. Fat Possum Records sells music for money.