The Return of The Get Open Crew!

The Return of The Get Open Crew!

Indiegogo Project: http://bit.ly/1av9Wqt

The Hip-Hop group Get Open is back in the studio after a 10+ year hiatus. We're preparing a new mixtape and album entitled "The Week-End".
We need your support to make it a success. This crowd funding campaign will help complement our production budget which includes: Mixing by Ryan West, Mastering @ Masterdisk, Filming 3 videos, Hiring professional P.R. and other promotional companies.
We're trying to give ourselves a chance with our comeback project in an ever so changing music industry.
Thank you for your support!

Get Open

     Do you remember when rappers were praised for unique lyrical content as well as the ability to rock a party and make it jump? If you miss catchy lyrics that are also thought inspiring, Get Open brings back that authentic sound infused with consciousness and true school Hip-Hop essence that was all but lost. While the industrial corporate machine that dominates commercial radio and television is happy with maintaining the status Quo, we have seen the recent demand of die hard fans create a resurgence of thoughtful lyrics with rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Lupe Fiasco. Hip-Hop music has come full circle. The time is now for genuine high quality products to come to light. Music stores have all but disappeared but this affords all of us the power to choose what we believe to be good music for ourselves.

Kiambu, Dimitri, Siba & Von of GET OPEN would like to thank you for your generous contributions which will help make this concept a reality.

Get Open Campaign

The Recordings

Daddy-O from Stetsasonic is part of the Get Open Project

The "BlackBook" mixtape will be the first release, a free download; which wlll come with a digital blackbook of Graffti pieces by reknown (US-French) artists.

Featuring Daddy-O (Stesasonic), Little Dany (France), Jennifer Barrett (Jamaica), Baba Israel, Karnage, Jim McElwaine (Tenor Sax) & Stix Bones (Drums).

Production by Imhotep (IAM-France) & SibaGiba

Mid-Summer 2013 release.

"The Week-End", the full length album travels thru the 2 days and 3 nights at the end of the week when folks take time off to relax, party or travel. You'll find a mix of different styles of music, relevant to New York, urban life, a global vision, a sort of soundtrack of the concrete jungle.

Featuring DJ Rob Swift, Jordana DeLovely, Marie Martin, DJ Roger Rekless, Baba Israel & Carlos Vasconcellos

Production by Imhotep/Akhenaton (IAM-France), Glam (Germany) & SibaGiba

Fall 2013 release.

Thank you to all artists involved, especially Glam/58 Beats for the inspiration to make this new record and Joy Poirel & Paul Hackman.

Get Open!

Bio

GET OPEN

This Hip-Hop collective has been in existence since 1994, Get Open was founded by SibaGiba(Producer/MC) when he was studying music at SUNY Purchase College. He met the other 4 original members in school; Kiambu (MC), VonMeista (MC/Producer), Zook (MC) Los (Spoken Word/MC) and DJ Jes Lover (DJ/Producer).

Get Open has traveled and performed as headliners in Germany and France over the years and has also opened for artists such as KRS 1/BDP, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Tha Alkoholiks,Special Ed, and many others in the US.

Through a collaboration with composer Saundi Wilson who also attended Purchase, Get Open was featured with the late Jazz Trumpeter Lester Bowie's creation: Hip-Hop Feel-Harmonic orchestra in 1995, which assembled more than 40 musicians and Get Open.

During our senior year, 1996, we released our first 12inch vinyl single.

It caught the attention of West coasts DJs like J.Rocc (Beat Junkies), DJ Numark (Jurassic 5),Truly Odd (Heavyweights, Strong Arm steady), Peanut Butter Wolf (Stones Throw) and T-Lovethe MC and journalist at URB magazine. From that single, Yellow Productions (France) today known for producing Dance/Pop act Bob Sinclar, offered the group an EP deal which went on to sell 5,000 units in Europe without any promo. It featured Sadat X of Brand Nubian.

During this time, Siba was enjoying great success after producing for Everlast's (House of Pain) multi platinum and grammy nominated album "Whitey Ford Sings The Blues". Overtime Records Inc was born and released a solo 12 inch single of VonMeista featuring Sadat X in association with Ozone Music (Co-Flow-El P, Mike Ladd, etc…).

Although still making music seperately, the group has been on a hiatus since 2001.

Siba formed Brüknahm with Mr Saundi Wilson, worked the Jettsonz Productions (Nina Sky, Sean Paul) and in 2009 co-founded a non-profit organization, the Hip-Hop Loves Foundation.

Dmitiri aka Zook is Professor/Doctor in Criminology @ Sacramento State U.

VonMeista is an Information Assistant at the New York Public Library.

Kiambu is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist.

Siba is a Licensed NY City Tour Guide

DJ Jes Luv is a Tour Manager for Bon Jovi (Not involved in this project)

Budget Needs

The budget for this project is $25,000 which mainly covers the items listed below. Get Open has spent the past 7 months recording, this campaign will complement our pre and post production costs. Other items not listed below will be financed by Get Open.

• $10,000 Album Mixing & Mastering
• $10,000 Promotion/P.R. for 6 months and online/viral marketing
• $  6,000 Filming/editing videos

Rewards

• The WEEK-END CD/Digital Download
• Get Open T-shirts (New Logo)
• Tickets to future shows
• Exclusive music from Get Open
• A limited edition CD booklet (catalog form) by painter Jerome Lagarrigue
• Appearance in a future music video
• Attend a open studio recording session with Get Open
• A private performance by Get Open in your home or venue (in NYC area, if outside NYC or Internatlonal, please contact us)
• Executive producer credits on the new CD

Simple Ways to help Get Open

Indiegogo: http://bit.ly/1av9Wqt

Please post and share this campaign with your family, friends co-workers via Email, Blogs, Forums, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media.

Please use the indiegogo sharing tools available on this page.

R.I.P. Big Bill (Will) From The Bronx (Get Open Crew)

R.I.P. Bill (Get Open Crew) by Shucks One (London)

When I was younger I lived in New York for a few years. I don't have any family there so it was a big deal to move there as a teenager, not knowing anyone and only been to the East Coast a few times. After they got used to the fact I allegedly sounded "like Robin Leach" : ) I found the people I met very generous, thoughtful & funny as f**k. I made some great friends and will always be grateful for the memories and experiences i had there.

Charlie B, Bill/Will, friend, Siba Giba, Devan & Shan 1992

Baruch, Siba Giba & Bill/Will 1993

Bill was always someone I could always chat too if I was feeling home sick, or was bummed out. One Thanksgiving I had to work, while everyone went home to their families. I had to do James Bond shit to stay in my room. He literally walked me around trying to get girls I hardly knew to take me home to their homes and donate food to me. He was one of the most positive and funny guy's I knew in NY.

Kal Dog, Baruch, Bill/Will, John, Siba & Charlie B 1993

R.I.P. Big Bill (Will) From The Bronx (Get Open Crew)

Sadly Shan informed me that Bill, now Will has been battling Cancer and recently succumbed to his illness. He remained positive and upbeat to the end, which sounds exactly like him. My respects go out to his family and friends.

Will sad passing brought many old friends together

Will's Memorial Testimonials in the Park

R.I.P. Will

RUBBLE KINGS - A feature length documentary by Shan Nicholson

The story of NYC's 1970s gang subculture and how it influenced the cultural phenomenon that is hip hop.

Shan Nicholson creator of award winning Documentary Downtown Calling & The Kool Skool family has launched a Kickstarter appeal for his new Documentary Rubblekings. All Hip-Hoppers please spread the word, blog, tweet and donate if you can!
http://shannicholson.com
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/763217113/rubble-kings-a-feature-length-documentary

A $750 donation gets you a one of a kind illustration by Ricardo Cortés, illustrator of the #1 NYT best-selling "Go the Fuck to Sleep!":

Shan Nicholson’s work is a direct reflection of the message written on the walls of his childhood memories - “necessity breeds creativity”. His 15-year career as a music producer, renowned graffiti artist, DJ and filmmaker echoes this sentiment.

Cristina Esterás Ortiz is a Post Production Professional & documentary enthusiast. She got involved with the project after an emotionally charged screening at HBO's Latino Film Festival and has made it her mission to make this movie accessible to the public.

A BRIEF INTRO

From 1968 to 1975, gangs ruled New York City. Beyond the idealistic hopes of the civil rights movement lay an unfocused rage. Neither law enforcement nor social agency could end the escalating bloodshed. Peace came only through the most unlikely and courageous of events that would change the world for generations to come by giving birth to hip-hop culture. Rubble Kings, the most comprehensive documentation of life during this era of gang rule to date, tells the story of how a few extraordinary, forgotten people did the impossible, and how their actions impacted the world over.

Rubble Kings is a feature length documentary about the New York city street gangs of the late ‘60s / ‘70s and their influence on hip-hop culture.

"The film's lively roster of former Savage Skulls, Black Spades, Assassinators, Ghetto Brothers, Hitmen or Turban Queens, expressively recalling and explaining gang culture, is matched only by its flood of down-and-dirty archival imagery." (Variety.com)

Independent and self-funded, Rubble Kings needs your help! 

The movie is pretty much finished. Unfortunately we can't release or show the film beyond festivals or private screenings because the music rights and archival footage must first be cleared. Being able to pay for the songs and footage in this film is crucial to telling this story accurately and in its truest form. 

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Rubble Kings is filmmaker’s Shan Nicholson second feature length documentary. In 2009, Shan completed work on the critically acclaimed documentary Downtown Calling about NYC’s music and art scene in the late 70s. The film got an Honorable Jury Mention (Best Documentary Feature) at the Austin Film Festival and continues to draw audiences to private screenings. 

For both Downtown Calling & Rubble Kings, Director/Producer/Editor Shan, was inspired by the turbulent yet artistically rich period of his childhood in New York City. In Rubble Kings young adults take it upon themselves to move past the violence and help out their communities. It is a story of triumph amidst adversity that hits close to home. Rubble Kings continues to garner press and sell out screenings; most notably is a write up in Variety Magazine and screenings at The Tribeca Film Institute Youth Screening Series and HBO’s International Latino Film Festival.

We've gotten a lot of love from the art and fashion communities. Our friends at MG&HKM presented filmmaker Shan Nicholson with a custom Rubble Kings colors denim jacket for the premiere screening at HBO’s Latino Film Festival. Pledge $1,000 or more and you too could rock custom colors!

WHY THIS FILM MATTERS

We believe this story is too important to go untold! Rubble Kings is a film about courage, hope and survival against all odds, even in the harshest of circumstances. The message is especially relevant today, a time when gang related deaths are at an all time high among inner city youths. The film’s most important goal is to touch and inspire today’s at-risk youth.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Finishing this film is only going to be possible with your help!

• Support our Kickstarter campaign!
• Spread the word! Email your friends! Post to Facebook! Tweet it!
• Check us out on the web: Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr! 
• Help us get press about this movie and our Kickstarter campaign! Share these news with bloggers, journalists, etc!

YOU WANT TO DONATE MORE THAN $10,000!? YOU WANT TO BE AN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER!? YOU WANT TO BROADCAST AND/OR DISTRIBUTE THIS MOVIE!? YOU HAVE GREAT OLD FOOTAGE OR PHOTOS THAT WE MAY WANT TO USE IN THE FILM!?

GREAT IDEAS! Please get in touch with us at rubblekings@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

REWARDS

Our campaign has the best rewards on the block! 

We've gotten a lot of love from the art and fashion communities. Our friends at MG&HKM presented filmmaker Shan Nicholson with a custom Rubble Kings colors denim jacket for the premiere screening at HBO’s Latino Film Festival. Pledge $1,000 or more and you too could rock custom colors!

T-Shirt Option 1 -  Choice of one t-shirt with a pledge of $75 or more OR two t-shirts with a pledge of $100 or more. Poster illustration by Freddy Anzures.