One 'Peace' at a time, real change comes

Source: Boston Herald
Date: 2008/07/24
Link to Full Text: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1108806

Forget the new Nas CD. Come Saturday, hip-hop fans around Boston will be buzzing for a release recorded right here in Boston.

That's the hope of Roxbury activist Cindy Diggs, who has spent the past six months compiling "Boston's Hip-Hop Community Presents: Peace in the Streets" with executive producer Big CEO Red of Team 220 Records. The release features New England's top urban artists delivering a positive message missing from most contemporary hip-hop songs.

"The vision was to keep it 'street,' but at the same time, keep it clean and true to yourself," Red said at Funky Fresh Records in Dudley Square, where Diggs' Peace Boston alliance will unveil the project at a noon record release party on Saturday.

Diggs knows the Boston music scene. In 1995, she founded Us Making Moves Forever, a group that called on local rappers to use their street cred for philanthropic purposes. She's also a club and radio promoter who has organized more than 500 at-risk youths to work toward ending inner-city violence.

"I left the music industry in 1998 because the messages were becoming all about bling and Moet," Diggs said. "From there, I was working with young people. But in 2004, when they started killing one another again, I went back to my original plan to teach them that music shouldn't be about that."

In 2006, Diggs introduced a Peace Boston T-shirt line to benefit local anti-violence programs. In 2007, she introduced her Peace Boston radio show on Touch 106.1 FM.

Now, Diggs has recruited acts ranging from r&b singers Louie Bello, Lisa Bello and Ahmir, to rappers Akrobatik, Frankie Wainwright, Dre Robinson, Jake the Snake, DL, Big Shug, Letia Larok, Jaysaun and Mighty Mystic to contribute enlightened cuts to "Peace in the Streets."

"The basic message was 'rap responsibly,' " Diggs said.

Proceeds from the first 100 CDs sold will go to Jaye Morris, who will use the money to purchase a headstone for her slain husband and son. Additional profits will benefit local youth programs.

"It doesn't stop here," Diggs said. "We hope to inspire artists in other cities to start peace in their communities."