If you haven’t heard of the local under-30 collective of media arts entrepreneurs 2-Cent TV and Edutainment by now, it’s probably a good idea to log on to their website www.2-cent.com right now and begin to experience their catalogue of witty music videos. The motley crew of mostly young New Orleans natives has been creating social and educational change with youth around town through art, media and perhaps the simplest of most activities… reading. And this Saturday, November 23, they will host their third annual LISTEN! Youth Literacy and Arts Festival on Bayou Road where they will give away more than 10,000 free new books to any child that attends.
2-Cent youth with Scholastic Reader's Clifford the Big Red Dog at LISTEN! Fest 2012.
For more than five years now, the 2-Cent crew has been actively using their talents in theater, music, filmmaking, visual art and literacy to inspire urban youth in New Orleans to create, and to be great. By the group’s own definition, “2-Cent is a collaborative effort of creative, frustrated, and comedic 20-somethings. They all posses the innate ability to convey humor and urgency toward issues that plague not only New Orleans, but America in general.” In essence, 2-Cent is a PBS documentary, an Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit and an In Living Color spoof all rolled into one. One of their creative video series, for example, displays a wealth of information and gives a first-hand look at some of the issues Katrina exposed. Serious issues such as race, poverty, and sex are tackled in both their video series and their live performances. But their comedic wit makes all of these usually uneasy topics suddenly digestible and a bit easier to discuss.
Equipped with social consciousness, music as the backdrop, and some cold hard facts, they have gained a loyal following, and won several awards, including an FYI 2008 NAACP award, and FYI Silverdocs: AFI Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival Award for documentary filmmaking excellence. Although their series are mostly viral and web-based, they’ve been given air time in New Orleans with ABC noting that “they are making big strides and praise-worthy “edutainment.” In short, 2-Cent educates as they entertain. And all starting with “two cents” as a budget.
New Orleans hip-hop artist Dee-1 performing at LISTEN! Fest 2012.
But despite their appeal to their peers and even older adults, 2-Cent is clear that their main focus is on the youth — kids both in New Orleans and in other communities experiencing lack of resources, decreasing public education standards, violent environments and other circumstances that make any given child “at-risk.” Their popular music video, “Every Book,” a parody of New Orleans rapper Lil’ Wayne’s pop hit, “Every Girl,” was a smash success with the students at the schools in which they shared it; and at first a controversy with some adults, including major radio personality Tom Joyner, until an invitation to guest on the Joyner show allowed 2-Cent to translate the video’s message (reading) for the confused radio host.
2-Cent founder and creative director, Brandan “B-Mike” Odums, is a NOCCA alumni, prolific painter and filmmaker who has created music videos for artists like Mannie Fresh, Trombone Shorty, Dee-1, Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def, Dead Prez and more. Most recently, he made waves with his summer 2013 graffiti art series inside the abandoned, and soon to be demolished, Florida Housing Projects in the city’s upper ninth ward, “Project Be,” where he transformed decaying vacant rooms into colorful explosions of inspirational caricatures heralding African-American heroes and heroines. He invited anyone who dared set foot in the fenced-off property to paint with him. Odums was also one of October’s featured visual artists commissioned by Red Bull USA to paint a permanent mural along Claiborne Avenue in Tremé for the second Red Bull Street Kings brass band competition, in celebration of New Orleans’ rich second line tradition. The same month, his music video for Trombone Shorty‘s first single of his new album, “Fire and Brimstone,” which also features Odums painting “Project Be” murals live, also circulated the interwebs.
More 2-Cent youth with Dora the Explorer at LISTEN! Fest 2012.
2-Cent co-founder and business manager, Kevin Griffin, is also a New Orleans native photographer and small business entrepreneur. In addition to running his 2K NOLA Photography company, he has won numerous awards of late for his dedication to the community and leadership in the growing start-up scene, including a “New Orleans 30 Under 30” award.
Odums and Griffin, along with their collective of artists, actors, activists, teachers and volunteers, take over Bayou Road in the city’s seventh ward (headquartered at Community Book Store — 2523 Bayou Road — and Red Star Gallery) with their third LISTEN! Youth Literacy and Arts Festival this Saturday, November 23, from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. The all-day block party of sorts will feature an outdoor stage with performances from local artists of all ages, including hip-hop icon Mannie Fresh, rising progressive violinist and local music educator Trenton “T-Ray” Thomas, the Room Service R&B/soul-jazz band and more.
This is the third year that 2-Cent has organized their LISTEN! Fest with the goal of empowering young people to read, and write, more. Though the festival was held in previous years during the month of May, the group has moved the festival to November this year, after fighting the late-May New Orleans heat outdoors the previous two years. 2-Cent will also have their signature “Create Change” and “Read A Book” T-shirts, as well as their quirky 2-Cent logo pins, for sale at the festival, the proceeds from which will support their youth programming.
2-Cent LISTEN! Youth Literacy & Arts Festival is November 23.
However, the highlight of their LISTEN! festival is the truckload of brand new children’s books for all ages that will fill the pop-up 2-Cent “bookstore” on the steps of the People of Praise Church. This bookstore’s 10,000 books, donated by Scholastic, are not for sale, but free to any child that attends the festival. In addition to the bookstore and live music, 2-Cent has also organized other groups to host creative writing, spoken word and visual art activities along the street, which will also be free of charge.
Local food trucks will be on-site, and Bayou Road’s neighborhood businesses such as the historical Community Book Center, Coco Hut Jamaican restaurant, Red Star Art Gallery, King and Queen Emporium, Domino Record Shack and more will be open and participating in the festival, offering specials. In fact, the festival is conveniently located not far from this weekend’s Fringe Fest activities and makes for yet another creative Saturday option along the way for the whole family. LISTEN! Fest is free of charge, all ages, and open to the public. Click here for more information, or visit www.2-cent.com.
2-Cent LISTEN! Youth Literacy & Arts Festival
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