No campaign speeches. No slogans. No rallying of the troops. No disparaging remarks about other candidates. Soul Food Cypher is a unique collection of lyricists who have been hosting monthly pop-up events around Atlanta for the last four years. This past Sunday, they changed up the usual routine with Politics as Usual, a pop-up cypher event and community political panel discussion. Stoney’s Barbershop, a longtime fixture in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, was the perfect setting to bring in some politicians and discuss what’s on people’s minds in a rapidly changing neighborhood that touches downtown and includes the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change.
Special guests included two of Atlanta’s most notable representatives, Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner and Atlanta Councilman Kwanza Hall along with Old Fourth Ward lyricist Pill. MC’d by Markmont, the panel covered a wide range of topics from gentrification, and justice system reform, to spiraling rent costs, crime, national politics and new opportunities in the area. There was a lot of concern both by the panelists and the audience around creative ways to keep and grow existing businesses in the area even in the face of rapidly increasing rent rates and other changes that can often force a business to close or leave an area. Stoney shared that his rent has essentially doubled since he moved in, but he also noted several positive changes in the area including reduced crime, increased involvement in the local schools, and that the area has been physically cleaned up during that time.
There was onsite voter registration to go along with food provided by Harold’s Chicken and Ice Bar and Noni’s. After the panel, there was a freestyle session with about a dozen lyricists who dropped their personal takes on the current state of politics in America.
Soul Food Cypher has it’s regular cypher at Space 2 on the fourth Sunday every month where everyone can participate and you’ll always find the best in lyricism, fun and community. In addition, they have pop up cyphers at random times and locations.
Visit their website for further information: www.soulfoodcypher.com
See photos below.
