name	Washington Heights
director	Alfredo De Villa
writer	Nat MossAlfredo De VillaJunot Diaz (additional dialogue)Manny Perez (story)
starring	Tomas MilianManny PerezDanny Hoch
music	Leigh Roberts
cinematography	Claudio Chea
editing	Tom Donahue
country
language	English
followed by	}}

''Washington Heights'' is a 2003 Lions Gate film directed by Alfredo De Villa and starring Manny Perez, Tomas Milian, and Danny Hoch. It concerns a young comic book artist and his struggle to deal with his father's paralysis following a robbery of his shop in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.

External links

The official film site

IMDb listing

Category:2003 films Category:Washington Heights, Manhattan

Name	KRS-One
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Lawrence Krisna Parker
Alias	KRS, Teacha, The Blastmaster
Origin	South Bronx, New York, U.S.
Born	August 20, 1965Flatbush, New York, U.S.
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, record producer, actor, author, activist
Years active	1984–present
Instrument	Vocals, turntables
Label	Jive, RCA, Duck Down
Associated acts	Boogie Down Productions, Scott La Rock, Marley Marl, Diamond D, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Buckshot, Talib Kweli, Immortal TECH, R.E.M.
Website	}}

Lawrence Krisna Parker (born August 20, 1965), better known by his stage names KRS-One (or simply KRS), and Teacha, is an American rapper. At the 2008 BET Awards, KRS-One was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for all his work and effort towards the Stop the Violence Movement as well as the overall pioneering of hip hop music and culture.

Biography

Born Lawrence Parker in Flatbush in Brooklyn, New York in the summer of 1965, the MC left home at 14 to become an MC and Philosopher. He came to live in a homeless shelter in the South Bronx, where he was dubbed Krishna by residents because of his interest in the Hare Krishna spirituality of some of the antipoverty workers. By the time he met youth counselor Scott Sterling, he was also writing graffiti as KRS-One (Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone). Together he and Sterling, a.k.a. DJ Scott La Rock eventually created Boogie Down Productions, releasing their debut album, ''Criminal Minded'', in 1987. KRS-One has been a vegetarian since his youth.

Boogie Down Productions

In the summer of 1984, KRS-One hit the music scene with a rap group called "Scott La rock and the Celebrity Three" with a record called "Advance". In a time when most rappers rhymed about cars, jewelry, alcohol, and the latest dance, KRS-One was rhyming about nuclear war prevention. Scott La Rock and the Celebrity Three was composed of Scott La Rock, Levi167, MC Quality, and KRS-One. After legal problems with the head of the label, Scott La Rock and the Celebrity Three were released from their contract. In the winter of 1984, KRS-One wrote a song called "Stop The Violence" although by this time The Celebrity Three had broken up and only KRS-One and Scott La Rock remained. Both realized they had to change the name of the group and they did: the new group was called The Boogie Down Crew.

In 1985, Scott La Rock, a friend of producer/writer Kenny Beck (2 The Limit, Octavia - Pow Wow Records and Mine All Mine, Cashflow - Polygram Records) asked Beck to do a record he had written for his brother Kevin Goldbeck. Since the record was not quite finished being produced yet for Sleeping Bag Records and Scott had a real affinity for the sty-lings of Krs-one, Kenny Beck decided to form a group around the three, Kevin (freshly released from New York State Prison), Scott and Krs-one. Their name was 12:41, given that moniker by Beck as that was the time they had completed the final mix. All three plus Beck can be heard rapping on the record. Scott, ever the social worker asked Beck to do this as a way out of the shelter for his friend Krs-one. Of course Kris and Scott wanted to concentrate on their own Boogie Down Crew but first they had to go through this. No one was paid for this project and the small amount budgeted by the label for the product prior to Scott La Rock's and Krs-one's involvement barely covered recording costs. This is why producer David Eng, Snow (Informer) and Inspector Gadget writer and studio owner of Bayside Sound (Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, UTFO was brought in. The original song was written, produced and recorded by Kenny Beck and royalties and claims are being pursued for all parties involved. It was this project that educated Kris and Scott as to the importance of being producers of their music, as well as the artists, so at this point they decided to change the name of their own Boogie Down Crew to Boogie Down Productions.

At the close of 1987, the B.D.P lifestyle got real when Scott La Rock was killed trying to settle a dispute in the Bronx. This 'shocked' the Hip Hop community and, once again, rap and violence became a topic in the mainstream press. The rap community thought Boogie Down Productions was over but this only led to new plans for KRS-One. In 1988, KRS-One left B. Boy Records to sign with Jive Records and "By All Means Necessary" was released. Rap music was under a mainstream microscope and KRS-One now was able to release what he and Scott always dreamed about, an album that gave rap a different image. His first video on Jive Records was for "My Philosophy", a song that re-established his presence in the rap world.

KRS-One began his recording career as one third of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, or BDP, alongside DJ Scott La Rock and Derrick "D-Nice" Jones. They met during a stay KRS-One had at the Bronx Franklin Avenue Armory Shelter. La Rock (real name Scott Sterling) worked as a social worker there. The duo would begin to create music. After being rejected by radio DJs Mr. Magic and Marley Marl, KRS-One would go on to diss the two and those associated with them, sparking what would later be known as The Bridge Wars. Additionally, KRS had taken offense to "The Bridge", a song by Marley Marl's protege, MC Shan (later on, KRS One produced an album with Marley Marl in 2007); the song could be interpreted as a claim that Queensbridge was the monument of Hiphop, though MC Shan has repeatedly denied this claim. Still, KRS "dissed" the song with the BDP record "South Bronx"; next, a second round of volleys would ensue with Shan's "Kill That Noise" and BDP's "The Bridge Is Over". KRS-One, demonstrating his nickname "The Blastmaster", gave a live performance that devastated MC Shan, and many conceded he had won the battle. Many believe this live performance to be the first MC battle where rappers attack each other, instead of a battle between who can get the crowd more hyped.

Parker and Sterling decided to form a rap group together, initially calling themselves "Scott La Rock and the Celebrity Three". That was short-lived, however, as the two peripheral members quit, leaving Parker (now calling himself KRS-One) and Sterling. They then decided to call themselves "Boogie Down Productions", "Success is the Word", a 12-inch single produced by David Kenneth Eng and Kenny Beck was released on indie Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records (under the group name "12:41") but did not enjoy commercial success. Boogie Down Productions released their debut album ''Criminal Minded'' in 1987. The album, whose cover pictured BDP draped in ammunition and brandishing guns, is often credited with setting the template for the burgeoning genres of hardcore and gangsta rap. Scott La Rock was killed in a shooting later that year, after attempting to mediate a dispute between teenager and BDP member Derrick "D-Nice" Jones and local hoodlums.

During this time KRS-One also gained acclaim as one of the first MCs to incorporate Jamaican style into hip-hop. Using the Zung gu zung melody, originally made famous by Yellowman in Jamaican dance halls earlier in the decade. While KRS-One used Zunguzung styles in a more powerful and controversial manner, especially in his song titled "Remix for P is Free", he can still be credited as one of the more influential figures to bridge the gap between Jamaican music and American hip-hop.

Following the fatal shooting of Scott La Rock in 1987, KRS was determined to continue Boogie Down Productions through the tragedy, releasing the album ''By All Means Necessary'' in 1988. He was joined by beatboxer D-Nice, rapper Ramona "Ms. Melodie" Parker (whose marriage to Kris would last from 1988 to 1992), and Kris's younger brother DJ Kenny Parker, among others. However Boogie Down Productions would remain Kris's show, and their content would become increasingly political through their subsequent releases ''Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop'', ''Edutainment'', ''Live Hardcore Worldwide'' and ''Sex and Violence''.

KRS-One was the primary initiator behind the H.E.A.L. compilation and the Stop the Violence Movement; for the latter he would attract many prominent MCs to appear on the 12-inch single "Self Destruction". As Parker adopted this "humanist", less defensive approach, he turned away from his "Blastmaster" persona and towards that of "The Teacha", although he has constantly used "Blastmaster" throughout his career.

Solo career

After five largely solo albums under the name "Boogie Down Productions," KRS-One decided to set out on his own. On his first solo album, 1993's ''Return of the Boom Bap'', Parker worked together with producers DJ Premier, Kid Capri and Showbiz, the latter providing the catchy-yet-hardcore track "Sound of da Police". His second album, 1995's ''KRS-One'', featured Channel Live on "Free Mumia", a song in which they criticize Black Civil Rights Activist C. Delores Tucker among others. Other prominent guest stars on ''KRS One'' included Mad Lion, Busta Rhymes, Das EFX and Fat Joe.

In 1991, KRS-One appeared on the alternative rock group R.E.M.'s single "Radio Song", which appeared on the band's album ''Out of Time'', released the same year.

In 1992, Bradley Nowell from Sublime featured an acoustic song named "KRS-One" with his voice and DJ's samplers.

In 1995, KRS organized a group called Channel Live, whose album ''Station Identification'' he produced most of, along with Rheji Burrell and Salaam Remi.

In 1997, Parker surprised many with his release of the album ''I Got Next''. The album's lead single "Step into a World (Rapture's Delight)", containing a sample of punk and New Wave group Blondie, was accompanied by a remix featuring commercial rap icon Puff Daddy; another track was essentially a rock song. While the record would be his best-selling solo album (reaching #3 on the ''Billboard'' 200), such collaborations with notably mainstream artists and prominent, easily recognizable samples took many fans and observers of the vehemently anti-mainstream KRS-One by surprise. However, in August 1997, Parker appeared on Tim Westwood's BBC Radio 1 show and vociferously denounced the DJ and the radio station more generally, accusing them of ignoring his style of hip hop in favor of commercial artists such as Puff Daddy. Although having not been in the UK since 1991, due to the fact he does not fly, he claimed "to be in touch with the people", and said that "they weren't feeling Westwood, he's a sell out and has sold his soul to the dark side." This sparked controversy in the UK since Radio One was one of the main supporters of the single "Step Into My World" and caused the album to be his best selling. Parker has since visited the UK, most notably in May 2007, in a performance at the Royal Albert Hall where he once again dissed Tim Westwood in a freestyle.

In 1999, there were tentative plans to release ''Maximum Strength''; a lead single, "5 Boroughs", was released on ''The Corruptor'' movie soundtrack. However, Parker apparently decided to abort the album's planned release, just as he had secured a position as a Vice-President of A&R; at Reprise Records. The shelved album was again scheduled to be released in 2008, but ultimately an unrelated album entitled "Maximum Strength 2008" was released in its place. He moved to southern California, and stayed there for two years, ending his relationship with Jive Records with ''A Retrospective'' in 2000.

Parker resigned from his A&R; position at Reprise in 2001, and returned to recording with a string of albums, beginning with 2001's ''The Sneak Attack'' on Koch Records. In 2002, he released a gospel-rap album, ''Spiritual Minded'', surprising many longtime fans; Parker had once denounced Christianity as a "slavemaster religion" which African-Americans should not follow. During this period, KRS founded the Temple of Hiphop, an organization to preserve and promote "Hiphop Kulture". Other releases have since included 2003's ''Kristyles'' and ''D.I.G.I.T.A.L.'', 2004's ''Keep Right'', and 2006's ''Life''.

The only latter-day KRS-One album to gain any significant attention has been ''Hip-Hop Lives'', his 2007 collaboration with fellow hip hop veteran Marley Marl, due in large part to the pair's legendary beef, but also the title's apparent response to Nas' 2006 release ''Hip-Hop Is Dead''. While many critics have commented they would have been a lot more excited had this collaboration occurred twenty years earlier, the album has been met with positive reviews. KRS One has appeared on several songs with other artists, due to this he has received 9 Gold and 7 Platinum plaques.

KRS One has collaborated with several artists including Canadian Rap group Hellafactz, Jay-Roc N' Jakebeatz and New York producer Domingo among other. He and Domingo publicly squashed their beef that started over financial issues and released a digital single to iTunes on November 25. The single titled "Radio" will also feature Utah up and comer Eneeone and is dedicated to underground MC's that don't get the radio airplay they deserve. In 2009 KRS One guest starred on several albums including Arts & Entertainmen on the song "Pass the Mic" by fellow Hip Hop veterans Masta Ace & Ed O.G and featured on the posse cut "Mega Fresh X" by Cormega (alongside with DJ Red Alert, Parrish Smith, Grand Puba, & Big Daddy Kane) on his album Born and Raised.

KRS One and Buckshot announced that they would be collaborating on an album set to be released in 2009. The first single, ROBOT, was released on May 5, 2009. The music video was directed by Todd Angkasuwan and debuted as the New Joint of the Day on 106 & Park on September 4, 2009. The album leaked on the Internet on September 9, 2009 and released album was released on September 15, 2009. It debuted at #62, making it on The Billboard 200 selling around 8,500 copies its first week and was met with generally positive reviews. Steve Juon of RapReviews.com gave the album a flawless 10 out of 10, claiming "Buckshot and KRS have achieved something rather remarkable here - an album I can't find a single fault with. There's not a bad beat, there's not a whack rhyme, there's not a collaborator on a track that missed the mark, and the disc itself is neither too short nor too long."

In 2010 KRS One was honored along with Buckshot by artists Ruste Juxx, Torae & Skyzoo, Sha Stimuli, Promise, J.A.M.E.S. Watts and Team Facelift to name a few on their mixtape 'Survival Kit' which is an ode to the 2009 album Survival Skills by KRS One and Buckshot. The mixtape was released for free download on DuckDown.com. The album features new version of KRS classics 'South Bronx', 'Sound Of Da Police' and 'MC's Act Like They Don't Know' as well as new versions of well known Buckshot songs and 'Past Present Future' from the Survival Skills album. The MC Fashawn stated in his verse on MC's Act Like They Don't Know that 'I did it to make Kris smile I figured he'd appreciate it'

Most recently, KRS One was featured as the voice of Chris Cringle in the new Nike Most Valuable Puppets commercials. KRS One performed in May 2010 at SUNY New Paltz for their annual "Rock Against Racism" concert. KRS One also narrated the 2011 film ''Rhyme and Punishment'', a documentary about Hip-Hop artists who have done jail time.

Stop the Violence Movement

The Stop the Violence Movement was formed by KRS-One in 1988/1989 in response to violence in the hip hop and black communities.

During a concert by Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy a young fan was killed in a fight. Coming soon after the shooting death of his friend and fellow BDP member Scott La Rock, KRS-One was galvanized into action and formed the Stop the Violence Movement. Composed of some of the biggest stars in contemporary East Coast hip hop, the movement released a single, "Self Destruction", in 1989, with all proceeds going to the National Urban League. A music video was created, and a VHS cassette entitled ''Overcoming Self-Destruction - The Making of the Self-Destruction Video'' was also released.

"Self-Destruction" was produced by KRS-One and D-Nice of Boogie Down Productions (Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad is credited as an associate producer).

Temple of Hip Hop

The Temple of Hip Hop is a ministry, archive, School, and Society (M.A.S.S.) founded by KRS-One. Its goal is to maintain and promote Hiphop Kulture. The Temple of Hip Hop maintains that Hip Hop is a genuine political movement and culture, as it has been accepted by the United Nations as a culture. The Temple of Hiphop calls on all Hip Hop fans to celebrate Hip Hop Appreciation Week, occurring in the third week of May. It encourages DJs and MCs to teach people about the culture of Hiphop, to write more socially conscious songs, and radio stations to play more socially conscious hip hop. Hip Hop Appreciation Week is celebrated on the third week of May each year. Hip Hop History Month (November), founded by the Universal Zulu Nation, is also recognized.

September 11 comments

In 2004, KRS engendered a controversy when he was quoted in a panel discussion hosted by ''The New Yorker'' magazine as saying that "we cheered when 9/11 happened". The comment drew criticism from many sources, including a pointed barb by the ''New York Daily News'' that called Parker an "anarchist" and said that "If Osama bin Laden ever buys a rap album, he'll probably start with a CD by KRS-One." Parker responded to the commotion surrounding his comments with an editorial written for AllHipHop.com, stating:

In late 2005, KRS was featured alongside Public Enemy's Chuck D on the remix of the song "Bin Laden" by Immortal Technique and DJ Green Lantern, which blames American neo-conservatives, the Reagan Doctrine and U.S. President George W. Bush for the World Trade Center attacks, and indicates a parallel to the devaluation, destruction, and violence of urban housing project communities.

On April 29, 2007, KRS-One again defended his statements on the September 11 attacks when asked about them during an appearance on ''Hannity's America'' on the Fox News network stating that he meant that people cheered that the establishment had taken a hit, not that people were dying or had died. He also discussed amongst other things, the Don Imus scandal and the use of profanity in Hip-Hop.

Gospel of Hip Hop comments

In an interview with AllHipHop about his book "The Gospel of Hip Hop", KRS-One said:

"I’m suggesting that in 100 years, this book will be a new religion on the earth... I think I have the authority to approach God directly, I don’t have to go through any religion [or] train of thought. I can approach God directly myself and so I wrote a book called The Gospel of Hip Hop to free from all this nonsense garbage right now. I respect the Christianity, the Islam, the Judaism but their time is up. ...In a hundred years, everything that I’m saying to you will be common knowledge and people will be like, 'Why did he have to explain this? Wasn’t it obvious?'"

These comments have been referred to by numerous media outlets such as the AV Club who comment that "KRS-One writes 600-page hip-hop bible; blueprint for rap religion" and "KRS-One has never been afraid to court controversy and provoke strong reactions. Now the Boogie Down Productions legend has topped himself by writing The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument, a mammoth treatise on the spirituality of hip-hop he hopes will some day become a sacred text of a new hip-hop religion".

Stepson's death

Randy Hubbard Parker, stepson of KRS-One, was found dead in his Atlanta, Georgia apartment on July 6, 2007 in an apparent suicide; he was 23. Simone Parker, KRS-One's wife and Randy's mother, released a statement on July 10 that stated her son's death was related to his continuous battle with "severe depression". The Fulton County Medical Examiner's office stated that Parker died of a gunshot wound to the head, and listed the cause of death as suicide. Parker was a graphic designer and fashion entrepreneur. A private memorial service was held on July 18 , which would have been his 24th birthday.

Benefit for first responders

KRS-One spoke at a hip hop benefit concert on September 12, 2009 to benefit the first responders of 9/11 he spoke of non violence to take back the country. The event was presented by the 9/11 group We Are Change based in New York City and SMT Studios.

Awards

VH1

2004, VH1 Hip Hop Honors

BET Hip Hop Awards

2007, I am Hip Hop

2007, Lifetime Achievement

Urban Music Awards

2009, Living Legend Award

Discography

Boogie Down Productions	Year
''Criminal Minded''
''By All Means Necessary''
''Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop''
''Live Hardcore Worldwide''
Solo Albums	Year
''Return of the Boom Bap
''I Got Next
''The Sneak Attack
''Spiritual Minded
''Kristyles
''Keep Right
''Adventures in Emceein
''Maximum Strength
''Back to the L.A.B.

Collaborative Albums	With	Year
''Hip Hop Lives''	Marley Marl
''Survival Skills''
''It's ALL Good''	Greenie
''The Just-Ice and KRS-ONE EP Volume #1''	Just-Ice
''Meta-Historical''	True Master
''Godsville''
''Royalty Check LP''	Bumpy Knuckles
''The BDP Album''	DJ Kenny Parker
''Return of the Boom Bip''	DJ Premier

Filmography

Year	Film	Role
1988	''I'm Gonna Git You Sucka''	himself
1993	''Who's the Man?''	Rashid
1997		Vendor
1997		himself
2000	''Boricua's Bond''
2000	''Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme''	himself
2002	''The Freshest Kids''	himself
2003	''2Pac 4 Ever''	narrator
2003		himself
2003	''Hip-Hop Babylon 2''	himself
2003	''Soundz of Spirit''	himself
2003	''5 Sides of a Coin''	himself
2003	''MuskaBeatz''	himself
2004	''War on Wax: Rivalries In Hip-Hop''	himself
2004	''The MC: Why We Do It''	himself
2004	''Beef II''	himself
2004	''And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop''	himself
2004	''Hip-Hop Honors''	himself
2004	''Keep Right''	himself
2005	''Zoom Prout Prout''	himself
2006	''A Letter to the President''	himself
2007	''Bomb It''	himself
2008		himself
2009	''Good Hair''	himself
2011	''Rhyme and Punishment''	narrator

Books

Book	Year
''Break the Chain KRS-ONE''	1994
''The Science of Rap'' (self published, 1996, out of print)	1996
''Ruminations'' (Welcome Rain Publishers, July 25, 2003, out of print)	2003
''The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument''	2009

See also

Suicide, it's a suicide

References

External links

KRS-One official website

KRS-One MySpace profile

''Rolling Stone'' bio

KRS-One talks to North Minneapolis citizens about tornado recovery

Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:American graffiti artists Category:American vegetarians Category:Hip hop activists Category:Jive Records artists Category:American rappers of Jamaican descent Category:People from the Bronx Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Rappers from New York City Category:E1 Music artists Category:Pseudonymous rappers

bs:KRS-One da:KRS-One de:KRS-One es:KRS-One fr:KRS-One it:KRS-One he:KRS-One ka:KRS-One nl:KRS-One ja:KRS・ワン pl:KRS-One pt:KRS-One ru:KRS-One fi:KRS-One sv:KRS-One uk:KRS-one

name	Joey Murphy
birth place	USA
occupation	Producer, Writer }}

Joey Murphy is screenwriter and television producer, currently working as executive producer for ''Desperate Housewives''.

Murphy has written episodes of the cartoon, ''Doug'', ''The Crew'', and Cybill Shepherd's sitcom, ''Cybill'', the last two for which he also served as producer. He also collaborated with Marc Cherry on the sitcom, ''The Golden Girls.'' When ''Desperate Housewives'' began in 2004, Murphy was one of the staff writers, and for the second year, he was promoted to co-executive producer. Starting with the first episode of season four, he is now executive producer. Throughout his career, Murphy has worked with John Pardee, and the two also have written the script to the upcoming remake of ''Mad Monster Party?''.

Filmography

Producer

''The Crew'' (Producer, unknown episodes)

''Cybill'' (Supervising producer, 8 episodes, 1997–1998; consulting producer 5 episodes, 1997)

''Desperate Housewives'' (Co-executive producer, 38 episodes, 2005–2007; executive producer, 14 episodes, 2007–2008; consulting producer, 7 episodes, 2004–2005)

Writer

''Doug'' (1 episode, 1991)

''The 5 Mrs. Buchanans'' (3 episodes, 1994)

''The Crew'' (2 episodes, 1995)

''Cybill'' (1 episode, 1997)

''Desperate Housewives'' (12 episodes, 2004–2008)

''Mad Monster Party'' (2008)

References

External links

Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American television producers Category:American screenwriters Category:Place of birth missing (living people)