Legendary rappers EPMD are proud that their latest collaboration is going toward helping kids. Unveiled by Los Angeles-based A.K.L.A. Production, "The EPMD Project" features a collection of international artists creating pieces inspired by the veteran rappers. Works from each artist will be presented on canvases and prints and auctioned off at record release events in Los Angeles and New York. The first event will take place on Dec. 8 at New York's Santos Party House. The money raised will benefit the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based charity Groundswell Community Mural Project.
"Between technology, between the industry growing and hip-hop merging with Corporate America and trying to help out, it works," said EPMD's Parish Smith during an interview with the BoomBox. "It's helping a lot of kids who already took the steps in the right direction.
"Basically the whole organization is kids who refrained from doing bad to doing good. They're putting murals up on the wall. When it comes to hip-hop and the street music and representing one of the elements of hip-hop, tagging is one of them."
He calls kids involved in the Groundswell project those who have "bettered their life." "They removed themselves from the negativity, and moved on to the positive. They do the painting on the walls. That's called the Groundswell (Community) Mural Project."
He and partner Erick Sermon have not seen any of the entries yet because they have been overseas on the Rock the Bells tour promoting their forthcoming comeback CD "We Mean Business," which hits stores Dec. 9.
"Instead of us rushing and just dropping an album, we kind of getting the effect and the vibe from the people who have been following us for the last 20 years," Smith said.
