The Skepticold music video premier is taking place in Portland on June 17th.  Then on June 18th the video will premier all over the WEB, including right here at www.itsnineteen.com.

We are happy to announce that we currently have a batch of another 10,000 CDs to give away this summer.  This puts us at the halfway mark of our goal to give away 30,000.  THANKS TO EVERYONE who has supported through giving, prayers and encouragement.

Hey hey - this is Braille.  I just got home from the Peanutbutter and Jelly Party in Nashville, TN.  First of all, Syntax Records and all the co-laborers did a great job with this party.  Due to rain we had to move the show from the rooftop and into the gym, but it was just amazing.  I was able to give away around 500 CDs.  I also performed a brand new song titled “Almost There”.  During my stay in Nashville I also visited a few other shows, spoke on an artist panal and spent time fellowshipping with friends.  There are many stories I could tell but I’ll save them for a rainy day.  10,000 more copies of “CloudNineteen” are being printed up right now.  It’s really excited and I feel blessed and honored that God is still working in my life.

“CloudNineteen” was a top seller at 3 major online retailers for the month of March.  #1 at www.sphereofhiphopstore.com, #12 at www.undergroundhiphop.com and #19 at www.accesshiphop.com

The album also did well at www.thebus-shop.com, www.qualityjunk.com, Itunes, www.3hmp3.com and www.360vinyl.com.  Thanks to everyone who supported.  We have now raised enough money to manufacture a new batch of 10,000 CDs to give away for free this summer.

Concert Re-Cap by Sketch Da Journalist

Still playing blog catchup, but here are some flix and commentary from Braille & S1’s Houston stop on the “Cloud Nineteen” tour at Fletcher Mission near downtown.

This was just two days after SXSW and the final show on this tour so they were both understandably beat. Still, both Braille and Symbolyc One really showed their hearts and shared their time and story with the small crowd of teens. (more…)

as reviewed by Steve ‘Flash’ Juon at www.rapreviews.com

Braille should be very familiar to readers of RapReviews.com. We’ve covered four of his albums so far from “LIFEFirst” through “The IV Edition” and Braille Brizzy has improved with each one - in fact he got one of our coveted Nines on his last joint. If that weren’t enough you should know Braille’s voice from listening to podcasts like Hip-Hop Shop, where he can be heard to proclaim every week that “RapReviews is bringin’ the news, to youse and youse and youse.” Big up for the drop Braille, we greatly appreciate it.

Early in his career Braille got tagged as “a Christian rapper who doesn’t shove God down your throat” which is in many ways a backhanded compliment, and Braille has had to work hard to overcome that stereotype. Few rappers hustle as hard as Braille does though, which is how he’s not only elevated to being one of the top names in the underground but secured his music a coveted slot in the game “NBA Live 2009.” So here’s a little tip for the few non-believers still left out there - Braille can’t be pigeonholed as a Christian rapper, an underground rapper, a backpack rapper or any other “insert potential limiting prefix” rapper any more. Braille has come a long way and dared anyone out there to defy him to shine, and with new partner-in-crime Symbolyc One he’s here to do it one more time in 2009 with “Cloud Nineteen.” (more…)

In 14 days we’ve rocked 18 shows.  This slideshow doesn’t have photos from every gig, and some gigs we aren’t even allowed to photograph the crowd but this slideshow will give you an idea of what we’ve been up to thus far.  We’ve given out over 2,000 CDs and seen God move in many different ways.  We’ve done intimate events, huge events, clubs, churches, schools, homeless centers, correctional facilities and much more.  Every day is different and every day in an adventure.  We will continue pressing forward towards the goal of giving out 30,000 CDs this year.  WORD UP

Check out the writeup the guys over at Williamette Week Online wrote (more…)

It’s not what you think, though. Portland MC Braille is on a mission as of late to get his music—infectious hip-hop of the positive and spiritual variety—to as many kids as possible (including a previously reported plan to give away 30,000 copies of his forthcoming album, CloudNineteen). Braille was kind enough to take notes on his recent trip to perform for kids at a Washington Juvenile Corrections Facility for WW. The trip in his words:

Check out what they have to say about Braille over at Local Cut