An occasional feature in which esteemed D.C. rapper Head-Roc shares what’s on his mind.
On Saturday, August 22, Mustafa Akbar (Riddems Crew ,Thievery Corporation, Fort Knox Five, Nappy), hosts the 7th annual MuStock, a D.C. indie music festival held on his ancestral farmland down in Lignum, Va.
MuStock is a 10-hour concert/ weekend retreat in a beautiful setting with a great stage, fantastic sound, and overnight camping (folks can come down the night before and can actually stay until Sunday afternoon). And yes, there are portable bathrooms with sanitation stations (for washing your hands), and there’s also a gigantic tent, so rain is no problem.
The 7th Annual MuStock is a free event, but because it is run with no corporate or institutional sponsorships, we’re asking for a suggested donation of $20 to help cover the production costs and the artists’ expenses. Supporting the careers of some of our area’s undervalued, overworked, and underpaid working musicians is STRONGLY SUGGESTED! …AND GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!
What really makes MuStock especially noteworthy is the fact that it’s one man’s labor of love to provide a great show and platform for some of D.C.’s hardest working professional indie music artists.
The first time I went to MuStock I was blown away by the visual presentation and spiritual vibration. The hospitality Mustafa provided was a welcome change from dealing with some of the folks at the usual venues we indie pros rock: He offered what he had to all musicians who responded to the invitation to participate.
And the way Mustafa hosted the event was done in such a way that the concert day moved along fluidly–much like a mixtape. Artists, in addition to performing their own material, were encouraged to (and did) mix it up with other artists across each others sets.
Maybe the most striking memory of attending is witnessing the farm at dusk, and seeing the full glory of the sky. It made me think of the survival of our ancestors on this soil in the days when the the descendants of enslaved Africans were forbidden to express our spiritual selves freely and out in the open. Taking my daughter to MuStock was huge in this regard, as I watched her observe, emulate, and participate in the musical offerings from my art peers on the scene.
Please make plans to come join us this year!
Performing live at MuStock 09’:
Mustafa Akbar
Tamika Jones
Pure Light Seed
Noon:30
Asheru
GODISHEUS
The Fif
DJ Oji
Punk Rodgers
Bredren Sound System
Special MuStock “Honors” performance by the one and only:
ENGLISHMAN!
Head-Roc is a founding member of legendary D.C. hip-hop crew 3LG, WAMMIE award-winning solo MC, and frontman of the hip-hop/funk/rock group Godisheus.