Line Up // Fort Greene Festival

Taking a cue from the Afrocentric stylings of the Native Tongues crew, which included De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest and Andres Titus, Mos Def has emerged as one of the more conscientious voices of new school hip-hop, alongside the likes of Common, Outkast, Goodie Mob and The Roots, to name just a few.

Sophia Urista was born in Detroit, MI. The soundtrack her mother filled her childhood with reveals her Mexican and black heritage as well as her Detroit roots, which have shaped her musical vocabulary—from the soulful sounds of The Supremes to the nostalgia of traditional Mexican music, and the power of classic rock with artists such as Santana, Creedance Clearwater Revival and Van Morrison.

Their infectious high-energy sound can be heard in NIKE, Dayquil, Good Day New York, The Today Show, MTV, Blender, Maxim, Gotham, and a slew of films including critically acclaimed The People I've Slept With. PaperDoll's contagiously peppy video for single "If Nothing Happened "(also featured in a Vick's Dayquil commercial) was recently touted by Deli Magazine as a remedy for the Winter Blues.

Brooklyn based politically-edged rock/punk/hip hop band. What can you say about an all-Black all-outta-Brooklyn band whose metal, punk and rudeboy skanking licks sound as credible and crunchy as their Hip Hop lyrics and headnodding bounce? Game Rebellion makes the difficult sound effortless and the miraculous seem second nature: A hard rockin band with a B-boy MC who can actually spit? No problem! A new EP created by a band that actually rocks and flows? No problem!

They’ve got a powerful, electric rock sound with a little bit of an urban edge.

"Navegante is the artist that will carry the torch into the future" -Carlos Santana

A soulful vocalist and mainstay of the New York City cirquit, Mariella is a name to watch out for. Her poignant lyrics and masterful songwriting have earned her accolades worldwide including being named Billboard World Songwriting Contest grand prize winner in 2008, and John Lennon Songwriting Contest honorable mention. She is also the co-creator and co-host of one of NYC's longest running and most critically acclaimed hip-hop jam sessions, Freestyle Mondays.

Res (pronounced 'reese') grew up listening to her parents’ Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Teddy Pendergrass albums at home. She also developed an appreciation for groups like the Eurythmics and Pearl Jam while attending the Academy of Notre Dame, an all-girls Catholic college prep school, from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Res remembers finding her lifelong passion for music at the age of seven, when she was first enrolled in voice lessons.

Medina Green first created a buzz with a single on Rawkus Records, but it wasn't until last year's "U Know The Flex, Vol. 1" that fans really got to hear what the group was all about. Comprised of members DCQ, Kash-Ru, Jah Born, and Lord Ato, Medina Green had head's everywhere tuning in to tracks like "Crosstown Beef" and "Cats Copy." Building on the fan base they gained with "U Know The Flex," the group is set to release the follow up "Funky Fresh in the Flesh, Vol. 2" on August 23rd and to perform at the upcoming first annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. Recently we had the chance to talk to Medina Green's DCQ about UTD's legacy, what it's like having Mos Def as an older brother, and most importantly, what Medina Green is all about.