Vita is a proud partner in the Blue Scholars new project OOF!

The first music video from the new Blue Scholars’ EP OOF! debuts this morning on MTVU and MTVU.com (http://www.mtvu.com/music/video-premiere/blue-scholars_hi-808/)

The video, created for the track Hi-808, received the on air premier video for the day starting at 6AM and will run in heavy rotation throughout the day on MTVU’s broadcast TV channel and will also be featured on the front page of MTVU.com

Free MP3 of Hi-808 click here.

Blue Scholars partnered with painter, vinyl toy & skate deck artist, Angry Woebots (www.armyofsnipers.com) who crafted a painting to go along with the lsong “HI-808” which will be turned into a limited edition print and t-shirt. The painting was created at the influential Hawaii based surf & skate boutique brand IN4MATION (www.in4mants.com). The cover for OOF! was designed by one of Hawaii’s premier photographers and historian of all things dope, Aaron Yoshino (Honozooloo / 5 to Life – www.honozooloo.com) whose photos have documented Hawaii’s subculture for several years. The video for Hi-808 was handled by The Island’s premiere video production crew, Kai Media, who shot in and around Oahu (edited by Zia Mohajerjasbi). All these groups have come together to create the OOF! project.

The song “HI-808″ documents the differences between the Hawaii Blue Scholars MC Geologic grew up in and the one he would later return to, laid over an 808-drum-dominated masterpiece from Blue Scholars DJ/ Producer Sabzi.
For more info on OOF! go to http://bluescholars.com/blog/releases/oof-ep/

The Moondoggies’ Kevin Murphy plays a solo acoustic set at the Bean Room at Caffe Vita during the Capitol Hill Block Party. This session was presented by KEXP and The Seattle Times music blog Matson on Music.

Hey Marseilles performs at the Bean Room at Caffe Vita during the Capitol Hill Block Party. This session was presented by KEXP and The Seattle Times music blog Matson on Music.

Thurston Moore and Sonic Youth made it clear they are not Starbucks fans – and we were thrilled to hear Thurston declare “Caffe Vita has the best macchiato in the Seattle.”

Here is an exclusive Sonic Youth interview with Andrew Matson from the Seattle Times on our KEXP Capitol Hill Block Party Sound Stage. More Videos from the bean room ahead!

Geologic making beautiful music at the the Vita Table Midnight Supper. Pic by Annie Musselman

Blue Scholars partners with Caffe Vita and sign with Duck Down Records for a modern day record deal.

SEATTLE, WA, July 27th, 2009 – Walking away from numerous record label offers, Blue Scholars will release several upcoming projects through a unique partnership formed with Duck Down Records, and Seattle’s Caffe Vita Coffee Co.
On August 25, 2009 Blue Scholars will release “OOF!” their newest collaborative multi-media project and the first release to be distributed through their new venture. On September 1st, they will re-issue their 2007 album “Bayani”, which has already sold over 20,000 units. “Bayani Redux” will include one brand new track and two songs that were previously available only via digital retail outlets. There will also be a brand new full-length Blue Scholars album and other projects coming soon.

The sales and distribution model developed by the group for their upcoming releases will allow them to maintain complete ownership of their music and total control over how it is marketed, sold, and even given away.
Instead of signing a standard artist/record label deal, Blue Scholars hired the label Duck Down to run point on marketing for all of their upcoming releases. As a major player in the current and ever-changing record label industry, Duck Down Records saw this deal as an opportunity to get creative and experiment with strategies for record labels to continue evolving as viable businesses.

Dru Ha, CEO of Duck Down Records states, “I believe Blue Scholars is positioned to be one of the next important groups, not just in hip hop, but in music worldwide, and I want Duck Down to be a part of that. They bring their progressive ideas not just to their music and lyrics, but also in the way they think about and do their business.”

Duck Down’s current distribution partner, E1 Entertainment, the largest independent distributor in the United States, will handle distribution of Blue Scholars’ physical product. Digital sales and distribution will go through Tunecore. Direct-to-fan marketing and sales will be developed by the members of Blue Scholars themselves, using Topspin web marketing tools.

Says Geo, of Blue Scholars, “After weighing all the options, remaining independent is without question, the best look. Duck Down shares that vision and their track record speaks for itself. With them, we get that national and international push while still owning and controlling our music. “

To finance all the upcoming projects, Blue Scholars have formed a strategic brand relationship with Seattle independent coffee company, Caffe Vita. The coffee company will also play a role in the sales and distribution plan by selling upcoming albums in all of their retail outlets and marketing the releases via their online presence.

Blue Scholars DJ/ Producer Sabzi says in regard to their partnership with Caffe Vita – “their innovative marketing, their justice and equity in business practices, and their premiere quality of product and presentation, make Caffe Vita an ideal brand to partner with. I intend to do with our music what Vita does with their coffee.”

“Coffee is both International and local, it effects the lives of millions, and it has tremendous ability to generate culture. We believe strongly in the work of the Blue Scholars and their power to look beyond the basic commodity that music has become. We are honored that Sabzi and Geo see that Vita is striving for the same goals.” Mike McConnell, founder Caffe Vita.

Blue Scholars have sold over 60,000 albums and played over 400 live shows. They have developed a dedicated following in the Northwest (selling over 4,000 tickets for each of their last few Seattle performances) and have shared the stage with an impressive list of nationally acclaimed artists such as Kanye West, Q-Tip, De La Soul, Immortal Technique, Hieroglyphics, GZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Matisyahu, Zion-I, Flobots and the Coup.

DOWNLOAD A NEW BLUE SCHOLARS TRACK FROM THEIR UPCOMING OOF! EP AT WWW.BLUESCHOLARS.COM