The Manifesto By: Daniel Libby (Executive-Director) man-i-fes-to: A public declaration of principles, policies, or intentions, especially of a political nature. Support Local Scene SiLSA! is a media production company working to promote and showcase independent Hiphop music and urban culture in the Toronto area. In Action! 
The MC’s, DJ’s, Break-Dancers, Graff-Writers, Beat-Boxers, Producers, Fashion Designers, and Citizens of Hiphop featured in SiLSA! Productions are in action to further establish their Hiphop careers. Policies & Principles There are 16 principles and policies that compose the SiLSA! Manifesto document. The 16 principles and policies are meant to be the foundation for the SiLSA! Productions company. All or any changes to the Manifesto will be done in a serious and democratic manner. The official 16 ‘Principles & Policies’ are; Support, Integrity, Local, Scene, Action, Proficient, Rhythm, Original, Dedicated, Unity, Knowledge, Truth, Inspiration, Opportunity, Non-Profit (Free Hiphop) and Soul. SiLSA! produces in support of the artist(s) featured in the productions. The content and portrayal will be positive. Support.in.Local.Scene:Action! will not be a venue for promoting or encouraging hate. The artists and filmmakers involved will have a high degree of integrity. The stories, morals, lifestyles depicted and promoted in SiLSA! work will be examples of real experience. Fictional-scenes will only be produced if SiLSA’s integrity is not diminished. “Hip hop is such that it has crossed all sorts of boundaries yet remains specific to its immediate context. The history of hip hop will forever be rooted in the local, for this is the fundamental part of its identity...” Todd Boyd in his novel ‘The New H.N.I.C.’ (2003, pg. 48) SiLSA! recognizes Hiphop as a global culture. We produce with the intention of reaching a universal audience; However, SiLSA! supports local artists and citizens first and foremost. The current local base of organization is T-Dot (Toronto, Canada). Example: The Word Up! was a 7 episode Community TV series filmed over a 3 month period in 2005 when Daniel Libby lived in Melbourne, Australia. Although the show portrayed Australian Hiphop viewed by a foreigner (Bobby McBain – Canada), each segment promoted a different local Melbourne Hiphop artist(s). Over 40 local Hiphop community members were interviewed for the Word Up!. “In search of Truth, Knowledge and the REAL in Melbourne Australia’s Hip Hop scene.” Bobby McBain – The Word Up! DVD cover. The primary occupation of SiLSA! is active documentation of the Hiphop scene, recognizing Hiphop is part of a larger entertainment and social scenes. Therefore all SiLSA! work can be divided into separate scenes or connected into one singular Hiphop document. Some of the divisions within the Hiphop scene include Music, Art, Lyrics, Dance, Marketing, Social Criticism, etc. We will make every effort to document the scene at the location an event or action, to assure this SiLSA! members will establish and maintain active contact with central members in the Hiphop scene. Every stage of production & distribution is an example of Support.in.Local.Scene: Action! fulfilling a pledge to actively promote positive Hiphop consciousness. The work of SiLSA! is not limited to education & entertainment, other uses include Hiphop as a deterrent to criminal actions. The artist(s) and citizen(s) featured in SiLSA! Productions are in the process of advancing their Hiphop culture through the collaborative action of video production. The filmmakers behind SiLSA! Productions will remain proficient in all aspects of film production. All of our work, be it written, motion picture, or audio, will be executed with the highest degree of skill, which we maintain or improve upon. In order to assure proficiency we will maintain a high state of organization. The rhythm will be noticeable in both the movement of SiLSA! participants, and the editing of SiLSA! video images; For the sake of entertainment and educational value. Therious Comparisons One of the main educational methods SiLSA! Uses are comparative essays by means of motion pictures, titles, and soundtrack. In these video-essays SiLSA! takes a serious look at Hip Hop theory and/or Urban social issues. Example: ‘Gangsta Rap Thesis’ – Comparing the leagacy of 19th Century Australian outlaw Ned Kelly and modern American Gangsta-Rap Music. Respecting particular attention to the current perception of Police Officers in Australian society. SiLSA! intends to remain original in its work. Thus we will research classic and current Hip Hop works not only for inspiration and knowledge, but also to assure we are not plagiarizing. To maintain originality we will research past interviews (if available) of an interviewee to assure our questions are unique. A completed SiLSA! production should be considered a work of innovation. As soon as a SiLSA! Production has officially commenced the filmmakers will remain dedicated to the work until it is completed. Although pre-planning and establishing new projects is encouraged at anytime, the central focus of SiLSA! will remain the current project in production at that time. The filmmakers will also remain dedicated to the aspiration of always having a current project in active production. A SiLSA! Production understands Hip Hop has the opportunity of becoming mankind’s first universal culture. SiLSA! will produce with the intent of strengthening the culture unity of Hip Hop. A SiLSA! production will only discuss topics of conflict and feuding with an expression of unity. Example: Rather than taking the approach of partisan Hip Hop media like ‘S.M.A.C.K. DVD’, which arguably encourages conflicts between rappers, a SiLSA! production will be approached in the vein of ‘HSAN – The Hip Hop Summit Action Network’. Founded in 2001, HSAN is a non-profit organization that uses Hip Hop as an influential agent for social change, and has subsequently done much to squash beefs (end conflicts) in the Hip Hop community. (hsan.org) Note: We recognize activities like ‘battle raps’ (a war of words between 2 or more emcees) do much to unify the scene, because the audience for a battle rap event is together for a common purpose – to select the illest (best) rapper. When rappers enter a battle rap contest they are unified in competition, knowing the only outcome of a rap battle is being selected winner or loser. All productions will be made with the intention of furthering the knowledge of the audience via the knowledge of the subjects. Also the SiLSA! filmmakers will be constantly furthering their knowledge of filmmaking. Example: SiSLA! Has formed an affiliation with Literacy Through Hip Hop a national youth-education initiative of the Canadian Council of Equity Peace and Development, founded in Regent Park, Toronto. At any stage of a production SiLSA! believes only in providing the truth, to both the subjects and the audience. “Word is bond – we will keep it real.” D.R. Libby The purpose of a SiLSA! Production is to provide inspiration, because that is the only way to advance Hip Hop culture and the artform. We will only record and document negative situations and attitudes if we remain optimistic. By using Hip Hop as inspiration SiLSA! can fulfill its obligation to motivate Hip Hop citizens into positive social change. SiLSA! members will remain positive and hopeful about the future, or else our ability to inspire will be seriously damaged. SiLSA! should remain a venue of opportunity to artists who are disadvantaged and/or novice. In this respect, SiLSA! will continue to support the Hip Hop culture of the ‘underground’ or ‘independent’ rather than the ‘mainstream’ or ‘commercial’. Although we do recognize the importance of a ‘mainstream’ artist volunteering his time, words, or work for a SiLSA! Production, because they most likely do not need the opportunity SiLSA! provides for personal-career advancement. ‘Non-Profit (free Hip-Hop) is a SiLSA! philosophy that constantly explores the relationship between art and consumerism. Recognizing Hiphop is an artform that is bought and sold. SiLSA! promotes the art form of Hiphop, without profiting from the sale of products. SiLSA! will demonstrate soul with every action it makes. This principle refers to the high standards of morals and decency present in all SiLSA! work. Our work strives to fill the ideology of Hiphop culture as “Peace, love, unity, and having some fun.”(KRS-ONE – Illegal Business Remix 2004 based on Africa Bambaataa’s urging in the Temple of Hiphop’s general doctrine)