Fully engulfed in her campaign to be the next mayor of the Bay Area city of San Leandro, Sara Mestas (known to her music fans as Mo Wiley) wants to know one thing: “Where Da Money Go?”
The unstoppable rap artist, political activist and mother of three has just released an infectious, provocative campaign video with that title to YouTube.
In the upcoming November 2 election, she will be running against incumbent Tony Santos, longtime city council member Joyce Starosciak and longtime school board member Steve Cassidy.
The two minute video, which intercuts images of Mestas with colorful graphics of some of her lyrics and iconic historical images from American history, begins with her spoken words: “It’s time for us to get back to the good old days, when we valued education, our children, our community working together…”
The video’s hip-hop oriented music track features her rapping campaign slogan lines like “Real change, this time get it right/I got your backs, stand up and fight…I’m a mom with kids who will stand her ground/I’ll fight for you and then you’ll know where da money go…I just wanna know where da money go.”
Mestas says, “The message here is that we have to take fiscal responsibility, and at the same time protect our constitutional rights. It is time for the community of San Leandro to unite and help piece back together a country we can be proud of.”
As the campaign heads into its final stretch, Mestas recently discussed her remarkable candidacy as a guest on the East Bay Citizen’s TnT Podcast, the East Bay’s only political oriented podcast; the program began with the audio version of “Where Da Money Go.”
Mestas continues to prove she’s ready for some ‘Major League Ballin’ (also the title of her debut album on First Kut Records, owned by rap music icon Morey Alexander) and has fashioned herself as the unconventional, break the mold “Robin Hood” candidate–the working class champion of the average taxpayer daring to take on the long entrenched “good old boy” administration that’s in place by exercising her right to run for office.
Relating to regular Americans in her community who have, like her, struggled to survive in the current down economy, she aims to give people hope that one’s past does not disqualify them from their future.
]]>This is Sara Monique Mestas’ story. It is a compelling American tale of a young woman who struggled through a difficult childhood and adolescence that would have defeated most people; but against all odds has risen to be a viable candidate to hold the office of Mayor of San Leandro, California. This story is a journey into the personal and political heart and mind of this remarkable young woman.
Her Message:
“EQUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL”
“LIFE AFFORDS SECOND CHANCES TO THOSE WILLING TO WORK FOR IT”
“NEVER FEAR CHANGE TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE”
“TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT IS BEST FOR THE PEOPLE”
“PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM ENCOURAGES DEMOCRACY”
Her History:
Now 33, Sara grew up in a broken home in San Leandro, Calif. and by the time she finished Middle School and entered San Lorenzo High School she had begun running with a bad crowd, she dealt drugs at age 12 and wound up as a teenage unwed mother at age 14, dropped out of school and went out on her own at age 15. She had several brushes with the law, one of which resulted in her incarceration before she got a grip on reality and determined to turn her life around.
While many people would sooner forget the pain and heartache of a troubled youth and lack of family stability, Sara faced what went wrong with her life and without assessing blame upon anyone but herself, set out to rectify the situation and raise her children with a better life style than had been meted out to her. From 1990 through the present time she has been employed in as lower management in the fast food business; business administration with various corporations, business and loan consultant and additionally since 2007 has become a rap recording artist under the name Mo Wiley, with favorable notices throughout the East Bay area and a recording contract with First Kut Records, Las Vegas. This indefatigable woman has also during that same period, raised three children, attended college at Cal State East Bay and received certificates of completion as a Certified Network Administrator and an Emergency Medical Technician. Despite this load she has also found time to be a civic and community activist. From juvenile drug dealer to mother; from rapper to City Hall; Sara lives by her credo “your past need not disqualify your future”.
Her Motivation and Compassion
Asked many times why she would want to enter politics she answers in the simplest and most elegant of ways. “I am motivated by my genuine love of people, my persistent optimism about society, and my unbound faith that government can be an agent of progress. I believe in fiscally responsible liberalism and as Mayor I will take appropriate risks, make proper deals and will tirelessly work to achieve the best possible quality of life for all San Leandro residents.” Sara is very community minded and has already gone on record, as Mo Wiley, to say that a large percentage of her net earnings from entertainment will be invested in San Leandro community activities.
Her compassion for others is exemplified by her repeated statements that in a society as affluent as ours no person should go hungry or be without shelter. Additionally she tells the story of a person she knows when expressing her opposition to the Arizona version of immigration reform. There are many law abiding immigrants in the East Bay Aarea, many who have lived in our country for decades, who have paid their taxes, who are law abiding and deserve citizenship and not deportation. We definitely need to secure our borders, but we also need to stop racial profiling of people who, although illegal, have lived the life of normal law abiding citizens. They should not feel that at any minute they will be sent to Mexico.
Her Platform:
* * *
The Rising Rapper-Turned-Politician Unveils
A Campaign Promotional Video On YouTube.com
San Leandro mayoral candidate Sara Mestas (better known by her music fans as “Mo Wiley” continues her campaign fundraising efforts on Friday, July 16 at Loard’s Ice Cream after a successful kickoff event held at the same venue July 2. The event starts at 6 p.m. and includes free ice cream for the first 200 people. Attendees are also encouraged to register to vote during the event.
Mestas has also revealed her new promotional campaign video via YouTube.com where she states her platform, qualifications and commitment to be the next Mayor of San Leandro, Calif.
The rapper-turned-politician officially announced her candidacy for mayor in May at a press conference in front of San Leandro’s City Hall, which was covered by many outlets including NBC 4. The mother of three is an agile political activist whose political career began as a tenant’s member on the city’s Rent Review Board last December. While on Alameda County’s Community Action Board, she recently formed the campaign committee Community & Parents for Democracy, Sara Mestas for Mayor.
In May of this year, she kicked off Forever Leading Youth, or FLY, a company that instills American values by using sports, community service and helping youth with employment upon finishing school.
Mestas continues to prove she’s ready for some “Major League Ballin” (also the title of her debut album on First Kut Records). She’ fashioning herself as the unconventional, break the mold “Robin Hood” candidate, the working class champion of the average taxpayer daring to take on the long entrenched “good old boy” administration that’s in place by exercising her right to run for office. Relating to regular Americans in her community who have, like her, struggled to survive in the current down economy, she aims to give people hope that one’s past does not disqualify them from their future.
EVENTS RECAP:
Friday, July 16
Loard’s Ice Cream (in the Greenhouse)
699 Lewelling Blvd. Unit 140
San Leandro, CA 94579
6-9 p.m.
**The first 200 attendees will receive free ice cream.
BAY AREA RAPPER TURNED SAN LEANDRO,
CALIF. MAYORAL CANDIDATE
SARA MESTAS (KNOWN AS ‘MO WILEY’)
KICKS OFF HER CAMPAIGN AT LOARD’S ICE CREAM
ON FRIDAY, JULY 2 FROM 6-10 P.M.
WITH PERFORMANCES BY LOCAL ARTISTS
TAMIKA NICOLE & TASCHE CRYOR
San Leandro mayoral candidate Sara Mestas (better known by her music fans as ‘Mo Wiley’) commences her campaign with a kick-off fundraiser event from 6-10 p.m. on Friday, July 2 at Loard’s Ice Cream (699 Lewelling Blvd. Unit 140, San Leandro, CA 94577). The event will feature a live performance by local rising artist and 2010 Grammy nominee Tamika Nicole and artist/producer Tasche Cryor, along with complimentary ice cream to the first 200 guests and a raffle for a $100 gift certificate to Macy’s and other great prizes.
Mestas is credited for bringing the San Leandro Junior Giants Baseball League to the city, a kids-play-free league sponsored by Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants. An Opening Day Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 30 at 6 p.m. at Thrasher Park (1302 Orchard St., San Leandro, CA 94577).
Mestas officially announced her candidacy for mayor on May 25 at a press conference in front of San Leandro’s City Hall, which was covered by many outlets including NBC 4. The mother of three is an agile political activist whose political career began as a tenant’s member on the city’s Rent Review Board last December. While on Alameda County’s Community Action Board, she recently formed the campaign committee Community & Parents for Democracy, Sara Mestas for Mayor.
In addition to her contribution to the Junior Giants Baseball League, Mestas has been involved in other aspects of improving San Leandro community life. She was recently hired by California’s Police Activities League as the Mentoring Program Coordinator for a $26,842 grant from the Department of Justice to develop a mentoring program for San Leandro Youth. On May 12, she kicked off Forever Leading Youth, or FLY, a company helping youth with employment upon finishing school.
Mestas continues to prove she’s ready for some ‘Major League Ballin’ (also the title of her debut album on First Kut Records) and is fashioning herself as the unconventional, break the mold “Robin Hood” candidate, the working class champion of the average taxpayer daring to take on the long entrenched “good old boy” administration that’s in place by exercising her right to run for office. Relating to regular Americans in her community who have, like her, struggled to survive in the current down economy, she aims to give people hope that one’s past does not disqualify them from their future.
EVENTS RECAP:
Wednesday, June 30
Opening Day Ceremony for the San Leandro Jr. Giants
Thrasher Park -1302 Orchard St.
San Leandro, CA 94577
6 p.m.
WHO & WHAT: The unstoppable rap artist, political activist and mother of three, Sara Mestas (known to her music fans as Mo Wiley) prepares to conquer her next challenge: campaigning for Mayor of her hometown, San Leandro, California.
A press conference will be held on Tuesday, May 25 at 10 a.m. in front of San Leandro City Hall (835 East 14th St.), where she will officially announce her candidacy for Mayor of San Leandro, California.
In the upcoming November 2 election, she will be running against incumbent Tony Santos, longtime city council member Joyce Starosciak and longtime school board member Steve Cassidy.
An agile political activist who has been a tenant’s member on the city’s Rent Review Board since last December, and on Alameda County’s Community Action Board, Mestas recently formed the campaign committee, Community & Parents for Democracy, Sara Mestas for Mayor.
WHERE & WHEN:
Tuesday, May 25
San Leandro City Hall
835 East 14th St.
San Leandro, CA 94577
10 a.m.
** Please email chrissy@luckmedia.com asap if you plan to attend.
]]>The unstoppable rap artist, political activist and mother of three, Sara Mestas (known to her music fans as Mo Wiley) prepares to conquer her next challenge: campaigning for Mayor of her hometown, San Leandro, California.
A press conference will be held on Tuesday, May 25 at 10 a.m. in front of San Leandro City Hall (835 East 14th St.), where she will officially announce her candidacy for Mayor of San Leandro, California.
In the upcoming November 9 election, she will be running against incumbent Tony Santos, longtime city council member Joyce Starosciak and longtime school board member Steve Cassidy.
An agile political activist who has been a tenant’s member on the city’s Rent Review Board since last December, and on Alameda County’s Community Action Board, Mestas recently formed the campaign committee, Community & Parents for Democracy, Sara Mestas for Mayor.
Mestas continues to prove she’s ready for some ‘Major League Ballin’ (also the title of her debut album on First Kut Records) and is fashioning herself as the unconventional, break the mold “Robin Hood” candidate, the working class champion of the average taxpayer daring to take on the long entrenched “good old boy” administration that’s in place by exercising her right to run for office. Relating to regular Americans in her community who have, like her, struggled to survive in the current down economy, she aims to give people hope that one’s past does not disqualify them from their future.
“What prompted me to run for mayor,” she says, “I got resistance from the San Leandro Police Department and City Manager when I tried to start a San Leandro Police Activities League. They were uncomfortable with me being the face of the organization because the video for my single ‘You Can’t Touch It’ they say is provocative and they also said my music promotes gangsterism and sex. The whole point of launching my music career with an album about the streets is to tell people about the hard places I came from in my youth that listeners could relate to—and then show them with later recordings just how I have matured and evolved since then. There would be a huge disconnect if I did that first without showing the sequence of events that brought me to where I am now.
“I also think the way the current administration runs San Leandro leaves a lot to be desired,” Mestas adds. “The City Manager recommended that we cut crossing guards out of budget this year. I also was one of the main persons responsible for getting the crossing guards back in San Leandro last year, and plan to do it again before school is back in session this fall.
And while we’re making all these cuts to other vital services like transportation, schools and crucial youth services, the city manager has taken 50 percent pay raise and is now making over $200,000 a year. These kinds of skewed priorities are not conducive to the mission of San Leandro or the quality of life for San Leandrans. They want to raise taxes but I say we offer incentives to attract quality businesses to the area or promote employment for our residents. And when people who think of moving to San Leandro and see the attrition rate in our schools, they’re going to run. The city needs someone like me who has been affected by these concerns and is not afraid to get involved and take action for the common good. I am willing to get out there and do the necessary work, I am not an incumbent, so I feel I will not be persuaded by special interest.”
The following are highlights of Mestas’ platform:
Education – “A major overhaul on the current education system – it is a City issue and it is vital to the overall quality of life in our city. We need to instill a Zero Tolerance policy on drugs, and violence in our school; 55 percent of the city’s children are not proficient in Math and English, 21 percent of children in San Leandro end up dropping out and 35 percent before the 10th grade, and 10 percent of the children dropping out go on to commit juvenile crimes.”
Public Safety – Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Strategies will be mandatory for the San Leandro Police Department. “We will put our Resource Officers back in our schools. I say NO to cutting crossing guards. It is only .006 percent of our General Budget. I am committed to the safety of seniors and young people alike in their homes, at school and on the streets.”
Business Incentives – “Offer incentives for quality new businesses and residents to move to San Leandro. Concentrate on employment for everyone, youth, as well as the experienced worker by working with the State, Alameda County, Port of Oakland and others to achieve this goal. Also offer incentives for City employees to live in San Leandro.”
Environment – “Save the View, Save the Bay, – it’s time that San Leandro’s Marina flourished again, with activities for the young and old alike. It’s time for us to be innovative, and green. We have to be an example for others cities, changing our vehicles to Eco-Friendly vehicles, and spreading awareness to the community regarding the importance of sustainability practices.”
Mestas is also focused on improving transportation and efforts for a more eco-friendly San Leandro. She also says NO to the State of California mishandling the city’s money to close its budget gap, which is also one of the reasons she opposes tax hikes.
Since becoming involved in San Leandro politics, she has made a great impact in many areas of community life. Mestas was recently hired by California PAL as the Mentoring Program Coordinator for a $26,842 grant from the Department of Justice to develop a mentoring program for San Leandro Youth. She is also responsible for bringing the San Leandro Junior Giants Baseball League to San Leandro, which allows kids to play for free; she secured the sponsorship from the San Francisco Giants major league team. She has also secured sponsorship for the program from Round Table Pizza, Litvinchuck Realty, Wal-Mart and The Northface.
On May 12, 2010, Mestas began to incorporate Forever Leading Youth, or FLY as the youth named it. It is a company that will employ young people from 14-24 first. This is a program that will allow young people something to do when they get out of school, and put money in their pocket. Since she had the desire to put the sports component in the PAL program, she hopes that she will be able to keep this going in San Leandro next year as well, and stresses this program will engage the youth in community service as well as, the community as a whole.
Despite any speculation that Mestas’ campaign for Mayor is to ultimately gain album sales, she states that “90 percent of her net earnings will be put back into the community, whether I win the Mayor election or not.”
PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS:
Tuesday, May 25
San Leandro City Hall
835 East 14th St.
San Leandro, CA 94577
10 a.m.
]]>GEARING UP FOR RELEASE OF HER
FIRST KUT DEBUT ‘MAJOR LEAGUE BALLIN’
AND DEBUT VIDEO ‘YOU CAN’T TOUCH IT,’
THE MULTI-TALENTED FEMALE RAPPER LAUNCHES
A POLITICAL CAREER IN HER BAY AREA
HOMETOWN OF SAN LEANDRO
While Continuing The Planning Phase Of
The Mo Wiley Children’s Foundation,
Wiley Sees Her Position Of Rent Review Board
Tenant Member As a Springboard To
Further Help The Youth In Her Community
Contrary to the old adage that we’ve all heard a million times, it’s IMpatience that’s the real virtue—or at least it is with Bay Area female rapper Mo Wiley, who’s delving full throttle into an inspiring new political career as she awaits distribution for the upcoming release of “You Can’t Touch It,” the club groove driven first single from her highly anticipated debut Major League Ballin’ on Kent Entertainment’s First Kut Records.
The multi-talented performer shot the video in L.A. with director Ian Fletcher, whose credits include the clip for DJ Quik’s “Tonight’s The Night.” It was recently sent across the U.S. for distribution and can be viewed on Wiley’s own website and that of First Kut.
Though she cleaned up her act and went straight a while back now, Wiley brings a gritty vibe and real street cred to Major League Ballin’ and is already a popular club draw in Northern California with a huge following in Oakland (where she made Club 17 her home base). She’s matching her lofty ambitions with action, starting her career with big time players in the rap biz. Not only is she working with the “Godfather of Rap” (and Kent owner) Morey Alexander (who launched the careers of rap legends like N.W.A, Easy-E, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre), but her album was produced by one of FirstKut’s most popular artists, Slick (from Slick and the Shock Mob).
As her musical career has heated up, Wiley’s passion for community issues and concern as a mother of three (ages 18, 12 and 10) for the welfare of the city’s youth have led to some exciting personal opportunities in the local political arena of her Bay Area hometown of San Leandro. Last September, the dedicated activist held an emergency press conference to protest city budget cuts that would eliminate school crossing guards. Wiley spoke on behalf of the concerned parents and, with the help of other concerned citizens, was able to get the city to reconsider this crucial safety decision.
Her role in facilitating civic discussions about this issue gave her insight into the operations at city hall, and for a time she contemplated running for mayor. Wiley’s ongoing commitment to her music career and her current pursuit of a real estate license made her realize that her talents were best suited to getting in on the ground floor and helping the current mayor, Tony Santos, on various issues. She was nominated to be on the Rent Review Board as a tenant’s member on December 7, 2009 and after being appointed by Santos and his council, Wiley was sworn in and took the seat on December 21, 2009.
“The crossing guard situation helps spin off the beginning of an interesting political career for me,” she says. “Learning about the dynamics of how San Leandro ran made me think I could really find a way to make a difference, and the key was figuring out where I could make the greatest impact. My goal has always been spreading knowledge to the young generation. The position itself involved review hearings from landlords and tenants regarding rent control ordinances, but in a larger sense it allows me to work with my constituents on building a better community for young people and their families.
“My job is to bring to my counsel, Mayor Santos and these constituents ideas that are helpful to the community,” Wiley adds. “In line with the theme of my album, I like to say my role allows me to play on the local political ball field and learn the political system from an entry level position. I have the ability to get in there with my constituents and make good things happen over the next three years of my term. Some of the issues facing our city right now are cutting spending, creating jobs and lowering the crime rate by actually educating the young people and finding more productive things for them to do. It’s great to have the chance to serve my community this way.”
In 2008, the artist talked about incorporation with several partners the Mo Wiley Children’s Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to feeding, sheltering and educating our youth. While the organization’s ultimate aim is to start an orphanage and a rehab facility for both parents and children to straighten out their lives and be productive members of society, Wiley plans on incorporating in January 2010 and hopes to be involved with the city and school members to have a place for youth to come and gain leadership skills.
Inspired by the negative media and blogosphere attention received by Oakland in the wake of the March, 2009 shooting of four OPD police officers by a single assailant, Wiley—believing that the city has many good children and families—later launched a second community based organization called For The Streets, by The Streets Youth Foundation; its mission is to serve the needs of at risk inner city kids.
Due to her current commitments to her music career and her position with the city of San Leandro, Wiley has put both foundations into what she calls a “long term planning and funding phase,” with the intention of modeling them after the successful Harlem Children’s Zone—an organization created by Geoffrey Canada that serves inner city youth from eight months to 21 years old. Wiley says that 97 percent of the kids involved in the Zone graduate high school and 100 percent of them place above grade level in Star testing. She also notes that President Obama has said he wants this program duplicated throughout the nation.
“I feel that is important to give back to the community that helped me turn my life around,” she says, “and from experience I know that if you touch children between 8 and 13 and show them a better way of life, they will be more inclined to pursue that kind of positive, healthy existence in the future. Abraham Lincoln once said something about leaving the earth better for your children than you inherited it, and that starts with responsibility on all of our parts. As a child who was dealt a bad hand of cards, I had to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and want to make sure those kids whose lives I impact have an easier time. I want to see them with smiles on their faces and the belief that they can do anything their hearts desire. As a mother, I simply want to provide for my own three kids so that they don’t have to get in trouble to have the basic necessities of life.”
Like all the great rappers who develop an incredible business sense to expand their brand, Wiley has an exclusive clothing line with Morey Alexander, appropriately dubbed “Mo Wear.” Her Mo Wear line will feature hip-hop apparel for women, including casual jeans and T-shirts designed with the female in mind.
“When women traditionally shop for hip-hop apparel, they either end up looking like a guy or come home frustrated,” says Wiley. “I’m going to help design items specifically for them.”
Other lines under the Mo Wear brand will include Wiley Wear, which will feature casual athletic clothes, and her high-end Boss Gurl line, which includes fancier jeans, dresses, knee high boots and sexy but not overly risqué clothing geared towards a high spirited night on the town.
Through MySpace, Wiley also connected with an online merchant site that allows users to create their own product line for memorabilia type items. She began messing around and getting creative and is now selling a line of U.S. postal stamps with her image on them as well as Mo Wiley Keds and Customized Keds featuring pictures and imagery from her photo shoot for Major League Ballin’. In addition to pics of Wiley in her baseball uniform on the front and sides, the shoes feature a candy stripe on the toes and insole—creating a customized candy cane like effect. Fans can check these out at www.zazzle.com/mowiley.
]]>
BAY AREA HIP HOP ARTIST, ACTIVIST
AND CONCERNED MOM HOLDS PRESS
CONFERENCE ON CRUCIAL CHILD SAFETY
ISSUE AT CORVALLIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
IN SAN LEANDRO TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 22 at 8:15 A.M.
The San Leandro Resident Invites Mayor Tony Santos,
School Board Members And A Former Crossing Guard
To Event Protesting City Budget Cuts
That Would Eliminate School Crossing Guards
A dedicated political activist and devoted mother as well as one of the Bay Area’s most dynamic emerging hip hop artists, Mo Wiley will be holding an emergency press conference in her hometown of San Leandro, California to protest city budget cuts that would eliminate school crossing guards.
The event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 22 at 8:15 a.m. in a crosswalk in front of Corvallis Elementary School, where her 10 year old child attends school. Invited guests include San Leandro mayor Tony Santos, members of the San Lorenzo School District Board, and Juan Contreras, a 19-year San Leandro crossing guard who will offer his testimony on the importance of crossing guards and the role they play in keeping the community’s children safe. Wiley will be speaking on behalf of the local PTA.
The City of San Leandro recently announced that they were cutting their budget for elementary school crossing guards in the city’s two school districts, the San Leandro Unified School District and the San Lorenzo Unified School District. While this program has long been run by the San Leandro Police Department, the city is trying to shift the responsibility for child safety onto the already cash-strapped school districts.
Wiley and her fellow concerned citizens by attending important City Council Members, have been able to get the city to reconsider this crucial public safety decision, and maybe we should consider opening up the CIP improvements, possibly by special election, to the citizens of
San Leandro. They are urging the city not to let the safety of the community’s children to rest entirely on the school districts. Residents can sign an online petition at www.mowiley.com.
“The city manager said on September 17 in a city meeting that he has an emergency public safety fund, and they want to city to use it and create an Emergency Public Safety Fund for these crossing guards until they can come up with a workable solution with both districts. Ultimately, we want the city to shoulder half the costs and responsibility, because we believe the districts should be in the business of educating our children, not public safety. It’s crucial that they put an interim program in place. Kids can get hit while waiting for these entities to come to an agreement!”
Wiley, a onetime EMT tech in the Austin, Texas Children’s Hospital pediatric ICU, is driven by the memory of a child who came into the emergency room dead on arrival from being hit by a car in a crosswalk WITH a crossing guard. “The U.S. Department of Transportation says that thousands of children between the ages of 5-15 years are injured and killed each year before and after school hours due to auto-pedestrian accidents,” she says. “Children’s cognitive skills between the ages of 5-9 are not developed enough to keep them from darting out in front of traffic, let alone watch for multiple cars at many intersections.”
Wiley, whose 11 year old attends Washington Manor Middle School, is currently volunteering every day to help cross the children at Corvallis—along with several other volunteer teachers and parents in San Leandro. Drawing on her recording and performing background, she is also creating an educational DVD dedicated to educating parents and children on safe routes to school and how to stay safe crossing streets when there is traffic as well as safety and strangers. The video will include a new version of her hit single “You Can’t Touch It (‘Less I Say So)”, which she calls “You Can’t Cross (‘Less I Say So).”
Wiley is keeping busy with numerous exciting entrepreneurial activities as she awaits the upcoming release of Major League Ballin’, her highly anticipated debut due to drop this fall on Kent Entertainment’s First Kut Records.
In August, the multi-talented performer (www.myspace.com/missmowiley) was down in L.A. shooting a video for the track with director Ian Fletcher, whose credits include the clip for DJ Quik’s “Tonight’s The Night.” Building on the momentum of her opening gig in May for Wu-Tang Clan’s Cappadonna at the 24K Lounge, Wiley performed on August 2 at the King of the Streets 2009 Car Show Tour at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on a bill with Layzie Bone of Bone Thugs N Harmony, The Jacka and Mellow Man Ace. She is planning a tour centered on performances for U.S Troops for later this year and into 2010.
In 2008, the artist incorporated with several partners the Mo Wiley Children’s Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to feeding, sheltering and educating our youth. While the organization’s ultimate aim is to start an orphanage and a rehab facility for both parents and children to straighten out their lives and be productive members of society, the foundation is currently involved on a local level with several schools in San Leandro. Wiley would like to work with the district to help a choir class at one of the schools write six original songs; she will then donate the original beats and music along with 1,000 CDs of the songs for the school to sell at their annual concert to raise money for the music program.
“In a recession, I think we all have to think of creative ways for coming up with funding as well as learning,” she says. “I hope this is a project that will grow.”
Inspired by the negative media and blogosphere attention received by Oakland in the wake of the March, 2009 shooting of four OPD police officers by a single assailant, Wiley—believing that the city has many good children and families—recently launched a second community based organization called For The Streets, by The Streets Youth Foundation; its mission is to serve the needs of at risk inner city kids. Wiley and her cohorts are currently putting together a series of fundraiser activities to raise money for the foundation, which will include age appropriate live musical performances and activities. Brand new school clothes, school supplies and backpacks will be given away at these events.
]]>GEARING UP FOR THE RELEASE OF HER FIRST KUT DEBUT ‘MAJOR LEAGUE BALLIN’,’ BAY AREA BASED FEMALE GANGSTA RAPPER GETS INTO THE APPAREL BIZ WITH MO WEAR AND HER OWN DESIGNER KEDS AND LAUNCHES A CHILDREN’S CHARITY FOUNDATION
Contrary to the old adage that we’ve all heard a million times, it’s Impatience that’s the virtue—or at least it is with Bay Area female gangsta rapper Mo Wiley (www.myspace.com/missmowiley), who’s keeping busy with a ton of exciting entrepreneurial activities as she awaits the upcoming release of “You Can’t Touch It,” the club groove driven first single from her highly anticipated debut Major League Ballin’, due to drop in early 2009 on Kent Entertainment’s First Kut Records.
First the basics: Though she cleaned up her act and went straight a while back now, Wiley brings a gritty vibe and real street cred to Major League Ballin’ and is already a popular club draw in Northern California with a huge fan base in Oakland (where she made Club 17 her home base). She’s matching her lofty ambitions with action, starting her career with big time players in the rap biz. Not only is she working with the “Godfather of Rap” (and Kent owner) Morey Alexander (who launched the careers of rap legends like N.W.A, Easy-E, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre), but her album was produced by one of FirstKut’s most popular artists, Slick (from Slick and the Shock Mob).
Like all the great rappers who develop an incredible business sense to expand their brand, Wiley is already planning an exclusive clothing line with Alexander, appropriately dubbed “Mo Wear.” Her Mo Wear line will feature hip-hop apparel for women, including casual jeans and T-shirts designed with the female in mind.
“When women traditionally shop for hip-hop apparel, they either end up looking like a guy or come home frustrated,” says Wiley. “I’m going to help design items specifically for them.”
Other lines under the Mo Wear brand will include Wiley Wear, which will feature casual athletic clothes, and her high-end Boss Gurl line, which includes fancier jeans, dresses, knee high boots and sexy but not overly risqué clothing geared towards a high spirited night on the town.
Through myspace, Wiley also connected with an online merchant site that allows users to create their own product line for memorabilia type items. She began messing around and getting creative and is now selling a line of U.S. postal stamps with her image on them as well as Mo Wiley Keds and Customized Keds featuring pictures and imagery from her photo shoot for Major League Ballin’. In addition to pics of Wiley in her baseball uniform on the front and sides, the shoes feature a candy stripe on the toes and insole—creating a customized candy cane like effect. Fans can check these out at www.zazzle.com/mowiley.
Wiley, who is also currently planning her first major tour scheduled for early 2009, recently incorporated with several partners the Mo Wiley Children’s Foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to feeding, sheltering and educating our youth. Along with Tony “Rock” Jackson, who runs the Bay Area Hip Hop Awards (a major local black tie event), Wiley is working on creating, as a launching event and fundraiser, a Bay Area At Risk Hip Hop Awards show and concert early in the new year.
Other current Wiley happenings include the grand opening of her brand new recording studio, Mo Bay Records, on November 5 (she already has many advance bookings) and a single release party for “You Can’t Touch It” at San Francisco Club Fat City on November 28, which is being held in conjunction with an album release event for famed Oakland based rapper Dru Down.
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