Album Notes

Bomani “D’mite” Armah
Poet/Hip-Hop Artists/Educator

Growing up in the DC Metropolitan area, Bomani Armah has always felt a calling on his life. The stark contrast and disturbing similarities of the black utopia that was supposed to be in PG County, and the realities of the tough streets of “murder capital” era Washington DC were incredible backdrop for an insightful artist who become known in 28 short years as D’mite. Tight rope walking the line of poetry & emceeing, Gospel & Go-Go, street wise & academic learning, Bomani has sought to achieve the medium between straight headbangers & insightful lyricism. His debut enhanced maxi-single “The Hustle/Shake it Off” finds D’mite at a critical time, grasping with the realities of adult hood in a time where pop culture is becoming more and more immature.

In his music and poetry you can hear the artistic freedom of Outkast, the soul stirring encouragement of Richard Smallwood, the funky swing of Chuck Brown, the prophetic lyricism of Khalil Gibran and the unbridled flow of Ludacris. His influence range from the seminal African novelist Ayi Kwei Armah and Pulitzer Prize winning poet Yusef Komunyakka to the golden era hip-hop of Tribe Called Quest and Scarface.

Since leaving the University of Maryland in 2000, Bomani has been eye-balls deep in the youth development field. He has lent his unique talents as performer and educator to many organizations including Martha’s Table, The American Poetry Museum, The DC Writers Workshop, Sol y Soul, Words Beats & Life Journal, Free Minds Prison Poetry Group, and the Black Out Arts Collective. Rather than deciding between being an artist or a teacher, or living the double life as a teacher during the day and artists at night, Bomani has forever smashed the to together to bring to his audiences edutainment the way KRS-1 always meant for it to happen. His work as counselor, emcee and producer on the highly heralded album “Critical Times” released by the Teen Program at Martha’s Table show Bomani’s myriad skills at there best. Bomani work as a counselor help the teenage contributors to this project reflect and write about critical issues in the young, male, minority community including the definition of manhood, and the importance of looking out for the community. But how do you lay out a path for young people when you are still busy navigating through life yourself? Bomani strives to be honest about his own moral and spiritual battles in songs and poetry like his signature piece “Pimp Preacher” while being self affirming and informative in tracks like “The Hustle” and “Grown Ass Man”. His debut solo video "The Hustle" (available on the enhanced CD) is a blueprint for anyone trying to hustle legitmately.

He is featured on the album and first single/video from Mello-D & The Rados: “Cool Witchu”, which aired on BET’s Rap City and peaked at #3 on national college radio charts. Bomani has scored independent films including BET’s Wrap-It-Up original film “Multitudes of Mercies”. He has appeared on WJLA Channel 7, WHUR 96.3, WPGC 95.5, WPFW 89.3, WMUC 88.1, ursceneradio.com and www.im4radio.com. He has featured/performed at such venues as the Nuyorican Poet’s Café (NY, NY), The Black Cat (DC), Studio Theater (DC), the Gala Theater (DC), Karibu Books (MD), Bohemian Cavern (DC), Mangoes (DC), The Market Five Gallery (DC), Art-O-Matic 2004 (DC), Tawes Theater (University of Maryland College Park), Organic Soul Tuesday (Baltimore, MD). He is also an organizer and host of “Arts Under the Stars” at Sankofa Video & Books (DC) and open mic Tuesdays at Busboys & Poets (DC).