Click photo for the press release.

Blue Scholars’ third full-length album, Cinemetropolis, is scheduled for a June 2011 release and it stands to be their most innovative collection of beats and rhymes yet. Drawing on inspiration from their mutual love of film, Sabzi (beats) and Geologic (rhymes) will create a “reverse soundtrack,” whereby the songs of Cinemetropolis influence a subsequent collection of video and multimedia projects.

The seminal Town crew is asking the people (and by “the people,” I mean “us”) to help bring this project to fruition, setting a goal of raising $25,000 in 45 days to help fund the project. Blue Scholars is perhaps the only current SEA hip-hop group with a large and devoted enough following to make something like this possible. In conjunction with Kickstarter, folks can pledge cold hard cash (as little as $1) toward the Cinemetropolis cause. In return, various types of swag are proffered.

Some might chalk this effort up to unchecked rap hubris, but if you know anything about Blue Scholars’ fiercely independent history, you’ll know this is an honest attempt at connecting with fans on a more personal level and another way to avoid the f-ckery of major label machinations. (The campaign personally reminds me of when my moms used to donate money to PBS during its annual pledge drives. Same thing.)

Consider making a donation (and read more about the Cinemetropolis project), here.