THE RETURN OF THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER AND MORE…

On Sunday September 20th, NYC was treated to something very special at Lincoln Center’s Hearst Plaza during the 3rd annual Shinnyo Lantern Floating Ceremony For Peace. You might say that the free of charge event that encouraged attendees to participate by creating their own lanterns with messages of peace inscribed on them so they can be then released into the Paul Milstein reflecting pool was special, and you would not be wrong. You could also say that the great performances throughout the day by The Shinnyo Taiko Drummers, dance students from The LaGuardia High School of Music,  Arts & Performing Arts, The Dalton School Chorus, and Bolo Bolo Blauweh Djembe African Drumming Ensemble were all special, and you would be right in saying so. The performance by the first African American principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland, along with the public address made byHer Holiness Shinso Ito could be considered special as well, but I’m not talking about any of those things. The one truly special thing that New York City was treated to was the return of The Hip Hop Nutcracker  (or at least a glimpse of the return).

Last year was just the beginning with performances that were limited to New York and New Jersey. This time around, starting in November The Hip Hop Nutcracker will be on tour.

THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER TOUR
2015-2016 DATES

NEW YORK CITY, NY
Thursday November 19th United Palace of Cultural Arts
Friday November 20th United Palace of Cultural Arts
Saturday November 21st United Palace of Cultural Arts

ST. PAUL, MN
Tuesday November 24th – Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Wednesday November 25th – Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

ATLANTA, GA
Saturday November 28th – The Fox Theatre

JACKSONVILLE, FL
Sunday November 29th – Ritz Theatre and Museum

NEWPORT NEWS, VA
Wednesday December 2nd – Ferguson Center for the Arts

NORTH BETHESDA, MD
Thursday December 3rd – Strathmore

MIAMI, FL
Saturday December 5th – The Studio Theater at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Sunday December 6th – The Studio Theater at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC
Thursday December 17th – North Charleston Performing Arts Center

NEWARK, NJ
Saturday December 19th – New Jersey Performing Arts Center

SCHENECTADY, NY
Monday December 21st – Proctors Theatre

CHARLOTTE, NC
Tuesday December 29th – Blumenthal Performing Arts
Wednesday December 30th – Blumenthal Performing Arts
Thursday December 31st – Blumenthal Performing Arts
Friday January 1st – Blumenthal Performing Arts
Saturday January 2nd – Blumenthal Performing Arts
Sunday January 3rd – Blumenthal Performing Arts

KALININGRAD, RUSSIA
Tuesday January 12th – Region Drama Theatre
Wednesday January 13th – Region Drama Theatre

MOSCOW, RUSSIA
Friday January 15th
Saturday January 16th

VORONEZH, RUSSIA
Sunday January 17th

I’ll also be looking for DJ gigs in the cities where we do multiple dates. So if anyone’s interested in booking, please feel free to reach out.

All joking, and shameless plugs aside, the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Ceremony For Peace was truly an incredible event that brought together hundreds upon hundreds of people to put some positive energy out in this very tumultuous world.

Photo by Boo

It was a great means for participants to do something fun, creative, and cathartic. While at the same time, enjoy performances by some of New York’s talented artists.

Photo by Boo

Djembe Player from Bolo Bolo Blauweh Djembe African Drumming Ensemble Photo by Boo

Water Dancer Photo by Boo

Whether you’re a native New Yorker or just here visiting I advice, that if you have a chance, to participate in this event that you take full advantage of it. It’s a great event for all.

Kudos to Laurie DeJong and LDJ Productions for running this memorable event.

Until next time.

Thanks for stopping through.

-B-

NEPAL

Nepal.  Last year around this time I was there, in Kathmandu, with The Nomadic Wax Collective. It was the first destination of a three country tour, that included Mozambique, and Swaziland.  As part of the, U.S. State Department sponsored cultural exchange program, American Music Abroad, we were sent out 
to those countries as cultural ambassadors, which is just fancy for, “they sent us out there to play music.” In actuality there was more to it than that; performance was a big part of the tour, but we were also there to facilitate Hip Hop/music workshops and exchange ideas with students, musicians, and local youth groups. 

Without a doubt this tour was an unforgettable once in a lifetime experience. If I were to choose one destination that stood out of the three I would be pretty hard-pressed to do so. The tour took us from New York, the birth place of Hip Hop, to two continents where we were able to see, firsthand, how far Hip Hop culture has spread, and how it has been adopted by the people practicing it. At each destination we got to work with talented an outspoken artists like The Nepal Breakdance Foundation who truly embodied what Hip Hop culture is about. We had the honor of  of performing at great events like the Azgo Festival in Mozambique and Swaziland’s Bushfire Festival where we were included on line-ups with great artists like Christine Salem, Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. To choose a favorite destination would seem impossible, and like many doting parents I want to claim that I don’t have a favorite, but the reality is that I do. When asked, my bandmate, Mikal (aka Hired Gun), would have wanted to extend his stay in Africa. For me, maybe it’s because of the borderline chaotic traffic, or the ever presence of stray dogs that ran the streets and the civil engineering of the city that reminded me of being in the Philippines, or maybe it’s because I, quite simply, am Asian, but my choice was Nepal.

From The Nepal Breakdance Foundation, who we met the first day we were there.

2014-05-10 The Nepal Breakdance Foundation at Gyanodaya Bal Batika School
Photo by Boo Recitas

To the students we performed for and spoke with:

2014-05-08
The Nomadic Wax Collective at The Nepal Music Center
Photo by Boo Recitas

2014-05-08 Students at The Nepal Music Center
Photo by Boo Recitas

2014-05-06
Mikal aka Hired Gun with English Access Microscholarship Students at The Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory
Photo by Boo Recitas

To the cultural sites I was able to behold with my own eyes:

2014-05-12
Stupa at Swayambhunath
Photo by Boo Recitas

2014-05-12
Buddha Statue at The Swayambhunath Temple. Photo by Boo Recitas

Nepal really captivated me, so with that in mind, shock, disbelief, and horror barely scratch the surface of what went through my mind when I saw the news of the earthquake and the devastation it wrought upon the country and its people.

As of now, as reported by The Huffington Post, the death toll has surpassed 6,000, but I have heard from someone there that the number is much higher. Many have taken to setting up camps and makeshift shelters in open fields because homes were completely destroyed or damaged to the point where structural integrity was so compromised that living there would be too precarious. Organizations have been trying to provide aid but there is a lot to be done. Like the Philippines in 2013 and the earthquake the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, not only is food, clean water, and medical supplies needed but also sanitation to help stem the spread of disease.

If you re looking to donate and undecided, or concerned about which charity to donate to, you can check out Charity Navigator to help find one or you can run through this list of charities provided by the Council of Better Business Bureaus that such organizations like, ActionAid USA, Habitat For Humanity International, Islamic Relief USA, Oxfam America, Save The Children, and many more.

If you’re in New York and want to take a more grassroots approach you can help The Nepalese American Youth Association (NAYA) with their efforts and donate to #StandForNepal – Nepal Earthquake Relief

#StandForNepal – Nepal Earthquake Relief

With that, I conclude this entry with this photo I took last year of this little lady running free without care through Swayabhunath.

Running Free In Swayambhunath, Nepal
Photo by Boo Recitas

Goodbye Hip-hop Nutcracker

Last Saturday, December 13, was the encore performance of The Hip-hop Nutcracker. It’s was a short an intense ride from the moment we got the green light to produce it about 3 months ago to the final performance last week. I think all of us involved knew it would be something special on an artistic level, but I don’t think we really could foretell the impact it would have or the reaction the audience would have to what we presented.

When I first met Mike Fitelson, it was at a DECA performance at 3LD, where Jennifer Weber collaborated with multimedia artists to perform Decadance vs The Firebird. After a brief introduction, Mike expressed that he had a great interest in what Jen was doing as a choreographer, which was creating pieces that married Hip-hop dance movements with Classical music. He then explained his idea of reinterpreting The Nutcracker and give it a modern twist and infusing it with Hip-hop. Being the executive director of cultural arts at The United Palace, his vision was to have it take place in the NYC, to be exact in Washington Heights, where The United Palace is located. More importantly what he wanted to do is create something that could be annual tradition for the Washington Heights community and help draw more people to this Northern Manhattan neighborhood.

After our premiere at The United Palace on December 7th, I think it would be safe to say that he achieved that. I posted that over 3000 people attended the performance, what I did not know at the time is that 1/3 of those attendees were from Washington Heights.

Before the performance Jen looked out at the empty theater and said to me, “That’s a lot of people to perform for.” I commented that I had actually performed for much more while on tour with Nomadic Collective. What I didn’t say is that although this audience maybe smaller, it was an audience in my city ,in my neighborhood. The neighborhood where I grab my breakfast sandwiches, the neighborhood where I grab my fix of mac -n- cheese, the neighborhood where I lay my head to rest. If I fail out in Africa or whatever country I can find comfort in that I may never ever go back to that place again, failure in my back yard would haunt me for the rest of my days.

I can say with great ease that working on this show and performing it has been a highlight of my year. The only regret I have is that it’s a seasonal show and comes once a year.

Goodbye Hip-hop Nutcracker.

See you next year.

The NY Times called the performance a gift to Northern Manhattan.

Elle’s story, Inside 3 Very Different Versions of The Nutcracker featured The Hip-hop Nutcracker and profiled our very own Sylvia Clark.

Broadway World said that my “…turntable scratching and undertones oddly complimented the classic notes..”. (I think that’s a compliment.)

The Hip-hop Nutcracker

“It has been way too long since my last entry.” will probably be the opening line for all my entries for now on, being that entries come at an annual rate. Anyway, I’d like to take this time to emerge from laziness and procrastination to actually write something.

Last weekend The Hip-hop Nutcracker made its world debut with two nights at NJPAC . It then crossed over the river and made its New York City debut at the place where it all started, The United Palace Theatre. Using the original score by Tchaikovsky, the story of the The Nutcracker was adapted by The United Palace’s own Mike Fitelson to fit the modern and urban setting of Washington Heights. It’s choreographed by Jennifer Weber , of Decadancetheatre, who has become known for adapting Hip-hop movement to classical pieces. I was brought in to create a musical bridge between old and new.

In preparation for the show, my life was literally eat, sleep, and make music. I would wake up (if I slept) listen to Tchaikovsky’s score and then stare at the computer screen. The words, “Come on inspiration!” or “Music………NOW!” would frequently be shouted in my head with the hopes that something would be produced. Of course, living inside my head and having mental debates whether this or that idea would work would produce nothing. So I had to just do, and start creating. Using samples from his music, I wanted to make an effort to have the parts I created stay relevant to the score while at the same time pay homage to Tchaikovsky. I also wanted my contributions to reflect the ingenuity of Hip-hop with the use of technology to sample sounds and turntables to manipulate those sounds. By doing that it really gave us a means to break convention and create something new from the old. Eventually, after a few months of toiling away at the turntable, Pro-Tools and Reason, the music was finished and with the approval of Jennifer, The Hip-hop Nutcracker had a completed working score.

With the score in place and rehearsals well on its way, it was incredible to see how the music and movement came together. The music informed how the dancers moved and those movements told the story. Love, conflict, and redemption all told through music and Hip-hop dance.

From the principals to the ensemble, everyone’s performance was exceptional. Each dancer capturing and portraying their role brilliantly.

And to see it all in that incredible theater was truly something to behold. This past Sunday night, nearly 3,000 people did just that.

It’s been an interesting rider me, working on this show. I had been so focused on finishing the pieces that it is only now that I’ve been able to check out the press for it.

The coverage it got on The Huffington Post’.

The listings in The New York Times and The New Yorker. Both which mention my name and brought to my attention when someone posted it onto my FaceBook.

And the Time Out NY coverage and interview with Jen

It’s been a great blessing to be part of this project. And I can’t help to be grateful to Jen, Mike and everyone involved who trusted me to do what I do.

Special thanks to the Hip-hop legend Kurtis Blow for believing in this show and getting involved.

If you haven’t seen it yet, there is still one more chance to do so with an encore presentation this Saturday December 13th at The United Palace Theatre.

Goodbye 6th Avenue Gray’s Papaya

After any long night of partying or DJ’ing there was 3 spots I would hit up on a regular for an after hours meal; Cozy’s Soup & Burger, Hop Kee, and Gray’s Papaya. It looks like, after a $20,000 hike in rent, the 6th Avenue location has sold it’s last hot dog and will be replaced by Liquiteria (Is that a euphemism for a gastrointestinal ailment). With the closing of Gray’s Papaya I can’t help to reminisce about all the times I capped off the night by polluting my body with those tasty hot dogs. One particular night stands out for me.

After one particular outing I headed over there with my brother Ted for a hot dog fix. As he parked the car I quickly got ready to run out, and mentioned how hungry I was. I step out of the car and while the door was still open he asks, “How many you getting?” I pause for a quick second, “I don’t know. How many do you want?” I respond. He then pauses for a quick second, and looks me square in the face and says, “I’ll get as many as you get.” And in some kind of food challenge stand-off I stare right back at him, and I think to myself, “Challenge accepted!”. I break off my gaze and run down 8th Street to the corner of 6th Avenue and stand on line with the rest night owls waiting to satisfy their late night cravings. I make my order, pay, and make my way back to the car. There must have been 12 to 14 hot dogs between us. That night I slept well (and probably woke up with regret).

Although there is another location on Broadway by 72nd Street, the 6th Avenue & 8th Street location holds the most memories for me. Goodbye 6th Avenue Gray’s Papaya, for me this is another loss of an establishment that, may not have defined, but did contribute to this neighborhood’s character. Another win for the blandification of NYC….

Trinity College International Hip Hop Festival (2013): GLOBAL CIPHER #1

The Global Cipher is an ongoing series from Nomadic Wax that showcases some of the best and brightest voices in international Hip-hop. It is another platform Nomadic Wax utilizes to allow these artists to be heard. This latest installment was filmed at the 8th Annual Trinity International Hip-hop Festival and features:

K-Swift
Mandeep Sethi
Humanist
Mr. Lif
Kama
Lah Tere

Hosted by Self Suffice

(By the way, I’m playing drums on this.)

The 9th Annual Trinity International Hip-hop Festival will be April 3rd-5th 2014. They are accepting submissions for artists and presenters now: CALL 4 ARTISTS & PRESENTERS

Mixtapes With A Message

It’s been long overdue for a new entry.

Over the past year I have been honored to be involved with a couple of great mixtape projects. The first, HOME, is a collaborative effort between Nomadic Wax and Housing Is A Human Right that addresses the growing dilemma of housing rights. Through their network of artists, Nomadic Wax was able to assemble a roster of lyricist and poets to contribute verses and music that dealt with displacement, gentrification, and other issues surrounding housing. To further drive the message of this project, actual testimonials from those who have experienced and/or experiencing this problem are interspersed throughout the mix.

On a personal note, I laid down the foundation of this project during the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy making the process of putting this mix together incredibly poignant. At the time of the storm, I was out in Long Island but because of the power outage, I was forced to relocate to Brooklyn where I was taken in by Jennifer Weber director of Decadance Theatre. It was there at DECA HQ where I sat on the floor with the turntables, mixer, Scratch Live, and Pro-Tools and listened to the tracks and the stories of those in the housing struggle. While piecing together the mix, news outlets and the internet flooded my eyes and ears with the stories of people struggling without power, or displaced because their homes were in ruin from the storm. Many people were lucky to have a network of friends and family to go to where we could have a warm place to lay our heads and have a hot meal. Others were not so fortunate and resorted to dumpster diving and toughing it out in cold dark apartments.

The most recent project that I’ve been involved in was just released. It’s a collaborative piece with Omar Offendum of Hip-hop and Arabic poetry entitled OO vs PP. Mostly known for his work as a lyricist OO vs PP showcases Offendum’s production. Last year Offendum approached me about doing a mixtape using his instrumentals, and I gladly accepted the job. We went back and forth on a concept for the mix. Originally, I thought of using his own poetry to be showcase along with his beats, but then while watching news updates and scouring for samples on Al Jazeera English’s YouTube Page I came across a preview for the documentary series, Poets of Protest. Each week the series profiled a poet from a different region in the Middle East, told their story, and shared their words with the viewer. With each episode I was reminded about the power of words and how they are, not only, cathartic but also inspiring for others during difficult times. The words were a source of comfort and a rallying point that reflected the opinions and emotions of the public. After watching each episode I approached Offendum with the idea of using pieces from the series in the mix. The idea was to set the words of these poets to Offendum’s beats, somewhat like what The Last Poets had done with their socially conscious verses over music.

The end result is this:

I’m always amazed by the power of words. I’m even more amazed when words are coupled with the right music.

Both these mixtapes are free to download. If you like them please share them.

Thanks.

-B-

Far Rockaway

It has been nearly 2 weeks since Hurricane Sandy hit New York, and by the look of things in Times Square you would think things are back to normal. Locals and tourists hustling and bustling on he street, getting lost in the splendor of the lights of the Theater District. About 20 miles Southeast of Manhattan, in Far Rockaway Queens, its a different story. Power is still out, gas is still difficult to come by, and many streets are lined with debris from damaged houses, and mounds of sand brought in from the beach by Sandy. Work crews from the US Army Corp of Engineers to Hydro-Quebec to a constant stream of volunteers help restore the power, clean the streets and houses, and bring overall relief for the ravaged area and its people.

Yesterday afternoon I went out and helped my brother, his son, and his lady do a bit of volunteering. They prepared some a variety of cold sandwiches (PB & J, ham and turkey) to hand out to all those who were hungry. We drove in and we reported to St. Francis de Sales, a community hub where food and clothing has been dropped off to be sorted, a place where people can get a hot meal, find daycare for their children, it is even a place to seek legal council from the aftermath of the storm.

From St. Francis we walked up an down the streets on the south side of the peninsula asking everyone, residents, volunteers and workers if they needed food. It is on these streets between Rockaway Beach Boulevard and the beach where we saw how extensive the damage was to homes.

And property.

Although the images I took are those of the destructive effects of the storm, I have to say that many of the people we encountered seemed to be in good spirits. And we could see that they were finding support amongst family, friends, and neighbors.

Far Rockaway was hit hard by this Sandy but it’s one area of many that are still effected by this storm. Parts of lower Manhattan still remain without power. Red Hook in Brooklyn is still without power and in need of assistance. Long Beach on Long Island also has to undergo major work to in the aftermath of this superstorm.

There are many great organizations helping with the relief effort. If you’re looking to help try local houses of worship. Religion aside, these places are community hubs and drop-off points for donations. Also check out Occupy Sandy.

Many hands make light work…..

Hurricane Sandy Relief

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy there’s obviously a lot to be done. There has been mass power outages which have crippled the city but are slowly being restored. Many people have lost power but a great deal have lost more than that. This storm has snatched away homes and livelihood. The healing process physical, mental and emotional will take time.

Recently I saw these tips for volunteering and donations posted by Janet Sharma, the Executive Director of The Volunteer Center of Bergen County:

-Start in your own neighborhood. The roads in our area can be treacherous with downed trees and power
lines, and gas is in short supply. We recommend that people can have a great impact by volunteering
in their own immediate area: offering to help neighbors with cleanup, running errands for the elderly
and infirm, offering to take phones to various locations (city halls, malls) to charge them, helping
to entertain neighbors’ children (if they already know them). And of course, if you have power, help
people without.

-Don’t start a collection of “things”….yet. Don’t start a collection of goods unless you have
confirmed that it is needed. Transportation of items is extremely difficult right now, and agencies
can get quickly overwhelmed with donated goods. Don’t take up a collection of items unless an
organization has indicated that they have a need for specific items and make sure you have a contact
at the agency who is expecting the items and can accept them.

-And – very important – let people in the affected areas know that you care.

Here are a few sites that maybe helpful for those who wish to volunteer or contribute:

Charity Navigator – Hurricane Sandy – Provides tips and a list of sites of organizations providing relief aid.

Food & Water Distribution In NYC – Listing of areas that have food and water.

New York Cares is NYC largest volunteer organization and are always looking for able bodies and helping hands.

Good luck everyone.

-B-

Summer Stage In Brooklyn, International Hip-hop In The Bronx

This Friday, June 8th I’ll be joining Decadancetheatre at Summer Stage at Herbert Von King Park in Brooklyn. This is a free event open to the public and will feature an excerpt from When The Sky Breaks and their new piece “4” which is a continuing project based on Anonio Vivladi’s The Four Seasons.

Along with the performance the dancers in Decadancetheatre will be offering a master class for all those who to learn some Hip-hop dance basics. This will be at about 7PM.

The following Friday (June 15th) I will be be joining Nomadic Wax at El Fogon Center of The Arts in the Bronx.

It will be an international Hip-hop line-up headed by Zero Plastica of Genoa, Italy.

For about a decade now Zero Plastica has been using Hip-hop as a vehicle for their thought proving words to be heard and to convey a conscious message.

Also on this line-up is

Eli Efi of Brazil.

Eli Efi was born in Sao Paula, Brazil and in 1988 founded the politically charged rap group DMN. During his time with DMN, the group received critical acclaim from the Hip-hop community and music industry. They were nominated Best Video and Best Rap Group at the MTV Brazil Video Music Awards,Best Rap Song at the Hutus Hip-hop Awards Festival, and won best music video at the São Paulo Shorts Film Festival.

In 2004 Eli Efi parted ways with DMN and continues his musical journey alongside DJ Laylo.

DeLaCeiba of Honduras

DeLaCeiba is an MC/poet/writer/educator/activist/critical thinker who uses his craft to address and deal with issues of injustice, racism, and inequality. He has performed at top universities such as UC Berkeley, USC, UCLA, Columbia, UMASS, and worked with several grassroots organizations such as MOVE in Philadelphia and the End-Dependence Poets Collective. In 2006 he moved to New York to solidify his love for Hip Hop. He has shared the stage with underground greats like Eli Efi (Brasil), SieteNueve (PR), Bocafloja (MEX), and Ana Tijoux (Chile). His message is simple; create the way even though the odds are against us. He currently works as social worker, helping high school youth in Upper Manhattan.

Self Suffice The Rapoet of Hartford Connecticut.

Self-Suffice the RapOet is an unsigned MC who turned down a record deal with Def Jam in favor of a scholarship to Trinity College. After graduating, he remained in Hartford, CT (at the heart of the New York Tri-State and New England area) where he continued to win rap battles, feature on Hip-Hop compilations, and serve as a DJ (as well as Music Director) at 89.3FM WRTC. Wanting to create events where he could strengthen the community and share his success with others, the RapOet transitioned from battling other MCs (putting them down) to hosting showcases and open mics.

His insightful, positive and energy has allowed him to share the stage with some of the most inspiring wordsmiths of our time, from Talib Kweli to KRS-ONE; from Jessica Care Moore to Alice Walker. Besides “wowing” crowds with both Rap and Spoken Word lyrics (hence the name “RapOet”), he developed the popular RapOetry Workshop to teach Positive Self-Expression (within parks, libraries, and cultural centers), as well as enrich Math, English and other curricula (within middle schools, high schools, and colleges). When not performing, hosting, or leading workshops, Self Suffice collaborates with other performers through his RapOetry coaching/partnership program.

Hache St of the Dominican Republic

Hache St is an Hip-hop artist born and raised in the Dominican Republic and a member of the Quilombo Arte collective.

Hosting this night of international talent will be Hired Gun of Brooklyn, New York.

Hired Gun is an artist and educator born and raised in New Jersey and resides in Brooklyn, New York. He’s veteran of the New York underground Hip-hop scene and has shared the stage with the likes of Rob Swift formerly of the The X-Ecutioners, Slick Rick, Fat Lip of the Pharcyde, J-Live, WordsWorth, Breezevahflowin and The Last Poets.

As a youth educator and mentor in New York City Hired Gun is able to spread his message to question what’s going on in the world around you, to recognize the real, and work to make things better, starting with yourself. Emcee, Writer, Educator, Poet, Performer.

Hired Gun brings whatever’s needed to get the job done.

With all that said, come out Friday June 15th to the borough that birthed Hip-hop, and bare witness to the evolution of Hip-hop at an international scale.

Paz, Salaam, Peace!