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
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
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-
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!
CMJ Wrap-Up & November 4th
My game of “catch-up” continues with some words about this year’s CMJ experience. This would be my 5th time I’ve been at CMJ. The first time was in 2002 with The Juggaknots. I clearly remember that event because in the midst of our performance Sugarcuts came on stage and whispered something into Breeze Brewin’s ear. Next thing I knew Breeze looked down took a deep breath, shut the crowd up, and then announced “Jam Master Jay was shot and killed.”
In 2006 I was at CMJ one more time with The Juggaknots. The next three times I hit the stage would be as the house DJ for the international Hip-hop showcase which was produced and organized by Nomadic Wax.
In 2009 I did a online promo mix for the event which featured a few tracks from all the performing artists.
On Saturday October 22nd I partook in Planet Hip-hop, CMJ’s international Hip-hop showcase at 92Y Tribeca. Although the name of the event has changed, this would be the third time I have been involved with this showcase, which was produced by Nomadic Wax in conjunction with World Hip-hop Market and The Bloom Effect.
Like the 2009 event I put together a promo mix for the event which gave a taste of things to come on the stage.
Each year the stage is blessed with great, but not often heard artists. Past showcases featured the international collective from Canada, Nomadic Massive, Ghana’s Blitz The Ambassador, At Versaris from Spain, Chachi of Cape Verde, and more. This year was no exception with the likes of RahZemos (Lebanon/Canada), JMNI (Ghana/Canada), Krussia (Russia), Masia 1 (Singapore/Canada/Jamaica), The Reminders (Congo/Belgian/US), and Omar Offendum (Syria/US).
It was a night packed with great energy and maintained by host, Kokayi, who not only presided over the event but also blessed the audience with a couple songs of his own. All the acts brought their “A” game, reminding the audience that there is a rich world of hip-hop talent beyond the music force fed to them by commercial radio and MTV.
At the risk of sounding biased, highlights, for me, were Omar Offendum who moved the crowd with a combination of his music and spoken word and The Reminders who took the stage like the pros that they are and rocked the crowd. I’ve shared the stage with them before on separate occasions and they just get better each time I see them.
Top notch performances were also given by Masia One with her combination of Hip-hop and Dancehall and Krussia with his band who performed in Russian and then was convinced by the crowd and Kokayi to do an encore, impressing the audience with his skills as (what I first knew him for) a beatboxer.
In my opinion, this year’s international Hip-hop stage was not only the best attended but the audience had the best energy. Its great evidence that people are still seeking out good music not only in their backyards but in their attics basements and also over the big ponds.
Ok. Just as a reminder, Friday November 4th, I’ll be performing alongside Eternia at Irving Plaza as she opens up for Sage Francis. Also on the line-up DJ Rob Swift of The X-ecutioners and The Metermaids.
Hope to see you there.
Left Handed Saint 