B-Girl Media » Seattle Hip Hop

What It Means to Be a B-Girl – A Celebration of Women in Hip Hop

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:12:05 +0000

Himanee Gupta-Carlson presents: What It Means to Be a B-Girl – A Celebration of Women in Hip Hop, at Garfield Community Center on Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 7:30PM. This event features performances by some of the women Himanee interviewed while gathering research for her project.

She went on to write an essay called “Planet B-Girl,” that has been accepted by the editors of New Political Science, publish date TBA. “Planet B-Girl” focuses on how feminism connects with the political potential of hip-hop.

Please come enjoy this free hour long show, and don’t forget to bring friends, family members, and children. I hope everyone leaves inspired!

Zulu Radio on 91.3FM KBCS Saturday Nights 10PM-Midnight

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:36:14 +0000

Zulu Radio is Seattle’s source of new school, old school, true school, local, and worldwide Hip Hop for the masses!

Listen to Zulu Radio on KBCS 91.3 FM (www.kbcs.fm) live every Saturday from 10pm – Midnight, Pacific Standard Time as hosts Khazm, WD4D, Able, and DJ B-Girl bring you 2 hours of real, forward thinking, quality hip hop. No filler, no nonsense, just the good music you’ve been denied of… Until now!

With a continuing mission to elevate the culture of Hip Hop, Zulu Radio provides a diverse array of quality and innovative music programming. It is a platform for Hip Hop as a cultural movement to nurture growth within our communities.

Broadcasting from Bellevue Community College the show can be heard throughout Bellevue, Seattle, Tacoma, other Greater Puget Sound areas and now across the world on-line! Log onto www.kbcs.fm and click Listen Live.

For more info please visit http://206zulu.com/zuluradio.html.

DJ B-Girl will now be joining Zulu radio, hosting every 3rd Saturday!

Seattle Times Feature – Katalyst Arts Program

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:15:37 +0000

Katalyst arts program unites youth from many backgrounds

Katalyst is a hip-hop music and graffiti workshop run by the Washington Asian Pacific Islander Community Services, taught by local artists like the Blue Scholars, Gabriel Teodros and DJ B-Girl.

WAPI Community Services: www.wapiseattle.org

Katalyst Showcase

Youth performances and art, open mike and a special guest performance by Seattle hip-hop group Waves of the Mind 8 p.m. June 18, Hidmo, 2000 S. Jackson St., Seattle; free, all-ages (206-329-1534 or www.hidmo.org

Photo by MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Maya Uemoto, Mike Lont (aka Mic Flont) and Daniel “King Khazm” Kogita guide students through Katalyst hip-hop and graffiti workshops.

By Marian Liu

Seattle Times staff reporter
June 5th, 2010

Tacked together with plywood, the recording booth provided only the bare basics — a mike and a headset — but Dennis Randle didn’t care. It was his sanctuary from the streets.

“This is where one Blood and one Crip are now homies,” said Randle, 24. “You connect artistically and become close community.”

Randle spoke between recording sessions at Katalyst, a music and graffiti workshop run by Washington Asian Pacific Islander Community Services (WAPI) in the Chinatown International District. Established in 1993, the nonprofit has been offering classes since 2006 in various hip-hop disciplines (music, recording and art), taught by local artists like the Blue Scholars, Gabriel Teodros, Daniel “King Khazm” Kogita and DJ B-Girl.

“The more time [young people] put into music, they less time they put into other things,” said Mia Beardsley, aka DJ B-Girl. “We’re taking the street hustle and turning it into something positive.”

Some kids come to the class through WAPI, which conducts substance-abuse prevention and treatment for youth. Some are ordered to go by a judge for past transgressions. Others, like 13-year-old Shea Dailey, simply come to “hang out and do art.”

Together the students, from teens to 20s, are putting on a free showcase featuring youth performances and art June 18 at Hidmo, a restaurant and meeting space in the Central District. They are also collaborating on a compilation album, filled with songs recorded in class.

Randle is hard at work at his. He pokes his head out of the makeshift studio after recording a hook, asking local artist Mike Lont, aka Mic Flont, how it sounds. After a nod of approval, he continues recording.

He chants: “I walk like a champion/talk like a champion/eat like a champion/then repeat.”

“The court ordered me to come here,” said Randle, aka Greedy. “I come from being poor … but here they give us food, they give us positivity.”

The goal is to provide music certification so the students can be their own bosses as artists, and maybe even grow into the program’s teachers.

“It’s an alternative to drug usage, something that can be built into a career,” said Greg Garcia, WAPI’s executive director.

But it’s a lean program, dependent on grants. There are only 20-some students, and many come by bus on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. They huddle in little circles, in sweats and jeans, passing around their black sketchbooks and reciting their rhymes off crumpled loose-leaf binder paper. Besides these sketchbooks, they share an earnestness to learn.

“This is something I look forward to, it’s a hater-free zone,” said Charles Wilton, a senior at Rainier Beach High School. “It’s safe.”

The office is humble: There’s the plywood recording studio in the corner, and there are a few computers for production work, but some laptops were recently stolen. Decoration is minimal, except for a graffiti mural in the back with mugs of former teachers, like the popular Seattle hip-hop duo Blue Scholars. Posted on the walls on butcher paper are handwritten rules of conduct — which include “no beefing” (or fighting), “don’t come in high/drunk” and “no swearing.”

The standard is respect.

“Everybody comes in with a blank slate,” said Lont, 28. “There are no egos.”

Don Nguyen, 16, has been in treatment for 17 weeks, 15 weeks sober. Known by the tag “Junior,” he joined the class after hearing about the graffiti component: “The people here, they motivate me, they motivate me to be like them.”

Others attest to the program’s effectiveness. Both Randle and his good friend Star LeBron have gone back to school — Seattle Central and Shoreline Community College.

Growing up in New York, LeBron admits she was “all over the place, and not doing school.

“I was kind of a bad kid and I stumbled across this. … You can do court, or do music. You get free studio time here. It’s the only way to get out of this harsh lifestyle. … The environment is real. They don’t treat you as a student, they treat you as a friend.”

Katalyst program coordinator Beardsley is often the students’ confidante. They have her cell number.

“The biggest challenge of the program is attendance,” said Beardsley, a DJ, producer and hip-hop artist. “Something may happen at home, or at school, or if they’re slipping back and disappear, so I’m always so happy to see everybody.”

Sometimes, Beardsley is the only person that knows what is exactly going down in their lives.

“They have a big moment, they have to make a big decision and the key thing is to come through for them,” said Beardsley, 33. “It’s fulfilling to be that person, to gain that trust.”

She is looking into expanding Katalyst into the South End of Seattle with more classes — recording, emceeing, deejaying, production and graffiti. She also wants to kick off jam sessions on Saturdays.

“This is where red and blue rags can meet,” said Randle, referring to youths with different gang affiliations. “We don’t know where nobody lives, we just know their hearts. We all have that commitment and passion for music.”

Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com

Permalink:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2012015581_dj06.html?cmpid=2628

Katalyst Hip Hop Youth Showcase

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 22:51:03 +0000

The Katalyst Program is WAPI’s hip hop education program. Geared towards teen youth of color, the Katalyst program provides access to music production and recording equipment, art supplies and technical training.

On Friday, June 18th, 2010, students from the Winter/Spring session will be performing and displaying their artwork in a final showcase/performance. The event will be held at Hidmo, located at 2000 S. Jackson Street in Seattle, WA. The show is free and starts at 8PM. The June show will feature special guests, Waves of the Mind.

Flyer design by King Khazm and the Katalyst graffiti class

Hip Hop Youth Stimulus Forum

admin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:50:25 +0000

This event took place at the Urban Family Center at the Crescent Point Apartments and was organized by Wyking in conjunction with Scott Macklin. The panel featured Martha Diaz, Blitz the Ambassador and H. Samy Alim. There was also a guest appearance by poet Mark Gonzalez. Here is more about the panelists.

Martha Diaz is a mother, community organizer, educator, media producer, archivist, social entrepreneur, and the founder and president of the Hip-Hop Association (H 2 A). She is an award-winning leader who has been dedicated to elevating and innovating local communities through the power of Hip-Hop culture for over 15 years. She is also the co-author of the Hip Hop Education Guidebook.

Blitz the Ambassador is an emcee and entrepreneur. Check out his most recent release Stereotype.

H. Samy Alim is an Associate Professor of Education, Linguistics, and Comparative Studies of Race & Ethnicity at Stanford University. His research interests include the long-term study of the verbal art of Hip Hop Culture and issues of language, power and identity in local and global Hip Hop Culture(s). His most recent book is “Global Linguistic Flows: Hip Hop Cultures, Youth Identities, and the Politics of Language” (Routledge, 2009, with Ibrahim and Pennycook). Other recent books include “Roc the Mic Right: The Language of Hip Hop Culture” (Routledge, 2006), “Tha Global Cipha: Hip Hop Culture and Consciousness” (with James G. Spady and Samir Meghelli, Black History Museum, 2006), “You Know My Steez” (Duke, 2004), and “Talkin Black Talk: Language, Education, and Social Change” (with John Baugh, Teachers College Press, 2007).

DJ Workshop

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:18:55 +0000

Free all ages DJ workshop every 1st Wednesday of the month from 6-9PM at the Electric Tea Garden (1402 E. Pike St., Seattle). Equipment is provided. We are using Technics turntables, a Rane TTm56 or Vestax 05Pro scratch mixer, an Allen and Heath Xone 92 dj mixer, Mackie monitors, Shure and Ortofon needles and Serato. Feel free to bring your records or use ours.

Specs One CD Release Party

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:04:07 +0000

Rock the Belles – All-Star Female Line-Up

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:59:13 +0000

Who Is…Suntonio Bandanaz! Official Release Party

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:37:48 +0000

: Suntonio Bandanaz CD Release Party

“Who Is… Suntonio Bandanaz?!” Official Debut & Global Release Party
“Enter the Madness” 10year Anniversary Screening
& Birthday Bash for KING KHAZM!Thursday, February 25th 2010, 8PM
@ Chop Suey, Seattle WA
Tickets $8 Advance: www.ticketweb.com

HEAR THE SINGLE “BANDANAZ” http://www.freshchoppedbeats.com/music/Bandanaz_clean.mp3

On Thursday, February 25th, Seattle’s Independent Label, Fresh Chopped Beats/MadK, will celebrate its first 2010 project: “Who Is… Suntonio Bandanaz?!” This momentous occasion will umbrella a 3 part celebration: the FIRST “official” professionally pressed and internationally distributed CD Release of Seattle Underground Hiphop legend Suntonio Bandanaz; the 10 year Anniversary of MAD Krew’s Northwest Hip Hop documentary “Enter the Madness” (produced by DJ Scene and directed by King Khazm); and a big birthday party for Seattle Hiphop luminary King Khazm (206ZULU, MAD Krew).

Starting the evening off will be a movie screening of MAD Krew’s Northwest Hip Hop documentary “Enter the Madness”, which commemorates the 10th year since it’s national debut. This classic film produced by DJ Scene and directed by King Khazm swept the country by storm giving national exposure to Northwest emcees, deejays, b-boys and writers such as Swollen Members, Khingz, Massive Monkees, Alpha-P, Kutfather, Cause-B, Jabs, Lifesavas and many more during the late 90’s era. Live Performances and the CD Release Party will begin following the screening with Suntonio Bandanaz, special surprise guests and DJ’s Dev and Gumbeaux.

The question of the night of course: “Who Is Suntonio Bandanaz?!” A listen to the CD reveals a highly skilled, verbally dexterous emcee with a hard edge smoothed by elevated flow, and ability to chop at a pace that smartens the listener’s ear. A sophisticated lyricist committed to keeping rap clever, his distinctive style has influenced many other local up-n-comers over the years. Suntonio Bandanaz is a core emcee and spearhead of the pioneering hiphop collective Alpha P. (1st Platoon). One of Seattle’s most prolific in “Underground Hip Hop”, Suntonio Bandanaz (aka Asun, aka Maddwon) has appeared on hundreds of tracks and indy-released over a dozen projects. Master of the hustle, he is a local legend who has moved over ten thousand units– mostly hand to hand on the streets. Over the years Bandanaz has shared stage with the respected likes of Afrika Bambaataa, Dead Prez, Percee P, The Jacka and Living Legends; and collaborated with many of Seattle’s prominent emcees.

“Who is Suntonio Bandanaz?!” is widely considered the best solo album from Alpha-P recorded to date. Featuring production by dj100 Proof, PhreeWil, WD4D, Audeos (as well as Blake & Dead Noise) and with appearances by Gabriel Teodros, Khingz, Macklemore, Julie C., Kas-1 and Skim, the record is one of the most anticipated, groundbreaking new projects from the Northwest.

Thursday, February 25th
“Who Is… Suntonio Bandanaz?!” Global Release Party
Suntonio Bandanaz with Special Guests
DJ Dev & DJ Gumbeaux
A special Birthday Bash for King Khazm
also featuring:
Screening of the NW classic documentary “Enter the Madness” 10 Year Anniversary
Chop Suey
1325 E Madison St
Seattle, WA
8pm – $8 adv. – All-ages & 21+

www.madkrew.com
www.myspace.com/bandanaz4u
www.sonicbids.com/suntoniobandanaz

“Who Is Suntonio Bandanaz?!” -facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=268265203847