We all say how much we love hip hop and how we cherish the culture, but theres one thing that most of us dont do, and I think its probably the most vital in our efforts to keep this movement going, and for the love of true hip hop to continue on many generations after were no longer around to love it.
We gotta show the up and comers..the ones comin up what this is all about. So that they can one day also express to their peers when it was that they fell in love with hip hop, and they will mention you because you were a part of it.
We recently caught up with Mauikai, an ill MC who ripped it up at the Heart & Sole event put on by the FSF South Florida Chapter in April. It only seemed right to get to know her better and interview her for our blog; we figured who better to represent strong women in the local scene and so heavy in the culture than her. After talks back and forth she had one request before our interview was granted.
She asked us to cover the organization she helped create as part of our interview. A non-profit organization called I AM HIP HOP: MY VOICE MATTERS. The program is a comprehensive, peer created & directed arts program based on hip hop culture that aims to enrich the lives of the incarcerated youth of the Juvenile Justice Department by educating them about the positive role hip hop can play in their lives within AND outside of the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Justice Center.
She is very very passionate about this and although she loves what she does as an MC, she would really like us to focus a lot of attention on what she has created. We had no problem with that at all so she gave us a date and we were there.
We met at the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Justice Center.
They took our stuff. No cell phone. No car keys. No nothing.
To be honest that center looked like my elementary school. Makes you think...
First thing we did is help set up the food. The group always tries to take things the kids have voiced to them they miss eating. Last time it was chinese food, this time, thanks to Tony's mom, the menu was meat and veggie burgers, hot dogs & home made cookies and brownies that were RIDICULOUS. Big BIG BIG shouts to Tony's mom for the ill cookout!
After we we all got our grub on, DJ Dolo went into the history of Hip Hop. Explained a little more about the roots of Hip Hop, stemming from Jamaica and tranlating into the Bronx at Graffiti Rock. He told the kids about block parties and his personal venture into DJing. He then introduced "Scratch" [2002] a dvd featuring several prominent DJs discussing their first exposure to DJing, scratching and Hip Hop and Rap.
The video gave this equation in relation to hip hop.
MC (Master of Ceremonies) + DJ = Rap
Graffiti + Breaking + DJ + MCs + how you talk and dress = Hip Hop
WORD!
The DVD also discussed Zulu Nation and their history and impact in the Hip Hop culture and how the Electric Boogaloos brought in poppin and lockin. The kids were so excited and so involved into the little part of the film that they were able to see. Everyone was boppin their heads and really into the music.
We then moved to the other side of that cold ass gym where we had a DJ Session with Dolo. Some of the kids had never seen a vinyl record before. He went through how the turntables produce sound and how scratches/sounds were created originally and how DJs make them now.(At one point, Dolo played alittle piece of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" and everyone broke out into YOUUUU!! YOUUUU GOT WHAT I NEEEED, it was great! Nice to see the kids knowing some classics!)
He explained Diggin through the crates. How DJ's literally went through crates of musc to find different types of sounds. Dolo explained, very prolifically I might add, "You can't make hip hop out of hip hop." He talked about sampling and used UGK's International Player Anthem as an example of how somehting can be completely transformed. Mauikai chimed in with an important message relating to both Hip Hop and life and it really affected the kids and us. She asked us to cross our arms and we all did. Then she asked us to try and cross our arms the other way and when we all noticed how uncomfortable it was she said, "You can change your habits, it's just going to take some getting used to."
While we all let the message sink it Dolo finished up his portion with heavy love and then, Haviken Hayes was up next to discuss beat making. He explained sampling and chopping up and breakin up beats. He brought his very own MPC and showed how it masters all your sounds and controls when you want to insert and remove them. He talked about ghost producing and ghost writing and how producers and MC's trade beats and collecting records. How biting was wack back in the day (and still is!). Also commented on how record labels are packaging up and serve cookie cutter artists.
Next up to bat was Drea and Bully. They explained the engineering & the recording processes. Bully dropped some verses and Drea did her magic on the mac. They spoke about what punching in an artist is and what it takes to record an artist in a booth. The kids were heavy into this.
They handed out these feedback forms where the kids tell us what they liked, what they want and how they felt during the session. They handed them back and we continued.
After that, there was a small cypher that unfortunately didnt last long because the kids had other things programed that day but I gotta shout out the kids for gettin down.
Mauikai hit um' with some more empowering words (she's so amazing at that) and then we said our see you laters to the kids. You'll know we'll be back! August 16 to be exact! After the session we all cooled in the parking lot and read the feedback forms back.
One of the kids said that as soon as they left the center, they wanted to join the organization and get involved with doing the same for other kids.
Thats gotta make you feel something yo!
We had a great time and are so excited to be doing something so amazing for our community. We want to thank Mauikai and Ale for setting up such an amazing cause.
And there's a couple other people we want to shout out:
Colleen Adams of Empower U
Tatiana "Taty" - Supporter of the culture
Andrea "Drea" - Engineer/vocalist
Bully - Bully Banger Productions/Producer/MC
Tony - Audio,Video,Lighting Engineer/DJ/Musician
Lorenzo "Delliks" - MC
Edwin "Haviken Hayes" - Producer/DJ
Dave "DJ Dolo" - DJ/Beat Maker/Audio Teacher at Full Sail
Juan Carlos "JC" & Alfredo "Lunchbox" who form hip hop group M16 along with Darrell "Draztik".
& Simail [Told you I was gona hold you down]
IAmHipHop Group
Fellas with Colleen
Ladies
Bully with his Award
Chef with her Award
We just want to once again thank the whole crew and the kids for welcoming us and letting us be a part of such a great organization. We cant wait to go back.
If you're interested in volunteering let us know and we'll get you right.
stay live ya'll
Relz and Chef
Click here to donate to the cause!
and here to get at the IAHH:MVM Myspace!
