crafie

Bouncing Cats Film Trailer

2010-05-26T09:35:00.001-07:00

BOUNCING CATS film trailer from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

“Bouncing Cats”, a film by Nabil Elderkin is an inspiring story of one man’s attempt to create a better life for the children of Uganda using the unlikely tool of hip-hop with a focus on b-boy culture and breakdancing. Abraham “Abramz” Tekya’s Breakdance Project Uganda (B.P.U.) is a project that could empower, rehabilitate and heal the community by teaching youth about b-boy culture. The film features narration by Common and interviews with Mos Def, Will-I-Am, and K’Naan.

via @Hypebeast

Nas for Levi’s Pioneer Sessions Campaign

2010-05-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

Nas for Levi's Pioneer Sessions from nation on Vimeo.

Download it Here

A Very Special Tribute To Dilla In Cedar Falls, Iowa (Video)

2010-05-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

FULL SCREEN
The Sounds of VTech / Suite for Ma Dukes in Cedar Falls

A year ago, conductor Jason Weinberger heard Suite for Ma Dukes for the first time. A long time fan of J. Dilla, Weinberger’s first thought when he heard the music was that he needed to find a way to perform Miguel Atwood-Ferugon’s “stunning reinventions of Dilla’s music.” “I’m always looking for ways to open up the traditional orchestra experience to new things anyway, so this seemed very natural.”

After a quick Google search, Jason found Miguel and sent him a message to see if there was anyway to get the Dilla pieces in front of one of the orchestras he worked with. A few months later they met in LA and connected over Dilla, Flying Lotus, and Lutoslawski, and the rest is history.

Earlier this year, Miguel Atwood-Ferugon and the Mochilla Team flew out to Cedar Falls, Iowa to witness J. Dilla’s music being performed as part of the WCFSO’s (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra) tribute to Great American Composers. The evening had Dilla’s music performed alongside legends Duke Ellington and William Grant Still.

“As the person responsible for programming the concert, I probably don’t have to explain how exciting it was for me to find myself performing Dilla’s music with the WCFSO. Even more gratifying, though, were other aspects of the evening – feeling the connections emerge between Dilla and his predecessors William Grant Still and Duke Ellington, taking the orchestra outside of its comfort level and in process to a whole other level of music making, and especially offering our audience the opportunity to abandon preconceptions and discover something special. In the words of one listener in attendance that night, ‘the music was beyond interesting, especially the movements from Suite for Ma Dukes by J. Dilla…’ we were swept along enjoying sound adventures we never could have imagined that we would enjoy.” – Jason Weinberger

Watch as this video takes you on a sound adventure and witness the magic of Dilla’s music performed on what would have been the eve of his 36th birthday to a sold out audience. The standing ovation Miguel received was testament not only to the beauty of his work on Dilla’s music, but the power of music. Sounds ability to open ears, minds, and hearts.

“I think Dilla would have been proud of that.” – Jason Weinberger

2010-04-29T23:46:00.000-07:00

UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic Project, San Diego

Dr. Ellen Beck is providing cost-effective, comprehensive health care services to the uninsured, while inspiring and training a new generation of medical professionals to work with underserved communities.

Dr. Ellen Beck, UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic Project, San Diego from The James Irvine Foundation on Vimeo.

Meet the Recipient
Dr. Ellen Beck’s free medical clinics in San Diego serve patients and doctors alike. They catch thousands of patients who might otherwise fall through the county’s social safety net, while training and inspiring young doctors to care for society’s least-privileged members.
The family physician and her large team of volunteers at the University of California at San Diego’s Student-Run Free Clinic Project provide comprehensive health care for people who don’t qualify for government aid and cannot afford private insurance. The doctors-in-training, supervised by licensed physicians, even make house calls to the homeless, reaching out to people on the street.
We use a patient-centered approach. We create an environment of respect and trust where people without access to care can take charge of their health and achieve well-being.
–Dr. Ellen Beck
More than one in five California residents lack health insurance, and with continued high unemployment, the number of uninsured is expected to grow this year. For these Californians, there are few health care options, particularly in San Diego, which has no county hospital.
Yet Dr. Beck is proving that it’s possible to provide the uninsured with high-quality, cost-effective care, while at the same time inspiring a new generation of medical professionals to work with underserved communities.
The clinic project, directed by Dr. Beck and managed almost entirely by medical students, began in 1997 with a staff of three doctors and five students. Initially, they operated out of a church basement, holding bake sales to pay for supplies. Today, some 500 student health professionals take part throughout the year, treating patients at two churches and an elementary school.
It’s very gratifying to see medical students and health professionals follow their dreams and discover the kind of meaning they had hoped to find within our profession.
–Dr. Ellen Beck
Under the supervision of practicing doctors, dentists and social workers, the students annually see more than 2,000 patients — the vast majority of whom suffer from chronic diseases, such as diabetes — providing treatment and medications for free. The dental clinic makes a point of doing restorative work — not just pulling teeth — since, as Dr. Beck often says, “toothlessness leads to joblessness.”
Contributions of time, services and goods from an extensive network of volunteers and donors allow the clinics to run at the low average cost of $800 per patient per year. The project not only offers high-quality care, but trains and inspires the students who provide it. Indeed, many graduates of the program return to the clinic as volunteer supervisors or start their own practices in underserved communities.
In part, that’s because Dr. Beck has created a microcosm of what is best in the health care system. Student doctors are taught a humanistic approach, spending considerably more time with each patient than is common in traditional practices. And the clinic provides not only free medical care, dental care and medications, but mental health counseling and acupuncture as well.
For her comprehensive approach to providing high-quality, cost-effective health care to the uninsured, Dr. Ellen Beck is a recipient of a 2010 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.
Visit the website for UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic Project, San Diego.

M.I.A. – Born Free (Directed by Romain Gavras)

2010-04-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

British singer M.I.A. enlisted the talents of Romain Gavras for the video of her comeback-single “Born Again”. The French director created a nine minute-clip filled with explicit, violent, graphic, politically-charged images that come in accordance with the powerful single. M.I.A.’s still-untitled album is scheduled to drop June 29 via N.E.E.T./Interscope.
- via @Hypebeast

Blue Dreams

2010-04-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

Blue Dreams in the Promised Land — check out more flicks at http://crafie.blogspot.com

There’s no such thing as too much Dilla!

2010-04-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

Nefarious & The Soul Dojo created a tribute mix to the late, great James Yancey. There’s no such thing as too much Dilla.

01. Elaquent – Gobstopper
02. Madlib – The Mystery (Dilla’s Still Here)
03. Dela – Won’t Do (ft. Miles Bonny)
04. Dwele – Workin’ On It
05. The Roots – Eve
06. Flying Lotus – Fall In Love Remix
07. J. Rawls – A Tribute To Dilla
08. 14kt – Without Dilla
09. Madlib – Dillalade Ride (Contact High)
10. The Roots – Hall & Oates

Download it Here

Wiz Khalifa – Kush & Orange Juice (Mixtape)

2010-04-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Enough Said: Download it here.

Wiz Khalifa — Kush & Orange Juice

The Realest Shit I Never Wrote — Mistah F.A.B

2010-04-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

Straight out the Bay.

Davis Jr. links up with DJ Ill Will & DJ Rockstar for the third installment of his Realest Shit I Never Wrote mixtape series.

Download it Here

Pac Div ft. Ty$ — Rollin'

2010-04-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

The L.A. Leakers got the jump on the premiere, now here is the CDQ version for y’all to roll with. Off their upcoming mixtape, Don’t Mention It. (via @2dopeboyz)

Download it Here

Otayo Dubb — So Opinionated

2010-04-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

Otayo Dubb is an artist out of Oakland whose under my good friends Beatrock Music Label.

I guarantee it to be a slapper, it's another one that has been on repeat for a hot minute.

Download Free at Beatrock Music

The Roots — Dilla Joints

2010-04-06T00:32:00.000-07:00

Let me just say — an instant classic already. Dilla is too dope, and the Roots have been holding it down for a minute.

Download it Here

01. Donuts Outro
02. Hot Shit (I’m Back!)
03. World Full Of Sadness
04. Upper Egypt
05. Stereolab
06. The Stars
07. Antiquity (feat. The Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Dillchestra)
08. She Said
09. Hall & Oates
10. Eve
11. Look Into Her Eyes
12. Make Em NV
13. Oh! O!
14. Wicked Ways

Common Presents: Think Wright Volume 1 [Mixtape]

2010-04-02T17:53:00.001-07:00

Common Presents Think Wright Vol. 1 which is music inspired from an upcoming movie with plans on a volume II.

Music on here is super chill, so sit down and relax — track list via ThinkCommon.

Download it Here

Tracklist

01. Don Blackman – Holding You, Loving You
02. Jamiroquai – Morning Glory
03. Esthero – Superhero
04. Tarika Blue – Dreamflower
05. Dwele – Kick Out Of You
06. Bilal – All For Love
07. Bjork – Possibly Maybe
08. The Rh Factor – Kwah/Home
09. The Jacksons – Give It Up
10. Heavy – Do For You
11. The Gap Band – I Found My Baby
12. Prince – Crazy You
13. Bobby Caldwell – Open Your Eyes
14. Omar – Feeling You (feat. Stevie Wonder)
15. Stevie Wonder – Seems So Long
16. Jaco Pastorius – Portrait Of Tracy

This is LA Stereo

2010-03-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

LA comes hard on this mixtape by Val the Vandle who features a number of my personal favorites:

Pac Div

Diz Gibran

Blu

U-N-I

Download it HERE

Golden Gate Love

2010-03-17T11:00:00.001-07:00

By Jen Ondrade

DELOREAN - DEAR LANGSTON

2010-03-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

J.Rocc For Supreme Take 2 (Mixtape)

2010-03-13T10:03:00.001-08:00

Having been a household name in instrumental Hip Hop for more than a decade now, original turntablist J Rocc has served numerous qualities mixtapes and gained respect on collaborative projects with Madlib and the J Dilla. Signed to Stones Throw the beatmaster is currently working on a full length album and serves an exclusive mixtape for Supreme L.A. as an appetizer for his upcoming offering. Check it out below.

Get it Here

Black-Scale: The Retrospective

2010-03-13T09:54:00.001-08:00

RetroTV: Black Scale Balance of Opposites from The Retrospective on Vimeo.

Black Scale is quickly becoming the unsung hero of street wear culture. Commanding absolute respect on both the ground level and throughout the international fashion market, it’s gone from good idea to San Francisco flagship in only a little over a year. But unconditional admiration and global acclaim is never a simple coincidence: behind every great empire is a leader with vision, and in the case of Black Scale, there’s MEGA.

In a world where balance is everything, MEGA effortlessly walks the edge as if it were the norm, striking the balance of opposites with every stride. This first-hand story takes you beyond the label to hear MEGA’s brilliant perspective, inducting you into the society of secrets known as Black Scale.

Executive Producer: Theretrospective.com
Director: Matt Carvalho
Producer: Gitamba Saila-Ngita
Camera: Brian & Austin Chu
Editing: Brian Chu
Photographer: Steven Simonetti
Original Music: Michael Musumeci
Post Production: thewerehaus.com

Source: The Retrospective

Marching — Yup!!!

2010-03-11T19:44:00.000-08:00

Med March — February 23, 2010

Last Days in La Jolla — 2009

2010-01-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

My LA and SoCal Folks — Please attend.

2009-10-21T14:18:00.001-07:00

2009-09-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

FUTURA´s ODYSSEY TWO, berlin - germany 2009 from ruedione on Vimeo.

Multi-faceted creative ruedione offers us another video into the latest exhibition from Futura, entitled Odyssey Two. Taking a more artistic approach, the piece showcases Futura at work in a classically shot Black/White sequence. Further works from ruedione can be found at his official website.

Araquel Family

2009-08-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

Where: Historic FilipinoTown, Los Angeles.

When: July 25, 2009

Why: Family portraits.

Harper Boi tell em'

2009-08-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

Where: City Park, Pittsburg.

When: August 16, 2009

Why: Keak da Sneak's doppelganger.

Downtown Baptist Church

2009-07-16T13:24:00.001-07:00

Where: Harlem, NYC.
When: July 11, 2009
Why: Cultural representation.

Animated lines?

2009-07-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

Another music video for SOUR directed by Masashi Kawamura

From the Wooster Collective

DALUYONG: Surging to Confront the Crisis of Our Times, 3-Day Filipino American Youth Consultation

2009-07-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, CA – Filipino American youth, both immigrant and US-born, are agitated and getting ready to tell the rest of the country where they stand and how they are to respond to the current economic crisis affecting their families, their education, their work, and their rights. They are concerned over current immigration policies, race relations, exploitation of women and children, and how these and other issues are linked to the broader global economic crisis and war. They are surging forward to claim what is inherently theirs – the future.

On July 24-26, a three-day consultation bringing together grassroots Filipino American youth organizations to build mechanisms of coordination on national issues, and bridge the divide amongst the Filipino Diaspora in addressing Philippine and International concerns. The national consultation, “DALUYONG: Surging to Confront the Crisis of Our Times”, is organized by the Bagwis Collective (IL), Committee on Pilipino Issues (IL), Ugnayan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (NY/NJ), and the host organization Kabataang maka-Bayan (KmB or Pro-people Youth, CA) under the auspices of the Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (Alliance Philippines). The event is also endorsed by a number of other progressive organizations across the U.S. and Canada (see complete list of current North American endorsements).

In a new era, with a growing community along with expanding issues and concerns, an African American president who promised “change” and a global economic crisis, it is essential for immigrant and US-born Filipino youth nationwide to come together to assess, share and plan the essential steps to advocate for our community’s concerns and build a broad movement and program towards fundamental and genuine change.

“Ugnayan recognizes the impact of the economic crisis on Filipino American youth locally, especially on the undocumented immigrant youth, who suffer lower wages, are denied of benefits, experience cutbacks of working days, as well as discrimination and racism in the workplace. International student graduates struggle to find a job so they stay in the US, nursing graduates are left with working on lower wages and are exploited by agencies,” said Gladys Fontanilla, a young immigrant Pinay and Ugnayan organizer. “We do not see these stories in the mainstream media… this is the venue to share our stories and come up with a plan of action for our community,” she added.

The number of Filipinos leaving the Philippines daily reached a staggering 4,100 in 2008, forced to migrate because of the chronic economic and political crisis in the Philippines. Here in the US, Filipino Americans comprise the second largest Asian population in the US, poised to become the largest Asian group by 2010, with over 100 years of significant Filipino American presence on US soil.

Other results of forced migration are the “generation gap” and the divisions in our community among immigrant Filipinos and US-born Filipinos. This consultation aims to bridge the ever growing disconnect Filipino Americans have by building a sense of social responsibility and embracing our culture of resistance. US-born Filipino American youth have one of the highest high school dropout rates in the nation. Generally, their levels of educational attainment yield the lowest socioeconomic returns with respect to jobs and salary levels among all racial or ethnic groups.

“In turn, we aim to open up opportunities and outlets for US-born and Filipino immigrants to unite in addressing local issues as well as to connect back to the Philippines by advocating for the interests of the Filipino people who face rampant political repression,” said Christine Araquel, Chair of KmB (Pro-People Youth), a Filipino American youth organizer born in the US.

Despite our historical and cultural contributions in this country as well as our labor supporting a century of US economic development, the Filipino American community remains economically, politically and socially marginalized.

DALUYONG will bring together organized immigrant and US-born Filipino groups from the East Coast, the Midwest and West Coast to Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles in order to address community concerns through workshops, panels sessions, cultural sessions, and group discussions to outline concrete steps in formulating a new progressive and united Filipino American movement in the United States.

For more information, please visit the official website at www.daluyong.com or contact 213.241.0906 or daluyong.filamyouth@gmail.com. #

INITIAL ENDORSING ORGANIZATIONS:
CHICAGO:  Alliance For Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE) , Center for Immigrant Rights and Community Arts (CIRCA) , Chicago Pinoy Music Scene , Pintig Cultural Group
LOS ANGELES:  Beatrock,  Echo Park Community Coalition,  Dekada 70,  Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) , Mindanao Bangsamoro Caucus , People’s Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (People’s CORE),  Philippine Peasant Support Network,  The Park’s Finest
NEW YORK:  Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition,  DAMAYAN Migration Workers Association,  Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM),  Poptimes Magazine,  Sulu Series
SAN DIEGO:  Hip Hop Karaoke San Diego (HHKSD) , Kamalayan Kollective , Pnoy Apparel
USA:  Gabriela Network of the Mariposa Alliance
CANADA: Kabataang Montreal ####

Fred Schobert

2009-07-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

Where: Twin Peaks, SF.
When: June 22, 2009
Why: Fred continually asks me to take his photo.

Stussy's Dog

2009-07-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

Where: Stussy store on Haight Street, SF.
When: June 22, 2009
Why: Where my dogs at!

Good Bye San Diego

2009-06-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

After 5 years of being in San Diego, it was finally time to say good bye.

In the past 6 nights of sleeping at ‘home’ in the Bay Area I've had time to reflect, process, and reminisce on my time in San Diego. I keep thinking and telling myself that my best year in SD was my last year there, and in many ways it was. But to forget the first four wouldn’t be too fair.

My first four years in SD taught me how to be a student, and introduced me to the notion of life-long learning. I learned that I’m not by myself, and that my community is what holds me up. And although that community is constantly dynamic and ever changing, I learned that this is the scaffold upon which I build my life on. I grew academically, individually, mentally and emotionally. I went through a lot of shit with my family, friends, and relationships, both intimate and platonic, and even though these experiences were difficult, they were all worth it.

Parts of that community were some of the great people I befriended and lived with throughout the years. They made me realize that everything I’m not makes me everything I am.

But the real justice of San Diego is from my last year there.

To Scott: Thank you so much for letting me live at what we now call the Blue Dragon, 3244 Reynard Way. My experiences of living and sleeping in the living room of a physically small one-bedroom house were some of the most comfortable and fruitful nights of my life. I learned so much from you about embracing life and doing what truly makes you happy. You showed me how to walk on water by not being afraid to drown. You introduced me to so many new forms of music that opened up my ears to the sounds of life. You introduced me to our beautiful and dynamic neighbors, Donna and George (who we now call G-$) who have opened their doors to me on countless occasions and have shown me how to have fun and party, as ironic as that might be. Brosef, NT1, and creator of J-rab/A-rex/3HB8 systems this is my THANK YOU for you being you.

To Kirstie Mah aka KMah: Your silly, fun, happy, and joyful friendship has brightened some of the dimmest days in SD. Your smile, conversations, and attitude have been contagious and have led me to become a better person. You are more than a smile; you are a conversationalist, a dance-partner (with attitude, the good kind), a beautiful and young-spirited womyn of color who has graced my life and my experiences in Mira Mesa and Ice Skate for the past year. I just wish that I would have known you and the Ice Skate community much much sooner. Our talks have been so beneficial to my life, you have helped me get through so much shit, and I really know that the way your parents raised you were the best ways possible. I hope I can take some of you and put it in my theoretical future daughter. KMah, never settle for second best (unless you want to), you deserve the world over and I thank and love you (flashback to Onyx room… “you two together… huh… NO (no offense crafie)” hahahahahaha).

To Paola Rodelas aka PaoPao aka PAAOOOLLLLAAAAA aka BoomBoomPao aka super-fast-eater: You will have changed the way I view white people for the rest of my life (positively). Our friendship has really had its ‘ups and downs’ but just knowing you, your history, and your willingness to persevere despite having 57 jobs at a time has always impressed me. Our conversations, Phills-BBQ eating, 6 dollar BR ice scream scoops with SW regional manager Buddy Robbins, and AIM/g-chat conversations that start with CRRAAAFFFFIIIIIEEEEEEEEE have been so good to have this past year. And even though we have gotten into some squat and gobbles within the past year, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Like I wrote to KMah (see above), your friendship has been invaluable and has brightened my days during my final stay in SD. You’re an academic baller, a cross-cultural shot-caller, a business school scholar and you have the heart of a blue collared worker — you being you has been so inspiring for me. And I know this paragraph doesn’t do you proper justice, but I just wanted to say that I thank and love you.

To Janice aka Momma Janice (from Milton’s perspective) aka Life and Debt lover aka J-Lo Sapigao: This is perhaps one of the hardest things to write in this blog entry. First off, THANK YOU, and that wont be the last time I write that in these words for you. Janice, you have given me so much as a friend, you have inspired me as an artist, academic and activist, you have shown me that all are possible. You along with Scott have been two of the most influential people in my life of my time in SD. You were the first person to check me on the social negatives that I have been raised on and as a result you have led me to become a better person. Our friendship means so much to me, probably more than you’ll ever realize and I hope that the spaces we’ve all created with Ice Skate and its community stay with me/all of us in the future, and that it gives us something to smile about when times are down. Again THANK YOU. You’re such a talented impressive womyn of color. Fuck, you wrote a dope ass play, interned at the CCC, worked at OASIS, put on one of the best and most intimate SIPs I’ve been to, led me to new friends, inspired me to be me and given me a place to stay when I didn’t know how to live my life. Your open arms and big heart came to me when times were needed, and although your life runs on Pilipino-time and I think your habitually late, things still tend to work out on time. We have had some disputes/disses, but I don’t think I could ever stop being your friend… well, unless you tried to kill me by
A. Drowning
B. Incineration
C. Venomous snake poison/bite
D. Decapitate me like Milton plans to do to Ididerod
Anyways, know that you’re a fly-ass pinay, pun intended, and that you being you gives me so much more context and understanding to the term pinay. You are a storyteller that infuses your life in fictional characters; you are a beautiful womyn of color, a great dance partner to reel me in, a hard ass worker, an example of someone who never trades substance for style, and an inspiration in my life for me to do me. By the way, you just drunk dialed me… because you’re playing Edward 40 hands, but Falex told me none of you can truly hang.
Janice. I just want to thank you for our friendship and for this past year. My biggest regret is not knowing you before last year, even if it was just a week earlier, then it would’ve been a week more for us to have a growing friendship. I thank and love you, and I hope that our friendship never stops. PS* Revolutionary love will come for both of us one day, whether we find it or create it with our prospective partners.
You are the 21st century Gabriela Silang, fierce like Lorena with a rifle in her arm — don't forget that.

Alex Fernandez aka Falex aka Xander aka the only other male comrade in our Ice Skate community of friends (excluding Marcus): I only ordered Asahi because you ordered it, and then when I found out that I got more beer for the same price I knew then you were someone I could get a long with. It’s funny that most people think you’re quiet, but all the times that we hung out (i.e., clubs, hunter’s party which you were ready to hop fences for, SDSU’s PCC that we had to drink in the parking lot for, parties at your house (the only two times I’ve been there), Ice Skate drunken nights and Sushi Ki experiences (which you never fail to order edamame)), you always got something to say, and you usually say it pretty fucking loudly. This is a quick thank you for our friendship this past year and I hope nothing but good things happen to you. Just make sure if you ever have hook up on anything — just let me know…I'm trying to save cash when i'm older.

Liezl aka Flizz aka Baddest Beng on the Block aka Ms. Highest GPA: We only became friends recently, but you are a true friend and someone who I know I will be calling when times are rough like coarse sand paper. Funzies Indeed, you are a true testament of someone being scientifically inclined and ‘normal’, i'm glad i'm not by myself. Thank you for you doing you. Keep doing it, and don’t let anybody change that.

Emerald aka E-dolla dolla bill aka Ms. NYC hospitality: I got along with you right away, and even though I always forget your major because it’s such a long and complex statement, I know you’re a baller. I don’t need to tell you to do it big because I have no doubt that you’ll be doing it dinosaur status in the future. A down ass girl, I thank you for your hospitality in the East and for a fun and legit friendship. Falex is blessed and lucky to be with a womyn of color like yourself. Just remember, if you’re outside of Cali, just tell folks “Cali says relax” (I saw it on a t-shirt the other day). Whatever life gives you, take it, and make it better.

Mary Tsunami Kong aka I'm getting married to some boy in Wisconsin: To me, you have always been a person on top of her shit. I thank you for you, for our friendship, for our conversations, for our fun outings at ice skate, sushi ki, downtown clubs, CCC events and our 'unprivleged' backgrounds. You are always someone to show emotion, and you're an inspiration for me to be true to myself. Thank you so much for this past year, and even though you thought I was weird at first, I knew we would get along, eventually.
I know you're going to be around the cheese, just make sure not to become cheesey and I'll see you in the fall.

Thank you San Diego, both the place and the space(s).

How we celebrate graduations.

2009-06-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

We jump like no other!
KMah looks hella happy.

Janice is a free spirit!!! Way taller than 5'7''

Air BoomBoomPao!!!

Eartha successfully jumping in the air!!!

Flizz having so much goodness on that we can't see her face!!!

And yours truly (thanks KMah for the photo!!!!)

Just a glimpse of last week's festivities. Congrats ladies and Falex for graduating — Ballin!

Download of the week: Can't Stop the Reign

2009-06-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Prometheus Brown aka Geologic of Blue Scholars

* Upload Video File * Record from Webcam Deep Foundation - OFFICIAL "SLEEP" Music Video TRAILER!!

2009-06-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

This is the official trailer for the "Sleep" music video, directed by Choz Belen (http://www.chozbelen.com). This is the 2nd video off our debut album, "The First Draft" (available on cdbaby, itunes & many more). The song is produced by Incise & features singer-songwriter, Jay Legaspi.

The actual video is dropping 6/24/09. Spread the word!

- crafie is @ http://flickr.com/crafie

Spread the Word for a Community March

2009-06-08T11:22:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, June 9, there will be a community march to demand quality education for the children and youth who will be deeply affected by the state budget cuts. In Historic Filipinotown alone, at least 100 high school teachers have received pink slips. Consequently, class sizes will increase up to sixty students per class, reverting back to old conditions that caused high drop-out rates as well as high crime rates in our our communities. We must continue the fight for quality education by demanding lower class sizes, lower counselor-to-student ratios, and no teacher layoffs!

2:30 pm - Gather at Liechty Middle School - 650 S. Union Ave., Los Angeles

3:00 pm - Rally at Liechty

3:30 pm - March begins

4:15 pm - Protest at LAUSD Headquarters - 333 S. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles

*Look for the red KmB flags to march with our contingent*

Zumbi Zooms in Zion I

2009-06-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Sam Bostick

2009-06-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

Bambu... on MTVU... say what... TIME to VOTE

2009-06-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

help my homie Bambu get into regular rotation over at mtv/mtvu by clicking the link below! "this is a pretty big deal for me, because we're doing all this completely independent!"

- crafie: http://flickr.com/crafie

On Top of The World

2009-05-31T12:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a new track from T.I.'s newest mixtape, A Year & A Day, featuring Kanye West and B.o.B. On Top of The World is the name of the track and I'll credit Hypebeast for this one.

Click here to download.

- Crafie, http://flickr.com/crafie

Culture Shock San Diego presents a dance theatrical: Graffiti Life

2009-05-31T01:50:00.000-07:00

“Graffiti Life,” CSSD’s second evening-length production, exposes the underground culture of graffiti through hip-hop dance. “People in general don’t know a lot about graffiti. They see it, but they don’t see it being done, they don’t know the inner workings of the writer, of the graffiti writer,” says Pose 2, who began his own graffiti life in 1976 in the subways of New York City. “Graffiti is the most relevant art form right now because it’s alive. You don’t have to go to a museum to see it, it’s in the street. We interact with it every day and there’s so much controversy surrounding it—a lot of controversy, a lot of mystery, a lot of misunderstanding.”
Aside from asking larger questions about graffiti, such as whether it’s art or trash, “Graffiti Life” reveals the different philosophies and conflicts among graffiti writers. The story follows Ill (played by Sherman Shoate), a dominating male character who symbolizes the angry, destructive aspect of graffiti; SheRock (played by Angela Molton), the female lead who exemplifies the beauty and uplift the art has to offer; and the Young Boys Crew (played by David Silvas, David Henry and Jeremy “Jermz” Mascardo), a new generation of up-and-coming graffiti writers who are influenced by both faces of the art form and struggle to find their place within the culture.

When: May 31 5:00 p.m.
Where: Lyceum Theatre at Horton Plaza map it
Tickets: $20 - 25

Download of the weak: DJ Planturn

2009-05-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a mix by DJ Platurn — Cali to Texas the 2009 SXSW Bay Area Mix.

Check it out, and let me know what you think.

crafie - http://flickr.com/crafie

Quannum Projects X Adapt :: B+W Series

2009-05-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Adapt is a clothing company that represents and recognizes the ideas of positive change and personal advancement. Based in the Bay Area, this music-inspired Advancement Cooperative is passionate about aesthetics, concept and design, and puts these principles in their every shirt.

Personally I like and respect the clothes they put out, especially because a lot of their pieces represent the SF urban culture. Just today, they announced a collaborative effort between with the Bay Area record label Quannum Projects.

The shirts are 100% organic cotton and their collabo pieces will be released this Saturday, May 30th at TRUE San Francisco, and online at The Giant Peach.

- http://crafie.blogspot.com

Prop 8 San Diego Rally

2009-05-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

The CA Supreme Court heard oral arguments against Proposition 8 on March 5, 2009 and announced yesterday that it will continue to uphold Proposition 8, but thankfully allow existing same-sex marriages.

Once the rulings were heard yesterday, I saw first hand how fast the LGBT community organized, mobilized, marched and rallied for equality. Here are some pics from San Diego's march that started at 6th and Laurel in front of Balboa Park and went down to Broadway.

Balboa Park Photo Shoot

2009-05-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a shot from a 'photo shoot' at Balboa Park this past weekend with Ms. Audrey Ondrade.

Lately, I have been experimenting with Black/White photography. I like this image, both the composition and expression, but I don't like the shadow so much.... womp womp.

They're doing it again!

2009-05-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

For all my east coast folks, Pnoy Apparel is doing it again!
What: Shirt The Kids Charity Showcase NYC
When: June 6, 2009
Where: Rebel NYC 251 West 30th Street, NYC
Why: Every $5 dollars buys a Sammy The Sunshine shirt for an impoverished child
Price: $10 - All proceeds go towards Shirt the Kids Charity Campaign
Performers: Bambu, Kiwi, Deep Foundation, Ashley Robles, and Ruby Veridiano-Ching
Time: Doors open 7:30pm - Performances start 8pm

The music will be dope, I promise you that. The vibe will be in good spirits, I promise you that. The clothes will be good, I promise you that. So please go and support their mission to shirt the kids!

...A Peaceful Riot... Recap Video

2009-05-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

Where: Beatrock Long Beach
When: April 25, 2009
Why: Album Release

From the film maker who brought you "A Song For Ourselves", Tad Nakamura put together a little video of the Fatgums x Bambu album release from this past April.

If you haven't gotten the album yet, then please pick it up at the Beatrock store online or in Long Beach.

I promise, you won't be disappointed.

I passed my defense!!

2009-05-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

Christopher Rafie
Master of Science
Biology: 05-22-09

Shout outs to these people for making it out to my thesis defense:

Stephanie Alfonso
Alexander Alfonso
Mike Anderson
Patrick Drew
Jonathan Driscoll
Dominic Dunnaway
Alex Fernandez
Rodolfo Figueroa
Sahras Hamilton
Pouya Jamshidi
Diana Jeong
Valita Jones
Kirstie Mah
Emerald Maravilla
Dave Matthews
Jeff Moore
Audrey Ondrade
Ali Rafie
Virginia Rafie
Paola Rodelas (womp womp)
Janice Sapigao
Verena Schandera
Lee Schroder
Andy Shih
Scott Stambach
Phil Tsai
Noelani Villanueva

I made it.

- ~~Send in auxiliary info to UCLA med... so they can offer me an acceptance~~
- ~~NYC trip, April 15th-19th, talk science with NYU faculty, visit NYSAAC conference, photograph Deep Foundation, visit Nightingales, and eat free food!~~
- Go to the Fatgums x Bambu "...A Peaceful Riot..." CD release party on April 25th, along with the "Because Your Mama Said So" Group Artshow dedicated to Mr. T -- AND -- The WORLD PREMIER of The Park's Finest BBQ rig!!!
- ~~Bay trip for Audrey's birthday and Hip Hop in the Park May 1st - 3rd~~
- ~~Decide on which experiments to do and and finish them by May 1st~~
- ~~Finish my first full thesis draft by May 8th~~
- ~~Defend thesis May 22nd with my parents and friends present~~
- ~~Get as far away from the Kleinfeld lab after my defense~~
- ~~Meet and pick up Ruby in SD for the Womyn of Color Writings by Janice Sapigao~~
- Finish my last class at UCSD
- ~~Finish my online statistics course~~
- Finish my last TA position at UCSD
- Work on AA blog site and interview Ruby of Ill Literacy, Hip Hop Karaoke, Bambu, Son of Ran, The Heart, and pray that Janice won't think i'm crazy for all of this.
- ~~Buy a new lens, so many options, so expensive, so worth itEF-S 10-22 ultrawide~~
- ~~Apply to get my passport~~
- ~~Get bike fixed at bike store~~
- ~~Pay doctor bills, womp womp~~
- Get vaccined up, womp womp

3 days...

2009-05-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

Will I be a Master in biology?
We'll find out in 3 days.

I welcome friends and family to be at my thesis defense.

Let's represent... for our community, for our people, and for our culture.

Promote - it's official!

crafie
http://flickr.com/crafie

Bay to Breakers

2009-05-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Image taken from SF Gate the home of the San Francisco Chronicle

The crew that brought you "Disco to Breakers" last year - a float complete with svelte go-go dancers and "a mind-boggling 27 kegs of beer" - is at it again for this year's incarnation of the annual footrace and rollicking street party known as Bay to Breakers.

Chrysler moves to eliminate 789 of 3,200 dealers 05.14.09

There's just one problem. This time, their plans are against the rules - rules that some say could help end the race as we know it.

The group, including three guys dubbed "The Godfathers," said their float Sunday is going for a "college spring break" theme and promises that "beer and mixes will be flowing," according to their posting on a social networking site.

They also said they plan to merge their float into the revelry more than a dozen blocks from the starting line.

Those plans run afoul of new regulations city leaders hammered out in February for this year's event that ban kegs and glass bottles and require floats to only enter the course at the starting line behind all racers. The changes came after a chorus of complaints last year about post-race debris, floats hampering runners and rampant public urination.

How revelers proceed under the new rules, and how race organizers and authorities handle the situation in the era of rapid organizing through wireless messaging, has city officials, pro-party groups and residents alike bracing to see what emerges from the 98th running of the legendary race.

"This is a pivotal year," said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, whose district includes much of the race route. "We're trying to perform the fine pirouette of addressing any negative consequences from previous years while making sure we don't thwart the fun and spirit of the Bay to Breakers."

Race organizers hope to maintain the event's signature whimsy but dial back the booze.

"We embrace the fun, the color, the atmosphere, but we need to have an event that's safe and respectful to the city," said Angela Fang, who manages the race for international sports and entertainment conglomerate AEG. "We had to make some adjustments to keep this event alive."

Read the full SF Gate article here.

2009-05-13T23:50:00.001-07:00

A Dj Tanner Exclusive

2009-05-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

So I'm thinking about starting a weekly music download to match the evolving blogosphere that is out there.
Let's call this week 1's release. Here is a special by DJ Tanner of Battlestar, who leaked his live recorded mix from Beatrock in Long Beach for the Fatgums x Bambu release party.

A battler at heart, this DJ has competed in US DMC Supremacy competition's over the past ten years and has also rocked the house on stage with big time folks like the Chicago native Common recently.

Please, show some love, and listen to a dope ass mix.

crafie — http://flickr.com/crafie

GET ONE BOARD MEMBER TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE!

2009-05-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

The budget vote to approve the increase in class sizes and the lay-off of thousands of teachers in inner-city communities was 4-3. By only one vote this devastating Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) budget passed on April 14, 2009. The three LAUSD Board Members who voted against this budget have demonstrated their support for our community with their decision. Their names are: Marguerite LaMotte (Board District 1), Tamar Galatzan (Board District 3), and Julie Korenstein (Board District 6).

Those LAUSD Board Members who voted to approve this budget and against the teachers of Los Angeles need to know that we represent the community whether as youth, students, community members, voters in Los Angeles, LAUSD employees, products of the LAUSD, or parents of LAUSD students. One of our strongest reactions to this vote, and the best way to save the jobs of the teachers in our community is to get one person on the LAUSD Board to change their vote!

Below is a list of LAUSD Board Members who we must persuade to change their vote.

Monica Garcia
Board President
Board District 2
P: 213-241-6180
monica.garcia@lausd.net
F: 213-241-8459

Marlene Canter
Board District 4
P: 213-241-6387
marlene.canter@lausd.net
F: 213-241-8453

Yolie Flores Aguilar
Board District 5
P: 213-241-6383
yolie.flores.aguilar@lausd.net
F: 213-241-8467

Richard Vladovic
Board District 7
P: 213-241-6385
richard.vladovic@lausd.net
F: 213-241-8452

Del the Funky Homosapien - Funk Man: The Stimulus Package

2009-05-09T22:41:00.000-07:00

The Oakland native who is responsible for forming the collective Hieroglyphics has once again put out another album to his oh so small list of 14 LPs (figuratively speaking).

Available for free download — Funk Man: The Stimulus Package is soon to be another classic to the mind-bending joints that hip hop has been challenged with since the inception of his music.

simple satisfaction

i'm a keep it alive
the funk
with this lil special device
the funk
it works for me
"what's that?"
the funk
lemme flip the switch
and get it started
the funk
try to go against the funk?
you finished
you gone subsitute?
you finished
DzL
funk from the begining to the 9th inning
and my team is winning
homeboy you finished

Crafie @ http://flickr.com/crafie

Fight for Educational Justice

2009-05-07T09:54:00.001-07:00

The LAUSD is threatening to lay off thousands of teachers in the next school year. This will result in increased class sizes and less resources, which lead to higher dropout rates. Why do the schools with the highest needs have to suffer the most?
Pro-People Youth (KmB) with Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) invite youth, students, teachers, and community members to

FIGHT FOR EDUCATION JUSTICE
A Community Forum on the Cuts in Educational Spending and Its Impact on Youth

Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 7:00 PM at SIPA: 3200 W. Temple St. Los Angeles

Endorsing Organizations: Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP), GABRIELA Network Los Angeles, People's Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (People's CORE)

Contact info:
213.241.0966
propeopleyouth@gmail.com
www.propeopleyouth.com

Hip Hop In The Park

2009-05-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

With so much tree in the air, it was no surprise that I was in Berkeley this past Saturday for the annual Hip Hop in the Park festival thrown by the UC Berkeley Students for Hip Hop organization. Muddy terrain and a little bit of rain wasn't going to stop me or the masses from getting our ears wet and our kicks dirty.

I got to see some of my folks up there, Ms. Ruby Veridiano who was our host for the day, and Ms. Krish aka EyeASage.

The event was a success, both personally and publicly. First off, the line up was off the hook, I got to hear some groups from the Bay that I was a stranger to. Bayonics and the Bayliens both killed it, and of course, artists that I already respect like Do D.A.T and Bambu tore it up. I got to see Invincble spit up close and personal, and her style is like a uncooked vegetable — so raw. Also, I got to hear the beat-maker extradonair Exile in action as Blu was spittin fire over his melodies.
Three's a trio in the group Bayonics.

All the way from Detroit — Invincible

All the way from LA — Bambu

Blu brought the swag and the fire!

The second reason why I liked the festival so much was because I got to share the music I love with my brotha from another motha, Dom Dunnaway. A lot of the folks I kick it with don't have or hear of any opportunity for these type of events or this type of music, so to be able to expose him to a new genre was great to see.

My best friend going on 17 years now, and yes... he's white, hahahaha.

And lastly, the community was there.
Mr. 211 — Steel Reserve

- crafie, http://flickr.com/crafie

Put Your Hands Up — Just Swing

2009-04-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

...I Swing Like Doors Open on Scrapers out in Oakland...

Every so often I come across a set of eye-catching pictures on flickr or the net. Classifying myself as someone who gravitates towards photography, I can truly appreciate a 'cool' photo.

As a native from the Bay Area, I have had the experience of commuting on BART (wheter standing or sitting), but i've never had the opportunity to swing on BART.

Low and behold, check these out:
These are just amazing shots — whether Photoshop was involved or not.
Check out this photgrapher's swing set.

- crafie @ http://flickr.com/crafie

Bay Area Bounce

2009-04-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

Attention Bay Areans:
I have two (FREE) shows that I highly recommend YOU go to.

First off is my homegirl Ruby from the spoken word collective ILL-LITERACY putting it down for the Town with her last show in the Bay Area. The show is this Thursday, 4/30 at the Student Union @ Mills College 7-8 PM. 500 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94613.

Please come through and support her, I promise you will not be disappointed. Her words and stories are cultivated from life's experiences, and I'll tell you straight up, they will leave an effect on you. Just expect to hear some of that movement music.
Check her out at http://www.ill-literacy.com/glamourbaby/

Now, if you want to hear some of that good gooshy gooshy, that spitfire, that tongue twistin, ear bangin, head nodding music, then come out to Hip Hop in the Park. The line up has some of my favorite artists, and is hosted by the homegirl Ruby.

I know it's past visiting hours, but can I please give her these flowers?
crafie

http://flickr.com/crafie — recording the movement(s)

Jerkin... Phony of Fad?

2009-04-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

LA is coming for us...

With a sound that reminds me of music from the famous Bay Area group — The Pack (Vans ); the Los Angles hip-hop community has bred a few new emcees that have created a new fad in the hip-hop culture — Jerkin. The sound appears to be more than music, as it is emulated with a 'unique' style of fashion and dancing that influences a lot of youth culture in the LA county. Nonetheless, I feel that they are biting sound and style from the Bay.

See for youself...

I'm going to stick with my homegirl EyeASage when she says, "I'm not a dumby but i'll go dumb."

Jerkin... is it in you?

Big ups to Beatrock for hosting a festivity

2009-04-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I was photographing for Beatrock in Long Beach for their triple threat:

First up: The Park's Finest BBQ Rig Debut
Johneric is manning the rig, while film maker Tad Nakamura is recording the movement — pun intended.

The Park's Finest is not playing around, there was so much meat that that I almost felt guilty for the amount of animals that were cooked. Nevertheless, the Park's Finest hooked it up with some good as sausage links, chicken legs, tender beef, and succulent pork loin. This on it's own was reason to gather up in Long Beach at Beatrock, but that's not all that happened.

Second up: "Because Your Mama Said So" a Group Art Show Dedicated to Mr. T
Mr. T is immortalized in a Japanese infused cartoon bear. Notice the samurai cut, heavy gold medallion and the claws. I thought it was a dope cartoon representation of a community classic.

Yet again, another piece of some dope ass art representing Mr. T. I actually learned that Mr. T infused the community with positive messages (I would have never thought), but none of this would have been possible without the curator, organizer, and now a friend, Ms. Alfie Numeric:
I have a feeling (hope) that our arts will be working together soon.

Third up: Fatgums x Bambu EP ...A Peaceful Riot... release:
The producer, Fatgums, who introduced a new sound to Bam's music. The collaboration is off the hook, mad shout out to Fatgums, whose ideas on the production really shined. Did I mention, he is also a med student at UCLA — stays on the grind.
Last but not least, Bambu putting on one of the best shows I've seen from him — congrats brother.

Shout outs to everybody that came through this past Saturday — it was truly a community event with great music, food, and art.

- crafie, ya dig...

It's going to be crackin tonight at Beatrock in Long Beach

2009-04-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

For all of my LA and SD folks, please please please
come and check out some dope art work, good barbecue, live performances, and of course the release of what is soon to be another classic from Bambu.

Here is a new melody for the morning by Bambu — 2DopeBoyz

"in Iraq we watch as whole cities come down, Zionists flying missiles in the Palestine ground, drown Africans in African blood in darfur, americans watch as hella third worlds burn "

See you all there.
— Crafie

Bay Area — Stand the Fuck up! (Part 2)

2009-04-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

A Ruby in the Rough — pun intended.

The second Bay Area lady that I have had the pleasure of knowing comes by way of Pasay City with a layover in Sacramento (womp womp) before living in Oakland California. A spoken word poet from the collective ill-Literacy, Ruby Veridiano-Ching is a Jay-Z cough mocker, solo-female flosser, hip rocker and show stopper. Her skills on the mic emulate those of any season veteran as she writes, performs, and rhymes about issues of love, politics, cultural identity, family ties, contemporary issues, change and gender representation.

I didn't know what to expect when I met Ruby for the first time at the San Diego airport yesterday. At first, I was picking her up as a favor for Janice Sapigao, my homegirl and Alternative Angles partner, who flew her in for her student initiated project (SIP), Womyn of Color Writings at the Cross Cultural Center, but as we started talking, I realized, well, she was chill.

With some time to kill, I showed Ruby what San Diego has to offer — the beach. Being a Bay native myself, I know what we lack, and so did she. So we went to Ocean Beach and got a small bite to eat (shitty in taste) and just walked around to soak up some San Diego culture. The water front mansions plus my camera gave way to some fun photos

After that, I took her to the Cross Cultural Center where she set up and ran her workshop during the afternoon and eventually performed her craft at night.

The show was a success. Janice had a great line up, a lot of which were close friends including Patricia (Trish) Guevara, the homie's Alex Fernandez and Chris Datiles, and of course Ms. Sapigao. But the headliner was someone who was at first a stranger, then an acquaintance, and now a friend — Ms. Ruby Veridiano-Ching.

Ms. Patricia Guervara
Ms. Janice Sapigao
Ms. Ruby Veridiano-Ching

I had to take photos with the two womyn of the night:
JSap and Crafie — and boy was I a natural in front of the mic.
And of course, throwing up the west, both Yay Area representas

— I'm not a business man, i'm a business, man...
Crafie

As always, http://flickr.com/crafie

Bay Area — Stand the Fuck up! (Part 1)

2009-04-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

It's amazing just how much talent comes out of the Bay. With respect to wordplay, expression and delivery, I have had the pleasure of knowing two distinct ladies who hold it down for their art and craft.

The first being my talented and multifaceted friend EyeASage (SF native), who has been working on her debut album Rocky Rivera, which is expected to drop in August — just in time for some summer love. Her first single, Marshmallow, has a promo video that was just released on 4/20. It shows a real Bay Area MC who, by way of her talents, has blessed the mic with words and rhymes that remind us of a day-to-day hustler who challenges industry and gender norms, yet is so Yay Area in style — Yee!

Please, please, please check her promo video at:

Please, please, please check her blog at:
http://guerillabusfare.blogspot.com

And of course, you can follow her on twitter and myspace.
www.myspace.com/eyeasagemuzikpage
www.twitter.com/eyeasage

I'll tell you one thing. She'll never be a marshmallow.

NYC Overview — Saturday, Day 3...

2009-04-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

The final day before I went back to Cali...
This day was packed, and mostly fun. It started off with me switching hotels, to another Affinia Dumont, just uptown (Lex and 50th). I had breakfast with some of the current MSTP Fellows, and then went to a poster session with the same people. Had lunch (for FREE), and met up with Audrey at the NYU Medical Center before we went to see the play 39 Steps on Broadway. It was my first Broadway play, so it was cool.

After the play we went back to the Hotel and got ready to go out.

First stop — NYU. We went to see Bam, Kandi, and Deep Foundation at the Asian American Hip Hop in the community Panel hosted by Ms. Emerald Maravilla and Mr. Alex Fernandez. It was good to see the community actively engaging in dialogue; hearing how hip hop can be used as a vehicle to challenge the social norms in the AA community, and meeting some new folks (KJ at myspace.com/kjbutta and the photographer Ernie Pena at www.hotlikewasabe.com)

Again... I saw cali folks out there. Shotouts to Krish aka EyeASage and Oliver from the Hearts.
I could only stay for a short time and had to cut out real fast. I took Audrey with me to Greenwich Village to meet and eat at the co-director's apartment, which was two stories btw, and had some good ass food. Sushi, kebab, cheese, deli meat, meatballs, desserts, etc... SO GOOD!!!!

Then we went back to the Kimmel Center at the Washington Square Campus of NYU and checked out Deep Foundation, the Hearts, and freestyles by DF and DJ Kuttin Kandi.
You could feel the power from that emcee... no doubt. The song Big Momma stuck in me and Audrey's head for the next 36 hours. It was good to see their music kicking off.

For Mark aka Illpoe of Deep Foundation, well... he has the funniest expressions on stage, hahahahaha....
Call cats out on stage — no doubt. hahahahahaha

While CJ is belittling somebody...
Don't fuck with him — New Jersey representer. Whereas Ro, well...

And last but not least, the silent but violent killer, Mr. Proseed.

After all of this we all chopped it up outside for like an hour, where that fool Mark was telling hella DF stories where Ro was always drunk, hahahahaha...

We ended off the night with some classic NYC Gray Papaya with Ro, Mark and CJ and then some drinks with Ro and CJ, mark pooped out...

Thats it for now. So much blogging...

NYC Overview — Friday, Day 2...

2009-04-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Friday was 3xKrazy (busy busy busy) — the whole time.
I was doing 'business' all day. Starting in the morning, ate breakfast, then talked science for about 7 hours to prospective PhD advisers.... eh... but well needed. Had lunch, and then bounced. I got home and met Audrey, who went to UPenn to check out the campus and Philly. We got ready to go to Nightingales at 2nd and 13th to see all the homies who were performing with and for Kuttin Kandi being back in NYC.

But before we got into Nightingales... I saw Dr. Wilson from House M.D at a deli in east village, I have to admit, I was star-struck.... hahahahaha

Once we got into Nightingales though, I felt at ease. I saw a bunch of heads from Cali, including, Trish, Olive, Oliver and the rest of the Hearts and the homie Bambu. Cali was deep in NYC, no doubt, but the night and performances definitely go out to this girl... DJ Kuttin Kandi.
I got a chance to listen to some other performers. In fact, I left Nightingales that night with some new music by Akil Dasan and The Crowd, which was a dope group. They were an eclectic meldoy of sounds that reminded me of jamiroquai mixed with hip hop. Check them out at www.myspace.com/therealcrowd

Finally, I got the chance to meet up with Deep Foundation (we wern't on first name basis then). What I found out later on in the weekend, was that they thought I was going to be a dark-skinned Filipino, and they were a bit shocked when I wasn't... hahaha (Pictures to be in NYC Overview — Saturday, Day 3...) Nevertheless, they killed it on stage.

After watching the Hearts perform, Audrey and I left and got some dinner in the Village — big ass burger, ceasar salad and a funky ass old Italian manager, she was nuts!!!

We were through after that... too much walking (we just werne't used to it).

Tomorrow was interesting.

NYC Overview — Thursday

2009-04-21T12:39:00.001-07:00

Here is my attempt to recap what I did last week.
I pretty much arrived to NYC on Thursday the 16th, after my night stay at Emerald's place on Lafayette St., and then I decided to start my day off with a tip from my homegirl Ree about this place in Queens called 5 Pointz. I had to take the E line to 23rd St and Ely Ave in Queens.

The place was mad tight. When I first got off, I got the feeling of an urban industrial setting, and was wondering what was all the hype about this place, but as I continued to walk uptown, I started to see some graffiti — and a lot of it.
My skills or my camera just couldn't do this spot any justice. However, I did have at least one great candid shot.
This Indian man was working construction at the spot. FYI, all this art is adjacent to the PS 1 Contemporary Art Center in Queens.

After I left PS 1, I headed back to Manhattan to get ready for some free dinner and open bar action at Trattoria Alba on 34th St., courtesy of NYU's Medical Center, where I met with some of the directors of the program. One lady who was the head honcho of Radioly at the NYU Medical Center was telling me about the money the department has, and I told her that she reminded me of 50 cent's song 'I get money'. She nodded her head and pretended to agree, but she had no idea what I was talking about. I met with some of the current MSTP Fellows and other prospective students, overall it was good. Later on Audrey met me on 34th and we were both pooped.

So overall, Thursday was fun; good food, good people, good spots, and good hospitality.

Shotouts go to Emerald for the hospitality and Ree for the PS 1 location.

I love free, legit, and good music!

2009-04-15T00:06:00.000-07:00

Taken from the song Take The 5 Ft. Do D.A.T. and Bambu
on the album "Who Has Los of Fingers?"

Heels and flats, lots of fitted caps, i'm from The Bay
Gangs, low riders, chronic and krump, i'm from LA
Pretty girls with grills, purple pills for reals, i'm from The Bay
Pretty girls with bangs, Cortez', and khaki Dickies, i'm from LA

Tomorrow I start in the west and end in the east.

BUSY

2009-04-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

So lately I have taken a big liking to checklists.
Here is my next two month checklist:
- ~~Send in auxiliary info to UCLA med... so they can offer me an acceptance~~
- ~~NYC trip, April 15th-19th, talk science with NYU faculty, visit NYSAAC conference, photograph Deep Foundation, visit Nightingales, and eat free food!~~
- Go to the Fatgums x Bambu "...A Peaceful Riot..." CD release party on April 25th, along with the "Because Your Mama Said So" Group Artshow dedicated to Mr. T -- AND -- The WORLD PREMIER of The Park's Finest BBQ rig!!!
- ~~Bay trip for Audrey's birthday and Hip Hop in the Park May 1st - 3rd~~
- ~~Decide on which experiments to do and and finish them by May 1st~~
- ~~Finish my first full thesis draft by May 8th~~
- Defend thesis May 22nd with my parents and friends present
- Get as far away from the Kleinfeld lab after my defense
~~- Meet and pick up Ruby in SD for the Womyn of Color Writings by Janice Sapigao.~~
- Finish my last class at UCSD
- ~~Finish my online~~ statistics course
- ~~Finish my last TA~~ position at UCSD
- Work on AA blog site and interview Ruby of Ill Literacy, Hip Hop Karaoke, Bambu, Son of Ran, The Heart, and pray that Janice won't think i'm crazy for all of this.
- Buy a new lens, so many options, so expensive, so worth it... EF 24-70, EF 15mm fisheye, EF-S 10-22 ultrawide, EF 70-200 IS f/2.8 L???
- ~~Apply to get my passport~~
- ~~Get bike fixed at bike store~~
- Pay doctor bills, womp womp
- Get vaccined up, womp womp
I hope i'm not getting myself into too much trouble.

Long Overdue — Never sacrificing substance for style.

2009-02-17T20:03:00.001-08:00

How are we as a people carried by our community?
This blog is an answer that I've learned and reflected on through my own experience(s).

With all that I've seen, read and heard about in the past two to three months it just amazes me that we as a youth, as a group of people, and as citizens of this community can sit down and not take a moment of time to reflect on what has happened.

Just recently, I have felt even more connected to the international community by identifying (for myself) the humane injustices facing the Gaza community. Let me preface this message with the fact that I am not anti-Semitic. However, I do believe in the right to self-defense, human rights, and self-preservation. And it's not just me, the majority of the UN (an overwhelming majority of the international community) tends to think that Palestinians are having their innate right of self-preservation stripped away from them. Need I say no more about this issues, but the fact that the international community has made it a point to mobilize and support Palestinians and their right to self-preservation.
To this matter, people all over the country, have been protesting and rioting, including myself.

Fists in the sky, cameras in the air, thousands of people together, chanting, protesting, and making their point in cities all across the nation.
This is what I have experienced, this is what I feel to be the community at work, the community at large, and the community making a point.
A photo I call Pride that I took at a San Francisco rally December 31st, 2008, which has been donated to the Valentines 4 Palestine art exhibit. This photo and other pieces of art work are being auctioned on eBay. Both the proceeds and the art work will be donated to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

You can bid on the pieces at http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/valentines4palestine

...
On the first day of January 2009, Oscar Grant, a native of Oakland, a native of California, and a native member of his community was executed. Why!? Why would any human, father, family or community member be unlawfully confined, shot point-blank (and with the utmost of honor of being shot in the back of the head) was killed? Was he fighting back? No. Was he endangering any other humans? No. Then why was he murdered?

Was it a color or race issue?
I being a native of the Bay Area — one of the most culturally and socioeconomic diverse communities, would imagine that we as a group of people would be accustomed to all the races and colors of the area. Nevertheless, most people tend to think his death lies within the racist ideologies that people, unfortunately still adhere to.

Personally, I can't find anything else to justify his death besides the inherent racist ideologies that are reverberated throughout the media and the homes of people who haven't learned history through an ethnic point of view.

So how do I relate this back to our community? Well, we can't rely on a top-down change (as has been seen with the police officer out on bail), however, I have seen, heard, and felt the power of community mobilization. Immediately after Oscar Grant's execution, members of Oakland and the greater Bay Area stood up against this in a mass rally/protest. One might say now, well, they have mobilized, and they are rallying, but what's the point? Nothing changes!
On the contrary, things do change, the community coalesces, and objectifies the goal of human equality through their own subjective experiences. Artistically, many have acted through music and photography to convey the power of mobilizing the community.
http://www.vibe.com/news/music/2009/01/mistah_fab_my_life_oscar_grant_tribute/
Check out My Life by Mistah F.A.B —
I'll tell you one thing, Oscar's life is being carried by the Oakland community, by the artists, activists, and photographers that contribute to remembering his life, and reminding us (the community) of the many injustices that face the ethnic communities.

Is it better to be dead then to have the living dye?

The 8th JFAV Veterans Day Parade and Community Fair in Historic Filipinotown

2008-11-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

"No Justice no Peace" was the first chant I remember hearing and shouting at the Justice for Filipino American Veterans rally in historic Filipinotown last Saturday in LA. Bordering Temple Street and Beverley Boulevard, Lake Street Park became the nucleus for coalescing the efforts of the community by mobilizing youth, students, nieghborhood activists, and veteranos to protest for justice and equity. Invigorating to say the least, it wasn't until we started marching that I realized I was turning the theory that I've learned, advocated, and read about so many times into real life practice. I saw a movement happen, not just in the sense of the people in front of me, but also in myself. What I felt was people power.
November 8, 2008 is a day that I will always remember. It was my first real taste of a progressive movement at the forefront of both civil and equal rights.

Additional photos can be found on guerillabusfare.blogspot.com (link on the right).

Using Science and Communication as Vehicles for Transcending Medicine: An Autobiography Geared for Medicine

2008-11-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

I was born in October of 1986 and spent the first three years of my life in San Francisco California. Soon my family moved to the neighboring city of Pittsburg, where I was not yet fully aware that we were living in a small town composed of destitute neighborhoods, which were populated with gangs, drug dealers, and the consequent addicts. Initially, my family couldn’t afford a home in Pittsburg when we moved there, so we lived with my grandparents, aunt, and uncle and slept four to a room for several years before we had our own place. My father, who was an immigrant from Iran, spent most of his time selling rugs outside of California, and left my mother and grandparents to raise me and my older brother Arya. My mom was a Mexican American and a hair stylist who often worked long hours to pay the bills. It was therefore my grandparent’s responsibility to raise us, and as a result they had a large influence on my upbringing. I remember seeing how hard my grandfather struggled, and how he was an immigrant from Mexico who at the age of seventy worked so much harder than people I know today at my age. I know now that my grandfather’s constant struggle and dedication to work has had a positive influence on my life. His simple example conveyed to me the importance of succeeding despite obstacles and barriers.
As a child, I struggled to come to grips with my life. I remember worrying a lot about my family, our economic situation, and my living environment. When my father was home I saw my parents argue. It was usually due to one of two things: my mother’s struggles with alcohol, or our shortage of money. This problem escalated so much that my third grade teacher held a mandatory parent-teacher conference, warning my parents that their conflicts were becoming a serious distraction for me in class. Whereas most kids around me worried about what they ate for lunch, I worried about my parent’s marital problems and the bills that needed to be paid.
These worries seemed to pervade the majority of my youth from elementary to high school. However, one positive thing remained constant throughout these struggles, and that was my tendency towards curiosity. I always wanted to know why something worked, and once I realized how it worked (often through hours spent tinkering with it), I would want to organize and systematize it. I believe this passion for order was my way of having control over some aspect in my life. And during junior high and high school I started to take this approach towards academics – especially with my science classes. Through these courses I was able to flood my mind with a myriad of new ideas, concepts, and processes that challenged my curiosity to discover the mechanisms underlying science. This however came to a halt, not when my parents divorced, but when the police raided the house I lived in because my brother was arrested for selling drugs on campus. Nevertheless, I was forced to persevere, because I knew I didn’t want to follow the same path as my brother. I realized money was worth earning the honest way.
Early on in my high school career I started working at a local chiropractic office near my high school. This was my first taste of science as a tool to help people. I remember being intrigued by the human body, and at the time even entertained the thought of becoming some sort of chiropractor or physician. Nevertheless I continued on my academic career in high school, and even when I was shaken up by my brother’s arrest, I still proceeded with my normal course of study, graduated high school and was accepted to college.
My time at the university was inspiring to say the least. It was at UC San Diego that I discovered so many of the interests that continue to play a big part of my life. I learned the about the history of social inequality, civil injustices, and the struggles that have challenged the ancestors of both of my ethnicities. Furthermore, I discovered a true interest and natural talent —communication. I have valued and used this skill to foster relationships between fellow students as a mentor and teaching assistant at the university. In all of these interactions, I stressed the value and importance of education and I did so by connecting to students on there level by tailoring the way I communicated to each person. This type of educational outreach became addicting, and I continued on this path all throughout college.
Science and its curiosities stuck with me all through my time at UC San Diego. Soon after my first year, I began to perform stroke and vascular related research in David Kleinfeld's neurophysics laboratory. It was through this experience that I was most challenged both intellectually and technically. Here, I learned how to take a cross-disciplinary approach towards science by investigating the underlying mechanisms of physiology and blood flow. Moreover, I can honestly say that my desire to become a physician-scientist stemmed from my relationship with David and the fellow researchers in and out of the lab – mainly physician-scientist Patrick Lyden. My experiences both in the clinic and in the laboratory made me realize that a career in academic medicine could feed my curiosities about why and how things work, and would also have the benefit of using science as a clinical service to the community.
Furthermore, this idea of helping the community became more apparent after getting to know the fellow researchers. Soon after joining the lab, I realized that my experiences growing up were unique, and could function as a didactic means of expressing the importance of education. I began doing community outreach by talking to disadvantaged high school students about the importance of college-level education and used my own story as an example of someone who managed to be successful despite challenging circumstances. It was then that I realized that I could use science and communication as tools to educate and help people through a medical approach.
My experiences as an undergraduate continued even after graduating with a degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology this past June of 2008. Since the commencement ceremony, I have continued to deepen my insight into clinical medicine with the help of stroke neurologist Patrick Lyden. I have been able to shadow him and his entourage of physicians-in-training at a weekly stroke and migraine clinic at the San Diego VA Medical Center. Furthermore, I have continued to value and utilize my tool of communication through local outreach to disadvantaged high school students, and have maintained my active role in the Undergraduate 2 Undergraduate mentorship program offered through the Hughes Scholars Program.
Most importantly, I have kept myself engaged as a University of California's new Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (UC LEADS) scholar and have partaken in an NSF funded summer research fellowship. Through this fellowship I have continued my research in David Kleinfeld’s neurophysics lab, where I am probing the altered angioarchitecture brought upon by the affects of Von-Hippel Lindau syndrome. This work will culminate in a research-based masters, where I will use two-photon microscopy to investigate vascular dynamics in vivo.
In total, I believe that my life experiences will undoubtedly have a rich impact on my career as a physician-scientist. For one, I intend to continue to do outreach geared towards inspiring disadvantaged and underrepresented young people to attain higher-level education. Furthermore, my experiences as a youth have given me a more nuanced understanding of our mosaic society, and because of this I want to organize and establish a weekly clinic for the uninsured within the community. Moreover, my experiences in the laboratory, both as an undergraduate and masters student, have solidified my passion for research and its intimate relationship with medicine. Lastly, I believe that my life experiences both in and out of academia have given me a deeper understanding of human nature and a deeper sense of compassion, which will be a priceless asset as both a physician and scientist.

Women's Rights

2008-09-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

After talking to Camela about Philippine politics I began to open my ears and really listen to the Exact Change album. I learned about Kabataang Makabayan: Pro People Youth and I did a little bit of research on the organization, where it stems from, and the issues it works on tackling.

I learned about Marichu Baoanan — a Filipina immigrant and domestic worker who was trafficked, abused, and enslaved in America working overtime for under the table pay to former UN Ambassador from the Philippines Lauro Baja, his wife Norma Baja, their daughter Maria Elizabeth Facundo and the Baja-owned LaBaire International Travel Agency.

This is completely ridiculous! Forget race and ethnicity, how do we as people subject others to slavery and exploitation? What has gotten into our civilization?
Or is it true, what Mariano Azuela stated in his novel The Underdogs, that "ultimately all men and women, when given an ounce of power, will seize it, will go mad with it, will be capable of anything."?

Archie Panjabi — Amnesty statistic: In 2005, Iran executed at least 8 juvenile offenders. Amnesty International reported on the case of a female who was publicly hung in the town of Neka for 'crimes contrary to chastity'. She is believed to have been 16 years old Photograph: Thomas Birkett

Whatever the case may be, we as a people, as a community need to change the way we think and become activists against this social struggle. It doesn't matter if these issues are centered in the Philippines or in Iran, once we solidify ourselves as a group of individuals we can start to precipitate and make a noticeable change.

Its better to die on one's feet than to live on one's knees — Emiliano Zapata.

Exact Change

2008-09-19T20:08:00.001-07:00

...once you change your philosophy, you change your thought pattern, once you change your thought pattern, you change your attitude, once you change your attitude, it changes your behavior pattern, and then you going into some action...and you and i have to make it stop, and the best place to start is right in the community where we live...
those are the careful words of our past civil leaders that bambu has chosen to begin his new album Exact Change. and let me be one of the first to tell you, the album is crazy. its been on constant repeat since last night when i invested twenty dollars at the kava lounge to buy the album and see broken dreams, chronic plague, son of ran, and bam spit his spirit out of the mic.

shot out to kava lounge for the small intimate venue, all the artists for their lyrics, efforts, and time, and shot out to my friends for taking a chance to give hip hop a chance. apprehensive at first, i had to convince that this wasn't 'normal' rap music. for anybody in the san diego area that missed the show, he'll be performing on the 27th at Stop the Traffick Jam with Kuttin Kandi and Mystik at the Price Center East Ballroom, UCSD and on october 4th at the FilAmFest in San Diego.

PLR: peace, love and respect

planning my life

2008-09-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

i've tried to plan my life as much as possible by constantly studying and working for my future. but whats happening now is that i'm actually working on my future more than enjoying whats going on around me. this is my first blog and i'm debating whether or now i want to make this public.
at least tomorrow i can bear the fruits of my labor. i'll be seeing bambu at kava lounge, which i've been waiting on seeing him perform again for three years now. it seems like every time he was performing (as a native gun or a solo artist) in the bay, i was in san diego, and every time he was in san diego, i was in the bay. whatever the case may be, i now have the opportunity to see him perform tomorrow, and once again at ucsd in a week in a half. i can't wait to pick up his new album Exact Change, which was released on the 11th of this month. get it, listen to it. his words are much more than music. they're bars for the kids.
Manila, Phillippines: A young boy carries a sack of freshly collected charcoal.
courtesy (http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/gallery/2008/sep/17/1?picture=337709741)

PLR: peace, love and respect