Although b-boying and hip hop dancing has become the dominant form of hip hop in Southeast Asia, every locale has a few crew trying to hold it down for real hip hop music. In Taiwan, the TriPoets (pronounced Zam-P in Chinese) are one of a few underground hip hop crew grinding away for years to master their musical craft and gain respect and a bit of notoriety along the way.

Founded in the summer of 2002, TriPoets consists Teacher Lin, Ill Mo and Shortee. They purposefully pattern themselves after their American Golden Age idols such as Black Moon, Common and A Tribe Called Quest. Subsequently, their music is often jazz-sample based. They rhyme in Mandarin, a language so difficult to rhyme in that it has taken years to find a way to make it sound natural. TriPoets released a mixtape in 2004, “Listen & Speak” and have done performed in Taiwan with such acts as Ice-T, Public Enemy, Supernatural, Toni Blackman and Kero One (San Fran).

Ill Mo took a minute away from finishing his Master’s Thesis (an analysis of Spike Lee’s film “Bamboozled” relative to post-modern black identity issues) to spread some knowledge of Taiwanese hip hop and the essence of TriPoets.

Can you tell us about how hip hop first came into Taiwan?

Mo: It came to Taiwan in many ways. Around late 80’s, influenced by the movies “Flashdance”,”Wild Style” and “Beat Street”, young kids start to b-boy. And big companies such as Coca-Cola started to host big dance competitions. As time went on, the competitions started to generate attention from the record companies and TV shows, so they decided to create pop groups who incorporate a hip hop image and dance moves to attract the young audience.

After that, the most popular group called L.A. Boyz was born, consisted with 3 members born in the U.S, with strong image looking like Kris Kross, they were very successful, who also started a trend for street dance. And then there was Ju Tou Pi, he was a musician who incorporates the technique of sampling and rapping to reflect the political and social issues in Taiwan.

However, none of the above had a clear image of an “MC.” Until the year 2000, MC Hotdog released his first single with the style similar to Eminem, criticizing the pop-music scene in Taiwan, the idea of a rapper became more clear. However, with the strong influence from the early days, the dance aspect of hip hop is still the strongest in Taiwan.

TriPoets – Anaconda (feat MC Hotdog):

I know MC Hotdog was a big deal in hip hop there. Were there any other like him doing their thing in hip hop?

MO: Yes, there are, shout out to my man Dog G. He played an important role to MC Hotdog’s success, also accompany him on a lot of his early works. Dog G released his independent album in mostly Taiwanese, the native language in Taiwan. He is known for his political stand and had been interviewed by many foreign media such as CNN and Time magazine, for that he is strongly supportive of the independence of Taiwan. He is also one of the most influential figures in the hip hop community, especially in the southern Taiwan, in his hometown Tainan City.

Is hip hop in Taiwan mainly represented by music (MCs and producers) or do the other elements also shine (graffiti writing, b-boying, DJing)?

Mo: As we mentioned above, the b-boys and street dance is still the dominant element of hip hop in Taiwan. They can be seen behind pop stars doing dances. It doesn’t matter mainstream or underground, the b-boys are very active in Taiwan. As for DJs, they can be seen in clubs spinning, and graf writers can apply their skills to modern art and designing. Sadly, there are not too many “true” hip hop acts here in Taiwan as far as music is concerned. And that is exactly why we are still doing our thing.

What is the hip hop scene like in Taiwan right now?

Mo: Commericialized. And there are less and less shows and gigs for true hip hop supporters. There are die hard fans for it, but most of the times they are just not enough for the people working hard, fighting to make good music.

How did you first get into hip hop?

Shortee: When I was in junior high school, I first heard of Kris Kross. It caught my attention immediately. And for the events, I first went to the party held by Def Soul (the first organization to promote hip hop parties in Taiwan). Around year 1999, DJ Chicano was spinning, and he is still spinning till now, he is a strong influence in my early days.

Mo: My first hip hop CDs were Biggie’s “Ready to Die”, Snoop and Warren G’s first albums. It was also around my junior high school days. And I also went to Doobiest (the Tribal Streetwear Clothing shop founded by DJ Chicano and his friends), it was the hip hop information center back then with dancers and DJs. And I also went to some of the Def Soul parties as well.

How did TriPoets get together?

Mo: We first met in 1999, when one of our member Teacher Lin received a head position in Hip Hop Culture club in his university. Based on our passion for music and similar taste, we started to write rhymes and perform together. By 2002, the TriPoets was officially formed, after we had accumulate enough works, we released our first underground mixtape, which was also the first underground hip hop/rap music release in Taiwan. From then on we worked even harder to reach better quality, and finally we are putting out our official release in 2008 June through True Color, and the name of the album will be called “The Beginning of Rhymes.” It is our heart and soul in the album, hope the audience can feel our passion for the music.

What is the purpose of your music?

Shortee: To get paid and get laid (just kidding). Seriously, we aim to entertain and educate the audience through the music.

Mo: To incorporate our lives into rhymes, and to show that it is possible to overcome the obstacle of language and affect people with the rhymes. Basically, to make dope rhymes and dope music to touch people like how hip hop moved our hearts.

Tell us about your process of writing songs. Do you start with lyrics or beats? Is it hard to find recording studios there?

Shortee: It happens in both ways. There is no limit to it.

Mo: Thank God for Shortee. He has some equipment in his house where we can record the demos and he does production as well, and True Color has a official studio called Insert, which can provide quality booth and microphone and amp.

Describe your live stage show.

Mo: We tend to interact with the audience while getting our message across. It is very powerful and live. Also, we try to expand on the musical side by collaborating with bands and DJs as well.

What can we expect from your new album?

Shortee: The Golden Age type of hip hop, reminiscent of the good ol’ days, true skills of Mandarin rap and the art of sampling.

Mo: It is doable for listeners, we created the album based on the blueprint of classic hip hop albums, also to pay homage to the forefathers who paved the way in the past, much respect to them.

TriPoets – Used to Love Her:

What plans do TriPoets have for the future?

Shortee: Keep focusing on Mandarin rap skills development, to show that with the Chinese language we can still create dope hip hop music. And just to create dope hip hop music in general for music is the universal language.

Mo: Just to make good hip hop music that can touch people’s souls. And of course we’d like to step outside to Asia or different places of the world. We’re down to collaborate with dope artists all around the world, perhaps we will be doing something with Kero One soon. Hope that we can spread our music around the world. Also, don’t forget to check out “The Beginning of Rhymes” dropping in June 2008. Peace!

mp3: Looking For”

mp3: “Trumpet Blows”

The more esoteric and remote the artist, the more exciting my job gets. This post began when I stumbled upon Grundig, a Russian underground legend- compared by fans on a message board to Tupac and Pushkin- who died at 25 to a heroin overdose. I then discovered that he was 1/2 of the duo which translates as “Slaves of the Lamp:” a reference to drug addiction. Last but not least, the discovery of the video “TV Shit” on YouTube put me over the edge. I had to do some deciphering, and by no means am I done yet.

Above is the original cassette cover art for their first and only release, 1998’s “This Is Not Painful.” Below is the artwork from a more recent reissue. Decidedly less gritty.

In 2001, after Grundig’s death, the album was re-issued to feature the track “Dedication” - a song by the remaining Slave (”Jeep”) featuring the DOB Community and YG. Somehow, I navigated a website entirely in Russian and nabbed some mp3s from the album. Check them out, along with the “TV Shit” video:

mp3: “Rabi Lampi” (Intro) “Slaves To The Lamp”

mp3: “My Drug”

“TV Shit”

My friends often ask me how I find the artists for Flight 808- how I find myself capable of judging non-English hip-hop. My answer is always a combination of production, flow, and what I read about their “message” from other websites. While I’m excited about the story of Rabi Lampi and specifically Grundig, I really haven’t found anything about the content of their lyrics. Grundig also has a book out (I’m assuming it’s poetry), so this info is waiting for me somewhere. Flight 808 will get to the core of this mysterious, short-lived duo… stay tuned for Slaves of the Lamp pt. 2!

EDIT: Shouts to Konstantin for ripping me a new one on numerous errors in my post. Hopefully, things look better now. Konstantin also informed us that while Grundig was only half of the group in terms of members, he wrote all of the lyrics and composed mos of the beats. Thanks again Konstantin. Translations forthcoming!

I once made the statement that Nomadic Massive was single-act embodiment of international hip-hop, but Maga Bo just might make me eat my words. A DJ / Producer based in Rio de Janeiro, Maga Bo has recorded in Morocco, South Africa, India, and Senegal. In World Up’s Mixtape, Maga Bo blends traditional and contemporary sounds from around the globe, providing a diverse soundscape for hip-hop giants Saul Williams, Gift of Gab, and K’Naan, to name a few of the English speakers that I could detect. The mix, almost 62 minutes long, can be heard in its entirety on the player below:

mp3: “World Up Mixtape by Maga Bo”

In other news, Flight 808 is growing every day! Whoddathunk it? That said, we’re looking to add a few more writers before we get into all sorts of trouble this summer. Really, all sorts; it’s going to be an exciting time. If you’re interested, there are opportunities to do interviews, short pieces, long pieces, whatever. It’d probably be more professional to figure out if my @ flight808 email addy is working, but I’m just going to leave my personal email address up here for a few days so people can get at me: tommyabu @ gmail . com

Think it over yo! More goodies coming up in a few days. Peace.

Honestly, it’s not entirely accurate to call Da Mouth a hip-hop group. And this is not a blog for Asian pop. But there’s still something interesting about Da Mouth. A lazy writer would call them a Mandarin Black Eyed Peas (I’m somewhat lazy). They sound slick like a pop group, and they’re mass-marketed as a pop group – but elements of hip-hop find their way into these songs, intentionally or not. For a band in Taiwan, made up of foreigners from Japan and Korea, to take an American art form and sell it in the mainland mainstream is bolder than their catchy and melodic music may let on. Not as political or nationalistic in tone as Blacklist Studio or Dog G, their music crosses borders and frames a larger culture than most Taiwanese music.

“Kao Guo Lai” is a party track reminiscent of Missy Elliot, and in the video female vocalist Aisa steps into a similar role. Mandarin speakers out there will notice something off about her raps – they have a strong Japanese accent. Before forming Da Mouth, Aisa had done her rounds on television shows in Taipei, often performing with other local hip-hop groups like Machi as well as acting in dramas and commercials. The song is also a good introduction to MC 40, whose raps in Mandarin, Korean, and English are surprisingly versatile and adept – except for “1 for the girl/2 for the girl/3 for the girl/ and that’s 4 sho.” I’m at a loss to explain that one. I can explain the lyrics on the screen, though – the video’s an excerpt from KTV, which is basically MTV with karaoke.

mp3: “Get You Back”

On the third track of last year’s Universal Music debut Da Zui Bai, vocalist Harry gets his Timberlake on to an uptempo dance beat. The hooks in “Get You Back” are in surprisingly clear English. If you listen carefully you can also hear some basic turntable work courtesy of DJ Chung Hua, who doesn’t get to work the vinyl much. It’s sad to see him underused, on some tracks he just seems like a prop to lend the whole group more cred.

mp3: “Jie Guo Lie”

This one was Asia’s introduction to Da Mouth last fall. It has the kind of positive message that makes American heads roll their eyes – “We want to tell people to not give up. Don’t look down on yourself. Try harder otherwise you won’t know the jie guo lie” (roughly translated as “the end result”) says MC 40 on Malaysia’s Star Online. The fact that they’re getting a positive message through a pop presence in a larger culture that spans the region, however, is the real noteworthy feature here – China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and even Japan and Korea have all caught on to Da Mouth in one way or another. To see globalized artists in a culture fixated on national identity is compelling.

While we’re feeling all warm and fuzzy, I’ll leave you with the video for “119,” which fairly sums up their attitudes using clichéd images of mobility, sexuality, and escapism. As you watch, remember that they’re trying to build a global movement. In the meantime, I’ll be hoping their follow-up is, well, harder.

Just as hip hop reached out to the world in the 80s and 90s, the world has taken hip hop and is reaching back into America. The influence of non-American hip hop culture is evident and celebrated is music, film and activism. The Global Underground Film and Music Mini Fest will celebrate this international spirit in an all day/all night day global hip hop event on April 26, 2008, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan that will last from 2 PM to 2 AM

From global hip hop label Nomadic Wax and sponsor World Hip Hop Market, the Global Underground Film and Music event will celebrate world culture and positive hip hop with film screenings drawn from the global Diaspora. The films will be shown from 2:00 PM until about 9:00 PM at The Performance Project at University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street, New York, NY. This event is free and open to the public. Free wine will be served from 5 PM - 9 PM

The films shown will include:

African Underground: Democracy in Dakar (Follows the controversial 2007 elections in Senegal from the perspective of youth and Hip Hop artists)

Puedo Hablar (Following the 2006 presidential elections in Venezuela)

Diamonds in The Rough (A group of young people from Uganda use Hip Hop to spread their revolutionary message of hope and change.)

Chocolate City (Explores the rapid gentrification of Washington, DC, through the eyes of a group of local women displaced from their city center homes to make way for massive reconstruction)

Love Bites (Film adaptation of an absurdist play Benign Eleven exploring American society’s issues and the reasons behind the 9/11 attacks)

Estilo Hip-Hop (Hip Hop in Latin America as a voice and an agent of social change)

African Underground: Democracy in Paris (The attitudes and concerns of France’s immigrant and Hip Hop communities during the elections of 2007)

Nomadic Wax will then host the official Global Underground after party at Drom, 85 Avenue A (between 5th and 6th), New York, NY. The live music event will feature MCs, DJ and live percussionists from countries including, Senegal, Mexico, Brazil, Sierra Leone and more. The performance will begin at 10:00 pm. Entrance to the after party will be $10 to the public or $5 for those who attended the free film event.

For more information, contact Ben Herson @ ben@nomadicwax.com

Sponsors Include: Nomadic Wax, World Hip-Hop Market, Sol Productions, The Performance Project, Drom, Lima Chips, Annansi Clothing, Kamhuri Wear, Zol Lab, H2A, Fusicology.

For this post, lets start off with the song you probably all knew and loved at some point. For a trip down the mid 90s memory lane, I give you “Lucas With The Lid Off”:

“Lucas With The Lid Off” brought the Danish-American artist Lucas international attention, and his album Lucacentric shot up the charts in many countries. This groundbreaking video (shot in one take!), directed by Michel Gondry, was nominated for a Grammy and an MTV Video Music Award in 1995. With a unique jazz-influenced sound (and a little reggae thrown in), Lucas managed to shake off the Vanilla Ice-esque stigma he experienced after the release of his first album, To Rap My World Around You.

Since his success with Lucacentric, Lucas has worked mainly behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer – and has been extremely successful. He’s had a hand in selling over 20 million records working with artists such as the Pussycat Dolls, Sugababes, Damian Marley, Mos Def, Aaron Carter and many more. Hold on – did I just say Aaron Carter?? I kind of laughed at this one, but before you completely dismiss Lucas consider this – one of the songs he wrote for Aaron, “Leave It Up To Me”, was the lead single off the soundtrack of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, an Academy Award nominated film, i.e. big bucks. If you’re looking for a little amusement, here’s the link for the video:

mp3: Lucas & Mos Def “Ms. Fat Booty Pt. 2″

Currently, Lucas is working with Pixie, a 16 year-old R&B/Pop artist from the UK who is signed to Def Jam. He’s also co-writing a track for the Pussycat Doll’s new album and working with the mega-popular UK Pop/R&B/Electro trio Sugababes. Check them out:

mp3: “Future Shokk”

His most exciting current project is Freefonix, an animated show about a futuristic hip-hop group. The show is BBC’s largest animation projects in history, and is now the second most watched show on British TV. It is set to go worldwide this year with tracks written and produced by Lucas. I’ll try to break down the storyline for ya – the lead characters, Freezbone, BB and Mo Start, are “Freewavers” whose music is a blend of rock, rap, techno and pop. They have to fight off the evil organization ComaCo, who markets “plastic” girlband music and suppresses other genres. Take a minute to dig around their website, and then check out this clip from YouTube:

And now – in closing – some fun facts about Lucas:

• He attended NYU and studied Psychology, Philosophy and Music Business.

• His dad, Paul Secon, was a songwriter, a reporter at Billboard and founded Pottery Barn – which sells gorgeous house wares that are out of my price range.

• His mother, Berta Moltke, was/is a world-renowned Danish artist.

• He had his son Fabian rapping at an early age – recording his first track at the age of three.

If you’re interested in learning more about Michel Gondry and the video for “Lucas With The Lid Off”, check this out.

808 Family,

Admittedly, this post is a few days too late. However, for those who missed the festival (like myself), there is a lot of material here (I really loaded on the mp3s) that should give you a good idea of what went down. It’s never too late to start planning for next year, either. . . Trinity’s International Hip-Hop Festival really is THE event.

-Tommy Abu

On April 4^th, 5^th and 6^th, 2008, Africa is in the house. Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, presents the 3^rd annual Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival and – just like the first two – African hip hop is heavily represented among the performers.

The Trinity Festival was the brainchild of Trinity alum Magee McIlvaine, who blended international studies with hip hop and film. McIlvaine spent part of his undergraduate time studying in Senegal where he picked up an appreciation for the local hip hop flavor. Homegrown African artists often tend to speak on more political subjects and social injustice, while popular American artists continue to influence with their money, sex and violence ethos.

Chachi, an MC from the west African island nation of Cape Verde, describes hip hop in his homeland like this: “One of the biggest problems I see is identity crisis amongst youths and lack of proper role modeling. [T]he negative portrayal of hip hop culture and the over exposure of violence and materialism through media has a tremendous impact on society as a whole. The violence negatively inspires the youth to become overly aggressive and out of control. Cape Verde is traditionally a very respectful culture. The negative impact of gang culture and violently charged music is making the next generation of youth uncontrollable.”

McIlvine decided to bring this “hip hop with a purpose” to American audiences in 2006. With fellow student Jason Azevedo and Ben Herson, owner of African hip hop label Nomadic Wax Records, and backing from Trinity College, they staged the first hip hop festival in America with an international focus.

In its first two years, the Trinity festival brought in performers hailing from Kenya, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Uganda and Ethiopia. In 2008, they will highlight performers from Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, Senegal, Uganda and Ethiopia.

One of the performance headliners is Zimbabwe Legit. Band members Dumi Right and Akim came to America from Zimbabwe in the early 1990s and released an internationally acclaimed EP on record label Holllywood Basic. They recorded a full album in 1992 with production help from DJ Shadow and Mr. Lawnge (of Black Sheep) but due to label issues it was not released for 13 years. The 2005 album was a throwback to the golden age of hip hop and the group built on their success and released House of Stone in 2007 to excellent reviews.

mp3: Zimbabwe Legit “Vicious Cycle” featuring YZ

mp3: “Rock To The Drums”

Playing host of their year’s performances – and also performing himself on Friday night – is Ghana-born Blitz the Ambassador. Now residing in Brooklyn, Blitz seeks to being a conscious message to a mass audience. He has performed with Public Enemy, KRS-One, Rakim, Mos Def and Talib Kweli. He has been profiled in The Source, Vibe and named one of URB’s “Next 1000”. “Hip-Hop is political transformation by nature,” Blitz has said. “We are all transformed by the power it has to uplift our intellect and educate us on basic human and civic rights.”

mp3: BLITZ the AMBASSADOR “Hands Of Time”

mp3: “Home”

A highlight of every festival has been the African Underground All-Stars. Nomadic Wax owner Ben Herson – also a producer, DJ and drummer – leads a live band that backs some of the most talented of African MCs. While the band remains mostly the same, African Underground performs shows with a variety of MCs from all over Africa. At the 2008 festival, African Underground will rock with Senegalese rappers Baye Musa and Azbac plus Krukid from Uganda. Krukid was part of 2007’s Rawkus 50, an elite group of amazing underground hip hop artists promoted by the newly re-launched Rawkus Records.

African Underground All-Stars from Trinity Festival 2007

mp3: “Pato ‘Keep It Real’ Remix”

Four MCs representing the West African island nation of Cape Verde will rock together on Friday night. The quartet comprised of Shokanti, Tem Blessed, Chachi and Dje Dje all share a common African heritage and skills on the mic. These guys are not just performers but activists. Shokanti is the Director of Community Cultural Development at The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, Connecticut. Tem Blessed speaks with youth groups about positive living. Chachi addresses the common struggles of Cape Verdian and American youth.

Tem Blessed – The Challenge

Finally, playing for his second year in a row is Ethiopian-born, Seattle resident Gabriel Teodros along with his Dominican-Haitian partner Khingz Makoma forming the group Abyssinian Creole. The name is a melding of both of their ethnicities to form a unit that exhibits every aspect of them as individuals within an African Diaspora. The duo are a perfect compliment, Teodros’ spiritual approach to an often ugly world beside Khingz also spiritual, but more grimy street ethic.

Abyssinian Creole – Don’t Cry for Us

The Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival will be held April 4, 5 and 6, 2008, at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Daytime events include panel discussions, films and workshops. The musical performances will be held Friday and Saturday night from 8 pm to 2 am in the Vernon Social Center on campus. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, see http://www.trinityhiphop.org

By Greg Schick http://www.trinityhiphop.org

Just a few short years ago, 7 Notas, 7 Colores had been relegated to milk carton status. Notably absent from the music scene since the early turn of the century, fans were left wondering, “Where have they gone?” All that changed in 2007 when they reemerged with a new lineup and the fresh single, “Tenemos Droga”.

Rewind to 1993 in Barcelona, Spain. Hip Hop was still a few years away from its global explosion and there were only a handful of serious emcees actively honing their craft in this European Union member. Full-fledged Hip Hop crews were even more of a rare commodity. Ironically and unfortunately, one of these scarce rap groups had to disintegrate before 7 Notas could be birthed. At the time, there was a notable underground crew called Los Poetas Violentos. An aspiring young emcee named Mucho Muchacho (birth name Oliver Gallego) handed his demo to Dive Dibosso, the group’s producer, one evening after a performance. So floored by what he heard on the tape, Dibosso soon after left Los Poetas to pursue a musical avenue with Muchacho. And so from the ashes of Los Poetas Violentos rose the story of 7 Notas, 7 Colores (translates to 7 Notes [as in Do Re Mi…], 7 Colors [as in red, yellow, blue…]).

Honing their chemistry over the next few years, the emcee-producer combo was able to win the affections of the record label Yo Gano, who eventually swayed them to sign in exchange for their own imprint label. Dibosso and Muchacho then formed La Madre Records and began releasing a series of singles, including the buzz gathering “Difícil Como Un Lunes por la Mañana” and “Perro Mutante”. In 1997, the duo released their first LP, “Hecho Es Simple” (“Indeed, It Is Simple”), to critical acclaim. Audiences appreciated Muchacho’s clever lyrics, wry humor, and trademark twisting rhymes, and felt as though producer Dibosso brought the most out of him by providing minimalist, yet highly rhythmic beats. Ironically, it wasn’t until several years later, after it’s United States release, that this record received mainstream love in the mother country when in March of 2000 the album was nominated for “Best Album” in the “New Artist” category by the hosts of a highly regarded music awards outlet in Spain. This was a landmark moment for Hip Hop in Spain as their nomination was the first ever for a Hip Hop crew.

After the release of their first album, the group underwent its first roster change as DJ Neas, who had been performing with 7 Notas at live shows, departed. Soon after, emcee Eddy La Sombra joined the mix and DJ Vadim of Russian descent was enlisted to fill the shoes of Neas. Together they released 1999’s “77”, their second and final album on La Madre, which featured the Company Flow assisted “NYC-BCN”. Another standout track from the album was “Siete” (“Seven”), a joint that captures the creativity, sound, and humor the crew became synonymous with. Peep the video below for a glance at Muchacho’s unique, nasally flow:

However, more changes were in store as Juan Brujo, representing Kool Arrow Records, happened to stumble upon a 7 Notas show and was instantly impressed by their energy and the crowd’s fevered response. Soon after, they signed, Kool Arrow being the aforementioned record label to release “Hecho, Es Simple” for U.S. distribution. Unfortunately, in all too familiar fashion, the pairing was short lived as 7 Notas found the label to be more troublesome than valuable. Falling back on the Hip Hop ethos of DIY, they formed their own label, La Mami Internacional (“The International Mommy”), and in 2000 released an album by the same name. The album was a critical success, gathering a nomination for “Best Rap/Hip Hop album at the Latin Grammys.

And like that, poooof, they were gone. Other than a 2003 solo effort, “Chulería” (“Cockiness”), by Muchacho, the group appeared to vanish from the scene. All that changed with last year’s announcement that 7 Notas, 7 Colores would be returning with a new lineup. Muchacho, the lone remaining original member, retains emcee duties, although he will now be joined by Principante, a rhyme animal from Valencia. DJ Vadim will now serve as the group’s primary producer. They’ve already released the new single “Tenemos Droga”, featuring Muchacho’s smooth and insightful lyrics over a melancholy rollercoaster of a soundscape. Check the YouTube link below for a live Barcelona performance of the new joint:

Word on the street is to expect the new full length LP in 2008. The buzz has started and for good reason. 7 Notas’ traditionally stripped-down, raw sound coupled with Muchacho’s famous mix of Spanish, Mexican Spanish, and popular Latin slang addressing provide a refreshing alternative to the dominant sounds of today’s airwaves. Whether it be accurately portraying the working class struggle of their people or effectively blending street narratives with playful humor, 7 Notas has never been afraid to push the boundaries, as good artists do, creating compositions that evoke emotion and thought as good art does.

For one final treat, check the audio link below for one of my personal favorites; the 2000 released single “Gorilas y Bananas”:

mp3: “Gorilas y Bananas”

As it turns out, to find the real treasure trove of Native Hip-Hop you have to head north to Canada, home of today’s feature Team Rezofficial. From Alberta, Rezofficial is not as heavily political in their music as older Aboriginal groups from the area like War Party. Whether or not this is a bad thing is your call, but Rezofficial chooses to make music more out of the “global hood” Dr. Osumare discussed in her book (what do you mean you didn’t read it yet? Go, do it now!) On “Keep It Movin,” MC Hellnback tries to pull off a positive street anthem, and it works.

Hellnback, Big Drezus, and Tomislav do vocals, with beats by JMak and Stomp. The sound is a lot like the stuff happening in the south and west here in the States, but they’re talented enough, and seem honest enough to get credibility. The next single, “No Time to Quit,” comes from a Canadian movie “Stryker,” and tells the story of a native kid in the middle of a gang war. Wab from Winnipeg’s Dead Indians opens with a guest verse.

Their new album, “The World and Everything In It,” is set for a wide release next month, so keep an eye out for it. Filming for the video for the first single, “Lonely” just wrapped, and a few tracks are available on http://www.myspace.com/teamrezofficial. And if any of you happen to be local to Albuquerque, they’ll be performing a string of shows, including the Gathering of Nations main stage. To keep the rest of you satisfied in the meantime, this last video, called “hellnback killin em,” is pretty self-explanatory.

And for one final treat, here’s an mp3 from DJ JMak’s recent side project inspired by Bruce Lee, featuring verses from Rezofficial emcees.

mp3: “Drums Of War”

You can find the full download here if you like what you hear.

Ever since its inception, hip-hop has served as a powerful medium for the downtrodden, neglected, and forgotten to assert their voices. Grandmaster Melle Mel, KRS-One, Queen Latifah, Chuck D, Ice Cube, K’naan, Immortal Technique, and Rebel Diaz have all eloquently voiced the concerns for the masses they represent. Litefoot, a Cherokee frequently serving as the voice for Native American communities, is another link in this chain of artists evoking social awareness and, when it falls upon the right ears, even social change.

Litefoot, born G. Paul Davis in March of 1969, was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma and currently resides in Seattle, Washington. Although of Chichimeca descent, he is also an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Generally regarded as the first Native American emcee, Litefoot has described his brand of hip hop as “Tribalistic Funk”, implying that his unique style is a collage of numerous regional sounds, including the Midwest, West Coast, and Dirty South, along with musical and cultural aesthetics from his own Native heritage. The “Tribalistic Funk” label has also been used to connote the fact that there are many commonalities between the tribal roots of both Native Americans and African Americans living in the United States.

However, don’t be fooled by the nomenclature Native American. I feel as though many emcees who don’t fit the stereotypical hyper-sexualized, angry black male rapper model get referred to as a “you fill in the blank” emcee rather than what they really are: an emcee just like anyone else who rhymes words together in a rhythmic fashion over drum-infused beats. Gay emcee, female rapper, white rapper, Jewish rapper, political emcee, conscious emcee. Why don’t we ever say “angry, hypersexualized, black emcee”? Because that is what society wrongfully deems as the qualifying characteristics of “authenticity” within the craft of emceeing. Anything is out of the ordinary and thus deserves a qualifying adjective. And it’s not confined to the category of hip-hop. We find parallels with the disproportionate frequency with which NBA commentators label black athletes as “cerebral”. We expect the white athlete to be smart because, well, quite frankly simply because he’s white, whereas we find it surprising to see a black man speak eloquently (or at least what classical Western English defines elegant as). In turn, he is labeled the cerebral black athlete as opposed to your just plain old athlete.

Needless to say, the point is don’t be fooled into believing Litefoot is some wack emcee benefiting off a label and cheap gimmick. Dope is dope, as you can’t hide talent. So if were going to use adjectives and/or labels with Litefoot, let’s just refer to him as a highly skilled (won Artist of the Year at the 2004 Native American Music Awards) and accomplished (has released 12 albums in a career spanning 1992 to the present) emcee. For a sampling of this talent, check the following track “Walk Funny”)

mp3: “Walk Funny”

In a genre of music that incorporates so many different styles and traditions from a myriad of unique cultures, the multitalented Litefoot truly embodies the collage that is hip-hop. Not simply just an emcee, Litefoot sports an extremely diverse resume. He’s starred in such films as “The Indian In the Cupboard” (he played the role of ‘Little Bear’), “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”, and “Adaptation”, on several occasions winning Best Actor awards from First Americans in the Arts Awards and the American Indian Film Institute. Litefoot has also appeared on television programs ranging from “CSI: Miami” to “Any Day Now”. Another avenue through which Litefoot displays his creativity is in the field of fashion design. Having produced and designed several clothing lines, his most famous brand being “Native Style”, his works can be found online and in Native American Casino’s across the nation. Retail store distribution is presently under works. Never shying away from the business side of things, Litefoot also signifies the DIY (Do It Yourself) attitude of hip-hop, establishing and running his own record label, Red Vinyl Records, for over 16 years.

Despite the fact that Litefoot busies himself with the hats of emcee/actor/designer/producer/CEO, he still somehow finds time for his passion of activism. Perhaps that is because Litefoot incorporates his message into everything he does, whether it being designing a new Native Style hoodie or composing new lyrics for his upcoming album Relentless Pursuit. Constantly touring as both a performer and motivational speaker, Litefoot appeared at over 200 different events in 2006 in the North America alone. Several years ago, he debuted his now annual Reach the Rez Tour in which he visits and empowers Native American communities throughout the United States and Canada. He’s currently on tour throughout the summer of 2008 in case anyone wants to check it out. For a little taste, here’s a YouTube link of a Litefoot performing on a Canadian reservation in June of 2007 in last year’s tour:

Working in conjunction with the tour, Litefoot has been producing and hosting Reach the Rez Radio, a weekly radio show aired via Native Voice One Satellite Network, since 2005. For all those interested, you can check it out online at www.reachtherezradio.com.

In a day and age where it is easy for cultural icons to use their celebrity as nothing more than a way of further packaging and branding themselves for more sales, it is refreshing to see an artist like Litefoot use his various endeavors and myriad of talents to help educate and empower. Whether he’s giving a speech for Reverend Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push Organization or combating ignorance of Native culture by releasing 2004’s Redvolution in response to Outkast’s infamously racist performance of “Hey Ya” at the 2004 Grammy Awards, Litefoot continually strives to bring the joys and concerns of an often overlooked people to the forefront. As with any genre of music, there are always issues of form versus content. And these issues often leave critics and fans alike conflicted. We often find ourselves adoring the aesthetics of the music, while struggling with the politics of the music. Put more simply, we didn’t really dig what the artist had to say, but we sure as hell loved how they said it. Or vice versa. Litefoot is one of those emcees where we can bump his music and not even have to qualify it as a guilty pleasure.

In closing, perhaps it would be most effective to let the artist speak for himself. I’ll leave you with a lyrical snippet from Litefoot’s 1995 collaboration with Kid Frost, “Willin’ To Die”.

So I’m proud to be Cherokee

And the United States government ain’t scaring me

Back in the days they killed Indians for salaries

They gonna have to come and get me

Black boots and hundreds of troops like 1860

So listen to the words that I’m writing

If I’m going down, bet your ass I was fighting

Ask me what I am and I can never deny

I’m a Indian homeboy and I’m willing to die

Alright, I lied. I’m going to steal the spotlight and get in one last word. If anybody wants to hear Litefoot wax poetic, just check out the roundtable essay Native Tongues (about global indigenous movements within hip-hop) from the Jeff Chang edited Total Chaos. He drops some science. Okay, just so Litefoot gets final say, I’ll leave you with a current thumper of his, “Litefoot The Don”:

mp3: “Litefoot The Don”

Baba Israel was raised in the hip hop rich New York of the early 80s, but also spent time living in Australia, his mother’s homeland. Early on, he became enamored with beatboxing and really honed his craft in Australia, where he collaborated with seminal Aussie hip hop artist Morganics. Back in the States, he met Yako 440, a musician and budding beatboxer himself and the two formed a duo.

They have recorded two albums – most recently Beatbox Dub Poetics – and they tour and perform all over the world with live show like no other, incorporating breaking, beatboxing, emceeing, live instrumentation and audience participation, all with only the two of them. They have helped develop the concept of “hip hop theater” for the last dozen years and performed at the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival (www.trinityhiphop.org) every year.

Baba has been featured in films such as Freshest Kids, Freestyle and Breath Control. He’s performed off-broadway, been seen on BET, MTV, VH1 and toured Europe, Asia, Austrila and New Zealand.

I spoke with the two last week about beatboxing, their inspirations and the Trinity Festival.

Old School G: How were you first introduced to hip hop?

Baba Israel: I was first introduced by listening to Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack, graffiti on the trains, b-boys in my school, and just being a kid in NYC in the eighties. I grew up downtown but Hip Hop traveled through the airwaves, subways, and hitters who came to dance in the village and Soho. In 1985, I went to my first show with Run-DMC, UTFO, Force MD’s Roxanne Shante, crazy!

Yako 440: I grew up in woodsy/suburban Connecticut so a lot of my first exposure to Hip Hop was through music videos and movies like Breakin’. I remember always being amped up after watching that and trying to Break, but having no clue what I was doing! I played instruments from age 6, but wasn’t until high school in ‘94 where I really started participating in Hip Hop and building with friends who showed me the basics of Graff and Beatboxing.

OSG: Who were your beatbox inspirations?

Baba: Dougie Fresh and Buff from the Fat Boys!

Yako: Rahzel. Both live performance and recorded tracks inspired me a lot.

OSG: Were you self taught on the beatbox or did you have a “beat box trainer”?

Baba: I learned from my man SBG, and this cat who said he was Dougie’s cousin taught me the clicks, this is when I was 11. Later I learned from vibing with fellow beatboxers (Morganics ,Elf Transporter, Duma Luv [Australia], and later cats like Yako, D-Cross, Kid Lucky, Masai Electro). I feel that I have picked something up from all those cats and I shared with them- its a mutual exchange of our art form.

Yako: Before I started doing shows with Baba I sounded OK acoustically, but had no mic skills. He definitely showed me the ropes on how to perform as a beatboxer. From there, like Baba said, all of us in Beatboxer Entertainment (add Semerock, Midi, and more) have really geeked out with each other and learned a lot about the art form.

mp3: “Live Beatbox”

OSG: I remember you from the Redman and Method Man prank show because of your didgeridoo. When did you pick up that skill and how do you incorporate it into your live show?

Baba: My mother is from Australia. The didgeridoo or Yadaki or Yigi Yigi is an aboriginal instrument. I started playing after vibing with a dope musician named Duma Luv and a player named Simon 7 tuned me on to it. Duma was the first cat I saw beatbox with it, then I added the Slide element which I picked up from an Australian cat. I lived in Australia and learned more about the culture. Its an instrument that is played with dancers I always rock it on tracks for breakers!

OSG: As an MC, what type s of topics and themes do you focus your lyrics on?

Baba: My topics are often political, social justice, social critique, examining spirituality, my freestlyes tend to be more stream of conscious and react to the moment. My new work is a little more lyrically dense and exploring that flow and stream. It might still have a political edge. but it’s layered in a denser exploration of my thoughts - and in some ways more personal. You wont hear that ‘til next year.

OSG: What inspires you musically?

Baba: Life experience, travel, sorting out and maintaining my sanity, community, other artists, the youth I work with, beats, beats and more beats!

Yako: Dub and Reggae music inspire me a lot. I listen to bass lines from Family Man and Flabba holt, those are my bass gurus. Baba’s been playing gigs with NY based jazz musicians Jason Lindner, Panagiotis Andreou, Avishai Cohen and others who are on a whole other level musically. We’ve been lucky collaborate and they definitely play on a level I aspire to. For beats some of my favorites are Dilla, Premier, and Organized Noise.

OSG: Do you produce your own tracks? What other producers have you worked with?

Baba: Yako and I do most of our production. I have worked with Eric Krasno from Soulive and I am starting to invite other producers to collab such as Core Rhythm.

OSG: Describe your involvement in hip hop theater.

Baba: I have been doing Hip Hop Theater projects since 1995 when I worked on the Bridge a Hip Hop Theater piece in Sydney Australia with Hip Hop Theater artist Morganics and a talented crew of Aussie and NYC based artists. I have found that Hip Hop theater gives Hip Hop a new creative context where a diverse range of topics, emotions, and stories can be shared. I found it challenging to manifest certain stories and pieces in a straight up club show. I also like challenging and expanding the space of the theater and turning an often passive environment into one of call response and energy. I co-founded the Playback NYC Theater Company who have been presented by Hip Hop Theater Festival and New World Theater. In the world of Hip Hop Theater I have performed in Hip Hop Commedia’s What you say white boy? Full Circle’s Soular Powered at the New Victory Theater, collaborated as a musician with Rha Goddess and Renita Martin, and directed Maxwell Golden (UK) and Sharpening Swads (UK).

OSG: Are you doing more theater performances or musical performances these days?

Baba: I mix it up, I was just on tour in southeast Asia and the south pacific doing music with Dana Leong, I am touring Europe in June with Yako and Core Rhythm, and Morganics doing straight up underground Hip Hop shows! And then in the fall I will tour the theater show to the UK and Australia as well as NYC. I love both venues and they inform each other!

OSG: How did you two hook up?

Baba: Yako came and jammed at a loft party I had, and it was on!

mp3: “Runnin Outta Time”

OSG: Why do you think the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival is important?

Baba: Its my favorite festival! The organizers are on point, the politics and culture are on point and my view of Hip Hop is international, I am tired of the insular view a lot of New Yorkers and Americans have! lets open it up! That’s what Trinity does! Quality international Hip hop!

Yako: For those of us who travel and seek out quality Hip Hop in other places, we know what amazing music is out there to be enjoyed. It’s nice to have that wider perspective brought home, but instead of collecting CDs and listening, the Trinity Festival does it live and direct.

OSG: Are you working on any new projects? Albums, music, theater?

Baba: New Baba Israel and Yako 440 album in works, along with an album we produced for dope vocalist Duv titled “Urban Artistik.”! New Theater piece Boom Bap Meditations, plus we got a track on Akrobatik’s new record!

Baba Israel and Yako 440 at Trinity Festival 2006:

To those who aren’t geographically inclined, the name Greenland may conjure images of lush pastures, scenic vistas, and idyllic farming villages. WRONG! The name Greenland may be somewhat of a misnomer. There’s not much “green” at all. In fact, eighty percent of this country is covered by a ubiquitous ice sheet. The harsh climate of this frozen island would seem to stifle any kind of growth within this country. However, as testament to the resiliency of hip hop, the art form has found a home in Greenland and has begun to thrive. In 1984, hip hop migrated from the boroughs of NYC to the frosty fjords of Greenland. The following year saw the inception of Greenland’s most prominent hip hop crew, Nuuk Posse.

Although Greenland is situated in the Arctic region more closely to Canada, it still maintains strong ties to Europe, more specifically Denmark. Ethnically, the Nuuk Posse is comprised of members who share the same Inuit ancestry. The multilingual crew often rhymes in Greenlandic, Danish, and English. Group members are Andreas Hojgaard, Lars Sørensen, Peter Motzfeldt, Henrik Pedersen, Thomas Hansen, and John Olsen. The origins of the group can be traced back to ’85 when Peter, John, and Henrik first formed a crew. They drew their inspiration from such influential artists as Africa Bambaata, Grand Master Flash, Kool Moe Dee, and the Rock Steady Crew while immersing themselves in every aspect of hip hop culture—DJing, rhyming, breaking, and putting up graffiti. In 1992, after officially christening themselves the Nuuk Posse, the group dropped their first single “Sussa Appinnagu.” This was followed-up by their first album, NP in 1995. Kataaq, their first international album was subsequently released in 1996 via Belgian record label Subrosa.

The group’s proud heritage is reflected in their music as they fuse old school hip hop elements with traditional Inuit music. The essence of their music is captured perfectly in their song “Sussa Appinnagu.” The emcees drop lyrics in their native tongue over a beatbox and Inuit chants.

Nuuk Posse has been instrumental in empowering the youth of their country and instilling a sense of Inuit pride among them. The crew strives to educate their brethren and remind them to never forget their roots. As a result of their efforts, they have received several accolades such as being awarded the National Cultural Prize in 1996 and being appointed as one of the United Nations’ Messengers of Truth in 2004.

To say Maya Jupiter is a busy girl would be a huge understatement. She’s an emcee, a dancer, a radio host, a TV host, an educator…and the list goes on and on. Since we’re focusing on Australia this week, I chose to highlight Maya Jupiter because of her central role in the Aussie hip hop community – and because I can’t resist a moment for a little bit of girl power.

Growing up in Australia, Maya faced ridicule and racism for her Mexican and Turkish decent. She felt so traumatized that she was completely uninterested in embracing her Mexican culture – going so far as to resist learning the Spanish language. At just fourteen years old, she began to find herself through the discovery of hip-hop. The passion and rawness of artists like Naughty By Nature and Ice Cube moved her, even though she couldn’t completely relate to the lyrics.

At 18, Maya followed her sister to breakdancing classes and became fully immersed in the hip-hop community. Being a dancer all her life she enjoyed breakdancing for a while, but knew hip-hop was her number one passion. She soon decided to focus on becoming an emcee and as a female artist, made a conscious effort not to be another “hip-hop booty shaker”. At the time, Australian hip-hop was struggling to be accepted – the public didn’t necessarily like hearing an Aussie accent in a rap song.

Cut to today – she’s wildly successful, incredibly talented and on top of it all, gorgeous. She has since taken ownership of her heritage, using it as a source for inspiration in her music. Incorporating salsa and mambo rhythms, Maya has created a unique, multicultural hip-hop sound on her solo projects and with her 11-piece salsa band Son Veneno. I’m talking really multicultural – Son Veneno mixes jazz, hip-hop, latin influences and traditional Chilean music.

Maya is also part of the Aussie trio Foreign Heights – along with MC Trey and DJ Nick Toth. Check out “Get Yours (Remix)”:

Like most of the artists here on Flight808, Maya is also very active in her community with the Soul Sistaz Project at the South Sydney Youth Services, along with MC Trey. They are both certified educators and run a music business program for disadvantaged youth – girls only (to continue with the girl power theme)! This program sounds absolutely amazing – the girls have the opportunity to express themselves through writing songs, recording music and performing. On the business end, they learn the ins and outs of the music industry, are trained to handle interviews and even design their own album artwork. Both Maya and Trey are passionate about helping people grow in the hip-hop community.

Another interesting facet in Maya’s career is her involvement with Channel [V]. She’s currently the host of a new show called “Freestyle” where she travels the world interviewing the best artists hip-hop has to offer, with some up-and-comers thrown in. It’s definitely worth checking out – here’s a YouTube teaser:

If your thirsty for more Australian hip hop, check out the Oz Hip Hop website :
http://www.ozhiphop.com/

For links within text:
Maya’s official website: http://www.mayajupiter.com/index.htm
Maya’s Channel [V] page: http://channelv.com.au/V/Article.aspx?id=916

In our global age, does it behoove MCs to study their art in different cities around the world? Well, it did in the case of Delta, the Australian born MC who spent time living abroad in London and Brooklyn.

“I think the most important lesson I learned [living abroad] is to treat people as they deserve to be treated, and that nothing is as it seems,” Delta told me. “A lot of people in life constantly want to surround themselves with people of status, or wealth. I chose to surround myself with people who love life, and have strength of character. These experiences are what make travel so rewarding.”

Delta started out his MC career the hard way: freestyling and battling. Maybe you don’t think Australia would be a tough place to battle but their scene has been bubbling up for the last decade and produced some excellent MCs, DJs and producers. Delta really stood out and forged a reputation as a tough battler.

Here he is winning the 2003 South Pacific MC Battle for Supremacy against another excellent Aussie MC, Hyjak.

His training to that point included a stint in Brooklyn in the late 90s where he hooked up with Mojo the Cinematic of underground group Dujeous.

“My homeboy Mojo from Dujeous I met during my first stay in New York in 1999 through my connections with Atoms Family, and a close friend of mine called T1 a.k.a. Shelshok - an amazing producer. Check for him.”

Here’s MOjo and Delta’s amazing collaboration “The Greater Good” from Delta’s 2006 album The Lostralian.

After that time, he moved to London and mixed it up with some heavyweights of the UK scene.

“I met Delta once when I was at DJ Vadim’s place,” UK super producer Mark B told me. Quite a global circle. Vadim is the Russian ex-pat producer with a global following. Mark B was half of Mark B & Blade whose album The Unknown was the biggest selling UK hip hop album of all time (when it came out in 2000). Mark B and Delta hit it off and started collaborating.

In 2004, they made a groundbreaking tour of Australia, a joint UK/Aussie show.

“To my knowledge, this was the first time this had happened,” Mark B said, “and I think overall it’s fair to say we received a very good response from the crowds. I really enjoyed it in Australia and met a lot of good people. It showed me that hip hop culture was very much still alive somewhere and flourishing, and not everyone was taken in and brainwashed by MTV and the major label BS radio music.”

“The Mark B/Delta tour was a bit…progressive in the fact that it comprised a UK producer and an Oz MC, which hadn’t really been done before, but traditional as far as it was just that tried and true formula: an MC and a DJ rocking the crowd. The tour was fun, and a real eye opener.”

After the tour, the two decided to work on a full album in earnest. Just about two years later, it was finished, Mark B presents Delta The Lostralian.

They led off with a single called “Mayday”, a neck snapping effort that Delta claimed sounded like a “b-boy theme from Jaws” with its unsettling horns and tympani percussion. Check this out:

The album continued to demonstrate Mark B’s versatility of sound and adaptability to the MCs he is working with.

For Delta’s part, he continues to expand his international group of collaborators. His album includes a scorching anti-gun violence track with UK star Skinnyman (“One Less Gun”), work with Aussie stalwarts Trem, Motion and Prowla, and “Rhymes Like This” with Murs of Living Legends.

“Murs and I met when he was touring Oz a number of years back and we became good friends,” said Delta. “The rest is history.”

Delta is one part of the new wave of Aussie hip hop artists who are creating a huge scene down under.

“I think Aussie hip hop is really getting some recognition these days, and there are so many young people out there hungry to make it happen as artists.”

Mark B and Delta are currently finishing up their second album together. Meanwhile, Delta and Mojo did another song together called “Doorbell” that you can peep on his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/deltarock

Artists Gather From Around the World to Make a Difference Through Hip-Hop

Hartford, Connecticut, March 1, 2008 – Hip hop garnered a lion’s share of negative publicity in 2007 – DJ Drama was arrested for selling mixtapes, Don Imus pointed a finger at hip hop’s misogyny and T.I. was arrested on gun charges – spawning a nationw