Kensho Kuma

Japanese American MC representing 510 Berkeley, CA.

Feast! on Hip Hop @ Ear Peace Records 11/23

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The good folks @ Ear Peace Records (3268 Adeline Street, Berkeley CA 94703) and I will be throwing “Feast! on Hip Hop” on 11/23. I cannot offer you a better opportunity for you to dance that turkey and stuffing off… I can personally co-sign each and every artist on the roster; I asked each one of them personally and they are all thorough artists I have rocked with throughout my life…

Feast! on Hip Hop line-up:

Candlespit Collective

the Understudies

Kensho Kuma

Orukusaki (Zulu Nation)

BQardi Ellington (PJ Mobb)

Cio Casteneda

Wisecrack the Skribe

Vago (Switzerland)

They did a phenomenal job renovating… If you haven’t checked out their art/ layout, please wake up and come through…

Rocking with Kirby Dominant and Mikah 9

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I will be rocking an opening set for Kirby Dominant and Mika 9 on 11/19/12 @ the Elbo Room in SF (647 Valencia St., SF, CA)

For those of us coming up in the late nineties Berkeley independent Hip Hop scene, Kirby Dominant is like our crazy uncle that always had our back. I remember running into Kirby at numerous local 510 venues that no longer are in business; he was always surrounded by many fine felines and sporting his usual illuminating smile. It’s an honor and a pleasure to rock with him in 2o12. We’re still here. The lineage of MC’s that came out of Berkeley is not a joke.

For those of you newcomers unfamiliar with the dominant pimping…

Here is a Kirby track from the “Strictly Indee” compilation I was also featured on from circa 2000. I remembered that he freestyled the entire last verse in one take… The compilation also features legends like Equipto and Shing02… damn, getting hella nostalgic.

Black Saturday X Below the Surface

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Photo by bts_james
I will be rocking alongside my peoples the Understudies (DJ Citizen and Sean E. Depp) and Rymeezee (First Dirt Ent.) on 11/24/12 @ Below the Surface HQ in Newark (37800 Central Court Newark, CA 94560.) Even the least-materialistic participants in the scene are tempted to get fitted on Black Friday (well, it’s a Black Saturday in this case,) so mind as well get dripped in gear that is designed by independent artists for independent artists. Louis Vuitton does not care about you, and they do not design their attire thinking about you… so be an educated consumer, because you’re going to consume anyway. The Below the Surface site is here and you can check their collection here. The Facebook event page is here.

I would rock the ish outta this BTS hat, but it’s a snapback… For those of you who don’t know me personally, I have a chrome dome (7 5/8,) so I can’t do the snap…

Fall 2 Sneak peek @btsbrand #fashion #urban #urbanwear #streetwear #boutique #tshirt #locals #duckcamo #fall2012 (Taken with Instagram)

 

Urban Art War @ Johnny V’s 10/13

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Urban Art War @ Johnny V’s in San Jose, 10/13/12…

This show features a highly unorthodox format, where all artists are on stage the entire duration of the evening, and the DJ blends songs in an unannounced order. Not even the MC’s know who’s track is coming up… As organizer Luck Loosh puts it, it’s similar to “musical chairs.”

Urban Art War Flier

Damn, Son Where’d You Find That? @ Brainwash 10/20

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Yours truly will be rocking with some of the hardest working local underground Hip Hop acts @ Brainwash in San Francisco on 10/20/12. This is a free event, so be sure to come through and support!! Also, you can get your laundry done at this venue…
The Line-up thus far:

Kensho Kuma

Candle Spit Collective

the Understudies

Orukusaki

Pure

Skinny Hendrix

BP of OTD

The “Swordz Up (Jovian Remix)” has been getting the crowd hyped recently, so I look forward to rocking it at a more intimate venue.

IGOT5ONIT @ Icon Lounge

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I will be performing with my comrades Orukusaki (Zulu Nation) and Joey Mousepad (Slayer’s Club) on 10/06/12 @ the IGOT5ONIT event @ the Icon Lounge in SF. Orukusaki and I will be premiering our tag-team set, so be sure to come through.. Tickets can be purchased here. I went to this monthly last month when A-Plus rocked it, and it was one of the more enjoyable nights I’ve recently had… would describe it as the good intersection where boom-bap meets Electronica… by Electronica, I mean Dubstep, Glitch-pop, and all those other genres I don’t have much schematic knowledge about, but enjoy nonetheless…

I got 5 on it flyer

072

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This time around in Japan, I witnessed a very special memorable performance by an up-and-coming female MC 072, pronounced “Natsu.” The Sapporo representer emitted an extremely unique, deep vibe which successfully transported the entire audience into her pleasantly twisted world. So many artists strive to be different and heartfelt in an abstract manner, and the result is just confusing nonsense which the traditional rap listener fails to enjoy, however 072 isn’t one of them. Her debut album, Inquisition, recently dropped from my long time friend KK’s label Lo-Vibe, and it’s definitely worthy of a listen.

08/25 EPR End of the Summer Blast

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Ear Peace Records and some of the hardest working independent MC’s are celebrating the end of the ’12 summer!

Free party! Come support your local artists! Everything on sale! New Mexican cuisine!

Confirmed Performances by:
Tantrum (KOTD Fresh Coast)
Rahman Jamaal (Projekt Seer)
Rymo (Backhand Entertainment)
Kensho Kuma (We Nod Records, Tokyo)
Orukusaki (Zulu Nation)
Patience
Candle Spit Collective
One Werd

EPR 08/25

 

 

 

08/02 Premium Shibuya

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Premuium Tokyo is my comrade Shux Wun`s event in Shibuya and has been one of the strongest international Hip Hop events in Tokyo for a while.

Yours truly will be performing 08/02 there and will be performing tracks from the upcoming the Program EP.

Please come by if you`re in the area.

God of the Serengeti

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Throughout my journey and development as an MC since the mid-nineties, there are few artists that I have studied as much as Vinnie Paz from Jedi Mind Tricks; I would describe his style as “controlled aggression,” where the syntax, syllable placement, subject matter, and pattern, are thoroughly calculated within every bar. Beneath the frequent references of hardcore violence, distrust for the government and organized religion, and alcohol indulgence, there exists a tortured bipolar soul that looks to Islam for the answer.

His lead-off single for the upcoming “God of the Serengeti” album is certified traditional banger… I mean, how can you not respect a dude that names his single after his favorite sandwich, features his mom and barber, rhymes about being manic depressive, and gets it produced by the Beatnuts?