UC Berkeley’s Students for Hip Hop will be hosting their 19th annual “Hip Hop in the Park” on 05/02/15. This annual celebration has a special place in my heart; I remember attending in high school when my mentors Group Uv Nutz killed the stage.. also, I opened for Frontline at this event back in ’03 or ’04.. This year, yours truly will be rocking with my comrades Breathless and BPos. The headliner is the critically acclaimed Fashawn.. this is my favorite verse from dude..
2FS (Kensho Kuma x Orukusaki) will be hosting Scarub of the Living Legends’ album release party on April 18th, 2015 at the Legionnaire in Oakland. Line-up includes veteranos Xienhow and Zyme (formerly Enzyme Dynamite) that I came up with in the East Bay scene.. Btw Xien’s “True MC” video is at a quarter million views..
“Meet the Cast” Trailer-
Orukusaki and Tefari at Filmatic Productions are continuing the weekly ROTC TV webisodes; every week, the episodes will capture the featured performers, patrons dancing to Kev’s set, MC’s, the Gemstone Band, and the overall vibe of ROTC. Khali at aFilmNoob shot and edited episodes 6.
ROTC TV: Episode 6- Return of the Beat Boxer
ROTC TV: Episode 7- Jern Eye
ROTC TV: Episode 8- Brycon x Luke Sick
ROTC TV: Episode 9- Mack Deezoe
ROTC TV: Episode 10- Boom Bap Sessions
Return of the Cypher now has an official weekly webisode series thanks to my brother Orukusaki and Tefari Casas from Filmatic Productions. Each ROTC TV episode will feature cyphers on and off the stage, the Gem Stone Band, DJ Kevvy Kev rocking the dance floor, featured performers, and patron interviews. Oruk will be the regular anchor, but I’ll cover for him when he’s out on assignments. Here are the first five episodes, enjoy.. Just always remember, ROTC is every Sunday evening at the Boom Boom Room in SF, and it’s always free and never will be canceled. All episodes shot by Tef @Filmatic Productions, except episode 5 shot and edited by Khali at aFilmNoob.
ROTC TV: Episode 5- the Introduction
ROTC TV: Episode 4- Rahman Jahmaal “Street Poetry” Release Party
ROTC TV: Episode 3- Watzreal Album Release Party
ROTC TV: Episode 2- Boom Bap Sessions feat. Joe Mousepad
ROTC TV: Episode 1- January MVP Competition
Team Backpack is an awesome platform for MC’s to showcase their craft. Many local artists, such as Richie Cunning, Task1ne, and Locksmith, have successfully accumulated a great deal of shine from Team Backpack. To tell you the truth, I have never seen a wack MC on TBP. I decided to submit a verse for the 2015 audition.. I’m normally not into submitting shit, or auditioning for anything.. but enough of my friends have been submitting this year, and it just seemed like too much fun..
Shout outs to Tefari Casas from Filmatic Production for shooting and editing.
Update: So the above submission got accepted and I was invited to the live auditions in LA! Unfortunately, due to life obligations I will be unable to go.. I’ll be rooting for my many friends to pass the auditions and rep in the cyphers.
The 1st 2FS show will be @the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts on 01/24/15. We are rocking for the Beat Shop, which is an organization dedicated to bringing beat workshops into classrooms. We will be rocking with the comrades BPos and our producer Decap.
Also, my brother Orukusaki of 2FS and ROTC’s Infinite will be rocking @the Great American Hall with La Gente on the same night. It’s going to be a busy night for the 2FS swordzmen..
I will be performing @50 Mason for the first time on 01/07/15, along with my comrades Poe x Citizen, Pure Powers, and OneWerd x Pete Feliciano. I haven’t done a solo performance since the summer time.. so let me get my bars up.
Yours truly is featured on OneWerd’s “Addiction” track with the comrade Pure Powers. This track is off OneWerd’s “the Faculty” album. If you know me from real life, you that I am a sober individual and have been for almost four and a half years now. This is my short story.
My comrades, the BPos clique (Khafre Jay x D-Wiz x Goodword x Gyrl Abstract x DJ Johnny Veneti) just dropped their “Party Mardi” video; it was shot at D-Wiz’s HQ, features cameos from many local party animals including yours truly, and costumes were done by Sarah Stylisms. You can get the brand new BPos album “Positive Beings” here.
My alter ego 510 Japanda Thug won the ROTC Halloween MC Battle; all contestants had to battle as their characters and Japanda faced very worthy opponents. Captain Ruksok hosted, Z-Man from the Hiero Imperium helped with the judging, and DJ Kevvy Kev held down the decks.
Preliminary Cypher
Round 1: 510 Japanda Thug vs. Anonymous
Round 2: 510 Japanda Thug vs. Spready Kruger
Final Round: 510 Japanda Thug vs. Slender Woman
On some real shit, I thought that the final round could’ve gone either way.. so I decided to split the prize money with Slender Woman… who is actually the alter ego of Babii Cris. A lyrical prodigy who is barely 21.. her self-produced, self-engineered album is dropping 01/03/15.
