2FS (Kensho Kuma x Orukusaki) performance footage from 03/30/14, shot by Tefari Casas at the ROTC event at the Boom Boom Room. Stone Rock held down the boards. This show was dedicated to the ROTC home team.
Underground Hip Hop
One Werd Releases “the Faculty”
MC One Werd and I share several things in common besides rapping: we’re both teachers and we both are practitioners of a specific faith. He released his “the Faculty” album this week and I’m featured on the “Addiction” track along with my friend Pure Powers. This one is for my people “in the rooms.” This album also features Orukusaki, Task1ne, Telli Prego, Pete Feliciano, JB Nimble, and Joe Mousepad.
DJ Dolbee Releases “Still Underground”
DJ Dolbee is a veteran DJ/ producer located in Tokyo, Japan. He recently released “Still Underground” on CD and on vinyl. Buy it at We Nod Records, the illest independent record store in this solar system.
I met him in the late nineties when he resided in San Francisco, and was working at the now defunct Zebra Records on Haight Street. He was the first person to ever believe in my rapping abilities and is credited as being the first to ever record me and release any material with your boy Kuma on it. The “Nice Kut” mixtape was released in 1998 and features my first released freestyle ever.
Then he returned to Japan, had a label fly my big homie Tenzin and me out there, formed a crew “I.P.S” and featured us on a vinyl release. The 1999 “Catacombs” compilation was my official debut and remains my only vinyl appearance to date.
East Bay Dungeons
“East Bay Dungeons” is a track recently I did with Acmac. This one has a mid/ late-nineties Telegraph cypher throwback feel to it… you know when crews like Mystic Journeymen, the Living Legends, Bay Area Art Collective, Hobo Junction, Cytoplasm, the Slumplords, Kimetic Sunz, and of course the Group Uv Nutz were wrecking cyphers and selling four track tapes.. Yeah, those days.. What the fuck have I done with my life..
Kensho Kuma- East Bay Dungeons
Cats in/ the East Bay to A.S.I.A demanding me/ to go and murder every microphone they handing me/ it’s like a fantasy, ‘cause every fan of me/ is watching Kuma become everything he planned to be/ a true king never mistreating his followers/ people depend on me to speak up for all of us/ we’ve had enough of these demonic conquerors/ and gives a shit if you believe in the God we trust/ the soulless and monstrous stuck in the matrix/ oppressing men and women and corrupt what is sacred/ I’m numb as a basehead, dumbing down my statements/ our adolescent dreams just crumble on the pavement/ we picking up the shattered fragments piece by piece/ and the resentment and despair get released on beats/ ‘cause a life situations you believe defeat/ so we doing what we doing to achieve our piece/ ain’t got no Jesus piece, just some prayer beads/ here in the underground of the Bay, I play for keeps/ you are so damn shallow but your hatred’s deep/ all the love up in the media is make believe/ so just pray for me, as I turn my will over/ while everyone is getting drunk, your boy is still sober/ the cops and criminals that’ll kill soldiers/ been always dedicated to this, trying to build towards a/ better life, better scene, better tomorrow/ even when I’m overseas, I’m repping the locals/ been rocking Asia, Vietnam to Tokyo/ get beheaded if you ever step in my dojo/ respected by global veterans and freshmen/ for the talent we uphold and elements we blending/ 510 Ken Kuma, general of henchmen/ rule the underworld with intelligence and weapons/
Revolver Open Mic
Revolver Open Mic is a sister event of “Return of the Cypher” which occurs first and third Wednesdays at the Showdown (60 Sixth St. San Franciso.) The event is coordinated by my teammates Orukusaki and Denero, is frequented by all the ROTC regulars, and beatsmiths like Bayroo Burner, Stonerock, and Decap often show up to play instrumentals. SF icon DJ Johnny Venetti of BPos is the venue owner, so it’s got a very welcoming environment.
2FS @ Yoshi’s Oakland
2FS MC Orukusaki will be the featured special guest @ the Chris Riggins’ Talent Show being held at Yoshi’s in Oakland on 06/20. We will be performing 2FS material as a crew, including a brand new banger dedicated to debauchery.
ROTC 1 Year Anniversary Showcase
You probably know by now that I help organize a weekly event called Return of the Cypher, which is an open-mic jam session at John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom Room on Sunday nights. You probably know that it’s the fastest growing Hip Hop event in the Bay Area and that we have a very supportive community. If you were raised by the culture, you will feel like you finally made it home. All MC’s are encouraged to spit. We will be celebrating our one year anniversary on 06/15 with an amazing showcase filled with a diverse range of artists that have come through in the past year.
Preceding the anniversary showcase, the San Francisco Black Film Festival will be premiering “‘Til Infinity,” a Souls of Mischief documentary. Needless to say, it is extremely appropriate to host a world premier documentary about the Bay Area legends before our platoon of independent rappers set it off.
05/30 Hip Hop for Change Movement Building Party
Hip Hop for Change is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting socioeconomic inequality through Hip Hop empowerment and employment. We bring Hip Hop creativity classes onto public school campuses, enabling students to learn the craft of rhyme writing, graffiti art, break dancing. I am proud to have been chosen to be a director in this wonderful nonprofit organization. HH4C will have a party on May 30th at the Elbo Room (647 Valencia, SF.) featuring B-Pos, SF’s Richie Cunning, and a special beat showcase by Today’s Future Sounds. Hosted by yours truly.
Kensho Kuma Hosting ROTC 04/27/14
If you know me from real life, you know that I religiously attend “Return to the Cypher” @the Boom Boom Room (1601 Fillmore St., SF) on Sunday nights. You already know that I’m a ROTC director and I care very much about the event. You already know that I invite every MC I meet to come through and spit. If you have ever been to ROTC you know that it’s a very supportive and organic community that we’re building. On 04/27/14 I will be the cypher host and also will be featured during the weekly performance. My homie Denero’s Stocks and Bonds crew will be the featured guest on 04/27. The event is free as usual, so come through.
Also, this particular ROTC will feature our One Track Wonder competition. Contestants get to perform one song, the audience judges, and the 04/27 champion will receive prizes and an invite to perform in a future competition amongst the winners. If you’re interested in competing in the One Track Wonder competition, please follow the directions below and good luck.
2FS Santa Cruz Show 05/09/14
Alright, 2FS (Kensho Kuma x Orukusaki) will be performing May 9th, 2014 @Bocci’s Cellar (140 Encinal St) in Santa Cruz. We will be joined by our comrades Task1ne, who performs more than anyone I know, and Poe and Citizen, who just came home from a Deltron tour. Shout outs to Onewerd who came and got us to do this show… I expect to see his calculator watch.
2FS in Santa Cruz –> Friday May 9th, 2014 @ Bocci’s Cellar
