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"content": "\u003cp>[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n a Thursday night in rapper-producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aft.fng/\">Afterthought\u003c/a>’s home studio in the Fillmore, he, fellow musician \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/baghead.fng/\">Baghead\u003c/a> and comedian \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/everybodylovezmike/\">Mike Evans Jr.\u003c/a> are plotting out the weekend’s itinerary. It’s the two-year anniversary of their 17-member artist collective, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/familynotagroup__/\">Family Not a Group\u003c/a> (FNG), and there are Costco trips to be made (they’re cooking jambalaya for 100 people for their anniversary party at El Rio) and a half-dozen friends’ DJ gigs to hit up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afterthought is still jet-lagged from his tour in Europe, and Baghead hasn’t even had the chance to take off his nametag from the school where he and Evans work by day. The three are tired and hungry, yet fueled by the excitement of dreams within reach — it’s all in a day’s work for up-and-coming creatives who were born, raised and working hard to stay rooted in one of the most expensive cities in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That sense of hope and precarity is the backdrop of \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrtmArB3wmUWthlTLmCihg0YHisf4UU3K\">\u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, a new web series starring Evans as a fictional version of himself — a relatable, tie-dye-wearing striver trying to make it in San Francisco. Evans started writing it in 2019, and the project catalyzed the formation of FNG, who came together during the recording of the accompanying \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album in 2021. In the two years since, FNG’s momentum seems to have grown exponentially: the crew’s many endeavors have had a lift-all-boats effect for young, diverse artists from the City, and the energy is contagious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people who are around us think about us as having elevated to a level or whatever,” says Afterthought, who executive produced the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album with Evans and Baghead. “But we still have no money, and most of us work regular jobs in addition to being artists. It’s the hardest position where it’s like, ‘Do I quit and be so uncertain?’ — which is basically what \u003cem>Rent Check\u003c/em> is dealing with.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/amSk_NUZUn0?si=-t55CtKinvdIWaI8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community-funded web series was a huge, collective effort. Evans co-directed \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> with Jules Retzlaff, and the small, independent \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/surgemediacollective/\">Surge Media Collective\u003c/a>’s Jill Hill and Annie Aguirre came on as producers. The cast includes many FNG members and standout Bay Area musicians like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900085/stunnaman02-and-the-big-steppin-energy-in-the-room\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913890/la-dona-ybca-san-francisco-guaranteed-income-pilot-artists\">La Doña\u003c/a>. After its YouTube release in May, the show will get a proper celebration Nov. 4 at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.brava.org/all-events/rent-check\">Brava Theater\u003c/a> with a screening and live performance of the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album, which hits streaming platforms on Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s very Bay Area and of us to have been like, ‘We’re gonna do this shit grassroots and do this shit on our own,’” Evans says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936838\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936838\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap holds a basketball covered in signatures.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mike Evans Jr. holds a basketball signed by everyone who collaborated on his web series, ‘Rent Check,’ in San Francisco on Oct. 19, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i>’s surreal vignettes, as the fictional Evans communes with a hyphy ghost and battles bullies on the basketball court, the 12 episodes coalesce into an absurd, hilarious and at-times poignant story about a young man’s search for meaning and belonging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amid gross-out gags and raunchy jokes, \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> is sophisticated in how it blends social and political commentary with humor, building on Bay Area shows and films like Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13837271/what-the-complicated-friendship-in-blindspotting-reveals-about-race\">\u003ci>Blindspotting\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, Boots Riley’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13930923/tune-yards-boots-riley-im-a-virgo\">\u003ci>I’m a Virgo\u003c/i>\u003c/a> and Joe Talbot’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13858829/the-last-black-man-in-san-francisco-hits-home-in-oakland\">\u003ci>Last Black Man of San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/a> (whose star, Jimmie Fails, plays a fitness coach in \u003cem>Rent Check\u003c/em>). Race, gentrification and inequality are the focal points of those works, but \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> doesn’t strain to overly explain itself. Instead, social injustices are the backdrop of Evans’ misadventures, and, by trusting the viewer to \u003ci>get it\u003c/i>, the show is able to take the conversation to interesting places.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/aJy_-GNJysQ?si=jBCAXG9c6RzEPf5S\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A particularly hard-hitting episode called \u003ci>Pimp of the Year\u003c/i> explores a viewpoint often heard on the street level of Bay Area activism, about the limitations of electoral politics. While smoking weed dressed as Spiderman on Halloween, days before the 2020 election, the fictional Evans argues the importance of voting blue to two friends (in cheesy zebra-print coats and dollar-sign necklaces) who insist that all politicians are pimps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A president never change shit in the hood, bro,” says a character played by rapper-activist \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13936224/hyphy-kids-got-trauma-pt-4-my-generations-report-card\">Rich Iyala\u003c/a>. “Never! As far as I’m concerned, it’s just another white man in power.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Evans, the encounter hasn’t lost its relevance in 2023. “In all reality, it’s like no matter who the president is, they’re still a part of the same fucked up machine that’s literally killing babies across across the world right now,” Evans says. “In that episode I play the character of the typical person that believes in the two-party system, that believes all Democrats are our saviors.” [aside label='More on San Francisco Artists' postid='arts_13934125,arts_13928057,arts_13932870']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hese political conversations aren’t just happening on screen. Evans met Iyala on a trip to Sacramento to protest statewide police brutality, and many of the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> collaborators have a history of boots-on-the-ground social justice activism. Evans connected with \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> series co-director Jules Retzlaff while campaigning for justice for Mario Woods, who was killed by the San Francisco Police Department in 2015. And in 2016, Retzlaff and \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album executive producer Baghead were two of the four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10944195/s-f-state-students-go-on-hunger-strike-for-raise-in-ethnic-studies-budget\">San Francisco State University students who participated in a hunger strike\u003c/a> in response to cuts to the ethnic studies department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crew’s politics come across poignantly on the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album track “Cut the Stimmy” by EaSWay, Frak, Afterthought and Kaly Jay (who plays the aforementioned hyphy ghost), where a chorus of “fuck Joe Biden” is rambunctious enough to incite a mosh pit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/i_TJpYcz2lc?si=8P1M6jraAnHGDDEq\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The way we’re pushing the song now is trying to express that politics is about who has right to food and water, who has a right to shelter, who doesn’t,” says Baghead. “Whether it’s gentrification in San Francisco or what’s happening in Palestine, we see the establishment as people who continue to support the structures that are in place now that will put profit — put wealth, capital — over people’s lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> crew and FNG might look like they’re all about having a good time on the surface, but there’s a deeper purpose to bringing people together through laughter. After so many working class people and artists have been pushed out, Baghead calls what they’re doing the “San Francisco renaissance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936839\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936839\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of polaroid-type photos of people hand on a wall indoors.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Polaroid photos of ‘Rent Check’ collaborators hang on the door of Afterthought’s home studio in San Francisco on Oct. 19, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Really what I want for us is more stability in our artistic careers and in San Francisco — that’s the constant fight that we’re battling,” says Afterthought, noting the album and many FNG projects wouldn’t have happened without his parents generously opening their home to their huge crew of 20-somethings. “I get a parking ticket now and it’s like, all right, well, I gotta pay for the parking ticket, or I pay for this music video.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have hella fun, but we’re still creating music in spaces where we’re critically thinking about what’s happening and what our role is as a people,” Baghead adds, “What can we do, you know? And doing it from a place of knowing that we deserve to have joy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Rent Check film screening and concert takes place at the Brava Theater in San Francisco on Nov. 4. \u003ca href=\"https://www.brava.org/all-events/rent-check\">Tickets and details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The grassroots project led by comedian Mike Evans Jr. and Family Not a Group galvanized the City's young creatives.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">O\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>n a Thursday night in rapper-producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aft.fng/\">Afterthought\u003c/a>’s home studio in the Fillmore, he, fellow musician \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/baghead.fng/\">Baghead\u003c/a> and comedian \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/everybodylovezmike/\">Mike Evans Jr.\u003c/a> are plotting out the weekend’s itinerary. It’s the two-year anniversary of their 17-member artist collective, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/familynotagroup__/\">Family Not a Group\u003c/a> (FNG), and there are Costco trips to be made (they’re cooking jambalaya for 100 people for their anniversary party at El Rio) and a half-dozen friends’ DJ gigs to hit up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afterthought is still jet-lagged from his tour in Europe, and Baghead hasn’t even had the chance to take off his nametag from the school where he and Evans work by day. The three are tired and hungry, yet fueled by the excitement of dreams within reach — it’s all in a day’s work for up-and-coming creatives who were born, raised and working hard to stay rooted in one of the most expensive cities in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That sense of hope and precarity is the backdrop of \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrtmArB3wmUWthlTLmCihg0YHisf4UU3K\">\u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, a new web series starring Evans as a fictional version of himself — a relatable, tie-dye-wearing striver trying to make it in San Francisco. Evans started writing it in 2019, and the project catalyzed the formation of FNG, who came together during the recording of the accompanying \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album in 2021. In the two years since, FNG’s momentum seems to have grown exponentially: the crew’s many endeavors have had a lift-all-boats effect for young, diverse artists from the City, and the energy is contagious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people who are around us think about us as having elevated to a level or whatever,” says Afterthought, who executive produced the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album with Evans and Baghead. “But we still have no money, and most of us work regular jobs in addition to being artists. It’s the hardest position where it’s like, ‘Do I quit and be so uncertain?’ — which is basically what \u003cem>Rent Check\u003c/em> is dealing with.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/amSk_NUZUn0'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/amSk_NUZUn0'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community-funded web series was a huge, collective effort. Evans co-directed \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> with Jules Retzlaff, and the small, independent \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/surgemediacollective/\">Surge Media Collective\u003c/a>’s Jill Hill and Annie Aguirre came on as producers. The cast includes many FNG members and standout Bay Area musicians like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900085/stunnaman02-and-the-big-steppin-energy-in-the-room\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13913890/la-dona-ybca-san-francisco-guaranteed-income-pilot-artists\">La Doña\u003c/a>. After its YouTube release in May, the show will get a proper celebration Nov. 4 at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.brava.org/all-events/rent-check\">Brava Theater\u003c/a> with a screening and live performance of the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album, which hits streaming platforms on Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s very Bay Area and of us to have been like, ‘We’re gonna do this shit grassroots and do this shit on our own,’” Evans says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936838\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936838\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap holds a basketball covered in signatures.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-012-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mike Evans Jr. holds a basketball signed by everyone who collaborated on his web series, ‘Rent Check,’ in San Francisco on Oct. 19, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">I\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>n \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i>’s surreal vignettes, as the fictional Evans communes with a hyphy ghost and battles bullies on the basketball court, the 12 episodes coalesce into an absurd, hilarious and at-times poignant story about a young man’s search for meaning and belonging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amid gross-out gags and raunchy jokes, \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> is sophisticated in how it blends social and political commentary with humor, building on Bay Area shows and films like Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13837271/what-the-complicated-friendship-in-blindspotting-reveals-about-race\">\u003ci>Blindspotting\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, Boots Riley’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13930923/tune-yards-boots-riley-im-a-virgo\">\u003ci>I’m a Virgo\u003c/i>\u003c/a> and Joe Talbot’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13858829/the-last-black-man-in-san-francisco-hits-home-in-oakland\">\u003ci>Last Black Man of San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/a> (whose star, Jimmie Fails, plays a fitness coach in \u003cem>Rent Check\u003c/em>). Race, gentrification and inequality are the focal points of those works, but \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> doesn’t strain to overly explain itself. Instead, social injustices are the backdrop of Evans’ misadventures, and, by trusting the viewer to \u003ci>get it\u003c/i>, the show is able to take the conversation to interesting places.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/aJy_-GNJysQ'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/aJy_-GNJysQ'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>A particularly hard-hitting episode called \u003ci>Pimp of the Year\u003c/i> explores a viewpoint often heard on the street level of Bay Area activism, about the limitations of electoral politics. While smoking weed dressed as Spiderman on Halloween, days before the 2020 election, the fictional Evans argues the importance of voting blue to two friends (in cheesy zebra-print coats and dollar-sign necklaces) who insist that all politicians are pimps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A president never change shit in the hood, bro,” says a character played by rapper-activist \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13936224/hyphy-kids-got-trauma-pt-4-my-generations-report-card\">Rich Iyala\u003c/a>. “Never! As far as I’m concerned, it’s just another white man in power.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Evans, the encounter hasn’t lost its relevance in 2023. “In all reality, it’s like no matter who the president is, they’re still a part of the same fucked up machine that’s literally killing babies across across the world right now,” Evans says. “In that episode I play the character of the typical person that believes in the two-party system, that believes all Democrats are our saviors.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">T\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>hese political conversations aren’t just happening on screen. Evans met Iyala on a trip to Sacramento to protest statewide police brutality, and many of the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> collaborators have a history of boots-on-the-ground social justice activism. Evans connected with \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> series co-director Jules Retzlaff while campaigning for justice for Mario Woods, who was killed by the San Francisco Police Department in 2015. And in 2016, Retzlaff and \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album executive producer Baghead were two of the four \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10944195/s-f-state-students-go-on-hunger-strike-for-raise-in-ethnic-studies-budget\">San Francisco State University students who participated in a hunger strike\u003c/a> in response to cuts to the ethnic studies department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crew’s politics come across poignantly on the \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> album track “Cut the Stimmy” by EaSWay, Frak, Afterthought and Kaly Jay (who plays the aforementioned hyphy ghost), where a chorus of “fuck Joe Biden” is rambunctious enough to incite a mosh pit.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/i_TJpYcz2lc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/i_TJpYcz2lc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“The way we’re pushing the song now is trying to express that politics is about who has right to food and water, who has a right to shelter, who doesn’t,” says Baghead. “Whether it’s gentrification in San Francisco or what’s happening in Palestine, we see the establishment as people who continue to support the structures that are in place now that will put profit — put wealth, capital — over people’s lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ci>Rent Check\u003c/i> crew and FNG might look like they’re all about having a good time on the surface, but there’s a deeper purpose to bringing people together through laughter. After so many working class people and artists have been pushed out, Baghead calls what they’re doing the “San Francisco renaissance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936839\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936839\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A collage of polaroid-type photos of people hand on a wall indoors.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231019-RentCheck-013-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Polaroid photos of ‘Rent Check’ collaborators hang on the door of Afterthought’s home studio in San Francisco on Oct. 19, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Really what I want for us is more stability in our artistic careers and in San Francisco — that’s the constant fight that we’re battling,” says Afterthought, noting the album and many FNG projects wouldn’t have happened without his parents generously opening their home to their huge crew of 20-somethings. “I get a parking ticket now and it’s like, all right, well, I gotta pay for the parking ticket, or I pay for this music video.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have hella fun, but we’re still creating music in spaces where we’re critically thinking about what’s happening and what our role is as a people,” Baghead adds, “What can we do, you know? And doing it from a place of knowing that we deserve to have joy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Rent Check film screening and concert takes place at the Brava Theater in San Francisco on Nov. 4. \u003ca href=\"https://www.brava.org/all-events/rent-check\">Tickets and details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "E-40 Gets the Key to the City of Vallejo and a Street Named in His Honor",
"headTitle": "E-40 Gets the Key to the City of Vallejo and a Street Named in His Honor | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>On Saturday, Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell handed the key to the city to one of its biggest musical icons: E-40.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t even know anywhere else. I only knew 4 blocks. I was just a ghetto child. I never thought I’d be selling tapes out of the trunk of the car over at M&M liquor to having my \u003cem>own\u003c/em> liquor,” said Earl Stevens, aka E-40, at the ceremony on a stretch of Magazine Street that now bears the honorary street sign E-40 Way. It marks the neighborhood where he was raised and began his chart-topping career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936795\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936795 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens greets community members after the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens greets community members after the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You can see the type of talent this city has produced over many many decades,” said Mayor McConnell, addressing the crowd of hundreds that gathered for the ceremony. “Continuously when you move throughout the Bay Area and when you live in other cities, you meet people who say ‘I grew up and I lived in Vallejo,’ and they’re very proud of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So we want to acknowledge his success, and more importantly, we want to acknowledge his contributions to the city,” added McConnell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936788\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936788 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Vallejo High School cheerleaders perform at Earl “E-40” Stevens’ honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vallejo High School cheerleaders perform at Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens’ honorary ceremony, with E-40 (right) sitting beside Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell on stage. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Oakland-born hip-hop and hyphy artist Mistah F.A.B., master of ceremonies at the event, said E-40 was somebody he grew up idolizing as an artist and as a person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today is about being here for somebody that has opened up doors, somebody that has pioneered and championed what it is like to be not only an artist, but to be an entrepreneur, to be a father, to be a friend, to be a family member, to be a great business man,” said Mistah F.A.B., who is also a community organizer, entrepreneur and activist. “I think that you guys are just as proud as we are and we’re happy. … This is a beautiful moment, man.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936789\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936789 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens’s family members sit in the audience during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens’s family members sit in the audience during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>E-40 is a name practically synonymous with \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a>, and he’s enjoyed impressive career longevity rarely seen in rap. He got his start in the late ’80s as a member of The Click, a group that also featured his sister Suga-T, brother D-Shot and cousin B-Legit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with peers like Too Short, E-40 set the standard for independent music distribution by selling tapes “out the trunk.” His label Sick Wid It Records later signed a distribution deal with Jive, and The Click’s second album, 1995’s \u003cem>Game Related\u003c/em>, peaked at No. 21.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936794\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936794 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens unveils the sign of the renamed Magazine St, aka E-40 Way, during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens unveils the sign of the renamed Magazine St, aka E-40 Way, during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s a good opportunity for the kids that are coming up here, to build something positive for the children coming up in Vallejo,” said Vallejo resident Rosalyn Robinson. “I think it’s a monumental event, giving Vallejo that credit that’s well needed. E-40 has been in the game for four decades, and this celebration is way past.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=arts_13935408 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/HKGT-part-2-web-image-1020x574.png']In 1993, E-40 launched his solo career with the album \u003cem>Federal\u003c/em> and continued collaborating with members of The Click on hits like 1995’s “Sprinkle Me” featuring Suga-T as his national profile grew. He’s credited with inventing and popularizing many Bay Area slang terms — such as “broccoli” for cannabis, “fasheezy” and “flamboastin’.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>E-40’s hit-making streak continued with the 2006 smash “Tell Me When To Go,” which came to define hyphy — the local, hard-partying rap subculture — for the rest of the country. His 2014 song “Choices” became a Golden State Warriors anthem that amped up the team during its championship games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936792 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens’s son, Earl Stevens Jr. talks about his father’s legacy during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens’s son, Earl Stevens Jr. talks about his father’s legacy during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dennis Lastra, who grew up next-door to Stevens in his grandmother’s house, said despite all the success and the accomplishments, E-40 was always humble and always made sure to visit them whenever he was in Vallejo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m just so proud of him, man. Because like, just from day one, I seen her struggle as a single mother, and she raised her kids,” said Lastra of Earl Stevens’ mother, who raised him and his siblings as a single parent. “\u003cb>\u003c/b>I give all props to that man. … You feel that gratitude that he has. It’s just humbling to hear that from someone that has achieved so much. … And the hard way, it wasn’t the easy way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936791\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936791 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"E-40 Way seen on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">E-40 Way in Vallejo. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In recent years, E-40 collaborated with younger Bay Area artists like P-Lo and national rap stars, including Snoop Dogg, T.I. and Ice Cube. While continuing to make music, he’s shifted his energy toward his philanthropy and liquor and food businesses. He has a forthcoming cookbook with Snoop Dogg, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/untitled-snoop-cookbook-2\">Goon With the Spoon\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, out Nov. 14 via Chronicle Books.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936790\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936790 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens speaks during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens speaks during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“E-40 is a trailblazer and he’s opened up many doors for young people to walk through,” said Rosalyn Robinson. “He’s very humble, always been humble. He’s always been loyal. And I think it’s important for the kids to see, and it’s important for events like this to keep happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Attila Pelit contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Vallejo's mayor unveiled E-40 Way on Magazine Street, honoring the neighborhood where the Bay Area rap legend was raised and began his chart-topping career.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On Saturday, Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell handed the key to the city to one of its biggest musical icons: E-40.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t even know anywhere else. I only knew 4 blocks. I was just a ghetto child. I never thought I’d be selling tapes out of the trunk of the car over at M&M liquor to having my \u003cem>own\u003c/em> liquor,” said Earl Stevens, aka E-40, at the ceremony on a stretch of Magazine Street that now bears the honorary street sign E-40 Way. It marks the neighborhood where he was raised and began his chart-topping career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936795\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936795 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens greets community members after the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-74-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens greets community members after the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You can see the type of talent this city has produced over many many decades,” said Mayor McConnell, addressing the crowd of hundreds that gathered for the ceremony. “Continuously when you move throughout the Bay Area and when you live in other cities, you meet people who say ‘I grew up and I lived in Vallejo,’ and they’re very proud of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So we want to acknowledge his success, and more importantly, we want to acknowledge his contributions to the city,” added McConnell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936788\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936788 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Vallejo High School cheerleaders perform at Earl “E-40” Stevens’ honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-8-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vallejo High School cheerleaders perform at Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens’ honorary ceremony, with E-40 (right) sitting beside Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell on stage. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Oakland-born hip-hop and hyphy artist Mistah F.A.B., master of ceremonies at the event, said E-40 was somebody he grew up idolizing as an artist and as a person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today is about being here for somebody that has opened up doors, somebody that has pioneered and championed what it is like to be not only an artist, but to be an entrepreneur, to be a father, to be a friend, to be a family member, to be a great business man,” said Mistah F.A.B., who is also a community organizer, entrepreneur and activist. “I think that you guys are just as proud as we are and we’re happy. … This is a beautiful moment, man.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936789\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936789 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens’s family members sit in the audience during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-25-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens’s family members sit in the audience during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>E-40 is a name practically synonymous with \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a>, and he’s enjoyed impressive career longevity rarely seen in rap. He got his start in the late ’80s as a member of The Click, a group that also featured his sister Suga-T, brother D-Shot and cousin B-Legit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with peers like Too Short, E-40 set the standard for independent music distribution by selling tapes “out the trunk.” His label Sick Wid It Records later signed a distribution deal with Jive, and The Click’s second album, 1995’s \u003cem>Game Related\u003c/em>, peaked at No. 21.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936794\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936794 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens unveils the sign of the renamed Magazine St, aka E-40 Way, during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-70-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens unveils the sign of the renamed Magazine St, aka E-40 Way, during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s a good opportunity for the kids that are coming up here, to build something positive for the children coming up in Vallejo,” said Vallejo resident Rosalyn Robinson. “I think it’s a monumental event, giving Vallejo that credit that’s well needed. E-40 has been in the game for four decades, and this celebration is way past.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In 1993, E-40 launched his solo career with the album \u003cem>Federal\u003c/em> and continued collaborating with members of The Click on hits like 1995’s “Sprinkle Me” featuring Suga-T as his national profile grew. He’s credited with inventing and popularizing many Bay Area slang terms — such as “broccoli” for cannabis, “fasheezy” and “flamboastin’.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>E-40’s hit-making streak continued with the 2006 smash “Tell Me When To Go,” which came to define hyphy — the local, hard-partying rap subculture — for the rest of the country. His 2014 song “Choices” became a Golden State Warriors anthem that amped up the team during its championship games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936792 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens’s son, Earl Stevens Jr. talks about his father’s legacy during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-53-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens’s son, Earl Stevens Jr. talks about his father’s legacy during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dennis Lastra, who grew up next-door to Stevens in his grandmother’s house, said despite all the success and the accomplishments, E-40 was always humble and always made sure to visit them whenever he was in Vallejo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m just so proud of him, man. Because like, just from day one, I seen her struggle as a single mother, and she raised her kids,” said Lastra of Earl Stevens’ mother, who raised him and his siblings as a single parent. “\u003cb>\u003c/b>I give all props to that man. … You feel that gratitude that he has. It’s just humbling to hear that from someone that has achieved so much. … And the hard way, it wasn’t the easy way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936791\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936791 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"E-40 Way seen on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-34-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">E-40 Way in Vallejo. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In recent years, E-40 collaborated with younger Bay Area artists like P-Lo and national rap stars, including Snoop Dogg, T.I. and Ice Cube. While continuing to make music, he’s shifted his energy toward his philanthropy and liquor and food businesses. He has a forthcoming cookbook with Snoop Dogg, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/untitled-snoop-cookbook-2\">Goon With the Spoon\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, out Nov. 14 via Chronicle Books.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936790\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13936790 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Earl “E-40” Stevens speaks during the honorary ceremony on Oct. 21, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/E-40-33-MV-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens speaks during the honorary ceremony. \u003ccite>(Michaela Vatcheva for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“E-40 is a trailblazer and he’s opened up many doors for young people to walk through,” said Rosalyn Robinson. “He’s very humble, always been humble. He’s always been loyal. And I think it’s important for the kids to see, and it’s important for events like this to keep happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Attila Pelit contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "In ‘Can You Dig It?’ Chuck D Narrates a Missing Chapter of Hip-Hop’s History",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he story of Black Benjie and the Ghetto Brothers is “a prequel to hip-hop,” explains Chuck D \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> best known as the frontman of Public Enemy, the rebels without a pause who brought fiery social commentary to hip-hop’s golden era.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His latest project, as the narrator and executive producer of PB&J Productions’ podcast \u003ca href=\"https://www.audible.com/pd/Can-You-Dig-It-Podcast/B0CBCW31N8\">\u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, fills in the details of an essential missing chapter in hip-hop culture’s evolution. Set in the South Bronx in the late ’60s and early ’70s, the audio docu-series traces the story of how a street gang became a cultural organization, reforming the community and paving the way for what followed in the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Black Benjie and the whole scene right in the Bronx before the birth of hip-hop, really sparking the birth of hip-hop, seemed as important as any other story about hip-hop 50 that we heard this year,” Chuck says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His voiceover reminds listeners that “while art and music offer temporary distraction from everyday life, the kids in these communities struggled well beyond the norm. Hope, prospects and positive influences were fleeting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a recent interview over Zoom he adds, “these weren’t bad kids, it was what it was.” The story’s takeaway isn’t that underprivileged inner-city youth in the South Bronx formed street gangs. It’s that the impetus to transform their lives and communities directly resulted in the creation of the most-influential popular culture movement of the past half-century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/06/03/black-benjie-ghetto-brothers-gangs-hoe-avenue-peace-treaty-south-bronx-longwood/\">Cornell “Black Benjie” Benjamin\u003c/a>’s life has long been an urban legend. It parallels the fictional tale of Cyrus, the enigmatic figure whose death is the catalyst for the events of the 1965 novel and 1979 Hollywood adaptation of \u003cem>The Warriors\u003c/em>. In the fictional accounts, Cyrus summons together New York’s 40,000 gang members for a summit, at which he urges them to stop fighting and killing each other — and take on The Man instead. After uttering the iconic, oft-sampled sound bite, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTUrWYv2vtU\">caaaaan you dig itttttt\u003c/a>,” however, Cyrus is shot and killed by Luther, leader of the Rogues, who then blames the killing on the Warriors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In real life, Black Benjie was a gang leader and former addict who became a drug counselor and community activist. The Ghetto Brothers flew colors and maintained their territory, just like all the other Bronx gangs of that time — including the Savage Skulls, the Black Spades, the Seven Immortals and the Young Lords. But after being mentored by an art teacher, \u003ca href=\"https://ritafecher.com/news.html\">Rita Fecher\u003c/a>, and community organizer \u003ca href=\"https://www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/intervenxions/1wyt8fmrwrsdsyf3z745mjpjzl549p\">Evelina Antonetty\u003c/a>, the “Puerto Rican Rosa Parks” and founder of United Bronx Parents, the Ghetto Brothers became involved with the Youth Services Agency, a social services organization funded by then-mayor John Lindsay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/mguK4xMpd2Y?si=aL2OK0NiLj0u_sfZ\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Ghetto Brothers gained media visibility after renouncing violence and seeking to better their community. Their efforts centered around the concept of “community control,” a self-determinant creed not unlike that of Oakland’s Black Panthers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A further complication was the Ford Foundation’s funding of community service organizations in the Bronx as part of an initiative to quell racial violence between minority populations. Ford’s agenda seemingly aligned with the YSA/Ghetto Brothers alliance, yet ran counter to New York’s entrenched political establishment, whose underdevelopment and outright neglect of the South Bronx created the hellish conditions that allowed the street gangs to proliferate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936707\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936707\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1775\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-800x555.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-1020x707.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-768x533.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-1536x1065.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-2048x1420.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-1920x1331.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View, across a trash-strewn vacant lot, of a colorful mural on a wall, Bronx, New York, 1975.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n 1971, Black Benjie was murdered while attempting to de-escalate a confrontation between the Ghetto Brothers and a rival gang. Following his death, a local television station produced a short film examining the Ghetto Brothers’ attempts at community rejuvenation and the social and environmental conditions they sought to transcend; throughout the film, Sly Stone’s “Just Like A Baby” serves as an elegiac soundtrack to the visual narrative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Black Benjie’s death catalyzed the Ghetto Brothers to press forward with the proposed gang truce he had been brokering, as well as to further evolve down an alternate path, undertaking cultural activities that became crucial to hip-hop’s original foundation. Other former gang leaders, such as Afrika Bambaaataa, followed in the Ghetto Brothers’ wake. In 1975, Bambaataa formed a cultural organization (the Universal Zulu Nation), renouncing violence in favor of what would become known as hip-hop and a credo of “peace, love, unity and having fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bits and fragments of this story have been told before, most notably through the documentaries \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKbqGNtkIsM\">\u003cem>Flyin’ Cut Sleeves\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and \u003cem>Rubble Kings\u003c/em>, which focused on pre-hip-hop street gang culture. Steven Hager’s reporting for \u003cem>The Village Voice\u003c/em> and his 1984 book \u003cem>Hip Hop\u003c/em> reference the fact hip-hop evolved from street gangs; Jeff Chang’s book \u003cem>Can’t Stop Won’t Stop\u003c/em> traced the social and political conditions that created the reality of the South Bronx in the late ’60s and early ’70s \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> including such urban renewal initiatives as the Cross Bronx Expressway, which isolated the neighborhood from the rest of New York (much like how the 980 freeway bifurcated West Oakland from downtown).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/CKbqGNtkIsM?si=QDML0ClaykmIMxcM\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Can You Dig It? \u003c/em>represents the deepest dive to date into the Ghetto Brothers and Black Benjie story. The docu-series demythologizes the story, Chuck maintains \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> allowing the listener to parse fact from folklore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its value, he says, lies in the pertinent details and the questions they raise: “It’s the story of a disenfranchised borough, a city that left it for dead. This had all the other things that went along with it. Was it serviced properly? Why were the buildings burning two or three years later? What happened to the Bronx when people came back from Vietnam?… I mean, you get into a historical backdrop. That makes the creation of hip-hop make all that much more sense.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The setting of \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> appealed to Chuck because of his own lived experience. “I’m different from a lot of those rap cats out there. I come from that time,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up in Long Island, he was initially disconnected from what was happening in the South Bronx. But as he witnessed hip-hop’s evolution unfold “in real time,” he gained an understanding of why it was important. He remembers terminology changing from “Negro” to “colored” to “Black,” experiencing the rawness of James Brown and the revolutionary “mixing pot” of Sly Stone, as well as being “fed by the Black Panthers’ breakfast programs,” and “being privy to” Oakland and Chicago Panther chapters “getting wiped out” by the time he was 13 years old.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a Black American, he says, “It’s almost like we live our life de-mythizing things. You know what I’m saying? I don’t believe the hype on a lot of things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936712\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888.jpg\" alt=\"A street sign in the Bronx, New York reads 'Cornell 'Black Benjie' Benjamin Way.'\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stretch of street in New York’s Bronx after being renamed “Cornell ‘Black Benjie’ Benjamin Way.” \u003ccite>(Christina Horsten/picture alliance via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In digging deeper into the environmental landscape and cultural fabric of the South Bronx and focusing on the community reform efforts of the Ghetto Brothers, the docu-series goes beyond one such common myth, that of the so-called Holy Trinity of Bambaata, Kool Herc, and Grandmaster Flash — first presented by Hager, \u003cem>The Village Voice\u003c/em> reporter. By leaning into the Ghetto Brothers’ ambitious efforts to move away from violence toward a cultural, community-centric path, \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> does as good a job of explaining hip-hop’s \u003cem>raison d’être\u003c/em> as any contemporary source.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Matter of fact,” Chuck elaborates, “it plugs into why hip-hop 51 is important. So the past, present and future all lined up great.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Told with an array of immersive storytelling techniques, \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> places archival sound bites, interviews and dialogued scenes based on real-life accounts alongside Chuck’s narrative voiceovers. The effect is a mix of historical exhibit, social documentary and theatrical drama that not only recreates the world in which Black Benjie and the Ghetto Brothers lived, but presents key context and encourages critical thinking beyond mere entertainment. [aside label='More Hip-Hop 50 Coverage' postid='arts_13934715,arts_13933590,arts_13931795']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Growing up in the Bronx was very musical, very colorful,” photographer Joe Conzo says in the docu-series. In the pre-boombox era, local parks were awash with congueros hanging out and playing live music, as well as others with AM transistor radios. Conzo’s first photographic subjects included neighborhood figures Bambaataa and the Cold Crush Brothers, as well as Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri. These cultural inspirations are contrasted by continuous arson fires, high unemployment and the reassignment of city blocks into gang territory that limited residents’ ability to move from place to place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The influence of the Black Panthers — identified as a key inspiration of the Ghetto Brothers — on the Bronx shows up fairly early, at around the 19-minute mark of the first episode, when former Panther Joseph Mpa speaks. “I grew up in a time when the Bronx was burning and people were dying,” he says. After hearing about the Panthers and their police patrols on radio station WBAI, he adds, “I felt this sense of, things can change.” But in order to make that change a reality, “I have to do something.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>History tends to be cyclical. The story of the development of blues parallels that of hip-hop, Chuck says, in that the creativity sprang up as a resilient reaction to adverse, even bleak, conditions. “When they tell you, oh yeah, people in the Delta made blues out of nothing, it really wasn’t nothing. But, you know, we get it,” he explains. “If you thought that nothing was there, you’re left with nothing. And we made something out of nothing. It was the same thing with the Bronx. … But the circumstances that led up to it really had to be examined. And that’s what \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> does.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.audible.com/pd/Can-You-Dig-It-Podcast/B0CBCW31N8\">Can You Dig It?\u003c/a>’ is available on Audible and Amazon Music.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">T\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>he story of Black Benjie and the Ghetto Brothers is “a prequel to hip-hop,” explains Chuck D \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> best known as the frontman of Public Enemy, the rebels without a pause who brought fiery social commentary to hip-hop’s golden era.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His latest project, as the narrator and executive producer of PB&J Productions’ podcast \u003ca href=\"https://www.audible.com/pd/Can-You-Dig-It-Podcast/B0CBCW31N8\">\u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, fills in the details of an essential missing chapter in hip-hop culture’s evolution. Set in the South Bronx in the late ’60s and early ’70s, the audio docu-series traces the story of how a street gang became a cultural organization, reforming the community and paving the way for what followed in the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Black Benjie and the whole scene right in the Bronx before the birth of hip-hop, really sparking the birth of hip-hop, seemed as important as any other story about hip-hop 50 that we heard this year,” Chuck says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His voiceover reminds listeners that “while art and music offer temporary distraction from everyday life, the kids in these communities struggled well beyond the norm. Hope, prospects and positive influences were fleeting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a recent interview over Zoom he adds, “these weren’t bad kids, it was what it was.” The story’s takeaway isn’t that underprivileged inner-city youth in the South Bronx formed street gangs. It’s that the impetus to transform their lives and communities directly resulted in the creation of the most-influential popular culture movement of the past half-century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/06/03/black-benjie-ghetto-brothers-gangs-hoe-avenue-peace-treaty-south-bronx-longwood/\">Cornell “Black Benjie” Benjamin\u003c/a>’s life has long been an urban legend. It parallels the fictional tale of Cyrus, the enigmatic figure whose death is the catalyst for the events of the 1965 novel and 1979 Hollywood adaptation of \u003cem>The Warriors\u003c/em>. In the fictional accounts, Cyrus summons together New York’s 40,000 gang members for a summit, at which he urges them to stop fighting and killing each other — and take on The Man instead. After uttering the iconic, oft-sampled sound bite, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTUrWYv2vtU\">caaaaan you dig itttttt\u003c/a>,” however, Cyrus is shot and killed by Luther, leader of the Rogues, who then blames the killing on the Warriors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In real life, Black Benjie was a gang leader and former addict who became a drug counselor and community activist. The Ghetto Brothers flew colors and maintained their territory, just like all the other Bronx gangs of that time — including the Savage Skulls, the Black Spades, the Seven Immortals and the Young Lords. But after being mentored by an art teacher, \u003ca href=\"https://ritafecher.com/news.html\">Rita Fecher\u003c/a>, and community organizer \u003ca href=\"https://www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/intervenxions/1wyt8fmrwrsdsyf3z745mjpjzl549p\">Evelina Antonetty\u003c/a>, the “Puerto Rican Rosa Parks” and founder of United Bronx Parents, the Ghetto Brothers became involved with the Youth Services Agency, a social services organization funded by then-mayor John Lindsay.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/mguK4xMpd2Y'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/mguK4xMpd2Y'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>The Ghetto Brothers gained media visibility after renouncing violence and seeking to better their community. Their efforts centered around the concept of “community control,” a self-determinant creed not unlike that of Oakland’s Black Panthers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A further complication was the Ford Foundation’s funding of community service organizations in the Bronx as part of an initiative to quell racial violence between minority populations. Ford’s agenda seemingly aligned with the YSA/Ghetto Brothers alliance, yet ran counter to New York’s entrenched political establishment, whose underdevelopment and outright neglect of the South Bronx created the hellish conditions that allowed the street gangs to proliferate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936707\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936707\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1775\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-800x555.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-1020x707.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-768x533.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-1536x1065.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-2048x1420.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1217374638-1920x1331.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View, across a trash-strewn vacant lot, of a colorful mural on a wall, Bronx, New York, 1975.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">I\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>n 1971, Black Benjie was murdered while attempting to de-escalate a confrontation between the Ghetto Brothers and a rival gang. Following his death, a local television station produced a short film examining the Ghetto Brothers’ attempts at community rejuvenation and the social and environmental conditions they sought to transcend; throughout the film, Sly Stone’s “Just Like A Baby” serves as an elegiac soundtrack to the visual narrative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Black Benjie’s death catalyzed the Ghetto Brothers to press forward with the proposed gang truce he had been brokering, as well as to further evolve down an alternate path, undertaking cultural activities that became crucial to hip-hop’s original foundation. Other former gang leaders, such as Afrika Bambaaataa, followed in the Ghetto Brothers’ wake. In 1975, Bambaataa formed a cultural organization (the Universal Zulu Nation), renouncing violence in favor of what would become known as hip-hop and a credo of “peace, love, unity and having fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bits and fragments of this story have been told before, most notably through the documentaries \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKbqGNtkIsM\">\u003cem>Flyin’ Cut Sleeves\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and \u003cem>Rubble Kings\u003c/em>, which focused on pre-hip-hop street gang culture. Steven Hager’s reporting for \u003cem>The Village Voice\u003c/em> and his 1984 book \u003cem>Hip Hop\u003c/em> reference the fact hip-hop evolved from street gangs; Jeff Chang’s book \u003cem>Can’t Stop Won’t Stop\u003c/em> traced the social and political conditions that created the reality of the South Bronx in the late ’60s and early ’70s \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> including such urban renewal initiatives as the Cross Bronx Expressway, which isolated the neighborhood from the rest of New York (much like how the 980 freeway bifurcated West Oakland from downtown).\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/CKbqGNtkIsM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/CKbqGNtkIsM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Can You Dig It? \u003c/em>represents the deepest dive to date into the Ghetto Brothers and Black Benjie story. The docu-series demythologizes the story, Chuck maintains \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> allowing the listener to parse fact from folklore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its value, he says, lies in the pertinent details and the questions they raise: “It’s the story of a disenfranchised borough, a city that left it for dead. This had all the other things that went along with it. Was it serviced properly? Why were the buildings burning two or three years later? What happened to the Bronx when people came back from Vietnam?… I mean, you get into a historical backdrop. That makes the creation of hip-hop make all that much more sense.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The setting of \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> appealed to Chuck because of his own lived experience. “I’m different from a lot of those rap cats out there. I come from that time,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Growing up in Long Island, he was initially disconnected from what was happening in the South Bronx. But as he witnessed hip-hop’s evolution unfold “in real time,” he gained an understanding of why it was important. He remembers terminology changing from “Negro” to “colored” to “Black,” experiencing the rawness of James Brown and the revolutionary “mixing pot” of Sly Stone, as well as being “fed by the Black Panthers’ breakfast programs,” and “being privy to” Oakland and Chicago Panther chapters “getting wiped out” by the time he was 13 years old.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a Black American, he says, “It’s almost like we live our life de-mythizing things. You know what I’m saying? I don’t believe the hype on a lot of things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936712\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888.jpg\" alt=\"A street sign in the Bronx, New York reads 'Cornell 'Black Benjie' Benjamin Way.'\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/GettyImages-1575083888-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stretch of street in New York’s Bronx after being renamed “Cornell ‘Black Benjie’ Benjamin Way.” \u003ccite>(Christina Horsten/picture alliance via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In digging deeper into the environmental landscape and cultural fabric of the South Bronx and focusing on the community reform efforts of the Ghetto Brothers, the docu-series goes beyond one such common myth, that of the so-called Holy Trinity of Bambaata, Kool Herc, and Grandmaster Flash — first presented by Hager, \u003cem>The Village Voice\u003c/em> reporter. By leaning into the Ghetto Brothers’ ambitious efforts to move away from violence toward a cultural, community-centric path, \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> does as good a job of explaining hip-hop’s \u003cem>raison d’être\u003c/em> as any contemporary source.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Matter of fact,” Chuck elaborates, “it plugs into why hip-hop 51 is important. So the past, present and future all lined up great.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Told with an array of immersive storytelling techniques, \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> places archival sound bites, interviews and dialogued scenes based on real-life accounts alongside Chuck’s narrative voiceovers. The effect is a mix of historical exhibit, social documentary and theatrical drama that not only recreates the world in which Black Benjie and the Ghetto Brothers lived, but presents key context and encourages critical thinking beyond mere entertainment. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Growing up in the Bronx was very musical, very colorful,” photographer Joe Conzo says in the docu-series. In the pre-boombox era, local parks were awash with congueros hanging out and playing live music, as well as others with AM transistor radios. Conzo’s first photographic subjects included neighborhood figures Bambaataa and the Cold Crush Brothers, as well as Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri. These cultural inspirations are contrasted by continuous arson fires, high unemployment and the reassignment of city blocks into gang territory that limited residents’ ability to move from place to place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The influence of the Black Panthers — identified as a key inspiration of the Ghetto Brothers — on the Bronx shows up fairly early, at around the 19-minute mark of the first episode, when former Panther Joseph Mpa speaks. “I grew up in a time when the Bronx was burning and people were dying,” he says. After hearing about the Panthers and their police patrols on radio station WBAI, he adds, “I felt this sense of, things can change.” But in order to make that change a reality, “I have to do something.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>History tends to be cyclical. The story of the development of blues parallels that of hip-hop, Chuck says, in that the creativity sprang up as a resilient reaction to adverse, even bleak, conditions. “When they tell you, oh yeah, people in the Delta made blues out of nothing, it really wasn’t nothing. But, you know, we get it,” he explains. “If you thought that nothing was there, you’re left with nothing. And we made something out of nothing. It was the same thing with the Bronx. … But the circumstances that led up to it really had to be examined. And that’s what \u003cem>Can You Dig It?\u003c/em> does.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.audible.com/pd/Can-You-Dig-It-Podcast/B0CBCW31N8\">Can You Dig It?\u003c/a>’ is available on Audible and Amazon Music.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"headTitle": "The Hip-Hop Photographer Who Makes Guests Feel At Home | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside of a classic Queen Anne Victorian in West Oakland, photographer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tracibartlow/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Traci Bartlow\u003c/a> displays beautifully framed images of the people who shaped hip-hop culture here in the Bay Area, and across the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her exhibition, \u003cem>Oakland Picture Lady: Tales of the 90’s Girl\u003c/em>, features photos of Outkast and Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes and ODB, alongside images of the Luniz and Shock-G, as well as E-40 and The Click.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the photos tell a story about what life was like in growing up in Oakland, it’s her house that tells \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CxjCC5Uv62l/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==\">the complex story of multiple generations of Black folks\u003c/a>, land ownership and community appreciation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traci is the owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.b-lovesguesthouse.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">B-Love’s Guesthouse\u003c/a>, which is a photography museum and a boutique hotel. With its picturesque front porch and flourishing garden in the back, the building features seven different rooms that folks can rent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13920339\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-800x535.jpg\" alt=\"Traci Bartlow holds up an image of the wash house her mother once owned in East Oakland. \" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Traci Bartlow holds up an image of the washhouse her mother once owned in East Oakland. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.alvinailey.org/school\">Ailey School\u003c/a> graduate turned \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjBa6yqRau4\">Emmy-winning dancer\u003c/a> and choreographer, Traci fell in love with the arts through what she experienced in her neighborhood as a child. Block parties and family functions introduced her to her love of dance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born and raised in East Oakland, she also saw firsthand the importance of a neighborhood hub by watching the multiple ways people would use her mother’s washhouse. It wasn’t just a laundromat but a corner store, a place to get your prom dress made or pick up your Avon order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She acquired her current home from the late Eddie Mae Holmes, a Black woman who once owned multiple properties in West Oakland. And Traci envisioned using the space for the purposes of artistic expression and community gatherings, including showcasing her work. Now B-Love’s Guesthouse stands as a home for hip-hop history and a safe haven for folks to come together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920342\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13920342 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-800x535.jpg\" alt=\"Traci Bartlow.\" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Traci Bartlow sits on the stairwell of her Queen Ann Victorian home in West Oakland \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC3179587234&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This episode originally aired on October 14, 2022 .\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Marisol Medina-Cadena, Producer: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hey Rightnowish listeners, it’s Marisol Medina-Cadena. As we continue to honor 50 Years of Hip-Hop, we’re bringing you an episode from our archive featuring dancer and photographer Traci Bartlow.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traci documented Bay Area dancers, rappers, and dj’s in the 90’s and still hasn’t put the camera down. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This summer, the inaugural Bay Area Hip Hop Archives honored Traci Bartlow for her contributions to the region’s Hip Hop scene. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And Pendarvis Harshaw is gonna take it from here, enjoy. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">] \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw, host:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mic, mic check one, mic check two. Are we here? All right we’re here…Rightnowish. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Street ambience ]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Do you know what type of tree it is?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow, guest:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s called a bottle brush tree.Usually it’s full of these bright red flowers with skinny pistils and the hummingbirds love it. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Why start here on your tour? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s in the shade and it’s a moment to get a feel for the house and the neighborhood. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Hey y’all, what’s happening? You’re listening to Rightnowish, a podcast about arts and culture in the bay area. I’m your partna Pen…Pendarvis Harshaw. And today, we’re gonna spend some time in West Oakland. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The neighborhood looks hella different than it did when I was coming up, but all is not lost. There’s still places and people that have weathered the market forces to maintain the character of the area. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like this Victorian house I’m standing in front of with today’s guest, Traci Bartlow. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is a Queen Anne Victorian house and it was built in 1895. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s painted white with a mix of soft yellow and sky blue accents. Potted roses and succulents line the stairwell.. and it’s got this half arch that extends from the porch and frames the door, almost like a house you’d see in a storybook. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It seems like they wanted to make it look like a castle! You know, like with the high ceilings, this beautiful arc, all of this really unique molding on the house. Everything is really grand. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci’s home is also a boutique hotel called B-Love’s Guesthouse, where you can rent a room for a day or two. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> B-Love’s Guesthouse has served as a healing space and a respite in many different ways. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s also a photography museum where you could spend an hour or two just soaking up the rich history. This month, Traci is exhibiting photos she shot of the Town, including images that graced the pages of historic magazines like The Source and Rap Pages.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This image here is the Hobo Junction. And I love this image because they’re selling their tapes out of a box on Telegraph Avenue. In front of the record store! That’s how we did in the nineties.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She had a front row seat to the artists who shaped both the Bay Area hip hop scene and the national hip hop scene. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">These pictures are fun! Busta Rhymes and ODB. This was on the set of Busta’s music video. “Woo-ha! Got You All In Check.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Okay yeah.. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes, so he shot the video in \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">San Francisco, and so I came out to capture photographs and… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> What?\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s tight as hell. I didn’t know that.. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yep! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> That’s Isha B doing ODB’s hair?! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes! \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Isha B did ODB’s hair?? What?? That’s crazy!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yep, classic history!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Woah, okay. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, today we’re focused on Traci Bartlow’s dope photo archive and the story behind the place where these photos are housed. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So wipe your kicks at the door, hang up your coat, relax your shoulders,\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">and take a deep breath: we’re posting up at B-Love’s Guesthouse. Right after this…\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [Outdoor Ambience]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Just a few blocks from the women of the Black Panther Party mural and west Oakland Bart station is Traci Bartlow’s home and hotel. It’s a residential street with lots of history… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I acquired this house in 2007 and I acquired the house from a team of people that would buy houses, flip them, and then sell them. They bought the house from a woman named Eddie Mae Holmes. And Ms. Holmes was an African-American woman that came to West Oakland when she was 14 years old. And, um, through her family ownership, she acquired this house, the house I now own, this house on the corner. And in 1965, she had that apartment building around the corner built and on the lower level of the apartment building, she had Holmes Barber Shop. So Ms.Holmes is one of those black women in the community that was providing in so many different ways for everyone. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ms. Holmes was my friend! I used to make ginger tea and go sit in the kitchen in her house and we would watch The View in the mornings. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b> \u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Laughs\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cem>]\u003c/em> Okay! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She was my partna! And she was just really amazed by me like, ‘Oh, this is who bought the house?’ And so she was really encouraging to me as a property owner. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 15 years ago, Traci converted her home into a guesthouse. People can choose from one of seven rooms for an overnight stay. And at the same time, folks can enjoy the framed photos from Traci’s archives. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Okay here is B-Love’s Guesthouse.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci leads me to the kitchenette of the downstairs guest house. Above a small dining room table they’re framed black and white images of kids. I see little girls with barrettes in their hair. In another image, the camera is pointed toward a window sill where a boy with a D.A.R.E. t-shirt is joined by family members, as he looks directly into the camera while eating his cup of noodles. In the background of these images are the streets and structures of the houses in East Oakland– they too are featured characters in the composition of these images. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This photo collection. Ah, this all from the neighborhood? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> These are from my neighborhood.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The brick cell phone? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I mean, the hairdo, of course, in the fashion. But the brick cell phone and the leaning like “Talk to me and Imma talk back.” That’s what she looks like. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">laughs\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This one. This one as well with the cross colors and then this Benz and even the Lack behind it\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [Music] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The photos are a time machine, instantly transporting me back to the East Oakland that I knew as a youth. Outfits that my sister used to rock. And facial expressions looking like kids I used to kick it with. Squinting, I look for a familiar face or two.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> These are people that I grew up with. You know, we went to middle school and high school together. My mother owned the laundromat on 98th and Birch, and so everyone would come and do their laundry at my mom’s laundromat. And her business wasn’t just where you can do your laundry. It was like a community center \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> where my mom had a sewing machine in the corner and she would do alterations and she would make prom dresses and make outfits for people. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She also sold Avon, and um we had a little store in the back where you could buy candy and chips and sandwiches, and I would make homemade cookies and we would have those ghetto Icees, you know, like Kool-Aid in a cup. So people were always coming to the laundromat. They were like, Miss Bartlow, did you? Can you hem the skirt? And is my Avon ready? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Taken by the beauty of her community and the joy of capturing it on film, Traci started a photography business, shooting people’s portraits and printing them for $2. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And if I didn’t see people in the neighborhood, when I would bring them, I would be like, ‘Oh, stop by the wash house and pick up your order of photos.’ \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Even before she got into photography, Traci was already into the arts. At age 19, Traci was awarded a scholarship to study dance at New York’s Alvin Ailey Dance Center. A dancer since a kid, she was inspired by both the entertainers she saw on TV and the way folks moved in her community– the family gatherings and community kickbacks–so, this was a dream come true. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is a picture of my mom escorting me to audition for the Alvin Ailey School when I was 19 years old. We’re at the 34th Street Station in New York City. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And she’s beaming. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She’s beaming! Yes! My mom was very supportive of my dance career.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> After finishing the two year professional dance training program, she took performing gigs across the globe. One thing led to another and Traci dabbled in modeling before picking up the camera herself. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I would also find myself at modeling shoots and just be like, ‘What kind of light is that? Oh, that’s a diffuser? What does that do?’ So I was interested in the hardware of photography. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It was just like this natural progression of me knowing about photography and wanting to learn more and also the way I would study magazine layouts. Then I had this eye for how I wanted to capture a photograph. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci made her way back to Oakland and this time she \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">really\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> picked up the film camera. She saw the beauty and life in her neighbors and wanted to document that with the same eye and artfulness that fashion magazine photographers did. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> My neighbors were amused with me. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like, ‘You’ve been living in New York City. Oh you want us to pose?’ Like, so I would always have my camera. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If it was a holiday, a cook, a cookout, kind of holiday. Memorial Day, 4th of July. I would just come outside and take pictures and hang out. So when they saw me, they’re like, ‘Heyyyy! \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Picture time! Yeah, here come the photo lady, l\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">et’s get ready. She’s going to take our picture!’ \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci’s background in dance soon became the focus of her photography. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I’m self-taught, so I started photographing other dancers. And you’ll see many images from this photo shoot, because this was an assignment I gave myself to practice with high speed film. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> We make our way from guest room to guest room, photos hung everywhere. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s this one black and white image of teenage b-boy dancers in throwback gear: one is rocking a visor, another in a pair of Marvin the martian shorts– just dripping with youthful 90s flavor. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In front of a brick wall, one guy is doing a crazy handstand and the other is seen jumping 3 feet off the ground hitting a pose. In spite of all the movement, everything is captured in crisp detail, no blur. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And the dancers are two of the members of Housing Authority. And Housing Authority was this bad ass crew of all male dancers from Oakland and Richmond, Black and brown men. And they were running things in the nineties. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One of the dancers in the photo is Fly Styles who went on to be a successful backup dancer and choreographer for musicians like Usher and Missy Elliot. Same goes for other Town folks that Traci has photographed in the 90s. Most are now thriving in the entertainment world or powerhouses in the local arts and culture scene. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is Aisha Bilal, Layla Jenkins, Asha Karima and Ingrid Best. We were at \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">DeFremery Park \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">at an event there. This is 1997. We were having a conversation. And in that moment, I just stepped back from the cipher and leaned down and captured this photograph of them. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Black and white, the posture, arms across, you know, like stoic for the most part and angled up. You’re like looking up at them. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> My tentative title for this one is “Giant” because of how larger than life these women are, not only in the photograph, but in real life. They have all been just very powerful and dynamic in their lives, in their families, in their communities, in business. It’s really amazing just to see who these women are even today. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Look, she really has a house full of anecdotal stories about artists at every turn. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Here we are… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Entering the next room. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> So this is one of the rooms that I rent out for B-Love’s Guesthouse, and people are just, like, rejuvenated and just excited to have a good night’s rest in this comfortable plush queen bed surrounded by all this art, these high ceilings, chandelier, and just this big picture window that brings so much morning sunlight into the room.\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> You’ve got some legends in here. Like, that’s a portrait of Shock G, the late. And this is the Luniz it looks like. That’s fresh out of high school Luniz. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [laughs] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That picture was taken backstage as Summer Jam… mhmmm \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is ’97. So this is yeah, post “I Got Five On It.”\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> They are still riding that wave. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mm. Mm mm.\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> O\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ne of the things I would do as a photographer in starting out and being self-taught is, I would get a great photo of an artist. I would look on the liner notes of their album and find out who the management was, send them the photo with the cover letter and introduce myself. Sometimes I would write with a ballpoint pen on the back of the photo, like “photo by Tracy Barlow. Copyright 1994.” \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> To break into the industry, Traci had to put herself out there. And with all those portraits that she shot of her neighbors, dancer friends, and hip hop artists on the rise– that became her portfolio of work that she carried with her in a Walgreens photo album just waiting for that right moment when she’d have to pull it out.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And so I talked my way into Chi Modu’s office! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The late Chi Modu is \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">thee\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> late ‘90s hip-hop photographer. He famously photographed Biggie, Eazy-E, Mobb Deep, Nas, members of the Wu Tang Clan, and Tupac. His artwork is culture visualized. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And I said, ‘I’m from Oakland, and if I get pictures of the scene in Oakland, then maybe you could publish them in your magazine?’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And he looked at this portfolio with all these faces from deep East Oakland, and he was like, ‘You have a good eye.’ He said, ‘Let’s do it. You capture photos of the scene. Maybe we’ll publish them.’ And the first photo that was published was this image of Hiero at Hip Hop on the Green, and this was published in the Source Magazine. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music ] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hip Hop On the Green was this dope outdoor concert that was held in the East Bay throughout the 90s. And Traci was there to document it! Her photos of the event helped spread awareness of Bay Area Hip Hop Culture to the rest of the country. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">From Hip Hop On the Green…look at E-40. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Oh, Mail Man time. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mail Man! Okay, Slurricane. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah, the Mossie. B-legit.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Suga-T\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oooh, look at the finger waves. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes and the Cross Colours. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Nice! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It should be noted that while Traci is fully in community with folks, she’s largely doing this on her own: Her photos. Her home. Her idea. And her actualization. She’s not waiting around for someone to give her a platform or to recognize her contributions to the culture, she’s just doing it herself.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And in a place where Black folks have been under-resourced, overpoliced, locked-up and pushed out of the Town for decades, for her to hold space for herself, her work and her community? Cmon, man, we’ve gotta recognize the power in that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m amazed that I survived foreclosure. There was many moments of just the spirit of detachment. This may not work out. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I would come home. Those notices were posted on my front door. This house is up for auction on the county courthouse steps at 6 a.m.\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> After surviving foreclosure, Traci opened up her space, allowing people to rent out rooms. The guests? It started with her network of artist friends… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And I was like, Well, I think I’m going to start renting out rooms to people that I know that are coming to town for residencies, for conferences, for events, for direct actions. Like these are people that I know come to the Bay Area for these different things. I know all the African dance festivals. I know the B Boys, I know the film festivals, I know the National Poetry Slams. Like, that’s my life! Artists and activism is my life. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b> \u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s beautiful… to have it come almost naturally, like from your experience is poured into you and also it benefits the larger community. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah, there are people in this neighborhood that have been here for a long time, as well as a mix of new people that are coming in. So to honor this history of the black experience in West Oakland is really important to me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The house itself is preserving history. And then within the house you have history on the walls. And it’s not all historical, it’s forward moving, like you have people coming through in real time\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">…who are \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">culture makers, people, cultural icons, you know. And so I just wanted to get a sense of some of the people who’ve come through here.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes!!! Norma Miller, the queen of swing! The Lindy Hop champion! \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">S\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">he’ll be like,’ Nope, I don’t want to be at the Marriott.’ She’s like, ‘I want to be at B-Love’s Guesthouse.’\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Because it was like she wanted to be immersed in Black culture.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">B-Girl FaTara from New York. She came out for a breaking event here in Oakland. And she said, ‘I’ve stayed at so many AirBnbs, but this is like a Black house, like the incense you have burning, the beans you got cooking, like it smells and feels like the house of an African American person.’\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So people are coming here and they may be in this gentrified neighborhood, but they’re like, Oh, but this is I, this is the Black lady’s house! \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> ‘Thank you’ doesn’t do justice, man. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to Traci Bartlow. Thank you for your art, your hospitality and for your time. Also, thanks for being a pleasant community member, just a delightful person to see at an event and around the Town. Thank you. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can find more information at b-lovesguesthouse.com or \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/blovesguesthouse/#\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">blovesguesthouse on Instagram. \u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traci’s instagram is tracibartlow and we’ll add a link to more information on her photo exhibit to the show notes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Time to give credit where it’s due:\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marisol Medina-Cadena came with me and Traci on this tour, and then produced this joint. Thank you Marisol. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Suzie Racho and Jen Chien edited this one, \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Christopher Beal engineered this one. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ryce Stoughtenborough is our engagement intern and Justin Ebramehimi and Ria Garewal are the engagement leads. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ethan Toven Lindsey, Jen Chien and Holly Kernan are the KQED execs. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m your host Pendarvis Harshaw! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thanks! Much love and peace to you. Till’ next time.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rightnowish is a KQED production \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Traci Bartlow's home is a showcase for her work and holds the history of her West Oakland neighborhood.",
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"title": "The Hip-Hop Photographer Who Makes Guests Feel At Home | KQED",
"description": "Inside of a classic Queen Anne Victorian in West Oakland, photographer Traci Bartlow displays beautifully framed images of the people who shaped hip-hop culture here in the Bay Area, and across the nation. While the photos tell a story about what life was like in growing up in Oakland, it's her house, which is a photography museum and a boutique hotel, that tells the complex story of multiple generations of Black folks, land ownership and community appreciation.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside of a classic Queen Anne Victorian in West Oakland, photographer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tracibartlow/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Traci Bartlow\u003c/a> displays beautifully framed images of the people who shaped hip-hop culture here in the Bay Area, and across the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her exhibition, \u003cem>Oakland Picture Lady: Tales of the 90’s Girl\u003c/em>, features photos of Outkast and Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes and ODB, alongside images of the Luniz and Shock-G, as well as E-40 and The Click.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the photos tell a story about what life was like in growing up in Oakland, it’s her house that tells \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CxjCC5Uv62l/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==\">the complex story of multiple generations of Black folks\u003c/a>, land ownership and community appreciation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traci is the owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.b-lovesguesthouse.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">B-Love’s Guesthouse\u003c/a>, which is a photography museum and a boutique hotel. With its picturesque front porch and flourishing garden in the back, the building features seven different rooms that folks can rent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920339\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13920339\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-800x535.jpg\" alt=\"Traci Bartlow holds up an image of the wash house her mother once owned in East Oakland. \" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04426.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Traci Bartlow holds up an image of the washhouse her mother once owned in East Oakland. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.alvinailey.org/school\">Ailey School\u003c/a> graduate turned \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjBa6yqRau4\">Emmy-winning dancer\u003c/a> and choreographer, Traci fell in love with the arts through what she experienced in her neighborhood as a child. Block parties and family functions introduced her to her love of dance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born and raised in East Oakland, she also saw firsthand the importance of a neighborhood hub by watching the multiple ways people would use her mother’s washhouse. It wasn’t just a laundromat but a corner store, a place to get your prom dress made or pick up your Avon order.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She acquired her current home from the late Eddie Mae Holmes, a Black woman who once owned multiple properties in West Oakland. And Traci envisioned using the space for the purposes of artistic expression and community gatherings, including showcasing her work. Now B-Love’s Guesthouse stands as a home for hip-hop history and a safe haven for folks to come together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13920342\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13920342 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-800x535.jpg\" alt=\"Traci Bartlow.\" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/10/DSC04446.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Traci Bartlow sits on the stairwell of her Queen Ann Victorian home in West Oakland \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC3179587234&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This episode originally aired on October 14, 2022 .\u003c/em>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Marisol Medina-Cadena, Producer: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hey Rightnowish listeners, it’s Marisol Medina-Cadena. As we continue to honor 50 Years of Hip-Hop, we’re bringing you an episode from our archive featuring dancer and photographer Traci Bartlow.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traci documented Bay Area dancers, rappers, and dj’s in the 90’s and still hasn’t put the camera down. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This summer, the inaugural Bay Area Hip Hop Archives honored Traci Bartlow for her contributions to the region’s Hip Hop scene. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And Pendarvis Harshaw is gonna take it from here, enjoy. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">] \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw, host:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mic, mic check one, mic check two. Are we here? All right we’re here…Rightnowish. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Street ambience ]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Do you know what type of tree it is?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow, guest:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s called a bottle brush tree.Usually it’s full of these bright red flowers with skinny pistils and the hummingbirds love it. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Why start here on your tour? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s in the shade and it’s a moment to get a feel for the house and the neighborhood. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Hey y’all, what’s happening? You’re listening to Rightnowish, a podcast about arts and culture in the bay area. I’m your partna Pen…Pendarvis Harshaw. And today, we’re gonna spend some time in West Oakland. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The neighborhood looks hella different than it did when I was coming up, but all is not lost. There’s still places and people that have weathered the market forces to maintain the character of the area. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like this Victorian house I’m standing in front of with today’s guest, Traci Bartlow. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is a Queen Anne Victorian house and it was built in 1895. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s painted white with a mix of soft yellow and sky blue accents. Potted roses and succulents line the stairwell.. and it’s got this half arch that extends from the porch and frames the door, almost like a house you’d see in a storybook. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It seems like they wanted to make it look like a castle! You know, like with the high ceilings, this beautiful arc, all of this really unique molding on the house. Everything is really grand. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci’s home is also a boutique hotel called B-Love’s Guesthouse, where you can rent a room for a day or two. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> B-Love’s Guesthouse has served as a healing space and a respite in many different ways. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It’s also a photography museum where you could spend an hour or two just soaking up the rich history. This month, Traci is exhibiting photos she shot of the Town, including images that graced the pages of historic magazines like The Source and Rap Pages.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This image here is the Hobo Junction. And I love this image because they’re selling their tapes out of a box on Telegraph Avenue. In front of the record store! That’s how we did in the nineties.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She had a front row seat to the artists who shaped both the Bay Area hip hop scene and the national hip hop scene. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">These pictures are fun! Busta Rhymes and ODB. This was on the set of Busta’s music video. “Woo-ha! Got You All In Check.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Okay yeah.. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes, so he shot the video in \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">San Francisco, and so I came out to capture photographs and… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> What?\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s tight as hell. I didn’t know that.. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yep! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> That’s Isha B doing ODB’s hair?! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes! \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Isha B did ODB’s hair?? What?? That’s crazy!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yep, classic history!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Woah, okay. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, today we’re focused on Traci Bartlow’s dope photo archive and the story behind the place where these photos are housed. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So wipe your kicks at the door, hang up your coat, relax your shoulders,\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">and take a deep breath: we’re posting up at B-Love’s Guesthouse. Right after this…\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [Outdoor Ambience]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Just a few blocks from the women of the Black Panther Party mural and west Oakland Bart station is Traci Bartlow’s home and hotel. It’s a residential street with lots of history… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I acquired this house in 2007 and I acquired the house from a team of people that would buy houses, flip them, and then sell them. They bought the house from a woman named Eddie Mae Holmes. And Ms. Holmes was an African-American woman that came to West Oakland when she was 14 years old. And, um, through her family ownership, she acquired this house, the house I now own, this house on the corner. And in 1965, she had that apartment building around the corner built and on the lower level of the apartment building, she had Holmes Barber Shop. So Ms.Holmes is one of those black women in the community that was providing in so many different ways for everyone. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ms. Holmes was my friend! I used to make ginger tea and go sit in the kitchen in her house and we would watch The View in the mornings. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b> \u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Laughs\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cem>]\u003c/em> Okay! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She was my partna! And she was just really amazed by me like, ‘Oh, this is who bought the house?’ And so she was really encouraging to me as a property owner. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">About 15 years ago, Traci converted her home into a guesthouse. People can choose from one of seven rooms for an overnight stay. And at the same time, folks can enjoy the framed photos from Traci’s archives. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Okay here is B-Love’s Guesthouse.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci leads me to the kitchenette of the downstairs guest house. Above a small dining room table they’re framed black and white images of kids. I see little girls with barrettes in their hair. In another image, the camera is pointed toward a window sill where a boy with a D.A.R.E. t-shirt is joined by family members, as he looks directly into the camera while eating his cup of noodles. In the background of these images are the streets and structures of the houses in East Oakland– they too are featured characters in the composition of these images. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This photo collection. Ah, this all from the neighborhood? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> These are from my neighborhood.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The brick cell phone? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I mean, the hairdo, of course, in the fashion. But the brick cell phone and the leaning like “Talk to me and Imma talk back.” That’s what she looks like. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">laughs\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This one. This one as well with the cross colors and then this Benz and even the Lack behind it\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [Music] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The photos are a time machine, instantly transporting me back to the East Oakland that I knew as a youth. Outfits that my sister used to rock. And facial expressions looking like kids I used to kick it with. Squinting, I look for a familiar face or two.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> These are people that I grew up with. You know, we went to middle school and high school together. My mother owned the laundromat on 98th and Birch, and so everyone would come and do their laundry at my mom’s laundromat. And her business wasn’t just where you can do your laundry. It was like a community center \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> where my mom had a sewing machine in the corner and she would do alterations and she would make prom dresses and make outfits for people. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She also sold Avon, and um we had a little store in the back where you could buy candy and chips and sandwiches, and I would make homemade cookies and we would have those ghetto Icees, you know, like Kool-Aid in a cup. So people were always coming to the laundromat. They were like, Miss Bartlow, did you? Can you hem the skirt? And is my Avon ready? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Taken by the beauty of her community and the joy of capturing it on film, Traci started a photography business, shooting people’s portraits and printing them for $2. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And if I didn’t see people in the neighborhood, when I would bring them, I would be like, ‘Oh, stop by the wash house and pick up your order of photos.’ \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Even before she got into photography, Traci was already into the arts. At age 19, Traci was awarded a scholarship to study dance at New York’s Alvin Ailey Dance Center. A dancer since a kid, she was inspired by both the entertainers she saw on TV and the way folks moved in her community– the family gatherings and community kickbacks–so, this was a dream come true. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is a picture of my mom escorting me to audition for the Alvin Ailey School when I was 19 years old. We’re at the 34th Street Station in New York City. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And she’s beaming. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> She’s beaming! Yes! My mom was very supportive of my dance career.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> After finishing the two year professional dance training program, she took performing gigs across the globe. One thing led to another and Traci dabbled in modeling before picking up the camera herself. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I would also find myself at modeling shoots and just be like, ‘What kind of light is that? Oh, that’s a diffuser? What does that do?’ So I was interested in the hardware of photography. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It was just like this natural progression of me knowing about photography and wanting to learn more and also the way I would study magazine layouts. Then I had this eye for how I wanted to capture a photograph. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci made her way back to Oakland and this time she \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">really\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> picked up the film camera. She saw the beauty and life in her neighbors and wanted to document that with the same eye and artfulness that fashion magazine photographers did. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> My neighbors were amused with me. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like, ‘You’ve been living in New York City. Oh you want us to pose?’ Like, so I would always have my camera. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If it was a holiday, a cook, a cookout, kind of holiday. Memorial Day, 4th of July. I would just come outside and take pictures and hang out. So when they saw me, they’re like, ‘Heyyyy! \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Picture time! Yeah, here come the photo lady, l\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">et’s get ready. She’s going to take our picture!’ \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Traci’s background in dance soon became the focus of her photography. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I’m self-taught, so I started photographing other dancers. And you’ll see many images from this photo shoot, because this was an assignment I gave myself to practice with high speed film. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> We make our way from guest room to guest room, photos hung everywhere. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s this one black and white image of teenage b-boy dancers in throwback gear: one is rocking a visor, another in a pair of Marvin the martian shorts– just dripping with youthful 90s flavor. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In front of a brick wall, one guy is doing a crazy handstand and the other is seen jumping 3 feet off the ground hitting a pose. In spite of all the movement, everything is captured in crisp detail, no blur. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And the dancers are two of the members of Housing Authority. And Housing Authority was this bad ass crew of all male dancers from Oakland and Richmond, Black and brown men. And they were running things in the nineties. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> One of the dancers in the photo is Fly Styles who went on to be a successful backup dancer and choreographer for musicians like Usher and Missy Elliot. Same goes for other Town folks that Traci has photographed in the 90s. Most are now thriving in the entertainment world or powerhouses in the local arts and culture scene. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is Aisha Bilal, Layla Jenkins, Asha Karima and Ingrid Best. We were at \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">DeFremery Park \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">at an event there. This is 1997. We were having a conversation. And in that moment, I just stepped back from the cipher and leaned down and captured this photograph of them. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Black and white, the posture, arms across, you know, like stoic for the most part and angled up. You’re like looking up at them. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> My tentative title for this one is “Giant” because of how larger than life these women are, not only in the photograph, but in real life. They have all been just very powerful and dynamic in their lives, in their families, in their communities, in business. It’s really amazing just to see who these women are even today. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Look, she really has a house full of anecdotal stories about artists at every turn. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Here we are… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Entering the next room. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> So this is one of the rooms that I rent out for B-Love’s Guesthouse, and people are just, like, rejuvenated and just excited to have a good night’s rest in this comfortable plush queen bed surrounded by all this art, these high ceilings, chandelier, and just this big picture window that brings so much morning sunlight into the room.\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> You’ve got some legends in here. Like, that’s a portrait of Shock G, the late. And this is the Luniz it looks like. That’s fresh out of high school Luniz. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [laughs] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That picture was taken backstage as Summer Jam… mhmmm \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This is ’97. So this is yeah, post “I Got Five On It.”\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> They are still riding that wave. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mm. Mm mm.\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> O\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ne of the things I would do as a photographer in starting out and being self-taught is, I would get a great photo of an artist. I would look on the liner notes of their album and find out who the management was, send them the photo with the cover letter and introduce myself. Sometimes I would write with a ballpoint pen on the back of the photo, like “photo by Tracy Barlow. Copyright 1994.” \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> To break into the industry, Traci had to put herself out there. And with all those portraits that she shot of her neighbors, dancer friends, and hip hop artists on the rise– that became her portfolio of work that she carried with her in a Walgreens photo album just waiting for that right moment when she’d have to pull it out.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And so I talked my way into Chi Modu’s office! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The late Chi Modu is \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">thee\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> late ‘90s hip-hop photographer. He famously photographed Biggie, Eazy-E, Mobb Deep, Nas, members of the Wu Tang Clan, and Tupac. His artwork is culture visualized. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And I said, ‘I’m from Oakland, and if I get pictures of the scene in Oakland, then maybe you could publish them in your magazine?’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And he looked at this portfolio with all these faces from deep East Oakland, and he was like, ‘You have a good eye.’ He said, ‘Let’s do it. You capture photos of the scene. Maybe we’ll publish them.’ And the first photo that was published was this image of Hiero at Hip Hop on the Green, and this was published in the Source Magazine. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music ] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hip Hop On the Green was this dope outdoor concert that was held in the East Bay throughout the 90s. And Traci was there to document it! Her photos of the event helped spread awareness of Bay Area Hip Hop Culture to the rest of the country. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">From Hip Hop On the Green…look at E-40. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Oh, Mail Man time. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mail Man! Okay, Slurricane. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah, the Mossie. B-legit.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Suga-T\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Oooh, look at the finger waves. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes and the Cross Colours. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Nice! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It should be noted that while Traci is fully in community with folks, she’s largely doing this on her own: Her photos. Her home. Her idea. And her actualization. She’s not waiting around for someone to give her a platform or to recognize her contributions to the culture, she’s just doing it herself.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And in a place where Black folks have been under-resourced, overpoliced, locked-up and pushed out of the Town for decades, for her to hold space for herself, her work and her community? Cmon, man, we’ve gotta recognize the power in that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m amazed that I survived foreclosure. There was many moments of just the spirit of detachment. This may not work out. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> I would come home. Those notices were posted on my front door. This house is up for auction on the county courthouse steps at 6 a.m.\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> After surviving foreclosure, Traci opened up her space, allowing people to rent out rooms. The guests? It started with her network of artist friends… \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And I was like, Well, I think I’m going to start renting out rooms to people that I know that are coming to town for residencies, for conferences, for events, for direct actions. Like these are people that I know come to the Bay Area for these different things. I know all the African dance festivals. I know the B Boys, I know the film festivals, I know the National Poetry Slams. Like, that’s my life! Artists and activism is my life. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b> \u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s beautiful… to have it come almost naturally, like from your experience is poured into you and also it benefits the larger community. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah, there are people in this neighborhood that have been here for a long time, as well as a mix of new people that are coming in. So to honor this history of the black experience in West Oakland is really important to me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The house itself is preserving history. And then within the house you have history on the walls. And it’s not all historical, it’s forward moving, like you have people coming through in real time\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">…who are \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">culture makers, people, cultural icons, you know. And so I just wanted to get a sense of some of the people who’ve come through here.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Traci Bartlow:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yes!!! Norma Miller, the queen of swing! The Lindy Hop champion! \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">S\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">he’ll be like,’ Nope, I don’t want to be at the Marriott.’ She’s like, ‘I want to be at B-Love’s Guesthouse.’\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Because it was like she wanted to be immersed in Black culture.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">B-Girl FaTara from New York. She came out for a breaking event here in Oakland. And she said, ‘I’ve stayed at so many AirBnbs, but this is like a Black house, like the incense you have burning, the beans you got cooking, like it smells and feels like the house of an African American person.’\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So people are coming here and they may be in this gentrified neighborhood, but they’re like, Oh, but this is I, this is the Black lady’s house! \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[laughs] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> ‘Thank you’ doesn’t do justice, man. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to Traci Bartlow. Thank you for your art, your hospitality and for your time. Also, thanks for being a pleasant community member, just a delightful person to see at an event and around the Town. Thank you. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can find more information at b-lovesguesthouse.com or \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/blovesguesthouse/#\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">blovesguesthouse on Instagram. \u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traci’s instagram is tracibartlow and we’ll add a link to more information on her photo exhibit to the show notes. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Time to give credit where it’s due:\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marisol Medina-Cadena came with me and Traci on this tour, and then produced this joint. Thank you Marisol. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Suzie Racho and Jen Chien edited this one, \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Christopher Beal engineered this one. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ryce Stoughtenborough is our engagement intern and Justin Ebramehimi and Ria Garewal are the engagement leads. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ethan Toven Lindsey, Jen Chien and Holly Kernan are the KQED execs. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m your host Pendarvis Harshaw! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thanks! Much love and peace to you. Till’ next time.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rightnowish is a KQED production \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
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"title": "Back That Azz Up, Oakland: Juvenile to Perform at the Fox Theater",
"headTitle": "Back That Azz Up, Oakland: Juvenile to Perform at the Fox Theater | KQED",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936542\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1297\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-800x540.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-1020x689.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-768x519.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-1536x1038.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rapper Juvenile performs during the Collegrove Tour at the Oakland Arena on Nov. 10, 2016 in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s been nearly 25 years since New Orleans rapper Juvenile released his megahit “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqmQPklI_0\">Back That Azz Up\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means for a quarter-century now, people have been running to the dance floor at the sound of the strings that start one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. Produced by Mannie Fresh, the seductive beat and celebratory lyrics have provided a soundtrack for generations of folks looking to shake what their momma gave ’em. The song followed the smash single “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww9VlmXKYgs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ha\u003c/a>,” both off of Juvenile’s multiplatinum album \u003cem>400 Degrees\u003c/em>, which signified the rise of the Cash Money Records empire as they took over for the ’99 and the 2000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nieYw00ee-Y\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this landmark album, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh and an accompanying live band are scheduled to perform at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.foxtheateroakland.net/events/juvenile-20-october-2023/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox Theater in Oakland\u003c/a> this Friday, Oct. 20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juvenile, whose summer 2023 performance at \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kes2P4IC2bQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NPR’s Tiny Desk\u003c/a> has racked up nearly six million views, has performed a few shows in the Bay Area before. Those include a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/11956265/heiro-day-2016-lineup-too-short-juvenile-invisibl-skratch-piklz-just-blaze-many-more\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2016 Hiero Day set that filled the block\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN6C9COoTZc\">KMEL’s Legends of Summer Jam concert\u003c/a> in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But a show that \u003cem>didn’t\u003c/em> fully happen — at the Oakland Arena in January of 2000, while Juvenile was part of the Cash Money group the Hot Boys — remains legendary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13923938']Before the Hot Boys set, multiple physical altercations erupted in the audience after a group of young men rushed toward the stage. Folding chairs were thrown, one person was pushed from the balcony and gunshots were reported inside and outside the venue. The concert was canceled on the spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the conflicts had nothing to do with Juvenile, the Hot Boys or Cash Money, that event left an indelible mark on their Bay Area fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was my first concert,” says the Da Boy Dame, Def Jam artist and A&R of Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group (CMG). About 12 years old at the time, Dame and his cousins had received tickets to the concert as a Christmas gift. Excited, the whole crew coordinated their clothes in preparation for the show. “We all had our jean outfits, and we thought we was Cash Money that day,” he tells me on a recent phone call.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936543\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/img_8318_720.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/img_8318_720.png 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/img_8318_720-160x240.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Da Boy Dame, Def Jam artist and A&R of Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Da Boy Dame)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dame recalls seeing the opening acts, the Ruff Ryders and Ginuwine. “The next thing you know, \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/15/concert.fight/index.html\">Oakland made national CNN headlines\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Multiple outlets, including MTV and \u003cem>The Washington Post,\u003c/em> covered the unfortunate event, which resulted in approximately 25 injuries — and left a young Dame disappointed that he didn’t to see his favorite artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decades later, Dame has helped orchestrate Juvenile’s return to Oakland at the Fox Theater on Friday, and is slated to be an opening performer. “That’s really why I always try to do things with Juvie and Mannie, because I feel like we never really got the chance to see it while everything was on fire,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='news_11954252']In addition to an intimate set by Juvenile and Mannie Fresh, Dame says the show will feature a few special guest appearances from veteran Bay Area artists. For concertgoers looking to tap back into a landmark era for hip-hop, the show is guaranteed to to be a time machine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Twenty-five years ago — that was probably the best time in a lot of people’s lives,” says Dame. “I think this is going to be a time when people can relax and enjoy themselves and embrace the nostalgia of the music, the parties, and everything that came along with the ’99 and 2000.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Juvenile and Mannie Fresh perform with a live band on Friday, Oct. 20, at the Fox Theater in Oakland. \u003ca href=\"https://thefoxoakland.com/events/juvenile-231020\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Juvenile returns this weekend to Oakland, where crowd pandemonium once canceled his concert on the spot.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936542\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1297\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-800x540.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-1020x689.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-768x519.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Juvenile.full_-1536x1038.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rapper Juvenile performs during the Collegrove Tour at the Oakland Arena on Nov. 10, 2016 in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s been nearly 25 years since New Orleans rapper Juvenile released his megahit “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqmQPklI_0\">Back That Azz Up\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means for a quarter-century now, people have been running to the dance floor at the sound of the strings that start one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. Produced by Mannie Fresh, the seductive beat and celebratory lyrics have provided a soundtrack for generations of folks looking to shake what their momma gave ’em. The song followed the smash single “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww9VlmXKYgs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ha\u003c/a>,” both off of Juvenile’s multiplatinum album \u003cem>400 Degrees\u003c/em>, which signified the rise of the Cash Money Records empire as they took over for the ’99 and the 2000.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/nieYw00ee-Y'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/nieYw00ee-Y'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this landmark album, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh and an accompanying live band are scheduled to perform at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.foxtheateroakland.net/events/juvenile-20-october-2023/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox Theater in Oakland\u003c/a> this Friday, Oct. 20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Juvenile, whose summer 2023 performance at \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kes2P4IC2bQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NPR’s Tiny Desk\u003c/a> has racked up nearly six million views, has performed a few shows in the Bay Area before. Those include a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/11956265/heiro-day-2016-lineup-too-short-juvenile-invisibl-skratch-piklz-just-blaze-many-more\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2016 Hiero Day set that filled the block\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN6C9COoTZc\">KMEL’s Legends of Summer Jam concert\u003c/a> in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But a show that \u003cem>didn’t\u003c/em> fully happen — at the Oakland Arena in January of 2000, while Juvenile was part of the Cash Money group the Hot Boys — remains legendary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Before the Hot Boys set, multiple physical altercations erupted in the audience after a group of young men rushed toward the stage. Folding chairs were thrown, one person was pushed from the balcony and gunshots were reported inside and outside the venue. The concert was canceled on the spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the conflicts had nothing to do with Juvenile, the Hot Boys or Cash Money, that event left an indelible mark on their Bay Area fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was my first concert,” says the Da Boy Dame, Def Jam artist and A&R of Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group (CMG). About 12 years old at the time, Dame and his cousins had received tickets to the concert as a Christmas gift. Excited, the whole crew coordinated their clothes in preparation for the show. “We all had our jean outfits, and we thought we was Cash Money that day,” he tells me on a recent phone call.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936543\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/img_8318_720.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/img_8318_720.png 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/img_8318_720-160x240.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Da Boy Dame, Def Jam artist and A&R of Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Da Boy Dame)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dame recalls seeing the opening acts, the Ruff Ryders and Ginuwine. “The next thing you know, \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/15/concert.fight/index.html\">Oakland made national CNN headlines\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Multiple outlets, including MTV and \u003cem>The Washington Post,\u003c/em> covered the unfortunate event, which resulted in approximately 25 injuries — and left a young Dame disappointed that he didn’t to see his favorite artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decades later, Dame has helped orchestrate Juvenile’s return to Oakland at the Fox Theater on Friday, and is slated to be an opening performer. “That’s really why I always try to do things with Juvie and Mannie, because I feel like we never really got the chance to see it while everything was on fire,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In addition to an intimate set by Juvenile and Mannie Fresh, Dame says the show will feature a few special guest appearances from veteran Bay Area artists. For concertgoers looking to tap back into a landmark era for hip-hop, the show is guaranteed to to be a time machine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Twenty-five years ago — that was probably the best time in a lot of people’s lives,” says Dame. “I think this is going to be a time when people can relax and enjoy themselves and embrace the nostalgia of the music, the parties, and everything that came along with the ’99 and 2000.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Juvenile and Mannie Fresh perform with a live band on Friday, Oct. 20, at the Fox Theater in Oakland. \u003ca href=\"https://thefoxoakland.com/events/juvenile-231020\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "At Vigil for Bay Area Rapper Zumbi, Renewed Calls for Criminal Charges",
"headTitle": "At Vigil for Bay Area Rapper Zumbi, Renewed Calls for Criminal Charges | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Over 75 people held a candlelight vigil outside Berkeley’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center on Sunday night for Stephen Gaines, also known as the rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/zumbi\">Zumbi\u003c/a> from the group \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/zion_i_crew/?hl=en\">Zion I\u003c/a>. For more than two hours, supporters and loved ones of the spiritually-minded rapper shared songs, memories and calls for justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zumbi died at the hospital in August 2021 after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13920198/zumbi-zion-i-improper-restraint-at-hospital\">multiple security guards and staff pinned him to the floor and placed their weight on him\u003c/a> for approximately five to 10 minutes. In 2022, one year later, the Alameda County coroner ruled his death a homicide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13920198']But Alameda County prosecutors still have not brought criminal charges against the hospital or the security company, Allied Security. At the vigil, Zumbi’s mother, Carolyn Gaines, expressed her frustration at the inaction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do you determine something is a homicide, and then not hold anybody responsible?” asked Gaines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936062\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with long hair looks down at a set of candles in their hands while standing in a large group of people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millaray Rodriguez Avila (center), attends a vigil in memory of her partner, the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to a request for comment. But at the vigil Sunday night, in the shadow of the fourth floor at Alta Bates where Zumbi spent his final moments, supporters made their voices clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s keep fighting,” urged Millaray Rodriguez Avila, Zumbi’s partner of four years. “It’s not just Zumbi. It’s another brother tomorrow. Another sister tomorrow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several hip-hop artists, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/delhiero/\">Del the Funky Homosapien\u003c/a> and Zumbi’s partner in Zion I, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/amplivesworld/\">Amp Live\u003c/a>, joined the vigil. Oakland musician \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/kev-choice\">Kev Choice\u003c/a> shared a freestyle (“Zumbi keeps telling me / Represent light, represent life”), while \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/damedrummer/?hl=en\">Dame Drummer\u003c/a> accompanied himself on guitar to sing a mournful solo song written just days prior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936064\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a hat sings outdoors at night surrounded by a group of people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kev Choice performs at a vigil in memory of the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Longtime collaborator \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thegrouch/?hl=en\">The Grouch\u003c/a>, explaining that “Zumbi’s number one thing was to spread music,” played a song for attendees over the P.A. that had never been released: a group effort between himself, Zumbi, Eligh and Choice, with verses dedicated to their five-year-old selves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/equipto_415/\">Equipto\u003c/a>, who performed alongside Zion I on Zumbi’s last tour, was more pointed in his call for accountability. “Allied Security, they’ve been known to get away with murder. Even more than the police,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While former District Attorney Nancy O’Malley initially declined to file criminal charges, O’Malley \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13920004/zumbi-homicide-investigation-criminal-charges\">told lawyers and family shortly afterward\u003c/a> that she would revisit the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, with new District Attorney Pamela Price \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957036/a-campaign-to-recall-alameda-countys-progressive-da-kicks-off\">facing a recall effort\u003c/a>, Carolyn Gaines lamented, “I don’t know that she will ever get to it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936065\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936065\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people gather and hold candles outside of a large building.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A vigil in memory of the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gaines and Rodriguez Avila both spoke of their own desire, as well as the need of the public, to view the hospital surveillance video of Zumbi’s death, which neither Alta Bates nor Berkeley Police have agreed to release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The video could answer outstanding questions of how long, exactly, guards were piled on top of Zumbi, as well as the circumstances leading up to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want people to know what happened,” said Rodriguez Avila, one of many who have spoken to Zumbi’s gentle and loving nature, and how impossible it is to imagine him behaving in a physically threatening manner. “It’s not just me, it’s everybody. We want to see.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, a civil lawsuit is in progress. Gaines gave a brief update on that case, saying that attorneys had recently sent interrogatories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936063\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936063\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people gather, holding candles and singing around the photo of a person with long hair and a goatee.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees of a vigil in memory of the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, sing happy birthday to him in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I know some of you have been very frustrated,” Gaines told the crowd. “I want to warn you: Do not think that there is going to be results next month. It may yet be next year. This process moves incredibly slow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As candles flickered and the air chilled, her final promise brought a round of applause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As long as God gives me breath,” she said, “be ye assured that Carolyn Webb Gaines will still be on the case.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "More than two years after the artist's death at a Berkeley hospital, his family and community are demanding answers. ",
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"title": "At Vigil for Bay Area Rapper Zumbi, Renewed Calls for Criminal Charges | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Over 75 people held a candlelight vigil outside Berkeley’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center on Sunday night for Stephen Gaines, also known as the rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/zumbi\">Zumbi\u003c/a> from the group \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/zion_i_crew/?hl=en\">Zion I\u003c/a>. For more than two hours, supporters and loved ones of the spiritually-minded rapper shared songs, memories and calls for justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zumbi died at the hospital in August 2021 after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13920198/zumbi-zion-i-improper-restraint-at-hospital\">multiple security guards and staff pinned him to the floor and placed their weight on him\u003c/a> for approximately five to 10 minutes. In 2022, one year later, the Alameda County coroner ruled his death a homicide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But Alameda County prosecutors still have not brought criminal charges against the hospital or the security company, Allied Security. At the vigil, Zumbi’s mother, Carolyn Gaines, expressed her frustration at the inaction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do you determine something is a homicide, and then not hold anybody responsible?” asked Gaines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936062\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with long hair looks down at a set of candles in their hands while standing in a large group of people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-08-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millaray Rodriguez Avila (center), attends a vigil in memory of her partner, the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to a request for comment. But at the vigil Sunday night, in the shadow of the fourth floor at Alta Bates where Zumbi spent his final moments, supporters made their voices clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s keep fighting,” urged Millaray Rodriguez Avila, Zumbi’s partner of four years. “It’s not just Zumbi. It’s another brother tomorrow. Another sister tomorrow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several hip-hop artists, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/delhiero/\">Del the Funky Homosapien\u003c/a> and Zumbi’s partner in Zion I, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/amplivesworld/\">Amp Live\u003c/a>, joined the vigil. Oakland musician \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/kev-choice\">Kev Choice\u003c/a> shared a freestyle (“Zumbi keeps telling me / Represent light, represent life”), while \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/damedrummer/?hl=en\">Dame Drummer\u003c/a> accompanied himself on guitar to sing a mournful solo song written just days prior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936064\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a hat sings outdoors at night surrounded by a group of people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-10-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kev Choice performs at a vigil in memory of the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Longtime collaborator \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thegrouch/?hl=en\">The Grouch\u003c/a>, explaining that “Zumbi’s number one thing was to spread music,” played a song for attendees over the P.A. that had never been released: a group effort between himself, Zumbi, Eligh and Choice, with verses dedicated to their five-year-old selves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/equipto_415/\">Equipto\u003c/a>, who performed alongside Zion I on Zumbi’s last tour, was more pointed in his call for accountability. “Allied Security, they’ve been known to get away with murder. Even more than the police,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While former District Attorney Nancy O’Malley initially declined to file criminal charges, O’Malley \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13920004/zumbi-homicide-investigation-criminal-charges\">told lawyers and family shortly afterward\u003c/a> that she would revisit the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, with new District Attorney Pamela Price \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957036/a-campaign-to-recall-alameda-countys-progressive-da-kicks-off\">facing a recall effort\u003c/a>, Carolyn Gaines lamented, “I don’t know that she will ever get to it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936065\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936065\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people gather and hold candles outside of a large building.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-12-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A vigil in memory of the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gaines and Rodriguez Avila both spoke of their own desire, as well as the need of the public, to view the hospital surveillance video of Zumbi’s death, which neither Alta Bates nor Berkeley Police have agreed to release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The video could answer outstanding questions of how long, exactly, guards were piled on top of Zumbi, as well as the circumstances leading up to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want people to know what happened,” said Rodriguez Avila, one of many who have spoken to Zumbi’s gentle and loving nature, and how impossible it is to imagine him behaving in a physically threatening manner. “It’s not just me, it’s everybody. We want to see.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, a civil lawsuit is in progress. Gaines gave a brief update on that case, saying that attorneys had recently sent interrogatories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13936063\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13936063\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people gather, holding candles and singing around the photo of a person with long hair and a goatee.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/231008-ZUMBI-VIGIL-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees of a vigil in memory of the hip-hop artist Zumbi, who died in 2021 at the hands of Alta Bates staff and security, sing happy birthday to him in front of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley on Oct. 8, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I know some of you have been very frustrated,” Gaines told the crowd. “I want to warn you: Do not think that there is going to be results next month. It may yet be next year. This process moves incredibly slow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As candles flickered and the air chilled, her final promise brought a round of applause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As long as God gives me breath,” she said, “be ye assured that Carolyn Webb Gaines will still be on the case.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "House Party Meets Church in Ian Kelly and Drew Banga's 'Soulful of It'",
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"content": "\u003cp>Very few rappers in Northern California have shown the persistent discipline and sincerity of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13846175/ian-kelly-and-the-role-of-the-bay-area-expatriate\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> in recent years. And very few hip-hop producers have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13859615/rightnowish-rap-producer-drew-banga-on-music-and-fatherhood\">Drew Banga\u003c/a>‘s eclectic musicality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s no surprise then that \u003cem>Soulful of It\u003c/em> — the one-off collaboration project between the two Oaklanders — is pure love and rhythmic fun. The new 10-track release is church music flipped into hip-hop that reflects on mortality, Bay Area childhood and family communion. As Ian Kelly explained it to KQED, the effort is a “ghetto gospel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3649000951/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really two Oakland kids coming together with Town and church influences,” Kelly says. “Drew’s church influence is way heavier than mine, but I drew from a place of remembering those moments where East Oakland and spirituality collided for me. The way I look at [\u003cem>Soulful of It\u003c/em>] is like a church and a house party got let out at the same time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sept. 25, the pair of musicians shared their feel-good project with a crowd of first-time listeners at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/innerdesiresongrand/\">Inner Desires\u003c/a>, a sleek, purple-lit streetwear boutique on Grand Avenue in Oakland. The crowd at the release party included members of hip-hop groups Trey Coastal and MacArthur Maze, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13906706/the-year-larussell-called-his-shot\">LaRussell\u003c/a>‘s go-to producer Tope and other cultural factors from around the East Bay. As the music played, everyone bobbed in unison, and the venue became so packed that onlookers had to peek in from the sidewalk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13811388\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13811388\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Drew Banga started his career with the goal of becoming a tour bassist but now has ambitions to top the charts.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Drew Banga started his career with the goal of becoming a tour bassist but now has ambitions to top the charts. \u003ccite>(Kristina Bakrevski )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Soulful of It\u003c/em> is as smooth as advertised — and harmoniously anchored by the vocal additions of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/isaiahwitdahair/?hl=en\">Isaiah Mostafa\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/msjanehandcock/?hl=en\">Death Row Records’ Jane Handcock\u003c/a>. Whether it’s a West Coast, synth-heavy cruising jam like “Monday Thru Sunday” or the acoustic riffs on “Distance,” the lyrics are grounded in introspection and romanticized musings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s also a surfeit of uptempo beats (the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900085/stunnaman02-and-the-big-steppin-energy-in-the-room\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a>-featuring “Bounce”) and Bay Area braggadociousness (“All This Game”) for those in need of hyphy’s holy ghost. “Off the Porch” is a second-summer anthem, with a slow, sing-along group hook accenting Drew Banga’s bass guitar: “Hop off the porch, no baby boy anymore / I’ve been outside, outside, baby.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the album, Kelly’s sharp-witted poetics and Drew Banga’s live instrumentation create a gravitational pull of joy — bringing many circles together in the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It just feels good to connect with the soil and community,” Kelly says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Very few rappers in Northern California have shown the persistent discipline and sincerity of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13846175/ian-kelly-and-the-role-of-the-bay-area-expatriate\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> in recent years. And very few hip-hop producers have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13859615/rightnowish-rap-producer-drew-banga-on-music-and-fatherhood\">Drew Banga\u003c/a>‘s eclectic musicality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s no surprise then that \u003cem>Soulful of It\u003c/em> — the one-off collaboration project between the two Oaklanders — is pure love and rhythmic fun. The new 10-track release is church music flipped into hip-hop that reflects on mortality, Bay Area childhood and family communion. As Ian Kelly explained it to KQED, the effort is a “ghetto gospel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3649000951/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really two Oakland kids coming together with Town and church influences,” Kelly says. “Drew’s church influence is way heavier than mine, but I drew from a place of remembering those moments where East Oakland and spirituality collided for me. The way I look at [\u003cem>Soulful of It\u003c/em>] is like a church and a house party got let out at the same time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sept. 25, the pair of musicians shared their feel-good project with a crowd of first-time listeners at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/innerdesiresongrand/\">Inner Desires\u003c/a>, a sleek, purple-lit streetwear boutique on Grand Avenue in Oakland. The crowd at the release party included members of hip-hop groups Trey Coastal and MacArthur Maze, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13906706/the-year-larussell-called-his-shot\">LaRussell\u003c/a>‘s go-to producer Tope and other cultural factors from around the East Bay. As the music played, everyone bobbed in unison, and the venue became so packed that onlookers had to peek in from the sidewalk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13811388\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13811388\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Drew Banga started his career with the goal of becoming a tour bassist but now has ambitions to top the charts.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/KQED_Drew-28-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Drew Banga started his career with the goal of becoming a tour bassist but now has ambitions to top the charts. \u003ccite>(Kristina Bakrevski )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Soulful of It\u003c/em> is as smooth as advertised — and harmoniously anchored by the vocal additions of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/isaiahwitdahair/?hl=en\">Isaiah Mostafa\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/msjanehandcock/?hl=en\">Death Row Records’ Jane Handcock\u003c/a>. Whether it’s a West Coast, synth-heavy cruising jam like “Monday Thru Sunday” or the acoustic riffs on “Distance,” the lyrics are grounded in introspection and romanticized musings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s also a surfeit of uptempo beats (the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900085/stunnaman02-and-the-big-steppin-energy-in-the-room\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a>-featuring “Bounce”) and Bay Area braggadociousness (“All This Game”) for those in need of hyphy’s holy ghost. “Off the Porch” is a second-summer anthem, with a slow, sing-along group hook accenting Drew Banga’s bass guitar: “Hop off the porch, no baby boy anymore / I’ve been outside, outside, baby.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the album, Kelly’s sharp-witted poetics and Drew Banga’s live instrumentation create a gravitational pull of joy — bringing many circles together in the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It just feels good to connect with the soil and community,” Kelly says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Too Short, Sway Calloway and Chuy Gomez Host EMPIRE’s Hip-Hop 50 Celebration",
"headTitle": "Too Short, Sway Calloway and Chuy Gomez Host EMPIRE’s Hip-Hop 50 Celebration | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco record label \u003ca href=\"https://empi.re/\">EMPIRE\u003c/a> has a track record of championing homegrown talent while also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/ourturbulentdecade/2012-empire-brought-the-music-industry-back-to-san-francisco\">connecting Bay Area artists\u003c/a> to bigger opportunities on the national, and even international, stage. So its no surprise that the label is putting on its own celebration of 50 years of hip-hop culture. The party will take place on \u003ca href=\"https://www.seetickets.us/event/empire-salutes-50-years-of-hip-hop/569634\">Oct. 15 at SVN West in San Francisco\u003c/a>, hosted by Too Short and legendary radio personalities Chuy Gomez and Sway Calloway. [aside label='More Hip-Hop 50 Coverage' postid='arts_13934715,arts_13933590']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too Short began his career in the early ’80s, putting out custom homemade tapes, and by the end of the decade he ascended to national stardom with lyrics about Oakland street life and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/whatspimpin\">pimp culture\u003c/a>. Now \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> royalty, he’s been a source of both local \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13922616/too-short-way-street-sign-unveiled-oakland\">pride\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13930867/whats-pimpin-culture-hip-hop-rap-sexism-misogynoir-black-women\">controversy\u003c/a> over his influential, decades-long career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chuy Gomez became a voice for the Bay Area hip-hop scene as a host on the California Music Channel, and later was a fixture at 106 KMEL for 20 years. Sway Calloway, meanwhile, began his career as a rapper and made a name for himself as a broadcaster with his syndicated \u003cem>Wake Up Show\u003c/em> in the ’90s. Since 2011, he’s hosted the influential \u003cem>Sway in the Morning \u003c/em>on SiriusXM.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too Short, Gomez and Calloway will lead the festivities at EMPIRE’s celebration, which features DJs Steady, Cream of Beat (Mindmotion and DJ Ivan), Big Von, Scotty Fox and more. The event also promises food trucks, artist vendors, break dancers, a cypher and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘EMPIRE Salutes 50 Years of Hip-Hop’ takes place at SVN West (10 South Van Ness Ave., San Francisco) on Oct. 15. \u003ca href=\"https://www.seetickets.us/event/empire-salutes-50-years-of-hip-hop/569634\">Tickets and details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco record label \u003ca href=\"https://empi.re/\">EMPIRE\u003c/a> has a track record of championing homegrown talent while also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/ourturbulentdecade/2012-empire-brought-the-music-industry-back-to-san-francisco\">connecting Bay Area artists\u003c/a> to bigger opportunities on the national, and even international, stage. So its no surprise that the label is putting on its own celebration of 50 years of hip-hop culture. The party will take place on \u003ca href=\"https://www.seetickets.us/event/empire-salutes-50-years-of-hip-hop/569634\">Oct. 15 at SVN West in San Francisco\u003c/a>, hosted by Too Short and legendary radio personalities Chuy Gomez and Sway Calloway. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too Short began his career in the early ’80s, putting out custom homemade tapes, and by the end of the decade he ascended to national stardom with lyrics about Oakland street life and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/whatspimpin\">pimp culture\u003c/a>. Now \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> royalty, he’s been a source of both local \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13922616/too-short-way-street-sign-unveiled-oakland\">pride\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13930867/whats-pimpin-culture-hip-hop-rap-sexism-misogynoir-black-women\">controversy\u003c/a> over his influential, decades-long career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chuy Gomez became a voice for the Bay Area hip-hop scene as a host on the California Music Channel, and later was a fixture at 106 KMEL for 20 years. Sway Calloway, meanwhile, began his career as a rapper and made a name for himself as a broadcaster with his syndicated \u003cem>Wake Up Show\u003c/em> in the ’90s. Since 2011, he’s hosted the influential \u003cem>Sway in the Morning \u003c/em>on SiriusXM.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Too Short, Gomez and Calloway will lead the festivities at EMPIRE’s celebration, which features DJs Steady, Cream of Beat (Mindmotion and DJ Ivan), Big Von, Scotty Fox and more. The event also promises food trucks, artist vendors, break dancers, a cypher and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘EMPIRE Salutes 50 Years of Hip-Hop’ takes place at SVN West (10 South Van Ness Ave., San Francisco) on Oct. 15. \u003ca href=\"https://www.seetickets.us/event/empire-salutes-50-years-of-hip-hop/569634\">Tickets and details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Watch: ‘Hip-Hop Herstory’ Celebrates 5 Mega-Talented Bay Area Women",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>Editor’s note:\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003ci> This story is part of \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003ci>, KQED’s year-long exploration of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop history\u003c/a>, with new content dropping all throughout 2023.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As our celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary continues, we wanted to give a special spotlight to the barrier-breaking women who’ve shaped this music and culture over the decades. On Sept. 14 in our San Francisco event space, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/events\">The Commons\u003c/a>, we celebrated five of them at a night of performances and discussions called Hip-Hop Herstory, which I had the honor of hosting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935093\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935093\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A hip-hop artist and journalist excitedly chat while seated on stage. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh (right) on stage with KQED’s Nastia Voynovskaya on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The event began with an interview with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13934715/kimmie-fresh-real-freaky-tales-oakland\">Kimmie Fresh\u003c/a>, who paved the way as one of the first female rappers in the Bay Area to record an album. The artist is now the chef and owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/kimmies-kitchin-oakland-3\">Kimmie’s Kitchin\u003c/a>, a soul-food cafe in East Oakland, where she was born and raised. In the ’80s, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13927349/bay-area-hip-hop-1980s\">decade Bay Area hip-hop exploded\u003c/a> onto the national stage, she made her bold presence known with “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/TJZ1hVfdBso?si=X7Ky3hoeN7knWnza\">The Real Freaky Tales, The Girls Story,\u003c/a>” an X-rated Too Short diss track and album of the same name. Kimmie told us the inside story of her version of “Freaky Tales,” and shared some never-before-seen home videos from the early days of her rap career — including one with an MC Hammer cameo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935095\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935095\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"RyanNicole animatedly explains something while seated on a couch. \" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019.jpg 853w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">RyanNicole on stage at The Commons on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Next, we heard from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13890558/with-labor-ryannicole-uplifts-black-womens-invisible-work\">RyanNicole\u003c/a>, the multi-talented MC, poet, activist, actress and host of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/whatspimpin\">\u003ci>What’s Pimpin’?\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, a vodcast co-produced by KQED. In \u003ci>What’s Pimpin’?\u003c/i>, Ryan, Maddy Clifford and Coco Peila break down misogynoir — the intersection of racism and sexism Black women face — and dig into pimp culture and its influence on Bay Area hip-hop. On stage, Ryan discussed why she keeps returning to the theme of capitalism, and how the exploitation of women reflects a larger system of domination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935097\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935097\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up shot of Tia rapping into the microphone. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tia NoMore on stage at The Commons on Sept. 14., 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rising star \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925590/noise-pop-festival-2023-review\">Stoni\u003c/a> delivered a scorching performance that began with the introspective track “Mental Clarity” and ended with the sold-out audience — which included author Rebecca Solnit and Frisco rap legend JT the Bigga Figga — chanting along to the smack-talking bars of “FTB.” While she caught her breath, we invited mega-talented rappers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925905/tia-nomore-earth-mama-a24-savanah-leaf\">Tia NoMore\u003c/a> (who recently made her critically acclaimed acting debut in \u003ci>Earth Mama\u003c/i>) and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928057/alien-mac-kitty-cougnut-daughter-san-francisco-frisco-rap-legacy\">Alien Mac Kitty\u003c/a> to the stage. Along with Stoni, they broke down why it’s important for women to support one another in the music industry, and shared insights about their individual artistic and personal journeys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935096\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935096\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Stoni raps into the microphone.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stoni performs at The Commons on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[aside postid=’[aside postid='arts_13932030,forum_2010101892837']We ended the evening with a dance party. Tia had the audience feeling themselves with her expertly delivered, hyphy-inflected bars, and AMK took us on an emotional journey that began with a tribute to her late parents (her dad was the SF rap icon Cougnut) and ended with braids swinging, bunny hops and chants of “f— Charles” (her way of casting away the negative energy).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night wound down with lots of hugs, love and gratitude for these incredible Bay Area women and their sisterhood. If you missed it, watch Hip-Hop Herstory in its entirety in the video above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935106\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935106\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055.jpg 1598w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alien Mac Kitty performs at The Commons on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>Editor’s note:\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003ci> This story is part of \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003ci>, KQED’s year-long exploration of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop history\u003c/a>, with new content dropping all throughout 2023.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As our celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary continues, we wanted to give a special spotlight to the barrier-breaking women who’ve shaped this music and culture over the decades. On Sept. 14 in our San Francisco event space, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/events\">The Commons\u003c/a>, we celebrated five of them at a night of performances and discussions called Hip-Hop Herstory, which I had the honor of hosting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935093\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935093\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A hip-hop artist and journalist excitedly chat while seated on stage. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-008.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh (right) on stage with KQED’s Nastia Voynovskaya on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The event began with an interview with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13934715/kimmie-fresh-real-freaky-tales-oakland\">Kimmie Fresh\u003c/a>, who paved the way as one of the first female rappers in the Bay Area to record an album. The artist is now the chef and owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/kimmies-kitchin-oakland-3\">Kimmie’s Kitchin\u003c/a>, a soul-food cafe in East Oakland, where she was born and raised. In the ’80s, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13927349/bay-area-hip-hop-1980s\">decade Bay Area hip-hop exploded\u003c/a> onto the national stage, she made her bold presence known with “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/TJZ1hVfdBso?si=X7Ky3hoeN7knWnza\">The Real Freaky Tales, The Girls Story,\u003c/a>” an X-rated Too Short diss track and album of the same name. Kimmie told us the inside story of her version of “Freaky Tales,” and shared some never-before-seen home videos from the early days of her rap career — including one with an MC Hammer cameo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935095\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935095\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"RyanNicole animatedly explains something while seated on a couch. \" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-019.jpg 853w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">RyanNicole on stage at The Commons on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Next, we heard from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13890558/with-labor-ryannicole-uplifts-black-womens-invisible-work\">RyanNicole\u003c/a>, the multi-talented MC, poet, activist, actress and host of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/whatspimpin\">\u003ci>What’s Pimpin’?\u003c/i>\u003c/a>, a vodcast co-produced by KQED. In \u003ci>What’s Pimpin’?\u003c/i>, Ryan, Maddy Clifford and Coco Peila break down misogynoir — the intersection of racism and sexism Black women face — and dig into pimp culture and its influence on Bay Area hip-hop. On stage, Ryan discussed why she keeps returning to the theme of capitalism, and how the exploitation of women reflects a larger system of domination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935097\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935097\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up shot of Tia rapping into the microphone. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-047.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tia NoMore on stage at The Commons on Sept. 14., 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rising star \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925590/noise-pop-festival-2023-review\">Stoni\u003c/a> delivered a scorching performance that began with the introspective track “Mental Clarity” and ended with the sold-out audience — which included author Rebecca Solnit and Frisco rap legend JT the Bigga Figga — chanting along to the smack-talking bars of “FTB.” While she caught her breath, we invited mega-talented rappers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925905/tia-nomore-earth-mama-a24-savanah-leaf\">Tia NoMore\u003c/a> (who recently made her critically acclaimed acting debut in \u003ci>Earth Mama\u003c/i>) and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928057/alien-mac-kitty-cougnut-daughter-san-francisco-frisco-rap-legacy\">Alien Mac Kitty\u003c/a> to the stage. Along with Stoni, they broke down why it’s important for women to support one another in the music industry, and shared insights about their individual artistic and personal journeys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935096\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935096\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Stoni raps into the microphone.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-025.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stoni performs at The Commons on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>We ended the evening with a dance party. Tia had the audience feeling themselves with her expertly delivered, hyphy-inflected bars, and AMK took us on an emotional journey that began with a tribute to her late parents (her dad was the SF rap icon Cougnut) and ended with braids swinging, bunny hops and chants of “f— Charles” (her way of casting away the negative energy).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night wound down with lots of hugs, love and gratitude for these incredible Bay Area women and their sisterhood. If you missed it, watch Hip-Hop Herstory in its entirety in the video above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935106\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935106\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Hip-Hop-Herstory-Celebrating-Bay-Area-Women-at-KQED-Headquarters-on-Thursday-September-14-Estefany-Gonzalez-055.jpg 1598w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alien Mac Kitty performs at The Commons on Sept. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "This Anime-Loving Rapper From East Oakland Is Up Next",
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"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935008\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935008\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-800x946.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-800x946.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-1020x1206.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-160x189.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-768x908.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-1299x1536.jpg 1299w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-1732x2048.jpg 1732w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">1100 Himself packs ‘Dragon Ball Z’ and wrestling references into his adrenaline-raising verses. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’ll put this plainly: \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/1100himself/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">1100 Himself\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — the ethereal, laidback lyricist whose drill raps embody East Oakland’s precariousness — is built different. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a first pass, you might dismiss the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.thizzler.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thizzler-backed\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> word juggler as just another dude bragging about getting money in the trenches. But he’s not \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">only\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With a sleepy cadence and signature Bay Area weirdness, the “Funk Town” spitter layers violent storytelling with unexpected textures and jazzy beats. Drawing heavily from his “out of body” experiences in the streets, he references a sprawling variety of oddball interests — PlayStation, wrestling, Japanese animation, \u003cem>Family Guy\u003c/em>, Souls of Mischief.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At times, he’s more enigma than MC, more outlaw than orator — a combustible mix of deadpan philosophy and detailed observations.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> If you want to know what frequency he’s on, simply skim his catalog.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyKHo3bN7U0\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Earlier this year, 1100 dropped \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/14TZrWzVuBaQvanqDNVXF3\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">1300 My Cousin\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a project that solidified his status as a rising talent whose rhymes conjure futuristic, gangster film noir. And just last week, he dropped \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/1GETCs99FSZabm8MysGYYH\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Leven Durant \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">(a playful reference to the former Golden State Warrior), an album that outlines his trademark street exploits and summons the aura of a Lil B mixtape with its off-kilter lyrics and\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv22VOiPrSZ/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Photoshopped cover art\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tracks like “\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_V_ewvoGIc\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Note to Self\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">”\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> cut through the noisy bravado to highlight 1100 in his idiosyncratic prime. For two straight minutes — without any hook or features — he rap-talks about his therapist, SpongeBob SquarePants and “popping shrooms” while “going where the wind blow.” Lines like “I’m trying to find myself… I used to try to be my brother now I be myself” and “it’s funny how you always run back to the time of pain” surprise with their unglamorized clarity — a refreshing element in a genre often confined to hyperbolic claims of flawlessness.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He does this over minimalistic, subdued, choral-and-keyboard backdrops that evoke Scandinavian winters — introspective, lo-fi instrumentals not typically favored by Thizzler’s street rappers. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Leven Durant\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> marks his most publicized effort to date, as the rapper has now reached 41,000 followers on Instagram and 171,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Not too shabby for a kid from East 24th Street and 11th Avenue who once rapped about needing “courtesy rides because I lost my Clipper” public transit card. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnuZ5d0Q5Yc\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Going back to 2022, 1100 and his Dr. Dre-like mentor, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/producedbymitchell/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mitchell\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — a superbly skilled sound architect and part-time rhymer — began to gain major traction with \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/3cskKMxiBB3u8UoUduzsJZ\">\u003cem>2 Headed Goat\u003c/em>\u003c/a>,\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.passionweiss.com/2022/05/27/1100-himself-mitchell-interview/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a joint project that garnered underground acclaim\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The album’s cover art features a claymation-style portrait of the two rappers draped in Dragon Ball Z dōgis (martial arts training gear), Jordan 1s and chains while standing on their respective street corners. Each song wavers between the dark circus of nefarious crimes and the soul-searching rhythms of urban meditation. To my ears, they’re on the shortlist for the most intriguing Bay Area duos right now.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And again in 2022, 1100 Himself delivered \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/34hR8xXLJyaRlw3DDUEII4\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The 11th Hokage\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a solo album that hijacks the \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Naruto\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> manga narrative in which the most capable ninja of a village is denoted as the region’s “hokage.” Featuring an armada of local collaborators like 10Millibang and Demahjiae, the production utilizes slowed down flutes, wavy basslines and video game samples to create an eclectic soundscape with overtones of Detroit drill music.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course, in 2020, 1100 Himself gave us \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/313g6vscYv8EBdW9fnknfM\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Funk Theft Auto\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Heavily inspired by the legendary video game\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the album oscillates from rags-to-riches anthems like “Throw It In The Bag” to a Bobby Caldwell-sampling ballad about loyalty, “Do For Love.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like I said, 1100 Himself’s center point is hard to triangulate. But for nerds like me who appreciate a trippy orbit of weed-hazed whimsy, and for Bay Area mobb music aficionados who like to ride with tinted windows, he’s certainly providing a memorable soundtrack. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_V_ewvoGIc\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "1100 Himself layers street storytelling with oddball references, jazzy beats and a signature, Bay Area weirdness.",
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"title": "This Anime-Loving Rapper From East Oakland Is Up Next | KQED",
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"headline": "This Anime-Loving Rapper From East Oakland Is Up Next",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13935008\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13935008\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-800x946.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-800x946.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-1020x1206.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-160x189.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-768x908.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-1299x1536.jpg 1299w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038-1732x2048.jpg 1732w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/DSC08038.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">1100 Himself packs ‘Dragon Ball Z’ and wrestling references into his adrenaline-raising verses. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’ll put this plainly: \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/1100himself/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">1100 Himself\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — the ethereal, laidback lyricist whose drill raps embody East Oakland’s precariousness — is built different. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On a first pass, you might dismiss the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.thizzler.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Thizzler-backed\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> word juggler as just another dude bragging about getting money in the trenches. But he’s not \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">only\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">With a sleepy cadence and signature Bay Area weirdness, the “Funk Town” spitter layers violent storytelling with unexpected textures and jazzy beats. Drawing heavily from his “out of body” experiences in the streets, he references a sprawling variety of oddball interests — PlayStation, wrestling, Japanese animation, \u003cem>Family Guy\u003c/em>, Souls of Mischief.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At times, he’s more enigma than MC, more outlaw than orator — a combustible mix of deadpan philosophy and detailed observations.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> If you want to know what frequency he’s on, simply skim his catalog.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/OyKHo3bN7U0'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/OyKHo3bN7U0'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Earlier this year, 1100 dropped \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/14TZrWzVuBaQvanqDNVXF3\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">1300 My Cousin\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a project that solidified his status as a rising talent whose rhymes conjure futuristic, gangster film noir. And just last week, he dropped \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/1GETCs99FSZabm8MysGYYH\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Leven Durant \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">(a playful reference to the former Golden State Warrior), an album that outlines his trademark street exploits and summons the aura of a Lil B mixtape with its off-kilter lyrics and\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv22VOiPrSZ/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Photoshopped cover art\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tracks like “\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_V_ewvoGIc\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Note to Self\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">”\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> cut through the noisy bravado to highlight 1100 in his idiosyncratic prime. For two straight minutes — without any hook or features — he rap-talks about his therapist, SpongeBob SquarePants and “popping shrooms” while “going where the wind blow.” Lines like “I’m trying to find myself… I used to try to be my brother now I be myself” and “it’s funny how you always run back to the time of pain” surprise with their unglamorized clarity — a refreshing element in a genre often confined to hyperbolic claims of flawlessness.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He does this over minimalistic, subdued, choral-and-keyboard backdrops that evoke Scandinavian winters — introspective, lo-fi instrumentals not typically favored by Thizzler’s street rappers. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Leven Durant\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> marks his most publicized effort to date, as the rapper has now reached 41,000 followers on Instagram and 171,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Not too shabby for a kid from East 24th Street and 11th Avenue who once rapped about needing “courtesy rides because I lost my Clipper” public transit card. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/JnuZ5d0Q5Yc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/JnuZ5d0Q5Yc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Going back to 2022, 1100 and his Dr. Dre-like mentor, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/producedbymitchell/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mitchell\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — a superbly skilled sound architect and part-time rhymer — began to gain major traction with \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/3cskKMxiBB3u8UoUduzsJZ\">\u003cem>2 Headed Goat\u003c/em>\u003c/a>,\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.passionweiss.com/2022/05/27/1100-himself-mitchell-interview/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a joint project that garnered underground acclaim\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The album’s cover art features a claymation-style portrait of the two rappers draped in Dragon Ball Z dōgis (martial arts training gear), Jordan 1s and chains while standing on their respective street corners. Each song wavers between the dark circus of nefarious crimes and the soul-searching rhythms of urban meditation. To my ears, they’re on the shortlist for the most intriguing Bay Area duos right now.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And again in 2022, 1100 Himself delivered \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/34hR8xXLJyaRlw3DDUEII4\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The 11th Hokage\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a solo album that hijacks the \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Naruto\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> manga narrative in which the most capable ninja of a village is denoted as the region’s “hokage.” Featuring an armada of local collaborators like 10Millibang and Demahjiae, the production utilizes slowed down flutes, wavy basslines and video game samples to create an eclectic soundscape with overtones of Detroit drill music.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course, in 2020, 1100 Himself gave us \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/313g6vscYv8EBdW9fnknfM\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Funk Theft Auto\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Heavily inspired by the legendary video game\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the album oscillates from rags-to-riches anthems like “Throw It In The Bag” to a Bobby Caldwell-sampling ballad about loyalty, “Do For Love.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like I said, 1100 Himself’s center point is hard to triangulate. But for nerds like me who appreciate a trippy orbit of weed-hazed whimsy, and for Bay Area mobb music aficionados who like to ride with tinted windows, he’s certainly providing a memorable soundtrack. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/s_V_ewvoGIc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/s_V_ewvoGIc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "jesse-james-mission-rebels-david-james",
"title": "A Personal Tribute in Music to a Mission District Organizer",
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"headTitle": "A Personal Tribute in Music to a Mission District Organizer | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>After singer and guitarist \u003ca href=\"https://www.heydavidjames.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">David James\u003c/a> ran into his estranged father, Jesse James, in late ‘90s San Francisco, they met up at the St. John Coltrane Church on Divisadero Street to reconcile their relationship. But it wasn’t until after his father passed in 2005 that the musician learned the full extent of the elder James’s legacy in the city: In 1965, he founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Mission_Rebels_in_Action\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mission Rebels\u003c/a>, an organization that provided job training, educational opportunities and apprenticeships to impoverished youth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sept. 22 and 24, David James and seven ensemble musicians will pay tribute to Jesse James — known to some as “the Rev” for his reputation as a street minister — in a multimedia performance titled \u003cem>Mission Rebel No. 1. \u003c/em>Accompanying projected images of his father and samples of his father’s voice, the music includes jazz, funk, classical and hip-hop, says James, adding that he formed the set from an intuitive and emotional place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a weird way, it is a love letter to my dad,” says David James, of the performances at San Francisco’s Brava Theater and Palo Alto’s Mitchell Park Community Center. “I guess it’s me trying to understand him a little more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 768px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934972\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson.jpeg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of an older Black man using a wheelchair\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson-160x213.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Rev’ Jesse James, date unknown. \u003ccite>(Linda Wilson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Each segment is based on a moment in Jesse James’ life. One is centered around his life in Harlem — before he moved to San Francisco in the ‘60s — and his experiences with addiction and incarceration as a Muslim man.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I realized that this person’s life is quite a story,” says his son.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='news_11906012']While David James grew up in the Mission and then West Oakland without his father, he found a love for music that he later learned was a part of his father’s life too. In one image featured in the performance, Jesse James, wearing a houndstooth blazer and large glasses, bellows into a microphone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David James, meanwhile, sang as a kid, picked up multiple instruments, joined a band just out of high school and later played with Bay Area bands Spearhead, The Coup and the Afrofunk Experience. (He now plays with the band GPS, which in 2016 released the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10879005/brian-andres-david-james-and-kneedelus-oh-my-3-new-albums-by-california-artists\">locally acclaimed album \u003cem>Billionaire Blues\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 715px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934973\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5.jpeg\" alt=\"a Black man with long hair sits in a blue shirt and red pants, holding a guitar and smiling\" width=\"715\" height=\"732\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5.jpeg 715w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5-160x164.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 715px) 100vw, 715px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David James says that learning about his late father’s work has been inspiring. \u003ccite>(Lenny Gonzalez)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since embarking on this historical recovery of his father’s life and impact, James has been inspired by his findings. His father’s legacy in San Francisco, for example, lives on through \u003ca href=\"https://www.horizons-sf.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Horizons Unlimited\u003c/a>, a program that grew out of Mission Rebels and still serves young people of color in the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s this ripple that he put out just through his life and talking to these kids,” says James, “which wound up becoming so much bigger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cem>‘Mission Rebel No. 1’ \u003c/em>\u003cem>premieres at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 at the Brava Theater (2789 24th St.) in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://brava.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0F2M00000MSo0WUAT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tickets here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A second performance takes place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24 at the Mitchell Park Community Center (3700 Middlefield Road) in Palo Alto. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/earthwise-welcomes-david-jamess-gps-mission-rebel-no-1-finding-reverend-j-tickets-601712878417\">Tickets here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After singer and guitarist \u003ca href=\"https://www.heydavidjames.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">David James\u003c/a> ran into his estranged father, Jesse James, in late ‘90s San Francisco, they met up at the St. John Coltrane Church on Divisadero Street to reconcile their relationship. But it wasn’t until after his father passed in 2005 that the musician learned the full extent of the elder James’s legacy in the city: In 1965, he founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Mission_Rebels_in_Action\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mission Rebels\u003c/a>, an organization that provided job training, educational opportunities and apprenticeships to impoverished youth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sept. 22 and 24, David James and seven ensemble musicians will pay tribute to Jesse James — known to some as “the Rev” for his reputation as a street minister — in a multimedia performance titled \u003cem>Mission Rebel No. 1. \u003c/em>Accompanying projected images of his father and samples of his father’s voice, the music includes jazz, funk, classical and hip-hop, says James, adding that he formed the set from an intuitive and emotional place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a weird way, it is a love letter to my dad,” says David James, of the performances at San Francisco’s Brava Theater and Palo Alto’s Mitchell Park Community Center. “I guess it’s me trying to understand him a little more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 768px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934972\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson.jpeg\" alt=\"a black and white photo of an older Black man using a wheelchair\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Rev.-Jesse-James-by-Linda-Wilson-160x213.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Rev’ Jesse James, date unknown. \u003ccite>(Linda Wilson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Each segment is based on a moment in Jesse James’ life. One is centered around his life in Harlem — before he moved to San Francisco in the ‘60s — and his experiences with addiction and incarceration as a Muslim man.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I realized that this person’s life is quite a story,” says his son.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>While David James grew up in the Mission and then West Oakland without his father, he found a love for music that he later learned was a part of his father’s life too. In one image featured in the performance, Jesse James, wearing a houndstooth blazer and large glasses, bellows into a microphone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David James, meanwhile, sang as a kid, picked up multiple instruments, joined a band just out of high school and later played with Bay Area bands Spearhead, The Coup and the Afrofunk Experience. (He now plays with the band GPS, which in 2016 released the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10879005/brian-andres-david-james-and-kneedelus-oh-my-3-new-albums-by-california-artists\">locally acclaimed album \u003cem>Billionaire Blues\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 715px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934973\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5.jpeg\" alt=\"a Black man with long hair sits in a blue shirt and red pants, holding a guitar and smiling\" width=\"715\" height=\"732\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5.jpeg 715w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/David-James-by-Lenny-Gonzalez-5-160x164.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 715px) 100vw, 715px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David James says that learning about his late father’s work has been inspiring. \u003ccite>(Lenny Gonzalez)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since embarking on this historical recovery of his father’s life and impact, James has been inspired by his findings. His father’s legacy in San Francisco, for example, lives on through \u003ca href=\"https://www.horizons-sf.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Horizons Unlimited\u003c/a>, a program that grew out of Mission Rebels and still serves young people of color in the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s this ripple that he put out just through his life and talking to these kids,” says James, “which wound up becoming so much bigger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cem>‘Mission Rebel No. 1’ \u003c/em>\u003cem>premieres at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 at the Brava Theater (2789 24th St.) in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://brava.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0F2M00000MSo0WUAT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tickets here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A second performance takes place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24 at the Mitchell Park Community Center (3700 Middlefield Road) in Palo Alto. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/earthwise-welcomes-david-jamess-gps-mission-rebel-no-1-finding-reverend-j-tickets-601712878417\">Tickets here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "kimmie-fresh-real-freaky-tales-oakland",
"title": "Meet Kimmie Fresh, Who Fired Back at Too Short With Her Own 'Freaky Tales' in 1988",
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"headTitle": "Meet Kimmie Fresh, Who Fired Back at Too Short With Her Own ‘Freaky Tales’ in 1988 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003cem>, KQED’s year-long exploration of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> history.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]B[/dropcap]efore the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925177/the-conscious-daughters-raps-sucka-free-thelma-and-louise-rewrote-the-rules\">Conscious Daughters\u003c/a>, before \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13906176/in-hip-hop-and-academia-mystic-defines-her-own-success-story\">Mystic\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13825052/kamaiyah-surprises-hayward-high-school-with-black-panther-tickets\">Kamaiyah\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928057/alien-mac-kitty-cougnut-daughter-san-francisco-frisco-rap-legacy\">Alien Mac Kitty\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13917611/life-between-the-stages-lil-kayla-and-san-jose-jazz\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>, there was Kimmie Fresh, one of the very first female rappers from the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She performed at local venues as large as the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium and as small as Kesha’s Inn. She went on tour opening for Morris Day from The Time, and appeared on local TV. And, in 1988, she recorded the groundbreaking album \u003cem>The Real Freaky Tales: The Girls’ Story\u003c/em>, with its title track, a XXX-rated, woman-centric revenge fantasy response to Too Short’s “Freaky Tales.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13973907']But now, Kimmie Fresh is almost entirely forgotten. Her album is long out of print. She hasn’t been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13934460/mayoral-proclamation-sheng-thao-women-hip-hop\">honored by the mayor\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CwBtpcjJFuj/\">inducted into a formal archive\u003c/a> like other women in hip-hop who came after her. Her name was in \u003cem>The Source\u003c/em> just once, in the background of a record store advertisement. No interviews with her exist online. For years, I wondered if I’d ever locate her at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I eventually caught up with Kimmie Fresh, this important early Bay Area hip-hop artist, it was at a place not far from where she made history in the 1980s: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kimmieskitchin/\">Kimmie’s Kitchin\u003c/a>, her soul food counter she now runs inside an East Oakland liquor store.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934701\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman in black tank top and apron holds a record album, and looks down on it reflectingly.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934701\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh today, holding a copy of ‘The Real Freaky Tales: The Girls’ Story.’ She remembers receiving royalty checks in amounts up to $16,000 for the album. \u003ccite>(Gabe Meline/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Turning the Tables With ‘The Real Freaky Tales’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To hear Kimmie Fresh tell it, “The Real Freaky Tales” started as a simple answer record, in the mold of Roxanne Shanté’s “Roxanne’s Revenge.” At 21, she heard Too Short’s exaggerated sexual braggadocio and simply turned the tables, firing back by writing an eight-minute song using the same girls’ names from his explicit street hit “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwVJTvOO4yY\">Freaky Tales\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And instead of what he was doing to them,” she says of the song today, sitting at Kimmie’s Kitchin inside Two Star Market, “\u003cem>they\u003c/em> were doing to \u003cem>him\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJZ1hVfdBso\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In “The Real Freaky Tales,” Too Short is objectified. He’s used for cunnilingus by the women, and then pimped out by them. He’s thrown in a car trunk and driven to a house full of women who force him into sexually pleasing them at gunpoint. Against his will, he’s violated by a foreign object — and comes to enjoy it. He stops being a rapper and becomes a streetwalker. It was more than an answer record – in the hyper-masculine world of Oakland pimp rap, this was a wholesale murder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What did Too Short think when he heard it? “He laughed! When he heard the full song, he laughed,” says Kimmie Fresh. “And then he said, ‘We gon’ make some money.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in the mid-’80s, Short knew the mutual benefit to be had from a public rap beef. He invited Kimmie to open for him at the Turf Club, at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, she recalls, “and the crowd just went crazy.” While he worked out a major-label deal for her with Jive Records, she recorded songs with affiliates of his \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#too-short-forms-dangerous-music\">Dangerous Music\u003c/a> label at Different Fur studios in San Francisco. At the time, no female rapper in the Bay Area had ever released a full album.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934697\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A group of Black teenagers in large jackets and faded jeans pose in front of a lake.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1908\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934697\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-800x596.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-1020x760.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-768x572.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-1536x1145.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-2048x1526.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-1920x1431.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The album cover photo for ‘The Real Freaky Tales’ was shot on the west shore of Lake Merritt. L-R: Rachel Deprizio, Paul Dancer, Kimmie Fresh, Donald Barrett, Ashley, and Tracie Edmonds.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Larry Henderson/75 Girls Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And then she got impatient. As the months dragged on, she ran into Dean Hodges, owner of the small local label \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#75-girls-records-formed\">75 Girls\u003c/a>, which his top-selling artist Too Short had just left. Hodges relished the idea of releasing a Too Short diss track. Having already started working with another young female rapper from Oakland named Cassidine, he offered to pay to re-record the songs and release a Kimmie Fresh album with the quickness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At her food counter, Kimmie Fresh pulls up \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/g0ybaf3Indo?si=-CyxkXTO2vGC01sO&t=1089\">vintage home video footage\u003c/a> on her iPad, rescued from a VHS tape bought at a garage sale, which captures the excitement of her 75 Girls deal. She and her friends shoot photos for the album at Lake Merritt and Eastmont Mall; MC Hammer even stops by and lends his support. They rehearse in her small living room on 75th Avenue, dancing and rapping in formation. They hold up a banner in the street advertising their four-city tour in the south opening for Morris Day and Pebbles, giddy with disbelief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One person, though, didn’t appear too happy. On the back cover of his next LP, Too Short concluded his liner notes with a none-too-subtle message: “Kimmie Fresh, THANKS FOR NOTHING. Biiiiiiiitch!!!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934699\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 946px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2.jpg\" alt=\"A Black man and Black woman pose for a selfie, smiling at the camera\" width=\"946\" height=\"960\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934699\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2.jpg 946w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2-800x812.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2-768x779.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 946px) 100vw, 946px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Too Short and Kimmie Fresh still see each other periodically. Of their sparring in the 1980s, which brought attention to both of them, ‘it was game recognize game,’ she says. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Kimmie Fresh)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Pimp Rap and the Crack Epidemic\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Remember the power of a public rap beef? These days, Short and Kimmie are cool, and still see each other periodically. Part of it may be because Kimmie Fresh was more than a novelty, but a genuinely fierce rapper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you can find a copy of \u003cem>The Real Freaky Tales\u003c/em> — now a collectors’ item that has sold for as much as $300 — you’ll hear a vivid portrait of Oakland in the 1980s. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCSdG_187UY\">I Love My Microphone\u003c/a>” is a high-speed litany of boasts. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vJFltVGDeg\">Tear the Roof Off\u003c/a>” and “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyanRV2I2CU\">The Crowd Be Lovin’ Me\u003c/a>” take on challenges and pickup attempts from men, shouting out Jody Watley, Janet Jackson and women in Kimmie’s own crew from 75th Avenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE0drk3Uk_U\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE0drk3Uk_U\">Don’t Let That Be the Reason\u003c/a>,” which chronicles the rise and fall of a wealthy Mercedes Benz-driving player who gets hooked on crack and lands in jail. The judge asks him to snitch, but he refuses, even though his friends won’t bail him out. After prison, he loses everything, and watches old associates walk by while he sleeps in the gutter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we talk, Kimmie Fresh spontaneously raps these songs at the table, still in possession of her skills. The songs are personal for her, after all: “Don’t Let That Be the Reason” was a composite sketch of friends and family in East Oakland who fell victim to the crack epidemic, Kimmie says, nodding in reflection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was many people I knew,” she says. “Many, many people I knew.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934694\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 720px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.RollerRink.jpg\" alt=\"A flyer for a concert, with block lettering\" width=\"720\" height=\"945\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934694\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.RollerRink.jpg 720w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.RollerRink-160x210.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh performed at various venues in the Bay Area, including the San Leandro Skating Rink. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Kimmie Fresh)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As for prostitution, Kimmie wasn’t the only young woman in the 1980s Bay Area rapping explicitly about sex. Cassidine’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIfUjnJp5KM\">Secret Weapon\u003c/a>” was a graphic salute to prostitutes, some just 16 years old, working the strip on E. 14th Street, and a rebuke to their male customers. Under the group name Danger Zone, Barbie and Entice (who had been on “The Real Freaky Tales”) had the song “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvMjOBASvbc\">Jailbait\u003c/a>,” a warning about predatory men to “all you girls out there who are under 18.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both serve as a balance to the male-centric Bay Area pimp rap of the 1980s from Too Short and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925761/magic-mike-richmond-calvin-t-rap-hip-hop\">Magic Mike and Calvin T\u003c/a>. Kimmie herself came up around a lot of pimps: she mentions Frank the Bank, Gangsta Brown, even her own brothers. They all told her the same thing: “Don’t ever let a man treat you like we treat these hoes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So I’ve always been strong,” Kimmie says, matter-of-factly. “They instilled that in me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman in tank top and black apron and gold hoop earrings poses in an industrial kitchen, next to a range.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934703\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh, pictured at her soul food counter Kimmie’s Kitchin in East Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gabe Meline/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A Life After Rap\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Strong or not, life finds a way of derailing rap careers. Motherhood, especially, took up Kimmie’s time and energy. She worked various jobs: at a bank, a pawn shop, Mervyn’s, a hair salon. At one point, she spent almost a year in jail for a setup, she says, when her boyfriend was accused of murder. (“It was something that he was accused of, and he tried to say that I was there,” she says, insisting that she was not. “I got my first royalty check, and then I almost lost my life.”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934698\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 705px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.90s.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman in short hair and a Raiders starter jacket and watch crouches in a photo studio.\" width=\"705\" height=\"721\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934698\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.90s.jpg 705w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.90s-160x164.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh in a promotional photo from the 1990s. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Kimmie Fresh)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She moved to Las Vegas for a while, but after watching an ailing close friend, the rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PbWW_25Z7c\">Tee-Mail\u003c/a>, die of cancer back home in Oakland, “I was destroyed.” She decided to stay, sleeping on a friend’s couch. By then, the Town had largely forgotten about Kimmie Fresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While D’Wayne Wiggins from Tony Toni Toné built her a cafe in his studio to start Kimmie’s Kitchin in 2019, and artists like Keak da Sneak, Mistah F.A.B. and Dru Down have all visited, the general public remains widely unaware of Kimmie Fresh. She’s often mistaken, she says, for a member of the Conscious Daughters or Oaktown’s 3.5.7. When she’s brought on stage with Too Short, the DJ inevitably plays “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfSYngzHOsY\">Don’t Fight the Feelin’\u003c/a>,” which features Barbie and Entice, and she’s expected to rap their verses, as if all women rappers are interchangeable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her music lives exclusively in fan-ripped uploads on YouTube. It hasn’t been put on streaming, or reissued on vinyl. Getting it on Spotify is something she’s working on, but her old label boss, Dean Hodges, sold the rights to the 75 Girls catalog in the 1990s, and last Kimmie’s heard, he’s living in a West Oakland homeless encampment. She’s lost touch with Cassidine, her old labelmate on 75 Girls. She doesn’t know where her old masters are, nor the recordings she made for Jive, so long ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934695\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1432px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont.jpg\" alt=\"A group of Black teenagers in large jackets and faded jeans dance in a parking lot.\" width=\"1432\" height=\"848\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934695\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont.jpg 1432w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-800x474.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-1020x604.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-768x455.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1432px) 100vw, 1432px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The photoshoot for ‘The Real Freaky Tales’ LP, in the parking lot of the Eastmont Mall. At one point in the day, MC Hammer stopped by. \u003ccite>(Larry Henderson/75 Girls Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, Kimmie is happy to still be active at her counter, cooking dishes like oxtail tacos, shrimp and grits, and chicken and waffles. She’s especially proud of her family. There are stains on her apron and a cook’s burn marks on her forearms, right near her tattoos of her four son’s names. People come in from time to time to bring her old photos of a different life, 35 years ago, from back when she says rap was better and more fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of our interview, when presented with a cassette copy of \u003cem>The Real Freaky Tales\u003c/em>, she calls across the liquor store to summon an employee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Angel! Come over here… have you ever seen my album?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Kimmie Fresh appears live in conversation with KQED’s Nastia Voynovskaya as part of ‘Hip-Hop Herstory: Celebrating Bay Area Women’ on Thursday, Sept. 14, at The Commons at KQED. Also appearing are Tia Nomore, RyanNicole, Stoni and Alien Mac Kitty. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/3402\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "Meet Kimmie Fresh, Who Fired Back at Too Short With Her Own 'Freaky Tales' in 1988 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003cem>, KQED’s year-long exploration of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> history.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">B\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>efore the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925177/the-conscious-daughters-raps-sucka-free-thelma-and-louise-rewrote-the-rules\">Conscious Daughters\u003c/a>, before \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13906176/in-hip-hop-and-academia-mystic-defines-her-own-success-story\">Mystic\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13825052/kamaiyah-surprises-hayward-high-school-with-black-panther-tickets\">Kamaiyah\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13928057/alien-mac-kitty-cougnut-daughter-san-francisco-frisco-rap-legacy\">Alien Mac Kitty\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13917611/life-between-the-stages-lil-kayla-and-san-jose-jazz\">Lil Kayla\u003c/a>, there was Kimmie Fresh, one of the very first female rappers from the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She performed at local venues as large as the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium and as small as Kesha’s Inn. She went on tour opening for Morris Day from The Time, and appeared on local TV. And, in 1988, she recorded the groundbreaking album \u003cem>The Real Freaky Tales: The Girls’ Story\u003c/em>, with its title track, a XXX-rated, woman-centric revenge fantasy response to Too Short’s “Freaky Tales.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But now, Kimmie Fresh is almost entirely forgotten. Her album is long out of print. She hasn’t been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13934460/mayoral-proclamation-sheng-thao-women-hip-hop\">honored by the mayor\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CwBtpcjJFuj/\">inducted into a formal archive\u003c/a> like other women in hip-hop who came after her. Her name was in \u003cem>The Source\u003c/em> just once, in the background of a record store advertisement. No interviews with her exist online. For years, I wondered if I’d ever locate her at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When I eventually caught up with Kimmie Fresh, this important early Bay Area hip-hop artist, it was at a place not far from where she made history in the 1980s: \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kimmieskitchin/\">Kimmie’s Kitchin\u003c/a>, her soul food counter she now runs inside an East Oakland liquor store.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934701\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman in black tank top and apron holds a record album, and looks down on it reflectingly.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934701\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.holdingalbum.web_-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh today, holding a copy of ‘The Real Freaky Tales: The Girls’ Story.’ She remembers receiving royalty checks in amounts up to $16,000 for the album. \u003ccite>(Gabe Meline/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Turning the Tables With ‘The Real Freaky Tales’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To hear Kimmie Fresh tell it, “The Real Freaky Tales” started as a simple answer record, in the mold of Roxanne Shanté’s “Roxanne’s Revenge.” At 21, she heard Too Short’s exaggerated sexual braggadocio and simply turned the tables, firing back by writing an eight-minute song using the same girls’ names from his explicit street hit “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwVJTvOO4yY\">Freaky Tales\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And instead of what he was doing to them,” she says of the song today, sitting at Kimmie’s Kitchin inside Two Star Market, “\u003cem>they\u003c/em> were doing to \u003cem>him\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/TJZ1hVfdBso'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/TJZ1hVfdBso'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>In “The Real Freaky Tales,” Too Short is objectified. He’s used for cunnilingus by the women, and then pimped out by them. He’s thrown in a car trunk and driven to a house full of women who force him into sexually pleasing them at gunpoint. Against his will, he’s violated by a foreign object — and comes to enjoy it. He stops being a rapper and becomes a streetwalker. It was more than an answer record – in the hyper-masculine world of Oakland pimp rap, this was a wholesale murder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What did Too Short think when he heard it? “He laughed! When he heard the full song, he laughed,” says Kimmie Fresh. “And then he said, ‘We gon’ make some money.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in the mid-’80s, Short knew the mutual benefit to be had from a public rap beef. He invited Kimmie to open for him at the Turf Club, at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, she recalls, “and the crowd just went crazy.” While he worked out a major-label deal for her with Jive Records, she recorded songs with affiliates of his \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#too-short-forms-dangerous-music\">Dangerous Music\u003c/a> label at Different Fur studios in San Francisco. At the time, no female rapper in the Bay Area had ever released a full album.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934697\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A group of Black teenagers in large jackets and faded jeans pose in front of a lake.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1908\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934697\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-800x596.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-1020x760.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-768x572.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-1536x1145.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-2048x1526.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.AlbumCoverPhoto-1920x1431.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The album cover photo for ‘The Real Freaky Tales’ was shot on the west shore of Lake Merritt. L-R: Rachel Deprizio, Paul Dancer, Kimmie Fresh, Donald Barrett, Ashley, and Tracie Edmonds.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Larry Henderson/75 Girls Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And then she got impatient. As the months dragged on, she ran into Dean Hodges, owner of the small local label \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#75-girls-records-formed\">75 Girls\u003c/a>, which his top-selling artist Too Short had just left. Hodges relished the idea of releasing a Too Short diss track. Having already started working with another young female rapper from Oakland named Cassidine, he offered to pay to re-record the songs and release a Kimmie Fresh album with the quickness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At her food counter, Kimmie Fresh pulls up \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/g0ybaf3Indo?si=-CyxkXTO2vGC01sO&t=1089\">vintage home video footage\u003c/a> on her iPad, rescued from a VHS tape bought at a garage sale, which captures the excitement of her 75 Girls deal. She and her friends shoot photos for the album at Lake Merritt and Eastmont Mall; MC Hammer even stops by and lends his support. They rehearse in her small living room on 75th Avenue, dancing and rapping in formation. They hold up a banner in the street advertising their four-city tour in the south opening for Morris Day and Pebbles, giddy with disbelief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One person, though, didn’t appear too happy. On the back cover of his next LP, Too Short concluded his liner notes with a none-too-subtle message: “Kimmie Fresh, THANKS FOR NOTHING. Biiiiiiiitch!!!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934699\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 946px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2.jpg\" alt=\"A Black man and Black woman pose for a selfie, smiling at the camera\" width=\"946\" height=\"960\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934699\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2.jpg 946w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2-800x812.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Short_.2-768x779.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 946px) 100vw, 946px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Too Short and Kimmie Fresh still see each other periodically. Of their sparring in the 1980s, which brought attention to both of them, ‘it was game recognize game,’ she says. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Kimmie Fresh)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Pimp Rap and the Crack Epidemic\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Remember the power of a public rap beef? These days, Short and Kimmie are cool, and still see each other periodically. Part of it may be because Kimmie Fresh was more than a novelty, but a genuinely fierce rapper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you can find a copy of \u003cem>The Real Freaky Tales\u003c/em> — now a collectors’ item that has sold for as much as $300 — you’ll hear a vivid portrait of Oakland in the 1980s. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCSdG_187UY\">I Love My Microphone\u003c/a>” is a high-speed litany of boasts. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vJFltVGDeg\">Tear the Roof Off\u003c/a>” and “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyanRV2I2CU\">The Crowd Be Lovin’ Me\u003c/a>” take on challenges and pickup attempts from men, shouting out Jody Watley, Janet Jackson and women in Kimmie’s own crew from 75th Avenue.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/DE0drk3Uk_U'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/DE0drk3Uk_U'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Then there’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE0drk3Uk_U\">Don’t Let That Be the Reason\u003c/a>,” which chronicles the rise and fall of a wealthy Mercedes Benz-driving player who gets hooked on crack and lands in jail. The judge asks him to snitch, but he refuses, even though his friends won’t bail him out. After prison, he loses everything, and watches old associates walk by while he sleeps in the gutter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As we talk, Kimmie Fresh spontaneously raps these songs at the table, still in possession of her skills. The songs are personal for her, after all: “Don’t Let That Be the Reason” was a composite sketch of friends and family in East Oakland who fell victim to the crack epidemic, Kimmie says, nodding in reflection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was many people I knew,” she says. “Many, many people I knew.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934694\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 720px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.RollerRink.jpg\" alt=\"A flyer for a concert, with block lettering\" width=\"720\" height=\"945\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934694\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.RollerRink.jpg 720w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.RollerRink-160x210.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh performed at various venues in the Bay Area, including the San Leandro Skating Rink. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Kimmie Fresh)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As for prostitution, Kimmie wasn’t the only young woman in the 1980s Bay Area rapping explicitly about sex. Cassidine’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIfUjnJp5KM\">Secret Weapon\u003c/a>” was a graphic salute to prostitutes, some just 16 years old, working the strip on E. 14th Street, and a rebuke to their male customers. Under the group name Danger Zone, Barbie and Entice (who had been on “The Real Freaky Tales”) had the song “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvMjOBASvbc\">Jailbait\u003c/a>,” a warning about predatory men to “all you girls out there who are under 18.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both serve as a balance to the male-centric Bay Area pimp rap of the 1980s from Too Short and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925761/magic-mike-richmond-calvin-t-rap-hip-hop\">Magic Mike and Calvin T\u003c/a>. Kimmie herself came up around a lot of pimps: she mentions Frank the Bank, Gangsta Brown, even her own brothers. They all told her the same thing: “Don’t ever let a man treat you like we treat these hoes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So I’ve always been strong,” Kimmie says, matter-of-factly. “They instilled that in me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman in tank top and black apron and gold hoop earrings poses in an industrial kitchen, next to a range.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934703\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/Kimmie.kitchen.web_-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh, pictured at her soul food counter Kimmie’s Kitchin in East Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gabe Meline/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A Life After Rap\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Strong or not, life finds a way of derailing rap careers. Motherhood, especially, took up Kimmie’s time and energy. She worked various jobs: at a bank, a pawn shop, Mervyn’s, a hair salon. At one point, she spent almost a year in jail for a setup, she says, when her boyfriend was accused of murder. (“It was something that he was accused of, and he tried to say that I was there,” she says, insisting that she was not. “I got my first royalty check, and then I almost lost my life.”)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934698\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 705px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.90s.jpg\" alt=\"A Black woman in short hair and a Raiders starter jacket and watch crouches in a photo studio.\" width=\"705\" height=\"721\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934698\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.90s.jpg 705w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.90s-160x164.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kimmie Fresh in a promotional photo from the 1990s. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Kimmie Fresh)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She moved to Las Vegas for a while, but after watching an ailing close friend, the rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PbWW_25Z7c\">Tee-Mail\u003c/a>, die of cancer back home in Oakland, “I was destroyed.” She decided to stay, sleeping on a friend’s couch. By then, the Town had largely forgotten about Kimmie Fresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While D’Wayne Wiggins from Tony Toni Toné built her a cafe in his studio to start Kimmie’s Kitchin in 2019, and artists like Keak da Sneak, Mistah F.A.B. and Dru Down have all visited, the general public remains widely unaware of Kimmie Fresh. She’s often mistaken, she says, for a member of the Conscious Daughters or Oaktown’s 3.5.7. When she’s brought on stage with Too Short, the DJ inevitably plays “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfSYngzHOsY\">Don’t Fight the Feelin’\u003c/a>,” which features Barbie and Entice, and she’s expected to rap their verses, as if all women rappers are interchangeable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her music lives exclusively in fan-ripped uploads on YouTube. It hasn’t been put on streaming, or reissued on vinyl. Getting it on Spotify is something she’s working on, but her old label boss, Dean Hodges, sold the rights to the 75 Girls catalog in the 1990s, and last Kimmie’s heard, he’s living in a West Oakland homeless encampment. She’s lost touch with Cassidine, her old labelmate on 75 Girls. She doesn’t know where her old masters are, nor the recordings she made for Jive, so long ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13934695\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1432px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont.jpg\" alt=\"A group of Black teenagers in large jackets and faded jeans dance in a parking lot.\" width=\"1432\" height=\"848\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13934695\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont.jpg 1432w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-800x474.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-1020x604.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/KimmieFresh.Eastmont-768x455.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1432px) 100vw, 1432px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The photoshoot for ‘The Real Freaky Tales’ LP, in the parking lot of the Eastmont Mall. At one point in the day, MC Hammer stopped by. \u003ccite>(Larry Henderson/75 Girls Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, Kimmie is happy to still be active at her counter, cooking dishes like oxtail tacos, shrimp and grits, and chicken and waffles. She’s especially proud of her family. There are stains on her apron and a cook’s burn marks on her forearms, right near her tattoos of her four son’s names. People come in from time to time to bring her old photos of a different life, 35 years ago, from back when she says rap was better and more fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of our interview, when presented with a cassette copy of \u003cem>The Real Freaky Tales\u003c/em>, she calls across the liquor store to summon an employee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Angel! Come over here… have you ever seen my album?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Kimmie Fresh appears live in conversation with KQED’s Nastia Voynovskaya as part of ‘Hip-Hop Herstory: Celebrating Bay Area Women’ on Thursday, Sept. 14, at The Commons at KQED. Also appearing are Tia Nomore, RyanNicole, Stoni and Alien Mac Kitty. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/3402\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"meta": {
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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},
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"order": 9
},
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
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},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
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"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
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},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
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"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
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