Free Professor Jose Maria Sison Now!

-Ninoy Brown

If the picture doesn’t say enough for you, let me elaborate on it a bit more. This past weekend I had the chance to attend Cros1’s Freestyle Session 10th anniversary. Needless to say, the shit was poppin’ and off the chain gang. To start the hype before I even got to the place, the preregistered list would get anyone who knows anything about the B-boy scene juiced for the battles about to go down. Crews from every corner of the earth were present and rocking, All The Most Crew from Russia, Rivers/Drifters/Gamblers from Korea, Ichigeki from Japan, Liverpool’s Finest from England are just some of the names amongst the countless crews. Let’s not even forget to mention the world class poppers, lockers and Hip-Hop acts who also participated in the event.

My first day started off walking up to the jam at The Palladium on Sunset Blvd in awe. From the moment I stood in line it was like a who’s who of the international B-boy scene. In every direction there were recognizable B-boy “celeb” faces, I even peeped out Mena Suvari walking around. Fresh Pumas, V-necks with gold chains and fedora hats, brightly colored crew t-shirts, Zulu King jackets, Pro-Keds and Chucks seemed to be the all the hype for the fashion at the jam. It was a retro kingdom full of fresh and ill Hip-Hop flavor. None of that watered down “hypebeast” shit that everyone be trying to pull off nowadays. When I finally get past the security, who wouldn’t let me bring in my digi cam and markers, I take my first steps into what was the dopest jam I have ever been to. Left and right there were live cyphers going down with people showcasing what hard work and soul combine into. I took a couple of walks around the joint and needless to say, ya’ boy Mad was lookin’ fresh. I eventually dropped my bag and began to tour the cyphers, gettin’ down with some of the best in the game. Some of the highlights I was able to catch were: Flex Flav calling out Rivers Crew, B-boy born and some homies from Flava Squad smoking some cats from France and the 90+ crews battling it out for the top 16 slots. This continued for about eight more hours till the jam ended and yours truly finally felt the need to head back to the hotel. I ended my fun and strenuous night by doing none other than getting ripped with the homies and going to a club. Day one, a success.

Day two was no different. Walk in the place and you could see the qualifying crews preparing themselves to battle it out for $20,000. Shit was serious. The judges for the day were of legendary caliber: Wicket (Renegades/Footwork Fanatix), Float, Trac2, Fresh (LA Breakers), Orko (7 Gems), and Poe 1 (Style Elements, Rock So Fresh, Zulu Kings). The way the judging went was for crews that had members on the judge panel, there would be replacements. Still the subjective nature of B-boying shown through and some iffy choices were made and people were bickering about the winners. At the end Zulu Kings won over Gamblers and in my fair judgment, it could have gone either way. The Popping and Locking finals were ill, I can’t recall the names because I’m not too familiar with the finalists but the shit was fire. Unfortunately I was also so dog tired from the entire weekend compounded with the fact that I had a long drive ahead of me, I had to miss Slick Rick and the closing Hip-Hop acts.

All in all, the event was dope. Probably the best jam I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to many all over the country. It was heated both literally and figuratively, but still dummy fun. All I can say is for those who missed out, you really missed out. I’ll leave you with some clips of the battles from the prelims on the first day.

The more “high flying” B-boys from over seas, Gamblers (Korea) vs. Ichigeki (Japan)

The foundational and flavorful side of B-boying, Zulu Kings (U.S.A.) vs. Rep Styles (U.S.A.)

In the end you try and decide who would have won, Gamblers or Zulu Kings. In this day and age and at this level of skill it all comes down to execution. It all depends on who does better under pressure. Zulu Kings went home with the ‘W’ and $20,000 and no one can take that away from them. Till the next huge B-boy jam, practice up on that flavor homies!

-Mad Himself

of mind.

I know, posting YouTube clips is a lazy ass way of blogging. Fuggit.

This clip is simply too dope to not post. A remarkable artifact uncovered among the catacombs of Backpacktopia: a 1992 promo clip for the Freestyle Fellowship.

Innercity Griots still ranks in my top 5 Hip-Hop albums of all time. My idea of what could categorize the aesthetics of rhythmic rap patterns was totally blown away when I first heard Freestyle Fellowship. Sophomore year of high school was when discovery was made, when I heard “Way Cool” and “Everything’s Everything” on the legendary Style Elements b-boy video, Strategic Monsters. I blame them on my descent into the realm of elitist underground Hip-Hop, but even so, this was and still is some seriously fresh, raw shit.

Aight, you may now commence to use the comment section to debate how Bone Thugs bit these Project Blowedians, how the Fellowship ripped their style from Organized Konfusion, etcetera, etcetera.

-Ninoy Brown

-Ninoy Brown

Teaser trailer for the Harold & Kumar sequel:

Looks to be even more subtly subversive as the first one.

Ain’t It Cool had a synopsis of the film (Spoiler Warning!)

Aight, off to Rock the Bells SF to hang around masses of backpackers and EXTREEME!!! Rage Against The Machine fans.

-Ninoy Brown

For those following the developments of the GABNet 3: Dr. Annalisa Enrile, Ninotchka Rosca, and Judith Mirkinson have all landed in the United States.

Unjust absurdity to the supposed “links” to the Taliban. It pains me to see the malicious and immoral government that exists in my native country, where fabricated truths are created to suppress dissent; all in the name of the so-called Human Security Act [1]. Though, what strikes even harder is the fact that hundreds have disappeared and/or lost their lives due to their strong willed attempt to voice opinions that do not adhere to the ideals of the dominant powers.

From Ninotchka Rosca’s blog:

On the ninth decade of her life, my mother had chosen to turn away from the world. Only when I called out –“Mama!” — did the butterfly of her soul return from its fluttering from memory to memory; she would look out of her eyes and break into a smile, saying “o, ano? (How’s it?)” I would become five years old again, innocent of borderless wars, assassinations, disappearances, women exported into unspeakable conditions, life in another country…

This was what I lost when the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government of the Philippines chose to harass three women, myself included, under its Human Security Act. The first impact of the HSA upon us was instant insecurity. In the middle of a typhoon, with everything flooded, I burned interview notes, documents and pictures – all moist, the air itself so laden with water matchsticks would not ignite – for fear of endangering those who had spoken to me. Afterwards as we ran through possibilities with GABRIELA Philippines, Gabriela Women’s Party and GABNet members, I was shocked to learn I was in the most vulnerable position. The consensus was I could be detained and/or arrested or assassinated.

Read on…

Bless the souls of these three Pinay freedom fighters. Bless the souls of all those fighting systemic oppression.

[1] Jose Maria Sison on the Human Security Act

-Ninoy Brown

P. Whaley (aka P-Way), Rocky (aka Mint Rock), Equipto, Big Shawn, Jule’s, Liel League, Mic, Prizaz, Dubstar, Ike Plump, TD Camp, and Jo Jo (rip). 12 Deep, that’s how the Bored Stiff familia run.

The group, along with Mystik Journeymen, played a key role in the renewing the Bay’s independent aesthetic in the late 90’s. From hustling tapes on Telegraph Ave to Broke Ass Summer Jams, Sucka Free City’s Bored Stiff are symbols of the independent grind.

After a 6 year hiatus, the crew is back. 6 years since they blessed us with Ghetto Research. Inner tension may have kept the crew from working creatively, but fortunately, it didn’t sustain. Doctorate degrees and solo local success didn’t keep the crew from reuniting either. And we’re once again blessed to get something new.

A homie played me a couple tracks the other day from the new lp, From the Ground Up, and it felt like ‘98 all over again. So make sure to cop that new album, these dude’s deserve your support. Until, next Tuesday, check out the video for “Media”:

For more info: Myspace.com/boredstiffmusic

-Ninoy Brown

Believe it or not, one of the main reason’s I started bloggin’ was that I planned to devote a huge portion of my life and energy into dissecting the epic that is Kells’ Trapped in the Closet. My ultimate goal was to provide a medium within which an analytic discourse on Trapped… would be constructed, so as to offer a much needed platform to discuss one of the most remarkable works of our modern day Shakespeare.

Unfortunately, this didn’t go as planned, and most of my posts ended up being about Hip-Hop and politics. For those that were hoping that I would devote more time to Kell’s masterpiece, I sincerely apologize.

Fortunately, the discussion of Trapped in the Closet, didn’t end with chapter 12. A cult following has developed, and events have even spawned boasting a night of “Trapped in the Closet: Sing-A-Longs”. Now, we have the release of chapters 13-22. If you need a recap, make sure to review the Cliff Notes: Ch 1-5 & Ch 6-12.

The “biggest pop culture event” comes in part by the Independent Film Channel at http://www.ifc.com/trapped.

Make sure to tune in at midnight for the next few days to catch the premier of each chapter. Chapters 13 and 14 are so spell binding, that they almost overshadow the creative brilliance of songs like “The Zoo”, “Real Talk”, and “Sex Planet”.

To end this post, I’ll leave you with a few of the most memorable lines from chapters 13 and 14:

“Man you crazier than a fish with titties” - Sylvester

“Bro-law” - Tuan

“I hope a pigeon fly by ahead ‘n shit on yo face” - Randolph (new character)

“Do I look like En Vogue? (’Why?’) Cause of the way you got me holdin’ on” - Tuan

And if ya missed the link the first time: http://www.ifc.com/trapped

-Ninoy Brown

but Dick Cheney was right.

Yes, Cheney, we should have taken heed to your advice.  America is now caught in the quagmire that you described.  How could we be so deaf to your words?

And on a separate note:  Should we really be celebrating Karl Rove’s departure from the current administration?  Or should we be worried that he’ll be teaming up with some of the current GOP front runners for the 2008 elections?

-Ninoy Brown

Dear GABNet members, allies and friends:

On August 5, 2007, GABRIELA Network USA National Chairperson Dr. Annalisa Enrile was barred from leaving the Philippines. She was not allowed to board her return flight home to the US. She was told that she is on a “watchlist.” Two other GABNet women–Judith Mirkinson and Ninotchka Rosca–are reportedly on the same “watchlist.”

Dr. Enrile, Ms. Mirkinson and Ms. Rosca were in the Philippines, along with other GABNet members and officers, for the 10th bi-annual Women’s Solidarity Affair in the Philippines. The GABNet 3 also led the GABNet-co-sponsored human rights mission to the Philippines with US women lawyers in May-June 2006.

We are demanding that the Philippine government “release” the GABNet 3 and allow them to return home. We need your HELP in pressuring the US Embassy and the US Ambassador to the Philippines to act on behalf of these 3 US citizens/permanent resident and demand that the Philippines “release” them at once.

ACTION - WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY, AUGUST 9TH: FAX the US Embassy, American Citizen Service, 011 63 2 522-3242 and/or Ambassador Kenney, 011 63 2 522-4361. Below is a sample letter. Please re-word. And please distribute this call to action far and wide. Stay tuned for more action/s.

———

US Ambassador to the Philippines
Manila, Philippines

I wish to voice my concern about the status of US citizens Dr. Annalisa Enrile and human and women’s rights activists Judith Mirkinson, and of US permanent resident Ninotchka Rosca, a writer and novelist. Dr. Enrile was prevented from boarding her return flight from Manila to Los Angeles on August 5th and was informed that she was on a “hold” order from the Philippine Department of Justice. It has been subsequently reported that both Ms. Mirkinson and Ms. Rosca are on the same “hold” list. Considering that 90 women organizers, activists and leaders have been assassinated in the Philippines since 2001, and considering that the Philippines is second only to Iraq in the number of writers and media people murdered, we are urging the US embassy and your office to demand that the Philippine government stop holding these three women hostage and let them return to their lives and work in the US.

Signed:
Name
Address

———

Thank you.

For more information on GABRIELA Network, go to: http://www.gabnet.org/

**Update:  GABNet 3 return to US after being casualties of the so-called Philippine “anti-terror law”

Thanks for the support.

-In Solidarity, the FOBB Deep Collective