Happy Thangstaken: “Illegal” Immigrants & the Immigration “Debate”

[18 Mighty Mountain Warriors - Illegal Immigrants]

[The Pinky Show - "How to Solve Illegal Immigration" (HELLA funny!)]

Happy Thangstaken to all my fellow illegal immigrants (whilst not really knowing how to wrap my head around the continuing genocide of indigenous folks, the fact that enslaved African heritage folks didn’t first arrive here of their own free will, and that the U.S. continues to profit from these facts today =T).

Giving Thanks,
Masashi

Arundhati Roy’s “Field Notes on Democracy: Listening to Grasshoppers”

[DemocracyNow Interview w/ Amy Goodman pt. 1]

Model Minority Report Pt. 3: Eye-Witness to a Life Sentence

Some commentary regarding my previous post…
_______
Model Minority Report:
Eye-Witness to a Life Sentence

Peter had the meanest cross-over dribble I had ever seen in elementary school. It was similar to the way then Golden State Warrior, Tim Hardaway would dribble once through his leg to his left hand to get you off balance, and explode back to the right hand with such lightning quickness that his defender didn’t stand a chance – 2 points. I met Peter in the 5th grade and recall thinking that he didn’t “act like an Asian kid.” He would often disobey our teacher and would go from telling me I was his best friend one day, to telling me the next that he was going to “beat (my) ass and stab (me) with his brother’s bowie knife.” He often missed school, so when I didn’t see him on the basketball court that particular morning I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until I our teacher informed us that he had been killed that I realized I would never witness his crossover again. Because Peter didn’t fit into the rigid mold afforded to his racial group as an Asian American, he was silenced, made invisible, and sentenced to die in the street before reaching puberty.

Friday, Oct 18: “ReBuild” Fundraiser – 111 Minna Gallery, SF

Following the recent devastation caused by Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) on the Philippine Islands, Members of the Bay Area’s talented creative community are lending their time & talents to aid the people of the Philippines through these difficult times. We encourage you to join us in solidarity and donate what you can, Whether it be monetary, food, clothing or medicine. Every little bit helps and it is instrumental that we look out for those less fortunate than us.

“Rebuild”
Friday October 16th @ 111 Minna Gallery
5pm-9:30pm
(in the Zappa/Stage Room)

*Donating 100% of the proceeds & collections to those in need

*Sponsored by:
111 Minna Gallery
Manilatown Heritage Foundation
Filipino Community Center, Nomi
SF CHRP
DiAnne Tana Bueno
Randall Rufino of Blufizz
James Donato
Reignforest Collective

*Uplifting DJ sets from:
Donnell De Leon (Dose)
Paul Abadilla (Choco)
Allan Perez (Skelator)
Cedric Nodado (Cedication.Crimes)
Noel Bacani (Xariusound)

Lyrical performance by
Colin Masashi Ehara & Jeimil Belamide (Broken Halos)

*Let’s do our part in helping a humble nation rebuild & endure the storm

It’s been a while now since Jei and I performed (and I’ve been going through a lot of internal debates about my own place in Hip-Hop’s practice), but we couldn’t say ‘no’ to something like this.

Please come through after work! ALL (100%!!!) of the proceeds go to help our brothers and sisters on the other side of the globe.

In solidarity,

C

Arundhati Roy on Resistance

I have given up on trying to not do too many posts on and about this woman.

So(ul) Amazing,
C

Brilliant/Resilient Song of the Day: Damien Marley feat. Nas – Road to Zion

[God's Sons.]

[Damien Marley feat. Nas - Road to Zion (right-click and "save-target-as" to DL)]

So when I heard that Nas and Damien Marley were releasing an album together, it damn near made a blood vessel burst in my brain. Of all the 2nd Marley generation, Damien “Junior Gong” has always been my personal favorite for his flow, choice of production, message, and deep connection to his spirituality. His 2005 LP, “Welcome to Jamrock” is solidified for me as one of the greatest dancehall records of all time and was filled with insane soundscapes, including this gem right here.

Nas…
If you’ve read my blog before, it’s safe to say you probably know I’m a fan. Mr. Jones’ verse on this track ranks up there with my top 5 all-time and I tend to use this verse in my Jigga vs. Nas debates as a “Hovi could never write this verse,” argument. “I’m jus playin’…but I’m sayin’!”

Sometimes I can’t help but feel helpless
I’m havin daymares in daytime
Wide awake try to relate
This can’t be happenin like I’m in a dream while I’m walkin
Cause what I’m seein is haunting
Human beings like ghost and zombies
President Mugabe holding guns to innocent bodies
In Zimbabwe
They make John Pope seem Godly
Sacrilegious and blasphemous
In my lifetime I look back at paths I’ve walked
Where savages fought and pastors taught
Prostitutes stomp in high heel boots
And badges screaming,”Young black children stop or I will shoot!”
I look back at cooked crack
Plush cars that pass by
Jaguars – mad fly
And I’m guilty for materialism
Because Blacks is still up in the prison
Trust that
So save me your sorries, I’m raising an army
Revolutionary warfare with Damien Marley
We sparkin’ the iron, marching to Zion
You know how Nas be:
NYC state of mind on me…

-Nas

BLESS.

C

Barack Obama: “A New Beginning”(?)

[Barack Obama's entire "A New Beginning" speech given in Cairo, Egypt last week]

I go back and forth from having high hopes for our President, to feeling completely disillusioned by and wanting him to stop snitching. While I deeply admire his integrity and sense of thoughtfulness and optimism, (not to mention the youth I’ve worked with getting to internalize a completely different view of Black masculinity than BET and MTV afforded them), I also am incredibly weary of his ability to strategize the best ways in which to please all parties involved in a situation. While this is a stark contrast from our previous presidency whose motto of “f*ck you, what are you gonna do about it?”, made me feel much more hopeless about the future in general, I have always been made to feel uncomfortable by those who try to make everyone feel, well…comfortable. In a world/society dominated by those with the largest amount of phallic shaped weapons, I worry about anyone who would pander to the idea that everyone should be complacent with whiteness, masculinity, heteronormativity, christianity and accumulated wealth being positioned over all else (especially at the expense of human life and dignity).

In the long run however, I remember very vividly, our last president and I am all for the new “face of America” attempting a route of respect toward Muslim people/nations. In a world of compromises, I suppose roughly, that I would rather have a leader who is forced to make deals with the Devil, than have our country overseen by the Devil himself. That’s my opinion, I could be wrong…

[2001-2008 = FML]

The American way of life is simply not sustainable, because it doesn’t acknowledge that there is a world beyond America.

-Arundhati Roy

You’ll see me in a crack house before you see me in the White House.

-Cornell West

C

p.s.
If Obama had lost the Presidential election, I wonder how much more of this bullsh*t people would have stood for. I often ponder if he was allowed to win (don’t ever forget Florida and Ohio) in order to satiate the American public enough to not rise up in arms, and burn this motherfather down. =T

Fatgums X Bambu: …A Peaceful Riot…

This EP dropped more than a month ago but better late than never…Good looking Fatgums!

[Click Picture to Buy From The BEATROCK Store!]

This past year has been a f*ckin wild one. While getting married to my partner of 7 years, quitting my job of 3 years as an After School Program Coordinator, taking care of and losing my shero/Bachan (grandma), I have spent the entire past 9 months examining critically, (my) Asian American Hip-Hopper identity, masculinity/manhood, and issues regarding “authenticity” in SF State’s Asian American Studies M.A. Program. Needless to say, I am ridiculously blessed to have been able to allow my brain this roller-coaster ride, and am feeling stronger than ever after my first year of graduate school.

I recently changed the title of my Master’s Thesis to Goldyn Chyld (Remix): Asian American Men Authoring “Authenticity” in Hip-Hop, and I am hard pressed to think of a better example today in terms of the emceeing aspect, than former Native Gunner, Bambu.

A “Hip-Hopper” by KRS-ONE’s definition, is someone who is not only a lover of the music/lifestyle, but also participates in its practice (deejaying, emceeing, graff, b-boy/girl, beatbox, etc.). As a Hip-Hopper, when I listen to new Hip-Hop projects, I do my best to pay close attention to the intricacies of each and every syllable, hi-hat, bassline, hook, etc. and what I can say without a shadow of a doubt, is that Nikkei DJ/Producer Fatgums and Pinoy Emcee Bambu were f*cking meticulous in their care of, and practice of Hip-Hop as an art, lifestyle, and expression in their new EP “A Peaceful Riot.”

[Bambu X Fatgums]

From my frame of reference, Hip-Hop has been a saving grace to myself and so many others due to its therapeutic aspects (among many other things). The space it allows people (primarily coming from a place of marginalization) to offer their own version of the world, is one of the most liberating things I have ever wittnessed and taken part of in my life.

[Fatgums X Bambu - Won't Walk Away]

Bambu seems to have a 2Pac-like knack for dissecting the sh*t out of his internalized pain/oppression, and relaying it to the listener in a way that is incredibly easy to understand and digest. Where I see him differing from many other artists who are able to communicate their feelings/grief as men, is that Bambu never tends to wallow in self-pity or feel sorry for himself. Misery loves company and at times, getting stuck in self-pity is something I have definitely struggled with. When I hear a song like “Won’t Walk Away,” it reminds me to tap into the resilience my elders taught me and to keep it movin’ the f*ck forward regardless of the little hater in my head that tells me I should go numb and give it all up. I also definitiely have a HUGE soft-spot for bluesy/introspective/melancholoy melodies, and Fatgums absolutely laced this track (as well as the entire Extended Play album) with absolute dynamic muhf*ckin’ magic.

“…A Peaceful Riot…” definitely came into my life at the exact time it needed to (arigato gozaimashita again, brother Fatgums). In this past year, with my being stuck in 3 hour seminars and my face in books on critical research methodologies, post-colonialism, marx, feminist/queer pedagogy, Black, Raza, mixed heritage and Asiancentric thought, it was at times extremely difficult to remember how big the world is and how insignificant I am; but also that Hip-Hop allows so many people that have been silenced, the power to love, respect, and interrogate themselves (and their perfect imperfections) in a way that pushes the world forward.

FATGUMS = Syncopated Soul by the Cotdam Kiloton
BAMBU = Intelligent Gangster/Revolutionary Wordsmith

FATGUMS X BAMBU = …A PEACEFUL RIOT…

Buy that sh*t HERE.

ColinResponse

p.s.

[Fatgums X Bambu - Gunslinger II (R.I.P. Oscar Grant, Gary King, and too many countless others.)]

Fresh Out the Frying Pan and Onto the Canvas…

[YEESH.]

[Over before it started...]

Damn. I sincerely hope Ricky aint brain damaged. Manny made QUICK work of the Brittish brawler. Not much you really need to say other than, “when is Pacquiao vs. Maywether Jr. going down?”

Manny being Manny,

C

p.s. Score one for API masculinity.

Pacquiao vs. Hatton 24/7: Episode 1

[Pacquiao vs. Hatton 24/7: Episode 1]

I know that no other sport today is more brutal and carries so many connotations of ethnic, racial, national, historical, etc. pride than boxing (this fight has been dubbed “war of the worlds” for f*cks sake), but OMFG…I can’t wait to see this sh*t!!!

Hatton will go down in the fifth…maybe the sixth.

C

p.s. Don’t get it twisted tho – Hatton aint no punk. This will be far from an easy fight for Manny.