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Born in Kingston ,Jamaica, West indies ,moving to New York in 1967. Kool Herc owns the rights to the accolade "first Hip Hop D.J. Illustrating the connections between reggae and rap ,Herc brought his sound system to block parties in the Bronx from 1969 onwards. By 1975 he was playing the brief rhythmic sections of records which would come to be termed "breaks ",at venues like the Hevalo in the Bronx. His influence was pivotal ,with Grandmaster Flash building on his innovations to customised the modern Hip Hop DJ approach.

Herc's methods also pre-dated ,and partially introduced, sampling. By adapting pieces of Funk, Soul, Jazz and other musics  into the melting pot, he would be able to keep a party buzzing. With his sound system the Herculords he would tailor his sets to the participants, most of whom he knew by name. He would call these out over improvised sets; "As I scan the place, I see the very familiar face. .of my mellow :Wallace Dee in the house! Wallace Dee! Freak for me! As one of Hip Hop's founding Fathers, Kool Herc's reputation and influence has outlasted the vaguaries of musical fashion. A status no doubt boosted by the fact that he has not attempted to launch a spurious recording career on the back of it. Kool Herc was the subject of celebration at the  Rapmania Festival in 1990. Here are some words from the Father of Hip Hop: The first place I played was 1520 Sedgewick Avenue-that's a recreation room-matter of fact in my apartment ,yun no. Like the pied piper ,the ratscame out of the bricks to dance. My parties back then was twenty-five cent, Then it went to the recreation room, then we gave a block party, one time, annual block party. When you come down the block that cleaned up, you know Herc gonna play some music, and um ,I couldn't come back to the old ranch no more, I had to go to a place called the Twilight Zone.

And then I used to give flyers out over by the Hevalo, and my mans would tell me to step off. I said, "One day I’m  be in here." So I gave my first party at the Twilight Zone, it was raining, the gods was raining down on me. Everybody came down from the Hevalo, wondering what was happening. They said, "Hercis playing down the block." "Who's Herc?' "That's the guy you chased away with the flyers from outside." And from the Twilight Zone I went on up to the Hevalo...

(From there he moved to a spot called the Executive Playhouse, on 173 street in the Bronx, as well as playing numerous high schools, community centers, and parks.) Assuming his native Jamaican patois, he continues: My muddah roots come from St. Mary{a parish in Jamaica},yunno. A man named George inspirate I from Jamaica, yunno, and he lived pon Victoria Street, yunno and used to come with the big sound system. It was devastating, cause it was open air, when it rained that's the dance.... I did a lot of things from Jamaica, and I brought it here and turned it into my own little style...Herc came to prominence in the West Bronx bet Herc's methods also pre-dated ,and partially introduced, sampling. By adapting pieces of Funk, Soul, Jazz and other musics  into the melting pot, he would be able to keep a party buzzing. With his sound system the Herculords he would tailor his sets to the participants, most of whom he knew by name. He would call these out over improvised sets; "As I scan the place, I see the very familiar face. .of my mellow :Wallace Dee in the house! Wallace Dee! Freak for me! As one of Hip Hop's founding Fathers, Kool Herc's reputation and influence has outlasted the vaguaries of musical fashion. A status no doubt boosted by the fact that he has not attempted to launch a spurious recording career on the back of it. Kool Herc was the subject of celebration at the  Rapmania Festival in 1990. Here are some words from the Father of Hip Hop: The first place I played was 1520 Sedgewick Avenue-that's a recreation room-matter of fact in my apartment ,yun no. Like the pied piper ,the ratscame out of the bricks to dance. My parties back then was twenty-five cent, Then it went to the recreation room, then we gave a block party, one time, annual block party. When you come down the block that cleaned up, you know Herc gonna play some music, and um ,I couldn't come back to the old ranch no more, I had to go to a place called the Twilight Zone.

And then I used to give flyers out over by the Hevalo, and my mans would tell me to step off. I said, "One day I’m  be in here." So I gave my first party at the Twilight Zone, it was raining, the gods was raining down on me. Everybody came down from the Hevalo, wondering what was happening. They said, "Hercis playing down the block." "Who's Herc?' "That's the guy you chased away with the flyers from outside." And from the Twilight Zone I went on up to the Hevalo...

(From there he moved to a spot called the Executive Playhouse, on 173 street in the Bronx, as well as playing numerous high schools, community centers, and parks.) Assuming his native Jamaican patois, he continues: My muddah roots come from St. Mary{a parish in Jamaica},yunno. A man named George inspirate I from Jamaica, yunno, and he lived pon Victoria Street, yunno and used to come with the big sound system. It was devastating, cause it was open air, when it rained that's the dance.... I did a lot of things from Jamaica, and I brought it here and turned it into my own little style...Herc came to prominence in the West Bronx between 1974 and 1975.

The Funky Four ~s background is an interesting one ,with Lil` Rodney Cee having been part of the street-jivers the Magnificent Seven between 1977 and 1978. The Funky Four were founded when KK Rockwell and D.J. Breakout ,adding first Keith Keith and then female MC Sha Rock. Rahiem  joined ,then departed to take up an engagement with Grandmaster Flash. Keith Keith also left. With the addition of Lil` Rodney Cee ,then Jazzy Jeff ,the group became the Funky Four ,with D.J. Breakout and Baron .None of the group were older than 17 when they signed with the Enjoy label ,opening that imprint `s account(in rap terms)with "Rappin` And Rocking The House" .This utilized the Cheryl Lynn break, "Got To Be Real" ,over which a 16-minute rap commentary was placed.

The drums were programmed by Pumpkin, arguably rap`s first production hero, and it was an impressive overall introduction. Shortly afterwards they switched to Sugarhill, adding the Plus One More suffix.In addition to this cast D.J. Mark The 45 King would act as Breakout`s record boy ,locating and passing records up to the decks as his D.J. requested them. They made their debut for Sugarhill with "Thats The Joint" ,a song arranged by jazz-funk organist Clifton Jiggs Chase. Their performances at Bronx house parties included full blown dance routines .After a clash album with the Cash Crew, their career petered out somewhat ,through Jazzy Jeff would go on to a brief solo career with Jive Records. Lil` Rodney Cee and KK Rockwell would go on to be partners in follow under achievers ,Double Trouble. At which time Rodney Cee would marry Angela(Angie B)Brown of Sequence fame.

HIP HOP HISTORY MONTH

The Universal Zulu Nation calls on the World to recognize the whole month of November as HIP HOP HISTORY MONTH!

The official birthday of the Universal Zulu Nation is November 12, 1973.

The official birthday of Hip Hop is November 12th, 1974.

With consideration to the above mentioned dates, nothing makes more sense than to celebrate Hip Hop culture and it's history during November, which is exactly what the Universal Zulu Nation has been doing for over 27 + years. November is also significant in the fact that it kicks off the "indoor jam season". The Hip Hop community jams, enjoyed outdoors in the parks, throughout the Summer, had to move indoors for about 7 months to community centers, gymnasiums, schools etc. for the Fall and Winter seasons. The Hip Hop World should recognize this month and pay tribute to those who laid the foundation and paved the way as well as to those who continue to preserve the rich tradition of the culture.

Of course, The Zulu Nation appreciates all efforts to preserve the whole of Hip Hop culture, including any days or weeks set aside to conscientiously appreciate Hip Hop, but would rather that all of these days and weeks combine to celebrate in unity every November as the tradition has been since the beginning of this culture. Founded by the godfather of Hip Hop himself, Afrika Bambaataa, The Universal Zulu Nation is the world's oldest, largest and most respected grass roots Hip Hop organization. It's members and supporters are Hip Hop's most famous and legendary artists. True school enthusiasts travel from all around the world to be in New York City, in November, for the annual Zulu Hip Hop Anniversary, the only true Hip Hop Anniversary since the beginning. The Anniversary hosts a positive Hip Hop community coming together from all walks of life to celebrate the true essence and excitement of what Hip Hop was meant to be. Many artists who have donated their performances to help raise funds at Zulu Hip Hop Anniversaries have gone on to become legends and many of these legends continue to return to NYC, in November, to give back to the core community who supported them since their careers began.

A Little Background Information: In the early years of the culture, the movement went untitled until Afrika Bambaataa, started calling it "Hip Hop", a term originated by Lovebug Starski. In the 70's, ten years prior to it's gaining global recognition, Hip Hop was a celebration of life gradually developing each of it's elements to form a cultural movement. Due to it's energy, dynamics, and momentum, Hip Hop culture has become, ultimately, a key to upliftment and reformation, as well as a billion-dollar industry.

From the 80's on, the Rap industry and media have helped to make the terms "Hip Hop" and "Rap" synonymous, leaving out the other elements included in the culture. In light of this enormous oversight, the Zulu Nation promotes the "5th element" of Hip Hop, which is KNOWLEDGE, and actively tries to educate the masses about the history and foundational elements of true Hip Hop culture. Bambaataa declared: "When we made Hip Hop, we made it hoping it would be about peace, love, unity and having fun so that people could get away from the negativity that was plaguing our streets (gang violence, drug abuse, self hate, violence among those of African and Latino descent). Even though this negativity still happens here and there, as the culture progresses, we play a big role in conflict resolution and enforcing positivity."

Hip Hop is the Vehicle to Deliver Innumerable Lessons! Afrika Bambaataa doesn't believe that Hip Hop heads should just have knowledge of Hip Hop. He promotes and proves that Hip Hop can be used as a vehicle for teaching awareness, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom, justice, equality, peace, unity, love, respect, responsibility and recreation, overcoming challenges, economics, mathematics. science, life, truth, facts and faith.

The Elements: Hip Hop culture is defined as a movement which is expressed through various artistic mediums which we call "elements". The main elements are known as MC'ing (Rapping), DJ'ing, WRITING (Aerosol Art), SEVERAL DANCE FORMS (which include Breaking, Up-Rocking, Popping, and Locking) and the element which holds the rest together: KNOWLEDGE. There are also other elements such as Vocal Percussion/Beat Boxing, Fashion, etc. Within the past 20 years, Hip-Hop culture has greatly influenced the entertainment world with its creative contributions in music, dance, art, poetry, and fashion.

Due to their lack of knowledge about the whole of Hip Hop culture, many of our world's youth are mistaken in thinking that activities such as: smoking blunts, drinking 40's, wearing a designer label plastered across their chest, carrying a gun, or going to strip clubs, are "Hip Hop". Hip Hop is being portrayed negatively by many artists who work in the element of Rap (emceeing), and this negativity is usually instigated and promoted by the record industry and various other corporations who exploit the culture at the expense of the youth's state of mind and morality. The Universal Zulu Nation believes there is a difference in speaking out about negativity (activism) and promoting it as a desirable lifestyle. Gangsters, pimps, playas, hustlers, niggers, spics, and many other derogatory words once used against us are now self employed in our everyday vocabulary. Our ancestors who have fought and died trying to free us from these sicknesses and slave mentality are probably turning over in their graves! Bambaataa asks you to just think about this, "How in the hell did we turn from GODS to dogs?"

Afrika Bambaataa encourages you to do more research about our story, his/her-story, and what you think is your mystery is actually your history. Where are our Hip Hop thinkers, lawyers, holistic doctors, scientists, agriculturalists/herbalists, revolutionaries, politicians, judges, researchers, teachers, police, army, accountants, anthropologists, etc. Where is our own Hip Hop Museum? Many talk the talk but don't walk the walk. Many straight out sell-out to the liberation of our people as well as to all humans on the planet so called Earth! He also encourages you to do research on any Hip Hop organization that deals with consciousness and the upliftment of all people. To all those who purposely make up your own history and lie about the culture- DO YOUR RESEARCH!

You can contact the Universal Zulu Nation at their main website www.ZuluNation.com and to explore links to other Zulu chapters and websites.

Thank you in advance for forwarding this announcement to everyone you know!

Peace and Blessings Afrika Bambaataa & the entire Universal Zulu Nation.

As we say in Zulu - respect the many UNIVERSES and especially MOTHER EARTH

PS: If you are planning any events in honor of Hip Hop History Month in November please feel free to write to the webmaster at ZuluNation.com to keep us up-to-date!

THE 5TH ELEMENT OF HIP HOP CULTURE
KNOWLEDGE, CULTURE, OVERSTANDING
FACTOLOGY VS. BELIEFS

WHERE DID THE NAME HIP HOP COME FROM?

BY DYNAMITE J

Where did the name Hip Hop come from, and who is
responsible for saying The name Hip Hop came from
Afrika Bambaata?  When Bam throws a party, he feels
like a theme name for his party would be better and
more exciting.  If you were given two flyers and one
said "Party" at 123 four st., or Flava Jam 2002 at 123
four St.   One of the names for his early parties was
THE HIP HOP BEENY BOP.  Some could equate this as a
teen Jam because of the phrase Beeny Bop.  Bop is
also short for Boppers.
     So when Bambaata had his parties, and Starski
would Mc the jam, He would say thing s like WELCOME TO
THE HIP HOP BEENY BOP!  THAT'S RIGHT YA'LL, HIP HOP
TILL YOU DON'T STOP.  So true respect is giving to Mc
Starski with being credited for popularizing the
Phrase Hip Hop, but it's also respect and credit due
to Afrika Bambatta for starting the word HIP HOP.
Dynamite J
please respond back with your opinions, or re-buttals
to what I said.

dynamitejay@yahoo.com 

THE 5TH ELEMENT OF HIP HOP CULTURE

WE ARE CALLING ON OUR WORLD

WIDE HIP HOP NATION TO PLEASE SEND ANY INFORMATION YOU WANT TO US DEALING WITH THE MAIN ELEMENT OF HIP HOP THAT HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER AND THAT IS THE 5TH ELEMENT.

KNOWLEDGE, CULTURE.OVERSTANDING.

WE NEED YOUR TRUTHS OF WHAT YOU SEE THE HIP HOP WORLD IS BECOMING. WE NEED INFORMATION TO POST UP ON THE WEB SITE ABOUT THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IN OUR CULTURE ALL OVER THE WORLD. LET US KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR COUNTRY,TOWN ,CITY.

LET US KNOW IS HIP HOP BEING REPRESENTED RIGHT OR WRONG. IS IT BECOMING A DRINK BEER, CUSS WORDS IN EVERY RAP SONG, THE REPECT OF THE FOUR OTHER ELEMENTS OR THE DISRESPECT OF ALL THE ELEMENTS IN HIP HOP ON A WORLD LEVEL.

WE WANT THE SEROIUS THINKING BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO VOICE THEIR THINKING WITH FACTS TO US, FOR OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD IN CYBER SPACE CAN READ, ANALIZE AND COMMENT ON. EACH ONE TEACH ONE, EACH ONE THINK WITH ONE, EACH ONE ,WAKES UP ONE THROUGH THE 5TH ELEMENT OF HIP HOP CULTURE.

 WE JUST CAN NOT IN THIS MILLENNIUM BE ONLY THINKING ABOUT PARTYING OUR LIVES AWAY.

SO PLEASE THINKING HIP HOP NATION PEOPLE. SEND US THE MESSAGE OF ALL THE ELEMENTS OF HIP HOP CULTURE AND STOP HATING ON THIS GREAT CULTURE WHICH IS A MOVEMENT ALL OVER THE WORLD.

UNIVERSAL ZULU NATION

THE REPLYS OF WHAT GOING ON IN 

THE HIP HOP WORLD

Greetings Kings/Queens/Ahki's/Malikas/Brothers/Sisters & the Whole World
Wide HipHop Nation...
I&I Sincerely Hope & Pray that Our Almighty Creator (The Force & Source Of
Life..!!) has kept Each & Everyone one of you Safe, free from harm &
Blessed...

I&I just generated this e-mail in reply to the Mighty Universal Zulu
Nation's Cry for conscious brethren to voice their concerns/hopes & visions
about this EXTREMELY VOLATILE, MIND ALTERING, LIFE CHANGING, EXTREME TO DA
MAX Kulture of ours. I&I got much love for the HipHop Kulture because this
Kulture changed I&I's mindset & life for the better and I&I is forever
grateful for our forefathers that brought this Kulture into existence. MUCH
LOVE & RESPECT to all our FOREFATHERS & to those HIPHOP SOLDIERS that
contributed & is still contributing to keep this Kulture Vibrant & Fresh,
all these collective efforts are really appreciated by the masses that
really & truly supports TRUE-SKOOL HipHop Kulture and all the elements that
this Kulture consists of.

Now, a little background history of I&I's journey within the HipHop Kulture
& why it means such alot to I-Man. I&I first came into contact with this
Kulture in 1985 (even though I'm still a youngster - in body, mind & soul) &
here in my country I'm already considered to be OLD-SKOOL eventhough I&I can
still take out some of these youths in a 1 on 1 BBoy battle. Firstly, the
HipHop Kulture was introduced to my country, BEAUTIFUL SOUTH AFRIKA, in 1982
through the Best HipHop Movie EVER, The Movie WILDSTYLE, and it only grew
from strength to strength as the years progressed. When the Kulture started
taking off on the Cape Flats, everybody just wanted to be dancers, I mean,
everywhere you went you just met new BBoy/BGirl groups changing from
freestyle dancing to Locking & Popping & later on Busting the more difficult
moves like windmills etc.. In the little community where I-Man lived, the
StreetFreakCrew (They actually based themselves on the RSCrew) were the crew
to beat and everybody that danced in our neighbourhood just wanted to belong
to SFCrew. During that period, I-Man was about 10/11 years old and one of
the best Micheal Jackson impersonators in my 'hood, but this new dance that
we saw evolving in our 'hoods really blew us way & we really wanted to learn
how to dance like these youngsters that were spinning on their backs &
heads. Me & my boys practised & practised every day until we were ready to
Battle some of the members of the SFCrew that lived a couple of streets away
from us. On the day of the battle, the whole SFCrew rocked up to support
their crew members. The Boombox was set up, Soul sonic Force was blasting at
full volume and the oilycloth was taped down in the play park. Adrenalin was
pumping, Rappers were rapping, Lockers were locking, Poppers were popping &
the Breakers was breaking. The atmosphere was ELECTRIC, the day was
beautiful & sunny & the crowd went ballistic as we stepped up the pace of
the battle. Eventhough BBoy Bully, BBoy Mole, BBoy Ready D, BBoy Ahmed &
BBoy Sitaa wiped us out in the Skill department, we really enjoyed ourselves
that day and we wanted more & more of this Kulture. We eventually became
good enough & was inducted as members of the StreetFreakCrew and this is
actually where we started to learn more about the HipHop Kulture.

This was the first time that i watched movies about the HipHop Kulture &
where i first saw the RockSteadyCrew perform and ever since then I became a
hardcore HipHop fan, Loving the BBoy element to the max.
Later, round about 86', a youngster by the name of Kevin Jamo (he had "Pen
pals" from the states that was also into the HipHop Kulture) introduced us
to the Universal Zulu Nation and we all came together and started our very
own Universal Zulu Nation chapter in Cape Town. Now, we never really
officially joined the Original Universal Zulu Nation from the Bronx but we
conducted meetings and were structured like the true UZN. Some of our
friends' parents also became involved with our UZN chapter and started to
run the chapter for us which helped to improve our organisation. They
started getting us shows and setting up fundraising efforts so that we could
have t-shirts printed and tracksuits made to our liking. We even started to
receive more reading material from Jamo's penpals from the States which sent
us articles on what was happening on the HipHop scene in the states. Those
years, HipHop was ALL about having fun and enjoying yourself with your
friends, Battling your rivals and remaining conscientious about your
political situations and your heritage. We learned about The Great Bam, DJ
Kool Herc,Grandmaster Flash, The Sugar Hill gang (someone from the States
actually once wrote us a letter which states that the Sugar Hill's first
album "Rappers Delight" actually paved the way for other rap artists - but
later through contact with Zulu Natives from the states we learned about the
Cold Crush & the Crash crew - and about other pioneering emcee groups)
Grandwizzard Theodore & the Fantastic Romantic Five, Kurtis Blow, Big Daddy
Kane etc.. the List can just go on & on. I can still remember how I liked to
be admired by my peers because of all the tags that i owned. Everybody that
was into HipHop would not be seen without their tags and the more tags you
wore, the Hipper you were. Remembering all this stuff actually puts one on a
nostalgic journey back into the days of our youth but nevertheless, those
are "never-to-be-repeated" times and we are here to try and make a
difference in the Kulture for the now & here.

I-Man actually feels very proud, looking back & looking at how far the
Kulture has come & to the extent that it has grown today, to have been part
of the growing phase (I know the Kulture is still in it's growth stages) of
this kulture. Lots of things has changed within the kulture, but change is
actually the only surety in life so change, be it good or bad, is actually
part of our lives. Looking at South Afrika, the HipHop Kulture has really
grown vastly since the time that I-Man was still stage performing, but yet
it seems as if the unity we felt back in the days are not present today
amongst the youth that partake in this Kulture today. In my opinion, the
rolemodels of the Kulture today, are a far cry from the rolemodels of
yesteryear because today it's all about Blinging and getting paid but back
then, it was all about Peace, Love & Unity and about being yourself & you
LOVING yourself enough to be YOU..!!! Nowadays, the youth just want to be
another Nelly, supporting the gold chains & ice earring studs or another
jigga man, macking the honeys or pimping them hoes. I can remember how we
went crazy about another P.E. LP dropping or when we heard Run DMC ripping
over the airwaves, it reinforced us positively because the state that our
country was in during that time was really depressing and the HipHop Kulture
was our escape from our daily realities. It was really uplifting expressing
your political views through rhyming and that was exactly what we were
doing, mobilising our peers through rap music. Even if our parents thought
that we crazy at the time, spinning on our heads, making sounds with your
mouth while your partners was spitting some venomous rhymes, they were too
glad that we weren't caught up in the web of gangsterism and violence
because our local communities was ravaged by gangsterism during those years.
Amazingly, even the gangster elements respected you if they knew that you
were into the HipHop Kulture but in today's times if people hear that you
listen to rap music, they class you as a gangster element because of all the
gangster rap that they hear out in the commercial field. Whenever you see a
Rap music video on the T.V. it's all about money and women, to the point
that people actually believes that HipHop is about money & women. Why don't
a person ever see some BBoyz busting a couple of moves on these music
videos, or a graff artist doing a mural..?? You hear the rhymers shout
"HipHop Hooray..!!" but you don't see any other HipHop element being
portrayed in the music video, instead you see Lovely, Beautiful young
ladies, almost completely naked shaking their thang... No disrespect meant
to the ladies but i'd rather prefer to see the BBoys or BGirls doing their
thang because BBoying is (to me) the most impressive element in the HipHop
Kulture. Just the other day, while watching T.V with my wife, i saw a music
video of Nelly Furtado & i really impressed because she actually features a
couple of BGirl crews in her music video and i commented to my wife that
this was what i would prefer to see in these music videos.

Nevertheless, the Kulture has actually brought many positive changes in our
local communities. I tell my youngsters (the groups that I-Man works with)
everyday, how lucky they are to be experiencing the HipHop Kulture today.
From a dancing point of view, the young have a lot of events to participate
in like the BOTY competition, Our Local ABC (African Battle Cry) event, BBoy
Of the Year event etc. they actually get recognition & money to dance
whereas we use to dance for the love of dancing. We also have a HipHop week
where all the elements of the Kulture gets exposed to the youth and they get
the opportunity to participate in workshops in all of the Elements. This
week is known is the AfriKan HipHop Indaba week and it has become an annual
institution to which everybody always looks forward to attending.
Unfortunately, I-Man is too old to participate in these competitions but
I-Man is still young enough to help any crew that comes to I-Man for
support. This is actually I-Man's work within the Kulture, I-Man assists the
young BBoy crews in establishing themselves as groups, puts them in contact
with the necessary people to help them get shows, helps them out with
BBoying material like movies & music and then I-Man moves on to the next
group in line. The problem in our country is that the HipHop Kulture don't
get the same exposure like the Kwaito Kulture (another local artistic
Kulture - not as exciting or positive like the HipHop Kulture) and with the
negative image that is being portrayed by the commercial HipHop artists
(negative gangsta rap) it makes it really difficult to get sponsorships for
all our endeavours to help expand the Kulture. There's still alot of work to
be done on the Kulture in my country, but collectively we've achieved much
more than we ever thought we could and I-Man really feels positive about the
future of the HipHop Kulture within South Afrika. Currently, of all the
regions that we have in our country, Cape Town is still the HipHop Capitol
of South Afrika and we see it as our duty to spread the HipHop Kulture virus
to each every region in South Afrika & Afrika for that matter. It's still a
long way to go, but seeing all the youngsters today that is interested in
this Kulture makes one feel confident that this Kulture WILL grow to spread
the whole of Afrika because it already caused a global infection.

Nevertheless my Brethren, I-Man has alerady said alot and I-Man knows that
there's still much to be said but unfortunately I-Man's time has run out for
today. You can just hit I-Man up any time if there's anything else that you
might like to know or require from I-Man but until such time, Keep the
HipHop spirit Alive..!!!

Prosper in the 5th element of the Kulture, Knowledge, Kulture &
Overstanding..!!
Until next time, Stay up, Stay strong, Keep the Faith & Increase the Love..
PEACE & ETERNAL BLESSINGS..

from
BBoy Ricochet Skillz One a.k.a
Ricky Napthali Tafari..
HipHop Kulture FOREVER...  

Greetings

I´m a Hungarian born brother that grew up in Munich / Germany. I´m into Hip
Hop for about 7 years now. In the beginning around 96 for me Hip Hop meant
chillin at a Homie´s crib smoking lot of hash and listenin to rap music .
Although I wrote some Graffity I didn´t really take it serious it wasn´t
really my thang.Actually I did´t take anything serious. It was always the
same shit : Gettin high everyday maybe goin to a party on the weekend and
getting drunk. I rarely went to Hip Hop jams although I was amazed by the
B-boys and loved to see  the MC s rock the mic - I simply was too lazy no
doubt. In other words I didn´t live Hip Hop I was kind of from the outside
looking in. Now what I wanna say is that a lot of kids around my age felt
the same way like me  - I wasn´t active I was a consumer only . I´m several
years older and wiser now and I wonder whether the situation improved or
changed ... I ain´t in touch with the younger generation now. As far as I´m
concerned the whole thing is still similar . Consume ( buying rap magazines
which tell you which records to buy , buying these records, buying the
newest kicks , whatching rap videos .... ) instead of geting involved ( Goin
out to bomb, rapping seriously , dancing ...) - that´s how I see it. I´m 23
now and went through some trials and tribulatons - eventually I lost all my
(so called) friends so I became a soloist serchin for the truth and for
people who are real to me. I also try to build my Knowledge of Self . I
don´t drink or smoke no more. I freestyle and write rhymes for some years (
mostly for my self but I´m waiting for the right time to come out) and I ´m
pretty much into that 5th Element Of Hip Hop . I think in this New Millenium
things have to change. The Older Generation should teach the Youth more ,
involve the Youth more , be a role model to the Youth, take the Youth more
serious , make the Youth understand that Knowledge is not something wack,
but one of the most important things - the root of everything . The Young
Generation depends on the Older One and the Older Generation depends on the
Younger Generation ... We have to realize that all Humans have to unite in
these last days . To hell with racism . It´s not a Black and  White thing -
it´s a Human Beeing Thing.

PEACE

Zoltan aka Solid Frame

Peace to the Zulu Nation and all others with open minds,

Bein a representa and supporter of tru hip hop and the Zulu Nation, i'm sad to say that down here in Houston the real meaning of hip hop has been lost by many.  This is mainly due to tha barage of commercializm bein jammed down peoples' throats.  We now have 4 radio stations playin the same commercial B.S. music that is killin the name hip hop for the almighty dolla dolla bill.  You can't listen to the radio wit out hearin slogans like "ALL HIP HOP ALL THE TIME, I JAM THE NEW PARTY 104.9"  or "JAMMIN THE MOST HIP HOP AND R&B, 97.9 THE BOX".  What they really mean is "SOME HIP HOP A LIL BIT OF THE TIME" or "JAMMIN THE SAME HIP HOP AND R&B AS ERYONE ELSE" 

Radio down here is straight destroyin tha tru meanin of hip hop.  Not once have i heard any of these so called "hip hop" radio stations mention anythang of b-boys or graf artists.  HOW CAN U CLAIM TO BE ALL HIP HOP ALL THE TIME WHEN U ONLY REPRESENTA A FRAGMENT OF THE HIP HOP CULTURE!!  I get so fired up erytime i hear one of these slogans or pass by one of tha hundreds of bill boards floodin our streets down here.  Radio stations down here are all fraud and i'm callin 'em all out.  97.9 the Box-FRAUD. Party 104.9 FRAUD. Hot 97.1 FRAUD. Power 97.5 FRAUD.  These stations are all mis-representin what hip hop is by sendin the message that rap music IS hip hop.  When they should be lettin folks know that rap music is a form of MCing which is one branch of hip hop. 

I try to educate as many folks that i can but i'm losin the battle dramatically.  Send in the reinforcements, the ideas, the knowledge or anything that can be of help to save these brainwashed radio junkies from tha corrupt greedy corporations.  HOUSTON NEEDS TO BE SAVED!!

Peace,

Arenstein Jacob 

I am now 44 years old.  I grew up with the live joint tapes..Funky four.. Zulu Hip Hop (Peace) MC' S..G.L.O.B.E. Pow Wow, D.J. Wiz Kid True Skool Hip Hop, Cold Crush Brothers, Cosmic, Sundance,

 Hutch Hutch,  Bambaataa. Peace.. I can't name em all...  I keep listening over and over to these Tapes even today a favorite  6th Annual Zulu Nation Anniversary.. But there are so many of my favorites.   I baby-sitted some Kids  ages 12 years 14 and 16 year olds last week.

These Kids played a whole bunch of Rap Crap.   These Kids knew all the words to all the tracks,, nothing but cussing and degrading everybody and kill'n mother **@!! 's.    I asked them If I could play some of My Music Hip Hop and they said OK.

They didn't like it.  BECAUSE THEY ARE   BRAIN WASHED!!  These Kids need to be  taught the Elements .  

PEACE. CHRIS L 

ayo peace to da zulu nation, i wanna say dat hip hop has gotten meesed up
with all these fakers and fronters! dey needz to keepz it realz and stay
keepin it realz! we don't want to hear about niggaz riches or fame we wanna
hear about wuts really goin on in dis world! all da drama all black ppls iz
goin thru not only dem but da hispanic community! WE as da hispanic
community also love da hip hop culture!! cormega is one of dem real niggaz
and i give him much prob'z all da old school niggaz dat kept it realz! im
not talkin about gangsta sgyt im talkin about da real thug life! which means
"the hate u give little  infants fuck everything" dats something dats been
confused with niggaz sayin dat stand 4 niggaz robbing and stealin! nah it
ain't about dat eitha it's about wut tupac stood 4 and his step father also
stood 4! well im ghos holla at me! peace to da zulu'z just like rza! one

Antonio Garcia 

I believe that hip hop is ready to go back to true school ethics!  The
money that is being generated through hip hop is not enough in my eyes
compared to the influence that hip hop has on the entire world!  I
believe that people in hip hop today have taken on the attitudes of
those in the music industry before hip hop's inclusion in the music
industry!  They are NOT looking for true talent anymore, just what can
sell real quick!  It's a shame that rap artist who come out today have
to release two(2) albums a year to compete, where if you have a good
album with a good strategy, you could have an album serve the public for
two years!  It's disgusting!  It appears as though you must know someone
to get on in this game and that's wack!  I'm still a firm believer in
talent!  I understand marketing and promotion and how it plays into
making money in this game, but I don't believe that you have to stress
those areas so hard if you find true talent!  I pray that we can rise
above the pettiness that sometimes keeps this game down so we all can
get paid!  Remember, rap doesn't even account for 25% of music industry
sales but is gradually becoming the most recognizable art form in the
world!  This means to me that we have allowed ourselves to become
suckers for cheap money!
I pray that we get it right some day!

                                          BIG DAVE   aka
                                          STAYHIGH

       Name    :   J.D. < JUNGLE DOCTA >
                       the Medicine Man on the mic
       Location:   Columbus,Ohio       
                              USA                           
       This is fUnKy J comin outta C-bus Ohio.I started writin rhymes when i was like in the 5th grade...Then it was just love notes and stuff like that....When i got into middle scho0l i was using James Brown,s beats and rappin bout smokin weed and gettin into trouble....Actually i still be rappin some of my middle scho0l           rhymes............                                                                                               .
       See when i was growin into being a man....Always knew.... that skewl...never garunteed me a higher education....So i made this my profession.....Gotta come all out....by goin all out like a pro.... Thats  adjective for professional...Did u know... that this is what Mcin really is.... Speakin yo mind...So i was born into this ish.......Raw talent.....either you are or you ain,t...cause in R.E.A.L <Rhymes Equal Actual Life>
HIPHOP nobody be frontin.....
       So since back in 93 rappin to Cypress Hill on the monkey bars and taggin objects with markers to now Mcin myself and still taggin....I have seen alot in my 10 yrs of HIPHOP.... Been all over the east coast..all over NYC Bx,Bk...to Brick city aka Newark,Nj....to freestylin over Bob Marley's I shot the sherrif in the ghettos of Rio De Janeiro...and in all these places i have seen with my own two eyes.. and in my 3rd.. the love and respect of our KULTURE that the true HIPHOPPAZ give back to us....
       The Mass,s also known as the Ignorant ass,s always buyin into the bullish... and biting the bullet....They do not have Overstanding and Knowledge of our KULTURE....They believe HIPHOP is pimpin....husslin....robbin....being in gangs.....killin.....because this is what the Hip Slop artists show it to be....
       I did my research and found out why this KULTURE began....Wich was to unite people in a positive manner.....Come together as ONE for the LOVE of LIFE....and by expressin themselves in a positive demeanor.....while the SOUND of LIFE< MUSIC> was playin and Breakers were breakin....Mcin were rappin....Other did,nt have a clue what was goin on..... But we know it was R.E.A.L HIPHOP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    
                                                  Peace & GOD bless to all my HIPHOPPAZ
                                                                             J.D.                             

hip hop is alive and well in san diego california.  The love for the Rap
Expression, Graffitti Art (which is at it's all time height right now, in my
opinion, in san diego), DJing, and Bboying can be seen in different parts of
San Diego.  There are Hip hop shows monthly (which i believe are not enough),
mainly focusing on the MC's and Djs, although you will find B-girls and
B-boys rocking cyphers.  There are Certain clubs that identify with hip hop
musically( djs playing breakbeats and hip hop), you can also find breaking
practices weekly here in san diego.  In the graffiti aspect of  San Diego,
there are all out graffiti wars, between crews, battling to see whose got the
most style and whose more up than most.  And in San Diego, there are a lot of
upcoming DJ's and turntablists all wanting to come up for the love and fame
of hip hop.

A problem, I do see facing SD hip hop is the 5th element, and the reluctance
of most heads out here that don't understand the history or knowledge.  A lot
of the so called "hip hop heads" here, are more attached towards the MC
aspect , and forget about the other elements during these so called "hip hop
shows". Having been to a variety of shows, the representation and
acknowledgement of the dance and graffiti aspects are under represented. 
You'll go to a hip hop show, where Rap is the only thing represented, and
maybe a DJ will just be in the background spinning.  The main focus will be
the MC's.  Its very difficult and painful to see, from my perspective,
because in my opinion, and i could be wrong, the elements in order went :
graffiti, dj's, bboys, and last mcs.

Another problem facing hip hop in my opinion is the seperation and the
groupings of the music.  People talking about the realness of "underground
hip hop", and the fakeness of "commercial hip hop."  You'll have people
taking sides.  It's gotten to the point to where, hmmm.. hip hop music was
based on the party, and now, the so called "real hip hop music" is music
where it's just head nodding music.  It's kinda like a civil war in hip hop,
between the underground, the people that like both, and people that like
commercial rap. Although commercial rap has little to do with the culture and
more about the money, Rap is the expression of the MCs, so it to does have to
deal with hip hop.

but hip hop is a live and well in the southern city on the westcoast.  im
proud to be part of this strong hip hop community.

peace.

DJ MANE ONE
UNKNOWN TURNTABLIST KREW
1520 SEDGWICK AVE. DJS.  (break beat djs that play tribute to Kool Herc)
1520sedgwick.com

THIS HIP HOP DJ THINKS HIP HOP WAS PUT ON THE BACK BURNER FOR RAP!
IT'S UP TO THE ORIGINAL HEADS TO KEEP THE KNOWLEDGE GOING!
MANY SO CALLED HIP HOP DJs TODAY DON'T KNOW OR HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIP HOP
THEY JUST REP THE RAP! AND ALSO I'VE BEEN DJ ING IN S.FL SINCE 1986 AND THERE
WHERE NO CLUBS PLAYING HIP HOP THEN,THEY WOULD SAY IT'S WAS TOO VIOLENT, NOW
EVERY CLUB IN THE USA HAS A HIP HOP NIGHT! BUT YOU HAVE TO DRESS LIKE IT'S A
WEDDING!
THESE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES I HAVE. PEACE

DJSTEVIED1

Peace AHKI

Universal respect and love to all Zulus worldwide. I hope this message finds you in good health.

    Now to get to the point. I live in Jensen Beach, Florida, but I am from Ft. Lauderdale and spent a chunk of my life growing up in Toronto, Ontario and Cincinnati, Ohio. Everywhere I have been, Hip Hop has been something different. Cincinnati was hot. I chilled with cats like Mood and Piakhan and met Hi-Tek there. Talib Kweli is from there. A lot of funk originated there. The city is mad cool and for the most part, everyone gets along. A lot of unity. Midwest flavors are all around, but east coast flavor is major there too. Definitely an ill city.

    Toronto....wow. My favorite so far. Even more than New York. I LOVE NY, and have visited a few times when I can afford it. But the unity in Toronto is LARGE! Underground is everywhere. You rarely hear wack shit on the radio, which shows a LOT of support for their local and underground scene. Brass Munk, Citizen Kane, Kardinal Offishall, Nefarious and Maestro hold it down with many others reppin' real Hip Hop. Lots of original material. Plus everyone gets along and sticks together, fans and artists alike. When you see one group, DJ, graf artist or B-Boy you will usually see others hangin' with them. ILL GRAF!!! Toronto is like the whole state of NY rolled up into one city. I would move there if it weren't for my love of the beach and palm trees, tropical settings and my dream of owning a boat that I will live on. Which brings me to Florida.

    My home. There has been a lot of latin influenced flavors down in Lauderdale and Miami, as well as the obvious slow bass, booty and thug music the region is still known for to this day. I love slow old school bass as well as freestyle music (a lot of it reminds me of Planet Patrol and Afrika Bambaataa), but I can't sem to swallow booty music and thug music. Both genres have no skills (with the exception of a notable few joints, like America and Thug Holiday by Trick Daddy), and most thug songs represent the glorification of being ignorant in my opinion. It sems like the more you can't spell or the more drugs and fights you talk about or how many "hoes" you did, the cooler you are. Or how many words you pronounce "southern". We never used to talk that way! When knowledge reigned supreme, we spoke with it. Yeah, we had our slang, and I love that, but we still communicated in a way that said we had a little something in heads. Even today's slang is cool, but we speak of nothing of value most of the time, and we do it with as much bad pronunciation as possible. W-A-C-K!!! I think there is room for SOME of that music in our culture, because it represents a part of our community that should be noticed, but when almost everyone else from down south has the same rhyme styles and subject matter and it's almost all glorification of the negative, I get disgusted to claim the region. Luckily we have and underground scene too. Cats like Draz, 32 oz., Stevie D, Speedy Legs, Chilski (Zulu King), Zulu Red (Zulu King), The Immortals, The Terrorists, Seer Erupt, Ink Heads, Chrome, DJ Immortal (Fader Ballitix), Nitecrawla, Boo-Rock, Floormasters, Choppa Dvise, DJ Khaled, DJ SnoWhite, DJ Craze, Coup D'Ville, Jin, Counterflow Recordings (of Ecko fame), Exotic E (one of the original extended X-Men family), Mother Superia, etc. and sporadic chapters of the UZN are now or have at one time held it down for a while here. But we don't get recognition for what we do. New York and LA don't even notice us. We get skipped a ot when tours go through the rest of the states. The fact that New York doesn't check for us kills me considering a VERY LARGE chunk of Florida's poulation and Hip Hop community are from NY, and I even hear Guru and some members of Wu-Tang have homes here. Fat Joe's clothing company is here (FJ 560 NY!). THE B-BOY PRO-AM IS HERE!!! NY calls on Speedy Legs from here to help run Zulu events in NY! Our own DJ Coup D'Ville is now major in The Bay's underground scene. Busta Rhymes got his most popular hairstyle from DJ SnoWhite! And do I even need to mention DJ Craze? So why don't we get any serious love from cats outside of here. One major problem Florida Hip Hoppers have is unity. We don't, for the most part, stick together. Everyone seems to be out for delf. I have tried to organize a Hip Hop Coalition here, but getting influential heads to come together is like pulling teeth. I even was offered help a few years back from King Lucky Strike to organize it and maybe get Zulu behind it. But it never came together, so I never bothered him with it. Even the Universal Zulu Nation has had a hard time keeping together here. So many phases. In Ft. Lauderdale, we had heads gangbanging under the name of Zulu back in the day (I used to run with them back in like 1986-1998. That's where DJ Exotic E and I got down while looking for a chapter of the Zulu I had learned so much about and loved, but I wasn't with the gangbanging so they called me Father Peace. I quit when I got a small record deal, and they "jumped" me out and almost killed me.) Most of them have grown up and kept the name, doing good things. For some, well...some things never change. North Miami had an awesome chapter that split up (I miss that chapter). And the one I still occasionally hear about in Miami now doesn't seem to be making much noise at all. Zulu Red just became a king and I hope he can bring some things together, as I believe he is a great person and has mad potential. I wish there was a chapter closer to my current home, because I miss the meetings and the knowledge. Anyway, unity has not found us here. I believe that is what slows us down so much. And we need more underground cats and REAL Hip Hop heads coming here to do shows, exhibitions, etc. If Florida had more exposure to the rest of the world, I think heads would feel it more.

    So here is one thing that I propose to help change the situation. I am calling out to the UZN to get more involved in helping us out down here. Plan some big events here like you do up there. Bring the air up there to the beach down here. Help us get some solid chapters going here in a few cities. Strong but peaceful chapters. Get with Zulu Red and help him get something going. Zulu is a major driving force behind Hip Hop, they go hand in hand, so why are we not organizing. And rep for us the way we rep for y'all up there in New York. And many of us (like me) show mad love for the Bay Area scene and Zulus as well. We need some interaction. When heads come to Atlanta (like Public Enemy currently) take the extra step to come to Miami or West Palm. The more we rep real hip hop, the less they can stop it. It is infectious. But everyone wants what's popular down here. Let's make Real Hip Hop popular, like it was once before (Fresh Fest, Run DMC/Beastie Boys, etc.). The UZN has the most worldwide unity of all in the Hip Hop community. I know Florida could learn something from that. But it's up to us to make it happen and get it crackin'.

Peace and blessings,

VIBE ONE

peace to all u.z.n. worldwide.

this is zulu enok replying back to question about the hiphop culture. well here is my views. the hiphop culture is not losing itself its alternative side(rap) has corrupted  the eyes of the streets. there's barely any knowledge given and the only elements i see represented these days on videos are deejays and the mc's. where's the grafitti at and the breakers and the most important knowledge, wisdom, overstanding. the only artists i see doing the right thing is rappers like:

nas,tony touch,fat joe,pharoahe monch,styles p, and others who speak the real deep lyrics and have the elements as a power point. i see the nation of hiphop falling cuz of the failure of most artists to bring upon the real things. i've been into hiphop for more then 14 yrs now. and saw the major change throughout the 90's. alot of my peoples who were into to it call it wack now, cuz all artists talk about now is girls, money, and how good they look, if not that there teaching young minds more and more about sex,drugs,and how to be a gangsta. excuse my language but who the "fuck" is a gangsta in this nation of hiphop. where the hell did that shit come from. gangsta's are mafia members and there hasn't been a real gangsta in like 20 yrs. i think that rappers of today are trying to be to hard and tryin to be like others to much. there's no leadership any more, no science, no real poetry. just garbage and ignorance, money blinds the eyes with the curse of the pyramid signs, rappers have made fools of themselves by talking just madd shit and trying to be  a bad boy. this is why most real heads stick to the underground hiphop because that is where the elements stand strong at. the industry has infected many minds so far, we need to fight with strength in numbers, and with our minds...

lostone51

FACTOLOGY VERSUS WHAT YOU READ IN SOME BOOKS WHICH DO NOT ALWAYS TEACH TRUTH

Did Hip Hop start in the South Bronx or West Bronx?

Hip Hop DJing had no name at the beginning, but the DJ element started in the West Bronx, by a DJ ,who name was Kool DJ Herc.

Hip Hop as a Culture was started and named by Afrika Bambaataa in the South Bronx. It is Afrika Bambaataa who pull the 4 elements together (DJing, B-Boys, B-Girls, MCing (Rap),and Grafitti all together and gave The 5th Element which was Knowledge,which later he added Knowledge,Culture and Overstanding which holds all of it together.

Did Afrika Bambaataa started DJing after Kool DJ Herc?

Afrika Bambaataa started DJing at a very young age as well as giving numerous parties in the Southeast Bronx. Afrika Started DJing in the year 1970 playing with home turntables in a place called The Old Center in Bronx River Houses. He also had played with his mentor Kool DJ Dee, Tyrone and MC JoJo and Lovebug Starski, Disco King Mario, Tex DJ Hollywood throughout the years way before their was a name called Hip Hop. He also played on Pete DJ Jones System when he use to come and play in the Bronx River section.

Afrika Bambaataa, Disco King Mario, Kool Dj Dee, Tyrone, Lovebug Starski, JoJo, Tex DJ Hollywood all came from The Nortorius Black Spades Streetgang and it is a fact that Afrika Bambaataa and Disco King Mario had a Lockdown on the whole Southeast Bronx, where you had to get permission from them to play in any of the areas they had fully controll of. If you was not down with Bams Zulu Nation or their Family group Marios Chuck Chuck City Crew, then much problems would come your way.

Was the word Hip Hop out before there was a Culture called Hip Hop?

It is said that LoveBug Starski and DJ Hollywood both was using it in their raps when Disco Rap was the big thing of the time. So Hip Hop the word has roots with the MCs (Master of Cermonies) of the Disco era, but it is a Fact that Afrika Bambaataa's Whole Zulu Nation are the one who flip the name and made it a Culture. And all the other DJs who came after Kool DJ Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash fell into the Hip Hop Culture.

Was Grandmaster Flash from Bams Area?

Flash who came some years after Bam was from another part of the SouthBronx and he gave to Hip Hop Culture the quickmix DJ style as well as his MCs gave more of the rhyming style of Hip Hop. Bam gave more of  the music of Hip Hop, a visionary to spread the music throughout the Tri -State area and then the world and both Flash and Bam started adding electronic instruments to their sets like beat boxes and synthesizers, which even made the parties more funkier. The same can be said for another great Zulu Nation DJ by the name of Grandmixer DST, later known as DXT.

What are some of the early known spots in the 1970s where Hip Hop was played at?

ECHO PARK, BRONX RIVER CENTER, THE HEVALOW, T-CONNECTION, ESCTASY GARAGE DISCO, SPARKLE, 

SKATE KEY, THE WORLD ROLLER RINK, THE PUZZLE, SKATING PALACE, FUNKY 3 (JHS 123), HILLTOP, VALLY PARK, EDEN WALL CENTER, MONROE CENTER, JHS 131, I.S. 167, 

SOUNDVIEW CENTER, BLACK DOOR, PS 23 PARK,

MONROE HIGH SCHOOL, FOREST HOUSES CENTER, P.A.L.BX.

AUDUBON BALLROOM, P.A.L. HARLEM, MINISINK CENTER, RENEZOUNSE BALL ROOM, BOSTON ROAD BALL ROOM, JANE ADAMS HIGH SCHOOL, GOMPERS HIGH SCHOOL, CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL, DE WITT CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL, ADLAI E STEVENSON HIGH SCHOOL, LAFAYETTE HOUSES CENTER, MORE HOUSES GYM, HUNTS POINT PALACE

COLGATE GARDENS BALLROOM, DISCO INFERNAL, PRINTING HIGH SCHOOL,100 PARK, SACWERN HOUSES CENTER, SCHLERS HOUSES CENTER, TRIO HOUSES CENTER, CASTLE HILL HOUSES CENTER AND PARK, BOSTON SECOR HOUSES CENTER, MT. VERNON BOYS CLUB, 

EVANDER CHILDS HIGH SCHOOL, YONKERS HIGH SCHOOL, RIVER PARK TOWERS CENTER, RIVERVIEW CENTER, POLISH COMMUNITY CENTER, AMITYVILLE L.I. CENTER,

ROSEVELT L.I. SKATING RINK, SPRING VALLEY SKATING RINK, STAMFORD CT.HIGH SCHOOL, YERWOOD CENTER,

WHITE PLAINS CONVENTION CENTER,                                            THE CANTEEN, HARLEM WORLD, 18 PARK, CROTONA PARK, SAVOY MANOR 149TH ST., DISCO FEVER

TO BE CONT.

+++++++++++
IN THIS ISSUE of the highly irregular "CAN'T STOP" NEWSLETTER:
+++++++++++
-> 1982!: THE YEAR THE PLANET ROCKED...

*********
1982: THE YEAR THE PLANET ROCKED!
A preview from the forthcoming issue of URB
On newsstands May 28
Featuring never-before seen photos and other cool sh*t...

It was like any other year in hip-hop: DJs scratched, MCs rapped, graffiti
writers burned, and B-boys battled. But 1982 was hip-hopıs most historic
year because it was the first time New York Cityıs ghetto youth shocked the
world. What made 1982 so dope?

GOING DOWNTOWN

As the ı70s ended, what would become known as hip-hop was a waning Bronx
trend. The young people who had nurtured the block parties, spun on their
backs on the concrete or thrilled to DJ and MC exploits were growing up and
out of the scene they had created. They wanted to dress up and experience
more sophisticated forms of escape

GRANDMASTER FLASH: Bam had his area, Flash had his area, DJ Breakout had his
area, Herc had his area. Then our audience was getting older. I was
wondering where my core audience was going. They wanted to move on and wear
a dress or a suit.

JAZZY JAY: Yeah, the Great Hip-Hop Drought. People started growing up. You
ainıt gonna go into no high school gymnasium to party no more. It was a
terrible time. Iım like, hip-hop is gonna die like this? Then, the rebirth.
We started going downtown into the clubs.

GRANDMASTER FLASH: The first person to hit the downtown scene was Bam, and
when Bam hit it, shortly thereafter I came down.

AFRIKA BAMBAATAA: The first people who invited me downtown were Fab 5
Freddy, [ and downtown club promoters] Michael Holman and Kool Lady Blue. I
started at a place called the Jefferson, moved on to the Mudd Club, Negril,
Danceteria, the Peppermint Lounge.

FAB 5 FREDDY: I was thinking about how to make moves into the art world, but
still keep the integrity of what graffiti is. And that led to me hooking up
with people in the art scene in downtown New York. I met Blondie.. That also
led me to meet Jean-Michel Basquiat and Charlie Ahearn.

GRANDMASTER FLASH: Fab was like one of the town criers. He would come into
the hood where whites wouldnıt come and then go downtown to where whites
would go, and say, OListen thereıs some music these cats is playing, man
itıs hot shit, you gotta book these guys.ı So I got my first taste of
playing for an audience that wasnıt typically black, you know, which
broadened my horizons musically.

KOOL LADY BLUE: Negril was a reggae club. It was down in the basement,
pretty dark, little club. At first it started off as mostly my friends,
which consisted of people like the Sex Pistols and the Clash. And I kind of
turned them on to hip-hop.

AFRIKA BAMBAATAA: It was mostly punk, and everybody was excited at first
because they was hearing about this black kid in the Bronx that was playing
all of this type of music to all of this type of people.

JAZZY JAY: We was schooling them on our artform. Bam would put these breaks
on and drive them wild and then Iıd get on the turntables and start cutting
shit up and theyıd be losing their minds. MCs get on, that was it. B-boys
take the floor, it was like yo!

CRAZY LEGS: The rap scene wasnıt blowing up yet. The visual element of
hip-hop
were the spectacle.

ROCKING AND MIXING

At the opening of 1982, the streets were changing. As the Reagan recession
deepened, violence was flaring back up in the subway yards and at street
parties. But at the same time, hip-hop was destroying years of racial
segregation. Graffiti stormed the art world by storm, B-boying ca[tivated
the media, breakbeat mixing made downtown clubgoers dance again, and rap was
on the verge of exploding. By summer, Afrika Bambaataaıs "Planet Rock" and
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Fiveıs "The Message" grabbed ears all over
the world, summing up the spirit of ı82.

IZ THE WIZ: 1982, in my opinion, was the beginning of the end for graffiti.
Thatıs why I did as many pieces as I could during that time period. Just
Ocause I knew it was the last hurrah.

SPAR ONE: The whole war mentality
getting really violent.

KOOL LADY BLUE: It was the Reagan era and Nicaragua and talk of war and
nuclear weapons. But then there was this whole thing going on in New York
where it was the youth culture getting together in unity and peace and
having fun. No segregation and everyone joining together. Just the opposite
of what was going on politically.

CHARLIE AHEARN: The racial thing was a big deal. Mixing a lot of black,
Puerto Rican and white people downtown altogether is very combustible,
because people are coming from very different types of areas.

FABEL: White folks--that was new to me. Seeing their reaction, like yo
theyıre digging it! We fed off of the crowd a lot--to get them hyped was
half of the reason we did it. Well, at least a quarter. Three-fourths were
for more selfish reasons. Like, thereıs some fine girls around here, yo!

ZEPHYR: Everyoneıs trying to hustle something. Someone had an angle, someone
was like, can I take your picture, can I make a movie about you, can I do a
series of shows at The Kitchen with you, can I write an article in the
Village Voice?

DOZE: Kool Lady Blue took the reins from there, who was friends with Fab
Five Freddy, who was friends with Patti Astor, who gave me my first show at
the Fun Gallery, where I met Rich Colicchio from 51X Gallery, then I met
Jean-Michel Basquiat through Toxic, my boy up in the Bronx, who had done the
Fashion Moda thing. So everything was like--click-click-click!--locking into
place.

HENRY CHALFANT: 1982 was really the watershed year. Futura and Crash and
Rock Steady are going downtown. Charlieıs making "Wild Style", Tony and I
are making "Style Wars", Marty and I are working on "Subway Art". All that
was happening...

...............................
Do you want more, including "Wild Style", The Roxy, hip-hop's first European
tour, and the beats of '82? Just check URB this month and "Can't Stop, Won't
Stop", the whole damn printed thing on St. Martin's Press, next year.

Much appreci-love to all who helped make this possible: AFRIKA BAMBAATAA,
GRANDMASTER FLASH, JAZZY JAY, CRAZY LEGS, FABEL PABON, CHRISTIE Z-PABON,
DOZE, LADY PINK, ZEPHYR, IZ THE WIZ, SPAR ONE, FAB 5 FREDDY, KOOL LADY BLUE,
CHARLIE AHEARN, HENRY CHALFANT, DANTE ROSS, DAVID HERSHKOVITS, MARTHA
COOPER, LEE QUINONES, DEAL, LUCKY STRIKE, DAVE TOMPKINS, MARK WASSERMAN,
YESENIA CARDOONA, REBECCA DESHPANDE, ROBERTA KORUS, JAZZBO, LEYLA TURKKAN,
SHELBY MEADE, and the entire URB fam!

Chicago Hip Hop History

HIP HOP WEB SITES

turkcerap.com                                                     http://www.schulzritter.de/index2.html
http://members.aol.com/bdilligent/
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~jgoraya/
http://eminemonline.hypermart.net/
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/7543/index.html
http://www.rapping.com/eminem/frames.html
http://www.hip-hop-mp3.de/index.html
http://members.tripod.com/~hiphop411/index2.htm
http://www.hiphopcity.de/
http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Balcony/7684/mainpage.html
http://westside45.tupac.net/
Berlin Graffiti Sux: Graffiti on trains in Berlin
Wildstylz German Hip Hop Magazine


Backspin
The Source
Blaze: American Hip Hop Magazine
 insound
 Str8drop
 HipHopGame
 Motion Recordings
 Mr Wiggles
 Hip-Hop.ru Russia
 SeneRap HipHop in Senegal Africa
 Yoink!'s beats database
 Hyenas
 Sin Cru
 Da Mental Vaporz
 LyricOlympics.com
 Medu Netr
 Hip-Hop.fr 

Music Station-Headquaters for Hip Hop & R&B
Hip Hop events & club happening
Crewso's HipHop Page
T h e   D e N  -  underground hip hop for all my trueheadz
The Chronic Avengers Comics ca all day smoke two if you got them
Rap.de - HipHop, R'n'B, Graffiti, B-Boying, Hip-Hop, Black Music, Chat, Mag...
Temple of HipHop (KRS-1)
AKA-Network
Ice-T interview '91
                                                     BoogiedownBronx.com
 DJ Vadim
 Industry Records
 Hiphop-Network.com
 B-boys.com
 DJ Spooky
 Headachstreet animated comics
 Universal Zulu Nation
 Zulu Kings
 Foolblown
 Generator
 Dynamic Funk Crew
 MTA-MassTransitAutists
 Boombox
 Absolut DJ
 Beta Lounge
 MUEVELO hip hop
 Priority Records
 NQuit Records
 Stink Zone Guide To Hip-Hop
 Rock Steady Crew


Mr. Blunt's Hip Hop Page
Old School flava in ya area
B-Sides.com: Underground Hip Hop & Soul
Hip Hop.com - very good american site 1


 Italian Rap
 Perfect Beat
 The Pub Corner 36 Productions
 Travel Lyrics
 Tonikum Entertainment
 Kolchose Stuttgart Online
 PimpGear
 The Chronic Avengers
 The Hip Hop Heezy
 Caramel Connection
 BombHipHop.Com
 Turntablizm.Com
 Radio 4All
 Portal Hip Hop Connection
 Mountain Brothers
 Tribal Gear
 Excursions Clothing Company
 South African Music
 Nighttown Online
 American Junkies
 Rocketshop
 Mystics Of The Gods...
 Garage Squad
 innernational crew
 *ISM*...True Hip-Hop!
 Watch For Wet Paint


 NRR, INC. Home Page
 ACP
 Hangout
 The Den
 interFACE - London's pirate-radio station on the net
 Tribe Aerospace Breakdancing Crew
 UHS b boy (Denver)
 Cracchaus - German Hip Hop
 HipHop aus Berlin U Schnellu Home Page
 Original Hip Hop Lyrics Archive
 Davey D's Hip Hop Corner
 Parliament/Funkadelic Motherpage
 Scratch Papers
 Eternal Two Creations
 Hip Hop Represent
 ISP: Invisibl Skratch Piklz
 The Online Pseudo Network
 hieroglyphics.com
 Support Online Hip-Hop
 Canadian Hip Hop
 Strictly Urban Recordings
 Vibe Online
 San Jose Sound Recording Company
 Bomb Australia
 KRS One's book, HEAL
 hip hop headquarters
 Ele-Bugi - Japanese Hip-Hop Online Journal
 Hip Hop Homepages
 Massive
 Om Records - Groove Active CD+ with Twist
 Universal Black Pages' Music sites
 Grand Royal

UTFO
Whodini
World Class Wreckin Cru 
 

        Funky Four + one more
Biz Markie                        Grand Master Flash  
Cold Crush Brothers          Jazzy Jay
Crash Crew                      Just Ioe
DJ Red Alert                     Kool DJ Herc
Doug E Fresh                    KRS 1
Afrika Bambaataa    

Kurtis Blow
Marley Marl
Run DMC
Soul Sonic Force
Sugar Hill Gang
Treacherous Three