Power Serge - Hip Hop Hero - Noise of the Broke Boys - Episode 007
Manage episode 279346369 series 2835172
Power Serge, a CA bay area hip hop pioneer, talks about the difficult topics in hip hop and breakin', how they have affected his life, and forecasts for the future.
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A broke degenerate hooligan documents conversations about being a Bboy, Breakin', Hip Hop, Dance, Art, Music, Creativity, Innovation, and the slow subtle crumble of society in audio form.
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friends now onto the show
in today's episode I sit down with
someone who I've been acquainted with
since I was a young b-boy when I moved
from Sacramento to Oakland in 2015 this
man welcomed me into his studio like I
was an old friend I have an immense
respect for this guy and I'm excited to
bring him on the show he is an amazing
dancer event coordinator teacher in
California Bay Area hip-hop pioneer
please enjoy the episode with my good
friend Serge hello everybody and welcome
to today I have a great guest his name
is power surge he is from the beats and
pieces crew how you doing my friend man
I'm doing great so you are out here
doing like a workshop this this morning
right I mean all day really yeah yeah
there was a conference over at USC
hosted by Tiffany bong and there's been
like several iterations of it and I've
missed all of them and so I was like no
this year I want to go check it out so
yeah that's that's the reason I'm here
and basically the goal was to like share
different ideas between teacher dance
instructors dance professors yeah yeah
community exactly and in in this
specific conference it dealt more with
like health and wellness and so it was
super cool to you know refresh in pick
up some some new tools of the trade just
went as an educator so it was great yeah
I loved it enjoyed it yeah and so you've
been what I would say what hip-hop dance
professor for a long time now you work
at ohlone college do you work anywhere
else doing that
no no I'm strictly there yeah yeah okay
but so but you've been there teaching
kind of like oh I don't know the basics
of fundamentals of hip-hop and like
introducing it to people who maybe
otherwise wouldn't know anything about
hip-hop and mm-hmm
so how did you get into that yeah you
know
so I was a student there and I was very
much involved and the former hip-hop
teacher
Denise loosed oh she was a great mentor
you know and what I really loved about
her her I guess her teaching style it
was a little bit unorthodox but like it
just resonated with me in the sense that
like that structure and a lot of times
and in you know in our street dances or
how we picked it up there was no
structure
you know we created our own structure
and so that's kind of what I enjoyed
about her teaching and you know at some
point there was a transition and so the
teaching opportunity came up and because
I was so like involved at the time with
battles and I was traveling a lot no
director was basically like hey would
you be interested you know and for me so
it was like it was an opportunity you
know and that's one thing I will give it
up to you know the director is that
aloni who who just saw in me something
you know and so that was the foot in the
door and in a lot of ways it was a game
changer and so I guess before you
started doing that were they kind of
doing the same thing you were doing now
or like did you really revamp like their
whole program yeah yeah yeah yeah I mean
it was your your Street jazz is okay is
how the classes is on paper titled and
in that so that's kind of the case
across the board - yeah you know and so
but you're right I I kind of re not not
necessary where did it I just more so
like took it over you know not like no I
have a responsibility to this community
to make sure that I'm teaching it
holistically in how I learned it mm-hm
you know and so and it's it's it's it's
morphed over the years you know so so
okay so then before you got into that
you obviously were a b-boy
I guess when did you start breaking yeah
yeah yeah good point um so I started in
like 94 93 94 94 damn yeah I know it's
been a it's been a minute but when I
first started I started I started
popping you know so that was how I I
just it's in terms of just like
accessibility and what I saw that's just
immediately what I saw first yeah there
was always like the breaking movies you
know like break-in break-in to B Street
that was always kind of around but
poppin was the one that I gravitated
towards and then eventually just because
of the nature of the dances and how
closely they're related in terms of like
when you go to events they're just hand
in hand or at least they were back then
and so you know I just transitioned and
something about breaking it just it just
it felt right it marinated with me it in
a lot of ways I'm now kind of fine cuz I
sometimes like I've I've been on this
like this journey the past several years
now about understanding why that was so
impactful mmm you know and so but at the
moment it just it just clicked yeah a
lot of people have told me that um you
know they started breaking like at a
certain point in their life but it
always felt like something they were
like almost destined to do like they
were almost a b-boy before they even
knew it breaking yeah that's that's a
good point yeah yeah um in terms of
energy you know cuz I think that most of
these social dances there's just
different energies behind it and so
actually so I'm in a doctoral program
but right now and one of my professors
he he he broke it down really good
um and what he he said was basically was
like you know what growing up where I
did and he was like he grew up in East
Oakland yeah and I was like well I grew
up in South Hayward you know it's
different but you know there's still a
lot of similarities in terms of just the
struggles and
you know similar scenarios in the
pressures and what I mean by pressures
was being like Latino in the hood it was
like you know I had to be on one you
know soon as I step outside it's like
okay why looking at me you know like why
you know like I had to kind of play that
the card otherwise I did either punked
or bullied you know like it was yeah and
so it was like and so the way my
professor put it was that he wasn't at
zero he had to be like he was always on
ninety you know like people don't go
0-200 he was like I was I'd go 90 to 100
right cuz almost anything would set you
off and I was like yo yes that was me
walking around so was I got a pent-up
energy and so it being introduced to
breaking you know was just it was that
yeah it was just like that I needed that
energy that today well then I didn't
know but today and you know when I look
back I'm like yeah that was such a
healer for me that's how I dealt with my
traumas and you know in a lot of ways I
didn't have to be I mean in a lot of
ways like I was always at 90 and then
through breaking it was like 80 70 you
know because uh-huh it in a lot of ways
it saved me from from going
yeah those vices exactly yeah the dark
the darkness ya know um I always felt
like like once I found breaking it was
like I felt like I was destined to do
that because I was always just you know
I mean I've been I've been into like art
my whole life my mom is an artist you
know my dad is somewhat of an artist as
well my grandpa in their own way I mean
this this table was made by my dad so
he's like a furniture maker oh man a
contractor um so I've been kind of
around like the creative mine mentality
my whole life and you know so I was
always doing different things I did a
lot of martial arts and stuff and um I
don't know I always was looking for
something that where it like it was mine
it was something that I make and I could
just say this is this is my
yeah so you know I did martial arts for
a long time and it was always like oh
you gotta kick this way you gotta do
this and I was like okay I'm secure shit
and then when I found breaking I don't
know it was kind of like I did something
a certain way and people were like oh
that's cool you figured out your own way
to do that and I was like oh that's
tight it's like encouraged to do this
and so that's when it really like hit me
that this is what I really should be
doing yeah I've always been really into
music - so once I found it and it's
always like high-energy you know
drumbeat patterns and stuff and so I was
always into that type of music so then I
was like oh that's what these guys dance
to all the time dude this is for me and
so it really felt like you know I was
destined to do it I guess yeah so I was
a b-boy before I even knew it breaking
yeah yeah yeah yeah and I think you
touch on you you know there's a lot to
unpack and what you just you know just
sit there you know because I've equally
been thinking about that too you know
people get into hip-hop for various
reasons you know they're the attraction
is there's a lot of social capital and
just like you build credit you know like
you build and and so for me it was like
moreso of a coat of armour you know like
it it kind of protected me it's it I
guess I became the the breaker you know
certain people weren't necessarily
headhunting for me it was like oh yeah
you know so it's saving it in that sense
but it was a hood pass yeah and a lot of
ways yeah yeah you know like all the
gangsters were like all right you know
we're not gonna roll around on the
ground all right he's exactly angbang
yeah and then there's the other aspect
that like you touched on that I've
equally have been kind of like trying to
understand you know like well why why is
that why why why do we get a pass you
know and you know so I've been I've been
reading up on something call like male
hegemony which is like hegemony is
basically like a grid right like what we
view as and in this specific scenario
male masculine like like where do you
where do we stand in
scale right yeah and so if I were to say
like well what's our view on a
successful American male you know a lot
of people like well maybe a white guy
you know like well that that's who I
view as successful you know well then
where do we where do we see a successful
Latino right and then probably be like a
little bit lower in the scale right and
then like well where do you put a
successful Latino b-boy you know then
it's like I get a little bit more right
and then what if we were like well where
do we put a you know a white dancer yeah
you know like he his credit kind of
drops huh but where do we put a white
guy that break-dances it's like de you
know and so and so then I've been
looking like okay these are some of the
frameworks that society imposes on us
that we don't necessarily begin to if we
don't have the tools or the the
hindsight to even fathom that you know
it's like how would we even but those
are the stuff that I'm like okay you
know hip-hop breaking affects so many
different people in different ways you
know what worked for me is not gonna
necessarily well what the reason I got
into it's not necessarily the same way
because people have different answers
you know they're it's cliche people like
you saved my life you know some people
like the girls that you know the
attention you know but those are way
different reasons to dance on this
podcast I usually ask this question and
I've gotten so many answers right it's
like a lot of it yeah girls or it saved
my life or whatever you know yeah yeah
yeah and so then we know that we know
that breaking and hip-hop
touches on different wavelengths yeah
understanding that like what what you
know and at the end a I guess what I'm
getting at is that once we start
understanding all these different
reasons why we ultimately start
understanding that like whoa it's it's
still on some oppressive structures you
know like yeah I don't know that the
oppression I guess I don't I don't fully
understand all that cuz I don't know I
guess
when I look at the oppression it's like
I don't feel like we're super oppressed
in a way where we can't do it but I
think there is a social weirdness to
what we do that is maybe still around
and maybe that is the oppression I don't
know yeah yeah because it's not I don't
have people coming up to me going like
you know little break dancers and you
get right get in the back of the bus
like that doesn't happen but I don't
know I do think hip-hop does kind of get
a bad name for some reason or another
right right right and so even that like
I've been trying to understand too you
know cause like growing up it was like
telling you know my parents are like I'm
doing this art form you know be like
what you know they just didn't
understand yeah and what they don't with
what what they viewed it as is like oh
you're doing this this art form that was
birthed in the african-american diaspora
so automatically it's a lesser value
right it's like I don't you know you
stop doing that because it's portrayed
as such it okay you know so it was like
you need to stop doing that
but yet understanding that like no no
but this is given me a voice you know
this is for some reason I feel like
liberated I feel like I can become not
just Sergio I'm like PowerSearch now
like a creator superhero yeah yeah again
it gave us a pass you know and so that's
kind of what I'm referring to in the
sense that like it it did a lot for us
you know in a lot of different lights
but recognizing where it's theoretically
you know where it's birth you know in
understanding that like okay why why is
this art form viewed as lower-class you
know and then other things I've been
studying is is being in education is
that like well we hold art well
Eurocentric middle class we hold that
type of art to a higher standard that's
why it's taught in education you know so
as
we go through the system we're just
taught that that's higher art and
because hip-hop is you know and in many
ways birth in the african-american
mmunity it's like automatic like it's
lower value because it's different it's
it's it's from these community that that
were one red line but you know they're
just of lower not lower status but in
the eyes of just society I wonder if
it's because like you say higher art as
in like you know let's say Roman
architecture Roman art that stuff we
look at that as some intellectual
activity to study that but then hip-hop
maybe not
I wonder if it's mainly because hip-hop
really hasn't paid its dues in that in
the history of you know our species
really like cuz it's only been around
right 50 years or so you know 60 years
whereas you know obviously Roman art has
been around since freaking I don't know
1000 BC or whatever I don't know yeah
yeah yeah so I wonder if it's maybe that
- yeah yeah well I don't know that's a
good point and and and to to that I I
heard for those of us that are in
education pushing hip-hop I you know I
advise us a tread very carefully you
know because when we look at and we
start seeing the commodification of
hip-hop now right like breaking I I it's
already being commodified you know like
me and and when why is that like you
know why is it that like when I got
hip-hop it was through like clips of a
music video there was like a couple kids
on on literally on cardboard yeah at my
elementary school do it you know it was
like super rooted in the community you
know and and now when i get when i
receive hip-hop it's like you know these
magical short clips of people flying you
know which is it's it's it's just being
commodified right like and and not
enough I guess not enough community
right so my perception as a new kid is
like oh cool that's
breaking people flying and doing these
amazing moves and and OHS and you know
what gets left out is that that that
initial piece of community you know and
so as as as an educator I just I advised
us to tread very carefully mainly
because we have seen other art forms get
commodified like rock and roll yeah you
know like tap like jet you know like
these were these were our forms birthed
in the African American diaspora yet
somehow they've lost their voice
you know they got commodify they're like
when you think of rock and roll people
think of Elvis and I'm like no that's
not you know like well why can't there
be there's a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
we as Americans you know we know who the
great rock and roll artists are but can
we say that for hip-hop you know kids
should know who the top five and you
know but yeah and so you know it's it's
like and that's kind of what I'm getting
as like at what point are we at the
verge of losing it you know and if we
continue down that path you know my fear
is that it will be yeah that it would be
it would become more of like like a
mainstream I guess is we're trying to
get exactly yeah you know it's it'll
it'll be high art yeah yeah we don't we
start we see that you know it's social
capital and society is immense you know
we do know that white in America is the
biggest consumer of it you know we know
that and it's a kids all over this
country consume it daily you know top 5
billboard albums are hip hop songs you
know so it is it's it's in a lot of ways
already there but when it comes to the
arts there's still that like off balance
you know so we know that the
entertainment business is like the last
you know white supremacist races you
know industry left you know there's
typecasting unfortunately yeah you know
Latino or a black and brown person
probably isn't gonna play Cinderella you
know you start seeing that I could be a
ninja maybe right well yeah you're gonna
plate the typecast you're gonna play a
cholo that's I'm saying right like and
so we know that yeah I see and so like
because I kind of see you know I think
of hip-hop
I also think of hip-hop arts you know
like this is dance music it's it's and
so it's it's just you know we're playing
into this structure that has yet to
fully embrace an art form
that is gonna rebel against it so yeah a
lot oh yeah I see you know so in a lot
of ways it's it's got a it's got a it
likes it you know it likes it loves
hip-hop it's you know it's it's kids
consume it its yeah and so how do we how
do we change the lens on it yeah the way
I mean I'm glad you bring this up
because this is exactly why I started
the podcast because I was always seeing
like some bullshit in Hollywood like
portraying hip-hop as you know yeah and
I'm like that ain't hip-hop that's some
wax fucking shit yeah and so I wanted to
do this podcast to talk to real hip
hoppers to show what it's all about and
you know obviously I've been bringing on
mostly b-boys dancers and stuff because
I think it's that side of hip-hop
doesn't really get much shine it's
always like oh yeah it's that dude that
did a flip in the background of you know
freaking Beyonce's music video yeah
that's most people don't even know that
that is hip-hop but you know I think a
lot of people would be shocked to know
that
hip-hop music probably wouldn't even
exist if a b-boy wasn't ever at that you
know party with you know Kool Herc out
there going oh I want to see that dance
move again let me play this break again
boo boo boo oh now the break is invented
let's start rapping over it you know
what I mean
that wouldn't have happened if there
wasn't a b-boy there right so I don't
think most people know that yeah yeah so
I see I see Hollywood really dictating
what hip-hop is and it annoyed me a lot
and that's why I wanted to start a
podcast to shine more of a light on like
what the hip-hop that I know and
hopefully other people will see that and
go
okay there's more to the story than what
I see on TV right right right
and and we need to advocate you know we
need to so you know there's this push on
you know the Olympics oh yeah and and I
and I see you know various you know
discussions and and I've been on a panel
to about it and you know and it's it's
it's great I'm not even I'm 100% for it
just because of the opportunities at all
right guys yeah my my only you know
concern is is you know if it goes down
that route will it become more for the
kids that have rather than the kids that
don't have you know I see because of its
popularity trust me that more studios
are gonna want to get involved you know
like and so it's to me it's still part
of that you know we love hip-hop but
like we don't want it for all this
baggage you know we don't want it from
all of its we want it because it's just
it's it gets views it's it's it's
impressive but I don't need to hear all
the other stuff you know so yeah in some
ways it's kind of strings you know and
so that's that's yeah that's it I think
there's that's a good argument for maybe
against Olympics but it's I think I
think there's a there's an argument to
be made that breaking really should be
going in that in that path but the
community should have the whole you know
we should have the hold on it you know
where we can oh yeah we can say what
we're doing with it and how how it's
gonna be portrayed cuz that that's the
one thing I'm really worried about with
with Olympics is that if you're gonna
get a whole bunch of new people in
coming and I think that's great but also
if they're seeing you know hip-hop yeah
yeah and then they come in and they and
they see freaking yeah you know grimy
ass hip-hop and they're gonna be like oh
wait this isn't what I was expecting
but it's like that is what you should
have been expecting yeah and
unfortunately it wasn't portrayed that
way yeah yeah yeah absolutely
and and I think you know that the point
like you know who who's got a hold of it
mm-hmm you know and and do we have a
hold of it you know and so it's yeah
there's a lot of layers to this and you
know as a community we just we really we
have to put emotions aside you know and
understand and you know I spoke to Kent
Swift he was on this panel with me and
he kind of said it the best he was like
well who needs who we already have
Championships oh yeah yeah you know and
I was like yeah we do you know so in
theory who need to you know like why
yeah that's a good that's a good point
yeah exactly kind of I was like yeah
that's right we already have
Championships why do we need this extra
metal
I guess the benefit really is to just
expand it but we have Championships we
have a big community a big rich
community you know of you know rich in
terms of like culture yeah and so really
the only benefit really is to just kind
of expand that to places where it might
not have reached yet yeah yeah I think
it's important to do but yeah we also
got to do that yeah and I get it you
know because at the root of it I think
it comes to again opportunity which
translate into financials you know like
and and you know being that we we are in
a capital society where cash rules
everything around me mm-hmm
then of course it makes sense yeah you
know like and you know for a lot of us
we do struggle unfortunately like it's
it's the payoff aren't necessarily we
get paid off in you know we get
celebrated we get but you know for a lot
of us are like well yo we're getting to
the point where like we really need to
see some financials like stability here
and so I understand that push but lets
you know you we've got to be very
careful yeah yeah no it it is
it I do think that it would be amazing
to see you know some world champion
b-boys that are like you know legit
stars you know with you know making
making their fortune from just doing
this but I also don't want to see you
know the culture take a hit yeah yeah
yeah where if you want that to happen
you gotta be like a sellout a little bit
right right right I would think is very
unfortunate and I think most that's how
most people in the community probably
feel and so I think we we're in good
hands in that sense but yeah I mean I
guess just being you know aware of where
this possibly could go and just yeah not
being closed-minded to it but being
smart about it yeah yeah yeah and and
you know what I I believe that there's
plenty of folks doing the other side of
the work you know which is that
community aspect and and there's a lot
of people who who just they just don't
get their shine you know just because
like they're not winning or they're not
you know trying or you know social media
you know followers or whatever I don't
need it but it's what's the word
but yeah influencers you know like that
they don't you know and so we need to
fix that narrative as well yeah you know
that like eight yeah just because he's
not an influencer but just because like
he he's not winning that doesn't mean
he's not qualified to judge or to speak
on it or to you know and and there's a
vast community you know like there's a
lot of us and in in that's the work
that's how it's gonna balance out
otherwise I think with that a lot of
people don't understand
some people's perspective because like
that person who like maybe doesn't have
an Instagram following or whatever
social media presence doesn't go out
winning all these huge competitions and
they go oh he's just not successful but
it's like ah it might not be that it
might be that this guy you know is a
very good dancer you know
member of the community he just doesn't
want to do he or she doesn't really want
to do that maybe that's just not part of
what they're doing but doesn't mean that
they're not qualified to do it I mean I
would say if you're if you've been in
this scene for you know as long as some
of these people that I know that happens
you know basically zero social status I
guess within the community um I would
trust their opinion over a lot of other
people that do have that social status
for sure so yeah yeah yeah you know just
because I know what they are capable of
and what you know I've learned from a
lot of them you know and I wouldn't be
what I am now as a dancer if I hadn't
encountered them so I imagine so many
people have encountered people like that
yeah 100% yeah 100% for sure I mean I
would say the community is built on
people like that and so uh I don't know
yeah yeah yeah you know and you're right
there's a lot of folks that just just
don't get that shine you know and
celebrating them and recognizing them
for the work that they do because it's
it's a it's it's not you know there's
like no props there's no it's it's it's
a it's a lonely path you know it's uh
it's difficult it's you know the rewards
aren't necessarily seen a lot of times
like immediately and so you know I and
and and we have to kind of understand
where we're and why that is and again
it's like there's a push to theirs and I
understand that that the essence you
know it was about making a name for
yourself you know and we just strap the
rocket on that concept and now it's like
it's all it's that's where it's all
about but yeah you know and in a lot of
ways it's it's know like it was that was
specific to a community you know but
like what the essence is is really bring
about it's really bringing people
together you know those jams
you know like in in vibing out to music
and you know kind of rebelling towards
the system
you know and so it's it's like those
contests weren't around in the seventies
you know that's like a idea concept that
came in later yeah you know and so like
you mean to tell me that everything's
now about the contest mm-hmm you know
like people don't even stick around when
they lose now like they losing prelims
don't make top 32 and they're out yeah
they're not even there for quote-unquote
community they're literally there for
the contest yeah you know and so and I I
can naively assume that that this
happens fairly like often yeah you know
and so what we're if that's the path
that we're headed and we're gonna go
Olympics and we're you know like it's
okay there's waiting we there needs to
be more of an emphasis on you know this
community type of work so yeah yeah I
mean there's been a huge shift in like
the way events take place because it's
all competition base where you know when
I first started it wasn't necessarily
that it was kind of like show up to this
thing there's music you know and then
you'll be battling people there might
not even be like a competition it's just
battling yes I don't like yeah they're
just plain it's a DJ it's not even a
breaking event it's like just music and
like you know there's this a roller
skating rink in sac that they used to do
this and it was just like dancing right
you just go there in high school or
whatever and then you just be dancing
but then they're all it'd be a freaking
Jam though yeah who's all over the place
and you're just battling and stuff and
so you know but then yeah obviously
there's you know a little bit of money
that's started getting involved with all
these competitions let's do you know
let's set up like some rules and say
okay three person per crew or whatever
going at it we're gonna do a tournament
tournament style and then the winner
gets this pot of money or what right
right I mean that the small lucrative
nests of it I think just kept growing
and mm-hmm that's what drove it so then
that became in the forefront of the
and I think the essence of it which is
just the dancing right you know and
having a good time just showing you know
showing what you're all about is maybe
in the back burner a little bit no yeah
yeah yeah yeah and to be perfectly clear
like I am not against that yeah I'm
against it yeah I love me a good jam lie
down like some dope draw battles yeah
but yeah no I think we don't want to
lose that other part of it right and you
know or at the very least I would say
hey if you're teaching these these art
forms
you know maybe hold off yeah well here's
the state here's the deal like I
understand that the the impact on
bringing students to these events
because it's like they get it you know
it's like you're teaching them a
language that like you know it's like
what what it what what see see what's
footwork what's you know it's like until
they see it until they see the language
being spoken and converse then they get
it you know you're like okay now I
understand and in unfortunately there's
just not many events that focus on the
actual jam right it's very contests like
sign up wristband sign up here if you're
entering Brack you know like it's very
you know and in it's it's a it's a lot
these jams are like you know sometimes
when they start top 16 you're just like
okay geez I've got a I'm gonna be here
for a while you know and then like 30
minute break and then a top eight and
then you know and it's just like that's
a lot yeah you know it's it's a lot to
kind of take in whereas if it was you
know and the essence of a jam is a party
right so I understand it's as but what I
would argue is like maybe not that put
off taking your students to these events
but more so let's change the narrative a
little bit let's let's take it back to
you know you know skating ring hey yo
there so and so let's let me test myself
let me yeah you know let me just don't
fall in love with the real hip-hop and
write and introduce them to competitions
and be like okay this is
sometime you can also do right exactly
rather than already kind of puttin them
on it on a contest track yeah you know
because then you're you're not cuz then
you just have contests b-boys that's it
you know I you know that's cool and all
but I I don't know I feel like there's a
there's a chapter in the book that's
missing mmm you know good point yeah
yeah so okay so yes so Olympics wise so
you're on board with with that I'm on
board with it as well and in terms of
like mainstream hip hop because I mean
obviously I think on the track we're
going hip hop is gonna become more and
more mainstream where do you see hip hop
not necessarily breaking like music
where do you see that going and what is
your what is your view on like music
today yeah um you know the fact that I
mean I love music
III love anything that is passionately
made I don't I don't I can't necessarily
knock any any form of music style I'll
dig anything that is just like I said as
long as it's passionately made there's
some genuine talent behind it then then
I'm with it I'm like yo this this this
is this is singing to me you know so I I
love music in terms of hip-hop you know
I grew up in a time where the music was
a little bit more conscience you know
like it was just more conscious based
and so it's it's I missed that you know
I'm the I'll be quite frank that like a
lot of times like man the good old days
you know like up I'll throw that card
around and you know and and I also
recognize that like that's silencing you
know how is it that there's like a
couple white guys that that own all of
the hip-hop album you know like record
companies how is that even how is that
seriously you know and so I don't think
that much will change you know I think
that as we some of us start jumping into
education and you know which we equally
need to be
careful but as long as we we continue
advocating for it you don't have no no
no you know hip hip hop was a means to
fight white supremacy in a lot of ways
you know it was like and and as long as
we can continue pushing those narratives
in education you know I I think you will
start seeing that shift you know but it
it's it's a it's gonna be it's a group
effort you know at every single aspect
like from the education from the
contestants from you know from the folks
that are filming this stuff from these
podcasts from like it's it's it's gonna
be a communal it's got to be a communal
shift in order to start seeing that
hip-hop that we want to see and it's
just not even just the beat it's like in
graffiti and deejaying and an MCN it's
just got to be a communal shift to be
like what hold up to your point earlier
like let's let's let's grab a hold of it
first and and like let's put push it in
in the in the way or in the means that
we want to see it you know cuz right now
it there's a lot of aspects of it that
we don't control yeah and so you think
that um white supremacy has something to
do with that yeah and and and again when
I think of the the experience of African
Americans you know like okay whoa there
was like a business model to bring you
know Africans to America and it was like
this the transatlantic trade slave or a
slave trade you know and like that was a
business model I was like how can i how
can I get these people to come here to
work this land to kind of you know
bolster us like to kind of boost our
economy and so you know slavery for 400
years and then you have Jim Crow for
another hundred and then you you you
tell foes like then you redline I'm like
not you can't move to the suburbs you're
staying right here in these in these
quote-unquote ghettos you know and so
you know african-americans had to be
resourceful like there's no counselors
or anything like what do they do they
start you know playing instruments they
start singing they you know so there's
there's
I attribute a lot of it you know a lot
of it goes back to that duck just pain
and suffering that they were going
through yes it was born out of some sort
of oppression a little bit yeah I mean
like look at you know during the slave
era we know that African Americans could
not get educated if if they had if if
they knew you were trying to learn how
to read or write you'd be killed on the
spot like it'd be if you were a slave
master trying to kill you
equally would be hungry you know so it
was like so that's where each one teach
one comes from because they had to
secretly secretly teach each other yeah
you know so like and that's something we
toss around like nothing like each one
teach one yeah knowing that it's deep
roots you know we also know that during
this era that you know languages were
stripped you know like you couldn't just
say like hey guess what I'm going up to
the north you had to flip words so
rapping was invented yeah you know like
they flip things you know and so
language and in terms of rapping and how
we flip things that idea flipping
something you know like Grandmaster Caz
something said some to me that was
pretty profound bunch of years ago he
said hip-hop didn't invent anything it
reinvented everything and it kind of
needed to because of the structures that
were in place right and so when I say
hip-hop was meant to fight white
supremacy it 100% was and in those
regards
you know and so you know so it's like
how do we how do we continue honoring
that how do we continue knowing that
that this was a tool for this group and
I've used it to find my own voice I just
know that I have to pay respect to it I
stand here in solidarity to it and what
can I do you don't like and this is my
way of making sure that I don't
necessarily take the good you know cuz
there's a saying like although they'll
take our rhythm but not our blues you
know and so I don't want to be that guy
that just takes the rhythm like you
I'm gonna stand and fight with you yeah
I see I see what you're saying yeah it's
it's it was like born out of the or
ree-ree born out of the same oppression
and then I guess used against it
in a cultural way and now that you're
seeing it you know more and more
ethnicities being being involved with it
we're just seeing the good the good the
fun part of it but we're not seeing the
struggles that it was born of and I
think ya know I I agree with that that
we need to respect the way that it was
invented I guess yeah yeah and and it's
not even just breaking in hip-hop you
know it was like there was a couple
policies that went in place in the 60s
you know with president lyndon b johnson
whether it was the civil rights movement
there was like the Secondary Education
Act you know we're more funding schools
were well school got desegregated and so
this this law was passed we're like
let's let's send more money to these
communities of color you know and most
of the time the folks at the the the
school systems that would receive it
would be like nah this money's gonna go
for us you know and African Americans
were bused to Y communities but why
communities weren't bused to African
American community yeah you know it
didn't go both ways
and so you know so a lot was happening
music played a huge role you know when
we think of like J's Brown like get
involved get into it you know like
that's super powerful like he's
literally telling people like you know
did you shit together
yeah get-get up let's get involved you
know get into it you know everybody over
here get involved everybody over there
get into it you know like that's
powerful and so he wasn't just speaking
to kids in the Bronx yeah he was
speaking to kids everywhere and so it's
no surprise to me that you have Google
Oakland Boogaloo pop-up and in this late
60 70s you know locking here here in LA
you know like there's all the social
movements start
to sprout literally in the span of a
decade like why is that you know and
yeah you you know like recognizing that
as well I don't think that it's a whole
hip-hop thing I think it's just like all
these social movements are connected
yeah in a lot of ways no III agree with
that i I I guess when I hear you know I
guess the term racism and stuff kind of
thrown around it always like bothers me
because I'm like I feel like we all just
need to get over that because you know I
I just I just hate that you know we're
we're sitting in a community of hip-hop
where there's like so many races now
that are like enjoying it and having fun
and stuff and and experiencing it and
then we're still going like all racism
this racism that and that bothers me
because yeah I think it feeds it a
little bit I mean I but I do agree with
you that we need to respect where it
came from right so in a way it's like
respecting your ancestors I think that I
can get on board with that but I also
think it's like you know let's also go
okay this is a chapter in history let's
read the let's read the chapter but also
go okay we're now in this community
together and we're gonna make it a good
community whether whatever race you are
that's that's what I feel it yeah yeah
yeah yeah and and so I I would you know
if I I'll push back a little bit and and
I'll say that you know there's still a
lot of injustice --is currently
happening in communities of color like
that is you know we can't negate that
there there was you know when hip-hop
when it was introduced or when it was
like when it was you know first
highlighted it was on it was on the jam
vibe you know like hip-hop or it you
know like well not even that's like 90s
but like you know it was very more like
an emcee was just there to you know pump
up the crowd like you know as it became
more mainstream
you know through the 80s you start
hearing some things but you know late
80s Early 90s that's when you start
really hearing some conscience stuff you
know there's a reason why in deputy 8a
you know came out that out or that song
if the police you know like that is that
is really powerful yeah you know and and
why would these why would these you know
eight six seven eight you know young
black men be screaming about that why
would they ya know so we can't we can't
deny that there's in justices in these
communities that still currently
happened today yeah you know and so that
voice I feel you know we're kind of
losing it you know and so until when I
so when I see other b-boys or community
people like you know be practicing this
and then not be for black lives matter
I'm like you do you see the irony in
this yeah you know like I guess when I
see that I hate I hate putting a race to
it cuz it's like you know you go F the
police I feel like it's more you're
saying F the man at the system if the
the things that are oppressing me right
it might be that there's a certain group
of white individuals that are maybe
doing that but I hate to point the
finger just at white that's that's
alright that's where I go because sure I
I think in that sense of what we're
speaking on now is classism classism
yeah you know I can get behind that you
know and and and classism has no color
lines yeah you know like sure you know
like shoot if you don't make I mean in
terms of classism I mean you could be
white and if you're not making that
market you're straight trash you're
straight white trash you know like chill
seriously you know it's so like there's
classism but we also can't necessarily
like deny that there's just systemic
racism you know so you know and I get it
a lot of times we were just not gamed up
on this vocabulary this understanding
but classism is equally real mmm-hmm you
know and so you know and you're right
like it's it's it's it's tough for me
sometimes you know like
the word race and I don't know it's a
it's a it's a tough subject but like you
know hip-hop needs to hip-hop had you
know was burst off of those discussions
and it needs to continue those those
discussions and I think that's that's
one of the reasons of the fear in
institution and in like oh I don't know
I don't know like if I want that entire
baggage yeah you know kind of to what we
were talking about earlier and so you
know we just for those that like you
know ultimately I would argue everyone
needs to be pushing this you know like
it's the only way we're gonna stop
seeing police officers shooting our
black brothers and sisters you know this
is what you know and so but again you
know it's it's a we do need to have
those conversations yeah does it have to
happen every every every moment know we
can literally continue the peace love
unity and having fun yeah you know but
being but recognizing that peace love
unity having fun was specific to a
community who were murdering each other
you know but I think a lot of time it
gets kind of taken out of context well
no no no let me let me take that back
it's it's exactly what that is peace
love you didn't haven't fun yeah you
know but at at its core it was meant for
this specific community be like yo
idiots you're killing each other that's
what the man wants yeah yeah I guess
yeah what I what I what bothers me is
when we put a color to it and go you
know black this white this it's more
like idiot this you know good person
this I think that's III just rather get
behind that you know whereas like
because like I think whether you're
whatever race you can you can see
injustice at least if you open your eyes
to it and that's what we need to focus
on it but then when we're going like oh
it was caused by white this white that
and I mean yeah in a way yeah from
history
a lot of it probably stems from
somewhere in in slave slavery times or
whatever but I look at it like we're
at this point we're you know we're all
here and I don't know I mean nobody
alive probably has ever owned a slave
and so I feel like we can't do anything
about our history but we can do
something about what's going on right
now and that is like in justices that
maybe still exist because of it and
maybe have evolved to something else
let's fight that and it just always
bothers me when we go like let's point
the finger at a certain color because
it's it I think the jet that
generalization doesn't exist anymore to
me at least you know because I cuz again
like I've seen you know white white
people in the same situations as black
people maybe it's not as many because
you know because of historical reasons
but I don't want to discount that it's
still there you know same thing Asian
communities Latino communities I don't
know yeah yeah I just hate I just hate
when we jump into the race right right
yeah and then I'll just you know to cap
it like this is just one where we'll
agree to disagree you know that I'll
definitely we'll continue fighting for
like yeah but you know they're they're
they're they're still super relevant
I've experienced it and there's just you
know this is you know this country is
based on like colonialism you know like
I wouldn't go to school I was an ESL
student and so I was putting in in a
portable with kids with disabilities
because I didn't speak the language of
power you know I didn't speak it well
enough you know and and and then I
started speaking the vernacular of those
in my community and then it was just
like oh he's low class you know because
I yo I speak like this you know I'm
saying like um and in other words just
because like I know what that means you
know there's there's color attached to
that you know and so now that like I'm
gamed up with with degrees and I have
you know these extra letters next to my
name you know it's like okay now you'll
respect me you know because I'm playing
your game you know and so and and that's
why education is import
to me because like yeah I can I can bark
all day but I need some teeth to bite
you know and and and in this you know
the society that we're in unfortunately
you know education is attached to that
power you know there is a culture of
power and education is tied to that in a
lot of times it's not accessible to
everyone it's not you know we we are
there's a reason why dropout rates are
so high in black and brown communities
you know we just know and that's just
not there's a reason why you know and
and again like but it's it's a it be I'm
gonna I'm gonna argue with its its
racial unfortunately you know because
there's the way this this whole society
was just birth is on like I said
colonialism like when people say like we
speak English in this country I'm like
where where does that's where is that
written in the you know in the
Constitution where show me where it's
written and it's not you know we've just
said we've just accepted this you know
Eurocentric ideology that this is how
it's gotta be you know and why is that
like there's so probably just because a
lot of people speak it that's probably
yeah well I mean it's it's it's the
culture it's a language of power yes you
know like it 100 percent is like why
can't I speak my Spanish in and this is
native land we're in Los Angeles you
know what are you kidding me like how is
that even yeah you know and you know
people say like well a men like we cross
no borders that border crossed us you
know and so and so you know again it's
it's a it's it's a lot it's a lot to
take in
it's what it comes down to is like kinda
like the matrix you know you can either
take the red pill and see how deep the
rabbit-hole goes or you take the blue
pill guess what you're still strapped
into the matrix and so be it and so not
everyone's introduced to to this you
know what we're talking about I know
that potentially one of the things that
I'm saying is they're a little bit more
in depth but I do feel people want to
hear it
you feel that people like after they
wonder I think people also need to hear
you know like now whether people relate
to it or marinate weight on it
that's uh that's that you know that's
that's up to debate you know sure if any
marinate with you and whatever you can
but you know there's there's it's it's
deep I get that yeah I I mean I can
agree that there's like maybe some kind
of racists historically baked into it
somewhere and we have grown into where
we are now but I I it's hard for me to
get behind the idea that there's some
like evil freaking mastermind going like
I hate this race right right it's more
of like we all grew up in you know
society has grown the way it is and so I
guess I look at it more as like this is
where we're at right now so let's fix
this and stop yeah just stop fighting
each other racially that's that's what I
hate sure sure sure sure sure and like
what I really really bothers me is when
I see like someone who who who's trying
to do good by pointing at at something
some injustice and then also pulling in
race to the to the argument because I
think I feel like it just serves to
divide people in a way it's kind of like
I don't know it's like saying sports
teams and stuff you know I don't know
you get what I'm saying
I I do I do I do and and you know I I
get it because like it's it's like when
you go oh this group here did this it
but it's not like you're pointing the
finger at them here you're pointing at
maybe their ancestors or something that
helped bake it into the culture that we
have now yeah and yeah there's and
there's why I hate it because I go your
sports team from hundreds of years ago
did something and bam you're still a
part of that sports team you know what I
mean and that's what bothers me a lot
because it's just serving to divide me
and you
and you know other people yeah I I
understand you know I I think that you
know a hundred years ago well let's just
put our like six hundred years ago those
forefathers you know those European
Americans other settlers or you know
they came and they constructed something
on the backs of people of color yeah you
know and pretty much just like you know
we're like cool it's built it's built
you know and and that's it you know and
but people say like the system's broken
it's not broken it's it's meant it it's
meant to be this way you know and so
generations generations later compounded
it's it's why a lot of us will say like
well well yeah it's just that's that's
old school
it's baked in and we go oh this is what
were you yeah so you know a green yeah
inks that that's right yeah agreeing
that it's it's it's baked in and it may
not affect others as much as you know
people of coke you know like it just it
just but it is it's you know like well
why if if it's equal then why why are
african-americans you know jail the more
well how's that I don't know I don't I
don't agree that it's equally everything
is equally treated right now I think
right there is a lot of right and
justice is going in terms of that and it
and there's something that we need to do
about it right and I don't st. have
using language that still divides us in
that same way you know what I mean you
know I like I said I get it I understand
it like these are conversations that I
have with my peers like on the daily
like it is like how do we how do we
change that narrative how do we you know
it's it's it's difficult and like I said
it's it's these are just difficult
conversations and I'm super glad we're
having this and I hope the folks at that
like our listening are like you know
they're hearing two sides yeah in a lot
of ways and this is this is a super dope
debate and this is what it's about
you know like hey if we end up here like
agreeing to disagree so be it like I
mean I don't think I really disagree I
think it doesn't change our
friendship like I'm here to catch you
later and be like yo what the f hole
like what's gonna send addicted yeah and
and it doesn't change how but you know
I'm hoping that this just resonates with
people and and that like you know that
it's it's it's fair it's deep I get
there's a lot of nuance in it I think
for sure yeah yeah it's a nuance that is
hard to really I don't know put them on
paper I think yeah and I want to be
empathetic to like like I said I I
understand where you're coming from I
get that I get that that narrative you
know the thing I think that drives it
home for me is like I look at it when
someone goes oh yeah the whites did this
and then I go yeah well my mom's side is
white but they're actually German
immigrants that came like way later you
know what I mean
you know my grandparents were immigrants
so they had nothing to do with it but
they're still grouped in that category
you get what I'm saying yeah that's
Michael you know yeah but we're still
pointing the finger at yeah yeah yeah
you know and you know yeah and what
about me I'm like I'm I'm half Japanese
half German um I mean I guess maybe the
fingers half pointed at me or something
I don't know sure sure I'd rather not
point the finger I'd rather just say
let's let's let's solve the issues and
you know not not let the man keep
fucking two minute you right cuz he's
doing it to all of us yeah it's it's
happening to everyone you know it's a
different percentage for sure for
different groups right but we're all
like we're all feeling it in some way
yeah yeah yeah and and and you know
these conversations do need to happen
especially in in in hip-hop like that
was like I said burst out of that exact
struggle and that like and so there's I
don't know there's a lot of Education on
this I don't know about accessibility to
this information you know a lot of times
like I said it's a I'll go online and
I'll go on my social medium like cool
those are amazing moves mm-hmm those are
you know and they're just not said you
know and I'm making it a point to I'm
making a point to say it I'm gonna point
that every opportunity that I get a
chance don't be like hey guess what
let's really dig I don't wanna scratch
the surface I wanted like yo let's
really an important conversation for
sure you know and I but I I think what I
notice on social media a lot is that
it's a very short conversation it's like
oh you don't agree with me then block or
whatever or like a few blah and it's
like dude yeah not it's like so deep
though like yeah you really got to sit
down and really think about it discuss
it yes it's it's not something that you
can said saying like a frickin whatever
hundred character sure yeah yeah yeah no
for sure and and our events need to
start creating spaces for this to happen
yeah for sure you know I don't know when
the last panel was at a jam I don't know
you know like I couldn't I couldn't tell
you I just know that the community from
you know kind of like from folks that
I've been speaking they've been asking
for this yeah you know there's there's a
and so we just have to provide that you
know I don't and it's it's it's in in in
in a lot of ways it's to move forward
that's it yeah you know it's how we move
forward it's like there's something
brewing not even just in the you know I
think just the politics and in just the
climate right now that we're in it's
just kind of like a front and center
mm-hm
but it's been it's been there it was a
little hidden but now it's like oh it's
everywhere you know you got oh but I in
a lot of ways in order to combat that
these discussions need to be had you
know more rather than kind of hearing
just one side of the story how about the
other you know and and having empathy
like yo I I relate to both sides I
understand that classism is real you
know I I know our you know our white
brothers equally struggle you know well
finance
Julian in a lot of ways and they're like
you know what the f I'm struggling to
shoot I don't yeah you know but there's
just certain frameworks that like yo the
those you know you just can't like you
just can't negate the fact that like you
know that's real like that systemic
racism right there and you can't like
and so I'm I want to help combat that
because there's a lot of trauma there's
a lot of light you know and so when I
think of my experiences you know with
you know policing knowing that like you
know in the 90s there was like the
three-strike rule where like if you're
selling weed now you're doing life yeah
you know and who like who were the ones
that that suffered from that it was
black and brown community yeah you know
and then prop 21 in in 98 or 99 whenever
that passed like okay well now we're
gonna try you as an adult you know like
yo those were some real like and it's
not like our schools have counselors
like you know we had like SROs you know
like police officers and in in like bars
on our windows like yo that high school
to you know to jail complexity like
that's super real you know and so I'm
just amazed that I walked out of that
unscathed yeah like you know I have no
record no and I made it out of that yo
that's like that's a huge win but a lot
of my brothers and sisters and community
members did in yes for sure you know and
it's it's like how do i how do I break
that cycle and so you know I need to
understand the system because it is in a
lot of ways a system you know that like
I go to school but they don't
necessarily you know I got I got it I
was told like oh you're you know your
works insufficient oh your you know your
English is kind of lacking you need to
study more in otherwise I was already
being told I was a minority mmm you know
like and you compound that from
kindergarten up to high school no
there's no reason why
or there's a lot of reasons why kids
will be like why do I gotta go to school
you know like why why do I gotta learn
this you know and it's like well it's
tied to power and if you want to if you
want to attain that power you have to
learn this you know like so it's a lot
it's a lot yeah yeah education is
another weird subject for me too because
like I did I think you know I think
everyone should really work on getting a
good education and unfortunately it's
not the easiest thing nowadays it's
expensive it's well yeah yeah yeah for
sure I was gonna say I mean be because
in like public schools school districts
are not equal you know yeah so a lot of
times you have these affluent
neighborhoods that have very good school
systems and other ghetto neighborhoods
that have terrible ones and it's like
these education czar not equal yeah and
then going up into higher education into
college now you have you know a
financial issue where a lot of these
ghetto or communities can't afford that
yeah unfortunately it's so expensive you
go into like stupid amounts of debt to
do it and I'm lucky that I got out of
that you know before it really started
getting crazy but I didn't get out
unscathed I guess like I still had some
some student loans and stuff but
nowadays dude it's like mmm I feel like
if I was in school now I'd be like dude
I don't know how I'm gonna do this yeah
it'd be great it'd be scary for me I
yeah yeah so so important to do it
that's and so I'd be really at like a
crossroads in a way like should I do
this
it might financially break me but if I
don't do it it's gonna like also
financially break me in a way yeah yeah
yeah so yeah you're right school has
been a huge for me of a huge struggle
you know it is it is in a lot of ways
one of the hardest things I've ever done
you know
mainly because of again just the
structures that are in place you know
and people say like just pull yourself
up from the bootstraps like oh I don't
even got boots I don't have hair like I
go to a high school that has like one AP
class yet if I'm trying to transfer to
you see you need at the very least you
know like multiple ways yeah and I'm
like okay so that society telling me fu
you know your ass is gonna to go Jesse
you didn't have the opportunity to even
like you do that right then and then
like I I like I had a teacher stand in
front of me and and kind of like tell us
but I was never introduced to lecture
halls you know like that was you know
that that's classism right there like
how it's like elitist like yo now you're
you giving me these these these
classrooms and these courses that I'm
like first time my first year of college
was so freakin wild to me because like
like when I got there I was like what
this is a fucking different world like
I'm so underprepared for this because
like right high school was relatively
easy for me like I kind of just breezed
through it like I got good grades just
because I did my homework and that it
was like okay as long as you do your
homework I'm you're good but I freaking
messed around the whole fucking time and
then you get to college and it's like
you can't do that but that's I guess
what I've been doing the whole time and
so then I see this and it's like I
really needed to have a counselor there
that say hey you gotta do this you got a
dude like I didn't even know um where to
go to like sign up for classes and shit
I think I remember it was like one of
the first weeks or something I was like
yo fuck dude what do I do and then right
like I had a dorm mate who just was like
what the fuck was like dude I don't know
no one told me this yeah and so yeah
yeah it was a struggle and so like the
whole time I'm just like trying to
figure it out and right I mean
eventually I did probably it took me
solid like three years to really like
figure it all out but yeah it was a
weird weird right change
yeah and I think he just probably had
like support there was probably like
exposure you know but for for a lot of
folks of color it's like who's your brow
right after that first semester we're
like you know oh yeah this ish yeah
weird you know what it was for me is
like but fuck all these people I'm gonna
make them pay I'm gonna make them I'm
gonna make them look at me and go like
oh yeah he's a fucking dumbass but he
fucking figured it out that there was
like a little bit of a I don't know what
it is malice a little bit yeah yeah kind
of like thing inside me that made me
want to prove it right prove someone
wrong I guess and so yeah which is super
real you know like it's it's probably
it's it's a one of the main drivers of
actually it's not the main driver it's
one of the drivers of why I'm back in
school again you know to be like all
right you know what I'll be right back
yeah you know let me go grab something
right quick and when I come back I'm
just gonna come back super well equipped
you know I know you know what listen up
yeah so yeah education is yeah you know
I've grown I love learning don't get me
wrong I love learning I've had some
amazing educators
I just education is just one of those
things where it's like there's so many
different systems from like you know
enrolling to your FAFSA to your
counselor to you know campus culture to
the teacher you know so there's so many
different layers and and if one of those
you know if if several those layers
ain't right we'll even if one of those
layers ain't right
it's like you know it'll push a lot of
us away
it'll be like man this application is
way too long or you know just the fact
that like you know I've been ii-i've
been hit with like syllabuses and I'm
like oh hell naw yeah this is wait yo
I'm done like where's the you know
withdraw button at like yeah you know
after the first day and so all of that
you know we we've got to recognize that
it it plays a role so yeah yeah was I
gonna say
I was gonna Oh educational also like I
also think that sometimes education is
not quite structured I think for the
regular person either because a lot of
the shit you learn in school it's it's
tailored for I guess certain career
paths but and I think maybe that's what
turns a lot of people off to it because
like I guess one one thing to say about
is like you don't learn how to do your
taxes or anything in school but it's
like literally everybody has to do this
yeah so yeah yeah I feel like at least
one semester or something in high school
yeah probably
[Laughter]
here's how you do your laundry for like
yeah it's like I don't know I feel like
maybe that will resonate with people
more and also you know there's there's a
lot of like technical skills in terms of
like plumbing and right that kind of
thing and that's something that a lot of
people like I went to school with a lot
of people that were going into those
fields like they knew they were going
that way I was almost gonna go in the
field of being come becoming a general
contractor like my dad and I felt like
high school really didn't tailor to that
and so I I see that a lot of people that
probably want to go down that path look
at it and go like oh this is fucking use
useless to me
yeah but if you know there was a class
about like you know management or what
it you know sure like a business kind of
management kind of class they would find
a lot of use for that in wherever they
go probably you know and they're
definitely like tax like a tax class or
something yeah yeah yeah I mean it's
definitely an archaic system yeah yeah
it is yeah and you know and another
thing is they don't teach creativity and
oh that that bothers me a lot about that
for sure
yeah it's it it hurts creativity in a
way Oh 100% I mean as an educator I
guess students all the time that are
like I'm not creative and so I start
thinking about my experiences like you
know hey Sergio pay attention you know
what I'd be doodling but understand that
doodling is what kind of keeps me paying
attention yeah yeah you know it may look
like I'm just but look I'm I'm literally
paying attention it's what I need it's
what I need I'm you know I'm there's a
lot of different layers to me like I
need extra stimulus and you just stand
in there barking or you know yelling or
talking about things that I need I need
to I need something else to help me
understand or just listen you know and
so you the arts has been you know won a
lot of art fundings been been cut it's
you know and so the fact that teachers
will be like hey pay attention you know
and so yeah by the time we get to
college and we're like knowing that like
hey the arts is is another means to kind
of heal this mm-hmm
you know like we all need it like okay
try driving around no music on yeah you
know try oh that would be a sucky Drive
you know special traffic like yo you
need that you yeah our souls need to
kind of feel you know we need that and
so let's not forget the importance of
the arts and so in fact I sit on the
Alameda County Arts Commission oh really
yeah yeah I'm both on their Executive
Board and so I'm very well involved yeah
in this art community and so that's come
you know and and yeah just just being
advocates for it it's it's it's
something that I feel like it in you
know how like you take English every
year in high school or whatever I feel
like there needs to be yeah creativity
class right every year that you just
take right you know and maybe that's in
the form of okay we're gonna do a
painting class now then we're gonna do
this then we're gonna do creative
writing we're gonna do something but
something that's you know dancing or
whatever like something that's engaging
your brain in a creative way I think is
so important to learning mmm and I think
I'm just lucky because my mom is an
artist so it was like unique I didn't
get that at school but I'd go home and
she's ya know it's there be like do this
you know right but it's so weird it's so
loud to me when someone says
like I don't know how to be creative and
I just don't know why don't you just
like I don't know just yeah imagine yeah
and then just fuckin do it
I don't know cuz whenever I mean I don't
know so it's kind of second nature to me
in a weight cuz my mom would you know
she would say okay here yeah and hip-hop
to I mean the fact that you know we
break like yo you're forced to create
you know like Zula grams he he he you
know he was like yo what's the number
one rule in hip-hop mm-hmm you don't
bite you know so like you're forced to
just continuously be creative yeah yeah
you know and so and it's encouraged it's
exactly it's encouraged to do something
different than right everyone else and
so you know that like really kicks in
like I can sometimes I'll see art and
I'll be like math week you know like
it's because I'm so we're so or our
artist is so refined because we we we we
unpack we you know we dismantle and then
we rebuild yeah you know like our own
styles and like and that's and that's
like literally any artists you know you
you're okay you're only as good as your
last piece you're only as good as your
last round you know your last set of you
know windmills like you know and so
understanding that like oh we just need
it and it's a yeah it's it's unfortunate
when I get students like that yeah you
know I mean I feel for them like all
right cool let's get let's kickstart
that back up
yeah it's cuz like I almost look at it
like if you look at a kid a little kid
like a toddler oh yeah I feel like
they're the most creative yeah because
it's like they're not thinking about
anything and they just do whatever they
want yeah Emily somewhere along that
kid's life something stopped them
something said stop doing this shit yeah
you know stop you know right using your
imagination yeah create creating out of
that imagination yeah yeah yeah and do I
don't know fucking math problem or
something right right Reid freaking Tom
Sawyer or whatever and they go like
alright
no I don't know how to be creative
anymore I don't know it feels like it
should be the easiest thing in the world
but oh so many people it's not yeah as
an adult yeah it does become harder yeah
yeah I don't know why exactly and it
might just be like societal pressures
maybe but now it's just yeah and I think
maybe our school system isn't quite set
up for that too - really
creativity doesn't really thrive in in
in this public school system in America
yeah yeah in terms of institutions like
there's been a recording of you know
schools you know having accessible art
programs right like that is and so and
and I think there's like a handful of
states that I began to record how much
art get six you know exposed to to our
students yeah and like California was
ranked last you know and and yet like
when you think of California you think
of the Arts yeah you know like you think
of like Hollywood and yet it's you you
think of it as like artistic right it's
interesting yeah and so it's last yeah
yeah and like I said there's only a
handful of states so in theory it could
be someone you know like in the middle
but in terms of like these 15 states
that are measuring this California
ranked class as like it's education you
know like you kidding me that California
is ranked like 48 or something oh yeah
yeah you know so it's it's it's a it's a
light bulb but that is where you know we
have to advocate like I will 100%
advocate for my daughter's education I
definitely want to your point I I don't
want a teacher to be here and be like
hey stop being creative yeah you know
like that if anything that's in terms of
like where we are and just humanity we
need to be the most creative right now
you know for the solutions or for the
problems that are like at our doorstep
yeah you know like our we are on like a
and I think in the net these next 10
years is like a very big transition
oh yeah technologically and so we got to
be really creative with how we like
approach in I think and so yeah
creativity really is gonna be the
solution to everyone should get involved
with it Bob yeah yeah it's gonna save
the planet it's gonna save us against
the art you know the robots that are
China it's gonna save us against Skynet
yeah but yeah you know I hate if you're
on the cusp of like thinking about you
know learning these these these street
dances and I'm gonna hear I'm here to be
like now you should mm-hmm you know you
want to get more creative in life and
just feel more enriched like you're you
nice are doing these dances yeah you
know or not even just a dancer though
the social movements you know whatever
my it is get involved you know get your
kids in in hip-hop or even just as a fan
I mean like just you're involved with
you know just come in come to some
events and just like put your energy
into it yeah it's a it's a community
it's a welcoming community that you know
we want to share what we have with
everybody so I don't think we want to
deter people but we also want to be
genuine with how we portray it mmm so
good point yeah yeah well dude we're
hitting should probably close this show
out you got any closing points um you
know I just want to give a shout out
want you thank you for you know creating
the space yeah thank you for coming yeah
having me thank you to like my wife my
daughter who doesn't even know it but
you know she's a main driver and in a
lot of the work that I do shout-out to
you know the Bay Area and all that yeah
all the dancers that are you know kind
of putting up the good fight and know
that there's there's a lot of work to be
done and
I repeat I appreciate you you know all
of you and I recognize y'all and and you
you know they inspire me and you know
I'm very hopeful that we'll start seeing
you know the change that our communities
need and it's I I just know it's gonna
be with a lot of fight but it's one that
you know in and throughout humanity we
weave humanity has prevailed in its
darkest times and you know I'm hopeful
of that and this is just a little blip
in the road and and it's it's it's gonna
come with a lot of fights and but we'll
get through it you know and so so yeah
shout out to everyone who is putting up
that good fight you know all my
different crews you know beats in pieces
fresh dynamics the folks over at all the
way live yeah we can even get to talk
about all the way that's that's that
that'll be episode 2 episode 2 episode 2
you know there's different a lot a lot
to say there too
but yeah you know anyone want to reach
me you know hit me up on my social media
handles Instagram at the power surge the
power surge Serg e and yeah yeah thank
you oh man well thank you for coming on
I really appreciate it
I think this has been great a great
discussion so thank you for coming thank
you guys for listening my camera just
died oh well yeah I survived all right
I'm out
sorry this show sucks
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