Empire of Funk: Filipino American in the Cipher of Hip Hop is taking submissions for publication on our website! Deadline for submissions is on Monday, November 28th.  This is an exciting project me and DJ Kuttin Kandi have been formulating for some time now.  Big ups to all our contributors (who include DJ Icy Ice, DJ Niel Armstrong, Kimmy Maniquis of Kaba Modern, DJ Nasty Nes, literary award winner Patrick Rosal, and many, many others!) and supporters for being with us the whole way. Can't wait to see everyone's submissions! Here we go!

Description of Empire of Funk:
Empire of Funk: Filipino Americans in the Cipher of Hip Hop is a project that seeks to highlight the history and talent of Filipino Americans in hip hop. Long overdue, this endeavor attempts to demonstrate the intimate and meaningful link between the Filipino American experience and hip hop. Sometimes seen as a culture separate from the Filipino American experience, Empire of Funk provides a forum to foreground the exact opposite: hip hop culture has been integral to the Filipino American community, functioning as a legitimate part of the Filipino American experience well before hip hop gained mainstream popularity.

Furthermore, we believe that rather than spreading negative "pathology," hip hop provides a cultural medium for spreading knowledge and exploring cultural consciousness.

Empire of Funk serves as an artistic and literary canvas, gathering the talent of multiple generations of artists, writers, performers, photographers, scholars, educators, and activists.

We want your talent! We will be reviewing visual art, photography, fiction, and poetry submissions to be published on our website.

The theme for submitting original work is: Knowledge of self. Priority will be given to work that relates to Filipino American experiences in hip hop.

Submission procedure:

1. Email a jpg (less than 5MB) sample of your piece or a word document of your writing to EmpireofFunk [at] gmail.com.
2.Type Art Submission and your name in the Subject of line of your email.
3. Include your name, email, location, and website (if available) in the body of your email.
4. Submit your work by Monday, November 28th.

Although we are eager to review all submissions, we cannot guarantee acceptance of your work on our website or in future publications. Please note that artists whose work we accept and publish will retain ownership of their material.

In addition, we are looking for eager and talented minds to join us in the planning and growth of Empire of Funk, including web designers, print designers, and publication liaisons. Please contact us if you are interested.

Legend lives on (in San Francisco)!

Just informing yall that my short doc Legend will be screening at the 16th Annual Filipino American Cinefest in San Francisco this Friday. It will be showing alongside the films of fellow comrades Eric Tandoc and Florante Ibanez. If ya in the errrya, reprezentzzz.

FACINE16: The 16th Annual Filipino American Cinefest

The FACINE festival is the longest-running festival of its kind in North America that features films by and/or about Filipino/a and Filipino/a Americans. Now on its 16th year, the festival runs for two days, November 20-21, 2009 at the San Francisco Main Library.

PROGRAM 1
Friday, November 20, 2009
1-2pm

Our stories from the ‘hood

Legend (Mark Villegas, dir & prod; 5 min, 2009)- Legend highlights the DJ career of Isaiah Dacio (aka DJ Icy Ice). Navigating through cultural history of Filipino youth in Los Angeles during the 1980s and 90s, Ice narrates the vibrancy of Filipino talent in the mobile DJ scene. Starting as a young DJ in Carson, reaching fame as a member of the DJ crew the World Famous Beat Junkies, and succeeding as the owner of his DJ business Stacks Records, Ice tells the story of his immersion in a rich Filipino youth expression that continues its legacy.

Got Book? Auntie Helen’s Gift of Books (Florante Pete Ibanez, dir; UCLA Department of World Arts & Culture/Center for EthnoCommunications, prod; 8:45 min, 2005) - short documentary on Helen Brown, the founder of Pilipino American Reading Room & Library.

Sounds of a New Hope (Eric Tandoc, dir; Mass Movement & Sine Patriotiko, prods; 41 min, 2009) - Tandoc follows Filipino American rap artist, Kiwi, through his work with youth both in the US and the Philippines where he uses music to raise political consciousness.

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Coincidentally, I'll be showing Legend in the Fil Am Experience class at UC Irvine on Thursday, November 19. Icy Ice will speak as an honored guest. He will talk about his experience as a Filipino in the hip hop industry. Thanks to him for blessing us.

Also, tonight I'll be screening my earlier doc Hip Hop Mestizaje in Florante Ibanez's Fil Am Experience class at Loyola Marymount University, near LAX.

This condensed Fil Am hip hop-edness week is purely coincidental. But glad its happening. Bring it.

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Beats, Rhymes, and Resistance: A decade later

Before I get to "Beats, Rhymes, and Resistance," I'd first like to address the relationships between culture and politics. In the shadow of a historical transition to power with Barack Obama's presidency (what could be going through Jesse Jackson's mind right now?), there lingers many violent and disturbing acts of injustices. From the killing of Oscar Grant and shooting of Robert Tolan to Israel's grossly disproportionate military aggresion toward Palestinian people (and here), these examples are just a few of the innumerable power struggles that poor, disenfranchised, hungry, and marginalized women, men, and children live through everyday.

Obama, Grant, and Tolan

We will not go through a laundry list of oppression here. But as hip hop "heads" we know well the role culture plays in spaces of oppression and inequality. Where there is injustice there seems to always be a cultural response/expression that challenges injustice: music, dance, storytelling, language, paintings, etc. Hip hop is one mode of expression here in the States and is arguably employed with more political intensity among heads in Cuba, Germany, the Philippines, Kenya, etc.

However, the homey M.dot argues in the "Model Minority" blog: "Hip Hop isn't political. A Hip Hop show isn't political. An album isn't political." Please read her entry.

How important does cultural production (art, language, music, poetry, theater, etc.) play in radical/progressive political mobilization?

It's been more than a decade since the making of the documentary film "Beats, Rhymes, and Resistance: Pilipinos and Hip Hop in Los Angeles," which features some influential Fil Am hip hop artists (in their "younger" years!) such as Kiwi, Babu, Faith Santilla, DJ Symphany, and Icy Ice, and many others. It highlights the "cultural liberation" (as Faith Santilla says in the film) that hip hop brings to Fil Ams...the radical expressions that hip hop cultivates. "Hip hop," as DJ Dwenz says in the film, "is the voice of inner city youth." In this sense, hip hop is seen as a motivating "force" in political struggle...hip hop is political.

"Beats, Rhymes, and Resistance" is probably the first work that seriously tackles the topic of Filipinos in hip hop. Lakandiwa de Leon's "Filipinotown and the DJ Scene" (here) resonates with the film (as Lakan is a co-director) and goes into more depth with gang culture and colonization. For those who have watched "Hip Hop Mestizaje," you can see how much the film influences my own work. It has paved the way for many young folks who are seriously interrogating this subject.

But, how relevant is this film today?
Given the state of hip hop in 2009, is the film's focus on hip hop's political role still applicable?

Or is M.dot right, hip hop is really less political than people may think?

Peep the film here (thanks to Lakandiwa de Leon):

For Palestine, for the family of Oscar Grant, for all people looking for justice, in whatever mode we strive for a better society (whether it be hip hop culture or not), may we always move forward to love and justice.

Making Moves and Movies: Check out "Reminder" here and "Legend" in Chicago

These Fil Ams be runnin for democracy! Boogie Brown and Calamity remind us to vote on Nov. 4th in "The Reminder" below. Or maybe they runnin away from a mo mo. Hala!



Good music from Common Market. Good shots of NY (Astoria? Chirping Chicken foo!!) Brown and Calamity be inspirin me to get on the grind. Who wants to be in my next film project? Anyways, "The Reminder" brings to the cipher an important question:
What are the (electoral) political issues of the Fil Am hip hop generation (i.e. war, the economy, prison reform, education, veteranos, affirmative action, etc.)?

Photo from "Legend." A young Icy Ice (rockin a fresh McGuyver mullet) as one of the last Spectrum DJs. Los Angeles, late 1980s.

On another note, just when I thought it was all said and done, "Legend" is still making its festival rounds. After a fun week showing at the San Diego Asian Film Festival (and the UC Riverside extension program last week), my film will be showing at the Chicago Filipino American Film Festival on Sunday, Nov. 9th. Midwest folks, come support!

SDAFF and DJ Tribute testimonies

"Beyond Manila" filmmakers (and actress) at SDAFF

It's been more than a month since the 17th Annual Festival of Philippines Arts and Culture (FPAC), and the "beautifully traumatic" (all love!) event has recently been on the brain. Screening Legend and other great (and extremely emotional) short Filipino/Fil Am films at the San Diego Asian Film Festival (check out yo boy at 1:00 here) and kickin it with UCI Kababayan folks (faithful FPAC supporters) reminded me that I still haven't posted up some post-FPAC analysis.

No doubt, one of the highlights of FPAC was the Stacksvinyl.com FPAC Tribute to the Filipino DJ, which honored a handful of the most impacting Fil Am DJs out there. Thanks to Zeta Phi Rho at CSULB for hosting me for Pilipino American History Month last week, and allowing me to screen Legend and chop up on some hip hop history. I hope some folks in the crowd that night were also at the Tribute, because it was history in front of your eyes.

Kat, Nasty Nes, Babu, Babu's son, Rhettmatic, Kuttin Kandi, Brian Samson (Def Jam), MV (photo credit: Mike Nailat)

So it was a great honor to help put together this Tribute together with Kat and Mary Rose. Below are excerpts from DJ Dstrukt (2006 Stacks Amateur Battle Champ) , who opened up the Tribute with a turntable set, and DJ Nasty Nes, one of the honorees. We all hope this can be an annual occasion, and more people (especially the younger, YouTube generation) pay attention to those Fil Am hip hop heads who blazed the way.

DJ Dstrukt
It was dope seeing Rhett and babu get love from the Filipino community. But I believe there are many more dj's and crews that paved the way for other dj's. For example, 5th platoon's neil Armstrong & Vinroc, everyone from the Skratch Piklz( Qbert, Shortkut, D-styles, Disk, Apollo, Mix Master Mike), Swift Rock, Mike Boo, majority of the Junkies, etc. Too many to name. The world is full with djs.

I felt more then honored to open for these legends. But it's kind of hard to do your set when you got Rhett, Babs, Nes, and Kandi in your peripheral vision. haha. We're all human and we all get nervous from time to time.





DJ Nasty Nes
I expected a rare look at 4 legendary filipino dj's standing together on one stage sharing their experiences & knowledge with the public & with the younger kids who will one day would like to become a dj when they get older.

To me it was an honor to be amongst my peers & hundreds of filipinos in one area. My mom passed away nearly 30 years ago so to be able to get on stage & share my experiences of my mom & what she taught me growing up & to dedicate my award to her really meant a lot to me.

It was like winning an Academy Award. A joyous feeling to be recognized by your people. I almost broke down crying on stage because the FPAC Award really touched my heart & I will treasure the memories from September 7th, 2008 for the rest of my life.

I'm so proud of Babu, Rhettmatic, Kuttin Kandi, Brian Samson & Kat Carrido. I've known just about everyone of them for over 10 to 20 years. I have to give props also to Icy Ice who was out of town & couldn't be at FPAC this year. Icy Ice has been down with me when I was on top & when I hit rock bottom. In this biz, you know who your real friends & family are!

Step Up! A Night of Pin@y Dancers in Hollywood

"We keep it street, yo"

On Monday, July 14th I had the pleasure of attending the Step Up 2: The Streets DVD release party at the Avalon in Hollywood. I haven't seen the movie yet (I heard it was good...I guess that includes the compulsory lily protagonists and all), but for sure the party was off the chain.

If you're a fan of the reality TV dance shows, like America's Best Dance Crew, then you should be hellllla jealous. The party featured some of the top/most popular dance crews from these shows, and of course, mad Pin@ys were in the house. (In addition, the Living Legends crew was in the house. An exclusive party indeed.)

As soon as I walked into the venue, I hunted down the homey DJ Icy Ice who hooked it up with a backstage pass. He pulled me backstage in order to meet some of the dancers because he knew I was doing recruiting for the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture. I thought I'd meet maybe one or two dancers, but yo, its like I met the whole village. The first folks I met were Team Millenia. Nice folks. All dope dancers on their own.

During the "battles" and performances, the dancers brought their own unique flavors. However, since Step Up is a Disney production, there were some elements of the night that left you like "que?"

Here is the Disney part:

We all know how battles work: someone from one crew burns the floor, after which a member from the opposing crew follows. Simple enough. Or, as has become popular, a crew does acrobatic choreography together, like someone flipping over a crouching crewmember or a brutha wrapping they thighs around another brutha’s hips and spinning, weird shit like that.

Well, the event’s idea of a battle was ALL members of the crews had to be movin to the pre-requested music that Ice spun. Not one person from one crew, then the other—no. They wanted it real “The Debut,” “Save the Last Dance” synchronized and spontaneous-lookin style. Kinda fresh, right? Right...

Culture Shock LA at Global Dance Showcase

It kinda worked for the first crew battle between Fysh N Chicks and World Famous (ill mostly Pinay bgirls from San Diego), because I think they both rehearsed a full set, or at least had in mind what they wanted to do. But for the battles between Kaba Modern vs. Team Millenia (an epic battle, I would think, but it wasn't really) and Culture Shock vs. Quest the ALL member choreography dance format didn’t work. Maybe because these folks are used to “real” bboy/girl battles, and not all that funky choreographed mess. (Or, maybe some members just didn't know how to battle.)

But for the most of the night, folks vibed on the dance floor. As I scoped the scene, I gave daps to Kid Rainen from JabbaWockeez, grooved with the World Famous sistas, and ciphered with Culture Shock folk.

It seems strange though, doesn’t it?

I mean, this shit ain’t new. Our folk been rockin this choreographed dance scene for close to two decades. The brutha Arnel (here he is doing the Iron Horse and locking) knows! He founded Kaba Modern in the early 1990s, and today is Kaba Modern a cultural institution in Southern CA.

What I’m curious about is all the attention and money been given to it—open bar at the Avalon, Hollywood execs, Disney movie and all. Backstage, I asked Arnel: "Who would have thought?" We both smiled and chuckled.

Congrats to these talented Pin@y bruthas and sistas for making a very noticeable and public impression. Keep pushin the art forward, and while your at it, go head rake that dolo.

Thanks! LEGEND documentary at Film Festival!

MV and DJ Icy Ice, fest-ing it up

Thanks to everyone who represented at the Asian Pacific Film Festival program "VC Digital Posse" on Wednesday and supported my short documentary "Legend." Thanks Ernie Pena for the nice photos.

And to all the loud, rude people in the back of the theater screaming (for me)...THANKS! Ya'll made me feel popular. Note to the educators out there: in order to feel popular, bring your students to your own event... make their grades ride on it...And they'll make you feel like you won somethin. The love! Ya'll look so glamorous (above photo).

It's been a great ride. Thanks to the Visual Communications Armed With a Camera (AWC) Emerging Artists grant. Also, big ups to the AWC 2008 cohort! Can any AWC cohort compare to us? And most of all, thanks to Icy Ice for sharing his stories and flexing on the wheels of steel at the program afterparty. Bringin da noise! (Did he play the funky Freestyle jams? Yes he did!)

LEGEND Premiere May 7th!

Come support and watch my short film LEGEND (among about a dozen other short films), which will be premiering at the LA Asian Pacific American Film Festival. It addresses some of the holes written in the LA Weekly article from August, especially the story of the long lineage of Filipino mobile DJs that created the scene in the 80s and early 90s.

See below for details:

--Los Angeles Asian Pacific American Film Festival--

VC DIGITAL POSSE Program
Wednesday, May 7th
8:00pm (after party at 9:30 at Senor Fish down the street, featuring DJ Icy Ice!)
Aratani/Japan America Theater (Little Tokyo, downtown LA)

Program Website

LEGEND highlights the early DJ career of Isaiah Dacio (aka DJ Icy Ice), from his beginnings as a member of the influential Spectrum crew through his founding of the empire Legend Entertainment. Navigating through cultural history of Filipino youth in Los Angeles during the 1980s and ’90s, Ice tells the story of a rich Filipino youth expression and the pioneers that built a growing DJ culture that continues to this day.

"Legend": trailer to my short doc on DJ Icy Ice

Check out this lil trailer to my upcoming short documentary "Legend," which highlights DJ Icy Ice and his role in the DJ scene in the Los Angeles Area during the 80s and 90s. "Legend" will show at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific American Film Festival on Wednesday, May 7th for the Armed With a Camera screening (along with the dope projects of my fellow AWC posse).

You can hear Icy Ice on the Rick Dees morning mix on Movin' 93.9 (in LA) FRIDAYS from 9:30-10:00am. You can also listen to him on Divine Forces Radio, KPFK 90.7 (in LA) Fridays from 10:00pm-1:00am (PST). You can listen live on www.divineforces.org.