From the tough streets of Spanish Harlem to the swaying palm trees of the Philippines, Joe Bataan "returned" to the homeland for the first time to perform for his Filipino people at the Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival in Mindoro earlier this Month. Hope you had a memorable and meaningful homecoming, Joe. We appreciate your artistry and message in spreading Filipino hospitality and togetherness everywhere you go!
DJ E-Man of Power 106 talks about being honored at the 20th Anniversary of theFestival of Philippine Arts and Culture
Long Beach, CA native DJ E-Man will be honored with the FilAm ARTS Media Award at the 20th Anniversary of the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) on Sunday, September 11. The weekend-long festival will begin on Saturday, September 10th. DJ E-Man, a veteran in the hip hop game who developed his skills in the Southern California party promotion scene and eventually rose-up as one of those Fil Am luminaries in the top-ranks of the media industry, will share the award stage with multi-award winning singer and actress Lea Solanga.
We are proud of E-Man as he receives this prestigious award and reflect on the impact he has made for many Fil Ams and beyond! Learn more about E-Man at BakitWhy.
In other FPAC news, Bambu and Kiwi reunite (again) this year as Native Guns on Sunday of the festival. Also, Joe Bataan will be returning to the festival on Saturday! Yes, its time to boogaloo to the King of Latin Soul in Point Fermin Park! Great programming work by the good folks at FilAm ARTS!
Joe Bataan starts his march around the world in Santa Ana
Last Sunday, internationally-known Latin Soul artist Joe Bataankicked off his international tour in Santa Ana, California. Joe will be bringing the Harlem heat to Japan and Europe. The Afro-Filipino is still going on super strong and shows no sign of slowing down. Peep his first hit, "Gypsy Woman," performed in the above youtube clip I shot in the Santa Ana show. "Gypsy Woman" (a remake of The Impressions song) became a huge hit in 1967 and jump-started his career as the "King of Latin Soul." The audience packed the house at the Galaxy Theatre. The unique thing about Joe is that he attracts such a diverse audience. From Filipinos who are just discovering this brutha, to the low-riding Chicanos in Los Angeles who dominated the Galaxy Theater, to Soul music connoisseurs of all kinds, Joe is being re-discovered by a whole new generation of music lovers who appreciate the music of the 60s and 70s, while he continues to magnetize a loyal following of fans dating back to his generation.
Geeky hip hop heads will know Joe as arguably the first artist to press a rap record, the infamous "Rap-O-Clap-O" song, which made it big in Europe and Latin America, but never that popular in the United States. Check out the sexiness:
The Fil Am funk travels across generations and throughout the globe! We're proud of and excited for Joe as he shares his gift of music with the world. Come to the Philippines soon, Joe!
Here is a very good interview (more than 1.5 hours long) between Latin Soul legend Joe Bataan and the homey Jeff Chang in Australia. Jeff and Joe review Joe's long career in music while also playing some of Joe's classic music for the audience. As a young Afro-Filipino guy growing up in Spanish Harlem in the 1960s-70s, Joe tells great stories about breaking into the music industry and pioneering music movements such as Latin Soul (Latin-rhythmed music in English) and rap (with his song "Rap-O-Clap-O," peep the 1 hour mark).
I love his story-telling about how he aesthetically bridged the Latin and Black musical communities with boogaloo/Latin Soul, as he is able to linguistically, musically, and racially straddle both communities. For example, Joe's record company "SalSoul" successfully attempted to be the Motown of Salsa.
I also like his story about performing and fast becoming a (afro-haired) celebrity in East Germany during the heat of the Cold War!
On a related note, I will be presenting at the Experience Music Project Pop Conference in Seattle this weekend. I will be exploring Joe's success in the music industry, and the challenges of popularizing "Rap-O-Clap-O" in the United States. Here is a description of our panel:
Oliver Wang, "Crash, Burn and Return: Betty Davis' Lost Album"
Mark Villegas, "Hitting Abroad: The Global Travels of Joe Bataan’s 'Rap-O-Clap-O'"
Jason King, "Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite: Disconnected Intimacies"
Andy Zax, "Lost in Lost Music: Rediscovering Johnny Mathis' I Love My Lady"
"Hitting Abroad: The Global Travels of Joe Bataan’s 'Rap-O-Clap-O'" "Rap O, Clap O" was one of hip-hop's earliest hits internationally but scarcely remembered in the U.S. Recorded by Latin R&B singer Joe Bataan, "Rap O, Clap O" became a chart-topping hit in Europe and even Latin America, where Bataan rapped the song in Spanish, making it one of the first "Latin rap" songs of note. Bataan first discovered hip-hop in 1978, before the rap music movement had a formal name. Intrigued by the "rhythm-and-rhyme" styles he saw engrossing the youth of New York City, Bataan set out to produce, write and record "Rap O, Clap O" on his own, claiming to have preceded the now legendary "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang. Despite this, the single's poor reception in the U.S. has muted its legacy. (CONTINUE READING)
So many things happened in the past week, that it is difficult for me to process. Where to start? I don't know. Everything seemed HUGE, so it feels insufficient to just mention a few things. Since this blog is dedicated to hip hop culture, and I helped spearhead the hip hop programs for the festival, you'll soon read upcoming interviews and reflections about the following programs related to FPAC: FPAC Hip Hop Circleat Lost Souls Cafe! Sharing the table with the new and old school, this event hopes to be the start of some solid documentation on Fil Ams in Hip Hop culture. A night to remember! Among those present were filmmaker John Castro (The Debut), Oliver Wang (Fil Am DJ historian), Joe Bataan (the King of Latin R&B), Kuttin Kandi (Turntablist champion and activist), Krishtine deLeon(rapper and journalist),Bambu (rapper and community activist), Mark Pulido (veteran popper, LA Fil Am hip hop historian, and elected official--how you like that bro?), and Arnel Calvario (doctor, founder of Kaba Modern, and President of Culture Shock LA).
Boom mics and camcorders invade the cypher!
Joe Bataan on his rap record "Rap-O-Clap-O" success in Europe
The cypher at Lost Souls
Stacksvinyl.com FPAC Tribute to the Filipino DJ Nice gold records (courtesy of homey Mary Rose)! Nasty Nes almost making us all cry! Congratulations Nes, Babu (and son), Rhett, and Kandi! Maybe future honorees were in the crowd, looking up and dreaming...one day?
Show and Prove Street Dance Showcase Who had the biggest crowd at the festival? Could it be Show and Prove? Unbelievable!
Kiwi and Bambu live reunion I had a hunch it was going to happen, and so did many other Native Guns fans. Then, booyah! Two bald-headed brothas with tattoos!Brrrrat!!
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