From that mountainous tundra comes an emcee named Detour.  He’s one of Colorado’s underground hip hop stars clawing his way through the region’s very competitive battle scene.  Today Steez360 had a sit down with the Rocky Mountain emcee, writer, producer and verbal combatant to find out where his local scene, career, and aspirations go from here.

Detour can be found on twitter.  Follow him at @therealdetour 

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Nice battle with Lil’ Ace, you’re a monster with yours, where the hell did that come from?

Thanks for the props!!! As far as writing goes, me and Ace were originally betting $300 apiece; life happened and the wager didn’t take place, but I wrote with money on the line. Also, you heard some of the battle type lyrics I used when I was younger. I’ve been mostly jokes in the battles cuz that’s what the scene is used to, especially GT. That said, I’ve been wanting to get back to my rough, street style approach and I used the Ace battle to bring that back. Performance wise, I went 9-0 then took back-to-back losses, one of which I feel I won. I really tried to take my delivery to the next level. I’m expected to be the face of CO now that Mr. Biscuit retired and this was an opportunity to live up to that.

When did you start battling and what is your local scene like, because y’all are blowing up.

I started about a year ago with the Colorado Springs league run by Mr. Xtra, Colorado Rap. The scene was already somewhat competitive with Mr. Biscuit and Klutch, but that was most of the known talent. There were a few unknown heads with skill, but they were pretty much it. People in CO have been waiting for an in-state MC to get national exposure and they really support what we do. The crowds in Denver are somewhat rowdy and noisy, but the energy at these events is crazy!!! We’re very competitive too, lots of shit talk goes down.

How’d you get involved? For those that may want to get involved in their local Hip hop scene—battling scene or no—how do you go about making those connections?

I sent an inbox message to the YouTube channels of the two battle leagues in CO. I actually sent several messages to the Denver league, but never got a response. The Colorado Springs league responded to my first contact and set up a try out battle after hearing some of my music. My best advice would be to go to an event and talk to the people running it, but when you’re not involved with the scene i’ts not always easy to find out where and when the battles go down. If that’s the case, go the YouTube route and have something they can check out.

Lots of people say they wanna get in and end up being no good, so leagues are careful about who they let perform, at least if it’s a league worth joining.

Be professional too and tell them you’re hungry to prove yourself. Don’t be a diva and demand the best rapper in the league. Pay your dues, basically.

What is your thought process when preparing for a battle?  What’s the creative process like from conception, to writing, to memorizing and presenting?

To be honest, I start writing for every battle thinking I’m not gonna be able to come up with anything good. I brainstorm rhyme schemes until I come up with something that pops. It’s all about finding good angles to take and once I find that first idea that clicks the rest follows pretty quickly. I probably spend a week writing, often times I’ll write all three rounds in one night though. I memorize while I write, and I have an uncanny ability to memorize words. I write most of my bars in my head and they never touch a piece of paper. My entire battle against J-Money was written like that. I constantly spit my bars to myself in my head, every day. When I have private time to rehearse I practice my body language, hand gestures and delivery. I’ll spit my first verse and keep repeating it until I get through it without one mistake, even something add small as one word that I didn’t roll quite right. Then I go through the second and third the same way. After that, I repeat the process as many times as I feel I need. By the time you see my verses I’ve probably rehearsed them at least 600 times, if not closer to 1,000. I analyze my opponent’s style, features, history and anything I can think of to look at. I use bats that could be considered generic sometimes, but the vast majority of my bars are about things directly relevant to my opponent. I try to make my first round a real attention grabber and my third the nail in the coffin, so to speak. I do so well because I prepare more than anyone I’ve ever met, real talk.

How heated do these battles get?  Have you ever come close to getting into a physical altercation?  It has happened in live battles before.

We’re all friends. We talk tremendous amounts of shit, but it’s all in good fun and the fans eat it up. Things get said and the fans that follow the scene have a storyline they can follow. Battles get hyped up due to back-and-forths between artists. I make it my goal to piss my opponent off, cuz that means I’m doing a good job. Ace was mad when I went into my third after he choked, and when I got to the racial disses I walked right up in his face and screamed on him eye-to-eye just to further upset him. I used a Dr. J line against J-Money specifically cuz he’d made a comment to me before about being tired of hearing Dr. J lines. I’ve never been worried about fighting an opponent; closest I’ve ever come is with fans of my opponent. When Lil’ Ace battled J-Money, Ace’s homeboys got mad that he lost and were talking crazy. We were well equipped to deal with anything that went down, but Ace calmed his people down and told them to respect us. That’s how it was in Arizona, too. KG tha Poet and Mr. Biscuit had a dispute over time limits and KG’s friends started acting a fool. KG made them fall back and him and Biscuit were cool.

It’s a sport, just like football; you walk onto the field ready to kill and walk off ready to smile.

What was your hardest battle?  What was your easiest?

In terms of writing and preparing, my hardest one was probably Illimit. I spent almost a month working on my bars. At the time, he was #3 in the state behind Mr. Biscuit and Klutch, and it was only my fourth battle (a testament to how strongly I burst onto the scene). I really had to think about my approach. Also, Biscuit, Klutch and I had just founded a rap crew together, Dub Treys. It was my first battle as a member of the crew and the pressure was on. Biscuit thought I had the talent to be better than anyone in the state, himself included, and I wanted to live up to the hype and defeat a top tier opponent as a newbie. The easiest battle I’ve had was J-Money, cuz we were homeboys and it was all fun between us. We had decided to offer him a spot in the crew based on his ungodly stage presence and delivery, so me, him and Biscuit were constantly joking around and instigating each other. I was drunk when we battled and so was he. The crowd was kinda small, but it made it such a laud back and fun environment to perform in. As for actual performance, 3PFD, hands down. I woke up the morning of the battle barely even able to whisper. My voice was completely gone and I ended up being sick for a couple of weeks. You can tell when you watch it; my voice was painfully strained, I had to rap extremely slow, and my breath control was absolutely horrible. I felt like I was dying up there!!! Every time I would start to pick up the crowd with a bar I’d have to wheeze in a huge breath, only to lose out again four words later. Shit was ridiculous son.

Do you have a crew or are you solo?

I am a founding member of Dub Treys, the premiere rap crew in CO. It’s comprised of myself, Mr. Biscuit, J-Money and Klutch. The name means three W’s (WWW): we’ll beat whoever, whenever, wherever. We have a combined battle record of 51-9, with battles including names like Real Deal, Fresco, KG tha Poet, Illimit, Maniphest DestNE, 3PFD, Dallas, Isaac Knoxx, Japanese Jesus, Hindu Rock, D-Lor, Phal Kilmer, Wreck1, Unorthodox Phrases and more. We are also bringing in a new member now that Klutch and Mr. Biscuit have moved on to other pursuits. Dub Treys will be battling against three URL rappers at the New Year’s event we’re throwing, and while I can’t reveal the names yet, two of them are widely considered in the top five of the world, one in the top three. We are travelling to AZ this fall and are working on joint music ventures as well. Dub Treys is a brand name and we have been successful in building it so far. People associate it with a certain caliber of skill and we bring people to events and views to YouTube pages.

Battling isn’t your only thing, you also have released mixtapes?  Hit us with a couple of plugs. What have you dropped?

I’m a jack-of-all-trades. I’m a battle MC, a mixing engineer, a producer, a mastering engineer, a beat maker and a performance musician. I play the piano somewhat extensively as well. I’ve dropped two mixtapes, “The Jump Off” and “When Worlds Collide.”  The first is on http://soundcloud.com/74thstreetrecords and the latter is at http://tweetmymixtape.com/bih56s ya heard!!! I don’t do all my own hearts, but I do produce most of them; also, I engineer all of my own vocals. I am releasing the first of a series of dubstep mixtapes late fall while I prepare my debut album entitled “Flatline.” It will be the style of music I really prefer: some raw tracks, some party tracks and a lot of serious, introspective songs such as Tupac (one of my biggest influences) was known for. The first single, “Son Don’t Cry,” is set to drop early fall as a music video. I’ve performed in front of over 200 people on multiple occasions at numerous venues, including Club 156, Euphoria, The Black Sheep, Woody’s, Belle’s Lounge, McDonough’s Pub, Paradise City, Vibe’s Hookah Lounge and Sodo’s. I’ve also performed at Skrappy’s in AZ and a venue in MO the name of which I can’t remember at the moment. I’m going back out to AZ this fall and should be going to FL late this year to battle Maniphest DestNE. I have several battles and music [shows] coming up at Meadow Muffin’s this summer too and will be performing at the Radison Hotel ballroom for the New Year’s event that Dub Treys is throwing.

How has your material been received? 

It’s actually gotten a good reception. I’ve had a decent fan base in Colorado Springs since before I even started recording tracks or battling. I was doing music shows before the battles, but the name wasn’t spreading beyond the local market like I wanted. It took about a year of battling before I really started seeing any promotional response, but in the past couple of months my name has been ringing bells and I’ve been getting hit up not only for battles, but also by people wanting to find my music. The collaboration requests have been on the rise as well, and I’ve even gotten some production and engineering work as a result of my songs.

I had a conversation with Ness Lee a while back and he told me that you have to make leagues promote your music if you don’t wanna get lumped up with the “battle rappers can’t make music” stereotype.

That’s exactly what I’ve done, and the payback is starting to unfold. There’s always haters, but by and large people like my music and want to hear more of it.

Do you feel you’ve made a decent transition from battle rapper to studio rapper with a product to sale?  Are you still in the process of making that transition?

That’s a hard one to answer, because I was doing music before the battles. Granted, it wasn’t getting me the kind of exposure the battles do (hence why I do them in the first place), but I was still known in my state as a musician. The battles have definitely helped market my product though. I’ve released two free mixtapes and I am working on two projects currently, one of which is a free dubstep mixtape (with rapping, of course) and the other is my debut album; the latter will be the first product I’m really selling, as far as songs go). I am nearly halfway through getting my Master’s in Audio Production and I am fairly well trained musically, so I’ve had a product good enough to sell, but just not enough notoriety to move many units. In that sense, I’m definitely still in the building period to get to that point. That said, I see it coming much faster than I had anticipated. The name is starting to ring bells both in-state and around the nation in the battle scene; in and of itself that doesn’t mean much for success in the music industry, but being that I constantly remind people I make music, it’s a numbers game. 10,000 people see me battle and hear me say I make music…500 of them actually check my songs out, and 100 of them actually like them. Do that enough times and you have a fan base that can support an independent artist.

Now are you from Denver?  Because I heard you were from Florida, what’s your background? How’d you get here?

Man. That’s a tough question. Short-hand, I was born in South Caroline, raised in Florida, spent my teen years in Texas, and most of my adulthood in Colorado. I represent the South, but I definitely have been heavily influenced by the lyrical, smooth, quick-tongued style the Midwest is known for. I lived in Tennessee for a while as well, and it was my time there that prompted me to pursue my MA in music. However, much as I dislike Colorado at times, this looks to be the place I’m going to stay. The scene has been crying out for someone to come along that can put Colorado on the map in a big way, both in terms of music and battling. Mr. Biscuit and Klutch helped spark that in the battle world and are now trying to do the same in the music industry. It’s been the perfect timing for me, as I came along exactly when the state needed someone to take the torch and carry it. There are cats here that have the money and connections to be successful, but not the skills, while others have the skills, but not the money or hook up’s. I’m trying to be the one to bridge the two and be that star the state is looking for.

What’re your plans for 2012 and beyond? Where are Detour and his crew headed?

2012 is about to be INSANE. I can’t name off all the battles we’re setting up, as some of them are tentative and I don’t want to steal the thunder from the leagues putting on these shows; however, I can say with confidence that Detour will be facing some widely recognized names in some well-known leagues. Dub Treys is hosting a battle event for New Year’s, where we will be bringing out three [Smack Ultimate Rap League (URL)] rappers, as I mentioned above. We’re also bringing out several [Grindtime] artists as well. I have battles lined up through the summer in Colorado, Arizona and most likely I will be returning to No Coast in MO later this year, in addition to traveling to FL. I have music performances set up May 23rd, June 11th and 20th, July 4th and July 11th. The dubstep mixtape, “Claymores & Hand Grenades – Vol. 1,” will be dropping around October. The music video for the first single off my upcoming album will be dropping early fall; the song is called “Son Don’t Cry,” and touches on a lot of personal issues and struggles, which is more the style of music I’m leaning towards. Dub Treys will also be inducting a new member, which we will announce May 23rd when I battle Bishop, who is also one of the best battle MC’s in the state.

Dub Treys as a camp has garnered over 115K YouTube views and we fully expect that number to quadruple after the URL event we’re throwing.

Also, the event will be released on the Dub Treys YouTube channel, where we will also be releasing music videos and interviews with crew members on a regular basis. All around, 2012 is my promotions year; that’s why I’ve been focusing so heavily on battles and not making new music, because I want to spread the material I already have out before I hit people with new stuff.

Do you have anything on the horizon that we can look out for?

You can definitely expect some more music, and also different music. I’ve been getting more into rapping over dubstep songs, which is what prompted the recording of the aforementioned mixtape. However, I’ve also been fine-tuning the direction I’m taking with the music. This means you’ll be getting more of the music I want to make, which is music with a message. I’d never compare myself to Tupac, but insofar as his method we share many similarities; i.e., I enjoy making street and party tracks, but my main goal is to deliver a message and give people music they can relate to at the deepest core of themselves, no matter who it is. The “Flatline” album isn’t dropping till late 2013. But in the meantime I’m planning on releasing two dubstep mixtapes (Vol. 1 & 2) and will be leaking three or four singles over Hip-Hop beats. All of these future releases will be music videos, thanks to my film crew connections I made in the battle circuit. The album is going to be stacked with features as well, including J-Money, Vegas, Mr. Biscuit, Illimit, Maniphest DestNE, Droppa, Li’ Ace and others. We are also planning a bi-weekly Dub Treys webcast called “Real Talk,” where we discuss modern events and say the things everybody wants to, but no one actually will. Every episode will feature a freestyle session at the end and plenty of comedy throughout. Also, I’ve already done one appearance on WKRP Radio in Denver, and you can expect a couple more radio appearances. We’re working on breaching the mainstream radio market out here, but that’s a process if there ever was one. So yeah, expect battles with much bigger names, more shows, and don’t forget the name DUB TREYS. We da best!!!

Any last words/ shout outs?

First, shout out to the L-rd my G-d for blessing me with the talent, opportunity and motivation to do the things I’m doing, and praise be to Jesus Christ for washing away my sins. NOTHING is possible without Them. Also, shout outs to J-Money, Mr. Biscuit, Klutch, Bishop, Vegas, Mr. Xtra, Colorado Rap, No Coast, Voicebox Battles and Greg Sacks, Seneca, Dub Treys, 74th Street Records, BME/GMBM, Subculture Promotions, the whole Box State and a special thanks to the Hip-Hop websites I’ve frequented and the many people I’ve had heated, pointless, all-around-WTF arguments online with, as it’s all helped me get to where I am today, both online and off. Thanks to my mother, who has always believed in me, and to Amber, the only woman I ever loved and who gave me a beautiful daughter for my troubles. G-d bless and DON’T SLEEP ON YA BOY!!!

At the center of it all, a 17-year-old boy is dead. 

The story goes that Martin was visiting relatives when he went out to the local convenience store for snacks.  It was then that a volunteer neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman, noticed Martin and called police. He reported to police that the boy looked suspicious and began to pursue him.  After that, there are conflicting reports.

Some say Martin started the fight; others say it was Zimmerman who instigated.  The only three things that are known for certain:  Zimmerman was the only one armed, Martin is now dead, and because of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which allows individuals to use force in self-defense, there have been no arrests.

By all accounts, Trayvon Martin was a normal American kid.  He went to school, he liked sports, and he had a girlfriend.  The national response to his shooting death however, has been anything but normal.

Nothing about this case, or the subsequent reaction, makes sense.  Insanity billows from either side of whichever argument there is.  Many protesting the injustice sound like blood-lusting maniacs, while those making counterarguments sound like unempathetic bigots.  Few people, if any, sound remotely sensible.

People are blaming the victim, some are calling for mob justice, celebrities are putting hits out; police departments are being revealed as openly corrupt and could care less, while news organizations distort what little facts we have to better buttress their narratives; and all of this craziness is vomited forth, from the mouths of normally sensible people, citizens, public officials and politicians, in all non-ironic, concrete-faced seriousness. 

How did we get here? What does all this mean?

This is the perfect storm, a long time coming.  We have been heading down this road for quite a while now; the boil had been slow, but over the past four years it has built from a slow simmer to a bubbling affair of ignorance, fear, mistrust and paranoia.

Welcome to the post-racial America of President Barack Obama’s administration.
 

The Obama Effect

When Barack Obama was elected as the first black president of the United States, I remember warning two of my colleagues that the country would not be able to reconcile its differences so soon after a campaign filled with such vitriol.  Racism, sexism and xenophobia had become the new “in-style” for the fashionable political junkie. 

There was no gray area anymore, the country had been separated into stark contrasts and I didn’t see an end to the conflict anytime soon.

In 2008, the suggestion that the country would be ripped apart at its core was laughable, and the thought of violence spilling into the streets was a bit hyperbolic.  But this was before the Tea Party Movement, before the Koran burnings, and before murdering an unarmed boy became an arguable crime.

When Obama was elected, two very important things happened:  Many whites felt that minorities, specifically blacks, had “made it” and that racism was officially over; conversely minorities felt pressed to prove that racial disparity and discrimination still existed. 

It can’t be expressed enough how tired many whites get with this whole “race thing.”  To them, it had been settled long ago when the Civil Rights Act was signed, some go back even further and say racial tension should’ve ended with slavery’s dissolution.  To them, the fact that a black man was now president meant that blacks should finally stop complaining.  Now everyone had an equal opportunity, right?  So when the conservative media establishment told them that Obama’s plan to raise taxes on the rich equaled wealth distribution, well that was the final straw. 

Those racist West Virginia voters that came out in droves to switch from democrat to republican when Obama ran for president didn’t just die. They simply went into hiding, and when he won and began to govern, they awoke to a frighteningly alien world where a black man was in charge and suddenly ordering them to do “their share.” Thus, the Tea Party was born.

On the other side of the coin, blacks, like never before, became intent on convincing the world that things had not changed much, following Obama’s election.  African-American media personality Tavis Smiley made it his personal mission to remind everyone that “we still had more work to do.”  Many members of the old civil rights guard, who perhaps felt slighted by Obama’s quick ascension to the top, took up arms.  If they weren’t going to be the generation that gave us that great moment of electoral equality, then they could at least keep fighting the good fight.  And many times that meant pointing out random, inconsequential racial slights, blowing them up to mega-proportions and marching, marching, marching.  (Think the Don Imus fiasco, and the attempt to kill and bury the n-word.)  

Obama’s campaign and eventual presidency was the catalyst that shoved race back into the forefront of American psychology.  There was no hiding it any longer; it was up there giving the State of the Union address.  He single-handedly divided the country’s opinion down economic lines, cultural lines, political lines, and especially racial lines. 

To the country, he was either an excuse to forget racism, or a reason to keep fighting it.  No, the gray area was gone.  We are now a country of extremes.  It would be the Trayvon Martin shooting that would make that clear.

Vigilantism As First Resort

On March 28, award-winning filmmaker and otherwise sensible human being, Spike Lee, apologized for retweeting an address that he thought was George Zimmerman’s.   The Internet had driven itself into a DIY frenzy at the news that Zimmerman had not only avoided arrest, but that there were no plans for his detainment by Sanford police.  The idea was to publish Zimmerman’s address and force him out of hiding.

The address however, turned out to be that of an elderly Florida couple.  The harassment that followed forced them to flee their home.  But this begs the question, what if it had been Zimmerman’s address?  Was vigilantism really the best way to bring justice to vigilantism? 

Did Spike Lee really, indirectly, just put a hit out on George Zimmerman?  The answer of course is yes.  The next question, of course is, What the Hell?

There is delirium afoot.  Insanity is now snaking through our minds, looking for passageways for common sense to fall upon and constrict closed.  And whether you believe black paranoia is warranted or not, you have to agree that when greivances are not taken seriously, the outcome can be scary.  Because Spike Lee isn’t alone in his sudden onset of madness; no, not by a long shot.

The New Black Panther Party, for example, has put a $10,000 bounty, to have Zimmerman arrested and bought to the police.  On March 20, a Washington Post Columnist Courtland Milloy asked why black fathers weren’t “taking up arms” in the wake of the Martin case.

He  noted how during the 1960s, groups like the Deacons for Defense and Justice used their Second Amendment Rights to arm themselves against police brutality and misconduct.  Milloy went on to ask why fathers weren’t taking similar stances today, possibly becoming the first media personality to call for the forming of a self-deputized, vigilante lynch mob. 

Although he admits that Martin’s father is heading the charge, fighting for justice in the wake of his son’s death, Milloy’s reference to the Deacons feels odd in comparison.  Martin’s father is doing the right thing by taking his fight to the airwaves, publicly criticizing and addressing the local police, and surrounding himself with as many high profile civil rights lawyers as possible.  What more should be done? 

On March 21, there was the Million Hoodie March in New York, there have been rallies, petitions have circulated online like viruses, but for many the old methods are not enough.

No, it appears now, more than ever, there rumbles an urgency to act in anger.   Sure, there have been instances in the past such as the Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict.  But that was perpetrated by regular people, tired of feeling powerless against an often racially insensitive and dismissive society.  But post-Trayvon, it’s now our celebrities, our journalists,  and our social and political leaders who are stoking the fires.  Rarely before has there been such a unified cry, not just for justice, but for violent retribution. 

Dangers of Dismissive Apathy

Many believe the racial tension of the case hinges on Martin’s shooting, but that’s only half of the story.  The other half deals with the apparent lackadaisical attitude displayed by the Sanford Police Department’s blundered investigation. 

It is this listless approach to racially sensitive issues that acts as kindling to many of these wildfires; and it is perfectly indicative of a greater society that would sooner sweep such issues under a rug and then openly admit they still exist. 

From top to bottom, the investigation has been called “incompetent.”  Walt Zalisko, the former Chief of Police in Oak Hill, Fla., during an interview on NewsNation with Tamron Hall, noted how it was the family’s attorney, not the police, who went through Trayvon’s phone to find the last call he’d made to his girlfriend before the shooting.  Not only did the police not investigate this important clue at the time of the shooting, but when they did find out, they failed to follow up on it. 

Zalisko also found it strange that the police didn’t charge Zimmerman right away, which is what central Florida has had a history of doing.  For whatever reason, this case was treated differently, and the effects have been devastating to a black community that already distrusts the police.  There are charges of police cover ups and misconduct driven by racial profiling. 

But rather than blame the department’s missteps on all-out racism, I believe the Sanford PD’s motivation has always been pure and unadulterated apathy. 

They simply didn’t care.

I think that this is the prevailing sentiment for those, mostly conservative and white, outlets supporting Zimmerman.  When the questions and concerns of racial profiling were bought up, it was as if you could hear the collective scraping of eyelids, as over a million people rolled their eyes.  “Ugh, not race again?” You can almost hear them moan under their breaths, “Aren’t we over this, yet?”  The Sanford police apparently thought so, and thought nothing of dismissing Zimmerman without charging him, patting him on the back, and sending him merrily on his way home.

Perhaps buoyed by their need to defend the Second Amendment friendly “Stand Your Ground” law, it was the conservative media that felt the need to go on the offensive for Zimmerman.  Fox News analyst Geraldo Rivera attempted to deflect blame from Zimmerman and placed it on the clothing Martin wore, specifically his hoodie.

The attacks against Trayvon didn’t end there.  Martin’s parents blame the Sanford Police Department for leaking information about a suspension Trayvon had received from the Miami-Dade County school system.  Trace amounts of marijuana had been found in a baggy inside of his book bag.  Associated Press found that Trayvon did not have a juvenile offender record.  Nonetheless, there was a real and unfortunate effort by some to paint Trayvon as a “thug” who had it coming. 

Trayvon’s background quickly became an easy go-to rationalization for his killing.  Soon the blame went from Trayvon to those covering the shooting, namely the black and liberal media.  CNN’s Don Lemon felt compelled to go on air to respond to the wave of racist tweets he’d received for simply covering the incident. 

He read one tweet that said, “Don Lemon, you are a racist. You are fixated on this one issue over and over. We want to hear the news, not your personal agenda. Go work for BET.”

A Christian Science Monitor/TIPP poll released on April 6, found that the case splits the country down economic, age, and racial lines.  For example, twice as many blacks and Hispanics as whites say race played a major role in the shooting death of Trayvon (73 to 36 percent).  The Pew Research Center finds similar numbers, noting that blacks and democrats are much more likely to follow the story than whites or republicans.  Also, Pew finds, whites and Republicans are much more likely to say there’s been too much coverage of the Trayvon case.

For them, this is just another example of how the liberal media and race-baiting social leaders are trying to interject race into a situation where it doesn’t belong. 

What Does It All Mean?

So here we are.  The world is watching as our country publicly rips itself apart like a wild dog, trying to tear free of a steel trap that’s anchored solidly to the ground.  Where do we go from here?

There had been plans for the case to go before a grand jury on April 10, but that’s no loner guaranteed.  Many experts now believe it may be impossible to get any type of conviction.  The Federal government became involved when the shooting was thought to be a possible hate crime.  But voice analysis of Zimmerman’s phone call may now refute that he said a racial epithet, which is what many Martin supporters thought they heard in the garbled 911 call.

Also impeding the case for a hate crime charge is the fact that the liberal-leaning news organization MSNBC was caught and later apologized for incorrectly editing the 911 call from Zimmerman.  Initially, the news station aired the call with Zimmerman randomly proclaiming the race of the person he was following, leading listeners to believe Zimmerman’s motives were race based.  MSNBC later admitted it had made a mistake, cutting a crucial part of the call.  Apparently, the police dispatcher had asked Zimmerman Martin’s race.  Zimmerman was only answering that question, aside from that he didn’t seem to bring up the young man’s race at all.

The shooting is becoming too big now.  It’s everywhere and on everyone’s mind and tongues.  There are a host of tribute videos, there’s even a tribute song called “Super Life” performed by Chaka Khan and featuring Eric Benet and Kelly Price, there are t-shirts, graffiti artwork, there’s a 4-minute film about the incident by artist Rob Roots, people are even getting pictures of Trayvon drawn into their hair. 

There is no way we can sweep this one under the rug.  This will not be like Sean Bell all over again.

And that should be scary.  The community response to the aforementioned Sean Bell case was relatively localized, as was the response following the initial Rodney King verdict, the same goes for the Diallo shooting.  It has been a long time since so many black people, from so many different cities, and from so many different walks of life have felt the same sense of anger and need for retribution. 

If for some reason, Zimmerman is set free again, I fear the repercussions.  We are all currently riding an insane amount of momentum and there is no turning back; the sides are chosen; the line is drawn in the sand; and there is no more gray area.

Here at Steez, we’ve been big fans of you and your work ever since we had the opportunity to connect while you were directing the music video, “For the People” featuring Mondega and Bambu. As you know, our mantra is “Education Through Art” – what does that mean for you?

BQ:  First off, thank you for all the support that you guys have shown!  Education through art is a great mantra.  For me, those are two of the most important things in life.  To learn, is to live.  And art is symbolic of the creative nature of human beings.  I see it as educating the people through creative ways, and really pushing the younger generation to learn to be creative.  And to be creative doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be working in the entertainment industry, look at Steve Jobs, or Frank  Lloyd White for example.  The problem with our education system right now is that students are so focused on memorizing information, being test takers, cramming for finals – but real education comes with teaching somebody how to learn, and to have passion for something.

On a related note, any chance we’ll see more music videos from you?

BQ: I don’t think I would do anymore music videos unless it’s with an Artist that I am a big fan of.  But even then, I would think twice about it because the fact of the matter is, music videos have never paid  my bills, and many times I ended up spending my own money on somebody else’s music video.  Also, I’ve got so many bigger projects I want to make, it would really take a lot to shift my focus to making another music video.

Makes sense. Tell us a bit about yourself and why you decided to become a filmmaker.

BQ: I decided to be a filmmaker because it was the craziest idea that I had thought of at one point.  And it was sort of a joke I had with my mom when I was a kid.  You know with asian parents, they get on that “what do you wanna do with your career” but she was asking me when I was in high school.  I didn’t have a clue back then, and just to be funny, I would say ‘a movie director’, because that was the farthest and most outrageous idea I had at the time.  It was like one of those dreams that was so far from my reality.  But the thing is, I use to love watching movies.  All I did was sneak into movie theaters.  So it wasn’t completely random.  Then later when I went to college at UCSD, I met this crazy french guy named JP Gorin, and his passion for films really inspired me to look at filmmaking in a serious way.  One step at a time, I gradually worked towards pursuing a career as a director.

You are both a writer and director – who are your influences and inspirations?

BQ:  There’s a lot of people and things in life that inspire me and influence me, but in terms of filmmakers.. I would say Ford, Cassavettes, Kurosawa, Godard, and Fellini, to name a few.  Those are auteur filmmakers who really shaped cinema during their time in significant ways.

Your first feature film is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray – congrats! What inspired you to create BANG BANG?

BQ:  I’ve always been a big fan of films like Boyz N the Hood, Menace II Society, and Blood In Blood Out.  And then there were the films from Hong Kong like Young and Dangerous that showed the Hong Kong triad type gangsters.  But I always wanted to see an Asian American gangster film, more specifically, showing South East Asian gangsters.  Because there wasn’t much out there and some of the films portrayed the Asian Gangsters in a really fake way, Clint eastwood couldn’t even do it with Gran Torino.

The film has made a very successful film festival run, and was screened all over the US and internationally. How does that feel? I know you put a lot of hard work into driving its success, share with us a bit of that process and what it took to reach such a wide audience.

BQ: Sometimes when I think about it, I can’t believe it.  But most of the time I’m too pre-occupied with stressing about the progress to really sit there and pat myself on the back.  As a filmmaker, they say you’re never satisfied, and I think it’s true for most artists.  It’s what drives artists to keep making more work.  I think Kurosawa said it once, that the reason he keeps making films even when he was really old, is that he keeps thinking that one day he’ll make a “good” picture.  As for my process to get it out there…a lot of social media, film festivals, street guerilla marketing, and I booked my own theaters to screen the films in select cities.   The entire process is pretty tedious now that I look back on it, and I really didn’t have anybody to show me the way.  I basically looked up a bunch of things online, and came up with my own crazy idea of how I was gonna put my movie out there.  So far, things have worked, but not to it’s fullest potential yet.  It’s an ongoing effort, and I’m still learning things and planning things.  I think I’ve learned a lot about independent distribution, and for my next film, I’ll have a more solidified plan to work from.

As a filmmaker, how do you view your relationship with your audience? In other words, what kind of impact would you like to have on them and what do you hope for in return?

BQ:  I want everyone in the world to see my film.  But I don’t really care if everyone loves it or not.  There’s a lot of dumb people in the world who want to be spoon fed some simple minded story that’s like a fairy tale.  I just want to show people films that are authentic to the subjects I’m portraying, and if they don’t get it, or have problems with it, then tough luck, because when they walk out into the real world, that’s the way it is.  For the people that the film does have an impact on, those are the people I made the film for, and even if that’s only a handful of people.  In return, I’m not looking for much.  I got what I want already by making the film, and watching the film myself, I don’t need anything from my audience, besides maybe a tweet or facebook post about it after they go home so that I can sell more copies? lol

You are very passionate and committed to your work. What drives you to put in the effort day in and day out?

BQ: Life drives me.  When I think about life, and some of the people that I’ve met along the way, it inspires me to make films.  It’s my therapy to deal with all the crazy things and questions that this journey through life brings to an individual.  It’s my way to make sense of everything.  Every story that I tell, it’s a story that reflects on a question I have about something in the world, and the ways I want to explore it.

Coming off the success of BANG BANG, what’s next?

BQ: Next up is a feature documentary about the extraordinary and tumultuous life of a man named “Lazy”, who was involved with gangs and also had aspirations in the arts through break dancing and films.  It should be coming out early 2013.

What about down the road? Where do you hope to go with your work and what would you consider “the next level” for your filmmaking?

BQ: My next level of filmmaking is basically taking my craft and art beyond what I did for Bang Bang.  I’ve learned so much from making that first film, in all aspects.  I’m just eager to put what I learned into my next film, which I hope will be a “good” film.

Any words for aspiring filmmakers or artists out there?

BQ:  Really take the time to think if this is for you.  A lot of people want to be filmmakers or an artist solely for the idea of being one, but they’re not driven by something called Passion.  Passion is something that you need to find before you can do anything.  If you don’t have passion for filmmaking, then you should change careers, because it’s a very difficult path, and as much as I hate to say it, many will fail along the way.   If you’ve found your passion, then you’re good, because your passion won’t let you give up, no matter how broke, how hungry, how many friends you lose, how many  sacrifices you make, it won’t let you stop doing what you have a passion for.  You’ll become a filmmaker, or you’ll die trying.  If you don’t have that kind of mentality, don’t pursue it, it’s not a life you want to live.

Final comments?

BQ: Thank you for the chance to interview! Follow me on twitter! @byronbcp

Bang Bang  is available for purchase on DVD or blu-ray at: beyondcinema.bigcartel.com and for download on iTunes.

(Yes, the Live & Direct crew are rocking our limited edition Biggie Tribute Tees!)

Here is a Biggie Tribute Mix brought to you by the Live And Direct crew! These guys are based in Portland OR and have a monthly party that’s one of the best events in the Northwest, as well as tons of individual side projects and events.

The crew consist of Slimkid3 from the legendary group The Pharcyde, Rev Shines top tier record digger and Dj for Lifesavas, Dj Nature produce/internationally know Dj and StarChile MC, Shadyville Dj and top tier event host. Also pictured is Colton Tong who is also a record collector & the Jarobi of the crew. Check them out on Facebook Live And Direct PDX and follow them on Twitter. @slimkid3 @revshines76 @DjNature @StarChile @ContinueReading

We will be featuring much more from this incredibly talented group of party rockers so stay tuned.

Download here: Biggie Tribute Mix

The as-yet-to-be-named Literary Magazine needs a proper send off and what better way than a 3-week, short story, online tournament.  So with the help of our friends at Project Rhyme.com, we decided to launch the “14 Story Drop!” Short Story Tournament.  The name comes from the fact that with eight participants and three rounds, we’d get a total of 14 stories. Clever huh? Yeah, I thought so too.

The winner will be offered a full interview, along with a full-on feature article including the winning story as well as any other piece/poem he or she may wish to showcase.

The rules are simple:  We’re going for short-short stories–1500 words or less; the story can be about anything; and lastly, have fun. 

The tournament started with eight competitors and several very unique stories.  Let’s just jump into and take a look back at the week that was.

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Let’s meet our participants!

First up is hip hop producer, and all around creative guy, Uh-oh.  Uh-oh first round story is called  “Crashing Water”  and centers around the exploits of  an outcast warrior, fighting for his survival in a foreign land.  After reading a few of Uh-oh’s stories you ge several reoccuring themes such as primitive warriors, barbarian-warfare, isolation and revenge.  The story is surprisingly enjoyable, especially from someone who constantly downplays his own abilities as a writer.  Examples of Uh-oh’s other work, his music, can be found at http://uhoh.bandcamp.com/.

Our next writer goes by the name of Vulgar.  Vulgar is  a long-time associate of Projectrhyme.com’s many story telling leagues and has crafted a reputation as being a very formidable writer.  Usually however, his stories are written in rhyme-form; this will be one of his first tests with straight prose.  His story, “An Eventful Family Dinner” is about an estranged family working out their differences over dinner.  His use of language, dialogue and dialect are especially engaging.  Vulgar’s opponent for the first round was unfortunately a no-show. So even though his story is a “rush job,” give him some love.

Veteran writer and poet Marcus Aurelius‘ untitled story is a very poetic examination of fighting, death and rebirth.  The story follows a female warrior into war, as she leads her men into what could be a decisive battle.  It is easily one of the best pieces this round with its expert phrasing, rhythm and subtle rhyme.  He also used a very ingenious technique of puncuating his story with short, stabbing sentences; as far as technique goes, it really helped with the story a real-time feel. 

Another of the tournament’s more experienced writers, E-ReK, drops a multi-layered and somber story, “Soft Flame” that has more to it then what initially appears.  One part of the story is the eulogy of a famous, ficticious, writer.  He is the author of many poems, the most well know is called “Lola” and was inspired by his now widowed wife.  The narrator and author of the eulogy is a close friend who feels he, above all others, can shed light on the true meaning his dead friend’s poem.  Readers who pay attention to the story will find the surprising, underlying, truth of their friendship.  E-ReK has a literary blog where he and some friends publish their works, it can be viewed at http://spiritofthestairway.com/.

George Whitefield, who usually writes within the realm of poetry, decided to try his hand at the tournament, entering  an untitled moody and dark horror piece.  Whitefield’s story seemed to be about more than what was shown, as if it were part of a series.  It’s plot centers around two paramedics who are transporting a fatally injured girl to the hospital.  They are stopped in their tracks by…something; a something that wants the girl very badly.  The story was crafted with powerful imagery-laden language and painted a picture that created more mystery than explained.

Finally, Steez360′s own Richard Corey wrote “One More For The Road.”  

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STORY OF THE WEEK!

An Analysis of Lola

Like so many of his other works, Lola takes on different meanings depending on context and interpretation. Vorobyov was an advocate of the metaphor and he made it a point to live his message. “Poetry without inspiration is like life without meaning,” he often said. And, in typical fashion the subject of Lola is a female: that which meant everything to Vorobyov – that which meant life.

Over ten years ago, now, Andrei introduced me to his wife (now widowed) Alisa. I knew from the beginning that they were in love. Never had I seen such a turn in Andrei’s work, evolving from distinctly morose to carelessly content. She had an effect on him that reflects through Andrei’s poems. Lola, was his last work, but it represents a peculiarity that has stumped scholars, family, and friends alike: after his happier Lemonade Under Oak Trees anthology, Lola takes a turn down the familiar, melancholy road with his previous work.

Now, assuming the speaker is Andrei, the first stanza explores Lola’s independence (from here we shall refer to Lola as the subject-woman). Always one to live a life of meaning, Lola was most likely inspired by Alisa. The duality between Alisa and Andrei is represented by the alliteration, especially strong in the last line of this stanza. Note the appropriate use of detailed imagery – Alisa’s hips are perhaps her most defining features, not to mention her half-Spaniard blood manifested in the “rumba” reference. As a matter of fact, she does walk with a certain air, buttocks accentuated in her gentle stride.

Stanza two finds a rise in sexual tension. A clear reference to an orgasm is marked on the third line of this stanza “- releasing a sigh with a teacup’s elegance and lion’s audacity.” It isn’t hard to imagine Alisa’s soft breath exhaled in a purging of urgent pleasures. The last line in the stanza introduces a complexity that has puzzled critics, and even me, his closest confidant. “She sees her prey and I let her go.” Was Andrei unable to please Lola – Lola being Alisa? This line holds acute implications to the man’s life. I know personally that Andrei often argued with Alisa. Concerned with observing life, recording its finest moments in the purest poetry, he failed to put the pen down. So obsessed with scrutinizing life he watched it pass without accomplishment. The purest poetry, of course, is that which manifests physically, expressing what words cannot with a kiss or a touch.

And so, the last stanza finds Andrei out of touch with Alisa. Her “joyful mane,” a robust brunette follows in her wake. In the context of Lola, I imagine Alisa to be wearing the summer dress that I purchased for her – salmon in color, flowing along the contours of her breasts, hips, and buttocks, walking like a goddess. If Andrei could see the way she smiles when the morning sun ignites a soft flame upon her naked flesh or the sanguine blush rushing to her cheeks enticed by petite kisses, perhaps he could have written a different poem (a better one!) than Lola. Alas, the poem ends, if not heart-broken, then matter-of-factly.

***  

Marcus Aurelius’ story in the first round ran neck-and-neck with it’s competition for Story of The Week; it just didn’t have enough to cross the finish line.  That being the case, we’re going to offer him the consolation prize of epic deconstruction and criticism.  I know, I know Marcus…you can thank us later. 

“Untitled” by Marcus Aurelius

 STEEZ360 STORE:: New Spring Line!

We are happy to announce the launch of our Spring 2012 Men’s line. Here is a preview of some of our tees. Visit our ONLINE STORE for more products and details.

Steez “Stacked” Tee

Steez “Educate” Tee

Steez “Scripted” Tee

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“The Greatest Rapper of All Time Died on March 9!”

This month, the Hip hop music and cultural world come together and remember the life of one of America’s great writers: Christopher Wallace, aka, the Notorious B.I.G. , or just Biggie for short. 

Wallace used his music and a unique, semi-spontaneous style of creation to pen some of Hip hop’s most dramatic, enthralling, and emotional narratives. 

From the paranoid seething of “Warning” to the bi-polar, character dialogue hop-scotch of “Gimme the Loot,”  Wallace was a master of his craft.   What about the comical “I Got A Story To Tell” or the simultaneously mournful and aspirational, “Sky’s The Limit?”

Then there’s the story that some consider his Magnum Opus “Niggas Bleed,” a multi-character, plot-heavy,epic that stretches across continents and several years, all told in under 5 minutes.  There should be no question that Wallace is one of America’s great literay talents.   He was as to-the-point as Hemingway, as socially searing as Richard Wright, he could be as comical as Mark Twain, yet as dark and morose as Poe.   Sadly, perhaps because of his background, race, or the culture he represented, he may never get that credit.

But we here at steez would like to pay tribute in our own way, so for a limited time, we have the limited edition Tribute Tee available through our ONLINE STORE. Order by Sunday, March 11th at 11:59PM and receive FREE shipping!  Our heros may never get their proper respect from the mainstream, but we can at least rep them as hard as we can, for as long as we want.

And if you don’t know, now you know.

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 OUTRO!

Next Issue we’ll include more writers and even more segments into what is a still-in-development literary magazine.  In fact, we want your participation with that.

Do you write short stories?  Do you write poetry?  Do you write essays, non-fiction or opinion pieces?

Well Then, Send Us Your Work! 

Entries can be about anything, the only limit is size.

All short stories and essays should be kept to under 1,500 words.  Poems should be kept under 60 lines.

Help us feed our newborn baby.  Send submissions to richard@steez360.com.

NEXT ISSUE! We will follow our winning writers into the next round.  We’ll have interviews, poetry, more short stories and hopefully a clear idea of who our final two writers will be. 

Steez360 is a clothing and lifestyle brand focused on using the arts to encourage individuals to view education as both a creative element and an academic ideal. Steez is distinction in style; 360 is the complete pursuit of self and knowledge. Our mantra, “Education Thru Art”, stands behind everything we do here at Steez360. Our mission is to be a catalyst for cross-community collaboration, awareness, and empowerment for the culturally-conscious collective.

Like us on Facebook at Steez360  and follow us on Twitter @STEEZ360 .

R.I.P. Biggie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JZom_gVfuw&ob=av2e

Steez “Stacked” Tee

Steez “Educate” Tee

Steez “Scripted” Tee

In his U.S. debut, No1tuLoveR, Saigon-based rapper Nah Nguyen’s music displays prolific commentary and powerful introspection. With an understated yet commanding mic presence, Nah captures the sentiment of a generation caught between a romanticized past and a seemingly desolate future. Despite the stark reality to his words, there is something tacit about his message.

As poet and playwright Victor Hugo put it, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” – and that is precisely what Nah aims to do.

The album opens with a sampling of traditional Vietnamese music; hauntingly beautiful strings give way to beats that serve as a backdrop for his brand of social consciousness. Setting the tone, Nah drops commentary on Vietnam’s communist government, “they treat us every day the way humans treat the apes/everyday my people get robbed, murdered, and raped.” Is there hope in despair? He ends on a lament, “sooner or later we’re gonna need a new leader,” and we are forced to wonder – will it matter?

Several other tracks stand out on the album, particularly “Sài Gòn Ɖẹp Lam” (Saigon is Beautiful). I myself have not been back to visit the motherland for over a decade, so the nostalgia rang heavy on this one. Not only that, the distinct break beat had my head bobbin’ while I reminisced on a former state of hip hop. This track is a rallying cry of sorts: Nah emphasizes the crime and disparity that plagues Saigon as a reminder for his people to stand tall and continue the good fight. Also featuring Wowy and Portland-based rapper Thai, the track opens with, “I got the whole world screaming out Vietnam” and by the last bar, you’ll understand why.

Other collaborations are also highlighted on the album, such as “Quá Ngấn” (Too Short) featuring Cleverstar, Lynk Lee, and B07. Evoking cultural traditions, “Quá Ngấn” is anchored by a hook that captures the poetry inherent in Vietnamese music:

Bao nhiêu năm làm kiếp con người
How many years are we fated to live?
Chợt một chiều tóc trắng như vôi
Suddenly one afternoon, your hair is white like lime powder
Lá úa trên cao rụng đầy
Leaves wither from above, falling in fullness
Cho trăm năm vào chết một ngày
Given 100 years, yet they die in a day

On this track, Nah and Cleverstar offer a stark look at the damning consequences of poverty in which the youth die young and mothers are forced to abandon their children. As with much of the album, “Quá Ngấn” ends on a message of hope, offering words of encouragement for any who find the words hitting too close to home.

Rounding out the album is “Why”, featuring an appearance from one of our staff favorites, Mondega who once again impresses with his rhythm and reason. The track opens with a sample from “Sitting in the Park” by the late, great Billy Stewart, providing a nice touch. In a profoundly simple bar, Nah captures the essence of No1TuLoveR: “As I’m sitting lonely, watching live passing by/ Too many questions in my mind, and I’m just asking, why?”

Nah’s accent is certainly not a detriment, and I highly recommend this album without reservation. As heard on track 4, “Nah Story”: “My broken English cuts through the barrier/White, black, and yellow, Nah’s in your area.” If anything, No1tuLoveR is the ultimate testament to the power of hip hop and its ability to transcend, and connect.

Purchase Nah’s album at Blacklava.

Pre-order now for $20 and receive free shipping. This opportunity ends on Wednesday, February 22nd at 11:59pm. (Regular price: $25)