Bishop Chronicles Podcast on Hip-Hop, Health and Fitness w/ Rapper T-KASH

Catch the latest edition of Bishop Chronicles Podcast from last week is live on www.bishopchronicles.com and available on Spotify, iTunes, Mixcloud, and Libsyn.

We look at the murder of Pop Smoke and then we have an in depth interview with Oakland rapper and health and fitness trainer T-KASH. Among other things we look at the long standing history rap music has of promoting health and fitness above all other forms of music on the planet. This is hard for a lot of people to understand because of the other (and legit part of the subculture of Hip-Hop) that has spoken about drug and alcohol abuse etc. At the same time, there has always been a counter-narrative to that lifestyle in Hip-Hop. This episode will introduce you to that.

Nonviolent Rap Song of the Week #5 Peace to my Enemies by T-K.A.S.H.

T-K.A.S.H. illustrates how Hip-Hop was growing up long before Jay Z dropped 4:44. I will NEVER disrespect Jigga. He's been doing this thing in a major way. However, the same mainstream media that seems so appreciative of his growth is the same media the ignores the tens of thousands of artists who have been pushing intelligent, thoughtful rhymes for many years. Dad rap beeeeeen here, is all I'm saying. This song is 7 years old. It was put out on Guerilla Funk Records which has put out a lot of politically polarizing music, but this artist and this album, Brains All Over the Streets never got its proper due in the press. Nevertheless, the streets were feeling it.

Keep in mind, T-K.A.S.H. is the same artists who did the song Turf War Syndrome (the hood term for PTSD) long before a lot of folks were recognizing the impact of the violence on the kids in the hood. Enjoy this. I always do.

LISTEN: Peace to My Enemies 

HHCF PANEL: Can Rappers Save The Hood? Nov 21st !! Come through.

Hip-Hop has always been a vehicle for young people to speak truth to power. In the beginning rap artists like Public Enemy, KRS ONE, NWA and Tupac led the charge. Today, artists like Kendrick Lamar, Talib Kweli, Brother Ali and J Cole deliver deep messages to the youth through Hip-Hop. But what kind of systemic impact is Hip-Hop having in a measuable way? What obligation if any, does a rapper have to help the communities they come from? Is it wrong for many people to think that rappers can or should be educational, social or political leaders of the future? What

These kinds of questions and more will be discussed at the Hip-Hop Chess Federation HQ Sat Nov. 21st from 2-4 PM.

This will be a multimedia discussion where well view video and listen to audio fo rap over the years and watch is evolution.

Our panelists are Tomie T-KASH Lenear rapper and endurance athlete, Arash Daneshzadeh, educator and school to prison pipeline thought leader and Ameer Hasan, educator and UC Berkeley doctoral student.

As always, there will be open chessboards for gaming and open mats for those wishing to practice jiu-jitsu. The beats will bang rough, we will all hang tough and knowlege and wisdom will be dropped. See you there. This is a FREE EVENT but a $5.00 donation is suggested.

FB LINK: https://www.facebook.com/events/407578792773928/

POSTS

The Best Strategy for Peace is Forgiveness

Please take a moment to check out a post made by Adisa Banjoko on Bishop Desmond Tutu's blog. Its about chess, nonviolence and forgiveness:

If Hip-Hop, chess and martial arts have taught me anything, they have taught me that everything has a process. If you ignore the most efficient ways to do any particular thing it is not only going to be less efficient, it is going to put a dent in your personal joy. The Book of Forgiving seems to be one of the best formal methods of understanding and actualizing forgiveness (of others and the self) that I have found.

When I created the HHCF, I did it to help young people, mostly teens, navigate through the minefield of life at any stage. I quickly learned through consistent re-engagement of young people that most of them are in deep pain. The root of their pain has many sources. Sometimes, it’s simply poverty. Other times it might be physical or mental abuse. Still others might be from the early death of a parent or sibling. Often times, in my line of work though, it’s violence. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

HHCF Announces Street Games Vol. 1 Digital Mixtape (submit your song today!)

For Immediate Release

Contact: Bishop

888-588-4418

A-Plus from Hieroglyphics and Rakaa Iriscience from Dilated Peoples on Deck for Street Games Vol. 1 Digital Mixtape

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Taking Submissions for Digital Mixtape

July 5th 2013 San Francisco, CA- The Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF) the first nonprofit to fuse music, chess and martial arts to promote unity, strategy and nonviolence has announced it is currently taking submissions for its first digital mixtape Street Games Vol. 1. “The goal of this mixtape is to show the musical  and intellectual depth of Hip-Hop” said HHCF Founder Adisa Banjoko. “There will be a few songs on here about chess and jiu jitsu, but the bulk of the music will be just rap bangers from across the planet.” Street Games Vol. 1 will be a blend of music from established MC’s as well as teens and young adults who are new to the scene.” All MP3 submissions for Street Games Vol. 1. can be sent directly to HHCF Founder, Adisa Banjoko to bishop@hiphopchessfederation.org .

Street Games Vol. 1 will be taking submissions from July 5th 2013, to August 30th 2013.  The release date is Oct. 2013. The topic and subject matter is wide open. The HHCF is seeking submissions of Hip-Hop music and all other genres of music. “We don’t want to limit anybody's creativity. If it is powerful, we will play it.” said Adisa “ Our only rules are that its curse free, glorify violence or be super sexually explicit. Buzz on the mixtape already has gotten us dope submissions from New York, Seattle, St. Louis, San Jose and San Francisco.”

A-Plus from Hieroglyphics will be hosting the mixtape that will also feature artists like Rakaa Iriscience from Dilated Peoples, Asheru, DJ Pam The Funkstress from The Coup,  T-KASH, battle MC Shamako Noble, DLabrie and special guests yet to be announced. “We will have some surprises on here from true legends as well” said Adisa. Additionally All Tribes Zulu Nation and San Jose Zulu Nation Chapters will be working directly with HHCF in the talent search for Street Games Vol. 1.

NYC DJ Rob Flow will be producing Street Games Vol. 1. Additional production and recording will be done in partnership between HHCF and Ronnie Lee,  the Seven Trees Studio Director in San Jose California. For more information on the HHCF or Street Games Vol. 1 digital mixtape  visit www.hiphopchess.blogspot.com or follow on twitter @hiphopchess.

About Hip-Hop Chess Federation: The Hip-Hop Chess Federation is the first nonprofit to fuse music, chess and martial arts to promote unity, strategy and nonviolence. They host celebrity chess events and panels of life strategies for at-risk, gang impacted and gang intentional youth. Artists like RZA and GZA from Wu-Tang Clan, The Jacka, Immortal Technique, Asheru,  Zion I, DJ Qbert, Dilated Peoples, Hieroglyphics and many others have participated in their events. Founder Adisa Banjoko has presented at Harvard University and World Chess Hall of Fame on how chess, martial arts and music promote peace in the streets in 2013. Visit their official website at www.hiphopchessfederation.org .

HHCF Summer Camp Feats. Celeb Visits via Airtime Technology

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Enlists Rappers Chuck D, Rakaa & Asheru for Online Mentoring Using Airtime Video Conferencing via Facebook

July 9, 2012- San Jose, CA- Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF)  is proud to announce that its Live The Game Summer Camps will feature online mentoring sessions with businessmen,  rappers, pro skaters and athletes. HHCF summer camps allow kids to develop core skill sets in chess, anti-bullying techniques, as well as allow participants to engage in performing arts and dance programs. The camps are based in Fremont, California and run every week until the beginning of September 2012.

This one of a kind chess camp was created to balance the exercise of the mind and the body. Various notables from the chess community including Jean Hoffman of 9 Queens, African-American chess champion Diamond Shakoor and others others will teach foundational chess themes to the kids. The HHCF’s founder will reinforce how the same themes can be played out in life. To add an extra edge to their camps, the HHCF has gathered some of the most innovative businessmen, entertainers and athletes to talk to the youth on Airtime. Airtime is the latest video conferencing technology created by Napster founder Shawn Fanning and Facebook's Sean Parker.

“We believe that Airtime is the perfect tool for us to use to teach with” said HHCF Founder and President Adisa Banjoko. “We understand that we are dealing with leaders of industry who cannot visit HHCF summer camps as much as they’d like. Airtime, allows them to engage our kids effortlessly on such an expansive platform. It's fun and easy to use and we love it. Many of the same technologies used to entertain our youth can be used to educate. If our technology fails to educate and inspire our youth, then it fails us all.”

Some of the artists lined up to speak to the youth include but are not limited to Chuck D of Public Enemy, Rakaa of Dilated Peoples, Asheru (creator of the Boondocks Theme Song), T-KASH, Def Poetry Jam’s Amir Sulaiman, Hollywood casting agent Kristin Curtin, MMA Fight Dr. Peter Goldman, Video remix king Mike Relm, MMA fighter Ralek Gracie and many other surprise guests.

These sessions will allow the young people to engage these artists and ask questions about how these people achieved their dreams and what work ethic, education and discipline they will need to actualize their own vision of the future.

Live The Game in house visits at HHCF camps include Pro skater Jordan Richter, chess author Eric Schiller, Proven.com CEO Pablo Fuentes, Brazilian  Jiu Jitsu masters Alan “Gumby” Marques, Denny “300” Prokopos, David Frazee Esq. and others.

Families with economic hardships can apply for financial aid. HHCF is currently running a summer camp special on Groupon.

For more information on HHCF Live The Game summer camps visit: www.hiphopchessfederation.org or www.rawtalents.org