WATCH: PBS News and KPIX TV Cover RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom (Exhibit Closes Aug 12th)

                                                   Turntable set by Grandmaster Flash

We wanted to thank all the cool people who supported the RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom exhibit. It has been such a fantastic experience. Above you should see a cool interview from local KPIX station. Additionally, there was another story done by  PBS Newshour. The PBS Newshour story is VERY cool. However, I was deeply disappointed to see that they did not acknowledge me as the creator and Guest Curator of the exhibit. Sadly, that has been a consistent issue for me as far as press has gone. I don't even think Susan Barrett and I are credited on the OMCA site for our work. You see our names in super fine print upon entering the exhibit. But on the site, and in the news our credit has been largely swept under the rug. The Sr. Curator, Rene deGuzman has been amazing in staying PERSONALLY consistent in crediting us. This appears to be more of a quiet institutional move inside the PR/Marketing/Social Media space.  I guess I am too new to the curatorial space to understand how this happened through the duration of RESPECT: Style & Wisdom exhibit.

Finally, the most fun I had was in being on San Jose's Dad Bod Rap Pod. Give it a solid listen. I think you will find it both super fun and super informative.

Also, super shout out to Dr. Cari Borja for having  Rene deGuzman, Eric Arnold, Mike Relm and I to the Apple Store in Union Square in SF to talk about our creative approach to the museum. It was super fun and gave us exposure to an older Hip-Hop curious crowd I did not know existed.

Much love to all our supporters. To our harsh critics, thank you for sharing your insights. I am very thankful to so much of the OMCA staff as well as all the contributors and artists who shared their art, knowledge and time to the exhibit. I am currently working on NEW projects that I hope to share with you soon.

WAIT!!! August 12th at Hello Stranger in Oakland 1724 Broadway, Oakland, CA we will be doing a closing party for the end of RESPECT. Please come through as we have DJ Platurn and some special guests coming to hit the set. Doors open at 9. We will also be debuting the RESPECT Mixtape made by DJ Platurn and epic Oakland scribe Eric Arnold. 

Adisa Banjoko Hosting Talk on Hip-Hop & Martial Arts June 30th 3-5 at Oakland Museum!!

Saturday, June 30, 2018, 3–5 pm

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In Hip-Hop culture, the barbershop is known as a community hub for news and debate. Inside special exhibition RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom, gather around the Barbershop space inside the gallery to learn from guest speakers focusing on new topics each month. Explore unexpected aspects of Hip-Hop culture. This month’s theme is Hip-Hop & Martial Arts, featuring Gene Ching, Publisher of Kung Fu Tai Chi & kungfumagazine.com, and Adisa “The Bishop” Banjoko, Founder and Executive Director of Hip Hop Chess Federation. 

Included with special exhibition Museum admission. There is an additional $4 charge for special exhibition RESPECT. Advance online tickets are available; choose your date and desired hour of entry.
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We also have some other special guests coming through....Don't miss this one!! 

EXCLUSIVE The Rhythm of War: MMA Fight Lab Champion D'Juan Owens

          MMA Champion (and HHCF Representative) D'Juan "Dirty South" Owens defends his title in March!! 

By: Adisa, The Bishop
Photos: Gene Kim

In MMA a lot of people come and go. A lot of people get into MMA for all the wrong reasons. Some do it for money and others for a quick flash of glory. D'Juan "Dirty South" Owens is none of the above. Mr. Owens is fighter with proven resilience. He is a fighter with a purpose greater than himself. Before doing MMA he was a competitive chess player in the military. Mr. Owens is also an avid kickboxing practitioner and a Hip-Hop dancer.

He recently won the Fight Lab Title between multiple visits to Uganda and Senegal teaching women and children dance and self defense. There is truly no one like him in MMA today. His passion for the rhythm between martial arts, chess and music truly makes him stand out inside and outside the cage.

                                           D'Juan finds many correlations between dance and martial arts. 

HHCF: You visited both Senegal and Uganda this year. Tell us what you were doing out there? 

DO: My latest visit to Uganda was on behalf of a non-profit we started in 2016 called "Fighting for Uganda". We teach free community self-defense seminars throughout Uganda. The focal point of our self-defense seminars is gender-based violence prevention(not limited to). During our lecture portion, we discuss situational awareness, domestic violence, and common misconceptions about consent. This is followed by out technique portion.

I traveled Senegal to work with an organization that I'm now a member of called the "Lionheart Initiative". LHI focuses on spreading and developing the sport of MMA in Africa. I came in contact with LHI founder AK Rupert late last year, and we hit it off instantly. We realized that we shared similar values and priorities, and almost immediately we started planning a project where I would teach MMA and self-defense seminars there.

HHCF: I have been consumed by the relationship between dance and martial arts. Bruce Lee was an accomplished Cha Cha dancer. Doing research on Miyamoto Musashi I learned he was a Japanese Noh dancer. Plus his book, The Book of 5 Rings is often about rhythms. Where do you find connections between dance and martial arts?

DO: There's so many man. Movement, rhythm, creativity, timing, and execution come to mind first. It's all art to me. Depending on the artist or practitioner, they can also be seen as systems.

            

HHCF: Do you see rhythm in both striking and grappling?

DO: I see rhythm in striking much more so than in grappling. Due to the space or lack of constant contact in striking, movement really can't be stopped. An avenue can be blocked, but not all avenues at once. Grappling provides so much more control for the dominant grappler. At this point in my development, I don't see grappling as rhythmic. All art isn't rhythm based though. It's definitely art.

HHCF: What are some of today's rap artists that you like?

DO: I'm really impressed by Quadir Lateef, Blitz the Ambassador, and Jay Electronica. I've got a lot of respect and appreciation for many more; but these are artist who I believe are extremely talented that Hip-Hop fans should get familiar with.

HHCF: Congratulations on winning your Title Fight last weekend! Tell us about the fight, and what this win means to you.

DO: Thank you brother! After a hard-fought battle we won "Fight Lab Promotions' " inaugural lightweight Title! The fight went on all five rounds, and we won by Unanimous decision. We had a tough opponent, who definitely came to win. 

This win was the exclamation point on a perfect year of competition success. We went 2-0 in MMA, 2-0 in pro kickboxing, and went 2-0 in grappling superfights.

HHCF: What are your plans for 2018 in terms of MMA?

DO: In 2018 I'll continue to improve as a martial artist, and as a MMA fighter. I'll also continue to compete and win. I'll defend my Title every time I fight for "Fight Lab", and I'll pursue and win a Title in any other organization that I fight for. I'm operating at the highest level of proficiency and efficiency in every aspect of my life. I'm actualizing potential.

HHCF: Any last words?

DO: Much love and respect to everyone out there striving and grinding toward their goals! 

Adisa, The Bishop is author of the book Bobby Bruce and the Bronx: The Secrets of Hip-Hop Chess and Guest Curator of the upcoming exhibit Respect: Hip-Hop Style and Wisdom opening March 24th 2018 at Oakland Museum of California.

WATCH: HHCF Expanding to North Carolina!!

               D'Juan Owens and Cody Maltais joined forces to help HHCF expand to NC!!

HHCF will be expanding to North Carolina!! With the help of Elevate MMA and D'Juan Owens they held an intro event in Durham, NC a few weeks back. In case you missed it, here are two pretty cool short videos that prove the fusion of Hip-Hop, chess and martial arts are for all people, of all backgrounds, all across America:

Video 1 ( a short vid explaining why we do what we do) made by Gene Kim

Video 2 (a lof of the rolling from that day and the youth) made by Beautiful by Design Art

Extra thanks to Cody Maltais of Elevate MMA, HHCF Southeast Regional Director Vince Bayyan and HHCF Raleigh Chapter Leader D'Juan Owens!!

D'Juan Owens is the Perfect Storm:Chess Player, MMA Fighter and Bboy!

 Fresh off his high octane submission victory over Myron Baker in Odyssey Fights, we got an exclusive interview with D'Juan "Dirty South" Owens. In this interview we look deeper into the connections between chess, music and martial arts. He also has a serious background as a Bboy (thats Hip-Hop dancer for you squares). He blends the wisdom he gets from the rhythm of fighting, dancing and playing chess. It gives him and edge that makes him a cut above the others in MMA today. D'Juan Owens is truly the living embodiment of everything HHCF represents. 

HHCF: I know you're a serious chess player, and a real beast in MMA. Can you tell me about the places you see overlap between MMA and chess?

D'Juan Owens: There are MANY aspects that I believe overlap between chess and MMA! I believe that self-confidence, and belief in your skill may be the most crucial. Regardless of how bad your position is in a bout(or a game), the fight isn't over, until it's over. If you're still in the fight, you should be striving for a path to victory. 

HHCF: You are also a real Bboy. The old school Kung-Fu films inspired a lot of dance moves as well as the psychology of battle. Can you tell me for you personally as a dancer and fighter the areas of overlap that affect how you approach both paths?

DO: When it comes to dancing and fighting, I see both as an extension of our personality. The rawest form of expression. Obviously, the more skill you have, the more ways in which you can express yourself. When I'm dancing, I want to paint a picture. When I'm fighting, I want to display the beauty in martial arts. Of course, there's a danger-element in fighting though, and winning is priority. But the more efficient I am, the more likely I am to win; and there's beauty in efficient combat.

HHCF: What are your favorite martial arts movies?

DO: My favorite martial arts movie is definitely the Shaw brother's "Five Deadly Venoms"! "Shaolin vs Lama", and Berry Gordy's "The Last Dragon" are my joints too.

HHCF: You just came off an awesome victory in a Jiu-Jitsu super fight at the "TORO Cup". Tell me about that match and the plan you put in action to win?

DO: I competed against a really slick 10th Planet guy. He'd been tearing up the local tournament scene lately. I watched a few of his matches online, and I saw that he was VERY good from the lockdown position. He submitted a black belt who I knew was really good, so I knew it would be a tough match. I figured if I could stay away from his lockdown and whip up transitions, and steer the match toward more traditional positions, then I would have an advantage. I was in fight camp for an MMA fight so I knew I would have a cardio advantage. We battled for position for the majority of our match, but eventually I got the pass, and won by kimura from the reverse-triangle position.

HHCF: A few MMA fights back you lost a decision to to Luis Felix in CES. You seem to have bounced back from the loss with new fire, refined focus and ability winning your last two fights by submission. Cuban chess Grandmaster Jose Raul Capablanca said something to the effect that it's the losses that make you a champion. What changed in you after the Felix fight?

DO: After the post-fight gorging ran it's course, I changed a few things in my nutrition and training regimen. I started really focusing on improving my wrestling, and getting serious about my diet. Honestly, I went into that fight on a great winning streak and I was feeling myself a little too much. I wound up having basically a "fat-camp", instead of a training camp. I have the BEST support system so after about a month of moping around, I got back in the lab, and back on the grind, and we've had great results since.

HHCF:  Wait, before I forget, what are some of your favorite Bboy jams to dance to?

DO: When I was really about that bboy life, I used to LOVE "Funky Lover"  by eruption. I can't control myself when I hear it! I don't care if I'm in a three-piece suit, or a scuba diving suit. If that joint comes on, I'm definitely throwing down on the spot!

                                                           Rock out for a bit to Eruption

HHCF: I know you were in NY last year and played some street games out there. Because of your MMA you have been able to play street chess all over the world. Tell me some cool stories about playing chess while traveling. What has chess taught you about other people? What has chess taught you about yourself?

DO: I went to NY earlier this year to train at "KINGS Thai Boxing" with my muay thai coach Aaron. He knows about my passion for chess, so between training sessions one day, he took me to Central Park. We planned on getting our hustle on "White Man Can't Jump" style, except with chess [laughs] . Long story short, I played  3 people who had tables set up, and beat them all. The guy who actually made a decent wager with us, looked devastated after he lost. He was pretty good, I'm assuming around a 1800 level. He was an aggressive attacker; but reckless. He banked everything on that attack, and when it failed, his defenses were weak. Aaron and I looked at each other after the match, and I KNEW that we were thinking the same thing....I couldn't take this guy's money. This was his livelihood. Seriously, this is what he does. I told him to keep the money, and he gave me a half-hearted laugh and said "next time"... but I FELT his relief. On the way back to the gym, Aaron and I  joked about it, and wound up having one of the best conversations about life that I'd had all year.

HHCF: What are your plans going forward in 2016? Any last words?

DO: In 2016 I plan on going even harder on the MMA grind. There's not a doubt in my mind that we'll be in the UFC in 2016! In the meantime, I'll keep loving my family and friends, forging new business relationships, helping my community, being an asset to all of the organizations that we work with, and most importantly, continually striving to be the best human that I can be. 

HHCF: I want to give a PHAT shout-out to The "Hip-Hop Chess Federation" for putting in the REAL work for our youth. I'm honored, and proud to be a part of that work. GET FAMILIAR!!!

THIS JUST IN: D'Juan Owens will be coming to the HHCF HQ in the Bay Area in December 2015 to do both Bboy and MMA/Jiu-Jitsu seminars....We will also be hosting a panel about dance and martial arts with some of the top fighters and dancers in the Bay Area. More soon!!!! 

Feb 9th HHCF & San Jose Universal Zulu Nation Come Together

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