HHCF 2016 Year in Review!

Happy New Year!! 2016 was a fantastic year for Hip-Hop Chess Federation Inc. The demand has never been greater.

In case you missed it, the media loves us.

Watch: KPIX TV (see our HHCF Chess Club at O'Connell HS by Kenny Choi)

Listen: The Cipher Show Podcast (interviewed by Forbes writer Shawn Setaro)

HHCF Chess & Life Strategies taught as a class at John O'Connell HS- You read correctly. Hip-Hop Chess Federation teaches chess and life strategies as a class in SFUSD. We show how chess and life is connected. We use those connections to help kids make decisions on academic and real life situations. It has been our greatest achievement and honor to date. We also have an amazing group with work with on weekends at College Track in Oakland, Unity High in Oakalnd and Cherryland Elementary in Hayward.. They are some of the greatest kids I've ever had the honor to teach. I feel like these three schools are without question our greatest groups of kids to work with ever. If you would like us at your  school please email contact@hiphopchessfederation.org !

The release of Bobby, Bruce & The Bronx: The Secrets of Hip-Hop Chess- After ten years of research we finally have a book out. It is a self-help book for teens and adults fusing classical chess tactics, Hip-Hip street psychology, and martial arts philosophy to keep you sharp in life. The book has a 5 star rating on Amazon. Now our curriculum can be absorbed worldwide. Get one today or lose to those who have.

Super Bowl 50 on stage with Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Coldplay- The whole team is still in shock. A select number of HHCF Raw Elite kids were invited to participate in the historic Superbowl 50 Halftime Show. Most were part of the amazing choreography on the field. Some were lucky enough to get on stage with Beyonce and Coldplay in the ending session of the halftime show. The rehearsals were insane but he opportunity was priceless.

HHCF National and Regional Titles- I cannot put into words how proud I am of the HHCF Raw Elite Team. I am the strength and conditioning coach. A lot of people forget how much work I do with girls. It is some of the most rewarding work I do. These boys and girls have what it takes to push through and work together. Our cheer and Lyrical Dance team won. Our Lyrical team though, not only won their division. These girls won a bid to compete in Las Vegas this year. If I could only tell you how many frustrating practices, blood, sweat and true tears it took to do what we did. I want to commend the coaches and the parents for their faith in the kids and faith in themselves.  We also had big wins in Hawaii and Santa Cruz. If you think your son or daughter would enjoy the fun and fitness that comes with competitive cheer please visit www.rawtalents.org  .

Also, the ever amazing Grant Torino just joined HHCF as a Hip-Hop dance teacher. This young man is second to none. His choreography is top tier and his ability to give kids confidence in their movements is truly unique.

HHCF Jiu-Jitsu Team wins big at US Open- Chess is jiu-jitsu for the mind. Jiu-Jitsu is chess for the body. That is the HHCF motto. Our team, took time to develop. We are small. I call us the 300. We are not big in number, but we are mighty. Our debut at the US Open was amazing Both kids and adults had amazing fun and won medals. 2017 should prove to open more doors. Our wrestling coach Andrew and our BJJ coach Sammy show practical, effective techniques. Our chess and jiu-jitsu program teaches blends the complimentary concepts from chess and jiu-jitsu. Each class ends with students on the board applying pins, forks and checkmates physically and mentally.   If your son or daughter would like to join call 888 588 4418. If you appreciate the spirit in which we teach, embrace nonviolence and love the gentle art, please get the OFFICIAL HHCF gi for women OR men at www.deusfight.com . We are forever grateful for their support in our team.




HHCF MMA Fighter D'Juan Owens Teaches in Uganda- After winning in MMA and Jiu-Jitsu matches this year D'Juan took some time to go teach kids in Uganda. It was an amazing journey. He taught Hip-Hop dance as well as classes self defense centered on kids and women. D'Juan was a great example of leadership on and off the mats.

Adisa Banjoko speaking at Kennedy Center in DC- The crown jewel of the year was an unexpected invite to keynote at the Words Beats and Life WBL Fest in DC. For the first time, I gave a talk about the hidden connections between Bruce Lee, the early art battle DJ'ing and its connection to the brains exercising executive function. It was received so well. I was so scared. You can hear a segment of it on Bishop Chronicles Podcast.

Honorable mentions in regards to our impact this year include HHCF Summer Program (funded by RZA). We taught chess, jiu-jitsu and entrepreneurship to kids. We had an HHCF  chess program in Alameda County juvenile hall. Tupac's sister Set Shakur, Ryron Gracie and Ralston Gracie came to visit our HQ. Rapper T-KASH dropped an album about nonviolence  AND he ran yet another Oakland Running Festival to bring more attention to nonviolence. We also hosted the DMC Bay Area DJ championships. The crowd was massive and amazing. Also, one of our performing arts kids was cast in a new movie starring Ludacris called Ride. Look for it in 2017.

What do we need help doing? We need help growing. The demand for our programs is much higher than we can currently manage. We need help scaling. We need grant writers and we need help building our fundraising capabilities. If you can help us please contact us at contact@hiphopchessfederation.org. 

Thank you to all our sponsors and donors. You mean the world to us. Without you, none of the help we give the youth is possible. If you would like to donate to HHCF, a 501(c)3 nonprofit please visit www.hiphopchess.com and donate today! 

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Launches Summer Camp on Chess and Entrepreneurship

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Launches Summer Camp on Chess and Entrepreneurship

Non-profit bridges gaps between music, business and technology

San Jose, CA 6/9/2014- The Hip-Hop Chess Federation(HHCF) is proud to announce that it will be hosting its annual Summer Camps. This summer the camps will be held at Ocalla Middle School starting June 16 and will run for 8 weeks . Camp programs include classes Chess, Entrepreneurship Camp,  Hip-Hop Dance and Cheerleading.

It is well known the some of Silicon Valley and Hip-Hop have chess as a common theme in their life.

Thanks to the generosity of the City of San Jose Safe Summer Initiative Grant, the HHCF is able to drop the price of the camp from $295 a week to a low price of $99 a week. This grant will help some kids attend who might not have been able to otherwise. The HHCF works to ensure that learning the game of kings is not reserved for only the economic elite.  

“Our chess camps stay full because they are more than  just becoming a chess champion” stated HHCF Founder Adisa Banjoko. “Chess teaches kids how ideas followed with the right planning and action make you victorious. Our methods teach young people the connection between chess, life and education strategies. We are really excited about this years entrepreneurship camp where participants will develop skills to help them become the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. Throughout the camps we will bring in will bring in company founders and start-up Silicon Valley executives to host guest lectures on topics such as business strategies, chess and more”.

The camp for K-12th grade encourages local schools and community members to participate in this summer camps. The $99 fee provides each camper with materials for camp activities and for those registered by June 13, a free camp T-shirt.

A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Parents should contact Crystal Silva atcamps@hiphopchessfederation.org, if finances are a concern.

About Hip-Hop Chess Federation: The Hip-Hop Chess Federation is the first nonprofit 501(c)3 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 from Wu-Tang Clan, chess master Josh Waitzkin, actor Emilio Rivera,  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. Visit their official website at www.hiphopchessfederation.org.

Chess and the Art of Business

Chess and the Art of Business

By: Adisa Banjoko

                               Top business chess players include Peter Thiel, Danille Rice, Seth Bannon

About a year or so ago I gave a short keynote speech to a group of  300 high school  kids interested in entrepreneurship at San Jose City Hall. Since it came out, different people have asked me some of my thoughts on the connection between chess and business.

When teaching the HHCF Life Strategies program to teens I always highlight the fact that rappers like RZA,  Jay Z, 50 Cent and Will Smith love the game of chess. I remind them that these guys are not consumed with chess mastery as much as using the game to master their emotions and stay focused on options. I teach them how concepts like “divide and conquer” and “win first, then seek battle” can apply to almost any team sport or business endeavor. Ideas from Sun Tzu and Machiavelli work on the chessboard as well as the boardroom.

The connection between chess and business is not new, but it’s also not very often explored deeply. Like many other aspects of the world chess touches it sits on the sidelines of the American consciousness.

In 2005 the Harvard Business Review interviewed chess icon Garry Kasparov about his thoughts on business and chess. Anatoly Karpov put out a great book a few years ago called Chess and the Art of Negotiation. It’s a great look at how the psychology of combat plays a role in business decision making. The main thing to consider here is that one not need be a Grandmaster or Master to understand and use these ideas for your own business. You only need to play consistently and pay attention to the reasons behind your losses and victories.

Here are some thoughts I had about how chess and business are alike, specifically to the chess pieces on the board.

    This set is designed by Studio Anne Carlton Chess follow them on Twitter @SACchess

King=CEO:

Creates the vision for the entire company. This is where the core ideas, values and purpose arise. Kings have the lion's share of the ideas and inspiration but very little of the ability to actualise everything in its totality. This is the person who essentially creates the brand. But brand building is the root of so much else that needs to be actualized. This is why the other pieces on his team are so important. Without a king there is nothing to fight for, he is priceless.

Queen= Investors/Board of Directors:

The queen is the defender of the Kings vision. and economic model for maximum profit. They survey all the terrain ahead and map out the grand strategy for actualizing the kings vision. A king without a queen is always doomed. A CEO without his board and investors support and resources is also doomed.  

Bishops = Business Development

These are the people who understand and live the brand's philosophy and use angles of differentiation and positioning to gain advantages for the company. They are the key evangelists for the brand. They know their lane and stay strong in it.

Knights = Outside Sales

These guys jump directly into the fog of war to go head up with the competition, and do battle in the name of their king. You have to respect them because of their fearless devotion to the brand's mission. Their work in the field makes them indispensable as a resource for information for Bishops and queens. They move in unorthodox ways at times, but always work well with Bishops and Knights.

Rooks= Inside sales.

These guys take the vision of the product directly to other industry leaders. Its their job to look forward and hit people straight up with the value of the company. Philosophically, the rook also symbolizes those of in depth knowledge of the product and purpose of the company.

Pawns= The daily workers that make the entire operation happen:

This word pawn often gets overused to represent the simple underling. This is a huge mistake. Pawns outnumber every other piece on the board. Their unity spells disaster for the opposing team. They are usually the first to hit the battlefield and sacrifice themselves for the sake of the king. Those that survive and cross to the other side can gain the power of the queen.Their ability to work together is the root of victory for the kings empire.

Now enjoy your day, and go have a good game with a few friends!!

Adisa Banjoko is the Founder of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation 501(c)3. Learn more by following the official HHCF Instagram @realhiphopchess

LISTEN: New Bishop Chonicles Podcast on Molly and Technology

Today we have a very serious show about the impact of MDMA aka "Molly" and its horrific effect on teens and young adults. Rapper Kendrick Lamar recently took a courageous stance against the drug. But many others including Kanye West, Tyga, Trinidad James and Rick Ross have celebrated the drug a lot. This is a serious discussion and selections from some songs are played to give context to the conversation. Kids under 15 we suggest you get parents permission!!

After that, we have an amazing conversation with attorney David Frazee about amazing technology trends in the Silicon Valley and the importance of protecting your ideas!! If you are a business owner or you aspire to be one, you must tune into this interview.

LISTEN HERE NOW: www.bishopchronicles.com 

Adisa Banjoko to Keynote: 6th Annual Citywide Youth Conference in San Jose!

What: The Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services’ (PRNS) 
Youth Commission hosts the 6th Annual Citywide Youth Conference. 

When: Friday, June 14, 2013 
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 
Where: San José City Hall Rotunda 
 200 East Santa Clara Street 
 San José, CA 95113 
Who: 300 high school students throughout San José 
Norberto Duenas, Deputy City Manager, City of San José 
Kansen Chu, Councilmember, District 4 
Ash Kalra, Councilmember, District 5 
Donald Rocha, Councilmember, District 9 
Johnny Khamis, Councilmember, District 10 

Background: The 2013 Youth Conference theme of “Dream It, Live It”, will focus on the
unbridled spirit of entrepreneurship, with a goal to educate, empower and
inspire youth to pursue future endeavors of building a successful business.
 The conference connects our future generation with some of San José’s
prominent leaders and successful business owners.

By choosing the topic of entrepreneurship, the Youth Commission hopes to
motivate the next generation to actively pursue opportunities in business, in
order to create a robust economy for their city, state and nation.
 The conference is fully developed and implemented by the Youth
Commissioners and is centered on empowering our future generation to be
leader of our local communities and beyond. Teens from all different walks of
life actively participate in workshops, discussions, debates and hands-on
learning that have a direct impact on their daily lives. In addition to workshops
correlating to the annual theme, the conference is attended by elected
 Citywide Youth Conference  officials, local leaders and business owners who fully support the
 Commission’s vision of playing a vital role in shaping the future of San José
and our nation.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services’ Youth
Commission is an appointed body of eleven youth, 14 - 21 years of age, and
is modeled after the San José City Council. They are recognized as the
official youth advisory group to the City Council and the Department of Parks,
Recreation and Neighborhood Services. Youth Commissioners are involved
with policy recommendatiions concerning youth and support the development
of youth who desire to serve their community through active civic participation
and constructive decision-making.

*** MEDIA INTERVIEWS ***
Local media is invited to attend the conference to interview Youth
Commissioners and available speakers immediately following opening
remarks on Friday, June 14, 2013 from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.