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. 

Oakland Rapper T-.K.A.S.H. Drops Supreme Leader!!

Rapper/Endurance Runner T-K.A.S.H compliments his new online release "Supreme Leader" by running in the 2017 San Francisco Marathon to raise awareness to Title IX rights for students in higher education.

For Immediate Release:

Bay Area rapper/endurance runner T-KASH has been active in the endurance running scene for several years now. 

This year, he is once again using his star power to bring awareness to community issues. His next running event, the San Francisco Marathon this Sunday, will serve as a platform to bring awareness for the need of maintaining Title IX rights for students with dependents on college campuses and beyond.

"It's a dear issue to me, my mother went back to city college while I was in high school, and I obtained my college degrees while raising kids", he explained. 

When asked why he waited until now to advocate for this specific time, he said, " The current socio-political climate could put the Department of Education and and Title IX rights for students at risk. I couldn't fathom doing nothing about that."

He is also acknowledging the ten year anniversary of the 2006 Guerrila Funk Recordings release "Turf War Syndrome", which has received countless accolades and solidified him as a globally recognized hip hop icon.

As with all of his previous running events, T-KASH will be sponsored by the Hip Hop Chess Federation, and wearing attire by fellow Oakland emcee Mistah Fab's "Dope Era" clothing line.

"Supreme Leader" by T-K.A.S.H. is now available online and can be found here.

https://soundcloud.com/tomie-lenear/sets/t-k-a-s-h-supreme-leader

Nonviolent Rap Song of the Week #2 Dead Homiez by Ice Cube

      Ice Cube was one of the most polarizing solo artists in Hip-Hop in the 1990's. 

Dead Homiez showed his softer side.

In the mission of HHCF to promote nonviolence and show the history of Hip-Hop as a nonviolent artform, we look at the work of the one and only Ice Cube from the Kill at Will EP. The song is one that served as a turning point for me as young Black male in America at the time.

My goal is to drop these every Monday and Friday. I will do all I can to hold to that. If you want to email me suggestions (though I cannot promise to honor everyone's request) hit me on twitter @hiphopchess !!

Rap had indeed taught me many different things by the time this song was released in 1990. I will do some more research, but I think it may be the first rap song looking into the psychology of HOW death affected what we were seeing on the streets of LA, NY, Chicago, Oakland and San Francisco.

I remember feeling like I had never ever felt like I felt when I heard this song. As suburban as I was, being in Hip-Hop, you just know people who are connected to the reality of the streets. One of my boys was a lightweight drug dealer. He and a friend were tied to the car seat his Cadillac and shot in the face with shotguns. This was a childhood friend.

Not long after, another friend shot himself in the head. He was a good friend and very skilled artist. But he came from the deep streets of LA. Word was he had killed someone who tried to kill him. It was self-defense he was never caught but it appeared that he could never recover from taking someone's life. One day, he just killed himself. No note, no sense of closure.

I never went to the funerals of either of them. I felt like a coward for not going. I still do. I never understood it. I used to play this song on repeat. The second verse always haunted me:

Another homie got murdered on a shakedown {3 gun shots}
And his mother is at the funeral, havin' a nervous breakdown
Two shots hit him in the face when they blasted {2 gun shots}
A framed picture and a closed casket
A single file line about 50 cars long
All driving slow with they lights on
He got a lot of flowers and a big wreath
What good is that when you're six feet deep?
I look at that shit and gotta think to myself

To me, this song opened the door for a lot of the others songs that come out of Hip-Hop that share the trauma of the victims, friends, and families of those who were front row to the Black death of the 80's and 90's. I'm not alone. Just look up the statistics online. Gun violence was as common as rainfall back then. It may even be worse now. I cannot tell and I'm not sure I actually want to know the answer.

Dead Homiez was a cleansing song as necessary as any Gospel song my granny would have played after her friends died. It may not have made sense to anyone else, who was not young and Black at that time. But I needed this song and all those like them.

WATCH: Dead Homiez by Ice Cube

Read the annotated lyrics to Dead Homiez at Rap Genius to soak in the wisdom. There is a parental advisory on this one. A few curse words are in the track. But I never saw it as gratuitous in nature.

To read more about nonviolence in Hip-Hop read Bobby, Bruce & the Bronx: The Secrets of Hip-Hop Chess in Amazon.com.

Nonviolent Rap Song of the Week #1 Live and Let Live by Souls of Mischief

HHCF has always been an advocate for nonviolence at it's root. We have spent more than a decade promoting peace through fusion of art an logic. It is in that undying spirit that we will post a song once a week that promotes peace and or share the impact of violence in urban communities.

We will post these uncensored (though many will not have curse words). The first song is one that I have always loved, Live and Let Live by Oakland icons Souls of Mischief from the mighty Hieroglyphics Crew. It came out in 1993. However, I will post rap songs from all eras of rap. This will not just be a look back, but a look at now- as we look forward.

Note these songs are chosen at random and are NOT a ranking, but simply a LIST of the songs about peace that permeate rap music. 

I will post a link to the lyrics so you can read along. It is important to soak in the idea that code switching is always at the root of a lot of rap. I cannot walk you through all of the slang in each song. I encourage you to use Rap Genius to help you get clear on certain words if you do not come from the rap world. Please use the annotation of the lyrics. 

However, the reality of Hip-Hop (and rap music specifically) as an art form celebrating peace above and beyond all other forms of mainstream music is part of what we aim to prove. This song contains curse words. Parental discretion is advised. 

HHCF Juvenile Hall Diary Day 4!!

As I came in on Thursday, I had a lot swimming in my mind. I was thinking about the kid I kicked out. As per my personal rules, if I kick a kid out, he is out the day after. I was contemplating keeping him out for the week.

About 20 years ago, I was studying Confucianism thanks to an old Native American friend (he also introduced me to the beauty of sushi). A scholar from the Ming Dynasty wrote at the time “To go too far, is just as bad is not going far enough.” Was it unjust to keep him out? Was it being weak to let him in given the chances of him coming back with disruption on his mind. He was charismatic. The kids in the hall could follow him.

I checked into the building in a slight haze. As I got in they informed me that today was the last day. I had mistakenly thought it went all week like last years camp. It was not like last year. It rattled me more than I thought. I had plans for them on Friday and now, it was NOT to be.

One of the weirder things about jails and juvenile halls is the sterile nature of the place. The fluorescent lights, peanut butter walls, white walls- they numb you out. Kinda depressing, I can't lie.

So, I came in and I just wrote something on the board:

KING= Your goal.

Strategy= What tools (pieces) will you need to make it happen?

Checkmate= You win/ Victory!

They read it as they came in ready to go. I shook their hand as they entered. The energy was upbeat.

“This is my last day y’all. I did not plan for it to be like this. I thought I would be here till Friday- but I’m out. So, rather than get caught up with a lot of philosophy, let me just say that I loved being with you guys. I don’t know if any of this will stick but I hope you liked learning from me and I hope you liked the games you played.”

They were all sad. “ Aww man that’s weak.” one of them said.

“ I know, but look. Let me just run through some for attack strategies and lets jump on the boards. The main thing I want you to know is you are all brilliant. Your wisdom is not the issue. You are all brilliant. I just want you to get out, stay out and live well.”

We went over knight for puzzles. I was a stickler for ensuring they answered everything algebraic notation. They did it. Then we jumped into some games. It was fantastic.

One Latino student who I taught some moves to, who beat me after I gave him some pointers had blood in his eyes when he sat at the board. We went hard. I got him 3 games straight. He smiled at the end of class and was like. I’m gonna get you tomorrow” smiling wide as we shook hands.

A kid standing behind me said “He’s not coming back it's over.”

His smile went away and he shook his head. You could tell he was running some internal dialogue.

“These were great games man. Great games” I said.

After my break I went into the next class. I wallked in a little early. My classroom was not open. I stood in the pod looking around. One of the kids rooms was dark (they choose if they want their light on or not). In the blackness of the room and glare of the window I could see two eyes lasered in on my face. It was one of my students. He saw me see him inside the darkness. I smiled and nodded. Gave him two thumbs up. He smiled and nodded back. It started to bother me that he was in a cage. That he was in a cage and could still smile, gave me an odd sense of hope though. I’m still not sure what it was all meaning to me.

As I greeted them, the boy who I had issues with walked in. Head up, super proud. I greeted him and shook his hand. He shook my hand but his eyes were emotionally cold. I could tell though that the sincerity of my smile and energy of my greeting caught him off guard.

I quickly told them this was the last day. I was giving some final motivational words. The SAME kid who I just let back in was talking. I politely asked him to stop once, then twice. The third time I turned to him and approached his desk.  

“Come on man” I asked in a pain inflicted tone. “You just got back. I’m chillin’. You know it’s my last day. Are you really going to do this right now. You’re just gonna come in knowing it’s my last day and cool out in the back of the room talking with you boy? Why would you do that?

Before he could respond the kid who I smiled at through the blackness cut in.

“You gotta forgive him. He does not understand plain words. You gotta look at him in his eyes and be like ‘N*** SHUT THE F*** UP!’ a he will chill out.”

The room chuckled, and the kid continued. “Nah seriously, you know how when kids are born their heads are shaped bad. He’s one of those. You gotta massage his head and form it so he can hear you.” More snickers came out across the room.

I looked at Tats and I said “Is that what I gotta do? Help me understand. Because I feel like you are totally disrespecting me right now- and I don’t get it.”

Tats smiled a sincere smile. He said “Look I don’t mean any disrespect to any teacher. Especially to any OG. I respect you OG. I do. I respect all the teachers here.”

Then in a millisecond his face changed. He looked up at the lights and it seemed like he was no longer talking to me. It was like he was standing in the room looking back at himself “At the same time, I’m a man too OG. I’m a man!” he cried out in passion- not anger. “I do my push-ups in the room. I do my crunches. I do my jumping backs. I’m kinda small but I’m gettin bigger. I’m a man.” The guys in the room fell out laughing. Their laughter took him out of his trance. He smiled and laughed a little too. “I know I sound crazy. But I’m serious though.”

I realized in that moment that his issues were not really with me. His issue was he was torn between the boy who was evaporating and the man who was emerging. He was unsure if I told him to be quiet and he did it- was he being weak in a space where being weak made you a target?

“OK. I respect you as a man” said without hesitation. “But I don’t feel like we need to get all into it just to get through a class. These guys are trying to learn too. When you interrrupt, you are taking away from their time, and your time. That’s all I’m saying” I stated with a slight shrug of the shoulders and my palms turned up to the ceiling.

“I got you OG. I’m chillin’” he said sitting back and nodding.

The class went onto to be the best of the week. He played in the best game of the week. It see sawed back and forth between he and another kid. In the end he lost but the game was so epic the whole room was laughing and joking and yelling.

Turns out, Tats was a incredible rapper and dropped some heavy verses before class was out. He shook my hand before he went back to his cell. The kids were all wishing I could come back. I feel the sting of it too. But that class was amazing.

As one kid was goig out the door he said “Can I make money playing chess?”

“No lil bro. No. You want to use the game to build your plan for your LIFE and push hard that way. Then you will get paid. But you have to stay on the boards to really see the levels. You understand?” He nodded and smiled.

The highlight of the last class was with a kid who I knew trained in jiu-jitsu and meditation with a good friend of mine. Apparently a kid from my first class had a problem with him. I heard talk about them possibly getting physical. This kid and I played several games all week. This day we did not. As class was letting out and I was saying goodbye I pulled him aside.

I pointed to the thing on the board about the king, the pieces and the victory. I said “Look, you know I don’t know you that well. But I know your instructor and he would not want you figthing right now. He would want you going back to your room and meditating. He would want you in your room exercising. He would want you to think through this. For me, when I look at you. Your king is FREEDOM. I don’t know what that kid did. But nothing he said, is more important than getting out. Unless he is actively on you trying to harm you- keep it peaceful. Because anything you do is going to get you more time. Don’t give the courts one more second than you have to. Get free and then me, you and your instructor can go train and get some sandwiches and chill. Wouldn’t that be better than being in here?”

He nodded. “OK….OK.” in a tone that told me for the moment he was convinced nonviolence was the best way out. I called his instructor and told him what happened as I left.

Oh! I gotta say there were 4 different rap sessions I saw in the hall. One was from a kid who did not know chess. By the end of the week he did an amazing freestyle about chess and life. He said that he was so confused by the game and he never thought he could learn. I promised him he would know the game and he thanked me for keeping my word.

There was the rap session with the Tats who I just mentioned. It was truly amazing.

Another dope moment was a kid handed me a copy of a song he wrote. It is super deep and covered a lot of painful issues around his incarceration, broken family trauma and loniness he faces. I hope to share it with you in the future. But I have to get some clearances before I can.

Also, the first day  when I asked who could rap they all pointed to this White kid. He was the only White kid in the hall that day ( a few more came in the day I left- it was all Black and Brown). He had bright green eyes and slicked back hair. The verse he did blew my mind. He was getting out that day. This afternoon he reached out to me on Instagram. I’m gonna try to get him to record a song.

I want to thank you all for taking the time to read this and I want to thank all the good people at the Alameda County Juvenile Center for their kindness and support. I want to thank all the JIO’s for their support when I’m in all the units. It is always and honor for me to spend time with incarcerated kids. Much love y’all.

Defend The Crown,

Adisa

HHCF Starts Summer Sessions in Juvenile Hall: Day 1

Today the HHCF was happy to be back for another summer session at juvenile hall. As you may recall, last summer we were at Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center teaching chess and life strategies. We returned today and it was amazing.

This morning I went in and met some amazing young souls. Each day we go to three units. They are held in regular classrooms. Each visit to the hall is always emotionally trying. If you have never been to a juvenile hall, it can be depressing at times. It takes some real psychological and philosophical preparation. Because I have done a work in St. Louis with Incarcerated youth, and did prison volunteer work before, a lot of this is not new to me. Nevertheless, it is not easier.

I think because my kids are older now, many of the teen boys and girls there resemble my own kids and others in my family. I reminded myself as I approached to treat these kids like family.

The first kids were in Unit 4. A cool group of about 12 boys entered my classroom.

“We finna just sit here and play chess all morning?” one boy said defiantly with a scowl on his face as he sat down reluctantly.

“No” I said calmly, “We’re going to talk about a lot more.”

I started by just introducing myself. I talked about my history. I explained to them all the mistakes I made as a kid. I talked to them about how my school counselor at Oceana High School (Mr. King) saw me as a journalist before I saw it in myself. I went onto tell them about how I met Eazy E and how my interview with him led me to write for the rest of my life.

I explained the point of it all was that when I couldn’t find any value in myself, Mr. King saw a writer. His ability to see me as a writer changed me forever. I reminded them that no matter the mistakes they may have made that they are still young and brilliant. I reminded them that I do not judge them in any way and that I am not here to save them. “I cannot save you: I said. " I am not here to be a savior. I am only asking you to allow me to give you some tools to help you make better decisions. If you let me do that, you will save yourself. You won’t need me.”

Then I shared my book Bobby, Bruce & the Bronx: The Secrets of Hip-Hop Chess with them. They looked at the photos of me and Eazy and Pac. After laughing at me, they asked me about what Hip-Hop was like way back and about the fashion of the time. It was really cool.

From there we just jumped into the game of kings. When I asked how many of them knew the game, 80% of the kids raised their hands. I then chose two teens to teach the others how the pieces moved. HHCF is always using peer to peer training to help young people engage and inspire one another.

Between the gaming I shared the life lessons from the book. The class was amazing and the kids were supremely inspired to come back Tuesday.

After a short break I went back to Unit 4 to meet a second group of kids. Another group of 12. They were a little harder on sight than the first group. A short heavily tattooed teen walked in flexing his muscles. Despite wearing a long sleeved sweater you could see he had size. He came in yelling that he was the best in the game and he didn’t care who thought they were better- including me. I looked at him and blinked- unmoved.

Another boy with the same skin as Wesley Snipes sat down casually and pointed to the kid who had been flexing. Half slouching in his chair he stated “You gotta beat him in chess first. If you can beat him, we’ll listen to whatever you have to say. If you lose, we out.”

The kid flexing smiled and nodded “Straight up.”

I smiled back.

“Before we do that, I have to say something. Without asking permission” I went into the same talk as I did with the previous group. I shared the book again.

The young man with the tattoos looked up on the board at my outline of piece values ( Q = 9 pts. R = 5 pts, B = 3 pts, N = 3 pts, P = 1 pt.).

Interrupting my introduction he said “What is all that?” in a wrinkled tone with a wrinkled forehead.

“Oh this?” I said in a relaxed tone. “You’re looking at the value of all the chess pieces. I thought you was ‘the man’?” I said in a mocking manner.

He smiled. “Ok, ok.”

From there I went onto the conclusion of my talk. In this group all but two kids knew how to play. They caught on quick and we all played a few games. The tattooed kid was good, but I won my game. Anticipating a lot of trash talk, I caught him off guard by shaking his hand and talking about all the things he did well.

By the end of the class all the kids were locked into the 64 squares of infinite combat. When class ended each kid was promising  big losses to their opponent the next day.

After lunch I went into the Unit 1. I used the same pitch as the first two. 60% of the kids knew the game here. I taught the ones who didn’t as those who did just jumped into battle tactics.

Later I played a game with a strong Latino player. He was long and lean, with a close haircut and a youthful smile. Even the rugged realities of juvenile hall had not robbed him of his smile. I was inspired by his inner peace and the preservation of his joy.

We went into our game and I played him very soft. He was the wrong one to do that with. My laziness was met with a wave of aggressive tactics. Before I knew it, he had my king running for the corner. In the panic, I broke my queen out to save the situation. She defended me well until I slipped and she was sniped by his bishop.

As he was closing in to finish me off class ended. He gave a sinister giggle and postured up.

“Saved by the bell!” I shouted like a man in the ring with Tyson in his prime.

“Just kidding. You were gonna get me. I’mma give you this one. See you tomorrow.”

“Ok, ok!!” he said laughing hard. I will see you tomorrow.”

Pt. 2 will get posted about 10 PM PST. I really love our time with these kids. You guys be well.

Defend The Crown,

Adisa

Free HHCF event at Benny Adem in Oakland THIS SUNDAY!!!

Bring your family out to this event. Participate in open gaming, come learn and participate in a community discussion on chess and education.

Community Art Discussion in Oakland April 7!!

Alice Street Symposium Addresses Gentrification, Displacement, and Cultural Resiliency

On April 7, the Community Rejuvenation Project (CRP) will host the Alice Street Symposium on Community Engagement Strategies and Best Practices. The event includes a screening of director Spencer Wilkinson’s “Alice Street Short” documentary film, two presentations, and a moderated panel discussion followed by an audience Q&A. The event’s objective is to facilitate a dialogue between community leaders, arts practitioners, funders, and public officials focusing on community engagement strategies using arts to address issues of gentrification, displacement, and resiliency.

As Oakland’s gentrification epidemic continues, cultural arts practitioners and low- and middle-income residents now find themselves threatened with displacement -- which creates an opportunity for common ground with historically-underserved communities of color. “Alice Street” spotlights these issues through a unique perspective – the painting of a massive mural which becomes a connecting bridge between two neighboring yet seemingly-disparate communities, as well as a symbol of the gentrification threatening communities or color and artists, and the struggle for equitable development.

The symposium will further explore key issues and themes of the film: the role the cultural arts play in resiliency efforts of historically-underserved communities; community responses to concerns and threats of displacement; the impact of new development on ethnically-diverse neighborhoods; how murals transform and reshape blighted neighborhoods; the importance of community engagement efforts in public art projects; and how public art can be a connecting link to a city’s cultural history. This event will engage and inform at-risk populations, culture keepers, arts advocacy organizations, and policymakers by identifying and sharing cultural resiliency best practices as part of anti-displacement efforts which seek to mitigate the negative impacts of gentrification.

Presentations by CRP founder/Executive Director Desi Mundo and Roy Chan of the Chinatown Oral History Project will share stories of cultural resiliency and the evolution of community engagement models. Chan will focus on Tai Chi practitioners in Maidson Square Park who have faced constant threats of displacement and Oakland Chinatown’s long history of resiliency in the face of land grabs by the city of Oakland, developers, and BART. “With Oakland's recent push for new development such as the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan, this story highlights ever more the importance of sustaining cultural identity in long-standing ethnic neighborhoods like Chinatown,” Chan said.

Mundo will relate the evolution of CRP’s community engagement model and the development of their pavement to policy approach to public art policy over the past decade, as well as how cultural arts practitioners can play important roles in community-based advocacy efforts around equitable development and calls for increased investment in the cultural arts as an economic development strategy. “Without embedded arts advocates within the structural framework of the city, artists have been forced to speak up for themselves and navigate the complex processes to stay afloat, as rental costs increase exponentially,” Mundo said. “The arts are critical tools in the fight against gentrification and the retention of cultural identity. At the core of that is community engagement."

The panel discussion will be moderated by CRP Communications and Policy Director Eric Arnold, and features local historians, culture keepers, artists, and organizers.

The symposium will take place on Friday April 7, 2017 from 12 PM - 3 PM at the Elihu Harris Memorial Auditorium at the State Building and is free to the public. This event is sponsored by the Akonadi Foundation and Assemblyman Rob Bonta’s office. For more information, contact Eric Arnold at escribe68@gmail.com/(510)-681-8213 or visit www.crpbayarea.org and www.alicestreetfilm.com.

BREAKING: HHCF Launch Chess & Jiu-Jitsu Classes!!

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Unveils a Fusion of Chess and Jiu-Jitsu to Promote Peace on the Streets  

HHCF Launches Chess & Jiu-Jitsu Class to Promote Fitness and Nonviolence

3/15/17 San Jose, CA- Hip-Hop Chess Federation 501(c)3 is proud to announce it has created a Chess & Jiu-Jitsu class for kids, teens and adults. The class is the brainchild of the HHCF’s Founder, Adisa “The Bishop” Banjoko. Mr. Banjoko holds the rank of brown belt and is author of The Iron Hook Scroll (a book on submission holds) and the self improvement book Bobby, Bruce & the Bronx: The Secrets of Hip-Hop Chess. The book illustrates how strategies from Hip-Hop, chess and martial arts can be used to build short and long term goal setting. It seamlessly connects concepts found in shows like The Get Down, Luke Cage and The Breaks to daily life. His lectures on this topic have brought his unique brand of wisdom to podiums at Harvard, Stanford, Oberlin College in U Conn among others. The Bishop was recently the recipient of The Legacy Award by Rock The School Bells for his consistent work in the field. The organization is an innovator in the space of STEAM and STEM.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Rap artists like Rakaa Iriscience of Dilated Peoples, Public Enemy DJ Johnny “Juice” Rosado, and even R&B artists like Usher have spent time learning the art. DJ Qbert even made a song about it on his last album.  At the same time jiu-jitsu masters Rickson Gracie, Ryron Gracie, Carlos Machado and others have shown a consistent affinity for the game of chess. The HHCF however is the first organization to ever fuse both arts into one class.

“This class is built for average people to discover and actualize their extraordinary potential” stated The Bishop.  “We show the overlapping mental and physical themes between chess and jiu-jitsu. It was something I envisioned when I started HHCF a decade back. I recently had a chess student I wanted to test my theories on. In less than four months we took him from ‘What is jiu-jitsu?’ to taking second at the US Open. Now what I taught him, I want to teach around the world in hope of promoting peace and nonviolence across the globe.”

The organization teaches that chess is jiu-jitsu for the mind and jiu-jitsu is chess for the body.”

Right now the HHCF Chess & Jiu-Jitsu class has a solid group of  students (a mix of kids, teens and college age adults) taking the class and the growing interest shows no sign of slowing down. “People always say the Hip-Hop community never offers solutions to violence in the world. Our program proves them all wrong.”

For more information on workshops and how to join visit www.hiphopchess.com

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!