HHCF's Adisa Banjoko Competes in No Gi Grappling Event

So, as some of you know, Adisa loves Brazilian Jiu Jitsu...but, being a family man, pursuing it full time was never a real option. I'm a father first. and I have ambitions toward MMA. Anyway, after a long hiatus from anything that could be considered real training, I got back on the mats. I'm real rusty and get tired way too easy, but I love jiu jitsu.

Gumby, co-founder of www.onthemat.com and a recenly crowned Black belt under Ralph Gracie was kind enough to let me train with him. Gumby is a walking encyclopedia of BJJ technique and philosophy. So, any time I get to connect and learn I take it.

The OTM Fight Shop dudes train in a hard to locate warehouse in San Jose. All together its me, Bill, Mike, Sai, Paige, Artie, Jesse, Armando and Will...Gumby runs us all hard several nights a week.

Yesterday Alex Oxendine, a brown belt under the one and only BJ Penn held an open mat/smoker style event. This was a no gi event. You fight in board shorts and a shirt to rash guard. It was held at Milpitas Health and Fitness. Baically, its not a tournament....The atmosphere is more laid back... But you roll 100% with folks you don't know. There are no points for things like takedowns, side controls etc. and if someon taps out, if there is time on the clock, you keep rolling.

I'd heard of these kind of events but I never went to any. When Gumby suggested I get in it, I had a ton of second thoughts. I'm super rusty, I feel like I'm gettin old, I just got off having a staph infection and I twisted my ankle. Thats a long list of reasons to not do it. But Gumby convinced me to jump in...Thats what life is about anyway right?

And you know what? I did it! I had a fantastic time. I saw guys from Guerilla Jiu Jitsu, One World Martial Arts, Sergio Silva's Open Door BJJ, Fight and Fitness, Modcom, Freestyle Submission Academy, Pacific Rim, all kinds of schools. These guys are all races, ages, religions, political affiliations as brothers in combat. As brothers in pursuit of self refinement.

Alex Oxendine gave opening remarks about what techniques were legal and illegal in the matches. Among illegal moves was, no twisting heelhooks! I hate those.

Most of all though, he encourged folks to go hard, but not to try and kill themselves, or their opponent during the matches...This ws a day of personal growth.... The spirit of the matches was to find out where you are technically. There were no medals, no points, so nobody had to have any anxiety about what place they ranked in.

They had three mats and one actual ring. Each match was four minutes. If you got tapped inside the four minutes but wanted to keep going, you could (did I say that already?). You got your name called and what number mat you were supposed to go to, met your opponent and your ref and did your thing. Each time the bell rang you had to listen for your name and what number mat you reported to.

There were a lot of people there who came to roll. At least 80 fighters were on hand. Waiting to hear your name is a huge deal...You are watching guys you have never seen (and some you have!) exhibit high skill, courage and athleticism. Its impressive and intimidating at the same time.

Armando got his name called first. I was unable to see all of his matches from his vantage point- but he tapped his guy with a guillotine choke and something else I could not see because of the crowd. When he came out, he kept telling me- "remember to breathe bro". I was proud of him. He did a great job out there.

About 45 minutes in they called my name. At 212 pounds I had no idea what to expect. They had some BIG DUDES in the house...Becasuse my bracket did not have a lot of guys, I got put against my fellow OTM brother Bill...We rolled in the ring!

Bill is heavier then me and strong as an ox. The main thing here is that we go hard, but obviously, we aint trying to kill one another. That usually sucks (going with a guy from your school in a competition setting), but I found it help get me rid of the "first fight jitters". Bill took me down (told ya he was strong), I had him in some kind of half guard position from the bottom and tried applying a Kimura that never worked. The bell rang, we hugged and headed out.

It was about 30 minutes till my next match. I was in the ring again! Gumby, Artie, Paige, and Omar were cornering me. The guy I went with was bigger than me, so I knew I had to take him down. But this was my first no gi situation and I have never even tried to take people down when I had the gi on.

I never had the confidence to try. I just let them take me down and then worked from the bottom. But I could not afford to have him on top as it would be a lot of work to reverse him. He was at about 255.

We locked up grabbing heads and arms. I walked him back to the turnbuckle. I worked hard to secure the double underhooks, picked him up and swung him to my right to take him down. It did not work. We shifted toward the center of the ring...I tried it again to the same side- and it worked! I landed on top of him and put him in a headlock on the opposite side of the ring.

My head was under the bottom rope so the ref restarted us in the same position in the center of the mat. I went from headlock to side mount and then walked my torso above his to north south. From there I walked to the opposite side of his body and got the top position. This guy was strong and I tried several Kimura and twisting arm control attempts to see if I could turn him on his stomach and choke him. He was not having it. This dude was STRONG.

Eventually, I went for a straight armbar. I had a sloppy technique and missed it. I quickly scrambled to regain top position and then I tried the armbar again- I got it. This has never happnened before for me. It seemed like forever from the time I got the mount, until the time I got the submission. He was strong and the excitement of the crowd and my own adrenaline was overwhelming.

There was still time on the clock, so we went again. I stuck the the script worked the first time. I got the double underhooks and the the same throw, but stepping to the left side. It worked!

He put me in half guard and passed it and we he defedned me attempting a Kimura from the mount. The guy and I hugged (he was a tough and honorable man) shook hands and my dudes were all smiling. This was a great feeling. Seriously, I have not been this happy, on a personal level in a long time. I know this is not a world championship. I know theres no medals. But it was a day I'll never forget. Medals cannot give what I got yesterday and it can never be taken away.

It was an honor...Not just to be a part of it...But to be with people I've known for so long (some of these guys I've known for about ten years now) was so inspirational. Plus I saw people I'll probably never see again, giving their all to a sport they love...Beyond that, personally, I did things in a no gi competition that I've never been able to do WITH A GI (takedowns and armbars!). I realized it wwas not because I was unable to do them- I was unwilling to TRY, because I was afraid to lose...It was a fantastic day of personal growth. My self esteem and internal centeredness are at a new level.

This is why I love the martial arts. The brotherhood, the bonding and the benefits of facing yourself on the mat. Much respect to Alex Oxendine for helping the grappling scene in the Bay get a little bit better. Oh yeah....OTM Fight Shop Crew 4 LIIIIFE!!!!


L to R: Kyle of Guerilla Jiu Jitsu (who is destined to be a champ in the game), with Gumby from OTM and The Bishop


Guerilla Jiu Jitsu fighter Omar helped corner me!



This is my new fight song...Everytime I walk towards the ring, its all I hear...What is YOUR fight song?

-HHCF

HHCF Teams with San Quinn & Balance for Black History Month

HHCF Teams with San Quinn & Balance for Black History Month
For Immediate Release:

Media Contact (323) 335-4497: gaborski@shinkenpublicrelations.com

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Teams with Top Rappers to Celebrate Black History Month

HHCF Brings San Quinn & Balance to Speak to Youth About Overcoming Life's Challenges

February 25, 2008 San Jose, CA - Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF) founder Adisa Banjoko will team up with rappers San Quinn and Balance to speak with students about the importance of choosing a positive lifestyle, at Juan Crespi Middle School in El Sobrante, CA on February 28th.

Banjoko will lead a panel discussion that will examine how young people can use the positive aspects of Hip-Hop and Black History to create effective life strategies. "No one has been able to reach the hearts of today's youth like rappers," said Adisa. "San Quinn and Balance are champions to so many young people who love Hip-Hop. The HHCF is honored that San Quinn and Balance are donating their time and minds to the kids at Juan Crespi Middle School. "

The HHCF fuses music, chess and martial arts to promote unity, strategy and nonviolence. They believe that giving young people direct access to the athletes, artists and chess players the youth will be inspired to enhance their academic and social life. Through generous donations, www.chesspark.com will provide free accounts to all Juan Crespi students who wish to enhance their lives through the game of chess. Additionally, limited copies of the Ubisoft video game Chessmaster 11 and bestselling book The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin will be available at this one of a kind event.

"It's important to take time with the youth because we had leaders to inspire us" said San Quinn. "They need to see that we look up to them for being in school. They are the future and we want to share our struggles to help children of all ethnicities."

"To many times when Hip-Hop is in the news, they're highlighting something negative," said Balance. "We want to make sure we show the kids the positive aspects of what we do and how they can make better choices for themselves."

For more information on those listed above, please visit:

Hip-Hop Chess Federation: www.hiphopchessfederation.org

San Quinn visit: www.myspace.com/sanquinn

Balance visit: www.myspacec.com/balanceskillz

May God bless the spirit of our brother, Kenneth "K-Doe" Poynter

K-Doe was a true soldier for positvity and peace. He was one of the original promoters of the HHCF. The Bay Area has lost a fantastic friend and MC. We'll never let them froget you K-Doe. Thank you for all your kind words and actions.

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Article Created: 02/09/2008 01:42:24 PM PST


SAN LEANDRO — A man struck and killed Friday night when he apparently tried to beat an Amtrak train has been identified as Kenneth Casey Poynter, 27, of Oakland, authorities said.

The northbound Capitol Corridor train, traveling at about 76 mph, was crossing Hesperian Boulevard at Springlake Drive shortly after 8 p.m. when Poynter dashed across the tracks after the railroad crossing arms went down and warning lights started flashing, according to police and several witnesses.

Headphones and an MP3 player were later found at the scene, police said.





-HHCF

Keven Guillory at KQED showed this to me...I had to share it!! Chess hustlers beware!

-HHCF

Adisa Banjoko & Josh Waitzkin on KQED Radio with Michael Krasny on Hip-Hop & Chess

LISTEN HERE: http://www.kqed.org/programs/radio/forum/

I had a great time at KQED radio today. Much thanks to Keven Guillory and Michael Krasny for their open minds and hearts. The callers were awesome!!! Good callers always rule.

-HHCF

Can you imagine playing chess against Coltrane's brain?

-HHCF

HHCF EXCLUSIVE: Adisa Banjoko interviews Josh Waitzkin on Martial Arts

At six years old, Josh Waitzkin was one of the toughest chess players on earth. His creative and aggressive style made him one of the most feared American chess players ever. His style was a fusion of his years being raised by chess hustlers in New York’s Washington Square Park and his classical guidance under Bruce Pandolfini. His early life was made into the cult classic film Searching For Bobby Fischer.

After leaving chess, he discovered the martial art of Tai Chi Chuan. After training in Tai Chi Chuan, he realized how much marital arts and chess are connected. On his path to becoming a two-time world champion in Tai Chi Chuan, he learned about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He wrote a book about his experience entitled The Art of Learning. It became a best seller and is used by CEO’s and fighters alike who seek a higher level of understanding.

I first met Josh at the second Hip-Hop Chess Federation event with the RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. I remember how well he and RZA connected like old friends from the second they met. Josh is a living hieroglyph of the idea that chess and martial arts are one.

In this interview Josh Waitzkin talks about his path to learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the relationship between chess and martial arts and his philosophy about the lack of philosophy in BJJ.



OTM: How were you first introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and when did you begin training?

JW: I began training BJJ out in LA with John Machado about 5 years ago. But for the first two years, 90% of my energy was focused on stand up, getting ready for the 2004 Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands Worlds. For the past three years I’ve been focused exclusively on Jiu Jitsu, with John out west, then in New York City at NYBJJ with Marcos Santos. I also worked a lot with Marcelo Garcia while he was in New York, which was incredible.

OTM: You are a two time world champion in Tai Chi Chuan. Many BJJ practitioners write off styles like Tai Chi. Why do you think that is?

JW: I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Tai Chi Chuan by William CC Chen, who is humble, understated, very practical, a true master of body mechanics, and a fabulous teacher. He is well into his seventies and is still a demon in the boxing ring. If grapplers were exposed to William Chen’s Tai Chi, they wouldn’t write it off.

But to answer your question—honestly, a very large percentage of Tai Chi practitioners have their heads in the clouds…and they are the ones who make the most noise, stage the silly fake demonstrations, and create a cultish mindset that a practical fighter can just walk right through. I’d write them off too. Plus the system has little groundwork and most teachers are still closed minded about that element of the martial arts. Frankly, I think this problem is rampant in many traditional martial arts—teachers are terrified of looking bad and losing students so they create a world that denies what they don’t know.

On the other hand, if you travel to Taiwan and China and focus on the top competitors, the Tai Chi scene becomes incredibly dynamic. The rules of International Push Hands comptition are that you are in an 18 foot diameter ring and points are scored for throwing the guy on the floor or out of the ring. No frills. The fighters are superb athletes, training 6 and 8 hours a day since childhood, competing all the time. There is no fancy esoteric language—they just smash you on the floor with a speed and power that is breathtaking. They are open-minded, incredibly subtle, and of a very similar spirit to the top BJJ fighters.

The chess world made me practical, so I always challenged and rejected the elements of the Tai Chi scene that were overly idealized. If someone told me they could throw me without touching me, I asked them to do it. If they said they could kill me with a touch, I said I’d be willing to take the risk. This led to some pretty funny scenes and was an easy way to filter out the nonsense.



OTM: What benefits from Tai Chi do you bring to BJJ and vice versa?

JW: Well, the learning process begins from different places but arrives, ideally, at a similar feeling. In BJJ, you tend to begin with technique, and through repetition you come to a smooth, efficient, unobstructed body mechanics. In Tai Chi, you begin with body mechanics, get a certain internal feeling over months and years of moving meditative practice, and then you learn the martial application of what you’ve been doing all along.

The essence of Tai Chi is sensitivity to intention. Turning force against itself, overcoming power without meeting it head on. Of course these principles are at the heart Jiu Jitsu as well. In my mind, the arts are completely intertwined and to be honest, the purest Tai Chi I’ve ever felt has been getting my ass handed to me, over and over, by John Machado and Marcelo Garcia.

OTM: Your book The Art of Learning talks about your journey from chess to Tai Chi and BJJ. What would you say are the core similarities between chess and martial arts?

JW: People tend to answer that question with clichés. They talk about the need to think ahead, to combine strategy and tactics--those parallels are critical but obvious. To my mind, the interesting connections reside in the learning process. Both chess and the martial arts involve internalizing tremendously complex information into a sense of flow—I call this the study of numbers to leave numbers, or form to leave form. I love the play between the conscious and unconscious minds in the creative moment, and for me chess and the martial arts are both about developing a rich working relationship with your intuition. We are forced to be relentlessly introspective, to take on our weaknesses and build games around our specific nuances of character. If I learned anything from my life of competition in chess and Push Hands, it’s that if you’ve swept anything under the rug in your learning process—if you haven’t taken yourself on truly and deeply—it’ll come out and destroy you when the pressure is on.

In his translation of The Vimalakirti Sutra, Robert Thurman defines wisdom as “tolerance of cognitive dissonance.” That is chess and that is the martial arts. We are learning to cultivate a peace of mind, clarity of expression, and unstoppable growth curve in the most chaotic, wildly complex, and dangerous situations imaginable.



OTM: What rank do you currently hold in BJJ and who do you train under currently?

JW: I train under Marcos Santos in NYC and have been a purple belt for a couple years.

OTM: What is your ultimate goal in BJJ?

JW: I’m just a beginner in this art, but it’s my dream to win Mundials. I have a long way to go, but I’m committed.

OTM: Who are some of your favorite BJJ and MMA fighters today?

JW: Hands down my favorite BJJ fighter is Marcelo Garcia. The dude is amazing. Pure flow. He’s very similar to Tiger Woods in that he doesn’t hesitate to break down his game at the top, when it seems absolutely unnecessary. There’s a certain unstoppable mindset in his approach to learning. I also love how he hones in on one or two techniques and makes them manifest everywhere—this idea, of learning the macro through the micro, is at the core of my approach to everything. Most recently for Marcelo it was the omoplata and crucifix. He was catching his students in those two submissions from every conceivable position, and this was while his X-guard and back game looked unbeatable. Everyone prepped for the back attack and then he blew his weight class out of the water in Abu Dhabi with a brand new game. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with in MMA.

As for MMA fighters, all politics aside, I think Randy Couture’s mental understanding is off the charts, and Anderson Silva is the scariest dude out there.

OTM: What is your training regimen like these days?

JW: I train BJJ six days a week, twice a couple of those days if possible. My book has made things in my life more chaotic than I’d like and when I travel I inevitably miss some days. I’m trying to minimize that as much as possible.

OTM: Do you still practice Tai Chi?

JW: Internally, yes. Chess and Tai Chi are at the core of everything I do.

OTM: In the HHCF Chess Kings Invitational, RZA spoke about how Chessmaster 10 and getting coaching from you gave him a true edge in the tournament. Can you talk about what you taught him that enhanced his playing?

JW: RZA is an incredible man. He has a deep wisdom, and we have very similar approaches to creativity. He’s a very strong chess player, but he didn’t have a solid classical foundation. I suggested that he study the endgame. Instead of memorizing opening traps, I suggested he dive into the principles that govern all chess positions. That’s how I teach through Chessmaster—connecting chess to life—and maybe that approach helped translate his musical genius to the 64 squares. With a guy like RZA, who is a tremendously high level thinker, all you have to do is figure out how to open the floodgates so his understanding of Quality can transfer over. These arts are all the same, really. We just need to break down the walls in our minds.

OTM: What was your favorite memory from the HHCF Kings Invitational?

JW: Dude, the HHCF events have been amazing….I think the panel discussions with you, me, RZA, Rakaa, Qbert, and Kevvy Kev have been very dynamic. Bringing together role models from all these different disciplines to discuss the road to mastery is a brilliant way to inspire kids who might not otherwise be exposed to all the connections.

As for specific moments, two come to mind. Last event, it actually happened behind the scenes. RZA and I were waiting to go up for the panel, and we got into this intense conversation about creativity, going back and forth, discussing these wild connections between chess, hip hop, and the martial arts. We were speaking about improvisation, the role between the technical foundation and the creative leap, about where all these arts collide. I came out of the conversation on fire with new ideas—I wish others could have heard it.

The other moment happened on the street after our event at The Omega Boys Club. A young rapper approached RZA, Monk, and Reverend with a challenging vibe. He started freestyling and then a cipher broke out, with the Wu Tang crew blowing this guy out of the water. It all came to a head when RZA brought the house down with probably the most amazing improvised performance in anything that I’ve even seen. It was flat out awesome. After he was done, and without missing a beat, he said “Josh GO!” It was my turn. I laughed. I know when to keep my mouth shut.

OTM: What are the practical fighting limitations of tai chi?

JW: I think that depends on how literal you're being. If you come from my perspective, in which I rebound away from traditionalism and don't care much for labels, Tai Chi is in everything just as chess and Jiu Jitsu are in everything. The boundaries are very porous. From a slightly less irritatingly abstract perspective, the Tai Chi system, if cultivated in a no nonsense manner, can be quite powerful as a striking and throwing art. Despite what some might say, the ground element of the game is not terribly developed--and that's a big limitation.

OTM: What are the spiritual/internal limitations of brazilian jiu jitsu?

JW: I don't have any reason to believe that there are any.

OTM: Not any? I find this hard to conceive. Looking back into antiquity, the philosophies of Lao Tzu, Buddha, Jigoro Kano and even more recently Bruce Lee, gave each of the respective martial paths a sketch of spiritual structure. These sketches served as a loose road map to one's true self.

When I look at Rickson Gracie for example, the main thing I see that separates him from the rest of the jiu jitsu practitioners in the world is his philosophical approach to fighting. Many of his interviews highlight his respect for the traditional philosophical approaches of the past.

In America at least, there does not seem to be a philosophical methodology to Brazilian jiu jitsu. I have always felt this has created a vacuum of sorts that makes jiu jitsu more of a supremely effective fighting style- but not a martial art.

Do you agree? Also, could the absence of the philosophy in Brazilian jiu jitsu serve as the direct link to the blueprint of the essence of martial arts?

JW: That last point is deep, man. Alright, this is how I feel. I'm a student of philosophy and engage that element of my being in everything I do. As individuals, we have the choice to go down this road or not. I think the vast majority of people, in all disciplines, tend not to. You asked if there were any spiritual/internal limitations to BJJ. My feeling is that BJJ is a beautiful martial art that can take an individual as far as he or she is prepared to go.

I don't think that BJJ imposes any limitations—some practitioners might, but the art itself does not. I've met plenty of meat heads in the Jiu Jitsu world, but I've also known them in chess, tai chi, academia, science, religion…we can screw anything up. And there is no easy answer. If there is too much of a spiritual structure in an art, we may become dogmatic and not take responsibility for our beliefs. If too little, we can fail to even consider the critical questions.

I think there are countless paths to spirituality--meditation, surfing, running, climbing, music, sailing, archery, calligraphy, chess, martial arts, motorcycle maintenance, whatever. The vehicle is just the husk. It is a structure, a form, a channel to be penetrated with an understanding of its relativity. In my opinion, what matters isn't so much what art you pursue but how honestly, creatively and relentlessly you explore it. You brought up Lao Tzu, Buddha, and Bruce Lee. These were all sages who spoke about leaving form behind. Religious followers and devotees later took their ideas and made them much more static than they were ever intended to be. And that brings us to your last point which is very powerful.



OTM: Any last words?

JW: Yeah, one thing. I'm in the process of opening up a nonprofit foundation, designed to help disadvantaged children, teens, and young adults get their footing in the learning process. If anyone reading this works in this field and believes the educational philosophy of my book The Art of Learning can make an impact on their group, please contact me on my website www.joshwaitzkin.com and I'll do my best to help out by donating copies to teachers, families, and students. It's been a pleasure, man.

ORIGINAL LINK:
http://www.onthemat.com/articles/Josh_Waitzkin_Interview_01_25_2008.html

Everyone in a while, you just need to turn the music up and let go....

NOW, is that time!!!



-HHCF

HHCF EXCLUSIVE: Wu-Tang Clan's GZA On Tour in Orlando

We caught up with GZA today before the Wu-Tang Clan destroyed the stage in Orlando, Florida. In this interview, we talk about why everybody loves a Wu-Tang show, how O.D.B. used to be a wicked beatboxer and if GZA thinks he can beat 50 and Souljah Boy on the 64 Squares.



HHCF: OK, so- y’all are in Florida right now? What’s goin’ on?

GZA: Nothin’ much right now. The weather is nice. But its not t-shirt weather. But it beats some of the weather we just came from [laughs].

HHCF: How is the tour coming along?

GZA: It’s going good. Great response- as always. A couple of chess matches in between.

HHCF: You playin’ other cats in the Clan, or fans- who?

GZA: I been playin True Master, one of the engineers and one of the other brothers that’s been on the road with us.

HHCF: How good is True Master. Is anybody especially dominant?

GZA: I’ve been pretty dominant. But True Master has a good game when he’s concentrating.



HHCF: I think you and Public Enemy share the title as the Rolling Stones of rap. Everybody gets excited whenever you guys tour. What is the essence of passion that people have to see the Wu perform?

GZA: First of all, there is so much energy. When we we’re on stage, its like another world. We can be in a heated argument on the bus. But when we get to the show and walk on stage- you’ll never know. We love what we do.

Also, this is its rawest form. RZA once said it a long time ago “100% natural, No preservative, no additives”. People just love Wu.

We are like grandparents, that are outliving their grandchildren. Because we not only have our first fans- we have their children. That’s RARE in Hip-Hop.



HHCF: That’s true. What are some of the first shows that you remember attending as a fan? Not as a performer.

GZA: I can’t even remember. Maybe Harlem World. I been there once or twice. I don’t remember who was playin’. I don’t remember if it was Kool Moe Dee, or Busy Bee. There were quite a few artists performing that night.

We did not go to too many rap shows. We were at too many talent shows trying to get put on, to tell you the truth. It was more like block parties for us. Almost since the beginning of Hip-Hop. We had a chance to see people perform way before there were concerts.

We used to go to the South Bronx from Staten Island back in 1977-76. We would go to block parties- and get a lot of stuff for free [laughs]. Jams is what they called them back then.

HHCF: Outside of MC’ing, did you ever do any of the other elements of Hip-Hop?

GZA: Mostly MC’ing. I definitely used to break, around the time I started MCing. I was pretty good to. But that was before they stated spinning on heads and windmills.

HHCF: You was more of an uprock kinda dude?

GZA: Yes. I did sweeps and a little bit of floor stuff. But not once it actually became breakdancing. The windmills and spins and things of that nature. But I did that at an early age.

I wrote on walls and the halls. But it was nothing that stood out. I was just puttin’ my name up.

DJ’ing? I tried that. But I never had equipment at my house. Dirty and RZA were actually good at scratching and cutting. They were both human beatboxers also. I never did that. Dirty I must say he was one of the best.

HHCF: As a beatboxer or a DJ?

GZA: He was good as a DJ, and RZA was good as a DJ. But Dirty was one of the best human beatboxers. He was really good. This was in the 80’s. We called him the human beatbox specialist.

We had a crew called the All In Together Now Crew. It was myself, Dirty and RZA. Dirty was “The Professor”, RZA was “The Scientist” and I was “The Genius”. I didn’t want the title “Genius”. I really didn’t. It was too much to expect with that name. I wanted Professor. ‘Cause there were more words that rhymed with that word at the time.

We were MC’s, Dirty and RZA would beatbox and DJ- we just combined that all together.

HHCF: Tell me about your experience at the Chess Kings Invitational. What did you expect and what did you see?

GZA: I didn’t know what to expect. I mean, I expected people, and tables, chessboards and press. And it was all there. But I did not expect THAT any children involved. I mean, I knew it was for a good cause. I knew children would be involved- but it was a great event.

I enjoyed being there. I hope to be there over and over again and hopefully win. I also did not think that it would be that easy for us (GZA, RZA and Monk). They were quite easy. The only game I lost was to RZA- a stupid blunder! It was something that was just ridiculous.

HHCF: In late 2008 we gonna do it again for a new belt. You coming out or what?

GZA: Yes!

HHCF: When is it?

GZA: The Honor the Queens has just been moved to May. There will be lots of MMA fighters and a lot of the top ladies in chess and Hip-Hop there. After that, we’ll have the next battle for the belt in August 2008.



HHCF: What chess books and videos do you get into to help prepare you?

GZA: I had tapes a long time ago. I don’t remember their names. When I was at the Chess Kings Invitational, I bought a lot of books from Eric Schiller.

HHCF: I remember seeing you guys talking after the event.

GZA: I have not had a chance to read them because I’m touring. I’m on the road trying to write, so I got the at home for when I get off tour. I have about 15 chess books though. The book I have picked up the most is The Game of Chess by Tarasch- it’s a green book. I also have 101 Chess Combinations….I don’t know who wrote that. I’ve had The 200 Best Games by Kasparov. That’s a good book right there. The first game starts when he was ten years old. It’s a strong game.

There’s probably some really good chess players reading this and they’ll be like “Man, them books is whatever”. But they’re good for me though.

HHCF: What did you think of the passing of Bobby Fischer?

GZA: Its sad.[long pause] He’s done a lot for chess. I mean, he pretty much revolutionized the game- for his time.

HHCF: I can’t think of another American with such an impact. It was so immense.

GZA: I can’t either. He was one of the best. If not, the best.

HHCF: I saw a lot of chatter back and forth between you and 50 and you and Souljah Boy. Who do you think would win in a chess match if you played those two?

GZA: Well, of course I’m going to say myself. I don’t know if Souljah plays. I’ pretty sure 50 plays. He may be familiar with chess. Of course I’m gonna say myself. As far as dealing with the situation…If I compare it to chess…His method of playing chess, is as old as human thought. It needs some improvement.

HHCF: So the tour is about to end. What do you do at the end of a long tour?

GZA: Rest for a few days. Then it’s back to business. Then I’m back on the road.

HHCF: Will you ever do a sequel to Grandmasters?

GZA: Yes, definitely. I don’t know if we’ll call it a sequel. But, I’m gonna do another album with Muggs.

HHCF: I look forward to seeing you in 2008 when you come out to get that belt again. Do you have any last words?

GZA: Wu-Tang is Forever. 8 Diagrams.

© 2008 Hip-Hop Chess Federation

FREE DOWNLOAD: Okwerdz Rush Hour 3 Mixtape

What happens when one of the hottest battle MCs gets possessed by his fascination with Jackie Chan? You get The Rush Hour Mixtape. Based out of the dusty, hot, crime-ridden streets of Stockton California, lives a rapper by the name of Okwerdz. He is a pioneer within the West Coast battle scene. Okwerdz has ripped ciphers and stages from New York to Los Angeles to Australia .

Kung-Fu films have had a huge impact on every element of Hip-Hop. Some say it's the competitive spirit that the films showcase. Others say it's the Eastern Philosophy embedded into the films that have the greatest impact. But most believe that watching someone deliver a well-planned butt-kicking soothes the soul.

For Okwerdz, the release of Rush Hour 3 had to meet with a new mixtape. AllHipHop.com sat down with the mastermind behind The Rush Hour Mixtape, his love for Jackie Chan and why he likes Jackie over Bruce or Jet Li.




AllHipHop.com : For those who don't know tell them who Okwerdz is.

Okwerdz: I always hate this question. [Laughs] Long story short, [I’m a] former MC battle-champion from Stockton California, been doin’ my thing for about eight years. Worked with cats like E-40, Kool G Rap, Mistah F.A.B., DJ Green Lantern, Tech N9ne, Rahzel, Capadonna, Casual, Sean Price.

AllHipHop.com: What was the first martial arts movie you ever saw?

Okwerdz: To be honest I really couldn't even tell you. I grew up watchin' all the obvious stuff that came from America...All your Steven Segal, Chuck Norris, Enter The Dragon type stuff. I got interested in more, and I started watching the Hong Kong films with my uncle Randy when I was little. He thought Chuck Norris could beat up Bruce Lee.

AllHipHop.com: What was the first Jackie Chan film you ever watched?

Okwerdz: I believe it was Police Story when I was real little. But what really sparked my interested was when I first saw Rumble in the Bronx. I was completely blown the f**k away. Then my mother took me to Chinatown in San Francisco for my birthday one year. I just bought every Jackie Chan movie I could find. I kept ordering them all through like sixth and eithh grade till I had ‘em all.

AllHipHop.com: How many Jackie Chan films have you seen?

Okwerdz: I own something like 50 or 70 Jackie Chan movies- dubbed, subtitled, VHS, DVD, VCD, etc.

AllHipHop.com: Why do you think you like Jackie more than Bruce or Jet Li?

Okwerdz: I mean they are all extremely talented. But from a film standpoint, Jackie Chan is just a lot more fun/interesting/creative to watch. In my opinion, he's one of the best fight choreographers in the world. Bruce Lee movies are a bit far-fetched for me, that one man can beat up so many people without gettin' even touched. He still has time to sit there and make crazy noises after each move. There still fun to watch though; Return of the Dragon is amazing. As far as Jet Li goes, I don't like too many special effects and wires and flying around and whatnot, Jackie's films are more real.

AllHipHop.com: What gave you the idea for the mixtape?

Okwerdz: As in most Hip-Hop records these days, we've had some delays in getting out my next mixtape The Off-Season. So I kinda juts needed somethin' to keep me busy, and I'd always wanted to do somethin’ Jackie Chan-oriented. I'm such a big fan I just never knew what, then it hit me. After that, I just tried to think of a producer down to get his hands dirty to make some low quality kung fu s**t. My homie The Wrist just popped in my head and we went from there.

AllHipHop.com: How hard was it to put this together lyrically?

Okwerdz: Lyrically, it’s the easiest project I've ever written. I've spent like no more than 5 or 7 minutes on each verse. All the Jackie Chan references just leaked out of me, combined with a whole lot of swagger. I just breezed through the whole thing. For those that are familiar with my work its a bit more unorthodox as far as rhyme patterns and what not go I just kinda let personality take over on this one and had fun with it.

AllHipHop.com: If you knew Jackie would hear this mixtape, what would you want him to feel from it?

Okwerdz: Well I dunno if he's into Hip-Hop at all or anything. But I'd hope he'd be able to appreciate it for what it is, and not get mad that we sampled all his s**t to make a record. 'Cause he's the last cat I want pissed off at me, believe me. It'd be nice if he felt it and I could write a song for one of his next movies…eh?

AllHipHop.com: What’s up with the next LP?

Okwerdz: I'm slowly working on it, thus far I have like 12 beats for it from Domingo, Bosko, M-Phazes, and E-40 and Kool G Rap were kind enough to bless me with some ridiculous verses. Also, I just finished the new mixtape coming out before the album entitled The Off-Season...20 tracks or so all on original beats; the s**t is ridiculous and by far the best music I've ever made thus far in my life.

AllHipJop.com: There are so many Jackie Chan fans out there...The potential for this is just amazing. What are your thoughts?

Okwerdz: Honestly, when I first started writing it I didn’t think much of it I was just passin' time with a passion project. But a lot of people are taking it a lot more seriously than I planned. I'm not quite sure what's gonna happen with it from here but I'm definitely excited about it.



AllHipHop.com: I know you’re a really big Jackie Chan fan. But which movies aren’t you feeling? Tell the truth, ‘cause Shanghai Knights sucked.

Okwerdz: This is a great question. I actually don't care too much for the American films Jackie has been in, and none of it is his fault. He's been great in them all. What I don't like is how American films shoot their fight scenes...The camera angles are always bad and they just need to take some advice from Hong Kong films. On top of that, they won't let Jackie do crazy stunts due to big budget insurance crap. So they use a lot of wire and blue screen s**t which kinda takes the fun out of a Jackie Chan movie...But hey, he's gettin paid and I'm glad he's gettin' a lot of exposure in America, so I'll continue to support.

AllHipHop.com: Any last words?

Okwerdz: Yeah, if you can’t relate to this record- don't judge me on it. Make sure you go pick up a more serious CD of mine to get the full feel for what I do. I just wanna make sure that its really known to the public that this record is jus me havin' fun and messin' around. I do things on all sides of the spectrum so check me out.

FREE DOWNLOAD HERE: (kids get your parents permission!!!!)

http://www.myspace.com/okwerdz

Adisa Banjoko is cofounder of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation.

Dr. King always saw a beauty in us, that we have yet to acknowledge

The beauty of our humanity...

-HHCF