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

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

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

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

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

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

HHCF: What are your favorite martial arts movies?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                                           Rock out for a bit to Eruption

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

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

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

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

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

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

It Takes More Than Rap Music to Fix A Broken People

October 9th 2014 I found myself riding in a limousine with RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan on our way to speak to about 500 kids about chess and nonviolence in Saint Louis. After that we were scheduled to visit a juvenile detention center to do it again. Without having rehearsed a second of what we each planned to say, we were ready.The night before, lighting and thunder trampled the city from above. In the chaos of the night, Vonderitt Myers was killed by an off duty cop. His death stung like rubbing salt into the infected wounds of a city still recovering from the death of Mike Brown. I had been working in the city promoting the idea that music, chess and martial arts could help young people transcend traditional racial and social barriers. Tensions in Saint Louis were really testing my theories. Nevertheless, the kids embraced our ideas and responded well to our ideas.

RZA and I were there to go to the opening of Living Like Kings exhibit at theWorld Chess Hall of Fame. I was an education consultant to the Hall of Fame. It was my job to teach their curating team the connected history betweenchess, rap and martial arts. It was an honor to have the opportunity to do so. When my organization The Hip-Hop Chess Federation threw its first event at the MLK Library in San Jose, CA in 2006- we got kicked out for being a little too big and too noisy. I didn’t mind. Our first few years a lot of people in the chess community laughed at the idea of rap, chess and martial arts having any meaningful connection or practical application. We proved them all wrong. I connected to RZA through Sway and Tech from The Wake Up Show. He and I met at a Q&A at SF Commonwealth Club. We clicked quickly and his support for the organization has meant more than words can convey.

As the limo pushed muddy melted snow along the curb RZA broke out a prototype Boombotix speaker and started to play Ruckus in B Minor. No one had heard anything from th A Better Tomorrow album yet. Something in the song reflected the turmoil that had enveloped city. I kept asking him to replay it. He obliged.

“We got a lot of work done in 8 years” I said with a smile. The Abbott of Wu-Tang was looking at the storm clouds above and nodded. “ True indeed” he said softly. He turned toward me smiling and said “We have a lot more work to do in the next 8- right?”. Something about what he said rattled me under the surface. I think it was the fact that he was right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LLA_IMqnL8

In March later the same year I gave a lecture on Hip-Hop, chess and nonviolence at University Wisconsin-Whitewater. At a dinner before the talk I was speaking with a student from Africa. She asked me what I thought the role of the government should be in fixing the situations America was facing. I told her the mistake was to believe that the government properly assessed or could actually do anything about what was happening. Reflecting now, I know the government can do more, but it’s appears bogged down by a deadly mix of apathy and bureaucracy. “If we waited got the government to do something like Hip-Hop Chess, it would take a lot of years to roll out.” I explained. “ It would probably suck too. All the bureaucracy and everybody wanting to take credit for it would hurt the end result.”

The first quote remember from Abraham Lincoln as a child was “This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it.” As a young hard left militant in the 1990’s, I used the quote as a platform for my hard left position on being a revolutionary against the system at that time. I don’t believe America needs a revolution anymore. The entire system does not need to be removed. Uncle Sam needs rehab though, maybe some heart surgery as well. I believe people upset with the status of our schools (public or charter) should set up some desks in a garage or at park benches and teach algebra, english or whatever else is needed. Everybody in the hood knows someone who is really good at these subjects. That is how I believe we help the schools. We also know if these kids (especially hood kids) can convert pounds to kilograms to move drugs, we can redirect that knowledge to serveauthentic entrepreneurship in the community. We don’t need the government’s permission, but we need persistent follow through.

A Buddhist monk named Takuan Soho stated “A book on cooking will not cure our hunger. To feel satisfied we must have actual food. So long as we do not go beyond mere talking we are not true knowers.” Police chiefs talk about more community engagement, accountability and transparency. Nevertheless our sons and daughters and fathers and mothers die with little concern or action from the courts. Left over Civil Rights activists and hot blooded new era revolutionaries rightfully express their anger and frustration at the situation. However, none of their speeches and inspiring raps can serve as scaffolding for full bodied agendas in education and business.

International chessmaster Emory Tate and RZA after a game at John O’Connell High in SF.

The HHCF was designed to give young minds the ability to see chess notations as life equations. Our approach to using the chessboard as a metaphor for life, has helped thousands of kids gain clarity of purpose and higher emotional mastery. Chess is a proven tool for raising math and reading skills. HHCF helps them identify people and things that truly enrich them as well as those things that distract them from their goals.

Understand that I love Hip-Hop, because it opened the door to teach me about ancient Egypt, Greece, vegetarian lifestyle perspectives, philosophy and politics. I obviously do not condone or defend artists promoting blatant sexism, drug dealing or violence. Nevertheless, while rappers have been amazing at effectively sharing the legitimate rage in the hearts of the youth, have pretty much proven themselves to be lackluster leaders at best. I can accept that. But then we have to ask why these same rappers are not openly supporting with monetary investment and time the numerous Hip-Hop education organizations. This is something that transcends my organization of course. Hip-Hop Scholars like Dr. James Peterson, Dr. Jeffrey Ogbar, Dr. Imani Perry, Dr. Bettina Love and others should be aligned with artists who see them as allies. Many of the top academics in Hip-Hop are not backed by the artists in spirit or in financial support. There are a lot of fantastic educators and organizations doing the work many rappers seem to be lacking a deeper engagement in.

It takes more than rap music to fix a broken people. I hope the rappers of today can receive my words in the positive spirit they were written in. HHCF has proven that by fusing music, chess and martial arts children can plant the seeds and grow the fruit of peace within their minds. They can be the “true knowers” that Takuan Soho spoke of. This will not only ensure their mind is strong. It will give them something to trust beyond quick money schemes and street violence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEnEyGAWRvc

Understand I come from what I proudly call “The School of 88.” From 1988 to 1995 I believe was the best era for rap music that ever existed. It contained the widest spectrum of original beats and lyrics from following generations. It was also arguably the most politically and socially aggressive music the world may have ever seen. The artists of those times were able to force conversations that mainstream media was reluctant to address

Luckily I was one of the first people to interview Eazy E and write about NWA.Tupac Shakur was a friend of mine. His music still inspires me. I still listen to the old Public Enemy and X-Clan and other politically relevant records of the past.The current lyrics of Talib Kweli, Brother Ali, Dilated Peoples and Killer Mike inspire me now. Yet, Black comprehensive collective vision, infrastructure and action is simply not there. This is not the fault of rappers alone, but more than rap will need to happen for the change to be real and sustained.

HHCF Founder, Adisa Banjoko (L) and St. Louis youth play on the 64 squares after a lecture on chess and life.

HHCF was in St. Louis doing nonviolence work prior to Mike Brown’s death. So when I see the some of the protests in St. Louis be swarmed upon by artists and activists all so ready to “show em how to do right”- I get scared for our people. The inglorious work prescribed by Frederick Douglass Booker T. Washington, and Marcus Garvey still remain largely unfinished like unpolished marble statues. Sadly it seems some of our activists entertain false fantasies of being the bloody martyr for freedom in the final hour of “the revolution.” Many have been willing to die for the cause. I understand the idea but I believe the world is in need of those willing to live and open a new door to authentic peace. Few are prepared to do the heavy lifting (planning and funding of entrepreneurship, rebuilding of schools and rebuilding of the family unit). There is no shortcut to true prosperity. The improved math, reading comprehension, and emotional balance is all right there on the 64 squares. The neglect of that kind of work decade after decade has made our responses and outcomes sickeningly predicable.

I support the right for anyone to protest peacefully for a just cause. My concern is that the sustained protests, without a structured plan unfolding alongside it, will eventually lead to impatience. Prolonged exhaustion of patience will give way to new violence. Violence we don’t need.

I am no more a proponent of killer cops, than I am cop killers. Both have no place in our society. Neither are friends to the community at large. Unfortunately, African American’s and cops can hardly hear one another beyond the gunshots at this point. It often feels as if the media prods the opposing sides in the moment- alienating those fighting to hold onto the center. In chess whoever loses control of the center usually loses the game. Right now I don’t feel like anybody is really winning. It appears America is losing its center on all fronts.

Essentially it’s almost been a year since RZA and I visited St. Louis. He asked me to make sure I came back to help the children of that city. HHCF just began training St. Louis juvenile hall staff in our Chess and Life Strategies method for their kids. RZA is still right, and HHCF has thrown down the gauntlet not only by way of chessboards but more importantly by way of elevating the bar of accepting ‘responsibility”. During “The School of 88” a group called Gangstarr had a song titled — “Who’s Gonna Take the Weight”? It was asking about who would be willing to do more than talk to change the America. While we can find some who are unquestionably guilty for creating the circumstances and conditions that have helped to arrest the development of many urban communities and its inhabitants, the ultimate responsibility for correction falls squarely on the shoulders of those most closely connected to the people. HHCF has proven our ability to quickly connect with at-risk youth all all backgrounds. If rappers continue to be non-strategic, in their social or political activities, then all of the elements that help make Hip-Hop a vibrant culture will become like shiny objects to crows; in other words, we will only embrace them because they are shiny not because we fully understand and appreciate their value on a much deeper level. It will certainly take more than rap music to fix a broken people, and more importantly to make our communities and this country better.

VIDEO: How is chess, like life?

People often wonder what we teach when we speak to massive groups of kids about chess and life. I am developing a new series to share some of these ideas with you. This is the first one. Please check it out and share it with adults and teens you think can benefit from the HHCF Chess and Life Strategies methodology. 

RZA Donates to Hip-Hop Chess Federation to Benefit the Youth of St. Louis

For Immediate Release

Contact: Meek Gaborski

888-588-4418

RZA Donates to Hip-Hop Chess Federation to Benefit the Youth of St. Louis

HHCF Board Member RZA Helps Launch Chess Initiative for Juvenile Hall Students in St. Louis

Nov. 1st 2015, St. Louis, MO- The Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF)  is proud to announce it has begun training St. Louis juvenile hall staff  it’s “Chess and Life Strategies” certification program. The HHCF St. Louis initiative was made possible by a donation from board member RZA of Wu-Tang Clan to help HHCF establish itself in the city of St. Louis. October 9, 2014 Adisa and RZA spoke to more than 400 high school youth from Ferguson and across St. Louis. Later that same day Adisa and RZA  gave a short lecture and played chess with incarcerated youth at the juvenile hall. RZA, who serves on the board for HHCF was moved by what he saw in the hearts and minds St. Louis youth. “That night RZA handed me a check and asked me to put together a program to help the youth of St. Louis.” stated Adisa Banjoko. I promised him I would make it happen.

During the October meeting with the incarcerate group of boys and girls about using chess as a tool to control their energy, Wu-Tang rapper said, “Y’all are in here for not controlling your energy, yo. You are here now] for not being analytical about the results of the actions you have taken. I’m the last one to talk in some sense. I’ve been through the same system...Me and my brother got our first gun, when I was 11 or 12...Riding NY city busses looking for what they call, a ’vic’ [victim].” He went onto explain how he taught himself through reading and playing chess to help him make better choices over time. RZA explained how the trauma of watching many relatives and friends die or become incarcerated, led him away from being trapped in the streets. “It’s a game of chess in one sense, but in another it's a study of life. We in the Hip-Hop Chess Federation are striving to bring awareness to American’s, to Black youth,  but to the whole of American youth... That chess study, along with martial arts, along with music-  is the best way to help develop your mind and body and protect you from pitfalls in life that will surely come at you.” The full audio of RZA’s conversation with the incarcerated youth of St. Louis is up at www.bishopchronicles.com .

TJ Jones a staff member at St. Louis Juvenile Hall Family Court wrote a letter to HHCF a few weeks after thier visit stating, “You gave a memorable and powerful presentation to our youth and showed your dedication and motivation to do the unthinkable, connect chess with Hip-Hop...They were so amazed they began to ask  when you were coming back again to have a chess tournament.” TJ and Adisa talked over the course of the next year looking at the most effective ways to get St. Louis juvenile hall staff trained in HHCF methodologies and philosophies. “Thanks to vision and trust of RZA in our our mission, we are currently training their staff in our innovative approach to teaching teens about life though chess. In five weeks, they will be complete in their HHCF Level 1 Certification. So many kids there already love chess, I cannot wait to see the students when we visit again.”

St. Louis based schools and organizations looking to have their staff trained in HHCF Chess and Life Strategies program can email contact@hiphopchessfederation.org and apply. They can also call Bay Area HHCF HQ 888-588-4418.

Dr. James Peterson Wakes Up Minds with A War Song for Peace

LISTEN: A War Song For Peace, by Dr. James Peterson

Dr. James Peterson has been one of the leading scholars today proving the value of Hip-Hop as an educational tool. A while back he released an EP called Headphones that was executive produced by education icon Michael Eric Dyson. The EP features Talib Kweli and Mr. Lif among others. This song however, really stood out to me from day one. I hope to soak it up, and get the LP. Keep in mind, he does NOT rap on here. He talks....others rap. It's deep. Enjoy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

POSTS

Eddie Bravo Releases Song about Peace, "Too Late"

This is a striking song by Eddie Bravo I meant to post a few weeks back. In this age of violence it is good to see people making songs about the greater value of peace.

VIDEO: Lost Footage from Oberlin Lecture on Forgotten Chess History, Nonviolence and Jiu-Jitsu

Earlier this year Adisa Banjoko gave a talk at Oberlin College in the science dept. It was the first time he spoke about the history and impact of the fusion of Hip-Hop and chess. Only a small portion of it was covered in my work at the World Chess Hall of Fame's Living Like Kings exhibit. Though a smashing success on many levels, as you can imagine it is a complex and deep subject. 

Some of  the talk was not immediately available online after he spoke. Only a few days ago did ALL of the talk make it online. The subject of this talk became my upcoming book, Bobby, Bruce & Bam: The History of Hip-Hop Chess. Look for it in early 2016. I hope you enjoy these clips. Many thanks to Kalind Parish for his sharing of the video.

How the rise of Bobby Fischer, Bruce Lee and Africa Bambaataa changed chess, Hip-Hop and martial arts- forever https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvA9TeQpYxc 

On how the LA riots changed how rappers talk about chess https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEjUFgYwK5U

On chess and nonviolence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI7Da0ED2u0

DONATE to HHCF and Help Kids Get an Edge in Class and in Life!!

American teens fall into drugs, pregnancy and violence after school when they are not involved in activities that cultivate their minds and bodies. Youth violence is the thirs leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15-24. 

We have a new three thousand square foot facility made to help them grow mentally, emotionally and physically to cut this trend and promote nonviolence. We need your help in getting our after school program to kids who currently don't have access to it. 

Reaching our 5k goal will allow 25  kids to take a 12 week session. The grades and emotional well being of the students will be tracked and documented in a short video. You will be able to see the direct impact of your donation.

Our goal is to scholarship local kids in here and train them in chess and life strategies and jiu-jitsu. Your donation will make sure they have the space, the jiu-jitsu gi (what they wear while training) teachers and tutors needed to take them to the next level.Most of the kids I’ve worked with are from tough areas. The bulk are Black and Latino but we work to help everybody we can. In the HHCF we know that the power of and team, is in its diversity. We plan to build our program in the facility first and then spread it across Oakland the the rest of the bay (and the country really). Our previous programs have been in San Francisco, Hayward, and San Jose. These classes will be held in our new Fremont, HQ. We will make a short video of the kids in the program so you see the results for yourself. 

Simply put, American education has been in a state of emergency. Many of our schools and families are broken. Some of our children are being fed right into juvenile hall by corrupt judges. Basically, folks are investing in the failure of our people. I’m asking you to help us counter that by supporting HHCF so we can help kids do better in school and in life on the streets. Once the initial 5k has been raised we will put out a special press release and add a section to our site www.hiphopchess.com that lists your name and your brand on our site, honoring our commitment to working with HHCF to help pave new paths to education and peace. Read what educators and others say about HHCF.

Donate today!! Then share with your friends.