MyCypher.com recently released the first episode of their new web based series Hip Hop Worldwide: Brazil. The series will cover the events of the MyCypher team's trip to Brazil to take part in the Hutuz Hip Hop Festival, throw a MyCypher sponsored concert and sample Brazilian hip hop as a whole.
Hip Hop legend Bobbito, official U.S. Hip Hop Ambassador Toni Blackman and producer/MC Nobody Famous were all guests of MyCypher to not only foster some artistic interaction but also to capture their reactions to, and impressions of Brazil's hip hop scene.
Check out the first episode below.
MyCypher presents Hip-hop Worldwide: Brazil Ep. 1 from MyCypher - Hip-hop Worldwide on Vimeo.
deny
the power of hip hop. In fact, a key reason that I became an educator
was because I listened to it. Still, after 25 years of listening, it takes
a lot to hold my attention. However, I was recently turned on to
Abraham Borhóquez Sánchez of the Bolivian-based group Ukamau y Ké and
spent hours listening to his music and reading about his career.
Unfortunately, he passed away this past May. Yet I was so impressed
that I felt the need to help promote his legacy.
in
France, you were French. I was raised with Puerto Rican pride, but it
was empty. I didn't know a lot of the history and didn't speak Spanish,
which isn't our language anyway. A lot of Puerto Ricans claim all this
pride and nostalgia for the island, but many people here don't even
view them as Puerto Rican, that's where that whole Nuyorican idea came
from, that people are from New York, not Puerto Rican. Even though I
was born in New York, I'm not a Nuyorican. If you put a kitten in an
oven, that doesn't make it a muffin. I'm a Puerto Rican who was born in
New York. Across the board, on the island, if you were born in the
States, you were born "alla fuera," over there. I had a women today ask
me if I came from "alla fuera" and she asked me if I was Puerto Rican,
even though she knew I was. Coming from the United States, we're
definitely not seen as Puerto Rican, even if both parents came from
Puerto Rico. It's like we're mixed children; but that's not a bad
thing. I was exposed to a lot and I love my island, but I'm glad I was
raised somewhere else. There are certain things in the culture that get
ingrained into us that I don't agree with. For example, sometimes when
I've been at someone's house for dinner and got up to help wash dishes,
everyone would say something to me like "leave that to the women."
Never mind that the women already cooked and served all us. They still
look at me like "what's wrong with you?" Even though I'd be a visitor,
it's still gender related; they don't think I'm being a man. I'm glad I
don't think like that. It's like that in the States too, but it's
larger here. Not having grown up on the colony, I think it's been
easier for me to see how come the island is the way that it is and how
we got there. Many people on the island are too close to the situation.
It's like a relationship when everyone else can see the problems except
the people in it. I have the distance to sit back and reflect and
realize that not all of the problems on the island are due to its
people. On the other hand, when I see people do things like throw a can
out the window, it pisses me off that they'd disrespects this beautiful
island. Maybe you need to leave to appreciate it.
doing
and to stay right; on the path that was set for me. I always felt that
words were powerful and that they could change the flow of the world,
but having a child has made it undeniable. I'm much more careful about
what I say or what I put down in a verse. I've always felt compassion
for other people, especially young people, but having a child of my own
has led me to love all children as my own. That was a feeling that I
didn't expect. I never thought I could adopt because I feel that all
children deserve to be loved like they're flesh and blood and I didn't
think I could do it. Now, there's no difference between other children
and my own. I don't know how others feel, but I think the flesh and
blood thing is more about vanity; that they share our nose or look like
us, but that's really minute. When I write, I feel like I have to be
really careful of what I say as my children are listening, whether I
know them or not. I only want to speak positive and hope, of moving
forward. That's what I feel that we need.
first
album. I was 16 and I listened to it for a year straight. I listened to
what you said. I had times homies wanted to go out and do something and
I though about your songs and wouldn't go. They ended up getting
arrested. You helped shaped who I am." I hope that's the effect, but I
didn't' expect to see it. It's like being a teacher; you hope for
certain results, but you may never see them. You have to have faith
that your efforts aren't in vain. 
