Vancouver International Hip Hop Festival For Peace

2010-08-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

6 YEARS AND STILL GROWING

6th ANNUAL HIP HOP
FESTIVAL FOR PEACE

FEATURING PIONEERS
OF CUBAN HIP HOP:
OBSESIÓN!
DIRECT FROM CUBA

September 24-26, 2010
3 Day Festival
Free & All Ages
With Shows in New Westminster,
Downtown Vancouver & Surrey

From the 5 Burroughs of New York in the mid-seventies to across
the entire planet today, Hip Hop continues to be a culture immersed
in the struggle for a better world. If Peace is the message, then Hip
Hop is the voice…

On September 24th to 26th the Greater Vancouver area will host for
the 6th consecutive year the Annual Vancouver International Hip Hop
Festival – HIP HOP FOR PEACE! The Festival will be three days of
performances by local and international talent including MC’s,
Breakdancers, DJ’s and Graffiti artists.

There will be workshops and tutorials teaching participants how
to rap,breakdance and give insight into the history of Graffiti
culture and it’s significance today. It will be a base camp for
community forums discussing youth activism, women’s rights,
Indigenous struggle, Hip Hop’s rise to an international stage and
it’s growth alongside the movement for peace, equality and social
justice. It will be showcase of some of the freshest artists in Hip
Hop culture today, and most importantly it will once again be free
and all ages!

Over the last 6 years the Festival has grown into one of the most
significant events of it’s kind. What makes this even more amazing
is that it is completely built, organized, sponsored, and supported
by communities of youth, families and regular working people from
Downtown Vancouver, Canada to Havana, Cuba! This festival
has been committed from it’s very onset to being as accessible,
diverse, creative and idealistic as the human imagination and will
can envision.

Hip Hop for Peace is the culmination of the skills of hundreds of
artists from across the world, the generous support and endorsement
of hundreds of sponsors from retail stores to municipalities, broad
media coverage from local to global carriers and the dedication to
reaching out with art dedicated to bringing about peace!

Join us again, this September 2010!

2009-10-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

Featuring for the first time in Western Canada

Pioneers of Cuban Hip Hop:

OBSESIÓN

Direct from Cuba!

Saturday September 26th > [3PM -9PM]

Ukrainian Hall > 13512 108 Ave

(2 blocks east of Gateway Skytrain Station)

Surrey

3:00PM - 4:30PM -OPENING FORUM ~ "Rebel Without a Pause"

jb the 1st lady >> scruffmouth >> obsesión

4:30PM - 5:15PM- MC'ING WORKSHOP ~ "Bring the Noise"

joose justice >> sunnite MarX

5:30PM - 6:15PM -BREAKDANCING WORKSHOP ~ "Put It Up"

>now or never crew<

6:30PM - 8:30PM- HIP HOP SHOW ~ "Louder Than a Bomb"

conspirituality >> beyond color >> RaFocus >> brittany

lil’ precious >> obsesión

Sunday September 27th > [1PM -7PM]
Vancouver Art Gallery > 750 Hornby St

Downtown Vancouver

1:00PM - 7PM- ALL DAY HIP HOP SHOW!

"It’s Bigger than Hip Hop"

project >> fully faded >> a-slam >> speeches beyond

discreet da chosen 1 >> ndidi cascade & deanna >> joose justice

now or never crew >> obsesión >> hellnback >> manik 1derful

os12 >> dani & lizzy >> jb the 1st lady

heatwave >> groundbreakers

On September 26th and 27th 2009, the Greater Vancouver Region will be the base camp for a half-decade anniversary of Mobilization Against War and Occupation’s Annual International Hip Hop Festival Against War and Occupation > HIP HOP VERSUS WAR 5!

To mark such an occasion, born from the shear will and dedication of so many over the years, will be the participation of Cuban pioneers of Hip Hop > OBSESIÓN!

Their arrival will be a first in Western Canada, who along with a veritable army of MC’s, DJ’s, Breakdancers, Graffiti Artists, Beatboxers, Spoken Word Poets and participants from all
continents will come together to showcase a blistering arsenal of radical sentiment and robust hope for humanity!

Amidst all the toasting, scratching, uprocking and Krylon mists, the anthem of, ‘Make Hip Hop NOT War,’ will literally shake surrounding buildings…and we wont stop, cuz we cant stop!

OBSESIÓN is one of Cuba’s most successful and outspoken Hip Hop groups garnering the attention and admiration of superstar artists like Afrika Bambaata, Mos Def, and Philadelphia’s, TheRots, who shared a stage at the Apollo Theatre as part ofObsesion’s landmark American tour in 2003. The group is comprisedof Mc’s, Magia (Magia Lopez) and El Tipo Este (Alexey Rodriguez, also a producer). OBSESIÓN continues to actively participate within the ‘Agencia Cubana de Rap’ (government sponsored Cuban Rap Agency developed in 2002 as a way of encouraging and making space for young artists developing their skill and expressing what was important to them) and organizing around women’s and Afro Cuban’s rights struggle.

Expect OBSESIÓN’s stage presence, musicianship and lyrics to not only be a first in western Canada, but to be a show that will bring the flavor of the Cuban spirit and revolutionary dedication to our collective struggle for humanity.

2009-10-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

5th Annual Hip Hop Festival Against War & Occupation

Day Two - Bigger Than Hip Hop

2009-10-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

5th Annual Hip Hop Festival Against War & Occupation

Day 1- Louder Than a Bomb

OBSESIÓN

2009-09-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

OBSESIÓN / Obsesión's interview

2009-09-14T19:57:00.003-07:00

In a world defined by war and occupation, artists from Harlem to Havana have used hip-hop to voice their opposition to injustice, and give life to their ideas for a better world. In words, in paint, on vinyl and through dance, people around the world have come together to build and sustain a diverse culture of protest through creative expression.

Mobilization Against War and Occupation’s (MAWO) Annual Anti-War Hip-Hop festival was created in an effort to bring people together both locally internationally to explore hip-hop as an important tool in the movement to end war and occupation. To date, it is the only festival of its kind across seven continents, but its influence continues to reach across the globe.

Our past four festivals have seen close to ten thousand people from all walks of life attend shows in Surrey, Burnaby , Richmond , East, West, and Downtown Vancouver. From fifteen-hundred people braving the elements at outdoor shows, to packed night-clubs and all-ages showcases in community centers, the festival has become an important cultural and political institution in Canada .

Over one-hundred and twenty-five artists from countries like Palestine, Guatemala and Somalia, along with some of the hottest local artists from across Canada have blazed the festival’s stages. These talented artists have generously donated their art and passion, and have made names for themselves with new and diverse audiences.

With sponsors such as the cities of West Vancouver , Richmond and Burnaby - along with dozens of students’ unions, community organizations, Hip Hop retail stores like Dipt Urban Hookups, and Ephin Apparel and numerous Hip Hop promoters – the festival reaches demographics and areas that the anti-war and hip-hop communities by themselves have never touched down in before.

Vancouver’s 4th Annual-Hip Hop Festival Against War and Occupation, “HIP HOP VS. WAR” was the largest, most successful festival to date. In Surrey and Downtown Vancouver, over 1700 people attended two packed days of workshops, tutorials, and a moving line-up of local and international artists. Featured on CBC national news and local print and radio, the festival exceeded expectations in breaking new ground and reaching new people.

Saturday’s events in Surrey kicked off with the workshop, The Rhymes and the Reasons: Hip Hop as a Voice of Oppressed People. Organizers had to bring out more chairs as highschool students, families, and the young at heart packed the hall. Presenters included Vancouver Grand Slam Poet Champion Scruffmouth, APTN/Showcase drama “Moccasin Flats” actor and rapper Os12, as well as youth worker and MC Ill Eagle.

The chairs were then cleared and the stage set for Estea El and Joose Justis to run the MC segment of Back to the Lab: MC & Breakdance Tutorials. The room formed a large circle as everyone clapped, shared the mic, and then crowded in to join the b-boys of the “Now Or Never Crew” light up the dance floor and share their skills. Now Or Never would soon go to on compete at the Battle of the Year World Finals in Germany.

The days events were capped off with an evening talent showcase, “Drop Beats Not Bombs!” which featured MuchMusic’s “RapCity” Chart top spot holding – Hellnback along with Manik 1derful.

For day two, over 1,500 people crowded the Vancouver Art Gallery over the course of the day to check out the exciting unity between the anti-war movement and hip hop.

Kelly White, a Coast Salish elder welcomed the festival to her traditional territory. After Kelly, a storm of artists took the stage.

Downtown Vancouver was shaking to the sounds of Discreet da Chosen 1, Twyla Dawn, Os12, and Project. Influents, Genetics, and Punjabi-fusion hip hop sensations A-Slam tied up the first half of the day.

500 people then crowded around the breakdancing floor, as an open session of b-boys and b-girls was led by the Now or Never and Rhythm and Actions crews. Throughout the day people were also drawn to the Malcolm X tent to see film, pictures and writings by the famous activist for justice, dignity and peace.

As the day progressed, Manik 1derful and Hellnback rocked another jaw dropping set, and 3 time Juno award winner Moka Only made a special appearance alongside 7th Generation. To cap off an incredible day, Kilawatt Records up-and-commer Heatwave reminded the crowd, “it’s bigger than Hip Hop!”

Vancouver’s Hip Hop Festival Against War and Occupation continues to surpass expectations, hurdle obstacles and open up space for people of all ages and backgrounds together to learn, to dance, and to shout in the same breath... “I Love Hip Hop!” “No To War!”

Moka Only

2009-09-13T23:37:00.001-07:00

Ostwelve

2009-09-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

HellnBack

2009-09-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

2009-09-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) is providing an engine for change – bringing people together to educate, organize, and mobilize against war and occupation. We encourage people everywhere to channel their desire for basic human dignity and justice into action.

MAWO is a coalition of over seventy endorsing members, most of which are student unions, Indigenous groups, women’s organizations, groups from the third-world and many other grassroots organizations. We have the energy and drive for change, for world peace, and it is in our interest to make this a reality for everyone.

Artist Bios

2008-09-20T22:35:00.000-07:00

OBSESION
Obsesion is one of the islands most successful and outspoken Hip Hop groups garnering the attention and admiration of fans, international media and superstar artists like Afrika Bambaata, Mos Def, and Philadelphia’s, The Roots, who shared a stage at the Apollo Theatre as part of Obsesion’s landmark American tour in 2003. The group is comprised of Mc’s, Magia (Magia Lopez) and El Tipo Este (Alexey Rodriguez, also a producer). This highly respected duo have become relative pioneers in the Cuban Hip Hop scene, collaborating, supporting and promoting an extensive list of local talent and legitimate narratives of Cuban society. Equally as significant, is Obsesion’s active participation within the ‘Agencia Cubana de Rap’ (government sponsored Cuban Rap Agency developed in 2002 as a way of encouraging and making space for young artists developing their skill and expressing what was important to them) and organizing around women’s and Afro Cuban’s rights struggle.
Expect Obsesion’s stage presence, musicianship and lyrics to not only be a first in Canada, but to be a show that will bring the flavor of the Cuban spirit and revolutionary dedication to our collective struggle for humanity.
http://www.myspace.com/obsesioncuba

MANIK1DERFUL
Manik1derful belongs to the Raven clan of Haida Gwaii. A veteran of the Hip Hop scene in Vancouver, he is also a pillar in Native Hip Hop across Turtle Island. Representing Stressed Street and Fresh Coast Productions, Manik has been part of the Sunday School Dropooutz and is taking the country by storm with the Urban Buffaloes, his newest project.An MC Battle champ, the fastest free-styling poet, a prophet of prose, Manik’s style is like no other. He’s showing his support for his 5th Antiwar Hip Hop Festival. Get ready!

http://www.myspace.com/mistermanik

HELLNBACK
Hellnback has been a active member and performer in the hiphop world for a total of over 19 years. In that time he has broken ground and won countless awards for his music and music video's. As a founding member of WARPARTY and the group REZOFFICIAL, HellnbacK has been a positive role-model for children and adults all over canada.performing since the age of 10 and handling workshops ranging from drug abuse to setting and achieving goals his message and movement continues to grow leaps and bounds what his wildest imagination had in store.
http://www.myspace.com/hellnbackmusic

OSTWELVE
Ostwelve (Ron Dean Harris), was born in the Coast Salish - Sto:lo Territory of British Columbia, Canada. Being introduced to music at an early age, Os was experimenting with the art form of Hiphop by the age of 12 years old. By the age of 19 Os was performing around the emerging Native Hiphop scene in Vancouver and in 1999 he was asked to join Native American rap artist Litefoot on his "Red Ryder Tour" throughout several states and numerous Native communities in the USA.

Since then Ostwelve has been recording music and acting, landing a lead character role and music composition credits on the APTN dramatic series “Moccasin Flats” and movie of the week: “Moccasin Flats: Redemption” for which he has received several Best Actor nominations. Os has also been traveling the world showcasing his talent and diplomacy, delegating and performing at large international showcases such as the Global African Hip Hop Summit 2005, the Nokia Jam in Johannesburg fall of 2006 and the 2008 North American Indigenous Games in Duncan BC. He recently released his newest album entitled: “Anti-Gravity Dinosaurs” in early June 2008 and was bestowed with the honor of receiving a certificate for Honorary National Aboriginal Role Model from the National Aboriginal Health Organization in June 2009.

http://www.myspace.com/ostwelve

NDIDI CASCADE & DEANNA TEEPLE
Ndidi Cascade and Deanna Teeple are Vancouver based Hip Hop Soul artists. Known for their powerful vocals and intelligent lyrics, these talented women intend to empower and inspire using music. Having shared the stage with artists such as Femi Kuti, Collie Buddz, Digable Planets, De La Soul and Kelis, Ndidi Cascade and Deanna are proud to represent Vancouver on a global stage. These two best friends are also Hip Hop workshop facilitators who enjoy engaging and inspiring individuals to discover and develop hidden talents

http://www.myspace.com/ndidicascadedeanna

JOOSE JUSTICE
Joose is originally from Toronto, where he is one half of PLAZMA (People Living AZ Moments Arrive) with TalkSIK on Killawatt Records. A Vancouver resident for the last four years, Joose co-founded the Elemental Hip Hop Open, which allows kids an open forum to sharpen their basic fundamental Hip Hop skills at the RayCam Community Centre in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Outside of his community work, he’s done shows with the Rascalz, Akon, Rhianna, Mos Def and 2Short.
http://www.myspace.com/stopgrillin

DISCREET DA CHOSEN 1
A Reigning decendant of the Squamish Nation, Snake Eyes Ent's Discreet Da Chosen 1's(Leeland Askew) career has taken a quantum leap forward. He's currenlty finishing up his 3rd album "Storytime w/ Discreet & Friends" to be released in 09, He has currently opened and oporates his own professional recording studio "Knownwell Product-shuns" Snake Eyes lives lives on!!!

http://www.vscrew.com

SPEECHES BEYOND
"I perceive myself first to be a poet, but not in the sense of someone who talks or writes poetry, but in the sense of someone who lives as the poet would – forever searching the earth for the truth about life then relaying that message back to the people in the form of words."
http://www.myspace.com/speechesbeyond

PROJECT
Between the infectious energy at his live performances and his thorough understanding and respect of the history of rap music, Project is a return to the conscious MC who draws from the rhythmic feel of his art to progress to a new yet classic style of Urban music which is accessible to all. His mastery of the word solidifies his position as one of the most unique voices of hip hops new generation. Project views his music as life.
http://www.projectrhymes.com

JB THE FIRST LADY
JB is a triple threat as an Emcee, director of performance and actor. She is spreading the words of empowerment and the perspective of urban Indigenous women in Canada. She is 25 years old, and hails from the Nuxalk and Cayuga Nations. JB's first album, “Indigenous Love” definitely captures the opinions and expression of young urban Indigenous women. JB wants young Indigenous women to feel proud, inspired, and to finally see someone on stage that looks like them since there are not too many Canadian Indigenous women represented in mainstream media.
http://www.myspace.com/jbthefirstlady
HEATWAVE
HeatWave was born on the run. As his family escaped persecution in the isolated mountains of Lesotho, a nun delivered and named him Motsamai, "the traveller." Discovered by Red1 of the legendary Rascalz in 2006, HeatWave has spent the past several years making his presence in the Killawatt Records family known. On a constant grind with his sights set high, HeatWave's presence is felt in inner city schools, clubs, stadiums, political rallies and street corners alike.
http://www.myspace.com/heatwaveteam

THE GROUNDBREAKERS
Welcome to the blueprint of original music. The Groundbreakers are a group of five band members brought together for one purpose: the love of the hip hop culture. Individually we are able to stand on our own as a solid representation of this culture, concentrating in areas of production (GBoXX, DJ Leaf, The BreakCharmer, and Backbone), Lyrics (Attikus & Babiepaul) and of course, the all important melody (Backbone, GBoXX and DJ Leaf). Now with the crumbling state of our culture and the support of a crew that cannot be found anywhere, we are leaving stages blazing and crowds in frenzies, in the wakes of our shows. Welcome to the new home of the Boom Bap sound, please make yourself at home.
http://www.myspace.com/vancitygroundbreakers

FULLY FADED
Hailing from the Influents crew, emcees Abyss and Sauce with DJ C-Lo form the hip hop super group Fully Faded. Fusing a strong foundation in the old school with a progressive frame of mind, they bring a distinct sound and an energetic live set loaded with quality beats and thoughtful lyrics. After four years as a group and a combined total of 36 years spent honing their respective crafts, they are still looking forward to reaching a wider fan base and opening minds. Fully Faded is a concept of total elevation.
http://www.myspace.com/fullyfaded

BRITTANY B
Since the day Brittany was born she has always been inspired to sing and dance her heart out! She has always turned to music in any situation of life - to confide in to help her through bad times, and to feel happy about the good ones! She has written uncountable tracks and recorded several underground tracks with local artists such as Young Sunny, and Profreshnill. Brittany aspires to always move forward with her music in whatever path it leads her to. Money or not! Its all for the love!
http://www.myspace.com/EPHIN

A-SLAM
A-slam Music Productions is an artist and production team that specializes in fusion hip-hop. A-slam is establishing themselves as being one of the first groups to strictly fuse hip-hop/rap and Punjabi instead of R&B. In 2007, A-slam received first place in the International Songwriting Competition (hip-hop/r&b category) for their single “For You The group is constantly performing around Vancouver and has opened for mainstream acts such as H-Dhami, Malkit Singh, Apache Indian, Fat Joe, Sweat Shop Union, JoSH, and Aman Hayer. The group has also recently returned from performing in Edminton, Toronto, and in London, UK.

http://www.a-slam.com/

DANI & LIZZY
Vancouver based singer/rapper/songwriting twins Dani & Lizzy, formerly known as “Genetics,” have developed an all original “Hip Hop” sound that is entertaining a wide and rapidly growing fan base. With an eclectic flair and strong rap roots, this refreshingly original sister act offers up thoughtful lyrics on top of catchy melodies. The charismatic and spirited duo are solidly setting a standard for female singer/rappers everywhere.
http://www.myspace.com/daniandlizzymusic

SCRUFFMOUTH
Scruffmouth a.k.a. Kevan Cameron is a scribe, poet-warrior, and performer. He is the Grand Slam Champion of the 2008 Vancouver Poetry Slam and has been slamming, speaking the word, and performing dub poetry since 2004. Before that, Kevan Cameron was a mild-mannered soccer player. After being belted by cosmic radiation, Scruffmouth emerged with power to craft weapons of words to engage in vocabularian battle. When he is not playing the beautiful game or involved in revolutionary activities, he may be working in the film industry or trying to find new ways to achieve creative freedom. Kevan Cameron graduated from Simon Fraser University in 2003 with a Bachelor’s Degree of General Studies (philosophy & history). He turned down a lucrative offer to play video games for a living in order to be a poet. It seems to be working out for him so far.

http://www.myspace.com/scruffmouth

NOW OR NEVER CREW
In 1997, Coquitlam, B.C. Canada, a Taiwanese youngster named Lawrence started his break dance life after watching a few B-boying clips that his brother downloaded from the Internet. He became obsessed with this art and shortly became a very good B-boy himself. Lawrence found a group of friends that had the same interest in B-boying as he did. From then on, they started to hang out and practice together. They soon established their names in a lot of local high schools.Just over a decade later, the combined generations of the Now or Never Crew have won multiple titles from all kinds of underground breaking battles, generated a high demand for their services for the entertainment industry, and kept true to the spirit of their crew. N.O.N was originally created for friends, and it belongs to friends. This belief is bounded with the root of the crew. Therefore this crew also resembles the eternal friendship of all members. We cherish this friendship; it is actually this friendship that makes Now or Never a strong crew in Canada.*Winners of the Battle of the Year-Canada Preliminary

http://www.nowornevercrew.com/

CONSPIRITUALITY
Conspirituality is a Vancouver based hip-hop group consisting of lyricists Gemineye and Zaddik Melchizedek (Sons of Zadok). Gemineye is one of Canada's and Hip Hop's most out-spoken political artists, his work deals with a wide array of topics from ancient mysteries and oddities to exposing the agenda's of secret societies, world political figures, historical cover ups and spiritual teachings. Zaddik Melchizedek is one of Canada's and Hip Hop's most captivating spiritual artists, his work focuses on the teachings and philosophies of world tradition's and cultures both ancient and modern, touching on everything from shamanism, Egyptology, Gnosticism, Hinduism, Buddhism and more.
http://www.myspace.com/conspirituality

LIL PRECIOUS
Born in Kingston, Jamaica Lil Precious (AKA Sherian Sang) started singing at a young age. Lil Precious has done numerous performances and award shows like The Reggae Music Appreciation Awards & Tribute to Bob Marley show and the Byron Lee Tribute show. She also had TV interviews on Caribbean Beats, various radio interviews and was chosen to be the cover girl for the brand new Mwinda During the last year Lil Precious has been working on her first album “Every Step” and her music video for the first single of her album “So Insane.”
http://www.myspace.com/kariankidd

DJ K-REC
DJ K-Rec (Kent Stephany), blends poignant samples & melody with signature big-beat drums, cutting & scratching to create an intelligent hip-hop sound. K-Rec has worked with artists like Discreet Da Chosen One, The Boombox Saints, Estea-El & The Influents Crew. While with Nettwerk Records. K-Rec’s remix of ‘It’s Tricky’ by Run-DMC was used for Electronic Arts video game ‘SSX Tricky’, & nominated for Much Music Video Awards.for his music video, ‘Turn My Back.’
K-Rec was a winner of the global Nokia Trends Lab Experiment “What does your city sound like,” hosted by DJ Shadow.
http://www.myspace.com/djkrec

RA FOCUS
Ra Focus, under independent label Red Giant Records are here to stand for something. Reflectionz, Stress Mentell and Axiom bring heavy lyrics in heavy times. Production is handled by inventive and powerful beat artists Mosaic, HeadSpace, Schieba Twin, Agent33, Steps Necessary, Makemdef, D-Rec and Filthy Varmint.

The crew aims to make a positive change through multi faceted artistry. It starts with the growth of the community at the foundation-level first leading to more significant changes on a larger scale. Driven by the intention to make a difference globally, Red Giant is dedicated to providing solutions with music and celebration.

http://www.myspace.com/rafocus

BEYOND COLOR
Beyond Colour is a hip hop duo based out of Vancouver British Columbia. The group consists of emcee Bitter Taste Bud and sound engineer Lekz beats. Together the two feel and extract mental imagery from music. They take these thoughts, feelings, emotions and gradually bring them into life. Both Lekz and Bitter Taste use everything that their sensory receptors take from their environment as a source of inspiration. The two of them use this stimulus to create catchy hooks for engaging tales about happiness and melancholy, which surmise their feelings about modern society.
http://www.myspace.com/bittertastebud

Sunnite MarX AKA SMX

The real McCoy, he is a social conscious hip hop rap artist and producer. He represents the voice of voiceless in society and contributes to the on going struggle of standing against ignorance and oppression in our world. He is a strong advocate for those who are at a disadvantage, and he also organizes artistic workshops and events for youth with the Modern Artistic Collective.

www.myspace.com/sunnitemarx

Thanks to our Sponsors

2007-09-22T01:10:00.000-07:00

http://dipt.wordpress.com/

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http://www.killawattrecords.ca///

http://ccss.camosun.bc.ca/

2007-05-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

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