tiana, asia one & naloni.
during the event asia taught the baby b-girls how to paint and how to dance. every time i turned around there was a crowd of kids following her. she is proof positive that mentorship is the way to change some things right now and for the future. i'm sad that it's the end of an era - r.i.p. bboysummit . im waiting for what's next.
asia one's artist talk was a huge building circle. she talked about the history of the dance, east coast/west coast crew beef history and how they've worked through a lot of that, and her visions for a union for dance and hip hop artists (we need that health insurance!)
the saturday nite mainstage show was amazing. asia and b-girl shorty danced with locals b-girl seoul, daylight, madfresh and others as kuttin kandi played the breaks.
asia one and b-girl shorty. shorty, who traveled with her mom and little brother, is only 14. again, mentorship. shorty talked about being a trained dancer in ballet and classical dance but seeing b-boys and telling her dad that she wants to get down like that.
psalm one, the only female and newest artists signed to the minneapolis-based rhymesayers entertainment drove in from chicago. her dj, spontaneous, told me that he is working on an all-female mix tapes. he's really doing his homework and digging back in history.
i put together a free b-girl be coloring book that was a hit with the kids and adults too. i couldn't make enough copies of it. it features images by toofly, lady pink, faith47, ladykfever and many others...
lots of ladies in the crowd (and men and families). lots of people came out and showed lots of luv and support.
my favorite hip hop scholar gwendolyn pough gave the keynote address. she asked, "shorty who u rollin' wit?". after this talk i felt charged, like i am not rollin' with myself. there are many of us on the same page these days.
the beautiful nesra, tiana and mela, co-curators of b-girl be.
b-girl seoul sits on the red bull floor with the crowd as her backdrop.
lady pink (nyc), with toofly (nyc) and zori4 (puerto rico) break it down during the graf talk.
the lovely and ever-amazing sha cage (minnesota spoken word association) and roger cummings (juxtaposition arts) , a youth arts center on the northside of minneapolis.
too fly cleans up her tools of war
dj kuttin kandi performs at the ladies night mainstage, gave an artist talk, spoke after the film mixtress x and spoke on the women in media panel. her work against radio-one and hot 97 is unparalleled. check her out - kuttinkandi.com
with beautiful baby in the belly, ladykfever (nyc/canada) puts it down by getting up on the Intermedia Arts wall.
sarah white is my new favorite artist. her voice - both singing and rapping - sends chills down my spine. she fills the void since lauryn went away. she was in a group called traditional methods but is now recording on her own (with production by rico mendez). check her out HERE
my other most favorite is miss princessofthepoem. stop sleeping, get her album HERE
indigo is also a beautiful up-and-comer from minneapolis, enjoying the other ladies with her son, eli.
over and over i was aksed, "is that lady pink, THE lady pink". yes. in the flesh.
mona, rae, b-girl special t, martha diaz. the hip hop association flew in. that's luv.
