5 Star Generals Erupt

By Aaris A. Schroeder
Editor-In-Chief

I haven’t had a music group actually travel to me before but 5 Star Generalz, made up of lyrical emcees Koshen AKA The Lion King Kosh; born and raised in Belize and growing up in East Oakland and natives of Oak-Town,  Baserox and Ruckole AKA Ruckafella Cole did just that.

The chemistry between The Generalz made the interview process so much more interesting and set me at ease.  These guys make hip-hop their life.  The last 15 years that these three have known each other; since junior high, they have helped start some of the Bay Area’s most underground music groups. This includes Kosh and Ruckole’s Rebel Musik, followed up by music collective, The Syrkal of Souls AKA The Syrk where they met Baserox who hustled, tagged walls up and was in a sub-group of The Syrk, The Whut Project. 

They went their separate ways – the three stayed close as friends and only came back together when Kosh was returning with his family from Philadelphia, PA when Base and Ruck flew out to throw him a “Welcome Back to Cali” party.  The guys recorded “Feva for a Bunny” and “Slap Nasty;” two of their now hits and the rest is history.  

These guys stay active in their community as well.  Co-founding “Hip-Hop 101,” a non-profit, community driven effort which started in Philly and grew into Oakland.  These guys would tutor kids and teach them the fundamentals of hip-hop.  They also have worked with several other non-profit organizations such as Successful Options for Academic Readiness [Project SOAR], in Oakland; To Our Children’s Future With Health [TOCFWH] and The People’s Emergency Center [PEC Cares], both in Philadelphia.  

They are looking to perform all over CA and have already done so in Los Angeles and Sacramento, CA at The Press Club with Sacramento-based group, The Neighborhood Watch.  Their newest project, “The California Gold Rush,” presented by Gemstone Official and Traxbarn is in stores now or you can download it at http://cdbaby.com/cd/5stargeneralz.  Learn more about 5 Star Generals at their official website, www.myspace.com/5stargeez.

Hip-Hop Meets Sacramento Community

By Aaris A. Schroeder
Editor-In-Chief

Lovers of hip-hop unite.  Hip-Hop Congress; a national and world-wide non-profit organization dedicated to bringing communities together within the ethics of hip-hop, has arrived in Sacramento, CA.  The Sacramento Community Chapter of Hip-Hop Congress brought the musical reign, visual art and the b-boy dance to the Washington Center located in the heart of Downtown Sacramento on 16^th and D St. 

The event was publicized all over Sacramento, including KBMB 103.5 where Aaris A. Schroeder, Editor-In-Chief of UBO Magazine and Public Relation Services for artists, musicians and independent businesses and member of Hip-Hop Congress and Aman “Wyzdom” Smith, emcee, producer and community activist as well as Co-Chair to the Sacramento Chapter of Hip-Hop Congress spoke about the Hip-Hop Awareness Festival and how important to the community this event is to its youth and founders.

Sacramento Press was also present at the event covering thoughts and aspects of the event.  DJ Rated R and DJ Nocturnal – who has DJed for KBMB before – spun records most of the day.  The artists themselves were filled with joy as they performed lyrical content viable to the heart and the crowd.  Agustus thElafant performed the first night allowing the community to visualize in person the epitome of hip-hop lifestyle.  Agustus seem to represent life’s struggle, appreciation and hustle that is given to all of us.

FlyerBy Aman "Wyzdom" Smith

The second evening was beautiful as people signed up for open-mic; groups that would have met guidelines for the main stage but instead heard about the event a little later, bringing two-thirds of the crowd into a smaller room.  The room was not too small but the crowd felt it and it seemed to have stemmed from experience with other venues – whether coffee shops or short dive bars. 

“I saw different performers from the hip-hop community rock on the same stage.  It was dope because it showed that Sacramento can be capable of building unity,” says Vanessa “Lady Vex,” Co-Chair of Hip-Hop Congress and Host for the Hip-Hop Awareness Festival, who also mentioned that she appreciated the variety of age-groups. 

The crowd at the event ranged from elementary to senior citizen – yet the verbal and artistic content of the event was all on the same level as main act; Akil The Emcee of Jurassic 5, broke down hip-hop and then dropped to the floor with the other break dancers, including a small b-girl who knew how to drop that hat and bring it up with the tip of her toe.  The Outsiders Crew was present as well, break dancing professionally. 

The last evening has people coming in and out throughout the day.  Starting at noon, DJ AV busts OutKast to start, then emcees $4Dub$, 2 Incognito, Pas’sion, Sol Fyre get the crowd riley.  Akil joins the crowd for a second performance and gets down with the little ones as he busts not just positive vibes to the crowd but energy that seeps through all in attendance.

Later that evening, Brother R.J. and Crush bring street and conscious hip-hip on a local cult level.  Rahman Jamaal; new face to the stage, distracts mindful heads and intuitive minds into a different side of hip-hop – what it really means.  This guy represented hip-hop on a national tip.

The evening continued with artists such as Mic Jordan of Tribe of Levi, trashing the crowd with love and life-living wisdom and ended on that break-dancing, music-driven, artistic-thought-provoking process that should continue into the next chapter of our lives.