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Thread: Hip-Hop Chess Federation

  1. #46
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    RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom - Oakland Museum, March 24–August 12, 2018

    It's time for that indie thread on this - copied the previous posts from our Hip-Hop Chess Federation thread.

    I'd say this deserves the indie thread just for the "Hip Hop Dojo", but like I said, I've been invited to speak on a panel about the influence of martial arts on Hip Hop. So there's that.

    Exhibition


    A b-boy dancing on a floor painted with a mandala. Still from video Sanford Biggers, Mandala of the B-Bodhisattva II, 2000 featured in RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style and Wisdom at the Oakland Museum of California.

    RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom
    March 24–August 12, 2018

    Hip-Hop is one of the widest reaching cultural and social movements of the last 50 years. Discover the under-recognized story of how Hip-Hop changed the world, starting from its roots on the streets before rap, DJing, graffiti, breakin’ (breakdancing), and street fashion launched into mainstream popular culture. Through photography, video, art, music, dance, fashion, and interactive gallery features, explore how Hip-Hop provides a platform for creative self-expression, activism, positive social change, youth development, entrepreneurialism, and education. Created in collaboration with and participation from numerous members of the Hip-Hop community, RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom tells a fresh story of the evolution of this global phenomenon, and includes a spotlight on Oakland and the San Francisco Bay Area’s influence on Hip-Hop culture.

    Experiment, practice, and perform in the Hip-Hop Dojo inside the RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom exhibition space, and view the Events calendar for upcoming public programs and workshops.

    There is an additional $4 charge for this special exhibition in addition to regular Museum admission.

    RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom is supported in part by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and members of the Donor Forum.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  2. #47
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    origins


    Alexandre Moors / Good Company

    The Real Story Behind Kendrick Lamar’s Kung-Fu Kenny
    By Fabian Gorsler in Music 1 day ago

    Kendrick Lamar has been touring the world in support of his Grammy award winning album ****., and anyone who’s been paying any attention will have seen that the rapper has been performing in front of a rather strange backdrop of short clips. The clips, which depict Kendrick Lamar as his martial arts alter ego Kung Fu Kenny, culminate in him finding what he describes as “the glow.”

    When stitched together, the tour clips turn into a short film which has been dubbed The **** Legend of Kung Fu Kenny, which you can watch below. In it, Kendrick Lamar aka Kung Fu Kenny is a promising martial artist that is looking to master his skills. He ultimately does so by finding the glow – in a woman’s vagina no less.

    Although a lot has been written about it, not much has been officially communicated about the actual origins of the Kung Fu Kenny act. Some speculate that the name was inspired by Don Cheadle’s character of the same name in Rush Hour 2. This piece by The Fader goes into detail about how Kendrick Lamar admitted to as much.

    Lamar first invited his alter ego into the limelight during his “DNA.” music video featuring none other than – you guessed it – Don Cheadle. In the visuals Kung Fu Kenny is given free reign, rapping and simultaneously showing off his combat skills.

    continued next post
    Gene Ching
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  3. #48
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    Continued from previous post

    Since then, Kung Fu Kenny has grown in stature, serving as influence for a pair of Kendrick Lamar x Nike Cortez sneakers and ultimately taking over the ‘****.’ Tour with the above short movie.

    While there’s no reason to doubt that the name was taken from Rush Hour 2, there’s also more to Kung Fu Kenny’s journey than meets the eye.

    The plot of The **** Legend of Kung Fu Kenny and the journey itself are almost certainly based on a cult martial arts movie called The Last Dragon, the trailer for which you can watch below.



    In the movie, a character named Leroy Green aka Bruce Leroy is on a quest to become as great a martial artist as his idol Bruce Lee. Living in New York City, Leroy’s master tells him he has reached the final level of martial arts accomplishment known as “The Last Dragon.”

    Those who reach this level are said to be able to discover and harness the power of “the glow,” a mystical power that gives whoever controls it transcendent skill. Once Bruce Leroy has found the glow, he has reached his full potential as a martial artist.

    For Kung Fu Kenny, finding the glow means mastering the art of rap and hip-hop. When Lamar’s alter ego finally finds the glow – in a woman’s vagina no less – it signifies that the rapper has reached his full potential as an artist and is at the top of his game.

    Lamar’s short film ends with the words “Kung Fu Kenny Found the Motha****in’ Glow Hoe,” signifying that he believes he is one of the biggest hip hop acts around right now. He’s telling his audience he’s a master at his craft and that his artistry is second to none.

    Basically, Kung Fu Kenny is the Bruce Leroy of hip-hop and the ****. tour is his journey. The hunt for the elusive glow is a clear reflection of Kendrick Lamar’s career so far, during which he has strived to become the best in his chosen field. And so, in turn, each of the short, pre-recorded clips are simultaneously a glimpse into Kenny’s quest, as well as Kendrick’s because – really – they are one and the same.

    While the inspiration is now more or less clear, the motivation behind parodying The Last Dragon still paints a murky picture. The film was dubbed a critical disappointment upon its release in 1985, however, thanks to a passionate fanbase, became a financial success and, later, a cult classic.

    As a cult classic set in New York and featuring a predominantly black cast, it makes sense for this movie’s plot to be the inspiration for Kung Fu Kenny’s quest. Hip hop and martial arts have a long and storied history, with more than a few notable songs clearly inspired by Asian culture.

    Wu-Tang Clan is the first that jumps to mind. The group’s 1993 album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was named after the 1978 film The 36th Chamber of the Shaolin. Naturally, when the rap group split up its members carried that influence over to their individual careers. RZA and GZA both released songs that either directly referenced fighting techniques in the title or spit bars like RZA’s “we use tai chi to deflect off our enemy” from his 2003 track “Chi Kung.”
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
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  4. #49
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    Continued from previous post



    Going into more detail is Adisa Banjoko, founder of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation and author of the book Bobby, Bruce & the Bronx: The Secrets of Hip-Hop Chess. According to him, the connection between black youth and martial arts is as clear as day.

    “People often forget that hip-hop was born out of the ashes of the civil rights movement, and so much of that was tied to a reclamation of black male dignity,” he says. “These films—Bruce Lee movies in particular, and a lot of the Shaw Brothers films—often dealt with one man going against an organization, or one man going against an unjust state. Because so much of this was done with just the hands, it was also a tool of the poor. You didn’t have to be rich to have these skills. You just had to be disciplined and be willing to work, and you could have it.

    “That was one of the main reasons that the martial arts resonated with African-American males who, people conveniently forget, had all of their warrior traditions literally beaten out of them on slave plantations and in sharecropper/Jim Crow America. So these films were supremely inspirational to masses of black males who felt culturally robbed of their warrior spirit, and inspirational on a philosophical perspective, because of the responsibility that having the skills demanded.”

    Another reason Kendrick Lamar might have chosen The Last Dragon as a reference is the fact that the movie was produced by Berry Gordy, best known as the founder of the famous Motown record label. Given that fact, it’s clear that the movie, billed as a martial arts film meets Motown musical, had a strong connection to the music industry from the get go.

    Regardless of the motivations behind creating his alter ego and sending him on a journey in search of the glow, Kendrick Lamar’s Kung Fu Kenny shares a lot of similarities with Bruce Leroy of The Last Dragon.

    What do you think, does Kung Fu Kenny’s quest have more to do with Bruce Leroy’s than previously thought? Let us know what you think in the comments.
    This article references Rush Hour 2, The Last Dragon, and Wu-Tang Clan, but I'm only copying it to our The **** Legend of Kung Fu Kenny by Kendrick Lamar thread and our Hip-Hop Chess Federation thread. Adisa is an old friend and we've been working together on RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom, a special exhibit that opens in Oakland Museum this weekend.

    NOTE: There's one more embedded vid that I couldn't cut&paste here.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  5. #50
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    Check mate

    Just saw this on the HHCF instagram
    realhiphopchess
    All things have seasons. In 2006 with the help of co-founder #LeoLibiran aka #BlastOne our organization was born. Our goal from the beginning was to fuse music chess and martial arts to promote Unity strategy and non-violence in the Bay Area across America and the world.

    We were dismissed by so many and laughed at publicly and privately by people from all three subcultures (chess, hip-hop and martial arts).

    In time, people understood that not only what we were promoting was not a gimmick they understood that it had real legs that could reach back into ancient times.

    Josh Waitzkin, @rza @therealgza and so many others supported our efforts. The results were both culturally impactful and historic. Breaking attendance records at the World Chess Hall of Fame, the RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom exhibit at #OMCA and others.

    Not to mention juvenile hall events in SF, Oakland and Stl.

    Plus #bobbybruceandthebronx still a FREE BOOK on www.hiphopchess.blogspot.com The #cloudscroll (my second book on jiu-jitsu techniques ) is up there too!!!

    The #cloudscroll my first book jiu-jitsu book of techniques) is still up on www.ironhookebook.blogspot.com

    As the American Resurgence of chess explodes today and all these different newspapers and magazines and TV shows and radio shows will look at how it happened NONE of them focus on the role that hip hop played in spreading the game from 1980s to now. But we will not be denied our contributions. They stand eternally in rhymes, skratches and bboy/bgirl moves. They are in graffiti around the world.

    We can never thank our supporters, teachers, students, parents and jiu-jitsu representatives enough. Your contributions changed chess in America and the world. You are appreciated.

    The endgame is done. Hip-Hop, chess and martial arts won. Domo arigato gozaimas...
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  6. #51
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    Props from Adisa Banjoko

    The Black Belt from the 47 Ronin Temple

    Adisa Banjoko aka Bishop
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    12 hours ago

    A friends journey to Japan to get buy a black belt- gets crazy!
    A few months ago, while teaching and training in the UK a friend from SF in The Bay Area. His name is Prof. Greg Watkins at Stanford University. We met through a friend of ours named Remi when Remi invited me to run a youth chess summer program a few summers back. Greg and I hit it off immediately. He teaches philosophy, he knows Shakespeare better than most, and he loved the UFC. How could we not be cool?! He also has a deep respect for Eastern philosophy. I learned a lot from him about Zhuang Zi, Socrates and so much more.
    So while I was in the UK, I called him one day to catch up and he said “Hey I’m going to Japan with my wife, do you want me to grab you anything? I was blown away and I said “Please grab me a black belt while you are out there.” He said “OK” and lets say a month or so later he messaged me asking me where to send it.
    I told him to send it to America because I was so scared something might happen to it. I did not want it to get lost in the mail, etc cetera. So he sent it to my parents place. This all happened about 4 months back. I came back in October, and my dad had set the belt out for me.
    So, while at my parents recently I was talking to my lady on Whats App and I showed her some of the stuff in my old bedroom. I opened one drawer and it had some incense in a purple box with beautiful art and Japanese writing on it.

    [IMG]https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:720/format:webp/1*94GfJBUB3w32qIgP9BtgwQ.jpeg[/IMG]
    My kuro obi at Segakuji Temple in Japan.

    Adisa Banjoko lecturing on Stoic philosophy at the NXT 45 mens retreat in the United Kingdom.

    The box was sealed. The thing is, my parents hate incense. When I was about 13 I bought insense and a little burner for my room. It was the 1983. My parents were like “Don’t try to cover up the smell of marijuana with incense, boy!!” I was such a nerd, I did not even know what weed looked like yet! But I loved the incense and I hated that my parent thought I was trying to smoke something I had never even seen before. I was mischievous though, and it was the 1984. In reflection, their attitude at the time made sense.
    My point is, I knew they did not purchase it. But I wanted to burn the incense immediately. I asked her if she sent it before I arrived in the states. She said no but wondered if maybe my parents had bought it for me and maybe forgotten. Once my friend Dr. David Timony sent me some amazing incense. I could tell by the box that something else was happening. I ruled Dr. Timony, my parents and my lady out immediately, and I got off the phone.
    As soon as we hung up I wondered if maybe Greg had sent it. I called him. He said “Yeah, that incense came from Sengakuji Temple of the 47 Ronin”. My jaw dropped. The 47 Ronin is one of the best old school samurai stories from the middle ages. It is also a true story. It deserves the popularity of the 300 Spartans.
    Check this out:
    The story of the 47 Ronin, also known as the Ako Incident, unfolds in 18th-century Japan. After their lord, Asano Naganori, is forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official. He was set up to fail by a rival lord named Kira. Asano was ordered to kill himself and his loyal samurai, were made ronin ( become masterless warriors) . Led by Oishi Kuranosuke, the 47 Ronin patiently bide their time, enduring various humiliations and acting as if they have abandoned their samurai code. They take on other jobs. One of Anano’s high level samurai was seen running around bars and lives the life of what some might call a drunken bum. However, their true intention was to avenge their Lord Asano’s unjust forced death. They waited patiently for two years. January 30, 1703 the reunited warriors stormed Kira’s stronghold in a carefully planned attack. After being found in a hidden room, they gave him an opportunity to kill himself with same blade Asano used for seppuku. Kira refused, so and was beheaded with the same blade. The 47 Ronin then turn themselves in to authorities, willingly accepting their fate of seppuku. The tale of the 47 Ronin is a legendary example of loyalty, honor, and their unwavering commitment to avenging a master’s honor- even at the cost of their own lives. They were laid to rest at Sengakuji [Mountain Forest] Temple.

    [IMG]https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:720/format:webp/1*yYZ_eCjxnAXOVFDUf8Gdfw.jpeg[/IMG]
    Map of Sengakuji Temple grounds.

    “So, you didn’t get the pictures?” Greg asked in a confused tone.
    “What pictures”? I asked even slightly more confused.
    “My wife and I bought your black belt at the Isami store and took it to Sengakuji Temple, where the 47 Ronin are buried. We sat the belt at the altar and burned some incense. We took it to the graves of the father and son who led the attack. Then we mailed it to you. We sent pictures of the belt at the altar and the incense together.”
    My mind was blown *insert appropriate emoji here*!!
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  7. #52
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    continued from previous

    [IMG]https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:720/format:webp/1*5zG7Rvjuxi785fzUrw_Jeg.jpeg[/IMG]
    A young man preparing incense for visitors to the temple of the courageous 47 Ronin.

    I go back into the drawer and low and behold, I see the pictures. My heart soars and my eye tear up because I have loved the 47 Ronin for many years. When my son was a young teenager I gave him a very beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel (not bloody just incase parents were wondering). It is by Mike Richardson and illustrated flawlessly by Stan Sakai. I recommend it to anyone curious about the story. If your child is 12 or above it’s a good story about courage, loyalty and patience. I highly recommend it.
    Stay away from the Keanu Reeves film (I love him as an actor but the writing for that was way more sci-fi than anything else). The Japanese old school film is great and its on YouTube, but I think it is too slow for modern moviegoers. Last Knight, is a European remake of the Japanese legend. Because it is a European remake, it falls far short of it’s potential. No film, has ever done the actual Ako Incident justice, sadly.
    The crazy part is, a few weeks back I had given my belt to a kind friend, Jonny Oh (at the iconic Tiger Claw) who was getting my belt embroidered with the with the word: BANJOKO 7.21.21 on my belt. The numbers reflected the dated I got my belt. The thing was there was a big delay in getting my belt back. My friend Gene Ching explained that part it was because the Venerable Abbot of Shaolin, Shi Yongxin was visiting California. Jonny was overseeing his trip and because of it there would be a delay.
    I told Gene, “I think it is the coolest thing that my belt is delayed because the Abbot of Shaolin is in California”. I had no problem being patient. I called Jonny as soon as I learned about the belt being taken to Sengakuji Temple. I reached out to Jonny the next day. He was super apologetic about the delay on my belt. Apparently he had fallen ill with the flu after The Abbot returned to Shaolin.
    I explained that there was no apology necessary. Then I explained to him that the belt had been taken to the 47 Ronin Temple, and I wanted to have the 7.21.21. numbers replaced with BANJOKO 47. Jonny let me know that was possible. A gratitude beyond words filled my spiritual heart.
    The morning after talking to Jonny, I went to the balcony, sat in the sun and burned incense from the temple. I did yoga and meditated. My focus that day, and this day is on gratitude and patience. I have two incense burners that were gifts to me. I use them often. One from my son, is long ceramic dragon with red eyes named Smaug (the dragon from The Hobbit) . The other is a smaller jade colored dragon I got from my second BJJ student nicknamed Skywalker. (the boy was nicknamed Skywalker). I named that dragon Bruce (after the iconic Bruce Lee).
    On December 7th, 2023, my boy DeShawn swooped me over to the Tiger Claw HQ in Fremont, CA, to pick up my belt.

    [IMG]https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:720/format:webp/1*JLbhVMqRJYCKsQwXMm5mRg.jpeg[/IMG]
    Jonny Oh President of Tiger Claw, and Adisa Banjoko with his new black belt.

    Jonny greeted me with the belt in his hands, and we took a quick picture together. I walked out like a kid who got the big gift he wanted for his birthday. To celebrate, we went to eat at Vinum at New Park Mall. I had tea, veggie tempura, and the saba fish. Then we went to my homey King Kou’s house and caught up with him and Skywalker.

    [IMG]https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:720/format:webp/1*gHjCp68LGjavbHb1KOsGQw.jpeg[/IMG]
    My Isami black belt straight from Japan! Jiu-jitsu gi by JREAM.

    After I got home I put on my JREAM gi with my Heroes Martial Arts patch on the back. Then I put on The Belt from Sengakuji Temple, faced East and prayed. I thanked God for the honor of getting to the goal of achieving a kuro obi (black belt), and I thanked God for all of my teachers and training partners. I then prayed for the souls of the 47 Ronin. I asked that I be able to teach and compete honorably in the future with the same conviction they fought with.
    The moral of the story: Sometimes the God/Universe does not give you what you want when you think you want it, so that something greater can be organized for you. If you attempt to force a thing into being, you can get it. However, what you got in a rushed manner, my not have been the best thing. With patience the positive conspiracies of divine order can be left to manifest their own beauty on your behalf. I am grateful to Greg and his wife Sue for getting the Isami belt and taking it to the Sengakuji Temple. I know they did not have to do any of that. I am grateful to Jonny Oh, Gene Ching and everyone at Tiger Claw in Fremont, CA for getting my belt embroidered immaculately.
    This experience has expanded and instilled my sense of patience and acceptance of whatever comes to me in the future. I hope you, too, can get a sense of its value the next time you hit the mats or life hits you hard.
    Adisa Banjoko is a BJJ black belt, award winning writer, speaker and documentary filmmaker. Adisa has lectured on martial arts history and philosophy at Harvard, Stanford, Brown, Oberlin and many other universities. He founded the ONLINE community, the Resilient Men’s Group to help men heal mentally, emotionally and physically.
    Shout-out-to-Tiger-Claw
    Hip-Hop-Chess-Federation
    Abbot-Shi-Yongxin-s-2023-West-Coast-visit-amp-Shaolin-Kung-Fu-Games
    47-Ronin
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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