Oakland got a major shout-out in the blockbuster game-changing film Black Panther and rightly so. This influential city is often overshadowed by its Bay Area neighbors: the Golden Gate metropolis of San Francisco, the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement Berkeley, and the innovative tech cradle of the Silicon Valley. However, Oakland has been a pivotal place in its own right. It was home of Bruce Lee's first school and an important progenitor for Hip Hop. From March 24th to August 12th, 2018, the Oakland Museum of California is presenting a special exhibit that uncovers the under-recognized story of how Hip-Hop culture changed the world: RESPECT Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom.

There's a deep connection between Hip-Hop and martial arts. Classic Kung Fu movies struck a chord with young black men and women in America, inspiring them to learn to self-defense, be disciplined, live healthy lifestyles, and think strategically in the war zones of the ghettos. Themes of the universal struggle against oppression resonated with urban communities, plus it was refreshing to see heroes that weren't Hollywood whitewashed. Rappers wove their angst into their machine-gun lyrics, amply sampling from the Golden Age of Kung Fu cinema, the Hong Kong films of the 70s and 80s, largely from Shaw Brothers studios. Wu-Tang Clan were the banner-men for the Kung Fu Hip Hop movement, and the Abbot of Wu-Tang, the RZA, graced the cover of our September 1999 issue. Nearly 20 years later, the influence of Kung Fu is still vital today with Kendrick Lamar's Kung Fu Kenny and Migos music video Stir Fry.

One of the Consulting Curators for RESPECT is Adisa Banjoko, A.K.A. the Bishop, founder of the Hip Hop Chess Federation, a non-profit organization that promotes music, chess, and martial arts to foster unity, strategy, and non-violence. Adisa contacted me early on in the development of this exhibit. It was extremely important to him that the martial arts be included. At the press preview, he said the following. "I think the scariest part of putting this whole thing together was trying to honor Bruce Lee, and trying to make sure that all of the martial arts component fit naturally, were honored culturally and fit musically. I think that Mike Relm, specifically in his video, did a great job with that. And I'm super grateful to the diversity of the Bay Area because the reason this exhibit is working so well is because the Bay Area has so many different kinds of people trying to be great together." DJ Mike Relm created video artwork for an immersive, multi-projector media environment for the first chamber of the RESPECT exhibit, the Hip-Hop Dojo. In true martial spirit, the Hip-Hop Dojo embodies the principle of “show, don’t tell.” In the Dojo, visitors can experiment, practice, and perform. The Hip-Hop Dojo offers experiences like real mixing, scratching, and beat-making equipment, Hip-Hop dancing tutorials, graffiti walls and chess. Demonstrations, workshops, and cyphers will occur in the Dojo throughout the run of RESPECT, so every visit will be a new and distinctly Hip-Hop experience.

Note that I will be speaking alongside Adisa "The Bishop" Banjoko in one of the many programs associated with RESPECT. The program, Hip-Hop & Martial Arts, will be part of the Chop It Up topical discussions held on the last Saturday of every month from April to July. Our talk is scheduled for June 30 2018.