PeaceOUT || Event History

	A PeaceOUT Timeline

"PICK UP THE MIC" will make it's world premiere at the 30th Annual Toronto International Film Festival, Sept 8-17 2005.

Shot over a three year period, PICK UP THE MIC chronicles events in the lives and careers of numerous out LGBTIQ artists in the burgeoning subculture through interviews and performance footage at the PeaceOUT festivals in Oakland, California and New York City. Genuine in its intent and broad in its scope, the film is an important record of the history of a dynamic underground music community and its artists and its affect on mainstream culture now and in the future.

for more info on future screenings and distribution, please visit

http://www.pickupthemic.com

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WORDS ON CYPHER 2001:

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On August 31, 2001 a diverse and eclectic congregation assembled at Nile Hall in Oaklands Preservation Park to celebrate and insist on something so often denied in the Hip Hop Nation: that gay hip hop is not an oxymoron. Indeed, same gender loving folk have been consumers of hip-hop music, it has pretty much replaced house as the music of choice at our clubs and bars. But so often when articles are written about gays in hip hop, it is either to romanticize the spectacle of studs or homothuggs listening to (presumed) straight hip hop at secret clubs or an article about a suspect and closeted homiesexual who is almost always quick to deny the gay rumor. When there is mention of gays and lesbians on the production end of the hip hop industry, emcees, b-girls, and deejays are often passed off as not being popular or mainstream enough (we should question whether this is about lack of talent or a monster known as homophobia). There is a buzz about Caushun The Gay Rapper, a brotha who is being promoted as everything from our first to a savior. But banji boys and b-girls are cautious about the implications of such spotlighting, fearful that it necessarily shifts the focus off of the hundreds of gay hip hop headz whove courageously been holding it down and out since hip hops inception. The focus of the mainstream media on the gay rapper many of us believe works to ease the angst of a hip- hop nation fearful of homosexual infiltration.

Cypher 2000: ONE was an extension of a series of hip-hop influenced shows I had been putting together since 1999: Cypher (1999) and De-Cypherings (2000). The cipher is commonly referenced in Hip Hop culture as the call, response, and deciphering of stories shared through the medium of lyricism. Ciphers occur commonly on street corners and are a place where mobilized black bodies engage in a (often) confrontational battle of wits. Accentuating the cipher, I was interested in stylizing a show that would honor the history of the cipher in Hip Hop and Slam poetry cultures and yet be a site for introspective critique of Hip Hop by some of its most outspoken advocates in the SF Bay underground. A statement about Cypher (1999) read:

The concept for Cypher comes out of a desire to express the self-reflective, self-critical elements of hip-hop culture as embodied by contemporary Spoken Word Artists. Moving into the 21st Century represents for many young people an opportunity to salvage the best things about Hip Hop culture. Which are, you might ask? And Cypher is one attempt at an answer. Because black performance in Hip Hop is most prominently represented as market driven, individualistic, and heavily scripted performances of African-American youth, we hope to share with you voices, sentiments, and visions not likely to be represented by the mainstream cultural media of radio, television, and print. Cypher is a spiritual decoding, a communicative message, and the sounding-off of a collective vision emphasizing that me, and she, and he be nothing without we. This spirit of collective cultural production represents an alternative to the ego driven, all about the benjamins-chasin attachments privileging flashy images over conscious activism and apocalyptic nihilism over activist optimism.

As the kickoff performance for the Stanford University conference, Making the Spirit of 20th & 21st Century Culture: Placing Black Popular Culture and Performance, Cypher (1999) created sensibility to communities overlooked by B.E.T., MTV, VIBE, and Source. Especially troubling about its reception, however, was the erasure of the LGBTQ folk who made the event a smash (Juba Kalamka, DJ So Much Soul, Marvin K. White, Bahiyyih Maroon, among others). Same gender loving erotic tribute somehow got (mis)read as straight, lesbian womynist critique was overshadowed by the beauty of the bodies that delivered it, and comment on black gay men living with HIV was all but ignored by the heterosexual imagination. As a curator for these shows, an artist and an activist, I wanted to be sure that we would not be rendered invisible again. So, in 2000 I produced a show De-Cypherings (Oakland).

De-Cypherings was clearly a deliberate attempt to celebrate the place of queer Hip-Hip performance in the Bay and featured Phillip Huang, Venus Opal Reese, Nafis Garonne, Dazie Grego (Ms. Edge of D/DC) and yours truly as host. A stylistic break from Cypher each artist was given two minutes to create responses to the performances before them in what turned out to be a creative and dynamic orgy of Slam Poetry and improvisational lyricism. An event sponsored by Louie Butler and his monthly black LGBTQ event A Poetic Experience, De-Cypherings was a more intimate gathering of queer artists of color who shared particular sensibilities around Hip Hop. While successful, some would say it was like preaching to the choir. There were no media people there to hear our calls for visibility and representation in the larger Hip Hop and SLAM cultures.

The title for Cypher 2000: ONE was both a phonetic play on the year (2001) and a call for the mobilization of queer Hip Hop people internationally (e.g., one = unity, peace). Several things had occurred that made the event monumental. Gay and lesbian hip- hop artists had made a shift from marginality to visibility in a way not before imagined. There existed a number of gay Hip Hop artists who had gained audiences and media representation in both marginal and mainstream press (gayhiphop.com, Deep Dickollective, Hanifah Walidah, and Rainbow Flava among them). Realizing the ridiculousness of the question who is the gay rapper? several of us, having connected with others through our internet sites and mainstream chat boards like Rawkus (Mos Def) and Okayplayer (Common and The Roots), wanted to insist upon our visibility-not just as a new thing-but as a presence essential to hip hops origins. As with any cultural Renaissance, LGBTQ people have always been present and influential. Hip-hop is no exception to this.

The Press Release statement written for Cypher 2000: ONE declared:

We are artists carefully negotiating a queer community that has long denied much of its angst about the urban black culture from which hip hop began and a hip hop culture increasingly tense about the infiltration of its perceived safe boundaries. And to this hoopla, we say: Chile Please! LGBTQ hip hoppers have responded with collective thunder: breakbeats, underground EP s, websites, collaborationsand yes, convening for the first time ever to this degree at a Pride Festival to share with their community another aspect of Queer Rhytes. We will no longer be ignored. While many or most of us are clearly allied to movements concerned with racial, gender, and sexual oppressions, we see hip-hop as an ideal platform for challenging all of the above. Our politics insists upon a hip-hop beat as its rhythm. It insists upon challenging the racism, sexism, and homophobia not only in the heterosexual community, but in our own community.

And we did just that.

Gayhiphop.com (an international hip hop site for queer hip hop headz) along with thagenda, (a Bayarea based coalition of black queer music-makers) along with East Bay Pride decided to seize upon an opportunity to bring people from around the nation and beyond to Oakland to celebrate our unity. Cypher 2000: ONE involved lots of media coverage (Hip Hop Network among our most enthusiastic supporters), two shows (the larger of which included a showcase at the Urban Stage of East Bay Pride and attracted thousands), and more important, an opportunity to discuss the strengthening of our community that would result in the months to follow.

Deep-Dickollective moved the crowd with their conscious lyrical odes to Essex Hemphill, James Baldwin, Marlon Riggs, and Pomo Afro Homos (among others). Hanifah Walidah, formally known as Sha-Key from Brooklyn Essentials, delivered her music with the savvy of one who has years of experience in the game. Emcee Chaser (Dallas) challenged any comparisons to Eminem with his own lyrical genius and stylistic distinctiveness. Maker (UK) proved to be one of the most amazing scratch deejays on the other side of the Atlantic. Shunyata and Naomi created a groove diaspora that incited some, admittedly, hot freestyle moments by yours truly and several other emcees. Appearances by Exodus, Jen-Ro and 9 proved that womyn of color have a strong presence in hip hop that will be crucial to its prominence and survival. Sundance and Phukup contributed Graffiti and Flo to our movement. And perhaps most importantly, there was a crowd-moving to the rhythm, celebrating this monumental meeting, breakdancing, sweating, waving their hands, as one would expect with any other hip hop show. Ultimately gay Hip Hop is Hip Hop!

More than anything, Cypher 2000: ONE was one of those events that celebrated the coming together of a community that had previously been linked primarily by the internet (with the exception of burgeoning gay hip hop meccas like: NYC, the Bay area, and Houston). Next years event, which is already being planned for Labor Day weekend promises to be even more of a success-with several shows highlighting the depth of more talent in our community: Cyclone (Baltimore/Washington), Dutchboy (NYC), Cyryus the Lyricist (St. Louis), Doug E. (Oakland), Mz. Platinum (Atlanta), Tru Soul (Houston), Ms. Money (Houston), Maasen (Sweden), Caushun (NYC) Ms. Leema (Germany), Prince Bee (Chicago), DJ So Much Soul (SF), Tori Fixx (Minneapolis), God-des (Madison,Wisconsin), ENS (SF). I encourage you to support these brave artists for doing their thing out and proud. In a society that still proscribes so much silence and shame to LGBTQ people, we should listen to hip hop for those voices that challenge the trends of homophobia and heterosexism so Common (pun intended) in hip hop music and the society that sanctions it.

Tim'm T. West

A Biased Review of the 3rd annual PeaceOUT
HomoHop Festival

The Metro, Oakland, CA Sept. 11-14, 2003
Sponsored by East Bay Pride

Review by Matt Wobensmith
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Gay hip hop, to me, is probably the most important cultural happening right now in music. Something really incredible went down at this festival, and chances are, you won't be reading about it anywhere else.

Juba Kalamka - along with a cast of volunteers and sponsors - pulled off the major task of getting almost 20 acts together to play on a relatively short notice. That, and with very little money or resources. If you can learn just one thing from this, it is that it only takes the initiative of one person to make something of this magnitude happen. This is something that will continue to have a ripple effect for many years to come.

If you couldn't make it, no worries. Everything was caught on film by not just one, but two documentary crews! It seemed like everywhere you went, there was a camera. Apparently, people really do give a shit somewhere. Wow.

The usually frigid Bay Area showed its freakish nature by giving us a heat wave for the whole weekend. It never gets warm here, this is not SoCal.

The day before the festival started, the San Francisco Chronicle - and its online arm, SFGate.com - printed a huge story about PeaceOUT on the cover of its arts section. A very pleasant surprise, and quite a coup.

In contrast, the cover of SF's largest gay newspaper on Thursday was devoted to "A Gay Perspective on 9/11", or some shit like that. As if you really wanted to know.

Thursday, September 11 2003
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The opening night was a screening of Queer Youth TV's "HomoHop", a 40 minute film that seemed to center around last year's 2nd annual PeaceOUT festival. Since its inception, the film's creators received financial backing, and decided to expand it to a full-length feature.

"HomoHop" is an attempt at contextualizing gay hip hop within a larger LGBT community, particularly with regards to youth culture. It seems to be targeted at those who aren't already familiar with it, and sometimes it came off as somewhat rudimentary - there's so much more that should be in a film like this. However, because of the subject matter, and those featured in the film, it's something that should appeal to all hip hop fans. It should also appeal to the homos, who may still think hip hop is all about bashing them. I dunno, maybe it should be.

The screening was attended by about 30 people. This was the last time it would be shown in its present form.

I recognized a lot of faces and images that had personal significance for me, and it was refreshing to see them on the big screen. After the film, the creators and several artists in the film hosted a Q and A session with the audience. Most of the questions dealt with where the film was going next, now that it was being legitimized by financial and industry backing.

The most relevant questions came from two people in the front row. The first question was about the gender representation within the film. There were masculine b-boys, tough b-girls and male-identified transpeople. Where were the femmes? The MTFs? Or men that don't fit in and can't pass for "straight"? Is HomoHop an attempt at assimilation into the larger (straight) hip hop world via adoption of a masculine facade? Indeed, the film did miss this mark, something that I feel it can and will correct in its next iteration.

The second excellent question concerned the film's premise that hip hop is a homophobic genre. The beginning of the film did make this generalization, as if it was the only type of music guilty of the charge. The discussion that ensued was enlightening, with Juba (representing DDC) quoting a friend: "yeah, white people REALLY love fags too." To this I say "amen", as if rock music has historically been that much better.

The "HomoHop" crew is lucky to have this direct feedback, as they now have an opportunity to address these issues. I think, given the festival, that they will have much more to work with.

There were DJs and some dancing afterwords, but this being Thursday night, I went home. That and I can't dance for shit.

Friday, September 12, 2003
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The Metro is a great venue, a clean and lofty all-ages space with multi-level seating, wheelchair access and a homey atmosphere. They have a bar. I drank a lot of water.

Tonight's show was hosted by Dutchboy of Rainbow Flava, the Bay Area's prodigal son returning home. It was nice to see him in a scene he helped shape over the past 6 years.

It started off with excellent performances by Jaycub Perez and Jen-RO, who is definitely one to watch out for. Her skills and presentation have really matured since I saw her a year ago - truly enjoyable. I can't believe she's only 20, and she's been playing for years!

Protegeé - from Minneapolis - also put in an inspired set, joined with her entourage that included Tori Fixx and Johnny Dangerous. Is that album out yet? I want it!

God-Des ruled the stage... it seemed that a large amount of people came just for her. Joined by Tina G. (her singer), they ripped shit up with their brand of somewhat commercial, hook-laden rhymes... tight as fuck. You can't help but smile when she raps; her lyrics are hysterical, genuine and very smart. She gave a shout out to none other than Lynn Breedlove, of the OG punk dyke band Tribe 8, who was in the crowd and loving every minute of it. Rumor is that they'll be touring the US together shortly...

Tori Fixx came on last, and he smoked. This guy is a genius - producer, rapper, svengali - he's got it all. He's like Timbaland, Magoo and Q-Tip all rolled into one body. Love this dude!

Saturday, September 13, 2003, afternoon
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Not part of the festival, but let me tell you a story.

We're currently in the middle of producing Deadlee's next album, "Assault with a Deadlee Weapon", due out in the "fall" on A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. A few weeks prior, Deadlee had a brilliant idea for a song. He proposed an updated version of the 1990 anti-gang violence song "We're All in the Same Gang", except instead, we'd invite a bunch of our favorite MCs for the cause of queer solidarity. What better time to do this than when all of these people were in town at the same time?
We met at JB's (of DDC) Oakland warehouse at 1pm in the afternoon. It was surreal, seeing all of these people together. It felt like a confirmation - this shit is real, historic even. Each person was limited to just four lines on the track, and quietly worked on their stuff until we were ready to lay down some vocals. One by one, each person got up and spit their lyrics... ten different artists total. Somewhere in there, the cameras arrived and became part of the landscape yet again.

The original idea for the song was to reach out to other gay artists, and to let people know that we truly are a big fucking gay gang. However, shortly after the idea was conceived, we heard about DMX's new track "Where the Hood At?", and our idea took on a new context. While not technically a response song, it felt appropriate to make this track, in light of all the unchallenged homophobia and regressive attitudes in hip hop and elsewhere. Maybe just once, GLAAD can take a back seat with their uninformed crusades against hip hop homophobia, and let people in the community respond in a more appropriate manner.

After we finished the vocals for our song, someone produced a CD single of the aforementioned DMX track. Most people appeared to not have even heard it yet, so we all listened with a somewhat bemused silence, both laughing and cringing at some of the worst lyrics. We had to admit, though, that the beat was hot, and a few people started to freestyle over it. Who knows, in the end, maybe DMX himself will appear on our track, you never know. ;)

Saturday, September 13, 2003, evening
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Riding high from last night's show, I couldn't wait to see more. Turnout was good, about a hundred people when the show started.

The opening act was the worst thing I had seen in a long time. This dude had a "rap" act, I guess, but that's stretching it. More like something he came up with in the break room at his strip club job - something to teabag clients to. Dumb songs about sex that had zero originality, plus we had to hear every five minutes that a) he gets called "honky" a lot, and b) he's got a big dick. The crowd looked pretty dumbfounded, and he tried too hard to make people like him. At the end he stripped down to his undies and poured milk down his crotch. There was no one within 20 feet. It got real quiet.

A friend of mine new to the scene told me that this was exactly what she feared "queer hip hop" would be... white novelty acts that disrespect the audience and play sarcastic booty bass. I didn't know what to say, I was traumatized and wanted to be anywhere but here.

The next performer came on, and I was still reeling, having a hard time getting back into the moment... which was unfortunate. Cazwell was great. This sassy lad had a well-orchestrated routine and really knew how to please the crowd. His rhymes about sex-obsessed fags and jealous boyfriends were self-deprecating and funny. It was a nice recovery.
During Cazwell's set, someone mopped up the mess from the previous performer. Quite a metaphor.
Johnny Dangerous was on next, and took the night even higher. If you buy ONE record this year, buy his album. He's taking gay rap to the next level, there is no question.

Alternatingly aggressive and demure, he's best described as a male Lil Kim, and a pushy bottom at that. This guy is clever, talented, and has created his own remarkable persona. You're gonna hear a lot more about this cat.

Perhaps the highlight of the festival - for me, anyway - was a duet Johnny did with Deadlee for a song called "Crack Hit". I had a copy of this song a month prior to the festival, and can honestly say I've listened to it about 200 times! It's a sexy call-and-response duet between two hot fags - Johnny being the pusher and Deadlee, a junkie who's "working every corner like a prostitute", trying to get a hit of that crack. The crack isn't cocaine... as Johnny puts it, "my ass IS a drug".

Their energy sent people in the room flying, and they ended the song with a hot kiss on stage. People freaked out. Someone came up to me and said it was like some kind of Sonny and Cher fag shit... but better. It was mind-blowing, and it's on tape.

Before the next act went on, Juba was telling me about this group from Olympia, Washington that were unbelievable. Olympia, I thought... indie rock capitol of the world... not what I would think when I think of hip hop. He told me that he had made a last minute effort to get them here, a gig they would have to drive 14 hours to play! What did they sound like? "Like some queer punk dyke Wu-Tang Clan shit", as Juba put it. Okaaaay, hmm, I see.

Guess what - he was right. Scream Club went on and BUGGED PEOPLE THE FUCK OUT. Two "freaky white chicks" with matching asymmetrical blond mohawks, neon striped outfits and Playboy undies, they took over the club and assaulted the crowd with performance art, theatrics and hard ass beats. The sound wouldn't be out of place on, say, Def Jux... but the effect was culture jamming: a choreographed punk rock new wave East Coast hip hop set, Olympia-style. They had an interpretive dancer. It was insane, people went wild, and no one was the same ever again.

Katastrophe went on next, and was a complete 180 degree change. The set was solid, and he is really great to watch. Katastrophe represents one of a growing number (5 or 6?) of trans men emcees in the scene. His lyrics are very personal and enlightening.

But, it was getting late. It was hot. People were getting worn out. Worst of all, the CD player the club used was on the fritz all night, dropping out at random and making the performers' jobs very, very difficult.

It was the worst during Deadlee's set, where he hardly got into a song without the tracks completely disappearing for 5 seconds at a time. However, Deadlee, Drastico and crew put on their usual stellar performance - a mix of punk attitude, Cali gangsta style and rap en español. The crowd dug it.

Sunday, September 14, 2003
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Why can't I just wake up every day, chill out for a while, and then head down to the local homo hop festival? Really, life would be so nice if this happened all the time... but it doesn't.
Tonight's show started a bit more mellow. People seemed to know each other, and the atmosphere was friendly. The host, Micia Mosely, got the crowd hyped and kept people entertained the whole evening.

Opening the show was a pint-sized rapper named Shawree - "the pretty thug". A marked contrast to the styles presented so far at the festival, hers was a very commercial, top-40 style that was actually a refreshing change. The beats were pop, but her delivery was ruff.

Lucky 7 was next, and delivered a poetry-slam-style spoken word set that was seriously dope. Jovial, engaging yet intense, people definitely felt her. Lucky 7 gives solace to lonely ladies with her latex-covered cucumber ("Cu Cum Her")... a 79¢ sex toy that doubles as salad. After all, Ice Cube was the one who said to "put a sock on the pickle". Damn! I really loved her delivery, and can't wait to hear more from her. Cousin of JB/DDC, didya know?

Before the show, Andre the Urban Hermitt had been circulating a pad of paper, on which he encouraged people to write random words. He devoted part of his set to using these words - flash card style - to freestyle off the dome, and it was the shit! Definitely not for amateurs. BTW, nice job on "oral gonorrhea", my personal contribution to your set... the words that is, not the STD. ;)

Kayatrip were next - a full band featuring lots of dreads, drums and a didjeradoo (?) I think... definitely a unique act for this show. I have to admit that I was distracted by these crazy dancers who invaded all of the shows thus far in the fest... these audience members wore tiny underwear and threw their spastic selves everywhere, blurring the line between audience and performer. During Kayatrip's set, they pretty much discarded what was left of their outfits, and had simulated butt sex on the stage as the band were playing! It was nice to see, because I hope it gave visitors to the Bay Area the impression that this happens at every show! (though it doesn't... at least not always). The club owner looked a bit upset, but I'm glad they weren't thrown out. It gave the shows a bit more spontaneity. It was pretty damn funny. So, apologies to Kayatrip, I don't quite remember your set, but it was good and people were dancing.

I've seen Deep Dickollective a bunch of times, and always enjoyed them. But tonight, DDC was something different. Maybe it was the fact that they were on last, and were the culmination of the entire PeaceOUT fest thus far. These guys are the intellectual architects of homohop; superb MCing, tight lyrics, presentation and music... it was fucking incredible. Each member of DDC retains their personality; yet collectively, they're massive.They're the quintessential hip hop posse... the energy never let up, and just kept being transferred from person to person until it reached a peak. The freestyles were hot, in case you had any doubts about their abilities. You could not be in that room and not feel a part of them. I can't say enough about DDC... their records are good but live they're something else. I'll never forget it.

If you were there, I hope you had a good time. If not, I'm sorry. And if you have a problem with it, I'd love to see you put on your own festival; you'd be hard pressed to do it better.

My deepest gratitude to all of the organizers, DJs, MCs, technical support and performers at these shows. I hope this happens every year. We have to keep it going