#real ny hip hop 101

[realnyhiphop101]

Black Rob “Life Story” Era “Like Whoa”

[savagesneversleepnyc]

THE GONG SHOWS

(Thoughts on COMEDY, HIP HOP, HARD WORK and RESPECT)

I had come to DENVER in the FALL of 1996 on a GREYHOUND BUS. The trip was relatively uneventful. I watched a braggart kid from CONNECTICUT who ran his mouth the whole way get yolked buying drugs on the street outside the station in CHICAGO. Those places were very dangerous in the 90’s at every stop. It was a cheap way to cross the country, but it would lead a person through a gauntlet of bizarre dead-end places where the dirty dog stopped to collect the living attempting to find greener pastures.

GREG had talked me into coming. I saw him that summer and he was quite pointed about the perilous state of my plight should I choose to not leave NEW ENGLAND and get out west to escape the headaches and severe DOPE CRISIS that was breaking like a wave at NAZZARRE. It was the 90’s and things were seemingly very prosperous and the severity of QUID PRO QUO was profound. CREDIT, LIFE, DEBT, and CHOICE all loomed as they impeached the president and I went away from the dark strange world I was raised in and got on a bus to build a thing in a blank form.

Our doings would lead to a myriad of things and alliances. VICTOR IZITT aka PRIZNA 101 aka DJ RICOCHET, our roommate, and I formed a GRAFF crew quickly with some other kids and would throw our first parties in 1999 as 314 BREAK CORP with our mentor ED SANTIAGO aka NRG BOY. This event would feature many of the crew mates who would charge at endeavors they found clever and proliferated to levels of dopeness to deep to touch here in any correct manner.

COUNTDOWN was held in DEC in 1999 at BUMP AND GRIND cafe on 17th and PENN in DENVER. CLIFF T, the owner, and our big brother let us use the space last minute as our initial plan fell through. The BUMP AND GRIND was a coffee shop, bakery, and drag brunch destination of over 15 years in DENVER prior to much of that type of culture being more mainstream. CLIFF had lived in NY in the 90’s as well as had taken the gritty attitude of DETROIT where he grew up and fused it with the NY roots he came to earn. His hard work supported many of us and allowed a real family of artists and outsiders to gather around a father figure.

GREG and I would riff. It would lead to him pursuing comedy and eventually our collaborations in this space. We threw events in different spots despite the stigma of music and comedy. I was in two HIP-HOP groups at the time and GREG was running the SQUIRE LOUNGE open mic that lasted over a decade. We were speaking on the GONG SHOW I had thrown with BABAH FLY of BUGABOO, one of the two groups I was in. The show had been a cool idea but the spot was some odd biker bar in a pocket no one even knew existed. While this may have been sick if we wanted to stage some COCK FIGHTS or perhaps get that FIGHT CLUB we kept hinting at starting in motion.. But BAD IDEAS tend to stay stagnant for good reason.

(It is not possible to remember which idea really came first as the dates for them were close)

We stumbled into the idea of doing an actual GONG SHOW but really making it more in the mean-spirited SQUIRE LOUNGE model GREG had already formed. He pitched his comedy partners who were a decent size crew at this time and all agreed it was a great idea. Initially, the idea of YOU SUCK GET OFF THE STAGE and putting DAVE SOTO in a CASER suit was all just the ball rolling downhill. We somehow found the real GONG SHOW GONG that MR CHUCK BARRIS himself had WACKED to end the MEAN JEAN dancing and so many other people's blind charge at FAME.

The show was a nightmare in a lot of ways. It’s easy to DJ or just do COMEDY. Not a lot of moving parts. The show we built had a shitload of performers of a varying degree of skill, songs that would need to be played and cued, video and audio cues to be flown in live from the board, and an entire banter of judges on stage as GREG paraded the stage of the ORIENTAL THEATHER. He would take the stage as the monster he would allow himself to transform into called BOBBY VALENTINO. This person was a version of my boy but was the EVIL PURE SITH version of him that was the DOG he kept muzzled at all times. The act of letting this person stand on stage and act out this mustachio’d fever dream of filth was stepping deep into the chummed waters in a sausage suit…

The show went off in flying colors despite the massive technical problems mostly due to the use of DVD content in the live show. Most of the performers and the actual content given to my AV guy were OLD and used DVDs that were not fit for home play much less a production. These disasters would really rock the booth and boar but ultimately it was never a thing I let get to me. The shows would run 3 nights usually and we ran it 4 times I feel like. Each one is more complex and pro than the last. The first show did have the BUKAKKAE ALARM CLOCK skit GREG and I wrote like so many bits just being fools talking shit at the BUMP AND GRIND.

The roots of that CRUEL demand for the best and funniest stuff were rooted in that hungry world we came out of. The characters we came up with in that scene have gone on to define a era in COMEDY and put our CITY on the MAP. It’s a proud thing to look back on. So many names that are too numerous to mention respectfully. It’s been amazing to see the organic way true people delivering and producing shows and working with love will invariably rise up and create a legacy. I do not ever claim anything beyond what I know I’ve done and never waited for anyone to tell me it was ok. This was offputting I guess and it made me leave DENVER. I’m proud to represent my home even though it’s not where I was born. DENVER is a place where many writers find themselves on the journey. It’s a strange and mythic place I love and hate in equal measure. So many memories of joy and such deep loss and sadness. Some of the faces of the sublime humans I know still knock on my door as I awake daily. But the faces of the EVIL folk who I had to face and pass on were not jokes and warned the young people that it is not a joke.

The West was won in AUDACITY. The concept of MANIFEST DESTINY is a QUID PRO QUO of taking the land from those who were there in AUDACITY and clutching a GUN and BIBLE on the other hand. This is not a debatable fact. But to forget this trespass and pass on is silly. The West was won in BLOOD and ACTIONS GOOD, BAD, and UGLY. But the actions of simple passion and love all live side by side as those monsters ride off to rob another train or train their sights on the next slow-moving animal to poach.

The GONG SHOW is a moment in the AMERICAN MYTHOS that represents the common person being allowed the 15 seconds ANDY has promised in jest. But the AUDACITY to be a FOOL or be COOL is a thing that most don’t know. It’s easy to see a comic, deejay, producer, artist, writer, chef, or human as a thing you get to judge and talk out an opinion on. This is everyone’s right. BUT PLEASE KNOW. If you do not make, do, say, think that thing you choose to run your YAP ABOUT… It is fully permissible to have a REAL ONE tell you quite simply and plan that it’s not your place and it’s probably best to respectfully STFU.

FOR G.B. 314 and VICTOR PRIMO IZZIT 314

5:37am 4.14024.000003

[jayalive4ever]

Real NY Hip Hop 101. For all the latest & greatest real NYHip Hop... Subscribe, comment and hit the like button!!!! Share with a friend. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCNwYL8D8PRvv25sJVVSqvhw

[chocolate-brownies]

Drum roll please: Announcing our first-annual 35 Under 35 to Watch in Wellness! This list was culled by our staff, in hopes of recognizing some unfamiliar faces in the community. We know there are some obvious choices missing (ahem, Jessamyn and Chelsey), but we wanted to highlight some folks you may not have heard of. Trust us. They’re the next big thing since gluten-free sliced bread. 

Congratulations to them! Have someone you’d like to be considered for future lists or for us to highlight with a content feature? Reach out to editorial@wanderlust.com.

Please note that those marked with asterisks are 2019 Wanderlust talent (Jessamyn and Chelsey among them). 

Allie Mason, 32 Allie is an entrepreneur, yoga educator, and producer of The Get Down, one of NYC’s top dance parties. Whether she’s in the studio, on the dance floor, or supporting socially-conscious, mission-based businesses through her company Something Greater Social, she believes that showing up authentically is the foundation of sustainable success. Follow Allie on Instagram here.

  Alyia Cutler (30) and Meghan Conway (29) Alyia and Meghan are the founders of Wyld Womyn, a space in Hudson Valley, NY to support, explore, and empower The Feminine in us all. As Community Doulas, they create an inclusive community to support birth and postpartum, physical and emotional healing, and bear witness to any life transitions from birth to end of life. Follow Wyld Womyn on Instagram here.

  Amy Kurtz, 34 Amy is the author of the best selling book Kicking Sick: Your GO TO GUIDE for Thriving with Chronic Health Conditions, a health and wellness coach, patient advocate, and speaker.  She has been a frequent expert on Good Morning America. Kicking Sick was listed on Lena Dunham’s top ten desert island books of all time on Vulture. Follow Amy on Instagram here.

  Ava Johanna, 26 Ava is a transformational mentor, meditation and yoga teacher, and breathwork facilitator on a mission to make wellness and mindfulness accessible to the masses through one-on-one mentorship, in-person workshops and events, and her podcast, The Alchemized Life. Follow Ava on Instagram here.

  Bethany C. Meyers, 32 Bethany is founder of the be.come project, is a master instructor and entrepreneur with a message known for inclusivity and body-neutrality. Their unique approach to movement awakens clients in profound ways. Meyers voice stands apart in the fitness world as a leader in dismantling beauty standards. Follow the be.come project on Instagram here.

  Bridget “Bee” Creel, 25 Bee is an NYC yoga teacher and co-founder the new wellness experience “Mood Room.” Bee spent the past year teaching at Wanderlust yoga festival and leading a yoga retreat in Costa Rica. When she’s not teaching, she is managing editorial production for Yoga Journal magazine. Follow Bee on Instagram here.

  Cara Kovacs, 28 Cara is a third-generation healer and Sex, Love, and Relationship Expert based in New York City. Combining cutting edge modern science with ancient healing modalities and spiritual wisdom, she acts as a guide to sacred sexuality and empowerment of the self. Follow Cara on Instagram here.

  Chauncie Parchment, 24 Chauncie is an 800-hour certified hot and vinyasa yoga teacher with a background in dance and theatre, having studied with American Ballet Theatre and the Dance Theatre of Harlem, among others. He currently studies herbal medicine, jiu jitsu, and capoeira, and was a 2019 Battle Asana Champion. Follow Chauncie on Instagram here.

  Chelsey Luger, 31 Chelsey  is the co-founder of Well For Culture, an Indigenous wellness initiative founded in 2014 with her partner, Thosh Collins (36). Well For Culture uses social media, a beautiful website, and workshops to offer their unique, modern take on ancestral health. Their knowledge is useful to all people, as “holistic health” is a concept that has been a part of Indigenous culture since the beginning of time. Follow Chelsey on Instagram here.

  Corinne Wainer (33) and Shauny Lamba (33) In 2016 Corinne and Shauny founded SHAKTIBARRE to subvert exclusive fitness industry statistics with sliding-scale pricing, and to normalize community-building within typically divisive exercise modalities like barre. With two studios and one on the way (Spring 2019)—and LA pop-ups starting this summer—SHAKTIBARRE keeps growing in the name of wellness for everybody. Follow SHAKTIBARRE on Instagram here.

  Cydney Tucker, 35 Cydney is a DC-based journalist, yoga instructor, and the founder of Colors of Ohm. Colors of Ohm is an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between communities of color and wellness opportunities across the country. The organization offers regular mindfulness workshops at accessible prices consisting of yoga, meditation, reiki, and other forms of natural healing. Follow Colors of Ohm on Instagram here.

  Danny Fluker, 34 Danny is a yoga teacher and founder of Black Boys OM, dedicated to inspiring wellness in youth by creating a connected community of Black leaders using mindfulness tools to exact lasting change. Danny was a Black Belt at age 13, and after 15 years in the IT-Infrastructure industry, volunteered as a mentor for underserved youth in the Atlanta Public School system before discovering the power of practice. Follow Black Boys OM on Instagram here.

  Emily Schromm, 30 Whether teaching nutrition through online programming, showing how to make the world your gym with her EmPack weight training backpack, helping you mend with her Element Tea line and exemplifying the power of strength training at her gym, Platform Strength, Emily empowers you with inspiration and tools to change your life. Follow Emily on Instagram here.

  * Jacy Cunningham, 30 Jacy is the founder and creator of The Jacy Method. The Jacy Method is a hybrid fitness/meditation experience where the Work Out is just as important as the Work In. Each experience is unique in its combination of primal movement, dance, and meditation. Follow Jacy on Instagram here.

  Jenny Gaither, 31 Jenny is a body-positive health coach, a Master SoulCycle instructor and creator of the hip hop dance class, Notorious FIT. Jenny fosters communities through her private Facebook group for women to build confidence and as the Founder of Movemeant Foundation—a  nonprofit that uses fitness as a tool to help girls build-self worth. Follow Jenny on Instagram here.

  Jessica Assaf, 28 Jessica is an entrepreneur and activist with a Harvard MBA who has spent the past decade advocating for health and sustainability. She is the founder of Cannabis Feminist, a female-led cannabis community empowering women to lead the industry, and the co-founder of Prima, a new CBD wellness platform launching soon. Follow Cannabis Feminist on Instagram here.

  Jules Hunt, 27 Jules is a wellness entrepreneur and creator of the mindful lifestyle blog Om & The City. Through her platform, Jules shares actionable insight to help women simplify their lives and attain real, sustainable wellness from the inside out. She’s also a yoga teacher, major plant lady, and dog mama. Follow Jules on Instagram here.

  * Kady Lafferty, 30 Big Booty Yoga is a brand and movement that aims to peacefully disrupt the yoga stereotype one chubby Chatarunga at a time. With a focus on inclusivity and body positivity, Founder Kady Lafferty hosts classes, workshops, activism events, retreats and teacher trainings in Denver and beyond. Follow Big Booty Yoga on Instagram here.

  * Kathryn Kellogg, 28 Kathryn is the founder of Going Zero Waste, a lifestyle website dedicated to helping others reduce their trash and live a more holistic lifestyle for both themselves and the planet. She’s a spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic and forthcoming author of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste, which breaks eco-friendly, sustainable living down into an easy step by step process with lots of positivity and love—and is available for pre-order. Follow Kathryn on Instagram here.

Katzie Guy-Hamilton, 32 One of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America turned Certified Health Coach, Katzie is currently the Director of Food + Beverage for Equinox Fitness. Her debut cookbook Clean Enough emphasizes food freedom—eating whole foods with joy and elegance. When it’s time for a slice of perfect chocolate cake, you’ll want hers. Follow Katzie on Instagram here.

  Ksenia Avdulova, 30 Ksenia is a public speaker, founder of the award-nominated digital platform Breakfast Criminals, and host of Woke & Wired podcast, focusing on expanded consciousness and entrepreneurship in the digital age. Named “One Of The Pioneers Of Conscious Social Media,” Ksenia impacts 100K+ people monthly as she shares about rituals, mindful nourishment, and intuitive entrepreneurship. Follow Ksenia on Instagram here.

  * Lauren Ash, 31 Lauren is a wellness visionary, yoga and meditation guide, engaging speaker and creative writer, and founder and executive director of the culture-shifting lifestyle brand synonymous with black women’s wellness—Black Girl In Om. Lauren’s contributions to the world ultimately reflect what she once needed and didn’t see. Follow Black Girl in Om on Instagram here.

  Maraliz Campos, 31 Maraliz is a sound practitioner and wellness guide who challenges widely-accepted industry narratives. She combines scientific and intuitive sound techniques to invite self-exploration. A Latina with disabilities, she promotes accessibility and inclusivity while teaching us to shift our unconscious reactions to chosen responses. Find Maraliz on Soundcloud, or follow her on Instagram here.

  * Max (29) and Liz Lowenstein (29) Max and Liz are AcroYoga teachers, yoga instructors, and Registered Dietitians. They travel all over the world teaching AcroYoga, yoga, and handstands at festivals, workshops, and mindfulness retreats. When they are not traveling, Max and Liz reside in Dallas, Texas with their puppy and plants. Follow Max and Liz on Instagram here.

  * Mike Aidala, 29 Mike is a coach. He guides people on gaining strength, increasing mobility, and building a positive mindset. He believes if we can focus our mind on our bodies, on how and why we move, we can take that same attention outside of the gym to our everyday lives, where it really matters! Follow Mike on Instagram here.

  Millana Snow, 31 Millana is an energy healer, radio host of #ThisIsWellness on Dash Radio, and the Founder of WellnessOfficial.co; an online marketplace of practitioners and brands from the global wellness community. The model winner of Project Runway, Millana now supports healing of thousands online and at NYU, Summit, Soho House, Lululemon, Alexander Wang, and more. Follow Millana on Instagram here.

  Mona Lavinia Garcia, 33 Mona is an endurance athlete who found her passion through sport, specifically distance running. Through her work she has helped elevate running in her community, intertwining mindfulness and running. She brings the endurance and resiliency she builds on the road to the ring. Through boxing, Mona empowers and helps people release stress and build mental toughness while having fun. Follow Mona on Instagram here.

  * Myrah Penaloza Mohar, 34 Myrah is an educator, clothing designer, festival co-founder and mother. She helps women realize their potential through the teachings of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. Her mission is to empower women, every single day. She leads retreats and sacred women’s circles through her project “La Luna Social” globally. Follow Myrah on Instagram here or here.

  * Nicole Cardoza, 29 Nicole is the executive director of Yoga Foster, a national nonprofit that gives free and low-cost yoga training to educators, the co-founder of Mental Health League, a charitable retail company, and dahla, which fosters financial wellness for women. She’s currently nomadic. Follow Nicole on Instagram here.

  Ryan LeMere, 28 Ryan is an artist and working creative director. He is the founder of Aligned, a wellness publication for the guru within. Ryan teaches weekly yoga and meditation to gay and trans people inside NYC’s prison system, and is currently launching a podcast honoring on the radical wellbeing of the trans, queer, and non-binary community. Follow Ryan on Instagram here.

Shannon Algeo, 32 Shannon is a speaker, writer, and coach—known for speaking openly and truthfully about his growth process and journey. He is the host of the iTunes Top Podcast SoulFeed and works with clients to heal old patterns of trauma so they can powerfully show up in the world with purpose, presence, and truth. Follow Shannon on Instagram here.

  Stevie Michelle Van Horn, 30 Stevie is a sustainability activist with a focus on conservation and the zero waste mindset. I want to bring accessibility, intention and self love to the zero waste movement. She’s also the owner of Yay for Earth, a waste-free lotion business sourcing from local beekeepers and healthy sustainable productions. Follow Stevie on Instagram here.

  Victoria B. Wikler, 23 Victoria is an API Shamanic facilitator, transpersonal coach, and trauma specialist focused on psycho-spiritual health, sexuality, and integration. She’s trained in Celtic shamanism, certified in Holotropic breathwork, and family constellations, and teaches emotional liberation techniques for POC activists, safety and consent training for healers, and various forms of breathwork. Follow Victoria on Instagram here.

  Zuzu Perkal, 32 Zuzu is a muralist, visual artist, and yoga teacher. It’s with profound passion and unconditional love that she creates artwork as a means of fostering human connection. For her, painting is meditation and offering, as each piece is designed to invoke positive emotions, alter limiting thoughts and beliefs, and illuminate a spark of inspiration within its observer. Follow Zuzu on Instagram here.

1

The post 35 Under 35 in Wellness to Watch appeared first on Wanderlust.

[wellesleyunderground]

Wellesley in Art: Interview with Tina Romero '06 a.k.a. DJ TRx

(Tina Romero. Photo by Amber Gress.)

Tina Romero ‘06 is a filmmaker, DJ and dancer living in Brooklyn, New York.  At Wellesley, Tina was a double major in Cinema and Media Studies and French. She was also an active member of the dance and theater community. In 2006 Tina moved to NYC to attend NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Film program, where she received an MFA in Film Production. She has written and directed several short films and music videos. Her film, “Rainbowarrior” was shot at Wellesley and featured Wellesley students and alums. She also DJ’s all over Brooklyn and New York City. DJ TRx (pronounced “trix”) spins regularly at Hot Rabbit and Bad Habit, parties created by fellow alum Emily Hall Smith ‘06. She even DJ’d at Wellesley for her 10 year reunion in June 2016!  In addition to creating her own films and DJ-ing, Tina teaches students both in the US and abroad about film and photography. A true renaissance woman, we are thrilled to get a chance to talk to Tina!

WU: We are so excited to interview you, Tina! You are truly a polyglot in the world of art as a DJ, filmmaker and writer, professor, and dancer. Where did your interest in these areas of art first begin?

Both of my parents are artists, which meant neither of them wanted me to become an artist. Nevertheless, they always supported my creative "endeavors," be it sitting patiently through an epic, plot-free fairytale performance piece in our living room or helping me make a video letter to a far away friend. When my dad wasn't working, he would unwind with crafting, puzzles, magic tricks, music, and I would join him. Of all the things my dad and I did together, what inspired me most was the experience of watching movies with him.  My dad would weep when we watched films—not at the sad endings, but at the opening notes of a film score he found perfect, or as the camera swept through the choreography of West Side Story. He showed me that movies can move people, that fictional people can stir real-life empathy, that made-up worlds tell us about the essence of being human. I can’t remember a precise moment of realizing I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I knew even as a child that my goal was to move people.  

WU: You were a Cinema and Media Studies major at Wellesley and went on to get your M.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in Film Production. How does your educational background help and inform your work?

Well, I can't see myself cozying up to a blanket and a bowl of popcorn for a Friday night viewing of "Birth of a Nation," so I'm grateful Professor Viano screened it in CAMS 101. It was a gift to be guided through film history in slow, thoughtful steps.

Nowadays we have all this digital gear at our fingertips when we shoot a movie, but a fancy camera doesn't necessarily make a good movie. Looking back at pre-CGI (computer generated imagery) movie magic is inspirational, especially when working with a small budget. With strong content and execution, you can do a lot with the basics.

Writing numerous analytical essays on movies certainly taught me to be thoughtful about the details; to ask myself how to enhance thematic ideas using mise-en-scène.  Film school, on the other hand, showed me that nothing goes the way you plan it and to roll with the punches.

WU: Your short film, Rainbowarrior, premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2009.  It’s a silent film for the most part and portrays a class of school girls under the thumb of a stringent headmistress (with a penchant for leather bustiers/corsets).  One student craves color, music, and movement but is reprimanded for seeking these things out.  Tell us about the film and the inspiration behind it.

I started NYU the fall after I graduated from Wellesley and the transition was...shocking. At Wellesley, if I left my backpack on a Severance commons couch, it would still be there three days later. Within a month of moving to Brooklyn, someone stole my laptop bag from a bar.  Surviving my first year of grad school AND the avalanche of adult responsibilities that I didn't see coming was overwhelming. I remember thinking nothing will ever be as good as Wellesley. I was anxious, existential and going through a bad breakup. But I was also determined to take control of my life. This is the headspace from which Rainbowarrior was born. To me, the film is about a revolution of spirit and how inner strength can spark change in others.  

(On the set of Rainbowarrior in Founders Hall. Photo by Jonathan Young.)

The first images marinated in my mind to the tune of a song called "Rainbowarrior," by Coco Rosie.  I knew I wanted the film to be dialogue-free and feature movement/dance. I could picture the world, but I struggled to get my ideas down on paper, so I set up an emergency meeting with Amy Fox, a writing professor I trusted deeply. She encouraged me to lean into the images in my head no matter how weird or non-narrative. (This meeting happened to take place on the same night Amy's family brought home Leah, a German Sheppard mix with a shitty past. Leah and I were instant buds. I dog-sat, took her on camping trips, used her as flirt bait in the summertime…) With Amy's encouragement, I eventually had a script. Thanks to Wellesley, my family, and a magical cast & crew, I was able to bring it to life.

WU: In addition to the film Rainbowarrior, several of your works involve our alma mater, alums, and students. Soon after your graduation in 2006, you returned to Wellesley as a guest choreographer for Wellesley College Dancers. You choreographed high school musicals at  Automotive High School in Brooklyn alongside Wellesley alum Julia Duncheon ‘06 and brought students to perform at Wellesley in the group FreeStyle’s annual JOI (“JAM ON IT”) Fundraiser. How and why does Wellesley serve as an inspiration to you? What activities and experiences at Wellesley inspired you the most?

I got involved in the dance community as soon as I got to Wellesley. I was a dedicated member of both FreeStyle and Wellesley College Dancers throughout my time there. In both groups, I had the opportunity to choreograph a new dance piece every semester. Because I have an affinity for spectacle, I always packed as many dancers as I could into my choreography. I did numbers featuring roller skaters, fog machines, flashlights....even Campus Po made an appearance at the end of my "Thriller" piece. I think it's safe to say that no one goes to Wellesley College to pursue a career as a dancer (I didn't expect any of this to be a part of my college experience). There was no cut-throat application process to be a choreographer because there simply weren't that many of us doing it. As a result, I could play with the big ideas I had.

(Julia Duncheon, Bethany Winkels & Tina Romero (all class of ‘06) moved from the short hall Shafer to 16th Street in Brooklyn, NY. Photo by Photobooth.)

One Winter-Session, I stayed on campus to choreograph the musical, "Into the Woods." Luckily my friend, Bette, was also on campus, taking math, so when our friend, Julia decided to stay too, it was a party. Little did she expect to be cast as Rapunzel in the musical...I giggle every time I think about her in that wig. That same Wintersession I also taught an intro level hip hop dance class to a few of the professors who were on campus and interested in learning.

I also participated in Ken Loewit's theater work study. In addition to keeping up with general maintenance in Alumnae Hall and the Ruth Nagel Jones (RNJ) black box theater, we also assisted with whatever set build was happening. Ken taught me how to use a drill, which has turned out to be one of the most life-applicable skills I learned during College.

Everything came together my senior year during an independent study I did with Nora Hussey. I created a show called "Move This," which was my first foray into something I call "aesthetic storytelling". "Move This" was an intimate theatrical dance show in the RNJ. There was no dialogue, no character names, no particular setting. I wanted to evoke a sense of the emotional journey in the audience using lights, music, color, and movement. "Move This" is still my favorite project I've ever created. I'll never forget the way Nora supported me and championed my experimentation with the fusion of dance and theater.

I spent a lot of time in Alumnae Hall. It was a safe and creative space for me. I used to go to the ballroom late at night, put music on and dance my heart out until I had my next idea. It was heaven. Wellesley made it possible for me to create so much over my four years there, which shaped my ability to work with people and honed my voice as a director.

WU: Most recently you have been collaborating with the band, Shirley House, filming, editing and directing their music videos. How did the collaboration come into being?

Emily Hall Smith ('06), master party promoter and one of my closest friends in the world, connected us. Emily has always been one my biggest supporters - she never missed a WCD or Freestyle performance. Because Emily knows me and my work so well, she knows when a project is right for me. Needless to say, I clicked instantly with Shirley House and their music.

Fun story: when I shot my first film at NYU, Little Girl Blue, Emily carried 25 red balloons through the subway- one of those things that's more challenging than it sounds- and delivered them to our set.    

Check out some of the videos Tina directed for Shirley house here and here.

WU: What is the difference between working on a film versus a music video? Is there one you enjoy more?

I feel in my element when I’m making a music video. The process of conceptualizing a music video is easier for me than writing a narrative screenplay. Ideas about movement, style, color and light flow much more freely from my head to the paper than those about than plot, conflict, dialogue, etc.

I also enjoy shooting to playback music (vs.shooting scenes with dialogue or live sound FX). Not only is it useful to have the option of directing aloud during a take, but it's also fun to play with the way a track can impact the vibe on set. I’ve often used music on set to shape the mood of a scene.

WU: You have also been writing a screenplay for the film, “The Lost Girls,” which is currently in pre-production. Tell us about the film, what it’s about, and when you find time to write!?

Finding time to write is a struggle. If I have stuff scheduled later in the day, I have a hard time getting into a good flow. I write best when I do marathon sessions- big chunks of time when I step away from the constant interruptions of today’s real world. I call my iPhone a tiny distraction box - it’s amazing how much more I accomplish when I turn it off.

I’m working on the “articulation of my creative process,” as my therapist calls it. Creating a routine based on what works best for me rather than what Lifehacker says I should try. I’m not a morning person- I’ve tried to force myself into a morning writing routine time and again, but it never works for me. It’s not easy, and I’m still exploring how to most effectively “set myself up for success”.

Writing doesn’t always happen on screen or paper. I’m “writing” in my head all the time. Riding the subway, doing laundry, dancing at a party. Embracing this has been essential to the continued improvement of “The Lost Girls”.

With respect to the film itself, I can’t give away too much about my feature, so I'll leave you with this:

“The Lost Girls” is a contemporary, queer take on Peter Pan.  It’s a story about Wyn Kelly, a melancholy teenager, who runs away with a renegade girl gang, and learns how to embrace the challenge of growing up with newfound courage. “The Lost Girls” is an updated fairy tale- instead of pixie dust, they take ecstasy; instead of flying past Big Ben, they ride pink motorcycles.

(DJ TRx at the Rock Shop in Brooklyn, NY, moments after hearing the news of Emily Smith-Maresca’s (‘06) engagement to her fiancé, Nina. Photograph by Grace Chu.)

WU: As we mentioned in your introduction, you are not only a filmmaker and dancer but you also DJ! When and how did you first begin DJ-ing in Brooklyn and New York City?

I woke up one day and decided to go for it. I had a gut feeling it would be something I’d love. I took a couple of lessons and started doing house parties for tips, and things took off from there.  

WU: Do you have a favorite venue?

Recently, I’ve been obsessed with everything that happens at The McKittrick Hotel, home to the immersive choose-your-own-adventure-style show, ‘Sleep No More’. The venue has two bars, a restaurant, and a ballroom. Every month, the creative team hosts an epic themed party - coming up is the May Fair Masquerade, advertised as “one night of surreal, decadent, costumed revelry.” One of my aspirations in 2017 is to be a guest DJ at one of their big soirees.

(DJ TRx at The Manderlay Bar in The McKittrick Hotel. Photo by Giselle Peters.)

WU: You even DJ’d at your 10 year Wellesley reunion! What was that experience like?

The thought of DJing didn’t occur to me until a few weeks before reunion so it was too late to schedule it into the weekend officially. I decided to throw my gear in the car and figure it out guerilla-style once I got there.

Our class dinner was on the Wellesley College Club lawn, which was the perfect spot to set up a pop-up dance party. I tracked down some available speakers, Campus Po lent me some extension cords, the dinner catering team hooked me up with a table, and we pulled it off.

It was such a highlight for me.

I was thrilled to contribute to the weekend in this way, and it was particularly special spinning for my Wellesley girls. We went hard on throwbacks.

(DJ TRx spinning Fiona Olamina (‘07) & Jonathan Trimby’s wedding at the Wellesley College Club.  Photo by Marika Litz.)

WU: In 2011, you co-founded a Confession, a monthly queer dance party in Park Slope. What led to you starting Confession?

Rainbowarrior, in fact!  Margaret O’Connor, who plays Headmistress Cursula, connected me to her husband, Scott O’Connor. He’d just become a co-owner of a new bar called, Mission Dolores, in Brooklyn and invited me to start a queer monthly party. Knowing I needed an event planner I brought Emily Smith on as the promoter. Inspired by the bar’s namesake, we called the party Confession and had a confession box that I pulled anonymous submissions from and read aloud throughout the night.

WU: Why do you think it’s important to have queer spaces like Confession?

This has been on my mind lately. After Confession, Emily went on to create Hot Rabbit, a weekly queer party in Manhattan. HR quickly became a staple of queer nightlife, and now Emily hosts Bad Habit, a bi-monthly spin-off party in Brooklyn. In the LGBTQ community bars and clubs are essential. I’m grateful I have safe spaces I can rely on; spaces to rally, connect, and unabashedly be myself. We truly are stronger together.

WU: What is the significance of the intersection of sexual orientation/queerness and music/dance to you? What about the intersection of queerness and film?

My goal is to make films in which queerness isn’t an event or plot point, but just part of the world.

WU: In addition to creating and producing your own art, you teach film at the School of Visual Arts in New York as an adjunct professor, and you’ve taught photography, film, and multimedia to students at the University of New Haven Foundation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. New York. Do you enjoy teaching film?

Yes. I love teaching film. I’m not ready to do it full-time yet, but I certainly plan to do more of it.

WU: How do you find a balance among all your varying projects and interests?

I’ve yet to find it.

But I have learned some of the ingredients: sleep, exercise, and dancing.

WU: What’s next for you?

I'm not sure exactly what's next for me, but I think that's part of being an artist. I have a few pots in the burner, some film, some DJ. So we'll see which one boils over first.

WU: What advice do you have for alums and students interested in entering the world of DJing, film, and dance?

Don’t be afraid to charge people for what you're worth.

I spent a decade allowing myself to be severely underpaid doing freelance work that I subconsciously de-valued because it wasn’t “official grown-up work.”

Keep going, keep moving, keep creating from a place of passion rather than perfectionism. Accept that everything is a draft. It helps to get it done. Done is the engine of more.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Jean Renoir said, “Art is in the doing of it”.

(DJ TRx, 2017. Photo by Amber Gress.)

[rabbirubiez]

HELLRAZAH @risen_documentary 👐🏿🆙 ・ We are honored to be debuting our trailer and an exclusive scene from the film at The People's Film Festival (@thepeoplesfilmfestival) in the Harlem, NY on opening night Thursday, June 1st. Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith (PREVIEW) WRITTEN BY MICHAEL GRANT, C.E.O. Of RePPiN4U, Member of GGO (Ghetto Government Officials) and Wu Worldwide DJ Coalition Article updated March 21, 2017 FEATURE FILM RELEASE: TBA 2017 Dir. Frank Meyer Music biopic/documentaries go as far back as The Jackson 5, Little Richard, then moving forward to some of the more recent ones like Aaliyah, Nas (Time is Illmatic) and TLC. But never has there been such a Hip Hop biopic that has garnered such success as Straight Outta Compton which topped the US box office which was unheard of for a Hip Hop Biopic feature film and received critically acclaimed reviews across the board including RePPiN4U (Read review here). Now other artists want to jump on the bandwagon and popular demand hoping for the same success. Death Row Records, reportedly not happy about the portrayal of their label in the film are reportedly planning to film their production. Gucci Mane claims he wants to create a biopic, 2Pac’s biopic ‘All Eyes On Me’ gets released this year which is sure to be well anticipated, but some Wu-fans have been clamoring a Wu-Tang Clan version…Dr.Dre & Co continue to be the trend setters of Hip Hop, but Wu -fans will be getting their wish very soon. Chron Smith, more commonly known as Wu-Affiliate Hell Razah of the Sunz of Man didn’t exactly hear the cry from the fans but it just so happens that he is about to unleash his story entitled ‘Risen’… about his sword swinging comeback from a Brain Aneurysm. If it was to rupture, it could cause a stroke, or worse – brain damage or death. Director Frank Meyer and Razah go back as far as 1997. Razah was apart of the web series Freestyle 101, which has featured such artists like The Game, Cypress Hill & Ice-T. With their long-standing friendship, it was only right that Meyer was the perfect choice for this feature film. “Razah’s story is one everyone can relate to,” says Meyer. “He real talented (at Manhattan, New York)

[realnyhiphop101]

The Jungle Brothers “Straight Out The Jungle” Era “Jim Browski”

[realnyhiphop101]

Lloyd Banks “The Hunger For More” Era

[realnyhiphop101]

Pete Rock & CL Smooth “Mecca and The Soul Brother” Era

[realnyhiphop101]

Mr Magic “Mr Magic’s Rap Attack” Era

[realnyhiphop101]

Big L “Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous” Era

[realnyhiphop101]

DMX “Its Dark And Hell Is Hot” Era “Get At Me Dog”

[realnyhiphop101]

Roc Marciano “Marcberg” Era

[realnyhiphop101]

Kwamé “The Boy Genius” Era “The Rhythm”

[realnyhiphop101]

Ghostface Killah “Ironman” Era

[realnyhiphop101]

Gang Starr “No More Mr. Nice Guy” Era “Words I Manifest”