Blog

C. Hannibal cultural history, mexican culture, music

El Hijo Del Santo Uses Moby

Not the most aggressive entrance music.

Moby’s “Signs of Love” doesn’t make me think tough thoughts. El Hijo Del Santo has a legacy to live up to, he should really bring it with a little more aggression.

A charged crowed watched a scion of Mexican wrestling royalty one night, last month (A legacy of branding): El Hijo Del Santo. The son of El Santo, who fronted Sunday magazine, “Dia Siete” earlier this month. His series of holds or llaves, which they’re called in Spanish, look straight silly today; not that 50 years ago they looked any more real. It’s just nice to have that flavor, he uses moves his dad taught him probably. There was a family resemblance in that *camel clutch he used to win the match.

update: UK Sun talked to Hijo del Santo in 2008.

Is it true your father is buried in his mask?

Yes, it is true. When he died our first option was not to tell anybody and to keep it in the family but my brothers and I decided it wasn’t fair to keep him from his fans, so we decided to release the news nationwide. For the funeral, it was important for people to see him in his mask as they were not going to see Rodolfo Guzman, but El Santo, so yes, he was buried with his mask on.

Video, top, from Jan. 31, match promoted by Los Perros Del Mal in Mexico City .

*What a perfect camel clutch looks like.

C. Hannibal cultural history, music, Racially Speaking

Eyes on the Prize

Last year, The Atlantic´s Ta-Nehisi Coates gave a wonderful summation of why we need to recognize a Black History Month, and what´s wrong with the ways we´re brought up recognizing it. We reduce it to a bunch of pictures on class room walls and memorized passages. We need to look at our ancestors as humans not just as heroes.

As this February winds down, our first second Black History Month with a Black President, let´s not forget those who struggled before us. They would be proud of how much things have changed, and how many Black billionaires there are now.

Saul Williams and Trent Reznor, ¨Black History Month¨

C. Hannibal cultural history, mexican culture, music, Racially Speaking, visually speaking

Weezy on Mexico City Bus Stops

lil wayne rappers prison
FROM HOLLYGROVE TO D.F.: Lil Wayne fronts Rolling Stone, here in the Mexican version. This is a bus stop billboard on the corner of Moneterrey and Alvaro Obregon in Roma

XXX

Hip-hop isn´t as noticeable on the streets in Mexico City as it is in North America´s other major cities, NY, L.A., Atlanta, Toronto. That´s why this Rolling Stone (Mexico) billboard, above, caught me off-guard. You can find it throughout the city, on bus stops.
Does everybody know what Wayne represents, in the sense of representando? ¨A Milli¨ was played out a while ago. The only American rap cut I hear on Pop 40 Mexican radio is “Empire State of Mind.” Jay-Z is just mainstreaming himself like that I guess. That song Wayne did with Shakira, I hardly ever hear. It hurts my ears anyway.

The RS cover is a duplicate of the US version. Wayne going to jail, etc, etc. AP had a trite piece today on rappers going to jail

In the history of hip-hop, other popular rappers such as Slick Rick, Shakur, Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Remy Ma, Beanie Sigel, Shyne, Mystikal and C-Murder have spent a few months to several years in prison. Snoop Dogg was acquitted of murder; Diddy faced jail time but he was acquitted in 2001 on bribery and weapons charges stemming from a club shooting. His protege, Shyne, wasn’t as lucky and was convicted in the same case and sentenced to 10 years; he was recently deported after his release from prison.

They talk to Shaka Zulu alot, Ludacris´manager and get the big jailhouse chat with Gucci.

Gucci Mane warns others to avoid his fate.

“Don’t keep bumping your head against the wall,” he says. “It’s a serious situation. It’s so many things that happen behind these walls. Think about how to avoid situations so you won’t have to come in here.”

The story is somewhat pointless, just a repeat trend piece some bored editor said to roll with, following RS´ lead this week.
The truth is, on the streets, going to jail is cred—a right of passage for Black/Latino men in America. Going to jail, as in the case of Tupac, and following that up with platinum success doesn´t happen to everyone.
I can´t name another rapper after, who had a publicized jail stint, then ran to the top of the sales charts when he became free again. What Wayne has working for him is that he´s still young. And, like Annette Funicello, Cubby or any Mouskateer, he´s been training for the music life since he was a pup.
But it´s not about that, going to jail for thuggery lends your rhymes credibility. I think if a rapper goes to jail for unpaid taxes or speeding tickets, it doesn´t work the same.

Of course, many of the faces referenced in the AP story bring the trouble on themselves.

Mainstream media and critics generally don´t have a clue when it comes to the particulars of these guys. It gets me.

Take for instance all the tatto-age on Wayne? Other than the ¨B¨ he´s holding up with his right hand, the rag in his back pocket and the ¨DAMU¨ scrawled on his chest—outright gang affiliation—what other reason does the ¨greatest rapper alive,¨ have to be going to jail? Thuggin(g), of course.

bloods gang Lil Wayne rollinstone magazine

C. Hannibal concerts, music, visually speaking

Busting Flicks in D.F.

Toy Selectah
I first started hearing photos referred to as “flicks” sometime in the mid 1990s. Up to that point, a flick to me was a movie. One of the things a lot of guys and girls in my neighborhood would do is take a flick outside of a club against a spray-painted backdrop, usually a huge dollar sign or something else that signified urban cool. If it was a group of ladies, you would get the sexy pose; a group of guys and you would get the hard-rock pose with one guy kneeling in the front somewhere. Someone probably had a gold grille in the pic, too. The photographer was probably using a Polaroid camera and sold the picture for around $10 bucks. I know my boy Marcus has a ton stashed in a box somewhere.

Coming to the digital camera game late, I decided to bust more flicks myself. In the past year, I’ve upgraded to a Canon G10 and focused my eye on hundreds of things. If anyone peeps my Facebook albums, they know.
Buraka Som Sistema Nov. 2009 Mexico City

I just entered my first photo contest, and didn’t win, but one of my photos beat out a couple dozen others to get printed and displayed in the exhibit for The Space Farm, a media collective based in Mexico City, check them out, here. Then, if you’re in Jersey, go to Space Farms, just for the kitsch-y flavor.

All flicks taken in Mexico City in 2009. They represent the four out of five I submitted that didn’t make the cut (from the top): Toy Selectah, Andrea Echeverri of Aterciopelados and Buraka Som Sistema.

C. Hannibal cultural history, Racially Speaking

Remembrance: Bob Collier, 73

Robert Collier, 73

The last time I spoke to my padrino was on the phone in the Summer of ’08. I remember him saying, “Just be careful,” regarding an article I had written on Charles Hamilton.
I asked, why? He repeated it: “Just be careful what you put out there about people.” I think he was referring to the heroin use I mention in the piece. I didn’t understand his point at the time, but as I thought about it I got it. A former Black Panther, he was about the people. And I was giving the establishment some good stuff on Charles. Although I don’t think that had anything to do with his fall off the map, or him getting socked.

Bob inspired me and dozens of other young men towards greatness. I’ll never forget that. From the time I was a little boy, until I reached adulthood he was there. A college professor and public servant, he leaves behind a large, beautiful family, with tons of friends and admirers. As one of the founders of the NY chapter of the BPP, he also leaves his mark on history.

You can read more about him in this quasi-controversial write-up in the Poughkeepsie Journal. You can also learn more about the Panther 21 trial, of which he was a part of, in Murray Kempton’s “The Briar Patch.” There’s an archived 1996 radio show that brought Bob on to talk about his past, here, with an appearance by Boots Riley from The Coup.

Now who’s going to give me bendición, eh?

Rest in Freedom, padrino.

Photo from Poughkeepsie Journal

update: Just googled the man a few more times and came up with this New York magazine article from 1972 that mentions Bob and offers some behind-the-scenes of the shenanigans that went on at his trial. Also, came across It’s About Time, a site that offers current info on Black Panther Party alum, reunions and personal histories of the group.
It hipped me to a documentary on Oakland Black Panther Party co-founder Richard Aoki, who passed away last year. He was a Japanese American revolutionary credited with bringing the first straps into the party.

C. Hannibal mexican culture, Racially Speaking

AfroMexicana: Ms. Epifanía

To mark Black History Month, we’re celebrating Afro-Mexican History Month here at I Know Huh?.
In late October, I met Epifanía, a cigarette-smoking senior citizen in her 80s from the Costa Chica town of Cuajinicuilapa (“Cuaji”).

Oct. 28, 2009

She came to Mexico City’s Museo Nacional de Antropologia, along with a larger group of elders and children invited to celebrate Dia de Muertos with a traditional danza de los diablos.

More resources ….

And just for good measure, here’s a 2005 piece talking about two documentary films focusing on Black Mexicans: “The Forgotten Roots” and “African Blood”.

Tony Gleaton’s photos were my introduction to Black Mexicans. No.
I’m wrong. It was Kemo.

C. Hannibal mexican culture

Thriller Parkita for Michael

The skull and bones can’t be denied for its popularity here in Mexico City. That video is from an opening lucha match last month; they always start with the smaller guys. For lucha fans, La Parka , who spins, sometimes pop-locks and knee hops to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as it blasts from the arena speakers, is the man when it comes to the skull and bones wrestling suit. But wait, that’s not La Parka in the video, it’s Mini Parkita–not to be confused with the deceased La Parkita. And neither should be confused with one of the most famous luchadores of his generation, Adolfo Tapia, who for legal reasons (had nothing to do with infringing on MJ) changed his name to L.A. Park. The “ORIGINAL” according to the word stenciled down both wrestling boots. More on that later.

http://biografiasdeleyenda.galeon.com/aficiones1466860.html
La Parka

At least one thing is constant: Michael spitting that eight-letter word every time one of these luchadores walks into the ring.

Graphic from biografiasdeleyenda.galeon.com

C. Hannibal cinema culture, visually speaking

Google Video pick of the week #002

Didn’t know where the thought came from. Maybe seeing the recent Wolfman, Daybreakers, Zombieland, Rabid, Hurt Locker and Precious all in the same month had me thinking about morbid stuff. I was wondering to myself, just before taking a rest for the night, about a movie I saw, in which a doctor says he wants to chop off someone’s limb to see if it regenerates. I couldn’t think of the name of that flick, until I saw the trailer for Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) just a minute ago. That’s the entire flick courtesy of Google Video up above.

The movie is basically about a boy who turns into a monster with a huge forehead. He was born from the heart of Frankenstein’s monster and the radiation effects of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. It was a Japanese film distributed in the U.S. by exploitation house American International Pictures.

Must See Factor: 2
Best Reason to See It: If you feel nostalgic for 60s Japanese Sci-Fi production values. Or have guilt about what we did in WWII
Best part of the movie: The chopped off hand they find in the jail cell.

It stars American actorNick Adams, a guy who died at 36 from a drug overdose and probably has a more interesting back story than the entire movie. His wiki page cites claims that he was on the down low with Elvis and James Dean.
His last film apperance was in Los Asesinos (1968), shot in Mexico City and starring Pedro Armendáriz Jr.

Here’s a list of Google Video Picks that if I didn’t have cable, and my DVD player was dead and I was craving cheese and nostalgia, I would watch. I imagine a security guard in the 80s watching these on some local station.

Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)

Mothra (1961)

Psycho A-Go-Go (1972)

Godzilla vs Megalon (1973)

Enjoy.

C. Hannibal music, radio

Rapping on Mexico’s AM Dial

I have no idea who the gentleman in the picture is. But I see him at just about every hip-hop event in Mexico City. If someone reading this post knows this cat, please let me know via email. Actually, I should just approach him and ask him about why he supports his local hip-hop so hard. Pause.

I imagine that like me, he might tune his radio to Trackzion tonight.
Anyone who knows me knows of my love for underground hip-hop radio. I was scanning the AM dial one Monday night a while back when I found Radio UNAM‘s hip-hop show Trackzion.

It was a mighty surprise and one I’m glad Mexico City AM radio gave me. The show is hosted by Asgard with help from Sweet P, and on the blogging end, Urban Samurai.

What I like about the show is that it isn’t stuck on an only-what’s-new format. You can find some classic records (they once played a full-length Pete Rock DJ spot from WBLS in ’89) as well as the newer stuff coming off of zshare links everywhere.

And they know what’s going on — in both the hip-hop and urban arts world, without the backpacker snobby-ness.

Their shows include some guest interviews, and as much hip-hop and whatever else if floating their boat, from Groove Armada to Dam-Funk, as you can pile into a one-hour show.

They tend to lean heavily on Stonesthrow artists as well the healthy underground from NYC. But that’s just for right now, the crew has been blogging since October and only since last month have they had a regular time slot on Radio UNAM.

As far as Spanish rap goes, this show has discriminating tastes. You’ll hear fewer acts from Mexico, though they did have an on-air interview with Dr. Destino and they will occasionally play songs by other Mexico rap acts like Menuda Coincidencia from Monterrey.

Most Spanish-language rap fans in the post-post Cypress Hill era look toward Spain (Seville, Madrid, Barcelona, et al.) for their hip-hop much in the same way English-language rap fans (the globe, right?) will look to NY or LA before listening to rap from Canada Drake. The show reflects this Spain-ish focus, with some attention payed to the occasional Chilean act. Check their archived playlists on their blog.

Here’s a quick, and by no means complete, list of rap acts from Spain:
Falsa Alarma
Tremendo
El Puto Coke
Shotta

Listen to Trackzion, on Radio UNAM. Every Monday night, 10PM (CST), on 860 AM Mexico City, or online .
Also, check out DJ Azteck 732’s Radio Kotos Chidos on AM station Interferencia 7Diez. You can listen, here, every Friday from 3pm to 5pm, AM 710 Mexico City.

update: For anyone interested in Azteck 732, one of Mexico City’s 1st generation hip-hop DJs, check out his Valentine’s Day love mix from a few weeks ago. You can dl it or listen online (via )

C. Hannibal cinema culture, visually speaking

Google Video pick of the week #001

“Willard” is currently available on Google Video via some outfit called moviepowder.com. It’s loosely based on a 1971 movie of the same name, but this 2003 non-hit has one of the best over-the-top, super-creepy performances by Crispin Glover. You know, the “Back to the Future,” guy. I’m interested to see how he plays the Knave of Hearts in Tim Burton’s 3-D “Alice in Wonderland.”

Must See Factor: 0
Best Reason to See It: Digital rats and Crispin Glover spazzing out.
Best part of the movie: Free.

If you’re unaware of Glover, his East Side connections, or his weird movies (he played Olivia Newton John in drag once), check his filmography.

Glover’s video for “Ben,” which he sang for the film.

Check out a teenage Michael Jackson performing one of his first solo #1 hits–about a rat–at the 1973 Academy Awards.