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Arts & Culture

three textile pieces on white walls with windows
An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum
Arleene Correa Valencia’s textile and print work contains complex references to culture and community.
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At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice
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Customers eating jollof rice out of black plastic takeout containers.
Can ‘The Function,’ Function?: Comedian Stroy Moyd Bets on #HellaFunny Brand with New Comedy Club
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New WNBA Documentary Highlights Off-Court Player Activism
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Fraenkel Gallery Celebrates 45 Years with a Film Festival
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Blue-lit close-up of person's face
This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in Oakland
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a man holds up two shots of mezcal inside a garage

RightnowishRightnowish

Artist and curator Marcel Pardo Ariza poses for a photo at the archives of San Francisco's GLBT Historical Society.
‘All The Nights We Got to Dance’ is a Tribute to Queer Nightlife in SF
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A man wearing a tan bucket hat, handkerchief around his neck, black shirt and tan jacket posing for a photo on a rooftop.
Loove Moore, the 'Out Here Specialist,' Leads by Example
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Tomas Moniz, author of All Friends Are Necessary, a novel about friendship in the Bay Area.
Tomas Moniz’s New Book Is an Ode to Friendship in the Bay Area
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Editors’ PicksEditors’ Picks

A Black man in a red hoodie raps on the mic and holds one finger aloft while an arena ceiling bathed in golden light is in the background
The Culture
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Image of two men kissing behind car with decals on windows
Xicanx Identities on Full Display in OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit
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Three people in T-shirts stand behind a service counter, with a wall of vinyl LPs in the background.
Your Favorite Local Band Member Is Serving You Pizza in the Outer Richmond
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The Do ListThe Do List

Customers eating jollof rice out of black plastic takeout containers.
At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice
Save Article
three textile pieces on white walls with windows
An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum
Save Article
Blue-lit close-up of person's face
Fraenkel Gallery Celebrates 45 Years with a Film Festival
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More from The Do List

FoodFood

Customers eating jollof rice out of black plastic takeout containers.
At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice
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a man holds up two shots of mezcal inside a garage
This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in Oakland
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Image features a collage of the Castro Theatre marquee, a large rainbow pride flag, and a man in a black, purple and red shirt with glasses making a cocktail.
Astrological Signs as Castro Cocktails
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That’s My WordThat’s My Word

Illustration of the rapper Larry June in an SF Giants cap, holding a crab cracker in one hand and a fork in the other. In front of him is a whole lobster on a plate.
Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics)
Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics)
Turntablism’s Mightiest Heroes: The Legacy, Impact and Aesthetics of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz
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Rebel Girls From Bay Area HistoryRebel Girls From Bay Area History

A white bespectacled woman wearing a checked dress smiles warmly at another white woman as they sit close together on a couch. A wall lined with books is behind them.
The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America
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The Dancer Who Helped Start the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast Program
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The Pregnant Teen Who Captained a Clipper Ship in 1856
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More about Rebel Girls From Bay Area History

More Arts

Customers eating jollof rice out of black plastic takeout containers.

At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice

In this traveling jollof war, only one nation can reign supreme.
Save Article
three textile pieces on white walls with windows

An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum

Arleene Correa Valencia’s textile and print work contains complex references to culture and community.
Save Article

Can ‘The Function,’ Function?: Comedian Stroy Moyd Bets on #HellaFunny Brand with New Comedy Club

With a capacity for just 49 people, the new, Black-owned comedy club on Market Street is a venue "designed for comedians to be comedians."
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New WNBA Documentary Highlights Off-Court Player Activism

‘Power of the Dream’ shows how players took a stand during racial justice protests, helped elect a senator and negotiated pay raises.
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Blue-lit close-up of person's face

Fraenkel Gallery Celebrates 45 Years with a Film Festival

The San Francisco gallery, known for its photography shows, presents artist-selected films at the Roxie.
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a man holds up two shots of mezcal inside a garage

This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in Oakland

How a former construction worker from Mexico turned himself into the Bay Area's underground mezcal king.
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NPR Staffers Pick Their Favorite Fiction Reads of 2024

We asked our NPR colleagues what fiction they've enjoyed most this year and these are the titles they shared.
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Funding for KQED Arts & Culture is provided by:

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Akonadi Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Yogen and Peggy Dalal, Diane B. Wilsey, the William and Gretchen Kimball Fund, Campaign 21 and the members of KQED.
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In 2023, Rae was awarded an SPJ Excellence in Journalism Award for Arts & Culture.","avatar":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d5ef3d663d9adae1345d06932a3951de?s=600&d=blank&r=g","twitter":"raemondjjjj","facebook":null,"instagram":null,"linkedin":null,"sites":[{"site":"arts","roles":["editor"]},{"site":"news","roles":["editor"]},{"site":"pop","roles":["editor"]},{"site":"bayareabites","roles":["editor"]},{"site":"science","roles":["editor"]}],"headData":{"title":"Rae Alexandra | KQED","description":"Staff Writer","ogImgSrc":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d5ef3d663d9adae1345d06932a3951de?s=600&d=blank&r=g","twImgSrc":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d5ef3d663d9adae1345d06932a3951de?s=600&d=blank&r=g"},"isLoading":false,"link":"/author/ralexandra"},"byline_arts_13960473":{"type":"authors","id":"byline_arts_13960473","meta":{"override":true},"slug":"byline_arts_13960473","name":"Meghan Collins Sullivan, Beth Novey, 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Get daily Arts & Culture updates by following us on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kqedarts/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/kqedarts/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/KQEDarts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter\u003c/a>, or \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13883176/hey-bay-area-have-a-story-to-share-we-want-to-listen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">contact us\u003c/a>."},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-section-overview\">\u003c/div>\n","innerContent":["\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-section-overview\">\u003c/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"kqed/post-list","attrs":{"layout":"cardSeriesShowcase","query":"posts/?tag=thedolist&queryId=c01f46da26","title":"The Do List","sectionUrl":"/thedolist","buttonText":"More from The Do List"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":"kqed/post-list","attrs":{"layout":"cardSeriesShowcase","query":"posts/bayareabites,arts,food?category=food&queryId=15982da65ae","title":"Food","sectionUrl":"/food","buttonText":"More from Food"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":"kqed/ad","attrs":{"adType":"inHouse"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":"kqed/post-list","attrs":{"layout":"cardsRecent","query":"posts/arts?tag=tmw-latest&queryId=13849f85a81","title":"That’s My Word","sectionUrl":"/bayareahiphop","buttonText":"More Bay Area Hip Hop"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":"kqed/section-overview","attrs":{"html":"KQED’s Arts & Culture desk brings daily, in-depth cultural commentary and coverage of the Bay Area with a mission to enrich lives and inspire participation.\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"/arts/staff\">Who We Are\u003c/a>"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-section-overview\">\u003c/div>\n","innerContent":["\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-section-overview\">\u003c/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"kqed/ad","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":"kqed/post-list","attrs":{"layout":"cardSeriesShowcase","query":"posts?tag=rebelgirls&queryId=1830d1bf554","title":"Rebel Girls From Bay Area History","sectionUrl":"/rebelgirls","buttonText":"More about Rebel Girls From Bay Area History"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":"kqed/post-list","attrs":{"layout":"cardTextHeavyLarge","query":"posts/arts?&queryId=135d4d090bc","title":"More Arts","seeMore":true},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":"kqed/funding-credits","attrs":{"text":"Funding for KQED Arts & Culture is provided by:\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Akonadi Foundation, the Andrew W. 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Wilsey, the William and Gretchen Kimball Fund, Campaign 21 and the members of KQED."},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]}],"status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1717181537,"format":"standard","path":"/arts","redirect":{"type":"internal","url":"/arts"},"audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-header\">\u003c/div>\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-columns\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-column\">\u003c/div>\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-column\">\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-section-overview\">\u003c/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-kqed-section-overview\">\u003c/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"label":"root-site","isLoading":false}},"postsReducer":{"stream_live":{"type":"live","id":"stream_live","audioUrl":"https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio","title":"Live Stream","excerpt":"Live Stream information currently unavailable.","link":"/radio","featImg":"","label":{"name":"KQED Live","link":"/"}},"stream_kqedNewscast":{"type":"posts","id":"stream_kqedNewscast","audioUrl":"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1","title":"KQED Newscast","featImg":"","label":{"name":"88.5 FM","link":"/"}},"arts_13960505":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960505","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960505","score":null,"sort":[1719932410000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"arleene-correa-valencia-llevanos-contigo-take-us-with-you-bolinas-museum","title":"An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum","publishDate":1719932410,"format":"standard","headTitle":"An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":140,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>Family separation comes in many forms. Some, more obvious than others. Separation caused by \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/06/04/nx-s1-4991917/biden-executive-order-asylum-migration-border\">immigration policies\u003c/a> is currently top of mind for many North and South Americans, but that’s only one element at play in Napa-based artist Arleene Correa Valencia’s most recent exhibition, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bolinasmuseum.org/exhibitions/arleene-correa-valenica/\">Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You\u003c/a>\u003c/em> at the Bolinas Museum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13957410']“I’ve spent my entire life searching for a physical home,” says Correa Valencia, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico at a young age. “I’m learning that maybe home is family.” For the artist, who isn’t able to have children of her own, the work in the show is also about that loss of legacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exhibition features three interrelated bodies of work: textiles, copperplate prints and repurposed family documents — all of which either include or reference the artist’s family photographs and letters, as well as cultural traditions passed down through generations. For Correa Valencia, making art in collaboration and communion with family members serves as a way of preserving their connection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Selections of family ephemera are framed in parings of snapshots and letters written by a young Correa Valencia, her mother and brother in Michoacán, to her father in the United States. The artist recalls her mother holding her hand to help her write the letters, and thinks of them as her earliest works of art. This posits separation as a genesis, the beginning of Correa Valencia’s own immigration journey and art practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960510\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700.jpeg\" alt=\"four framed textile pieces and one large tapestry in white wall gallery space\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960510\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Installation view of Arleene Correa Valencia’s Bolinas Museum show ‘Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Bolinas Museum)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, photographs have been translated into black-and-white copperplate prints with additional etchings and embroideries decorating the images. These prints also feature lengthy, poetic titles, passages of text cherry-picked from the family correspondences. With their context slightly altered, they become lyric poems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A print of a man in shorts and a striped shirt, embroidered with a flower and featuring an etching of a Mayan deity, features a title telling the story of a man dying in the trunk of a car while attempting to cross the border. The text is a startling juxtaposition to an image so full of life, suggesting the ambient violence circulating the immigrant experience in the Americas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another print of a young Correa Valencia and her brother is adorned with an etching inspired by her brother’s chest tattoo. The title is a message from their mother imploring their father to care for them if anything should happen to her, especially “our baby girl.” Here again, the text creates an unconscious layer to the images, infusing it with a complex pathos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The majority of the exhibition consists of 14 brightly colored wall-hanging textiles, varied in size, embroidered with figurative outlines also based on family photographs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I call them paintings,” says Correa Valencia, who trained as an oil painter through graduate school and only recently took up textile work. She learned the medium from her mother-in-law during the months of the pandemic lockdown; the pieces weave together intricate references to culture and community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960511\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705.jpeg\" alt=\"six framed textile pieces on white wall\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960511\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Installation view of Arleene Correa Valencia’s Bolinas Museum show ‘Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Bolinas Museum)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Often, the background fabric Correa Valencia adorns with her illustrations is a textile purchased in El Salvador or Mexico — or, in the case of the smaller works, tortilla napkins taken from family members’ kitchens. Many of the figures’ clothes are made from actual articles of clothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In both \u003cem>Absent\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Present\u003c/em>, embroideries on large Salvadoran fabrics featuring geometric patterns, a figure holds a child in their arms. In \u003cem>Present\u003c/em>, the adult figure is filled in with a patterned fabric, while in Absent both adult and child dissolve against the background as ghostly outlines of white thread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the largest textiles, \u003cem>Captured: Birds in Flight\u003c/em>, features a two-toned blue background with the outlined figures of three children dressed in repurposed family clothing. Two girls pose playfully while a boy wearing the El Salvador coat of arms reaches both hands up in a dramatic gesture of surrender. Three birds, embroidered in a traditional Salvadoran decorative style, circle overhead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13867062']The lack of recognizable traits and facial features in the figures creates a sense of distance and disappearance. I get the same feeling of nostalgia when I look at a faded photograph. Correa Valencia’s works summons the intimate yearning of straining to recall a hazy memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In seamless collaboration, she blends her own embellishments into the tortilla napkins’ preexisting floral embroideries. \u003cem>Mei Mei\u003c/em> shows a woman in an N-95 mask cradling a baby, the figure sprouting from the center of a decorative flower. The image is inspired by a photo of Correa Valencia holding her niece, and it’s stitched into a napkin handmade by one of the artist’s own childhood caretakers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Correa Valencia’s show made me think of the ways thread is activated in the service of memory. We tie string around our fingers to remember things. In myths across cultures, people are connected by red thread, its delicacy underscoring tenuous ties — and the ease of forgetting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also reminded me of the poem “\u003ca href=\"https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/28891/separation-56d21285b2140\">Separation\u003c/a>” by W. S. Merwin: “Your absence has gone through me / Like thread through a needle. / Everything I do is stitched with its color.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You\u003c/em> makes good on Merwin’s promise that absence and presence are two sides of the same coin. Correa Valencia’s invocations of family are a celebration of connection as much as they anticipate inevitable separation — like a stitch that doubles back on itself. These aren’t threads that tie up in a neat bow, but they might be lifelines.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>‘\u003ca href=\"https://bolinasmuseum.org/exhibitions/arleene-correa-valenica/\">Llévanos Contigo / Take Us with You\u003c/a>’ is on view at the Bolinas Museum (48 Wharf Rd., Bolinas) through Aug. 4, 2024.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"Arleene Correa Valencia’s textile and print work contains complex references to culture and community.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719610417,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":20,"wordCount":1034},"headData":{"title":"Arleene Correa Valencia at Bolinas Museum: Stitched Stories | KQED","description":"Arleene Correa Valencia’s textile and print work contains complex references to culture and community.","ogTitle":"An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialTitle":"Arleene Correa Valencia at Bolinas Museum: Stitched Stories %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"An Artist Stitches Stories of Family Separation at the Bolinas Museum","datePublished":"2024-07-02T08:00:10-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-28T14:33:37-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"sticky":false,"nprByline":"Max Blue","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960505/arleene-correa-valencia-llevanos-contigo-take-us-with-you-bolinas-museum","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Family separation comes in many forms. Some, more obvious than others. Separation caused by \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/06/04/nx-s1-4991917/biden-executive-order-asylum-migration-border\">immigration policies\u003c/a> is currently top of mind for many North and South Americans, but that’s only one element at play in Napa-based artist Arleene Correa Valencia’s most recent exhibition, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bolinasmuseum.org/exhibitions/arleene-correa-valenica/\">Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You\u003c/a>\u003c/em> at the Bolinas Museum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13957410","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I’ve spent my entire life searching for a physical home,” says Correa Valencia, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico at a young age. “I’m learning that maybe home is family.” For the artist, who isn’t able to have children of her own, the work in the show is also about that loss of legacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exhibition features three interrelated bodies of work: textiles, copperplate prints and repurposed family documents — all of which either include or reference the artist’s family photographs and letters, as well as cultural traditions passed down through generations. For Correa Valencia, making art in collaboration and communion with family members serves as a way of preserving their connection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Selections of family ephemera are framed in parings of snapshots and letters written by a young Correa Valencia, her mother and brother in Michoacán, to her father in the United States. The artist recalls her mother holding her hand to help her write the letters, and thinks of them as her earliest works of art. This posits separation as a genesis, the beginning of Correa Valencia’s own immigration journey and art practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960510\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700.jpeg\" alt=\"four framed textile pieces and one large tapestry in white wall gallery space\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960510\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6700-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Installation view of Arleene Correa Valencia’s Bolinas Museum show ‘Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Bolinas Museum)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, photographs have been translated into black-and-white copperplate prints with additional etchings and embroideries decorating the images. These prints also feature lengthy, poetic titles, passages of text cherry-picked from the family correspondences. With their context slightly altered, they become lyric poems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A print of a man in shorts and a striped shirt, embroidered with a flower and featuring an etching of a Mayan deity, features a title telling the story of a man dying in the trunk of a car while attempting to cross the border. The text is a startling juxtaposition to an image so full of life, suggesting the ambient violence circulating the immigrant experience in the Americas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another print of a young Correa Valencia and her brother is adorned with an etching inspired by her brother’s chest tattoo. The title is a message from their mother imploring their father to care for them if anything should happen to her, especially “our baby girl.” Here again, the text creates an unconscious layer to the images, infusing it with a complex pathos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The majority of the exhibition consists of 14 brightly colored wall-hanging textiles, varied in size, embroidered with figurative outlines also based on family photographs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I call them paintings,” says Correa Valencia, who trained as an oil painter through graduate school and only recently took up textile work. She learned the medium from her mother-in-law during the months of the pandemic lockdown; the pieces weave together intricate references to culture and community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960511\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705.jpeg\" alt=\"six framed textile pieces on white wall\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960511\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/2024_06_19_BoMu6705-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Installation view of Arleene Correa Valencia’s Bolinas Museum show ‘Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Bolinas Museum)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Often, the background fabric Correa Valencia adorns with her illustrations is a textile purchased in El Salvador or Mexico — or, in the case of the smaller works, tortilla napkins taken from family members’ kitchens. Many of the figures’ clothes are made from actual articles of clothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In both \u003cem>Absent\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Present\u003c/em>, embroideries on large Salvadoran fabrics featuring geometric patterns, a figure holds a child in their arms. In \u003cem>Present\u003c/em>, the adult figure is filled in with a patterned fabric, while in Absent both adult and child dissolve against the background as ghostly outlines of white thread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the largest textiles, \u003cem>Captured: Birds in Flight\u003c/em>, features a two-toned blue background with the outlined figures of three children dressed in repurposed family clothing. Two girls pose playfully while a boy wearing the El Salvador coat of arms reaches both hands up in a dramatic gesture of surrender. Three birds, embroidered in a traditional Salvadoran decorative style, circle overhead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13867062","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The lack of recognizable traits and facial features in the figures creates a sense of distance and disappearance. I get the same feeling of nostalgia when I look at a faded photograph. Correa Valencia’s works summons the intimate yearning of straining to recall a hazy memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In seamless collaboration, she blends her own embellishments into the tortilla napkins’ preexisting floral embroideries. \u003cem>Mei Mei\u003c/em> shows a woman in an N-95 mask cradling a baby, the figure sprouting from the center of a decorative flower. The image is inspired by a photo of Correa Valencia holding her niece, and it’s stitched into a napkin handmade by one of the artist’s own childhood caretakers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Correa Valencia’s show made me think of the ways thread is activated in the service of memory. We tie string around our fingers to remember things. In myths across cultures, people are connected by red thread, its delicacy underscoring tenuous ties — and the ease of forgetting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also reminded me of the poem “\u003ca href=\"https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/28891/separation-56d21285b2140\">Separation\u003c/a>” by W. S. Merwin: “Your absence has gone through me / Like thread through a needle. / Everything I do is stitched with its color.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Llévanos Contigo / Take Us With You\u003c/em> makes good on Merwin’s promise that absence and presence are two sides of the same coin. Correa Valencia’s invocations of family are a celebration of connection as much as they anticipate inevitable separation — like a stitch that doubles back on itself. These aren’t threads that tie up in a neat bow, but they might be lifelines.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>‘\u003ca href=\"https://bolinasmuseum.org/exhibitions/arleene-correa-valenica/\">Llévanos Contigo / Take Us with You\u003c/a>’ is on view at the Bolinas Museum (48 Wharf Rd., Bolinas) through Aug. 4, 2024.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960505/arleene-correa-valencia-llevanos-contigo-take-us-with-you-bolinas-museum","authors":["byline_arts_13960505"],"programs":["arts_140"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_70"],"tags":["arts_10278","arts_769","arts_585"],"featImg":"arts_13960512","label":"arts_140"},"arts_13960580":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960580","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960580","score":null,"sort":[1719936049000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"jollof-festival-oakland-west-african-food-competition-nigerian-sierra-leone","title":"At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice","publishDate":1719936049,"format":"standard","headTitle":"At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice | KQED","labelTerm":{},"content":"\u003cp>In West African diasporic communities, jollof rice isn’t just a delicious dish. It’s the red-tinged subject of a thousand dinner table squabbles, Facebook group feuds and friendly trash-talk sessions. Who makes it best? Is it Gambia or Senegal, where \u003ca href=\"https://trtafrika.com/lifestyle/the-unending-spicy-debate-on-west-africas-jollof-rice-17657471\">jollof rice is believed to have originated\u003c/a>? Or is it Nigeria or Ghana or one the many other countries across West Africa that have embraced and added their own unique twists to the beloved staple dish?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That eternal debate is the basis of \u003ca href=\"https://jolloffestival.com/\">Jollof Festival\u003c/a>, a touring nationwide cultural celebration and nationality-based jollof rice competition that will stop in 12 different cities this year, including Oakland on July 13.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kemi Tijaniqudus, who runs the Nigerian food truck \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jollofkitchen/\">Jollof Kitchen\u003c/a>, won the Oakland edition both years she competed, 2021 and 2023. Her victories are a point of pride, not just for herself but for the Bay Area’s broader Nigerian community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As she puts it, “People have different opinions, but hey, we always win. You can choose whatever you like, but I know I will take the crown.” In fact, Tijaniqudus says part of the reason she has retired from the competition and won’t be competing this year is because it’s unfair: “I already know Nigerian jollof is going to win.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If those sound like fighting words, that’s all part of the fun — and the friendly but heated rivalry — of Jollof Festival, where delicious food meets a healthy dose of cultural and nationalistic pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Co-produced by Jollof Festival founder Ishmael Osekre and two local collaborators — Quiana Webster and Dj Leone, both active participants in Oakland’s Afrobeats and R&B scenes — the Oakland event will feature local chefs and caterers competing on behalf of Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13896069,arts_13953866,arts_13954267']\u003c/span>\u003c/span>Here’s how it works: Anyone can pay a $10 general admission ticket to take part in the day’s festivities, which will include a range of West African food vendors; booths selling clothing, jewelry and art; and various cultural performances and family-friendly activities. But attendees who want a vote will have to buy a higher-tier ($45) ticket, which gives access to a blind tasting of jollof rice samples from each of the competitors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it’s a blind tasting, a voter with roots in, say, Ghana technically wouldn’t be able to just automatically vote for the Ghanaian entry. The judging should be based on taste alone — though savvy jollof heads might still be able to sniff out their own mother country’s representative. For instance, Tijaniqudus explains that Nigerian jollof is famous for its telltale smokiness, so anyone familiar with that taste would have recognized her entry last year after taking one bite: “Oh shit, this is Nigerian jollof!” And Ralphina Seymoun, who represented Gambia at last year’s competition along with her husband Mohamed Bereteh, says she served a special white jollof — made with broken jasmine rice and no tomatoes — that you would only find in Gambia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960585\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960585\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof.jpg\" alt=\"A takeout container of jollof rice and two plastic bags of juice.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gambian-style white jollof rice courtesy of San Jose’s Ralphina Seymoun and Mohamed Bereteh. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Tutti Fruti Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Seymon’s San Jose–based catering business, Tutti Fruti Kitchen, didn’t win last year’s Jollof Festival. Gambia is such a tiny country, she explains, that it would be tough to beat out Nigeria in a popularity contest. “But we sold out first,” she says with evident pride. This year Seymoun and her husband will switch gears and compete on behalf of Bereteh’s native Sierra Leone. It’s a simpler style of red rice, Seymoun explains, with its main distinguishing feature that the meat and gravy are cooked separately and served on top instead of everything getting stir-fried together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the names of her rivals have yet to be released, she’s sure to be up against stiff competition — again, with contenders representing Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Senegal also gunning for the crown. Will Seymon’s second time be the charm, allowing Sierra Leone to hoist up the final trophy this year?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only way to find out, as the event organizers like to say, is to let the jollof wars begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://jolloffestival.com/\">\u003ci>Jollof Festival Oakland\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> will take place on Saturday, July 13, 2–7 p.m., at 7th West (1255 7th St.) in West Oakland — though, as the event organizers’\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://events.eventnoire.com/e/jollof-festival-oak24/tickets\"> \u003ci>disclaimer\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> notes, “This is an African event, things may run on African time.” Tickets start at $10 — $45 if you want to participate (and vote) in the blind tasting of the competitors’ jollof entries.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"In this traveling jollof war, only one nation can reign supreme. ","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719944959,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":14,"wordCount":810},"headData":{"title":"At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice | KQED","description":"In this traveling jollof war, only one nation can reign supreme. ","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"At Jollof Festival Oakland, West African Chefs Face Off in a Battle Royale of Rice","datePublished":"2024-07-02T09:00:49-07:00","dateModified":"2024-07-02T11:29:19-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"source":"Food","sourceUrl":"https://www.kqed.org/food","sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13960580","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960580/jollof-festival-oakland-west-african-food-competition-nigerian-sierra-leone","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In West African diasporic communities, jollof rice isn’t just a delicious dish. It’s the red-tinged subject of a thousand dinner table squabbles, Facebook group feuds and friendly trash-talk sessions. Who makes it best? Is it Gambia or Senegal, where \u003ca href=\"https://trtafrika.com/lifestyle/the-unending-spicy-debate-on-west-africas-jollof-rice-17657471\">jollof rice is believed to have originated\u003c/a>? Or is it Nigeria or Ghana or one the many other countries across West Africa that have embraced and added their own unique twists to the beloved staple dish?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That eternal debate is the basis of \u003ca href=\"https://jolloffestival.com/\">Jollof Festival\u003c/a>, a touring nationwide cultural celebration and nationality-based jollof rice competition that will stop in 12 different cities this year, including Oakland on July 13.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kemi Tijaniqudus, who runs the Nigerian food truck \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/jollofkitchen/\">Jollof Kitchen\u003c/a>, won the Oakland edition both years she competed, 2021 and 2023. Her victories are a point of pride, not just for herself but for the Bay Area’s broader Nigerian community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As she puts it, “People have different opinions, but hey, we always win. You can choose whatever you like, but I know I will take the crown.” In fact, Tijaniqudus says part of the reason she has retired from the competition and won’t be competing this year is because it’s unfair: “I already know Nigerian jollof is going to win.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If those sound like fighting words, that’s all part of the fun — and the friendly but heated rivalry — of Jollof Festival, where delicious food meets a healthy dose of cultural and nationalistic pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Co-produced by Jollof Festival founder Ishmael Osekre and two local collaborators — Quiana Webster and Dj Leone, both active participants in Oakland’s Afrobeats and R&B scenes — the Oakland event will feature local chefs and caterers competing on behalf of Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13896069,arts_13953866,arts_13954267","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/span>Here’s how it works: Anyone can pay a $10 general admission ticket to take part in the day’s festivities, which will include a range of West African food vendors; booths selling clothing, jewelry and art; and various cultural performances and family-friendly activities. But attendees who want a vote will have to buy a higher-tier ($45) ticket, which gives access to a blind tasting of jollof rice samples from each of the competitors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it’s a blind tasting, a voter with roots in, say, Ghana technically wouldn’t be able to just automatically vote for the Ghanaian entry. The judging should be based on taste alone — though savvy jollof heads might still be able to sniff out their own mother country’s representative. For instance, Tijaniqudus explains that Nigerian jollof is famous for its telltale smokiness, so anyone familiar with that taste would have recognized her entry last year after taking one bite: “Oh shit, this is Nigerian jollof!” And Ralphina Seymoun, who represented Gambia at last year’s competition along with her husband Mohamed Bereteh, says she served a special white jollof — made with broken jasmine rice and no tomatoes — that you would only find in Gambia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960585\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960585\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof.jpg\" alt=\"A takeout container of jollof rice and two plastic bags of juice.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/tutti-fruti-jollof-1536x1536.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gambian-style white jollof rice courtesy of San Jose’s Ralphina Seymoun and Mohamed Bereteh. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Tutti Fruti Kitchen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Seymon’s San Jose–based catering business, Tutti Fruti Kitchen, didn’t win last year’s Jollof Festival. Gambia is such a tiny country, she explains, that it would be tough to beat out Nigeria in a popularity contest. “But we sold out first,” she says with evident pride. This year Seymoun and her husband will switch gears and compete on behalf of Bereteh’s native Sierra Leone. It’s a simpler style of red rice, Seymoun explains, with its main distinguishing feature that the meat and gravy are cooked separately and served on top instead of everything getting stir-fried together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the names of her rivals have yet to be released, she’s sure to be up against stiff competition — again, with contenders representing Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Senegal also gunning for the crown. Will Seymon’s second time be the charm, allowing Sierra Leone to hoist up the final trophy this year?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only way to find out, as the event organizers like to say, is to let the jollof wars begin.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://jolloffestival.com/\">\u003ci>Jollof Festival Oakland\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> will take place on Saturday, July 13, 2–7 p.m., at 7th West (1255 7th St.) in West Oakland — though, as the event organizers’\u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://events.eventnoire.com/e/jollof-festival-oak24/tickets\"> \u003ci>disclaimer\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003ci> notes, “This is an African event, things may run on African time.” Tickets start at $10 — $45 if you want to participate (and vote) in the blind tasting of the competitors’ jollof entries.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960580/jollof-festival-oakland-west-african-food-competition-nigerian-sierra-leone","authors":["11743"],"programs":["arts_140"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_12276"],"tags":["arts_2438","arts_11374","arts_1297","arts_1143","arts_585","arts_21774","arts_2533"],"featImg":"arts_13960583","label":"source_arts_13960580"},"arts_13960610":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960610","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960610","score":null,"sort":[1719877519000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"can-the-function-function-comedian-stroy-moyds-bets-on-hellafunny-brand-with-new-comedy-club","title":"Can ‘The Function,’ Function?: Comedian Stroy Moyd Bets on #HellaFunny Brand with New Comedy Club","publishDate":1719877519,"format":"standard","headTitle":"Can ‘The Function,’ Function?: Comedian Stroy Moyd Bets on #HellaFunny Brand with New Comedy Club | KQED","labelTerm":{"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>Comedian Stroy Moyd feels “blessed and stressed” but mostly blessed outside 1414 Market St. in San Francisco. He stands outside The Function – a seven-days-a-week comedy and nightlife venue – opening its doors for the first time this past weekend. The man behind the #HellaFunny brand of comedy shows produced across the Bay Area understood consolidation is key. So he sought to bring the 27 shows #HellaFunny does a week under one roof into a club he owns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for his hustle, 18 years into performing and producing stand-up comedy, Moyd’s angling to work smarter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All these bars are making so much money off of all my shows, and I’m only making ticket sales and tips,” Moyd tells KQED about the origins of The Function. “I said, the drinks is where it’s at. I said, I’m gonna open my own spot and bring all my HellaFunny shows back to my own spot. That was the whole goal.”[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perhaps it’s an omen of good things to come: The Function’s capacity is 49 people, a lucky number in the city home to San Francisco 49ers football dynasty. Even the 49ers couldn’t afford to stay in the city, though, which is why Moyd’s story is all the more impressive, setting up a Black-owned entertainment business in an area of San Francisco written off by doomsaying headlines. After vying for hundreds of locations, Moyd kept hitting the same roadblock – realtors wanted a house for collateral – or some other major asset, all of which he didn’t have – in order to allow him the space. He was ready to give up the dream when he came to 1414 Market and found no collateral was necessary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was the last one. I was checking for two years. I said, ‘If this one don’t work out, I’m done,’” Moyd says. “And it worked out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960618\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960618\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Function, located at 1414 Market St., opened its doors this past weekend. \u003ccite>(Danny Acosta for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, Moyd encountered the harsh reality of racism in Bay Area real estate throughout the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would go to the venues to buy, and the owner would look at me, and I could tell just because I’m Black, he be like, don’t want to sell to me. That happened so many times, you know, but I overcome it … and I don’t let it get to me,” Moyd says. “I keep pushing, but it’s been a struggle, but it worked. We need more Black-owned business. This is the first Black-owned full-time comedy club in the history of the Bay Area. This is the actual, real Black history. I’m going to do it in Oakland, too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moyd’s desire to open another “The Function” in his hometown isn’t surprising, but the enterprising comic quickly name-checks Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Mexico, South Korea and Japan as future spots to turn his Bay Area brand into an international franchise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moyd’s grand vision is perhaps why Tony Sparks, the godfather of Bay Area comedy, known for running the Brainwash Cafe’s (RIP) comedy for almost two decades, always knew Moyd was destined for big things. Still, Sparks never imagined Moyd running his own club was in the cards. Sparks signals the racism he encountered that stopped him from doing something similar years ago, still confronting Moyd. It makes Moyd’s win all that more impressive. “You’d think in this day and time, it should be different, it’s not,” he says, “And it’s really sad, but my man has really knocked all those barriers down somehow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960616\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960616\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comedian Tony Sparks said Stroy Moyd’s comedy club opening is impressive. He was among the comedians who graced the stage at The Function during its grand opening weekend. \u003ccite>(Danny Acosta for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Sparks has already hosted comedy shows at The Function and feels it’s a good space for comedians and crowds to experience his catchphrase – a lot of love.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This room with the low ceilings and the way it’s set up, the laughter is always huge,” Sparks says. “Everything runs really high. It’s really a great room, and it’s worth coming and investing the time to be here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lilian Tsai, an attorney, lives in the neighborhood and eagerly anticipated The Function’s opening. She describes the venue as having “amazing decor” (kinder than a comic who called it “gentrified strip club decor”), an “intimate and cozy” atmosphere for a “really funny” night of comedy. It’s a night capped off with a “No Scrubs,” 90’s hip-hop dance party with DJ Beats Me on the turntables, so Tsai and her friends will switch from laughter to dancing, as seamless as Moyd’s intention for the space invites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“San Francisco, we need more beauty, more laughter, and this is a really great thing,” she says of The Function. “I didn’t know until I attended tonight that it was Black-owned, so that’s amazing. I have a good friend who’s a comedian, too, so it’s just very exciting to have this in town.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moyd ultimately sees The Function as a place to become a better comedian and businessman. As a comic, he describes his material as full of “ratchetness,” so as a businessman, he stands firm. The Function is a place designed for comedians to be comedians, warning potential audiences to stay home if they’re too sensitive to what comics might deliver as punchlines. With Moyd’s brick-and-mortar dreams now a reality, he likens this whole experience to watching people win an award at the Oscars or Grammys, where they get too overwhelmed and can’t remember who they need to thank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So just thank you, everybody; I never understood that I’m like, ‘You gotta mention somebody,’” Moyd says. “Now that I got my own club, I get it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960615\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960615\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Function is a new comedy club owned by comedian Stroy Moyd, who is also behind the #HellaFunny brand of comedy shows produced around the Bay Area. \u003ccite>(Danny Acosta for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"With a capacity for just 49 people, the new, Black-owned comedy club on Market Street is a venue \"designed for comedians to be comedians.\"","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719878691,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":16,"wordCount":1125},"headData":{"title":"Can ‘The Function,’ Function?: Comedian Stroy Moyd Bets on #HellaFunny Brand with New Comedy Club | KQED","description":"With a capacity for just 49 people, the new, Black-owned comedy club on Market Street is a venue "designed for comedians to be comedians."","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Can ‘The Function,’ Function?: Comedian Stroy Moyd Bets on #HellaFunny Brand with New Comedy Club","datePublished":"2024-07-01T16:45:19-07:00","dateModified":"2024-07-01T17:04:51-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"sticky":false,"nprByline":"Danny Acosta","nprStoryId":"kqed-13960610","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960610/can-the-function-function-comedian-stroy-moyds-bets-on-hellafunny-brand-with-new-comedy-club","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Comedian Stroy Moyd feels “blessed and stressed” but mostly blessed outside 1414 Market St. in San Francisco. He stands outside The Function – a seven-days-a-week comedy and nightlife venue – opening its doors for the first time this past weekend. The man behind the #HellaFunny brand of comedy shows produced across the Bay Area understood consolidation is key. So he sought to bring the 27 shows #HellaFunny does a week under one roof into a club he owns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for his hustle, 18 years into performing and producing stand-up comedy, Moyd’s angling to work smarter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All these bars are making so much money off of all my shows, and I’m only making ticket sales and tips,” Moyd tells KQED about the origins of The Function. “I said, the drinks is where it’s at. I said, I’m gonna open my own spot and bring all my HellaFunny shows back to my own spot. That was the whole goal.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perhaps it’s an omen of good things to come: The Function’s capacity is 49 people, a lucky number in the city home to San Francisco 49ers football dynasty. Even the 49ers couldn’t afford to stay in the city, though, which is why Moyd’s story is all the more impressive, setting up a Black-owned entertainment business in an area of San Francisco written off by doomsaying headlines. After vying for hundreds of locations, Moyd kept hitting the same roadblock – realtors wanted a house for collateral – or some other major asset, all of which he didn’t have – in order to allow him the space. He was ready to give up the dream when he came to 1414 Market and found no collateral was necessary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was the last one. I was checking for two years. I said, ‘If this one don’t work out, I’m done,’” Moyd says. “And it worked out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960618\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960618\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7650-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Function, located at 1414 Market St., opened its doors this past weekend. \u003ccite>(Danny Acosta for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, Moyd encountered the harsh reality of racism in Bay Area real estate throughout the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would go to the venues to buy, and the owner would look at me, and I could tell just because I’m Black, he be like, don’t want to sell to me. That happened so many times, you know, but I overcome it … and I don’t let it get to me,” Moyd says. “I keep pushing, but it’s been a struggle, but it worked. We need more Black-owned business. This is the first Black-owned full-time comedy club in the history of the Bay Area. This is the actual, real Black history. I’m going to do it in Oakland, too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moyd’s desire to open another “The Function” in his hometown isn’t surprising, but the enterprising comic quickly name-checks Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Mexico, South Korea and Japan as future spots to turn his Bay Area brand into an international franchise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moyd’s grand vision is perhaps why Tony Sparks, the godfather of Bay Area comedy, known for running the Brainwash Cafe’s (RIP) comedy for almost two decades, always knew Moyd was destined for big things. Still, Sparks never imagined Moyd running his own club was in the cards. Sparks signals the racism he encountered that stopped him from doing something similar years ago, still confronting Moyd. It makes Moyd’s win all that more impressive. “You’d think in this day and time, it should be different, it’s not,” he says, “And it’s really sad, but my man has really knocked all those barriers down somehow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960616\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960616\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7595-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comedian Tony Sparks said Stroy Moyd’s comedy club opening is impressive. He was among the comedians who graced the stage at The Function during its grand opening weekend. \u003ccite>(Danny Acosta for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Sparks has already hosted comedy shows at The Function and feels it’s a good space for comedians and crowds to experience his catchphrase – a lot of love.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This room with the low ceilings and the way it’s set up, the laughter is always huge,” Sparks says. “Everything runs really high. It’s really a great room, and it’s worth coming and investing the time to be here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lilian Tsai, an attorney, lives in the neighborhood and eagerly anticipated The Function’s opening. She describes the venue as having “amazing decor” (kinder than a comic who called it “gentrified strip club decor”), an “intimate and cozy” atmosphere for a “really funny” night of comedy. It’s a night capped off with a “No Scrubs,” 90’s hip-hop dance party with DJ Beats Me on the turntables, so Tsai and her friends will switch from laughter to dancing, as seamless as Moyd’s intention for the space invites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“San Francisco, we need more beauty, more laughter, and this is a really great thing,” she says of The Function. “I didn’t know until I attended tonight that it was Black-owned, so that’s amazing. I have a good friend who’s a comedian, too, so it’s just very exciting to have this in town.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moyd ultimately sees The Function as a place to become a better comedian and businessman. As a comic, he describes his material as full of “ratchetness,” so as a businessman, he stands firm. The Function is a place designed for comedians to be comedians, warning potential audiences to stay home if they’re too sensitive to what comics might deliver as punchlines. With Moyd’s brick-and-mortar dreams now a reality, he likens this whole experience to watching people win an award at the Oscars or Grammys, where they get too overwhelmed and can’t remember who they need to thank.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So just thank you, everybody; I never understood that I’m like, ‘You gotta mention somebody,’” Moyd says. “Now that I got my own club, I get it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960615\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960615\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/F93A7556-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Function is a new comedy club owned by comedian Stroy Moyd, who is also behind the #HellaFunny brand of comedy shows produced around the Bay Area. \u003ccite>(Danny Acosta for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960610/can-the-function-function-comedian-stroy-moyds-bets-on-hellafunny-brand-with-new-comedy-club","authors":["byline_arts_13960610"],"categories":["arts_1"],"tags":["arts_549","arts_1871"],"featImg":"arts_13960617","label":"arts"},"arts_13960599":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960599","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960599","score":null,"sort":[1719855930000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"wnba-documentary-highlights-off-court-player-activism","title":"New WNBA Documentary Highlights Off-Court Player Activism","publishDate":1719855930,"format":"standard","headTitle":"New WNBA Documentary Highlights Off-Court Player Activism | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":10778,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>Know how you can tell if women’s sports has finally broken into the American mainstream consciousness? When your 82-year-old grandmother-in-law tells you, “They’ve been showing a lot more girls basketball on television these days.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With viewership for women’s basketball at an all-time high, \u003cem>Power of the Dream\u003c/em> — Amazon’s new documentary directed by Dawn Porter that highlights the WNBA’s fight for equity and representation — arrives at an apex moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postid='arts_13957833']\u003c/span>Offering a candid look into the off-court activism of WNBAers during the COVID-ravaged 2020 season — as players mourn the loss of Black lives due to police violence and get involved in the Georgia senatorial race — the film isn’t what you’d expect from a basketball joint. There’s virtually no dribbling in it, and very little action about the sport itself. (Perhaps that’s communicated in the title, which is more poetic than it is athletic).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postid='news_11986061']\u003c/span>And yet, this isn’t a polished look at the league’s imperviousness. It’s about the ugliness of pro sports in America: the struggles that even the world’s most successful, elite basketballers face, their battles to impact greater social change, and their sacrifices to improve conditions for marginalized communities, all while juggling their own needs that aren’t being met as a unionized workforce of 144 employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With a mix of news clips, original documentary footage, and interviews with notable sports journalists and WNBA icons (including Angel McCoughtry, Layshia Clarendon, and Elizabeth Williams), the film shows multiple dimensions of player-led change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rather than glorifying the WNBA’s public image (the film shows when the league misstepped by fining players for their social actions), the camera zooms in on players in genuine states of vulnerability and uncertainty — if not utter frustration — as they coordinate to stand up for their core beliefs. It helps that two of the featured athletes, Nneka Ogwumike and Sue Bird, widely considered to be among the best women hoopers of their generations, are behind the film’s production. The documentary shines brightest in moments that feel intimate: windows of genuine urgency and (figurative) locker room access that can be gained when the players themselves have a hand in the making.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x1688+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff9%2F2d%2F0cec4df04f95a4e71957bbae31a2%2Fpotd-2024-fg-00070503-still018-3000.jpg\" alt=\"Layshia Clarendon in Power of the Dream.\">\u003cfigcaption>Layshia Clarendon in \u003cem>Power of the Dream.\u003c/em> \u003ccite> (Prime Video | Amazon MGM Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, the film asks: What responsibilities do modern professional athletes have? How do those responsibilities evolve, shift and deepen when layered with issues of gender, race and economics? And how do high-achieving humans respond when their dreams are challenged and interrupted?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>A legacy of WNBActivism\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Power of the Dream\u003c/em> constructs a framework beginning with the opening scene, when a group key players prepare to discuss their political views on live television while wearing black T-shirts that read “ARREST THE COPS WHO KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR” and “SAY HER NAME.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postid='arts_13956931']\u003c/span>From the outset, the film provides a microhistory on the legacy of social advocacy among WNBA players — despite being fined, targeted and criticized by league officials, media and fans. In 2016, the Minnesota Lynx drew ire from the Minnesota Police Department after members of the team spoke out against the killing of Philando Castile in nearby Falcon Heights. The team’s franchise player and four-time WNBA champion, Maya Moore, became the face of the player-led protests. The boldness of the Lynx — who, at the time, were the WNBA’s version of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls of the ‘90s — initiated a chain of protests in the sports world culminating with Colin Kaepernick’s infamous NFL kneel later that year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moore would eventually take her fight for justice further, stepping away from basketball in 2019 to dedicate time towards freeing a wrongly convicted man (Jonathan Irons, her now-husband), and eventually retiring to fully pursue social justice causes. Moore’s story isn’t brand new, but, through the insights of journalists like Jemele Hill, the documentary argues that the magnitude of Moore’s actions haven’t been fully grasped yet. Her work is positioned as a reflection of the WNBA’s larger ethos of compassion in ways that are rarely seen in other major leagues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/sportsiren/status/1298883521327566854\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moore isn’t the only WNBA luminary who has risked her own neck to do the right thing. Much of the documentary focuses on the coordinated efforts of the league’s players at the height of the 2020 “Wubble.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the murders of Breonna Taylor and, months later, George Floyd, the league’s biggest stars take a unified stand. With televised games scheduled to air, they collectively refuse to compete as usual, instead gathering on the lawn of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. — where their shortened, quarantined season took place — to hold a vigil. Every single WNBA player was in attendance. It’s among the most moving things you’ll ever see in professional sports. Imagine any other league pulling that off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Holly Rowe, an ESPN reporter who was assigned to cover the WNBA’s COVID season, says in the documentary that those WNBA players embodied the most politicized group of pro athletes in U.S. history. These weren’t just individuals sharing comments on social media, or outliers spewing out-of-context, post-game press conference soundbites — it was a tactical, organized assemblage of the league’s entirety speaking out as one. And they sustained it throughout the whole season.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Labor politics in the “W”\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>For the uninitiated WNBA newbie, \u003cem>Power of the Dream \u003c/em>is an introduction to the players’ collaborative capacity for change. Indeed, the WNBA offers a case study in labor organizing that arguably no other major sports league in America can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ogwumike — a league stalwart, Stanford alumni and former No. 1 pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft — helmed the Women’s National Basketball Players Association during pivotal contract negotiations in 2019 and 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x1688+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F84%2F1b%2F837c76334846b66a009e79796113%2Fpotd-2024-fg-00011210-still002-3000.jpg\" alt=\"Nneka Ogwumike featured in Power of the Dream.\">\u003cfigcaption>Nneka Ogwumike featured in \u003cem>Power of the Dream.\u003c/em> \u003ccite> (Prime Video | Amazon MGM Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The filmmakers show Ogwumike and her colleagues strategizing, and then, like a fastbreak on the open court, coming up big. They \u003ca href=\"https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-and-wnbpa-reach-tentative-agreement-on-groundbreaking-eight-year-collective-bargaining-agreement\">secured an unprecedented 53% salary increase and paid maternity leave\u003c/a>, among the largest, most progressive overhauls in U.S. sports bargaining history. (There’s still a long way to go: The WNBA’s top-paid stars will make around $250,000 in salaries this year; just a fraction of the NBA’s \u003cem>minimum \u003c/em>pay of over $1 million.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The WNBA players’ victory, though a subplot in the film, serves a narrative function: it lays the groundwork for legitimizing the WNBA’s relentless efforts for improving conditions on multiple fronts — forming one spear tip in their multi-pronged demand for change that eventually reaches Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The Georgia U.S. Senate race\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The WNBA’s Atlanta Dream franchise — named after Dr. Martin Luther King’s timeless monologue — is the climactic end point of the documentary (see: \u003cem>Power of the \u003c/em>Dream\u003cem>)\u003c/em>. Though the filmmakers choose to explore league-wide issues plaguing athletes on various teams leading up to that moment, the overall exposition ultimately funnels towards Atlanta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amid the social turmoil of the 2020 season, Atlanta’s then-majority-owner, Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler (who declined to be interviewed for the documentary) became a major source of disruption for the players when she discredited the WNBA’s women for their support of Black Lives Matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the 2020 elections unfolded in Georgia, Loeffler was favored to win in a crucial Senate race as the incumbent candidate. WNBA players, once again, made history: they openly denounced Loeffler by strategically rallying around her opponent, Rev. Raphael Warnock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x1688+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2F20%2F0209a93847d99a01a79d7ae9af69%2Fpotd-2024-fg-00041411-still011-3000.jpg\" alt=\"Sue Bird featured in the new documentary Power of the Dream.\">\u003cfigcaption>Sue Bird featured in the new documentary \u003cem>Power of the Dream.\u003c/em> \u003ccite> (Prime Video | Amazon MGM Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Warnock held only 9% of voter support before the WNBA’s involvement, and the documentary positions the players’ support as crucial to his win. In the film, Warnock (the only male subject) largely credits the WNBA for his unprecedented victory, becoming Georgia’s first-ever Black senator. He remains in office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite her monumental success on and off the court, Bird still grapples with the larger question of pro athletes’ responsibilities, and whether or not they should even exert their social and political influence at such a high level. It’s not lost on her, and her peers, that in order to make change for their communities, they must also do the work. For these players, that meant talking with family members and figures like Michelle Obama, getting involved with organizations like “Say Her Name,” doing research on candidates, and actually meeting Warnock before they officially endorsed him. Those duties are certainly not listed on the job description for a WNBA player — or any top-level athlete, for that matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s never just been about basketball for us,” Bird says on camera. And for this particular group of hoopers, how could it be?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, \u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\">\u003cb>\u003ci>visit NPR\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>\u003ci>.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"‘Power of the Dream’ shows how players took a stand during racial justice protests, helped elect a senator and negotiated pay raises.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719856128,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":26,"wordCount":1577},"headData":{"title":"Review: WNBA Documentary Highlights Off-Court Activism | KQED","description":"‘Power of the Dream’ shows how players took a stand during racial justice protests, helped elect a senator and negotiated pay raises.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"arts_13960606","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"arts_13960606","socialTitle":"Review: WNBA Documentary Highlights Off-Court Activism %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","socialDescription":"‘Power of the Dream’ shows how players took a stand during racial justice protests, helped elect a senator and negotiated pay raises.","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"New WNBA Documentary Highlights Off-Court Player Activism","datePublished":"2024-07-01T10:45:30-07:00","dateModified":"2024-07-01T10:48:48-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"nx-s1-5015702","nprHtmlLink":"https://www.npr.org/2024/07/01/nx-s1-5015702/wnba-documentary-black-lives-matter-raphael-warnock","nprRetrievedStory":"1","nprPubDate":"2024-07-01T11:00:00-04:00","nprStoryDate":"2024-07-01T11:00:00-04:00","nprLastModifiedDate":"2024-07-01T11:00:17.661-04:00","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960599/wnba-documentary-highlights-off-court-player-activism","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Know how you can tell if women’s sports has finally broken into the American mainstream consciousness? When your 82-year-old grandmother-in-law tells you, “They’ve been showing a lot more girls basketball on television these days.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With viewership for women’s basketball at an all-time high, \u003cem>Power of the Dream\u003c/em> — Amazon’s new documentary directed by Dawn Porter that highlights the WNBA’s fight for equity and representation — arrives at an apex moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13957833","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>Offering a candid look into the off-court activism of WNBAers during the COVID-ravaged 2020 season — as players mourn the loss of Black lives due to police violence and get involved in the Georgia senatorial race — the film isn’t what you’d expect from a basketball joint. There’s virtually no dribbling in it, and very little action about the sport itself. (Perhaps that’s communicated in the title, which is more poetic than it is athletic).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"news_11986061","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>And yet, this isn’t a polished look at the league’s imperviousness. It’s about the ugliness of pro sports in America: the struggles that even the world’s most successful, elite basketballers face, their battles to impact greater social change, and their sacrifices to improve conditions for marginalized communities, all while juggling their own needs that aren’t being met as a unionized workforce of 144 employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With a mix of news clips, original documentary footage, and interviews with notable sports journalists and WNBA icons (including Angel McCoughtry, Layshia Clarendon, and Elizabeth Williams), the film shows multiple dimensions of player-led change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rather than glorifying the WNBA’s public image (the film shows when the league misstepped by fining players for their social actions), the camera zooms in on players in genuine states of vulnerability and uncertainty — if not utter frustration — as they coordinate to stand up for their core beliefs. It helps that two of the featured athletes, Nneka Ogwumike and Sue Bird, widely considered to be among the best women hoopers of their generations, are behind the film’s production. The documentary shines brightest in moments that feel intimate: windows of genuine urgency and (figurative) locker room access that can be gained when the players themselves have a hand in the making.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x1688+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff9%2F2d%2F0cec4df04f95a4e71957bbae31a2%2Fpotd-2024-fg-00070503-still018-3000.jpg\" alt=\"Layshia Clarendon in Power of the Dream.\">\u003cfigcaption>Layshia Clarendon in \u003cem>Power of the Dream.\u003c/em> \u003ccite> (Prime Video | Amazon MGM Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, the film asks: What responsibilities do modern professional athletes have? How do those responsibilities evolve, shift and deepen when layered with issues of gender, race and economics? And how do high-achieving humans respond when their dreams are challenged and interrupted?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>A legacy of WNBActivism\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Power of the Dream\u003c/em> constructs a framework beginning with the opening scene, when a group key players prepare to discuss their political views on live television while wearing black T-shirts that read “ARREST THE COPS WHO KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR” and “SAY HER NAME.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13956931","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>From the outset, the film provides a microhistory on the legacy of social advocacy among WNBA players — despite being fined, targeted and criticized by league officials, media and fans. In 2016, the Minnesota Lynx drew ire from the Minnesota Police Department after members of the team spoke out against the killing of Philando Castile in nearby Falcon Heights. The team’s franchise player and four-time WNBA champion, Maya Moore, became the face of the player-led protests. The boldness of the Lynx — who, at the time, were the WNBA’s version of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls of the ‘90s — initiated a chain of protests in the sports world culminating with Colin Kaepernick’s infamous NFL kneel later that year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moore would eventually take her fight for justice further, stepping away from basketball in 2019 to dedicate time towards freeing a wrongly convicted man (Jonathan Irons, her now-husband), and eventually retiring to fully pursue social justice causes. Moore’s story isn’t brand new, but, through the insights of journalists like Jemele Hill, the documentary argues that the magnitude of Moore’s actions haven’t been fully grasped yet. Her work is positioned as a reflection of the WNBA’s larger ethos of compassion in ways that are rarely seen in other major leagues.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"singleTwitterStatus","attributes":{"named":{"id":"1298883521327566854"},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Moore isn’t the only WNBA luminary who has risked her own neck to do the right thing. Much of the documentary focuses on the coordinated efforts of the league’s players at the height of the 2020 “Wubble.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the murders of Breonna Taylor and, months later, George Floyd, the league’s biggest stars take a unified stand. With televised games scheduled to air, they collectively refuse to compete as usual, instead gathering on the lawn of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. — where their shortened, quarantined season took place — to hold a vigil. Every single WNBA player was in attendance. It’s among the most moving things you’ll ever see in professional sports. Imagine any other league pulling that off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Holly Rowe, an ESPN reporter who was assigned to cover the WNBA’s COVID season, says in the documentary that those WNBA players embodied the most politicized group of pro athletes in U.S. history. These weren’t just individuals sharing comments on social media, or outliers spewing out-of-context, post-game press conference soundbites — it was a tactical, organized assemblage of the league’s entirety speaking out as one. And they sustained it throughout the whole season.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Labor politics in the “W”\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>For the uninitiated WNBA newbie, \u003cem>Power of the Dream \u003c/em>is an introduction to the players’ collaborative capacity for change. Indeed, the WNBA offers a case study in labor organizing that arguably no other major sports league in America can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ogwumike — a league stalwart, Stanford alumni and former No. 1 pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft — helmed the Women’s National Basketball Players Association during pivotal contract negotiations in 2019 and 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x1688+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F84%2F1b%2F837c76334846b66a009e79796113%2Fpotd-2024-fg-00011210-still002-3000.jpg\" alt=\"Nneka Ogwumike featured in Power of the Dream.\">\u003cfigcaption>Nneka Ogwumike featured in \u003cem>Power of the Dream.\u003c/em> \u003ccite> (Prime Video | Amazon MGM Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The filmmakers show Ogwumike and her colleagues strategizing, and then, like a fastbreak on the open court, coming up big. They \u003ca href=\"https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-and-wnbpa-reach-tentative-agreement-on-groundbreaking-eight-year-collective-bargaining-agreement\">secured an unprecedented 53% salary increase and paid maternity leave\u003c/a>, among the largest, most progressive overhauls in U.S. sports bargaining history. (There’s still a long way to go: The WNBA’s top-paid stars will make around $250,000 in salaries this year; just a fraction of the NBA’s \u003cem>minimum \u003c/em>pay of over $1 million.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The WNBA players’ victory, though a subplot in the film, serves a narrative function: it lays the groundwork for legitimizing the WNBA’s relentless efforts for improving conditions on multiple fronts — forming one spear tip in their multi-pronged demand for change that eventually reaches Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The Georgia U.S. Senate race\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The WNBA’s Atlanta Dream franchise — named after Dr. Martin Luther King’s timeless monologue — is the climactic end point of the documentary (see: \u003cem>Power of the \u003c/em>Dream\u003cem>)\u003c/em>. Though the filmmakers choose to explore league-wide issues plaguing athletes on various teams leading up to that moment, the overall exposition ultimately funnels towards Atlanta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amid the social turmoil of the 2020 season, Atlanta’s then-majority-owner, Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler (who declined to be interviewed for the documentary) became a major source of disruption for the players when she discredited the WNBA’s women for their support of Black Lives Matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the 2020 elections unfolded in Georgia, Loeffler was favored to win in a crucial Senate race as the incumbent candidate. WNBA players, once again, made history: they openly denounced Loeffler by strategically rallying around her opponent, Rev. Raphael Warnock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3000x1688+0+0/resize/1200/quality/75/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2F20%2F0209a93847d99a01a79d7ae9af69%2Fpotd-2024-fg-00041411-still011-3000.jpg\" alt=\"Sue Bird featured in the new documentary Power of the Dream.\">\u003cfigcaption>Sue Bird featured in the new documentary \u003cem>Power of the Dream.\u003c/em> \u003ccite> (Prime Video | Amazon MGM Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Warnock held only 9% of voter support before the WNBA’s involvement, and the documentary positions the players’ support as crucial to his win. In the film, Warnock (the only male subject) largely credits the WNBA for his unprecedented victory, becoming Georgia’s first-ever Black senator. He remains in office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite her monumental success on and off the court, Bird still grapples with the larger question of pro athletes’ responsibilities, and whether or not they should even exert their social and political influence at such a high level. It’s not lost on her, and her peers, that in order to make change for their communities, they must also do the work. For these players, that meant talking with family members and figures like Michelle Obama, getting involved with organizations like “Say Her Name,” doing research on candidates, and actually meeting Warnock before they officially endorsed him. Those duties are certainly not listed on the job description for a WNBA player — or any top-level athlete, for that matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s never just been about basketball for us,” Bird says on camera. And for this particular group of hoopers, how could it be?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, \u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org\">\u003cb>\u003ci>visit NPR\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cb>\u003ci>.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960599/wnba-documentary-highlights-off-court-player-activism","authors":["11748"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_835","arts_74","arts_75","arts_13238"],"tags":["arts_4459","arts_13672","arts_22151","arts_5265","arts_22199"],"affiliates":["arts_10778"],"featImg":"arts_13960606","label":"arts_10778"},"arts_13960392":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960392","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960392","score":null,"sort":[1719849636000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"fraenkel-gallery-45th-anniversary-film-festival-roxie-theater","title":"Fraenkel Gallery Celebrates 45 Years with a Film Festival","publishDate":1719849636,"format":"standard","headTitle":"Fraenkel Gallery Celebrates 45 Years with a Film Festival | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":140,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>To Jeffrey Fraenkel, founder of San Francisco’s Fraenkel Gallery, celebrating their 45th anniversary with \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival/\">a film festival\u003c/a> is equal parts no-brainer and “why not?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I asked the entire staff to think outside of the box, since we don’t want to repeat ourselves, and we definitely wanted to do something new and fresh,” he says. Previous milestones have been marked by thematic exhibitions, hefty publications and in-gallery picnics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13957326']The \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival/\">Fraenkel Film Festival\u003c/a> is not coming completely out of left field. Film \u003ci>is\u003c/i> a form of photography, Fraenkel emphasizes, a collection of thousands of still images that come together as motion in the viewer’s mind. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the gallery put out the call to 10 of their artists: What films would you like to share with others? The resulting 11-day festival, proceeds of which will benefit the Roxie, is an eclectic assortment of classics and arthouse flicks, spanning 1943’s \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/casablanca/\">Casablanca\u003c/a>\u003c/i> to 2016’s \u003ci>Moonlight\u003c/i>. Part of the fun in the assortment is seeing which two films each artist chose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carrie Mae Weems, whose poetic, expansive photographic work often addresses her own family history, selected \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/moonlight/\">Moonlight\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, Barry Jenkins’ quiet film depicting three moments in the life of a Black boy/teen/man. She also picked Ingmar Bergman’s \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/wild-strawberries/\">Wild Strawberries\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, the story of an older man facing his past decisions, present relationships and impending death while making a long car ride from Stockholm to Lund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960408\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Man with back to camera looks at woman standing in living room\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1955\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-800x611.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-1020x779.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-160x122.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-768x587.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-1536x1173.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-2048x1564.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-1920x1466.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from Michaelangelo Antonioni’s ‘Blow-Up’ (1966), selected by Christian Marclay. \u003ccite>(Warner Bros. Pictures)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Each artist’s choice is such an interesting reflection of who they are,” Fraenkel says. The other nine festival “programmers” are Kota Ezawa, Christian Marclay, Lee Friedlander, Robert Adams, Sophie Calle, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Nan Goldin, Martine Gutierrez and Richard Misrach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each night of the festival is given over to a particular artist, with their films showing back to back — perfect for a double feature. Many will be shown in 35mm, including \u003ci>Wild Strawberries\u003c/i>, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-straight-story/\">The Straight Story\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, \u003ci>Casablanca\u003c/i>, \u003ci>Kwaidan\u003c/i>, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/paths-of-glory/\">Paths of Glory\u003c/a>\u003c/i> and \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-truman-show/\">The Truman Show\u003c/a>\u003c/i>. The closing film, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-right-stuff/\">The Right Stuff\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, will begin with a conversation between writer-director Philip Kaufman, now 87, and photographer Richard Misrach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Fraenkel, organizing a film festival is more than a fun experiment in format. It’s aboout the fundamental importance of viewing art in person, together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While we can all watch movies at home whenever we like,” he says, “nothing compares to watching a film in a real theater and sharing that experience with others.” It is, he says, “a profound psychological experience.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960409\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots.jpg\" alt=\"Group of people laugh, hug and dance, some blurred in motion\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960409\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from Lars von Trier’s ‘The Idiots’ (1998), selected by Sophie Calle. \u003ccite>(MUBI)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While the gallery’s artists were given free rein in their selections, Fraenkel did add one of his own favorites to the mix: Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2000 adaptation of Homer’s \u003ci>The Odyssey\u003c/i>, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/o-brother-where-art-thou/\">O Brother Where Art Thou?\u003c/a>\u003c/i> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13951535']“Out of the 20 films that were chosen, no one selected either a Coen brothers film or a John Waters film. That was a surprise to me,” Fraenkel says. The gallery has a relationship with both directors. Joel Cohen \u003ca href=\"https://fraenkelgallery.com/exhibitions/lee-friedlander-framed-by-joel-coen\">curated an exhibition\u003c/a> of Lee Friedlander’s photographs for the gallery last year; Waters’ own work has been shown at the gallery, and he curated a group show for a Fraenkel project space in 2016. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So I took the prerogative here of adding an opening night,” he says. “I think it is one of their great and underseen movies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The single addition is a minimal intrusion into the festival’s conceptual framework, representative of Fraenkel’s ego-less approach to running the gallery for the past 45 years. And even in this celebratory moment, the festival proceeds will be funneled towards another deserving cause. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Does anyone not love the Roxie?” Fraenkel asks. “It’s been there for only 110 years, so it’s a little bit ahead of Fraenkel Gallery, but it has just this beautiful DNA that one can feel the moment one walks in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Fraenkel Film Festival takes place July 9–20, 2024 at the Roxie Theater (3125 16th St., San Francisco). Tickets are $16 per film, $72 for a six-film pass or $200 for an all-films pass. \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival/\">Click here for tickets and more information\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"The San Francisco gallery, known for its photography shows, presents artist-selected films at the Roxie.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719610338,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":17,"wordCount":764},"headData":{"title":"Fraenkel Gallery Celebrates 45 Years with a Film Festival | KQED","description":"The San Francisco gallery, known for its photography shows, presents artist-selected films at the Roxie.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Fraenkel Gallery Celebrates 45 Years with a Film Festival","datePublished":"2024-07-01T09:00:36-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-28T14:32:18-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"sticky":false,"templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960392/fraenkel-gallery-45th-anniversary-film-festival-roxie-theater","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>To Jeffrey Fraenkel, founder of San Francisco’s Fraenkel Gallery, celebrating their 45th anniversary with \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival/\">a film festival\u003c/a> is equal parts no-brainer and “why not?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I asked the entire staff to think outside of the box, since we don’t want to repeat ourselves, and we definitely wanted to do something new and fresh,” he says. Previous milestones have been marked by thematic exhibitions, hefty publications and in-gallery picnics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13957326","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival/\">Fraenkel Film Festival\u003c/a> is not coming completely out of left field. Film \u003ci>is\u003c/i> a form of photography, Fraenkel emphasizes, a collection of thousands of still images that come together as motion in the viewer’s mind. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the gallery put out the call to 10 of their artists: What films would you like to share with others? The resulting 11-day festival, proceeds of which will benefit the Roxie, is an eclectic assortment of classics and arthouse flicks, spanning 1943’s \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/casablanca/\">Casablanca\u003c/a>\u003c/i> to 2016’s \u003ci>Moonlight\u003c/i>. Part of the fun in the assortment is seeing which two films each artist chose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carrie Mae Weems, whose poetic, expansive photographic work often addresses her own family history, selected \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/moonlight/\">Moonlight\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, Barry Jenkins’ quiet film depicting three moments in the life of a Black boy/teen/man. She also picked Ingmar Bergman’s \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/wild-strawberries/\">Wild Strawberries\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, the story of an older man facing his past decisions, present relationships and impending death while making a long car ride from Stockholm to Lund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960408\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Man with back to camera looks at woman standing in living room\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1955\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-800x611.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-1020x779.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-160x122.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-768x587.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-1536x1173.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-2048x1564.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/07.-Blow-Up-1920x1466.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from Michaelangelo Antonioni’s ‘Blow-Up’ (1966), selected by Christian Marclay. \u003ccite>(Warner Bros. Pictures)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Each artist’s choice is such an interesting reflection of who they are,” Fraenkel says. The other nine festival “programmers” are Kota Ezawa, Christian Marclay, Lee Friedlander, Robert Adams, Sophie Calle, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Nan Goldin, Martine Gutierrez and Richard Misrach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each night of the festival is given over to a particular artist, with their films showing back to back — perfect for a double feature. Many will be shown in 35mm, including \u003ci>Wild Strawberries\u003c/i>, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-straight-story/\">The Straight Story\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, \u003ci>Casablanca\u003c/i>, \u003ci>Kwaidan\u003c/i>, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/paths-of-glory/\">Paths of Glory\u003c/a>\u003c/i> and \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-truman-show/\">The Truman Show\u003c/a>\u003c/i>. The closing film, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-right-stuff/\">The Right Stuff\u003c/a>\u003c/i>, will begin with a conversation between writer-director Philip Kaufman, now 87, and photographer Richard Misrach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Fraenkel, organizing a film festival is more than a fun experiment in format. It’s aboout the fundamental importance of viewing art in person, together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While we can all watch movies at home whenever we like,” he says, “nothing compares to watching a film in a real theater and sharing that experience with others.” It is, he says, “a profound psychological experience.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960409\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots.jpg\" alt=\"Group of people laugh, hug and dance, some blurred in motion\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960409\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/13.-The-Idiots-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from Lars von Trier’s ‘The Idiots’ (1998), selected by Sophie Calle. \u003ccite>(MUBI)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While the gallery’s artists were given free rein in their selections, Fraenkel did add one of his own favorites to the mix: Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2000 adaptation of Homer’s \u003ci>The Odyssey\u003c/i>, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/o-brother-where-art-thou/\">O Brother Where Art Thou?\u003c/a>\u003c/i> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13951535","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Out of the 20 films that were chosen, no one selected either a Coen brothers film or a John Waters film. That was a surprise to me,” Fraenkel says. The gallery has a relationship with both directors. Joel Cohen \u003ca href=\"https://fraenkelgallery.com/exhibitions/lee-friedlander-framed-by-joel-coen\">curated an exhibition\u003c/a> of Lee Friedlander’s photographs for the gallery last year; Waters’ own work has been shown at the gallery, and he curated a group show for a Fraenkel project space in 2016. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So I took the prerogative here of adding an opening night,” he says. “I think it is one of their great and underseen movies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The single addition is a minimal intrusion into the festival’s conceptual framework, representative of Fraenkel’s ego-less approach to running the gallery for the past 45 years. And even in this celebratory moment, the festival proceeds will be funneled towards another deserving cause. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Does anyone not love the Roxie?” Fraenkel asks. “It’s been there for only 110 years, so it’s a little bit ahead of Fraenkel Gallery, but it has just this beautiful DNA that one can feel the moment one walks in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Fraenkel Film Festival takes place July 9–20, 2024 at the Roxie Theater (3125 16th St., San Francisco). Tickets are $16 per film, $72 for a six-film pass or $200 for an all-films pass. \u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival/\">Click here for tickets and more information\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960392/fraenkel-gallery-45th-anniversary-film-festival-roxie-theater","authors":["61"],"programs":["arts_140"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_74","arts_70"],"tags":["arts_10278","arts_977","arts_585","arts_901"],"featImg":"arts_13960407","label":"arts_140"},"arts_13960139":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960139","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960139","score":null,"sort":[1719846040000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"mezcal-tastings-hugo-gonzales-east-oakland-garage","title":"This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in Oakland","publishDate":1719846040,"format":"standard","headTitle":"This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in Oakland | KQED","labelTerm":{},"content":"\u003cp>Behind a Victorian house near High Street in East Oakland — in a residential neighborhood where adults and kids playfully linger outside after dark, and rubber tire marks etch the concrete like scriptures from a history of sideshows — the Bay Area’s most off-the-radar mezcal session awaits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is where \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/agavesanto/?locale=en-GB\">Hugo Gonzales\u003c/a>, a self-described mezcal storyteller, invited me for a private crash course on the smoky Mexican spirit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our night began by picking up an order of three plates of tacos from nearby \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/listing/taquer%C3%ADa-el-paisa/2949/\">Taqueria El Paisa\u003c/a>. We loaded up on multi-colored salsas and took our loot back to a nondescript garage, where Gonzales proceeded to deliver the most educational and quirkily passionate mezcal tasting I’ve ever had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With over 100 rare bottles of regionally diverse Mexican spirits in his personal stash to go along with a bookshelf of related texts, mezcal production maps, vintage mezcal paraphernalia and a “tasting wheel” — a large set of concentric circles with a dictionary’s worth of vocab to precisely pinpoint any mezcal flavor profile — Gonzales is more than qualified to teach others about Mexico’s ancient relationship with the agave distillate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960405\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960405\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a mezcal expert explains his favorite mezcal options to a journalist sitting at the same table\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gonzales (right) teaches KQED journalist Alan Chazaro about the various nuances of mezcal. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But his journey into mezcal isn’t what you’d expect. Having grown up in the Xochimilco area of Mexico City, Gonzales was once a lawyer and a government employee before marrying a U.S. citizen and moving to Cambodia for environmental work. Eventually, his wife — a first-generation Hungarian American who was raised in the Bay Area — convinced him to move here in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzales once preferred to drink pulque, a fermented beverage that is nearly impossible to find outside of Mexico. He slowly became a fan of mezcal while living in California, where he gained a newfound appreciation for the distilled spirit’s Mexican traditions. At the time, he worked in construction. Despite being good with his hands, the physical demands and constant overtime shifts led him to seek another, more inspiring career path based on his heritage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not the life I wanted, but I gave five years to that,” he says while pouring me a splash of micro-batch, Oaxacan mezcal. “In Mexico, we have something called ‘saboreada’ (tastings). I decided to start doing that here. I don’t want to go back to construction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzales didn’t bluff. For the past six years, he has plunged himself deep into the mezcal multiverse. The devoted connoisseur regularly visits Mexico’s palenques (old-world mezcal distilleries) and occasionally treks into the Mexican hillsides for days on end to accompany the maestros as they concoct tiny 40-liter batches from start to finish. He then returns to the Bay Area and disseminates what he’s learned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960402\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960402\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a map of Mexico showing where agaves are from\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">There are roughly 200 agave species in Mexico. Gonzales identifies which regions produce the best kinds for distinct variations of mezcal. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Currently, Gonzales works part-time as a mezcal consultant at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/odin.oakland/?hl=en\">Odin Mezcaleria\u003c/a>, a Mexican restaurant in Oakland’s Jack London Square that serves the best variations of mezcal cocktails I’ve encountered in the Bay. He’s also a member of \u003ca href=\"https://maestrosdelmezcal.com/\">Maestros del Mezcal\u003c/a>, a non-profit that supports the artisanal traditions of non-corporatized mezcal producers in Mexico, which he sometimes gives public talks about (including at a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/4143\">KQED Live event\u003c/a>). He is a brand ambassador for a handful of mezcals that have entered the U.S. market in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13917398,arts_13920076,arts_13899700']\u003c/span>\u003c/span>Like mezcal itself, Gonzales is somewhat roguish — a Mexican immigrant who simply loves the beverage and genuinely wants to inform others about how, where and why it’s produced. He’s especially mindful of the maestros, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s important to talk about small productions of small [scale] mezcaleros,” he tells me. “[It’s] one of the most important things. Transparency.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During my visit, he makes a point to name every maestro when holding up each bottle. (Most small-batch productions show the region where the mezcal comes from, the genus of agave, any materials and processes used, and who made it by first and last name.) Throughout the night Gonzales riffs like a freewheeling jazz musician, improvising with personal anecdotes and backstories about each mezcal and its maestro. It’s not just a flamboyant show of bravado; Gonzales also drops hella knowledge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960399\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960399\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"four bottles of mezcal from Mexico displayed on a table\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gonzales has a penchant for small-batch mezcal that can only be found in Mexico. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the main points he drives home is simple: Each mezcal is extremely nuanced in process, craft and result, differing from maestro to maestro, pueblo to pueblo. Mezcal is extremely varied and comes from multiple sources (Mexico has over 300 agave species that vary across the changing climates of the country’s 32 states). Though largely associated with \u003ca href=\"https://atmos.earth/mezcal-oaxaca-environmental-impact/\">Oaxaca — which admittedly accounts for over 90% of mezcal production in the world and has grown in demand at an alarming rate\u003c/a> — mezcal is cultivated in ten disparate regions of Mexico. Oaxaca’s biodiversity certainly allows for an ideal proliferation of the agave-based drink, but as my time with Gonzales progressed, he went deeper into his metaphorical bag to reveal some of the rarest mezcals I’ve ever tasted, spanning from areas in Guerrero, Chihuahua, Zacatecas and Tamaulipas. He effectively took me on a tour of Mexico with each quarter-shot of mezcal while connecting the dots on his agave map.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One shot of mezcal might yield a zing of gun metal. Another could evoke strawberries. The next? Maybe copper. One mezcal I tasted even had notes of salt and seafood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960397\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960397\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a digitized photo of an indigenous Mexican man wearing a cowboy hat\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Throughout the year, Gonzales visits Mexico to spend time with maestros and learn about mezcal from the source. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In explaining each pour, Gonzales is more of a professor than he is a bartender, more poet than salesman. As a former construction worker who knows what it means to use his hands as a means to make ends meet, he has a kindred gratitude for the type of corporeal rigor that mezcal-making demands of its maestros. This isn’t a big-corporate industry, after all; mezcal is still largely homegrown and handmade, demanding a kind of slow-burning discipline of bygone techniques that reflect the slow burn that follows each sip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coyote-, armadillo- and turkey-distilled mezcals (made with \u003ca href=\"https://www.eater.com/drinks/2016/2/9/10939962/what-is-mezcal-de-pechuga\">a redistillation process\u003c/a> wherein the animal’s carcass is hung over the still)? He’s got that. Unlabeled stashes straight from the pit-fired earth? Yep, it’s a casual part of his rotation. But more than the sipping and smoke blowing, it’s about the context — the magical surrealism that is inherent in Mexico that Gonzales so effortlessly summons on this side of the border. In the broadest sense, to learn about and better understand mezcal — its permutations, its origins, its peculiarities — is to learn about and better understand Mexico. (“Not all of it is smoky,” Gonzales says of mezcal, but his aphorism can be applied to the negative perceptions surrounding Mexico as well.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be clear, I’ve had my fair share of mezcal dalliances; I once found myself drinking mezcal with the governor of Michoacan at a family dinner on a bull ranch. I’ve also sipped it with my uncles and cousins across the border, and enjoyed it at family parties in the States. But an evening with East Oakland’s underground mezcal king is unlike any bar stool I’ve sat on or any drinking tour I’ve attended. For some, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bonappetit.com/story/mezcal-with-yola-jimenez?_sp=f2f2c4d6-bf70-4f1a-9418-23351d1500d7.1718083917830\">mezcal is seen as a spiritual aid\u003c/a>, and it is with this kind of deep reverence that Gonzales handles the holy beverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960400\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960400\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a mezcal expert points to a circular graph on a table to explain the flavor profiles of mezcal\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The tasting wheel allows Gonzales, and his guests, to pinpoint the various textures and complexities of mezcal’s many flavors. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Mezcal in the Bay Area is usually associated with high-end cocktails, which tend to dilute the spirit. It’s rarely consumed in the same way bar-goers might ask for a shot of tequila or a glass of whiskey on the rocks. Though mezcal has entered the mainstream’s vocabulary in recent years, it remains far behind tequila and Corona in terms of its market size and popularity. Part of the reason is that mezcal simply requires a Herculean effort — along with a deep, intimate knowledge — to produce. It lacks the kind of celebrity investment, distribution and brand power of other, more popular Mexican alcoholic beverages. Mezcal is more esoteric, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-mezcalhttps://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-mezcal\">the Mexican government has sometimes struggled with enforcing the “quasi-illegal shenanigans” surrounding it\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Gonzales, those misunderstandings are part of what attracts him to mezcal. Like the rest of us, he’s learning as he goes. Sitting inside a clandestine garage with a belly full of suadero and a few pours of rare mezcal, I’m happy to be along for the liquid ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People ask me, ‘Are you a sommelier for mezcal, a mezcalier?’ No, I am not,” he says. “I am not an expert. Actually, every time I start to read more about it or try to study it too hard, I get more confused. So the only thing I can do is go to Mexico to explore, to make connections with the people and master distillers, to get the most direct knowledge I can. Then I share the best that I can with you. I am just a storyteller.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hugo Gonzales is available for private tastings and educational mezcal sessions. Contact him on Instagram (\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/agavesanto/?locale=en-GB\">@agavesanto\u003c/a>) for more details.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"How a former construction worker from Mexico turned himself into the Bay Area's underground mezcal king.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719946855,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":23,"wordCount":1660},"headData":{"title":"Hugo Gonzales Is East Oakland's Underground Mezcal King | KQED","description":"How a former construction worker from Mexico turned himself into the Bay Area's underground mezcal king.","ogTitle":"This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in an East Oakland Garage","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in an East Oakland Garage","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialTitle":"Hugo Gonzales Is East Oakland's Underground Mezcal King %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"This Rare-Bottle Mezcal Collector Offers Unique Tastings in Oakland","datePublished":"2024-07-01T08:00:40-07:00","dateModified":"2024-07-02T12:00:55-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"source":"Food","sourceUrl":"https://www.kqed.org/food","sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13960139","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960139/mezcal-tastings-hugo-gonzales-east-oakland-garage","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Behind a Victorian house near High Street in East Oakland — in a residential neighborhood where adults and kids playfully linger outside after dark, and rubber tire marks etch the concrete like scriptures from a history of sideshows — the Bay Area’s most off-the-radar mezcal session awaits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is where \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/agavesanto/?locale=en-GB\">Hugo Gonzales\u003c/a>, a self-described mezcal storyteller, invited me for a private crash course on the smoky Mexican spirit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our night began by picking up an order of three plates of tacos from nearby \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitoakland.com/listing/taquer%C3%ADa-el-paisa/2949/\">Taqueria El Paisa\u003c/a>. We loaded up on multi-colored salsas and took our loot back to a nondescript garage, where Gonzales proceeded to deliver the most educational and quirkily passionate mezcal tasting I’ve ever had.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With over 100 rare bottles of regionally diverse Mexican spirits in his personal stash to go along with a bookshelf of related texts, mezcal production maps, vintage mezcal paraphernalia and a “tasting wheel” — a large set of concentric circles with a dictionary’s worth of vocab to precisely pinpoint any mezcal flavor profile — Gonzales is more than qualified to teach others about Mexico’s ancient relationship with the agave distillate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960405\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960405\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a mezcal expert explains his favorite mezcal options to a journalist sitting at the same table\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3860-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gonzales (right) teaches KQED journalist Alan Chazaro about the various nuances of mezcal. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But his journey into mezcal isn’t what you’d expect. Having grown up in the Xochimilco area of Mexico City, Gonzales was once a lawyer and a government employee before marrying a U.S. citizen and moving to Cambodia for environmental work. Eventually, his wife — a first-generation Hungarian American who was raised in the Bay Area — convinced him to move here in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzales once preferred to drink pulque, a fermented beverage that is nearly impossible to find outside of Mexico. He slowly became a fan of mezcal while living in California, where he gained a newfound appreciation for the distilled spirit’s Mexican traditions. At the time, he worked in construction. Despite being good with his hands, the physical demands and constant overtime shifts led him to seek another, more inspiring career path based on his heritage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not the life I wanted, but I gave five years to that,” he says while pouring me a splash of micro-batch, Oaxacan mezcal. “In Mexico, we have something called ‘saboreada’ (tastings). I decided to start doing that here. I don’t want to go back to construction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzales didn’t bluff. For the past six years, he has plunged himself deep into the mezcal multiverse. The devoted connoisseur regularly visits Mexico’s palenques (old-world mezcal distilleries) and occasionally treks into the Mexican hillsides for days on end to accompany the maestros as they concoct tiny 40-liter batches from start to finish. He then returns to the Bay Area and disseminates what he’s learned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960402\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960402\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a map of Mexico showing where agaves are from\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF3800-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">There are roughly 200 agave species in Mexico. Gonzales identifies which regions produce the best kinds for distinct variations of mezcal. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Currently, Gonzales works part-time as a mezcal consultant at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/odin.oakland/?hl=en\">Odin Mezcaleria\u003c/a>, a Mexican restaurant in Oakland’s Jack London Square that serves the best variations of mezcal cocktails I’ve encountered in the Bay. He’s also a member of \u003ca href=\"https://maestrosdelmezcal.com/\">Maestros del Mezcal\u003c/a>, a non-profit that supports the artisanal traditions of non-corporatized mezcal producers in Mexico, which he sometimes gives public talks about (including at a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/4143\">KQED Live event\u003c/a>). He is a brand ambassador for a handful of mezcals that have entered the U.S. market in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13917398,arts_13920076,arts_13899700","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/span>Like mezcal itself, Gonzales is somewhat roguish — a Mexican immigrant who simply loves the beverage and genuinely wants to inform others about how, where and why it’s produced. He’s especially mindful of the maestros, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s important to talk about small productions of small [scale] mezcaleros,” he tells me. “[It’s] one of the most important things. Transparency.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During my visit, he makes a point to name every maestro when holding up each bottle. (Most small-batch productions show the region where the mezcal comes from, the genus of agave, any materials and processes used, and who made it by first and last name.) Throughout the night Gonzales riffs like a freewheeling jazz musician, improvising with personal anecdotes and backstories about each mezcal and its maestro. It’s not just a flamboyant show of bravado; Gonzales also drops hella knowledge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960399\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960399\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"four bottles of mezcal from Mexico displayed on a table\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4161-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gonzales has a penchant for small-batch mezcal that can only be found in Mexico. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the main points he drives home is simple: Each mezcal is extremely nuanced in process, craft and result, differing from maestro to maestro, pueblo to pueblo. Mezcal is extremely varied and comes from multiple sources (Mexico has over 300 agave species that vary across the changing climates of the country’s 32 states). Though largely associated with \u003ca href=\"https://atmos.earth/mezcal-oaxaca-environmental-impact/\">Oaxaca — which admittedly accounts for over 90% of mezcal production in the world and has grown in demand at an alarming rate\u003c/a> — mezcal is cultivated in ten disparate regions of Mexico. Oaxaca’s biodiversity certainly allows for an ideal proliferation of the agave-based drink, but as my time with Gonzales progressed, he went deeper into his metaphorical bag to reveal some of the rarest mezcals I’ve ever tasted, spanning from areas in Guerrero, Chihuahua, Zacatecas and Tamaulipas. He effectively took me on a tour of Mexico with each quarter-shot of mezcal while connecting the dots on his agave map.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One shot of mezcal might yield a zing of gun metal. Another could evoke strawberries. The next? Maybe copper. One mezcal I tasted even had notes of salt and seafood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960397\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960397\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a digitized photo of an indigenous Mexican man wearing a cowboy hat\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4264-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Throughout the year, Gonzales visits Mexico to spend time with maestros and learn about mezcal from the source. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In explaining each pour, Gonzales is more of a professor than he is a bartender, more poet than salesman. As a former construction worker who knows what it means to use his hands as a means to make ends meet, he has a kindred gratitude for the type of corporeal rigor that mezcal-making demands of its maestros. This isn’t a big-corporate industry, after all; mezcal is still largely homegrown and handmade, demanding a kind of slow-burning discipline of bygone techniques that reflect the slow burn that follows each sip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coyote-, armadillo- and turkey-distilled mezcals (made with \u003ca href=\"https://www.eater.com/drinks/2016/2/9/10939962/what-is-mezcal-de-pechuga\">a redistillation process\u003c/a> wherein the animal’s carcass is hung over the still)? He’s got that. Unlabeled stashes straight from the pit-fired earth? Yep, it’s a casual part of his rotation. But more than the sipping and smoke blowing, it’s about the context — the magical surrealism that is inherent in Mexico that Gonzales so effortlessly summons on this side of the border. In the broadest sense, to learn about and better understand mezcal — its permutations, its origins, its peculiarities — is to learn about and better understand Mexico. (“Not all of it is smoky,” Gonzales says of mezcal, but his aphorism can be applied to the negative perceptions surrounding Mexico as well.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be clear, I’ve had my fair share of mezcal dalliances; I once found myself drinking mezcal with the governor of Michoacan at a family dinner on a bull ranch. I’ve also sipped it with my uncles and cousins across the border, and enjoyed it at family parties in the States. But an evening with East Oakland’s underground mezcal king is unlike any bar stool I’ve sat on or any drinking tour I’ve attended. For some, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bonappetit.com/story/mezcal-with-yola-jimenez?_sp=f2f2c4d6-bf70-4f1a-9418-23351d1500d7.1718083917830\">mezcal is seen as a spiritual aid\u003c/a>, and it is with this kind of deep reverence that Gonzales handles the holy beverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960400\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960400\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a mezcal expert points to a circular graph on a table to explain the flavor profiles of mezcal\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSCF4148-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The tasting wheel allows Gonzales, and his guests, to pinpoint the various textures and complexities of mezcal’s many flavors. \u003ccite>(Darius Riley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Mezcal in the Bay Area is usually associated with high-end cocktails, which tend to dilute the spirit. It’s rarely consumed in the same way bar-goers might ask for a shot of tequila or a glass of whiskey on the rocks. Though mezcal has entered the mainstream’s vocabulary in recent years, it remains far behind tequila and Corona in terms of its market size and popularity. Part of the reason is that mezcal simply requires a Herculean effort — along with a deep, intimate knowledge — to produce. It lacks the kind of celebrity investment, distribution and brand power of other, more popular Mexican alcoholic beverages. Mezcal is more esoteric, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-mezcalhttps://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-mezcal\">the Mexican government has sometimes struggled with enforcing the “quasi-illegal shenanigans” surrounding it\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Gonzales, those misunderstandings are part of what attracts him to mezcal. Like the rest of us, he’s learning as he goes. Sitting inside a clandestine garage with a belly full of suadero and a few pours of rare mezcal, I’m happy to be along for the liquid ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People ask me, ‘Are you a sommelier for mezcal, a mezcalier?’ No, I am not,” he says. “I am not an expert. Actually, every time I start to read more about it or try to study it too hard, I get more confused. So the only thing I can do is go to Mexico to explore, to make connections with the people and master distillers, to get the most direct knowledge I can. Then I share the best that I can with you. I am just a storyteller.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hugo Gonzales is available for private tastings and educational mezcal sessions. Contact him on Instagram (\u003c/em>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/agavesanto/?locale=en-GB\">@agavesanto\u003c/a>) for more details.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960139/mezcal-tastings-hugo-gonzales-east-oakland-garage","authors":["11748"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_835","arts_12276"],"tags":["arts_5016","arts_10278","arts_14985","arts_7234","arts_5573","arts_1143"],"featImg":"arts_13960396","label":"source_arts_13960139"},"arts_13960325":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960325","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960325","score":null,"sort":[1719482400000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"all-the-nights-we-got-to-dance-is-a-tribute-to-queer-nightlife-in-sf","title":"‘All The Nights We Got to Dance’ is a Tribute to Queer Nightlife in SF","publishDate":1719482400,"format":"audio","headTitle":"‘All The Nights We Got to Dance’ is a Tribute to Queer Nightlife in SF | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":8720,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A full transcript will be available 1–2 workdays after the episode’s publication.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Human memory can be triggered by certain smells, sounds or even a photo. It’s funny how the mind works; one small symbol can lead to the rehashing of feelings from years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest work from artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/marcelpardoa/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marcel Pardo Ariza\u003c/a> urges people to take a trip down memory lane by using images of gone-but-not-forgotten bar signs. Pardo Ariza is clear: these bars served more than booze. They were sanctuaries for folks from San Francisco’s queer and trans community, and should be celebrated as such.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960327\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13960327 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-800x535.jpg\" alt='Marcel Pardo Ariza wears a blue button-up shirt while standing in front of their latest work behind a windowfront, \"All The Nights We Got To Dance.\"' width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist Marcel Pardo Ariza and their latest installation, ‘All The Nights We Got To Dance.’ \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960341\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13960341 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-800x583.jpg\" alt=\"On a yellow background, are illustrations of historic Queer and Trans bar signs including Gene Compton’s Cafeteria, Esta Noche, Amelia’s, The Pendulum and more. \" width=\"800\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-800x583.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-768x559.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-1536x1119.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-2048x1491.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-1920x1398.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mockup of the site specific installation ‘All The Nights We Got to Dance.’ \u003ccite>(courtesy of Marcel Pardo Ariza)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>All The Nights We Got To Dance\u003c/em> is a site-specific installation in the ground-floor window of The Line Hotel in San Francisco’s Transgender Cultural District. A sunset orange backdrop is covered in hand-painted wooden replicas of bar signs, such as The Lexington, Esta Noche and \u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/primary-source-set-finocchios#:~:text=Finocchio's%20opened%20in%20the%20late,tourists%20and%20the%20queer%20community.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Finocchio’s\u003c/a> — a club credited as one of the earliest incubators of drag shows in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13936474']Born in Colombia and based in Oakland, Pardo Ariza worked closely with \u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">San Francisco’s GLBT Historical Society \u003c/a>for their latest project\u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">, \u003c/a>leveraging the center’s rich archives to inform their work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This week on Rightnowish, we catch up with Pardo Ariza to take a look at their latest installation before heading over to the GLBT Historical Society’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/archives-about-visitor-info\">archives\u003c/a>. There, we meet up with Issac Fellman, the center’s managing reference archivist, who brings us files full of actual handbills, photos, flyers and ephemera from all the nights people danced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC7628242492\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"Marcel Pardo Ariza's latest art installation celebrates places in queer and trans nightlife.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719510472,"stats":{"hasAudio":true,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":11,"wordCount":365},"headData":{"title":"‘All The Nights We Got to Dance’ is a Tribute to Queer Nightlife in SF | KQED","description":"Marcel Pardo Ariza's latest work urges people to take a trip down memory lane through images of gone but not forgotten bar signs from San Francisco's queer and trans nightlife.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialDescription":"Marcel Pardo Ariza's latest work urges people to take a trip down memory lane through images of gone but not forgotten bar signs from San Francisco's queer and trans nightlife.","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"‘All The Nights We Got to Dance’ is a Tribute to Queer Nightlife in SF","datePublished":"2024-06-27T03:00:00-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-27T10:47:52-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"audioUrl":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/chrt.fm/track/G6C7C3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC7628242492.mp3?updated=1719449369","sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13960325","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960325/all-the-nights-we-got-to-dance-is-a-tribute-to-queer-nightlife-in-sf","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A full transcript will be available 1–2 workdays after the episode’s publication.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Human memory can be triggered by certain smells, sounds or even a photo. It’s funny how the mind works; one small symbol can lead to the rehashing of feelings from years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The latest work from artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/marcelpardoa/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marcel Pardo Ariza\u003c/a> urges people to take a trip down memory lane by using images of gone-but-not-forgotten bar signs. Pardo Ariza is clear: these bars served more than booze. They were sanctuaries for folks from San Francisco’s queer and trans community, and should be celebrated as such.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960327\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13960327 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-800x535.jpg\" alt='Marcel Pardo Ariza wears a blue button-up shirt while standing in front of their latest work behind a windowfront, \"All The Nights We Got To Dance.\"' width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Marcel-Pardo-Ariza-by-Pendarvis-Harshaw-2.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist Marcel Pardo Ariza and their latest installation, ‘All The Nights We Got To Dance.’ \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960341\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13960341 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-800x583.jpg\" alt=\"On a yellow background, are illustrations of historic Queer and Trans bar signs including Gene Compton’s Cafeteria, Esta Noche, Amelia’s, The Pendulum and more. \" width=\"800\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-800x583.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-768x559.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-1536x1119.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-2048x1491.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/All-The-Nights-copy-1920x1398.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mockup of the site specific installation ‘All The Nights We Got to Dance.’ \u003ccite>(courtesy of Marcel Pardo Ariza)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>All The Nights We Got To Dance\u003c/em> is a site-specific installation in the ground-floor window of The Line Hotel in San Francisco’s Transgender Cultural District. A sunset orange backdrop is covered in hand-painted wooden replicas of bar signs, such as The Lexington, Esta Noche and \u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/primary-source-set-finocchios#:~:text=Finocchio's%20opened%20in%20the%20late,tourists%20and%20the%20queer%20community.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Finocchio’s\u003c/a> — a club credited as one of the earliest incubators of drag shows in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13936474","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Born in Colombia and based in Oakland, Pardo Ariza worked closely with \u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">San Francisco’s GLBT Historical Society \u003c/a>for their latest project\u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">, \u003c/a>leveraging the center’s rich archives to inform their work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This week on Rightnowish, we catch up with Pardo Ariza to take a look at their latest installation before heading over to the GLBT Historical Society’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.glbthistory.org/archives-about-visitor-info\">archives\u003c/a>. There, we meet up with Issac Fellman, the center’s managing reference archivist, who brings us files full of actual handbills, photos, flyers and ephemera from all the nights people danced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC7628242492\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960325/all-the-nights-we-got-to-dance-is-a-tribute-to-queer-nightlife-in-sf","authors":["11491","11528"],"programs":["arts_8720"],"categories":["arts_1"],"tags":["arts_7705","arts_5142","arts_22194","arts_7128","arts_11333","arts_18754","arts_4640","arts_22195"],"featImg":"arts_13960326","label":"arts_8720"},"arts_13959969":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13959969","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13959969","score":null,"sort":[1718877628000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"loove-moore-the-out-here-specialist-leads-by-example","title":"Loove Moore, the 'Out Here Specialist,' Leads by Example","publishDate":1718877628,"format":"audio","headTitle":"Loove Moore, the ‘Out Here Specialist,’ Leads by Example | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":8720,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>West Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theloovemooreshow/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Loove Moore\u003c/a> is a superhero. His power? His ability to participate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s a talented musician, dancer and community documentarian who interviews people about topics ranging from current events in the Bay Area to their idea of love. Plus he can get down behind the camera, producing all of his own stuff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959984\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13959984\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-800x535.jpg\" alt=\"Loove Moore holds up a hand covered in rings, dominated by one with the image of Goku on his index finger. \" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Loove Moore holds up a hand covered in rings, dominated by one with the image of Goku on his index finger. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He’s active online, interacting with thousands of followers across platforms. And he’s in the community, never shying away from small stages or big events. He has no problem with creating his own platform, either, as he did during the height of the pandemic with his open mic series \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/LooveAtTheLake/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Loove At The Lake\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Loove Moore’s many monikers is “Dr. Do-A-Lot,” and he lives up to that name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for his interview series \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaxfNVB-y6Bj_OYkjuA4qnQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Loove Moore Show \u003c/a>\u003c/em>and for making songs that sample classic Bay Area tracks, Loove Moore’s affinity for culture and dedication to his community is driven by a deep-seated spiritual conviction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5c0xlv2FpI\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This week we talk about how that spirit guides him through his struggles with codependency, and inspires him to talk to random strangers, hip-hop icons like MC Hammer and even local wildlife — \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_hMsslCa4AA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">like squirrels\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC7634881419\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore, Guest: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Love to me is… it’s everything. It’s the motivational force in, in our life. And that’s why I’m trying to get people to like, giving people the opportunity to cut through to that love. And if you knew better, you do better. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw, Host: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That is the voice of the one and only, Loove Moore. On top of being a rapper, Loove Moore has become a fixture in Oakland for his man on the street interviews that he films by himself, edits by himself and posts to his social media platforms. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Each interview is a unique glimpse into the interactions that Loove Moore has as he runs around the Bay Area. And every conversation results in an uplifting message. True to his name, everything he does is about spreading more love.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I first caught wind of his work just over four years ago while he was recording these videos at Lake Merritt called “Love at the Lake.”  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I basically would just go out there myself and set up my tables, set up my microphone and like interview people to ask them, like, you know, how they feel about current things happening in the Bay. And then, eventually people would just come pull up and it’s like 5, 10, 15, 20 people out there that don’t know each other! And they get to learn how to play dominoes, share stories, then gave people a platform to perform if they never performed before.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">What I love about the “The Loove Moore Show” is how he absorbs the energy of the Town and transmits it to the larger public. He brings the care-free persona with the highly evolved lingo from the soil, and wraps it all up in his fly fashion. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At our interview, my guy showed up in a fresh bucket hat adorned with hella Oakland themed pins, a paisley button down layered over a t-shirt that says ‘Bring Black Oakland’, paired with corduroy pants, hiking boots, and a copper ring that features Goku from Dragon Ball Z. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s just real life experiences that I’m wearing and it’s very intentional.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether it’s bringing different threads together or uniting folks of different backgrounds, Loove Moore can do it all. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He’ll talk to us about the intention behind his work, how it’s deeper than spreading the Oakland-ism, it’s a spiritual calling. Our convo, after this.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I want to start with you as a person. Like you present with this… the fashionable attire and the clothes and the pins and the rings and everything that you bring to the table. For folks who don’t know, who is Loove Moore? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore, I mean, I always say, I’m an out-here-specialist, you know? I just be out here. I mean, just one of my superpowers is participation. We be needing icebreakers to connect with each other. We love to connect with each other, but sometimes we have anxieties and fears when it come to connecting with each other and I always was brave enough to do it. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I just took it on myself to just like, man, let me just… let me just get comfortable with being uncomfortable. And I got to see how that inspired other people. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So many people be walking up to me now like, “Oh, you that one positive dude!” or “You had the chipmunk on your head!” People be saying the wildest stuff so I be wanting to get what others people’s perception is like, because for me, at this point I’m just doing. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Laughter]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I love it man! bring me back to the origins, the start. Like when did you first start getting out there? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I mean I’m from West Oakland, so I was in West Oakland first, and I moved to San Leandro. I went to McKinley in San Leandro, and that was kind of a good start, like  I was outside of like, my main core people. I had to learn how to put myself out there. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And during that whole time, I would go to the Boys and Girls Club, San Leandro, and then eventually going to Camp Mendocino. And Camp Mendocino that’s where I like…. it’s crazy. I really just learned how to just flourish and just embrace all of my talents and gifts: swimming in a river, jumping off the rock, talking to girls and talent show! It was just, bruh… it was just so much things to to get into…International Day with so many different people from all around the world. “Pick up your trainers!” We up here trying to clean up the cabin, talking ‘bout pick up your trainers. I’m like, “These are shoes, bro. What are you talking about?” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So just having those type of relationships with people growing up and coming up, bruh. That was just, man, just God wrote because it ain’t like came up with the most resources and stuff like that but I came the most resourceful. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You were absorbing it, you were a sponge to it. It sounds like, like all those things you just named. That obviously means that it left an impact on you and you took note of it. And at the start of it all, you mentioned where it started, specifically West Oakland… Acorn. What role did that community play in who you are? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Definitely had a sense of pride, sense of belonging. My grandma was one of the first families to move into uh Acorn. \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ya know it’s so many different families that come from, Acorn that’s like my family too. You know, my aunties and uncles and they all grew up with each other.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So that showed me how important the sense of community was for me to just feel like I don’t have to be threatened by you, by you personally, whoever this person is, but I could love you, and you could love me because you may love somebody that I know that we are family with. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And that was just very important to me. And I think that’s what, just West Oakland and just the Bay area and that is exactly what it gives me. So that’s why I love on it back because it be loving on me like that everywhere I go.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Running through streets with your tripod, with your camera, interviewing people. I’ve seen you, you have the series were your interviewing people about the concept of love,\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clip of Loove Moore interviewing a man about love\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: What’s your perspective of love, man how important is showing love to you?\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: L-o-v-e\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Hmmh\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person:…living on vibrational energy\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Woo\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: …meaning when one person’s vibration\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore:Woo\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: …finds its vibrational match\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Hmm\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: …that’s when you experience this euphoria called love!… \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Why love? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I think that people get things misconstrued. So you got the light side and shadow side with the duality. So some people say it’s gentrification; I look at it as integration. The balance of that is people coming together.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My art was to be like let me interview people so you stop judging people like, let’s see what they really think. You know, like you might see somebody like, look, he look like you go to school at Berkeley and like, bruh, you don’t even know this, bruh.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I take the time to talk to people. I’ve lived in Oakland, San Leandro, Tracy, you know, I’ve been around different, at least there, so I know the different like, depths and diasporas of people. So I’m like, let me give people a window into that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I started interviewing with people on that hype and once I start seeing the different answers, I’m like, okay…\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I go to CoDa, which is a 12 step for codependency.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I would say, like, ‘I just want love!’ And then they was like, “Well, what do you mean by love?”  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The fact that somebody could ask me what love was like, “what is the love that I want to receive?,” and I wasn’t even able to describe that. I couldn’t even describe my emotions at one point. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">People may not necessarily go to CoDa and stuff like that, but how can I create an experience for people to actually dive deeper into their own consciousness and self-reflect on something that’s important to everybody? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even my bruh, Brother Peace, he kind of was just like “Hey, brother, you know, you should ask people about what their perspective of love is.” A bruh actually asking me that, a younger bruh in my life, saying that, that means that it was a need there. So I’m just like, let me let me do that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And I started asking the question at “Love at the Lake.” So I asked them, “What does love mean to you?” You know, so it was because of not being able to identify and communicate how I like to receive love. That’s what made me to say, oh, I think other people may could benefit from asking them what is love to them? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was between the experience of CoDa, uh codependent anonymous,as well as the conversation with Brother Peace and all that informed you on that path, not that it happened like dominoes one after the other, but like all of it, the combination. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah Yep. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s one clip that you posted recently, within the past year where you had the opportunity to interview legendary MC hammer. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clip of Loove Moore interviewing MC Hammer\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Aight bam! It’s me, A to the Miggity, Loove-Moore. And I’m here with…\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">MC Hammer: Hammer Time\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Hammer Time man! This the Loove Moore show so I’ma ask you two questions: first question is, what is your perspective on love?\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">MC Hammer: Love is unconditional ya know what i’m saying, it’s like when you love somebody, you gotta love them from the storm, you gotta love them on the good days and bad days, love is unconditional.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: On love! Bam! And second questions is…\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pen:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Bring me into the process. How did that unfold? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We had a turf dancing group and we danced with Hammer like back and then like maybe 06 or 07 something like that. But it was like a group of us, so he didn’t necessarily know me out of everybody. He know me, but you know what I mean? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was actually Tupac’s unveiling of his street sign by the Lake Merritt. It was just a potluck of Bay Area-ism in there, you know? So it was cool and um I just went over there, tapped in with him. Him and Little Dee was over there. Right when he seen me, hugged it up and he just juiced, you know, I aint seen him by a couple of years, so he hugged me hecka tight, you know, and that was just good and reaffirming, reaffirming, and like, you know that the genuineness in our connection. And I always respect MC Hammer because it’s a different type of peak that he reached, you know, what I’m saying? Going diamond and stuff like that. Breaking down so many barriers, a TV show! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I went to my auntie house, it’s a doll of him, I’m like is that Ken? No, that’s MC hammer. Like what, with the parachute pants and everything like, so you know, it’s always just an honor to like, you know, he tapped into me, be so personable, not have all these security and stuff, and just tapped in, gave me a good embrace, like, “Man, good to seeing you,” you know, whoop. And I didn’t even put two and two together, the questions I’m asking, you know. Everybody be on some Hammer and money and stuff like that, like, he broke and all that type of vibe.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He more solid than most. He gon’ trust me to know that I’m not trying to play him and stuff like that. That was definitely a beautiful moment and definitely some more to come of that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hammer doesn’t make too many public appearances, nor does he do interviews. And so for you to have that moment with the background of all that, the Bay area luminaries, with Tupac looking down on everybody smiling I’m sure. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> That was an epic moment.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Epic moment indeed. Um on the other side of the work that you do, the multimedia that you produce, there’s a video, a series of videos I’ve seen you post where you’re interacting with squirrels. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [\u003c/span>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Laughs\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cem>]\u003c/em> Yeah, there’s a series of em. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Feeding squirrels, like, close. I’ve never been that close to squirrels. What…why squirrels? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003cem>Sounds of squirrels chittering and chewing\u003c/em>]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m over there working out at the park, Lowell Park in West Oakland.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then a squirrel ran up to me and I pet the squirrel. I’m like, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[click]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> picked it up, come on, we on. And it just just crawled on me and was cool. And just walked around with the squirrel for like, a good, like hour or two. And just to have something that you connect with so genuinely from the gate, you know, just relationships with people is like, we got so much trauma, so much hurt. It\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">take a,  like a, you know, that acclimation period for people to actually tap in. So I just really, that was just a very precious moment. I shot a video there with him, sat there with him for a little while. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> What do they represent to you? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You know, I’m Doctor-Do-A-Lot. And I like to be out there with the animals, you know, and just,…animals is special because they… it’s a different language that they speak. Don’t have to say nothing to you, but then, you know, you kind of get it. It’s kind of like when you look out the, outside in a window and you see the, the, the leaves blowing in from the tree and you look outside, oh, ‘I got to wear a jacket cuz it’s cold outside. It’s windy.’ It’s like it didn’t say nothing to you, but you still got it? That’s how animals are like they don’t really speak to you, but it’s like this line of communication. But it still has this like unconditional love when you tap in. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Your social media is through the roof. You know, people see the work that you’re doing. They leave comments. There’s a lot of interaction but behind the scenes so much energy is invested into it. You’ve told me a bit about one experience specifically where you were on the AC Transit bus on the late night, and you had an encounter with a person who was showing early signs of Alzheimer’s. Can you bring me into that story? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Basically my grandma is 82. I take care of her like I was bringing her up. She’s getting early signs of dementia and stuff like Alzheimer’s, whatever that is and just memory loss, so I’m familiar with the signs. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I left the house at 12:00 at night to go downtown Oakland to film a video, because I just finished this song, “G\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">o Crazy on Citas\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">” [\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Singing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]. I’m filming and then there’s a lady walk up to me and just like,  “Oh, can you uh, the bus?”  As I kind of like, was talking to her, I could recognize, like this lady… this an old lady!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I finished the video, did my part, and then when I was telling you, I recognized it, I’m like, “I’m going to take you. It’s good,” because I told her the route. She got the address and I’m like, “I’ll take you. So don’t worry about it. I’ll go the whole route with you. “\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music playing]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Sounds of bus breaks and door opening] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When we get on the bus, the lady is getting on the bus and then the bus driver says, she didn’t say specifically this, but she’s like ‘Meemaw?!’  like some type of name, like some grandma name like Meemaw. And she like,  “ohhh, oh…” She’s like  “That’s my son’s grandmother!”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m like, what is happening? Okay. But I know the divinity, it happens in so much of my life at this point. But I don’t panic and I expect it, you know. It’s not…when you doubt something it’s a coincidence, but when you when you believe in it and you know it, it’s like that’s divinity! It was supposed to happen.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I love it. I love it because you stressed the divinity, the divine, the higher power, the higher purpose. And I feel like a lot of people gravitate to you because you’re so, so Bay area, so Oakland, you, you know, the culture, you know, and there’s something underneath all of it. It’s the love and the love is tied to religion, no? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s tied to God. Spirituality plays a big role. You got to take care of yourself, mind, body and soul. \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The mind takes in information, the body takes in nutrition, and the spirit takes in inspiration. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I just knew this world was filled with so many illusions, and people make it look like they this and that, and it’s like, that’s not what it really is, you know? I just knew in this world what was going to anchor me to life and makes me want to be here was like my spirit, making my spirit shine through.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You know cars, possessions, like, If you don’t got none of those, you, you have no value then basically to most people in the world. So if you got a strong spirit and a strong mind, you going to have value anywhere. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It emanates\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">definitely from, like I said, from the media content, but also from your rings, the pins in your hat, your fashion. You got that glow, that Leroy glow. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On love, Okay. Sho’nuf. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sho’nuf\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And I also know that, recently you’ve experienced some loss in your personal life, and I don’t want to bring you too deep down that rabbit hole. But I do want to ask you, as a person who has that benevolent glow when you are experiencing hard times, losing loved ones, how do you navigate that? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Changing my relationship with, transitioning, like, you know, it’s a celebration,  a celebration of their life. It’s still sad. You know, I’m going to feel like…it’s a beauty. It’s beautiful to even feel sad for somebody that passed. Did you want to see them? You can not care at all. You know what I’m saying? So the fact that I even can be sad, I think I see how beautiful it is. And I feel good that I even had the opportunity to be sad over over them passing \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like, that’s what prayers are, really it’s just remembering to stay connected to the oneness of all of us in prayers can show up in so many different ways. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I look at healing as like, it’s painful like popping a pimple or something. It’s painful, but you got to get it all out. If you don’t get it all out, it’s gonna come back and grow back harder, you know what I’m saying? So when, you when you go there, you know, just think of that when you ready to do it, you know, like make sure you get the full procedure and get it out, you know, so that, you know, you can fill that back up with the spirit and some new fresh glow. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Back to the glow. That’s admirable to see the personal growth behind the scenes as well as the professional growth.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How does your work combat this narrative about Oakland being such a negative city? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For me, Oakland is known for, like the Black Panthers, sideshows, um just hippie type situation. So it’s all these different things, but it’s so much more. You got skaters, you got people that, you know, graffiti and artists, and it’s all these different stuff. So my thing personally, is just like, instead of people just thinking that it’s just this mob music and that I’m just like, let me just show other things that be, that happens out here. That’s literally what I do. I’ve been doing it for a while. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So now that there is this negative narrative going on out here, I naturally combat, you know, that narrative because I’m like, well, I’m doing this, it’s all these positive things going on in Oakland, too. You just choosing to look at the negative side. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether people like me or not like me, rocking with it or not, I got a purpose bruh, and I’m sliding on that because who knows what…God connect the dots I’m just doing me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore, we can’t thank you enough! Not just for spreading culture and for spreading love, but for doing what you feel in your heart the creator has sent you to do– that’s a reminder to all of us. So thank you. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore can be found on the streets of the town and on your social media dials, his Instagram and youtube pages can be found by looking up theloovemooreshow. All one word and to be clear that’s love with two o’s and more with two o’s.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This episode was hosted by me, Pendarvis Harshaw. Marisol Medina-Cadena produced this episode. Chris Hambrick held it down for edits on this one. Christopher Beale engineered this joint.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The music that you heard was courtesy of Audio Network.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rightnowish team is also supported by Jen Chien,  Ugur Dursun, Holly Kernan, Cesar Saldaña, and Katie Sprenger. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Spread love, it’s the Oakland way. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rightnowish is a KQED production.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Peace.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"Loove Moore is a musician whose affinity for community is a deep-seated spiritual conviction.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1718904803,"stats":{"hasAudio":true,"hasVideo":true,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":98,"wordCount":4500},"headData":{"title":"Loove Moore, the 'Out Here Specialist,' Leads by Example | KQED","description":"Loove Moore is a talented musician, dancer, and community documentarian, who interviews people about topics ranging from current events in the Bay Area to their idea of love.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialDescription":"Loove Moore is a talented musician, dancer, and community documentarian, who interviews people about topics ranging from current events in the Bay Area to their idea of love.","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Loove Moore, the 'Out Here Specialist,' Leads by Example","datePublished":"2024-06-20T03:00:28-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-20T10:33:23-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"audioUrl":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/chrt.fm/track/G6C7C3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC7634881419.mp3?updated=1718757350","sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13959969","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13959969/loove-moore-the-out-here-specialist-leads-by-example","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>West Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theloovemooreshow/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Loove Moore\u003c/a> is a superhero. His power? His ability to participate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s a talented musician, dancer and community documentarian who interviews people about topics ranging from current events in the Bay Area to their idea of love. Plus he can get down behind the camera, producing all of his own stuff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959984\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13959984\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-800x535.jpg\" alt=\"Loove Moore holds up a hand covered in rings, dominated by one with the image of Goku on his index finger. \" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-800x535.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-1020x682.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/DSC07902.jpg 1616w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Loove Moore holds up a hand covered in rings, dominated by one with the image of Goku on his index finger. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He’s active online, interacting with thousands of followers across platforms. And he’s in the community, never shying away from small stages or big events. He has no problem with creating his own platform, either, as he did during the height of the pandemic with his open mic series \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/LooveAtTheLake/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Loove At The Lake\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Loove Moore’s many monikers is “Dr. Do-A-Lot,” and he lives up to that name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for his interview series \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaxfNVB-y6Bj_OYkjuA4qnQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Loove Moore Show \u003c/a>\u003c/em>and for making songs that sample classic Bay Area tracks, Loove Moore’s affinity for culture and dedication to his community is driven by a deep-seated spiritual conviction.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/o5c0xlv2FpI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/o5c0xlv2FpI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>This week we talk about how that spirit guides him through his struggles with codependency, and inspires him to talk to random strangers, hip-hop icons like MC Hammer and even local wildlife — \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_hMsslCa4AA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">like squirrels\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC7634881419\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore, Guest: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Love to me is… it’s everything. It’s the motivational force in, in our life. And that’s why I’m trying to get people to like, giving people the opportunity to cut through to that love. And if you knew better, you do better. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw, Host: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That is the voice of the one and only, Loove Moore. On top of being a rapper, Loove Moore has become a fixture in Oakland for his man on the street interviews that he films by himself, edits by himself and posts to his social media platforms. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Each interview is a unique glimpse into the interactions that Loove Moore has as he runs around the Bay Area. And every conversation results in an uplifting message. True to his name, everything he does is about spreading more love.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I first caught wind of his work just over four years ago while he was recording these videos at Lake Merritt called “Love at the Lake.”  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I basically would just go out there myself and set up my tables, set up my microphone and like interview people to ask them, like, you know, how they feel about current things happening in the Bay. And then, eventually people would just come pull up and it’s like 5, 10, 15, 20 people out there that don’t know each other! And they get to learn how to play dominoes, share stories, then gave people a platform to perform if they never performed before.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">What I love about the “The Loove Moore Show” is how he absorbs the energy of the Town and transmits it to the larger public. He brings the care-free persona with the highly evolved lingo from the soil, and wraps it all up in his fly fashion. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At our interview, my guy showed up in a fresh bucket hat adorned with hella Oakland themed pins, a paisley button down layered over a t-shirt that says ‘Bring Black Oakland’, paired with corduroy pants, hiking boots, and a copper ring that features Goku from Dragon Ball Z. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s just real life experiences that I’m wearing and it’s very intentional.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether it’s bringing different threads together or uniting folks of different backgrounds, Loove Moore can do it all. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He’ll talk to us about the intention behind his work, how it’s deeper than spreading the Oakland-ism, it’s a spiritual calling. Our convo, after this.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I want to start with you as a person. Like you present with this… the fashionable attire and the clothes and the pins and the rings and everything that you bring to the table. For folks who don’t know, who is Loove Moore? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore, I mean, I always say, I’m an out-here-specialist, you know? I just be out here. I mean, just one of my superpowers is participation. We be needing icebreakers to connect with each other. We love to connect with each other, but sometimes we have anxieties and fears when it come to connecting with each other and I always was brave enough to do it. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I just took it on myself to just like, man, let me just… let me just get comfortable with being uncomfortable. And I got to see how that inspired other people. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So many people be walking up to me now like, “Oh, you that one positive dude!” or “You had the chipmunk on your head!” People be saying the wildest stuff so I be wanting to get what others people’s perception is like, because for me, at this point I’m just doing. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Laughter]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I love it man! bring me back to the origins, the start. Like when did you first start getting out there? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I mean I’m from West Oakland, so I was in West Oakland first, and I moved to San Leandro. I went to McKinley in San Leandro, and that was kind of a good start, like  I was outside of like, my main core people. I had to learn how to put myself out there. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And during that whole time, I would go to the Boys and Girls Club, San Leandro, and then eventually going to Camp Mendocino. And Camp Mendocino that’s where I like…. it’s crazy. I really just learned how to just flourish and just embrace all of my talents and gifts: swimming in a river, jumping off the rock, talking to girls and talent show! It was just, bruh… it was just so much things to to get into…International Day with so many different people from all around the world. “Pick up your trainers!” We up here trying to clean up the cabin, talking ‘bout pick up your trainers. I’m like, “These are shoes, bro. What are you talking about?” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So just having those type of relationships with people growing up and coming up, bruh. That was just, man, just God wrote because it ain’t like came up with the most resources and stuff like that but I came the most resourceful. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You were absorbing it, you were a sponge to it. It sounds like, like all those things you just named. That obviously means that it left an impact on you and you took note of it. And at the start of it all, you mentioned where it started, specifically West Oakland… Acorn. What role did that community play in who you are? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Definitely had a sense of pride, sense of belonging. My grandma was one of the first families to move into uh Acorn. \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ya know it’s so many different families that come from, Acorn that’s like my family too. You know, my aunties and uncles and they all grew up with each other.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So that showed me how important the sense of community was for me to just feel like I don’t have to be threatened by you, by you personally, whoever this person is, but I could love you, and you could love me because you may love somebody that I know that we are family with. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And that was just very important to me. And I think that’s what, just West Oakland and just the Bay area and that is exactly what it gives me. So that’s why I love on it back because it be loving on me like that everywhere I go.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Running through streets with your tripod, with your camera, interviewing people. I’ve seen you, you have the series were your interviewing people about the concept of love,\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clip of Loove Moore interviewing a man about love\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: What’s your perspective of love, man how important is showing love to you?\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: L-o-v-e\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Hmmh\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person:…living on vibrational energy\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Woo\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: …meaning when one person’s vibration\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore:Woo\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: …finds its vibrational match\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Hmm\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Person: …that’s when you experience this euphoria called love!… \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Why love? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I think that people get things misconstrued. So you got the light side and shadow side with the duality. So some people say it’s gentrification; I look at it as integration. The balance of that is people coming together.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My art was to be like let me interview people so you stop judging people like, let’s see what they really think. You know, like you might see somebody like, look, he look like you go to school at Berkeley and like, bruh, you don’t even know this, bruh.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I take the time to talk to people. I’ve lived in Oakland, San Leandro, Tracy, you know, I’ve been around different, at least there, so I know the different like, depths and diasporas of people. So I’m like, let me give people a window into that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">: \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I started interviewing with people on that hype and once I start seeing the different answers, I’m like, okay…\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I go to CoDa, which is a 12 step for codependency.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I would say, like, ‘I just want love!’ And then they was like, “Well, what do you mean by love?”  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The fact that somebody could ask me what love was like, “what is the love that I want to receive?,” and I wasn’t even able to describe that. I couldn’t even describe my emotions at one point. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">People may not necessarily go to CoDa and stuff like that, but how can I create an experience for people to actually dive deeper into their own consciousness and self-reflect on something that’s important to everybody? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even my bruh, Brother Peace, he kind of was just like “Hey, brother, you know, you should ask people about what their perspective of love is.” A bruh actually asking me that, a younger bruh in my life, saying that, that means that it was a need there. So I’m just like, let me let me do that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And I started asking the question at “Love at the Lake.” So I asked them, “What does love mean to you?” You know, so it was because of not being able to identify and communicate how I like to receive love. That’s what made me to say, oh, I think other people may could benefit from asking them what is love to them? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was between the experience of CoDa, uh codependent anonymous,as well as the conversation with Brother Peace and all that informed you on that path, not that it happened like dominoes one after the other, but like all of it, the combination. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah Yep. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s one clip that you posted recently, within the past year where you had the opportunity to interview legendary MC hammer. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clip of Loove Moore interviewing MC Hammer\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Aight bam! It’s me, A to the Miggity, Loove-Moore. And I’m here with…\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">MC Hammer: Hammer Time\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: Hammer Time man! This the Loove Moore show so I’ma ask you two questions: first question is, what is your perspective on love?\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">MC Hammer: Love is unconditional ya know what i’m saying, it’s like when you love somebody, you gotta love them from the storm, you gotta love them on the good days and bad days, love is unconditional.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore: On love! Bam! And second questions is…\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pen:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Bring me into the process. How did that unfold? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We had a turf dancing group and we danced with Hammer like back and then like maybe 06 or 07 something like that. But it was like a group of us, so he didn’t necessarily know me out of everybody. He know me, but you know what I mean? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was actually Tupac’s unveiling of his street sign by the Lake Merritt. It was just a potluck of Bay Area-ism in there, you know? So it was cool and um I just went over there, tapped in with him. Him and Little Dee was over there. Right when he seen me, hugged it up and he just juiced, you know, I aint seen him by a couple of years, so he hugged me hecka tight, you know, and that was just good and reaffirming, reaffirming, and like, you know that the genuineness in our connection. And I always respect MC Hammer because it’s a different type of peak that he reached, you know, what I’m saying? Going diamond and stuff like that. Breaking down so many barriers, a TV show! \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I went to my auntie house, it’s a doll of him, I’m like is that Ken? No, that’s MC hammer. Like what, with the parachute pants and everything like, so you know, it’s always just an honor to like, you know, he tapped into me, be so personable, not have all these security and stuff, and just tapped in, gave me a good embrace, like, “Man, good to seeing you,” you know, whoop. And I didn’t even put two and two together, the questions I’m asking, you know. Everybody be on some Hammer and money and stuff like that, like, he broke and all that type of vibe.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He more solid than most. He gon’ trust me to know that I’m not trying to play him and stuff like that. That was definitely a beautiful moment and definitely some more to come of that. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hammer doesn’t make too many public appearances, nor does he do interviews. And so for you to have that moment with the background of all that, the Bay area luminaries, with Tupac looking down on everybody smiling I’m sure. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> That was an epic moment.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Epic moment indeed. Um on the other side of the work that you do, the multimedia that you produce, there’s a video, a series of videos I’ve seen you post where you’re interacting with squirrels. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> [\u003c/span>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Laughs\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cem>]\u003c/em> Yeah, there’s a series of em. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Feeding squirrels, like, close. I’ve never been that close to squirrels. What…why squirrels? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003cem>Sounds of squirrels chittering and chewing\u003c/em>]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m over there working out at the park, Lowell Park in West Oakland.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then a squirrel ran up to me and I pet the squirrel. I’m like, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[click]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> picked it up, come on, we on. And it just just crawled on me and was cool. And just walked around with the squirrel for like, a good, like hour or two. And just to have something that you connect with so genuinely from the gate, you know, just relationships with people is like, we got so much trauma, so much hurt. It\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">take a,  like a, you know, that acclimation period for people to actually tap in. So I just really, that was just a very precious moment. I shot a video there with him, sat there with him for a little while. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> What do they represent to you? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You know, I’m Doctor-Do-A-Lot. And I like to be out there with the animals, you know, and just,…animals is special because they… it’s a different language that they speak. Don’t have to say nothing to you, but then, you know, you kind of get it. It’s kind of like when you look out the, outside in a window and you see the, the, the leaves blowing in from the tree and you look outside, oh, ‘I got to wear a jacket cuz it’s cold outside. It’s windy.’ It’s like it didn’t say nothing to you, but you still got it? That’s how animals are like they don’t really speak to you, but it’s like this line of communication. But it still has this like unconditional love when you tap in. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Your social media is through the roof. You know, people see the work that you’re doing. They leave comments. There’s a lot of interaction but behind the scenes so much energy is invested into it. You’ve told me a bit about one experience specifically where you were on the AC Transit bus on the late night, and you had an encounter with a person who was showing early signs of Alzheimer’s. Can you bring me into that story? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Basically my grandma is 82. I take care of her like I was bringing her up. She’s getting early signs of dementia and stuff like Alzheimer’s, whatever that is and just memory loss, so I’m familiar with the signs. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I left the house at 12:00 at night to go downtown Oakland to film a video, because I just finished this song, “G\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">o Crazy on Citas\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">” [\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Singing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]. I’m filming and then there’s a lady walk up to me and just like,  “Oh, can you uh, the bus?”  As I kind of like, was talking to her, I could recognize, like this lady… this an old lady!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I finished the video, did my part, and then when I was telling you, I recognized it, I’m like, “I’m going to take you. It’s good,” because I told her the route. She got the address and I’m like, “I’ll take you. So don’t worry about it. I’ll go the whole route with you. “\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Music playing]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[Sounds of bus breaks and door opening] \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">When we get on the bus, the lady is getting on the bus and then the bus driver says, she didn’t say specifically this, but she’s like ‘Meemaw?!’  like some type of name, like some grandma name like Meemaw. And she like,  “ohhh, oh…” She’s like  “That’s my son’s grandmother!”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m like, what is happening? Okay. But I know the divinity, it happens in so much of my life at this point. But I don’t panic and I expect it, you know. It’s not…when you doubt something it’s a coincidence, but when you when you believe in it and you know it, it’s like that’s divinity! It was supposed to happen.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I love it. I love it because you stressed the divinity, the divine, the higher power, the higher purpose. And I feel like a lot of people gravitate to you because you’re so, so Bay area, so Oakland, you, you know, the culture, you know, and there’s something underneath all of it. It’s the love and the love is tied to religion, no? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s tied to God. Spirituality plays a big role. You got to take care of yourself, mind, body and soul. \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The mind takes in information, the body takes in nutrition, and the spirit takes in inspiration. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I just knew this world was filled with so many illusions, and people make it look like they this and that, and it’s like, that’s not what it really is, you know? I just knew in this world what was going to anchor me to life and makes me want to be here was like my spirit, making my spirit shine through.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You know cars, possessions, like, If you don’t got none of those, you, you have no value then basically to most people in the world. So if you got a strong spirit and a strong mind, you going to have value anywhere. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It emanates\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">definitely from, like I said, from the media content, but also from your rings, the pins in your hat, your fashion. You got that glow, that Leroy glow. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">On love, Okay. Sho’nuf. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sho’nuf\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And I also know that, recently you’ve experienced some loss in your personal life, and I don’t want to bring you too deep down that rabbit hole. But I do want to ask you, as a person who has that benevolent glow when you are experiencing hard times, losing loved ones, how do you navigate that? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Changing my relationship with, transitioning, like, you know, it’s a celebration,  a celebration of their life. It’s still sad. You know, I’m going to feel like…it’s a beauty. It’s beautiful to even feel sad for somebody that passed. Did you want to see them? You can not care at all. You know what I’m saying? So the fact that I even can be sad, I think I see how beautiful it is. And I feel good that I even had the opportunity to be sad over over them passing \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Like, that’s what prayers are, really it’s just remembering to stay connected to the oneness of all of us in prayers can show up in so many different ways. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I look at healing as like, it’s painful like popping a pimple or something. It’s painful, but you got to get it all out. If you don’t get it all out, it’s gonna come back and grow back harder, you know what I’m saying? So when, you when you go there, you know, just think of that when you ready to do it, you know, like make sure you get the full procedure and get it out, you know, so that, you know, you can fill that back up with the spirit and some new fresh glow. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Back to the glow. That’s admirable to see the personal growth behind the scenes as well as the professional growth.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How does your work combat this narrative about Oakland being such a negative city? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">For me, Oakland is known for, like the Black Panthers, sideshows, um just hippie type situation. So it’s all these different things, but it’s so much more. You got skaters, you got people that, you know, graffiti and artists, and it’s all these different stuff. So my thing personally, is just like, instead of people just thinking that it’s just this mob music and that I’m just like, let me just show other things that be, that happens out here. That’s literally what I do. I’ve been doing it for a while. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So now that there is this negative narrative going on out here, I naturally combat, you know, that narrative because I’m like, well, I’m doing this, it’s all these positive things going on in Oakland, too. You just choosing to look at the negative side. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music playing\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Loove Moore: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether people like me or not like me, rocking with it or not, I got a purpose bruh, and I’m sliding on that because who knows what…God connect the dots I’m just doing me. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore, we can’t thank you enough! Not just for spreading culture and for spreading love, but for doing what you feel in your heart the creator has sent you to do– that’s a reminder to all of us. So thank you. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Loove Moore can be found on the streets of the town and on your social media dials, his Instagram and youtube pages can be found by looking up theloovemooreshow. All one word and to be clear that’s love with two o’s and more with two o’s.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This episode was hosted by me, Pendarvis Harshaw. Marisol Medina-Cadena produced this episode. Chris Hambrick held it down for edits on this one. Christopher Beale engineered this joint.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The music that you heard was courtesy of Audio Network.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rightnowish team is also supported by Jen Chien,  Ugur Dursun, Holly Kernan, Cesar Saldaña, and Katie Sprenger. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Spread love, it’s the Oakland way. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rightnowish is a KQED production.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Peace.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13959969/loove-moore-the-out-here-specialist-leads-by-example","authors":["11491","11528"],"programs":["arts_8720"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_835"],"featImg":"arts_13959983","label":"arts_8720"},"arts_13959550":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13959550","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13959550","score":null,"sort":[1718272811000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"tomas-monizs-new-book-is-an-ode-to-friendship-in-the-bay","title":"Tomas Moniz’s New Book Is an Ode to Friendship in the Bay Area","publishDate":1718272811,"format":"audio","headTitle":"Tomas Moniz’s New Book Is an Ode to Friendship in the Bay Area | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":8720,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tomasmoniz.com/\">Tomas Moniz’s\u003c/a> novel \u003cem>All Friends Are Necessary\u003c/em> explores the profound depths of friendship and the unique ways in which love is expressed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moniz’s tale centers on a man in his late thirties named Efren “Chino” Flores. After the passing of Flores’ newborn child and the subsequent unraveling of his marriage, Flores moves back to the Bay Area. Equipped with a support system of longtime friends and new acquaintances, Flores embarks on his personal healing journey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the book, Flores regains his bearings, becomes an entrepreneurial educator and discovers love in different forms of romantic partners. The process ultimately leaves him in a position to support his longtime friends when they need it the most, reciprocating the love they gave him when he was down and out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moniz knows from his own life experience that the grieving process is a community effort. He’s penned a novel chock-full of remedies for grief, sweet moments between friends, observations about Mother Nature and shoutouts to some key Bay Area landmarks and cultural institutions — all of which we discuss on this week’s episode of Rightnowish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC2288212721\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Tomas Moniz will read and sign copies of his new book at\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-friends-are-necessary-book-launch-tickets-891920005747\"> Doña\u003c/a> (3770 Piedmont Ave., Oakland) on June 13, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. and at \u003ca href=\"https://www.greenapplebooks.com/event/9th-ave-tomas-moniz-michelle-cruz-gonzales\">Green Apple Books\u003c/a> (1231 9th Ave., San Francisco) on June 18, 2024 at 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Also, Moniz is a big fan of exchanging letters. He can be reached at P.O. Box 3555, Berkeley, CA, 94703.   \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw, Host: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hey Rightnowish listeners, it’s me, your host Pendarvis Harshaw. Today we’re talking about the joys of friendship, the bonds that save us and challenge us when we need it the most. And this kind of platonic love is wonderfully captured in the new novel, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">All Friends are Necessary\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, by Berkley-based writer Tomas Moniz.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the book, Moniz writes about a man named Efren “Chino” Flores and the ordinary ways that he and his friends show up in each other’s lives to hold each other down through big transitional moments.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz, Guest: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s a scene that opens the book with them running down the shore of Ocean Beach and jumping into the Pacific Ocean. They’re skinny dipping, right. And the inspiration for this novel came when a similar incident happened in my life where I see my friend’s, butt, like, nakedly running down the shore into the river, and I’m like, ‘that’s the kind of book I want to write a bouncing butt in the moonlight.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this episode, Tomas, talks to us about the enduring power of friendship, metaphors of ferns blooming, and the personal experiences that propelled him to write this story of navigating loss with the homies by your side.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">More from Tomas Moniz, right after this.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You bring the readers on this journey through key spots in the Bay area. You’re going from the Mission, you’re in East Oakland, you’re at Lucky Three Seven, Diamond Park. Like, reading about these places and you’re not doing it in a corny way, like, how did you approach highlighting these different places and not making it sound generic?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m writing about this spot that I love versus just kind of like having it be part of the scenery, having a character interact with it in a genuine way. I think that’s kind of where I hope my writing has taken me now. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So yeah, the first part takes place in the Mission, right? And so my partner lived there for 15 years, and I spent a lot of time there and just kind of wanting to catch that, the vibrancy of it and biking through it and the spots that we would walk to from her apartment. And just noticing how these places made me feel and trying to capture that feeling in the writing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">so I did the same thing with the section in part two that takes place in kind of a Guerneville area, right?, the Russian River, the river itself, the redwoods.  And then the third part of the book is Oakland, and that’s where I’ve been the past ten years. And so… I was really scared to write about it, but I knew that’s kind of what I wanted. And when Covid hit and, you know, everyone was walking everywhere around the neighborhoods, that’s really what, you know, brought me to the kind of little nooks and crannies of the community that I live in– in East Oakland, the liquor stores, the small restaurants, the, the parks. So that’s kind of what I was really trying to capture there.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We should be clear that this book is a novel and you are not the main character. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exactly.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The main character is by the name of Efren, who’s just this charismatic person who loves nature, loves people, is a support net for his friends, and his friends are a support net for him. And I got hooked in reading the book,  just in the first couple pages there’s an instance where Efren’s calling for a cat and the cat kind of shies away, and then comes back to him.  Explain to me what happens there.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">To me, it was a really important moment because I, one of the things I also wanted to write about in this book was kind of the body and how we are alive in our body. So he tries to get this cat to come give him some attention and of course, the cat scratches him once, you know, like cats do. They give you a little bit of love and they scratch you and run away. So then he has this moment where he’s kind of contemplating the blood that’s beading up on his arm.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">To me it was a good setup for kind of all the bodily scenes that come throughout the book as well. So I was really wanting to try and capture that desire for intimacy with like, something you love, like a small little animal and yet the pain that comes from that as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I wanted this kind of way in which his character, you learn this character i\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">s\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> familiar with the kind of, the messiness of a body, the things the body secretes in some weird ways. Right. So, like, all this kind of familiarity, I want centered in that novel.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In fact, a lot of these scenes, these little moments came from small writing prompts that I did over the course of the last, like ten years, where I would write just about body parts. I would write about, kind of like, just little moments of a person’s life and then they found their way into this story.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s laughter, there’s joy, there’s lighthearted moments. And this book deals with some pretty heavy topics as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> In the chapter “What name did you choose?”, you write about Efren and his ex Luna and their unfortunate experience in losing their child at birth. It’s beautifully written. It’s heavy. The process of becoming an angel parent is never anything easy to digest. What did you use to inform your words when writing that?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My immediate family experienced a pretty intense tragedy where my son’s partner \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">passed away unexpectedly. And he was left a widower at 30 with a 5 month old baby. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I mean, I didn’t write for a solid year and a half after that. I didn’t look at the book, didn’t think about it, nothing. We just kind of all came together. How do you get through something like that? How do you support each other? How do you do the dishes and at the same time be angry?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How do you rock a baby and then at the same time need to deal with a funeral? And so it’s like, I think that is the thing that informs\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">the plot points about Efren that are clearly different than the experience, the tragedy and grief that I went through but, like you said, informs the book. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Condolences to the family. And I know that that is something that is ever present and constantly being worked through. And so I imagine that this book is a part of that healing process as well. And in this book, Efren finds healing through friends.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Right\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">…as he goes through his experience. \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s not the common kind of friendships that he experiences, like, even the platonic friendships are more intimate than I’ve ever experienced. I’m thinking about an an excerpt from page 197. Chino calls his best friend Metal Man to apologize. If you don’t mind, could we pull that up?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I’m sorry,” I started. “I see how my reaction was connected to my personal traumas and triggers. I wasn’t able to listen to you unfettered for my own bullshit. I’m not sure what’s going on for me: jealousy, envy, anger. But I love you, and I want to be there for you.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Wow, how long have you been practicing that? Felt like my whole life.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Metal Matt said, “But actually, you storming off, kind of helped. I told Suzy about it, and we decided right then and there we needed to figure this shit out.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He’s trying so hard to own his own stuff, and yet they can joke about, like, “Yeah, I could see you trying real hard to own your own stuff.” And they go back and forth like that. And there’s a few scenes like that in the novel where they kind of try and unpack their feelings, as well as be there for each other.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s some jerk stuff that one of my friends would say for sure during a hard moment, you know?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exactly! But it’s also one of those moments and it’s like, it’s lovingly like teasing you in this kind of way that I feel like it’s really important.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I feel like the comps to this kind of book are always like, particularly with male friendships, are always like these big adventure stories, these like, on the road kind of trips across the country. And I really wanted to kind of explore the way friendship has shown up in my life, more so than anything else like that, which is the small ways that we hang out with each other. Right? We watch the Warriors lose. Right? And we got to mourn together. Right? We go out and get drinks and we celebrate birthdays or losses. So I think that’s kind of where my focus on intimacy in relation to friendships, and particularly men was. I tried to center that.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s an interaction between Metal Matt and Efren. I read this passage. I just looked out the window and I was like, man, that is sweet. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I got up, I walked into the studio to my desk, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote a note in my fanciest script. I signed the sheet of paper with a flourish and rolled it up like it was the most important legally binding document in the world. I walked back to Metal Matt and handed it to him. He opened it and read it. “Our agreement plan between Metal Matt Matthew and Tio Flores Effron: If you live through this with me, I swear that I will die for you metaphorically, but you know what I mean. Signed and agreed upon at Casa Wildflower, Efren “Chino” Flores.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That particular wording, it was… it was moving. Yeah. Where did that come from for you?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I love the fact how friendships grow and evolve. Like we tend to celebrate, you know, friendships early in our lives. And then once we get, you know, into like, primary relationships and jobs, we tend to, like, think back about those as if they’re over, when in fact, you know, if we hold on to them and nurture them, they’re going to grow and develop in really wonderful ways. And I like to see, you know, Efren and Metal Matt doing that same type of thing \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">‘cause I’m sad I actually don’t have a lot of friends from my early college days. It’s a regret of mine now that I’m not as close to the people I was so close to when I was a young man.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In doing this, you also kind of parallel it with your understanding of nature, specifically ferns. And like, ferns and how they interact is like a metaphor for how friends and how you make connections with them throughout the book.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, more commonly, ferns send spores rather than seeds, far and wide, increasing the chance that they will land in a supportive environment and take root.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s what I saw Efren doing throughout the whole project where he’s reaching out, finding friends, different ways to like, latch on and find support and be in support of others as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Right. I’m actually really glad you brought that up, because to me, that was, you know, the struggle as a writer is to try and find a good character and kind of allow them to change and grow. And so with Efren, I definitely wanted\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">in the first half of the book, he’s receiving this help.  He’s learning how to accept, you know, when someone says, “I’m here for you,” and to take that at face value and appreciate it and be thankful for it. But then, you know, the second, third half of the book he has to learn how to also offer that help in a way that he received it earlier.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The way you write about ferns I feel like you have implanted them on my brain and now I see ferns everywhere. Why ferns?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I need this character to have something that’s not, you know, that’s not me. I am in no way a scientist or a botanist and he is. So it forced me to find a language and a way to think about the world that’s different than mine. And so that really helped me create Efren and his mentality.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You know, it’s so funny, when I was writing the book, I was so, like, I need to know everything about ferns. So I read all these things. And of course, I have horrible pronunciation with, like, scientific language. So I was so afraid to read aloud anything that involved, like the scientific name or something, because they’re in my book. Right? And I’m just like, oh, how am I’m going to do it? And then my editor was like, you know, “You don’t have to be a fern expert, just make it. It’s fiction.” And i’m like what??  I had to put in the acknowledgments: Like, although I love ferns and I’ve read a lot about them. This is not a scientific book. So I made some stuff up. But yeah, so that was my pleasure in terms of writing about something I didn’t know.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Holding onto relationships and allowing people room to grow and like still being with them. Efren does that not only with his platonic friends, but also people he’s been involved with. And even after the relationship, romantic relationship ends, Efren stays in contact and that friendship still continues to grow.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: I\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">f you can find a way to honor what you know, what was in the past and where we are now in our present lives, like, that’s a benefit and a joy and a resource to lean on.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m super thankful that the mother of my children-we’re no longer together, we haven’t been together for a decade-but I think we have a better relationship now than we ever did. We’ve done the work since that time to give space and to learn to kind of love each other in the new ways, the new people that we are now. I feel really honored when relationships can evolve and I can be a part of them.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That has to take a certain level of maturity, right?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Well, and lots of mistakes and like, I mean, it’s like, who do I want to be? I don’t want to lose the stuff that I had with someone that was wonderful. Like, I want those, I want to access those memories with someone.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s pulling again a lot from your personal lived experience as well as your family’s experience. How much of your friends show up in the characters in this book? Do they read the book and they’re like, hey, that’s me or I do that?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’ve given all my close immediate friends a pass, you never have to read anything I write.  You know, everything is filtered through my own creative process. But they know, you know, I have a friend in Portland named Matt who loves metal. So there’s a way in which, like when I first started it, like they’re more closely related to my personal experiences. But then as the book becomes its own thing, it clearly moves away from anyone specifically but there’s little hints that people who know me know.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Is there ever any hesitation to write about them?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Certainly if I felt like it was writing about someone that they would very clearly be able to identify, I always give them an opportunity to read. And I learned that from writing about my own family.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Early on when I wrote \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rad Dad \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">stuff, I wrote about my son and in retrospect, I realize I probably should have let him read things I wrote. And with my daughters, you know, who are younger than him, I let them read everything that I ever said that had anything to do with them, and my experience parenting them. So if they were uncomfortable or didn’t want me to write about it, I didn’t.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I’ve learned that kind of lesson. I do try, and if I feel like there’s something there that’s clearly an identifiable thing, I would share it with someone.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personal growth through your own writing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exactly. Yeah.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Big, Big thanks to author Tomas Moniz. I devoured your book in like, two weeks. It truly was a joy to read.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Moniz will read excerpts of his book and sign copies at two upcoming events in the bay. First event is Thursday June 13th at Doña restaurant in Oakland and second chance to catch him is at Green Apple Books in San Francisco Tuesday June 18th.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tomas also appreciates snail mail from readers and he actually writes back! \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That address is available on our website and in the episode description. And for the digital connection, Tomas can be found @tomas_should_be_writing \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">on Instagram.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Time to give props to the rest of the team that made this episode with me. This episode was hosted by me, Pendarvis Harshaw. Marisol Medina-Cadena produced this episode. Chris Hambrick held it down for edits on this one. Christopher Beale engineered this joint.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rightnowish team is also supported by Jen Chien, Ugur Dursun, Holly Kernan, Cesar Saldaña, and Katie Sprenger . \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rightnowish is a KQED production. Till next time, peace!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]=\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"Author Tomas Moniz discusses the role friendship plays in healing, in his book All Friends Are Necessary.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719264746,"stats":{"hasAudio":true,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":82,"wordCount":3623},"headData":{"title":"Tomas Moniz’s New Book Is an Ode to Friendship in the Bay Area | KQED","description":"Tomas Moniz's novel All Friends Are Necessary is a story about the profound depths of friendship, and the unique ways love is expressed.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialDescription":"Tomas Moniz's novel All Friends Are Necessary is a story about the profound depths of friendship, and the unique ways love is expressed.","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Tomas Moniz’s New Book Is an Ode to Friendship in the Bay Area","datePublished":"2024-06-13T03:00:11-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-24T14:32:26-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"audioUrl":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/chrt.fm/track/G6C7C3/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC2288212721.mp3?updated=1718237141","sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13959550","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13959550/tomas-monizs-new-book-is-an-ode-to-friendship-in-the-bay","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tomasmoniz.com/\">Tomas Moniz’s\u003c/a> novel \u003cem>All Friends Are Necessary\u003c/em> explores the profound depths of friendship and the unique ways in which love is expressed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moniz’s tale centers on a man in his late thirties named Efren “Chino” Flores. After the passing of Flores’ newborn child and the subsequent unraveling of his marriage, Flores moves back to the Bay Area. Equipped with a support system of longtime friends and new acquaintances, Flores embarks on his personal healing journey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the book, Flores regains his bearings, becomes an entrepreneurial educator and discovers love in different forms of romantic partners. The process ultimately leaves him in a position to support his longtime friends when they need it the most, reciprocating the love they gave him when he was down and out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moniz knows from his own life experience that the grieving process is a community effort. He’s penned a novel chock-full of remedies for grief, sweet moments between friends, observations about Mother Nature and shoutouts to some key Bay Area landmarks and cultural institutions — all of which we discuss on this week’s episode of Rightnowish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC2288212721\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Tomas Moniz will read and sign copies of his new book at\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-friends-are-necessary-book-launch-tickets-891920005747\"> Doña\u003c/a> (3770 Piedmont Ave., Oakland) on June 13, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. and at \u003ca href=\"https://www.greenapplebooks.com/event/9th-ave-tomas-moniz-michelle-cruz-gonzales\">Green Apple Books\u003c/a> (1231 9th Ave., San Francisco) on June 18, 2024 at 7 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Also, Moniz is a big fan of exchanging letters. He can be reached at P.O. Box 3555, Berkeley, CA, 94703.   \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Rightnowish is an arts and culture podcast produced at KQED. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or click the play button at the top of this page and subscribe to the show on \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish\">NPR One\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I\">Spotify\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648\">Apple Podcasts\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/Rightnowish-p1258245/\">TuneIn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish\">Stitcher\u003c/a> or wherever you get your podcasts. \u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw, Host: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hey Rightnowish listeners, it’s me, your host Pendarvis Harshaw. Today we’re talking about the joys of friendship, the bonds that save us and challenge us when we need it the most. And this kind of platonic love is wonderfully captured in the new novel, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">All Friends are Necessary\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, by Berkley-based writer Tomas Moniz.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the book, Moniz writes about a man named Efren “Chino” Flores and the ordinary ways that he and his friends show up in each other’s lives to hold each other down through big transitional moments.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz, Guest: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s a scene that opens the book with them running down the shore of Ocean Beach and jumping into the Pacific Ocean. They’re skinny dipping, right. And the inspiration for this novel came when a similar incident happened in my life where I see my friend’s, butt, like, nakedly running down the shore into the river, and I’m like, ‘that’s the kind of book I want to write a bouncing butt in the moonlight.’\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this episode, Tomas, talks to us about the enduring power of friendship, metaphors of ferns blooming, and the personal experiences that propelled him to write this story of navigating loss with the homies by your side.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">More from Tomas Moniz, right after this.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You bring the readers on this journey through key spots in the Bay area. You’re going from the Mission, you’re in East Oakland, you’re at Lucky Three Seven, Diamond Park. Like, reading about these places and you’re not doing it in a corny way, like, how did you approach highlighting these different places and not making it sound generic?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m writing about this spot that I love versus just kind of like having it be part of the scenery, having a character interact with it in a genuine way. I think that’s kind of where I hope my writing has taken me now. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So yeah, the first part takes place in the Mission, right? And so my partner lived there for 15 years, and I spent a lot of time there and just kind of wanting to catch that, the vibrancy of it and biking through it and the spots that we would walk to from her apartment. And just noticing how these places made me feel and trying to capture that feeling in the writing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">so I did the same thing with the section in part two that takes place in kind of a Guerneville area, right?, the Russian River, the river itself, the redwoods.  And then the third part of the book is Oakland, and that’s where I’ve been the past ten years. And so… I was really scared to write about it, but I knew that’s kind of what I wanted. And when Covid hit and, you know, everyone was walking everywhere around the neighborhoods, that’s really what, you know, brought me to the kind of little nooks and crannies of the community that I live in– in East Oakland, the liquor stores, the small restaurants, the, the parks. So that’s kind of what I was really trying to capture there.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We should be clear that this book is a novel and you are not the main character. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exactly.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The main character is by the name of Efren, who’s just this charismatic person who loves nature, loves people, is a support net for his friends, and his friends are a support net for him. And I got hooked in reading the book,  just in the first couple pages there’s an instance where Efren’s calling for a cat and the cat kind of shies away, and then comes back to him.  Explain to me what happens there.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">To me, it was a really important moment because I, one of the things I also wanted to write about in this book was kind of the body and how we are alive in our body. So he tries to get this cat to come give him some attention and of course, the cat scratches him once, you know, like cats do. They give you a little bit of love and they scratch you and run away. So then he has this moment where he’s kind of contemplating the blood that’s beading up on his arm.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">To me it was a good setup for kind of all the bodily scenes that come throughout the book as well. So I was really wanting to try and capture that desire for intimacy with like, something you love, like a small little animal and yet the pain that comes from that as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I wanted this kind of way in which his character, you learn this character i\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">s\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> familiar with the kind of, the messiness of a body, the things the body secretes in some weird ways. Right. So, like, all this kind of familiarity, I want centered in that novel.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In fact, a lot of these scenes, these little moments came from small writing prompts that I did over the course of the last, like ten years, where I would write just about body parts. I would write about, kind of like, just little moments of a person’s life and then they found their way into this story.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s laughter, there’s joy, there’s lighthearted moments. And this book deals with some pretty heavy topics as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> In the chapter “What name did you choose?”, you write about Efren and his ex Luna and their unfortunate experience in losing their child at birth. It’s beautifully written. It’s heavy. The process of becoming an angel parent is never anything easy to digest. What did you use to inform your words when writing that?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">My immediate family experienced a pretty intense tragedy where my son’s partner \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">passed away unexpectedly. And he was left a widower at 30 with a 5 month old baby. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I mean, I didn’t write for a solid year and a half after that. I didn’t look at the book, didn’t think about it, nothing. We just kind of all came together. How do you get through something like that? How do you support each other? How do you do the dishes and at the same time be angry?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How do you rock a baby and then at the same time need to deal with a funeral? And so it’s like, I think that is the thing that informs\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">the plot points about Efren that are clearly different than the experience, the tragedy and grief that I went through but, like you said, informs the book. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Condolences to the family. And I know that that is something that is ever present and constantly being worked through. And so I imagine that this book is a part of that healing process as well. And in this book, Efren finds healing through friends.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Right\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">…as he goes through his experience. \u003c/span>\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s not the common kind of friendships that he experiences, like, even the platonic friendships are more intimate than I’ve ever experienced. I’m thinking about an an excerpt from page 197. Chino calls his best friend Metal Man to apologize. If you don’t mind, could we pull that up?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I’m sorry,” I started. “I see how my reaction was connected to my personal traumas and triggers. I wasn’t able to listen to you unfettered for my own bullshit. I’m not sure what’s going on for me: jealousy, envy, anger. But I love you, and I want to be there for you.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“Wow, how long have you been practicing that? Felt like my whole life.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Metal Matt said, “But actually, you storming off, kind of helped. I told Suzy about it, and we decided right then and there we needed to figure this shit out.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He’s trying so hard to own his own stuff, and yet they can joke about, like, “Yeah, I could see you trying real hard to own your own stuff.” And they go back and forth like that. And there’s a few scenes like that in the novel where they kind of try and unpack their feelings, as well as be there for each other.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s some jerk stuff that one of my friends would say for sure during a hard moment, you know?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exactly! But it’s also one of those moments and it’s like, it’s lovingly like teasing you in this kind of way that I feel like it’s really important.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I feel like the comps to this kind of book are always like, particularly with male friendships, are always like these big adventure stories, these like, on the road kind of trips across the country. And I really wanted to kind of explore the way friendship has shown up in my life, more so than anything else like that, which is the small ways that we hang out with each other. Right? We watch the Warriors lose. Right? And we got to mourn together. Right? We go out and get drinks and we celebrate birthdays or losses. So I think that’s kind of where my focus on intimacy in relation to friendships, and particularly men was. I tried to center that.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s an interaction between Metal Matt and Efren. I read this passage. I just looked out the window and I was like, man, that is sweet. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I got up, I walked into the studio to my desk, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote a note in my fanciest script. I signed the sheet of paper with a flourish and rolled it up like it was the most important legally binding document in the world. I walked back to Metal Matt and handed it to him. He opened it and read it. “Our agreement plan between Metal Matt Matthew and Tio Flores Effron: If you live through this with me, I swear that I will die for you metaphorically, but you know what I mean. Signed and agreed upon at Casa Wildflower, Efren “Chino” Flores.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That particular wording, it was… it was moving. Yeah. Where did that come from for you?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I love the fact how friendships grow and evolve. Like we tend to celebrate, you know, friendships early in our lives. And then once we get, you know, into like, primary relationships and jobs, we tend to, like, think back about those as if they’re over, when in fact, you know, if we hold on to them and nurture them, they’re going to grow and develop in really wonderful ways. And I like to see, you know, Efren and Metal Matt doing that same type of thing \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">‘cause I’m sad I actually don’t have a lot of friends from my early college days. It’s a regret of mine now that I’m not as close to the people I was so close to when I was a young man.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:  \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In doing this, you also kind of parallel it with your understanding of nature, specifically ferns. And like, ferns and how they interact is like a metaphor for how friends and how you make connections with them throughout the book.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, more commonly, ferns send spores rather than seeds, far and wide, increasing the chance that they will land in a supportive environment and take root.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s what I saw Efren doing throughout the whole project where he’s reaching out, finding friends, different ways to like, latch on and find support and be in support of others as well.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Right. I’m actually really glad you brought that up, because to me, that was, you know, the struggle as a writer is to try and find a good character and kind of allow them to change and grow. And so with Efren, I definitely wanted\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">in the first half of the book, he’s receiving this help.  He’s learning how to accept, you know, when someone says, “I’m here for you,” and to take that at face value and appreciate it and be thankful for it. But then, you know, the second, third half of the book he has to learn how to also offer that help in a way that he received it earlier.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The way you write about ferns I feel like you have implanted them on my brain and now I see ferns everywhere. Why ferns?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I need this character to have something that’s not, you know, that’s not me. I am in no way a scientist or a botanist and he is. So it forced me to find a language and a way to think about the world that’s different than mine. And so that really helped me create Efren and his mentality.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You know, it’s so funny, when I was writing the book, I was so, like, I need to know everything about ferns. So I read all these things. And of course, I have horrible pronunciation with, like, scientific language. So I was so afraid to read aloud anything that involved, like the scientific name or something, because they’re in my book. Right? And I’m just like, oh, how am I’m going to do it? And then my editor was like, you know, “You don’t have to be a fern expert, just make it. It’s fiction.” And i’m like what??  I had to put in the acknowledgments: Like, although I love ferns and I’ve read a lot about them. This is not a scientific book. So I made some stuff up. But yeah, so that was my pleasure in terms of writing about something I didn’t know.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Holding onto relationships and allowing people room to grow and like still being with them. Efren does that not only with his platonic friends, but also people he’s been involved with. And even after the relationship, romantic relationship ends, Efren stays in contact and that friendship still continues to grow.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Yeah\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: I\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">f you can find a way to honor what you know, what was in the past and where we are now in our present lives, like, that’s a benefit and a joy and a resource to lean on.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m super thankful that the mother of my children-we’re no longer together, we haven’t been together for a decade-but I think we have a better relationship now than we ever did. We’ve done the work since that time to give space and to learn to kind of love each other in the new ways, the new people that we are now. I feel really honored when relationships can evolve and I can be a part of them.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That has to take a certain level of maturity, right?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Well, and lots of mistakes and like, I mean, it’s like, who do I want to be? I don’t want to lose the stuff that I had with someone that was wonderful. Like, I want those, I want to access those memories with someone.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s pulling again a lot from your personal lived experience as well as your family’s experience. How much of your friends show up in the characters in this book? Do they read the book and they’re like, hey, that’s me or I do that?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’ve given all my close immediate friends a pass, you never have to read anything I write.  You know, everything is filtered through my own creative process. But they know, you know, I have a friend in Portland named Matt who loves metal. So there’s a way in which, like when I first started it, like they’re more closely related to my personal experiences. But then as the book becomes its own thing, it clearly moves away from anyone specifically but there’s little hints that people who know me know.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Is there ever any hesitation to write about them?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Certainly if I felt like it was writing about someone that they would very clearly be able to identify, I always give them an opportunity to read. And I learned that from writing about my own family.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Early on when I wrote \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rad Dad \u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">stuff, I wrote about my son and in retrospect, I realize I probably should have let him read things I wrote. And with my daughters, you know, who are younger than him, I let them read everything that I ever said that had anything to do with them, and my experience parenting them. So if they were uncomfortable or didn’t want me to write about it, I didn’t.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I’ve learned that kind of lesson. I do try, and if I feel like there’s something there that’s clearly an identifiable thing, I would share it with someone.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Personal growth through your own writing.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Tomas Moniz: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exactly. Yeah.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pendarvis Harshaw:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Big, Big thanks to author Tomas Moniz. I devoured your book in like, two weeks. It truly was a joy to read.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Moniz will read excerpts of his book and sign copies at two upcoming events in the bay. First event is Thursday June 13th at Doña restaurant in Oakland and second chance to catch him is at Green Apple Books in San Francisco Tuesday June 18th.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tomas also appreciates snail mail from readers and he actually writes back! \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That address is available on our website and in the episode description. And for the digital connection, Tomas can be found @tomas_should_be_writing \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">on Instagram.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Time to give props to the rest of the team that made this episode with me. This episode was hosted by me, Pendarvis Harshaw. Marisol Medina-Cadena produced this episode. Chris Hambrick held it down for edits on this one. Christopher Beale engineered this joint.  \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Rightnowish team is also supported by Jen Chien, Ugur Dursun, Holly Kernan, Cesar Saldaña, and Katie Sprenger . \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rightnowish is a KQED production. Till next time, peace!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>=\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13959550/tomas-monizs-new-book-is-an-ode-to-friendship-in-the-bay","authors":["11491","11528"],"programs":["arts_8720"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_73"],"tags":["arts_1331","arts_22073","arts_2838","arts_6764"],"featImg":"arts_13959652","label":"arts_8720"},"arts_13960019":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960019","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960019","score":null,"sort":[1718906228000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"the-culture-kendrick-lamar-pop-out-juneteenth","title":"The Culture","publishDate":1718906228,"format":"standard","headTitle":"The Culture | KQED","labelTerm":{},"content":"\u003cp>[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here’s a difference between Black culture and American culture. Sometimes, they unfortunately get intertwined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"184\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13833985\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\"> In America, the coolness of being Black is often enmeshed with the ever-present danger of being Black. Big, beautiful smiles on African American children are a gauze for the gaping wounds caused by conditions from which many of them come. The strength and solidarity of Black love is too often held up in contrast to the hate this country has instilled in its people; our people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s dissect “the culture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960027\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960027\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Charity Nichols reads a book at the Oakland Museum of California’s Garden on June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I celebrated Juneteenth with household chores and reading before sitting on the couch, oscillating between social media apps and double-tapping posts celebrating the anniversary of enslaved Africans in Texas learning that they’d been freed. In the background, my TV screen illuminated with images and music from \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pop_Out:_Ken_%26_Friends\">The Pop Out\u003c/a>, a one-day festival featuring hip-hop acts from Los Angeles, headlined by Kendrick Lamar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Narrated \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C8bJVTVu1sN/?img_index=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">by Vallejo’s E-40\u003c/a>, the event put Black inner-city culture of L.A. front and center: red and blue flags, Chuck Taylors, fingers twisting up as sets were repped and folks dancing– or rather walkin’– in honor of their hoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Younger artists like Westside Boogie and Kalan.FrFr performed on the same stage that Dr. Dre would later rock. Viewers were reminded that Problem now performs under his name JasonMartin, that Tommy The Clown has been putting in community work for over three decades, and that DJ Mustard’s extensive list of hits still slap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960106\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960106\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kendrick Lamar performs during ‘The Pop Out – Ken & Friends’ at the Forum on June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, California. \u003ccite>(Timothy Norris/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then Kendrick hit the stage, opening with his track “Euphoria,” a six-minute diss song that dropped earlier this year, aimed at Canadian rapper Drake. The audience rapped along bar for bar. Kendrick then brought out his former TDE label-mates Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q for hit songs like “Money Trees” and “Collard Greens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then it was time for the mega-hit song of the summer, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6eK-2OQtew\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Not Like Us\u003c/a>.” Having grown from a Drake diss to a party anthem, “Not Like Us” is now part of the lexicon. “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas” is the mantra for 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the song, and the event as a whole, Kendrick’s goal wasn’t solely to tarnish Drake’s reputation for speaking foul on the West Coast. Kendrick accomplished that handily by running back “Not Like Us” not once, not twice, but instead performing it five times in a row. His true aim went much higher: to use the region’s animosity of one man to unify the notoriously splintered communities of Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13912853']“This shit making me emotional,” said Kendrick to the crowd, as a growing number of performers and professional athletes came on stage toward the end of the show. “We been fucked up since Nipsey died… we been fucked up since Kobe died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As people got into place for a group photo, Kendrick, wearing a red hoodie, glasses and a red Dodgers cap, continued to speak to the audience. “We done lost a lot of homies to this music shit, a lot of homies to this street shit. And for all of us to be on stage together, unity, from each side of muthafuckin’ L.A. — crips, bloods, pirus — that shit is special, man.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this at the Forum in Inglewood, where Kobe and Shaq carried on the legacy of the Showtime Lakers that Kareem and Magic created. A place where superstars like Prince and Whitney Houston gave legendary performances. And now, a historic showing of Black Los Angeles culture. On Juneteenth, nonetheless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960030\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1400px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960030\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch.jpg 1400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kendrick Lamar assembles a historic group photo onstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California, June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Amazon Music / Twitch)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t was beautiful. It could’ve simply been a diss-track party. Instead, it illustrated how deeply committed Kendrick is to his community’s culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also reminded me that he’s not one to shy away from critiquing it as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2022, ahead of the release of his album \u003cem>Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers\u003c/em>, Kendrick dropped the song “The Heart Part 5.” He opens the song candidly talking about conflicts of \u003cem>the culture\u003c/em>. “In a land where hurt people hurt people,” says Kendrick, “fuck calling it culture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960105\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Parlet Cooper, Daja Herad, Omarri Beck, and Christian Johnson, pose for a portrait before the Kendrick Lamar Pop Out concert on Juneteenth at The Forum on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, CA. \u003ccite>(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kendrick didn’t perform that song last night, but I woke up thinking about it. It crossed my mind as I lay in bed scrolling social media, the sun rising on the first day of summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In my feed, images of people attending The Pop Out and joyous Juneteenth celebrations around the country collided with heinous videos showing multiple people shot in the aftermath of an event by Lake Merritt in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to reports, thousands of people were present. Many of them were young folks of color, Black people. I scrolled and saw clips of sunshine, food, music — people celebrating freedom. And then I heard recordings of gunshots, saw people ducking and diving, pools of blood and a limp body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960026\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960026\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Individuals dance at the Hella Juneteenth ‘The Cookout’ at the Oakland Museum of California’s Garden on June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This isn’t just Oakland. There were also unfortunate shootings at or after recent Juneteenth celebrations in \u003ca href=\"https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/norfolk/police-shooting-in-norfolk-at-the-800-e-olney-road/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Norfolk, Virginia\u003c/a>;  \u003ca href=\"https://www.wisn.com/article/detective-opens-fire-on-shooter-who-killed-teen-at-milwaukee-park-after-juneteenth-event/61182147\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Milwaukee, Wisconsin\u003c/a>; and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/round-rock-texas-shooting-juneteenth-celebration/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in Texas, just north of Austin.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As you read this, there are news outlets and social media pundits taking these examples of pain and framing them as an aspect of Black culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s American culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, it’s American. I wouldn’t even call it culture. \u003cem>In a land where hurt people hurt people, fuck calling it culture.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960028\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960028\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family eats together at the Hella Juneteenth ‘The Cookout’ at the Oakland Museum of California’s Garden on June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]K[/dropcap]endrick’s show at the Forum wasn’t perfect. There’s righteous critiques about the lack of women performing, and the platforming of Dr. Dre given\u003ca href=\"https://thegrio.com/2023/02/14/dr-dre-has-long-been-accused-of-violence-against-women-why-is-he-still-being-rewarded/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> his documented cases of domestic abuse\u003c/a>. There’s even the age-old notion that showcasing “gang culture” might lead others to want to be a part of that lifestyle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what our cousins to the south got \u003cem>right\u003c/em> was unity. That’s Black culture, that’s African diasporic culture. We come together as a people. For funerals, parties and more, we unify. Coming together to celebrate the downfall of a collective enemy — be it a culture vulture who poses as a pop star or the institution of slavery — Black folks come together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the question remains: how can we continue to be in community, and not let the very American culture of guns and violence continue to creep into our celebrations?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Communication. Community. Cultivating healthy methods of healing. Offering resources. Getting rid of the pervasive American war-bent mindset. We know what the answers are, but we haven’t shown that we can apply them en masse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I look forward to the day we collectively pop out, together — like Kendrick showed us — to celebrate Black culture.\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"On Juneteenth, Kendrick Lamar showed a way forward for Black celebration — beyond American violence.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1718989822,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":30,"wordCount":1337},"headData":{"title":"What Kendrick's Pop Out Meant for the Culture on Juneteenth | KQED","description":"On Juneteenth, Kendrick Lamar showed a way forward for Black celebration — beyond American violence.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialTitle":"What Kendrick's Pop Out Meant for the Culture on Juneteenth %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"The Culture","datePublished":"2024-06-20T10:57:08-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-21T10:10:22-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"source":"Commentary","sourceUrl":"https://www.kqed.org/artscommentary","sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13960019","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960019/the-culture-kendrick-lamar-pop-out-juneteenth","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">T\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>here’s a difference between Black culture and American culture. Sometimes, they unfortunately get intertwined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"184\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13833985\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\"> In America, the coolness of being Black is often enmeshed with the ever-present danger of being Black. Big, beautiful smiles on African American children are a gauze for the gaping wounds caused by conditions from which many of them come. The strength and solidarity of Black love is too often held up in contrast to the hate this country has instilled in its people; our people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s dissect “the culture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960027\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960027\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-3-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Charity Nichols reads a book at the Oakland Museum of California’s Garden on June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I celebrated Juneteenth with household chores and reading before sitting on the couch, oscillating between social media apps and double-tapping posts celebrating the anniversary of enslaved Africans in Texas learning that they’d been freed. In the background, my TV screen illuminated with images and music from \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pop_Out:_Ken_%26_Friends\">The Pop Out\u003c/a>, a one-day festival featuring hip-hop acts from Los Angeles, headlined by Kendrick Lamar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Narrated \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C8bJVTVu1sN/?img_index=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">by Vallejo’s E-40\u003c/a>, the event put Black inner-city culture of L.A. front and center: red and blue flags, Chuck Taylors, fingers twisting up as sets were repped and folks dancing– or rather walkin’– in honor of their hoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Younger artists like Westside Boogie and Kalan.FrFr performed on the same stage that Dr. Dre would later rock. Viewers were reminded that Problem now performs under his name JasonMartin, that Tommy The Clown has been putting in community work for over three decades, and that DJ Mustard’s extensive list of hits still slap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960106\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960106\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2158458558-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kendrick Lamar performs during ‘The Pop Out – Ken & Friends’ at the Forum on June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, California. \u003ccite>(Timothy Norris/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then Kendrick hit the stage, opening with his track “Euphoria,” a six-minute diss song that dropped earlier this year, aimed at Canadian rapper Drake. The audience rapped along bar for bar. Kendrick then brought out his former TDE label-mates Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q for hit songs like “Money Trees” and “Collard Greens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then it was time for the mega-hit song of the summer, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6eK-2OQtew\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Not Like Us\u003c/a>.” Having grown from a Drake diss to a party anthem, “Not Like Us” is now part of the lexicon. “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas” is the mantra for 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the song, and the event as a whole, Kendrick’s goal wasn’t solely to tarnish Drake’s reputation for speaking foul on the West Coast. Kendrick accomplished that handily by running back “Not Like Us” not once, not twice, but instead performing it five times in a row. His true aim went much higher: to use the region’s animosity of one man to unify the notoriously splintered communities of Southern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13912853","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“This shit making me emotional,” said Kendrick to the crowd, as a growing number of performers and professional athletes came on stage toward the end of the show. “We been fucked up since Nipsey died… we been fucked up since Kobe died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As people got into place for a group photo, Kendrick, wearing a red hoodie, glasses and a red Dodgers cap, continued to speak to the audience. “We done lost a lot of homies to this music shit, a lot of homies to this street shit. And for all of us to be on stage together, unity, from each side of muthafuckin’ L.A. — crips, bloods, pirus — that shit is special, man.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this at the Forum in Inglewood, where Kobe and Shaq carried on the legacy of the Showtime Lakers that Kareem and Magic created. A place where superstars like Prince and Whitney Houston gave legendary performances. And now, a historic showing of Black Los Angeles culture. On Juneteenth, nonetheless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960030\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1400px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960030\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch.jpg 1400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/kendrick.popout.group_.amazonmusic.twitch-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kendrick Lamar assembles a historic group photo onstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California, June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Amazon Music / Twitch)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">I\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>t was beautiful. It could’ve simply been a diss-track party. Instead, it illustrated how deeply committed Kendrick is to his community’s culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also reminded me that he’s not one to shy away from critiquing it as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2022, ahead of the release of his album \u003cem>Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers\u003c/em>, Kendrick dropped the song “The Heart Part 5.” He opens the song candidly talking about conflicts of \u003cem>the culture\u003c/em>. “In a land where hurt people hurt people,” says Kendrick, “fuck calling it culture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960105\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2157939644-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Parlet Cooper, Daja Herad, Omarri Beck, and Christian Johnson, pose for a portrait before the Kendrick Lamar Pop Out concert on Juneteenth at The Forum on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, CA. \u003ccite>(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kendrick didn’t perform that song last night, but I woke up thinking about it. It crossed my mind as I lay in bed scrolling social media, the sun rising on the first day of summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In my feed, images of people attending The Pop Out and joyous Juneteenth celebrations around the country collided with heinous videos showing multiple people shot in the aftermath of an event by Lake Merritt in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to reports, thousands of people were present. Many of them were young folks of color, Black people. I scrolled and saw clips of sunshine, food, music — people celebrating freedom. And then I heard recordings of gunshots, saw people ducking and diving, pools of blood and a limp body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960026\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960026\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/download-2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Individuals dance at the Hella Juneteenth ‘The Cookout’ at the Oakland Museum of California’s Garden on June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This isn’t just Oakland. There were also unfortunate shootings at or after recent Juneteenth celebrations in \u003ca href=\"https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/norfolk/police-shooting-in-norfolk-at-the-800-e-olney-road/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Norfolk, Virginia\u003c/a>;  \u003ca href=\"https://www.wisn.com/article/detective-opens-fire-on-shooter-who-killed-teen-at-milwaukee-park-after-juneteenth-event/61182147\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Milwaukee, Wisconsin\u003c/a>; and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/news/round-rock-texas-shooting-juneteenth-celebration/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in Texas, just north of Austin.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As you read this, there are news outlets and social media pundits taking these examples of pain and framing them as an aspect of Black culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s American culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, it’s American. I wouldn’t even call it culture. \u003cem>In a land where hurt people hurt people, fuck calling it culture.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960028\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960028\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/20240619_JuneteenthCookout_GC-44_scr-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family eats together at the Hella Juneteenth ‘The Cookout’ at the Oakland Museum of California’s Garden on June 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">K\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>endrick’s show at the Forum wasn’t perfect. There’s righteous critiques about the lack of women performing, and the platforming of Dr. Dre given\u003ca href=\"https://thegrio.com/2023/02/14/dr-dre-has-long-been-accused-of-violence-against-women-why-is-he-still-being-rewarded/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> his documented cases of domestic abuse\u003c/a>. There’s even the age-old notion that showcasing “gang culture” might lead others to want to be a part of that lifestyle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what our cousins to the south got \u003cem>right\u003c/em> was unity. That’s Black culture, that’s African diasporic culture. We come together as a people. For funerals, parties and more, we unify. Coming together to celebrate the downfall of a collective enemy — be it a culture vulture who poses as a pop star or the institution of slavery — Black folks come together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the question remains: how can we continue to be in community, and not let the very American culture of guns and violence continue to creep into our celebrations?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Communication. Community. Cultivating healthy methods of healing. Offering resources. Getting rid of the pervasive American war-bent mindset. We know what the answers are, but we haven’t shown that we can apply them en masse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I look forward to the day we collectively pop out, together — like Kendrick showed us — to celebrate Black culture.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960019/the-culture-kendrick-lamar-pop-out-juneteenth","authors":["11491"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_835","arts_69"],"tags":["arts_2767","arts_10342","arts_10278","arts_7465","arts_1774","arts_1785","arts_1143"],"featImg":"arts_13960077","label":"source_arts_13960019"},"arts_13959827":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13959827","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13959827","score":null,"sort":[1718377230000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples-omca-latinx-review","title":"Xicanx Identities on Full Display in OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit","publishDate":1718377230,"format":"standard","headTitle":"Xicanx Identities on Full Display in OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":140,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>“Being a Mexican American is tough … we gotta prove to the Mexicans how Mexican we are, and we gotta prove to the Americans how American we are. We gotta be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans. It’s exhausting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So goes the ancient proverb shared in the Jennifer Lopez-starring, \u003ca href=\"https://remezcla.com/lists/film/selena-film-reviews-theatrical-release-1997/\">Chicanx cult classic film, \u003ci>Selena\u003c/i>\u003c/a>. In the scene, Selena (a young Lopez) listens as her dad (Edward James Olmos) explains how the border-schism proximity between the U.S. and Mexico make it nearly impossible for Mexican Americans — also known as Xicanx people — to feel fully grounded in either country. Exhausting, certainly. But also beautifully fractured.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From this glaring fault line, Xicanx people are born, and it’s where we breathe ourselves into our colorful, imaginative existences. Ever seen the murals in San Francisco’s Mission District, wandered past public art in East Los Angeles, or spent an afternoon in San Diego’s Chicano Park? Where else do you regularly experience that kind of public, communal catharsis through visual art?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rife with political and social resilience, gender fluid expressions and an ancestral sense of homeland, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://museumca.org/on-view/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peoples\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — an ambitious, 53-artist exhibit opening June 14 at the Oakland Museum of California — invites audiences to embrace and navigate these multi-dimensional complexities of Xicanx communities up close.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959840\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959840\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"an adobe-layered canvas with indigenous and contemporary designs painted on the surface\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Los Angeles artist rafa esparza learned how to use adobe from his brick-making immigrant father. His artwork opens the show. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Held in the museum’s spacious, multi-room Great Hall, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://museumca.org/on-view/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples/\">Calli\u003c/a>\u003c/i> — a Nahuatl word for home, family and lineage — opens with an adobe installation from Los Angeles artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elrafaesparza/?hl=en\">rafa esparza\u003c/a> (most recently featured in SFMOMA’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13933658/sitting-on-chrome-sfmoma-review\">\u003ci>Sitting on Chrome\u003c/i>\u003c/a>). The piece serves as a portal for museum-goers, signaling a transformation of space, time and psychology as they enter the main showrooms. Titled \u003ci>Dispatches de Abajo\u003c/i>, it features hand-formed, Indigenous-styled adobe sculptures and an adobe floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yet, references to the brutalism of our contemporary world are sprinkled on top of earth’s peaceful sediment: a series of adobe pit bulls wearing chain collars stare menacingly beneath images of Mesoamerican figures; an acrylic can of gun oil lube painted in the corner of an adobe block. esparaza’s immigrant father was a brick maker in Durango, Mexico who taught esparza and his siblings how to work with materials like adobe. It’s something that has gifted esparza a connection to the earth in an otherwise sharply concrete L.A. landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like esparza, many Xicanx artists have had to build their own mythologies, create their own paths and shape their own futures by calling up an ancestral past in a land that is neither here nor there. (Audio recordings of six year’s worth of California’s tectonic movements play softly from speakers as visitors walk through esparza’s womb-like installation.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That search for an ethereal belonging is a central theme throughout \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i>. The exhibit is a healthy mix of contemporary works (kinetic papel picado, a mobile curandera station, a makeshift elote cart) and historical documents (archival posters, canonical prints, newspaper clippings, poems) that function as both an introduction to Xicanx history and an impressive Xicanx Hall of Fame for the already-initiated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959830\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959830\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"a yellow push cart labeled as Botanica del Barrio is displayed outdoors near a garden\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-scaled.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-800x1067.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-1020x1360.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-160x213.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Felicia Montes’ ‘Botanica del barrio’ is one of the most multi-dimensional representations of Xicanx healing presented in the exhibit. \u003ccite>(OMCA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The trove of historical material is largely thanks to the late Chicana queer activist and professor Margaret “Margie” Terrazas Santos, whose efforts to collect posters from the Third World Liberation Front and Chicano Rights Movement culminated in an expansive and iconic resource for the OMCA, who acquired her visual library from living family members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An intergenerational array of artists — including esparza, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cju.art.threads/?hl=en\">Consuelo Jimenez Underwood\u003c/a>, Carlos Francisco Jackson and a legion of others — were invited to create works in response to the posters, depicting Xicanx lore as not just something of the past, but of the current moment and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jimenez Underwood confronts borders, military violence, displacement, migration and territorial conflict with a massive, site-specific contribution that spans the entirety of the exhibit’s largest wall with a multimedia mural. Jackson revisits the violence of the National Chicano Moratorium in 1970 with a silkscreen print.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearby, an original prose excerpt from Luis Valdez — a pivotal Xicanx playwright who founded Teatro Campesino in 1965 during the rise of United Farm Workers — is displayed within a case. His words outline the dualities of Xicanismo: “sentimental and cynical, fierce and docile, faithful and treacherous, individualistic and herd-following, in love with life and obsessed with death.” \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i> is all of this, at once, in a swirl of mediums, fabrics, textures and generational perspectives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the expansive show’s highlights is its emphasis on queer and feminist Xicanx perspectives. Through photography, digital prints and various installations (video, audio and otherwise) viewers are presented with an alternative lens through which to understand the Xicanx pursuit of place and comfort within the largely patriarchal culture of Mexican machismo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959838\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1945px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959838\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a Chicano Rights Movement poster features the faces of two women joined by a flower in the middle\" width=\"1945\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-scaled.jpg 1945w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-800x1053.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1020x1342.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-160x211.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-768x1011.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1167x1536.jpg 1167w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1556x2048.jpg 1556w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1920x2527.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1945px) 100vw, 1945px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Chicano Rights Movement poster. \u003ccite>(OMCA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The “autodenominación” (or act of self-naming) is an intuitive, if not necessary survivalism, that many Xicanx folks have had to perfect in dealing with not only racism, but homophobia. In a stunning subversion of machismo, a large Manuel Paul print shows two Xicanx men wrapped around one another behind a pickup truck, lips touching lips, with the well-known iconography of Mexican masculinity surrounding them (such as a bootleg \u003ci>Calvin and Hobbes\u003c/i> sticker in which Calvin is wearing a cowboy hat and taking a piss — a classic Mexican pick-up truck adornment).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like the very Xicanx people the galleries are attempting to present, however, it is impossible to express each singular experience in all of its fullness. Rather than dig deep into one particular iteration of Xicanismo, \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i> opts to widen the spectrum, and thus, visitors are more likely to miss a particular angle or texture on display.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But isn’t that how one always feels when walking away from the most captivating art spaces? With more questions and desires to know? \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i> is only a beginning point. At its best, it offers the biggest invitation into the chaotic, healing vortex of Xicanx consciousness that any local museum could hope for. Being Mexican American is tough; but it’s also endlessly freeing to examine.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://museumca.org/on-view/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples/\">Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peoples\u003c/a>’ is on view June 14, 2024–Jan. 26, 2025 at the Oakland Museum of California.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"One of the highlights of the large group show ‘Calli’ is its emphasis on queer and feminist perspectives.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1718639654,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":19,"wordCount":1128},"headData":{"title":"‘Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peopes’: OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit | KQED","description":"One of the highlights of the large group show ‘Calli’ is its emphasis on queer and feminist perspectives.","ogTitle":"Xicanx Identities on Full Display in OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"Xicanx Identities on Full Display in OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialTitle":"‘Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peopes’: OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Xicanx Identities on Full Display in OMCA’s Ambitious Latinx Exhibit","datePublished":"2024-06-14T08:00:30-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-17T08:54:14-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13959827","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13959827/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples-omca-latinx-review","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>“Being a Mexican American is tough … we gotta prove to the Mexicans how Mexican we are, and we gotta prove to the Americans how American we are. We gotta be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans. It’s exhausting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So goes the ancient proverb shared in the Jennifer Lopez-starring, \u003ca href=\"https://remezcla.com/lists/film/selena-film-reviews-theatrical-release-1997/\">Chicanx cult classic film, \u003ci>Selena\u003c/i>\u003c/a>. In the scene, Selena (a young Lopez) listens as her dad (Edward James Olmos) explains how the border-schism proximity between the U.S. and Mexico make it nearly impossible for Mexican Americans — also known as Xicanx people — to feel fully grounded in either country. Exhausting, certainly. But also beautifully fractured.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From this glaring fault line, Xicanx people are born, and it’s where we breathe ourselves into our colorful, imaginative existences. Ever seen the murals in San Francisco’s Mission District, wandered past public art in East Los Angeles, or spent an afternoon in San Diego’s Chicano Park? Where else do you regularly experience that kind of public, communal catharsis through visual art?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rife with political and social resilience, gender fluid expressions and an ancestral sense of homeland, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://museumca.org/on-view/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples/\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peoples\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — an ambitious, 53-artist exhibit opening June 14 at the Oakland Museum of California — invites audiences to embrace and navigate these multi-dimensional complexities of Xicanx communities up close.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959840\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959840\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"an adobe-layered canvas with indigenous and contemporary designs painted on the surface\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/IMG_3709-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Los Angeles artist rafa esparza learned how to use adobe from his brick-making immigrant father. His artwork opens the show. \u003ccite>(Alan Chazaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Held in the museum’s spacious, multi-room Great Hall, \u003ci>\u003ca href=\"https://museumca.org/on-view/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples/\">Calli\u003c/a>\u003c/i> — a Nahuatl word for home, family and lineage — opens with an adobe installation from Los Angeles artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/elrafaesparza/?hl=en\">rafa esparza\u003c/a> (most recently featured in SFMOMA’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13933658/sitting-on-chrome-sfmoma-review\">\u003ci>Sitting on Chrome\u003c/i>\u003c/a>). The piece serves as a portal for museum-goers, signaling a transformation of space, time and psychology as they enter the main showrooms. Titled \u003ci>Dispatches de Abajo\u003c/i>, it features hand-formed, Indigenous-styled adobe sculptures and an adobe floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yet, references to the brutalism of our contemporary world are sprinkled on top of earth’s peaceful sediment: a series of adobe pit bulls wearing chain collars stare menacingly beneath images of Mesoamerican figures; an acrylic can of gun oil lube painted in the corner of an adobe block. esparaza’s immigrant father was a brick maker in Durango, Mexico who taught esparza and his siblings how to work with materials like adobe. It’s something that has gifted esparza a connection to the earth in an otherwise sharply concrete L.A. landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like esparza, many Xicanx artists have had to build their own mythologies, create their own paths and shape their own futures by calling up an ancestral past in a land that is neither here nor there. (Audio recordings of six year’s worth of California’s tectonic movements play softly from speakers as visitors walk through esparza’s womb-like installation.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That search for an ethereal belonging is a central theme throughout \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i>. The exhibit is a healthy mix of contemporary works (kinetic papel picado, a mobile curandera station, a makeshift elote cart) and historical documents (archival posters, canonical prints, newspaper clippings, poems) that function as both an introduction to Xicanx history and an impressive Xicanx Hall of Fame for the already-initiated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959830\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959830\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"a yellow push cart labeled as Botanica del Barrio is displayed outdoors near a garden\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-scaled.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-800x1067.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-1020x1360.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-160x213.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/La-Botanica-del-Barrio_Felicia-Montes-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Felicia Montes’ ‘Botanica del barrio’ is one of the most multi-dimensional representations of Xicanx healing presented in the exhibit. \u003ccite>(OMCA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The trove of historical material is largely thanks to the late Chicana queer activist and professor Margaret “Margie” Terrazas Santos, whose efforts to collect posters from the Third World Liberation Front and Chicano Rights Movement culminated in an expansive and iconic resource for the OMCA, who acquired her visual library from living family members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An intergenerational array of artists — including esparza, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cju.art.threads/?hl=en\">Consuelo Jimenez Underwood\u003c/a>, Carlos Francisco Jackson and a legion of others — were invited to create works in response to the posters, depicting Xicanx lore as not just something of the past, but of the current moment and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jimenez Underwood confronts borders, military violence, displacement, migration and territorial conflict with a massive, site-specific contribution that spans the entirety of the exhibit’s largest wall with a multimedia mural. Jackson revisits the violence of the National Chicano Moratorium in 1970 with a silkscreen print.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearby, an original prose excerpt from Luis Valdez — a pivotal Xicanx playwright who founded Teatro Campesino in 1965 during the rise of United Farm Workers — is displayed within a case. His words outline the dualities of Xicanismo: “sentimental and cynical, fierce and docile, faithful and treacherous, individualistic and herd-following, in love with life and obsessed with death.” \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i> is all of this, at once, in a swirl of mediums, fabrics, textures and generational perspectives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the expansive show’s highlights is its emphasis on queer and feminist Xicanx perspectives. Through photography, digital prints and various installations (video, audio and otherwise) viewers are presented with an alternative lens through which to understand the Xicanx pursuit of place and comfort within the largely patriarchal culture of Mexican machismo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959838\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1945px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959838\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"a Chicano Rights Movement poster features the faces of two women joined by a flower in the middle\" width=\"1945\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-scaled.jpg 1945w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-800x1053.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1020x1342.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-160x211.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-768x1011.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1167x1536.jpg 1167w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1556x2048.jpg 1556w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Expresion-Chicana_Linda-Lucero-1920x2527.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1945px) 100vw, 1945px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Chicano Rights Movement poster. \u003ccite>(OMCA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The “autodenominación” (or act of self-naming) is an intuitive, if not necessary survivalism, that many Xicanx folks have had to perfect in dealing with not only racism, but homophobia. In a stunning subversion of machismo, a large Manuel Paul print shows two Xicanx men wrapped around one another behind a pickup truck, lips touching lips, with the well-known iconography of Mexican masculinity surrounding them (such as a bootleg \u003ci>Calvin and Hobbes\u003c/i> sticker in which Calvin is wearing a cowboy hat and taking a piss — a classic Mexican pick-up truck adornment).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like the very Xicanx people the galleries are attempting to present, however, it is impossible to express each singular experience in all of its fullness. Rather than dig deep into one particular iteration of Xicanismo, \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i> opts to widen the spectrum, and thus, visitors are more likely to miss a particular angle or texture on display.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But isn’t that how one always feels when walking away from the most captivating art spaces? With more questions and desires to know? \u003ci>Calli\u003c/i> is only a beginning point. At its best, it offers the biggest invitation into the chaotic, healing vortex of Xicanx consciousness that any local museum could hope for. Being Mexican American is tough; but it’s also endlessly freeing to examine.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://museumca.org/on-view/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples/\">Calli: The Art of Xicanx Peoples\u003c/a>’ is on view June 14, 2024–Jan. 26, 2025 at the Oakland Museum of California.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13959827/calli-the-art-of-xicanx-peoples-omca-latinx-review","authors":["11748"],"programs":["arts_140"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_835","arts_70"],"tags":["arts_3419","arts_10342","arts_10278","arts_5747","arts_3226","arts_21830","arts_585"],"featImg":"arts_13959839","label":"arts_140"},"arts_13959669":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13959669","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13959669","score":null,"sort":[1718224460000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"the-laundromat-pizza-outer-richmond-musicians-bands-staff","title":"Your Favorite Local Band Member Is Serving You Pizza in the Outer Richmond","publishDate":1718224460,"format":"standard","headTitle":"Your Favorite Local Band Member Is Serving You Pizza in the Outer Richmond | KQED","labelTerm":{},"content":"\u003cp>On Wednesday evenings, Alex Wolfert feels like he’s on stage — even if none of his three bands is performing that night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because Wolfert, 24, works Wednesdays at \u003ca href=\"https://www.thelaundromatsf.com/\">The Laundromat\u003c/a> — a bagels-in-the-morning, pizzas-and-wine-in-the-evening spot in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond that doubles as a micro-community of the city’s indie musicians. Hours pass to the hum of vinyl LPs from its sizable collection, dough and industry advice are thrown and caught, band tees are complimented. Co-workers’ demos are played on shared rides home, and employees cover shifts when others play shows or go on tour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But mainly, The Laundromat’s supportive, tight-knit staff show that the artist’s tradition of working behind a counter on the nights not spent on stage is alive and well in an increasingly unaffordable, tech-centered city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Wolfert serves orders at The Laundromat, where he works alongside other musicians from San Francisco bands. Wolfert plays in Uncle Chris, Double Helix Peace Treaty and Starfish Prime. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On a typical shift, Wolfert, with his easy smile, might step outside to wipe down a table, passing the hour-long line and white horizon of Ocean Beach. His thoughts will race: He needs to text Joey he can record this week; Korey wants to rehearse next week; that one party needs water; two tables need to be set. Then he’ll grab a mushroom combo, balancing dipping dishes of honey and ranch between his fingers, and slide them all onto a crowded table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the phone rings, he’ll notice the Groove Armada record is on the penultimate track of Side B.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One! More! Song!” he chirps in these moments over the beat to co-workers, Max Edelman, 29 (drummer for alt-rock band \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sourwidows\">Sour Widows\u003c/a> and black metal band \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rokeblackmetal/\">Roke\u003c/a>), and Eva Treadway, 29 (guitarist in the ’60s-style pop band \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theshesmusic/\">The She’s\u003c/a> and the noisy ’90s-style rock group \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/world_smasher/\">World Smasher\u003c/a>). Edelman might be pouring a skin-contact orange wine into one patron’s glass while Treadway — wearing a baseball cap with the word “Laundromat” in a squiggly font, designed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/secret.cobra.information/\">Trey Flanigan\u003c/a> of local band \u003ca href=\"https://pardoner.bandcamp.com/\">Pardoner\u003c/a> — pours a chilled red into another. A sausage pie’s ready for delivery. The phone’s ringing again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959565\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959565\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eva Treadway and Max Edelman work behind the bar at The Laundromat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Busy nights like these are exhilarating to Wolfert. It’s like when his fingers are on the bass strings at Kilowatt or the Knockout. He plays with the jazz-inspired indie-pop group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11985883/uncle-chris-dove-on-the-ocean\">Uncle Chris,\u003c/a> the rock-driven songwriting-forward alt-pop of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/starfishprime999/\">Starfish Prime\u003c/a> and the gritty, edgy sounds of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/doublehelix.peacetreaty/\">Double Helix Peace Treaty\u003c/a>. Working at The Laundromat can be like the climax of a song, he says. The crowd is rapt. The band’s locked in. The sound engineer is waving a symbol he can half see. His friends are in the front row making heart hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a beast flowing through the air at that moment, he says. At The Laundromat, it’s caught and upheld by his co-workers, who are also his friends and some of his favorite musicians, similarly running pizzas or laughing in passing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are parallels in service as in performance,” says Treadway just before their shift on a recent Wednesday. “We have our flow and we’re putting on a little bit of a show. Like, you’re providing this environment, you’re helping to curate it and you’re helping it to run, and you’re really fucking leaning on the people around you as your team.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Navigating this organized chaos comes naturally to people who’ve worked together in a collaborative way artistically, Treadway adds, “because so much of being in a band is compromise and truly working together and doing hard things together. I don’t know anyone that’s a working musician in San Francisco that’s not working really, really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eva Treadway poses for a portrait at The Laundromat. Treadway plays in The She’s and World Smasher. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Musicians have worked service jobs since the beginning of undercompensated music and undercompensated labor. But the marriage’s harmony largely depends on institutional support – especially in San Francisco, where rents are always going up, prices are high and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/under-100k-low-income-san-francisco-18168899.php\">anyone making less than $100,000 a year is considered low-income\u003c/a>. The Tenderloin rehearsal space shared by two of Wolfert’s bands, a tight room split between five bands total, costs $800 a month. He lives with four roommates, one of whom is a bandmate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked how to best support San Francisco’s musicians, Treadway says to tip well and pay in cash. Break out of the “transaction” mindset. Sometimes people forget their waiter is “a cool person who’s working really hard, who has their own interests, who maybe has their own band,” they add.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Supporting your local restaurant is supporting your local musicians,” says Treadway. “Never forget it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959555\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959555\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Max Edelman poses for a portrait at The Laundromat. Edelman plays in the bands Sour Widows and Roke. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The city’s music scene is a fragile ecosystem, one supported through ticket and merch sales and prenegotiated percentages of the bar. And it’s supported most directly by the musicians themselves, waiting tables and humming a song idea as they grab Table Three’s vegan cheese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local music survives, says Wolfert, because of places like The Laundromat, and because people in the scene help each other out. Musicians hook other musicians up with places to practice or record; they ask local acts to open when they headline; they let them know when their neighborhood pizza place is hiring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959563\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959563\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Wolfert talks with a co-worker at The Laundromat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As a musician, I feel like you’re working so many different jobs all at once,” says Edelman. “And then you work your job. And you’re not being paid, usually, for the music aspect.” Edelman, who’s tended bar at The Laundromat for more than a year, learned about the job from an Instagram post by Treadway, right after the two returned to San Francisco from playing South by Southwest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Treadway calls The Laundromat “a project”; Edelman opts for a musician-artist space as well as a culinary spot. Wolfert jokes that people say from the outside, it looks like “a little cult.” (The Laundromat’s musician staff also includes Keith Frerichs of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theumbrellassf/\">The Umbrellas\u003c/a>, who is absent on this particular day to prepare for a North American tour.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Wolfert worked at a prior pizza place, he says he felt validated as a musician. But there’s validation, and then there’s encouragement from managers and owners. Here, your co-workers and bosses will proactively sit down around a calendar of your upcoming tour dates. They’ll work together to cover shifts; they’ll make it happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959559\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959559\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bumper stickers by Christopher DeLoach (@thatscoolthankyou on Instagram) hang at the entrance to The Laundromat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Laundromat co-owners Kevin Rodgers and Jenna O’Connell don’t play music themselves, but both have histories of working with musicians in the service industry. The Laundromat, Rodgers says, is the most musician-concentrated workplace in his career. With so many band members and music lovers on staff, Rodgers says, they all just get it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Feeling like you’re in a place where your actual artistic endeavors are supported, that feels really important to me as someone who has played music my whole life,” says Treadway. “What makes people whole is being able to participate in their artistic endeavors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since Treadway started in San Francisco’s music scene, people have said that the scene is dying. That everyone’s moving to L.A. They don’t think that’s true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s always going to be music in San Francisco,” Treadway says. “It’s in the DNA of the city, and has been since before any of us even were considered to exist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theumbrellassf/\">The Umbrellas\u003c/a> are currently touring North America, and play \u003ca href=\"https://dice.fm/event/wkpon-the-umbrellas-pocket-full-of-crumbs-and-latitude-29th-jun-kilowatt-san-francisco-tickets?\">Saturday, June 29, at Kilowatt in San Francisco\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sourwidows.com/\">Sour Widows\u003c/a> begins a U.S. tour this month, and plays \u003ca href=\"https://theindependentsf.com/event/13375114/sour-widows/\">Saturday, July 13, at the Independent\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/doublehelix.peacetreaty/\">Double Helix Peace Treaty\u003c/a> plays \u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/credit-electric-w-dutch-interior-amp-double-helix-peace-treaty-doors-700-pm-music-730-pm\">Wednesday, August 14, at the 4 Star Theater\u003c/a> in San Francisco.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"At The Laundromat, a musician-friendly staff supports each other behind the counter — and on stage.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1718639619,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":25,"wordCount":1493},"headData":{"title":"At The Laundromat, Your Favorite Musician Is Also Your Server | KQED","description":"A musician-friendly staff at the Outer Richmond pizza restaurant supports each other behind the counter — and on stage.","ogTitle":"Your Favorite Local Band Member Is Serving You Pizza in the Outer Richmond","ogDescription":"At The Laundromat, a musician-friendly staff supports each other behind the counter — and on stage.","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"Your Favorite Local Band Member Is Serving You Pizza in the Outer Richmond","twDescription":"At The Laundromat, a musician-friendly staff supports each other behind the counter — and on stage.","twImgId":"","socialTitle":"At The Laundromat, Your Favorite Musician Is Also Your Server %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","socialDescription":"A musician-friendly staff at the Outer Richmond pizza restaurant supports each other behind the counter — and on stage.","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Your Favorite Local Band Member Is Serving You Pizza in the Outer Richmond","datePublished":"2024-06-12T13:34:20-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-17T08:53:39-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"source":"Food","sourceUrl":"https://www.kqed.org/food","sticky":false,"nprStoryId":"kqed-13959669","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13959669/the-laundromat-pizza-outer-richmond-musicians-bands-staff","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On Wednesday evenings, Alex Wolfert feels like he’s on stage — even if none of his three bands is performing that night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because Wolfert, 24, works Wednesdays at \u003ca href=\"https://www.thelaundromatsf.com/\">The Laundromat\u003c/a> — a bagels-in-the-morning, pizzas-and-wine-in-the-evening spot in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond that doubles as a micro-community of the city’s indie musicians. Hours pass to the hum of vinyl LPs from its sizable collection, dough and industry advice are thrown and caught, band tees are complimented. Co-workers’ demos are played on shared rides home, and employees cover shifts when others play shows or go on tour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But mainly, The Laundromat’s supportive, tight-knit staff show that the artist’s tradition of working behind a counter on the nights not spent on stage is alive and well in an increasingly unaffordable, tech-centered city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-75-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Wolfert serves orders at The Laundromat, where he works alongside other musicians from San Francisco bands. Wolfert plays in Uncle Chris, Double Helix Peace Treaty and Starfish Prime. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On a typical shift, Wolfert, with his easy smile, might step outside to wipe down a table, passing the hour-long line and white horizon of Ocean Beach. His thoughts will race: He needs to text Joey he can record this week; Korey wants to rehearse next week; that one party needs water; two tables need to be set. Then he’ll grab a mushroom combo, balancing dipping dishes of honey and ranch between his fingers, and slide them all onto a crowded table.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the phone rings, he’ll notice the Groove Armada record is on the penultimate track of Side B.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One! More! Song!” he chirps in these moments over the beat to co-workers, Max Edelman, 29 (drummer for alt-rock band \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sourwidows\">Sour Widows\u003c/a> and black metal band \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/rokeblackmetal/\">Roke\u003c/a>), and Eva Treadway, 29 (guitarist in the ’60s-style pop band \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theshesmusic/\">The She’s\u003c/a> and the noisy ’90s-style rock group \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/world_smasher/\">World Smasher\u003c/a>). Edelman might be pouring a skin-contact orange wine into one patron’s glass while Treadway — wearing a baseball cap with the word “Laundromat” in a squiggly font, designed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/secret.cobra.information/\">Trey Flanigan\u003c/a> of local band \u003ca href=\"https://pardoner.bandcamp.com/\">Pardoner\u003c/a> — pours a chilled red into another. A sausage pie’s ready for delivery. The phone’s ringing again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959565\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959565\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-76-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eva Treadway and Max Edelman work behind the bar at The Laundromat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Busy nights like these are exhilarating to Wolfert. It’s like when his fingers are on the bass strings at Kilowatt or the Knockout. He plays with the jazz-inspired indie-pop group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11985883/uncle-chris-dove-on-the-ocean\">Uncle Chris,\u003c/a> the rock-driven songwriting-forward alt-pop of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/starfishprime999/\">Starfish Prime\u003c/a> and the gritty, edgy sounds of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/doublehelix.peacetreaty/\">Double Helix Peace Treaty\u003c/a>. Working at The Laundromat can be like the climax of a song, he says. The crowd is rapt. The band’s locked in. The sound engineer is waving a symbol he can half see. His friends are in the front row making heart hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a beast flowing through the air at that moment, he says. At The Laundromat, it’s caught and upheld by his co-workers, who are also his friends and some of his favorite musicians, similarly running pizzas or laughing in passing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are parallels in service as in performance,” says Treadway just before their shift on a recent Wednesday. “We have our flow and we’re putting on a little bit of a show. Like, you’re providing this environment, you’re helping to curate it and you’re helping it to run, and you’re really fucking leaning on the people around you as your team.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Navigating this organized chaos comes naturally to people who’ve worked together in a collaborative way artistically, Treadway adds, “because so much of being in a band is compromise and truly working together and doing hard things together. I don’t know anyone that’s a working musician in San Francisco that’s not working really, really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-59-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eva Treadway poses for a portrait at The Laundromat. Treadway plays in The She’s and World Smasher. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Musicians have worked service jobs since the beginning of undercompensated music and undercompensated labor. But the marriage’s harmony largely depends on institutional support – especially in San Francisco, where rents are always going up, prices are high and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/under-100k-low-income-san-francisco-18168899.php\">anyone making less than $100,000 a year is considered low-income\u003c/a>. The Tenderloin rehearsal space shared by two of Wolfert’s bands, a tight room split between five bands total, costs $800 a month. He lives with four roommates, one of whom is a bandmate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked how to best support San Francisco’s musicians, Treadway says to tip well and pay in cash. Break out of the “transaction” mindset. Sometimes people forget their waiter is “a cool person who’s working really hard, who has their own interests, who maybe has their own band,” they add.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Supporting your local restaurant is supporting your local musicians,” says Treadway. “Never forget it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959555\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959555\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-03-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Max Edelman poses for a portrait at The Laundromat. Edelman plays in the bands Sour Widows and Roke. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The city’s music scene is a fragile ecosystem, one supported through ticket and merch sales and prenegotiated percentages of the bar. And it’s supported most directly by the musicians themselves, waiting tables and humming a song idea as they grab Table Three’s vegan cheese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local music survives, says Wolfert, because of places like The Laundromat, and because people in the scene help each other out. Musicians hook other musicians up with places to practice or record; they ask local acts to open when they headline; they let them know when their neighborhood pizza place is hiring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959563\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959563\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-72-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex Wolfert talks with a co-worker at The Laundromat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As a musician, I feel like you’re working so many different jobs all at once,” says Edelman. “And then you work your job. And you’re not being paid, usually, for the music aspect.” Edelman, who’s tended bar at The Laundromat for more than a year, learned about the job from an Instagram post by Treadway, right after the two returned to San Francisco from playing South by Southwest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Treadway calls The Laundromat “a project”; Edelman opts for a musician-artist space as well as a culinary spot. Wolfert jokes that people say from the outside, it looks like “a little cult.” (The Laundromat’s musician staff also includes Keith Frerichs of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theumbrellassf/\">The Umbrellas\u003c/a>, who is absent on this particular day to prepare for a North American tour.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Wolfert worked at a prior pizza place, he says he felt validated as a musician. But there’s validation, and then there’s encouragement from managers and owners. Here, your co-workers and bosses will proactively sit down around a calendar of your upcoming tour dates. They’ll work together to cover shifts; they’ll make it happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13959559\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13959559\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/240605-TheLaundromatRestaurant-65-BL_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bumper stickers by Christopher DeLoach (@thatscoolthankyou on Instagram) hang at the entrance to The Laundromat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Laundromat co-owners Kevin Rodgers and Jenna O’Connell don’t play music themselves, but both have histories of working with musicians in the service industry. The Laundromat, Rodgers says, is the most musician-concentrated workplace in his career. With so many band members and music lovers on staff, Rodgers says, they all just get it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Feeling like you’re in a place where your actual artistic endeavors are supported, that feels really important to me as someone who has played music my whole life,” says Treadway. “What makes people whole is being able to participate in their artistic endeavors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever since Treadway started in San Francisco’s music scene, people have said that the scene is dying. That everyone’s moving to L.A. They don’t think that’s true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s always going to be music in San Francisco,” Treadway says. “It’s in the DNA of the city, and has been since before any of us even were considered to exist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/theumbrellassf/\">The Umbrellas\u003c/a> are currently touring North America, and play \u003ca href=\"https://dice.fm/event/wkpon-the-umbrellas-pocket-full-of-crumbs-and-latitude-29th-jun-kilowatt-san-francisco-tickets?\">Saturday, June 29, at Kilowatt in San Francisco\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sourwidows.com/\">Sour Widows\u003c/a> begins a U.S. tour this month, and plays \u003ca href=\"https://theindependentsf.com/event/13375114/sour-widows/\">Saturday, July 13, at the Independent\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/doublehelix.peacetreaty/\">Double Helix Peace Treaty\u003c/a> plays \u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/credit-electric-w-dutch-interior-amp-double-helix-peace-treaty-doors-700-pm-music-730-pm\">Wednesday, August 14, at the 4 Star Theater\u003c/a> in San Francisco.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13959669/the-laundromat-pizza-outer-richmond-musicians-bands-staff","authors":["11603"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_12276","arts_69","arts_235"],"tags":["arts_22185","arts_10342","arts_10278","arts_21788","arts_14730","arts_1146"],"featImg":"arts_13959562","label":"source_arts_13959669"},"food_1337439":{"type":"posts","id":"food_1337439","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"food","id":"1337439","score":null,"sort":[1719620606000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"astrological-signs-castro-cocktails","title":"Astrological Signs as Castro Cocktails","publishDate":1719620606,"format":"video","headTitle":"Astrological Signs as Castro Cocktails | KQED","labelTerm":{},"content":"\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I still remember my first time in the Castro after an awkward date where we “bumped into his family” in Japantown. I had a first cocktail (equally as awkward!) when he took me to the now-closed Badlands, the tart grapefruit of their Greyhound easing the pain of being at an empty nightclub while the sun was still out.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’ve come to know the corners of the Castro after almost a decade of reveling in its queer magic. Even after visiting the various gayborhoods around the world, I’m always drawn back here. Maybe it’s because of the memories I’ve built, the history I get to soak in, or the fact that there’s literally something here for everyone.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s the prevailing sentiment around the Castro: It’s for everyone. And to prove it, I’ve paired each of the astrological signs with a different specialty drink crafted and served at a beloved establishment in the Castro. Whether or not you jam with the stars, there’s a constellation of places to hang out, especially during Pride Month!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some might question why I paired \u003c/span>\u003cb>Aries\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the spark of the astrological signs, to an \u003c/span>\u003cb>Irish coffee\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.twinpeakstavern.com/\">\u003cb>Twin Peaks Tavern\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Don’t be fooled by the relaxed atmosphere: This historic spot was the first gay bar in the city, and possibly the country, to have full-length windows \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">— a bold move at a time when even being seen inside a gay bar could get you into trouble\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The nerve continues with fire sign \u003c/span>\u003cb>Leo\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, where karaoke nights at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.midnightsunsf.com/\">\u003cb>Midnight Sun\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on Wednesdays with some \u003c/span>\u003cb>frosé\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> mean the time is ripe for you to shine in the spotlight, including contests during the last Wednesday of every month. And for the adventurous fire sign \u003c/span>\u003cb>Sagittarius\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">? One step into \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lastritesbar.com/\">\u003cb>Last Rites\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> transports you to a tropical scene, and the \u003c/span>\u003cb>No Doctor on Board\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> cocktail brings the Legend of the Hidden Temple fantasy to life.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The emotionally perceptive \u003c/span>\u003cb>Cancer\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> might crave a glass of \u003c/span>\u003cb>red wine\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to pair with tarot nights on Monday evenings at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/blushwinebarsf/?hl=en\">\u003cb>Blush! Wine Bar\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, if you can get them out of the house. For more of a brooding and cheeky time, a whisk(e)y neat might be more of \u003c/span>\u003cb>Scorpio\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’s speed at the leather-laden \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.the440.com/\">\u003cb>440\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Scorpio thrives in intensity, but dreamy \u003cstrong>Pisces\u003c/strong>, the last water sign, is perfect for \u003c/span>\u003cb>white wine\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and musical nights at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/edgebarsf/?hl=en\">\u003cb>The Edge\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday nights, singing about their on-screen dreams alongside a bar full of people.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Astrological Signs as Cocktails - Part 2! | KQED No Crumbs\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xyq3sIDhTus?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Libra\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, always looking for balance, is perfect for the equally posh and untamed weekend drag brunches at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.beauxsf.com/\">\u003cb>Beaux\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, complete with \u003c/span>\u003cb>mimosas\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (the balance of which is up to them!). The inquisitive \u003c/span>\u003cb>Aquarius\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, on the other hand, seeks novel ideas and \u003c/span>\u003cb>inventive cocktails\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lobbybarsf.com/\">Lobby Bar\u003c/a>.\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Will they go for the spicy Carly Rae Jepsen or the unconventional Umi — or perhaps, something entirely unexpected from their seasonally rotating menu. \u003c/span>\u003cb>Gemini\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the last of the air signs, is perfect for the signature \u003c/span>\u003cb>Haterade\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> cocktail at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.hitopsbar.com/hi-tops-sf\">\u003cb>Hi Tops\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> during trivia nights on Tuesdays. Because we get it: \u003cem>You drink and you know things.\u003c/em>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, the grounded and pragmatic Earth signs: \u003c/span>\u003cb>Capricorn\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> works hard and plays equally as hard, so a \u003c/span>\u003cb>shot of tequila\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://cafesf.com/\">\u003cb>The Café\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is as to the point as they are. Although Capricorn came out to party, you might have to drag out the cozy-loving \u003c/span>\u003cb>Taurus\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, whose love for comfort matches a warming \u003c/span>\u003cb>Old Fashioned\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.blackbirdbar.com/\">\u003cb>The Blackbird\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (perfect for the book-loving Taurus at the bar and the social Taurus by the pool table alike). Finally, the discerning \u003c/span>\u003cb>Virgo\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> needs a glass of sparkling wine at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.lookoutsf.com/\">\u003cb>Lookout\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at the end of a long week: nothing helps them unwind more than people watching and assessing the passerby’s life choices.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Want more Castro or beverage content? Let me know by \u003c/span>reaching out to KQED Food on \u003ca href=\"https://instagram.com/kqedfood\">Instagram\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"mailto:food@kqed.org?subject=Recommendations%20for%20Josh!\">dropping us an email\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Josh Decolongon is a certified sommelier and holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma. He is the host and producer of “No Crumbs,” a new digital video series from KQED. Find it on Instagram \u003ca href=\"https://instagram.com/kqedfood\">@KQEDFood\u003c/a>. Follow Josh on Instagram at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sommeligay/\">@sommeligay\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":null,"status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719620550,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":true,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":12,"wordCount":720},"headData":{"title":"Astrological Signs as Castro Cocktails | KQED","description":"I still remember my first time in the Castro after an awkward date where we “bumped into his family” in Japantown. I had a first cocktail (equally as awkward!) when he took me to the now-closed Badlands, the tart grapefruit of their Greyhound easing the pain of being at an empty nightclub while the sun was still out. I’ve come to know the corners of the Castro after almost a decade of reveling in its queer magic. Even after visiting the various gayborhoods around the world, I’m always drawn back here. Maybe it’s because of the memories I’ve built, the","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"food_1337655","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"food_1337445","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Astrological Signs as Castro Cocktails","datePublished":"2024-06-28T17:23:26-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-28T17:22:30-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"videoEmbed":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/eFvCifyrArY?autoplay=1","source":"No Crumbs","sticky":false,"nprByline":"Josh Decolongon","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/food/1337439/astrological-signs-castro-cocktails","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I still remember my first time in the Castro after an awkward date where we “bumped into his family” in Japantown. I had a first cocktail (equally as awkward!) when he took me to the now-closed Badlands, the tart grapefruit of their Greyhound easing the pain of being at an empty nightclub while the sun was still out.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’ve come to know the corners of the Castro after almost a decade of reveling in its queer magic. Even after visiting the various gayborhoods around the world, I’m always drawn back here. Maybe it’s because of the memories I’ve built, the history I get to soak in, or the fact that there’s literally something here for everyone.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That’s the prevailing sentiment around the Castro: It’s for everyone. And to prove it, I’ve paired each of the astrological signs with a different specialty drink crafted and served at a beloved establishment in the Castro. Whether or not you jam with the stars, there’s a constellation of places to hang out, especially during Pride Month!\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some might question why I paired \u003c/span>\u003cb>Aries\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the spark of the astrological signs, to an \u003c/span>\u003cb>Irish coffee\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.twinpeakstavern.com/\">\u003cb>Twin Peaks Tavern\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Don’t be fooled by the relaxed atmosphere: This historic spot was the first gay bar in the city, and possibly the country, to have full-length windows \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">— a bold move at a time when even being seen inside a gay bar could get you into trouble\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The nerve continues with fire sign \u003c/span>\u003cb>Leo\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, where karaoke nights at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.midnightsunsf.com/\">\u003cb>Midnight Sun\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on Wednesdays with some \u003c/span>\u003cb>frosé\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> mean the time is ripe for you to shine in the spotlight, including contests during the last Wednesday of every month. And for the adventurous fire sign \u003c/span>\u003cb>Sagittarius\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">? One step into \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lastritesbar.com/\">\u003cb>Last Rites\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> transports you to a tropical scene, and the \u003c/span>\u003cb>No Doctor on Board\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> cocktail brings the Legend of the Hidden Temple fantasy to life.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The emotionally perceptive \u003c/span>\u003cb>Cancer\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> might crave a glass of \u003c/span>\u003cb>red wine\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to pair with tarot nights on Monday evenings at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/blushwinebarsf/?hl=en\">\u003cb>Blush! Wine Bar\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, if you can get them out of the house. For more of a brooding and cheeky time, a whisk(e)y neat might be more of \u003c/span>\u003cb>Scorpio\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’s speed at the leather-laden \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.the440.com/\">\u003cb>440\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Scorpio thrives in intensity, but dreamy \u003cstrong>Pisces\u003c/strong>, the last water sign, is perfect for \u003c/span>\u003cb>white wine\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and musical nights at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/edgebarsf/?hl=en\">\u003cb>The Edge\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday nights, singing about their on-screen dreams alongside a bar full of people.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Astrological Signs as Cocktails - Part 2! | KQED No Crumbs\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xyq3sIDhTus?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Libra\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, always looking for balance, is perfect for the equally posh and untamed weekend drag brunches at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.beauxsf.com/\">\u003cb>Beaux\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, complete with \u003c/span>\u003cb>mimosas\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (the balance of which is up to them!). The inquisitive \u003c/span>\u003cb>Aquarius\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, on the other hand, seeks novel ideas and \u003c/span>\u003cb>inventive cocktails\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003cb>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lobbybarsf.com/\">Lobby Bar\u003c/a>.\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Will they go for the spicy Carly Rae Jepsen or the unconventional Umi — or perhaps, something entirely unexpected from their seasonally rotating menu. \u003c/span>\u003cb>Gemini\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the last of the air signs, is perfect for the signature \u003c/span>\u003cb>Haterade\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> cocktail at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.hitopsbar.com/hi-tops-sf\">\u003cb>Hi Tops\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> during trivia nights on Tuesdays. Because we get it: \u003cem>You drink and you know things.\u003c/em>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, the grounded and pragmatic Earth signs: \u003c/span>\u003cb>Capricorn\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> works hard and plays equally as hard, so a \u003c/span>\u003cb>shot of tequila\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://cafesf.com/\">\u003cb>The Café\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is as to the point as they are. Although Capricorn came out to party, you might have to drag out the cozy-loving \u003c/span>\u003cb>Taurus\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, whose love for comfort matches a warming \u003c/span>\u003cb>Old Fashioned\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.blackbirdbar.com/\">\u003cb>The Blackbird\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (perfect for the book-loving Taurus at the bar and the social Taurus by the pool table alike). Finally, the discerning \u003c/span>\u003cb>Virgo\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> needs a glass of sparkling wine at \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.lookoutsf.com/\">\u003cb>Lookout\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at the end of a long week: nothing helps them unwind more than people watching and assessing the passerby’s life choices.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Want more Castro or beverage content? Let me know by \u003c/span>reaching out to KQED Food on \u003ca href=\"https://instagram.com/kqedfood\">Instagram\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"mailto:food@kqed.org?subject=Recommendations%20for%20Josh!\">dropping us an email\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Josh Decolongon is a certified sommelier and holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma. He is the host and producer of “No Crumbs,” a new digital video series from KQED. Find it on Instagram \u003ca href=\"https://instagram.com/kqedfood\">@KQEDFood\u003c/a>. Follow Josh on Instagram at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/sommeligay/\">@sommeligay\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/food/1337439/astrological-signs-castro-cocktails","authors":["byline_food_1337439"],"series":["food_331"],"categories":["food_1"],"tags":["food_130","food_257","food_256","food_255","food_229","food_76","food_253","food_86","food_254","food_81","food_263","food_262","food_249","food_252","food_261","food_250","food_251","food_230","food_258","food_88","food_259","food_260"],"featImg":"food_1337655","label":"source_food_1337439"},"arts_13955802":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13955802","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13955802","score":null,"sort":[1713390752000]},"parent":0,"labelTerm":{},"blocks":[],"publishDate":1713390752,"format":"standard","title":"Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics)","headTitle":"Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics) | KQED","content":"\u003cp>[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen conveying what it means to really be from the Bay Area, I often return to this simple yet revelatory \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mac-dre\">Mac Dre\u003c/a> lyric: “In the Bay Area, we dance a little different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Whether it’s in our music, political activism or technological contributions, there’s a certain out-of-box forwardness that tends to manifest from Bay Area minds — and a  pride in how we approach everything with a savvy sprinkling of game, hustlership and top-tier ideation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The same can be said for the Bay Area’s food scene, which ranks among the nation’s best and most imaginative. From sourdough bread to the eternal Mission-style burrito, the Bay’s foodmakers have often been ahead of the curve, helping to revolutionize menus nationwide with their fresh farm-to-table approach. To borrow from the great Mac, one could say that in the Bay Area, we \u003ci>eat\u003c/i> a little different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13907726,arts_13934248']\u003c/span>It’s no surprise, then, that in the history of local rap, food has always been a strong reference point — a metaphorical kitchen for creative exchange. An endless platter of well-seasoned slang. For decades, our rappers have delivered punchlines involving sauce, lasagna and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMah0rX6pGU\">lumpia\u003c/a>; dropped verses that generously reference \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkBJR5L2nas\">desserts and bakeries\u003c/a>; and supplied entire songs about stacking bread, cheese and lettuce as lucrative sandwiches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/bay-area-rap-shrimp-crab-17915372.php\">Food-loving Bay Area rappers\u003c/a> have always been bold when it comes to transmorphing culinary items and kitchen utensils into slang that others then appropriate and even misuse (see: “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13908052/food-doesnt-slap\">food doesn’t slap\u003c/a>”). Shock G once talked about getting busy in a Burger King bathroom and declared, “I like my oatmeal lumpy.” On “Dreganomics,” Mac Dre himself asked, “What’s spaghetti without the sauce?” We’ve got Suga T (sweet) and Spice 1 (hot). Berner founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cookiessf/?hl=en\">Cookies\u003c/a>. And just a few weeks ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900085/stunnaman02-and-the-big-steppin-energy-in-the-room\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> dropped a whole series of viral videos centered on his latest single. His focus? \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@jayworrld/video/7340701934355254574\">Eating a salad\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a unifying ethos in Bay Area food and rap: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6GU3PmttyI\">Everybody eats\u003c/a>. So here’s a brief ode to some of our region’s most skilled vocabulary chefs and the tasteful ways they’ve reimagined the ingredients of language that are possible in a kitchen — and the recording studio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956090\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956090\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper E-40 in sunglasses and a beige apron, holding a glass of red wine. In front of him are a burrito and a grilled cheese sandwich.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">E-40 might be the most prolific inventor of food-related slang words in the English language. He’s a head chef in the Bay Area’s rap kingdom. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>E-40: Green eggs, hams, candy yams, Spam, cheese, peanut butter and jam on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etIBcRriUJY\">The Slap\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Digital scale, green eggs and hams / Yams, candy yams, Spam, damn! / Loaded, my cheese, peanut butter and jam / Sammich, mannish, me and my Hispanics / Vanish, talkin’ in codes like we from different planets.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though it may sound like gibberish to the uninitiated, rest assured that \u003ca href=\"https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2013/12/food-rap-decoded-with-e-40-video\">99.99% of anything 40 Water vocalizes has a cleverly associative meaning\u003c/a>. For anyone who has listened to one of the more than 25 studio albums from Vallejo’s kingpin, you’ve surely heard him mention food — perhaps in a variety of languages (some real, some ingeniously invented). In addition to the smorgasbord he notes above in “The Slap,” he has pioneered rhymes across generations that give new meanings to Gouda, feta, mozzarella, lettuce, bread, sausage, salami, paninis, spaghetti, tacos and enchiladas — ad infinitum. Unsurprisingly, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13907726/e-40-goon-with-the-spoon-bay-area-rappers-food-entrepreneurs-hustle\">Mr. Fonzarelli is an actual purveyor of foods and beverages\u003c/a>, with a line of products that includes malt liquor, ice cream and burritos; he even co-owns \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thelumpiacompany/\">The Lumpia Company\u003c/a>. There’s no one with a bigger million-dollar mouthpiece who can distribute as much word candy (“S-L-A-N-G”) quite as flavorfully as the Goon With The Spoon himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Andre Nickatina: TOGO’s #41 sandwich with the hot peppers on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FU1XdPE6lM\">Fa Show\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Baby don’t act dumb, I’m number 41, high stepper / TOGO’s sandwich with the hot peppers / At 90 degrees I might freeze, so when it’s hot I sport leather.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fillmore’s finest, and among \u003ca href=\"https://www.passionweiss.com/2016/11/17/andre-nickatina/\">the most criminally underrated San Francisco rappers in history\u003c/a>, Andre Nickatina has always had a penchant for the spicy, the flavorful, the extemporaneously saucy. From rapping about eating Cap’n Crunch around drug dealers to sarcastically handing out Baskin Robbins dollars to his enemies, Nicky Nicotine (formerly known as Dre Dog) raps about food as casually as any rapper would ever dare. Unlike many of today’s international rap personalities, who seem to only eat at \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/6frbt9/why_are_rappers_obsessed_with_nobu_sushi/\">high-priced sushi conglomerates\u003c/a>, Nickatina is a Bay Area real one, electing to stay fed at a regional sandwich chain from San Jose. The enigmatic “number 41” on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.togos.com/menu/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRh69gJ2fS8J9qmnAKJEnCmI5720psTxEmhEmkgFAemWoe3auyNuuxExoCTm0QAvD_BwE\">Togo’s menu\u003c/a> has since been discontinued, but a spokesperson for the restaurant IDed it as a sirloin steak and mushroom sandwich that was introduced as a seasonal special back in 2002 — the same year “Fa Show” was released. There is no doubt it must’ve been fire, given its endorsement by a legend who knows how to professionally “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8TXpoi-goE\">Break Bread\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956088\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956088\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper Kamaiyah eating from a plate of chicken alfredo tucked under her arm. Next to her is a bottle of champagne.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kamaiyah’s album covers often feature food, Hennessey and champagne — a reflection of the rapper’s saucy, bossy lifestyle. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Kamaiyah: Champagne and chicken on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yls2dMJ63tM\">Whatever Whenever\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Just drink champagne with all my chicken meals.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s fitting that East Oakland’s Kamaiyah — who cooked up the searingly hot single “How Does It Feel” on her transcendent debut, \u003ci>A Good Night in the Ghetto\u003c/i> — continued to double down on aspirational living and good eating with her sophomore release, \u003ci>Got It Made\u003c/i>. As always, the bodacious trapper rhymes over a synth-laced, floaty-spaceship soundscape while bragging about her California riches — and cuisine. The music video for “Whatever Whenever” features Kamaiyah roaming the untainted grounds of a Napa Valley-esque chateau. Her album covers over the years have also featured bags of potato chips, Hennessy and double-fisted bottles of champagne. It’s always bottoms up when Kamaiyah is on the track.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Too $hort: Macaroni, steak and collard greens on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru5B8cFskaw\">All My B*tches Are Gone\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Eat some shit up / macaroni, steak, collard greens, or whatever the fuck.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With over 35 years of classic albums like \u003ci>Cocktails\u003c/i> and \u003ci>Gettin’ It\u003c/i>, there’s no doubt that Short Dogg knows how to feed his multi-generational fanbase. He doesn’t shy away from straightforward lyrics — or having a large appetite for nefarious activities — and he has continued to make seasoned slaps for precisely 225,000 hours and counting (“get a calculator, do the math”). This OG’s plate of choice includes classic soul food staples served with a slab of steak. As the veteran unmistakably outlines on “This How We Eat”: “We make money, we eat, we feed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956087\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956087\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper Larry June in an SF Giants cap, holding a crab cracker in one hand and a fork in the other. In front of him is a whole lobster on a plate.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Besides establishing himself as the healthiest rapper in Bay Area lore, Larry June is also known for sporting vintage muscle cars and cracking lobsters in Sausalito as part of his luxurious lifestyle. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Larry June: Crab legs on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luIhlZBrJos\">Lifetime Income\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“This not my girlfriend, we just eatin’ crab legs.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you know Larry June, then you know he’s all about smoothies, green teas, organic juices and oranges (yee hee!). But just as buttery are his numerously silky references to luxury meals and late-night outings with a seemingly endless rotation of women friends. Without question, the Hunters Point rapper has one of the healthiest appetites of anyone around a microphone, regularly dropping rhymes about his organic sustenance. Since Uncle Larry makes a living off his out-of-pocket food references, he merits an honorable mention for dropping other absolute bangers like “I might write a motherfuckin’ smoothie book or somethin’ … Sell this shit for thirty dollars” and “Watermelon juice riding bikes with my latest chick / I don’t do the clubs that often, I got a check to get.” It’s fitting that \u003ca href=\"https://uproxx.com/music/larry-june-interview-san-francisco/\">he also co-owns Honeybear Boba in the Dogpatch\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Iamsu!: Chicken strips and Moscato on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQcxMU3uvLg\">Don’t Stop\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Keep it real I don’t brag though… / Chicken strips, no escargot / [sippin’] on the Moscato.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be fair, this lyric is from a young, mixtape-era Iamsu! and might not reflect the current palate of the multi-platinum rapper and producer from Richmond. (In fact, that’s probably true of every rapper on this list, so take these lyrics with a grain of salt.) But when I first heard this song in my 20s, it’s a line that did — and still does — resonate for its unglamorized celebration of living on a low-budget microwaveable diet while maintaining a glimmer of high-life ambition. Personally, I’d take chicken strips over escargot nine out of ten times. And, from the sound of it, so would Suzy 6 Speed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956086\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956086\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"The rapper P-Lo wiggles his fingers in delight over a plate of chicken wings sitting on a bed of dollar bills.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">P-Lo often raps about his love of chicken (chicken adobo, fried chicken, chicken wings), and his favorite food-related slang word is also “chicken” (as a stand in for “money”). \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>P-Lo: Chicken wings in the strip club on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-ajtPhAQ1U\">Going To Work\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“In the strip club eating chicken wings.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13938479']\u003c/span>There may not be another rapper on this list with as much love for chicken wings as Pinole’s P-Lo. For starters, the lyricist and producer launched a transnational food tour,  teaming up with Filipino restaurants around the U.S. and Canada to deliver collaborative one-off dishes, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13935891/p-lo-senor-sisig-filipino-food-tour-oakland\">his own spicy sinigang wings at Señor Sisig in Oakland\u003c/a>. If that’s not enough, he has popped up on popular social media channels like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bayareafoodz/?hl=en\">Bay Area Foodz\u003c/a> as \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJYkVcpM6E0\">he searches for the best wings around the Yay\u003c/a>. His songs are even featured on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwyzdhfrNCE/\">national commercials for Wingstop\u003c/a>. For P-Lo, it’s always time to bring back the bass — and taste.\u003cb>\u003ci>\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Guap (formerly Guapdad 4000): Chicken adobo on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DaovaJgytE\">Chicken Adobo\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“How I fell in love with you it was beautiful / Like chicken adobo how you fill me up.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the Black Filipino American rapper from West Oakland, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905208/a-new-generation-of-filipino-hip-hop-builds-on-a-deep-bay-area-legacy\">food has always played a central role in his upbringing\u003c/a>. The anime-loving, Marvel comics fan grew up in a Filipino household eating champorado, and his songs have never shied away from references to his dual cultures. In what might be his most well-known song, Guap equates romantic satiation to filling up on a bowl of chicken adobo. His love of food goes beyond the booth — he recently spoke out on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13950363/keith-lee-tiktok-oakland-sf-bay-area-struggles\">the recent Keith Lee fiasco\u003c/a>, and he also put together\u003ca href=\"https://trippin.world/guide/oaklands-top-food-joints-with-rapper-guapdad-4000\"> a map of his favorite places to eat around The Town\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cellski: Canadian bacon, hash browns and cheddar cheese on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6wFRZOd7n8\">Chedda\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Gotta get the cheddar, fuck the [federals].”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As most food mentions in Bay Area rap goes, Cellski’s mention of this quintessentially North American breakfast combo isn’t exactly a homage to the real ingredients, as much as it is a reference to his hustling. His 1998 \u003ca href=\"https://www.discogs.com/release/841568-Cellski-Canadian-Bacon-Hash-Browns/image/SW1hZ2U6NDg3ODMxNzk=\">album cover\u003c/a> for \u003ci>Canadian Bacon & Hash Browns \u003c/i>features a cartoon depiction of the rapper getting pulled over and arrested by a Canadian mountie, with an open trunk revealing pounds of medicinal herbs. Nonetheless, there’s a good chance that the veteran San Francisco spitter actually does like to carry Canadian bacon, hash browns and cheddar around — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13922141/cellskis-big-mafi-burgers-come-with-a-side-of-sf-rap-history\">he’s a part-time foodie who runs his own burger pop-up, after all\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956089\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956089\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper Dru Down in gold sunglasses and a black trench coat, holding an ice cream cone in one hand and an ice cream sundae on the table in front of him.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In a famous 1996 beef, Dru Down and the Luniz accused New Orleans rapper Master P (who started his musical career in the Bay Area) for stealing their concept of the “Ice Cream Man” — slang for a narcotics dealer. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Dru Down: Ice cream on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uNv2qAje-Q\">Ice Cream Man\u003c/a>” (with the Luniz)\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Get your ice cream, ice cream / Not Ice-T, not Ice Cube, ice cream.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not intended for children, the classic 1993 anthem off Dru Down’s \u003ci>Fools From The Street \u003c/i>paints a startling picture of addiction and illicit drug distribution around Oakland in the wake of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan’s War on Drugs. Despite its unapologetic content, “Ice Cream Man” went on to establish an indisputably popular food motif in national rap music: ice cream as a stand-in for drug dealing. Since the production includes an audio sampling of an ice cream truck’s inimitable tune, listening to it evokes a sense of nostalgia for the frozen treat — and for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">golden-era Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n","stats":{"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"hasAudio":false,"hasPolis":false,"wordCount":2211,"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"paragraphCount":28},"modified":1713412777,"excerpt":"A brief look at some of the Bay Area’s most notoriously hungry rappers — and the foods they’ve lyricized about.","headData":{"twImgId":"","twTitle":"Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics)","socialTitle":"Bay Area Rappers and Food Lyrics %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","ogTitle":"Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics)","ogImgId":"","twDescription":"","description":"A brief look at some of the Bay Area’s most notoriously hungry rappers — and the foods they’ve lyricized about.","title":"Bay Area Rappers and Food Lyrics | KQED","ogDescription":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics)","datePublished":"2024-04-17T14:52:32-07:00","dateModified":"2024-04-17T20:59:37-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"bay-area-rappers-food-lyrics-illustrations-e-40-larry-june","status":"publish","sourceUrl":"https://www.kqed.org/food","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","sticky":false,"source":"Food","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13955802/bay-area-rappers-food-lyrics-illustrations-e-40-larry-june","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">W\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>hen conveying what it means to really be from the Bay Area, I often return to this simple yet revelatory \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/mac-dre\">Mac Dre\u003c/a> lyric: “In the Bay Area, we dance a little different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Whether it’s in our music, political activism or technological contributions, there’s a certain out-of-box forwardness that tends to manifest from Bay Area minds — and a  pride in how we approach everything with a savvy sprinkling of game, hustlership and top-tier ideation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The same can be said for the Bay Area’s food scene, which ranks among the nation’s best and most imaginative. From sourdough bread to the eternal Mission-style burrito, the Bay’s foodmakers have often been ahead of the curve, helping to revolutionize menus nationwide with their fresh farm-to-table approach. To borrow from the great Mac, one could say that in the Bay Area, we \u003ci>eat\u003c/i> a little different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13907726,arts_13934248","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>It’s no surprise, then, that in the history of local rap, food has always been a strong reference point — a metaphorical kitchen for creative exchange. An endless platter of well-seasoned slang. For decades, our rappers have delivered punchlines involving sauce, lasagna and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMah0rX6pGU\">lumpia\u003c/a>; dropped verses that generously reference \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkBJR5L2nas\">desserts and bakeries\u003c/a>; and supplied entire songs about stacking bread, cheese and lettuce as lucrative sandwiches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/bay-area-rap-shrimp-crab-17915372.php\">Food-loving Bay Area rappers\u003c/a> have always been bold when it comes to transmorphing culinary items and kitchen utensils into slang that others then appropriate and even misuse (see: “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13908052/food-doesnt-slap\">food doesn’t slap\u003c/a>”). Shock G once talked about getting busy in a Burger King bathroom and declared, “I like my oatmeal lumpy.” On “Dreganomics,” Mac Dre himself asked, “What’s spaghetti without the sauce?” We’ve got Suga T (sweet) and Spice 1 (hot). Berner founded \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cookiessf/?hl=en\">Cookies\u003c/a>. And just a few weeks ago, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13900085/stunnaman02-and-the-big-steppin-energy-in-the-room\">Stunnaman02\u003c/a> dropped a whole series of viral videos centered on his latest single. His focus? \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@jayworrld/video/7340701934355254574\">Eating a salad\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a unifying ethos in Bay Area food and rap: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6GU3PmttyI\">Everybody eats\u003c/a>. So here’s a brief ode to some of our region’s most skilled vocabulary chefs and the tasteful ways they’ve reimagined the ingredients of language that are possible in a kitchen — and the recording studio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956090\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956090\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper E-40 in sunglasses and a beige apron, holding a glass of red wine. In front of him are a burrito and a grilled cheese sandwich.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/E40-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">E-40 might be the most prolific inventor of food-related slang words in the English language. He’s a head chef in the Bay Area’s rap kingdom. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>E-40: Green eggs, hams, candy yams, Spam, cheese, peanut butter and jam on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etIBcRriUJY\">The Slap\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Digital scale, green eggs and hams / Yams, candy yams, Spam, damn! / Loaded, my cheese, peanut butter and jam / Sammich, mannish, me and my Hispanics / Vanish, talkin’ in codes like we from different planets.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though it may sound like gibberish to the uninitiated, rest assured that \u003ca href=\"https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2013/12/food-rap-decoded-with-e-40-video\">99.99% of anything 40 Water vocalizes has a cleverly associative meaning\u003c/a>. For anyone who has listened to one of the more than 25 studio albums from Vallejo’s kingpin, you’ve surely heard him mention food — perhaps in a variety of languages (some real, some ingeniously invented). In addition to the smorgasbord he notes above in “The Slap,” he has pioneered rhymes across generations that give new meanings to Gouda, feta, mozzarella, lettuce, bread, sausage, salami, paninis, spaghetti, tacos and enchiladas — ad infinitum. Unsurprisingly, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13907726/e-40-goon-with-the-spoon-bay-area-rappers-food-entrepreneurs-hustle\">Mr. Fonzarelli is an actual purveyor of foods and beverages\u003c/a>, with a line of products that includes malt liquor, ice cream and burritos; he even co-owns \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thelumpiacompany/\">The Lumpia Company\u003c/a>. There’s no one with a bigger million-dollar mouthpiece who can distribute as much word candy (“S-L-A-N-G”) quite as flavorfully as the Goon With The Spoon himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Andre Nickatina: TOGO’s #41 sandwich with the hot peppers on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FU1XdPE6lM\">Fa Show\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Baby don’t act dumb, I’m number 41, high stepper / TOGO’s sandwich with the hot peppers / At 90 degrees I might freeze, so when it’s hot I sport leather.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fillmore’s finest, and among \u003ca href=\"https://www.passionweiss.com/2016/11/17/andre-nickatina/\">the most criminally underrated San Francisco rappers in history\u003c/a>, Andre Nickatina has always had a penchant for the spicy, the flavorful, the extemporaneously saucy. From rapping about eating Cap’n Crunch around drug dealers to sarcastically handing out Baskin Robbins dollars to his enemies, Nicky Nicotine (formerly known as Dre Dog) raps about food as casually as any rapper would ever dare. Unlike many of today’s international rap personalities, who seem to only eat at \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/6frbt9/why_are_rappers_obsessed_with_nobu_sushi/\">high-priced sushi conglomerates\u003c/a>, Nickatina is a Bay Area real one, electing to stay fed at a regional sandwich chain from San Jose. The enigmatic “number 41” on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.togos.com/menu/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRh69gJ2fS8J9qmnAKJEnCmI5720psTxEmhEmkgFAemWoe3auyNuuxExoCTm0QAvD_BwE\">Togo’s menu\u003c/a> has since been discontinued, but a spokesperson for the restaurant IDed it as a sirloin steak and mushroom sandwich that was introduced as a seasonal special back in 2002 — the same year “Fa Show” was released. There is no doubt it must’ve been fire, given its endorsement by a legend who knows how to professionally “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8TXpoi-goE\">Break Bread\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956088\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956088\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper Kamaiyah eating from a plate of chicken alfredo tucked under her arm. Next to her is a bottle of champagne.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/KAMAIYAH-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kamaiyah’s album covers often feature food, Hennessey and champagne — a reflection of the rapper’s saucy, bossy lifestyle. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Kamaiyah: Champagne and chicken on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yls2dMJ63tM\">Whatever Whenever\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Just drink champagne with all my chicken meals.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s fitting that East Oakland’s Kamaiyah — who cooked up the searingly hot single “How Does It Feel” on her transcendent debut, \u003ci>A Good Night in the Ghetto\u003c/i> — continued to double down on aspirational living and good eating with her sophomore release, \u003ci>Got It Made\u003c/i>. As always, the bodacious trapper rhymes over a synth-laced, floaty-spaceship soundscape while bragging about her California riches — and cuisine. The music video for “Whatever Whenever” features Kamaiyah roaming the untainted grounds of a Napa Valley-esque chateau. Her album covers over the years have also featured bags of potato chips, Hennessy and double-fisted bottles of champagne. It’s always bottoms up when Kamaiyah is on the track.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Too $hort: Macaroni, steak and collard greens on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru5B8cFskaw\">All My B*tches Are Gone\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Eat some shit up / macaroni, steak, collard greens, or whatever the fuck.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With over 35 years of classic albums like \u003ci>Cocktails\u003c/i> and \u003ci>Gettin’ It\u003c/i>, there’s no doubt that Short Dogg knows how to feed his multi-generational fanbase. He doesn’t shy away from straightforward lyrics — or having a large appetite for nefarious activities — and he has continued to make seasoned slaps for precisely 225,000 hours and counting (“get a calculator, do the math”). This OG’s plate of choice includes classic soul food staples served with a slab of steak. As the veteran unmistakably outlines on “This How We Eat”: “We make money, we eat, we feed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956087\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956087\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper Larry June in an SF Giants cap, holding a crab cracker in one hand and a fork in the other. In front of him is a whole lobster on a plate.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/LARRY-JUNE-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Besides establishing himself as the healthiest rapper in Bay Area lore, Larry June is also known for sporting vintage muscle cars and cracking lobsters in Sausalito as part of his luxurious lifestyle. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Larry June: Crab legs on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luIhlZBrJos\">Lifetime Income\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“This not my girlfriend, we just eatin’ crab legs.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you know Larry June, then you know he’s all about smoothies, green teas, organic juices and oranges (yee hee!). But just as buttery are his numerously silky references to luxury meals and late-night outings with a seemingly endless rotation of women friends. Without question, the Hunters Point rapper has one of the healthiest appetites of anyone around a microphone, regularly dropping rhymes about his organic sustenance. Since Uncle Larry makes a living off his out-of-pocket food references, he merits an honorable mention for dropping other absolute bangers like “I might write a motherfuckin’ smoothie book or somethin’ … Sell this shit for thirty dollars” and “Watermelon juice riding bikes with my latest chick / I don’t do the clubs that often, I got a check to get.” It’s fitting that \u003ca href=\"https://uproxx.com/music/larry-june-interview-san-francisco/\">he also co-owns Honeybear Boba in the Dogpatch\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Iamsu!: Chicken strips and Moscato on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQcxMU3uvLg\">Don’t Stop\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Keep it real I don’t brag though… / Chicken strips, no escargot / [sippin’] on the Moscato.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be fair, this lyric is from a young, mixtape-era Iamsu! and might not reflect the current palate of the multi-platinum rapper and producer from Richmond. (In fact, that’s probably true of every rapper on this list, so take these lyrics with a grain of salt.) But when I first heard this song in my 20s, it’s a line that did — and still does — resonate for its unglamorized celebration of living on a low-budget microwaveable diet while maintaining a glimmer of high-life ambition. Personally, I’d take chicken strips over escargot nine out of ten times. And, from the sound of it, so would Suzy 6 Speed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956086\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956086\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"The rapper P-Lo wiggles his fingers in delight over a plate of chicken wings sitting on a bed of dollar bills.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/PLO-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">P-Lo often raps about his love of chicken (chicken adobo, fried chicken, chicken wings), and his favorite food-related slang word is also “chicken” (as a stand in for “money”). \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>P-Lo: Chicken wings in the strip club on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-ajtPhAQ1U\">Going To Work\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“In the strip club eating chicken wings.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13938479","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>There may not be another rapper on this list with as much love for chicken wings as Pinole’s P-Lo. For starters, the lyricist and producer launched a transnational food tour,  teaming up with Filipino restaurants around the U.S. and Canada to deliver collaborative one-off dishes, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13935891/p-lo-senor-sisig-filipino-food-tour-oakland\">his own spicy sinigang wings at Señor Sisig in Oakland\u003c/a>. If that’s not enough, he has popped up on popular social media channels like \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/bayareafoodz/?hl=en\">Bay Area Foodz\u003c/a> as \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJYkVcpM6E0\">he searches for the best wings around the Yay\u003c/a>. His songs are even featured on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwyzdhfrNCE/\">national commercials for Wingstop\u003c/a>. For P-Lo, it’s always time to bring back the bass — and taste.\u003cb>\u003ci>\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Guap (formerly Guapdad 4000): Chicken adobo on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DaovaJgytE\">Chicken Adobo\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“How I fell in love with you it was beautiful / Like chicken adobo how you fill me up.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the Black Filipino American rapper from West Oakland, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905208/a-new-generation-of-filipino-hip-hop-builds-on-a-deep-bay-area-legacy\">food has always played a central role in his upbringing\u003c/a>. The anime-loving, Marvel comics fan grew up in a Filipino household eating champorado, and his songs have never shied away from references to his dual cultures. In what might be his most well-known song, Guap equates romantic satiation to filling up on a bowl of chicken adobo. His love of food goes beyond the booth — he recently spoke out on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13950363/keith-lee-tiktok-oakland-sf-bay-area-struggles\">the recent Keith Lee fiasco\u003c/a>, and he also put together\u003ca href=\"https://trippin.world/guide/oaklands-top-food-joints-with-rapper-guapdad-4000\"> a map of his favorite places to eat around The Town\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cellski: Canadian bacon, hash browns and cheddar cheese on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6wFRZOd7n8\">Chedda\u003c/a>”\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Gotta get the cheddar, fuck the [federals].”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As most food mentions in Bay Area rap goes, Cellski’s mention of this quintessentially North American breakfast combo isn’t exactly a homage to the real ingredients, as much as it is a reference to his hustling. His 1998 \u003ca href=\"https://www.discogs.com/release/841568-Cellski-Canadian-Bacon-Hash-Browns/image/SW1hZ2U6NDg3ODMxNzk=\">album cover\u003c/a> for \u003ci>Canadian Bacon & Hash Browns \u003c/i>features a cartoon depiction of the rapper getting pulled over and arrested by a Canadian mountie, with an open trunk revealing pounds of medicinal herbs. Nonetheless, there’s a good chance that the veteran San Francisco spitter actually does like to carry Canadian bacon, hash browns and cheddar around — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13922141/cellskis-big-mafi-burgers-come-with-a-side-of-sf-rap-history\">he’s a part-time foodie who runs his own burger pop-up, after all\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13956089\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13956089\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of the rapper Dru Down in gold sunglasses and a black trench coat, holding an ice cream cone in one hand and an ice cream sundae on the table in front of him.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/DRU-DOWN-Color-1-1920x1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In a famous 1996 beef, Dru Down and the Luniz accused New Orleans rapper Master P (who started his musical career in the Bay Area) for stealing their concept of the “Ice Cream Man” — slang for a narcotics dealer. \u003ccite>(Torre / @torre.pentel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Dru Down: Ice cream on “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uNv2qAje-Q\">Ice Cream Man\u003c/a>” (with the Luniz)\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“Get your ice cream, ice cream / Not Ice-T, not Ice Cube, ice cream.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not intended for children, the classic 1993 anthem off Dru Down’s \u003ci>Fools From The Street \u003c/i>paints a startling picture of addiction and illicit drug distribution around Oakland in the wake of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan’s War on Drugs. Despite its unapologetic content, “Ice Cream Man” went on to establish an indisputably popular food motif in national rap music: ice cream as a stand-in for drug dealing. Since the production includes an audio sampling of an ice cream truck’s inimitable tune, listening to it evokes a sense of nostalgia for the frozen treat — and for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">golden-era Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13955802/bay-area-rappers-food-lyrics-illustrations-e-40-larry-june","authors":["11748"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_12276","arts_69"],"tags":["arts_21883","arts_5397","arts_1601","arts_10278","arts_1297","arts_3771","arts_831","arts_21738","arts_1558","arts_9337","arts_1143","arts_1803","arts_1146","arts_19942","arts_19347","arts_3478","arts_3800"],"featImg":"arts_13956152","label":"source_arts_13955802"},"arts_13952260":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13952260","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13952260","score":null,"sort":[1707929631000]},"parent":0,"labelTerm":{},"blocks":[],"publishDate":1707929631,"format":"aside","title":"Turntablism’s Mightiest Heroes: The Legacy, Impact and Aesthetics of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz","headTitle":"Turntablism’s Mightiest Heroes: The Legacy, Impact and Aesthetics of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz | KQED","content":"\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952272\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952272\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Invisibl Skratch Piklz’ cultural impact over the past 40 years has been felt around the globe. The crew is pictured here backstage in San Francisco in 2017. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Editor’s note\u003c/strong>: This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003cem>, KQED’s story series on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> history.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On an overcast November day in Oakland, DJ Shortkut – a member of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz DJ crew – was the featured performer on a boat cruise, as part of the DMC World DJ Finals festivities. The weather didn’t get too rough during the two-hour tour, which meandered out to the Bay Bridge and back to port at Jack London Square. The worst was some mildly choppy squalls into fierce headwinds. Because this wasn’t your average boat cruise – its attendees mainly consisted of DJs from all over the world in town for the DMC battle – the ship’s crew circled around Treasure Island for a bit, instead of heading further out into the open sea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The calmer waters allowed Shortkut, who had been playing a vibrant set of mostly classic midtempo hip-hop, to show off his mixing and scratching skills a bit. As the boat headed back toward its East Bay dock, Shortkut unleashed an impressive display of scratching skills that lasted for a good five minutes. As the boat neared its mooring, the DJ called his peers to the turntables. What followed was an unforgettable, and super-fun, display of global turntablism at its best, as each DJ in succession laid down a wicked scratch segment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937761\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937761\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with a shaved head stands at a table as a screen behind them shows the images of several people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut performs with Invisibl Skratch Piklz during the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It seemed appropriate for Shortkut to be leading the activities. Once a battle entrant in the DMCs himself and understudy to fellow Piklz Qbert, Apollo, and Mix Master Mike, Shortkut has become an accomplished master in his own right – most recently playing an opening set on LL Cool J’s star-studded Hip Hop 50 tour. The message to the younger DJs on the boat was clear: keep developing your skills and be a balanced DJ who can rise to any occasion – scratching and beat-juggling skills are nice, but rocking a party with impeccable selection while displaying your skills is even better.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Perfecting – and Teaching – the Art\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Piklz first rose to prominence during the ’90s, winning multiple world DJ battle titles as a crew and individually while displaying innovative new techniques that elevated turntablism to unprecedented heights. After revolutionizing the artform and birthing scratch music as a genre, by the decade’s end, they had left an indelible mark on DJ culture and furthered its global reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952265\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952265\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1196\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Japan in 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Christie Zee, the organizer for 2023’s DMC World Battle, held in San Francisco, has worked off and on for the London-based organization since 1998. She first became aware of the Piklz from an old boyfriend’s copy of DJ Qbert’s \u003cem>Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze Musik\u003c/em> mixtape – “It just had so much scratching and it was so fun,” she says. She recalls meeting the crew for the first time in 1999, at the DMC World Finals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m really delicate, really careful about (saying) \u003cem>pioneer\u003c/em> versus \u003cem>legend\u003c/em>, but I do think they were pioneering, because of things they’ve innovated and presented and invented,” she says. “They didn’t invent the scratch, but they just progressed the hell out of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Obviously they have titles under their belts,” says Rob Swift, a founding member of the X-Men/X-Ecutioners, the New York turntablists who famously battled the Piklz in 1996. “But for me, I would say their most pivotal contribution to DJing is teaching the art. Before the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, nobody was teaching. DJing was a secret art.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952266\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952266\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1192\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-800x542.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-1020x691.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-768x520.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-1536x1041.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz with Japanese fans, 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Swift – who’s been teaching a DJ course at the New School for Liberal Arts in New York since 2014 – speaks from experience. Within months of Qbert developing the crab scratch, Swift was using the technique in battles. He cites the instructional \u003cem>Turntable TV\u003c/em> series of video tutorials as not only an inspiration for the X-Men, but also for other DJs and even corporate entities. As a result, more people started DJing and the culture grew.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Before the Piklz, all of us had our own personal terminology for DJing. But the Piklz started (creating) terms that globally started to become accepted and become the consensus terms… Q started giving individual techniques specific names. In doing so, it made the art teachable, because you can’t teach someone by saying, yo, make it go \u003cem>wigga wigga wigga wigga\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now these guys are selling videos to kids in Japan, kids in Canada, kids across the country, kids in Europe that had no clue how to do this shit… Myself, (Roc) Raida, Mista Sinista, (Total) Eclipse, we were inspired by Q, and we started teaching how to juggle, and we made videotapes just like them.” Without the Picklz, he says, there wouldn’t be “the ripple effects of what we see now, of all these DJ schools, all of these people teaching on YouTube, all these online tutorials, all these companies designing gear with all these effects.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952270\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952270\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-1020x670.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-768x505.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-1536x1009.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at Vestax headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, to preview their signature mixer. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Signature Models and Scratch Technique\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Piklz also served as consultants to audio companies like Vestax and Ortofon to develop ISP-branded mixers and needles; more recently, Shortkut served as a brand ambassador for Serato’s vinyl emulation software. In a 2022 video tutorial for \u003cem>Wired\u003c/em>, the master turntablist demonstrates 15 levels of scratching, from the basic “baby scratch” to complex combos, rhythm and drum scratches, and the beat-juggle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Shortkut, beat-juggling is “live manual remixing, basically, with two turntables and a mixer” utilizing two copies of the same record, or two different records. When done properly, the technique creates an entirely new beat using existing sounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mix Master Mike estimates that he and Qbert have named hundreds of specific scratches. Among his original contributions is the “Tweaker,” which was developed accidentally, due to a power outage. “When you cut a turntable off, the sound still comes out of it” when the needle is left on the record. “You got to manually move the belt with your hand, which (makes) a totally way-out, dragging sound from the record.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952268\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1186\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952268\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-800x539.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-1020x688.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-768x518.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz, mid-routine in Seattle, 1994. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In live shows, Mike deploys an arsenal of sound banks with trees of various audio samples for different instruments. He often improvises his sets – rarely playing the same scratch solo twice. With all the scratches he’s invented, “If I’m performing live, it’s all about if I can remember it on the spot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qbert’s most ubiquitous scratch may be the crab, which uses the crossfader to chop the audio signal, similar to the transformer scratch. Unlike the transformer – performed with just thumb and forefinger – the crab utilizes a rapid tapping motion with the other three fingers, resulting in finer chops, like a triplet of 1/16th notes instead of quarter-notes. The crab can then be combined with other techniques like the stab, the tear, or the orbit to create an infinite number of scratch patterns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Q says the crab has nothing to do with crustaceans, actually. It was originally called the crepe, based off a food order he’d made in Lebanon. Except no one could pronounce the rolled r’s of a Lebanese accent correctly. Among the other scratches he’s named personally, “there’s like the hydro, the laser, the phaser, the swipe, oh man, let’s see, there’s the clover tear, the prism scratch. … there’s so many.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952274\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 749px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952274\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/1996-Vestax-ISP-ad.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"749\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/1996-Vestax-ISP-ad.jpg 749w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/1996-Vestax-ISP-ad-160x205.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Vestax advertisement for the Invisibl Skratch Piklz’ signature mixer. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>100mph Backsliding Turkey Kuts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Piklz began developing tools for DJs with the original \u003cem>Battle Breaks\u003c/em> vinyl record, which resampled various sound effects and verbal phrases, making them more scratch-friendly and accessible. Their imprint Dirt Style has released dozens of such records over the decades with names like \u003cem>Bionic Booger Breaks\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Buttcrack Breaks\u003c/em>, or \u003cem>Scratch Fetishes of the Third Kind\u003c/em>. These records are sometimes credited to DJ Qbert, DJ Flare or Mix Master Mike, and sometimes credited to aliases like the Psychedelic Scratch Bastards, The Wax Fondler and Darth Fader.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Battle Breaks\u003c/em> led to another innovation: the \u003cem>Scratchy Seal\u003c/em> series of skipless records. As Qbert explains, there’s a science behind this. “If you look at the turntable, it spins at 33 ⅓ — 33.33333 (revolutions) per minute. If you just make the BPM of the sound effect 33-point-dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee, the magic number, it’s all going to be repetitive. No matter where the needle jumps, it’s going to land on the same sound again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952264\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952264\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qbert and Mix Master Mike backstage at the 2023 DMC championships in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>How\u003c/em> the Piklz scratched also made a difference. According to crew member D-Styles, prior to the Piklz, “a lot of the scratch styles were straight ahead. It was very on the beat. ” He likens the Piklz’ approach to Bird and Dizzy’s excursions in the bebop era – “being ahead of the beat, or behind the beat, being more free with it, not so (much) in the line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there were other DJ crews before the Piklz, Swift says, the idea of a turntable orchestra was uncharted territory. “One guy would take a horn hit, another guy would take drums, the other guy would take vocals. Nobody was doing that before the Piklz.” This became a common practice, and led to the introduction of team routines in major battles. Qbert remarks that he and the other Piklz have been doing synchronized routines for so long, the communication between them has become telepathic. “It’s just kind of like walking in step.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952269\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1173\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952269\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qbert onstage with guitarist Buckethead at the Jazznojazz Festival in Zurich, 1995. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another advancement was the first all-scratching record, i.e. a musical composition consisting entirely of scratched sounds. The scratch music trend resulted in a slew of solo releases — many of them on the now-defunct Bomb Hip Hop label – as well as group albums from the X-Ecutioners, The Allies, and Birdy Nam Nam, and one-offs like El Stew, an alternative supergroup featuring guitarist Buckethead, ISP alumni DJ Disk and producer Eddie Def. After turntablism’s initial wave died down in the early 2000s, the Piklz continued to develop the genre, which Shortkut says has become its own culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a niche market,” Qbert says. “But I’m totally immersed in it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952275\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at a Red Bull event. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘It’s Just Some Human Shit, and It’s a Beautiful Thing’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On his solo albums, Qbert has frequently explored sci-fi themes, beginning with 1998’s \u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em>, and continuing with 2014’s \u003cem>Extraterrestria\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Galaxxxian\u003c/em>, 2020’s \u003cem>Origins (Wave Twisters 0)\u003c/em>, and 2022’s \u003cem>Next Cosmos\u003c/em>. He’s imagined what scratch music from across the galaxy might sound like, evoking starships navigating irradiated asteroid belts, alien creatures scurrying across cratered landscapes, and underwater temples emanating immemorial chants over percussive beats, while turning Rakim and Too Short phrases into Zen mantras. He’s done all this by embracing the musical possibilities of the turntable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On what other equipment could you make the sounds go backwards and forwards and just do all these weird things with it? You know, with your hands,” he says. Unlike pressing buttons on a computer, “this is like fucking connected to your soul. It’s not like AI can do it. It’s just some human shit, and it’s a beautiful thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mix Master Mike served as the official DJ for the Beastie Boys from 1998 up until 2012, later joined Cypress Hill, and has toured with arena rock giants Metallica, Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Godsmack, playing to crowds of up to 50,000. His solo catalog has expanded the turntablism field into new arenas – literally. “I’ve always targeted the rock audience,” Mike says. “I’m not just hip-hop. I’m everything around it. The greatness is having to conquer uncharted territories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I like to remain mysterious in that sense as far as being a mysterious artist and being unpredictable. I’m the risk taker, right? It’s therapeutic for me at this point, but it’s like I’m just taking it as a mission because nobody’s doing this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952267\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952267\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1196\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This philosophy extends from live shows to recordings. “Growing up, I was always listening to soundtrack music. Lalo Schifrin, Quincy Jones, Ennio Morricone.” His goal in making records is to capture a cinematic sense, to make “a soundtrack that can live forever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His newest release, 2023’s \u003cem>Opus X Magnum\u003c/em>, is a headphone album with arena sensibilities. Or vice-versa. There’s lots of subtle instrumental and sound effect-y passages, along with chest-pumping drums and serpentine basslines. The quieter moments are few, but precious. MMM’s Pikl heritage is evident in the way horns, keyboards and vocal phrases are scratched vicariously, resulting in twisty turns that keep your ears guessing what’s next. To the artist’s credit, \u003cem>Opus\u003c/em> does sound epically cinematic throughout, its constantly changing moods and textures suggesting perpetual motion and a full dose of adrenaline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D-Styles’ two solo albums, released 17 years apart, illustrate his artistic growth. 2002’s \u003cem>Phantazmagorea\u003c/em> delves into dark themes, with vocal phrases seemingly selected for shock value, along with recognizable scratched snippets from KRS-One and Stetsasonic. 2019’s \u003cem>Noises In the Right Order\u003c/em> – inspired by a residency at Low End Theory, a club night frequented by lo-fi producers – recalls DJ Shadow’s \u003cem>Endtroducing\u003c/em> and the trip-hop era, while still using found vocals as documentary. D-Styles says \u003cem>Noises\u003c/em> was about being “more musical and less technical.” There’s plenty of scratching, but the emphasis is on overall composition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952271\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 597px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952271\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-at-HEIRO-DAY-2016.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"597\" height=\"506\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-at-HEIRO-DAY-2016.jpg 597w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-at-HEIRO-DAY-2016-160x136.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 597px) 100vw, 597px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at Hiero Day 2016 in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Being a turntable composer, D-Styles maintains, means using scratching’s vocabulary as a musical language. “You look at it like an alphabet. You got chirps, you got flares, you got crabs, you got autobahns, you got Stewie’s, and all of that stuff. You can add swing to it, you could be ahead of the beat. Behind the beat. You can accent. There’s so much that goes into putting these combinations together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Many Styles\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Apollo and Shortkut, meanwhile, joined forces with former ITF World Champion Vin Roc in 1999 to form Triple Threat, a DJ crew whose mission was to integrate turntablism into party-rocking live sets. “Just coming up as turntablists, we kind of like, created little monsters everywhere,” Apollo says. “All they would do is scratch in their bedrooms.” There’s more to DJing, he says, than just doing tricks and scratching and juggling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Triple Threat released a well-received 2003 album, \u003cem>Many Styles\u003c/em>, which blended turntablist-oriented tracks with emcee features from Planet Asia, Black Thought, Souls of Mischief and Zion-I. The trio toured the United States and Asia regularly, and remained active up until the late 2010s. Apollo – who judged the DMC World Finals last year – still identifies as a Pikl, and says his focus nowadays is on upgrading his studio and reestablishing himself as a producer; he hopes to contribute some tracks to future ISP albums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut, at right, on the F.O.R.C.E. Tour with (L–R) DJ Z-Trip, LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Shortkut’s recorded output mainly consists of DJ mixtapes covering a wide variety of genres, but he did produce 2012’s “Twelve,” a funky, fun track with “Sesame Street”-esque vocal samples, for the Beat Junkies 45 Series, as well as 2017’s “Mini-Wheels,” a 7-inch single for Thud Rumble, and “Short Rugs,” a limited-edition slipmat designed for 45 rpm records and a 7-inch record with three skipless vinyl scratch tracks. He’s been an occasional headliner at DJ Platurn’s 45 Sessions party; playing all-vinyl sets, he says, helps him maintain his sanity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a lengthy break following 2000’s “final” performance, Qbert, Shortkut and D-Styles officially reformed as ISP for 2015’s \u003cem>The 13th Floor\u003c/em>, their first full-length release. “This was the first time as a scratch artist that I’ve felt able to do shows with the Piklz where people know the songs,” Shortkut says. The album’s moods range from dark to soulful to jazzy, and were intended to be templates for live performances that typically involve improvised scratch soloing over a structured song with defined instrumental parts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952273\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952273\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Japan, making their ’13th Floor’ album in 2015. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of \u003cem>The 13th Floor\u003c/em>’s compositional elements were developed by D-Styles, who went on to become an online instructor at the Beat Junkies Institute of Sound in 2019. He notes the Piklz are more than halfway through their next, as-yet-untitled album — several tracks from which they previewed live during their recent DMC showcase in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My strength is, I’m always in the studio,” says D-Styles. “I always have these ideas, these sketches that I’ll try at home by myself. But I always have parts in mind, so if i have drums, I’ll be like, this is perfect for Shortkut. And then I have these keyboards, you know, these notes. So I’ll carry that side. And then I’ll give Q this (vocal) phrase. And I know he’ll know what to do with it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Aesthetics That ‘Vibrate a Certain Way’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Qbert maintains he’s still a student, trying to learn new things after all these years. He keeps pushing himself to new levels because he doesn’t want to repeat what he’s already done. “You got to come unique and original, or else it’s like, fucking wack. Or it’s, \u003cem>ah… he did the same shit last time\u003c/em>, you know? I don’t want to hear that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952294\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1811px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1811\" height=\"600\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952294\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_.jpg 1811w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-800x265.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-1020x338.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-768x254.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-1536x509.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1811px) 100vw, 1811px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sample of Qbert’s visual aesthetic from three full-length albums: ‘Extraterrestria,’ ‘Origins Wave Twisters 0,’ and ‘Next Cosmos in 5D.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The most sublime aspect of the Piklz legacy may be their aesthetic, best described as part kung-fu, part sci-fi, part zany humor, yet firmly grounded in DJ culture and hip-hop expression. This is reflected in Mike and Q’s outsize personalities. “Those two in particular are very much outside of this Earth,” says Christie Z, noting that Mike’s custom Serato vinyl is covered in Zectarian language. (In 2017, Qbert joined Mike for a duo performance of MMM’s alienesque single “Channel Zecktar” live at the NAMM showcase.) Artists are sometimes kooky, she says, but she’s used to it by now. “That’s what they do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unsurprisingly, perhaps, Mike sees himself as a glowing, ultramagnetic, cosmic antenna. “I would say, you know, my brain is like a super cerebral satellite dish that I’m just logging into the channels in my mind, and I call it the access to the interstellar network, my own interstellar network that’s going on in my head.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for Qbert, “nowadays I work off of karma,” he says. Though he’s consulted for audio companies before, when he’s asked for input, he doesn’t insist on contractual agreements. “I’ll give you the honest truth.” If a mixer could be sleeker and more ergonomic, he’ll say so. He feels equipment makers could be more visionary and futuristic with their products. “They could put chromatherapy in these things, you know, they vibrate a certain way to make it heal you as a human.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For all of Qbert’s zany sense of humor and embracing of otherworldliness, he’s remarkably down to earth at times. That is to say, his ideology isn’t illogical at all – just advanced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With any art, if you’re deep into it, you’re already touching infinity,” he says. “So you could do so many things in it that you haven’t done. And there’s freakin’ a bag of infinity left — that is never-ending.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n","stats":{"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"hasAudio":false,"hasPolis":false,"wordCount":3685,"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"paragraphCount":46},"modified":1708071864,"excerpt":"The Skratch Piklz' innovations in scratch technique, education and battle tools have impacted the globe. ","headData":{"twImgId":"","twTitle":"","ogTitle":"","ogImgId":"","twDescription":"","description":"The Skratch Piklz' innovations in scratch technique, education and battle tools have impacted the globe. ","title":"Turntablism’s Mightiest Heroes: The Legacy, Impact and Aesthetics of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz | KQED","ogDescription":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Turntablism’s Mightiest Heroes: The Legacy, Impact and Aesthetics of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz","datePublished":"2024-02-14T08:53:51-08:00","dateModified":"2024-02-16T00:24:24-08:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"turntablism-invisibl-skratch-piklz-legacy-impact","status":"publish","sourceUrl":"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop","templateType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","featuredImageType":"standard","sticky":false,"source":"That's My Word","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13952260/turntablism-invisibl-skratch-piklz-legacy-impact","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952272\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952272\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-backstage-in-SF-2017-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Invisibl Skratch Piklz’ cultural impact over the past 40 years has been felt around the globe. The crew is pictured here backstage in San Francisco in 2017. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Editor’s note\u003c/strong>: This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003cem>, KQED’s story series on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> history.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On an overcast November day in Oakland, DJ Shortkut – a member of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz DJ crew – was the featured performer on a boat cruise, as part of the DMC World DJ Finals festivities. The weather didn’t get too rough during the two-hour tour, which meandered out to the Bay Bridge and back to port at Jack London Square. The worst was some mildly choppy squalls into fierce headwinds. Because this wasn’t your average boat cruise – its attendees mainly consisted of DJs from all over the world in town for the DMC battle – the ship’s crew circled around Treasure Island for a bit, instead of heading further out into the open sea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The calmer waters allowed Shortkut, who had been playing a vibrant set of mostly classic midtempo hip-hop, to show off his mixing and scratching skills a bit. As the boat headed back toward its East Bay dock, Shortkut unleashed an impressive display of scratching skills that lasted for a good five minutes. As the boat neared its mooring, the DJ called his peers to the turntables. What followed was an unforgettable, and super-fun, display of global turntablism at its best, as each DJ in succession laid down a wicked scratch segment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937761\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937761\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with a shaved head stands at a table as a screen behind them shows the images of several people.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-22-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut performs with Invisibl Skratch Piklz during the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It seemed appropriate for Shortkut to be leading the activities. Once a battle entrant in the DMCs himself and understudy to fellow Piklz Qbert, Apollo, and Mix Master Mike, Shortkut has become an accomplished master in his own right – most recently playing an opening set on LL Cool J’s star-studded Hip Hop 50 tour. The message to the younger DJs on the boat was clear: keep developing your skills and be a balanced DJ who can rise to any occasion – scratching and beat-juggling skills are nice, but rocking a party with impeccable selection while displaying your skills is even better.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Perfecting – and Teaching – the Art\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Piklz first rose to prominence during the ’90s, winning multiple world DJ battle titles as a crew and individually while displaying innovative new techniques that elevated turntablism to unprecedented heights. After revolutionizing the artform and birthing scratch music as a genre, by the decade’s end, they had left an indelible mark on DJ culture and furthered its global reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952265\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952265\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1196\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.decks_.93-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Japan in 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Christie Zee, the organizer for 2023’s DMC World Battle, held in San Francisco, has worked off and on for the London-based organization since 1998. She first became aware of the Piklz from an old boyfriend’s copy of DJ Qbert’s \u003cem>Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze Musik\u003c/em> mixtape – “It just had so much scratching and it was so fun,” she says. She recalls meeting the crew for the first time in 1999, at the DMC World Finals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m really delicate, really careful about (saying) \u003cem>pioneer\u003c/em> versus \u003cem>legend\u003c/em>, but I do think they were pioneering, because of things they’ve innovated and presented and invented,” she says. “They didn’t invent the scratch, but they just progressed the hell out of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Obviously they have titles under their belts,” says Rob Swift, a founding member of the X-Men/X-Ecutioners, the New York turntablists who famously battled the Piklz in 1996. “But for me, I would say their most pivotal contribution to DJing is teaching the art. Before the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, nobody was teaching. DJing was a secret art.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952266\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952266\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1192\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-800x542.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-1020x691.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-768x520.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan2_-1536x1041.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz with Japanese fans, 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Swift – who’s been teaching a DJ course at the New School for Liberal Arts in New York since 2014 – speaks from experience. Within months of Qbert developing the crab scratch, Swift was using the technique in battles. He cites the instructional \u003cem>Turntable TV\u003c/em> series of video tutorials as not only an inspiration for the X-Men, but also for other DJs and even corporate entities. As a result, more people started DJing and the culture grew.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Before the Piklz, all of us had our own personal terminology for DJing. But the Piklz started (creating) terms that globally started to become accepted and become the consensus terms… Q started giving individual techniques specific names. In doing so, it made the art teachable, because you can’t teach someone by saying, yo, make it go \u003cem>wigga wigga wigga wigga\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now these guys are selling videos to kids in Japan, kids in Canada, kids across the country, kids in Europe that had no clue how to do this shit… Myself, (Roc) Raida, Mista Sinista, (Total) Eclipse, we were inspired by Q, and we started teaching how to juggle, and we made videotapes just like them.” Without the Picklz, he says, there wouldn’t be “the ripple effects of what we see now, of all these DJ schools, all of these people teaching on YouTube, all these online tutorials, all these companies designing gear with all these effects.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952270\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952270\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-800x526.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-1020x670.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-768x505.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Japan_.vestax-1536x1009.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at Vestax headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, to preview their signature mixer. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Signature Models and Scratch Technique\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Piklz also served as consultants to audio companies like Vestax and Ortofon to develop ISP-branded mixers and needles; more recently, Shortkut served as a brand ambassador for Serato’s vinyl emulation software. In a 2022 video tutorial for \u003cem>Wired\u003c/em>, the master turntablist demonstrates 15 levels of scratching, from the basic “baby scratch” to complex combos, rhythm and drum scratches, and the beat-juggle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Shortkut, beat-juggling is “live manual remixing, basically, with two turntables and a mixer” utilizing two copies of the same record, or two different records. When done properly, the technique creates an entirely new beat using existing sounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mix Master Mike estimates that he and Qbert have named hundreds of specific scratches. Among his original contributions is the “Tweaker,” which was developed accidentally, due to a power outage. “When you cut a turntable off, the sound still comes out of it” when the needle is left on the record. “You got to manually move the belt with your hand, which (makes) a totally way-out, dragging sound from the record.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952268\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1186\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952268\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-800x539.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-1020x688.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-768x518.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.3fromsideshortkut-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz, mid-routine in Seattle, 1994. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In live shows, Mike deploys an arsenal of sound banks with trees of various audio samples for different instruments. He often improvises his sets – rarely playing the same scratch solo twice. With all the scratches he’s invented, “If I’m performing live, it’s all about if I can remember it on the spot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qbert’s most ubiquitous scratch may be the crab, which uses the crossfader to chop the audio signal, similar to the transformer scratch. Unlike the transformer – performed with just thumb and forefinger – the crab utilizes a rapid tapping motion with the other three fingers, resulting in finer chops, like a triplet of 1/16th notes instead of quarter-notes. The crab can then be combined with other techniques like the stab, the tear, or the orbit to create an infinite number of scratch patterns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Q says the crab has nothing to do with crustaceans, actually. It was originally called the crepe, based off a food order he’d made in Lebanon. Except no one could pronounce the rolled r’s of a Lebanese accent correctly. Among the other scratches he’s named personally, “there’s like the hydro, the laser, the phaser, the swipe, oh man, let’s see, there’s the clover tear, the prism scratch. … there’s so many.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952274\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 749px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952274\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/1996-Vestax-ISP-ad.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"749\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/1996-Vestax-ISP-ad.jpg 749w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/1996-Vestax-ISP-ad-160x205.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Vestax advertisement for the Invisibl Skratch Piklz’ signature mixer. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>100mph Backsliding Turkey Kuts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Piklz began developing tools for DJs with the original \u003cem>Battle Breaks\u003c/em> vinyl record, which resampled various sound effects and verbal phrases, making them more scratch-friendly and accessible. Their imprint Dirt Style has released dozens of such records over the decades with names like \u003cem>Bionic Booger Breaks\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Buttcrack Breaks\u003c/em>, or \u003cem>Scratch Fetishes of the Third Kind\u003c/em>. These records are sometimes credited to DJ Qbert, DJ Flare or Mix Master Mike, and sometimes credited to aliases like the Psychedelic Scratch Bastards, The Wax Fondler and Darth Fader.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Battle Breaks\u003c/em> led to another innovation: the \u003cem>Scratchy Seal\u003c/em> series of skipless records. As Qbert explains, there’s a science behind this. “If you look at the turntable, it spins at 33 ⅓ — 33.33333 (revolutions) per minute. If you just make the BPM of the sound effect 33-point-dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee, the magic number, it’s all going to be repetitive. No matter where the needle jumps, it’s going to land on the same sound again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952264\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952264\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_MMM_best_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qbert and Mix Master Mike backstage at the 2023 DMC championships in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>How\u003c/em> the Piklz scratched also made a difference. According to crew member D-Styles, prior to the Piklz, “a lot of the scratch styles were straight ahead. It was very on the beat. ” He likens the Piklz’ approach to Bird and Dizzy’s excursions in the bebop era – “being ahead of the beat, or behind the beat, being more free with it, not so (much) in the line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there were other DJ crews before the Piklz, Swift says, the idea of a turntable orchestra was uncharted territory. “One guy would take a horn hit, another guy would take drums, the other guy would take vocals. Nobody was doing that before the Piklz.” This became a common practice, and led to the introduction of team routines in major battles. Qbert remarks that he and the other Piklz have been doing synchronized routines for so long, the communication between them has become telepathic. “It’s just kind of like walking in step.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952269\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1173\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952269\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.buckethead-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Qbert onstage with guitarist Buckethead at the Jazznojazz Festival in Zurich, 1995. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Another advancement was the first all-scratching record, i.e. a musical composition consisting entirely of scratched sounds. The scratch music trend resulted in a slew of solo releases — many of them on the now-defunct Bomb Hip Hop label – as well as group albums from the X-Ecutioners, The Allies, and Birdy Nam Nam, and one-offs like El Stew, an alternative supergroup featuring guitarist Buckethead, ISP alumni DJ Disk and producer Eddie Def. After turntablism’s initial wave died down in the early 2000s, the Piklz continued to develop the genre, which Shortkut says has become its own culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a niche market,” Qbert says. “But I’m totally immersed in it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952275\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/IMG_2459-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at a Red Bull event. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘It’s Just Some Human Shit, and It’s a Beautiful Thing’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On his solo albums, Qbert has frequently explored sci-fi themes, beginning with 1998’s \u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em>, and continuing with 2014’s \u003cem>Extraterrestria\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Galaxxxian\u003c/em>, 2020’s \u003cem>Origins (Wave Twisters 0)\u003c/em>, and 2022’s \u003cem>Next Cosmos\u003c/em>. He’s imagined what scratch music from across the galaxy might sound like, evoking starships navigating irradiated asteroid belts, alien creatures scurrying across cratered landscapes, and underwater temples emanating immemorial chants over percussive beats, while turning Rakim and Too Short phrases into Zen mantras. He’s done all this by embracing the musical possibilities of the turntable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On what other equipment could you make the sounds go backwards and forwards and just do all these weird things with it? You know, with your hands,” he says. Unlike pressing buttons on a computer, “this is like fucking connected to your soul. It’s not like AI can do it. It’s just some human shit, and it’s a beautiful thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mix Master Mike served as the official DJ for the Beastie Boys from 1998 up until 2012, later joined Cypress Hill, and has toured with arena rock giants Metallica, Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Godsmack, playing to crowds of up to 50,000. His solo catalog has expanded the turntablism field into new arenas – literally. “I’ve always targeted the rock audience,” Mike says. “I’m not just hip-hop. I’m everything around it. The greatness is having to conquer uncharted territories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I like to remain mysterious in that sense as far as being a mysterious artist and being unpredictable. I’m the risk taker, right? It’s therapeutic for me at this point, but it’s like I’m just taking it as a mission because nobody’s doing this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952267\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952267\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1196\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMMonthedecks-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This philosophy extends from live shows to recordings. “Growing up, I was always listening to soundtrack music. Lalo Schifrin, Quincy Jones, Ennio Morricone.” His goal in making records is to capture a cinematic sense, to make “a soundtrack that can live forever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His newest release, 2023’s \u003cem>Opus X Magnum\u003c/em>, is a headphone album with arena sensibilities. Or vice-versa. There’s lots of subtle instrumental and sound effect-y passages, along with chest-pumping drums and serpentine basslines. The quieter moments are few, but precious. MMM’s Pikl heritage is evident in the way horns, keyboards and vocal phrases are scratched vicariously, resulting in twisty turns that keep your ears guessing what’s next. To the artist’s credit, \u003cem>Opus\u003c/em> does sound epically cinematic throughout, its constantly changing moods and textures suggesting perpetual motion and a full dose of adrenaline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D-Styles’ two solo albums, released 17 years apart, illustrate his artistic growth. 2002’s \u003cem>Phantazmagorea\u003c/em> delves into dark themes, with vocal phrases seemingly selected for shock value, along with recognizable scratched snippets from KRS-One and Stetsasonic. 2019’s \u003cem>Noises In the Right Order\u003c/em> – inspired by a residency at Low End Theory, a club night frequented by lo-fi producers – recalls DJ Shadow’s \u003cem>Endtroducing\u003c/em> and the trip-hop era, while still using found vocals as documentary. D-Styles says \u003cem>Noises\u003c/em> was about being “more musical and less technical.” There’s plenty of scratching, but the emphasis is on overall composition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952271\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 597px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952271\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-at-HEIRO-DAY-2016.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"597\" height=\"506\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-at-HEIRO-DAY-2016.jpg 597w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-at-HEIRO-DAY-2016-160x136.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 597px) 100vw, 597px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at Hiero Day 2016 in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Being a turntable composer, D-Styles maintains, means using scratching’s vocabulary as a musical language. “You look at it like an alphabet. You got chirps, you got flares, you got crabs, you got autobahns, you got Stewie’s, and all of that stuff. You can add swing to it, you could be ahead of the beat. Behind the beat. You can accent. There’s so much that goes into putting these combinations together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Many Styles\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Apollo and Shortkut, meanwhile, joined forces with former ITF World Champion Vin Roc in 1999 to form Triple Threat, a DJ crew whose mission was to integrate turntablism into party-rocking live sets. “Just coming up as turntablists, we kind of like, created little monsters everywhere,” Apollo says. “All they would do is scratch in their bedrooms.” There’s more to DJing, he says, than just doing tricks and scratching and juggling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Triple Threat released a well-received 2003 album, \u003cem>Many Styles\u003c/em>, which blended turntablist-oriented tracks with emcee features from Planet Asia, Black Thought, Souls of Mischief and Zion-I. The trio toured the United States and Asia regularly, and remained active up until the late 2010s. Apollo – who judged the DMC World Finals last year – still identifies as a Pikl, and says his focus nowadays is on upgrading his studio and reestablishing himself as a producer; he hopes to contribute some tracks to future ISP albums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/LLCoolJ.Ztrip_.shortkut-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut, at right, on the F.O.R.C.E. Tour with (L–R) DJ Z-Trip, LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Shortkut’s recorded output mainly consists of DJ mixtapes covering a wide variety of genres, but he did produce 2012’s “Twelve,” a funky, fun track with “Sesame Street”-esque vocal samples, for the Beat Junkies 45 Series, as well as 2017’s “Mini-Wheels,” a 7-inch single for Thud Rumble, and “Short Rugs,” a limited-edition slipmat designed for 45 rpm records and a 7-inch record with three skipless vinyl scratch tracks. He’s been an occasional headliner at DJ Platurn’s 45 Sessions party; playing all-vinyl sets, he says, helps him maintain his sanity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a lengthy break following 2000’s “final” performance, Qbert, Shortkut and D-Styles officially reformed as ISP for 2015’s \u003cem>The 13th Floor\u003c/em>, their first full-length release. “This was the first time as a scratch artist that I’ve felt able to do shows with the Piklz where people know the songs,” Shortkut says. The album’s moods range from dark to soulful to jazzy, and were intended to be templates for live performances that typically involve improvised scratch soloing over a structured song with defined instrumental parts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952273\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952273\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-making-of-The-13th-Floor-album-Japan-2015-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Japan, making their ’13th Floor’ album in 2015. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many of \u003cem>The 13th Floor\u003c/em>’s compositional elements were developed by D-Styles, who went on to become an online instructor at the Beat Junkies Institute of Sound in 2019. He notes the Piklz are more than halfway through their next, as-yet-untitled album — several tracks from which they previewed live during their recent DMC showcase in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My strength is, I’m always in the studio,” says D-Styles. “I always have these ideas, these sketches that I’ll try at home by myself. But I always have parts in mind, so if i have drums, I’ll be like, this is perfect for Shortkut. And then I have these keyboards, you know, these notes. So I’ll carry that side. And then I’ll give Q this (vocal) phrase. And I know he’ll know what to do with it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Aesthetics That ‘Vibrate a Certain Way’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Qbert maintains he’s still a student, trying to learn new things after all these years. He keeps pushing himself to new levels because he doesn’t want to repeat what he’s already done. “You got to come unique and original, or else it’s like, fucking wack. Or it’s, \u003cem>ah… he did the same shit last time\u003c/em>, you know? I don’t want to hear that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952294\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1811px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1811\" height=\"600\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952294\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_.jpg 1811w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-800x265.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-1020x338.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-768x254.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Qbert_.LPs_-1536x509.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1811px) 100vw, 1811px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sample of Qbert’s visual aesthetic from three full-length albums: ‘Extraterrestria,’ ‘Origins Wave Twisters 0,’ and ‘Next Cosmos in 5D.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The most sublime aspect of the Piklz legacy may be their aesthetic, best described as part kung-fu, part sci-fi, part zany humor, yet firmly grounded in DJ culture and hip-hop expression. This is reflected in Mike and Q’s outsize personalities. “Those two in particular are very much outside of this Earth,” says Christie Z, noting that Mike’s custom Serato vinyl is covered in Zectarian language. (In 2017, Qbert joined Mike for a duo performance of MMM’s alienesque single “Channel Zecktar” live at the NAMM showcase.) Artists are sometimes kooky, she says, but she’s used to it by now. “That’s what they do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unsurprisingly, perhaps, Mike sees himself as a glowing, ultramagnetic, cosmic antenna. “I would say, you know, my brain is like a super cerebral satellite dish that I’m just logging into the channels in my mind, and I call it the access to the interstellar network, my own interstellar network that’s going on in my head.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for Qbert, “nowadays I work off of karma,” he says. Though he’s consulted for audio companies before, when he’s asked for input, he doesn’t insist on contractual agreements. “I’ll give you the honest truth.” If a mixer could be sleeker and more ergonomic, he’ll say so. He feels equipment makers could be more visionary and futuristic with their products. “They could put chromatherapy in these things, you know, they vibrate a certain way to make it heal you as a human.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For all of Qbert’s zany sense of humor and embracing of otherworldliness, he’s remarkably down to earth at times. That is to say, his ideology isn’t illogical at all – just advanced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With any art, if you’re deep into it, you’re already touching infinity,” he says. “So you could do so many things in it that you haven’t done. And there’s freakin’ a bag of infinity left — that is never-ending.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13952260/turntablism-invisibl-skratch-piklz-legacy-impact","authors":["11839"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_69"],"tags":["arts_2854","arts_21712","arts_2852","arts_17218","arts_21940","arts_1146","arts_19347","arts_21711"],"featImg":"arts_13952262","label":"source_arts_13952260"},"arts_13952208":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13952208","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13952208","score":null,"sort":[1707929580000]},"parent":0,"labelTerm":{"site":"arts"},"blocks":[],"publishDate":1707929580,"format":"standard","title":"How The Invisibl Skratch Piklz Put San Francisco Turntablism on the DJ Map","headTitle":"How The Invisibl Skratch Piklz Put San Francisco Turntablism on the DJ Map | KQED","content":"\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Editor’s note\u003c/strong>: This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003cem>, KQED’s story series on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> history.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent Friday night in San Francisco, a couple thousand fans of DJ culture crammed into the cavernous main room of a nightclub in Hunters Point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside The Midway, it was elbow room-only from the stage to the back patio; many of those in the crowd were DJs themselves. The scene recalled the late ’90s-early 2000s glory days of the Bay Area, when turntablism seemed destined to become the Next Big Thing, and DJ nights dominated SF’s club scene. No one was there to dance; it wasn’t that kind of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937762\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937762\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap stands at a table under fluorescent lighting.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">DJ Qbert performs with Invisibl Skratch Piklz during the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The occasion was the DMC World Championship DJ Battle Finals, with some of the best DJs in the world competing against each other. But there was another attraction too: live showcases by the Invisibl Skratch Piklz and Mix Master Mike, the legendary DJs who transformed the Bay Area into a turntablist Mecca during a seminal era for local hip-hop. DMC event organizer Christie Zee put the proceedings into their proper context: “You can’t have a battle in the Bay without the Skratch Piklz.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As midnight approached, the lights dimmed, and the Piklz – Qbert, Shortkut and D-Styles – were announced to cheers that echoed throughout the high-ceilinged room. The Piklz opened with the 2015 ISP track “Fresh Out of FVCKs,” with its ominous electric organ melody that transitions into repeating melodic chords. A snare drum beat came in, followed by a rhythmically scratched snippet of a stuttering vocal phrase. The electric organ chords shifted into a chopped melody as the snare dropped out, then returned. And that’s all before the mind-bending scratch solos that followed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Piklz proceeded to display their musicality, keeping their technical acumen within the groove pocket with synchronized timing. As is customary with the Piklz, each played the part of a specific instrumentalist: D-Styles as the keyboardist, Shortkut as the drummer, and Qbert as the scratch soloist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952244\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952244\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike at the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A live version of “Death By A Thousand Paper Cuts” – a song from D-Styles’ 2019 album \u003cem>Noises In the Right Order\u003c/em> – and several unreleased ISP songs showed that \u003ca href=\"https://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/jazzglossary/g/ghost_note.html\">ghost notes\u003c/a> aren’t just associated with jazz music. The turntable trio used the spaces between to impart a sense of presence and feel, a minimalist approach that allowed their scratches, cuts and juggles to resonate with maximum impact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This would have been a hard act to follow for anyone but Mix Master Mike. The ISP co-founder, who’s been a solo artist since 1995 or so, has a gigantic stage presence and skills to match. A one-man musical blender, MMM unleashed a maelstrom of sonic fury, with bone-crunching drums, an entire range of musical and vocal phrases, and precise turntable cuts that deconstructed the individual pieces of a live performance — only to reconstruct all the fragments into an emotionally-thrilling pastiche. After his set, when Mike was celebrated with a Lifetime Achievement Award, the honor was clearly well-deserved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Invisible Skratch Piklz were celebrating, too – 2023 marks their 30th anniversary – and it’s safe to say no Bay Area crew has done more to advance the DJ artform. Along with New York’s X-Ecutioners and LA’s Beat Junkies, ISP have defined the term turntablist, carving out a cultural niche that rests on a hip-hop foundation but exists in its own space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937759\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937759\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"People stand in a crowd leaning on a barrier indoors.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd watches finalists compete during the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Piklz have counted many firsts. As hip-hop’s relationship with the DJ has flipped from essential to inconsequential, they’ve maintained the DJ tradition for future generations, and extended its global reach. Over the past four decades, they’ve gone from students of the scratch to wizened masters of turntable music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And like most cultural icons, their backstory is involved, multilayered and fascinating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952236\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1528px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952236\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1528\" height=\"1032\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_.jpg 1528w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-800x540.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-1020x689.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-768x519.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1528px) 100vw, 1528px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A young Qbert at a community hall mobile DJ dance party. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Garage Party Era\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Invisibl Skratch Piklz story begins in what former ISP manager Alex Aquino calls the “pre-hip-hop era” of the late ’70s-early ’80s, when youth-oriented street dance intersected with pioneering mobile DJ crews and a Filipino-American tradition of garage parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was before breakdancing,” Aquino says. He recalls being 6 or 7 and seeing strutters, poppers and elements of DJ culture – including the Filipino mobile DJ crews who established a scene built around vinyl records, large stereo systems and frequent dance parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those Filipino DJs was Apollo Novicio, a.k.a. DJ Apollo, a founding member of ISP who spent his early childhood roaming around the Mission District. By the time he reached middle school, his family had relocated to Daly City – where he likely attended some of the same parties as Aquino. “Back in the day, they’d have garage parties and there would be a DJ in the corner of the garage, set up on a washing machine and dryer and stuff like that. And at the parties, they would have popping and locking circles. Strutting, popping and locking. Breakdancing wasn’t even here yet, really. This was, I’d say, early ’80s, and that was pretty much my first exposure to the DJing and dancing element of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952292\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1004px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1004\" height=\"674\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952292\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty.png 1004w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty-800x537.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty-768x516.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1004px) 100vw, 1004px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Setup for a typical mobile DJ party in the early 1990s. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 1982, Aquino remembers, a New York transplant named Oscar Sop had introduced B-boying and fat laces to the neighborhood, becoming one of the Bay Area’s first breakdancers. Meanwhile, the DJ crews were becoming more professional, and getting hired for weddings, quinceaneras, traditional Filipino celebrations and the occasional school dance party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apollo recalls “doing the strutting, popping, locking thing before B-boying got here.” Back then, “I didn’t even know it was hip-hop. I was such a young age. I’m like, just doing it and like, later on find out, oh, this is a hip-hop culture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to dancing being popular among Filipino youth, he remembers DJ groups proliferating at local high schools. “It was just kind of like the thing to do,” he says. “All the kids would form DJ groups.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know how to explain (why), but there was a lot of Filipino mobile disc jockey groups,” says DJ Apollo. ”Back in the seventies, my older brothers and sisters, they used to collect music and listen to music. Everybody had to go to the record store and buy vinyl.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952212\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1030px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952212\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1030\" height=\"778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty.jpg 1030w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-800x604.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-1020x770.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-768x580.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1030px) 100vw, 1030px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mobile DJ party in 1991. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dr. Oliver Wang, author of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dukeupress.edu/legions-of-boom\">Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile DJ Crews in the San Francisco Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and a professor of sociology at CSU Long Beach, explains that “the mobile DJ scene that the Piklz’ members got their start in wasn’t an exclusively Filipino phenomenon at all; there were Black, White, Latino and Chinese crews around then too. But the Fil-Am scene flourished above and beyond those other groups because they had distinct advantages coming from an immigrant community with strong social ties and large social networks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, Wang says, “Filipino American families have parties for practically any occasion — birthdays, debuts, christenings, graduations, or just plain house/garage parties for the heck of it. Importantly, those parties all wanted music, and that meant that DJs had all these opportunities to find gigs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time breakdancing became popularized through movies like \u003cem>Beat Street\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Breakin’,\u003c/em> Apollo says, “DJing was already here… there were dances every weekend, and DJ battles and showcases almost every other weekend. That’s how it was when I was growing up around the San Francisco and Daly City area in the early ’80s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952219\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1163px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1163\" height=\"831\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952219\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs.jpg 1163w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-800x572.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-1020x729.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-768x549.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1163px) 100vw, 1163px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Appearing as FM2O (Furious Minds 2 Observe),  Qbert, Mix Master Mike and Apollo perform at an ‘eco-rap’ show in San Francisco, circa 1989–1990. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Apollo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the top mobile DJ crews at that time was Unlimited Sounds. “They were like the biggest group from Daly City, and they were already established,” Apollo says. Many of the crew members were older and attended Jefferson High School. Apollo remembers hanging out at Serra Bowl, becoming friends with Unlimited Sounds and gradually being drawn into the world of DJing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every day after school, I would just hang out at their garage and practice,” he says. “All the equipment was there, the records were all there, the lights, everything.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apollo saved his allowance and lunch money to buy his first set of turntables, and formed makeshift DJ crews with his friends. “We would gather our parents’ equipment, like home stereo equipment and gather it all up. I would get my parents’ home stereo system combined with my homies’ parents’ stereo system, combined with my other homie’s house system. And then we would put all the equipment together and we saw we had a DJ group.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apollo started making mixtapes — he still remembers the first time he had enough records to make an all-hip-hop tape — and eventually became good enough to join Unlimited Sounds in 1985, who at the time had gigs all over the Bay Area. That experience gave him a solid foundation in DJing parties and playing a wide variety of records, but he was more interested in “scratching, juggling, trick-mixing — turntablism before it was even called that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952233\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/RSC-DJs-Psycho-City-Cover.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"401\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/RSC-DJs-Psycho-City-Cover.jpeg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/RSC-DJs-Psycho-City-Cover-160x107.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rock City DJs at the famed San Francisco graffiti spot Psycho City, January 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prior to joining Unlimited Sounds, Apollo had hooked up with another up-and-coming DJ who was becoming known for his pause-tape mixes and obsessive focus on scratching: Michael Anthony Schwartz, a.k.a. Mix Master Mike, a Filipino-German kid who attended Jeffferson, the same high school as Aquino and Apollo. Rather than practice the blends and beat-matching typically used at parties, though, Apollo and Mix Master Mike would “do more scratching or tricks, routines and that type of stuff.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With those bedroom routines, a reimagining of the turntable’s possibilities had begun.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Oh, Snap — What Did We Just Do?’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mix Master Mike didn’t come up in the mobile DJ scene. His early inspiration was seeing Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watching Jay DJ for DMC and Run, he says, he remembers thinking, “Oh, they’re using records, but they sound more like they’re a full-fledged band, you know? That was just profound to me, that he was using records and rocking the house, \u003cem>with just records\u003c/em>. And that’s when I immediately knew that’s what I wanted to be.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1732px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952222\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1732\" height=\"1177\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway.jpg 1732w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-1020x693.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1732px) 100vw, 1732px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike on the subway in Japan, 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Not long after Run-DMC brought their Raising Hell tour to a sold-out Oakland Coliseum arena, Apollo and Mike formed an informal DJ crew called Together With Style (not to be confused with the SF graffiti crew of the same name) and held long practice sessions in Apollo’s garage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But with Mike, “we did go hard on scratching and tricks and juggling – which later on turned into turntablism.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Individually, they would take turns on Apollo’s set of turntables. But one day, they decided to work in tandem — a moment that altered the course of DJ history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Apollo remembers it: “Me and Mike were messing around with the turntables and… we’re like, well, let’s just do something together, since we don’t have to wait our turn (to practice). So I grabbed one turntable, and he grabbed the other turntable and we kind of just started making a beat with two records and one mixer. I got the bass kick and he grabbed the snare and we just started making a beat like, \u003cem>boom, cha, boom boom boom cha, boom boom\u003c/em>, you know? And then we’re just like, ‘Oh, snap, what did we just do? That was crazy.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 604px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/10423_136960922731_697132731_2526758_2429020_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"604\" height=\"408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/10423_136960922731_697132731_2526758_2429020_n.jpg 604w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/10423_136960922731_697132731_2526758_2429020_n-160x108.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rock Steady Crew DJs in 1991. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Apollo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Apollo and Mike would perfect the two-man routine over a period of several years, “and we just started performing it all over the place at showcases and dances, you know, wherever. People were seeing it and being amazed. We were amazed by it ourselves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='large' align='center' citation='DJ Apollo']I got the bass kick and he grabbed the snare and we just started making a beat like, boom, cha, boom boom boom cha, boom boom, you know? And then we’re just like, ‘Oh, snap, what did we just do?” [/pullquote] \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One witness to the early routine was Richard Quitevis, an acquaintance of Mike and Apollo who went by the name DJ Qbert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Qbert saw it one time and he was amazed by it. He’s like, \u003cem>Oh, what is that?!?\u003c/em>,” Apollo says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Qbert Enters the Picture\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>DJ Qbert grew up in San Francisco’s Excelsior district. Like Apollo, his first exposure to hip-hop precedes the term itself. He recalls fishing at Pier 39 at the age of 12 and seeing the Fillmore dance crew \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weKkAF9NdCI\">Demons of the Mind\u003c/a>. “There would be all these poppers; at the time they were called strutters. They would be playing this really fast electro music. And it was like, ‘Look at these robot-like guys in shiny little outfits with these silver hats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qbert was fascinated not only with the vibrant dancers, but the sounds. “I was like, ‘Man, this is crazy. I love it, but where are they getting this music from?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952215\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1371px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952215\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1371\" height=\"984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna.jpg 1371w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-800x574.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-1020x732.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-768x551.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1371px) 100vw, 1371px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut, Mix Master Mike and Qbert gettin’ up in Bologna, Italy. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Qbert remembers early attempts at breakdancing with his friends, who fashioned their own makeshift outfits. But it was the DJ scratch – particularly the skills displayed by Mix Master Ice on UTFO’s 1985 single “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KE3-IyLsg8\">Leader of the Pack\u003c/a>” – that really drew his interest. “I just started collecting the music, always collecting the music. And that’s what made me become a DJ.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One day, Qbert was asked to DJ a garage party. “Everybody was about 12, 13, 14, 15, and everybody was breaking in the garage. And we were playing all my records on a big-ass giant box. Like, you open the top and you put the record in, and you just let that play. And the kids were spinning and they couldn’t control themselves. They would spin and they would spin, right into the DJ box, the turntable box. That was my first time being a mobile DJ.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He explains his early attraction to turntables and scratching: “You could manipulate sound by grabbing (the record), moving forward and backward,” he says, imitating a scratch sound. “It was like a toy. A toy that was like a musical instrument. I didn’t even know it was a musical instrument. I was just thinking of it as like, it just sounds crazy. You just pull sound out of the air and move it, like, ‘Oh, what a weird contraption.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eventually, Q joined a mobile DJ crew called Live Style Productions, and came to the attention of Apollo and Mix Master Mike, who remember going to Balboa High School to see him spin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Q, we just knew from around the way,” Apollo says. “We would go to different showcases on the weekends and see him perform. And so we knew about Q.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952240\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952240\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/600_us_champ_trophy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"407\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/600_us_champ_trophy.jpg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/600_us_champ_trophy-160x109.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz with the U.S. Championship trophy. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 1991, Qbert entered the DMCs, winning the U.S. Championships and advancing all the way to the World Finals in London, where he took 2nd place. Aquino claims Qbert’s technical skills were so advanced, they went over most of the audience’s heads, but Qbert admits he got cocky and didn’t practice before his set: “I was sloppy,” he says. That loss instilled in him the importance of practicing, which he took to with rigorous discipline.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Turntables Might Wobble\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hip-hop journalist and author Adisa Banjoko, a friend, recalls once being at Qbert’s house and hearing him scratch the rhythms of Rakim’s verses from Eric B. & Rakim’s “I Ain’t No Joke” – using entirely scratched tones to replicate Rakim’s stanzas. “You gotta record that,” Banjoko told Q, who just shrugged and said, “Nah, I do that all the time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around this time, Apollo and Mike were honing their two-man routine and making beats with the intention of forming a rap crew, with them as producers and DJs. After returning from London with his U.S. title, Qbert introduced Mike and Apollo to a rapper who used to hang out at his house named Nim-FHD.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where it all comes together,” Apollo says. “Me and Mike were making beats, and we always wanted to find a voice for our beats. And so when Qbert introduced us to this rapper, and when me and Mike heard that guy’s voice, Nim’s voice, we were like, ‘Oh man, that’s the voice for our music.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952232\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 604px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952232\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/n1071373619_171639_1875.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"604\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/n1071373619_171639_1875.jpg 604w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/n1071373619_171639_1875-160x110.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The extended crew. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Apollo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Apollo explained his vision to Nim, and they enlisted H2O, another emcee they met through Qbert, who also joined the group. “We told Q, do you want to be a part of the ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5gFx001qg\">Peter Piper\u003c/a>’ routine? And he was like, overjoyed. Like, ‘Let’s do it. Absolutely, let’s do it.’ So then we’re like… why don’t we become the DJs for this group that will be the first rap group with three DJs and two rappers? And we’ll do all the beats and scratching.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They christened themselves FM2O – an acronym for “Furious Minds To Observe” — the first iteration of what would become the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. As Mike says, “it was definitely a meant-to-be moment, when I hooked up with Q.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group was managed by Aquino, who had left Unlimited Sounds and started throwing parties while trying to establish an independent hip-hop label, Ace Beat. While working on a demo tape, FM2O played local venues and music industry showcases like the Gavin Convention and New Music Seminar. In 1992, they appeared at the Omni in Oakland on a bill with Banjoko’s crew, Freedom T.R.O.O.P. 187, plus Organized Konfusion, Gangstarr and headliner Body Count. Epic as that lineup is, Apollo, Mike and Qbert’s orchestrated turntable segment during FM2O’s set was the absolute showstopper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FM2O’s music was slightly ahead of its time; in the early ’90s, “alternative hip-hop” hadn’t yet established itself in the mainstream. No hip-hop group had ever featured three DJs, all of them scratch fanatics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Aquino tried unsuccessfully to secure FM2O a label deal, the DJs made moves in the battle scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952242\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952242\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike with his DMC Legend jacket at The Midway in San Francisco, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The First Major World Titles\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Qbert’s second-place 1991 DMC finish earned him props from Clark Kent, a well-respected New York DJ and producer of the New Music Seminar DJ Battle for World Supremacy. Kent asked Qbert to judge the 1992 battle alongside NYC heavyweights like EPMD’s DJ Scratch and Gangstarr’s DJ Premier. Mix Master Mike, meanwhile, entered as a contestant – and ended up winning the battle. (Ironically, Aquino says, instead of practicing before his routine, Mike had stayed up all night.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLRprNA_GSk\">Video of the battle\u003c/a> – during which Mike performs eight different routines, besting Japan’s DJ Honda in the final showdown before taking on defending champ Supreme in a challenge match – confirms he was on a mission to crush all competition. He doubles up Word of Mouth’s “King Kut” with blinding speed and finesse, blends Schooly D and Flavor Flav phrases to dis “sucker DJs,” slows down the records to juggle entirely new beats, deconstructs the wax into a series of melodic tones, and maintains a sense of rhythmic mastery that’s chaotic and jarring but never veers out of control. Boisterous shouts from the crowd testify to Mike’s determined brilliance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Billed as the Rocksteady DJs (with the blessing of Bronx B-boy legend Crazy Legs, from the Rock Steady Crew), Qbert, Mike and Apollo won the DMCs that same year with the “Peter Piper” routine. The following year, with DJ Apollo unavailable while touring as the Souls of Mischief’s DJ, Mike and Qbert, billed as the Dream Team, again won the DMC World Championship. Mike still remembers the anticipation and energy that went into the preparations for the battle, along with the ginseng they imbibed before their set “like Chinese martial arts masters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952237\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/l_f99accf3c766cef703abeb72c042e21e.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"397\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952237\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/l_f99accf3c766cef703abeb72c042e21e.jpg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/l_f99accf3c766cef703abeb72c042e21e-160x106.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike, pictured at center: ‘It was a discovery. Right? ‘Oh, shit. We could take this and flip it anyway we want to,’ you know?’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>These victories were culturally significant. Not only had no West Coast DJ ever been crowned a World Champion before, but no Filipino DJ had ever placed that high in a major competition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To explain just how significant, it’s necessary to understand the evolution of the DJ artform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first development, playing “break” sections of records (known as breakbeats), was initially a clumsy needle-drop technique originated by hip-hop pioneer Kool Herc. Grandmaster Flash refined the DJ vocabulary with backspinning, cueing, cutting, punch phrasing, quick-mixing and reading the record like a clock. Grand Wizzard Theodore developed the basic scratch. Steve Dee invented the beat-juggle. But no DJ was doing synchronized team routines that reimagined the turntables as individual instruments prior to the Rocksteady DJs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was an awesome thing,” Mike says. “It just started from a thought. The collective team, it was like it was a unit. We all had the same aspirations and goals of doing things people had never, ever seen or heard before. And it just spawned this whole movement. And it’s just something that we love to do. It was a discovery. Right? ‘Oh, shit. We could take this and flip it anyway we want to,’ you know? And that was the beauty of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952220\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1715\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-768x515.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-1536x1029.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-2048x1372.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-1920x1286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sporting championship jackets in Tokyo, 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Their succession of three major titles in two years elevated the DJ artform and raised the bar for battles. Teams of three or more DJs would soon proliferate throughout the DJ universe, and battle routines became more well-rounded, with emphasis on scratching, beat-juggling, and musicality or rhythmic coherence, as well as sheer technical ability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also led to a backlash of sorts: Mike confirms that after dominating for three years in a row, his crew was politely asked to retire from the DMC competition. He characterizes the request as a “giving other people a chance to win type deal.” But to him and his other Bay Area battlers, “We felt like it wasn’t fair to us because we got a lot in the tank. Let’s go. Keep going. See how far we can go… we were ready to defend the next year. But unfortunately they wanted to make us judges.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it turned out, stepping away from the competitive battle scene proved to be a blessing in disguise. “After we stopped battling,” Mike says, “I was like, okay, what’s next? We’re going to make records now. I’m gonna become a full fledged artist, you know? I don’t want to be this DJ dude. I don’t want to be a DJ guy that’s playing other people’s records standing up there. We’ve done that already. I’m going to get in the studio and be a producer, and I’m going to make music out of this whole thing, like, springboard into making original compositions. And so that’s what I’m doing, to this day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952238\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1430px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952238\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1430\" height=\"1039\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996.jpg 1430w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-800x581.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-1020x741.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-768x558.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1430px) 100vw, 1430px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Hawaii, 1996. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But first, the crew needed a new name. During their time DJing for FM2O, the three DJs were collectively known as Shadow of the Prophet, or simply, The Shadow. A chance encounter with an early-career DJ Shadow – who apologetically offered to change his name – led to Qbert graciously telling him that he could keep the name “Shadow,” and that he’d change his group’s name instead. “Rocksteady DJs” and “The Dream Team” were one-offs, for the most part. They needed something catchy that also reflected who they were.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One day it came to them. As Qbert recounts, “We was on one, and we were laughing and laughing. And I think Mix Master Mike said, “Why don’t we be called the Invisible Pickles? We were just cracking up and we were thinking about, you know, an invisible pickle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Qbert got a call from his pal Lou Quintanilla, a.k.a. DJ Disk. “And he said, ‘How about Invisible Scratch Pickles?’ I was like, that kind of sounds dope.” (Though it may sound abstract, the name is rooted in a concrete concept: the turntable as an “invisible instrument” that could be almost any instrument – drums, guitar, vocals, anything.) The crew’s offbeat sense of humor reflected in their new name had long been evident; in 1992, they released \u003cem>Battle Breaks\u003c/em>, one of the first DJ tool records specifically designed for scratching, officially credited to the Psychedelic Scratch Bastards on the Dirt Style label. In later years they would put out various releases under an affiliate record label that they named Galactic Butt Hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before settling on the new name, though, they ran it by a younger DJ who was asked to join the crew — Jonathan Cruz, a.k.a. DJ Shortkut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952228\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1193\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-800x543.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-1020x692.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-1536x1042.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Electro and the Art of the Quick Mix\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Growing up in Daly City, Shortkut caught the DJ bug thanks to a Filipino mobile crew who played his 6th grade dance. He started DJing at age 13, after the local Filipino sound system culture had cycled through disco, metal, and New Wave, before arriving at hip-hop, freestyle and Miami bass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Shortkut’s first exposures to a DJ battle took place in a large hall.“There would be about four to six sound systems separately set up in the one room with their own individual sound systems. Each group would get about like 20 minutes to do their thing, and then at the end of the night, whoever won. The word got out that group won, and then that’s who everyone wanted to book for school dances or birthday parties.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortkut joined a crew called Just 2 Hype, which played freestyle, Miami bass and 808-laced Mantronix singles. “That’s why I think the Bay Area is specifically more scratch-DJ based,” he says, “because everyone scratched to fast beats, all the classic electro stuff.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also worked on perfecting the art of the quick-mix, changing up the record every four or eight bars. But records like DJ Jazzy Jeff’s “Live At Union Square” drew him into the world of scratch-mixing. “When I first started scratching, I just listened to records, basically. All the early records I used to buy, I would just try to copy what I heard on record.”\u003cbr>\nIn the late ’80s and early ’90s, he says, “I really got into embracing hip-hop” – catching up with records that hadn’t been hugely popular in the Filipino scene, and becoming further enthralled with scratching and beat-juggling. “That’s when I was first hearing about Qbert and Apollo and Mix Master Mike,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952223\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1742px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1742\" height=\"1190\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_.jpg 1742w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-800x546.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-1020x697.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-768x525.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-1536x1049.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1742px) 100vw, 1742px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">First trip to Japan, 1993. At far left is B-boy and dancer Richard Colón, a.k.a. Crazy Legs from the Rock Steady Crew. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Back then, Apollo was the big name, being from Unlimited Sounds. “He was the party rocker. But he was kind of the B-boy out of all the Filipino guys I knew.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As he attempted to build his DJ skills, Shortkut remembers listening to cassette tapes of Qbert scratching and mixing. Initially, he had only basic equipment, and used belt-driven turntables. “I got better once I got to direct-drives because I already knew how to handle it and have a certain feel to it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qbert winning the U.S. DMC Championship in 1991 was huge, he says. “We didn’t really have any role models, as a Filipino kid.” He took the win as validation – and inspiration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I lived about five minutes from Q’s house,” he says. “I used to go to Q’s house with the guy who taught me how to DJ. We both cold-called Q because we knew he was the one who had all the battle videos. So we would go to his house and dub the videos and while they were dubbing, me and Q would scratch.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During this time, Shortkut says, Mike had moved to Sacramento, and Apollo was DJing for Branford Marsalis, “so I would hook up with Q and Disk a lot.” Q used to bring Shortkut and Disk along when he opened up shows in the Bay – affording the younger DJs valuable stage experience. Shortkut, Mike, and Q eventually formed a crew briefly called the Turntable Dragons, pre-ISP. Then, in 1993, Shortkut, Mike, and Q played a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13935467/the-bomb-magazine-label-san-francisco-turntablism-djs\">Bomb Hip-Hop\u003c/a> Party – possibly the first time they had been billed as the Invisibl Skratch Piklz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952239\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 250px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952239\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/invisblskratchp_002-h.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The five-man crew. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Everyone That Worked There Was Filipino’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Dave Paul, publisher of \u003cem>Bomb Hip Hop Magazine\u003c/em>, coincidentally also began as a mobile DJ in 1984 with a crew called Midnight Connections. He tells a funny story about working an after-school job for Chevron. “I wasn’t that great. So they moved me from, like, the main Chevron on Geary Street over to one on California Street. And everyone that worked there was Filipino. Turned out everyone that worked there was also a DJ.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul knew of Apollo from Unlimited Sounds, and had seen Qbert perform a famous “Mary Had A Little Lamb” routine during a San Jose battle around 1989 or 1990. “That really got his name out,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the annual Gavin Convention in San Francisco, Bomb Hip Hop magazine would present live performance showcases. Paul booked the Piklz on multiple occasions, beginning in 1992, when they were still called the Rocksteady DJs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Paul, the vibe of those early performances “was always sort of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDLzGtQmMyw\">don’t-give-a-fuck style\u003c/a>. Like, things didn’t have to be clean. They were just really raw. And it was just ill. They were doing stuff that no one else was doing at the time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10345320\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10345320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/QBertMain.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/QBertMain.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/QBertMain-400x225.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">DJ QBert. \u003ccite>(Thud Rumble)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>After releasing a now-legendary compilation tape that featured Qbert along with a Canadian MC named Madchild, as well as local underground artists like Homeless Derelix, Blackalicious, Bored Stiff, and Mystik Journeymen, Bomb Hip Hop became a record label in 1995 with the release of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13937489/best-bay-area-turntablism-scratch-dj-albums\">\u003cem>Return of the DJ Vol. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That record essentially started the movement of turntablism as a musical genre. The Skratch Piklz (at that time, Qbert, Shortkut and Disk) were featured on “Invasion of the Octopus People,” while Mix Master Mike contributed his first official solo production, “Terrorwrist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Return of the DJ \u003c/em>evolved into a compilation series spanning multiple volumes, and inspired numerous others, like Om Records’ \u003cem>Deep Concentration\u003c/em> and Ubiquity’s \u003cem>Audio Alchemy\u003c/em> compilations. Asphodel, an alternative label known for ultra-underground somnolent, ambient, droney electronic music, signed the Skratch Piklz to a deal, which resulted in 1996’s single “Invisibl Skratch Piklz vs. Da Klamz Uv Deth,” which featured Qbert, Shortkut, and Mix Master Mike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952246\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1938px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952246\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1938\" height=\"1882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca.jpg 1938w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-800x777.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-1020x991.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-160x155.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-768x746.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-1536x1492.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-1920x1865.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1938px) 100vw, 1938px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Invisibl Skratch Piklz vs. Da Clamz Uv Deth,’ 1997. \u003ccite>(Asphodel Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“A very strange thing about that (single) is, I had just invented scratch music,” Qbert says. “Which is this thing where every sound is scratched. Drums are scratched, the hi-hats are scratched, the snare and vocals are scratched, the chords, every single thing is scratched! No matter what is in there. So that was tracked out — like, every track was off the turntables, making a complete scratch song.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turntablism spread quickly through San Francisco’s progressive club scene in the mid-’90s. Mark Herlihy’s art/performance collective Future Primitive established itself as an avant garde music label with a live recording of Shortkut and Cut Chemist at Cat’s Alley, on Folsom Street. An outer Tenderloin hole in the wall, Deco, became a headquarters for unfiltered, ultra-creative DJ expression in its basement, via “Many Styles” nights curated by Apollo. Qbert was part of the groundbreaking alternative hip-hop group Dr. Octagon along with producer Dan the Automator and MC Kool Keith, who recorded an indie classic that got re-released nationally by Dreamworks. To this day, Qbert’s scratch solo on Dr. Octagon’s “Earth People” stands out as a particular flashpoint, the turntable equivalent, perhaps, of the guitar solos on “Hotel California” or “Comfortably Numb.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Needless to say, it’s not an empty boast when Mix Master Mike says he and the Skratch Piklz “pretty much created this genre of music.” No one was doing it before them, and many followed in their footsteps. Locally, the Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters (aka the Space Travelers), Supernatural Turntable Artists, and the Oakland Faders all scratched and juggled. Live bands incorporating turntablists included Live Human (DJ Quest) and Soulstice (Mei-Lwun). New York’s X-Ecutioners were probably ISP’s closest counterparts nationally, having formed in 1989. But despite their turntable innovations, even they weren’t performing or recording as a \u003cem>band\u003c/em> until after the Skratch Piklz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952245\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952245\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Back when they were known as the X-Men, the X-Ecutioners faced off against the Piklz in a landmark 1996 battle in New York’s Manhattan Center – a contest so epic, it’s listed among \u003cem>Mixmag\u003c/em>’s \u003ca href=\"https://mixmag.net/feature/the-10-best-dj-scratch-battles-of-all-time\">Top 10 DJ Scratch Battles of All Time\u003c/a>. X-Ecutioners member and DJ historian Rob Swift says Qbert first came on his radar in 1991, when he beat X-Ecutioners founder Steve Dee to win the US DMC Finals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We thought he was Hawaiian,” Swift says, because Qbert appeared to be wearing a lei in the battle video. “We didn’t know that he was this Filipino DJ that came out of this Filipino community of DJs in the Bay Area. We didn’t know that there \u003cem>were\u003c/em> DJs out there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swift later entered the 1991 New Music Seminar battle, where Qbert was a judge; the two exchanged numbers and began calling each other and exchanging videos regularly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When rappers began increasingly excluding the DJ throughout the ’90s, he says he and Qbert would discuss what to do about it., “We would both be like, ‘You’ve got these rappers (not respecting the DJ). Fuck them, and we’re going to create our own DJ scene. If the music industry is going to turn their backs on DJing, we need to figure out a way to just create our own scene.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And,” he adds, “that’s exactly what we did.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952225\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952225\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1166\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-768x509.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-1536x1018.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Lebanon. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Enter the ITF — and D-Styles\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When the Pilkz battled the X-Ecutioners, it was as much about gaining respect for turntable culture as it was about individual bragging rights. Though the court of public opinion is still split on who won, the battle put a spotlight on both crews. As Swift says, “We started strategizing ways to book our own tours and create all-DJ competitions (like) the ITF, the International Turntablist Federation,” who organized the historic battle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Founded by Alex Aquino with help from Shortkut, the ITF was established in 1995 and stayed active until 2005. It was intended as a cultural organization, and as somewhat of a critique of the DMC, which had become the only major DJ competition, following the demise of the New Music Seminar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Without the DMC,” Aquino says, “we wouldn’t have this world stage for the guys to be on. But after Q lost that first battle, we were like, something has to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Specifically, the criteria. “And so, we were like, let’s do our own battle. Let’s have real turntablists and DJs judge it, like a New Music Seminar, but instead of just the one-on-one battle, the advancement class for the belt, let’s do a scratching category. Let’s do a beat-juggling category. And let’s do a team category. And that’s how we started out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952211\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1366px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952211\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1366\" height=\"1834\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine.jpg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-800x1074.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-1020x1369.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-160x215.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-768x1031.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-1144x1536.jpg 1144w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1366px) 100vw, 1366px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In a Japanese magazine, date unknown. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>DJs like Vin Roc, Babu, Craze, and A-Trak all won ITF titles, as did teams like the Allies and Beat Junkies. The ITF succeeded in giving turntablists a visible platform to showcase their skills and in further popularizing the artform in the U.S. and internationally. (In 1999, the DMC would add a team category, and the organization currently rotates additional categories, including Scratch, Portablist, and Beat Juggling.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After \u003cem>Return of the DJ\u003c/em>’s “Octopus People,” with Apollo unavailable and Mix Master Mike pursuing a solo career, the Skratch Piklz needed new blood. For the next few years, ISP membership became somewhat fluid, swelling and contracting as new members joined for a while, before going off to do other projects. DJ Disk, DJ Flare, Canadian teenage prodigy A-Trak, and former Thud Rumble label manager Ritche Desuasido, a.k.a. Yogafrog, were all ISP members at one time or another, along with Shortkut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1996, Beat Junkies member Dave Cuasito, a.k.a. D-Styles, joined the Piklz and became a linchpin for the group; Aquino calls him “the hidden master.” Though not as flashy or famous as Qbert, he’s well-respected in turntablist circles and has helped focus the Pilkz on compositional elements in their music while also being able to scratch, cut and juggle at a high level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born in the Philippines, D-Styles grew up in San Jose. Like the other Piklz, he was exposed to hip-hop through breaking and its accompanying soundtrack. “I would hear the songs that they were playing, but then they would scratch certain words and certain parts of that song. And so I was always curious how they were doing it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952229\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952229\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1168\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-800x531.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-1020x677.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-768x510.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grandmaster DXT and Qbert. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>His answer came when he saw Grandmixer DST (now known as DXT)’s scratch segment on Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit.” After getting a basic Realistic mixer for his birthday, he, too, joined a mobile DJ crew (Sound City), who pooled their equipment like so many others – and spent their meager proceeds on post-gig Denny’s meals. After taking part in typical mobile battles with crews exchanging 20-minute sets, he discovered there was a battle specifically for scratch DJs, and competed in the 1993 DMC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1996, he moved to San Francisco to attend college, but what he really wanted was to pursue music. He was already familiar with Mike, Qbert and Shortkut from the battle scene, and from hanging out on Tuesday night at Deco, a small speakeasy-style jazz bar with open turntables in the basement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One strange night, I got a phone call on my answering machine and it was Yogafrog and Q, and they were like, ‘Hey, man’ – I don’t know if they were drunk or what – but they were like, ‘we need to talk, man. We think we should all come together and form a crew.” They met up and talked, and soon after, he was asked to officially join the group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D-Styles stoic demeanor compliments the other Piklz, yet beneath his focused concentration lies a punk rock attitude that aligns with Qbert’s philosophy that the only rule is there are no rules. Likewise, his turntable-composition approach balances the others’ battle-DJ backgrounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952235\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 636px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952235\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/SK-A-TRAK-1997-at-Qs.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"636\" height=\"474\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/SK-A-TRAK-1997-at-Qs.png 636w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/SK-A-TRAK-1997-at-Qs-160x119.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut and A-Trak at Qbert’s place, 1997. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As far as a turntable composer, I feel like we definitely embrace the more musical side of it, and less technical,” he says. “For the battle DJs, they really try to spray like a Uzi, you know what I mean? And just get off a bunch of power stuff and try to wow the the crowd and the judges. For music, it’s more about the long-term thing. We want to make music that’s timeless. And it’s not based off of a five-minute routine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the core Piklz now set with Qbert, Shortkut and D-Styles, Mix Master Mike – who remained affiliated with the crew – says, “I felt like we had the perfect stew. Everyone had their own style, their own identity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around this time, Mike began putting together his first solo album, \u003cem>Anti-Theft Device\u003c/em>, which he envisioned as “not an underground album (but) a worldwide release.” He imagined himself as a sonic transducer, attracting and reshaping matter into different forms. He drew on inspirations like Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham, early Public Enemy, Thelonious Monk, Rage Against the Machine and Ennio Morricone. He contemplated the subtlety of silence, of ghost notes and pregnant pauses. And then he went out and made an album with booming, deafening drums and thumping bass on nearly every track.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I focused on the drums first,” Mike says. “I wanted to make sure those drums were hitting really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952249\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952249\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft.jpg 1000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft-800x787.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft-160x157.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft-768x756.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike’s ‘Anti-Theft Device,’ 1998. \u003ccite>(Asphodel Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On \u003cem>Anti-Theft Device\u003c/em>, the found sounds and quirky vocal samples (“NASA maintains this is \u003cem>not\u003c/em> Colonel Blaha’s voice”) often present on DJ mix tapes resurface often, along with boom-bap beats and scratched phrases, instruments and sound effects. There are elements of intoxicated or altered reality, and bug-out moments that suggest turboized vocoders spouting underwater propellers, or seemingly random musical sample generators harnessing infinite libraries of sound, from raga to reggae to rock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the end of the day,” Mike says, “it’s about spearheading the evolution of the battle DJ – as artist, composer, tastemaker.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Mike was the first Pikl to make a solo album, Qbert crafted an especially ambitious concept for his first official solo debut. As Mike tells it, he had some extra tracks left over, which he gave to Qbert. “And he fuckin’, just like, went crazy on those beats. And then, yeah. It became \u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952250\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952250\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/R-16932444-1610670653-3566.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/R-16932444-1610670653-3566.jpg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/R-16932444-1610670653-3566-160x160.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">DJ Qbert’s ‘Wave Twisters,’ 1998. The album spawned a cult-classic 2001 animated film of the same name. \u003ccite>(Galactic Butt Hair Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Wave Twisters, the Beasties and Beyond\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em> holds the rare distinction of being a soundtrack around which a movie was later designed. The album received extremely positive reviews, making many music critics’ year-end lists. To this day, it’s regarded as one of the best turntablism albums of all time. Tracks like “Destination: Quasar 16.33.45.78” took ISP battle routines to new levels, imagining a battle in inner space between a heroic dental hygienist and the minions of a villain named Lord Ook. The track revels in sci-fi tropes, with vocal cues like “Attention, starship!” coloring the scratched, transformed and cut-up audio landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Qbert, \u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em> was willed into existence. “I intentionally foresaw it because in the back of my head, I was like, I’m gonna make every song like a storyline. It’s going to be a thing. And somebody’s going to animate this. And then out of nowhere, the universe made it all work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13937489']Meanwhile, Mix Master Mike was setting his own intentions – around becoming a member of the Beastie Boys. A longtime fan of their music, he says, “even before I met them, I always thought I was the fourth Beastie, and I was the missing element.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After meeting the Beasties’ MCA during a Rock Steady Crew anniversary in 1996, Mike took an unusual route to make his dreams come true. “I went up to MCA and introduced myself,” he recalls. “He knew who I was through all the competitions and the battles, and we exchanged phone numbers and went back home. And late at night, I would just leave these scratch messages on his answering machine. Two, three in the morning, just leaving these scratches on his machine, hoping that these transmissions would penetrate. Fortunately they did. \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#mix-master-mike-becomes-the-beastie-boys-dj\">And the rest is history\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952251\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952251\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1611\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-800x503.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-1020x642.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-768x483.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-1536x967.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-2048x1289.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-1920x1208.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) Mixmaster Mike, Mike Diamond, Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch, and Adam ‘Ad-Rock’ Horovitz of The Beastie Boys attend the MTV Europe Music Awards 2004 at Tor di Valle Nov. 18, 2004 in Rome, Italy. \u003ccite>(Bruno Vincent/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Mike joined the Beasties in time for 1998’s \u003cem>Hello Nasty\u003c/em> album, remaining part of the group until MCA died of cancer in 2012 and the Beastie Boys disbanded. “So at the end of the day,” Mike says, “it’s all about power of intention, right? And my intention was to get in the band or work with the band.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the ’90s drew to a close, the Piklz weren’t quite done. They produced Skratchcon 2000, a scratching convention, bringing together pioneering masters and acolytes of DJ scratch music. “That was our old manager, Yogafrog,” Qbert says. “His idea to put on a convention called Scratchcon, that was a genius idea of his, and we should do a Part II. We got all the best, most popular scratchers on the planet to come through. It was huge. Steve Dee was there, even Aladdin, all the X-Ecutioners, everybody. It was amazing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952252\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952252\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1500\" height=\"983\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-800x524.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-1020x668.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-768x503.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Shortkut, D-Styles, Mix Master Mike, Yogafrog and QBert in QBert’s garage in the Excelsior District of San Francisco, 1998. \u003ccite>(Liz Hafalia /The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images))\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Skratchcon drew fans from all over the country, in addition to current and historic scratch DJs,for live showcases and demonstrations like DJ Radar’s introduction of scratch notation. The convention culminated with a live concert at the Fillmore Auditorium, billed at the time as the ISP’s last official performance. To this day, it stands as one of the highpoints of a decade overflowing with revolutionary developments in hip-hop DJ culture, which saw the Invisibl Skratch Piklz make history and become iconic representatives of turntablism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Mix Master Mike says, “There is no ceiling to this. No, it’s whatever you think about is whatever you create and whatever you can apply.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n","stats":{"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"hasAudio":false,"hasPolis":false,"wordCount":8314,"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"paragraphCount":121},"modified":1708071724,"excerpt":"A comprehensive history of the pioneering DJ crew, from Daly City garage parties to world domination.","headData":{"twImgId":"","twTitle":"","ogTitle":"","ogImgId":"","twDescription":"","description":"A comprehensive history of the pioneering DJ crew, from Daly City garage parties to world domination.","title":"How The Invisibl Skratch Piklz Put San Francisco Turntablism on the DJ Map | KQED","ogDescription":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"How The Invisibl Skratch Piklz Put San Francisco Turntablism on the DJ Map","datePublished":"2024-02-14T08:53:00-08:00","dateModified":"2024-02-16T00:22:04-08:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"invisibl-skratch-piklz-filipino-djs-daly-city-san-francisco-turntablism-history","status":"publish","templateType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","featuredImageType":"standard","sticky":false,"articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13952208/invisibl-skratch-piklz-filipino-djs-daly-city-san-francisco-turntablism-history","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Editor’s note\u003c/strong>: This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">That’s My Word\u003c/a>\u003cem>, KQED’s story series on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> history.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent Friday night in San Francisco, a couple thousand fans of DJ culture crammed into the cavernous main room of a nightclub in Hunters Point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside The Midway, it was elbow room-only from the stage to the back patio; many of those in the crowd were DJs themselves. The scene recalled the late ’90s-early 2000s glory days of the Bay Area, when turntablism seemed destined to become the Next Big Thing, and DJ nights dominated SF’s club scene. No one was there to dance; it wasn’t that kind of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937762\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937762\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap stands at a table under fluorescent lighting.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-28-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">DJ Qbert performs with Invisibl Skratch Piklz during the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The occasion was the DMC World Championship DJ Battle Finals, with some of the best DJs in the world competing against each other. But there was another attraction too: live showcases by the Invisibl Skratch Piklz and Mix Master Mike, the legendary DJs who transformed the Bay Area into a turntablist Mecca during a seminal era for local hip-hop. DMC event organizer Christie Zee put the proceedings into their proper context: “You can’t have a battle in the Bay without the Skratch Piklz.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As midnight approached, the lights dimmed, and the Piklz – Qbert, Shortkut and D-Styles – were announced to cheers that echoed throughout the high-ceilinged room. The Piklz opened with the 2015 ISP track “Fresh Out of FVCKs,” with its ominous electric organ melody that transitions into repeating melodic chords. A snare drum beat came in, followed by a rhythmically scratched snippet of a stuttering vocal phrase. The electric organ chords shifted into a chopped melody as the snare dropped out, then returned. And that’s all before the mind-bending scratch solos that followed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Piklz proceeded to display their musicality, keeping their technical acumen within the groove pocket with synchronized timing. As is customary with the Piklz, each played the part of a specific instrumentalist: D-Styles as the keyboardist, Shortkut as the drummer, and Qbert as the scratch soloist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952244\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952244\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM_DJ_mixer_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2275-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike at the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A live version of “Death By A Thousand Paper Cuts” – a song from D-Styles’ 2019 album \u003cem>Noises In the Right Order\u003c/em> – and several unreleased ISP songs showed that \u003ca href=\"https://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/jazzglossary/g/ghost_note.html\">ghost notes\u003c/a> aren’t just associated with jazz music. The turntable trio used the spaces between to impart a sense of presence and feel, a minimalist approach that allowed their scratches, cuts and juggles to resonate with maximum impact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This would have been a hard act to follow for anyone but Mix Master Mike. The ISP co-founder, who’s been a solo artist since 1995 or so, has a gigantic stage presence and skills to match. A one-man musical blender, MMM unleashed a maelstrom of sonic fury, with bone-crunching drums, an entire range of musical and vocal phrases, and precise turntable cuts that deconstructed the individual pieces of a live performance — only to reconstruct all the fragments into an emotionally-thrilling pastiche. After his set, when Mike was celebrated with a Lifetime Achievement Award, the honor was clearly well-deserved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Invisible Skratch Piklz were celebrating, too – 2023 marks their 30th anniversary – and it’s safe to say no Bay Area crew has done more to advance the DJ artform. Along with New York’s X-Ecutioners and LA’s Beat Junkies, ISP have defined the term turntablist, carving out a cultural niche that rests on a hip-hop foundation but exists in its own space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937759\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937759\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"People stand in a crowd leaning on a barrier indoors.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/231103-DMCBattle-13-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd watches finalists compete during the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Piklz have counted many firsts. As hip-hop’s relationship with the DJ has flipped from essential to inconsequential, they’ve maintained the DJ tradition for future generations, and extended its global reach. Over the past four decades, they’ve gone from students of the scratch to wizened masters of turntable music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And like most cultural icons, their backstory is involved, multilayered and fascinating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952236\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1528px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952236\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1528\" height=\"1032\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_.jpg 1528w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-800x540.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-1020x689.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/q.sta_-768x519.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1528px) 100vw, 1528px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A young Qbert at a community hall mobile DJ dance party. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Garage Party Era\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Invisibl Skratch Piklz story begins in what former ISP manager Alex Aquino calls the “pre-hip-hop era” of the late ’70s-early ’80s, when youth-oriented street dance intersected with pioneering mobile DJ crews and a Filipino-American tradition of garage parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This was before breakdancing,” Aquino says. He recalls being 6 or 7 and seeing strutters, poppers and elements of DJ culture – including the Filipino mobile DJ crews who established a scene built around vinyl records, large stereo systems and frequent dance parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those Filipino DJs was Apollo Novicio, a.k.a. DJ Apollo, a founding member of ISP who spent his early childhood roaming around the Mission District. By the time he reached middle school, his family had relocated to Daly City – where he likely attended some of the same parties as Aquino. “Back in the day, they’d have garage parties and there would be a DJ in the corner of the garage, set up on a washing machine and dryer and stuff like that. And at the parties, they would have popping and locking circles. Strutting, popping and locking. Breakdancing wasn’t even here yet, really. This was, I’d say, early ’80s, and that was pretty much my first exposure to the DJing and dancing element of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952292\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1004px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1004\" height=\"674\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952292\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty.png 1004w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty-800x537.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobiledjparty-768x516.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1004px) 100vw, 1004px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Setup for a typical mobile DJ party in the early 1990s. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 1982, Aquino remembers, a New York transplant named Oscar Sop had introduced B-boying and fat laces to the neighborhood, becoming one of the Bay Area’s first breakdancers. Meanwhile, the DJ crews were becoming more professional, and getting hired for weddings, quinceaneras, traditional Filipino celebrations and the occasional school dance party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apollo recalls “doing the strutting, popping, locking thing before B-boying got here.” Back then, “I didn’t even know it was hip-hop. I was such a young age. I’m like, just doing it and like, later on find out, oh, this is a hip-hop culture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to dancing being popular among Filipino youth, he remembers DJ groups proliferating at local high schools. “It was just kind of like the thing to do,” he says. “All the kids would form DJ groups.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know how to explain (why), but there was a lot of Filipino mobile disc jockey groups,” says DJ Apollo. ”Back in the seventies, my older brothers and sisters, they used to collect music and listen to music. Everybody had to go to the record store and buy vinyl.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952212\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1030px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952212\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1030\" height=\"778\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty.jpg 1030w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-800x604.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-1020x770.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.mobileDJparty-768x580.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1030px) 100vw, 1030px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mobile DJ party in 1991. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Dr. Oliver Wang, author of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dukeupress.edu/legions-of-boom\">Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile DJ Crews in the San Francisco Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and a professor of sociology at CSU Long Beach, explains that “the mobile DJ scene that the Piklz’ members got their start in wasn’t an exclusively Filipino phenomenon at all; there were Black, White, Latino and Chinese crews around then too. But the Fil-Am scene flourished above and beyond those other groups because they had distinct advantages coming from an immigrant community with strong social ties and large social networks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, Wang says, “Filipino American families have parties for practically any occasion — birthdays, debuts, christenings, graduations, or just plain house/garage parties for the heck of it. Importantly, those parties all wanted music, and that meant that DJs had all these opportunities to find gigs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time breakdancing became popularized through movies like \u003cem>Beat Street\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Breakin’,\u003c/em> Apollo says, “DJing was already here… there were dances every weekend, and DJ battles and showcases almost every other weekend. That’s how it was when I was growing up around the San Francisco and Daly City area in the early ’80s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952219\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1163px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1163\" height=\"831\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952219\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs.jpg 1163w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-800x572.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-1020x729.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/rscdjs-768x549.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1163px) 100vw, 1163px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Appearing as FM2O (Furious Minds 2 Observe),  Qbert, Mix Master Mike and Apollo perform at an ‘eco-rap’ show in San Francisco, circa 1989–1990. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Apollo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One of the top mobile DJ crews at that time was Unlimited Sounds. “They were like the biggest group from Daly City, and they were already established,” Apollo says. Many of the crew members were older and attended Jefferson High School. Apollo remembers hanging out at Serra Bowl, becoming friends with Unlimited Sounds and gradually being drawn into the world of DJing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every day after school, I would just hang out at their garage and practice,” he says. “All the equipment was there, the records were all there, the lights, everything.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apollo saved his allowance and lunch money to buy his first set of turntables, and formed makeshift DJ crews with his friends. “We would gather our parents’ equipment, like home stereo equipment and gather it all up. I would get my parents’ home stereo system combined with my homies’ parents’ stereo system, combined with my other homie’s house system. And then we would put all the equipment together and we saw we had a DJ group.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apollo started making mixtapes — he still remembers the first time he had enough records to make an all-hip-hop tape — and eventually became good enough to join Unlimited Sounds in 1985, who at the time had gigs all over the Bay Area. That experience gave him a solid foundation in DJing parties and playing a wide variety of records, but he was more interested in “scratching, juggling, trick-mixing — turntablism before it was even called that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952233\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/RSC-DJs-Psycho-City-Cover.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"401\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/RSC-DJs-Psycho-City-Cover.jpeg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/RSC-DJs-Psycho-City-Cover-160x107.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rock City DJs at the famed San Francisco graffiti spot Psycho City, January 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prior to joining Unlimited Sounds, Apollo had hooked up with another up-and-coming DJ who was becoming known for his pause-tape mixes and obsessive focus on scratching: Michael Anthony Schwartz, a.k.a. Mix Master Mike, a Filipino-German kid who attended Jeffferson, the same high school as Aquino and Apollo. Rather than practice the blends and beat-matching typically used at parties, though, Apollo and Mix Master Mike would “do more scratching or tricks, routines and that type of stuff.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With those bedroom routines, a reimagining of the turntable’s possibilities had begun.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Oh, Snap — What Did We Just Do?’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mix Master Mike didn’t come up in the mobile DJ scene. His early inspiration was seeing Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watching Jay DJ for DMC and Run, he says, he remembers thinking, “Oh, they’re using records, but they sound more like they’re a full-fledged band, you know? That was just profound to me, that he was using records and rocking the house, \u003cem>with just records\u003c/em>. And that’s when I immediately knew that’s what I wanted to be.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1732px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952222\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1732\" height=\"1177\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway.jpg 1732w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-1020x693.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.MMM_.japan_.subway-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1732px) 100vw, 1732px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike on the subway in Japan, 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Not long after Run-DMC brought their Raising Hell tour to a sold-out Oakland Coliseum arena, Apollo and Mike formed an informal DJ crew called Together With Style (not to be confused with the SF graffiti crew of the same name) and held long practice sessions in Apollo’s garage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But with Mike, “we did go hard on scratching and tricks and juggling – which later on turned into turntablism.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Individually, they would take turns on Apollo’s set of turntables. But one day, they decided to work in tandem — a moment that altered the course of DJ history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Apollo remembers it: “Me and Mike were messing around with the turntables and… we’re like, well, let’s just do something together, since we don’t have to wait our turn (to practice). So I grabbed one turntable, and he grabbed the other turntable and we kind of just started making a beat with two records and one mixer. I got the bass kick and he grabbed the snare and we just started making a beat like, \u003cem>boom, cha, boom boom boom cha, boom boom\u003c/em>, you know? And then we’re just like, ‘Oh, snap, what did we just do? That was crazy.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952218\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 604px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952218\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/10423_136960922731_697132731_2526758_2429020_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"604\" height=\"408\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/10423_136960922731_697132731_2526758_2429020_n.jpg 604w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/10423_136960922731_697132731_2526758_2429020_n-160x108.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rock Steady Crew DJs in 1991. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Apollo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Apollo and Mike would perfect the two-man routine over a period of several years, “and we just started performing it all over the place at showcases and dances, you know, wherever. People were seeing it and being amazed. We were amazed by it ourselves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"I got the bass kick and he grabbed the snare and we just started making a beat like, boom, cha, boom boom boom cha, boom boom, you know? And then we’re just like, ‘Oh, snap, what did we just do?” ","name":"pullquote","attributes":{"named":{"size":"large","align":"center","citation":"DJ Apollo","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One witness to the early routine was Richard Quitevis, an acquaintance of Mike and Apollo who went by the name DJ Qbert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Qbert saw it one time and he was amazed by it. He’s like, \u003cem>Oh, what is that?!?\u003c/em>,” Apollo says.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Qbert Enters the Picture\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>DJ Qbert grew up in San Francisco’s Excelsior district. Like Apollo, his first exposure to hip-hop precedes the term itself. He recalls fishing at Pier 39 at the age of 12 and seeing the Fillmore dance crew \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weKkAF9NdCI\">Demons of the Mind\u003c/a>. “There would be all these poppers; at the time they were called strutters. They would be playing this really fast electro music. And it was like, ‘Look at these robot-like guys in shiny little outfits with these silver hats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qbert was fascinated not only with the vibrant dancers, but the sounds. “I was like, ‘Man, this is crazy. I love it, but where are they getting this music from?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952215\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1371px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952215\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1371\" height=\"984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna.jpg 1371w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-800x574.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-1020x732.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-bologna-768x551.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1371px) 100vw, 1371px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut, Mix Master Mike and Qbert gettin’ up in Bologna, Italy. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Qbert remembers early attempts at breakdancing with his friends, who fashioned their own makeshift outfits. But it was the DJ scratch – particularly the skills displayed by Mix Master Ice on UTFO’s 1985 single “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KE3-IyLsg8\">Leader of the Pack\u003c/a>” – that really drew his interest. “I just started collecting the music, always collecting the music. And that’s what made me become a DJ.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One day, Qbert was asked to DJ a garage party. “Everybody was about 12, 13, 14, 15, and everybody was breaking in the garage. And we were playing all my records on a big-ass giant box. Like, you open the top and you put the record in, and you just let that play. And the kids were spinning and they couldn’t control themselves. They would spin and they would spin, right into the DJ box, the turntable box. That was my first time being a mobile DJ.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He explains his early attraction to turntables and scratching: “You could manipulate sound by grabbing (the record), moving forward and backward,” he says, imitating a scratch sound. “It was like a toy. A toy that was like a musical instrument. I didn’t even know it was a musical instrument. I was just thinking of it as like, it just sounds crazy. You just pull sound out of the air and move it, like, ‘Oh, what a weird contraption.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eventually, Q joined a mobile DJ crew called Live Style Productions, and came to the attention of Apollo and Mix Master Mike, who remember going to Balboa High School to see him spin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Q, we just knew from around the way,” Apollo says. “We would go to different showcases on the weekends and see him perform. And so we knew about Q.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952240\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952240\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/600_us_champ_trophy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"407\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/600_us_champ_trophy.jpg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/600_us_champ_trophy-160x109.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz with the U.S. Championship trophy. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 1991, Qbert entered the DMCs, winning the U.S. Championships and advancing all the way to the World Finals in London, where he took 2nd place. Aquino claims Qbert’s technical skills were so advanced, they went over most of the audience’s heads, but Qbert admits he got cocky and didn’t practice before his set: “I was sloppy,” he says. That loss instilled in him the importance of practicing, which he took to with rigorous discipline.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Turntables Might Wobble\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hip-hop journalist and author Adisa Banjoko, a friend, recalls once being at Qbert’s house and hearing him scratch the rhythms of Rakim’s verses from Eric B. & Rakim’s “I Ain’t No Joke” – using entirely scratched tones to replicate Rakim’s stanzas. “You gotta record that,” Banjoko told Q, who just shrugged and said, “Nah, I do that all the time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around this time, Apollo and Mike were honing their two-man routine and making beats with the intention of forming a rap crew, with them as producers and DJs. After returning from London with his U.S. title, Qbert introduced Mike and Apollo to a rapper who used to hang out at his house named Nim-FHD.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where it all comes together,” Apollo says. “Me and Mike were making beats, and we always wanted to find a voice for our beats. And so when Qbert introduced us to this rapper, and when me and Mike heard that guy’s voice, Nim’s voice, we were like, ‘Oh man, that’s the voice for our music.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952232\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 604px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952232\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/n1071373619_171639_1875.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"604\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/n1071373619_171639_1875.jpg 604w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/n1071373619_171639_1875-160x110.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The extended crew. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Apollo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Apollo explained his vision to Nim, and they enlisted H2O, another emcee they met through Qbert, who also joined the group. “We told Q, do you want to be a part of the ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5gFx001qg\">Peter Piper\u003c/a>’ routine? And he was like, overjoyed. Like, ‘Let’s do it. Absolutely, let’s do it.’ So then we’re like… why don’t we become the DJs for this group that will be the first rap group with three DJs and two rappers? And we’ll do all the beats and scratching.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They christened themselves FM2O – an acronym for “Furious Minds To Observe” — the first iteration of what would become the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. As Mike says, “it was definitely a meant-to-be moment, when I hooked up with Q.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group was managed by Aquino, who had left Unlimited Sounds and started throwing parties while trying to establish an independent hip-hop label, Ace Beat. While working on a demo tape, FM2O played local venues and music industry showcases like the Gavin Convention and New Music Seminar. In 1992, they appeared at the Omni in Oakland on a bill with Banjoko’s crew, Freedom T.R.O.O.P. 187, plus Organized Konfusion, Gangstarr and headliner Body Count. Epic as that lineup is, Apollo, Mike and Qbert’s orchestrated turntable segment during FM2O’s set was the absolute showstopper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FM2O’s music was slightly ahead of its time; in the early ’90s, “alternative hip-hop” hadn’t yet established itself in the mainstream. No hip-hop group had ever featured three DJs, all of them scratch fanatics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Aquino tried unsuccessfully to secure FM2O a label deal, the DJs made moves in the battle scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952242\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952242\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_MMM_jacket_PhotobyJeffStrawBranding-2387-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike with his DMC Legend jacket at The Midway in San Francisco, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The First Major World Titles\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Qbert’s second-place 1991 DMC finish earned him props from Clark Kent, a well-respected New York DJ and producer of the New Music Seminar DJ Battle for World Supremacy. Kent asked Qbert to judge the 1992 battle alongside NYC heavyweights like EPMD’s DJ Scratch and Gangstarr’s DJ Premier. Mix Master Mike, meanwhile, entered as a contestant – and ended up winning the battle. (Ironically, Aquino says, instead of practicing before his routine, Mike had stayed up all night.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLRprNA_GSk\">Video of the battle\u003c/a> – during which Mike performs eight different routines, besting Japan’s DJ Honda in the final showdown before taking on defending champ Supreme in a challenge match – confirms he was on a mission to crush all competition. He doubles up Word of Mouth’s “King Kut” with blinding speed and finesse, blends Schooly D and Flavor Flav phrases to dis “sucker DJs,” slows down the records to juggle entirely new beats, deconstructs the wax into a series of melodic tones, and maintains a sense of rhythmic mastery that’s chaotic and jarring but never veers out of control. Boisterous shouts from the crowd testify to Mike’s determined brilliance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Billed as the Rocksteady DJs (with the blessing of Bronx B-boy legend Crazy Legs, from the Rock Steady Crew), Qbert, Mike and Apollo won the DMCs that same year with the “Peter Piper” routine. The following year, with DJ Apollo unavailable while touring as the Souls of Mischief’s DJ, Mike and Qbert, billed as the Dream Team, again won the DMC World Championship. Mike still remembers the anticipation and energy that went into the preparations for the battle, along with the ginseng they imbibed before their set “like Chinese martial arts masters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952237\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/l_f99accf3c766cef703abeb72c042e21e.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"397\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952237\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/l_f99accf3c766cef703abeb72c042e21e.jpg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/l_f99accf3c766cef703abeb72c042e21e-160x106.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike, pictured at center: ‘It was a discovery. Right? ‘Oh, shit. We could take this and flip it anyway we want to,’ you know?’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>These victories were culturally significant. Not only had no West Coast DJ ever been crowned a World Champion before, but no Filipino DJ had ever placed that high in a major competition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To explain just how significant, it’s necessary to understand the evolution of the DJ artform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first development, playing “break” sections of records (known as breakbeats), was initially a clumsy needle-drop technique originated by hip-hop pioneer Kool Herc. Grandmaster Flash refined the DJ vocabulary with backspinning, cueing, cutting, punch phrasing, quick-mixing and reading the record like a clock. Grand Wizzard Theodore developed the basic scratch. Steve Dee invented the beat-juggle. But no DJ was doing synchronized team routines that reimagined the turntables as individual instruments prior to the Rocksteady DJs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was an awesome thing,” Mike says. “It just started from a thought. The collective team, it was like it was a unit. We all had the same aspirations and goals of doing things people had never, ever seen or heard before. And it just spawned this whole movement. And it’s just something that we love to do. It was a discovery. Right? ‘Oh, shit. We could take this and flip it anyway we want to,’ you know? And that was the beauty of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952220\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1715\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-768x515.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-1536x1029.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-2048x1372.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.jackets-1920x1286.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sporting championship jackets in Tokyo, 1993. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Their succession of three major titles in two years elevated the DJ artform and raised the bar for battles. Teams of three or more DJs would soon proliferate throughout the DJ universe, and battle routines became more well-rounded, with emphasis on scratching, beat-juggling, and musicality or rhythmic coherence, as well as sheer technical ability.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also led to a backlash of sorts: Mike confirms that after dominating for three years in a row, his crew was politely asked to retire from the DMC competition. He characterizes the request as a “giving other people a chance to win type deal.” But to him and his other Bay Area battlers, “We felt like it wasn’t fair to us because we got a lot in the tank. Let’s go. Keep going. See how far we can go… we were ready to defend the next year. But unfortunately they wanted to make us judges.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it turned out, stepping away from the competitive battle scene proved to be a blessing in disguise. “After we stopped battling,” Mike says, “I was like, okay, what’s next? We’re going to make records now. I’m gonna become a full fledged artist, you know? I don’t want to be this DJ dude. I don’t want to be a DJ guy that’s playing other people’s records standing up there. We’ve done that already. I’m going to get in the studio and be a producer, and I’m going to make music out of this whole thing, like, springboard into making original compositions. And so that’s what I’m doing, to this day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952238\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1430px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952238\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1430\" height=\"1039\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996.jpg 1430w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-800x581.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-1020x741.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP-in-Hawaii-1996-768x558.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1430px) 100vw, 1430px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Hawaii, 1996. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But first, the crew needed a new name. During their time DJing for FM2O, the three DJs were collectively known as Shadow of the Prophet, or simply, The Shadow. A chance encounter with an early-career DJ Shadow – who apologetically offered to change his name – led to Qbert graciously telling him that he could keep the name “Shadow,” and that he’d change his group’s name instead. “Rocksteady DJs” and “The Dream Team” were one-offs, for the most part. They needed something catchy that also reflected who they were.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One day it came to them. As Qbert recounts, “We was on one, and we were laughing and laughing. And I think Mix Master Mike said, “Why don’t we be called the Invisible Pickles? We were just cracking up and we were thinking about, you know, an invisible pickle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Qbert got a call from his pal Lou Quintanilla, a.k.a. DJ Disk. “And he said, ‘How about Invisible Scratch Pickles?’ I was like, that kind of sounds dope.” (Though it may sound abstract, the name is rooted in a concrete concept: the turntable as an “invisible instrument” that could be almost any instrument – drums, guitar, vocals, anything.) The crew’s offbeat sense of humor reflected in their new name had long been evident; in 1992, they released \u003cem>Battle Breaks\u003c/em>, one of the first DJ tool records specifically designed for scratching, officially credited to the Psychedelic Scratch Bastards on the Dirt Style label. In later years they would put out various releases under an affiliate record label that they named Galactic Butt Hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before settling on the new name, though, they ran it by a younger DJ who was asked to join the crew — Jonathan Cruz, a.k.a. DJ Shortkut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952228\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1193\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-800x543.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-1020x692.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.shortkut-1536x1042.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Electro and the Art of the Quick Mix\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Growing up in Daly City, Shortkut caught the DJ bug thanks to a Filipino mobile crew who played his 6th grade dance. He started DJing at age 13, after the local Filipino sound system culture had cycled through disco, metal, and New Wave, before arriving at hip-hop, freestyle and Miami bass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Shortkut’s first exposures to a DJ battle took place in a large hall.“There would be about four to six sound systems separately set up in the one room with their own individual sound systems. Each group would get about like 20 minutes to do their thing, and then at the end of the night, whoever won. The word got out that group won, and then that’s who everyone wanted to book for school dances or birthday parties.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortkut joined a crew called Just 2 Hype, which played freestyle, Miami bass and 808-laced Mantronix singles. “That’s why I think the Bay Area is specifically more scratch-DJ based,” he says, “because everyone scratched to fast beats, all the classic electro stuff.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also worked on perfecting the art of the quick-mix, changing up the record every four or eight bars. But records like DJ Jazzy Jeff’s “Live At Union Square” drew him into the world of scratch-mixing. “When I first started scratching, I just listened to records, basically. All the early records I used to buy, I would just try to copy what I heard on record.”\u003cbr>\nIn the late ’80s and early ’90s, he says, “I really got into embracing hip-hop” – catching up with records that hadn’t been hugely popular in the Filipino scene, and becoming further enthralled with scratching and beat-juggling. “That’s when I was first hearing about Qbert and Apollo and Mix Master Mike,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952223\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1742px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1742\" height=\"1190\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_.jpg 1742w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-800x546.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-1020x697.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-768x525.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan1_-1536x1049.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1742px) 100vw, 1742px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">First trip to Japan, 1993. At far left is B-boy and dancer Richard Colón, a.k.a. Crazy Legs from the Rock Steady Crew. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Back then, Apollo was the big name, being from Unlimited Sounds. “He was the party rocker. But he was kind of the B-boy out of all the Filipino guys I knew.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As he attempted to build his DJ skills, Shortkut remembers listening to cassette tapes of Qbert scratching and mixing. Initially, he had only basic equipment, and used belt-driven turntables. “I got better once I got to direct-drives because I already knew how to handle it and have a certain feel to it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qbert winning the U.S. DMC Championship in 1991 was huge, he says. “We didn’t really have any role models, as a Filipino kid.” He took the win as validation – and inspiration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I lived about five minutes from Q’s house,” he says. “I used to go to Q’s house with the guy who taught me how to DJ. We both cold-called Q because we knew he was the one who had all the battle videos. So we would go to his house and dub the videos and while they were dubbing, me and Q would scratch.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During this time, Shortkut says, Mike had moved to Sacramento, and Apollo was DJing for Branford Marsalis, “so I would hook up with Q and Disk a lot.” Q used to bring Shortkut and Disk along when he opened up shows in the Bay – affording the younger DJs valuable stage experience. Shortkut, Mike, and Q eventually formed a crew briefly called the Turntable Dragons, pre-ISP. Then, in 1993, Shortkut, Mike, and Q played a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13935467/the-bomb-magazine-label-san-francisco-turntablism-djs\">Bomb Hip-Hop\u003c/a> Party – possibly the first time they had been billed as the Invisibl Skratch Piklz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952239\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 250px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952239\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/invisblskratchp_002-h.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The five-man crew. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Everyone That Worked There Was Filipino’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Dave Paul, publisher of \u003cem>Bomb Hip Hop Magazine\u003c/em>, coincidentally also began as a mobile DJ in 1984 with a crew called Midnight Connections. He tells a funny story about working an after-school job for Chevron. “I wasn’t that great. So they moved me from, like, the main Chevron on Geary Street over to one on California Street. And everyone that worked there was Filipino. Turned out everyone that worked there was also a DJ.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul knew of Apollo from Unlimited Sounds, and had seen Qbert perform a famous “Mary Had A Little Lamb” routine during a San Jose battle around 1989 or 1990. “That really got his name out,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the annual Gavin Convention in San Francisco, Bomb Hip Hop magazine would present live performance showcases. Paul booked the Piklz on multiple occasions, beginning in 1992, when they were still called the Rocksteady DJs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Paul, the vibe of those early performances “was always sort of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDLzGtQmMyw\">don’t-give-a-fuck style\u003c/a>. Like, things didn’t have to be clean. They were just really raw. And it was just ill. They were doing stuff that no one else was doing at the time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10345320\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10345320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/QBertMain.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/QBertMain.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/QBertMain-400x225.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">DJ QBert. \u003ccite>(Thud Rumble)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>After releasing a now-legendary compilation tape that featured Qbert along with a Canadian MC named Madchild, as well as local underground artists like Homeless Derelix, Blackalicious, Bored Stiff, and Mystik Journeymen, Bomb Hip Hop became a record label in 1995 with the release of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13937489/best-bay-area-turntablism-scratch-dj-albums\">\u003cem>Return of the DJ Vol. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That record essentially started the movement of turntablism as a musical genre. The Skratch Piklz (at that time, Qbert, Shortkut and Disk) were featured on “Invasion of the Octopus People,” while Mix Master Mike contributed his first official solo production, “Terrorwrist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Return of the DJ \u003c/em>evolved into a compilation series spanning multiple volumes, and inspired numerous others, like Om Records’ \u003cem>Deep Concentration\u003c/em> and Ubiquity’s \u003cem>Audio Alchemy\u003c/em> compilations. Asphodel, an alternative label known for ultra-underground somnolent, ambient, droney electronic music, signed the Skratch Piklz to a deal, which resulted in 1996’s single “Invisibl Skratch Piklz vs. Da Klamz Uv Deth,” which featured Qbert, Shortkut, and Mix Master Mike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952246\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1938px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952246\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1938\" height=\"1882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca.jpg 1938w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-800x777.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-1020x991.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-160x155.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-768x746.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-1536x1492.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ezgif-3-ae00e595ca-1920x1865.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1938px) 100vw, 1938px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Invisibl Skratch Piklz vs. Da Clamz Uv Deth,’ 1997. \u003ccite>(Asphodel Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“A very strange thing about that (single) is, I had just invented scratch music,” Qbert says. “Which is this thing where every sound is scratched. Drums are scratched, the hi-hats are scratched, the snare and vocals are scratched, the chords, every single thing is scratched! No matter what is in there. So that was tracked out — like, every track was off the turntables, making a complete scratch song.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turntablism spread quickly through San Francisco’s progressive club scene in the mid-’90s. Mark Herlihy’s art/performance collective Future Primitive established itself as an avant garde music label with a live recording of Shortkut and Cut Chemist at Cat’s Alley, on Folsom Street. An outer Tenderloin hole in the wall, Deco, became a headquarters for unfiltered, ultra-creative DJ expression in its basement, via “Many Styles” nights curated by Apollo. Qbert was part of the groundbreaking alternative hip-hop group Dr. Octagon along with producer Dan the Automator and MC Kool Keith, who recorded an indie classic that got re-released nationally by Dreamworks. To this day, Qbert’s scratch solo on Dr. Octagon’s “Earth People” stands out as a particular flashpoint, the turntable equivalent, perhaps, of the guitar solos on “Hotel California” or “Comfortably Numb.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Needless to say, it’s not an empty boast when Mix Master Mike says he and the Skratch Piklz “pretty much created this genre of music.” No one was doing it before them, and many followed in their footsteps. Locally, the Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters (aka the Space Travelers), Supernatural Turntable Artists, and the Oakland Faders all scratched and juggled. Live bands incorporating turntablists included Live Human (DJ Quest) and Soulstice (Mei-Lwun). New York’s X-Ecutioners were probably ISP’s closest counterparts nationally, having formed in 1989. But despite their turntable innovations, even they weren’t performing or recording as a \u003cem>band\u003c/em> until after the Skratch Piklz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952245\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952245\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/AAA_Q_ISP_11_JeffStraw-2144-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz at the DMC World DJ Finals at The Midway in San Francisco, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Jeff Straw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Back when they were known as the X-Men, the X-Ecutioners faced off against the Piklz in a landmark 1996 battle in New York’s Manhattan Center – a contest so epic, it’s listed among \u003cem>Mixmag\u003c/em>’s \u003ca href=\"https://mixmag.net/feature/the-10-best-dj-scratch-battles-of-all-time\">Top 10 DJ Scratch Battles of All Time\u003c/a>. X-Ecutioners member and DJ historian Rob Swift says Qbert first came on his radar in 1991, when he beat X-Ecutioners founder Steve Dee to win the US DMC Finals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We thought he was Hawaiian,” Swift says, because Qbert appeared to be wearing a lei in the battle video. “We didn’t know that he was this Filipino DJ that came out of this Filipino community of DJs in the Bay Area. We didn’t know that there \u003cem>were\u003c/em> DJs out there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swift later entered the 1991 New Music Seminar battle, where Qbert was a judge; the two exchanged numbers and began calling each other and exchanging videos regularly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When rappers began increasingly excluding the DJ throughout the ’90s, he says he and Qbert would discuss what to do about it., “We would both be like, ‘You’ve got these rappers (not respecting the DJ). Fuck them, and we’re going to create our own DJ scene. If the music industry is going to turn their backs on DJing, we need to figure out a way to just create our own scene.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And,” he adds, “that’s exactly what we did.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952225\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952225\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1166\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-768x509.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Lebanon.trophy-1536x1018.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Invisibl Skratch Piklz in Lebanon. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Enter the ITF — and D-Styles\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When the Pilkz battled the X-Ecutioners, it was as much about gaining respect for turntable culture as it was about individual bragging rights. Though the court of public opinion is still split on who won, the battle put a spotlight on both crews. As Swift says, “We started strategizing ways to book our own tours and create all-DJ competitions (like) the ITF, the International Turntablist Federation,” who organized the historic battle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Founded by Alex Aquino with help from Shortkut, the ITF was established in 1995 and stayed active until 2005. It was intended as a cultural organization, and as somewhat of a critique of the DMC, which had become the only major DJ competition, following the demise of the New Music Seminar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Without the DMC,” Aquino says, “we wouldn’t have this world stage for the guys to be on. But after Q lost that first battle, we were like, something has to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Specifically, the criteria. “And so, we were like, let’s do our own battle. Let’s have real turntablists and DJs judge it, like a New Music Seminar, but instead of just the one-on-one battle, the advancement class for the belt, let’s do a scratching category. Let’s do a beat-juggling category. And let’s do a team category. And that’s how we started out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952211\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1366px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952211\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1366\" height=\"1834\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine.jpg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-800x1074.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-1020x1369.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-160x215.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-768x1031.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.japan_.magazine-1144x1536.jpg 1144w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1366px) 100vw, 1366px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In a Japanese magazine, date unknown. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>DJs like Vin Roc, Babu, Craze, and A-Trak all won ITF titles, as did teams like the Allies and Beat Junkies. The ITF succeeded in giving turntablists a visible platform to showcase their skills and in further popularizing the artform in the U.S. and internationally. (In 1999, the DMC would add a team category, and the organization currently rotates additional categories, including Scratch, Portablist, and Beat Juggling.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After \u003cem>Return of the DJ\u003c/em>’s “Octopus People,” with Apollo unavailable and Mix Master Mike pursuing a solo career, the Skratch Piklz needed new blood. For the next few years, ISP membership became somewhat fluid, swelling and contracting as new members joined for a while, before going off to do other projects. DJ Disk, DJ Flare, Canadian teenage prodigy A-Trak, and former Thud Rumble label manager Ritche Desuasido, a.k.a. Yogafrog, were all ISP members at one time or another, along with Shortkut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1996, Beat Junkies member Dave Cuasito, a.k.a. D-Styles, joined the Piklz and became a linchpin for the group; Aquino calls him “the hidden master.” Though not as flashy or famous as Qbert, he’s well-respected in turntablist circles and has helped focus the Pilkz on compositional elements in their music while also being able to scratch, cut and juggle at a high level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born in the Philippines, D-Styles grew up in San Jose. Like the other Piklz, he was exposed to hip-hop through breaking and its accompanying soundtrack. “I would hear the songs that they were playing, but then they would scratch certain words and certain parts of that song. And so I was always curious how they were doing it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952229\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1759px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952229\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1759\" height=\"1168\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_.jpg 1759w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-800x531.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-1020x677.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-768x510.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.qbert_.dst_-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1759px) 100vw, 1759px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grandmaster DXT and Qbert. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Alex Aquino)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>His answer came when he saw Grandmixer DST (now known as DXT)’s scratch segment on Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit.” After getting a basic Realistic mixer for his birthday, he, too, joined a mobile DJ crew (Sound City), who pooled their equipment like so many others – and spent their meager proceeds on post-gig Denny’s meals. After taking part in typical mobile battles with crews exchanging 20-minute sets, he discovered there was a battle specifically for scratch DJs, and competed in the 1993 DMC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1996, he moved to San Francisco to attend college, but what he really wanted was to pursue music. He was already familiar with Mike, Qbert and Shortkut from the battle scene, and from hanging out on Tuesday night at Deco, a small speakeasy-style jazz bar with open turntables in the basement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One strange night, I got a phone call on my answering machine and it was Yogafrog and Q, and they were like, ‘Hey, man’ – I don’t know if they were drunk or what – but they were like, ‘we need to talk, man. We think we should all come together and form a crew.” They met up and talked, and soon after, he was asked to officially join the group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D-Styles stoic demeanor compliments the other Piklz, yet beneath his focused concentration lies a punk rock attitude that aligns with Qbert’s philosophy that the only rule is there are no rules. Likewise, his turntable-composition approach balances the others’ battle-DJ backgrounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952235\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 636px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952235\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/SK-A-TRAK-1997-at-Qs.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"636\" height=\"474\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/SK-A-TRAK-1997-at-Qs.png 636w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/SK-A-TRAK-1997-at-Qs-160x119.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shortkut and A-Trak at Qbert’s place, 1997. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Shortkut)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As far as a turntable composer, I feel like we definitely embrace the more musical side of it, and less technical,” he says. “For the battle DJs, they really try to spray like a Uzi, you know what I mean? And just get off a bunch of power stuff and try to wow the the crowd and the judges. For music, it’s more about the long-term thing. We want to make music that’s timeless. And it’s not based off of a five-minute routine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the core Piklz now set with Qbert, Shortkut and D-Styles, Mix Master Mike – who remained affiliated with the crew – says, “I felt like we had the perfect stew. Everyone had their own style, their own identity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Around this time, Mike began putting together his first solo album, \u003cem>Anti-Theft Device\u003c/em>, which he envisioned as “not an underground album (but) a worldwide release.” He imagined himself as a sonic transducer, attracting and reshaping matter into different forms. He drew on inspirations like Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham, early Public Enemy, Thelonious Monk, Rage Against the Machine and Ennio Morricone. He contemplated the subtlety of silence, of ghost notes and pregnant pauses. And then he went out and made an album with booming, deafening drums and thumping bass on nearly every track.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I focused on the drums first,” Mike says. “I wanted to make sure those drums were hitting really hard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952249\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952249\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft.jpg 1000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft-800x787.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft-160x157.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/MMM.antitheft-768x756.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mix Master Mike’s ‘Anti-Theft Device,’ 1998. \u003ccite>(Asphodel Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On \u003cem>Anti-Theft Device\u003c/em>, the found sounds and quirky vocal samples (“NASA maintains this is \u003cem>not\u003c/em> Colonel Blaha’s voice”) often present on DJ mix tapes resurface often, along with boom-bap beats and scratched phrases, instruments and sound effects. There are elements of intoxicated or altered reality, and bug-out moments that suggest turboized vocoders spouting underwater propellers, or seemingly random musical sample generators harnessing infinite libraries of sound, from raga to reggae to rock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the end of the day,” Mike says, “it’s about spearheading the evolution of the battle DJ – as artist, composer, tastemaker.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Mike was the first Pikl to make a solo album, Qbert crafted an especially ambitious concept for his first official solo debut. As Mike tells it, he had some extra tracks left over, which he gave to Qbert. “And he fuckin’, just like, went crazy on those beats. And then, yeah. It became \u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952250\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952250\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/R-16932444-1610670653-3566.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/R-16932444-1610670653-3566.jpg 600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/R-16932444-1610670653-3566-160x160.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">DJ Qbert’s ‘Wave Twisters,’ 1998. The album spawned a cult-classic 2001 animated film of the same name. \u003ccite>(Galactic Butt Hair Records)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Wave Twisters, the Beasties and Beyond\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em> holds the rare distinction of being a soundtrack around which a movie was later designed. The album received extremely positive reviews, making many music critics’ year-end lists. To this day, it’s regarded as one of the best turntablism albums of all time. Tracks like “Destination: Quasar 16.33.45.78” took ISP battle routines to new levels, imagining a battle in inner space between a heroic dental hygienist and the minions of a villain named Lord Ook. The track revels in sci-fi tropes, with vocal cues like “Attention, starship!” coloring the scratched, transformed and cut-up audio landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Qbert, \u003cem>Wave Twisters\u003c/em> was willed into existence. “I intentionally foresaw it because in the back of my head, I was like, I’m gonna make every song like a storyline. It’s going to be a thing. And somebody’s going to animate this. And then out of nowhere, the universe made it all work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13937489","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Meanwhile, Mix Master Mike was setting his own intentions – around becoming a member of the Beastie Boys. A longtime fan of their music, he says, “even before I met them, I always thought I was the fourth Beastie, and I was the missing element.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After meeting the Beasties’ MCA during a Rock Steady Crew anniversary in 1996, Mike took an unusual route to make his dreams come true. “I went up to MCA and introduced myself,” he recalls. “He knew who I was through all the competitions and the battles, and we exchanged phone numbers and went back home. And late at night, I would just leave these scratch messages on his answering machine. Two, three in the morning, just leaving these scratches on his machine, hoping that these transmissions would penetrate. Fortunately they did. \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#mix-master-mike-becomes-the-beastie-boys-dj\">And the rest is history\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952251\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952251\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1611\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-800x503.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-1020x642.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-768x483.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-1536x967.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-2048x1289.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Beasties.MixMasterMike.2004-1920x1208.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) Mixmaster Mike, Mike Diamond, Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch, and Adam ‘Ad-Rock’ Horovitz of The Beastie Boys attend the MTV Europe Music Awards 2004 at Tor di Valle Nov. 18, 2004 in Rome, Italy. \u003ccite>(Bruno Vincent/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Mike joined the Beasties in time for 1998’s \u003cem>Hello Nasty\u003c/em> album, remaining part of the group until MCA died of cancer in 2012 and the Beastie Boys disbanded. “So at the end of the day,” Mike says, “it’s all about power of intention, right? And my intention was to get in the band or work with the band.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the ’90s drew to a close, the Piklz weren’t quite done. They produced Skratchcon 2000, a scratching convention, bringing together pioneering masters and acolytes of DJ scratch music. “That was our old manager, Yogafrog,” Qbert says. “His idea to put on a convention called Scratchcon, that was a genius idea of his, and we should do a Part II. We got all the best, most popular scratchers on the planet to come through. It was huge. Steve Dee was there, even Aladdin, all the X-Ecutioners, everybody. It was amazing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952252\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952252\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1500\" height=\"983\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-800x524.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-1020x668.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ISP.Garage.Group_-768x503.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Shortkut, D-Styles, Mix Master Mike, Yogafrog and QBert in QBert’s garage in the Excelsior District of San Francisco, 1998. \u003ccite>(Liz Hafalia /The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images))\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Skratchcon drew fans from all over the country, in addition to current and historic scratch DJs,for live showcases and demonstrations like DJ Radar’s introduction of scratch notation. The convention culminated with a live concert at the Fillmore Auditorium, billed at the time as the ISP’s last official performance. To this day, it stands as one of the highpoints of a decade overflowing with revolutionary developments in hip-hop DJ culture, which saw the Invisibl Skratch Piklz make history and become iconic representatives of turntablism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Mix Master Mike says, “There is no ceiling to this. No, it’s whatever you think about is whatever you create and whatever you can apply.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11687704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-400x30.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/06/Turntable.Break_-768x58.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13952208/invisibl-skratch-piklz-filipino-djs-daly-city-san-francisco-turntablism-history","authors":["11839"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_69"],"tags":["arts_2854","arts_21712","arts_2852","arts_10278","arts_831","arts_17218","arts_21940","arts_1146","arts_19347","arts_21711"],"featImg":"arts_13952226","label":"arts"},"arts_13955066":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13955066","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13955066","score":null,"sort":[1715978902000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"del-martin-phyllis-lyon-lesbian-icons-lgbt-daughters-of-bilitis","title":"The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America","publishDate":1715978902,"format":"standard","headTitle":"The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":8978,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon co-authored \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman\u003c/em> in 1972, the effect was seismic. Dedicated to “daughters throughout the world who are struggling with their identity,” the book began with a clear, unequivocal explanation:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>A Lesbian is a woman whose primary erotic, psychological, emotional and social interest is in a member of her own sex.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>That a book about lesbian culture would even require such a definition feels bizarre today. But the lifelong work of San Francisco couple Martin and Lyon is one of the reasons that so few people require such annotations now. \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman\u003c/em> didn’t just demystify same-sex female relationships — it calmly and clearly sought to normalize them. At the time, few representations of lesbians existed outside of lurid pulp fiction or psychology textbooks. \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman\u003c/em> changed the conversation and reassured queer women everywhere that there was nothing wrong with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13889944']When Martin and Lyon began their relationship in 1952, after two years of friendship, America was a terrifying place to be LGBTQ. Looking back in 1995, the couple wrote an essay recalling the “climate of fear, rejection and oppression” that marked the earliest days of their 56-year romance. “Lesbians and gay men, if found out,” the pair wrote, “were subject to reprisals from all quarters of society: employers, police, military, government, family and friends.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With that in mind — after moving into a Castro District apartment together on Valentine’s Day in 1953 — Martin and Lyon sought friendships with fellow lesbians outside of the oft-raided gay bars. That led to the establishment in 1955 of the \u003ca href=\"https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/before-stonewall/daughters-of-bilitis\">Daughters of Bilitis\u003c/a> (DOB), the first lesbian-rights organization in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Originally the idea of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/queeriodicals/p/CFaBsyuAVGF/?img_index=1\">Rosalie Bamberger\u003c/a>, a local Filipina factory worker,  the nonprofit started with just four couples. Martin was the club’s first president, and by the end of its first year, DOB had 15 official members. From there, the group expanded their ranks via the Daughters of Bilitis newsletter and, starting in October 1956, \u003ca href=\"https://archive.org/details/pub_ladder\">\u003cem>The Ladder\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a groundbreaking lesbian magazine edited by Lyon. She held a degree in journalism from UC Berkeley, and had worked in magazines and newspapers since the ’40s — but here, she published under the pseudonym Ann Ferguson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958039\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958039\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/the-ladder-scaled-e1715901912416.jpg\" alt=\"Three black and white covers of magazines. The first shows an androgynous person, the second features two cats, and the third is a sketch of a couple, viewed from behind, watching a sunset.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"891\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Issues of ‘The Ladder,’ a magazine for lesbians that began publishing in 1956. \u003ccite>(The Internet Archive)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lyon’s pen name wasn’t the only reflection of the fear-of-being-found-out that marked the era: Daughters of Bilitis’ name came from \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Songs_of_Bilitis#:~:text=The%20Songs%20of%20Bilitis%20(%2Fb,work%20is%20considered%20a%20pseudotranslation.\">Songs of Bilitis\u003c/a>, \u003c/em>a collection of lesbian love poems published in 1894 by Pierre Louÿs, who claimed the text was based on ancient Greek scripts. If anyone asked, the women could say that DOB was merely a club for women who were passionate about Greek poetry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in 1960, when the organization’s first conference was held in the penthouse of San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Whitcomb\">Hotel Whitcomb\u003c/a>, all attendees were careful to wear skirts and dresses, lest they be accused of cross-dressing. (They were right to do so: SFPD’s “homosexual detail” showed up to see if anything nefarious was going on.) At one point, Martin and Lyon were so concerned about their office being raided and the DOB mailing list being exposed, they hid the document in the back of their station wagon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, DOB persisted, acting as a support and social group, and as a source of information for its members. Even in the organization’s earliest days, Martin carried herself with an unrivaled fortitude. In 1959, she attended a Mattachine Society convention in Denver to voice her dissatisfaction with the gay organization’s attitude towards women. Pointing out that the group was 99% male, Martin announced from the stage: “Lesbians are not satisfied to be auxiliary members or second-class homosexuals. One of Mattachine’s aims is that of sexual equality. May I suggest that you start with the lesbian?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martin channeled that energy into her writing as well. Her first solo book, \u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1142351\">\u003cem>Battered Wives\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, was published in 1976, becoming the first American book to discuss domestic violence in depth. By then, Martin was also the first out lesbian to have served on the National Organization of Women’s board of directors. Lyon was a fellow NOW member, which made them the first out lesbian couple to join.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he ’70s were a time of great change for Martin and Lyon. Daughters of Bilitis and \u003cem>The Ladder\u003c/em> both came to an unceremonious halt in 1970 because of intragroup politics and a couple of bad actors. Without either entity to pour their energy into, Martin and Lyon instead focused on writing \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman —\u003c/em> and this time, with incredible bravery, they used their real names. A year later came \u003cem>Lesbian Love and Liberation: The Yes Book of Sex, \u003c/em>a sex-positive guide that Martin and Lyon wrote to encourage tolerance, consent and frankness in the bedroom. The very first page came out guns blazing:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Yes, everyone has a right to a good sex life — including persons who have physical disabilities. Yes, sexuality is the most individualistic part of a person’s life. It is up to each individual to determine and then to assume responsibility for her or his own sexuality. Yes, sex is okay in its varying modes of expression — if people know what they are doing, feel good about it and don’t harm others.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Less than two years after \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman’\u003c/em>s release, and just months after \u003cem>Lesbian Love and Liberation\u003c/em> came out, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders finally stopped defining homosexuality as a mental illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By 1979, the couple had established the \u003ca href=\"https://lyon-martin.org/\">Lyon-Martin Women’s Health Center\u003c/a> in San Francisco — a safe space for lesbian couples to receive healthcare. “We were trying to help lesbians find themselves,” Lyon said in 1989. “I mean, you can’t have a movement if you don’t have people that see that they’re worthwhile.” (Today, the clinic is also focused on serving trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming and intersex people.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13870056']Throughout the ’90s, as LGBTQ people increasingly found acceptance in America, Martin and Lyon celebrated how far they had come in a series of interviews and essays. While the \u003cem>San Francisco Examiner\u003c/em> referred to them as “the mothers of lesbian visibility,” the couple remained hilariously open about how long it took them to figure themselves out. In one 1992 interview, Martin joked about Lyon being a “straight lesbian for a while,” even after they were living together as a couple. Lyon laughed at the memory, admitting, “I was a little slow…”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2004, Martin and Lyon became the first same-sex couple to marry in San Francisco. At a mass wedding reception for 600 newlyweds on Feb. 23, 2004, Lyon said: “I think it’s important for a lot of the people that got married … but also for our friends who didn’t get married.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958064\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A 2004 San Francisco marriage license.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2362\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-800x738.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-1020x941.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-160x148.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-768x709.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-1536x1417.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-2048x1890.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-1920x1771.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon’s first marriage certificate. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the San Francisco History Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The unions were frustratingly short-lived — within a month, the California Supreme Court had declared every same-sex marriage that had just taken place in San Francisco invalid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But four years later, Lyon and Martin proudly returned to City Hall and made things official once more, after the California Supreme Court’s landmark decision on marriage equality. The couple were literally first in line, just as they had been in 2004, and were married by then-Mayor Gavin Newsom — the man who had sanctioned their first wedding. They even wore the same \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLBT_Historical_Society#/media/File:GLBTHistoryMuseum.WeddingPantsuits12_10.jpg\">mauve and turquoise suits\u003c/a> they had worn for their first ceremony. (Those outfits are now held in San Francisco’s GLBT Historical Society’s permanent collection.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='pop_102855']It was an enormously meaningful day for the couple. When Martin died at the age of 87, less than three months after their wedding, Lyon said: “I am devastated, but I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed.” Castro’s Pride flag and the flags at City Hall flew at half-mast in Martin’s honor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lyon soldiered on without her love for another 12 years. She died in 2020, aged 95, at home in San Francisco. On learning of the news, Gavin Newsom tweeted: “Phyllis — It was the honor of a lifetime to marry you & Del. Your courage changed the course of history.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It would be a gross understatement to say that Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon’s love, and their willingness to speak openly and often about it, impacted America’s view of same-sex unions. The couple spent their whole lives putting themselves in the spotlight — and sometimes grave danger — to raise awareness, and to help women still struggling with their own sexualities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2017, Lyon reminded the world why she and Martin had lived their lives in service. “If you’ve got stuff you want to change, you have to get out and work on it,” she said. “You can’t just sit around and say ‘I wish this or that was different.’ You have to fight for it.”\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, 'mothers of lesbian visibility,' spent their lives writing, organizing and celebrating their relationship.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1718051774,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":24,"wordCount":1623},"headData":{"title":"Honoring Lesbian Icons Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon | KQED","description":"Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, 'mothers of lesbian visibility,' spent their lives writing, organizing and celebrating their relationship.","ogTitle":"The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialTitle":"Honoring Lesbian Icons Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon%%page%% %%sep%% KQED","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America","datePublished":"2024-05-17T13:48:22-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-10T13:36:14-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"sticky":false,"templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13955066/del-martin-phyllis-lyon-lesbian-icons-lgbt-daughters-of-bilitis","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">W\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>hen Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon co-authored \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman\u003c/em> in 1972, the effect was seismic. Dedicated to “daughters throughout the world who are struggling with their identity,” the book began with a clear, unequivocal explanation:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>A Lesbian is a woman whose primary erotic, psychological, emotional and social interest is in a member of her own sex.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>That a book about lesbian culture would even require such a definition feels bizarre today. But the lifelong work of San Francisco couple Martin and Lyon is one of the reasons that so few people require such annotations now. \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman\u003c/em> didn’t just demystify same-sex female relationships — it calmly and clearly sought to normalize them. At the time, few representations of lesbians existed outside of lurid pulp fiction or psychology textbooks. \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman\u003c/em> changed the conversation and reassured queer women everywhere that there was nothing wrong with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13889944","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>When Martin and Lyon began their relationship in 1952, after two years of friendship, America was a terrifying place to be LGBTQ. Looking back in 1995, the couple wrote an essay recalling the “climate of fear, rejection and oppression” that marked the earliest days of their 56-year romance. “Lesbians and gay men, if found out,” the pair wrote, “were subject to reprisals from all quarters of society: employers, police, military, government, family and friends.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With that in mind — after moving into a Castro District apartment together on Valentine’s Day in 1953 — Martin and Lyon sought friendships with fellow lesbians outside of the oft-raided gay bars. That led to the establishment in 1955 of the \u003ca href=\"https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/before-stonewall/daughters-of-bilitis\">Daughters of Bilitis\u003c/a> (DOB), the first lesbian-rights organization in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Originally the idea of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/queeriodicals/p/CFaBsyuAVGF/?img_index=1\">Rosalie Bamberger\u003c/a>, a local Filipina factory worker,  the nonprofit started with just four couples. Martin was the club’s first president, and by the end of its first year, DOB had 15 official members. From there, the group expanded their ranks via the Daughters of Bilitis newsletter and, starting in October 1956, \u003ca href=\"https://archive.org/details/pub_ladder\">\u003cem>The Ladder\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, a groundbreaking lesbian magazine edited by Lyon. She held a degree in journalism from UC Berkeley, and had worked in magazines and newspapers since the ’40s — but here, she published under the pseudonym Ann Ferguson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958039\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958039\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/the-ladder-scaled-e1715901912416.jpg\" alt=\"Three black and white covers of magazines. The first shows an androgynous person, the second features two cats, and the third is a sketch of a couple, viewed from behind, watching a sunset.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"891\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Issues of ‘The Ladder,’ a magazine for lesbians that began publishing in 1956. \u003ccite>(The Internet Archive)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lyon’s pen name wasn’t the only reflection of the fear-of-being-found-out that marked the era: Daughters of Bilitis’ name came from \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Songs_of_Bilitis#:~:text=The%20Songs%20of%20Bilitis%20(%2Fb,work%20is%20considered%20a%20pseudotranslation.\">Songs of Bilitis\u003c/a>, \u003c/em>a collection of lesbian love poems published in 1894 by Pierre Louÿs, who claimed the text was based on ancient Greek scripts. If anyone asked, the women could say that DOB was merely a club for women who were passionate about Greek poetry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in 1960, when the organization’s first conference was held in the penthouse of San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Whitcomb\">Hotel Whitcomb\u003c/a>, all attendees were careful to wear skirts and dresses, lest they be accused of cross-dressing. (They were right to do so: SFPD’s “homosexual detail” showed up to see if anything nefarious was going on.) At one point, Martin and Lyon were so concerned about their office being raided and the DOB mailing list being exposed, they hid the document in the back of their station wagon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, DOB persisted, acting as a support and social group, and as a source of information for its members. Even in the organization’s earliest days, Martin carried herself with an unrivaled fortitude. In 1959, she attended a Mattachine Society convention in Denver to voice her dissatisfaction with the gay organization’s attitude towards women. Pointing out that the group was 99% male, Martin announced from the stage: “Lesbians are not satisfied to be auxiliary members or second-class homosexuals. One of Mattachine’s aims is that of sexual equality. May I suggest that you start with the lesbian?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Martin channeled that energy into her writing as well. Her first solo book, \u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1142351\">\u003cem>Battered Wives\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, was published in 1976, becoming the first American book to discuss domestic violence in depth. By then, Martin was also the first out lesbian to have served on the National Organization of Women’s board of directors. Lyon was a fellow NOW member, which made them the first out lesbian couple to join.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">T\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>he ’70s were a time of great change for Martin and Lyon. Daughters of Bilitis and \u003cem>The Ladder\u003c/em> both came to an unceremonious halt in 1970 because of intragroup politics and a couple of bad actors. Without either entity to pour their energy into, Martin and Lyon instead focused on writing \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman —\u003c/em> and this time, with incredible bravery, they used their real names. A year later came \u003cem>Lesbian Love and Liberation: The Yes Book of Sex, \u003c/em>a sex-positive guide that Martin and Lyon wrote to encourage tolerance, consent and frankness in the bedroom. The very first page came out guns blazing:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Yes, everyone has a right to a good sex life — including persons who have physical disabilities. Yes, sexuality is the most individualistic part of a person’s life. It is up to each individual to determine and then to assume responsibility for her or his own sexuality. Yes, sex is okay in its varying modes of expression — if people know what they are doing, feel good about it and don’t harm others.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Less than two years after \u003cem>Lesbian/Woman’\u003c/em>s release, and just months after \u003cem>Lesbian Love and Liberation\u003c/em> came out, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders finally stopped defining homosexuality as a mental illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By 1979, the couple had established the \u003ca href=\"https://lyon-martin.org/\">Lyon-Martin Women’s Health Center\u003c/a> in San Francisco — a safe space for lesbian couples to receive healthcare. “We were trying to help lesbians find themselves,” Lyon said in 1989. “I mean, you can’t have a movement if you don’t have people that see that they’re worthwhile.” (Today, the clinic is also focused on serving trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming and intersex people.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13870056","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Throughout the ’90s, as LGBTQ people increasingly found acceptance in America, Martin and Lyon celebrated how far they had come in a series of interviews and essays. While the \u003cem>San Francisco Examiner\u003c/em> referred to them as “the mothers of lesbian visibility,” the couple remained hilariously open about how long it took them to figure themselves out. In one 1992 interview, Martin joked about Lyon being a “straight lesbian for a while,” even after they were living together as a couple. Lyon laughed at the memory, admitting, “I was a little slow…”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2004, Martin and Lyon became the first same-sex couple to marry in San Francisco. At a mass wedding reception for 600 newlyweds on Feb. 23, 2004, Lyon said: “I think it’s important for a lot of the people that got married … but also for our friends who didn’t get married.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958064\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A 2004 San Francisco marriage license.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2362\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-800x738.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-1020x941.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-160x148.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-768x709.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-1536x1417.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-2048x1890.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/20240402_161657-1920x1771.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon’s first marriage certificate. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the San Francisco History Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The unions were frustratingly short-lived — within a month, the California Supreme Court had declared every same-sex marriage that had just taken place in San Francisco invalid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But four years later, Lyon and Martin proudly returned to City Hall and made things official once more, after the California Supreme Court’s landmark decision on marriage equality. The couple were literally first in line, just as they had been in 2004, and were married by then-Mayor Gavin Newsom — the man who had sanctioned their first wedding. They even wore the same \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLBT_Historical_Society#/media/File:GLBTHistoryMuseum.WeddingPantsuits12_10.jpg\">mauve and turquoise suits\u003c/a> they had worn for their first ceremony. (Those outfits are now held in San Francisco’s GLBT Historical Society’s permanent collection.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"pop_102855","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>It was an enormously meaningful day for the couple. When Martin died at the age of 87, less than three months after their wedding, Lyon said: “I am devastated, but I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed.” Castro’s Pride flag and the flags at City Hall flew at half-mast in Martin’s honor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lyon soldiered on without her love for another 12 years. She died in 2020, aged 95, at home in San Francisco. On learning of the news, Gavin Newsom tweeted: “Phyllis — It was the honor of a lifetime to marry you & Del. Your courage changed the course of history.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It would be a gross understatement to say that Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon’s love, and their willingness to speak openly and often about it, impacted America’s view of same-sex unions. The couple spent their whole lives putting themselves in the spotlight — and sometimes grave danger — to raise awareness, and to help women still struggling with their own sexualities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2017, Lyon reminded the world why she and Martin had lived their lives in service. “If you’ve got stuff you want to change, you have to get out and work on it,” she said. “You can’t just sit around and say ‘I wish this or that was different.’ You have to fight for it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13955066/del-martin-phyllis-lyon-lesbian-icons-lgbt-daughters-of-bilitis","authors":["11242"],"programs":["arts_8978"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_7862","arts_11615"],"tags":["arts_10278","arts_3226","arts_22180","arts_8177","arts_21841","arts_8263"],"featImg":"arts_13955067","label":"arts_8978"},"arts_13950520":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13950520","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13950520","score":null,"sort":[1707948014000]},"parent":0,"labelTerm":{"site":"arts","term":8978},"blocks":[],"publishDate":1707948014,"format":"standard","title":"The Dancer Who Helped Start the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast Program","headTitle":"The Dancer Who Helped Start the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast Program | KQED","content":"\u003cp>[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n the late 1960s, an uncommonly energetic 43-year-old named Ruth Beckford was teaching an Afro-Haitian dance class in Oakland. A dancing pro since the age of eight, Beckford had a habit of taking a close personal interest in her students. She taught the youngest ones a combination of life skills and etiquette to set them up for bright futures. She encouraged teens and young women to love themselves and pursue their dreams. And when one of her students told Beckford about her involvement with the Black Panther Party, Beckford was keen to be of assistance with that, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The student in question was LaVerne Anderson, who happened to be the girlfriend of Huey P. Newton. Beckford began by accompanying Anderson to some of Newton’s 1968 trial dates. In September of that year, when the idea for the Panthers’ Free Breakfast for School Children Program first came up, it was Beckford who sprang into action and made it happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13874853']Beckford had long been a parishioner at Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://staugepiscopal.org/\">St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church\u003c/a>, then situated at West and 27th Streets. Beckford approached her priest there, Father Earl A. Neil, to find out if St. Augustine’s was willing to host a daily program there to feed neighborhood kids. Father Neil agreed, and he and Beckford went about building a health code-safe kitchen and dining space, as well as a nutritionally balanced menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the first day — a Monday in January 1969 — 11 children came to eat. By Friday, that number had swelled to 135. Beckford and Father Neil made such a success of the free breakfasts, the program was soon mandatory in all Black Panther chapters nationwide. It was also a shining example of Beckford’s ability to turn ideas into action, and to plant seeds that would one day create mighty forests. That’s something she had already been doing in her dance classes for 22 years before she got involved with the Panthers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952106\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952106\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/GettyImages-939585344-scaled-e1707777665615.jpg\" alt=\"Several young Black boys, one of whom is wearing a suit, raise their hands to speak as they sit around a table, paper plates of food in front of them.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1298\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast for Children program — like this one in New York City in 1969 — combined education and good nutrition. \u003ccite>(Bev Grant/ Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]B[/dropcap]eckford was born on Dec. 7, 1925 in Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Providence_Hospital\">Providence Hospital\u003c/a> to a Jamaican father and a mother from Los Angeles. Beckford was the youngest of four — she had a big sister and a pair of twin brothers — and was raised on 38th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. She grew up in a household so supportive that, when they saw her kicking along to music in her crib as a baby, her parents pledged to get her into dance class as soon as she was old enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At three years old, Beckford began training in “every kind of dance,” her dedicated mom sewing all her costumes. It was clear from the beginning that the young girl was naturally gifted, and that dance was indeed her calling. By eight, she was a vaudeville dancer. By 14, she was teaching other children. At 17, she toured with the prestigious Katherine Dunham Company, where she fully embraced African and Caribbean dance for the first time. Beckford loved the work but declined a seven-year contract from Dunham so she could attend UC Berkeley instead. (Dunham remained a mentor and friend for life, and Beckford taught in her New York dance school in 1953.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13926548,pop_102326,arts_13916612']During her studies, Beckford was the only Black dancer in UC Berkeley’s dance club, Orchesis. The experience prepared her for working in majority-white companies later on. In her 20s, as the only Black dancer with the \u003ca href=\"https://calisphere.org/item/8c65bcebbbc335b04faa0cd457e3ebd7/\">Anna Halprin and Welland Lathrop\u003c/a> modern dance company, Beckford said she could sometimes hear the audience gasp as she arrived on San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once Beckford had graduated with a modern dance degree, she was keen to serve her community while doing what she loved most. First, she started an annual modern dance showcase that ran for over a decade. Then in 1947, aged just 21, Beckford started the Oakland Recreation Modern Dance Department — the first city-funded dance classes in the United States — and remained project director there for 20 years. Beckford insisted the classes be free so that anyone, no matter their means, would be able to attend. By the time she left in 1967, the department was running 34 modern dance classes for 700 students of all ages and abilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the importance of this program, Beckford later stated: “My philosophy for the young girls was, I would get them in through dance, but my whole goal was to make them be strong, free spirits. The girls got a lot of doses of self-empowerment training, self-esteem training,” she said. “Out of the thousands of girls that I taught, I knew a few would be dancers, but they all had to become women. I wanted them all to be strong young ladies — and it worked.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These relationships were so important to Beckford, she prioritized them over having children of her own. “I feel if I had had children,” she said in 2000, “I would not have been the mentor to the hundreds and hundreds of girls I mentored. I would give them all the attention. I would tell them they were special.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From 1954 on, Beckford was also running her own company, the Ruth Beckford African Haitian Dance Company. Her understanding of traditional styles was so exhaustive, she was invited to choreograph a folk festival in Haiti in 1958. At home, her company’s performances — comprised of six dancers accompanied by three drummers — were unlike anything most dance fans had seen in the Bay Area before. For a start, the company was comprised entirely of Black dancers — a refreshing contrast to the companies Beckford had grown up in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13951198\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13951198 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/GettyImages-576842076-scaled-e1706578196329.jpg\" alt=\"A Black male dancer does the splits in mid-air, while two Black women dance either side of him.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1516\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students and members of Ruth Beckford’s dance group rehearse a number in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Ted Streshinsky/ CORBIS/ Corbis via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]A[/dropcap]fter Beckford retired from teaching in 1975, there was still no stopping her. She became an author, writing an autobiography, two cookbooks and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.jstor.org/stable/2784188\">Katherine Dunham biography\u003c/a>. She also co-authored \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.everand.com/book/502678421/The-Picture-Man-From-the-Collection-of-Bay-Area-Photographer-E-F-Joseph-1927-1979\">The Picture Man\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> about Black Bay Area photographer E.F. Joseph. Her final work, \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Still-Groovin-Affirmations-Women-Second/dp/0829813373\">\u003cem>Still Groovin’\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, was a book of spiritual advice and affirmations aimed squarely at mature women. “Women are sort of out there by themselves,” she said, “and women have to mentor each other. My book is a tool to help them become stronger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Still Groovin’\u003c/em> wasn’t her only means of trying to empower her peers. Between 1984 and 1988, Beckford wrote a trilogy of plays titled \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’\u003c/span>\u003cem>Tis the Morning of My Life\u003c/em>, about a woman named Roxie Youngblood who finds herself in a relationship with a much younger man. Beckford admitted the story was inspired by her own life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='pop_102855']“I have a different energy, I think, to most men my age,” she once explained. “As long as I have this energy, I’m going to use it and have fun with younger people. Younger men have the energy I have, and I feel mine is worthy of that.” On another occasion, she noted: “Older women are marrying younger men nowadays because they find they have much more in common.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a New York theater asked permission to stage her first play, Beckford agreed only if the original Bay Area cast could perform it. “It’s time for New York to see what the West Coast can do,” she insisted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a lot of people, co-founding the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast program would have been the pinnacle achievement of a lifetime. That Beckford then went on to mentor generations of young Black women was a huge deal. And the sheer number of ways Beckford sought to be of service throughout her life is ultimately breathtaking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She served on the Board of Oakland\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’s\u003c/span> African American Museum and Library, where she also founded an oral history program. She counseled homeless people in Berkeley, and women in shelters and prisons around the state. She served on a dance panel at the National Endowment for the Arts and campaigned for better theater facilities in Oakland. She founded a women’s golf club. She even spent Thursday afternoons in the late 1990s volunteering in Jack London Square’s information booth so that she might pass on her passion for all things Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ruth Beckford remained indefatigable (despite surviving five back surgeries and a hip replacement) until her death at age 93. Shortly before her passing on May 8, 2019, Beckford reflected on a life thoroughly well lived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have a joyous life, I have a good time,” she said. “I choreographed my life. Step-by-step, year-by-year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>To learn about other Rebel Girls from Bay Area History, visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/rebelgirls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rebel Girls homepage\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","stats":{"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"hasAudio":false,"hasPolis":false,"wordCount":1542,"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"paragraphCount":23},"modified":1710265590,"excerpt":"Ruth Beckford used dance as a means to mentor thousands of young women in Oakland. She never stopped serving her community.","headData":{"twImgId":"","twTitle":"","ogTitle":"","ogImgId":"","twDescription":"","description":"Ruth Beckford used dance as a means to mentor thousands of young women in Oakland. She never stopped serving her community.","title":"The Dancer Who Helped Start the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast Program | KQED","ogDescription":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"The Dancer Who Helped Start the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast Program","datePublished":"2024-02-14T14:00:14-08:00","dateModified":"2024-03-12T10:46:30-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"ruth-beckford-dance-black-panthers-free-breakfast-program","status":"publish","templateType":"standard","audioUrl":"https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/6767ea25-cddc-42bd-baac-b12c0136bde8/audio.mp3","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","featuredImageType":"standard","sticky":false,"articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13950520/ruth-beckford-dance-black-panthers-free-breakfast-program","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">I\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>n the late 1960s, an uncommonly energetic 43-year-old named Ruth Beckford was teaching an Afro-Haitian dance class in Oakland. A dancing pro since the age of eight, Beckford had a habit of taking a close personal interest in her students. She taught the youngest ones a combination of life skills and etiquette to set them up for bright futures. She encouraged teens and young women to love themselves and pursue their dreams. And when one of her students told Beckford about her involvement with the Black Panther Party, Beckford was keen to be of assistance with that, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The student in question was LaVerne Anderson, who happened to be the girlfriend of Huey P. Newton. Beckford began by accompanying Anderson to some of Newton’s 1968 trial dates. In September of that year, when the idea for the Panthers’ Free Breakfast for School Children Program first came up, it was Beckford who sprang into action and made it happen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13874853","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Beckford had long been a parishioner at Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://staugepiscopal.org/\">St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church\u003c/a>, then situated at West and 27th Streets. Beckford approached her priest there, Father Earl A. Neil, to find out if St. Augustine’s was willing to host a daily program there to feed neighborhood kids. Father Neil agreed, and he and Beckford went about building a health code-safe kitchen and dining space, as well as a nutritionally balanced menu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the first day — a Monday in January 1969 — 11 children came to eat. By Friday, that number had swelled to 135. Beckford and Father Neil made such a success of the free breakfasts, the program was soon mandatory in all Black Panther chapters nationwide. It was also a shining example of Beckford’s ability to turn ideas into action, and to plant seeds that would one day create mighty forests. That’s something she had already been doing in her dance classes for 22 years before she got involved with the Panthers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13952106\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13952106\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/GettyImages-939585344-scaled-e1707777665615.jpg\" alt=\"Several young Black boys, one of whom is wearing a suit, raise their hands to speak as they sit around a table, paper plates of food in front of them.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1298\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast for Children program — like this one in New York City in 1969 — combined education and good nutrition. \u003ccite>(Bev Grant/ Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">B\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>eckford was born on Dec. 7, 1925 in Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://localwiki.org/oakland/Providence_Hospital\">Providence Hospital\u003c/a> to a Jamaican father and a mother from Los Angeles. Beckford was the youngest of four — she had a big sister and a pair of twin brothers — and was raised on 38th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. She grew up in a household so supportive that, when they saw her kicking along to music in her crib as a baby, her parents pledged to get her into dance class as soon as she was old enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At three years old, Beckford began training in “every kind of dance,” her dedicated mom sewing all her costumes. It was clear from the beginning that the young girl was naturally gifted, and that dance was indeed her calling. By eight, she was a vaudeville dancer. By 14, she was teaching other children. At 17, she toured with the prestigious Katherine Dunham Company, where she fully embraced African and Caribbean dance for the first time. Beckford loved the work but declined a seven-year contract from Dunham so she could attend UC Berkeley instead. (Dunham remained a mentor and friend for life, and Beckford taught in her New York dance school in 1953.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13926548,pop_102326,arts_13916612","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>During her studies, Beckford was the only Black dancer in UC Berkeley’s dance club, Orchesis. The experience prepared her for working in majority-white companies later on. In her 20s, as the only Black dancer with the \u003ca href=\"https://calisphere.org/item/8c65bcebbbc335b04faa0cd457e3ebd7/\">Anna Halprin and Welland Lathrop\u003c/a> modern dance company, Beckford said she could sometimes hear the audience gasp as she arrived on San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once Beckford had graduated with a modern dance degree, she was keen to serve her community while doing what she loved most. First, she started an annual modern dance showcase that ran for over a decade. Then in 1947, aged just 21, Beckford started the Oakland Recreation Modern Dance Department — the first city-funded dance classes in the United States — and remained project director there for 20 years. Beckford insisted the classes be free so that anyone, no matter their means, would be able to attend. By the time she left in 1967, the department was running 34 modern dance classes for 700 students of all ages and abilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the importance of this program, Beckford later stated: “My philosophy for the young girls was, I would get them in through dance, but my whole goal was to make them be strong, free spirits. The girls got a lot of doses of self-empowerment training, self-esteem training,” she said. “Out of the thousands of girls that I taught, I knew a few would be dancers, but they all had to become women. I wanted them all to be strong young ladies — and it worked.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These relationships were so important to Beckford, she prioritized them over having children of her own. “I feel if I had had children,” she said in 2000, “I would not have been the mentor to the hundreds and hundreds of girls I mentored. I would give them all the attention. I would tell them they were special.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From 1954 on, Beckford was also running her own company, the Ruth Beckford African Haitian Dance Company. Her understanding of traditional styles was so exhaustive, she was invited to choreograph a folk festival in Haiti in 1958. At home, her company’s performances — comprised of six dancers accompanied by three drummers — were unlike anything most dance fans had seen in the Bay Area before. For a start, the company was comprised entirely of Black dancers — a refreshing contrast to the companies Beckford had grown up in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13951198\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13951198 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/GettyImages-576842076-scaled-e1706578196329.jpg\" alt=\"A Black male dancer does the splits in mid-air, while two Black women dance either side of him.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1516\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students and members of Ruth Beckford’s dance group rehearse a number in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Ted Streshinsky/ CORBIS/ Corbis via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">A\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>fter Beckford retired from teaching in 1975, there was still no stopping her. She became an author, writing an autobiography, two cookbooks and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.jstor.org/stable/2784188\">Katherine Dunham biography\u003c/a>. She also co-authored \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.everand.com/book/502678421/The-Picture-Man-From-the-Collection-of-Bay-Area-Photographer-E-F-Joseph-1927-1979\">The Picture Man\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> about Black Bay Area photographer E.F. Joseph. Her final work, \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Still-Groovin-Affirmations-Women-Second/dp/0829813373\">\u003cem>Still Groovin’\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, was a book of spiritual advice and affirmations aimed squarely at mature women. “Women are sort of out there by themselves,” she said, “and women have to mentor each other. My book is a tool to help them become stronger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Still Groovin’\u003c/em> wasn’t her only means of trying to empower her peers. Between 1984 and 1988, Beckford wrote a trilogy of plays titled \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’\u003c/span>\u003cem>Tis the Morning of My Life\u003c/em>, about a woman named Roxie Youngblood who finds herself in a relationship with a much younger man. Beckford admitted the story was inspired by her own life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"pop_102855","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I have a different energy, I think, to most men my age,” she once explained. “As long as I have this energy, I’m going to use it and have fun with younger people. Younger men have the energy I have, and I feel mine is worthy of that.” On another occasion, she noted: “Older women are marrying younger men nowadays because they find they have much more in common.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a New York theater asked permission to stage her first play, Beckford agreed only if the original Bay Area cast could perform it. “It’s time for New York to see what the West Coast can do,” she insisted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a lot of people, co-founding the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast program would have been the pinnacle achievement of a lifetime. That Beckford then went on to mentor generations of young Black women was a huge deal. And the sheer number of ways Beckford sought to be of service throughout her life is ultimately breathtaking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She served on the Board of Oakland\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’s\u003c/span> African American Museum and Library, where she also founded an oral history program. She counseled homeless people in Berkeley, and women in shelters and prisons around the state. She served on a dance panel at the National Endowment for the Arts and campaigned for better theater facilities in Oakland. She founded a women’s golf club. She even spent Thursday afternoons in the late 1990s volunteering in Jack London Square’s information booth so that she might pass on her passion for all things Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ruth Beckford remained indefatigable (despite surviving five back surgeries and a hip replacement) until her death at age 93. Shortly before her passing on May 8, 2019, Beckford reflected on a life thoroughly well lived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have a joyous life, I have a good time,” she said. “I choreographed my life. Step-by-step, year-by-year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>To learn about other Rebel Girls from Bay Area History, visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/rebelgirls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rebel Girls homepage\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13950520/ruth-beckford-dance-black-panthers-free-breakfast-program","authors":["11242"],"programs":["arts_8978"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_835","arts_966","arts_7862","arts_11615"],"tags":["arts_6775","arts_1346","arts_10278","arts_7408","arts_1143","arts_21841"],"featImg":"arts_13951421","label":"arts_8978"},"arts_13937270":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13937270","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13937270","score":null,"sort":[1699894805000]},"parent":0,"labelTerm":{"site":"arts","term":8978},"blocks":[],"publishDate":1699894805,"format":"standard","title":"The Pregnant Teen Who Captained a Clipper Ship in 1856","headTitle":"The Pregnant Teen Who Captained a Clipper Ship in 1856 | KQED","content":"\u003cp>On Nov. 13, 1856, witnesses on San Francisco’s shoreline were astonished by the sight of a pregnant 19-year-old girl guiding a grand, 216-foot-long clipper ship into port. Mary Ann Patten had spent the previous two months leading the crew and cargo of the Neptune’s Car to safety from Chile’s Cape Horn. It was a role the young woman stepped up and took on after her husband — respected captain and master mariner, Joshua Adams Patten — contracted \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541015/#:~:text=Tuberculous%20meningitis%20(TBM)%20is%20caused,to%20be%20infected%20with%20MTB.\">tuberculous meningitis\u003c/a> and pneumonia, rendering him blind, incoherent and bedridden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That Mary had successfully overseen the ship’s safe passage — even while nursing her ailing husband — made her an instant celebrity. That she was the first American woman to captain a merchant vessel made her a nautical legend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13932525']The end of the Pattens’ journey on Neptune’s Car in many ways stands as a testament to their partnership. Joshua and Mary were married when she was just 16. The refined and intelligent girl was born in East Boston to immigrant parents from England, and always had a passion for learning. Joshua was widely viewed as a man of strong principles and good character. Though he was ten years Mary’s senior, the pair quickly developed a deep dedication to one another that was rooted in mutual respect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That dedication was in evidence after the original captain of the Neptune’s Car became ill and Joshua was asked to take his place on an 18-month around-the world voyage. Keen to accept the business opportunity but loathe to leave Mary for so long, Joshua contacted New York’s Foster & Nickerson shipping company and said that he would accept the job only under one unusual condition — that his wife be allowed to go with him. His bosses agreed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937748\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1596px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937748\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM.png\" alt=\"A 19th century painting of a vast clipper ship at sea.\" width=\"1596\" height=\"1130\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM.png 1596w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-800x566.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-1020x722.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-160x113.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-768x544.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-1536x1088.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1596px) 100vw, 1596px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Neptune’s Car, the ship that Mary Ann Patten would later captain, as seen in Hong Kong Harbor in the early 1850s.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conditions aboard clipper ships in the 1850s were far from romantic. Everyday life was cold, wet and grueling. Food rations were limited, illness was common on long journeys and, though sick sailors were isolated as soon as possible, it wasn’t unusual for disease to spread in the tight living quarters. Despite what was sure to be a challenging environment, Mary had no fear about joining Joshua on the epic journey. Having been born into a family of seafarers, she held a reverence and love for the open ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For her first year aboard Neptune’s Car, Mary spent her time wisely and constructively. She studied marinery in Joshua’s library. She assisted her husband with his duties, even keeping the captain’s log. She also took the time to learn how to use the ship’s chronometers — tools to aid celestial navigation. Thanks to her curious mind and diligent personality, by the time Joshua fell ill, Mary had a solid understanding of how to run the ship effectively. It’s a good thing: If she hadn’t, the fate of Neptune’s Car would have been much bleaker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13892514']The reason it was left to Mary to captain the vessel was because the ship’s first and second mates were incapable of doing so themselves. The second mate had never learned how to navigate, and the first — a man named Keeler — was grossly incompetent to the point of dangerous. (Keeler was a hasty replacement for the original first mate, who had broken his leg just before Neptune’s Car set sail.) Keeler was such a liability that he was removed from duty while Joshua was still in charge. One 1877 newspaper article even reported that Keeler was “put in irons” after trying to start a mutiny.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Soon after Mary took over, Keeler wrote her a letter from the brig to try and persuade her that she was ill-equipped to take charge of the ship. He, rather absurdly, suggested that he might take the job instead. Mary responded simply that her husband had not trusted Keeler, so she wasn’t inclined to either. Mary already knew that she had the trust of the rest of the crew, who had adapted remarkably quickly to taking orders from a woman — a diminutive one at that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March 1857, the \u003cem>Star of the North\u003c/em> newspaper reported:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The rough sailors all obeyed the ‘little woman’ as they called her, with a will, and eyed her curiously and affectionately through the cabin windows while deep in the calculations on which her life and theirs depended … Her time was spent between the bedside of her delirious husband and the writing desk, working up the intricate calculations incident to nautical observations, making entries in the log book in her own delicate penmanship and tracing out with accuracy the position of the ship from the charts in the cabin.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>When Neptune’s Car finally arrived in San Francisco safely, Mary’s first priority was getting Joshua home and to medical attention. Because he was a member of their fraternal organization, the California Masonic Temple quickly arranged travel for Joshua and Mary back to Boston.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13908327']Soon, news broke that Foster & Nickerson were refusing to pay Joshua’s wages. The resulting public outcry was so great that the New York Board of Underwriters awarded Mary $1,000 and the companies whose cargo she had safely delivered gave her an additional $1,500. (All told, that adds up to around $90,000 in 2023 money.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After receiving the money, Mary responded with a humble and widely circulated letter. In it, she wrote: “I … endeavored to perform that which seemed to me, under the circumstances, only the plain duty of a wife towards a good husband.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sadly, just eight months after the Pattens’ return home, and four months after Mary had given birth to their son, Joshua finally succumbed to his long illness at the McLean Asylum in Somerville, Massachusetts. An obituary published July 25, 1857 stated:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Deaf and blind and sick as he has been for months past, [Joshua’s] heroic wife refused to surrender him to the care of strangers. It was not until Friday, when it was apparent that his reason was gone and he was utterly unmanageable, that she consented to his removal to the Asylum. Mary had a fever herself at the time. The patience in suffering and the energy in emergencies which she has hitherto displayed may carry her over this, which she regards as the greatest of her sorrows.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Mary was not long without Joshua. She died of tuberculosis just one month before her 24th birthday, leaving her son, Joshua Jr., to be raised by his maternal grandmother. Today, Mary and Joshua are buried side-by-side in Woodlawn Cemetery, Massachusetts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearby, there is a white stone etched with the words: “Are there seas in heaven, Joshua? And is there such a vessel as our Neptune’s Car? If there is, wait for me and we shall explore the vast and boundless reaches of eternity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>To learn about other Rebel Girls from Bay Area History, visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/rebelgirls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rebel Girls homepage\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","stats":{"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"hasAudio":false,"hasPolis":false,"wordCount":1237,"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"paragraphCount":21},"modified":1705092195,"excerpt":"Mary Ann Patten was aboard Neptune's Car when her husband, the captain, fell ill. She navigated the vessel to safety.","headData":{"twImgId":"","twTitle":"","ogTitle":"","ogImgId":"","twDescription":"","description":"Mary Ann Patten was aboard Neptune's Car when her husband, the captain, fell ill. She navigated the vessel to safety.","title":"The Pregnant Teen Who Captained a Clipper Ship in 1856 | KQED","ogDescription":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"The Pregnant Teen Who Captained a Clipper Ship in 1856","datePublished":"2023-11-13T09:00:05-08:00","dateModified":"2024-01-12T12:43:15-08:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"the-pregnant-teen-who-captained-a-clipper-ship-in-1856","status":"publish","templateType":"standard","audioUrl":"https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/07cbfb3d-2008-4e9f-b066-b0bc01444a1f/audio.mp3","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","featuredImageType":"standard","sticky":false,"articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13937270/the-pregnant-teen-who-captained-a-clipper-ship-in-1856","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On Nov. 13, 1856, witnesses on San Francisco’s shoreline were astonished by the sight of a pregnant 19-year-old girl guiding a grand, 216-foot-long clipper ship into port. Mary Ann Patten had spent the previous two months leading the crew and cargo of the Neptune’s Car to safety from Chile’s Cape Horn. It was a role the young woman stepped up and took on after her husband — respected captain and master mariner, Joshua Adams Patten — contracted \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541015/#:~:text=Tuberculous%20meningitis%20(TBM)%20is%20caused,to%20be%20infected%20with%20MTB.\">tuberculous meningitis\u003c/a> and pneumonia, rendering him blind, incoherent and bedridden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That Mary had successfully overseen the ship’s safe passage — even while nursing her ailing husband — made her an instant celebrity. That she was the first American woman to captain a merchant vessel made her a nautical legend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13932525","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The end of the Pattens’ journey on Neptune’s Car in many ways stands as a testament to their partnership. Joshua and Mary were married when she was just 16. The refined and intelligent girl was born in East Boston to immigrant parents from England, and always had a passion for learning. Joshua was widely viewed as a man of strong principles and good character. Though he was ten years Mary’s senior, the pair quickly developed a deep dedication to one another that was rooted in mutual respect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That dedication was in evidence after the original captain of the Neptune’s Car became ill and Joshua was asked to take his place on an 18-month around-the world voyage. Keen to accept the business opportunity but loathe to leave Mary for so long, Joshua contacted New York’s Foster & Nickerson shipping company and said that he would accept the job only under one unusual condition — that his wife be allowed to go with him. His bosses agreed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13937748\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1596px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13937748\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM.png\" alt=\"A 19th century painting of a vast clipper ship at sea.\" width=\"1596\" height=\"1130\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM.png 1596w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-800x566.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-1020x722.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-160x113.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-768x544.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screen-Shot-2023-11-07-at-11.15.33-PM-1536x1088.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1596px) 100vw, 1596px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Neptune’s Car, the ship that Mary Ann Patten would later captain, as seen in Hong Kong Harbor in the early 1850s.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conditions aboard clipper ships in the 1850s were far from romantic. Everyday life was cold, wet and grueling. Food rations were limited, illness was common on long journeys and, though sick sailors were isolated as soon as possible, it wasn’t unusual for disease to spread in the tight living quarters. Despite what was sure to be a challenging environment, Mary had no fear about joining Joshua on the epic journey. Having been born into a family of seafarers, she held a reverence and love for the open ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For her first year aboard Neptune’s Car, Mary spent her time wisely and constructively. She studied marinery in Joshua’s library. She assisted her husband with his duties, even keeping the captain’s log. She also took the time to learn how to use the ship’s chronometers — tools to aid celestial navigation. Thanks to her curious mind and diligent personality, by the time Joshua fell ill, Mary had a solid understanding of how to run the ship effectively. It’s a good thing: If she hadn’t, the fate of Neptune’s Car would have been much bleaker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13892514","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The reason it was left to Mary to captain the vessel was because the ship’s first and second mates were incapable of doing so themselves. The second mate had never learned how to navigate, and the first — a man named Keeler — was grossly incompetent to the point of dangerous. (Keeler was a hasty replacement for the original first mate, who had broken his leg just before Neptune’s Car set sail.) Keeler was such a liability that he was removed from duty while Joshua was still in charge. One 1877 newspaper article even reported that Keeler was “put in irons” after trying to start a mutiny.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Soon after Mary took over, Keeler wrote her a letter from the brig to try and persuade her that she was ill-equipped to take charge of the ship. He, rather absurdly, suggested that he might take the job instead. Mary responded simply that her husband had not trusted Keeler, so she wasn’t inclined to either. Mary already knew that she had the trust of the rest of the crew, who had adapted remarkably quickly to taking orders from a woman — a diminutive one at that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In March 1857, the \u003cem>Star of the North\u003c/em> newspaper reported:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The rough sailors all obeyed the ‘little woman’ as they called her, with a will, and eyed her curiously and affectionately through the cabin windows while deep in the calculations on which her life and theirs depended … Her time was spent between the bedside of her delirious husband and the writing desk, working up the intricate calculations incident to nautical observations, making entries in the log book in her own delicate penmanship and tracing out with accuracy the position of the ship from the charts in the cabin.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>When Neptune’s Car finally arrived in San Francisco safely, Mary’s first priority was getting Joshua home and to medical attention. Because he was a member of their fraternal organization, the California Masonic Temple quickly arranged travel for Joshua and Mary back to Boston.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"arts_13908327","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Soon, news broke that Foster & Nickerson were refusing to pay Joshua’s wages. The resulting public outcry was so great that the New York Board of Underwriters awarded Mary $1,000 and the companies whose cargo she had safely delivered gave her an additional $1,500. (All told, that adds up to around $90,000 in 2023 money.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After receiving the money, Mary responded with a humble and widely circulated letter. In it, she wrote: “I … endeavored to perform that which seemed to me, under the circumstances, only the plain duty of a wife towards a good husband.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sadly, just eight months after the Pattens’ return home, and four months after Mary had given birth to their son, Joshua finally succumbed to his long illness at the McLean Asylum in Somerville, Massachusetts. An obituary published July 25, 1857 stated:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Deaf and blind and sick as he has been for months past, [Joshua’s] heroic wife refused to surrender him to the care of strangers. It was not until Friday, when it was apparent that his reason was gone and he was utterly unmanageable, that she consented to his removal to the Asylum. Mary had a fever herself at the time. The patience in suffering and the energy in emergencies which she has hitherto displayed may carry her over this, which she regards as the greatest of her sorrows.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>Mary was not long without Joshua. She died of tuberculosis just one month before her 24th birthday, leaving her son, Joshua Jr., to be raised by his maternal grandmother. Today, Mary and Joshua are buried side-by-side in Woodlawn Cemetery, Massachusetts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearby, there is a white stone etched with the words: “Are there seas in heaven, Joshua? And is there such a vessel as our Neptune’s Car? If there is, wait for me and we shall explore the vast and boundless reaches of eternity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>To learn about other Rebel Girls from Bay Area History, visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/rebelgirls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rebel Girls homepage\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13937270/the-pregnant-teen-who-captained-a-clipper-ship-in-1856","authors":["11242"],"programs":["arts_8978"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_7862","arts_11615"],"tags":["arts_10278","arts_21841"],"featImg":"arts_13937666","label":"arts_8978"},"arts_13960473":{"type":"posts","id":"arts_13960473","meta":{"index":"posts_1716263798","site":"arts","id":"13960473","score":null,"sort":[1719611130000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"best-fiction-books-summer-2024-npr-staff-picks","title":"NPR Staffers Pick Their Favorite Fiction Reads of 2024","publishDate":1719611130,"format":"standard","headTitle":"NPR Staffers Pick Their Favorite Fiction Reads of 2024 | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":140,"site":"arts"},"content":"\u003cp>Even hardworking news journalists by day need a break from reality in their off hours. In the newsroom at NPR, there are some omnivorous fiction readers. There are fans of romance, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and more. We asked our colleagues what they’ve enjoyed reading most this year — and here are the titles they shared. (And, OK, yes, we read \u003cem>plenty\u003c/em> of nonfiction, too, because NPR gonna NPR. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13959945/best-nonfiction-books-2024-npr-staff-picks\">You can see that list here\u003c/a>. )\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Realistic Fiction\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960567\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960567\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM.png\" alt=\"A painting of a cliff edge at sunrise with large trees at its base.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘All Fours: A Novel’ by Miranda July. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘All Fours: A Novel’ by Miranda July\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>All Fours\u003c/em> is a coming-of-age novel for perimenopause. The story follows an unnamed narrator as she begins a cross-country road trip away from her husband and child, but she pulls over to stay in a motel 30 minutes from her house instead. This “trip” still changes her life — through an infatuation with a younger guy who works at a car rental place, she begins a new intimacy with herself, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve read all of Miranda July’s books, and she’s always doing weird and imaginative things with her characters. This story has all of July’s usual eccentricity, but it also brims with the excitement and fear and possibility that comes with entering the unknown of life’s latter half, especially for women. It felt singularly fresh, and perfectly enjoyable. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/959668312/liam-mcbain\">Liam McBain,\u003c/a> associate producer,\u003c/em> \u003cem>‘It’s Been a Minute’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960566\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 860px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960566\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM.png\" alt=\"A gas station sign, a neon sign and a sign with sliding letters.\" width=\"860\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM.png 860w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM-800x1127.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM-160x225.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM-768x1082.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘American Spirits’ by Russell Banks. \u003ccite>(Knopf)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘American Spirits’ by Russell Banks\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The three stories in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/03/10/1237083926/russell-banks-posthumous-novel-american-spirits\">this collection\u003c/a> are set in a fictional town, but seem so familiar: a local guy who got in a dangerous beef with an out-of-towner that bought up his family’s property and then refused to let him hunt on it; a family that adopts several children then purposely crashes their van off the highway; grandparents who are scammed by people claiming to have kidnapped their grandson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The late Russell Banks’ final writings are a masterful exploration of these kinds of tales, looking at the motivations of ordinary people in a world that’s become increasingly polarized and deeply troubled. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/474954558/melissa-gray\">Melissa Gray,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 818px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with a red house on it. It has oversized flowers illustrated as coming out of its roof. \" width=\"818\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM.png 818w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM-800x1183.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM-160x237.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM-768x1136.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 818px) 100vw, 818px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Behind You Is the Sea’ by Susan Muaddi Darraj. \u003ccite>(HarperVia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Behind You Is the Sea’ by Susan Muaddi Darraj\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you want to know the challenges that Palestinian Americans face in the U.S., you must read this book. It follows several families in Baltimore as they wrestle with poverty, religion, living in between two cultures and their pursuit of the American Dream. There is Marcus, a cop who stands up for his Arab sister who is dating a Black man; Samira, who is shamed for being a childless divorcee (despite that, she is a successful lawyer); Layla, a high school student who pushes back against the drama club’s production of \u003cem>Aladdin\u003c/em>, which she says perpetuates racist stereotypes about Arabs. How their lives intersect will leave you at the edge of your seat. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/469106148/malaka-gharib\">Malaka Gharib,\u003c/a> digital editor, ‘Life Kit’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960562\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 832px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960562\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with an illustration of a young pig on it.\" width=\"832\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM.png 832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM-800x1165.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM-768x1119.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Come & Get It’ by Kiley Reid. \u003ccite>(G.P. Putnam’s Sons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Come & Get It’ by Kiley Reid\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Told through multiple perspectives, I could not put this snappy page-turner down even though I had no idea where it was going until its jaw-dropping crescendo. Set at the University of Arkansas, this story follows several college students and a writing professor over the course of a year, largely through the lens of their relationship with money — how it motivates them, how it gets them into and (for some) out of situations — as well as race, sexuality, power and social status. As a southerner and the graduate of a southern university, I found myself nodding along excitedly to Reid’s apt depictions of contemporary southern culture. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/637150103/becky-harlan\">Beck Harlan,\u003c/a> visuals editor, ‘Life Kit’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960560\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 822px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with cartoonish font and a photo of two palm trees.\" width=\"822\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM.png 822w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM-800x1178.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM-160x236.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM-768x1131.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Dead in Long Beach, California: A Novel’ by Venita Blackburn. \u003ccite>(MCD)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Dead in Long Beach, California: A Novel’ by Venita Blackburn\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A woman named Coral finds the body of her brother after his suicide, but she doesn’t tell anyone right away. Instead, she begins to inhabit his life through his phone, as if she can keep him alive by answering his texts. But what makes the book even odder, even more ambitious, is that it is narrated in the detached voices of automated beings from the future who are all that’s left after humanity has wiped itself out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This combination of almost unbearable intimacy and arm’s-length anthropology has an explanation of sorts. But more importantly, it serves both to add considerable humor to the text (what would a robot think of human frailty, after all?) and to render Coral’s situation more confusing, more disorienting. It’s a sad story, but it’s also a ride, and that’s a tough combination. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/93702353/linda-holmes\">Linda Holmes,\u003c/a> host, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960558\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960558\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM.png\" alt=\"Side profile of a woman wearing an elaborate red sari. \" width=\"834\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM-800x1161.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM-768x1114.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years: A Novel’ by Shubnum Khan. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years: A Novel’ by Shubnum Khan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The djinn of the title — I pictured a depressed Grinch — haunts this comforting dose of tropes: A girl with a deceased mom moves into an old, possibly magic house with an inaccessible area. Blocked-off rooms being irresistible to teenage main characters, Sana Malek digs her way in, uncovering a tragic family secret or two. The twists and revelations that follow aren’t exactly jaw-dropping, but are emotionally wrenching enough to clear out the old tear ducts without leaving a grief hangover. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1173760481/holly-j-morris\">Holly J. Morris,\u003c/a> digital trainer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 824px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM.png\" alt=\"Colorful illustration of an exotic forest.\" width=\"824\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM.png 824w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM-800x1177.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM-160x235.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM-768x1130.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 824px) 100vw, 824px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Extinction of Irena Rey’ by Jennifer Croft. \u003ccite>(Bloomsbury Publishing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Extinction of Irena Rey’ by Jennifer Croft\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This book has so many layers! Let’s start with the premise. Eight translators meet up at the home of a famous Polish novelist to translate her latest work — which is apparently so brilliant it could change the world! — into their respective home languages. But their beloved author goes missing, setting off their search for her in the nearby Białowieża forest — filled with so many layers of wilderness! The narrator is the Spanish translator, but we’re reading the story in English — it’s been translated by the English translator. Those two don’t get along. More layers! If you like language, literature — and fungi — this wild ride of a very esoteric mystery is for you. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/378865949/elissa-nadworny\">Elissa Nadworny,\u003c/a> correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960551\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 848px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM.png\" alt=\"A Black man relaxes on the edge of a boat, overlooking choppy waves.\" width=\"848\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM.png 848w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM-800x1143.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM-160x229.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM-768x1098.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 848px) 100vw, 848px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Great Expectations’ by Vinson Cunningham. \u003ccite>(Hogarth)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Great Expectations’ by Vinson Cunningham\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Vinson Cunningham worked on the 2008 Obama campaign, so it’s no surprise that this coming-of-age story follows a young man working on a thinly (very thinly) veiled version of that very undertaking. It would be easy to make a story like this either a cynical and cutting takedown of politics or a starry-eyed and idealistic discovery of meaning. It’s neither. It presents this campaign as a formative stage in the life of a young person who sees what goes into the successful gathering of power, ugly and impressive as it can be. Full of sharp observations about our precarious system of government, it’s also insightful about race and wealth and the relationship between the two. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/93702353/linda-holmes\">Linda Holmes,\u003c/a> host, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960549\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 826px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960549\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM.png\" alt=\"Illustration of stairs, boxes and plant life.\" width=\"826\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM.png 826w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM-800x1174.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM-160x235.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM-768x1127.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 826px) 100vw, 826px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Greta & Valdin’ by Rebecca K. Reilly. \u003ccite>(Victoria University Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Greta & Valdin’ by Rebecca K. Reilly\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The loving family at the heart of this very funny and moving novel about a brother and sister is so complex that I drew a diagram — no fooling — halfway through, the better to solidify in my mind ideas like, “Valdin recently broke up with his older boyfriend, who is also his uncle’s husband’s brother.” But despite the messy structure of things, every bond in the book is written to be precious and specific.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Greta & Valdin\u003c/em> is the rare story to live up to its fearless promotional copy, which calls it a cross between \u003cem>Schitt’s Creek\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Normal People.\u003c/em> Perhaps that sounds impossible; that’s what makes it so good. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/93702353/linda-holmes\">Linda Holmes,\u003c/a> host, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960548\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 828px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960548\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of a woman wearing boxing gloves and helmet, throwing a punch.\" width=\"828\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM.png 828w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM-800x1167.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM-768x1120.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Headshot: A Novel’ by Rita Bullwinkel. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Headshot: A Novel’ by Rita Bullwinkel\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Headshot \u003c/em>is a real one-two punch of a novel. Eight teenage girl boxers have come to Bob’s Boxing Palace in Reno, Nevada, for the 12th annual Women’s 18 & Under Daughters of America Cup. As each fight plays out in the ring — sometimes brutally, ferociously — Rita Bullwinkel brings to life the internal monologues of the girls. They recite the digits of pi, think about their pasts, their futures, their dreams of being the best in the world — and also of making their opponents chomp on a mouthful of pennies until their teeth break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bullwinkel’s dynamic writing — moving back and forth in time, in and out of the boxing gym — and short, punchy sentences are a perfect mirror of the girls’ jabs in the ring. It’s a knockout. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960547\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 840px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960547\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM.png\" alt=\"A painting of a man's face, split into two.\" width=\"840\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM.png 840w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM-800x1154.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM-768x1108.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Henry Henry: A Novel’ by Allen Bratton. \u003ccite>(The Unnamed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Henry Henry’ by Allen Bratton\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hal is a profane mess, kind of like Shakespeare’s Prince Hal, on whom he’s based: The 20-something is careening through life fueled by drugs, booze, cigarettes, and loveless sex. He both flaunts and loathes his class status, his family’s fortune, and his future as Duke of Lancaster, along with a flat-out-refusal to live up to his father’s expectations. Hal is so wholly unsympathetic that if not for the brilliant writing, you might just give up before discovering the shocking violation at the root of his self-destruction. How can he finally become his own person? This isn’t an easy read. It’s at times dark and highly upsetting, but the author makes you stick with it in hopes of seeing Hal finally grow up. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/474954558/melissa-gray\">Melissa Gray,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960546\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 846px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM.png\" alt=\"Illustrations of colorful houses, nestled in trees.\" width=\"846\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM.png 846w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM-800x1146.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM-160x229.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM-768x1100.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 846px) 100vw, 846px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Same As It Ever Was’ by Claire Lombardo. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Same As It Ever Was’ by Claire Lombardo\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This is one of those beautifully written, keenly observed novels where not that much happens — other than, you know, life itself — but also so much happens. Julia Ames is experiencing a midlife plateau when an announcement from her son sets her reeling, and reflecting on all the relationships — past and present, familial, intergenerational, romantic — that have shaped her life including: Mark, her near-perfect husband; Anita, her near-imperfect mother; and Helen, the older woman who saves Julia in the early days of motherhood. Though the dynamic between Julia and her “spiky” teenage daughter is my personal favorite, Claire Lombardo has written a whole cast of characters so detailed, so specifically themselves, that you almost feel you could reach out and touch them. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960545\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960545\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover showing a row of falling dominoes.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Victim: A Novel’ by Andrew Boryga. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Victim: A Novel’ by Andrew Boryga\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lying is kind of funny. The stress of someone jumping through increasingly wild hoops to avoid getting caught in a lie is hilarious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Victim\u003c/em> is about Javi, a writer from a marginalized community, who fudges his way into the kinds of rooms where people say “marginalized” and “community” a lot. The book is a charming critique of the publishing industry and its surface-level attempts at righting societal ills (which, kind of bold for a debut author), while also staying empathetic towards the well-meaning individuals who give Javi a shot. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348740829/andrew-limbong\">Andrew Limbong,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk, and host, NPR’s ‘Book of the Day’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Romance & Relationships\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 812px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of three women positioned around a large martini glass.\" width=\"812\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM.png 812w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM-800x1192.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM-160x238.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM-768x1144.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet’ by Molly Morris. \u003ccite>(Wednesday Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet’ by Molly Morris\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What happens when your former best friend comes back from the dead, but only for 30 days? That’s what Wilson needs to figure out when her friend Annie is brought back as part of a local custom in her small California town. To complicate things more, their friend, Ryan apparently hates them both. Wilson is determined to fix things before Annie returns to — well, being dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a beautifully poetic YA work about female friendships, with a touch of magical realism and laugh out loud humor. The dynamic between the trio is filled with teenage angst, love and forgiveness. It considers a common dilemma: How do you accept change when it means giving up what you love? \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/836937515/hafsa-fathima\">Hafsa Fathima,\u003c/a> production assistant, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 810px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of a woman looking through binoculars. In one lens, we see a bird. In the other, a man. \" width=\"810\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM.png 810w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM-800x1199.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM-160x240.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM-768x1151.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Birding with Benefits’ by Sarah T. Dubb. \u003ccite>(Gallery Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Birding with Benefits’ by Sarah T. Dubb\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This sweet, fake-relationship romance follows the recently divorced empty-nester Celeste as she navigates life as a single woman, once again. This time around, she’s saying yes to life and shaking things up. She didn’t expect the shaking to bring in the sensitive, gentle giant that is John. Or his deep love of birds. Come for the romance but, beware, you might find yourself falling in love with John’s quiet, colorful world of birding yourself!\u003cem> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/580312943/christina-cala\">Christina Cala,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Code Switch’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of a modern young woman walking through a city under an umbrella and reading a book.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Girl Abroad’ by Elle Kennedy. \u003ccite>(Bloom Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Girl Abroad’ by Elle Kennedy\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Girl Abroad \u003c/em>starts with Abbey Bly, 19 years old, ready to step away from her adoring, yet overprotective, father when she is given the chance to study abroad in London. There’s just one hitch: Abbey believes she’ll be living with girls there — but arrives to find out all her flatmates are boys. She decides to step into her new-found independence (and hide this fact from her father). Elle Kennedy has written an enjoyable coming-of-age story filled with humor, drama, romance, and a found family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Readers will enjoy the way Kennedy deviates from her usual steamy-angst-centric stories for one with deeper emphasis on self growth, relationship dynamics and figuring out not only who you are, but what you want. \u003cem>— Valentina Rodríguez Sánchez, audio engineer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960541\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring illustrations of a woman and man surrounded by palm trees.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM-800x1156.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM-768x1110.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘How to End a Love Story’ by Yulin Kuang. \u003ccite>(Avon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘How to End a Love Story’ by Yulin Kuang\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If a ’90s rom-com grew up and went to therapy, this sparkling book would be the result. After penning a popular YA book series, Helen Zhang gets a seat in the writers’ room where it’s being adapted into a TV show. Unfortunately, Grant Shepard is also one of the writers in that room. Grant was the charming homecoming king at their high school whereas Helen was awkward and introverted. He’s also the reason Helen’s sister is dead — kind of. It’s been years since the accident, but the writers’ room reopens old wounds and forces Helen and Grant to be vulnerable with each other. Even as Helen wrestles with their past, the two begin a present-day romance that is sexy and tender. This book is a raised glass to second chances and late bloomers. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348774853/lauren-migaki\">Lauren Migaki,\u003c/a> senior producer, Education\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring bright illustrations of flowers, a woman and man, and a diamond ring.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM-800x1158.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Say You’ll Be Mine: A Novel’ by Naina Kumar. \u003ccite>(Dell)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Say You’ll Be Mine: A Novel’ by Naina Kumar\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a familiar South Asian story: Two people finally relent to their parents’ wishes of meeting a potential marriage partner. But \u003cem>Say You’ll Be Mine \u003c/em>is so much more than that. Meghna is in love with her best friend, who is engaged to someone else. Karthik is an engineer who doesn’t really want to get married. But as the two discover, a fake engagement between them may be the answer to their problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Naina Kumar writes a funny, heartwarming tale, filled with sizzling chemistry. It’s hard to not root for them from page one, as they slowly fall in love. It’s an incredible book that tackles the merits and shortcomings of culture, finding an identity and of course, true love. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/836937515/hafsa-fathima\">Hafsa Fathima,\u003c/a> production assistant, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 820px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring illustrations of a young woman and man surrounded by autumn leaves.\" width=\"820\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM.png 820w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM-800x1184.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM-160x237.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM-768x1137.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Sex, Lies and Sensibility’ by Nikki Payne. \u003ccite>(Berkley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Sex, Lies and Sensibility’ by Nikki Payne\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Set in the heart of vacationland, Nora Dash and Ennis “Bear” Freeman are both fighting uphill battles. After her dad dies, Nora inherits some serious family drama — and a rundown cottage in Maine. Now, Nora and her sister have just months to turn the place into a successful resort. Meanwhile, Bear’s struggling with his own business of guiding visitors through his native Abenaki land. The tours take him through Nora’s backyard and the two team up. Their chemistry is off the charts as they spend hours working and finding stress relief in long runs through the Maine woods. But both are keeping secrets, and have let shame work its way through their lives like an invasive species. The two have to figure out how to move forward once those secrets spill out. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348774853/lauren-migaki\">Lauren Migaki,\u003c/a> senior producer, Education\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Historical Fiction\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960537\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960537\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a close up photo of a man's hands playing the piano.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM-800x1166.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM-768x1120.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Cahokia Jazz: A Novel’ by Francis Spufford. \u003ccite>(Scribner)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Cahokia Jazz: A Novel’ by Francis Spufford\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s 1922 and, in this alternate-history detective story, Cahokia isn’t a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Illinois. It’s a thriving Indigenous-owned and operated city and state with a strong Catholic presence, plus Klansmen, bootleggers and other undesirables. If you try to skim, you’ll get lost in the how-deep-does-this-go corruption, careful world-building and sprawling cast. The naive main character, jazz-playing police detective Joe Barrow, shoves his way through exposition, fight scenes, maybe-occult doings, local royalty and personal angst, all backgrounded by a Roaring Twenties aesthetic portrayed in loving detail. Maps and excerpts from (made-up) primary sources will guide you through — if you pay attention. If you’re me, you’ll take notes. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1173760481/holly-j-morris\">Holly J. Morris,\u003c/a> digital trainer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960536\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 816px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM.png\" alt=\"Waves crash onto a rocky beach. In the center of the water floats a tea pot.\" width=\"816\" height=\"1206\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM.png 816w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM-800x1182.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM-160x236.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM-768x1135.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Clear: A Novel’ by Carys Davies. \u003ccite>(Scribner)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Clear: A Novel’ by Carys Davies\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s the 1840s, the last and most brutal years of The Clearances, when Scottish landowners began replacing unprofitable tenants with sheep. Based on that real history, \u003cem>Clear\u003c/em> is a novel about a minister, John, who has been dispatched to clear a remote island of its last remaining inhabitant, Ivar. Except just after he arrives, John slips and falls off a cliff. Ivar finds John, nurses him back to health, and invites him into his life; Ivar begins to teach John the many words that all mean some variation of “rough seas” in Norn (a real language), and the pair learn to communicate roughly, but with an unexpected depth. What follows is perhaps the most tender, beautiful story about the connection between two people and what they must overcome to find each other — in every sense of the word. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960535\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960535\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring constellations.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM-800x1159.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Enlightenment’ by Sarah Perry. \u003ccite>(Mariner Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Enlightenment’ by Sarah Perry\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You know that feeling — when you are fascinated by someone all the more because you don’t fully understand them? That’s how I feel in English author Sarah Perry’s “presence.” \u003cem>Enlightenment \u003c/em>is a tale of two friends, different generations but hailing from the same small Essex town and even smaller congregation. There’s a mystery involving a woman astronomer — but mainly there’s empathy for the complexities of people’s identities and belief systems, a sense of home, and loads of gorgeous writing. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/349278028/shannon-rhoades\">Shannon Rhoades,\u003c/a> senior editor, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960534\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960534\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of an Asian woman, traditionally dressed, walking through snow. Her reflection in the water next to her is a white fox.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM-800x1168.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM-160x234.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM-768x1121.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Fox Wife: A Novel’ by Yangsze Choo. \u003ccite>(Henry Holt and Co.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Fox Wife: A Novel’ by Yangsze Choo\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There’s a little bit of mystery and mysticism on every page of this book. Set in China in the early 1900s, the book centers around two characters in separate, but connecting narratives. A fox masquerading as a young woman that’s set out to avenge her daughter’s death and a detective with an affinity for foxes who is working a murder case. It’s clever and observant, with twists and turns and just the perfect amount of folklore to keep you asking: What is real and what is imagined? \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/378865949/elissa-nadworny\">Elissa Nadworny,\u003c/a> correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960531\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960531\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring an exotic small town on a hillside at dusk.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM-800x1162.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM-768x1115.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Hard by a Great Forest’ by Leo Vardiashvili. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Hard by a Great Forest’ by Leo Vardiashvili\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hard by a Great Forest\u003c/em> has all the ingredients of a dark and twisty fairy tale: A mysterious disappearance, a post-war city teeming with danger, a scavenger hunt, riddles, a road trip, escaped zoo animals, an orphan, and a title echoing the first line of Hansel and Gretel. It’s loosely based on author Leo Vardiashvili’s life — he lived through Georgia’s civil war and immigrated to the UK as a refugee in the mid ’90s. It’s two decades later in the novel when Saba’s father is pulled back to their homeland in search of something — before promptly disappearing. His last message to his son: Do not follow me. But Saba (of course) follows his breadcrumb trail of clues and, along the way, is forced to confront the question: Can you ever really go home again? \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960530\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960530\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a tiny illustration of a traveling man.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM-800x1159.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘James: A Novel’ by Percival Everett. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘James: A Novel’ by Percival Everett\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The jokes in \u003cem>James\u003c/em> range from chin scratchers to knee slappers to gut busters. Although I’m not sure Percival Everett would even classify them as “jokes.” In his re-imagining of the Huckleberry Finn story, Everett mines language, history and irony to showcase brutal truths about America. And yes, it’s often funny. But, like the original source material, things can quickly turn deadly serious depending on how the river flows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The novel is thrilling, hilarious, heartbreaking, and a strong argument for Everett as one of the best doing it right now. \u003cem>— \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348740829/andrew-limbong\">Andrew Limbong,\u003c/a>\u003cem> correspondent, Culture Desk, and host, NPR’s ‘Book of the Day’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960528\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960528\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting a person on a bicycle riding through purple flames.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM-800x1158.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Memory Piece: A Novel’ by Lisa Ko. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Memory Piece: A Novel’ by Lisa Ko\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This is a coming of age story about three friends growing up in and around New York City in the 1990s. Their friendship evolves over the decades as they experiment with, and push the boundaries of, art, performance and technology. I loved that the book makes art feel real and weird and kind of gross — not glamorous and sugarcoated. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/378865949/elissa-nadworny\">Elissa Nadworny,\u003c/a> correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960527\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960527\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring an illustration of a woman lying with her arms over her head.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM-800x1165.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM-768x1118.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Swift River’ by Essie Chambers. \u003ccite>(Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Swift River’ by Essie Chambers\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After her beloved father mysteriously disappears, Diamond and her mom find themselves living hand to mouth in a faded New England mill town where Diamond is the lone Black resident. Why did a previous generation of Black families abandon it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This propulsive and poetic first novel, by an accomplished documentary film producer, grounds a tender coming-of-age narrative in a history of migration, marginalization and imagination. Threaded through every step of Diamond’s journey is her deadpan wit; of one ramshackle dwelling, she observes, “the whole house looks like it’s having a cigarette.” And she reflects, when a heartbreaking legal issue is finally resolved, “That was the thing about a racist town. It got to decide when it would be kind.” \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/3850482/neda-ulaby\">Neda Ulaby,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960526\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960526\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting a woman and man sitting at a restaurant table.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM-800x1161.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM-768x1114.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Table for Two: Fictions’ by Amor Towles. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Table for Two: Fictions’ by Amor Towles\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first half of this jaunty short-story collection takes place in New York. Among the memorable characters are a Russian immigrant whose chief role in life is to stand in lines; a young antiquarian bookstore employee who gets more than he bargains for in his desire for life experience; and a seemingly straight-laced family man with a big Wall Street job, whose secret pastime, once discovered, upends his and his loved ones’ lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second half, devoted entirely to the novella “Eve in Hollywood,” is set in Los Angeles during Tinseltown’s Golden Age. The pithy, film noir-ish thriller picks up where the author’s 2011 novel \u003cem>Rules of Civility\u003c/em> left off — with the plucky, scar-faced adventuress, Evelyn Ross, deftly saving the honor of a host of Hollywood starlets. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1113762078/chloe-veltman\">Chloe Veltman,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960525\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 842px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960525\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting a helicopter flying over trees.\" width=\"842\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM.png 842w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM-800x1152.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM-160x230.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM-768x1105.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 842px) 100vw, 842px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah. \u003ccite>(St. Martin's Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“You’re only going to be a nurse until you get married,” her mother said. But Frankie McGrath had other ideas, ones that would lead her away from her wealthy family’s conservative outlook on how daughters should behave. Kristin Hannah’s \u003cem>The Women \u003c/em>follows young Frankie’s transformation, when after working as a nurse in California and tending to a wounded soldier, and missing her soldier brother, she joins the Army as a nurse. That takes her from a comfortable life of known expectations, to one of the chaos and danger of war, new career opportunities and love. Tangled love.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Frankie returns home, she finds her country still protesting the war, and those who served. \u003cem>The Women \u003c/em>shines a light on a then little-known aspect of the war: the women who also served in Vietnam, as nurses. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1053920456/jeanine-herbst\">Jeanine Herbst,\u003c/a> news anchor\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960523\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960523\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM.png\" alt=\"The front half of a horse visible as it sleeps into a spiraling vortex.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM-800x1160.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM-768x1113.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘You Dreamed of Empires: A Novel’ by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘You Dreamed of Empires: A Novel’ by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This salty and dark historical fantasia feistily explodes well-worn textbook narratives about the meeting of the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and his captains with the Aztec emperor Moctezuma and his entourage in Tenoxtitlan — now Mexico City — in 1519.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Álvaro Enrigue’s depiction of the stressed out, clumsy Cortés and the drugged out, mercurial Moctezuma sets these near-mythical figures into earthy relief. But it’s mostly the intrigues and machinations of these leaders’ canny consorts — the Aztec princess Atotoxtli and the conquistadors’ translator Malinalli — that power the plot. Natasha Wimmer’s English translation sharply delivers the novel’s poetic and witty qualities while at the same time reveling in its core theme: the fundamental untranslatability of human experience. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1113762078/chloe-veltman\">Chloe Veltman,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Mysteries & Thrillers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960522\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960522\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a partial close-up of a woman's face and the exterior of a house in the snow.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Nightwatching’ by Tracy Sierra. \u003ccite>(Pamela Dorman Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Nightwatching’ by Tracy Sierra\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Nightwatching \u003c/em>begins with a scene straight out of a nightmare: A woman is at home with two sleeping children when she hears the footsteps of an intruder on the stairs. The story that follows is by turns suspenseful, uncomfortable and enraging. Tracy Sierra skillfully uses the home invasion to explore the terrifying responsibility of motherhood and to expose the pure horror of being a woman in a society that does not always choose to believe women. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1227635672/julie-rogers\">Julie Rogers,\u003c/a> historian and curator, NPR Research, Archives & Data strategy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960518\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960518\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a white house on a red horizon.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM-800x1166.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM-768x1120.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Hunter’ by Tana French. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Hunter’ by Tana French\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Set in the hills of Western Ireland, this novel picks up the story of characters introduced in 2020’s \u003cem>The Searcher\u003c/em> — retired American detective Cal Hooper and Trey, a teen girl he’s taken under his wing. As French revisits the seemingly bucolic landscape where trouble roils just under the surface, her writing continues to shift from mystery to meditation. While there’s still a knot of questions about crimes — including both fraud and murder — to be untangled, this novel is ultimately about belonging; the ways in which families do, and don’t, owe each other debts; the communities we resist, alienate, or become a welcome part of. Morally shaded and complex, it will leave you thinking about who’s right — and what’s wrong — long after you turn the last page. —\u003cem> Tayla Burney, director, Network Programming & Production\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Sci Fi, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction & Horror\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960517\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 744px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960517\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.31.42-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a bird's nest with broken eggs and one that is still intact.\" width=\"744\" height=\"1106\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.31.42-PM.png 744w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.31.42-PM-160x238.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Cuckoo’ by Gretchen Felker-Martin. \u003ccite>(Tor Nightfire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Cuckoo’ by Gretchen Felker-Martin\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cuckoo \u003c/em>is an ingeniously scary novel about a group of kids sent to a conversion camp in the ’90s. There’s the terror of the socially accepted abuse the kids face (both at the camp and at home) because they are queer, but there’s yet another horrifying entity preying on them, and trying to make them — different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Felker-Martin’s sharp novel takes on the particular vulnerability of queer kids and the body-snatching that is conversion therapy, and she does it with equal measures of tenderness and grotesquery. As harrowing and disgusting as it is, I also found it quite insightful and beautiful — and for that reason, \u003cem>Cuckoo \u003c/em>is a great work of horror. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/959668312/liam-mcbain\">Liam McBain,\u003c/a> associate producer, ‘It’s Been a Minute’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960516\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 874px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960516\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring an illustration of a hand holding a gold chain.\" width=\"874\" height=\"1108\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM.png 874w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM-800x1014.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM-160x203.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM-768x974.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Familiar’ by Leigh Bardugo. \u003ccite>(Flatiron Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Familiar’ by Leigh Bardugo\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It is the Spanish Golden Age, and kitchen maid Luzia has secrets to hide: her skill at magic and her Jewish heritage. When her employer discovers her spells, Luzia is entered into a tournament to find King Philip, who hopes to increase his military standing, a champion. She is trained by the strange creature Santángel, an immortal with a mysterious past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/04/11/1244125050/leigh-bardugo-the-familiar-book-review\">gorgeously lush, vividly written book\u003c/a> that shines with its strong cast of characters. Luzia is a hero you’ll find yourself rooting for right from the start, and the magic system in this world is a breath of fresh air. Once again, Leigh Bardugo proves she never misses the mark when it comes to intricately building fantastical worlds — leaving you thinking about them long after the last page is turned. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/836937515/hafsa-fathima\">Hafsa Fathima,\u003c/a> production assistant, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960514\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting the word 'Husbands' climbing up a ladder.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM-800x1168.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM-160x234.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM-768x1121.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Husbands: A Novel’ by Holly Gramazio. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Husbands: A Novel’ by Holly Gramazio\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lauren leaves her London flat for a bachelorette party one night only to discover a husband at home awaiting her return. Not only was she not married when she left for the night, she doesn’t recognize this man. Slowly she works out that he’s not a threat — and that all evidence on her phone, in conversations with friends and neighbors, and in their apartments points to him being fully integrated into her life. And there he is until he goes into the attic and a different husband emerges, slightly — or drastically — altering Lauren’s life. The pattern continues as Lauren searches for metaphysical clues to what’s going on and wrestles with how to know, if she can ever know, which life is right for her. A rare combination of the truly hilarious and profound. \u003cem>— Tayla Burney, director, Network Programming & Production\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960513\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 762px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960513\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.24.33-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting block letters floating in space.\" width=\"762\" height=\"1110\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.24.33-PM.png 762w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.24.33-PM-160x233.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 762px) 100vw, 762px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Ministry of Time: A Novel’ by Kaliane Bradley. \u003ccite>(Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Ministry of Time: A Novel’ by Kaliane Bradley\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You’d think a novel about the bureaucracy of a time-travel government agency might be kinda boring. But from the moment you meet the book’s enigmatic protagonist — as she starts a new job in the UK’s top secret new time travel agency — to the introduction of the dashing Graham Gore, an 1847 arctic explorer plucked through time, you’ll be hooked. Come for the romance, stay for the unraveling of a mystery, the nuanced, genre-bending treatises on race and identity, and the long-lingering ideas on colonialism, empires and the mutability of history. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/580312943/christina-cala\">Christina Cala,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Code Switch’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960509\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 828px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960509\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with small illustrations including the Paris city skyline, the ocean and various plants and flowers.\" width=\"828\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM.png 828w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM-800x1171.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM-160x234.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM-768x1124.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel’ by Douglas Westerbeke. \u003ccite>(Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel’ by Douglas Westerbeke\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the year 1885, in Paris, when 9-year-old Aubry Tourvel encounters a mysterious, wooden, puzzle ball: It may be a blessing or a curse, but it most definitely changes her life. Now she needs to keep moving forever; too long in any one town and she will bleed to death. So her life is all travel and adventure, and through her we wonder at the richness of the globe’s markets, towns, forests and deserts. Over many decades, she meets all types of kind and curious people — as well as cruel and uncaring ones. Sometimes Aubry enjoys quick communion with strangers. Other times, she is surrounded but desperately lonely. This is a ravishing, deeply human book that’s in love with the world, with people, with the new — and yet is infused with a deep, futile longing for home.\u003cem> — \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1091803881/jennifer-vanasco\">\u003cem>Jennifer Vanasco\u003c/em>,\u003c/a>\u003cem> editor and reporter, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"We asked our NPR colleagues what fiction they've enjoyed most this year and these are the titles they shared.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1719611130,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":56,"wordCount":5728},"headData":{"title":"Best Fiction Books of Summer 2024, According to NPR Staff | KQED","description":"We asked our NPR colleagues what fiction they've enjoyed most this year and these are the titles they shared.","ogTitle":"NPR Staffers Pick Their Favorite Fiction Reads of 2024","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"NPR Staffers Pick Their Favorite Fiction Reads of 2024","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","socialTitle":"Best Fiction Books of Summer 2024, According to NPR Staff %%page%% %%sep%% KQED","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"NPR Staffers Pick Their Favorite Fiction Reads of 2024","datePublished":"2024-06-28T14:45:30-07:00","dateModified":"2024-06-28T14:45:30-07:00","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}},"sticky":false,"nprByline":"Meghan Collins Sullivan, Beth Novey, NPR","nprStoryId":"nx-s1-5002183","nprHtmlLink":"https://www.npr.org/2024/06/11/nx-s1-5002183/fiction-books-summer-2024","nprRetrievedStory":"1","nprPubDate":"2024-06-17T17:05:45.217-04:00","nprStoryDate":"2024-06-17T17:05:45.217-04:00","nprLastModifiedDate":"2024-06-21T21:20:41.399-04:00","nprAudio":"https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/atc/2024/06/20240621_atc_npr_staffers_pick_their_favorite_fiction_reads_of_2024.mp3?size=3474539&d=217104&e=nx-s1-5002183","templateType":"standard","featuredImageType":"standard","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/arts/13960473/best-fiction-books-summer-2024-npr-staff-picks","audioUrl":"https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/atc/2024/06/20240621_atc_npr_staffers_pick_their_favorite_fiction_reads_of_2024.mp3?size=3474539&d=217104&e=nx-s1-5002183","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Even hardworking news journalists by day need a break from reality in their off hours. In the newsroom at NPR, there are some omnivorous fiction readers. There are fans of romance, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and more. We asked our colleagues what they’ve enjoyed reading most this year — and here are the titles they shared. (And, OK, yes, we read \u003cem>plenty\u003c/em> of nonfiction, too, because NPR gonna NPR. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13959945/best-nonfiction-books-2024-npr-staff-picks\">You can see that list here\u003c/a>. )\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Realistic Fiction\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960567\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960567\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM.png\" alt=\"A painting of a cliff edge at sunrise with large trees at its base.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.29.32-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘All Fours: A Novel’ by Miranda July. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘All Fours: A Novel’ by Miranda July\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>All Fours\u003c/em> is a coming-of-age novel for perimenopause. The story follows an unnamed narrator as she begins a cross-country road trip away from her husband and child, but she pulls over to stay in a motel 30 minutes from her house instead. This “trip” still changes her life — through an infatuation with a younger guy who works at a car rental place, she begins a new intimacy with herself, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve read all of Miranda July’s books, and she’s always doing weird and imaginative things with her characters. This story has all of July’s usual eccentricity, but it also brims with the excitement and fear and possibility that comes with entering the unknown of life’s latter half, especially for women. It felt singularly fresh, and perfectly enjoyable. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/959668312/liam-mcbain\">Liam McBain,\u003c/a> associate producer,\u003c/em> \u003cem>‘It’s Been a Minute’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960566\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 860px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960566\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM.png\" alt=\"A gas station sign, a neon sign and a sign with sliding letters.\" width=\"860\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM.png 860w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM-800x1127.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM-160x225.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.27.54-PM-768x1082.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘American Spirits’ by Russell Banks. \u003ccite>(Knopf)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘American Spirits’ by Russell Banks\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The three stories in \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/03/10/1237083926/russell-banks-posthumous-novel-american-spirits\">this collection\u003c/a> are set in a fictional town, but seem so familiar: a local guy who got in a dangerous beef with an out-of-towner that bought up his family’s property and then refused to let him hunt on it; a family that adopts several children then purposely crashes their van off the highway; grandparents who are scammed by people claiming to have kidnapped their grandson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The late Russell Banks’ final writings are a masterful exploration of these kinds of tales, looking at the motivations of ordinary people in a world that’s become increasingly polarized and deeply troubled. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/474954558/melissa-gray\">Melissa Gray,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 818px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with a red house on it. It has oversized flowers illustrated as coming out of its roof. \" width=\"818\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM.png 818w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM-800x1183.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM-160x237.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.26.13-PM-768x1136.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 818px) 100vw, 818px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Behind You Is the Sea’ by Susan Muaddi Darraj. \u003ccite>(HarperVia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Behind You Is the Sea’ by Susan Muaddi Darraj\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you want to know the challenges that Palestinian Americans face in the U.S., you must read this book. It follows several families in Baltimore as they wrestle with poverty, religion, living in between two cultures and their pursuit of the American Dream. There is Marcus, a cop who stands up for his Arab sister who is dating a Black man; Samira, who is shamed for being a childless divorcee (despite that, she is a successful lawyer); Layla, a high school student who pushes back against the drama club’s production of \u003cem>Aladdin\u003c/em>, which she says perpetuates racist stereotypes about Arabs. How their lives intersect will leave you at the edge of your seat. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/469106148/malaka-gharib\">Malaka Gharib,\u003c/a> digital editor, ‘Life Kit’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960562\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 832px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960562\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with an illustration of a young pig on it.\" width=\"832\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM.png 832w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM-800x1165.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.24.40-PM-768x1119.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Come & Get It’ by Kiley Reid. \u003ccite>(G.P. Putnam’s Sons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Come & Get It’ by Kiley Reid\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Told through multiple perspectives, I could not put this snappy page-turner down even though I had no idea where it was going until its jaw-dropping crescendo. Set at the University of Arkansas, this story follows several college students and a writing professor over the course of a year, largely through the lens of their relationship with money — how it motivates them, how it gets them into and (for some) out of situations — as well as race, sexuality, power and social status. As a southerner and the graduate of a southern university, I found myself nodding along excitedly to Reid’s apt depictions of contemporary southern culture. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/637150103/becky-harlan\">Beck Harlan,\u003c/a> visuals editor, ‘Life Kit’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960560\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 822px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with cartoonish font and a photo of two palm trees.\" width=\"822\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM.png 822w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM-800x1178.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM-160x236.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.23.03-PM-768x1131.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Dead in Long Beach, California: A Novel’ by Venita Blackburn. \u003ccite>(MCD)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Dead in Long Beach, California: A Novel’ by Venita Blackburn\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A woman named Coral finds the body of her brother after his suicide, but she doesn’t tell anyone right away. Instead, she begins to inhabit his life through his phone, as if she can keep him alive by answering his texts. But what makes the book even odder, even more ambitious, is that it is narrated in the detached voices of automated beings from the future who are all that’s left after humanity has wiped itself out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This combination of almost unbearable intimacy and arm’s-length anthropology has an explanation of sorts. But more importantly, it serves both to add considerable humor to the text (what would a robot think of human frailty, after all?) and to render Coral’s situation more confusing, more disorienting. It’s a sad story, but it’s also a ride, and that’s a tough combination. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/93702353/linda-holmes\">Linda Holmes,\u003c/a> host, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960558\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960558\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM.png\" alt=\"Side profile of a woman wearing an elaborate red sari. \" width=\"834\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM-800x1161.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.21.29-PM-768x1114.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years: A Novel’ by Shubnum Khan. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years: A Novel’ by Shubnum Khan\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The djinn of the title — I pictured a depressed Grinch — haunts this comforting dose of tropes: A girl with a deceased mom moves into an old, possibly magic house with an inaccessible area. Blocked-off rooms being irresistible to teenage main characters, Sana Malek digs her way in, uncovering a tragic family secret or two. The twists and revelations that follow aren’t exactly jaw-dropping, but are emotionally wrenching enough to clear out the old tear ducts without leaving a grief hangover. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1173760481/holly-j-morris\">Holly J. Morris,\u003c/a> digital trainer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 824px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM.png\" alt=\"Colorful illustration of an exotic forest.\" width=\"824\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM.png 824w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM-800x1177.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM-160x235.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.19.57-PM-768x1130.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 824px) 100vw, 824px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Extinction of Irena Rey’ by Jennifer Croft. \u003ccite>(Bloomsbury Publishing)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Extinction of Irena Rey’ by Jennifer Croft\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This book has so many layers! Let’s start with the premise. Eight translators meet up at the home of a famous Polish novelist to translate her latest work — which is apparently so brilliant it could change the world! — into their respective home languages. But their beloved author goes missing, setting off their search for her in the nearby Białowieża forest — filled with so many layers of wilderness! The narrator is the Spanish translator, but we’re reading the story in English — it’s been translated by the English translator. Those two don’t get along. More layers! If you like language, literature — and fungi — this wild ride of a very esoteric mystery is for you. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/378865949/elissa-nadworny\">Elissa Nadworny,\u003c/a> correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960551\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 848px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM.png\" alt=\"A Black man relaxes on the edge of a boat, overlooking choppy waves.\" width=\"848\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM.png 848w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM-800x1143.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM-160x229.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.18.25-PM-768x1098.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 848px) 100vw, 848px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Great Expectations’ by Vinson Cunningham. \u003ccite>(Hogarth)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Great Expectations’ by Vinson Cunningham\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Vinson Cunningham worked on the 2008 Obama campaign, so it’s no surprise that this coming-of-age story follows a young man working on a thinly (very thinly) veiled version of that very undertaking. It would be easy to make a story like this either a cynical and cutting takedown of politics or a starry-eyed and idealistic discovery of meaning. It’s neither. It presents this campaign as a formative stage in the life of a young person who sees what goes into the successful gathering of power, ugly and impressive as it can be. Full of sharp observations about our precarious system of government, it’s also insightful about race and wealth and the relationship between the two. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/93702353/linda-holmes\">Linda Holmes,\u003c/a> host, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960549\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 826px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960549\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM.png\" alt=\"Illustration of stairs, boxes and plant life.\" width=\"826\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM.png 826w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM-800x1174.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM-160x235.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.16.46-PM-768x1127.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 826px) 100vw, 826px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Greta & Valdin’ by Rebecca K. Reilly. \u003ccite>(Victoria University Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Greta & Valdin’ by Rebecca K. Reilly\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The loving family at the heart of this very funny and moving novel about a brother and sister is so complex that I drew a diagram — no fooling — halfway through, the better to solidify in my mind ideas like, “Valdin recently broke up with his older boyfriend, who is also his uncle’s husband’s brother.” But despite the messy structure of things, every bond in the book is written to be precious and specific.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Greta & Valdin\u003c/em> is the rare story to live up to its fearless promotional copy, which calls it a cross between \u003cem>Schitt’s Creek\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Normal People.\u003c/em> Perhaps that sounds impossible; that’s what makes it so good. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/93702353/linda-holmes\">Linda Holmes,\u003c/a> host, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960548\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 828px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960548\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of a woman wearing boxing gloves and helmet, throwing a punch.\" width=\"828\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM.png 828w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM-800x1167.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.15.04-PM-768x1120.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Headshot: A Novel’ by Rita Bullwinkel. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Headshot: A Novel’ by Rita Bullwinkel\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Headshot \u003c/em>is a real one-two punch of a novel. Eight teenage girl boxers have come to Bob’s Boxing Palace in Reno, Nevada, for the 12th annual Women’s 18 & Under Daughters of America Cup. As each fight plays out in the ring — sometimes brutally, ferociously — Rita Bullwinkel brings to life the internal monologues of the girls. They recite the digits of pi, think about their pasts, their futures, their dreams of being the best in the world — and also of making their opponents chomp on a mouthful of pennies until their teeth break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bullwinkel’s dynamic writing — moving back and forth in time, in and out of the boxing gym — and short, punchy sentences are a perfect mirror of the girls’ jabs in the ring. It’s a knockout. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960547\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 840px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960547\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM.png\" alt=\"A painting of a man's face, split into two.\" width=\"840\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM.png 840w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM-800x1154.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.12.49-PM-768x1108.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Henry Henry: A Novel’ by Allen Bratton. \u003ccite>(The Unnamed Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Henry Henry’ by Allen Bratton\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hal is a profane mess, kind of like Shakespeare’s Prince Hal, on whom he’s based: The 20-something is careening through life fueled by drugs, booze, cigarettes, and loveless sex. He both flaunts and loathes his class status, his family’s fortune, and his future as Duke of Lancaster, along with a flat-out-refusal to live up to his father’s expectations. Hal is so wholly unsympathetic that if not for the brilliant writing, you might just give up before discovering the shocking violation at the root of his self-destruction. How can he finally become his own person? This isn’t an easy read. It’s at times dark and highly upsetting, but the author makes you stick with it in hopes of seeing Hal finally grow up. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/474954558/melissa-gray\">Melissa Gray,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960546\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 846px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM.png\" alt=\"Illustrations of colorful houses, nestled in trees.\" width=\"846\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM.png 846w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM-800x1146.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM-160x229.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.11.15-PM-768x1100.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 846px) 100vw, 846px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Same As It Ever Was’ by Claire Lombardo. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Same As It Ever Was’ by Claire Lombardo\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This is one of those beautifully written, keenly observed novels where not that much happens — other than, you know, life itself — but also so much happens. Julia Ames is experiencing a midlife plateau when an announcement from her son sets her reeling, and reflecting on all the relationships — past and present, familial, intergenerational, romantic — that have shaped her life including: Mark, her near-perfect husband; Anita, her near-imperfect mother; and Helen, the older woman who saves Julia in the early days of motherhood. Though the dynamic between Julia and her “spiky” teenage daughter is my personal favorite, Claire Lombardo has written a whole cast of characters so detailed, so specifically themselves, that you almost feel you could reach out and touch them. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960545\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960545\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover showing a row of falling dominoes.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.09.44-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Victim: A Novel’ by Andrew Boryga. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Victim: A Novel’ by Andrew Boryga\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lying is kind of funny. The stress of someone jumping through increasingly wild hoops to avoid getting caught in a lie is hilarious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Victim\u003c/em> is about Javi, a writer from a marginalized community, who fudges his way into the kinds of rooms where people say “marginalized” and “community” a lot. The book is a charming critique of the publishing industry and its surface-level attempts at righting societal ills (which, kind of bold for a debut author), while also staying empathetic towards the well-meaning individuals who give Javi a shot. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348740829/andrew-limbong\">Andrew Limbong,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk, and host, NPR’s ‘Book of the Day’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Romance & Relationships\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 812px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of three women positioned around a large martini glass.\" width=\"812\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM.png 812w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM-800x1192.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM-160x238.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.07.57-PM-768x1144.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet’ by Molly Morris. \u003ccite>(Wednesday Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet’ by Molly Morris\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What happens when your former best friend comes back from the dead, but only for 30 days? That’s what Wilson needs to figure out when her friend Annie is brought back as part of a local custom in her small California town. To complicate things more, their friend, Ryan apparently hates them both. Wilson is determined to fix things before Annie returns to — well, being dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a beautifully poetic YA work about female friendships, with a touch of magical realism and laugh out loud humor. The dynamic between the trio is filled with teenage angst, love and forgiveness. It considers a common dilemma: How do you accept change when it means giving up what you love? \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/836937515/hafsa-fathima\">Hafsa Fathima,\u003c/a> production assistant, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 810px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of a woman looking through binoculars. In one lens, we see a bird. In the other, a man. \" width=\"810\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM.png 810w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM-800x1199.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM-160x240.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.06.09-PM-768x1151.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Birding with Benefits’ by Sarah T. Dubb. \u003ccite>(Gallery Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Birding with Benefits’ by Sarah T. Dubb\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This sweet, fake-relationship romance follows the recently divorced empty-nester Celeste as she navigates life as a single woman, once again. This time around, she’s saying yes to life and shaking things up. She didn’t expect the shaking to bring in the sensitive, gentle giant that is John. Or his deep love of birds. Come for the romance but, beware, you might find yourself falling in love with John’s quiet, colorful world of birding yourself!\u003cem> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/580312943/christina-cala\">Christina Cala,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Code Switch’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of a modern young woman walking through a city under an umbrella and reading a book.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.03.47-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Girl Abroad’ by Elle Kennedy. \u003ccite>(Bloom Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Girl Abroad’ by Elle Kennedy\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Girl Abroad \u003c/em>starts with Abbey Bly, 19 years old, ready to step away from her adoring, yet overprotective, father when she is given the chance to study abroad in London. There’s just one hitch: Abbey believes she’ll be living with girls there — but arrives to find out all her flatmates are boys. She decides to step into her new-found independence (and hide this fact from her father). Elle Kennedy has written an enjoyable coming-of-age story filled with humor, drama, romance, and a found family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Readers will enjoy the way Kennedy deviates from her usual steamy-angst-centric stories for one with deeper emphasis on self growth, relationship dynamics and figuring out not only who you are, but what you want. \u003cem>— Valentina Rodríguez Sánchez, audio engineer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960541\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring illustrations of a woman and man surrounded by palm trees.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM-800x1156.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.01.55-PM-768x1110.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘How to End a Love Story’ by Yulin Kuang. \u003ccite>(Avon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘How to End a Love Story’ by Yulin Kuang\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If a ’90s rom-com grew up and went to therapy, this sparkling book would be the result. After penning a popular YA book series, Helen Zhang gets a seat in the writers’ room where it’s being adapted into a TV show. Unfortunately, Grant Shepard is also one of the writers in that room. Grant was the charming homecoming king at their high school whereas Helen was awkward and introverted. He’s also the reason Helen’s sister is dead — kind of. It’s been years since the accident, but the writers’ room reopens old wounds and forces Helen and Grant to be vulnerable with each other. Even as Helen wrestles with their past, the two begin a present-day romance that is sexy and tender. This book is a raised glass to second chances and late bloomers. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348774853/lauren-migaki\">Lauren Migaki,\u003c/a> senior producer, Education\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring bright illustrations of flowers, a woman and man, and a diamond ring.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM-800x1158.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-2.00.10-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Say You’ll Be Mine: A Novel’ by Naina Kumar. \u003ccite>(Dell)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Say You’ll Be Mine: A Novel’ by Naina Kumar\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a familiar South Asian story: Two people finally relent to their parents’ wishes of meeting a potential marriage partner. But \u003cem>Say You’ll Be Mine \u003c/em>is so much more than that. Meghna is in love with her best friend, who is engaged to someone else. Karthik is an engineer who doesn’t really want to get married. But as the two discover, a fake engagement between them may be the answer to their problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Naina Kumar writes a funny, heartwarming tale, filled with sizzling chemistry. It’s hard to not root for them from page one, as they slowly fall in love. It’s an incredible book that tackles the merits and shortcomings of culture, finding an identity and of course, true love. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/836937515/hafsa-fathima\">Hafsa Fathima,\u003c/a> production assistant, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 820px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring illustrations of a young woman and man surrounded by autumn leaves.\" width=\"820\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM.png 820w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM-800x1184.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM-160x237.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.58.26-PM-768x1137.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Sex, Lies and Sensibility’ by Nikki Payne. \u003ccite>(Berkley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Sex, Lies and Sensibility’ by Nikki Payne\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Set in the heart of vacationland, Nora Dash and Ennis “Bear” Freeman are both fighting uphill battles. After her dad dies, Nora inherits some serious family drama — and a rundown cottage in Maine. Now, Nora and her sister have just months to turn the place into a successful resort. Meanwhile, Bear’s struggling with his own business of guiding visitors through his native Abenaki land. The tours take him through Nora’s backyard and the two team up. Their chemistry is off the charts as they spend hours working and finding stress relief in long runs through the Maine woods. But both are keeping secrets, and have let shame work its way through their lives like an invasive species. The two have to figure out how to move forward once those secrets spill out. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348774853/lauren-migaki\">Lauren Migaki,\u003c/a> senior producer, Education\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Historical Fiction\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960537\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960537\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a close up photo of a man's hands playing the piano.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM-800x1166.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.56.35-PM-768x1120.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Cahokia Jazz: A Novel’ by Francis Spufford. \u003ccite>(Scribner)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Cahokia Jazz: A Novel’ by Francis Spufford\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s 1922 and, in this alternate-history detective story, Cahokia isn’t a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Illinois. It’s a thriving Indigenous-owned and operated city and state with a strong Catholic presence, plus Klansmen, bootleggers and other undesirables. If you try to skim, you’ll get lost in the how-deep-does-this-go corruption, careful world-building and sprawling cast. The naive main character, jazz-playing police detective Joe Barrow, shoves his way through exposition, fight scenes, maybe-occult doings, local royalty and personal angst, all backgrounded by a Roaring Twenties aesthetic portrayed in loving detail. Maps and excerpts from (made-up) primary sources will guide you through — if you pay attention. If you’re me, you’ll take notes. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1173760481/holly-j-morris\">Holly J. Morris,\u003c/a> digital trainer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960536\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 816px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM.png\" alt=\"Waves crash onto a rocky beach. In the center of the water floats a tea pot.\" width=\"816\" height=\"1206\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM.png 816w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM-800x1182.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM-160x236.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.54.34-PM-768x1135.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Clear: A Novel’ by Carys Davies. \u003ccite>(Scribner)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Clear: A Novel’ by Carys Davies\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s the 1840s, the last and most brutal years of The Clearances, when Scottish landowners began replacing unprofitable tenants with sheep. Based on that real history, \u003cem>Clear\u003c/em> is a novel about a minister, John, who has been dispatched to clear a remote island of its last remaining inhabitant, Ivar. Except just after he arrives, John slips and falls off a cliff. Ivar finds John, nurses him back to health, and invites him into his life; Ivar begins to teach John the many words that all mean some variation of “rough seas” in Norn (a real language), and the pair learn to communicate roughly, but with an unexpected depth. What follows is perhaps the most tender, beautiful story about the connection between two people and what they must overcome to find each other — in every sense of the word. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960535\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960535\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring constellations.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM-800x1159.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.52.49-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Enlightenment’ by Sarah Perry. \u003ccite>(Mariner Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Enlightenment’ by Sarah Perry\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You know that feeling — when you are fascinated by someone all the more because you don’t fully understand them? That’s how I feel in English author Sarah Perry’s “presence.” \u003cem>Enlightenment \u003c/em>is a tale of two friends, different generations but hailing from the same small Essex town and even smaller congregation. There’s a mystery involving a woman astronomer — but mainly there’s empathy for the complexities of people’s identities and belief systems, a sense of home, and loads of gorgeous writing. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/349278028/shannon-rhoades\">Shannon Rhoades,\u003c/a> senior editor, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960534\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960534\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM.png\" alt=\"An illustration of an Asian woman, traditionally dressed, walking through snow. Her reflection in the water next to her is a white fox.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM-800x1168.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM-160x234.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.50.50-PM-768x1121.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Fox Wife: A Novel’ by Yangsze Choo. \u003ccite>(Henry Holt and Co.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Fox Wife: A Novel’ by Yangsze Choo\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There’s a little bit of mystery and mysticism on every page of this book. Set in China in the early 1900s, the book centers around two characters in separate, but connecting narratives. A fox masquerading as a young woman that’s set out to avenge her daughter’s death and a detective with an affinity for foxes who is working a murder case. It’s clever and observant, with twists and turns and just the perfect amount of folklore to keep you asking: What is real and what is imagined? \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/378865949/elissa-nadworny\">Elissa Nadworny,\u003c/a> correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960531\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960531\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring an exotic small town on a hillside at dusk.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM-800x1162.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.48.43-PM-768x1115.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Hard by a Great Forest’ by Leo Vardiashvili. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Hard by a Great Forest’ by Leo Vardiashvili\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hard by a Great Forest\u003c/em> has all the ingredients of a dark and twisty fairy tale: A mysterious disappearance, a post-war city teeming with danger, a scavenger hunt, riddles, a road trip, escaped zoo animals, an orphan, and a title echoing the first line of Hansel and Gretel. It’s loosely based on author Leo Vardiashvili’s life — he lived through Georgia’s civil war and immigrated to the UK as a refugee in the mid ’90s. It’s two decades later in the novel when Saba’s father is pulled back to their homeland in search of something — before promptly disappearing. His last message to his son: Do not follow me. But Saba (of course) follows his breadcrumb trail of clues and, along the way, is forced to confront the question: Can you ever really go home again? \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/712227784/samantha-balaban\">Samantha Balaban,\u003c/a> producer, ‘Weekend Edition’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960530\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960530\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a tiny illustration of a traveling man.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1208\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM-800x1159.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.47.01-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘James: A Novel’ by Percival Everett. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘James: A Novel’ by Percival Everett\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The jokes in \u003cem>James\u003c/em> range from chin scratchers to knee slappers to gut busters. Although I’m not sure Percival Everett would even classify them as “jokes.” In his re-imagining of the Huckleberry Finn story, Everett mines language, history and irony to showcase brutal truths about America. And yes, it’s often funny. But, like the original source material, things can quickly turn deadly serious depending on how the river flows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The novel is thrilling, hilarious, heartbreaking, and a strong argument for Everett as one of the best doing it right now. \u003cem>— \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/348740829/andrew-limbong\">Andrew Limbong,\u003c/a>\u003cem> correspondent, Culture Desk, and host, NPR’s ‘Book of the Day’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960528\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960528\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting a person on a bicycle riding through purple flames.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM-800x1158.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.45.30-PM-768x1112.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Memory Piece: A Novel’ by Lisa Ko. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Memory Piece: A Novel’ by Lisa Ko\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This is a coming of age story about three friends growing up in and around New York City in the 1990s. Their friendship evolves over the decades as they experiment with, and push the boundaries of, art, performance and technology. I loved that the book makes art feel real and weird and kind of gross — not glamorous and sugarcoated. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/378865949/elissa-nadworny\">Elissa Nadworny,\u003c/a> correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960527\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960527\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring an illustration of a woman lying with her arms over her head.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM-800x1165.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.43.47-PM-768x1118.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Swift River’ by Essie Chambers. \u003ccite>(Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Swift River’ by Essie Chambers\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After her beloved father mysteriously disappears, Diamond and her mom find themselves living hand to mouth in a faded New England mill town where Diamond is the lone Black resident. Why did a previous generation of Black families abandon it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This propulsive and poetic first novel, by an accomplished documentary film producer, grounds a tender coming-of-age narrative in a history of migration, marginalization and imagination. Threaded through every step of Diamond’s journey is her deadpan wit; of one ramshackle dwelling, she observes, “the whole house looks like it’s having a cigarette.” And she reflects, when a heartbreaking legal issue is finally resolved, “That was the thing about a racist town. It got to decide when it would be kind.” \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/3850482/neda-ulaby\">Neda Ulaby,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960526\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 834px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960526\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting a woman and man sitting at a restaurant table.\" width=\"834\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM.png 834w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM-800x1161.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.42.07-PM-768x1114.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Table for Two: Fictions’ by Amor Towles. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Table for Two: Fictions’ by Amor Towles\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first half of this jaunty short-story collection takes place in New York. Among the memorable characters are a Russian immigrant whose chief role in life is to stand in lines; a young antiquarian bookstore employee who gets more than he bargains for in his desire for life experience; and a seemingly straight-laced family man with a big Wall Street job, whose secret pastime, once discovered, upends his and his loved ones’ lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second half, devoted entirely to the novella “Eve in Hollywood,” is set in Los Angeles during Tinseltown’s Golden Age. The pithy, film noir-ish thriller picks up where the author’s 2011 novel \u003cem>Rules of Civility\u003c/em> left off — with the plucky, scar-faced adventuress, Evelyn Ross, deftly saving the honor of a host of Hollywood starlets. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1113762078/chloe-veltman\">Chloe Veltman,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960525\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 842px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960525\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting a helicopter flying over trees.\" width=\"842\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM.png 842w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM-800x1152.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM-160x230.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.40.35-PM-768x1105.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 842px) 100vw, 842px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah. \u003ccite>(St. Martin's Press)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“You’re only going to be a nurse until you get married,” her mother said. But Frankie McGrath had other ideas, ones that would lead her away from her wealthy family’s conservative outlook on how daughters should behave. Kristin Hannah’s \u003cem>The Women \u003c/em>follows young Frankie’s transformation, when after working as a nurse in California and tending to a wounded soldier, and missing her soldier brother, she joins the Army as a nurse. That takes her from a comfortable life of known expectations, to one of the chaos and danger of war, new career opportunities and love. Tangled love.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Frankie returns home, she finds her country still protesting the war, and those who served. \u003cem>The Women \u003c/em>shines a light on a then little-known aspect of the war: the women who also served in Vietnam, as nurses. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1053920456/jeanine-herbst\">Jeanine Herbst,\u003c/a> news anchor\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960523\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 836px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960523\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM.png\" alt=\"The front half of a horse visible as it sleeps into a spiraling vortex.\" width=\"836\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM.png 836w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM-800x1160.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM-160x232.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.38.10-PM-768x1113.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘You Dreamed of Empires: A Novel’ by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer. \u003ccite>(Riverhead Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘You Dreamed of Empires: A Novel’ by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This salty and dark historical fantasia feistily explodes well-worn textbook narratives about the meeting of the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and his captains with the Aztec emperor Moctezuma and his entourage in Tenoxtitlan — now Mexico City — in 1519.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Álvaro Enrigue’s depiction of the stressed out, clumsy Cortés and the drugged out, mercurial Moctezuma sets these near-mythical figures into earthy relief. But it’s mostly the intrigues and machinations of these leaders’ canny consorts — the Aztec princess Atotoxtli and the conquistadors’ translator Malinalli — that power the plot. Natasha Wimmer’s English translation sharply delivers the novel’s poetic and witty qualities while at the same time reveling in its core theme: the fundamental untranslatability of human experience. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1113762078/chloe-veltman\">Chloe Veltman,\u003c/a> correspondent, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Mysteries & Thrillers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960522\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 838px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960522\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a partial close-up of a woman's face and the exterior of a house in the snow.\" width=\"838\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM.png 838w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM-800x1155.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM-160x231.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.36.14-PM-768x1109.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Nightwatching’ by Tracy Sierra. \u003ccite>(Pamela Dorman Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Nightwatching’ by Tracy Sierra\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Nightwatching \u003c/em>begins with a scene straight out of a nightmare: A woman is at home with two sleeping children when she hears the footsteps of an intruder on the stairs. The story that follows is by turns suspenseful, uncomfortable and enraging. Tracy Sierra skillfully uses the home invasion to explore the terrifying responsibility of motherhood and to expose the pure horror of being a woman in a society that does not always choose to believe women. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1227635672/julie-rogers\">Julie Rogers,\u003c/a> historian and curator, NPR Research, Archives & Data strategy\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960518\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960518\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a white house on a red horizon.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM-800x1166.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM-160x233.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.33.24-PM-768x1120.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Hunter’ by Tana French. \u003ccite>(Viking)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Hunter’ by Tana French\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Set in the hills of Western Ireland, this novel picks up the story of characters introduced in 2020’s \u003cem>The Searcher\u003c/em> — retired American detective Cal Hooper and Trey, a teen girl he’s taken under his wing. As French revisits the seemingly bucolic landscape where trouble roils just under the surface, her writing continues to shift from mystery to meditation. While there’s still a knot of questions about crimes — including both fraud and murder — to be untangled, this novel is ultimately about belonging; the ways in which families do, and don’t, owe each other debts; the communities we resist, alienate, or become a welcome part of. Morally shaded and complex, it will leave you thinking about who’s right — and what’s wrong — long after you turn the last page. —\u003cem> Tayla Burney, director, Network Programming & Production\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003ch2>Sci Fi, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction & Horror\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960517\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 744px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960517\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.31.42-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring a bird's nest with broken eggs and one that is still intact.\" width=\"744\" height=\"1106\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.31.42-PM.png 744w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.31.42-PM-160x238.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Cuckoo’ by Gretchen Felker-Martin. \u003ccite>(Tor Nightfire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Cuckoo’ by Gretchen Felker-Martin\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Cuckoo \u003c/em>is an ingeniously scary novel about a group of kids sent to a conversion camp in the ’90s. There’s the terror of the socially accepted abuse the kids face (both at the camp and at home) because they are queer, but there’s yet another horrifying entity preying on them, and trying to make them — different.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Felker-Martin’s sharp novel takes on the particular vulnerability of queer kids and the body-snatching that is conversion therapy, and she does it with equal measures of tenderness and grotesquery. As harrowing and disgusting as it is, I also found it quite insightful and beautiful — and for that reason, \u003cem>Cuckoo \u003c/em>is a great work of horror. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/959668312/liam-mcbain\">Liam McBain,\u003c/a> associate producer, ‘It’s Been a Minute’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960516\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 874px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960516\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover featuring an illustration of a hand holding a gold chain.\" width=\"874\" height=\"1108\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM.png 874w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM-800x1014.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM-160x203.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.29.35-PM-768x974.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Familiar’ by Leigh Bardugo. \u003ccite>(Flatiron Books)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Familiar’ by Leigh Bardugo\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It is the Spanish Golden Age, and kitchen maid Luzia has secrets to hide: her skill at magic and her Jewish heritage. When her employer discovers her spells, Luzia is entered into a tournament to find King Philip, who hopes to increase his military standing, a champion. She is trained by the strange creature Santángel, an immortal with a mysterious past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/04/11/1244125050/leigh-bardugo-the-familiar-book-review\">gorgeously lush, vividly written book\u003c/a> that shines with its strong cast of characters. Luzia is a hero you’ll find yourself rooting for right from the start, and the magic system in this world is a breath of fresh air. Once again, Leigh Bardugo proves she never misses the mark when it comes to intricately building fantastical worlds — leaving you thinking about them long after the last page is turned. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/836937515/hafsa-fathima\">Hafsa Fathima,\u003c/a> production assistant, ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960514\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 830px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960514\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting the word 'Husbands' climbing up a ladder.\" width=\"830\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM.png 830w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM-800x1168.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM-160x234.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.26.32-PM-768x1121.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Husbands: A Novel’ by Holly Gramazio. \u003ccite>(Doubleday)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Husbands: A Novel’ by Holly Gramazio\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lauren leaves her London flat for a bachelorette party one night only to discover a husband at home awaiting her return. Not only was she not married when she left for the night, she doesn’t recognize this man. Slowly she works out that he’s not a threat — and that all evidence on her phone, in conversations with friends and neighbors, and in their apartments points to him being fully integrated into her life. And there he is until he goes into the attic and a different husband emerges, slightly — or drastically — altering Lauren’s life. The pattern continues as Lauren searches for metaphysical clues to what’s going on and wrestles with how to know, if she can ever know, which life is right for her. A rare combination of the truly hilarious and profound. \u003cem>— Tayla Burney, director, Network Programming & Production\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960513\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 762px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960513\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.24.33-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover depicting block letters floating in space.\" width=\"762\" height=\"1110\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.24.33-PM.png 762w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.24.33-PM-160x233.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 762px) 100vw, 762px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Ministry of Time: A Novel’ by Kaliane Bradley. \u003ccite>(Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘The Ministry of Time: A Novel’ by Kaliane Bradley\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You’d think a novel about the bureaucracy of a time-travel government agency might be kinda boring. But from the moment you meet the book’s enigmatic protagonist — as she starts a new job in the UK’s top secret new time travel agency — to the introduction of the dashing Graham Gore, an 1847 arctic explorer plucked through time, you’ll be hooked. Come for the romance, stay for the unraveling of a mystery, the nuanced, genre-bending treatises on race and identity, and the long-lingering ideas on colonialism, empires and the mutability of history. \u003cem>— \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/580312943/christina-cala\">Christina Cala,\u003c/a> senior producer, ‘Code Switch’\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960509\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 828px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960509\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM.png\" alt=\"A book cover with small illustrations including the Paris city skyline, the ocean and various plants and flowers.\" width=\"828\" height=\"1212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM.png 828w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM-800x1171.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM-160x234.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Screen-Shot-2024-06-28-at-1.21.52-PM-768x1124.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel’ by Douglas Westerbeke. \u003ccite>(Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel’ by Douglas Westerbeke\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the year 1885, in Paris, when 9-year-old Aubry Tourvel encounters a mysterious, wooden, puzzle ball: It may be a blessing or a curse, but it most definitely changes her life. Now she needs to keep moving forever; too long in any one town and she will bleed to death. So her life is all travel and adventure, and through her we wonder at the richness of the globe’s markets, towns, forests and deserts. Over many decades, she meets all types of kind and curious people — as well as cruel and uncaring ones. Sometimes Aubry enjoys quick communion with strangers. Other times, she is surrounded but desperately lonely. This is a ravishing, deeply human book that’s in love with the world, with people, with the new — and yet is infused with a deep, futile longing for home.\u003cem> — \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1091803881/jennifer-vanasco\">\u003cem>Jennifer Vanasco\u003c/em>,\u003c/a>\u003cem> editor and reporter, Culture Desk\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/arts/13960473/best-fiction-books-summer-2024-npr-staff-picks","authors":["byline_arts_13960473"],"programs":["arts_140"],"categories":["arts_1","arts_73","arts_835","arts_75"],"tags":["arts_769","arts_585"],"affiliates":["arts_137"],"featImg":"arts_13960569","label":"arts_140"}},"programsReducer":{"possible":{"id":"possible","title":"Possible","info":"Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.","airtime":"SUN 2pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.possible.fm/","meta":{"site":"news","source":"Possible"},"link":"/radio/program/possible","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"}},"1a":{"id":"1a","title":"1A","info":"1A is home to the national conversation. 1A brings on great guests and frames the best debate in ways that make you think, share and engage.","airtime":"MON-THU 11pm-12am","imageSrc":"https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/1a.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://the1a.org/","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/1a","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=1188724250&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/1A-p947376/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510316/podcast.xml"}},"all-things-considered":{"id":"all-things-considered","title":"All Things Considered","info":"Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.","airtime":"MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/all-things-considered"},"american-suburb-podcast":{"id":"american-suburb-podcast","title":"American Suburb: The Podcast","tagline":"The flip side of gentrification, told through one town","info":"Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"/news/series/american-suburb-podcast","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"13"},"link":"/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/","rss":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"}},"baycurious":{"id":"baycurious","title":"Bay Curious","tagline":"Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time","info":"KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","imageAlt":"\"KQED Bay Curious","officialWebsiteLink":"/news/series/baycurious","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"4"},"link":"/podcasts/baycurious","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406","npr":"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious","rss":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvbmV3cy9jYXRlZ29yeS9iYXktY3VyaW91cy1wb2RjYXN0L2ZlZWQvcG9kY2FzdA","stitcher":"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"}},"bbc-world-service":{"id":"bbc-world-service","title":"BBC World Service","info":"The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.","airtime":"MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service","meta":{"site":"news","source":"BBC World Service"},"link":"/radio/program/bbc-world-service","subscribe":{"apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/","rss":"https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"}},"code-switch-life-kit":{"id":"code-switch-life-kit","title":"Code Switch / Life Kit","info":"\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />","airtime":"SUN 9pm-10pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","meta":{"site":"radio","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"}},"commonwealth-club":{"id":"commonwealth-club","title":"Commonwealth Club of California Podcast","info":"The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. 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Plus, KQED’s Bianca Taylor brings you the local KQED news you need to know.","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Consider-This-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","imageAlt":"Consider This from NPR and KQED","officialWebsiteLink":"/podcasts/considerthis","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"7"},"link":"/podcasts/considerthis","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1503226625?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/coronavirusdaily","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM1NS9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbA","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/3Z6JdCS2d0eFEpXHKI6WqH"}},"forum":{"id":"forum","title":"Forum","tagline":"The conversation starts here","info":"KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.","airtime":"MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","imageAlt":"KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal","officialWebsiteLink":"/forum","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"8"},"link":"/forum","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz","npr":"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum","stitcher":"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast","rss":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"}},"freakonomics-radio":{"id":"freakonomics-radio","title":"Freakonomics Radio","info":"Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.","imageSrc":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png","officialWebsiteLink":"http://freakonomics.com/","airtime":"SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm","meta":{"site":"radio","source":"WNYC"},"link":"/radio/program/freakonomics-radio","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/","rss":"https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"}},"fresh-air":{"id":"fresh-air","title":"Fresh Air","info":"Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.","airtime":"MON-FRI 7pm-8pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/","meta":{"site":"radio","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/fresh-air","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"}},"here-and-now":{"id":"here-and-now","title":"Here & Now","info":"A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.","airtime":"MON-THU 11am-12pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/here-and-now","subsdcribe":{"apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"}},"how-i-built-this":{"id":"how-i-built-this","title":"How I Built This with Guy Raz","info":"Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.","imageSrc":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this","airtime":"SUN 7:30pm-8pm","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/how-i-built-this","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"}},"inside-europe":{"id":"inside-europe","title":"Inside Europe","info":"Inside Europe, a one-hour weekly news magazine hosted by Helen Seeney and Keith Walker, explores the topical issues shaping the continent. 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Download Chris’s Song of the Week plus other highlights from the broadcast. Produced by American Public Media.","airtime":"SAT 6pm-8pm, SUN 11am-1pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Live-From-Here-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.livefromhere.org/","meta":{"site":"arts","source":"american public media"},"link":"/radio/program/live-from-here-highlights","subscribe":{"apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1167173941","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Live-from-Here-Highlights-p921744/","rss":"https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/a-prairie-home-companion-highlights/rss/rss"}},"marketplace":{"id":"marketplace","title":"Marketplace","info":"Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. 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