As a part of Global Block’s PUSHH (Peace, Unity and Social empowerment through Hip-Hop) tour, Kima Hamilton, Chris Sagayo and Victor Mangrobang are in Nepal to foster cultural ties through their music, lyrics and moves.
Global Block is an American foundation that upholds “innovation, creativity and activism at the core of the hip-hop movement to empower youth and transform communities across the globe.” [break]
The Alaska-based trio is in Nepal to seek opportunities to connect with communities and eliminate any false perception about hip-hop, said Hamilton, a DJ and Emcee.
Amanda Jacobsen, cultural affairs officer at Embassy of the United States in Nepal, said the group is visiting Nepal under the US Department of States’ performing arts initiative.
“Nepal has its Nep-hop culture and so we’re interested in bringing a hip-hop group to do public outreach,” Jacobsen said.
The trio will organize workshops and collaborate with local artistes in jam sessions.
“We want to do an explanation of what we’re doing— the elements of hip hop,” Sagayo said. “We want to teach them more of the Western style so they can add to their repertoire of movement they already have.”
They have already visited Pokhara and are upbeat after seeing young crowd interested in hip-hop.
“It’s a positive medium that keeps youth away from drugs, violence and gangs,” Mangrobang said.
While using hip-hop as a medium to spread the message of peace and unity, the members didn’t hold back on sharing the negative perceptions about rap and hip-hop that have evolved.
“Hip-hop allows you to tell your story through the art,” Mangrobang said. “So they [mainstream artistes who got rich and famous through rap] rap about money, partying and even drugs. That’s wrong.”
However, Hamilton said the core of the movement has stayed alive.
“The initial intent of hip-hop, the feel good part, the camaraderie of it, feels good to people and that’s what we still can do it,” he said.
Hamilton, who was involved in a youth campaign during the 2008 US election, added the power of words can be used in the socio-political situation.
Dressed in their “Ill Aska” t-shirt that imprints a male figure spraying aerosol — a metaphor for spraying the message of hip-hop in Mangrobang’s words — the trio shared fondness for Nepal, its people and especially momos.
“It’s very…what’s the word?” asked Mangrobang, trying to describe Nepal. “Extraordinary is the word,” Hamilton filled in.
And he rapped about his experiences in Nepal, love for hip-hop and their work through Global Block.
“My mother told me that there’d be days like this/She never told me that would be in Nepal/ Since the day I was small/I knew hip-hop would be my thang/I’m so fresh when I beat my slang.”
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