11/23 Kensho Kuma Rocking w/ Scarub and Kirby Dominant

Yours truly has just been added to the 11/23 Scarub show @ the Live Musician’s Co-op in Santa Rosa (925 Piner Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.) As you may know, Scarub is a founding member of the Living Legends collective and also belongs to the 3MG’s with Eligh and the Grouch. The Legends were probably the first to demonstrate to me the pure freedom and power of doing Hip Hop independently; I remember them rocking a packed venue in Shinjuku, Japan back in 2001. I recall being amazed by the support they received in my home country; in other words, I credit them for giving me part of my blueprint.

Scarub Show

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“California Sunrise” by Scarub. Produced by my comrade CAV3.

Kirby Dominant is like every Berkeley MC’s kind and funky uncle always surrounded by fine felines. He’s now in a group called “Paranoid Castle” with the Canadian producer Factor.

Shout outs to my potna Pure for getting me on the bill. Look up for his upcoming debut album.

11/22 Conscious Hip Hop Night @ the Gilman

Yours truly will be hosting the monthly Conscious Hip Hop event @ the Gilman on November 22nd, 2013. The Gilman is a historical punk rock venue founded back in 1986 and famous bands like Rancid, Green Day, and NOFX spawned their careers there. The venue has a no alcohol, no drugs, no homophobia, no violence, etc. policy, so it’s appropriate for all ages.. I just found out that the Gilman even has a book documenting their history. My folks, the Globelotters Collective, started the first Hip Hop events at the venue earlier this year; I’ve performed twice at the monthly party and it was a pleasant experience both times. This month I will be hosting the biggest Conscious Hip Hop Night thus far; the event will feature a total of eight up-and-coming acts, including my comrades One Werd and Acmaculate One.

November Gilman Flier

“the Program EP” SE Asia+Japan Tour 2013 Pics/ Clip

Kensho Kuma & Cloud NI9E SE Asia/ Japan Summer Tour Clip

The complete SE Asia/ Japan Tour 2013 pics are available here. Thanks to everyone that made this successful tour possible… I had the time of my life!!

At Club Grease in Bangkok, Thailand. Big up’s to DJ Tob from the BKK Invaders.

At CAMA ATK in Hanoi, Vietnam.

At Club Lush in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Peace to CJ C-Zero… You’re an awesome photographer and certified party animal.

At Lush in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

At Mix Bar in Shimane, Japan. Shout out’s to MC Hiro and Sannta from the 裏美亭crew.

 

 

Live at the Legionnaire 11/08/13

Yours truly will be rocking the Legionnaire Saloon in Oakland on 11/08/13. 2FS (Kensho Kuma X Orukusaki) will be debuting some new material. Aesop Fables from the Living Legends, Foreign Legion, and the Understudies Crew will also be in the building.

Legionnairre Show

 
As a world-traveling MC, I really empathize with this Prozack track… I don’t get homesick like him, but yes I definitely miss CA Mexican food when I am overseas…

APAture 2013 Music Night

Kensho Kuma and DJ Delrokz will be playing at APAture 2013 Music Night. It’s an event organized by Kearny Street Workshop,  a community based organization dedicated to developing and showcasing Asian American artists. It’s going down 10/25 at Sub-Mission (2183 Mission St. SF.) DJ Delrokz is the SF Chapter president of the Zulu Nation and a very trustworthy sound technician.. So I ain’t worried about a damn thing. The brethren Orukusaki will join me on stage as well.

Kuma_Delrokz_Flier

Japanese MC 勝 remakes “Illmatic”

Perhaps one of the most intimidating assignments for a MC is to recreate the “Illmatic” album, arguably the best Hip Hop album ever produced. I personally wouldn’t attempt this feat; it would mean the next three years of my life consecutively being secluded in the “dungeons of rap.” The English language accomplishment was completed wonderfully by Detroit wordsmith Elzhi on “Elmatic.” This free release was critically acclaimed not only for its complex lyricism, but the fact that it complemented the ’94 classic; he also completely murked his corresponding Oakland New Parish performance for this project. I am far from a Hip Hop historian, but we can all agree that utmost lyrical complexity, which stays true to the original feel of “Illmatic” is necessary for any seasoned rapper to even attempt to remake this classic. In other words, you must be at Elzhi-lyricism level to succeed at this assignment.

 

Last summer, I stumbled by this flier at Bar Ado in Osaka, Japan. Very interesting… A Japanese MC from Osaka remaking the Nas classic.

 

勝 is pronounced “Masaru” and the kanji character means “to win” and “victory;” this summer, I had the pleasure of not only receiving a copy of “Re: Illmatic,” but also building with him. “Re: Illmatic” was truly a pleasant surprise for me. The artist approaches the classic with his Kansai-dialect and does a fine job of translating the Queensbridge vibe. If any American rapper were to attempt to remake “Illmatic,” that person would probably attempt to get in the mid-nineties Timberland/ gemstar mind state (which I seem to be stuck in a lot of the time,) however Masaru was able to deliver 2012 appropriate lyricism, without compromising his complexity on this project. What I mean is that not only will he receive salutes from the fans who understand what “Illmatic” initially represented, but he will be commercially viable to the eighteen year old that just realized that lyrics hold weight. Well done comrade.

09/16 Rocking at the Aviation Museum

Kensho Kuma

Kensho Kuma & Cloud NI9E will be rocking at the “Backup Plan” event at the Aviation Museum in Saitama, Japan, on 09/16/2013. 9月16日、埼玉の航空公園でライブします。 アジアツアー最後のライブなので遊びに来てね。 This will be my last show for my Asia tour for now. N.B.S. (Natural Born Spitters) will also be performing; I heard these cats on the German super producer team Snowgoon`s Kraftwork album and was impressed. I look forward to rocking with them. I am not associated with the image below, but it is from an event the promoter organizing this event.

Cover Photo

Kensho Kuma & Cloud NI9E in Shimane, Japan

I wish that I could have written this blog much much earlier, instead of 4 hours before starting a 15 hour journey to Shimane, Japan. Yours truly and Cloud NI9E will be holding down a 90 minute set with some unexpectedly new material @ DJ Bar Mix. ?????????????????. BTW, this is my DJ`s hometown, so I`ll be in Supersayan ultra grizzly more… as usual…

 

Shimane Flier

Kensho Kuma & Cloud NI9E in Vietnam

Kensho Kuma & Cloud NI9E will be making their debut Vietnam appearance on 08/29/2013 @ Cama ATK in Hanoi and 08/30/2013 @ Lush in Ho Chi Minh City. A third show on the 31st will be potentially added,so please stay tuned… I’ve been saying this for years, but if you really develop a creative craft (doesn’t necessarily have to be MCing, but some expressive form of art that takes time and effort) it becomes a passport and you can rock anywhere in the world. I was being so sincere when I told you in Oakland that I rep the East Bay around the globe. Vietnam, I cannot wait to meet you!

Lush

Kensho Kuma in Osaka

I will be performing in Osaka, Japan, on 08/03/2013 @ Full Bloom. Veteran MC`s Gebo and OKI from Ward Swingaz will be in the house; also this event will feature a special set by B.I.G Joe, who has been one of the most respected names in Japanese Hip Hop for the last several years.