Interview with: KRAZY RACE

Interview done for R.H.H.R. by Xicano Vince of the Modesto Brown Berets de Aztlan.

Where did you get the name “Krazy Race” and what does it mean to you? Krazy Race started off as a group name in the early 90s of my rap crew. The name reflects & represents our people, we are a Krazy Race. We are so many other things besides that of course, but being raised a Chicano in LA you could see where the Krazy Race name came from.

What movements do you support or consider yourself a part of? I support all movements that are truly down for the people & organizations that support or help our youth. I love to see all the grass roots organizations that arise from the inner city communities to help their own community.

How long have you been politically involved? Since I was about 22 years old and started to see things in a different light. But even before then, I was already questioning society and our system.

How did you become politically involved? I wanted to make a difference in my community & help my gente see the bigger picture of what was really going on a local and national scale. “Dedicated” was one of the first songs that I wrote to touch on this subject.

Is hip-hop your only form of protest? Hip Hop is worldwide, so some of my political songs have been played in many countries and my songs have even been analyzed and broken down by professors at a university level in Chicano Studies and Ethnic Studies classes. One of them being Dr. Pancho McFarland who also wrote a book and published some of my lyrics in it. Besides my songs and lyrics, I have also marched during May Day rallies, Police Brutality rallies, & others. I have done many community outreach shows for our youth & gente.

What does hip-hop mean to you? Hip Hop means the world to me, I can say it saved my life. If it wasn’t for my dedication to the culture and my passion for writing music with a message, who knows what path I would of took in life.

Do you believe in revolution and what steps do you think we as a people need to take to achieve liberation from a corrupt/fascist government? Mario Savio, a Political activist, said this “There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part; you can’t even passively take part, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop. And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!”

What kind of music besides hip-hop do you prefer to listen to? I listen to Classic Soul, Classic Rock, Oldies, Corridos, & more.

What is your long term goal as a hip-hop artist? I’ve already accomplished more as an artist than I ever imagined. A long term goal would be to continue to do music from the heart. To continue to stay true to my roots and not compromise because some label offers me a paycheck. I’m going to continue to do me. Krazy Race the name is much bigger than me. I represent for my people, our culture, our history and our future.

What do you have coming up in the short term? New Krazy Race album titled “The International Project” will be releasing late August or early Sept of 2012. What makes this album different from all the rest is, 100% of the production is from producers that live all over the world. 10-13 countries will be involved with this album including Mexico, Japan, Italy, India, France & more. For more info go to http://krazyrace.com, http://facebook.com/officialkrazyrace, and http://twitter.com/krazyrace

Sont-Himself: Hip-Hop Musica Forever

Tell the people who you are and where you come from? I go by the alias Sont Himself. I was born Santiago Uvina Jr. in Merced, Cali. and raised in Modesto, Cali. I’ve been living in Modesto since I was about three years old and I’ve lived in just about every side of the city. I grew up in the Southwest area, moved to North Modesto, and ultimately moved to East Modesto where I reside now.  In between moving from North Modesto to East Modesto I lived in Escalon, CA for about three years.

How was it comin’ up in Modesto & the Central Valley?  What do you think was unique about that experience? Coming up in Modesto has been an interesting experience. Modesto is not a big city but it’s just the right size for me. Living in the Central Valley allows access to bigger cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles which is great. I feel it was a unique experience because I was able to move around and experience different sides of the city. I am able to better appreciate the diversity of my city. I’m sure there are some Modesto residents who wouldn’t dare go to areas such as South Modesto but I still have homies that live out there so I’m still out there once and a while.

What were your musical influences as a young Chicano, but also as a Hip-Hop head? In the late 80′s and early 90′s I listened to a lot of Rock and Roll oldies artists such as Richie Valens, Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and several other artists from the 50′s and the 60′s. However, since I grew up in the 90’s when Rap City was on BET and Yo! MTV Raps was ending; I got to see a wide array of videos from West Coast artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, 2Pac, Cypress Hill, and Too Short to East Coast artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Notorious Big. The truth, I was really into the whole No Limit Records movement with Master P, C-Murder, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, and Fiend. I also really got into Wu-Tang Clan and their big words and metaphors. Wu-Tang made me strive for more when it came to writing lyrics. Three 6 Mafia hit me big-time too in the late 90’s with their riot inducing music. The energy and aggressiveness they put out made me want to do the same when making beats and performing. In the late 90′s and early 2000′s I started listening to artists such as Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone, Abstract Rude, Living Legends, Kool Keith, Del the Funky Homosapien, Andre Nickatina, Brotha Lynch Hung, 2Mex, South Park Mexican, Control Machete, NATAS, Jay-Z, Goodie Mob, Swollen Members, The Psycho Realm, and Bone Thugs and Harmony.

Sont at the Chicano Unity Festival

When did u start wanting to rhyme and take part in Hip-Hop culture? When I was in my pre-teen years I would record myself alongside my cousin, Anita (RIP), acting as radio DJ’s and singing/rapping radio songs that we had memorized. In my early teens I really got into rap music in general and I started writing raps at 15. Originally, I started writing individual verses and eventually I began writing full songs with verses and hooks. I have a short attention span so I started looking for ways to stay awake in class so I started writing most of my material during class. In my high school days I would plug in broken headphones into my sister’s home stereo system and use them as a microphone to record over instrumentals onto cassette tapes. Then when I graduated from high school my parents got me a karaoke machine and I moved up from headphones to a real microphone. During high school, I also got drawn into the Graffiti art scene because I saw some of the crews doing their thing such as UM, ALB and LORDS. So I would spend time messing around with art too. Graffiti and writing raps became sort of an escape from everything and it became a great way to express my creativity.

You spend your time working with youth in the community & within the education system, what kind of programs & projects have you been involved with? How do you use Hip-Hop when working with youth and trying to educate? Hip-hop helps me relate to the students I work with because I try to stay up to date with what is relevant in the culture. I also help mentor young aspiring artists whenever possible. When I was starting up I didn’t really have anyone to answer my questions; therefore, I try to make myself available to those young ones who have questions such as how to choose an artist name, how to write a song, or how to stay on beat. I was first connected to an individual that was working with the 21^st Century Learning Programs here in Stanislaus County. His name was Manuel Concepcion. Manuel gave me the first opportunity to record in a professional studio and perform in front of large audiences. Manuel helped put together a small group of local artists and he helped develop our skills. I’ve also been a part of the federally funded TRIO programs for sixteen years as a student in the programs and now a staff member. The TRIO programs serve low income, first-generation students. Recently, I have been working on an Open Mic event with a couple of friends of mine, Gustavo Martinez and Omar Herrera. The Open Mic is held every last Friday of the month at 7pm in East Modesto, Cali. at 202 South Santa Cruz #H 95354. The venue is named Casa Cultural Tradiciones. If you need more information hit up this number (209) 524-1054. Music, Poetry, Dance, and talent in general is welcome.

You’re bilingual & you do songs in English & en Español, do the lyrics come naturally to you in both languages or do you have to say to yourself ‘I’m gonna try & write something all in Spanish’? Which is easier? It actually depends. There are times when the lyrics come naturally and I just start writing but there are also times when I have to tell myself that I want to focus on writing a song in Spanish. It also depends on the beat. There are those times that I listen to a beat that gives me that sound that has a certain feel to it and I’ll tell myself “I have to write something in Spanish to this one.”

You’ve been on the scene for a while, what things about Modesto hip-hop have you seen change for the better or worse? What would you like to see change for the better in the future? On a positive note, I’ve seen the Modesto Hip-Hop scene grow. I’ve seen venues in the area embrace Hip-Hop performances more now that local artists such as Cobalt have made those connections with the right people. I would like to see more opportunities for aspiring local artists to display their skills. At times young aspiring artists don’t have the connections with individuals already involved in the local Hip-Hop scene.  They need a place to network and make those connections.

What are your plans for the immediate future? How can people find out more about you and your music? My plans are to put out several albums I’ve been working on for quite a while now.  I have several projects both in English and Spanish that I am attempting to finish up within the next year. Another goal is to start working regularly with young aspiring artists who need some guidance, help making connections, and to express their ideas and creativity. Everything is pretty much online now so you could hit me up on the ever so popular Facebook under Santiago Sont Uvina or on my e-mail which is sonthimself@hotmail.com or check out some of my music on http://soundcloud.com/sont-himself .

Spit one of your favorite lines for us… “Say hello to a guy with a baaad look, don’t get took by a beard and a maaad book cover, don’t judge another natural mean mugger, because surprise he’ll be an individual with more personality, than half of these rap easies, that simply describe life as a fallacy……” -Sont Himself Any last thoughts to share with the world? Hip-Hop Musica Forever!

CopWatch Updates January-March 2012

January 1: Three years after cops put Oscar Grant face-down on a BART platform and shot him in the back, people in Oakland held 2 days of protests and demonstrations against police and the jail. On New Year’s Eve over 300 people participated in a ‘noise demo’ outside the North county jail, chanting, singing, playing music, and setting off fireworks. Several hands and fists could be seen up against the windows from the prisoners inside. The next day about 500 people marched from Oscar Grant Plaza to the Fruitvale BART station where Oscar was killed by officer Johannes Mehserle.

January 6: The family and friends of James Rivera (killed by Stockton police) and Ernest Duenez (killed by Manteca police) as well as over 50 supporters and community members held a protest in front of the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s office demanding that the cops who killed their loved ones be brought to Justice. At one point during the demonstration protesters blocked the entrance to the building and began chanting inside the opened front door, about a dozen SJ County Sheriffs eventually formed a lined and literally pushed the protesters back, including small children, a pregnant woman, and a priest who put himself in between the cops and the kids. A couple protesters were pushed from behind while walking down a small set of steps, one Sheriff was heard saying to protesters “why don’t you go get a job.”

January 15:Yet another scandal involving the Modesto Police Department is made public thanks to a concerned citizen who sent photos of officers p

Sexist Pig

osing with women in revealing clothing, both inside downtown night clubs and outside on their patrol cars, to the local media and city council. The citizen sent the snapshots with an angry letter stating “as a citizen of the city of Modesto, I am disgusted by the behavior of these officers and their conduct depicted in the photographs.” One of those involved in the scandal is officer Y. Oaxaca who was involved in shooting a deaf motorist with a bean-bag shotgun as well as harassing Modesto CopWatchers and falsely arresting a couple of them for loitering. Chief pig Mike Harden of course said that Internal Affairs would “investigate.”

January 20: Although the Manteca Police Department has yet to give answers as to why one of its officers (John Moody) shot and killed unarmed Ernest Duenez, they didn’t hesitate to take action when serving a restraining order on Gabriel Duenez (brother of Ernest) for supposedly harassing Moody and another officer at Great America in Santa Clara. The temporary restraining order prohibits Duenez from coming within 100 yards of both officers, their homes, and their families. Despite the intimidation the restraining order was meant to incite, the Duenez Family’s weekly protest (every Thursday evening) in front of Manteca police a few days later was over 60 strong in a show of support for Gabe and his family.

January 31: The family of Joey Pinasco, a 21-year old murdered by CHP officers near Escalon in 2008, finally were served a small amount of justice in the form of a $2 million lawsuit settlement. The decision came after 4 days of jury deliberation that determined the CHP was liable for battery and wrongful death. Joey’s aunt, Sandy Pinasco stated “These officers just plain and simply overreacted and they took the life of a very nice young man who had a lot to offer.” Joey was shot and killed by two cops after they claimed he tried to drive into them in his truck. Witnesses in the area later came forward to say his truck was stuck in a ditch and not a threat to officers when they unloaded their weapons into his vehicle. This standard excuse has been used time and time again to justify shooting civilians, such as in the case of James Rivera in Stockton.

March 15: In one of the most disturbing scandals involving the Modesto police, former officer Lee Freddie Gaines was charged with sexually assaulting a woman in a motel room while on duty, wearing his uniform, and even using his handcuffs on her. The victim stated: “I want people to know what this cop is doing. I want them to know who he is, what his face is like, that he used his badge and his uniform to sexually assault a female.” Gaines was also in the news in 2010 when it was determined that he was at fault for a major car accident with an SUV while speeding in his patrol car on Scenic Drive.

March 21: Although murder and manslaughter charges have been thrown out against former Stanislaus County Sheriff Kari Abbey she will still be going to trial for conspiracy to commit unlawful evictions, embezzlement, marijuana cultivation, and child endangerment, and now she will be joined in and out of court by her partners in crime James Abbey (father) and Bennie Taylor (husband). The elder Abbey and Taylor where arrested and charged with conspiracy, forcible entry, marijuana, and possibly child endangerment also. Taylor was also in possession of guns and bullet-proof vests that were acquired (possibly illegally) from the Hayward Police Department where he used to be a cop.

RHHR’s Favorite Hip-Hop “Rolas” from the 209

Seek One (formerly Koshae, Los Banos) – American Prospect “never liked my school teachers, I always thought they were prejudice, had a youngster on a path to collectin dead presidents, we’re in crises, corporations rollin their dices, controllin us with media and electronic devices, land of the free? shit, why do I feel so priceless? wasnt shit given to me but the passion to write this, national fight to lead the strayed back to the righteous and now the leaders dont like this, why? cuz shits subject to change, they say the people and the leadership is one and the same, huh, but whos people is that? they say my people dont know how to act, I say its one god one love and we can keep it at that, lookin for peace, like a piece of Iraq, and that shit on 9/11 what was the reason for that? I sit and wonder how they can fund Rolling Thunder but still couldnt keep Louisiana from goin under, I guess its all a number-game, and the first thing they think about is ‘where do we gain?’ and the first place they profit is off of our pain, from the premature baby to the older lady goin insane, like a junkie I feel like my life is goin in-vain”

Da Goonz (Modesto) – So Beautiful “much better than them others, blame my mother I’m this way, display in a real way whatever I feel may, make ya go on ride this way with a real mane, we at the top over here its so beautiful, and niggas hatin in quiet but thats the usual, come conversate with a rider is something you should do

The Fourcast (Lodi) – Counter Actions “most people dont understand that we’re the disadvantaged, and manage to stay outlandish, spinnin the world and all its planets, all the death and damage, the heartache and the famine, they fuckin planned it, put some poison in the tablet, concealed it in your cabinet and your kids are the addicts, made famous by a capitalist, the pieces fit and they all make sense”

Unstoppable Da Ghost (Tracy) – Hip-Hop Saved My Life “shots fired, I hear em ring thru the night, cuz that day made a drastic change in my life, I never thought I’d have to deal with homies bein murdered, at that point I never thought that I would push on any further, cuz I admit I wanted to go and get revenge, but I took the pain and let it bleed out thru my pen, I’m standin here today because I chose the mic instead, if I woulda chose the 9 I probably would wind-up dead, I gotta thank Hip-Hop for what its done for me, even if I never blow-up my open eyes can see”

Colbalt 45 (Modesto) – My Passion Is “whens the last time you heard a verse so dumb to the end it made you want to run for a pen, and come anything but ignorant, you felt like dyin inside when you heard child tryin to rhyme, spittin the dumbest rhymes makin me sick to my stomach-line, shoulda stayed in school every summertime, fought fires on ol engine number nine, became a policeman doctor or a lawyer, Tom Sawyer rollin on the river as a voyeur, but he’d drown if he fell in, a school boy talkin like a felon with a seedless melon, MCs is jealous even though they cant spell it, theyre sayin Hip-Hop is dead, no one comes off the head, and first singles are geared toward lots of bread, what do you think Warner Brothers expects for those checks, when you flop you assume the debt, my passion is masterin this rappin tip” 

Squalid (Modesto) – Brought Em Back “shit yall dont need to get me back, but yall dont need to piggy back, follow lead and pick me last, pick a weapon chose a class, second captain do the math, triangles like Bermuda and I’ll slap you with my favorite hand, lazy land, a make the bench look good, I’m on some two left foot, I’m from a 2 live crew, most get used like mules, I’m that 2pac gloc-shot that penetrates the hearts of men, my moves knock non-stop, now watch how these artists can flash-freeze MCs just like chicken breasts, cuz if you aint duck em you aint cluckin next, I see these fools love to suffer from my fuckin rep, trippin over each other now they cant control they breath, we dont sing together but they tryin to get seen together, cuz it seems like I’m makin their scene look better, I dont care, it aint no party if I aint there”

Joeson Apex (Stockton) – Call to Action  “my young black men stand-up, its time to wake-up and shake-up and break up the mucus from your eyes, the ghetto got your ass lazy, hypnotized, synthesize yourself, boy regard your health, and find a legit hustle to increase your wealth, no dont slang crack and make your clientele black, Hov did it so you aint have to go thru that, a military brat my father was a sergeant, disciple was the only target, tired seein young brothers getting cast away by another young brothers gun blast and sprayed, now his caskets made, hes under 25, it’s a shame he aint even have a chance to be alive, we live fast, drink slow, die, and repeat, and only care about the brand thats on our feet, its a shame we so damn materialistic, we rent dont buy, I’m just bein realistic”

TroNikfuq (Modesto) – Errbody Loves Enn Eff “your whole crew bumps my shit, I’ll be a household name, I got skills so I’m out for fame, local entrepreneurs forget your greedy offers, just like Cobalt I sport my beanie proper, to avoid contact I cold chill piece like that, but you’ll never smooth tip off me, catch me in a better mood, Nikfuq with an attitude, straight out the West Coast, up and down Cali left MCs with less hope, reaching my Nirvana so call me junkman, I rip every show, I amaze and stun fans, Nikfuq will raise the roof, Rap City to Beirut guaranteed to blaze the booth, my song is exclusive, no need for mixtapes, every verse I spit deserves a milkshake, steppin to me makes you feel like a pessimist, Eric B served his time, Nikfuq for president”

Purp Reynolds (Stockton) – Crazy “I was reachin for the stars and landed in the clouds, like ‘wow’ this weeds so loud, smell it in the crowd and it got me bloodshot, seven-deuce lark parked on the thug block, niggas servin dub rocks, I dont do the dope game, I used to be a d-boy, now I just flow mane”

Broke (Stockton) – Olympus “these cats are tryin to blast at me, dont you know that its blasphemy, whats up with the Butch Cassidy tenacity when they comin after me, you know that shits a tragedy niggas think that they can battle me, dont you know I’ll happily convert your calvary into casualties, damn it seems I’m brandishing these fantasies and as we dream I’m canvassing this masterpiece from Stockton to the Kansas C”

Jabberjawz (Tracy) – Ghetto Dreams “I feel the scheme tryin to drown out my ghetto dream, lookin past it now no matter how far it seems, I cant let em get the best of me, and I’ll be doin this shit until the death of me, lookin far but I gotta over come and make you feel me like the Califonia sun, mic check 1-2, come and get some, the ghetto dream mixed up with ghetto wisdom, you know what time it is, you bout to get the biz, me and my dudes bout to show you who be runnin this, we got the ghetto dream, heavy metal team, and when we rock the spot, you know we runnin things”

Sont Himself (Modesto) – ColD World for Fishes in a Heated Pool “I turned up the temperature, this is a heater, lets play a game its called follow the leader, for all bottom feeders this is the perfect situation, I thought of this on drought so its pre-meditation, it’s a helpless sensation the one of a straggler, inspired by a movie so now youre a battler, well I’m a shatterer”

Tha Thurd (Merced) – Ugly Truth “adrenaline, ritalin, go and spit a riddle then you little men see me comin iller than, your favorite gangster rapper needs to tell his favorite rapper I dont think nobodys even tryin to listen man, tired of the gimmicks, they limit, the style, they fake, everybody wanna be Drake, see I drive it hard in the paint, doin all that it takes, keep my heart in the game”

Masked Avengers (Stockton) – Out of Tune “animal planet but we cant stand it, burnin up the bridges leavin all remained stranded, head full of chips and a fixed frozen face, electronic lips, its the chosen race, got a sweet tooth for the son of sam program, tweet and the beat, it’s the birth of a slow jam”

Deok (Stockton) – Just Like You “son we used to be like you, stay strong young kid you got a lot to learn, stay in school, remember the best things in life are earned, stay positive, I told you math would help you with your words, had dream to be like them, I just wanted to be like you”

Looney 209 (Delhi) – They Don’t Know “looks can be deceiving, if you only dig deeper youll find  out that my name isnt Spider or Creeper, no I dont whistle, sometimes I wear flannel, I can search the other networks not just the Spanish channels, I like other things not just beans and rice, even though that does sound nice, Tapatio in my cabinet, and tortillas in my fridge, Sabado Gigante ever since I was a kid, Pepe, Socorro, Maria, Chucha, got one in every family dont let the skin color fool ya, no im not illegal, no sombrero on my head, didn’t cross the Rio Grande I was born in Merced, Chicano is what I am and I say it with a smile, and yes, I know someone that can lay a tile”

Sam-Sin (Modesto) – Scotty Why’d You Do It? “they asked him ’Scotty did you do it? Scotty wouldn’t say, on April 14th they found her body in the bay, 20 minutes away from where Scott claimed to be, fishin that Christmas-eve, if you wanted Amber that badly, if you didn’t wanna be a daddy, you could of done something else, you can’t run from yourself, yeah it ended so sadly”

Talk to Strangers (Modesto) – The Come Up “from battlefronts to knowin exactly where we’re goin, wherever the winds blowin we’re flowin and never slowin, one moment is all it takes, we’re movin with no mistakes, the come-up is the project, Talk to Strangers, lets raise the stakes”

Have a Sticker? Go to Jail!

The Story of “PJ”……. Imagine relaxing in your apartment after work with your family to hear a knock at the door. Upon answering it, you learn that it’s the local police department and they have a warrant to search your home. You sign the paper as they barge through the door and go straight to your room. They leave, only after taking your drawings, silk-screens, books, and take pictures of your stickers and signatures of friends who have passed through. Later in court, you learn that the police were given false information that you were a well known graffiti artist by a snitch that was arrested for vandalism. They use pictures of stickers of famous graffiti artists and tags of your friends to convict you of being someone you are not. You now are facing months and possibly more in jail…This story isn’t a hypothetical situation, it actually happened to a young Delhi man named Paul Lopez. Recently, Modesto Anarcho began corresponding with Paul, aka “PJ,” who this winter was found guilty of a felony and a misdemeanor count of vandalism, as well as violating his probation, for the crime most commonly referred to as graffiti. The crimes that Lopez is accused of committing took place sometime in late 2009 to early 2010. Lopez is accused of spray painting “MUSKET,” the handle for a prominent graffiti writer, across the wall of a Delhi Mexican restaurant. But while PJ is accused of these crimes by the police in the previously mentioned window of time, the Delhi Express reported that the restaurant was in-fact painted in July of 2009, almost half a year before PJ was accused of the graffiti. During his trial, Lopez was also accused by the DA’s office of being yet another graffiti writer, RESON.

A throw-up that PJ was accused of doing

This is not the first time that PJ has been arrested for graffiti. Several years ago he was found by police out at night with art supplies and pled guilty to vandalism charges. Despite this incident, PJ remains a creative and talented artist. However, it was his background and previous arrest that was used in part by the courts to help portray PJ as the vandal in question. Whenever we hear about cases of graffiti artists being locked up by the state and the victims of police harassment and raids on their homes, our hearts go out to them. We understand the war on graffiti and the largely poor and working class people who engage in it to be part of an effort by the state to attack rebellious behavior and enforce property relations. As we wrote in Modesto Anarcho #14: “[G]raffiti…is a culture and an art form that comes from us. From the urban poor. The working class. The criminal element…despite every attempt to commercialize it, it stays illegal and autonomous from corporations and the rich. Graffiti does not ask for space. It takes space. We live in environments policed by our enemies. Designed by upper class bosses, politicians, planners, and capitalists. We are bombarded with advertisements for everything from politics to skin cream. Graffiti is about rupture against this spectacle. It is about leaving something behind that we enjoy. It is about communication in a world that thrives on silence.” As the rapper Promoe sang, “You claim they not political, but to me, the whole art form questions private property.” As PJ himself wrote, “I can see how people [see] it [as]…an eyesore but I see rundown empty businesses and houses and old shacks more of an eyesore.” However, PJ’s case is much different than other graffiti writers that we have offered support to in the pages of Modesto Anarcho, because quite simply Mr. Lopez was in no way connected to the vandalism that he is accused of committing. His recent trial presented a mountain of evidence that showed clearly that he was not responsible for the graffiti. Unlike the shameful arrested graffiti artist that gave up Lopez’s name to the police in what we can assume was an attempt to get off on charges himself, Lopez refuses to cooperate with the state and will not give up anyone or name any names. It is this non-cooperation that angers the state most of all…Lopez also reports that his anti-government views as well as his interest in punk-rock and hip-hop was also used against him in court, helping to portray him against the jury’s favor. Thus, the state uses someone’s interests and beliefs, even tastes in music or clothing as a way of making them look not only guilty, but a threat to society, and worthy of punishment from the state. The state is the real monster; as it uses its police and courts to destroy the lives of everyday people while the rich and powerful wreck havoc without consequence. More telling is the actual ‘evidence’ that the state has compiled, which includes items from the raid conducted at PJ’s home in Delhi and the words of a snitch. From the raid, police gathered such ‘evidence’ as stickers and tags of artists in notebooks that belonged to PJ. One sticker image in particular stood out more than others, a sticker of “MU” in a graffiti style. The sticker represented the moniker of “MUSKET,” a well known graffiti artist in northern California and across the country. It is this sticker that police have used as evidence that PJ was responsible for writing “MUSKET” in Delhi. However, the sticker was not even handmade, such as those ones seen across the world on postal stickers, it was mass-produced and printed from a machine; something that Lopez had gotten from mail-order. From the pictures of tags that police got from the raid, the DA went on to propose Lopez was the artist RESON, even though the style and lettering of RESON’s is clearly different from that of Lopez’s. Tags and graffiti stickers are found in many young people’s rooms and homes; which makes the attack against PJ even scarier. If someone can be locked up with this flimsy evidence, what’s to stop them from doing it to the rest of us?

Another picture used against PJ

We will leave you with a letter from Lopez himself, where he details his case: “I was just recently accused of being a famous graffiti writer known as MUSKET/MUERTE/MU. If you are aware of graffiti you might know who [the person] is. As of last year, some kid was arrested here in Delhi. The cops said he said I was Musket and had a cousin named J. Cortez, which I don’t. That I wrote ‘RESON.’ Soon after, Lt. Luke Hukill of the Merced County Sheriff’s Department served a search warrant to my apartment in Turlock and found multiple mass produced graffiti stickers [including] some ‘MU’ stickers as well as others bearing the likeness of other graffiti writers. That was enough for them. I’m not MUSKET. I fought this case all year in court. I had evidence as well as scenes from the graffiti movie, “War 4,” which contains footage of Musket that shows (his body type is much bigger) that it was clearly not me, even though the face was blurred. But Judge Kirahara of the Merced County Superior Courts did not allow this evidence because it could not be ‘authenticated.’ The DA, Rita Patel, threw a fit and the evidence was unable to be used. The kid [who snitched to the cops] wasn’t even in court to testify, even though he said I was MUSKET. A friend of mine even gave me a newspaper that had the same graffiti I was accused of doing 8 months before the police wrote in their report that said I had vandalized La Rosita in Delhi between December 17th 2009 and January 20th 2010. The newspaper said the graffiti was there since before July of 2009. That made the cops’ evidence look real bad. But, as of October 6th, after the jury was guaranteed to only be there till the fifth of the week prior, and the judge said if any longer it will be a mistrial, but the jury had to stay the extra day and only deliberated for an hour. When my public defender told me I could have got an infraction while they deliberated but no. The jury found me guilty of being two different taggers. I even had Steve Rotman, the guy who wrote the bay area graffiti book that contains some of Musket’s work [testify in court on my behalf].I had no chance from the start. The detective involved in the case Lt. Hukill and others, confirmed that they got my name from a database available only to police. It is used to share cases and pretty much frame people. This is just another battle on the war against the public. These cops are not here to protect and serve, they just want to move up in the corporate law ladder and they don’t care whose lives they destroy on their way up.” From http://modestoanarcho.org…

Urban Illustrators and Hellafornia Cothing

When you think of Atwater you probably don’t think of the big Hip-Hop scene, but there is one place that has been keeping it alive in the small town North of Merced. When you walk in the first thing you see is graffiti art and portraits of your favorite Hip-Hop artists on the wall, they’ve put on Hip-Hop events giving local talent a chance to be heard as well as hosting legends like Mystik-Journeymen. The room breathes Hip-Hop all over and is a relief to see the true art-form and culture alive in the Valley. If you’re cruising in that area of the 99 make sure and stop by to see for yourself.

Levi, 3rd from right, tabling with Hellafornia Clothing

We asked Levi Ortega, owner and operator of Hellafornia Clothing and Urban Illustrators to tell us a little about the business and his experiences:“Back in 2007, recently laid off from a local lumber yard, I picked up a single color screen-printing machine with a dream of putting my own ideas on shirts. I always been able to draw so I thought it would be dope to see people actually wearing something I did. I didn’t know one thing about screen-printing and after researching and multiple failed attempts we finally got the hang of it. I opened up the shop here in Atwater in April 2008, called Urban Illustrators. By that time I had come up with the term “hellafornia” which was sellin like hotcakes to the homies outta the garage. We all know people down south don’t say hella and neither do most

Urban Illustrators store-front

Americans, but I feel it now kinda represents Central California which really has never had anything to grasp onto or be recognized for in the urban culture aspect and that is what I believe helps us stay thriving in this rough economy and the area we are at. It’s just something new to the area which is being done in bigger cities all around us but not in this area. We have now been in business 4 years and running, offering custom screen-printing, all types of graphic design, banners, business cards, murals, vehicle decals, you name it, I’m sure we can put your logo on it. Our customer base for Urban Ill is stronger than ever and it just keeps growing every day. I believe it’s the designs that keeps them coming back. As far as Hellafornia goes, we have major plans for it in the next few months, just tryna keep it movin and stay relevant! Check out http://hellaforniaclothing.com and spread the word! Thanks for the opportunity.”

“Ain’t the Devil Happy” –Jeru the Damaja

We all know times are tough all around right now and it’s no surprise when those living in poverty turn on each other instead of uniting and fighting our common oppressor. It is why Modesto Anarcho started the “Stop Broke on Broke Crime” movement with slogans like “Rob the Rich, Not Each Other” and “Steal From Work, Don’t Take My Stereo.” It was also the inspiration for the Chicano Unity Festival which sought to show young Latinos that they have more in common than they have differences and that they need to redirect their energy from one another to those whose harass, beat, deport, and kill their people every day from the barrios to the borders. When we fight and kill each other we bring the heat to the block which gives cops more opportunity to harass and criminalize our youth as well as perpetuate further violence on the community (like in the case of Anthony Nunez, falsely arrested for a shooting near his home), not to mention making “the hustle” even that much harder which in turn keeps food off your table. Bringing the police around your neighborhood should be avoided whenever possible so always look for ways to handle your business in a discrete and professional manner. 2Pac, before he was murdered, was working on bringing together many OGs and shot-callers to create a “Thug Life Constitution” which included rules and guidelines like “No dealing drugs to children or around schools” and “No drive-by shootings or killing of innocent community members.” Some say this revolutionary organizing lead to 2Pac being followed and watched by the FBI during the time of his death, cuz that’s the organizing they don’t want us to do. As Dead Prez said “and when they say ‘that’s Gangsta’ it was cuz they kept their granny out of danger.” Like Immortal Technique rhymed “shootin your man, shootin your brother, aim the gun at the right motherfucka…lick shots for the revolution, lick shots but watch where the fuck you shootin, what you aimin at? what the fuck you niggas aimin at?” The following is a collection of black-on-black, brown-on-brown, broke-on-broke, and youth-on-youth crime that has happened in Oakland, Stockton, and Modesto in the last few months. We must realize that this type of self-destruction only furthers the agenda of our oppressors, putting half of us in prison and the other half in the ground, keeping the devil very happy…

Nava, Lawrence, and Martinez

 Oakland: Late last year Oakland saw the shameful shootings of three small children, starting on August 8^th when a shooting in front of a pizza shop on International Blvd. left 3 year-old Carlos Nava dead. The attack was reportedly meant for a drug dealer that was in the area. Then on November 28^th the community was again shocked when 2 year-old Baby Hiram Lawrence was shot in the head while being held by his father during the filming of a rap video in West Oakland. During the gunfire seven other people were shot and wounded. For the third time in five months on December 30^th a child was shot and killed. This time the victim was 5 year-old Gabriel Martinez Jr. who was also shot next to his father in front of a taco truck on 54th and International, very close to where Carlos Nava was killed just a few months earlier. The New Year started off with more shootings as a 19 year-old was shot and killed January 6^th making him the city’s first homicide of 2012. From January 27th-29^th, 48 hours or so, six killings occurred and from January to March there have already been 24 homicides.

Stockton: Apparently the Valley is also not safe for children, not even on Christmas, on December 25^th a bullet grazed an 11 year-old boy’s hand early in the morning in South Stockton as shooters fired over 40 rounds into his house. The kid stated: “They came to my house and shot for no reason. This is the baddest Christmas I ever had.” Authorities were looking into whether another Stockton shooting earlier that morning was related. A few days later on January 3^rd a 16-year-old was killed in a drive-by shooting on South California Street, Stockton’s first homicide of the year, but not the last. On January 10^th one person was killed and 2 were wounded after a shooting near Acapulco Way. Then on January 13^th a twenty-something year-old man was shot multiple times including in the back of the head, shoulder and groin area on East Marsh Street. He was the 19^th person to be shot in Stockton in 2012, 2 of them died. Even the ice-cream man got shot in Stockton on March 26^th, the victim has reportedly been robbed before. On March 29^th there were 2 shootings in the middle of the day, each sending a person to the hospital, one victim’s (a woman) injuries are life-threatening.

Modesto: The beginning of the year also saw a string of violent shootings and stabbings involving the youth of Modesto and the surrounding areas. On January 10^th a 15 year-old student at Central Valley High School in Ceres was stabbed by a 14 year-old fellow student, it was reported to be gang related. On February 4^th a 21 year-old was shot to death in broad-daylight near a children’s playground, a block away from Empire Elementary School. Then on February 10^th two teens stabbed another after the “Cypher in the Park” near Graceda Park and the Modesto Inn. On February 10^th two teenagers (15 and 19) were dead after a confrontation and shooting on Vera Cruz Drive, near Floyd and Coffee, by a 20 and 26 year-old. The shooting was reported as gang related. Only 2 days later on February 12^th two 13 year-olds are shot by three youths approximately 17-20 years-old near Mellis Park and the King-Kennedy Center in West Modesto. One was hit in the ear and will recover, the other was shot in the torso and is in critical condition. On March 11^th a 15 year-old was shot and killed in a drive-by in the middle of Empire, again near Empire Elementary. Authorities are reported as saying the shooting is related to a shooting in September of 2011 where a 16 year-old from Riverbank was killed. As of mid-March there have been 11 homicides in Stanislaus County, about half are thought to be gang related.