Intikana Crowned 2014 End of The Weak USA MC Challenge Champion

Photo by @Whosthefreshest

Intikana Will Be Going to Kampala, Uganda in East Afrika

On Sunday, August 17, 2014, Intikana won 1st place at the 2014 End of The Weak USA MC Challenge of Champions. Head to head with 5 other competitors including Hasan Salaam, Dizzy Sense, MC Elijah Black, and others. After 5 intense rounds (Written, Acapella, Grab Bag/Freestyle, Beat Juggling, & Cypher Skillz), Intikana was able to come home with the championship and now will be traveling to Uganda, Afrika to compete in the World Finals in October 2014. For more photos and videos from the challenge, click and follow @intikana on instagram - Also connect on Facebook

Round 1: Respect 2 Hasan Salaam, MC Eljiah Black, Dizzy Sense, Larry Mike Draw & J Littles who also competed. Powerful night. [Photo by Think Montalvo]

Round 2: Dizzy kiLLin' it! She used to attend my workshops at The Point. Years later, she's tearing it up! So proud of her. Definitely one of the crowd's favorites.

 Round 3: Reppin' for the people of Uganda! [Photo by Think Montalvo]

 Round 4: "Now, that's what you call beat juggling." [Photo by Think Montalvo]

Round 5: Cypher Skillz. Left the mic on fire! [Photo by Cspin]

 "My whole heart, my whole soul is what I'm giving you." -Intikana 

 Shout outs to everyone who came out! Peace & Respect to the hosts & founders of #EODUB - Footage of all 5 rounds coming soon... Stay tuned by subscribing to IntikanaTV

"NATIVE EYEZ" [EP] NOW AVAILABLE!

"Native EYez" [EP] Cover Photo by Be Aware Photography

"Native Eyez" [EP] Cover Art by Jacqui Martinez

Donate what you can: 

1. CLICK HERE for FREE download of #NativeEyez 
2. Order Limited Edition "Native Eyez" CD to be delivered in the mail by sending suggested donation of $10.00 to Stampede Fireflies Inc. [stampedefireflies@gmail.com] via paypal. For other payment methods, please email stampedefireflies@gmail.com. Each order comes with free Intikana sticker. Support #NativeEyez and tell a friend. Download, burn, and share often! Donate as you can to invest in the upcoming #NativeEyez Hip Hop curriculum [coming 2014] for high school/college students.

"Native Eyez" [EP] Back Cover Photo by Be Aware Photography

FEATURES:
M1 of Dead Prez, Divine RBG, Nene Ali, Biggie Roggie Shirima [Tanzania, Afrika], Abdala Said [Tanzania, Afrika], Lady M [Bieke, Borikén], MC Natra [Bieke, Borikén], DJ Topix, Ramon Serrano [Poet/Educator/Mentor] and Dylcia Pagan [Boricua Revolutionary/Former Political Prisoner].

PRODUCTION BY:
Xen Medina, Reph [Circa 95], Ms. Quiet Groove, Mpire The Sire, Classic Tone and Daudi "Daz" Bakari [Tanzania, Afrika].

RECORDED IN:
The Bronx, Borikén [Puerto Rico], and Arusha, Tanzania.

"NATIVE EYEZ" [EP] BRONX RELEASE!

Thank you to everyone that came out and supported tonight!!!

Closing performance with Intikana, M1 of Dead Prez & Divine RBG.

Intikana performing "Culture Shock" live with M1 of Dead Prez & Divine RBG.

M1 breakin' down knowledge for #NativeEyez Release!

Divine RBG llamando a los espiritus.

Darlene Arrington B-Girling to Bomba y Plena.














Dr. Drum and BombaYo resurrecting ancestral rhythms.














16 year old Nene Ali rips the mic! #ThisIsForYou

Queenz native Xen Medina on the 1s & 2s.

Zulu King Slone painting live at #NativeEyez Release.

Urban Art Beat wins auction and donates to Guillermo Morales/Assata Shakur Center.

Mukaro and Inaru ground audience with Taino ceremony.
 

Transformation. 

Thank you to Artis Love & Action for presenting #NativeEyez Release Event at Bronx Museum of The Arts.

DOUBLE MUSIC VIDEO FEATURE PREMIERE:

#CultureShock and #ExodusRBG

CULTURE SHOCK feat. M1 of Dead Prez and Divine RBG [Directed by Enki Andrews] is an international bridging of urban life with ancient culture. The short film travels throughout The Bronx, Borikén (Puerto Rico), Cuba, Guatemala, and Arusha, Tanzania [East Afrika]. It is an explosive call to collective consciousness and reclaiming of identities.

EXODUS RBG feat. Divine RBG, Get Down, and Ness of A-Alikes [Directed by Divine RBG] aims to ignite dialogue and collective community building. Some of the issues explored in this short film are: violence, graffiti/hieroglyphics, gangs, urban life, and survival in the concrete jungle.

MUSIC VIDEO DEBUT: "BORICUA GUERRERO" With the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City having just passed this weekend, I hope everyone is still excited to celebrate what it means to be Boricua! For me, being Boricua has a lot to do with what you do to celebrate the culture during the other 363 days out of the year. Today, I just released a new music video for a song called #BoricuaGuerrero. With this video, I want people to understand that Boricua pride stems from a lot more than just waving a flag. Cultural pride without knowledge of the culture is a dangerous pastime... CLICK HERE TO WATCH "BORICUA GUERRERO" MUSIC VIDEO CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3 OF "BORICUA GUERRERO" Even the Daily News slipped up in their promotions by "accidently" putting a  Cuban Flag in their newspaper while advertising for the Puerto RIcan Day Parade. Absolutely embarrassing! All to sell an extra buck! Most people don't even know there is actually a difference between the dark blue Puerto Rican flag and the light blue Puerto Rican flag. One being a symbol of our freedom and national independence (light blue) while the other represents our status as a colonized commonwealth of the United States (dark blue). And if you notice, Coors Light is back at it again with using "Boricua" in their billboards to sell more beer! Always around the time when our communities are at the height of celebrating our cultural identity. Coors Light has been consistently, year after year, promoting "Boricua" hand in hand with "Drinking  Beer." Despite the countless community campaigns expressing our absolute outrage, Coors Light has made NO attempt to rectify their actions. Our people have been under attack since 1492 and we are still struggling to preserve our dignity and respect. Last year, during this very month, I took a 10 day journey to my ancestors' land: Boriken also known as Puerto Rico. It was a life changing trip to say the least. I was able to tour the entire island from east to west. While staying in Bieke aka Vieques which is an island off of Boriken, I was lucky enough to record with 2 native Hip Hop artists named Lady M and MC Natra. We recorded a song called #BoricuaGuerrero with a beat made by @Rephstar of @Circa 95. In less than 24 hours, Lady M and MC Natra memorized their verses and we recorded a music video. This video is a montage of that footage plus clips that I have been compiling for over 2 years and is intended to amplify Boricua pride while educating on our history and culture. It was filmed on location in The Bronx, El Barrio (Harlem), and throughout Boriken.

POLICE TERRORISM ESCALATES IN THE BRONX

This week, a young high school senior named Jatiek Reed was viciously assaulted by police on his own block. The way they beat this young brother is utterly insane. Police are trained to be machines and follow orders, point blank. It’s as if they have no hearts, let alone any conscience behind those badges. Our communities need immediate protection from this deadly violence that is plaguing our streets. Sad doesn’t even describe how tragic this all is. Yet and still, more and more youth of color continue to be terrorized by police.

Also this week, 18 year-old Ramarley Graham was shot and killed in his home by plain clothes NYPD Officers for allegedly carrying marijuana. (A more detailed article can be found HERE) A few days ago, officers in Illinois shot and killed a 15 year old boy with autism. I mean…when does this all stop!? There are countless stories of people getting harassed, searched, beaten, and killed by police. Mostly young black and brown males. This is beyond racial profiling. This is a government funded and strategized effort to suppress all black/brown/native/indigenous peoples. The time has come to reawaken the spirits of our ancestors and completely restructure the foundation of this society in which we live. Elections are coming up and they are nothing more than a theatrical distraction of illusions.

Turn oFF the Television, Turn oFF the Radio…Decolonize your mind!

PACK THE COURTHOUSE!

(Flyer Art by Rephstar of Circa 95)