Operation :: Almighty

This entry marks a new year and new beginnings. With that said, we would like to introduce our new series of interviews with community members that have been making a difference to uplift our culture. You hope that you will find interest in our subject matter and substance in the words. Read close and stay blessed.

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We caught up Mighty 4 chief / Tri-City Phunk Chapter of the Zulu Nation co-founder and former Rockforce Crew president (still reppin’ don’t get it twisted). Let’s go>> Onward.

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MM>> Peace Paulskee, how are things going?

PS>> Things are cool, business as usual on the promotional tip. Trainin in the lab with the skills. Just opening up more spiritually and tryin my best to be the best father I could be for my son Paulskee.

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MM>> What events do you currently have in the works?

PS>> Oh man quite a few all across the boards. Right now I got Mighty 4 France coming up in the city of Quimper October 29th. Looking forward to that one because its my first international production and France is one of my favorite spots to chill at. Here in the states myself and Cros 1 got the 2006-2007 Out For Fame U.S. B-boy Crew Championship tour poppin off in Cincinatti, Houston, Bronx, Atlanta, Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Diego. All the dates are listed at www.myspace.com/paulskeee. Basically (OFF) is something like the NBA championship, but for Breakin Crews out here on the seriously underground tip. This will actually be the final year were producing this tour, myself and Cros have been working on this tour since 1999 and we’ve decided to let it go this year and move into different directions with our own projects. The O.F.F. U.S. Championship finals will be held within the Mighty 4 9th Year Anniversary scheduled for March, those whos been to em know how we get down for the weekend’s festivities so be on the look out!! www.mighty4.com !!

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MM>> What other projects do you have going on in the lab?

PS>> With the Out For Fame U.S. Tour coming to a close 2007, I’ve been focusing more on Mighty 4 and taking it on the road to tour: SF (spring), Seattle (summer), France (fall), and New York City (winter) as annual events with the main Mighty 4 Anniversary event based in San Francisco.

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MM>>Let's give the viewers a bit of insight on who you are and where you came from.

PS>> Im just a student to HipHop and street culture coming from the small city of Union City California Bay Area. Union City is a suburb of the SF/Oakland Bay Area primarily a Filipino and Mexican community. Its known as the home of the Rock Force Crew , ABT’s., Expressions, and Decoto XIV’s. Those that know, know. There was a time in UC where you knew everyone in your city and who was who (age gaps didn’t matter), outsiders would usually get beat down or kicked out the city during the 80s and 90s. If you were soft best believe you were gonna get punked. Growing up I was cool with a lot of different sets that were rollin, drug dealers, boosters, etc. Most of my people that were caught up in that game are either still hustling on the grind, doing time now, or deported. One thing I’ll never forget is how a lot of these peeps doin dirt in my city always told me to keep Breakin and runnin with HipHop. A lot of them were former DJ’s, Emcees, B-boys, Graf Writers etc but ended up taking the negative path that’s hard for a human to come back from. To this day in all my work and wherever in the world im at I rep my city for those peeps who helped shaped me into who I am today and wished me a on a positive path by telling me to stay in the garage and keep Breakin. Big ups to all my UC peeps still strugglin on the grind and to all out there who are pushin a positive future for the youth. Its one thing to make money, but it’s another to positively influence the youth. The future lies with the youth. Remember that. U.C. !

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MM>>Where did you start your journey in Hip Hop Culture?

PS>>The earliest I can remember is 1983 when I was 5 yrs old I would go to Filipino fiestas in SF, and family parties. My older cousins Eric, Brian, and Jeff would always be Poppin and Breakin and id always see them get down, when I went home id try to mimic what they do.I first seen Graf riding through BART overlooking the Westside of the world famous 23rd Yard in Oakland when I would visit my grandparents in SF or when I would go to work with my mom. My mom worked in SF downtown and my grandparents lived in the mission district on Bryant and 18th, and when we would come out of the stations all I would see is writing on the phones poles stalls etc, it was wild being that young (5 yrs old) and recognizing that. As time passsed my cousins who inspired me to get into Breakin etc and my uncle Ricky got into mobile djing, (something that almost all Filipinos were into in the early/mid 80s and on) so I got a taste of learning how to mix vinyl and hear the music through strong sound systems. I loved being around the tables and any chance I could get to be around them literally fiending for the next time I could visit my uncle or cousins. First experiences with Rap were through my cousins as well, watched RUN DMC doing a live performance on MTV at a family party and they were so gangsta it just blew my mind. I was previlaged to be around my family that were already into the arts, they definitely helped mold me without them even knowing they would from the 80s into the 90s.

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MM>>What are your TOP 5 landmarks you personally feel touched you to stay true to this culture?

PS>>Watching the youth get into the culture. Nothing can ever compare to seeing the way kids get inspired the same way I was like when I was 5. Pushing the culture and trying to influence kids to get more conscious and self aware has definitely been a factor in staying true. HipHop just gives kids and adults alike the strength to do unimaginable things.

>> Being able to honor pioneers and people who came before me is always the shit. If I have the means to honor as many pioneers as possible ill definitely try my best. If it wasn’t for them we all wouldn’t be here doin what we love to do.

>> Seeing a majority of my people growing up caught up in the struggle from the negative lifestyles that creep up on people. Focusing on the culture throughout all my years helped keep me from getting into seriously foul shit.

>> Getting spiritually in tune. Realizing God put me on this earth for a purpose to help people in anyway I can through my talent. HipHop culture brought me to places and do things that I dreamed about. If I don’t stay true to this culture I wouldn’t be true to myself or God.

>> My son being born, id love for him to see the world the way ive seen growing up within HipHop culture. This is me and what I am and do, I stay true to my love and passion in all aspects of my life, hopefully one day my son will come to see why things are the way they are.

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MM>>Which crews do you represent?

PS>>I only represent one crew, Rock Force Crew III generation. Im not the type that’s into claiming more then one crew when it comes to Breakin cause I feel like that your crew is your family and being down with several crews is like on some cheating on your wife type of tip (just my opinion). Eventually you will be tested by your “crews” as to where your loyalty stands so I just don’t get into that. As far as anything else I rep, I represent a Nation of HipHop cultural beings worldwide known as the Universal Zulu Nation.

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MM>>How long have you been in each group?

PS>>I got down with Rock Force Crew in 1994 through Co-owners at the crew at that time Eric Tamayo V.P. (I,II) and Eugene Ditona (Prez) R4C II. At the time Rock Force II gen was falling apart and many had moved on (1994) to other things. There was a division in the crew at that time and Eric T. had put down myself, Reynald, and miah (who I consider my brothers growing up breakin in my hood) and I eventually took it upon myself to become President of the crew, which eventually formed the III generation of Rock Force to what its become today. Just this January of 2006 I had retired as President after 12 years and have moved onto new directions with my life. I’ll forever be a Rock Force Crew soldier but I feel my time has passed as President.

As far as UZN, I hit up the world council to begin a chapter of the UZN called the Tri-City Phunk chapter and Daly City chapter in 1996 we were recognized as an official chapter. We got down on every level when it came to Hip Hop culture, everything from studying dates, names, events, studying the elements and actually rockin the elements, that’s what we were about. We would do free workshops in the community (middle schools, high schools, etc) in SF, DC, Hayward, UC, Fremont, Oakland, etc. All we were about was just pushing the culture and educating people about the culture. Many DJ’s / Turntablists didn’t even know about the culture so it was dope to have heads like D-styles, Shortkut, etc. come thru and bring in DJ’s for us to help teach. We would give away free literature and lessons, dj workshops, you name it we did it. Looking back those were probly the most funnest times of my life researching the culture with the chapters, we all complimented each other greatly. Thank you for bein there from the start KMOS, you taught me a lot man and I know how deep your love for the culture runs to this day.

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MM>>Let's hear 5 Hip Hop Heroes that you apply teachings from.

PS>>Crazylegs = His promotional influence when it comes to pushing True School HipHop culture on the Bay Area (and worldwide) in the early 1990s is undisputed when it comes to the raw true school essence of the culture. Growing up and watching him promote the culture and act as the Prez of Rock Steady for decades has always been inspiring on my work. His work helped push people like the Piklz, Alex Aquino, and KnuckleNeckTribe 415 aka SF RSC -people who I look up to greatly.

Afrika Bambaataa = Universal Zulu Nation – Peace, Unity, Love, Having Fun, Knowledge Of Self- what more can be said!? If it wasn’t for what Bam and what the UZN did and continue to do today, I wouldn’t even have knowledge of self nor be where im at today. Seeing Bam were dashikis influenced me to rock barongs for my people at the Mighty 4 anniversaries. Its like the only traditional gear I feel that my people can recognize so bigups to Bam for his influence on me with trying to open peoples minds up as to who they are. I was privelaged to meet Bam at his crib in Bronx River thanks to B-boy Alien Ness. The first thing Bam did was take a look at me, (he knew I was Filipino by just one look) walked into his bedroom and pulled out a book called The Forbidden Book. (google that). Right then and there he gave me the inspiration to label my Mighty 4 Anniversaries with the theme REVOLUTION, whether it be a revolution of the mind, body, or spirit, let HipHop culture help take us to there.

DJ Qbert = I’ve been follwing Q’s career for since the early 90s. Q always had a B-boy style flave to em with his hat worn a certain way, rockin old school track jackets, shells or pumas with the fat laces since as far back as I can remember. In 1998 I remember going to the mall with him Yogafrog and DJ Doboy grabbing something to eat. Q was asking me about Breakin and was shooting out so many names like, Demon Smurf, Kenny, Battle Squad, ETC., and it amazed me because of how much of a student he was at that time, and still is, to the dance. You can get into any element with Q, street culture, whatever and best believe he can put you on game. Ive always appreciated anytime chillin or just watching q get busy, never ceases to amaze, he is true student to HIPHOP and continues to inspire me to learn more and more about every aspect of HipHop as much as possible. To this day I apply his student like approach to everything dealing with HipHop and street culture. Since then, ive been able to have more conversations of substance with HipHop pioneers and persons dealing with the other elements of HipHop. It surprises writers, djs, etc. when I can relate to what they do, understand the mechanics, and can actually do the elements that they do. I think that’s what sets Mighty 4 apart from other jams, being a student all this time helps bring everyone from all angles of HipHop culture to come and be apart of the Mighty 4 and hopefully it will inspire other younger promoters to do the same as well..

Dream TDK = in the early 90s in my city a lot of the youth were into writing. I was fortunate to be around kids who had ill handstyles and would take me around and show me about writing. Dream was talked about like a mysterious living legend. A few of my people had gotten the chance to meet and paint with Dream at the 23rd yard and would come back and tell me Dream sent a message to me that I didn’t catch till the late 90s as my mind was growing with consciousness. When he passed I analyzed his work, interviews, etc. and realized that he was one of the very FEW writers in the Bay that wrote with a message for a movement. Dream was all about getting culturally aware, being a student to whatever art you got down with in HipHop, honoring the pioneers that came before you, and STAYING TRUE to what you love through thick and thin. That’s what Dream was about. Its no secret Dream was raised in the hustle getting down in the town, but as the line he created goes, “raised in the hustle, enlightened by the struggle” never failed to prove that his talent as a writer served a greater purpose for all. I never got a chance to personally meet him, but the amount of knowledge I gained by just reading about him, watching him on interviews, and looking at his work influenced my life and countless others across the world greatly. Before all this myspace clout and internet stuff, you had to have true SKILLS to be world famous within HipHop culture, he was one of those very few. We all miss you Mike Dream, thank you.

Christie Z Pabon = I had met Christie in 1998 as she was head of DMC USA operations. I had the 1st Mighty 4 in 98 as the official pre-party to the US DMC Finals. Those who were there knew how that weekend was!! Anyhow Christie attended the jam and I had flown out Fabel to judge the Poppin battle that went down. From previous convo she was real sincere about giving me pointers on Hip Hop promotions which to this day I still uphold. Her passion for HipHop culture as a promoter and teacher goes uncontested over the years because imo shes one, if not the, only promoter that makes it her duty to keep Pioneers of Hip Hop presently in the loop by promoting them or just having them come through to see what the kids are up today. Shes been producing the Tools Of War newsletter along w/ Fabel which is THE most comprehensive newsletter for NYC / Worldwide Hip Hop event happenings, artist booking/management of Pioneers etc, community activism, and just knowledge in general dealing with Hip Hop culture. Ive always been inspired by her work ethic and know for a fact if I never had met her I wouldnt be who I am today. Just by watching and following her career ive picked up so much that she probably doesn’t even realize the effect shes had on me as a promoter.

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OUT FOR FAME:

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MM>> How did you conceptualize the event OFF and was this always a venture you envisioned with Cros One?

PS>>For me it was in 99 after coming back from the Battle Of The Year World Championship for the second time. We did a week tour in Europe through Amsterdam, London, and Germany and a friend I had met in 97 and stayed in contact with for a couple years Cros 1 came on the tour with us. After coming back I was like yo if these cats in Europe could do a world championship etc. why couldn’t we produce one in the USA. At that time there was already a UK Championship, in Japan they had huge championships, and Europe w/ the B.O.T.Y. I was on AOL/Aim with cros and I was just like what if we did a championship for the USA? We both were established promoters in our areas (bay area and SD) and we both had contacts nationwide to get the ball rolling. We had a meeting at my house one day and started jotting down all the connects and cities we were gonna produce the jams in. Yoga Frog and Qbert had actually shown interest in sponsoring the first OFF Championship tour and dropped major sponsorship loot on us to make things happen. That year we hit 12 cities nationwide, had 3 regionals and 1 final championship. This was the first time an entire north American circuit of this nature was created and since then the scene blew up big with promoters popping out the woodworks in every city and state imaginable from Colorado to iowa to Tennesee etc.

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MM>> Did the two of you always plan on creating a world-wide tour out of OFF?

PS>>We never planned to have OFF as a world-wide tour, just strictly a U.S. Championship. All we wanted to do was create a scene within the USA that would be just as strong as the Asian/European scene.

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MM>> What is the difference between Freestyle Sessions' global impact compared to OFF?

PS>>Well Freestyle Session is THE official worldwide jam/comp place to be. Never in the history of the dance has there ever been an event to have 80 crews of ten persons enter a competition. That’s 800 people alone and they are only the B-boys entering, for most promoters in the usa 800 is a number they cant even hit and picture that number just the contest entrants LOL. With that being said OFF’s impact dealt with a creation of a North American circuit of promoters and the blossoming of a nationwide scene. Prior to the OFF Championship Tour there was no circuit of this nature, and there was only the RSC anniversary, ProAm going on in the east coast, nothing internationally major going on in the Midwest, and for the west coast there was only the Radiotron and B-boy summit. Now there are jams in every major city and even smaller cities nationwide gaining international recognition. (the internet has greatly helped that out) Its pretty wild to see how far the US scene has come within the last 10 years.

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MM>> Any future plans for the OFF dynasty?

PS>> This is actually the final year myself and Cros are doing the OFF tour. Cros has been prioritizing on his clothing line (Armory) and has taken FSS international all over Europe / Asia and his time is consumed with maintaining 2 Armory shops in downtown San Diego as well as his clubs he runs. For myself I wanted to move into a different direction and concentrate on Mighty 4 as well as get back into school to further my education. Handling the OFF tour and constantly doing other tours in between that has been hectic for almost a decade of my life and ill never get a chance to get back into school if I continue to do OFF yearly. (I actually fly back and forth to the cities we do OFF to prepare and meet up with the promoters just to make sure things will be prepared for the day of the event) I just wanna ease back for a minute and explore new things with my life to better myself and son’s future. Lastly, I feel that I don’t really want to promote competitions of this nature because I feel a lot of younger kids getting into the dance are getting into it for the wrong reasons (just for the competition aspect, money, fame etc). People are beginning about the whole cypher aspect of a jam and that’s something I really wanna concentrate on next year for the scene here in the US with promoters on the same page.

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MIGHTY 4>>

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MM>>Where did the name Mighty 4 derive from?

PS>>I was on an aol/aim conversation with DJ Shortkut, I thought I had made the illest name for a jam “Westcoast Throwdown”, short was like “nahh, sounds to Westside connect gang like”..he paused for a minute then typed in, Mighty 4. The lightbulb clicked on in my head and I was like WORRRRRRrRrRrRrD..To this day whenever I see short I always give em love for blessing me with the jam name (he’ll never hear the end of it ahhahaa). I was so happy I was able to give em an appreciation award at the Mighty 4 in 2003 cause ive been a fan of his work as a turntable artist / dj forever and when I finally met em at the original BeatLounge in 97 it was like meeting a superstar DJ (which I still consider him to this day!!). Short had my back from day 1, he would influence djs like the Supernatural Turntable Artists, Spidermonkey AG, etc. to attend the DJ Workshops that our UZN Chapter would put on in Daly City and Fremont at Mike Boo’s. Short was and always been about the culture and all the elements. Wish I could say the same for many of the djs in the bay now but its all gravy. Thank you again Short…that man’s uzi weighs a ton!

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MM>>When can bboys and bgirls from around the world expect the next M4?

PS>>THE RAW SHIT..A jam with the illest music from the worlds top B-beat DJs, dimmed lights and a real party atomosphere something for everyone not just B-boys and B-girls, parents come w/ their kids, fellas come with they crews, females rolling deep flossed up, everything. And for the real grown folk we got the official 21+ Afterparty. The realest cyphers go down at the afterparty.

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MM>>What led you to create the M4 event?

PS>>I had originally started out doing the Tableturns SF event and being a B-boy and overall enthusiast of the culture I wanted to produce something combining all the elements. B-boy summit was the only thing in the westcoast that did that at the time and me having access to Bay Area DJ,GRAF, and BBOY Kings I figured why not? I was truly blessed to be connected with the right people at that time in my life, looking back I cant believe that ive worked with, became good friends with so many HipHop Kings from the Bay who I would just hear about through legendary street tales as a kid. To this day if im around Shortkut, Vogue, Spie, Alex Aquino, Qbert, KNT, etc., I look at them like I did when I was 14 and in my head im like damnnnn, im in the presence of KINGS!

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CURRENT VIEWS>>

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MM>>How do you feel about the current state of Hip Hop Culture overall today?

PS>>I think the movement is still going strong, more so overseas when it comes to the culture overall dealing with all the elements. Here in the states the average kids in the hoods etc still are clouded by clear channel / mtv / bet so accepting the culture is still hard for many but with real jams and proper promotions hopefully it will change for the better. Ive been blessed to be able to constantly go around the world and keep up to date with whats happening with the worldwide scene and for the most part things are beautiful. The only thing that could kill it would be ourselves really. All the politics etc. Rap to me is is cool to a point, but like CrazyLegs once quoted itll always be the spoiled brat element of HipHop.

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MM>> What obstacles / challenges are present and what do you think are solutions for change?

PS>> As I just said, politics kill the scene slowly but surely. In my opinion too many of the pioneers within the streetdance scene got to many old school beefs which leads kids astray, even myself. Ive gotten caught up in between pioneers who I look up to questioning my loyalty on who I should be working with etc. It really messed me up for a while but ive grown to a point to where im saying fuck the games, I do this for the people and HipHop culture. If you cant differentiate business from personal shit, that’s your problem not mine. I offer my work to all reasonably, but im done playing the middleman of old beefs that linger. Pioneers need to realize it affects kids and turns shit inside out, but I guess we all got some growing up to do. My solution is to just do you, don’t worry about the next man, your work will shine regardless.

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MM>> Are there any artisans within the culture (in any aspect) that you would like folks to focus in on and not sleep?

PS>>Yeah,I’d like people just to get more into supporting HipHop artists and events in general. Lol, yeah doesn’t narrow it down much but the way I see it is that BBOYS need to come to DJ Battles, DJs need to come check out EMCEE Battles, everybody just supporting everybody. Promoters need to network more and find out whats going on with who. If there was a better network in the bay among promoters the scene would be stronger, but that goes for everywhere else in the world.

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THE FUTURE>>

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MM>> Where do you see Paulskee in the next 5 years?

PS>>I remember the first time I was asked that was in high school as a senior. The counselor asked me that exact question. I had no answer and only had Breakin in the back of my mind. I felt dumb at the time cause I didn’t have an answer other then, “uhhh. go to school”. Turns out I never went lol. Now that im gonna ease down on the touring ive given serious thought to going back to school to get creditentials to teach a HipHop culture class. Ive heard they have em going on in SF State etc. and Ive always been the type to just sit back with kids and teach them what ive come to learn from my experiences. It should be a long process cause I hear it takes just about 5 years to do but ive come to find out that my true talent lies within the realm of educating. Other then that id like to hopefully be settled down with a family. Aint stressing anything thoe, Ill take it how it comes and jus roll with the punches.

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MM>>. What should we expect in the next year from you?

PS>>Mighty 4 hittin the road as discussed earlier. More content within the jam. PROMOTIONS PROMOTIONS PROMOTIONS and NETWORKING. Im out here trying to build bridges with cats and work with heads. Look out for the Mighty 4 9th Year Anniversary in March of 2007 in San Francisco, come experience some shit that will blow your mind and take you to the essence (to the best of my ability and Godwilling of course). If youre in Europe M4 France will be goin down 10/29/06. OFF Seattle, and NYC comin up, NYC stop is ALWAYS my favorite and usually the illest. holla

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MM>> In your words, how can our youth sustain our culture's traditions?

PS>> People who claim to produce HipHop jams, need to really put more content (educational panels, workshops, etc) into there jam rather then just whatever competition or performance they are having, which in turn will get more kids to enjoy the jams and give them a broader sense of what the cultures about. UZN Chapters here in the bay / worldwide need to get into every middle school, high school, college and make their faces known in their city, stop playin the roll of just promoting parties, the culture will live on through the youth, give them something to strive for don’t wear a medallion just to look cool. I firmly believe any UZN Chapters needs to be out there in the community getting busy, starting with the youth. Educate, organize, and cultivate, this aint a popularity contest. If I see you rockin a medallion best believe im gonna come at you saying, what you got goin on in your community for the people and youth? The future of the youth lies within the promoters, artists, hands. Get out there and inspire the kids please.

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POLITICAL STANDPOINT

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MM>> How do you keep the third eye open?

PS>> Reading and studying beyond HipHop culture and the elements. Point blank. To study HipHop culture and be good at it is one thing, but to be culturally aware as to whats going on outside of the culture and worldwide is ANOTHER! People are dying, being oppressed, don’t be a zombie to TV and Radio. Have fun with life but know that people have it far worse then you. A simple prayer for people who are getting it bad couldn’t hurt.

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MM>> What is the first word that comes to your head when you hear the word "Revolutionary"?

PS>> Malcolm.

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MM>> So we're going to expand this portion of the interview further. When I say a word, you tell me the first word that comes to your mind. (No cheating…don't think about it first! haha)

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MM>> Hip Hop

PS>> Culture

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MM>> Zulu

PS>> Nation

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MM>> Boogie

PS>> Boy

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MM>> Dream

PS>> TDK

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MM>> Earth

PS>> Mother

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MM>> History

PS>> Future

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MM>> B-boy

PS>> Ken Swift

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MM>> B-girl

PS>> Karima

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MM>> Beatbox

PS>> human

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MM>> Lingerie

PS>> Victoria

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MM>> Red

PS>> Blood

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MM>> Freaks

PS>> Industry

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MM>> Okay, thank you for taking the time to get down with us and addressing our troops. It's always a pleasure and we will most definitely getting your insight once again. By the way, the last portion of this interiview proved that you are not only a b-boy master but also a freak that the ladies need to watch out for…just playin. Stay peace and respects.

PS>> Ahahhahaha, I’m no master, just a student, but thank you for the interview, my childhood homey since the 80s, KMOS ONE!!

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

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