Wordbeats From The East

The Jam 4 Japan : Benefit Show

2011-04-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

On March 11th, 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 occurred off the island of Japan, triggering a tsunami that made its way across the country's coast and causing immense damage to nearby cities. The disaster took the lives of over 7000 people, and left countless others homeless or missing amongst their relatives.

★WHAT IS THIS EVENT?
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"THE JAM 4 JAPAN ♫" - is a benefit show whose purpose is to support... Japan through musical entertainment. The event will bring together many singing and dancing talents from the local community.

★GET YOUR FREE TICKETS HERE!
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http://jam4japan.ticketleap.com/show/

CONFIRMED TALENTS TO PERFORM (more on the way):

*THIS JUST IN : TERRY HE! (YOUTUBE SENSATION/RnB/hip-hop/pop)
♦ YOUNG AVZ(Hip-Hop/Rap)
♦ JASON RAY (Soul/RnB/Gospel))
♦ DONSMOOVE (RnB/Hip-Hop)
♦ JAY LEGASPI(Acoustic RnB)
♦ ANGELA HUANG & JAMES HU (Canto-pop)
♦ T-SOUND (Hip-Hop/Rap)
♦ THE FUNKY KIDS (Hip-Hop Dance Crew)
♦ UNRATED SKILLZ (Hip-Hop Dance Crew)
♦ VANESSA YANG (Chinese Singer)
♦ W (K-pop)

♦ Sound/Music by DJ J-Fro

& More to be announced!!

★HOW IS THIS EVENT A BENEFIT SHOW?
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This is event is FREE ADMISSION. There will be NO COST to assist to this event. It is an open invitation to anyone of all age, elder or young.

☆ANY DONATION IS WELCOME TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE.
(5$ donation is suggested)

☆ALL COLLECTED FUNDS BEFORE, DURING & AFTER THE SHOW,
WILL GO TO THE RED CROSS ORGANIZATION.

☆ALL CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR SHOW WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE ENTERED IN OUR RAFFLES. WE HAVE MANY PRIZES AND GIVEAWAYS!

★WHEN & WHERE WILL THIS TAKE PLACE?
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The show will take place on April 16th, 2011 at 6:00 PM

McGill University, Shatner Ballroom
3480 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC

★WHERE CAN I GET TICKETS? ARE THE SEATS LIMITED?
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Unfortunately, due to limited seating space in the Shatner Ballroom, a maximum of 400 people will be allowed in.

TICKETS ARE FREE AND CAN BE OBTAINED FROM:

http://jam4japan.ticketleap.com/show
(No credit card required)

Print your ticket and bring it the day of the show!

Please present yourself at the venue the day of the show, starting from 5:00 PM, with your printed ticket and the number of people you are bringing along. A printed ticket is REQUIRED to assist to the show.

==================
For additional information, questions or comments, contact us by FACEBOOK or EMAIL.

☆Mike : BFTEAST@gmail.com
☆Ed : godzarmyof1@gmail.com

We hope for this event to be a great success! Let's show to the world that Montreal can make a difference!

http://jam4japan.blogspot.com

#PRAYFORJAPAN

Presented by :
DJ Mister Vee (of Beats From The East on CJLO Radio),
SoSmoove Productions,
and SWAG Produktion

CJLO DIEGO Awards 2011

2011-04-05T18:51:00.001-07:00

This just in today, I am nominated for 3 awards in this year's edition of the CJLO Diego Awards

-The CBC Award for On Air Professionalism
-The Niche Award (Best Specialty Show)
-The Bad News Brown* Award (Best Hip Hop Show)

Will I pull a PK Subban and score the hat-trick?
Not likely, but always happy to be considered :)

Bye Bye 2010

2010-12-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

What a year!

-Bret "The Hitman" Hart returns to the WWE
-Jay Legaspi drives all the way up to CJLO, JUST to appear on my show!
-The Als win the Grey Cup AGAIN
-Met/talked shop with Masia One over smoked meat sandwhiches
-I threw the biggest Asian-themed hip hop concert in Montreal's history, then had poutine with the stars (MN/TN, Jay Legaspi, TL Truong nad Nat Levy of Blueprint Cru, Jet Li from Poreotix, etc...)
-DJ'd for Magnetic North and Taiyo Na
-interviewed some of the most awesome people EVER (Angry Asian Man, Ellie from AA Theory, SueJin, Racebending.com, Kev Nish of Far East Movement, TL Truong, Brooke Taylor, Rocky Rivera, Rakaa, Krystle Cruz, etc...)
-won the CJLO Diego award for Best Specialty show

and I ain't done yet!

Happy New Year 2 all!

BFTE-Concert Endcap : The Shovel is in the Ground!

2010-12-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

First off...Yes, I am relieved!

For those of you who weren't there (and that's MOST of you), what you guys missed was the Asian equivalent of Live Aid, Wildstyle, Rapamania, Harlem World, Sedgwick Ave., and Cedar Park...Pioneers doing it for their community, their art, and culture in Montreal.

I cannot give you a play-by-play of everything that happened, since you just had to be there! But I will tell you what I take away from all this...

For those of you who chose not to attend, because you were skeptical that your own people were capable of rocking a party right, you are absolutely wrong! Not only did we enjoy almost 4 solid hours of entertainment, we broke every ignorant stereotype possible! And nobody wanted to leave, at the end, when the school's power-tripping security man came to throw us out! Man, what an ending...

On Dec.4, 6:45pm, I started off spinning some of my favorite cuts from Epik High, Dumbfoundead, Jin, Only Won, Paul Kim, Jasmine Trias, and Kero One.

Then at 7:30pm, with the crowd still filling in, I put on my radio drop from JIN and the crowd went wild! Then we went into the theme song of my radio show. From that point, the shovel was in the ground!

I came out to introduce myself to the crowd and told people about my radio show (most who've never heard of it...this will change soon, I hope!) and explained what my goals were, in putting together the show. Then I introduced TL Truong, as my co-host. She came out to the music of The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name"...a trademark Blueprint Cru dance-tune. A hip hop show co-hosted by TL Truong?
This was JUST the beginning!

She introduced an upcomming Montreal dance crew, called the Funky Kids, who set the bar for the evening with a stunning performance that even impressed TL herself!

And dance fans, if you thought seeing TL was enough, she brought along 2 VERY special guests from the dance world...Nathalie Levy (also from Blueprint) and Jet Li from POREOTIX!!! This was Heaven, for the Funky Kids, as they got to meet some of the very people who inspired them. And not to mention, I made the serious-reputation TL crack-up and helped her in embarrassing Nat (I hit on Nat...JC has NOTHING on me!)! lol

For me, it was a great experience, as I got to play the role of some of my greatest influences in comedy and late-night talk shows; Arsenio Hall, Donnie Simpson, William Shatner, and Ed Sullivan.

Personally, the biggest highlight of my show was that I got to back one of my favorite groups, as their DJ...Magnetic North and Taiyo Na! It's crazy to just be able to see them live. Crazier to have them perform at your show...but to be their DJ? What?!?!? Imagine a group that nobody in the audience is familiar with, belting out tunes that are only known in the Asian-American scene and still managing to make people scream and shout! Especially at the end of their Public Enemy-inspired banger "We Belong", the crowd erupted with the loudest cheer of the night! I was proud to have made so many people new fans of Magnetic North and Taiyo Na. Not only are they my friends, but their music really needs to be enjoyed by more Montreal fans than me. And I definitely succeeded, as many of my friends purchased their cd's. Even people who don't usually listen to hip hop!

Then it was time for our headliner to come out. And what a trooper she was! Making her way to Montreal in crutches, Masia One had the challenge of electrifying the crowd without the ability to showcase her electrifying dance moves.

She still manages to own the crowd with her dancehall-infused cuts, which will all be on her next album. She even opened up a dance-cypher with the Funky Kids doing their think on the dancefloor, with TL and Jet Li even joining in! All this at my show! WOW!!!

It's cool to see, in one of the youtube videos, that some of my most-square friends are even bobbing their heads to Masia's music! But just as everyone was really having a great time, some power-tripping janitor/security guy decided that our time was up and to throw us out..and nobody wanted to leave either!

Yes, I was pissed, but at the same time, it left people wanting more and not one person was unhappy with the evening of empowerment through entertainment!

After the show, the performers, friends, and I headed out to have poutine at La Banquise. It was quite fun to see our American friends (MN/TN, Jet Li, Jay Legaspi, and Amanda) stuff their faces with poutine...something that they've never before tried and all of us laughing about Direct's fantasy-statues and Battlestar Galactica DVD collection. Man, I am in a photo with MN/TN, two Blueprint Cru members, Jay Legaspi, and a member of Poreotix too! HOLY WTF!

Reviews on facebook came in the following day "eye-opening experience", "never knew so much Asian talent existed", "these guys know how to throw a party", "boost!", etc...

On Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of returning T-Vu, Taiyo, Dopey, and Masia to the airport. We had a very pleasure discussion and exchange. Also posed for an "illunimati" photo, all sitting in armchairs at the hotel. This picture, itself, is priceless to me as I'm sitting there surrounded by great artists who would've likely never met without my introduction. And if you ever hear of an MN/TN/Masia collabo, then you'll know how that came about :)

Our historical set:

1) Funky Kids dance crew
2) TL Truong intro
3) Budda Child
4) Ill Mestizo
5) Jason Ray
6) Jay Legaspi
7) Young Avz
8) Vinnie and others from his crew, with special performance from TL Truong!
9) Magnetic North and Taiyo Na
10) Masia One, accompanied by Sikh Knowledge and DJ Dopey

You guys are all pioneers and I am happy to have worked with you all.
Same goes to all the audience-members and my closest friends who helped me out with various tasks. You are all pioneers of something huge. Let's continue to build and promote. If not us, then who will?

We'll be baaaack!

My Urban-Music-Artist Pet Peeves

2010-08-31T13:02:00.001-07:00

Since starting up my show in Sept'09, I've had a great time discovering new artists through my new best friend, the internet.

Without it, where would Beats From the East be?

And think about youtube...half you cats would still be complete nobodies without that site!

The internet is your friend and it is very easy to use, in order to get free publicity.

HOWEVER...there are a lot of upcoming artists who think that, by putting up a few videos, and a song on iTunes, that their job is done. Specifically, the rappers and a few RnB-singers.

I had emailed artists for tracks, radio drops, interview requests and rec'd no answer from many of them. I would like to name a few of you, but I'd rather promote you POSITIVELY.

Yeah, you might think "well, nobody's gonna hear me...this is some unknown local AM show in Canada"...well you know what? Most radio stations (including this one) are also broadcast online, where they are accessible from anywhere in the world! And a lot of DJ's (like myself), also PODCAST the reruns online!

I have rec'd tracks, drops, AND interviews from The Notorious MSG, Jin, Masia One, Carl Choi, Rakaa (of Dilated Peoples), TL Troung (Blueprint Cru), Hopie Spitshard, Rocky Rivera, Sabotawj, Taiyo Na, and the list goes on... ALL very-well established artists in the Asian hip hop world. And why is that? Cause they are willing to help out and they do not refuse free publicity!

Rakaa was in bleeping Hawaii, for crying out loud! I'm sure that he could've been doing a million other things while he was there...or just resting on the beach! But he took 20 minutes out of his day to talk on my show. Anyone, who knows hip hop, knows Dilated Peoples and this is exactly why!

Even if I were an artist as successful as Eminem and some radio station, run by eskimos up in Alaska, wanted to play my stuff... damn right I'd get them a drop and interview...even send them a signed-cd! Even if they could only reach out to 10 people, that's 10 more people who know about me...10 more people who might recommend me to even more people afterwords...Networking...internet...word of mouth...you name it!

I remember going to the Asian Hip Hop Summit in NYC, last fall. DFD, DJ Zo, Scatterbrain, Magnetic North, Taiyo, Lyraflip...as soon as they got off the stage, they'd grab a stack of cd's and head into the crowd to push the albums themselves. There was no roadie selling cd's for them. They did it themselves.

Asian artists, this is what it takes! We are in a field where a lot of people (including many our own) don't think that we belong. You're going to have to work a little harder if you want to make it. Good luck asking MTV or BET to play your stuff, especially if you're an indie. And if there's a station that is specifically ASKING you for material to play, then why ON EARTH would you refuse that? YOU SHOULD BE YOUR OWN BIGGEST PROMOTERS and that's the bottom line! You should not stop at youtube. Conquer every medium possible!

Look no further than Drake! Personally, I don't find that he's the best artist out there. But dude was all over the place, on every mixtape possible before his album even dropped! TV, radio, mixtapes...you name it! Now a lot of you might argue that "well, he's friends with Lil Wayne"...True...But how easy is it to get hooked up with someone like Lil Wayne? It ain't. And until you're chummy-chummy with someone like Lil Wayne, then you should take care of your own business!

When they began, nobody in England wanted the Beatles playing in their clubs. So what did they do? They went to Germany on their own money to play FOR FREE (pretty much)! Without taking those steps, would they have become the huge success, that still sells records even 40 years after their breakup? HELL NO. It's a new day and age...and thank heavens that you don't have to work AS hard to get publicity anymore. But you still need to put in SOME work, guys! Even if you're self-employed, you still need to build a reputation of a good, serious, and reliable worker, so that people WILL hire you for gigs and what-not.

You are a business! Without clients, you cannot survive. And without promotion, how the heck do you get your clients?

On a positive note... This coming Sept.11 episode marks Beats From The Easts' One-Year anniversary! And we have Jay Legaspi driving 6 hours north, from NYC, just to be on the show (and let's not forget that he has to drive 6 hours back too!). And I didn't even ask that of him...he offered it! Now, THAT is dedication, my friends!

I didn't get the position, but...

2010-07-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from prepping up for my show...

A few things...

I applied for one of CJLO Radio's mentor positions. They are holding after-school workshops for under-priveledge teens, starting this fall. I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to get it, based on a few factors, but I figured that I'd get my 2 cents in...

My goal was to, first and foremost, provide them hands-on training with preparing and running a radio show. However, I was also keen on inspiring them to "think outside the box" (something that I find is not encouraged enough nowadays) and to make use of the internet as much as possible. My own show is not technically the best show on the CJLO roster, but in a short period of time, I have gained listeners from all around the globe. Why is this? I am, by no means, the best DJ at the station, nor possess the best mic skills. I actually suck at that. But I put in a ton of effort to make my show as cutting edge as possible. From the music, to the guests, to the topics covered, etc. Kids are the future and they will, one day, have the power to make the much-needed changes around here. I was inspired by Arsenio Hall, plus the early 90's crew at CKUT's "Masters at Work" and "Weekend Groove". Without guys like that, I'd likely not be doing what I'm doing today. So, mentoring would have been up my alley.

However, with great power comes great responsibility, to quote a certain superhero. At this time, CJLO management doesn't know what kinds of kids are coming in, nor what their motives are (learning or playing around). If the kids wanna learn, then I would be your man...I was going to be the "Stu Hart" of CJLO. But for kids who just wanna goof around and just be there to kill some time, then I am nobody's babysitter. And this is something that I made clear to the management. That, plus my availability isn't the greatest, either.

So, seeing that I didn't get the gig, I'll share my tips, to any future college/university radio jock right now.

1) Don't kid yourself. Other than people in their cars or working out at the gym, how many people do you know, nowadays, take time out of their lives to specifically listen to radio? This isn't the 1940's when families gathered around the living room radio and listened to episodes of the Lone Ranger! People have so many more alternatives to entertain themselves and sitting down on the couch listening to someone spin records and yap isn't part of everyone's priorities anymore. Whether it's watching sports, playing sports, watching crappy "reality"-shows, clubbing, shopping, surfing for porn, playing Wii, etc, there are just too many different ways to escape your 9-5 life and listening to the radio isn't quite as prestigious as it used to be.

2) Build your following. Interview people...especially up-and-comers. Their followers will learn about your show and become YOUR followers as well. And they will bring others too. The reason why I mentioned "up-and-comers", as opposed to well-established artists, is that they are hungrier to climb the ladder and will make more of an effort to promote their appearances on your show. As well, their following will jump at the opportunity to hear their homie make his /her first appearance on a radio station interview! And if that first-appearance is on your show, then you just scored major points with that artist and his/her community!
And anytime that artist is about to promote a new single, he/she will likely think of you first...EXCLUSIVES!

3) PROMOTE...remember what I said about the internet? Hit the blogs, forums, websites that also cover your scene, youtube, artists' myspace walls, etc...Sure, you can go downtown and pass out flyers too, but keep in mind that this is the digital age...which brings me to my next tip...

4) PODCAST... Keeping it local can be cool, but conquering the world is cooler! If your station broadcasts live via webcast, like CJLO, then you have every opportunity in the world (literally) to gather an audience. School-radio listeners are the children of TiVo...they like things on-demand and on their own time. Putting up your podcast allows people to catch up on your re-runs and stay up to date on your show. Some will even listen to multiple episodes in a row! Especially when you're doing a "niche"-show, like mine...you need to connect with as many people as you can, who feel the same way you do and who would enjoy what you do.

As well, if you're familiar with podcasting, people who don't even have radio shows can create podcast-shows from the comfort of their homes and many of them are very kickass...many of them have shows that are even better than what's on any radio station and they have the following to prove it! So, advantage to you if you have both a live radio show AND a podcast show at the same time. So why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone and podcast the re-runs of your live episode?

5) Don't copy other DJ's playlists! Sometimes, when an artists is hot, you can't help but want to play that hit song from him/her...but at the same time, you have to do what you can to stand out from the rest of the local stations that play the same tunes over and over. Scour the internet for indie/unsigned artists. You have the power to break someone in and give give him/her their shot! With a good following, you can make a very big difference in the state of your genre, as long as you've followed steps 3 and 4.

Thanks Ellie!

2010-07-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to last week's guest, Ellie (from AATheory.com and seoulbeats.com), our latest podcast propelled us into Podomatic's Top 30!

Ellie's episode ALONE has, so far, garnered 5000 downloads in 4 days!!!

We hope to have the honor of chatting with her again, in the future!

Please also check out BEATS FROM THE EAST' entry on her site, AATHEORY.COM, by clickong on the link below http://aatheory.com/2010/07/cjlo-radios-beats-from-the-east/

Some updates and my host-influences

2010-04-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

First off, we WON a CJLO Award! - 2010 "Best Specialty Show".

We did not, however, win the "Best Hip Hop Show", but we'll catch'em next time!
BFTE is...hummin' comin' at' cha!

It's still cool to win an award for doing something that you stand for.

Can't stop, won't stop! Grassroots movments!

Radio hosts have influences too.

I pattern myself after a number of individuals, even if I suck by comparison.

-Arsenio Hall has the ability to be, both, a clown and an intellectual in his interviews. He was also good at getting his guests to laugh. I miss his show.

-Former BET host, Donnie Simpson, is smooth and classy. BET's downfall started with his firing.

-Former WWF interviewer, Raymond Rougeau's first language is noticeably French. Yet, he was more than capable of handling his own on American TV. I compare this to my heavy Canadian accent on a hip hop show!

-The Hockey Night in Canada crew (minus Mike Milbury) for their research and analysis strengths.

-George Strombolopoulos asks awesome and non-typical questions.

-Rowdy Roddy Piper used to host his own mini-talk show in the WWF called "Piper's Pit"...and, as you heard in my Masia One interview, I can switch to Piper-mode within the blink of an eye (yes, that was when we were on the subject of her "significant other").

-The courage of KRS-One, Spike Lee, and Chuck D

Nominees for this year's CJLO awards is out.

2010-04-06T18:37:00.000-07:00

So, the nominees for this year's CJLO awards is out.

Sadly, I did not make the shortlist for "best new show".

But...yours truly made 3 nominations: "best hip hop show", "best specialty show", and "most helpful DJ"... which is good. Thanks to the management for this.

I think that I could have been nominated, by default, for that one additional one (especially since I'm already nominated for "best hip hop show" and "best specialty show") , but unfortunately, that is not for me to calculate.

Normally, I should be mad at someone...

It would've been a great first-chapter for my movement, but... again, awards mean little to me, especially at this point in the history of my show. I'm in it for the long run...building a movement.

Remember, however...1964 Grammy Awards...THE BEATLES.

They lost a nomination for "I Want to Hold Your Hand" for Record of the Year to Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto's "The Girl From Ipanema.")
Paul McCartney and John Lennon lost a Songwriter's Award for "A Hard Day's Night" to "Hello, Dolly!"
They lost Best Rock and Roll Recording for "A Hard Day's Night" to Petula Clark's "Downtown"
They lost Best Original Score Written For a Motion Picture or TV Show, again for "A Hard Day's Night" to "Mary Poppins".

This might be a sign of things to come! Stay tuned!

Thanks to the Toronto Examiner for these Beatles facts!

CJLO Best New Show award?

2010-03-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

On April 17th, the CJLO radio station (where I do my damage every week) will be holding their annual awards show.

Whether or not I win anything is a different story, but regardless of the outcome...I wanna thank you guys for all tuning in. As of 2 weeks ago, my CJLO DJ page is in the top 4 of most-visited pages. This, itself, has been rewarding enough.

Thanks to all of you for keying into the movement. And I know that a good percentage of my listeners aren't even Asian and that's what makes it even cooler! It's proof that people want Asian artists and that there are opportunities for us to succeed in the market!

As well, it's cause of the movement and this show that I've been able to meet such great artists as Magnetic North, Lyraflip, L.Scatterbrain, Christina Chung, Dumbfoundead, Taiyo Na, Buddachild, Jey Flores, and Masia One.

This May, when on vacation in Cali, I will also get to meet Brooke Taylor and Sue Jin, in person! This is way awesome!

So, once again...thanks in advance, whether or not I win anything.

Trololo

2010-03-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

Nothing to do with Asian hip hop, but as a DJ, my ears are very capable of picking up samples that I hear.

When I saw Eduard Khil's viral "Trololo" video from the 70's, I thought to myself that if someone sampled that and made a rap record, it'd be huge.

Well, guess what? It seems that someone did!!!! In 1993 on top of it!

As the song progressed, I noticed a specific parts that I had heard before...

and lo and behold...the song was Brand Nubian's "Allah U Akbar".

From what it appears, they pieced together different bits of the Trololo song to make it sound like "Allah U Akbar". I cannot be 100% sure, but it sure sounds uncannily similar!

If I'm correct, then WTF! Where the hell would they have found such a record in 1993?

They were waaaaayyyyyyyyyy ahead of their time! Holeeeee!

Hip Hop is hiring...women!

2010-03-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Aight, check it...

Asian-North American Female MC's.
Tasha (T), El Gambina, Skim, T-Vu, Rocky Rivera, Hopie Spitshard, Masia One, Shin-B...

Not a lot. AS great they all are, still, NOT A LOT.

Forget the RnB singers. Forget the background dancers. And the video vixens.

Where my Asian-female lyricists at?

There cannot possibly be so few in North America!

Contrary to what the media suggests, there IS a demand of more of you to shine over a nice kickin instrumental!

Put down the fake Louis-Vee and pic up tha M-I-C!

If I had the voice for a hiphop track (and sadly I do not), I'd be killing it with a mixtape every 2 months!

Don't go autotuning your way into the RnB field, in order to fit in. If you can spit bars, then send me some sh-t! Allow me to introduce YOU.

bfteastATgmailDOTcom

Starting a Movement...the story so far

2010-03-17T14:49:00.001-07:00

I'm enjoying my tenure as the host of BEATS FROM THE EAST.

In a short period of time (26 weeks), I've seen, heard, and met some of the best artists that I've ever witnessed before. I would've never known about them, had I not started this show.

WHY did I do it?

Although it hasn't been a very long time, since the program was launched, a lot of people, including some of the actual artists, are asking me what prompted me to start such a show. Fair enough question.

To begin...eversince I was a teenager, I've always wanted to something revolutionary and outside-the-box. This is the result of being an 80's kid.

Eversince America Idol season 6, when Paul Kim admitted that he had been turned down by many top-record execs for being Asian and "unmarketable". From that point on, it was a constant increase in Anti-Asian bias. In came Abercrombie & Fitch and Spencer's Gifts producing Anti-Asian racist-slogan tees and then issuing non-genuine apologies "I'm sorry that you found it offensive". I even recalled MissJones, of Hot97, mocking the tragic deaths of all the Tsunami victims, but she was simply suspended for a short period of time and brought back to her position.
Then came the moviesDragonballz and 21 starring caucasians portraying Asian roles.

The behaviour, towards Asians in the media is highly unacceptable and I got sick and tired of my people being treated this way. It had since been on my mind that "something has to give" and "I wish that I could do something to change this". However, at that time, I had no idea how I could single-handedly do anything to make a difference, other than filling out petitions vs. anti-Asian discrimination.

My Intro to Radio:

Just last summer, my old high school friend, DJ Solespin (also a CJLO DJ) invited me twice to appear on his own show. Once as part of a hip-hop panel discussion and once as an actual co-host. A week after the first appearance, I decided that I should also be doing this.

My original idea was to pitch a documentary-style show about hip-hop history, as I find that too little people know about the Jamaican-founder Kool Herc, even if they claim to be die-hard hip hop enthusiasts. Myself, I do not claim to be an expert either, therefore doing such a show would also have been a learning experience for me.

I went as far as far as obtaining all the golden-age hip-hop tracks that I could find, buying a few hip-hop history books, and even making a trip to NYC, in order to attend the Hip Hop Legacy tour, guided by Grandmaster Caz.

Change of Heart:

However, when came the time to fill out the CJLO DJ application, I had a change of heart. Paul Kim came back into my mind. So...I took a break from filling out the application and looked him up. After finding him on Myspace, I then started clicking on all the people on his friend-list. This led me to finding a ton of rappers and RnB singers of Far-East Asian-origin. And most of them either very underground, indie, and unsigned! I then googled "Asian Rappers" and found choice websites, such as "asiaticempire.org" and "aznraps.com", with a ton of information on that exact subject matter.

And there they were...the likes of Flowsik, Dumbfoundead, Magnetic North, Taiyo Na, Roscoe Umali, Masia One, Chan, Eastside Magic, El Gambina, Kero 1, Lyrics Born, Paul Dateh, Timothy De La Ghetto, Krooks and J.O.L.O., MC Sniper, Zeebra, Cypha MC, Far East Movement...sick acts that've been around for years, but I never knew about them, cause I was never exposed to them before! And why is that? Because no DJ's (especially mainstream ones) will play them. And, to be honest, the only ones that I knew about were Jin, the Notorious MSG, and Kish (90's Canadian rapper).

So, after a good 2 months research and investing more dough into obtaining their music, I decided that this show was "me". A combination of both my heritage and my love for the hip hop/urban culture. I was also careful to scour the internet, in order to make sure that such a radio program didn't already exist anywhere near me...and there were none! (Remember, I am a "revolutionary" at heart and will not copy someone else' idea, as noble as his/her cause may be).

As Asian-North America has very little, in terms of broadcasting to which we can relate or of which we can be proud, it is apparent that we are under-served and under-represented in any media. And as a direct result, fans of any Asian artists tend to only welcome artists who a) actually come from Asia or b) made it big in Asia. However, they are reluctant to support those who live around them. And I am sad to say that those fans include Asians born here. Sadly, this is not their fault. The media doesn't market them anybody inspiring, nor anyone to be even taken seriously.

Not only are we under-represented, but we are also MIS-represented with outdated and harmful stereotypes, perpetuated by Hollywood. I am sick and tired of seeing our roles be limited to mockery: a) Chinese cook with thick accent, b) Chinese immigrant, c) some guy with a samurai sword and foreign accent, who gets his ass kicked by Uma Thurman, d) geisha women, e) tacky 12-year old J-pop singers, and f) the useless/defenceless Chinese princess who needs to be rescued by the great-white hero, who wipes out all the Asian villains, in order to save her.

The situation has gotten to the point where a lot of Asians even avoid anything Asian, since they themselves no longer relate to their own people. I began to religiously read the blogs of angryasianman.com and it confirmed everything that was on my mind. As well, it also made me realize that there are other people out there who see through all the B-S.

I realized that there is much more to Asian arts and entertainment than these cliche roles and wanted to do something about it and give my people a voice on the radio.

Therefore, I gathered inspiration from many different cats who helped make a difference (or tried to), and put together a pitch.
-The Beatles, who put opened doors for non-American artists to be successful in the mainstream music field.
-my Canadian hero, who takes no crap from anyone...Bret Hart.
-the activism of Chuck D.
-Georges Laraque for his community-activeness
-Angryasianman.com's informativeness
-Bruce Lee's philosphy
-Janet's Rhythm Nation album
-Jim Balsilie, who tried his best to bring NHL hockey back to it's rightful place.

Yet, I was aware that, despite having the best offered-proposal, Balsilie was still rejected by the NHL owners. This led me to have my pitch revised by 4 different people. I did not want to come off too radical or "race-card". This was to be both a music and cultural show, at the same time. I am also aware that Montreal is a city with very little positions open in this field, therefore, it was CJLO or nothing! If I didn't get a spot there, then it would be too difficult to land a show elsewhere. And thus, my chance to start a movement might be done for.

HOW TO: The Application - Gathering the Troops

Those familiar with the "X-Men" will understand that "Cerebro" is the machine that Professor X uses, to track down fellow mutants. MYSPACE.com is my "Cerebro".

Before even filling out the application again, I decided to take it a step further by contacting different artists, via myspace, to ask for their support, tracks, and radio drops...I did not want to come in with a pitch, mentioning that "I will get them"...I preferred to tell the management that "I've got them".

Early responders were Dumbfoundead, Paul Kim, Hiro-A-Key, QuaShawnna, Masia One, Christina Chung, Jey Flores, Ill-J, Ill Mestizo, DJ Mana, Anonymous Twist, AKim, Illphatic, Cypha MC, El Gambina, Jay Flava...and the very first responders were The Notorious MSG! Each one informed me that the show was an amazing idea, that I my points were correct, and that they all had my back. So, I produced an additional few pages, with color photos of each artist, plus their encouraging comments, in order to show CJLO management that such artists exist and that there needs to be such a program.

So there it was...the proposal!
Page 1-2- the actual form, with additional explanation on the back..all typed.
Page 3- examples of artists that I would play and their respective home-countries.
Page 4,5,6- the artists' color photos and "co-sign" messages.

The Pitch-day:

Yes, I was nervous. The program director, Brian, sat me down and began to read through the entire package from beginning to end. I had no idea if he was enjoying what he saw. At the very end, he said "I appreciate the dedication that you put into this..." (still nervous, as this phrase often ends with "...but no thanks"). He then commented that Masia One is good looking, laughed when he spotted the Notorious MSG (he's played them on his show before), and asked a few questions such as "why do you think you're the right person to speak on behalf of your community?". To which my answer was that I'm, first and foremost, a longtime diehard fan of hiphop and have done extensive research on this culture and it's origins. And unlike a good majority of my peers, I'm a purist and will not play any boy/girl-bands and pass it off as real hip hop.

He then informed me that the idea was good and that he needed a demo tape within a month.

The Demo:

1-talk spot about what the show will be about
(3-song Korean-language set)
2- MC Sniper - Better Than Yesterday (Feat. Mr. Room9, Baichigi, KTCOB, MC BK, Outsider, P-masta)
3- Primary Skool - Still Alright
4- UPT (UPTOWN) - Remix (Want You)
5- talk spot (the 3-3 punch)
(3-song English-language set)
6- Christina Chung - Worth It
7- HiroAKey - Your number
8- Roscoe Umali - Never Fallin' feat. One Block Radius & 1st Place
10 - talk spot - activism
(3-song Tagalog set)
11 - Jay Flava - Bugtong
12 - Sevenes - Tumingin ka
13 - Bass Rhyme Posse - Rap Against Addiction
14 - talk spot
(another 3-song English-language set)
15 - Ill-J - EGOS WILL CLASH
16 - Masia One - Pulau feat. Isis and Lady E
17 - AnonymousTwist - QuePasa
18 - talk spot : recap and summary
19 - Notorious MSG - Chinatown Hustler

Proposal Result:

2 weeks went by, with no answer. I sent a follow-up, asking for feedback and stressing that I was not trying to rush the decision, but more that I was anxious in knowing "yea" or "nay".

The reply came the following day, that I was to start training and to try not to be too harsh on the non-supporters of good music or those reluctant to send me music.

Haha...that was just me being "Don Cherry".

Opposition:

Even after the show had been approved, some of my friends and family members (all Asian) were against this idea...all with the pre-concieved notion that nobody would be interested in this kind of show. Though much of this is true, it's because we don't even have any such shows to begin with!!! How can we be marketable it we're not even marketed in the first place??? When was the last time you saw an Asian "Arsenio Hall" type of show? or even an Asian version of BET? Surprisingly, the biggest supporters of my idea were my Black co-workers and 1 Asian friend of mine.
All of them believeing that the show is likely to be a success.

Even when I went downtown to Chinatown, to pass out flyers, I was met with funny looks from many (thankfully, not most) of my fellow Asian brethren...some of them even reluctant to take the flyer. It's not like I was asking for their money or anything! Caucasians, to my surprise, were more intrigued by the idea and told me that they'd listen.

The sad part is that there is still, for some reason, Asian-on-Asian discrimination and it's really silly. A lot of us suffer of "Whatsthepointitis"...they don't believe that we can do anything, therefore they don't. A lot of us are trying too hard to fit into the mainstream society, which currently does not accomodate Asians...therefore they abandon supporting any Asian cause.

A lot of us are just pain jealous and hateful when they see one of their own have success in a field where most of us cannot. Jealousy is NOT a reason to hate on people.

So what? I'm jealous too! Of course I'm jealous of Jin, Snacky Chan, and Masia One! I've been studying hip hop for ages and will NEVER possess their talent! I've even tried to rap and rhyme (tried to be an Asian-Chuck D), but I can't lose my heavy-Canadian accent, that sounds real incompatible with the kinds of songs that I wrote (not even Autotune could get rid of my accent)!

I will never be able to spit-bar-after-bar of clever freestyles like Dumbfoundead, nor produce a dope-track like Derek Kan or Illmind. And so what? That's what makes them who they are! We should be commending and supporting our peers for helping elevate our game and community. And if someone comes around trying to make a difference, then he/she should get a pat on the back, even if he/she fails.

Under very poor conditions, our people built the railways that span from coast-to-coast. I could only imagine what else we're capable of doing, when working together.

The Bottom Line:
If you're with me, great. Thanks! I will try my best not to disappoint you.
If you're not, then I love you guys anyway...more than you love yourselves!
Cause at the end of the day, the few or many minds, that I can inspire, might be inclined to pick up some music and support these artists..as well as encourage others to do the same. AND who knows? One day, they might even start up shows similar to mine! Furthermore, Montreal's venues boast a lot of international music, including Creole, Arabic, Bhangra, Greek, Salsa, Reggae, Reggaeton, etc...maybe one day, someone will play something by Epik High or Roscoe Umali.

And I might never earn any money for starting a movement, but you know what? Neither did Kool Herc.

It's not always about the money. You can't put a price-tag on something like this.

Reception:

I've also made a lot of friends, in the process, and have been praised by many of the artists and my peers, Asians and non-Asians alike.

My CJLO DJ page, last week, was the 4th most-visited among all the DJ's.

My podcasts average 200 downloads/week. It doesn't seem like much, but it's a lot for something that has no advertising/promotion and only 26 weeks old.

The downloads come from all over the world, including a few unlikely parts.

Musicians are sending me their stuff to play.

And I'm even getting invites to visit the artists' homes whenever I'm visiting their town. This, itself, is a big honor and is more than rewarding.

Fab 5 Freddy has the distinction of bringing the hiphop culture to the attention of the mainstream/corporate society. My goal is to be the Asian-Fab 5 Freddy.

Thanks to all who support me and to CJLO management for recognizing the need to even have such a show on the air.

And to Miley Cyrus and her "chinky-eye" thing, ignorant people like you provide me with more fuel to do what I need.

"With music by our side
To break the color lines
Let's work together
To improve our way of life
Join voices in protest
To social injustice
A generation full of courage
Come forth with me"...Janet Jackson 1814