Had to post this, it touched me in so many ways and you'll see why..

If you tell me that Hiphop is dead, then I'd tell you that you are not doing enough individually and/or socially to resurrect it. Being Buddhist, I was born into a world of spirits, where I was in constant communication with another world, one that demanded respect for your ancestors. I discovered Hiphop when I was twelve, and tried to encapsulate it in Maxell cassette tapes, splitting my attention between my schoolwork and the pause button. In my world, Hiphop became another spirit I had to respect and investigate. I listened to as many old school tracks I could find. I copped underground Rock Steady Crew videos from Music Factory in the Bronx, listened to lectures from legendary figures like Ken Swift and Kool Herc. I took my research online when I finally had access to the internet.
At the same time, I applied these research skills to my family history. All around me were ghosts who had passed away in the Khmer Rouge work camps. The Khmer Rouge regime ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979 and instituted an agrarian utopia, leading to the deaths of an estimated two million people through starvation, disease, and murder. This was my legacy and I felt a responsibility not only to educate myself, but to share this story with others.
Fast forward t ... Read more »

By: Eric K. Arnold, Special to The Chronicle 2007

When Pam the Funkstress started out as a member of East Oakland's all-female hip-hop group 3 Deep in the early '90s, she was one of the only woman DJs in the local scene. Today, that's not the case -- she points to numerous women who spin regularly in Bay Area clubs, such as Backside, Neta and Daniela, to name a few.

In the past couple of years, all-female DJ nights have become much more common locally, but the phenomenon isn't limited to the Bay Area. "I didn't realize how many women DJs were really, really out there until I hit MySpace," Pam confides with a chuckle.

Typically, women in hip-hop have been portrayed as video vixens (i.e. Karrine "Superhead" Stephens), oversexed divas (think Lil' Kim and Trina), or asexual tomboys (a la Lady Sovereign). Occasionally, they get to be girlfriends of a thugged-out Big Willie type, but only if they're "bootylicious" (like Beyoncé). However, those limited stereotypes are but a small representation of the role women have actually played in the culture.

This week, S.F.-based independent label Outta Nowhere Entertainment hopes to alter the public perception of women in hip-hop with the release of "Queendom, Vol. 1," the first in a projected series spotlighting female emcees and DJs from across the country and the wor ... Read more »