Don’t be fooled; fear can inspire hatred. Teaching children (who are born with no bias) that they have to be worried that certain groups “might” not like them, “might” treat them unfairly, “might” hate them… Plants in our children an unintended bias, paranoia, and insecurity. As a nation we must allow our children to live unhindered… Free to live and love without fear. And to deal with issues…. as (or “if”) they arise with confidence knowing that the experience does not define the child nor does it define the entire race of the person who offends them. We must not place our insecurities on the child’s shoulders. Nothing sadder than unintentionally teaching our children to preemptively hate others under the false notion that they have to be “aware” that at some point in life they may be treated unfairly. The universal truth is that no one goes through life without experiencing some sort of prejudice, discrimination, or unfair treatment – But don’t let that possibility stop our children from being kids.
If Seattle is known for one thing it’s music; Quincy, Jimi, Kurt, and so on – You know the list. And as recent as 10 years ago the music industry was a completely different animal than we see today. Last decades musician’s had to fight, grind, and struggle to make it. No internet, no YouTube to get your name to the masses.
Glen and Nasty Nes 1990
Often it wasn’t a matter of talent, or even hard work that made the difference, but knowing the right people behind the scenes – Seattle’s very own star-makers.These people were, once upon a time; record store owners that stocked and sold the product, radio Dj’s that drove the sales, and fanzine & newsprint journalist’s that wrote reviews and gave fans a behind the scenes look at their favorite artists. The “machine” was especially alive and well in Seattle in the 1980’s and 90’s, one of its key movers and shakers was Shockmaster Glen Boyd.
Glen Boyd had his hands in every aspect of artist promotion. His record and tape store “Music Menu” was Seattle’s hot-spot for new music. Located just blocks from Franklin High School in Seattle, kids would travel from as far as Tacoma or Everett just to pick up new stock.
Operating one of Seattle’s most successful record stores may have been enough for some, but that was just the day job; as Glen moonlighted as the pioneer of FM Rap radio with his show “Shock Frequency.” Radio was obviously in his blood, as Glen went on to partner with Seattle’s “Godfather” of Rap Radio Nasty Nes Rodriguez as co-host of KCMU’s highly rated “Rap Attack,” (a partnership which they would also share as co-host’s of Seattle’s “Bomb Shelter Videos”).
I guess Glen didn’t need sleep, because he still found time to write reviews and news for a number of both local and national newspapers and magazines; such as The Rocket, The Source, Tower Records Pulse, and Spin. As we said before, Shockmaster Glen Boyd had all aspects of the star-making machine running on full throttle.
His proudest achievement? Being instrumental in the early career of award-winning artist Sir Mixalot. It was a young and hungry Sir Mixalot that made regular trips to Glen’s record store to ask Glen to critique his newest demo-tapes. Although sometimes drowning in product from local artist’s fighting for Glen’s approval, Mixalot’s music stood out as something special. So much in fact that Glen began writing about the hot new artist in some of the Newspapers and Magazines, giving Mixalot the attention necessary to get the breaks he needed.
Glen continued working with Sir Mixalot and close friend and business partner Nasty Nes, and was a major player in the forming of Seattle’s first hip hop record label, “Nasty Mix”. Mixalot provided the talent, Nes made sure the records were getting national airplay, and Glen was sure that the albums were available nationwide. Glen’s reputation as a major player in the entertainment game was so stellar that it eventually caught the eye of (American Records) President and Founder Rick Rubin. Before long Glen was making major calls as part of Rick Ruben’s inner circle.
Fast forward to 2011: It’s been years since Glen closed down the old record store, said “no thanks” to the late night radio shows, and left Rick Ruben’s empire to survive on its own. Yes, Glen has returned to his roots in West Seattle for a more quite life.
But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t still fire burning in the Shockmaster. Glen is still putting in long hours with his longtime mistress; music. Although this time, it’s a slightly different arena.
Shockmaster 2011
Glen has (for the most part) given up rocking the airwaves, although you will still catch him from time to time doing a guest spot with (KUBE 93) Dj B-Mello, or his longtime friend Nasty Nes Rodriguez. Instead Glen spends the majority of his time focusing on his writing.
You can find Glen’s still thought provoking articles on several internet blogs, his critiques of newly released albums as well as old favorites are available at theglenblog.blogspot.com, as well as blogcritics.org, and therockologist.com. But what most Glen Boyd fans are most anxious about is the Unauthorized Neil Young Biography (Neil Young FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Iconic and Mercurial Rocker) that Glen has just completed and is available at Amazon.Com and a number of other outlets.
So the next time you’re visiting the West Seattle Junction, take a minute to appreciate that you may be walking the same stones as the Shockmaster himself. Appreciate that any restaurant or coffee shop on the strip could have been the place Glen sat while making (or breaking) your favorite musician’s career.
And if you happen to bump into Seattle’s favorite (music) scribe, understand that you have just touched greatness.
Poetress Amy Bormann Novo (SimplyAmyNovo.com) has scripted a short story about creativity, daydreams, and enjoying life! Music by Delvon Lamarr and cartoonified by the kids at UnifiedOutreach.com
It’s a flashback to one of Seattle’s hottest teen fashion night; the MAC Fashion House Youth Expose.
It’s been almost two years since it happened, but the MAC Fashion House Youth Expose’ didn’t get the attention it should have from local media outlets, so we’re taking another look at the 2010 Unified Outreach Showcase Event featuring the launch of the Precious Casting program. This FREE resource for aspiring and established talent in the Acting, Modeling, Music, Fashion, and Performance industries provided a industry recognized database to post and store resumes, head-shots, portfolio, video clips, voice-over clips, and other items that expressed the artist’s body of work.
The Unified Outreach (Precious Casting program) partnered with MAC Fashion House to provide runway training to 20 aspiring youth/teen artists (ages 9-22) to plan, prepare, and deliver the 2010 MAC Fashion House Youth Expose – Fashion Show.
This gala event featured a raised runway, a live musical performance by Tyrone (Dumas), a full catered dinner spread by Munchies Catering, and nearly 60 custom designed outfits by MAC Fashion House.
Youth participated in the roles of Models, Runway Directors, Sound & Lighting, Facilities Maintenance, and more, and was attended by a who’s-who of local celebrities including Nes Rodrigues, The Mixalot Posse, and (KUBE 93) DJ B-Mello.
Video clips of the event can be found on YouTube for those of you who would like to see tomorrow’s fashion model’s getting their start.
Here’s a list of the youth who participant in making the event a success, along with their roles in the production.
Runway Models: Brittany B. (18), Tierra C. (22), Isis G. (10), David H. (18), Bonet’ H. (9), Tanner J. (9), Kre’Shawna J. (15), Kyndahl J. (14), Jada M. (13), Serenity M. (15), Kendra O. (11), Aubri R. (14), Carlos S. (18), Isabella S. (14), Corrine J. (14), Kiel W. (9), Arielle W. (18), Javon W. (12), Justin W. (14)
Video Host and Assistant Runway Coordinator: Darrian T. (14)
Assistant Facilities Personnel: Deshaun D. (16)
Sound & Lighting/Asst. Operations Supervisor: Devin P. (16)
Video Editing: Mike Blure (16) and Aaron Taco (16)
The event took place at the new West Seattle Christian Church Performance Hall; a new state-of-the-art facility located within walking distance of the West Seattle Junction.
MAC Fashion House is Seattle’s premiere couture fashion house. The company’s award winning founder — Carlisia Minnis — designs and makes all of MAC’s outfits. MAC fashions have appeared in magazines, fashion shows, videos, and after-parties for entertainers like Erykah Badu and Maxwell.With a new studio showroom in the White Center district of Seattle, Mac Fashion House is THE spot to get up to the minute fashion that is custom made to fit you!
In 2010 Carlisia’s designs helped propel the Garfield High School Dance team to victory in the all-city “Bubblin’ Brown Sugar” dance competition.
“My style is a little fearlessness with a little elegance,” Carlisia said. “After 10 years strong, I’m still producing garments with lots of colors, prints, and textures. This gives women the feeling of being sexy, sensual, and sassy, while my guys are walking around proud, handsome, and feeling GQ.
Carlisia “MAC” Minnis is a Seattle native that has been creating unique fashions for over 15 years. She began the journey by altering the fit of her own clothes, but soon after became inspired to create her own fashions.
Making funky outfits became a way for Carlisia to express her eclectic personality. Her personal style attracted family and friends that also wanted uniqueness, thus creating a hobby that would soon become a career.
After working in corporate America and finding it unfulfilling, Carlisia enrolled in the esteemed Apparel Design program at Seattle Central Community College. Through this intensive two-year program she gained the invaluable skills of pattern making, production sewing, and design presentation. Upon graduation Carlisia made her dream job a reality by starting her own freelance design company, MAC Productions LLC / Mac Fashion House.
Carlisia’s designs have appeared in many fashion shows and events throughout the Northwest including participation in Vancouver Fashion Week and Seattle Fashion Weeks. Carlisia has also had the great opportunity to exhibit her designs on a world stage as an American designer at an International Women’s Conference in Zimbabwe, Africa. Carlisia has showcased her own designs, by planning, producing and executing her own fashion shows in Seattle. Her designs have also been carried in local boutiques in Seattle, such as Reputations and Raw Threads.
Carlisia has also captured the hearts of Seattleites by lending her talents to non-profit groups such as The Ruby Room, F-Factor and the Unified Outreach/Precious Casting fashion program; which includes mentoring and apprenticeships of young aspiring designers.
Recently Carlisia has opened a new clothing boutique Mac Fashion House in the Green Bridge area of West Seattle/White Center. Here she has been able to develop a better connection with her clients. As well as creating a more permanent place to show case her designs.
As for the future? Carlisia continues to make custom outfits for all occasions; additionally MAC Fashion House is releasing two new lines this summer. Her highly anticipated Men’s line as well as something for the ladies based on her wildly popular lingerie designs.
“The great thing about the Fashion is that there are no limitation,” Carlisia says before quoting Yobi Yamada, “Intense desire not only creates its own possibilities, but talents. Don’t be afraid to do something just because it’s impossible. “
To inquire about her designs or for more information, please contact MAC Fashion House at macfashionhouse@gmail.com or call (206) 322-2147 to schedule an appointment.
Seattle’s Pioneer Breaker Dancers “Pablo D” and “Sir Slamalot”
By ZiggyFan2012
One year after Seattle’s historic event we take time to remember how awesome it really was!
Seattle, WA. May 13th, 2011 – It was a historical night in West Seattle as the Unified Outreach non-profit Arts Program hosted the “Seattle City Breakers Reunion” celebrating 30 years of hip hop culture in Seattle.
This event brought together some of Seattle hip hop’s legendary Breakdancers and B-Boy’s/B-Girl’s in a multi generational event that took many through a time-warp and back to the early 80’s when group’s such as the Emerald City, Seattle City Breaker’s, Fresh Force, 1st Degree Breaker’s, and DeRoxy Crew ruled the dance floor.
The event featured guest speaker “Nasty” Nes Rodriguez who was the first radio DJ to host an all rap music show back in 1983. Having the honor of sharing the DJ booth with Nes were legendary DJ’s B-Mello (KUBE), Mr. Supreme, SoulOne, SuReal, NaNino, SeaBefore, Khazm, DV-One, and DJ Tecumseh (from Bamboo Beats).
The venue provided by West Seattle Christian Church featured a 600 person event center/performance hall which quickly filled to capacity with four decades of B-Boy’s and B-Girl’s crowding in to see the Seattle’s original break dancers. Event organizer’s David Toledo and Carlos Barrientes provided a special seating area for a group of 20 special needs youth to attend and to participate in some of the “open floor” breakdancing.
The star of the night (who flew in from Hawaii for the event) was Ziggy “Zig Zag” Puaa; a breakdancer who rose to stardom in Seattle during the 80’s and then disappeared at the height of his career. Rumor’s had circulated for years about Ziggy’s demise during a surfing accident; only to have Ziggy shock many old friends and fan’s when a video surfaced on YouTube featuring Ziggy breakdancing in Hawaii last year. Also a surprise to many was the attendance of Danny Molino who has been in a wheelchair since a gun shot wound to the head paralyzed most of his body in the early 1990’s.
Other legends to appear at the event included “Seattle’s first Breakdancer” Jonathan (Junior) Alefaio, as well as Rafael Contreras, Spencer Reed, Danny Molino, Carlos (Sir Slamalot) Barrientes, Li’a Cat (Wacky) Talaga and Dave “Pablo D” Narvaez.
Staying true to the idea of Hip Hop’s “4 Elements” (DJ, MC, Breakdancer, and Graffiti Artist) the house was full of other pioneers as well; including Specs Wizard, Sam Sneke, KeepOne, Tyrone Dumas, FazeOne, Gerald Carpio, Curtis Tauiliili, Mr. Cool Anthony Espinoza, Vince Nguyen, Bublz, Kevin Lundeen, and Kid Silly.
The event culminated in an awards ceremony celebrating the “Heart of Hip Hop” in which 8 “Old School” legends received individually colored award plaque’s celebrating individual achievement. Receiving awards were Carlos Barrientes (Red/Power), Spencer Reed (Yellow/Joy), Ziggy Puaa (Orange/Passion), Dan Clavesilla (Dark Blue/Knowledge), Sam Sneke (Light Blue/Creativity), Danny Molino (White/Pure Style), Michael Hall (Purple/Magic), and Nes Rodriguez (Pink/Universal Love).
The event welcomed 4 decades of breakdancers to participate in the open floor; from the original’s, to current hotshot’s Massive Monkey’s and the Vicious Puppies, to a group of toddler B-Boy’s/B-Girl’s it was a full-filled family event welcoming all ages.
It was a night to remember and something that will not be duplicated soon in Seattle as many legends and icon’s of the Seattle Hip Hop Community came together for a night of reminiscing, educating, and celebrating a our shared history.
For more information on the event, current, and upcoming event, please visit the Seattle City Breakers group on Facebook.
King County Broadcast 