206 Zulu 17th Anniversary Special Uplift | Preserve | Celebrate With reflections by Big Zo, Georgio Brown, Malika Patti, Mz Music Girl, Orbitron, Queen Kitty Wu, Shooter in the Town, Supreme La Rock & More!
Saturday, February 13 6pm PST Livestreaming on Facebook and YouTube
ALSO
Check out the 206 Zulu 17th Anniversary Kick-Off event the night before!
Pangea: Hip Hop Heals Album Release & Artist Discussion With guests Dumi Right (USA), Eli Almic (Uruguay), Emile YX? (South Africa), Maze 022 (India), Tati Chaves (Costa Rica), ZDC (Australia) & More!
Friday, February 12 6pm PST Sign up REGISTER (free)
HERE THEY ARE: 58 dancers wearing sneakers and T-shirts and hoodies, assembled in the spacious, elegantly curvaceous, two-story ballroom of Washington Hall, ready to battle.
The contenders have come for the 206 Zulu Throwdown: a two-on-two breaking competition, with pairs of b-boys and b-girls (but mostly b-boys), ranging in age from 7 to upper 40s (but mostly in their 20s), facing off for a $5,000 cash prize.
These dancers are the latest faces in a century-plus lineage — not the lineage of hip-hop and breaking, but the lineage of Washington Hall.
Anna Nagy (left) and Justine Palacio take their turn on the floor at the 206 Zulu Throwdown, a two-on-two breaking competition — with a $5,000 prize — at historic Washington Hall. (Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times)
Up to $12,000 to those impacted by the pandemic as they recuperate, adapt, and advance their practice.
We know that many of you have been profoundly affected by and continue to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, having experienced unemployment, the loss of freelance income, and unanticipated expenses. The Cultural Producer Recovery Fund is an opportunity for Cultural Producers to recover from some of the significant financial impacts they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is our second and final round of American Resource Plan Act (ARPA) grants for Cultural Producers. We’ve streamlined the criteria to make the application process easier. For this round, you do not need to provide personal tax return documents to demonstrate financial loss due to the pandemic.
Attending a workshop is a great way to get supported! Meet program managers, get questioned answered, and meet other applicants.
In-person workshops will be work sessions where staff will be available to assist with your questions and help you with your application. Virtual workshops will be information sessions; these require registration through Zoom.
The 21st annual Seattle Black Film Festival is only just beginning! Running this year at two locations, the historic Langston Hughes Performing Art Institute and Washington Hall in the Central District.
Featuring…
the intimate and personal documentary Jewelle: A Just Vision
films by Northwest Film Forum’s Netsanet Tjirongo: Savi the Cat and Vanishing Seattle: Queer the Land
and the first ever Sudanese film at the Cannes Film festival, Goodbye Julia
Jesse Sarey was a young Khmer American struggling with mental health issues and homelessness. On May 31, 2019, he was brutally murdered by Auburn officer Jeff Nelson, who had already killed two other people in the community. Under I-940, Nelson became the first officer to be indicted and is only the third officer in Washington State to be indicted for murder.
See information below and links on how you can contribute to bringing justice for Jesse and his family.
Camps Breakerz Crew is a Breaking/Hip Hop crew that has been providing dance education and entertainment programs for the Gazan people for 20+ years, giving the youth an outlet for self-expression and trauma release. On February 23rd , 2024, “israel” bombed CBC’s dance studio in Nuseirat refugee camp, killing four students, under the age of 10, and their families. This atrocity is part of a larger pattern of a genocide perpetrated by “israel,” killing or injuring over 100,000 Palestinians since October 2023. In response, Dance for Falasteen Seattle is organizing a day of liberatory dance workshops to benefit CBC, while highlighting the ongoing genocide in Gaza and “israel”‘s 76-year occupation and ethnic cleansing of Palestine. The funds will help rebuild CBC’s studio and afford necessities to continue their program.
We are hosting five open-level dance classes – Amapiano, House, Vogue Femme, Dabke, and Hip Hop. Each class will feature a Palestinian speaker, and discuss how that genre of dance relates to liberation. There will also be vendors, educational materials, and a vigil with the spotlight on the CBC martyrs (Rania, Totah, Maryam, Dana, and their families).
Our intention is to build solidarity between Seattle and Gaza communities, elevate Palestinian voices, educate the local community, honor the martyrs through what they loved to do, and facilitate community healing through movement. We hope you join us – for together, we’ll dance towards a brighter future of justice and peace.
Seattle Theatre Group’s ELEVATE, in collaboration with the dynamic talents of 206Zulu, invites you to an evening filled with poetry, music, and food.
Join us in the iconic Washington Hall on Wednesday, April 24th, as we highlight this historical venue as a haven for artistic expression and community celebration.
Whether you’re a seasoned performer or a devoted audience member, this event promises an unforgettable fusion of creativity and connection. So, bring your appetite for inspiration and a love for the arts, as we gather for an enchanting night of performances and flavors that will leave your senses buzzing.
Save the date and immerse yourself in the magic of the Community Open Mic – where culture, talent, and community converge!
STARTING AT 5:00PM FREE TO ATTEND FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY STG ELEVATE + 206ZULUARTISTS
We are coming together to support our brother KIndu Shabazz: Husband/father/activist/artist/organizer. The Legendary co-founder of the Northwest Hip Hop group Black Anger. Kindu is facing a huge health challenge, and we are coming forward to raise funds to support him. See more about his situation on his gofundme.
We will announce more details soon. This is grass roots and for the culture. All are welcome.
Sunday, April 14, 2024 Location: Washington Hall 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 Time: 2-6pm
206 Zulu has been through quite a journey. From a group of artists/organizers you could count on one hand to an ocean of smiling faces and pumping fists too large to count at a glance, this organization has seen some changes. Over the years, we’ve grown, both in membership and in the diversity of ideas and perspectives that continue to shape the way we serve our community.
Members, throughout our 20 year history, have proposed initiatives, debated policies, and brought elements of their own experiences and cultures into the process that continues to shape the face of 206 Zulu. Sometimes those ideas have been instant hits and we all ran off to work to make them happen. Some have been more contentious and required long hours of discussion, bouncing ideas and concepts back and forth until we came to agreements. This process also took place as we shifted over time in our relationship to the Universal Zulu Nation.
As a community, we grappled with shocking allegations of sexual abuse from the UZN’s founder. Through our continued process of fostering safety to share perspectives openly, we worked together to decide how to proceed as an organization. This led to a formal detachment from the organization that built the foundation that 206 Zulu grew from. It also led to the development of, new institutions for the protection of victims of sexual assault, reconstructive justice programs, and new tools for oversight and addressing vulnerabilities written into our organizational structure. This reckoning gave us pause to reconsider exactly who we are as we began to be born anew once again.
Through those hard times, we collectively gained a deeper understanding of the continuum of history (or OurStory as we like to term it) as a living relationship between the past, the present, and the future. We struggled to decide which elements of our organization’s past should survive the fire of rebirth. We took stock of which aspects were of our essential value system and which we should leave behind as we moved into a new phase of our existence.
The rallying principles of peace, love, unity, respect, and having fun remained. Some of our traditions and ceremonies transcended our organizational affiliations as well, continuing to provide grounding and unification amongst our members. The action of using the beautiful elements of Hip Hop Culture as a tool to uplift, preserve, and celebrate our diverse community gave a constancy to our evolution. We even decided after an intense time of debate and consideration to keep the word Zulu in our organization’s name. We agreed as a collective that rather than erase and walk away from the parts of our history that we reject, we would continue to acknowledge them lest we ever forget that the struggle for safety and justice for our people is both external and internal.
Moving into the next 20 years of 206 Zulu’s history in the making, we continue to evolve in the very symbols that represent us. We’re proud of these moments and our ability to change as we learn and grow, which is why we’re so excited to be unveiling a new symbol of that movement into the future, with our newly designed 206 Zulu logo.
First and foremost, the design of this new logo, created by the incredible artist Derek “Manik” Edenshaw, pays essential acknowledgement to the original caretakers of the region of the world 206 Zulu was born, the Pacific Northwest. Through his roots in the Haida Coast Salish nation, Manik lent a knowledge of ways that our values align with the some of those of the first nations on this land, who continue to hold the vine of history from the present back to the first systems of care for the earth, rivers, and ocean that would set the stage for the the city of Seattle to grow out of.
So, as we look to the future, this high functioning organization of artists, organizers, educators, and leaders will forge the way. We know that change is constant and in our mission of upliftment to the powerful people of our local and global community, we begin each day grounded in our values and liberated by our ability to listen, react, and adapt. That journey has led us to create, together, a thing of great beauty and it fuels our work to know that our ability to grow has allowed us to set course for a thing of great possibilities. What’s to come in the future is yet to be seen, but with our continued efforts, collaboration, and collective mission, we’ll bring in the years to come, carrying peace, love, unity, respect, and having fun into new generations and continue to find new and innovative ways to change the world with the power of Hip Hop. Thank you for 20 incredible years, family. Here’s to the next 20!
Hip Hop enthusiasts, dancers, emcees, djs and writers from all around the country gathered in 206 Zulu’s milestone 20th anniversary events last February 15-19th in Seattle, Washington. As people began to descend upon the Northwest, the kick-off at Havana Social Club was the place to be as DJs Supreme La Rock and Lady Love set the tone for the weekend.
Friday’s Zulu Jam was a refreshing blend of old-school, new-school, and East Coast, West Coast vibes that went down at Madame Lou’s. Lineup featured a welcoming from Seattle Hip Hop pioneer NastyNes, followed by an Indigenous Hip Hop showcase with Sista Hailstorm, Def-I, and DJ BigRez, Los Angeles Project Blowed legends Medusa and Abstract Rude, and high energy party rocking from Hip Hop pioneers DJ Jazzy Jay and Grandwizzard Theodore. Closing the night was Coast Contra who’s energy was unparalleled.
Zulu Throwdown 2-vs-2 proved to be another milestone event, held at Washington Hall, with over thirty crews battling it out for the $5,000 in cash prizes. Judges Alien Ness, Asia One, Ken Swift, Fever One and Zulu Gremlin were in attendance alongside DJs DV One, Tecumseh, ShoNuph, Neebor, and Magicsean who kept the energy flowing at a high. Rock Force Crew took the championship with hometown heroes Massive Monkees taking runner up.
All the while these events were taking place inside, renowned artists Crayone, Hyro, Desi Mundo and Sire One were collaborating on a 206 Zulu tribute mural throughout the weekend.
Meeting of the Minds held three introspective panels featuring Medusa, Def-I, Emile YX?, a dance centered conversation with Asia One, Alien Ness and Ken Swift, and a street art centered discussion with Desi Mundo, Hera Won and Sire One.
The Northwest’s premier Hip Hop community organization is turning 20 this coming February 15-19, 2024 in Seattle, Washington! Make sure to book your flights early and stay tuned here for announcements!
THURSDAY, FEB 15 Official Kick-Off Party With DJs Supreme La Rock and Lady Love Havana Social Club 1010 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122 10pm | $6 | 21+
FRIDAY, FEB 16 Zulu Jam featuring Coast Contra, Medusa, Abstract Rude, Grandwizzard Theodore, DJ Jazzy Jay, Def-I, Sista Hailstorm, Manik, DJ BigRez Hosted by NastyNes & Special Guests Madame Lou’s 2505 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 6:30pm | $20 Adv. | 21+ Tickets
SATURDAY, FEB 17 Zulu Throwdown 2-vs-2 Breaking $5,000 in Prizes! (1st Place – $3,000, 2nd Place – $2,000) DJs: DV One, Mark Luv, Neebor, Tecumseh Judges: Alien Ness, Asia One, Fever One, Ken Swift, Zulu Gremlin Hosts: Pele, Melkez Funk Styles Room with DJs: Maddchill, Magicsean, ShoNuph Performance by The Beatbox Panda Washington Hall 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 2-10pm | Free | All-Ages Register to battle Register to attend
SUNDAY, FEB 18 Meeting of the Minds Panel Discussions featuring: Def-I, Emile YX?, Medusa Asia One, Alien Ness, Ken Swift Desi Mundo, Hera Won, Sire One Hosted by Open Hands Music by DJ Zeta Washington Hall 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 12-6pm | Free | All-Ages
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS! The Seattle Hip Hop Film Festival is now accepting submissions for the 5th annual festival taking place November 2nd at Washington Hall.
We are accepting short films, 15 minutes and under, focused on hip-hop culture. This includes: Narratives, documentary, music videos, experimental, animation, and performance based films with a focus on hip-hop (Djing/Production, Graffiti, Dance, Emceeing).
Early Bird Deadline: April 15, 2024 Regular Deadline: June 17, 2024 Late Deadline: July 14, 2024 Notification Date: August 11, 2024 Event Date: November 2, 2024
The rallying principles of peace, love, unity, respect, and having fun remained. Some of our traditions and ceremonies transcended our organizational affiliations as well, continuing to provide grounding and unification amongst our members. The action of using the beautiful elements of Hip Hop Culture as a tool to uplift, preserve, and celebrate our diverse community gave a constancy to our evolution. We even decided after an intense time of debate and consideration to keep the word Zulu in our organization’s name. We agreed as a collective that rather than erase and walk away from the parts of our history that we reject, we would continue to acknowledge them lest we ever forget that the struggle for safety and justice for our people is both external and internal. 
