206 Zulu proudly presents the first ever NW Hip Hop Parade Troop and Float. Featuring 206 Legends:
DJ B-Mello
DJ DV One
King Khazm
Laura “Piece” Kelly
Silver Shadow D
Film produced by Georgio Brown of Coolout Network.
Last Saturday, August 4th over 50 people gathered to participate in the first-ever NW Hip Hop Parade Troop, as part of Umoja Fest, the Northwest’s largest and longest-lasting African Heritage Festival & Parade. This troop, consisted of emcees, deejays, graff writers, dancers, Hip Hop practicioners and supporters throughout the Seattle region. They marched together in unity wearing white shirts to show solidarity, while chanting “Peace, Love, Unity & Having Fun” and other empowering phrases.
Proceeding the People’s March were B-Boys/B-Girls Anna Bannana, Orbitron, BeLoved, and B-Girl Chills who dazzled the crowd with there effortless finesse, energizing the people and motivating the youth watching to take part as they began clapping, popping, krumping, and dancing without missing a beat.
Finally the procession ends with a sixteen foot float, covered with layers of graffiti from some of Seattle’s most notable artists, including Sneke One, Charms, HNS, OneSevenNine, Exor, amongst others. The massive structure emanated Hip Hop breaks, Funk, Soul and various sounds provided by Seattle’s renowned DJ’s DV-One and B-Mello. Lastly, Laura “Piece” Kelly and Silver Shadow D stood side by side on the float as traditional party-rocking emcees, echoing various call-and-responses, chants, and messages of positivity to all who watched gallantly. Children gazed intensely into the eyes of the emcees while internalizing messages, “You are the future. Stay positive and follow your hearts. There is no limits to what you can do.”
This was truely a moment in Seattle Hip Hop history. Thanks to the dozens upon dozens of people who donated countless time, energy, and money to make this all possible. A special thanks goes to Spoken Visual, Tecumseh, Jojo, Mz Music Girl, Rob Nice, Simon, J-Rebel, Graphic Display, ArtPrimo.com, Larry Mizel, Nasty Nes, Christie Z & Popmaster Fabel, B-Mello, DV-One, Jace, Julie-C, InkuBiz, and the many others who came together to make this a success. Last but not least, thanks to Kitty Wu for organizing such an outstanding event!
Special Thanks to the Northwest Hip Hop Community for contributing their time, money and positivity to this lovely project:
206 Zulu, Age, Alonzo, Andrea Holzer, Art Primo, Asun, Audio Poet, Bamboobeats.com, Bannana Freeze, BeLoved, Bettina Carey, DJ B-Girl, Blend, Block Teamsters, DJ B-Mello, Central District Chamber of Commerce, Circle of Fire, Charms Chester, Christie Z. & Popmaster Fabel, Coolout TV, Crazy Pinoy, Cyphalliance, Depth, dRED.i, DVS, Dzin1, DJ DV-One, Elefaders, Exor, Felicia Loud, Flame Spittas, GCL1, Gene Dexter, Graphic Display Sign Co., Heidi Jackson, Hip Hop 101 TV, HNS, Inkubiz, Jake Galfano, Jen Johnson, Jeff Snodgrass, Jojo, J-Rebel, Julie C., Keek, Keep One, KEXP 90.3, KBCS 91.3, Khan, King Khazm, Kitty Wu, Larry Mizell, LC’s Kitchen, MAD Krew, Massive Monkees, Melissa Noelle, Green Mike E., Mz Music Girl, Nasty Nes, One Fam, Inc., OneSevenNine, Orbitron, Phreewill Piece, Project Mayhem, Rob Nice, Sasha Star, Seabefore Seth, Shaundra Jackson, Silver Shadow D., Simon, Sneke, Spoken Visual, Sport-N-Life, Tabo, Talksick, DJ Tecumseh, Umoja Fest, Universal Zulu Nation, Waves of the Mind, Wicked X, Wyking Allah, Ziplok, Zulu Radio
