boston progress radio

If you’re like me, you’re excited about spring, but not excited about the fact that you’ve been hibernating all winter. Under layers and layers of sweaters and poofy jackets. Yes, I am self-conscious about my body. But not in a bad way. After all the cold weather has kept me inside all winter, I want to be able to go out - to go for walks, to play in the park, to run around. I feel out of shape.

So, on Monday I went for the gym for the first time… in a long long time. And then I realized. What was I going to listen to? I scanned my ipod, but couldn’t find the right combination of songs to keep me going through my workout. Et voila, here is my work-it-out playlist, featuring mostly Asian American artists. It is just about 30 minutes, and hopefully will take you through a 30 minute stint on the treadmill, or the elliptical machine, or whatever suits your fancy.

Comrades & Friends, From Monuments to Masses
I picture listening to this song as I start off on a run on a sunny spring afternoon in Boston. But, I’m not really in to running right now, and it’s not springy and warm out. But, I feel like if you were inclined to go for a run on a sunny Boston spring afternoon, this song would get you pumped for the run, building up your energy, and probably get you a little pumped about creating political change as well. The audio snippets will give you food for thought, a reason to run, something to work towards. This song is from an album appropriately entitled “The Impossible Leap in a Hundred Simple Steps.”

Lovers Who Uncover, The Little Ones
Hopefully, this cheery song will help keep your energy up. It has a peppy happy beat and I picture this song carrying you through the initial burst of energy when you start your run. It’s like your own indie rocker cheer squad. I first started listening to The Little Ones after I read about them in a 2007 wrap-up in UCLA’s Asian Pacific Arts online magazine. I like their more indie sound - I was tempted to make a whole mix of hip-hop, but that just didn’t seem right. Read more

Shuffled! is a new feature on BPRLive, in which we ask some of our favorite people on the scene to set their mp3 player of choice to random, and tell us about the first few songs that they hear.

Today’s Shuffler: Kiwi

It doesn’t seem that long ago when Kiwi was hoo-riding open mics and hustling poorly recorded demo tapes all over Los Angeles. Years later, that same hunger and humility has brought him back to one of the most important crossroads in his life, as the former Native Guns emcee enters his long-awaited rebirth back into the world as a solo artist.

Kiwi’s body of work is telling. He has rocked shows up and down California, as well as Seattle, Chicago, New York City, Honolulu, and Florida, sharing the stage with the likes of Medusa, Common, the Visionaries, Blue Scholars, Black Eyed Peas, Dilated Peoples and others. His library of music includes Native Guns’ “Barrel Men” and “Stray Bullets Mixtape” CDs, and his classic first solo album “Writes of Passage: Portraits of a Son Rising” (which is part of the syllabus in San Francisco State’s Filipino-American Literature Class). He was also the former host/producer of Apex Express on 94.1FM KPFA in Berkeley, and currently coordinates and co-facilitates the Hip Hop Workshop series for young folks at San Francisco’s Filipino Community Center. Most recently, Kiwi had the honor of being featured as a Keynote Speaker at the 2007 Sandiwa Conference.

My motivation is to get
you to respond
I ain’t tryin’ to keep you here
I’m tryin’ to get you beyond

Kiwi’s sound isn’t just for the head-nod, but for critical dialogue. Those who see Kiwi on the regular will tell you that his music is a direct reflection of his organizing work in the Filipino community. Those who really know him will tell you that beneath all of that is a complex being, a former gang-banger, a high school dropout, a proud product of a single mother, a survivor, and a man in constant search of peace and wisdom. This balance between art and activism, the personal and the politics, as well as his fiery presence onstage and in the recording booth has given him the gift of supporters and listeners worldwide.

His latest project “The Summer Exposure Mixtape” was scheduled for this past summer, setting the stage for the highly-anticipated exhale of his second yet-to-be-titled full-length album, coming soon.

In this land of pimps, playas,
and playa hatas
What ever happened to the
teachers and the motivators?

For more information on Kiwi, visit him at myspace.com/kiwi.

On to the shuffle… Read more

Tags: Shuffled!.

After the Beats, Rhymes and Rice Tour hit Northeastern University on November 8, 2007, Kiwi was generous enough to give some of his time to do an interview. He sat down with our own Jess and shared some of his thoughts.

Quick Facts about Kiwi

1. Perfect Meal – In-N-Out Cheeseburger and Fries
2. Favorite Basketball Team – Clippers
3. L.A. or San Francisco – San Francisco
4. Favorite Rapper – Chuck D.
5. What fruit would you be? – Umm… a kiwi?
6. Pen and paper or the Mic and the stage – Mic and the stage
7. Favorite Season – Winter
8. Favorite spot in the World – Philippines
9. One word to describe Northeastern University – Fun
10. Bao Phi or Giles Li – Bao Li

Who is the real Kiwi?

My primary identity is rooted in the Filipino community. What I write about is based on growing up as a Filipino in the U.S. I am definitely an L.A. cat at heart and that goes with me wherever I go. Though I am an emcee, I have a pretty introverted personality. However, even though I live inside my head sometimes, I feel like that actually helps with my lyrics. I am always processing. Asides from that, I am the son of a single mom, former gang member, and a high school drop out… and I say this not to glorify or tokenize that experience but to acknowledge that it’s what molded me into who I am today.

How did you get the name “Kiwi”?

Well, it’s nothing hella deep or anything. When I was younger, I used to have longer hair, dreads. But one day I cut it all off, and an elder teased me for looking like a kiwi because it was short and fuzzy. That’s where the name came from. My real name is Jack, but I don’t have much of an attachment to it.

What did you want to be when you growing up?

I wanted to be a baseball player, but I had a hard time in academics, so it was hard to stay on the team. Then I wanted to be a skateboarder. Being a rapper was the last thing I wanted to do. As far as hip hop, I actually wanted to be a DJ (like a lot of Filipinos where I was from).

Read more

Tags: Interview.

The Beats, Rhymes and Rice Tour made their way to Northeastern University and hit the Boston area by storm on November 8, 2007. It was the second show on the BRR Tour and it was a privilege to have Giles Li, Bao Phi and Kiwi on campus. Giles and Kiwi have performed at Northeastern in the past, but it was the first time for Bao. The night was filled with laughter, great poems and great music. It was the first time that I ever watched Kiwi perform live and he was everything that he was advertised. He was energetic, passionate and his rhymes were dope. With songs like “Good Music,” “Right Here, Right Now,” and “Turn It Around,” it was great just to listen to real Hip Hop and listen to lyrics that matter. I had watched Giles and Bao perform on the stage at UMASS Boston back in the Summer. It’s been months and when they get together this time, it’s like they didn’t miss a beat. They fed off each other and was the dynamic duo that they are. Giles performed “Crappy Xmas Poem in 7 Parts,” the crowd favorite “WHAT YEAH OKAY!” and a cover of “HEY YA!” Bao continued his “Nguyen” series and also read a poem that he wrote recently. The three artists were just awesome, keeping the audience entertained as well as inspiring them with their words.

Personally, this show was something that I always wanted to happen. When the opportunity arose, I jumped on it with the big help of Delia (Thanks!). It was hard work but it was worth it. I just want to take time to thank all the people that showed up and to all three artists for enlightening the Northeastern Asian American community with their words. For the students and people out there that think there are no talented Asian American artists or not a lot of Asian American heroes out there, well three were on the same stage that night at Northeastern University.

Tags: Concert, Recaps.

The Beats, Rhymes, and Rice Tour will be coming through Northeastern University. Sponsored by the Asian Student Union, Korean American Student Association, Vietnamese Student Association and the Asian American Center, the Beats, Rhymes and Rice tour features two well-loved spoken word poets and one dope emcee. You’ve heard about them here before: Bao Phi, Giles Li, and Kiwi (of the Native Guns). Funny how their names are all two syllables and rhyme.

The show will be preceded by a thirty minute open mic. I hear a rumor that our very own Long is going to be hosting. Bring your rotten tomatoes (just kidding). Show starts at 8pm at the Curry Student Center at Northeastern University.

Tags: Concert.