Laying Down the Tracks
Historic hip hop comp to benefit Asian American youth
By Hua H. Hsu

How do model minorities keep it real? Hip-hop culture has always upheld a standard of “realness” that exists halfway between the triflest ghetto and the squeekiest suburban strip mall. But despite hip hop’s huge following among Asian Americans, splintered and sprinkled among both of these locales, API reality remains invisible through hip hop’s lens of credibility.

The recently released Elephant Tracks, a groundbreaking compilation by San Francisco’s Asian Improv Records (AIR) and the U.C. Santa Cruz’s Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA) sets to change that and, in the process, educate people about the experiences of Asian America that aren’t captured by crude stereotypes.

While Elephant Tracks spotlights underground talent representing all colors of the rainbow, what makes this effort extraordinary is the statement it makes about Asian Americans. Over half the artists are of Asian descent and proceeds benefit APISA’s annual youth conference. It is also the first major collection of Asian American hip-hop artists, boasting established underground MCs (Lyrics Born of Latyrx, Mountain Brothers, Key Kool), world-famous DJ crews (Beat Junkies, 5th Platoon), and smaller, local artists (AME, Stalagmytez, KNT).

Los Angeles’ Beat Junkies and the bi-coastal 5th Platoon represent the cult of turntablism on Elephant Tracks, slicing hard-hitting sure shots with wrist-arresting cuts. Along with Bay Area pioneers the Invisbl Skratch Piklz, these universally-recognized Asian American hip-hop heavyweights continually sharpen the cutting edge of DJ-orchestrated music.

Along with the talent behind the decks, Elephant Tracks proves just as strong in terms of lyrics. Those who’ve been sleeping get a second chance with previously released gems by locals Latyrx (“Regions”) and Encore (“Defined by the Dollar”), the latter a beautiful, piano-backed anthem for the “blue-collar baller.” Oakland underground darlings Zion I and 427 bring exclusive tracks of their own as well as a majestic posse cut called “No Illusion” with New York’s Anomolies.

The spiritual center of Elephant Tracks is undoubtedly “Community” by Philadelphia’s Mountain Brothers. The trio’s trademark thick, jazzy, butter beats bless the track. But rather than the clever rhyme metaphors and off-beat humor found on their debut album Self: Volume I, they take a more direct approach here. Giving voice to everyday struggles of the Asian American experience, the three members spin intertwining stories of workplace discrimination and police harassment over a dour bass line.

Throughout the album, emphasis is on the artistry and common cause -- not which artists are Asian American. As AIR creative director Francis Wong put it, “These artists just need more recognition.”

On a similar vibe, executive producer Christine Padilla explained, “It was very important to have involvement, support and representation of API artists. However, having a diverse representation from the hip-hop community was reflective of our goal to support youth.”

As well as being a globally-feared battle DJ, Kuttin Kandi of the 5th Platoon has worked closely with community groups as a member of the Anomolies. She and rapper Helixx C. Armageddon started the collective in 1995 to bring unity among women in hip hop, and the pair also hook up here for the soulful “Remember the Way.”

Now the Anomolies boast representatives from all four corners of hip hop (MC-ing, DJ-ing, graffiti writing, break dancing) and beyond.

“By doing a compilation such as this, (we) are showing the Asian youth and many other youths it doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, where you live, what you want; all types of people can listen to all types of music (and) any person can make any type of music,” Kandi said.

While Elephant Tracks testifies to these advances within hip-hop culture, APISA makes a striking statement about higher education and community identity. Long misunderstood as a model minority, over-represented on college campuses, Asian Americans who live outside the stereotypical boundaries are rarely acknowledged.

APISA targets predominantly lower-income Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian students and seeks to put all Asian youth on track to college. The UC Santa Cruz-based student group sees education as key, and their efforts converge at the annual high school motivational conference Elephant Tracks is helping to fund. The conference’s workshops focus on issues of identity and pride and demystify higher education.

One of the last tracks is the “Love (Hip Hop)” by Los Angeles’ multicultural Visionaries crew. The five rappers trade furious lines with urgent messages of love to hip hop, the culture that sustains them. The musical statement brings all people together into the collective culture of hip hop. That hip hop can be used as a tool for education and means of inspiration makes that culture one worth embracing.

That statement also applies to bringing together the diverse Asian American community. While income, geography, education and national origin may fracture APIs, the aim of groups like APISA and AIR is to promote an understanding of “community” that is representative and inclusive of all Asians. Keep it real?

It doesn’t get much realer than this.

Elephant Tracks is available for $12 online at http://www.asianimprov.com.