On Saturday afternoon I went, I saw, I conquered.  I gathered too. At the Capitol Hip Hop Soul Fest in Northeast (NE), I gathered new friends, flyers and flavor. Most of all, I found a community celebration with the words – well, raps, spins, graffiti and break dancing, or -- Hip Hop -- all over it.  

I opted for a cab to Marvin Gaye Park. The driver gave me an over share of all the times his cab had been robbed in that neighborhood. Still, in some perplexing way, he said it with such a light heart that it didn’t scare me.

I got dropped near 48^th and Division in NE, about one mile from the Minnesota Ave. Metro. The Park had just recently been revitalized. In 2001 when it was cleaned – community organizers threw away more than 78 abandoned cars, 20,000 bags of trash and 7,800 needles. Yikes, I remember thinking. I’m not in Indiana anymore.

Once inside the park, I loitered around different booths and people to see where I might find a story. I struck up a conversation with two friendly guys at a booth that was run by a positive guy named Kymone. They had games of chess going and he was hustling every person that walked by to converse.  He was a tall, educated black man with a gift communicating the troubles his community faces and how Hip Hop has given them a voice.

“I am inspired because of my history in this country. Black people have always been in resistance – cause everything we’ve gotten we had to fight for. Everything that has benefited black people in America, has benefited all people in America. And that’s what we’re here to continue to do. Make this place what its supposed to be, which is better.”

I went on to interview a few more people, which you can see in this video. Like Kymone, they were drawn to the event to share some message or make some difference. From a convincing Ralph Nader canvasser, to an aspiring musician, they all gladly talked with me – and you, about an election season that just might bring the first black President of the United States.

But like all Street Team adventures, they are not without a twist.

On the way out, I asked a cop if he could point me towards the Metro. He was leaning against his car shooting the ****.

I looked at him a little blank. In my head, all I could come up with was Umm. ****. Thinking about all the gear I had in my backpack -- I didn’t consider it a smart move. With no possibility of disguising my uncertainty, I asked.

“Is there any other way?”

His friend read my thoughts and pointed to my tripod.

“See that? They’re gonna see that and think to themselves – that right there’s a free carat,” he started to chuckle, “I wouldn’t walk through if I were you.”

Before I could say anything, the cop, jumped back in.

“I’ll drive you,” he said. “I don’t want to write up that police report later.”

The silence was filled with light hearted laughter.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m not here to file that kind of report either.”

Northeast’s Hip Hop Soul