Blog - The Draze Experience

My relationship to hip hop has always been complicated by my upbringing as a fourth generation black feminist. I love music and great beats, but lately I’ve found mainstream hip hop to be intolerable.

I’m sick of the word “nigger” and the way hip hop seems hell bent on claiming it as though internalizing racism somehow makes it more palatable. I find equally profane songs filled with repetitive, unimaginative lyrics depicting rape culture and capitalism at it’s worst. I can’t dance to that. I set Pandora to Stevie Wonder and think longingly about a time when artists made music.

So when local musician and hip hop artist Draze login slot88 asked me to listen to his new mix tapeSeattle’s Own, I gave him my disclaimer and a chance to pick someone less likely to write a thesis on the impacts of bad lyricism on the human spirit.

Halfway through the first track, I thought okay, this is hip hop I don’t have to hate. Though there is as much profanity as there are bible references, neither deter from the dope beats and smart lyricism.

The title track, Seattle’s Own, is a vibrant salute to the 206 hip hop scene and includes over 50 shoutouts to various Seattle rappers and recording artists from Black Stax and Thee Satisfaction to Macklemore. Most of the list (Macklemore and Sir Mix-a-Lot excluded) are people judi slot online you wouldn’t hear on Kube 93 (back when they were actually playing hip hop… RIP) but who are making some creative and filthy albums also worth bumping.

Draze is Seattle’s Own – Seattle’s Next Emcee

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Eurweb

*You may have heard him on “Empire,” “Sports Center,” or even “Love and Hip Hop.”

Draze is an emerging emcee from the vibrant Emerald City music scene, and today, his debut mix tape “Seattle’s Own,” drops.

“I’m taking us back to real music,” explains the musician. “That’s what the ‘Draze Experience’ is all about. The content in my music is really layered, from street life, to social justice, to relationships. I try to write what is real. That’s why you hear real horns and real guitars, because I’m into authenticity, and I think my fans appreciate that.”

The performer credits artists like Nas, Outkast, Dr. Dre, and Bob Marley for influencing the depth in his sound and has opened for Snoop Dogg, Wale, and Floetry.

“The energy around Seattle music right now is crazy,” shares Draze.”I am happy to be a part of it. Getting co-signs from artists like Sir Mix-A-Lot and Macklemore is an honor. Now I’m just trying to grab the baton and run with it.”
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EMP Museum celebrates black history month with ‘Black Love’

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EMP

For Seattle hip-hop artist Draze, looking out each year at the diverse crowd at the EMP Museum’s black history month celebration, “Through the Eyes of Art,” is nothing short of glorious.

“I can’t explain the amount of joy I see on people’s faces in that building,” he said. “To love each other and get along, it’s just very rewarding.”
Draze has performed all three years https://www.acharacleprimaryschool.com/ at the show, which draws a wide range of fans, from high school students to older folks.

The 2016 event “Through the Eyes of Art” celebrates the theme “Black Love” through a visual art showcase by local black artists and photographers. There will also be an awards presentation, a panel discussion and live performances by Draze and Seattle’s Kimberly Nichole, who competed on last year’s season of NBC’s “The Voice.”
The panel features four situs judi slot online gampang menang African-American couples — some married for decades, others in relationships — to discuss topics like money, culture, communication and how they incorporate black love into their lives.

“The idea is that strong black love equals strong black families,” Draze said. “(By) black love, we mean love of self, love of one another, love of your culture and love of your partner.”

Folklife 2015 celebrates hip-hop and its roots

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Folklife, Seattle Times

Paul de Barros

Seattle Times music critic

Close your eyes and think “Northwest Folklife Festival.” What do you see?

A bluegrass fiddler? A juggler? A kid with face paint?
All those will be on hand, of course, when the 44th Northwest Folklife Festival gets under way at Seattle Center on Friday, May 22, but there will also be a surprise: hip-hop emcees and break dancers.

Festival preview
Northwest Folklife Festival
11 a.m.-10 p.m. May 22-24, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. May 25, Seattle Center, Seattle; free, donations requested (206-684-7300 or nwfolklife.org).

That’s right. The cultural focus of this year’s festival is “Beats, Rhymes and Rhythms: Traditional Roots of Today’s Branches,” a program that showcases hip-hop and a tribute to the late Dumi Maraire, who established the Zimbabwean marimba tradition in the Northwest more than 40 years ago.
There will also be break dancing, a graffiti exhibit, a scratch showcase, performances of spoken word, archival films and panel discussions about Seattle hip-hop history. (Refer to our daily list of highlights for details.)

“If we are representing the Northwest, we need to be talking about hip-hop,” explained Folklife’s director of programs, Kelli Faryar, who said she has been particularly pleased to see how local groups such as 206 Zulu, which offers break-dance programs for kids through Arts Corps, fits Folklife’s mission of “bringing communities together.”

Hip-hop may be a surprise for many Folklife fans, but it actually isn’t new to the festival. Back in 1994, the Memorial Day spree presented its first hip-hop showcase, which featured, among others, emcee Jace, whose appearance this year provides some nice historical continuity.

Best bets
NW Folklife Festival 2015: Daily highlights
Another historical nicety: “Beats, Rhymes and Rhythms” will feature one of Dumi Maraire’s sons, Dumi Jr., who raps under the handle Draze. (Another of Dumi’s sons is Tendai, half of the successful Seattle hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces.) Recently, Seattle rapper Macklemore retweeted a Draze song about Seattle gentrification, “The Hood Ain’t the Same.”

Black History Month gets a star-studded kickoff at EMP

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On Saturday night the EMP presented their Black History Month kickoff event “Through the Eyes of Art,” along with a special showcase featuring work from local artists and photographers called “The Value of Black Life.”

It was a full house with event tickets completely sold out — and for good reason. The stage was set for an inspirational evening with keynote judi slot online speakers including city council member Bruce Harrell, former National Director of Youth Engagement at World Vision Derrick Wheeler-Smith, and Mayor Ed Murray. Next up were performances by local favorite Draze and hip-hop veteran Talib Kweli.

But a lot of locals less accustomed to the spotlight got to shine as well. I was honored to have my photos included in the “Snap to Action” display slot gacor curated by the EMP Youth Advisory Board. The display focused on photographs of the recent Black Lives Matter protests across Seattle.

Talib Kweli, Draze kick off Black History Month at EMP

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EMP celebrates Black History Month with programs exploring the lives and legacies of African Americans and the African-American experience, kicking off with “Through the Eyes of Art” Saturday, Feb. 7, in the museum’s Sky Church with hip-hop performances by Talib Kweli and Draze and a display of work from regional artists and photographers in “The Value of Black Life” art showcase.

The “Snap to Action” photo display curated by EMP Youth Advisory Board, with images of protesters taking part in Black Lives Matter events in Seattle over the past several months, is on display through February in the museum’s Soundboard Alley. Special events through the month include a performance and discussion on the transformative power of dance by Northwest Tap Connection urban-dance studio Feb. 14, and videographers’ panel discussion and music video debuts at Black Collaboration: A Night of Music, Video, and Conversation Feb. 21.
EMP, a colorful Seattle landmark designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, has its roots in rock ’n‘ roll and describes its collections, exhibits and programs for all ages as “dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel popular culture.”

Curbed.com: Central District Changes Hightlighted In Hip-Hop

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Curbed Seattle, the hood ain't the same

As many Seattle neighborhoods experience growth, we often forget that there are others that might be getting left behind. Seattle hip-hop artist Draze recently released a music video for his song ‘The Hood Ain’t The Same,’ highlighting gentrification in the Central District and what may be the end of Seattle’s historically African-American neighborhood.

Hip-hop artist mourns gentrification of black Seattle neighborhood

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50 Next, Experieince Music Project, the hood ain't the same, The Skanner

the Grio – Hip-hop artist mourns gentrification of black Seattle neighborhood

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SEATTLE, Washington — It’s easy to see facts and figures charting Seattle, Washington’s real estate boom as a positive sign for the city’s economy.

But if you ask hip hop artist Draze, it merely charts the demise of his neighborhood, the Central District.

‘When I look at this place, I think it’s changing,” he said Tuesday. “In some regards, it’s over. It’s dead.”

Draze recently released a music video called “The Hood Ain’t The Same” about gentrification in the Central District and the end of Seattle’s African-American neighborhood.

“We have a responsibility to preserve it if we really want diversity,” explained Draze outside a long-abandoned African-American owned business, “We’re into diversity. We like the concept. But what is diversity if I don’t exist.”

Seattle Times – The pain of neighborhood change reflected in the lyrics of hip-hop artist Draze

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Seattle Times, the hood ain't the same

Every time I go to South Seattle and the Central District, I see more and more homes being renovated and new apartment buildings under construction. This city changes fast.

But homegrown hip-hop artist Dumi Maraire, best known as Draze, sees something my eyes have missed: The forces of gentrification are uprooting the black community.

“These used to be all black families and black-owned businesses,” Draze told me as I sketched him on the steps of his childhood home on South Orcas Street. “Nobody is here anymore.”

Including Draze, who now lives in more affordable Renton. I reached out to him after I stumbled upon a video of his most recent song, “The Hood Ain’t the Same,” on YouTube. Since he posted it less than a month ago it has been viewed more than 25,000 times.

Draze’s lyrics mention many black-owned businesses that no longer exist. What once was Sammie’s burgers on East Union Street is boarded up and covered with graffiti. The Silver Fork restaurant on Rainier Avenue South closed the day after he brought his crew to shoot the video last summer.

As he drove me around his old haunts in Rainier Valley and the CD, Draze shared his view of gentrification as eloquently as he does in his rap song: “The city is thriving,” he said, “but my community is dying. That doesn’t feel good.”

‘The Hood Ain’t the Same:’ Draze Brings Seattle Together on Gentrification

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50 Next, Experieince Music Project, the hood ain't the same, The Skanner

The Skanner Newspaper – ‘The Hood Ain’t the Same:’ Draze Brings Seattle Together on Gentrification

Draze, also known as Dumisani Maraire Jr., has an unequalled lineage in the Pacific Northwest: Born in Seattle, he is the son of Dumisani Maraire (1944-1999), the marimba superstar from Zimbabwe who became a University of Washington ethnomusicologist while igniting a musical movement throughout Oregon, Washington and beyond.

His mother, Lora Lue Chiorah, is a multi-talented educator, musician and dancer. His sister Chiwoniso Maraire (1976-2013) was the celebrated mbira artist and singer-songwriter behind the celebrated “Rebel Woman” and “Ancient Voices” recordings — she was called the “Zimbabwe Mbira Queen.” His brother, Tendai “Baba” Maraire, currently tours the globe as half of the Sub Pop experimental hip hop group Shabazz Palaces. Draze’s 12-year-old daughter Nya-J is already making a name for herself with original hip hop music performances and music videos.

Seattle Magazine – Who Will Do the Right Thing in the Central District?

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50 Next, Experience Music Project, Seattle Magazine, the hood ain't the same

In November, I moved from Wedgwood to Mount Baker, city-side near Massachusetts Ave. I moved for many reasons—to be closer to work and in a more urban setting, near better transit options and with great walkability, and, yes, for a more diverse experience. Among other things, I wanted to live somewhere where everyone did not look or live like me—and to be stretched and enriched by these new relationships. My husband and I focused our home search mostly in the Central District, and by chance, landed further south. Everywhere we looked was in the midst of neighborhood gentrification—which raised many questions for us including whether we would we be making life harder for the neighbors we would chose to live among? And what was our individual responsibility in these larger demographic shifts?

As the inner city development boom shows no sign of lagging, the issues of gentrification in the Central District are on the minds of many. Writer Naomi Ishisaka wrote “Saving the Soul of the Central District” in this month’s issue, looking into the current community and city efforts to preserve “Africatown” in the area along 23rd and MLK between Union and Jackson. It’s clear much is being lost as African-American and African immigrants and their businesses are priced out of the neighborhood. Protecting what makes the area unique is a murkier enterprise.

Only a couple weeks ago, local hip-hop artist Draze debuted his song and video “The Hood Ain’t The Same” during an event at EMP. It’s a pointed and moving lament about gentrification in the C.D., where he was born. It’s long on loss but makes no prescriptions.

Central Disrtrict News – Hip hop artist Draze releases music video about Central District gentrification

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50 Next, Central District News, Experieince Music Project, the hood ain't the same

Seattle hip hop artist Draze released a music video for his single “The Hood Ain’t the Same” earlier this month. The video shows landmarks and community members throughout the Central District and other south end communities.

“We could have just shot a bunch of buildings but it is the people who give these structures life. We wanted to highlight some of the real people touching the real community at a grass roots level.” says Draze. “As artists I think we have a responsibility to tell our truth to the people, regardless to how uncomfortable it may be. My city is alive but my community is dying, maybe this is my effort or Eulogy to get someone to care.” says Draze.

What the south end sounds like: Draze drops Seattle’s Own

Draze is Seattle’s Own – Seattle’s Next Emcee

EMP Museum celebrates black history month with ‘Black Love’

Folklife 2015 celebrates hip-hop and its roots

Black History Month gets a star-studded kickoff at EMP

Talib Kweli, Draze kick off Black History Month at EMP

Curbed.com: Central District Changes Hightlighted In Hip-Hop

Hip-hop artist mourns gentrification of black Seattle neighborhood

the Grio – Hip-hop artist mourns gentrification of black Seattle neighborhood

Seattle Times – The pain of neighborhood change reflected in the lyrics of hip-hop artist Draze

‘The Hood Ain’t the Same:’ Draze Brings Seattle Together on Gentrification

The Skanner Newspaper – ‘The Hood Ain’t the Same:’ Draze Brings Seattle Together on Gentrification

Seattle Magazine – Who Will Do the Right Thing in the Central District?

Central Disrtrict News – Hip hop artist Draze releases music video about Central District gentrification