Presented in partnership with University of Washington Press and Elliott Bay

The virtual event will include a conversation with Daudi Abe, King Khazm, Jeromeskee, and Nasty-Nes with featured performances from Fever One and Julie-C.

Signed books will be mailed shortly after the event.

From the first rap battles in Seattle’s Central District to the Grammy stage, hip hop has shaped urban life and the music scene of the Pacific Northwest for more than four decades.

In the early 1980s, Seattle’s hip-hop artists developed a community-based culture of stylistic experimentation and multiethnic collaboration. Emerging at a distance from the hip-hop centers of New York City and Los Angeles, Seattle’s most famous hip-hop figures, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Macklemore, found mainstream success twenty years apart by going directly against the grain of their respective eras. In addition, Seattle has produced a two-time world-champion breaking crew, globally renowned urban clothing designers, an international hip-hop magazine, and influential record producers.

In Emerald Street, Daudi Abe chronicles the development of Seattle hip hop from its earliest days, drawing on interviews with artists and journalists to trace how the elements of hip hop—rapping, DJing, breaking, and graffiti—flourished in the Seattle scene. He shows how Seattle hip-hop culture goes beyond art and music, influencing politics, the relationships between communities of color and law enforcement, the changing media scene, and youth outreach and educational programs. The result is a rich narrative of a dynamic and influential force in Seattle music history and beyond.

About the author:

Daudi Abe

Daudi Abe is a Seattle-based professor, writer, and historian who has taught and written about culture, race, gender, education, communication, hip-hop, and sports for over 20 years. He is the author of the book 6 ‘N the Morning: West Coast Hip-Hop Music 1987-1992 & the Transformation of Mainstream Culture and From Memphis and Mogadishu: The History of African Americans in Martin Luther King County, Washington, 1858-2014 at www.BlackPast.org. His work has appeared in The Stranger and The Seattle Times, and he has appeared on national media such as MSNBC and The Tavis Smiley Show. Abe holds an MA in human development and a PhD in education from the University of Washington. His forthcoming book is Emerald Street: A History of Hip-Hop in Seattle.

About the panelists:

Nasty-Nes

A native of the Philippines, it was in 1970 when “Nasty-Nes” Rodriguez relocated to the United States where his dreams became a reality. By 1980, Nes debuted the West Coasts first ever all rap radio show “Freshtracks” on Seattle’s 1250 KFOX. By 1985, NastyMix Records— an independent record label co-founded by Nes— was born. Sir Mix-A-Lot became the first artist on their roster which gave NastyMix 2 Gold & Platinum RIAA Certified Albums. By 1988, Nes took his rap radio show ‘Rap Attack’ to KCMU and his ‘Hotmix’ show to KUBE 93. Nes finally turned off his mic after 17 years on the Seattle airwaves in September 1997 to relocate to Southern California where he became the Rap Editor for HITS Magazine. Nes is the CEO & founder of www.RapAttackLives.com breaking & promoting new Hip Hop music to College Rap radio shows since 1985.

King Khazm

King Khazm is a multifaceted artist, producer, and community organizer who has become a prominent figure in the Hip-Hop community within Seattle and around the world. His work to engage and empower communities is demonstrated through over 25 years of art and community service.

Khazm serves as a board member of paralysis support organization The Here & Now Project, commissioner of the Seattle Commission for People with disAbilities, board member of King County arts funding agency 4Culture, manager of the historic venue/community space Washington Hall, executive director of record label Fresh Chopped Beats, and executive director of community organization 206 Zulu.

Julie-C

Julie-C has been emceeing and cultural organizing through Northwest Hip Hop for over 20 years. Her passion is flowing and growing the intersections of culture, community, creative resistance and resilience. As an artist hailing from the Seattle legacy of Poetry Experience and the legendary Alpha Platoon crew, she has been blessed to connect with and serve a broad base of local and national urban arts and cultural collectives over the years including 206 Zulu, B-Girl Media, Hip Hop Congress, Umojafest PEACE Center, Hidmo/Cypher, Concuss, BOC Music, and more. She is primary liaison of Seattle Artist Coalition for Equitable Development, and organizes with Seattle COVID-19 Mutual Aid Solidarity Action Network, Decriminalize Seattle, Seattle Independent Artist Sustainability Effort, as well as serves as adult mentor for the Hydrant. More recently her work with Blue Cone Studios and Forever Safe Spaces seeks to directly address housing and resource disparity in the local creative ecosystem. You can find her on Converge Media as a writer and correspondent, through her newest musical endeavor - Sovereign Queendom Archives Vol. 1, streaming everywhere and available for purchase at www.sovereignqueendom.com, by following @JouleSea on IG @JulieChang206 on Twitter, or just out here on the Emerald City pavements.

Fever One

Fever One is a member of the world famous Rock Steady Crew. He was chosen as one of the representatives from three generations of b-boys to teach on "DMC B-Boy Foundations" instructional video. He has lectured about the history of hip-hop at Yale, Princeton, Rutgers, and the University of Washington where he was invited "to provide firsthand knowledge of the local scene and its history". He has had the opportunity to perform in many prestigious venues: Lincoln Center with The Roots, Madison Square Garden where he choreographed for and performed with salsa singer Huey Dunnbar, Carnegie Hall with Wyclef Jean, and again at Madison Square Garden for the VH1 Fashion Awards with Cuba Gooding Jr. He has walked the runway for Enyce clothing during New York Fashion Week, appeared on VH1’s Holla’ Back TV show, judged the Freestyle Fridays on Black Entertainment Television’s 106th & Park; and appeared on BET’s hip-hop show, "The Basement". The Source, Jane, XXL, Stress and Blaze are just a few of the many magazines in which he has appeared. He was also a guest performer on ABC's Dancing With the Stars as part of the Rock Steady Crew. He co-starred in, co-wrote, and co-produced the 2008 Caid Productions' award winning documentary "Way Of The Bboy".

Currently, he resides in Seattle and continues to pass down the b-boy tradition through teaching classes, events, judging, and choreographing internationally. To this day, his 'gunzblazin' style continues to influence b-boys/b-girls around the world. A large part of his teaching time is spent working with Art Corps, Seattle's largest non-profit youth arts educator.

He and co-host DJ Miguel Rockwell spin old school classics and new school heaters on their weekly internet radio show, TRUE RADIO.

Jeromeskee

B-Boy | Choreographer | Coach

Crews: Massive Monkees | DVS

Jeromeskee started breaking in 1996 and has been performing in breaking events and competing in battles ever since. Jeromeskee is a co-founder of Massive Monkees, a world-renowned hip-hop\breaking crew.

 Massive Monkees are 2-time world champions, were featured on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” and MTV’s Video Music Awards, and have been seen on Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Ellen, and in NBA halftime shows. Jeromeskee has also been a guest performer on "Dancing With The Stars."

 Jeromeskee choreographed for and was featured in Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ award-winning “Downtown” music video. 

 Jeromeskee has participated in, judged, and performed for numerous B-boy competitions throughout the world in the U.K, France, Denmark, Poland, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ukraine, Mexico, Israel, Italy, Canada, and dozens of cities across the U.S. In many of these countries, he has won prestigious B-boy titles.

 Jeromeskee has taught workshops and performed in shows for many corporations, publications, and universities worldwide. Jerome is the founder of Massive Break Challenge, a school-vs-school youth breaking league that has served over 20 different schools in the State of Washington. For over 17 years, Jeromeskee has worked with the youth at after-school programs and he's currently a full-time breaking coach.