RZA & The Bishop in St. Louis Pt. 2
RZA & The Bishop Pt. 2
Rewind For a Second
Spin the record back real quick to the night before. I was preparing to rest my aching bones at the beautiful Cheshire Hotel after an epic dinner at Drunken Fish (my favorite sushi spot in the Central West End!). The day had been filled with my first look at the WCHOF lay out, I got my first viewing of Adiran O. Walker’s photography, Benjamin Kaplan’s short film Living Like Kings and an NPR interview among other things. It was a full day.
As my wife and I laid down and turned on the TV, breaking news came across the screen. Another Black man had been shot by police. His name was Vonderrit Myers. The cops said he had a gun, people on the scene said the young man had a sandwich and before long folks were in the street. This was salt in the raw wound of the pain of the Michael Brown killing by police. Racial tensions were high already. St. Louis did not need this. America, did not need this. As people gathered on the sidewalk, stormclouds gathered above. I can’t lie, the murder and the lightning kept me up. The Biblical verse “On earth as it is in heaven” was heavy on my mind. I got no sleep and Brooklyn was nowhere around.
Now Back To The Lecture At Hand
At 7:30 AM on morning of the opening I met RZA in the lobby of the Cheshire Hotel. Susan Barrett (the lady who planned all of the outreach for HHCF and RZA) had us set to go to the Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation to speak to 350–400 kids about chess, martial arts, nonviolence and life strategies. After that we were going to the St. Louis Family Court Juvenile Detention Center.
As I sat down in the limo, I reflected on how this is the second time I’ve been in a limo that was not headed to a funeral. All the limos I’ve been in were built for efficiency, not fun. This one had lights in the roof, iced water bottles in the lower walls and really soft leather. I needed to let myself like it. I had guilty twinges in my head for reasons I still do not understand. I slowly started to like it. But really, I did not have time to like it. There was much work to be done.
The streets were wet. It rained on and off most of the early part of the day. I actually love that kind of weather. As we moved quickly up the steps of Demetrious Johnson’s place, he greeted us as we walked in. He’s a big bear of a man, with a very warm smile and a fun disposition. He runs a ton of sports, arts and education programs out there. He, RZA, Susan Barrett and Rodney Hubbard and myself went to his office and talked a bit about the tension in the city and how he thought it was affecting Black youth in particular.
As we talked his center filled up quickly. Kids from all over the city were on hand. Demetrious introduced us, Susan opened the conversation and then RZA and I spoke together about our experiences. We let the kids know we were not there to judge them or preach to them, but just tell them about what we’ve seen over the years and ideas that can help them navigate these violent times.I explained that nonviolence was not a position of the weak. RZA shared many powerful stories of his observations on life and chess. He also spoke to the kids about the importance of having a serious work ethic and understanding the root reasons of why they want whatever they want.
L-R Demetrious Johnson, RZA, Adisa Banjoko, Rodney Hubbart and Susan Barrett
Photo by Adrian O. Walker
Then Adrian O. Walker joined the discussion. He gave the kids some much needed wisdom from a guy closer to their generation. He came from the same schools and streets they are in. That young man, if he stays on the path he’s on, will be a leader. St. Louis needs men like him.
After we spoke, we opened up the floor for questions. At first the kids were shy, but then they really opened up.
We had some funny and honest interaction together. It was really moving. The panel was closed by police Commander Major Robinson. When he first walked up I whispered to RZA that I thought this guy was going to have a hard time. I thought he was going to get heckled and disrespected. Given the shooting the night before I was sure these kids were going to ignore him, or attack him. This was one of the most courageous things I have personally witnessed, ever.
Major Ronnie Robinson gave one of the most realistic talks I have have seen a cop give.
Essentially, he told the kids he was from the same streets. He went on to explain what St. Louis culture was like, before crack. He talked about how media influences the choices a lot of us in Black America make. He cited movies like Superfly, Colors and New Jack City among others. This is something hard for kids today to envision, no matter where they live. But this, was raw reality. He continued explaining how only his mothers love and guidance kept him from falling victim to a lot of the same things most folks have fallen to. Finally, and this is unprecedented for me to personally witness…He told the kids if any police officers in his area are seen doing anything improper to come directly to him or Demetrious and he will investigate and get rid of anyone who is abusing their power. He repeated it several times. In a city so divided by issues of race and police, I think this was a huge step forward. The kids did to. The response was gigantic. I will never forget that moment. I hope more cops and more kids can begin to have those kinds of honest talks.
From there Susan, RZA and I went to the juvenile detention center. I scarfed down a veggie burger on the way as we reflected on the kids we just left. He played a good part of the new album, A Better Tomorrow, on his Boombotix speaker. The album production is pretty amazing. Nobody is slacking lyrically. My favorite songs were Ruckus in B Minor and Mistaken Identity. I talked with RZA about his method of recording the album. St. Louis needs a better tomorrow. I realized that is really why RZA came.
TJ Jones greeted us after we passed security. We could not film or photograph anything in the hall.
The detention center was co-ed. Co-ed juvenile halls really trouble me. Maybe because my own daughters are getting older. The faces of these girls, their mannerisms, smiles- remind me of my own girls. I hurts my heart to see them incarcerated.
Our talk was deep. I am going to post the audio up on www.bishopchronicles.com in a few days. It was super positive, with sprinkles of scared straight laced in there. RZA and I even did some Jiu-Jitsu (a wrist escape) to make a point about nonviolence and self control. The kids were very receptive. It was hard for me to read the room initially.
They loved us. After the talk we played chess with the kids together. RZA was on two boards, and I was on two boards. It was so fun. TJ had had told me most of the kids played already. He was right. That was the most memorable time of my trip. The smiling faces of those boys and girls in the hall. That hour and a half with them made everything I endured through the time it took to put Living Like Kings together worth it. Just when that emotion overtook me, it was time to head to the opening of the WCHOF.
Several times we talked about heading to Ferguson and Shaw (where the second shooting happened). But the pace of the day prevented that. I felt bad at first. Real bad. Then I remembered that we spent the day with the children of the city, putting in work. I reflected on how we planned to come back and that the whole city, not just Ferguson needed us. This calmed me.
I think the hardest part of turning over my ideas to the WCHOF on a personal level, was letting go of my work. When I started the HHCF I said to yourself , “I wish the whole world would get on board with this.” Then when the world starts to engage more fully, you get scared. You don’t always like other people interpretations of what you are doing. But this is what freedom of art, ideas and collaboration is about. This part of the process matured me. It forced me to grow up on a real level.
I told the crowd at the event that this exhibit was a lot like making a baby. It seems really cool at first, then it gets weird and serious. The last few months you just want the baby out and its painful. But in the end, its beautiful and everything is pretty amazing. I still feel that way. This is an original, truly historic event and we hope it helps heal all of St. Louis and guide them to a higher level of understanding, unity, and peace. I’m thankful to all involved from WCHOF and the Saint Louis Chess Club.
As soon as RZA and I got into the car to head to the WCHOF, I said “I appreciate you coming out here. It’s been pretty amazing. We’ve done a lot in the last 8 years.”
“We have indeed ” The Abbot of Shaolin said looking out the window. Then he turned to me and said “ And we have much more to accomplish in the next 8.”
He was right. These were merely the opening moves. It took 8 years of blogging, youtube clips, events, mentoring, triumphs, failures, big lectures, late night research and broken promises and new dedicated alliances to get here. Yet it is only the beginning. Still my middlegame and endgame strategy is clear and I cannot do it alone. My love for the city of St. Louis has never been stronger. RZA and I have already mapped out plans to launch a chess and martial arts program in St. Louis. More updates soon. Much love.
I want to take a quick moment to thank Josh Waitzkin, Jennifer Shahade, Maurice Ashley, Eric Schiller, Vinay Bhat, Daniel Naroditsky, David Frazee, and others from the chess world who have helped me over the years. You not not only supported my crazy vision, you helped me mature and understand so much about chess and life I could have never known without you. It has not gone unnoticed and I will find ways to repay you all.
Dr. James Peterson (you kept me on task even when we were not in contact). Also massive shouts to Dominic and Vanessa Fontana, Crayone, RMK Klothing, RTSB, Brian Coleman, Dr. Joe Schloss, Dr. Daaim Shabazz, Eugene Brown, Rap Rehab, Nicole Hodges-Persley, and my folks at the Cornell and Harvard Hip-Hop Archives.
My Hip-Hop family gotta get love, Rakaa Iriscience, Nim One, DLabrie, Rahman Jamaal, JT The Bigga Figga, Sunspot Jonz, Quadir Lateef and Jasiri X, Thembisa and T-Mor, Souls of Mischief, DJ Havik, DJ Don Mega, Andrew Bigs, DJ Rob Flow (thanks for hooking up HHCF Street Games Vol. 1) Christie Z and Popmaster Fabel, All Tribes Zulu Nation, San Jose Zulu Nation and others really looked out for me.
Our biggest support however, was from the martial arts community. Especially the Kung Fu and Jiu-Jitsu communities. Gene Ching of Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine, Scotty and Gumby from OTM, Ulysses Gomez, Open Mat Radio, Denny Prokopos, Kurt Osiander, Nicholas Greene, Luke Stewart, Sergio Silva, Leo Jones Jr., Billy Ray Chubbs, CTRL Industries, Dr. Peter Goldman, Jupiter Jiu Jitsu (my first sponsor!) DSTRYR SG, (we always fam) Ralek, Ryron and Rener Gracie, Chris Nguyen and all my brothers at Heroes Martial Arts made so much happen.
Mike Relm (my Asian brother from another mother) , Elaine Moskowitz Mama Bev, G and Leo (you guys held me down in one of the darkest phases of my life). Kay Hones, Clyde Smith, Vince Bayaan, Arash Daneshzadeh, Kevin Hwa, Tomie Lenear, Joey Amanchukwu, Ali Asadullah, Jaimo Adams. Chris Corrales, Mikael Santini. These are people who to you mean nothing. But these were some of the people, just some of the people who worked to help HHCF when nobody cared at all.
Once again, everyone at the St. Louis Chess Club and the World Chess Hall of Fame must all be thanked. There is no better time for an exhibit like this in the city. Neither of us knew then the importance of what we were doing for the city almost three years ago. May we all be made wiser and come closer from having accomplished it. If you are passing through the city, you need to go see it.
You might think I’m just shouting random people out to sound cool. I’m not. This is just a short list of those who helped me. They must be thanked.
For more information on HHCF visit www.hiphopchessfederation.org or follow @realhiphopchess on Instagram or @hiphopchess on Twitter.
