Fifty years ago, the sounds of block parties began to vibrate through the Bronx spreading a new genre of music, dance and art called hip-hop across the world. In Reno, local hip-hop artists are also celebrating the passion they share for this culture and the community in town.
Natalia Chacon and Young Arima felt compelled to join the growing hip-hop movement in Northern Nevada because of their personal connection to the genre and the many ways to express themselves.
Eric Rodriguez-Gomez, who uses the stage name “Young Arima,” says that his passion for hip-hop began when a cousin of his taught him how to freestyle, which is when the MC – or master of ceremonies in hip-hop lingo - does an improvisation rap without first writing out the lyrics.
“We would always play like a Kanye West or Kendrick Lamar type beat and we would just start freestyling. And in high school, I used to write a lot of songs. I didn't have friends in high school, so I would like being in the library all the time, just writing music,” Young Arima said.
For Chacon, her passion stemmed from her father, who is a rapper and has a history in music production.
“He would demonstrate a lot of poetry,” said Chacon. “He wrote a lot of poetry growing up, and I thought it was the prettiest thing ever to be able to move people with your words in a way that was also put with music.”
At its core, one of the main teachings of hip-hop is about having fun and using talents that have been cultivated by the individual or group over time to express one’s true self. The essential elements of hip-hop include the MC, the deejay (DJ), the graffiti artist/writer, and the breakdancer/hip-hop dancer, among a few others. It is through hip-hop that people learn to recognize their own voice. But with that voice comes responsibility.
DJ Kool Herc, widely credited as a founding father of hip-hop, says that the genre isn’t about “keeping it real,” about one’s own conditions. To him, it’s about using the platform to speak up and out for the community, reminding one another of where they come from and the people they represent.
Reminding people of their roots is what also motivates Rafael Pineda, a local DJ and owner of the Oak Room and Lounge, to organize hip-hop events and bring more aspiring artists to the Biggest Little City.
“I had promoters that would come to me and they would literally beg me, ‘hey, please, let's do some hip-hop shows here. There is so much to offer. There is a crowd for that.’ And I started doing parties with One Vision who is one of the main promoters here [in Reno] for hip-hop.”
Pineda, who said that he was initially hesitant about mixing up both Latin and hip-hop music at his business, has now found it to be one of the most important aspects of his lounge.
And while Pineda takes pride in bringing a small taste of hip-hop to Reno, he stated that the genre wasn’t very welcomed at first. He noted that producers would complain of venues closing their doors to shows, specifically because of the types of problems that sometimes come with this audience.
“I was like, okay, let's work it out. Maybe we can start early and end the show early. That way we don't have issues,” he added.
Recently, Pineda and Chacon were shocked with the sudden cancellation of the Fuego Latin Cultural Fest. Pineda, who was set to host the event, stated the venue – the Glow Plaza at J Resorts – sent him an email 46 hours before the event was set to take place, citing concerns over “gang-affiliation” and “community safety.”
The event was set to take place Saturday August 19 and include performances by hip-hop artists like Chacon, Brray and Fulanito – a veteran merengue-style hip hop band from New York City –, who both would have had to fly into town for the event. Pineda is suing J Resorts for breach of contract and defamation.
Although the planning and extra accommodations set Pineda back nearly $200,000, he does not plan to stop from hosting or planning more hip-hop shows. He said that providing platforms for artists like Young Arima and Chacon has helped him to grow the hip-hop community in Reno.
“It's important to me because I try to create an environment of diversity and inclusion, and I want to have everybody that comes here to have a good time,” Pineda said.
This reporting is a partnership between Noticiero Móvil and KUNR.
