 Rebel Diaz Merges Hip Hop
and Community Organizing
By Robert Waddell, March 16, 2009
In an industrialized and desolate area of the South Bronx, near 149th street and Southern Boulevard, where warehouses sell enormous bags of pretzel sticks and cases of 50 cent juices to stock bodega shelves, an oasis has emerged. Rebel Diaz Arts Collective is a large space on the second floor of one of these warehouses with parquet floors, a performance area, a recording studio and computer room for local artists and community activists.
The arts space is the brain child of the hip hop group Rebel Diaz. The name rebel for an artistic insurgence, Diaz because it is a common Latino name and pronounced together becomes the Spanish word for rebellion. And the insurrection here is a merging of hip hop with activist social justice issues, rap music with a conscience and a responsibility to community.
Rebel Diaz is a new hip hop group, consisting of brothers RodStarz and G1 and female singer Lah Tere, who rap of organizing, police brutality, “revolutionaries from the hood,” as they rap on “Dem Dayz” one of their songs. Their music is fluid, understandable with pulsing bilingual hip hop, House music and a touch of indigenous Latin American music. Rebel Diaz, whose members are all from Chicago, combine Hunts Point urban with revolutionary verve. In 2006, Rebel Diaz performed at a huge immigration rally in front of 500,000 where they solidified themselves as a hip hop group.
“Was it an accident?,” said Lah Terre, “I don’t think it was an accident. I think it was right on time with the work we were doing in the community. People recognizing that hip hop is a tool.”
It is Lah Tere who sings with machine gun rhymes, passionate tough lyrics and an unapologetic connection to political prisoners like Lolita Lebron. Rodstarz said that hip hop’s existence is in itself a political statement because of the community it comes from.
“This grows out of conditions of poverty in the South Bronx,” said Rodstarz. “The music that we do, we’re trying to continue a legacy of music that in communities that has always been there which is la musica de protesta….hip hop is the soundtrack to hoods all over the world.”
G1 and Rodstarz are originally from Chile and grew up in Rogers Park in Chicago. Lah Tere, who is Puerto Rican, grew up in the Humbolt Park section of the Windy City.
“Me and my brother being the sons of Chilean political exiles,” said G1, “…we reinterpret that past, in our music, in terms of sampling,…putting them into a present day context. Our music encompasses the Caribbean feel, the Latin American folk scene from the 60s and 70s, Chicago House.”
Four years ago, G1 was studying music at NYU, Lah Tere was in New Jersey and Rodstarz was still in Chicago. The two brothers got together and started recording music in New York City. Lah Tere, who went to college with Rodstarz, was invited to spend Christmas 2005 with the brothers, then they all found themselves creating music together. The brothers soon found Lah Tere a job and convinced her to move to New York City. One of their first live performances was at Rutgers University and the day after they were at the massive Immigration rally.
“And that was it,” said Rodstarz.
Rebel Diaz has already released two albums and a documentary is being made about the group. They opened the arts collective in order to create community and have a space for artistic expression. Rebel Diaz Arts Collective is a combination meeting hall, community center and performance and rehearsal space.
 “Right now our focus is the collective space,” said Lah Tere, “So we have a foundation and can be inspired to make music….Our focus has been police brutality, immigration and gentrification….As the woman of the group my work encompasses speaking out against domestic violence in every way shape or form.”
Last year, Rebel Diaz was located in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx at La Pena del Bronx. This section of the South Bronx is already experiencing gentrification like what has already happened in El Barrio. Rodstarz and G1 interceded to help interpret for a produce street vendor who was being harassed by the police and they themselves were arrested for obstruction of justice.
“What’s happening to us is nothing new in the South Bronx,” said Rodstarz, “young people are being arrested for no reason. They’re doing sweeps….One of the first steps in gentrification is occupation, which is what’s happening in the South Bronx.”
G1 added that a good part of Rebel Diaz’s political work is educating young people about police brutality and the police’s scare tactics. Rebel Diaz wants to give youth an opportunity to educate themselves. And, he said that getting rid of street vendors makes the neighborhood more palpable to developers who are moving in. For the three performers it is matter of principal to create palpable and responsible hip hop while taking care of the community from which the music emerges and springs forth.
“We’re trying to make music and spread the message,” said Rodstarz, “And at the same time, not only addressing issues but having a space for celebrations. Our music is pointing in the direction of being positive, not just pointing out the negatives.”
This story was developed through the Education Beat Writing Fellowship at the New York Community Alliance. |
