Native Guns
Encyclopedia
Native Guns was an American
rap group that consisted of two Filipino American
MC's and a Chinese American
DJ from California
. Based in both Los Angeles
and the San Francisco Bay Area
, the group consists of MCs Kiwi and Bambu, and DJ Phatrick. Their name is a play on the name of the Native Tongues Posse
which rose to popularity by offering a musical style that was alternative to the Gangsta rap
genre in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The group first collaborated in 2002 and recorded one full-length studio album and two mixtapes before their breakup in 2007.
-influenced to outright boom bap. Primarily consisting of English
, as is the standard for the majority of Filipino American hip hop groups, the duo's lyrics fuse Tagalog
in their tracks as well. This method of interchanging English and Tagalog, known as Taglish
, is used by both Filipinos and Filipino Americans to place emphasis on certain words or fragments of sentences.
In their lyrics, the group emphasizes social justice
and pride in their heritage, as well as solidarity with other people of color. Their lyrics also address the Filipino people's struggles in both in the Philippines as well as in America. Both American President George W. Bush
and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
are often criticized in their songs for their treatment of working-class citizens.
, and was featured as a Keynote Speaker at the 2007 Sandiwa Conference. Currently, Kiwi coordinates and co-facilitates the Hip Hop Workshop series for young folks at San Francisco's Filipino Community Center, and is working on his next solo album, The People's Pistol, due Spring 2008.
Bambu, also known as Buck Taylor, is originally from the Watts
community of Los Angeles. In his early career, he was part of the Bamboo Brigade and Poorhouse Projekts collectives before releasing his debut album, Self Untitled..., in 2002, as well as The .38 Revolver Mixtape in 2005. He released his second album, ...I Scream Bars for the Children..., on the 15th anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots on April 29, 2007. The album cover features Bambu eating popsicles with two children while a Ku Klux Klan member hangs from a noose in the background. Bambu released his latest full-length album, "...exact change..." on September 11 and set out on The Exact Change Tour with DJ Phatrick, which featured supporting acts, Ise Lyfe, Do D.A.T, D. Black, Zion I, EyeASage, Emassin, Khingz, Nam, Son Of Ran, Kronic Plague, Kore Ionz and Power Struggle. In April 2009, Bambu and DJ/producer
Fatgums
released an EP collaboration entitled, Beatrock Presents: Fatgums X Bambu ...A Peaceful Riot.... The musical chemistry between Bambu and Fatgums
has been likened to that of 9th Wonder
and Murs. Bambu is currently recording an untitled project with Do D.A.T. of the Oakland based rap group, The Attik.
.http://www.philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=82a564238a9a73f942e24244784e22ed. The group had a reunion concert at the 20th Annual Festival of Philippine Art & Culture in September 2011. http://www.bakitwhy.com/events/native-guns-reunion-performance-fpac-20 DJ Phatrick (born Patrick Huang) continues to tour with Bambu as on-stage DJ as he promotes his ...I Scream Bars for the Children... album. Kiwi is currently touring to promote his newest release, The Summer Exposure Mixtape a precursor for his second full-length studio album, which according to his MySpace
page is set for release in November 2007 and is yet-to-be titled.
as another watershed moment in his life.
Currently, they are deeply involved in organizing work in the Filipino community. Kiwi is most known for his affiliation with BAYAN
USA in the San Francisco Bay Area
while Bambu is most known as the Secretary General of Kabataang Maka-Bayan, Pro-People Youth in the Los Angeles
area. The interview has since been removed from www.popandpolitics.com but is transcribed on the group's MySpace blog
.
In a video documentary entitled The Guns Show directed by Tadashi Nakamura, Bambu reveals that he first became conscious to political issues after being exposed to Filipino prostitutes while stationed in the military in Japan
, although he would not specify which branch.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jhSFkUvg8I The Guns Show was originally uploaded to the group's MySpace page and has since been relocated to YouTube
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rap group that consisted of two Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
MC's and a Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
DJ from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Based in both Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, the group consists of MCs Kiwi and Bambu, and DJ Phatrick. Their name is a play on the name of the Native Tongues Posse
Native Tongues Posse
The Native Tongues is a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and later jazz-influenced beats. Its principal members are the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, and A Tribe...
which rose to popularity by offering a musical style that was alternative to the Gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
genre in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The group first collaborated in 2002 and recorded one full-length studio album and two mixtapes before their breakup in 2007.
Influences
Drawing from a diverse style of wide-musical influences, the Guns' sound is classified as ranging from hard-edged to reggaeReggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
-influenced to outright boom bap. Primarily consisting of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, as is the standard for the majority of Filipino American hip hop groups, the duo's lyrics fuse Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
in their tracks as well. This method of interchanging English and Tagalog, known as Taglish
Taglish
Taglish is a portmanteau of the words "Tagalog" and "English" which refers to the Philippine language Tagalog infused with American English terms. It is an example of code-switching....
, is used by both Filipinos and Filipino Americans to place emphasis on certain words or fragments of sentences.
In their lyrics, the group emphasizes social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and pride in their heritage, as well as solidarity with other people of color. Their lyrics also address the Filipino people's struggles in both in the Philippines as well as in America. Both American President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
are often criticized in their songs for their treatment of working-class citizens.
Solo careers
Kiwi, also known as Kiwi Illafonte or Young Bonifacio, is a Los Angeles native now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area who has been an integral part of the California independent hip hop scene for years, having begun rapping in the late 1980s. His first full-length album, Writes of Passage: Portraits of a Son Rising (which is part of the syllabus in San Francisco State's Filipino-American Literature Class), was released in 2003. He went on to release The Summer Exposure Mixtape in June 2007. He was also the former host/producer of Apex Express on 94.1FM KPFA in Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, and was featured as a Keynote Speaker at the 2007 Sandiwa Conference. Currently, Kiwi coordinates and co-facilitates the Hip Hop Workshop series for young folks at San Francisco's Filipino Community Center, and is working on his next solo album, The People's Pistol, due Spring 2008.
Bambu, also known as Buck Taylor, is originally from the Watts
Watts, Los Angeles, California
Watts is a mostly residential neighborhood in South Los Angeles, California.-History:The area now known as Watts is located on the Rancho La Tajauta Mexican land grant...
community of Los Angeles. In his early career, he was part of the Bamboo Brigade and Poorhouse Projekts collectives before releasing his debut album, Self Untitled..., in 2002, as well as The .38 Revolver Mixtape in 2005. He released his second album, ...I Scream Bars for the Children..., on the 15th anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots on April 29, 2007. The album cover features Bambu eating popsicles with two children while a Ku Klux Klan member hangs from a noose in the background. Bambu released his latest full-length album, "...exact change..." on September 11 and set out on The Exact Change Tour with DJ Phatrick, which featured supporting acts, Ise Lyfe, Do D.A.T, D. Black, Zion I, EyeASage, Emassin, Khingz, Nam, Son Of Ran, Kronic Plague, Kore Ionz and Power Struggle. In April 2009, Bambu and DJ/producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Fatgums
Fatgums
Eric Strand , better known as Fatgums, is an American record producer, hip hop DJ and independent record label owner/president. He is best known for his work with rapper Bambu of the now defunct rap group Native Guns...
released an EP collaboration entitled, Beatrock Presents: Fatgums X Bambu ...A Peaceful Riot.... The musical chemistry between Bambu and Fatgums
Fatgums
Eric Strand , better known as Fatgums, is an American record producer, hip hop DJ and independent record label owner/president. He is best known for his work with rapper Bambu of the now defunct rap group Native Guns...
has been likened to that of 9th Wonder
9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
and Murs. Bambu is currently recording an untitled project with Do D.A.T. of the Oakland based rap group, The Attik.
Group career
In May 2007, the group announced that they had "mutually decided to continue their careers as solo artists" and that they would be breaking up. Their final performance was on May 19, 2007 in Honolulu, HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.http://www.philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=82a564238a9a73f942e24244784e22ed. The group had a reunion concert at the 20th Annual Festival of Philippine Art & Culture in September 2011. http://www.bakitwhy.com/events/native-guns-reunion-performance-fpac-20 DJ Phatrick (born Patrick Huang) continues to tour with Bambu as on-stage DJ as he promotes his ...I Scream Bars for the Children... album. Kiwi is currently touring to promote his newest release, The Summer Exposure Mixtape a precursor for his second full-length studio album, which according to his MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page is set for release in November 2007 and is yet-to-be titled.
Personal life
In a June 2006 interview with www.popandpolitics.com reporter Zoneil Maharaj, Native Guns explained more about how their personal backgrounds. Both Kiwi and Bambu are former gang members who have chosen to redirect their energies in a more positive direction. Bambu discloses that he was immersed so deeply into the gang lifestyle that he was jailed for armed robbery before he even graduated from high school. When asked, they refused to mention their former affiliations by name in order to refrain from promoting the gang lifestyle in any way. Bambu also cites reading The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X was published in 1965, the result of a collaboration between Malcolm X and journalist Alex Haley. Haley coauthored the autobiography based on a series of in-depth interviews he conducted between 1963 and Malcolm X's 1965 assassination...
as another watershed moment in his life.
Currently, they are deeply involved in organizing work in the Filipino community. Kiwi is most known for his affiliation with BAYAN
BAYAN
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan or Bayan is a leftist political coalition in the Philippines. Bayan is associated with political parties Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women's party, and Kabataan...
USA in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
while Bambu is most known as the Secretary General of Kabataang Maka-Bayan, Pro-People Youth in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area. The interview has since been removed from www.popandpolitics.com but is transcribed on the group's MySpace blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
.
In a video documentary entitled The Guns Show directed by Tadashi Nakamura, Bambu reveals that he first became conscious to political issues after being exposed to Filipino prostitutes while stationed in the military in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, although he would not specify which branch.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jhSFkUvg8I The Guns Show was originally uploaded to the group's MySpace page and has since been relocated to YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Native Guns
- Stray Bullets Mixtape Vol. 1 (2004)
- Barrel Men (2006)
- Stray Bullets Mixtape Vol. 2 (2007)
Kiwi
- Writes of Passage: Portraits of a Son Rising (2003)
- The Summer Exposure Mixtape (2007)
Bambu
- Self Untitled... (2002)
- The .38 Revolver Mixtape (2005)
- ...I Scream Bars for the Children... (2007)
- ...Exact Change... (2008)
- Beatrock Presents: Fatgums X Bambu ...A Peaceful Riot... (2009)
- ...Paper Cuts... (2010)
- DJ Muggs & Bambu - Los Angeles, Philippines (2010)
- ...Exact Change... Reloaded (2011)
- Prometheus Brown and Bambu Walk Into A Bar (2011)