Video: Earn Your Stripes Cipher Series

Earn Your Stripes is a new cipher series hosted by Oakland emcee Do DAT and Oakland DJ Aebl Dee at the Berkeley Adidas store. In the first episode Vallejo’s Moe Green, Sac’s Chuuwee and the Sco’s Jinx, DB and Troy took the mic in front of a full house. With DAT running the point, each emcee took 2 turns on the mic as Aebl Dee spun a dope eclectic set on the tables. The Fillmore’s DB and Troy fell flat, but Moe spit a couple solid verses from his Rocky Maivia tape, Jinx held it down for The City, and Chuwee got fuckin busy!  

Overall this is a great opportunity for up-and-coming spitters to showcase their abilities in a different type of venue in front of a different type of crowd. A certain demographic will go to a local rap show, but performing in a retail space on a diverse and legendary street means performing for the uninitiated. The Bay needs more creative spaces and events, but also more dope folks curating and documenting said events. Shout out to DAT, Aebl and the Clear View Collective for coordinating this function.