Enjoy this FRESHH submitted article by John, care of MixCrate.com. You can find the original article posted right here. If you have not done so you better check out MixCrate.com now for some of the deffest mixes online. Big ups to the MixCrate militia!
Here at Mixcrate, we’ve been talking a lot about the history of Hip Hop and the importance of recognizing its roots, so I thought that this would be a good time to start talking about some of the people and organizations that are actively working on the preservation of Hip Hop – rather than just talking about it.
I just happened to stumble across Seth Brimstone127 Schere’s P.A.T.H. project. I was intrigued and decided to dig a little deeper. P.A.T.H. stands for “Preserving, Archiving & Teaching Hip Hop History”. Now in its 3rd year, P.A.T.H. is a fully funded, 4-week summer program, geared towards South Florida’s teens (13-18). The program’s goal is simple: Educate & Entertain (Edutainment). Through the introduction of the four basic Hip Hop elements (DJing, MCing, B-Boying & Graffiti), the program fosters leadership skills and community values, and the youth are encouraged to pursue and develop their individual interests.
I was fortunate enough to speak with Seth about P.A.T.H.. We were able to make an instant connection, having both grown up when Hip Hop was just Hip Hop. It was a time (early 80s) when you weren’t just a “DJ”, or just a “Writer”, but you did it all and there were no distinctions between the “elements” – The fundamental that is clearly carried over into his current works.
I am amazed and humbled by Seth’s dedication and perseverance, and I applaud his willingness to work with our youth – our next generation of DJs, MCs, B-Boys/B-Girls, & Graffiti Artists. He started teaching B-Boy classes in 1997, and after almost 10 years, he was finally able to find a home for the P.A.T.H. project with the Miami Light Project. Seth’s motto is, “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop”, an attitude that tries to instill though community outreach programs, lectures, and Hip Hop events.
If you’re in the Miami area, make sure to put December 16th on your calendar, and check out the screening of P.A.T.H., a film by Dan Perez, at Artoconecto. And, if there’s enough interest, the Mixcrate Crew would love to help bring a screening of the documentary to the SF/Bay Area…
I’ve only touched the surface, so make sure to check out the P.A.T.H. & Brimstone127 sites!
