Whatup HNDP,
It's Halloween and set to be a rainy Friday night in Los Angeles - stay safe out there folks!
Of course Halloween isn't the only holiday this weekend, Sunday brings Dia De Los Muertos, which has over at HNDP thinking back to one of our favorite D.O.D events.
Back in 2010 HNDP was invited to participate in the epic Dia De Los Muerto's celebration sponsored by Self Help Graphics at the East Los Angeles Civic Center.
Didn't know East LA had a civic center? Us either, but when we got there, all we could think was - what a stage! HNDP was on the bill to participate in the evenings performances, and seeing the awesome floating stage everyone was buzzing with excitement.
Leading up to that night HNDP was going down every Friday in East LA @ SHG. At that time, SHG was being run from the iconic building @ 3802 Gage St . Using the traditional print space we would host practice sessions for the local breakers, run writing workshops for HNDP artists and even setup impromptu recording spaces . As part of the promo for SHG's event, we went out at shot this promo video using nothing but an iPhone 4:
And so the HNDP crew was tasked with the D.O.D. gig and we assembled our team. With us, the world famous LA Breakers - bringing their seasoned vet e-wreck along with the youngest recruit bboy drew in to lead the charge. On musical performances the group's No Not Us and the nuAi tribe came to rock the evening with hip hop music.
As we walked towards back-stage Rocio Ponce on fire with her energy with La Bestia for the hillside of onlookers. We received word that EVOKORE has sent out a tweet about La Resistencia. The buzz is getting out and the East LA Ska scene starts to spill in visibly. Rocio wraps up and we're on.
The lights are bright, the people are cheering, and the LA Breakers ignite the stage. BBOY Drew steals the show pulling off amazing headspins on concrete. LA Breakers animate to life and awe the audience.
No Not Us and nuAi are passed the wireless mic's from comedian Felipe Esparza whose got the crowd in their best spirits. With some uplifting hip hop performances the crowd is the most full its been the entire evening. Finally HNDP concludes its set to the sound of applause. LA Resistencia is up next and East LA erupts into a ska DOD party for the rest of the night.
As the evening winds down, we take a spin around the event. We visit each of the community alters reflecting on life and the memories we hold. Amidst the 10 foot tall calaka's, little kids in calavera face paint, pan de muerto and champurado, the night is alive with energy. Self Help has pulled off another historic celebration, and we couldn't be more proud to have been part.
Happy Halloween and DOD 2014! - Halloween N DA PAINT Blog Team
HNDPLA Recaps by HNDP LA BLOG TEAM. Photographs by HNDP LA.