Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The Daily Cougar
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7
EDITOR Jose Aguilar E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts
EVENTS
MUSIC
Houston’s prominent public figures in rap music invited to speak at UH
spin R&B, electronic
Universities explore local hip-hop culture Student DJs Jose Aguilar
Show tries to educate listeners through artist biographies, background stories
THE DAILY COUGAR A conference on the history and effects of DJ Screw and Houston hip-hop will take over the University Center Houston Room from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on March 28, but you need to register by Friday if you want to hear rappers Chingo Bling, Paul Wall and others during the panels. “Awready!: The Houston Hip-Hop Conference” is a collaboration between the University of Houston Libraries, the Houston Enriches Rice Education Project, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts and the UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences African American Studies program. A component of the conference is “A Screwed Up History,” an all-day series of panels. Featured rappers include Bling and Wall along with E.S.G., K-Rino, Lil Keke, Willie D and Z-Ro. Julie Grob, coordinator of Digital Projects and Instruction for UH Libraries Special Collections, is the curator of the hip-hop collection created two years ago. “This is really a kick-off for the collection, so this is a one-time-only opportunity,” Grob said. “As a library, holding a conference isn’t a main part of our mission, so it’s something special we’re doing to let people know about the collection and to try to kick off more interest and research in the collection and in the collection that Rice is developing too.” People in the hip-hop community are really excited about the conference. People from across Texas and the nation are coming in for the conference. Many local and national rappers have been really receptive to the conference for a couple of reasons, Grob said. “For one, they like having their work valued and seeing it in an academic context, but also I think because the conference is very focused on DJ Screw and he was a really well-loved figure in the Houston hip-hop scene,” Grob said. “I think a lot of people have come forward
Kim Grady
THE DAILY COUGAR
us a complimentary homemade pineapple beverage to wash down all those spices. If you want fast and quality Mexican food with a South Asian kick, then Hamza Halal Taco is the perfect spot for a quick bite. Hamza Halal Taco is located on Hillcroft, just 25 minutes away from campus making it accessible and affordable for UH students.
“Drop Box,” one of the shows on UH’s student-operated Coog Radio station is hosted by computer information systems major Ashton Vaughn and his friend Omari Cato on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 to 11 p.m. “I always wanted to DJ and be a radio host,” Vaughn said. “As soon as I saw this opportunity I grabbed it.” “Drop Box” consists of a variety of music. The predominant sound during Vaughn’s segment is electronic, with a twist of old school R&B and occasional hip-hop music. “When it comes to hip-hop, I tend to gravitate to the boom bap and electronic indie styles,” said Vaughn, a passion-driven graphic designer. “To me, the boom bap is reminiscent to the golden era of hip-hop, the style I grew up on.” Some of the artists Vaughn enjoys listening to are Allen Stone, Kendrick Lamar and the Black Keys. The show aims to educate and inform music fans by sharing the background of each artist that it airs on the radio. Cato contributes by bringing a different style to the show. He assists Vaughn by helping him with the technical duties of compiling playlists as well as sharing his ideas and knowledge about electronic music on the air. “Besides just playing music I like hear, I like playing music that people don’t realize they’ve been hearing all their life; the original music where vocals, beats and lyrics are taken from to make the songs we hear on the radio,” Cato said. Vaughn and Cato entertain their listeners by informing them about the background stories of how artists are gaining fans in the underground scene. “I try not to play songs that sound too common, I want listeners to appreciate the variety of music that exist,” Vaughn said. In order to create a connection with his listeners, Vaughn ends his show by signing off the air with a short self-written poem. “I wanted to end the show with a personal touch so my listeners will know who I am,” Vaughn said.
arts@thedailycougar.com
arts@thedailycougar.com
The Screwed Up Click entourage has earned the respect of many fans of Houston’s underground hip-hop and rap scene. The original members of S.U.C. who are expected to visit campus next Wednesday include E.S.G., Lil Keke and Z-Ro. | Courtesy of UH Digital Library because it honors Screw’s work and his influence.” Grob said the conference aims to look at the context of a lot of local hip-hop. It will also provide the featured artists a more in-depth chance to talk about their careers — how their music evolved and how Houston itself affected them. “The conference is a way to bring the universities and the general public together to explore the topic and learn from each other,” Grob said. The conference begins Tuesday with an opening reception at Betz Gallery, at 1208 W. Gray St., which will feature the “Graffiti, B-Boy and B-Girl Exhibition.” The “2012 College DJ Battle,” which aims to honor the legacy of DJ Screw, will close the conference from 8 to 11 p.m. in the Grand Hall of Rice University, 6100 Main St.
Registration is free and open to the public and a lunch is included. To register for the conference, visit www. lws.lib.uh.edu/hiphop/djscrew/registration/ index.html. Registration for the conference closes Friday. For more information on the conference, visit www.lws.lib.uh.edu/hiphop/.
arts@thedailycougar.com
COMING UP
A review of the DJ Screw and the Rise of Houston Hip-Hop Exhibit in the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library
CULINARY
Community offers culturally diverse taco stand Mohammed Haider
THE DAILY COUGAR A person cannot drive anywhere in Houston without noticing a taco truck, but there is one taco truck that is slightly different. Hamza Halal Taco is where South Asia meets Latin America, fusing two sides of the world. The term “halal” is the Arabic word for lawful, the dietary law that identifies which meats are permitted for Muslims. The truck usually sits at 3514 Hillcroft in the heart of the Mahatma Gandhi District. Owner Faiza Khatra, a Pakistani immigrant who moved to Houston three years ago, was the first to start a taco truck that served halal meat, catering to both the Muslim and Latino community. “When I saw so much Mexican fast food here, my husband said we needed to start something too,” Khatra said. “There wasn’t a single halal Mexican restaurant at the time and now we’re planning to open more. We will also start serving chicken bryani, thikkah and hot wings with Indian spices.”
I wanted to try out some of the common items first, so I decided to go with the traditional beef fajita taco. The meat was grilled to perfection, which was not too chewy or over-cooked and was marinated with traditional Indian-Pakistani Masala spice. It was topped off with classic cheese; diced tomatoes and cilantro giving it a cool, minty touch at the end of every bite. My friend got the Mexican-style shredded chicken soft taco garnished with cheese, diced tomatoes and sour cream and all stuffed into a warm chapatti, the Indian equivalent of a tortilla. The best part was the green chutney sauce that was provided. Although I love traditional salsa, the green chutney is an amazing substitute that I have not seen anywhere else. I was not completely full just yet, so my friend and I decided to share the ultimate burrito, which had juicy ground beef, melted white and yellow cheese, peppers, tomatoes and sour cream wrapped in a toasted chapatti. The best part of it wall was our bill was only $6. The owner was also kind of enough to give
This beef fajita taco, topped off with a spicy IndianParkistani sauce was inspired by the diverse streets of Houston. | Mohammed Haider/The Daily Cougar