♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ >>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ >>> GREETINGS AND WELCOME TO "ABLE TO RAISE."

I´M YOUR HOST OF THE DISABILITY RIGHTS CENTER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

TODAY´S GUEST IS LEROY MOORE.

HE IS A WRITER, POET, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND HIP-HOP MUSIC LOVER.

HE WAS BORN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY AND HE HAS DEDICATED MUCH OF HIS WRITING AND ACTIVISM TO DISABILITY RIGHTS.

HE CO-FOUNDED A GROUP CALLED CRIP HOP NATION.

MR. MOORE IS CURRENTLY A DOCTORAL STUDENT.

HE WRITES AND DELIVERS LECTURES AND PERFORMANCES THAT REFLECT THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN RACISM, ABLISM AND DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

NOT ONLY DOES HE -- DOES HIS ACTIVISM IN THE UNITED STATES BUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

WELCOME.

I AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU.

SAME TO YOU.

SO GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU ON THIS JOURNEY?

>> WELL, IT IS A STORY OF ME WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID GOING DOWN STAIRS TO MY FATHER´S AND MY MOTHER´S BASEMENT.

THAT´S WHERE I HAD A HUGE RECORD COLLECTION.

I KEPT PULLING OUT THESE RECORDS I SAW PEOPLE THAT LOOKED LIKE ME, YOU KNOW?

BLUES SINGERS, RAPPERS, SOUL.

WHEN I SAW THAT, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS ME, YOU KNOW?

SO WHEN I SAW THE BLACK OPERA PORGY AND BESS, PORGY HAD A DISABILITY, SO I SAID TO MY MOTHER, I WAS LIKE, MOM, I´M ON TV.

PORGY, THAT´S THE FIRST TIME I SAW A BLACK DISABLED MAN ON TV.

MY MOM CAME RUNNING INTO THE LIVING ROOM.

MY MOM´S LIKE, OH, THAT´S PORGY.

I SAID TO MY MOM, I´M PORGY?

AFTER THAT THAT´S HOW IMPORTANT MEDIA REPRESENTATION IS.

>> THAT´S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

TELL US ABOUT CRIP HOP.

YOU ARE A FOUNDER?

>> YES, KRIP HOP WITH A K STARTED ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO.

IT WAS MYSELF, JONES AND WE ALL MET THROUGH MY SPACE BACK IN THE DAY.

BEFORE FACEBOOK, BEFORE TWITTER.

WE ALL HAD THE SAME QUESTION, WHERE IS DISABLED HIP-HOP ARTISTS?

SO WE COULDN´T FIND ANY SO WE DECIDED TO START KRIP HOP NATION.

IT IS A FUNNY STORY, ME AND KEITH JONES MET AT THE DNC, THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CAMPAIGN IN 2004.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO THE DISABILITY CAUCUS AND WE FOUND OUT THAT NOBODY WAS THERE.

WHAT´S GOING ON?

WE RAISED QUESTIONS.

WE GOT KICKED OUT OF THE DNC BECAUSE WE RAISED TOO MANY QUESTIONS.

>> DNC BEING THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE?

>> YES.

>> KICKED YOU OUT?

>> YES, KICKED US OUT BECAUSE WE RAISED TOO MANY QUESTIONS.

THE DISABILITY CAUCUS OF THE DNC KICKED US OUT.

>> UH-OH.

>> WE HUNG OUT IN THE MUSIC STUDIO.

KEITH JONES WAS DROPPING HIS SECOND ALBUM.

WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DISABLED HIP-HOP ARTISTS AND WE STARTED KRIP HOP NATION.

WE PUT TOGETHER A MISSION STATEMENT, WHAT WAS IT GOING TO BE AND IT BLEW UP FROM THERE.

IT WENT INTERNATIONAL.

WE GOT MORE MEDIA OUTSIDE THE U.S. THAN INSIDE THE U.S. >> WOW.

WOW.

>> SPAIN, ITALY, GERMANY, SOUTH AFRICA.

SO NOW IT´S BEEN 20 YEARS, WE HAVE CHAPTERS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

IN THE U.K. WE DID A SOUTH AFRICA TOUR BACK IN 2016.

WE JUST WON AN EMMY LAST YEAR FOR OUR SONG RISING PARALYMPICS.

>> EXCELLENT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR -- THE PANDEMIC MIGHT HAVE PUT A KIBOSH ON SOME OF THAT, BUT ANY FUTURE PLANS?

ANY MUSICAL PURSUITS?

>> OH, MY GOD, WE´VE GOT SO MUCH BIG PLANS.

THE BIG PLAN IS TO OPEN UP A KRIP HOP INSTITUTE IN L.A. THAT´S GOING TO BE -- WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE KRIP HOP INSTITUTE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND LEARN ABOUT NOT ONLY MUSIC BUT, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD, CAN LEARN ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY, YOU KNOW, IN COUNTRIES THAT ARE LACKING, YOU KNOW?

SO, YOU KNOW, OUR CHAPTER IN UGANDA IS REALLY INTERESTED IN IT.

SO THE KRIP HOP INSTITUTE WILL OPEN IN THREE YEARS.

THE YEAR BEFORE THE OLYMPICS COME TO L.A. >> OKAY.

>> THAT´S OUR PLAN, TO HAVE IT OPEN FOR THE OLYMPICS AND THE PARALYMPICS COMING OUR WAY.

>> WHEN IS IT COMING TO L.A., LOS ANGELES?

WHEN?

>> PARALYMPICS IS COMING THERE, I THINK, IN FOUR YEARS.

>> OKAY.

>> FOUR YEARS, YEAH.

>> OKAY.

SO WHY THE NAME KRIP HOP?

>> IT´S INTERESTING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OH, YOU´RE THE GUYS WITH THE KRIPS.

PEOPLE DON´T KNOW THE REAL HISTORY OF THAT WORD KRIP WHEN IT DEALS WITH THE KRIPS AND THE BLOODS.

THE KRIPS HAD A DISABLED MEMBER AND THEY SAID, OH,, YOU KNOW CALL YOU KRIP, SO THAT´S REALLY WHERE IT CAME FROM.

SO KRIP HOP IS TAKING IT BACK WHERE HIP-HOP IS.

CLEAN DISABILITY JUSTICE, DISABILITY RIGHTS AND, YOU KNOW, BRINGING BACK DISABLED PERFORMERS FROM THE BLUES TO HIP-HOP.

TAKING THAT TERM AND BRINGING IT BACK TO OUR CULTURE AND OUR HISTORY.

PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HIP-HOP.

ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN IN HIP-HOP SO ROXANNE IS A DISABLED YOUNG LADY IN NEW YORK AND SHE IS LIKE PORGY, THEY OPENS MY EYES.

SHE DOESN´T SEE HERSELF.

SHE OPENS THE COMPUTER AND DOESN´T SEE HERSELF.

SHE TURNS ON THE COMPUTER AND SEES KRIP HOP AND THEY RESEARCHES FURTHER AND SHE GETS INSPIRED.

WHEN SHE GETS INSPIRED IT TURNS INTO HIP-HOP.

SO SHE BECOMES A D.J.

AND SHE´S ALL OVER NEW YORK.

ANY TIME SHE GOES OUTSIDE, SHE´S LIKE A MINI CONCERT ON WHEELS.

SO EVERY TIME SHE GOES OUT, PEOPLE SURROUND HER, IT´S LIKE A CIPHER.

AT THE END OF THE BOOK SHE GOES BACK IN TIME WHERE I´M A YOUNG MAN OUTSIDE OF THE SUBURBS OF NEW YORK AND SHE SHOWED ME THE FUTURE OF KRIP HOP.

THAT´S THE VERY ISSUE OF THE GRAPHIC NOVEL.

SO AT THE TIME A 10-YEAR-OLD FROM NEW YORK, A 10-YEAR-OLD YOUNG GIRL THAT HAD A DISABILITY WROTE THE INTRO OF THE COMIC BOOK, WHICH I´M SO HAPPY FOR.

>> COOL.

HOW DO YOU GET A COPY OF THIS?

>> YOU CAN GO TO POOR MAGAZINE.

POOR IS POORPRESS.NET.

POOR PRESS IS AN ARM OF POOR MAGAZINE AND THEY ARE HAVING THIS BOOKS.

YOU CAN FIND IT THERE.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER PUBLICATION THAT I READ ABOUT CALLED ILLIN AND TILLIN?

>> OH, ILLIN AND TILLIN IS A LONG-TIME COLUMN OF POORMAN MAGAZINE.

IT´S INTERESTING HOW LIFE GOES IN CIRCLES.

I´M HERE IN L.A. AND ILLIN AND CHILLIN.

STARTED WITH POLICE BACK IN THE DAY IN THE LATE 90s.

MARGARET MITCHELL, AND SHE WAS A BLACK WOMAN WITH DISABILITIES IN THE L.A. AREA.

SO I GAVE AN ARTICLE ABOUT THAT INCIDENT AND WE JUST PLAYED ON WORDS.

WE CALLED IT ILLIN AND CHILLING, WE KNEW MARGARET HAD DISABILITIES.

WE JUST PLAYED WITH THE TITLE AND THAT´S HOW THE TITLE OF THE COLUMN HAPPENED.

>> I REMEMBER SEEING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF THE PRIORITIES WITHIN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.

ONE GROUP THOUGHT THERE WERE ISSUES AND ANOTHER MEMBER IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD THAT.

DO YOUUNDER STAND THAT?

>> YES.

I´M OUT OF THIS.

LOOSELY CONNECTED WITH THE BLACK PANTHERS, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE HOUSE MEETINGS BACK THEN.

ONE OF THE HOUSE MEETINGS, I END UP WITH OTHER DISABLED PERSON, YOUNG, YOUNG PERSON.

HE´S GOT ME.

LIKE YOU SHOULD JOIN OUR MOVEMENT.

WE´RE GOING TO GET CURB CUTS.

I WAS LIKE I CAN´T GO IF YOU´RE NOT TALKING ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY BECAUSE THEY CAN SAY BOYS TO YOUNG MEN, YOU CAN´T EVEN ENJOY IT.

THEY NARROW IT.

WE´RE ONLY DOING CURB CUTS.

I CAN´T JOIN YOU BECAUSE POLICE BRUTALITY.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE.

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC IMPACT YOU?

>> YEAH, IT´S BEEN IMPACTED.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WHICH I´M SO PROUD, ALL AS PERTAIN AND IN THE BAY AREA.

PEOPLE CAME AND WENT AND TANZANIA, SOUTH AFRICA.

THEY´RE ALL KEEN TO THE APARTMENT IN BERKELEY.

WE DID IT WITH NO MONEY, NO SUPPORT.

SO THOSE THINGS WORK IN A PANDEMIC.

SOUTH AFRICA A YEAR AFTER THAT TO DO A TOUR THERE.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, YEAH, IT REALLY -- YOU KNOW, FOR -- WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DID A TOUR ON ZOOM.

A WOMAN ON WHEELS, SO WE RAISED MONEY AND WE DID A KRIPHOP ON WHEELS WITH AN ADVOCATE AND SPONSOR.

IT IS THIS.

>> HOW CAN SOMEBODY SEE THESE CONCERTS?

WHAT´S THE GREAT COURSE FOR THEM TO REFER TO?

>> IT´S INTERESTING YOU ASK THIS.

WE´RE STARTING OUR OWN STREAMING SERVICE.

WE´RE STARTING OUR OWN CHANNEL.

IT´S GOING TO COME OUT IN THE FALL.

WE´RE TAKING EVERYTHING NOW, PUTTING IT ON YOUTUBE AND PUT IT BACK UP BECAUSE THE CHANNEL, CA CHANNEL, DOES SOMETHING IN THE FALL.

WE REALLY DON´T WANT TO PROMOTE MORE YOUTUBE.

WAIT INTO THE FALL TO FIND US, JUST TYPE IN KRIP.

WE´RE GOING TO HAVE STUDENT SERVICES, ALL KINDS OF PROGRAMS, I HAVE SOME- >> ALL RIGHT.

LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

>> FAVORITES?

>> OH, YOU CAN´T SEE IT.

ME AND RAY CHARLES GO WAY BACK.

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID, I WAS -- YOU KNOW, MY MOM BROUGHT ME BACK, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WOULD WALK, SO I WAS IN MY CRIB AND MY MOM HAD CLOTHES ON AND STARTED DANCING.

SINCE THAT TIME I SAW RAY CHARLES.

YEAH, I LOVE THAT MAN.

RAY CHARLES IS NUMBER ONE.

CURTIS LEEFIELD.

I LOVE CURTIS.

WHAT IS HIP-HOP?

KEITH JONES.

HE´S INCREDIBLE.

HE´S A WONDERFUL PRODUCER.

ALL KINDS OF MUSIC.

I LOVE THE BLUES.

I JUST DID A BLUES DEDICATED TO JOSH WHITE SR.

HE DID THE SONG CALLED ♫ FIND ME, SIT ON THE CORNER AND CRY."

WONDERFUL SONG.

I DID A REMAKE OF THAT SONG AND WE´RE DOING THE VIDEO HOPEFULLY IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

>> WOW.

EXCELLENT.

>> HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO BUILD SUCH AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK?

>> THEY´RE PUT-BACK THERE.

ANYBODY ON MY SPACE WAS LIKE, ROADBLOCK.

THE TSA, I WAS INTO RADIO AND THE RADIO SAID HIP-HOP AND DISABILITY SERIES ON KPFA.

>> ONCE THAT IS IN, I HAVE SO MANY E MAILS COMING BACK TO ME.

WHEN I PUT IT ON MY SPACE, THAT´S WHEN I SAW KEITH JONES AND OTHERS.

AFTER THAT I WOULD FLY OUT, WE WOULD HAVE A CHAPTER IN GERMANY.

COULD SEE IF IT WAS CUT.

WITH ARCHIE AND ROGER, AND LIKE I SAID, INTERNATIONAL.

THE FIRST NEWS ARTICLE IN ITALY, NOT THE U.S., BUT ITALY TO SAY, NO.

>> IT´S AMAZING TO BLACK CULTURE HAS BEEN ENGRAVED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

HIP-HOP, REG GUY, IT´S MUSIC.

IT´S UNIVERSAL.

COULDN´T AGREE WITH ME MORE ON THAT.

>> YOU KNOW THOUGH, DISABILITY IS ONE WHERE THERE ARE MORE THINGS STORED.

HE´S TRYING TO GET YOUR MUSIC PLAYED, ALL KINDS OF STORIES.

MOVEMENT IS INTERNATIONAL.

YOU HAD A PREVIEW ON DISABILITY.

THERE´S STORIES INTERNATIONALLY COMING -- YOU KNOW, DISABLED PEOPLE.

>> WHAT DID GUY FUJI MOTO.

>> IT´S GOING IN EASY IN AND OUT.

USE THIS IN.

THERE´S A DIFFERENCE.

YOU EITHER VISIT OUR SITE AND BE FAMOUS.

YOU WANT TO BE A TRUE MUSICIAN.

I´M BESIDE SALVATORE, YOUTUBE.

GET OUT THERE.

IT´S JUST NICE TO GET OUT THERE.

THERE´S LOCAL CLUBS AND LOCAL YOUTH CENTERS, SO IT DOESN´T HAVE TO BE WITH DARKNESS.

>> GOOD POINT.

DO YOU NEED A MANAGER?

>> YOU KNOW, NO.

IF YOU PUT ON YOUR PLATFORM EARLIER, LIKE MYSELF.

IN FACT.

>> I R THINK I WAS DOING IT.

I´M GETTING MOST OF MY GIG ON ROUND.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> YEAH.

ONCE YOU PUT DOWN YOUR PLATFORM, YOU DO THE WORK.

THEN PEOPLE COME TO YOU.

THAT´S WHAT´S HAPPENING WITH KRIP HOP NOW.

BECAUSE WE´VE DONE THE WORK FOR 20 YEARS, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

>> GOT AN ME FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES", YOU KNOW, REALLY DEEMED THE WORST IN SITTING WITH THE PLATFORM EARLY.

>> ANTHROPOLOGY.

>> HOW WOULD YOU LET THAT INTERCEPT WITH THAT HARE VICE.

BOOM, BOOGIE.

PROFESSOR AT UCLA, BUT THIS YEAR, VERY FAMILIAR.

IT´S LIKE, I´M DONE.

THIS IS GREAT.

HE WON AGAIN.

YEAR OVER YEAR PEOPLE CONTACT YOU.

UCLA TO MAKE THE BOOK COME OUT.

HERE AT UCLA WE COLLABORATED TO DO A CHAPTER ON KRIP HOPE.

DURING THIS CHAPTER MY ADVISER NOW, SAM -- SAMMY SAID, LEROY, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF DOING YOUR Ph.d.?

>> NO.

AND ONCE THEY GET REALLY IN DEEP WITH ALL OF THE WORK I DO, OH, MY GOD, YOU´RE DOING THE WORK.

YOU JUST NEED TO BE BEHIND IT.

I WAS LIKE, OH?

AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS, IT COULD BE A FREE RIDE.

OH, FREE RIDE?

IN THAT CASE -- SO NOW I´M AT UCLA, 54 YEARS OLD.

I´M GOING TO GET A DOCTOR´S DEGREE.

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE DOING A DOCTORATE DEGREE.

>> CAN YOU DO ANYTHING OR IS IT STILL IN THE WORKS?

SOME MOVE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, UCLA, THE HIP-HOP STUDY GROUP, HIP-HOP AT UCLA, ONE OF THE FIRST ON THE WEST COAST.

WE HAVE THIS QUARTER.

SO, YEAH, THIS HIP-HOP AT UCLA JUST CALL AND WE ARE HAVING HIP-HOP ARTISTS.

ALIM.

A-L-I-M. >> A-L-I-M IS THE NAME OF?

>> THAT IS THE NAME OF MY ADVISER.

HE NEEDED IT.

>> WE´LL LOOK FOR IT.

WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT, BUT I´D LIKE FOR YOU TO GIVE US SOME INDICATION.

WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE TO BE A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST?

WHAT ARE CERTAIN THINGS THEY NOD TO HAVE IF.

MY PARENTS KNEW THAT I NEEDEDs A ROLE MODEL SO THEY TOOK ME TO A SILL NAL.

I SAW MY MIRROR IN HER AND SHE TOOK ME AND SHOWED ME NONPROFITS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING.

PARENTS REALLY NEED TO BE IN THERE TO SAY TODAY THEY WALKED IN THERE.

THIS IS IT, OLDER PARENTS?

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

WE´VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU TODAY AND I WISH YOU SO MUCH WITH THE KRIP HOP INSTITUTE.

FOLKS THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ >>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS STAFF NOR UNDERWRITERS.