Bay Ok: Or Is It?

Bay Ok Collective
Mahogany A.K.A. Mo’Betta and Iwalani A.K.A. Iwi Get Hyphy With UBO Magazine

By Carmeli Hockson
Staff Writer

The passion and positive force that Bay Ok Collective exerts; made of Bay Area’s first hyphy [Bay Area slang for hyperactive] female hip-hop group includes emcee’s Mahogany A.K.A. Mo’ Betta and Iwalani A.K.A. Iwi can be felt through their lyrics and strong stage presence.

These two native born bay area women exemplify and define the hyphy culture that was born in the concrete blocks of bay area neighborhoods, originating in Oakland around 2000. This expression of movement, language and sound illustrates the definition of acting hyperactive and feeling the emotion that nothing matters, letting go of negativity and enjoying the pulsating rhythms and words of life.

Bay Ok epitomizes the definition of hyphy and taking it to a level of different perception. Not only are they talented, smart and beautiful they are also two strong women in an industry and culture where females are rare to be seen or heard. The presence that they have within a male dominated culture can create a big impact to young women who need a positive reflection of themselves holding a mic and spittin’ rhymes and finding liberation through music.

UBO Magazine: How did BAY Ok come about?

Mo’Betta: Bay OK’ started in April ‘06. I was in Chicago in the airport and I was talking to Iwi [a good friend I had since high school] and she told me that she was doing more music and wanted to pursue her talents and perform. We decided to collaborate and see what happens and go from there.

Iwi: Yeah, Mo’ called me up and she was like “we should do a project together.” So we went to the studio put some songs together and it came out pretty good.

UBO Magazine: Define the presence that BAY Ok exudes:

Mo’ Betta: ‘Bay OK;’ we called each other that ‘cause we’re not trippin’ off what people think or what everyone is on. We usually just get up on our own style and not care how people will judge us. It’s interesting because that’s how it’s like in the Bay Area. People do their own thing and do not care how they will be perceived or judge. That’s why we came up with ‘Bay’ which represents where we are from and ‘Ok,’ just doing fine and its okay to do what you want to do.

That’s why our music hasn’t gone so main stream because it doesn’t talk about the woes of the hood it talks about how we got there…and we talk about the panthers and acknowledging and there’s a lineage and a story line. Maybe we don’t [want] anyone else to be conscious. It’s interesting to me because even most of the hard core bay area rap still has a conscious edge. Keak Da Sneak talks about people from Oakland and the history of how it got like this…along with the hyphiness and the frustration…for some people, it’s contradictory but it’s reality and what the hyphy attitude gave to the community is a way to unite and celebrate just surviving life. On the same block you got people slangin’ and throwin’ up turfs and then inside there’s poetry or a community getting together.

Bay Ok is also a collective for females who are in the hip-hop scene and involved in the community. It’s not only for females but males are also welcome but BAY ok is a symbol for women to feel comfortable in a community where they are involved and nurtured to becoming strong women in this hip-hop culture.

Iwi: In this project, it’s mostly about just having fun and not just creating a hyphy CD but we’re just rappin’ about where we are from, what we represent, positive uplifting songs, conscious-type songs and things that you’re used to—Bay Ok…there’s different types of flava in the CD.


UBO Magazine: You mentioned that Bay Ok is also a collective, what is the purpose of this collective?

Mo’ Betta: This is a way to give females a way to shine among other females and not [get] attached to a man. Its more like real-estate, were trying to create an actual concrete home for female emcees to feel at home and have freedom. I guess [what] we’re trying to do is be that meeting ground for women in hip-hop. Where they can come here and get it together and create a network and try to move along and bring out women voices in hip-hop.

Iwi: It’s a great project and from there on we were like, this is an avenue for us and for a lot of people to join to represent the bay. Right now, it’s just me and Mo and the short term goal was to see the response and finish this project and go from there.

UBO Magazine: When did you guys both get into music? Who or what was your motivation to become an emcee? Influences in your life?

Mo’ Betta: I have always been a writer. My mother was a huge reader. My mom was always into books.

At ten, I wrote a poem and I won. “Peace.” It was a poem on peace it was during the first gulf war. It had imagery of cranes and rhyme—it was more into the delivery and it was inspired by mlk cause whenevah I get up into the mic I thought of mlk and all I knew [was] what it sounded like [and] not what it looked like so all I knew of someone speaking eloquent was mlk [and] that was the delivery I gave to the poem. I was into rock and roll and my mother was a black hippie that was the counter culture. I had to be listening to rock and roll and I knew I was different it was hard for me to listen to rap because the imagery was scary; “Walk This Way,” [by] Run DMC – that was rock. Teenager years [was] when I switched into hip hop and I started to understand it as being poetry.

I saw Lauryn Hill on TV and she reflected me. I saw her and she looked just like me who was spittin’ flows with these guys. Just seeing her in the video changed my life and I think that is why I’m concerned with the reflection right now so that when we perform we can be the images for young girls to see themselves in. People look for themselves in magazine and music in reflections of themselves.

It all serves the same purpose spoken word, rap – I’m trying to be reflection to youths and give that liberation.

Iwi: Writing has always been a part of my life. It’s away to express myself and write poems and then eventually it evolved to music and songs. Music has always been a huge part of my life; my parents love music, my family loves music I love the way it makes me feel.. It makes something very important to me..

I didn’t really do a lot of music while I was at school. Clarinet and drums but I didn’t immense my self in it.

I started playing the guitar four years ago. I got an itch four years ago cause it appealed to me as soon as I started playing with it but I just started feeling it and I love the way it sounded and when I played it I started taken a beginner class and just start incorporating the songs and poetry into my guitar in the midst of that I started rhyming and the flow…it all started to mesh and gel together – Probably four years ago, it became clear that it is something that was important to me and it’s something that I love. You just pick up a pen and just flow – it’s a way to release emotions.

Early influences with people themselves [such as] Michael Jackson, is a huge influence and Janet Jackson. I was stuck on her performance and the stage presence all through out middle school. Growing up [I listened to] different rap groups, TLC and watch these people and at the time just watching them and wishing a part of me was up there and seeing myself in them and that had a big impact on me. My dad played the saxophone and he played for the back up band for The Whispers.

UBO Magazine: What do you think about women in this industry and your role in this business? As women in the music industry and the stereotypes you see through the media did you come across some negativity or people blocking the creativity? Also, how do you get through those obstacles and adversities?

Mo’ Betta: It’s interesting the responsibility that shows through this music and you go out and kids want to be part of it. It’s hip-hop by women, it’s a new approach.

Once you get deeper into the industry how hard does it get for a female and how much it gets to that point how they treat you? Cause I know this a heavy trip that entertainment machine..What is it just as an experiment and how it goes into the female emcees and don’t come out…a female emcee and the next thing you hear that you hear them rapping and then their singing … and they aren’t even a singer.. I was always thinking what the fear is.. I think there’s a fear of women rapping.. there are a very few things that was left to the black male in the world is the underworld and all these things that these males had to hold on to and the black man right know he can claim hip-hop on a certain level. Commercial level as a predominantly black male industry maybe it’s threatening every other industry once you bring in females its open to everybody but I do know that there is something beyond skill that is keeping women out of hip hop…

Women need this outlet as much as men do and we need this economy as men do as a chance to put our art work out there and it sucks there shouldn’t be a magazines a woman’s this that is what we have to do and I feel like bay ok’ its like that gang mentality .. I can’t be imagine it to be like one female to be in a big group male and it can’t feel safe for a woman like that if you want to rap this is what your going to be and so people only write what they are living you might started out as a conscious rapper and your on the road being objectified and then what are you going to write abs out..

Or are you going to write about what you have seen or heard. Women won’t just do bull they will do their thing and work hard and had to take care of my people and music to them…its harder to manipulate women in this industry cause we have been surviving cause what else is there to lose…I don’t’ believe every man who talks about bitches or hoes but this is the poison they want to push.. e40 used to make music and world wide consciousness with it and now it’s about cars and sex and hyphiness.. Its predictable know.. This is a machine spitting..
Women are exempt from that machine but women can single handedly give the face of opening it back up to different perspective of the hood or the different situation..
People are scared of change and I understand why there are all these trepidation and these kids are not going to do this. And forget hip hop before they are left out of it... its interesting and im tryin to hold the door open and also be part of it for them to excel because I know there is a drastic change in hip hop...

Iwi: it is a pressure but I mean you got to think of it as a blessing cause there’s so much power about holding the mic and commanding them where they are feeling their stuff and listening to you and what you are saying and its a lot of power but at the same time it’s a blessing to share this message and give people that way.. and that overpowers the pressure its still new to me as performing and so for me I'm just like every time I’m on stage it’s a fresh feeling for me…and for me its like wow and people are feeling our music a few months ago I was giving myself a hard time and it lingers and you get over it but the result of people feeling your music is indescribable..

Since performing has been something that is very new to you Iwi how did it feel to get on stage and perform?

Iwi: First performance: we have been doing open mics for a couple of months our first performance was at a café in san jose it was packed and the energy was crazy..It was a really good time that was the first big performance and had a birthday party at a club and that was a big venue and medium size…

I was just like in awe because it was the first big performance for me..For me I felt the energy was amazing and everyone was showing us a lot of love and it was up close and personal and everyone was good. The energy was fun and positive that if there was any negative we pushed it out the door.. It was a good time and everyone was feeling it and it was a good response….

it was crazy for me cause people were telling me that we were sick and this girl came up to me and you guys are doing this thing for the women and she pointed it out and told me that we were representing the females and they were feeling it and it felt like that the females who were there were uplifted and felt strong and positive..

And the guys who came up and were also giving us positive feedback and just telling us about our skills and rapping…

And as an educator Mo’ betta how do you use hip hop help students learn and find their voices through poetry?

Mo’ Betta: TUPAC SHOWED ME THAT U can USE THIS AS ATOOL TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE THE WAY THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING TEENAGE YEARS AND EARLY TWENTIES IT WAS PAC THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MOTIVATE OURSELVES THROUGH THIS MUSIC.. NOONE IS LISTENIN TO SPEECHES ANYMORE.. ..

I TEACH a lot OF STUFF AND I TEACH FROM THE TUPAC PERSPECTIVE OF POETRY.. ITS REAL AND that’s VALID ITS WHOLISTIC ITS PART OF YOUR REALITY.

a humanity to rap to music its not just all insipirational music it wasn’t all gangsta music it was always the mentality and the conversation of the hood to me its important in music to keep that alive..
You can hear it in our voices and real pose and flossin and dancing in the club and the nodd that powers that be..

Pac’ as an educator I still keep seeking to validate the words and trying to push across the message…

What are your short term goals and long term goals for Bay Ok?

I would love to see the cd get packaged right for sale and would love to see us perform regularly with performance schedule we are so psych to open for the openers. Were not lookin at it as established artist were looking at it as new artists and having no expectation were just trying to be on.. and rapping outside of buildings and getting stuff happening.. the product and be able to push it in all our creative ways pushing the cds. More shows and more females coming out of the back and hitting us up on myspace and the next mix tape will be on the cd.. It’s powerful on “young girl” with sky high he’s the guest artists and he’s telling a positive message on hope and everybody is painting picture in their verse.. It’s really powerful the symbolism is that he’s the only male on the album and that is the song he is in support of and that sets a precedent in what were trying to accomplish..

Iwi:

it’s a great project and from there on we were like this is an avenue for us and a lot of people to join to represent the bay and wants to ride with us and the flava were trying to bring in and right know wits just me and mo and the short term goal was to see the response and finish this project and go from there

Long term: our next project is bay ok volume two

Solo project: is my short and long term goal is to get out there and do my project..


What kind of advice would you give to young aspiring artist just starting out in the business?

Iwi:
I think back to when I was in school and dreamed about being performer and I was reserved about it I did dance on it and as far as performing my own personal creation.. You get shy about it and you’re scared of the judgment or criticism and all that stuff is going through your mind and that is what took me so long to come out and perform..

So I understand there are women out there or girls out there so it’s hard to just be yourself an outside pressure what people say parents, peers, and the world..
Follow your dreams follow your heart but when you come down to it don’t care about what people think.. and your always going to have someone there to love you and to support you and so I think its important for anyone girl boy young or old to have that positive mind set for not caring what people think and not be shy about it and your always ..But if you have the desire for it that is the motivation that is the way to share it and get rid of the pressure. So I believe that’s what bay ok is there for…

As women in this industry and the stereotypes you see through the media did you come across some negativity or people blocking that creativity? How do you get through those obstacles and adversities?


Mo’ Betta: It’s not a negative energy we have been blessed I do hear like wow you’re so articulate and you hear it in a way and it’s implied that for some females?? Were doing our thing regardless to what our sex is and its funny how it brought back to the fact that were all women there is some novelty to it every male rap group to be down with them. and how that one female is the novelty I do really like that role.. And I liked that but it was always like novelty or people not listening to my words but I want the attention that I was an artist and the message im coming across too.. when people introduce me they like to elude to the fact and it’s an ego thing to men im one of the hottest females ripping’ the mic. I come across a lot and the focus should be good..I don’t doubt myself at all its tight period its funny how they come back to that /… where you usually forget that.

Iwi:
it is a pressure but I mean you got to think of it as a blessing cause there’s so much power about holding the mic and commanding them where they are feeling their stuff and listening to you and what you are saying and its a lot of power but at the same time it’s a blessing to share this message and give people that way.. and that overpowers the pressure its still new to me as performing and so for me im just like every time Im on stage it’s a fresh feeling for me…and for me its like wow and people are feeling our music a few months ago I was giving myself a hard time and it lingers and you get over it but the result of people feeling your music is indescribable.