San Diego, CA
The New Americans Museum Explores SD’s Rap Roots
Mario “OG” Lopez walks me through a maze of display cases: tapes, old photos, vintage DJ equipment. It’s all part of the New Americans Museum’s Beyond the Elements exhibition—a San Diego hip-hop retrospective and passion project he curated.
“There are four elements in hip-hop, and the vision of the exhibit was to go ‘beyond the elements’ and embrace the multicultural roots that are a huge part of hip-hop,” he says.
Through airbrushed jackets, throwback posters, and VHS footage, those four elements—deejaying, emceeing, graffiti art, and breakdancing—mix together at the Liberty Station showcase, telling the story of rap’s local beginnings.
“These are my friends,” Lopez says. “I’ve always wanted to show the art.” It’s a short answer to a long question about inspiration and ideas, about what goes into putting something like this together.
As we continue through, he points out a face. “There’s Zodak,” he says, gesturing toward a framed, black-and-white Tribal ad featuring the legendary local graffiti artist holding a name plate. Highlighting his own work (he’s a graphic designer), Lopez motions to the cover of Aztec Tribe’s cassette single Diego Town. The artifacts are a dense tapestry, a timeline four decades long of rappers, breakdancers, DJs, and painters, spread across two rooms.
It would be easy to recognize the players if this were New York or LA, but rap stars aren’t traditionally plucked from around these parts. There’s talent, for sure; however, most of it has had little influence outside of SD. That’s to say that this is a self-contained history, based on a homegrown ecosystem held together by storytellers, smooth talkers, and colorful personalities.
There’s no defining sound or even a single approach. Aztec Tribe carved out a lane as Chicano rap pioneers in the early ’90s, while San Ysidro’s Legion Of Doom (LOD)—who are featured prominently throughout the exhibition—worked their tag-team, Run-D.M.C-like chemistry into a formula that repped South Bay.
And while the vocalists were manipulating rhymes, local dancers were adopting the movements and body contortions of hip-hop’s B-boy element: a choreographed set of ticks, spasms, and spins that, in our neck of the woods, was part West Coast pop lockin’, part East Coast footwork. They’re represented, too, in the exhibit.
A wall marked “80’s Breakdance Era” shows off hand-drawn flyers and pictures of teenagers frozen mid-routine, rocking on linoleum. Inside a glass square stands a July 2, 1984, copy of Newsweek magazine that reads “BREAKING” in bold, white letters. And resting near the top sits a black medallion from the Universal Zulu Nation, an international awareness group and official fraternity of hip-hop—a true mark of legitimacy. The pieces speak for themselves. The hometown B-boys were the real deal.
That’s how Lopez got his start: managing a group of breakers called the Floor Masters. “My mom’s house was kinda like the home base,” he says. They were unique on their block, but the culture reached beyond his ’hood. It wasn’t until he and his squad ventured past their side of town that any of them realized breakdancing was everywhere.
“We didn’t know that it was happening in other neighborhoods,” Lopez says. “So, when we would go and perform at Balboa Park or something and put out the hat to make money … then [we] had other crews coming and [trying] to battle.”
Just as hip-hop in NYC was a byproduct of its boroughs (even though it started in the Bronx), rap’s local vernacular differed depending on its enclave. Aztec Tribe was based in Spring Valley, while Mario and the Floor Masters grew up in Sherman Heights.
From the county’s eastern edge to its downtown hub, there’s an extensive history documented in Beyond The Elements. The exhibit captures our rich heritage, one that’s worth exploring. And, as a narrative, this isn’t a nostalgia exercise or a trip down memory lane. Instead, it’s a commemoration, a nod to the hometown trailblazers who helped mold local culture through sound, art, and dance with imagination and virtuosity. A powerful message as hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary.
As my visit winds down, Lopez and I are joined by Zard One, an original member of the Floor Masters. We’re seated in the gallery space across the hall, and I notice his fingertips are stained with paint. Thoughtful and soft-spoken, he’s an artist and lifelong friend of Mario’s.
The docents are making their rounds, turning off lights and securing items. It’s a signal that I’ve overstayed my welcome. But, before I head out, I ask them both what they hope visitors take with them.
Lopez is first to answer. “We have tours coming in from different schools that are interested. It’s [about] educating the kids,” he says.
Just like hip-hop, the exhibit serves as a generational legacy. Each one teach one, as they say.
“It’s for the youth,” Zard One adds.
San Diego, CA
Our Shtetl San Diego County: Closing Weekend of the RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust Exhibit – San Diego Jewish World
By Cailin Acosta
SAN DIEGO – When I learned that the RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust exhibit at the Rancho San Diego Library would be having its closing ceremony this weekend, I felt a little sad. It is a very thorough exhibit and I spent time reading the many stories of survivors. I am going on Thursday (tomorrow) with the Jewish Women’s Circle of Chabad East County one more time.
I will think of my dear late friend Rose Schindler who told me personally her father told her to “stay alive, so that you can tell the world what they are doing to us.” With the exhibit having its closing ceremony (it will remain open until June) I thought of Schindler’s words and wondered, now what? Who is going to continue to tell the story? Our survivors are sadly aging and passing so it relies on us to tell the stories and to not forget.
I will never forget the amazing survivors I met and the connections I had with them. At the closing ceremony, they will be showing a video presentation looking back at the then and now of the exhibit. Special guest speakers feature Matt Dunford from Love on the Spectrum, San Diego County Assessor Jordan Marks, Mayor Ron Morrison of National City, Mayor Bill Wells of El Cajon, and Roosevelt Williams the III “The Man Behind the Rose.” This event is free and starts at 3 pm.
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Chabad of Downtown is hosting a Shabbat Dinner on May 17, services start at 7 pm, and then a festive dinner to follow. If you have never been to a community Shabbat dinner, then you really should experience it. Click here to send in your reservation.
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The JCC has an action-packed event on May 19 to celebrate Israel now and forever. This free event will feature musical performances, food, and community. Click here to register.
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I love finding free family activities online to celebrate Jewish holidays together. The IAC Keshet and OFEK put together this family booklet you can print and celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut creating some fun activities together. Click here for the free booklet.
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Hadassah is hosting a FUNdraiser for fun people on June 23 at Tifereth Israel Synagogue! Marsha Starr is the featured Hypno Diva along with the San Diego Miriam Group. If you love a show with a laugh-a-minute explosion of hilarity, then this is the show you need to attend, and you MIGHT be able to jump on stage and be a part of the show! Proceeds will be contributed to a state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital in Israel that serves everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political persuasion. Click here to attend and laugh knowing you are donating to an amazing cause.
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GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Rep. Maria Salazar (FL-27) introduced the bipartisan Global Internet Freedom Act to reinforce that internet freedom is fundamental to human rights. Jacobs said: “In the 21st century, internet freedom is a human right. It’s essential to get news and information about current events, connect with loved ones, ensure transparency and accountability of elected officials, and so much more. Unfortunately, dozens of countries use censorship and suppression online or issue draconian punishments for online activity, stifling people’s freedom of expression and ability to connect and engage with others. AI also poses new and heightened risks to internet freedom, empowering governments to wage online disinformation campaigns and surveil and censor online speech, websites, and social media platforms.”
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San Diego City Councilwoman Dr. Jen Campbell has endorsed Heather Ferbert for San Diego City Attorney. Advertisements in which she was listed as having endorsed Ferbert’s opponent, Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, were lies, according to Dan Rottenstreich, Ferbert’s campaign consultant. Maienschein’s campaign did not return a request for comment. Ferbert is San Diego’s chief deputy city attorney. The incumbent city attorney, Mara Elliott, is termed out.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of San Diego Jewish World.
San Diego has long been a craft beer town. But based on the recent proliferation of wine bars, events, clubs, and retail shops, we seem poised to embrace grapes as our regional beverage of choice.
Wine bar and shop Merenda will be the newest addition to San Diego’s burgeoning wine scene when it opens at The Flats in Oceanside this July-ish. “Very heavy on the ish,” jokes Aaron Crossland, who co-owns Merenda with his wife, Lauren Crossland-Marr. “We’re moving really quickly so far, but there are always things that come up.”
Merenda is Italian for “snack,” or, more specifically, a snack shared with others. The duo spent time in Italy while Crossland-Marr studied food anthropology and culture, which led to a love of food, drink, and especially wine, explains Crossland. Neither planned to get into the wine business for themselves until two things happened.
“We got this idea for Merenda during Covid, and thought it would probably happen when we were a little older,” he says. “But as it happens, when you hit 40, I realized I really kind of hated what I did for a living and wanted to pursue my passions.”
The two moved back to Oceanside, Crossland’s hometown, to be closer to family and participate in the city’s revitalization. “[We] saw how wonderful Oceanside has been doing economically, with all the new restaurants and stuff coming into town, and wanted to be a part of it,” he explains.
It took about a year to find the right space, but they jumped on it when they saw the opportunity to take over The Flat’s retail suite. “I love the idea of having people actually living in the same space where we’re doing this,” he says, adding there are 18 residential units on-site. Merenda will occupy around 2,000 square feet of space on the ground floor, plus a small patio, with approximately 300 square feet reserved for the retail area. Crossland says they’ll start with a small collection but hope to grow to offer a few hundred SKUs of different wines, heavily emphasizing Old World wines.
The food program will feature local produce and ingredients as well as Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences, with a lot of the direction still being worked out. But Crossland says their charcuterie program will set them apart, with items like housemade salumi, coppa, bresaola, and mortadella. Overall, it’ll be the experience that he says people will come back for.
“We’re really going for an Old World European feel,” he explains. “Lots of wood, very approachable decor.” Bells + Whistles (Jeune et Jolie) handles the design, which Crossland describes as his living room, but better. Details like hand-painted tiles from Portugal, artwork from their collection, and a mural over the pass-through window between the kitchen and dining area will give the space a balance between “comfort and quality,” he says. There will also be a small particular event space for private events.
Once open, Crossland says they plan to launch a wine club and host many events, collaborations, and other tastings to cater to locals who may already know about wine and those just getting started. “A space for people like myself, who obviously love wine, but without all that pretentious B.S.. that goes along with it.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Sea & Sky Now Open Atop Hotel La Jolla
Former Juniper & Ivy chef Anthony Wells is now the executive chef at Sea & Sky, the new sea-to-table restaurant at Hotel La Jolla, Curio Collection by Hilton in La Jolla Shores. Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sea & Sky uses seafood and other local ingredients for dishes like yellowtail crudo, whole snapper, bone marrow with tuna sashimi, and more. The recently renovated hotel has more in store for guests, with a second renovation on track for late 2024. Reservations for Sea & Sky are available here.
Beth’s Bites
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa is upping the dining game, announcing its 2024 culinary series lineup with superstars like Javier Plascencia (July 14), David Castro Hussong, Alfredo Villanueva, and Maribel Aldaco (June 27), and adding Emiliano Safa as the property’s new executive chef. Lots of news to chew on (literally)!
Calling all plant lovers—on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., come enjoy, buy, and chat plants at TapRoom Beer Company with House Plant House Call. Plants and beer? The definition of my perfect Saturday.
Say it ain’t so, Sicilian Thing. The stalwart North Park pizzeria has apparently and unceremoniously shuttered after 17 years on 30th street. I know we still have Tribute and Blind Lady nearby, but it still feels like the end of an era.
The Michelin Guide finally made it to Mexico. Congrats to all the fantastic teams and people the Guide recognized for the first time, including Drew and Paulina Deckman (Conchas de Piedra, Deckman’s en el Mogor), Javier and Lauren Plascencia (Animalón), and more. Check out the complete list here.
As announced last month, Fundays is back at San Diego Comic-Con this year, and they’re going bigger than ever. Get ready to sail the high seas (or at least the Manchester Grand Hyatt steps) for Funko Fundays’ 2024, which will feature two nights, and a theme of “Freddy’s Funtastic Voyage”. The exact nights are still to be announced, but will presumably be either Thursday and Friday, or Friday and Saturday.
Yes, Funko is heading back to their previous home base of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, rather than the Rady Shell (and anyone who had last year’s “food” offerings is likely breathing a sigh of relief right now).
The event will be the same across both nights, to give more fans a chance to attend. Mike Becker, Funko’s “COF” (Chief Officer of Fun), also hinted at a special surprise for fans.
Ticket details are still to be announced, but someone willing to spend a lot of money (say, $8500 or so) can try to grab Funko’s Pirate Freddy “Fun of One” digital Dropp. The holder of the digital Funko on July 17 at 11am PT will receive two tickets to Fundays… but again, that’s a pretty pricy option. You can find more information on Dropp’s site.
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