RZA of Wu Tang Clan has teamed up with the Hip-Hop Chess Foundation to host Mind Over Matter II at John O’connell High School in San Francisco tomorrow ( February 28th).
The event targets inner city youth who have fallen victim of financial stress due to the recent decline of the economy in an effort to teach them “patience, logic and strategy,” as alternative ways to deal with the financial hardships.
“In these times of financial stress we see violence is rising as bank balances drop,” Adisa Banjoko, HHCF’s CEO told AllHipHop.com. “It’s critical that young people get a chance to learn directly from the stars and athletes, how to make good life choices.”
On February 15th, Banjoko was recently featured on Good Morning America Weekend along side RZA, as they both worked with inner city youth.
RZA launched WuChess.com, a partnership between RZA and ChessPark.com, early last year to unite chess players within the Hip-Hop culture world wide.
The Mind Over Matter II event has included successful life strategists including RZA, Rakaaa from Dialated Peoples, Casual from Hieroglyphics, Amir Sulaiman of Def Poetry Jam and others.
The event will exhibit gi and gi-less jiu jitsu exhibitions by Denny “300” Prokopos from 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, Alan “Gumby” Marques of Heroes martial Arts, rope dart master Don Kiolbassa and others.
Banjoko has also launched pilot programs at John O’Connell High School in San Francisco and The Ryan Academy in Norfolk, Virginia, hoping to reach out to more youths.
John O’ Connell High School is located at 2355 Folsom Street at 19th and will run from 11AM to 5PM. For more information, call (323) 335-4497.