Step Off! Radio

Three years ago, after much contemplation we here at Step Off! Magazine decided to branch out from the medium of print media and made the leap into the world of podcasting with a brand new podcast series. With little more than an iPhone and a Mac, we launched our official podcast of Step Off! Radio. We made it our mission to interview artists, performers, activists, community organizers, and those who inspire others to make a difference in the world through their talent, art, and social advocacy. It was our hope that through our platform we could share music, culture, politics, and other current events relating to social justice through that of a Hip-Hop lens. Three years and twenty-six episodes later, we're still here and still continuing to grow. Starting a podcast was an idea that had been suggested by several friends of mine almost from the very beginning when I first started Step Off! Magazine in the fall of 2016. In celebration of our third anniversary, we wanted to share a special episode, a remastered version of our very first pilot episode with our inaugural guests' underground Hip-Hop group Kozmik Force. Our pilot episode was recorded at the Justice Center San Diego, on March 26th, 2018, and was first aired on April 30th, 2018. This episode is a remastered version of our first interview with Kozmik Force. It was recorded several months after they had dropped their first mixtape 'War Cry', and released prior to the release of their sophomore effort 'Untamed Unchained' in the summer of 2018. During our interview, Jag and Threat discuss the origins of Kozmik Force, their activism through music, their debut mixtape War Cry, decolonization & Indigenous resistance/liberation in the age of Trump. It’s important to note that this episode did originally air in 2018, so some portions of the interview might be somewhat date. However, three years later much of our conversation has remained very relevant. In this episode you’ll hear new music, added special effects, as well as portions from our interview that were omitted from the original episode. Over the past three years, we’ve grown tremendously in our craft and felt it was only right to give our inaugural episode the treatment it deserves. With that said we here at Step Off! Radio want to thank you all for your support over these past three years and hope you all enjoy our remastered cut of 'Kill The Colonizer Inside Your Mind' with Kozmik Force.

For the past fourteen years, Azomali, an Underground Hip-Hop artist from Freeport, New York has made a name for himself in New York’s underground Hip-Hop scene. Like many of our guests previously featured here on Step Off! Radio, Azomali regularly incorporates philosophies of decolonization, pan-Indigenous unity across, and is a vocal critic of U.S. Imperialism in his music. Whether rapping about Colombia’s beauty, incorporating ancestral sounds, spinning tales about his journeys stepping through New York City streets Azomali serves as a link between two worlds. Effortlessly switching back and forth between English and Spanish, Azomali combines both the influences of his Colombian roots with that of the gritty sounds of New York's underground. From traditional Colombian music to Boom Bap, to the modern sounds of Drill music, Azomali has created a tapestry of sounds, ideas, and philosophies in his music that sets him apart from anything being created by his peers in the underground Hip-Hop scene of New York City. Having garnered a dedicated and growing following online, Azomali has quickly become one of the prominent torchbearers at the forefront of Indigenous resistance in underground Hip-Hop far beyond the border of his home base in New York. During our discussion with Azomali, we were able to discuss his personal history growing up in the streets of Freeport, New York. His mixtape Where The Mangos Grow, his move out to Southern California, and the contrast between the East Coast and the West Coast. As well as his incorporation of decolonization and Indigenous resistance in Hip-Hop. we here at Step Off! Radio hope that you all enjoy our conversation with Azomali.

For the past several years underground Hip-Hop group Indigenous Cats, comprised of recording artists Calmplx and Ina Eyeris have made their rounds in the underground Hip-Hop scenes of Los Angeles, California. Garnering a small but dedicated and growing audience online, the duo regularly incorporate philosophies of decolonization, pan-Indigenous unity, and spirituality into their unique brand of music. With an increasingly growing profile, Indigenous Cat’s are swiftly rising stars in L.A.’s underground and Indigenous Hip-Hop scenes. Tracing their roots to El Salvador, and the islands of the Philippines and Russia, this literal power couple has built the foundations of their music on the sounds of underground Hip Hop, Reggae, and Jazz. Pulling inspiration from revered Hip-Hop artists such as Gang Starr, A Tribe Called Quest, Jedi Mind Tricks, Wu-Tang, MF DOOM, J Dilla, and Atmosphere. As well as acclaimed singers such as Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, and Bob Marley. Utilizing classic Boom Bap production, the Southern California duo have crafted a sound that invokes the nostalgia of Hip-Hop’s golden era and conjures memories of classic New York artists of yesteryear. Together Indigenous Cats create a tapestry of different sounds, ideas, and philosophies in their music that is quite unlike anything else being created by their peers in the underground Hip-Hop scene of Los Angeles. Striving to create inspirational music that is timeless, not only for modern listeners but, future generations to come as well. Having garnered a dedicated and growing following online, the two are among some of the most prominent torchbearers at the forefront of Indigenous resistance in underground Hip-Hop. During our discussion with Calmplx and Ina we were able to talk about the origins and history of Indigenous Cats, their mixtape Traveling Souls Project, decolonization/Indigenous resistance in Hip-Hop, and other future projects currently in the works. With that said, we here at Step Off! Radio hope that you all enjoy our conversation with Calmplex and Ina of Indigenous Cats!

We don’t normally have a lot of repeat guests on the show, but, for our latest edition of Step Off! Radio we have back on the podcast from our very first pilot episode Jaguar Arreola and Native Threat of Kozmik Force to talk about their latest EP 'Sound of a Weapon'. Since we had Jag and Threat on the show back in 2018, the duo has released several albums 'Untamed Unchained' and 'Ceremony on Concrete'. Likewise, Jag has released a solo project 'Maria’s Seed', which he came on the show to talk about last December. During our talk on the show, we catch up with Jag and Threat to discuss their latest EP, the growth of Kozmik Force four years after their debut, the challenges of making music in the age of COVID-19, and decolonization/Indigenous resistance post-Trump going into a Biden administration. To learn more about Kozmik Force’s origins you can listen to our very first pilot episode of Step Off! Radio with Kozmik Force from 2018 entitled ‘Kill The Colonizer Inside Your Mind’. With that said, we here at Step Off! Radio hope that you all enjoy our conversation with Jaguar and Native Threat of Kozmik Force! You can listen to Kozmik Force's latest EP 'Sound of a Weapon' which is out now on all major streaming platforms. Please be sure to rate and review the show!

Over the past decade, Latino entertainers have been vocal proponents in advocating for better representation in Hollywood, even as a national discussion about diversity and access in film continues. Among this crowd of innovating entertainers is David Fernandez Jr., who over the past several years has made a name for himself in Hollywood as one of the industry's go-to actors for his portrayal of tough-guy roles and characters. In our latest installment of Step Off! Radio, actor David Fernandez Jr. sits to discuss his latest role in Selena: The Series, his journey in becoming an actor, as well as diversity, and Latino representation in Hollywood. With that said, we here at Step Off! Radio hope that you all enjoy our discussion with David Fernandez Jr.

In our latest installment of Step Off! Radio, we bring to you a 'lost' episode from the Step Off! vaults. This episode with Tulengua was originally recorded last year on February 27th, 2020, to promote the release of their album, LOWKEYBANGERSVILLE. Shortly after this interview was recorded our computer crashed. We lost a bunch of material and seemingly our beloved Tulengua interview along with it. Fast forward nearly a year later while adding the new podcast page for the website, we discovered a backup file of the interview tucked away in a folder. Tulengua is a bilingual, biracial, and binational Hip-Hop group that is comprised of group members Amari Jordan, Alan Lilienthal & Jimmy Mora. Members of the group live claim residency on both sides of the border U.S./Mexico border in San Diego and Tijuana. Together, Tulengua is a tapestry of multiple cultures, languages, and sounds that is quite unlike anything else Hip-Hop. In our discussion, we detailed the origins of Tulengua, how its members met, the various nuances that entail being a binational Hip-Hop group, as well as their experiences regarding living along the Southern border. With that said, we here at Step Off! Radio hope you all enjoy our discussion with Amari Jordan, Alan Lilienthal & Jimmy Mora in the 'lost' Tunlegua episode.

In our latest installment of Step Off! Radio, and our first show of 2021, we had the chance to interview Stacey Uy and discuss her role as the founder, researcher, writer, and illustrator of the Radical History Club, a series of illustrated decolonized history zines that detail long-neglected areas of U.S. social history, focusing on the experiences of BIPOC, women, and other marginalized communities. In our discussion we talk about the history of the series itself, and what inspired her to create it. Likewise, we also discuss the importance of curating a decolonial curriculum for students and researchers that not only challenges much of the mythology that has long been passed for historical fact but challenges these narratives and replaces them with more accurate accounts by communities that have traditionally been marginalized and had their perspective erased from U.S. history books. With that said, we here at Step Off! Radio hope that you all enjoy our discussion with Stacey Uy of Radical History Club.

In our latest installment of Step Off! Radio, we had the chance to interview Jaguar Arreola, 1/2 of Indigenous-Chicano Rap duo Kozmik Force come on the show to discuss his very first solo project 'Maria’s Seed', the latest effort in the Inland Empire based emcee’s ever-growing catalog of work. Coming right on the heels of Kozmik’ Force’s third project Ceremony On Concrete which dropped late last year in 2019, Jaguar continues on in the long tradition of conscious, politically engaged music he has come to be known for. Continuing on with his strong critique of the U.S. government, the criminal justice system, and pro-Chicano/Indigenous empowerment philosophy. Likewise, Jag discusses the personal, intimate nature of his latest record, the inspirations the led him to create a solo project, as well the impact of COVID-19 in BIPOC communities, state violence over the summer, and the struggles we have all faced in 2020. With that said, we hope that you all enjoy our discussion with Jaguar Arreola on Step Off! Radio

In our latest installment of Step Off! Radio we interview Juan Carlos Lozano, a musician, entrepreneur, and community organizer based out of San Diego, California. In our conversation we had the chance to discuss his background as a community organizer, as well as little about his backstory growing here in San Diego, and how the legacy of the U.S./Mexico has had a direct impact not just on his family but has played a key central part in his activism. Likewise, we were also able to discuss his work as a musician, his experience hosting several podcasts, Village Voice Radion for People Over Profits SD and The Pablo Aceves podcast for Unión del Barrio, him embarking in other ventures like starting his own business Perseverance Clothing, and even some of his thoughts on the 2020 presidential election. With that said, we here at Step Off! Radio hope that you all enjoy our discussion with Juan Carlos Lozano.

For many artists, the COVID-19 pandemic has delivered an absolutely devastating blow to the creative arts scene. In a profession already often filled with highs, lows, and hardship, even in the best of times, the pandemic and the subsequent economic shutdowns over the past several months have been an absolutely devastating obstacle for many artists, musicians, and creators to overcome. San Diego’s creative art scene, of course, has been no exception to this alarming trend. Particularly Barrio Logan’s art and cultural district, whose artists and creatives have taken a disproportionate hit over the past several months. With many galleries, studios, and music venues still shuttered, artists in the neighborhood have been cut off from the events and spaces they’ve relied upon in the past to showcase their art and bring in a steady income. While virtually all artists having been forced to adapt to these new sets of challenges and circumstances over the past several months, ingenuity and inspiration in the era of COVID-19 have manifested an explosion of creativity and innovation in a variety of unexpected ways. And perhaps no one has utilized this time as creatively and meticulously as local artist and co-owner of La Bodega Gallery owner Soni López-Chávez. Since March, Soni has embarked on an ongoing art series of digital art pieces highlighting a wide variety of subject matter. From the plight of street vendors, the Black Lives Matter Movement, immigrant rights, Indigenous sovereignty, women’s rights, mental health awareness as well as LGBT issues. While the series covers a wide variety of different topics and causes, the overall encompassing themes all revolve around the empowerment of marginalized and vulnerable communities. While all of these struggles have existed for decades, the pandemic has brought many of these issues to a head and at the forefront of the public’s attention. In today’s episode, we had the opportunity to speak with Soni about her series and how she’s used her time during the pandemic to bring awareness through her art. With that said, we hope you all enjoy our interview with Soni López-Chávez.