Buy Back The Block Party

Sunday, January 8, 2023 at 4-8pm At 1-800 Happy Birthday 7 Knickerbocker Ave

Join us for a Buy Back The Block Party following the Healing Walk with curator Klaudia Ofwona Draber and community activist and mental health professional Cameron Bertrand. Music and good vibes provided by King Kufi, Baby Oil, LBE Hunt, Al-Doms, Kelo, Buddha Chief, Fake Uzumi and TeezySoDope.

Each artist featured in this musical lineup has been directly impacted by police brutality and gun violence and has chosen to make art about these experiences to uplift their communities. The Buy Back the Block Party at WORTHLESSSTUDIOS is a call to action to get involved in the community with songs that speak to the lived experience of oppression and resilience. Survivors use music to cope with grief and this collaboration with the Healing Walk organizers invites attendees to heal and celebrate in the context of the 1-800 Happy Birthday exhibition, honoring and celebrating lives and legacies of Black and Brown people killed by police.

King Kufi

King Kufi is a talented artist hailing from New Orleans, currently residing in Virginia. He has a passion for music and a dynamic rap style that sets him apart from the rest. With a unique flow and captivating stage presence, King Kufi is quickly making a name for himself in the music industry. His love for music is evident in every performance, and fans can't get enough of his energetic and authentic sound. Keep an eye on this rising star as he continues to make waves and bring his fresh style to the world of rap.

Instagram: @kingkufii

Al-Doms

 Wise with his pen, short with his words, and loud with his wit, Al-Doms is a thoughtful lyricist out of Norfolk, Virginia who values the craft of rap more than most. He has experienced a lifetime of trials and tribulations that have shaped his outlook on life and his approach to utilizing his pen. He’s on the verge of taking his career to the next level while demonstrating that a song’s writing matters just as much as how big it gets. A journey through his growing catalog reveals his skill as a writer to be that of a prodigy.

    He discovered rap music early on through his sisters who had intense fascinations for the genre. From No Limit, Tupac, and Jay-Z, he picked up an adoration for rap music. His musical tastes were also shaped by his mother introducing him to soul, funk, and R&B.

    Last year, Al-Doms released NEW DREAM EPand created a buzz in his hometown of Norfolk, VA. Most recently, he has released ‘APPARENT’, ‘MISS ME’, and ‘HAHA’ ft Pusha T - three singles that led up to his most recent project, PRESCRIBED OVERDOSE. With a co-sign from the notable Virginia native Pusha T, Doms continues to turn the heat up.

Instagram: @al_doms Twitter: @al_doms TikTok: @al_doms

Fake Uzumi

FAKE UZUMI is mixed medium artist based in Norfolk, Virginia. His artistry includes being a musician, producer, DJ, & graphic designer.

Instagram: @fakeuzumi

Baby Oil

Instagram: @mistababyoil

Marckel ‘KELO (kel-oh)’ Bonds

Marckel ‘KELO (kel-oh)’ Bonds, born in Bedford, VA, is an inimitable and passionate young mind with unique and valuable talents. Marckel specializes as a musician, media professional, mentor, community leader, entrepreneur, and event producer amongst other rotating titles that ultimately surround entertainment, media, and community. He attributes his motivation, his passion, and his success to his family and to his people.

Marckel is the oldest son of six siblings and a first generation college graduate. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication Studies with a minor in Business Administration from Christopher Newport University (CNU) with service distinction. While attending CNU, Marckel played football for all four years, served as Vice President of the Black Student Union, and made history by spearheading the petition for CNU to officially recognize MLK Day as a national day of service by ceasing classes. This effort was strengthened by the help of the Newport News NAACP and led to Marckel’s role as the Public Relations Chair for the chapter where he served for three years.

Throughout his undergraduate career, Marckel worked with the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula as a Youth Programming Coordinator where he realized his passion for the Hampton Roads community. Following graduation, Marckel worked closely with Newport News Commissioner of the Revenue, Tiffany Boyle, as a Graphic Designer and Public Information Assistant. Marckel assisted heavily with the annual statewide Commissioners & Cans food drive, the passing of Virginia’s First Minority Business Commission (HB124), and the revamping of the office’s website during his time in Newport News.

During the pandemic, Marckel furthered his education in Mass Media & Production at Norfolk State University while beginning his new role with WAVY-TV 10 as both a Marketing Account Executive by day, and a Production Intern by night. Marckel has since gone all-in as an entrepreneur by focusing his time on his music and his media company, Coffee Black. Marckel’s ambition has led him to many places but in each place he has found more of what he loves and he plans on developing even further into those areas.

Amongst the roles previously mentioned, Marckel has served as a field organizer, campaign manager, liaison for Violence Intervention & Prevention Inc., event producer for the Urban League of Hampton Roads, and most proudly – as a mentor and brother.

Marckel’s goal is to transform the narratives that surround BIPOC culture in entertainment and media by changing what representation looks like; especially on a corporate level. His biggest message to anyone who will listen is to utilize your gifts, triumphs, and predestination with conviction to help yourself and others create new narratives and to always, no matter the moment, stand up for what you believe in.

Instagram: @kelo.info

LBE HUnt

LBE Hunt is a 23 Year Old Hip Hop artist from Hampton Virginia who is known for his lyrical ability and flow on soulful sounds and tells stories from childhood tragedies. He has been rising since his first project released in July of 2020 while speaking on the tragedies of losing his mother in 2017 to breast cancer. As of recent he lost his manager/cousin Donovon Lynch who was the main piece to his rap career. Donovon set out a blueprint for Hunt as well as the whole LBE team. He then became extremely dedicated to his craft and focus on releasing quality music and visuals.

Instagram: @lbehunt

Buddha Chief

With Brooklyn being the home to heavy hitters in the rap game, there’s no doubt that great artistry comes from this particular borough in New York City. Vaughn Jefferson also known as Buddha Chief is an artist and entrepreneur who understands cultural significance when it comes to his music and work.

In the 1980’s during the peak of the crack era, it was important for young black males not to become a product of their environment. Buddha Chief was raised by his mother and grandmother, but hip hop always surrounded him as a kid. He was brought up on the same block as one of his hip hop inspirations Big Daddy Kane. Vaughn even curated a mural of Big Daddy Kane on the building where he once lived which he signed in approval. He plans to carry on tradition like other famous artists from the Bed Stuy community started and to keep shaping the rap culture.

At first when Buddha Chief started to make music he was known as “Von Jeff”. His mission was to give his listeners positive energy through beats and lyrics. The process of creating the perfect song for his audience became a thrill for him. He released his first mixtape in 2012 titled ‘ Count Me In ‘. Several songs from his project were placed in the film ‘ “Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete” which was executive produced by Alicia Keys.

Music wasn’t just about songs to Vaughn it was viewed as a lifestyle. He had a different approach when it came to getting his foot through the entertainment door. In the early 2000’s Buddha Chief served as the Director of A&R for MTV2’S “Monday Night Fight Klub”. He scouted and developed many of the popular battle rappers such as Cortez, Tay Roc, Reed Dollaz, Jag, Math Hoffa, and Serius Jones to name a few. Vaughn also found passion in production where he became a videographer for rapper Maino and for the respected Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.

Buddha Chief was chosen as his new stage name to rebrand himself. Buddha Chief is not only Vaughn’s stage name but also for his cannabis business. Being a huge fan of rapper Redman is what inspired the name behind the brand. “On a righteous level my vision was to always create an infusion of people and bring many cultures together under one roof by means of cannabis. Hence we have Buddha Chief” says rapper Buddha Chief. Outside of his music and cannabis career, Vaughn has also become a strong advocate for the black community as a whole. He’s currently releasing a docuseries titled “The Cure Rater’ to display the importance of mental health awareness. Buddha Chief’s passion coupled with his versatile talents will make him a respected name in hip hop culture.

Instagram: @buddhachief_thebrand