Gullah Punk: mod 1, consisting of Billie Dream and S A N T A N A, two blood bubbling, punk-rap/Afro-Cubano fused anthems, comes as the first tantalizing capsule of the next musical experience from the dyad. The upcoming installments will be coupled with a series of film shorts, drawing on the warm glow of the 70’s afro-kung fu film craze that swept through Black America, (Pam Grier, Kareem & Jim Kelly inspired a generation of Kung Fu Fighters), to depict some of the micro and macro-aggressions plaguing the Black community.

“Generation after generation come and go and we write the same narratives. The Black community has operated at the mercy of the US government since the shores of West Africa were breached. As an American Black man and descendant of the Gullah Geechee people, I know all too well the longing for a history that’s nearly erased, all while hoping my present dystopian-like experience will somehow evolve into a prominent future. Well, we got really tired of hoping so we decided to make our own future, today.” - dp.thuH.

The series of film shorts will visualize the perpetual “demons” Black Americans face, having afro-kung-fu assassins offer breadcrumbs to the blueprint on changing those said narratives. The connection between these two worlds was bridged during the early ’70s with early Bruce Lee films like Fist of Fury. Such films were only shown at budget NYC theaters, which brewed the perfect storm for poorer Blacks to pour in and see non-white protagonist overcome their foes in a cinema experience (fast-paced, action-packed scenes) unlike anything else. As more kung-fu films emerged starring folks the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was at the height of his NBA career, the psyche of more and more Black Americans began changing as their on film representation shifted to strong-willed, witty, positive characters ultimately capable of defeating oppressive enemies.

The first breadcrumb that the team will offer the audience is “change your neighborhood, change the world”. To set the wave - the duo is bringing a music festival to BedStuy, home to some of the overarching community’s music superheroes in Biggie, Aaliyah, Big Daddy Kane, and JayZ. “We want to instill in our youth the power we possess and can unleash in our own backyards.” -blond.bomber. The festival, hailing at historical Herbert Von King Park, will feature a plethora of emerging acts, play host to local Black-owned business vendors and ultimately, the proceeds for entry and all donations will go towards a back-to-school supply drive and breakfast program. The festival is tentatively slated for late September and the first episode of the shorts will feature the band practicing their routine inside the park’s amphitheater.

The goal for the project and accompanying events is two-fold; “We love music and the arts so if our presence and efforts allow kids to discover a new passion or encourage others in the community to pursue theirs, perfect. The second piece is probably most important for us... we want to ignite a new mindset in our people that together, we have the tools necessary to rewrite our fate. The philosophy is simple - “Kill your demons”. But in order for us to get that done, we got to shine a light into the dark.” - dp.thuH.

In order to circumvent the ploys and traps, they must help everyone recognize and understand the demons’ ways. That’s where Hippie Tribe, their blueprint to enrich the community and the Gullah Punk series comes into play. As their afro-assassins battle enemies, the fourth wall will be broken, meshing reality and fact-based fiction through this musical and film experience.